Hello... My name is Sarah and I am an internet geek.

If you know me well enough, you know that I spend a ridiculous amount of time online. It started in University when surfing the web and chatting with strangers seemed like a far better alternative to studying and/or writing papers. Owning a laptop has made being online even more accessible and in turn has taken up even MORE of my time it seems these days. Sure some people may think I'm an internet geek (which I don't technically disagree with), but I've come to the realization that it's not really that bad a thing.

I am now 30 years old (ugh) and living at home as I struggle to find a teaching job in South Western Ontario (which is harder than you think - believe it or not). The few friends that still live in the area are all married and have families and/or are busy with full time careers. I'm not pouting about being left behind, because that's not the issue. The issue is that I have a LOT of free time on my hands. When I'm not working, I turn to the internet for my main source of entertainment and interaction.

I agree with my friend in that it's probably better to be immersed in online activities than sitting in front of a TV like a lump and letting it overtake me. At least, when I'm online I can find things to do that are thought provoking. The internet is much more interactive. I'm not saying you can't learn anything from television, but the world wide web allows you to have a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips.

Along with finding interesting things to immerse myself in online, I also spend a lot of time "chatting". I have met some amazing people that I wouldn't have otherwise had the opportunity to have met without the internet. One of my favourite things in the world is stumbling across someone who has different thoughts, philosophies and outlooks on things. People are FASCINATING!

If you don't spend much time online, you probably don't know much about online communities. I know it sounds weird and freaky, but hear me out. I visit two places online regularly that could be categorized as "online communities". There are a group of "regulars" who interact daily, weekly, etc. I'm a "n00b" compared to some of the tenured regulars, but somehow I just fit in. Everyone knows everyone there. I got to know people and over time, some of these people who started off as random people to talk to behind a screen have turned into incredible friends. They became a support system and someone to turn to when I'm not quite sure where else to turn. PLUS they are easily accessible... sometimes more so than friends who live down the street.

Sometimes I get down on myself because it feels like I have more friends online than in "real life". Then I remember that my friends online are just as real. They have feelings and troubles and I try to be there for them as they are for me. Who wouldn't want friends all around the world?! I have friends in California, Massachusetts, Texas, New York, Louisiana, Indiana Oregon, Pennsylvania,Germany, Ireland and Iran! Some of these friends I text, send Christmas cards to and some I've even been lucky enough to meet in person. I don't regret a single one. They've all come into my life and offered me more than just friendship. They've all taught me different lessons and offered me insight into this thing we call life.

I will NEVER regret being an internet geek! ☺

101 in 1001

One thing you should know about me is that I ♥ LISTS! I love making them and organizing them and checking things off. I make lists for EVERYTHING: what I need to spend my money on for each paycheque, items of clothes I pack when I travel, things I have to get done in a week, etc. If I can make a list for it, I probably do. After posting my "Things to Do Before I Die..." list, I mentioned wanting to create a more specific measurable goal list in order to get focused. First thing on this list was "Launch A Blog"... I've already done that, so here is the challenge:

101 things to do in 1001 days (approximately 2 years and 291 days)


Start Date: Monday, January 24, 2011
End Date: Monday, October 21, 2013

Go Places
1. Visit 5 states I've never visited before (5/5) 

Nevada - Las Vegas - Feb 6-9th, 2011

New York - Rochester - March 18th-20th, 2011
Illinois - Chicago - June 16th - 19th, 2011
Connecticut - Westbrooke - September 15th-16th, 2011  
New Hampshire - Meredith - February 3rd-4th, 2012 

2. Visit a Province or Territory I've never visited before (0/1)
3. Visit 10 new cities/towns in Canada (0/10)

Get In Touch With Nature
4. Go camping in tents
5. Watch the sunrise at least once a month between June-Aug each year (2/9)
6. Go fishing
7.  Spend a full day (8 hours) at the beach once a summer (0/3)
8. Go hiking - Stoneybrook State Park in Dansville, NY - July 2nd, 2011 

Physical Health
9. Drop 3-4 sizes
10. Run a 5k race
11. Complete the 200 sit-up challenge
12. Get my first mammogram (ugh)
14. Get a professional massage
15. No fast food for a month
16. Meditate once a month (0/32)
17. Floss every day for a month (0/30)
18. Exercise 4 times a week for a month
19. Drink only water for 2 weeks

Get Creative
20. Learn to quilt
21. Learn to knit
22. Compose a song
23. Blog once a day for a month (0/30)
24. post some of my old writing to the public (eeek!)
25. Learn 10 new piano pieces (0/10)
26. Put together and order a photo book
27. Write a song or poem for someone and perform it for them
28. Make a pizza from scratch (minus dough) - picture [February 19, 2011]
29. Brainstorm ideas for and start writing my book/screenplay

Purchase
30. Buy a descent DSLR camera
31. Get my body work completed on my car
32. Buy a piece of art that I love
33. Own an iPod that will hold ALL my music (not just 4gb's)

Get Adventurous
34. Go skydiving
35. Go on a roller coaster

Professional Development
36. Have a more stable teaching position
37. Get my First Aid Certification
38. Complete another AQ course
39. Update my teaching profile
40. Review the Ontario Curriculum (Elementary)

Finances
41. Pay off my Mastercard
42. Have my own place
43. Have a minimum of 5k more saved in my RRSP

Be Charitable
44. Volunteer for 3 community events
45. Give blood
46. Donate $50 to a charity
47. Take part in TWLOHA every year (0/2)
48. Donate my CDs

Friends & Family
49. Write someone a letter once a month and send via snail mail (1/32)
50. Send someone flowers anonymously
51. Take my parents out for dinner once a year (0/3)
52. Take my godparents out for dinner
53. Meet a friend from Tool Community with no romantic ties
54. Wish someone a Happy Birthday via media outlet
55. Tell someone in my life why I'm glad I know them (3/32)
56. Have lunch with Gramma Jean once a year (1/3)
57. Send all of my aunts a card/letter telling them how awesome they are (0/9)

Broaden My Mind
58. Read 5 books revolving around philosophy (0/5)
59. Join Dictionary.com Word Of The Day mailing list to build my vocab [Jan 25, 2011]
60. Learn about 5 different world views (0/5)
61. Read 5 biographies/autobiographies (0/5)
62. Learn 5 common phrases in 5 different languages (0/5)

Leisure
63. Host a dinner party with cocktails
64. Go to 3 museums (0/3)
65. Go to an NBA game
66. Go to an MLS game
67. Learn to golf
68. Try a new beer once a month (3/32) Pabst Blue Ribbon Heinekin Ruination
69. Go see a stand-up comedy act
70. Visit 3 well known aquariums (2/3) - Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Niagara Aquarium in New York
71. Read 5 books that were later turned into Hollywood films (0/5)
72. Take the Steamwhistle Brewery tour
73. Listen to only classical music one night per week (5/143)
74. Go on a picnic
75. Go see a movie by myself
76. Re-read Stephen King's The Stand
77. Watch all of the Star Wars movies (6/6)
78. Watch 26 movies I've never seen - one starting with each letter of the alphabet (10/26)

79. Read 3 Shakespeare plays I've never read before (0/3)

80. Go to 5 concerts (1/5) NKOTB/BSB - Chicago June 18, 2011
81. Watch 2 IFC films a year (2/6)
82. Renew my The Hockey News subscription
83. Take a one-week vacation from work - February 1st - 7th, 2012
84. Drive a boat

Miscellaneous
85. Change my own oil
86. Make my bed every day for a month (0/30)
87. Go to church twice a month (1/64)
88. Take one day off a week from IRC chatting/ IM'ing (7/143)
89. See Sidney Crosby in person (game, signing, endorsement, etc)
90. Give Rich his wii back  February 27, 2011
91. Kiss someone in the rain May 15, 2011
92. Write a letter to someone I admire that I've never met
93. Send a postcard through postcrossing
94. Make a candlelit dinner for someone
95. Try 5 new recipes (1/5) - cauliflower pizza crust
96. Get another tattoo
97. Learn to identify 10 constellations (2/10)
98. Test drive a luxury car
99. Post a piece of art online March 29, 2011
100. Organize all my computer files
101. Correctly tag all of my music files

Day 1 starts tomorrow ....

I'm Just Your Average Thundercats, Ho!

Who wants to stay up late and maybe spoon?

A Little Bit of Nostalgia

I think all this talk about moving on and starting fresh in 2011 has had a reverse effect on me. I found myself reminiscing a lot about the past year and although it wasn't a great year, I did get to experience many great new things, meet an incredible group of new people and even managed to have some great memories. Here is the highlight reel:

#1 - Team Canada wins GOLD in the Winter Olympics held in Vancouver, BC

#2 - I was introduced to the wonders of IRC - yes, I do realize I'm 15 years late for the party, kthx.   

♥ #toolarmy & reborn // #GiM ♥

#3 - I have an whole new catalog of music thanks to a ton of influences:  

• Ry - too many discographies and albums to name (Mastodon, Killswitch Engage, Unearth, Coheed & Cambria, etc)
• Ghaz - post-rock (God is an Astronaut, Yndi Halda, Godspeed You! Black Emperor)
• Aceface - dubbbbbstepppppp
• Rem - This Will Destroy You (which is one of my favourites now)
• Bri - Guitar gods like Stevie Ray Vaughn & Steve Vai
• .similar from Last.Fm 

#4 - My Michiana Adventures - Notre Dame Campus, Fireworks over Lake Michigan @ Silver Beach outdoor concert in St. Joseph's Michigan.

#5 - Camping @ Valen's Conservation Area w/ Kristi, Norv & Kishan

#6 - End of the year bashes with my bestie

Oktoberfest 2010 @ Norv's in B-Town

The Enormous Party @ Dirty Scott's in B-Town

DecemberFest 2010 @ Russ' in Toronto

#7 - Stella & Kaylee's 1st Birthday Parties ~ love them ♥

Stelly Bean

Kaylee-pie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2010 also had it's share of lowlights:

• Being sick every weekend from the end of January until the 1st of March (one weekend was only because I was massively hungover from Kristi's birthday - took me 7 hours to get home from the Hammer and I had to pull over in Strathroy for a nap in my car)
• I only made it to two concerts this year: NKOTB & Tesla which was okay, but I missed out on Tool, Puscifer, All That Remains, Deftones, Mastodon & Maiden. UGH!
• I had my first visit to an american jail... twice! Definitely a lowlight, but strangely enough makes for good stories.
• I had a rough couple months near the end, but I made it through with the help of old and new friends. Thanks to all! 

Now back to your regularly scheduled program - 2011

Living life in autofocus

So, my friend started her own blog a year or two ago and I find myself checking it all the time. It helps me stay close with her even though she's moved away and I've found myself wanting to the same thing for a while.
One thing she's done in the past with her blog is posted an annual "To Do" list. I thought this is somewhere I could do the same thing. Maybe if I document my goals I can finally focus on them. It's worth a shot anyways.

I've already started 2011 off with a fresh start. I've rid myself of some "vampires" (as JC would call them) that were finding ways to leech off my soul in recent times. I don't have a specific short term goal list at the moment, so I thought I'd post my vague "To Do Before I Die...." list. I started the list in 2004 after I graduated University (the first time) so a few things have been completed. THAT is the best part about these lists... crossing things off.

1. Learn sign language (fluently)
2. Write & publish a screenplay/poem/story/song/article
3. See a Red Wings Game (preferably Wings v. Leafs) - (wings v. leafs - Oct 3, 2008 w/ Alison)
4. Travel in Europe
5. Travel to Australia
6. Trip to the Caribbeans - (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic - Feb 2008 w/ Kristi & Irina)
7. Sponsor a 3rd World child
8. See Tool live - (Hamilton, ON - June 24 and July 9 2007 w/ Mike, Ernesto, Joe, Shawn)
9. See a live taping of SNL
10. Go on a two week minimum roadtrip
12. Go to the London Aquarium
13. Swim with dolphins - (Feb 2008 in Punta Cana w/ Irina)
14. Go sailing
15. Drive a motorcycle
16. Go skydiving
17. See Pearl Jam Live - (Toronto, ON - May 10, 2005 w/ Jace)
18. Buy a boat
20. Go to an opera
21. Try skiing/snowboarding
22. Fall in love - (July 2010 w/ shall remain nameless)
23. Dye my hair red - (May 2008 - it was uggo)
24. Own my own pub -- ambitious, huh!
25. Be at a game in which Sidney Crosby is playing
26. Get a tattoo - (June 6, 2008 in London, ON w/ Alison, Colette & Matt)
27. Buy something from Holt Renfrew - (March 2008 w/ Kristi)
28. Meet an A-list celebrity
29. Judge a formal contest/competition
30. Golf 18 holes
31. Swim in the ocean - (Feb 2008 in Punta Cana, DR w/ Kristi & Irina)
32. Go to a Stanley Cup finals game
33. Ride a mechanical bull
34. Go to a gator conservation area (ahhhh!)
35. Go fishing
36. Host a kick ass party
37. Go to an A-list party/club/restaurant
38. Go scuba diving or snorkeling
39. Sleep under the stars (literally)
40. Drive through a puddle and splash someone walking down the road
41. Go to a Lions game - (Lions v. Packers - Nov 2009 w/ Kristi)
42. Ride a roller coaster
43. Get my boat license - (August 28, 2010 w/ Alison, Josh, Miranda & Brandon)
44. Own a summer vacation get away
45. Learn to play the cello
46. Go ice-fishing
47. Try surfing
48. Go to Tahiti
49. Earn my Bachelor of Education - (Sept 2007 - April 2008 @ University of Windsor)
50. See a Team Canada Olympic game
51. Go to an EPL match (preferably Chelsea v. anyone)

So this is just a taste of some of the things I've thought of. I'm sure there are a ton more I could list, but this is all I have so far. Next step to get focussed: create a short term list of goals for this year and actually do them!