Schema & Hilarity < 3

www.theoatmeal.com

Try it -

- I dare ya

Silly humour a la Mitch Hedberg

"An escalator can never break: it can only become stairs. You should never see an Escalator Temporarily Out Of Order sign, just Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry for the convenience."

"I want to get a vending machine, with fun sized candy bars, and the glass in front is a magnifying glass. You'll be mad, but it will be too late."

"I would imagine that if you could understand Morse code, a tap dancer would drive you crazy."

"My friend asked me if I wanted a frozen banana. I said 'No, but I want a regular banana later, so... yeah."

Hardy-Har-Har!

Vitality

Let the rain kiss you.

Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.

Let the rain sing you a lullaby. 

-- Langston Hughes

Reminders of what Was

The wall of brick that once served as someones window to the World-

The cracks in the sidewalk that millions of footsteps before me have felt-

The deep scar across the woman's face in the elevator;

telling a story of a time she wishes to forget-

The old man with the glass eye;

his face creased with a lifetime of memories...

♪♫ These are a few of my favourite things... ♫♪

5,259,600 Minutes

I'm still settling into the fact that it's 2010; a year that seemed more than ages away really not so long ago. The door has closed on the millennium decade and a new one has begun- new opportunities, new experiences, new growth, new paths.

So what did the first decade of the 2000's hold in store for me? Well, I'll try to sift back through the years in my mind and highlight the monumental changes that I was fortunate enough to experience over the course of the past 10 years.
A friend of mine has been documenting what each decade has afforded her for the past 30 years and she says it's really fun to look back on her lists and see where Life's milestones arose and where the paths branched out and a new direction was taken.
So let's give this a try...

2000-2010
14-24 years old

2000 - Loved & had my heart broken for the first time
2001 - Went on a tattoo-crazed spree & got the 3 I have
2001 - Met Wyclef Jean!
2001 - Got my license
2002 - Got our dog Bailey <3
2002 - Contacted & met my biological father for the first time
2002 - Travelled throughout the States with a good friends parents to go and pick him up in Georgia after basic training for the US Army (Nashville, Kentucky, Georgia etc...)
2003 - Graduated (escaped!) highschool
2003 - Went to visit same dear friend in Barstow, California & visited Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Hollywood & the many seaside towns of coastal California. Later that friendship was tarnished by a web of lies (sad loss)
2003 - Enrolled (and withdrew) from Carleton University (but discovered my passion for ASL!)
2004 - Got our 2nd dog Leila <3
2004 - Enrolled at Algonquin College & began my studies in ASL & Deaf Culture
2004 - Mom & Dad got divorced, moved into a new house with Mom
2005 - Got my first car!
2005 - Travelled to Cancun with Megan for Spring Break
2005 -Travelled to BC to visit Terry with Megan
2005 - Travelled to Athens, the Greek Islands and Kusadasi, Turkey with my Mom (20th Birthday)
2006 - Completed Algonquin's ADSP program & began working at The Ottawa Deaf Centre
2006 - Started dating Jesse, the man of my dreams <3
2006 - Got Cleo from a barn on our first "official" date
2006 - Had my first car accident (dude ran into me, I was stopped!), car got totaled and consequently, bought Meg's brother's Honda off of him and learned how to drive standard!
2006 - Travelled to BC with Jesse
2006 - Grandma passed away, Rest in Peace <3
2007 - Mom adopted Shadow, the family's first cat
2007 - Applied for, was accepted & entered the ASL-English Interpreter Training Program at George Brown College
2007 - Travelled to BC solo
2007 - Moved to Toronto, started school & made (almost) all new friends!
2007 - Travelled to NYC with Melissa, Dave & Trevor
2008 - Mom adopted Jazz(y)
2008 - Moved into a shafty basement apt with Jesse!
2008 - Got my nape pierced (only to take it out 6 months later)
2008 - Travelled to Alberta with Jesse
2008 - Travelled to BC solo
2009 - Sold my car!
2009 - Moved into a highrise (non-flooding) apt with Jesse!
2009 - Adopted Quilson, our hedgey
2009 - Adopted Spartacus, our 2nd cat
2009 - Travelled to Germany, Belgium & the Netherlands with Jesse
2010 - Travelled to Los Angeles & surrounding area with Jesse

There's obviously much more that happened over the course of 10 years, but these are the highlights that stand out in my memory (and that are worth mentioning). There were an uncountable number of firsts, beyond multiple cottage trips, memories in Meg's killer-caravan & super-charged Bonneville, night's out, the inescapable drama of highschool, proud moments and not so proud moments, great friendships made and great friendships lost but overall, a fantastic decade.

Here's to the next 10 years and whatever it holds in store as I embark on my new life as a professional, young adult in Love and trying to make my mark.

Animal Kingdom Humour

One of the under-appreciated and (perhaps) forgotten members of the Animal Kingdom...
The Almighty Anteater!!!

Go on & chuckle; it's what he would want :)


<3

For Nando-

For a friend who's battling some demons & who's disappearance has us all feeling anxious & scared; I hope you find Peace, we're thinking of you.

The Wind

I listen to the wind
to the wind of my soul
Where I'll end up well I think,
only God really knows
I've sat upon the setting sun
But never, never never never
I never wanted water once
No, never, never, never

I listen to my words but
they fall far below
I let my music take me where
my heart wants to go
I swam upon the devil's lake
But never, never never never
I'll never make the same mistake
No, never, never, never

-- Mr. Yusuf Islam, Cat Stevens

13 Minutes [to Start Your Day Right]

A stimulating & invigorating 13-minute morning Yoga flow to help wake up your Body, Mind & Spirit. This is one of the shorter sessions, but I guarantee you'll be rejuvenated and ready to take on the day afterwards. Give it a try (and don't mind the instructor, she's uuber flakey!).
:)

Namaste

Yumm

Having just myself and des petits animeaux around in the apartment lately has got me feeling lonely and bored- So, what better way to cheer up than... Chocolate! (mmm) Yea, yea, I know I shouldn't eat away my solitude, but when I found this recipe for a "5 minute Cholate Cake" (in a MUG no less AND cooked in the microwave in a mere 3 minutes!), I couldn't resist.
I was going to attempt an artsy-type entry and take some pictures of my creation in the works, but alas, my camera battery is kaput so that's the way the cookie crumbles.
Give this a try! The texture will come out a bit better if you whisk the egg prior to mixing with the dry ingredients; Bon Apetit! :)

5 Minute Chocolate Cake Recipe

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well.
Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high). The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. Enjoy!


Dangerous & Delicious I tell ya <3

Pieces

Be,

Feel,

Love,

Laugh,

Experience,

Learn,

See,

Strive,

Reflect,

Think,

Do,

Live.

<3

"Her Morning Elegance" Oren Lavie

Excellent-

2010-Me

Seems as though I've developed insomnia this holiday season, just can't fall asleep before 3am... definitely not a habit that I want to keep around when it's time to get back to the grind, but on the bright side, it will come in helpful for our trip to Sparkle-sparkle Hollywood and LA (!)

So, 2010 is here. Wow... 2010. Just a few nights ago some friends and I were talking about 1990 when it dawned on us that 1990 was *gasp* 20 years ago!! Never thought the day would come when I would be recalling memories from 20 years ago that still seem clear as day. Surreal.

This year is going to be a big one. A start (and an end?) of a decade, an end of school and a starting of a professional career, a potential new life in a new city; lots of changes and unknowns. I'm going to embrace them and make the most of them, this is the year.

Some people don't like to set New Years resolutions because they feel if you do, you won't stay true to them; I, on the other hand, like to lay out a few goals for myself... even if they fail (like my resolution last year to stop picking at my cuticles), I can still strive and attempt to improve myself for the better.

For 2010 I resolve to:

- Stop picking my cuticles (3rd times a charm... right?)

- Be kinder to those around me and strangers I encounter (the World can use more kindness)

- Get back to the physical fitness I had during the summer, including a regular yoga routine, and strive to eat healthier (although delicious, there's more to food than carbs).

- Invest myself fully & whole-heartedly in my relationship, studies and career.

- Seize the day.

May 2010 be a year of New Beginnings for us all; Namaste.