Going Home

I love going home. I love living in rez too. Just sometimes it's nice to go home, for oh so many reasons. Because it's home, because I can where pajamas and eat breakfast, cause my mom and dad and brother are there. Because it's cozy. And often I like going home because it's a huge reminder that there is a world outside. As a student I find I can get lost in student life. In studying endlessly, trying to jam in parties, trying to enjoy my friends and all the drama that goes along with that.

When I go home I find it easier to remember that the next quiz will not make or break my entire life. I can remember that the latest drama doesn't matter. And my job is simple, I mean it's hard to do, but there isn't much I take home with me, outside of hilarious stories of stupidty, kindness and rudeness. I love my life here, but I'm glad I can get a reality check every other weekend.

In other news I have a pedometer! It's a little gizmo that counts my steps. U of T is having this pedometer challenge, so for a $12 deposit you can count your steps. Our don started a step challenge on our floor and many people have gotten into it. Last night I broke 20,000 steps (before I was around 12,000). I think Angus and I's trip down yonge street was what put me over the edge. Today has been a low step day, around 1,200 right now. I think work will be insane though, I'll probably reach, roughly, a million. Yup I'd say a million is a damn accurate estimate.

weekend review

My weekend was fantastic. oh the goodness was extreme.

On friday there was a halloween party on campus. It was packed as usual, so packed I had to sneak in the side entrance with a group of my friends because no one was being allowed in. This meant that I did not have a hand stamp, so I couldn't leave all night. So has friends came and left I changed who I was haning out with. It was a lot of fun, I went as a ballet dancer.

Saturday I had a wonderful evening out wtih Alex, Jon and Angus. We took a little tour around Indigo where I fell in love with some books. We went to Amato's Pizza where I had a delicious slice of pizza goodness. Then we saw Mirrormask which was a very well done movie. Excellent plot with mindblowing special effects. Afterwards we ingested crepes which are the most delcious food source imaginable. We then hit up The Rex, a jazz bar. I was suitably impressed. A very adventourous evening with some great people.

Sunday night rocked, altoough I can't remember why.

Oh Shashi, I called your house by accident the other day, I meant to call my friend Stef, you are alphabetically simmilar.

Midtermtastic

My life is currently filled with the joy that is midterms. Three this week (two on Wed, one on Thurs). What is glorious is that after they are done I will be free for over a week. I plan to get a lot of studying done and work on other projects. I also intend to see a few of my non school friends.

This Saturday I am rocking out with Alex and Jon. We are going to eat some food and see a movie, what kind of food/movie I don't know. I presume it will be artsy and intelligent (the movie, I prefer not to eat things that still sentinent). The food will of course be delicious, unless it's asian cusine, not that there is anything wrong with asian, I just happen to not enjoy it. I'm more of a pasta, pizza, meat person..... but not all at the same time... that's just excessive.

Next Wednesday may bring a visit with ye olde Mike K. He may be busy though, at which point I will veg like there is no tomorrow.

Thursday is Angus time. We will take back Poland, and perhaps eat something.

I have still not decided on plans for this Friday, I have a few options, all involve costumes.

It would appear that I actually have a life, despite the scaryness of midterms.
Study time!

oh the weekend

I got, I think, a lot accomplished this weekend. A lot of work got done and some fun was had.

I just finished decorating two doors, we have two birthdays on the floor tomorrow, so us birthday ninjas were out with our tissue paper and streamers. I have to spend a portion of tomorrow getting people to sign the card, which means sitting in the common room, which means me not studying. On the upside everyone loves getting a card filled with signatures.

My room is currently an advertisement for febreeze. I sort of went a little febreeze crazy. Here is a list of things I febreezed:

1. My floor.
2. my curtains
3. My bed
4. My purse (who does that?)
5. My backpack
6. My gym bag thingy (this bag that Michael gave me)

All of this stuff sits in the same little room, my life is very febreezy.

I have been instructed that I owe Alex an evening out, perhaps something involving crepes or alchoal. I belive we should combine the two, and do so soon. Perhaps I should actually talk to Alex about this, instead of randomly blogging about it. Have I mentioned that I think Alex is the greatest?

I should sleep now, but I think I'm going to play a little chuzzle first.

Morning after

OK so that last post was hilarious.

I ended up finishing 6 or 7 shots. Those shots did not stay with me the whole night though.

We ended up going out to a bar afterwards. A lot of crazyness happened, including a soap dispenser explosion.

We started missplacing people, which was bad, but by the end of the night we figured out that we all got home safely.

I believe I called Mike K at some point last night, that strikes me as an odd thing to do.

I have lots of work to do this weekend, well just a lot of studying and two assignments to do.

I'm heading to Stratford tonight at 4:30~ Yay! Jo and I are going to a play... yay team.

ok study time!

posty goodness

I am 5 shots into celbrating my friends' brithday. I refust to fix any speeling errors for I thinhk they will be funnier later. Pk O neeed to nap right tnow. but wh'ere supposed to go out. Damn! Ok back to party before anytone gets worriesd about me! ay parety!

Another Walksafe post

I am currently walksafing. No walks yet tonight. I have managed to do my readings for tomorrow morning's class, and clean out my email.

My weekend was phenomenal. Friday I got a surprising amount done, that was due in large part to Angus' patience.

Dinner was delicious. I think I am addicted to chocolate martini's though. I love eating at the restaurant Angus and I went to, the atmosphere is amazing and the food is delicious. Janet it was the same place you and I went to when you came for a visit.

Jon Stewart was so good. He was on for an hour and a half! Non stop stand up comedy. He wasn't wearing a suit though which threw me for a minute. He also swears more than I expected, it wasn't offensive just noticeable. Like watching Shawshank redemption on CityTV and then watching the real movie and seeing how much they swear in the un bleeped version.

Saturday work was great, our store cat keeps sneaking inside now because it's cold. She's taken to biting people who put her outside, luckily I never take her outside (because I can't leave my desk) so she still likes me.
For Saturday dinner Mikey and I hit up Harvey's! Always fun to eat dinner with Mikey, catch up and hear what's new.
Saturday night I had a wonderful evening with Jon, Randeep and Angus. Angus was gracious enough to let me eat half his waffle, he probably thougt it was less, but I so ate half of it.

Sunday night I spent with family. Michael and I watched our old favourite Extreme Home Makeover. I love that show. I went to bed at like 10 because I was exhausted from the combo of late nights and early mornings.

This Friday Jocelyn and I will be attending a play in Stratford! I have never been. The play is called "Into to Woods", I loved it when I saw it in Aurora so I think it will be super cool at Stratford.

I will sadly have to miss Oliver Sacks talk at U of T because I will be home to work. He wrote the book "The man who mistook his wife for a hat", on visual agnosia. I think I will read it next summer.

Oh! I am currently reading Freakonomics. This book is amazing, very interesting. I highly recommend it to anyone (shout outs (ha!) to Angus for lending and recommending this book to me).

C'est fini!

Sunday Night

I had an excellent weekend.

Friday was Funk and Soul, the annual party of 70's funk fashion. It's drinking and dancing at our college bars, good times to the tune of 'love train' and 'dancing queen'. I discovered that a shot of malibu rum, mixed with the apple sauce that comes in the little plastic containers is very delicious. And confusing when you wake up in the morning and can't figure out how you dirtied that spoon.
There is popcorn all over my florr cause a bunch of drunk people were eating popcorn in my room. It's perfectly fine because I had to vaccuum anyway, and now when I vacuum I will feel like I accomplished something.

Saturday night I was supposed to have gone out with Jon and Alex. Due to some crazy mixups I ended up not seeing them. Instead my parents invited me to see the show they were seeing on campus; Corner Gas Live. It was fantastic. Great standup and cast interviews. So hilarious. Then desert, hmmmmmm chocolate cake (we had swiss challet for dinner!) . Heading back to my rez we ran into my cousin who lives here and my cousin who lives in Montreal (she was visiting her sister). My plans to get to bed before 2:00 (for the first time in days) went out the window. It was around 2 when I got to sleep.

Today Angus Came down for a shopping trip. That Angus is a very patient man. I came home with a fabulous pink tank top, a black wrap around sweater and perhaps the greatest red tank top thingy of all time.

All of this was intersperced with studying for my perception test tomorrow.

This week will include a glorius visit from Mike on Wednesday!!!!! Oh and Pilates starts on Thursday! And something else... something else.... now what could it be?


Jon Stewart!!!!!!!!!!

I am beyond exited

blah

It's only like the fourth week (or something) and I am tired of being here. Maybe that's the trouble with moving into the same place you just lived in, it just feels like a continuation. The monotony of everything is getting to me... classess, homework and the meals! Oh my how I hate the meals. Why did I have to be born so picky?? Why must I hate corn and peas and potatoes (unless they're in chip or french fry form)??? Why don't I like fish? Or pork? I'm really tired of going to sleep hungry. I pay approximately $9 a meal, I should not leave unsatisfied!

Maybe it's just because I haven't been getting enough sleep lately and that's made me grumpy, whatever it is I am tired of being unpleasant to be around.

Shashi, one of the main functions of walksafe is to walk people back from class. We're there to make sure people feel safe in their everyday life.

There is a party tonight, I will be attending and I will hopefully be having a good time. I guess that is all for now.

WalkSafing

I am currently walksafing. I have realized that perhaps I have never explained what goes on.

My shift starts at 7:00 on Tuesday nights. We start at the U of T campus police department. From there we get put into teams of two (each team always has at least one girl). We get coats and windbreakers. We get told of any walks that were prearranged for the night then we set out. We basically walk around campus for five hours (shift ends at midnight). We wander around doing 'building checks' and letting the police know where we are every half hour. If a call comes in to request a walk dispatch dispatches one of the teams and we walk them to where they need to go.

Tonight's building checks have consited of:
Syd Smith: Where I read the latest issue of our campus newspaper.
Gerstein Library: Where I checked my email and my walk partner got movie reviews for the movie he wants to see on Sat.
Pita Pit: Ok technically this was while we were on break, but pita pit was damn safe while we were there. I did get to find out that I don't like onions.
Hart House: Where I read this month's issue of Time Magazine. Does Time actually claim to be a hard hitting news magazine? Cause it's not.
WoodsWoorth residence: Where I fell asleep by accident on the common room couch.
Robarts Library: Where I am currently blogging.

I know this sounds like crap but we are doing an actual job. We keep our eyes open for suspicious stuff, for example last week one of the walksafers broke up a fight. And we also act as a walking billboard for the walksafer service. We also provide directions for people... that's right, I'm out giving directions to people, and they're actually good directions.

In other news, I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but Angus and I are heading to Jon Stewart on October 7th. He's doing stand up at Massey Hall. The event, I can only assume, will be the pinnacle of my life.

insert witty title here

I am off to my physilogical psych class. It's all about the workings of the brains, axons and dendrites and the like. After that is yoga. Yoga is quite relaxing but then all my muscles are pulled. Then dinner, then walksafe. I'm not sure if I can keep doing yoga all year, because it means that from about 1:40-midnight I'm not getting any homework done on Tuesdays. I have a wednesday morning class that I don't think I'll be able to do the readings for. Meh, I'll just see if it works out and stop going if I have to.

I finished an assignment for tomorrow's soc of language class. It's supposed to be about a moment where the intracacies of language touched my soul. I wrote about doing crosswords puzzles with Janet in physics class.

Rez life continues to be interesting. It seems we have picked up where we left off last year, with secrets and the telling of those secrets. And of course there are old animosities that are still floating around. I appear to have been flagged as neutral ground, so I get info. from all sides. I have no desire to tell these secrets because the shit is disturbed enough around here.

I still can't decide if I can do this literacy program thing (where I help adults learn to read). I'm not sure I will have enough time for everything.

bah, I have to get to class.

exhausted

Today seemed like a very long day. I was up till 4 last night just chatting with a girl who lives on my floor. I was very tired today, and grumpy. So I avoided most public involvement. I am off to bed now. so sleepy.

Sleepy

I am so sleepy. Yet I am blogging.

Things have been going great. Classes are good. Walksafe is amazing! Did I mention I signed up for pilates? So exciting. It starts in October.

So much news, yet so sleepy. Just know that I am alive and quite happy.

Walk Safe!

I walksafed! It was great. We had one call. We walked her good. I get a police notebook, and a radio, and a blue jacket, and id! And I met a lot of cops. And it was cool. We walked a girl across campus. My partner's name was Vlad. He was quite nice. He is also in crim.

A very exciting night. Now my legs hurt so much.

Good night!

First Class Done

The staff party was fantasic. There was dancing and drinking. The best part was the dancing. Who knew I would love dancing?

Last night I had Perception (psychology). It went for the full three hours, and apparently it always will. It was quite interesting, most of class was spent debunking Naive Realism. The last hour really dragged because we were talking about refraction and lenses and a whole bunch of other angle related crap.

Soon I am off to Physiol. Psy. I don't even remember what Physiol is a short form for. It's also three hours.

Tonight I WalkSafe!!! I will be in charge of the safety and securtity of someone. I'm really excited, although I have no idea what it's going to be like.

I'm also hoping to do this literacy program thingy with the libraries. Where I help someone learn to read. Then maybe a class at the University Gym.

Anyway, I am off, to learn, to grow, to nap.

Frosh week update

OK so frosh week not as scary as expected. Actually it's been quite good.

I'm a little sniffly right now with a cold, or maybe alergies. But the headache I have seems to be cold related.

I'm working on redecorating my room. I covered my bulletin board with cool wrapping paper so now it's all artsy and fun.

Anybody else have any room decorating ideas? I hope to hit poster sales next week, but I want something big and colorful.

I've reunited with a lot of old friends. I've gone out a few times. Oh! White Russians and Black Russians (they are drinks). They are most delicious! White Russians are just chocolate milk. That's it. So delicious.

Tomorrow is a staff party. In honour of someone I don't really like. But on the upside I like everyone else, and everyone else will be there so... PARTY!.

moving in

I thrive on comfort and routine. Big chunks of undefined time are frightening to me. I know this does not make sense, because a couple months from now, when everything is running at full steam, I will be begging for some extended free time. But right now Frosh week looms at me terrifylingly empty. It's causing a free floating anxiety. I move in tomorrow and am quite nervous.

My anxiety sort of multiplies on itself because I focus on it and that makes everything worse.

Logic dictates that things will go well. And even if they don't go well, they won't be awful.

OK so the plan is to focus on not freaking out.

Dollar Store Fun

My nice analog watch broke (so I'm back to digital) so I went to Winners to see if they had any watches. I wandered the whole store to see if there were any watches and I couldn't find any. I asked one of the counter staff if they had watches and she said; "Sometimes...". Me: "Um..... is now one of those times?" "I don't think so."

So no watches at Winners so no watch for me today.

I went to the Dollar store today and discovered lots of helpful stuff. I picked up a new glass in which to hold my toothbrush, two sets of double picture frames and three roles of wrapping paper for a project I'm starting. All of this was quite exciting. The only downside was that I had rode my bike to this shopping spree and then had to figure out a way to ride home with it all.

Anyway very succesful.

WalkSafe

I'm hoping to be a WalkSafe member this year. Basically I would walk people home and stuff. The WalkSafe guy doesn't come back until September 1st so then hopefully I will have an interview. I now have little post it notes all over my desktop that say WalkSafe! It looks like I'm trying to remind myself to be careful while walking.

I want to be very involved this year so hopefully I will be accepted for the walksafe position. I think I will also join a club on top of that.

On a side note, if any of you enjoy Dean Koontz please read his book Odd Thomas. The book is phenomenal.

I complain nnnnnow

So I am about to complain, for all those of you who don't want to read about me complaining you can skip this entry.

Mostly I'm just trying to sort stuff out and I figure writing it out might help.

I seem not to have enough time next week. I have promised a few people that I will see them and I don't know when to fit it all in. I'm also going away with my parents for two days. Plus work. I also have to fit in an interview for WalkSafe at school. Which means going all the way to school and back. All on a day I will probably have to work.

So to sum up I am frustrated.