Back from Europe

Granny and I landed at Edmonton International Airport on Thanksgiving Monday (October 12) at about 17:00.

The flight back home was not uneventful! Starting with the morning: I got a ticket to Ryde (and she don't care!). OK, we got tickets to Ryde. The ferry was basic, uneventful. We did get to the other side earlier than we thought, so we had to wait for the taxi. As it turns out, the taxi was already there! But we had no idea! (Yayyy!) We were only 15 minutes early, so it wasn't a horribly long wait. We eventually found our driver and car and proceeded to Heathrow.

Side note: I now consider Heathrow a city all on its own.

The cue for Air Canada was wonderfully short. Our baggage was checked without a problem. We had plans to see a relative of ours (Granny's' nephew, Moms' cousin, I don't feel like working out his relation to me) at Heathrow. Our gate hadn't been announced yet, so we would have to check the screens after we had gone through security.

Since the cue was short, we had about 30 minutes to spare. We explored Heathrow (a bit). I found the Internet section :) This is where my "idiot tourist" role paid off: I couldn't figure out how to use the computers, so I just looked blankly at a machine. A young woman got my attention and told me she had five minutes left on the computer she was using and offered it to me. I happily accepted. I had my five minutes on the web and I was good to go.

We then met Paul then had lunch at a small restaurant within the terminal. This is one of two potential places I had bad food. Rawr. The cannelloni was really good and I did scarf it down. We talked for about one hour, 30 minutes then said our goodbyes. Especially since you really have no idea how long it will take you to get through security. We made it through security within 10 minutes, haha!

But then comes the exciting part of Heathrow - the shopping! Actually, it was productive. Granny found a perfume that she hadn't been able to find for 30 years. She indulged. I found a Beatles alarm clock; I indulged. By that time, the gate for our flight was announced so we headed down to Gate 28. We were both so happy it rhymed, it was so much easier to remember.

Gate 28 was found and we boarded our plane, nothing spectacular or note-worthy.

This was, very possibly, the most uncomfortable plane ride I will ever have in my entire life. We were given our airplane food, which I also scarfed down. Minus the couscous but only because it was cold. I did eat the feta cheese (maybe that was the culprit). But whatever was ingested during that meal was potential cause no. 2 of 2 for my indigestion.

About 15-20 minutes after eating that meal, I felt the pain in my stomach start to develop. It was just the beginning. The pain from the indigestion was so painful, much more so because I knew I would be 35, 000 feet in the air for the next eight hours. After "toughing it out" for a few hours, I finally decided to mention something. Granny was great - she had the flight attendant bring me some ginger ale. When she brought it to me, she also offered some Gravol. The combination of these two god-sents were my saving grace. First of all, the ginger ale helped to settle my stomach. Second, the Gravol knocked me out for a few hours. Woot woot!

The rest of the flight was okay. Which was a big improvement since the first part of the flight was torture. Yes, I am being a drama queen. I was tired and I was uncomfortable. The feelings linger.

The landing was smooth. Canadian landings are great - all the landings have been flawless. We got through customs easily, no problems there.

The problem was with the luggage: Granny's luggage didn't make it to Edmonton! Thankfully, mine did, phew! She had to file a claim. All this time, of course, Mom and Dad were wondering why we were taking so long. We made it through, and all was well in Narnia.

I so very happy to be back home, in a one-terminal airport. I was even happier to be back at my little basement suite, cozy and warm. Sigh.

Thirteen Things That Don't Make Sense: The most baffling scientific mysteries of our time by Michael Brooks

The Most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds the most discoveries, is not "Eureka!" but "That's funny..." - Issac Asimov

Who's it for:
For the science-geeks and science-geek wanna-be's (like me). And for the people who like random information.

Chapters:
1. The Missing Universe:
We can only account for 4 percent of the cosmos

2. The Pioneer Anomaly:
Two spacecraft are flouting the laws of physics

3. Varying Constants:
Destabilizing our view of the universe

4. Cold Fusion:
Nuclear energy without the drama

5. Life:
Are you more than just a bag of chemicals?

6. Viking:
NASA scientists found evidence for life on Mars. Then they changed their minds.

7. The Wow! Signal:
Has ET already been in touch?

8. A Giant Virus:
It's a freak that could rewrite the story of life

9. Death:
Evolution's problem with self-destruction

10. Sex:
There are better ways to reproduce

11. Free Will:
Your decisions are not your own

12. The Placebo Effect:
Who's being deceived?

13. Homeopathy:
It's patently absurd, so why won't it go away?


What I like about this book:
It's well written: clear and thorough. It doesn't jump from unrelated topic to unrelated topic within each chapter. And each chapter flows right into the next. Because I can understand it, I feel smart while reading it. The random facts and information that this book will expose you to with such clarity makes it a rare find.

The Official Website of "Thirteen Things That Don't Make Sense"


Your Brain: A User's Guide - Time Magazine Special Edition

"Trying to map the brain has always been cartography for fools. Most of the other parts of the body reveal their workings with little more than a glance. The heart is self-evidently a pump; the lungs are clearly bellows. But the brain, which does more than any other organ, reveals least of all. The 3-lb lump of wrinkled tissue - with no moving parts, no joints or valves - not only serves as the motherboard for all the body's other systems but also is the seat of your mind, your thoughts, your sense that you exist at all. You have a liver, you have your limbs. You are your brain."

Who would enjoy this:
Everybody who is or ever has been curious about existence, the brain, the mind, addiction, disorders, etc.

Chapters:
1. Introduction
A galaxy of human experience lives inside your head

2. Five Paths To The Mind
There is no single route to understanding the brain, as centuries of study have shown.

3. Consciousness
Computers have no idea they're here. You do. What explains the ineffable sense?

4. Learning
Your brain starts outs hungry for knowledge and speands a lifetime satisfying its craving

5. Postcards from the Brain
Technology is allowing us to produce better and better pictures of the mind at work.

6. Disorders
It's a terrible thing when a mind breaks down, but there are ways to fix what ails it.

7. Maturing
Muscles and bones simply age, but the brain grows wiser and better with the years

8. The Face of Genius
We can't define what a genius is, but we know when we see it. A gallery of the greats.

9. Memory
Data storage seems unexciting until your own ability to recall things seems to go on the fritz.

10. Morality
We are the best of animals, and we are the worst. The brain drives us to be both.

11. The world within
Amateurs and pros have had their go at understanding the brain - for science and profit

12. Addiction
Even the brightest brains make terrible choices when chemistry hijacks reason

13. Healing

Doctors aren't the only ones who can make you well. Part of any cure may be within you



What I like about this book:
Technically, it's a special edition magazine, so it's a collection of articles from Time Magazine. Therefore, it's a quick read. And if you can read Time, you can read this. The great thing about it is the variety of the topics. And it covers nearly every topic. Uses visuals and charts & is in full color.

More info @ this site: Click Here
And this article: Click here


...More & better info to come :)

In seven days I will be going to Europe ... I can't refrain from doing the happy dance! *happy dance* !!!!

In seven days I will be going to Europe!

This is the dream vacation I never thought I'd be taking for years to come. Destinations I never thought I'd be invited to see!

I was talking to my grandma about four months ago. The discussions with her go everywhere: philosophy, dreams, history, future, present, languages, et al. At that point we were talking about traveling and where I would like to go. I have been studying and been fascinated by Roman history & mythology and Greek mythology for I-don’t-know-how-many years. At that point I had been studying about the Norse culture (and its complexities) because I was interested in my family's heritage (Scandinavian). I had a new destination in mind: the Scandinavian countries; the desire to experience the Mediterranean never left my heart.

The discussion I had with Granny traveled the same course as the above paragraph, but with more in-depth conversation about topics. [Some background information: my grandfather passed away in May 2008. Every family member had been preparing for his inevitable death for many years, especially my grandma and grandpa – they were beyond prepared. Anyway, he passed away in May ’08 and my grandma decided that she wanted to travel again – so she is!]. During our discussion she had said she always loved the Mediterranean and had been looking at cruises for us to go on before I went back to school. She wanted to bring me as her travel partner to Europe. Not only Europe, but to my dream: Rome & Greece. If there was any place I wanted to see the beauty of before the end of my days, it was always Rome.

But the tour doesn’t stop there! We are not going to just Rome & Greece. We are going to Rome, Pompeii, Bay of Naples, Sorrento, Capri, Brindisi, overnight cruise to Patras, then Olympia, Delphi (!!), and Athens! But the vacation doesn’t stop there: we will be flying to the United Kingdom and going to visit family on the Isle of Wight for two days before returning back to Canada.

We will be transferring in Toronto. I have never in my life departed on a plane to go east of Toronto (we always departed west, to go back home from visiting my grandparents). This will be, truly, the most memorable event of my life. It will be more memorable than a wedding, more memorable than having kids. This trip is something rare – something I only dreamed I could experience. I never thought those dreams could become a reality. But in seven days they will be a reality!

Just got this email from a friend

Natural Highs: Think about them one at a time before going on to the next one. It Does Make You Feel Good.

1. Falling in love

2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.

3. A hot shower.

4. No lines at the supermarket .

5. A special glance.

6. Getting mail.

7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.

8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.

9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.

10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.

11. Chocolate milkshake (or vanilla or strawberry).

12. A bubble bath.

13. Giggling.

15. The beach.

16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.

17. Laughing at yourself.

18. Looking into their eyes and knowing they Love you

19. Midnight phone calls that last for hours.

20. Running through sprinklers.

21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.

22. Having someone tell you that you're beautiful.

23. Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS

24. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.

25. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.

26. Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner).

27. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.

28. Playing with a new puppy.

29. Having someone play with your hair.

30. Sweet dreams.

31. Hot chocolate.

32. Road trips with friends.

33. Swinging on swings.

34. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.

35. Making chocolate chip cookies.

36. Having your friends send you homemade cookies.

37. Holding hands with someone you care about.

38. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.

39. Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you.

40. Watching the sunrise.

41. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.

42. Knowing that somebody misses you.

43. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.

44. Knowing you've done the right thing, no matter what other people think.

Holy hell, it's been a while

I've decided to add this to my site. The main reason is epic: I'm lazy. Really, that's the only reason O.o

I finally have the interwebs hooked up at my new apartment! Well, really it's a basement suite. But point is - I am hooked up to the internet again! I have a new reason to <3>

Learning Latin is coming along. I have a study buddy. Friend. (Pals are pals, friends are friends. Buddys sleep together). I have a study partner. So far I've learned how to saw "I love cheese" in Latin: caseus amo. Pretty awesome! And I have finished Chapter Two of my self-teaching text - and I even passed the quiz (without cheating) at the end of the chapter!


Things I've learned thus far:
caseus amo - I love cheese
i.e. - id est - "that is"
e.g. - exempli gratia - for the sake of example
et al. - et alia - and the others



There are a lot of other things, like verb conjugations, noun declensions, perfect present verb endings, imperfect present tense verb endings, etc. It's all good.


Telus has 30 minutes to show up.