July 22 – U

363/365 – people to thank who have had an impact on me.  Wow, only 3 more gratitude posts left including this one!!  When I started this journey a year ago, I was a little nervous as to if I would have 365 people to thank.  I didn’t want it to come down to posts such as thanking my mailman for the flyers he delivers in that they were the ones that led me on to some awesome deal!! ; )  Early on in these posts, I started hearing from friends that so and so had made “the list”.  I didn’t understand what that was until I was told that it was my “gratitude list”.  That put some pressure on me to say the least as there was now a “list”.  I didn’t want it to be a list and I didn’t want it to be some type of contest.  Then I heard that some people mentioned they were in the 80s and others were in the 200s!  I do have to make it clear that I haven’t had an order as to who I thank and thus whatever number gratitude post it was has no relation to ranking.  Most posts are the night before or a couple of days before.  Yes, I saved my dad for his birthday as I did with my children for theirs, my mom was first because well she is my mom but save for them and the final two gratitude posts, no one had a day or a number.  The list by the end of Sunday is far from complete.  I could thank another 365 people who got me to where I am today and this is what today’s gratitude post is about – to all of the people I didn’t name and there are hundreds of you that have impacted me!  So many former students, co-workers past and present, family members, inlaws, bosses, professors, fellow students, random strangers, neighbours past and present, friends, backhanded gratitudees (bullies and the like), service providers, celebrities etc, etc – just so many people who have made me who I am and to all of you un-named in this past year, you are part of this gratitude journey just because you were not personally mentioned here doesn’t mean you weren’t recognized by me.  To all the new people that will come in to my life, thanking you in advance as some of you will change and influence me in new ways.  Thank you to all of you who came along with me on this 365 day journey as well.  Your encouragement and support has gotten me to this end point.

April 14 – Orphan Black

264/365 – people to thank who have had an impact on me. I will admit it, I’m a tv junkie! I love my reality tv but only competition type shows. I love some comedies. I also love some hour long shows but few and far between. However, if you have been on my Facebook, you will know that I am absolutely obsessed with one show – Orphan Black! Four years ago, my then just turned 13 year old son and I saw the preview for the premiere and were hooked (however, he happened to watch the first show on his own and told me he didn’t want to watch it anymore and as I confusedly picked up from where he had paused – only to discover he had stopped during the one and only graphic sex scene the entire 4 seasons, alas he didn’t continue LOL – I’m sure it would be different today). Sadly for the fans, the show is only 10 episodes per season and understandably so as the amazing actress who plays lead plays lead over and over and over. Yes, fellow Canadian Tatiana Maslany (who I had never heard of before this show) plays upwards of 5 regular clones per episode all with their own unique characteristics and qualities. I have to remind myself that Tatiana’s uptight, ponytailed, recovering alcoholic soccer mom Allison is played by the same Tatiana as Ukranian, bleached blonde, recovering psychopath Helena also played by yes the same Tatiana who plays the heart of gold, ditzy yet loveable, uber-blonde Krystal who does duty as quirky, pot-smoking, braniac scientist, the dreadlocked Cosima – did you get that? And that’s only four clones. The subtleties that this actress brings to all of the different clones – are we at 16 so far? – is beyond human! I didn’t know anything about acting and I still don’t know much but I do know that Tatiana Maslany is just amazing and mesmerizing in her portrayals of these unique female characters and up until this show, I never considered a person’s acting – I just watched for entertainment but when one woman carries the show all by herself and acts with herself in scenes with multiple clones, that’s when you realize what true talent is. I am a Clone-Clubber as I am enthralled by this show, follow blogs, have gone to viewing parties and just am truly a fan of the talent that is Tatiana Maslany (so hope she gets the lead in the new Star Wars film that she is in the running for). I’m so giddy with excitement for the season four premiere tonight that I can’t wait to be enthralled for the next two months. So yeah, be forewarned Facebook friends, my infatuation with Tatiana Maslany’s amazing talent is going to be in full force! To my clones – Sarah, Allison, Cosima, Helena, Rachel, Katja, Jennifer, Krystal, MK, Beth, Tony – long live this Orphan Black journey!

January 23 – soul mate

183/365 – people to thank who have had an impact on me. Everyone needs an ego boost – especially if you feel that you never mattered growing up. I know that I didn’t have it happening at all when I was younger and that shaped me subconsciously as an adult and any attention I received, I wrote off to people just being nice. I can honestly admit to this day that I have no clue when someone is paying genuine attention to me and elaborating on that, I would never know if someone would be hitting on me. I have no idea what that is about as I don’t believe I am hittable if that makes sense – yes, years of not mattering have an influence on one’s ego. During my year in the Education program at UBC, I made acquaintances with quite a few people inside and outside of my Business Education option. I vividly remember sitting in the library just when we had found out our practicum placements. Two other people whom I didn’t know were sitting at the table – a guy named Sergio and a stunning, absolutely beautiful girl named Julie. They were in the Elementary option whereas I was in the Secondary one. Julie asked me where I was placed and I told her East Van. Then I went on a tirade about East Van schools and played on the stereotypes of gangs, shootings and drugs etc just to break the ice and joke about schools. I didn’t mean any offense but that is not how Sergio took it. He looked up at us and said that there are people from East Van who do actually graduate high school, go on to university and create something of themselves and then told us what school he went to in East Van just as he hastily got up to leave. I looked up at Julie and she looked at me – we were ashamed at the same time but we burst out laughing  I felt an immediate connection with her and had a quick conversation but I also had to get up and gather my books as class was about to start. A couple of weeks later, a few friends invited me to a social at a Kitsilano pub and I got there a bit early. No one I knew was there but a few Elementary teachers and who was in that crew but Julie. She invited me over and we hung out easily over some food and beers until my friends eventually arrived and us Secondary folk started talking education – most of them noticing my companion and making innuendos that I wasn’t cognizant of. A few weeks later, there was a beer festival on campus for Education students and my Business Education cohorts convinced me into attending and who was there? Yup, Julie. By this time, the guys in the program were all about bugging me about her and I was still oblivious. She came over, made conversation and everyone told me that I had an admirer. I was confused. I can admit that after that conversation, I knew Julie liked me and we had awesome chemistry that couldn’t be denied and an easy flow but the fat kid in me couldn’t understand why – yes soul mates that kept being drawn to each other but the timing wasn’t right and it just wasn’t meant to be. Years later, I was walking downtown minding my own business just looking at the sidewalk and then something made me look up and, yes just like in a movie, there was Julie walking in the opposite direction. She looked up at the same time. Hearts skipping a beat, we chatted. We were in different parts of our lives but the chemistry and connection was undeniable. Once again, we went on our ways but I often think of Julie who saw in me something I never did and made me feel that I was worthy. Yes, we were not meant to be in this lifetime but I do think I met my soul mate and I know that we are destined to meet again in another lifetime!   However, this does not mean that one should not live their life just in the hopes of waiting for a soul mate as most people won’t find that person and could lose out on a lot living. If you happen to meet your soul mate and they fit at a time that works for both of you, awesome. If it isn’t meant to be at that moment, one still has a lot of life to live and should do just that. Thank you Julie for meeting me in this lifetime – until the next one, let’s see what takes place!