Flying can be such a pain in the ass!

Traveling is something that I always look forward to because I love being in a different place for a short (or long) period of time. Getting away from where I live and changing up the scenery is always needed for me. Staying in Vic for longer than 4 months at a time is impossible, and so I try and fly as often as I can. However, the traveling part itself - going to the airport, checking baggage, boarding the plane, flying - is NEVER fun.

Take today, for example - I'm sitting at YYJ, waiting for my plane and I'm not happy. But I'm not happy because I'm *just* waiting for it - I'm unhappy because my flight has been delayed... again! This entire year has consisted of flights that have either been delayed or that have arrived early. Let's take a look at my 7 flights of 2009:

January 2009 - Calgary to Victoria: delayed by 4 hours. Once we got on the plane, the captain told us that something was wrong with the plane and we needed to get off and switch to another plane. On the plus, I got a $99 WJ credit.

April 2009 - Victoria to Toronto: flight was on time, but arrived like 30 minutes early, making me wait an extra 30 minutes early for my ride. Thankfully the weather was beautiful. Not so thankful that I hadn't slept at all the night before because I was out clubbing with friends. Oh, and I was still in my clubbing outfit. Nice!

May 2009 - Toronto to Victoria: delayed by two hours. A lovely rain/hail storm decided to hit Toronto at the time of my departure. It was raining and hailing so badly to the point that you were *literally* not able to see anything outside of the window. I'm not even exaggerating. Imagine sitting in one of those touchless car washes - you know when the water just pours onto your car and you can kind of see some objects? Well imagine not seeing any objects at all. Yeah - that bad.

August 2009 - Victoria to Calgary: delayed by an hour. I don't even remember why my flight was delayed - the weather was beautiful.

August 2009 - Calgary to Toronto: delayed by an hour. Once again, can't remember why. However, I notified my ride that I was going to be late and yet I arrived on time, making me wait for my ride again!

September 2009 - Toronto to Victoria: departed on time, but arrived late. Heading back to Victoria from Toronto is the longest flight possible in the world, and having the wind against us all the time never helps.

December 2009 - Victoria to Calgary: delayed by two hours. I'm sitting here, at this very moment, at the airport waiting for my plane to arrive and kick its passengers off so I can get on the plane! UGH!

This, by far, has been the worst travel year in terms of timing. And while I still stand by WestJet's amazing service and friendly employees, I need to say one thing: your timing literally sucks! I have flown with you all 7 times and for once I would like to leave on time and arrive on time. Actually, arriving early is a bonus - I just want to leave on time.

And there ya have it folks, my travel adventures for the entire year. Hopefully 2010 will start off better and I'll leave YYC on time.

Lots of love,
Lady S.

PS - oooh - almost time to board!!

#62 - The Penny Farthing

One more restaurant and I can finally cross of #62 from the 101 list. Anyway, went to Penny Farthing the other day and while the atmosphere was awesome, the food was alright. Nothing spectacular - just your regular pub fare.

So, there's my review on that. Next restaurant that I want to try - Japanese Village.

Love,
LS

Off topic, but just as relevant

Anti-gay law in Uganda would sentence homosexuals for life

I have to mention this because not only is it important to continue to raise awareness about gay and lesbian rights, but because this issue stated above is beyond immoral and inhumane. I can understand that some people do not agree with homosexuality and I understand that some people would not live that lifestyle and fine enough - to each their own. We all have our own opinions about life, how one should live their own life, etc. But somewhere along the way people got the impression that it's okay to impose their beliefs, their religion, their morals, their way of life on everybody else and that it's okay to discriminate against groups because they're "different".

Here's a piece of advice and my first point of this rant - they are not different. They are normal like everybody else. Just because they do not follow the same life style as you do does not make them different. They would rather chose to live a lifestyle that better suits them.

Second point - nobody chooses to be gay. Nobody wakes up one morning and says "you know, just to make my life a little bit harder, I'm going to be attracted to the same sex!" Honestly, and no offense to anybody that is gay, being gay (according to friends of mine) is a difficult thing, because not only is the gay community very small to the point of it being difficult to find a partner, but now you have to defend yourself against society and justify your actions... oh, and let's not forget trying to get your family to support you in your decision! Just like straight people can't describe why they are attracted to the opposite sex, the same goes for the gay community.

My third point - to those religious fanatics that like to throw bible quotes around saying that being gay is a sin, the mere fact that you yourself are criticizing the lifestyle of someone else, by saying that somebody is going to go to hell, by saying that God doesn't love them, makes YOU the sinner. Nobody on earth, according to God, has the right to determine who is living their life (almost) perfectly in the eyes of God. The ONLY person who has that right is God himself. If you don't like that, deal with it. But how about you shut up and stop trying to force your religious views on everybody else, because guess what - chances are that somewhere in your religious preaching, you're wrong. Religion is a personal thing. Period.

This is beyond ridiculous. No government should intervene in an individual's life and no government should inhibit the rights and freedoms that a person deserves and should have without having to fight for it. We are supposed to be living in a modern society, where we accept one another for who we are regardless of whether or not we like it. But here is the thing - if you don't like it, nobody is forcing you to live a lifestyle that you don't agree with. I fail to see how the gay community is personally affecting your life. No, I would not date a girl. No, I am not gay and I could never see myself having a relationship with a girl. But that's my personal choice because that's who I am. If one of my friends discovers that he or she is gay, by no means is that ever going to affect me.

So, to summarize, grow the fuck up people and get over the fact that the world isn't going to be shaped in your ideal way. Get used to it.

Lady S.

Pooh Bear

Isn't he adorable? All cute and fat and sweet? Yes, he is very cute, but I'm not going to ramble about how adorable he is. Rather, I'm going to put up quotes that he (or another character) has said.

You see, one thinks that his movies are just for children and that there really isn't much meaning behind them. But if you pay close attention to the story line and the lines that are said, some of the quotes are just so... meaningful. And yes, I may sound like a sap right now, but my roommate agrees with me and that's all that matters.

And so, here are my nine favorite quotes that make life just a little bit better.

Lady S.


---

"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you."

**

"And by and by Christopher Robin came to an end of things, and he was silent, and he sat there, looking out over the world, just wishing it wouldn't stop."

**

"Pooh, promise me you won't forget about me, ever. Not even when I am a hundred."
Pooh thought for a little.
"How old shall I be then?"
"Ninety-nine."
Pooh nodded. "I promise," he said.

**

"Some people care too much, I think it's called love."

**

Pooh sidled up to Pooh from behind.
"Pooh," he whispered.
"Yes, Piglet?"
"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw, "I just wanted to be sure of you."

**

"Promise me you'll never forget me because if I thought you would I'd never leave."

**

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although eating honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.

**

"I wonder what Piglet is doing," thought Pooh.
"I wish I were there to be doing it, too."

**

"The hardest part is what to leave behind ... It's time to let go!"

#62 - Brentwood Pub

So, the BFF left yesterday after being here for 6 days for my birthday. Naturally, I hate goodbyes, so I was sulking at home feeling sorry for myself when I got a text message from a friend to join her for some drinks and food.

So, restaurant number 3 is Brentwood Pub, located in Brentwood Bay. The pub is located right by the ocean, but unfortunately it was night time and I was not able to enjoy the view that the pub offers. The atmosphere is so relaxing, yet with a touch of classy so it's perfect for a person like me that loves to dress up for dinner. Along with the great atmosphere, the service was incredible! Our server was very nice and was very attentive without being at our table every 5 minutes. So that in itself is a bonus.

The food was pretty good as well, although nothing spectacular. And, in case you're wondering, the prices were a bit on the pricey side, especially because the majority of the items on the menu were just regular pub items.

Anyway, that is my "critique" for the restaurant. And yes, I would go back again.

Love,
Lady S.

#87 - The Bell Store Man

Before I start this post, do you know how hard it is to include a picture with every post that I write? I'm sure you're thinking that I could just stop posting pictures, but then the blog would look boring and who would want to read a blog that has no pictures to look at? Oh, and let's not forget that I need a picture that at least goes with the theme of the post. So, if you're wondering why there is a picture of a cell phone, you're about to find out.

Number 87 on the 101 list was to speak with a random stranger for 10 minutes. The story is as follows:

A couple weeks back I went into a Bell store to get my phone fixed/replace/what not because it wasn't working properly. The guy at the bell store recommended that I upgrade the software on my phone. Two days later, I followed his advice. Big mistake. My phone went on the fritz and stopped working. Now, for those that know me, my phone is like my life line - without it, I might as well not even exist! So I panicked and was up for the entire night into the next day with a bell tech assistant trying to fix my phone. No luck. Monday rolls around and I miss school because I *need* a phone. I walk into the Bell store and there is the guy who told me to upgrade the software.

I'm pretty sure he was ready to run and hide because not only was I pissed off, I kept glaring at him. I let him know how his advice killed my phone and how Bell was not going to do anything about it. My only option was to buy a new phone. To his credit, he did call Bell to let them know that it was his advice, his wrong doing, and that something should be done. Unfortunately, Bell is another blood-sucking, money-robbing, who-cares-about-customer-satisfaction company and decided to do nothing (other than offer me 100 free long distance minutes for the remainder of my contract. Um, hello! How does that help me when I can't even place a call?!)

Anyway, after a few apologies and the phone call he made to Bell, he helped me pick the Blackberry Tour (pictured above.) While setting up my phone, we actually had a really good conversation! From school to places where we've lived before, we talked for quite awhile about everything. Not only that, but we had a lot in common (ie, he's from Toronto and loves it and I want to move Toronto because I love it. And our hatred for Victoria!) In the end, walking out with $450 more on my Visa wasn't so bad, but only because the conversation was pretty amazing. And let's face it - it's the Tour. The phone fucking rocks!

And there is my story of how Bell sucks and how I acquired my new phone.

Moral of the story: don't sign up with Bell!

Loves,
Lady S.

#97 - 301 to 400 things that I love

So, this part has taken awhile for me to post, but mostly because I have completely forgotten to continue the list. Randomly, tonight, I remembered, and I was only able to complete up to 342 without repeating myself or having my mind go blank. I'll update this list to 400 once I have completed it.

Loves,
Lady S.

*NOTE: I completed the list today (being the next day from last night when I posted the first half.) Only 100 more to go and I can scratch this off my 101 list. Not only that, but I have the comfort of knowing that soon I know I will discover that there really are 500 things that I love other than money and material objects. Doesn't that just give you the fuzzies?!


---

301 - 400 Things That I Love

301. building forts
302. watching movies in a fort
303. ooh la la cupcakes
304. hope
305. learning about international development
306. yawning in the morning
307. playing Halo with the roomie
308. speaking in Spanish
309. listening to old songs
310. remembering the lyrics to old songs

311. the opera
312. musicals
313. a working cell phone!
314. automatically cliquing with a stranger
315. watching children movies
316. short hair
317. kitten heels
318. dying my hair black
319. coloring books
320. crayons

321. pink crayons, to be more specific
322. hand writing (when it looks good anyway)
323. 7:14 (am or pm)
324. board games
325. green leaves
326. Georgia font
327. back row seats at the movie theatres
328. “accidentally” locking people out of the car
329. funny waiters
330. wet-naps

331. using rock, paper, scissors to settle things
332. having 5 pillows on my bed
333. electric toothbrushes
334. people that are shorter than me so I look superior
335. a good parking spot at the mall
336. pulling into a parking meter stall and seeing there is time left on the meter
337. a fresh, new tube of toothpaste
338. sleeping in on Saturday
339. sitting a the booth in a restaurant
340. completing a puzzle

341. sneaking candy into the movie theatre
342. magnetic poetry
343. discovering new things on my BlackBerry
344. product (RED)
345. boycotting Tim Hortons
346. Winnie the Pooh and his adventures
347. when the sun comes out after a gloomy day
348. hearing the birds chirping when the sum comes out after a gloomy day
349. seeing a dog pretending he/she is running while dreaming
350. learning to play a new song

351. cue cards
352. having cookies turn out the way they are *supposed* to turn out
353. watching clouds go by
354. having a nice tan
355. funny emails
356. Barbie (yes, this is the kid inside of me!)
357. becoming re-addicted to old games I used to play
358. magazine subscriptions
359. a new hair cut
360. how my hair looks two weeks after a get a perm

361. doing movie marathons
362. getting an assignment done on time
363. new emails in my inbox
364. get-well messages
365. knowing there are 365 days in a year, so you can make the most out of one year
366. post-it notes!
367. arriving early to my destination
368. speeding past a cop and *not* getting pulled over
369. having Karma on my side when I do the above (or anything else)
370. countdowns

371. BlackBerry messenger – I live by it
372. when people throw in free things because they screwed you over and made you buy another BlackBerry at a ridiculously expensive price because you had no choice (Bell man – this one is for you!)
373. feeling great after being sick for days
374. gift boxes
375. on-sale items
376. free shipping and handling
377. getting the bigger slice of the pie
378. having someone offer to take a picture of you and your friend
379. when it stops raining after it’s been raining for so long
380. Chinooks in Calgary

381. my mom’s cooking
382. my sister’s cooking
383. when I fix technical problems on my own
384. breakfast food
385. the people at Shaw – they are so friendly!
386. the possibility of having cell phone companies coming to Canada so we’re not forced to pay ridiculous amounts of money two three companies that suck balls
387. finding treasures in the sand
389. singing in the shower
390. seeing music download ultra fast

391. getting popsicles from the ice cream truck (this one is for T.F.)
392. vegetables fresh out of the garden
393. tequila shots! oh right!
394. peeing after holding it in forever
395. the fresh, crisp first page of a new coil notebook
396. cracking your back after you have been hunched over for hours
397. digging out an old yearbook
398. laughing at my ridiculous fashion sense in that old yearbook
399. point out constellations and being right
400. knowing I’m only 100 away from finishing 500 things that I love

#19 - Writing Security

So, it's not like I read this book by choice. Actually, if I were to ever encounter this book again at Chapters, I would buy it and light it on fire to protest how *horrible* this book is.

I had to read this book for my Poli 347 class (god, the prof is *lucky* he is good looking, otherwise I would have dropped the class after reading the first paragraph of this book!) This is the most pointless and dry book to have ever been written. I'm serious, I would much rather have to read a book in another language that I don't know and try to decipher it as opposed to reading this book again.

David Campbell (author of this incredibly boring book) writes about the discursive economy of language and how our use of language determines .... booooooring!

And there ya have it - don't read this book.

Lady S.

PS, only one more book to read and #19 will be crossed off the list! Ooooh yeah!

#95 - Accomplished!

This summer gave me the perfect opportunity to "discover" myself. Sounds cheesy, I know, but I think it's vital that most people do this, as some people are seriously lost, trying to find themselves amongst a wide array of possibilities. I constantly was encountered with the conflict of staying in Victoria and moving to Toronto, and while that doesn't seem significant, it was hindering on my happiness. So, the adventure to find myself to then determine where I was going to move began.

It started in May, where I took two summer courses: Politics of Development and Gender & International Politics. At the beginning, I was not looking forward to these two classes, but later into the term, I discovered what I'm truly passionate about. International development is my area of focus in political science and after extensive research not only in my classes, but as well in my own time, I was able to discover how development works, what development means, and the approaches that are used to help states develop. After finishing both classes, I knew that I wanted to work for an organization that focused its interest on international development. It is also my goal to change the views held by neoliberalists in regards to development, as I firmly believe that neoliberalism does not answer the question of development, but rather hinders the progress of development in third world states and disregards the micro level of economics.

After discovering that, I had all of July off to do whatever I felt like doing. Research is what I did, and I continued to research theories that are applied to international development. I also started volunteering for Urpi, a non-profit organization that grants scholarships to children in orphanages located in Ayacucho, Pero. The volunteering position is small and consists of doing translations at meetings. This opportunity further allowed me to get a sense of the magnitude of poverty that exists in this world and the overabundance of resource and money held in first world states. July also gave me the opportunity to spend quality "me time", to discover who I was, what I wanted, and where I wanted to go. I, personality wise, did not change, but my attitude towards certain aspects of life certainly did. I do not care about minuscule details in life, about insignificant people that in the long run have no effect on my life, or the petty drama that surrounds various people I know. I have detached myself from caring about many things that I used to worry about, and thankfully I'm much happier now.

August rolled around and I left Victoria for the entire month. The first half was in Calgary, and being there for 18 days allowed me to realize that I never want to return to Alberta again. I cannot stand how conservative Albertans are, how close-minded they can be, and how they refuse to adapt to modernity and the constant evolution of society. The 18th saw my leave to Toronto, where I stayed until the 2nd of September. Being in Toronto is always exciting for me as I adore the city and love the culture and speed of the city. Never did I miss Victoria while I was in Toronto and that alone answered my question: Victoria will not be my home next year.

I hope that by July 1, 2010 I will have moved from Victoria to Toronto. I hope that I'm able to find a job that deals with international development, that allows me to use my knowledge of dependency theory and that enables me to make a difference (even a small one) in this world. I hope that what I discovered during the summer will never leave and that my move to Toronto will be the next step towards a great future.

Lady S.

#61 - Dye My Hair Black

So, there isn't much to this post other than I got my hair died black.

And here is a picture to prove it.

But aside from the black hair, isn't the hat so cute?! SO in love with the hat right now =)

And that's all.
Lady S.

#19 - Flight of the Dragonfly

While I was visiting my parents in Calgary (August 1-18), we hit up Costco cause... well we love Costco. I headed for the book section to see if I could find a particular book (can't remember the name right now) and came across "Flight of the Dragonfly."

At first, I walked by it, but when I walked by it again, I decided to read the synopsis and read that the story was a true story about a mother whose two girls are kidnapped by their father to Lebanon. Now, I would not have been interested in the book at all because it's not my type of story, but when I read that the mother was from Calgary, I just had to read it. And, quite frankly, I'm glad I did!

The book tells the courageous story of Melissa Hawach, the mother of her two girls, Hannah and Cedar, and her journey to Australia and Lebanon to find her two daughters. It explains her marital history to Joe Hawach, the deceit of her husband, and the dangerous adventure she goes through to find her daughters. It's not a great piece of literature, but I still enjoyed reading the book, especially through the intense moments she lived through in Lebanon.

There is something really important that she emphasizes in the book and which I believe is important for everyone to know - even though her husband, of Lebanese origin, kidnapped the girl, she made a point of not stereotyping the Lebanese people; in fact, in her book, she mentions that a lot of the help she received in Lebanon came from Lebanese. For some reason, I felt that to be very important to say!

Anyway, if you get the chance to read the book, I recommend it.

As a side note, it's been a month since I last posted; however, I was away for an entire month, sooooo I have an excuse ;)

Loves,
Lady S.

#92 - Host a BBQ

So, I'm like a week late on updating this event, but it happened! And it happened on such a hot day as well. Imagine bbqing outside when the weather is at least 28 degrees and the condo you're at has no air conditioning? Plus the kitchen is turned on because your roommate is cooking there too? Yeah - not so much fun when you're dripping sweat.

Regardless, it was still fun! Part of the BBQ was to play board games (yes - I'm old that way!) and I successfully kicked ass at Clue and Cranium (with the help of my teammates, of course.)

Aaaaaand that's all I really have to say about the BBQ! All I need now is to host one more BBQ and I can scratch #92 off the list.

Oh, and I fly out to Calgary today and leave the 18th to Toronto from Calgary. My next 101 things to do? Explore downtown Toronto. Pictures will be posted =)

Love,
Lady S.

#62 - The Office

Here is the second new restaurant that I have tried in Victoria. Honestly, I was not that big of a fan and was rather disappointed in the food. Granted,I only tried one dish, but that one dish can throw off any encouragement to go back to the restaurant and try a new dish.

I went there today with a friend to catch up since I had not seen him in awhile. To start, the menu itself was pretty interesting - it was in a duotang (trust me, sooner or later they will realize that it's a big mistake since duotangs can get ripped up pretty easily... and there is no lamination to any of the papers in side!) The menu didn't have a huge variety (salads, burgers, and pasta - the usual in any restaurant), but the salads and pasta were set up a little different; for the salads, you had a choice of two greens, one dressing, and two veggies. The same concept for the pasta applied.

Overall, not really impressed. The salad was *so* boring (mixed greens, arugula, avocado, cucumber, grilled chicken and avocado vinaigrette) and the price seemed unreasonable for a salad that I could make at home that would taste much better! I'll probably return sometime later to try one of their pasta dishes and hopefully it'll have a better taste.

Lady S.

#19 - The Kite Runner

Wow.

Absolutely, wow. This is one of those books that everybody needs to have on their shelves, pages worn out because it has been read over and over again. I was skeptical at first when I started reading the book because it was a little dry and part of me felt that if I wasn't into it after the first chapter, I would have a hard time trying to get into it. I'm glad I waited, though.

I can't begin to describe how this book is not only entertaining, but illuminating and inspiring at the same time. The lives of these two boys that live in the same country yet live completely different lives under one roof just... makes you realize the discrimination that is present everywhere. Granted, I may take more out of this book than the average reader who just reads for sheer pleasure, but this book provides a real life account of what life is truly like in Afghanistan.

I enjoyed reading The Memory Keeper's Daugher, but this book, by far, is just so much more amazing. And the ending - so inspiring. I hope every person gets a chance to read this book.

Next? A Thousand Splendid Suns by the same author.

Love,
Lady S.

#19 - The Memory Keeper's Daughter

Number 19 involves reading 5 books before the 1001 days are up (however, I might change this number since it seems too small.) The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards is the first book that I have read in a long time (other than scholarly books, of course) for just sheer pleasure. Everyone that has read the book has told me that is was a must-read and as such, I followed their advice.

Personally, the book is great! The way the other changes the point of view for each chapter enables you to get a sense of what each character is going through because of this one life-changing decision. It also gives insight to the complexities of society and families and love and relationships, all of which, of course, apply to each individual. The ending, however, is disappointing. It was quick, almost as if though the author was tired of writing and she wanted to finish up already. If I had to rate the book out of 5, I would say 4, just because the ending did not justice to the entire book.

Next on the list? The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini.

Lady S.

Happy Birthday, Canada

Well, Canada, you've been around for 147 years and thankfully I've been a part of this great country for about 23 years now and so far, you've treated me pretty well. Only 3 more years and then the big 1-5-0 will be here.


So, cheers to you Canada! Have a great day today.

Your Canadian friend,
Lady Sovereign

Part of 97 - The next 200 things that I love

Seriously, this list is going to be the death of me! Do you know how hard it is to come up with 300 things that you love without repeating yourself, not to mention 500 as listed on my 101 to do list? Jesus! Oh... there's something I love. I should write that as my 301.

Anyway, here it is - number 201 to 300 things that I love.

Lady S.

---

The next 200 things that I love

201. dancing by the ocean
202. driving with the windows down and feeling the wind in my hair
203. discovering new stores
204. the smell of Armani Mania
205. even numbers
206. the combination of red, white and black
207. singing in a different language
208. the sound of the shower running
209. cherry blossoms in Victoria
210. imitating Yzma on The Emperor’s New Groove

211. my sister and I laughing about nothing, and then bursting into laughter again because we’re still laughing!
212. acing an exam that I thought I would have failed on
213. playing Tennis
214. taking the scenic route while driving
215. being alone in my car with my thoughts
216. meeting new people who come from the same place you do
217. entering into an air-conditioned vehicle on a hot day
218. falling asleep in an air-conditioned car
219. finding a song I love and playing it on repeat
220. driving Highway 1 from Vancouver to Calgary – beautiful drive!

221. manicured hands
222. snuggling with my cat
223. making someone laugh when they’re having a bad day
224. finding that perfect bra and buying multiples of it
225. being called a princess (yes, for some that may be an insult; for me, it’s a compliment!)
226. a page-turning book that you finish at 5:30am
227. the sound of a purring cat
228. being in nature without encountering a bug I hate
229. the sound of a creek
230. fountains in beautiful parks

231. visiting a place I haven’t been to in years
232. debating about politics and religion
233. finishing off Cayley’s sentences because I already know what she’s thinking
234. +25 weather with a little, cool breeze – perfection!
235. watching repeats of Friends
236. a clean house
237. renting a movie with a friend and not even watching it because you have so much to catch up on
238. repeating funny lines from a movie
239. the feeling of a glorious win
240. winning, in general

241. learning about neo-liberalism and the negative effects of capitalism
242. writing poetry, even if it does suck sometimes
243. writing an essay that has me so intrigued that I can write 20 pages on it
244. going for coffee with newly made friends
245. researching about important global causes
246. planning surprises for other people
247. finishing an assignment days before it is due
248. baby bunnies on campus
249. not repeating myself throughout this list
250. crossing off items from my 101 list

251. finding new restaurants that you want to go to everyday
252. meeting famous people (ie. Kim Cattrall at the University! Oh yeah!)
253. rediscovering old songs that used to be your favorite
254. going back to something familiar
255. making a life changing plan and sticking with it
256. banana chocolate chip cake from Biblios… hello, my nemesis!
257. seeing the effects of your life changing plan
258. smiling for no reason
259. sleeping in a room that was *just* cleaned
260. putting on warm clothes straight out the dryer on a cold day.

261. making plans for a surprise party
262. a night out on the town with my person
263. making plans with the family before I travel to see them
264. 3D movies
265. having someone drive me around
266. picnicking on campus on a beautiful day
267. used books
268. the sound of a waterfall
269. happiness
270. doing something different out of my ordinary day

271. glitter
272. bbq-ing
273. the combination of gold and pearls
274. the smell of my perfume
275. the letter C
276. writing essays
277. learning new words
278. having my essay torn apart by my roommate, but all in the hopes of a better mark
279. awaiting my vacation
280. doing fun things that don’t cost money

281. the sound of leaves on a tree on a windy day
282. coloring in coloring books
283. sharpened pencil crayons
284. finding out that you still have a bit of money on your gift card
285. Franz Ferdinand (the band)
286. taking pictures of trees
287. eggs from a farmer – so amazingly good
288. when strangers smile at you and say “hi”
289. funny birthday cards
290. blogging

291. looking at old pictures that bring back great memories
292. letting go of an addiction
293. reading random articles on Wikipedia
294. decorating the family Christmas tree
295. reuniting with my family after many months
296. making travel plans
297. flowers in my hair
298. the smell of a clean bathroom
299. being in love
300. being more than half way finished to accomplish 500 things I love

#8 - Use transit for an entire day and give my car a day off.

You didn't think it would happen, did ya? Well - surprise! It happened! My car finally got a day off from having to cater to my needs and instead I opted to use transit. Quite frankly, I didn't mind and if anything, it was a good day.

The roomie and I headed towards downtown in search of some great used books at Russell Books. That store is heaven and if I had the option - and the money - I would buy every book they have in stock. Unfortunately, my budget was limited, and so I purchased The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, and The Kite Runner by the same author.

After reducing my selection of 6 book down to three, we grabbed the #11 bus and headed to UVic. Now, you're probably wondering why the heck I was headed towards campus when I was dying to get away from campus for at least two months? Well, I had to activate my student card so I could get on the bus for free. But the nice thing about UVic is that the campus is so beautiful during the summer days, and the roomie and I decided that the campus would be a perfect location for our picnic and to do some reading.

After a couple of hours on campus, we headed back home, where we just crashed from being so tired. All in all, using transit was actually fun and for once I could enjoy the scenery without having to pay attention to the road. Tomorrow is another day of transit use as I'll be heading back to the campus to sell my books.

.... And you thought I wouldn't try transit for a day! Sheesh!

Lady S.

When you fall in love with poetry...

My insanely talented roommate, Stephanie, has the ability to write some very heart-wrenching poems that touch you one way or another. One of her poems, which I've posted below, is by far the best piece of literature I have ever read. For me, the last stanza has the most impact because, like her, we have lost something that we believed would last an eternity. However, we move on with our shattered hearts in our hands, knowing that piece by piece it will be whole again. I had to post this here because I want others to read it as well and I hope that you take something out of it. If you don't, I hope that you enjoyed it at least.

Lady S.

---

what's left when...

i.
it ends without a single shot, all our weapons long retired
and bitter words saved for later. we're in bed together
for the last time with nothing left to fight and nothing
left to fight for, nothing left to do but love
each other quietly for just a minute longer.

our hearts are one of many things we lost along the way.


ii.
it ends quietly, the latch on the door catching
like it always does and you slipping on the hardwood
floor with your shoes in hand. that was me
spilt sloppily on the floor, love leaking out of the
wounds in my chest where you reach into
and took what was left of me.

it's graphic, love. it's hot and it's sweaty and it's graphic and
it's cold and it's lonely and it's graphic and it's
bloody in the end when you're dying of it.


iii.
it ends the way it's supposed to,
I guess, with you letting yourself out
after one last kiss. no,
there's nothing unfamiliar here but a whole lot unrequited.
it started with a fanfare and
ends with a whisper, like these things do.

don't look back. you never do,
but don't you dare make an exception this time, because
you're leaving this behind and you're going to understand
what that means. you don't lock the door once you're gone
like you used to but then, you don't care about
the dangers of the world and what they mean to me,
anymore.

you've just become the worst one and you know it.


iv.
it ends. we end and love ends and dreams end,
but not me. I am small and I am fragile but I am real.


by Stephanie Coulson

No school, no homework, no essays... now what?

Since last Friday, I have officially finished my summer classes, which, quite frankly, I'm more than relieved. So, here I'm sitting, enjoying my days off until I have to start the process all over again, and while I know that having nothing to do is what most people dream of, I'm about to get insanely bored.

I mean, bored.

I have been complaining and complaining and complaining that I have too much to do while in school and that I just want a break. However, because I'm about to get so bored, want to know what my plan is? Write essays. That's right - just a pick my own topic and write about it. You're probably thinking "WTF?" and I, myself, thought that too! There is a reason to why I'm going to be writing essays.

You see, politics is definitely my passion and I could talk about it all day and all night without getting exhausted. Unfortunately, the way I debate about politics in real life is the same way I debate about them on paper, which doesn't work out too well. So, with the help of my lovely roommate (who is by far insanely smarter than me), I will be writing essays and she will be helping me with my grammar and my sentence structures, all to enhance my ability to argue my position better. So, the hope of me having a summer free from learning and not writing essays has completely gone down the drain.

Boo, I say. Boo!

The plus side? I plan on getting A's this coming semester and the next, even if I have to sacrifice my social life for them. I want to go to grad school, and the only way I can do that is by getting an amazing mark.

So, here's to my summer being filled with essay writing.

Love,
The Nerd =)

#47 - Write an essay on Violence and Women

So, granted, this one was kind of a freebie considering that I had to write an essay about women and violence. But, I'm glad I decided to make it one of my 101 things because it allowed me to explore a different field of political science that I've never dwelled in before.

Depending on the stream you take in political science, your focus will vary from another person. I have met people that have focused on international relations, others on political theory and a few on development. For quite some time now, I have focused my studies on international relations and the interaction of states in the global economy. I believed that IR would be my career path and I intended to pursue it.

However, these past two months have given me insight to what I'm really passionate about and where I want to head once I'm finished school. My classes involved third world development, and gender and international relations. The relationship between both of these classes was the use of capitalism in gender development and use of capitalism in third world development. I had never placed much consideration into the effects of capitalism in the third world as, quite frankly, I never payed attention to the third world. I find it interesting that I disregarded the third world considering that my entire family comes from El Salvador (other than myself - I'm from the States.)

What I learned from both those classes (and what my research has shown) was the negative effects of capitalism, of structural adjustments, of the IMF and World Bank, of concept traveling, of colonialism (and it's continuing effects today), and of maquiladoras. What I also learned from both of these classes is that I don't want to sit around and know that millions of people in this world are suffering do to the rapid transition from a socialist economy to a capitalist economy without any resources available to assist in the transitioning.

Why the first world feels the need to impose their ideological views on the rest of world is more than just ignorant; it is a blatant disregard for the cultures and traditions that exist in the world and the need to assimilate them in order to create the world into a western society. Unfortunately, this does not work; this only creates ethnic conflicts (which, if most of you watch the news, is prevalent in many areas of the world.)

If you have no idea what structural adjustment is, please do yourself a favor and research it. In brief, when a country needs to borrow money, they look to the IMF or World Bank. These organizations then enter into the country, asses its economy and its government intervention in the economy and provide economic reforms that need to take place in order to receive the loan. The economic reforms are simple - it's a change to a capitalist system with privatization of national corporations and public services. This is structural adjustment and this in itself is the cause for higher poverty rates and higher crime rates. There is more to structural adjustment than just this, but what keeps bothering me is the need to develop a country the same way that the United States was developed.

Concept traveling does not work and it is evident that modernization theory has been crippled by concept traveling. So why is the IMF and World Bank still following neoliberalism? Why are they still enforcing modernization into third world countries when it is evident that *it is not working*? In agreeing with dependency theorist Escobar, the west needs to get out and drop the concept of "development" because the word itself is ambiguous and not one theory nor one person can provide a sole definition of development that can be employed in third world countries. It's simple - each country needs to find its own definition of development.

For more information on how structural adjustment programs works, visit this website and inform yourself. And yes, if you're wondering, they are making a parody out of the World Bank, but the information that they have provided is accurate.

In search of a way to make a difference,
Lady S.

Books, Books, and Some More Books!

During this summer, I'm fortunate enough to have two months off of school which I plan to dedicate to reading as many books as possible. While I'm in school, I'm forced to read books, but it's hard to find them pleasurable when they are books that I haven't chosen. So, I decided to make a list of books that I wanted to read before the start of the school semester.

To the left of your screen and if you scroll down a bit, you'll see a list of books that I would love to read. I expect the list to grow when I remember more books, but for the meantime, 13 books should keep me occupied for the summer.

The reason that I plan on reading isn't just for pleasure, but because they are so many amazing novels out there that I feel so uneducated not reading them. Have you ever sat with a group of people and everyone is talking about this amazing novel, but you're the only one who hasn't read it? Well, I would rather avoid that situation and so, reading for the summer is my goal. I suggest you try it as well =)

Lady S.

The Final Stretch

This is it - one more day of classes and then I'm finally done with school! Yay you, you're probably saying. However, I have until Friday at 11am to get everything finished which includes studying for a final exam and finishing my essay that is due on Friday that has to be 12-13 pages long. Now, usually, I wouldn't be too worried, but I still have yet to finish my research and start my essay. This is the problem with procrastinating!

However, after Friday I'm free - FREE! Buuuut, only for two months and then I'm back at 'er again - for the last time, though.

Have I learned a lesson about leaving everything for last minute? Well, I would like to say yes, but let's face it - being a student involves leaving everything for last minute and as hard as we try to motivate ourselves at the beginning of each semester to get things done on time, we just can't. However, considering it is my last year of school, I have no choice but to get things done on time so I can get amazing grades.

Anyway, cheers to one more day.
Lady S.

Cuidad Juarez

This is my political rant, and I have avoided using this blog for such, but this matter is something of important to me and it seems only right to spread the news and create awareness about the atrocities that are occurring in Cuidad Juarez.

Since 1993, more than 500 women have been killed and more than 5000 women have disappeared from Cuidad Juarez. This has become known as feminicide, as only women in the city (the majority of them being indigenous) have been targeted. They are raped, murdered and buried in the desert. The American government and Mexican government keep covering up the murders of these women by trying to control the new reports in Mexico. Most of the women that are killed work in maquilas, cheap labor factories that are located in export processing zones. Maquilas run on a 24 hour basis, and the women that leave late at night after their shift is finished are greatly at risk from being kidnapped and murdered. The multi-million dollar corporations that are located in Cuidad Juarez are not providing security for women leaving at night and moreover, are making them work for a cheap salary (around $5 a day).

Something needs to be done. Having more than 500 women killed, in which the majority of these cases have not been solved is not only disturbing, but completely unacceptable. I know that being one person trying to spread the word around is difficult and making a difference is nominal; however, trying to spread the awareness if step one. And if we could all just be aware of what is happening, that in itself is making a difference.

Please check out the website below and sign the petition, because not one more woman deserves to be killed.

www.witness.org/dualinjustice

Lady S.

#62 - Veneto Dining

Veneto Dining

Number 62 on the 101 things list was to eat at 5 different restaurants in Victoria. Well, about a month ago, this new tapa bar opened right beside Hotel Rialto. Trevor had mentioned it to me and we decided to head there for dinner. It was so delicious!

The menu is very different from regular restaurants; instead of a full course meal, their dinners are three courses, each set in a small portion and with a theme. The theme depends on the meat you order (or, if you're a vegetarian, they have a vegetarian option as well.) The three courses satisfied me pretty well; however, for Trevor, who just finished a 60km bike ride around Victoria and hadn't had dinner, it's didn't suffice. So, I recommend going when you have a small appetite.

The atmosphere was very relaxed and the service was really great - the staff was *so* friendly. This place is definitely going to become one of my favorites!

Love,
Lady S.

PS, you may have noticed that I have written three blogs in one day. Well, that's because I accomplished three of my 101 things in one day! Superstar? I think so!

#72 - Learn more about El Salvador

This is probably one of my dorkier 101 things to do, but there's a reason why I included this.

To start, I was already going to write a paper about El Salvador, so what better way to cross off something from my list that I had to hand in at some point anyway! But, furthermore, I included this on my list because it's something important to me. Coming from a family that originated in El Salvador, I knew very little about the economy and its political and economic reforms. Through researching and speaking with my Uncle who lives in El Salvador, I was able to understand the economic process of a country that is struggling to develop.

I won't go into extreme details of its system, but I will mention this: neo-liberalism and its economic ideologies do not work for developing countries. Implementing privatization, opening the markets for outside competition, and decreasing the role of government in economics are not answers to development, nor are they answers to eliminating poverty. After much research and hearing a first-hand account of how privatization and dollarization has increased the gap between the rich and the poor, one has to question why certain IR scholars and economic organizations like the IMF and World Bank advocate for the use of neo-liberal economics. Yes, neo-liberalism may work in the West, but it works for a reason - we already have established a capitalistic system that has been working for years. However, implementing this immediately into developing countries without guidelines, without resources, and with structural reforms inhibits the country's ability to progress.

Anyway, I could go on forever, but I won't. I do, however, hope that one day neo-liberalism will cease to exist.

Lady S.

#91 - Week-long hiatus from Facebook

[Image via CrunchBase]

I did it - a week without facebook and its horrible distraction! I actually thought that I was going to cave in and activate my account at some point, but surprisingly, I didn't miss it at all. You know how some people have withdrawal systems and they have to keep reminding themselves that whatever it is they're doing, it's good for them? Well, thankfully, that did not occur at all.

Being away from facebook, actually, gave me so much more time to concentrate on important things, such as getting my essay done on time (finished it today and it is due on Tuesday), sleeping earlier, reading more, and so on. I have not activated my account yet, and the chances of me doing it are slim. I'm holding out until the 26th when I'm done school and I have all the free time in the world. However, I'm pretty sure that come September, I'll be disactivating it again.

Seriously, you should try it!
Lady S.

Gambling is a risky game

For those of you that fly often like me (5+ times a year), we try our hardest to find flights that a) leave and arrive at a decent time, b) that aren't incredibly booked to the point that you're about to get the last seat and c) is at a reasonable price. Now, since I've moved out to Victoria, I've been flying to Calgary and to Toronto often and I have a good grasp of what a decent price is for a seat.

But here's the problem:

It's 2 months before your desired flying date (in this case, August 18th to Toronto from Calgary.) You know that you can get a seat sale for around $149 or $139 to Toronto, but at the same time it's summer, so the demand is high. And then, you stumble across a seat sale on WestJet for $189 one way. You're thinking "hey, that's not bad!" But, remember, you still add taxes onto that. So you then see that the total price is $245. Well, it's not that bad, but what if.... what if you're able to find that same flight at a cheaper price down the road? Or, what if this is the only seat sale that will bring the price that low? Should you buy? Should you wait? What the hell to do?

You see, buying an airplane seat at a cheap price is like gambling - you can sit out and realize that that was your opportunity to play, or you play but then find out that it would have been better to sit out! For this precise reason, I *hate* buying flights. The cost doesn't bother me; what bothers me is finding out a week later that the same flight that you're on is cheaper by, like, $50!

This is my dilemma right now - WestJet has a seat sale for $189 to Toronto from Calgary, but I'm not sure if I should buy. Granted, I have a $99 credit from them which makes the prices cheaper, buuuuut what if another seat sale comes along and the price is lower than $189? But what if it isn't?!

You see, this is frustrating!
Lady S.

When you can't sleep...

It always seems that night time is the hardest time for me in terms of relaxing and getting some well deserved rest. Instead of sleeping, I think - think and think and think about everything. I can't remember the last time I came into my room at night and layed my head on my pillow and just passed out. It's seriously impossible for me to do that.

But, what's on my mind? I can say everything because, literally, everything is on my mind. But there is always one thing that can occupy it for hours on end. Unfortunately, because it's the internet and there are creepers out there, I can't say what's on my mind. I can say this - it's killing me! Have you ever had something or someone on your mind 24/7 that you just want one hour where you're *not* thinking about that something or someone? And don't you find it just exhausting sitting there still thinking about the same thing and wondering "why the hell am I still thinking about this? What the hell else do I have to think about?"

Well, I'm right there - questioning why the hell I'm still thinking about it when a) I've thought long and hard about it with no results and b) there is nothing more to think about or analyze. And when I stop thinking about it, I'm bored. Yes, I'm actually bored. I have found a way to make what I'm thinking about my form of entertainment. Quite frankly, it's just ridiculous!

What's the point of this post anyway, you may ask? Well, there isn't, other than to talk about the thing that I'm thinking about even though I'm complaining that I'm thinking about that thing way too often and here I am writing about it anyway. You see - I'm sure *you're* confused now! It's seriously exhausting!

I just re-read this and this is the most pointless post. Ever. But whatever - that's *my* name on the blog, not yours, so you have no choice but to read this anyway (unless, of course, you decide to hit the "X" button and close down my window, in which case, thanks... jerk!)

And there is the end of my pointless rambling.

Goodnight and sweet dreams,
Lady Sovereign.

Why I love you...

"You saved me."
"You're worth saving, my dear."

Sigh.
One day, someday, the waiting will be over.

Cancer Awareness

So, this post is completely different from all of my other posts, but I find it important to mention the following.

As a woman, we have been bombarded with the many diseases that we may encounter in our lifetime. One of them, and a pretty prominent disease at that matter, is cancer. I have known many people in my life who have had family members with cancer who got cured or family members who unfortunately died because of it. The awareness for cancer is extraordinary, from commercials to fundraisers to days dedicated to awareness.

As somebody who has been fortunate to never have had a serious disease, I keep thinking "nothing will happen to me. I'll be fine." And it's such a typical attitude as well. But not only do I have that attitude for myself, I have it for my family, thinking that we're all healthy people and nothing serious will ever happen to us. However, I've been proven wrong. So far, one of my family members is struggling with something that I won't mention here because she might not appreciate it. But I still think "that's it. Nothing more will happen in this family."

Today, unfortunately, I received a phone call stating that my mom may have ovarian cancer. I'm trying to stay positive and so far it's working, but mostly because I'm probably in denial. My mom went in for a CT scan because of abnormal abdominal pain. The doctors weren't able to tell if it was cancer or not and therefore will be sent to a cancer clinic.

The reason I write this is because, like many, I kept believing that stuff like this wouldn't happen to me or my loved ones - it happens to other people. And while I hope and pray and wish that my mom doesn't have cancer, I want people to be aware that the possibility of it occurring to you or a loved one exists.

Please pray for my mom, to whoever read this.
Lady S.

PS, if you're wondering about the green ribbon, it's for ovarian cancer.

My friend, my sister - this is for you.

Five and a half years ago I started my first day at the University of Calgary and I was completely nervous about meeting people and starting something different from what I was used to. On my first day of school, I met this great person who has now become a sister to me. This blog is a dedication to my close friend Tara who is now leaving Victoria to go back to Calgary.

I remember that she had moved out here in December 2005 and I was debating about moving to either Toronto or Victoria in the summer of 2006. As the tricky person she is, she convinced me that Victoria would be the *best* place for me and that I should move out here.
"Lenie, it just yells your name everywhere," she said, "the campus, downtown, the ocean - it just screams your name!"
Well, I listened to her, only to find out that this city is *not* for me! To her amusement, she had a hay day laughing her ass off about the fact that she tricked me into coming here.

Regardless, her convincing me to come has been one of the best things for me and I'm grateful that her tricky ways made me come out here. Even though we didn't hang out on a regular basis due to our hectic schedules, having her here has made things so much easier and it was a little piece of reminder of my life back in Calgary.

I don't know if we will end up in the same city again nor if we will ever live in the same province once more, but, Tara, I hope you know that you will be more than greatly missed. You are like a big sister to me and even though I hate to admit it, you were usually right about a lot of things when it came to giving me advice about situations that I couldn't deal with at the time. I'll miss hanging out at your place and doing nothing, or going for Pho in downtown, or hitting up Russell Books and the cute little store that was located by our favorite Pho restaurant. I'll miss not having someone to drive me to the airport at 4 in the morning after you worked a shift that ended at 2am (dude, I owe you one - big time!) But more importantly, I'll just miss seeing YOU! It'll be odd not seeing you in this city anymore and it'll be even more odd to see you back in the city that we first met. However, I sincerely hope that Calgary has more to offer you than Victoria and that you'll be able to start your career there.

So my dear, cheers to you - cheers to all the fun we had here and back in Calgary and cheers for a new, exciting beginning. I wish you all the best and I can't wait to see you back in the city that started it all.

With lots of love,
Lenie.

PS. If someone is reading this who isn't Tara and you're wondering about the dog, well, if you knew her, you would know why the dog is there.

My Addiction

Well, I think the logo makes it pretty clear that Facebook is, indeed, my addiction. I just deactivated my account, like, 30 minutes ago and I'm already having that anxious feeling in my stomach. It's so ridiculous too - I mean, it's just a website! How big of a deal can it be? Well, try deactivating your account and sticking with it for at least 5 days. It's not that simple.

Trying to envision what internet life was like before Facebook existed is hard for me. I can't remember what I used to do online - did I go on chat rooms? Did I blog? I know that I used to email my friends a lot, but who emails now when you have Facebook? Friends don't even call you anymore because they can just leave a simple message on your wall saying "I'll meet you at 5pm" and then you receive that notification via your phone. Like, holy wow - this is what our lives has been accustomed to now.

For the next week, I will be on a hiatus from Facebook. If I can resist activating my account again, then it will be another thing that I can cross off my list. I'm not doing this, though, just to have another 101 things accomplished; I'm doing this because it's interfering with my school work. My priority is school and Facebook is just a distraction.

Hello Happiness - it's time we got reacquainted!

Have you ever felt like you consume so much of your time worrying over the most insignificant things in your life that you have forgotten about the wonders that life has to offer you and the great things that already exist in your life? Or maybe you just have people that drag you down along with them to the point that you yourself can't be happy anymore?

I'm so tired of living my life that way. I used to be a really happy, outgoing person. Granted, I'm still outgoing, but I don't feel as happy anymore, and I know exactly why I'm not. I'm not posting specifically why I'm not as happy as before, but I finally realized it. And now, all I need to do is:

A) not let those emo people drag me down as well. I'm sorry, I get that people have bad days and I understand that people need to vent, whether it be over the phone, on msn, in person, etc. But when you're constantly sad over who knows what, to the point that *you* don't even know why you're sad, it brings everybody else down. Quite frankly, I'm tired of it. And I'm not going to tolerate it anymore because, well... I don't have to and the people who know me really well understand that I don't tolerate annoying things very well.

B) be happy about the great, little things that happen all the time. For example, today I met up with people that I don't know very well, but we had an amazing conversation about everything! It's little things like that that remind me how easily happy I can be over small things, but small things that matter.

C) not worry so much about what other people have to say or what they feel, etc. I know that sounds harsh, but having to worry 24/7 about others and how I make them feel is a tiring job. What happened to making yourself happy? Well, I let that go because I was worried about other people. Sorry, you may not like it anymore, but I'm not here to please every single person. I'm here to make myself happy, and if I'm happy, the happiness will pass over to you.

And there - there is my new mission for the summer. I'm not sure who is going to read this and maybe some that do will take this personally or find it offensive. However, I'm not directing this to one general person; I'm directing it to everyone in general. Those who have been my friends for a really long time (4 years plus) will most likely stick around because they miss the old me. To those that I met recently or not too long ago, well.... you may be in for a shock.

Love always,
Lady S.

#64 - Update my blog every day for a week

Since I started this blog, I have managed to update it every day for the past week (and I've only had this blog for a week!) I had completely forgotten that one my of 101 things was to update every day. So, along with #7 being crossed off, here is #64.

Quite frankly, I thought it would take too much effort to update this damn thing (especially since I've failed at updating other blogs); however, this blog just seems... natural, and probably because it's just about moi!

Well, cheers to knocking down 2 off the list and too many other things that'll be accomplished.

Yours truly,
Lady S.

#7 - Completed

I had forgotten how much I loved taking road trips until I was on the ferry heading to Vancouver. It has been almost a year since I was on the ferry and over 5 years since I was in Kelowna, and the excitement of doing both again on top of seeing my parents was pretty amazing! It was unfortunate that I wasn't even in Kelowna for longer than 2 days, but being away from the island for a short time made me realize how ready I am to move away and start something different. I love the people that surround me here (for the most part, anyway), but part of me is ready to let that go and find more people that will be a part of my life.



If you have never driven out towards Kelowna or Golden, it's a must. Of all the drives that I have done in my lifetime, by far the best one is the drive on Highway 1 which turns into Highway 5 once you reach Hope. It's beautiful and pictures can't even do it justice. What better way to kill time in a car then by enjoying the scenery of mountains and trees and lushious greens and mini-waterfalls and tunnels and what-have-you! If you have a list of 100 things to do before you die, this is a definite must!



Driving into the Okanagan was unreal as, like I said, it's been years! So many memories just flooded back at once and instantly I was overjoyed. If you haven't seen the Okanagan, it's hard to describe how amazing it is. Beautiful lake in the middle of mountains is really the simplest way of describing it.



On top of being so ecstatic about being back in a place I used to love so much, seeing the rents and spending some time with them was definitely needed. I didn't realize how much I missed them until I actually saw them and laughed and joked around.



Wednesday, the full day that I was there, was spent touring around the town again, seeing City Park and the harbour. Of course, the mall was included too.



Leaving is definitely never easy, and since I'm the worst person at saying goodbye, seeing my parents go in a different direction made me realize that next year will only get harder, as I'll be moving farther away. But for now, and in the meantime, I can only enjoy the next year I have on this island and make it the best possible, because once I leave, I'll never be able to come back here again.

A Place Called Kelowna

It has been years since I have been back to this beautiful city, and even though it has been about a good 5 years since I've been here, it seems like only yesterday I had been camping here with my family. There is something about this place that I love, whether it be the water or the familiarity of a place that I have known for so long; either way, there is a comfort being back in a place that holds so many memories. It'll be sad to leave tomorrow especially considering that I haven't seen my parents in a long time, but being here for two days has been the most amazing thing ever.

I'll be posting up pictures tomorrow.
From Kelowna,
The Lady Sovereign

Continuation of #97

So far, I'm up to 230 things that I love and I'm so close to being half way there. I'll keep updating this list until I reach 300.

---

201. dancing by the ocean
202. driving with the windows down and feeling the wind in my hair
203. discovering new stores
204. the smell of Armani Mania
205. even numbers
206. the combination of red, white and black
207. singing in a different language
208. the sound of the shower running
209. cherry blossoms in Victoria
210. imitating Yzma on The Emperor’s New Groove

211. my sister and I laughing about nothing, and then bursting into laughter again because we’re still laughing!
212. acing an exam that I thought I would have failed on
213. playing Tennis
214. taking the scenic route while driving
215. being alone in my car with my thoughts
216. meeting new people who come from the same place you do
217. entering into an air-conditioned vehicle on a hot day
218. falling asleep in an air-conditioned car
219. finding a song I love and playing it on repeat
220. driving Highway 1 from Vancouver to Calgary – beautiful drive!

221. manicured hands
222. snuggling with my cat
223. making someone laugh when they’re having a bad day
224. finding that perfect bra and buying multiples of it
225. being called a princess (yes, for some that may be an insult; for me, it’s a compliment!)
226. a page-turning book that you finish at 5:30am
227. the sound of a purring cat
228. being in nature without encountering a bug I hate
229. the sound of a creek
230. fountains in beautiful parks

231. visiting a place I haven’t been to in years
232. debating about politics and religion
233. finishing off Cayley’s sentences because I already know what she’s thinking
234. +25 weather with a little, cool breeze – perfection!
235. watching repeats of Friends
236. a clean house
237. renting a movie with a friend and not even watching it because you have so much to catch up on
238. repeating funny lines from a movie
239. the feeling of a glorious win
240. winning, in general