The Most Beautiful Library I've Ever Seen

bonjour my internet friends,

This is the most beautiful library I've ever seen. It's the Central City Library in Surrey, British Columbia. It blew me away. It fits all the aesthetics I have dreamed of.

This post is just going to be a post of photos I took in the library. Because I feel like they need to be shared and I am so proud of them and their beauty.

Enjoy.

Keep smiling beautifuls, 

Naddy xoxo

I Need To Take A Break

Take a break. Run away with us for the summer. Let's go upstate. We can all go stay with our father. There's a lake I know in a nearby park. You and I can go when the night gets dark. Take a break.

These lyrics honestly are echoing in my head right now. I am so stretched all over that I don't know what to do.

I recently obtained a job. So my weekend evenings are spent working and helping clean for closing the store. I come home exhausted and sleep late into the morning if I can. I'm stressed about remembering things. Like reading the screens and making certain orders. Like how many scoops go into a medium. It's been a month of learning and will continue.

I've also got two huge projects for the end of the year.

I've got a huge advocacy project for social justice. I love the class and am so happy that I am able to talk about things I am passionate about and learn about the world. I love being in a class of aware and *ahem* woke students. But this project is absolutely killing me. It’s a huge thing and I want to make a difference. I am loving that I keep getting resources but honestly it’s difficult when I want to do anything and everything to get my message out and make plans.

It’s also hard trying to pass some of the work onto a partner. Let me tell you. I want to have her do something but I don’t know what because I’ve always been in group projects where I end up doing all the work. It’s difficult but I need her to take some of the work away from me so that I can take a break and breathe for a minute.

Not to mention my forty to fifty page final assignment for creative writing. That’s right. Forty to fifty pages. I’ve got a plan, I just have to make sure it gets there. I so hope it will. I know it will. I just stress.

These two projects are due in completion in June. And it’s April. Time will go by so fast.

Not to mention, I am graduating and it’s prom season so I am in the works of helping my dress be completed! And I have to plan a promposal. I’ve got ideas. I’m excited for that one.

It’s just a suddenly hectic time and I am learning to balance it all. Who knew being an adult would be so …. Hard?! (Many hands raise as I shush.)

My point is that at this point in my life I need an outlet. So I am hoping to turn back to blogging as that. So if you come across this and the posts are getting a little weird, just know that I am going through a weird time.

Keep smiling,
Naddy

P.S. Nothing for the month of March. I apologize.

Addiction vs. Obsession: Take A Break

My dearest, internet people.

I love words. Words fascinate me. The fact that we can use two words interchangeably but they mean something completely different baffles me. You could say I am obsessed with words. Or addicted to them. Huh. This is my predicament, or part of it.

See what I am trying to determine is the difference when someone says, "I am obsessed with this song!" versus "This song is so addictive!"

Addiction defined as above is, the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity. So one person can be addicted to a song, without being obsessed?

Obsession is defined as the state of being obsessed with someone or something. Well, that doesn't really help! The alternate definition is, an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind. That's better.

So they are quite similar. But I think addiction is more the act of needing something, a synonym is 'dependency'. So feeling compelled to listen to the song over and over, and being essentially addicted!

While obsession is wanting to listen to the song over and over, and having it on your mind. And a synonym is .... addiction.

Ah, well maybe they are the same thing in the context I keep thinking of.

It might make more sense now why I started the post in such a way. Hamilton: An American Musical is so addictive! And I am definitely obsessed.

I have my favourite songs and honestly it is constantly changing anyway. (Satisfied, Helpless, Guns And Ships, Dear Theodosia, One Last Time, Burn, Take A Break, ...)

The introduction of this post (and the title) is a reference to Angelica's part in Take A Break.

[ANGELICA:]
In a letter I received from you two weeks ago
I noticed a comma in the middle of a phrase
It changed the meaning. Did you intend this?
One stroke and you've consumed my waking days
It says:

[HAMILTON/ANGELICA:]
“My dearest Angelica”

[ANGELICA:]
With a comma after “dearest”
You've written

[HAMILTON AND ANGELICA:]
“My dearest, Angelica.”

It is a part that often sticks with me.

I will not go off on too much of a tangent. Hamilton is for another blog post. (Be expecting it, or not. Who knows. I might go off on a crazy tangent about it or not. You won't know until I do.)

So that wraps it up. Addiction and Obsession are so similar that they're synonymous. I am addicted to and obsessed with Hamilton: An American Musical.

Keep Smiling Beautifuls,
Naddy xoxo

I Hate Valentine's Day

Bonjour my internet friends,

Happy Valentine's Day.

You might be confused, why is the title saying you hate v-day when you just wished us a happy day? Well, I can explain.

I am not a rude person. I am wishing you all a very happy Valentine's! But personally, I am not too fond of the holiday. Why should we have one day a year to remind our loved ones that we love them? We should do that every day!

I am going to be honest, I do not do that myself. The reminding my loved ones that I love them part. But I try really hard. I tell people I love them whenever I feel the need to and do little acts of kindness (like washing the dishes or making dinner for the family) and hugs, oh hugs are seriously great.

If you knew me, you'd know I am actually a hopeless romantic type. Hit me up with that amazing YA Romance novels (Jennifer E. Smith, Susane Colasanti, and Sarah Dessen among the favourites) and I am a happy girl. And then you'd be confused as to why I don't like V-Day, as the the most romantic day of the year.

As I explained earlier, it's because I believe you should show love all the time and not just on this one special day.

Besides, yes I am in a relationship but today isn't all that special for us as just two weeks ago we celebrated our six month anniversary. That seemed more of a big deal to us, so we went for all out for that than anything.

(By all out, I mean we posted long paragraph posts on instagram and then spent last Saturday cuddling and cooking/cleaning together. REALationship goals.)

My apathetic attitude towards V-day does not stop me from calling my boyfriend later today and then sitting down with a cup of hot chocolate and a young adult romance novel.

But that sounds like a typical evening for me, so it's nothing special really.

Happy Valentine's Day.

keep smiling beautifuls,
Naddy xoxo

Big Brother is Watching You

Bonjour my internet friends,

Last week I sat in my Biology class, reading the last two or three chapters of 1984 by George Orwell. My old and worn school copy in my hands for consumption (this edition published circa 2008).

That last Friday was not the day I had to finish the book, I was actually only required to read one chapter to recap for my table group. But I got ahead of myself and read the remaining chapters.

So that put me ahead in the class later on. Because myself and two of my classmates, were the only people to finish the book so we got a leg up. We were given the final assignment on Friday while the rest of the class has reading homework and gets the assignment on Monday.

We have been assigned to write a narrative connected to 1984 in some meaningful way. my teacher's words. So I began writing, and writing, and writing. I wrote for a few hours today. Ended with the beginning of my story, almost 2000 words down. Got to say, I am pretty proud!

I won't say much but I will say it is the world of 1984 set in 2017 Vancouver. So the terminology is similar in some aspects but different in others. It's told from the point of view of 17 year old Cleo Chen. She would be considered a prole in Orwell's 1984, but in mine they are called plebeian and aren't treated the same as the proles of Airstrip One.

I don't want to reveal too much but this is such a fun assignment as I seriously enjoyed reading 1984. It's an amazing novel and brings up themes that are terrifyingly still present today.

If you haven't read Orwell's classic tale, I recommend you do. Especially if you are a fan of the show Big Brother, like I was for a season.

Remember, Big Brother is watching you.

Keep Smiling Beautifuls,
Naddy xoxo

WAR IS PEACE.
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY.
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.

It's Been Awhile

Bonjour my internet friends,

I find that I always end up crawling back to the blog after reading any of the Girl Online novels. What can I say? Zoella and Penny Porter inspire me! I really want to say I am very sorry for not updating you THE ENTIRE YEAR. I wrote two posts in January and then, gave up? More like, forgot. I actually have been so focused on the rest of my life, this was pushed down.

Let's see, this year I gained a few extra appendages; a new best friend, a boyfriend, and a phone.

I was in my aunt and uncle's Doctor Who themed wedding at the end of January.

I went to the Troye Sivan concert at the beginning of February and Melanie Martinez at the end (my Tumblr photos are linked).

I met my new best friend (known as A) at the Troye Sivan concert and ended up hanging out over spring break again in March. Seriously, we've been friends now for 10 months (I think that's quite the accomplishment) and the link will take to a Tumblr documentation of our friendship.

In April, I went to Camp Squeah as a leader for my junior youth group with one of my closest friends and our singular youth girl. (All the rest were boys.) I also got my braces off promptly afterwards, after ten months with them and now I have a permanent retainer on top and bottom (and perfect teeth, thanks Dad.)

In May, I went away on a trip with my AVID class to UBC: Okanagan and Thompson Rivers University. I also went to the island to visit my best friend A and their friends there.

June was full of wrap up and parties. Both Senior and Junior Youth finished for the year and we had our Leader Appreciation party barbecue. My youngest sister turned 10. I finished grade 11.

The beginning of July was sitting around and being lazy. Canada Day fireworks and then on the 22nd we had night sliding and the following Sunday, I left for camp. Shoutout to YES Camp for the best week of my life. (Here are a few photos I took to document it.)

August was spent as the first month of my new relationship with my boyfriend. I volunteered as a leader for a group of 8-10 year olds at my church day camp. I went to Playland with my youth group. And at the end of the month, as per usual, I went away to Lakeside Resort for the tenth year in a row (family vacation).

September was the month of being thrown back into school, my final year of high school. I started a course at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. We had our Grad Barbecue. I volunteered at a Youth Homelessness Concert and Fair Fundraiser for homeless youth in Langley.

I celebrated my 17th birthday in October and went to Vancouver for Halloween.

I cut my hair in November and celebrated a friends birthday with puppies as well as my mum, dad, brother, and sister's birthdays. I also had my grad cruise around the Vancouver Harbour. It was also my final year attending the Senior Youth Impact Retreat at Camp Squeah with some of my best friends.

In December, I went to Granville Island two days in a row for field trips and saw two different plays. I took a ferry boat across the harbour for one. I also celebrated Christmas with all my families.

Now it's December 30th, almost the end of the year. What a year. Doing this, I didn't realize how much of my experiences had only happened during 2016. I have been able to reflect on this year. Sure, I didn't read seventy books like I wanted to but I did read about fifty instead. Sure this year kind of sucked in the big picture, but for me personally, it wasn't all that bad.

Thank you to everyone for a crazy amazing year. Here's to many more.

Keep Smiling Beautifuls,
Naddy xoxo

One of my resolutions is to blog more. At the very least, once a month. And ideally, once a week.

Hello 2016! Harry Lou Year!

Bonjour my internet friends,

Sorry, I mean happy new year. Darn Louis and Harry always on my mind!

There is this account on Twitter that I totally love called @rtyour2k15 where she tweets things that people have done in the year and you retweet it if you have. So here are a list of things that I have done this year, via 'Retweet your 2k15'.

• went to a wedding 
• cried a little over Made in the A.M. 
• met Tyler Oakley (06/07) 
• became confident with who I am
• had a class with my favourite teacher (English 10/11 and AVID 10) 
• stopped caring (for the most part) about what people think of me
• spent time with family 
• learned to love myself 
• saw Shawn Mendes (08/01) 
• found out more about myself 
• met a youtuber (Tyler and Korey Kuhl) 
• made new friends 
• went to the 1989 tour (08/01) 
• survived March 25, 2015 (RIP) 
• started thinking positively 
• stopped trying to be someone other than me
• rekindled a friendship 
• got inspired 
• realized my self worth 
• realized that being single is okay 
• gained confidence 
• finished a whole book series (Vampire Academy) 
• saw a shooting star
• realized your grades don’t measure your self worth
• saw Vance Joy (08/01)
• watched the sunrise/sunset
• laughed until you cried
• told someone you loved them
• had a sweet sixteen

and finally, the most important one:

• had a great year

Keep Smiling Beautifuls,

Naddy xoxo

PS these are some accomplishments that I came up with myself that rtyour2k15 didn't do.

• joined a new school club (GSA)
• discovered new music (Halsey, Melanie Martinez, Benny, Hailee Steinfeld, Hey Violet, and Rachel Platten)
• passed all my tenth grade exams (English, Science, and Math)
• read past my 50 book goal (62!)