womenriseup-blog

[womenriseup-blog]

Ever believe that where you are in a current point in your life is the reasoning as to why everything up until this point has happened? I moved to Toronto approximately 9 months ago and right off the bat, things were falling into place perfectly. Then one thing after another aspects of my life started collapsing and well it took 6 months for my life to start taking, again, a positive turn. All the negative that occurred in a series of turmoil is truly starting to make sense. Losing my job, a job that wasn't so great, in turn for a job I absolutely adore. In the same fold, now collecting a decent income allowing me to be fully independent. And being single, allowing me to focus on myself and my well-being rather than someone else's. Now I'm getting back to a sense of balance and happiness, aspects in which I was lacking for the past 6 months. Winner:)

[womenriseup-blog]

I love this!!!! I really really want to work here. Put my Gerontology degree worth something great <3

[womenriseup-blog]

Fuck people, it's about acceptance and tolerance. Fuck yourselves with your bigotry and ignorance!

[womenriseup-blog]

[womenriseup-blog]

[womenriseup-blog]

So I came to Ottawa super spur of the moment on Wednesday and proceeded to do a triple header. Night one I really hit it off with this one girl at a local bar and Friday her and I hung out and it was amazing. Friday I got drunk. No girls. Saturday I got drunk and danced with this girl who is literally melt worthy and super successful and just great. I have a date with her tonight and I am going crazy with butterflies. Hopefully wine cures the nerves and it goes off without a hitch. Overall successful trip to Ottawa. It's a shame I don't meet girls as easily at home in Toronto. Sigh.

[womenriseup-blog]

Dear my past, present and future self! (adjusted parts of 13 year old self for self-explanatory purposes)

Dear my 5 year-old self…..you are about to start the beginning of a scary, adventurous, exciting, and exhilarating journey, so buckle up. Always remember that you are beautiful, inside and out. Those terrible, no good, very bad days, yea those, they will get better; they always do!

Dear my 8 year-old self….you’re doing well! By now I’m sure you have been bullied by at least one of your peers and chances that you have also bullied at least one is just as likely. But let that be your last. It’s not worth it!

Dear my 10 year-old self….if a peer wants to play with you at recess, let them. Because you just might be their saving grace.

Dear my 13 year-old self….you’re starting to develop or you’re not at all. Kids will be mean to you. But sticks and stones may break your bones but names will not hurt you, or kill you, because you have your whole life ahead of you and it’s totally worth living!

Dear my 14 year-old self….you’re at a new school.  You are the youngest and the older kids look so much bigger. Wearing heals, grown-up clothes; smoking, drinking and drugs. You will try your utmost to fit in. Rumours may start about you; you may start the rumours about others; solely to get to the top. Being mean may give you self-respect, leading others to self-destruct.

Dear my 16 year-old self….you are most likely starting to hear rumours concerning a peers sexual orientation or maybe your own. It is up to you to put them to an end. Don’t repeat them, discourage them, and be sure to educate your peers. Sexuality is a beautiful thing and everyone is at liberty to love whom they choose; Man, Woman, Trans, black, white, yellow, green, blue. Embrace it; again, it’s a beautiful thing

Dear my 18 year-old self….Ah you made it! Told you it would be an exciting ride. But guess what, you pulled through. You fought against life’s most difficult years, but don’t worry it’s not over ;)

Dear my 20 year-old self….Where in the world are you? Are you in school? Are you working? All those bullies from your school years, your worst enemies, those kids who you feared facing in the hallway; where are they? Oh right, you don’t care, and they don’t matter. You’re happy and that’s all that does.

Dear my 30 year-old self….A decade has passed. Maybe you are settled with a partner and not getting hassled for who you are. Maybe there are people in your life who still hassle you because they can’t get past it. You’re queer, their straight; everyone is entitled to their opinion, but no one is entitled to make you feel inferior without your consent. Get it? Got it? Good!

Dear my 40 year-old self….Maybe you’re a parent. The best parenting advice I can give you is, start young. Do not be naïve that your child does no wrong, they do. Teach them the basics of right from wrong and left from right. Lead by example to be kind, loving, and respectful to all. These are not things to be taught, they are to be modeled and engrained in the brains of youth. It will last them a lifetime if you do, and haunt them forever if you don’t.

Dear my 50 year-old s`elf….Jeez, you’re getting bullied in the workplace? Yea, bullying happens there to. It’s not a childhood flaw, it’s a personal one. Apparently some parents didn’t listen to my parental advice above-Damnit! Parents again listen to me! You know the saying the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree? Well it’s true, smarten up-bullying kills!

Dear my 65 year-old self….Maybe you’re a grandparent. Maybe you volunteer with kids. Whatever the case, it is your responsibility to set a good example. You’ve lived through the experience of bullying on one end or the other or maybe both. You know how much it hurts. You know someone who has killed themselves because they just can’t take it anymore. The words hurt too much, the punches kept them down; the fear is engrained in every ounce of their being. All because for them, it didn’t get it better. But you, your life did.

  So in the words of the highly respected, at one time, nationally bullied, Ellen Degenres, “be kind to one another”.

[womenriseup-blog]

Dear my past, present and future self!

Dear my 5 year-old self…..you are about to start the beginning of a scary, adventurous, exciting, and exhilarating journey, so buckle up. Always remember that you are beautiful, inside and out. Those terrible, no good, very bad days, yea those, they will get better; they always do!

Dear my 8 year-old self….you’re doing well! By now I’m sure you have been bullied by at least one of your peers and chances that you have also bullied at least one is just as likely. But let that be your last. It’s not worth it!

Dear my 10 year-old self….if a peer wants to play with you at recess, let them. Because you just might be their saving grace.

Dear my 13 year-old self….you’re starting to develop or you’re not at all. Kids will be mean to you. But sticks and stones may break your bones but names will not hurt you, or kill you, because you’re better than that.

Dear my 14 year-old self….you’re at a new school.  You are the youngest and the older kids look so much bigger. Wearing heals, grown-up clothes; smoking, drinking and drugs. You will try your utmost to fit in. Rumours may start about you; you may start the rumours about others; solely to get to the top. Being mean may give you self-respect, leading others to self-destruct.

Dear my 16 year-old self….you are most likely starting to hear rumours concerning a peers sexual orientation or maybe your own. It is up to you to put them to an end. Don’t repeat them, discourage them, and be sure to educate your peers. Sexuality is a beautiful thing and everyone is at liberty to love whom they choose; Man, Woman, Trans, black, white, yellow, green, blue. Embrace it; again, it’s a beautiful thing

Dear my 18 year-old self….Ah you made it! Told you it would be an exciting ride. But guess what, you pulled through. You fought against life’s most difficult years, but don’t worry it’s not over ;)

Dear my 20 year-old self….Where in the world are you? Are you in school? Are you working? All those bullies from your school years, your worst enemies, those kids who you feared facing in the hallway; where are they? Oh right, you don’t care, and they don’t matter. You’re happy and that’s all that does.

Dear my 30 year-old self….A decade has passed. Maybe you are settled with a partner and not getting hassled for who you are. Maybe there are people in your life who still hassle you because they can’t get past it. You’re queer, their straight; everyone is entitled to their opinion, but no one is entitled to make you feel inferior without your consent. Get it? Got it? Good!

Dear my 40 year-old self….Maybe you��re a parent. The best parenting advice I can give you is, start young. Do not be naïve that your child does no wrong, they do. Teach them the basics of right from wrong and left from right. Lead by example to be kind, loving, and respectful to all. These are not things to be taught, they are to be modeled and engrained in the brains of youth. It will last them a lifetime if you do, and haunt them forever if you don’t.

Dear my 50 year-old self….Jeez, you’re getting bullied in the workplace? Yea, bullying happens there to. It’s not a childhood flaw, it’s a personal one. Apparently some parents didn’t listen to my parental advice above-Damnit! Parents again listen to me! You know the saying the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree? Well it’s true, smarten up-bullying kills!

Dear my 65 year-old self….Maybe you’re a grandparent. Maybe you volunteer with kids. Whatever the case, it is your responsibility to set a good example. You’ve lived through the experience of bullying on one end or the other or maybe both. You know how much it hurts. You know someone who has killed themselves because they just can’t take it anymore. The words hurt too much, the punches kept them down; the fear is engrained in every ounce of their being. All because for them, it didn’t get it better. But you, your life did.

  So in the words of the highly respected, at one time, nationally bullied, Ellen Degenres, “be kind to one another”.

[womenriseup-blog]

Yes!

I got in touch with Bullying Canada, which coincidently is based out of my hometown of Fredericton, NB.  I don't know exactly where this will take me (us) but fingers crossed!

What type of anti-bullying campaigns do you thing would be the most efficient and why?

Happy Saturday beautiful people <3

[womenriseup-blog]

Anti-Bullying Campaign-

Hey ladies and gents,

I'm looking to start working with/collaborating with individuals who wish to work on an anti-bullying campaign to promote throughout Toronto school boards and the community as a whole. I'm looking for anyone with passion, resources, knowledge, etc.  The more interest the better. Please inbox me!

Cheers!!!!

[womenriseup-blog]

"Winter" days....

I do not think I have ever been so happy in the winter. Toronto "winter" is a cake walk compared to past winters spent in my home town of Fredericton, NB or my university days in Ottawa, ON. It is currently 0 degrees, sunny and no snow/ice has been seen for weeks. 

Fuck, global warming, you're comin' for us eh?

side note: damn it polar bears, i'll adopt you all <3 sorry mother nature can only seem to get her shit together on so many hemispheres