Who are you?

[BienvenuJDC]

This may be like a game, but I really want to get to know everybody better. I'm going to share something about myself that some (most) may not know. Let's try to mix it up a little with interesting tidbits about us.

I served as a volunteer Firefighter/EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) for about 5 years. I've done CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) on real victims many times, and have had people die in my arms.

(on a different note) I like to bake. I have made my daughter's birthday cakes with exception of my oldest daughter's first birthday and my 2nd daughter's 5th birthday...totally in 11 cakes. But I just do it for them...so far.

I'm currently separated (soon to be divorced...but handling it all ok). I love everything nostalgic, especially blackpowder guns.



ok...someone elses turn.

Try to add one comment (positive only) about the person above you.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

I appreciate your posts, Bien. Having your voice on the forum always brings lively discussion.

Are you thinking of starting a baking business, Bien?


I've mentioned this before on the forum, but not often. My best friend has been in prison for almost six years, and I've seen him only a few times over those years. He just got into a halfway house, and a couple weeks ago we sent the day together; I had to take him to the DMV to get his driver's license renewed (about two hours away) ans he got to visit his dying grandmother. Even though we hadn't hung out, just me and him, for years, it was like we'd been hanging out all along.

[Helga]

It's good that you can help a friend when he needs you, it must be hard getting back into society after 6 years.

I like this idea Bien!

I guess there aren't many secrets about me, at least for those who read my annoying diary/blog here on litnet.

I worked in a home for the elderly for ten years before going back to school. I have been attacked with a fork, sexually harassed and a woman died in my arms, it's a tough job !!!

I hate cooking and baking and I start worrying about my boys birthday 4 months in advance!

I have been a single mom for almost two years now and it is great sometimes but so bad other times, but I guess that is just life.

I contradict myself ALL THE TIME, I do it so much I really don't know what I want.

I have no idea what I want to be 'when I grow up' , I realized how clueless I am about the future when my son told me that he is going to be a helper. someone who helps people with everything, don't know where he got that idea but it's more than I have.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

I think for this thread we should all assume no one reads people's blogs. Unless there are more people who read the blog than I realize. Plus, from my rare forays into the LitNet blogosphere, it seems to have a lot of people who rarely post on the forums.

[BienvenuJDC]

It's good that you can help a friend when he needs you, it must be hard getting back into society after 6 years.

I like this idea Bien!

I guess there aren't many secrets about me, at least for those who read my annoying diary/blog here on litnet.

I worked in a home for the elderly for ten years before going back to school. I have been attacked with a fork, sexually harassed and a woman died in my arms, it's a tough job !!!

I hate cooking and baking and I start worrying about my boys birthday 4 months in advance!

I have been a single mom for almost two years now and it is great sometimes but so bad other times, but I guess that is just life.

I contradict myself ALL THE TIME, I do it so much I really don't know what I want.

I have no idea what I want to be 'when I grow up' , I realized how clueless I am about the future when my son told me that he is going to be a helper. someone who helps people with everything, don't know where he got that idea but it's more than I have.

Hey...I could bake the birthday cakes for you... :thumbsup:

[Darcy88]

I always write with complete candor on the forums, so its hard thinking of something to say here I haven't already said in other threads.

Lately its been weird. My mom and dad have been separated for 20 years but through all that time they remained close friends and would see each other all the time though not romantically. Now my mom has been dating someone, only the second guy she's dated since the separation and the first one my father knows about. She told my dad they couldn't be friends anymore. Its weird because I spend a lot of time with both of them, and so I have each side coming at me and am forced to remain impartial. My dad is heart-broken but its his fault because she gave him many opportunities to get back together with her. I met the guy the other day and genuinely liked him quite a bit but I don't have the heart to tell my dad this. The really weird thing that is confounding me is the fact that she introduced the guy to her sister and mother a month back and apparently they both freaked out and urged her to end things with him. Even her gentle soft-spoken brother in law, who I've known well for 15 years and who has never in front of me lost his cool, was up in arms and got very heated about his dislike for the guy. But to me he was great. I don't know why they reacted that way but I really want to know. Its even weirder considering they all hate my father with a passion.

I don't know what else to say. I'm getting my driver's license in a month. Its very exciting to me, I'm 23 but only started learning to drive recently. It will make a massive positive difference in all facets of my life, employment-wise, school-wise, and socially. I'm pumped. To hell with the whiny environment.

[SilentMute]

I just turned 37. I had my learner's license and never learned to drive. Florida doesn't have the greatest transit system, and it is more practical to drive...but I hate driving with a passion. I feel vulnerable behind the wheel.

For years, I took care of my terminally ill stepfather. When he died, I tried to become independent. I took a medical coding course, and then I found out that I was allergic to a test that you have to take annually. I was smart, talented, and people loved me...and yet I couldn't get a job. I felt really bad about myself.

When I volunteered, I learned I had a talent for selling. I also had a talent for papier mache. I started selling on Ebay, and I think I have finally found my niche. I haven't tried to sell my own sculptures yet, but I'm not displeased with them. What is funny is that when I was a child, store owners would always comment that I was a natural seller. I had an eye for quality stuff. I couldn't do math at three years of age, but I knew the good deals. But I had never seen the talent within myself until I volunteered.

One problem with Ebay, though, is that it is easy to become a shopaholic. Lately, I've been obsessed with collecting toys that I had as a child--particularly Fisher Price. It started with me remembering my Brooke Shields doll. Then I wanted the Fisher Price schoolhouse and farm set I had. I really wanted, most of all, my favorite toy of all time--an ambulance that I used to sleep with. I despaired about ever finding it, for I didn't know the brand or when it was put out. Then I found it. It was made by Tonka pre-1970.

I love the toys, but I think it is touching off some painful childhood memories.

[BienvenuJDC]

Do you like ice cream? What is your favorite flavor?

I love ice cream, but because of two cracked teeth, I won't be able to eat it again (easily) until they are fixed.

[BienvenuJDC]

What is funny is that when I was a child, store owners would always comment that I was a natural seller. I had an eye for quality stuff.

Did you see the rabbit that I posted in my album? Do you think that they would sell?

[Varenne Rodin]

Congratulations on your soon having a driver's license, Darcy! I hope both of your parents will find happiness, and be able to coexist with family members peacefully.

I never got a driver's license. It has been crippling to my life in many ways. I have spent the last few years in increasingly isolating environments. In pursuit of leaving horrible places I have found myself in worse ones. I'm afraid I'm losing the love of my life because I'm a shadow of the person I used to be. Not having a car and living in the middle of nowhere, I have no chance of starting a real career. I sculpt at home. All day every day. My hands hurt. The dry climate is killing my eyesight. I keep getting told that sculpting at home can be my career, my singular income, and that I'm lucky to be doing something I'm passionate about. I have no idea if it's going anywhere. Yesterday I made something that was total sh**. I worked on it all day. 13 hours. Practice, right? Mistakes and failures crush me. I don't recover well. My life feels like Groundhog Day.

On a different note, in Miami I was appointed as President of a leadership committee for my honors college. I didn't ask to be. They implored me. Apparently, I'm a good motivator. Hilarious.

I like avocados and the ocean. I'm 5'8" tall. Wes Anderson movies are my cup of tea; except for that garbage train movie. I'm too much of an empath. I was a ballet dancer. My brother died in prison. My father shot himself in the head. My my mom is nuts. I'm not a nudist and never would be, but I'm a bit of an exhibitionist. I dated a guy who rode stunt bikes in the X Games. I never tried pot, but I plan to. I'm a narcissist. I'm great at video games. Growing up I loved unicorns, Rainbow Brite, Disneyland, and Michael J. Fox. My non-narcissist trait is that I feel deep sympathy for all people.

Facebook is so boring that I just repost Sarah Silverman quotes without crediting her to see if anyone notices. I don't know how to wrap this up. :D

[OrphanPip]

Who am I? I'm fairly boring.

Well in the past I spent many years involved in animal welfare charities, working at a few shelters and in education programs. Recently, most of my free time has been dedicated to acquiring my BA, which I will receive with honours and cum laude in April. In the spring I've decided to stop work and pursue my Master's at McGill, but was formerly considering doing it at McMaster or UoT, but decided with McGill mostly because of cost factors.

Sometimes I give my time to activism for access to education and LGBT issues.

My parents are both elderly and in poor health so a lot of time goes to them as well.

[KCurtis]

My brother died in prison. My father shot himself in the head. My my mom is nuts.

I'm sorry about your family. : (

[Varenne Rodin]

I'm sorry about your family. : (

It's ok. It taught me a lot about what not to do. :)

[KCurtis]

Orphanpip,
I am pretty boring too. My father went to McGill, I am led to believe it is a very good school.

I am 54 :cryin:, so I will try to sum this up. I come from a family of people who should not drink alcohol, and they don't anymore; either do myself and my husband. Drinking and doing drugs caused a lot of apathy during my youth, and I was lost for awhile. I quit High School but did go to college and graduated with a bachelors. I was accepted into a masters program but did not go, as we had a child with mental disabilities, and I had to also work. I wanted to get my masters in social work and work with the severely mentally ill. Ironically, our son has a severe mental illness, and cannot take care of himself, he is 22. My husband and I are mostly in a state of mild depression or anxiety around this issue, and are devoted to our son.
We both love to read, and find that it is a great escape as well as being very rewarding.
I work with special needs students at a middle school. I'm tired!!!

[LadyLuck]

KC - You are remarkably strong to be handling all that you do.

As for things not known about me... I'm a very young mother with two fabulous kids, and I would never trade a minute of it despite the stress and difficulty at times. I used to dream of being a marine biologist, but compromised on that dream many years ago and traded it for a business degree. I love to write, but do so in pieces when the mood strikes me. I'm currently working to get a blog up and running so that I can step away from business in the future and make a living with my two loves (aside from the kids who are always #1) writing and fine food.

[BienvenuJDC]

I wanted to get my masters in social work and work with the severely mentally ill. Ironically, our son has a severe mental illness, and cannot take care of himself, he is 22. My husband and I are mostly in a state of mild depression or anxiety around this issue, and are devoted to our son.


I work with special needs students at a middle school. I'm tired!!!

I have a little girl with Down Syndrome. She's 5 years old, and she doesn't have much in verbal skills yet, but she's still doing great.

I understand the depression thing. I've gone through a lot lately myself. Between my wife having an affair, my mother passing away during that issue (and my wife was upset that I didn't say happy birthday to her until noon on the day I was planning my mother's funeral), being laid off by the end of that year, my wife then leaving me the following summer, taking the children 4 hours away, etc etc etc. But I'm doing fairly well now.

I didn't plan on this thread being as such, but I think that it will be good for us all to see each others as human beings with a certain vulnerable side.


I keep getting told that sculpting at home can be my career, my singular income, and that I'm lucky to be doing something I'm passionate about. I have no idea if it's going anywhere.

I'm not a nudist and never would be, but I'm a bit of an exhibitionist. I dated a guy who rode stunt bikes in the X Games. I never tried pot, but I plan to. I'm a narcissist. I'm great at video games. Growing up I loved unicorns, Rainbow Brite, Disneyland, and Michael J. Fox. My non-narcissist trait is that I feel deep sympathy for all people.


Have you ever considered a marketable sculpting job in cake decorating? Not in the traditional methods...I've got some simple but effective methods that may make it a consideration to do your artwork. Not that art should be used for profit alone, but you can put smiles on people's faces for their special days.

As for the second part of the above. I bashfully admit that I understand, and I'm also sure that you could get away with it far easier than I could. It's such a shame.

I watched Back to the Future today....fond memories...

[Darcy88]

I have a little girl with Down Syndrome. She's 5 years old, and she doesn't have much in verbal skills yet, but she's still doing great.

I understand the depression thing. I've gone through a lot lately myself. Between my wife having an affair, my mother passing away during that issue (and my wife was upset that I didn't say happy birthday to her until noon on the day I was planning my mother's funeral), being laid off by the end of that year, my wife then leaving me the following summer, taking the children 4 hours away, etc etc etc. But I'm doing fairly well now.

I didn't plan on this thread being as such, but I think that it will be good for us all to see each others as human beings with a certain vulnerable side.

Bien you're about to make me reach for the kleenex.

Good to hear you're overcoming the mountains that have risen in your way. In that cavalcade of negative things the worst to me is the part where you say she got upset about not wishing her birthday until noon the day you were planning your mother's funeral. That's just not right man.

[BienvenuJDC]

Bien you're about to make me reach for the kleenex.

Good to hear you're overcoming the mountains that have risen in your way. In that cavalcade of negative things the worst to me is the part where you say she got upset about not wishing her birthday until noon the day you were planning your mother's funeral. That's just not right man.

Darcy...you're about to make me reach for a dictionary (that's a good thing)

[BienvenuJDC]

Cavalcade - a procession of vehicles or ships

This is my favorite definitions, but this is the one you used... (a dramatic sequence or procession)

Oh...I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE ships...

These kind...
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=19646553

[Darcy88]

Yeah my father is a British naval history nut and so I received my fair share of exposure to ships over the years. Have you ever read Patrick O'brian's novels of Napoleonic era British naval history Bien? That's his favourite author. I've never read him but for a genre author he is held in very high esteem.

[BienvenuJDC]

Yeah my father is a British naval history nut and so I received my fair share of exposure to ships over the years. Have you ever read Patrick O'brian's novels of Napoleonic era British naval history Bien? That's his favourite author. I've never read him but for a genre author he is held in very high esteem.

It's between him and C.S. Forester....the many adventures of Horatio Hornblower.

[Darcy88]

It's between him and C.S. Forester....the many adventures of Horatio Hornblower.

When I was a kid there were some shows made of Horatio Hornblower. They were awesome.

[BienvenuJDC]

When I was a kid there were some shows made of Horatio Hornblower. They were awesome.

Made by A&E? Eight TV movies?

[Varenne Rodin]

Have you ever considered a marketable sculpting job in cake decorating? Not in the traditional methods...I've got some simple but effective methods that may make it a consideration to do your artwork. Not that art should be used for profit alone, but you can put smiles on people's faces for their special days.

As for the second part of the above. I bashfully admit that I understand, and I'm also sure that you could get away with it far easier than I could. It's such a shame.

I watched Back to the Future today....fond memories...

I worked on a cake business for a while in Miami. I'll probably do it again after I move. Right now it would be impossible. I would have to take cakes across horse trails on horseback, then hike down a rocky mountain to the car that is parked two miles from my house. Then someone would have to give me a ride for an hour through wilderness, down from an elevation of 6000ft to sea level where people are. The cakes would be pretty well destroyed by then. Haha. I loved incorporating sculpting skills into cake decorating though, you're right. It was fun. I loved the looks on faces when they realized they were looking at cake.

As for the exhibitionism thing, I say always be bold at home. Matthew Mcconaughey listens to music naked. Sometimes people should walk around in their socks and nothing else. That makes a house a home.

Back to the Future still holds up as a fantastic movie to me. Michael J. Fox is amazing. Love his strength.

[Darcy88]

Made by A&E? Eight TV movies?

Yup, that's it.



Back to the Future still holds up as a fantastic movie to me. Michael J. Fox is amazing. Love his strength.

The beater Toyota that will likely wind up being my first car looks just like the delorean from that movie. People see it and ask "is that a ****ing delorean?"

[Varenne Rodin]

Yup, that's it.



The beater Toyota that will likely wind up being my first car looks just like the delorean from that movie. People see it and ask "is that a ****ing delorean?"

Hahaha. That's awesome! I knew a guy who had a DeLorean. It didn't run. He just kept it on display. He had to polish it constantly to keep it from tarnishing or rusting. Solid metal.

[PoeticPassions]

For the poster above me... Varenne, you seems like an extremely strong and courageous individual. I think one of the most important things in life is to live with courage.

AS for me...

My dad passed away on January 29, quite unexpectedly. Though death is always somewhat unexpected, oddly enough.

I am going to become an aunt soon (my sister is due to give birth in May!)

Most recently (starting in November of last year), I fell in love with a married man. I was mad over him and he proved to me that it is possible to feel that way again. However, he was so cruel later on, and right after my dad died, that I have never been so disappointed in a person, ever. I know, it is my own fault, but the level of his cruelty was really not deserved (and he was so unhappy in his marriage). Anyway, it was the third time my heart was broken (or shattered) in a year, and at the worst time in my life.
I tend to go for unavailable men... and I have analyzed and over-analyzed why that is so many times. But I can't seem to break the pattern. Even when I run from it, they seem to flock to me... bah.

[Helga]

AS for me...

My dad passed away on January 29, quite unexpectedly. Though death is always somewhat unexpected, oddly enough.

I am going to become an aunt soon (my sister is due to give birth in May!)

Most recently (starting in November of last year), I fell in love with a married man. I was mad over him and he proved to me that it is possible to feel that way again. However, he was so cruel later on, and right after my dad died, that I have never been so disappointed in a person, ever. I know, it is my own fault, but the level of his cruelty was really not deserved (and he was so unhappy in his marriage). Anyway, it was the third time my heart was broken (or shattered) in a year, and at the worst time in my life.
I tend to go for unavailable men... and I have analyzed and over-analyzed why that is so many times. But I can't seem to break the pattern. Even when I run from it, they seem to flock to me... bah.


It may sound odd but I think it can be good thing to have a baby join the family after a big loss like that. Granted I was only nine when my dad died but my mom still talks about the first happy news she got after that was when a babygirl was born into the family.

When it comes to men, I have no clue! In the movies they always act and talk like women are an enigma, I just don't get men. Maybe what I don't get is why they don't get me not that girls get me either or that I get me, or anybody gets anything, where am I going with this.

wouldn't it be nice to make a list and the person you need would just come?.. maybe not, I don't know. I'm gonna shut up now.

[KCurtis]

I have a little girl with Down Syndrome. She's 5 years old, and she doesn't have much in verbal skills yet, but she's still doing great.

I understand the depression thing. I've gone through a lot lately myself. Between my wife having an affair, my mother passing away during that issue (and my wife was upset that I didn't say happy birthday to her until noon on the day I was planning my mother's funeral), being laid off by the end of that year, my wife then leaving me the following summer, taking the children 4 hours away, etc etc etc. But I'm doing fairly well now.

I didn't plan on this thread being as such, but I think that it will be good for us all to see each others as human beings with a certain vulnerable side.

I bet your little girl with down syndrome is precious!!! Hang in there- she will give you joy.

[KCurtis]

Sometimes people should walk around in their socks and nothing else. That makes a house a home.


Especially when your neighbors can see in your kitchen! :blush2:

[BienvenuJDC]

I bet your little girl with down syndrome is precious!!! Hang in there- she will give you joy.

She already does. :)


Especially when your neighbors can see in your kitchen! :blush2:

Yes, that does sound exciting...well, not for the neighbors...

[Trask]

I don't like people too much. At least not people my own age. I find it pointless to spend the weekends partying and getting drunk unlike the rest of my class which is about all they do. Because of this I have become quite isolated and will usually sit alone in class, at lunch, etc. The one time I am not isolated is when I hang out with a group of friends that I have that I hang out with weekly, amongst which I am a sort of equal. Hanging out with them has shown me how bad people can be though which doesn't really help. Last night my friend (Bob [fake name]) freaked out and attacked my other friend (Tom) because he thought that Tom was talking about him behind his back. Bob then said that he would assault Tom then commit suicide to avoid jail. I don't know why I'm saying this, it just frightened me.

I'm a senior in high school and plan to go to college far away mostly because of family reasons. My mom, is overprotective and I can't deal with the constant lack of trust anymore so I have decided that I will do whatever I can to get far away from that.

This may all seem random but "Nothing is random, it's just the degree to which you pay attention." -Anonymous.

[PoeticPassions]

It may sound odd but I think it can be good thing to have a baby join the family after a big loss like that. Granted I was only nine when my dad died but my mom still talks about the first happy news she got after that was when a babygirl was born into the family.

When it comes to men, I have no clue! In the movies they always act and talk like women are an enigma, I just don't get men. Maybe what I don't get is why they don't get me not that girls get me either or that I get me, or anybody gets anything, where am I going with this.

wouldn't it be nice to make a list and the person you need would just come?.. maybe not, I don't know. I'm gonna shut up now.

Yeah, we are sad my dad will not get to see his grandchild, but he was so happy about it. And I guess one loss is another gain... the cycle of life. We are all looking forward to the new addition.


Yeah, men... most of them are jerks. Or maybe most people are jerks. And maybe we never really get anyone... we can't ever understand another person fully. Even when we go through similar experiences they are still so different because we perceive them differently, react differently, remember differently... Human connection is unstable at best.

[JuniperWoolf]

H'okay.

My dad's a very stoic prison guard, hunter and union president and my mother is an accountant who has been overcoming a very traumatic event that happened to her in 1993. When I was in grade six my parents divorced, but they were better apart so I didn't mind too much. I have a brother who just turned 18, he works at the mill and hunts.

I was born in a very isolated small town in Northern Canada and I lived here steadily until I turned nineteen. When I young I hated it here, the same 3800 small minded people every day for my entire stupid life, but as I got older I started to see the value in it: money. I've always wanted to escape Grande Cache. I still do, this place is like a black hole. It's a running joke/curse that you can leave, but you'll always come back. The social networks here are very deep-rooted for everyone, because we're so isolated. The distance from my small town to the next is probably longer than a lot of my fellow litnetters' entire countries (the ones in the UK for sure). All of my family members except for my uncle Shawn lives here, as well as almost every single person I know. It's hard dating people here, because you're not sure who's your cousin (yes, I'm serious - we're that town). Alberta is rich because of the raw mineral industries, so everyone here makes a small fortune doing backbreaking and/or soulkilling labour. When you're growing up here it's expected that once you graduate from highschool you will work at the mine (miles under ground for 12 hours straight) or the mill (doing mindnumbing, repetative tasks, such as watching things move on a conveyer belt and pushing a button, every day all day). You will get married and have children in your early 20's and THAT'S IT, until you die.

However, it's VERY beautiful and wild here. Growing up in Northern Alberta is what made me who I am.

http://leapinglizards.ca/Pre2011Files/Fall_2007_clip_image002.jpg

When I was fourteen I accidently lit that baseball field on fire.

My parents raised me to want something more, so in order to leave I started focusing on school when I was in grade eleven, although I was always a heavy reader. In grade twelve I met David who started substitute teaching at the highschool that year. I got a few scholarships and my poppa (my mom's father) made some money on the stock market so I was well-off financially, but I worked for a year after school anyway because I felt like I was too young. When I was nineteen I registered at the U of A in their English program and moved to Edmonton. I dragged David along, and he got a job at the newspaper. I quickly decided (within about a day) that my thing is science and started studying Science Psychology. I hated Edmonton because the city itself was ugly and mean, but their biology department which included psychology was very impressive and I was at the top of most of my classes. I did this for about a year and a half when I had to come back to GC for "mental health reasons" (I talked about this recently in another thread so I won't go into detail).

I came back to GC, and for about five months I was in pretty bad shape. I felt better eventually and got a job at the video store (just to "get used to" society again), which I loved actually. It was a little abandoned brach of a chain from America that was mostly ignored by the main corporation, so I kind of took it over and ran it like it was mine for a year or so. It was a lot of fun, but then the main corporate head in America went bankrupt and shut down so they liquidated everything in the store and I decided it was high time to go back to school.

I decided to study a harder science, and I've always loved plants so I picked ecology or forestry. Either way it would be general bio for a few years, so I went to GPRC this time because I hated Edmonton, but Grande Prairie proved to be as much of an industrial wasteland as Edmonton was. I figured fine, if all of Alberta is a money-obsessed smoking hole in the ground then I had to leave Alberta and that the next year I would go to Vancouver. Well, is was at about this time my family lost it's money in an unfortunate way and I had to give them everything I had. Thus, being broke, I came back to GC once again (remember that running joke/curse I mentioned earlier?) and I've been working in an office for about eight months since then. I've earned most of my money back and I leave for Vancouver in August for UBC's biology program. I'm thinking about narrowing down my focus even further to botany and according to my school's rules I have six months to make up my mind. David is coming too, to study film.

All of that seemed very boring to me, but I guess maybe the other people's descriptions of their lives seemed boring to them and yet I found them interesting.

[Varenne Rodin]

No, Juniper. That was very interesting. Very interesting and beautifully written. Now I'm ashamed of mine. I should have put more effort into it. In my brain, yours looked like a movie. I'm so glad you're continuing your education after all of that. You're lovely to me.

[Darcy88]

H'okay.

My dad's a very stoic prison guard, hunter and union president and my mother is an accountant who has been overcoming a very traumatic event that happened to her in 1993. When I was in grade six my parents divorced, but they were better apart so I didn't mind too much. I have a brother who just turned 18, he works at the mill and hunts.

I was born in a very isolated small town in Northern Canada and I lived here steadily until I turned nineteen. When I young I hated it here, the same 3800 small minded people every day for my entire stupid life, but as I got older I started to see the value in it: money. I've always wanted to escape Grande Cache. I still do, this place is like a black hole. It's a running joke/curse that you can leave, but you'll always come back. The social networks here are very deep-rooted for everyone, because we're so isolated. The distance from my small town to the next is probably longer than a lot of my fellow litnetters' entire countries (the ones in the UK for sure). All of my family members except for my uncle Shawn lives here, as well as almost every single person I know. It's hard dating people here, because you're not sure who's your cousin (yes, I'm serious - we're that town). Alberta is rich because of the raw mineral industries, so everyone here makes a small fortune doing backbreaking and/or soulkilling labour. When you're growing up here it's expected that once you graduate from highschool you will work at the mine (miles under ground for 12 hours straight) or the mill (doing mindnumbing, repetative tasks, such as watching things move on a conveyer belt and pushing a button, every day all day). You will get married and have children in your early 20's and THAT'S IT, until you die.

However, it's VERY beautiful and wild here. Growing up in Northern Alberta is what made me who I am.

http://leapinglizards.ca/Pre2011Files/Fall_2007_clip_image002.jpg

When I was fourteen I accidently lit that baseball field on fire.

My parents raised me to want something more, so in order to leave I started focusing on school when I was in grade eleven, although I was always a heavy reader. In grade twelve I met David who started substitute teaching at the highschool that year. I got a few scholarships and my poppa (my mom's father) made some money on the stock market so I was well-off financially, but I worked for a year after school anyway because I felt like I was too young. When I was nineteen I registered at the U of A in their English program and moved to Edmonton. I dragged David along, and he got a job at the newspaper. I quickly decided (within about a day) that my thing is science and started studying Science Psychology. I hated Edmonton because the city itself was ugly and mean, but their biology department which included psychology was very impressive and I was at the top of most of my classes. I did this for about a year and a half when I had to come back to GC for "mental health reasons" (I talked about this recently in another thread so I won't go into detail).

I came back to GC, and for about five months I was in pretty bad shape. I felt better eventually and got a job at the video store (just to "get used to" society again), which I loved actually. It was a little abandoned brach of a chain from America that was mostly ignored by the main corporation, so I kind of took it over and ran it like it was mine for a year or so. It was a lot of fun, but then the main corporate head in America went bankrupt and shut down so they liquidated everything in the store and I decided it was high time to go back to school.

I decided to study a harder science, and I've always loved plants so I picked ecology or forestry. Either way it would be general bio for a few years, so I went to GPRC this time because I hated Edmonton, but Grande Prairie proved to be as much of an industrial wasteland as Edmonton was. I figured fine, if all of Alberta is a money-obsessed smoking hole in the ground then I had to leave Alberta and that the next year I would go to Vancouver. Well, is was at about this time my family lost it's money in an unfortunate way and I had to give them everything I had. Thus, being broke, I came back to GC once again (remember that running joke/curse I mentioned earlier?) and I've been working in an office for about eight months since then. I've earned most of my money back and I leave for Vancouver in August for UBC's biology program. I'm thinking about narrowing down my focus even further to botany and according to my school's rules I have six months to make up my mind. David is coming too, to study film.

All of that seemed very boring to me, but I guess maybe the other people's descriptions of their lives seemed boring to them and yet I found them interesting.

Not boring at all, sounds so similar to my life. Small town (albeit not nearly as isolated as yours), "mental health" episode (mine sidelined me for 5 months too), and its funny you mention Grande Prairie. I swear 75 percent of the guys I went to high school with are now either in Grande Prairie or Fort McMurray, along with several of my cousins. Alberta resources are supporting not only Albertans. I hear there is actually a massive contingent of Maritimers there too.

If David is studying film at an actual film school he must know how obscenely high-priced the tuition is going to be. I have a friend who is a film-maker who dumps on film schools, saying you learn nothing there. But he's only a minor to moderate success and a little crazy so he might not know what he's talking about.

Rain aside you will love Vancouver I expect. Its a beautiful city, you get the urban metropolis and then the mountains, forests and beaches all around or inside it. Nothing like Edmonton. The people are snooty but I suppose that is true of most big city folks.

[KCurtis]

Juniper, the picture of your town is beautiful. It does seem like it would be hard to live there. :cold: I bet the people are really tough and genuine.

[BienvenuJDC]

When I was fourteen I accidently lit that baseball field on fire.



I would love to hear more about this... :)

Very interesting summary of who Juniper is though.

[Darcy88]

And yeah Jun, that pic of your town is beautiful. Looks so much like my town - a town nestled in a valley surrounded by white-capped mountains and verdant forests.

[OrphanPip]

I tried to find nice pictures of my neighbourhood, then I remembered I live in a crap hole.

The scenic sights in my neighbourhood include:

Empty industrial lots!

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N0V_ZHMnEsw/TacY7HQz_cI/AAAAAAAAMQ8/ZnQLDUmaZyw/s1600/lasalle_google.jpg

Ugly strip malls!

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3203/3087690098_e20c577fd8_z.jpg?zz=1

And public housing complexes, complete with something approximating a lawn!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v718/Charlie_dunver/JanetPoolLasalle.jpg

We also have a Wal-Mart.

[Pensive]

After reading about my felllow litnetters I am beginning to find my life very boring and embarrassingly easy. We appear to have some real inspirations here in terms of extraordinary strength. I wish you all the best! :thumbs_up


. I'm a senior in high school and plan to go to college far away mostly because of family reasons. My mom, is overprotective and I can't deal with the constant lack of trust anymore so I have decided that I will do whatever I can to get far away from that.

I think I can perfectly well relate to this! My mother is a wonderful person who I appreciate for all she has done for her family. But it can be really hard to deal with her extremely controlling and overprotective nature. I am of age and I am still not allowed to cook in my parents' house. I have to force myself to eat even when I don't want to. I have to force myself to eat what she wants me to. I must not dress in a way she disapproves of (oh and I never wear showing clothes, she simply wouldn't approve of certain colours or style or if-they-arent-ironed properly). I have to share everything she demands to know or otherwise there's a great deal of fuss awaiting me. I have to make sure she doesn't feel left-out in any matter governing my life. Funnily most people think we are best-friends! :p Maybe we are...and maybe I just need some time off...

And telling her what I think of it all is of no use either because she would get her anger out on my schizophrenic father in revenge. I understand it's not easy for her to lead a life with a schizophrenic husband so different from herself, and I also understand she often had to make sacrifices in her life for the sake of others. But I also don't think it gives her a right to live through me. I am my own person and I wish to stick to being my own person.

I live in a society where you can't just live on your own. That specifically holds true for females. The only option is to get married or move away. Moving away to somewhere else in country wouldn't be very helpful because my mother would take retirement and come there anyway. According to her, I am all she has. And I would have to visit my parents for all holidays anyway. And I don't intend to ever get married because of the really crappy marriages I have witnessed around myself. I would rather stick to living with my controlling mother instead. Plus my mother isn't into having me marry anytime soon because she would be very lonely. I am her little girl after all. The only option is leaving the country. My father actually wants me to pursue my education abroad so here's my golden chance. But I don't want to be very dependent upon my parents so I am looking for somewhere cheap to study (with economical living costs as well) and luckily I have found such places. My first priority being as affordable as the public-sector universities in my own country. Plus I have been able to find a certain scholarship. I would have to sacrifice the prospect of studying the major of my choice however. But I understand you can't have everything after all.

But perhaps family troubles aren't the only reason I want to study somewhere far away. It's also because I wish to experience a different and more exciting culture. I am hyper-active and there isn't much to do in my hometown. Plus an experience abroad in a good university can be highly regarded by employers here. I plan to return back though because I am not sure I want to be away from my parents and culture forever especially when my parents need me. I just want some time off, to get some time off, and be allowed to grow up on my own and learn to deal with everything in my own way. I don't want to be spoiled by overprotectiveness and too much love.

That's another thing I am also beginning to get very scared of is the prospect of having to live all on my own in a different culture/country. Also scared of the impact it may have on my mother.

[Helga]

I wonder why we tend to focus on the negative parts of life. the first thing I think about is something sad. Like I said before I am always very honest on my blog about my life and feelings but not many read blogs (and I really do get that, mine is very self-centered).

I love the picture of Junipers town, it is so beautiful!

I think I live in one of the best places on the ice. My town has about 25 thousand people and I think it is third or fourth biggest in the country. I own an apartment with a nice garden for my dogs and my boy, I live with my three guys. My dad died when I was 9, he had been sick for three years and in and out of hospitals. When I was 15 my mom met another man and he is great, I know it sounds bad but in many ways I like him more than my mom. She feels like a victim most of the time I think and she helps everybody but nobody ever does anything for her, I think and know that is wrong but this is her view of the world, always negative. I try to be positive but realistic.

I broke up with my ex two years ago this summer and he is now getting married to a nice girl and I hope she is a better girlfriend than I was. I was a crappy crappy girlfriend.

I was with my ex for 5 years and had two boyfriends before that but I have never been in love. I don't know what that is. The closest I have been to love was when I was 18, I started 'seeing' a good friend of mine in secret. I was crazy about him but he drank a lot and used drugs and when he disappeared for a week I realized I couldn't do it so I broke it off. I always thought about him and wondered if I did the right thing. I even hoped I would meet him again and have a real reason to leave my boyfriend but two years ago he died in a fire. I still think about him almost everyday and I often think I see him.

To be a bit like a disney movie I am gonna have positive with the negative. My son is almost 6 years old. He is the best part of my life. He is so smart and sweet and I could talk about him all the time. He knows how to play me and when I am telling him he did something wrong he looks at me and says 'you are the best mom in the world' How can you be mad after that?! My two dogs Spock and Sisko are the sweetest, cutest and most annoying dogs ever. I love them so much but Spock had to go out to do his business twice last night and that is very annoying! but he is 10 years old I can't be mad. He saved my life on many occasion in my youth when I had plans to leave but couldn't do it cause I knew nobody could take care of him like I do and my mom would most likely put him down cause she couldn't stand him.

Another good thing is that I have spent these past two years trying to figure out what I want and I think it is working, I atleast know what I don't want. That's a start.

My days are usually spent at school,reading,playing with my boys and watching tv.

this weekend my son is with his dad so I bought myself a bottle of redwine cause my favorite thing to do when I am alone is to take a loooong bath with wine and a book.

[Pensive]

It's always nice to see life painted with bright colours but I would have to admit I am one of those who are fine with emo talk. I don't think we always choose to talk about unpleasant/negative things because we are inherently gloomy or pessimistic. It's more a matter of sorting out our troubles and hoping to realize we aren't the only ones facing adversities. Maybe by talking about the sad aspects we are actually being optimistic and concerned instead of ignoring them with great apathy.


I even hoped I would meet him again and have a real reason to leave my boyfriend but two years ago he died in a fire. I still think about him almost everyday and I often think I see him.

That sounds very depressing Helga! For somebody who never had to lose somebody very close (except my grandmother I was really fond of but then again she died of natural death) I find the idea very upsetting!

[JuniperWoolf]

No, Juniper. That was very interesting. Very interesting and beautifully written. Now I'm ashamed of mine. I should have put more effort into it. In my brain, yours looked like a movie. I'm so glad you're continuing your education after all of that. You're lovely to me.

Really? Huh.

...


...


E... gck....

*doesn't handle compliments well*


I swear 75 percent of the guys I went to high school with are now either in Grande Prairie or Fort McMurray, along with several of my cousins. Alberta resources are supporting not only Albertans. I hear there is actually a massive contingent of Maritimers there too.

Yeah actually. About 40% of the people here are Maritimers. That isn't what it's like everywhere?


If David is studying film at an actual film school he must know how obscenely high-priced the tuition is going to be. I have a friend who is a film-maker who dumps on film schools, saying you learn nothing there. But he's only a minor to moderate success and a little crazy so he might not know what he's talking about.

Hmm, I'm not sure actually, we don't talk about stuff like that. I know he's going to Capilano, but I've never heard of it.


I would love to hear more about this.

Well, I was smoking (because it looks cool obviously) and, being new to the whole thing, I flicked it onto the dry grass. By the time I got to the other side of the field and turned around, fwoof! Everyone had noticed by then though and it didn't get too out of control. At least I'm almost certain it didn't, I ran away, but I'm sure if anything bad had happened I would have heard about it.


I tried to find nice pictures of my neighbourhood, then I remembered I live in a crap hole.

Haha, yikes. Are you sure you won't give Hamilton a shot?

[Buh4Bee]

Orphanpip- is that what Canada looks like? Just kidding.

[Darcy88]

Yeah actually. About 40% of the people here are Maritimers. That isn't what it's like everywhere?


Oh no. There are hella people here from Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, Winnipeg, ect. I've met many people who came from around the country but not a soul who came from the maritimes. The maritimes is coastal and beautiful like it is here. I want to do my master's at Memorial in Newfoundland and I expect I'll be one of the few west-coasters there.

[BienvenuJDC]

fwoof!

ok...you need to tell this story on youtube, because I'd love to hear you say this word...

"fwoof"

I can't find it in the dictionary.

[OrphanPip]

Haha, yikes. Are you sure you won't give Hamilton a shot?

I take solace in the fact that I'm 10 minutes from down town and only return to the squalor for sleep.