Galliano Island

So I finally got around to uploading my pictures from this past summer. I know its a little late, considering, you know, the time of year and all. But to be completely cliché, better late than never, right?

I wanted to share some of my pictures (hope no one minds!) because though I'm no photographer, I do really enjoy taking pictures and I think they turned out pretty decent.

This one's a tad blurry, but I absolutely love the colors.

How the trees seem nothing more than silhouettes and the water appears pink and purple.

Some branches I thought were pretty wicked.

I spent a really long time trying to get some awesome crashing wave shots.

I rather enjoy the slightly violent nature to this one.

My absolute favorite water picture.

It's small but it seems rather exciting, non?

Cheerful, almost.

And, finally, my piece de resistance.

The trip itself was amazing. There's a definite magic on Galliano Island, specifically at my Uncle's. I wish I felt my abilities as a writer were strong enough to capture it. But I doubt I could get it just right. So I suppose you'll have to forgive me that. And content yourself with a few snapshots.

[blogger was being really stupid with the formatting of these pictures... it took me like an hour!]

Melissa

Take A Walk

(Photo taken from here: this guy has some really awesome pictures)

In a car, you are nothing more than a passive observer. You’re so used to it you no longer notice. Everything is moving around you boringly through a frame, through the car window, it’s all just more television.

When you walk the frame is gone. You’re there. You’re in the scene, no longer simply watching, and the sense of presence is addicting.

The reaffirming concrete beneath your soles is real. You’re lost among the chaos of the sleepless action. The world around you changes. The change is tangible; you see it in the mismatched trees as one color devours the next. If you’d like, you can reach out and touch the leaves – you can feel the red and yellow bleed into the green.

Do you feel it?

Instead of listening to your playlist like background noise you can listen to the symphony of the street. The unique chorus of people going about their lives, of nature competing with the city for dominance: the music that’s all around us we choose to ignore in favour of this week’s Top Twenty.

Do you hear it?

The whole experience is never removed from your immediate consciousness. You’re aware. Someone is watching you; you’re the actor people wish they were or were with. You’re the one living, no longer passively going about your day. You’re alive.

Do you want it?

Come Hither Fair Drama!

I have a feeling I like drama. I leave everything to the last minute and then hope and pray it all works out. Why do I do this to myself? I always say next time will be different – better. Well, when next time rolls around I’m still scrambling to get everything done. It doesn’t even matter what it is.

It’s like I get some twisted pleasure from not having everything sorted out. And then when I’m overwhelmed I complain because there is just so much; how will I ever finish; the world is ending!

Somehow, I pull it all together and I come out okay.

But why do I create this needless abuse? What is the point?

Do I not like being happy and enjoying school? Do I like stress and drama and ripping out my hair?

I would like to say no. I would also then be lying. I don’t try to like it (I think it’s all subconscious... boy would Skinner have fun trying to condition me) yet I continuously do it. Maybe if I wasn’t so good at dealing with pressure and feeling like my world is crumbling things would be different.

Maybe if the whole will I or won’t I scenario didn’t light my fire...

But I do my best under pressure. If I don’t feel as though the weight of the world is on my shoulders, nothing gets done because there is nothing motivating me. It’s the damn procrastinator in me (I really need to do something about my laziness, it can’t be healthy).

On another note: I’m really getting into the whole swing of blogging... I remember when I thought all bloggers were silly – thought the whole thing was a waste of time (obviously, I was wrong!).

Jeesh, next thing you know I’ll be on twitter.

Tricks and Treats

I may not have gone on a party bus with forty five of my closest friends and gotten smashed last night (like my eighteen year old sister, who consequently, ended up going to the hospital because of her drunken escapades...her knee started acting up – what is with the two of us and inflammation this week?)

But I enjoyed giving out candy and watching scary movies with my Mom.

Since my Mom was giving out treats, she decided that she should also give the kids some tricks too. Half the time she would quickly swing the door open and yell “BOO!”

A darling little girl, just taller than my mom’s knee in a princess outfit looked up at her (in a way only little girls can) and said, “You didn’t scare me!”

My Mom, however, did have some success. She got one kid. One. And you would not even believe how proud of herself she was. There was a happy dance and several retellings to the parents of other Trick-Or-Treaters. Her treat for scaring the little (jumping) boy was some M&M’s.

Pet Semetary was on TV last night. Holy shit. I thought I was dark. I have nothing on Stephen King. Nothing. That guy is twisted (he also kind of looks like a turtle...).

I am now forever afraid of any little boys named Gage...heck, I think I’m now afraid of little boys in general. They are so deceptively cute, and they giggle and want to play games with you. It’s all fun and games until the little boy takes Daddy’s scalpel and slits your Achilles tendon and rips out your jugular with his two-year-old teeth. Yeah, not so much fun anymore, is it?

Hope everyone else had a good Halloween.

You should be happy to note that I got my Treat too (for having to go to the hospital). I got a new (also free) carpet today (well for me it’s new, but it’s in pristine condition and bigger than my old one). No more mystery (or not so mysterious) stains from drunken nights at my house with friends (meaning parties – most of them had behind my Mom’s back...).

I felt rather pathetic when my seventy-five-year-old grandparents and Mom ripped up the old carpet and put down the new one. Without my help. My bodies still recovering and I was a bit too shaky so I just watched (they also told me to get out of their way).

I wore my Swine face mask to avoid the dust and keep my grandparents safe from my coughing. There were some issues with Demon Bookcase and The Bed but otherwise all went well. It looks great and we’re all pretty happy about it.

A new carpet is a pretty nice treat, all things considered. So is having amazing Grandparents (they are hilarious, never pinch my cheeks, their house smells great, they are technologically up to snuff, and are superb conversationalists). It’s nice to have them back from Hick Town, Middle of Nowhere, Saskatchewan (they’ve been gone for two weeks visiting my ninety-nine-year-old Great Grandmother).

Anyone else out there with some nice treats heading there way?