I should have been a pair of ragged claws

Which means I'm pretty much awesome.
I still have a lot left to write for the story, but I hit 50,000 words on November 28th- two whole days to spare!
I'm pretty proud of myself.

Everything in Montreal is going swimmingly. I've made a couple friends/reconnected with old friends, and Marc and I are doing awesome-ly. I think we are seeing his dad either tomorrow or Friday. Which is awesome since we've only seen him once since I've been here!

Today Marc bought me my train ticket to go home for the holidays. SO UNBELIEVABLY PUMPED!!! The only way that it would be more awesome would be if Marc were coming home with me. But it's too expensive and his family doesn't really celebrate anyways. At least I will be home in time to celebrate New Year's/our anniversary. I'm leaving Montreal on the 13th, will be coming back on the 28th.
This is the first time in seven years that I won't have to work on Christmas Eve, Christmas day or Boxing day. So I actually get to spend the whole holiday with my family! So awesome.

Though I do hope to find a job when I get back. Hopefully I'll be working by the end of January, at the very least. *prays to the employment gods*

Alright, not much else to report. If you read this, recommend a book for me to buy with my Christmas money!

The person in the apartment above us is watching something completely epic. I think it's either Pirates of the Carribean, or Lord of the Rings. (Pretty sure it's Pirates.) The volume is so loud, I can feel the vibrations in my bed. It's okay though. They're being epic, and epicness requires apartment-shaking levels of volume.

I'm doing NaNoWriMo again. This time, though, I actually started on time, instead of November 13th. It's going pretty well so far. Today, the word goal was 8335, and I'm at 8860. I'll probably write some more before bed, too. I like Nano. Gives me something to focus on. My novel is a coming-of-age story about a lonely kid in a new town, whose only friend is a ghost girl. It started off good, is a little draggy in the middle, then got good again. I can't wait to edit in December.

NOVEMBER IS FOR WRITING.
DECEMBER IS FOR EDITING.

(repeat. repeat. repeat.)

Tomorrow, if it is sunny out, Marc and I are going to go for a walk to get bubble tea, then walk up Mount Royal and wander the trails. Pumped.

Yep, that's about it.

This is my third week living in Montreal.

Things I have learned about Montreal thus far:

* there is no "safe" time to go grocery shopping! The stores are completely nuts at all times of the day and night
* everyone here is well dressed.
* people are crazy drivers.
* most people are bilingual, which is helpful for me. However, the fact that I am NOT bilingual severely limits my job opportunities.
* the amount of crazies in a city is directly proportionate to to the size of the city.... Montreal is a big city...
* the French like fountains. And ponds, And statues. Even more, they like to combine fountains, and ponds, and statues.
* even on the mildest of days, the wind absolutely howls when you're on the ninth floor.

All of this is true.

 

Also, when I was walking to the grocery store today, I saw an advertisement for a John William Waterhouse exhibit at the Musee de Beaux Arts! So much love.

It's been a really, really long time since I've written here.

I moved to Montreal about a week and a half ago.
It's been pretty good so far. Mine and Marc's apartment is really nice. It's small but not too small, and we have a pool and a great view of the city.

I'm powerfully homesick today though.
It's not really culture shock, but it's weird being in such a big city, and not speaking the dominant language. Most people here speak English too, which is such a relief for me, but getting a job is going to be pretty difficult. I miss my friends and family.

I'm excited for November, for nanowrimo. it will be nice to have something to concentrate on, to take my mind off of being homesick.

Sigh.

Is eating my brain.
 

I started too late. Much, much too late.
Like. Two weeks too late.
 

BUT I WILL FINISH GOD DAMMIT.

*bangs head off desk*

Halifax, Nova Scotia
Montreal, Quebec
Ottawa, Ontario
Victoria, British Columbia

In about a year's time, one of these places is getting a large dose of Tanya-n-Marc action.

Tanya: Who would you rather be real, Jesus or Santa Clause?
Marc: Santa! Because if it's Jesus, we've got a lot of explaining to do.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The accomplishment you're trying to pull off is daunting, perhaps because you know that its completion will start a chain reaction and your life will never be the same. Let that idea motivate you to march on.


I started writing a novel last week. Weird.

June 1st, I am moving into a beautiful house on Dougall with Lee, Sean and my god daughter Emma-Noel.
This will be a perfect fresh start.
It's time to forget nostalgia, and everything I have held back over the past few years.
I am going to breathe easy.

The house is great.
Big dining room and living room, small kitchen.
Two sunrooms, one for Lee's art studio, one for my den/study/writing room.
Gigantic bathroom with a bathtub big enough for two =)
Beautiful antique furniture (Marc says its just old, what does he know!)
Cucumber green room for me.
Garden patch outside. Planting red, green, orange, yellow bell peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, etc.
Maybe a raspberry patch too.
Also, mini tree and a bird bath right out front of the big old porch.

Je suis exciting.
Fuck everything else.

I can't believe people actually spend money to go get facials and pedicures.
I just did my own, at home, for free!

Pedicure scrub:
Palm full of sea salt
Palm full of brown sugar
Bunch of white sugar
Olive oil, add to reach desired consistency (lots if you like a loose scrub, little bit if you like thick scrubs)
Almond oil for scent.

Mix together, smear all over legs and feet, rub away the dry skin, and rinse well.
Pat dry, apply lotion or body butter, and revel in your smoothness.

Facial Scrub:
Brown sugar
Olive oil

Same idea as above, but less abrasive on sensitive facial skin.

Honey Mask:
Tablespoon of Honey

Warm in microwave, slather all over, wait 10-15 minutes.
Rinse off with warm and then cool water. Apply your regular moisturizer.
Moisturizes and tightens pores, and makes your skin super smooth.
Also helps your skin absorb your regular moisturizer.

I don't know about you, but I totally think that spending 13 hours straight studying, with only a total of about 3 hours in breaks, is definitely the best way to spend my Tuesday night.


I don't have feeling in my body.

Feeling super nostalgic today.
Thinking about the house and friendships passed.
Thinking about how I don't get to spend enough time with my best friend, and with my boyfriend.

Things will be better when I get time off from school. I will make them better.

In other news, I got my hair done today, and it is absolutely fabulous.
Be jealous.

Yesterday: On campus 10am - 4pm, work 5pm - 12:30am.

Today: On campus 10am - 7pm, (work on essay 12pm - 4pm,) on call for work 8pm - 12:30am.

Tomorrow: At mom's boyfriends for Easter 12pm - 7pm, visit with Lee and Sean? Sleep at Marc's.

Saturday: Hang out with Marc, work 5pm - 12:30am. Sleep at Marc's.

Sunday: Marc gives drum lesson 1pm - 2pm, on call for work 6pm - 12:30am.

Monday: On campus 10am - 4pm, maybe visit with Lee and the baby at my dads?

Tuesday: On campus 10am - 1pm. Work 5pm - 12:30am.

Wednesday: On campus 10am - 4pm, essay due at 2:30pm.

Thursday: On campus 10am - 7pm, 7pm on = Free time!


One whole week from this point, I get some time to myself!

I'm pretty god damn tired.

I spent too much of my Reading Week watching the Tudors, and not enough time doing actual reading.

Je suis le fucked.



I can't wait for this semester to be finished.

All that stands between me and Spring Break is about 32 hours.

Thank fucking God.

I was born at the wrong time.
I miss 150-200 years ago.

Modern times are sad times. Whatever happened to decorum? To romance? To morals?

I haven't updated for real in forever.

Today I talked to an academic adviser about applying to do my M.A.
She was very nice and helped me figure out which courses I need to take, but she had to send me to the English Department graduate adviser to answer my more specific questions.
The adviser sent me to the secretary, who sent me to the new graduate coordinator, who is on leave right now?
I bounce bounce bounce between people and nothing gets done.
Sigh.

I don't know if I even want to do my M.A.  I'm mostly applying so my parents will be happy and so that I won't regret not doing it in ten years. And a lot because I can't really think of anything else to do.

I hope I don't have to go back to upgrade my marks because if that happens I just might have to tear my hair out.

I just want to be happy. I don't even care about getting a high paying job anymore. I want a nice place with Marcmallow with plants and cats and guinea pigs and big overstuffed chairs and a nice garden. I want to ride my bike to work every day, and I want to travel. I want to read books that I choose, instead of assigned reading all the time. I want to write a novel and take more pictures. If I can do all these things, I will consider my life successful.

I had a good weekend though. Full of newborn goddaughter goodness (Emma-Noel > you) and sushi and No Country for Old Men (fabulous) and the best boyfriend I could ever hope for.

Plus I won an iPod Touch from work and it came in today. Maybe this week will be better than the last.

Tanya-Shaped: What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss? says:
we should have lots of plants
Tanya-Shaped: What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss? says:
i want lots of plants, a spice rack and an herb garden
The message you cite also mentions that baking a ham basted with Coca-Cola produces a delicious gravy -- says:
I want a tanya with a tanya, with a dean rack and a tanya
The message you cite also mentions that baking a ham basted with Coca-Cola produces a delicious gravy -- says:
omg that's yoU!

My boyfriend and I are looking to adopt two *young* female guinea pigs.
But we would prefer to adopt from a breeder or a cavy rescue, as opposed to a pet shop.
(Pet shops aren't the best place to buy from; they often do not offer proper care to the animals, and sometimes guinea pigs are sexed wrong so the buyer may end up receiving a pregnant little piggie (which we hope to avoid!))

Please let me know if you know of any good places to buy a little guinea pig!