Song of the LIFETIME

Oh this is so how I feel as of late.

So my body hates American food...

Seriously.  Since I've been back I've had countless digestive upsets.  Oh how I miss Tesco and good English food!  I think it's all the corn and soy additives in things that are doing me in, possibly the high sugar content as well.  Either way, my body doesn't like it, and won't have it, thus I am forced back to the one diet I despised: Paleo....ish.  I'm not quite going full paleo, at least not right away.  I will be keeping beans and legumes.  I will also be keeping tapioca, and occasionally teff and quinoa.  Unfortunately I will be giving up all other grains once I've eaten what I've bought.  I will also be strictly avoiding highly processed foods for now.  If and when I decide to eat processed things again they must contain no more than 5 ingredients.  Oh joy.

Luckily for me, Paleo has gained some popularity since last I attempted it, so there should be a greater variety of recipes to choose from.  I know from experience I will feel a thousand times better, lose a healthy amount of weight, whittle my middle, and quite possibly end up incredibly bored with my food.  I sincerely hope that there are some decent new recipes to try.  I have found a few websites with some delicious-looking things though, so there is hope.  Luckily my mother's going to do the diet with me, and we'll do weekly rewards as we did last time. $10 per week...that's a movie ticket :)

Here are the rules of Paleo for those of you who are interested (from http://robbwolf.com/what-is-the-paleo-diet/):

What Is The Paleo Diet?

The Paleo diet is the healthiest way you can eat because it is the ONLY nutritional approach that works with your genetics to help you stay lean, strong and energetic! Research in biology, biochemistry, Ophthalmology, Dermatology and many other disciplines indicate it is our modern diet, full of refined foods, trans fats and sugar, that is at the root of degenerative diseases such as obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, depression and infertility. – Robb Wolf

Okay To Eat	Avoid
Fruits	Dairy
Vegetables	Grains
Lean Meats	Processed Food & Sugars
Seafood	Legumes
Nuts & Seeds	Starches
Healthy Fats	Alcohol

Building A Healthy Paleo Diet

Lean proteins

Lean proteins support strong muscles, healthy bones and optimal immune function. Protein also makes you feel satisfied between meals.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that have been shown to decrease the likelihood of developing a number of degenerative diseases including cancer, diabetes and neurological decline.

Healthy fats from nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, fish oil and grass-fed meat

Scientific research and epidemiological studies show that diets rich in Monounsaturated and Omega-3 fats dramatically reduce the instances of obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and cognitive decline.
Saturated fat has been demonized by our health authorities and media. What is the basis for this position on Saturated fat? Are current recommendations for VERY low saturated fat intake justified? How much saturated fat (and what types), if any should one eat? Without a historical and scientific perspective these questions can be nearly impossible to answer. In this paper Prof. Cordain looks at the amounts and types of saturated fats found in the ancestral diet:Saturated fat consumption in ancestral human diets: implications for contemporary intakes.
One of the greatest deviations away from our ancestral diet is the amounts and types of fat found in modern grain feed animals vs. the amounts and types of fats found in grass fed or wild meat, fowl and fish. What we observe is wild meat is remarkably lean, and has relatively low amounts of saturated fats, while supplying significant amounts of beneficial omega-3 fats such as EPA and DHA. In this paper Prof. Cordain and his team analyze the complete fatty acid profile from several species of wild deer and elk. The take home message is that free range meat is far healthier than conventional meat: Fatty acid analysis of wild ruminant tissues: Evolutionary implications for reducing diet-related chronic disease.

Image courtesy of The Food Lovers’ Primal Palate http://www.primal-palate.com

Health Benefits of a Paleo Diet

For most people the fact the Paleo diet delivers the best results is all they need. Improved blood lipids, weight loss, and reduced pain from autoimmunity is proof enough.  Many people however are not satisfied with blindly following any recommendations, be they nutrition or exercise related. Some folks like to know WHY they are doing something. Fortunately, the Paleo diet has stood not only the test of time, but also the rigors of scientific scrutiny.
With a very simple shift we not only remove the foods that are at odds with our health (grains, legumes, and dairy) but we also increase our intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Here is a great paper from Professor Loren Cordain exploring how to build a modern Paleo diet: The nutritional characteristics of a contemporary diet based upon Paleolithic food groups. This paper also offers significant insight as to the amounts and ratios of protein, carbohydrate and fat in the ancestral diet.


P.S. I will also be keeping wine, Barefoot's cheap again.

Here are some other helpful websites:
- NerdFitness
- ThePaleoDiet
-PaleOMG Recipes
- Elana's Pantry Recipes

What Is Christmas?

Love is Christmas - "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

God loves us, and Christmas is our happy reminder of the greatest gift.  The Greatest Gift God gives us is His love.  Therefore, the greatest gift we can give is Love, His Love.  Let's remember that this Christmas.  It's so easy to get caught up in traditions, gifts, and consumerism, but none of it matters.  Life is fleeting, this life will pass away, we shouldn't get so wrapped up in it that we forget what really matters.  

This Christmas I'm going to focus on the great time I get to spend with my family.  Having been separated from them for 3 months (whilst having the time of my life), I've realised just how important that time is.  I challenge you not to focus on gifts and traditions, but instead focus on the gift that is time.  

Resolved

 

I know it's a bit early for a new year's resolution, but I found this on Pinterest, so I'm going to fill it out now.

Bad Habit: Forgetting to Floss

New Skill: Archery

Person of Aspiration: Jennifer Lawrence

Good Deed: Donate my time

Place to Visit: California

Book to Read: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Letter to Write: The Captain, Georgia, the rest of my Canterbury family

New Food: Veggie Shakes

I'm going to do better at sticking to the goals I set for myself, and trying to be healthy

New Starts

Sometimes your "todays" are hard.  Today was hard.  Life isn't easy, no one ever said it would be.  Oh roller-coaster of emotions, why must you plague me thus!?  Today was ok actually, tonight has progressively gotten tougher.  I'm trying to keep the "life is what you make it" attitude.  Keeping with that spirit, life is all about choices.  In high school...or maybe middle school........a really long time ago, when I was yet in hell, the students who read the announcements would always end with the phrase "Make it a great day, or not, the choice is yours."  I hated that phrase, I thought it was the most condescending thing in the world (sometimes you just have feelings that you need to feel and they aren't happy, you can't force someone to be happy), but there actually is some truth in it.  I could let myself marinate in these not-so-nice feelings, or I could do something to change them.

Tomorrow is a new day, a new beginning, a fresh start.  Tomorrow can be different from today.  Tomorrow is also what I make it.  I can make it better than today.  I may not always be able to control how I feel, but I can control what I do, and sometimes what I do influences how I feel.  Today is over now, what happened happened.  Nothing I can do to change it now, but I can affect tomorrow.  Tomorrow is new.  Tomorrow will be kinder (I just love this song).


 Moving on is really hard, but it's not impossible.  Life goes on.  You can fall without failing.  Failure is part of life.  Life is what you make it.

What is LIFE?

It's what we make it.

Since I'm back in the States now, my adventures will probably be fewer and farther between so I'll probably go back to posting music and ranting about things (you love it).  I do fully intend to continue finding adventures in the States, my life has been way too exciting to quit cold turkey.  Today I'm going to play in the snow at some point, maybe walk 2 miles to the nearest coffee shop, who knows.  The possibilities are endless.

The truth of the matter is that you can't wait for adventures to happen, you have to make them happen.  Life is what you make it - it's in the living.  You can be alive and never lived.  Well, I've got a taste of what really living is like and I'm not inclined to let it go anytime soon.  I miss my friends, England, and the fun times we had there, but I'm not going to let missing those things consume my life.  I haven't lost anything, I've GAINED a lot - new friends, memories, experiences, attitudes, perspectives - things no one can take away or diminish.  I need to keep a positive perspective, as long as I do, life will go on.  I can continue to live no matter where I am.  It's going to be ok.

Being sad, and missing the UK is a normal part of studying abroad.  It's ok to feel those feelings.  If you have a lot of them, it's ok to go to a high school where you don't go and share them with others (although Tina Fey will probably ask you to leave).  It's not ok to let those feelings consume your life.  Your study abroad experience was an amazing part of your life, and while it's sad to leave, you also need to be thankful that you were ever able to go at all.  What a blessing!

Don't let longing for the joys of the past, prevent joy in your future.  Wanna know who said that?  Me, that's who.  Today is a gift, that's why it's called the "present."  That one I stole.  While I long for Canterbury, I'm going to force myself to get out of bed and relish in the joys of being home.

Joys of Being Home:

1. Family and friends
2. COFFEE
3. Dishwasher
4. Free washing of clothing in a machine that actually works
5. MY HORSE!!!
6. I don't have to do all my own cooking
7. American Peanut Butter is just as good as Tesco's
8. Baking supplies and things - KITCHENAID MIXER
9. Target
10. Comfy bed with super soft sheets
11. Television and American Netflix
12. Animal friends (Bella, Luther, and SPARX)
13. Real blankets
14. Closet full of clothes
15. ALL my BOOKS!!  So many options!
16. American plumbing that actually flushes - no more toilet roulette
17. SHOWERS and fluffy towels
18. The toilet paper never runs out
19. Half Price Books
20. Comfy couch and fireplace
21. Don't have to go outside or pay to workout
22. No more converters
23. No more need to convert prices to $ 
24. Relaxing, peaceful, night-time walks in the hood
25. Harry Potter marathon on FRIDAY!!!

There are good things about being home.  Think about these things too.

There and Back Again

Super original, I know.

Hello United States!!!  I'm BACK!!!  I've been back for 2 days now...I think...time is all wonky in my brain.  I've given and received lots of hugs, had a family "game" night, slept at weird intervals, and been ridiculously lazy.  I have absolutely no energy today, I don't recall jet-lag taking this long to wear off last time, what a sick joke!  Coming back to the States was a real dose of reverse culture shock, everything here is so different from England - I no longer get weird looks for my accent, although an American at the airport thought I was Irish (props!).  The actual journey home was a long and stressful one, but once I was with my family I ceased to care.  I got a nice long hug from my mom, and the world became a better place.

To recount my journey in the briefest, most objective manner, here is a list:

1. My phone lost most of its charge on the way to London - shut it off in London so I could call family upon landing.
2. Sarah W's ticket didn't have a seat - spent the whole flight wondering if she was on the plane.
3. Was seated in the center of the center aisle directly behind a screaming, unruly toddler.
4. My TV only played Despicable Me 2 and the new Disney Channel over and over and over.
5. The 2 people to my right were very nice fellow study abroad students, we had a nice chat (see, it wasn't all negative).
6. The plane arrived late - I had 1 hour to catch my connection.
7. I got selected for a customs interview, luckily I was crying by the time it was my turn so the guy took pity on me and only asked me a couple questions before sending me to collect my luggage.
8. I missed my connection which was the last flight home that day, the airline offered a flight for the next day, but wouldn't comp me a place to stay, I declined (Iberia will be hearing from me).
9. My AMAZINGLYWONDERFULFANTASTICALLYFABULOUS parents drove 4 hours to retrieve me.
10. I was at O'hare for 6 hours - I sat on my luggage, on a trolley, in the middle of the hall, next to the only outlet, charging my once-dead phone for 4 hours.
11. I let 3 people use my phone to call family in the US - they too had missed their connections.
12. I read my Bible for a bit.
13. I listened to music and people-watched.
14. I watched ER for an hour.
15. I was finally reunited with my parents around 10pm (4am according to my internal clock - I had been up for 21 hours).
16. We went to Giordano's in Naperville for dinner at 10:30pm - it was fabulous.
17. We drove home, I slipped in and out of consciousness.
18. We arrived home around 4am - I finally fell asleep in my comfortable cloud of a bed around 5am and slept until 10am.

The End.

Now I'm home, sitting in my kitchen, sipping American coffee (America really does run on Dunkin), writing this post, watching the episode of Grey's Anatomy that I watched the night before I left, fighting the urge to go back to bed...it's 1:17pm, but my computer says it's 7.17pm.  Being home is wonderfully weird.  It has been amazing to see people and feel like I belong again.  I am starting to miss England already though - it's too cold to go for a walk, and I can't get anywhere without a car.  I miss people too.  England was an amazing part of my life, I am a changed woman because of it (how sappy is that).  I think the biggest change has been the realisation that I am capable of being an adult.  I am responsible, and I can take care of myself (sometimes reluctantly).  It's an amazing feeling.

I think when I originally started writing this I intended for it to be really long, epic, and deep, but unfortunately my deep thoughts have passed out of my short-term memory without being stored in my long-term.  Doesn't look like there are going to be 3 films....darn.  Well, I think I'm back off to bed now.  

Oooo one thing I did find out today is that, were I still at CCCU next term I would have been able to write a 2500 word essay on Katniss Everdeen, discussing the character's qualities that define her as an action hero, what makes her different from other female action heroes, and the message such heroes send as role models for the world's youth.  Expect to see that paper here by March (possibly by January - we'll see how productive I feel like being).

Things to do this week:

1. GO TO THE BARN!!!!
2. Get together with friends.
3. Bake EVERYTHING!
4. Go to Target.
5. Start working off the English pounds.
6. Do laundry.
7. Enjoy not having a deadline for anything.
8. Go to a movie at a theater.
9. Mail things.
10. Get ready for CHRISTMAS.
11. Read a book for FUN.
12. Play in the snow - acclimate to the new environment.
13. Go the dentist (BOOOOO!!!!) :(
14. Drink a lot of coffee.
15. The ultimate HARRY POTTER marathon on FRIDAY!!!!

Up in the Air

(written on the plane, posted 2 days later)

I am currently on a plane bound for Chicago.  As we approach North American airspace I can’t help…not looking forward to going through customs (thought I was gonna get all mushy on ya again, didn’t ya?  Well you were right).  I am 3 ½ hours away from landing in my home country, a place that will probably seem a little foreign.   I’m not entirely sure when I will get to see my family due to some minor irritations that I will discuss in a moment, but I cannot wait.  If I don’t get to be in England anymore, then I want to be home.  It’s funny how your perspective changes due to the inability to change one’s circumstances.  A week ago I was ready to leave, and then I realised that leaving meant saying goodbye, and goodbyes are hard.  Luckily compartmentalisation is here to protect me.  Now that I have left England and am headed toward home, my brain is preventing me from focusing on the sadness, only the happiness to come.

Cheese fest over, let’s get real.

Today has been a very stressful day, and it’s not even halfway over.  Let’s recount the little misfortunes shall we?

1.       Getting dropped off at the wrong terminal after having stopped at the correct terminal, and having to find our own way back.

2.       Paying $100 for checking a second bag.

3.       Finding out that not only is my phone misbehaving again (it was doing so well), but that it also refuses to recognise thecharger.

4.       Finding out that Sarah W’s boarding pass didn’t have an assigned seat meaning that there might not be space for her on the plane – I currently don’t know if she made it, and have no way of contacting her.

5.       Having to sit in the very middle of the middle row.

6.       Having to listen to the screaming, squirmy toddler, seated directly in front of my.

7.       Finding out that my connecting flight to Des Moines leaves an hour and fifteen minutes after my current flight arrives.

8.       Realising that I’ll have to collect my luggage, clear customs, recheck my bags, and reclear security in a half hour.

9.       Realising that if my phone is dead, I can’t call home – I sent my family a quick email, but I have no way of contacting them again until we land.

10.   Not knowing if or when I will be able to get home today.

I’m beginning to panic now.  I know God is good, everything happens for a reason, and everything will eventually be fine, but right now it’s not fine, I’m not fine. 

Only hopes:

1.       Informing customs that I’m might miss the only connecting flight to will help speed up the process…maybe throw in some tears (probably won’t have a choice).

2.       My connecting flight will be delayed so I can make it.

3.       There will be a direct flight to Cedar Rapids I can make, and it will be completely comped since it’s American Airlines’ fault for changing my connecting flight.

4.       That my phone will magically charge and be ok.

Full Circle

Today was my last day in Canterbury.  I am determined to return to England, but I don't know when, or to where (probably Devon).  I hate uncertain situations, and I'm not fond of the unknown.  Basically, life is hard.  I have surprised myself with how incredibly hard this week has been emotionally.  I thought I was so ready to go home, then today hit, I had to say some difficult goodbyes, and suddenly I'm not ready to leave.  Canterbury has changed my life.  I am a different person thanks to this experience, and it's really hard to leave a place that has made such an impact on your life.  I am so INCREDIBLY thankful for all of my new friends, and all of the adventures we've had.  I anticipate many more to come (foreign and domestic).  However, for now it's back to the States, back to the real world.  Oy vey, it's gonna be a weird day!

It seems so unreal to be going home.  I imagine I won't really feel like I'm home until I see my family.  It's a truly indescribable feeling.  It doesn't feel possible to be going home (if that makes any sense).  Anyway, enough with the emotional stuff, let's see how far I've come.

On my first day here I was terrified, lost, out of my comfort zone, and homesick.  Honestly, my first thought after seeing my room was "There's no way I can survive 3 months here."  Then I unpacked and forced myself to get on with life - I didn't have a choice.  I slowly settled into life here, making lots of new friends along the way.  I became more adventurous and outgoing as the occasion called for it, and really had the time of my life.  Now I can't really remember not thinking of my room as a type of home.  I don't remember the desperate feeling of being trapped somewhere unfamiliar.  The feeling now is so much different because the comfort zone has become unknown.  I feel accomplished and empowered, like I could do anything (except go into space, I saw Gravity, nooooo thank you!).  Now I'm going back to the place where everything was known and I don't know how I'm going to react.  I'm different, but it's the same...and we're back to the weird emotional bits...moving right along.

Let's talk favourites:

1. Favourite country = Ireland
2. Favourite food that I made = Lamb Stew
3. Favourite food that I bought = Fajita Chicken in Wales at the King's Head Pub
4. Favourite moment of empowerment = navigating my way to Ireland on my own
5. Favourite non-American moment = speaking Spanish with my Spanish teacher and Romanian classmate for 2 hours straight on the first day of class
6. Favourite thing I acquired = my boots, they've been EVERYWHERE with me
7. Favourite place in Canterbury = Oscar and Bentley's GF Restaurant, or the first floor of Starbucks...nope, scratch both of those, Georgia (and company)'s House
8. Favourite Skill that I'm bringing home = my Irish accent
9. Favourite alcoholic beverage = Bailey's Hot Chocolate (which should surprise NO ONE)
10. Favourite change = my newly encountered sense of empowerment/independence - I am a responsible adult who is capable of caring for herself (but she would rather not have to for a while)

I would not change my study abroad experience for the world.  Both the good parts and the struggles helped me to learn, grow, and change.  I am a different and better person today because of them.  I would HIGHLY recommend that every student who is able, study abroad during their University experience, it is truly (guess the word....) LIFE-CHANGING!  It opens your eyes to different aspects of the world, and helps you see your own culture through the eyes of another.

Now I'm going to go enjoy my last night in Canterbury singing Karaoke at a Pub!  

Here is a song that I bought just before I left to help me cope with being separated from my family.  I'm posting it now, because I am once again about to be separated from my family.  My lovely friends, you are my study-abroad family, I wouldn't have made it through with out you, and I definitely would have had nearly as much fun!  I love you all!

Song of the Week

"We won't say our goodbyes, you know it's better that way.  We won't break, we won't die, it's just a moment of change."

Why I'm NOT Excited to Leave England

In spite of all of the little issues I have with this country (dodgy plumbing, pedestrians don't have the right of way, lack of applesauce, etc), I'm REALLY going to miss it.  Here's what I'll miss the most:

1. My AMAZING new friends (not the girl in the front, she doesn't even go here):










2. Easy access to Europe and ADVENTURE
























3. Walking everywhere like a boss


4. Public transportation!






5. Pubs


6. Christmas Markets


7. The vernacular


8. The birds, especially the Nightingales (definitely not the seagulls though)


9. Brothers Cider


10. The sense of empowerment one experiences when forced out of one's comfort zone



While I may be ready and excited to go home, I'm really sad about leaving.  The thought actually keeps me up at night, because I don't know when I'll be coming back.  I make this face:

(I'm obsessed, so sue me).

I'm really trying to focus on the happy thoughts and things I'm looking forward to about going home, because if I think too hard on what leaving actually means, I'll probably make this face:


It's like when we first got here and I refused to think about home, because I knew it would wreck my emotions.  They're two separate worlds that can't cross over in my mind elsewise:
(to continue our theme)



I'm sure about 2 weeks after I get home I'll be making this face:

Why I'm Excited to Return Home

1. This is socially acceptable


2. RIDING - the essential piece of my soul that's been missing for 3 months



3. I miss these peeps


and I'm tired of making this face when I think about them


4. The place with affordable food, clothes, and entertainment


5. Barefoot is affordable


6. I'm tired of cooking for myself all the time


7. So I can run at night, alone, anywhere


8. SHOWERSSSSS!!!


9. For when I do want to cook (it's all there already):


10. American Netflix

Song of the Day

Because I need to get over myself:

There Again

It's official, my box of craps is empty.  I have none left to give about school.  Good thing I'm done writing papers.  Tonight I'm in a funk again.

It's everything and nothing, all the things and none of them.  I want to leave, and I'm afraid to leave.  The known has become unknown.  I don't like the unknown.  I'm scared the familiar won't recognise me.  I'm full of unknowable stress, and I'm so tired.

I've been reading old blog posts, and I seem to have come full-circle.  There was a night early on in my adventure here where I had a similar mental breakdown for some unplaceable reason (probably stemming from homesickness and being overwhelmed by newness).  Well I'm there again.  I just want to curl up in a ball and not move til it's time to head to the airport...

Then I went to bed....

....and got up early this morning....

......went for a run.......

...tried to study........

.........cut that out.............

....decided today is a good day to bake.......

...and here I am again.  I'm in such a weird mood, I feel like I could easily burst into tears at any moment if I'm allowed to think for too long.  I really am sad to leave England, but I am SO ready to be with my family again.  It doesn't even feel like Christmas yet - it's 57 degrees and sunny, it feels like Spring.  I just want to forget everything else and enjoy the season...the Christmas one.  Unfortunately for me my last final won't end til 7pm...tomorrow.  Here is how I feel about that:



The face, not the getting naked part.  P.S. That scene is why books aren't superior in all aspects to films.

I'm so over it, which is not the best state of mind to have before finals...oh well.  I will get through tomorrow and enjoy my last day in Canterbury.

The End is Nigh

I am 98 hours (and a plane ride) away from home.  This thought both elates and terrifies me.  Some of you might find this hard to believe, knowing how homesick I've been, but now that it's time to say goodbye I find myself hesitant.  Coming to England has been a lifelong dream, and I've lived it, now I have to go back to the way things were.  It won't be the same though because I'm not the same.  I'm excited to put the new me into my old environment and see what I do.  This trip has changed my life, I've grown up so much over the past three months - it's crazy what 1/4 of a year will do to a person.

Things I've Learned About Myself:
Growth:

1. I can be social, I just chose not to most of the time.
2. I'm capable of taking care of myself
3. I'm capable to traveling internationally, alone
4. I'm capable of being a leader
5. I drink responsibly
6. I can be organised when the time calls for it
7. I am capable of meal-planning, budgeting, and shopping for myself
8. I can control my impulse-buying (except when books are involved)
9. I am a good listener
10. I am a good friend

Things to work on:

1. Asking for what I need
2. Voicing my opinion
3. Confrontation
4. Not comparing myself to others
5. Vulnerability - I'm ok with it for a while, then I get tired of myself and shut it down; I'm scared of my own emotions
6. Putting God first in EVERYTHING
7. Trust
8. Confidence
9. Playing nice with others
10. Not running away

Things I love:

1. Getting to know people on a deeper level, and being known
2. Midnight walks and runs
3. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
4. When others take the time to get to know me
5. Little acts of service
6. Baking/cooking for others
7. Bailey's Hot Chocolate
8. Learning about myself
9. Alone time - I love people, but sometimes I just need to be on my own
10. Being allowed to be me

Things that bug:

1. Double-standards
2. Being told how I feel
3. Being made to feel inferior (I do it to myself all the time, but apparently I'm the only one who's allowed)
4. Being told to just shrug something off
5. Discourtesy 
6. Being confined
7. Passive-aggressive comments
8. Being deprived of horses
9. Assumptions
10. Having your entire grade dependent on 1 or 2 assignments

These three months have been a huge blessing on my life, I wouldn't trade them for the world.  Not all of the decisions I've made here have been the "right" ones, but I've learned and grown from each and every one of them.  I'd like to thank everyone who was part of getting me here, especially my family and friends for all of their love and support.  I'd also like to thank all of the friends I've made here for making me feel welcome and loved.  I didn't know it was possible to develop such deep, and meaningful friendships in such a short amount of time; I am TRULY thankful for each and every one of you!

This is not an Oscar's acceptance speech so I'm going to stop before it gets too long and maybe do something productive....pffff who are we kidding, I was productive yesterday ;)

The Best Part of Wakin' Up

Used to be a mixture of Dunkin' and Folgers in my cup, but I haven't had that in nearly 3 months.  That sentence has nothing to do with this post.

Today I woke up a bit on the grumpy side.  It was noisy when I went to sleep, and similar noises awoke me.  When noises steal my sleep, I tend to be a bit peeved.  I know I probably don't have any right to be peeved so I tend to hide from people until all the nasty comments are out of my brain.  This morning I turned my mood around by watching this video, and now the world is a happier place.

Things I would rather be doing...

PROCRASTINATING!!!  Just kidding, this is what us savvy kids call a "study break."  I'm taking a break from writing by writing about something else, I'm a smart cookie.  Without further ado, here is a list of things I would rather do than continue to write papers/study for finals:

1. Write about something that actually interests me
2. Watch a foreign film without subtitles
3. Suffer a 2 hour train ride in a coach full of naughty children
4. Listen to Rebecca Black
5. Eat gluten
6. Watch all of the Harry Potter films consecutively
7. Have a deep conversation about the concept of weakness
8. Cry about everything and nothing
9. Walk to Whitstable in the dark
10. Eat a kilo of rice
11. Clean my room
12. Pack my bags
13. Go for a really long run
14. Discover a quiet place in the woods
15. Buy a new pair of boots and spend hours trying to figure out how to get them home
16. Eat a whole tube of Cookie Dough
17. Bake a cookie cake, watch others eat it
18. Read all of the Canterbury Tales (as long as I don't have to write about them)
19. Field incoming calls at a desk job for 8 hours
20. Drive home in rush-hour traffic
21. Bailey's Hot Chocolate
22. Have a conversation with one of the "Real Housewives of Vancouver" (who have destroyed my faith in humanity)
23. Watch The Hunger Games....again
24. Have a dance party
25. Get Hurricane Drunk

10 Things You May or May Not Know About Me

Depending on how well you know me, here are some things you may not know.  Here is the most extensive list of 10 things you may ever read.

10 Favourite Films:

1. The Mummy
2. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
3. Push
4. Pitch Perfect
5. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
6. Funny Girl
7. Seabiscuit
8. End of Watch
9. Children of Men
10. Mean Girls

Some of those may have just been the first ones to come to mind, but I do truly love watching each and every one of those films.

10 Favourite Books:

1. The BIBLE
2. The Other Boleyn Girl
3. Seabiscuit
4. The Hunger Games Trilogy
5. Memoirs of a Geisha
6. Black Beauty
7. Lassie Come Home
8. Harry Potter (ALL OF THEM)
9. Where the Red Fern Grows
10. The Last Sin Eater

10 Favourite Pass-times:

1. Getting lost in a book
2. Watching an entire series on Netflix
3. Watching The Hunger Games with John
4. Finding and trying new recipes
5. Having deep conversations with friends
6. Finding new music
7. Typing random things on this blog
8. Learning random, often useless, facts
9. Singing
10. Walking a dog

10 Favourite One-word Activities:

1. Riding
2. Running
3. Baking
4. Exploring
5. Learning
6. Sharing
7. Writing
8. Giving
9. Receiving
10. Listening

10 Fears (in no particular order):

1. Being alone
2. The unknown
3. Being hated
4. Spiders and other icky bugs
5. Failure 
6. Small, confined spaces
7. Helplessness
8. Regrets
9. Hurting others
10. Being a disappointment

10 Futures:

1. Equine Therapist for At-risk Youth and/or Inmates (this one is complicated)
2. Actress
3. Personal Trainer
4. Paramedic
5. FBI Agent (shutting down human trafficking)
6. Teacher
7. Doctor
8. Baker/Owner (or part-owner) of my own Bakery/Bistro
9. Nutritionist
10. Internationl/study-abroad Coordinator

That's all I feel like writing today, at least on this subject.

Childhood Television Show Names Rewritten

See if you can figure out what they are:

1. Clown Gypsies
2. Schizophrenic Bear Lives Alone
3. Bears on Speed
4. Baby Cardboard Tardis
5. Muddy Paw-prints Deface House
6. Football Head
7. Cardigan Man
8. Acid Trip with Books
9. Why Does an Aardvark Have a Pet Puppy?
10. Cub Goes Fishing
11. Playtime Shenanigans in Public School
12. Appropriate Relationships When a Fellow is Introduced to the Universe
13. Enemies United by a Common Abdomen
14. Chipmunks.
15. The Big Bang Theory: Origins
16. 3 Hormonal Girls and 3 Clueless Men Navigate Life
17. Blond Narcissist on Steroids
18. Little Girls Save the World
19. Little French Orphan Raised by Nuns
20. Teacher Takes Students on Acid Trip Daily - Hypochondriac Objects
21. Animal Family Named after Popular Sandwich
22. Sassy Cat Gives Bad Life Advice
23. Nautical Planets (with only one black girl) - Kaitlyn's pick
24. Over-abundantly Intelligent Little Feller
25. Eccentric Father and Family Travel Throught the Jungle, Ginger Child Talks to Animal (because she doesn't have a soul)