Everybody wants some sun over Spring Break, and usually I am able to escape the rain and grey of my city. However, this year my family decided to stick close to home. A little while ago, I was talking to some of my friends, and they were telling me about how they wanted to travel to nearby city, Seattle. I had never been to Seattle, and thought it would be interesting to venture outside my city. As it turned out, my mum was interested in going, along with my sister. We all ended up taking a mini road trip over the border, then down to Seattle.
I personally found Seattle to be an interesting city, combined with different cultures. There were French cafés, Italian Ristorantes, and some Asian food places. As well, we saw plenty of Bavarian meat stores on each street.
All of us found Pike Place Market to be incredible, as it is composed of many different people trying to sell their products. In fact, the Pike Place Market has been in Seattle for over one hundred years. As I walked the length of it, I truly felt that I had stepped back in time. The cobblestone streets really added to the atmosphere. Perhaps it's also interesting to note that the very first Starbucks was created nearby the market as well :) Pike Place is filled with many interesting people and their products.
One of my friends is really into photography, and she found plenty of chances to take pictures. From the Pike Place market to the seaside, she has captured many amazing pictures from our two day trip. The shop displays were amazing, and my friend also loved snapping pictures of the ocean. As well, there were plenty of amazing postcards which we bought to mail to out friends with beautiful scenes depicted on the front.
If you prefer sports, then there are some lovely seaside trails to walk, run, bike, or skate along. These trails stretch the length of the city, and have some gentle rolling hills. As a matter of fact, my friends and I rented some "Pronto" bikes, which are basically bikes that you can rent from various stations around the city. You receive a 24 hour pass, and can return and take out any bike from any station in the city!
Seattle is aiming to get more people to bike, and we decided that a bike tour would be an interesting way to get to know the city. My friends and I used these bikes, rode along the seaside trail, and also through the streets. We found it better to bike through the city, as we could move efficiently, while still enjoying the sites.
Of course, there is lots of shopping in Seattle! However, this activity was mainly carried out by my mum and my sister. My friends and I were too busy attempting to see as much of Seattle as we could. I have heard that Seattle has many American stores and is popular for people to make quick trips to pick up some new things.
Overall, Seattle is a pretty interesting city, which has a nice view of Canada across the water. ;) Being able to explore a new city from a bike was an awesome experience, and we also were able to visit some fantastic cafés hidden away from the world. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip, especially in good company!
I'm finally back! The past month has just been super duper busy; with Christmas, New Year's, and all of the other crazy things in my life. When I had a moment of free time, I really wanted to write another post on my blog, but I was never really sure exactly what I wanted to write about. I recently realized that I haven't written for such a long time, and felt like a little chat. I apologize if it's long
and rambling, but that's just me. I am seriously renown for rambling!
Recently, there have been quite a few changes in my life. I have had to become more focused on my schoolwork, in order to get prepared for university, and there have been people moving around. I wanted to briefly talk about big changes in my life, and how it has affected me.
A few months ago, I met some lovely exchange students at my school. They all seemed nice, and they came to eat lunch with us. I became friends with them, but never really realized how good friends we were becoming. I recently realized how special they were to me, and how great friends we have become. Many of them share common interests with me, and we have done some pretty cool things together. Some of them left about a month ago, one of whom I have become the best of friends with. I can tell you, I really cried.
With that, and some other things that happened recently, I have seen how close we have become. I would never want anything to ever happen to them (including them leaving, but I know that will happen), and I know that when they all leave, I will be devastated. However, we will all enjoy the remaining time that we have together, and to those that have left, and the friends who will eventually leave, I know that we will stay in contact. I am so lucky to have such amazing friends like them. I know that even when we are half a world apart, we will always be together in the heart.
Another thing that I wanted to talk about is something that I have not tried writing down ever. It is another topic quite close to my heart. For quite a few years, I did competitive ski racing. I have had some amazing experiences, and being with my team has really made me stronger as a person. Every weekend, I would train. Train, train, train. It was my life. Everything in my life revolved around skiing. Except, perhaps school, which I found just as or even more important. However, I would take days off school to train and go to races, which I enjoyed thoroughly. I never really found it hard to miss school, because I was a very good student.
I made so many amazing and wonderful friends, who were basically my family on the weekend. My coaches were so supportive of us, and pushed me to do bigger and better things on the hill. I craved the challenge. I loved being challenged and having to push myself to try and catch up with the fastest person on the hill. Sure, I would fall, but I would always get back up and try again.
There's just something special about going down the racecourse. You just feel so concentrated and have to think about so many different things at once. Is my line alright? Am I going to hit the bump at the wrong angle? Am I forward enough in my boot? Once you are in the race, it's really amazing though. You feel like all of your training has come together and it's just you on that course. The concentration is just astounding. Sure, you are aware that there are people on the sides, but you don't really notice how loud they are. All you are concentrated on is getting to that finish line faster than you ever have before.
This ad really describes ski racing. The feeling of going down that course is magical. Everything just seems to go silent and it really is one of the best feelings in the world.
Now, I really hate backing out of a challenge, but I had to stop ski racing. Everything happens for a reason. Nobody forced me; it was entirely up to me. I pondered and pondered over my decision. Believe me, it was a hard one. When you have done something for so many years, and put all of your concentration on it, it's not easy to back out. I kept thinking to myself, I can do it! Balancing school and skiing may be hard, but it can be done. Though I came to the conclusion, I probably wouldn't handle that stress.
I've learned that sometimes, it is okay to stop doing something. Sometimes, it's for the best. One of my dreams is to go to a good university in order to set myself up for the rest of my life. There are also so many other activities and hobbies that I want to get into. However, I figured that if I did both ski racing and school, I would spend all of my free time on those two things. It would be hard to do anything else. I always have to do school, but skiing is something that I chose to do.
I stopped ski racing not because it was challenging or I was getting tired of it. No. I stopped it up because I asked myself, Will I really go all the way? Will I be okay with missing 50+ days of school? Even though it is a nice thought to keep ski racing, I absolutely love it, and I know that if I gave 100% I would definitely would, but I can't. There are so many other things that I have to do, and I know that my education is important. I can't give everything to ski racing. I would have no spare time as well. It would make me stressed. I would be stretched so thin, and I would try to do everything.
However, I can't do everything. I hate being half in something. I always like to give my full commitment and focus a lot of my energy on a specific goal. However, I just can't handle that anymore. I know that if I did both ski racing and school, then one of them would fall apart. I know that I would never forgive myself if that happened. They are both too important to me.
Then, I decided to keep the wonderful memories that I have, and stop the sport. It was quite a hard decision, but I know that it was the best for me. I have found through this whole mess, that you should always decide things for yourself, and do what is best for you. For me, it's not the end, but the beginning of a new chapter of my life. I would like to thank everyone who has helped me during my ski racing career, and those who helped me through this tough decision. It has been such a great time, and ski racing, and everything my club has done for me has made me the person I am today. I am so grateful for that, and also for all of the experiences that I have had.
I have spent much more time with friends than I have for years, and I have done some cool things that I wouldn't have been able to do if I were racing. Sometimes, I am even happy that I don't have to wake up super early and get on the freezing cold mountain in a spandex race suit. Sometimes. It's getting easier now, being surrounded by so many supportive people. Even though I still pine for those race days, and when I see young racers I sometimes start tearing up, I know that I made the right decision. But that doesn't mean I can't zoom around the mountain on my race skis! Remember, Life changes but memories don't.
Here's to everyone who is going through tough decisions, no matter how big or small. I wish all of you good luck, and remember to follow your heart. Cheers to a great 2015! (Clinks glass)
It's finally December, my favourite month of the year! Not only is winter my favourite season, but
it's nearly Christmas time!
Now, I have compiled a list of things which I love about this time of year:
♥ There is snow
♥ Hot Chocolate is in
♥ Skiing
♥ Giving Gifts
♥ People are merrier
♥ Holidays
♥ Decorations going up
♥ Warm baths
♥ There are festive carols
♥ Watching holiday movies
♥ Scarves, hats, and boots are in
♥ There are so many festive activities
♥ Families come together
and of course....
♥ Christmas!
I hope that this December will be great, and that I will be able to accomplish a lot of things. Lately everything has just been weighing me down, so I hope that everything will get brighter. I will try to have a more positive outlook on everything, and work my hardest at everything I do. Let's see if I can also get my Christmas shopping finished more than a week before Christmas... As well, I will try to be more organized. This actually poses quite a chore to me! I can be quite disorganized.
Let this be the best month of the year! Bring it on December!
I know that it has been such a long time since I last wrote, but this week has been super crazy! I'm glad that it is almost over.
I very recently went to a concert of one of my favourite bands of all time-Bastille! They were on their Bad Blood: The Last Stand tour, in a medium sized venue a little while away from me. I gathered up my friends, and we all bought tickets to see Bastille. Bastille has been my favourite band for such a long time, and I have listened to their songs over and over. I basically know all of the words to all of their songs. When I found out they were coming to my city, I was so pumped and ready to go!
After an intro from the band Grizfolk, Bastille came out. The roar and cheer from the audience was deafening. Bastille was a little late, but that was forgotten as soon as the band commenced playing.
They sang so many songs, and each of them were special in their own way. There was always some magic that they seemed to add into each of their songs, whether it was "Icarus" or "Laura Palmer." It's super important that a singer sounds good when they perform. I can assure you, that Dan sounded absolutely fantastic. His voice is just beautiful to listen to, and amazing at concerts.
@Paatch on twitter takes amazing photographs! Source
Bastille also played some of their unique covers which initially made them popular. They created interesting covers of many different songs. Even thought these songs were not created Bastille, they somehow managed to make it sound new and original. It is absolutely amazing.
Bastille, with the lead singer Dan, captivated the audience's attention. During "Of the Night," Dan instructed everyone to crouch down near the ground, then jump up once he called out, and dance. Before one of Bastille's slower songs, "Oblivion" began, Dan intructed the audience to turn the flashlights on their phone, and wave them back and forth as he sang. This created such a magical effect. During "Flaws," Dan put up his hoodie and dropped off stage into the crowd. Then, he made his way through the crowd singing the hit song. It was super interesting because one never knew where Dan was, and before you knew it, he was right in front of you!
Overall the concert was just magical. I had such a great time, and the energy from the band is phenomenal. Each and every song was perfect, and seeing some of their new songs was so amazing. They ended the concert with the song which made them famous, Pompeii. It was great to see that they invited Grizfolk back onstage to join them. I highly recommend this concert, for everybody. Whether you are in love with Bastille, or don't even know who they are, if you hear about a concert, you should go and see it. It will seriously convert you to being a Bastille fan.
It's that time of week again. Last weekend has come and gone much too quickly in my opinion, and next weekend seems so far away. Everything seems to be dragging you down, and you are left with a pile of paper, books, or a bunch of work. One way or another, the stress of the week is really catching up to you. Unless of course, you are currently on holiday. If that's the case, I am insanely jealous of you.
I think that at this time of week, everybody just needs a little motivation. It's just a little push to get this week out of the way. Personally, I have so many of these quotes saved on my phone, and while in a newly opened shop in my city, I found the cutest little book of happy quotes. Please sit back and maybe grab yourself a cup of tea. I hope that you find these quotes helpful in some way as I did.
You have to remember that nobody is perfect, and everybody has their talents, along with things that they are not good at. Not every day will be perfect, and this can sometimes be hard to accept. However, one of the things about surviving the rest of the week that we have to accept is learning new skills. You can't win every time! Use every opportunity as a learning experience.
Each day, we can start fresh and make a better impact on our lives, of the lives of others. A good night of sleep can cure anything! You mostly find that in the morning, things that seemed awful and positivelyhorrible the previous day are fixable. Sometimes all you need is a good night's sleep. It's mother nature's magic! Every day you can start afresh, and approach things with a clear mind.
I have had many things that have scared me in my life. There have been many cases where I have been scared of getting injured, or afraid to voice my own opinion or tell the truth. In any of these cases, it's always good to tell the truth. As well, if something seems unreachable or non-conquerable, that usually means that you should try. Someday you may even surprise yourself!
Will is such an important word. My dad always said "There's no such word as can't." No matter how hard I tried to combat this, I found it to be very true. If you say you can't, you are shutting down so many possibilities which you are subconsciously thinking about. This can lead to lost opportunities. However, if you just change your word to will, it will not only make you feel more positive, but also open your mind to many more possibilities.
Sometimes people overthink. Everything can become too overwhelming, and it feels like the world is falling apart. Believe me, I know. However, there are some instances where we just need to calm down and breathe a little. Trust is an important concept, and also letting go the things that have dragged you down in the past. Tomorrow is a new day. Just go out there, see what comes at you, and keep your thoughts positive.
I will now leave you will one of my personal favourite quotes. This quote helps me have very high standards, which sometimes seem outrageous compared to other individuals. However, in the end, aiming high can really help. Even if you don't get exactly what you were hoping for, you at least came a long way. The moon may seem like a long way away, but remember that there are billions of starts, which are more than enough for our whole world.
Lately, I have been finding that I been reading quite a few books. Ever since I was young, I have enjoyed reading, though lately I have grown extremely busy. I mainly enjoyed adventure and mystery novels. There are so many novels out in the world, with genres to suit everybody's taste. However, there are also a lot of classic novels out there in the world which I find many people avoid. I have been finding classic novels really interesting lately, and recently read quite a few, including Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, and Sense and Sensibility.
After seeing these Anthropologie "Mr. Boddington's Penguin Classics, I really fell in love with their covers. I just love those books with new mixed with old. You can tell that they were created recently, but they still have that vintage charm.
I love reading classic novels because they give us such an insight into times past. Many of our novels nowadays are somehow related, or inspired from these classic novels. There's a reason why these books were, and still remain very popular! They must be good.
Classic novels are timeless, with an old-fashioned charm. Source.
I know many people don't like reading classic novels, or it doesn't really seem like their thing. The flowery, confusing language puts many people off. Some people were even forced to read classic novels for English class... However, I would highly recommend picking up a classic novel, which somehow you feel like you would connect to, and just go for it. Here are some reasons why I personally love reading classics:
♥ You are able to learn more about the English language, and where many of our expressions and words come from.
♥ It can be quite challenging to understand some authors, so you will feel accomplished after you have finished the novel.
♥ Pretty much every classic novel has been remade over and over again, so once you have finished the novel, you can reward yourself with a film.
♥ It's interesting to see how much society has changed over the years, and novels reflect the lives of people.
♥ It gives you a chance to connect to characters, experiences, and emotions from past times. These things are still very much relevant today.
♥ Books are such a human legacy. It reflects our cultures and beliefs, while showing how powerful language can be. It is one of the most important forms of communication, and books can really change our outlooks on life.
Now, I will recommend some classics that you would maybe like to pick up. Remember, everybody enjoys different genres of novels, so perhaps these books will not be for you! There are so many choices out there, but these are some of my recommendations:
Pride and Prejudice
Anna Karenina
The Great Gatsby
Wuthering Heights
Treasure Island
Jane Eyre
Great Expectations
The Hound of the Baskervilles
I have heard a lot about many of these books, and there are mystery, adventure, and romance novels all mixed together. I really would like to read more classics, and next I would like to read the Hound of the Baskervilles. Remember to give classic books a chance! You may be surprised at the gems that you find.
Do you have any favourite classic novels or reviews about any of the books mentioned above?
I know that I have never reviewed anything before, but I really felt like sharing this one product that I have been loving now for a little while. It's the Andalou Naturals Shampoo and Conditioner in Lavendar and Biotin.
Here's a bit of background about me. I have super duper thick hair, which can be such a hassle sometimes. When it comes to washing out shampoo and conditioner, if it is not done right, everything could go wrong. I generally have normal hair, not too oily and not too dry either. However, the buildup of dead skin and dirt over time can lead to bad things for me. I have had a few problems with some products which used to leave my head very irritated. Bleh, that was awful.
That is until, I discovered Andalou Naturals Shampoo & Conditioner. It is in the scent lavender and biotin, which I personally love. I have always loved the scent of lavender. The lavender scent can be surprisingly hard to find in shampoo & conditioner, so I was thoroughly pleased when I was able to find this while in the shops!
This duo is a dream when it comes to massaging it into your hair. With these products, less is actually more! It lathers quite well, and I was very surprised when I only needed the smallest amount possible in my hair. Actually, I was quite shocked when I discovered this, because generally, I need a whole ton of shampoo and conditioner in my hair!
Many products leave your hair feeling weighed down, or sometimes even oily. This shampoo & conditioner claims to "nourish and moisturise normal to dry hair for soft, smooth, shiny results." This actually lived up to all of my expectations and I was very pleased with the result. My hair feels clean, and has been left with the lovely scent of lavender. It has really refreshed my hair, and actually has added some noticeable life, body, and shine.
Sometimes, shampoos and conditioners dry out my ends, but the Andalou products have actually added more moisture to my ends, which I am really loving! As well, my scalp also feels very nice (as my scalp can get very irritated and is sensitive to products), and definitely more nourished than it was before. My hair is shiny and also very soft, and people even commented how nice my hair looked the day after I washed it! ;)
I hope this post has given you a bit more insight on a product which many of you probably had not heard of before! I definitely recommend this to all people who prefer a more traditional scent, and who want their hair to have a big boost. (Now my hair is actually manageable! What a shocker!)
