I hope you all have a wonderful celebration tonight, no matter what you're doing. But more importantly, I wish everyone health and happiness in 2014, and the best of luck with your goals and dreams.
Goodnight, bloglings
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
The 8th Day of Blogmas
This post comes to you from the couch at a New Years Eve party, where I'm sitting underneath 150 lbs of snuggly Great Dane. I've gotta make this quick, but I had to make my 52nd post before midnight, right?
Monday, 30 December 2013
The 7th Day of Blogmas
This post is coming to you from my phone, sitting at the top of the staircase, listening to a dinner party of adults discussing how horrible the internet is. I've heard the phrase "changing our brains" about six times already. Happy Holidays!
So it's almost that time again - New Years resolutions just waiting to be made, and broken. The last two years, instead of an abstract idea, I've set myself very specific goals on January 1st. To take a picture a day, write a blog post a week. While I have yet to be perfectly successful at any of these, I'm always glad to have attempted them.
The last few weeks I've been agonizing over what to do for 2014. Although it's clearly not the point, I really would like to complete one of these things. Essentially, I don't want to set myself up for failure. This past year I definitely struggled a lot with writing a post every week. If I tried to do the same thing this year, I'm afraid it wouldn't go any better.
So then, what to do? I guess in asking myself this, I have to consider what I am really looking for. I like the satisfaction of setting and reaching a goal, and I like having something to show for it, even if it's only to the few friends who follow me around the internet. As paradoxical as it sounds, I like having a structure to encourage my creativity. Truthfully, I kinda like pretending that this is my job - blogging, social networking, or even just writing. The thought of something, or someone, depending on me putting words and thoughts together, is really kinda awesome.
So I guess I'm still undecided. Do I blog? Do I take pictures? What else is there?I've got about 24 hours in which to set my new goal. That's plenty of time, right?
Goodnight, bloglings
P.S. if anyone has ideas for me, feel free to shoot!
Sunday, 29 December 2013
The 6th Day of Blogmas
So there was a post going around tumblr today (the post actually originates on this site) which suggested that before making resolutions for 2014, we should all take a second to reflect on how much we accomplished in 2013. 25 things might be kinda hard to do, but let's go for it.
1. Found and moved into my first house, along with some wonderful roommates, and I still manage to pay rent and generally not fuck things up.
2. Finished the first year of my degree, with an average that I'm pretty darn proud of.
3. Ran my first 5K at LeakyCon Portland! On a sprained ankle! And just generally started exercising more seriously.
4. Got my first credit card, and basically kept up with it.
5. Got my G2 licence! (AKA, I can drive without an adult now) (finally)
6. Worked another summer at the same old summer job, but got my first raise and promotion.
7. Did a whole season of CT (combined test, AKA dressage + show jumping) competitions with the mare I've been training for five years. We had an amazing season and finished Reserve Champion in our division.
8. Helped coach a (very) young rider and her pony to compete in their first CT series. Even after a pretty shaky start, they went on to finish the year third in their division.
9. Learned how to drive a pony and cart, and got to compete in a driving show at a summer fair. I did pretty well too!
10. September 2013 marked my first full year as a vegetarian.
11. Picked out the colour and painted a wall in my new room all by myself.
12. Played a bunch of quidditch. Travelled to NY for our first-ever international games, and played a bunch more tournaments in Ontario - two of which we WON!
13. Helped recruit a ton of rad new players to the team in September, who have made this our best year ever.
14. Did a ton of travelling (buses & planes) on my own, which is sometimes scary but mostly pretty fun.
15. Sang karaoke for the first time ever.
16. Decided to try and move towards using only cruelty-free beauty products.
17. I've already gotten two job offers for next summer.
18. I contributed a monthly article to Let's Talk Nerd Culture magazine.
19. Tried to restart a chapter of the Harry Potter Alliance at my school. It's turned into quite a lengthy and frustrating process, but hey, I'm committed to it now. I also supported and donated to the HPA during their Equality For the Win campaign.
20. Applied to go on exchange in 2015, including securing some kick-ass profs to write references for me.
21. I managed to sit through season seven of Doctor Who without breaking my computer. Seriously, it took some effort.
22. I stopped being a pretentious asshole and finally got instagram. Because it's fun.
23. I started eating healthier this year, or at least started thinking more seriously about what I put in my body.
24. This is kinda an abstract one, but I think this year I got better at standing up and speaking out about things. Whether that was confronting casual sexism among my friends or making angry ranty facebook posts about mental health resources. It's still tough, but getting easier every time.
25. I set a goal to write a blog post every week for a year. Although this didn't go as planned, I found a way to finish the year with 52 blog posts behind me. And regardless of how well I did or didn't meet this challenge, I learned a lot about myself and writing and I'm definitely glad I did it.
Well, it's been a pretty awesome year, hasn't it?
Goodnight, bloglings
1. Found and moved into my first house, along with some wonderful roommates, and I still manage to pay rent and generally not fuck things up.
2. Finished the first year of my degree, with an average that I'm pretty darn proud of.
3. Ran my first 5K at LeakyCon Portland! On a sprained ankle! And just generally started exercising more seriously.
4. Got my first credit card, and basically kept up with it.
5. Got my G2 licence! (AKA, I can drive without an adult now) (finally)
6. Worked another summer at the same old summer job, but got my first raise and promotion.
7. Did a whole season of CT (combined test, AKA dressage + show jumping) competitions with the mare I've been training for five years. We had an amazing season and finished Reserve Champion in our division.
8. Helped coach a (very) young rider and her pony to compete in their first CT series. Even after a pretty shaky start, they went on to finish the year third in their division.
9. Learned how to drive a pony and cart, and got to compete in a driving show at a summer fair. I did pretty well too!
10. September 2013 marked my first full year as a vegetarian.
11. Picked out the colour and painted a wall in my new room all by myself.
12. Played a bunch of quidditch. Travelled to NY for our first-ever international games, and played a bunch more tournaments in Ontario - two of which we WON!
13. Helped recruit a ton of rad new players to the team in September, who have made this our best year ever.
14. Did a ton of travelling (buses & planes) on my own, which is sometimes scary but mostly pretty fun.
15. Sang karaoke for the first time ever.
16. Decided to try and move towards using only cruelty-free beauty products.
17. I've already gotten two job offers for next summer.
18. I contributed a monthly article to Let's Talk Nerd Culture magazine.
19. Tried to restart a chapter of the Harry Potter Alliance at my school. It's turned into quite a lengthy and frustrating process, but hey, I'm committed to it now. I also supported and donated to the HPA during their Equality For the Win campaign.
20. Applied to go on exchange in 2015, including securing some kick-ass profs to write references for me.
21. I managed to sit through season seven of Doctor Who without breaking my computer. Seriously, it took some effort.
22. I stopped being a pretentious asshole and finally got instagram. Because it's fun.
23. I started eating healthier this year, or at least started thinking more seriously about what I put in my body.
24. This is kinda an abstract one, but I think this year I got better at standing up and speaking out about things. Whether that was confronting casual sexism among my friends or making angry ranty facebook posts about mental health resources. It's still tough, but getting easier every time.
25. I set a goal to write a blog post every week for a year. Although this didn't go as planned, I found a way to finish the year with 52 blog posts behind me. And regardless of how well I did or didn't meet this challenge, I learned a lot about myself and writing and I'm definitely glad I did it.
Well, it's been a pretty awesome year, hasn't it?
Goodnight, bloglings
Saturday, 28 December 2013
The 5th Day of Blogmas
So, you know what's cool? Making connections. Not like, connections with people. I mean, I guess those are kinda cool too. Well, they're ok.
Sometimes.
But I mean drawing connections between two things you would never have expected to be related. Like when you find out a classmate went to high school with your cousin. Or you run into your neighbour on vacation thousands of miles away.
This year I think a lot of my friends really got into the show Orphan Black. I kept hearing the name, but strangely, never much about the plot. Nothing that piqued my interest enough to get me to check it out. All I knew was that the lead actress played like a bunch of different characters, and she was apparently super talented.
Fast forward to today when I (s)tumbled upon a gifset from the show, and was struck by how familiar the actress looked. Something had piqued my curiosity. I turned to google and my first discovery was that the show was created by Canadians, filmed and set in Toronto, and starred a Canadian! Honestly, I'm uber-bummed that it hasn't been marketed (like, at all) to Canadian audiences. You can bet your bottom dollar that I would have been way more likely to check it out way earlier if I had known that. It also sucks that it only airs on Space here, cause if we're being honest, only us nerds watch Space. But it was also very very cool to know that this acclaimed show, which so many of my friends love, is technically Canadian. Really, the only thing Canadians get patriotic about is our hockey teams and our shows/movies/actors.
So yeah, that was a pretty neat connection. BUT WAIT. There's more. So I said that the star, Tatiana Maslany, looked sorta familiar to me, right? Well I clicked on her Wiki page and the first fact that jumped out at me was that she had been on the CBC show Heartland a few years ago. And then all the pieces fell into place. I've loved Heartland since it premiered when I was like thirteen. It's about horses and Alberta and spunky cowgirls and cute cowboys. What's not to like? I've mostly kept up with it over the years, because although it may be the cheesiest thing to ever grace a screen, it has a piece of my heart. Tatiana wasn't a lead on the show, but her character was great, and definitely memorable. So THAT'S where I knew her from. Case closed, right?
NOPE. Or should I say, Knope? It turns out she also guest-starred on two episodes of Parks and Recreation - episodes I watched just yesterday, as a matter of fact. I remember that character sticking out for some reason, and now I know why. I'm not sure if she'll be back - her character just left to vaccinate people in Rwanda - but I would love it if she was.
I'm not sure what the point of all this is - actors play all sorts of varied roles, especially early in their careers. But I guess making these sorts of connections will never stop being cool to me. It may be the "it's a small world" feeling, or just the Sherlock-esque satisfaction of piecing together a puzzle - although I'm sure Sherlock never had to use Wikipedia. But these little coincidences make me irrationally happy,
Goodnight, bloglings
Sometimes.
But I mean drawing connections between two things you would never have expected to be related. Like when you find out a classmate went to high school with your cousin. Or you run into your neighbour on vacation thousands of miles away.
This year I think a lot of my friends really got into the show Orphan Black. I kept hearing the name, but strangely, never much about the plot. Nothing that piqued my interest enough to get me to check it out. All I knew was that the lead actress played like a bunch of different characters, and she was apparently super talented.
Fast forward to today when I (s)tumbled upon a gifset from the show, and was struck by how familiar the actress looked. Something had piqued my curiosity. I turned to google and my first discovery was that the show was created by Canadians, filmed and set in Toronto, and starred a Canadian! Honestly, I'm uber-bummed that it hasn't been marketed (like, at all) to Canadian audiences. You can bet your bottom dollar that I would have been way more likely to check it out way earlier if I had known that. It also sucks that it only airs on Space here, cause if we're being honest, only us nerds watch Space. But it was also very very cool to know that this acclaimed show, which so many of my friends love, is technically Canadian. Really, the only thing Canadians get patriotic about is our hockey teams and our shows/movies/actors.
So yeah, that was a pretty neat connection. BUT WAIT. There's more. So I said that the star, Tatiana Maslany, looked sorta familiar to me, right? Well I clicked on her Wiki page and the first fact that jumped out at me was that she had been on the CBC show Heartland a few years ago. And then all the pieces fell into place. I've loved Heartland since it premiered when I was like thirteen. It's about horses and Alberta and spunky cowgirls and cute cowboys. What's not to like? I've mostly kept up with it over the years, because although it may be the cheesiest thing to ever grace a screen, it has a piece of my heart. Tatiana wasn't a lead on the show, but her character was great, and definitely memorable. So THAT'S where I knew her from. Case closed, right?
NOPE. Or should I say, Knope? It turns out she also guest-starred on two episodes of Parks and Recreation - episodes I watched just yesterday, as a matter of fact. I remember that character sticking out for some reason, and now I know why. I'm not sure if she'll be back - her character just left to vaccinate people in Rwanda - but I would love it if she was.
I'm not sure what the point of all this is - actors play all sorts of varied roles, especially early in their careers. But I guess making these sorts of connections will never stop being cool to me. It may be the "it's a small world" feeling, or just the Sherlock-esque satisfaction of piecing together a puzzle - although I'm sure Sherlock never had to use Wikipedia. But these little coincidences make me irrationally happy,
Goodnight, bloglings
Friday, 27 December 2013
The 4th Day of Blogmas
A week from now I'll be back at school, which of course means I've stopped stressing about being bored at home, and started stressing about not getting the most out of my time at home. After the hell of exams, I really wanted to relax this break, and I did, but I also had a few important things to get done. Things that are nowhere near done yet. Namely, my application to study abroad next year.
I sometimes hesitate to talk about this, because although I want it more than anything, it also makes me feel like a walking talking cliche. I plan to study abroad in the U.K. for a semester - yes, me, the Doctor Who and Harry Potter loving anglophile, with a cartoon map of London and a poster from the Globe Theatre on her walls. I am literally the opening chapter of a YA boarding school novel.
I know that this is not actually going to be like a teen novel, and trust me, I definitely don't want it to be. To be honest, right now I'm just concerned with having a good application. I'm not exactly sure how competitive it is, but I'm sure I've picked the most popular destination, by far. Back in high school I applied to a ton of scholarships, and got almost none of them. I'm a decent writer, but I guess I don't do well on open-ended questions.
But for now, let's assume I get it. Obviously it's exciting, a brand new slate - I'll know nobody at the school when I arrive. I'm sure I'll make some great friends and a lot of memories, I think I can at least count on that. But what else? No matter how much I remind myself, it's really, really hard to shake the expectation that this is going to change my life. That I'm going to fall in love, discover my true calling, or something equally revolutionary. All the novels and movies are whispering it to me - this will be Something Big.
I know, my life is not a fairytale, right? But what if this is where the story starts? The moment when all the forces of fate, destiny, magic and the universe converge to change everything forever?
It's silly and naive, and definitely doesn't help me avoid that walking talking cliche problem. But I can dream, right?
(I guess in addition to dreaming, I've got to get started on that application, 'cause it won't write itself.)
Goodnight, bloglings
I sometimes hesitate to talk about this, because although I want it more than anything, it also makes me feel like a walking talking cliche. I plan to study abroad in the U.K. for a semester - yes, me, the Doctor Who and Harry Potter loving anglophile, with a cartoon map of London and a poster from the Globe Theatre on her walls. I am literally the opening chapter of a YA boarding school novel.
I know that this is not actually going to be like a teen novel, and trust me, I definitely don't want it to be. To be honest, right now I'm just concerned with having a good application. I'm not exactly sure how competitive it is, but I'm sure I've picked the most popular destination, by far. Back in high school I applied to a ton of scholarships, and got almost none of them. I'm a decent writer, but I guess I don't do well on open-ended questions.
But for now, let's assume I get it. Obviously it's exciting, a brand new slate - I'll know nobody at the school when I arrive. I'm sure I'll make some great friends and a lot of memories, I think I can at least count on that. But what else? No matter how much I remind myself, it's really, really hard to shake the expectation that this is going to change my life. That I'm going to fall in love, discover my true calling, or something equally revolutionary. All the novels and movies are whispering it to me - this will be Something Big.
I know, my life is not a fairytale, right? But what if this is where the story starts? The moment when all the forces of fate, destiny, magic and the universe converge to change everything forever?
It's silly and naive, and definitely doesn't help me avoid that walking talking cliche problem. But I can dream, right?
(I guess in addition to dreaming, I've got to get started on that application, 'cause it won't write itself.)
Goodnight, bloglings
Thursday, 26 December 2013
The 3rd Day of Blogmas
What's the perfect way to rest and relax after a gruelling semester and exam period? By developing an instant obsession with a new TV show and spending every waking hour glued to a screen, consuming season after season as fast as possible, of course. It's the millennial way.
My newest love is the show Parks and Recreation. In ten days I've watched all five and a half seasons - or just about. As soon as I hit publish on this post, I'll be once again consumed by the obsession. I've only got three episodes left!
But I have a problem. My utter adoration for this show has become a curse - I've have absolutely nobody to talk to about it. Any place on the internet (cough/tumblr/cough) is going to be full of spoilers. And so far, I haven't been able to convert any of my family members. (But boy, have I tried.)
I'm not sure where to begin with what I love about this show. I've never been really into comedies, and I especially can't stand shows that take place in an office. But this one has a ton of heart. A quirky, stifling, adorable, and frustrating small town. A fantastic, amazing female protagonist. And lovable, flawed, real friends who care about each other a rediculous amount. Also feminism. A lot of feminism.
This may be the coma-inducing boredom and loneliness of winter break talking, but this show makes me so, so proud of the wonderful friendships I'm privileged to have. It also kinda makes me want to run for public office with a cute, scrawny, nerdy boyfriend as my campaign manager.
If you haven't seen it, you should. And now, if you'll excuse me, I have a victory speech to write.
I mean a show to watch.
Goodnight, bloglings
My newest love is the show Parks and Recreation. In ten days I've watched all five and a half seasons - or just about. As soon as I hit publish on this post, I'll be once again consumed by the obsession. I've only got three episodes left!
But I have a problem. My utter adoration for this show has become a curse - I've have absolutely nobody to talk to about it. Any place on the internet (cough/tumblr/cough) is going to be full of spoilers. And so far, I haven't been able to convert any of my family members. (But boy, have I tried.)
I'm not sure where to begin with what I love about this show. I've never been really into comedies, and I especially can't stand shows that take place in an office. But this one has a ton of heart. A quirky, stifling, adorable, and frustrating small town. A fantastic, amazing female protagonist. And lovable, flawed, real friends who care about each other a rediculous amount. Also feminism. A lot of feminism.
This may be the coma-inducing boredom and loneliness of winter break talking, but this show makes me so, so proud of the wonderful friendships I'm privileged to have. It also kinda makes me want to run for public office with a cute, scrawny, nerdy boyfriend as my campaign manager.
If you haven't seen it, you should. And now, if you'll excuse me, I have a victory speech to write.
I mean a show to watch.
Goodnight, bloglings
Wednesday, 25 December 2013
The 2nd Day of Blogmas
Nope. Not even going to try and apologize for this. On the very second day of daily blogging, I completely forgot to post. Until almost 2am the next day.
Welp.
My holidays have been wonderful so far, filled with home and family and food. So much food. I wanted to share a little bit about my Christmas experience, but for some reason, I'm coming up short with words tonight. I guess all I can say is that I'm extremely grateful to have the life that I have.
So, in case you aren't following me on instagram, here is a short summary of my holidays, via iPhone photos.
Goodnight, bloglings
Welp.
My holidays have been wonderful so far, filled with home and family and food. So much food. I wanted to share a little bit about my Christmas experience, but for some reason, I'm coming up short with words tonight. I guess all I can say is that I'm extremely grateful to have the life that I have.
So, in case you aren't following me on instagram, here is a short summary of my holidays, via iPhone photos.
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
The 1st Day of Blogmas
Hey there friends. I guess it's been a while.
Firstly, I hope that you're snuggled somewhere warm right now, maybe with a hot beverage, or a fire (hopefully in a fireplace) nearby. Whatever you celebrate, we can all appreciate being surrounded by friends and family this week, right? Or at least appreciate the fact that yours haven't all killed each other yet?
I've been putting off posting here for a while because, in the way of former-above-average children everywhere, I'm terrified of admitting to failure. But with basically a week left in 2013, I'm running out of time. My goal for this year was to post once a week. 52 posts in 2013. I'm not quite sure at what point the "once a week" element went out the window, but this past semester, you've been lucky to get a post once a month. Before this post, I was eight (8) blog posts behind schedule.
I'm not quite sure how I feel about this, to be honest. Last year, I tried to take a picture once a day, and although I made it to the end in pretty good shape, I definitely had a couple (or a couple dozen) screw-up days throughout that year. So I think I've accepted the inevitability of failing to execute something like this to absolute perfection. It still bums me out that this year wasn't documented as much as I had planned, at least not in words.
I think it's fair to say most of the weeks I missed were due to sheer busyness (or sheer time mismanagement). But, towards the end, I definitely suffered from a crippling fear of not measuring up. I'm not quite sure where I got my ideas about what a blog post should be, but I guess I feel that it should say something profound, or at least say something in a profound way. That's definitely a dumb obsession I'm just gonna have to get over.
To conclude these ramblings: there are 8 days left in 2013, and if I post something on every single one of them, I'll just make it to my total of 52 posts this year. It's not how I had planned, but hey, what ever is?
Merry Blogmas, bloglings!
Firstly, I hope that you're snuggled somewhere warm right now, maybe with a hot beverage, or a fire (hopefully in a fireplace) nearby. Whatever you celebrate, we can all appreciate being surrounded by friends and family this week, right? Or at least appreciate the fact that yours haven't all killed each other yet?
I've been putting off posting here for a while because, in the way of former-above-average children everywhere, I'm terrified of admitting to failure. But with basically a week left in 2013, I'm running out of time. My goal for this year was to post once a week. 52 posts in 2013. I'm not quite sure at what point the "once a week" element went out the window, but this past semester, you've been lucky to get a post once a month. Before this post, I was eight (8) blog posts behind schedule.
I'm not quite sure how I feel about this, to be honest. Last year, I tried to take a picture once a day, and although I made it to the end in pretty good shape, I definitely had a couple (or a couple dozen) screw-up days throughout that year. So I think I've accepted the inevitability of failing to execute something like this to absolute perfection. It still bums me out that this year wasn't documented as much as I had planned, at least not in words.
I think it's fair to say most of the weeks I missed were due to sheer busyness (or sheer time mismanagement). But, towards the end, I definitely suffered from a crippling fear of not measuring up. I'm not quite sure where I got my ideas about what a blog post should be, but I guess I feel that it should say something profound, or at least say something in a profound way. That's definitely a dumb obsession I'm just gonna have to get over.
To conclude these ramblings: there are 8 days left in 2013, and if I post something on every single one of them, I'll just make it to my total of 52 posts this year. It's not how I had planned, but hey, what ever is?
Merry Blogmas, bloglings!
Sunday, 1 December 2013
Week ??: Five Years Time
While I am still buried deep beneath the mountain that is finals, I thought I'd better get something up here. I have a plan for saving this blog project and having the right number of posts up before the end of 2013. I promise. But for now, here's an excerpt from a paper I wrote for one of my classes. The assignment was to write about where you want to be in five years. It was an interesting project, and really helped me to think about my future in a different way - with less sheer terror, and more tentative optimism.
"Five years from now, I would like to have my writing published in a variety of places. That might include magazines, newspapers, a collection or anthology, or possibly even a book of my own. There are also several news/general interest websites where I would love to see my writing. This goal is important to me because writing is the best way I can understand life and communicate with the world around me. It is an area in which I can be proud of my work, while also constantly striving for improvement. Writing is a creative endeavour, but it can convey any message that the writers sets out to express – from innermost thoughts, to a fantastical story, to an important social message. I would like to try my hand at both fiction and non-fiction, and through both of these I see myself addressing issues that are of great personal importance to me, such as the environment, feminism, and LGBTQ rights.
In order to achieve my goal, I know I will need to be determined and persistent in getting my writing out there. I will submit pieces to many different publications, and take rejections and criticism as opportunities to learn and improve. Above all, I will need to practice by constantly writing, whether it is for publication or simply for myself. I may consider additional education or training in writing – for example, a M.F.A. in creative writing – but I don’t foresee this as my first step directly after graduating with my B.A.S. degree. It may be necessary for me to work in another field while I develop my writing skills and build a freelance career. Later on, a more permanent position, at a magazine for example, would be ideal, but this is unlikely to happen within five years. If I do end up working as a professional freelance writer, I will need to be particularly disciplined and organized in my work, and essentially be my own boss. It is impossible to lay out a step-by-step plan for this type of career path, but if I remain flexible and open to every opportunity, while keeping my end goals in sight, I am confident I can achieve whatever I want to."
"Five years from now, I would like to have my writing published in a variety of places. That might include magazines, newspapers, a collection or anthology, or possibly even a book of my own. There are also several news/general interest websites where I would love to see my writing. This goal is important to me because writing is the best way I can understand life and communicate with the world around me. It is an area in which I can be proud of my work, while also constantly striving for improvement. Writing is a creative endeavour, but it can convey any message that the writers sets out to express – from innermost thoughts, to a fantastical story, to an important social message. I would like to try my hand at both fiction and non-fiction, and through both of these I see myself addressing issues that are of great personal importance to me, such as the environment, feminism, and LGBTQ rights.
In order to achieve my goal, I know I will need to be determined and persistent in getting my writing out there. I will submit pieces to many different publications, and take rejections and criticism as opportunities to learn and improve. Above all, I will need to practice by constantly writing, whether it is for publication or simply for myself. I may consider additional education or training in writing – for example, a M.F.A. in creative writing – but I don’t foresee this as my first step directly after graduating with my B.A.S. degree. It may be necessary for me to work in another field while I develop my writing skills and build a freelance career. Later on, a more permanent position, at a magazine for example, would be ideal, but this is unlikely to happen within five years. If I do end up working as a professional freelance writer, I will need to be particularly disciplined and organized in my work, and essentially be my own boss. It is impossible to lay out a step-by-step plan for this type of career path, but if I remain flexible and open to every opportunity, while keeping my end goals in sight, I am confident I can achieve whatever I want to."
Sunday, 17 November 2013
Week ???: Still Alive
If this was 2007, I would justify this kinda post by saying I wanted to let you know that I'm still alive. But, let's be real. You've seen enough of my tweets and tumbls to know that I haven't gone anywhere. With all the internet places we have to frequent, a real proper blog (which this mess aspires to be) has become secondary for most people.
But yes, I sure have let my goal (posting once a week throughout 2013) slide. Like, really, really far. And on top of that, I have fallen back on the classic fall-back "post about not posting more" far too often.
I'm doing it right now, if you couldn't tell.
So, let's see if I can muster up some actual content.
Hmm.
Well. Speaking of being not dead, there is currently a ridiculous windstorm raging outside my window. I can hear trees being whipped back and forth, bending impossibly far without breaking. Yet.
It's the kind of storm that can make a bed feel more cozy, light feel more comforting, and sleep come more easily. In case I've neglected to mention it here before: I love the wind. It's hands down my favourite weather condition. There is something so refreshing and exciting about a windy day (or a windy night). Maybe its the uncertainty about what nature will throw at us next. Maybe its the potential for imagination; to pretend we are flying through the sky, or through a vortex to a different universe.
Where I live, wind is never really a threat. The weather that manages to scare us is usually ice - that's what takes down trees, cuts out power, and makes roads impassible. Thunderstorms do some damage too, in the summer. But wind itself is nothing - wind is excitement, thrill, and maybe a branch or two landing in your yard.
Earlier this evening, I heard that tornadoes had caused multiple deaths in the States. That's one weather feature I'm not usually concerned about up here, but it's always a possibility. A distant, but rather scary, possibility.
The thing is, tornadoes don't make my wind any less wonderful. Maybe that makes me a terrible person. But nature throws a lot of stuff our way, and most of it could probably kill us, if we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. We revel in the natural world because it gets at something essential inside us - and we can't shy away, or shut it out, just because it is double-sidedly dangerous.
Goodnight, bloglings
But yes, I sure have let my goal (posting once a week throughout 2013) slide. Like, really, really far. And on top of that, I have fallen back on the classic fall-back "post about not posting more" far too often.
I'm doing it right now, if you couldn't tell.
So, let's see if I can muster up some actual content.
Hmm.
Well. Speaking of being not dead, there is currently a ridiculous windstorm raging outside my window. I can hear trees being whipped back and forth, bending impossibly far without breaking. Yet.
It's the kind of storm that can make a bed feel more cozy, light feel more comforting, and sleep come more easily. In case I've neglected to mention it here before: I love the wind. It's hands down my favourite weather condition. There is something so refreshing and exciting about a windy day (or a windy night). Maybe its the uncertainty about what nature will throw at us next. Maybe its the potential for imagination; to pretend we are flying through the sky, or through a vortex to a different universe.
Where I live, wind is never really a threat. The weather that manages to scare us is usually ice - that's what takes down trees, cuts out power, and makes roads impassible. Thunderstorms do some damage too, in the summer. But wind itself is nothing - wind is excitement, thrill, and maybe a branch or two landing in your yard.
Earlier this evening, I heard that tornadoes had caused multiple deaths in the States. That's one weather feature I'm not usually concerned about up here, but it's always a possibility. A distant, but rather scary, possibility.
The thing is, tornadoes don't make my wind any less wonderful. Maybe that makes me a terrible person. But nature throws a lot of stuff our way, and most of it could probably kill us, if we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. We revel in the natural world because it gets at something essential inside us - and we can't shy away, or shut it out, just because it is double-sidedly dangerous.
Goodnight, bloglings
Tuesday, 29 October 2013
Week 42: Mud. Everywhere.
So I just realized that I haven't updated you lovely people about quidditch at all this semester. I mean, its definitely still a thing, if you were wondering.
Two weekends ago we played in our first tournament of the season, all the way down in New York. This was our first time ever playing quidditch outside of Canada, and the first real live games that a lot of our players had ever experienced. So, big day.
It started at about 4 am, when most of us had to get out of bed and stumble around packing cleats, brooms, and a ton of warm clothes. We embarked on the 4+ hour drive, fully intending to get some more sleep in, but ended up singing Disney and Les Mis songs at the top of our lungs for most of the way there.
Once we found our way to the field, the excitement started to hit. An unfortunate miscommunication lost us our first game, but after that we hit the pitch with so much more determination, and won our remaining three games of the day - including a win over the top-ranked team in Canada.
With a pretty good feeling about the rest of the season, we piled into our cars and trekked home, using every tactic available to keep our valiant drivers awake. Arriving home at around 10:30 pm, we celebrated our victories well into the night, making this my first 24 hours awake spent entirely with quidditch kids. The first of many, I'm sure.
The following weekend, being mostly recovered, we set out to a (thankfully) much closer tournament, with a lot more sleep under our belts too. We all knew rain was in the forecast, but what we didn't quite forsee was...the mud.
dun dun dun.....
After a chilly and damp warm up, we hit the pitch, which almost immediately turned to mud under our feet. After a few games, we were practically swimming in the stuff. Not to mention that we were head-to-toe covered in it, hair and teeth included. Thankfully there was a warm and dry building nearby with couches and washrooms and Tim Hortons - if there is one thing that can keep a Canadian quidkid happy, it's Timmies.
Unfortunately the mud did claim a victim, as one player from an opposing team slipped and fell on his ankle, and had to be taken away in an ambulance. After relocating the pitch to a slightly less treacherous patch of lawn, play continued, and we ended up winning all four of our games that day.
Exhausted, soaked, and filthy beyond recognition - but in a pretty good mood - the team piled into cars once again, and most of them set out to drive to yet another tournament. On the other side of the province. At 8pm.
Those of us not making that particular journey went home, drank wine and watched a chick flick, while our teammates struggled on through the night. They ended up arriving at 2am, with just enough time to fall asleep for a few minutes before getting up to hit the pitch once more.
(In case you weren't already aware, quidditch players are pretty freaking badass)
Lack of sleep definitely took its toll on our team that day, and they suffered hard-fought losses in all three of their games. On Sunday night, our team returned to us as quidditch zombies, after a whirlwind of driving, chasing, seeking, beating and snitching - with very little sleeping in between. But besides an undead-like appearance, they had come home with experience - which will be essential as we continue our season.
So, that's all for now, folks. We are currently ranked fourth out of 16 teams in our region (Ontario and Quebec). Stay tuned to hear how we fare against all those other teams at the Canada Cup in a few weeks!
Goodnight, bloglings.
Two weekends ago we played in our first tournament of the season, all the way down in New York. This was our first time ever playing quidditch outside of Canada, and the first real live games that a lot of our players had ever experienced. So, big day.
It started at about 4 am, when most of us had to get out of bed and stumble around packing cleats, brooms, and a ton of warm clothes. We embarked on the 4+ hour drive, fully intending to get some more sleep in, but ended up singing Disney and Les Mis songs at the top of our lungs for most of the way there.
Once we found our way to the field, the excitement started to hit. An unfortunate miscommunication lost us our first game, but after that we hit the pitch with so much more determination, and won our remaining three games of the day - including a win over the top-ranked team in Canada.
With a pretty good feeling about the rest of the season, we piled into our cars and trekked home, using every tactic available to keep our valiant drivers awake. Arriving home at around 10:30 pm, we celebrated our victories well into the night, making this my first 24 hours awake spent entirely with quidditch kids. The first of many, I'm sure.
The following weekend, being mostly recovered, we set out to a (thankfully) much closer tournament, with a lot more sleep under our belts too. We all knew rain was in the forecast, but what we didn't quite forsee was...the mud.
dun dun dun.....
After a chilly and damp warm up, we hit the pitch, which almost immediately turned to mud under our feet. After a few games, we were practically swimming in the stuff. Not to mention that we were head-to-toe covered in it, hair and teeth included. Thankfully there was a warm and dry building nearby with couches and washrooms and Tim Hortons - if there is one thing that can keep a Canadian quidkid happy, it's Timmies.
Unfortunately the mud did claim a victim, as one player from an opposing team slipped and fell on his ankle, and had to be taken away in an ambulance. After relocating the pitch to a slightly less treacherous patch of lawn, play continued, and we ended up winning all four of our games that day.
Exhausted, soaked, and filthy beyond recognition - but in a pretty good mood - the team piled into cars once again, and most of them set out to drive to yet another tournament. On the other side of the province. At 8pm.
Those of us not making that particular journey went home, drank wine and watched a chick flick, while our teammates struggled on through the night. They ended up arriving at 2am, with just enough time to fall asleep for a few minutes before getting up to hit the pitch once more.
(In case you weren't already aware, quidditch players are pretty freaking badass)
Lack of sleep definitely took its toll on our team that day, and they suffered hard-fought losses in all three of their games. On Sunday night, our team returned to us as quidditch zombies, after a whirlwind of driving, chasing, seeking, beating and snitching - with very little sleeping in between. But besides an undead-like appearance, they had come home with experience - which will be essential as we continue our season.
So, that's all for now, folks. We are currently ranked fourth out of 16 teams in our region (Ontario and Quebec). Stay tuned to hear how we fare against all those other teams at the Canada Cup in a few weeks!
Goodnight, bloglings.
Friday, 25 October 2013
Week 41: Not Feeling It
So apparently it's now the end of October. Who knew? People who care about Halloween, I guess.
As I said in my last post, I'm all about fall - but I just can't get into Halloween this year. I've never been a fan of gore or horror, so my Halloweens have always tended towards the clever costumes, the unscary movies, and the candy. But even that seems dull this year.
Maybe it's the fact that I'm drowning in homework and projects, not to mention other commitments, like this blog, LTNC, and quidditch. It could be the fact that collecting candy is not really a viable option after the age of 18. But honestly, staying warm and dry and curled up with tumblr sounds far more appealing than stressing over ripped tights, missing safety-pins, running makeup or the fear that nobody will get my costume.
So this is my official declaration, world. Don't count me in for Halloween this year.
The thing is, this is weird for me. I'm usually mega-committed to holidays and traditions. All of them. Heck, I even get upset when I don't get a chance to properly celebrate Remembrance Day. Days that are stable in my life, year after year, are super important to me - although until now I've never thought about why.
I guess most holidays have an emotional connection - I mean, that gives us something to celebrate, right? Christmas, Thanksgiving, Canada Day, all tug on one heart-string or the other. But, does Halloween? It's definitely the source of some great memories for me, and I can totally understand others' excitement. But as far as emotions go? There's nothing really there.
So next week you'll be able to find me dressed as an apathetic university student, complete with laptop and complete disregard for normal adult sleeping schedules.
Goodnight, bloglings
As I said in my last post, I'm all about fall - but I just can't get into Halloween this year. I've never been a fan of gore or horror, so my Halloweens have always tended towards the clever costumes, the unscary movies, and the candy. But even that seems dull this year.
Maybe it's the fact that I'm drowning in homework and projects, not to mention other commitments, like this blog, LTNC, and quidditch. It could be the fact that collecting candy is not really a viable option after the age of 18. But honestly, staying warm and dry and curled up with tumblr sounds far more appealing than stressing over ripped tights, missing safety-pins, running makeup or the fear that nobody will get my costume.
So this is my official declaration, world. Don't count me in for Halloween this year.
The thing is, this is weird for me. I'm usually mega-committed to holidays and traditions. All of them. Heck, I even get upset when I don't get a chance to properly celebrate Remembrance Day. Days that are stable in my life, year after year, are super important to me - although until now I've never thought about why.
I guess most holidays have an emotional connection - I mean, that gives us something to celebrate, right? Christmas, Thanksgiving, Canada Day, all tug on one heart-string or the other. But, does Halloween? It's definitely the source of some great memories for me, and I can totally understand others' excitement. But as far as emotions go? There's nothing really there.
So next week you'll be able to find me dressed as an apathetic university student, complete with laptop and complete disregard for normal adult sleeping schedules.
Goodnight, bloglings
Tuesday, 22 October 2013
Week 40(ish): Falling
So, it's been a while, hasn't it?
The wonderful website whatweekisit.com informs me that it is, in fact, the 43rd week of the year. So. Yes. Well.
*clears throat* Anyways...
After what seemed like unnatural amounts of sunshine the last few weeks, it's actually starting to feel cold. And I couldn't be happier. I love fall for its variety, for the way everything around us changes so fast. I love the warm, golden days of September, the deep colours of early October, and the blustery storms of November. But most of all I love the contrast, that feeling when you see the first red leaves, the first dusting of frost, or the first snowflakes drifting down from a hazy sky. It's a new beginning in a season of endings.
This new chill in the air makes going outside so invigorating - and makes coming back inside all the more comforting. It makes socks and sweaters and blankets earn their keep. And it makes hot chocolate and Starbucks into tactical maneuvers in the war against being cold.
It means that there are essays to be written, midterms to be taken, and boring books to be read, but it also means that we are almost there, the holidays are now in sight. It means deadlines and countdowns and making a point to start thinking about planning to remember to start gift shopping.
When someone says they don't like fall, they either still miss summer or they're impatient for winter. They are looking for something specific, in a large amount. What they fail to realize is that fall has everything you could want - sun, beautiful landscapes, chilly air, a bit of snow - but only in small doses, to be savoured and remembered. Fall makes us appreciate every gorgeous day, whether it's +20 or -10. It makes us take notice of the strange and fantastic environment around us, and the crazy things it can do.
Hopefully I can find some time in my busy weeks to slow down and give fall the appreciation it deserves.
(And also to catch up on blog posts)
Goodnight, bloglings
The wonderful website whatweekisit.com informs me that it is, in fact, the 43rd week of the year. So. Yes. Well.
*clears throat* Anyways...
After what seemed like unnatural amounts of sunshine the last few weeks, it's actually starting to feel cold. And I couldn't be happier. I love fall for its variety, for the way everything around us changes so fast. I love the warm, golden days of September, the deep colours of early October, and the blustery storms of November. But most of all I love the contrast, that feeling when you see the first red leaves, the first dusting of frost, or the first snowflakes drifting down from a hazy sky. It's a new beginning in a season of endings.
This new chill in the air makes going outside so invigorating - and makes coming back inside all the more comforting. It makes socks and sweaters and blankets earn their keep. And it makes hot chocolate and Starbucks into tactical maneuvers in the war against being cold.
It means that there are essays to be written, midterms to be taken, and boring books to be read, but it also means that we are almost there, the holidays are now in sight. It means deadlines and countdowns and making a point to start thinking about planning to remember to start gift shopping.
When someone says they don't like fall, they either still miss summer or they're impatient for winter. They are looking for something specific, in a large amount. What they fail to realize is that fall has everything you could want - sun, beautiful landscapes, chilly air, a bit of snow - but only in small doses, to be savoured and remembered. Fall makes us appreciate every gorgeous day, whether it's +20 or -10. It makes us take notice of the strange and fantastic environment around us, and the crazy things it can do.
Hopefully I can find some time in my busy weeks to slow down and give fall the appreciation it deserves.
(And also to catch up on blog posts)
Goodnight, bloglings
Monday, 7 October 2013
Week 39: One Year Later
This blog post, which is still, by the way, one week behind schedule, is brought to you by the first night in two weeks that I haven't had any homework.
So about a year ago, I did a thing. It was sort of a weird thing but turned out to be a very very good decision.
Two days ago, I did the thing again. Again, it was weird. But a good decision just the same.
And in this last year, things - other things - have both changed and stayed the same.
My day-to-day life is almost exactly the same this week as it was a year ago. The weather is the same, the school work is basically the same, the catastrophic mess that is the laundry in the corner of my bedroom is the same too.
But some things are so, so different. I've got a safety net, I've got a bunch of people around me that are supportive and loving and beautifully ridiculous. I feel secure, like a tree that's put down roots. These roots aren't just in one place or in any place at all, but I know that they'll keep me standing up.
I know these things are natural progressions, and probably would have happened on their own. But I like to think that doing the thing had something to do with it.
So I'm kinda liking the part of semi-adulthood where I get to just, you know, do things. On my own. I can just, like, do. the. thing. It's pretty rad. 10/10. Would recommend.
So, one year later, here's to doing things. Big things and little things, scary things that turn out fun and fun things that turn out kinda scary.
Imma go do some things.
Actually, Imma go sleep, because the last thing I did sorta didn't involve that at all. For 24 hours.
Goodnight, bloglings
So about a year ago, I did a thing. It was sort of a weird thing but turned out to be a very very good decision.
Two days ago, I did the thing again. Again, it was weird. But a good decision just the same.
And in this last year, things - other things - have both changed and stayed the same.
My day-to-day life is almost exactly the same this week as it was a year ago. The weather is the same, the school work is basically the same, the catastrophic mess that is the laundry in the corner of my bedroom is the same too.
But some things are so, so different. I've got a safety net, I've got a bunch of people around me that are supportive and loving and beautifully ridiculous. I feel secure, like a tree that's put down roots. These roots aren't just in one place or in any place at all, but I know that they'll keep me standing up.
I know these things are natural progressions, and probably would have happened on their own. But I like to think that doing the thing had something to do with it.
So I'm kinda liking the part of semi-adulthood where I get to just, you know, do things. On my own. I can just, like, do. the. thing. It's pretty rad. 10/10. Would recommend.
So, one year later, here's to doing things. Big things and little things, scary things that turn out fun and fun things that turn out kinda scary.
Imma go do some things.
Actually, Imma go sleep, because the last thing I did sorta didn't involve that at all. For 24 hours.
Goodnight, bloglings
Sunday, 29 September 2013
Week 38: Looking In
So it feels like everyone in the English-speaking world (and probably lots of people outside of it too) is watching the finale of a certain TV show right now. If you don't know to what I'm referring, well to be honest I'm not sure how you have braved the internet long enough to make it to this little corner.
Or, I mean, maybe you are reading this years into the future. Which is cool too, I guess. Hi.
To cut to the chase, I was not among the millions watching the finale of Breaking Bad tonight. I mean, for starters, I don't even have a cable subscription, and ... what do you mean those bunny ears don't work anymore?!?
For real though, I've never seen a single episode of Breaking Bad. Although I hear it's some dazzling achievement in television drama, or something. It has never appealed to me. Maybe that's because there are no intelligent, attractive British men on it - that seems to be my requirement lately. But over the past (*pauses to find the Wikipedia article*) five-ish years, I've watched everyone else fall for this show. I mean, really fall for it. This past weekend I have seen actual outpourings of love for this series.
Which shouldn't be unusual, since I spend a good portion of my waking hours on website seemingly dedicated to outpourings of love for fictional stories and their characters. But what seems odd about the Breaking Bad phenomenon is the audience. Or more correctly, I guess, it's that the audience isn't any one thing at all. It isn't just teenagers and young adults, and it isn't just 40+ year olds in their parents' basement. People from all walks of life are really, really passionate about this show.
Of course, the nerds are passionate about it too - maybe more so than average- but what has surprised me is that people who wouldn't normally be called nerds, who may even mock those who are, have become genuinely invested in this show.
And although I have no clue what it's about (Wait...it's meth, right? It's about meth? And a teacher?) and although I'm sure the finale was heart-wrenching...and despite the fact that it is currently clogging up every single social media feed I possess... I'm really sorta happy about it. Having been enchanted by so many stories, and having an enormous community to love them with, I know exactly how every Breaking Bad viewer is feeling tonight.
(I mean, unless they are feeling like starting a meth lab. I don't know what that feels like.)
I know that they will laugh and cry and talk endlessly about it with their friends tomorrow, and even though I'm on the outside looking in, I'm just really glad that a story still has the power to unite us like this.
Goodnight, bloglings
Or, I mean, maybe you are reading this years into the future. Which is cool too, I guess. Hi.
To cut to the chase, I was not among the millions watching the finale of Breaking Bad tonight. I mean, for starters, I don't even have a cable subscription, and ... what do you mean those bunny ears don't work anymore?!?
For real though, I've never seen a single episode of Breaking Bad. Although I hear it's some dazzling achievement in television drama, or something. It has never appealed to me. Maybe that's because there are no intelligent, attractive British men on it - that seems to be my requirement lately. But over the past (*pauses to find the Wikipedia article*) five-ish years, I've watched everyone else fall for this show. I mean, really fall for it. This past weekend I have seen actual outpourings of love for this series.
Which shouldn't be unusual, since I spend a good portion of my waking hours on website seemingly dedicated to outpourings of love for fictional stories and their characters. But what seems odd about the Breaking Bad phenomenon is the audience. Or more correctly, I guess, it's that the audience isn't any one thing at all. It isn't just teenagers and young adults, and it isn't just 40+ year olds in their parents' basement. People from all walks of life are really, really passionate about this show.
Of course, the nerds are passionate about it too - maybe more so than average- but what has surprised me is that people who wouldn't normally be called nerds, who may even mock those who are, have become genuinely invested in this show.
And although I have no clue what it's about (Wait...it's meth, right? It's about meth? And a teacher?) and although I'm sure the finale was heart-wrenching...and despite the fact that it is currently clogging up every single social media feed I possess... I'm really sorta happy about it. Having been enchanted by so many stories, and having an enormous community to love them with, I know exactly how every Breaking Bad viewer is feeling tonight.
(I mean, unless they are feeling like starting a meth lab. I don't know what that feels like.)
I know that they will laugh and cry and talk endlessly about it with their friends tomorrow, and even though I'm on the outside looking in, I'm just really glad that a story still has the power to unite us like this.
Goodnight, bloglings
Saturday, 21 September 2013
Week 37: Inevitable
Lately I've been thinking about how so much of my life feels sorta pre-lived for me. Roommates, leafy campus, classes, essays and ramen noodles at 1 am - aren't I just following a beaten track? This rite of passage is so uniform and well-documented that sometimes I feel as though I could do it in my sleep. (Sometimes I wish I could do it in my sleep, but that's another story all together.)
It's not that I hate it, not at all - like any sort of life, the ups and the downs generally balance out somewhere around okay. The grass over the fence is greener, but then it always will be.
And I know this is just a waiting room, a holding pen before the bigger and better and brighter things but what if bigger is just a bigger room? What if that future is also a path that has been beaten by so many before me that it's no longer anything but dirt, no longer anything alive or green?
At least three times every day I feel a sense of deja-vu - recognizing that my day-to-day is just a montage from a college movie and the only thing I'm missing is the soundtrack and the jumpcuts. You know in those dreams when you somehow know that the door is going to open, an infinitesimal second before it does - that it's inevitable? When your life is pre-lived, everything you do, no matter what, is inevitable. It's a product of your stress or your hormones or your environment or your upbringing or it's just the next step on the ladder to success but no matter what it's inevitable. It's been done before and will be done again. Don't believe me? Check the internet, because a million people think every post is 'so relateable'.
So much is made of this time of life, but I'm not sure that I'll be able to make anything with these cookie-cutter memories. Graduation pictures taken in a uniform - under a uniform tree and a uniform sky, by a uniformed dude to be put in uniform frames? There is something so sterile about that. And we hold this up as such an achievement, as if we have climbed a mountain or built a house, as if we've done something other than traipse down the path beaten so smooth for us by generations and movies just to put on the same robes and toss the same cap in the air.
It's not that anything's the matter; it's just that everything is the same.
Goodnight, bloglings
It's not that I hate it, not at all - like any sort of life, the ups and the downs generally balance out somewhere around okay. The grass over the fence is greener, but then it always will be.
And I know this is just a waiting room, a holding pen before the bigger and better and brighter things but what if bigger is just a bigger room? What if that future is also a path that has been beaten by so many before me that it's no longer anything but dirt, no longer anything alive or green?
At least three times every day I feel a sense of deja-vu - recognizing that my day-to-day is just a montage from a college movie and the only thing I'm missing is the soundtrack and the jumpcuts. You know in those dreams when you somehow know that the door is going to open, an infinitesimal second before it does - that it's inevitable? When your life is pre-lived, everything you do, no matter what, is inevitable. It's a product of your stress or your hormones or your environment or your upbringing or it's just the next step on the ladder to success but no matter what it's inevitable. It's been done before and will be done again. Don't believe me? Check the internet, because a million people think every post is 'so relateable'.
So much is made of this time of life, but I'm not sure that I'll be able to make anything with these cookie-cutter memories. Graduation pictures taken in a uniform - under a uniform tree and a uniform sky, by a uniformed dude to be put in uniform frames? There is something so sterile about that. And we hold this up as such an achievement, as if we have climbed a mountain or built a house, as if we've done something other than traipse down the path beaten so smooth for us by generations and movies just to put on the same robes and toss the same cap in the air.
It's not that anything's the matter; it's just that everything is the same.
Goodnight, bloglings
Saturday, 14 September 2013
Week 36: Harry Potter and the New Mythology
All right, so I'm doing a pretty terrible job of staying on schedule here. But I completely and wholeheartedly do not care right now because FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM.
If you haven't already heard that J.K. Rowling is writing the screenplay for a new movie based on a Hogwarts textbook, then kindly locate the exit to this blog. Unless of course you have a legitimate reason. Like your internet was down. Or you were off mountain-climbing. Or scuba-diving. Or-
No, there really aren't any other excuses.
This is the biggest news to hit the Potter fandom since we found out that Jo had written The Cuckoo's Calling under all of our noses. In fact, it's bigger than that. Although the shock value of that revelation was high, since the book had been out for months already, this is so much more important.
This is our world - the place where we learned to imagine, where we learned to be brave, loyal, ambitious and wise, and where we learned to be passionate and unabashedly enthusiastic about the things that we love, and to stand up for what we believe in.
And we're going to go back. Which, on the surface, is a strange thing to be jumping-up-and-down-in-our-chairs excited about. Because ... we never really left. Everyone who owns the books or DVDs, or has access to a library or the internet, can plunge back into Harry's world and revisit the stories anytime they like. Heck, we've been doing it since the minute we finished Book 7.
But this is new content, a new story, a new part of the Wizarding world, not just about Harry - which is what makes it so exciting, right? Well, as long as we have had fan fiction, fan art and wizard rock, we've had new content. We've been exploring new facets of Harry's universe since before Jo even finished writing the series. I'm sure, if you dig deep enough, there is wizarding fan fiction set in New York City in the roaring twenties. Maybe even a fic or two about Newt Scamander.
The difference, of course, is that this movie will be written by Jo herself, so it is 100% canon. Unlike fanfic, it's "what really happened"...within a completely made-up story. Uh. Right.
Here's my thing: Potter fans have done things with the HP universe that were utterly unprecedented in literature. (The only distant comparison would be the ways people have interpreted and used the Bible over the centuries.) We don't just enjoy this world - we live in it. We roleplay and write and sing and do ALL the things within the wizarding universe. We have created new characters and completely rewritten the Harry Potter books from different viewpoints. So, I mean, ... how much does it really matter what is canon and what isn't?
At this point, doesn't this universe belong more to us than it does to J.K. Rowling?
Collectively, we have certainly written more words, plotted more stories, and spent more time in it than she has. Of course, it would not exist without her original creation. But then, the myths of the world had to have been thought up by someone at some point too, right? And would we deny that the people of a certain culture are the owners of their respective myths - and have a right to retell and interpret their myths freely? If Harry Potter is our mythology, then I say we have just as much a right as Jo to tell Newt Scamander's story - or any other wizarding story, for that matter.
Of course, this doesn't mean we can't be excited for the Fantastic Beasts movie. I think at least half of what's making it so exciting is the excitement - the nostalgic feeling of anticipating something that we will all get to experience together. The speculation and countdowns and trailers and midnight premieres. After all, it is a retelling, a new myth, and if nothing else, is just as valid as any fan fic. Obviously, it will be a very beautifully produced and cinematically spectacular story, and I think it is completely deserving of our enthusiasm.
So while I am just as uncontrollably excited about the movie as anyone else, I think it's an opportunity to really think about how we relate to the Potter 'verse. Because it's so fantastically different from the way we think about just about any other fandom.
I'd love to hear anyone else's thoughts about this, so please feed the comment box!
Goodnight, bloglings
If you haven't already heard that J.K. Rowling is writing the screenplay for a new movie based on a Hogwarts textbook, then kindly locate the exit to this blog. Unless of course you have a legitimate reason. Like your internet was down. Or you were off mountain-climbing. Or scuba-diving. Or-
No, there really aren't any other excuses.
This is the biggest news to hit the Potter fandom since we found out that Jo had written The Cuckoo's Calling under all of our noses. In fact, it's bigger than that. Although the shock value of that revelation was high, since the book had been out for months already, this is so much more important.
This is our world - the place where we learned to imagine, where we learned to be brave, loyal, ambitious and wise, and where we learned to be passionate and unabashedly enthusiastic about the things that we love, and to stand up for what we believe in.
And we're going to go back. Which, on the surface, is a strange thing to be jumping-up-and-down-in-our-chairs excited about. Because ... we never really left. Everyone who owns the books or DVDs, or has access to a library or the internet, can plunge back into Harry's world and revisit the stories anytime they like. Heck, we've been doing it since the minute we finished Book 7.
But this is new content, a new story, a new part of the Wizarding world, not just about Harry - which is what makes it so exciting, right? Well, as long as we have had fan fiction, fan art and wizard rock, we've had new content. We've been exploring new facets of Harry's universe since before Jo even finished writing the series. I'm sure, if you dig deep enough, there is wizarding fan fiction set in New York City in the roaring twenties. Maybe even a fic or two about Newt Scamander.
The difference, of course, is that this movie will be written by Jo herself, so it is 100% canon. Unlike fanfic, it's "what really happened"...within a completely made-up story. Uh. Right.
Here's my thing: Potter fans have done things with the HP universe that were utterly unprecedented in literature. (The only distant comparison would be the ways people have interpreted and used the Bible over the centuries.) We don't just enjoy this world - we live in it. We roleplay and write and sing and do ALL the things within the wizarding universe. We have created new characters and completely rewritten the Harry Potter books from different viewpoints. So, I mean, ... how much does it really matter what is canon and what isn't?
At this point, doesn't this universe belong more to us than it does to J.K. Rowling?
Collectively, we have certainly written more words, plotted more stories, and spent more time in it than she has. Of course, it would not exist without her original creation. But then, the myths of the world had to have been thought up by someone at some point too, right? And would we deny that the people of a certain culture are the owners of their respective myths - and have a right to retell and interpret their myths freely? If Harry Potter is our mythology, then I say we have just as much a right as Jo to tell Newt Scamander's story - or any other wizarding story, for that matter.
Of course, this doesn't mean we can't be excited for the Fantastic Beasts movie. I think at least half of what's making it so exciting is the excitement - the nostalgic feeling of anticipating something that we will all get to experience together. The speculation and countdowns and trailers and midnight premieres. After all, it is a retelling, a new myth, and if nothing else, is just as valid as any fan fic. Obviously, it will be a very beautifully produced and cinematically spectacular story, and I think it is completely deserving of our enthusiasm.
So while I am just as uncontrollably excited about the movie as anyone else, I think it's an opportunity to really think about how we relate to the Potter 'verse. Because it's so fantastically different from the way we think about just about any other fandom.
I'd love to hear anyone else's thoughts about this, so please feed the comment box!
Goodnight, bloglings
Sunday, 8 September 2013
Week 35: Not 36
Sometimes I hate the idea of listing excuses and explanations at the beginning of a late blog post, but other times I remember that one of the many purposes of this blog is to serve as a snapshot of my life, to be looked back on in the future. And these past few weeks, the major theme in my life has been busyness to the point of exhaustion.
This blog post should have gone up on September 1st or 2nd. Right now, I should be writing the post for week 36. But there was packing and working and garage sale-ing and more packing and horse showing, and then driving and moving and unpacking and shopping and a new house and a new schedule and buses and a wedding and rain and friends and textbook-buying and basically just everything at once.
And all though that's all done, there is still homework and reading and classes and quidditch practice and cooking and cleaning and not even close to enough hours in the day for all of it. So, dear blog readers (and future self who is definitely going to look back on these) I hope you'll excuse me while I spend the next little while finding my feet.
Right now, I feel as though the tide has come up far sooner than expected, and the desolate expanse of soft sand I was walking on is suddenly several feet under water. Cold, salty, frothy water; waves that knock me over and pull me down. I know that I can swim; I even know that I like swimming. But I've had my feet swept out from under me and right now, I'm not too sure which way is up.
I'll do my best to post again tomorrow, and that should put me back on schedule. Maybe help me feel a little bit more stable as I get pulled along by this crazy current.
Just keep swimming, bloglings
This blog post should have gone up on September 1st or 2nd. Right now, I should be writing the post for week 36. But there was packing and working and garage sale-ing and more packing and horse showing, and then driving and moving and unpacking and shopping and a new house and a new schedule and buses and a wedding and rain and friends and textbook-buying and basically just everything at once.
And all though that's all done, there is still homework and reading and classes and quidditch practice and cooking and cleaning and not even close to enough hours in the day for all of it. So, dear blog readers (and future self who is definitely going to look back on these) I hope you'll excuse me while I spend the next little while finding my feet.
Right now, I feel as though the tide has come up far sooner than expected, and the desolate expanse of soft sand I was walking on is suddenly several feet under water. Cold, salty, frothy water; waves that knock me over and pull me down. I know that I can swim; I even know that I like swimming. But I've had my feet swept out from under me and right now, I'm not too sure which way is up.
I'll do my best to post again tomorrow, and that should put me back on schedule. Maybe help me feel a little bit more stable as I get pulled along by this crazy current.
Just keep swimming, bloglings
Monday, 26 August 2013
Week 34: Lists
I think it's a pretty safe bet that the past twelve months have held more stress for me than the preceding 18 and a half years combined. I mean, most of the posts on this blog were born out of some stressful situation or another. And while I'm a generally happy person, and don't feel that stress or anxiety is currently impacting my life in a big, significant way, it is something that is incorporated into my day-to-day thinking.
I could probably write thousands of words about the things that I think are behind my stress. I mean, really behind it. But once I've battled my way through a particularly rough patch, like just now, the only thing I want to do is sleep. So I'm going to talk a bit about how I cope with stress day-to-day, and then I'm gonna sleep. Because sleep fights stress. I think?
I'm not quite sure how I discovered it, but my go-to response when I notice I'm stressed is to make lists. Actually, I think this skill just sorta spontaneously evolved in symbiosis with my increasing stress levels. Which is pretty cool. I mean, websites and counsellors and those little booklets they give you at frosh orientation are all fine and good (and can be really really helpful) but it's great to know that my mind came up with a way to help itself.
Anyways, so yes. Lists. I think this started out as a mental checklist to help me fall asleep - a way of addressing all the stressful things in my life at the moment so that my brain might stop obsessing over them for five minutes and let me drift off.
But as stress became a more round-the-clock sorta thing, these lists turned into actual to-do lists. Or more like, to-worry-about lists. Some of the items are things I can do immediately, or tomorrow, and some of them I won't be able to do anything about for a few weeks - or forever. But either way, having them listed out is like installing a filing cabinet in my brain. Instead of a messy jumble of ideas and memories and reminders and worries, each of my stressors has its own place. This makes it easy to deal with each of them individually - divide and conquer!
Plus, the methodical process of finding pen, paper and a flat surface, and writing out entry after entry, is pretty soothing, and can really help me come down from the edge of a panic attack.
During the semester my desk is littered with sticky notes (that have usually lost their stick) telling me the things I should be thinking about. Each on their own line - each in their own time.
Ok that was corny as hell. I should probably apologize. And also go to bed.
But seriously. I'm not trying to suggest a way for others to deal with their stress here - although I wish I knew enough to do that, cause stress freaking sucks. I just wanted to take a sec to appreciate that I have a strategy that generally works kinda great. I think I'm pretty lucky.
Goodnight, bloglings
I could probably write thousands of words about the things that I think are behind my stress. I mean, really behind it. But once I've battled my way through a particularly rough patch, like just now, the only thing I want to do is sleep. So I'm going to talk a bit about how I cope with stress day-to-day, and then I'm gonna sleep. Because sleep fights stress. I think?
I'm not quite sure how I discovered it, but my go-to response when I notice I'm stressed is to make lists. Actually, I think this skill just sorta spontaneously evolved in symbiosis with my increasing stress levels. Which is pretty cool. I mean, websites and counsellors and those little booklets they give you at frosh orientation are all fine and good (and can be really really helpful) but it's great to know that my mind came up with a way to help itself.
Anyways, so yes. Lists. I think this started out as a mental checklist to help me fall asleep - a way of addressing all the stressful things in my life at the moment so that my brain might stop obsessing over them for five minutes and let me drift off.
But as stress became a more round-the-clock sorta thing, these lists turned into actual to-do lists. Or more like, to-worry-about lists. Some of the items are things I can do immediately, or tomorrow, and some of them I won't be able to do anything about for a few weeks - or forever. But either way, having them listed out is like installing a filing cabinet in my brain. Instead of a messy jumble of ideas and memories and reminders and worries, each of my stressors has its own place. This makes it easy to deal with each of them individually - divide and conquer!
Plus, the methodical process of finding pen, paper and a flat surface, and writing out entry after entry, is pretty soothing, and can really help me come down from the edge of a panic attack.
During the semester my desk is littered with sticky notes (that have usually lost their stick) telling me the things I should be thinking about. Each on their own line - each in their own time.
Ok that was corny as hell. I should probably apologize. And also go to bed.
But seriously. I'm not trying to suggest a way for others to deal with their stress here - although I wish I knew enough to do that, cause stress freaking sucks. I just wanted to take a sec to appreciate that I have a strategy that generally works kinda great. I think I'm pretty lucky.
Goodnight, bloglings
Sunday, 18 August 2013
Week 33: Boxes and Updates
Because I'm making a concentrated effort to get this blog back on schedule, I have neither the time nor the energy for anything profound tonight. Although, if you think hard enough about anything, there is probably something profound to be gleaned from it.
I'll leave that bit up to you.
In the last few hours, my childhood bedroom - and much of the surrounding house - has devolved into a swirling vortex of cardboard boxes and chaos. I guess I was not as prepared for the move back to school as I thought I was. But regardless of how much of a disaster it is .... tomorrow, we ride at dawn!
We being myself, my dad, and a minivan packed to the gills.
Luckily, this is only phase one. The plan this week is to move and assemble most of my furniture, and paint one of my new white walls a nice tumblr blue. Yes, I'm going to have a tumblr-esque accent wall in my bedroom. What? You've never abused the virtually-unlimited painting privileges bestowed by a well-meaning but oblivious landlord?
After a few days in my new house, I'll begrudgingly return to Privet Drive to finish up a few last shifts at work and pack up the rest of my things. And then, the countdown starts. As of Labour Day, I'll be living on my own - well not quite, but at least I'll be living with housemates who have seen every episode of Friends and use Harry Potter references in their everyday vocabulary.
Although this summer has been worlds away from last summer, in terms of, well, everything, I can't help but feel some familiar tugs at my heart while packing up.
The first time around, packing meant the end of an era, and knowing that nothing would be the same. It wasn't so much the fear of missing people and places as it was the fear of missing a time - a childhood summer is something that can never really be revisited.
This past week, the months of anticipation about getting back to Hogwarts, back to "my world", have started to give way to the suggestion of missing people and places here at home. Not a lot, definitely not a lot. A select few. (If I learned anything this year, it was that close friends are a quality-over-quantity sort of commodity).
And maybe it's living in a real house, paying rent and having a drivers licence, but I can't help but feel as though there is less and less tying me here. Honestly, I'm not sure I'll be spending another summer here. And that is both thrilling beyond belief and heart-wrenching to think about. Because while I have (almost totally) gotten over the romanticized teenage summer story, there are those few people, those places, that I just can't shake.
So, in summary: packing, moving, anticipating new and exciting things, and anticipating sad and heart-breaking things, but mostly being super freaking grateful that I have hella people to love (and people who love me) in a lot of places.
Goodnight, bloglings
I'll leave that bit up to you.
In the last few hours, my childhood bedroom - and much of the surrounding house - has devolved into a swirling vortex of cardboard boxes and chaos. I guess I was not as prepared for the move back to school as I thought I was. But regardless of how much of a disaster it is .... tomorrow, we ride at dawn!
We being myself, my dad, and a minivan packed to the gills.
Luckily, this is only phase one. The plan this week is to move and assemble most of my furniture, and paint one of my new white walls a nice tumblr blue. Yes, I'm going to have a tumblr-esque accent wall in my bedroom. What? You've never abused the virtually-unlimited painting privileges bestowed by a well-meaning but oblivious landlord?
After a few days in my new house, I'll begrudgingly return to Privet Drive to finish up a few last shifts at work and pack up the rest of my things. And then, the countdown starts. As of Labour Day, I'll be living on my own - well not quite, but at least I'll be living with housemates who have seen every episode of Friends and use Harry Potter references in their everyday vocabulary.
Although this summer has been worlds away from last summer, in terms of, well, everything, I can't help but feel some familiar tugs at my heart while packing up.
The first time around, packing meant the end of an era, and knowing that nothing would be the same. It wasn't so much the fear of missing people and places as it was the fear of missing a time - a childhood summer is something that can never really be revisited.
This past week, the months of anticipation about getting back to Hogwarts, back to "my world", have started to give way to the suggestion of missing people and places here at home. Not a lot, definitely not a lot. A select few. (If I learned anything this year, it was that close friends are a quality-over-quantity sort of commodity).
And maybe it's living in a real house, paying rent and having a drivers licence, but I can't help but feel as though there is less and less tying me here. Honestly, I'm not sure I'll be spending another summer here. And that is both thrilling beyond belief and heart-wrenching to think about. Because while I have (almost totally) gotten over the romanticized teenage summer story, there are those few people, those places, that I just can't shake.
So, in summary: packing, moving, anticipating new and exciting things, and anticipating sad and heart-breaking things, but mostly being super freaking grateful that I have hella people to love (and people who love me) in a lot of places.
Goodnight, bloglings
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