It's that time of year again: the end. If I had to describe this year in just one word, I'd probably pick "dramatic". So many unexpected things happened - some good, some bad - and I'm still trying to figure things out, but I won't get into that.
2009 sounds like a good time to start anew, this year, instead of coming up with a long list (since I already have one here) of resolutions, I'm just going to state the two that I feel I've been trying to achieve during all of 2008 and put them here.

1. Smile more - apparently my mouth is in a perma-frown according to everyone I know (especially my mother). I guess I'll just have to do whatever it takes to be a little more fake. ;)

2. Become less shy - this has been a huge problem since... when I was about 8. Before that, I was probably the most outgoing kid in my class.

So 2009, here I come! And you'd better not ruin my plans.

And since this is an end-of-the-year post, I feel obliged to be cheesy and leave you with two quotes. Just remember, even though:

“Into each life some rain must fall, some days must be dark and dreary.” - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

...

"No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn." - Hal Borland

Dear Ministry Of Health,

First of all, let me just say that you've been good the past few years (because I haven't had to go to the doctor's much). You provide Canadians with health care, and for that, I thank you.

However, renewing a health card shouldn't take any longer than ten minutes in the capable hands of your staff, right? Apparently not, since I had to wait an hour and a half OUTSIDE in the cold this morning because your stupid services didn't hire enough people to take care of this city. Not to mention that the competent people you did hire were utterly rude. That security lady told me to go stand somewhere else every damn time I finally found a new place to stand(because she told me to). Right, like the people that are here to renew their health cards are going to plot a mass murder.

I don't mind standing since there were a lot of people, but DON'T tell me to go sit somewhere else IF THERE AREN'T SEATS LEFT. About that too, get a room that's bigger than my bedroom, fill it with chairs so that the citizens can wait in THERE instead of freezing their asses off outside.

My feet are completely numb now thanks to you, and I'm pretty sure I got a cold. In any case, please mail me my new card soon in case I have an "emergency".

Because loud and crazy ones are the worst. It all started with my dad inviting one of his university buddies (whom he hasn't talked to in about 20 years) over to our family Christmas dinner.

Dad: ZOMG I went to university with you, we should totally hang out again.

Friend: Hokay! And I'll bring my kids along! My son just came back from Australia, he's studying dentistry so he can talk to your daughter alllll about university! And my other kid's just cute.

Dad: Sweet, even more people to share their university experiences with my daughter! She'll be so thrilled!1!!one
(Of course they didn't use hip words such as "hokay" and "ZOMG")

This wouldn't have happened if they still lived far away, but hey, they just happened to have moved into our area! Why is it that people insist on moving close to their friends? Don't they know that absence makes the heart grow fonder?

So for most of the night, I had to listen to how university "was a blast because, LIKE, we get smashed, LIKE, every single day. And dentistry? Psshh, such a joke blah blah..." while the other kid, who is the exact definition of a tyrant, ordered and punched us around. That little girl is going to grow up to be such a manipulative brat (not that she isn't one already, but she'll have plenty time to master the craft of manipulation). You'd think that any person with common sense would know NOT TO HIT THEIR HOST. But err, no, her parents obviously didn't teach her that.

Sure, honey, you can totally punch the older kids and tug them around like they're your slaves.

I don't give a crap that she's only 8; this might be old-fashioned, but when I was eight, I sat quietly and did what I was TOLD. Sure, I goofed around in my parent's house, but never at anyone else's because that's just plain RUDE.

Oy, and we got invited to their New Year's party...

I didn't ask for anything this Christmas, so I wasn't really expecting anything. But as usual, the great people around me continue to surprise me by getting me stuff. Good stuff. REALLY good stuff.

*Note: these lists are not in order of awesomeness, but in order of what-Regina-can-remember-off-the-top-of-her-head*

Stuff I've gotten:

1. Money - always good.

2. Chocolate - I don't really like chocolate, but they make great nomz when friends come over. We always have way too much chocolate in the house.

3. An apron - I actually don't know which one of my aunts gave this to me... but THANK YOU.

4. Awesomeness in a nutshell - no, they're not photos. (Oh, and I didn't get a real piano - I already have one of those - but a friend made these on 3DS for me and I just think they're awesome)

5. A pair of boots - so prettyful, unfortunately I can't take photos right now since my batteries are dead and need to be recharged.

6. A vase - I'm pretty sure this is from the same person who gave me the apron (since they were in the same bag), this was quite possibly the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life. Whoever it was obviously didn't know that I usually hate anything pink.

7. A crapload of makeup.

8. More chocolate - Ehh... :\

9. More money - :D :D

Stuff I haven't gotten yet but know I will soon

1. Jason Mraz CD - ME WANTS SOON.

2. A purple sweater vest - yes, I am cool. And a dork, but we don't need to go into that.

So how were your Christmases and what did y'all get?!

That's the view from an upstairs window, it looks like it's going to be a white Christmas here, though that's hardly shocking considering where I live.

I don't really know what to say since everyone else's Christmas posts pretty much covered everything already. Be grateful for your family and friends, enjoy your holiday... that kind of stuff. So I guess I'm just going to go on a wild spiel that's not headed in any direction whatsoever.

For the past few years, whenever people asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I would always shrug and mumble "I don't know". Because, really. I didn't know what I could possibly want that I didn't have already. Sometimes I'd say "peace on earth and equal rights for unicorns," (they ARE real dammit!) just to make things more interesting. Of course that always made me seem crazier than I actually am. Come on, world peace?

Sure, that can happen, if one day humans beings miraculously stopped being greedy and power-hungry... and that's where the magic of Christmas comes in. *spirit fingers* Christmas is the only time of year when differences are forgotten and human compassion is recognized. For example, the Christmas Truce of 1914 - oh, wait, that was completely strategic for both sides so they could better their defences and spy on the other side without getting killed. Err...how did this post get so depressing all of a sudden?

But in all seriousness, due to my usual happiness fail, I'll just shut up now and wish everyone a safe and happy holiday. Merry Christmas, happy Hannukah, and happy whatever-else-is-celebrated-at-this-time-of-year. This is going to sound so corny, but whatever you do, be safe!

Now I'm off to panic because my turkey is still a huge solid lump of ice that doesn't seem to want to defrost at all.

Not for presents though. Christmas shopping for food (or nomz as some like to call it) and cutlery for around 30 people.

See, this year is a bit different because it's the first year that the family Christmas get-together will be at my parents' house. In reality, my parents don't technically "celebrate" Christmas (heck, we don't even exchange presents, because you know, that's the true meaning of Christmas nowadays). However, my mom and I spent about 5 hours buying food and utensils yesterday to prepare for the event. As much as I love to spend time with my mom, 5 hours in a grocery store was not how I wanted to spend my day.

...and those 5 hours could have easily been cut down to 3, if she didn't stroll through every single aisle, look at every single item in the aisles, and ask me "What does this do?" every five seconds.

Of course, what's an American Christmas dinner without the turkey and roast beef? (Or is that Thanksgiving?) This will be our my first time trying to make those two things, so I guess I should apologize to my aunts and uncles in advance.

Anyways, I hope everyone's having a good holiday so far. As much as I am being a bitch about this, I honestly think I will get some good laughs out of this whole experience.

So, what are your plans for the holiday season? :)

...compiled by her oh-so-amazing friends. The age has been purposefully left blank because it is still unknown when I will be able to finish these tasks. It was originally supposed to be 17, but I doubt that's going to happen.

Don't let anything shock you; I've had a pretty deprived childhood.

1. Eat herring
2. Watch a bit of The Brady Bunch
3. Eat a pancake December 29, 2008
4. Go camping
5. Play tennis or squash
6. Rake leaves
7. Eat a cabbage roll
8. Go fishing
9. Watch LOTRs
10. Go go-carting
11. Go bowling December 6, 2008
12. Play DDR
13. Watch an assortment of classic Disney movies or other movies deemed necessary by friends (within reason of course)
14. Archery
15. Go Christmas carolling
16. Watch 1 episode of Star Wars*
17. Watch The Fiddler On The Roof

*I am totally being forced to do this.

It took less than 4 minutes for George Stinney to to die after his execution had begun on June 16th, 1944. He was a fourteen-year-old boy, and the youngest to be executed in the United States in the 20th century.

His crime? Being black in a society dominated by white men.

George Stinney was accused of murdering two white girls, Betty June Binnicker and Mary Thames in South Carolina with no real evidence at all. He was interrogated by several white officers for several hours before the deputy announced that he confessed to the murders.

The trial took place on April 24 at the Clarendon County Courthouse. Closing arguments ended at 4:30pm, and the jury deliberated for 10 minutes before returning with a guilty verdict and no recommendation for mercy. There was also no appeal since Stinney's family had no money for a continuation.

There is hardly any evidence to support this verdict; Stinney died an utterly unjust and atrocious death.

Words are not enough to express how I feel right now... it's a mixture of depression, rage, sadness, and every other negative emotion all combined in one big fiery ball.

It took George Stinney less than 4 minutes to die, but how long is it going to take to achieve equality in the world we live in?

This song sums up the current situation perfectly.

Don't those two words look similar? Okay, I get it, I should be locked up. But this post is actually related to ovations.
Today the band dorks (including myself of course) walked over to a middle school to perform for them at 8:30 in the morning.

Pros:
1. Performing = awesome.
2. Performing for kids = crazy.
3. Kids performing for kids = crazy awesome.
4. Hanging out with fellow band dorks.
5. Ovations even though we sucked.
6. Missing the first two classes.

Cons:
1. Performing for kids that you tutor at Kumon = not so awesome...grade 7 boys are the worst.
2. Walking to the school on slippery ice the entire way there and back = horrifying.
3. Having to wear dress clothes all day while people stare at you like you're a tool.
4. Missing the first two classes - especially math.

So all in all I'd say it was a pretty good day.

How would you compare a person to a moth? It's like comparing a pencil to a toaster, or... or... Twilight to Harry Potter, it just can't be done!

Of course, my English teacher thinks it's perfectly normal to make us compare the moth in Virgina Woolf's Death Of A Moth to another tragic hero. Then again, she also thinks we, the students in the enhanced class, are a bunch of robots who never run out of energy and can complete a poetry annotation, a formal essay, and an oral presentation all at the same time. News flash: We need to sleep and eat like regular people! In fact, we ARE regular people (well, most of us...)! "Enhanced" is just another term for "Those kids have weird brains and need to be isolated for the wellbeing of others!"

So here's my to-do list for tonight
1. Finish annotating my poem.
2. Finish at least one paragraph in my essay (that's right, I don't plan them, but I probably should...)
3. Start annotating a review for the poem I picked.
4. Make notes on stem cell research.

...and if that doesn't work out:
5. Move to a foreign country.

...and if THAT doesn't work:
6. Slam my head against the wall and hope I get a concussion.

I think I'm going to go listen to some Mozart... Symphony No. 25 it is!