Adelaide

Posted on June 7, 2014 by morganrobyn22

Loss.

It’s something we all have to deal with one way or another.

Losing contact with a best friend after high school. Losing the soccer game. Losing a family member.

Sometimes, that loss is of someone you can barely remember life without.

Today, for my family, that loss comes in the form of our dog, Addie.

Addie had been sick for a while, and we knew the time would come, but that doesn’t make it any easier. She isn’t the first pet we’ve lost, or even our first family member.

But it doesn’t really get easier, especially when it comes to your pet.

Dogs are special creatures. They love you unconditionally. It doesn’t matter who you are to the rest of the world, to your dog you ARE the world. They make us happy when we’re sad just by being them. They put up with our baby talk and we can talk to them about anything without them judging us.

They brighten up our lives simply by being in them, and when they’re done giving us all their love and trust, it’s time for them to go.

We love you Addie. We’ll miss you. You are such a good girl.

England 2015

Posted on May 2, 2014 by morganrobyn22

So, I have wanted to go to England since I was probably 10. My father is from there, so I have quite a bit of family across the pond. Mikey is currently in England visiting family for three weeks, so naturally I am super jealous. My sister is also travelling to England next year for a school trip – double the jealousy.

It is because of these occurrences that I have decided to go to England next spring. It is going to take a lot of money, but I am determined to go. This coming year is going to be dedicated to achieving my dream! I am going to save every loose coin I find, I’m going to put almost all of every paycheque in the bank where I can’t touch it, and I’m going to make it work.

Hopefully Mikey will be able to come with me, as well as my BFF Sammi and her boyfriend Kevin. I really want this, I’ve wanted it for almost ten years now.

It will happen.

I will be posting updates on how much money I have raised, what I plan on doing while I’m over there etc.

It’s gonna be epic!

Getting back in the swing of things

Posted on May 2, 2014 by morganrobyn22

Now that I’ve been home for university for a little over a week, I’ve started to get back into the routine of living at home. I gotta say, it’s a little different than university living! I have definitely noticed a few major differences, some pros and cons if you will. And just because I love lists, I’m gonna write them down.

Pros of Living at Home

home-cooked meals – cafeteria food is good, but nothing beats mom’s cooking!
two bathrooms – two bathrooms for five people is WAY better than one bathroom for four girls.
my puppies – okay, they’re not technically all mine, but I must admit, I missed the little fur balls while I was away.
actual TV – I don’t really watch a lot of TV anymore (compared to my old TV habits that is) but it is nice to not have to search Netflix or {il}legal sites to find a show you want to keep up with.
space to lounge – my room was pretty small, so my bed was where I spend most of my downtime. Being home, I have a plethora of choices when it comes to sitting and doing nothing!
seeing my family and friends – this probably should have been higher on the list, but seeing familiar faces you haven’t seen in a while is always nice.
working – not exactly a pro, but I need money and I have a job here! I scoop ice cream for tourists, but work is work.

Cons of Living at Home

having to get used to the short toilets – the toilets in res were a lot taller, so I find myself falling through the air every time I try and do my business…
no public transit – I live about ten minutes from the edge of town, meaning I have to procure a vehicle every time I want to meet someone or go shopping.
shopping – speaking of shopping, my town has the tiniest mall ever. We only recently acquired a Winners and a Sportchek.
movies – I watch a lot of movies, but my town has one movie theatre with two screens. We rarely get all the blockbusters, and if we do they’re here way later than anywhere else. (We also went digital in November… on one screen. It’s a small town.)

As you can see, there are things to get used to, but I’m happy to be home. I really missed the place.

Mom’s amazing graham wafer treats

Posted on April 10, 2014 by morganrobyn22

So since these graham wafer things are so unbelievably delicious, I thought I’d share the recipe with y’all!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter melted

1 cup brown sugar stirred in

1/2 cup pecans stirred in

Graham wafers (Our Compliments work best)

Directions:

Layer a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil

Split OUR COMPLIMENTS brand graham wafers in half and line cookie sheet with them

Pour brown sugar mixture over

Preheat oven to 400 ad bake for 5 minutes

Watch carefully so they don’t burn

Store in airtight container

Regular Scarf to Infinity Scarf

Posted on April 8, 2014 by morganrobyn22

Okay, so infinity scarves are “in” right now, and try as I might, I just can’t seem to find any! I have a lot of regular scarves though, but they’re just not the same.

Well today I made an amazing discovery, one that I’m ashamed I didn’t think of long ago.

This page tells you how to make an infinity scarf out of a regular scarf, and it’s incredibly easy.

Just thought I’d share my newfound information with y’all!

Happy DIY-ing!

53 Things I Learned from First Year University

Posted on April 8, 2014 by morganrobyn22

Exams are both more scary and less scary than people will have you believe.
You will make friends, even if you think you won’t.
Your teachers actually do care, at least sometimes.
Not knowing your (new) roommate can turn out not so bad!
Patience. Especially when you were just getting up to pee and your canmates decided to have a shower.
The sound of other people peeing eventually becomes not a big deal anymore.
You might not get as homesick as you thought you would.
Earplugs are life savers.
Don’t work on your bed. For some reason Tumblr becomes way more distracting when you’re not at your desk.
Keep your workspace clear. Seriously, eventually it’ll drive you bonkers.
You might be able to get away with not doing laundry for three weeks, but that doesn’t mean you should.
Most times, you’ll be able to sleep through the drunken yelling in the hall.
Your canmates will lock you out of the bathroom. Try not to get too mad, you’ve done it to them too.
Fresh air is good. Tunnels are lovely, but try to come up for air sometimes.
Personal hygiene: also good. Especially when you share a bedroom with 1 other person and a bathroom with 2.
You will most likely get sick. It’s perfectly acceptable to call/text your mom to get her to make you feel better.
You do not have to drink if you do not want to. Don’t change who you are for these people.
There will be sketchbags in residence. Don’t feel afraid to ask your Rez Fellow for help and tell the sketchbag to get lost.
Routines are great, but they sure do make time go by a hell of a lot faster. Don’t think you have all this time, you really don’t.
April will come faster than you ever imagined, it’s scary but you will be okay.
There will be weeks when you have four essays due. Don’t panic, you can do it.
Not all long distance relationships work. I’ve seen it.
Some people just aren’t cut out for university. It’s not your job to make them stay when they clearly don’t want to be there.
Do you. University changes people, but don’t let yourself change for the wrong reasons.
Eating alone in the cafeteria is not a bad thing.
Because alone time is something not to take for granted.
You don’t need to go home every weekend.
But if you want to go home at every available opportunity, go right ahead.
Find out where the library is and use it. Even if it’s just for writing your essay without distractions. Seriously.
Your parents might stress you out to no end, but remember that they’re just trying to help you out.
Don’t sweat it if you don’t know exactly what you want to do with your life. People change their minds constantly.
Changing your major is a-okay and perfectly normal.
You can major in whatever you want. It’s your life, remember that.
You have 52 weeks in the year to drink. Don’t do all of it in the span of one.
Frosh week is an amazing experience and will seriously help you make friends.
There are some lecture halls (River Building) that are comfier than others. Don’t take them for granted.
Honestly, sometimes taking the stairs in the Uni Centre instead of the hills in the tunnels is a better tradeoff.
Loeb Cafe has the best breakfast that I have (to date) found on campus.
Gift cards. You don’t need much else for Christmas or birthday’s ever again.
Money is not going to reappear in your bank account. Take better care of it next year.
But don’t forget to have some fun every now and then.
The caf is wonderful, but eventually you will want a home cooked meal.
Ask your parents for care packages, they are amazing.
If your family is like mine, all the pictures/videos of your pets will make you feel like you never left.
It’s not a big deal if you have pictures from your high school days. Those people were your friends long before you came here.
So what if your room is cluttered? I prefer the term “cozy”.
Take advantage of car pools. I’ve heard that bus rides back home suck.
Keep in touch with who you want. Your high school friends have changed, just like you. Some not for the better.
You probably won’t get the same kind of grades you got in high school. Don’t sweat it, it happens to everyone.
If you don’t have to pull all-nighters, don’t do it. Because…
SLEEP IS SACRED. Seriously. Sleep. Do it.
Take some time away from social media and texting. Clear your head.
Weekends are great for catching up on homework. Or catching up on sleep and TV episodes. Whichever.

100 Days of Happiness

Posted on March 31, 2014 by morganrobyn22

I am a happy person. I have said that before.
But for this post, I have decided to post pictures or comments about what has made me happy on any given day.
These pictures/comments might not be consecutive, and I might post more than one photo per day.

Day 1:

Finishing essays makes me happy. I am officially done all of my essays except one. Hallelujah.

Day 2:

Spring makes me happy. It actually feels like an honest to god spring day outside today! I walked outside to my classes!

Day 3: I heard birds having a conversation today while walking outside because it was another gorgeous day! I’m not a bird expert, but it sounded like a conversation!

Day 4:

Meeting insanely cool people in class makes me happy. My journalism class has the best guest speakers, and today’s was no exception. (Left: Prof. Allan Thompson; right: Peter Mansbridge)

Day 5:

Bed makes me happy. Curling up in bed after a day of classes is magical.

Day 6:

Dancing and dressing up makes me happy. My residence had a “prom” in March, and it was super fun! I love any excuse to dress up and party with my home dogs!!

{From left to right: Chris, Mikey, Me, Jess, Aurora}

Day 7:

My crazy family makes me happy. My family came to visit me at the end of the semester. It was a much needed visit and super duper fun!

{From left to right: Mom, Dad, Dylan, Kelsey}

Day 8:

Exploring and adventuring makes me happy. I love exploring! These pictures were taken at Hog’s Back Falls, which is about a twenty minute walk from campus. A beautiful spot, definitely returning to explore further!

Day 9:

Having a place to live this school year makes me happy. I recently signed a lease on an apartment for next year. I get to room with the lovely lady pictured above, and it’s in the same building as Michael’s, which is just an added bonus! I feel so grown up!

Day 10:

Family vacations make me happy. My family usually takes a vacation in the summer, but this year we went a little earlier. We journeyed alllll the way to Niagara Falls in May for the weekend. It was a little shorter than our usual vacations, but it was still a great time.

Day 11:

Knowing that my friend isn’t suffering anymore makes me happy. We put our dog Addie down yesterday. It’s still really sad, but at least now I know that, wherever she is, she’s not in pain anymore. I like to think that she’s with her best friend Molly (my dog), chasing squirrels and playing fetch. R.I.P

So You Wanna Write? Part 1: Let’s Be Real

Posted on March 31, 2014 by morganrobyn22

The Official Colonel Sanders Podcast

At the time of this writing the only difference between you and me is that I have one published book under my belt. That may sound like a world of difference to you, but it’s really not. All that means is that I’ve written more pages than you on one conclusive story, followed some advice by attending a local writer’s group, met a local guy who publishes books, sent him my manuscript, and he sent me a contract.

That’s the birth of The Man in the Box.

Here’s how it didn’t work. I didn’t send my completed manuscript to five agents, and I didn’t get ten phone calls the next day begging me to become their client (instead, I got over 300 rejections).

The local news didn’t call me when I tweeted, “Book one: Done” (I didn’t have a Twitter account, yet).

Fox News, CNN, NBC, ABC – none of them…

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60 Little Tips That Can Change a Girl’s Life

Posted on March 29, 2014 by morganrobyn22

Gave this a read and will have to remember to follow some of these!

60 Little Tips That Can Change a Girl’s Life.

Growing up with tea

Posted on March 19, 2014 by morganrobyn22

As I write this, I’m working my way through my second cup of tea today. It’s Rooibos Vanilla tea, with honey in it to soothe my sore throat. It’s also decaf to accommodate my “disease” as Mikey likes to call it. It may be considered useless to a lot of people, but I love my decaf tea.
When I was growing up, my mom would always make a pot of tea for guests and my grandma would do the same thing. I always saw tea as something grownups drank. If I drank tea, I was one of the grownups.
I drink tea all the time now, differently than when I used to drink it like my mom. My tea is anemic looking, full of milk or Carnation, and it sometimes has honey in it, but I love it.
My mom doesn’t really like tea, but she drinks it anyway. I on the other hand love tea. It soothes me and reminds me of my mom, my nanny and my grandma.
Tea is not just a drink for me, it is a memory and a feeling.
And when I drink it while watching my BBC shows, I feel incredibly British, so that’s a bonus.
Long live tea.

Here, There, and Everywhere

Author Archives: morganrobyn22