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? 

My first week back to school

It's back to the grind in 2016, despite a great holiday season, reality always comes to find us.
I'm heading back to work and school, both full-time. I'm attending a university for journalism.
Journalism, a profession based in the question and answer of common people- takes up a lot of my "free" time.
Free is a word open for interpretation.

School and work mean heavy scheduling. Deadlines, due dates, and working schedule, even heavier scheduling. Time management has become my biggest friend over the years I've spent in school.

Time management and making a dollar stretch further then it should. Good life skills to acquire when venturing out on your own.

I've attending 3 out of 4 classes (I cut one because of my intense schedule last semester, lesson learned). But since 3 of them are a continuation from last semester, it shouldn't be too painful.

A seminar has been added to my line-up. Seminar that is required for me to graduate with a major in psychology. Unfortunately, I have to do a victory lap, in order to finish my other two majors but such is life.

I'm prepared to work my ass off this semester.

So, here goes.

Here's a picture of my cat in a box.

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.

Super Lazy Sunday - might become a thing!

Sunday are not really fun days. In my city, buses do not run on Sunday's, so most of the time I find myself inside (or, at work, rare, but happens).

Today, was a simple day. Due to stormy conditions everyone was stranded in the apartment, or rather I was. This is third storm we've had in March. You could say it's been an awful start to spring. And, in light of what I will tell you about the rest of my Sunday, this picture seemed fitting.

So, I decided that I would watch one of my newest favourite Disney movie's in light of the snow, rain and freezing rain storm outside.

Curled up my couch, in a relatively warm apartment.
I watched Frozen.

I also am stuck inside so that means making my own food, a skill, to which I am extremely impaired. But today, Sunday, is normally different.

Today was rather healthy, which is unusual.

Rice and some veggies!

 All-in-all, Sunday's are days to make simple food that is virtually impossible to screw up and watch your favourite movies while you procrastinate all the things you are supposed to be doing.

On a side note, I hope that you all participated in Earth Hour!

German-style beer, mm.

Sometimes life gets a little hectic and often we forget that the best way to escape is to do something simple and something you enjoy. 

The other day, as I waited for Leonard to come back to the city, I needed to find something to help me unwind and relax. 

So, I burrowed a book from my roommate.

I've had a hard time putting it down once I started it. It's a wonderful book, I would recommend this book to anyone. 

I bought some beer. An unusual purchase and activity for me. But sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone is needed. 

 German-style beer. Mm. 

This was all before I started my second semester of university. Good lord, this will be a tough one. So many psychology courses to ram through my head. Tomorrow I have an 8:30 class, yeah, I don't know what I was thinking. 

But for now, we shall just lay here, quietly. 

What will you do to relax? 

~ N 

I post really irrelevant stuff here.

I post really irrelevant stuff here. This post will be no different.

Finding the right hair colour I actually like has been a struggle for me. But, alas, I've found it.

It's hard to capture specifically in any light, but it's the prettiest red I've ever had.

It was a beautiful day outside. I figure I would take complete advantage of it!

I headed back to the city after two weeks of Christmas vacation. I had lovely meals at my grandparents. And baked two of my very own cherry cheese cakes. They were delicious.

I stock piled on food before I went back. This was only a quarter of what I bought when I got back into the city. Yeah, I wasn't going to have a repeat of what happened first semesters. I was prepared this time.

 I started setting up the things I got for Christmas. My storage stand was extremely helpful. And of course my television was a lovely. Thanks to Mom and Dad I know have a good television to have my PS3 hooked up to. Game time, everyone come to my house. No, seriously, lets play Alice: Madness Returns guys.

I woke up a little stuffed up. So I made soup in a cup, sat in my pajamas and watched 2 Broke Girls. The best show on television. Oh, and cream of chicken soup I've discovered is really good.

I bundled up, the temperature hit -38 and I was prepared. I wore three layers, wool socks, parka jacket, scarf, hat, mitts, and insulated boots. There was no cold getting at this girl.

I went to the mall. I wanted to get something from mall for myself, luckily I stumbled upon a Boxing Day sale. I found this Hello Kitty tin, that had stickers, pencils and erasers.

I used the stickers to decorate my laptop. Now my laptop is super cute!

I had a great day today, despite the cold weather and the lack of company. Lenny returns on Sunday which probably be the most exciting of my break.

What did you do today?

~ N