new new new.

new year: chinese new year

the chinese new year dates back to 2600 BC, when the cycle of the zodiac was introduced by Emperor Huang Ti, centuries before our calendar was even a consideration.
It is based on the cycles of the moon, and because of this the beginning of the year can fall any time between late January and the middle of February. The date the Chinese New Year falls on is calculated by the date of the second new moon after the winter solstice (a little history AND astronomy, eh?)
The Chinese New Year rotates around a 12 year cycle, each year represented by a different animal.
The Chinese believe that the animal year in which you are born gives an indication of your personality. They have a saying: "This is the animal that hides in your heart."

babies of 1988: we are the year of the Dragon.
Other years include: 1916, 1928, 1940, 1964, 1976, 2000, and 2012, etc.

Us dragons are healthy, energetic, excitable on the positive side; stubborn and short-tempered on the negative. We are brave, honest, and sensitive. Dragons inspire confidence and trust and are the most eccentric of any in the eastern zodiac.

mary-kate loves.

an ode to a.h.

"your heart just breaks, that's all. but you can't judge, or point fingers. you just have to lucky enough to find somebody who appreciates you."

-audrey hepburn.


today i purchased the book "How to be Lovely: the Audrey Hepburn Way of Life". it is one of the greatest audrey hepburn books written! it's all about how to live a great life, with advice and quotes from audrey herself, and others that love audrey (just as much as i do!). i told my family that it's a bible, just in a different form... there are so many stories and lessons... so in some ways it takes the shape of a bible. it is strange too, because this form of perfection is just what i have been looking for. this year has been a year for some changes, and i have been looking for ways to be a better person in ways of being sweeter, smarter, kinder, and thoughtful.

in the book, audrey teaches the difference between being lonely and being alone ... much of which i have experienced both of in the past four months.
so as i move into the new year, i plan on being more open, and sociable. i plan on being picky, but putting myself out there still to find new friendships.
i am good at being alone, and making use of my 'me' time, however, i sometimes find it hard to decipher the alone and lonely part in the mix.
so i know that new year's resolutions usually don't work... but i have three main ones:
1. make new friends (be open, but be picky)
2. get in fabulous shape for my 20th (get rid of this holiday grubbiness)
3. study hard (be smart, and learn... therefore i will get good grades)

GO, ME!

le disco

home for christmas: the world's greatest thing. this past week, i have had the time of my LIFE. i got home last thursday night, and as soon as i stepped inside my house.. it was like ahhh: this huge blanket of comfort.
i was instantly fed food to fill my belly, and i haven't felt hungry since i've been home. thursday night was spent with dale and my family.. catching up ... and unpacking and enjoying my BED. ooh how i missed it's bigness and comfortableness. my parents decorated my room all pretty with white lights, and a bit of christmas things.. and there was magazines by my bedside for good reading..

friday i had a dentist's appointment, and afterwards dale and i went shopping for gingerbread house candies..
then i had lunch with nicole at hotshots (YUMMM).. hehe. then i went to see lauren and received the most clever book from her for my xmas presssent. then a family dinner (home cooked meal.. delicious.. it was a feast!).. and afterwards there was decorating of sugar cookies, and icing of peppermint pennies. annnnd.. then dale and i watched the curse of the zodiac (soo good.. the one with jake gyllenhaal)

saturday.. i had to work at dq.. and it was sort of fun! and then saturday night was christmas dinner at jake's .. with lots of good food, drinks, and catching up with some girlies. however, we got kicked out early.. so most of us headed out to the bar and i had a hoot as i slammed back five vodka slimes.

sunday.. i woke up incredibly HUNG over, and i had to work at eight.. so that was a bit of a struggle.. however, i had lexa with me.. so we tiredly did our shift together, and were done at 2. after that, dale, james, and i decorated gingerbread houses. james' was actually quite nice, and lasted. dale and i had some trouble with ours, because it collapsed as soon as we had built it! jeeze.

sunday night i went out for dinns with the ladies (tash, lauren, and nicole.. and chels was our waitress!) .. so that was good, and then after dinner dale and i watched a chevy chase movie. and i think i fell asleep because of my tiredness from the previous night of a 4 hour sleep.

monday brought a day off.. and lots of last touches for christmas. i spent most of the morning wrapping presents, and then the afternoon delivering them.. and picking up a few more things. at 2 pm, we headed over to the Taylor's for our annual christmas eve lunch/dinner. it was delicious we ate soup and other yummy things, and then opened some presents. after that, my family watched the santa clause 3, and i fell asleep during it..
we headed off to church around 7:30, and it was a nice christmas service as usual.. afterwards our family played cranium and ate lots of goodies.
then dale came over, and we had our own little christmas .. it was really special.. but we spent most of the time assembly my shield for my ipod.. hehe.

christmas day was really nice too: i woke up around ten, and we did stockings, then ate the best christmas breakfast.. and then opened the rest of the presents. i was lucky and got the winter jacket i really wanted, and books (YAY), and some money and stuff for shopping this upcoming saturday. dale came over around noon and opened his presents from my parents.. and then james and i headed to dq to serve christmas dinner to those less fortunate. we stayed there until about 5.. and then headed over to the Van Camp's for dinns. the usual crowd was there.. and it was pretty fun.. we ate, drank, and played games.
after dinner, i went up to dale's house to visit with his family.. we drank wine and laughed a lot.

boxing day. my mom and i hit up the superstore, and got some great deals on hats and tights..we also picked up some things for our fondue.
i had to work from 4-7.. then had dinns with my mom
afterwards i went to hang out with nicole for a bit.. and then i got together with dale..
we started at the casino.. and lost money.. so then we headed back to his house to grab a movie, but ended up going to bp to get some chow.. and then over to the bar to see a few people. but it was lame, so we left after like 15 minutes.. we ended up just coming back to my house to watch bits of a movie, and then we both fell asleep...
we woke up around 3:30.. and i was so out of it.. that i couldnt stop laughing when dale tried tried to wake me up.. his hair was all out of place.. and he kept saying.. i just wanna sleep here forever.. but he ended up going home.. and i fell into a deep sleep.

today: i woke up really early, and had a tea date with beanie.. we caught up on everything but then had to say our goodbyes. i am going to miss her.
then chels came over, and we had tea too! we also caught up on our lives.. and chatted into the middle of the afternoon...
then my family and i all headed to dq to pick up cheques, and then to the bank..
afterwwards nicole and i went to hotshots to grab a smoothie and discuss the latest gossip hehe. we saw mec for a few minutes, so that was really nice... and afterwards i said goodbye to nicole too..
then i headed over to tasha's to deliver some goodies, and say bye. frick tash is always hard to say bye to.. and so it was sad leaving her again..

aaaaaaand then we had our fondue, and this year dale joined us, and it was really fun.. but i was stuffed to the BRIM. after dale and i went to dq to pick up my other cheque and some icecream for the boys back at my house.. then dale went home, and the taylor's and my family played 'Things'.. and i WON. hip hip.

its been a good time here in snowy cranbrook.. but tomorrow i am headed off to seattle with my family and dale to do some shopping, and then onwards to vancouver.. and back to school in six days. YUCK.
i got a little teary tonight thinking about leaving my cozy home, and thinking how victoria gets really lonely sometimes.. bleh.

i'll be okay though..
its just always hard leaving!!
xx

finito

i have finally finished my first semester of university!!
i had my math final last night, and it was extremely hard, so i am not sure about how i did. this morning i had my PE final, and it was sooo long, that is discouraged me, and become very tedious to write out about five pages of words. but i think i did alright!

now i am just packing up, and in search of a vacuum! it seems that all four vacuums are missing from our building, so until i find one, my carpet is a glittery surface of silver.

i have packed up quite of lot of things. and i hope i am not forgetting anything, but it seems i just stuffed two suitcases full of dirty clothes.. and its all just a big packing mess!

so now, i am just waiting around to get my shuttle at 2:00, and then off to the airport i go!

i am craving a safeway sandwich right now. god i wish it were easier to get to than a bus.

here today, gone tomorrow (back home)

tomorrow i will be leaving victoria to go back home for the holidays! i just got word that our dear friend nan had her flight cancelled on her, so i am a bit afraid that mine could be cancelled too, due to winter weathers or which ever. i will be very unhappy if this happens. but hopefully nan will arrive safe and sound sometime today!

news: i got a B in chinese, and a B on my PE big project that i slaved over!! i was hoping for a B+, however, my percentage is closer enough to a B+ for me to be happy about it.
i also got a little package in the mail today from tash.. and she sent me two of those energy bars from hotshots! I LOVE those. so i ate half of one for my breakfast this morning.
~my sniffles have increased to where i am sneezing constantly, and my nose is plugged, so i had a bit of trouble sleeping last night, and was up at 6:30.
tonight is my math final! i have been looking over notes, midterms, and the text. but the text book is absolutely NO help. so i am wishing that my notes will suffice.

yesterday, i went to the mall via la bus. and i chose the worst time to go! i went at like 3:00, when all the kidlets are getting out of school, so the buses were jam packed, and slow going, and one lady asked some people to get off the bus to make it lighter! but i finally got to the mall like 45 minutes later.. and did some shopping for myself, and i picked up a little something for my ma.

anyways! back to the books, and then later i have a doctor's appointment downtown.. and then more studying.. thennn the exam!!

xx

booster juice.

i have a cold. i think. greeat.

tomorrow is my math exam. but it's not til 7 p.m. tomorrow i also have a doctor's appointment, and i am debating whether i should go downtown to the mall again or not. ah ah. so little time.

today i just have to study all day/night.. and really prepare for math.

last night i also called a shuttle company, and they are taking me out to the airport at 2. i wonder if that is too late.. my flight is at 3:55 .. hopefully i get there on time.

i also get to sell back my text books after my thursday's exam. so hopefully that is going to get me some money to pay back my mom for some of the loans i have gotten from her.

i want to go to mexico.

in less than two months.. i will be two decades young.

CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE.
xx

lurk

i have finally gotten some of my christmas gifts done!
today i picked up something for my brother, and my mom and i decided on something to get dale, and she picked that up.

and also! yesterday, i made 8 different gifts. i crafted so hard, and my final projects turned out very well! so i am pretty excited about them. i will post pictures after christmas, once i have given them out.

anyways, its three days til i am home.

today i am just studying math, and finally starting to get into it. tomorrow is a full study day.. and then wednesday is like a half study day cause i have to go downtown for a bit.

i just called dq to get my shifts. they are good oncs! welll i just have two so far. but i am actually fairly excited.

xx

gossip girl

got a secret.
can you keep it?
swear this one you'll save.

better lock it, in your pocket.

parisian dream

we'd be so less fragile, if we were made from metal and our hearts from iron and our minds from steel.
and if we built an army, full of tender bodies...
would we love each other?
would we stop to feel?

and you want three wishes:
one to fly the heavens, one to swim like fishes, and one you're saving for a rainy day if your lover ever takes her love away.

you want never to be bitter, and all delicious.
and a clean conscience and all it's blisses.

you want one true lover with a thousand kisses.
you want soft, gentle, and never vicious.

nolita fairytale

six days until home time!

ugh, i have been SO bored this whole week! just studying away, and not so much studying.

i had my astro final last night. it was WAY hard. i wasn't surprised, because our prof warned us.. but it was definitely harder than anything we have done in the past 3 months in class! so i was a bit pissed.. but at the same time.. okay with it..

anyways: so now i am just starting to study for PE, and soon for math. on sunday is our crafting day! and alex may join in now too.
before crafts, i have a lunch with a relative.. and my cousin carli..

then afterwards, me, sierra, and alex are heading to wal-mart to pick up supplies! then all afternoon/evening we are going to craft and watch christmas movies.

monday: alex and i are going downtown to do some final shopping.. and hopefully i can find dale's christmas present! and i wanna pick up something for my brother and mother.

then.. it's just studying until HOME TIME.
thank god, it's so dull here.

xx

happy days.

I PASSED PSYCH.
JOYYYY.

get ready.

say (all i need)

do you know where your heart is?
do you think you can find it?
or did you trade it for something
somewhere better just to have it?

do you know where your love is?
do you think you can find it?






-one republic.

oh, it is love.

when you sing, when you sing
the stars fill up my eyes
galaxies pour down my cheeks
galaxies…they flood the street
galaxies

when we dance, when we dance
eels and sea grass float on by
i'm 10,000 leagues beneath the sea
10,000 leagues…beneath the green
10,000 leagues

when we kiss, when we kiss
bears and boulders vibrate through the air
gravity is dead you see
no gravity…all I need is beating red
no gravity…


-laura veirs.

heart beats.

back from vancouver again.
this time i went to see my bubba who has finished school and drove up with sean before returning to our hometown.
dale and i stayed at sean's from thursday until sunday, and we had many adventures.

on thursday, i travelled over via bus and ferry (all by myself.. my cousin has taught me well! because i got there all in one piece), mind you, making two bus rides (i had to transfer!).. but i left around 11, caught the 1 o'clock ferry, and was in my most favorite place by 2:30 p.m.
dale and i were supposed to then go and meet up with my mom, but we got a bit lost, and ended up back at sean's before we knew it. afterwards we just hung out, then went for dinner to Joey's (which was fabulous! my new favorite place... and not joey's only, or joey tomato or whatever).. and then we got lost a bit more while trying to find a movie theatre, and somehow by luck, finally ended up at tinseltown to watch awake (such a good movie!!)

on friday, we headed down to robson (my ultimate fav) to do some christmas shopping (which was very unsuccessful), and found dale a winter jacket (beautiful), and then we went to meet up with my mom and dad.
my dad was at this convention for teachers, and he was showing off his special class that he teaches back home, so dale and i strolled around and tried to see how much free stuff we could get (we got 8 pens, 6 candies, and one pin, and lots of knowledge).. we were the youngest at the convention, but there were a few really cool things .. and i found myself with many questions for the teachers.
then we went to dinner at joe fortes .. so good.. as usual.. and then back home to watch the office, and i fell asleep.. as usual..

saturday.. dale and i hit up science world (ya we did).. and watched 2 imax movies, and learned lots about the body and dinosaurs and how i have better reflexes than dale, but that he is much stronger than i.
then we booked it over to metrotown and got lost a bit more, returned my loaner phone, and then headed back to sean's.
for dinner we went to granville island to the sandbar and it was delicious.. but i had this dish that was super super hot so i had to get milk (malk) to drink with it.

then today, we just slept in really late, packed up my stuff, grabbed subway on the way out, and i was on my way back to campus. i caught the 3 o'clock ferry, and was home by 6 (so lucky, cause i managed to catch a direct bus home!).

anyways, those are my stories from the weekend, and this week consists of lots of studying for astro (which is on thursday), and then starting to study for math and PE. bleh.

home in ten.
xx

this is how we roll.

the me-tini

snowflakes

last night was fun: sierra, alex, and i went to the movie august rush. i thought it was kinda silly .. but at the end, the love story caught my attention haha.

then we were going to go to this place called the mint for drinks, but it was shut down for renos so we went to ferris' and it's a restaurant/pub kinda thing.
so we had drinks and dinner.. yummers.. and then sierra's cousin and his girlfriend joined us for a drink.. and then we headed home..

i got home and realized i was a bit intoxicated.. so i made snowflakes.
i have been trying to make snowflakes for the past few nights, but they never turn out. so i googled snowflake templates, and got crafty.
so now i have five in my window, and i want to make some more for my door.

also, last night there was a little note slipped under my door about secret santa stuff. i think i may join in. i like christmas cheeeer.

anyways, i'm about to go work out .. and then more studying for psych. i keep forgetting that my chinese final and paper are due tomorrow..
my paper is basically done, i just need to do the works cited, and the test i can't really study for (its all in my head anyways).. so i've just been concentrating on psych.

i'm getting really excited.. because once tuesday night comes.. fun comes!
alex and i are going out on the town on tuesday night for some drinking and dancing because there's like this celebration of last day of classes.. and then wednesday i wanna go downtown to do a bit of shopping.. and then thursday.. i go to vancouver!! i can't wait.

xx

bedroom eyes.

happy december first.
i woke up this morning to some flurries and snow on the ground, but now it's melted.. and it's freezing cold with the wind and rain! bleh.

last night, alex and i went out to this little pub/restaurant and had martinis and white russians, and a big plate of nachos. it was wonderful.
then, i caught the very last bus home, and came home to some drama in my res hall which included the cops, the drunk tank, lots of noise, and yelling, and a person that was hiding and MIA.

all in all. it was a good night.
i came home, and woke up my boyfriend to talk to him and tell him my adventures, and then sleeeep.

so this afternoon, i worked out, went to safeway, and now i'm going to crack down and study for a couple hours before i go out with sierra and alex to a movie, and then drinks! hip hip.