Friday 30 December 2016

Watercolour Map



Maps have always been a huge fascination for me. And now that I have actually travelled outside of North America, it made sense to get a map that would showcase the places I have travelled and the places I have yet to go. This watercolour map was a perfect gift for my sister, as it shows where we have been together and will show the places she will end up going, whether with me or without me. It is an amazing representation of the world we live in and it also demonstrates how big this world really is and how small we truly are.

Monday 12 December 2016

2017 Award Season has Begun...


Award season officially began last night with the Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles. 'La La Land' was the big winner taking home 8 awards. Quite a surprise for me as I didn't think the movie was good enough to see, obviously I was wrong and now I must go and see it.

As most people who read this blog know, I love my TV shows. However, I also love my movies. And award season, for both movies and TV shows is literally the best time of the year for me. December through February is the best time of the year and I always become so enveloped with award talk. This year I have taken it upon myself to watch every movie nominated and make education guesses for the culmination of the Oscars.

Tonight I will begin with Hacksaw Ridge, one it looks like a phenomenal movie and being a history buff, you automatically become a war buff as well.

Let the Awards begin!!

Sunday 9 October 2016

The Rock



Our families have been coming to this little rock island for almost an entire decade now. No matter how busy all of our lives have become we always manage to take one weekend off during the summer to get together for an amazing and unforgettable time. These weekends always consist of amazing food, laughter, story telling, and new memories. It's the little things. We always have an absolute riot when we are all together and this video is just a small indication of this. 

Music: Smooth by Florida Georgia Line 

Enjoy! 

Thursday 22 September 2016

Master's Decision



History is one long, epic adventure with battles to be fought, royal scandals to be gossiped about, wars to be waged, politics to be discussed, human rights to be protected, and stories to tell. It can be comic and tragic, and it exhibits the very best and the very worst of human nature. History is all about seemingly ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and that is why we all want to be remembered by it. And I think, one day history will remember them as well. History is one of the most fantastic things in this world. Everyone has a history and everything has a history. It is us historians who must look at these people and these items and find out what their history is and to write it down and bring it to light.

So, I have begun a new academic journey this year. I graduated last year with an HBA in History and this year I have taken on the daunting task of doing my masters. A lot of people have asked "what are you looking at?" or "what will your specialization be?" and for a majority of the time I really had no idea. I would always tell them I was interested in European history because a majority my family is from Europe and it's history spans a majority of the world. They have been everywhere and done everything imaginable. At first I was curious about monarchies, how they run, their institution, how they continue, why people may/may not like them. Granted I am still interested in monarchies, but not to the point where I would study them. But, I have recently watched a few documentaries on Netflix about British and Irish castles, and a new show called 'Outlander' that deals with Scotland. I have become increasingly interested with the history of all three of these countries and how they have continuously throughout history interconnected. Another issue that sparked my interest in furthering this study is that my grandmother's, on my father's side, family came from Ireland. They were farmers that moved from Ireland between 1847 and 1858 and moved to Canada. They moved because of persecution because of their Protestant faith and because Ireland did not have the land that the family needed to continue to farm. Obviously there were other reasons, but this is all I have found as of late. But now that I have this foundation in my studies, my trip to Ireland and Scotland in May has become even more important to me, because now I really get to see my roots.

I hope to one day find the original villages that my ancestors came from and see where they really came from. I find it to be the one thing I really want to do in the near future. I have found where some members of my grandmother's family have originally come from, but now the search must start for my grandfather's family. His family was from England and I know we have a family tree and I'm sure on it it states the village in which they first came from. I hope to go there one day and see exactly where they came from and maybe see the homes they might have lived in. One day I will find my family history, and my journey begins now.


Friday 9 September 2016

On The Road Again


They say once you go on one trip to somewhere new, the travel bug bites and the urge to travel again never leaves you. For me, this is so true. The second I came home from Europe I began planning another trip back. I had a few choices on where I wanted to go. I knew I wanted to go back to Europe and travel the whole continent, but there are so many choices and places I have yet to be it made it difficult to try and narrow it down. There was Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, and Spain and Portugal and Greece. The places are endless, but I eventually decided on Ireland and Scotland. My family is from Ireland so it is a way of me getting back to my roots but also I wanted to see what this beautiful country had to offer.

I've had friends and a couple of cousins go to both countries and every single one of them have said those were two of the countries they would 100% go back and visit. Not just because of the beautiful scenery but because of the people, the locals were so friendly and amazing to be around. They told stories about the history of Ireland and I have heard nothing about good things. I cannot wait to experience these two beautiful countries and of course to come back and visit again.

I feel like the photos you see online everywhere of both countries, of course they are beautiful, but they just do not do the countries justice. It's also very different to experience it yourself rather than just seeing the photos. As I realized earlier this year, its the emotions you feel when you are there and the way you see it through your own eyes. It's the stories you come back with and the experience and the memories and the photos you took yourself. That is what travelling is for and I cannot wait to continue my travels through Europe!

Friday 12 August 2016

Paris


We ended this incredible journey in the city of love and light and it really lived up to it's name. I was taken aback by this beautiful city but it was also bitter sweet. This was the last city our group was spending together and after twelve joyous days we would be going our separate ways and back to our different countries and different cities. Everyone always says Paris is super dirty, but I didn't find it to be dirty at all. I actually found it to be incredibly beautiful. We walked the Champ De Elyeese, which is much longer then I thought it would be. One thing that absolutely surprised me was how far away everything actually was from each other. In most other cities we could walk to almost everything, but in Paris we had to take the metro almost everywhere, which was quite easy. 

We saw everything you would want to see: the Notre Dame, the Arc Di Triomphe, The Louvre, and of course the Eiffel Tower. I think seeing the Eiffel Tower in person is so undesirable. It is just a feeling you get and it is very hard to describe that feeling. It is a magnificent architectural feat. You may think you know how big it is just from photos but to actually see it in real life is one of the most magnificent things you can ever experience. Going up the Tower was breathtaking. To be able to see all of Paris from the tower was beautiful, I was speechless. Photos and videos just do not do it justice and it is something every person should see in their life. 

One of the things I quite enjoyed about being in Paris for an entire day where we could walk around and do what we wanted was that a group of us spent the day walking around. We ended up going to a cafe called Angelique's and it had some of the best pastries I have ever had. Then we walked over to the beautiful Tuileries Garden. I loved spending time and just walking around at the how immaculate it was. One more thing that impressed me so much was the architecture. Every building was built essentially the same, but the architecture was so impressive. I just couldn't believe it. 

There is just so much to say and then nothing to say. There are so many words to describe it but then when someone asks you about it you just trip over your words because you are not sure what words to use or how to even say it. 

This was really a trip of a lifetime and I honestly cannot wait to get back to Europe to experience more. 

Lucerne


Switzerland stole my heart, and my money, but mostly my heart. I could not believe the beauty of this country and just how imaginative this beautiful place is. Also, Switzerland is incredibly expensive and I was somewhat thankful that we only spent about eighteen hours here, although I do wish that we could have stayed maybe one more day. And again we stayed in a converted jail and it was, umm, interesting to say the least. We also took a lake cruise around Lake Lucerne which was a lot of fun. We got a lot of photos together and a lot of memories were made. I loved the lake cruise because we started it when it was light out and finished it while watching the sunset and the hotels along the lake starting to light up. Really, really beautiful. 

Going up to the top of the Swiss Alps was so beautiful. I loved going up on the train it was really cool experience. And of course actually going up to the Alps by the only roofless motor car. It was really awesome to stand up at the top and see the Alps as we moved closer and closer. One of the girls on our trip, from Australia, had never seen snow before and so I am very glad to have been able to be a part of that memory with her. She was very excited about seeing snow for the first time, especially when we were heading up to the Alps and it started to snow a little bit and she finally saw snowflakes fall in real life. 

The hotel was really cool, although at first everyone was a little creeped out by it. We were staying in a jail that literally had been closed down in the 90s. It was a women's prison who had committed petty crimes. The doors for the room were still the old jail rooms and you needed a passcode to get into each room. The WIFI situation was not that great, but it created a funny environment for us, we would spend a lot of time hanging out in stairwells and down in the lobby trying to stay connected. 

Random point: the top of the Alps has excellent cell phone service and the WIFI is impeccable up there. 

Florence


Oh gosh, what is there to even say about Florence. It was so hot that day and sunny and perfect that it made walking around the small and beautiful city even better. What I liked the most about Florence was it wasn't too busy and yet there were still a lot of tourists. It wasn't as congested as Venice and Rome, especially Rome, but it still had a lot of people. I liked the views and easiness of getting around. I liked just walking around and seeing the architecture was really beautiful. I think the best part, again, was the walking tour. I liked that we were walked around the city with the tour guide and she was able to give us little tidbits of information (none which I can remember now of course!).

The one thing I absolutely loved, which I'm sure everyone else did as well, is the view from Piazzale Michelangelo. Just seeing it was absolutely beautiful. How amazing is the view, how amazing is it to see absolutely everything in Florence and to be able to see it all in one look. Panoramas do not do this place justice. One of the unique things we were able to do here was get a group shot, which is one of my favourite things that we got on this trip. It's a way in which I can have a photo with every single person from our trip. It's a very nice memento to have.

Rome


Oh Rome, what a place to visit. It is a must see place, you have to visit Rome. It is really the centrepiece of Europe and the beginning of everything. The Roman's came, saw and conquered and boy did they leave their footprint everywhere they went. I enjoyed Rome, only for the history aspect. I loved seeing the Coliseum and the Roman Forum and the beautiful cobble stone streets. It really was breathtaking to finally see the buildings and the stories I have read about and studied for years. The Coliseum was just awe-inspiring, you would never think that something could be as big as this place. The sheer size of the Coliseum was amazing, but also seeing the building and the place where everything played out like the gladiator fighting was amazing. To actually see where they stood and how far people would watch it. It was just eye-opening. 

The Roman Forum was another beautiful place to visit. Granted the day was very very hot, but it was definitely better then rain. I loved seeing the buildings, or what was left of them, just to see how big they built these buildings. It's not like the Romans were giants compared to us, but they built buildings that were so big they intimidated any person who would have to walk into them. And the fact that some, if not most, of these buildings are still standing, or at least most of it is still standing. The pillars I think were the most fascinating to me just because of how tall they were and the fact that every single one of them that I saw did not have a crack or any sort of decay among them. I was surprised and shocked to see that these pillars had literally stood the test of time. 

Would I go back to Rome? Probably not. Do I think you need to see Rome? Yes, 100%. Rome is a city in which every person should visit at least once in their life. 

Venice


Oh Venice! What a place to be. Granted the entire day we were there it rained and it literally poured. The only time it stopped was when we took our 30 minute gondola ride and the minute we stepped out of the boats it began to pour again. But aside from the rain, Venice was a beautiful city full of history and beautiful architectures. I could not believe the canals. I have seen photos of them and I have heard about them, but there is nothing compared to actually seeing them and taking a boat through them. Also I got conned into feeding the pigeons and ended up having to pay 10 euros for it. Not fun, I would recommend running from the men with the bird seed. 

One of the these I loved was a really cool walking tour with a local guide. It did rain for the whole day and I of course didn't pack a rain jacket or thick sweater, so I only had my thin sweater. Aside from my atrocious clothing choice, I really enjoyed the walking tour. It was a way to see the city through the small walkways and random little shops. Another cool thing about Venice was the dinner we had that night. It was optional but almost everyone chose to go to it. Our trip manager told us to grab masks that were quite popular in Venice  during the 16th century. We all bought little masks from stores around the city and at dinner took photos of our Venetian masks. It was a really unique experience.  

One question I do have: do/can people swim in the canals? Or is that something people just don't do? 

Austria


We drove then on to Austria and driving from country to country was one of the best parts of the tour as we were able to see small villages and towns and the landscape of all of these beautiful countries that you just would not see flying from place to place. It also gave a lot of time for sleep or just relaxing time before hitting up the next city. In Austria we went to Innsbruck and being there just felt like a dream. It just didn't seem real, the landscape and the beauty of Austria just didn't look like it was really there. The best way I can describe it is that it looked like CGI animation, pretty much green screen. But it was real and it was beautiful and inspiring and breathtaking. 

Also, Austria has some of the best dessert, especially the apple strudel, that I have ever experienced. I am not ashamed to say that I had it three times in the 18 hours that we were in that beautiful country. The group went white water rafting, and I was not so keen on it, so my sister and I decided to just hang out with some of the other group members. This was nice as it was a chance to get to know some of the other people on the trip and hearing the stories and seeing the videos afterwards was really cool. 

Coming home, people asked me what countries I would definitely go back to, and Austria is one you can never see enough of. Granted, every single one of them is like that, but there is something about Austria that just pulls at me to come back. 

Tuesday 19 July 2016

Munich


Munich I think is a very underrated city. It had a few tourists but it was not busy compared to the cities we had been to previously and the cities we were going to visit. It was such a sweet city to be in and very calm compared to the other cities we would see. We had the option to go on a bike tour but as my sister cannot ride a bike I did not go without her and we merely walked around the city and enjoyed the day. It was very relaxing compared to the crazy days that were ahead of us. We did a little bit of shopping but mostly walked around the city and just took it all in. I think what I enjoyed the most about the city was how easy it was to get around and the people were quite nice. I loved the mixture of the old buildings with the new buildings and being able to see the difference in architecture. It is very interesting and beautiful to see how architecture has changed over many years.

We didn't make it to the English Gardens or any massive churches, but we walked along the streets and just enjoyed it. Germany has now become a country in which I will definitely go back to. We utterly enjoyed being in a city that is so beautiful and so old and yet so overlooked by people visiting Germany. 

Friday 1 July 2016

Trail Time



Used multiple mounts to capture this video. Love the different ways of using all of these mounts and how the videos come out. They are absolutely incredible and I enjoy looking back on them and seeing the trails in a different way.

Music: This Girl by Kungs & Cookin' On 3 Burners

Monday 27 June 2016

St. Goar


I had never heard of St. Goar before this trip and I didn't realize we were actually staying somewhere that was so off the beaten path that we barely had wifi service or anything at all. There was barely any vehicles driving around, absolutely no emergency vehicles (unlike London) and it was so quiet and peaceful. There was a point where a few of us just sat down by the water and listened to what was going on around us and there was literally no sound, just the chirping of crickets and mosquitos flying around. I think it was one of the most beautiful and picturesque places we visited, and we went to a lot of beautiful places. It was definitely really nice to go to a place to calm and quiet compared to the bustling and busy cities of Amsterdam and London. It was a nice way to sort of see what was around us and just to take it all in. It was also really nice to breathe fresh air that literally came off the turquoise river right in front of us.

One of the things I particularly enjoyed about this place was our ability to walk around the town and not have to worry about being hit by cyclists or cars. The streets were completely empty aside from us and there were no other tourists around. It was perfect. The night was cool, but nice to walk the town. It wasn't too hot which made site seeing that much more enjoyable. One of the things we noticed was how all of the stores were family owned and the cafes were kept open later then usual only because the owner was socializing with people who were sitting outside. They were so nice and greeted you as you walked by.

St. Goar is a place in which I had never heard of but now I will never forget.

Friday 24 June 2016

ATV



New mounts for my GoPro and a brand new helmet means more videos and way more fun! I know ATV videos can get boring especially if it's the same thing after awhile, but honestly I love it. I love the new ways in which I can use my GoPro and the new mounts I can use. There is so many ways in which to capture amazing videos with GoPro that using it for just one sport or one activity is still as enjoyable as using it for multiple sports and activities. Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoy watching them just as much as I enjoy making them!

Music: Right Here Right Now by American Authors

Thursday 16 June 2016

Victoria Monument



During our illustrious trip to Europe we had to go and see Buckingham Palace. It is a must see for any tourist in Britain. Of course the Victoria Monument must also be on this list, of course it is right outside Buckingham Palace and it is a monument dedicated to one of the greatest monarchs in British history. When I saw this monument, one I couldn't get over how large it really was and two, the likeness of statues to Queen Victoria was incredible. Now that I have seen multiple countries throughout Europe I cannot get over how well their statues look like the real person or thing. It is amazing to think someone sat and created this statue and designed it. Anyway, I had fun walking around the statue with my GoPro trying to get a 360 degree view of this amazing monument.

Monday 13 June 2016

Amsterdam


Amsterdam is a beautiful and free wheeling country. I had never thought Amsterdam was like this and I even have family who lives here! Unfortunately I did not get to see them, but the trip somewhat made up for missing out (though I will see them this summer). The day we were there was so hot and sunny it made our day there even better. We spent a mere 20 hours in Amsterdam and it was a beautiful way to start the trip. We had a walking tour with our trip manager and even went to visit the Red Light District.

Now because we were in Amsterdam on a Friday it was incredibly busy. I had never felt so claustrophobic in my life and it was definitely tough to walk around. We walked all the way around the District and learnt the history of prostitution in Amsterdam, which to every single person on the trip was a bit eye opening. We couldn't believe how proud these women were standing in their rooms showing everything off. But, hey, kudos to them! The one good thing about the walking tour with the entire group was that we were able to get to know people who were on the trip. Which was really nice because the next day we ended up spending our free time with a majority of the friends we had made the night before. We even had a beautiful canal cruise and were able to see the city from the canals that are used oh so much in such a small country. I think what I loved the most about Amsterdam is that you can literally tie up your boat in the canal and then drive around, in your boat!! It's crazy! And houseboats!? They are crazy popular and some of them were so intense and beautiful and super modern. So surprising.

The next morning we had a few hours of free time where we went to the Van Gogh museum, which showcased his work from his sane days until he was deemed insane. The paintings changed so dramatically and it was really different and amazing to see how they progressed. We sort of walked around the canals, which were just absolutely stunning and it was so nice out that it made the day that much better. Amsterdam was an incredible place to visit. I cannot wait to come back and visit.

Sunday 5 June 2016

London


The first place we landed when we flew to Europe was London. It was my first taste of Europe and it was one of the best tastes of Europe I could have had. What a way to begin our trip. We saw all the sights every tourist must see: Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, London Eye and the British Museum. We walked amongst the streets in Britain (which are absolutely amazing) and we went to a good old English pub. The architecture was something I could barely even believe, it all just seamlessly fit together and every building looked like fit together. 

The first day was probably the hardest as we had just been up for about 30 hours trying to fly to London and we arrived at 7am, an hour before we were suppose to arrive. So we almost fell asleep on the tube on our way to our hotel and when we finally got into our room we slept for about two hours and then headed to the British Museum. Now, most museums you can walk around aimlessly and be able to see everything you want to see. The British museum is one where you definitely need a guide or you have studied the map so well you know exactly where you are going. I know we didn't see everything, but what we did see (mostly Egyptian and Greek monuments) were extraordinary. I had never seen pieces so big and historic before in my life and it was amazing to be able to see that part of history that everyone knows about. 

The rest of the day we spent walking around London and then went to the London Eye as we had tickets for that day. The funniest part of that was when we came off the train Big Ben was literally right in front of us. It was perfect considering the next day we were going back down there to see all the places you want to see in London. The London Eye was really cool, especially to see everything. And the picture above is actually taken from the London Eye. 

I think one of the most surreal things for me while we were there was the fact that we were actually in Britain. I had studied Britain for so long in my history courses and just in general and it was fascinating for me to stand on those streets and in front of buildings like the Tower of London that has been so monumental in British and World History. I feel like Britain has been so huge in history as a whole, not just Canadian, and to finally have gone there and see it and experience it was something you cannot really explain to people. 

One day I will go back to London and maybe it won't be for just a visit. 

Friday 20 May 2016

Eiffel Tower 2016



So during my European adventure we went to see the Eiffel Tower. We had a reservation to go up to the second tier of the Tower to look out at the rest of Paris. When walking up to see this magnificent beast of steel I lost my breath because of it's beauty. You really have no idea how tall something is until you are standing in front of it trying to take a photo or even just trying to take it all in while staring at it.

I am slightly afraid of heights to going up the second tier of this tower was difficult but I was beyond excited that I did it. It is something you go to Paris to do, it is something you should do no matter what. You can never see a city so beautiful better then from the view of the Eiffel Tower. There are really no words to explain how beautiful and incredible this experience was, I hope in some way this video can show a little bit of it.

Enjoy!

Music: Middle by DJ Snake ft. Bipolar Sunshine

Tuesday 3 May 2016

Europe Trip


So tomorrow begins the adventure of travelling Europe for two weeks with my sister and a group of random people from around the world. We are going to England, Amsterdam, Rhine Valley, Munich, Austrian Tyrol, Venice, Rome, Florence, Lucerne and then finally to Paris. I am beyond excited for this trip as it is something I have wanted to do for a very long time, but I am also super nervous. I guess I am one of those people who gets really nervous before a big trip (one across the ocean!), but not really because of the travel. I mean everyone gets nervous flying, even if they say they don't. I think it is more because of the people that are also coming on the trip. You never know who it is going to be, but every review I've read for this trip and other trips has stated they became really good friends with the people on the trip and that makes all the difference. It really helps to know that this is just me overworking myself, but I really cannot help it.

I am just so excited to finally see the places I have studied for years and watched movies and TV shows and documentaries about. It really is something I have always wanted to do and I have actually already started planning my next trip with Contiki (haha). I will hopefully be updating as much as possible as it may be difficult with the amount of travelling and of course being able to connect to wifi.

I think one of the things most people (or maybe just me) is not only going on the trip, but the excitement of coming back and sleeping in your own room and then telling your friends and family all about the trip and what you saw and the interesting people you met. You get to tell them the stories of the people you met and become friends with people from around the world you would have never met otherwise. It's fun being able to relay your experiences with other people and see them relive it with you even if they weren't there to witness it.

More posts to come!!!

Tuesday 19 April 2016

A Place of Paradise



Treasure Island has been in my family for so long that it is hard to try and gather a memory that does not include the island in some way. My great aunt and great uncle bought the island a long time ago and my grandfather worked on the island as a child. He actually met my grandmother at the island, so it really does have very special meaning to us. I remember going to the island and the beautiful boat ride we would take to get there is one of the best. It's just the anticipation of coming over to the island to see everyone and spend an entire week together.

There is so much to say about this irresistible place that I just don't even have the words to explain it to you. It is the reason I look forward to summer, it is the glue that holds my family together (aside for love of course), and it is the history that continues to grow with every trip back to it.

It is a part of my family and no matter what happens to the island it will continue to be a member of this family.

Monday 11 April 2016

Water



A compilation of videos I took during the summer of when we were on the boat. I took them using my GoPro Hero 4.

Sunday 3 April 2016

We're All Mad Here



“Where is the Leaning Tower of Pisa anyway?” I asked. She looked up from the computer, her brows knitted and an incredulous look was on her face.
            “Oh I don’t know, maybe, Pisa?!” Oh, right. I guess that made sense, I can’t believe I didn’t notice that right away.
            “You seriously didn’t know that the Leaning Tower of Pisa is in Pisa?” She retorted with a snort and rolled her eyes before going back to the computer screen.
            I don’t think there has ever been a conversation shared between us that did not involve some level of sarcasm. Most of the time I thought we should have our own reality show. We are pretty damn hilarious.
            I glanced over at her round, porcelain doll face. She was naturally tanned like a surfer though, something she inherited from our mother that I did not. She looked up at me with what I called her “just brown” eyes, to annoy her. But what she called usually striking a dramatic pose, her “copper against honey with flecks of sage that glowed when they were watery and became shades of nature after a storm” eyes. She was pretty creative with her words, as well as in a drawing book.
            She turned the computer screen towards me and said,
            “look at this post on Tumblr”, a sentence we say more often than we should.
            This post was a gifset, the first gif was of two bats who frantically moved their wings and the second, was basically the same except there was a few seconds where it was focused on one of the bat’s stressed faces. My sister animated the captions of the gifs, something not unusual in our house.
            “AHH Walter, get the spider!” She said in a girly voice for the first gif.
            “I am TRYING HELEN.” Was said next in a deeper voice, with exaggeration on the last two words.
            Her loud laugh from her own joke made me burst out laughing too. She shook her head while laughing. This made her waist long brown hair bounce, the light from the lamp changed it from golden to dark chestnut with every shake. My laughs turned into chuckles as I looked back down at my own Tumblr. She thought she was so funny, always laughing at her own jokes but I guess she was pretty hilarious.
            She fixed the beanie on her head and pushed her bangs back under the hat. The navy colour always made her black eyeliner and mascara stand out more than usual. It amazed me how she could change how she looked all the time and it came off like she wore that style of clothes all the time. When we were younger it was always hot pink and sparkles but now it’s a mix of everything. Some days I saw her in plaid button ups and beanies and some days in fancy blouses and leggings; she wore converse and then moccasins. It really was no secret that she has a large closet full of variety. One she had also colour coated.
            Her room was pretty much her personality in a nutshell: crazy. She has her own artwork on one wall, quotes on her ceiling, a brightly coloured comforter, and bright coloured scarves hung on her canopy bed.  
            Immediately when you walked in her room all you saw were boys: boys here, boys there, and boys everywhere. And no, not a variety of boys either. It’s the same British/Irish (she would murder me if I just said British) boy band known as One Direction. Cue hoards of teenage girls screaming. Yes, I live with a mad fangirl. And I know you are probably thinking, “yeah my sister (or brother) is a fan too and it gets wild” but no, you do not even know the half of it. She was absolutely obsessed. Not a crazy fake fan that said they loved the boys but completely butchered their names and information, she was a wrathful, dedicated directioner (the fan clubs name). Unfortunately I was on the receiving end of her antics, although it was pretty entertaining.
            She quoted what they said and tried to imitate their accents but she can only do Niall’s, the Irish one, moderately OK and only with certain phrases. This “phase but not really a phase anymore phase” has been going on since 2010 when they were on the X Factor. Yes for four years and yes I know more about them than I would like to admit. She has all of their songs, even ones not on their albums, on her IPod plus hardcopies. She has t-shirts, drawings, and a Twitter dedicated to them. At their concert she cried and legit bawled when Liam (her favourite) came out on stage. She has a real crazy thing for boy bands and people who are British. Even one wall in her room, that she painted herself, was of the Union Jack and not the Canadian flag. 
            I knew she sounded like a complete whack job now but the way I saw it was that she was very passionate. When she loved something, she invested her whole being into it and even if she didn’t love it she tried her best to do her best, which was something I admired.
            “I WILL FIND HIM!” She suddenly screamed, which made me jump. She said it a few more times before looking at me and smiled, her naturally pale red lips separated and showcased her straight, white teeth. Something the both of us acquired without braces.
            She was saying what Michael Shannon said in Man of Steel when he threatened to find and kill superman on Earth. It was her favourite line and I absolutely could not tell you why. She was a weird one.
            I had always wondered what it was like to be inside her head, I assumed it would be like Alice in Wonderland. Everything made no sense at all but at the same time made perfect sense. I knew I would definitely see bright colours, weird animals, and abstract landscape. Whenever I thought about what went through her mind I instantly regretted it. Knowing it was probably like me being in the maze in the Triwizard Tournament without having my name picked from the Goblet of Fire: dangerous and wrong. She really was mad, “entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are.” I can only deduce that her mind was like those two great stories, breathtaking and magical.
            Her projects for school definitely showed that she has a wild imagination. Her one, hypothetical not actually performed, experiment in grade 9 was “The Affect of Crayons On Hamsters”. Yes you guessed it, that would mean that the hamsters would have had to eat crayons.
            I looked back over at her again but she was no longer sitting on the opposite couch as me. I saw her from the corner of my eye coming back from the kitchen.
            “Man I love food,” she said while eating off of a plate covered in cut up cheese and crackers. She was dancing exotically around the TV and I could not help but stare. She stared back at me for a few seconds before breaking out into a creepy grin, one I could only describe as the Grinch’s before he said “I know just what to do” and decided to steal Christmas from the Who’s. I returned the sinister grin for a mere 5 seconds before I dropped it when she lost interest in me for a yogurt commercial on TV.
            She could never stay too focused for too long and if she absolutely had to, like on a test or something in school, then you could guarantee she would not be sitting still. Everyone was born with basic reflexes and I am pretty sure the Megan was born with a few different ones. She shook her leg, tapped her pencil, and cracked her knuckles like it was nobodies business. She only ever realized she did that stuff when someone commented on it or told her to stop.
            My mom walked into the room doing up a bracelet on her wrist.
            “Get ready, we have our friend’s party soon,” she said to us. I looked over at Megan as she looked over at me; a mischievous glint was present in her eyes before we both looked back at our mom.
            “Our friend? Could you be anymore vague? Believe it or not we actually have friends in the plural sense not just one friend.” Megan said with a smile, letting my mom know she was just messing around with her. Of course that didn’t stop our mum from rolling her eyes at her. 
            “Diane, remember? I told you about this last week. No getting out of it.” She replied with finality.
            “Is there going to be lots of people there?” I asked, finding my voice.
            “Yeah, I mean you know we don’t really like people. “Socializing”? This term is not one I enjoy.” Megan added on. I looked over and smirked at her, we were both pretty awkward when it came to social situations and therefore tried to get out of many, if not all, of them. 
            “It is a party you know, meaning yes, there will be people there now go get changed” mom snapped, which made us grin widely before we got off of the couch and went up the stairs to our rooms.
            As we walked up the stairs I could not help but think about what a crazy pair we were. Megan made up a lot of the crazy as well as cockiness and wit.
I would never understand how she could be wild yet a “confident in the closet”. She reminded me of a chameleon; could be absorbed in the surroundings, unique, ever changing, and unpredictable. I am not going to lie; she was a pretty rad sister. 
Her hair flows in soft waves down her back to her waist. It glistens a warm honey brown in the sunlight, yet a dark chestnut in the moonlight. A knitted beanie covers the back of her head most of the time, letting her bangs fall on her forehead. Her face is round, as smooth as a porcelain doll but naturally tanned like a surfer. Her eyebrows are full and brown, perfectly complimenting her eyes. The copper against honey with flecks of sage glow when they are watery, becoming shades of nature after a storm. But when she is happy, her eyes hold a golden gleam. The navy colour of her hat makes the black on her eyelids and lashes more bold. Her nose is round, marked with a freckle on the left nostril. Her lips look like they are constantly covered with a light red lip stain, her bottom lip being larger than the top. Laughter is what I hear often coming from her mouth. Her teeth are straight and white, almost screaming "look at me." The smooth tone of her voice is either joking or being sarcastic and when she is serious it becomes sharp and dangerous. She always has to be in motion; whether it is shaking her leg, constantly touching things, or playing with her fingers. She is always anxious; jumpy, a confident in the closet", modest and shy. Her clothes reflect her ever-changing personality. One day she wears lip gloss, pale pink pants, and a cream blouse, but the next she is wearing dark red lipstick, skinny jeans, a graphic tee, and converse. She is hard to keep up with. What she thinks about, how would I know? Schoo, gossip, friends, One Direction. I imagine it to be something like the characters from Wonderland: she's mad, "entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are." She confuses me at every corner, but she is my sister so I don't care. 

Tuesday 8 March 2016

Retail



I have worked in retail for the past six years and from this experience I have come to some conclusions:


  1. Everyone should work a retail job in their life: It will make them be a lot more money conscious as well as conscious of how they treat people after leaving this job. 
  2. You lose you faith in humanity so many times: People are stupid, just like beyond dumb and retail makes you realize that much more. 
  3. The customer is never right: Mr. Selfridge, Mr. Wanamaker and Mr. Field had no idea what this really meant. The customer is 99% always wrong and sometimes when they are right it is a major fluke. 
Retail is able to open your eyes to many different things, not only because of the people you meet and the situations you are put in but because of the work you have to do and the shit pay you get. Some places will pay their employees well (like over $12 an hour) and some places will try and cheat you out of your pay because they think they can do that. I have some amazing stories from my six years of experience, and some of them I will share with you. 

The first story is a continuous one it is the dreaded 2 for $5 sign or any 2 for... sign. This is obvious but clearly not to the thousands of customers I have put through. The sign clearly states you can get two cans of soup for $5 and then underneath states 'Or reg. price: $3.29'. But sometimes people come up with one can of soup and are like oh the sign says 2 for $5. My face drops and I look at them losing the last bit of my soul and say you have to buy two to get the deal. It honestly amazes me how idiotic people can be when it is literally laid out right in front of them. It literally states everything on the sign, there is no reason as to why someone should not understand the sign.

Another one is "If it doesn't scan it's free", my god. The last bit of my soul I had left in me has just escaped from that one statement. NO it does not mean it is free, and NO I do not find it funny. This laugh that I am currently laughing is only there because I can do nothing else without being fired. I hear this daily, and most of the time multiple times a day. It honestly surprises me so much how many people actually say it and how many people actually find it funny. Cashiers DO NOT find this funny. In fact, we hate it and if you could just stand at the till and not talk to us that would be great.

The workload of someone who runs a department is startling. I run the fashion department at the store I work at and it is honestly one of the hardest things to do. People who work in offices or in construction or whatever else really have no idea what it is like to run their own department, while also knowing how to use a till, and cleaning up after every single person who walks through the store. I, myself, simultaneously do every single job in the store at the same time, while some people in office buildings can barely do their own job properly. If I don't do my job right things don't run smoothly and customers get angry which makes me pissed off. I do a lot in one day; I have price changes, I have markdowns, I have over 30 boxes of fashion to get out even though are racks are so packed you can't fit anything else, I also have other responsibilities like jumping on the till when it gets busy, letting the cashier go for their breaks, going for my own breaks, doing returns, running to the bank to get money, and the list goes on and on. And people just think I'm standing around waiting to help them. That is definitely not the case.

Anyway, that is my first of I'm sure many rants. Retail rants are endless as people just become dumber and dumber. Good luck out there to anyone in retail and everyone else who isn't, remember a few things: we are the people who stock the shelves for you, clean up after you, and put your items through the till, if you piss us off we can make your life a living hell. And also we are human beings like you and deserve to be respected. 

Sunday 28 February 2016

Oscars 2016

Close to 700 films have been released from January to December 2015 and it all boils down to this one night when all of our favourite a-list stars will walk the red carpet and we will watch at home and bite our nails when they announce the winners.

Here are my choices for winners this year:

Best Picture:
The Revenant 
Winner: Spotlight

Best Director:
Alejandro G. Inarritu, The Revenant 

Best Actor:
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Best Actress:
Brie Larson, Room

Best Supporting Actor:
Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Winner: Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies

Best Supporting Actress:
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Best Original Screenplay:
Spotlight

Best Adapted Screenplay:
The Martian
Winner: The Big Short 

Best Foreign Language Film:
Son of Saul

Best Documentary- Feature:
Amy

Best Documentary- Short Subject:
N/A
Winner: A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness

Best Original Score:
Star Wars: The Force Awakens 
Winner: The Hateful Eight

Best Original Song:
Writing's on the Wall- Spectre 

Animated Feature Film:
Inside Out 

Cinematography:
Mad Max: Fury Road

Costume Design:
The Danish Girl
Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road

So, not a bad show. The definite highlight was Leo DiCaprio finally winning his Oscar. The look of love that Kate Winslet gave him just killed me. It was amazing. I ended up with 10 correct answers out of the 16 that I had picked winners for. Which is pretty good. Hope you enjoyed the show, can't wait till next year!



Wednesday 24 February 2016

Harry Potter and Pottermore


As with a lot of people my age we have grown up reading and re-reading the Harry Potter novels until the covers no longer stay on the book. We have grown up with not only the characters of the novels but also the actors who portrayed these characters on the screen. We have cried for our lost favourites (mostly Fred) and we have laughed with the Weasleys, we have rejoiced when the 'good' guys win and we cheer when Slytherin's lose (most of us anyway). We have waited in line for the books at midnight and we have worn our very own robes to the movie premieres. We are the Potter generation.

The one thing that utterly impresses me every time, especially when I go on Tumblr is the amount of people who have come up with extensive back stories for characters or places inside the Potter World.  The stories or even the fan fiction that has come out of this series completely astounds me. It just shows the dedication and pure love us readers and fans have for this series. Pottermore also gives us fans even more opportunity to delve into the world of Harry Potter and being sorted into a house as well as reading histories about wands, other wizarding schools, history of locations and history of other characters, among so much more. It creates this world that allows the reader to imagine that it actually exists. Sometimes people need that; they need that world to escape to and live inside of because they believe their world isn't magical enough.

Tumblr has amazing stories as well as gifsets that are just extraordinary. There is one blog that I absolutely love as it has a lot of different back stories for other wizarding schools around the world (and not just the new ones JK added to Pottermore). Take a look:
http://asheathes.tumblr.com/tagged/gif:hp

We, as a generation, have fallen in love with this story. To the point where we could not even imagine our lives without this series. Even though the books and the movies have ended the story continues to live on in the people it has enlightened.

Monday 15 February 2016

Golden Globes 2016





So I absolutely love award season. From January to the end of February when the Oscars air my entire life revolves around award shows. I watch every single one of them, the SAGs, the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, Grammy's and finally the Oscars. I enjoy watching the red carpet arrivals and seeing what everyone is wearing but I also love it because I get to watch every single movie or TV show that is nominated because I always guess on who is going to win. And I am usually always right. This year I actually filmed myself (and partly my sister) watching the Golden Globes just for fun and this was the result. Enjoy!

Monday 8 February 2016

Marathoning Shows



So I watch a lot of TV and when I say a lot of TV, I mean A LOT of TV. I have more than likely watched every show you have watched or they are currently on my list to watch. Thank God for Netflix. Now that I have so many shows on the go I have to keep a list of what I have watched, what I have finished and where I am in the show. It's almost becoming a hassle. I have now come to the point where I am actually waiting for a majority of my shows to come on TV, that is how caught up I am. Therefore, I am starting a list on here to keep myself up to date on all of my shows, updating this blog more often (because lets face it I am really bad at that) and maybe there are shows I have yet to watch or haven't heard of that you guys have and plan on sharing with me. Thanks!

Upcoming Shows:
  • Reign Season Four (February 2017)
  • Black Sails Season Four (January 29, 2017)
  • The 100 Season Four (February 1, 2017)

Shows Being Moved:
  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season Four (Ongoing Shows)
  • The Big Bang Theory Season Ten (Ongoing Shows)
  • The Goldbergs Season Four (Ongoing Shows)
  • Modern Family Season Eight (Ongoing Shows)
  • Superstore Season Two (Ongoing Shows)
  • The Blacklist Season Four (Ongoing Shows)
  • How To Get Away With Murder Season Three (Ongoing Shows)
  • Peaky Blinders Season Two (Completed)
  • Shameless Season Seven (Completed)
  • Weeds Season Eight (Completed)
  • Parks and Recreation Season Seven (Completed)
  • Conviction Season One (Ongoing Shows)
  • Timeless Season One (Ongoing Shows) 
  • Westworld Season One (Completed)
  • Tutankhamen Season One (Completed) 
  • Peaky Blinders Series Three (Completed)
  • Notorious Season One (Ongoing Shows)
  • Rizzoli and Isles Season Seven (Completed)
  • The Last Kingdom Season One (Completed)
  • Poldark Series Two (Completed)
  • Pretty Little Liars Season One (Completed)
  • Teen Wolf Season Six (Ongoing Shows)
  • The Royals Season Three (Ongoing Shows)
  • Vikings Season Four (Ongoing Shows)
  • The Crown Series One (Completed)
  • Frontier Season One (Completed)
  • Medici: Masters of Florence Season One (Completed)
  • Ripper Street Season Five (Completed) 
  • Pretty Little Liars Season Five (Completed)
  • Mr. Robot Season One (Completed)
  • Taboo Series One (Ongoing Shows)
  • Mr. Robot Season Two (Completed)
  • Grimm Season Six (Ongoing Shows)
  • Sleepy Hollow Season Four (Ongoing Shows)
  • Pretty Little Liars Season Six (Ongoing Shows)
  • This Is Us Season One (Ongoing Shows)
  • Sherlock Season Four (Completed)
  • Riverdale Season One (Ongoing Shows) 
  • Homeland Season Six (Ongoing Shows)

Ongoing Shows:
  • Kevin Can Wait Season One (Episode Thirteen)- Monday
  • Timeless Season One (Episode Twelve)- Monday
  • Conviction Season One (Episode Thirteen)- Monday
  • Shadowhunters Season Two (Episode Three)- Monday
  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season Four (Episode Eleven)- Tuesday
  • American Housewife Season One (Episode Twelve)- Tuesday
  • The Middle Season Eight (Episode Twelve)- Tuesday
  • Teen Wolf Season Six (Episode Nine)- Tuesday
  • This Is Us Season One (Episode Two)- Tuesday
  • The Goldbergs Season Four (Episode Three)- Wednesday --> Catch up: 5 episodes
  • Modern Family Season Eight (Episode Two)- Wednesday --> Catch up: 5 episodes
  • Arrow Season Five (Episode Three)- Wednesday --> Catch up: 6 episodes
  • Supernatural Season Twelve (Episode Six)- Wednesday --> Catch up: 3 episodes
  • Vikings Season Four (Episode Nineteen)- Wednesday
  • The Big Bang Theory Season Ten (Episode Eleven)-Thursday 
  • Superstore Season Two (Episode Four)- Thursday
  • The Blacklist Season Four (Episode Four)- Thursday
  • How To Get Away With Murder Season Three (Episode Four)- Thursday
  • Notorious Season One (Episode Four)- Thursday 
  • Riverdale Season One (Episode Two)- Thursday
  • Grimm Season Six (Episode One)- Friday --> Catch up: 3 episodes
  • Sleepy Hollow Season Four (Episode One)- Friday --> Catch up: 3 episodes
  • Taboo Series One (Episode Four)- Saturday
  • Bob's Burgers Season Eight (Episode Ten)- Sunday
  • Once Upon A Time Season Six (Episode Ten- Sunday
  • Quantico Season Two (Episode Nine)- Sunday  
  • Heartland Season Ten (Episode Ten)- Sunday 
  • The Royals Season Three (Episode Seven)- Sunday
  • Pretty Little Liars Season Six (Episode Twenty)- Netflix
  • Homeland Season Six (Episode Three)

Shows I Haven't Started Yet:
  • Legends Season One
  • Kingdom Season One 
  • The Vampire Diaries 
  • Always Sunny in Philadelphia 
  • 30 Rock
  • The Americans 
  • The Affair 
  • The Flash 
  • Agent Carter
  • Sons of Anarchy 
  • Resurrection 
  • Scorpion
  • Gotham 
  • Smallville 
  • Mom Season Two 
  • Chicago PD Season Two
  • 2 Broke Girls
  • Mike & Molly
  • Agents of Shield Season Two
  • Hot in Cleveland 
  • New Girl Season Four
  • Scandal Season Four
  • Doctor Who Season Nine
  • Designated Survivor 


Completed Shows:

  • Penny Dreadful Season Two
  • Reign Season Two
  • Outlander Season One
  • The Royals Season Two
  • Greys Anatomy Season Three
  • Arrow Season Three
  • Greys Anatomy Season Two
  • Sleepy Hollow Season Two 
  • Rizzoli & Isles Season Five
  • Veep Season Four
  • Da Vinci's Demons (Whole Series)
  • Revenge (Whole Series)
  • The Royals Season One
  • Game of Thrones (Season One-Five)
  • True Detective Season Two
  • Vikings (Season One-Three)
  • The Blacklist Season One
  • Sleepy Hollow Season One
  • How To Get Away With Murder Season One
  • Shameless (Season One-Five)
  • Scandal (Season One-Three)
  • Ripper Street Season One & Two
  • Penny Dreadful Season One
  • New Girl (Season One-Three)
  • Modern Family (Season One-Five)
  • Grimm (Season One-Four)
  • Black Sails Season One
  • Veep (Season One-Three)
  • Agents of Shield Season One
  • Arrow Season One & Two
  • Chicago Fire Season One & Two 
  • Chicago PD Season One 
  • Mom Season One
  • Rizzoli & Isles (Season One-Four) 
  • Reign Season One
  • Hannibal (Whole Series)
  • Boardwalk Empire (Whole Series)
  • Breaking Bad (Whole Series)
  • Friends (Whole Series)
  • The Sopranos (Whole Series)
  • Mad Men (Whole Series) 
  • The Tudors (Whole Series)
  • The Borgias (Whole Series) 
  • The Mindy Project Season One-Three
  • The Musketeers Season One & Two 
  • Doctor Who (Season One-Eight)
  • Friday Night Lights (Whole Series)
  • Damages (Whole Series)
  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Season One & Two)
  • One Tree Hill (Whole Series)
  • War and Peace (Season One)
  • Orphan Black (Season Three)
  • Merlin (Whole Series)
  • Heroes Reborn (Season One)
  • Ripper Street (Season Three)
  • The Office (Season One)
  • Nurse Jackie (Whole Series)
  • Greys Anatomy Season Four
  • The Shannara Chronicles (Season One)
  • Black Sails (Season Two)
  • Supernatural (Season Ten)
  • Teen Wolf (Season Five)
  • House of Cards (Season One-Three)
  • Superstore (Season One)
  • Greys Anatomy (Season Five)
  • Ripper Street (Season Four)
  • Beowulf: Return to the Shadowlands (Season One)
  • How To Get Away With Murder (Season Two)
  • Heartland (Seasons One-Eight)
  • Heartland (Season Nine) 
  • Black Sails (Season Three) 
  • Homeland (Season One-Four)
  • Homeland (Season Five)
  • Shameless (Season Six)
  • Grace & Frankie (Season One)
  • Sleepy Hollow (Season Three)
  • The Mortal Instruments (Season One)
  • Greys Anatomy (Season Six)
  • Grey's Anatomy (Season Seven)
  • Turn: Washington's Spies (Season One)
  • Turn: Washington's Spies (Season Two)
  • Poldark (Series One) 
  • Vikings (Season Four)
  • The 100 (Season Three) 
  • House of Cards (Season Four)
  • The Goldbergs (Season Three)
  • The Middle (Season Seven)
  • Modern Family (Season Seven)
  • The Big Bang Theory (Season Nine)
  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Season Three)
  • Once Upon A Time (Season Five)
  • Greys Anatomy (Season Eight)
  • Bloodline (Season Two)
  • Dickensian (Season One)
  • Nashville (Season Four)
  • Grimm (Season Five)
  • Orphan Black (Season Four)
  • Penny Dreadful (Season Three)
  • Bob's Burger's (Season Seven)
  • Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Season Two)
  • Grace & Frankie (Season Two)
  • The Blacklist (Season Two)
  • Reign (Season Three)
  • Game of Thrones (Season Six)
  • Veep (Season Five)
  • Turn: Washington's Spies (Season Three) 
  • Arrow (Season Four)
  • Supernatural (Season Eleven)
  • The Blacklist (Season Three)
  • Outlander (Season Two)
  • Marco Polo (Season One)
  • Marco Polo (Season Two)
  • Parks and Recreation (Season One)
  • Parks and Recreation (Season Two)
  • Greys Anatomy (Season Ten)
  • The Only Way Is Essex (Seasons One-Nine)
  • Made In Chelsea (Season One)
  • Quantico (Season One)
  • Parks and Recreation (Season Three)
  • The Only Way Is Essex (Season Ten)
  • Stranger Things (Season One)
  • Parks and Recreation (Season Four)
  • Parks and Recreation (Season Five)
  • Peaky Blinders (Season One)
  • Peaky Blinders (Season Two)
  • Parks and Recreation (Season Six and Seven)
  • Victoria (Series One)
  • Weeds (Season Eight)
  • Peaky Blinders (Series Three)
  • The Last Kingdom (Season One)
  • Poldark (Series Two)
  • Pretty Little Liars (Season One)
  • Rizzoli & Isles (Season Seven)
  • Tutankhamen (Series One)
  • Westworld (Season One)
  • The Crown (Series One)
  • Pretty Little Liars (Season Two)
  • Frontier (Season One)
  • Medici Masters of Florence (Season One)
  • Shameless (Season Seven)
  • Pretty Little Liars (Season Three)
  • Pretty Little Liars (Season Four)
  • Ripper Street (Season Five)
  • Mr Robot (Season One)
  • Pretty Little Liars (Season Five)
  • Mr Robot (Season Two)
  • Sherlock (Season Four)