Star Wars

So recently my addiction with Star Wars has been re-awakened. This normally happens about once a year, though mostly when they have the Star Wars movie marathons on TV. I've watched all the movies and moved onto the animated TV show, which is actually surprisingly good. Unfortunately, the site I was using only shows the first three episodes from each season, and I've gone through all of them...

So yeah, if anyone knows of a site I can watch the rest, without having to pay, download or risk infecting my computer, that would be great! I always have bad luck when it comes to streaming stuff.

Also on Thursday, or maybe Friday, I'll try to post some of my concrete poetry, if I can manage to either save it from school or take a picture when I get home. I'm actually fairly proud of what I've created so far.

Laziness and Poetry

I tried to update the blog this morning, but for some reason Blogger wasn't working. It's running fine now though! I wrote several small poems for school a few days ago, so I'll share them now. They're not my best work, I know, but I seem to have trouble writing small things.

For some background, the first three poems are Tankas, which are traditional Japanese poems similar to Haikus, but a bit longer.  The final three poems are much more modern and came about because of Twitter. You basically have to write a poem in 140 characters or less.

That was a venti

decaf two thirds sweet no foam

one and a half shot

one ninety degree skinny

peppermint mocha with whip

when the late sun sets,

the winter winds start to gust,

and heat drains away,

that is the magical time

when frappuccinos come out.

sickly sweet syrup

steaming milk and grinding beans

overflowing pots

and crash there goes the tower

of precarious dishes

One hundred and forty characters do not add up to much, so better not waste them on idle thought. I can write an inspirational quote or a beautiful rhyme. But here is the e-

The true meaning of sacrifice is going without a scarf in the middle of winter to make room for a book in your bag.

The smell of ink and untouched paper, the crack of a spine and smooth jacket under your fingers, the odd look from strangers as you bury your face in a book and sniff.

Fancy Words for Idiots

Hey guys! My mind was doing some wandering a few days ago, and a few fancy words popped into my head. Now I've been told that when I write, my 'voice' because rather formal, or fancy. For example, I used the word 'rather' instead of 'kinda.' I don't fall into text talk or anything of the sort, not even while texting. However, my generation and newer generations have unfortunately limited their vocabulary to the very basics. So let's start up 'Fancy words for Idiots'!

Adroit- You're like the Flash... for the mind!
Allure- Daaaamn, you're hot!
Amber- The colour of the traffic light you just went through
Buttocks- Dat ass
Celerity- to be fast, not the green vegetable
Dalliance- That hoe
Diaphanous- The type of clothing many girls wear to be 'sexy'
Elixer- That magical substance that makes you think you're immortal
Eloquent- Fancy shmancy talk
Epistle- A letter that uses your full name
Indolence- Living with your parents until you're thirty because it's easy
Memento- That guy's sweater you still wear even though he broke up with you five years ago
Memorabilia- That box of junk you forgot about but refuse to throw away
Mere- being in the Friendzone rather than a relationship
Nymphet- What most girls seem to see them selves as nowadays
Soufflé- Air cake
Talisman- That magical object that Indiana Jones taught you about
Voluminous- Yo mama

Work and School and Work

Oh hey, it's Friday! I've been getting lazy, sorry. Today was my first day in a seven day work week, at the end of which I get a break to go to school before I work one more day and then get Saturday off. Yay! I'm hoping by the end I'll be able to go see The Hobbit. Finally. By the pattern so far, probably not...

Anyway, nothing too new lately. I did get another Christmas present from my friend though. It's magnificent. And huge. It's about a metre wide and probably over a metre tall. I had to take down another poster to hang it up, and I'm still paranoid that it's going to fall. I' actually a wall scroll, so even heavier than a poster, and it's hanging by a single hook. But it's still awesome.

Look'a that! When I'm trying to sleep at night and open my eyes, if I'm facing it I actually have a mini heart attack because all I see is a large shadow looming over my bed... Apparently I forget that there's a wall there and automatically assume it's a person.

Norman/Norman

It's Tuesday! I nearly forgot... And I'm tired, so let's get back into the swing of me posting school work! It's a good thing I'm a creative writing student, or that would be very boring... Here is a quick poem I wrote for class. We were supposed to come up with an ancestor and write five lines with as much detail as possible, then the final line is supposed to link myself to the ancestor.

He stands straight as the mast of the ship beneath his feet,

calloused hands clasped behind his back and legs apart to stay balanced upon the rolling grey sea.

The steady wind tugs weakly at the snarled mess of a red beard and plucks at the hair dull with brine.

His blue gaze remains fixed on the speck of land in the distance

with narrowed eyes and the small grin of a conqueror before a conquest.

I wobble uncertainly on a moving bus, my eyes darting frantically about for landmarks on the route. 

University 101

I just finished my first day of university. I've been at college for the last few years, but it's not as impressive. So here, are a few tips on how to survive your first day.

1) Always arrive early. Like, over an hour. It'll give you time to explore, get lost, get unlost and find all the vending machines, bathrooms, water fountains, benches, staircases and other important things.

2) Start looking for class ten minutes before it starts. It'll give you just enough time to get there when they take attendance, so you can walk in just as your name is being called. Wait outside for a few seconds for the perfect effect.

3) If you ignored the previous tip and arrive to class twenty minutes early, stand outside awkwardly as you try to decide if the people currently in the room or from your class or the class before. It's okay, other people will assume that you're waiting and will wait with you, therefore making it even more awkward when you all realize you could have been in the class ten minutes ago.

4) Make sure you get a snack during your break. Of course, the best place to go is that super popular coffee place all across campus that has a permanent line. It must be good if the wait is fifteen minutes.

5) If the only two vending machines either don't accept bills or are full of diet pop, find a different vending machine. Coke Zero is nasty.

6) Don't say anything on your first day in class. Get a feel for how the professor is first, then decide what type of participation mark they give. No participation needed? Perfect, you can act like you don't care.

7) If you're in an English or Creative Writing class, bring a smart looking book to 'read'. Don't worry, you can actually play on your phone. Just having the book on your desk will impress people and make them think that you actually read things like that.

8) Make sure all your electronics are charged. And on silent, of course. But most importantly charged.

9) Feel confident in your bussing skills. Nothing says loser like someone asking for directions. Get on the first bus that arrives and see where it takes you. It'll be like an adventure.

10) When someone asks you how your first day when, smile, nod and say you can't wait for more. Don't worry, they don't actually care.


((Note: Please know this is a joke and not to be taken seriously.))

De-Plagued

I am just about healthy! If you ignore the tissue currently stuffed up my nose to keep it from running... But yay! I can go back to working more! Except that our hours have bee cut because apparently we were expected to make a full weeks worth of profit in the last couple weeks, when there were several days that we were open for only eight hours, or not at all... Work.

But school is going to start on Thursday! I'll post an update then. I did go for my orientation on Friday though, and my god, that school is beautiful. Even the neighbourhood is nice, kind of reminds me of my old high school. I'm sure my excitement will wear off in a couple weeks, after making the two hour commute there and back several times.

On a similar note, my friend started her first year at post secondary this semester! So proud of her. I'm also going to be graduating from my second year and getting my associates of arts in creative writing. Progress!

And that's pretty much it. My brain is still kind of in sick mode. Now to watch some Netflix.

I Carry The Plague!

So I have the flu. It's why I didn't post yesterday, and why I'm keeping it short today. It started right as I woke up on New Years day, and got worse during work. It started with a bad headache, which has not abated since. I had a bit of a sore throat, but it went away after I had something to drink. The most annoying has been my stomach though. I've restricted my eating because I'm constantly afraid that I'm going to throw up. Today I had an orange for breakfast, a slice of pizza for lunch (which I actually had to force down) and a small salad for dinner. I've been drinking a lot of ginger ale the last few days, which is quite a feat, since I hate ginger ale. Something about the taste of ginger. And to top it off, it's been very difficult to find people to take my shifts at work, because a couple of my co-workers would rather have a day off than relieve me. Luckily, I also have some really great co-workers who were able to help, even if it was impossible for them to completely take my shifts.

And before anyone asks, I'm fairly certain this isn't a cold. Normally my colds come on gradually and I can feel them. They come in stages, like a stuffy nose one day, a sore throat the next, then climax for about a day before pretty much vanishing. What I have came on very suddenly, with the first two symptoms being a headache and a stomach ache. The runny nose came later, and the sore throat is gone, not to mention I've barely had to cough. Lately I've been very cold. Earlier today I was wearing a shirt, a sweater, a winter jacket and a very thick robe, and I was still cold. I don't handle the cold well... The thing is, I haven't had a flu in many years. The last time was probably when I was very young, still in elementary school. So I guess I should be happy this is the first one I've had in a long time.

Anyway, it's 7:30. I think I might go to bed now.