Hi, my names Jess and I am a gym junkie.

Okay, so it's been about 3 months since I last went to the gym. I've been running most days, but it just isn't quite the same. Today, my legs are actually feeling itchy and like I can't keep them still for more than 5 seconds. Thats how I know I am addicted to the gym, and how I know it is definitely time to renew my membership. I spent the entire day researching the gyms in town, and all the classes and such that will be available. Tomorrow I plan on going and checking out the university gym. Should be excellent. 

I am not one to feel insecure as such about my body, though I am one of those people that dwells miserably on what I shouldn't have eaten throughout the day. I think a lot of woman in particular get similar feelings. They feel that each piece of food must be justified in some miserable way because otherwise they just feel bad about it. I don't really want to comment here because I feel the same way, however, I will say that the gym for me is like a sanctuary. Everything about it is good for me and I love that. There is no calorie consumption, only calorie burning and being in such a physical atmosphere is incredibly motivational for me.

Abs of steel, here I come.

The End!

Hurrah! O-week is officially over! No more 9am meetings, 5pm tribunals and constant activity throughout the day! Woopeee :) Being a leader in O week has been an amazing experience for me. I love getting to know new people, I love making new friends, I love doing new things or showing other people how to do the old things I know how to do already. Everyone is so fresh and keen and excited and the atmosphere makes that infectious. It really is living, the stereotypical university dream, where there are multiple parties, hook ups, drunken adventures, random trips to random places. All that, and I love it. 

That one time...

Tonight was interesting. Pub Crawls are always a blast but organizing one is completely different. As someone who is not a big drinker, I am always astounded at the outrageousness of some peoples drunken behavior. People do things that they regret well after the night has ended. Last night we had everything from the usual drunken hook ups, to theft, to getting kicked out of clubs for being so intoxicated that standing up was no longer an option, to pissing on the sidewalk. What sort of scares and upsets me though, is that some people think that all this stuff is okay, and for some people, it was just a regular night out. Don't get me wrong, I am all for good times and last night, was one really awesome good time.

Dance floors are theoretically such shit places. The people are gross. The smell is gross. There are germs and spit and sweat and blood and tongues and hips and grinding and the smell of seduction saturates the entire atmosphere. I kinda like it. When you are out there, you just don't really care any more. You get into the mindset and it becomes the hottest place to be. The dance floor last night was like that. Hot. Even though it was a tuesday night, no one cared. It was just all about the moment and that is what I love about these events. You need to let yourself get caught up in it all, to appreciate how much fun they actually are.

Perhaps this should have even been two blogs. And I am not including any pictures because they never look as good in the morning as they did last night. I guess the point I am making today is that you don't need to be smashed to have a good time. It is possible to get on a natural high and still enjoy events like orientation week pub crawl, stone cold sober.

SICKNESS

And so here is the thing right. In orientation week, everyone gets sick. It's unavoidable. One person has it, then everyone does. But... I don't want it because sickness is; that razor blade throat, the feeling of being run down. The extreme bitterness of being able to feel every particle of your body being taken over by virulent cells of nastiness. Wanting to curl up in a ball and sleep the days away. Feeling like moving is impossible and like pub crawling, commando games, karaoke and eating are not an option. It's the unenthusiasm that dominates all attitudinal patterns. It's wanting to punch the person who gave it to you in the face. Its unintentionally sneezing in someone elses. And then it starts all over again...

Valentine Sweetness

via dotti angel

And so today is Valentines day. The one day of the year where singledom is horrible. No matter how much you try and rationalize it, trash the holiday and try to take your mind off it, there is no escaping the mushy couples, media references and cafe valentine specials that involve "buy one get one free" Thus implying there will be two of you. But sometimes, there is only one. And that is okay.

<3

room love

Today was one of those days where everything just blurs by. I like those. Being busy is better than being bored. It's way more fun. I lazed on the beach, played in the waves, chatted to some new found friends and just relaxed. Tonight is ballet. I can't wait!

I also spent a semi large portion of my day looking for inspiration for the interior decoration of my new dorm room. I want it to be individual, but not distastefully so. I was thinking about having a photo wall, and then maybe painting some ribbons and letting them flutter over the window next to my fairy lights. I would also like to possibly get an artwork or two, just to make it pretty. I will credit the following images to art pixie which is here.
PS. I just chose the last of these pictures for it's colors. Maybe I could have a galaxy theme...

Cassie Therapy

(photobucket)

So this is was originally a blog tag from The little blog of happiness which is a blog I like because... well it's quite happy. It's from cassie's therapy video which you can find here. Yay!

Abracadabra, Wow!I like boys with a charming sense of humor and running bodies and girls with happy faces and who don't care about their nails... too much.
I like dreamless sleeping because it is always so peaceful
I like walking to town if i know i will be buying something perfect
I like love at first sight
I like green M&Ms, but no other colors
I like getting phone calls and text messages 

I like climbing mountains, but not to fast. Slow enough for me to take pictures of everything

I like meeting new people 

I like the beach with its sun touched water

I like photos, especially good ones

I like houses made of wood, and how they always feel so cozy

I like my fairy lights and watching them as I spin around in my chair
I love you.
Today I woke up early because i felt like it

In some ways, I love everything.
Its less, its less of a thing to like, its less distinct, its less particular
I like things that I like but I love everything
There’s more choice in like
Cos even the worst things have things you love in them
I don’t know what you mean about things I hate
I hate broken hearts

I hate the tennis lights that shine into my room all night

I hate feeling like your walking far and going nowhere
I hate pressure to do absolutely anything
I hate fridges when they make that popping noise and it scares me a little

I hate having to go to work in summer, but in a way, it's okay because i know it will be worth it.

I hate drinking, way too early and way to much
I hate things not going my way all the time and knowing they never will
I hate this, wow. . .
Sorry.

<3

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/35196906@N07/3558556754/)

Communicate this!

It's been absolutely non stop this week with all the leadership training and Orientation Week preparations for all the new and innocent young kiddies heading to university. While the training has been great, and there is a lot to be done, organized and facilitated, I feel like tonight I need to just take a little bit of time out.  And I don't even care that its monday. 

Communication is the big thing we have learnt about in the past week or so, as student leaders. We need to be able to communicate effectively in a number of different ways and situations. We needed to learn about open and closed body language. We needed to learn to use the SMEAC and GROW communication models. The thing is though, what I feel, is that all these things, as interesting as they are, are a little self contradicting. On the one hand, it has overcomplicated what is usually subconscious. I already use all the methods of communication that were drilled into us on a day to day basis. On the other hand it simplifies what is an extremely delicate art form. 

One of the leaders at our camp told us that leadership is an art. My personal opinion is that leadership is not the art. It is the communication skills of a leader which are the art. There are so many things to remember, so many different ways of approaching things. So many ways even, of communicating. Even the people who are considered bad communicators, are still good at communicating. They might not be able to speak well, but they have facial expressions and body language that clearly express a point. They might not be very good at listening, but they are really good at showing that they arn't listening. This is a circular issue. It could go on forever.

The Drake Work Wise company delivered some delightful little lectures on day 4 of our program, based on a lovely wee booklet full of emoticon faces and drawing exercises. They spent all day delivering. Breaks for food, but apart from that, nothing. I sat in a chair all day, while they talked, all day. Was this the most effective way to get the message across to a bunch of energetic young university students, or do they just like being paid to listen to their own voice?