'Tis the Season... For Farmers Markets!

A personal goal for this summer is to attend as many farmers markets as I am reasonably able to, because I love how it feels to be supporting local growers and buying ethically-sourced food and goods!

Here is a (growing) list of farmers markets I hope to attend:

• West End
• Saturdays, 9:00AM - 2:00PM, May 30 - October 24
• Kitsilano
• Sundays, 10:00AM - 2:00PM, May 10 - October 25
• Main St. Station
• Wednesdays, 4:00PM - 6:00PM, June 3 - October 7
• Kerrisdale
• Saturdays, 10:00AM - 2:00PM, June 13 - October 10
• Mt. Pleasant
• Sundays, 10:00AM - 2:00PM, June 14 - October 11
• Yaletown
• Thursdays, 2:00PM - 6:00PM, May 7 - October 29
• Oak St.
• Wednesdays, 3:00PM - 7:00PM, June 3 - October 14
• UBC Saturday Market
• Saturdays, 9:00AM - 1:00PM, June 13 - October
• UBC Tuesday Market
• Tuesdays, 4:00PM - 6:00PM, June 23 - October
• UBC Wednesday Market
• Wednesdays, 11:30AM - 1:30PM, June 10 - October

Take a Moment to Reflect When You Get "The Feels"

Three weeks ago I started a new summer job at my university working in an office that focuses on enriching each student experience through various involvement opportunities. In my short time here, I've had unexpected moments of being hit right in the feels.

"Pardon me, did you say 'the feels'?"

Yes! The feels are experienced as moments where you feel a flood of emotion, through your mind and body, that impacts you in some meaningful way. This emotional flood can usually be categorized as being in the realm of sadness, joy, awe, or some tangent of those. For example, you might get the feels when you see an elderly couple holding hands as they walk down the street together, or perhaps when you hear about the passing of a friend's beloved pet. Those kind of events just get you right in the feels. They might be small moments that only you feel, or they could be big events that are experienced by many but that have impacted you in a unique way.

When you're feeling those feels, it's probably because something has resonated with you in a meaningful way, and I think you need to take a moment to reflect on it. Reflecting on these moments might give you some insight into what your passions are, what your talents are, or where you want to take your next step towards. To reflect on the feels you have experienced and to help uncover their meaning, ask yourself a few questions.


What?
What was it that provoked the feels? What happened RIGHT before you were hit right in the feels? Was there a particular aspect of the event/person/sound/etc. that provoked it, or was it the experience as a whole? Is it the thing you are acting upon (doing), or are you being acted upon (receiving)?

How?
How did the feels get you? Did they get you in a sad way, or in a way that made you feel more alive than you ever have before? How are you experiencing the feels (i.e., how do you feel)? How did the feels manage to slip into your experience at this moment?

When?
Did a particular time of day play any part in what is happening? Are you feeling the way you do because it is before dawn breaks, or is it right at noon and the rain is falling and the skies are dark? Is this particular moment one that has come at an opportune or especially relevant time in your life?

Who?
Has a person evoked the feels in you? Or is it a particular aspect of who YOU are that is being impacted by what is happening? Could these feels be coming from the part of you that you've never had the chance to really engage with before? Who are you in the moment that these feels got to you?

Where?
Similar to the "when", the where may point you to what is dictating these particular feels. Where are you as the feels hit you - are you sitting down? Standing up? Are you indoors or outdoors? Are your feet on the ground? Do you find yourself in a particular building/city/country/urban/rural/uninhabited place?

Why?
Oh yes, the why. Why are you experiencing the feels right now, in this place, in this way, as you are? Why did this instance strike a chord in you that felt different than all of the other chords that have been struck across your lifetime?  There have been many meaningful moments for you, but why is this one standing out to you? Is it what you are doing? Are you receiving some sort of news or information? Is this moment an unexpected opportunity that is terrifying but thrilling all at once? Why do you care about this moment and why are you trying to decipher it?


Sometimes these moments come up in mundane situations that do not speak to a greater purpose, but sometimes the feels get you in a way that seem to indicate you have uncovered something significant. It could be the direction you want to work in your career, or the place you want to move to, or the unplanned trip you want to take. The feels could even point you towards a new hobby.

Embrace planned happenstance, a term that refers to being prepared to be adaptable and flexible in an unpredictable world that might throw you a curve ball (that might be worth catching). Planned happenstance means doing all you can to prepare yourself for whatever your goal might be, but being ready to roll with the punches when those random events that are beyond your control inevitably occur.

Don't just let the feels get away from you - if you stop to consider them for even a moment, they must mean something. They may indicate something as small as a practice you can engage in each day to bring you peace of mind, or they could be guiding you towards the best thing you can't even imagine yet.

Hairy Woman, Walking Down the Street...

I have a feeling that "Oh, Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison is far more successful than my Hairy Woman rendition would have been.

Hair is an interesting thing for us human creatures - the way it grows differently across our bodies, the way that we can change its presentation with chemicals and tools, and the unique ways we socialize people to think of their hair in gendered, racialized, and negative ways.

In November of 2014, I participated in Movember by not shaving my legs instead of growing a moustache (simply because I cannot grow one - otherwise I am certain that I would). This act snowballed into a personal project of leaving hair on other areas of my body to just be for a little while. It has taken time for me to adjust to my legs having hair, since I have been socialized to enjoy the aesthetic and feel of bare, smooth legs - part of me wants to say, "I actually just like it that way, though! I wasn't socialized to." However, I know the power of socialization, and that it is the reason that I, along with with many other female/woman-identified individuals, feel that it is the best way my legs could look. Simultaneously, most male/man-identified individuals do not feel self-conscious about having hair on their legs (even the ultra-hairy fellas - though they do sometimes get flack for chest hair).

The opportunity to bring it up with people has been enjoyable, as some that are closer to me have been comfortable enough to point out, "So you're not shaving your legs?" or, "Are those hairy legs I see?" and I am able to say, "Yeah, I'm challenging the discourse that my legs are unattractive with hair on both a personal and societal level."

It is still something that makes me a bit shy, but I am gradually becoming used to my new-kind-of-soft legs - it is the fear of people I know more personally thinking strangely of it that gets to me, but strangers can think whatever they like - hopefully they'll think, "Whoa, that's awesome, I should also not have my decisions dictated too much by cultural norms!"

Of course, choosing to do whatever you want is what I think you should be comfortable doing when it comes to your body. This post is about how I've chosen to challenge the reasons behind my previous habits and figure out what I truly want and not what I've internalized as others wanting.

The First 6 Weeks

It has been a turbulent few weeks for me as the school year has begun to gain momentum. I've struggled with adjusting to my new roles, likely as a result of the requirements laid out by some commitments that required completion within one or two weeks of the year kicking off. While I know that a deadline means that completion will come eventually, it has been difficult to see beyond those deadlines at times; however, some have passed, and I am able to feel the ability to manage my life returning to me.

The first six weeks of being at school is a time of transition and readjustment for all; but those weeks are outlined as a particularly critical period for residents and the residence advisors, because those six weeks will set the 'tone' for the rest of the year.

Amidst the requirements of my positions, I have some personal goals for the first six weeks:

1. Schedule my hours until my routine develops.
   I have been struggling with finding the motivation to sit down and establish my study routine, and I believe that some structured study time - as informed by a calendar schedule to-be arranged - will help me return to a natural study rhythm. Additionally, time for my extracurricular requirements will be structured around that time to ensure that I don't forget about them.
2. Be conscientious of my eating habits.
   Throughout my health journey over the past two years, I have become much more aware of the way my body feels and performs in response to consuming certain things. During my stresses and anxieties of the first few weeks of school, I have acknowledged my body's cravings and responses - and promptly ignored them several times. My eating habits are far from the horrors they could be, but when I eat a primarily vegan diet, exercise daily, and have spent months making my body accustomed to a certain "cleanliness" of diet - my body desires good things, and responds poorly to my neglect of it.
   I need to eat meals that fill me with fibre, protein, and enough carbs to keep me mentally active. My snacks should be primarily clean ones with minimal "fake" components (for example, not indulging too often in my love of Mio-enhanced water). Fluids are a must, and will ideally be a nearly-even split between tea and regular water.
3. Plan ahead.
   It has become apparent that if I am planning ahead, my life is generally in a manageable state. My thoughts are that if I plan ahead regardless of my life's manageability, I will produce a manageable state! At least a little. It will give me more opportunities to see what is ahead, and at least not be totally caught off guard by obligations and events that are coming up.
   - Calendars
   - Day planners
   - Looking at class schedules

With these simple strategies, I think I will find the remaining 3/6 weeks will come to a more peaceful and less chaotic close than the first 3/6 weeks have passed by in a flurry of.

Here's to hoping!

A new school year approacheth!

There are only 3 days left until I begin my journey back to school into my new role as a residence advisor, and with that will come the need to be structured and efficient with my time. 

The first month will be a time of testing the waters and figuring out how my schedule balances with all that I will have on my plate: Academics, extracurriculars, a shift at work once per week, my social life, etc. I hope to find time to keep a regular blog entry going, and I hope to find some structure to some of my posts in addition to my more personal photojournalistic updates!

I am not sure what this may look like right now, but perhaps more food/nutrition/fitness-related posts will occur, or more focused "thought" posts. Regardless, I will do my best to keep a reasonable post pace!

Catching Up

The last month has been full of family, travel, work and, of course, food. Where to begin?

Summer sunsets.

Belated birthday outings, featuring friendship with
a side of veggie burgers and vegetable chips.

Canada Day relaxation.

A necessary 3AM trip to The Naam.

Drive-in dates!

Summer time BBQs of veggie
dogs and tofu kabobs!

Mischievous kittens.

Birthday sushi fun times!

Riverside chats.

Young entrepreneurial-themed discussions over
newly-discovered (and huge) vegan breakfast dishes. 

In the last month, I have knocked a few items off of my spring/summer to-do list:

• A new healthy food routine: I've gone devotedly into one of my favourite snacks - green smoothies - with new recipes from Simple Green Smoothies! The recipes are delicious and refreshing and give me a little cleansing boost in my days.
• Attended my 3rd Calgary Stampede and did some serious two-stepping.
• Consistently spent at least one hour per day outside - power walks with mi madre are almost essential in ensuring that this happens, while simultaneously offering good exercise!
• I tried out a new exercise regimen for one month, courtesy of the kind-hearted Sophie Gray and her Plyo Madness eBook (only $10!). It was intense and included 3 rest days per week and made me (especially my legs) feel tight and lean by the program's end.

I also started to read a new book (Gone Girl, for anyone who is curious), and am currently making my way through a philosophy book I bought in Portland that critically examines different aspects of sexual practices in college (from the "walk of shame" concept, to the act of gay/lesbian individuals experimenting with opposite-sex encounters).

Additionally, I have expanded my résumé further: This summer, I have been both a baking intern at Vegan Vices, as well as more recently a host at Nuba! For anyone who is in this city and is not yet familiar with Nuba's Lebanese cuisine - I can assure you, you will find something that you like, and the prices and service and taste will keep you coming back for more. It is very exciting to have been employed at a restaurant that I so dearly advocate for as a customer, especially a veg*n customer!

While I have not yet exercised my world-wide legality since my birthday, I enjoyed a relaxing day at home with my family and have used one gift received as inspiration to take up hats as a new wardrobe element.

The weekend before last, I partook in my first music festival! The Pemberton Music Festival was resurrected this year, and it was exciting to be there with my whole family and see such an array of talent and individuals all in one place over the span of a few days. More photos from that event will be posted following this.

Overall, the last month has been good to me. I can feel both the strength of the summer season and the imminent autumn, bringing with it my standard crazy year with some new twists. There is barely 3 weeks until I begin my residence advisor training, and from there it will only become more interesting as the school year rolls into effect, I'm sure.

More details and thoughts to come...

Thinking and Eating

I do both of these things quite often.

Quite often, I find that the first (thinking) gets a little too muddled in the second (eating) at certain times. 

As an individual that tends to get emotional (excited, anxious, stressed, frustrated, morose) when it comes to thinking about any one thing for long periods of time, having myself mulling over something as simple-yet-complicated-and-important as eating always leads to a bit of a mental mess.

This post is not the first time that I have entertained these thoughts, but every so often it feels like I make a shift in my thinking, and things make a little more sense, feel a little more right, and get a little less frustrating; in the last week, I had a shift of this sort. Just a small one - but enough to decide to write about it! As I repeated my belief to someone that they should probably have some protein following their vigorous workout, and as I myself was mixing up a protein-y beverage to consume, I was met with a simple enough response: "I'm not hungry right now."

Hm. That's interesting, because my body craves food immediately after I exercise vigorously on most occasions - and I find that many people I encounter share similar sentiments. While I still believe that protein (amongst other nutrients) following vigorous exercise is important for re-building torn muscles and providing your body with a great deal of goodness, an oft-repeated message seemed to ring more true than usual: Not every body is the same.
Not every body feels the way mine does after I work out, or has the same cravings, or enjoys the same food, or is structurally the same as mine, or is going to build muscle or gain/lose weight the same way that mine does.

It seems so obvious, and I have shared these thoughts with others in the past - you can't expect the same results you see in someone else if you do exactly what they do, because you and that person are not the same! I get very caught up in thinking about how much I've exercised and what I'm eating and how I'm feeling and often realize (too late) that I've been subconsciously relating my own journey to someone else's (exercise regimen, dietary choices, muscle bulkiness, etc.).

My process of really thinking about what I ate began when I became a vegetarian, and then four months later began to exercise regularly (and vigorously) and improve my overall diet and think about what I need for a balanced lifestyle. Unfortunately, in my healthy decision making, I developed a tendency to decide a little too carefully about the aspects of my life that were improving my health, such as exercise and my eating choices. What I mean by this "overly-careful decision making" is that I would sometimes feel I hadn't "earned" certain treats if I hadn't worked hard enough that day (in my own eyes) or that I would become reluctant to enjoy snacks that looked as though their calorie count was "unreasonable" (I never counted calories, mind you, but sometimes one snack's worth of calories seems a little crazy, y'know?).

While I've not entirely escaped those ways of thinking, I have started to recognize that I don't need to be self-conscious if I want to have a snack but someone else doesn't want to have a snack at the same time - I am not glutinous for eating when someone else is not. Nor am I out of shape or unconditioned if my body is responding to exercise and food in a different way than someone else who is doing something similar to me - or even something entirely different. I cannot allow myself to think that a snack will automatically turn into unhealthily stored fat if I eat it without exercising extra to "earn it." It is not fair to me, when I work hard to be good to my body and my health and my well-being, to criticize myself for doing things that fall outside of the realm of "healthy lifestyle" once in a blue moon - or even more often than that. 

None of what I do for myself is going to be worth it if I cannot be happy along the way. Happy with me, and for me, and for others who are on their own journey that is different that mine. I deserve to be happy, and to share in my love for eating and exercising and achieving peace of mind with those that I care about - and those that I have not even met yet.

I would not say that I have ever been truly unhappy, but there have been dark patches in my healthy journey that left me with certain unhealthy mindsets that I have worked on and made brighter opportunities for learning and improving myself.

My goals have become healthier ones, and are less shaped by thinking that I have anyone to be accountable to other than myself. I cannot say that I do not think of others as I work to better myself, but I am becoming better at thinking of myself first.



This has been a somewhat long and potentially ramble-y post, but it felt like something I wanted to share and put into words I can look at in order to establish them more clearly in my mind! Thanks for taking any amount of time to read any number of the words here, and perhaps some of them will help you with your own "shift" in your thinking along your own journey.

I May do this and I May do that...

A new month! How exciting (and occasionally rainy).

I have completed another year of university (unless something goes horribly wrong with my final two grades that I've yet to receive) - and it was a pretty good one! That includes many aspects of it: my residence experience, my social/romance life, my academic standing, and my sense of satisfaction with what I've contributed to UBC through my time at the school so far.

Now that May has begun, my term as the RHA Vice-President has officially ended, and the reins have been handed off to a new student leader to hold. While I experienced some sadness awaiting this eventual transition, I am too tired from exam season to feel anything but relief over it at the moment; I am pooped and have other things to sort out in the next couple of weeks (employment, living arrangements, travel plans).

Of course, I have documented some of my recent activities on days that I have failed to upload anything new to the blog (which has been since April 24, evidently... Oops.) - so I shall share a few of those.

TPRA reunion brunch! Vegetarian
egg's benedict for me.

The TPRA family! Minus a few
dearly-missed faces.

There was the inaugural trip to Heirloom (vegetarian) Restaurant - I was surprised by how upscale and modern it was! I suppose those are the expectations held when one is more accustomed to The Naam, The Foundation, and Aprhodite's for vegetarian cuisine...

Grilled Cheese for him.

Raw Falafel Salad for me!

GD was experiencing great pride
in her aged fruit that she saved all year.

The time also came to move out of what has been 'home' for the last eight months - a bittersweet time of looking forward to the summer and looking back at what is being moved on from. And moving out means going out to eat a lot!

As is my norm... With many food outings come many photos of the food acquired at these outings.

Breakfast at the Sunshine Diner!

Lunch at the Naam!

Eastwoo's first experience at the Naam with their
Nacho Ensalada - an excellent choice.

Enigma's apple juice-cooked
oatmeal with fruit for brunch!

Huevos Rancheros Burrito for him.

We also celebrated the 10-year anniversary of JJ's marriage!

It seems apparent that food became my means of celebrating the freedom of not needing to study any longer.. It has been a very enjoyable celebration, though! It also kept me powered through moving my own stuff out of residence, helping others move into new residences, and going to concerts that I did not get enough sleep for (Luke Bryan's That's My Kind of Night WOO).






Most recently (my my, was it only two days ago?) in my photos, I spent a 15-hour day away from home and did a lot of socializing in Vancouver. I began the day saying farewell to my fellow as he drove away to our neighbouring province for the summer (sad days for Katie - though, I do not think it has actually set in yet that we won't just drive back to UBC and see each other in a day or two!). After that early morning venture, I helped WuWu with his move into a new residence, and then took him for his first experience at the Naam (I'm bringing many over to the good side, lately).


I did a bit of 'retail therapy' downtown for some time in the middle of the day following this, and then had a nap at JJ's house (and perhaps my summer residence if I make any decisions in the next week). Finally, I met up with J, G and her dad, and we went back to The Afghan Horseman for another delicious dinner experience (even if we sat on chairs this time)! I had the Vegan Plate again, and it somehow seemed a little better.. Perhaps because of how hungry I was.

Afghan black tea
(black tea with cardamom).

Eggplant dip and pita bread appy.

The Vegan Plate! Rice, potatos, salad, stew, and cauliflower.

Baklava for dessert (wowza, yum).

Yesterday was a day of cleaning and rest, so no super-exciting photos were taken - except for this one of a flowering plant at our house - and some needed laid-back time was employed. 

I will work on keeping more photos and updates coming as they are taken!

Until next time, I shall continue my search for employment, as I have missed out

on an exciting internship opportunity and have not heard back from ANY 

other places I've applied to! Perhaps something will come along soon.

ADIOS! 

Looking Forward: The next 4 months.

The next four months: a time I both welcome and fear.

For the most part, I believe that I will enjoy the next four months - the weather will (hopefully) be summery and show signs of life blossoming everywhere, energies will be high, and a reprieve from school will be mine. However, he is going to be back at home, and visits will once again become once-every-few-weeks sort of occurrences; I do not know what job I will be holding (I would really rather not return to my old safety net and have chosen to search elsewhere). 

1. Weather.
- Get all the Vitamin D!
- Wake up by natural light streaming in early through my window.
- Be rid of the chills by simply laying down for 30 seconds outside.
- Rain is exciting and rejuvenating and makes me happy for the plants.
2. School reprieve.
- I love school, but my body feels the strain of spending too many hours 'loving' it.
- Social life, work life, and other 'lives' become independent of one another. 
- Must come up with a schedule of my own when work is not in the picture.
3. Absence.
- Visits will be the most exciting of times.
- Alas, my heart shall ache often and yearn for its partner in crime. 
4. Employment. 
- Where have I applied? Let us take a look: Chocolate cafes, healthy living cafes, jobs with the city in event planning, program coordinator, communications assistant, internship with local produce delivery company, summer camp counsellor, restaurants.
- Where might I apply? Let us take a look: Favourite UBC-local cafes, restaurants, healthy living themed shops.
- During the school months, I miss work! I miss that income and sense of having done a job well and making others satisfied through my service. Next year I suppose a great deal of my involvements will revolve around a sort of employment - even if it isn't a regular paycheque like those I would receive during off-school months.
- I want to try something new; I've had good times with my ol' pal Safeway, but I'd like to feel challenged in what I do this summer.

I expect excitement, friendship revival (for which I'm very excited), painful yearning, lots of family time, and hopefully a bit of travel this summer. It would be my wish to feel that I've grown a bit more, learned a few new things, and seen one or two new places. Many photos should be taken, and perhaps even a new friendship is to be made!

ABCs of: Denim, Easter, Food

The day of near denim overdose.

(See how I continued the "ABCs" with the words in my title?)

There is little to update anyone on during this frustratingly lengthy exam break (12 days between my first exam and my last two exams on the same day), but I thought it would be a nice time to throw down some photos and muse over things.

My last exam was welcomed, as I had a 9-day break between that and the last day of classes - and as it is a difficult course for my arts student background (Brain and Behaviour Psychology), I was very pleased with how it went! I finished in less than an hour and was given chocolate-covered almonds at the end. :) 




Following this exam's (and course's, I suppose...) completion, I began about 36 hours of intensive resume-depositing and driving between school, home, the 'Wack, and back! It was really nice to just kick back in the 'Wack after all of the driving and make some veggie meatloaf with my daddy-o while watching movies. 

Father-daughter camera dates!

The most delicious of unmeatloaves.

Josephine!

Bella!

After a too-brief but rejuvenating visit with mi padre, I ventured back out to UBC and put in some more study hours in preparation for a busy Easter Sunday back at home. 
Thus far, the study schedule I have devised has worked exceptionally well for being so simply-structured, so I've been on track for everything so far! I sense that I will be well-prepared for my favourite class and that I will make it through my least favourite.

Ah, dinner - one of the most magical moments to capture (not really, but it is a moment that can elicit salivation over and over, which is kind of magical, right?)! I tried a vegan "imitation ham" which added
some fun texture to dinner, and with the help of gravy and everything else on the plate, dinner was both filling and delectable.

Not a couple to let food fall by the wayside, he and I decided to celebrate 20 months of togetherness with a trip to The Reef for a Caribbean lunch! Plaintain chips, jerk tofu, Johnny cakes.... I still haven't tried one of their coconut cocktails yet, but I think when that day comes, it will take the Reef to a whole-new level!

Hopefully, more exciting and interesting adventures will arise in the week still left before my next exam takes place. In the meantime, I will continue to hunt for a summer employer, contemplate what courses I will take next year, and try to pack up some of the belongings in my dorm room to prepare for moving out in just over a week. 

Vacation seems both too far and too near at the same time.

Back from Hiatus

Hello, M&M.

If I'm not mistaken, it has been quite some time since we've interacted! My hope is to be back more regularly for updates as classes end... and the season of studying for final exams begins.

In the last two weeks...

My mom made special homemade soup for me!

My sister turned nineteen and we went DANCING!

I obviously ended up baking cookies (CCK recipe).

In addition to birthdays, baking, and breaking it down, I have been preparing for the end of this term and what the next chapter of 2014 will hold. 

For the end of this term: 
- My final paper (the first paper I have written in about 16 months!)
- The transition report for the incoming RHA Vice-President
- Final events and socials for the RHA as a whole

The next chapter:

- Job interviews! One last Saturday, and one this coming Saturday with UBC REC

- My official induction as a member of the 2014-15 NRHH

- Applying for summer jobs!

- Preparing for my stint as a residence advisor next school year

Amidst all of these exciting upcoming opportunities and ongoing year-end preparations, I have been trying to get all of my socialization squeezed into these final weeks!

There was the Welcome to Wonderland Boat Cruise:

There was also the 2nd annual Barn Burner:

I also participated in my third Storm The Wall event! We placed first in our heat which was very exciting, and advanced to the next race - something I haven't accomplished before with my team!

Wall Me Maybe 2.0

Wall Me Maybe 2.1

Beyond attending and organizing events, I have been reflecting on what I've done and been a part of over the last eight months. 
~ Academics have been at a relative high for me, and my involvements have balanced well with school. For the first time in a while, I will miss courses that I've taken this year along with the professors that taught them; I also feel that my major has become more of a place that I feel at home, particularly in my gender and sex differences course (and my personality and behaviour disorders courses last term). 
~ I struggled through another visual arts class but enjoyed being able to use my camera for projects and was pleased that I applied something I'm passionate about in my final project (uploading to blog is currently being contemplated).
~ Being an executive member of the RHA has been great - it puts me in touch with every part of residence (mostly) and I have been a part of a forward-moving year for the organization. I regret the lack of closeness developed with my fellow executives early on, but am grateful that we've done so much as leaders and that we've bonded more in the last little while!
~ My personal life has expanded and evolved in terms of family bonds, friendships, and my relationship - all in ways that I think are taking me in a good direction. I don't know what this direction is, but it feels like a good and enjoyable one.


Overall, this year at UBC has been a good one.
The summer is always a mysterious next chapter - travel plans, new job opportunities (sorry Safeway), and time for friends and family in abundance!
I look forward to seeing where things go.

Once my camera's most recent photos have been uploaded,

I'll get back to this and update on the more recent events following

the Boat Cruise! Barn Burner, food adventures, and more!

Our cityscape view from the boat last weekend.