Why I Failed Exams...

Not Alone!

Sometimes, when you're stuck being alone in your room trying to study for finals, you come across something that tells you that you are not so alone after all, at least in your opinions. It's a reassuring thing.

Math Happy

Thank goodness for Google, my go-to for math questions that no one on my msn at the moment can answer. Such as "Why does m stand for slope?" and "I love pi. Where can I get a thong to show this?"

Feeling quotatious? Solve your math craving with some of these:

"Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas."
~ Albert Einstein

"Black holes result from God dividing the universe by zero."
~ Author Unknown

"I never did very well in math - I could never seem to persuade the teacher that I hadn't meant my answers literally."
~ Calvin Trillin

"Math is radical!"
~ Bumper Sticker

"Go down deep enough into anything and you will find mathematics."
~ Dean Schlicter

"A mathematician is a device for turning coffee into theorems."
~ Paul Erdos

"Pure mathematics is the world's best game. It is more absorbing than chess, more of a gamble than poker, and lasts longer than Monopoly. It's free. It can be played anywhere - Archimedes did it in a bathtub."
~ Richard J. Trudeau

“Mathematics may be defined as the subject in which we never know what we are talking about, nor whether what we are saying is true.”
~Bertrand Russell

"Arithmetic is being able to count up to twenty without taking off your shoes."
~ Mickey Mouse

"'Every minute dies a man, Every minute one is born;' I need hardly point out to you that this calculation would tend to keep the sum total of the world's population in a state of perpetual equipoise, whereas it is a well-known fact that the said sum total is constantly on the increase. I would therefore take the liberty of suggesting that in the next edition of your excellent poem the erroneous calculation to which I refer should be corrected as follows: "Every moment dies a man, And one and a sixteenth is born." I may add that the exact figures are 1.067, but something must, of course, be conceded to the laws of metre."
~ Charles Babbage, letter to Alfred, Lord Tennyson, about a couplet in his "The Vision of Sin"

"Math is fun!"
~ L Griffin, written at the top of the board before every class

Looking for a way to show that someone you are both smart and sophisticated? Count on these lines:

I don't know if you're in my range, but I'd sure like to take you home to my domain.

I wish I were a derivative so I could lie tangent to your curves.

My love for you is a monotonically increasing unbounded function.

Your beauty defies real and complex analysis.

You and I add up better than a Riemann sum.

Hey baby, what's your sine?

If I were sine squared and you were cosine squared together we'd be one.

Are you the square root of 2? Because I feel irrational when I am around you.

Ever wonder what L’Hopital’s rule has to say about limits in the form of me over you?

Nice calculator. Wanna iterate?

How can I know so many hundreds of digits of pi and not the digits of your phone number?



Now if I can only actually do some math!

"I Am There" by James Dillet Freeman

Do you need Me ?
I am there.
You cannot see Me, yet I am the light you see by.
You cannot hear Me, yet I speak through your voice.
You cannot feel Me, yet I am the power at work in your hands.

I am at work, though you do not understand My ways.
I am at work, though you do not understand My works.
I am not strange visions. I am not mysteries.

Only in absolute stillness, beyond self, can you know Me
as I AM, and then but as a feeling and a faith.

Yet I am here. Yet I hear. Yet I answer.
When you need ME, I am there.
Even if you deny Me, I am there.
Even when you feel most alone, I am there.
Even in your fears, I am there.
Even in your pain, I am there.

I am there when you pray and when you do not pray.
I am in you, and you are in Me.
Only in your mind can you feel separate from Me, for
only in your mind are the mists of "yours" and "mine".
Yet only with your mind can you know Me and experience Me.

Empty your heart of empty fears.
When you get yourself out of the way, I am there.
You can of yourself do nothing, but I can do all.
And I AM in all.

Though you may not see the good, good is there, for
I am there. I am there because I have to be, because I AM.

Only in Me does the world have meaning; only out of Me does the world take form; only because of ME does the world go forward.
I am the law on which the movement of the stars
and the growth of living cells are founded.

I am the love that is the law's fulfilling. I am assurance.
I am peace. I am oneness. I am the law that you can live by.
I am the love that you can cling to. I am your assurance.
I am your peace. I am ONE with you. I am.

Though you fail to find ME, I do not fail you.
Though your faith in Me is unsure, My faith in you never
wavers, because I know you, because I love you.

Beloved, I am there.

Does this sound faintly familiar? Written in 1947, James B. Irwin took it aboard Apollo 15. His mother had given it to him before the flight, and he actually left a copy of the poem on the moon.

Pretty amazing, huh?

"Daylight To Break" - Switchfoot

I've seen the darkest things
Crawling inside of me
I've seen the monsters come alive
I've seen the enemy
The nightmare follows me
Searching the darkness for a light

Waiting for daylight to break up this room
Waiting for daylight to break
I've been alone in the dark
I've been dreaming
Now I'm waking up without You
I've been waking up without You for too long

Back in the tragedy
I've made a mess of me
My bitter means, my bitter ends
I've seen the irony
It gets the best of me
Dying to be made new again

Waiting for daylight to break up this room
Waiting for daylight to break
I've been alone in the dark
I've been dreaming the day when dreamers are awake
The sun hits my eyes and everything is right
I've been waking up without You
I've been waking up without You
I've been waring alarms till You were in my arms
I've been waking without You
I've been waking up without You for too long

Waiting for to daylight to break up the room
Waiting, waiting
I've been alone in the dark
I've been dreaming the day when dreamers are awake
The sun hits my eyes and everything is right
I've been waking up without You
I've been waking up without You
Ive been waring alarms till You were in my arms
I've been waking up without You
I've been waking up without You for too long

True Colours

BLUE IS LOVE
1. Do you like someone? Guess so.
2. Do you believe in love at first sight? Not at all.
3. Have you ever loved someone so much it hurt? You mean when your heart explodes?! No.
RED IS ANGER
1. Are you currently mad at someone? Nope, I am feeling happiness :)
2. Which of your family members has the worst temper? We all can I think haha
3. Have you ever thrown something at anyone? Oh yes! Though not necessarily out of anger ;)
4. Is anyone mad at you? If so they should tell me.

YELLOW IS SELF DISCOVERY
1. Name? Sandy
2. What is your career plan for the future? Good question!
3. What's your main goal in life? To live it!
4. Do you want to have children? Sometime yes.

ORANGE IS EXCITEMENT
1. Has anyone ever thrown a surprise party for you? Haha yes! Thanks guys :D
2. If you won a million dollars, what would be the first thing you'd do? Buy houses for everyone! Although in this day and age, a million big ones is no longer that big...
3. If you could have anything right now what would it be? A chocolate bar.

GREEN IS OPINION
1. Lower the drinking age? I once heard that it was 19 because it messes with the development of your brain cells or something. Check me if I'm wrong. But does it matter what the drinking age is? If someone wanted a drink that badly, I'm sure they will find a way.
2. Abortion? A person is a person, no matter how small.
3. War? Is it necessary? Whom does it benefit? Is it worth your life or mine? Think about it.
4. Global Warming? Scary. I don't mind snow but ice is a different story!

PURPLE IS Q&A
Q: Name one thing that you do everyday?
A: Eat.
Q: Is Tom on your friends list?
A: I only know one person named Tom, but we aren't really friends. More like I know who he is, and he probably only knows my family.
Q: What website(s) do you visit the most during the day?
A: I would like to say McMaster WebCT, but really it's Facebook >.>
Q: Do you have plants in your room?
A: I did! Until it died... I blame misleading GM Plant Lights (they don't really help your plant!)
Q: Does anything hurt on your body right now?
A: Too cold to feel.
Q: Do you own a camera phone?
A: Yes, but not because it has a camera. In fact, I don't even LIKE the camera, since the cameras on camera phones are bad quality. What I WOULD like is a real camera. But that is after I win the million dollars...

PINK IS LAST
1. Last movie watched in theatres? Umm Hairspray? Wow that was a long time ago...
2. Song you listened to? Hopeless
3. Person you last talked/texted on the phone with? Beijing Hut

GRAY IS TODAY
1. What are you doing tonight? Probably do some calc questions. Exam soon :S
2. What are you going to eat? I am already eating some eggplant pork
3. Where are you going to be at 2:00am? Hopefully in bed!

BLACK IS TOMORROW
1.Tomorrow is? A fresh start.
2. Are you looking forward to it? More or less.
3. Are you going to laugh? Always.
4. Who are you going to be with? Your mom :)

Trash-Talk

It all started with picking up the student paper while on my way back from class. I thought nothing of it, just stored it in my bag and went on my way. Forgot about it actually, until this afternoon, when I reached into my bag to get my pencil (for math notes) when I remembered the paper and started reading.

It was the sideline on the front page that caught my eye. "City To Vote On Garbage Bag Limit" it says. We already have a three bag limit, a difficult feat for a household of nine people, not to mention university students who hoard bottles, pizza boxes, and chinese take-out like it was 1935. And I include myself in this, because sometimes it's just nice to have someone else cook or store a beverage into a container for you, even if you have to pay for it.

So you can imagine my nervousness while reading that there was a vote to be taken that night (November 29th). So I raced to the local newspaper website and did a quick search in the archives. And SHOCK, HORROR, it got passed. Down to one bag. Effecting March 30th, 2008. I read this once. I read this twice. No change. I pass on the news and read it again. Still no change. What is this! On the bottom of the page I see a footnote. "Share your feedback at hallmarks.thespec.com. So, determined to voice my opinion on this rather messy subject (pun slightly intended), I went. It's a blog. And this is the first entry I read:

"November 30, 2007

I feel your pain...

Just got an email that made me laugh. You've likely read about council's confusion over their new garbage rules, imagine writing a school report about it.

my name is XXX and i attend saltfleet high school, grade 11.
For our geography independent study, our teacher assigned us to do seminars based on local environmental crisis. I chose to do the garbage bag limit. however, as I've been writing my report, I've noticed that everyday, the decision changes. I've been following up with the hamilton spectator, however I've had to change my report a couple times already based on the "confused" decisions. please help me. do you have advice for me? when should i date my project as it takes effect? 2009? 2010? my report is due Tuesday, December 4th. please write back.

thank you very much."


LOL. I suddenly love this blog and this student very much. But now I am in a confusion. When exactly IS this date? I did not read 2009 or 2010. I read 2008. Could I possibly have read the right one? Please no. Please. So I keep reading.

"November 29, 2007

Clarity for council

Waste staff sent out a press release this afternoon explaining what council passed last night, despite the fact many councillors are still confused. Basically it will go from three to two to one bags by 2010. Residents will be given time to adjust to the one container limit.

Here's the low down written by the city:

March 31, 2008 through March 28, 2009

We will continue to collect up to 3 containers of garbage per household per week. Collection crews will take note of addresses with more than 1 garbage container at the curb so that we can follow-up with additional education in the form of a letter or a visit by customer service staff. Any additional container(s) above 3 will be tagged with Oops! stickers and left behind.

March 30, 2009 – April 3, 2010

We will collect 1 container of garbage and 1 clear garbage bag (provided that the clear bag does not contain acceptable blue box and / or green cart material(s)) per household per week. Collection crews will take note of addresses with more than 1 garbage container at the curb so that we can follow-up with additional education in the form of a letter or a visit by customer service staff. Any additional garbage container(s) above 1 (in an opaque bag or in a clear bag containing acceptable blue box and / or green cart material(s)) will be tagged with Oops! stickers and left behind.

April 5, 2010 – onward

We will collect 1 container of garbage per household per week. Collection crews will take note of addresses with more than 1 garbage container at the curb so that we can follow-up with additional education in the form of a letter or a visit by customer service staff. Addresses that are continually unable to and / or unwilling to comply (unless they have approval through the special consideration process) will be referred to By-Law and Enforcement for follow-up."

Clarity is a beautiful thing.

Humour is also quite wonderful. If you want a good laugh and to read what the heck happened, check this out: http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/289440. I'd copy and paste this too, but I've done that enough. And plus, it's just too funny!

The End Is Near...

Today marks the last day of classes... and also the closeness of exams. Less than a week until the four bang off in succession. Funny how time flies.

When I was looking in my old notes, I found a note that I had written on my first day of school. Here is a sample:

"35 minutes to class and I'm sitting here waiting, in some obscure corner of the the Togo Salmon Hall. Interesting place; there are fish randomly painted on the basement walls. It is said that 'Today is the first day of the rest of your life.' It might as well be the last, I am just as nervous. I know there's probably nothing to worry about. All the same, the wait is nervewracking. I'm trying to think of anything related to archaeology that I know. All i can think of is dinosaurs... Remember that crazy bag I bought at Walmart to sneak in food for the movies? Well I just glanced up and what do I see but someone walking by with the exact same one! Oh the memories... I am running on a pure adrenaline rush [from lack of sleep]. I would love to have stayed in bed, but then again I don't think I could go to sleep if I tried. Too excited and plus I have a medium iced cap keeping me company..."

It's funny looking back. Archaeology had turned out to be great; in fact, it was one of my favourite courses (which I then proceeded to drop). The classes weren't worth the worry at all.

How many times have we stressed ourselves out needlessly?

As Dad Always Says... "Rest Your Eyes!"

-- From Intro Psych Student Page
(Just another way to procrastinate
while still feeling like you are doing work)

A Hallmark™ Message

BE A TORCH.
BE A SPARK.
BE A CANDLE
IN THE DARK.

believe in a thousand impossible things you've never believed before.

Wishing you something wonderful, something amazing, everywhere you look...

here's to joy. here's to wonder. here's to holidays.

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year ♪

Today (or really yesterday if you want to be technical about it) we had our first blanket of snow here in Hamilton. What a nice start to the day! If there's anything that heralds the coming of the Christmas season, this has got to be one of the most beautiful.

Man we are so unbelievably blessed.

Wasting Time.

1. How tall are you barefoot?
5"1?

2. Have you ever smoked heroin?
nope

3. Do you own a gun?
not a real one no haha

4. Rehab?
if i needed it?

5. Do you get nervous before "meeting the parents"?
sure

6. What do you think of your friends?
i think they are awesome

7. What's your favorite Christmas song?
what christmas song isn't great?

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
orange juice

9. Do you do push-ups?
barely

10. Have you ever done ecstacy?
nope

11. Are you vegitarian?
no but spellcheck?

12. Do you like painkillers?
not really

13. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?
if i told you it wouldn't be a secret now would it

14. Do you own a knife?
yes

15. Do you have A.D.D.?
not that i know of

16. Date Of Birth?
august 18th

17. Top 3 thoughts at this exact moment:
Is laundry done?
Someone is messaging me on msn
I have to go to the washroom

18. Name the last 3 things you have bought?
Beijing Hut
Christmas gifts
NY fries


19. Name five drinks you regularly drink:
Milk
Juice
Water
Coke
Sprite

20. What time did you wake up today?
no clue; it was on and off

21. Current hair?
yes

22. Current worry?
what to buy for those i don't know yet

23. Current hate?
bad spelling

24. Favorite place to be?
somewhere fun

25. Least favorite place to be?
by a centipede

26. Where would you like to go?
everywhere

27. Do you own slippers?
yes

28. What do you think you'll be in 10 yrs?
older

29. Do you burn or tan?
tan

30. Last thing you ate?
popcorn

31. Would you be a pirate?
yes, but only with adequate washroom facilities

32. Last time you had an alcoholic drink?
my birthday

33. What songs do you sing in the shower?
randomly

34. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child?
the clock

36. Last thing that made you laugh?
being tickled

37. Best bed sheets you had as a child?
soft ones

38. Worst injury you've ever had?
when i slammed my finger into a door... twice

40. How many TVs do you have in your house?
one?

41. Who is your loudest friend?
hard to say.

42. Who is your most silent friend?
we all have our moments

43. Does someone have a crush on you?
maybe

44. Do you wish on stars?
sometimes

45. What is your favorite book?
too many

46. What is your favorite candy?
poprocks

47. What song do/did you want played at your wedding?
a fun one

48. What song do you want played at your funeral?
a silly one

49. What were you doing 12AM last night?
talking or reading

50. Do you love someone?
family and friends, always

That took 15 minutes to do. I should speed through these more often.

That Time Of Year Again!

Today I officially officially started my Christmas shopping! It's exciting, this going to a mall, browsing the shops, and deciding what everyone might desire but wouldn't have already. Though I am not the best gifter, I have decided this year to have a theme. But don't worry, I'm not going to spoil it by telling you. You will just have to wait until that glorious day one month from one week from tomorrow (Sunday) and then you can see for yourself!

Anyways it's like 2 am here and I've got a big day ahead of me. There's a Christmas Fair in the community centre (?) sideways from Farah the 24 hr food store, somewhere between Tim Hortons and Fortinos.

Actually that Tim Hortons is hiring and I am half thinking of applying there. But with Christmas coming up and me being away for that most busy week and then with school and all... I don't know. But it would be good to have some extra $. Too bad you can't study and work at the same time! Or have universities pay YOU. That would be pretty sweet. Though I did get a scholarship that I didn't even apply for or anything, so I guess I shouldn't complain. Maybe I'll wait until second semester, see how it goes. Maybe.

Okay I'm off to do a bit of reading. You won't believe the pile of books I have by my bed, just yearning to be opened. I am reading Faulkner at the moment. It interesting but also confusing in the way that it is told from the perspectives of people who don't really know what all is going on sometimes. Books that you have to read a few times to fully understand it. But I would still recommend it anyways, if no other reason than the fact that he is considered one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. You may disagree after reading, but either way, at least you will know :)

Another One...

1. What's the worst feeling in the world?
the stickiness of wet socks and jeans.

2. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?
hmm i'd say so!

3. What did your day consist of?
laundry, library, test >.< 4. Did any particular thing brighten up your day?
beef vegetable on rice!

5. If you could hug anyone right now, who would it be?
Max.

6. Do you make every decision as if your parents are watching you?
Umm no?

7. When was the last time you were grounded?
i've never been grounded.

8. Do you love anybody more than words can say?
my family, of course.

9. Have you ever gotten the butterflies?
yup, who hasn't at one time or another?

10. If you could change anything about your past would you?
i'd probably change all the stupid mistakes that i've made, except then i wouldn't have learned from them and would probably do them all over again.

11. Do you consider yourself attractive?
it's all relative.

12. Do you consider your best friend of the opposite sex attractive?
see above.

13. When was the last time you went ice skating?
hmm last year? the year before? either one.

14. Have you ever been on a real date?
yup.

15. Describe your perfect soulmate in 3 words?
umm non existant?
i don't believe that you have just one person whom you are meant to be with.

16. Your fav team loses - are you watching the next game?
of course. what kind of fan doesn't stick by their team through thick and thin?

17. Do you enjoy cuddling?
does anyone not?

18. Have you ever woken up next to someone and smiled?
yup. it's always nice to start the day with a smile.

19. Are you really close with your parents?
i try to be

20. Your best friend's pregnant- you say?
when are you due??

21. What's your favorite sport?
lacrosse. and no i've only played maybe like three times in my entire life.

22. Who do you look up to the most?
hard to say.

23. Do you like to run?
love it.

24. Do you plan on dressing up for Halloween this year?
nope.. too old now :(

26. What is your favorite day of the week and why?
tuesday, because... well it's just a good day.

How do you feel about the following:

1. Valentine’s Day – very... pink. but not in a bad way.

2. Christmas - excited already!

3. Your birthday – the cake is nice?

4. Halloween – a holiday all about costumes and candy - sweet!

5. Abortions – why not adoption?

6. People who do drugs – i don't think it's right


Who:

1. Last person you kissed – am i one to kiss and tell?

2. Last person who got drunk with you – i don't get drunk haha

3. Last person to email you – hmm not sure.

4. Person who you most like to shop with – my friends

5. Person you trust the most – the most? hard to say. most of the people i consider to be trustworthy.

6. Person you talk to the most – depends on what about lol

7. Last person to see you cry – my dad

8. First person you call when something happens – depends on what happened

What:

1. Favorite outdoor activity – summer: sea-glass collecting; fall: trail-walking; winter: sledding; spring: just being outside

2. Favorite Car - a nice one?

3. Favorite flower - daisies. orchids. dandelions.

4. Favorite Musical – can't think of the name at the moment but it's on the tip of my tongue!

5. Favorite Piece of Jewelry – not sure; most things have some kind of memory associated with it

6. Favorite Fruit – oranges

7. Favorite Destination – anywhere!

8. Favorite spa treatment – hmm depends!

9. What event is coming up that you're most excited about? Christmas of course!

YOU..

2. What color are your eyes? brown


3. Do you have any older siblings? yup


4. Who is the last person that sent you a text? Laura i think

5. How do you feel about the the last person you kissed? i like them, obviously.

6. What's bothering you right now? calculus test, to an extent

7. Will you kiss the last person you kissed again? wasn't this already asked?

8. What is in your wallet? too much!

9. Wall paper of your desktop? a picture of fireworks by the pier by a photographer i really like

10. Next time you will kiss someone? who knows?

11. Where your profile picture was taken? my room, when i was studying for the bio exam haha

12. Doing this weekend? odds and ends done, oh and studying.

13. Wearing? clothes!

14. Who was the last person to send you a instant message? vinnie

15. Do you burn easily in the sun? not really, but i WILL burn.

16. What did you do last weekend? can't remember at the moment

17. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital? my mom

18. Do you like someone right now? mhmm

19. What is the last movie you watched? part of Stranger Than Fiction

20. Do you want someone you can't have? nope

21. Could you go a day without eating? yeah but it's soo hard.

22. How do you feel about PDA? if it's meant for a room, keep it in the room please!

23. Does it take a lot to make you cry? it depends

24. Do you tell your parents everything? no

25. Who was the last person in your bedroom besides you? probably Mike

26. Do you miss any of your exes? not in the relationship way

27. Have you ever been head over heels? i fell down the stairs once. it was quite interesting.

Two people that live in your house other than you:
umm there are 8 other people here haha.

28. Where did you live the first time you moved out of your parent's house?
right here!

29. Do you smoke weed?
nope!

30. Have you kissed somebody in the last 2 weeks? yup

31. Who's the last person's house you went to & stayed? my dad's

32. How's your ex doing? very well i'd say :)

33. Do you want to go back to high school? no it's good to keep moving forward

Why do I keep doing these when they are insanely long and take up an incredible amount of time that could be used for, say, studying? Maybe that's why...

Oh Math How I Dread You.

Test tonight! Meaning I got to get to work. I'm at Thode Library right now, third floor, by the window. The view is so nice, I don't know why I don't come here more often. If it wasn't for the e and ln this would be a much more pleasurable experience...

Anyways time to get cracking.

Sick

I don't know if there's anything more joyous to a weak stomach
than soft poached eggs,
on toast.

"The Wise Woman's Stone"

A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.

"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone."

- Author Unknown

I came across this story in the midst of studying for psychology (I keep wandering off, doing other things, like Googling whatever comes to mind... I've got to stop that) and the story made me think in a way that learning the pathway of how visual information travels through ganglion nerves have not. So I thought I'd share it as a bit of a breather :)

Westdale Is Actually Worth The Trip!

In Hamilton, about a 15 minute walk from the University, is a little village called Westdale. It reminds me of downtown Charlottetown, the way the one street is lined with shops and cafes and such. I've been there a few times, mostly only to the bubble tea and the walk-in but never really took the time to have a good look around. Wasn't really meaning to today either, I had just meant to go to the bank and then take a bus to Limeridge but as I was taking my time getting there and also signed up for a library card on the way (the library is quite nice, though rather small), I missed the bank by 1/2 an hour. So then, waiting for the bus, I realized that the mall closed in two hours anyways so there would be no point considering it takes an hour to get there, I decided to keep walking down.

If you go past the Tim Horton's and the TD, sort of across the street from The Barn, there is a sweet little bookshop called "The Westdale Bookworm". Almost every available space is stacked with tons and tons of books. Used, but in excellent condition. The kind of place you can spend hours in just browsing, and you can't feel guilty about buying a lot because all of the books are 50% off original price or less. The owner is really nice too. I don't remember her name, but she loves the place though it keeps her very busy and she doesn't mind chatting at all. Plus she will even give you a bit of candy with your purchase, as well as a generous supply of bookmarks :) So if you're looking for a good book and a good time, be sure to go there. Definitely worth the longer walk.

Heading back, sort of across the street from the Walk-In (which is right beside QQ's), is a place I don't exactly remember what it's called but on the outside it advertises gift baskets. I went in to check it out and see what it was about, and it turned out to be this really neat place full of fair trade goods and things from around the world. Definitely recommend their chocolate, and the coffee you can order smelled nice and rich too. If you go, be sure to check out their assortment of buttons. They've got an interesting collection of buttons with slogans that you'd actually want to be carting around with. The chocolate that I had was the Equita fair trade dark chocolate with Earl Grey Tea leaves which sounded kind of odd but was actually pretty good and came recommended by the person who was working there. Ever have chocolate-covered coffee beans? Reminds me of those, but like crushed and in a chocolate bar, and also with tea rather than coffee. Doesn't sound too appealing but try it; you won't regret it. For $3 per 45 g it's kind of pricey but when you think of all the good you're doing in the world by your support, it's not a waste of your money at all. Way better than buying a cheap generic one, and the quality is so much better anyways.

Then there's this other shop called "Write Impressions" which is across the street sideways from the little plaza with the old movie theatre (the one that looks like the ones that you see in the actual movies). It's one of those fancy overpriced stores but it has a lot of great paper. I was going to buy this little cosmetic bag because it had great saying on the back and was only $10 but since I don't really have a use of it I guess it's a good thing that I'd forgotten, though I would've like to support the company. It was a really neat thing to do. Anyways, a word of advice for when you're there: always check the price - never guess. I was about to buy this small candle (I kind of ruined my other one; another story for another time) but when I looked underneath for the price it was $12.99 for a candle a little bigger than a shot glass! Ridiculous. But a nice place anyways.

I went to quite a few other places and there were a still quite a few more that I had wanted to go to but it was late and a Saturday and most places were closed and I'm not going to write a review on every single one. But I totally change my mind about how there's nothing to do in Hamilton - you can shop!

Tearing Up & Buckling Down

I just finished watching a movie in chinese someone had lent me to help me understand it better. I admit that there were subtitles and I peeked but I could still pick it out. It was pretty good. About this guy who was blind and mute and loves this girl... okay I won't say any more before I ruin it but anyways it was so sad! I had to keep taking "food" breaks or else I would've cried haha. Maybe it's a thing that comes with age. I used to never cry during movies and now here I am tearing up at so many. I was looking for a used copy of Reign Over Me today, but couldn't find it so I bought Oprah's 20th Anniversary Collection (used) instead. It was about half price and at a price like that you have no other option but to buy it! On 6 discs and looking pretty sweet, I'd watch it right now except I'd probably find something to tear up about in that too. So back to school. I am determined to buckle down and really go'er, so if you find me slacking off feel free to remind me to get back on track, do my work for me, or buy me something nice. Personally, I would go with the last two. Maybe even both. Just sayin'.



"It is fun to be in the same decade as you."
- Franklin D. Roosevelt to Winston Churchill

Update!

Did you know that there's a backlog of 850 000 people trying to immigrate into Canada?
They say the wait could be as long as five years.

That's a lot of people and a long, long time to wait. Makes you feel lucky to be here!

There's a flood of Canadian tourists busing to the States (Boston, notably) to take advantage of the rising loonie. It is recommended to travel during the weekday and remember: goods acquired during same-day trips are exempt from personal tax or something like that.

AND if you are planning that trip to the States but are worrying over that passport, only flights over to America require one. Travels by land or sea are still passport-free. Thank goodness. Though if you are like me, you carry your passport around everywhere anyways so that doesn't really apply.

Also, King Tut's face has for the first time been revealed to the public. He's now on public display in Luxor, in the Valley of the Kings, if you ever want to see it for yourself. I don't know about you but I would love to go back. So if you require a travelling buddy that you would love to also pay for, give me a call!

Anyways I was catching up on the Hamilton news and it feels good to be back in the loop again, if only by a little bit.

If you are also in Hamilton and are free for the next few weekends, this Saturday in front of the Copps Coliseum from 10 am-2 pm and 5 pm-7 pm the radio station Y108 will be handing out tickets to the Hamilton Music Awards for every 5 non-perishable food item donated to the food bank, for a maximum of 6 tickets per person (30 foods). The Hamilton Music Awards, held Nov 18 (next Sunday), will be hosted by two people from "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" and sounds like an overall good time! So free tickets that are otherwise $30 for something we should all be doing anyways sounds like a good deal to me!

Alright, back to the laundry.