everything's going to be ok.

Blech. I don't like stress.

But I do realize everything will be ok.

I missed a memorizing a handful of crucial bones for my Anatomy midterm yesterday. It cost me at least 20%.

The outline for the English essay wasn't posted as promise, so the entire class wrote it blind.

I can always find someone to be jealous of.

I didn't get the job here in Residence.

I'm going bathing suit shopping on Saturday.

I'm missing a midterm for Mexico - now, my final will be worth 65%, not 40%.

Alright, so I'm sounding more negative than usual. But that's not always a bad thing. These sucky things make the good things look better.

I am going to Mexico!!

I'm homeward-bound this weekend. YAY!

I've found a new Wednesday night tradition.

There is paycheck for me at Starbucks. Very unexpected.

My new roomies are just fantastic.

I've found a musician to follow.

My hair is now 'long'.

My coffee machine produces a cup of joy every time.

I like my nose ring.

phosophatidylinositol bisphosphate is the coolest word I know.

See? Life isn't so bad. Sometimes all I need is a nap and cup of tea to restore everything back to it's rightful way. I get it, bad days happen. But I'm way too uptight - I can make any off day feel like the apocalypse.

This week's lesson? Hakuna Matata, my friends. Let life be.

Peace and love.

D.

muscles and music.

muscles.

My first midterm is today - Anatomy I. Right now my mind is swimming with skin layers, muscle tissue and bone terminology. I find the first test to be the most nerve racking. Up until this point, we don't know how our professor sets up his tests, or how he marks. Yikes. Hopefully all goes well!

music

Last night a friend and I went to an Irish pub across the street to enjoy some live music and grub. There was also a small underlying motive - a particular chap from Floor 10, my old floor, was playing there. So Kat and I went to scope things out... actually, just to scope him out. It was quite the adventure! It ended up being a blast. Despite having a midterm the next day (today!), we stayed pretty late and enjoyed the tunes. Turns out that he's in a blues band, which is not good for my heart. I enjoy it too much. But, such is life! Joel, the dude, came over and said hi, chatted with me for a bit, then returned to his booth with cronies, leaving me amazed that he noticed I was there. We'll see where things go. I see him every once in a while in the elevator or wandering around campus. Hopefully I can just 'happen' to be in another pub when he's playing again. That would be quite convenient, wouldn't it?

Cheers, D.

quiz.

For my Nursing class we have to do a weekly online quiz in preparation for that weeks lecture. We are given the lecture outline/required readings before the quiz opens. Usually the quizzes are still pretty tough, but nothing a little reading and highlighting won't clear up. So I read the readings, and thought the thoughts. When I started the quiz, this one on Nursing Theory, I couldn't figure out the answer. Or the next one. Or the one after, for that matter. (Everything is timed too, btw. Once you start, you can't stop. It's a tad stressful.) So what did I do? PANIC. I printed off all the readings from online (three articles), highlight my text like nuts, and started to hyperventilate when I still couldn't get any answer right. I even took a breather, did laundry, and returned hoping that the answers would magically appear for me. They didn't. Then I realized.

I had the wrong week's readings. DUUR.

Ah, well. I feel like I'm always reminded to slow down.

Peace.

mmm, coffee.

Coffee is the best way to start anything. Studying. Blogging. Reading. You name it.

This morning I had an job interview for a Front Desk Assistant position here at MacEwan Res. It went really well - I'm really jonesing for this spot. Every time I've dealt with the FD, they've been more than accommodating, super organized and really on top of things. I've been thoroughly impressed each time I've needed something. And they've got some great employee perks too: pay starts off at 13/hour, which is an enormous amount compared to my 9.27 at Starbucks. Also, I can only be scheduled for 3 shifts a week because it's a university-run business. On top of this, during the summer Residence becomes a hotel and conference building for various meetings, etc. With a dollar raise every 3 months or so, this job seems pretty grand. I'm really hoping I made a good impression this morning. Pointed questions during an interview make my stomach turn a bit. 'Name 5 qualities that describe you' | 'Why are you the best candidate for this job?' | It's uncomfortable talking about yourself, although necessary in an interview. Hopefully whatever I said was what they were looking for!

Now the rest of the day will be spent with my nose in my Anatomy book. Then Physiology. But such is life! There is no comparison to my attitude when I'm working full-time to when I'm in school full-time. This has been such a positive change.

Peace!

Dani.

naps & thinking ahead.

8 am classes are at the best time of the day for for me. I really don't mind getting up early for a lecture, especially cause the rest of my day seems to fall rather nicely into place. Early class makes for an early bed time, letting me get the most out of my day even if it ends at an earlier time.

I find I have an hour for a nap, if I wish, right before I begin rummaging for supper.

I have energy to study for a solid amount of time.

I also have an hour or so to catch up on a TV show, go tanning, or grab a Starbucks.

My life is good. I love planning!

Speaking of planning. I've just discovered the joys of flash cards. They are a fantastic way to organize terminology and make memorization easier. Also, when your too tired to crack a book and label monstrous diagrams, they are a fine substitute. Like today, for example, was a prime day for flash cards. It's Sunday, and I feel rather sluggish after running yesterday & this morning, and after studying all day yesterday. A few runs through my Deck of Knowledge leaves me refreshed and a tad smarter than before. It's nice to have a back-up study system in case of a brain malfunction.

On Friday I went to a 1st Year Mentorship/Q&A thinger for nursing students. It was nice to hear what the older kids had to say and to have a chance to get acquainted with the nursing professors. It was really surprising to learn about what is up and coming in the next year. During my second year, one semester will be spent in the class room, similar to this semester but with courses more specific to nursing - mental health, family health, etc. The second semester is when clinical comes into play: I will be spending 8 hours, 4 days/week in the hospital, learning the ropes and the who's-who of the nursing world. I suppose this is the part of my schooling where I will get sprayed with every bodily fluid, ask the dumbest questions, and get totally lost on my way to the bathroom. But you know what, everyone else will be doing the same thing! I can hardly wrap my mind around how I will become ready to work in a hospital. No two patients will be alike - and it's not like they are simple cadavers I can poke with needles. Every patient is an individual, with a unique case and a unique personality. They have different backgrounds, certain needs, and various opinions about nurses even before I arrive to care for them. Sometimes I think about this and get a little nervous. But I think these nerves are good. I can feel excited jitters too. Often I've been told that nursing doesn't just remain a career but that it becomes a lifestyle. In 10 years I wonder where I'll be and what I'll be like.

Alright, so now with January pretty much in the past, I'm thinking ahead for summer. Nakamun has been my summer-home for a good chunk of my teenage years - I absolutely love it there. Last summer was the best one I've ever had. And with an experience like that, would it be right to return? I'm hoping for another summer just like it, but know deep down that it just can't be. Also, I feel as if my time may be done at Nakamun. I've been Charlie for 4 years now - is it time for other counselors to make their mark? But, what else would I do all summer?

On a more selfish level, I'm worried about connecting with the other counselors. Last summer I had 3 fantastic friends, but felt excluded by the rest of the staff. Yes I had fun with the other counselors, but on the weekends and throughout the school year, our lives have always run in different tracks. If I return this summer without a friend, who will I be with? Nakamun is such a fond place for me - I really want to experience it and share it with someone close. I know the obvious thing would be to make new friends, but most of the returning staff are so engrained with each other that I would most likely stand as the third-wheel in their friendships. Is this too much to want?

On Friday I moved into a 4-person suite, away from Mona and her cooking nonsense. And so far, it's been great!! On my side of the suite I share a bathroom with Melissa, who is cute and funny. Ti and Lou live on the other side. Ti wants to become a tattoo artist, so she's always drawing something or other, and Lou is right from China. We are still helping her around. Between the four of us we share a large kitchen, fridge, dinner table and 4 sofas in an open area. It's so nice having a common space where we can eat, invite friends over, or spread out for a project. This move was a smart thing to do. I feel much more comfortable here - I've even been given my own space in the kitchen! Although my 'cooking ensemble' is rather measly, it's nice to have a cupboard and drawer of my own. In the fall I'd love to share a 4-person with three friends - it would be such a riot!

Well, that's all for tonight. I'll find some time this week to put up another update.

Oh yeah, - I have my first midterm this week - here comes the real student life!

Love, Dani.

shinanigans.

So, the roommate thing didn't work out so well. Mona and I , despite our mutual appreciation for curry, do not get along. For example, when she starts to cook at 11pm every weeknight, I get a little agitated (especially when the smoke detector goes off 3 times) and ask her to move her cooking to an earlier time. This results in a very angry cook. So: I offer a compromise. Denied. Make food before you leave for class. Denied. Perhaps a cooking schedule? Denied. Behaving like adults? Denied.

It's a tad frustrating to realize that some people are so downright inconsiderate that nothing will sway their opinion. But it's also great to have the option to switch to another floor without too many questions being asked/hoops being jumped through. Friday is my move-out/move-in day - and I'm really excited! I'll be moving into a 4-person suite, which includes 2 bathrooms, a larger kitchen and mini-living room. And 3 people to meet! I've been feeling a little socially-deprived lately, which is hilarious seeing how most the time I'm avoiding people. But such is life. I'm hoping for the best in this move!

Outside of my life, there is the tragedy in Haiti. Even if you've been hiding under a rock, I'm sure it's impossible to not know what happened there. It's everywhere! In the news, in the celebrity gossip magazines, in blogs, on Facebook, on iTunes, in grocery stores. I find it utterly mind boggling to comprehend the devastation that Haitians currently have to live with. The government is essentially gone, jails have been ruined, hospitals are destroyed, gangs and rebels are intercepting food and foreign aid, and children are left without parents in a situation that seems like the end of hope in the world. I mean, isn't this what armageddon movies look like? But even Hollywood can't reenact the suffering in that country right now. This tragedy will be remembered for a long time. Hopefully sooner than later stories of heroism and strength will rise from this situation, bringing to light the goodness people can possess in the midst of nothing. I hope that God has his hand over that country from this moment onwards, because when this headline is placed on Canada's back burner, we will begin to forget the need of the Haitians and move on with our lives. When I am finally ready and able to make a tangible impact with my life, I hope I don't forget where the difference needs to be made.

Love, Dani.

good | bad

third week of classes. good.

cutting my thumb every time i use a knife. bad.

going out for coffee with a new friend. good!

requesting a new room far away from mona. bad. but good choice!

finding a candle that smells like home. good.

getting to every class on time. good.

getting a nose ring again. good.

busting the ball off the ring within a day. bad.

a trip to mexico. how can that not be good?

burning my tongue on coffee. bad.

tastebuds return in a day! good

going home last weekend. good.

being taught Anatomy in Punjabi. bad. very bad.

having a Anat. book in English. very good!

watching LOST in between studying. good

watching LOST instead of studying. ....

watching LOST alone. scary.

tanning. good.

sleeping. very good.

not getting enough sleep because of Mona's curry parties? not good.

being in class everyday. wonderful.

john mayer's new CD. good.

being brunette again. good!

realizing people grow up after highschool. way good.

American Idol auditions. good.

life? good.

Love, Dani.

a bit of this and that.

First things first:

UPDATED!!

My To-Do's in 2010.

(everything accomplished will be bolded. )

1. get into the BScN at GMU for 2010.

N/A - 2. finish Cell Microbiology with a swell mark... final % to be determined. - now I'm in Nursing!

3. make a full dindin for the family

4. join a Young Adults group @ a church.

5. run a 10k race

6. run a 1/2 marathon

7. work at camp, hopefully for four months. but two is ok too.

8. move out.

9. create a long-term savings account/jar/money stash under my bed or in the bank.

10. buy the John Mayer album, Battle Studies

12. get +1 earpiercing. (it was my nose... again!)

13. get +1 tattoo

14. own a Magic Bullet, so I can feel magical when I attempt to make food.

15. see Avatar with Brooklynn.

16. take good pictures of good memories.

17. buy a teal ring.

N/A 18. go blonde. - it may actually be impossible for me to be blonde! Two bleach sessions hardly moved a shade.

19. finally resign from Starbucks.

20. find a PT job during schoool

And secondly, school has been fantastic lately. These past two weeks have flown by like stink - I can't believe that I'm heading into my 3rd week of this semester. I already have a midterm next week! Although it sounds incredibly cheezy/nerdy, my classes are often full of interesting things to learn, which I love, and some abstract idea or discussion often leave my gears turing into the next day. But this is why I love school! On an even brighter note, I find it much easier to grasp concepts from class, and to just sit and study. Before, in BC I struggled to keep my attention on track and was often scrambling to get things done. Not fun. With a load of pressure off my mind, I find myself sinking into my 'study mode' a lot easier. What a great change.

Life as a student living on campus is always interesting. Besides getting to know Mona, I try to meet new people too. Sometimes, reconnecting with friends is just as good. On Friday night I was invited to Vinyl, a bar downtown, to celebrate Jo's birthday (from camp). Knowing that a bar is the last place I want to be a Friday night, especially with a not-so-great-friendships between the birthday girl and I, I teamed up with a mutual guy friend to brave the drunks. Although I didn't know him well, just being a counselor at camp with him gave us a basic similarity to bond over. After spending an unexpected great hour over pre-bar Iced Caps discussing evolution and society, we finally ventured off to find Vinyl only to realize he didn't have his ID as he just finished upgrading his license. We decided to just head back, leaving the partying to those who wanted to, and just hang out in the comfort of slippers and sweaters. So, my night-out turned to be a night- in that was way, way better. Just chatting and watching movies with a like-minded guy was such a breath of fresh air after being immersed in the secular culture of dating, partying and sex. I'm not saying that all secular guys are all evil and wear horns, but to connect with someone, a guy, you can trust is pretty rare, and very cool. Especially in this day and age.

Currently I'm at home, just relaxing 'till I'm shipped off back to my apartment. I enjoy home so much more after I've been away! I appreciate the little things like a full pantry, a comfy couch, nice carpet, and nice smelling candles. Being with family is the most enjoyable part. It's so great to just come home for a weekend, reenergize, then get back to school., Often I look back on my time spent so far at Grant Mac and my time spent getting there - I can't help but realize how amazingly blessed I am. Thanks, God!

Love always,

Dani.

so this is school.

week one: complete!

And I think I deserve a gold star - not only for completing the week, but for making new friends along the way.

Although I may sound like a kindergardener, this is thrilling beyond all ends - tomorrow, I'm hanging out with a friend!!

Before you start laughing or rolling your eyes, remember that I am on the far left hand side of the 'social butterfly' scale. So far left, you may not even see me sitting over there. Being a new person, in a social situation, with no organization, rhyme, or reason, is a stretch for me. At times, it feels like I have social anxiety. Hiding my head in a hole like the ostriches do doesn't seem like a bad idea once in a while. But sometimes, you just gotta bite the bullet and get it done. and VIOLA! I made friends. Tomorrow, a new-found pal and I are heading downtown with a bunch of other school rowdies to go celebrate the Olympic Torch as it passes through our lovely city. It should be a grand 'ol time!

Besides the people part, classes are going well. I feel so much more 'in the know' now that I've had a teeny tiny taste of the university life in BC. It's so important to stay on top of things, ahead of the game - I can't imagine anything worse than cramming stuff I've never heard of into my head the night before an exam. Blech. It's my goal this semester to not fall behind, which is way easier said than done.

Today I overheard a girl in my Nursing class complain about our massive 'Canadian Fundamentals of Nursing' textbook - this beast weights 20 pounds, and has a zillion pages: 'I wish I could learn through osmosis... if I sleep with my book under my pillow, I should just wake up smart, right?'

I couldn't tell if she was joking. Even in Nursing, it's shocking how some people slip through the cracks.

TTYL! Love, Dani.

oh man oh man!

Today I discovered that people are live on my floor! Yippee!

Until an hour ago, the only people I've seen here have been my RA and my roommate. It was quite sad, really, until a floor meeting was planned. Then BOOM! People!

It's rather nice to see that other humans live on floor 10, yet really nerve racking cause I'm an obvious new person. But thankfully there are two more newbies - another guy, and another girl who happens into be Nursing. Yay! Hopefully hanging out with the other newbies will make our 'newness' less obvious... hahahaha, yea right.

But really, I'm quite excited to meet the rest of the 10'ers here. It's nice to have a mix of girls and guys, and to have no pressure to socialize.

Tonight is the first time I met everyone, which went fine, but now there's also a movie/pizza conglomeration in the lounge. Ya, I'm excited, but HECK - I'M SO NERVOUS! I have no idea how some people just waltz up to strangers, introduce themselves, then carry on like that was nothing. At least with the floor meetings they are structured a bit, so no one is left in awkward silence or forced conversation for too long. But a pizza and movie? I can smell the awkwardness from here. Sheesh.

One of the things I like best about blogging is the fact that I can rant and rant here, yet pull it together when the time comes. Like now! I will go to the movie, enjoy some pizza, and make some friends. Simple as pie... right?

BAH. I'm still jittery. Wish me luck!

Love, Dani.

whatta cool place.

Today it really hit me - what I cool place I'm in! Life feels so full of potential. I feel like I am at the perfect point to really make an impact on what I'll be doing in my future.

Did you know that Harvard came to Grant Mac's Nursing program with great intentions to replicate their institution only a year ago? BAH! Me either! Neat stuff.

I think I'm in the middle of a 'man, life is great moment.' But it's true! Life is.

I spent last night studying Physiology 'till the cows came home, but was unexpectedly rewarded by a great dinner. Today I spent my time with my Anatomy textbook and even jumped ahead to English just so I can have extra time to spend with my sister, who is sleeping over.

I think it's the little moments like dinners, visits, the understandable homework, and new friends, that really add to my days, and make life such a joy to live.

I am so blessed.

Love always,

Dani.

curry at midnight.

I'm pretty sure India has come to my apartment.

Or at least a miniature version in the form of a girl named Mona.

Tonight, around 11pm, Mona started to cook. She buzz sawed the onions, boiled the eggs, and curried the curry. The put on the rice, buzzed up some more onions, then pinched in some extra spice. And what did she make? Egg curry on rice. With Pepsi, of course.

I swear to goodness, I'm going to convert from being a Canadian to being an Indian any day now. Mona has almost converted my taste buds. So delicious. And surprisingly, Pepsi is an excellent choice to wash it down with. Although, if you asked her, she's give you Pepsi with any meal or ailment.

Besides dinning like an Indian princess in my apartment, I've been doing various student-like things. Things like scrounging for cheap food, wearing the same shirt more than twice in a week, warming up leftovers, and bargaining hunting. From these activities, I've discovered a few things about myself and a student's life:

1. Counting pennies, nickels, and dimes have really improved my math skills.

2. The City Bus is the transportation of the devil.

3. KD is a last last resort. Which I may need within the coming week.

4. Subs last twice as long when you cut 'em in half. Same with fruit cups, salads, sandwiches, and mini yogurts.

5. Tim Hortons is better than Starbucks.... only on my bank account, that is.

6. On the day you wear tights with a hole in the crotch, you will be forced to run up 3 flights of stairs, walk across a full lecture hall, then awkwardly yank your shirt lower every 30 seconds to prevent any unnecessary flashing that has probably already happened the moment you left your room.

7. Bargain-hunting is the newest rage in fashion. Everyone loves the hand-me-down/lets-dumpster-dive-look, right?

8. Jeans that are baggy by the end of the week aren't due to superb dieting skills and macho-man workouts. It's cause they need to be washed.

9. Garbages can't empty themselves.

10. Finding clothes in my closet I haven't worn in years makes me feel like I have just scored the bargain jackpot. Always keep the oldies.

Besides all my rants and raves, I'm having a great time just being a student. Classes are so cool, and I love being with other students who want to learn, and strive to achieve a dream similar to mine. It's amazing how dynamic a classroom setting can be when an interactive class contains people from every walk of life imaginable - med school, the army, parenthood, high school, LPN, etc.

Sorry, but I'm pretty much dozing off as I write this. It's being cut short for now. Too much late night reading and not enough sleep! Thank goodness it's the weekend!!

Love, Dani.

good meals and good times.

I'm living on the international floor. To be honest, I was dreading this fact a bit. Weird smells, foreign people, gibberish language... meh. I wasn't thrilled.

Until I realized my roommate is the ULTRA Indian/Mediterranean cook.

For dinner, Mona (my roomie) invited her friends and family over. 4 people came - 2 Lebanese, 2 Indian. But of course, as her custom stands, dinner being ready at 5 means that dinner will start getting prepared at 5. Until the food is served, usually an hour or more later, the rest of the time is spent socializing. And it's an unreal experience! First off, the company consisted of very, very good looking Lebanese men, with attractive accents and a smooth way of talking. That, combined with the smells of India and a foreign land, made for a great time! I learnt about their culture, what they do in Canada, how different the Lebanese culture is from the Indian culture, and how they eat - which is a massive practice in their life. Every time people gather together, whether it's for a celebration or just to hang out, food is served. And it's SO DELICIOUS. I swear I should've been Lebanese or Indian. Mona served us curry chicken, rice, pitas with hummus, and tabouli. My taste-buds were doing the happy dance. So she topped if off with 'Indian Chai' tea, which was the best tea I have ever, ever tasted. Mona loaded it with sugar and milk, making it like dessert. MMMMMM.

It feels quite different from Canadian culture in the sense that they, as in most Indian/Lebanese folk, eat to socialize and connect. I find that in Canada, we eat to pass boredom, fill a void, or to react to an emotion. Here's Mona, a Indian girl who can cook enough for an army, and me, a silly Canadian who can't even pop Kraft Dinner into the microwave. There is such a difference!

All in all, I feel quite cultured. I mean, it was only one meal, but it lasted over two hours! Non-stop talking, joking, and straight embellishment made the time fly by. It's really neat to see how other cultures interact, what they do, and how they relate to each other. Food is heavily emphasized, as well as family, friends, and being involved in everyone's life. Mona told us how her Grandma, her 'Deeda', (?) and her mom are the ultimate cooks. According to her, this Indian way of making food is passed down from generation to generation, and is a talent that develops over several years. From mother to daughter. Very neat to learn about.

Another rad thing were Mona's clothes. She has Indian dresses in her closet, as well as thousands of bangles which I am mildly obsessed with. Her culture is so neat - I am very surprised how captivated I am! Lately I've read a few books on the Muslim/Eastern cultures, spanning India, Lebanon, Iran, and so forth. It's kinda cool to have a glimpse of it here in my apartment. Residence has been full of very unexpected surprises so far - I can't wait to see what a week or two more will bring!

Love Always,

Dani.

day three!

Hi folks!

I hope you weren't expecting a day by day narration of my events, cause if you were, I'm already behind! But here's a quick recap.

On Sunday I moved in, bright and early, and quickly realized that the residence building here is more apartment-style than massive-social-chaos-style. It took my Mom and I an hour or so to fully unload everything, and get the room set up. I had some friends over that night to warm the place up and stain my new bedding with pizza sauce. It all went well.

On Monday I had the day pretty much to myself after a brief Orientation. I am sharing a kitchen/bathroom with a roommate, but 'till this point I hadn't seen her. However, thanks to some super-snooping done by my mom, we decided that she was East Indian. The various spices, foreign cooking utensils and random ingredients written in Punjabi were a bit of a give away too. Anyways. I felt a bit bad for her cause she didn't know she'd be coming back from Christmas break to a new roommate. Also, on top of me being a pleasant surprise for her winter semester, she also came back to reorganized cupboards and an exploding fridge. See, here's the thing - she is a cooking machine. There was seriously a dozen random plates/contraptions I've never seen before, a crock pot, a zillion pounds of flour, and an overwhelming array of spices. So when I moved in with all my food/kitchen crap, it had to go somewhere! Thankfully, she didn't care too much. But still - she hasn't even gone grocery shopping since she's been back, and the fridge door barely shuts as it is. Oh dear.

Today class begun. I started off with 'The Discipline of Nursing', which already seems way more intense than what I had experienced at Trinity. In a good way, of course - we are required to have 4 textbooks for this course, and we already have had the entire semester's work laid out for us in detail. Finding my first class was pretty easy - Mac Ewan is basically a straight line, then up or down. But even easier than that is the fact that all my classes are in the same building. Yippee!

All in all, I'm still adjusting. I must admit, it's been pretty lonely just working every day for the past couple of months, then coming to a quiet floor with no social pressures. Still, I'm so excited to meet new people - today, after my first class, I was almost in tears because I hadn't met anyone new yet! That quickly changed after I saw a familiar face in my second class, but still, I need to calm down - what's the rush? Just cause I'm not best friends with someone instantly does not mean that I will never find a solid bud. After realizing that I just need to relax and enjoying myself, I began to appreciate what I've been blessed with, and really soak up the peace before the semester gets crazy.

I find it a little alarming how excited I am to meet new faces. It was only in high school that I despised people and couldn't wait to just get home! Oh man. I wonder what changes this semester will bring me?

Love, D.

the beginning of a new year.

It's January 2nd and already I've knocked a handful of things off my '2010 To Do List'. It's a post or two below.

So where were you when 2010 came to be? Guess where I was. In a massively crowded bar with my friends, trying to find enough elbow room to lift a plastic cup of champagne to our mouths without it being hit over by a stumbling drunk. I am happy with the fact that I rang in the new year with great friends, but not too thrilled with the fact that my shoes were soaked with spilled liquor or that my skin feels permanently sticky thanks to the sweaty over-crowed dance floor. My intention was to go to a sit-down place, not too crazy, and ring in 2010 in style... instead, it turned out to a typical bar on the craziest party night of them all. That's definitely not on my list of things-to-do in the near future.

What is exciting, however, is the fact that I move out tomorrow morning. I still can't believe how everything fell together so well. It's a tad bittersweet for me this time around, knowing what it's like being on my own, yet being able to anticipate the great future ahead of me. Looking back on my time away in BC, although a mere six weeks, it's obvious that I wasn't happy. Sure, I laughed and joked around, but the joy and peace of mind one has when doing something that's 'right' wasn't there. Even as I sit here and type, I can feel the sureness of my choice, and that my heart is comfortable with where I'm going to be at.

Right now I'm surrounded by bags and bags of random stuff - I have a massive Ikea bag (more like a suitcase) overflowing with new bedding, dishes, and kitchen accessories. There are a few Dollar Store bags stuffed with odds and ends like hooks, tape, and salt/pepper shakers. A few more shopping bags have pillows, jeans that need hemming, and cleaning supplies. It's going to be an adventure filling up the trusty family van and loading 'er to the brim with my goods. With a Starbucks stop or two along the way, I know that by the end of the day everything will get where it needs to be.

With all this being said, nothing has been done. So cheers for now, and I'll post again soon.

Love, Dani.