Hi all!
Hope your respective weekends were good.
Corn and I hung out with Mr and Mrs Kaptain on Saturday night ...went to see Hollywoodland, the new Ben Assflick picture. And I say, "picture" because it's in keeping with Ben's old school persona in this one. The movie is, okay. It doesn't suck, it's not fab - it's okay. But I find it really hard to take Assflick seriously. Mebbie that's just me. I first saw him in Chasing Amy YEARS ago and thought he was great. Then the years went on, J'Lo dumbness happened and I tuck n' rolled right off that bandwagon.
So - back to Saturday, after the PICTURE we stopped for a bite at Guido and Angelina's in the Forum. Nicolas is the manager there - a really great guy (who says hi to Ma Horton by the way!). I was asking him about the day of the shooting. He said in the confusion, lots of people were running into his restaurant. And a lot of his staff actually go to school at Dawson - including his busboy, who was with the young girl who was killed. ERGH.
On the way back to our car, Corn and I stopped by the makeshift memorial outside of the school. Part of me wanted to avoid it - the other part, wanted to go. I'm glad I did...Flowers, candles, cards, signs - and a constant flow of people, silently paying their respects. I cried. I couldn't help it. This kind of stuff is so senseless. It is such a cliche, but you just never know. I wish that didn't sound like such a tired line. It loses its importance that way. But, y'know.
So, how are YOU guys? Been minimal action on here lately and you know how I hate minimal action. HAR HAR HAR. Oh! On the homefront - we saw a BEEE-YOO-TI-FUL townhouse in Verdun on the weekend...I mean, fabulous and the price was right. And then - we noticed it was right beside a giant municipal power supply thingy. And call me crazy, but I don't feel like wakin' up one morning with 3 eyes and radioactive skin. Even IF they lowered the asking price by $20 G.
9 comments:
So the school year has just begun and already the shootings start. What has the world come to? My little guy started junior kindergarten today, he was so excited! I dropped him off and cried. I always thought by now I would have a second one home to take care of, but I guess somebody had other plans. And he's a guy you can't argue with...lol. Things are ok, still good days and bad, we are bunking with hubby for 10 more days. It has not ben easy, as he spends a lot of time on the road with a new job and when he's around, he's with the girlfriend and her 2 kids. Yeah, it's a long complicated story. Anyway, I hope you are all well, thanks to the folks in the apt downstairs and the magic of wireless internet, I am able to check in. Hello high speed my old friend....
Power lines? Bah!
I lived in Pickereing for almost three years, just yards from a major transmission line that originates at the Pickering Nuclear Plant, and look at me!
Okay, bad example. But seriously, you get used to the extra appendages, and the hair in the oddest of places.
As for living close to a nuclear plant, the upside is that you can always find your way home at night: just follow that nice, warm, green glow.
Gotta go feed by three-eyed fish and five-legged cat.
Make that "Gotta go feed MY three-eyed fish...".
Having six fingers on one hand can get in the way when you're typing.
Funny... I didn't have that sixth finger when I moved to Pickering. Hmmmm...
NGB always makes me laugh with his posting! lol
Nat, like you I wanted to go and pay my respects at Dawson but I am so damn sensitive with things like this that I was afraid I would break down. So I never went.
Plus, not so sure I would be able to see all that since I am a former Dawson student and I remember clearly sitting in the atrium talking with friends, playing cards and just hanging out like teenagers do.
Today will be a very tough day for Anastasia's family and friends when they put her to rest, such a senseless act. We always say "I could just imagine what they are going through" but really none of us can imagine and I just hope that they find some inner peace.
God bless them!
Hey N@
This whole Dawson shooting thing has me a bit rattled, Fembot’s a nurse at the children’s H and she often goes to eat lunch at the Dawson Entrance. That day would have been no different, except she had a meeting scheduled for 13:00. The thought that she would have been in the path of that (insert your insults here) leaves me in a cold sweat.
Well on a more positive note glad to here the house hunting is going well. Nothing like inconsiderate Apartment neighbors to give your efforts a violent shove forward. When you said there’s so much to learn…you not kidding.
But Nat my only piece of advice, deal directly with the banks. Ditch the mortgage broker, they get a cut of pie, I sent ours packing when I was able to negotiate a lower rate sans le 3rd party.
NB: If any one is interested I posted my thoughts on the Dawson shooting on my site.
Hey Nat!
I've been a silent reader for quite some time now (even when hockey debates were going on and i was yelling at my screen) I guess because i always felt like your online community knew each other and who the heck was I? Well, anyway, with the events of the last week, I guess i just feel as though i should put something out there. i am a former Dawson student, which makes the shooting hit home a wee bit harder then most who weren't(obviously not counting students that were there at the time and the victims and their families). I haven't been out of school that long, and i just shudder to think what might have been had i not left Dawson. The scary thing is that on a normal day around lunch, I would have been either sitting outside at the de Maisonneuve entrance or sitting in the Atrium at a table near the door. I mean Dawson was my home for 2 years, and I have soooo many great memories and really learned a lot. I can't imagine the pain and horror these poor students are going through since Wednesday, especially Anastasia's family and friends, and the other victims who were hurt, some who are still in hospital. Luckily everyone that I know that was there that day got out ok and no one was injured. My heart goes out to those affected and I hope that they will all pull through ok. To any Dawson students that might be reading this: don't give up! Don't let that arse take anything else away from you guys. Don't give him the satisfaction of ruining your lives. (There are so many things i could say about him right now...hatred and anger overwhelm me when i think about it, but there's no use. I know everyone feels the same way I do, and hating on him won't make any difference. It's what he probably would have wanted so I try not to bother.) Things will get better with time and the wounds on your hearts will heal. Try not to let your education suffer for it, it's too important. Make the best of the days that you have and spend as much time with your family and friends as you can. Life is too short, and as cliche as ot might be, you really don't know. If there is anything good to come of this, it is to learn to live like Anastasia. I didn't know her, but from the testemony of her family and friends she was a beautiful girl with a free spirit who loved life and lived it well. Let's carry on for her, because I'm sure that's what she would have wanted.
Well, I guess I've yammered enough! For someone who's never commented before, I've sure got a little novel going! Take care all! Be strong and love life!
Laters!
Meaghan
Meaghan! Thanks so much for your comments - it's always nice to hear from the silent ones. :) You've summed up much of our feelings beautifully and I hope you'll post again sometime.
I am a current Dawson Student in my last semester there. Dawson is a great school and it's amazing how strong those students are! Being there yesterday and today made me feel as though we really are a family. Yesterday was quite emotional but at the same time it was great to be able to walk in and take out school back. I participated in the march into school at 12:41 and let me tell you that was quite the experience. It was a touching thing to participate in. My friends and I walked in holding hands and tears coming down our cheeks. Teachers and others stood on the sidelines cheering and applauding. Inside they put panels along the walls in the Atrium and also on the 5th floor and all the students signed it and wrote their thoughts and touching messages such as "Live Strong, Live Dawson" and " Love is stronger than Hate" and so on. They also have a table set up in the Atrium for Anastasia with flowers and poems.
I have to say I really wasn't looking forword to going back but I knew it was something that needed to be done. I'm really glad I did, because I feel as though it made me stronger. Seeing my friends also contributed to that. Seeing the extra security today didn't really make me feel safe though, it made me feel uneasy. At 11am today some observed a moment of Silence for Anastasia De Sousa.
Oh, I also have to mention that in the lower Atrium there was a man standing there giving hugs for free! God bless that man! He's such a nice guy and he stands there with his arms wide open giving hugs to whoever wants one. (www.huggerbusker.com...yes he has a website :))
Being back in class was tough, some people were crying and teachers spoke to us and asked about how we were doing. In my 1st class of the morning at 8:30 the class was silent. The teacher spoke and asked us many questions and all we could do is sit there and be silent. We were all understandably at a loss for words. It was really nice to see everyone trying to bring back that atmosphere we all know and love at Dawson...and that is living, learning, loving and laughing!
When I got home yesterday and had finally mellowed out for a second after such an emotional day and lunch with my friends, I thought to myself...Did today just happen? Did we just go back to school 5 days after a troubled man walked in and went on a shooting spree to take our school back? Did an innocent girl, a girl who many of my friends know and love, who was just sitting in the cafeteria eating lunch, going about her day just lose her life while she was at school?
One thing I know for sure and that's that we will move on together and we will never forget what happened on September 13th, 2006.
P.S. I'm sorry if I was rambling and if my thoughts seem all over the place, I was just writing as my thoughts and feelings came to me.
Thank You all for the support!
The silver lining to the cloud that descended over Dawson College last week is the extra strength the students have taken from the horrible experience. It is the legacy of Anastasia DeSousa, and not the maniac who invaded your space and took Anastasia's life.
My story doesn't compare in scope, except that a death is involved. When I was in my early 20's, one of my six closest friends in the world died in a car accident. Although our "Gang" had been very close since our early teens, we know that Greg's legacy to us is to have made our bond even stronger. To this day, 25 years later, even though we are geographically spread out, we know that whenever we might need one of the other guys, no one is ever further than a phone call or email away. Other life events since then(weddings, births of children, deaths of parents, etc.) have proven that. We are, figuratively and literally, each others's shoulder to lean on.
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