Language

I went out again today, to make a phone call about my check card. The bank told me I have to wait until a month before the expiration 'cause that's when they send the new one out. I tried to get them to send it sooner but they wouldn't. :( So I have to wait and get my parents to forward it next July.

I'm liking that I've been out every day the past three days. Just doing little things at a time, but I'm doing things and I'm getting less anxious. Definitely need more time and exposure to being outside to build my confidence, though.

Next Jan. I hope to finally get started on some French classes, since I won't be in university till the fall. (Again, assuming I get accepted, though I heard from my therapist not long ago that she already sent off the letters on my behalf. That's very encouraging.)

wtf, I go out, try to have a normal day despite the crap circumstances of my life. then I go to the pharmacy and some stupid *bitch* asks if I'm a tourist because I don't understand or answer her French which was way too fast for me.

(more bitching below, i'm not happy right now)

Well, she should be arriving there in an hour-ish, anyway.

I'm a lil' melancholy, but I'm also happy to have my creative and web work time back. I can't function without enough alone time for my projects and games and stuff, any more. And I'm still kinda agoraphobic... I was starting to get tense and cranky and overly self-critical (especially about my looks, but other things too) because I've been outside around people every day.

But, I felt kinda bad seeing my sis off. She kinda strikes me as feeling rather lost and lonely lately. I don't know if being around us did any good, though it did show her that life can be very different if you move away from the Bay Area, with all the competitiveness, high cost of living, overworking and overachieving.

I'm back :O My eyelids have been tired all day and I have this icky pressure headache.

Short summary: We did a lot of wandering around the area of Montreal around the English universities. Walked into Concordia (one of the two) for a few hours and did a self-guided tour. Went to the botanical gardens in Montreal, saw the insectarium, and the biodome hosted at what was the Olympic Stadium when Montreal hosted the Olympics. Had great dinners each night... and staying at a hotel is so relaxing (we tried the spa. And we saw Knocked Up on the pay-per-view.)

Conclusion: I really like it in Montreal. It feels more comfortable for someone like me who knows very little French. I even felt an incentive to learn it more because there'd be more people like me struggling with language, what with international students and all. It will take a while to adjust to living and driving in a city with population comparable to LA, though. o.O

I might write more later but for now I really need rest. D:

Didn't get to see the movie last night. Because my car was towed. AGAIN. ARGH, WHY. It's always street cleaning or construction or snow sweeping or whatever the hell else. See, I don't have a job, and Jon walks to his (usually), so we don't use the car all that often. Jon goes and checks the car every day to make sure he doesn't have to move it. BUT! This time it got towed in the afternoon even though he actually checked in the morning. Oh sure, the person he called said there WAS a sign, but for all we know the sign was put there after he checked. :P

I walked back home very, very pissed. I freaking hate living here sometimes. I mean maybe if I actually didn't feel too apprehensive to go outside, I'd check the car myself more! Or take it out more often! YEAH!

But then I remember, I chose to come here. And I don't yet know where else to go. And I'm still waiting for my residency.

We went shopping a bit yesterday. I'm trying to broaden my spring wardrobe and there's lots on sale since the season is just changing. So I'm buying! Especially need it cause my body sucks and is in this between sizes thing. Bah. I have a couple of nice spring dresses... I wish that it'd get warm enough so I can wear 'em already! :O

We passed by HMV and ended up buying a Nine Inch Nails live album and a DVD of Metallica videos. More sale stuff, and win on the nostalgia value -- those were bands I particularly liked in high school. (Augh, so old. HS is over 10 years ago now!)

I'm usually used to celebrating Christmas on Christmas, but I know people who do most of the festivities on Christmas Eve. Apparently that's how things are here at my inlaws' place! So I was busy pretty much the whole night and didn't get to write my holiday wishes yet.

The day went by slowly but satisfyingly for the most part. We didn't have our holiday dinner until past 10 pm, which I'm actually fairly used to because everyone eats late at my parents' house (9 pm or later is normal). Before that we had various things to snack on. Jon made a tasty omelette. His mom made her shrimp dip which is quite tasty, and there were various lil' cakes to munch on.