tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481733964051505822024-03-18T20:30:42.215-07:00WAYWARD FAWNAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-19842463535394927942015-09-21T17:13:00.000-07:002015-09-21T17:13:13.192-07:00Week Review September 7-20<div style="text-align: justify;">
What. A. Week( er, two)!</div>
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I didn't finish a review last week because I ended up being really tired, so this will be sort of a mish-mash of the last two weeks.</div>
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Tuesday the 8th was a big day because I started my Veterinary Office Assistant classes. It was mostly about terminology so the first day was a little dry. I met my teachers and classmates and really like them all (though some are more annoying than others!). This semester I will be leaning:</div>
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<li>Grooming Handling and Restraint</li>
<li>Veterinary Anatomy, Physiology & Terminology I</li>
<li>Veterinary Care I</li>
<li>Veterinary Nutrition</li>
<li>Veterinary Administrative Procedures I</li>
</ul>
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Veterinary Care is probably my favorite because that's when behaviour is discussed. </div>
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<span class="st"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #444444;">LAST SATURDAY</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="st">I went out shopping with a friend for scrubs, a planner, stationary, clothes, and a stuffed animal. It was all for school, I swear! I was hoping to get scrubs with a cute animal print on them but there weren't too many options in my size. I ended up getting some plain, dark teal ones. They make me look like a freakin' professional! </span></div>
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<span class="st">The only other thing on my list that I got was a planner. At the moment I'm using an <a href="https://www.erincondren.com/">Erin Condren </a>planner, and it's really great, but it's expensive. After doing some research I found the <a href="http://www.meandmybigideas.com/create365-thehappyplanner/">Create 365 Happy Planner</a> by Me and My Big Ideas online for $24, but the shipping was $27 which I can't justify. It was also on the <a href="http://www.michaels.com/">michaels.com US website</a> but not on the <a href="http://canada.michaels.com/">Michael's Canada site</a>. I went and checked the store just in case... and they had it! With a 50% off coupon I got it for $20! Score! </span></div>
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<span class="st"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #444444;">THIS TUESDAY</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span class="st">Our first field trip was to the <a href="http://southburnabyvet.com/">South Burnaby Veterinary Hospital</a>. It's a very nice facility! It's a good size and the equipment is a lot newer than what my vet uses. There's even a nice loft area where we could eat and do homework! I was really nervous about being there though...the first time I watched a surgery I fainted. Just being in the building made me feel hot and wobbly; watching a hamster euthanasia, knowing there would be a postmortem surgery, nearly did me in. The anxiety and anticipation was the worst part. Once we got to the actual surgery I started to feel a bit better and even if I had passed out I would have had a whole room of girls trying to catch me. :) They are absolutely awesome and kept checking to make sure I was okay. I made it through with no problems but definitely need to find a good pair of shoes because my legs get so tired standing all day.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="st"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #444444;">THIS WEDNESDAY</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="st"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">A busy day! I came home from school, walked the dog, had a bite to eat, then had a driving lesson. The plan was to get out on the freeway/highway for the first time. I wasn't sure if I was going to do it but figured I might as well give it a go! It went pretty well! I was hesitant on the gas at first, as usual, but once at speed wasn't too bad... unfortunately it was just about sunset so I really couldn't see too well and that cause a few problems when combined with the new location but I didn't cause any accidents. At that speed I also had a little more trouble staying in my lane, in addition having trouble keeping my speed up and turning at intersections. I've got three more lessons but I'll probably need more before I can go for my N.</span></span><b><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></b></span></span>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-18855137326689641032015-09-06T21:42:00.002-07:002015-09-06T21:42:41.857-07:00Week Review: August 31 - September 6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The weekdays were uneventful, so let's get straight to the weekend!<br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;">SATURDAY</span></span></span><span style="background-color: black;"></span><span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
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Saturdays adventure was going to the <a href="http://www.pne.ca/index.html">Fair at the PNE</a>. It's one of the best events of the year so I always try to make it out there, for the food if nothing else. Sadly I don't have the most cooperative stomach and it's been a bit icky the past couple days so I only ate some wiggle chips(a cross between a fry and a chip), and a special treat. There's always something new; this time I went with a deep-fried poptart! Not too bad!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEP6HzHYolo7OpGFzitdn_8npaLr19U3jKyBnE6oIMrCYQV0DPfNRxsH4cTR2aAuEFsrcAbmRi-hzFKYkqOkn-b9M1kwuVhkzVDSR5kfui7MN14qDRLxWyi7YaYN-97amHvzJzqBA7jXDr/s1600/20150905_1532582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGbq_6yVOnCYH0MzctADeyDct-6aKkPyskJyqjCk_Kkh0gStxp21BsDFXkvQyfJ6TETTpGghm9td7tVuR__cInxzH2bQfSqaX3s-Ke9X7eVlR0ACZpqPXUitJfVs05XmT7tz2Kgiy82BG/s320/20150905_1459462.jpg" width="258" /> <img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEP6HzHYolo7OpGFzitdn_8npaLr19U3jKyBnE6oIMrCYQV0DPfNRxsH4cTR2aAuEFsrcAbmRi-hzFKYkqOkn-b9M1kwuVhkzVDSR5kfui7MN14qDRLxWyi7YaYN-97amHvzJzqBA7jXDr/s320/20150905_1532582.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
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We checked out the prize home and Superdogs, marketplace and farm country. Everything was as good as usual but not any better than other years, although that may have been my attitude and being too focused on my stomach. By the time we were heading back to the car I was in full grump mode. What do I want to eat? Where do I want to go? F*** you! Ha. It's like I can't handle any interaction beyond a certain point, even if the other person is being as sweet as can be. I just wanted to get home and try one of my new teas.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiib57OF5gleXkBIgHK69VGPID1bZ03bNwbpLG59AP5PfFGkoa7tfWJ1XK977nWt6DqNzhFJiCTBtLpcaMvrn4_KQZFS9wJ3j769amxmnvunw6Mgh-iSoOMxaRkORORrjT4wcDogdLnkx8I/s1600/20150905_1842202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiib57OF5gleXkBIgHK69VGPID1bZ03bNwbpLG59AP5PfFGkoa7tfWJ1XK977nWt6DqNzhFJiCTBtLpcaMvrn4_KQZFS9wJ3j769amxmnvunw6Mgh-iSoOMxaRkORORrjT4wcDogdLnkx8I/s400/20150905_1842202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The teas, <a href="http://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=62344">Garnet</a> , <a href="http://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=87504">Peridot</a> ,<a href="http://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=76266"> Cooper</a> , and <a href="http://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=76271">Sisters</a> are from <a href="http://www.adagio.com/">Adagio Teas.</a> <br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;">SUNDAY</span></span></span></b></span></span> <br />
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I'm working on getting my drivers license and need a lot of practice, so this morning my dad took me to a parking lot to drive around. Honestly I wish I had more lessons with a professional but as it is I need to practice for the lessons, and I'm not comfortable going out on the road in a regular car that doesn't have a second brake on the passenger side. I feel like I'm not a great driver; but I've also been told I just need more confidence.<br />
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After a little drive I popped in to the mall to buy a piece to finish off an outfit. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHDXBVZW5oxBsVYZJhqXEoKxn8ALLmyDLSmuLXY1eKyH-3TmBT89olhl1YC3gp7fCOS_-VLdWc2-86vmB-3psNl44gMmeMWY__CPDYB995iCRrOXubQz08oB_Bn8YFgGsiwu4xd-QERl4/s1600/20150906_2031572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHDXBVZW5oxBsVYZJhqXEoKxn8ALLmyDLSmuLXY1eKyH-3TmBT89olhl1YC3gp7fCOS_-VLdWc2-86vmB-3psNl44gMmeMWY__CPDYB995iCRrOXubQz08oB_Bn8YFgGsiwu4xd-QERl4/s320/20150906_2031572.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
An animal print scarf! I never thought I would wear animal print, but I'm starting to like it... it's kind of classic and adds a little extra detail to a plain outfit.<br />
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Anyway, that was my week!<br />
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~ Laura <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-77609745449567141912015-09-04T21:19:00.000-07:002015-09-04T21:19:52.641-07:00What's to come<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkU1D61A_5QBa2LblKsE1pUh50NC-rmNosl5iZX_JaXySrZrxbfH5_v9__QwRbW9tMFHK58tLRnURFyRzqlu5Xa9w8mirDUuyntTlqolcNucP4IGXFwrK927cUiMFhlZyrO7e8RHcuX_O/s1600/_MG_7871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkU1D61A_5QBa2LblKsE1pUh50NC-rmNosl5iZX_JaXySrZrxbfH5_v9__QwRbW9tMFHK58tLRnURFyRzqlu5Xa9w8mirDUuyntTlqolcNucP4IGXFwrK927cUiMFhlZyrO7e8RHcuX_O/s640/_MG_7871.JPG" width="640" /> </a> </div>
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">H</span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span>ey guys! I'm posting! I'd like to do that more.<br />
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- Weekly Review<br />
- Favorite things<br />
- Unboxing<br />
- Other reviews<br />
- Pet stuff/ tips <br />
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In addition to the blog posts, I'd like to try vlogging/youtube videos of the posts, plus gaming and maybe some ASMR. It'd be good 'practice' for speaking in the real world!<br />
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There isn't really anything for me to talk about right but I plan on doing a week review on Sunday. If there is anything you'd like to see me talk about, let me know! Otherwise I'll see you Sunday!<br />
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~LauraAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-49256381230192409642015-01-31T21:53:00.000-08:002015-01-31T22:02:54.543-08:00AwkwardThis post is going to be a bit awkward. <br />
<br />
I noticed that if a guy gives me the right amount of attention and makes me feel special, I get a crush on him, even if I don't find him attractive. I've been on dates with people that I didn't like, whether it was their
personality, appearance, or both. Over time I'm able to find things to
love...but still, it feels like settling (not that I'm so great!). I'm
not going to do that any more. It might mean I never find a partner, but I'm okay with that because right now the idea of getting to know someone with all the questions seems like too much work!<br />
<br />
Not too long ago though I met a girl that was really
cute and I found myself wanting to stare at her all night... and I don't
know what that means. I find more girls attractive than guys, but have
never had a crush on one. Never really thought about a relationship with
one. But now I'm curious. I started looking at girls that I find attractive, and a lot of them are just generally well dressed with a cute face or have sort of a punk/rock, creative, geeky look - which made me realize I want to dress more like that!<br />
<br />
So I went shopping. :p<br />
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My experience in the relationship world is pretty limited so I really don't know what I want yet. Maybe that means I -should- date more, and all different types, to find out, but it's just not a priority at the moment.<br />
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Am I gay, straight, bi? Shouldn't I know by now? I don't really know, and it doesn't really matter. I'm open to whatever comes, when I'm ready.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-45008338875276422102014-09-22T12:49:00.000-07:002015-01-24T16:38:41.522-08:00The World Would Be Worse Without You<br />
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<br />
I was thinking about suicide. No no, not about <i>actually </i>doing
it! But contemplating what it means, what it would be like, etc.
Sometimes I wish that I didn’t exist, but thankfully I don’t have the
urge to physically make that happen. I am too scared to try to kill
myself and always able to find things to keep me holding on. It doesn’t
stop the questions popping up in my head though.<br />
<br />
If there was a button and pushing it wiped you from existence, no
pain, no one would remember you, nothing you did would have happened,
would you push that button?<br />
<br />
At first I tried to think about how things would be better without
me. Some people would be less burdened. My parents wouldn’t have to
spend money on me at least. Admittedly that’s a pretty big one as I feel
a lot of guilt for relying on them and not being able to take care of
myself. I’m sure there are other people I have caused grief. Other than
that though, I couldn’t think of much else than my personal belief that I
have caused people pain that would rather not have experienced.<br />
<br />
After think about how things would be better I flipped it to see how
things would be worse without me. It was a struggle to figure out areas
that I’ve actually had an impact. I haven’t cured anything, created
anything amazing, or accomplished anything of significance. Beginning
with my birth I searched for anything that would be different without
me. Maybe my brother and sister would have fought more, and been more
lonely. Some of my friends would have been alone. Other kids would have
been picked last for teams instead. A cat may have stayed in the back of
his cage and never had a chance at adoption ( I don’t know if he was
adopted…but I was able to help him be more social at least). My last dog
wouldn’t have someone by her side when she died. My current dog may not
get the love and attention he does. The opposite could be true of
course, but who knows. Would you risk those bad things happening?<br />
<br />
Just by being me, I may have made the world better. Maybe in small ways. Maybe things <i>would </i>be better if I didn’t exist… but the realization that there are things that may actually be worse <i>without</i>
me is powerful. A shy middle child, that didn’t seek out friends but
would accept those, often outcasts, who came searching. Someone with
compassion and kindness. I think that, no matter how small the impact,
it is worth keeping that person in the world.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-48286436481233495772014-09-13T12:47:00.000-07:002015-01-24T16:38:55.404-08:00Want to WantI want to want to write this post.<br />
<br />
I want to want to go out.<br />
<br />
I want to want to work hard.<br />
<br />
But I don’t want to.<br />
<br />
It’s been difficult for me to find motivation. Maybe because I’ve
never had any real goals, and never really needed to work at anything to
hard. As a kid the main thing I liked was art, and drawing for fun was
enough to make me the best in the class until I was a teenager. I never
learned to practice, to work toward something. Mom was even there to do
my work if I didn’t understand it or feel like doing it.<br />
<br />
Of course it could be depression on it’s own that causes the lack of ambition.<br />
<br />
It leads to more panic. What if I never try? What if I can’t hold a
job, or take care of myself? Am I destined to live a life depending on
other people because I cannot do?<br />
<br />
You know what I did today? I looked at office furniture. I have no
money for it, and I don’t even need anything. I can want -things- when
I’m depressed, but after a day of window shopping I rarely buy anything.
Too much guilt. I guess that’s good though. No debt is one thing I have
going for me (Thanks to having a family that is understanding and
doesn’t make me pay rent).<br />
<br />
I wish I could give advice on what to do if you’re feeling stuck and
without drive, but I haven’t found the solution yet. Keeping a planner/
to do list helps if you have only a few things on it, maybe some really
basic stuff. It’s good to have reminders that you have <i>some</i> things to do, and proof that you didn’t just sit in front of the tv all day when you have things crossed off.<br />
<br />
Do you struggle to get going and keep motivated? Share your stories and advice in the comments!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-90826993026344192032014-08-22T12:46:00.000-07:002015-01-24T16:39:13.992-08:00On Priorities and Being Busy<div class="entry-content clearfix">
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbTnlCAIuD-QCvgQBFxgL5aUan4-g32EAn8gRhEO6zMWD2lDZHd_F5cBsxamtJX3Vvax6Axcp1wHhBhYRn5h3H172P_SQscBG7bdvgpda3wehGrWIzCtDaBLbyDXW2hHLiKwVeNe18T5x/s400/Girls-In-white-dresses.jpg" height="401" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" width="640" /></div>
I’m reading a book called ‘Girls in White Dresses’ by <span class="st">Jennifer Close</span>.
It’s about several young women going through life and their failed
relationships. There are definitely a few parts that I can relate to.<br />
<br />
<b>Hope</b><br />
<br />
One chapter is about a girl and her boyfriend that are both
democrats. The guy starts getting really into politics and begins
volunteering for the campaign for the democratic candidate in the
upcoming election. It’s so important to him that he quits his job to
focus on it. His girlfriend is supportive, and after he goes all over
the country, and gets too busy to even call she decides to join him for a
while. When she gets back at home and he visits she questions his
priorities; he gets defensive. He continues to spend his time talking to
his campaign friends, while ignoring her. He’s in town for a few days
and they go on a double date with one of those campaign friends. She is
once again left to listen to him chat up his friends while giving little
attention to his date. Eventually he gets a new job and moves to DC,
while his girlfriend is still in New York. They try to make it work, but
eventually break up. She knew she was his second choice, behind his
political work.<br />
<br />
It’s all about priorities. His top priority was his political work,
while hers was the relationship. It’s okay to be together and have
different priorities for a time, but it isn’t fair to stay together if
you have no intention of changing things. There is a limit to how long
you can feel ‘second’ before it really starts to hurt, and that hurt can
come out in ways that damage the relationship even more. I know when I
felt this way I got jealous, accusatory, and needy. None of that helped.
I was trying to prove that I was right and he didn’t care about me,
because I’ve always felt that I was not enough.<br />
<br />
That said, if you find yourself constantly saying how busy you are
and spending a lot of time in on area of your life, realize that you are
probably neglecting other areas. You have to be honest with yourself
about your priorities. If you can’t make time for something, is it
really that important to you? Are you avoiding another area for a
reason? When another person is involved you may need to admit that you
aren’t really available to meet there needs. Personally I don’t think
anyone is so important that they can’t spend 5 minutes on a call, a
thoughtful note, or an evening off for dinner.<br />
<br />
If you happen to be in a relationship(or friendship) with a
perpetually busy person you really have two choices if you don’t want to
be miserable: either get out and move on, or find more ways to occupy
your time and be happy with times you do get to spend together. You
deserve better than waiting around for the things that you need and
want.<br />
<br />
If you want more about the busy excuse, read <a href="http://www.baggagereclaim.co.uk/being-super-busy-the-modern-lame-excuse-for-managing-down-your-expectations/" title="Being Super-Busy: The Modern Lame Excuse For Managing Down Your Expectations">Being Super-Busy: The Modern Lame Excuse For Managing Down Your Expectations</a> over at <a href="http://www.baggagereclaim.co.uk/" title="Baggage Reclaim">Baggage Reclaim</a><br />
<br />
<b><i>~Laura</i></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-79399774876679197882014-08-14T12:44:00.000-07:002015-01-24T16:43:00.737-08:00On my depression<br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBAcC0SuTiX-_3QbTWMuoc2zFh69lIvuCisWMN55YolMlFYbwadLza180yDhwzoOspqTmBrXj6a0RozzMIiu8Qjud-9VzRChd3FoOVUvg3fPKdOgox7m4878JHxMV9Fri0kxHdLxwVvUFz/s1600/jumanji_480_poster.jpg" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" /></div>
<br />
First
off, I want to thank you all for your support! I was only expecting one
or two likes on Facebook and to keep posting quietly, mostly for
myself, but it seems like there may be some interest in this!
<br />
I know the recent death of Robin Williams(Rest in Peace) has a lot of
us thinking about depression and suicide. I’ve been feeling depressed
myself this week, so it seems like a good time to talk about it.<br />
<br />
The thing I struggle with most when I get depressed is the lack of
motivation. I already struggle with making decisions and getting out and
doing things, and this makes it worse. I don’t do anything. I don’t
have the energy and I find everything to be pointless. Take a shower?
Why bother. I’m not going to be around other people. Go out? I won’t
have fun, I’ll get sick, I don’t have any money anyway. Do some art? I
already know I’ll be disappointed in my abilities and get frustrated.<br />
There is also a lot of guilt because of my situation( not working or
in school). I certainly can’t do anything fun, because I don’t deserve
to. I end up watching bad TV or endlessly scrolling through Pinterest to
pass the time. Low energy, numbing things. It doesn’t make sense.<br />
<br />
If you do things you enjoy, get some exercise, and talk to friends
you feel a lot better. The problem is that you just can’t. Depression
sucks you in and makes you think you need to stay in it. It’s sort of
safe in a way. You don’t have to deal with things emotionally, you just
feel numb or sad about everything. Chances are you’ll have some physical
symptoms as well, like aches and pains or trouble sleeping. Add that to
the list of reasons you just want to stay curled up in your bed.<br />
<br />
At the moment I have this ‘headache’. It’s barely there, just a
slight annoying nagging thing. I can’t focus. I stare. I don’t want to
do anything except sleep. I don’t want to ‘cheer myself up’. I just want
to sit with this until it goes away naturally. It usually gets better
for me in a few day or a week, and I think it’s beginning to lift now.
Even with medication I know I’ll probably always deal with this now and
again.<br />
<br />
<i>~ Laura</i><br />
<br />
PS: You should be able to post comments using your facebook or other social media account now!<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-20732689376735749272011-03-14T13:33:00.000-07:002015-01-24T16:38:29.036-08:00Merry-Go-Round: March 14, 2011<center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/saeba/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2794/4130463858_99aa53733b.jpg" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" /><br />
Photo by saeba</a> </center>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Happy Pi day! Hope you are all having a good Monday. If not, maybe I have something to cheer you up? <br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><span style="font-size: medium;">S</span>our Skitles</b>: The red ones are amazing, and the extra sugar on the outside just makes it better. This is sort of strange and morbid, but I never really liked this candy until our cat, also named Skittles, died recently. RIP kitty...</li>
<br />
<li><b><span style="font-size: medium;">H</span>aving someone to talk to</b>: In this case, the boyfriend. A couple nights ago I was feeling down. Normally I'm too shy and self-conscious to talk about my problems but he's really good at getting me to talk, and then being very understanding and rational in his response. He helps me see things as they really are and gives me advice about what to do. I'm so glad I have someone that I can finally open up to...even if it still takes some prodding. Couldn't ask for anyone better.<3</li>
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<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5172/5490353786_33039c6312.jpg" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" width="400px" /></center>
<br />
<li><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A</span>merica's Next Top Model</b>: One of my favorites shows. It's mostly the photo shoots I like to see because they're pretty creative. This season I think Hannah is my favorite - she's adorable. Mikaela has some crazy bone structure too.</li>
<br />
<li><b><span style="font-size: medium;">D</span>ocumentaries</b> A friend got me interested in watching some of these on netflix and my sister got me into them again. I'd recommend <a href="http://ca.netflix.com/Movie/Urban-Explorers-Into-the-Darkness/70075916?trkid=823537">Urban Explorers</a> and <a href="http://ca.netflix.com/Movie/Tapped/70124097?trkid=817289">Tapped</a> if you are interested in checking some out.</li>
<br />
<center>
<img src="http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff379/laurashe/Blog/rt56uertyertertrt-1-1.jpg" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" width="400px" /></center>
<br />
<li><b><span style="font-size: medium;">P</span>ainted Trees</b> <a href="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2011/02/painted-trees-in-mountains-of-colorado.html">Curtis Killorn paints dead trees in Colorado</a> and they are amazing. The bright colours help to bring out the beautiful shapes of the branches.</li>
<br />
</ul>
And finally, a little video. Relax and watch a whirlwind pick up sheets of plastic and twirl them in the air.<br />
<br />
<br />
<center>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AxRT60-kw78" title="YouTube video player" width="500"></iframe><br />
</center>
<br />
<br />
Best wishes and a speedy recovery to Japan in this difficult time.<br />
<br />
<br />
Keep searching,<br />
<i>Laura~She</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-87796371031546690142011-02-08T16:03:00.000-08:002015-01-24T14:01:29.883-08:00Wardrobe Make-over<center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/electronicxx/"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4603912877_70697df4ab.jpg" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" /><br />
Photo by emma.kate</a> </center>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
One of my 'resolutions' for the year is to develop a style and dress better. All too often I see a picture of myself and am disappointed with what I see. Those jeans I though fit? Yeah, not so much. I like clothes, shopping, and style so the fact that I'm defaulting to ultra boring t-shirts and jeans is terrible! Sure, it's cold and rainy in Vancouver now, but that's no excuse to be covered up in a not-so-cute waterproof coat most of the day!<br />
<br />
When someone walks by with a nice outfit and confidence I take notice; it's like saying 'Hello world, I'm here! I have it all together!' It's definitely a better message than ' I just threw something together, I don't care'. Who would you rather be friends with, date, give a job to? No it's not the most important thing to look good - what you are like on the inside always wins out in the end - but first impressions count for something too. Beside, you can be gorgeous in <b>and</b> out anyway!<br />
<br />
I have begun building a new wardrobe. T-shirts and jeans will still be there, only better fitting and more eye-catching. I'm going to go through Gala's <a href="http://galadarling.com/article/wardrobe-taming-day-one">Wardrobe Taming </a>over the next week to help define a style and figure out exactly what I want to say to the world as well.<br />
<br />
This of course means more shopping... no complaints there! ;) My first trip was last weekend and I managed to get some things I'd normally shy away from, including a printed dress and skinny jeans. There are lots of good local stores I didn't know about that deserve more attention so I'll mention those in my blog as they are found as well as my outfits. The first one will be in the next day or two.<br />
<br />
<br />
Keep searching,<br />
<i>Laura~She</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-77803898727000985742010-11-20T10:17:00.000-08:002015-01-24T16:39:45.834-08:00Just for Today<center>
<img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1282/4666821126_d7ef496592.jpg" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" /><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drawing_with_light/"> Photo by ariane_hunter </a> </center>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Today I'd like to share a bit of advice from Sybil F. Partridge that I found in "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" by Dale Carnegie. It's used in many programs, especially ones for coping with addiction, but in general these are good words to live by. </div>
<br />
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span><b>Just for Today</b></span></div>
<br />
1. Just for today I will be happy. This assumes that what Abraham Lincoln said is true, that" most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." <br />
<br />
2. Just for today, I will adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my "luck" as it comes, and fit myself to it.<br />
<br />
3. Just for today I will take care of my body. I will exercise it, care for it, nourish it, not abuse it nor neglect it, so that it will be a perfect machine for my bidding.<br />
<br />
4. Just for today, I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.<br />
<br />
5. Just for today, I will exercise my soul in three ways: I will do somebody a good turn, and not get found out. I will do at least two things I don't want to--just for exercise.<br />
<br />
6. Just for today I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress as becomingly as possible, talk low, act courteously, be liberal with praise, criticize not at all, nor find fault with anything and not try to regulate nor improve anyone.<br />
<br />
7. Just for today I will try to live through this day only, and not to tackle my whole life problem at once. I can do things for twelve hours that would appall me if I had to keep them up for a lifetime.<br />
<br />
8. Just for today, I will have a program. I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it. I will save myself from two pests: hurry and indecision.<br />
<br />
9. Just for today, I will have a quiet half hour all by myself, and relax. During this half hour, sometime, I will try to get a better perspective of my life.<br />
<br />
10. I will be unafraid, especially I will not be afraid to be happy and to enjoy what is beautiful. I believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me and that those I love, love me. </blockquote>
<br />
Have a great day :)<br />
<br />
Keep searching,<br />
<i>Laura~She</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-83461109720363799602010-10-25T19:46:00.000-07:002015-01-24T16:39:55.671-08:00The Price of Being Ill$50. At least, that's what it cost me today.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellibrosnahan/4574964517/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4574964517_a4b6de4d81.jpg" height="320" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellibrosnahan/">Photo by Kelli Broshahan</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<center>
</center>
This was supposed to be a post about another new experience. My boyfriend and I have been wanting to go rock climbing for a while and finally got around to booking it. As we left the <b>evil stomach monster </b>(pictured <a href="http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff379/laurashe/Blog/stomachache.jpg">here</a>) returned and I was forced to go back home.<br />
<br />
There was a bunch of confusion with the rock climbing place- I was told I'd have to pay the full price anyway, but after leaving a message for the manager they only charged me 1/3 of the cost as it was supposed to be. I'm not a big fan of this system where you are forced to pay for canceling late. I get sick or hurt and have to pay for it?<span style="font-size: x-small;"> (Of course, I know why they do it.)</span><br />
<br />
The price for having an unpredictable illness is high. Money, time, and stress are lost. It hurts more than just physically. Eventually the feeling of not having control sets in...you begin to asses things in a much more cautious manner, staying home and only going to familiar locations where you think you can handle your monsters. It can make you look lazy, cowardly, and like a bad friend; but nobody really wants to be stuck at home when they have awesome plans. My particular illness is not that bad, but some days, like today, don't go as planned because of it. Those with life-threatening, debilating sickness are brave souls! I can't imagine spending every day in a hospital and losing everything but still having hope and making it through. That is some kind of strength!<br />
<br />
I haven't been diagnosed with anything yet and am still having tests done. Honestly, I do not have high hopes that anything will be found. Funny, that sounds like it should be a good thing. If nothing is found, nothing will be done and nothing will get better. I think this is probably a stress thing - a nervous stomach. If that's the case, how do you fix it? Relax, stop worrying? Worry is my middle name! I've taken '<a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Stop-Worrying-Start-Living/dp/0671733354">How to stop worrying and start living</a>' off the bookshelf again for starters. Dale Carnegie packs his books with lots of different common sense methods for dealing with life issues, humor, and interviews with fascinating people so it's a good read at least.<br />
<br />
It's time to take a look around the internet for advice as well. I'll post my findings in the future.<br />
For now the one thing I need to keep working on is staying positive!<br />
<br />
<br />
Keep searching,<br />
<i>Laura~She</i><br />
<br />
(Post written October 24)<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Oh, and just so we're clear, that is NOT a picture of me!)</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-25029711240839973262010-09-28T22:14:00.000-07:002015-01-24T16:45:16.111-08:00I'm on a (House) Boat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5031782664_b0ea0027b7.jpg" style="border: 1px solid grey; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 4px;" width="500" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Encounter Point on Shuswap Lake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurashe/5031782664/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our adventure began at 3:30am and I was surprisingly full of energy! It looked like it was going to be a good trip. That is, until we started driving. My stomach decided it would be funny to act up just as we were leaving the last real city for a while. I couldn't stay in the car without feeling completely ill. After an hour or two of waiting for the feeling to pass, we were able to get back on the road! 5 hours is a long time to spend in a car, but we managed to get there! I still feel really bad for making everyone wait for me. :C</div>
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<img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/5031146743_119b65ff51.jpg" height="250px" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" /></div>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurashe/5031146743/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
Because we had booked a boat for the last week of the season and it wasn't busy, we got an upgrade! Our boat was named 'Dock Dude' while other boats were called 'knot-a-yacht' and 'mutal funz'. Yep, some horrible puns there! As it was an upgrade we got private rooms - one at a normal level, one with the bed about 4 feet off the ground (ours), and another that was down a couple stairs and looked very comfy. There was a slide at the back of the boat but unfortunately it was too cold for swimming. After the drivers learned how to pilot we set sail in the Shuswap lake! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurashe/5031783940/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5031783940_c28ce94448.jpg" height="300px" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" /></a></div>
<br />
Throughout the waters and on the beaches we found dead fish everywhere. At first it was disturbing... until someone mentioned it was spawning season (Salmon die after spawning). Okay, it was still disturbing but natural at least! Surprisingly I only saw one fish that had been eaten, and one bear in the distance.<br />
<br />
We brought a lot of meat and booze with us, but I wasn't able to partake in most of it because of my stomach. Curses! But I mean a lot of meat. We have a couple day worth of left overs - giant steaks, sausage, ribs and more ribs!! I know at least one of us planned to go vegetarian for the rest of the week. I did manage to eat some of the best salmon ever(store bought, nobody caught anything we could keep), barbecued corn, smores, and those big double chocolate Costco muffins. Mmm-mm! Everything was delicious.</div>
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<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurashe/5031764712/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/5031764712_7d6e306dcc.jpg" height="250px" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Originally there were plans to make this more of a pirate themed event, but it didn't really come together aside from Shann's outfits and not showering. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We all had a good laugh wearing fake versions of our boyfriends moustache's. and breaking a Pinata. I manage to get one hit on it before the boys finished it off and Taja ran to the water to save some candy that had gone overboard. We listened to music, played cards, Family Guy Clue, Cranium, and Therapy as it was too cold and wet to be outside for a good bit of the trip. It was a lot of fun anyway.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="font-size: 16px;"><b>Will I do it again?:</b></span></u></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yes! I wish I could have enjoyed more of it, if I hadn't been sick it would have been amazing. It's really neat being out on the water with nothing but trees around. A nice change from life. Three days isn't long enough so next time we will try to go for a week earlier in the season for better weather. I recommending giving house boating a shot!</div>
<br />
<br />
<center>
<a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/5031783190_078907dd6b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></center>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurashe/5031781186/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5031781186_0bd3b902c7.jpg" height="400" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
For more photos go to <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurashe/">my flickr photostream</a> or <a href="http://crafty-bunny.blogspot.com/">Shann's blog</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Keep Searching, </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Laura~she</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-92189518609435683392010-09-22T20:03:00.000-07:002015-01-24T16:40:17.864-08:00Taking a Whirl at Belly Dancing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Last night was one of many new experiences happening this month. Belly dancing! A friend had a guest pass and it was a good chance to go out of the house and get some exercise.<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1720926203"><img border="0" src="http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff379/laurashe/Blog/4037227043_8c343f68e2.jpg" height="240" style="border: 1px solid grey; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 4px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1720926203">Photo by Hkuchera</a></span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hkuchera/"><br />
</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff379/laurashe/Blog/4037227043_8c343f68e2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>It was actually my arms that are most sore today. In order to focus on doing some of the shoulder movements correctly we had to hold our arms out to the side as if pushing on a wall. This was really difficult! I couldn't get it at all until she said to put your breasts into it. That I can do!<br />
<br />
The teacher was very good and gave us a good overview of the basic moves. What looks like a simple swivel of hips is actually a series of specific movements of the abdomen and all the extra little arm movements on top of that seems like it would take a lot of concentration to a beginner like me. I had trouble remembering the steps, even though it's only 4 steps for most movements! I just couldn't get the flow - it should be 'Ooey Gooey' as she put it. It's harder than it looks.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: 15px;"><b>Will I do it again?</b></span> I'd like try more things with these friends, I had a good time with them. Belly dancing though, is not for me. I felt pretty uncoordinated and it simply isn't my style. Another type of dance might suit me better but I know any kind would require a lot of practice for me to not trip over my feet.<br />
<br />
Keep Searching,<br />
<i>Laura~She</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-63162012324604681292010-09-07T22:23:00.000-07:002015-01-24T16:40:29.330-08:00Merry-Go-Round: September 7, 2010<!--f65b019d67fa475ab82c876d879aec7d--><br />
<center>
<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2739/4203510831_e94346bd32.jpg" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" /><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/neonfear/"> Photo by ffion </a> </center>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Honestly, this should have been done sooner. This week has been a bit rough and some time to sit and reflect on the good things would have been helpful. Here's what should have made things better.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><span style="font-size: medium;">C</span>uddles</b>: Now, I never thought I'd be the type to like cuddling but it turns out I am! They're just so warm and cozy!</li>
<center>
</center>
<li><a href="http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/09/four-levels-of-social-entrapment.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">T</span>he Four Levels of Social Entrapment</a>: The first one is especially true. I've got lots of kind-of friends and while I like them there is always that fear of being stuck in a situation where we have to talk to each other or sit in awkward silence.A new favorite blog. This girl is hilarious!</li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: medium;">T</span>he Sedin brothers</b>: Typically I don't pay attention to the sports world with the exception of lots of curling during the Olympics, some of the World Cup, and the Stanley Cup. Today, however, I have to gush a little. As I came in to work I walked right in front of one of the Sedin brothers! The twins are pretty much the only players that I really like so it was pretty cool to see them. Wish I had realized it was them sooner and stopped to watch them be filmed for a bit.</li>
<center>
<img src="http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff379/laurashe/Blog/2010-09-0720-40-47.jpg" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" width="400px" /></center>
<li><b><span style="font-size: medium;">P</span>erfect World</b> is one of the best free to play mmorpg's out there. It's a bit like a girly version of World of Warcraft. The character creation system allows you to change every facial feature from the width of the forehead to the point of the chin while the hair, eyes, and skin tone are selected from a colour map and not just preset choices. This is one of the best features as it allows you to create a truly unique character. The international version recently came out so I got back into the game after starting and stopping a year or two ago. I'm really enjoying the new Tideborn Assasin! I'm on the Raging Tide server if you want to <a href="http://www.perfectworld.com/"> join me some time</a>.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Keep searching,<br />
<i>Laura~She</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-48827593969706898722010-04-17T18:12:00.000-07:002015-01-24T16:40:42.480-08:00Merry-Go-Round: August 21<center>
<img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/56/149376398_fece3680f9.jpg" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" />
<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/supergolden/"> Photo by Paulus Maximus! </a> </center>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
A lot late, but here we go! There are so many things to be excited for!
</div>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<li><b><a garden-of-cosmic-speculation.html="" href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=848173396405150582" http:="" www.kuriositas.com=""> The Garden of Cosmic Speculation </a></b> made by Charles Jencks and Maggie Keswick looks incredible! I had never considered going to Scotland before, but this might just be worth a trip.
</li>
<br />
<li><b> Hobby Groups: </b> I recently joined a new group made by a friend for Crafts. Now I've never gotten into crafting much in the past but making jewelry, scrapbooking, and art have always interested me. This group is turning out to be a good source of information and inspiration. We've order some beads and plan to have get-togethers in the near future. I've even come up with an idea for something I'd like to make an sell so keep an eye out for a new etsy shop!
</li>
<br />
<li><b>Portal 2:</b> The first game was great - very fun, cute, and puzzling at times. The sequel introduces new tools and challenges from GLaDOS as well as some <a href="http://www.thinkwithportals.com/media.html"> companions for Chell. </a>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Kooza</b> by Cirque du Soleil: Last night I had the pleasure or
seeing the show. It's amazing. All the performances were impressive.
Most notable were the Unicylce duo that danced and did some amazing
lifts and spins, the thrilling and scray Wheel of Death, and talented
tightrope walkers. The music is live and part of the act as well - just a
girlish note, the singer wore a cute sparkly skeleton dress for one
number. There are 'clowns' but, they are actually pretty funny!If
you happen to be in Vancouver the <a href="http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/kooza/default.aspx">Grand Chapiteau </a>will be up until September 5th.
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Keep searching,
<br />
<i>Laura~She</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-53797828681485739982010-03-14T09:57:00.001-07:002015-01-24T16:40:58.459-08:00Attempting To Reduce<center>
<img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/151820081_207db882d3.jpg" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/millgrammer/"> Photo by millgrammer</a> </center>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
For some reason I thought it was time to try and get off my medication. I had been feeling pretty good and was on them for quite a while so I went to the doctor and we came up with a plan to slowly reduce my dosage until I was taking none. Maybe it was the enthusiasm of a new year that sparked this desire. Unfortunately I found myself disappointed. <br />
<br />
Reducing the dose by just half a pill made me feel more depressed and brought back the odd dizzy, funny feeling in my head. I tried this for a couple weeks but didn't see much improvement. Back to the doctor. "Well, it's good to try anyway." He said.<br />
<br />
"Now you know that it's something you need. You have a vitamin C deficiency - 'vitamin' Cipralex. It's like having to take insulin for diabetes; your body needs it." A lot of people say to get therapy for depression, or just get over it. I don't know for sure what the best solution is, but for now I have something that works for me.<br />
<br />
The fact that I had to keep taking pills was disappointing at first. It's an inconvenience remembering to take them,and be cautious of taking any other medications (Cipralex, I'm told, doesn't usually cause problems when taken with other things aside from possible drowsiness). It's expensive. Unfortunately it's not covered by my benefits because it's a pre-existing condition, but let's not get started on that!<br />
<br />
It's funny, when I started to feel worse I became interested in blogging and fashion again. So it turned out to be a good experience. =)<br />
<br /></div>
<br />
Keep searching,<br />
<i>Laura~She</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-38482627307817216162010-03-02T19:01:00.000-08:002015-01-24T16:41:09.873-08:00Merry-Go-Round: March 4, 2010<center>
<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ivanzuber/"> Photo by Ivan Zuber </a> </center>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A little late, but here we go!<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li><b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/CatswillRule">Catswillrule:</a></b> This girl inspires me! She's super cute, and a great singer and dancer. These are some of my favorite covers from her<br /><center>
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</li>
<br />
<li> <b> Free Snacks:</b> We're doing 24-hour support at work and some of the developers brought us a whole bunch of pop, candy, and chips to get us through the weird hours. It does help when you have to get up at 5 in the morning! Thanks guys! </li>
<br />
<li> <b> Bonding over the Olympics</b> I was expecting to really hate the Olympics since it was in my home town. It was going to be crowded and it would take forever to get anywhere. But it didn't! Traffic was fine for me. A lot of friends and co-workers got really in to the spirit and we'd put it on TV while we worked. No matter where you went there was a common link between everyone and people seemed friendlier as they'd talk to anyone nearby about the games. Curling was actually my favorite part, and Canada did amazing in it. Did I mention <a href="http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=41700.html">Norway's pants? </a> </li>
<br />
<li> A quote from the book I'm reading right now ('How to Win Friends and Influence People') <blockquote>
" By Becoming interested in the cause, we are less likely to dislike the effect."<br />
- Dale Carnegie</blockquote>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
Keep searching,<br />
<i>Laura~She</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-54675894329954219712010-02-22T08:10:00.000-08:002015-01-24T16:41:22.160-08:00Merry-Go-Round: February 22, 2010<center>
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3409/3569119116_5900e079af.jpg" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drawing_with_light/"> Photo by ariane_hunter </a> </center>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hello dollies! It's been a while, hasn't it? I've decided to get back into the blogging game after giving it a bit of a try last year. This is one of my resolutions, so hopefully you'll see many posts to come!<br />
<br />
Today I'm starting a new feature called Merry-Go-Round which will typically be posted on Mondays. It's a way to share links, and talk about things that make me happy and I'm grateful for. It's all about practicing gratitude and giving recognition where it is deserved, and when's a better time to think about the best things in life than an underrated Monday? So here we go, I hope you enjoy!<br />
<br /></div>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li><b> Giggle Fits at Work:</b> Oh man, I almost burst out laughing at work the other day. We we're working together in a large group and testing video games -can- be a lot of fun. Some funny stuff was happening in the game. But that wasn't what was making me laugh. It was the <i> anticipation </i> of more funny things that made me hysteric. I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing and looking crazy!</li>
<br />
<li> <b> Juice:</b> Nico and I have been getting in to juice lately. We've checked out <a href="http://www.gorillafood.com/"> Gorilla Food</a> and Sejuiced. Both are delicious! Fresh fruit juices are amazingly tasty and healthy, not to mention non-chain juice bars have a friendly, relaxed vibe to them. </li>
<br />
<li> <b><a href="http://www.uniball-na.com/main.taf?p=2,2,3"> Uniball 207 Gel Pens: </a></b> I bought a pack with blue, green, pink, and orange. Pretty colour and they dry fast so they don't smudge, which can be a real problem when you're left handed. Plus, they're waterproof!</li>
<br />
<li> And finally, a bit of a <b>conversation between a father and daughter</b> heard on my way home: <blockquote>
Daughter: We should phone everyone in the world and tell them to smach all the cars. Smash them to bits!<br />
Dad: What about the skytrain?<br />
Daughter: It's a robot?<br />
Dad: (Whispers something)<br />
Daughter: Electric? Hmm..we shouldn't smash them then.</blockquote>
They were adorable! They also talked about how the cars looked like jellybeans, but the trucks didn't, they were more like sausages. I had such a big smile on my face listening to them.</li>
</ul>
<br />
I hope you have a big smile on your face too today!<br />
<br />
Keep searching,<br />
<i>Laura~She</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-74676673286137605792009-02-15T13:37:00.000-08:002015-01-24T16:41:33.536-08:00Contributing Factors and Medication - My Story<center>
<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2193/2184168405_61465a185d.jpg" style="border: 1px solid grey; padding: 4px;" /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fadethegreat/2184168405/"> Photo by Fade The Great </a> </center>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
After a conversation I had last night turned to medication it seems like now is the time to talk about this. Towards the end high school physical issues emerged for me - it began with stomach aches, moved on to daily headaches, and became very strange dizziness/lightheaded-ness more recently. You can imagine how difficult it is to keep a job or even look for a job when you’re feeling like crud most days. Of course, being how we shy’s are it’s often incredibly difficult to get help for anything - I spent much too long dealing with these issues before getting a solution. <br />
<br />
When the fear of passing out became too much I went to see the doctor. My regular doctor wasn’t in and the woman I did see seemed pretty concerned. When I told her that it felt a bit like my chest was bruised she sent me off to get tests right away and it shouldn’t wait until tomorrow. Naturally I freaked out and cried while I walked to the test centre. Blood tests, urine test, and an ECG were administered. They too were concerned about my elevated heart rate and the ‘chest pain’. “Just to be safe” they said, they called an ambulance. When it arrived I was placed on oxygen, had an IV inserted, and was put on a stretcher. I didn’t think it was necessary at all. Maybe it was a good thing they had called the ambulance for me because shortly after in the other room a man had been complaining about feeling ‘burnt out’ and they figured it was pretty serious so they used the ambulance to take him first. Another one came and took me to the hospital where I proceed to lay there for hours in the emergency ‘hallway’. My heart rate was still up around 130 BPM. It got pretty draining laying down for so long with nothing to do. More blood was taken, more vital checking, and another ECG. Finally after everything I saw the cardiologist who recommended I wear a Holter monitor for 24 hours. <br />
<br />
The Holter monitor basically looks like a cassette player with wires coming out of it. The wires are attached by electrodes at specific places on your chest in order to monitor your heart’s activities, while the recorder hangs by your side like the most ghetto music player you’ve ever seen. All you have to do is write down your daily activities and any time you feel particularly bad. This test is completely harmless sans taking off the super sticky electrodes which leave nice little red patches for a few days. <br />
<br />
After a rather strange and tiring couple of days I went back to the doctor for my results, and… everything was fine! A relief in a way but it also meant we’d have to keep looking for the problem.<br />
<br />
Luckily judging by my personality and everything that I’d described as well as the excessively high heart rate there was a very likely possibility – anxiety. I was prescribed Cipralex, an antidepressant. I hadn’t thought I was really ‘depressed’ since I had little to be sad about but now it’s very obvious looking back. <br />
<br />
The first few weeks had ups and downs. Sometimes I would feel better but my sleep was strange. Either I couldn’t fall asleep, I’d wake up in the night, or just feel plain weird. My dreams even seemed to change – strangely they were more realistic! Normally I have messed up dreams, so these were weird for me. <br />
<br />
Eventually my body adjusted to the medication. For me not only were the physical symptoms alleviated with an antidepressant/anti-anxiety medication, but I found myself happier and more open – like I knew I should feel. I felt like myself again. I’m still shy and still have bad days but in general I've improved and I’m very happy to be where I am now. <br />
<br />
Now, medication isn’t always the answer and certainly not always the best option but if my little story sounds anything like you it’s worth it to get yourself checked out. You aren't supposed to feel miserable. The first step is to find the problem and a doctor can not only help you find it but they can give you many of the options to solving it.<br />
<br />
I hope to revisit this topic in the future and provide a more informational overview of medication, the relationship between shyness and anxiety and depression, as well as alternatives to medication. If you have any questions you'd like answered please let me know and I'll do my best to explain.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848173396405150582.post-56171596381085948022009-02-08T18:02:00.000-08:002015-01-24T16:41:45.128-08:00Long hair syndrome<center>
<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/leiaverner/1246558556/"> Photo by leiaverner </a> </center>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When you have long hair it can be a shield – it’s the first thing people notice about you which is great if you don’t feel comfortable with yourself and want them to have a different focal point.<br />
<br />
When I was in elementary school I began to grow my hair long. I didn’t think about it at the time, but maybe there was a reason. I was shy. Horribly so.<br />
<br />
For me it felt like the only reason I was noticed was my long blonde hair. It was a thread I could cling desperately to, connecting me to the rest of the world. Without it maybe I’d just fade away… I’d be boring. Because that’s what I felt – I was a dull and boring person. I could never make conversation but at least this way people might have a reason to talk to me.<br />
<br />
About grade 10 I began to realize that my hair was not a shield but a blockade. It’s ALL people noticed. Naturally I put that theory to the test by chopping it off. I never shed a tear as what must have been nearly 2 feet of hair fell. It was a cute cut – shoulder length and styled into a flip. Back at school I saw not many people commented on the hair. Whether it was because they didn’t care enough to compliment it or because they didn’t notice, I don’t know. There were two boys who used to call me ‘long hair’ (Original! Was it an insult or what?) and after the cut I heard nothing.<br />
<br />
It was a learning experience for me. Long hair, short hair, it makes no difference. WHY your hair is that way is what matters. People are going to treat you virtually the same way no matter what. While it is nice to get some attention, if it’s based on your appearance it’s shallow and you can do so much better. So keep your hair however you want it; just remember to not rely on it too much. You are a deep, complex, amazing creature and you deserve more than superficial compliments based on the obvious. You are much more than your hair.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00053590087177959637noreply@blogger.com0