Last Weekend!

It's the last weekend of the summer! I'm very excited because school starts VERY soon and I'm going camping!

I just got everything I needed for university and now I can breathe easy until Wednesday.

Lately, I've been watching Ask Lauren Oliver, which is basically a vlog where she answers her fans' questions about writing, life and other interesting stuff! As an aspiring author and fan of her writing, I find it super interesting and it's just cool that she's so involved with her fans!

I've also been reading obsessively The Mortal Instruments series... I'm already at the 3rd book in 2 weeks! When I'm not reading, I'm fangirling over the movie like a maniac! That hasn't happened in a loooong time and it's nice to have something that makes you so excited all the time!

Happy long Weekend! :)

Canadians and Their Hockey

Last night was Hockey night at the baseball stadium. All the staff was dressed in hockey jerseys or hockey shirts. It didn't matter which team colours we wore, as long as it was a hockey team.
My family doesn't really follow sports all that much, so I had to borrow a jersey from a coworker. I was given one at random, and it so happened to be a Montreal Canadiens jersey.

2 years ago, people would have loved my jersey. That's because 2 years ago, Winnipeg didn't have an NHL hockey team. We hadn't had a hockey team in over 15 years, and we finally got the Jets back in 2011. Winnipeg literally went crazy with team-spirit. It was great to see! The Jets had a very very good first season, and we love them.

Anyway, last night I was a ticket taker; I scanned the tickets at the gate and because of my jersey, some people down-right refused to have their tickets scanned by me. They glared at me, shook their heads, told me "my team sucks," and so on. They were ruthless!

There's a reason we're known as crazy hockey fans... That might just be it.

Back to Books!

Yesterday I got the last of my textbooks! I'm super excited to be starting school next week and getting the textbooks is definitely the kickstart!

This year, it's all about my majors. German and Film.

All my classes this year will be focused on my majors, except for one, which I need to fill my science requirement. It'll be super interesting and I can't wait to dive in!

Speaking of books, I'm already at 6,200 words! That is pretty awesome!! Considering I started less than a week ago and I didn't write for 3 out of those 6 days...! Yay for books!

A Good One

Shirt: Garage // Shorts: Aeropostale // Flip Flops: Quicksilver

I'm starting yet another school year in less than a year, and I'm determined to make it a good one. I'm the kind of person who makes resolutions in September, since that's when it really feels like a new year. Those are the ones I tend to keep.

This year, I will:
-Write and finish my book. I've been writing for years and I finally have the inspiration and motivation to keep going. Writing is such an important part of me and not doing it drives me insane. I'm re-writing a story I wrote years ago that I really love and after 3 days, I already have over 5,000 words written. By next year, I'll have this thing done.
-No more C's! Last year, I got 3 As, 1 B, and 2 Cs. Something like that. NO MORE! I'm way too excited about my classes this year to get anything lower than a B. Last year I wasn't trying very hard, but this year, I'm gonna rock this!
-Take better care of myself. That includes everything. Hair, skin, body. I'm a very lazy person, who would rather sleep than take an extra 5 minutes to get ready. If I can at least brush my hair instead of twisting it into a messy bun every day, that would be a great start! On top of that, I get a free gym membership at my university, so I'm going to take advantage of that this year! No more excuses!
-Learn to relax. I stress out easily and freak out. I get intense and go crazy. I worry about ridiculous things that aren't worth worrying about. This year, I will learn to take a step back, breathe, and walk away.

Summer's End

(It's a terrible unflattering photo, but hey, it happens!)

I wish I had air conditioning.
It is incredibly hot outside today and I am dying!
According it Weather Network, It's 33 degrees Celcius, and it feels like 38.
That is HOT! It's a great way to end the summer though!

The thing is, there's no point in having A.C. if we only use it 2-3 months a year. My house is nearly 100 years old, which means it would cost us a fortune to get in installed. I think I might buy one of those window A.C. machines for next summer though....

I started my new job today and I really like it! I only have a week left with my summer jobs, so everything is working out perfectly. :)

ONE WEEK!
Then I start school again. Where did time fly?!

Life is good. :)

Garden Treasures

My parents really love adding little things to the garden to add some charm. Just like some people have garden gnomes. We do too, except that they aren't exactly gnomes.

My mom has always had a fascination with the Indian culture, so this little guy is a little hidden in our garden. It adds a splash of colour among all the green!

My dad, being the artist that he is, took one of our sick trees we had to cut down and turn it into a chair with this face he carved.

Probably the most original thing in the yard. My dad has an old friend who makes wooden sculptures. My dad got this one and it sits nicely at the edge of the garden, right over the Buddha.

This silver bird is also in the garden. Little fact: I ran it over with the car, so it's missing the majority of its body... hehe. 

Writing & Determination

A couple of years ago, I started writing a book. I wrote the story of a broken hearted girl whose friends try to set her up with this super hot guy, who doesn't end up being who she thinks he is. I know it sounds like the typical teenage paranormal romance, but I love that stuff. I just started writing and writing and writing, and before I knew it, I had written a novel. Well, sort of. It wasn't anywhere close to being "ready" or anything, but it was still an accomplishment. The whole thing is 72 pages (on Microsoft Word), 50,405 words and 19 chapters.

I've had a writer's block for almost 3 years now. I just got sick of writing that story, so I left it alone. For a long time, I've been meaning to go over it, to adjust and rewrite, but I never got around to it. I wanted to restart from scratch, to rewrite the entire thing.

Last night, I was so wired after seeing City of Bones, that I started thinking about writing. And I kept thinking. Until 3 am. By then, I had a new plot, semi-new characters (I only rewrote some of them) and a brand new determination to write this story. This time, I'm not giving up.

Tattoo (Part Two: The Phoenix)

The story behind my phoenix tattoo isn't one I tell often. When I do talk about it, I give the short version, the one people ask for. There is so much more to this story than meets the eye. Today, I share that story.

Fresh tattoo!

The phoenix is my favourite mythical creature. I always loved the idea of an immortal creature who could die and live again. According to legend, this bird would burst into flames when it got too old, then would be reborn from its ashes.

What I always tell people when they ask what it means is this: "It's a reminder than things have to get worst before they get better. Just like a phoenix has to burst into flames before it can live again." This usually satisfies the curious. But here's the real story.

When I was younger, I was bullied a lot. I hit rock bottom when I was 10 years old. I came home crying almost every day, I hated everything; myself, my life, everyone. The kids in my class were ruthless and cruel. They would insult me, make up rumours, laugh at me, use me as a last resort, only talk to me when no one else would talk to them, I was kicked and shoved around and they even made a petition to get me kicked out of school. The few friends I did have were only there for me when no one was looking. No matter how many times my parents spoke with the principal and counsellors, the bullying never stopped.

I was 10 years old, and I wanted to die. I had it all planned out, it just needed to get bad enough for me to do it. One day, I was so tired of the crap kids gave me, that I went up to one of my bullies and told him that he could kick me, insult me, and do whatever he wanted. I didn't care anymore. Another kid went to get a teacher and something finally happened. She told me that when she was younger, she was bullied too and when she changed schools, everything changed. She said I should do that too, and I did. It was the only thing I could think of. I had been in therapy for most of that year, the school didn't do anything and the bullies would never stop. So I changed schools.

Healed: One year later

Everything did change. Except one thing. The bullies never stopped. They went after my sister once I left. Thankfully, it stopped a few months later, but it broke my heart. I felt like it was my fault. But things eventually got better for the both of us, and the bullying stopped altogether.

Now, almost 10 years later, I've made my peace with it. It may still haunt me sometimes because wounds like that never truly heal. Now, life is good and I am happy. My phoenix is a constant reminder that life is a challenge, that although I have lived through something horrible, I was strong enough to get through it and become a better person because of it.

Tattoo (Part One: The Tree)

I have two tattoos that I'm very proud of. There's a lot of meaning behind them. They both have a story that makes them come to life. The first tattoo I got was in March 2012. My mom came with me. I was really nervous but excited at the same time. It was only when the needle went off, that scary buzz, that I really got nervous. Surprisingly enough, it barely hurt. I almost fell asleep! Of course, there were some parts that were a little more painful, but it wasn't too bad. The healing process hurt more than the actual tattooing. For the first one, anyway.

This image represents where I'm from, my heritage; who I am. I was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba as a francophone. My first language is French, and I have always lived in the french neighbourhood of Winnipeg, Saint-Boniface. Though a lot of it is about pride, I also wanted to have a reminder of where I come from, so that one day, if I lose my first language, which I slowly am, I will always remember. You never know where life will take you, so I take my life with me.

The Franco-Manitoban community has its own flag. That's what my tattoo is. At first glance, it may not look anything like it, but that's for a specific reason. I didn't want to have a tattoo of a flag, or a maple leaf on myself. I wanted something a little more artistic. I kept all the elements of the flag, and "brought them to life." The red stripe represents the Red River, the yellow represents the importance of agriculture, while the green plant, designed to look like an "F" represents the very much alive and flourishing community whose roots are very deep, and the white which takes up over half of the flag represents the vastness of the prairies.

As you can see, I kept all those elements: the Red River, the field of yellow, and the tree, whose roots go in the river. I added another element, though. In the tree, there are two branches that take the shape of an "8". The 8, when horizontal represents infinity, which is also the symbol for the Metis, which I am.

As you can see, there is a lot of meaning behind this one tattoo. I took a long time to find exactly how I wanted it, where, and why. I don't think I will ever regret this decision!

Camping

This weekend Alex and I went camping at Black Lake, in Nopiming Provincial Park. It's about 3 hours North-east from Winnipeg. I've been going there since I can remember and it's definitely one of my favourite places in the world. I love that there's no electricity, running water or cellphone service. Just nature. It's nice to get away from the "real world" every once in a while. We spent our weekend relaxing at the beach or by the fire. I can't wait to get back there in two weeks!

Jiffy Pop! Best camping popcorn ever!

Octopus Hot Dogs!

Grad 2012

I feel like going down memory lane today. Last year I graduated high school and one of my best memories was grad.

Being who I am, I had thought to myself: I'm not going to spend a lot on my dress, I'll just get something nice and be done with it. I ended up starting to look online in September! That's 10 months ahead! I know I'm really punctual and all, but that surprised us all. My mom and I found the perfect dress in November and got it before anyone else could. I found my shoes, my earrings and everything I needed right away and I was ready to go! 6 months before the day.

My date was my very close friend JD. I had known him for over 4 years at that point and he was the best date anyone could ask for! He followed me around all day while we took pictures, never complaint about the heat or his poor feet, and everything else I needed (demanded).

We went around town to take pictures with my friends Gen and her date, as well as PJ and his date. All of us together, followed by my dad, our photographer. We must have spent at least 3 hours taking pictures. I got a sunburn so bad I looked like a lobster, but it was all worth it! We were all excited and running around goofing off. Just the photography part had some great memories, let alone the actually dinner and dance!

I can't really say I miss high school (I really, really don't), but those memories will always make me smile.

The Current Take Two

Dress: H&M // Flats: Walmart

Tuesday, I was supposed to go to a job interview. The man who was supposed to do the interview wasn't there, and was on vacation starting the next day. Yesterday, I was called back to do an interview with the other manager who had just gotten back from vacation. I went to the interview at 8:30 am this morning.

I found this dress at H&M in Germany and I fell absolutely in love with it! It's super cute, flattering and easy to wear in summer. I'm not a dress person whatsoever, but I just HAD to have this dress! I've worn it on two other occasions: my sister's grad and Alex's cousin's wedding, which for me is a LOT. This dress makes me want to wear dresses! It makes me feel girly and wear dresses more often!

I'm actually excited to wear it again!

The Name

Emilie Bordeleau-Laroche

What a name. It's a very French name with actual meaning behind it.

First off, there's my first name: Emilie. In English, it's pronounced exactly like "Emily," it just has the french spelling, which I personally find prettier. I think part of the reason I was name Emilie is because of a famous character in the books and TV series Les Filles de Caleb, named Emilie Bordeleau.

Now, for the last name. For a french-speaker, that name is a piece of cake, but for the english-speaker... this name looks quite difficult. I mean, how in the world do you pronounce E-A-U together!? It's actually quite simple: Bor-da-lo-La-raw-sh. See? Easy peasy.

If you take the name apart, if get something like this: Bord de l'eau and La roche. Bord de l'eau literally means "edge of the water"/"shore" and la roche means "the rock."

Yes, I was teased a lot. People saying "hey look! It's Emilie, the rock on the shore!" It never bothered me. I actually find it kind of poetic.

Originally, my parents wanted to call me "Marina." A very pretty name, but combined with a last name like mine would make it a little silly: Marina Shore-The Rock... So, I was given the name Emilie.

I really do like my name, though. I think it's a pretty name, and I definitely love giving people a hard time with it!

The Current

I have a job interview today!! I'm super excited. I already have two jobs, but they are only for the summer. I need something for the winter!

The interview is at The Current. It's a restaurant in a fancy hotel in Winnipeg. If I get hired, it would as a hostess or busperson, which is perfect, since you can usually move out to waitress. Since it's a fancy restaurant and I really want the job, I actually took the time to find something nice to wear! I want to make a great impression!

Top: H&M // Skirt: Sirens // Flats: Walmart

I'll admit it, I did ask my sister for help. We spent a good 20 minutes raiding my closet, but in the end, we found this outfit! It's perfect for a job interview. It's just fancy and casual enough to be taken seriously, without being too fancy or too casual.

Flats: Walmart

Let's hope I get this! :)

Typical Weekend

Here's a glimpse of my weekend!

1. I worked at the museum and knit. It may seem boring, but I enjoy my work. It's not stressful and my coworkers are always fun to be with. 

2. I started a new knitting project! I'm super excited about it!

3. This pillow that I bought at Target is the best thing ever for watching movies, which I spent a lot of time doing with Alex !

4. Last night, we spent some time in front of a campfire. The weather was finally nice enough to do so!

5. While we were sitting by the fire, Midas decides he to sit on his own chair between my parents, which I thought was just hilarious. 

Yesterday I also worked at the baseball stadium. It rained the day before so they ended up playing 2 games! They lost the first and killed in the second! It made for a very long day, but it was so nice outside, everyone was happy. I even got a small sunburn on my chest!

The weather is finally coming around and life is good. 

Grey Skies, Cold Winds

Usually in August, I'm complaining that it's too hot. I would be wearing short and a tank top and sweating like a pig. That's a normal summer in Winnipeg.

So how come I am wearing sweats, socks, and a sweater and I'm still cold! Right now, it's cloudy and 16 degrees Celsius. It's been quite chilly lately... It's strange. We had a sweltering two weeks early in July, but after that it's been downhill from there. Every day it looks like it's going to rain, but it never does. Which is good for me, since I work outdoors, but it makes for cool days and even cooler nights.

Hopefully it'll warm up before I go camping! I really want to go swimming there! Let's keep our heads high and hope for warmth!

Have a great weekend!

Summer Lovin'

I can't believe it's already August!
Summer is slowly coming to an end, and I have to admit that's it been a great one. It hasn't been as full of adventures as it has been for some, but I've had some great memories of my own. I travelled to Germany for a 7 weeks, which was absolutely amazing. I met wonderful people, lived in this amazing country and learned so much more than I thought I would. Not only did I improve my language skills and learned about the culture, I also learned a lot about myself.
Coming home was the hard part. I really miss it there and I count the days until I can go back. In the mean time, I have to think about school and work.
Since I got back, I've been working two part-time jobs to save up for university, and I've actually been enjoying my work. My first job is with the Winnipeg Goldeyes, our baseball team. I only work every couple games, but it's still a good time. I get to meet new people, watch the game and have a good time, while being paid!

My other job is a tour guide in a museum. It's literally across the back lane from my house, so it's been very good for me. I love being able to leave 1 minute before my shift and get there on time! The museum is the childhood house of the author Gabrielle Roy. She wrote many books, including "The Tine Flute" and "Street of Riches." The museum has been open for 10 years this year and it's a great summer job. It's not very busy, so when we don't have visitors, we spend our time knitting and watching movies.

To be quite honest, though, I can't wait for September to come around. I love school!  I've already ordered 90% of my textbooks and got myself all organized and ready to go! Before I can get too excited for school, I have to live the end of the summer. It's been pretty cold lately, and I haven't even been to the beach yet!  There's less than a month left. Let's make it count!