Awwww....

It's so weird... I can't beleive first year is done already!!! In some ways its just flown by... and in others it... I donno... I guess it really was just about the right length.

It was kinda weird staying long for exams and having sooo many people leave... college just seemed soooo much quieter without them - despite the fact that all the medics, PPE-ists, mathmaticians, E&M-ers, biologist, linguists, historians and Arch & Anthers were still around... I donno... It's actually been kinda fun. More relaxed almost - even with Exams :D! *grins* exams were pretty fun... I had two days of six hours solid writing 12 essays total. Yeas, Oxford is insane. The the last one wasn't exactly my favourite and I ended up leaving early (though I did that for most of them... or finished early and then got trapped in the exam room unable to leave due to the fact that I had finished one minute after the half-hour-remaining mark *wrinkles nose* Gah! I swear I was more distracting to have around with all of my squirming than my departure would have been :P)! It was still fun though since I came back to college and deposited my stuff before heading back to the exam schools to join the crowd waiting to attack and congratulate all those wearing red carnations :D!!!! OOOH! and our flutes of champagne - particularly the chocolate bottle - on the lawn afterward were also fun! *grins*

*shakes head* still feels weird to think I'm leaving Oxford in an hour... (AHHH!!! I'm leaving in an hour!!! EEEEKKK!!!) I had soooooo much stuff packed to leave in storage that it was insane!!!! I have no idea how I've managed to pack it for all of the other breaks!!!! Awww... soo strange to think that this is the last time we'll properly be living in Hertford *pouts* I'll miss it! - Just Like I miss Amanda *grins* Amanda was back last weekend and it was awesome!!!!! Punting with her, her friend Lee, Henry and Ewen was especially entertaining *grins* heehee... drunken Amanda and Henry (who totally deserved it for getting a destinction in his exams :D) are faaarrr too much fun - insane, but fun too!!!!

Anyhow, I should probably head off... I'm at Charlotte's for the night so that I can say bye for the summer and then off home for two days before I leave for Peru (ahhhh! - which means I am unfortunately going to miss Janet Evanovich doing a book signing at Indigo *cries* soooo unfair!!! I'm missing it by like 8 or 9 hours... and I keep getting emails about it *dies*)

So yeah, that's pretty much it! Hope everyone has and awesome and Amazing summer. I'll miss you all greatly!!!!
Lot's of love!
~Ally

AHHHH!!!! *runs for cover*

... ... ... what? it's only safe to run and hide. It's quite obvious that the world must be ending... I mean, come on, I'm posting twice within the same month *grins*

anyhow... lesse... what've I been up to lately? Went in to London after ballet 2 weeks ago to meet up with Ma and John so that we could go see Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral and Bath... It was really neat!! I really wish that you could still go right up to stonehenge... being roped off from it just doesn't give you the same feeling as you would get being up close. It would be awesome if you could still climb on ... *looks sheepishly toward her fellow archaeologists*... uh.. I mean carefully investigate without any climbing what-so-ever it *nods*... it was still pretty cool though and Salisbury was really pretty. Bath was amazingly incredible. It just doesn't feel like you're in England at all! You can almost feel the Roman-ness oozing out of the very stones *sigh* it felt like home almost in the same way that Rome does... I so just didn't want to leave... *grins* ah, well... I'll get 'round to heading back there one of these days... Ooooh! And despite the fact that it rained for the majority of the time that Ma and John were here, it was nice and sunny on all of our touristy days *grins* must just be a reflection of my wonderful-ness - unfortunately it was also sunny for the entirety of their trip up to the scottish highland without me *grumbles*

what else is new??? hmm... this is sad... I'm not entirely sure what I've been up to... finnished all my essays a while ago, had my last tut this morning... now all that's left is to study... hmmm... all of the physicists have been slowly dying from their exams this week.., I'm not entirely sure whether it's funny or depressing... *chuckles*... ah well... oooh! I know what I totally forgot to mention! The fact that I did a little miny Jazz show in the park for Oxford (the city's) 1000 year aniversary. It was fun! I think I may kind of actually miss performing *shakes head* ... s'weird, I totally never thought I'd say that... awww... and I missed recital for the first time ever!!! It feels sooooo weird! especially since I've seen every show that Jess and Sophie have ever done except this one!

*giggles* On another note, I appear to be doing a lot of new and exciting(?) things this term. Punting... um... other stuff-ing... Playing Rounders (a bizare form of baseball)... breaking my nose while playing rounders.... yup... I think that's about it *grins* heehee - what? I wasn't wearing my glasses so I couldn't see the ball when Sam threw it ... and it kinda hit me in the face... yup. Not to worry though! *grins* being me, I accidentally-on-purpose managed to re-align it while trying to stop the bleeding before going to the hospital (which is a good thing since I then had to wait 2 and a half hours... at which point my nose would've settled in the wrong place - ick.). So it's still all pretty and straight and the only way you can tell is by the slightly black left eye. *nods*... ah well... *shakes head* Honnestly... I don't know what to do if these things didn't happen in my life... it would just be so boring :P!

Heehee... anyhow... I should prolly head off.. to ... uh... do something I s'pose...
lot's of love!
~Ally

BOO!

*little kiddish innocent voice* Guess what, Guess what?!?!... okay, fine... I'll tell... I should be writing an essay right now :D! (so what else is new :P).

hmmm... I don't actually know what to say... the urge to blog just suddenly came upon me - as it so very often does when I'm supposed to be writing an essay... although that really doesn't explain my lack of postage... what with the 12 essays I've had per term :P.

Where to start?? It's so strage how everyone else back home is done already and getting to meet up without me *sobs* awww, man you guys are soooo great and I totally miss you so much... Mr Dick was totally right when he said we would/were all go/going through gifted withdrawal *shakes head*... I've never known a crazier group of people.

This term has been awesomely fun so far... might not have been the start I hoped for, but I know that Tsz would be pleased to know that we were enjoying ourselves and eating well! Thank you Tsz, by the way, for being such an awesome friend to all and for just demonstrating the way that life is supposed to be lived - to it's fullest, with every moment enjoyed and taken advantage of - you were an incredible person and I know that I will, and do, miss you... dance was just so much more fun with you around to run into people :P... and to drag me all over town in search of food during competitions (and then have me drag you to the beach in blackpool at 9 at night 'cuase I'd never seen it)!!! Wherever you are, I hope that you are having as much fun as you always did dancing, mahjong-ing, eating and doing everything else that you were so fond of doing and that made us all love you so dearly...

In spite of that (or possibly because of Tsz's influence) term's been awesome since first week!!! Filled with playing frisbee and basking in the sun in the university parks, five-a-side football with the hertford womens team, taking looong fun walks around Oxford (and getting locked into Christ Church meadows after hours and have to climb the (very high) gates (three times!) late at night to get out), Late night BBQs, fooding and fun with the girls and training the hertford dancesport cuppers team - which btw came in 5th!!!!! Yay!!!! GO US :D! The competition was actually loads of fun... especially since I had just gone with the intention of captaining and, instead, ended up making it to 6th place on a Jive routine made and learnt 10mins before the start with one of the other hertfordians who had danced last year and turned up to cheer :D!!!!!! It was good fun! (AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! English-ism *runs screaming*)... *calms doan a bit* anyhow... WAIT!!! Punting!!! How could I have forgotten punting on my list of fun things I've done this term?!?!?! OMG! Punting is amazing!! It's like gondoleiring except in shallow English rivers with a long pole rather than a paddle... and it only took me two crashes into the trees/bank to learn to do it *grins widely*!!!! The bank crash was mildly scary though... there were cows standing right at the edge with no fencing to hold them back... cows are scary I tell you! Never mind all that mumbo-jumbo written about their warm intelligent eyes... I saw those eyes, they were clearly judging my punting (in)ability :P.

So yeah... this term's been pretty awesome so far... and then Ma and John were visiting this week so I got Yummy food bought for me (which is always important) *grins*. and I took them 'round to the uni parks and taught them to punt and sent them 'round a visiting things ('cause y'know they wouldn't've done that on their own :P)... ooooh!!!! and we went to Warwick castle and it was all pretty and medieval and they had a trebuchet that they actually shot off... and lots of pretty historical information and if I had lived in Victorian times I totally would have been Daisy, Countess of Warwick 'cause she was awesome and pretty and smart and broke convention ... and yeah... so that was fun too... and now they're visiting Charlotte's parents (eeek!) and have been for the past *checks clock* 7? hours... wow!... yup... OOOH! And frisbee cuppers was this morning!!! We managed to loose every single game with the exception of the one that we won by default 'cause the other team failed to show up... it was pretty impresive ;P!!!! Oooh! and we saw Guys and Dolls... it was really good... I quite like the whole fun simplicity of the story... it's very... refreshing almost.. and the music and dancing were really good too!

And... well... yeah... I should prolly head off to bed to get some sleep so that I can actually write my essay tomorrow morning before my tutorial, 2 football games, ballet class and late night trip into London so that I can go to Stonehenge, Bath and Salisbury Cathedral with Ma and John on Tuesday... hmmm... I hafta remember to bring my camera for that one...

See you all soon (and by that I mean... uh soon-ish...)...
Lot's of Luv,
~Ally

Wow... can't say that last post was my most articulate, well-ordered or coherent ever, but then *shakes head* when was I ever coherent, well-ordered or articulate *grins*?

Anyhow, thought I'd do a short update-y post-like thing before I headed off to England *nods*.

Lesse - the gifty thing was a fun success... man, I love Woburn, it was awesome... Em, Jess, Marc and I all had fun on Friday, despite the fact that we stood outside in the freezing cold for an hour before deciding we were lazy (and frozen solid :P) and returning home for yummy warm tea :D! Which, of course meant that people got in as soon as we left *shakes head in amusement*... I swear my life is constructed on the premise of a sit com... heehee, Jess's on thurs was also fun, as was the hot tub time in the snow before we went to meet marc at the train station:D! - which, I might add, I missed due to the fact that I had developed a drysocket and had to stop at the dentist's on the way *sigh* - see, sit com!!! Even more entertainingly however, as soon as I took my departure and headed toward the dentist, Em chipped her tooth *giggles*...

Then, it was off to the great white north - literally! it snowed the entire week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Still very fun though! Our group of 15 was an awesomely amazing mix of diverse people and our instructor, Robb, was incredible!!! I am also very proud to say that we are now all regestered Woofers *grins madly* ... that is, of course, that we are all Wilderness First Responders (WFR- pronounced Woofer) and can do crazy first aid stuff (like clear spines, fix certain dislocation and give injections *pause for evil smile*) so long as we are in the back country 2 hours away from diffinitive care (at which point you are all at my mercy *evil cackle*) *clears throat* right... so, yeah... that brings us up to now... hmmm... I suppose I should really go pack...

See you!
the ever-insane, Ally

Right...

*sighs and shakes head* I sooooo do not have time to be blogging right now but *shrug* blogging I am 'cause I really really really do need to do an update before I forget all that has happened in my life - sad ain't it? You know you're getting old when you can't remember your own life!!! (on a complete and utter side note: OMG! I can't believe I'm nineteen!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHAHHHHAHHHHAHHHHAHHHAHHHAHHHAHHHAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! okay, now I feel better *grins*)

hmmm... I suppose I should prolly start of with what's new... hmm... what is new????
lesse, I found out on wednesday that I would have to get my wisdom tooth (yes, tooth. I for some reason only had one *shrug* who knows, no one ever said I was wise :P.) taken out on thursday... I just got it back today (my dentist said I could keep it as a souvenir :D) The thing was huge!!!!! I have no idea how there isn't a masive gapping hole in the back of my mouth!!!!!! The strange thing is that I didn't swell up at all - so, of course, I took this as permission to run around visiting ppl, write essays and run errands in the days imediately following its removal in typical me fashion *grins (with a gapping hole)* *shakes head again* that thing was bloody gigantic!!!!
- speaking of bloody, I do not have an English accent :P!!!!!!!! *looks innocent* It's not my fault that I now occaisionally speak with a slight English lilt.... and that I say Bah-naah-nah.. and trousers rather than pants ... and toilet or loo rather than... okay, fine :P.

hmmm what else is new... I've been home for what? Almost three weeks now (6wk long breaks between terms are nice :D) so I've been visiting the Uof T-ers nearly everyday ('cause however much you deny it Ting, I know you miss me terribly *grins*). And I visited the York-ers on monday which was tons and tons of fun.. never made it to waterloo or western (I'm sorry you guys, I really do love you too!!!! Look, It even took me nearly 3 wks to visit york!!!!!). Visited Woburn, and Miller and yeah... man.. I can't believe I'm in Uni - or that the York ppl are almost done first year! That's just crazy!!!! OOOH!!!! I went up to Queens with Em and her mum to see Megan's recital which was AMAZING!!! and got jumped by Kav and Raza which was equally as Awesome and Cool and I'm sooooo glad they ran (quite litterally :P) in to me :D!!!!!!!!! And MIT came home for a visit too :D!!!!! lesse... what else... got run over by a little chinese man in a car last monday(???) which was incredibly funny (and painful) as he insisted on stopping and apologizing profusely WHILE HIS CAR WAS STILL PARTIALLY ON MY FOOT!!!!! *shakes head* it was quite the funny scene...

OOOOH!!!! And Em and Gillian and I went down to see Al's band and they were AMAZING!!!! Omg! I had no clue Al could sing!!!! I'm totally looking forward to hearing them again!!!! I also saw the Taming of The Shrew In ballet form which I love for my birthday and we saw the Canadian production of We Will Rock You for Nal's which was also incredibly good... OOOH! and ma and I saw Blood Brothers when she droped me off in England... And yeah... now I should totally be preparing a speach-ey thing to give at woburn before I head off to Jess's for the night... but yeah... when have I ever been known to write something when I was supposed to...

Heehee... I suppose that since I am (finally) doing the update I promised I should start off where my last update ended.... hmmmm... for that, we must travel back in time *erie time-travelly music comes on* to the beggining of the school year *dundundun*

it was a bright and early morning with all of the birds chirping and the - what?! I'm not allowed to get creative with my life??? :P lol. Nah. while my first couple of weeks in oxford were bright n' sunny (despite the prevailing view point, it does not always rain in England :P), it prolly makes more sense to discuss the nights - and no, don't go yelling at me - I didn't do anything naughty :P (just ignore all of those pictures of me with poles up on facebook* wide-eyed innocent look*). Freshers (that's frosh for most normal people :D) week was incredibly insanely fun - and the endless nightly clubbing and packed days were a great prelude to the lack of sleep that is the 8 weeks of term time in Oxford *grins* But yeah, Hetford is a great college and boy do we know how to party *shakes head* Anyhow, loads of experiences and many friends later (and all in one week too), term started... and My God! There are just too may experiences to recount *sigh* I knew I shouldda updated sooner :P!!!! lol! Suffice it to say that Oxford during term time is loads of fun. My Tutors (profs - oxford speaks its own language) are great. I love my Ballet teacher despite the fact that I think she's insane. Ballroom is... fun? interesting to learn though I don't know how much longer I can cope with having to work with a partner :P (I'm far too independant aren't I... *shakes head* ppl should really start picking up on that one... hmmm) . OOOH!!! my team (I'm on the oxford ballroom team) won the F team competition at Sheffield (yes, I know, it was F team... *shrug* It was still a pleasant surprise *grins*) this past term. OH! And Odin (a fellow dancer and exchange student from Germany) and I came in the top 10 out of 40 in Rock and Roll at Nationals after only 3.5 hours of practice (which included teaching me the style and choreographing the routine) - so that was pretty cool :D!

Hmmm... what else? I really do need to try rowing next term and I can't wait to go punting on the river!!!!! OOOH! and I'm now playing on the college women's football (aka soccer) team - which should be really interesting due to how much I suck *shakes head and grins* Who knows... hmmm.... what else... on top of getting everyone addicted to Timmy's, I've gotten them addicted to peanut butter cookies made with canadian peanut butter - which of course means that I am relegated to the kitchen at least 3 times a term to bake :P.

OOOH!!!! Speaking of baking! I flew home for the weekend back in october for my comencement (graduation) - (yes. I am insane. but, then, we already knew that didn't we :P! *grins*) Which was loads of fun 'cause I got to see everyone again :D!!! And I got to bake pumpkin pie!!!!! Fall just isn't fall without pumpkin pie :D! Or the smell of fall... england doesn't know what it's missing!!!!!!! I also came home and baked again at christmas. But, not before staying at Charlotte's just outside of london for a week and seeing The Producers before going skiing in the Alps :D!!!! It was pretty interesting. It's really weirdly different from the rockies 'cause there are virtually no trees!!!! (which meant no glades *pouts*) It was pretty cool though 'cause we were at Les Deux Alpes and there is a glacier at the top!!!! Not the hardest thing to ski (it's blues and greens) but fun anyhow. The fact that there are no trees makes it really interesting though 'cause the equivalent of double blacks are "off piste" which is steep and rocky and involves many cliffs (one of which I watched a friend go over - all the while having no idea who he was and thinking him an idiot :P - he survived perfectly fine... his skis and poles didn't though :P). So, of course, being me and having skied with Tash and Beck all my life, I spent the first two days skiing off piste :D! ... luckily, I also spent those days skiing the other open blacks and blues on the mountain since, on the last run of the second day I was skiing the flat part of a blue run at virtually no speed when I fell over and sliced my knee open to the bone *wrinkles nose* ... all in all, it was a pretty fun experience... the french rescue ppl thought I was nuts and teased me mercilessly for how excited I was about the gurney ride down (what?! It was fun!!!!) and by my attempts to describe a roller coaster (I forgot that it was a montagne rousse *pouts*) and the doctor and nurse were equally as entertaned by my watching them stitch my knee closed... the trip also wasn't a complete loss as the doctor let me ski again 2 days later for the last two days of the trip :D! Although he did bind my knee so that I couldn't bend it and made me promise to stay on easy hills *pouts again* Skiing with a straight knee is hard!!!! *shrug* it was still fun, and an experience :D! And it meant that I had an excuse to explore the glacier and ski with my not-so-adept-friends :D!!!!!! It also made the plane flight home interesting.. if somewhat uncomfortable...

I stayed at Charlotte's again for a couple of days after this term ended, I love Charlotte's family! They are totally awesome :D!!! and we went in to London for my bday and spent the day playing on a Heath!!!! It was soo coool!!!! I'd never been to a heath before!!!!!!!! afterward we left Hampstead Heath and headed into London central where we met up with a couple of the guys (after being hit on by a random british-canadian *weird look* and charlotte being propositioned by an old man at the market :P) and went to see Blood Diamond (which was really really good) and had yummy frozen yogurt :D.

Home at x-mas was also fun! The gifted family dinner at frankie tomatoes that we planned the night before (as per usual :P) and Baldwin's New Years Party and living at everyone's house but my own for 2 weeks :D!!! and... yeah... *nods* I'd say that was a pretty good summary... especially 'cause I really, really, truly do need to be going to pack now... oh, yes! and write that speach (eeeeekkk!!!!) we're running a gifted intervention since all of the younger gifties are apparently thinking of dropping out *shakes head* they have no idea what they'd be giving up.

OMG!!!! How could I have forgotten!!!! I'm a member of the Oxford Union, which is a debating and speaking society and, among others, I have seen Emma Watson (Hermione) speak (she's surprisingly intelligent and articulate, a lot like her character actually) and met Natalie Portman!!!!! She was amazing!!!!She's extremely intelligent and down to earth (she was giving a talk on micro-economics). OOOH!!!! And through the Canadian Society, I got to meet Paul Martin. Paul Martin!!!!!!He is an incredible man. the reason he always seems so slow is because when he is asked a question is because he actually Thinks about his answer! And he is willing to take criticim afterward in order to improve. He also doesn't balk at admitting to not kowing something and has no problem asking the advice or opinions of those who know more!!!! He was just amazing and I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to shake his hand.

Anyhow, I suppose I must be off... My luguage is calling me (eek). I'm out clubbing with Jess and Em and Marc (YAY!!!! Marc!!) tomorrow night before heading up north to burks falls for 9 days in a wilderness first aid course (and it's supposed to snow this weekend!!!!!!!!) before I head straight back to England for trinity term (I told you that Oxford had it's own language :P)... and then, after exams and Amanda's visit (and our suggested vagrancy), I fly to Peru where I am digging for 6wks :D! .. after that it's home for a week or so for Megan's wedding before I fly off to Hawaii... *shakes head* sometimes I love my life - other times I think I'm insane *grins*

See you all in August!

Heehee.

*Does a little dance* It's snowing! It's snowing!!! Snowsnowsnowsnowsnowsnow!!!
*giggles* I always know I'm home when it's -10 C and snowing :D!!! Especially when it starts the day I come home and celebrate my birthday. After all, it has to. It always snows on my birthday. I think it's some sort of commemorative thing for the ice storm that proclaimed the calamity that would follow my birth ;)!

wow... it's been a while (not the longest I haven't blogged in... I don't think...) but I really truly must do an update! Now, unfortunately, will not be the time (I know *sniffsniff* heartbreaking isn't it???) I have however, updated my bio to proclaim that I have succeeded in surviving the evil machinations of my friends (*cough*Evan*cough* ;P) and am now a whole year older *Grins* - And all of this despite the fact that I still act like I'm about six :D!!!! Pretty impressive, eh???

Anyhow, I really must be off but, if anyone is still bored enough to want more reading (and even if they aren't!!!) I recommend Tempozine. An amazing, student run, professional looking, online magazine about world affairs. The link to which is conveniently placed on the sidebar beside this post :D! (Wow!!! I should totally get Jen and Linna to let me do their advertisements from now on ;)!!!) Ok, Ok, I do have some vested interest in telling ppl to read it (beyond the fact that it is just plain amazing) - but you'll have to read the next issue to find out why *mischievous smile*

kk, I really am going now. Really, I am! And I do promise to post an update sometime soon (in the relatively near future at any rate *wrinkles nose*).

OOh!!! But before I go! You know what's funny?... The whole Timmy's thing!!! Any Canadians who meet while abroad seem to inevitably end up discussing Tim Horton's, what they love about it, how much they miss it, the first things they're gonna eat when they get home, etc. While I was myself, engaging in one of these conversations the other day at Uni, I was asked if That was the only topic we Canadians were capable of discussing abroad (to which I, of course, answered "NO!" since, as we all know, Canadians are also quite capable of discussing things such as Hockey and the many and varying types of different Snow and Ice :P). However, I was also asked if this constant discussion of Timmy's was an "abroad thing" to make us feel at home... and I realised (to feelings of mixed horror and delight) that, no, it wasn't! I'm pretty sure that Canadians discuss Timmy's equally as much at home with about 5 of them in a mile radius from us as we do when we are outside of the country and are missing them terribly...
... I'm not entirely sure what that says about us as a country... but it can't be bad... after all, I (along with El and Stephen) have managed to get the majority of Hertford addicted to Timbits!!!!!!!!! *Grins*

Lot's of love,
from the ever Timmy's loving,
~Ally

And We're Off!!!

... or, at least I am! *grins*

So, yeah, I leave tomorrow... how weird is that??? I totally don't feel like I'm going anywhere... well, maybe on vacation... I'm kinda excited about rez shopping and being all touristy in London :D

Heehee... lesse what have I done to update on..? Ummm... went to visit Woburn... and Miller... and uh... well ran around alot getting ready... OOOOH!!! I finally saw Miss Kim and her new baby!!! He's sooooo cute!!! and uh... yeah, basically ran around alot and saw people *grins*

And then, on Friday night I had an "Ally's Leaving Party" which was awesome 'cause Jess came in from Windsor and Ceilidh was down from Queens and Alan from Waterloo... and all the people from T.O. were there!!! It was really great to see people again before I left... OMG! it was so funny I only made reservations for 20ppl.. and at first only 5 of us were there, so the wait staff were looking kinda nervous... but then people slowly started to trickle in... until there were 30 of us!!! *shakes head* It was awesome 'cause more ppl showed up than originally thought they could make it... it was actually quite a nice surprise!!!

*shakes head* You guys are sooo crazy, I'm gonna miss you all over there in England... the trip back to my place was wayyy too funny! Taking over the subway and me being 'teacher Ally' on the Woburn field trip... and then taking over the bus with the boys kareoke-ing (horribly out of tune I might add :P) at the back... *sigh* It's times like this I realise that we all really are insane and that we sooo belong together *big watery grin*

I love you all and I'll miss you all muchly (even if I'm having fun :P).
Much love,
From the fittingly insane
Ally

...Summer... (is now over *sniffsniff*)

*Jumps up and down excitedly* Look!!Look!!! Not only did I actually keep my word and post again today (no, I still haven't finished the ironing - I've gone grocery shopping tho!!! *grins proudly*)... but I titled my post with a word!!! well... sort of...

In any case, I did have a rather wonderful summer... Not as exciting as many of my other ones - in fact, it was downright dull in comparison - something that caused me to despair at times that I was becoming one of these boring people :P. But, yes, I would have to say that, in spite of the fact that this summer was rather less filled with crazy adventures than the previous ones, it was still loads of fun.

I did end up relaxing after the conference - which is, in itself, a miracle... although what I call relaxing most people would call... well... not stressful... just, not exactly relaxing... I read a ton of books, hosted the family when they came up from Italy (yes, I hosted them, when my mother told me we were hosting, she neglected to mention the fact that she wouldn't be home at all during those two weeks :P *shakes head*) ... lets see, what else did I do...? hmmm... yes... played Em's campaign... tho I didn't get to finish 'cause I wasn't around at the end... neither was my character tho so it all worked out *grins*... awww... I miss Rheys... she played such a wonderful grimey little boy ... but I don't know where the character sheet is *pouts*...

Circus also went rather well... I wanna do a couple more classes before I leave... OOOH!!!! and I can do walkovers and handstands again now!!! Haven't done them in about two weeks since classes ended... but I could do them then!!!!!!!!! What else did I do... hmmmm... went up to the cottage to see the family and had fun tubing in the roughest water I have ever seen... went to wonderland with my little twin cousins and my not-so-little-anymore other cousin for thier first time and got the most adorable picture ever of us on the Ghoster Coaster :D... I went for my G test... and didn't get my liscence (not because I failed. Oh, no) because I ended up going to the hospital instead *wrinkles nose* Yup... my sciatic nerve went out of alignment in the middle of the test.. not a big deal in itself.... happens often enough... but..yeah... It was a pretty entertaining scene... especially 'cause doctors can't do a thing about it *grins*
... OOOH!!! and how could I forget (especially since it's what put both my sciatic nerves out in the first place :P) We moved!!!! into my stepdad's place... so, yeah... that was pretty interesting... I actually like my new room... and the location is convenient 'cause it puts me closer to my friends at UofT... AKKK!!! Just to give some perspective on how much of a bookworm I am.... excepting the 7 or 8 boxes of books I sent to our place up north, 7 out of the 10 boxes filled with my bedroom stuff were full of books!!! and I have at least 3 more boxes worth of books lent out!!! My room is a library!!!!

Heehee... the last couple of weeks of summer were undoubtedly the best spent at home... there was the day I played football with the guys... and climbed the goal posts *shifty eyes*... there was Baldwin's party (where I had circus the next morning)... and the party at Hinkle's (which occurred while the family was still in town :S)... Bike riding with Langan... camping out in my empty house for a bit... then the weekend where I camped out at people's houses in scarborough for 5 nights *giggles* the first day of which was the party at Ju's where all us Traf (or ex-Traffie) girls had a sleep over and before we headed off to rule the world :D... and the last day of which was sauce making!!! I was at my grandmothers from 7:30 am until 5:30 pm!!! OMG! I never wanted to see a tomato again after that!!!... and ooops... that wasn't the last day!!! I spent the night after that at Em's *grin*...

And, oooh!!! before that was MONTREAL!!! where I got to see MARC!!! *jumps up and down excitedly* Jessiann and I took the train out to Montreal to meet marc and had an awesome time!!!! we traipsed all over town to find a club that was open on a Wednesday night... but find one we did *grins* We really need to go over a weekend when schools on :D... awww!!! We stayed in the cutest little B&B right next to McGill campus!!! It was amazing!!! Especially 'cause we got to see Marc again!!! heehee!! It was nice too (even though we missed our train home and had to wait an extra 5 hrs) 'cause I got to spend more time with Jess before she ditched me to head off to windsor :P!!!

But yeah... There were a lot of goodbyes... other Jess headed off to Dal after the girls night... we moved Nick into rez at York that weekend (OMG!!! Peter and "do you supply the toilet paper or will I have to mail him some?" *cracks up*)... and Ju headed out to Alberta (Alberta!!! Now we'll be even further away from each other when I go *pouts*) 2 fridays ago (was it really that long ago) After we spent all day playing in the park and decided that we were never ever going to grow up :P!!! We even played in the wading pool just to prove it *grins*... and then Em headed off to JAPAN (!!!) on last Wednesday... *shakes head* everyone's leaving me!!! Zheng's at UPenn, Heymien's at MIT... a bunch of people are at Queens and Mac and Waterloo and Western and... ahh!!!

Heehee... when I went up the the cottage (again, for more tubing :P) on the long weekend, I took the train out to meet my dad near Baldwin's house and I made him come meet me at the station before he left for uni *giggles* and he actually came!!! *shakes head* waddya know, maybe he will miss me after all :P

... anyhow, I spent all of last week froshing with the UofT people which was loads and loads of fun!!! Awww, man, Innis has the most amazing residences ever!!! I told Langan and Ting and Milani and Ben that I was moving in with them!!! Anyhow... the girls somehow managed to convince Langan to come out clubbing with us on the engineering clubbing night which was great!!! Even if he did leave at midnight! (from a club!! Honestly... I don't care if he had class at 8 the next morning :P *giggles*) ... but yeah... overall it was fun... I met everyone's roomates and made loads of new friends... and gave everyone the wrong impression that I went to UofT (whoops :P) ... anyhow, I headed up to York yesterday to visit with the people up there... which was also loads of fun 'cause I got to see people...

Wow... I actually did a lot more that I thought this summer!!! I even got to see Spammalot with Em H and Evan!!! It was absolutely hysterical, I loved it!!! And I got the best (late) b-day present from Em B ever while out shopping for books with Em H (confusing ain't it???) She bought me Gone with the Wind and Last Chance to See... *sigh* I love those books... they're sooo amazing....

OOOH!!! And I even made it to the Ex this summer!!! I went with Nal and Alan and we met up with one of Nal's friends from Quebec who was in the skating show - which was soooo cool btw 'cause it was a combined circus and skating show!!!! Anyhow, it was also fun 'cause I got in some french practice :S... my french has gone pathetically down hill from disuse...

Lesse... what else is there... Oh, yes, I finally got to see Arms and the Man... Ma and I went to the Shaw festival... It was Incredibly funny... and well done... though I prefer the humour to be slightly more muted to allow for the message to come across *sigh* I swear GB Shaw was a satirical genius even if he didn't want to be.

After spending saturday at Niagra on the Lake, it was off to Ottawa to get my Visa... which was shockingly easy to do compared to a simple change of address on my health card *shakes head* Ottawa was pretty neat, We got to go inside the parliament buildings and up the peace tower, which was actually pretty cool...

And, so yeah... that pretty much brings us up to now (even if I did dispense with my story out of chronological order :P)... all I have left to do now is bake Nal some peanut butter cookies before she heads off to Oxford for work tomorrow... funny how we're just missing each other... she comes back the day I leave!!! Then, I suppose I should really get started on packing my things up and deciding what I am going to take with me... and on massaging my wrists ... Ouch! I never realised before just how painful it is to type long, pointless blogs on a laptop :P

Hope everyone's having fun!!
~Ally

AHHHHH!!!!!

*grins* nothing's actually wrong, I just like using expressions as titles :P... What?!?! *looks innocent* It's more attention grabbing... or will be until I overuse them...

Anyhow... I promised that I would blog sometime before I headed off to Merry-Old-England... *crinkles forehead in consternation (Oooh, big word! Big word!)* why is it that you always hear it referred to as either Merry-old-England or Dreary-old-England??? I mean, really, isn't that a little confusing??? Which is it??? Merry or dreary??? It has to be one or the other, it can't exactly be both... unless... the merry one is really meant sarcastically *nods intelligently*... but I don't think so... can you really see what was once the largest colonial power in the world allowing people to treat it saucily???

But I digress. I figured that with everyone else gallivanting off to uni (or, in Em's case, gallivanting in Japan :P) now would be as good a time as ever to update. Especially since my brain seems to tend even more toward insanity during periods of excessive inactivity (one needs only to look to the paragraph above this one for proof!) ... hmmm, perhaps it's because my inactivity prevents the insanity from flowing out of outlets it would normally otherwise flow out of and, so, it is forced to remain inside my head like a stagnant pool of water (except, of course, it is not entirely stagnant since the insanity never stops coming inward) in which my brain is slowly marinated until it becomes complete and utter mush! And do you know what the worst part is???? I have only actually been inactive for a week!!!! Not even!!! and I'm already at this stage!!!!!! *takes a deep and gasping breath and looks as though she is about to continue on until...* ... ewwww... could you imagine a marinate made of stagnant insanity??? or stagnant water for that matter??? Yuck!!!

*Shakes head in disgust* Getting right back on track, As I had nothing particularly important to do today, my dearest mother decided to take advantage of my availability and give me some ironing to do. Now, normally this wouldn't be so bad... I would also have normally refused - especially since this wasn't just a little bit of ironing, Oh no, it was two whole basket-loads of it!!! Unfortunately, my mother, being somewhat desperate to get that laundry ironed without having to do it herself, decided to bribe me... she didn't even bribe me with that much!!! I am very sorry to say, that I was bought for the extraordinarily cheap price of 25 dollars - and as strong as the Canadian dollar is at the moment, $25 still ain't all that much!!!... but I was poor and desparate, and I owed her about that much... So what could I do but take the offer?!?!

And that's how it came to be that I spent all of this morning (and some of this afternoon) ironing old tea-towels... and I'm only done one basket!!! Which may beg the question: If I do, in fact, have something else I should be doing, why on earth am I on here blogging??? and just what did I mean when I suggested that now would be as good a time as ever to update???

Well, you see, as stubborn as some wrinkles are, even the toughest can only force you to bend your will -and not the rest of your brain - toward making them flat. This of course leaves the rest of your brain to wander free and unfettered by your will - which we all know is extremely dangerous in my case. During one such episode, my thoughts actually (willingly) wandered to my will (I know, shocking isn't it? Never fear though, my will was sufficiently distracted that it didn't even notice) and watched curiously as my will imposed itself on flattening a scrap of cloth.

Have you ever noticed how human an activity ironing is??? I don't mean in the obvious sense - yes, of course it's a human activity Ally, humans are the only creatures (with the exception of those poor pets that have been domesticated by slightly twisted owners) that wear clothes!!! They're also the only ones technologically advanced enough to have created an iron! Not to mention the only ones with the proper appendages for using one (possibly because we made them :P)!!!
What I mean, is the that the fact that forcing the cloth be straight simply 'cause we wish it so, is such a human thing to do. Just as creating the fabric for that cloth was. It's remarkable how human beings always seem to insist on imposing their will on the world around them. That is not to say that other creatures don't do it, they just don't do it to the same degree. Just look at the world! If we want more hamburgers, we cut down the rain forest. We want to cross country? We blow up a mountain to create a railway line. We don't like the marsh in our backyard? We drain it, fill it with dirt, and then build a mall on it - 'cause you know, the bloodsucking brands are so much better than the mosquitoes :P.
*sigh* Truly though, it's disgusting... it's times likes these that I realise just how much contempt I have for the Human race - myself included. I'm really no better than the rest... worse in someways *grimace*...

Funny, ain't it? The fact that I'm not exactly a fan of humanity, but I plan on studying it for the rest of my life... I am going into archaeology and anthropology after all... *shrug* that's okay, I suppose I like the dead ones since they are already dead and can't do any worse *wrinkles nose*...

Anyhow, on to more exciting topics!!!! Like... uhh... how my summer was!!! Great actually!!! *Grins!* Can you tell I'm trying to avoid the second laundry basket???

Uhoh! there goes the phone! Gotta run, this post is too long anyway! I'll write more later (I promise, seriously, I will!!! and I don't even mean three months from now!!! :P)

With Love,
~Ally

p.s.

... since I'm already on and have absolutely nothing else to do... I should probably do that update I had planned... especially since we all know how often I get on here *grins*

Well, let's see... The recital was amazing... I had loads of fun and managed not to screw up too badly in anything... it was pretty crazy though since we had two shows again and I had six numbers in each... Evan, Emily, Gillian, Kaitlyn, Alan, Nick and Julianne as well as all of the family came to watch since it was my last show, and they all seemed to enjoy themselves... so yeah... I still haven't seen the video but I'm told it was pretty good. Em's slideshow for the 10th anniversary was AMAZING and everyone loved it... it was kinda scary though to see pictures of us together when we were that small... oooh!!! and it was really funny, 'cause everyone was mad 'cause they wanted me to go to music banquet... but I couldn't 'cause I had rehersal that night... and then we were talking about who they had gotten to DJ and they were saying that they couldn't get Alex 'cause he was busy... at which point I cracked up... 'cause, you see... Alex does the sound for our dance shows *grins*... I told them it served them right for putting Music banquet on a night I couldn't attend :P...

Then came formal... well.. actually... no... first came football playoffs which nearly all of us missed... (mainly 'cause we were all at my house setting up for the after party *looks sweet and innocent*.... well... at my grandmother's first and then at my place... 'cause the inspector was checking out our house for the people who are buying it... and we couldn't exactly let on that there was gonna be a huge party!!!) ...whoops... that's okay, we still came in fourth... yup... then came formal... which was soooo amazing!!! we all met up at Kav's first and had crazy amounts of fun taking pictures around the pool before 4 stretch limmo's full of us... that's right FOUR!.... took us over to fantasy farm where we proceded to have the time of our lives. ... it was sooo great and sooo much fun!!! everybody looked gorgeous - yes, that's right, even the guys :P - and we all had an insanely awesome time dancing and hanging around... even the teachers!... After that, the four limmo's full of people plus more who drove headed over to my house for what shall from now on be known as the never-ending party!!!!

... From what people tell me, it was an insanely-awesomely-crazily-amazing party... mostly I remeber not sleeping and cleaning up endless amounts of cups... and dancing and eating and just having a pretty damn good time!!! It was actually pretty amazing... and I warned the neighbours beforehand so we didn't have any problems there... although the police did show up around five in the morning for a noise complaint... because the sobber people were outside playing frisbee on the street!!! - honnestly, I'm not even kidding!!! I swear the cops must of thought we were nuts.... they were like "uh... could you wait to play frisbee until a more decent hour"... I can't lie, it was pretty funny :D!!!

OMG!! it was insane!!! not only did the party last alll night, but we went all the next day too!!! Basically we had a never ending BBQ/Buffet of food, talked, hung out, drank more, played football and frisbee at the park(- and, oddly enough, as soon as we started playing, some cops pulled in the parking lot *shifty eyes*) ...climbed monkey bars, swang on swings and generally acted like the little kids we still are *grins*. It was great!!! and then after all of that, and on almost 48hours of no sleep, pretty much everyone helped clean up!!! which was pretty much a party in itself!!! By the time we finished it was 10 on friday night (yeah, my school's weird, prom was on a thursday *shrug*) and the only eveidence that there had been a party was the 12 garbage bags in my garage!.

... so yeah... it was pretty crazy... and OMG!!! my prom dress was sooo gorgeous! I had actually picked it up in oxford last summer for 65 pounds! it's like this purpley-pinkish-blue colour that shifts depending on the light like raw silk! and my hair was sooo amazing!! I made Langan help me take it out after the party and there were 122 pins. 1-2-2!!!!! ...

... *sigh* it was amazing though and I totally wish we could do it again!!! Even if it did mean I was dead tired when I showed up at the studio for work on Saturday morning *grins* ... OOOOHH!!! SIDE NOTE: Miss Kim had a baby boy two weeks ago!!! I still haven't seen him but *jumps up and down excitedly*!!!

... after that... things pretty much went back to normal... school resumed for a week before exams... we had athletic banquet where the gifties definately swept the awards ... CONGRATULATIONS ZHENG, ADRIAN AND HEYMIAN!!!! and Angel and everyone else who won!!! but yeah... I swear our year's insane, you'd think that being gifted would mean being bad at sports... *shakes head* that's probably the biggest misconception ever... not only are they all bloody brilliant, they're all insanely good at sports as well!!!

Exams were fun - as always... yes, I know, I'm weird :P... and I did fairly well on all of them... could've done better on bio but *shrug*... I still say that that one question was impossible to answer since logically once you said that one of the statements was incorrect the other was as well :P!!!! *wrinkles nose*... anyhow... I got my 90's... well, all but one... although algeo and calc were definately thanks to Mr Chan and Mr Mo's help... but yeah... calc was still an 88... which meant I had to wait until 2 days ago to find out - that I GOT IN!!! WOOOHOOO!!! Oxford, here I come!!! *jumps up and down excitedly*.... the only bad part is that now I wont get to ski in the rockies next winter *pouts*!!!! Ah, well, I guess you can't have it all...

anyhow... so school ended and summer began... with me showing up to school everday for a week... *shakes head*... it was funny really... it's like I'm never going to be able to leave Woburn... but no, I had an SAC luncheon one day, and I had to go check all my marks and collect them for Oxford... which resulted in some pretty funny scenes... like me playing stones with Mr. Breadner in his office on one of the days... *shakes head* ...only me...

... Then, my summer started in earnest... and in typical me fashion, I headed out of the country! - this time, to the Global Yound Leader's Conference in Washington DC and NYC for two weeks... and it was INCREDIBLE!!! there were 364 of us from over 40 different countries!!! it was sooo amazing, I met sooo many great people from all over the world!!! It's insane what some people have done - sat in on autopsies and surgery, hiked mount kilimunjaro, done safaris, gone camping in the wilds of who-knows where, really been to and lived in crazily exotic places and seen things I've never seen... and I am thoroughly jelous!!! We all just clicked so well and so fast!!! I'm going to miss my fellow GYLC-ers sooo much!! and we KNOW we have to have reunions right!!! and alternate hosting them!!! I can't even begin to describe the experience... it's truly the people you meet that make the conference worth while!!! and now, I know that whenever I travel, I'll always have a place to stay :)!

... so yeah... that pretty much brings us to the present... and to the never-before-seen circumstances of Ally having absolutely nothing to do!!!... well, okay... that's not entirely true... I still need to get my full G... and we've started up a senoir dance class at the studio every wednesday night - which is awesome 'cause almost everyone has come back for it!!! and I mean everyone, some of the girls left 3-5 yrs ago!!! It's soooo much fun and I can't wait to start up again!!! - even if I did get fat again from eaing so much food these past two weeks :P... and I'm gonna start doing circus lesson again on Saturdays... only now I'm doing arial and acro - which is really exciting 'cause I haven't done them before... but yeah... other than that... and reading... and joining Em's D&D campaign (what?!?!?! I haven't played in years... 'sides, I'm gifted, I'm entitled to a little nerdiness every once in a while ;P!)... I have absolutely nothing to do.... part of me wants to get a job... but maybe... just maybe... I should relax for once in my life ;)...

As always, with love from the ever-insane,
Ally

EEEK!

Oh my gosh!!! I can't believe I'm actually done!!! I'm officially no longer a High School student *blinks rapidly*... I can still totally remember walking into the main doors at Woburn for the first time... and how it felt to be in grade nine... and just everything... it all just went by soo fast... and it's funny how everything just sort of blurs together... I can't even begin to imagine not be there... not having to wake up digustingly early for 7:45 Student Council meetings on mondays... or staying rediculously late for Stage Crew like I used to... or ... well... not being stuck there repeatedly day after day!!! I'm going to miss it sooooo soooo sooo very much. Woburn is a huge part of what made me who I am today... and for everyone who was there through it, even just the littlest bit, I thank you!

As for my friends, especially the gifties and the teachers I have no idea what I'll do without you guys next year!!! I'm at a complete loss for words (wow, that's shocking, that almost never happens :P) ... I'm not sure whether to be excited about all of these new doors opening up for me, or sad that I'm leaving so much behind...

... I'm sorry for the rambling-ness... but I'm still really just trying to digest it... I'm not even quite sure what I want to say... or what the point of this post was... I was originally just gonna catch up on everything I've been doing since the last blog... but well... yeah... I was suddenly just overwhelmed with... everything! There are just so many good memories that I doubt I'll ever forget... or if I do, I'm sure that one day, hopefully in the not so distant future, I'll encounter something or someone that'll dredge them all up... and I'll definately have a good laugh :P... Aww man... all that 90's music in the STEP office... We NEED to go Kareoke!!! ...Kav falling of her chair at Tommy's on saturday :P... the guys climbing in the windows when they were late for english... me climbing out of the window onto the roof in algeo... the guys "fishing" for Ben's waterbottle with rulers in calc... all of our crazy complaints about physics... Jesse's endlessly amusing physics tests: "Mrs Enright, what's this" "Mrs Enright, HELP!" "Mrs Enright, I wrote you a song, wanna hear it?" or the "grasshopper" :D... aww man... and those never ending Chem classes where Mrs Russell always managed to cram in an entire new CHAPTER in the last five to ten minutes of class... *shakes head*... I didn't think it was possible to cram that much information into my skull... I'm soo gonna miss all of our crazy bio classes... and our insane english trips... and just hanging out with the teachers during spares... and driving them crazy during class... our gifty end of year picnic was amazing and I'm sooo glad we did it!!! It just brought everything together in the end!!!

*sigh* All of those crazy times together during the years... whether in class or out... and when we were suposed to be in class but were out... the football games.. the basketball games... that soccer game against those random gino guys at meadowvale park... Early morning Timmy's Trips during bio... and all the other crazy stuff we managed to do... not the least of which was the girls dissecting (AKA playing with) a cow's eyeball while the guys hid in the library :P...

*shakes head* it's been an amazingly fun ride and I'm gonna miss you all more than I can truly say! Never fear though, (or maybe you should *evil grin*) I'll definately come back and visit every chance I get... and never doubt that that will be often! and I know everyone is gonna be coming over to visit me in Oxford next year right?!?! :P

With Love,
Ally

Oops..!

*laughs*... I woke up in the middle of the night after yesterday's blog and realised that I had forgotten to mention *dumdumdum* FOOTBALL!!! How could I have?!?! *laughs* ... but no, I'm on the team again, and it's been sooo much fun!!!... and this year I'm playing Safety instead of Tight End which is actually more fun *shrugs* who knew? We've actually had a pretty good season so far... or up until Agincourt beat us as soundly as they did last week *winces* that was not pretty... So far Mr. Rooney's forced me to sit out 3 games due to ear infections/fluid in my ears *wrinkles nose* I don't know why, It's not as though having no balance and falling while walking and twisting your ankle and pulling all the muscles in your foot... twice *blushes*... impairs your ability to play football in anyway :P... but yeah... the whole fluid in ear thing really doesn't help my natural clumsiness... I actually fell off my chair in chem... and I was just sitting there!!! *sighs*... ah well, it was funny...

And AHH!!! Omg!!! how could I have forgotten to mention my courses this year... I think I'm nuts for taking them btw... even if they are fun... and I do have two lovely spares *grins*... and up until last week there was a late start every tuesday which was even nicer :)... but yeah... I went alll gifted 'cause I'm apparently crazy :P. I did: Algeo w/Mr. Mo, Calculus W/Mr. Chan, Bio w/Rooney, Physics w/Mrs Enright, Chem w/Mrs. Russell and English w/Mrs Billinghurst... tho I also crash Ms. Mo's Eng class a lot *evil grin*... but yeah... it's been fun... though I'm sure you can see why 90+% in each course is killing me *dies again*... ...*groans and lies still for a bit, then glance around to make sure that no one's watching *... ... ...*jumps back up a moment later*... *dusts herself off* anyhow... I think I'm gonna go stretch... (you know that rigger mortis really tightens the muscles :P... *blushes*... sorry, I had to... it was just... right there *points up to part in the last sentence*...) okay, really, really, I am going now! *ducks the rotten tomatoes, vegetables and other random gourd-like things being thrown in her general direction*

Ttfn,
Ally

Wow!

I guess saying "it's been a while" would be a major understatement *cringe*

I did make it up the CN Tower in under 29 mins... 24mins 11s to be exact, a full 5 mins 5s less than my previous best time, so that was happy ;D... Oh wow... alot has happened since then... life's been a bit hectic... alot of fun *grins* but a bit hectic... oddly enough, for once I don't have any big trips to talk about... well... I did go to NYC for a couple of days in November... I was there for my Oxford interview... yes, I know, odd isn't it? I apply for University in England and my interview is in the states :P...

But yeah, I'd never been to New York before, so it was quite exciting and I dragged my mother all over the city... on foot *evil grin*... did all the typical things: saw ground zero, went into Tiffany's... had breakfast ... saw battery park, when to times square Which is CRAZY btw... omg! It's as bright as day in the middle of the night!!! And nowhere before have I ever seen a human display of "safety in numbers"... the pedestrians just sort of encroach on the road until they take it over completely and block all of the traffic... it's fascinating to watch... and lots of fun to do!!! We also saw "Fiddler on the Roof", which was absolutely astounding!!! and met Rosie O'Donnell which was pretty cool, she's as awesome in real life as on TV, funny too! My interview went... well... it was fun... more like a class than an interview... and at the time I didn't think it went well... but it appears that it did!!! *jumps up and down* ... heehee... so I'm in... well, sorta... not yet... I need 90+% in all of my courses... which is pretty much well... *dies*... so I really hope I can make it!!! if not I'll hopefully be at UBC doing some skiing *grins*. I didn't get into Harvard or Stanford... not exactly shocking, I didn't expect too... they usually don't accept morons :D...

Anyhow, Christmas came and went and I had fun spending time with family and getting presents... Linna and I did a pointe piece together for the school 'Holiday' Assembly which was alot of fun, and we sang the music council version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" for the last time... Took emily to see that Twyla Thwarp/ Billy Joel musical while it was here... the second half of that was amazing!!! ... there was no trip this year :( but hey! you can't have everything! Instead I had some really good snowball fights, got soaked to the bone and refrozen again numerous times *glares at Lagan and Evan evily. You two both sooo deserve to die*... climbed some trees... yes *shifty eyes* in the middle of winter... had more snowball fights... worked on my first New Years at home in years... but that was cool 'cause I was still around ppl... got back in time for midnight and then went toboganning/rolling around in the snow with Kat which was wayyyy more fun that you'd expect...

This winter had some fun parties... watching some of the gifties get drunk for the first time probably made my year *grins* *cough*Ting*cough*... We took Kat to see "The Boyfriend" for her b-day, which was really really cute! and her first musical - so, lot's of fun *grins*... I dragged Kaitlyn, Gillian, Lagan and Alan up to Collingwood to go skiing with me over the March break and we had an awesome time... and no sleep thanx to Lagan's lovely little penchant for making us scream in the dark *glares again**shakes head* I swear, one of these days I really will kill that boy... not only is he brilliant and nearly perfect... he's... well... brilliant and nearly perfect *glares and wrinkles nose*... he should be outlawed :P...

We put on plays in English, I did 'A Streetcar Named Desire"... I directed, abridged the play to 45minutes, and played Stella... so that was a bit of a crazy time... lot's of fun tho... and my group was great - despite thier being a bunch of lazy bums :P , but, no, I love them all and it was great fun... as was watching every body else's plays. They were all absolutely amazing... and we topped last year's plays by a long shot!!!

My 18th b-day came and went... we made a wonderfully colourfully-hazardous b-day cake... which ppl claimed reflected my personality... though I have no idea what they were insinuating *looks innocent* ... man do I feel old though... and I still haven't gotten my full G lisence yet... *sigh*... I should prolly get on that...

Anyhow, my mom got married on March 25 in a lovely little ceremony... the food was very very very yummy... I kept eating off her plate once I'd finished mine *looks angellic*... prolly not the best thing to have done at the head table... *giggles* ... and there was no dancing!!! really, what is a wedding without the dancing?!?!?! *shakes head*

I was back in New York over Easter with the Drama, Dance and Art departments from school and we had a great time running around the city. I saw more of Central park... which is absolutely stunning btw, just gorgeous... and the statue of liberty - which I was not allowed to climb *pouts* ... and went shopping... and saw "The Complete Works of Shakespeare - Abridged" which was hysterical, and "Threepenny Opera" which was pretty cool... all in all it was an awesome trip! and I got to spend quality time with ppl I hadn't hung out with in years... and spent most of the time dying of laughter... aww man, I'll miss everyone sooo much next year... I really can't believe that it's almost done... the year has just flown by... it's just... gone!...

... my last recital is in two weeks, formal/prom is in three... and then exams... and then... I'm done... out of public school forever... and off to University... somewhere... I'm not sure where yet... hopefully England... it's just... surreal really... I haven't quite grasped the concept yet... so yeah... that's pretty much it... *nods* and now I'm just sitting here listening to my oldies and wondering how long it'll be before they're considered classical :D... oh, wait! they're already 'classic rock' :P

Anyhow, I'm off to dance around.
Lot's of love,
Ally

What to type, what to type

... I donno, the blog was just looking a little forlorn and I needed to wind down after work... hmmm... lesse... I guess I should start off by saying that I'm still alive (despite all efforts to change that fact :P) and that I had an absolutely awesome summer and learnt a whole bunch of stuff about... well everything... but, mostly who I am... Thanx to everyone who was part of it, I love you guys and I wish I'd gotten to know you all better (and stayed up latter and hung out more... stupid needing sleep lol)... nah.. Spain and France were awesome though... as was England with my mother... the rest of the summer (or what was left of it) was pretty good too...
... then came this year... THE year... and school... and work (which is actually lots of fun)... and yeah... and Dance which feels crazy empty with only the five of us who are left... and just loads and loads of stuff... it's all good tho, I'm enjoying it... Not quite sure how coherent this blog is... but *shrug* whatever... it's me :D

... hmmm... I think I'll leave the actual details and fun stuff for next time... much too tired to make sense... and tomorrow is the stair climb!!! WooHOO!!! soo much fun :P... heehee 1776... and I hope it still only takes me 29 mins with my body as screwed up as it is... hmmm.. I should prolly get dome sleep... nah... anyways... I'm off to stretch...

The horribly busy but still lazy,
Ally

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!

... So why is it that everyone complains when I don't blog, but no one can be bothered to comment when I do??? :P.

Anyways, I figured I should do an update sometime before I left, and considering that I leave Sunday, I figured now would be a good time to do it *looks shifty*... So yeah, I survived Gr 11. Had fun on all of my exams, especially physics which I learnt the morning of... and bio which I finished in 20mins and annoyed the class enough to beg Mr Rooney to let me out early :D... and then allow me to look over the answer sheet :D... Recital was also fun. Not as good as last year's, and I don't so much like having two shows but, *shrug*, still good.
... not much else exciting has happened... went bowling, saw madagascar - which isn't nearly as good as Mr & Mrs Smith which is just, plain, awesome... had fun at Alan's party and played around in the pool and hot tub - yes, I know it's summer :P... got my marks... average was 88.5% so I'm rather happy :)... uh... relaxed... relaxed some more... finally read & saw Fight Club, which was also an awesome movie (must have something to do with Brad Pitt :D)... Read Tuesday's With Morrie which is a great book that everyone should read... read Canticle for Leibowitz which was also fun... ...uh... basically I read alot while lying on my back porch... Ju came over, we did a movie/sleep over night... then last night some neighbours down the street did fireworks ( it was a day early so who knows why...) so Jenny, Christine and I had fun watching those and being eaten alive by mosquitoes *wrinkles nose*.
... so yeah... I finally got my nice, relaxing and uneventful week... the one that I've been dying for almost all year... very, very Happy!!! :D... and now, I'm off to Spain & France (& England) for the summer to do Philosophy and Engliush Lit in summer school - and yes, I know I'm going to spain and france for english :P.

Hope everyone has an awesome summer. Take lots of pictures and remember lots of embarassing stories. I'll c-ya when I get back.
Lot's of Love,
Ally

FUN-NESS!!!

... it's odd how I always end up blogging when I really should be writing essays... I mean, really, it's still writing... meh *shrug*...

... anyways... the past two weeks have been absolutely crazy... Music banquet on the 26th was sooo much fun... you wouldn't think so, but it was awesome... I went as one of Langan's three dates... which was just pure jokes... especially when the teachers started teasing him about not knowing what to do with us... then picture day at the studio all weekend... which was actually a hell of a lot calmer then usual... of course, I just found out that the last four rolls of film got screwed so we have to shoot them all over again... not all that surprising - something was bound to go wrong :P...
Tuesday was Athletic banquet... I honestly didn't think it was possible for awards presenters to talk for that long... anyways... it was fun seeing everyone all dressed up... (again for those of us who went to music) and everyone looked SOOO pretty... damn Kelly and her gorgeous dress... no one should be allowed to look that hot :P... lol...
... Then it was thursday... OMG... thursday!... thursday was prom... I didn't go... so I get home from dance, shower, stretch and get to bed at around eleven thirty... at 1:30 am I was woken up by Corey phoning me to tell me that the after party had started... then Kav called to tell me the same thing as I was stumbling 'round the house trying to get dressed... OMG!!! the after party was sooo funny... soo many ppl were sooo smashed/stoned/both... *shakes head* awww, man, it was great... I kept getting yelled at for not being drunk ... lol... it was soo good... dammit! I'm soo gonna miss all of you guys when you're not around next year!... anyways so we watched the sun rise... talked about sleeping... and never went to bed... let me tell you, trying to understand physics and reading drama lines after not having had sleep in over 40hrs does not work. at all. I'm surprised my notes are as coherent as they are... so anyways.. got home friday night... went to bed... and woke up in time to be at work at the studio at 8:30 saturday morning... I sooo need more sleep... especially since I didn't get home from Langan's b-day party until 11:30 last night... heehee... that was fun too!... omg, that half of a dog-statue-thing is absolutely hysterical... we sooo needed a camera for that!!! ... *sigh* *shakes head* ... it was sooo great tho... I sooo wouldn't've changed what I did for the world...

... so yeah... I'm kinda dead right now... kinda, very dead... especially with all of the crazy amount of summatives I have going on... I had three in class exams in a row on tuesday... and I've had soo many projects and I assignments that I don't remember half of them... and I'm not invited to math luncheon this year *pouts* I missed being in the top 25 percentile for the Cayley contest by two points... two points ... ah well, whatever...

OOOH!!! Queen's! I almost forgot Queen's!!! omg... how could I have... it was amazingly fun... I transferred half way through from Biology of Human Behavior into Drama Improv... I got bored after three hours about neurons... honestly... we only really needed the first half hour or so to understand... anyways... it was still awesome... and kareoke was crazy fun... the dance was pretty lame... but meh *shrug* didn't exactly expect anything more... lmao! omg... Kavvy!!! I love Kav... she totally got Leila's Football... our game ball... stuck on the roof for like 2 days... we had fun tho... it was soo great... ooh and in football (flag) we actually came in 3rd in the league... 3rd!... before this year... the woburn girls had scored 2 points in 2 years... so yeah it was amazing... and I had sooo much fun... we were such a great group... we soo have to do it again next year... only next year we wont have Webby and Tamara and Alison... and awww, noo, :'( ... I'll miss you guys, it soo wont be the same...

soo... uh yeah... that's pretty much it... that and the 3 more assignments, 1 more scene study, 5 more exams and 3 dance shows I still have to do... I soo can't believe that this year is over soo fast... I mean... it feels like it just started... I remember how, at the beginning, I had fun, but I didn't feel like I was really enjoying myself... and it still felt like it was going fast... but now... it just feels like it's gone too fast... and I had sooo much fun... and there are soo many people that I'm really going to miss... especially with dance... can you really believe that it's almost over? ...
...*shakes head*... I love the feeling of building up to something, of having all this stuff that needs to be done... and then having it happen and just feeling satisfied and happy... but at the same time, it kinda feels like everything is just... ending... and it's kinda scary... especially the fact that I'm gonna be in gr12... that's gotta be the scariest thing... it makes me feel soo... old... I mean, I always knew that I would get there someday... but... I still feel like I'm 15/16 yrs old... like I'm only in gr10... not like I'm almost done gr11 and have my own car... it's... rather... mind boggling... and all those ppl that I've known for so long who are going away... I really am gonna miss you guys...

So... yeah... I should prolly be off to write about the Etruscans...
Hopefully I'll be able to blog again sometime soon.
Ally

P.S. OMG!!! I almost forgot!!! I made it onto next years SAC as an assistant!!! and Congrats to Kavita for getting VP and Arini and Roshne for getting Gr12 reps!!!

*Is all excited*

 Look!Look! I'm actually blogging!!! and it hasn't even been six months yet!!! lol :P... but, no, really... I'm supposed to be writing an English essay on the Heroic Identity... but I got lazy and decided I'd come check out my blog and... well... write here instead *shifty eyes* ...wow... it's been soooo long since I did an actual proper blog that I've practically forgotten how to do one! *gasp* ...

hmmm... where to start... so far this year's been pretty good... the total-science-math-focus/lack-of-humanity-essay-writing-thing took a lil' getting used to... and my marks still aren't great (tho I had a 98 in history for a while there :)... it sorta died tho... might a been those assignments I didn't fully do *looks innocent*) but, no, I'd don't think I can complain... fall and winter were pretty good... my Elementary Jazz exam went well... it was actually rather fun... ... OOOH!!! and I got to see "Jesus Christ Superstar" while it was in town!!! which totally rocked... and the Tap Dogs too!!! OMG, they were AMAZING!!! I sooo wish I could do that!!! "Little Dragon" was good as well... oooh... and I saw Cirque's "Allegria" this summer, which was really, really good...
... My mom and I went on a cruise of the south Carribean for new years, which was pretty awesome... we had great weather, and the ship was massive!!! it had like 14 stories... and, of course, I insisted on always taking the stairs... I always beat my mom and the elevators too!:P ... it was really cool tho... it had absolutely everything!!! including a little shopping street-like thoroughfare... I kept calling it vegas on a ship... Our days at sea were sooo great and involved me alternatively lying on a deck chair reading, and swimming in the ocean-fed pool... the nightlife was pretty good too, especially 'cause there was a rediculously large ammount of ppl my age onboard... our land days were equally great w/ hiking in San Maarten, snorkling and sightseeing in St Thomas, off roading in Aruba, and shopping/sightseeing and snorkling in Curacao... aww man, snorkling is awesome!!! I'd never done it before, and I panic if I'm wearing the mask above water, but once you're in there, it's absolutely amazing!!! I totally loved it!
I swear, falling asleep to the rhythm of the waves is absolutely one of the most relaxing things in the world... it was really great too 'cause the only rough day was New Year's Eve... there was a storm and the ship was rocking like crazy, but it was sooo much FUN!!!

So anyways, I came back from that with a killer tan... and a much more relaxed and happier attitude (which I'd somehow lost at some point this year, though no one seemed to noticed) ... winter funness continued on... Gillian and I spent quite a few Friday nights skating w/ppl at the rink and Ju and I had sooo many movie nights... Exams went pretty well.... and, OMG! we had sooo much fun dragging the guys out to go skiing on one of our free days!!! It was sooo great!!! there ended up being like 8 of us... *shakes head* we totally need to do that again next year!!!... aw man... and then there was March Break... which was late this year... I can't believe the snow actually stayed!!! I was sooo excited! I spent the first half of the break skiing up at blue mountain w/my cousins (not exactly the rockies but, hey, skiing is skiing) ... we had an awesome time skiing uncut trails through the trees and doing a natural half pipe... until we got cought and "warned" *looks innocent* really, there weren't any barriers!... so what if the trees were nearly impassible??? lol... it was all good tho... 'cause the "W"s written on my cousins' passes were very, very easy to rub off... but, yeah... so I basically spent most of the week crashing into trees and going over insane jumps... (on a hamstring with partially torn muscle fibre - which is a painful fact that I'm still trying to ignore :P) ...

OMG!!! how could I have forgotten!!! I finally got my G2... and I'm legally allowed to drive anywhere, anytime... and guess what came with that lovely little piece of plastic???... keys to a brand new 2005 Mazda3 GS model sedan!!!!... oooh, how I love my baby... and how I'd love her even more if I had money for gas *looks pleadingly toward mother* but, no, it's all good... after all, I have a car!!!.... scary ain't it?

... hmmm let's see... I don't know that I have any other news... oh... I went to the Kiwanis Dance Festival w/Jazzworks (Woburn's Jazz dance team) and we got a silver... we lost the gold by 1% 'cause we were wearing hats *pouts*... but it was still a pretty cool experience... ... and oooh... lol... I'm now known around the school as "that ditzy cheerleader"... for my role in my schools "Spirit Week" Assembly... man, was that skirt ever short! I totally LOVE acting that stupid... it's so fun and liberating!!! ... I'm soo glad that I didn't overload the make up tho!!! ...I went downtown right afterwards to rock climb...

... and yeah.. I think that's about it... good thing too... I really do need to write that essay!
Luv, The ever-so-loveable (not :P)
Ally

P.S. I'm going to Queens again!!!! yay!!! This year I'm taking Bio of Human Behaviour, which should be awesome... I hope its as good as Archeology was last year... and the all night "sleepovers" should be fun... man... I wish everyone were going back.... it's soooo great... I totally can't wait!!!

P.P.S. I saw "Wicked" last week... it is sooo amazingly awesome!!! I don't think I can stress how good it was!!!

...

... yeah... so... I really haven't blogged in a while... and to be honest, I really don't know what to say... but the site's been looking rather lost and forlorn lately, so I thought I'd liven it up...

...in any case... Happy (belated) Birthday - both to me and to the blog... and um... yeah... that's about it... no wonder I never blog anymore...
... anyways, I should be off to finish an english project ... ttfn.

Ally

... long time no blog...

wow... it's been quite a while... six whole months... well ok, minus a week if I want to be exact...

... yeah, so... I honnestly don't even know where to start... sooo much has happened... yet nothing has changed... ... ... where to start... let's see... I survived grade 10... did amazingly on the exams I didn't study for and not so well on those I did study for - lesson learnt there: don't study, go out and play. ... Recital was awesome... I danced well... did crapily at the rehersals though...
...I was off in Greece and Italy for a month, which was just awesome... met lot's of people... desprately missed dance and trapeze= started to go insane... I have no Idea how I survived going to bed between 1 & 2:30 every night and waking up at 6:30 every morning... I do know, however, that I don't think I'll ever be able to do it again... NOTE: Baklava and Gelato are so not healthy for you... Especially if you're having it Twice a day... but damn, it just tastes Sooooo good!!! classes on the beach we're amazing, the scenery and ruins were surreal and breathtaking & the people were great... all in all it was a very fun experience...
... eventually though, I got home... and it felt like I never left Italy... it was off the plane, and straight to my grandmother's house - where all my Italian relatives were speaking Italian and eating Italian food... it was just a little unnerving...
... I got a nice week at home before Marc came up from Florida... damn you for leaving us Marc, We Miss You!!! Spending the week with Marc and Em and Jess and never seeing my house was Crazy-Fun but it went by wayyy too fast... the zoo-walking downtown-shopping for "Canadian stuff"-bubble tea & Smothies!!! DAMMIT MARC! Get back up here!!! lol
... After sending Marc back to Florida in time for the Hurricane, My mom and I were off to Boston and Cape Cod... can we say Shopping Spree?!?!... anyways... Cheers has amazing burgers and Boston is an amazing city... Havard's pretty cool... I think I might like to go there... sooo much desert though... and seafood... I love seafood... but... it was just... wow... Cape Cod was pretty cool, Martha's Vinyard and Nantucket... and the History of the entire area.... oooh... and Province Town... p-town was cool... they had some of the best t-shirt slogans there... Salem was awsome too... ... I ended up missing the Unique performance again this year... and by one planeflight too... argh!...
... The next thing on my summer list was four days straight of inclass driving lessons... not exactly my idea of fun... but they were actually a lot better than I expected, and the people were pretty cool... walking the 2 miles to get there and the 2 miles home also helped me fit back into my pants... honestly... I got home this summer and coouldn't fit into my pants... which everyone seemed to find absolutely hysterical (ok, fine so it was a lil' funny :P)... and my mother... you know what she said??? "Don't worry Ally, you get fatter every summer!"... in a happy, peppy bright voice too!!!... lol... I couldn't tell whether she was trying to cheer me up, or just trying not to jump up and down gleefully!... anyways... I now fit back into my clothes... with no thanks to all the laughing people :P - yes you know that's directed at you...
... anyways... I got a brake between the driving and "real" school with a one day trip up to the cottage... I mean, really... who goes to the cottage for ONE day??? ... well, appart from me. Anyways... it was awesome 'cause all of the familly was up there and we had four tubes behind the boat... the water was really rough though... and I must have fallen out atleast 10 times in the 4 hours we were out there... 10, compared to last years 1!... I had sooo much trouble getting back into the tube too... I hadn't realised just how weak I'd gotten w/out either Dance or Flying to keep me in shape... anyways It was lot's o fun, and I persuaded Matt to make me a bonfire again this year - mmmmmmm burnt marshmallows... they always taste best that way!!!... I just don't understand the people who ge me to make them golden brown.
... so yeah... I think that pretty much sums up my summer...

OMG!!! Queens!!! how could I have forgotten Queens... that was in May though, but still! it was Absolutely Awesome!!! We totally need to find a way to do it again this year!!! ... there are enough of us! we should totally just get our own bus!!! lol...

... so yeah... now... it's Gr11... crud, I'm starting to feel old... it's soo weird to be a senior... it just doesn't feel right... anyways... this year's schedule is Day 1: Physics w/Winfield, Hist-16th cent w/Dick, Drama w/Bignell & English w/Billinghurst, Day 2: Bio w/Rooney, French w/Kachur, Chem w/Russell & Math w/ Moliotsias... so yeah... I'm pretty happy w/ my teachers... the first actual day of school was awesome too... Mrs. Mo and Mrs. B arranged an all day - never-have-to-see-the-school, field trip downtown to see Hamlet- which was actually pretty good, and lot's and lot's of fun... gotta love great teachers... they were awesome to have at Queens too...

...anyways... it's been pretty good... I'm soooo glad to have started dance again!!! I was honnestly going insane without it... I don't know how I'd survive if I couldn't do it... I missed everyone over the summer too ... you guys are awesome!!! and I hate that this is the "beggining of the end" (Shannon's quote) ... it won't be the same without you!!!... we totally have to savour this year... and soo many ppl have left already ...On a brighter note... this year's ballet is awesome... if a little painful... (that adoge was killer... I soo cannot hold my leg in the air for 5mins...) ... Jazz is amazing!!!... I love the exam work... hopefully we'll be ready... It feels soo wierd to only have four classes, I really hope we get lyrical as well... I'm actually really surprised that my body's still alive... My knee's are killing me now though... oddly enough that didn't start until after I'd seen the orthopedic specialist this afternoon... ugh, somedays I just don't understand my body ...onto another thing I've missed immensly - Flying!!! I went down to the open friday last week and I was sooo happy to be back up there! I'm gonna start classes every wednesday and I just can't wait... I'd really love to learn arial, but the only level one classes they have also include acrobatics, and while I'd love to learn I'm not sure how my body would take it...

The Lovably-Insane... or, as was written on my Classical Civ report card: the "Burdensomely Inquisitive",
Ally

... "Yay" With The Non-Postage...

Uh... yeah... so... I haven't blogged in a while... um... funny... lot's has happened... I just can't be bothered to blog... in any case Happy very belated b-day to 'Livia... happy also belated b-day to my cousin Sarah-Beth... another happy belated B-day... this one to Sam... and last but not least... Happy Belated Birthday to... ALLY!!!...yay!!!... talk about frightening... I am now legally allowed to drive... me! - who can't see over the dashboard... ah well... funfun... the G1 test was absolutely and ridiculously easy... pathetically so...

... In other news, my skiing has improved drastically... I am now capable of skiing double black diamond glades in the Canadian Rockies... woohoo! go me!!!... my cousins and I skied them all week... I do not, however, even pretend to look good while skiing them... but hey... at least I can do them decently enough... *sigh*... what to say, what to say... my march break was awesome... I don't know how it couldn't be seeing as how my b-day pressie was a week long ski trip with my twin cousins to Panorama... *shakes head*... the skiing was sooo great... even if the locals found it a bit icy... meh... I hate powder anyways... though I have to admit... skiing Taynton Bowl (the powder bowl at Panorama) was fun...

... I don't think that there's much else to say... oh, wait... I got a Commended (70-80%) on my gr4 Jazz exam... yay... go me... I would have much preferred something higher... but seeing as how I had a sinus infection, an ear infection and absolutely no sense of balance - as in I actually fell over at one point and had a hell of a time turning... I'm very surprised that I even did that well... I personally thought I danced horribly... compared to how I usually dance anyways... and that I deserved a much lower mark... meh... whatever... the old CDTA Elementary jazz syllabus that we're doing now is deadly... extremely fun... but deadly all the same...

... Oh, yes... I know what else I forgot to mention... the Sunday I got back, Em tried to throw me a surprise party... I say tried because I've known about it almost as long as she has... well not known... suspected... but not really... just sort of... oh I don't think I can explain it... meh... anyways... as much as I hate birthday parties, or any party thrown in my honour, I had fun... I much prefer hosting the party... so long as it's not at my house... anyhow... in some ways it still turned out to be a surprise... Kimmerz was there, YAY!!!... that was a totally unexpected and delightful surprise...
yeah so... as far as big things in Ally's life go... I think the blog is pretty much up to date...