Booboo

There are usually a few preconditions to me writing one of these things:
1. That I am usually bored
2. That I am usually procrastinating
3. That I am usually alone/lonely

All of these things usually mean that I am not in the best of moods, I don't think I like being alone as much as I thought that I did (considering that I used to like being alone all of the time, I was happiest when I was housesitting alone).I don't like the feeling of procrastinating and not doing anything productive instead and I hate being bored.

Tonight I am all of those things, and so the topics that I have thought about writing about include: mortality, the storm and staying in to do homework on a Saturday night out of stubborness, perfectionism and exclusivity... None of which are particularily upbeat or happy, therefore, I am going to post a picture of the boo boo on my foot and call it an evening.

I hurt it on a nail sticking out of the hardwood in my room. Goodnight All.

music

I can get lost aurally. And I do often.

I can read things that I've heard someone speak before and hear the inflections of their voice, where they paused, the decibel change. I can listen to the same song by a different fiddle player or singer and hear the other's bow strokes or voice as clear as ever.

Somethings that I will never forget:

Stanza 5: Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night: Dylan Thomas
as read by Dylan Thomas
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

The Owl and the Pussy Cat: Edward Lear
As read by my Mom
"The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!'

The Night Before Christmas: Clement Clarke Moore
"'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;"

My once in a blue moon update

Once upon a time there was a girl. She was often accused of being a bit of a wimp, but on this particular day she defied the labels put upon her and proved her manli-ness. Maybe it was the adrenaline of a mad shopping spree, or perhaps it was the excitement of one of her girls coming into town, or possibly the sun was simply frying her brain, but she put in her 'giver teeth' and committed.

(Now that I've got you on the edge of your hopefully cushy and comfortable seat, I shall progress the rather unremarkable story)

Amy and I got matching nose piercings! (Anti-climatic? I think so).

Officially the geegiest picture ever taken.
Preparing for the pain...
... with a cylindrical glass tube inserted into one's nostril
The piercing goes in, the tube comes out, the eyes water like mad.
The finished product, post swelling.

Dick and Jane

Bryna goes camping in a neat park in the woods in early fall.

Her face is smiling but her head is not. Stupid whiskey.

She has a campfire. What big flames. What drunken rambling. Paper, rocks, scissors. She wins!

She returns to town. She goes to the Split Crow. There is a heaven.

Oh what fun. Beer and music.

(Sorry for the random update, I'm pretty tired, but procrasinating from bed. This is a bad omen)

BEST WEEKEND EVER?

I just came off of what was possibly the best weekend reaching back into time immeasurable.

Friday night, after a 4 hour drive that seemed like 2 (thanks to The Vinyl Cafe), arrived at Prince George. Went to the bowling alley where Natalie was frantically trying to contact me (seeing as how I was late). She hit me with the big news "Becky is here!" I was beyond excited at the prospect of spending a night on the town with those two. I'm not going to say that I've never been that excited to see anyone, but I was pretty excited to see Becky. I bet I hugged her like 18,000 times before I really believed that she was there. I had never been out with the Nat, Becks, Lynnette, or Kyla before (not for lack of trying). I had also never been to the Caddilac sober before, so it was an education as to how the "beer goggles" impair your vision of the suitability of set-up ability of the opposite sex for your friends (not that I was at all interested... No sarcasm, but I was looking for my friends) but more so impair your standards on clean bathrooms (even before the night really even got going, I would not have gone in there without Martha Stuart right on my heels). We had all sorts of crazy shots for Nat. Anyways, the dancing was great, the band was great. And then, out of nowhere, the second absolutely wonderfully fantastic thing happened. I turn from dancing with Nat to shoot a mean look at the guy who was pulling me into a fast country dance, only to find a grinning familiar face! Norm! We sashay around the floor, spinning all the while before I was swung into the arms of another man. TJ! Before the dance was over, I had been traded from all of my favorite two steppers, a trend which continued all night. The Caddy always seems like a flurry of activity simply because decent girls to dance with are far outnumbered with decent guys.

The night ended in high style with Nat and I making the hour long trek back to her house. We had planned on cabbing, but the night was too fresh and the alcohol made everything seem warmer and more safe (anyone who knows Prince would be a bit worried when they hear of the route we took!).

Saturday morning Becks and I went for breakfast (Nat was too tired, after having an hour and a half of sleep due to being a mom!). We finally got the chance to catch up on the other person's life. It was, as usual, the most enjoyable companionship.

Next off was a birthday party for the 3 Grahams. TJ and I got there late, but were just in time for cake (and to meet another Dal student). Then we all went out to Dana's cabin for some veggie dogs, Keiths, dancing on the porch (and dock, and bow of Ian's boat...), booze cruise, and being piggy backed around and nearly falling down the embankment. We (Greg, Kristina, TJ, Schuyler, Norm (and his girlfriend), Dana, Darci, Lisa, Dana's 3 roomates, and eventually Adam (though this is more word of mouth, as I remember very little of his presence) all fell asleep scattered through the cabins. Me, on a double bed, just friends spooning with Kristina.

The next morning, I felt a bit sick, but did decide to hit the road with Greg and Kristina, with plans of 4x4ing with Kris, but instead we were toured around Kris' farm with an insane amount of really cool animals. Kris' mom takes animals in that are very old, or sick, or that people just dont want. (For those that it interests (mostly me), there were like 15 cats there! Some siamese, some fluffy and white, and 2 with extra toes, no kittens though!!!) After we left the fun really started! We got to Quesnel and somehow I was convinced to get on a motor bike. WHICH WAS THE FUNNEST THING THAT I HAVE EVER DONE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!! We zipped around the track so many times, and I couldn't stop smiling. I followed Steve (Greg's Dad) for so long and he said that I caught on so quickly. He said that I had my knee like 2 inches from the ground on one of the corners. I wiped out once, and may have sprained my thumb, but I had no urge to stop. I could have kept riding all day. I can't stop thinking about how much fun it was. I don't know how I can incorporate motorbiking into my summer, but I am going to try so hard. I honestly get all excited when I think about it!!!!!!!! :)

After that we had dinner, headed back into town, and then G, K and I went to the drive in. We turned the 4runner into a sweet recliner and watched Surf's Up (the Penguin movie) and some of Spider Man 3 (I saw "some of" because I had no urge to watch it again, and was asleep before the credits were over). The next morning (this is Monday for those who are keeping track), I decided to stay in Prince George for a couple of days, and went for breakfast with TJ and Adam. Then TJ had to leave so Adam and I went to Bear Lake and layed on the beach and sipped Japanese beer from a brand new Nalgene bottle (and went swimming and didn't even contract swimmer's itch... yet...) Then I headed on my way back home, with a heavy heart (and foot, I totally made my personal best time home). I nearly hit 2 bears. When I finally got into my house I took out my contacts and watched a episode (or two) of Lost before falling exhaustedly into bed after the best weekend of the summer for sure.

I'll post pictures when Adam the thief decides to give back my camera, or whenever Kristina sends me the disk.
I hope your weekend was as good as mine!

Sky Rider (A Girl and Her Horse)

Living on a farm, it is easy to become a bit desensitized to the death of your animals/pets. It hasn't began to be substantially more easy as I age, but I have begun to understand life a bit better. It wasn't always so though, and definetely isn't so for a 7 year old.

Our old horse Danny-Boy died yesterday. Danny was nearly 20 years old and had taken me faithfully on many trail rides and waited patiently while I got up countless times after falling off. He stood quietly while I cinched up the saddle too tight, while I learned how to tie his lead to a fence post, while I cleaned his hooves. He stewarded me across creeks and fields time and time again always slowing down when he felt me losing balance or growing tense. Hearing Mom say that he did instantly brought tears to my eyes and a frog to my throat.

Caylee, Mom and Emma were out finding the horses yesterday morning when they found him. They were all understandably upset, but none as upset as our little 7 year old Emma, with a sensitive heart. Caylee in consoling her, told her the following story (and anyone who knows Caylee will hear Caylee's voice):

"Don't worry Emma, Danny is in a better place now. He's in Montana (where we got him from) running free with tall grass tickling the underside of his stomach. He's drinking out of a clean spring and rolling lazily in the dust cloud. He's flying with the eagles."

To this Emma replied:

"I won't call him Danny anymore, I'll call him Sky Rider"

(which I thought was a perfect thing for her to say)

Summer Employment

I find myself this morning with:
1. No boss (the man, who I thought was my boss until he recently told me that he wasn't my boss, is out of town)
2. No "Sustainability Clerk" Melanie has gone to a rodeo in Southern Alberta and neglected to tell me that she would be gone both Thursday, Friday and Monday. She just usually amuses me, and gives me something to aspire to...
3. An notel on my office table saying to count 1000 "corn husk" pens and 1000 "plantable-postcards" and then repackage them and give them to "key" members of the Dawson Creek community (aka people I am so intimidated of, the Mayor Coucillors, everybody...)
4. A short email from a lady in Vancouver saying that I could start planning the planning process, but I can't do anything with it until after the 22nd anyway.

So I made a poster...

Yes, I realize its crooked, but I was having so many troubles making it into a format that this damn blogger likes (see "Amusing Blog Title") so I scanned it in (thus using up 10 more minutes of my time). The colors are a bit scewed as well.

That is the extent of my mad altering template skillz. This poster is for the big project that I am working on all summer, to engage youth in Dawson Creek in the visioning and planning processes that will affect our future. This is not something that I would usually embrace, citing reasons of "bureaucracy" and "all talk, no action" and "mumbo jumbo and rhetoric" but since they are paying me, maybe I'll give it a chance. Maybe this process works... I'll keep you posted...

Anyways, I would like some suggestions on how to make the poster better and all that jazz. Any help?

Spring Time!

It just occurred to me...
So many of my favorite things in one picture:
Plaid, Family (complete with a very angry looking father), Campfires (fire in general), a kitty, veggie dogs, mustard, spring time, the fire pit that Grandpa and I made when I was very young, and birdhouses where I can hone my new bird watching skills.

Yes, it has been a productive summer thus far.

Birkenstocks!

Well, who would have thought that I would ever post about shoes...

These are a special scenario...

A special shoe some would say...

A shoe that in 1968, you couldn't call yourself a hippie if you didn't own. In the present time, in Halifax, at Dalhousie, you can't really consider yourself trendy or from Toronto if you don't own at least one of these pairs of shoes. You might be thinking to yourself "Bryna, that doesn't make sense! Why would you be excited for a pair of shoes that are generally sported by beautiful girls with poofy bangs from Toronto?" My response would just be that I really want a pair of these shoes, and at least for a couple of months I will at least seem to be trendy and hip.

I'm with it. I'm hip. Tak-a-tak-a-tak-a-tak-a [dances the Macarena] Well, don't look at me like I'm friggin' Frankenstein! Come here and give your father a hug. (I'm divorcing you as a friend if you don't get this quote, Grandma -- I'll love you forever regardless of your knowledge of stupid movie quotes, but my friends don't have that priveledge)

And folks, sometimes I think that is the road that I am going down. (The hippie road, not the trendy and hip Young Street or something to that effect, don't you worry)

Birkenstocks offer a variety of cruelty free and animal free products. Says one reviewer "I'm pleased to testify that Birkenstock's implementation of their Vegan line is exquisite, hardy and delightful." (I was just so pleased that she used the word 'delightful' to describe the phasing in of a line of footwear!)

Just as a post-note, these are the shoes that I really want. I am trying to figure out how to get a "Bryna didn't stress herself out so much that she died during her third year of University" present... Any ideas would be muchly appreciated.



(PS- www.birkenstocks.com)

Stephen Lewis, my Love, my older, married,so very eloquent love

STEPHEN LEWIS (http://www.stephenlewisfoundation.org/media/sl_short_biography_2005.pdf)

Stephen Lewis is the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, a post he’s held since June 2001. He is also a Commissioner for the World Health Organization’s Commission on the Social Determinants of Health, and a Senior Advisor to the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York. Mr. Lewis is also a director of the
Stephen Lewis Foundation, which is dedicated to easing the pain of HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Mr. Lewis’ work with the UN has shaped the past two decades of his career. From 1995 to 1999, Mr. Lewis was Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF at the organization’s global headquarters in New York. In 1997, in addition to his work at UNICEF, Mr. Lewis was appointed by the Organization of African Unity to a Panel of Eminent Personalities to Investigate the Genocide in Rwanda. The ‘Rwanda Report’ was issued in June of 2000. In 1993, Mr. Lewis became coordinator for the international study -- known as the Graça Machel study -- on the "Consequences of Armed Conflict on Children". The report was tabled in the United Nations in 1995. From 1984 through 1988, Stephen Lewis was Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations. In this capacity, he chaired the Committee that drafted the Five-Year UN Programme on African Economic Recovery. He also chaired the first International Conference on Climate Change, which drew up the first comprehensive policy on global warming. Mr. Lewis holds 22 honorary degrees from Canadian universities and is an honorary fellow of
the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. In May 2003, in recognition of outstanding contributions to public health, Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health honoured Mr. Lewis with the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award. Mr. Lewis was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest honour for
lifetime achievement, in 2003. The same year, Maclean’s magazine honoured Mr. Lewis as their inaugural “Canadian of the Year.”

In March 2004, Mr. Lewis was honoured by the United Nations Association in Canada with the Pearson Peace Medal, which celebrates outstanding achievements in the field of international service and understanding.

In April 2005, TIME magazine listed Stephen Lewis as one of the ‘100 most influential people in the world’. The same year, the International Council of Nurses awarded Mr. Lewis their prestigious Health and Human Rights Award, which is awarded quadrennially for outstanding contributions to international health and human rights.

Bryna Says: We saw him speak in the middle of January here at Dalhousie, and I have to say that he absolutely blew my mind. Without a doubt the most convincing and charismatic speaker that I have ever encountered, and really was so well informed and well thought out, that no one, not anyone at all in the huge McInnis room had any questions that refuted what he had to say. He didn't want to get off the stage, everyone would have gladly sat there and listened to him for the entire night. Everything just hit so close to home even though he was speaking of places so far away. If anyone gets the chance to ever see him speak, I really suggest it.
And thats all I have to say about that...

Crazy Spring Break

As Katie exclaimed whilst lounging on the couch at about 2:15 this afternoon, after taking a heap of tylenol for her massive headache "girls, I think the party is over."
Me, Katie, and Megan sleeping sideways on the futon because we thought that would be more comfortable than lengthwise, which is fairly ridiculous seeing as how there are so many beds in this house that are unused!
Which begs the question, "what party Bryna?"
So, I shall tell you. Katiana came to Halifax on Saturday morning, and so the party was officially on.
Saturday - Pyramid for breakfast, Megan's Chinese New Years presentation, Split Crow
Sunday - Lower Deck for the east coast music
Monday - recovery, Unassuming-ness (out on the front porch), studied a bit.
Tuesday - downtown, school, Hat Party!
Hat party invitations, honorable cheese, hats made out of various products, and a bottle of the Captain.
Ryan, Megan, Katie and I pre-party if you can believe it.
Katie and I amidst the party!
Lauren, Grace and Josh
Acting natural.
Meg and Ryan
Alex, Lauren and Evan
Bryna, Katie and Ryan all hatted up.
Lauren and Zach-my-friend.
Wednesday - Dartmouth for Egg Salad, Comedy (Rum and Coke)
Katie and I on our way back from Dartmouth, which really is the dark side, people aren't just saying that!
Thursday - Citadel, Harbour side adventure, studied a bit, Split Crow (Need I say more?)
Friday - Katie's hair cut, Recover, studied (Green tea and carrotts)
Unfortunately, I can't really remember what else we did, though Im sure this is not an exclusive list. This is a bad sign as to my mental capacity. Please, anyone who I may have talked to this week, or who may have been involved, please help me to remember. Ill check my pictures for further ideas.
Just want to give a big shout out to my big brother who I'm so very proud of for putting his own production together! Good job Kole-e-oley-o!

Split Crow

It's usually great fun to get all dolled up and hit the Split Crow for Power Hour (3 times a week, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays) which equate 3 beer for $5 so really, its every university students dream (besides Grace's). So, because it was Monroe day (Dalhousie got a sizeable chunk of money at some point from a Mr. Monroe, who didn't want a building named after him, or a statue, but instead to give all students a day off of classes, and therefore a reason to celebrate!) So, the Split Crow was nuts.
Megan and I at 6:30, 2.5 hours early, drinking Gin and Tonics, a long standing tribute to our adventures.
The artistic picture of Bryna looking creepy behind a dirty glass.
Megan, Ryan, Colin and Bryna -- Roomates extrodinaire come together for one epic picture.
Ryan and Colin
Ryan and Megan
Megan and Bryna -- BFF standoff, I think we had just headed down for a beer after boiling in our seats. Its a good thing we have a good repore with the bartender, or I dont know if we would have ever gotten beer.
Gracer, Bryna and Megan. Just missing the b-ball player again, it would have been easier for me to pick up a tall guy for her had she been there. If she had come, she could have tried out the string.
So, after we closed the bar, we headed out and ended up breaking into the Citadel (where all sorts of crazy things happen) meeting a interesting man and his curiosity in 4 youngsters hanging out there at night (maybe he thought he had struck gold!!). So we adventured in there for awhile, and then went to the skatepark and slid around in the smooth cement and freshly fallen snow, and got some pizza too!!
On the walk home, after which we were parted and met back again with Evan, Grace and Josh.
SOCIABLE!!!!!

Viva la revolucion!

It is dangerous to spend too much time in an environment learning substanciated notions of how the world is not alright, about how we are further under-developing, how we are living in luxury while others live in squalor.

It's dangerous to put me beside a stereo-typical management student, or a pro-child labour commerce kid (yes, the argument has been made), or an all knowing conservative International Development Studies student (which is the worst, as they know what has been done and what is being done, but still refuse to act). I get so depressed and ornery and absolutely revolutionary at the thought of the suffering, the blinding poverty, the unfair rules, the unbearable economic and environmental conditions and the terrible inequality that billions of the world are being forced to deal with. There is no way to console me after reading about the Rwandan genocide, the GATT and further WTO policies, the SAPs imposed and the bureaucracy of these northern aid organizations who are so drowning in jargon that they keep shifting responsibilities and filling out forms that they lose sight of what they are in those countries for.

Anyways, point of my story was actually was going to be happier, but I don't feel like its significant anymore that Megan and I are continuing in our "viva la revolucion"-ary stance. I'm going to go to bed tonight and will wake up happier in the morning.

I believe that I have been spending too much time pondering lately.

Thats all.

Oh yeah, and I have a wonderful group of friends who are interested in sharing MLKJr. day with me!!
I should be off to karate, I just thought that my 'blog-thinger' was too boring for words, and so decided to update for lack of anything less productive to do.

I'll now attempt to find a picture to add to spice things up. To google image search -- first random word that pops into my mind "critter."The first thing that came up was dead I think, which made me pretty sad, so I put the second and third ones up...
Critter soft-core
A real critter, uggy buggy

New Years

I know that I am mixing up the sequence of my blog by doing this, but I had such a great night on New Years, that I feel like I couldn't miss the opportunity to put up some pictures!
It all started out after a night of heavy drinking waking up in my old apartment in the world's most comfortable pajamas. Schuyler, TJ and I spent the entire day watching the most-entertaining TV series in the history of sci-fi! Literally we basically didn't get off the peeling black couches nearly all day. Then Greg and Kristina grabbed me, and we proceeded to get ready in like 40 minutes, which is intimidating even for a tom-boy like me to get all dolled-up and ready for semi-formality.
We made it into town, to the Columbus centre (which any karate-ka will remember from such events as Shihan James's visit or Thomas' throw-up!). There were many door-prizes, cheap booze and moderate music. The second two made for some sweet dancin! My personal favorite was Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," which with its enchanting melodies and appearance in "Wayne's World" that convinced the entire group to get up!! :)
Ian and I ripping up the dance-floor!
The group was amazingly awesome, combining all groups of people and even people that I had missed seeing for years.
Yet another good personality-encapturing photo of TJ!
I keep trying to figure out whats happening in this photo of Katie, TJ and Schuyler. It's pretty much hilarious anyways.
The group!
We celebrated the New Years of most of Canada (and I even made a mental note at Japanese new years!) It was just absolutely excellent and we had so much fun all night. It ended by using my ninja-skills and making Tanshinites and Chuso-warriors proud!
Anyways, overall it was one of the greatest New Year's parties ever, but I didnt break any fingers this year, so I felt like it was a bit anti-climactic! (:
I guess I'll post this now, and get on with my day! B-ball game!! Go Dal!

Airports

I’m sitting in the railway station
Got a ticket for my destination

Currently I am waiting as contentedly as you can imagine by gate 52 at the Edmonton International airport. I intended to check out the duty free shops and scope out the best place to watch reunifications (which make me deliriously happy), but I had to sit down here. Many people who know me wouldn’t question as to why Im sitting in a drafty and loud area of the airport, they would assume that I have some sort of sentimental attachment to this very gate.
Nearly 4 years ago now, Mr.Shannon packed us up for “the long hop across the big pond” and this was the very gate where highly excited grade 12 students huddled together to dream of what we would see in the next two weeks. We grouped together for a big group picture, we taught Kathryn to play “presidents and “janitors”” and tried to refrain from filling my freshly minted travel journal with feelings of trepidation and excitement. That was a long time, but the feelings all came rushing back to me with the familiarity of this gate that I experienced. Much like a song or a voice can bring me back to a certain time and place and make me feel things that have been long buried within my impressive-repressive abilities.
Airports in general remind me of departures that I have missed, of homecomings that I will not be able to be a part of and of the general ebb and flow of relationships that so closely resemble flight plans of planes that I’m daydreaming about right now (corny, I know).
On a happier note, I moved to the arrivals part of the airport and now can creepily watch it as homecoming happens and be able to observe the beauty of a child seeing his mom from afar, of a pretty girl waiting for her significant other to come through the security doors.
Thoughts like these make it hard for me to be mad that I’m overnighting in a strange city, that they have lost my luggage, that I’m not allowed to leave the airport...