tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185262169054178092024-02-07T11:07:14.994-08:00This & ThatJust a little bit of everythingAmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-37463232110386926282013-05-26T21:15:00.001-07:002013-05-26T21:15:33.898-07:00So... I'm not even really sure what to say in this one to be honest.<br />
Mostly I'm just trying to bore myself into falling asleep.<br />
<br />
So much has been happening lately. And the last time I posted was shortly after the new year. Wow, it's been a while.<br />
Since I last posted I have lost close to 30 pounds, gained plenty of muscle and have (for the most part) managed to keep my New Year's resolution going strong. Being healthy is one of the best things about my life right now. I feel stronger, more vibrant than I have in a long, long time. <br />
The other best thing about my life is my boyfriend. :) We have been together happily (and sometimes not-so-happily lol) for a little over a year now. He makes me laugh and cry. He makes me crazy, but he also makes me think. He treats me well always, and even though he isn't very good at telling me how he feels he knows how to show it. :)<br />
The two best things in my life are actually sort of becoming one thing in a way. My boyfriend absolutely loves to work out, and his passion for it led him to participate in a course to become a personal trainer. Man am I ever lucky! My boyfriend can keep me motivated to work out, to eat healthy and can help me lead an even healthier lifestyle.<br />
<br />
Also, I am making plans for my second tattoo. I think I mentioned the first one in a post at some point in time. I know there are many people who disapprove of tattoos and then there are also many people who love them. My parents don't approve, but I admit to being one of the people that love and appreciate the artwork and skill it takes to do them. Although, there are always some tattoos that I really have to question. I mean really, who wants to see a wrinkly Elmo on your hip or something when you grow older? I know I don't. Personally, I feel that a tattoo should have some meaning behind it. But that is for myself personally. My boyfriend has tattoos on either arm (one of which is not yet finished) and has already made plans to complete his half-sleeves as well as a tattoo for his back. The latter one (his back) is the one that has a personal meaning to him and to me, that is the best reason to even bother getting one. Of course my opinion is not the same as everyone else's and I know that you might have a different opinion. And I respect that.<br />
<br />
<br />
Well... I don't think I've got anything else to say... So good night!AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-88725292461098362582013-01-08T17:46:00.001-08:002013-01-08T17:46:24.914-08:00Beginning AnewIt is officially the 8th day of the new year.<br />
And surprise, surprise! The world didn't end last year!<br />
Sorry to all of you out there who genuinely believed that the world was going to end. But let's face it, you're all a little bit crazy. After all, if the Mayans could predict the future they'd still be here.<br />
Sorry, that was lame.<br />
<br />
And how is everyone coming along with their resolutions?<br />
Are you sticking with them or have you already considered it a loss and given up?<br />
My resolution is pretty much the same as it is every year. Staying healthy. Only this time I have someone to do it with. I think that this year will be a huge success.<br />
<br />
Also, I am applying for university.<br />
Yippee.<br />
Here's what happened....<br />
Are you ready?<br />
<br />
After I finished high school I moved on to college. I studied technical drafting. Truthfully, I slacked more than I studied. Did quite well at it too, much to my eternal regret.<br />
After college I moved to Ontario where all I did was work a job I hated and one that wasn't half bad. Kind of just wasted my time there more than anything.<br />
So now we're into the 3rd year out of high school and I went back to college. This time I was going to finish. And I did. Despite having my finish date pushed back by my not-so-brilliant teacher, I finished. And despite the incredible amount of stress I dealt with throughout the program, I finished. And despite having to deal with aforementioned not-so-brilliant teacher every single day, I finished.<br />
And now I'm working a job I do like and would like to keep. So this is now the 4th year out of high school and I am now 23. I'm also applying for university.<br />
To do this, first I had to go to the university to get a little info. I had to know if my college credits could or would be transferred. So off I go to the university. First, it took my over 15 minutes to find the public parking and then at least 10 minutes to find the building I thought would be the right one. Then after that I went to the most logical place to ask a question; the receptionist. She kindly directed me to the fourth floor registars office. And they directed me to the admissions room down the hall. All this running around had to have taken another 15 minutes. I was starting to get panicky. What if this had been a huge waste of my time? So I finally get to talk to someone who knows the answer to my question.<br />
And the answer? No.<br />
No. My college credits are useless. My two years of college were a waste of time. Aside from the feeling of accomplishment and the certificate I received (actually I had to go get it from the college office), I lost two years of my life. Two years that could have been spent already in university and two years closer to the degree I've been after since grade 7. <br />
So the plan is this: Fall of 2013 I will begin my first year of Environmental Design (a.k.a. Architecture).<br />
Am I crazy?<br />
I really and truly think that I am.<br />
This means that I have four years of school ahead of me and I won't finish until I'm almost 30.<br />
That's scary.<br />
I had hoped to get married and have some kids in there somewhere, but heck, that's not too likely anymore is it?<br />
What on earth am I getting myself into?<br />
<br />
Toodle-loo<br />
<br />
Ps: How in the heck do you university students ever know where you're going???AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-50623020615198303512012-11-13T21:59:00.000-08:002012-11-13T21:59:21.727-08:00RememberWatched an episode of Bones that was all about 911.. Got me thinking about how old I was and where I was when it happened and I'm sad to say that I don't remember. The largest terrorist attack on America and I don't recall it impacting my life in any way. I know I'm not American, but I have so many friends and family that are or have lived in America. In fact, one of my cousins was in a building only just down the street when the plane crashed into the towers. I thank God that he was in a different building, but at the same time I feel an overwhelming sadness because so many people died that day. So many families mourned.<br />
I don't know all the facts of what happened on 911. I know that a plane hit the pentagon and the towers. I know that hundreds of people were trapped or killed and I know that so many firemen and police officers sacrificed their lives to save others.<br />
Doesn't that thought make you try to remember where you were or what you were doing when it all happened? I know that just about every single American remembers exactly what they were doing the exact moment the attack happened and would be able to tell you in detail. And I know that everyone that tells you will also tell you that it was insignificant. That it didn't matter.<br />
Because of 911 America went to Afghanistan.<br />
Three months later the president went overseas and declared that it was over.<br />
It wasn't over.<br />
It <i>still </i>isn't over. <br />
Canada joined America in Afghanistan soon after the president's misleading declaration. And our men and women are still there, fighting every day for not only our freedom but the freedom of those living in Afghanistan. I know you might not see it that way, but I believe it to be true.<br />
In 1914 we fought for freedom. For four years we fought for freedom.<br />
In 1939 we fought for freedom. For seven years we fought for freedom.<br />
Just two days ago, on November 11, our country bowed our heads and held a minute of silence for every man and woman that lost their lives in not only the first and second world wars, but also those that lost their lives in the war today.<br />
Sadly, I don't think enough people take the time out of their schedules to do much more than hold that minute of silence. Too quickly are our thoughts consumed by holidays that have long ago lost their true meaning. Halloween decorations are packed away and immediately replaced by Christmas ones. We've begun to forget those that we owe our lives to and whom we should always remember.<br />
It should never be so easy to forget.<br />
If you've been to a Remembrance Day ceremony then you'll know that many of them will show pictures of the men and women that lost their lives. You might not be aware of it, but perhaps the person sitting next to you knew one of those soldiers. Every time a new photo flashes onto the screen your heart should break just a little bit more. Not only for them but for whoever they left behind.<br />
I don't think that any of them wanted to die, but every single one of them was ready and willing to serve their country in any way that was asked of them.<br />
Would you do the same?<br />
<br />
A few days ago, as I was listening to my favorite radio station, the morning show asked a question: Do you think people should wait to decorate for Christmas until after Remembrance Day or not?<br />
Here's my answer: I truly believe that Remembrance Day should never be forgotten. Take down your Halloween decorations like you always do, but instead of pulling out the inflatable Santa, hang a Canadian flag on your house and wear a poppy on your chest for at least a few days before and during Remembrance Day. Typically it is only the soldiers that wear it (or are allowed to wear it) for a week afterwards. But regardless, you live in an amazing country, and you should celebrate it.<br />
<br />
Our soldiers should never ever be forgotten, no matter when it was that they fought.<br />
Always Remember.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>One Red Rose<i><br />
</i>written by: Amie Marks</i><br />
<i><i>
<br />
One Red Rose<br />
A Drop Of Blood<br />
On The Pure White Snow<br />
<br />
Gray Headstones <br />
Are Stark Symbols Of Those Gone<br />
Nearly Hidden By The Pure White Snow<br />
<br />
A Lone Figure Stands<br />
With Sightless Eyes Surveying<br />
Where Heroes Lie Beneath The Pure White Snow<br />
<br />
They Had Left Familes<br />
Homes And Hearth<br />
Only To Come Home To Rest Beneath The Pure White Snow<br />
<br />
And Now When Our Country <br />
Should Be At Peace<br />
Our Men Leave Home Once Again<br />
And Some Return To Lay Beside Those Long Gone <br />
Beneath The Pure White Snow<br />
<br />
One Red Rose <br />
A Drop Of Blood<br />
On The Pure White Snow</i></i><br />
<i><i><br />
</i></i><br />
Always Remember.AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-88246572764272968482012-10-23T18:22:00.001-07:002012-10-23T18:22:50.622-07:00Working outYou know that time of year where you make a resolution? Why the heck does it have to be at that specific time of year? Why can't it be at any given time?<br />
Oh wait, it can!<br />
Silly me.<br />
I've been saying for ages now that I was going to start working out again. And I did, for a few days, but then I was too sore so I stopped. Or maybe it was because I was too tired. I don't remember. Anyway, what I'm getting at is that I'm going to start up again.<br />
I'm not doing this because I think I'm overweight or anything. No, I'm doing this because I love working out. I love being healthy. And I love the energy boost it gives me.<br />
Lately I've been feeling very... Blah. I feel tired, less attractive and unhealthy. Part of this mood probably is due to the weather being incredibly miserable, but the other part is due entirely to the fact that I'm just not fit.<br />
So starting tonight, I'm going to begin my new regimen.<br />
I'm not doing anything too crazy to start off. Mostly just the basics. I need to ease myself into this thing unfortunately.<br />
The job I have isn't exactly easy so super sore muscles just can't happen. At least not right now.<br />
I'm not going to post a before or after picture but I might blog a bit about my progress. We'll see.<br />
And that is all I have to say for tonight.<br />
So... Good night!AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-31282471898890068022012-10-02T19:45:00.001-07:002012-10-02T19:45:29.429-07:00A rant... And other thingsI do this a lot it seems. Ranting I mean.<br />
And I'm pretty sure that I generally apologize before I begin. So, here's my apology: I'm sorry in advance if anything in my rant offends you.<br />
I hope that that is okay.<br />
<br />
So my younger sister and I were talking today about her class in school. And I don't mean high school kind of school. I mean college kind of school. The kind of school where people are generally regarded as adults. And I'm saying 'regarded' because age doesn't really make you an adult. Despite what you might believe.<br />
Anyway, my sister was telling me about her class. First off, she had a couple classmates steal a vital part of her presentation and use it for their own, though the item was clearly labeled with her and her team's names on it. Not cool. Second, she told me all about how she somehow wound up washing everyone's dishes. When some of them fell on the floor only one person moved to help her. Again, not cool.<br />
Having been woken up at 5 am by the fire alarm in our building, we were both tired. And so, with that excitement and lack of sleep my sister was not too cheerful. Which of course makes everything a little bit worse. Sure, you may not think it's an excuse, but wait, there's more. (Here's where my rant comes in.)<br />
The only people that willingly helped my sister today with the dishes were the foreign students. The ones who have to pay 3x the tuition of Canadian residents. Yeah, the kids that left their families thousands of miles away so that they could get a fair education. My sister told me of one young man who left his parents and came here to Canada to study culinary arts, has no family here, has no work visa and has no choice but to let his parents pay for everything. That young man is determined to repay them for everything they've done to help him.<br />
Have you ever noticed that we Canadians aren't like that at all? And I do mean, at all. We're lazy, selfish, greedy and entitled. No, I'm not really referring to the older generations. Sadly, I'm referring to my own generation. Those kids that are in their teens to their mid-twenties that believe their mom and dad have a money tree in the backyard and still live at home. Yeah, I'm talking to you.<br />
I cannot believe how many people my age are still living at home, are unemployed and carry Daddy's credit card in their wallet. And those of you that do have jobs but don't appreciate them? You're just about as bad. Do you have any idea how many people would give anything to have a job?<br />
I am seriously sickened (and saddened) by the lack of responsibility of my generation. I've met women my age that wear the latest fashions and have the gorgeous hair and the beautiful makeup, but what I can't figure out is how they justify spending their money (or their parent's) on all these materialistic things.<br />
My parents taught me from the time I was a little kid that if I wanted something badly enough that I would have to earn it. A fantastic lesson it was too. One I have every intention of passing on to my own kids someday.<br />
When I wanted a vehicle I worked my butt off to pay for it. I managed to pay that first truck off within months because I was so determined. And I did it when I was still in high school. <br />
I just can't figure out why so many parents are so incredibly willing to mortgage their houses to pay for things their kids can earn on their own. Instead of handing over the credit card, why not suggest they hand out a few resumes? Teach them the value of a dollar. Don't buy that car they want. Don't pay for the gas or the insurance. Let them struggle and figure it out on their own. If you never ever let them they'll never ever learn. And I know that it sounds awful from a parent's point of view. No parent wants to see their child fail, but if you don't step back and let them fail then they have no chance to succeed. You don't have to pave the way for them, you just have to be the helping hand that picks them up, brushes them off and sends them out again. And again. And again. And again.<br />
And if your kid is as smart as you believe they are, then they will be just fine. Plus, they'll know (maybe later on) that you were right for giving them a push. And they'll love you more for it.<br />
Think about it. My generation is supposed to take over when the older generations are ready to step aside. I don't know about any of you, but it terrifies me. How many people in my generation are ready for that? Not a whole heck of a lot I'm betting.<br />
<br />
And so that ends my rant. For now. I think.<br />
<br />
On to some other stuff.<br />
<br />
The last little while I've been stressed, anxious, worried, tense and exhausted.<br />
Let me explain.<br />
Just last month I had to take my car in for repairs. Said repairs cost me nearly 500 dollars. Not something I can easily afford. Since then I've had the worst time catching up to all my other bills. You know what I'm talking about. You got your loan payment, your phone bill, your car insurance, groceries, gas. That sort of thing. And so of course I'm getting notices left right and center. Talk about frustrating. They send you these notices and then tell you that you have until such and such a date to pay the amount owed. However, the date that the notice was written isn't always the date that the notice was sent. And of course because it's via mail you don't always get it very far in advance. So usually the day you get the notice is either a couple days before or the day the payment is due.<br />
I hate when that happens. I really do. Because then I get stressed, anxious, worried and tense. I don't like being stressed, anxious, worried or tense. <br />
And because of all these bills I've been doing my best to ensure that I get no less than 9 hours a day at work. My job doesn't involve sitting at a desk in some kind of office or anything. No, I do construction. So I'm doing physical labor, outside, for 9 hours, 5 days a week. And that's where the exhausted part comes in.<br />
Don't get me wrong, I love my job (despite the masonry work we're doing right now), but sometimes I wish I had a couple million dollars so that I could take a day off every now and then. In the middle of the week.<br />
It's amazing how one bill can set you back so far. And it's amazing how long it takes to get back to square one. Guess there's nothing to do but persevere.<br />
I love my mum. I called her after I got the latest bunch of notices. When I'm feeling like I'm in over my head I'm so incredibly thankful that I can call up my mum and tell her what's going on. She always seems so calm when I talk to her. I think that's the best part of calling her up when I'm freaking out. That calm tone totally relaxes me. I feel less like I'm going to burst into tears or fall apart.<br />
I sincerely hope that you appreciate your parents and everything they've ever done for you. I know that I will never be able to say thank you enough to mine. I can try, but like I said, it will never be enough.<br />
<br />
And now I think it's time for this exhausted individual to head to bed. Gotta be up bright and early.<br />
'Night all!AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-4222702693214049962012-09-06T19:39:00.001-07:002012-09-06T19:39:24.547-07:00A little differentMan, does time fly.<br />
Seriously. Where does it go?<br />
<br />
Only a few short years ago I was still in high school, and now I'm done college and planning to attend university.<br />
But now, in just the last year so much has changed for me and my family.<br />
My second sister graduated from college and is getting married in just barely over a week. My third sister is going into her second year of university and lives so far away from us. And my youngest sister graduated from high school and is now in college. <br />
I just can't believe how quickly time goes by.<br />
It's a little frightening. And a little disheartening.<br />
Seeing how things have changed so much makes me think back to the way they were not so long ago. And way too often I wish I had done things differently.<br />
I wish I had worked harder in school so I could accomplish the things my sisters did. I wish I had gone to college earlier and had finished the first time through. If I had done that I would be in my fourth year of university.<br />
I'm actually kinda disappointed in myself.<br />
I know that I could have done better in so many ways.<br />
There are moments where I imagine the way things could be different if I had just done those things.<br />
I would be nearly graduated from university. I would start my career as an architect. And I would maybe someday meet someone special.<br />
Of course things rarely work out the way we imagine they should.<br />
Instead of all that stuff I wished for I got something I think is much, much better.<br />
My Mum and Dad love me, they support me, they encourage me and they constantly teach me.<br />
My sisters have always been there for me, and will always stand up for me (no matter how often we disagree or fight).<br />
And I met someone special. He loves me, supports me, encourages me and best of all, he makes me happy.<br />
Now maybe I don't have my full out university degree just yet. But it'll happen. Maybe a little later than I would have hoped, but it'll happen.<br />
For now, I'm thankful that I have a steady job that I enjoy (despite the fact that it involves masonry :p), a family that loves me, and a boyfriend that will support me no matter what.<br />
I know I'm not the only one who plays the 'what-if' game, and I won't be the last one either. There's nothing wrong with it. But just remember that whatever you've got now is, well, just the way it's meant to be. I'm not going to get all "religious" on you so don't worry.<br />
But hey, "don't knock it 'til you try it"!<br />
Or something.<br />
Anywho.. All I'm saying is that time goes by real fast.<br />
So try not to waste it. Enjoy these moments.<br />
Make some memories with the people you love.<br />
Try something new.<br />
And now, I'm going to go maybe look at paint colors.<br />
Good night! <br />
AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-22739696587860324622012-05-22T18:28:00.001-07:002012-05-22T18:28:42.055-07:00ChangesIt's been a while since I've had the time to sit and write something. It's been almost even longer since I've had even a moment to myself to sit and think. Yeah, I've been busy.<br />
<br />
I'm working two jobs, which I'm sure I've already told you, and both my jobs are keeping me busier than I'd like. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy them both (to a point) but they're starting to run me a wee bit ragged. I really gotta work on getting more time to myself I think. I've been tempted to quit the restaurant job but at the same time I'm just not quite to that point. I love the people I work with, even if the job itself tends to drain me. And of course the construction job is exhausting. My short days are at least 7 hours.. Full days are 9 hours. Yeah, those are long days.<br />
<br />
And I know I've said it more than once but I'm going to start working out again. I stopped following a site called Bodyrock after my sister pointed out that they were basically turning the new host into a sex object. Can't say I liked that too much. Made me feel less inclined to work out than ever. I have absolutely no desire to be a sex object. Plus their workouts were getting overly complicated and hard to follow. Another reason to stop.<br />
Luckily my sister sent me a link to follow the old Bodyrock host via Facebook. I was pretty psyched about that. Her workouts tend to be intense but they're easy to follow and much more interactive. She's very encouraging and very laid back.<br />
So now that I have my new/old fitness mentor I just need to get a new pair of shoes (mine vanished!) and I'm set!<br />
I'm going to have to somehow convince my sister to do a before shot for me... I'm horrible with a camera (even the one on my phone).<br />
<br />
Aside from being super busy and rather out-of-shape I've been very content. Partly because I'm truly blessed with a wonderful family, fabulous friends and good health and partly because... Well I just am.<br />
<br />
I know it's a blog and I know I generally put up personal things but I think that this time I'm going to make an exception. ;)<br />
Sorry folks but that's all I've got for now!AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-85764028553640397272012-02-24T19:10:00.000-08:002012-02-24T19:10:28.962-08:00Heads up...I warned you people. This here is going to be a rant. And probably a long one. I need to vent.<br />
<br />
Let's start with work: <br />
I work in a restaurant as a host. Yes, I am a host, not a hostess. And no, they are not waiters and waitresses. They are servers. Let's stick to being politically correct shall we? It's not difficult. And please don't make jokes about it, we don't really laugh at them. Next, when you go to a restaurant and see someone standing near the door who smiles and greets you... Don't assume that you're welcome to seat yourself wherever you darn well please. That's not how it works. That bubbly person that greeted you at the door is a host and it is their job to take you to a table. Don't do their job for them. It messes everything up. I'm not kidding. It really does. Also, don't look around and ask the others in your party where they'd like to sit and then start pointing at tables. That's almost as bad as seating yourself. Especially when we wind up taking you to the opposite of what you pointed at and all you do is whine. And look around hoping that we'll take the hint and put you someplace else. It's not going to happen. All you do is make us uncomfortable and make you look like a big fat jerk. Yes it does. And for the love of all that is good please, please, please do not ask for a booth! To us your voice takes on an incredibly whiny note and it just irritates us. Plus it tends to affect how we greet the next bunch of guests. I'm not kidding. You might think that I am... But I'm not.<br />
So when you go and seat yourself or whine about wanting a booth... Well, we have to deal with what follows. Sure, you're all pleased as punch that you got what you wanted but you have no idea of the consequences. The server that has to deal with you goes up to the host and asks if you sat such and such a table or why you sat them twice in a row (which they do not like!). So now the server is stressed out. And then after that a manager may go up to the host and ask similar questions. So now the manager has to deal with a stressed out server and a smug little guest. Goodie. And after that the kitchen freaks out because that seems to be what they do when all this happens. I'm kidding. They freak out because numerous orders wind up getting punched in all at once and they can't quite keep up.<br />
So now that you're happy with your spot and your order you realize that your food is taking a while. Well... That's where the kitchen comes into play. So of course you mention it to the server, or whoever happens to be passing by. Which might be the host, who probably has much better things to do than to deal with you. And you might think that you sound pleasant enough but again, your voice takes on a much different tone to us. We hear a snotty tone this time. Yes we do.<br />
You finally get your food. It's a steak. Which explains why it too so darn long. So things are great. Your food is good. You can't even taste the booger in there can you? I'm kidding! We aren't allowed to do that sort of thing. Sometimes we wish we could though. Yes we do. And finally you're done. No dessert because of course you're too full even though you didn't finish all of your entree. Which you didn't want boxed up. There are children starving in Africa people! Think about that next time. So you get your bill. And let's say it came to just under $100. Now, do you leave a decent tip? Probably not. Why on earth would you tip someone for doing their job? Here's why: Servers (and hosts.. and everyone else) make minimum wage. And the majority of staff gets an average of 2-5 hours in a day. Do you honestly believe that what little money we make just doing our job will pay our bills? No, it doesn't. Not even close. Every server has to divide up their tip money at the end of each day, giving a percentage to the other staff (hosts, kitchen, and bartenders). So in the end they still don't take much home with them. An average tip is 15% of your bill. A toonie is really not as generous as you thought. Most servers would rather throw it back in your face instead of thanking you. I'm serious.<br />
If you don't believe any of what I told you then I think that you should try walking in our shoes. You'll change your mind. And it probably wouldn't take more than a day or two. Seriously.<br />
<br />
<br />
Don't get too excited.. I'm not done yet.<br />
<br />
<br />
And now for school:<br />
<br />
I have one week left of school. You'd think that it would simply fly by. Well, you'd be wrong. For those of you that don't know, I am currently studying Technical Drafting. And before you ask what that is, it's basically drawing houses on the computer. That's the simple explanation. The complicated explanation is, well, complicated.<br />
So I don't have exams, I have projects. And every project involves at least 7-10 drawings. My final project consists of 10 drawings. So, I drew them all out. And I thought I'd done them right. Turns out I was very wrong about that. I have been using another student's drawings as a reference for my own. And I figured that if they had passed then mine would too. I never copied and pasted anything. I actually drew everything out on my own. And no matter how many ways I looked at it, my drawings looked right. I must not know much of anything. Out of my 10 drawings only one has been approved. I have one week left. Last week my instructor took a week long vacation. To Paris, France. So I lost a week there. And we had no classes on Monday and Tuesday and I wasn't in class on Wednesday either. So I got 2 whole days this week and fat lot of good it did. So today I showed my instructor my foundation plan with all the corrections he had had me do from yesterday. And guess what?! He suddenly tells me that I need to do a page of just details for the concrete slabs that make up part of the floor. It's not mentioned anywhere in the assignment pages and no other student before me has ever done this particular drawing. Plus, I'm not an engineer. In reality I wouldn't be allowed to draw these details. So what the heck is going on?<br />
When I was in this class a couple years ago I slacked off and goofed off. And my instructor happens to be the kind to hold grudges. For years. Like a child or a drama loving female. It's pathetic.<br />
Every time he nitpicks about a drawing it takes time for me to fix the drawing. And he keeps reminding me that I'm behind. He can't seem to figure out why. When I had started up this course again he didn't give me a set time for my refresher. So that put me back a month. In reality it should have been no more than a week or two. And then of course I had four units to do. And with each one every drawing for every project was hemmed and hawed over. And each and every one had to be redrawn numerous times. Even if it was something so completely insignificant that it would never have made any kind of difference if it had been noted and then left alone. So here I am, behind, and with one week left of this course.<br />
Am I going to finish on time? I sure as heck hope so. And since I can't very well go to school on the weekend I will be spending my time looking over my drawings and making any adjustments I can. And on Monday my instructor better have an extra pair of shorts 'cause if I don't scare him well enough my daddy will. Oh yes. I'm going to have a little chat with my instructor about my upcoming deadline, the fact that no other student has done this stupid detail drawing, that the detail drawing is not in the assignment anywhere (emphasis on that!), and that I am not qualified to draw said detail drawings because they are supposed to be done by an engineer. And if that doesn't work... Well... My dad is going to be very unhappy. Yes he is.<br />
<br />
Now you can relax, breathe, or whatever it was that you forgot to do if you managed to read all the way to the end of this.<br />
I am done. Finally.<br />
Have a good night!AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-3644385293323179952012-01-16T08:34:00.000-08:002012-01-16T12:24:31.984-08:00ResoluteEvery year people make their New Years' Resolutions. And every year they look back and realize that they didn't accomplish them. The worst thing about these resolutions is that they tend to make the same ones every year in the hopes that they'll get it right this time around. Or maybe this time. Or this time. And so on and so forth.<br /><br />I'm not exempt from this. Far from it. I'm one of the hopeless. Doggedly making that same resolution in the hopes that I'll finally pull it off. And every year I disappoint myself. It's a frustrating circle. The worst thing about my own little circle is that I know that I'm failing the entire time. And yet I keep going around and around. My problem is that I'm not accountable to anyone. Certainly not to myself.<br /><br />So a few nights ago, when I couldn't sleep, I went for a drive in the hopes that I'd be able to clear my head. I cranked my music and found an old gravel road (hard to find hereabouts) and I just drove aimlessly. And as I was driving I thought about so many things...<br />I thought about home (which is certainly not here) and how badly I wanted to be back home.<br />I thought about my future plans. I've told people what I want to do with my life and they look at me funny. Is it 'cause I'm small? I mean really, I'm not a munchkin.<br />I thought about owning a house of my own and how I could maybe accomplish that.<br />And I thought about my New Years' resolution. I made the same one I made last year. To get healthy and to work out every day.<br /><br />So far I've failed miserably. Thankfully it's still not too late to change that failure into success. Whew!<br />What I've realized is that laziness has become a habit. Being on holiday for 2 weeks can do that to a person. You sleep in and work maybe a couple days a week. The laziness sets in and it's hard to kick it to the curb.<br />I try to get up early every morning like I used to do but so far all I've managed is 7:00 am. My alarm is set for 5. I used to get up at 5 with no trouble. Now it's all I can do to drag my lazy ass out of bed at 7.<br />I miss my morning walks with the dog (which I no longer have) and my workouts. :(<br /><br />So, while I'm sitting here in class supposedly doing my theory questions I started thinking about all this again. So I started talking to my Mum and she pointed out something I already knew but wasn't actually putting into practice. I need to be accountable to someone. Especially if I can't be accountable to myself (which seems to be impossible for me). So I asked if it could be her.<br />My Mum now has free reign to nag the crap out of me. The nagging rights are limited to doing my workouts however. So with her support and her encouragement (let's call it that instead of nagging) I'm going to kick this habit of laziness and get my butt in gear.<br /><br />The trick to actually accomplishing a goal is to take a step back for just a minute. Relax a bit. Personally I find that stressing out about a goal or project makes it so much more difficult to accomplish. Some people thrive when they're pressured. For me it totally depends on the situation. School.. Well pressure is good but I don't like it. Same with work for the most part. But when it comes to the physical, say sports or working out, I love having that pressure.<br />Weird.<br />I love being pushed to my limit.<br />Except for right now.<br />I am so out of shape that every workout I've done lately makes me think I'm going to die. But I am getting better. I wasn't completely convinced that I would die during the last workout I did so that's definitely an improvement.<br /><br />I have to get back to my class... I've babbled on enough and my break has been over for half an hour... Whoops!<br /><br />Thanks for reading!AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-48376207921320092392011-11-21T22:42:00.001-08:002011-11-21T23:17:21.742-08:00$3.00 and change<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpAOA-_rjDVes15dxxaQ0QWLI4h9q-eyn8DxZJquB1Y_QyFo4O1LgowFHlhPX1bzLmkRV53GsZhTK803GCQgPDa0UetnNaSfJf2TQl36t7OadWWRWuFAvTHJxgAJTqyNQjDuPqqCQdjkk/s1600/The+Help+Movie+Cover.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 135px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpAOA-_rjDVes15dxxaQ0QWLI4h9q-eyn8DxZJquB1Y_QyFo4O1LgowFHlhPX1bzLmkRV53GsZhTK803GCQgPDa0UetnNaSfJf2TQl36t7OadWWRWuFAvTHJxgAJTqyNQjDuPqqCQdjkk/s200/The+Help+Movie+Cover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677709630822504578" border="0" /></a>That's how much I paid to go watch the 10 o'clock showing of The Help tonight. Personally I think that that movie is easily worth 10 times that much.<br />I had seen a preview and thought "I'd like to see that sometimes. Maybe I should rent it." But now I feel like kicking myself for not going to see it sooner.<br />I laughed, I cried and I said "Oh my God". I didn't mean it in a blasphemous way so don't freak out. But believe me, it had to be said. There were no other words.<br />As much as I love the other movies I've seen come out in recent years this by far surpasses them all. And honestly, I highly recommend you see it for yourself. You don't have to, so relax. But I'm putting it out there as a suggestion. Consider it, is all I'm saying.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Vph8wku4FQabsr6mFLJuMjXUzdPFYBmm6O1wdLkXhd_d-B7P8Y_oolr20ng4__9APk-FTUlqSaEXyzuCZDe2gTEJ8glcyn1iIGSOM8nLiLlLscQWe-quX7jQiRK1RlKuC0HqWLcHlYo/s1600/The+Help+Book+Cover.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Vph8wku4FQabsr6mFLJuMjXUzdPFYBmm6O1wdLkXhd_d-B7P8Y_oolr20ng4__9APk-FTUlqSaEXyzuCZDe2gTEJ8glcyn1iIGSOM8nLiLlLscQWe-quX7jQiRK1RlKuC0HqWLcHlYo/s200/The+Help+Book+Cover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677710930303151698" border="0" /></a>Set in the 1960's during the Civil Rights movement a young woman decides to write a book about the African American maid's point of view on the white families that they're working for and the things they have to deal with on a daily basis.<br />So this book was considered to be extremely controversial and was technically illegal to even write. Let alone publish. So these women had to hide who they were by changing their names. And it took a horrible occurrence for these maids to step forward and tell their stories.<br />For a lot of the women portrayed in both the book (which I am now dying to read) and in the movie survival was their only goal. Not just for themselves but for their own families. These women had to cook, clean, wash, shop and raise the children for these white families. And the slightest discretion could see them out the door in two shakes.<br /><br />What really got me was that this was how it was for years. Decades! And none of these people could do anything about it. Not without later being hung, shot or worse. For generations these people were slaves. And when owning a slave was no longer sanctioned these people were given wages. So now they weren't slaves, they were employees. But how does that make it any better when these people were still treated as something less than people?<br />"Yes ma'am. No ma'am."<br />It kind of scares me a little and makes me feel a little sick knowing that for so long that that was just how it was. That it was okay. That this could go on and everyone simply looked the other way.<br />Black people were not allowed to use the same washrooms as white people, some weren't allowed in certain stores. There were restaurants that were divided so that the whites and blacks were separate. People believed that simply because they had a different skin colour that they carried horrible diseases.<br />All the while these women cared for their children. Raised them. And the worst thing is that the majority of those children turned out just like their parents.<br /><br />Even today there is so much discrimination. People causing others pain--physically or emotionally--just because they're of a different ethnic background. It scares me, not going to lie.<br />People claim that they aren't racist. But don't lie to others like you do yourself. I'm sorry if that offends anyone but be honest.<br />White people take extreme care to <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> be racist. It's ridiculous. It really is. How did Russell Peters put it? Something along the lines of giving a simple description and not saying whether or not the person was of a different ethnicity or skin colour. Good grief.<br />I'm not saying that you should run around shouting things like "Oh my gosh, you're black! Did you know that you're Asian?"<br />At this point I'm ranting, I know, and I apologize if I'm not making sense anymore.<br /><br />What I can't believe is that we basically came from that. That all actually happened. And I know we have our special day for Martin Luther to remember what he did for a nation, but does anyone take it to heart? After this movie and having it hit me where it hurts I doubt I'll ever be able to forget what happened all those years ago and what we still often struggle with today.<br /><br />So thank you Lord for the country I live in and the family I have. And thank You everything You've ever done for me.<br /><br />I sincerely hope that I didn't offend anyone too seriously with this blog. But I felt the need to say what I did. And again, I'm sorry if it doesn't make a lot of sense by the end. But there you have it.<br />The Help will be a movie I will watch again and again and again... Now I just need to get my hands on a copy of the book!<br /><br />Y'all be grateful for what you have and don't you forget that: "You are kind. You are smart. You are important."AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-18224956013639694752011-11-13T21:35:00.000-08:002011-11-13T21:54:52.209-08:00How Could You?I love animals. Absolutely adore them. And I'd have tons of them if I could.<br />I love dogs, cats, horses, birds, rabbits.. You get the idea.<br /><br />One of my dreams in life is to own a large enough property that I can build a rehabilitation center for dogs. I'd love to be able to make it large enough to take in other animals as well but I know more about dogs than any other animal.<br /><br />And because I want to not only rehabilitate dogs but adopt my own as my pets I am always looking online at breeders and animal shelters. So tonight as I was browsing the web for Rottweiler rescue centers I came across one site with a short story that made me cry. It's sweet, sad and oh so true.<br /><br />Why Rottweilers? For starters they are beautiful animals. Their build is powerful and strong but their eyes are gentle and warm. They are also extremely misunderstood. My aunt and uncle have a Rottweiler and she's a gem. She's the main reason I chose the breed.<br /><br />There are so many out there that believe Rottweilers are horrible dogs. But what these people don't realize is that they're basing these opinions on what they know about one (or two) dogs in that breed. It isn't the breed itself that's bad. It's the dog itself that has the problem. And about 99% of the time the dog has a problem because of the owner. Yeah, I said it. And the same goes for any breed.<br /><br />I'm not qualified as a dog trainer. What I know comes from Cesar Millan's show and basic common sense. So maybe, I don't know everything there is to know about dogs (or other animals), but what I do know is that it doesn't take much more than a look from you to make them happy.<br /><br />So please, read the little story I found and try to tell me that a tear didn't come to your eye (I cried like a baby).<br /><br /><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;">HOW COULD YOU?<br /></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"> <i><br />By Jim Willis 2001<br /></i><br /><br />When I was a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child, and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows, I became your best friend. Whenever I was "bad,"<br />you'd shake your finger at me and ask "How could you?" - but then you'd relent, and roll me over for a bellyrub.<br /><br /><br />My housebreaking took a little longer than expected, because you were terribly busy, but we worked on that together. I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed and listening to your confidences and secret dreams, and I believed that life could not be any more perfect. We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, stops for ice cream (I only got the cone because "ice cream is bad for dogs," you said), and I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day.<br /><br /><br />Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently, comforted you through heartbreaks and disappointments, never chided you about bad decisions, and romped with glee at your home comings, and when you fell in love. She, now your wife, is not a "dog person" -still I welcomed her into our home, tried to show her affection, and obeyed her.<br /></span> </b></p> <p style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><br />I was happy because you were happy. Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement. I was fascinated by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them, too. Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, and I spent most of my time banished to another room, or to a dog crate. Oh, how I wanted to love them, but I became a "prisoner of love."<br /><br /><br />As they began to grow, I became their friend. They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs, poked fingers in my eyes, investigated my ears, and gave me kisses on my nose. I loved everything about them and their touch - because your touch was now so infrequent - and I would have defended them with my life if need be. I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and secret dreams, and together we waited for the sound of your car in the driveway.<br /><br /><br />There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog, that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me. These past few years, you just answered "yes" and changed the subject. I had gone from being "your dog" to "just a dog," and you resented every expenditure on my behalf.<br /><br /><br />Now, you have a new career opportunity in another city, and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets. You've made the right decision for your "family," but there was a time when I was your only family.<br /><br /><br />I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness. You filled out the paperwork and said "I know you will find a good home for her." They shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a middle-aged dog, even one with "papers."<br /><br /><br />You had to pry your son's fingers loose from my collar as he screamed "No, Daddy! Please don't let them take my dog!" And I worried for him, and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility, and about respect for all life. You gave me a good-bye pat on the head, avoided my eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you.<br /><br /><br />You had a deadline to meet and now I have one, too. After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home. They shook their heads and asked.... "How could you?"<br /><br /><br />They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost my appetite days ago. At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to the front, hoping it was you - that you had changed your mind - that this was all a bad dream... or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared..... anyone who might save me.<br /><br /><br />When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for attention of happy puppies, oblivious to their own fate, I retreated to a far corner and waited. I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day, and I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room. A blissfully quiet room. She placed me on the table and rubbed my ears, and told me not to worry.<br /><br /><br />My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come, but there was also a sense of relief. The "prisoner of love" had run out of days. As is my nature, I was more concerned about her. The burden which she bears weighs heavily on her, and I know that, the same way I knew your every mood.<br /><br /><br />She gently placed a tourniquet around my foreleg as a tear ran down her cheek. I licked her hand in the same way I used to comfort you so many years ago. She expertly slid the hypodermic needle into my vein. As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing through my body, I lay down sleepily, looked into her kind eyes and murmured "How could you?"<br /><br /><br />Perhaps because she understood my dogspeak, she said "I'm so sorry." She hugged me, and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a better place, where I wouldn't be ignored or abused or abandoned, or have to fend for myself - a place of love and light so very different from this earthly place. With my last bit of energy, I tried to convey to her with a thump of my tail that my "How could you?" was not directed at her. It was you, My Beloved Master, I was thinking of. I will think of you and wait for you forever. May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty.<br /><br /><br />The End - Jim Wllis<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;"> ** A note from the author:<br />If "How Could You?" brought tears to your eyes as you read it, as it did to mine as I wrote it, it is because it is the composite story of the millions of formerly owned pets who die each year in American and Canadian animal shelters. Anyone is welcome to distribute the essay for a noncommercial purpose, as long as it is properly attributed with the copyright notice.</span></b></p><p style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" align="center"><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" align="center"><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;"></span></b><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span> </p>AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-6044966339441648472011-11-02T06:22:00.001-07:002011-11-02T06:27:13.321-07:00Week four.. And threeI skipped a whole week's worth of updates. Mostly by accident. Partly because I felt kinda bad.<br /><br />The past two weeks I've been so tired and lethargic that I haven't been working out like I should be. Instead I've slept in every morning. It's not all bad though because I still do my lunges every night. So really I'm still getting half of my daily workouts done.<br /><br />The reason I came up with the 6 week challenge for myself was so that I'd workout and get healthy. The reason I started blogging about it was so that I'd be accountable. Sadly that last bit has backfired in the last little bit.<br /><br />But not a big deal because I will be getting back to it and I will finish this challenge.<br /><br />And that is all.<br />Have a good day!AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-88704500324530187342011-10-18T06:42:00.000-07:002011-10-18T06:53:02.260-07:00Week two and other stuffI can't believe I'm done 2 weeks already. And of course I haven't noticed any major differences, but of course I haven't. It's only been two weeks.<br />These exercises are hard. And I'm so lazy sometimes that it takes a lot of will power to get up out of bed to do them. Ugh. I'm not a morning person but I prefer doing my workouts in the morning because then I can jump in a hot shower. In the evenings though, before bed, I do a minimum of 60 lunges. I love lunges. Everyone seems to think I'm crazy. Why?<br />And that's really about all there is to my 2nd week. Not that exciting.<br /><br />Classes have been going for a month and a half and I feel like I'm not getting anywhere even though I know differently. But finishing by January is kind of daunting. I'm worried about it.<br />I'm worried about finding a job too. I haven't had any luck yet so I guess I need to pick up more applications and print out more resumes. It bugs me that when before it was so easy to find a job it's so difficult now. I know that places are hiring and so I hand in my applications, hoping for a call. But so far nothing. And I hate not having something to do after classes are done.<br /><br />Well, that's all.<br />LaterAmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-34322071944539712392011-10-13T07:34:00.000-07:002011-10-13T07:40:57.389-07:00Week OneAlrighty.. So I'm a little behind with an update on my 6 weeks.<br /><br />The first week wasn't as crazy difficult as I would have liked because Thanksgiving weekend came up after just a couple days. So I spent the majority of my weekend in a car and eating Turkey. Not the best way to go about this eh? Ah well. I did my best by doing lunges and sit-ups when I could. Plus we did a ton of hiking.<br />But already I'm back into it. My legs feel like noodles every morning from the lunges I did the night before. And of course my abs feel like they're screaming cause of the sit-ups.<br />I don't know if any of you know of bodyrock.tv but that's where all my workouts and exercises are from. I went through the exercises and picked out several different ones and kind of just made up workouts with them. I try to avoid doing the same thing every day so I made up a couple different workouts to alternate with throughout the week. Each exercise works different areas of my body so by the time I'm done I'm sweating like a pig and my muscles hate my guts.<br /><br />So that's all for week one.... And since I have nothing else to add I guess I'm done.<br /><br />Have a good, safe weekend!AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-62752698591317310432011-10-03T21:08:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:19:54.859-07:006 WeeksAlright, so here's the deal:<br />I am trying to get back into my old fitness routine and I kind of sort of need your help. I find that even though I really want to get back into working out and getting back into shape I am unmotivated. Here's where you come in. You don't need to comment on this or even read it, so don't worry. But putting it out there (so to speak) I have to hold myself accountable.<br /><br />And here's the part where the title of this blog becomes relevant:<br />I'm giving myself 6 weeks to lose a certain amount of body fat.. Also weight. Although muscle weighs more than fat so... You get the point. I don't want to go crazy or anything and say that by the end of this six weeks I want to lose 40 pounds. That's unrealistic. Not to mention that for my height that would make me look, well, gaunt. So I think that during this six weeks I will aim to lose approximately 15-20 pounds. That would mean I would have to lose approximately 3.333 lbs per week. Reasonable?<br /><br />So at the end of every week.. Or beginning of every week.. I will post an update on my progress. You can bet that there will be plenty of complaining about sore muscles (sorry in advance!). And at the end of it depending on whether or not I feel at all comfortable with it I may post a before and after picture. The chances of that are slim. Just saying.<br />Also, every week when I post my update on my progress I will tell you which exercises I did and provide a link or two so you can get an idea of what the heck I'm doing.<br /><br />So now that it's written down I will hit 'publish' and in a rather non-definitive way it's set in stone. Now I have to do this crazy idea instead of just thinking about doing it. Oh boy.<br /><br />Wish me luck!AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-11357911466443538522011-09-24T19:08:00.000-07:002011-09-29T08:42:53.241-07:00Can'tthinkofaclevertitletoday....Well, wow. So Thursday was an unusual and seriously sucky day. (I know that's not a word, but it sums everything up so well that I'm leaving it) Day before yesterday I was in an accident. No, it was not my fault so those who are bugging me about my driving can stuff it. I was smack dab in the middle of a three car pile-up. Oh yay. It was one of those days. And the whole thing really could have been avoided, but hey, that's why it's called an accident right?<br />So a quick summary of what happened is that the driver of the vehicle behind me wasn't paying attention and had no chance of braking in time whereas I was at a complete stop. So he hit me and I hit the van in front of who almost hit the truck in front of him. Crazy or what? I sure think so.<br />So of course my first reaction is shock and a heck of a lot of scared thrown in. I burst into tears as only a girl can do. Everyone pulled onto a side street and the driver of the truck that hit me came running over to see if I was okay. My response? "I--I--don--I--I--thi--Oh GOD!" Yeah, I know.<br />Last night I went to the hospital because my neck and shoulders were so stiff that I really couldn't move without serious pain. So yay for whiplash. Thankfully it's not serious and I'll be fine with painkillers, physio and chiro. Whew!<br />Despite the horrible past couple of days I'm feeling good. I'm grateful that the worst injury I got was whiplash and that I have family and friends who love me and worry about me. So thanks you guys for checking up on me and I love you all so much for that.<br />And thank you for insurance! Lol!<br /><br />And on a completely different note....<br /><br />I am officially back to city living. Doesn't mean I like it (did ya read all that ↑?), but hey, if I want the degree then here is where I gotta be.<br />School is already a major bore.. But I think that's just because I've never liked school. So why should college be any different?<br />But... I am liking being closer to my parents and my sisters (all but one... that little girly is way far away :( .. for school). I'm not liking being so far from my best friend and her babies. But we'll be seeing each other! Often.. Somehow..<br />And I get to go for coffee this Monday with a new face... I'm hoping all goes well. :)<br />Plus I got a new computer! Yay!<br /><br />And that I think is all I'm gonna say for now!AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-12265674317562353482011-09-05T12:26:00.000-07:002011-09-05T12:57:10.006-07:00Times are a changin...Last night I finished reading a book involving Scottish history. The majority of the facts were accurate. <br />This book ended with battle between the Scottish and the English in 1513. This would be the year of King James IV and King Henry the VIII. So here's what happened... King James had been forced to marry Margaret Tudor (Henry's sister) and finally, in 1512 she gave birth to a son, James V. During this time King Henry had his nobles begin raiding Scotland through their borders. The English navy would raid the shores and hang the captains of the Scottish ships and impressed their crews. Henry was a greedy young man (he was about 21 or so at the time) and wanted Scotland under his rule.<br />King James was a man loved by his people. Under his clothing he wore a belt of remorse made of iron. He wore this because of his father, the king before him, who had been a homosexual and had allowed his (for lack of a better word) concubines onto councils and placed them in places of high authority. Several earls and leaders of the many clans banded together and killed the king, placing James IV on the throne.<br />Now, for many years there was an alliance between Scotland and England. A bond of friendship known as the Auld Alliance. Clearly Henry decided to disregard this. At the same time, Scotland had an alliance with France so that if either country was invaded the other would retaliate. Henry, before attacking Scotland, invaded France. This of course prompted James to invade England.<br />So now comes the battle of Flodden just across the river Tweed and on English soil. I won't go into detail, you can look it up for yourselves, but suffice it to say that Scotland's advantage was turned around and their weapons were no match in the end for England's superior artillary. Scotland suffered a devastating loss. There are different accounts of this battle but it was estimated that nearly 20,000 Scottish died on the fields there. King James included. Several earls, lairds, abbots and an archbishop were among the dead. England's losses were few in comparison and did not affect their history as it did for the Scottish.<br />Thankfully for Scotland, Margaret Tudor was not about to let her brother take her kingdom and so she was set to marry a lesser noble (a common occurence) and would rule until her son, the new king, James V, would be able to take the throne.<br /><br />Now, you're probably wondering why I gave you a history lesson. But here's why.<br /><br />You notice any similarities between then and now?<br /><br />We're still a warring people. We still have people wanting something that someone else has; land, material things, women/men. Have we really changed? Or are we still, at heart, the same as our ancestors? In so many ways we've advanced, changed, but in so many ways we're still the same. And in some ways it breaks my heart. Just because we walk straight, talk smoothly, dress nicely and feign kindness does not mean we are a changed race. Beneath all that spit and polish beat hearts filled with desires, greed, hopes, fears, love, hate.<br />And every day we bear witness to these things. Every where there is something new tradgedy reported from somewhere else in the world. Sadly, these are the things we are more familiar with, the things we are constantly exposed to.<br /><br />So last night after reading this book I sat on my bed and prayed. I prayed that God would help me some how, some way make a difference. I'm not joining the army to go overseas to destroy. No, maybe that's what you think, but it's not. I'm joining the army to help make a difference. Either here in Canada or somewhere else in the world.<br />I'm still not entirely sure how God is going to use me but I'm praying that He'll show me soon enough.<br /><br />Now.. Can someone tell me of a site where I can trace my ancestry? I'm cheap though and don't want to pay if I don't have to.AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-22494997471319025032011-08-26T17:59:00.000-07:002011-08-26T18:31:41.057-07:00Verbal VomitHere comes a major rant. You've been warned.
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<br />For starters I hate having to leave my job. I really hate leaving. But that's not the major issue. I can't stand it when people, specifically customers, act really stupid. How many times should I have to tell a person that I cannot process a transaction? My computer is in pieces on the counter. I <span style="font-style: italic;">cannot</span> process your stupid transaction. And no you can't leave with the item without paying for it. What are you thinking? Take your meds. Seriously. And yes, I do know where the bathroom is. I work here. I should know where it is. I mean really. And if you're not going to come into work have the decency to call in and let us know. Or have a doctor's note. Stupid irresponsible people.
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<br />No, I do not want to date. Thanks guys, I love you, but I really don't <span style="font-style: italic;">need</span> a man in my life. I really don't. I know you mean well but please leave it alone. I really just want to focus on my career. I'm not going back to school to meet men or make friends. I know that sounds cold and a little selfish but get over it folks. It's the truth. So I'm sorry but please just back off on the whole dating front. Kay? Thanks.
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<br />Oh, and for all you stupid men out there who can't follow directions, ask for directions, call a woman, reply to an email, be honest, communicate with words, hold the door open, and so on and so forth.. Grow a set. Seriously.
<br />Yeah, we women don't understand you when you reply with a grunt and a scratch of your manly parts. We don't speak the same language as your species. Try English occasionally please. Thanks.
<br />And chivalry is way beyond dead. It's a like those lost languages. Maybe try to bring it back to life once in a while. You're more likely to win us over that way. It gets our attention faster than your ability to chug back three beers without puking on our shoes.
<br />And no, we're not complicated. You're the ones with no capability of reading between the lines. You're the species with your own bizarre language. Just so ya know.
<br />Oh, and to the men out there who can't take two seconds to reply to a stinking email. Well, you can suck it. Yeah. I said it. Get over it.
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<br />I'm pretty sure that's all I needed to spew. Thanks for dealing with it. And me.
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<br />AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-52773749083468986112011-06-15T17:27:00.000-07:002011-06-15T17:40:38.860-07:00Rainbows & ButterfliesMy imaginary friend came to see me today.<br /><br />It's been a while since I've seen him around. But I was glad that he stopped by. We sat in the sun on the patio, sipping lemonade and talking about anything we could think of. A little blue butterfly joined us. It landed on the patio at our feet and I could have sworn it looked right at me and winked.<br /><br />---<br /><br />It rained yesterday.<br /><br />The fields are flooded and the farmers are worried. But stretching from one end of the sky to the other was a flood of colours. I wanted to go looking for the pot of gold they say is at the end but my car didn't have enough gas.<br /><br />---<br /><br />Sadly that stuff didn't actually happen.<br /><br />But that's okay because my butterflies and rainbows are still around. I see them every day now. Just little things here and there that make me smile. The sun peeking through the clouds on a miserable day or the shimmer of the lake in the early morning.<br /><br />Things are really turning around.<br /><br />College is set. I start in September. I'm nervous and excited.<br /><br />Life is fabulous.<br /><br />I am going to start applying for work in the city soon. Oh dear. It's a daunting task.<br /><br />Little things make me smile.<br /><br />I have to meet with an army recruiter. So many questions to ask.<br /><br />It's all going to be okay though.AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-84115743538223133662011-04-18T19:30:00.000-07:002011-04-18T19:47:21.600-07:00That's it, that's allI just can't figure me out. <br /><br />Seriously. <br /><br />There are so many things about me that just don't make sense. <br /><br />Things like... Why the heck did I say yes to this stupid position at the one job when I really don't like my job there? And why am I putting myself through this? <br /><br />I have no idea. <br /><br />Which is why I don't understand myself. 'Course there are other reasons why I don't understand me too.. Just haven't mentioned the lot of them to you guys.. At least not yet. <br /><br />I hate being stressed like this. I hate being pushed into something. I know I said that in my last post, but it's the honest truth. And I feel like a whiner 'cause this is the only thing I seem to be talking about lately. And maybe it's getting pathetic and repetitive, but not to worry! I'll stop... Soon. <br /><br />I have made up my mind. I'm quitting the job. Yes, I'm quitting. But seriously, it doesn't feel like I'm giving up. Y'know what I'm saying? So my last day will be June one. Yes, it's not far off. And I'm relieved. Very relieved. I just need to hand in a nice, polite, letter to my boss (he reminded me to do that this morning). Then it's all official. And it'll be a huge load off my mind in the end. <br /><br />And... <em>I absolutely REFUSE to feel guilty!</em> <br /><br />Why not? Because I was told that I would only be needed in the position for two, maybe three, months. So I was cool with that. Figured it wouldn't be for long so I could stand to tough it out. Then someone goes and mentions that the lady I'm covering for is going to be gone 'til August one! Are you <em>kidding</em> me?! So that made my mind up for me right then and there. <br /><br />So when I talked to the other lady just a few days ago she went and put me on a guilt trip. For maybe 30 seconds. If that. She had assumed that I wanted to stay right up until I went back to school in the fall. Um.. Anyone else remember that little saying about making assumptions? So yeah, then she goes and tells me that the other lady (the one I'm covering for, just in case y'all can't keep up :p) is going to be gone until September. Which is where her assumption came in. So now I have to absolutely say: <em>"No thank you!"</em> <br /><br />Because I'm going back to school in the fall (yeah, you read right) I'd really rather not be stressed out and sleep deprived. I don't know 'bout you guys but I find it difficult to learn anything when I feel all buggered up. Yes, sorry for my language. *shame* <br /><br />So is it wrong for me to not feel bad about leaving? Or am I pretty well justified? <br /><br />See why I don't get me? <br /><br />And that's it. No more on the topic. At least not until I write a celebratory blog on my last day.AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-11745532562875382672011-03-28T10:07:00.000-07:002011-03-28T10:20:41.179-07:00Deep downThings are pretty hectic right now I have to say. But amazingly enough I have the entire morning off today. Weird! I didn't know what to do with myself.<br /><br />I got just about everything crossed off my to-do list already which is thrilling. Yes, I know, my life is a party. =D<br /><br />But while I was doing my laundry, working out and making my lunch my mind kept wandering back to one thing in particular. The army. "Why?" You might ask, well I'll tell you why.<br /><br />Because I'm joining the army. Yes, yes I am.<br /><br />I find it exciting, not everyone else does though. But before I even made the decision I thought about it a lot. And I mean <span style="font-style: italic;">a lot</span>. I weighed the pros and cons and in my opinion the pros far outweigh the cons. I mean sure I could get shot or something but in my mind I can only think that if I <span style="font-style: italic;">did</span> get hurt it would be while I was doing something good for my country. And I believe very much that getting a chance to do something like that for my country is a great thing. No one wants to get shot, but hey, it's a chance I'm willing to take.<br /><br />I still have tons of stuff to find out about the army and whatnot yet, but I'm working on it. I know that they offer great careers and that they'll pay for my university. How cool is that? I also know that I will have to go overseas a few times at least. And surprisingly, that doesn't scare me at all. Not even a little bit.<br /><br />There are plenty of things I don't understand yet, despite my research, things like rankings and such. 'Cause I know I'd like to go through officer training. I wouldn't mind retiring with a pretty good rank. That would be nice. =)<br /><br />I know that a lot of friends and family don't really get why I want this so bad, but it's really hard to explain how I really feel about it. To me it feels... Right. That's the only way to put it in words and yet it's so much more complicated than that.<br /><br />I don't want people to worry about me when I do join, I really want everyone to understand why I'm going to do this and when the time comes I'd love to have everyone I love supporting me. Even if they don't really love my choice. But it's incredibly important to me that I have support from everyone I care about.<br /><br />And I know I'll do well. I have no idea how I know, but I do.<br /><br />I'm also not totally sure if this is what God really wants for me, I don't know if I've asked Him about it yet. But something deep down tells me that this is the right choice for me.<br /><br />And that's pretty much everything I have to say for now. But I'll probably write more about this particular topic again, probably quite a bit in the near future.<br /><br />Love you guys! =)AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-47883687327640010092011-03-19T17:46:00.001-07:002011-03-19T18:11:11.428-07:00Sleep? What's that?Seriously? I know not of this thing you call 'sleep'.<br /><br />At least not for a long time. Sleep has become a distant memory it seems.<br /><br />And I do it all to myself. So .. *smackself* And now back to my blog..<br /><br />So you know how a while ago things weren't looking so great in the job department and I was looking for a new one to replace Safeway. Well, that's no longer necessary. One of the ladies in my department is going away for surgery and will be gone for a few months. So, guess who said yes to being trained like crazy. You guessed right! Me. And I don't know why I said yes.<br /><br />I mean sure, I like the people I work with at Safeway but it's a stressful environment and a stressful position and at my age I want to avoid too much stress. It ages people way too fast. And I really don't want to get old just yet. I'm too young.<br /><br />So this position entails extremely early mornings, a high pace and dealing with people who can't seem to figure things out on their own. I'm not kidding about the last one. I've been warned. A few times. Apparently people forget how to do something and they come running to the people in my department. I'm praying that they'll take it easy on me and try to figure things out on their own.<br /><br />So far I've had about 16 hours of training and maybe that much sleep all week. I'm not going to complain too much though because it's a job and it's money. Which is a lot more than what some people have. So I should be thankful. But good grief! I'm so nervous about this position it's ridiculous! I hate making mistakes and the last thing I want to do in this department is make a mistake. The whole flipping store depends on this particular department running smoothly. No pressure.<br /><br />I feel like I'm back in school what with all the notes I've been taking. And I still miss things. But I can't really ask anyone to slow down otherwise we'll be behind. And that's not a good thing. Poop.<br /><br />Why oh why did I say yes??<br /><br />I had applied at a nice little pet store and I probably would have gotten the job. In fact, I got a call the other day asking if I was available for an interview. I just about cried 'cause I had to say no and that I was no longer looking for a job. I feel stuck. And that makes me hate this job all the more. As if working nights wasn't bad enough. Now I feel like I'm trapped in it. And it's way to late to change my mind about it. So what the heck am I supposed to do? Just suck it up and pray that I get at least a couple hours of sleep a night? If I'm lucky?<br /><br />And here I said I wasn't going to complain much. But with a lack of sleep and crazy hormones and a pounding headache all I want to do is complain. Oh poop.<br /><br />It's hard to be optimistic about this. And usually I'm pretty optimistic. But for some reason I just can't summon up enough energy or desire to even try in this situation. Is that a bad thing?<br /><br />---<br /><br />And onto other news...<br /><br />Something happier...<br /><br />Sort of...<br /><br />Just last Wednesday I got hit by a deer. There I was, minding my own business and BAM! Bambi comes running up and hits me. What a jerk.<br /><br />But seriously... I did actually get hit by a deer. But for insurance purposes we'll say that I hit the deer. But we all know the truth. Steph and I had gone out to Riverton to visit the family (we brought a couple friends along for the ride) and we had a super day. Steph and I went and took some pictures, we went to the gym with our mum and had a nice supper with everyone. Then, just before nine o'clock we headed out. Well, barely ten miles out of town I saw the first deer. There's <span style="font-style: italic;">-always-</span> at least two deer. Well, along came Bambi and like I said.. BAM!<br /><br />I didn't see him 'til he hit me. Stupid deer shattered my driver's window and just about gave us all a heart attack. I scared <span style="font-style: italic;">-him-</span> so bad he shat on my car as he went by. Yuck!<br /><br />So we came to a full stop pretty quick, I hyperventilated and Steph called Mum. She managed to talk to Mum and calm me down all at once. Amazing! I used several very choice words during all of this.<br /><br />Finally it dawned on me that sitting on glass is not comfortable and that I could not open my door. So the four of us (our friends tagged along for the ride home too) piled out and got out our phones and iPods to check out the damage. It looked pretty bad, but we really didn't have a lot of light to even see, so what did we know?<br /><br />Then of course we got the brilliant idea to find stupid Bambi. So running down the highway we went. I almost felt bad for him when we saw what my car had done to him. Almost. But not enough to forgive him for hitting my car. Steph took pictures. It was pretty nasty.<br /><br />Later I found out that the stupid deer had to be at least a 300 pound buck. Makes me think of that big manly buck from Open Season now that I think about it. Hee hee!<br /><br />And just the other day I got a call about my car. There was $9000.00 damage on it. Holy smokes!!! Thankfully it's all fixable. Thank you GOD!!!!<br /><br />People think I should have hit the deer harder or something so I could have written my car off. It is worth over $15000. But honestly, how in the world am I supposed to find the time to even look for a new car? It's a miracle I have the time to write this. I'm actually taking a break from my to-do list right now. Plus, I love my car. It's a good car.<br /><br />---<br /><br />Now... I do believe that's all I have to say for today. I kind of hope so... I'm having trouble staying awake anymore.<br /><br />So have a good night...<br /><br />And keep your eye out for more of those stupid Bambi's. You<span style="font-style: italic;"> -don't- </span>want to be next!<br /><br />Good night!AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-53802300764327444352011-01-30T10:24:00.000-08:002011-01-30T10:35:50.867-08:00Another one already?Holy cow! I can't believe I'm already putting something new up. Ah well.<br /><br />The last one was prompted by a music video. This one is more about me and what's going on with me lately. And there's a lot going on.<br /><br />So I'll start with my jobs... At Shoppers I'm still working in the post office and I seem to be doing alright there. I'm getting loads of shifts which is awesome and now that Christmas is long gone it's all slowed down a lot. And I mean a lot. But it's still nice because I always get six hour shifts for about 4-5 days a week. So that's great. What isn't so great is Safeway. I get one shift a week. Maybe two. And that's it. Sure I was warned that my shifts in file would get cut. But I had thought that they would schedule me for some cashier shifts to replace the ones I would lose. But no. Nothing. So this development has me pondering where I will apply for a third job. Yes, a third job. No, I'm not crazy.<br /><br />So I'm going to fire up my laptop and update me resume this afternoon. I keep putting it off. But if I post it here then I really can't now can I?<br /><br />Also, my cousins have finally asked me to pay rent. I've been waiting for them to bring it up. And I'm not complaining. They're more than fair with everything. And I love them to bits for it. =) It's really great having people that care about me around. I'm reminded to eat if I don't. I'm also reminded (not so gently) to go to bed if I've been at work all night. And it makes me all tingly.<br /><br />Yeah, so what else is new right now?<br /><br />Well, my friend - er, former friend - had her baby. A bit early but they're both healthy. And the baby is real cute. Makes me sad that I won't get to see her regularly.<br /><br />Um, let's see... Oh yeah. Starting tomorrow my workouts begin! I'm gonna keep you posted on how those go. =)<br /><br />And I suppose that's it for now. So I'm going to go eat some lunch and chill with the fam.AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-43424922018843068972011-01-26T20:59:00.000-08:002011-01-26T21:11:23.695-08:00Just some thoughts..For so many years I've hated who I was. Who I am. Which is terrible. God didn't make a mistake. And for way too long I felt like He did. I always felt like the ultimate odd one out. Not quite pretty enough. Not quite smart enough. I never gave myself enough credit. Some days I still don't. And it's not easy fighting those feelings.<br /><br />Self esteem is such a huge issue with so many girls. Peer pressure and the media are brutal. And sadly, too little is being done to help. Girls are led to believe that the ideal is to be skinny. But that is so far from reality it's ridiculous. You're absolutely perfect just as you are. When you say something hurtful it chips away at that person's confidence. Eventually nothing is left. This doesn't apply to only girls. Boys are always taught to be tough. It's not cool to cry. So it's no wonder that no one notices when they do.<br /><br />As a person's confidence diminishes depression often sets in. I'm speaking from experience. There were days that I couldn't stand to get out of bed because of the depression I was in. I was fortunate though because suicide never crossed my mind. No matter how bad it got. I know others aren't quite so lucky.<br /><br />When you feel that pressing sadness deep inside it takes over everything else. You feel like you don't belong, like maybe everyone would be better off without you.<br /><br />But it's not true.<br /><br />And it's so sad that our society today puts so much unfair pressure on the youth. Aren't they supposed to be our future?<br /><br />All of this came up just after I watched a music video. I strongly recommend that you watch it. The song title may throw you off but the video is a perfect example of what too many girls (and boys) deal with today.<br /> - F*cking Perfect by Pink<br /><br />Of course there are people who might not agree about so many of the things I have said. But before you decide to go ahead and let me know what you disagree with please remember that these are just my thoughts. And really, it doesn't matter who's right or wrong.<br /><br />Thanks to everyone who has ever picked me up when I've been down. You might know you did it, but I'll never forget it. I love you guys.AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818526216905417809.post-18838652454520229532010-11-15T08:14:00.000-08:002010-11-15T08:30:44.316-08:00Things are working outSo I'm happy to say that things are really working out for me. Especially now. For awhile I was pretty worried I have to admit. I mean, how can I possibly see the big picture and what's ahead right? Thankfully God can and I've been gravitating towards Him more and more lately which has helped immensely. I honestly could not and would not be this content without Him being so close.<br /><br />What's been happening since my last post may not seem like much but for me it's huge! At my one job.. Shoppers.. I am now working in the post office. Not super exciting I have to admit<span style="font-style: italic;"> -but-</span> I am happy to say that I've been promised only afternoon shifts. If that doesn't happen well I'm going to be just a wee bit peeved. And of course I'll kick up a fuss. But I honestly don't believe that I'll have any problems. I have been warned however, that I would be required to work at least one Sunday a month. Not too bad. And as long as it's only one. I've also made sure that I have Wednesday nights off because of my bible study. Which I love. So I'm hoping and praying that everything will work out super well at this job. Maybe I'll get a raise?<br /><br />And over at Safeway I'm starting to get more hours. Hallelujah! Sure they're all for file but really, that's completely okay. Except when I get home and I just can't sleep. Lol! My cousin has almost kicked my butt a few times already. So I have to say that I'm pretty psyched to be able to tell Safeway that I'm available so much more. And it's really great getting those long shifts because it means more money for me. And I'm really praying that I can remember everything I'm learning so that if I do ever have to work without my trainer there then I can handle it all. Gah! I should have been taking notes!! I've also been praying for a raise at Safeway. =) Hopefully that will happen soon.<br /><br />What else is there to mention?? Hmmm... Well my cousin and his long-time girlfriend are finally engaged! And yes I did say finally. I think it's absolutely fantastic that they're getting married. What's even better is that it's not about making a show of it for them. For them getting married is, well, for them. And I think it's wonderful. I've gotten to know her better and better lately and I love her to pieces. So I'm glad for them.<br /><br />And no I will not use their names.. Not because of who's reading this but because it's something special for them. Just 'cause I'm excited doesn't mean I should be sharing everything about them.<br /><br />If that sounded like a rant I'm sorry. It kinda was. Oh well.<br /><br />Oh yeah, one more thing. My cousins have a rental house and the current tenants may be moving out. In the near future.. Not sure how near that future is just yet but apparently they are moving out. And already I'm a possible replacement. Which is nice. =) And my sister, brilliant as she is, says I should talk to my cousin about possibly renting-to-own the house. Now I think that's a good idea. But I have no idea how to even bring it up with my cousin. Any ideas? I don't wanna get ahead of myself here or anything so... Y'know, I wanna maybe bring it up at a later date. But I still have no idea how I would even bring it up. Gah!<br /><br />Well, that's all for now. So I'll be off. =)AmieMarkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256406789024642692noreply@blogger.com0