August 2008 – Sam Was Here

So, wow. I have a lot to say.

First off, I love the new blog system. It all looks so cool and sleek! I heart blogging, so I am tres excited.

Secondly, Max and I have had a change of housing! We were originally all set up to be in Marine Drive, but thanks to the wonderful Janice Robinson, we’ve been moved to Fairview, where we can persue our dreams of year round housing and just a little bit more privacy. We move in tomorrow and I can’t stop smiling just thinking about it.

Thirdly, if it wasn’t obvious already, I got my loans. Yes, I am now, happily in debt and ready and able to pay for my second year.

Fourthly, I am completely psyched for year two. My classes look amazing and challenging, I am finally 19 and old enough to go to ALL the first week events, Max and I are going strong, and Vancouver is, most certainly, where I belong.

Speaking of Max and I going strong, our 1 year anniversary is Monday. This whole year has felt like the flash of a polaroid camera, a lifetime contained in an instant. I love him dearly and can’t believe how lucky I am. I’m not sure what we’ll do to celebrate (outside of going to thrift stores to find some dishes for our new home) but I know it’ll be great.

Stepping off the plane after arriving in Vancouver, I felt my heart skip a beat. Just the feeling of that cool air in my lungs let me know I was home, and I got that happy, skippy feeling that reminded me that I was an adult. I was on my own, in a commited relationship, heading towards my school, and my new home, and my future, and damn, I felt alive. That’s what UBC has done for me, made me feel alive.

So I know that that spirit may soon be squished by exams and work and chores and, well, life, but I know it’ll still be there, under the surface, making me realize how happy I am to be here.

So, hello, if you haven’t met me yet. It’s been too long, if you have, drop me a comment or facebook me, and I’ll show you the town. Let’s go year two!

Internet Itinerary

So while I have been spending most of my days waiting for my loans to process, I have also been applying for on campus jobs (via the fabulous UBC Careers Website), as well as scholarships (via Fastweb), while all of that is fine and dandy and neccessary I have also been spending some time on a few random websites that are worth a visit if you are stuck in the boredom of the pre-school wait. They are as follows:

Not Always Right (http://notalwaysright.com/) – This is basically a collection of funny/stupid customer quotes gathered from the workers of the world. Many of them are rather funny and it is quite easy to spend an hour clicking through their archives.
Improv Everywhere (http://improveverywhere.com/) – The concept of this site is a little difficult to explain, so I’ll just quote the “About Us” on the site: “Improv Everywhere causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places. Created in August of 2001 by Charlie Todd, Improv Everywhere has executed over 70 missions involving thousands of undercover agents. The group is based in New York City.” Basically, they gather a bunch of performers to do Improv in the streets of New York. Here’s my favorite mission so far: Frozen Grand Central.
Moodstream (http://moodstream.gettyimages.com/) – I am still not entirely sure what Moodstream is, but I can contest that it is inspiring. The basic idea is you enter how you are feeling and it presents pictures, videos, and sounds to match your mood. You can also have it pick you up or calm you down…it’s quite fun to play with.
Tontoko Family (http://www.eyezmaze.com/eyezblog_en/blog/2008/08/tontoko_family.html) – This is just a really strange game that is kind of like guitar hero, but with little people…again, hard to explain but worth checking out.
And, finally, The Girl in the Window (http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article750838.ece) – this isn’t a game or a cool website, it’s the story of a little girl who was discovered to be a “feral child” at age 7 after being found in a very abusive home. It is sad at times, but very well written and ends on a hopeful note. Well worth the read.

In happy news, Max and I have accepted an offer to live in Marine Drive Residence, in a studio unit. It is a bit small for two people (it comes with a twin bed) but I think we can find a way to manage. So soon you’ll be hearing what that’s like. This should be fun.