tambourine.

Best. Book. Ever.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has blown me away. There is no shred of doubt in my mind that the human race has a literary genius walking among us in the form of J.K. Rowling.

Signed,
Completely floored and stunned.

the con.

Listening to Tegan and Sara's new album The Con is providing me with an immense sense of satisfaction and a surprising sense of comfort. It's like being reunited with two friends who know everything about you. Know your mind; know how you think and feel. Two friends who, for some reason or another, have gone missing for the past 3 years. In the span of 3 years you've filled your mind with old conversations had with them and memories you've made together, but nothing is quite like being around them in real life, or for the sake of this metaphor, listening to new music by them.

my rights versus yours.

I got a new job. It's at this classy, upscale restaurant called Moxie's. It's right downtown on the C-Train line. It's a pretty much fantastic location. The pay is pretty sweet. For a starting position as a Host, I've never once made this much money in my life. I had to sell my soul in PEI and work at a call centre, and here I'm starting off at several dollars more. Huzzah! The only thing better than the location and the pay is the actual job. I honestly love it. It's pretty easy, nothing too complicated, and the people I've met there already are unreal. So freaking friendly and outgoing. I think I may finally start to make some friends in this city. In case you didn't know, I still don't have any friends here. I mean, I'm friends with the people from American Eagle (aka my other job), but it ends there. There's nothing after work, and between you and I (and all the other people of the internets), there are a few people who work there that I would never be friends with in real life. Then there's Voldemort*. This real piece of work assistant manager. I can't stand her. It's funny because I really wanted to work at AE in the beginning. I love the clothes. They play cool music. The discount is phenomenal. The other day I was working with 3 other people that I like and it was like a night and day difference to when I have to work with Voldemort*.

I'm all registered for school. I'm very nervous and anxious. What's it going to be like? Am I going to meet anyone? Ugh.

I love the Stampede. I went last week to the parade, then the midway, then the chuck wagon races and finally the grand stand show. So much fun.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix came out this week, and while I'm very much excited to see it, it's nothing compared to how ecstatic I am about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

*I don't really work with Voldemort. But we get along like Harry and Voldemort do. Clearly I'm Harry.

world on fire.

So this past week I went to the Sunglass Hut. They sell sunglasses, in case the name didn't tip you off. Actually, they sell really nice sunglasses. I'm talking about Versace, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, DKNY, etc, etc. I went in there the other day, and I found a pair of D&G sunglasses that were amazing. I've never been able to find a pair of sunglasses I looked decent in - ever. I just don't think sunglasses suit me very well. Well, let's just say that my sunglass theory went out the window. These were incredible sunglasses and I looked fantastic in them. I could have given Brad Pitt a run for his money. However, the price set me off a little. $300 for sunglasses is a lot. $300 for anything is a lot. Even if it's D&G. So these past few days I've been contemplating buying them. I really, really, really wanted them. And they wanted me. I know this because of how well I looked. Sunglasses just don't look that good on people, and these were amazing on me. They were clearly made with me in mind. Clearly. But tonight while browsing around the ole YouTube I stumbled upon something I hadn't seen in years. Something that brought me back to Earth. Something that reminded me of how I used to be - how I used to think and feel.

I can't do it. I can't justify spending that much money on a material object that can be replaced with something for $4 I saw at RW&Co the other day. I used to believe in helping the people who live in other parts of the world because I narrowly escaped it. Coming from a country that has seen more than it's share of political strife, mixed with an unhealthy dose of inhumane living conditions that have prevented an entire population from progressing, I feel like I have no choice but to help. If I wasn't here, safe and cozy in the Canadian lifestyle I've become accustomed to, that would be me who would be suffering those conditions. That would be me.

There's one part in the video that gets me. Sitting in my room at night while everyone else in the house is asleep I could feel a pang of guilt mixed in with burning eyes while watching it. If you know me at all, you know I don't cry that often. Aside from anything remotely having to do with the personal safety and stability of my family, nothing really tends to get me going. Even then, I don't really cry over my family (eg, I didn't shed a single tear in the 1 year I lived on my own from "homesickness"). However, this one little 10 second spot had me feeling all fire eyed. This one woman, working 2 jobs for 16 hours a day, 7 days a week PLUS selling oranges for two cents every night had an effect on me that my own mother doesn't always have. This woman does all of this to make the $200 she needs every year to send her son to school. All that work for $200. Here I am on the other hand more than willing to shell out $300 for something I'm guaranteed to break or lose within that many days.

So instead I'm going to go back to RW&Co and buy those $4 sunglasses I saw. The other $296 that would have gone to Dolce and Gabbana are going to be donated to Oxfam International. I've always been a strong supporter of Oxfam. Last year alone they helped plant more than 10,000 drought resistant trees in Ethiopia. Of course, if anyone knows of any other good world charities, I'd be happy to take a look at them, and consider giving a portion of the $296 to them as well.