Sometimes it's ok to be irresponsible.

Yesterday was a wonderful day of irresponsibility. After going out for lunch with all the church peeps, I went to the mall and spent all kinds of money I don't have on things I don't need. I did, however, buy a pair of jeans that were the same size that I wore in junior high. I love it when stores do their sizes differently! From now on I'm buying all my pants at Ricki's.

I've never been a therapeutic shopper before, but I think I might become one. After a rough Saturday, yesterday made me feel great!!!

Also, today is the one year anniversary of the beginning of this blog AND the one hundredth post! How's that for coordination?

Also also, it's COLD outside! When did that happen? I'm going to have to figure out how to dress myself for this new weather. Yeesh.

Sometimes it's just so good

Is there anything better than the feeling you get right after a particularly stressful midterm? Ahhhhhh.....that's all I can say.

Also, I really like how much time I've been spending with the girls these days. And just the friends in general. I'm so much less lonely this year! Here are some pictures of the people I'm enjoying this year:



















Also too, I'm going to the vdot this weekend and I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone again! Life is good today. I wish it was like this always!

Sometimes it hardly seems worth it.

Is it bad that I want to drop my favourite class just because of one assignment that's stressing me out?

I hate it when things like this get the best of me. I've spent many hours stressing about it, and haven't gotten a single word down on paper. For all the time I've spent thinking and worrying about it, I could have finished many times over. What's wrong with me???

I really really hate this. I'm so done with school.

Sometimes I Just Want to Sleep.

I am having an extremely hard time motivating myself this semester. I don't really know what's wrong. I've got lots of time (but not too much) for homework, I really enjoy my classes and find them interesting, but for the life of me I just can't make myself sit down and get things done. All I ever want to do is nap. Or sleep in. Or both.

Even when I get myself out of bed I'm really good at finding other, less productive things to do. Seriously, why can't I just be motivated and dedicated and all those great things that a student is supposed to be? This is so ridiculous.

Maybe I should just go back to bed.

Sometimes life is crazy

Today was a long day, though not as long as it should have been. I was crazy enough to take a 7am shift this morning, knowing that I also had school from 11-9:30. Yeah. Good move, Julie.

However, despite its early hour, I loved work this morning!!! I got to do kindie care, which was a new experience for me, and so so great! School . . . well, it definitely was not so good. After falling asleep in my first class, I gave in and went home. That felt good.

I did manage to go back to school for my remaining two classes, and it was during that time that I began musing about the contrast of pleasures and pet peeves that seem to pervade each day. Here's my list for today:

Pleasures:

• Children's speech impediments ("What is tis? Some tind of jote??")
• Reading aloud
• Teachable moments
• Afternoon naps
• The ridiculous chalkboard drawings of Physics teachers
  
• Running into old friends on the bus

Pet Peeves:

• "number b"
• eyes that insist upon closing, no matter how sternly they are told to stay open
• waiting for the bus
• not enough sleep

That's all I have for now. It's so time for bed, since I'm off to student breakfast bright and early tomorrow morning. Good thing I actually like all these early morning things I'm doing this year. Now if only I could find that same love for school. . .

Sometimes it's just ho-hum.

Here I am, halfway through my first day of school, and I pretty much feel like I never left. Not that that's a bad thing, it's just interesting. I actually think I'm going to really like my classes this semester, even if I don't particularly like the times in which I have to take them.

As for my instructors: so far I have one spastic chalkboard writer from whom I know I'm going to learn many new words, and one young dad from whom I know I'm going to hear many baby/toddler stories. Both seem very interested in their subjects, and sincerely intent on making us interested in their subjects. This is a very promising beginning.

In other news, I put my back out this morning. How, you ask? Well. . .I coughed. That's right. I, a spry 21-year-old, put my back out by coughing. It's not a problem while I'm sitting, but every time I get up and attempt to walk, I find myself hunched over like a little old lady and grimacing with all I've got. I have to say, it's quite the attractive sight. So let's just hope that this lets up before I need to chase small children around for several hours tomorrow, shall we?

Sometimes it's not as good as you'd hoped.

Well, I got the job. They didn't even interview me. They pretty much just sat me down and started handing me paperwork.

Unfortunately I didn't get the hours I wanted. Or the site that I wanted. The bus is certainly going to become my best friend this year. But I guess I shouldn't complain. Work is work, and at least I get to play with kids! Good times.

Sometimes I'm too busy to post.

Ok, so I have been MIA for the past couple of weeks. But it's not my fault. After camps ended two weeks ago, I went to a wedding, cleared up some loose ends around the office and . . . well . . . went to yet another wedding.

Last Saturday, my cousin Justin got married in LA. His mom is the planning type, so much was accomplished in just six days. On our first day we received an itinerary, complete with maps and driving directions. Other than the wedding, the itinerary covered the following:

• family dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen
• the LA County Museum of Art
• the La Brea Tar Pits
• family dinner at my aunt and uncle's house in San Diego
• a visit to a retired aircraft carrier turned museum
• touring downtown San Diego
  
• two Padres' games
• boogie boarding
• the San Diego Zoo
• a fabulous comedy show

Before I left I was quite nervous, as I haven't seen much of that side of the family in a long time. But as it turns out, I have some fabulous cousins (and pseudo-cousins). I had a wonderful time!! Who knew?

Now it's back to normal life: school, work, and (hopefully) soccer. Though, strangely enough, I'm really looking forward to normal life this year. That's probably a good thing.

(Also, Lizzy gets home in just one week! Hoorah!!!!)

Sometimes It's Too Much

Another engagement.

I can't handle this anymore. . .

Will you marry me?

Sometimes It's Nice To Be Home

I went home this weekend, to enjoy a much needed three days off.

The first was filled with weddings.

The second was filled with food, family, and friends.

The third was filled with rest and relaxation.

It was definitely exactly what I needed. And above all that, I only had to share my house with two other people. Quiet, and as much time as I wanted in the bathroom. What more could I ask for? I think I'm ready for September.

Sometimes I've Had Enough.

I am so ready to be back in my own home. Or maybe to have my own house altogether. With no one else. And my own bathroom. And bedroom.

The introvert has arrived.

Sometimes Rain is Great

I love rainy Sunday afternoons. There's just something so calming about coming home after church, changing into sweats, and curling up with a good book. Mmm...love it!

Also, I've started to play the harmonica! I bought one in White Rock yesterday and am now determined to become a brilliant harmonica-ist. Or something. I love it, cuz it's about the geekiest thing this side of an accordian, and it's much cheaper. So here I go! Anyone have any good harmonica tips?

Sometimes there's not enough time to blog.

Funny how when there's nothing to say, one has time to blog endlessly, and yet when so much is happening, there is no chance to share it with loved ones. Yeesh.

Here is a rundown of the last week or so:

• got really sick, spent an entire weekend sleeping
• experienced that crucial day when everything at program just clicked - everyone knew what was going on and what they should be doing, and everyone was enjoying themselves
• took some kids to a Whitecaps game, where we saw Steve Nash
  
• realized in a panic that three of the six weeks of camp are over
• tried to help out a family who's involved with UP, and had an experience I probably shouldn't broadcast to the whole internet, but would love to share with you the next time I see you
• started a new book, which is rather superficial, but good for summer reading
• took some kids to the Steve Nash Foundation Charity Classic at GM Place, where we saw Steve Nash
• shamelessly pretended to have numerous connections to both Steve Nash and Nelly Furtado (they are both from my hometown, you know. And Nelly's dad did all the rock work in our back yard)
  
• randomly ran into friends from home at church
• played with the cutest three year old
• held an adorable two month old boy
• hung out with my brother, missed the rest of my family, and realized how much no one ever tells you when you're the baby of the family
• cursed the heat
  
• wished I had my own bathroom. . .or maybe my own house altogether
• dreaded tomorrow, the eleven hour work day
• wore a skirt for an entire day (this has never been done before!)
• wrote a long list of everything I did, which no one in their right minds would actually finish reading

Ok, that's it for now. I apologize for the lack of interesting tidbits, but at least I got something out there. Here's hoping I'll get better at this over the next three weeks. And here's knowing that I won't.

Sometimes It's Impossible

Balance? What's that? And how do you get it?

Camp's going really well, and I'm having a blast, but there doesn't seem to be much life outside of camp. But I guess that's how it goes sometimes.

On a brighter note, today is free slurpee day (since it's the seventh month and the eleventh day) and my roomies and I are about to set out on a city-wide 7-11 tour. Last year we went to about five different stores. . .I think we're planning on even more this year. We got a head start last night at 1am when we went for a preview trip. I really wonder why I never knew about this before last year. Go figure.

Sometimes it's not at all what you expect.

Today I worked from 7:30am till 6pm. It was fun, but oh boy was it chaotic.

As for my program, well...we had five kids and nine leaders. Not that this is going to be the norm, but as it was technically a holiday and also the first day of camp, attendance was down.

So basically I had to revamp everything that I've been planning for the past month. And I forgot to buy fruit.

And yet, despite the disastrous start, I feel pretty good. I had fun, and I have faith that things are going to pick up. Also, I don't start work until ten tomorrow. So that helps.

Here we go again...

Sometimes it's harder than you expect.

This summer I'm learning to juggle. It's a lot harder than I would have thought.

I'm learning to juggle past relationships with new ones, director duties with intern duties, and caring for others with caring for myself.

Three days in, and I already know that this is going to be a huge summer for learning. I'm excited and I'm scared. I can't wait to see how this all turns out.

Sometimes It's Too Hot

Today it was 33 degrees outside. And I played soccer. For an hour and a half. At one point I pushed too hard and my knees gave out and I did a face plant. That was embarrassing.

I got so hot by the end of the game that my friends actually convinced me to jump in Trout Lake. Something I swore I'd never do and am tempted to deny ever having done. Sick sick sick. But it felt good good good. And I saw a bunch of my favourite UP kids who were swimming too. So all in all it worked out pretty well.

Does soccer ever not turn out well?

I think not.

Sometimes It's Time for Change

I'm done! So totally done with school for this year!

And in two hours I head to Vancouver for the summer. Yipes! I am feeling so many different things right now I don't even know where to begin.

I am feeling:

• happy that school's done
• proud of myself for actually doing well in that class
• apprehensive about how the summer's going to go
• stressed out about packing
• unloved becuase no one really notices I'm leaving
• excited to see my kids and youths and friends in the vdot
• tired
  
• sore in the mouth
• confused!!

Those are far too many feelings. Yeesh.

Sometimes the fear is the worst part.

I went to the dentist today to get a couple of fillings. . .and left without two of my wisdom teeth.

I've been putting off getting my wisdom teeth out forever because I was totally terrified of the pain, but so far it hasn't been that bad. Hoorah for Tylenol 3!

Unfortunately, now I have to write a paper for my english class while on more drugs than I can count. Heck, I can barely write this post! I was planning on being much wittier, but at the moment I'm mostly just trying to keep my eyes open.

Also, as a side note, my friend Amber just called me! I love Amber! That made me very happy.

Ok, I'm done. Sleep time.

The Islands

This weekend g.mango and I went to the Gulf Islands for some much-appreciated relaxing. We saw many chickens, ferries, beaches and deer. We spent many happy hours at a market, in a hot tub, and reading books. But the highlight of the weekend was when g.mango sacrificed one of my flip flops to the ocean off Pender Island in an attempt to capture this starfish:





Here's my perfectly shaped flip-flop making its bid for freedom.












And here is one naked guilty foot...and the remaining lonely flip-flop.