Work Christmas Party


Residency Application sent & received


=)


♥


And 2 of these as a Christmas bonus from Diana & Enrique. =D

2009, you and me, we got along hella well. A few downs, but a hell of a lot of ups. I will miss you, and thank you for everything you gave me.

2010... don't let me down.

Absolutely everybody has to check this video out:

[Isabel Allende's Tales of Passion]

My dad sent it to me through e-mail. It made me cry while I was at work.

Actually, it wasn't the video that made me cry. When I checked out the links right [next to the video] there are more links that take you to the pages of the women that she talks about on the right, in red. It was when I checked out those links that I cried.

The strength those women have makes me cry. Their passion for life, and their courage. How to lift yourself up from fucking ROCK BOTTOM and then having the initiative to CHANGE THINGS for the next generations. It's more than admiration... I'm completely bewildered by their love.

It re-structures the idea you may have in your head of what life constitutes. Leave feminism aside for a minute. I'm not just talking about women, I'm talking about all of us as human beings. It also makes me so pissed at the people that have everything and still complain. And believe me, I cross a lot of those kinds of people everyday.

Are you one of them??

If you are, accept it. Change it. Or at least, try to. Be thankful for what you have, for what you are, and for your life and for WHERE you are.

You may think, "Oh, here's Sandy going through yet another existential phase again..."

--Come the fuck on! We KNOW all these things are happening in the world, how can we just turn a blind eye?? How can we just say, "Yeah, that's hard, poor them," and then go work on our glutes at the nearest gym because you can't fit into last summer's pants, huh?? I will totally admit I am a victim of this. I am a victim of society. FUCK!

But I will never accept someone calling me ungrateful. Because I'm fuckin' grateful EVERY DAY of my life for EVERYTHING that I have, even after January 28th, 2008. And I have said it constantly throughout my LJ-span. My family, my friends... they are what keep me afloat and have molded me. And what I've lived, it's made me strong, independent. And I do NOT complain about it... I may be confused and ask God, "Why?" but I know that I'll see the fruits of all this as the years go by --But they will never go by empty. In just less than 2 years, I have seen, and met people, and done, and traveled, and lived way more than I did in 10 years in FL. Granted, those were my formative years, but damn, I feel like these 2 years have really put in perspective what it is that I want to do in life, better than I ever could have if I had finished school in UF.

The people I started university with are on the brink of graduation. And me, I'm about to re-commence. I will admit it's a bit scary again, and a bit awkward knowing you're older than most of them, but I feel like it was meant to be. I'm not anymore just a mechanical machine that wants to do the best just 'cause it's the best and then be confused when I get done with it all 'cause I don't know where I want to take it.

I want to help people. I want to learn. I want to understand. And I want things to change. I feel it's my obligation. Why do we keep taking baby steps? Let's learn from our history, take the risk, take the reigns, and CHANGE the way things work. Because I don't know if you've noticed, but they don't work "just fine."

Laws are created by men, and most people keep holding on to old ideas. Uh, open your eyes, it's fucking 2010. And where did we think we'd be? We should be a lot farther ahead. But we are afraid. So let's stop.

I will quit my job.
I will pack my bags.
I will leave my apartment...

...I will find another apartment.
I will find a ride.
and I will move to Québec in January.

This week started out pretty well.

I mentioned that after Saturday night's debauchery, I was staying at the 4805 (let the 4805 from now on refer to Lyd/Gab/Nico's place) since my volunteering thing was the next morning and it was only like 1km away from their place. Let us take it from there.

Natalia & Oriana left in a rush without saying anything because when Natalia approached Oriana and me when we were at the bar & CS Mexican guy was buying us drinks (Coca Cola & water, respectively, haha), she asked me, "so hey, what's the time?" I told her, 2:35am, and she looked at me and went "WHAT!! Oriana, we have to go!!! Tell everybody we had to leave, byeeeeeeeeee!"

...She really did leave just like that, hahaha. Poor girl had to get up at 6:30am & be AT work at 7:30am.

Shortley thereafter, Lydia and I left -- Gab & Nico were dancing and didn't want to leave just yet, but they arrived at the apt. only 15 minutes after us. We ended up staying up for an houurrr just talking, and then we finally went to sleep at 4:30am.

I got up at 8:45am (after having had to get up nuuuumerous times throughout the night and drink water like crazy), managed to make myself presentable and went to my first day of volunteering. That day, it was a children's event (that's why it was in the morning), but the bands were good. I had the guest list, so I only did anything during the beginning of each show, and then the rest of the time... I did a whole lot of nothing. I LEFT there at 4:30pm. Oyyyyy. Sooo tireeeeed.

That night, Lorena came over to my place to give me mah burdei prayzen but we ended up talking a buuuunch... especiallly about religion. And about the fact that apparently, she's a total animal lover. Haha. It was really nice. =)

Tuesday, yesterday, I left work and chilled out at a café for an hour until I had to go to my second day of volunteering. I ended up arriving late, even though I was not far away AT ALL, because there was a manifestation (a strike?) near the Cabaret Just Pour Rire. Anyway, it wasn't a problem.

My task for the night? Sit on a stool and don't let anybody w/o a pass pass the "Staff Only" door. OoooOOOOooo. I know.

Perks? Front row, whaaaaaaaaaat. Bands and singers and photographers and managers coming in and out, in and out... It was awesomeeee. =D

The first show was Usthiax, just a guy with his guitar. Really pretty voice!! And the second show was Amylie... hip/hop-R&B by a girl and in French... and it was FUCKING. AMAZING. OMG... If I had had the money, I would've bought her CD... I'll link you guys up... [HURR] Seriously, I was enchanted, I loved it so much.

Tonight! I'm gonna go see Lac Estion... YET AGAIN =) I just want to clean and make a li'l dinner fo' masself before I go. =) Hooray for gettin' in for free to concerts... for doing nothing volunteering!! ;)

My weekend was GUH-REAT!!!!!!!

My birthday was officially on Friday. My dad & my bro called me in the morning as soon as I had gotten to work (my mom called me at night). I wasn't expecting anything at work, just 'cause I didn't want to be disappointed if they didn't do anything for me. Well, turns out that Diana gave me a present, her daughters sent me candy and a card (her daughters, Tatiana & Shanna love me, what can I say? ;) ), Francine bought me lunch and a cake... they sang me Happy Birthday, I had candles, they decorated the kitchen... awww, it was really sweet, I loved it. =)))) Diana gave me an amaaaazingly soft colorful scarf with a hat... YAY! =D

I left work and I went straight to Métro (where I used to work) to buy chicken wings, since that's what I decided I would do for my potluck. I realized that they have now changed the uniform, and the ONLY people working there that I recognized, were Josie and that little bitch Sebastien, who is the one I always want to completely avoid when I do go there, and is unfortunately the first person I ALWAYS see. D=< I can't believe there is absolutely nobody else... Well--Actually, I can. Eugh, How could you work there for more than one year? ACTUALLY, it's funny, because it was exactly a year ago, that I started working there, at Métro! I remember my training day was on the day before my birthday, hahahaha...

The potluck was aweeeeesomeeee. The people I wanted to be there were there, and I thank them soooo much for it!! ♥♥♥ I'm also so glad Laura invited so many of her friends, I had so much fun meeting cool new people like Kaleb & Giles. =)

The food was soooo gooood. We had like 3 chocolate desserts ([YES]!), my chicken wings, Laura's potato salad, Lydia's guacamole, Natalia's fruit salad and Marie-France's amaaaaazing spring rolls -- definitely the highlight of the night!! Sooo amaaaazing, Marie-France & her handy helper (aka Natalia) set up camp at the table and started making the spring rolls from scratch.... soooo coooool, I was in awe. =DDD

I had a lot of fun talkin' to people... I've come to the realization the I love having people over... and the fact that I have roommates like Laura & Marie definitely helps... they're so cool, open and nice, I'm really happy. =)

The next day: WOKE UP AT 4PM! I sent a text message right then to Natalia, just to be a bitch, since she was leaving work at 4pm... hahahaha, she had started work at 6:30am. ;) Awww, 'citica. ♥

Met up with Natalia & Oriana at Mont-Royal métro at 9:15pm, went to the SAQ and got us some Absolut: Citron & cranberry juice. We got to Nicolas place and quickly proceeded to get highly highly tipsy. Then just drunk. We were having so much funnnnn, and finally, ALRIGHT, LET'S GO TO EL CACTUSSSSSS. So we wobbled ourway over there, holding on to each other. We were: Natalia, Oriana, Gabrielle, Lydia, Josuué, Nicolas, his new roommate... and that's it, I think. I was drunk, I'unno.

I had never felt so happy to give $5 to a bouncer. HAHAHA!!

It was an all-salsa club, and I was a bit hesitant, since, you know... not everybody likes salsa, and I really care about everybody being comfortable... but WE HAD FUNNNN, mannnnn! All of us!! Ohhhh yeah, Olivier was there, and el bobo abrió la jetota and invited Richard & Ali. Well! They didn't ruin my night, I just ignored them, which is usually easy, but even easier when hella tipsy.

Events of the night:
-No hook ups.
-Some guy I had met at a previous CS meeting bought me a tequila.
-While dancing with Gabrielle, Ali smashed his head onto a glass and was bleeding.
-Nicolas was being hit on by a Mexican girl who "knew what she wanted" --HIS words!
-I dance in a very "personal" way? I don't know if that's good or bad.
-So I was sitting down for a few moments, and I see that Gabrielle has been dancing with some guy for some time, so I'm just looking, and then she looks at me too, and she gives me this "OH GOD, SAVE ME" look. So I put on my cape and I went. I was like, "Gabrielleeeeeeee it's my birthday, and I haven't danced with youuuu" so I just take her and we start dancing. The guy just stands her, right there next to us. I just ignore him, hoping he'll get the hint. A good minute goes by, and HE'S STILL THERE. So I'm like, "Gab, let's go to the bathroom!" And the guy follows us, all the way to the fuckin' bathroom. And just STANDS THERE right outside!! So we're just waiting there, and suddenly he OPENS the door, to the Women's bathroom, and tells me, "Je te trouve TRÈS POSSESSIVE comme amie! Je m'en vais!!" And all I could do was laugh... I'm a very possessive friend, apparently. Hell, if I see a friend that needs help, I'll help her dammit. That guy made my night. =D

Natalia & Oriana stayed at my place (Natalia had to be AT work at 7:30am, and Oriana lives to far), and I stayed at Gab/Lyd/Nico's place 'cause it's only 10 minutes away from where I was volunteering, so we left the club at around 3am, and went to bed at 4:30am, after talkin' for a good while, repasando la noche. ;) It was sooo much fun!! =D

22, you have a lot to live up to, 21 was hella good. But at least, it started out amazingly. Thankies to everybodyyyy!!!! ♥♥♥