Jamie Jane

At the moment, I have a really cheese header. What do you guys think? 

Congratulations!

Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.

And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And if you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.

No! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

At 5:30 this morning when the fire alarm went off
all of us apartment-dwellers, strangers, gathered
out on the sidewalk to escape the noise –

The cool Sunday morning that had not yet been turned
into yuppie brunch – it had a hundred
directions to look –

It was the cool air, the sun behind clouds –
the street lights snapped off – it was all of us
strangers & no structure.

You are going to prom & I only wish you the best. I’m going to keep it short & sweet because that’s what you were always to me. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a much more frank, sarcastic, you-get-me-kind-of-level sibling and I wouldn’t have it any other ways. You are able to deal with my stupidity and selfishness on a patient level, even when you could have used it to your advantage. Your understanding and calm collectiveness is what I need to learn from you, and I hope that mindset gets you far in life. Although I’m hardly ever home most of the year, I still care like an older sister does, and will help you every step of the way. no questions asked. just, thanks. 

Congratulations, You did it. 

Cheers. 

To the gentleman with the guitar, 

You struck a chord with me. During the sunset, I walked pass you as I walk myself across campus. Something about you just made me want to unplug myself from my ipod and just listen to you play a tune. It may have seen like I’ve ignored you, but I just wanted to close my eyes to lose myself in your music for just a moment. That song just wallowed in my mind, echoing in each step I took. It felt as though that song was just perfect to describe my life right now. 

Thank you. 

It’s been almost a month since I’ve been back on the island doing summer school at UVIC. I can’t honestly say it has been the easiest time for me here, but there has been some serendipitous moments that confirms that life has a funny way of teaching you life lessons. Let’s go through the events, shall we?

1. I thought I would spend my time in a 4 bedroom condo with just one other roommates; but it turns out I’m living with a classmate of mine I’ve known since September. Friends will always be around, even if you don’t think so. 
2. Being terminated over the phone and feeling humiliated, I get an unexpected phone call from an ex-coworker, giving his condolences about my lay off. Empathy is the best form of sincerity. 
3. Condensing 3 month classes into 3 week courses that translate into 20 hour weeks, is exhausting, tiresome. But you know what’s nice about 3 week courses? They end in 3 weeks. 

I’ll continue this later. 

Therfore, since the world has still 

much good, but much less good than ill, 

and while the sun and moon endure

luck’s a chance, but trouble’s sure, 

I’d face it as a wise man would, 

and train for ill and not for good. 

‘Tis true, the stuff I bring for sale

Is not so brisk a brew as ale: 

out of a stem that scored the hand 

I wrung it in a weary land. 

But take it: if the smack is sour

The better for the embittered hour; 

it will do good to heart and head 

when your soul is in my soul’s stead; 

and I will friend you, if I may, 

In the dark and cloudy day. 

Oh, silly Victoria. 

Above is my favorite family photo from two years ago at a family wedding. I don’t know what it is about this photo on why its my favorite, but I think it was a point of bliss. You have 2 kids in the photo who were ready to conquer the world before leaving highschool, with very proud parents. A few years later, one is now graduating highschool only a few weeks from now with a decision to become a doctor, while the other, is starting her 3rd year in university and finally flourishing in grades. 

My mother, is turning 46 years old tomorrow, but from what I see men of young and old giving a second glance, she is just turning 39. again. Although her marriage is not always perfect with my dad, I think that is what keeps the relationship alive and young. Disagreements are just all the more reason to try and understand each other who they are as people and just work together to have a happy, loving and very humorous relationship with each other. They undermine eachother, but always with a loving result. Without my mother’s knowledge, my dad went ahead to go car shopping. Not for himself, but for my mother. Now my mother is just ecstatic that she can finally fit more plants in her new jeep, and give the kids the station wagon (which I am just more thankful for that I have something with wheels to take me from point A to B). She was awfully mad that she caught my dad in a lie, but was forgiving when she realized all the trouble was for her. I just hope in my future that I will have what they have with what I see as the perfect marriage. 

Although it kills me that I won’t be with my mom on her special day, I’m sure my dad and brother can more than compensate for my absence. I owe my mother literally everything to what I’ve become. A soundly content daughter is only derived from her unbelievable amount of patience, wisdom and love she has passed down to me. As her first born and only daughter, I’ve had such a good relationship with my mother, which makes me one of the lucky one. I don’t know what I would have become if I didn’t have that special bond with mom. For everything that you’ve done and sacrificed for me and the family, I just want to say thank you & I love you. Happy Birthday, Mom. 

PS: I’ll see you soon. 

It has been a gorgeous few days, even weeks on the island. The warm atmosphere, cloudless skies and the silence of the summer semester echoes though the campus residences. When I wake up in the morning, the light shines through the pale cream curtains to reveal today’s weather report: sunshine. It’s hard to get up in the morning when you are covered by the warmth of a blanket, or of a significant other. You hear every heartbeat and every breath that is taken and my body tends to synchronize with every palpitation.  Today, I felt what it was like to have another day of happiness and bliss. The sweetness of your kind words and the kind eyes you use to see every part of me, which makes me feel at my utmost secure with my own self.

I couldn’t have asked for a better day, but I wish I didn’t have to say goodbye. 

I don’t cry easily. Ok, that was a big fat lie: a lot of things bring me to tears. I admit being a very emotional person and show it right when the emotion hits me and my tear ducts. I tear up when I cry, I tear up when I laugh, and yes, I tear up when I’m angry as well. 

I’m that girl that will cry in class while watching a movie in class, which did happen today, but it was to Monty Python’s Holy Grail. I’m also that girl who will cry when she sees a dead bunny on the road, which I also did today. Then I made an innocent phonecall which lead me to a impromptu termination, which yes, lead me to cry. 

To be honest, it has been a very hard day on my tear ducts. 

people never see me as a minimalist kind of person, but if you ever glimpse into my room, you can see there are only shrapnels of memories that mean more than it could ever mean to another person. 

windows down, heat absorbed through my hair and the air filled with melody and beats vibrating through my chair. Oh, for it to be summer again. For the last few days, it has felt like my favorite season (minus the enormous wind chill factor); I even went looking for sunglasses to rock this summer! I’m more than ecstatic for the endless car cruising, park picnics, and silent sunsets over the horizon. My childhood and my ending teenage years will be summed up by the amount of memories that have compiled and this year will be no different. My Grandparents on my father’s side will be visiting - first time in a long time she has visited our family on the west coast. I can’t wait. 

kairapena:

Vancouver weather, I love/hate you.

P.S.: The remaining 10% is still undetermined, but we’re hoping for some snow.

I come up stomping up my apartment stairway. Heavy books wrapped around my body and the weight of my heavy thoughts and knowledge are keeping me from reaching my room. Once I drag my body into my room. The sunset hits my curtains, making my room glow in calmness and serenity. I’ve never seen my room in a different light before now. 

rosietint:

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

— Robert Frost