Therefore...I decided to order the smaller size, but that means I have to lose 2 inches off of my waist by May. A seemingly easy task, but sadly, I'm a stress eater. Not so great with school stress and wedding stress and regular life stress, so I'm getting help.
I started a blog to track my progress so hopefully everyone will check it out and leave encouraging comments. Try to subscribe to it so that I don't have to get depressed that no one cares. Ha. I'll probably only update it twice a week or less, depending on how much progress I make and what I have to say. It'll essentially be a public food journal.
Thanks so much! And hopefully this works!! They say one of the major hurdles when it comes to getting healthy is getting support so I'm counting on you guys to push me onwards and inwards! Ha.
<3
Stacey
A lot of things! I learned how to snowboard, got engaged, had Cale's niece Breeze move in with us, started planning a wedding, took a 4th year seminar at UBC, and became part of the shipping/receiving team at my work, went to Tofino for the first time, and spent more than $100 on a pair of shoes, attended a wedding on a boat!
Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I always sort of make the same resolutions, and I generally meet them. Be healthier, be more positive, take each day as it comes, learn to relax. Ha. Slowly but surely I get closer every year to meeting these goals. Although if I get any more positive I might start shitting rainbows.
As for resolutions this year?
Like I said in the last question, it's always the same, although I suppose I can tack on "have a beautiful wedding" for 2010. :D
Did anyone close to you give birth?
TARYN!!!! She welcomed her beautiful baby Hanna and it was so great getting to follow her blog and finally meet this super cutie. I got to hold her when Taryn and Syx came to our engagement party and it was just incredible. She's a beauty and I can't imagine how proud her mama and papa must be. Following the pregnancy and now baby blog has really made Cale and I acutely aware of how badly we want to start our own family. :)
Did anyone close to you die?
No, thank goodness!
What countries did you visit?
No new countries. I got to go to Rossland, BC for the first time for one of Cale's SBX races, and we took Breeze to Seattle, but there were no major trips. Just the regulars to Saskatchewan and Salmon Arm.
What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Money. I want to be able to work full time instead of dividing my time between school and work. I want more time to spend with my family whom I am never able to see. I want more quality time with my fiance because I feel like our relationship gets pushed back sometimes because of all the other things I have going on. I would like to have a baby, especially after gushing about Hanna, but I think that will have to wait. :)
What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
August 7th -- CALE proposed :) December 20th. September 26th, Breeze came to live with us. :D
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Finishing one school term and beginning another. Leading into the last year I will ever spend at UBC, thank the good lord.
What was your biggest failure?
Haha, I sound like I'm copying Tamara, but I agree. There aren't really failures, just situations I've learned from. I don't regret anything I've done this year.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was sick a LOT this year. Stress, no sleep, lack of time, etc. It all built up and pounded on me like a snotty pile of bricks. I'm hoping my health will improve once I don't have to go to UBC anymore.
What was the best thing you bought?
Things for other people. I can't wait to give Cale his Christmas gift (his BIG christmas gift.). I did buy myself an amazing pair of brown leather boots today!
Whose behavior merited celebration?
Janet and Cale's. I can't believe that Cale is still sticking buy me through what may be the most stressful time of my entire life. And Janet's been there every step of the way as well. Her blackberry messaging on the bus, the phone calls, the drives out to Surrey from Abbotsford, just being there for everything, good and bad, really made me feel grateful that I have such a loving, caring human being in my life. Her and Ross are definitely a part of our family. I'm so glad that they are closer now that they don't live in Edmonton, and I've already established that I'm going with them if they ever leave.
Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
No one's really. I'm disappointed by human behavior regularly, ha, so when deplorable things happen I do my best to shrug it off and find some good in the situation.
Where did most of your money go?
School. Debt repayment. Always.
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Seeing Tamara over the summer (BOTH Tamara's!!! My cousin came for a visit as well!!!), Janet and Ross' wedding!, Kristin and Mike's Engagement, Cor and Bobby's Engagement, Tamara and Justin's Engagement, Lia getting back from Greece, Cam's new podcast! (which I can get on my phone now!!!), planning my own wedding, Taryn and Syx's Engagement and the birth of their daughter, visiting my family in Saskatchewan over the summer, being promoted at work, so many different things...
What song will always remind you of 2009?
I have two:
I Kissed a Girl - Katy Perry
Right Round - Flo Rida
Compared to this time last year, are you...
Happier or sadder? Happier. If that's even possible. Last year Cale and I were celebrating our first Christmas together. This one is our last as an unmarried couple. And our first with Breeze!
Thinner or fatter? The same. I always lose weight in the summer, and gain it back in the winter.
Richer or poorer? Poorer. School and less work really drained me this year. Something I've been struggling with the most.
What do you wish you'd done more of?
Adventuring! And studying. And travelling. And doing whatever I want!
What do you wish you’d done less of?
Sitting in transit or in front of the television.
How will you be spending New Years Eve?
I'm not sure yet, but it will be with most of my favorite people. Kristin and Mike and Janet and Ross!!!
Did you fall in love in 2009?
I fall a little more in love every day. Aww.
How many one-night stands?
Zero! Thank goodness!
What was your favourite TV program?
The Big Bang Theory, True Blood, Dollhouse and House.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No one. I learned a long time ago that it takes a lot of effort to hate someone, and why would I waste the energy on someone who obviously doesn't deserve it?
What was the best book you read?
probably The Gargoyle. I loved it.
What was your greatest musical discovery?
Connor turned me on to a lot of really great bands via listening to his Ipod at work. I asked him to make me a cd but he hasn't gotten around to it yet.
I think Phoenix was the greatest.
What did you want and get?
Wow.
- to graduate from UBC, and I'll do that next term.
- to move out of my mom's house and into a place with just Cale and I (sort of achieved. ha.)
- an iPhone!
- the absolute greatest commitment from Cale
- for everyone in my life to be relatively healthy and happy (work in progress)
What was your favourite film of this year?
I've seen so many movies this year it's pretty impossible to pick any favorites. I can't even remember what I watched in January. Off the top of my head:
Watchmen
Star Trek
I Love You Man
A Christmas Carol
Where the Wild Things Are
Up
Inglorious Basterds
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 25! We went for dinner at the Keg on the weekend, followed by some dancing at the pub. On my actual birthday Cale splurged on an amazing spa day for me and I had a taco and movie night with my mom and sister.
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Less financial stress + more time.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?What kept you sane?
Realism, Cale, my family, Breeze!
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
The Rock...always. Heh. And Ryan Reynolds.
What political issue stirred you the most?
Obama's election. Yeah I cried. And "yes we can".
Who did you miss?
Tamara. :) Everyone in Saskatchewan. Janet and Ross until they moved here!!!!!!
Who were the best new people you met?
I haven't really met any new people but I'm extremely grateful for the people I still have in my life. I'm glad that I got to get to know some people BETTER, like Barez, Coriana and Bobby, and Connor at work. I'm so glad that I was able to spend time with Tamara while she was here in the summer and that we're able to see Janet and Ross so frequently. And of course, it's amazing that I've gotten to know Kristin well enough to have her ask me to be her maid of honour.
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
That my past experiences do not have to dictate how I approach new experiences. I shouldn't be so jaded by things that were because things that are about to be are completely new and involve new people.
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Sun shines, Clouds rain
Train Whistles blow and Guitars Play
Preachers Preach, Farmers Plow
Wishes go up and the World goes round
And I love you, It just comes Natural
It just comes Natural
Seasons Change, Rivers Wind
Tumble Weeds roll and the Stars shine
Wind Howls, dawn breaks
Cowboys riding' time slips away
And I love you, It just comes Natural
It's what I was born to do
Don't have to think it through
Baby, it's so easy loving you
It just comes Natural
It's what I was born to do
Don't have to think it Through
Baby it's so easy loving you
Fire burns Waves Crash
Seeds grow and good things last
Ships sail Dreams fly
Night falls and Full moons rise
And I love you, It just comes Natural"
our new place is on 116th and 80th avenue. still in surrey, but a nice, big three bedroom basement suite. The Master bedroom is pretty massive and Breeze and Johnathan both get their own rooms.
I'm excited because I'll actually get to have my things out. I can hang my pictures on the walls. I can paint whatever color I want. There's a certain amount of freedom that comes with having your own space and it's nice.
The downside, of course, is that I hate moving. I want nothing more than to set up shop somewhere and stay there for the rest of my life. I hate packing, I hate unpacking, I hate trying to organize trucks and putting tape on the walls before I paint. I, of course, hate paying rent on top of my other expenses. Ha. And I'll be farther away from my mom, which is sad.
Still, it's a great place with big rooms. And it's ground floor so it's not like living in a dungeon. Ha. I'm excited to have the move over and done with.
I also figured out what to do for my birthday! Expect a facebook invite!
And of course, I'm SO EXCITED, because my good friends Kristin and Mike are engaged after many, many years of dating! I was feeling bad about having a small wedding party because she wasn't a bridesmaid but now she's going to be a BRIDE!!! YAY!!! They're fantastic and I could NOT be happier for both of them. :) They're going to have a lot of fun in the next couple of years doing all of their planning and I can't wait to hear all about it. :D
-stacey
My heart beat is growing weak,
Hoping you'd hear my plea,
And come save my life,
As the storm grew fierce,
An angel was certainly near,
I knew there was nothing to fear.
Bring me your love, tonight."
i took a lot of time off this week (from school and one day of work) because of general sickness and getting breeze settled in school and things like that. it was nice and i got some much needed rest (especially yesterday). i'm feeling a little better and braved school and later on will be going to work at 11 so that's always a plus. only 2 days of work this week so i'm going to need the 8 hours i'll get today. (the chair i'm sitting in in class is REALLY squeaky. it's super annoying.)
the engagement party was a lot of fun although because i was starting to get sick and i hadn't really eaten much that day and generally feeling overwhelmed i had to take a lot of sit down breaks but hopefully everyone still had a good time. ha. i posted more about it on the website blog. (caleandstacey.brides.com) we got a lot of gifts which i was not expecting so thank you everyone. i purchased thank you notes the other day so those'll be coming in the mail soon enough. <3
for another week i managed to pay my bills and have a little money left over!!! YAY!!! at this rate i might actually be able to SAVE some money soon. wouldn't that be INCREDIBLE!!!! it makes me feel sooooo good to have extra money in the bank that isn't immediately going into something else right away. i'm going to spend some of it on groceries for chicken fajita - tortilla soup tonight. yum yum!
midterms are coming up soon. i think it'll be great to get a proper schedule going and finally be able to sit down and get some studying done. i really want to do well.
our house is also formally up for sale so cale, breeze and myself, as well as maybe my brother are looking for a 3 bedroom suite or possibly an entire house to rent in the same area we're already in. at least until breeze finished grade 7. they expect the house to sell fairly quickly (or want it to anyway) so we could be moving as early as november. if for some reason you hear of a great deal in the delta area please let us know. ha.
the first wedding show is this weekend on sunday. i'm super excited and hopefully i get some free stuff!!! haha. the fashion show should be cool also. really, we're gunning for the $50,000 dream wedding grand prize! keep your fingers crossed. :D
that's about it for now!!! i'm doing my best to stay relaxed. i think over last weekend i had a bit of a freak out in terms of all the things that seemed to be piling up but now that everything has settled down and i've made some lists i'm better able to keep it all in perspective. cale's doing a good job of keeping me thinking realistically as well, ha, even if i don't necessarily agree with him right away.
we're learning about Troy today! whoop whoop!
that's all for now.
-stacey
Burning through my darkest night
You're the only one that I want
Think I'm addicted to your light
I swore I'd never fall again
But this don't even feel like falling
Gravity can't forget
To pull me back to the ground again"
Stacey
I figured, you know, I'll start small. Each workout is an hour long so I though, yeah, yoga sounds good. Ha!!!! I tried to twist my body into positions yesterday that I didn't even know were humanly possible. I've never even broken a sweat doing yoga before and yesterday it was dripping off of my face! Every muscle in my body was shaking and I was doing my best to keep breathing and not to make that awful grunting noise I make when i'm exerting myself.
Even though it sucks that i'm sore as hell today, I got to spend an hour and a half yesterday thinking only of myself, focusing on something besides work, school, money and wedding stuff, forcing myself to breath deeply and at the end you literally are supposed to curl up in a ball, close your eyes and just focus on how you feel.
I feel amazing today.
And i'm totally going to force you to do this with me Janet pants. Lol!!!!
Next up!!! Kenpo!!!! Hi yah!
Love:stacey!
holy crap i'm excited.
it's going to be a lot of fun and i love working with cale towards this common goal.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
p.s. the Engagement party is this Saturday! I can't freaking wait!!!!!
-Stacey
i thought i'd have to have a heavier course load until june, but i can swing it so that my last elective is another distance course and i still won't have to come back on campus after exams in april.
it's such a weight off of my chest to know that i can finish up my BA from the comfort of my own home, which leaves more time for work and wedding planning. i.e. REAL LIFE! excellent.
my Greek Art and Architecture class was today. it's one one class for one hour every wednesday and friday and the class itself isn't so bad. my prof seems like a cool guy and he's NOT an art historian which is AWESOME, he's an archaeologist and classicist. this may sound boring to most of you but if you've ever MET an actual art historian you'd understand where my enthusiasm comes from. archaeologists/classicists WORK in their fields. they get their hands dirty, they appreciate the historical context of an object, they'll tell you where they found it, how they found it, when they found it, who owned it, what it means, where you can find it again. an art historian (in my experience) will tell you what they think it means, where they saw it, and why they have decided to write a book about it.
i don't mean to devalue the profession, but so far the quality of people i've met who ARE established art historians is not so great. it's pretty god awful to tell you the truth. ugh. although it definitely depends on their specialty. i have two profs this year who are fantastic. one specializes in architecture and one in modern art and both are fantastic. you can't really go wrong with architecture. it is what it is. ha. and the modern art class i'm taking, i think my professor was part of the movement we're covering when it started PLUS he's written TONS of articles on disasters and art (i.e. Chernobyl, Hiroshima, etc.). A lot of focus on bombs and war and tragedy and sick as it sounds, that's right up my alley.
I like paintings and if they're taught by the right person they can be EXTREMELY interesting, but for the most part the professors at UBC don't specialize in the renaissance or really any period of time before the 1800's, so a lot of the time they're regurgitating material THEY learned in school and expecting you to come up with new and interesting theories while still maintaining that original module. it's so frustrating.
thankfully, i planned my classes out so that hopefully i'll be interested all year long, in spite of my hour and a half long commute for one hour long class on wednesdays and thursdays. but it's only for about 3 months. i can do it. that's only 12 weeks, which really, isn't very long at all.
work and wedding planning will definitely make the time FLY by. in a few weeks i'll be glad i'm only in class for an hour as it will give me time to do other things before i start work at 3.
i got a promotion at work! our old receiver moved back to Manitoba and while i miss her A LOT (Hi Cait!) i'm happy that they let me take over for her. i share the job with another guy from work (Hi Connor!). he's in every morning and i come in from 3 to 8 every night. so that's very exciting. plus it's a little extra money which will help with debt payments, wedding payments, living. you know, all the fun stuff.
hopefully you're all keeping up with the wedding website. i'm working hard on it and i'd hate for all of that effort to be wasted. ;)
my next task is to gather up everyone's email addresses so that i can set up the online rsvp system on the site. i'm so happy about that little feature! it's going to be phenomenal. sadly, i didn't ask for email addresses when i was collecting ACTUAL addresses so i'm going to have to send out a mass facebook message, AGAIN, or painstakingly creep everyone's facebook profiles to pilfer their email addresses. i know some, but i definitely don't know all 250. (which is where our guest list number is sitting right now, good golly miss molly!)
i cannot even begin to tell you how excited i am to marry my best friend. it's a phenomenal feeling. i wish we could do it tomorrow but i know we'd regret not having a big party to celebrate. :) i'm starting to think about dresses!!! EEP!
cale also just found out he might be getting a promotion. if he does that might mean that instead of running away from vancouver we might just get our own place here somewhere. nothing's finalized and we only talked about it a little bit, but it would be a really great set-up for cale, and then i wouldn't have to be jobless while i put my degree to some kind of good use. ha.
ok! i've got some delicious looking sushi in front of me, and a lot of excel spreadsheets to fill out, so i'm peacing off of livejournal for today. back to school tomorrow and rhona's afterwards! hooray! i have a full day tomorrow (3 classes for 4 and a half hours) so that's awesome. i won't feel like i've wasted my day on the bus. :)
adios!
-stacey k
You talk about an anxious man, I was nervous
Waitin' on a woman
And then he nudged my arm like old men do
And said, I'll say this about the honeymoon, it was worth it
Waitin' on a woman"
sorry folks. ;)
Cale and Stacey's Wedding Website
<3
-stacey k
there are a ton, but i posted some of the ones that aren't on her flickr, on MINE:
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
theretamaragoes) today. it was freaking AWESOME. she knows us so well. she would tell us where to stand and then we would just be our ridiculous selves with her shutter clicking in the background. there is no one else i could've been so comfortable with. i hate, hate, HATE being in front of a camera. i always think about the things i don't want to see on the internet and then end up looking awkward and completely ridiculous by the time they end up there, but having your friend (who also happens to be a photographer) take the photos for you is otherworldly.all i could focus on was how much i loved the man in front of me and how happy i was that one of my best friends was able to be there for the early stages of the rest of our lives together.
i cannot say this enough.
thank you so much tamara. thank you thank you thank you. a million times. i couldn't imagine our wedding day without you and it means so much that you're able to use your amazing talents for us this way. it's such an important part of the entire process and it's YOU! the tamara i've known since we were 12/13!!! through gwen stefani and curfews and house fires and traveling and breakups and sleep-overs and gross apartments and lost loves and so many animals, etc, etc, etc. this list could go on forever. the point is, i love you. and i love that you said yes to taking our photos, because, like i already told you, you are an amazing photographer, and an amazing friend and we love you. but mostly me.
:)
as for everyone else!!!! if you want to see the photos you've got some options.
check out tamara's flickr at:
TamaraL
and more engagement photos will be able to be found on her website:
Tamara Lakeman Photography
<3
-stacey
Don't you know that the life of a cowboy is no good alone
If you tear down that fence of rusty barbed wire
Then I'll lay down beside you and be your shotgun rider"
I'M GETTING MARRIED!!!!!!
YES!!!!!!!
In other news, the first thing I did when I got home from work today was take off my pants. And I have been pantless ever since.
<3
Stacey K. (BUT NOT FOR LONG!!!!)
p.s. is it sad that one of the things I'm most excited about is changing my name?
p.p.s. i've been cruising back through old livejournal entries (not my own) and feeling sad that i'm not more involved in the lives of my pals due to time, distance, general closeness, etc. hearts all around.
Today was day 5 of the Boot Camp.
Day 1: Cardio Hills. It's pretty much the equivalent of running around a track 50 times in the middle of a desert. Imagine starting at a walk, moving into a jog, trotting for a while and then full on sprinting until you feel like you're going to die, and then starting all over again while incorporating jumping jacks and power lunges into the mix. (Just for the record, this workout is hell, and power lunges are the DEVIL! You jump alternating your legs into lunges and pumping your arms like a crazy person.)
Day 2: Strength Sculpting. It's all weights and lunges and squats and more weights. This is actually the EASIEST workout for me. I would rather hold my arms above my head holding 50 pound weights for the rest of my life than do another power lunge as long as I live. (That was an exaggeration...I obviously have to restart the entire thing next week. UGH!)
Day 3: Kickboxing, Sculpting, Hills and Drills. This one is awesome because it mixes together so many different styles. They all incorporate weights and a resistance band so you really feel every single muscle in your body.
Day 4: Circuit Training. It is what it says. Lots of circuits of lunges and squats but not so intense. Just pretty general cardio although those power lunges are back with a vengence.
Day 5: Interval Cardio Sculpt. THIS IS A KILLER!!! This was my workout today and I thought I was going to have to quit. As is I had to settle for most of the modifications. My thighs are burning and I'm pretty sure my ass is going to be in my chest with all of these lunges and leg lifts. This workout is so intense. GGGGGGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
So that's my workout. We're going to Nelson on Wednesday night, so instead of taking the weekend off like I was planning, I'm going to restart the entire thing tomorrow so that I can keep up with it. I know that if I don't do all 5 workouts every week I'll get lazy and give up and with the amount I seem to be sweating (2lbs of water weight a day!!!!) I can't see how I WON'T get results. Ha.
( work rant )
Nelson is going to be a blast and a half, and we're going to Tofino at the end of July with Janet and Ross!!! I'm SO EXCITED. Firstly, my cousin Travis lives in Nelson and he's rad. I think he and Cale will really get along. :D Secondly, I've always wanted to go to Tofino, but never been!!! So it's going to be awesome.
Then in August we're headed to Salmon Arm for the long weekend and another camping trip in the middle of the month to Manning Park with some family friends. I LOVE camping but I'm curbing my impulse to buy summer clothes in light of all the trips. I keep repeating the phrase "camping not clothes" over and over in my head. HA. Although I do think I need to invest in some seriously awesome cloth shorts. I've got swim shorts but they're not good for general lounging and working out. I saw a rad pair in Bluenotes today so I might go back to pick em up. And they have a 3 for $15 deal on tank tops so I might hit that up as well, even though I always think I look weird in their tanks since they're either really long or really tight. :/ I need to find somewhere with sweet tank tops at reasonable prices. Any suggestions?
Other than that my one year with Cale is coming up in less than a month!!!! YAY! August 8th! I'm looking forward to that. Nothing planned so far, but we (and by we I mean Cale) like to do things at the last minute. Ha. I'll keep you posted.
Quick point form:
- nothing has happened to me since ross and janet got married and i registered for school
- i saw my good pal tamara l recently at her "welcome back to vancouver" get together. it was awesome, obviously, because i was there, and also because she's awesome. :)
- the girl i was doing receiving for at work is coming back soon so my full time hours are gone. sad for me. hence all the job hunting.
- i lost my driver's license and need to get that bad boy replaced, but i'm cheap and don't drive often so i'm procrastinating.
- i've been playing a lot of the Sims 2
- i love the show friends. i wish i owned every season but i only have the last one.
- i think i'm going to make a birthday wish list this year for the first time ever. lots of people made them for me and i see now that while surprises are awesome, a little structure is also good. :)
- if i get married or have a baby, i'm going to tell people to pool their money so that i can go to a personal trainer before the wedding/after i give birth. that's something i would never be able to justify buying for myself, but would definitely want.
- Paige B is excellent, and beautiful, and this is a special message for her because i want her to feel good about herself.
- i need to go to the comic shop before the Nelson trip on Wednesday. anyone want to come along? i'm probably going to go after work on monday, since i'm off at 12.
- it's Dan's birthday on Sunday and i don't know what to get him!!! help!!!! he's having a BBQ which will be awesome. I'll have to make sure i look nice because his mom always takes pictures. ha!
- Kristin's birthday is the day after i get back from Nelson!!!! it's going to be awesome. we're headed to the Modern and she's always a good time. HEHEHEHEHEHE. Yeah. I'm sure she'll be beautiful as always and we'll have a great time. (Fun Fact: Cale and I made out for the first time during her birthday party last year. She told us we could "do it" on her couch but sadly we were impeded by the fact that a) her apartment is small and not sound proof b) her friend was lying on the floor in the living room with us and c) it was still weird. ha.)
alright...i have to shower. peace out g's.
-stacey k
Down my drink, while the rhythms boom
Take your hand and skip the names
No need here for the silly games
Make our way through the smoke and crowd
The club is the sky and I'm on your cloud
Move in close as the lasers fly
Our bodies touch and the angels cry
Leave this place go back to yours
Our lips first touch outside your doors
A whole night what we've got in store
Whisper in my ear that you want some more
And I
Jizz in my pants"
The Italian Renaissance from 1400-1500
The Triumph and Demise of Modernism
Architecture: Building the fabric of Modern State (1715-1837)
Seminar in North American Architecture (this is my big, you're graduating with a Bachelor of Arts, class.)
Greek and Roman Art for two semesters
Architecture: Modern Paradigms of Design (1837 - present)
Nepal and Tibet: Art, Ritual and Performance
Arts of the Northwest Coast Peoples: The South (for my required Indigenous Arts class)
and naturally...
Relationship Development (just to be different)
9 Art Histories and 1 Family Studies. Yee Haw. I'm also going to be taking Spanish and a 6 credit Children's Lit course through correspondents so that I can graduate at the end of April with the rest of my pals.
I'm not excited about the course load, but I managed to get entirely new professors than I've had before so hopefully they're ok. The quality of teaching, and the methods used so far are really the biggest hinderance to my grade point average. Maybe I'll be taught by someone genuinely enthusiastic about the material they're teaching. Maybe...
Highlights of my summer so far:
Saskatchewan and my cousin Tamara's birthday party. Her turning 25 has got me thinking about my own upcoming birthday. I never thought I'd be the kind of person who cared about getting older but here I am, hoping that by some miracle I'll be frozen in time before December 9th arrives.
We also went to my cousin Michael's stag/stagette with his now wife Michelle! They're a great couple and I'm super happy for them. They went to a karaoke bar and it was awesome although I didn't even get CLOSE to a microphone. Sorry kids.
Then we came home and attended Janet and Ross' wedding! They looked amazing in their red and I thought having the bridesmaids all in white was a great constrast. Everything looked so beautiful and everytime Janet got choked up I cried like a baby. A quiet, tear stifling baby. Ha. The boat was amazing and the view was beautiful. I've never been to such a small wedding and it was funny to be able to start recognizing people during my second round at the buffet. All of Ross' army buddies showed and it was fun watching them have a good time, and of course, Cale threw down with the best of them, and I'm surprised he didn't throw up. By the time we got to the nightclub Gossip (since we had to be off of the boat by 11pm) he was already three sheets to the wind and still going strong. He definitely suffered for it the next day, and I definitely laughed...a lot.
There should be pictures and some video up soon. We were the only ones who brought a video camera so as soon as we get it out of the trunk of Janet and Ross' car we're going to make them an ultra cheezy, super sweet wedding video. :) I love those guys.
Other than that I've been raking in crazy hours at work! Everyone is going off on vacations and I'm picking up their shifts which is AWESOME! I can feel the weight of my debt lifting ever so slightly although a new round of student loans is going to add on another ton or two. Ha. But until September I can feel good about putting money where I should be...even if it's not necessarily where I want it to be. When I get my BA next year though, with the bonuses I've been getting for keeping my grades up, I'll only be $20,000 owing, which isn't bad considering this is my third year at UBC. Thumbs up.
-Stacey K!!!!!!
Although work is actually going well right now! I'm really digging the employment scene although more hours are always better than less.
Might be going to a funeral. I'm not exactly sure when it is. Hopefully not while I'm supposed to be away. He was a pretty important man in my life. I should pay my respects.
Deep thinking and I need to find a way to work out our differences. It always catches me off guard and never gives me a chance to retaliate.
Salmon arm was really awesome. It makes me want to leave the city. Badly. Ha. But I only have 3 years of school left so I'll soldier on.
I'm really looking forward to going to saskatchewan. Everything seems easier there.
-Stacey k
It's kind of mean. :(
The whole day was a lot of fun although I got a crazy goggle tan, my lips are blistered (ew) and I hurt my knee probably from a combo of ill fitting boots and a few too many falls. Ha. I was, of course, the slowest person on the hill, but that was OK. I kept telling Cale to go ahead and like a good boyfriend he kept coming back to check on me so I wasn't alone the entire time. Ha ha. I would probably do it again, but he promised me that next year we're going to go to Free Comic Book Day instead. :D Can't say I'm sad about that!!!
After blading we went to a little get together which was pretty funny. Lots of drunk Australians and a giant fire in the backyard thanks to my better half. I thought I was going to get sick for a bit and made the unfortunate miscalculation of letting Cale into the bathroom while I did my best to help my stomach along, but turns out I wasn't as sick as I thought and I made the effort for nothing. We headed back to Cale's friend Adam's place for the night and I fell asleep under the table after brushing my teeth and putting on pyjamas.
The next day was much more my speed. A leisurely wake up, some cleaning, discovering that we could have been sleeping on a deflated air mattress instead of the floor, a super yummy breakfast (omg, best eggs benny EVER) and then back to Adam's. We decided to go on a bike ride and Adam took us to a beautiful lake with a little bench where we hung out for a while. The fellas threw rocks at a log and I took a few pictures on my cell phone. Then we had to ride back, uphill. Whistler is beautiful but not super conducive to Stacey's. Ha. I walked my bike up half the time and tried to ride the rest of it, but of course, right in front of Adam's place I had to ask, "Which way now?" which got a few laughs. Guh.
Finally meeting Matt's girlfriend was awesome, she's super hilarious and really really nice. It was cool not to be the only girl for once although she's much more hardcore than I am when it comes to winter sports and making faces for the camera. I'm not used to all of the physical activity but I try to be a trooper and at least tag along, even if I can't always keep up.
When we got back we pretty much went straight to sleep until we woke up around 9 and decided to go see Wolverine which was AWESOME. I really liked it. I also like explaining all of the characters back stories to Cale. I may not be good while on a mountain but my brain is FULL of information that may or may not be useful. Ha.
Monday was a write off. I did laundry, cleaned the house, did some turbo jam (a fun dance workout video Janet let me burn) and watched a lot of Bones. I'm almost finished season one and it's hilarious how many Buffy/Angel characters are cropping up in the show. It's awesome.
Yesterday Janet came over in the afternoon and we did some more Turbo Jam, talked about her wedding, talked about boys, watched Ellen, and eventually Cale drove us to the mall where we found her some shoes for her wedding in under 10 minutes. BAM! Then we headed into Vancouver for Cam's birthday dinner! HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAM!!! Our plan was to buy him drinks for his birthday but Cale had to get up early for work and parking is hard to find downtown so after everyone was finished at Memphis Blues we decided to head home and take Janet back to her car.
It was still super good to see him on his birthday and so many people went to Milestones that I know he had enough company. I DO owe you a hangout birthday boy!!! But like I said, I've got lots of free time these days. Maybe when Terminator or any of the other awesome movies coming out soon are actually out we can go for dinner and a movie! I also need to hit up the comic shop soon and I could get you the same gift you got me and pay for some of the ones in your box. :)
Today it's more Bones and I'm going to try to finish the filing I started yesterday. (Hoorah for getting organized.) I'm starting to reach the point where I'm struggling to find things to do with my day and end up watching television in bed for the majority of it. I'm looking forward to watching Ellen at 11. Ha. Hugh Jackman's on today! Oh boy.
I'm hoping I'll start to get more shifts during the week so that my schedule will synch up with Cale's a little more. I'm looking forward to Wednesday the 13th because it's the finale of Top Model and Janet and Lia are probably going to come by to watch it. I'm planning on inviting anyone else who may be interested also just because it's a fun time. :D
This was a pretty standard, nothing is really happening but I'm feeling good post. :) Hope everyone else is doing well. Also...I need some new music to listen to if anyone has any recommendations.
<3
-stacey
Curled up snug in your waterbed.
Moon is shining and the stars are out.
Good night, little whale, good night."
It actually seems super helpful so far but it asks a really poignant question right off the bat. Pretty much everyone in the world can make a list of all of the things that they WANT. Or GOALS that they have. (i.e. I want to travel. I want a new tv. We want a house. I want to get into better shape.) A more difficult question is what are your top 5 values that you try to live your life by? What are you trying to accomplish with the money that you make to help you live according to those values?
My top 5 are (without any ranking in terms of importance) :
1. Family - I work hard for my money so that I can afford to go to school, which will allow me to get a good job so that when I start a family I'll be able to provide for them the best I am able to.
2. Friends - I like my friends. And I like to have fun with my friends. But it's a bummer if I can't because I never have any money. So I make money in order to be able to spend time with my friends.
3. Health - I need money to buy running shoes, clothes that are comfortable to work out it, healthy food to eat, regular check ups from my doctor, dentist, optometrist, gyno, etc. I need to be able to afford glasses when I need them and to be able to take time off work for myself without having to worry that I'm going to go broke.
4. Love - This is a big one. I want to be able to pay for the wedding I want. I want to be able to buy a house with my spouse. (Oh...rhyming.) I want to be able to go on romantic getaways, I like going on dates, I like to maintain a certain level of attractiveness (ha). Generally I just like being part of a partnership, and if my partner says, "Hey, let's disappear for the weekend." I want to be able to say "yes", not "sorry, i can't afford it...ever."
5. Happiness - Whoever said that money can't buy happiness was a liar. To be happy I need to have a certain level of security. I need a home, food, a job, clothing, among other things. It's a romantic notion that I would be happy with nothing but the clothes on my back and Cale, but that's a lie. I'd be miserable, probably cold, hungry, stressed out, and Cale would probably leave me because I'd be such a basket case. I need to be able to afford all of the other things I've listed and I need to be working towards a new goal every time I accomplish one. For me being happy is having the freedom to do, more or less, whatever I want WHENEVER I want, and you can't do that without money.
What are yours?
then i fell in love with you
and you took that away
you take away the old
show me the new
and i feel like i can fly
when i stand next to you
so what if I'm on this phone
a hundred miles from home
i take the words you gave
and send them back to you
