To be clichéd, Happy New Year!

Hmmm, what has happened this year?

• Musical: January to April preparing for 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.' It was a good time, I met a lot of fun people and I temporarily improved my coordination issues. 
• My first job: Remember, future me; a summer student job at a church=doing everything no one else wants to do. Heck, I was really overworked, but I made money, enjoyed myself occasionally, had great coworkers, I'm not scared of kids anymore and found out my mad skills with a paper cutter.
• Eleventh grade: I've gotten a lot closer to my classmates. We have good times, I like my classes and I see an eventual end to high school. I've also joined choir which has been quite enjoyable. I finally feel comfortable in high school. 

What to look forward to this year:

• Another musical, Miss Saigon. 
• My IB French exam. *insert look of terror.*
• Summer and whatever happens then.
• The beginning of my 12th grade year. 

Goals:

• Pick up guitar again. I've slacked since summer.
• Read Lord of the Rings. 
• Take French seriously to avert disaster.

Tonight I get trek over to a hall in the sticks for the youth New Year's all-nighter. There shall be nachos, a bonfire on the beach, movies and me getting grumpy somewhere between 12 and 2 and going to bed. It'll be fun.
Love,
-J-

And one pasta with meatless balls?

I guess I've settled into a nice little place where I'm perfectly content doing nothing. I'll get to a point in the next few days that I might call someone and see if they want to hang out, but I just need a short break from life. People, activity, school work, whatever. I want to go on Tumblr, youtube, try cooking stuff, read books and watch musicals without having to care what other people are doing.

Monday until Wednesday I visited family. We went to the sticks to visit my dad's side of the family, the regular sitting around for a few hours after eating large portions of food. That evening we went to Hillsborough, possibly the most boring town on the face of the earth, the kind of town that shuns you if you weren't born there. There I saw all these people that I've never seen before in my life and ate terrible casseroles that all included way too much potato. I amused myself by chasing around my one and a half year old 1st cousin (my cousin's kid), Kari, making sure she didn't get lost. She's so adorable.

We stayed in the rather empty town of Sackville with my grandparents, didn't do much on Tuesday, and Wednesday visited my now split mom's parents in Shediac for several hours of slightly awkward conversation. 

*start small rant*
Through all these days of visiting, I realized that my relatives on my dad's side view me as the one who will succeed out of my cousins. I have three cousins older than me, only one of whom graduated from high school, but immediately got pregnant afterwards. It looks like I not only will graduate from high school, but I'm going to go to university, I don't get around and I'm responsible. Damn, my family has hopes for me. AHHH. PRESSURE.
*finish small rant*

Now I shall eat carrot soup. 
Love,
-J-

Merry Christmas lovely people of the blogsphere.

Merry Christmas you lovely people, and to celebrate, here is a rather downlifting Christmas video, if, you know, the holiday season has been too happy for you:

I'm getting ready to watch the Doctor Who Christmas special. Actually, I lied, I've already watched 20 minutes of it. I'm saving some for later.

Some of my gifts of today include a TI-Nspire CX (graphing calculator), which I do not feel worthy of. It's a bit overkill for what I need it for. I also have candy (SO MUCH) and pjs. Nothing really too grand this year because I made my big purchases I wanted this summer while I had a job.

Tomorrow I'm off to the family visiting circuit. Yesterday I had a rather interesting game of Apples to Apples with my mom's family.

And a slightly happier video:

Love,
-J-

Sweater madness.

 This morning I got a text while waiting for my extremely late bus:

Noah: Ugly sweater day made me think of you :) and made me realize that the 'ugly' can be replaced by 'hipster' :P
Me: Aww. How thoughtful.
10 minutes later...
Noah: Well this is awkward, ugly sweater day is tomorrow.

Kind of made my day. Why did that kid have to move away?
Love,
-J-

A mild case of writer's block.

MCHCHDHDFHDAH.

Yeah, I just hit a writer's block. Brb... or well, soon.

I'll try to find something interesting to document soon.

Oh, and for those of you who care and haven't seen, here is the preview to the Doctor Who Christmas special:

*waits anxiously to see if they can actually pull off a Narnia-esque episode*
Love,
-J-

Tree, tree, tree.

Yesterday my family participated in a heart warming Christmas tradition of dragging an evergreen tree into our living room, standing it upright with great difficulty and decorating it in ever so slightly tacky ornaments, lights and garland for a reason that nobody is quite sure of.

I'm in the beginning stages of looking for a part time job. I've had way too much free time lately... I've rewatched three complete seasons of How I Met Your Mother in the last two weeks. I began putting my resume together and I happily realized it doesn't look all that bad. Probably because I actually have job experience. However, it kind of sounds like I'm making it up. I mean, listed under my responsibilities for my summer student job are child care, assisting with day camps,  event planning, office work, fundraising and music... which sounds like a bit much for a 16 year old who had a job that lasted eight weeks. Well, I have hopes it will land me a job of non-fast food variety.
Love,
-J-

To submit, or not to submit?

I'm debating whether or not to submit a edited version of this post to a District High School Literary Journal (basically, a bunch of English teachers got together and came up with this.) I kind of want to submit it, just to see if someone is willing to publish my writing, even in a publication this small. The published pieces are being selected by a jury I know how critical these English teachers are.

Thoughts? Opinions? Should I do it? Please be honest. I'll still love you.
Love,
-J-

'Tis the season.

I'm really embracing the holiday season this year. Dude, I even got a sweater (both my mother and my brother are jealous of it.)

The Christmas Bazar was today. The choir preformed, but it was a bit of a throw away performance. The importance of a performance is directly correlated with how stressed tech crew is. Today they were downright relaxed.

And now is just another night where I chill and watch Rent (for the 5th time).

I'm pretty content with this.
Love,
-J-

What a lovely day.

Today was pretty much centered around food and entertainment. It was awesome.

It began with waiting line at school for Pancake Breakfast, possibly one of my favourite days of the year. The basic idea is that teachers slave over griddles for two or so hours so that we can eat pancakes and sausages that taste really good, probably because we waited in a line for half an hour to get them. But it is still just a really good experience, no matter how overrated it seems. I mean, a lot of people who have graduated still come back for this one day.

Then came the teacher assembly, where teachers make fools of themselves with their talents for our amusement and the holiday spirit. I was with a group of IB kids in the balcony and we clapped every time a tech crew member walked by on their way to the sound booth. The assembly ended with the stage packed with teachers and students dancing to the "Party Rock Anthem."

After that a group of 13 of us headed to Sahara, a Lebanese restaurant with a decent student special. Ema and I discussed afterwards that we should bring the IB room kids on 'field trips' more often, because they don't get out much. I had a pretty good time surrounded by my classmates while eating a pretty decent chicken wrap.

The afternoon of Pancake Breakfast day, there is always a basketball game, which I am yet to go to in my three years of high school. Classes were practically useless to go to because rarely people show up, so I went to the Library with Sam and Ema then we wandered though various dress stores in anticipation of Cabaret later this month.


I took my bus home afterschool and had a somewhat small taco party with Sam and Moriah, where we watched Chicago and Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog.


I had a good day but I am so tired.
Love,
-J-

Honey badgers FTW.

Everything you didn't want to know about honey badgers, as told by John Green. Because your day needs this. Honestly.

Today, this isn't for you.

I remember reading somewhere in the Emily of New Moon series that there is a moment in every woman's life where she can distinctly remember passing from childhood to adulthood.

It's been a year today.

A lot has happened. Honestly, my life has been pretty screwed up but I've made it through stronger.

It's weird to think of how things used to be. I spent the most enjoyable moments of my childhood with you, treasured those moments and the time we've spent together, the emails we've sent back and forth when we lived across the continent from each other.

Then last year, on this day, my world fell apart. Everything didn't make sense. My emotional distance got the best of me. That moment came when I passed from childhood.

What really got me was that it could have happened to anyone, but it happened to you. Simply going a little too late on a yellow light on the way back from church. My closest childhood friend, a kindred spirit, an all around amazing person. I've established a huge fear of losing people I love since then.

That night, I walked around my neighborhood for hours. I prayed, I cried, I paced, and I don't know much of what else I did. I have memories of a huge blur of pain, confusion, denial, so many things.

Going to your funeral was crazy. At the visitation I wasn't expecting an open casket and after a long day of traveling it caught me off guard. I wish I had a better last memory of seeing you, because there you didn't even look like you. It wasn't you. The essence of you was gone.

It made a really weird atmosphere when Ben, Josh and Jeremy were on pretty potent pain killers. It broke the tension of the situation, but also made it sadder. So many mixed emotions. Especially when Jeremy sat in his wheelchair with a beat up face and opened his birthday presents after the visitation. Ben was not really there. I think the hefty amounts of Vicodin took the edge off for him. But seeing Josh was heartbreaking. He was the least medicated and beat up of the bunch and he had this sadness hanging around him as he smiled and accepted people's hugs and condolences.

Everywhere in those few days I found little pieces of you. Little pieces of you in the surreal, unfamiliar place.

I miss you and it still doesn't make sense, but I'm coming to terms with it... I think. Now that I think about it, out of everybody, I think that you would be the most okay with going, even only at 15. But I can't help but see how much potential you had to make this world a fantastic place because you were slightly strange and never did quite fit in. Things that you cursed yourself for were your biggest strengths, too. I don't know why you were taken so early and I don't think I ever will. 

But someday, we'll meet again. I'm looking forward to it :) (here's an emoticon, which I used to use just to bug you.)
Love,
-J-

Christmas, Christmas time is here.

I woke up to a winter wonderland on Wednesday, our first snow day of the season. We actually shoved off the barbeque so we could have hamburgers for supper. Canada can't get us down!

Today the choir sang at the Mayor's Christmas Tree lighting, an attempt for people to actually see the city's government doing something with the public. We were pretty kickass. We sang a bunch of Christmas carols and even managed the Hallelujah chorus a capella. I love looking out on to the crowd and seeing people singing along and smiling. After that we went inside Market Square and took advantage of the acoustics offered by standing on the balcony, by invitation of course, as kids on the main floor lined up to see Santa (who actually had a legit long white beard.)

We sing at the Empty Stocking Fund tomorrow, a live TV broadcast fundraiser to help poor families around Christmas. Us girls get to wear our bright red spiffy choir dresses and the guys suit up and put on bow ties (bow ties are cool.) We will wack that Hallelujah chorus out of the hypothetical park.

In another choir note, I found of group of slightly awkward Doctor Who fans to hang out with. *score!* Actually, I was hanging out with them before I realized that they were Doctor Who fans. I guess I'm just getting good at picking friends. Or I'm naturally attracted to awkward people.
Love,
-J-
PS- I got tumblr. Here's the link (right here, click here!), for those of you interested. Give me a shout in the comments if you want me to follow you and/or have some suggestions of who to follow. I'm still figuring it out, forgive me.
Peace, homies.

I'm in love with a Bolivian alpacha sweater.

I have kidnapped this sweater from Moriah for a few days. I covet it.

I went to a coffee house at school tonight. It was epic. It included everything from a poem about wool socks, the Beatles, an angsty teenage song called "I Hate Christine," the Pokemon theme song, a guy hitting every high note of "Halo" and some crazy things which I'm unable to describe in words. I was sitting at a table with some of the IB Music kids, who are rather hilarious. Coffee house=happy.

After half a mug of starbucks coffee, I really hope I can sleep.
Love,
-J-

Just your average lazy Friday night.

The boarded up Paramount theater that people are trying to save uptown.

An artist's impression of what 3 million dollars will apparently do to turn it into a venue. That would be pretty awesome.

Lazy Friday night, time to relax and ponder life, such as: 

• Should I get a tumblr? I like the idea of being able to post all sorts of random pictures etc. without needing any context.Thoughts?
• The cast list came out for Miss Saigon. I'm pretty pumped for my second year in chorus, because last year was epic. Wondering what this year will have in store.
• I finished Jane Eyre last night. What a book. Still haven't pondered that one enough.
• Now I need to find another book to read. Out of Africa? Perhaps.

Love,
-J-

The Shire, Verona, India and the Dark Side.

Despite waking up this morning and not wanting to face the world, some things still managed to make my day:

• A very short guy walked past me on the stairs in mid-conversation. All I heard was "'Cause that's how we do it in the Shire!"
• Kaelen was getting into character during lunch to play Mecrutio in Romeo and Juliet: "My fair maidens, now I shalt leave you with this hip thrust." *Hip thrusts and walks away.*
• Indian food for supper. Omnomnomnom.
• This video (totally worth ten seconds of your life):

 

After all this, I realized I can face the world.

Meh, but still burned out.
Love,
-J-

Poetry?

I think I'm beginning to understand poetry. MADNESS. Even being a somewhat artsy person, I've just never quite got poetry. IB English is forcing me into it.

Or maybe I'm finally losing my marbles. Well, it was inevitable.
Love,
-J-

Markets and ukuleles: A few of my favourite things.

What better thing is there to do on a Saturday morning in November than going on a quest with your parents, grandparents, brother and hipster friend (Moriah) to the Fredericton farmer's market? 

Answer: nothing. 

Moriah and I's agenda included finding a bunch of little birthday presents for a friend (especially fun at a farmer's market), lusting after people's lovely shoes (awkwardly nudging each other whenever we saw nice ones) and finding large quantities of good food within our budgets. We got orange juice, candy cane fudge, noodles, fried wontons and mini donuts, all of which was practically heavenly.

Farmer's markets are such fulfilling places.

Other events of my week include auditioning for the chorus for Miss Saigon on Wednesday. It wasn't too terrifying. I'm looking forward to musical.

I also had my first time singing with the choir for an event at the Remembrance day ceremony on Thursday. Despite the tucked in choir shirts and unintentionally drawing blood with a poppy, I think I liked it.

I have discovered my love of ukuleles. So easy to carry around to serenade people. Simple chords. Unique instrument to play songs for a Christmas tea. Silver Bells, Feliz Navidad and I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas will happen. 

Love,

-J-

Happiness: sitting on a couch on a Sunday evening with a few friends, cuddling under some blankets, listening to some Christmas music while watching a video of a fire place.
Love,
-J-

Hearts. Love. Happy.

I had an awesome day today. Tidal Impact Reunion! None of the older people that I was tight with made it out, but most of the younger ones did. I forgot how much I loved them, since I haven't seen them since that week in July. Our groups still have that really comfortable atmosphere, like we're old friends.

We all had a grand time. I love being around different people for a change. We went on a photo scavenger hunt uptown, hung out in Tim Hortons, played Mafia (Moses' deadpan death stories were the best), ate meat/meat/meat/meat pizza cooked by Dan (who, being a firefighter, should probably have prevented the grease fire in the oven...) and practiced music for tomorrow's service.

I <3 those people so much.
Love,
-J-

8 Tracks playlist: Popular songs from a few years ago played on strings. Hearts love.

Folklore, accents and slippery flowers: My life

 I went to the Post-Secondary fair yesterday. I almost got left behind by the school bus, but realized the room was about three hundred kids short before it was too late.

Now I get to shuffle through a bunch of universities' attempts to steal my soul. Woot for trying to make decisions.

And did you know that you can major in Folklore at Memorial? I kid you not.

Oh, and here's my Halloween costume, made out of a flower shaped sleeping bag:

The trick-or-treaters found me sitting in a chair directly in front of the door, dressed as a flower, blasting dubstep (especially this little ditty) and attempting to keep my laptop from sliding off my lap due to the slippery fabric.
Love,
-J-

It's beginning to look a lot like... Christmas?

My coffee cup, which appeared in my office this summer. I liked it so I took it.

My deck this morning.

 People have begun mentioning Christmas shopping, winter coats are in stores and the first snow has/is falling. Winter is nearly upon us.

Yeah for mittens, socks, tea, hot chocolate, blankets, scarfs, knit sweaters, Christmas music, trees, fresh snow, coziness and snow days.

Neigh for bulky coats, -15 degrees (C) temperatures at the bus stop, shoveling, snow banks, bulky boots, slush, ice, getting out of bed in the cold, February, winter weight, and inconvenient blizzards.

I find myself being excited about winter this year and I don't really know why. I want nice, flaky snow. I want to wear my growing second hand sweater collection. I want to curl up under a blanket and watch movies. Usually I have more an attitude of disdain of cold temperatures.

What do you guys like/dislike about winter?
Love,
-J-

Halloween decorations, anyone?

Oh, how I love my nerdy family. My brother made this and brought to a contest at school. He didn't win anything, but still deserves honorable mention.

I have costume, from the 'Bed and Bath' section of Value Village, but I have to make a few adjustments. I walked past it and it was just too good an opportunity to miss.

Love, -J-

This post is unrelated Tuesday.

Today, I colored three coloring sheets with crayons.

I drank coffee for the first time in a week.

People kept touching my hair for some reason.

Guitar lessons started back up and realized that my guitar strings are rusty.

I witnessed a formerly homeschooled kid, Kaelen, try to open a combination lock for the first time. She then had to be taught by Moriah, who had to learn the same skill last year.   

I need to make my costume for Halloween. I can't decide between a bedsheet ghost or a swallow carrying a coconut (a Monty Python and the Holy Grail reference). Decisions, decisions.

My life is so entertaining, especially on Tuesdays.*sarcasm*
Love,
-J-

A breath of crazy fresh air.

 Today there wasn't school.

So what is there to do but sleep until 11am, then head off to the library with a bunch of fellow IB kids and research an essay on Louis XIV?

In all honesty, in the two and a half hours we were at the library, we didn't get much done in the way of research. Foolish webcam pictures were taken, revenge was sought through hijacking each others facebook accounts, and hysterical laughter occurred.

It was a good time, being a little crazy, and a lot of comic relief from the seriousness and stress of life.

It's funny how in my life, "getting a little crazy" occurs in a library. And I'm happy with it that way.

Then there was Chinese food, chocolate on sale at Lawton's and taking a bus to youth group.

Today was just a good day. I needed today.
Love,
-J-

"Le Vie Boheme"- Rent Soundtrack

My gosh, I love Rent. *warning: slightly rowdy song*

"He keeps coming back, like peanut butter herpes."

Irving Nature Park on Saturday.

Nifty tree roots and moss.

A rusty car off one of the trails at the park. It was adorable, in a sort of forgotten and forlorn way.

Yesterday, I met this cute little kid at church. He looked around four years old and he was wearing a striped cardigan, rolled up jeans and little velcro Toms. I asked him what his name was and he replied,"I'm Oasis."

No word of a lie, guys.

The abundance of hipster couples at the Vineyard are spreading concentrated doses of 'hipster' on to their children. It gets comical. I <3 Christian hipsters and their children.
Love,
-J-
(completely unrelated title courtesy of Moriah and I's conversation on Saturday.)

School dances and the pros of avoiding them.

There has been an insane amount of debating in my classes this year. It's growing on me.

Tonight, my school is having a dance. I will not be attending. Reasons I have used to defend this:

• Dances are:
• loud.
• trashy.
• ridiculous.
• I feel out of place because I am:
• socially awkward.
• wearing a decent amount of clothing.
• clean and sober.

 I'm way too classy for that.

And Alex was way too keen on trying to convince me to go. *awkward boy still hasn't given up after a year* My friends have begun to use his name as a syndrome for those who refuse to give up on something hopeless.

Anyway, I'm doing something about 1000x more productive than going to a school dance... hanging out with Sam, making brownies and watching a musical. YEAH.
Love,
-J-

Moments of this week.

 Amusing moments: 

1. Spending time in the IB hangout room (where IB kids retreat from the world because, to quote Tech Crew Alpha,"There are too many uncontrolled variables.") 

2. Watching Brittany causally write with her feet in History class.

Awesome moment: Going with Moriah to Value Village, a thrift place, to find a birthday present for Noah. We made Allan try on about a dozen dorky sweaters to figure out if they would fit Noah. For myself, I bought three fairly awesome sweaters and a bag for a total of $23. The kind of shopping I can afford at this point in my life.

 Awkward moment:  Learning just how far down choir dresses zip when Brittany asked me to unzip the one she was trying on. Way too far.

Color moment: I ate a cupcake on Friday at lunch that had hot pink icing. It stained my hands so much that even after washing them four times, they were still noticeably pink.

Educational moment:

In English class, a presentation was done on the poem "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell, and someone summed up the main idea as being,"Get laid while you're young and hot." And it totally being true. What morals English class and metaphysical poetry is teaching me.

Fashion moment: Socks and 'stocks. The shoe choice of champions. These have been gracing my feet far too often lately.

 Low moment: Scoring a 32% on a math test. Using my low moment for good moment: Making people feel better about their test marks by proclaiming my mark. 

Musical moments: 

1. Singing Hakuna Matata in French class with Raj.

2. Listening to CBC every evening to hear jazz. I'm hooked on jazz, guys.

Sketchy moment: After dark, with Vineyard youth, walking around King's Square (sketchiest place in the city) with pitchers of ice tea, asking random people if they wanted any. This went down:

 Me: "Sir, would you like a glass of iced tea?"

Guy: "Is there LSD in it?"

Me: "Uh, no."

Guy: "Then I don't want any." *rides away on bike*

That's the sort of crowd that hangs out there. And we were creeping even them out. 

Social moment: A bunch of use hung out with Noah last night for his kind of birthday party. We had a bonfire.

 Tasty moment: Went to the Fredericton farmer's market this morning and got a piece of baliey's cheesecake. It was fantastic. 

That list is in alphabetical order. OH. 

Love,

-J-

Reporting from Starbucks.

Ah, my favourite place to drain my wallet and bank account.

Yeah.

I totes baked 7 dozen brownie cupcakes yesterday.

They are mini and fracking adorable. All 7 dozen of them. 4 dozen went to the Vineyard youth bakesale, 1 and a half dozen to high school Sunday school, and the remaining 6 cupcakes to my family.

They are pretty tasty.

Man, send me to Starbucks and give me a webcam and stuff will go down. What on earth do people think of me? Of course I carry cupcakes with me whenever nessicary. And take pictures with my webcam of me eating them. Ahh, life.

Me thinks a cinnamon dolce latte soundeth good.*insert sound of wallet draining*
Love,
-J-
Currently reading: Jane Eyre (80% through... I can do this)

5 Fall Goals.

I found a tag on Smile Couture's blog about fall goals, which I thought might be fun to do.

1. Avoid procrastinating. 
I am so fracking practiced at procrastinating by this point in my life that I should be able to find a way to avoid it.

2. Knit mittens for my friends.
I promised them mittens last winter, but then slacked. Time for me to break out the yarn again and have my grandfather make jokes about my elderly hobbies.


3. Hipster Thrusdays. 
Today Moriah and I had hipster Thursday today, where we strive to dress like hipsters. Or, you know, an excuse to wear quirky pieces of clothing we happen to own (*cough*llama sweater*cough*) We actually don't dress much differently on Hipster Thursdays, but we will totally still do it for kicks.

4. Don't buy cosmetics. 
I'm trying to come to terms with not getting paychecks anymore and going on a cosmetic purchase ban is hopefully going to keep me from burning through my allowance too fast. After my sixth nail polish purchase of the summer, I decided that I needed to stop for a while. 


5. Pick up a bit of piano. 
I kind of want to learn a bit of piano. Because piano chords are actually way easier than I assumed.
Love,
-J-
Currently reading: Will Grayson Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Crayons, the possible cure for the common cold.

I stayed home with a cold today and watched the season premier of How I Met Your Mother, Castle, as well as Two and a Half Men, simply because I was curious about how they would get rid of Charlie Sheen. The writers sure had fun with that episode.

This weekend I went to a Vineyard youth conference at a camp. It was so chill, they didn't even go over the rules when we got there. I love the Vineyard and their impressive laid back-ness.

I had a good time hanging out with people, making hipster jokes with Noah, and a marriage proposal from both Sam and Moriah beginning with,"Well, we've been friends for so long that we may as well just get married...". In addition to the good times, I has a rather frightening time sitting on a trampoline with three middle school boys and two overly medicated friends playing Stella Ella Ola at 12:30am.

Top moments of the weekend included Todd (Noah's dad) was wearing a candy necklace. At an exit, Noah, being an amusingly awkward person, leaned over from the passenger seat and took a bite of the necklace. The four of us sitting in the back seat were in hysterics. We imagined getting into a accident and Todd having to explain to the cops that his teenage son took a bite off his candy necklace while he was driving.
Love,
-J-

Facebook kind of made my day.

The hobbit you just called fat? He's skipping 2nd breakfast. The dwarf woman you called ugly? She spends hours braiding her beard so you can differentiate her from a dwarf man. The Uruk-Hai you just killed? He's been abused by Saruman. See that Gollum creature with the gangly limbs&large eyes? For 500 years the Ring poisoned his mind. That Elf you just made fun of for crying? She just lost her wizard friend to a Balrog. Put this as your status if you're against bullying in Middle-Earth.
  
PLEASE put this as your status if you know someone (or are related to someone) who has been eaten by pandas. Pandas are nearly unstoppable and when hungry, also breathe fire. 71% of people won't copy this into their status because they have already been eaten by pandas, 28% are hiding in their… showers with fire extinguishers awaiting the coming pandocalypse and the remaining 1% are awesome and will re-post.

Things of which have lately occured.

• I joined choir yesterday. First song we're doing is Bohemian Rhapsody. My enthusiasm is abundant. Also, Brittany joined too, so I think we will have fun being crazy together. 
• I went to a concert in Moncton last night. Newsboys, Thousand Foot Krutch, Manafest (which was too loud... I went to the lobby), a total of ten acts. There were a few acoustic guitar guys who were really good. It started at 5pm and went to 11pm. Some of the acts were terrible, but some were quite good. TFK has good music, and the guitarist has epic dreads (which he whipped back and forth). Newsboys are good performers and they balance that well with their music. Newsboys are more my type of music. I got home at 2am. So caffeinated at school today.
• I discovered my love of metaphysical poetry. Never have I felt like such a dork. I'm currently working on a project comparing the views of God as found in "Batter my heart" by John Donne and "Love (III)" by George Herbert. I'm kind of liking it way more that I should. I think this love has sprung from having poetry written about religion, which I understand fairly well, and am therefore able to decipher. I seriously fail at most other poetry.

Love,
-J-

Everyday I'm shuffling... back and forth to school.

Sorry for my brief disappearance there. I feel overwhelmed already with school starting back up yesterday and trying to get into routine again. I can't believe I'm stressed already.

I need to go to church camp this weekend, which doesn't excite me at all.

So I may as well write a bit about my classes:

A block, I have World Issues, the one non-IB class I'm taking this semester. I'm looking forward to it, partially because of the subject matter and that the teacher seems really awesome. We are watching Blood Diamond for the next few days, and from the bit I saw today, my mom was right in her description of "It's a good movie, but you will want to puke on your shoes." We get to do some debating, persuasive writing of sorts, and keeping up with current events.

B block, I have IB English 11 with Ms. Sutton. I was terrified of her in 9th grade, but she seems much more agreeable this time. Probably because this course is way less mind numbing than English 9. Sutton seems way less temperamental than Ms. Lutz (yeah!). We are launching into a unit about metaphysical poetry, which Sutton seems to actually be excited about. When the teacher is enthusiastic, it is so much easier to learn.

C block I have IB Advanced Math 12. It is a silent, awkward class which I dislike already. Because it's advanced math, and I'm not as brilliant as 9/10 of the class. Numbers and I dislike each other, words and I get along much better.

D block I have IB History 11 with Mr. Theobald. I have lots of friends in this class, and if Mr. Theobald ever stayed on topic, we might learn something relevant. I've learned so much random stuff from him that it is insane. Today we learned for 20 minutes about the purchase of Alaska, Hawaii and Louisiana... in the middle of roll call. Yesterday we talked about Logan's Run and 1984. We are suppose to discussing the question 'What is modern?'. He makes the random information interesting, impressively enough.

E block I have IB French 11. Someone decided to stick my class (21 people) and a French 122 (8 people) together (why?) and they already hate us. They would not stop whispering about how 'fracking' immature we are. We're just a tight class with many class clowns and lots of weird jokes. They seem a little uptight. Other than that, I am totally screwed as far as French is concerned. IB exam at the end of the year? That's terrifying. I'm procrastinating from French homework right now.

So, I guess this is my fate until January. It doesn't look too bad. I'm intellectually pumped for some classes*dork*. No sciences until next semester! Other than that, it's nice seeing friends again, having classes that interest me, and getting some laughs from the above mentioned class clowns.
Love,
-J-

To the future.

Things I am looking forward to:

• Seeing my school friends regularly again.
• Having a consistent schedule, as opposed to my rather inconsistent work one.
• Having classes, strangely enough.
• The people in my classes. 
• Discussing Doctor Who on the bus.
• Seeing tech crew and their purposeful walks.
• Interesting moments with the people around my locker.
• Being in the upper age group of the school. 
• Hopefully choir, musical and possibly some other things.
• The overall positive energy at school that I don't have to work for.
• Picnics in Queen's square with my picnic buddies.
• Youth group at the Vineyard starting up again.
• A new beginning, of sorts.

Love,
-J-

Doctor Who season 6 ep.8 *SPOILER ALERT*

I know many of you are avid Doctor Who watchers, so I will warn you if you haven't watched the newest episode.

Are you sure you want to read this?

Will you hate yourself?

Are you sure?

My nails are Tardis blue in honor of Doctor Who returning. I am such a dork.

You still have time to leave and watch the new episode.

You have been sufficiently warned.
 
I watched the latest Doctor Who episode with a rather mixed reaction.

First of all, I wish they had introduced the character of Mels much earlier and actually expanded a little more. Her introduction seemed a little sudden to me. I would have rather wondered the importance of her character in earlier episodes or they could have even cut her entirely. Her entrance and exit could have been executed much better. 

The flashback attempted to fill the gaping hole of Melody Pond/Mels/Riversong was rushed. Personally, since they really seem set on giving the Riversong plotline a lot of time this season, I think this gap deserved more time then it was given.

I did, however, like flashback of Amy and Rory. It was pretty funny, actually.
 "I thought we were playing hide and seek." "We are, we just haven't found you yet."

"I'd love to, he's gorgeous, he's my favorite guy. But you know, he's gay."
"I'm not gay!"
"Seriously, in the time I've known you, when have you shown the slightest interest in a girl?"
*Rory freezes and runs*
 I was kind of adorable. It made them seem more of a couple because now I know a bit of their history.

Now, the actual 'Let's kill Hitler!' part of the episode.

It's an interesting idea, when I saw the title I was looking forward to it. It was disappointing.

They devoted like five minutes to that plot. The five minutes went in a circle, then was disregarded for the rest of the episode.

If it had been a sort of random run in with Hitler, as opposed to the selling point of the episode, I wouldn't have minded. I feel mislead about the content of the episode.

The little people in the episode were sort of left hanging. A sort of, 'Oops! The Doctor is dead (for the second time this season), let's forget the characters we introduced this episode.' That's two sets of characters left hanging in a single episode.

My overall reaction: They attempted to cram too much in this episode. Now that we know who Riversong is after such a long time of knowing very little, I feel that they threw too much of her at us at once. Hijacking and shooting the TARDIS, her regeneration, poisoning The Doctor, massacring Nazis, then giving up her regenerations to save The Doctor. Bit much all in an hour.

I think that after this, it will go uphill. It has paved the way for the rest of the season (I hope).
Love,
-J-

Someone else's reaction:

Let's kill Hitler reaction

Looking back.

Things that were good about summer:

• Getting closer to lots of people because of work.
• Seeing my savings account rise.
• Having a less foggy idea of what I want to do with my life.
• Tidal Impact
• Meeting new people (learning I have gained social skills)
• Having an intense week in Fredericton.
•  Discovering my strengths and weaknesses.
• Working with an awesome team of people through highs and lows.
• Getting over my fear of kids and learning to love being around them.
• Having the break at the end to see BC and (soon) Alberta. 

Love,
-J-

Hello Hurricane-Switchfoot

Kamloops. Kamloops. Kamloops.

I'm reporting from Kamloops.

I really don't have much to say, just that 'Kamloops' is one epic name for a moderate sized city in the middle of the desert.

We took a gondola up the mountain yesterday. They were fantastic.

 

And then to the desert:

Love,
-J-

*fails at thinking of witty title*

I'm in Whistler now. Just drove up today from Vancouver.

Victoria, I realized after two days, is an anti-hick town, for lack of a better phrase. It's into organic, environmentally friendly, small businesses, etc. This is coming from me, born and raised in a city where a large portion of the people are employed by an oil refinery, organic is unheard of, chain stores are the norm, and they don't give a crap about the environment. Victoria was a nice change from home.

My bro and I couldn't resist. Somewhere in Victoria.

I got the slight impression of it being a bit stuffy, though. It might be because of spending time with Dorothy and her husband, who are rather well off. Eating supper at their house was slightly akin to a Friday night supper at the Gilmore household (Gilmore Girls FTW?). The main difference was a less hostile environment and the absence of house help. But seriously, they were practically an Emily and Richard. I felt like I had been there before, but I guess it was only the large portion of Gilmore Girls I have consumed lately.

Last morning in Victoria, we visited the Butchart Gardens. Insert long string of pictures: 

This hedge makes other hedges feel inadequate.

Never have I found more loveable grass.

In Vancouver, I felt like I had been dropped somewhere in Asia. I was definitely a minority there. On Saturday night we visited one of my parents' friends from RVA. We had supper at an Indian restaurant, which was empty because it's still Ramadan. It was awesome, cheap Indian food, something that I can't find at home :(

On Sunday morning we visited Granville Island. I got a few things and a tasty mini cheesecake. We collapsed for the afternoon and then ate Chinese food. We picked the restaurant by walking down the road and seeing which was the fullest.

Today we hung around the mall, drove from Vancouver to Whistler, consumed coffee and wandered around aimlessly in the rain. Also, my brother knows many songs from "The Sound of Music." I'm not sure if he's ever actually seen the musical.
Love,
-J-

Today's post brought to you by jet lag.

I had quite the day yesterday.

This morning I woke up at 4am. I kind of rolled out of bed, into my clothes, brushed my teeth and got out the door to the airport.

Airports at 5am are a sort of zombie fest. Nobody is particularly awake, you see (except the flight attendants).

I got about an half an hour of restless sleep and a few nice pictures on the flight:

The Toronto Skyline at 7am through fog.

Terminal 1.

 We arrived at the Toronto airport a little after 7am (Toronto time) and found a bigger zombie fest. We then proceeded to find Tim Hortons. It was quite a decision to go into the Tim Hortons line, considering half the airport was also in the line. But alas, we just went with it. We wanted bagels and coffee and nothing, not even a marathon line, could stop us.

We had a little under an hour to kill before our flight to Victoria boarded, so I decided now would be the time to put myself together. More teeth brushing (with a questionably moldy toothbrush) occurred, I put on some make up and my glasses to distract from the whole zombie vibe I was giving out, and then the coffee kicked in. I was in great spirits for the next six hours or so. My mom and I then pondered whether one of the guys running past could pull off plaid-on-plaid.

The flight to Victoria was on a bigger plane than the one to Toronto. My dad was thankful that his head didn't brush the ceiling this time. My brother and I found this graphic on the emergency card amusing:

I'm not sure how much of the plane could actually muster up that leap.  

Whenever I get on day flights, I have no idea how to kill time. Reading a book doesn't keep my attention (probably due to the amount of caffeine keeping me alive when I travel), and I usually resort to listening to music. This time, I resorted to Sudoku. I have no idea how much time passed, but I worked my way through the levels until I gave up part way through the hardest one. Then I went for music and staring over my brother at the amazingly 2-D prairies and then eventually the mountains.

We landed in Victoria, after nearly twelve hours of traveling, just before lunch. It was weird, considering we felt like it was almost time for supper. We were met in the airport by a alumni from my dad's high school (in Kenya) who offered through a mailing list months ago to show us around Victoria and have us over for supper (today). Dorothy was really nice and brought us to a little restaurant that was part of the flight school. There were people in flight suits all around. I managed to eat half of a good, but incredibly large, burger.

After lunch we headed to our hotel in downtown and crashed briefly. We went exploring downtown in an attempt to find a drug store. We crashed a little longer, then went to Nando's for supper. After we went back to the hotel, I fell asleep at 7ish.

That brings me to now. Somebody forgot to turn off their 4am alarm from yesterday, but did change the time. I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep.

Hence the post title.

I'm pumped for seeing more of Victoria today. I always like cities.
Love,
-J-
Currently reading: Jane Eyre

Surfing stickman Jesus.

The summer students' stick man version of the first few lines of the chorus of Days of Elijah.

I'm particularly proud of the surfer Jesus on the cloud. *bow*.

My cat this afternoon, on the drive to her exile at my grandparents' house while we're in BC and Alberta. Twiga wasn't a happy camper.

Tomorrow I have the day off, so I shall be packing for vacation.
Love,
-J-