Dinner Dates!

I am getting the idea for today's blog post from a question in my Q & A a day five-year journal.  The question is: What famous person would you bring back from the dead and have dinner with?

This is a very interesting question for me.  I mean, there are definitely a lot of famous people that I would love to get the chance to meet and spend time with.  But most of the people I would pick are still alive.  Plus, presumably this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I can only bring one famous person back from the dead, not as many as I want.  Those of you who know me know that I am horrible at picking favourites, or picking one of anything.  So picking only one person is next to impossible for me.

Before I reveal who I would pick,* I want to know your answer to this question.  Let me know in the comments which famous person you would bring back from the dead and have dinner with!

Days until Toronto: 12

Days until cruise: 21

xo

PS. If I could pick anyone, not just a famous person, I would pick my Grandma.  She passed away when I was 12 and I have always wished I could talk to her and know her as two adults.

*I didn't plan this post far enough in advance and I literally cannot think of anyone.  I need some ideas from you guys!

Planning!

Guuuuys, work is getting in the way of my ability to blog.  Seriously, the struggle is so real.

But in all seriousness, it's really hard for me to come up with a good idea for something to blog about when all my day consisted of was sleeping in all morning and working all afternoon.  I know, I know, my life is so difficult.

So I was just on the phone with my mom and we were talking about all the things we're going to be doing while I'm home in May, and then we started planning things for our cruise.  I have never been on a cruise before and there are literally no words to describe how excited I am for this one.  Going on any vacation with my mom is the exact opposite of relaxing; she likes to call it "Kerry's Bootcamp"!  But that doesn't even bother me for this trip.  I mean, this is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime trip and I do not want to spend the whole time sleeping or doing nothing on the boat.  I want to explore and experience things and just have a general great time!

Eeeeep, I'm really excited for May!

Days until Toronto: 13

Days until cruise: 22

xo

Excitement!

I had a few different thoughts over the course of the day as to what I was going to blog about for BEDA today.  But now that it is 11:30pm and the exhaustion of today and this past week and even these past few months is fully hitting me, I unfortunately cannot remember anything I thought of blogging about.  So, I am going to keep this very short and say that I am very happy that exams are over (at least for me) and that I now have a few months off from school* and that I am only two weeks away from an awesome vacation.  Let me know in the comments something you're excited for in the next few weeks!

Days until summer: 0!

Exams until summer: 0!

Days until Toronto: 14

Days until cruise: 23

xo

*Sort of. I'm working on getting my Early Childhood Education diploma online and am hoping to finish that program before September. Weeeeee!

Halfway There!

Today's post is not going to be very long or, honestly, very interesting for that matter.  This is for two reasons: one, all I did today was last-minute studying this morning and then writing my first exam this afternoon; and two, I didn't get out of my exam until 5:30ish and I have my other exam at noon tomorrow.  So tonight is completely dedicated to studying, not blogging (unfortunately).  But the good news is that, after my exam tomorrow, I will be all done and officially on summer break!!  I say break, instead of vacation, because the next two weeks are not at all going to be a vacation.  Between tomorrow and April 29th, I only have three days off from work and two of them are because the pool is closed for Easter.  Needless to say, I will be extremely busy.  But then I'm going home/on a trip and will not be working at all for three weeks.  So I can deal with a busy next two weeks if it means I get to enjoy a great three weeks off!

Days until summer: 1!

Exams until summer: 1!

Days until cruise: 24

xo

The Home Stretch

I'm not really sure how or when this happened, but somehow this school year is about to come to a close.  The last eight months have gone by so fast, they almost feel like a dream (unfortunately, the really were real life).  Now I am in the home stretch of this year.  As of right now, all that stands between me and summer break/vacation is 36ish hours and two final exams.  I don't know how prepared or not prepared I feel, but I'm not going to worry too much.  The time will pass and the exams will be written whether I worry myself to death or not.  So, no point in stressing out too much!  Bring it on!

Days until summer: 2

Exams until summer: 2

Days until cruise: 25

xo

PS. A new video went up on my youtube channel today!  It's all about the 10 things that make me happy, and I would love if you watched it! :)

The Movie of My Life

Maybe this is a weird thing to be admitting to essentially the whole Internet, but I often think about the movie of my life.  I fully believe that one day, a movie will be made about my life and I am genuinely curious as to what that will look like.  It'll be a comedy, naturally.  It'll have its not-so-funny moments, as all movies do, but overall it will be hilarious.  If I had my choice, I would want Emma Stone to play me (I'm watching Easy A right now and I seriously love this movie and her!) except that I would want her at the age she is now to play young-adult me.  For adult me, I feel like I would want Sandra Bullock to play me.  I mean, by the time the movie about my life actually comes out, who knows if either of them will still even be acting; I might have to change my choices.  But fear not!  One day there will be a movie of my life, and I will be choosing all the actors for all the characters... I have big dreams.

If you were having a movie made about your life, who would you want to play you?  Let me know in the comments!

Days until summer: 3

Exams until summer: 2

Days until cruise: 26

xo

Sunrise!

Early this morning, I dragged my sleepy lazy ass out of bed and I went with some friends to see the sunrise.

We drove out to Cape Spear which, for those of you not from Newfoundland, is the most Easterly point in North America.  This means that we got an amazing view of a truly magnificent sunrise.  It also means that we got to see the very first sunrise in North America this morning... cool!

Because I physically do not have any words to explain how amazingly gorgeous this sunrise was, here are some pictures!

Waiting for the Sun!

A new day has started

 That was my morning! I hope you guys enjoyed my pictures!  Let me know if you ever wake up early enough to watch the sunrise.

Days until summer: 4

Exams until summer: 2

Days until cruise: 27

xo

Tiiiiired!

Holy man, I'm tired. Thursday is such a long day for me: work for three hours, break for gym and lunch, then work again for five hours.  I've been home now for a couple hours and I can barely even keep my eyes open.  Plus, it's currently 11:58pm, which gives me two minutes to post something, and I am too tired to come up with some good and witty in that short amount of time.  So, today's post sucks.  Better things will come tomorrow, I promise.

Days until summer: 5

Exams until summer: 2

Days until cruise: 28

xo

Vimy Ridge

Seven years ago, in 2007, I had the opportunity to travel to Europe with my school and be part of the 90th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge.

For those of you who don't know, Vimy Ridge was a battle in World War I that occured in northern France in 1917.  During this battle, 3600 Canadian soldiers lost their lives.  To mark the 90th anniversary, on April 9th 2007, 3600 Canadian students travelled to Vimy Ridge, each student representing a specific soldier who fought at Vimy Ridge and who died at Vimy Ridge.

This trip was one of the best trips of my life, and I can't even believe it has already been seven years.  Below are a couple of my pictures from Vimy Ridge.

RIP Alfred H Libby. I never had the pleasure of meeting you, but I know you were a great man.

Days until summer: 6 

Exams until summer: 2

Days until cruise: 29

xo 

Personal Space

Well.  My life is like one big brain fart.  Clearly all my procrastination is really getting to me.  I've been on my computer for a couple hours and I just completely forgot about having to blog.  I just looked down at my clock, saw that it was 12:05 and was like "Oh yea.  BEDA.  That's still a thing, isn't it?"  I don't even have a reason for being late today, other than that my brain is in a totally different world.

So today, I want to (briefly) talk about personal space.  I have found, mostly from working at the pool, that some people have absolutely no concept of a personal bubble.  I haven't found that it's an issue when I'm teaching lessons, because I have to help the kids, so it's usually me invading their space.  But when I'm guarding, mainly when I'm guarding standing up, not sitting in a guard chair, I have found that other people just do not understand personal space!

Let me explain.  Often when I am guarding standing up, there are lots of people walking around the pool deck.  That means that there are often people walking behind me, which is fine.  But sometimes, there are some people who walk so close to me that it actually makes me very uncomfortable.  Like, the pool deck is huge!  There is so much space for you to walk!  Why are you standing six inches behind me?!  I will add that I am not at all talking about the people who come up to me to ask me a question or something.  They are standing so close to me for a reason, and it's fine.  But if you are walking from point A to point B and you have the whole pool deck to get there and you choose to walk six inches away from me?  That doesn't make any sense to me!

Tell me a story when you have experienced a stranger getting all up in your space for no reason.  I need to know it's not just me!!

Days until summer: 7

Exams until summer: 2

Days until cruise: 30

xo

Procrastinating!

Exams start this week which of course means that I am procrastinating like crazy!  I only have two exams (as I'm only doing two courses) so you wouldn't think I would have that much studying to do.  And, I mean, compared to most semesters of my undergrad when I was studying for five finals, this really isn't that much studying.  But, to me, any amount of studying is too much studying!

So, naturally, I am doing anything and everything I can to avoid having to study: I'm cleaning, I'm getting groceries, I'm going to work early!  I know that I eventually do have to study, that I can only put it off for so long.  But you better believe that I am doing everything possible to put it all off for as long as humanly possible!

Are you a procrastinator, or do you get things done as soon as possible?  Let me know!

Days until summer: 8

Exams until summer: 2

Days until cruise: 31

xo

Not Being Rushed!

[I actually totally forgot until a few minutes ago that I was doing BEDA and that, even though it's Sunday and I have done basically nothing else productive today, I still have to post something.  So this might be a shorter post than normal.]

This afternoon I filmed two videos for my youtube channel.  When I first started making videos, I used to only film one video at a time.  It made sense, at the time, because I didn't upload videos all that often and I usually didn't plan all my videos in advance.  Also, my videos used to be a lot shorter, so it was really easy to just film them one by one.  However, I quickly discovered that is was really easy to film more than one video at a time (all I do is change my shirt.  Seriously.  Sometimes I don't even change.  This video and this video were filmed the same day and I didn't even change!  Behind the scenes magic!).  Plus, it just made sense for me, because then I could edit them ahead of time and never have to worry about a video being late.

Those of you who know me know that I absolutely hate being rushed.  I will do anything and everything in my power so that I am not rushed.  When it comes to videos, I will film days, weeks, even months in advance if it prevents me from being rushed.  So, if I can film multiple videos in the same day, just changing my shirt, and it makes everything easier for me, then I will definitely do it!

The videos that I filmed today will be going up this Wednesday, April 9 and next Sunday, April 13.  What do you think they'll be??

Days until summer: 9

Exams until summer: 2

Days until cruise: 32

xo

Reality TV!

I know I did a post a couple days ago about how much I love TV and how much of it I watch, but seriously... not enough!  I have to do another post about TV!

So one of my biggest guilty pleasures is reality TV.  Literally, every kind of reality.  I love competition-based shows, I love shows where a camera just follows people around.  I even love the shows that are so obviously fake and set-up: I just cannot get enough of them!

Currently, the reality shows that I am watching the most are Big Brother* and Big Brother Canada, The Amazing Race, The Bachelor,** The Biggest Loser... I am sure there are more that I'm forgetting.  If I remember them, I'll add them in!

I am a very competitive person.  If I can't personally compete in something, you better believe that I still want to watch a good competition!  The thing I love about reality competition shows is that they usually take place over a long(ish) period of time and it gives a really good chance to see game development and growth, lots of strategy, that kind of thing.  I mean, all the shows I've mentioned are very different and they all involve competing for different things and I think that's what I love about each of them individually.  They all appeal to a different aspect of my competitiveness and the combination of them makes me a very happy person.

Don't get me wrong, though, I am also a very big fan of the reality shows that have no competitive side to them at all.  I am a huge fan of The Hills, which I know is not a real "reality" show at all, but I mean, c'mon!  It's so full of drama!  I'm also a fan of the whole Teen Mom series.  I really like the reality shows that are overflowing with drama.  They give me a chance to live vicariously through them, have some drama in my life without actually having to deal personally with any drama.

Let me know if you're a fan of any reality TV shows, and if there are any you think I should watch!

Days until summer: 10

Exams until summer: 2

Days until cruise: 33

xo

*I just started rewatching season 11 of Big Brother, from the summer of 2009.  Why'd I do that??

**Do not even get me started on Juan Pablo.

Watches

The idea for today's post came to me while I was at work tonight, and I think it's a pretty funny story.

So, for those of you who don't know me, I am currently working part-time at a pool where I teach a lot of swimming lessons and occasionally lifeguard.  I really enjoy working with kids and, after having spent so much time around them, I have come to fully appreciate how many weird and hilarious things kids say on a regular basis.

So I have a watch that I wear basically every day.  It's just a pink digital watch that I got from Walmart for $10.  It's not anything fancy, but it definitely always does it's job of letting me know what time it is.  And when I say I wear it every day, that includes wearing it in the pool while I'm teaching.

I never thought it was a big deal that I wore a watch in the pool.  I mean, it's waterproof (or at least water-resistant) and I still need to know the time while I'm working.  However, a lot of the younger kids that I teach seem to think that wearing a watch in the water is a REALLY BIG DEAL!  I have been asked why I'm wearing a watch in the water, if I even realise that I still have my watch on, and if I know what happens to watches in water.

I really do appreciate their concern and, you know, if I ever accidentally bring my phone or iPod into the pool, I know they'll have my back and let me know that it's wrong.  I'm really not sure why I find it so funny; it just makes me laugh that they think they're the first person to let me know that I am, in fact, wearing a watch.

Kids say the darndest things, right?  What's something funny you've heard a kid say?  Let me know in the comments!

Days until summer: 11

Exams until summer: 2

Days until cruise: 34

xo

Binging

I know this post is not quite late yet, but it's not as early as the other two this month, so I'm already feeling the pressure.

So if you guys know me or have been following me for any amount of time, you probably know that I absolutely love watching TV.  My preferred way to watch TV is to binge-watch it online.

By "binge-watch" I mean watching several seasons of one show at a time.  If a show has finished airing, then I will watch the whole series, but even if it is still airing new episodes, I enjoy going back and watching all the previous episodes.

I used to never be sure why I did this and why I enjoyed it so much.  However, it occured to me one day that I have a horrible memory, especially when it comes to the details.  So, if I am watching thirty minutes to an hour of a show once a week for several months, I am never going to remember everything that happens.  But, when I watch a whole season in one day, I can absolutely remember everything that happens.

So far in 2014, I have rewatched every episode of Degrassi,* I'm all caught up on Glee and I am halfway through season three of Gossip Girl.  I know it doesn't sound like I have watched that much, especially given that I already admitted to watching a whole season in one day.  But, bear in mind, that I have still been trying to stay caught up on all the other shows I watch that are still airing new episodes.  This includes How I Met Your Mother, 2 Broke Girls, New Girl, Modern Family, Big Brother Canada, Pretty Little Liars, and probably many more that I'm forgetting.

Basically, what I am trying to tell you all is that I spend ridiculously too much of my time watching TV shows online.  Let me know what some of your favourite shows are right now!  Also, do any of you enjoy binge-watch several seasons of a show?  C'mon, I can't be alone here!

Days left of classes: 0!

Days until summer: 12

Exams until summer: 2

Days until cruise: 35

xo

*There are 13 seasons of Degrassi.  Yup, I'm that guy.

Everything Happens For A Reason

Hey everyone!  It's April 2nd, so it's time for the second day of BEDA!

...I have never started any of my BEDA posts like that, like I am reminding you that I'm blogging every day this month, I don't know why I did it today.  It just felt right.

So this post is titled Everything Happens For A Reason because it is one of my favourite quotes and, sometimes, knowing this is all that keeps me going.  Whenever not-so-good or unexpected things happen in my life, I spend a little time being upset, but then I remind myself that whatever happens, it is always for a reason.  I may find out that reason later the same day, it may be a few months or even years before I fully realise why something has happened.  But I know that, as difficult and trying as something may be, there will eventually come a time when I will be thankful to have been put through that situation.  What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right?

I know this post was really short, kind of deep and extremely vague, and I am sorry for all of those things.  My life has not really been going as planned lately and I just need some time to digest it all on my own.  Normal BEDA posts will be back (hopefully) tomorrow.

Days left of classes: 2

Days until summer: 13

Exams until summer: 2

Days until cruise: 36

xo

BEDA 2014: Here We Go Again...?

Well, here we are again.  It's April 1st, which means it is also the first day of BEDA (Blog Every Day in April!).  I have participated in BEDA for four years now on this blog.  I debated a lot on whether I was going to do it again this year and decided that I really had no reason not to, so here I am!

I am actually a little embarrassed, if we're being perfectly honest.  I feel like a dog with its tail between its legs, knowing it's done something wrong.  I haven't posted anything on here since BEDA ended last year.  I don't even have a very good reason for my eleven-month absence.  I thought, quite a few times actually, about writing a post, but then I never followed through.  I feel like "no follow through" has become my trademark, at least to myself.  It's not a good thing but it is, at least currently, my reality.

In other news, this is my two hundredth post on this blog.  A year ago, I would have thought that my 200th post would be coming sometime in May or June, not the next April, but here we are.  I feel like this post needs to be something special, amazing, perfect, to mark the milestone of having written two hundred posts on this blog.

However, I don't really have any special, amazing thoughts for what to write about, so I'm just going to write about what I did today.  This morning started with watching last night's series finale of How I Met Your Mother.  I'm not going to go into any details about the episode, in case some of you haven't seen it yet; I don't want to spoil it.  However, I am going to say that it was not the ending I wanted and needed from this show.  This whole last season has not been good and now this ending just makes me love the show less, and I really hate that.  I almost wish the finale was some cruel, well thought-out April Fool's joke, but unfortunately, I think it really is real life.  I am going to make a video soon about the finale, going into details and everything, but for now, just know that I am not happy with the way the show ended.  If you've seen the finale, let me know in the comments what you thought.

Another thing that happened today was that we were hit with probably the biggest snow storm we've had this winter, and it isn't even winter anymore!  What the heck?!  Everything was closed this morning, including the university and the mall, and then things opened again at 1:00, but then the weather got worse and everything closed again.  The pool that I work at wasn't closed today, and I had to work at 4:00, like I do every Tuesday.  So I left my house just before 3:30 and walked to work.  It was bad outside, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  Anyway, I get to work and find out, five minutes before my shift was supposed to start, that they were closing the pool at 4:30.  I probably could have not even shown up at work and no one would have known the difference.  It at least got me out of the house and out of my pyjamas, but it would have been nice to know that I could have stayed home.  Oh well.

So that has been my day!  Tell me about your day.  Are you experiencing a #Snowmageddon like I am, or is it more spring-like?  Also, did you prank anyone for April Fool's?  I didn't, but I'd love to hear about it if you did!

Days left of class: 3

Days until summer: 14

Exams until summer: 2

xo

PS. Please let me know if you have any requests for BEDA posts this year!  If you've been around this blog before, then you know that there are plenty of days when I struggle with things to write about.  So if there's anything you want to see/read, let me know and I'll do my best to include them all!

That's It, That's All

Irony is a cruel, cruel thing.  Today is the last day of BEDA, and I feel like I need to go out with some big finish.  Something witty and funny and a little heartfelt and sentimental.  I feel like a good ending is the key to this kind of thing.

Unfortunately, I am still extremely exhausted (slept three hours on plane, and had an hour and a half nap this afternoon) which means that I do not currently possess the brain power to come up with any kind of writing that even remotely resembles what I think it should.  However, this is my 199th post, which means that my next one will be my 200th!  Two hundred posts!  That is a pretty monumental milestone!  So I think I will just let this last post of BEDA be whatever it currently is.  Then, sometime this next month, when my brain is more aware of it's surroundings and functions, I will come up with the best milestone post since I don't know when!

Days until camp: 24

xo

Sleeps

I. AM SO. TIRED.

I spent all day today packing.  It was my last day here, so I really had no choice other than to pack.  I may have procrastinated packing for over a week, but I still got it all done in time.  Although I did do about 95% of it today sooo...

Anyway, I went out tonight for frozen yogurt with some friends (the last four days are probably the most social I have been this whole semester!).  My friend Diana is also leaving tomorrow, so it was the last night here for both of us.  Honestly, I thought I'd be home by, like, ten at the latest!  I mean, frozen yogurt is not exactly an activity that takes all night, you know?  Anyway, a few of us girls ended up hanging out at the 24 hour Starbucks and then in the McDonalds parking lot until after 2am, and I didn't get home until 2:30!  My flight is at 7am, which is in less than four hours.  I had planned to wake up at 4, and the cab for the airport is picking me up at 5.  So as soon as I got home I finished the last little bit of packing I had to do.  I had planned to sleep at least a couple hours tonight, but now that is just not happening.  I mean, I'd have to wake up in forty minutes anyway, so what's the point, really?  Besides, I really don't want to risk sleeping through my alarm and missing my flight.  And I know I'll sleep on the plane, I always do.  Plus I have pretty much all afternoon tomorrow to take a nap.  Sleeping is not at all an issue for me.

OK, now I'm just rambling because of how tired I am.  Tomorrow is the last day of BEDA and I promise, cross my heart and hope to die, that it will not be late.  And hopefully it won't be so rambly.

Days until camp: 25

xo

Sorry... Not Sorry

Well.  I did not think I was going to be late posting tonight, honestly.  I spent all day packing (sort of...).  I took everything off my walls and my room actually looks so bare right now.  It's really weird!  Anyway, just before supper, I was on the phone with my mom when I got a text from a couple friends about a board game night.  By the time I got off the phone and found out the details of the evening, I only had a few minutes to make supper and eat it, and then get ready to go before my friend Allison came to pick me up.  I didn't even think about posting anything before I left, I was in too much of a rush!  Plus, I didn't think I'd be out this late, honestly.  I thought I would be home before midnight and would have time to post something and not be late!

So, I am sorry that for the second time in as many days I am late posting for BEDA.  However, both times was because I was out with friends, having fun and being social.  And while BEDA is important to me, and my readers are important to me, having fun with friends is slightly more important. #sorrynotsorry

Days until camp: 26

xo

Packing

Packing really is a huge pain in my butt.  I had a whole lot of stuff in storage in the basement, stuff I hadn't even touched for probably eight months.  Today I brought it all upstairs and sorted through it all.  I decided what I was keeping, what I could throw away or recycle, and what I could donate.  I managed to condense it all down to one small tote, which was quite an accomplishment.  However, I now need to get started on my room.  Decide what I'm taking with me for the summer, and pack up everything that I'm leaving here.  I also, somehow, need to make everything I'm taking back with me to fit into only two 50lbs suitcases and two carry-ons.  Fortunately, my roommate Jenny is excellent at getting everything to fit and she agreed to help me.  Thank goodness for awesome roommates!

Days until camp: 27

xo

Questions

Well, today is April 26th.  The twenty-sixth day of BEDA.  That means there are only four days left of BEDA, after today.  I can't believe how fast this month has gone.  On that note, I can't believe how fast 2013 has gone so far.  Already almost four months into the year?  That's a third of the year!  What even?!

OK, now I don't know what else to talk about.  The thing about blogging every day for thirty days is that, eventually, you kind of run out of things to talk about.  I mean, sooner or later, you get to the point where there is really just nothing else to talk about.

So I posted a new video earlier today (you can watch it HERE).  In this video, I answered some questions from an old school Myspace survey (you all remember what I'm talking about!).  I'm going to copy and paste the questions below and I want you guys to answer some, or all, of the questions in the comments below!

THE QUESTIONS:
1. Whats the first thing that you wash in the shower?
2. Do you plan your outfits?
3. Whats the closest thing to you that is red?
4. Would you kiss the last person that you kissed again?
5. Do you remember your last dream?
6.Did you meet anybody new today?
7. How many countries have you visited?
8. Is there anything sparkly in the room that youre in?
9. Do you use chopstick?
10. Can you use chopsticks?
11. Last time you cried?
12. The last person you held hands with?
13. Could you ever forgive a cheater?
14. What are you wearing?
15. Favorite animal?
16. Can you lick your elbow?
17. Are you taller than your mom?

Days until camp: 28

xo

Laaaaaaate Movies!

I am soooo late with today's post!  Oops?  But you know what, I was out being social with friends so whatever!  I'm still awake, which means it's still the 25th for me, which makes this OK!

...Now I have nothing to write about.  I hung out with some of my girlfriends tonight and we watched What A Girl Wants with Amanda Bynes (old school Amanda, though, not present-day Amanda. Homegirl has gone off the deep end lately!).  It's a really cute movie, and is kind of perfect for preteens and early teens, which is the age we all were when it came out.  We were talking about it, though, and it really doesn't seem like there's many good movies for that age group being made anymore.  When we were younger, there were lots of movies that were perfect for our age group, and now it just seems like there really isn't anymore.

Let me know in the comments what you think about this. Are there any age-appropriate movies being made for preteens and early teenagers that you can think of?  What were your favourite movies when you were that age?

Days until camp: 29

xo

Naps

The evolution of napping throughout our lives is probably one of the weirdest things.  From birth until about school age, we're forced to take an afternoon nap.  I say forced because, as far as I have seen, a lot of toddlers are not quite the biggest fans of napping.*

Then, once we start school, napping is fazed completely out of our lives.  And, for elementary school pretty much all the way through high school, this is not a bad thing.  We all have way too much energy and our social lives are way too big to even have time to sleep at night, let alone napping during the day.  Plus, in high school, we're all so busy with school work, trying to get into the college or university of our choice, on top of anything else... Seriously, I don't think I thought of napping once when I was in high school!

And then university starts.  With the option of picking your own schedule, plus the new adventure of living in res and being away from home, usually for the first time, things can get kind of crazy.  And kind of exhausting.  I started occasionally napping in my first year of university and it was a sensation I had never quite experienced before.  And I loved it, at least at the time.

Of course, there are two kinds of people in the world.  In this case, there are the people who can nap and the people who can't.  I quickly discovered that when I woke up from a nap, I felt groggy, disoriented, and usually more tired than before I napped.  If I have an afternoon off, for example, and have nothing difficult I need to do, then a nap is more than welcome (like this afternoon, for example).  However, if I have any kind of work later in the day, a nap will not help me at all.  Some sort of physical activity, even going for a walk, tends to wake me up more and make me more alert than a nap ever will.

It is usually at camp during the summer that this issue is brought up the most.  Each day the counsellors get an hour off, and 99% of the other counsellors use their time off to take a nap.  However, I can probably count on one hand how many times I've used my hour off to take a nap.  I am definitely the odd one out, there's no doubt about that.  But, while napping can rejuvinate some people, it only makes me more tired.  Go figure.

Let me know in the comments how you feel about naps!  Are you pro-napping or does it make you more tired, like me?

Days until camp: 30

xo

*This is honestly something I've never understood.  I mean, if someone told me I had to sleep for a couple hours every day I would be all over that!

WPP!

So I've been on tumblr for, like, two hours.  Plus I'm watching season three of Gossip Girl.  So, needless to say, I now have fifteen minutes to quickly come up with something to write about, hopefully using real sentences and actual English.

So today was my third last shift at the pool.  I am leaving next week to go back to Ontario for a couple weeks, then moving to Nova Scotia to work at camp for the summer.  Anyway, because I'm leaving for the summer I have to quit my job at the pool.  This is the third time I've quit for the summer and I've always been rehired, so it's not really a big deal.

OK, funny story.  So yesterday, I was teaching this class that's the highest level, so the kids are all a little bit older (eleven to thirteenish).  They were asking me if I was going to be their teacher for the next eight weeks as well.  Instead of saying something normal, like "No, I'm moving away" I told them that I was leaving because I was joining the Witness Protection Program.

Who even says that?  Who even thinks something like that?  I can only hope that either none of the kids had any idea what I was talking about.  Or, if they did, they knew I was joking and didn't say anything to their parents.  I mean, I taught these kids for eight weeks, so they should know by now that pretty much everything I say is a joke.  But still.

Days until camp: 31

xo 

Personal Time

Something that a lot of people don't really know about me is that I kind of have social anxiety.  I really don't like being around large groups of people I don't know, and the idea of making new friends kind of terrifies me.  The reason not a lot of people know this about me is because I have gotten really good at coping with my social anxiety.  I like to make jokes and try to make people laugh, because that makes it feel like they like me.  I also like to be loud and really energetic and enthusiastic, because that can sometimes make me forget how uncomfortable I am.

 

So, with this in mind, you can probably imagine five years ago when I moved to Newfoundland by myself and didn't know anyone, how terrifying it was to think about making all kinds of new friends.  I was still really unsure of who I was, so trying to meet all kinds of new people and make new friends was beyond nerve-wracking.  However, I was lucky that within the first couple months I joined one of the on-campus Christian groups and was able to make a lot of new friends.  Over the past five years, a lot of those people have moved away permanently, some of left and come back and lots of new people have joined.  But, overall, I have had a pretty solid group of friends.

 

Now, fast forward to the past few months.  None of my really good friends are in the same program as me at school, so it has never been typical that I see my friends on weekdays (although it was happened) but it has always been kind of standard that I see at least some of my friends at some point on the weekend.  The last few months, however, it feels like I hardly see any of my good friends at all.  I knew we were all busy with school and work and life and whatever else was going on, so I kind of brushed it off for a while.  I figured that no one was really hanging out as much as we used to; I never guessed that a lot of my friends were still hanging out and not inviting me.

 

It started out small: I would see one of my friends post some pictures on Facebook of some night with other people from our group of friends, and it kind of hurt my feelings that I wasn't invited but I didn't let it get to me.  Over the years I've built a pretty strong shell to keep myself from getting hurt and it really does take a lot of really get to me.

 

Anyway, over the last three or four months, it feels like my "friends" are hanging out more and more without me, and it feels like the only times I get invited to hang out, it's almost like a pity invite rather than because they actually want me there or want to spend time with me.  And, I mean, I'm not trying to be needy or clingy; I don't need to always be invited everywhere.  But, you know, it would be nice if the people I consider friends actually wanted to spend time with me.

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it kind of hurts when it seems like my "friends" don't even want to spend time with me anymore, or when I see them somewhere, like at church, they don't even talk to me, other than saying hi.  Or when a bunch of them talk about planning a girl's night, right in front of me, and don't even pretend that I'm invited.  Maybe I'm being a huge drama queen about all of this, but I just feel like none of my friends like me anymore and/or they do not care at all about spending any time with me. asdfghjkl

 

Days until camp: 32

 

xo

Snobby Snobs

So, little known fact about me is that I am kind of a movie snob.  I love watching movies, I've seen sooo many and I own a lot.  But when it comes to watching new movies, movies that I've never seen before, I tend to be very picky.  Maybe it's kind of ridiculous of me, but if I'm going to watch a movie that I've never seen before, especially with other people, I like to be the one that picks the movie.  That way, I know I'll like it.

So last night, I spent time hanging out with two of my roommates, Julie and Natasha, and we watched the movie 13 Going On 30.  It was my movie, plus I had already seen it like a bazillion times, so I knew I liked it; no worries.  Then tonight, the three of us plus our other roommate Jenny made dinner together and spent a fun time hanging out and then decided to watch another movie.  We had agreed on 27 Dresses, another movie of mine, so no problem there.  But then Julie remembered that she had borrowed a movie from a friend, and suggested that we watch that instead, so she could return it to it's owner.  The movie was Morning Glory, with Rachel McAdams and Diane Keaton.  I had never seen this movie before and, honestly, when she suggested we watch it, my stomach kind of dropped.  Not because I didn't think it would be funny or a good movie or whatever, but solely because I had never seen it before and I didn't know if I would like it.

Anyway, we ended up watching it and I really enjoyed it!  It was a rom-com, with some pretty funny moments.  I would definitely recommend it if you like those kinds of movies.

Days until camp: 33

xo

Dumb Stuff

I have sixteen minutes to get this post up and I am determined!  I tweeted a while ago that I was hanging out with my roommates and today's post might be late, but excuses are for the weak!

So a couple days ago, or maybe yesterday, I saw a friend of mine post this article to her facebook.  It's an article on BuzzFeed, and basically lists some really stupid things that people have said or done or written online.  I highly suggest reading it, because it is quite funny.  Plus it'll make you feel like you're not quite as dumb as you might feel like you sometimes are.*

After I read the article, I started thinking about some pretty dumb things that I had seen on Internet recently.  For example, after the whole broohaha about Justin Bieber at the Anne Frank house, I read a slew of tweets from Bieber fans absolutely losing their minds, saying things like what makes Anne Frank so special, why doesn't Justin come to their house as well, blah blah blah.  Although not all of the ones I read outright said that they didn't know who Anne Frank was (although there were some who had no idea who she was) it was very much implied based on what they were saying.

Also within the last couple weeks, I saw a bunch of people saying they had no idea that Titanic was a real boat that really did hit an iceberg and really did sink.  So many people thought it was just a movie and had no idea it was based on a real historical event.  

I'm sorry, but how can you live in this day and age, with the Internet, and not have any idea that Titanic was a real thing?  Or not know who Anne Frank is?  It just absolutely blows my mind.

Days until camp: 34

xo

*At least, that's how it made me feel!

Bein' Lazy

I have now been on summer vacation for over two days and I have done... absolutely nothing.  Other than eat, sleep, watch so many episodes of Gossip Girl and youtube videos and go to work, I have literally done nothing.  OK, I know that sounds like I've done a lot but, other than working at the pool, pretty much everything else I've done involves sitting in my room in front of my computer.  I'd love to spend some time outside, even if just going for a walk, but the weather has actually been pretty gross here lately.  Hopefully it'll warm up soon so that I can enjoy a little bit of St John's before I leave at the end of the month.

Anyway, I had plans for things I needed to do: film some videos! Go to the grocery store! Start packing!  And I have not done any of those things yet, at all.  I mean, I know I need to take a break, I did just finish another semester of university.  But none of the things on my to-do list are really that difficult or taxing.  So, I have big plans for tomorrow of actually getting stuff done.  Here's hoping they actually happen!

Days until camp: 35 (five weeks today I'll be there!)

xo

PB & J

My room is really cold right now and I'm really tired and all I want to do is finish season two of Gossip Girl, so today's post will be rather short.

So the other day, my roommate Julie and I were taking a study break and getting something to eat.  I don't remember how the topic came up specifically, but I think one of us (probably me) mentioned how good peanut butter is (definitely me).  Then the idea of jam/jelly also came up, which was closely followed by the whole thing that is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Anyway, long story short, I came to the realization that, up until a couple days ago, I had never had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

This has never been a conscious decision.  I mean, I enjoy jam and jelly on toast at breakfast* and I love peanut butter like it's my day job.  But my mom never made PB&Js for me as a child, maybe because I never asked for them or maybe because she didn't think I'd like them, I don't know.  But they were never a staple in my childhood diet, so as I grew older and started making my own sandwiches, PB&J was never even on my radar of possible sandwich options.

But that day, after Julie and I talked about PB&Js I made myself one and Oh. My. Gosh. So good!  I feel like I am probably going to be eating quite a few of these over the next couple weeks, both because they are so easy to make and because it's an excellent way to help me go through a lot of my food.**

Let me know in the comments how you feel about PB&Js!  Also, is there any "staple food" that everyone loves that you've either never tried, or tried and didn't like?

Days until camp: 36

xo

*I mean, when else is jam/jelly a thing?

**I'm moving out for four months, so I have to eat all my food that could go bad.

Lying Games

I feel like earlier today I had an idea for what today's post should be about, but now I can't remember what it was, in typical Seana fashion.  Whatever, I'm sure it'll come to me either in the shower or in the middle of the night, where the best ideas always make their appearance.

So a few days ago, I don't remember when, I wrote a post about challenging myself to read as many books this year as possible, which is an ongoing challenge.  At the time, I was reading The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, which I have since finished.  I think it's fair to say that I am a pretty big John Green fan.  But I also know how he writes and what he does to the emotions of the reader.  I was able, fortunately, to figure out pretty early what was going to happen, so when the time for crying and emotion and feels came they weren't able to grab ahold of me as strongly as I would have anticipated.  I guess that was just my fancy way of saying that I didn't cry whilst reading it, which is a HUGE accomplishment for me!  But if you haven't read TFIOS, I highly highly recommend that you go read it right meow!

Since I finished that book I have started reading a book that is about as far from anything I've been reading in the past few months as a book could possibly be.  It's called The Lying Game by Sara Shepard.  For those of you thinking that the name Sara Shepard sounds familiar, it's because she is the woman who wrote the Pretty Little Liars books.  I picked up this book, which is the first in a series, from the library recently and so far I am really enjoying it.  It's a little bit scary and has been giving me some kind of weird dreams (what else is new?!) but I'm glad I decided to read it.

Let me know in the comments about some of the good books you have read recently!  Or, if you've read a book that you weren't quite impressed with, you can let me know about that as well!

Also, apparently the Lying Game series was also made into a TV show!  Have any of you seen it?  If so, what did you think?  Should I check it out?  Let me know!

Days until summer: 0!!

Exams until summer: 0!!

Days until camp: 37

xo