*stares*

I've successfully traveled overseas, using two different flights, AND I still have all my baggage. I even got in early. How about that West Jet, eh? The whole process of passing from one airport to another, in fact, was startlingly uneventful. I'm afraid this makes for poor blog entries, but I think I'll defer my complains, for now. :D 

And then I got to Ottawa, and Moonunit and Rose was there too meet me at the airport! With Moonunit's parents, and a sign with my name on it! It was totally the most exciting day of my ENTIRE LIFE!!!! *pauses* Well, maybe not, but it was pretty awesome. I would have run down the escalator (and caught my skirt and tripped and spent the next little while in the hospital), only there was someone in front of me. So I had to wait while the whole escalator moved the whole length of the whole baggage claim. And then I attacked Moonunit, and she attacked me, and Rose watched- it was very exiting. Oh, and Moonunit's parent's took pictures! So I guess I need to get a copy of those. 

Now I'm at the College, where I'm staying for the next couple of days. The only thing is, I have no internet. No one knows what the password is for the College access, so I can't log on. I have no idea when you'll get this, if at all...

EDIT: Here, have some pictures.

Newfoundland, from the sky!

Killing time in Halifax.

Yes, those spots are on the window, you're not just passing out. I thought it made a nice effect. And see, that's the plane that brought me to Ottawa! Isn't it shiny?

The lovely Ruth uses the borrowed internet-computer. It made the rounds...

Later, Moon Unit uses the same computer to send in her last assignment. Doesn't she look harmless? :D

"Are YOU a sea squirt?"

I'm gonna blog when I wake up. Cause nothing good comes of writing now. 

After five hours of sleep...

Anyhow, yesterday. I started the day by sleeping through the Free Continental Breakfast at the hotel. (A mistake I did not make today, by the way.) So I salved my wounded soul with coffee and internet, and then headed out to the Avalon Mall, where I was scheduled to meet up with two old friends, Zach and Beth. I did consider bussing to the mall there, then I looked at the transfer I would have to make and remembered my notorious skills with buses, and took a cab. :D And mercy of mercies, I had a cab driver who WASN'T chatty! We drove the five or ten km in complete silence, which was nice.

So Zach and Beth showed up, and we chatted for a while, and then walked around the mall, and walked over to the university, and walked to Beth's house, and walked to the bus, and took the bus downtown, and walked around downtown- I'm starting to sense why I might be tired. Usually when I come to St. John's I just go to the mall. NO MORE. Now I shall "just" go downtown. The shops are so much more lovely, and the whole atmosphere is much more conducive to my eudamonia. I had intended to take pictures of downtown, but that came to naught. Regrettably, I found my batteries were gone as soon as I stepped off the bus. It was a sad moment. But then we went into the Hemp Store, and it was all better. 

Um, that sounded less law-abiding than I intended. *sheepish grin* It's all legal, I assure you... I bought some glass ladybug magnets. And then we just roved along the street, skipping into teashops for samples and checking out record stores and cosmetic shops and t-shirt/magnet stores with amusing slogans. "I'm all that's left of a bizarre childhood." (I liked that one a lot. *grins*) Fred's records was especially fun, because there are listening stations. So I put on the headphones and rocked out just a little. :D It was fun. 

And THEN. (Yes, the day is not over yet. Social events on top of social events!) We went to Zach's family's house for supper. They had graciously insisted that I come over to eat once they heard I was in town. This was followed by PT picking us up, and he, Zach and Beth and I celebrating his birthday by driving downtown again, exploring Value Village, and then seeing a movie. Then I collapsed and slept. :D So much for the planned lazy day! PT wanted set off some rockets in a parking lot, but the Law-abiding Zach wouldn't let him. Which was what led to trying on funny hats at Value Village. What, you don't see the connection? That's just tragic, that is. Oh, and the movie was State of Play which was good- well worth the half-price ticket. However, it's based on a 6 hour BBC production, which I want to see now. It felt like the movie didn't quite have enough time to wrap things up properly, or something. They spend two hours laying a red herring, and then WHAM- no here's the truth over here! Oh, movie's over. Have a nice day! So, *cough* I'd like to see the long version. Also I'm a fan of British television. Right. 

Woah, the coffee's finally kicking in. *blinks* Good times! *looks around with a vague smile* Oh look, my eyes focus and everything! Moreover, the man in the breakfast line ahead of me this morning tried to warm up an egg in the microwave. My family is laughing about now, but it seems a shocking amount of people don't know what happens when you do that. So for those who haven't tried the egg-speriment yet- (Get it? Eggs? Oh, I crack myself up) I'll tell you what happens. 

The egg egg-splodes. 

...

Okay, I'll go now, before the puns eat out my brain. Off to the airport in an hour and a half!

"Happy trails, to youuuuuu!!!"

I made it through day one of travel! With no major catastrophes! I feel as though I'm competent, or something! 

Okay, and I've also used up my exclamations marks for the day. Possibly for the month. *cough*

At any rate, I'm safely in St. Johns! Daddy drove me up to the bus stop in town, and five hours later, there I was, at the MUN student centre, in TOWN! Opps, exclamation marks again. *cough* The bus ride was mostly uneventful. I dosed and watched the trees go by. For a little while, I will admit, I was watching the trees with extreme interest, because the seats in front of me were occupied by a teenage couple who proceeded to kiss each other for about half an hour, (or half a century, you know.) He had a lip ring, too, which just looks technically difficult. And then they fell asleep in the same seat together, which is another technically difficult thing. I mean, those seat are not that large. *shakes head* But they were silent after a time, and I zoned out. Mommy had packed me a decorated lunch- see above- and I occupied my time with eating that, too. Then PT picked me up at the Student Centre, which was lovely. (I was delivering some presents from home.) 

Incidentally, the bus stop in St. Johns is right outside the student bar, and today was the last day  of exams. We therefore witnessed some shockingly short skirts on college girls. I'm pretty sure at least one of those outfits was technically just a shirt- glued down. When your skirt is so short you can't move without a privacy shield, you know you have issues. 

And then PT and I booted about Downtown St. Johns. (Caught the exclamation mark just in time.) Due to the darkness, I couldn't get many good pictures, but I caught a semblance of the view from Signal Hill.  See, isn't it pretty?

We also talked about going DOWNtown. You see, it's PT's Birthday *checks clock* now, so legally he could go drink now. However, if he had a celebratory drink, that would leave me driving a standard car, through a notoriously hard to navigate city, in the dark. And the alternative idea of me tipsy can reduce strong men to tears of terror. (Not that I've tested this, but it should okay? okay?) So we had ice cream at DQ instead. 

Now I'm checked in to my very own hotel room, about to collapse and sleep. Sounds like a good plan, if I do say so myself. Shalom!

I'm leaving on the bus tomorrow.

That's all.

"Thanks for everything- You're too kind!"

I'm still a little extra energetic, due to the Pepsi I drunk an hour ago. Which is my excuse for why I'm blogging after midnight. Pay Me No Mind!!!

Anyhow. After I wrote the last blog post I finished packing. And I had only added white eyeliner and a pinstriped fedora to the list of my garb previously mentioned. So, like, almost normal. For me at least. :D Then I decided to take a walk, see what was on sale in the mall, and buy myself some ice cream. *commence walking* While I was out, Mommy picked me up, with the news that there was an extra ticket to the Terry Penney concert tonight. Would I like to go?

Ten minutes later, I was on the way to Grand Falls for the concert! It was lovely, by the way. If Terry Penney comes to your town, GO TO THE CONCERT. This is not a suggestion. *stern look* (You can see what you've missed here. Listen and weep.)

But, I realized once I was in the venue, that I was just slightly out of place. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this, but I tend to dress just a little differently from most people in Central Newfoundland. And today was pushing MY boundaries of normal. *sigh* I was the only person in the entire crowd wearing a hat, for instance. And I think I was taller than most of the audience too. I think I carried it off though, by dint of happily ignoring what I was wearing. It's only after you get into more normal clothes that you start to realize exactly what you looked like... *unsure*

Oh, and also Daddy picked up a lovely laptop bag for me today. So I intent to explore it, uh, *checks clock* this afternoon. Right. Sleep is in order. 

kthnxbai!

"Somehow I can't believe, that anything should happen..."

First thing you should know; I'm packing. And, in a similar fashion to cleaning my room, that activity has a rather special effect on my frame of mind. For one, it tends to bring items to light I'd forgotten about. (a pair of shoes, a magnetic braclet, some nail polish, devastating red lipstick, a ring of mysterious keys...) Packing also means I'm going somewhere. In this case, I'm taking a bus, a taxi and plane somewhere. In One Two Three Four Days I leave. My heart rate hasn't been stable for about a week now. *takes a quiet moment to hyperventilate and then comes back*

I am excited. True Story. And due to this excitement, subsequent glee, and utter lack of care for what I appear as, I am dressed in creative fashion. I just keep adding and substituting parts of my outfit, becoming progressively more eccentric. I started packing in my nice professional clothes. Now, halfway through, I am garbed in argyle knee-socks, a paisley skirt, red canvas shoes, my dangly grab-bag earrings, a t-shirt with four guitars and "choose your weapon" on it, and a necklace in my hair. Yes, you read that last item back there correctly. I wear necklaces as hair ornaments.

And this is only halfway through. It's entirely possible I'll have resorted to face paint by the time I'm done. And the state of mind I'm in, I would paint my face, and then walk through the entire centre of town to Tim's. Possibly chortling. For ten km. *ponders whether there was something in her morning coffee*

Okay, I'll be good, I'll calm down, I'll make my eyes focus, I'll- keep working on my heart rate.

I have a plane ticket and a hotel reservation and visa card and an arranged pickup at the airport and I'm packing.

A Glimpse Into Renovations

Last week was Reno Week, which I was helping with, I think I may have mentioned. Of course, my helping was to run the kitchen, but it still counts, right? Anyhow, at one point I also wandered around with a camera, and this was the result.

Apologies are probably necessary. I'm sorry. *maniac chuckle*

Reno Glimpse from Amber on Vimeo.

"Of course it's gonna get better/ better better better!"

SO! Fraulein and I went into Gander this evening. She went to dance class, and I hung out in the library. Yes, you wish you had our rollicking social lives. Seriously, you do, it was fun. Two hours in the presence of many books, *happy sigh* and two hours of driving and singing along to the music on Fraulein's ipod. 

The singing along was rather too much fun. We could manage the range, just, for most of the pop-y songs- the worship, etc. Then we hit Allison Krauss, and it got hard. And then we chanced upon Celtic Woman, and it got impossible. These people make the songs sound so effortless, until you try to emulate them. Which is about when your voice gives out entirely, and you start to suspect that that is blood, there, trickling down the back of your throat. I may have no voice tomorrow. But it was fun!

Also, I did this meme, (it's a link. Click it) and the result was the below. It was enjoyable, AND creative. You should do it. :D

"Whatever we were on, it just wore off." "Yeah..."

I have currently been undergoing a slight obsession with the way French sounds and Russian looks. I have no explanation for this, and no real excuse. They're just so pretty? And this is another benefit of being monolingual! (Me: "Wait, another? There are benefits? A benefit?" Myself: "Hush, you'll destroy my train of thought." I: "Like that's difficult, huh." Me, Myself and I: "Pay no attention to the internal dialogue. It's all fine, we promise.") When you only speak one language, every other tongue sounds mysterious and beautiful! With the possible exception of Arabic. That doesn't really strike me as a beautiful language. But what do I know? Maybe I'll have to learn it and prove myself wrong! 

 I am also struck by the fact that I need to blog more often. It all builds up, and then when the dam breaks, the torrent of my thoughts rush forth, destroying all minds in their path. Seriously, you have narrowly escaped me ranting incoherently about how Firefox's tabs are so shiny and the password-remembering feature is so matchy- and no one should be subjected to that. You should all be prayerfully thankful about this close shave of yours.

*tries to think of a transition*

*fails*

*looks about shiftily*

*TOPIC JUMP*

Today I made my first coconut cream pie. I haven't made pies with pudding-type fillings in years, during which space we bought a marvelous new stove. This has led to some less-than-spectacular-successes, when the way we have always done things suddenly ceases to work. Making a pie was no exception! I had to change pots midway through to avoid globs of burned wannabe milk-toffee in the pie. Aren't you glad you know that? Haven't I immeasurably enriched your life? You're welcome.  You see- it came about in this fashion. We are- in actual fact- renovating. And- in accordance with tradition and the fact that I am working in the mornings- I am Kitchen Tyrant. Tremble in my path, all ye minions.

This actually feels like a stunningly productive day, due to my Tyrant-ness. 

You see, having done extensive research into the subject, I was able to predict with terrifying certainty that if I got on to the internet, I would not get off the internet. This might interfere with my making the meal, I postulated. Therefore, I did NOT play with my computer, for an entire afternoon! I know, I'm amazed at my restraint too. Instead I formed hamburgers, and made brownies, and made the pie, and did some laundry, and baked some bread, and cleaned the kitchen many times, and made coffee, and finally sat on the floor watching bread bake through the door of the oven. You really can fit a lot of things into an afternoon! Oh, also I sang along with the music for three hours. Which is fun, you should try it!

Unless, you know, you don't count singing along to your music and watching bread bake as being productive. Whatever works for you!

Jokes, jokes...

I got back from work today, and found my BED was gone. Gone. Only an empty space where it should be. This is me, NOT pleased. Fortunately, I know how to respond to this. I go use my superior height and loud voice to make my bed magically reappear. I.E. I shout at my siblings. "My bed is gone! I will damage people!"

And then I noticed that my computer is gone.  This has gone beyond violent retribution. I have to give my siblings credit, they know what to do to make me meekly comply with their orders. The fiends. *mutters* They left a treasure hunt. Which I did. Threatening the while to cry. I think I got the closest to tears when I thought they had put my beloved Yinsen in the shower. Seriously, I would be broken. And then I would arise, tears dripping down my face, and wreak bloody havoc on the world. And my siblings, who live with me, unsurprisingly knew this. They had instead, put my beloved piece of shiny technology in the garbage. In the garbage. Yinsen is TRAUMATIZED. *pats him* I retreated with him to my room, where my bed had reappeared, and am coaching him through the necessary therapy. 

Yay for April Fool's?