ramblings of a ramcharan

i've moved.

2010-04-04T22:49:00.001-04:00

from toronto to oakville.

and from here to http://aar83.wordpress.com

see ya on the other side :)

testimony

2010-02-01T17:25:00.000-05:00

i just completed a daniel fast with my church - we did a partial fast for 21 days, and had to eliminate meat, dairy, bread, processed/fried food, sugar, caffiene etc from our diet. it was essentially fruits, veggies, whole grains and water for 21 days. the first week was definitely a challenge - i think i had a headache for about 4 days straight as my body tried to figure out what i was doing to it! but eventually i got into the swing of things, and i became disciplined in both my diet and my devotions - two things i desperately needed.

now just to put some context to the situation - i was working on contract at my last job, which ended in october after i found out that they were not going to extend it any longer. so since the middle of october i have been looking for work. as of december 31st i had broken up with my long time boyfriend, and i am living in my studio apartment downtown toronto.

it was hard enough not having a job, but once the new year began, everything just hit me all at once - i didn't have a job, i was dealing with a breakup, and i was living alone. that combination, by the way, is possibly the worst. because i didn't have a job, i was sitting at home in my apartment consumed by my thoughts, wondering how i could have made my relationship work and why no one will call me for an interview. i had no one to distract me from my thoughts, so i would mull over them, and get lost in my head. that first week of january was extremely difficult for me -- i believe that i was on the border of depression. i am so grateful for the grace of God, because even though i knew that all these things were happening to and around me, i still heard that small voice in my head saying 'don't let the enemy win.' i immediately recognized the work of the enemy in my life as he attempted to pull me into a pit of despair. that sunday, january 10th, i went back to my church and the pastor was encouraging all of us to participate in the daniel fast - he said it was an amazing way to start off the year so that we could really discern God's voice and direction for our lives this year. i decided then and there that i would do it. that was exactly what i needed.

over the course of the three weeks, i really began to see God move in my life. i received a call for an interview the first week of the fast. i was able to bless a friend who lost her job, to provide understanding and support. i felt the negativity and despair beginning to lift from my life. in the third week, i could feel the enemy trying to get me back - i was struggling with my devotions, and in temptations for food. but the grace of God got me through to the end.

at the end of our fast, my pastor had organized a weekend called 'winter fire' - he had invited a pastor from ottawa to come preach on saturday and sunday night, and a ministry group called 'higher ground' to come minister at the three services - saturday night, sunday morning and sunday night. i have never been so blessed as i was this past weekend. the sunday night service was incredible -- the visiting pastor did not even preach, he just moved in the Holy Spirit, which had filled the church. he called to the front those who struggled with addiction, depression, a spirit of heaviness, and any other stronghold that was holding them down. i went up to the front to receive freedom from that spirit of heaviness that the enemy had been trying to drown me in. as i stood at the front there, the pastor said 'some of you standing here are stuck in your past, thinking that what you had was so wonderful, but let me tell you now -- THE BEST IS YET TO COME!' and at that point i knew that i had received God's freedom and peace. i am truly confident that yes, the best IS yet to come!! i left the church with a spirit of joy, and relief -- God is GOOD! He is so faithful to us, He never leaves us, He never forsakes us....and i know it's one thing to just read it but it is another thing to believe it and truly know it in your heart. that song that i posted on my wall was like our theme song for the weekend, and i just love it:

"i'm reaping the harvest God promised me
take back what the devil stole from me
and i rejoice today
for i shall recover it all!"

that has been my song today - i've played it like 10 times already (or more!) - and i am moving forward believing those promises. i feel refreshed, rejuvenated, strengthened, blessed...God is good. AMEN!!!

2010-01-14T10:47:00.000-05:00

if i could
go back
to those moments
where we sat
together
i would tell you how much i love you
if i could
go back
to those memories
of us
i would replace
silence with laughter
solemnity with smiles
i would think of you first
and last
and in the middle
if i could
i would return all that was given to me
a hundred fold
and even more
with a word
a touch
a look
a smile
a hug
a prayer
if i could

welcome to 2010.

2010-01-12T11:15:00.002-05:00

living alone and being unemployed has been a true eye opener for me. at first, i enjoyed the down time, you know, it was a relief from the crazy commuting schedule and the day to day routine of work. but as time has gone on, being alone can really get to you...i can go through an entire day seeing no one. i can also go through an entire day seeing people, interacting with them and still feel alone. there is something to be said about that community that a workplace provides. a sense of belonging, camaraderie, familiarity...something without which, it is hard to be apart from! so, in this new year, i'm trying to find purpose in my days - something to do, somewhere to go...it's not been easy, but nothing in life worth having ever is. that's my two cents for the day (it's all i got now that i'm on EI, ha!) but stay tuned...there should be more in the days to come :)

sunday night.

2009-12-20T23:28:00.001-05:00

does anyone even read this anymore? just putting this out there to see if you're there!

after a long absence i think i'd like to start writing in my blog again. so here we go, let's see how long this lasts :)

china: final day

2009-05-05T05:43:00.002-04:00

i apologize to those of you who may have been checking my blog periodically in the hopes of finding a new and interesting piece from my china trip! i had the best intentions when i started blogging again, but unfortunately they fell to the wayside...so again, i apologize.

this trip has been incredible! i will be posting some pictures on facebook so you can get a visual of what the places below look like. i would post them here now, but my bags are all packed and my pictures are somewhere in one of my suitacases!

so, over these three weeks, i have stayed in shanghai, visited beijing, and hangzhou. some highlights:

shanghai -- the modern city

shaoxing park -- tucked away in the French Concession, it was filled with seniors just hanging out, playing mah jong and exercising on the public exercise machines
yu yuen gardens -- lots of pagodas, caves, very lush, beautiful gardens in the middle of the city
going up to the 88th floor of the jin mao to get a view of the city -- unfortunately, the smog clouded most of the view, but it was still worth it!
dinner at y's table -- a set menu of fancy but delicious japanese food
century park

beijing -- the historic city

the sleeper train
temple of heaven
hongqaio pearl market -- a tip for anyone travelling to beijing who likes to shop and a good bargain - do not miss the silk and pearl markets. bargain hard, and if you don't like the price they give you, just walk away. more often than not, the price will plummet.
the great wall -- this was phenomenal.
visiting mao

hangzhou -- the lush, scenic city

biking around west lake and through lanes of traffic

tonight, i sleep my last night in shanghai and tomorrow, i ride the maglev (google it, it's awesome) to the airport and i'm back in the air for fourteen hours before that sweet touchdown.

china, it's been interesting and eyeopening, thanks for the good times. until we meet again.

shanghai adventure: day four

2009-04-21T09:39:00.004-04:00

shanghai is totally kicking my butt. although i suppose it could also be the remains of jet lag combined with an injection of unusual amounts of daily walking (approx 4 hours daily)...here's how the last few days have been: wake up at 5/6am, can't fall back asleep, get off the bed, get out of the house, explore/have adventures, tired by early evening (we're talkin 6/7pm), bed before 10...

but, not to leave you without anything, find below a photo of the shanghai sculpture park. it's tucked away behind all of the busyness of the city and is a lovely serene, peaceful place. i stayed there for almost two hours this morning..! surrounding the park are a multitude of galleries and other art institutions. though modern, it has a similar feel to that of the distillery district in toronto. it's a great space and shanghai continues to amaze me with their ability to create such serenity amidst the hustle and bustle of the city...

shanghai adventure: day one.

2009-04-18T18:18:00.005-04:00

it's 5:58am and i can't sleep anymore...i will probably regret this later on this afternoon. the weather is warm, but also humid and a bit sticky. the city is amazing -- the roads are extremely well organized, bikes, cars, taxis all have their place. they've got tons of elevated roads, and are constantly building more. (people who hate on the gardiner won't know what to do over here) the food is delicious and inexpensive -- so far i've had shanghaiese dumplings and hot pot, both scrumptious. to give a point of reference, 24 dumplings and a dumpling soup costs about $5 and it was enough for 3 people to eat and be full. people do stare, but depending on the situation i smile or pretend i don't notice them.

the shanghai subway at its non-peak hours is like the ttc at rush hour -- i don't want to know what rush hour is like! i've been advised by many to keep close watch of my purse, especially on the trains as those are the playgrounds of pickpockets. pudong is incredible -- the streets are wide boulevards with trees and shrubs all around. the sidewalks are massive - it's hard to feel crowded in a space like this. the shanghai train station is busy -- all the time. the building is enormous. just outside the train station is a huge square, it's just open space where people mill about, catch the bus, grab a bite to eat...what's even better is that underneath the square is where you can get a taxi! instead of standing on the road trying to flag one down, just head down the escalator under the square, and there, neatly organized you will find taxis waiting on their next passengers.

last night i went to the french concession -- we walked along huai hi road. along this street were all the names i recognized from home: adidas, zara, sephora, h&m, rolex, essentially any store that you would imagine to be a 'global' brand. this street is quite swanky with its lights in the trees, well manicured shrubs, and old but well maintained buildings. there are so many things to write about, so many things to say, and while it's hard to describe everything i see, i will attempt to record this adventure as best i can. stay tuned.

first signs of fall...

2008-09-09T19:06:00.000-04:00

end of summer 2008.

2008-09-02T11:00:00.002-04:00

september 2nd. it's the tuesday after labour day and i'm at home. it's a little weird, to be honest. the first september without school. i know i've longed for this day to come, but now that it's here, i'm not quite sure what to make of it!

in other news -i had quite an eventful weekend.

saturday afternoon i headed to st.lawrence market with rita. we walked around, took in the sights and sounds - it was her first time there, but it was a nice introductory visit. i purchased some haitian and guatemalan coffee from the coffee/tea shop downstairs - i'm looking forward to brewing a cup! later that evening i met up with my bro and we went for korean. i had tak-gal-be (sp?) for the first time and it was quite delish. i just may return someday. i called up the parents who were in oakville and i suggested that they come down to high park to see the canstage production with matt and i. so, we made it a family event and saw canstage's production of 'a midsummer nights dream' in high park on saturday night, and as usual, i was pleased. the show was entertaining and wonderful. there's something to be said for outdoor theatre, under the night sky in the cool of evening.

sunday morning i headed to church, then made my way back up home where i found myself in the kitchen for a while! i made some oven fried chicken, baba ghannouj (yes, from scratch - it's so yummy), and some cale. i got a call from the parentals who were heading down to queen's park to see the trinidad independence celebration - i thought it would be a good time, so i met them there and enjoyed some pan and a little dancing :) post queen's park we went to the little italy festival - i was kind of disappointed, it wasn't anything too special. there were some stages where people were singing (only one stage had italian songs), there were cne type games, vendors etc. it was alright. sunday night and monday i hung out with shanghe and iris (respectively) and we had a great time as usual. but now, not only is the weekend over, but the summer is over and i'm trying to figure out what to do with myself.

as my next moves become clear, i'll keep you posted.

my apartment update

2008-07-24T18:45:00.002-04:00

view from the balcony looking to the front door

view from the front door looking to the balcony

and that's it so far! the last thing to do is to put up pictures on the walls and maybe get a few plants to green the place up. other than that, i'm pretty well all settled!

my new place :)

2008-06-20T10:55:00.002-04:00

this is essentially it. it's just enough space, though the kitchen and bathroom are relatively big considering it is a bachelor. those pics may follow at some point.

i think...

2008-03-21T22:52:00.003-04:00

okay, as per my last post - it's been almost a month since that entry aaaand....i think i am ready. but before life hits me in the face, all i want is a vacation. and not to sound cliche (because it's in my blood, i was born for this purpose) but, i really need some sun and a good beach.

aside from craving a vacation, i'm excited for summer, a new work wardrobe, upgrading to an ipod classic, stress free days with no assignments or exams to worry about and summer brown.

life.

2008-02-29T14:59:00.003-05:00

i don't know if i'm ready. for all the change, the uncertainty...in six weeks from now, my life as i know it - and have known it for all my life - will never be the same. never again will i enjoy four months of summer, to love the freedom in may, and then long for academic rigidity in august. spetember will just become another month, not holding any particular significance, no longer defining new beginnings of a fresh school year. the leaves will start turning, the wind will blow cooler, but other than the seasons, nothing will change. am i ready? on the outside, i loudly express my desire to be free from the bondage of academia, to be just another adult working the 9 to 5, getting down to routine, embracing a new phase of life. but secretly (not anymore), deep down inside, i think to myself - am i ready for this? well, regardless of whether i am ready or not, the reality is, it's coming. before i blink twice, i expect to be thrown out of the academic world onto the streets of life, still wet behind the ears trying to find my own way. i can take comfort knowing that to the left, right, in front and behind me, are familiar faces.

fun with photoshop

2008-02-04T20:01:00.000-05:00

warning, it's kind of gross.

2008-01-19T21:52:00.000-05:00

this morning i passed through dufferin mall on my way to no frills. i decided to stop in at le chateau just to have a look around. i was browsing through a rack next to this woman who was shopping with her 2 kids and her mother. the kids were incessantly bothering their mother with pleas to end shopping NOW, and to get food or else they would die. i tried to block them out as i went along my business but they were everywhere. the one kid told his mother he was going to vomit and that they had to go right now. i glanced back at the kid (Lord only knows why) just in time to see the kid hurl. i turned around quickly and heard the rest of it hit the floor. ugh. the mother smiled and said 'oh *name* ohh noo'...the grandmother ushered the kids out of the store and the mother KEPT ON SHOPPING! at this point i was at the other end of the store trying to erase the image of that kid from my mind. i circled back to the front of the store and i see the evidence is STILL on the floor and the store had filled with a vile smell. the woman (mother of the boy who was sick) was in line ahead of me and she just stood there, then paid for her many items. she did not even tell any of the sales associates what had happened! the only reason the guy cashing knew was because another customer in the store walked by and told him. the woman left the store and another sales associate came up to the cash and asked the cashier dude if she apologized, and he was like 'who?' GOSH! i mean come ON - your kid throws up in a store in the mall and first of all you can't stop shopping, and second, you can't have the decency to alert the sales associates of what happened?? she showed no remorse of anything!!! oh, and get this - the grandmother walked by the vomit, looked at the mother, made a face and waved her hand in front of her face and said 'that smells.' i couldn't (still can't!!) believe it.

not much

2007-12-28T22:33:00.000-05:00

i'm not much of a crier when it comes to movies, but this movie managed to move a heart like mine to tears. not out of sadness, but out of hope and reconciliation.

it's easily one of the best movies i've seen.

2007-12-22T21:21:00.000-05:00

there were people i recognized - former acquaintances, old friends, childhood crushes, all in the same room. together again. five years later. interactions ranged from the 'hi how are you??'*smile*and walk by, to ten minute conversations filled with reminiscing, laughter and plans for the future. there was the heartfelt "it's so good to see you!", and the awkward moment when eyes of former acquaintances meet but the spark of recognition fails to ignite. there were moments of sombreity, remembering fondly old friendships meanwhile recognizing its transformation to friendly acquaintance status. conversely, there were moments of comfort as you sank into the ease of old friendships - friendships that have stood the test of time, and also with those who were willing to fall back into the relationship. there were surprises when people you least expect to remember you call you out by name. there were snapshots of times passed, reenacted before your eyes, as that flutter of high school insecurities twittered for a moment before they vanished. there was the ever present question 'should i have come?', a question sometimes answered by a friendly smile across the room and a move towards a pleasant meeting of two people, other times answered by a quick glance around the room as conversation circles tighten - you, standing as the observer. it was a place of conflict, where feelings of doubt arose, but were quickly quashed by that confidence and poise as you assert yourself. it was a place of comfort, as time and place bond people together, as they have for the last five to fifteen years. it was, my high school reunion.

christmas goodies

2007-12-20T17:44:00.000-05:00

my baked treats thus far

transformation

2007-12-18T20:52:00.001-05:00

before.........................................after

'burbs, bah.

2007-12-18T20:16:00.000-05:00

i enjoy coming 'home'- you know, that place where your parents are, where you can just kick back and relax, get some love, know your way around, and just you feel comfortable. in that sense, i can truly say, i enjoy coming home. in the bigger context, however, and in a more tangible sense, home is a place that frustrates me. home is located in a suburb - the height of the sense of the word. my mom and i went out yesterday to get some things done, and we were out for about 5.5 hours. approximately 2 or 2.5 of those hours (i am being generous) were actually spent doing the things we wanted to do. the rest of the time, we spent driving around in our car, trying to get from one place to another. today, it was a similar story. we drove through clarkson, in mississauga, and i lamented over our move from there to bronte! when we lived in clarkson, i could walk to: church, the grocery store, the hairdresser, pharmacy, pizza place, the go station , the police station, tim hortons, the bank, the video store - it was ideal! where we live now, i can barely walk to the 'corner store'! i can only hope and pray that this generation of up and coming planners will change the landscape as we know it - and i know coming out of school it's easy for us to be inspired, and want to change the world, but really, in all seriousness, this type of planning needs to stop. smaller, complete communities would result in more engaged and maybe even healthier neighbourhoods. i write this now, and hope that in 5 years when i look back and read this post i'm not working for a municipality pushing development applications, negotiating how many single family detached homes can be built on a parcel of land in the middle of nowhere.

2007-12-16T18:35:00.000-05:00

within the last 24 hours, i...

- watched two movies in front of the fireplace
- attended a wine and cheese party
- fell asleep on the couch for three hours
- ate till i could eat no mo'
- got snowed in
- baked squares and cookies
- arranged for a christmas shindig

...it must be the holidays and i must be at home

2007-11-10T12:01:00.000-05:00

it's one of those days
to stay in bed
despite the sun
above my head

pull the sheets over
bury your face
emerge hoping
for a slower pace

reality's hard
it's fierce and fast
push, persevere
to not be last

the voice inside
says look above
the sun and clouds
to One with love

till this is done
it won't be long
give me some strength
in a song

"hold on
hold on and wait
just a little while
He'll bring a song of strength
in the midnight
touch our lives
with your
loving hand"

thank you fred hammond.

october-craze.

2007-10-14T18:15:00.001-04:00

here i am again - you faithful readers will likely find this post similar to ones in the past as i find words to express the sheer insanity of the next three weeks...living assignment to assignment; losing the days in between as they blur together; eating, sleeping, breathing homework - here i go again.

i'm sure you working folk out there don't miss the october crunch of first semester, where midterms and assignments reign regally over your time and thoughts! so, this is it - until i come up for air to breathe, it's been nice knowing you.

fall fashion update

2007-09-17T22:09:00.000-04:00

argyle is back with a vengance.

i love it.

the summer of firsts

2007-09-01T21:03:00.000-04:00

it's been a long day and i'm exhausted...but here are a few:

- first planning job
- first new bed purchase
- first computer purchase
- first metropass
- first time living in toronto

i think i had thought of a few more while in the car today, but my they evade my memory. bah. first sign of memory loss maybe? hopefully not. catch ya'll on the other side.

ps. kmo, yes i am moving to toronto - gonna live with one of my friends for the year! whoo to the hooo!!

just....

2007-08-27T11:40:00.000-04:00

four more days of work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

whoo!

thank you oakville, it's been a blast. but it's soon time for me to GO - toronto's getting the welcome banner ready. 6 more days. (!!!)

banseeeee

2007-08-24T14:45:00.001-04:00

so, this past weekend was the long awaited, much anticipated bansee family reunion. my grandma and her sister are up this summer visiting their kids, and my mom rounded up cousins from far and wide to join us on sunday for a weekend of fun events. i met family for the first time, which was kind of fun! my mom has a billion cousins - and they all have kids, so just imagine....we had about 40 people on sunday at the event, which is just a small percentage of the fam, but it was small enough that you could meet everyone and chat it up. all in all it was a great weekend...here's a picture of me at the reception hall - more pics can be found on facebook!

bah the office today is SUPER QUIET. i could hear a pin drop in here. just four more days, FOUR MORE DAYS till i'm done! it's been good while it lasted, but i'm just about ready to get back into school mode...i kinda can't wait! oooh and my new laptop should be arriving sometime...maybe later rather than sooner, but i'm excited! a laptop of my very own...i'm sure pictures will be posted once it arrives, but don't hold your breath - estimated arrival date: mid september.

countdown...

2007-08-09T09:38:00.000-04:00

26 more days till school starts.
24 days until the move downtown.
21 days left at the town.
10 days until the reunion.
7 days till family visits.
1 more day till the weekend.
6 more hours left at work.
2.5 hours until lunch.
17 minutes till the break.
1 minute till i eat my sandwich.
30 seconds till i post this.
time's up.

cottage poem.

2007-07-19T10:54:00.001-04:00

a weekend away
we drove two hours north,
the plabs got together
good times were put forth!

arrived near orrilia
we put our stuff down
sat down in the hammock
there was nowhere a frown.

twas just friday night,
it wasn't a bore -
especially when
i hit the screen door!

saturday came
i woke to a snore,
i looked out the window
the rain, it did pour!

we sat around chatting
and started a game
some looked with envy
it sure wasn't lame!

great meals were provided
and fun did abound
good friends and good convo
could always be found.

our weekend away
was more than success
we'll do it again,
in chicago, no less!

tribute to farrah's hair.

2007-07-05T20:39:00.000-04:00

since i got my hair cut about a week and a half ago, i have gotten many comments. my favourite were comments by three separate people, on three separate occasions: "you know what your hair reminds me of? farrah fawcett!" "i love the big hair, it reminds me of farrah fawcett" "your new haircut is so nice! it looks like farrah fawcett's hair back in the day!" it's great, i love it. i've embraced the big hair, curls, waves and all, and i love every strand of it. being compared to farrah fawcett's hair ain't so bad after all :)

latent...

2007-07-04T18:05:00.000-04:00

i definitely need to update this blog. i apologize to all you faithful readers out there (all three of you!) - i will try to get something out soon :) keep checking back! as for now, i'm heading out the door - geoUnit reunion going down in approximately twenty minutes. keep the peace.

"ma'am..."

2007-06-16T10:20:00.000-04:00

last week wednesday, i was heading to the land registry in milton to do some research for work. the land registry office is located on the second floor of the municipal courthouse building where police cars (and subsequently police) abound and lawyers and perps are always in and out. i had dressed like i normally do for a day at the office, and i walked in the front door and placed my bag on the table for inspection by security guards before i walked through the metal detector. the security guard lady looks at me and asks "ma'am, are you council?" umm...no, no i'm not, but thanks!! ha, so apparently when i dress for work, i look like a lawyer.

ode to stan smith.

2007-06-02T21:56:00.001-04:00

oh my stan smiths,
so shiny and new
you made me so glad
but now i am blue

i wore you to work
and walk, yes i did
all over the town
the big T.O. grid

so green and so white
i wore you with pride
but after a week
i felt a tear slide

first, dirt on the sole
then grease on the top
i tried everything,
even a mop

but nothing could do
to make you again,
a joy in my life
so this is the end.

(i love my adidas
but i have heard rumors
it looks to me now
i have to try pumas)

throwback to ecuador...

2007-05-25T18:42:00.000-04:00

a bit of perspective...

2007-05-25T18:41:00.001-04:00

a closeup-ish picture of us sitting on this large rock formation.

2007-05-25T18:41:00.000-04:00

one of my favourite pictures of all time. the view from where we were sitting.

GO trains? maybe they should be renamed...

2007-05-19T23:05:00.000-04:00

me and GO transit - not on such good terms right now. i was scheduled to depart union station at 8:43pm, arriving at oakville station at 9:20pm. i get to union at 8:30, with enough time to spare only to find out that the the train is on standby, and may we 'please wait for more info'. so i wait. the train is delayed by five minutes. okay, i think, not that bad - no need to write home about it, a five minute delay is no harm. i board the train and sets off, oakville bound. we stop at mimico, let passengers off, then are told, "all passengers will be asked to leave the train and board another train as this one is experiencing mechanical difficulties." we stop in this random railyard between mimico and long branch where we pull up alongside another empty GO train, and we hop off of our defunct train onto this fully functioning train. after a few minutes, we slowly start moving again, oakville-ho! before i could say 'i'm going home!' the train jerks to a stop. we start travelling backwards. the conductor comes through the speakers, "i am sorry for the inconvenience folks, it appears we have left behind some passengers on the other train. we are on our way back to collect them and will be on our way shortly." yeah, freakin, right. how do you manage to miss the fact that your train has stopped in the middle of nowhere, and people all around you are leaving?? so we pick up these stragglers, and take off again. and guess what - two minutes into the ride we jerk to a halt once again. this feeling is becoming all too familiar - the sinking feeling in my stomach that accompanies the realization of how late i will get home. and how late my mom has to wait out to pick me up. the conductor comes back over the speakers "passengers, a fight has broken out on the train, we have remanded the participants and are awaiting the arrival of the police. we will not be leaving until the police arrive." ...is this for real?? seriously. talk about a night going from bad to worse. especially after a long day at work. we waited, still in this railyard for approximately twenty minutes before the police arrived, did their thing, and finally let us get underway. so we pull out, again, the ruffians in police custody, we make our way toward oakville. first we stop at long branch, the next scheduled stop. we let passengers off the train and then are told that all passengers must depart the train and board the oakville bound train arriving on track 2. the train we are currently on must be on its way eastbound back to union station. by this time we are one hour behind schedule. again, i board another GO train, and pray that this one will take me to oakville without fail - lo and behold it did. i walked in the door of my house at 10:43pm, exactly two hours after my train was scheduled to depart union station. i could go on - especially about the people who ride the GO train on the weekend, just a small note to those of you out there: the GO train is not playground, we do not play soccer on the train, we do not run up and down the stairs and aisles, we do not talk loudly and yell, it is not a road or sidewalk for you to pick fights on, it is a mode of transportation to get you from one place to another, so please, please, please, next time you are on the GO train, be considerate of those who are just trying to make their way home.

domestic abby.

2007-05-17T20:19:00.000-04:00

somehow today i managed to sleep in until noon. usually i'll be up by about 9, then just lie in bed lounging, listening to the radio or reading. anyways, so i came downstairs at about 1230 and i decided that today was going to be the day that i went to town in the kitchen. i had heard my mom say last night that we have too much broccoli in the fridge, and maybe she would make some soup. that's where my thought process started. then i saw the ground beef on the counter, and decided i was going to make hamburgers. gourmet hamburgers, of course. so, i sat at my dad's laptop and cruised around allrecipes.com for some ideas. i had settled on my menu and needed a few recipes for things i didn't know how to make already. i found really good broccoli soup, potato wedge, and rhubarb dessert recipes. with my recipe for hamburgers and cole slaw in my head i got started. i can safely say that i was in the kitchen for about three hours, prepping the ingredients, cleaning up all the while. i'm a big fan of making things from scratch, i don't really believe in boxed stuff (although i will admit that every so often it ain't all that bad) so this was a good time. this was the first time i'd made soup, and it turned out pretty well. not that difficult to make, and it tastes oh so good. oh - i guess i should lay out the menu! it consisted of:

~ broccoli soup garnished with grated cheddar cheese
~ homemade hamburgers topped with melted cheese, sauteed onions and mushrooms
~ seasoned potato wedges
~ coleslaw
~ sour cream rhubarb squares

so my parents and i had the soup at about 3:30ish, a little pre-dinner appetizer. my dad headed off to the gym and when he got back at about 6:15, the rest of the dinner was prepared. see attached photo. after dinner, i made some english breakfast tea and we had that along with the squares. annd, now i'm full. it was a fun, productive day, and now i'm gonna kick back, watch the office and enjoy the rest of my evening. stay tuned.

dessert.

2007-05-17T20:03:00.000-04:00

here you will see the sour cream rhubarb squares we ate for dessert. dee-lish.

smells like...

2007-05-15T11:58:00.000-04:00

our neighbourhood smells like manure. must be landscaping season.

movies.

2007-05-14T19:58:00.000-04:00

i went to the movies today, and basically all the previews were for the third installment in a trilogy! apparently this is the summer of sequels...

* spiderman 3
* ocean's thirteen
* shrek 3
* rush hour 3
* pirates of the caribbean 3
* bourne ultimatum
* fantastic 4: rise of the silver surfer

yo trabajo.

2007-05-12T22:05:00.000-04:00

work has begun. training started on thursday, and my day started with a jolt - to say the least. wednesday night i set my alarm clock for 6am, and i turned up the volume to a setting that would be sure to rouse me out of my slumber. i went to bed early, and decided a good nights rest before the first day of work was a fantastic idea. thursday morning arrives, i faintly hear a knock on my door through the haze that is sleep, and i hear my mom ask, 'abby - are you still going?' 'where??' i mumble back. the wheels in my head slowly start turning as i try to figure out what my mom's talking about, and then it hits me like a ton of bricks - it's my first day of work. and it's 7:10am. and my train is at 7:28am. and i am still in my bed. {panic sets in} i flew out of my bed, into the bathroom, back into my room, down the stairs, and was out the door in ten minutes. my partial saving grace was the 7:38am out of bronte to union station. i got on the train, pulled into union station at 8:08 - i am supposed to be at training at 8:30. at yonge and college. and i'm at bay and front with no change for the ttc. so i boot it. by the time i hit queen my calves and shins are killing me, but i can't stop! i make it up to college park at 8:35 - perfect, i think, only five minutes late, it could have been way worse. i call up to the office...no one answers...then the executive director of the bia walks in, 'we're meeting at atrium on bay this morning!' i smile and nod, 'of course we are..!' i turn around and at a nice clip, weave my way through early morning pedestrian traffic along yonge back down to dundas and to find 40 dundas street west. i finally make it to training at 8:45am, sweating and out of breath, i walk in and sit down. they haven't even begun as yet. that was thursday morning.

thursday continued with various presentations, a walking tour and lunch at a great restaurant on elm st (the name escapes me...) friday morning we went on the shop, dine tour around downtown, and had a few afternoon presentations by an assortment of employees of the tourism sector after which we got our uniforms and called it a day. i won't bore you with more details, cuz it's not all that exciting but...i am working every weekend starting today, so if you're in the yonge/dundas area, please come by and say hi! walking tours start on june 13th, so if you'd like one of those, come by sometime after june 13th and enjoy a free tour around the yonge street area. see you soon ;)

cupcakes.

2007-05-08T20:14:00.000-04:00

within the recent past, i have begun to devote some of my spare time to baking. so far, i've made peanut butter cocolate chip cookies, brownies, and chocolate cupcakes. today was the cupcake day (see picture on the left). the problem is that there are only three people who live at my house, which usually means that there's no way we can eat all of these treats. and if we did, well, by the end of the summer we'd probably be housebound cuz we wouldn't be able to fit through our doorways. so i bake, but just know that i'm always looking for opportunities to share these treats. if you're in the neighbourhood, feel free to drop by - or, maybe the next time we meet up, you'll be surprised with goodies. who knows ;)

well, there's not a whole lot on the agenda tonight besides curling up on the couch with a cupcake, some tea, and an episode of veronica mars. i'm kind of excited about it. after that, the world is my oyster! actually...not really...{read previous post}...but sometimes it's nice to dream.

my rant about the suburbs.

2007-05-03T16:30:00.000-04:00

it's quiet here. so quiet that if i whispered right now, the people who live three streets over would hear me and answer back. our neighbourhood is terrible. terribly suburban. all people do here is walk their dogs and babies - around the block. there is nowhere else to go but in circles, up one street, down another, each validated by row upon row of houses that lack creativity and indivuality. the sidewalks are wide and wonderful, but only used by those dog and baby walkers - wide enough, i suppose to accomodate bmw sized strollers and dogs with purses. what's the sense in even investing the money in these pedestrian laneways when our main and only mode of transportation is the car? why not take the money used for underutilized sidewalks and put it into improving local transit? now, there's an idea. our street is tucked away among a maze of others, the nearest main road a fifteen minute walk away. once at the main road, your options are limited to starbucks, an orthodontist and a bank whose services i don't even use. the nearest go train station is a ten minute drive away. walking there simply is not an option! unless you, for some reason, think it would be fun to be hit by cars travelling 80km/hr on a 60km/hr road. yes, today, i am hating on the suburbs. hard. perhaps this is just a reflection of my changing urban values. you have my schooling to thank for that.

tribute to veronica mars.

2007-05-01T23:12:00.000-04:00

easily my favourite show. it's the only show where i don't flip channels during the commercials - for fear of missing a single minute of the action. the closest i'll come is surfing through the channel guide to see if there is anything on that would even come close to this, and warrant a split second change of station. there usually isn't. i attribute my deep affinity to this show to my love for mystery books. starting out with encyclopedia brown and moving through the famous five, nancy drew (of course), the hardy boys, [the BEST was the novels where they 'happened' to meet up in some random place], agatha christie...i still take agatha christie novels out of the library in the summertime for some fun reading. there is absolutely nothing like a good mystery - nothing!! so, to be able to enjoy one hour (fifty minutes) of suspenseful, fun, drama ridden goodness during the week is like a little piece of abby-paradise. i have to acknowledge and thank my good friend shanghe for pointing me in the direction of v.mars - i'm forever indebted. and to those of you who have never watched an episode, i suggest you start with season one, episode one. thank me later.

so summer begins....

2007-04-29T23:53:00.000-04:00

since exams have ended, i've made a tuna casserole, peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, quesadillas, watched 4+ episodes of 'little people big world', had dance parties, tried to play guitar again (it's hard without callouses!), went to bed at 10pm one night, slept in, complained that our neighbourhood is too quiet, and then tried to make some noise...it's been good, although i have already spoken harsh words directed at boredom and the lack of things to do. this is what i've been waiting for for the last 2 months right? someone tell me to suck it up and ENJOY IT! i'm trying :)

planning: year in review.

2007-04-28T15:21:00.001-04:00

saturday april 28, 2007.

2007-04-28T12:30:00.000-04:00

it's a cloudy gray saturday afternoon and here i am. one of the patio chairs in our backyard has been blown over by the wind (about 5 days ago, we just never picked it up), the neighbourhood is as quiet as ever, and no one is to be seen. fantastic. i've got a pile of freshly washed pants that need ironing, a dresser full of drawers that need organizing and a stack of books at the base of my bookshelf that need a home...but...somehow i'd rather just chill...i'm a little nostalgic as i sit here remembering the ktown crew, kind of excited for the approaching summer months when we're reunited once again! special shout out to k.mo - just cuz you are my faithful blog reader, and because you're too far away for us to hang out with :( i miss you and your ability to close down the party - every. single. time. please come back to this wonderful province of ontario, specifically somewhere in the GTA, and grace us with your presence..!

okay...well i guess this is my cue to go - my mom's asking me if i cleaned my room...bah i'm out. peace!

just because i can...

2007-04-22T23:08:00.000-04:00

musical recommendations:

timeless - sergio mendes [a collection of collaborations - fun, danceable tunes]

II - boyz to men [honestly, a classic album]

when this is over - shad [check him out on myspace]

are you reading this?!

2007-04-21T21:48:00.000-04:00

today was a beautiful day! well, the last three days actually have been quite wonderful - weatherwise and otherwise... ha i'm sitting here writing, wondering if anyone even checks this site anymore. i haven't been consistent in writing in here for the looooongest time, ha! maybe if i write something sensational someone will read it, spread the word, and then you guys will start checking my blog more often "can you believe what abby wrote about in her blog?? what? you haven't read it?? go check it out!!" but what do i write...? hmm....i'm coming up blank... suppose i'll just continue with what i started out with... i have a slight headache - which may be the result of too much sun today..!! yes, too much sun. winter, pack up your things and get outta here, spring's movin in! ha wow that was cheesy...but it's true. it's SPRINGTIME! and oh how i love it. so for those of you who i haven't chatted with in a while (and if you happen to stumble across this blog in your surfings through the net) i am done exams on the 24th. just one more exam, and then hellooo summer! i can't wait..this year has been good..really good, but i am just about ready for it to be over. this last month especially has been intense. ugh. i don't even want to think about it...ok. i'm not thinking about it. but my head still hurts...i think i am gonna go take a lie down on the couch in front of the tv :) here ends the post with random musings of a certain a_ram.

everything's coming up abby

2007-04-18T13:27:00.000-04:00

these last few days may have been the most intense exam schedule in the history of my academic career. just about. exam on monday at 3pm, along with a major final urban design project due, followed by an 8am urban design exam on tuesday. between sunday and monday, i managed to get 3.5 hours of sleep, and between monday and tuesday i managed to get zero sleep. between tuesday and wednesday, i got 18 hours of sleep. HA! 18 hours. i came home after my exam with the intention of taking a short nap and ended up sleeping right through tuesday. it was wonderful.
bah, i was gonna write more but.....my parents are going out to the mall and i kinda want to go. ha :) i'm out, i'll be back in a while.

the science of walking.

2007-01-28T20:52:00.000-05:00

earlier this week i was heading for the subway at dundas station, making my way back to union in a hurry trying to get to work on time. i stepped onto the escalator going up and, trying to make the most of it, i began to walk up the stairs. my boot fumbled between two steps and i found myself face planting on the escalator - luckily the only way i could possibly go was up :) in true abby style, i got up as quickly as i could and walked it off. i think i heard somewhere in the distance behind me someone cry 'are you okay??' but i was walking too quickly away from the scene of the accident to realize the question was directed at me...or rather my quickly disappearing figure. incident #1 that left me with two bruises on my left shin - wonderful.

this morning i was at church and i went down the stairs to the coat rack to hang up my coat. i was successful and followed my brother up the stairs as he headed back into the main sanctuary. as i walked up the stairs my eye caught the pastor's eye, he opened his mouth and a 'good morning' came out. just as i smiled and began my response 'goo-..' i felt the heel of my boot twist to the right and i knew i was going down but was helpless to stop it. i felt like a large tower going down - you know it's happening but can do nothing to prevent it from happening. so i just had to let myself fall, and again, quickly get right back up before laughing it off and properly greeting the pastor for the morning. as far as i can tell, no bruises from this one. luckily for me the stairs were carpeted.

the adventures of abby continue...more to come as events occur.

oh man.

2007-01-16T16:47:00.000-05:00

so i was on one of my friend's blog and noticed that i am one of those featured in the links column. i clicked on the link and was directed to my page that displayed a post from november 10, 2006. oh the shame! so i write this post in the hopes that my blog will once more be brought to life. it's neared its end many a time, but here i go again...revitalization one more time.

this is what i had...and recovering from.

2006-11-10T22:17:00.000-05:00

my diagnosis..after the fact:

What is the flu?
Influenza, the flu, is caused by a specific virus that typically comes around each fall or winter. People who get the flu usually have an abrupt onset of fever, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, cough, and weakness, usually lasting two to seven days. The cough and weakness can last for up to six weeks making physical activity and even day to day tasks difficult.

http://www.toronto.ca/health/flu/flu_facts.htm#what

it sucks. get your flu shot if you can.

almost a month...!

2006-11-09T13:14:00.000-05:00

it's been almost a month since i've last updated this site. here are a few things that have happened since (in no real order..just as i remember them!)...

~ played guitar for the first time in public at open mic night at church

~ went for roti with ricky and esther - goooood food

~ my car died..needs a new engine, hopefully getting it back today

~ went to a taping of 'the hour' with strombo

~ got to go to an additional interview taping of strombo with the foo fighters

~ wrote 2 law exams...yikes.

~ got hit hard by a cold...still recovering...

~ wrote a short paper while running a fever - not a good idea folks...

umm that's about all i can think of for now...there's not a whole lot goin down at the moment, except i'm trying to plan some social events for the people in my program. should be a good time if everything works out.. ! anywho i am starved, gonna go grab some food. hopefully i'll be back sometime soon. lates.

2006-10-13T17:45:00.000-04:00

north of dundas - a picture for posterity. this sight won't be around much longer..!

oh. my. word.

2006-09-28T19:27:00.000-04:00

this week has been/is/will be simply crazy. here's the schedule:

* monday thru to wednesday: intense-o class sched (10a-9p, 10a-12p, 10a-5p)

* thursday: work 10a-3p, went to future shop with dad, got home around 4ish. the plan for tonight is do as much homework as possible, wash and straighten hair, pack for upcoming field trip

* friday: get up super early for my 8am class, go to class 8a-10a. stay on campus to do homework until early afternoon. get in touch with parents and head over to the hotel they are staying in this weekend for the anne graham lotz conference. get ready to go to the resource sales training (for the conference) at the ACC for 4:30pm. complete training, attend evening session of conference, and work one of the many resource sales tables. go back to hotel with parents and sleep.

* saturday: get up early for morning session of the conference at the ACC. stay until the lunchtime break then go grab something to eat. head back to the hotel to pick up bags for field trip. plan to arrive on campus for 1pm when field trip departs.

* saturday - thursday: planning field trip to collingwood.

* friday: back from field trip, and most likely - exhausted.

* friday - monday: thanksgiving long weekend. sleep, eat, homework.

should be a good time though - details to come as soon as permitted.

a few random thoughts...

2006-09-26T14:56:00.000-04:00

1. clevage does not belong in the classroom.

2. if you're going to come to class and carry on multiple MSN conversations on your laptop, please don't sit in the front row.

3. i cannot find a place in oakville or toronto that sells a poutine as good as bubba's in kingston. suggestions are welcome.

i saw beyonce.

2006-09-15T23:08:00.000-04:00

yo, so tonight i went downtown with the intentions of seeing a film at the festival, but instead ended up heading down to dundas square to see beyonce perform. i was not disappointed - that girl can singggg!! and she's got the mooves too, i was very impressed. dang, she is a good performer. she sang 'deja vu' which made my night, really :) she was on for a solid 45 minutes, and even had a few costume changes. not bad for a free public concert! mind you, it was RAMMED downtown. not until jasmine and i were leaving did we notice how many people were there. relatively, we had great spots. i got a number of good sightings between tall people's heads and people with the big hair. with the exception of the crowd, the pushing, general proximity to others (way too close), the slight shortage of breathable air, it was worth it. walking away from it, i felt satisfied - like i had got my money's worth...except..it was FREE! i was half expecting her to sing one or two songs then leave, but was pleasantly surprised by her set. she mixed it up with a few good destiny's child oldies. all in all, a good night. if only i had a camera to capture the moments...! unfortunately for you reading this, you can't see the pictures stamped in my memory!

the water runs dry....

2006-09-12T19:48:00.000-04:00

i fixed the sleepiness problem with a large cup of tea, and a bright reading lamp. now i'm reading about multiculturalism and urban planning while listening to boyz to men....i would give ANYTHING to see them perform live...if only they were still together..*sigh*

tengo mucho cansada...

2006-09-12T18:21:00.000-04:00

oh MAN. i am crazy tired.

2006-09-09T23:33:00.001-04:00

the slide show seen below is a mini tribute to kingston, queen's and all the good times...

I created a Slide Show! Check it out!

2006-09-09T23:33:00.000-04:00

what's up with your amiga? here, let me tell you

2006-09-08T13:06:00.000-04:00

i woke up this morning, and the full moon was still shining. it was my first early morning friday. the first of many...so i got to school for 8am (don't ask what time i left home) and the doors to our classroom were locked, so we didn't get in until 8:20. then the prof just read our course outline, and 40 mins later, he stopped talking and sent us on our way. a 5:20am wake up for 40 mins of reading the course outline that i could've done at home? wonderful.

but i'm not complaining. it was actually kind of nice to come home by 10:45 in the morning. i just got back from running a plethora of errands and it's only 1pm. and, may i add, it's a gorgeous day today. they called for rain, but i'm not seein any so far.

what else...i don't seem to be updating this as much as i used to...i suppose as the school year starts and gets more intense, i'll have more to report. for now, i'm just trying to get myself organized and really prepared for this year.

a few things i'd like to have lined up for this year:

* the alpha course at church
* worship team/ sunday school teacher
* volunteering somewhere in oakville
* making friends at the planning department (i've already started..!!)
* working at laura a few hours a week

the list may or may not be revised in accordance with my schedule...but i am hoping to fit everything in :) anywho, i've got a closet and bookshelf in my room screaming for organization and i can't live another day the way it is. and that cues my exit. later folks :)

chinatown and kensington market adventures.

2006-08-26T21:13:00.000-04:00

i spent the afternoon today enjoying the pleasantries that kensington market and chinatown offer. i went to kensington with my bro matt to enjoy some cheese empanadas, which were delectable, absoloutely delicious!! so good in fact, after eating one each, we just had to go back and get two more to satisfy. it's served with a great homemade salsa which, when eaten, is like a party for your tastebuds. it is flavourful and quite tasty. we walked around kensington and i saw a few cute little shops with unique stuff.

we then wandered down to spadina to check out chinatown. i think this is one of the first times that i was able to actually enjoy being in chinatown. usually i go down with my dad who loves the meat/veggie/fruit part of it, but i had the chance to visit the other smaller shops that have great (non food oriented) finds. i found a store with some really cool clothes, stuff that you wouldn't find in a regular store...! you can find great little gifts for people down there, nice lanterns, purses, cushion covers, clothes, serving plates (some of them are gorgeous!) i stumbled across this great little shop that specializes in beads, pendants and jewellry, and it is probably the best thing i found all day! for those of you who aren't aware...i am a bead fanatic! if i had the money, i would buy all the beads in the world and make jewellry. really though, they've got some absoloutely beautiful stuff! what else did we do...oh, i got some bubble tea [mmmm] - passion fruit green tea with lychee jelly, pretty good stuff...matt and i ran into our parents so we hung out with them while walking down spadina, and then of course we decided to grab a bite to eat, so we headed down to new sky garden. the place was quite busy, but we managed to get a seat within a relatively short period of time and placed our order of singapore noodles, orange chicken and stir fried veggies with cashews. we waited a while before the food came, but it was worth the wait. the food there is deelicious - i'd definitely recommend it to anyone who finds themselves hungry in chinatown :)

all in all it was a great evening, i enjoyed every bit of it. when i get me some bling to spend, i know where i'm headed...! for anyone who lives in the area and hasn't visited, i'd highly suggest taking an afternoon to explore, it's worth it.

oh, and shanghe - i found baldwin street, and yes, i do love it. we've gotta go one day soon.

school school school, i love school

2006-08-16T18:25:00.000-04:00

well folks, i have started school. yes you read right, your eyes are not deceiving you! class started for me on monday and so far i am loving it. the people in my program seem really nice, and the profs are just great..! the prof we've had for the past two days reminds me a lot of poppy from seinfeld - anyone remember that episode? (the one where jerry's girlfriend's dad - poppy- owns this restaurant and he doesn't wash his hands...) annnyways, my prof looks like poppy. but he's a really good prof - he makes planning theory actually interesting! shoot, i gotta cut this short...dinner is a-callin my name...i'll be back in a while (hopefully..!)

i just wanted to let you know:

2006-08-13T21:03:00.000-04:00

i saw jack layton yesterday at the taste of the danforth.

school starts tomorrow.

and that's all :)

nEw yoRk CiTY baby

2006-08-10T20:25:00.000-04:00

we're back from new york city and though the visit was short, it was maybe one of my favourite trips down. dinner and drinks at seaport with my cousins, great conversation, a walk around times square at night (all in all the 'perfect date', really), lunch in the hamptons, catching up with my cousin after eight years and meeting her husband and two kids, walks in the park reminiscing over our younger days, strange men named anthony, late night chats on the back steps of the house, mosquito bites that are crazy itchy, shopping at the mall (two pairs of shoes for twenty bucks!), forever 21, victoria's secret 'love spell', a walk downtown nyc, late night bowling, midnight drive to coney island...like i said, one of my favourite trips down to the city to visit the fam. i'll post some pics when my cousins get a chance to send 'em over. peace out.

something to pass your time...and mine.

2006-08-05T18:51:00.000-04:00

i decided that i need some tunes while i pack my bag for new york, so i'm currently burning what i will call my 'nyc beats cd'. it's unbelievable the amount of stuff that one has to do in order to get ready for a trip. i mean, it really takes the sweat off your brow to arrange everything within just a few days. by no means am i complaining however, although some may find this impromptu trip a little crazy, and would be calling for SOS to rescue them from the madness that surrounds them. but that is just one original thing that makes our family unique. i'm glad the temperature has gone down a little bit though...i wouldn't like to be in the city during a heat wave, that's for sure...! oh man, so i heard that a certain pop sensation is bringing sexy back..it's like a public affair, that guy and everything he does. i don't know how they do it. i'd just want the media to break it off and leave what's left of me in peace! well, i suppose i've passed enough time, and my cd is just about done. this entry may seem a little bizarre and disjointed, but there is a purpose in all of my madness :) i've incorporated ten song titles from my 'nyc beats cd' in this truly...interesting post. let me know if you can find them :)

hips don't lie...

2006-08-03T17:36:00.000-04:00

yesterday, a remark about going to new york was made in our kitchen, and before we knew it, we were planning our trip. in my family, we are known for our spontenaity regarding such trips - an off the cuff decision was made one march break to drive down to atlanta to visit some family friends, just last month a trip to the bank turned into a wonderful drive to niagara falls, and the saga continues! we've been to new york city a number of times, but we haven't been in about three years, so it's about time that we made a visit. we've got family out there in queen's, so we'll probably be staying with them and spending time while at the same time taking in some more of the city. i'm quite excited for the trip, it should be fantastic...! 5am sunday morning we plan to drive out of our driveway to embark on about 8 hours of travelling time, give or take a few hours (more give than take though..! haha) i've never driven in the states before, so this will be some good experience. annywho, just thought i'd fill y'all in on the goings on, so if you don't see or hear from me for a few days, you can find me in nyc.

just another day on whitworth drive.

2006-08-01T17:40:00.000-04:00

as most of you know, we've just recently moved to a new development in oakville. so new in fact, the houses across the street are still being finished and we don't yet have any grass. this morning, we noticed they were levelling what will someday be our backyard. the man in the little tractor rolled over it time and time again to make it as level as he could. we saw it and thought 'hey, progress!' later in the afternoon, i went with my mom to do some grocery shopping. we bought all our necessary stuff, packed up the car and headed home. upon viewing distance of our house, we noticed a rather large pile of dirt on what will soon be our front lawn, except, there was not a workman in sight. there was no one levelling, no one hammering, no one driving big trucks - not a soul. well, i figure it's not that big a deal, we'll just wait till tomorrow for the guys to come flatten it out. we drive into the driveway and i jump out to open the garage door when it hit me like a brick wall. this was no ordinary dirt. no sir, it was...yes, you got it - manure*! the combination of manure odors and the incredible heat is enough to make one want to pass out. i guess it would've been worse for the man whose job it was to level it! i think the construction men took a 'heat day' today, and packed in early cuz they weren't lingering around as usual this evening...hopefully tomorrow will prove to be a better day for them. and us.

* disclaimer: i cannot truly describe this pile of dirt as 'manure' because my mom says it is top soil - but whatever combination of various dirt varieties, let me just say, its odour is by no means pleasant.

a/c

2006-07-31T18:45:00.000-04:00

aaaaahh, feel that cool refreshing breeze...yes folks, it's true, we are currently among the ranks of the privileged - today we had our air conditioner installed. gone are the days of mugginess and sleeping in the basement. we welcome the cool air, it's actually fabulous...but it is not to be taken for granted, it is definitely a luxury which few can afford. so in this time of heat, i am thankful that we are able to enjoy these cooler temperatures in our oasis from the heat...

back to school...ALREADY!

2006-07-30T21:23:00.000-04:00

can you believe it? i'm heading downtown to ryerson tomorrow to buy the textbooks for the course i'm taking in august. just two more weeks of my summer before the gruelling routine of classes start. well, in this case...class - it's just one course for now. soon will begin the early morning commutes from bronte to union station, then a nice walk down to ryerson, the full days on campus, the long nights spent reading, studying and working on assignments...and i'm actually genuinely excited about it! that's a nice feeling. but i seriously can't believe that the summer has gone by this quickly. it's august, and relative to summers in the past, this one has been kind of uneventful! i've hardly taken in any of the festivals downtown toronto, and i've spent a lot of my time at home...! which in itself isn't a bad thing, of course. with all of this comes the readjustment to life at home, which i think played a large part in the way my summer turned out. with the move, settling into a new place, getting used to the area, it took a lot of time that i would've spent doing other things. but all in all, it's been a good summer! i went to ecuador, had 2 jobs, moved to a new house, hung out with friends and family...can't complain at all.

on another note.. i met up with one of my friends this evening - we were really close in middle and high school, but since we've been in university, i haven't seen her! so it was about 4 years since we last saw each other...i dropped by her place today and we spent about an hour and a half chatting, it was wonderful. i find some of the people i am closest with are my friends who i don't get to see that often - but when we do see each other, we pick up right where we left off, with no awkwardness or strange pauses. it's usually just circumstances that have kept us apart, so those chances we do get to spend together are pretty great times.. :) aaanywho, i just wanted to type a little on here, keep y'all up to date..but i should be heading since i've got an early morning to head down to ryerson. keep it real.

needlesly dull post saved by funny commercial!

2006-07-27T18:18:00.000-04:00

i was going to post what i had written when i realized it was kind of dull and not reflective at all of the abby you know. so, i scrapped it. and instead decided that you should all watch this video online.

click on the crab commercial at the bottom.

and that's all she wrote.

chao :)

2006-07-25T19:28:00.000-04:00

I helped Jose tie the rebar together to make the grid (yes, the rebar in the picture), filled the space between the grid and the wood platform beneath it with broken brick and was captured in this picture helping to pour cement! we were working on the floor for the bathrooms in the cabins at the camp.

2006-07-25T19:26:00.000-04:00

my horse Benito and I. we trekked through the Andes together, we had a good time, he and I :)

2006-07-25T19:25:00.000-04:00

me with our host family in Bastion. they graciously provided a room and meals for us for our last weekend in Ecuador.

2006-07-25T19:22:00.000-04:00

four years, many late nights and adventures later, we finally graduated! my roommate Iris and I at her convocation

2006-07-25T19:20:00.000-04:00

Iris' convocation (the day before mine) - our parents finally meet!

2006-07-25T19:19:00.001-04:00

going up to be HOODED! :)

2006-07-25T19:19:00.000-04:00

Shar and I at convocation

2006-07-25T19:18:00.000-04:00

my bro, Matt and I at my convocation.

pictures!

2006-07-25T16:23:00.000-04:00

just because i haven't had my own computer up and running for the last little while, i haven't had the chance to upload pictures here! but now that it's all set up, i decided i'd post a few snapshots of my trip on here (and one random picture from our last days at queen's..)

2006-07-25T16:22:00.000-04:00

Nikki, Kristen, Ruth, Adrienne, Bernice and I at Pearson Intl Airport

2006-07-25T16:21:00.000-04:00

the campsite, where we worked for three weeks

2006-07-25T16:20:00.000-04:00

Shar, Jeremy and I at the campsite

2006-07-25T16:19:00.001-04:00

Sara, Kristen and I

2006-07-25T16:19:00.000-04:00

most of the girls from the team

2006-07-25T16:18:00.000-04:00

Jose, going into his house

2006-07-25T16:17:00.000-04:00

Bastion (a suburb of Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador)

2006-07-25T16:16:00.000-04:00

Graduates of Queen's University :)

cars and rain, rain and cars, rain, car, rain, car...gahh!

2006-07-25T15:54:00.000-04:00

okay, so it's less a rant, and more a ... well... i'm baffled. it seems that every time, and i mean EVERY time we leave the house and go on the highway there is traffic. it's weird. no matter what time it is, what day it is, there is traffic! can you explain the saturday early afternoon traffic? or how about the sunday traffic, at NOON?? it's crazy, simply madness.

now about the rain. my plans for the weekend were rained out. two separate sets of plans, each forfeited because of the rain. and the worst part is - by the time i got home, or shortly thereafter, the rain STOPPED! my saturday plans to see janelle sing at the jazz festival were rained out by this freakishly powerful rainstorm - the heavens really opened up on that one. i chatted with her later that evening and she said the rain gave way to nice blue skies and she had a wonderful performance. sunday's plans of heading to the harbourfront to see jess and some other friends to celebrate her birthday were brought to a halt when the skies darkened, the thunder rolled, the lightning struck and the rains poured. i got myself off the train platform and headed homeward bound where i stayed inside for the remainder of the afternoon. our power went, so i took a well needed nap only to wake later and hear of the beautiful weather down at the harbourfront.

so what in the world is going on?!? i'm simply baffled.

note to self:

2006-07-25T14:54:00.000-04:00

i have a beef with rain AND traffic, but seeing as i am about to leave home (IN THE RAIN) and drive my mom to a meeting/run errands, this rant will be posted at a later hour. but keep your eyes open. it's coming.

2006-07-17T14:07:00.000-04:00

i haven't written in here in forever. since i last wrote:

- i went to ecuador and had an amazing time (some pictures posted on facebook)

- i graduated from Queen's (best moment of the ceremony: "RISE, bachelor of arts" me, in my head: 'yesSIR! yeeeah!')

- celebrated my convocation with the fam at paradiso (probably my new favourite restaurant in oakville, it is FANTASTIC! the food is simply amazing)

- we moved from clarkson to bronte (we're now all the way across town and slowly getting used to it and loving it)

- i got a job at Laura/Laura Petites in oakville place (my personal version of 'what not to wear')

- i became unemployed shortly thereafter because renovations on the store were unexpectedly moved up a month (disappointment...)

- i paid my tuition deposit for ryerson (my days as a student continue...)

- i got another job during this reno time at the store (dare you ask...yes...i'm at TH again. but as long as it brings in some bling, i'm alright with it)

- i'm taking my final road test tomorrow (i've been practicing my parallel parking and backing into spots over the last few days...moment of truth, tomorrow 1:45-2:15.)

these are the days of our lives...

2006-04-29T21:59:00.000-04:00

i finally have a minute to rest. yesterday, my mom and bro came to kingston to move me out of my apartment and back home to mississauga - they got to my place fairly early, and we spent the morning/afternoon cleaning up the place and packing the car. while we were there, the two girls that had bought my desk and couch came by to pick up the stuff. except they didn't have a car. they were planning to walk back to campus with the stuff! so we saw this other girl moving out with her uhaul, so my mom went over to ask if they would mind helping these girls out. [note to the ban righ girls - the girl moving out was ashley. my mom asked her if she was moving her daughter out hahahahahahahahhahahaha] they said no, and left with their unnecessarily MASSIVE truck. anyways, we couldn't stick around to help those girls, and ultimately i think they walked their stuff back to res...so we got back into 'sauga in the evening, unloaded the car, and came in for a litle rest. we weren't home for long before mom and i headed out to value village to pick up a couple pairs of shorts for me to wear on the construction site in ecuador. then we beelined it to walmart to get some toothpaste, mosquito repellent and other such necessities. the preparations for ecuador had begun!!

today was a whirlwind of a day - mom and i headed out again, with a mission. i dropped off some resumes at various places in the mall and around oakville, we went to the dollar store, whole foods, longos, sobeys and business depot before we came home to drop off all the stuff we picked up...and then we were off again! to square one. we left home at about 430, hoping to get there in enough time to find me a dress for convocation in june (the mall closes at 6pm on saturdays). we ended up driving up and down burnamthorpe road trying to find it, cuz i missed the exit that would've taken us straight there. but we finally got there at about 5pm, and we found a parking spot within two minutes! a miracle, really. we walked into the mall and stopped in a few dress shops, but i didn't see anything that particularly struck me. we wandered into laura petites, and browsed their racks - mom picked up a dress and was like 'how about this one?' so i went to the dressing room and it was PERFECT! the first dress i tried on was the one i bought! it's not that easy to find a dress that fits so nicely, but man, this time i was good to go. i purchased the dress before it hit 5:30! now that's success! we wandered the mall for another little while, and stopped by this kiosk that was selling 'sacha' cosmetics. we wondered if it was the same 'sacha' that we know from trinidad, and lo and behold, it is! there is now another cosmetic line available in canada for us ladies of colour :) it's fabulous! anyways, so we came home, dress in hand and we started to pack my suitcase for ecuador. a few hours later, we have finished packing my suitcase and my carryon. i had a shower and flopped on the couch at about 930 after a crazy busy day, and now i'm here, filling you all in on the busyness.

i'm getting more and more excited about ecuador - i'm flying out on monday at 730pm. whooo!! i can't wait! so you won't hear from me for three weeks, but i'll be sure to post sometime after i arrive home.

so i guess i'm gonna get outta here for now, and you'll hear from me when i get back! later folks :)

goodbyes...

2006-04-27T19:16:00.000-04:00

it's my last day in kingston...we went around campus today taking pictures at various places, which was definitely good times...but now i think it's hitting me that i'm leaving. leaving, and not coming back...! tonight i have to finish packing everything. which includes taking pictures down from walls and putting all my remaining possessions in boxes and bags. i think shanghe and grace are comin over later to hang out for a while..and i'm heading down to the merchant with sarah, adam and jess to listen to some music and to chill..it'll be the last time i'll see these folks for a while. gahh...this is sad...but i guess i just gotta suck it up...it's already 7:20 and i haven't packed anything else yet. i gotta get crackin...peace out folks. see ya later ktown.

the end is five days away

2006-04-24T12:55:00.000-04:00

so i guess this is it...the beginning of the end. this weekend i've started saying goodbyes to people i've known over the last four years at queen's. friday night, we had a felicity marathon at our place, so a few girls came over and we watched hours of felicity, ate pizza, sighed over eli and ben - all in true girl fashion :) at the end of the night, i said my goodbyes to michelle, the first of the geo crew to head home.

on saturday i went to a ban righ 4 reunion - everyone that is still here came out and we sat around second cup chatting and laughing, a group bonded by the experience of living together during our first year of university. the late nights, water fights, music playing, movie watching...a year we won't soon forget. we got together and it was awesome to hear everyone's plans for next year - we're all going off in different directions, but we'll always be connected through that shared memory of first year.

last night i went to dinner at brandon's house with some folks. dinner was fantastic, and again, goodbyes were said to some.

i'm definitely going to miss this place, and everyone here...the best days are when you're on campus and bump into like five people you know, so you stand around and chat and catch up...it' so awesome to have this community of people that is there at your fingertips - friends live no more than 20 minutes away, invitations to hang out are made at all sorts of hours, impromptu sleepovers often happen, downtown is a short walk away, there's always someone to hang out with (not always stuff to do though!), church is packed with people you know, there is a wealth of christian fellowship, never a shortage of tim horton's runs or jumbo video perusing, spontaneous dance parties in our apartment are actually quite frequent, i could go on forever. i guess i shouldn't get too nostalgic too soon...there's still five more days ahead to really enjoy kingston and my people here :) and it's gonna be incredible.

the parental visit.

2006-04-21T13:23:00.000-04:00

my parents came up yesterday to take home some of the stuff i had packed up already. we loaded boxes of books, clothes, miscellaneous items and my keyboard all into our little ford focus. it's a trooper, that car. this is the parentals and i on the front steps of my apartment, takin the last few things to the car. my bookshelves and closet are now substantially...empty. it's kind of sad.. and the place where my keyboard was is now vacant, and my room feels imcomplete! but i refuse to take down pictures etc until the very last day i'm here. that'll be weird...anyways, among the final packing up, i was putting my winter coat and other winter accessories into a bag when i came across my tam. i have never worn it - ever. so iris and i decided to take pictures with our tams.

what you see below is what resulted from: iris+abby+tams+digital camera with a self timer.

2006-04-21T13:19:00.000-04:00

STEP.