So apparently my last blog post was not worthy enough for a blog entry, so here I am updating at 11PM when I should be going to bed, and I'm 2 beers deep from our hockey pool night tonight. Which, by the way, was a great success - we also completed our mid-season supplementary draft, so I now hope to soar from 5th place to 1st. Unlikely.
My new obsession is multigrain Life cereal. Holy mother effer it's tasty. I'm munching on some right now.
Strongbow cider doesn't exist in Montreal. Well, ciders don't really exist in Quebec at all. I mean, there's a few, but not many. I've been craving a nice Okanagan or Grower's cider (which I used to drink often in BC) for a while now, and last week I was on a hunt to find Strongbow cider. I went to 2 liquor stores, 1 grocery store, and 1 dep and couldn't find it anywhere! Actually, I couldn't really find a lot of cider selection in general, which made me sad. I ended up settling for Wild Vines flavoured wine-I-don't-even-know-what's-in-that-drink to drink last Friday night, which quickly brought my demise. Did not compare to a tasty Strongbow or Okanagan cider!
This blog post doesn't have a point. I'm going to bed now.
Labels: random
Spin me round again
I will never tire of listening to Clair de Lune by Debussy. I would really like to play the piano again.
Lazy Sundays. I actually got up at 8:30AM this morning to make it feel like my day would be super long... and to counter yesterday's lateness! I went out and got all my errands done this morning, and now I've brought a chair up to my window, and I am sitting next to the heater, looking out at the melting snow. Thinking and wanting to write.
I also want to bake. Nick and Karine gave me a belated Xmas present last week when I saw them - a cupcake cookbook! How perfect and cute is that... I am so excited to try out the recipes!
I can smell a hint of spring in the air... Feels like change coming.
Labels: random
I am falling so behind with this thing. Life has been busy. In the past week I have been trying to land both an apartment and a job and both have required a lot of running around and a lot of wasted time! I like point-form. Do you?
- I 99% have an apartment. It's beautiful and modern and in a great location and fairly perfect all around.
- I do not yet have a job. But it's coming. I will not let my inferior French get in the way this time! I. Will. Get. A. Job!
- I had my last photography class tonight and presented my final project. I did a series of portraits. It was pretty cool.
- On Friday I have a photo shoot which I am insane with excitement over and will post more details and pics afterwards!
- I have had a sushi craving for the past 3 days.
- I am currently reading "The Game" so I can learn how to pick up chicks. True story.
- Skype makes my life. If I didn't have it, there would be no way I could last this long so far away from my family and friends. Speaking of, I'm Skyping with my parents in 10 mins...
Bonne nuit!
(P.S. How many languages do you know how to say "Good night" in???)
Labels: apartment, montreal, random
I don't think I've ever mentioned before how much I love this blog:
What Chuck Wore. Of course if you've never seen Gossip Girl, all will be totally lost on you. Not that I can blame you for not appreciating that golden gem of a TV show in all of its terrible rich, juvenile, snobby glory. I wonder when that show premieres again anyway?
Have I also mentioned how hot it's been here lately? Okay, only every day on my Twitter status. It's gotten up to 40 degrees for the past 5 days and I have been melting. Yes, there's me in a puddle on the floor. Not that I'm complaining! I enjoy heat, but maybe a few or 10 degrees less would be good, thanks Mother Nature.
So it looks like I might be sticking around the Frenchlands for a little longer. I've been hired to shoot a small wedding at the end of September, and another wedding might be in the works for mid-September as well. I figure they will both be great experiences and worth sticking around for. This means that right now my days are filled with frantic apartment and job hunting, as my sublet runs out at the end of August and I will need a bit of extra cashola to throw around for another month. Wish me luck. I hope to have things more or less sorted by this weekend.
I think I've finally figured out the perfect location for my fan. It's right at the open door to my balcony and is blowing the cool night breeze onto my back. Ahhhh, relief.
Labels: montreal, random, TV
I got a free Iced Cap at Tim Hortons today. I'll admit that this isn't the first time it's happened.
So I go into Timmies, wanting something to refresh me since it's so hot outside. The Iced Cap (which was actually the first one I've ever tried today) came to something like $2 and I pulled out my Debit card to pay. Anyone who knows me will know that I
never have cash on hand. I always pay for things with my Debit card, or sometimes Credit. Especially these days when I have to pay for laundry with coins, I never ever have anything other than pennies in my change purse.
Eyeing my Debit card, the guy told me they didn't accept Debit. I pulled out my Visa. No, they only take MasterCard. Fuck. So I asked if there was a ATM around, and the guy sneakily whispered to me, "Just take it!" I wasn't going to argue, so I took my free Iced Cap and walked out!
This exact same scenario happened to me downtown. I ordered a coffee at Timmies and was told the Debit machine was down (or maybe they didn't accept Debit there either), and I didn't have any cash, so I was sneakily given my coffee for free too.
Now, I ask you, what store does not accept Debit?? Or Visa?? I think that is a little ridiculous. Especially with how popular paying with plastic now is. This was never the case with the Timmies back in BC.
Although, don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about getting stuff for free. :P
Labels: random
More point form updates:
- I went to go see the Beyonce concert on Tuesday night. It rocked my socks off. Seriously. I'm not a huge Beyonce fan to begin with, but her concert was amazing and super entertaining. I was dancing around and singing... I think it might have been the best giant concert that I've seen. (I think the best small concert I've seen was MSTRKRFT in Seattle, but that is beside the point!)
- I had the most frustrating run-around day yesterday ever. Ugh. It stemmed from me leaving my photography assignment, due that night, to the last minute - well, it wasn't quite my fault because I had been in Quebec City for the entire weekend. I was running around to a bizillion Jean Coutus and Pharmaprixs trying to get a photo printed in an hour, running home, running back, running to class, running running running. Lesson learned: be more organized!!
- I'm having serious contemplations lately about my future. About what I want to be when I grow up. This whole "future" thing is creeping up on me slowly, and I realise that I can't bum around and work shitty jobs forever - not that I
want to anway! So, options are looking towards possibly grad school? Becoming a child psychologist? Continuing studying photography? Moving to other cities (maybe settling in Vancouver?)? I'm going to make this weekend a let's-get-serious-about-the-future weekend, and do some career research. Yeehaw.
- I want to see a Broadway musical. Is it weird that I have a craving for that? Singing and dancing just make me so happy. I've been YouTubing a bunch of Andrew Lloyd Webber songs tonight and singing along like a crazy girl. These songs always remind me of being a kid, too - my dad used to have a bunch of Andrew Lloyd Webber CDs and we'd aaaalways listen to them. I think it's his fault that I am now a musical junkie, and love Phantom and Cats and Joseph... There's no shows happening in Montreal though. When my mom and I were in Quebec City, Les Miserables was playing there... So it's either to Quebec City again, or to NYC! I'm thinking NYC wins.
- This entry was completely random and weird. I will end in the best way: with a photo.
Labels: concerts, montreal, random
Haha, I just got caught in the hugest thunderstorm EVER. It's been raining in Montreal all day. No,
pouring is a better word. As in, I woke up this morning and it was sunny, went for brunch and it was cloudy, and walked out of L'Avenue into some hardcore raining cats and dogs. The type of cats and dogs where in the 2 minutes it takes to get to the car, you're soaked.
It's been raining and thunderstorming all day, and I got feeling a little cooped up inside. It finally stopped raining this evening, and so I decided to go mail my cheque to Bell, and go to the mailbox that was a 10 min walk away to get some fresh air. I got to the mailbox, then all of a sudden the giantest lightning bolt lit up the sky, followed by some insane thunder, followed by some INSANE RAIN.
I had no umbrella, just the hood on my cotton jacket. The rain was absolutely pelting down, creating instant puddles and soaking my jeans up to my thighs, dripping off my hair, flooding my jacket... I started running and laughing like a mad woman, trying to get home, but running just caused me to splash puddles and get more wet.
My clothes are now hanging up in my bathroom, dripping.
SERIOUSLY.
Labels: random
Bits and pieces
My life in point form:
- My amazing friend Laurel is coming to visit me for a few days tomorrow! I am beyond excited.
- Tomorrow morning I have a photo shoot! I am also beyond excited about that.
- French classes have finished. I wish I could continue, but they now conflict with my evening photography classes. I passed the exam (yay!) and am definitely noticing an improvement in my French, especially in understanding other people when they talk.
- I spent Canada Day on a rooftop terrasse in the Old Port, baking in the sun, watching the festivities below, having some drinks, and debating about whether I wanted to go sky diving... (hah, kidding on that one!)
- I saw Stevie Wonder at the Jazz Festival - well, I didn't actually
see him, I saw the screens which told me he was on stage somewhere among the giant crowds... And I realised that I don't actually know all that many Stevie Wonder songs.
- The Coffee Crisp McFlurry at McDonalds called my name - I had high hopes for it, since it combines my favourite chocolate bar with ice cream... but it just didn't do it for me! Oreo Blizzards are still far in the lead.
...Which brings me to right now! I'm currently editing photos, trying to flush the caffiene rush out of my system, and thinking about cooking dinner. One more thing: rosé wine is my current fav wine for the summer. Yum.
Labels: random, summer
This is me right now. It's 23 degrees and I'm sitting on my balcony, using my wireless internet and writing a blog post. Oh, and drinking a Starbucks misto. Correction,
Cafe Starbucks. Life is feeling pretty good right now. I'm having a lazy Saturday, and I think *knock on wood* that this is finally the real beginning of summer. Random thoughts that are cruising through my noggin:
- a guy just walked by wearing
hot pink skinny jeans. Yes, he was definitely a guy. And they were definitely bright
fuschia. Wow. (He just walked by again! I tried to take a pic with my camera, which is conveniently sitting right beside me, but I was too slow! Damn!!)
- there is a freakin lot of puff-ball things floating through this French air lately.
- I had my first MTL Blizzard last night! Yes, this is document-worthy, because it had been over a month and a half since I'd had one - AND the DQ is a 10 step walk from my apt.
- to continue with ice cream for a second, last night while in McDonalds at retarded-o'clock, I noticed that they sell Coffee Crisp McFlurries. Coffee Crisps are my favourite choc bar, and I've been hoping DQ would get their act together and make one, but... now I know where my next ice cream fix is coming from.
- tonight I'm going to check out
Nuit Blanche and then to see the first night of the fireworks competition. Apparently the city closes down the Jacques Cartier Bridge and people hang out there to watch them. And I'm going with some girls I don't yet know... it's all weirdly like a pseudo-blind date. But not. Haha.
Labels: i should just make a tag for ice cream, photos, random
Chop chop
So I thought what better way to start fresh than to cut off my hair? (I've never had my hair this short before, and I gotta say it's pretty fun so far.)
Labels: random
Well, I'm leaving in a week. And I'm cycling through emotions like I'm on a fucking tilt-a-whirl: anxious, excited, nervous, anticipation, sadness, happiness.
I'm moving out of my apartment this weekend. My to-do list has almost all been checked off. Including today I have 5 days left at work. I'm getting my eyeballs checked today before work one last time for free.
The weather is turning nice. Sunny and warm. Spring is approaching and so are new beginnings.
Labels: random
Quarter Life Crisis
They can’t make any decisions, because they don’t know what they want, and they don’t know what they want because they don’t know who they are, and they don’t know who they are because they’re allowed to be anyone they want.Read it.Labels: articles, random
Random Things
I just got back from an evening out with my mom. She met me after work and we grabbed a bite of dinner at one of my favourite restaurants downtown and then we went to see Shopaholic. Just us. It was so fun - I have the best mom. :) This weekend we're also going to Vancouver together, and we're going to go shopping and hang out and have a good ol' mother-daughter time!
So it's been a long time since I updated, and because I'm feeling at a loss for what to write, I thought I'd do one of those
25 15 Random Things that was circulating around Facebook a while ago.
1. I have gone through a love-hate relationship with my name. Love it because it's a little unique; hate it because I grew up with no one spelling or pronouncing it correctly. While we're on the subject, it's pronounced Ma-reeee-sa. Get it? That's with a long 'e' sound.
2. I have a chicken pox scar in the middle of my forehead, which I've had mostly a hate relationship with (although now it's barely noticeable). I can still remember being in the Safeway lineup with my mom, recovering from chicken pox and picking at the scab on my forehead, and then picking it off, and leaving the resulting scar. (Eww, okay, that sounded a little gross.)
3. I really, really like to read. I was one of those kids who'd sit at home on the weekends and just read for an entire afternoon. I remember going to the library and checking out 10 books at a time. I still always have at least one book on the go.
4. I listen and watch a lot. I feel uncomfortable when I'm in the spotlight.
5. I have never broken any bones or been in the hospital except for having my wisdom teeth removed.
6. My parents met on a blind date and have been together for 25 years. I hope to one day have a relationship like theirs. My mom didn't marry until she was 31, and that makes me realise that I've got lots of time and not to rush into anything.
7. I own two sets of glasses as well as coloured contacts but my eyes are perfect.
8. I have known my best friends since grades 3 and 4. We've been through years where we drifted apart, but they're the best.
9. I'm an extremely emotional person. I will cry at the slightest thing in movies or on TV or in books. Because of this, I can make rash emotional decisions without thinking things through clearly.
10. I used to be really insecure as a teenager. I avoided wearing my hair down for fear of looking too pretty and people noticing me. It's only been the last 5 years that this has really changed.
11. Speaking of insecure, when I was young, I used to think that I had grown-up's legs because I thought they were too big. I hated wearing bathing suits as young as 8 because of this. Now I think my thighs are just fine.
12. When I first started using the Internet, I created a pseudonym, which ended up being more like an alternate personality, for myself: Karlynn Alyssa Woods. Through her, I was able to let go of my teenage insecurities and be who I wanted to be. It did backfire on me though, as I created some relationships based on lies.
13. I've had 3 very influential relationships in my life, all of which have taught me so much about life, relationships, and myself. I think that love is the most important experience in life, and I wouldn't take any of it back, even if a lot of mistakes were made, that's what's helped me learn.
14. Another thing that's very important to me in life is traveling. I have traveled a lot throughout Canada and the US, Europe, and Thailand, but I don't think my travel bug will ever be satisfied.
15. I am a sleep whore. I need it. Up until 2 or 3 years ago, I used to make sure I got 9 hours every night. Now, I make sure to get 8. If I get under 7, I'm not functional. So, I've never really been one for going to bed super late, because I don't like waking up super late. And now, because it's almost 11:30 PM, even though I've only made it to 15, I will end this.
Labels: random
Expanding horizons
One nerdy thing that I enjoy are libraries. I love to go to the library to check out fiction books and then wander the aisles of non-fiction and glance at all the topics I can read about, and sign out random books on random topics. There is so much to know about, so much available on any topic. My past two trips to the library I have checked out books on photography: techniques, photography as art, and essays on photos. Now I'm going to curl up in my chair by the window, which is filtered in dappled sunlight and leaf through these wonderful books. That is a good Saturday afternoon.
Labels: books, random
More blood sucking
The one [very small] perk from donating blood the other day was that I got a letter in the mail today that told me my
blood type. I've never had blood drawn before for any reason, so this was an exciting first! My blood type is A negative, which apparently is a type shared by only 6% of Canadians.
Now, this means that in 60 years when I'm lying on my death bed, I can only take A- or O- blood (which makes up a whopping 13% of Canadians)! SAVE ME.
Labels: random
Things that are making me happy lately:
- paying bills (okay, spending money on hydro and cell phone and Visa doesn't exactly make me
happy, but getting them paid is a good feeling)
- organizing claims to be mailed into extended health (which I'd been putting off for almost a year)
- staying home and watching Gossip Girl tonight
- another sunny day today
- going out for breakfast
- sushi
Labels: random
I am such a freakin' sap! I just finished watching the new Gossip Girl episode and at the end when Chuck comes out of the elevator holding some beautiful flowers for Blair and tells her he's so sorry and he's fucked up and needs her... I just started bawling. How sweet and adorable is Chuck, come on now.
I shed tears way too easily. I can be watching a movie, or a commercial and all of a sudden I'm crying, no matter if something is sad or something is cute or touching... I just become a faucet!
This makes me concerned for when I have important touching milestones in my life and how I will deal with them. I can just see myself up there on the altar on my wedding day and I'm just bawling and my tears are running my mascara and my nose is drooling and people are snapping photos and I'm just a blubbering fool. Or seeing my baby for the first time? Hello tears. And so many other moments that are only remotely touching or remotely sad... I need to know some tear prevention strategies!!
Labels: random, TV
Pondering Bread Slicing Methods
What does the way you slice your bread say about you?
Last night I was watching my mom make a sandwich, and after she was finished, she sliced the bread horizontally across. She always used to slice my sandwiches this way when I was a kid and I always hated it. To me, the horizontal slice was so ugly, and sandwiches looked so much more pretty and grown up when they were sliced diagonally so the bread formed two perfect triangles. To this day when I make my own sandwiches, I always slice the bread diagonally. It just tastes better that way.
Labels: food, random
Let me suuuuck your blooood
Today a group of us girls from work decided to give blood. This was not my idea - I fully got roped into it against my will. I was maybe just a little nervous. But I figured it was a good way to start off 2009, by conquering a fear (at least that's what I told myself so I wouldn't back out at the last second).
Seven of us showed up to the clinic this morning and after going through a quick iron check, waiting, extensive health and sex questions, more waiting, I was finally seated on the donor chairs. Four out of seven of us were deemed unqualified to give blood (because of travel or health conditions), so it was up to me and two other girls.
The nurse had to check which arm had bigger veins to draw from, and they decided that both were tiny but the left was slightly better. So I was seated in the chair, my heart pounding, looking away at the blank walls (why did they not have pictures or something to distract you?!) while the nurse swabbed my arm with iodine and then jammed me with a needle.
Okay, it wasn't that bad. It only hurt a tiny bit. That is, until it still hurt when it shouldn't, which meant the needle wasn't in the right position, which lead to another nurse coming over and both of them jamming it around to make it fit better. Meanwhile, they had given me a glove filled with warm water to squeeze to help the blood come out of my arm better. Because my veins were so small, this was supposed to help, though they told me it would still take about 15 mins for me to fill the bag (average is 8-10 mins).
I don't know if it was because the needle wasn't really in the right spot, or because my vein was so tiny, but my blood flow was just a trickle and then it stopped altogether. So with both nurses still on me, still fiddling with the needle, they decided I wasn't fit to give blood. I won't lie that I was a little relieved. One of the other two girls felt faint after giving half a bag and had to stop giving blood, have a blanket put over her, be given juice and a sugar pill and cookies. So only one of the seven of us gave a full bag of blood!! Insane! I wonder if the odds for the general population are so bad...
A good experience, but I'm not sure I'll be giving blood again... I think my body wants to hold onto it!!
Labels: random, work
Random thoughts on a Monday morning
- I am the hula CHAMPION. Last night my mom had a 50s dinner for her sister who turned 50 and we had a hula hoop contest and I hulaed for 1 minute to beat everyone else's score (and could have gone longer!!)
- I am a wimp when it comes to taking giant horse pills.
- Now that I have a space heater in my apartment, life is so much sweeter.
- I finished all my Christmas shopping and wrapping!!
- The snow outside looks absolutely magical and I want to go outside for a walk in it.
- My car is buried in the parking lot and I can't drive.
Labels: random
