A Process (or: Blinking Cursor Syndrome) Posted by Sad Blogger , 20.4.10 at Tuesday, April 20, 2010, in

Sifting through the spice rack in my mind
Trying to find that key ingredient
Still not seeing it
Not able to bake that masterpiece
Disaster repeats itself over and over
'Cause I strove for greatness
And you see how lame this is?
So while pronouns verb nouns
Ideas grasp desperately for sounds
Forwards, backwards and upside down

A furious crescendo of backspaces
Virtually erases each incompetent phrase
An endless expanse of empty space

It's not like this thing’s of the utmost importance
And it’s not as though it really has to
“MAKE MORE SENSE! –shit!”
Bound forever by the pressure to be better
Am I going to regret or detest– “Gah! Whatever!”

Inspired by ghosts who wrote songs and books
Who had the courage to look for new ground

Found whole generations on their profound words and revolutionary sounds

Dramatic pause for the audience
Make the thought seem unforgettable
Assume I’m credible for better or worse
As I curse and–
At first that seemed clever but now it’s a joke
And each keystroke’s the punchline.
But each new line forward is a whole stanza back
Back to basics
Face it, perfection…
It’s not as easy as [snap] that

I’ve gone through eighty-seven spices
“DAMMIT! WHY DOES NOTHING WORK?”
With that jerk of a cursor
Always blinking. Mocking, taunting
Haunting each five-minute 'moment to regroup'

So it's time for something new
With blues lines and familiar red mar...gines
A blank canvas with no stress or pressure

A fresher medium
That I can feel with my fingers
Spread beneath my greedy thumbs
It's freedom from that blinking cursor
And now words are beginning to flow

An idea appears beneath my pen tip
Almost faster than I can even think of it
This way is permanent
No chance to think of what that first verse meant
Pent-up creativity
Released effect of immediately

Shit-- could that have been stuffier?
Why can't I just be enough-is-enoughier?
For lack of a better word
I'm a hack with some clever verses
Peddling redundant rhymes in double time
With personal tangents amidst useless cliches
Just another unconventional way
To impress girls and avoid the traditional
"Hey, what's your number?"

So cue the score, roll the credits
Fifty-six edits have brought me to this
A page stained with egotism
"Oh how great is him!"
They'll ungrammatically shout from the rooftops
"Poetry workshops have done he good!"
They'll continue and ruin the joke
So a bow to the crowd to signal my leave
I'm sure the guy timing the slam is relieved.

The Olympic Hangover Posted by Happy Blogger , 5.4.10 at Monday, April 05, 2010, in

Well, let's see. In short, that was possitively the greatest experience of my life. It was one of a kind, and I am so greatly that I had the oppurtunity.


I got home, and talked for 3 hours straight, distributed the gifts and took a shower.


I showed all my pictures, and discussed highlights.


I then had to catch up in all the school work I should've done while I was there.


But I didn't care.


I had a major Olympic Hangover, and it was awesome.


P.S. I mentioned earlier that I couldn't find my social textbook.

On a closing note, my little 5 year old cousin had taken it, and put it in with her crayons and her princess colouring books. I was panicking and calling everyone trying to look for it, when I finally got a call from my aunt claiming that they had taken it by mistake, and only noticed it when her little princess backpack was about 15 pounds heavier then it should have been.




-Happy Blogger

Day 10- The End Posted by Happy Blogger , at Monday, April 05, 2010, in

We tided up the apartment, and packed up all our belongings. ( Oh Crap! what did I do with my social textbook?) and made our way to the airport. Since today was going to be the busiest day, as the entire world was going to be spilling in and out of Vancouvers airport, we made arrangements for a limo to come pick us up. At approximately 11 am, The silent treatment was over, and we reconciled. Praise the Lord.


We checked in, and stopped at a couple of stores on the way through the airport. We were looking at the Sea World shop, when bassist and guitarist for Simple Plan walked into this tiny little store. I was in complete shock. I used to love these guys! People now ask me why I didn't go and get their autograph, and you see, at the time, my aunt was making me try on this huge frog hat when they walked in, and I was simply to embarassed to say anything. They didn't even notice, but I did, and snuck a picture of them. I was now giggling like a little girl.


Went through security, ate some lunch, bought a few last minute souvenirs, and headed down to the boarding station. As we sat there, we saw Tanya Kim, the host from Etalk! daily. I could have possibly cared less about seeing her though. From a far, I could see this tall man, with perfect hair and a tanned face. I could have known who it was from a thousand feet away. Ben Mulroney. From the sound of it, you might think that I am fond of this character, but I shall have to inform you that it is the COMPLETE opposite. I despise him. The worst possible thing that could happen in this world would to have Ben Mulroney sing 'I Believe'. Though, I must add, I walked past him a couple times for shits and giggles.


On the flight home we watched 'The invention of Lying". I rather enjoyed it.


As we were getting off the plane, the first thing that I saw was Charles Hamelin and Marianne St. Gelais walking in the other direction. His face was in one of those Olympic Visa bags, and the scenario went a little bit like this. Me: OMG, it's Charles Hamelin and his girlfriend. Charles: Mmm, what's in this bag. Marianne: Why is that girl looking at us weirdly.


And there you have it.


As we were waiting for our luggage, we saw the Canadian Women's curling team. I was taking random pictures, just attempting to prove that they were there when I was there, when this man in a Cowboy hat approached us. 'Would you like a picture with them?". "Sure...!" we muttured, slightly embarassed. He then went up to Cheryl Bernard, the skip, and asked if we could get a picture with her. "Ofcourse!". OH MA GOSH. 'I'm sorry, we're awkward".


Great. We meet an Olympian curler, and I haven't showered in 3 days. Oh my. Then she said "Would you like to hold the medal?". OH MA, OH MA GOSH. So there you have it. Frozen in a picture for the rest of eternity. Lys, me and Cheryl, holding the olympic medal. I was exstatic.


The whole car ride home, we blubbered about how we want to join a curling team, and how she was such an inspiriration to us.


So heres the plan, kiddo. Sochi 2014. Go curl for Ireland. If we managed to win, I could sing the national anthem, and do a little jig!


-Happy Blogger

Day 9- Go Canada Go Posted by Happy Blogger , at Monday, April 05, 2010, in

We met up at the Mariott hotel, and sat down to watch THE game. We ordered wings and fries, and geared up to watch Men Hocky Finals. Canada scores, US scores, Canada Scores. Canada almost wins. 50 second left, US scores. Gramma nearly haves a heart attack. A storm trooper with a Canada flag arrives outside to cheer on. It's tense, very tense. and we are just waiting for CrosBY TO SCORE!!! People jump up. People are cheering. Gramma's hugging strangers. Unity. Pride. Canada.


Robson was crazy. Getting through the crowds was nearly impossible. And knowing how much I am fond of crowds, I just couldn't wait to bask in it for the next couple of hours. We went shopping, and spent an hour in a store. (This is the part where I have a mental breakdown). Sending agry texts to sisters, panciking at what to buy family, the line ups, the expense. WoaH!


After that, we made our way to a Japadog, where we stood in line for an hour. I started to see the same cars, driving around and honking their horns, waiting for drunk strangers who are just as proud to come and give them a 'high five!" We finally got our japadogs, though the majority of mine ended up on my shirt due to some guy running into me. (This is the part in the story where our two young protagonists have a fall out and stop talking to each other). I wanted to finish shopping, she didn't. She was stubborn, I was crying. She was Concrete. I wasTransparent.


We silently got back up to watch the closing ceremony. I would try to make conversation, but she was persistant in her silent treatment.


-Happy Blogger

Day 8- Finals and Italian Food (The Real Stuff) Posted by Happy Blogger , at Monday, April 05, 2010, in

Lyssie and I argued over lyrics in the morning. 'Sun's a ball of Fire' and 'Life's a ball of butter'. We were both sure we were right, and as it turns out, parts of us were right. 'Sun's a ball of butter'.


For the first time in my life, I ate Seafood Soup. I thought it was going to be disgusting, but it was the cheapest thing on the menu, and the smallest, and I wasn't very hungry. As it turns out, it was delicious.


We went and saw Team Pursuit Long Track speed skating. I was personally cheering for the German womans team. It was rather funny, that one of the germans skates broke, and ended ujp skidding through the finish line. As painful as it looked, it managed to get them to the finals! I bet she wasn't worried about the bruises, I mean, they'd made it! They were going again Japan for the gold, and throughout the entire race were atleast 1 second behind. As things turned out, they managed to skate their way to first place, by 2/100 of second. Go Team Germany.


The Team Canada's team persuit won Gold, and it was rather exciting as they were facing the american team, and I was sitting in a section of Americans, so when we won, I jumped up and waved my flag proudly. The guy behind me shot it down, though I can't tell it he wanted to see, or was furious with the Canadian Flag, I guess I'll never know.


That night we went shopping down robson. At one point, we were both extremely tired, and sat down in a little coffee shop. I ordered "Jasmine Moonlight Tea"- which could potentially be the best cup of tea I have ever had, and I know my teas. My cousin asked me how it tasted. "It tastes like, Jasmine, infused with..." -"Oh, for the love of God, do NOT say moonlight" - "I can't seem to find a way to describe the moonlight". After I said that, I started muttering out lines to myself, attempting to write a song about moonlight, and make it sound all romantic and crap, but people wouldn't actually know I was talking about a cup of tea. I'm still working on it.


We ventured into Indigo, and looked around at some books. We came across a book about a pregnant unicorn. Even though the vook looked completely stupid, and would not be worth our money, we went ahead and bought it for a friend. This book was PERFECT for my friend. A story about magic and love. Pregnant Unicorn, little squirrel friends brewing cups of tea, and finding perfectly symmetrical places to have the baby! Ah, it was divine.


We met up with the rest of the gang at CinCin, a fancy italian resturant. When it came time to order, I ordered some sort of pasta, with some fancy ingredients for the sauce. It was divine. Lyssie ordered White truffles and gnocce. I don't think she could have ever been happier. She STILL raves about that meal. For dessert we shared Tirimasu. Holy man. I could have died and been happy.


-Happy Blogger

Day 7- Gramma In The Nose Bleeds Posted by Happy Blogger , at Monday, April 05, 2010, in

Well, through all my procrastination, I finally have a spare moment in which I can sit down and reclaim my thoughts. Phew!


Well, like every other morning in my life, I was to wake up and eat breakfast. Followed by putting some clothes on. I probably sat down and ate some lunch a little bit later, and went shopping down Robsons street. Some people shop to relieve stress, but as per myself, it does the very opposite. While every other girl my age would be happy to spend their parents money they have lent them, I feel serious guilt, and simply hate spending money, like my mom says "we're shanty Irish". Also, I panic over whether I'm spending to much, or whether the person I'm buying something for will like what I'm getting them, and then there's the line ups, and people looking at the same things you are, and I can honestly say I have broken down and started crying in a store, because the crowds are so overwheming. My Theory: Get in and get out, that way I can maitain partial sanity.


Later in the day, we had tickets to Short Track Speed skating. My uncle is a sports journalist for the Edmonton Journal, and was at the arena at the same time we were. So, we attempted to meet up for a brief second. It was quite commical, because there are only a thousand people standing in the same place you are, and descriptions of location through texts simply failed, due to the people sending them (Later we decided we were the worst texters on the planet). After a few minutes of standing where you were, waiting to see the other person, we realized we were actually standing right behind each other, but were to preoccupied with all the other humans to recognize them. We talked for a couple of minutes, and then proceded to our seats.


Gramma was a real trouper the whole trip, but I would personally like to give my entire credit to her getting to these seats. We just happened to be in the nosebleeds of the nosebleeds. I'm pretty sure that the arena had set up this extra row to sell tickets. We were at the very top, no one behind us. Fifty thousand steps later, we got to our seats. The competitons were short, but sweet, and though our seats were slightly inconvienient to get to, we could see the whole rink, which was kind of awesome. They had qualifiers and Team Pursuit. This was the one where one of the teams got disqualified- I believe China or Korea. The american team should consider themselves lucky- because they were soo far behind, and managed to get a Bronze medal. Poo Poo Poo.


We ended up leaving a little bit early, because we desperately needed to beat the crowds, as Gramma needed her time getting down the stairs. Fifty thousand steps later, we were safe on flat ground. All I could think was, My Gramma's a Super Trouper.


Went out to Dinner, and finsihed the night off with some glee. Per usual
-Happy Blogger