Turning 22~

So, today, I'm 21. Tomorrow I will be 22.

That's right, tomorrow is my birthday. January 21st, 1994 at around 9:40p.m. in the middle of a winter storm was when I was born.

And over this past year a lot of things have certainly changed.

I've learned a lot of things about myself.

I can be mean, I can be horribly mean. To myself and to other people. Which is something I really feel like I need to work on. I need to be more sensitive to other people and be more trustworthy of people and the things they do.
I recently read a journal article by one of my professors. About people who have low agreeableness. People who have low agreeableness are less trustworthy and more suspicious. And feel like sometimes that might be me. And slowly, I feel with a different lifestyle I can be more kind, more trustworthy, and forgiving of those who hurt me in the past.

I have learned I can handle the hard stuff as well as the easy stuff. Over the past year I have acquired two different jobs -- did five classes and now I'm in a seminar. And though life can get messy, the messiness can be the good part.

I have learned I'm great at handling multiple things. But I'm able to do things I didn't think I could do. But that is best part about growing up. You learn about all the things you're capable of.

I've experienced new things.
Hiking
Camping (yes, I've only ever camped once in my life, and it was this past summer).
I'm actually going to try and ski soon. Or snow board, who knows!

I went travelling for the first time in my life. 

Hiking a shoreline in another province

 A sunset 

Hiking a trail at a National Park 

Experiencing new things can be fun, even it requires stepping outside of your comfort zone. 

I've also been challenging myself to be better at taking care of myself. Diabetes is a tricky disease. And I really think that learning how to manage it will help better my life. 

Turning 22 isn't a big deal, I'm still young. Things will continue to change.
And I'm starting to get ready for that. Who knows what 22 might bring? 

A Look At Some Holiday Fun

Winter break is over, unfortunately. And it's back to school and work tomorrow, but what a break I had.
I spent Christmas with my family back home. I got wonderful gifts, and stuffed full with turkey. Overall, three turkey dinners this holiday season. Enough turkey for me for awhile. It's a heavy load and a big meal and it always makes me so tired.

Having turkey and big meals can reek havoc on my diabetes. Especially with dessert, because who doesn't love dessert?

I spent about two weeks with my parents, and grandparents.
I got a coffee maker- with Keriug abilities. It can brew both a pot of coffee and individual cups of coffee. Yay, because coffee is like my blood line.
I'm very excited to buy Cake Boss coffee, its some of the best coffee I've ever had.
I got a tape recorder for school. I do a lot of interviews in journalism. As if you did not know that. So having a tape recorder will be super helpful when writing different pieces.

We spent most of our days relaxing at home in front our tree. Which my Mom did a beautiful job decorating.

It was a lovely Christmas. I got some socks, which is a huge thing as an adult struggling to keep socks. I got some nice clothes and pyjamas, it was lovely.

On New Years Eve, I decided I wanted to go see my significant other. And thus began another journey, the journey of travelling somewhere by myself. And yes, I'm 21 years old and I have never travelled anywhere by myself.

Instead of spending a bunch of hours driving back and forth and spending money on gas. I bought a bus ticket. And on the 31st, I boarded a bus to Nova Scotia. And it was 7 hour and 20 minute ride. With over 7 stops.
I dreaded the idea. Perhaps missing my transfers or getting on the wrong bus in the first place. But, I boarded at 11:00 and began my journey.
Interestingly enough, the ride from my home city to the next I met a woman who had been on the bus for nearing 30 hours. She was going from Toronto to PEI, that's a long journey with a lot of stops. We didn't talk a lot but she was experienced bus rider and told me that I had nothing to worry about, we'd be boarding the bus together. And she did. I hope she made it there safely.
I sat with another women on the way to Amherst, Nova Scotia. She also lives in my home city. A vibrant women. She allowed me the courtesy of the window seat. Thank you so much, surprisingly, window seats are much more comfortable for travelling long distances. But, I will tell you, my butt was numb.
She was heading to see family for the New Year. And we joked and laugh the whole way to her transfer. We talked about life, my health issues, her life, her parents and grandparents. It made the bus ride seem to go so much faster. I was very happy after the four-ish hours I had spent travelling.

Yes, that's me, on a bus, a very large bus. Being happy about travelling.

It was a slow ride to Halifax though, no one to talk to and I was getting sleepy. I would suggest bus riding as a solution to insomnia. Because it made me sleep very well very quickly. Lullaby bus.
I arrived at my destination at about 6:20, and there was the love of my life waiting for me.
We went to his families to celebrate the New Year, but not before we exchanged gifts. He broke our fifty dollar limit rule, but hey, it was one of the nicest gifts I've ever gotten.

I opened the box to see a Michael Kors watch. And I got him a inscribed whiskey glass. A little lack luster on my part, haha.

It's beautiful and I will wear every day. Except when I'm at work, but my work is gross.
We spent the next following nights enjoying the company of family and of course we had a date night. He took me to an all you can eat sushi place. It was delicious.

I really recommend trying sushi if you already haven't. Do it!

Overall, I had a great holiday filled with lots of great company, great food, and a good time. And that's what matters. I expect this next year to be a lot more fun as I turn forward to a different chapter of my life. A lot of changes are coming and they are scary but like usual we move forward despite adversity.

Good luck readers in your adventures, and I wish you well in the New Year.
Happy 2016!

I'm here

Blogging hasn't actually been my thing lately. For the past year or so I've gone off the blogging grid.

For a number of reasons. School, mainly. Work, too. I've since joined the fast food life and it's treating me, well... like a fast food job.

So many things have happened in the months I've been away from my blog. I will be updating journalism pieces I've written, as well as much more.

I've experience many new things, and I've had to over come some challenges. But, hey, that's life.

Meet Meredith, my newest addition:

She's quite the little monster. But I love her nonetheless, we're hoping to make more additions to our fur family in the future. She's energetic and she likes carpets. Licks herself often, and runs into doors. Deficits yet to be determined. 

I've actually travelled. Yes, shocking, I know. Not far, not as far as some but I've been to places I thought I would never go. 

This summer was a summer to rival all summers. I went to PEI and Nova Scotia. And they were both experiences that have given me a tremendous insight into the things I enjoy doing. 

I spent the weekend in my first hotel stay in P.E.I. and I spent several weekends in Nova Scotia. As my significant others parents live there.
I also went on hiking adventures. Something I have never done before. It's exciting. It's challenging, because I do not have the "shape" I require to do long hikes. Shame on me.
But I did a couple of different trails this summer and a national park where I'm from.

This was a hike in Moosehorn and Laverty Falls. A long hike. 8km, from start to finish. But we got some amazing views.

Photo credit for the second one goes to my significant other. He takes amazing pictures. The scenery is amazing.

I should note that there is someone new in my life and he is amazing! Couldn't have asked for a better person in my life. He makes me very happy, but he doesn't like social media so much. So I'm going to respect his wishes regarding that.

School is going well (there will be journalism posts to follow), but yes, it takes a lot of work to be a journalism student. A lot of time an effort goes into putting together journalism video. A lot of work goes into putting together radio and print.
I've got one more year to my degree and their are a lot of changes coming in the future.

I don't like change. At all. But, here's to the future and all it holds.

A few things I've been up to (June 14th)... A little late

It's been so long my friends, I'm kind of in the process of re-creating this blog.

What I've been up to, you ask?

-Spending time with my lovely boyfriend!

It was his birthday on Saturday, so between ice cream cake and home made pizza (his Mom is an amazing cook!) We had a great day and a half!

He got some lovely gifts. My boyfriend has two passions: Stars Wars & Cars (muscle cars, I assume more so then others)

-I've been spending most of my time at my parents home in the serene country. In other words, I've been living in the middle of no where, very isolated.

I've been spending some time running/walking.

Recently, my hips have been starting to ache in the form of what we assume to be arthritis. A history in my family is common. However, this past fall, I was bunted by a car in the city, furthering my injuries. Running had become a slight problem.

But, slowly with some effort here and there I am able to walk/run nearly half (a little bit over) a km a day.

A little excitement in my life surrounds my lovely boyfriend and a nice run at days end. 

A day in the life of

My days aren't too exciting. I work each day as a house-cleaner as a favour to family.

However, here was my most interesting day thus far! (not as great as it sounds)

10:00 a.m. Made/ate breakfast

I do recommend Natural Selection bacon! I was skeptical of it at first, but gluten free all natural bacon is pretty damn delicious. And less fatty!

1:09 p.m. Took my precious pup Champ for a walk 

It was a lovely plus fourteen degrees here at home. And Champ and I couldn't have enjoyed the walk more.

5:00 p.m. My package from Lush Cosmetics arrived! With a free sample. 

I was so excited to receive this today via UPS! I don't live near any Lush store. So I had to order my bottle. And, they gave my a sample of another product they sell, I will definitely be able to order from them again!

5:10 p.m. I had a marvelous supper! Chinese inspired, of course. 

I don't have too fancy of a life. But I do enjoy getting things in the mail, and especially stuff from my favorite cosmetics company!

Summer time!

The fall and winter are filled with endless hours of homework and work. Where you read books you don't necessarily like, usually textbooks. Writing huge 10 page essays that usually don't even make sense to author.

Now the summer, on the other hand...

Is filled with consuming huge amounts of food, experimenting with new food, and binge-ing on different tv shows. I've currently hit three! Grey's Anatomy, Game of Thrones, and Nashville.

Samosas from the Saturday Market in my town. These are medium lamb, I recommend trying medium lamb samosas from anywhere.

I recently baked homemade peanut butter cookies. Unfortunately I don't do enough baking. So this summer to occupy my time I will bake more.

Now binge-ing on television is just a whole other topic. Grey's Anatomy is coming to close. Christina Yang is leaving (nooooooo!), so, every episode I'm kind of on the edge.

Game of Thrones, well, once you see it, you can't unsee it.

Nashville gives me that soap opera drama-esk thing I'm looking for. Keeps me in the loop! Cheating, the music industry, fraud all the lovely stuff people are enthused to watch on a daily basis.

Lastly, the most important thing about the summer is being able on our free to spend time with my boyfriend Lenny! I spent this weekend with him and it was the best weekend I've had in a long time!

Dedicated to Chinese....food.

Exams are done. School is done. ITS SUMMER!

Just kidding, who gets summer after grade school? Teachers.

I've since returned to my parents home for the summer. Much more responsible for me to be here then somewhere I can't afford...food, we'll say.

So on my last couple of days in the city I went to a few different things. One was Chinese dinner with my boyfriend!

Poor Lenny thought long and hard about his decision. He ended up making the right one with pan-friend won-tons! Honestly, I had to try one and they were fantastic!

We order and appetizer. Lenny ordered pan-fried won-tons, and I order, again, won-ton soup! I get it every time. I'm a creature of habit! 

Our main course: we both ordered the same thing. A No. 6! 

There are few things in life that I enjoy more then Chinese. If I could it eat, every day for every meal. I would. That is not a slight exaggeration. Delicious-ness!

And to fully appreciate the seriousness of my claim to eat it everyday, I took my best friend, Carissa, (who has never eaten Chinese/doesn't like rice/what I don't even understand), there to eat. It was our post-exam celebration day!

Now that I'm back home. Where not much happens, I will do my best to keep the posts coming.

Hopefully you've enjoyed that I've dedicated this whole post completely to Chinese food.