Saying Goodbye

Today is the last day I will be with my favorite section at Red River College.

I've spent four years at the University of Winnipeg before coming to Red River College.  My time at the UofW was of great value education wise, social wise...not so much.

I've always been told that University is the best time of your life, where you meet your life long friends.  This was not the case for me.  At the UofW it was hard to meet people.  Even though I sometimes had similar classes with students, the whole 'hanging out' aspect never took place.

I was ok with this, as I would hang out with my high school friends, and was ok with not making new ones.  Over the years, and going to different University's, finding time to get together, even to just catch up, became increasingly difficult.

Coming to Red River this year, I've had a completely different experience.  I've enjoyed my time spent with my fellow section 3 CreCommers.  We have become a bit of a family.  We have movie nights and the Kings Head on Fridays.  Spending time with this group has been nothing short of amazing.

I'm really sad to have to say goodbye to this group.  Being with this group has changed me as a person and for the better.  We may be split up next term but we will always have section 3.

Holiday Moments

I was asked today by my CreComm friend Kristen, "What is my favorite thing about Christmas?"

At first, I didn't have an answer.  After working six years in retail, Christmas has lost some of its joy.  As I thought more about it, I realized that there is one thing the I really enjoy about the Christmas holidays, and no it's not the presents.

I really enjoy baking Christmas cookies with my mom.

My mom's Christmas cookies go all out.  It's been a few years since I've actually had the time to help my mom with her baking.  This year, since I'm not working this holiday season, I'm able to help my mom.

I couldn't be more excited.  My mom really goes all out when it comes to decorating the cookies.  It's like a work of art to be honest.  After the cookies; the gingerbread men/woman and reindeer, the imperial cookies, and the shortbread cut-outs, have finished cooling, and all the burnt cookies have been eaten, my mom gets to work.

She sits at the kitchen table with coloured icing, sprinkles, toothpicks, and icing sugar for glue, and gets to work.  It's amazing what she creates.  The gingerbread men/woman look like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Santa Claus.  The reindeer are given collars and sparkles.  The imperial cookies are covered in icing and made to look like wreaths.  The shortbread cut-outs look just as amazing.

My mom really goes over and beyond when it comes to decorating her Christmas cookies, but it makes her happy.  I'm happy that this year I can help her.  I may not be the best at decorating the cookies as she is, but I'm looking forward to sharing this holiday moment with her. 

Even Girls Get Friend Zoned

It's true, girls can get friend zoned too, and let me tell you, it's not fun at all.  I'm saying this to sound bitter, having personally friend zoned a few of my guy friends over the years.

What sucks, is that sometimes, you don't even know that you have been friend zoned.  You keep waiting around for the guy, thinking that one day he'll come around and see that you've been there all along and are the right girl for him.

Sentimental at its best.

When you finally realize that this is never going to happen, you begin to get down on yourself and wonder what's wrong with you, why doesn't he want to be with you.  This can become very self-deprecating.

The truth is there is nothing wrong with you.  Majority of the time, there is something wrong with him.  It doesn't matter what his excuses are for why he doesn't want to be with you, if any guy is willing to lead you on and not be honest, he's not worth your time.

The worst part is when the guy expects you to wait.  Keeps leading you on, telling you that they're interested, but then disappears for days on end and expect that you're going to stay.  And we wait for them!  I don't know why we do this.  It becomes frustrating not knowing the truth, and the truth is, they love the way we linger.  It's a game to them - see how long she'll wait for me, and when I'm not busy she'll be there waiting for me.

Girls, we need to stop allowing this.  If a guy is going to treat you this way, don't wait around for him.  Move on.  It's his loss in the end.  

There's no need to stay in the friend zone waiting for some guy.  It may be hard, but there is a guy out there who doesn't see you as 'friend zone' material, and actually wants to be with you.

Patience is a virtue.

What's Your True Colour??

BULLYING.

It happens every day.  It may have even happened to you at one point in your life.  Or maybe you were the one doing the bullying.

National Bullying Awareness Week is November 12-17.  For Manitoba, it's November 13-19.

Bullying awareness needs to be more than just a week long event.  It's needs to be on going.

Bullying sucks, plan and simple.  It hurts and has cost many lives.  The sad part about bullying -of any type, is that it takes the extreme for it to be noticed.

Any one who has ever experienced bullying needs to talk to someone and find a way to stand up to the pain.

Canadian artists Pierre Bouvier of Simple Plan, Hedley’s Jacob Hoggard, Lights, Kardinal Offishal, Fefe Dobson, Alyssa Reid, Walk Off the Earth and Autotune the News, have come together in the remake of Cyndi Lauper’s track: True Colors.  They call themselves Artists Against.

The track is to help bring awareness to bullying and to encourage kids and teens to call Kids Help Phone so that they don't have to feel alone.  The net proceeds from the single go to Kids Help Phone, so I encourage everyone to purchase the song.

Artists Against - True Colors:

"Show me a smile then, don’t be unhappy
Can’t remember when I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy and you’ve taken all you can bear
You call me up because you know I’ll be there

I see your true colors shining through
I see your true colors, that’s why I love you
So don’t be afraid to let them show your true colors
True colors are beautiful (Cheer up!) like a rainbow

I see your colors though they appear to be different
You should never be afraid because your difference is the difference
We live in a time where to be yourself is hard
And the way you really feel can leave you emotional scar
But stay strong, stay firm and never back down
Being yourself is the only way to act that
(Like a rainbow)
Trust me, I’m a fighter and a lover
But the only time I fight is to reveal my true colors"

So what are your true colours??

My Body - My Canvas

This is a close up of my tattoo

As a society, people are quick to judge someone based on appearance.  the choice comes as to whether or not we voice these opinions or keep them to ourselves.

I got my first (and only at the moment) tattoo when I was 19. I had wanted one ever since I had started wearing those temporary tattoos.  I wanted to get something that would remind me to stay true to who I am and to never let any one change me.  Growing up, I was used to people telling me what to do, or who I should be, just to fit in.  Changing yourself for someone else never works.  That person will always be telling you that you are not good enough.  That's when I decided that I'd rather be comfortable being me and my tattoo is there to remind me every day of what I gave up to gain.

A lot of people (those who don't have tattoos) would ask me 'why would you do that to your body' or 'why would you permanently deface your body'.

I never understood why people thought they needed to ask me why. It's my body, shouldn't I be allowed to do what I want with it?  If something is important to you enough, why let someone tell you no.

When ever I see someone with a tattoo, I become curious about them.  Like any art piece, each tattoo tells a story about the person, who they are, and what they have been through. 

So before you judge someone based on their tattoo(s), take the time to get to know them.  They might just have an interesting story to share.

Any Ideas

It is at times like this that I begin to realize just how fast life has begun to catch up with me.  Free time seems to be a thing of the past and I'm filled with thoughts of 'What am I doing with my life?'

My latest worries consist of:
 homework, when is it due, what is due, when can I get this done, etc. That cycle never seems to end.
Then there is the issue of money.  I'm currently unemployed.  Trying to keep up with the requirements of my last job and school became too much to handle.  This decision has now left me watching how much I spend (which is probably a good thing). Sadly, it also means not being able to go out and spend money the way I used to (again, probably a good thing).

But anyways....

Trying to keep up with school work is hard when you have five different subjects to keep track of and trying to remember each side assignment (eg. this blog).  My point is, I have decided to change my blog idea.  Believe it or not trying to find time to watch TV has become difficult, that or my time management skills are not what they used to be.  I've been trying to come up with a new blog idea that will hopefully be easier to keep up with, but have had no luck. 

So this is were you come in fellow CreCommers, what should my blog be about?? 

A Night That Almost Went Horribly Wrong

On July 15, 2010, Winnipeg put a ban on the use of cell phones while driving.  As of October 22, 2012, Winnipeg needs to put a ban on pedestrians walking with cell phones.

Last night, as I was leaving the Marianas Trench concert, I almost witnessed the loss of two young lives.  I was sitting in the passenger seat, in the center lane, at a red light at Eastbound Portage and Donald.  When the light had turned green, vehicles going Southbound on Donald had blocked part of the intersection.  The bus in the right-hand lane began to honk his horn.  I figured it was out of annoyance at the blocked intersection.

Then, out of nowhere, two young girls come darting across the street.  The oldest had a cell phone to her left ear and her right hand was holding onto her younger sister.  As they passed in front of my car, a car came driving past us in the left-hand lane.  The two girls just narrowly made it to the median.  I was in shock.  The two girls did not even seem to notice what had almost happened to them.  The oldest was still talking on her cell phone, as they stood on the cement block waiting for the light to change.

Cell phones, as convenient as they are, pose as a distraction to/for everyone, no matter the circumstance.  What started out as a night of fun for those two young girls could have easily ended in a night of devastation for their family.

So please, to everyone out their, drivers and pedestrian, take caution when using your cell phone.  You never know what might happen if you're not paying attention.