Here she grows!!

My first leaves have sprouted!!!! The Cherry Tomato plant has taken off faster then I thought it would. I am so excited!!!!

These are a few of my favorite things...

Just trying some photo layouts out...

One Hundred Years of Solitude

I had to read this for the course i am in this semester (Literature of the Americas) and I really enjoyed it. There is an obvious theme of time as cyclical in the novel and how history keeps repeating itself. And then last night as I was drifting off to sleep I had this idea about how when Jose Arcadio Buendia realizes the world is an orb and one can end up in the same place by moving forward, that the author was foreshadowing the theme that would continue repeating itself too.
Right now I am studying Latin America novels and it looks fairly interesting. I am a little apprehensive about the essays that need to be written for this course (2000 words each!!!! So many words!), but figure if I just get down to business, I will be okay. I hope the tutor for this course is an easier marker than the tutor for my children's lit class was. She was tough! And I still believe that if a person's name ends in "s", no possessive s is needed, just the apostrophe.
I am also reading this interesting novel for my book club called Master and Margarita. It's Russian and seems to be about Jesus' (see???) existence and if it were real or not. The book was banned in Russia I think (if I read the author's note correctly although it could have been one of his plays that was banned, and it also deals with magic realism like Solitude did. A common theme in my selected literature lately.

♥ ♦ Ambitious Targets ♣ ♠

I am tired of renting. I just signed another lease for a year, which is fine as it provides me stability, but what at the end of the year do I show for my money? Not really a whole lot. I want something that is mine, that at the end of a long work day I come home and see exactly what it is I am working for. And that is how OPERATION: OVER THE RAINBOW came into effect. For a goal to be achieved, it is thought that the goal must be a S.M.A.R.T one. And I think that OPERATION: OTR is. Basically it states that I want to own a home by March 10th, 2012. The goal is specific. It is Measurable. I find it acceptable and realistic. And I gave myself a time frame in which to achieve it.
How do I plan on reaching this goal? Well first thing is one needs a down payment to own a home. So I need to save a downpayment. It can be as little as 5%, although 20% would be desirable. So I need to start socking this away. My first mini-goal is to cut down by $200 a month my variable expenses (farewell dear cable) and increase my income by $200 a month (hello part-time job hunting).
My second goal is OPEARATION: SCHOOL'S OUT. I would like to complete my B.A. with a major in English by December 31, 2010. This also meets the S.M.A.R.T. goal guidelines. To reach this goal I have created myself a study schedule. I am enrolled in two courses at the present.My first plan of action is complete both of these courses by June 1st, 2008. I would also like to be enrolled to start another course by that date. Acheiving this education goal will increase my sense of worth as well as open doors to opportunities with a greater salary (thus helping me out with OPERATION: OTR.

My motto for the next four years? WORK HARD TODAY so I can RELAX TOMORROW.

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

Today, I started day dreaming about a vegetable garden cultivated by my own green-thumb. The problem is, I am not sure what colour my thumb is yet. I have never planted a garden or maintained one, but I suppose nothing will be lost if it doesn't work out.Except maybe some poor seedling's life who may be cursing that he was in the package I chose.
I pre-planted some green peppers and some cherry tomatoes this evening as you can start growing them indoors now and then transfer them to a bigger pot later.I also purcased lettuce, peas, beans, zucchini and radishes. I am creating a container garden on my patio and I am hoping that it all works out. I also purchased some sunflower seeds for the front because I think it will be pretty to look out my bedroom window at them when they are much taller.
I am getting old! I am excited about gardening and nesting. What happened to the speaker-dancing girl I once was? :)

"Praise the Lord, Pass the ammo"

Yesterday was great.

First, I volunteered for the Cancer Society in the afternoon selling Daffodills to raise money for cancer. Daffodills are so pretty and they make me think of how soon Spring is going to be here. I am not entirely sure what their symbolic meaning is, but it is something I should look deeper into.
I met this really amazing woman yesterday too.She was my partner in crime to push Daffodills. She was from Brazil and had an aura of beauty around her. She made me feel really warm. Does that sound creepy? Regardless, I was able to instantly bond with her and she shared some of her hopes and dreams and goals with me. It was a great afternoon!

AND THEN... A called and asked me if I wanted to see Serj in concert as A was able to get two tickets last minute. So off we went to the University to check out the solo act of the former lead singer of System of a Down. The opening band was fairly good although their lead singer would bust out into a crazy dance that looked more like he was suffering from some sort of seizure. I was very afraid he was going to hurt himself. And after waiting forever, Serj the Diva made it on stage and rocked out. His stuff is ok although at times it felt like he was mocking his own music. I was still able to rock out though! :) A was able to get a picture before my camera was confiscated by the security guard. Ridiculous really as one can observe all of the phones taking pics and videos of the show!

I am home! An uneventful drive last night, and I was ok on the road even though I abhor night driving. I get so nervous and it's really dark on the highway. But after lots of deep breaths, I calmed myself down and just drove. I am pretty tired today though.

I liked Lethbridge. I didn't really experience a whole lot of it because I was working, but people are really nice there. And the Wal-Mart is ginormous!!!! I almost got lost in there. :)

Today I get to babysit Z. Pretty excited about that. A and I are doing it together, while Jsquared go out on the town. Good experience for the two of us, because one day we are going to have kids and neither of us know the first thing about them. :)

I was thinking that I need to start taking pics to aid in the visualization of blogging. Going to get a memory card for my camera today.

♪ ♫ Spreading my wings ♪ ♫

In ancient Greek, the word psyche (which means soul in modern Greek) means butterfly. I have always identified with butterflies --like most girls -- and now observe something profound about the two words being similar.

Butterflies represent change and beauty that results from change. They showcase how something small and "ugly" can be become beautiful. They teach that one needs to be patient and wait and time can make things okay.

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly"