Life on the Wet Left Coast

It just hit me

2009-04-05T23:59:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a paper for my Mediation Advocacy class, and I have just now realized what I have gotten myself into. As a part of my paper, I am actually looking at the legal/mediation themes in a play about a woman who meets her daughter's killer. It's a really moving play, and in reading it, I felt almost as much, if not more, compassion for the killer than for any of the other characters.
And then it hit me.
If I go into Criminal Law, and if I work for the Crown, I will be dealing with all the people that love and happiness forgot. The people that will stand accused in court are often products of a life lived without love, patience or compassion. They are often people who were victimized themselves at a young age. I don't believe that this excuses those who victimize others and I still believe that offenders should be appropriately punished. But I have realized that everyone of them is a human being and I can't imagine what it will be like to meet people who've been dealt such an unfair, sad hand in life.
I don't know what to hope for. That I can do the job without my heart breaking? Or that my heart breaks a little every time?

Little Bastards

2009-04-04T23:59:00.000-07:00

Signs of spring. Also the cause of incredibly itchy eyes and a head full of snot. Kind of pretty, I guess.

Shepherd's Pie

2009-04-03T23:24:00.000-07:00

I'm on a tight budget for the next few weeks until my summer job starts, so I spent a few pennies on carrots, dug around in the cupboard, thawed out some deer and voila! Whipped up two casseroles of Shepherd's pie. I used a can of gravy someone gave me, some instant mashed potatoes from the back of the cupboard and some seriously freezer burnt peas. And it was delicious. Which is good, because I made enough to eat it for a week.

Subtly Funny

2009-04-02T23:36:00.000-07:00

Photo a Day Challenge

2009-04-01T22:43:00.000-07:00

For the month of April I am going to try to post a photo a day. Ideally I am going to try to TAKE a photo a day to post, in an effort to use a little of the left side of my brain each day while I am super-busy cramming law junk into the right side.
Today I forgot to take my camera with me when I left the house, so I have to put up an old photo.
You can guess what day it was.

Um, yes please.

2009-03-31T08:36:00.001-07:00

My roommate has a coffee maker that is programmable, so that you can set it to brew while you sleep and wake up to a hot cup of coffee immediately. Best thing ever.

Elephant Story

2009-03-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

At this time of year, I like to read short stories before I go to sleep at night. I find that I need some light fiction to get all the law out of my head, and I like the short story format, because it doesn't keep me up all night turning pages like a good novel would. Last night I read a really odd and funny one, and this morning I managed to find the text of it on the internet to share.

Enjoy!

Not quite what I was looking for

2009-03-29T15:23:00.000-07:00

When you google the phrase "Common Usage", this article is the fourth hit. It's fokken amusing.

Gaaaahhhh!

2009-03-05T18:50:00.001-08:00

You know that feeling like you're going to sneeze, that you desperately need to sneeze, and you can't? I was literally sitting here, moments ago with that feeling. And I didn't sneeze. But then I thought, "Gee, I've sneezed A LOT today." And then I realized that about 30 minutes ago I was thinking that I could really use a kleenex, or possibly a hatchet to chop my nose off with, cause my nose was itching SO MUCH. And then I said out loud, "OH MY GOD. IT'S THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH."

[insert lots of dammits and shits here]

Here we go again.

The Great Pancake Debate

2009-02-22T18:39:00.000-08:00

This Tuesday is Pancake Tuesday and I am, obviously, thinking about making pancakes. But I am also thinking that I would really rather have waffles. And I am wondering, are waffles so substantially similar to pancakes that I would achieve the same effect? Or is the tradition only sufficiently served and recognized by pancakes?

Me in 10 Years?

2009-01-20T17:36:00.000-08:00

From Overheard In New York:

We're Not That French
Little boy, collapsing onto mother's lap: I am so hungover.
Mother: What?! No you're not! (to anyone within earshot) No, he's not.

--JFK Airport

Tootsie Rogue

2009-01-02T15:08:00.000-08:00

I found these on sale at Shoppers Drug mart in Calgary, and I was pretty excited:

I love the vanilla flavoured Tootsie Rolls, and they usually come in a bag of assorted crap that I don't like quite as much, so I was pretty excited to find an entire bag of them. AND ON SALE!

So today, I got home and while I was unpacking I emptied the bag into my candy dish. And look what was inside! What a sneak.

Hey, we're famous!

2008-12-21T17:55:00.001-08:00

I love this blog a lot. It routinely leads to out loud laughter and is a great quick distraction.

I am so pleased to see my hometown featured.

I can't wait to sleep again

2008-12-16T17:04:00.000-08:00

My last paper is due in 23 hours and I have lost the ability to tell what is actually funny. Right now, if it is not about law school, it is funny. This video? Hysterical.

Best Laid Plans

2008-12-12T14:11:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week I made the executive decision, that despite the 5000 word paper I still have due next Wednesday, I was taking this afternoon off. After four exams in 7 days, I figured an afternoon off was deserved and would in all likelihood be completely necessary.

I had all these grand plans to get a bunch of stuff done, maybe a little laundry, go shopping, go for a swim. Things that are relaxing and enjoyable and also productive.

Ha. Fat, flipping chance. I woke up this morning, and I was like, "Nope, nope and nope. Nap."

So, I got back from the exam, well exam and then semi-liquid lunch, about 10 minutes ago. So now pyjamas, blanket, heating pad and nap.

I am going to turn off my computer now. And not even consider turning it on until tomorrow morning, 10am. It is going to be a glorious afternoon.

Can I get Sour Cream with those Proroguies?

2008-12-10T19:22:00.001-08:00

For Keith. Who is a smarty-pants soon to be Law Student (maybe at U of T!) and didn't know what Prorogue meant.
Sweet Jesus. Funny stuff. Favorite joke at 4:04.

Unbelievably Freaky and Disturbing

2008-12-08T14:45:00.000-08:00

Seriously. May cause nightmares. But oddly enthralling.

Fear

2008-12-05T08:34:00.000-08:00

This morning I had this awful dream, where I woke up and it was December 5th and my Admin Law exam was tomorrow and...oh, shit.

I gotta go.

I stole this off FB.

2008-12-02T13:11:00.000-08:00

I hope I don't get into trouble. I haven't taken IP law yet so I don't know if I can be sued for using this.

Behaving

2008-11-29T15:16:00.001-08:00

I am resisting the urge to write my own post, and instead focusing on studying. So in place of my own thoughts please read this. It is funny.

Totally Weird

2008-11-27T09:55:00.001-08:00

So I checked out this link that my friend had put up on FB.

I was just playing around, and I did the little questionnaire, guessing what I imagine most of the guys I know would say about me. And damned if I didn't get told to buy myself the perfume I ALREADY HAVE. Totally weird.

K. Back to work now.

Amphetamines would probably be cheaper

2008-11-26T19:06:00.000-08:00

Two years ago, in November, it rained so much here in Vancouver that the water treatment facilities couldn’t get all the silt out of the public drinking water. As a result, there was a boil water advisory, because with all the silt in the water, the authorities couldn’t be sure that all the bacteria had been removed. As a result of the advisory, and the timing that it was made (late on a weekday evening, I believe) Starbucks, and numerous other coffee shops simply were not able to prepare coffee.
I remember a newspaper article that came out, from a paper out east, maybe the Globe and Mail, about the advisory and subsequent events. There was a line in the article, which went something like, “In Vancouver, where people carry around their Starbucks coffee cups like baby-bottles…”
This line has stayed in my mind ever since. Especially this time of year, with terrifying exams looming, and small joys few and far between, my coffee cup is my pacifier, my soother, my comfort object. I take the utmost pleasure from wrapping my hands around a steamy, aromatic cup. It's gotten a little extreme in the last little while, though. I've realized that, when I don't have a coffee with me, and I see someone who does, I am irrationally jealous. I want to beat them up and take their coffee.

Admittedly, I may have a problem.

I have no intention of doing anything about it until at least December 18. And probably not until 2009.

Good thing I'll have one to visit soon!

2008-11-23T18:01:00.000-08:00

Last night I went to my friend Melania's birthday BBQ at her home. Melania is a friend from Law School who happens to be married with two adorable children. She also happens to have many friends who have adorable children and babies. I got to hold the two month old for about half an hour while his Mama had some dinner. It's so funny when the parents are all like, "Are you sure you don't mind???" and feel really guilty about making some poor girl hold the baby for ages, when I'm all like, "Hey, what's that over there?" and running out the door with the kid.

Seriously, the evening made me get baby fever.

And then someone I know posted this on Facebook:

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

It did not help.

A retelling

2008-11-21T11:03:00.001-08:00

I mentioned before that the reception desk at school is called the fishbowl, for it's semi-circular round glass window structure. There is also a room at school known as the Fish room. It is the Law Students Legal Advice Program office, where we can work on files, call clients and do research. I was working on some LSLAP stuff last week when I realized I had left my ring in the classroom.

So, I when I realized I had lost my FISH RING, I was in the FISH ROOM. And then somebody turned my FISH RING into the FISH BOWL.

Eh? EH? :)

Dolphin, fish, whatevs.

Us and Them

2008-11-18T11:49:00.000-08:00

When I went to UofC the parking services guys drove around campus in Ford Explorers.

Here at UBC they drive SmartCars.

Lost and Found

2008-11-17T13:22:00.000-08:00

I have a really bad habit of constantly playing with my jewelry. I am constantly pulling on my pendants, pulling my rings on and off and taking off my bracelets and watches and swinging them around on my finger.
The other day in class I was fiddling with the ring I wear on my left index finger, a silver dolphin that my brother sent to me from India for Christmas, and I wound up dropping it on the floor. It was too far away to just lean over and pick it up, so I thought "I must remember to pick that up when class is over."

I did not remember. Until 30 minutes after class. It was already gone. And believe me, I looked. On my hands and knees.

I was pretty sad, since I wear the same five rings every-day and none of them are really replaceable. And I was ticked off at myself for 1) playing with my jewelry so much that I end up throwing it on the floor and 2) forgetting to pick up the ring after class.

Today I checked with the receptionist at law school (we call it the fishbowl because of the glassed in design of the desk) and lo and behold, someone had turned it in to the lost and found.

Kind of a pointless story, eh? I mean, really, I lost my ring. But I got it back. Whoa. Epic.

Gimme a break. It's less than 3 weeks until exams start. At this point you're lucky to get anything.

Running may be hazardous to your health

2008-11-13T18:21:00.001-08:00

Today was a really beautiful day, and when I got home at around dusk, I decided to go for a run, and enjoy the fact that although it was nearly dark at 5:15, it wasn't raining. I run after dark pretty often, but I think that I am smart about it. I stick to pretty main roads, stay out of parks and stuff, and I don't go out late. It was still rush hour when I went out today, so there were tons of cars around.
The route I took this evening had me running North along East Boulevard to get home. For those who don't know, East Boulevard is a residential street that runs parallel to the now defunct railway tracks that run parallel to busier Arbutus street. I really like running North on East Boulevard because it has a nice view of the mountains, and the railway tracks have a grassy area alongside them. When it's light out, I run on that part, but tonight, since it was dark I was running on the street, on the left side, facing what would be oncoming traffic, if the street were busier.
I'm running along, minding my own business, when I see, about 20 ft ahead of me, something moving beside the tracks.

A coyote.

Shit.

I started running away, over to the sidewalk on the other side of the street.

He followed me!

I was just about wetting my pants at this point. I was sure he was going lunge for my leg any second. But when I got into a brightly lit spot under a street lamp, he turned away and went back towards the tracks. My heart was just about exploding out of my chest. I warily watched the coyote trot off for a while, and then decided it was safe to continue my run.

A few blocks later a cat darted out in front of me and I wet my pants.

Kidding. But almost.

ENOUGH ALREADY

2008-11-12T19:22:00.001-08:00

I cannot freaking believe this. It is just too weird.

Just got an email from PADI, the society that certifies SCUBA divers. I get about 2 emails from PADI per year. Just so happens that I get one this week. Is that too weird, or am I over-reacting?

Dear Universe, Please stop screwing with me. Sincerely yours, H.

2008-11-10T23:19:00.000-08:00

Tonight, after a wretched night sleep last night, and about 6 hours of wading through my Corporations textbook, I decided to head to the pool for a nice swim. Swimming always tires me out and makes me feel relaxed. I love sticking my head underwater, and focusing on nothing except the mechanics of my strokes.

There was a SCUBA diving class taking place in the lane next to mine.

It, um, brought back a few memories. And I wasn't quite as focused on my strokes as I wanted to be.

Stupid Universe.

Um

2008-11-10T00:49:00.000-08:00

I don’t think it gets weirder than this. I really don’t.

So, about three years ago I took my first SCUBA diving course. And for the very first time in a long time, I made a new friend. You know, other than at work, or through other friends. I met this really cool girl, and we started hanging out, and became great friends. We took our advanced diving class together. We went running. We went out to breakfast and stuff. It was really awesome. It’s an odd experience, making new friends as an adult, and I felt really lucky to meet a nice person that I connected with.

About a year went by. At a certain point, we hadn’t hung out in a while. I sent an email suggesting breakfast. Nothing. I called and left a voicemail. I apologized for not being in touch for so long. Nothing. I sent one more email. I’m pretty sure I apologized once more. Nothing.

I’ve never really shared this story, because it made me feel so sad and hurt. I was, like, dumped. How lame is that? I wasn’t devastated or anything, but I was sad that things hadn’t worked out. I figured maybe she thought I had neglected our friendship, and not been very available, and thought it wasn’t worth hanging out with anymore. There was also this guy, one of the instructors we had taken our courses with, that she had started dating. I thought maybe, maybe, she was one of THOSE girls. You know, who ditch their friends as soon as a guy comes on the scene. At any rate, I thought two emails and one voicemail unanswered was enough of a hint, and I moved on. I had a lot going on anyway; it was around the time of the BIG CHANGES. C’est la vie, right? Sometimes people just drift apart.

So last night a girl walks into the curling club and my jaw drops. “C_?” She turns around. “H_? Oh my god!”

It was a moment of amazing confusion, and more emotions than I thought was possible to feel simultaneously. We hugged. We chatted. We started catching up (She was there to fill in on a friends team). I told her all about the BIG CHANGES, mentioning, of course, that I wasn’t with Mark anymore. And then I asked about D_, the guy she had been seeing when last we talked.

And her face changed. A lot.

There had been an accident. Last November. Diving on a wreck near Nanaimo. D_ didn’t make it to the surface.

Um.

Again, more emotions than I thought could happen at once.

I don’t know how to feel about this. I feel horrible for her – what a horrific thing to experience. I cannot imagine the grief, the guilt, the loss. She must have been devastated.

I feel ashamed that I wasn’t there, that I didn’t know. Maybe I shouldn’t have written off our friendship so easily. I now feel really silly, that I didn’t call one more time, at least let her know when my number changed when I moved. How could I just move on so callously? Maybe it was just a misunderstanding. Maybe she never meant to dump me. Maybe I could have been there for her.

I feel devastated that D_ died. He was a really great person that I genuinely liked a lot. I feel horrified imagining what it could be like to be trapped underwater, and watch your air slowly disappear and know you couldn’t make it out. Or maybe he hit his head, and never knew what happened. I don’t know. I can only speculate. But it is terrifying to think about and it makes me feel very cold inside.

I also have no idea what happens next. We exchanged phone numbers. We agreed to see each other soon. I want to see her again. I think. But I feel so weird. So awkward. I feel like I owe an apology. But does she as well? I still feel a little hurt. But I feel like that’s really, really petty, given what happened to her and D_.

Does it even matter any more? Maybe it’s like, whatever, water under the bridge. Sometimes things happen, and you drift, but I think you can always give it another go. It’s always worth having another somebody you care about.

Um.

I could seriously stay up all night thinking about this. I hope I don’t.

This makes me want to cry. Or vomit. I can't decide.

2008-11-05T14:35:00.000-08:00

The land of the free. (Unless you're gay!)

Forget for a moment about the civil right issues, although they are terribly relevant, and just think of it like this:

This is simply bullying, exclusion and school-yard meanness of the highest order. Everyone, everyone, has been subject to some kind of exclusion in their life, has been left out of an event or club. Everyone knows how much it hurts to be told "You don't belong. You can't play with us." I have felt it many times. But such slights as I have experienced cannot even begin to compare to the exclusion from a basic societal rite that the vast majority of the public participate in. I cannot imagine the sting of being told that you can't marry the one person in the world you want to recognize as your partner. To be told that your love is not as legitimate as others'. To be told that, although what you want to do harms no one, the community will not allow you do it. That the law will not afford to your partner the protections and privileges that it otherwise would, if your partner were not the same gender as you.

It really does make me want to weep, this injustice to thousands of kind, good people, this stratification of the human race. And to me, it has effectively destroyed any respect I gained for the American voting public as a result of Obama's being elected. Sure, great, they're all patting themselves on the back for making history and electing a black president, but they still hate queers.

I call bullshit.

It has already started

2008-11-04T11:04:00.000-08:00

The album I recommended yesterday? They were playing it at the shop I bought my coffee at this morning.

I rule.

So far about 97 out of 150

2008-11-03T11:30:00.000-08:00

For my birthday, my brother gave a humorous book called “Stuff White People Like”, which is based on the blog of the same name. The book is essentially a list of 150 things that white people are fans of. The book is both hilarious and accurate.

Number 41 on the list is “Indie Music” and within the description of this item is something I identify with very strongly. “To a white person, being a fan of a band before it gets popular is one of the most important things they can do with their life.” It is so true. I have never felt cooler than when I love something first, and then everyone else catches on.

I picked up a CD two weeks ago, and I think it is my big chance. I am hereby recommending the band Black Kids. I am not entirely sure that they are not already too cool, but I don’t think they have had a ton of commercial success yet. But I am certain that they will. They kind of remind me of the Killers, only they have even more energy, and sexier and catchier lyrics. It’s not a deep, life-changing album or anything, but it is damn fun to listen to, and I am certain it will be a big hit.

And then I can say, “Oh yeah, I was totally blogging about them last November.”

29 on a scale of 1 to 10

2008-10-29T11:52:00.000-07:00

On Wednesdays I have a class from 9-10:30am and then I don’t have a class again until 3:00pm. It’s not the best schedule, but it allows me to have Fridays off entirely, which, in my mind, is a totally fair trade. And anyway, with my home a mere 20-minute bus ride away from campus, I do have the option of going home during the break, which has been my M.O. every Wednesday so far this year. That way, I can roll out of bed, not shower, not make lunch, and get to my 9 o’clock on time, and just head home after to worry about details like nutrition and hygiene. It's not the most efficient plan, and I don't get much done in the way of schoolwork, but it's comfortable and convenient.

With finals looming, however, things are going to change. An almost 5 hour slot of time is not to be wasted any longer, and henceforth, I shall be spending 12 hours at the law school on Wednesdays come hell or high water.

So this morning. I showered. I made a (big) lunch. I dressed in my comfy yoga pants. I carefully thought of anything I would need for a big stint in the library. I was late for sports law, but I didn’t care. Sports law class is stupid, and it was more important to be properly prepared for what I had planned. After sports, I went to the SUB to get a good coffee. I went back to the law school, and began to set myself up to hit the books. Only one problem. I HAD NO F-ING BOOKS.

My materials for my Wednesday classes are in a green binder that doesn’t fit into my little backpack, so I just carry the binder in my hands all day. And this morning, I walked out of my house without the f-ing thing.

I am currently typing on my laptop, on the bus home to get my binder. My level of irritation, as you may imagine, is inexpressible.

Weekly Curling Report

2008-10-22T11:13:00.001-07:00

October 19 - we lost, but only by 1 point. Which is pretty damn good, considering we had to battle back from a 6 point deficit early in the game. Also, I made Jacqueline throw (several) draws. Jacq is more of a take-out artist, and hadn't put a stone in the house in two games so far this season. But on Sunday, by God, she was drawing, or else. And she did. Smiles all around. Just imagine what we will be able to do on a night our whole team shows up.

Sunnyflower Morning

2008-10-15T16:38:00.001-07:00

Walking the Miatch with Andrea on Saturday morning, past the community gardens on the old railway line.

Of two minds...

2008-10-13T14:28:00.001-07:00

Part of me thinks she's a brave person, willing to take a chance for love and happiness. The world needs more people who are willing to take risks like this, be a little crazy and just try a little harder.

Another, larger part of me, thinks she is a lunatic, and will spend her senior years talking to her 17 cats.

Nya nya nya nya...

2008-10-11T12:56:00.001-07:00

I know at least 2 of my readers will be super-jealous, so yeah, I guess I am bragging a little. Whatever, you have your engagements and home-ownering. Let me have my thing.

Yesterday, I "bumped into" Andrea. Is that not the coolest thing in the world? I mean, Vancouver's pretty big, but there she was leaving the art gallery, and there I was leaving work, and we literally ran into each other on the corner. Pretty fckin sweet.

It was made even funnier by the little inner monologue I had had with myself earlier in the day. I saw this woman walk by the liquor store, and thought to myself for a moment that she looked like Andrea. THEN I thought to myself, "Don't be silly, she lives in LA." AND THEN I thought to myself "No she doesn't. She totally lives HERE! IT COULD HAVE BEEN HER!" It wasn't. But it COULD have been. And then only hours later, by complete coincidence, it WAS her.

Also, we went out for breakfast together this morning.

High school best friend in Vancouver = most awesomest thing in the world.

That is all.

I swear I didn't Google this...

2008-10-06T17:13:00.000-07:00

Mallory, Adam, Bryon, Jordan, Vanessa, Nicky, Margot and Claire.

I am pretty damn sure those are, in order of age, of the Pike family of the Baby-Sitter's Club books. Claire and Margot might be switched, though.

I didn't look this up on the internet. I was just something I thought of riding the bus home today. I was wondering if I could remember all their names. And I think I did. Does anyone want to verify this?

Thanks Captain Obvious

2008-10-04T17:17:00.001-07:00

From low tide at Spanish Banks in August. Went down with my friend from school and her children. I am so glad I found some kids to play with here.

I Love Presents!

2008-09-29T19:08:00.000-07:00

This year I had a whole pile of presents from home. I had some I brought back from Calgary and waited a whole month to open. I'm so patient and mature, don't you think? Anyway, I got some totally awesome shit, including a book that is out of print, that my parents clearly made a serious effort to find for me. I felt all lovely and spoiled. It was great.

And I'll bet you'll never guess who gave me this card:

Take and push this employment you this

2008-09-24T17:46:00.001-07:00

I have invented a new game, and it is awesome. Take a colloquial saying and enter it at babelfish.yahoo.com. Translate it into Dutch. Then from Dutch into German. Then from German into French. Then from French into Greek. And then back to English. Laughs every time, I promise. I have been giggling for the last half hour.

But, that is not the point. The point is take and push this employment you this, or, in other words, take this job and shove it.

I am quitting my stupid job. On Friday, my next shift. Very suddenly, I am just not in the mood to sell liquor part time anymore. I want either a better job, or more free time. Either would be fine. I write this, to make me accountable, to make it stick. Otherwise, I will simply keep working there, and not liking it just because I should. Because I can. Because it is relatively easy money. Because I am a wuss, and the simple act of resigning a part time job seems like a major confrontation. But I want very much to not have to go to work a week from Friday, and I am determined to make it happen.

I have an interview tomorrow for a work-study position at the law school. It is as an assistant, in the career services office. It would be extremely flexible, and pay very well. I hope I get it. But if I don't, that's fine. I will just be unemployed for a while, and watch my debt swell, while I sleep in one or two days a week.

Fall Equinox

2008-09-22T12:59:00.000-07:00

As the sun officially sets on summer, I was looking back at some of the photos I took over the last few months. This one was taken at my Grandmother's cottage north of the city and I think it is very striking. The sunlight is streaming through the leaves, but also is reflecting off the water behind the trees, giving the effect of light everywhere.

Mr. Jones and Me go shopping

2008-09-21T16:48:00.000-07:00

I sing at the grocery store. Okay? I admit it. If the Safeway sound system is playing something I like, I sing along under my breath. I love to sing, and just because I am browsing for produce with a dozen complete strangers isn't going to limit me.
So today, I am trying to figure out what was the best deal on mayonnaise (oddly enough the Miracle Whip in the EZ-Squeeze tube was cheaper, by the millilitre, than Miracle Whip in a jar - surprising) and singing along to the Counting Crows and this sweet, sweet, little old lady turns to me and says, "That's a beautiful voice you have."
I was tickled.

It was a different time

2008-08-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

I flipped on the tv this morning, and caught the last half of "Back to the Future" on one of the movie channels. I know, Hurrah! But now that I have a more educated feminist legal perspective, the ending was kind of unsettling to me. You know how Marty gets back home, and it's all different and everyone is all classy and smarter, and George McFly and Biff have sort of switched roles? Well, George has this line, "Oh, Biff, what a character. Always trying to get away with something." And I was like, "um, he tried to rape your wife in high school." Yeah, what a character. Ha ha ha.
On the plus side, the channel I was watching on lets the characters say "asshole." The copy of the movie I had growing up was taped off a channel that wouldn't allow such filthy language.

Edit: Turns out this is a marathon, and now part two is on. They are in the year 2015, 7 years from now. I must say that, as a society, we have a lot of work to do if want to live up to Robert Zemeckis' vision of the future.

Going Alone

2008-08-11T11:45:00.001-07:00

Last week I went to see a play all by myself. I had invited this one friend of mine from school, but she was too busy getting ready for a camping trip (unfortunately she has a day job, and can't do all her running around during the afternoons). Since I was taking advantage of this "Student Rush" discount ticket arrangement, I didn't have a lot of time to find another companion, I thought, what the hell, I can go alone. I really wanted to see the show, and it was closing on Saturday, and really, you don't talk at these things, so it's totally cool to go alone, right?
So I go. And I am so very glad I did, because, without exaggeration, I think it was the best show I have ever seen. I loved it. But it was so well done, and so emotional that it made me cry. Not biggie, right? I mean, it was a sad moment, other people were tearing up too, right? Except I went beyond tearing up and a few sniffles. I was so moved, I started sobbing. Silently, of course. But the people sitting next to me could not have missed the heaving shoulders and muffled gasps as I wept openly.
So to recap: alone at the theatre, bawling. So worth it.

My Mom and Dad

2008-04-28T16:09:00.000-07:00

I wrote the following a few weeks ago, and the decided to save it and publish it today, on my parents 30th anniversary. I think my parents are amazing, and that I am truly in awe of their marriage, and think I could not be luckier than to be a part of the family they have created.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have been thinking lately how lucky I am that I actually miss my parents. I miss them great deal. The home I grew up in was a warm, wonderful, happy place to be, and although the house has changed, whenever I visit home I feel the same sense of safety, warmth and belonging. As much as I am finding Vancouver a happier place to be these days, I still get homesick, and on less than ideal days, I find myself wishing I could have a big bear hug from my Dad or a soothing shoulder massage from my Mom.

I have a number of friends who don’t particularly find their family to home to be an inviting place. They don’t get along with their parents and visits home are filled with tension and difficulty. Quite a few people I know have to carefully orchestrate visits around the facts of an unhappy divorce. Or they simply find visiting home boring because they have nothing in common with their parents. I also have at least four friends, which seems like a rather high number to me, who lost a parent when they were in their teens. So they miss their Mom or Dad, but can’t ever see them again.

I don’t understand why some people end up drawing the short straw on this one, but all I can say is that I will gladly suffer any other hardships life cares to throw at me, as long as I have my fantastic Mom and Dad at home rooting for me. I miss home, and sometimes that sucks. But I really wouldn’t have it any other way.

What happens after midnight in the law school

2008-04-28T00:15:00.000-07:00

There's maybe a dozen people still in the Interaction Area of the law school, and about 10 minutes ago, a chair race broke out. Using the wheeled chairs and a very rigorous set of rules (we are law students after all) several burnt out law students are competing to see who can get the most distance kneeling on a wheeled chair after a running start. Law school is the most weirdly dual thing I've ever experienced. I've never known something to suck so badly and be so much fun at the same time.

He folded my laundry :)

2008-04-27T13:25:00.000-07:00

This site is serving to give a much needed giggle here and there while I write the world's shittiest paper. I may have 180 pages to read yet and 3000 words left to write, but the potential next president of the usa is being awfully nice.

The Story of my Contracts Final

2008-04-26T22:38:00.000-07:00

It sucked. And I felt like crying. But there were too many people around, and by that point I was just too tired to really care anymore. And now I am still too tired to care, but 4,250 words still stand between me and alternating my time exclusively between sleeping and drinking.

Um, I love this commerical

2008-04-18T21:35:00.000-07:00

I don't have another exam until Monday, so last night, I spent a luxurious hour watching television and unwinding after my property exam. It was nice to have bit of a break, and best of all, I saw this new add for Autotrader.com, twice. I know it's kind of vulgar, but I think it is hilarious.

Thrilling News!

2008-04-16T18:10:00.000-07:00

I washed my hair today!
No, seriously. Judge me if you want, but you go to law school, and you'll see what passes for excitement 5 days into finals.

The Story of My Constitutional Law Final

2008-04-15T23:44:00.003-07:00

It sucked. I cried.
The End.

22

2008-04-11T09:58:00.000-07:00

This is how we amuse ourselves while studying for finals.
I am prepared to fight dirty and do whatever it takes to win, even against 5 year olds.

Easier to see the words on the page

2008-04-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

I have actually taken to sitting in the interaction area to study. It's a little noisier, sure, but at least I expect it to be a little noisier, I have my headphones in anyway, and it is much easier to study when I am not BLINDED BY RAGE.

I get the distinct impression that a lot of my posts during my exam period will include the gratuitous use of CAPS. Sorry about that, but I don't think it can be helped.

Guess where I am now?

2008-04-08T10:42:00.000-07:00

I wish that more people in my program could tell the difference between the Interaction Area (main floor area in the Law building with couches and fooseball table) and the second floor of the library.
I know the difference.
The interaction Area is for INTERACTING. The second floor of the library is for SHUTTING THE FUCK UP.

Injuries

2008-04-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

Check out what Storming the Wall does to your upper arms. When you're struggling to get up, the marshals keep screaming at you "ELBOWS! ELBOWS!" to get you to make sure you are firmly on the wall. It puts a wee bit of pressure on the upper arms, and I bruise like a damn peach.

Then there is this little injury. See the little gouge right by my part, on my forehead? On Monday I had a small, informal dinner party, and I accidently broke the cork in the first bottle of wine I opened. I thought I could still corkscrew it out, rather than just push it in, so I drilled the corkscrew way down, but then it was so far down that I couldn't use the little lever mechanism, so I just had to pull. And pull I did. So hard that the cork flew out of the bottle, and I smacked myself in the head with the corkscrew. I actually fell on the floor, I was laughing so hard. I guess I just don't know my own strength.

Better than pictures

2008-03-31T23:00:00.000-07:00

I have a video of the Storm the Wall event. I am the first on climbing the wall in the video; it isn't very graceful or dignified. There was a viewing at my house earlier after I had some people over for dinner, and you should have heard Sharon laughing as I struggled to hoist my butt over the wall.
Despite my slow progress, we posted a time good enough to make the finals. Thrilling! Our next heat is on Wednesday.

More like a gentle spring drizzle

2008-03-26T23:11:00.000-07:00

Today we had our information clinic and practice time for an intramural event I am participating in next week, Storm the Wall. It is a relay race for teams of five - a swimmer, a sprinter, a cyclist, a runner and one "wall person." Once all the legs of the relay are completed we all meet at the wall and each team member has to get over it, assisted as required by their team. The wall is 12 ft high and entirely flat; there are no holds. You just have to be boosted up, grabbed by your team mates, get your armpits up on the ledge, and swing your legs up. It is really, really hard. And I am afraid of heights. We practiced our team Storming strategy twice, so twice I had to haul my completely bottom-heavy body over the damn wall. I think I might be the weakest link.

This is a good picture. You can see how she is standing on her teammates. I guess I am lucky I am not one of the two tallest members of my team, so I don't have to boost anyone.

Our first heat in the relay is on Monday at lunch. I was very excited about the whole event. But now I am really nervous. I keep telling myself that I got over it fine twice today, why would I fail to get over on Monday? But still, today I didn't have the added challenge of being tired from a 225 meter swim right before. Wish me luck. Hopefully I will post pictures after the event.

Coyote, Fox or Flamingo

2008-03-25T11:43:00.000-07:00

There's this guy at school who's name I cannot remember. I feel very badly about this, as he and I are on a "hi, how are you?" basis around the Law building, and I even gave him a lift home once. But damned if I can remember his name. Although, for some reason I am pretty sure it is either Brandon, Brendon or Josh.

The Judges got me drunk!

2008-03-19T01:38:00.001-07:00

No seriously.
I will totally explain this tomorrow in detail when I am not drunk and it is not one-thirty in the morning.

Allsorts

2008-03-17T17:19:00.000-07:00

I just got home from voting in a Federal by-election. Without any regard for the whole "secret ballot" thing, I will tell you. I voted Liberal. I will probably vote Liberal until the day I die. The other day I took a "mini-quiz" online to determine my political beliefs. I was the most Liberal it was possible to be. My economic and social views correlate perfectly to the traditional conception of Liberal politics. It was actually kind of odd that the results were so strong.

Even though there are no first year classes on Mondays I had to go to school because I said I would help out with a bake sale for the Rugby team. Afterwards, I hung around, ostensibly to work on my arguments for my moot court appearance tomorrow. I would not classify it as a very productive day by any means (I left school with about 2 paragraphs written), but it is exactly what I though Law school would/should be like. Sitting around with a bunch of smart, interesting, fun people discussing legal arguments, moral ideas, politics, and policy. I felt so happy doing exactly what I was doing, even though I wasn't putting any words on paper or making visible progress. The ideas and the camaraderie were absolutely fantastic though. It was a very enjoyable (and nerdy) afternoon.

I am trying to get through this week on $7.60 worth of groceries. I bought a loaf of bread and some fresh fruit and veg on the way home today. There is peanut butter, tuna fish, tomato soup, Kraft Dinner and rice in the cupboards, and frozen peas and corn in the freezer, so I think it is totally doable. That should leave about $30 in my budget for the week. I am a little short because I spent so much money this weekend. I had a coupon for 15% off at Lush, that expired on Saturday. So clearly I HAD to spend $25 on bubble bath. CLEARLY.
I am totally shit at this budget thing.

Magical Rape-Repellent Pants

2008-03-09T22:12:00.000-07:00

If you want something to be outraged and completely baffled by check out this Italian case.

Remember girls, wear your jeans to be protected from non-consensual sex. And if you're wearing a skirt you're probably asking for it anyway.

Almost ready to admit it

2008-03-08T11:42:00.000-08:00

The other day I absentmindedly started rubbing my eyes. And then I thought "wow, my eyes are really itchy. I wonder why my eyes are so itchy?" This thought gave me flashback to a conversation I had with Mark at approximately this time last year.

"Frick, my eyes are really itchy."

"Stop rubbing them"

"I can't help it, they're really itchy. I wonder why my eyes are so itchy"

"Maybe you have allergies."

"That's ridiculous. I don't have allergies."

"Yeah, you probably do."

"No I don't."

"You might."

"I DON'T!"

I'm not sure if those were our exact words, but you get the gist. It was a very mature and grown up conversation as you can tell. As you can also tell, I am very resistant to the idea of having "seasonal allergies." I don't like to admit illness at any time, and "season allergies" seem like an especially pathetic ailment to cop to. It makes me feel like princess who can't take a little fuzz in the air. Furthermore, I went 24 years without any springtime complaint. I find it ridiculous to think that I just suddenly develop such sensitivity.

Anyway, last year I just bought some eye drops and continued to complain about dry itchy eyes for a couple weeks, and then it got better.

So, now, suspiciously, at about the same time of year, I have again been stricken with mysterious itchy eyes. And this year also a very runny nose, and uncontrollable sneezing. Before noon today I had already logged at least 6 big sneezes.

This morning I bought a box of antihistamines at London Drugs and took one. So far, my desire to claw out my eyeballs has completely subsided, and I am getting longer and longer breaks between sneezes.

I don't like what all this implies.

Robbed

2008-02-26T23:56:00.000-08:00

Tonight at work, Sharon and I were robbed.

This guy comes in, picks up two 40s, walks over to the counter and says something to the effect of "I am taking these out of the store. You're not going to stop me."

I was totally bewildered, and I think I said "Pardon?" And I think he repeated himself.

In my total bewilderment I stepped between him and the exit and said, "No, you can't do that."

He took a step towards me and said something like, "You don't want to do that." I then realized what I was doing, and realized how unbelievably stupid it was to try and stop this guy over two stupid bottles.

But oddly enough, before I processed this thought and actually moved out of his way, HE turned around a left through the entrance.

It was all very strange. We called the non-emergency police line and they responded very quickly (to my surprise) and actually took a report and stuff. But of course didn't offer much hope of catching the guy (duh).

I was SUPER pissed off. I felt like we had been taken advantage of for being girls. I m totally sure it wouldn't have happened if my big, male manager had been in the store. It was an opportunistic crime, and the opportunity was a liquor store staffed by only two chicks. I went on a full rant to Sharon about how mad it made me.

Then this guy came in with a 5-week old puppy and he totally let me hold it. And he wriggled all around in my arms and climbed on my shoulders and licked me. It was awesome.

But I am still mad. I totally wish I had kicked that dipshit in the balls.

Going for Run/Walk

2008-02-25T15:00:00.001-08:00

IT IS 12 FREAKING DEGREES. Vancouver is AWESOME.

I am heading out to enjoy the sunshine for a bit. It is my hope that I can run for about 30 minutes, but we will see what my wonky back and shoulders have to say about it. It might be more of a stroll.

I am not going to take my camera , but if I did, I would post some pictures later of all the crocuses and snowdrops that have started blooming. ;)

Hugs to all of you still wearing long johns...

Hives!

2008-02-23T08:51:00.001-08:00

Yeah, so still allergic.

Fingers Crossed

2008-02-22T09:36:00.000-08:00

When I was in grade 8, I injured my back slipping and falling running hurdles. My mom bought me some Robaxasol (a version of Robaxacet) and when I took it, my entire body broke out in hives. We reached the conclusion that I was allergic to something in the medication, but never really figured out what exactly.
Last night at the library, I turned my head slightly in one direction and immediately thought "uh-oh." Something twinged between my shoulder blades, and since that time, I've had very little luck with moving my body at all. So this morning, I (gingerly) walked over to London Drugs to buy an ice pack and take at look at my options for an OTC back pain medication. Turns out it is basically Robaxacet or nothing. So I read the labels, and found out that both Robaxacet and Robaxasol have the same muscle relaxant in them, but different pain reliever - one has acetaminophen (Tylenol) and one has ASA (Aspirin). I decided to take the chance that my reaction long ago was to the Aspirin, rather than to the muscle relaxant. Or alternatively the chance that maybe I've outgrown the allergy.
So, fingers crossed now that I won't have to add "allergic reaction" to my list of woes for the day.

AKA

2008-02-18T13:25:00.000-08:00

It's currently reading week. Based on my behavior and plans so far it could more accurately be referred to as any (or all) of the following:

sleeping week
watching curling week
finally go skiing week
go for long walks in the sunshine week
watching DVDs of Boston Legal week
recreational (as opposed to necessary) coffee drinking week

Damn, I need to get to work.

Still totally worth it

2008-02-15T02:19:00.001-08:00

It's almost 2:30 am. I had a double espresso a couple of hours ago to keep me going. I am working on the goddamn citations in my assignment (I hate citations, and insist that in this day in age they are friggin' obsolete - just google it for crying out loud).

Monday night was still totally worth it.

And I finally listened to the Shuyler Jansen CD today. Totally awesome. It is called "Today's Remains" Buy it.

I regret nothing

2008-02-12T00:41:00.000-08:00

It is quarter to 1 in the morning on a school night. I had three beers tonight, which is three beers to many for a Monday. I spent $30 on CDs, leaving my weekly budget at negative $20. I have about 400 hours of work to do on an assignment that is due Friday at 4pm, and I will be cursing this evening's recklessness at around 3 am on Friday morning, as I peck away at it. I just shared a 10 McNugget Value meal with my friend Nikki and I am about to go to bed with 500 extra calories in my belly.

BUT IT WAS TOTALLY WORTH IT. I just got back from the live show of Jim Bryson and Shuyler Jansen at the Media Club. It was so awesome. Easily the most intimate show I have ever been to, I got to ask Shuyler specifically which of his two CDs I should buy, since I could only afford to buy one, and I got Jim to autograph the copy of his latest CD that I bought. It was like heaven for indie music nerds.

And I really enjoyed hanging out with a newish friend who I haven't really done the whole one on one girl-date thing with before. But we had an awesome time, and shared some seriously great laughs.

So totally worth it. So skipping Contracts tomorrow. :)

Hilarious Quotes from Work Today

2008-02-10T20:32:00.000-08:00

"And we've still only had one customer today."
"No, we've had two. I just sold two bottles of wine."
"Oh yeah, I forgot. I was too busy thinking about syphilis"

"Blink-182 BROKE UP? I thought they were just resting!"
"Yeah. Resting like that goldfish you had when you were 8"

"i hate this song"
"I've never heard it before. What is it?"
"I think she's singing 'Love Burns' "
"Aaand we're back to syphilis."

I promised my co-worker that I would keep it anonymous, but these were such gems that I had to share.

Sharon to the rescue

2008-02-06T18:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was pretty excited to go to work, because I was working for the first time with my friend Sharon (who got me the job), who just got back from a month and change in Australia. After she got her till counted and set up she said to me "I brought you a coke, if you want it and I brought pancakes too." This seemed extremely random, so I asked "Pancakes?" and she said "Yeah, it's Pancake Tuesday!"

How could have forgot? I love pancake tuesday - it is a family tradition.

I was extremely grateful to Sharon for making sure I participated in the annual tradition as we dipped our microwaved Eggo pancakes into tiny beer-tasting cups of maple syrup (that I picked up in the tourist section of the Bay) and ate them standing over the sink. Afterwards, we drank the remaining maple syrup straight out of the cups.

Rubbernecking

2008-02-04T19:33:00.000-08:00

I feel bad, but I can't help it. I swear this is the meanest piece of gossip I will ever post, but it is too much of an odd situation not to post. It just feels a bit like staring at a grisly highway accident.

There was this rumor floating around school during our first week. It seemed really crazy, and a bunch of us figured that it had to be a joke, something concocted by the second years to see how gullible all us innocent first years were. But no, my friend later did a little googling and voila, we had confirmation that indeed, a second year student had been arrested, charged, and was awaiting trial for second degree murder. And it seems like there's pretty substantial proof that he did it - there is security video of the incident - it is just a matter of whether he has a reasonable defense of lack of intent, or self defense or something.

After a while, we finally figured out who he was so now I see him occasionally around campus, and it is just a little odd. I have no idea what is actually going on with the case and all that, though I figure he must be pretty confident that he'll get off, if he is still devoting his time to law school.

Dude is currently sitting a few tables away from me in the library. It doesn't really make me uncomfortable, but it is sort of distracting.

If you don't believe me about this, I can send you a link to a news paper article confirming my very odd story, but I am not going to post a link to it. It seems too morbid.

Yeah, posting the link seems morbid, but the rest of this post is just fine. Riiight.

Correlation?

2008-01-30T20:02:00.000-08:00

I know three guys at school who either live in a condo their parents bought for them, or live rent free in their parent's basement suite in Point Grey (minutes from UBC, huge old houses). I don't particularly like any of them, and I think they are extremely annoying.

A new flavour of salad dressing

2008-01-26T20:35:00.001-08:00

The other day I was in London Drugs and I found these packets of Indian spice mixes. A quick perusal of the back of the butter chicken spice suggested that it wouldn't be too hard to make my favorite take-out menu item at home. I was skeptical that it would be any good, but I decided to give it a try. $1.79 wasn't too much of a risk to take.

Tonight after a long day at the library and a solid workout at the gym, I decided to pick up some cheap chicken thighs and some yoghurt and make myself a delicious dinner. IT WAS TO DIE FOR. I almost licked the frying pan clean after. And I certainly licked the spatula.

Tomorrow I am going back to LD and buying at least a dozen more packets (they are 2 for $2.29). And then it is going to be a Butter-chicken-sauce-fest. There is a good chance I will be slathering it on my broccoli, trying it with chick-peas, and quite possibly toping my oatmeal with it in the morning.

Tang to the rescue, again

2008-01-18T19:57:00.000-08:00

So, I am on my way shortly to an 80's party hosted by the Law Student's for Choice. The party is to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the very important (to women's rights) case of R. v. Morgentaler.
In the interest of being a poor student, I thought I would do a little pre-drinking before heading out. Sadly there is not a beer in the house. What I did have though, was some Absolut Vanilla. I'm not much for straight hard liquor, so I needed some mix, but I didn't have any pop or juice. But you know what I still have?? Two packets of Tang, previously mentioned in this post.
I should have a nice buzz on by the time I get to the party.

Note to self Re: wind warnings

2008-01-14T17:58:00.000-08:00

If there is a wind warning for the Vancouver area, you probably don't want to go for a run. If you are stubborn about it, and decide to go anyway, you certainly do not want to run on the seawall. If you somehow find yourself on the seawall anyway, you absolutely do not want to be running west, INTO the wind.

My ears are sore.

Discovery

2007-12-19T07:56:00.001-08:00

The great thing about the sleep deprivation is that eventually, and just in time for the deadline, you become so delirious that you're convinced your paper is AWESOME.

77 is the new 100

2007-12-16T12:41:00.000-08:00

UBC Law has a grading policy. There is no required bell curve, but for classes of a certain size, there is a required average. This average has to be between 69 and 74. This leads to the phenomenon of our Regulatory State presentations having a range between 7.2 and 7.7 out of 10. My group got 7.6, and normally I'd be ready to stick my head in the oven after a grade like that, but given the circumstances, I guess I should be quite happy. It's above average, and really what more can I ask for? I just feel a little defeatist about it, though. I mean, why struggle so much for a good grade, when it might make 2 or 3 percent difference? It's just totally lame.

Violent Dreams

2007-12-15T14:11:00.000-08:00

Last night, for the third night in a row, I had a dream where I was giving someone a right good beating. Seriously - hair-pulling, kicking, punching in the face. The first night it was a 20-something man in a 1980's style red jogging suit who stole my wallet, the second night it was an old lady who had broken in and was defiantly squatting in the his enormous house in which I was baby-sitting/house-sitting, and last night it was this big, fat, mobster looking guy, who was a hospital administrator who had refused to admit my pregnant and car-accident-injured friend, and she ended up losing her baby. Needless to say, in every instance I was protecting somebody, or at least trying to make two wrongs equal a right (is that better than randomly beating on people?). The dreams have been incredibly vivid and detailed and long (I've only put in a teeny bit of detail here), but in each one, I have wound up either sitting on the victims chest and punching them in the face or grabbing them by the hair, and banging their head against the ground.

I'm extremely disturbed by these dreams. I mean, I know they're just dreams, and better I beat someone up in my dreams than in real life, but it makes me wonder if it's something I would be capable of? Is there a part of me that is THAT violent? That angry? I know I've been pretty stressed out and all, but this seems excessive.

I used to think I was smart...

2007-12-12T23:04:00.001-08:00

Well, it's not THAT bad. YET.But I am getting awfully tired of these exams.
Elisabeth asked me if this is worse than the SOA exams, and I have to say yes, for two reasons.
1) the SOA exams were ONE day. In total my exams/papers are spanning two weeks. Two weeks is a long time to eat poorly, sleep too little and stress a lot.
2) the SOA exams had right answers. Law school is just full of ambiguity. And ambiguity makes me sad. Right answers make me feel smart. I used to think I was smart.

I hate the spelling of the word "judgment"

2007-12-09T16:49:00.001-08:00

Judge + ment = Judgment. It's like a magic trick. Where did the "e" go? Ohhh, pretty sneaky. So flippin' dumb. I get irrationally pissed off every time I spell it wrong in Word, and that little red wiggly line appears underneath it. Not only is it a stupid way to spell the word, you would think that Word would at least autocorrect this one.

Super-Hot Interview Shoes

2007-12-06T17:52:00.000-08:00

I don't really have time for a post of any substance, so here is a picture of my super-hot interview shoes that I bought last week. I love them a lot, and shopping for them rekindled my dormant love of footwear, but also moved my love in a newer, sexier, and far less practical direction.

And these are not the only shoes I bought last week. I bought another, very impractical pair, which I can ill afford at the moment, but my goodness, I have wanted a pair in this particular style for about 8 years, and I figured it was about time. So, I have beautiful shoes now, but they don't go with the jeans and sweats I wear to the library. So sad.

too many heathers

2007-12-05T20:42:00.000-08:00

Me

my room-mate, dentist heather

jodi's high-school best friend, london heather

3rd year law Rugby team-mate, tiny heather

2nd year law Rugby team-mate, heather p.

I guess that's only five. but it seems like a lot. when i was elementary school i thought my name was terribly uncool, because i was the only one, but there were two stephanies and three sarahs, and I think a few jennifers. where were all these people back in elementary?

just like home

2007-12-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

Even though it is not a picture of Alberta, this photo made me really feel the deep down need to live in my home province again. There is something about the land, the landscapes, that simply makes my heart ache with longing. Vancouver is a beautiful city, but this what is what my true homeland looks like
www.dooce.com/daily-photo/2007/12/04/foothills
Sorry, I have no idea how to create embedded links, and with my Consitutional Law exam tomorrow, now is not the time to figure it out. Y'all will just have to copy-paste.

good things

2007-12-02T00:25:00.000-08:00

Today was long day at the library, followed by more studying at home. It was not a fun day by any stretch of the imagination, but I can think of at least three things that made me happy today:
1) Miss Jodi-bean, my law-school-best-friend, who has become my closest classmate, and breaks up a long day at the library with lots of stifled giggles from occasion jokes on MSN.
2) SNOW - it snowed all day today, and it stuck around to make a beautiful feathery blanket. At 10 o'clock tonight Jodi and I tossed our work aside (metaphorically, of course, we work mainly on laptops which are not very forgiving when it comes to the tossing aside) and set out for a refreshing walk. It was corn starchy snow that squeaked under our feet as we strolled under the sugar coated elm trees that line my street. We ran across a playing field near my house, played at the playground, and threw snowballs. It was just the break I needed.
3) I get my new bed tomorrow. I could not be more thrilled that tonight is the last night for me on the floor.

sad

2007-11-24T22:28:00.000-08:00

tonight i went back to my old apartment for the first time in over a month. mark moved into his new place today, and he is turning over the keys on thursday, so i have to get the last, last, last of my things out this week.
that empty apartment was very sad. and then i found this in and amongst the things i was collecting; a housewarming card from when we moved in:

"Heather + Mark! Congrats on shacking up...now for the next step!"

i am okay, i'm not spending the evening weeping into a bottle of gin, or anything. i'm just a little sad, but i think that's okay, i think it might even be a good thing, sort of. it wasn't a little thing, and to not be sad about it would just diminish it. so i'll be sad for a bit.

More or Less

2007-11-19T13:20:00.000-08:00

MORE
Sleep
Studying
Physical Exercise
Vegetables
LESS
Booze
Sugar
Facebook
Spending money

Guess what I am not doing today?

2007-11-18T11:38:00.000-08:00

Running half a marathon!

Today was supposed to be the day I ran in the Fall Classic Half Marathon. Ha ha ha. My training went well at first, but with the two weeks of utter chaos that was moving into my new place, and the ensuing and ongoing utter chaos of running two weeks behind in law school, I just let it slide. Disapointing, but necessary, since I haven't yet mastered the fine art of not having to sleep.

I am still running a bit, but no where near the level that would allow me to go 23-ish km without dying. I still hope to try a half marathon in the not-too-distant future, but for now it is on the shelf.

In the meantime, I will continue to pursue other athletic pursuits, including Rugby, step aerobics and dancing up a storm at the bar, which is not, as you can see below, without its own hazards.

Drinking 2, Blogging 0

2007-11-17T16:19:00.000-08:00

Another Friday night, another day of blogging sacrificed to my complete inability to have JUST 2 beers. I swear, 2 is my precise threshold for thinking that several more is a great idea. So after the beer-up at school, it just seemed like a super idea to head to Darby's with the rest of the Rugby team, and Jodi, my new partner in all booze-related crime. So, I am a little more tired than I had originally planned to be today, but I am still at the library plugging away.

Good News and Bad News

2007-11-15T18:55:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I sent out a bunch of resumes to firms in Calgary for summer jobs (Calgary firms hire WAY more first year students than Vancouver, plus you know, I like Calgary), and today I got a call from one, Fraser, Milner and Casgrain, who wanted to schedule an interveiw in two weeks. Yay! I might get an incredibly useful experience and get paid lots of money.

I have to buy a suit.

Multi-tasking

2007-11-14T23:08:00.001-08:00

Between 9 and 10 pm today I did all of the following:

- Had 3 simultaneous MSN chats (Dad, Keith and Jodi)

- Baked muffins out of black bananas

- Booked my flight home for Christmas (Dec 19 to Jan 5)

- Watched "Criminal Minds"

I feel like I accomplished a lot :)

You probably had to be there

2007-11-13T23:34:00.001-08:00

Last week, on Friday I wore my hair in pigtails. At lunch that day I was hanging out wth some of my school friends, and we were talking about hilarious socks. I mentioned that I had a pair of socks with monkeys on them, and I promised to wear the said socks sometime this week. The converstation meandered on, and eventually I found myself talking about "The Life I used to Have"; which really just means speaking about all the enormous changes that I've gone through in the past few months. I didn't really mean anything by it, mostly when I bring up the LIUTH it is in jest. And so it was on Friday as I was complaining about the material comforts I had to give up for law school "For this I gave up a 22nd floor apartment with a view of english bay, fine leather furniture and big screen TV!"

"Yes, but now you have pig-tails and monkey socks," replied my friend.

And this was just about the funniest thing I ever heard.

Now I have pigtails and monkey socks.

New Work Schedule

2007-11-12T23:53:00.000-08:00

When I first started my job, I was consistently scheduled on Fridays and Sundays, which sort of sucks since Fridays are Beer-Up nights at Law school. I politely inquired whether I was going to be working every Friday FOREVER, and my manager said that it wouldn't be a problem to change it. So, here it is a few weeks later, and I'm moved off of Fridays, so I now work Sunday nights and Monday nights.
Tonight was my first Monday shift, and now I am all messed up, and keep thinking that it's Sunday and I don't have school tomorrow. Which is sort of a bummer. But I get to drink beer on Friday. :)

A long weekend for you,

2007-11-11T23:47:00.000-08:00

just another weekend for me.
I can't help but feel mildly cheated out of the whole long weekend thing. I mean I don't benefit at all. I realize you all want to throw bricks at me right now, but I'm just saying...

Do-Over

2007-11-10T23:03:00.000-08:00

Tonight I begged off going out to the pub and actually gave myself a night to myself.
Microwave popcorn, root beer, and a favorite old book. And most importantly, I am going to bed in about 20 minutes.
I was going to try a do a little more reading (for school), but I just decided to relax and enjoy myself a little. Besides, I'll get more done tomorrow if I am well-rested. Right?

This is my friday post!

2007-11-10T01:25:00.000-08:00

I had these great plans for tonight. I was going to study until 6, when the library closed, and then head home, go for a run, have a bubble bath, watch a movie and have an early bed time. Have a little "me" time. It was going to be sweet.
And I did study. But as I was making my way to the bus stop I felt this magnetic pull towards the Pit, the campus bar, where a few of my buddies, and the next thing I know, I am downing the better half of a pitcher. Then the next thing I know, I am at the UBC film society's Big Lebowski "beverage" garden. And the next thing I know I am at a bar on Broadway downing the better half of another pitcher.
So, I failed to post before midnight, which I guess means I failed the NaBloPoMo challenge. But I submit, that I have posted validly for Friday, since I haven't been to bed yet. It is technically still my Friday.

Gaining some momentum

2007-11-08T20:36:00.000-08:00

I am finally working hard. 13 days of classes to go (because I don't have school on Mondays), and I am finally doing my readings and reviewing my notes. My goal for the next few days is to total 32 hours of studying for Thursday through Monday. So far, today, I have knocked 6 hours off. The key is sadly, as I have concluded many times before, but always wish weren't true, if that I have to stay at school and work in the library. My focus at home just sucks.
So, this weekend I will be at the library. A lot. But a lot of other people will be there too. I'm not the only one.

My Stereo ate my CD

2007-11-07T22:03:00.000-08:00

My car stereo is refusing to eject the CD that is currently in it. This is problem, because commercial radio makes me want to drive my car straight into a brick wall after about 10 minutes, and while the CD in the stereo is a great one (Picaresque by The Decemberists), I do not fancy listening to it every singe time I drive for ever. I'm not sure what to do. I am temped to try and extricate the thing myself. But I should probably get a professional. I'm not sure who to ask. Subaru? Do they really do the stereo? I'll bet this isn't covered under the warranty.