Trimmed To Travel

I've been (sketchily) following the BodyRock program, and doing some more walking and jogging. Tonight I've got a 2100h jogging date with some girls on my floor—night jogging, ready, okay!

I don't know what that was about—apparently I'm on a cheer squad, too…?

Couldn't hurt. For me, the hardest part is getting up to do the workouts—especially if I don't have to be up for a while. Hmph. Once I get past the first week, though, I'll be getting through it easier as it becomes a routine. Definitely looking forward to it!

On another note…I'm looking into going abroad again this summer (the travel bug seems to hit me around this time each year…). This summer it would be a working holiday to Ireland, for May-mid August. I'd be doing this via the SWAP program, and have a one-year visa to Ireland. The reason I'm holding off on France and the UK is simply because I don't want to only have three and a half months there—I want the full life of my visa. One year for France, two for UK.

I can see me living and working in Edinburgh, travelling up to Stirling and around Loch Ness, down to London, visiting the southern parts of the island…hmm.

I can equally see my self in France, perhaps back in the Bordeilles region that I was in last year.

I also considered Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, but I think Ireland would be the country I'd be most okay with visiting for only three months—especially since I've already been there. I've toured it, now I want to live it!

Consider It

I get really upset when people trash-talk my veganism. Yeah, it's a new development. No, it's not medical. Yeah, I chose to be this way. No, it's not because I'm a picky eater.

Honestly—you've got your beliefs, I have mine, There's a high chance you're religious. I'm not. There's a high chance you use animal byproducts. I don't. There's a high chance you watched bloody Disney as a child (at least in Canada). I didn't.

So what?

I don't bring up my feelings about organized religion, the animal industry or the Disney 'legacy' up all the time—and certainly not in offhand comments, bitching about people who don't share my views. If you bring it up, yeah, I'll say my piece. I don't like to instigate those discussions, though—not really polite dinner talk.

My issue is, I guess, with the people who think I'm somehow a joke because I do _____ differently. Who are you to say my bones will be shit in fifty years? Even if they are—what does that have to do with my milk intake? I get plenty of (more accessible) calcium in my diet. I bet I watch my intakes more than most!

How is it okay to ridicule me for my lifestyle? If I was allergic to whey, there wouldn't be an issue.

I'm frustrated tonight. I don't like those little 'harmless' comments. They hurt. So—as with everything—think about what you'll say, and who you're saying it to. For all you know, that smiling face could be a hurt, new-vegan, asexy gay woman who really wants to simply go about her shift in peace.

Finality

The final post, before I leave for a month. I'll be back…but right now, one of my favourite songs. It always reminds me of the Encounters With Canada crowd, and I think of them every time I hear/sing it. I'd like to believe I'm taking a bit of them with me. Plus, from a band I listened to in my childhood….

Also, for documentation's sake, here's a 'Before' photo, so we can compare the (potential) difference in a month:

Between me and the vast internet, I'm not one hundred percent sure I'm ready to leave. I guess it's too late to turn back now….

Wish me luck. I hope my camera, journal and mind is filled with France to share with you when we next speak. (Is this my version of 'Have a good life?!')

Criminally Good

So I've started watching White Collar again…I have to say, I like it more than…waitforit…The Big Bang Theory. I've been slowly chewing my way through that, but White Collar is so much more…. I guess I have a thing for crime shows. (CSI, CSI NY, Bones, Crossing Jordan, et cetera….) Speaking of Crossing Jordan, there's a show I should re-watch! I used to watch it every morning before work…hmm. Maybe I'll look into that after I'm done White Collar's four seasons.

Cool!

What's your favourite type of TV show to watch…?

The Lorax

I watched The Lorax today…wow. For a 'children's' movie, there is so much for adults! The standard bits of mature humour thrown in for us to chuckle at, but the political, environmental, moral views…wow. It's like a spruced up Aesop's fable for the short attention spans of today!

Can you tell I loved it?

What's your favourite children/hidden adult film?

Anniversary

I'm getting very, very excited…the anniversary of my EWC (Encounters With Canada) group is coming up…and there's so many things planned…! We're launching a blog on the first day, and a special #@%$^&*#)%( (I won't tell what it is!) will be put up on the last day, too. Plus each of us are doing special vlogs on our channel throughout the week, on the day we were originally prescribed.

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Yeah, it's a big deal.

Sister Of Mine

I've been thinking of my sister a lot today. Thinking of us through our (albeit short) lives so far.

When she was born, I was a stubborn little kid who firmly believed (don't laugh!) that sisters could only ever have little brothers. So, my new baby sibling had to be a brother. You can imagine my dismay when I saw for myself she was a…well…she. (In her honour, though, by the time my brother came around, I wanted another sister sooo badly, and I was convinced that the opposite of what you wanted came true, so I professed to wanting a brother. And I got…a brother.)

We (my sister and I) fought all the time when we were (younger) kids. I remember a few games we played, though…the most memorable being spin-offs of her favourite movie, Land Before Time blahdeblah (I still hate those!) and our favourite TV show that we both could stand—Jungle Run. Man, I miss that show…!

I remember some of the really good times, for me anyway. Like when I took a school project that was due, and turned it into a story for my sister. It was a dino story (stupid movie influence…!) about the first snow ever. For a nine-year-old's writing, it was pretty decent. And then there were photos of the 'snow' happening…I wonder if we still have it somewhere.

Our, or rather, her early years at school were difficult for us. We fought more than not, and she caught on pretty quick to my 'race you to school so we're there sooner' tactics. (I was sooooo smart!)

Her friends, too—I've rarely liked any of them. That's a whole barrel of oil I'm not opening now! I finally like one of the few she's got now. I didn't like her five years ago, but she's grown into her own, and I really like her. She's good for 'my girl.' And I even have them both on Skype (which makes me feel like an ancient relic!)