Celebrate the Small Things - July 26 (3 week back log)

Yikes, folks! I haven't written a blog post since July 5th when I Celebrate[d] the Small Things with VikLit and the other blog hoppers over at Scribblings of an Aspiring Author. That means I have three weeks of celebrations to catch up on, but I'll try to keep them brief.

On July 6, the last day at my sister's in Leduc, Alberta, she and I, and a friend of hers did the Colour Run in Edmonton. I did it for fun and to raise a few more funds for the Student Refugee Program. It's an ongoing effort of mine, so if I can twist your rubber arm...click HERE!

I thought I would be celebrating handing in the final version to the committee on Friday, July 12. I was wrong. My advisor had other plans for me the likes of a third extensive edit. Those edits along with packing for my trip on July 13 are the reasons I didn't post that week. I can celebrate, however, the completion and handing in of my third massive edit!

Friday, July 12 was also my last day of work before heading out on two weeks of holidays! Now that is really something to celebrate!

Sometime in that week between July 6 and 12, we welcomed Memphis into our home. He's an adopted 5-year old Chihuahua from a local animal rescue organisation in our city.

The whole next week, July 13 to 19, was just one massive celebration. Farmer Joe, who I have now taken to calling Cowboy Tex since we moved from the farm into the city, and I started out on a massive 3500km road trip from Brandon, Manitoba where we live, to Fredericton, New Brunswick where I will be starting my Master of Arts in English this fall. I even enjoyed the driving. The main points of smaller celebrations within this major celebration are:
-Spending two nights and a full day in Montreal with my beautifully brilliant friend, Haley.

-Spending three nights and two full days in Fredericton familiarising myself with the university and the city.

-Getting a tour of the campus (especially the library) and meeting my grad school advisor.

Other celebrations that occurred from July 13-19 include:
-finding out that I got into the mature student residence for the fall and connecting with my roommate to start planning our living arrangements.
-finding a UNB Mom t-shirt at the campus book store to bring home for my Mom.
-being offered (and, of course, accepting) a position as a Regional Coordinator for WUSC starting in September. This volunteer position comes along with two trips to Ottawa, Ontario! I am really excited about taking on this leadership role with an organisation that means so much to me.

We started the trip home from Fredericton on July 20. The biggest celebration on the return trip, short of actually getting home, snuggling with my dogs, and sleeping in my own bed, was staying in Kingston, Ontario with another brilliant friend of mine. After 5 days staying places without air conditioning when the temperatures were 35 degrees Celsius above, Yvonne had central air and provided me with my first excuse to have a hot shower. It was heaven.

All of that brings me to one more celebration for this week, July 20-26. On Wednesday, I met with my thesis advisor again and despite a few, ok a lot, more edits, she did say that this time (the fourth time) she didn't need to see the entire document again, only a few short pieces! That, my friends, is celebration worthy indeed!

Cheers, everyone! Now, to try and catch up on visits and comments! See you and your blog soon!

Celebrate the Small Things: June 28 (Let "My Life: A Whirlwind" Begin)

I've been Celebrating the Small Things with VikLit and the other awesome bloggers linkup up on the hop for a month now! I've even recruited a few people too. You could be next, just add your link and start celebrating every Friday!

First, a little fun - I am celebrating the fact that I have a spare deodorant in my office because I sure forgot to put some on at home this morning! (I was starting to smell myself.)

Moving on...

Speaking of moving, we did. We're done. We're not totally unpacked, but yay anyway!

My bestie's bridal shower was a success! I have yet to get her to send me the photo of the absolutely ridiculous outfit that I put together for her to wear. That'll teach me for not taking a photo with my own camera. She got a lot of swag, she had a lot of fun, and the guests enjoyed the games and prizes I came up with. Next up, the bachelorette party! Can't wait!

The faculty I work for at Brandon University is hiring another office assistant so I will have less running up and down between department floors. Yay for a little more organisation around here for my final two months of employment.

Today marks the beginning of one heck of a whirlwind that is otherwise known as my life and that is worthy of the biggest celebration for this week. First stop, Calgary and one of my beautiful best friends! There are more details on My Life: In Countdowns and even that post doesn't include the fact that my best friend (the same one that I had the bridal shower for) is getting married at the end of September. I'm moving to New Brunswick at the end of August. She gets married here, in Manitoba, at the end of September. That means I have to fly back before I even really even get settled in. Totally insane! Totally worth it!

Cheers to you and your celebrations this week!

My Life: In Countdowns

Sadly, I have given up on the June: Photo-A-Day challenge. I kind of sort of made it to Day 17 and then my life just caught up to me and something had to give. You'll understand in a minute. Fat Mum Slim just posted her July: Photo-A-Day challenge if any one is interested. I'm not even going to attempt to take part for the month of July because my life is even crazier this upcoming month than it was this last month. Now to the understanding part and the title of this post...

My Life: In Countdowns

In 2...Calgary, Alberta and a long weekend (Monday, July 1st is Canada Day) with one of my brilliant besties. It will include wine, Sex and the City re-runs, and endless hours of catching up. It has been too long!

In 6...Leduc, Alberta and a week with my gorgeous sister. We're doing the Color Me Rad 5km in Edmonton on July 7th. It'll be, well, RAD! I'm raising funds for a charity that is near and dear to my heart if you're interested in contributing. I'll send you a ridiculous before and after photo of me at the race if you do! It'll be worth it; I promise!

In 12...A Skype interview with World University Service of Canada for a volunteer Regional Coordinator position.

In 14...My going away party at Brandon University (that's where I work). I've worked here for 9 years so it's going to be very strange not getting up every morning and following the same old routine. Strange, but fantastic!

In 16...Epic Road Trip (yes, it requires all caps) from Brandon, Manitoba to Fredericton, New Brunswick (3500 km a.k.a. 2175 miles) to check out my soon-to-be new home as I work my way through a Master of Arts in English. We're stopping in Montreal, Quebec and spending a day with another one of my beautiful besties and then coming back through Niagara Falls, Ontario. I absolutely hate driving, but I am actually really looking forward to this adventure across the Eastern "half" of Canada with my hunny (Farmer Joe)!

In 43...I defend my Creative Writing Thesis. I have so much work to get done on it at this point that I am kind of freaking out a lottle (it's like a little, but a lot).

In 50...Ottawa, Ontario/Gatineau, Quebec for the WUSC Leadership Meeting, but this one is dependent on the success of my interview (referred to above).

In 57...I will work my last day at BU.

In 65...Fredericton, New Brunswick for keeps! (and I still have to figure out what to pack)

In 72...Master of Arts in English begins!

Somewhere in all of that I have to plan a a bachelorette party for my best friend and a going away party for myself with all of my close friends. Those things will occur sometime after my Creative Writing Thesis defense and leaving for Fredericton for keeps!

Random Acts of Kindness (Days 1-10)

In November of 2011, I started and almost completed a 40-Day Random Acts of Kindness Challenge. Yes, I said 'almost'...shamefully. In February of 2012, after an awful bout of illness and a few other bad news scares, I made a promise that if everything worked out alright, I would start (and finish) another 40-Day Challenge.

I am currently on Day 51 and plan to continue going, inspired by 366 Random Acts of Kindness which I stumbled across while searching for random act ideas. I wish I taken the time to blog each day's acts as I've been going along, but I didn't and, so, am now going to play 'catch-up'.

Here goes:

DAY 1

Thursday, February 23 - I put spare change in parking meters at the clinic & held the door open for two mothers and their waddling toddlers.

As I walked towards the clinic for my appointment, I promised myself and the powers that be that if everything turned out alright after said appointment, that I would start my Random Acts of Kindness Challenge. In fact, I started the challenge before I even went in for my appointment in the hopes that good karma would come my way. The spare change in my wallet was transferred into random parking meters. On the way out after my appointment, with the good news I was hoping for, I held the door open for two mothers and their just-learned-to-walk toddlers.

DAY 2

Friday, February 24 - I made sure to hold the door open long enough so the people leaving behind me didn't have to re-open.

Today was a rough personal day for me, but thanks to my wonderful mother, I was still able to get into Winnipeg to see a play (The Fighting Days) I had bought tickets for. I didn't feel much like doing nice things for people, but at the very least, I ensured that the door of the Manitoba Theatre Centre didn't hit other people in the face.

DAY 3

Saturday, February 25 - I let a girl go in front of my indecisive self in the Subway (eat fresh) line up & finally picked up the trash in front of my apartment that I walked by every day.

I figured since I couldn't make up my mind, there was no reason to make the girl behind me wait, so I told her to go ahead. As for the garbage, apparently some of the people that live in or visit people who live in my building feel the need to throw their trash on the ground rather than carry it the few extra steps until they get inside to a garbage can. In short, I cleaned up their mess.

DAY 4

Sunday, February 26 - I gave someone a ride across the city because the transit system doesn't run on Sundays & started house/pet-sitting for friends.

Yes, apparently the transit system here fails to operate on Sundays. I guess people don't need to go places on Sundays. I drove down to the south west side of Brandon from my apartment in the north east, picked up this person (sort of an acquaintance, I guess), drove him up to his house in the north east part of Brandon, and then drove back to the south west part of the city to begin my 3-week stint house/pet sitting. Yes, 3-weeks, but I'd like to point out that I am only counting it as ONE act of kindness not 21...just sayin'. Did I mention that I was taking care of their home and 'extended family' because they were in Costa Rica?! But, honestly, I was glad to do it; Jocey's family is my family and I truly treasure them. (I got some pretty sweet swag when they got back too).

DAY 5

Monday, February 27 - I bought a coffee card for a colleague & switched vehicles with a friend so her fuel costs to Winnipeg would be lower.

Today was my first day back at work after being off sick for two weeks (strep, reaction to antibiotics, mono, strep again). Maureen did so much work for my while I was away that I felt I owed her at least a little something. As for Tina, at the time she was driving a huge beast of a Ford F150 that would cost her $100 to go into Winnipeg and back. My little Grand Am costs a small fraction of that at $40. It made sense to switch.

**BREAKING KINDNESS NEWS: As a 'welcome back to reality' gift, Tina brought me a beautiful orchid. (it's still alive)**

DAY 6

Tuesday, February 28 - I posted a link to a friend's blog - here it is again - Postcard Valet - and asked another friend to comment on it.

You see, Arlo and Oksana are travelling around the world, or they were; now they are living in Australia for a while. One of the places they visited was Cambodia and as a part of their travels, Arlo posts a blog with his thoughts on each place they visit. My other friend, Haley, lived in Cambodia for three months so I thought it would be fitting for her to comment on his comments. After doing a quick check, I realise that Haley hasn't actually commented...yet, but at the very least, I'm sure she's read it. She's in law school so I'm surprised she even has time to breathe!

DAY 7

Wednesday, February 29 - I bought a Frappe for an unsuspecting friend and brought it to class for her. I also left an uplifting photo and comment on a networking contact's facebook wall.

Carissa is a beautiful person who makes me smile with her simple presence; she was the recipient of the Frappe. The facebook contact is someone I met electronically because we share a mutual love of books. Jennifer always shares cheerful things on her facebook profile so I felt it would be nice to return the favour and tell her that I notice.

DAY 8

Thursday, March 1 - I donated a couple colouring books to the Psychology Nursery at work, filled the communal office photocopier with paper & bought lunch from a campus club (SIFE) that were raising funds to attend an international business competition.

As part of the Child Psychology course at Brandon University (where I work), we have a nursery that children attend. A while ago, I had bought some coloring books for cousins of mine who I realised were far too old for the nature of the coloring books. Rather than return the books, I gave them to the nursery. I really have no idea how many people use the copier in our faculty, but I do know that it never has enough paper in it. I filled all four trays so others wouldn't have to. Chili and a bun was my scrumptious lunch for a good cause.

DAY 9

Friday, March 2 - I made a donation to a friend who was participating in a stationary bike race for Cerebral Palsy & sent the lead actress in a play - "Miss Witherspoon" (who I don't know) a facebook message telling her how wonderful she did.

Judy participates in the stationary bike race every year. This year her team raised something like $9000 (I gave her $20); that's intense! "Miss Witherspoon" was performed by the Brandon University Drama students and, as always, they did a fantastic job. I always feel that it is important to give credit where credit is due and typically means a little more coming from strangers.

DAY 10

Saturday, March 3 - I paid for the woman's order who was behind me in the McDonald's drive thru.

When the day of the challenge reaches a multiple of 10, I try to do something a little above and beyond. I think the smile on the drive thru employee's face was the best part!

DAYS 11-20 - COMING SOON!