heady theories

I've got a headache.

No, it's not from wrestling the ins and outs of theology.

But I've been getting some massive headaches the last little while. I've got a long history with 'em though. In grade 12 I use to get 'em everyday and be "forced" to sleep after school. Or I'd go into the car during church and lay there clutching this head of mine.

Back then it was stress or something like that.

What is it now?

Here are some of my theories:

Hair. Too much of it. I think I need a haircut to reduce the weight on my head! Darn, it didn't help.

Caffeine. Tea and not enough water? I don't drink water thus, I can't eliminate the tea from my body. Ugh.

Dropped. I was dropped on the head a few too many times as a child.

Mouthy-ness. As a kid, I was often decked by my elders for saying the "wrong" thing at the inappropriate times. Ok ok, that wasn't just when I was a kid...

not so wild

I was suppose to be sleeping under the stars tonight...

but Jenn and I got rejected. We made through three rounds of interviews, but not the final cut.

For what? To be on a reality tv-show called Wild At Heart, filmed by the Knowledge Network. It's showcasing people doing adventures in BC Parks. Roughing it for five days...like real no washroom, no outhouses, type camping, and then going for an outdoor adventure. Our episode would have been rock-climbing!

Well, it was a neat experience anyhow. Filling out an application, being called by the screening lady, sending in a photo, thinking we didn't make it through... but being called five months later by the producer lady, going for a face-to-face interview--drinking some nice tea, then getting a rejection email.

Well, maybe next time.

So which television show wants my lovely face?

summer is ova...

Summer is winding down... The big question is did I complete my "summer to-do list?" [See June's archives]

Here's a run-down...

10 summer things to do...

1. skim-boarding
I like to say I did. Well, I tried once. Didn't do very well, but at least I tried it. Jane? I need some help... preferably before my knees can't bend ;)
2. have a real non Chinese-style picnic
I DID! Hung out with some Gladstoners and chilled and ate at the park...
3. get one shade darker...
I'd like to think I got two shades darker... I kinda miss my pastey skin... I think I've got a perma-tan from Sri Lanka last year. Cos it's still there! I musta roasted eh?
4. travel somewhere to stay overnight at least once
Yep. Portland, Whistler, Manning Park, chez Lo's
5. camping [yes i'll brave the elements and rough it; be a real hick]
YEEES. Got rained out, but tried one night!
6. afternoon tea-ing
Yep! Went to Secret Garden... where I threw up on the side of the road...
7. make a friend [like meet a new friend, not create a friend...haha?]
I'd like to think I made a few friends actually. Yah me!
8. read one non-course book [hey, that's quite the task for me k? I'm not an academic.. =)]
I've started some Coupland books... started.
9. strum strum
Started, gained some momentum... then dropped it like a hot potatoe! Gotta pick that up again...
10. put on contacts
Yay! After 3 years and bottles of expired solution, I got 'em in just in time for the wedding!

Well there it is. I think I did pretty well. It's been a different kind of summer. Lots of chillaxing; nothing very productive but I still feel good about it.

But that season's come to an end and it's time to refocus. I'm stoked for fall and what may land.

I'm back.

Not the same, however, more ME than ever.

Thank God for seasons.

Is this where the MTV generation is going?

Social change meets gaming.

So I read an article recently that spoke of this kid... a 49 year old, who just created a videogame about being homeless, supposedly teaching kids to about social issues.

I went to the website and played the game. I'm not sure...

Another example of the commodification of a real need?

Are we too "scared" to get the real experience of walking the streets of East Hastings, handing out food and actually, get this, interact with the homeless?

There was actually a conference designed to help tackle/discuss the issue too: Games for Change Conference.

It's a nice attempt but...

Ai... Don't get me started...

comfort foods (Chinese-style)

What's your comfort foods?

Everytime I come home from a trip, mum makes me "gai lan" or what it is sometimes called "chinese broccoli." I'm not sure how it's called that, because it doesn't have flower heads like the "english broccoli!"

Anyhow... that's my fav veggie. Yum.

And then, there's congee (rice porridge--no really, it really is good)... I usually get that soon after too.

Why do I get these "specific" foods?

Because when I come home from being out-of-town... usually...
1) I didn't eat enough veggies and,
2) I'm nearing sick! Yep, my "hot and cold" gets out of whack...

Everytime I return, I have a sore throat of a sort! Blech!

blank slate

Watching the sky change colour is one of the neatest things to do...

A friendly reminder that a fresh start is just over the horizon.

Something irking you?

Just watch the sunrise...

How she breaks through the black and blue...

Offering a fresh perspective, indeed.

Did you rise the sun for me? Or paint a million stars that I might know your majesty.

It gets me every time I think that someone would use the universe as a canopy to create a masterpiece so that I may know him...

I think it's time to go for a drive!

In a few days I can watch the sunrise everyday, amidst the trees and nature...

Now who said me and mother nature can't be one? There's that outdoorsy side somewhere in me, nevertheless, it's very deep, but it's there!

august =

: heart2heart-ing with 'em girls
: candle-sticking
: reading
: coffeeing
: making legends
: sleepovers!
: reconnecting
: camping under the stars
: homeworking
: high tea-ing
: "clubbing"
: house-sitting
: watching my friend wedding-ing
: shopping with the fam
: celebrating birthday galores!
: physical activity-ing
: making plenty of friends. just friends!
: personal time out-ing
: enjoying the Sun
: watching the puzzle continue to piece together... yay

unleashing advocacy again

Time to get back to my communications roots and make my SFU alma mater proud.

Reading the likes of Douglas Copeland, pop culture and social action works of art.

Taking part in advocacy for social issues and other public "stuff".

Housing the homeless, loving the unlovable, and defending the helpless...

I've allowed my brain to rust long enough... getting that advocate cap back on!

God, how do you want my August to look?

August: closing a chapter of purposeful fun and gearing up...

Game on!

'bout time!

weeding out of gardening

Gardening.

I'm definately a green one at it.
Some people have it planted within them, but for this gal, the seed just won't grow!

Was that corny? Didya get it? Tsk tsk. ;p

Haha...

Really now, a few months back, I weeded a few sections of the garden. Crouched low and squated for hours with the sun scorching my sunscreenless face... Before this, the only weed I picked up was...uh... nevermind;p

I intended to plant my own garden this summer. People say, gardening can teach you a lot about life, right?

Ambitious, I bought a few seeds. We got tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.

Then, the inevitable happened.

I lost interest.

It grew. Mum watered them. But the weeds grew too.

I look at them and have no desire nor ambition to weed them again.

Man... it's a drag.

Here I have my little plants... but I don't know which one's the weed and which one's the plant?

Dang weeds...

Did I learn anything about life?

No... I refuse to allow the weedy garden to teach me anything about daily maintenance... ok ok, sense the childish sarcasm...? Does this reflect my daily living... letting things slide till...

Anyhow, I did learn one thing though:

No more gardening for this chica.

I'm onto other forms of domestication.

Say, cross-dres.. I mean, cross-stitching?

Who will put me over the top?

I'm sitting on 999.

I have 999 unread emails in my hotmail inbox.

I'm sitting here awaiting that 1000th's email.

1796 in the inbox.

My hotmail account is for msn and for my subscription. Well, most of them. It's for my useless ones...

My gmail has my "useful" ones.

"Useful" or "useless" they receive the same treatment. They're all unread. Just that my "useful" ones have the "potential" to be read at a later date--then again the first unread "useful" email started back in June 2. We're talking 2005. It all started then...

Now my gmail has 414 unread emails.

1237 waiting to be sorted. I think I've sorted once since I opened the account.

My most used, home email account is the one I sort the most often.

Let's say we have our annual "sort" day in early January.

Meaning, I've got 2005 out of the way. Only 2006 sits in my inbox.

We have 2487 emails in my inbox... but I'm happy to report that they're all read!

Ok, that's a lie. They've all been opened.

My Arrow-work account, is quite "organized" because well, it's work! Let me check... I'd like to report that every email is read. And if it's junk mail, it gets immediately trashed.

There are... it doesn't report how many emails are in my inbox. But there are 51 pages of emails in my web outlook. Counting, it seems like there's 25 emails per pages... meaning... Hmm..

Don't roll your eyes.

All this to say I do read your email thoroughly though... ^_^

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edit: oh, Danny-boy just put me over the top at 1000 unread... I wonder what it says...?

ah!

This morning I wake up sore. Yep. Sore. My right shoulder, my neck...

Probably because I tried to fit into a one foot box.

Went to Science World yesterday with a friend. I've got my Passport Challenge, so I get to go to all these tourist destinations for free with a guest!

But boy oh boy, once we got in, it seemed like we were caught in a sidewalk sale at Metro--but for kids! They were running back and forth, all around. No wonder kids have short attention spans! This totally caters to the ADHD kid! So many things to try that you don't stay at one place for more than 3 minutes! Can you really learn something--'cause I don't see kids reading the sciencey blurbs...

Things I learned:

• I'm over educated. Don't have the simplicity of mind to make these things work! As we were trying to figure out this one rifle game, a line-up growing by the minute developed behind us. We couldn't understand the game!
• I can't wheel a wheelchair.
• I'm apparently very stressed.
• my attention span is perhaps only a little better than most kids..ai!
  
• and lastly... that I can't fit into a one foot box.

Either kids thought we weren't in line/were parents... 'cause they'd just budge in front of us! I think perhaps they thought we were part of the wall. As we did tower over them...

I did get a bit of satisfaction for beating this one budging, bratty, think-I'm-so-cool type kid in a challenge. Hah!

Tried to complete the day with astronaut ice cream... sold out.

What a day!

It was definitely worth the price of our admission... hehe...