Rendez-vous avec moi

Interesting idea, a date with oneself. We prepare nervously for interviews, for exams, for meetings, for birthdays. But never for us. Et pourtant, this is maybe the only meeting that actually matters. Because the only person we could never leave behind, never get rid of, never run from is ourselves. And we shouldn't be late.

The first day of the rest of your life

This video is sooo good! Makes you want to throw your computer out the window and just go out and play!

Retrospectiva zilei

Swirling thoughts going round and round in a dizzying dance full of euphoria and dread at the same time. Here I am on the eve of my 23rd birthday. I'm still young by most accounts. And so old by some. What have I really accomplished so far? I feel like I'm growing more and more estranged from my friends and loved ones. I'm becoming vain, conceited, self-centered. Lost in appearances. Still pursuing perfection and crippling myself with guilt when I can't seem to attain the unattainable. An atheist struck by the purest christian psychology.

I listened to Angels&Airwaves today. It made me think about Bunny. And then North. I really know how to pick 'em! But the fact of the matter is, there was no regret, no pain, no longing. Only nostalgia. For a time when I let myself believe. For an innocence that was lost time and again. I keep telling myself that I don't know what I want, but that's false. I do know. I just don't want to hear it. Because I'm scared. Terrified even. I was never very good at endurance and I think I'm getting tired. I guess it's just a consequence of the continuous battle inside me between the part that wants to grow up and the one that just wants to stay a kid.

So for the kid and the adult in me, here are the songs that I grew up with, one theme for each year since I officially became a "big kid".

 

As a side note, since my birthday actually falls on the official Children's Day, maybe it's appropriate that I spend it like a kid!

Managing expectations

First article in the series of me-trying-to-build-some-discipline. So this morning I was eating an avocado (yeah I know it starts great already, but bare with me here), and as I was feeling the deliciously creamy texture on my tongue, I remembered that there was a time when I couldn't stand it. First time I tried it, it was hate at first sight. And I think that the main reason for that is the fact that I wasn't expecting it. And expectations play a large role in our appreciation of food, people and just life in general. Kind of like getting a flu shot. It's not too bad when you know it's coming. So here's to trying to predict life so you can brace yourself for it! Pfff who am I kidding? We'll just have to learn to deal with unexpected flu shots....


In the spirit of expectations not properly managed, here's my last message: happy birthday asshole!

Yet another challenge

During the course of my so-far-brief existence I have signed up to god knows how many newsletters and webzines that I barely read most of the time (don't we all!). But somehow I decided to read this one and the writer was proposing a challenge for the month of November. Write one or two articles every week. It's all part of this program that forces you to focus on the process instead of on the end result and supposedly it works so much better because it makes you less stressed. Sure why not. I could use a little more structure in my life and a little less stress. Plus I heard that if you manage to do something regularly for 30 days then it becomes a habit. I know I have taken up many challenges in the past. Some I've kept, some not, but whatever the case, the point is to keep trying (dooooonnn't stooooppp! beeelliiiiiiviiinnnggg!!).

So here it is. Two articles per week for the next month. Here goes nothing!

How to survive studies, friends and life in general

More than ever, I have been feeling pressure to be on top of my game both academically and socially. I always knew McGill was competitive, but never thought it would affect me this much. And the net effect of this has been a lot of ups and downs, many sleepless nights and a constant feeling of anxiety. BUT since it is not like me to wallow in self-pity (ok maybe it is, but I'm trying to turn in a new leaf here), I decided to come up with a guide to better help me cope with my new daily existence.

1) Never ever ever think it is a good/feasible idea to plan to study after Blues Pub or any other social activity involving drinking no matter how small the quantity of beer ingested. The nerds of the planet were right when they said "Don't drink and derive" (or program for that matter unless you want to end up with a code that is 1 km long and jam-packed with bugs and hilarious comments)

2) As a matter of fact, unless you are in the company of motivating peers (or impending deadlines), don't plan to study on a Friday period.

3) Stay away from Facebook during exam period. While Spotted might help you feel a little less alone in your strife, the endless pictures/comments about parties that your friends living in residence are attending, will more than overcome the previous effect and leave you hating your lonely, miserable life.

4) Whenever you decide you deserve a weekend off, do yourself and the rest of the world a favor and just don't do it.

5) Baby steps grasshopper. Cause even if you feel like you could totally pull off 3 clubs, 5 classes and tutoring within your first semester in the program all the while still having a social life and seeing old friends, just pace yourself. Like Frosh, it is not a race, but a marathon and drinking a bottle of gin in one hour will only leave you puking all over the place.


Steps 6) to ∞ still remain to be determined... TBC!