Last night in Vancouver

It's my last night in Vancouver.  As I sit here at my empty desk, starting at my empty walls and the air mattress on the floor I can't help but feel more than a little sad... I'm happy that I'll be getting to see my mom tomorrow and my family soon and I'm excited to be starting a new chapter in my life, wherever that may lead me.

I was able to pick up my new ipod from the post office today!  I didn't get to play with it for three and a half hours after I picked it up... what I was missing out on!  As unhappy as I've been with Apple recently, I love love love the iPod touch!  I downloaded some free applications beforehand... okay, I admit, I downloaded over 20... but its so nice being able to have them on the ipod and being able to play with them.  I also purchased a couple of games (Scrabble, Monopoly and Pocket God) and a Gratitude journal today.  Pocket God is entertaining for a few minutes, although I'm sure it'll be a nice pick me up from time to time.  The Gratitude journal is great because hopefully it will remind me to think of things I'm thankful for every day, because there are some even in horrible days!  Last Monday (the worst day ever), I can still think of at least 3 (Chili's in Calgary, D and the nice man at the airport parking kiosk).

I also discovered a great new website today, Polyvore, which I'll go into more depth about later (as well as my other new discovery WeHeartIt) since I need to be awake in roughly 5 hours so I can accomplish everything I need to so I can leave on time in the morning.  I always get too excited to sleep before I travel (and quite anxious that I'll oversleep) so I don't forsee myself getting a lot of rest.  Luckily I really don't have a lot of driving to do tomorrow, only 5-6 hours total, but I will probably sleep well tomorrow.  Don't know how often I'll be able to update, but now I have the ipod touch, so anything is possible.

Goodbye Vancouver.  :(

Countdown: 5 days

In 5 days, my car will be packed, my room will be empty and I will be driving south back into the US.  I'm sad to leave Vancouver and Canada, but it will also be nice to be back in the same place as my family.  Even though I know I haven't accumulated much more stuff than I came up with, it feels like tons.  I am not quite sure how I'll ever fit it all into my car.

D bought me an ipod (touch!!) since my old, white 60GB video was stolen on the bus between Thompson and Winnipeg.  It should be arriving Monday afternoon if Canada Post is on schedule.  I think tomorrow I will head down to Pacific Centre and pick up a case for it, since I really don't want to hurt it on the drive.  I downloaded some free apps today while procrastinating because I'm so excited to be getting it.  I have been wanting one for awhile, but had been waiting 'til Hibiki (my other ipod) kicked the bucket before investing in a new one.  Anyone know of any particular fantastic apps?  I have a list of ones I'll buy eventually, but until I actually have the ipod in hand, I am just sticking to the free stuff.

After picking up my T4 this morning (the Canadian W-2), I headed to Urban Outfitters on Granville to see about another Munny.  I bought a full-sized one and another mini.  The other mini came with a neat spiked mohawkish accessory, which will be perfect for turning him into Pollux.  The spikes will obviously be part of the sun and I can have the abstractness coming out other parts of his head.  Since Pollux was the immortal one, he should obviously have a cooler outfit.

I also picked up some neat letterpress notecards, a book, a "Pack This!" tablet (necessary for me) and some screenprinted rub one letters... all on sale!  I spent I think $15 on them total, which is pretty great.  I think that was some retail therapy, I am feeling pretty down about having to leave.

And finally, I sold my bed frame today!  The woman is coming to pick it up Sunday, so I have a couple more days to put off sleeping on the floor!  Haha.  Oh the joys of moving.

Castor, the mini-Munny

I finally started work on my mini-Munny last night (after dragging him to Churchill and back) and definitely did not start with my original drawings.  I came up with the idea of "night" at first.  I decided that I should have a sun in the darkness, and what started out as a small yellow sun ended up taking over the entire head.

Although I generally stick to paints as an artistic medium, I don't have all my colors in Vancouver and it just seemed easier to use permanent markers for this project.  So, I got out my bag of markers and started to color.

This picture is when I had pretty much finished the sun part of the head before venturing onward....

So I started my night scene which, if you ask me was pretty terrible looking next to the beautiful sun I had created on Munny's head.  So, I brought out my trusty black Sharpie and it disappeared.  After that I thought Munny was kind of ugly, but what do I know?  Maybe I am too close to the project.  So I run Munny out to my roommate, she thinks he looks fine, so I take him out on the balcony (and this is 10 pm at night, not the best idea I've ever had) and give him a matte finish.  Well, now Munny is slightly sticky AND the marker ran.  Oh well, I'll love him anyway.

The runs kind of add to the abstractness I was going for in the sun, so thats not so bad.  The stickiness, however, is truly annoying.  If anyone out there in the great world of the internet has any suggestions on how to make my Munny not sticky anymore, I would appreciate the advice.

(I know I am supposed to prime him, but I figured since I was using Sharpie markers I didn't need to.  Oh well, you live and you learn.)

So overall, I'm mostly happy with the way he turned out.    My mom (Hi Mom!) gave me the idea to use a star name, because lets face it, the sun is just a star.

So, since Munny is a guy, and I really like the name Pollux, I decided I should do twins. I'll pick up another Munny, do a similar one (aka better executed) and then I'll have Castor and Pollux, the Gemini!  This little guy is Castor and his twin will be Pollux.

After these two, I am thinking a series of Greek/Roman gods and godesses would be pretty cool.  Do my own artistic interpretation of the various dieties.  It'd be neat!  Now, I just have to pick up some more Munnys!

#24 See the Northern Lights

#36 Go dogledding

#63 Hug an inukshuk

Back in Vancouver... knocked 3 things off my life list!

I'm back in Vancouver after quite a long couple of days travelling, and I've updated my life list!  I was able to knock THREE things off this trip (#24 See the Northern Lights, #36 Go dogsledding and #63 Hug an inukshuk) as well as two new provinces (Manitoba and Saskatchewan) working towards #7.

Okay, so hugging the inukshuk wasn't on my list until now (but it should have been... I've been wanting to see and touch one since I first learned about them) and I totally forgot I had dogsledding on there when I went, but it was great being able to make some progress.   I will post the photos in separate posts.

While the trip was only slightly marred by a terrible last day of travel, including a stolen ipod, a dead car battery when I arrived back in Vancouver at midnight and a total of 54 hours of travelling back on very little sleep, I'm all okay and feeling happy about the trip... and ready to return already!  Only this time, I'll be better prepared for the long trip it takes to get there and back.

in Churchill

I'm in Churchill, MB... alive and well. Saw the Aurora Borealis today! One more thing to knock off my life list as well as two new provinces I've visited via train (a 43 hour train ride at that!). Will update my life list as soon as I am back in Vancouver.

Also saw an inukshuk today! That was something I should have added to my list awhile ago, but failed to. The weather is pleasant at -20 C but regardless, am going dogsledding tomorrow before another two day train ride back to Winnipeg and a flight to Van.

In case you are unsure where Churchill is, here is a map for you. Happy travels everyone!


View Larger Map

Today was a day of mixed emotions...

Today was a day of mixed emotions. I had to drop D off at the airport before my last day at work. I was feeling down all morning... then my friend and supervisor, TT ran in with flowers and a card. It definitely brightened my day a LOT. All of the people at work signed it and wrote cute notes. I will definitely miss everyone at the coffeeshop, its been a great experience so far.

After my final day at work, I ran back to my apartment, met the roommate and we drove to the US... Bellingham to be exact. I had to physically leave Canada to give up my work permit, but needed to be back in the country by tomorrow morning for my flight to Churchill! Today was the first time I'd been back in the US in exactly six months. SIX MONTHS. It was a really strange sensation. The customs officer at the border questioned me about my license plate and what I was doing in the US, but we got to chatting with him and he welcomed me home. The cash confused me (had a difficult

time finding dollar bills in the coin pocket!) but I successfully made purchases, including a fun little photobooth shoot which I included in a card to D. At Target, I made the greatest discovery of all... BAWLS! I drank so many of these my freshman year at school I couldn't believe my luck at finding them up in the Pacific Northwest. I bought a pack and will be drinking one of them tomorrow on my way to the airport early!

Hope I get to see some polar bears. What trips have you taken?

Need Munny inspiration ideas

I picked up this little guy, a Mini Munny by Kidrobot when D and I were at Urban Outfitters yesterday.  I've been eye-ing them every time I go in there, so he convinced me to pick one up.  Now comes the problem of what to do with it!  I am SO indecisive about my creations.  I know I want my first one to be something that I don't have to add pieces on/cut off pieces to create.  That'll come later... I want to be able to work on it on the train to Churchill, so I'm thinking about doing just a freehand drawing.  I picked up some markers and a skinny Sharpie at Deserres earlier, so I'll just start sketching something and see what comes up!

I also am ready for the trip to Churchill finally!  I got a backpack, warm socks, a new toque and a vest to wear under my ski coat.  Yay trip!

Back to the Munny... I want to pick up a few more some day (maybe I'll just order them from Kidrobot) so any ideas on what I could make with them would be much appreciated!  I want to do a Gmail Ninja (they are SO cute!) and maybe a Vancouver Munny (all grey and rainy).  But other than that, am open to suggestions!  

Unreal Vancouver sunset

When I woke up from my nap this evening, this beautiful sky way waiting for me.

Rescuing my rotting Pachira

Several days ago when I was cleaning my room, I knocked over my $5 Target halogen lamp and broke the lightbulb... the element was knocked out of place in the fall.  I was bummed, but figured it could be a good thing since it meant 1 less thing to transport back to the States in the move.

I was mostly bummed because that meant I would have to live a month without a lamp.  Amazingly, I discovered that if I jiggled it around a little and stood it mostly upright, the element would touch where it needs to be and the lamp works!  As long as I don't move it.

I discovered a white fungus growing on one of the trunks of my money tree today...  I'm not sure the humid, but very cold climate is all that great for my little palm tree, but soon she'll be back in Texas in the hot and arid climate, which is apparently what this little tree needs.  I've been overwatering her a little.

Anyway, my point is that there was a white fungus/mold growing and I'd noticed before that a couple of the trunks looked to be rotting.  So I went to the internet to search for a solution.  I perused Money Tree (Pachira) boards and discovered that it was as I have been suspecting for some time: the trunks were dead.  Not just dead, DEAD.  So, I removed them.  I had to untangle four of the six trunks, pull out their rotting roots and throw them away.  First though, I took pictures, so you could see my dead trunks.

The tree looks so much healthier an dhappier now that I removed the rotting/moldy trunks intertwined with it... hopefully now that I am taking care of the little one, she'll bring me the good fortune she is supposed to!

This is where my mostly broken halogen lamp comes in... I am facing it toward the money tree, because apparently she doesn't get enough light in Vancouver with all the clouds, so artificial indoor light actually helps!  Hopefully my plant will survive till we get back to Texas (I am afraid all the moving will hurt them...) and then do really well.

"My arms feel cold in February air..."

Lights is a Canadian artist who pretty much dominates the Vancouver airwaves these days next to the likes of American artists such as Rihanna, Britney Spears and Lady Gaga and other big Canadian names like Hedley and Theory of a Deadman.

I've been looking for her music since I first heard "Drive My Soul" months ago, and discovered it on iTunes today!  I messaged D and asked him if he had a copy (since he often gets free music from record companies) and he gifted me the iTunes album instead!  I am so excited about having this EP!