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Tuesday, March 27th, 2007
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6:06 pm - Wells, here come da summer
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The plans are pretty much in motion now. We're gonna roadtrip up to Whitehorse, and then I'm gonna stay up there for the summer. I need to get the eff away from the city for a while, and I've always wanted to spend a summer up there. It would be stupid of me to pass up an opportunity like this. On the way there, we're gonna go backpacking up to this waterfall, should be awesome, never been on a real roadtrip before, I'm so excited! Got a couple of concerts coming up in April, and the Sasquatch music fest in Washington at the end of May featuring... The Beastie Boys and Bjork. After that, we're heading up north. If all goes as planned, I should be back in Calgary to visit for a coupla weeks in August, which I'm really excited for.
I'm going completely crazy lately between school and work and this city, but having these plans is making it bearable.
Can't wait to see you guys.
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| Wednesday, March 14th, 2007
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1:28 pm - Same shit, different pile.
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Well, I've discovered that stuff is pretty much the same no matter what city you're in. I'm not sorry I moved here, I've met some great people, and done some cool stuff, but I really miss the sun, and all I wanna do is lay in my hammock in the sun up on the hill at the cabin and take a nap. I'm supposed to go camping on the island on Easter weekend, and I just keep thinking about how I wish I was going with you guys.
I am glad I moved here, I 've had some good experiences, but sometimes i just want to get back to my comfort zone, you know?
My friend Margi is going up to the Yukon for the summer, and I'm going to drive up with her and fly back after a couple of weeks, but I'm tempted just to stay up there for the summer, maybe do some tree-planting for a couple of months, make some good money, come back to Calgary for a couple of weeks before school starts and go camping, float down the Bow, etc.
I just feel so restless, like I'm trapped inside my own head. I'd almost be tempted to just stay up north and live in a shack, far far way from civilization.
The ocean and the mountains here are really nice, but I actually miss the rockies, and foothills and even the prairie, and all you guys and my family. I almost feel like an orphan here.
Well, we'll see what the summer brings, I just get so restless in the spring. I want to go everywhere, and learn everything. At least if I stay in Van, I'll get lots of kayaking and climbing done this summer. I really feel like I just need to go be in the woods all summer though. One more year of school, then I can fall off the face of the earth, I just really need to complete my stupid useless degree.
I really miss you guys, and hope to see you all soon.
current mood:  drained
current music: something by Bjork
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| Monday, March 5th, 2007
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12:29 pm
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So, after spending a winter in Vancouver, I've come to realize the value of wearing rubber boots - however, I refuse to retract my statement that wearing pink ones with flowers and crap on them is retarded. It is... so retarded. They're starting to evolve. I saw a pair with two-inch heels today. What the fuck do you do with heels on a rubber boot? It sure doesn't look good, and it's ceased to have any function. Arggghh... stupid people piss me off.
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| Tuesday, February 6th, 2007
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9:00 pm - You know the drill...
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1. Vacate is the word. Vengeance has no place for me or her, Cannot find the comfort in this world.
2. It must have broke your lonely heart when the boys used to say, "you look better in the dark".
3. I've never known a girl like you before...
4. Lights go out and I can't be saved, tides that I try to swim against,
5. I see you in the street as you walk on by, make me wanna hang my head down and cry.
6. No one knows what it's like to be the bad man, to be the sad man.
7. I am a big man, yes I am, and I've got a big gun.
8. Mississippi delta, shining like a Nashville guitar.
9. There are places I remember, all my life, though some have changed.
10. Rape me, rape me my friend. Rape me, rape me again. (pretty big hint!)
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| Saturday, January 20th, 2007
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5:44 pm - Whistler!
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It's been a crazy couple of weeks. When I haven't been working or in school, I've been in the mountains either skiing or snowshoeing.I'm so fuggin' tired, but it's been awesome. School's been a bit neglected, but it's been worth it. This is my first attempt at posting pics, so we'll see if this works, if not, can someone please tell me how? The first one should be of the back of my friend Marleen's head as we set out to snowshoe in the meadow at Mt. Seymour, so much snow! The others are from our trip to Whistler today. We left the city at 6:30 AM, cross-country skied all day, and booted it to Van. It was my first trip to Whistler, (and my first digital camera) so I'm a little excited. Hope these pics work.
/Users/leahblunden/Pictures/Kodak Pictures/01-20-2007/000_0004_1.JPG/Users/leahblunden/Pictures/Kodak Pictures/01-20-2007/000_0008.JPG/Users/leahblunden/Pictures/Kodak Pictures/01-20-2007/000_0013.JPG/Users/leahblunden/Pictures/Kodak Pictures/01-20-2007/000_0022.JPG/Users/leahblunden/Pictures/Kodak Pictures/01-20-2007/000_0018.JPG/Users/leahblunden/Pictures/Kodak Pictures/01-20-2007/000_0014.JPG/Users/leahblunden/Pictures/Kodak Pictures/01-20-2007/000_0013.JPG/Users/leahblunden/Pictures/Kodak Pictures/01-20-2007/000_0014.JPG/Users/leahblunden/Pictures/Kodak Pictures/01-20-2007/000_0018.JPG
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| Saturday, January 6th, 2007
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12:35 am - Back in Gloomtown
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I arrived back in Vancouver at 11:30 PM on Wednesday, the unfortunate thing being that I had to work at 8:30 the next morning.
So I went to work, dragged my ass all day, felt homesick and really, really tired. Got off work at 4:30, was about to go home and drown my sorrows in some junk food and bad TV, when my friend Marleen called and asked if I was still going to the snowshoe running thing with her. I was way too tired, but I decided I'd better start the new year off on the right foot.
So we drove up to one of the local mountains, about a 45 minute drive from my place, and it was beautiful. We got there just in time, strapped on these special snowshoes for running, and hit the trails with the running group. It was so worth it. My energy picked up the second we hit the mountains, and it was a beautiful clear night. The moon was almost full, and the stars were brilliant. The trees here are huge, and when they're covered in snow, they're absolutely breathtaking.
Now, running is hard, and snowshoeing is hard, so you can imagine the combination. It was so awesome though. We're going to go every Thursday night.
This evening a bunch of us from work went up to another one of the local mountains to go on a 2&1/2 hour snowshoeing tour. This time we just walked. It was amazing. The snow we walked on was 9 feet deep in some places, and we just walked through the forest at night, and stopped at the lodge for hot chocolate and cookies.
Unfortunately, the weather wasn't as cooperative as last night, and we barely made it up the hill in the car. When we went to leave, the car wouldn't start, and one carload of us ended up taking the snow shuttle all the way back to downtown, which took over an hour. I didn't get home until after midnight, but it was totally worth it.
I was sort of dreading coming back, seeing you guys made me remember how much I missed everyone, and I was totally bummed out. But getting out and doing this stuff made me feel much better (not to mention sore). Vancouver is actually pretty cool at times, and the mountains are gorgeous. Maybe it won't be so bad living here. : )
I can't wait for people to come visit.
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| Saturday, November 25th, 2006
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8:40 pm - It's Snoooowwing!!!
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Didn't realize how much I missed it until I saw it, so purty.
Still not allowed to drink tap water - getting a little ridiculous.
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| Monday, November 20th, 2006
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4:08 pm
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*sigh* still no clean water... 4 days and counting. The water's only mildly discoloured at my place, I guess it was pretty bad at Steve's for a couple of days - really brown and gross.
My week of paper-writing madness is over and all I want to do is sleep or be high and watch movies, but I gotta prepare for finals or it'll be another week of hellish cramming, and I DO NOT want to go through that shit again. Ah well, I totally do it to myself.
Here's hoping the water's safe to drink within a couple of days. It gives you only a tiny tiny taste of what it must be like for people in the third world - at least we have tap water and the means to boil it easily, even the coffee places have adjusted now, thank god. It's really not that bad, it could be a heluva lot worse.
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| Thursday, November 16th, 2006
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5:48 pm
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Wow,
it actually didn't rain for most of today, will tonight though. Even saw the sun for a little while this morning.
It rained so much all the resevoirs overflowed, and parts of Vancouver have to boil their water. Parts of West Van had to be evacuated because the wind was so strong it was knocking over trees, and thousands of people on the island have been without power since yesterday.
Craaaazy.
I have never seen so much rain in my whole life, the storm drains were overflowing this morning, it's a good thing it stopped for a while, or I'd be boarding the ark right now.
How's the weather in Calgary been?
I've been doing homework ALL week, and am about to go CRAZY! My brains are turning to mush, and I'm gonna hafta unwind or explode this weekend. After tomorrow, all I have to worry about is exams, which start in two weeks.
AAAAAIIIIIGGGGHHH!!!!!!
Feel slightly better now.
Can't wait to come out for Christmas, it's looking like a holiday to me right now. Can't wait to see you guys and have some holiday revelry.
The Bay had Christmas decorations up before Halloween. May I just say, fuck them.
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| Sunday, November 5th, 2006
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1:42 am - Voulez vous couchez avec moi?
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That was so weird. I just came from a party at my friend Olivier's place, and about 80% of the people there were French. It was a really strange experience. He's from Quebec, Quebec proper mind you, none of this Anglo-friendly Montreal stuff. Most of the people there were either from Quebec or France. They were nice, and talked to me in English as well, but just listening to 20 people speaking french was totally different than anything I've ever been exposed to. I kind of got a sense of what it must be like for people new to Canada, who can't communicate with those around them. Fuck, I've never even seen that many Francophone people together before. Weeeird. Totally made me want to brush up on my Spanish though. If they can speak two-three languages, I should make the effort to get more fluent in my "second" language.
Yeah, it's been raining for 4 days straight. Everyone here has warned me that November is the suicide-gloomy-nothing-but-rain-month. Everything from my knees down is soaked all the time, but it's like 13 degrees out. If that's the price I have to pay for warm weather, then so be it. I think I can get used to it.
I'll be back for Christmas early on Dec 23rd, and leaving stupid-early on the 31st. I know some of you will be in BC for Christmas, but hopefully I'll get to see everyone before I leave. I miss you guys, and I'm totally psyched about coming home. It's like a movie or something--I've always wanted to come home for Christmas.
See ya soonish.
current mood: Damp
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| Monday, October 16th, 2006
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6:57 pm - A memo to all hipster girls everywhere:
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The wearing of rubber boots with knee high socks is hereby forbidden in any vicinity where I might chance to be, on account of the fact that wearing rubber boots for the sake of style is so stupid it makes my head explode.
Thank you.
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| Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006
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10:22 pm
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You wanna know how I realized I'm comfortable and settling in to my new place?
I'm neurotically checking the stove elements after I'm done cooking.
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| Wednesday, September 27th, 2006
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10:06 pm - *sniff sniff*
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I'm sick, and there's no one to take care of me. Booerns.
It's prolly partly my own fault. I've been fighting this thing off for weeks, and last night Steve and I went drinking with Coop. That sent me over the edge. It was fun though, got nice and drunk, smoked up by the water, and walked along the docks until 2 AM. It was good to see Coop.
Two down, now the rest of you guys need to come visit.
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| Tuesday, September 19th, 2006
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10:51 am - Goodbye, West 32 and Creepy!
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Well, I found a new place. It's still a room in a house, but it's far less freepy. It's only about a ten minute bus ride from school, and it's only one bus to there and work. (from here it's two buses to both places) It's also right on the busline to downtown, so it's pretty convenient to get anywhere. It's also a lot closer to the I'm a history major ('cause she's really interested in that) and the fact that I'm from Alberta. She asked me where I was from, and when I told her she looked relieved. She said that they've had a lot of boarders from Alberrta and she always likes them because they're really down-to-earth, laid back people. I put the deposit and October's rent down yesterday, so now I just have to wait 11 days to move in. I can't wait. Only problem is, I'm afraid to tell these people I'm leaving. I guess I'll kind of have to figure it out. I'm sure it'll work out. I can't wait to get the fuck outta here.
It's nice to have Russ in town. He ran around with me while I met with the woman who owns the place, then went to the bank to get the money, went back to give her the money, then we went downtown for Japanese food. All of y'all have to come out to visit.
The rain is starting up, and I'm beginning to get a sense of what it'll bee like this winter. I'm going to miss the sun so much. I'll have to get a sun machine to keep me happy.
Talk to y'all later.
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| Sunday, September 10th, 2006
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2:39 am
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Today was the first day since I've been here that's been gloomy. It was a welcome change from the unbearable heat. Vancouver always smells like skunk, or weed, or some kind of weird ethnic food, or a combination of the above. The homesickness is passing. School's going well, it's huge. The student population is something like 30 000.
I've got my MEC orientation on Monday. It'll be good to meet people, I don't really meet people through school. I think I'll be looking for a new place for October on account of this place's creepiness factor. We'll see how things go.
I guess I feel like I live here now though, which is... weird.
I still cheer for Calgary teams though.
Go Stamps Go!
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| Monday, September 4th, 2006
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12:18 am - My phone number is 778-238-9814
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So yeah, I finally joined the rest of the world and got a cell. I have a plan with long distance, so feel free to call, it won't cost me much unless I go over my minutes.
I got the job at MEC apparently, it's gonna be kind of gay, but meh, it's only part-time during school. It's money coming in anyways.
The cure for homesickness is getting righteously drunk at a gay bar. I went to that barbeque with Steve last night and it evolved into going to a bar after already being quite drunk. We got on the bus to go downtown, and it was packed with people going to the bar, we drank beer on the bus and no one even noticed. It helped me acclimate to my new city to get really drunk in public then dance all night, and catch a cab home. I felt better, though i missed my orientation for school today on account of me being really hungover. But things are settling down here, school starts on Tuesday, and I'm looking forward to it.
Nighty-night everyone.
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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| Saturday, September 2nd, 2006
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7:02 pm - no job yet
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The MEC here is really gay, everyone has they're own department that they work in, and they're only hiring for cash and clothing right now. I FUCKING HATE CLOTHING!!! Hate it more than newborn babies! Plus, it's all on one floor, and lacking a laid-back vibe, and they may be looking for people who can work more hours. Well, fuck them, there's lots of other places to work in this town--hopefully.
I just got back from the island for the second time this week. My Dad, Auntie Lori, and her boyfriend Jeff were there working on my Grandma's new house because she's recovering from a very serious heart attack she had in June. so I spent a couple of days out there this week -- took a two hour ferry ride four days in a row, but it was worth it to see some familiar faces, and to see how my grandma was doing. She looks so frail, it's sad. but she's just the same tough lady as always, so that's good.
I rode the ferry and got a ride home with my Dad today, he bought me a stuffed otter on the boat. It was all I could do not to run upstairs and grab my shit and go back to Calgary with him. I was sad to see him go. I had to go pet the dog who lives here for comfort. (her name is Kat, she's huge and old, and so sweet)
I have my orientation for school tomorrow, it goes all day and is probably going to be heli-boring, but I need it, the school is too fucking huge to find my way around without it.
Well, I'm going to a barbeque at one of steve's friend's places, meet new people, blah blah blah.
Now that you're all caught up on the boring details of my life, I'll talk to you guys later.
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| Friday, September 1st, 2006
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12:35 am - I'm here, or something
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Hey guys,
I'm lonely in this huge fucking city, and I'm living with people I don't know who could be crazy. I need to get my msn up and running, so can you guys please post your msn id's and add me to your friends' lists? I'm pheonix0420@yahoo.ca
More later, i had an extremely long day and I'm exhausted. Things are well for the most part, I'm just homesick. It'll get better. hope you guys are all well, and Jen, good luck with whatever changes you are making, all the best.
-Leah
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| Tuesday, November 22nd, 2005
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11:16 am
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Well, I started my training at MEC yesterday. I have to say I think working there will be pretty awesome. Man, they have these new shopping bags made of corn syrup that decompose in 40 days. They have like, 5 different kinds of recycling bins in the break room, and compost bins and everything. The building is run on windpower. It's the most hippy job ever. I can borrow tents and climbing gear for free, and rent pretty much anything else, like kayaks, canoes, snowshoes, skis, for $5. They also ship in this organic coffee for the staff room, and get milk, cream, and soy milk delivered every week. There's 2 fridges, 2 microwaves, and a stove and a toaster oven. It's so freakin' better than any other place I've ever worked. Also, for those of you who were there the day I bought that organic dark chocolate, they have some organic dark hot chocolate mix. I so wanna buy some. It's prolly so good. Mmmmmmmm. Anyways, I'm pretty excited about working there. They have field courses where they take staff out and show them how to do stuff. I could learn to snowboard or something. Ha! Kodiak seems like such a dump now.
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| Tuesday, November 15th, 2005
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1:57 pm
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Well, I found out why I haven't gotten my money from the student loans office. Apparently it's because I didn't include a reciept with my new rent on it. I specifically asked the women at the financial aid office at school if I should include it, and I even had my lease with me to copy it, and they said not to worry about it. So now, because of some crappy advice, it's going to take 4-6 weeks still for them to process it, if they even give it to me.
I'm just so sick of being poor. I have $10 to last me until next thursday, and most of that paycheque is going to rent. I might have $30 or so for food. I just feel like every time I do something, I get defeated. I just wish I even had money to go out for a beer now and then. Arrrrrgghhh!
Mostly I'm just pissed because it wasn't really my fault. If those ladies at school knew what they were doing, I'd probably have my money by now.
Sorry this sounded so whiny, I just wanted to get this crap off my chest.
I'm going back to bed.
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