Literature: Words in my Mind and a Smile on my Lips

   Good day dear readers! Oh how I missed being able to write and read, but even with a full summer, I wasn't able to do nearly as much as I would have wanted. I've only managed to complete one book (with three others I'm reading simultaneously) but I've been able to make some good progress on a new story that I developed when I was in Iceland. No, it's not about snow or hiking, but inspiration comes in the strangest of ways.

   I can't tell you how amazing it was to let myself be absorb, and consumed by the story I had chosen to be the first to break my academic streak. Of course I read some books for fun when I was in school, but they were more or less to keep me from going insane rather than letting me make it my sole priority. And the book I finally chose was The Maze Runner by James Dashner. I will give credit to the movie (which I proceeded to watch the day after I read the book); you weren't as bad as I expected you to be, but I was still frustrated with some of the misplaced or disregarded details. I get that you can't put everything from the book in the movie, but often I feel like some of the most crucial components (however simple they may seem at first) are swept under the rug or embellished disproportionately. The beauty of books is in the details, and then, the rest is up to the reader. It's like Edgar Allan Poe once said: "Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality." So when you take away some of those little words, some of the mind blowing reality of it gets lost too.

   Since The Maze Runner was so good, I decided to continue with the second book of the series (followed by watching the movie) and then finish off the two others to complete the series. I honestly hope they don't split up the last book into two movies because that money grabbing tactic is getting real old, real fast. But I understand that everyone needs to pay their bills, even big Hollywood stars and producers; hopefully they realize sooner than later that the magic dies a little more with every passing year after the first one is released.

   So the point I'm trying to make my dearest readers (because I know I tend to babble on sometimes, especially now since I haven't spoken to you all in a little while), is that a true reader will always go back to their calling, no matter how long they have to put it off for this thing we call life. Because unfortunately, part of life is that we have to prioritize; however, readers have an instant escape at a moments notice which allows us to keep it together when others cannot. Therefore, even if you haven't read for yourself in a while, keep the book you've been saving for, on you at all times because maybe, just maybe a moment will present itself, and those words will be able to mystify your reality once more.

K.P.H.

Love: What Part of Eyjafjallajokull Don't you Understand?

   Good evening dear readers and no, for once I am not making up words. That is the name of one of Iceland's famous volcanoes. Unfortunately, I didn't hike up the side of that one, but I did manage to hike up the side of another volcano, and a beach, and a waterfall, and another waterfall, AND another waterfall. With a group of eight people (including myself), I set off on a road trip across Iceland's landscape in hopes of seeing the beauty of another country. And that is exactly what we did.

   When people say that it's good to think outside the box, that logic applies to travelling too. In our case, we thought outside the circle; the Golden Circle to be exact. On the first day of our 10 day trip, we landed in Keflavic and proceeded to meet up with the rest of our group in Reykjavic. After doing a little bit of groceries, we drove down the highway and some dirt roads to get to the Glymur hike. Now my friend Gen and I had been hiking some of the trails back in Sudbury and the Cup and Saucer trails on Manitoulin Island, but nothing really could have prepared us for the test that was Glymur. I want to state that my attitude towards this trip was very "happy-go-lucky" because I knew little of Iceland and was there really for a new adventure, therefore I had no idea (and I mean NO idea) that we were going to be hiking up the side of Iceland TALLEST waterfall. I then learned to ask exactly what we were hiking up for the rest of the trip. Despite the test of endurance and will power, we managed to make it to the top. It was a mix of stubbornness of being so close to the goal and the resolution that it was practically impossible for us to go back down the way we had come up. That day, we hiked for roughly six and a half hours up the side of this waterfall. We crossed over a rough river on a log and rocks. We almost free climbed rock climbed some points because we couldn't always see the trail. Made snow angels on the tops of the white caped mountains (yes we were that high, TALLEST waterfall remember), and then crossed the river that poured out as the waterfall barefoot, or in our boots. Soaked but smiling, we had finally made it to the other side and proceeded to make our way back down the mountain. Once back in the car and on the road, we stopped for a few more attractions but none of us remember much after the hike. That was the best night sleep I think I've ever had.

   We hiked to 4 other waterfalls, up and through a hot field where you literally need to walk between the lines or your shoes will melt. We made it up and around a dormant volcano. We explored a bay and beach, walked on a black sand beach and strolled the water near a melting glacier. We even hiked up to the spot, where it's still functional and used to this day, is Iceland's first pool. The scenery never stopped changing and my mind was constantly blown. Of course with all of this exercise, exhaustion and excitement, there were some big laughs erupting from the car. We lived like the locals did and had a completely immersed experience. We went in some hot pods (make-shift hot tubs using the geothermal heat in the middle of a field) and we tried local delicacies (and not so delicacies). We saw the wildlife, reindeers and all, and simply let the world leave us in awe.

   We spent a day or two in Reykjavic and visited some shops. We went to see the geyser, and a couple of us when horseback riding in lava fields. But I think some of our best moments were when we stepped outside the famous Golden Circle, and let the country tell us what we should see. I am looking forward to going back, to taking on Glymur once more (but with a better understanding of it next time), and to let myself just be for a moment. I wouldn't change a thing from the trip; not the places we stayed, or the people I was with, or even the numerous tuna sandwiches and "cool American" chips we ate. But I have a feeling dear readers, that Iceland is one of these places that changes and mystifies with every single visit. So will you visit and think outside the circle?

 

 

K.P.H.

Laughter: It's Just Another Box, Right?

   Good evening my dear readers and thank you again for your astounding dedication to my blog. It means a lot that so many people (pushing close to 4000 original views) are interested in the little moments in my life that make it a great one. And I hope you all get ideas to live your lives to the fullest from how I live mine! I thought the first entry of many, for the next couple of weeks, should be one that encapsulates my entire summer...and that is the feeling of packing and living out of a suitcase.

   I've always been one who loves to travel and boy, did I get my fix this summer! It's still not enough though to kick the urge to travel completely since I've already started to plan my big trip for next summer. A wandering spirit never rests! And what I've managed to find out this summer is that I'm a person that takes an EXTREMELY long time to get settled in. Even before I got home, my mother had painted my room from a bright yellow to a mystical dark green (my new favourite colour) and pale grey. She had emptied out everything single thing in my room, every little single nook and cranny had been cleared out and put into a box to then be inspected by me. This was a process I had to do to apparently get settled into my new adult life. Now apparently, when you graduate university you're an adult, but not a real one officially. No, you only become a real adult when you get your first real job after university, but often there, you're not even considered a real adult yet either because you're only in the beginnings of it all. So all of that to say that I'm apparently an adult, whose doing everything an "adult" is supposed to do but I'm not necessarily one yet because I don't have the life experience to go with it. I know, it's confusing, but try to keep up like I've been trying to do!

   So, my room is already empty and I have boxes to go through on top of all of the boxes I brought back with my from Ottawa (which managed to fill up two cars to their tops) and I had already 25 boxes stacked in our house's crawl space. It's incredible how much stuff one human being can accumulate over the years of living in one apartment. Well I learned that the hard way and spent the remaining free time I had at home unpacking and sifting through the numerous boxes, deciding the fate of its stored contents. I got rid of lots of knick knacks, clothes, jewellery (but no books because that would be blasphemous) and even some shoes. I donated what I could and threw out what I couldn't. Nearing the end of May (when I was getting ready to leave for Iceland) I had roughly half of it all done. Let's say that when I came back, my desire to clean was even less present and thus made the whole process that much more difficult to accomplish. It took me until the very beginning of July to feel like I had adequately converted my room into a space that would suit me. Then I left for Ottawa for the Bluesfest festival with my friend Gen, came back for a day to change my suitcase, and then headed off again to Newfoundland with my grand-parents. I did not go home after that.

   Between all the trips and the hustle and bustle of the world, I manage to get myself a job in Ottawa with a great organization and some great people. I found myself a new roommate and now a new apartment. And now I have to move AGAIN. I have to go and unpack the careful work I had done to my space and shove it all in boxes AGAIN. All of my things are temporarily stored in boxes and bags in a storage unit and in my aunts basement. I feel like a nomad and it's not that bad. It would be a whole lot easier without ALL of the stuff I have (and let's be honest, I probably picked the heaviest hobby imaginable) so the transportation of it all isn't always so easy. But I love a good challenge, and I love even more a new adventure. So from box to box, I am building my life; not only as a fresh new adult coming into the vast adult world, but as my own person with great aspirations and a thirst for discovery. I guess "domestic life never suited [me] like a suitcase" - The Lumineers.

K.P.H.

Love: Wait For It.........

   Wait for it, wait for it.... almost there.... AND I'm back my dear readers!!!! I know that I haven't been the best writer because I haven't been at the top of my game but I will be getting a little more time on my hands, so here I am. I've decided that instead of bombarding you all with the wonder that has been my summer in one big entry, I will be posting a number of shorter entries consecutively. And because I have been so bad at posting for the past few months, I will release all of the entries in the next couple of weeks; so no more waiting.

   I appreciate the fact that you have all been so patient and that so many of your are dedicated readers, and checked the blog daily so I hope that the new flow of entries will refresh your spirit and enlightened your mind; just like I felt throughout each and every one of my adventures. So everything's back; you and I and the routine of it all. It's no news that we're back, back again!

K.P.H.

Literature: Breaking Book Boundaries (featuring OAR)

   Good morning dearest readers and happy Sunday! I can't tell you the amount of things I've managed to accomplish this weekend but I'm happy to report that not only is my writing nook coming to life, but I'm leaving for Iceland in 5 day!!! I know, it's pretty insane, but I'm soooooooo excited and I just can't hide it! (and no I couldn't help myself there).
  
   So instead of writing out another full entry, I'm happy to report that my guest blogging experience for the Ottawa Arts Review is finally public and my entry is now live on their website. It's a little different from what I write here, but then again, their readers aren't my usual readers. Maybe that will change soon enough. So without further ado, I invite you to check out my first guest blog on the OAR and find out why it's important to step out of your comfort zone every once in a while when it comes to books!

http://ottawaartsreview.com/literature-and-overcoming-book-biases/

As always dear readers, keep your imagination alive and until next time!

K.P.H.