So Rushed I Forgot a Title!

I keep sitting down to write a post but there are so many things I want to talk about that I don't know where to start. However, if I don't post something now then it's a good week before I can get to my laptop again.

Topics to be discussed in more detail when I can:

1. Canada called an election. I used to have a strict 'No politics' on my Facebook but I am so done with the Harper Government that I've decided to nix that policy... in a big way. I have my preferred party but I really just don't want Stephen Harper to rep my country anymore. 
2. My friend is getting married this weekend. As an aside to that statement, I will never trust her "we should have a girls night at my place" invites again. So many paper cuts!
3. People visiting from Switzerland!  Yay! Haven't seen them yet because of wedding prep, but I've talked to them.
4. My pants are looser. I'd do a happy dance but they might fall off. Okay, so it's not that much of a loss (yet!) but it's a loss!
5. I've seen some great movies and read some fantastic books and I want to talk about them all.

And because it's been on repeat in my headphones, a little Bruce Cockburn for you. This is my calming song so I've been listening to it A LOT!

Happy last weekend of August, everyone.

A Week in the Land of Gishwhes

Gishwhes2015 is over! During the course of a week, my team flew flags on the steps of the South Carolina Courthouse, flew a paper plane made of only paper and tape 15 yards, created a new fairy because the tooth fairy was on strike, tweeted a picture of two girls kissing to Rick Santorum, made a picture of IronMan using just pepper and salt, sang ‘Carry On My Wayward Son’ in an amphitheater after we used an online translator to take the lyrics through three other languages and then back into English, surprised Volunteer Victoria with free cupcakes and balloons, dance around the lawns of our legislature building in kale skirts, and many other crazy things that we would have never done otherwise.

In amongst all this, one needs to calm their mind. That’s where this video came into play.

It’s one of those videos that I always keep bookmarked so when I need a little moment of joy in my day, I can go straight to it. Not going to lie, I played it multiple times during Gishwhes. Twerking Stormtroopers; what’s not to love?

I had planned to recover from Gishwhes on the Sunday by meeting a friend for brunch and then tackling all the jobs around my apartment that hadn’t been done in a week – hey, at least I rinsed the dishes before I left them in the sink! – but somehow brunch at Floyd’s Diner turned into sangria at the Flying Otter which turned into wine on Katie’s balcony which turned into a late dinner at Spinnakers.

Well, it was a relaxing way to spend the day, I’ll give it that. Plus Katie and I were long overdue for a catch-up; we obviously needed the whole day!

In short, the entire Gishwhes experience was an absolute blast. Until next year, Gishwhes!

Customary First of the Month Post

Happy National Day to all my Swiss friends... not that any of them read here, but you know, it's the thought that counts. According to the folklore, this was the day in 1291 that the cantons of Schwyz, Uri, and Unterwalden swore the Rütlischwur - the Rütli Oath in English - declaring their independence from the Habsburgs and marking the start of the Swiss Confederation. 

Of course, with my love of Switzerland, I can't let this day pass without marking it in some way. Tonight, I will make rösti and sausages in Zwiebelsauce. Not to make you jealous, but it looks like this.

Well, trust me when I say that it tastes really good.

After 12 years away, I was back at UVic in early July for a course on Program Planning. I miss being a student on that campus. The whole place is just beautiful with so much green space - and a few too many bunnies - but I was a little disappointed when I went to see the old German department and it had moved. How dare they do that to me! The nerve of some people.

Save for that week at UVic, my gym attendance has been spot on. I had a little hiccup when my trainer got sick and ended up in the hospital - fyi, burst ovarian cysts suck - and they tried to pair me up with another trainer. The other trainer actually sighed on the phone with me when I confirmed that yes, I want to continue the 6:30am training sessions and no, it can't be any later because I have to get to work. She actually sighed, like I was causing her grief by being difficult. Do you know how much I pay for these sessions? I am allowed to require that you accommodate my schedule as long as I'm asking for regular gym hours. I was so angry that I texted my regular trainer and told her to hurry up and heal. Luckily, I only had a week before I was back with her.

I celebrated the end of July by getting another tattoo. This brings my grand total up to 2, but that's 2 more than my brothers who have been talking about getting tattoos for longer than I've been planning this more recent one. If I recall correctly, I first thought about this one almost a year ago. Get a move on it, guys!

The tattoo is on my right forearm and is just simple line work, although I may go back and get the harp shaded or coloured in. The writing on the bottom is my last name and my dad's county in Irish. This blog post may be the first time my mom sees this tattoo. Sorry mom!

To marks the start of the craziness that is GiSHweS 2015 (it's typed that way because of reasons). Not that anyone expects regular posts from me at this point, but really don't expect a post from me this week. I'll be to busy doing fun and crazy things.