Love: Keep Calm and Colour On

   Top of the morning to you dear readers! (My mom loved it when I posted that greeting in a past post so this is a tribute to her so that she can start off her day on a good note). On my last love post, I had asked a few good questions, one of which I had answered back then, but this morning I thought of answering another one. What is my favorite colour? Well at the moment, I'm torn between red, purple and blue; but if I had to choose, I think I'd have to go with blue. As you grow up, your tastes keep changing, and as a kid you basically had a new favorite colour every week, but if I look back, the colour blue was always in the group of my favorites as I named them off. For a long time, I loved the colours orange, green and blue (notice how blue is still here), and then it was yellow (my mother's favorite), green (my father's favorite) and blue (which is apparently my favorite).
   So it's not just the colour that makes me happy, but actually colouring once in a while seems to reboot my entire system if I'm feeling tired. When my mother and I go camping, she needs to colour once or twice during our trip as a kind of way to unwind. Just last year in residence, I had such a great time colouring a selection of Disney princesses that I covered my whole bedroom door with the drawings. It's one of those things that it doesn't matter how old you are, or how mature you pretend to be; colouring is a universal, ageless thing.
   And with that, colours also have certain characteristics associated with them, and are supposed to determine how we feel at a certain moment, (just think of the use of a mood ring). When I looked up colour charts, I feel that my favorite colours now, and those I liked in the past were well suited for me. Why not check it out yourself with the picture?
   So whether you're feeling yellow today, of might be pinkish tomorrow, just remember what Anna Wintour said: "Create your own style... let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others".

 

K.P.H.

Laughter: Kick Start Your Morning Giggle

   Good morning dear readers, I hope you all got the chance to sleep well. I am trying to switch things a little bit in regards to my blog when it comes to its content. I love writing posts that describe certain things that I enjoy and that make me happy, but this morning instead of posting a clip of a comedian I like, I thought it might be fun posting a few jokes and pictures to kick start your morning giggle.

Q: A man rode in to town on Tuesday, and left two days later on Tuesday. How so?
A: His horse is named Tuesday!

Q: What are two things you wouldn’t eat after waking up?
A: Lunch and dinner.

Q: What did zero say to eight?
A: Nice belt!

Q: Which is the most curious letter?
A: Y?

 

 



K.P.H.

Love: Disney Desire

   A tip of the hat to you all on this fine Wednesday morning. I figured that since I talked a lot about various things I liked in the "love" category, I've been avoiding some of the most popular questions such as: "what's my favorite color", "what's my favorite meal" and "what's my favorite movie". Well I will attempt to answer one of those today, (and hinting at the title, I'm confident that you can figure out which question will be answered).
   "Hi my name is K, and I'm addicted to Disney", should suffice for the whole entry, but I thought I'd elaborate a little. In one of my older posts, I had sung a song about fairy tales and make believe, and in that song, I had mentioned three of my favorite Disney movies of all time. I will be revisiting the idea of Disney movies more than once (I can assure you that), but for today, I will only concentrate on one.
   The first Disney movie, or I should say Disney princes that became my favorite was Jasmine from 'Aladdin'. There was something about a far away country, with exotic colors and music that intrigued me. I thought that Jasmine was just absolutely stunning, and the fact she was the first princess that fell in love with an ordinary boy, who WASN'T a prince was just absolutely a beautiful thought for me. Sure 'Beauty and the Beast' was released before that, and I'm not trying to take anything away from the story because I love that one too, but even though Belle fell in love with the beast, and she saw the inner beauty of Prince Adam (or the Beast), he was still a prince in his name. Jasmine was and is a strong role model because though she was stubborn, she didn't let herself be pushed around; she was independent and sought out her own future instead of succumbing to the social norm and being married off into an unhappy life. She breaks down the walls of social class and marries a man who's pure of heart and of good intention. What makes the movie 'Aladdin' so good, is that there is not only one of them, but three!!! There were even short television episodes that were created later on to add on to the stories. 
   So even though some people may argue that Disney gives people unrealistic expectation about life and love (I see more an unrealistic approach to my hair) but, I can easily comment that most movies in Hollywood do just that. Just look at all the movies based on a Nicholas Sparks novel; it's a great, sappy, corny movie, but in what way is that a true portrayal of love? You might as well watch a movie that can offer you the same but you can at least imagine yourself as being a princess instead. (I should mention that I'm not much of a fan when it comes to Nicholas Sparks for those of you who didn't catch on).
   So whether you're on board the Disney train, or simply watch to make you friends happy, enjoy the ride of wonder and possibilities as you travel through various enchanting lands and time periods. You never know what could happen; they don't call it Disney magic for nothing.

K.P.H.

Literature: Writer-in-Residence

   'Morning dear readers, I hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday, and if you didn't, today's your chance to try again. Today I've decided to talk about an incredible service that's offered at my university and that I've only found out about it this year. It's called the Writer-in-Residence program. What is it you might ask? It is when a known author stays on campus for the entire semester and gives feedback to aspiring authors!!!!
   The university has had authors such as Jane Urquhart and Irving Layton be their Writer-in-Residence in past years and this year, we are happy to welcome Nancy Richler to our campus. I had the privilege to go to her public reading yesterday and not only hear her own stories recited in the ways she had intended them to sound like, but also to have her explain the meanings behind certain aspects of her books. She is the author of "Throwaway Angels", "Your Mouth is Lovely" and "The Imposter Bride". I am definitely going to go purchase copies of the works after having heard her describe the setting and her characters.
   My university had also offered a Creative Writing class taught by a known author, but unfortunately, my schedule clashed with the time which rendered my unable to participate; however, this Writer-in-Residence program has given me the extra hope that I need to pursue my dream. Now I can bring some of my work in and get advice from someone who is already in the business and who is also quite familiar and loved by it.
   If you don't have these kinds of programs offered to you at your university or in your community, you can do your own research. If you want feedback or want to question authors on their crafts, contact them. Some of them, Nancy being one of them, actually answers you when you email or mail them questions. Go to public readings and book signings. Everything is there in the world to help you succeed; you simply need to build up the courage to reach out and seize the opportunities. Take a chance, but do the work as well because "opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." -- Thomas A. Edison

K.P.H.

Love: Mmmmmmmmmm!!!

   Good morning sunshine; it's a beautiful day! Is it not dearest readers? It is said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I think you might as well enjoy every meal of the day, no? Today's post is all about the wonders that make your taste buds go wild.
   Mine especially enjoy the menu at a little diner not too far from my house called Louis'. This family owned restaurant has a classic atmosphere and incredible customer service; you feel like part of the family when you eat there (it's not an Olive Garden, I promise). They've received awards for their food, and a television series even used their diner to film their show.
   If you ever have the chance to come visit and you're wondering where to eat for the night, stop into Louis' and feel free to try anything on the menu because pretty much everything is fantastic. My personal favorite is the pizza (I can never eat pizza anywhere else anymore after having theirs) and their wings (I can't even  describe how happy I get when I simply order them, let alone eat them). Do you remember the old commercial that kept asking its viewers: "What would you do for a Klondike bar?", I find myself asking: "What will it take for me to be able to go to Louis' for dinner?".
   Once you've chosen your main course, I would recommend a milkshake; either strawberry, vanilla or chocolate will do, (however my ultimate favorite is the strawberry) and make the sacrifice of bringing home leftovers so that you have enough room to eat dessert there too. You might be wondering, "well wasn't the milkshake a dessert?" Well maybe if this were normal circumstances but no they're not; you're eating at Louis' which makes this specific meal that much more important!
   For dessert, there are pieces of cream pie larger than I have ever seen before. I didn't know that the whipped topping could reach such a height (it defies the laws of gravity). When you go out to dinner, it is always a treat, so it's okay to indulge in the good things; and Louis' has them all.
   The lesson learned from this post dear readers is that life is too short to simply have a salad and drink water when you go out. If you want to be healthy, walk that extra mile and eat that kind of food at home, but never skip out on the good stuff because life won't wait for you to make up your mind, so you might as well order a piece of that pie while you make your decision.

K.P.H.

Laughter: Russell Makes Me Laugh

   Good morning my dear readers! This morning I thought I'd let you guys watch a little clip of another one of my favorite comedians instead of relating a funny story. I should give you guys a break every once in a while, right?
   One of the first laughter posts I introduced you to the comedian Gabriel Iglesias, so this morning I thought of taking another direction. This comedian might be a little more well known and he goes by the name of Russell Peters. Enjoy,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NluBtowQ20

K.P.H.

Love: Winter Wonderland

   Good early morning dear readers. I hope you all slept well last night; one must be well rested before even attempting to tackle on the things that life throws at us on a daily basis. There have been a few past mornings where I kept mentioning how cold it was, and how snowy, and how winter just loves to be temperamental here. But I must say that I actually really like winter. There something just so beautiful about it, no matter how it decides to make its mark on the world.
   There was a large ice storm that happened in Toronto just around Christmas time and it left many  people without power for weeks; it even brought down large trees and closed a numerous amounts of roads. The storm and its effects on people was absolutely horrible, but when we went to visit some relatives a week after it had happened, the scenery was just breathtaking. It was like there were forests of glass and crystal; a light coat of snow shimmering like diamonds. The cold, crisp nights make way for some of the most beautiful display of stars that even the summer time has a hard time competing with.
   It's not just nature that appears to be beautiful regardless of the circumstances, but there are lots of activities one can do during winter. I personally love to go downhill skiing; the rush of flying down a mountain as you carve down its snowy surface. I also enjoy cross country skiing as a kind of cardio activity. It's also great for taking the scenic route; I think of it as a winter version of hiking. I'd like to go ice fishing some time soon, and snow shoeing as well. I've been skating a few times as well (I'm in the city where the Rideau Canal is; the world's largest outdoor skating rink), like I'm going to pass up that opportunity. I also enjoy going snowmobiling and going sliding down large hills with saucers and toboggans. Winter can be just as much fun as summer, you just need to be well prepared and bundled up. 
   However, though I enjoy all of these outdoor winter activities, and I love taking deep breaths of the cold fresh air, one of my favorite winter activities happens when it's much too cold to even go outside. That is when you turn on the fireplace, put on comfy clothes, make some hot cocoa or tea, and then either have a Disney movie marathon all day long, or try to finish a book in a day.
   This is what winter was made for: having a good time regardless of the weather. With this said dearest readers, go outside and fill your lungs with that crisp, clean, cold air so that you're able to warm yourself up by the fireplace afterwards. Enjoy all of the day, even if darkness creeps in a little earlier this time of the year.

K.P.H.

Literature: An Ode to Me

Buenos días queridos lectores (good morning dear readers), and let it be a good one as I channel the heat from the Spanish language to warm up the weather here. I have decided to write you all a poem on this fine morning in order to tell you more about me. The rhythm to this poem is easy, and the rimes might be a little odd; it's because when I was told to write it, my teacher wanted me to Dr. Seuss-it a little, so that it could be a tad more comical. Here is goes!

How pleasant to know Miss Heyming,

A lost in her thoughts kind of girl;

Who spends all her days just dreaming

Of all great impossible worlds

 

She has such a useless knowledge;

Some tend to think her a bore.

She's not one who's vertically challenged,

She had imagination galore.

 

Her appearance is truly normal;

Two eyes on her face you can see.

A salutation from her can be formal,

Unless she gets stung by a bee.

 

She has not been gifted with balance.

All clear a path when she walks;

Her bruises are proof of endurance,

No speakers for her when she talks.

 

She dreams of just leaving this city

To a better, more promising land.

Where the chatting is short and witty,

Where people believe and take stands.

 

She is one who's close with her family

And kind to the friends she possesses.

She does her chores well and weekly,

This is my life I confess.

 

K.P.H.

Literature: Surviving the Fandom

   Good morning dearest readers, let us greet the day with another entry to my blog. The weather is still cold but the sun is up. I thought for today's literature post that I would give you my opinion and tricks that I've discovered about certain fandoms. Before suggesting further reading that might not be too popular with most people, I'm going to start with concentrating on what is popular.
   I will admit from the very beginning that I have been a Twihard. I'm not too proud to say it, but it is the series that got me so swept in the moment that I began getting ideas to write out my own stories; (but nothing remotely close to the same type of vampire/werewolf story). I have read all of the books (twice), I have all of the guides, the CD's and the DVD's, as well as a music video compilation DVD and two documentaries on the subject. I was so wrapped up in the fantasy that I started making my own 'Twilight' jewelry and I possessed every single magazine I could that even mentioned one of the stars. I was a diehard twihard. With that being put out into the open, I am much better now. I still have all of my Twilight memorabilia, and though I am not even close to being in love with it as I was once before, I am still never going to sell or give away any of the items that I've collected over the years. I didn't show my craziness out in public, but I would shelter it within the confines of my home. Now everything is neatly arranged in its own separate bookshelf, and it's a reminder of past experiences. I had created this little world in itself, and immersed myself in the story; and that was okay because it gave me the inspiration to write my first story. I won't give it away now just because I hope to have it released on shelves sooner than later, and then you can read it for yourself; (create a fandom for it if you wish, I won't be opposed to it).
   Recently I have participated in the fandom related to the Hunger Games trilogy, and now, I am more controlled about it. Instead of being wrapped up with the rest of the crowd, I content myself with loving the books, seeing the movies and then owning a copy of them when they're released. I have the soundtracks, and I listened to them while I write my own stories. It's my kind of motivation to keep working hard so that one day I might find myself listening to the soundtrack made for one of my stories.
   I'd liked to mention that I wanted to read the Mortal Instruments series and the Game of Thrones series before they became famous, but now I get see the cinematographic versions once I'm done reading. I personally applaud those who attempt to make the movie, or TV show as good as the book, but the world we've created inside our minds will always be more esteemed than the revised versions (no matter how many beautiful and handsome actors you put in your productions).
   With this dearest readers, don't be afraid to jump on the fandom train because you can't go wrong with people who share a similar interest as you, but it's also alright if you wish to jump off of it, and continue on to something different. Just remember that a story doesn't have to have a fandom surrounding it to be made renowned and worthy; you are the one that places all of its worth within it.

K.P.H. 

Laughter: Life's Simple Pleasures

   Good morning dear readers, and what a morning it is! It is a chilly one in the nation's capital but it is a very sunny one as well. All of my posts are inspired by things that are happening or that have happened to me in my life, and today's was inspired by the last couple of days; specifically inspired by my roommates.
   We are not the typical college students who study a lot and then use the weekend to unwind and go out drinking with friends until we forget what we learned all week. Yes we study a lot, and yes we do take time to unwind, but we do it our own way. One of the reasons I think that we all get along so well is the fact that we all have old souls. And with that, we apparently like older types of entertainment too. For example, when we watch television shows, we tend to watch the Oprah Winfrey network, or the old game show network. We do watch the occasional movie, but we don't allow ourselves that much time for breaks in between our studying. Another way we like to unwind is read books, but I tend to read a book I need to read for a class while I'm taking a break from reading another book that I'm reading for a different class. Our newest way to relax a little has come with the discovery of a travel version of the game "Connect 4". Riley and I started to play the game while Katie was at her class, and we found ourselves playing one match after the next. It came to a point where the atmosphere was so intense, and we were concentrating so hard on the match and possible moves that when I won a match with a simple move, Riley yelled in frustration and surprise, (I should mention that Riley had won roughly 17 matches in a row before I pulled off this win). We kept on playing until Katie got home, and then the next day we started playing best 2 out of 3 so that we could each take a turn playing against each other. The television was only on to provide background music, and that was the activity we were doing while our dinner was cooking. Yes, university student can still be entertained by a simple board game when it is played with the right people.
   The lesson to take out of this dear readers is not to go out and buy a travel size Connect 4 (you can if you want to) but to realize that you don't need to spend a lot of money, and change locations to have fun; sometimes you just need good friends and a funny laugh to get the good times rolling.

K.P.H.

Love: Childhood Treasure

   Good morning dearest readers, I am a little bit later with this post than usual but it is simply because I had to go to school a little earlier than usual. Today's entry will be short and sweet; just like its title.
   When I mention a childhood treasure, I'm not talking about when we dressed up as pirates and searched for the gold, or when we opened lemonade stands and actual made a few pieces of gold. I'm talking about sentimental treasure. I myself still have two of my absolute favorite childhood belongings. One is a little baby doll that I had named Cibelle (meaning 'so beautiful') because I thought she was just the most beautiful baby I had ever seen. The other item is my baby blanket that I had called my Ti-Ti (which is short for Petit-petit; meaning little little). I wasn't very creative with names at that age but hey, which one of us actually were gifted with an immense creative ability at the age of 1 and a half. Anyways, these things I will treasure forever and they have reassured me through many tough times that I will be okay, and that no matter how bad it feels now, it will get better.
   With that said my dear readers, I hope you treasure you treasures and appreciate the past, because it is what we learn from it that gives us a better future.

K.P.H.

Laughter: Preserving the Funny Lines

   And a good morning to you dearest readers; I hope you all had a wonderful sleep! On this mediocre Monday morning, I thought of writing a post on laughter since we could all use a little bit of a giggle on these misunderstood Mondays. This post is inspired by my roommates and this little quirky thing we've started. I am glad to say that I am living with two great people who not only know when its time to study and work hard, but that also know when it's okay to goof off a little and have some fun.
   After a couple of months living together, we realized that we were quite the comedic bunch, but that in some instances, we couldn't quite remember what had been said during these funny moments. What we also realized my roommate Katie and I, was that our other roommate Riley had a tendency to say really funny things, but that they became even funnier when they were taken out of their respected context. So one night, we decided to start off a little book that we kept in the living room, and once we thought something funny was said, we would write it down immediately and therefore preserve this comical memory forever.
   Most of the book is dedicated to things Riley says, but we decided to leave a few extra blank pages at the end so that when Katie and I decide to be funny, our comedy genius can be made immortal as well. To give you a few samples of what has been kept from our funny memories, I will start by telling you my very first entry into this glorious book. I had been waiting at the bus stop one day and a really attractive guy walked passed me and he was limping away as he did so; I came to realize that this was not the first instance where an attractive guy limped passed me; three other similar instances had happened that week. I immediately texted my roommates saying that: "I keep seeing cute guys that are limping past me; it's like God's making it easy for me to catch them." Katie in one of her respectful comedy moments had shouted the words "THIS.IS.MORNING!" as she mimicked the Sparta moves while trying to get Riley to wake up. And finally for Riley (who is technically the star of this book) his entries resemble a pattern of dry, sarcastic humour. For a recent entry, he told Katie: "Just found a spider in my bathroom; but don't worry I moved him to your bathroom where his family probably is;" (and I should also probably mention that Katie is deathly afraid of spiders).
   So whether you feel like preserving the moment for it quality or with the intention of retelling the joke, having a book where funny instances can be recorded is like a literary scrapbook of good times. Remember this dear readers, make time for the important things in life and "a day without laughter is a day wasted." -Charlie Chaplin

K.P.H.

Literature: The Hunt for Gold

   Good day mate, and let it be a good day for you, dearest readers! I thought that I should write about literature since it is the theme that has been written the least about and I'd like to write about not a specific book, but the place where to get them.
   Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for Chapters, Coles, and Indigo stores since I can get a great number of new releases and series, but my soft spot lies within those old, sheltered, little independently owned book shops. There aren't too many book shops in my home town up north, but there quite the number in the capital city. One of my favorite stores is on Bank street and it has a great variety of the old, leather detailed books, with some colourful paperbacks as well as an entire extra level dedicated to French books. It is beautiful and I can find myself spending hours just walking around and basking in the presence of all of this literary genius. One of my favorite parts about these old books stores is not just the esthetic appeal, or the pride of the shop keeper, but the musky smell that accompanies a well read and experienced novel.
   When I have the chance to travel, I always look for one of these book stores, because I like to be able to see where my passion will lead me. So if you stumble upon one of these hidden treasure areas, feel free to take time and browse around because you don't always have to stop and smell the roses, you can do what I do, and stop and smell the wonderful books. Have yourself a wonderful day dear readers, and remember that if you read a book, today might just be made eternal within it.

K.P.H.

Love: Do Good to Feel Good

   Good evening dearest readers. I am taking this opportunity to post the newest entry to my blog because I have an early day tomorrow, followed by a busy day and an eventful evening; therefore in order to make up for the lack of entry tomorrow, I'm posting it tonight.
   So today I have chosen to speak about something that I hold very dear to my heart (and it's not that what I talk about is not dear to my heart, but this is me doing good to feel good); and I'm accomplishing all of that with the help of the organisation "Free the Children". They are a great organisation that started out because a 12 year-old boy thought that the world was unjust to those who were just like him, but simply at the wrong place. Craig Kielburger and his brother Mark raised the money to go visit second world countries and see what could be done to help them. Now, many years later, Free the Children is an organisation that is known throughout the world, and has changed the lives of many ever since a little boy saw that something was wrong with the world and it needed fixing. I had the privilege of going to hear Craig speak when I was in 9th grade, and when I saw the passion in his eyes when he spoke about the difference he was making, it ignited this desire within me to jump on board and help those I could. My brother felt the same, and he started a group called Voices in Action. To raise money to donate to Free the Children, we went carolling, participated at school events and we went door to door during the "Halloween for Hunger" to acquire loose change and canned goods for our local food bank. Free the Children showed us that we can not only make a difference in our own community, but across the world as well.
   They also host a few days in different cities in Canada in order to appreciate and incite the will of the youth to make a difference in the world. This day is called We Day, and it not only presents the younger generations with celebrity role models who share the same meaningful values, but it shows us all, that we are not the only ones who can make a difference; we are not alone and because of Free the Children, we can tell kids all around the world that they are not either. My mother Donna, went to Africa with the organisation and her best friend Jean-Paul, to participate in the construction of a school. Education is the first step to change, and in a couple of years, I am proud to say that I will be joining in a similar opportunity. Other than this desire to make a difference in the lives of those who need the extra help, my brother had asked me to compose a song for his group Voice in Action (when it was still operating since now we just directly help out through Free the Children) and I thought I'd add a video along with this post. It is a video of the song I wrote entitled "We Day Song", and I hope that you have either been inspired or intrigued. Regardless, if you haven't heard of Free the Children, I encourage you to check it out; because why not change your life by changing someone else's.

Free the Children Website

K.P.H.

Laughter: Being Bilingual

   Marcus Aurelius once said that: "When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love;" and for me, to be bilingual. My dearest readers, whether you are bilingual, or close to it by knowing the basics of at least another language, knowing a different language is always an added bonus. I had always been told that being bilingual (for me knowing French and English), would give me extra advantages, and it is partly true, but there is one comical con.
   Though there could be many stereotypes associated with being a francophone, I am proud to be who I am. My first language is French, and though I had picked up a few phrases here and there in my youth, I technically only really learned how to read and write in English when I was in the fourth grade. So since I didn't always know the proper way to say things, and I was also quite the active child, I found myself being the punch line of the jokes of my fellow teammates. It wasn't that bad, and I wasn't bullied by my classmates or teammates because I would know what I had said was off. I remember a very clear instance when I wanted to say that there was no longer toilet paper in the stall, I found myself warning my teammates about the lack of paper toilet. If you are not aware of the French expression for this, it is "papier de toilette" which is essential paper of toilet (I was close enough).
   You might have noticed that throughout my posts there might be odd turn of phrases and expressions that you might not have heard before, but I'll admit that is probably because you shouldn't be technically saying it; but I've translated it in my head and it seemed to work. I know this now, and I'm trying hard to be more conscientious about how I say things. So with that said, and all of you informed, I invite you to keep reading and if this little quirk of mine becomes a pet peeve of yours, I apologize and I am working towards improvement, but being Franco-Ontarian is in my veins and I am proud to be who I am. Don't take life too seriously and be thankful for who you are; all of it!!!

K.P.H. 

Literature: Fairy Tales and Make Believe

   'Tis a fine morning in Northern America and even though it is still a snowy one, it is beautiful day. Today dearest readers, I have thought of trying something a little different. Instead of writing a lengthy post on one of my favorite fairy tales (because let's be honest, I can all do that), I've decided to post a video today. Like I would have mentioned in a previous post, I am not only an aspiring writer but, I also compose and write my own songs. Today, I thought it might be interesting to show you one of my many songs. I am not one to write much about love songs, or "holla at my shorties" let alone rant about a breakup or how I was done wrong. No; I write about some of my favorite Disney stories, and I write about the idiotic concept behind "YOLO", and I also create the songs that will accompany my own stories/novels. Therefore, the very first original video entry to this blog will be the song entitled the same as the name of this entry: Fairy Tales and Make Believe. Enjoy!

 

Love: The Family Vacation Complexity

   Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.... in Ottawa this morning. If you are fortunate enough to have these unique cristalized forms of water falling from the sky in your area, count yourself lucky to have such a natural miracle happening around you. On this delightful snowy morning, I thought that a good topic to talk about, would be what you think is the best family vacation that you`ve been on. I am a person who loves to travel and I am blessed with a family that loves new adventures almost as much as I do. And I'm also aware that this will be two "love" posts in a row, but the world needs a little more love in it, so I'm going to talk about it anyways.
   I have been on many different excursions such as multiple campings trips, visiting relatives all across southern Ontario and Québec; I've been to Florida and Michigan, and I've been on a two week trip to explore the East coast.  Though I've had lots of fun during each of these trips, I have to say that my favorite family trip so far has to be when I went to the Netherlands with my father and mother for a family reunion (my brother had to stay home since he needed to work). My Oma and Opa (my father's parents), joined us on our way there, and it was incredible to be able to see the land of which my roots were tied to. I was able to meet many relatives of whom I had never met before, (some of which I hadn't even heard of before,) all the while being able to experience customary dutch traditions and creating ties with my newly reunited family members. It was so great to see both of my grand parents speaking dutch with their brothers and sisters, and just seeing them feel right at home.
   Not only was the family time great, but the country itself is incredibly beautiful. I am proud to say that we got to see the great majority of the country. We started off in farm country, staying with my father's cousin in their quaint little house next to a pond and small petting zoo. We visited the town of Silvolde, where my Opa grew up, and I was even able to see the house in which he grew up in. We saw old dutch pioneer museums, we visited a dutch castle as well as a few old churches. We travelled through forests of tall, dense trees and then made our way to Kijkduin, where we stayed in a hotel on the beach of the North Sea. We also got the chance to spend the day in Amsterdam to get a feeling of what a big, touristic city is like. We got the chance to take boat rides through the canals and water ways; I saw the area in which my Oma grew up in and we even got to visit a beautiful garden as well as a few flower greenhouses. I have never been more proud to be dutch than when I walked around and visited this beautiful, clean and showful country. I am truly thankful for all of my relatives that invited us and took cares of us during our stay; it was a very memorable trip.
   Family is the most important thing in the world; whether it is your actual blood relatives, or the family you choose. Cherish the time you have with them, because memories live in you while the time keeps moving forward. Be thankful and take the chance to travel; you might just find yourself because "not all those who wander are lost". -J.R.R. Tolkien

K.P.H. 

Love: The Center of my Universe

   It is a beautiful, mild and starry night in the capital city as I get to spend some time with my darling mother. After a delicious dinner and an after-dinner walk, my dearest mother is letting me borrow her computer so that I can  treat you my dear readers with another entry. This one I`ve decided should be about the location in which my soul feels most at home; meaning the center of MY universe. I`ll admit from the get go that I feel at home in my actual home in nothern Ontario, and I know that most of my universe is there, composed of all my family, friends, past schools and work places. But in every universe, there`s always an astronaut who`s aspiring to reach beyond what he knows and I have found mine on the beautiful Manitoulin Island.
   This small paradise is found in Lake Huron with its dense forest, small farms and a great abundance of different cultures. My family and I rent a quaint little cottage just on the edge of the lake and because of our great location in ---, we`re able to experience various recreational activities. We play golf, go fishing and swimming; we take bike rides and go for hikes on the Cup and Saucer trails; we`ve taken out our kayaks and found a quiet coffee shop that`s perfect for a pit stop during our morning walks. --- is also home to independent boutiques, restaurants and dinners as well as craft stores and my personnal favorite: a book store. I keep replacing the name of the specific town with a triple dash simply because it is MY soulful paradise (Ì`m not trying to be mean and it`s not that I don`t trust you guys it`s just one little treasure I`d like to hoard for myself; no hard feelings). Though I haven`t mentionned the specific name, I can assure you that the entire island has this kind of charm to it, and I do recommend that you take the time to visit, or even camp out for a night or two because this haven is definately worth stopping for.
   Now I`ve told you the touristic appeal to it, and what there is to do, but I haven`t unveiled why my soul feels at home on this island. I discovered this feeling by a pure and simple fluke and there are three components that assures my soul that this is where it belongs, and that this is the place where it shall return once my body has had its time here on earth. The first thing is that there is a cute little catholic/native Church about fifteen minutes from --- and not only the architechture of the building calls my attention and soul, but the added customs and rituals to the actual mass demands my alertness. The Church is built in a circular form, and it is built into the ground so that it looks like large steps outline the whole of it, and they are used for seats. When I say the customs or rituals intrigue me, the parishioners sing native songs in English as well as in their own native tongues. Another alluring aspect is that they do what they call a ``smudge``, and it is where an elder burns incense and the parishioners wave the smoke over their heads, their hearts and their bodies; it`s a symbol of the cleansing of the mind, heart and body. I am not a very religious person, though I have a very strong faith, but there`s just something about this Church that makes want to go and participate every single time that I`m in the area. The second aspect that tells me I`m home is found in the joy of an old swing set. Near the cottage that we rent every summer, there`s an old wooden play structure with two swings, a slide and a teeter-totter. Every morning, I go on the swing to the far left and listen to my music anywhere from half and hour, to a full hour, and I lose myself in my thoughts and it is also the place where I`ve thought up the plot for many of my stories. I might go to the swing once, twice, and sometimes possibly three times a day (I`ve never felt more care free in my life than on that swing set). And the last little component to this hat trick of soul easement is with an old dock that harbor`s the cottages`boats. It is there, at every evening that I sit on a lawn chair, and watch the sun disappear behind the mountains. I never miss a Sunset, and it is always bitter sweet to leave it, but the only thing that makes it easier is the knowledge that we`ll be returning to it the following year.
   So with that long explanation said, I hope I`ve peaked your interest on this, but I also hope that I haven`t flooded my own paradise with curious tourists either (I`m sort of kidding with you guys about that last statement) because though I enjoy my paradise, I know that you`ve already started to think about what is your own. Feel free to let me know, because I might have been there, or else I might like to go visit, unless you don`t want too many tourists either. With that said dearest readers, enjoy the stars, or whatever the weather might be where you are, and until the next entry!

K.P.H.

Literature: The Good O'le 'Who Dun It?'

   Top of the morning to you dear readers! I thought about what story I could tell, or tell you what horrible movie was adapted from an original book, but then, I thought about talking about the very first book that captivated me so much that I completed it in one day. I like to call those kinds of readings a "one-a-day-ers" and they do happen sometimes in one sitting.
   My very first "one-a-day-er" was the novel "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie. This gripping mystery novel kept me on the edge of my seat as I read every single chapter wondering what was to happen next. I will admit that the first couple of chapters seemed kind of long since every character of the story is being introduced with their backstory, but from the point where the first murder takes place, the excitement never dulls down from then on. The part that I thought the most clever out of the entire novel was that in every room in which the guests stayed, there was a poem entitled "Ten Little Indians", and it describes how each of the little Indians die until there are none. What really gets the reasoning wheels going is when you start to notice that the people in the story are dying off in the same ways as the Indians in the poem. The poem within the story is the reader's guide, but also their demise. I won't say too much more on it because I don't want to ruin the story, but I will admit that I am not the only person to have read this mystery tale in one day; it is that good!
   So I invite you my readers to buy, to borrow, to just get hold of the book and put it aside for that rainy day you just don't want to do anything with (and make sure to have lots of tea in stock too) and read your little heart out. Just remember dearest reader that a story a day keeps reality away!

K.P.H.

Laughter: Start your Day the Funny Way

   Good mornings dearest readers! This morning I've decided that instead of writing you a somewhat lengthy message related to a funny story, I thought of including a link to one of my favorite jokes, from one of my favorite comedians. I like the style and humour of many such as Russell Peters, Jeff Dunham, Danny Bhoy and John Wing, but the comedian that will be saying the punch line today will be Gabriel Iglesias. His stories are his and he has a lively personality on stage; what more could you ask for. I promise to write another entry tomorrow, but for now, enjoy this video and work on those abs with a morning giggle!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2owUI45FL0

Love: The Power of a Song

   My dearest readers, whether you are a returning fan or a new visitor, I welcome you to this new entry that is dedicated to your all time, ultimate favorite song. I'm not talking about your weekly hit, or the album you've been listening to on repeat; I'm talking about the one song that you cannot skip regardless of what mood you find yourself in.
   I know that I initially said that I'd only be doing a new entry to my blog once every day, or every second day, but I'm going to be breaking this rule for this week and possibly the one to follow because I want you to have some new material to scroll through. So on that note, I continue this conversation on your timeless, treasured song.
   Mine, I will full out admit that it is: "Turning Page" by Sleeping At Last. The fact that it is a type of love song that uses book similes and metaphors throughout it, does add on to its appeal for me; but just the sound of the song, the vibe of it makes it unforgettable for me. It is the one song that I will neither try to learn to play on guitar or piano, nor will I ever listen to a cover of it, and I also completely zone out when it comes on my iPod or on my computer. I've listen to this song on many occasions; when I've been writing or composing; when I've been struck with a case of 'butterflies in my stomach' ; when I've felt alone and discouraged; and even when I've had moments of pure joy. There is something about the signer's unique and memorable voice that cares for every word that escapes his mouth. The melody is sweet and slow; the piano is carefully played while the violins accompany the tune. The song brings the listener on a journey which sways on a path of story telling and devotional vows. The tempo as well as the passion of the signer builds up with every stanza sung and played. It is composed like a good story; a griping beginning, a suspenseful climax and a beautiful ending that makes its audience want to push the repeat button.
   Whether your favorite song is instrumental, upbeat or folkish, it is what supports you through your life, or sends you off on a new one through a dream. The reason why some people relate so much to a certain song is that they can feel the passion, and devotion that its composer put into it. We relate because we see ourselves within the music and its story. It is a powerful thing, a song; and that is why you see so many people enjoying life as they blast their music while their stuck in traffic, or are concentrating hard on a project for work or school and shut themselves off from the world by putting in their headphones. It is why hymns at churches are sung, and wedding receptions must have the first dance in the evening's agenda. It is why a song reaches to our very being and awakens a presence that was simply waiting to sing out its greatness.
   For all of these reasons my dear readers I invite you to listen to my favorite song and comment on what your favorite is, because I would love to hear the melody that connects you to your infinite universe.

K.P.H.

Laughter: Adapting to Mother Nature pt. 2

   It's me once again my dear readers. I found a picture that adds on to funny Canadian ways, as well as our coping measures with weather. Feel free to look at a few of the examples, or all of them. Like people say, "a picture is worth a thousand words".

Laughter: Adapting to Mother Nature

   I thought it would be wise to write about all three "L's" in the first couple of days just so that you get an idea of the kind of posts you can expect. And with that said, hello my dearest readers! I hope that yesterday was good to you, but that it was not boring (we all need a little bit of excitement in our everyday lives to keep us on our toes, no?) I think everyone should laugh, and I mean really wholeheartedly laugh at least once a day. I am grateful that I live with two people who constantly make the most ordinary things a comedy festival. The best way to laugh about an unfortunate situation is to think about the positives, and to laugh about the rest.
   I had pointed out in a last post that I am currently living in Ottawa, Canada and were fortunate enough in this northern country to get all of the four seasons. Personally, my favourite is Fall; it has its beautiful colours, it's the perfect camping conditions with a limited amount of bugs, and the air gets cooler which brings about the smell of the pine trees and of crisp falling leaves. I do enjoy Spring since my birthday takes place during that season, and who doesn't like Summer? When it comes to Winter, I am not one to curse it and lock myself indoors. I am one of those people who go out skiing, skating, snowshoeing, sliding and I'll admit that I have built some impressive snow forts in the past. I like breathing in deep breaths of cool air and feel it refresh my entire body; it just feels cleaner and crisper in Winter. So I've listed my top points that show the advantage of having Winter as one of our seasons, but unfortunately, to every pro, there must be at least one con. The only downside here is the fact that our weather is undecided; either that or Mother Nature is bipolar. We will start off with snow (and lots of it) and then it will all melt in a matter of days. Then it will get ridiculously cold, it'll snow, and then there'll be high winds that just bring the temperature that much lower than it already is. It is truly possible to start shoveling the snow off of your driveway and then having to do it all over again once you've reached the bottom because it's been snowing the entire time. The one weather glitch that can cause more problems than one, is when Mother Nature tempts us will milder weather, and then throws in normal rain (or freezing rain) and decides to make everything freeze in the timespan of a day. It can be dangerous to venture out in this weather, but while there was a need to take out the garbage of our apartment to the bins outside, I watch my roommates hold the boxes and glide down the driveway after a storm of the last aforementioned natural temper tantrum. It is pretty comical to people watch during these kinds of days because those who dare to step outside look like very tall penguins as the waddle around on the sidewalk, calculating every single step. People will also actually put on their skates, and skate down the street or sidewalk. I don't know what this says about our dietary habits or exercise regimes if Mother Nature has to create this kinds of storms to force us towards physical activity. On the upside, there's a lower amount of pollution coming from car emissions because few dare to drive, and everyone else has decided to take their chances on the world's largest temporary outdoor skating rink.
   In every situation, whether you are stuck within it or just a spectator, the best thing is to try to find the positive side of things, like seeing freezing rain paired with a flash freeze turn into a fun afternoon outside instead of a day having to stay cooped up inside. You can laugh at yourself, just make sure your subconscious knows you're laughing with yourself as well.
   Therefore dear readers, whether you're stuck inside because of a rainy day or because of a large outdoor skating rink, just make sure that you have at least one of the glasses in your house that's half full because it only takes one thought to inspire the others to follow in the same direction.

K.P.H.  

Literature: Reality vs. Fiction

   I had mentioned in my very first post that I had a soft spot for fiction and though it is true, I have another motivation that pushes me towards it; I am going to university to acquire a degree in English Literature. Needless to say that even though I'm only in my second year, I've read more books, short stories, articles and poems that a great number of people would only successfully complete in a time span of a decade, or maybe less if they had really applied themselves. I'm not saying that some people are slower readers, or have a harder time reading a certain kind of material, I'm simply stating that I've mastered the ability of being able to recognize a work that I like, and only taking out the important information of the works I don't. I'm not too keen on biographies, or self-help books, or anything that's fiction, but realistic fiction. If a book comes close to a sort of realistic fiction, it needs to be such an extreme case that even God's wondering how the whole thing could have happened. I will however suggests books, or stories that I've come across in my existence and that I've actually liked; and maybe I'll even tell you why I didn't like others too much. Maybe you'll end up loving it for the reasons that makes me want to sell my copy to someone else. Needless to say that everyone is entitled to their opinion and you've chosen to read mine, so I'll be franc with you.
   I said that I love fiction, and that I won't deny; I love being able to immerse myself in a story that brings me to another world. I enjoy accompanying an interesting character on a quest that I would have never pictured myself joining on. The idea of the impossible just thrills me. Have you ever thought about imaginary friends? I have; and I've wondered why it is that when we grow older, we no longer believe in them, therefore we don't see them. Experts and professionals, scientists and theorists can argue that they never existed in the first place and it's with maturity that we come to realize that it was a manner to cope with a psychological problem. I would argue that they cease to exist because we get they idea of their non-existence crammed into our heads that eventually, we come to believing what the adults have been saying all along. What if our imaginary friends aged with us, and stood by us through thick and thin, but we simply lacked the imagination and the beliefs to see them. Whether you will say that this is a crazy way to think, or that it is unhealthy for me to assume the existence of things that should merely be a figment of my imagination, I could reply that you have tainted what my imagination could potentially grow into and therefore you've cut me off from an incredible world.
   It isn't just the fact that I love fairy tales and make-believe, but I enjoy my actual life. The true harmony of it comes when you mix the life you enjoy with the imagination related to fiction. Why else would movies, video games and books sell so well during their first release dates and continue to be discussed in classrooms, chat rooms and living rooms? We are happy where we are, but we don't mind losing ourselves every once in a while. I'll end this post by quoting Helen Keller. She said that: "the only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision." With this my dear readers, I invite you to close your eyes and open your mind because you never know what kind of wonders it will conjure up.

K.P.H.

Love: favorite snapsnot of the day

   Good morning dear readers, and I say morning because it is so in beautiful and snowy Ottawa, Canada. I'm originally from a town further north from here, but I'm in the nation's capital for school. Great way to acquire new experiences (and they have more little cute book stores too!) Now, the reason why I mention that I am a morning person, is because it also goes with my favorite time of the day. Don't get me wrong, I could sit and watch the moon and the stars for hours at night, and the sunset expresses the most beautiful colours while it decides to step aside for hours, trying to give us one last "hooray"! I feel that if I get up early in the morning, I have more time to accomplish the things I have set out to do. I can read the books that I want, I can finish the homework I needed, I can clean up the apartment; I simply have more determination to complete the things I need to do, to make way for the things that I want to do.
   If I could choose a moment in time, to be able to see everyday, that it would wait until my eyes would hold it for a few seconds, before continuing on with its routine, it would be sunrise. I find that the colours are just as beautiful as a sunset, if not brighter because the sun is awaken from his surrendered sleep and shows us his glory again. When the sun rises, it shows me that I have another day to accomplish the things I set out to do, that I have more time to do the things I love, with those I love. I've only witnessed three complete sunrises in my life, but I can assure you that I remember them as vividly as if I were still there watching it happen.
   So my question to you my dear readers, whether you choose to answer or not, is simply: what is your favorite time of the day or what's the time of the day that you love?
   With that question said (or questions if you really want to be technical about it), I truly do wish you all a wonderful day, and I hope you return to read future posts. And for those of you who thought that I was going to start in order, with today beginning with literature, I'm glad to have surprised you and now you'll have to come back and see what I write for your curiosity's sake. Well, until then,

K.P.H.

The three "L's" to a happy life

Though I am young, I have lived many different experiences and I have found that through everything, the pursuit of happiness can be reached using these three L's; literature, love and laughter. Literature, the first "L" brings us to new worlds, and makes us live experiences we couldn't even fathom in our wildest dreams. It's in the writing of our everyday lives, like newspapers, blogs, textbooks, and even the novels that inspire the films that lead on to fandoms. It is the words that are written down that make us eternal. The second "L", love is also very important. It doesn't have to be the love of a significant other, though I haven't had the privilege to experience such, but it can be warmth felt by a close friendship, by family, that song that shelters you during a dark time or even by your favorite kind of food. Love is a strong word that can be attributed to many things in life; yes it is better to say that you like something and you should keep the word love for that special someone, but for the sake of a weak sounding title, I settled for the power of the word love. Lastly, the remaining "L" is dedicated to laughter. Life itself is hard enough without having to take every moment of it seriously. Through laughter, we can find the simple things in life that are worth remembering, it can keep us fit (you know when you laugh so hard you think you can feel abs coming along), and there's truly not a sound in the world better than the contentment of the soul of a person. Don't deny it, you can help but smile, let alone laugh along when you hear that baby giggling hysterically. So dear readers, this is your glimpse into the posts to come. I could have chosen to write about hard hitting issues in society, or about the new celebrity scandals, but I'd like to concentrate on what makes me happy, and coincidently, I hope you find things that you enjoy as well, or at least makes you think about what you read. I'll admit that right from the beginning that I aspire to become a writer, and I enjoy my fiction so the fact that I'm writing non-fiction is a big thing; count yourself lucky this time. I have to admit that you'll see maybe that I'm biased a little in the Literature posts, but hey, everyone's allowed to have a guilty pleasure, no? Therefore dear readers, I invite you to take a look through my eyes, because sometimes all you need to understand something new, is a different perspective.

K.P.H.