I should be studying

Merry meet to you!

Well, it seems I'm not yet very good at frequent and/or regular posts on this blog. That's fine though. Like I said in the first post, I'm not going to necessarily have a schedule of posting. For now I'm just winging it.

So, I've been reading a couple of other blogs and feeling a bit envious of their style. One in particular is written in such a raw and open manner that one can't help getting emotionally invested in it (or maybe that's just me)! I find myself wanting to do that type of blog post, but at the same time I know it's just not how I write naturally. Since this is my personal blog and no one else's, I don't want to copy anyone. That would just be false!

Thus, you get to read my own pointless ramblings. Ha!

Anyway. Our camping trip was a success! My friend's graduation was a very nice event; set up like a wedding reception, with many tables and a delicious buffet and dancing afterwards and all (though we didn't stay for the dancing). The provincial park we stayed at was gorgeous... a natural temparate rainforest, just as this area of the world was before the European pioneers came along, covered in soft moss and mind-bogglingly giant trees. We came across a beautiful grove on one of our walks that looked suspiciously like it had been used as a ritual spot. I hope so. I know there's a big pagan community on the island...

Speaking of which, both the Fox and I were so pleased with the natural beauty and more relaxed lifestyle that islanders seem to ascribe to that we talked about one day moving over there. I have always thought it might be nice to live there, especially after the past few years as I've been working downtown in the big city here on the mainland (and in one of the most high-class/pretentious neighbourhoods too). It's starting to wear me out, being surrounded by so many people and buildings and all that. I used to think I was a city person, but now I'm not so sure.

Our city is notoriously cold, not in terms of temperature, but in terms of friendliness between strangers and passers-by. It's much more normal to avoid eye contact with others when on public transit, walking down a street, or even walking around the golf course beside our house. In one of the smaller cities we visited on the island, everyone seemed to know each other, and people actually greeted us as we walked by! It was a strange, yet nice feeling. It is certainly more natural than walking silently by someone without looking at them when you are the only two people on the whole block, as is what I do every morning on my way to work.

So we're thinking about that, for the long-term plan. For now, I still plan to attend the community college here (I should really be working on my prerequisite course right now as I only have a couple weeks to finish it), so we'll stay in our current place for the near future.

It's nice, by the way; I realize how lucky I am to have found someone with such similar goals and values in life. We're different enough to have our own identities and interests (I don't quite share his passion for computer programming, and he's not really as into the new agey stuff), but similar enough to be able to enjoy many of the same things (we both thought the new Mad Max movie was freaking awesome, and we are both into video games and art/drawing).

I always thought I would be on my own for the foreseeable future, which I was actually completely fine with (being an introverted hermit artist type and all). However, who am I to say no to something wonderful just because it's not what I expected?

(gets another cup of tea)

I think I left that tea too long. It's black as the inside of a cow. Ah well, as they say in Ireland... On Galway sands they kiss your hands, they kiss your lips at Carney; but by the Lee they drink strong tea, and kiss the stone at Blarney. And of course, since I once lived beside the Lee river in Cork (and indeed, kissed that famous stone in Blarney Castle), I will drink strong tea!

Where was I? Camping. Yes. So overall, a great trip. Not too stressful in the end; I did nearly have a small mental breakdown the night before we left, because there was still so much to do (and the Fox was busy making almond milk and marzipan instead of preparing for our trip... he got to see an angry Fru). However, once we were on our way, everything went mostly smoothly. Thank goodness for the Fox's new phone, which is GPS-capable; I don't know the island very well and we may have gotten quite lost if it weren't for that.

I did get a little wound up over his constant use of the new phone, admittedly, even though the GPS part of it was invaluable. I felt that he shouldn't be checking Twitter and reading programming blogs while we were surrounded by such beautiful nature. The real reason I was irritated by it is that I wanted us to be both together in the moment, so to speak, and I was worried that we were having totally different experiences.

But, I realize that not everyone feels the same way I do about nature and forests and such. For most people it's fun to be in nature, but it doesn't really change their habits or outlook on things. For me it's a bit of a spiritual experience (don't laugh!). I guess that's part of the reason I identify with neo-paganism so much; that's the whole idea behind it, that nature is more or less the basic "life force," or seen as divinity itself. You know that part in Disney's Pocahontas where she says, "But I know every rock and tree and creature / Has a life, has a spirit, has a name"? (Yes, I'm quoting a culturally inaccurate Disney movie... what of it?) It's pretty much like that, or that's how I see things.

Anyway, that's why I got a little cranky about the whole checking-Twitter-in-the-woods thing. But once the Fox explained why he was doing so (he did have a somewhat valid reason) I tried to calm down a bit. I should also not expect everyone else to want to do the same thing as me and have the same experience; that's basically impossible, isn't it? No two people have exactly the same experience, even if they're doing the same thing in the same place at the same time. That's why we write and make art... to try and convey our personal experience.

We still had an amazing time. We went on a couple of hikes, found an amazingly beautiful waterfall, did some fishing (didn't have even a nibble), and had a ridiculous amount of campfire time (S'mores and all). The Canadian experience! It only rained for part of the time...

We managed to get in a visit to my sister and her family, as well. They live very near to the place we were staying, so on our last day we popped in on them before getting the ferry back to the real world. My nieces were only told they were getting a "surprise visitor," so they were very pleased and excited to see their auntie and her companion! I know my sister wishes we could visit more often, and so do I. Unfortunately, it's expensive and time-consuming to make the journey over there, so I can't do it very often. Usually I see them if they're over here for some reason like a family event.

If we end up moving over there, though... that could be nice!

My sister and I are like night and day in some ways (her: Christian, me: heathen pagan type), yet very similar in others (both: love nature, love herbs, love our family). We get along well and enjoy one another's company, and I would really like to be closer so we could get closer, if you know what I mean by that.

I should really stop typing. This is a very rambly and incoherent blog post, I realize. There's not really a point to it besides me having fun typing things.

The trouble with rambling so much is that you don't have a tidy way to wrap up at the end...

Well, I suppose I will just get to work on my course. I'm having my three-day long weekend now, because I had to work solidly over the real long weekend (that was difficult; watching everyone else having a long weekend while I had to go to work). I'm determined to get as far as possible on my course, considering I only have a couple weeks left.

The house is a mess, but homework needs to come first, unfortunately. (I get antsy when things are untidy!) We went to IKEA yesterday and came home with a new desk for the Fox and a new shelving unit to serve as a pantry of sorts, because our kitchen is so tiny that there is hardly any cupboard space). So after putting them together and trying to find somewhere to put the old desk, well, it's a bit of a hurricane zone.

I shall try and ignore it for now. I shall also try to ignore the beautiful, gorgeous, sunny day outside..!! (Yes, yes, I could go to the beach and study, but we both know I wouldn't get anything done there.)

Until next time, non-corporeal readers!