I Like my Cowboy Hat.

Well, I think this yo-yo of my life is on a good upswing. My last midterm was yesterday, I think it went pretty good, but then again, the curve can bite back. So we'll have to see. I did a lot better on my anatomy midterms than I thought, I got the second highest lab mark and the fourth highest lecture mark. Whew, that's a relief! Thank goodness. Now all I have to do is slam dunk those finals and I can get my first A's. Yes, that is right. I have only ever gotten B's at U of A. Sometimes it switches up and I get the odd B- or B+. But they're pretty rare. This drives me nuts because I honestly do work really hard and I hate that my effort never seems to pay off as much as I really want it to.

As for right now, I'm home from school to do some laundry, I need to clean my Orientation shirt for soccer tonight. Erin is gone to Saskatchewan until Wednesday for a conference, so the house is all mine! I never thought I would like living by myself but I have to admit, it is really nice right now. There's something about being able to make grilled cheese for lunch in a cowboy hat and no shirt. It's a good feeling. And my grilled cheese rocks.

And last but not least, my running is definitely improving. I have about three routes I like to take for runs, so far, the farthest I've gone non stop is from the far side of Hawrelak Lake to Van Vliet (up the emily murphy way). Or, from my house to the Earl's near campus is my other personal best. I guess neither of these are really that far, but when I first started running in February the farthest I could go without a break was a little under 3 blocks. Wow... I find that pretty amusing now. It's just really cool to see how every single time I go, I tend to gain another block or so. Of course, I have my "bad" runs, but I personally think that just getting out there and doing it, whether I do well or not, makes it a good run. I wish I could do more swimming like in winter term, but my schedule conflicts with that so I can only really go on the weekends (which is when I work). Running is great because you can do it whenever you want, and it's harder physically than swimming, and has even better results.... unless you swim every day, that can get pretty challenging. I find I can't run every day, I need recovery periods so I only go about 4 or 5 times a week.

Anything else? Hmm... I got to video the team Canada vs. Holland game on Sunday night at work, that was really sweet. Especially when I got the hang of the in-crowd shots, and when the slow motion of the last plays I had shot showed up on the big screen. Maybe not such a big deal for some people but I had fun. Team Canada is pretty awesome, they've only been thrown together in the last month, but every single set they play, you can see just how much they're improving. They basically started out as clearly the less skilled team of the two, but by the end of the last game, it was clear they were equals, even though they lost 13-15 in the fifth set. That's awesome. And, my article is now published in the Gateway. I think I'll scan it and post it up here for all to see. That's all, folks!!

-Jeanine

Song: Live - Dolphins Cry
Picture: Reading your Mind!

(Random angry person)
Also, found this hilarious: Angry squirrel.

This is my Angry Face.

Okay, now I'm pretty pissed off. Watch out. Yes, it happens. Someone went and stripped my bike of all of its paraphernalia; lights, bell, helmet, and speed/odometer. And left my friggin seat behind. Of all the things I wish they could have stolen, why couldn't it have been the seat? I hate that stupid bas***d. I have just barely regained full feeling in my a** since my bike ride and I know I can't afford to get a new one, so I've just been hoping it would be stolen eventually and I could laugh at the thiefs and wish them good luck with their sore behind. They actually even removed the seat to take off my rear light and then put it back in the socket. Obviously, these are discerning thiefs that know a piece of crap seat when they see one.

Okay, and now the second part. The second reason I'm pissed is because that was my Calgary to Edmonton Odometer. That can't be replaced. I had just reached 550 K on it since I put it on 3 weeks ago, but I liked knowing that no matter how many more K I'd put on it, the the first kilometre to the 300th were from that highway. Every single K from Calgary to Edmonton I watched and every single one meant something huge to me. Bas****ds. The lights and bell cost a lot more than my odometer but I could really care less about them, they can be easily replaced (with better ones that are brighter and are in better shape). It's just the sentimental value of that odometer that gets me. *sniff*. All right, I'm okay. I promise.

Okay, so to all my wonderful friends out there who really care, if any of you see someone stripping a bike of its lights and such, for my sake, drop kick them first and ask questions later. GRRRRRRR. It's too late to go for a run so I need some chocolate. Good night all.

Song: Will Smith - Black Suits Comin' (Nod Your Head)
Picture: Watching

Dear Goodness. I love it.

Maybe I'm not the hot stuff that this guy is, but I try.

Bartending Like a Pro

Wow. So tired.
I had my first bartending shift tonight, at the Saville Center. Bartending is fun (Actually, it really is, I'm definitely doing it next year). So long as you have the following:

-drinks (Especially coke. Everything starts with the coke.)
-ice
-glasses
-till

The great thing is, we had none of the above. Sometimes just one of the above was missing from the equation. Sometimes all four of the above were missing. That was fun. I think I'm going to get mad at my boss and make sure we can have the above for next time. That's a good base to start with. Other that that, it was pretty cool. Not that many tips because most of the people we were serving were underage and only bought pop. However, I now know how to make a variety of drinks, which is pretty fun. I now have Ceasars, Shirley temples, some other stuff (shots and different high balls), and a weird drink that I can't remember right now under my belt. I just remember, it's a large glass with half milk and half coke, and then a shot that's added after (of kahlua and vodka). Starts with a "D" I think. Discombobulated? No, that's not quite right. ("Hi there, I'll have two beers and a discombobulated." Right.) Anyways, after serving about 400 people all night and then cleaning up after, I'm pooped.

One more story. I tried to leave afterwards, and found out I went out the wrong way (the foote field way, where I stored my bike) and that I was locked into a large chicken wire fenced area. If anyone remembers, I was locked into foote field before and ended up scaling the fence to get myself out, gouging my arm in the process. Well, these fences are probably about 7 or 8 feet hight. What do you expect? Anyways, I found out I was locked in. And so I used my super human strength to heave my bicycle, backpack, and all my other crap over this crazy stupid fence. That's hard when it's so darned high. And then I climbed over myself. Now, I must remember next time to always bring some NON-ROUNDED TOE shoes to work WHENEVER I work at foote field. Think pointy-toed from now on. Anyways, did pretty good this time, only a very minor gouge. Eh. I think I must have looked pretty cool, I have to wear all black to work, so scaling the fence, I felt like a super agent spy (wo)man. I think I should change careers. After my bartending spree, I think. Anyways, time for bed.
Night.

Music: 100 Years - Five for Fighting
Picture: MERGE

(Update... just checked it out, weird drink is called a paralyzer. So doesn't start with a D after all. Oops.)

Weeeeeeeee!!!!!

AHHHHHH!!!!!
My favourite cousins are pregnant.
WITH TWINS!

Wow!

I'm hip.

Hmm.....

As some people might know, my hips have a tendency to hurt a bunch after I go running. I thought this was just me until my mum told me that I had congenital hip dysplasia when I was a baby. I think I was treated just fine, there weren't any side effects or anything that I noticed up till now... but then I did some research and found out I likely also have "ligamentous laxity," predispoding me to dislocated joints and such, which would explain an awful lot. Here I thought my joints were just popping out, spraining, giving out on me and being all painful and such all my life because I was clumsy or that it was just me, once again. Well, the clumsiness might play a tad bit of a big roll there. So that sucks but at least I know it's not "just me" and I now know how other people are able to do contact sports and stuff without cross training. Kuz I know I always need to swim and bike to strengthen my joints if I plan on doing anything that might stress them (ie; running, volleyball, soccer, etc.) and couldn't figure out how other people got away without doing all that. Well, that's just my interesting discovering for today.
(Below: How to dance like an uncoordinated white person.)

Also, I played soccer tonight, sadly we lost (2-1) but it was our first game and first time meeting each other, while the other team had already played together. And some people on our team were a bit more hardcore than others. Okay, I'm a bit more hardcore than others. But I like to WIN!!! I hope some of my hardcore-ness rubs off on my team. Why do anything if you're not gonna go all the way? But afterwards we went to Windsor's and had a fantastic time. AHHH social interaction feels so good.

....am I addicted? I admit it, freely and without hesitation.
Yes.

It's A WuNdEr-FuL Life! (Oh, oh-oh-oh....)

Update!

Today I got my Australian citizenship in the mail. Meaning if I go to Australia, I have to carry an Australian passport, but if I go anywhere else, I can choose to carry either my Australian or Canadian passport, or both. I can also stay in Australia as long as I want, and I don't need any of those stupid visas and such. Yeah for dual citizenship!!!

Today I also got hired by David at the Saville Center, which is part of U of A (it's the place where foot field, the tennis courts, and the curling rinks are). I worked there in the concession a couple days before xmas last year. I needed a job for this spring to last me until I go to Kananaskis in June; my student loan maxed out for the year. Sick. So, who wants to hire me for less than six weeks? David does! And, according to him, he needs me desperately because they've got kids from different schools coming in to use the fields for school events, and using little ketchup packages as "bombs". Little does he know that I plan to co-conspire. I mean, teach those little rascals a lesson. Right. Also, he says "Enough of that concession crap. We're going to put your personality in the bar where it belongs. That way you can make some decent tips too." How bout that!!!

I keep feeling guilty because I haven't been studying that much yet this spring term. But then I realize, I have nothing really left to study. I've already covered it all. Ahhh, what a fantastic feeling. So then I go get some ice cream at Baskin Robbins.

My nutritional input has certainly gone wonky. So much for healthy Jeanine. My meals have consisted of cereal, chocolate milk, hot dogs, campinos, spaghetti, lots and lots of marshmallows, chips, more cereal, and then to stop myself from touching any more junk food I cook some brussel sprouts and stuff myself with those. The worst part is that I simply can't make myself feel guilty about this either. Something simply must be done.

I have an interview with the Gateway about my bike ride next week. I'm more nervous about the interview than I was about the ride!! Honestly, I have my priorities for nervousness screwed up royally.

I have now raised well over $500 for my bike ride. I was hoping to raise $1000, I'm not sure if I'll be able to make that, but I'm going to try really hard to get a few more sponsors, and I'm pretty sure I can do it. Also, I keep on getting these surprise pledges from the people I last expected it from. I love that about people. When they surprise you. I think if I start working in the bar right away at Saville, I might put all my tips for the first week into the pot. Then maybe people would tip me more, more money for the pot, etc. etc.

I start soccer next week, I'm on one of the Dis-Orientation teams. Friggin excited about that!!! Woot!!! Since my dance class ended, I feel a bit empty inside. Hopefully, this will help illeviate that emptiness. Can't wait to strap on those shinguards once again, and get myself into soccer fit. I have also decided that since my bike ride, I am officially "In Shape" until I say otherwise. I need to try and run and swim a bit more, though. Don't want to lose this newly obtained status.

I have also updated the cereal of the week!!! Ch-ch-ch-check it out!!! And make sure to read the quote of the moment, it's old still but it's a gooder. And, last but not least... dum dum dum... a new sidebar addition!!! Word of the "Day". From now on, I will be your word bird. I might even end up being cooler than Fred Penner. Sometimes it might be a word I just like to say. Might be a word that has a cool meaning. Might just be completely random. But whatever it is, it's sure to be a hoot!

And last but not least, I went over to Ian's last night and hung out with him and Todd and Corie. I like friends. I like hanging out with friends even better. That makes me feel even happier inside.

Today is a good day. Yesterday was pretty awesome too. I think tomorrow will be even better.
Sounds like a good place to end this blog.

Picture: What did I just eat??
Song: Apollo 440 - Can't Stop the Rock

Whatever. Look at that poser. Heh heh heh....

Calgary to Edmonton Bike Ride

So now, here I am, back again, to finally post about my bike ride, and this way I can look back if I ever want to (not like I think I ever will!!!) and remember just what it was like. So, I guess I'm posting publically but I think it's mostly for me. It's going to be long. If you think you'd rather save yourself the boredom of reading over my trek, I don't blame anyone for skimming or skipping over it. Or not reading it at all. I would!

I left Calgary at 2pm on Friday afternoon. Sunny and warm, 30% chance of showers when I had looked earlier. Installed a brand-new odometer for the trip (which was a blessing and a curse... curse because it was so darned accurate, I couldn't ever lie to myself about how far I had actually gone, blessing because the signs saying how far it is to wherever are usually darned far apart). I actually started on a dirt road that my brother dropped me off at, just off the highway. And I went the wrong way, thinking I could somehow get onto the highway by keeping on it. Until I realized I was in a fenced in dead-end. So I turned around and went back. After that, it didn't really sink in that I was actually starting a 300 K trip. Or how long that was. It didn't sink in until I reached the 50K mark, which felt like it should have been the 600 K mark, and my legs were already sore. That was the easiest 50K of my trip. I had taken two short breaks to refill my water bottles, one at a gas station and one at a tim horton's. About then, I felt all cool and stylish, like "Look at me. Yeah, long distance biker. I know I'm pretty cool."

Then I kept on going... and around 5pm it started to rain. I had gone only 60K. At this point, I was rather exhausted, my legs hurt, and my butt... we're not even going to go there. I was wearing a tank top and a socker jersey overtop, both picked because they're pretty thin and have a material that dries rather well. Then it started to rain. And this rain was not pretty. It was hail, a hard downpour, thunder and lightning rainstorm. As in, I got off my bike and waited for fifteen minutes for it to stop, and my bare arms were stinging and hurt because the rain came down so hard. Wind howling, stealing any thought of warmth. After fifteen minutes, it hadn't let up, so I got back on my bike and kept on going. I had a sweater in my bag, but didn't put it on because I knew I would need dry clothes whenever I got to where I was going. Besides, I was already soaked. I was trying to make it to Lacombe, to stay overnight at my parent's friend's place.

My dad called me when I had reached 76 K, and asked how much longer I would be before I made it to the Matthew's place. Yeah, I'm not going to lie. I was pretty bitter at this point, soaked straight through and frozen for the last hour. My body was numb and my mind even moreso. I don't remember what I said, but I'm assuming it wasn't very nice. I remember how hard it was to actually move my arm and hands enough so that I could reach for my cell phone, and even harder to open it and speak. I kept on going for a while. No places to stop for a long time. Pretty much stranded in the middle of nowhere, and I was in more pain and more miserable, hopeless, and exhausted than I can ever remember being in my life. A single kilometre equals one big long hill that you can't see over and a long straight stretch. I had come so far, and to get to Red Deer seemed impossible, and to get to Lacombe, 20 some km after, was simply not going to happen. Explaining how I felt at this point is not even a shadow of what it actually was. Around my 85 K mark, the Matthews called. I couldn't make my arms and hands move enough to actually get my phone and open it before the message system picked it up, so I had to call back. I told them that I wasn't going to be able to make it to Lacombe, that the farthest I could possibly get was Red Deer. They wished me luck.

Sometime after 90 K, my dad's friend Al from Calgary called. Had to call him back, too. He asked if I needed someone to pick me up. I wasn't really lucid at this point; I could see my breath and I was covered in mud, and had been soaked for more than 2 hours. I was just outside of Bowden, the first real sign of civilization I'd seen for a ways. I told him I saw a hotel and was going to stay there. I was actually disappointed in myself for not getting further; I had more than two thirds of the trip left for the next day, all of which I would be really sore for. I payed thirty five dollars for a single motel room. Best spent money of my life. Writing my name on the bill was a joke; I couldn't move my hands or arms enough to make it actually legible. All I wanted to do was lie down and never move again, but I somehow managed to have a bath and stop shaking for the time I was in there. Got dressed and walked to a store, bought mini wheats and pizza pockets. Must have been a site for the girl at the store, I was still shaking and chattering so badly.

Went back to the room, watched some T.V. (outside world!! Never meant so much!) and forced myself to eat something. Dried my clothes, my shoes were more water than anything else. Tried to sleep, maybe got in about three hours, had the heat up super high, I felt hot on the outside but I was still cold, and would start shaking and chattering if I got out of bed. That was weird. Read some of my book. Left that morning at 6 am. Still raining all the way to Red Deer (43K, actually went by way faster than I thought it would) and past (saw the only live deer of the trip in Red Deer itself, a white tail); I didn't take many breaks in here, only when I was too exhausted to go any further without a rest. None of which were too long, I would start shaking and chattering again and would have to get back on my bike to make it stop. I didn't even get off my bike for a good 50 km because I didn't want to stop in the rain. I knew it would stop later in the day, and apparently get sunnier.

It stopped raining sometime after I got past Red Deer, and I vowed I would stop at the first truck stop I saw. That was a long time. My arms and hands were too numb to hold onto the handlebars for very long. Finally, there was "Grumpy's" on the other side of the road. I crossed and went to the bathroom, cleaned the mud off my face and changed into my dried clothes. I had two hot chocolates and waited for an hour, trying to get myself warm, but I simply couldn't stop shaking. So I gave up, changed back into my wetter, dirtier clothes and got back on my bike. Which was the last thing I wanted to do, but I got pretty good at lying to myself. I think anyone doing this kind of thing would have to.

Next 70 or 80 K were probably the hardest to do that day. It was never ending, and seemed like no matter how hard I pushed myself, it made no difference. And the clock kept ticking. I never thought I would make it to Edmonton, from the beginning of my trip until I actually made it to Leduc, but this was definitely the part where I doubted it the most. I'd gone so far that day but I had just as far to go and all I wanted to do was lie down. Here is something more. 1km never seemed like it was so far ever before when I was in Edmonton. And a lot of the reason is that there's little to no wind compared to the highway. The wind was against my favour from Airdrie all the way to Wetaskawin this weekend (Yes, I would get off my bike, lick my finger and do the wind check from time to time, just to make sure I wasn't trying to make excuses for myself). Most of the time, I would be going faster on uphill slopes than on downhill slopes (unless they were really good downhills, which there weren't very many of) because the downhill slopes were more exposed to the wind. One of the reasons the hills weren't a big deal to me that much during the trip. I also learned to really like big truckers passing close by me because somehow they would create some sort of vacuum and the wind would be nullified for a brief moment. Like I was getting a little "push". I actually wished the highway was busier.

My last big stop was at the Wetaskawin rest stop. I didn't want to eat but thought I probably should, I had snacked on granola bars during the trip, but I knew it wasn't enough to keep my energy up. I bought a sandwich and a gatorade. I found it amusing that, for the first time I can think of, I looked at the amount of calories on the side label and thought "What? only 150? What the heck is up with that? You'd think they'd be able to stuff more in this lousy drink." The lady at the counter asked if I had a long bike ride after seeing my helmet. I told her, "Yeah, from Calgary to Edmonton." She did a double take and said "Are you kidding me?" giving me a look, as if I were sick in the head. At that point, I would definitely agree with her opinion. Stayed there for an hour. Started shaking again after about fifteen minutes, but I'd gotten pretty used to it by this point. I had no idea just how close I was to getting myself really sick at this point, but when I got home and looked it up, I discovered I had all the signs and symptoms of impending and mild hypothermia.

I talked to my dad a few times during the day, but the talk we had while I was here definitely got me through those last 75 K. It might seem like after 225 K, 75 should be nothing. But after 15 hours of riding, being completely exhausted and somehow holding on long after, knowing you have another four or five hours feeks like you've biked around the world six or seven times and have to do it three times more. Somehow, I made myself. And I got to Leduc. Ahh, Leduc. Seemed like a it was out of my league for so so long, I never actually thought I would ever make it. The entire trip, I guess, I never really thought I would actually make it to Edmonton without giving up. Wasn't until I reached the last 30 K that I thought, "okay, I guess I can make it." Leduc's such a long place to get through. And then the airport. And then the city limits. And the first sign that says how many K's it is to the Whitemud lies. All the other signs from Calgary to Edmonton had been dead accurate (thought I had tried to lie to myself and pretend things were closer than they appeared). But it WAS NOT 16 K. It was SEVENTEEN. I'm still bitter about that.

Remember how before I thought I was all cool and stylish? Well, now I'm nasty. Covered in mud. Exhausted. Pants tucked into socks. And I didn't care. There are other bikers everywhere. Looking cool and stylish. In my mind, I'm thinking "Shut up. You might think you're all hot and stuff, but you've got nothing on me right now. You have no right to pretend you're all athletic and bikey and such. Posers." I'm not going to lie. I felt pretty much superior to Edmonton on the whole, and quite righteous. Exhausted, but righteous. Seeing the sign "Edmonton, the city of Champions" made me think that the sign was made for me.

So now, that is a brief account, of how hard that ride actually was. Which is why I wouldn't ever tell anyone the whole account. Because brief is enough reading for a scientific journal article. But I had to explain just how it really was. Not like I could ever do that; it's impossible to explain how long that road is without doing it yourself. Trust me, it's long. 20 and half hours on the road. 18ish hours of actual riding. 300 kilometres without touching a single motorized vehicle, but seeing tens of thousands. Just so everyone knows, it wasn't a walk in the park. And that's why I did it.

I've decided that each and every one of us only has a limited time on this earth. We treat our lives like they're going to go on forever, though we all know that this is false. Any of us could leave at any moment, and all of us will leave someday, but this is not something any of us ever really consider very often. We know it to be true, if this is all we would ever contemplate, we certainly wouldn't live a very good life, after all. But back to my point... there's a limit placed on our years here on earth. And, when I reach mine, isn't it important to me, to be able to look back and see that I was able to suffer, if only a little, for the good of others? That I was able to undergo something that pushed me beyond every limit I've ever set, and giving all that this meant to others, who deserve it that much more? As for me, it's a checkmark off my list, a pretty thing to put on my resume, a spurt of self confidence, and some temporary bragging rights. None of which actually come close to any five minutes that I was out there, pushing, pleading, praying. I'm not sure if I could ever do something like this again, if I could pull it out of myself one more time. But I don't have to in the near future, so for now, I feel well deserved of a brief respite, starting with getting up and going to my first class tomorrow morning.

Good night,
-Jeanine

My mood right now: Disappointed, distressed, distracted. Grumpy. Upset. Argumentative.
I'm going to have a bath.

Pretty when open or closed.

New Cell

Hey everyone!!

Just thought I'd let everyone know, I lost my cell phone (kind of accidently-on purpose, I hated that thing) but then I got a new one, that all my old minutes transfered to (yayyy, telus is so nice). And the best thing about this one, is that when people call me, I can actually hear them! And their calls can get through! (I'm not going to lie, my old cell was a piece of.... plastic.) One bad thing, is that it doesn't have a vibrate function. I miss that on my old phone... now I have to actually turn it off while in class. But it's so much prettier and cooler than my old phone was anyways. My message system won't be up and running until this Friday, though, which is when I start my bike ride. So, my new number is: 780-999-6793, which is kind of a pain to remember, but I'll get over it. Not like I need to call it or anything. Okay, and now I am going to head outside to our 20 degree weather and bask in laziness before my all out body torture this weekend. Weee!!