Sunday, October 31, 2010
...?
So, it's been a few days. But here's the deal. I've got really awful writer's block. It seems my life has slowed to a crawl lately, and it's been almost a week since I've had anything remotely postworthy happen to me. So, I'm opening up the field to pretty much whatever anyone wants to suggest as a post topic for the next little while until my ability to come up with stuff to write about returns. So basically, if you have any suggestions, throw 'em at me. In the mean time, I apologize for my (hopefully) temporary lack of creativity.
Monday, October 25, 2010
S'no Fun
Today was the first snowfall of the season here in balmy ol' Edmonton.
Think of it: lovely little flakes, each looks perfectly round at first, but as you let one fall onto your hand, you see that it's actually star shaped, and every one as unique as the crystals that formed it. They're falling softly, covering the grey green of the dying grass in a pure, paper white blanket. What could possibly be wrong with this picture?
I shall tell you.
Snow represents winter.
That's what.
As beautiful and peaceful as the first snowfall of (gulp) winter is, what comes with it is anything but pleasant. First, there's the traffic issues. Everyone is getting into collisions because they have forgotten how to drive well in cold weather over the past six (okay, four, but I can dream, can't I?) months. Then, after a few days, the snow in the city has changed from that lovely afformentioned white to a muddy, gross brown. After about a month, it has completely solidified to full-blown lumps of ice because the temperature has dipped down to minus 40 degrees(celsius). The little snow that remains has turned into powder, useless for building forts, snowmen, forming snowballs, or even making decent snow angels. All that's left to enjoy is skiing, tobogganing, snowboarding, and a cup of hot chocolate once you get inside. The floors become muddy. Your glasses fog up every time you enter or exit a building, leaving you temporarily blind. Your nose runs. Your lips chap. You catch colds. Your skin gets dry and cracks. The days are so short now that you come home after dark at 6:00 pm.
Then, like the eye of a hurricane, Christmas comes and the snow is beautiful all over again, setting the mood to curl up by the fireplace (or watch the fireplace channel if you don't have a real one) with your family and maybe another mug of hot chocolate. It's still cold out, but you don't mind so much anymore. You have your loved ones and Christmas spirit to keep you warm.
Then January hits. All the things you hated about winter before Christmas are back, this time with about 50 times higher intensty than before. The bills from Christmas arrive, forcing you to come to terms with how much you actually spent partying it up last month. Kids go back to school, those adults lucky enough to have time off for Christmas go back to work, and life gets back to it's boring and too-cold-to-even-ski self. You start to get cranky, snapping at people for no reason (but don't worry about it, so do I) and wondering when the days will start to get longer. All this would still be tolerable if it only lasted another month or two, like it does in most places. But here in Edmonton, winter likes to make itself right at home. This year the last snowfall of the season was on May 29th. MAY. 29TH. I wish I was joking, but alas, I tell you no lie.
Finally, just when you can no longer bear it, the days start to get noticably longer, the now dog poop brown snow and ice starts the long process of melting, first to copious amounts of slush, then to gigantic gravel filled puddles, and finally to nothing at all. The grass gets greener, tulips start to bloom, and summer is coming. And that makes me very happy.
So, long story short, I was thoroughly unimpressed as I pulled on my comfiest thermal and a pair of wool socks this morning, not because of the snow itself, but because of what it promises for the coming months.
Think of it: lovely little flakes, each looks perfectly round at first, but as you let one fall onto your hand, you see that it's actually star shaped, and every one as unique as the crystals that formed it. They're falling softly, covering the grey green of the dying grass in a pure, paper white blanket. What could possibly be wrong with this picture?
I shall tell you.
Snow represents winter.
That's what.
As beautiful and peaceful as the first snowfall of (gulp) winter is, what comes with it is anything but pleasant. First, there's the traffic issues. Everyone is getting into collisions because they have forgotten how to drive well in cold weather over the past six (okay, four, but I can dream, can't I?) months. Then, after a few days, the snow in the city has changed from that lovely afformentioned white to a muddy, gross brown. After about a month, it has completely solidified to full-blown lumps of ice because the temperature has dipped down to minus 40 degrees(celsius). The little snow that remains has turned into powder, useless for building forts, snowmen, forming snowballs, or even making decent snow angels. All that's left to enjoy is skiing, tobogganing, snowboarding, and a cup of hot chocolate once you get inside. The floors become muddy. Your glasses fog up every time you enter or exit a building, leaving you temporarily blind. Your nose runs. Your lips chap. You catch colds. Your skin gets dry and cracks. The days are so short now that you come home after dark at 6:00 pm.
Then, like the eye of a hurricane, Christmas comes and the snow is beautiful all over again, setting the mood to curl up by the fireplace (or watch the fireplace channel if you don't have a real one) with your family and maybe another mug of hot chocolate. It's still cold out, but you don't mind so much anymore. You have your loved ones and Christmas spirit to keep you warm.
Then January hits. All the things you hated about winter before Christmas are back, this time with about 50 times higher intensty than before. The bills from Christmas arrive, forcing you to come to terms with how much you actually spent partying it up last month. Kids go back to school, those adults lucky enough to have time off for Christmas go back to work, and life gets back to it's boring and too-cold-to-even-ski self. You start to get cranky, snapping at people for no reason (but don't worry about it, so do I) and wondering when the days will start to get longer. All this would still be tolerable if it only lasted another month or two, like it does in most places. But here in Edmonton, winter likes to make itself right at home. This year the last snowfall of the season was on May 29th. MAY. 29TH. I wish I was joking, but alas, I tell you no lie.
Finally, just when you can no longer bear it, the days start to get noticably longer, the now dog poop brown snow and ice starts the long process of melting, first to copious amounts of slush, then to gigantic gravel filled puddles, and finally to nothing at all. The grass gets greener, tulips start to bloom, and summer is coming. And that makes me very happy.
So, long story short, I was thoroughly unimpressed as I pulled on my comfiest thermal and a pair of wool socks this morning, not because of the snow itself, but because of what it promises for the coming months.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Close Call
So unlike my little laptop fiasco last week, this week's "adventure" could actually have killed my GPA. It's still a few notches below nearly being hit by that semi on the intensity meter, but still it was pretty scary.
It was about 8:00 an I was chilling out, fairly confident that I would do well on tomorrow's midterm when DUN DUN DUNNNNN....my lab manual was missing!
Yes, my lab manual. The precious notebook that I had spent hours lovingly filling with data about every rock an mineral imaginable. Data that would be available to me to access during the midterm. Data that, if entered correctly and carefully, would maybe provide me with the information I needed to get an okay grade on said midterm.
I couldn't believe it. All those hours spent filling in boxes, all those days dragging myself out of bed at 5:30 in the morning, all those Friday night outings that had to be sacrificed in the name of getting some much needed rest. All for naught. I bolted around the house, tears streaming down my face, desperately praying that it would turn up, and frantically checking every concievable place it could have somehow found it's way to.
Finally, I had to admit defeat. It was not in the house. My mom suggested that it might have accidentally been recycled (which, as you can imagine, was a prospect I didn't even want to entertain). I decided to go to the school and check my locker. 8:15. If I hit every green light and didn't run into traffic, I might just make it on time to get inside. For the whole half hour drive, I was sobbing quietly, still praying that maybe, I might have just forgotten that I left it there.
Well, long story short, God came through for me (again). I arrived at school ten minutes before the day's final class was scheduled to end, went down to my locker, still sort of crying, but also praying aloud. I opened my locker, took a deep breath and...there it was. In all it's taped up glory.
And the midterm? I don't think I aced it, but I certainly didn't fail it. I'm hoping for a 75%. We'll see in a couple weeks, I guess. Until then, I'm really grateful to have found the thing, because without it, I almost certainly would have failed. XD
It was about 8:00 an I was chilling out, fairly confident that I would do well on tomorrow's midterm when DUN DUN DUNNNNN....my lab manual was missing!
Yes, my lab manual. The precious notebook that I had spent hours lovingly filling with data about every rock an mineral imaginable. Data that would be available to me to access during the midterm. Data that, if entered correctly and carefully, would maybe provide me with the information I needed to get an okay grade on said midterm.
I couldn't believe it. All those hours spent filling in boxes, all those days dragging myself out of bed at 5:30 in the morning, all those Friday night outings that had to be sacrificed in the name of getting some much needed rest. All for naught. I bolted around the house, tears streaming down my face, desperately praying that it would turn up, and frantically checking every concievable place it could have somehow found it's way to.
Finally, I had to admit defeat. It was not in the house. My mom suggested that it might have accidentally been recycled (which, as you can imagine, was a prospect I didn't even want to entertain). I decided to go to the school and check my locker. 8:15. If I hit every green light and didn't run into traffic, I might just make it on time to get inside. For the whole half hour drive, I was sobbing quietly, still praying that maybe, I might have just forgotten that I left it there.
Well, long story short, God came through for me (again). I arrived at school ten minutes before the day's final class was scheduled to end, went down to my locker, still sort of crying, but also praying aloud. I opened my locker, took a deep breath and...there it was. In all it's taped up glory.
And the midterm? I don't think I aced it, but I certainly didn't fail it. I'm hoping for a 75%. We'll see in a couple weeks, I guess. Until then, I'm really grateful to have found the thing, because without it, I almost certainly would have failed. XD
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Flashback! :)
So, a random but familiar song popped into my head this morning. It was from a Halloween decoration that we used to put out around this time of year.
Basically, the decoration is a stuffed Frankenstien doll that dances and sings this song when you press on its hand. (It was from Hallmark, obviously). But I used to find (and still do) the little song he sung kind of hilarious. It goes like this:
Some people keep their brains securely in their heads.
Some keep them safe in mason jars underneath their beds.
Igor keeps a spare one in the closet in the hall,
Some people act as if they didn't have a brain at all.
Where do you keep your brain?
To keep it safe, out of the rain.
You better know where your brain is....
If Igor finds it, he'll think it's his.
Maybe it's just because the song reminds me of my childhood, but I still love it. ^_^
Basically, the decoration is a stuffed Frankenstien doll that dances and sings this song when you press on its hand. (It was from Hallmark, obviously). But I used to find (and still do) the little song he sung kind of hilarious. It goes like this:
Some people keep their brains securely in their heads.
Some keep them safe in mason jars underneath their beds.
Igor keeps a spare one in the closet in the hall,
Some people act as if they didn't have a brain at all.
Where do you keep your brain?
To keep it safe, out of the rain.
You better know where your brain is....
If Igor finds it, he'll think it's his.
Maybe it's just because the song reminds me of my childhood, but I still love it. ^_^
Monday, October 18, 2010
People are Strange
So, you'll only get this post if watch this video first: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo
Have you watched it? No, seriously, go back and do it before you read on.
Watched it yet? Good. :)
My psychology professor showed it to us in class. I have to admit, I was kind of dissapointed. I would probably have been totally amazed by it had I not already read about it in the text book (and known to watch for the gorilla).
That said, how entirely freaky is it that you can completely miss something so obvious?!?! On the plus side, it kind of explains all the car accidents that just seem dumb. ;) On the minus side, who knows when someone will be driving near you, not paying attention, then BAM!
Like today. I was driving to school next to this HUGE semi. But it was all good. The route I have to take to get to school, which runs through an industrial district, is always heavy on traffic (especially semis). I was used to it. I was singing along to the radio (which was having a remarkably good music day, playing all my favorite songs), having a great time. Suddenly, I noticed the semi driving next to me starting to move into my lane, still right beside me. I slammed on the breaks. HOOONNNNNNKKKK!!!!!! The semi truck stops. I was safe. I continued on my way, fighting back tears of fear.
I'm just so grateful that the truck driver noticed me when he did, otherwise I don't even know whether I would be writing this. Thank God.
Have you watched it? No, seriously, go back and do it before you read on.
Watched it yet? Good. :)
My psychology professor showed it to us in class. I have to admit, I was kind of dissapointed. I would probably have been totally amazed by it had I not already read about it in the text book (and known to watch for the gorilla).
That said, how entirely freaky is it that you can completely miss something so obvious?!?! On the plus side, it kind of explains all the car accidents that just seem dumb. ;) On the minus side, who knows when someone will be driving near you, not paying attention, then BAM!
Like today. I was driving to school next to this HUGE semi. But it was all good. The route I have to take to get to school, which runs through an industrial district, is always heavy on traffic (especially semis). I was used to it. I was singing along to the radio (which was having a remarkably good music day, playing all my favorite songs), having a great time. Suddenly, I noticed the semi driving next to me starting to move into my lane, still right beside me. I slammed on the breaks. HOOONNNNNNKKKK!!!!!! The semi truck stops. I was safe. I continued on my way, fighting back tears of fear.
I'm just so grateful that the truck driver noticed me when he did, otherwise I don't even know whether I would be writing this. Thank God.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Running out of Laptop Juice
Ok, after today even I can no longer ignore the sad reality. So, since the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem, here it goes: "My name is Brittney, and I am a facebook-games-aholic." (here's the part where anyone who may be reading this and suffers from the same problem is free to respond in their best support group monotone "Hello, Brittney").
My turning point in realising that I have this interactive monkey on my back came today, during my final class. You see, a week ago, my friend started talking about something called "Horse Saga". I, being rather proud of the fact that I had managed to curtail my addiction to one beloved facebook game (Restaurant City, anyone?) per day, kept my head down and hoped that this demon would pass. Long story short, it didn't, she invited me, I accepted. All part of the downwards spiral into relapse.
Last night, one of my horses was blessed with a little baby horse bundle of joy. Therefore, the next day, I simply had to log on after my earth science lab to check on the little horsey.Which wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't felt the compulsion to check it repeatedly throughout the rest of the day. Unfortunately, I did, and soon found myself in Sociology class, Open Office document poised like the good little student I am, without my laptop charger or a spare battery, but ready to go .
Then I saw it. The little battery logo looking mighty depleated. Oh sure, I had noticed before that it was starting to get low, but I just didn't realise how BAD it really was. I started to metaphorically sweat, frantically rolling my mouse over the little guy to see just how bad the damage was. 35 minutes (21%) remaining. I (metaphorically) gritted my teeth. Could I make it stretch for an extra twenty minutes?
Thinking quickly (as I usually do), I started to change the power settings to make the laptop as fuel efficient as possible. Then I checked the battery logo again. 52 minutes (20%) remaining. I breathed a proverbial sigh of relief. That should do it.
About halfway through the lecture, it happened. A little window popped up informing me that my battery was low and advising me to plug in the laptop and/or replace the battery "not options!" I thought. Don't panic, I told myself, you will still get one more warning before you really have to worry about the power running out.
Fifteen minutes later, the dreaded box appeared. A single (imaginary) drop of sweat rolled down my cheek. This is it! It's all over. My laptop is going to die, and with it my dreams of maintaining an A in this class.
Wait! Could it be?!...just when I thought it was over, I realised that we were almost done with the lecture. With a flood of relief, I started counting down the remaining lines on the notes 5....4....3...come on, little laptop, you can do it!....2....come on, come on come on...1...with all due respect professor, PLEASE get to the last point before my battery runs out completely. Then, like a little angel, it appeared on the screen! Biological Imperative. I triumphantly typed in the last remaining phrase. All that was left to do is save...done. And now shut down the computer before it shut itself down.
Yup. It was a close shave, but I made it. Now that I know I have a problem, I've come up with a solution. From now on, I resolve to only facebook game at school for one twenty minute time block per day. Maybe.
My turning point in realising that I have this interactive monkey on my back came today, during my final class. You see, a week ago, my friend started talking about something called "Horse Saga". I, being rather proud of the fact that I had managed to curtail my addiction to one beloved facebook game (Restaurant City, anyone?) per day, kept my head down and hoped that this demon would pass. Long story short, it didn't, she invited me, I accepted. All part of the downwards spiral into relapse.
Last night, one of my horses was blessed with a little baby horse bundle of joy. Therefore, the next day, I simply had to log on after my earth science lab to check on the little horsey.Which wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't felt the compulsion to check it repeatedly throughout the rest of the day. Unfortunately, I did, and soon found myself in Sociology class, Open Office document poised like the good little student I am, without my laptop charger or a spare battery, but ready to go .
Then I saw it. The little battery logo looking mighty depleated. Oh sure, I had noticed before that it was starting to get low, but I just didn't realise how BAD it really was. I started to metaphorically sweat, frantically rolling my mouse over the little guy to see just how bad the damage was. 35 minutes (21%) remaining. I (metaphorically) gritted my teeth. Could I make it stretch for an extra twenty minutes?
Thinking quickly (as I usually do), I started to change the power settings to make the laptop as fuel efficient as possible. Then I checked the battery logo again. 52 minutes (20%) remaining. I breathed a proverbial sigh of relief. That should do it.
About halfway through the lecture, it happened. A little window popped up informing me that my battery was low and advising me to plug in the laptop and/or replace the battery "not options!" I thought. Don't panic, I told myself, you will still get one more warning before you really have to worry about the power running out.
Fifteen minutes later, the dreaded box appeared. A single (imaginary) drop of sweat rolled down my cheek. This is it! It's all over. My laptop is going to die, and with it my dreams of maintaining an A in this class.
Wait! Could it be?!...just when I thought it was over, I realised that we were almost done with the lecture. With a flood of relief, I started counting down the remaining lines on the notes 5....4....3...come on, little laptop, you can do it!....2....come on, come on come on...1...with all due respect professor, PLEASE get to the last point before my battery runs out completely. Then, like a little angel, it appeared on the screen! Biological Imperative. I triumphantly typed in the last remaining phrase. All that was left to do is save...done. And now shut down the computer before it shut itself down.
Yup. It was a close shave, but I made it. Now that I know I have a problem, I've come up with a solution. From now on, I resolve to only facebook game at school for one twenty minute time block per day. Maybe.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Turkey and Stuff... (ing)
Because I live in Canada, yesterday was officially thanksgiving. However, my family always likes to celebrate it the day before in order to give everyone a chance to rest up before heading back to work. So, true to tradition, we all loaded up the family sedans and drove out to Edmonton to eat thanksgiving dinner together. Of course, our family get togethers are always wonderfully chaotic due to the general inability of all involved to speak to one another quietly, add to that a few kids under ten, and how could they not be? As in any family, kids always have the funniest things to say, but my little cousin Lucas (5) takes the cake for deciding that his nickname is from now on is Freddie Benson (yes, he even made up a last name). When asked where he got such a name, he replied, in the most matter-of-fact little kid voice I've ever heard "from Calgary." I couldn't stop laughing. Even cuter was when he and his brother Cody decided to "play pacman" (which was basically like tag except that the ghost was "it" and they would switch roles when Pac-Man ate a power pill). Anyway, it was an amazing evening with some amazing people. I had a great time!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Yay! :)
I totally want to hug a bunny today even more then I did yesterday. Why, you ask? Excellent question. It is due to the fact, my dear reader, that I got no less than 90% on my first sociology midterm! I'm so excited! Yay! :)
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Ten things I Hate About Business Class
1) The semester long group projects in a course meant to weed out people who don't care. If some one in your group drops close to a due date, you're basically screwed.
2)How the Professor would bring up each assignment at least seven or eight times during class, making each task feel way more difficult and intimidating then it had to.
3) How it would eat up all this time that I could be using for homework in a subject. I. Actually. Liked.
4)Only understanding about a tenth of what the professor says. Between his thick accent and just plain finding the topic boring, I was surprised that I even managed that much.
5) Having it from 12:35 to 2:00pm... did that heated debate in philosophy class work up an appetite? TOO BAD!
6) Watching the clock starting from the first five minutes of class. 1:20 left....1:19 left....1:18....
7) Working for hours on a project only to find that I was essentially no further along then when I started.
8) Paying attention in class was like sleeping through a hurricane. Not technically impossible, but very, very difficult.
9) The fact that everyone else there seems to understand the material and I never did.
10) It made me dread my Tuesdays, and Thursdays, which were actually kind of awesome otherwise.
Wow, that was theraputic. Did I mention that I dropped Business 110, today? Yup. I'm so happy that I never have to hear about proffit margins, dress like a contestant on the Apprentice, or stay up until wee hours of the morning reading about finance ratios ever again that I could just hug a bunny! :)
2)How the Professor would bring up each assignment at least seven or eight times during class, making each task feel way more difficult and intimidating then it had to.
3) How it would eat up all this time that I could be using for homework in a subject. I. Actually. Liked.
4)Only understanding about a tenth of what the professor says. Between his thick accent and just plain finding the topic boring, I was surprised that I even managed that much.
5) Having it from 12:35 to 2:00pm... did that heated debate in philosophy class work up an appetite? TOO BAD!
6) Watching the clock starting from the first five minutes of class. 1:20 left....1:19 left....1:18....
7) Working for hours on a project only to find that I was essentially no further along then when I started.
8) Paying attention in class was like sleeping through a hurricane. Not technically impossible, but very, very difficult.
9) The fact that everyone else there seems to understand the material and I never did.
10) It made me dread my Tuesdays, and Thursdays, which were actually kind of awesome otherwise.
Wow, that was theraputic. Did I mention that I dropped Business 110, today? Yup. I'm so happy that I never have to hear about proffit margins, dress like a contestant on the Apprentice, or stay up until wee hours of the morning reading about finance ratios ever again that I could just hug a bunny! :)
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
And so it starts...
It didn't occour to me to start this blog until today, but here it is. I'll post about it all: the happy, the sad, the in-between, the late night study sessions and early morning labs. Hopefully, by the time it's over, I'll have a little "time capsule" of what it was like to be a University/College (my school claims to be both) freshman, if only so that I can laugh at how bad or good I thought I had it later. So here it goes, a month after orientation and I can't wait to experience whatever it is I'm meant to experience in these next few months! :)
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