Camping last weekend.

Been a while since my last post, so here’s a general update on what’s been going on in my life.

I went camping last weekend with pathfinders, somewhere way up north in Ontario. (I live in southern Ontario.) The ride was more than two hours and on the way there Tigger (pathfinder leader which I must’ve mentioned at least a gazillion times) made me “navigate” since I got stuck with shotgun seat. (I didn’t want shotgun since there were other two other pathfinders getting a ride and I wanted a backseat closer to where the conversation was.)

It didn’t make much sense, Tigger having me “navigate.” Navigating was reading a list of directions she’d printed off of MapQuest prior to the trip, and reading and re-reading and re-re-re-re-re-re-times-infinite-reading these instructions (especially at every turn we took through towns and stuff along the way), even though she had a flipping GPS telling her where to go. Really, all this extra work was not necessary.

Normally I don’t trust in GPS machines in cars since I’ve heard bad things about what happens when somebody relies too much on it. (Like a driver being led right into a lake and not even questioning it until it was too late.) But this thing echoed me.

TIGGER: Okay, Alex, what do the directions say?

ALEX: [Reads complete directions word-for-word, punctuation for punctuation in a rather flight-attendant-sounding voice.]

TIGGER: [Insert random segment of the directions here, like turn left at whatever route number], right?

ALEX: [Repeats.]

TIGGER: What’s after that?

ALEX: [Reads out next direction, word-for-word, punctuation for punctuation.]

GPS: Turn left at [whatever street] in approximately [whatever] [kilometres/metres/whatever].

TIGGER: Is that what it says on the directions?

ALEX: Yes, Tigger, that’s what it says.

TIGGER: How far until the next turn?

And I’m hardly sensationalizing. It got annoying and everytime we had a pit stop, the GPS would be all, “Off route. Recalculating.” And then it would give us directions on how to get back on the road to the camp.

After we got back in the car, Tigger would basically have me read out all the directions we had yet to fufill, word-for-word, punctuation-for-punctuation.

We eventually arrived at the camp late. (Side note: Pathfinders in my group that came consisted of Brianna and a girl I’ll call Kitty- which was her nickname when we were in guides together. She doesn’t seem to be called that usually anymore though.) There were two guide groups there, and two of the girls were special. One of them had fetal alcohol syndrome, barely said a word, and quickly grew attatched to Brianna. The other girl we didn’t know had any issues until the next day when she wailed about having to go last to wash her dishes and dumped her hot chocolate in the still-being-used dishwater. (She had autism.) No one but one guide leader seemed to know how to react, so we mostly just stared or walked away while the leader chastised the girl.

We’d expected to meet a pathfinder from Madoc who’d be camping with us, but she didn’t snow. I mean show. Maybe that’s because she heard about what the weather would be like on the weekend.

That’s right.

It was pouring rain and freezing non-stop for the whole weekend until Saturday when it decided to SNOW. IN MAY.

The first night we slept in tents. Large green tents (enough to easily or maybe not-so-easily fit 14 people) with velcro-shut doors. They were pretty much built-into a hardwood plank-type thing which was elevated something like a foot (or a half) off the ground.

We kept waking up in the middle of the night (as in the wee hours of it) to the door being blown open and ferociously waving in the wind while a rain puddle was forming (the worst of the rainstorm must’ve been the night) at the foot of our tent. All of us were too freezing cold and half-asleep (don’t blame it on regular teenage laziness) to get out of our sleeping bags and shut it. We figured it’d be blown open again anyway.

I wore two layers of fleece pajama bottoms, two layers of socks, regular undergarments, a tank top, a t-shirt, a heavy sweater (the kind they sell at Zellers that say Canada across the chest), and my winter coat to sleep. A winter hat, too. Tigger also lent me a heavy fleece blanket and I had my sleeping bag and an improvised pillow (my yoga bag stuffed with clean clothes) and held my stuffed lion for most of the night. I was surrounded by the other pathfinders on one side and my suitcase on the other. I still couldn’t feel my feet and my fingers were almost purple most of the time, and felt too cold the next morning to change out of anything that wasn’t fleece. So I wore my pajamas for the next day. When I got my wash-up stuff altogether, I realized my deodorant had frozen in its container thing. That got a few laughs.

I didn’t need it anyway.

The next day we spent most of the time inside the building (where even after a LONG time of the maybe-twenty-or-fifteen of us sitting there, we could still see our breath prominently in the air) making crafts and stuff. No one wanted us to leave and there were rumours spreading around about all the guides moving into one tent since the autistic girl had peed on another girl’s stuff overnight and the tent was unbearably smelly. We left the building mostly just to do tie-dye (it was a time-travel themed camp) and cook grilled cheese for lunch on buddy burners (buddy burners = a small fire covered in a coffee can with airholes to let the smoke out) when it wasn’t so bad out. I still got raindrops on my cheese though.

One of the oldest girl guides told us about some guides apparently sneaking into our tent at something like 3 AM.

“The Pathfinders are sleeping like BABIES!”

“No duh, it’s like, 3 AM. I’m jealous of them.”

We ended up spending Saturday night in the first floor of the building accross the street where the Brownies and Sparks were staying. This building was HEATED. 😀

As soon as we walked in all of us could feel our bodies beginning to thaw and when Tigger (who was on the side of having us sleep outside in the snow to earn our “Winter Camping” badge in MAY) wasn’t looking, a couple of awesomazing Brownie/Sparks leaders snuck us (just the pathfinders, I think) some mattresses. The mattresses were about two inches thick, covered with leathery fabric and the best cushioning I have EVER felt in my LIFE.

Memory foam would’ve been jealous.

Dropping onto the mattress and in the same comfy fleece clothing, (minus the extra blankie) I slept like a baby. 😛

Naw. I don’t think babies actually sleep well.

I slept more like my dad does watching animated movies. (He told me he’s been caught snoring in the theatre before.)

Or like I used to in French class last year. (I did it very subtly and skillfully- pick a comfy position with your eyes invisible from the teachers and head buried deep into your work, like you’re concentrating on reading. Don’t do that during a lesson or when you’re supposed to be answering questions, though. That’s stupid for your grade and you’ll get caught.)

Anyway, I slept GREAT.

Until Tigger woke all the pathfinders up at like, REALLY SUPER-DUPER early (six-ish) telling us to get ready before all the guides did. (OMG I almost typed ‘die’ there. :S)

Of course I kept insisting I didn’t care about waiting in a line-up for the bathroom and just leave. me. be. When she asked if I was even listening, I said yes, and that listening and obeying are two very different things. (Which is true.)

I didn’t have to wait for a line for very long either since most of the guides were getting their bedding all together and stuff before changing and washing up. Also, there was INDOOR PLUMBING (!) for the bathroom we were using and plus a bathroom upstairs for the brownies and sparks we could use in case of emergency. (It was the kind with several stalls in it.)

Before leaving, I got basically every one of the guides and leaders to sign my autograph book (which was a craft we made at camp) and recieved a button-on-a-string craft from one of the friendly guides. (The one that said about the girls sneaking into our tent.)

(I’ve got her on facebook now.)

On the way home I figured out a card trick. I also won several times playing cheat on the first night. (Because I have the best poker face in the world and am very good at strategies for games that involve lying. Not that I lie on any occasion other than games like cheat.)

I had a BALL.

Alex Violet

PS I’ve got this new friend who moved to my school from a couple hours away. We’re going to be new BFFs, as I said to her. Today some girl asked “So are you guys like, twins?” She was a hundred percent serious and shocked when my friend said she just moved here. “It’s just that you guys look so much alike and you have the same haircut and everything.” I thought that was cool. Later, she suggested we go shopping and buy the same outfit just to freak people out.

Like I said, we’re going to be great friends. 🙂

Later note: Long story short, we didn’t work out as friends.

My personality this day…

View Full MyPersonality.org Profile

0 50 100	%
Openness	93%
Conscientiousness	58%
Extraversion	61%
Agreeableness	61%
Neuroticism	28%

This is from that thing on FaceBook. “Big 5” or whatever. (It’s my results from a personality questionnaire that I took over facebook.)

If you want a more in-depth explaination or whatever, read below. But it’s all copied and pasted from FaceBook, just warning.

Openness
This trait refers to the extent to which you prefer novelty versus convention. Approximately 95% of respondents have a lower openness raw percentage than yours. From the way you answered the questions, you seem to describe yourself as someone who is far more intellectually curious and sensitive to beauty than most. You might say that your beliefs are individualistic and frequently drift towards the unconventional, and that you enjoy your imagination and the exciting places it takes you! However, your friends’ descriptions suggest that they think that you are far more conventional than you realise, and that they think that you would much prefer things to stay the same.

Reflective question: What place do you think that tradition has in society (if any)?

Conscientiousness
This trait refers to the extent to which you prefer an organised, or a flexible, approach in life. Approximately 40% of respondents have a lower conscientiousness raw percentage than yours. From the way you answered the questions, you seem to describe yourself as someone who is spontaneous and fun, and that you like to do unexpected things that make life that bit more interesting. You might say that you aren’t completely unreliable, but you’ve been known to slip up on occasion. Your friends’ descriptions suggest that they generally agree with this view.

Reflective question: How do you go about tackling a new task?

Extraversion
This trait refers to the extent to which you enjoy company, and seek excitement and stimulation. Approximately 46% of respondents have a lower extraversion raw percentage than yours. From the way you answered the questions, you seem to describe yourself as someone who enjoys and actively seeks out social occasions, but would say that they’re not everything. You might say that sometimes it is nice to step back for a while and have a quiet night in. Your friends’ descriptions suggest that they generally agree with this view.

Reflective question: What role do you tend to play in a team? (at work or in social activities)

Agreeableness
This trait refers to the way you express your opinions and manage relationships. Approximately 40% of respondents have a lower agreeableness raw percentage than yours. From the way you answered the questions, you seem to describe yourself as someone who people can find difficult to get along with when you first meet, as you can be suspicious of their motives. Your responses suggest that over time though people warm to you, and you to them, although that doesn’t stop you telling them “how it is”. Your friends’ descriptions suggest that they generally agree with this view.

Reflective question: When others are experiencing problems, what do you do?

Neuroticism (Emotional stability)
This trait refers to the way you cope with, and respond to, life’s demands. Approximately 21% of respondents have a lower neuroticism raw percentage than yours. From the way you answered the questions, you seem to describe yourself as someone who is calm and emotionally stable. Based on your responses, you come across as someone who is rarely bothered by things, and when they do get you down the feeling does not persist for very long. However, your friends’ descriptions suggest that they feel that you are less emotionally stable than you think. You project yourself as someone who gets stressed out by things more easily than you realise.

Reflective question: When do your emotions (or lack of emotions) get in the way of good decision making?

GREAT WEEKEND I HAD. Field trip tomorrow. Have to get up at 5 AM. Ride’s coming for me at 6 AM. Have to be at bus by 6:45 AM. Will probably be back home by 5 PM. Now I’ve got to get to sleep. ‘Night.

Alex Violet

A Glimpse

This is a video of me (sitting in the lawn chair at the start) and my little brother, Mathew (behind the shed yelling bear noises at the start).
I posted this video on YouTube about July 2008 (the summer before ninth grade, I believe. I was thirteen, Mathew was … nine, I think?).
It was about a year and a half ago, I believe. It feels like it was longer, though.
There’s been a lot that’s happened since then.

I started high school.
I won an art award.
I went through 9 exams.
I went camping at a beautiful provincial park with the student’s council.
I gained like, 10 of some of my best friends in the world at pathfinders.
I got a facebook account.
I got a blog.
I’ve attempted to finish writing several novels.
I got an iPod.
I went ‘out west’ for the third time in my life.
I visited Vancouver for the first time in my life.
I dipped my feet in the Pacific ocean.
I went to my first high school dance.
I went to Niagara Falls on a (geography class) field trip with some really great people and got in trouble with the teachers because we brought too much sugary pop and chips for our own good and all had sugar rushes at midnight.
I had the time of my life in Dinner Theatre.
I discovered a secret passageway in my school’s proproom hidden behind shelves.
I invented the word ‘AWESOMAZING’.
I’ve made a zillion more people laugh.
I joined my city’s youth council.
I met the mayor.
I discovered Twilight a few weeks after the above video was filmed.
I’ve come to terms with myself. (I am not so ashamed of who I am anymore. Because I am awesomazing.)
I spent a night in a haunted hotel.
I contacted a ghost. (One of my BFF’s birthday party. Her place was haunted so we pretended to be like TAPS.)
I sang ‘Tomorrow’ (from Annie) at the top of my lungs in the middle of a forest while cleaning an outhouse.
I sang ‘Tomorrow’ (from Annie) at the top of my lungs in the middle of a forest with some of my very best friends.
I have learned that everything has flaws but that doesn’t mean it isn’t beautiful and perfect by all means.
My kitten turned three years old.
I discovered that I truly would prefer world peace over all the money in the world anyday.
I have done way more than I ever thought I would and today it has occured to me that the past two years of my life have been worth every second, and I wouldn’t change anything at all.
I really truly wouldn’t.

I have now officially had this blog for one month.

WARNING: If you find reading about deep topics (like me talking about finding true love, what happens

Okay, I wrote this in my journal a few days ago, and it’s pretty personal but I decided to type it up here anyway. It’s the sort of thing I’d tell only my best friends.
But first you should know that I have never had a boyfriend. (It’s just that no one ever asked me or anything. But when I tell people they seem surprised and give me awkward, baffled looks. Is this a compliment?) So here it is:

I was listening to the song from the Ritz commercial today (it’s called “When I go”. You know, the one that goes, “If we’re both not married by 23, will you make my year, ask me?”) and it made me think: if I don’t get married by the time I get old, will I have a guy friend who’s a great enough guy to be a backup husband?
I don’t mind waiting for a guy to come along and be The One for me, I just want to know that I’m actually waiting for The One.
Maybe that’s what I’d ask a phsycic if the occasion of meeting one ever happens. (Or meeting one that knows it.)

I think once my journal is filled I’ll put it in a time capsule or pass it down in my family. Maybe someone will want to read it.

Anyway, I’m not sure if you can really tell yet after only, (?) entries, but I’m not exactly your conventional-thinking teenager. I don’t think most girls wonder about the meaning of everything everyday. Or if they do they don’t seem to make it publicly known. Sometimes this makes me feel a little alone.
But that’s alright. My friends and I sometimes talk about stuff like that.

(A) Random Thought(s):
I believe in heaven and reincarnation as well as ghosts and angels and guardian angels. (And a lot more I guess.) I’ve heard people say their theories about who a person will be in their ‘next life’ and I was wondering, does anything about a person not change in their next life? Maybe they’ve always been… let’s say… brave or something like that. Or maybe they’ve always had something like phsycic ability or they’ve been one of those people that talks a mile-a-minute and talks with their hands. (I do that sometimes, but only if I’m really into a conversation. You should see how animated I get.) Or maybe they’ve always been naturally left-handed. (I meant ‘naturally’ as in instincively- I know how left-handedness has been frowned upon throughout history and so people have been forced out of it.) (Useless yet interesting fact of the day: Paul McCartney plays guitar left-handed, and -according to Wikipedia- Barack Obama is left-handed as well as that David Henrie guy from Wizards of Waverly Place)

Have you ever had a moment in your life where you experience something new that somehow feels familiar? (like if you’ve seen the Great Barrier Reef or a specific painting for the first time but somehow it feels like you’ve been here or seen this before, and not just on TV.)

I’m sorry if it seems like I’m rambling on about some pretty deep, religious stuff, but I just thought it seems interesting to read about what other people believe or ponder the more philosophical questions in life.

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and their own thoughts, their voice and their questions.

ANYWAY, I had a pretty good day so far. I volunteered at a library program and we played clue. My group came in second with that. And then we played Catchphrase and then Scattergories. Which is so clearly awesomazing since I love (and rock mostly at) Catchphrase. Scattergories I’m even better at. We came in second place (1st was ahead of us by ONE point!) at Scattergories. I also enjoy the game Balderdash but we did not play that today. (I always win that game. Even though I have only played it a couple of times.)

Here is the thing I learned today:
Sometimes laughter can make a person feel better/less stressed. Also, volunteering at the library is a lot more fun than you’d think. And also that there is a “study room” and a “loading room” in the library. Yeah, the last one was what I really learned. The other two facts I knew already. 😛 😀 🙂

And Happy Faces Make People Happy. (Or Happier. 🙂 )

I love comedy.

I know I’m weird, but I have more fun that way, so why would I think that’s a bad thing?

Sincerely,
Alexandra Violet! 😀 😛 🙂