Friday, December 9, 2011

Holiday Cheer and Exam Stress

It's holiday music time! I'm not much for Christmas stuff but I do love the classics.
Matthew, the sentimental one in our family, loves Christmas music, and it could be heard from his room all through the month of December. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Charlie Brown Christmas, Rocking around the Christmas tree. *sigh* Being at college, far from family and friends, it was nice to see that Matty had put up one of his 30 mins of selected music podcasts in a holiday theme here. I admit, I got all warm and fuzzy inside remembering Christmas morning greasy breakfasts and giving presents to the cats who indifferently turn their butts to the very fetching harness and leash set in red. I remember all the hours spent in front of the tv during the school break watching holiday specials. A Christmas Story, Muppets Christmas...so many.

(Blegh)

Here at Fleming we are now getting full swing into Exam season.
For most people, exams are taken online in the Computer Testing centre, a very small place compared to the number of students who have to write tests in there during the week.
This morning after a weeks worth of on and off studying, I waited 5 or six minutes in a very long line-up to take my Ecology and the Environment final test. I was surprised it was only 50 questions of multiple choice (all of our tests have been multiple choice so far), a bit of answer guessing and it was bing bang boom done and out of my head! Goodbye Ecology! It's a good feeling to get these courses finished one test at a time. Chomping at the bit to get into the meat of our program. Wildlife Observation Skills? How fun is that going to be!

Unfortunately, exam stress has a way of making you cast off all your past activities and hobbies in a big heap under the bed. Literally and figuratively that's where they are right now. Books unread, embroidery thread not stuck through white cotton and yarn not turned into presents. That's something to, holiday presents. I had the ambitious plan to hand make all my gifts. Failed, however, to factor in the reality of school and eating and sleeping and finding the motivation. As long as Dylan's mittens get done I'll be satisfied. Have the first cuff finished so it's looking good.

A sudden burst of festive spirit left me with the craving to make snowflakes and decorations for the winter season. It's what you need when the cold, grey gloominess is all you ever see out your window. I was able to find a tutorial for the neatest star/snowflake to hang in the window. A rather good way to use up scrap paper from school. Afterwards I plan to blend it all and make up some new paper as soon as I get together some wood and screening.

Jackie got in on it as well and soon the room was littered with tiny bits of paper, with some nice results. Steve certainly looked fetching.

Our creative endeavours don't end there, oh no.
We were presented with an Amber with the desire to look like Cindy Lou Who for a Christmas party. Couldn't really remember how she looked in the new movie but I vaguely remembered very tall hair with braids. So this is what we got
There were Christmas present bows and other additions later but I forgot to take a picture. All it took was a small plastic cup on her head that the hair could be wrapped over.

Here is the "inspiration"
I didn't realize till today that this is a young Taylor Momsen, the young women who loves to look like a starving Racoon.

Jackie and I decided to get in on it too but the effect was...not quite the same
Off to swim this evening after a surplus of cashews and mixed nuts!

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Double date dinners and computerstaches

Today is the day I properly start a blog. Hoorah!
Not sure what I'll be putting in it but I will try for twice weekly posts to get used to writing in it.
Today is also the day I experience what a double date feels like. The idea of it seems so...grown up.
Being in a relationship too. That whole thing still feels odd to me.
"Yes this is my boyfriend Dylan"
Boyfriend? What a weird word to say. Dylan found it weird to to introduce me as his girlfriend.
We thought about it, boy and girl seem rather juvenile, so we tried saying "Lady Friend" and "Man Friend" Those were even weirder to say. Lady Friend sounds like it is designating a female escort.
Scratch that. So we went with "partner" which always seemed sort of pretentious to me but was comfortable to say for both of us so that was the end of that.
Part of this double-date entails we all make food for dinner and eat together in my dormitory sweet. Only, I haven't any food at all save for the forgotten apples Dylan and I picked late at night in the yard of an adult education centre near our Residence Building. It was good to finally get them used up since they had been sitting in my crisper drawer, taking up space for like two weeks. The only thing I could think
of was an apple crisp.




I gave it a little nibble but I think I didn't add enough of pretty much everything, but the almond flour crust seems pretty good. Hopefully Kristen and her lady aren't picky eaters.

We're coming to the end of this semester, my first semester of college, and it blows my mind. Has it really been 13 weeks that we've been here? How is it possible that time has moved so fast? Fun that's what. I've definitely been enjoying myself. Not so much the hysterical stressful moments over left-to-the-last-minute-projects. Its been nice though getting back into academics again after two years of gradual mental decay. I mean, I get to learn how to use a compass, and GPS and fish identification and tons of other super awesome stuff from some super awesome teachers and a really nice bunch of classmates. Still, there's this nagging stress that I haven't been involved enough, haven't done all I said I was going to, am not smart enough to go on to next semester and next year. I know all these thoughts aren't true, I've done a lot at this school, I've made some awesome friends and I've done more than most students at this school. I guess I can't stand to be lazy and idle though I find it hard to get started on anything. A bit conflicting huh?

Now that we are into December, it's going to be time to get one's nose to the grindstone to get through all the exams and tests coming our way next week, plan the tree weeks of holidays proceeding and organize for a whole new bunch of courses.
And better than that, no more dirty moustaches! Movember is done! In Geospatial Analysis this Wednesday, Amanda and I found a sad little abandoned moustache on one of the computer screens.
Reminds me somewhat of Jack Layton's moustache. His was the greatest of all moustaches and I don't even feel worthy of wearing a crappy replica on my face.

Well that's all, hopefully I will make a regular habit out of this.
My writing skills are so rusty they resemble the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz after a rainfall.
Happy Saturday!