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monkeycootieshttp://monkeycooties.comHi, I am Ashley. I’m twenty-two-bajillion years young, and I am studying Political Science at Athabasca University. I fall in love with ideas and do too many things at once. As a result of this detail, I have learned the difficult lessons that time is short. I love volunteering the little time I do have in between working and studying. My favorite place to hang out is the Internet, and I have experience as a volunteer Administrator/Moderator/Social-Media-Chick/Everything-in-between for a couple of top-notch fan sites. I also love gaming and comic books. In the offline world I like Canadian Snow, watching movies, making sarcastic comments about movies, and Politics. It’s my goal to one day combine everything I love about the Internet with Real Life, and hopefully they will mix well and make some awesome brownies. The two-bite kind would be great. I have many hats due to the cold winters in Canada, most of them feature animals of some sort as we need to keep things creative for fun (we don’t socialize much in the cold winter months, we hibernate). I love to get to know people. Let’s chat and grab a coffee. That would be cool. Unless you hate Canadian Winters, at that rate you may want to be a friend from afar.

Funny how things change

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Welcome to the year 2013, summer edition.

Life took a dramatic swing in January when I was officially accepted to Trent University’s Politics program.

((Which, by the way, I can’t explain to you how awesome that sounds. ))

This also means that life turned into prep, work, and the odd outside activity. Working five days a week has been working out fairly well. I love my employer & co-workers, and I hope to continue to work there during the school year.

At the moment, I can’t officially register for any courses. I have to take Politics 1000 (which focuses on democracy and power), and also considering: indigenous studies 1000 (which is a study on the culture & history and how it relates to now), international development 1000 (which is focused on world poverty & why/how it happened), history 1400 (history of globalization), Philosophy 1100 (general philosophy intro), and Canadian studies (most likely canada & globalization).

If I get the lecture & seminar times I would like, I will only have to travel to campus three days a week. That would be excellent. All in all, this year is shaping up to be rather great… Now if only I had the motivation to update this blog. ;)

University, life, and the sleep deprived.

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Ok – so my life has gone whirling by very quickly this past week.

I am so freaking tired. Work was fun, crazy, challenging, interesting (except for the two days if bad weather = slower day).

The biggest day of excitement happened on Thursday. After spending the whole day at work, coming home dead-beat tired.. I sit down before dinner & check my email (which I generally do not do). And I freak out. I see the email from admissions (which I was not expecting).

Oh. My. Word.

I’m heading to University this fall. Beyond excited. Beyond happy. Way over the moon. I am going back to school, full time, at my #1 pick in the program I wanted.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Pure happiness. I know it will be a lot of work, this summer will be a lot of work, and it will be a long four (ish) years. But I am so unbelievably happy right now.

Sunday was fun because I had the opportunity to start sharing my news in person. But it also came with that wall.. The wall which comes after big life changes are on the horizon, and life starts to demand a lot more from me. Am I the only one who wants to hide in bed & sleep forever after these cool announcements? It’s just too much excitement and anticipation and emotions and stuff.

So yes. I’m tired. But I am so happy & at peace with what this year will bring.

Paper Towns: Thoughts & Musings

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I once heard it said that Paper Towns was not *as good* as TFiOS or Looking for Alaska, because it doesn’t hold the same level of raw emotion in the characters journey and story plot.

So, I’m in love with this book for these reasons:

1.) Because it brought to light the emotions I have with this idea of “moving on” with my life.

2.) I struggle with leaving specific things of life behind, and moving forward to meeting new people and experiencing new things. Because I haven’t had the experience of living in one place until my teen/young adult years.

3.) Because it made me realize that I really can’t change people, and I try to do that too often.

Continue reading →

One heckuva week(end).

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Life got really busy, really fast. It seems to like to do that at strange (and what will often be the worst opportunity) times during the year. This past week has been one of those ‘times.’

….But look at all the stuff I got done!

1.) I toured the campus of the University I have been leaning towards applying to.

2.) Applied to said University.

3.) Finished my Political Science foundation class at Athabasca (submitted my research paper AND wrote the final).

4.) Went shopping for pretty clothes to wear to my cousin’s wedding.

5.) Went to said wedding.

Can I just say that growing up is weird. I haven’t seen my two cousins in a decade (or their parents). We grew up spending a lot of time together and have very fond memories of each other… but it was odd being at such a momentous event after such a long time being apart. I thought it would be more awkward and strange, but we picked everything up like there was no decade of “not-really-talking-except-a-phone-call-at-Christmas” type communication.

I’m just so thrilled right now with all this stuff done & family business. Reconnecting with them both was amazing, and so very exciting. Getting my exam & papers done is exciting. And I am cautions, but also excited, for the prospect of going to an actual campus full-time this September.

I wonder what February will bring?

Another fresh n…

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Another fresh new year is here,
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!
This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest.
To daily grow and try to be,
My highest and my best!
I have the opportunity,
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!

- William Arthur Ward