Interesting.

Oh my.
How would YOU caption this picture?
I'm sort of at a loss for words... suffice it to say that I smacked my head on a tree out of shock when I turned around to see this in front of me.

Snap, Crackle, Pop!

As I was leaving work today, I saw a man carrying the world's hugest roll of bubble wrap. It was so big, I don't think my arms could have fit halfway around it. I almost knocked the poor man over just so I could walk down the stairs and to the door (possibly even all the way out to my car) on a bubble wrap carpet.

Alright, I thought about doing more than just walking on it. I probably would have got down on my hands and knees, and squished it around in both fists just to pop all the bubbles I could. I might have even considered rolling across it.

Apparently, this is just a small taste of what would happen if I went through life without ever censoring myself. Yikes.

Late Night Irony

First of all, there was this from last night:


'Nuff said, I think.

On a more serious note: this afternoon, P and I were sitting in Green Mango, talking about the amazing turns that her friend's mother has taken in her fight against cancer. It's an incredible story - as I've been updated on the situation, it definitely left me marvelling at how much things can change when you least expect them to. Later today, I came home and checked my email. To my surprise, there was a message letting me know that someone I had gone to youth group with several years ago, passed away yesterday after recently being sick with cancer. While I don't know all the details about how long he had been sick for and what type of cancer it was, I do know that he was no more than a few years older than me. I also remember from my past interactions with him (during our brief time of being in the same youth group, and despite the fact that we weren't what I would call close friends) that he was very warm and friendly, well-respected, and that he was a very talented pianist. Tonight, I'm left marvelling again at how much things can change when you least expect them to.

Deepest sympathies to the Quek family
2 Thessalonians 3:16

Today's Lesson:

When planning to deliver sandwiches to Toronto's homeless, there are a few things that one should keep in mind:

1. Ensure that you have sufficient sandwich-making supplies already on hand.
   
2. If #1 hasn't happened, double check that supermarkets are open on the day when you plan to have your sandwich assembly line up and running.
3. Listen to the weather forecast beforehand. If it's raining outside, it's unlikely that you'll find many people to help.
4. If everything falls through and your sandwich run needs to be postponed, make sure you spend that time with good friends, good food, and a good movie.

At least #4 was taken care of...

(many thanks to PE and KG - we'll get it next time!)

Windows and Doors

Anyone who knows me also knows that it's been a long time ambition of mine to become a doctor. After the last round of applications to several schools, I've decided to broaden my search area for my next round.

An opportunity that sounds pretty amazing has come up in my research - Flinders Medical College in Australia is right within my academic requirement range. Their program offers hands-on clinical experience from year 1, which is very unlikely to happen in North American schools. They also reserve 30 seats for international students (For those of you keeping score at home, that's more than triple the number of seats that Canada's own Dalhousie Medical School reserves for students who are applying from out-of-province).

Their application is also due in the next 2 weeks.

I've been saying for a while now that I'm ready for a change, but I really don't know that I've considered the possibility of a change this big. I mean, this is potentially going to result in my relocating to the opposite side of the planet, quite literally, for a few years. Then again, I've also always said that Australia is a place I'd like to visit for a significant amount of time. I guess 4 years could definitely qualify for that.

Scarily well-timed and very very appealing. Coincidence? Dangling carrot?
Anyone?

Holy Joe's, Batman!

Non-dreadlocked female performers need not apply.
They could have started that club tonight... it was certainly the coif of choice for all 3 ladies on stage throughout the course of the evening.

Tonight, P and I had the privelege of catching up on some live music. There were 3 bands on the bill at Holy Joe's - your local hole in the wall, complete with torn couches and a disease-infested washroom - and I was definitely impressed.

The first act was Lila Rose & Project Play. The first things that caught my attention were the percussion - with beatboxing, a djembe and congas - and Lila's strong, gutsy voice. Toss in a little violin and acoustic guitar, and you've got yourself a winning combination. I bought their demo CD, and am anxious to give it a close listen.

Next up was my good friend, Michelle Luxon. Her acoustic guitar was brilliant as always, and it was amazing to hear her tunes fleshed out with cleverly layered other-guitar and bass. She also introduced us to her new baritone guitar tonight... an absolute (sparkly) treat.

Finally, The Last True Gentlemen took the stage. After the preceding acoustic/folk acts, the Gentlemen provided a change of pace and volume, and I ate it up. They rocked out, with a screaming drummer, face-melting guitar solos (haha), and strong vocals. A personal thank you goes out to frontman Andrew for bringing the piano back into loud rock music. Frickin' fabulous.

A great night with great talent. It made me miss performing.

And rekindled my semi-secret dream of being the chick singer of an otherwise all-boy rock band.
Ha.

Must be the Advil talking.

And now, a cliche emo-esque blog moment:

The thought of being too much and/or not enough is completely unnerving.

Thank you for your time.

(Re)discovering

Some random things I realized (again) this weekend:

My world is incredibly small. My worlds are colliding more than ever before.
Deep fried Mars bars taste pretty darn good.
Elmira REALLY loves maple syrup.
Sunday afternoon naps are delicious and inevitable.
I really can spend an entire day eating.
When I'm out walking in a public place, the first things to grab my attention are cute children and puppies.
It is a fun idea to stop at every single Tim Hortons' you see on a road trip. It is a questionable idea to consume a caffeinated drink at every one of those stops.
Spring is like a flirty, insincere boy. The inconsistency bothers me, and I can't wait for summer.