Not with a Whimper, but with a Bang

     With a new year comes a new outlook. A fresh way of looking at the world. Being in Canada, a fresh coat of snow falls upon the ground within the first week, normally more than once. I write my exams and begin a new semester. There is usually a tendency to plaster on a positive, easy-going, this-year-is-going-to-be-the-best-year-ever feeling. In past years, I have gone along with this feeling. It's easy to get swept up in. Well, not this year. 2012 has begun with a sort of negative air to it, and it has nothing to do with any 'impending apocalypse'.

     My year started out in pain. Over a few days, this pain worsened, until yesterday it found me in the emergency room of the local hospital, where we waited rather patiently for over two and half hours. After waiting this extreme amount of time, I was told that the pain and swelling on the side of my face that I was experiencing was not the ear infection that I had expected it to be, but an infection in my salivary gland. You know, that thing that makes spit.

     Today I woke up looking like half a chipmunk. Eating has become one of the most painful experiences ever. I would rate it an 7.5/10 on my pain scale, with 10 being a spinal tap (nothing really get passed 8 anymore). Sleeping is rather annoying, as there is apparently no sleeping position in which my body is comfortable and my face doesn't want to fall off. I have been basically attached to my hot water bottle these past 2 days, as it is the only thing that brings me comfort. Dear god, how am I ever going to live through school tomorrow.

     I feel almost like this is some punishment for my complete and total disbelief in any sort of 2012 disaster. Life wants me to feel some sort of pain, since I refuse to feel at all panic-y and whatnot over the date.

     I have to bring my plant back to school tomorrow, and I kind of don't want to. It's grown so much more here than it ever did under the light in the classroom. When I brought it home, I seriously thought that I was going to end up killing it, since plants don't normally tend to last in my house. It had barely been green for more than a few days, while everyone elses were gaining height. Now though, I have super tall growths and new shoots. I am very proud of myself.

Above: The earliest picture of my plant babies when I brought them home.
Below: A picture I have just taken, to show juuust how good I am.

     So hopefully this year gets better, because if the highlight of my year is that I was able to successfully keep a plant alive for two weeks, then I don't know if I want to continue. I am feeling a tad bit better though. Don't forget to be awesome!

BEDD: 'Tis the Season... Finally

     I was planning on posting early today, but then I got caught up in the Internet, then taking pictures, and now I am right back to my more regular posting time. But whatever, I guess this is just when the universe wants me to write. Don't want to mess with the universe; bad, bad things happen.

     So, one day down, and four to go before the holidays. I am getting rather excited for them, especially when I woke up this morning and just did not want to get out of bed. It is getting increasingly difficult to want to go to bed at a decent hour each night, and to pull myself out each morning. It wouldn't be so bad if there were more interesting things to look forward too, but it's just regular school as usual. We aren't even having our Christmas concert this year, since none of the drama classes are willing to perform. That has always been my favourite part of the final week of school, too.

     Saturday's photo challenge was a close-up, and I finally got a more seasonal picture with this one. I found an old snowflake charm that I had in my jewelry box, and took a close-up of it. It turned out alright, kind of blurred, but the shadow behind it makes it look nice. I was thinking of wearing it, but I prefer my pocketwatch over it anyday. Plus, I've gotten used to the weight from it, and the snowflake was just too light.

     Yesterday's challenge was backlighting, which I am not really a fan of. I didn't really put much into this one, seeing as how the lighting in my room is horrible no matter where it's coming from. So a bit of nostalgia in this picture, my Game Boy Colour in all its glory. I still play it from time to time, and prefer it over any of the newer game systems. Especially when playing Pokémon. Double nostalgia right there.



     Today's challenge prompt was time, and instead of taking a picture of a clock or something like that (since I've done the timepiece already), I was a bit more creative. I found an old cap off a Jones soda from my collection which had a quote/fortune/saying on it that was relative to the challenge topic. It says Donate your time, which I think is a really good thing to do and to remember. Especially around the holidays, we focus a lot about ourselves and our close families, but forget that there are others out there.



     I have a few special post ideas planned for some days this month, and am looking into more things. I figure if I am posting every day, then why not make some of those days more interesting. Especially on the days that I don't really have much to say. I am hoping to do some writing over the break, maybe also a bit of drawing if I get really bored or procrastinatey. Until then, don't forget to be awesome!

BEDD: Sigh

     There is only one more week of school to go before the Christmas holidays, and already I am wishing it were less than that. I really just want the holidays to start now, so that I don't have to think about a week's worth of work, or get up early for another week. The only good thing about it is that it means going back a week later after the New Year. Usually we return to school two or three days after, but this year its more than a week after. Which is great, because I tend to stay up really late the few days after New Year's.

     Some of my friends have already been accepted to some of their universities, and its making me really anxious about my admissions. I mean, the deadlines aren't even over, and replies don't usually come until after second semester has started, but knowing that some people are already being accepted worries me. I am excited for them, but I just wish I would hear some good news for me. Its really been bothering me.

     I know I said I would post pictures in this post, but I am really tired from travelling, and I don't want to stay up too late. So I will postpone them again, and hopefully I will write earlier tomorrow. In fact, I'll write myself a note to remind myself to post earlier. Anywho, don't forget to be awesome! Good night.

BEDD: Messy

     I am usually an extremely clean person. Everything in my room has a place, and I like everything to be in that place. I'm really OCD about it. Usually, my room is perfectly neat and tidy, nothing on the floor except my backpack (because my cat likes to sleep on it), and all of my shelves generally tidy. On occasion, I will become really lazy, or get super busy, and my room will end up looking like a huge mess (at least to my standards). That is what it is like now.

     Since I am going to be going away the rest of the weekend, I need to clean my room. Also, I believe my mother wants to wash my floors or something annoying like that, so I can't really leave anything lying around. She tends to not be very good at putting my things back in the right places. Or at least, where I believe they should be. So on top of finishing homework, which I rocrastinated all evening, I must pack and clean up. At least this is done.

     I liked the photo challenge for today, mainly because it involved a lot less creativity that usual. 'A Picture of a Picture'. How much easier can it be. So I photographed one of my favourite pictures that is stuck to my wall. It is the cover of a card that I received years ago, I don't even know who from or why anymore (would help if I opened it I'm sure). Anyway, I love it for its simplicity. I mean, when I was a kid, I was far too scared of falling to ever do that. I guess all you need to do is believe. And now I look at it every single day, and try to remember that as I go through the day, my life, whatever. Darn childhood, gotta go messing things up all the time.

     Anywho, I've still got some work to do before I tackle the rest of that list, so short post will be short again. I do have to say though, posting more frequently (though not ever day) has felt good. To see so many more posts is a great feeling of accomplishment. There are now as many posts in December as there were in 2010. It gives me a bit more hope for the new year. Don't forget to be awesome!

BEDD: Is Where I Wanna Be

     I just want to sleep. Forever. I have been working all evening on the oral component for my English ISU, as I must present it tomorrow and will have barely any time to work on it after tonight. After having worked on the stupid thing for approximately 3 hours, I think it will be alright. At least, the damn thing will finally be over. Sweet relief!

     Due to the fact that I just want to go to bed, since I was up kind of late last night, I am going to leave the challenge picture for tomorrow and do a double post. I am just out of my mind right now, and sleep is pulling at me. I feel like a zombie right now, just going through the motions trying to reach my goal. Which in this case is thankfully not brains or human flesh.

     Anywho, off to bed for me. I was hoping to be able to be early tonight, but what can you do. Life is life, and all you can really do is don't forget to be awesome.

Still Here

     I realize that I haven't really posted anything in over a week. I kind of felt like just giving up lately. Every time I thought that I should write something, a little voice in the back of my mind kept saying "Why bother? No one cares what you write." I've been agreeing with that voice lately, and am still fighting to keep it gagged and tied up in the dark recesses of my mind. So right now I figure I will continue on in the normal routine.
     Clearly I have used up one of my two safe weeks for the 50QC. I was hoping to never have to skip a week, and answer all of the questions with two weeks remaining in the year to reflect and whatnot. Oh well. The question for this week is actually pretty interesting. "If the average human lifespan was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?"

     If the average lifespan was 40 years, the first thing that I would do differently is not spend as much time in school. Currently I am expecting to be in school until I'm around 22 years old, which would be half of my life. Then I would have to work the rest to pay off the debt of school, and I would have no time to really live. So I would spend less time in school and more time doing things for myself, like traveling and meeting people and having different experiences. If I were only expected to live to around 40, I would forget about trying to save for a future as much as people now do and focus on being with my friends and family. I most certainly would not be wasting a Saturday evening typing at my computer like this. Just kidding. It's not a waste.

     Last week I finished two books: The Hunger Games and Beastly. I borrowed both of them from K, but I intend to buy The Hunger Games trilogy next time I'm in a bookstore. She only had the first one, and it completely hooked me. Basically, it's about a girl who is sent along with 23 other teenagers to battle it out in the annual Hunger Games, in which the contestants have to kill each other to survive; the last one standing gets to live. It was really amazing. Beastly is pretty much a modern day take on the classic Beauty and the Beast story. It was also really good, much better than I expected it to be. This has now been eight books toward the 50 book challenge. I'm a little behind from where I would have liked to be by this time, but that's alright because I will make it up in the summer.  

     So there, I've actually posted for this week. Hopefully this following week I won't be in this mood again and I'll actually write. Have a good week, keep your hopes up, and DFTBA.

    

Anyone Else?

How I feel right about now.

Secret Torture Method?

     I can't believe I have survived this week. With studying and writing exams, finishing another novel, and trying to hold onto my sanity, I never thought it would be possible. But I have, against all odds. And that means writing another post. Not that I'm not excited to, but it feels like this entire week has come down to this post. How can I sum up everything and not screw it up? Well, let's give it a shot.
     Like I said, I've started exams this week. Since it's grade 11 and they like to torture us, my exams are now up to three hours long. Three hours! Not many people understand what happens to your mind when you are forced to just sit there and regurgitate everything you've 'learned' in the past five months. How can they expect us to remember everything? I can barely remember what I did last week, let alone what I did three months ago. My motto for exams (and excuse my language) is "when in doubt, bullshit your way out!" I can't even count the number of times where I made something up for the sake of trying to answer a question. The only thing that keeps me going when I'm writing is the fact that after that three hours is up, I don't have to think about or remember any of it. Unless I have to take the next class the following year, but I don't have to think about that for a couple months. I've written two of my four exams so far, and I swear if it wasn't the weekend I would go insane.

     I finished another novel before starting my exams. I have also sworn not to start the next one until all my exams are finished, so that I do not distract myself from studying. That's what happened last time. I got so into the book that by the time I finished it, I barely had time to study. Not that I study all that much. I finished Entice by Carrie Jones on Wednesday I believe. It is the third book in a series, which is still ongoing. The first two books are Need and Captivate. To be blunt, they are about pixies and weres and Fae. The main character, Zara, is the daughter of a pixie king. She falls in love with Nick, who is a werewolf. Her friend Devyn is a wereeagle. Her grandmother is a weretiger. It's all just kind of random when it comes to the characters. Anyway, Nick dies, and gets taken to Valhalla, which if you know your mythology, is the where warriors go when they die. They get taken by Valkyries, which is pretty cool, because they are kind of like the modern idea of angels, except they only take those chosen by the Norse god Odin. Anyway, going off topic there. To get him back, Zara decides to become a pixie when she meets Astley, a queen less pixie king. That's all I'm revealing. It's an amazing novel, and I can't wait for the next one.

     I just need to slip this picture in. My blog, my opinion. I prefer Astley over Nick, but let's save that argument for another time.

     I feel like the weekly question is kind of like a way of telling time on here. Anyway, this week I haven't thought at all about my answer. Too many other things to think about. "When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?" I fear that in the end, I will have said more than I've done. I want to do so many things, but I just never do them. I can't say just yet whether I will have said more than I've done, and only time will tell.

     This weekend will be spent studying, so it will be extremely boring. I wish you luck with your exams, and a new semester. DFTBA, and have a good weekend.

Like/Dislike

     I could easily write forever on things that I like and dislike, and since I am becoming extremely annoyed at something I dislike,  I'm going to blog about it. A lot of social networking sites emphasize on what we like, but not very many allow you to dislike something. It makes it seem like the act of disliking something is severe or unethical. But the truth is, no one likes everything. We all dislike things.
     To start off, some things I do like. I like staying up late when everyone is asleep, when the night is quiet and the air is cool and the world seems to be taking a break from being its amazing self. I like stirring things by hand instead of using an electric mixer, not only because it's quieter and improves arm muscles, but because I can watch as things slowly mix together, becoming one entity that will later be extremely tasty. I love lying in bed with my cat on my back. It's become a reassuring thing, having another heartbeat near me. I like rain sliding slowly down the glass of the windows, drops crashing into one another until too heavy to drip. I like a clear night with plenty of stars, no noise, only me and the sky. I like a good book, of course. But mostly, I like to think.
     What I dislike is large puddles when I'm in a hurry, because they don't move and I have to walk through them. I dislike homework when I should be out having fun or relaxing. I dislike noisy crowds of people who don't care that I am standing there, and push and shove to get around me. I dislike doing work for nothing, and things being changed without my knowledge. I dislike when people are hypocritical, although they never see it that way. I dislike being woken up for anything, regardless if I have to do something or if it's 1 o'clock in the afternoon. I dislike the fact that I am very good at procrastinating, which seems to get me into a lot of tight spots and long nights.
     The lists could probably go on forever but there are things that I really should be doing right now. Of course, there is, isn't there always? Next time I post, it will be of an assignment that I am working on for my English class. So until then, to whoever really reads this, I hope that you have an amazing start to your year, and that the past one was worth remembering. And, needless to say, don't forget to be awesome.

Sick in Bed

     Well, the inevitable has happened. I am sick. I've got a cold. Sore throat one day, runny nose and stuffy head the next. It's torture. I can't go 5 minutes without blowing my nose, and my head feels all stuffed up and heavy. And none of this is my fault. I was perfectly healthy, taking extra precautions like wearing a jacket and a sweater when going outside to prevent this. But no, my sister had to get sick, because of course a  jacket is just too good for her. No, she prefers to go out walking in the rain and the cold with only a thin sweater. So she got sick, and then I got sick.
     So now I am stuck in bed instead of going into the city. I could have gone, it was all my choice, but traveling and shopping and being with family when you are sick just isn't fun. Well, shopping is never fun for me, but I was looking forward to going to the book store. It's the only kind of shopping I can stand. I have spent the day lying in bed reading and being online. Not as fun as it sounds. At least I am warm and cozy though. Not that that makes up for any of this.
     If I am not better by Monday, I still have to go to school. Seeing as I am in grade 11 now, missing a day of school sets me back pretty far. Not to mention the homework that I would get. Also, since everyone else is at school, the Internet just isn't as fun. I hate being sick.
     That's all I really wanted to say. No links, no special stories or anything. Just to vent out my frustrations at being sick and warn you to not get sick. So stay healthy and DFTBA, my friends.