It's So Hard To Be Nice

It can be "hard" to be nice.  Like, when you're not sure if you should give someone a hand.  If you're in the city and you see someone carrying some heavy bags or something ... you might want to help but you're worried about it not being acceptable or something.

But why not offer?  What's the worst that could happen?  The person you're trying to help could say no.  In that case, just move along.  You tried.

Today, I was at a fruit market.  It isn't very accessible and there was a lady in a wheelchair looking at the strawberries.  She couldn't reach them all.  All the ones she could reach had a bit of mold in them.  So I went around on the other side (which was hard for her to get to) and found her a good basket of strawberries.  It's so little to do, but so easy, and it made me feel good.

At first I was like, should I offer to help her?  I was worried that she might get upset with me or something.  Or that she'd be like "I can't do it myself!" (I've had that happen to me before.)  But finally I was just like, of course I'll help.  If she gets upset, oh well, I was trying to be nice and helpful.  And who knows, maybe next time she won't yell because she'll realize I was trying to help.  I didn't want to be embarrassed or anything but I offered.  And she said thank you to me a couple times, which made me feel good.

It's just a little thing ... but you should do those little things!  Why not?  It takes little effort on your part and could really help someone!

I think it can be hard to offer to help someone sometimes but just do it!

Recipe: Chicken Flavoured Rice

Ingredients
condensed chicken broth
two cups of rice
peas
carrots
corn
(any other vegetables you'd like)
1 egg
salt

Directions
1. Make the rice.  I usually use Minute Maid white rice and I do two cups of rice.
2. Make the scrambled eggs.  Use one or two eggs.  Don't add salt because you will be adding salt to the final recipe.  You can do scrambled eggs on the stovetop or in the microwave.
3. In a big bowl, add the rice and eggs.  Add half a cup to one cup of vegetables.  You can use fresh veggies for the best taste.  Personally, I use a pack of frozen "mixed vegetables" which includes carrots, peas, corn, and potato bits.  You can experiment and see what vegetables you like best.
4. Mix the rice, eggs, and veggies in the bowl.
5. Add about 1/4 - 1/3 of a cup of chicken broth.  Mix it up.
6. Add a sprinkle or two of salt and mix.
7. If the chicken taste is not strong enough, add more chicken broth.  You can add as much as you'd like until you get your desired flavour.

This should be enough for four to six servings.

Enjoy!!

Small Town Versus Big City

For 17 years, I lived in a small town.  By small, I mean really small.  Population of 1,000.  Yeah, it was the kind of town where you knew everyone.  The place where you'd go for a walk for exercise and ten people would offer you a ride home.  The place where it was hard to date someone you weren't related to.  That kind of place.

When I was 17, I left for college, lived in what I thought was a big city for three years.  And a few months ago, at age 20, I moved to the real "big city" aka Toronto!

The differences between small towns and big cities are very, very amusing.

One thing I've really noticed is politeness.  In a small town, you say hi to everyone, you wave to everyone, that's just how it is.  In a big city ... no one even smiles at you!  It's like everyone is hiding from you or avoiding from you.

Stop signs and pedestrian crossings are another thing.  Everyone is sooo aggressive here.  In a small town, people will be like "no you go" and let the other person go.  Especially if someone has been waiting for a while (although I guess you don't wait that long in a village).  But here, it's first come first serve!  You have to be aggressive.  I will now walk out in front of a car who is rolling, trying to start up.  But the thing is, all the other pedestrians will do the same thing.  So if I stop, I just look silly!  At first when I moved here, I was like - oh no, let the car go!  The car is anxious to go of course but it doesn't want to hit you!

The one thing that really bothers me about the city is all the beggars.  Especially the beggars who are smoking!  I will NEVER give a beggar money if he or she is smoking!  Or drinking!  When I was at college, there were a couple beggars.  None in my hometown!  But here - everywhere I go!  I do feel sorry for them.  But the fact is, I'm not making enough to give it away.  I come first.  I have to be able to pay my rent and buy groceries.  Which I can barely do.  So no, the beggars are not getting my money.  Some of them are rude too.  Like being mean to me because I'm not giving money.  It's frustrating!  Some are nice though.  There was a nice guy today - he said "have a good day" to everyone.

There are also tons of charities.  Doctors Without Borders is my least favourite.  They have stopped me so many times!  I tell them that I'm unemployed and I can't even pay rent.  Yet they still expect me to donate money to them.  No, I can't do that!  I can't just take money that I don't have!  I will never EVER donate to Doctors Without Borders.  Simply because of how persistent and annoying they are.  When I have a real job and can afford to donate to a charity, I will donate to one that a) appreciates my efforts, b) is thankful for what it gets, and c) did not harass me.

I also really enjoy being able to go grocery shopping whenever I went!  I love 24 hour grocery stores within walking distance from my house.

And transit.  So amazing here!  Going out after 10:00 p.m. was difficult in my college town because there wasn't a bus back!  And there was (of course) nothing within walking distance.  During the day, I could get anywhere.  But not at night.  Here ... I have a 24 hour streetcar outside my door.  The new place I'm living - there is a 24 hour bus that is only a 5 minute walk away (another bus just outside my door but it doesn't run all the time).  In my hometown?  You'd have to drive an hour before transit existed!  If you didn't have a vehicle, or someone who would drive you, you were out of luck!

I also feel like I fit in.  I did not feel like I fit in in my hometown.  I don't know why.  It just wasn't "me".  I didn't enjoy being there.  Perhaps because there was nothing to do.  But it sucked!  But here - always something to do!  Even walking down the street is enjoyable.

A lot of people are like "how can you enjoy Toronto?"  My question - how can you NOT enjoy Toronto?  We have parks here too, if you want to go to the park.  It's not like it's all city.  There are tons of small parks throughout downtown actually and some bigger parts outside.

All in all, I love the big city.  Sometimes it's fun to go visit my parents in my hometown.  But I can't handle it for more than a couple days!  I love the city and can tell that I am definitely the city type of girl!

PC Financial

For those of you that live in Canada, I highly recommend the bank PC Financial.  It's associated with Zehrs, Loblaws, etc.  At first, I was a bit nervous about it.  No fees and everything.  Sounded too good to be true.

But I have been using it for a few months and it's great!  They don't have actual tellers which is the "bad" part of it.  But how often do you need a teller anyway?  And if you need a teller, you can go to a CIBC bank and use them for no charge!  It's a pretty good deal.

I used to be with RBC.  Okay, I'm still "partly" with RBC.  I'm in the process of switching over.  My parents are with RBC and have been for years.  RBC is also the only bank in my hometown (or the place that my parents live).  So I can see why they are with RBC, out of convenience.  But I don't live there anymore, so what is the point for me?  RBC is nice and all but they charge you after you aren't a student anymore (so yeah, they will be charging me soon!).

You can set up different accounts (high interest saving account, tax free savings account, etc.) with PC Financial.  You can also get a credit card (Mastercard).  You also get free cheques with your no free chequing account.  You can pay your pills.  You can set up automatic payments.  All sorts of things!

The other thing is that you can deposit American cheques into the bank machines!  I get American cheques once or twice a month.  When I was with RBC, I would have to go to the teller to deposit my cheque.  Each time, they would ask me a gazillion questions about it!  It was extremely frustrating.  What's the big deal?  It always went through, no problem.  The last time I wanted to deposit a cheque, I waited in line.  The teller asked if I wanted to get an American account associated with my RBC account.  So I said sure.  She set up a time so that I could meet with someone the next day.  The next day, I went back to RBC.  Some lady clicked two buttons online and set up my American account.  I could have done it myself online!  Why didn't anyone tell me that?  I wouldn't have wasted my time going into the bank if I needed to.  Even better, I had to wait in line AGAIN to deposit my cheque!  That was the day I got a PC Financial account.  I left the bank instead of waiting in the line (at least 20 people in line and only two tellers open).  I went over to PC Financial, got an account with them, and then deposited my American cheque into the ATM there.  No problem.

All in all, if you're looking for a new bank, PC Financial is highly recommended!

For more info, check out their site at: http://www.pcfinancial.ca/

Ugh! Guys!

Okay guys, please don't take offense to this.  I don't mean all guys.  I know that there are tons of good guys out there - like my boyfriend and my guy friends.

But I am ridiculously tired of some guys!!!

I went to a party last night / this morning.  It's a Wednesday, my boyfriend lives in another town, so I go with a couple of my friends (who are married) and meet up with another friend there.  Okay, so that's all good.  I'm dancing, having a good time.

This one guy comes up and talks to me.  Now I'm a friendly, nice person, okay.  I talk to him.  He compliments me.  Okay thanks.  But compliments are usually meant for "I want you in bed" or "I want to date you" not "hey, let's be friends".  So I know this guy is into me in some way.  I mention a boyfriend.  Doesn't seem to matter to him.  He asks for my number and I give it to him (why?!? I don't know).  I eventually managed to ditch him (I had to go to the washroom).  He comes up to me about an hour later when I'm dancing and he's all like "oh I was looking for you, I just sent you a text".  I (for real) didn't check my phone so I didn't see the text.  Then he's all "oh whatcha doing tonight" "want me to come home with you?".  Ummm heck no.  But I'm so nice and don't just say that.  I'm just like uhhhh welllll.  I don't know, do guys take "uhhhh welllll" as being interested?

Eventually that guy left, I was enjoying myself.  I went to sit down for a second because I'd been dancing for a couple hours.  Another guy comes up just as I sit down and he's all like "hey why are you sitting down?" so I'm like "I'm tired" and we have this weird conversation and then I finally give in and just get up and dance.  He's asking me questions, I'm responding pleasantly.  Then he's inviting me to this afterparty at his house with lots of alcohol ... I told him I didn't drink (very true actually!).

Finally my friend comes over and I'm good.  Then another guy starts talking to me.  Ugh ugh!  Does something on me say "talk to me?!?"  I mention a boyfriend as well.  Doesn't seem like he cares.  I'm at a party, I just want to listen to the music and dance!  The third guy leaves a bit quicker than the other two which was a relief.

Then I'm standing with my two friends and this other guy goes "hey cutie, how are you doing?".  "good thanks, you?" completely unenthusiastic.  He asks me to chill with him after.  I say no I have to work early.  He says "everyone does".  I don't have to work early.  I don't have to do anything until late afternoon tomorrow, actually.  But I give up on telling people that.  He's like "can I at least have your number and we can link up?"  So I'm like "yeah sure I can give it to you."  Give him my number.  He's like "yeah I'll for sure link up with you."  Alrighty.  Oh yeah, and my friends are just laughing at me the whole time!

Night is almost done, I'm just waiting for one of my friends to go to the washroom.  The third guy comes up and asks for my number.  Okay I give it to him.

Finally, all the guys leave.  Whew!  The third guy sends me a message.

You know, the second guy seemed like the nicest one of them all.  What's with that?  Aha.  (For a friend, of course.  I don't want to date any of them!)

The thing is, I don't want to be mean.  But what do I do?  I try and mention a boyfriend.  Why can't guys a) ask about a boyfriend, and b) if you say you have a boyfriend, go away!  Now one of the guys is texting me (third one).  Oh wait, I just got a text from the fourth one.  What the heck?  I don't want to be mean!!  I like to have friends.  But I don't like those friends that always tell me how sexy, beautiful, etc. I am.  My boyfriend is awesome at that!  And I don't care that they think that!  And I know I am!

I don't want to sound like I'm "all that" or anything.  I know some people would like to have others approach them.  But what am I supposed to do?  I don't dress revealing or anything.  Well okay sometimes I do (when I'm out with my boyfriend only!).  But if I'm going out alone, I know this might happen.  I was just wearing a jeans and a tank top that covered up quite a bit!  I was wearing running shoes.  I even put my hair up in a ponytail (everyone says it looks better down).  I can't just like wear a sweater or something.  When I'm dancing, it gets hot.  I wish I had worn shorts or something but that would only make things worse.

And I don't want to just not go to parties.  I go out most of the time with my boyfriend.  But even then guys still come up to me!  I'm like, can't you see I'm with someone?!?  More so happens when I'm by myself or with other friends though.  At the one party I went to, guys would be like "who are you here with?"  Eventually I just said my boyfriend, even though he wasn't there.  But if my boyfriend isn't around ... what do I do?  Just not go to parties?  I don't want to sit at home by myself.  I want to be with my friends and I want to listen to good music and I want to dance!

I really thought these parties were different.  I guess not.  It's all about respect, happiness, love.  Not picking someone up and trying to have sex or date someone.

I seriously don't hate all guys.  I love my boyfriend.  I love (in a friendly way) my friends.  I hate guys who don't get the hint and do not listen when I say "I have a boyfriend."  Ugghhh!!  Okay, end rant!

July 2011 Top Songs

I apologize for my list being a couple days late - but here it is!

1. Katy Perry - Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlyXNRrsk4A&ob=av2e
This is such a hilarious song.  It kind of just shows what a Friday night is for high school kids and collegers.  Having fun!  I do think that this party might have gotten a bit out of control though by what was said.  And especially after watching the video, which really made me laugh!


2. Tujamo - Zora In Red
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWiG0JKqqhc
One of the club songs that I can't get enough of!  It's just so much fun to move to, to dance to!  I just love it!!

3. Chris Brown ft. Benny Benassi - Beautiful People
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2oPacPFBog
I'll be honest, I never would have seen this combination together.  But it just works!  Plus, I like the positivity of the song.  Who doesn't like a positive song?


4. Selena Gomez and The Scene - Love you Like A Love Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgT_us6AsDg
She's so young but so talented!  I love her voice.  She's just ... captivating!  It's a slower-ish song but I still like to listen to it!

5. Barem - Kolimar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qj42NNq8pM
Not an intense dance song but it's more of the relaxing songs that you'd hear while out.  The music is pretty cool though!