Parascaris Equorum
At Home (Canada). Jan 1nd, 2006
Merry Christmas, Happy Channukah and Happy New Year to all. I’d like to start this entry with a thought that goes a little something like this: I hope what you do on New Years doesn’t reflect how your year will be because if it is so then it’s going to be a year full of… NASTY BODILY FLUIDS OF VARIOUS SORTS! I feel sick just thinking of it. I guess everyone (who doesn’t already know) sort of wants to know what could possibly make me feel sick (after all, I don’t find touching horse poo with my bare hands gross). Okay… So my friends (and some various boyfriends) and I were to celebrate New Years at Nathan Phillips Square but before we went out we played a drinking game (Kings), and I don’t drink. Ever. So a drinking game for someone with no self control (and moreover doesn’t know her limits [hypothetically speaking of course]) can only mean disaster but it was so much fun!! We played for a while dishing out terrible punishments to those who forgot the rules until we were all just a little more than tipsy (some more than others… HAHna: Vodka by itself, bitch?!) Then the stuff that was left over was divided and put into water bottles and we left. We walked/stumbled/crashed into cars all the way to the subway, once on there we took silly pictures (which I would like to have so sendy, sendy, guys). One thing led to another and there we were, dancing to Shawn Desman while Mizzle yelled, “YOU SUCK!!!!!!” That was all great fun, I had almost finished my bottle of magic potion when out of nowhere I had to pee so bad that I thought I would explode. I have never had to pee so bad and so suddenly! I couldn’t go alone so HAHna accompanied me. In my now full-blown drunken stupor it seemed that we walked for 100 kilometers and when we finally got to a washroom (the details are a little hazy) I sat and the next thing I knew I woke up because I had passed out on the loo and had just fallen into a puddle of my own vomit. All the while I was feebly calling out to call an ambulance. The next thing I knew I was staring up at a hospital ceiling. I was just dry heaving by now but I felt horrible. Worse than horrible. To my utter humiliation I found myself in a hospital gown and nothing under!! I was freezing cold and there were nurses sticking needles into me and they answered every question I asked them except “Am I dying?” I asked it like 3 times and I started to panic a little then like most drunken thoughts it sort of faded away, but it’s one particular detail that I remember quite well. I fell asleep for a couple of hours and when I awoke I was pretty normal again, my mom came to pick me up and ironically enough she was the coolest of everyone about it. To my utter relief the nurse said that I didn’t even reach the toxic level and if I had had the drinking experience of a year or so I wouldn’t even have been sick. Now the only problem is that I looked like a drunkard in front of people I didn’t even know and parents must think I am a terrible person and I seriously doubt anyone really explained what happened to their parents. I feel like a hypocrite and most of all so irresponsible. I don’t want to face anyone and I bet my friends are going to phone and try to make me feel better by telling me their embarrassing drunk moments but I really doubt anyone can top this one. This was so bad that I have done 2 things: 1) I have solemnly sworn to never to drink again and 2) consider moving to Italy. The first one is a must and the second is going to take some careful consideration but it is no longer being ruled out as an option, whereas before it was. Things are never going to be the same and I hate myself one thousand times over for having been so stupid.
At Home #2. Jan, 16th, 2005
Today was one of the most satisfying days of my whole life! I got so much done today in so little time! I won’t write about everything but one thing I must write about is my scholarship. I couldn’t get one from Mac since I was going to a foreign University but I could get one here from a different program (long story) anyway, to keep this scholarship I had to have (by the end of the year) an average of 83 and 25 credits (or so I had been led to believe). My average was over 83 but I didn’t have 25 credits (which is already difficult for Italians, let alone foreigners. Yesterday I had to go to repay the scholarship and I was talking to the clerk and at one point she asks, “Are you sure that in one year you couldn’t get 20 credits?” I told her that I had gotten 18 credits and 3 more for English but it was a pass or fail exam and I had been told that those don’t count but it didn’t matter because to keep it I needed 25 credits. She then told me that pass or fail exams do count and that if my average was over 25 I could keep the scholarship. I had to rush here and there for half of the day getting signatures and stuff but in the end it was all worth it because 3 hours later, all red and out of breath I rushed back into that office and claimed my proof of scholarship papers and left. I owe my life (or at least a lot of money ) to that lady, if she hadn’t said anything I would have lost almost 2,000 euros (around 3,000 dollars).
Yeah, it’s been a really good day.
At Home #2. Jan. 19, 2005
Well, not much has happened up until now. I fell off Axel two weeks ago and had a pretty severe limp for a week that is just now starting to go away. One day that horse is going to kill me. I flew back to boredom (University) on Friday the 13th. I got back to a chubby Corbie, but that’s her story to tell. We are now back to our brisk walks every morning and evening only that while she will successfully slim down [because I control her diet], I keep eating everything I see (within my strict and ever picky vegetarian limits, of course). I’m like Chris, if you throw a cookie on the floor, you can bet I’ll fight for it. Life is placid at the moment. Everything seems to be going astonishingly well as far as the Sorority is concerned. Lener has gone back to being herself again so I can’t complain. Upstairs things aren’t going too well, I am not even going to try to restore the peace, this time I am staying out of everything.
To my utter delight and joy, the dogs upstairs make Corbie look like an angel (which she is even without their help). Cesker is really hating the canine crew upstairs (a Springer Spaniel puppy and Newfoundland puppy) and even called Corbie a saint. That would be because our house is always clean and tidy and doesn’t smell like poo and pee. My opinion is that if you want a puppy but you also want a University life you have to choose. Puppies can be more difficult than babies and they aren’t stuffed animals that you can just play with when you want to and shove in a corner when you don’t. They say, “well, I can’t take care of him, I have to study” if that is your excuse then I guess you already have your priorities all sorted out. It was already difficult with just one puppy (who has an inexperienced owner), but now with 2 it’s getting to be impossible, we hear them shouting all day and night “Dorian, get away from there!” “Cuma, no!” “Dorian, don’t you dare!” “Cuma, go away!” Yes, I also have a dog but no, I am not hypocritical. I have had Corbie for almost 9 years and after all those years we basically communicate telepathically. I know everything she is about to do before she does it and vice versa. More importantly, Corbie is house trained and a very well mannered girl. I love Dorian but you can’t eat when he’s in the same room. He jumps on the table (with his muddy paws), on you and anywhere else to get the food you have in your hand (or mouth!) Cuma is a tiny puppy and doesn’t do much harm except for the fact that she pees and poos every five minutes and their house smells. They also both have worms. The Sorority worries that they’ll get worms, but my main concern is that Corbie will, after all she is the one who has her toys slobbered on by the pups. I can totally understand why Cesker is so upset, and to make matters worse they also gang up on her when she tries to talk to them, they laugh and make fun of her. Poor her and to think that she was supposed to live with us this year and at the last minute announced that she was going to go house hunting with them.
At Home. Feb. 15th, 2006
Well, it’s been almost a month since my last entry. Didja miss me? I have a very valid excuse for having been away for so long, though. I actually did have my computer with me but I forgot the adaptor and so when the battery died, I was computerless in Parma. And instead of going home during the weekend as I normally would, I had the brilliant idea to stay in Boredomsville for THREE WEEKS to study for Zoology. I don’t know how I survived without trees for so long. You never fully appreciate a nice tree until you don’t see one for 3 consecutive weeks. I guess you could say it was really well worth it because at home with all the lovely nature around I get distracted, but no chance of that in Parma. I got a 93% which was unexpected, When the prof looked at me and said “tell me about… spontaneous generation” I knew I was doomed, but then I asked him if I could talk about the Phylum he had chosen for me not 2 seconds before and I verbally regurgitated 2 weeks for zoology from 9am - 11pm (which sounds like a lot, but on exam day I was convinced I knew everything I had known before even opening the book). This exam was yesterday. On the Feb 2nd I did my parassitology exam which I got a sparkling 90% on. Now I have two weeks to study for Stable Design and Modification (which sounds like nothing but there is a nice chunky book all about it) but it’s fun so I’m not worried. I also get to create blueprints for a stable which I actually plan to use when the time comes. Yeah, I am in an overwhelmingly good mood because I swore I wouldn’t pass Zoology and I was actually considering not even showing up and waiting for the next opportunity. As for the home life, things have taken an ugly turn for the worst. Lener is back to being stuck up and rude and Cesker (who should know what it feels like to be ganged up on) has taken a liking to Lener’s behavior and is doing the same thing. I don’t get why I am being punished for having been their cleaning lady and a true friend. I have decided that if these are the kind of people they are, then it won’t be a loss if we’re not friends anymore. I will start acting just like them. They make fun of my Italian, I will do the same when they attempt speech in English. They don’t clean, neither will I. I hate to think that in 2 weeks we’ll be living in a sty but if being nice means getting stepped on, I can easily stop making the effort.
Merry Christmas, Happy Channukah and Happy New Year to all. I’d like to start this entry with a thought that goes a little something like this: I hope what you do on New Years doesn’t reflect how your year will be because if it is so then it’s going to be a year full of… NASTY BODILY FLUIDS OF VARIOUS SORTS! I feel sick just thinking of it. I guess everyone (who doesn’t already know) sort of wants to know what could possibly make me feel sick (after all, I don’t find touching horse poo with my bare hands gross). Okay… So my friends (and some various boyfriends) and I were to celebrate New Years at Nathan Phillips Square but before we went out we played a drinking game (Kings), and I don’t drink. Ever. So a drinking game for someone with no self control (and moreover doesn’t know her limits [hypothetically speaking of course]) can only mean disaster but it was so much fun!! We played for a while dishing out terrible punishments to those who forgot the rules until we were all just a little more than tipsy (some more than others… HAHna: Vodka by itself, bitch?!) Then the stuff that was left over was divided and put into water bottles and we left. We walked/stumbled/crashed into cars all the way to the subway, once on there we took silly pictures (which I would like to have so sendy, sendy, guys). One thing led to another and there we were, dancing to Shawn Desman while Mizzle yelled, “YOU SUCK!!!!!!” That was all great fun, I had almost finished my bottle of magic potion when out of nowhere I had to pee so bad that I thought I would explode. I have never had to pee so bad and so suddenly! I couldn’t go alone so HAHna accompanied me. In my now full-blown drunken stupor it seemed that we walked for 100 kilometers and when we finally got to a washroom (the details are a little hazy) I sat and the next thing I knew I woke up because I had passed out on the loo and had just fallen into a puddle of my own vomit. All the while I was feebly calling out to call an ambulance. The next thing I knew I was staring up at a hospital ceiling. I was just dry heaving by now but I felt horrible. Worse than horrible. To my utter humiliation I found myself in a hospital gown and nothing under!! I was freezing cold and there were nurses sticking needles into me and they answered every question I asked them except “Am I dying?” I asked it like 3 times and I started to panic a little then like most drunken thoughts it sort of faded away, but it’s one particular detail that I remember quite well. I fell asleep for a couple of hours and when I awoke I was pretty normal again, my mom came to pick me up and ironically enough she was the coolest of everyone about it. To my utter relief the nurse said that I didn’t even reach the toxic level and if I had had the drinking experience of a year or so I wouldn’t even have been sick. Now the only problem is that I looked like a drunkard in front of people I didn’t even know and parents must think I am a terrible person and I seriously doubt anyone really explained what happened to their parents. I feel like a hypocrite and most of all so irresponsible. I don’t want to face anyone and I bet my friends are going to phone and try to make me feel better by telling me their embarrassing drunk moments but I really doubt anyone can top this one. This was so bad that I have done 2 things: 1) I have solemnly sworn to never to drink again and 2) consider moving to Italy. The first one is a must and the second is going to take some careful consideration but it is no longer being ruled out as an option, whereas before it was. Things are never going to be the same and I hate myself one thousand times over for having been so stupid.
At Home #2. Jan, 16th, 2005
Today was one of the most satisfying days of my whole life! I got so much done today in so little time! I won’t write about everything but one thing I must write about is my scholarship. I couldn’t get one from Mac since I was going to a foreign University but I could get one here from a different program (long story) anyway, to keep this scholarship I had to have (by the end of the year) an average of 83 and 25 credits (or so I had been led to believe). My average was over 83 but I didn’t have 25 credits (which is already difficult for Italians, let alone foreigners. Yesterday I had to go to repay the scholarship and I was talking to the clerk and at one point she asks, “Are you sure that in one year you couldn’t get 20 credits?” I told her that I had gotten 18 credits and 3 more for English but it was a pass or fail exam and I had been told that those don’t count but it didn’t matter because to keep it I needed 25 credits. She then told me that pass or fail exams do count and that if my average was over 25 I could keep the scholarship. I had to rush here and there for half of the day getting signatures and stuff but in the end it was all worth it because 3 hours later, all red and out of breath I rushed back into that office and claimed my proof of scholarship papers and left. I owe my life (or at least a lot of money ) to that lady, if she hadn’t said anything I would have lost almost 2,000 euros (around 3,000 dollars).
Yeah, it’s been a really good day.
At Home #2. Jan. 19, 2005
Well, not much has happened up until now. I fell off Axel two weeks ago and had a pretty severe limp for a week that is just now starting to go away. One day that horse is going to kill me. I flew back to boredom (University) on Friday the 13th. I got back to a chubby Corbie, but that’s her story to tell. We are now back to our brisk walks every morning and evening only that while she will successfully slim down [because I control her diet], I keep eating everything I see (within my strict and ever picky vegetarian limits, of course). I’m like Chris, if you throw a cookie on the floor, you can bet I’ll fight for it. Life is placid at the moment. Everything seems to be going astonishingly well as far as the Sorority is concerned. Lener has gone back to being herself again so I can’t complain. Upstairs things aren’t going too well, I am not even going to try to restore the peace, this time I am staying out of everything.
To my utter delight and joy, the dogs upstairs make Corbie look like an angel (which she is even without their help). Cesker is really hating the canine crew upstairs (a Springer Spaniel puppy and Newfoundland puppy) and even called Corbie a saint. That would be because our house is always clean and tidy and doesn’t smell like poo and pee. My opinion is that if you want a puppy but you also want a University life you have to choose. Puppies can be more difficult than babies and they aren’t stuffed animals that you can just play with when you want to and shove in a corner when you don’t. They say, “well, I can’t take care of him, I have to study” if that is your excuse then I guess you already have your priorities all sorted out. It was already difficult with just one puppy (who has an inexperienced owner), but now with 2 it’s getting to be impossible, we hear them shouting all day and night “Dorian, get away from there!” “Cuma, no!” “Dorian, don’t you dare!” “Cuma, go away!” Yes, I also have a dog but no, I am not hypocritical. I have had Corbie for almost 9 years and after all those years we basically communicate telepathically. I know everything she is about to do before she does it and vice versa. More importantly, Corbie is house trained and a very well mannered girl. I love Dorian but you can’t eat when he’s in the same room. He jumps on the table (with his muddy paws), on you and anywhere else to get the food you have in your hand (or mouth!) Cuma is a tiny puppy and doesn’t do much harm except for the fact that she pees and poos every five minutes and their house smells. They also both have worms. The Sorority worries that they’ll get worms, but my main concern is that Corbie will, after all she is the one who has her toys slobbered on by the pups. I can totally understand why Cesker is so upset, and to make matters worse they also gang up on her when she tries to talk to them, they laugh and make fun of her. Poor her and to think that she was supposed to live with us this year and at the last minute announced that she was going to go house hunting with them.
At Home. Feb. 15th, 2006
Well, it’s been almost a month since my last entry. Didja miss me? I have a very valid excuse for having been away for so long, though. I actually did have my computer with me but I forgot the adaptor and so when the battery died, I was computerless in Parma. And instead of going home during the weekend as I normally would, I had the brilliant idea to stay in Boredomsville for THREE WEEKS to study for Zoology. I don’t know how I survived without trees for so long. You never fully appreciate a nice tree until you don’t see one for 3 consecutive weeks. I guess you could say it was really well worth it because at home with all the lovely nature around I get distracted, but no chance of that in Parma. I got a 93% which was unexpected, When the prof looked at me and said “tell me about… spontaneous generation” I knew I was doomed, but then I asked him if I could talk about the Phylum he had chosen for me not 2 seconds before and I verbally regurgitated 2 weeks for zoology from 9am - 11pm (which sounds like a lot, but on exam day I was convinced I knew everything I had known before even opening the book). This exam was yesterday. On the Feb 2nd I did my parassitology exam which I got a sparkling 90% on. Now I have two weeks to study for Stable Design and Modification (which sounds like nothing but there is a nice chunky book all about it) but it’s fun so I’m not worried. I also get to create blueprints for a stable which I actually plan to use when the time comes. Yeah, I am in an overwhelmingly good mood because I swore I wouldn’t pass Zoology and I was actually considering not even showing up and waiting for the next opportunity. As for the home life, things have taken an ugly turn for the worst. Lener is back to being stuck up and rude and Cesker (who should know what it feels like to be ganged up on) has taken a liking to Lener’s behavior and is doing the same thing. I don’t get why I am being punished for having been their cleaning lady and a true friend. I have decided that if these are the kind of people they are, then it won’t be a loss if we’re not friends anymore. I will start acting just like them. They make fun of my Italian, I will do the same when they attempt speech in English. They don’t clean, neither will I. I hate to think that in 2 weeks we’ll be living in a sty but if being nice means getting stepped on, I can easily stop making the effort.