Magda and the Great White North

Lord, Bless this Easter Basket

2009-04-11T21:52:00.003-04:00

So besides falling off the writing bandwagon for what I suppose is a week and a half now, I've up and moved to St. Catharines finally. Piotr and I spent our first night in the apartment last night (which is only partially furnished until my parents come on the 17th to move my crap out of the Huron St. apt in London).So much has happened even in the couple days that I have lived down here now.1. I

April Fool's Jokes: the good and the bad

2009-04-01T14:36:00.002-04:00

It's April Fools Day, and it's great to play tricks and practical jokes on people, but what is appropriate and what isn't?The good: involve cute little gags such as tying someone's shoes together or placing saran wrap over the toilet. All the small gags create an "I got you" feeling and all is forgiven, but some things go too far. Things like putting fake bugs in a salad or switching names on

Confessions of an Ikea Virgin

2009-03-31T13:39:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's true, I have never been to Ikea! That is almost a blasphemous thing to say around my friends, but when I was growing up in Northern Kentucky, there was no Ikea. It's only been since I've left home that they finally built one in the north part of Cincinnati. Now my parents are Ikea-aholics and I'm still in the dark. My boyfriend's parent's house is a self-proclaimed Ikea museum and I'm

Our Group Project

2009-03-26T21:23:00.002-04:00

Hibaq, Bianca, and I are doing our final class project on advice in our channel on YouTube. In order for this to work, we need some questions to answer! If you have any pressing issues that need to be discussed, shoot us a line on YouTube and we'll provide a response via video.Our YouTube screen name is MIT2412. I know, original, but easily recognized!We'd all appreciate the help, so let's get

Puttin' on the Ritz

2009-03-26T01:27:00.001-04:00

I don't know what it is about this song, but it always reminds me of New York, which subsequently reminds me of New Jersey, which subsequently reminds me of my home state, which reminds me even further of my family that I miss. But it's a great song, puts me in a good mood, and makes me proud to be a New Jersey Polish girl! =)And I'm sorry but Taco doesnt' do it as good as Fred Astaire!

What Would You Do?

2009-03-25T22:14:00.003-04:00

The other night I watched the TV show on ABC called What Would You Do with John Quinones as host. Basically it is a hidden camera show with actors acting out controversial situations and seeing how the public reacts. I have to say that there are several thought-provoking scenarios that have been played out, such as seeing what someone would do when seeing a homeless man lying in the middle of the

The Mass Media Graveyard? I Don't Think So.

2009-03-25T16:53:00.004-04:00

Can you imagine a life without print, radio, or TV? I honestly don't think I could. I recently watched a doc by the CBC called The End. There was a section on each of the three major forms of mass media: print, radio, and TV. You've got to be thinking, This is absurd! Actually that is what I thought, but I was semi-wrong. Web 2.0 and all that comes with it (blogs, vlogs, social networking,

Gulasz

2009-03-24T16:05:00.004-04:00

I'm trying to clean out my freezer and fridge before I move in two weeks, so I let 1.3lbs of beef cubes out to thaw out last night. With that much beef, you can easily make two dishes and then freeze it, so that's what I did.One dish I made was a chunky beef chili, but I want to focus on the other dish I made, which is a Polish favorite: Gulasz This is such an easy meal to make if you cheat like

A Walk to Remember

2009-03-23T14:12:00.001-04:00

I've mentioned before that I love working in a hotel because of all the interesting people that I get to meet on a daily basis. My feelings on this proved true Sunday morning while I was working front desk and breakfast duty. I noticed a few guys wearing the same jackets with a picture of Oprah on them that looked like this: The story that came from asking a simple question was amazing! These

Putting in the Two Week Notice

2009-03-20T14:49:00.002-04:00

I put in my two week notice today, officially. It's more of a three week and then some notice but it's not called a three week notice, now is it? A little less than three weeks from today I will be living in St. Kitts with the love of my life. How great is that to say? It will indeed be great. Seeing someone you love every day is the best thing in the world. I know I'm a freaking sap.It's just

When Friends Turn Out to be Sociopaths

2009-03-19T22:21:00.004-04:00

It's inevitable that most of us will run into at least one sociopath in our lifetimes. It is estimated that 3% of the US population are sociopaths. Therefore, an American can run into 3.3 sociopaths, figure-wise, in their lifetime. Sad to say, I've had about three boyfriends who were sociopaths and dated another one briefly. The last one I had contact with when I was 20. So you can imagine my

The Plight of my Nephew

2009-03-18T21:15:00.000-04:00

The title of this blog sounds like a title of some horrid novel that you're never going to read, but I don't know else how to put it exactly. My nephew, Krysiu (Christian), was born on September 24, 2008, and has grown into a big six-month-old bouncing boy, but at four months of age, my parents noticed he had a problem. His eyes would not focus on anyone. They just darted everywhere and didn't

Happy St. Patty's Day!!

2009-03-17T21:30:00.004-04:00

So here it is finally.....the big green holiday.....St. Patty's Day! How do you properly celebrate this great holiday at the University of Western Ontario?Simple: Wake up, drink a beer, stand outside on Richmond or Huron street at 8:30am with a beer while wearing green, drink more beer, walk around to other drunk people's houses, drink a beer, hang around to 2:30pm and strip off some of your

Seeing Double

2009-03-16T22:15:00.005-04:00

Ever notice someone who reminds you of a friend or family member? There's this guy in my Tech. writing class who reminds me of my Unlce Alex in New Jersey. It's kind of eerie how much they look alike. This guy is in his 50's and around the same age as my uncle, same haircut, same mustache, very similar faces, and same laugh. Really the only differences are hair color, slight weight difference. I

Funeral of a Canadian Solider

2009-03-15T13:38:00.005-04:00

I've been in St. Catharines this weekend visiting my boyfriend, but yesterday I had a random chance to experience the funeral of Warrant Officer Dennis Brown, 38, on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Hundreds of people lined the outskirts of the immediate vacinity where the funeral was taking place. I haven't felt that sad in a long time, just standing there with my dog, watching this ceremony take

Suicide Attempt? Man Goes Over Niagara Falls

2009-03-13T11:56:00.006-04:00

On Wednesday a man jumped into the Niagara River on the Canadian side and went over the Horseshoe Falls. Not only did he survive the 175ft fall, but while resisting rescue efforts for 30 minutes, he managed not to die from hypothermia. Luckily for the idiot, local helicopter pilot and owner of Niagara Helicopters LTD., Mr. Hafen, used his copter to assist in the rescue. He actually used the

End of the School Year Checklist

2009-03-10T22:34:00.001-04:00

I think that everyone around this time of year who is in university/college should have an end of the year checklist. It's not that I consider students to be disorganized (although this is mostly true), but it helps relieve the stress of getting stuff done; you actually see the accomplishments you're completing.Here's my End of the School Year Checklist:(X) Complete American Studies Essay (6-8pgs

Turnitin.com = Crap

2009-03-10T10:04:00.000-04:00

Thankfully I haven't had to use Turnitin.com since first year, but I did decide to take an first year American Studies class this year. And guess what? I had to use it again. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this site, you submit an essay or term paper onto its online database which checks it against other essays on its database to see if you've plaigarised. Why this is stupid is because

On the radio. Oh oh oh oh, On the radio

2009-03-09T23:32:00.000-04:00

Thanks be to God and all that jazz, cuz I finally had my mock show review for 94.9 CHRW here at good ole UWO. I'm really proud of myself at how well the review actually went. Of course, there's nothing like someone telling you how good you performed to make you feel on top of the world! Michael (the program director) doesn't want me to do another show. He wants to put me straight into a fill-in

One of those days...

2009-03-09T18:37:00.002-04:00

Ever have one of those days where all you want to do is sleep? Working the night audit does that to me. I have no quams about working overnight, but when you're in school it can take a lot out of you. Granted I had ALL DAY Sunday to recover if you count I didn't get off work til 7am Sunday morning. But when you have to go to early morning classes on Monday, it doesn't do the trick. I had to stop

My Top 10: Spring

2009-03-06T16:16:00.004-05:00

I'm so excited that spring is just around the corner! The snow has all but melted in southwestern Ontario and the temps are teasing me: 15C = 57F! So here are my top ten things I love about Spring!1. SUN!Yes, sun. No wonder the docs said I have a vitamin D deficiency! Yeah, no sun can do that to you. It's a little annoying to feel cold all the time and see nothing but clouds snow, freezing rain,

7 times Two = 1 month

2009-03-04T14:49:00.004-05:00

Today is significant it two ways:1. Today marks the 7th month that Piotr and I have been together.I always say, "Where has the time gone?" I actually mean it, and wonder how fast our time together will go once we move into together. Will it progress slowly or continue at its current pace? Will we take each other for granted or be able to get along as well as we do now. These are all issues that

Vlog on Cheese

2009-03-03T21:56:00.002-05:00

I'm trying my hand at my first Vlog....and it is on the most important discussion of CHEESE!!! mmm The volume on my webcam isn't super, so I apologize in advance. I also did not realize how horrible I looked on camera today. *sigh* oh well.

Happy Square Root Day!

2009-03-03T14:32:00.002-05:00

Today is Square Root Day! It happens only 9 times every century.So it works like this: It happens when the day and the month are both the square root of the last two digits of the year.Since today is 03/03/09, three is the square root of 9, and works. The next Square Root Day will be April 4, 2016.Although this is a ficticious holiday, some people are actually taking it seriously! A math teacher

Expose on the Neighborhood Market

2009-03-02T22:13:00.000-05:00

I've never been a fan of the chain grocery stores that house meat and veggies that can come from countries in the opposite hemisphere. Imagine my surprise to discover a hidden gem in my own Old North section of London, Ontario. This discovery was made last year near the end of first semester. Driving down Cheapside situated on the corner connected to Maitland road sits Sullivan's Old North Market

Response to "An Anthropological Intro to You Tube"

2009-03-01T09:42:00.000-05:00

I recently watched "An Anthropological Intro to You Tube" by Michael Wesch on YouTube.com in my blogging class and I can't tell you how much it hit home for me.Wesch discusses the phenomena of Youtube and user uploaded video versus the broadcasting of major television networks. The sheer amount of video is shocking. Over 200,000 videos are uploaded to Youtube each day and is mostly represented by

Hungry? How about some Meatloaf?

2009-02-25T17:00:00.003-05:00

I made meatloaf last night and it turned out so well, I thought I'd jot down the recipe on here:1 lb. ground beef1 pkg lipton onion soup mix2 eggs 1 cup plain breadcrumbs 2/3 cup traditional italian tomato sauceCombine all the ingredients together and place into a non-greased baking pan. Mold it into a loaf shape and bake at 325 for 45-60min depending on your oven. I always look at the recipe on

Dubai: Construction on Crack

2009-02-25T16:40:00.004-05:00

I was reviewing some of the architecture going on in Dubai today and realized there's a LOT MORE going on over there than I previously believed. I've been seeing the documentaries on Dubai and Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum for a while, but some of the stuff they're talking about now is even more extravagant than the world or palm man-made islands!For instance, they're building Dubailand,

Plane Wrecks Running Amuck

2009-02-25T12:00:00.002-05:00

As I awoke from my light slumber this morning at 6am, the headline "Plane Crash in Amsterdam" entered my barely alert ears. So what's the deal? How many plane crashes have happened in the last month and a half? I can now think of three offhand:1. The Miracle on the Hudson Crash2. The Buffalo, NY crash3. The Amsterdam crashActually, the site planecrashinfo.com states that there have actually been

Weird Connections

2009-02-20T20:05:00.003-05:00

This week was reading week, and aside from working at the hotel in London, I spent the rest of my time with Piotr in St. Catharines looking for an apartment. Well, we found one, but I met someone surprising during my search.Piotr and I were looking at a high-end apartment building (which was a little too pricey for us in the long run), and I started talking to the girl who was showing us around.

Friday's Lesson for Men

2009-02-13T13:35:00.004-05:00

In light of some recent personal events, it has occurred to me that men need to learn certain lessons about women. Their lack of knowledge when dealing with certain situations is down right unexcusable. The sheer fact of having opposite anatomy is no excuse not to dot your i's and cross your t's when it comes to your relationship.Today's Situation: You're in a long distance relationship, you talk

Need some self-esteem?

2009-02-11T16:53:00.002-05:00

How about some self-cheer? I recently found this at Youtube.com and it definitely is a nice little deviation from the blahs of a rainy, gray day. So hope this helps someone cheer up a bit. If anything, it will at least put a smile on your face. If not, you can always buy their CD!

Why I don't go to raves anymore

2009-02-11T14:52:00.006-05:00

There are reasons when I no longer attend raves, or for the culturally ignorant: all night dance parties usually accented by techno dance music, drugs, and clandestine locales, ( the clandestine part has gone out the window for the most part since the late 90's/early 2000's). Aside from the drugs and the shady people, the candy kids were a big part. I don't mean to sound jaded, but candy or

Bye! Bye! Moving time!

2009-02-10T23:20:00.002-05:00

Finally! The 2009 summer course schedule came out today at last! Well as it turns out, the only course that will finish my degree after its completion is a distance course in MIT. The title? Perspectives in Advertising and I can't describe how dry that sounds, but I have to do it, and I will.The consequences that this has however, will mean that I will be moving to St. Catharines for sure and

Salsa

2009-02-10T22:31:00.005-05:00

I joined a salsa class today at the student rec center and I have to say it was a great time! It's really hard to know what you're doing when you go to a salsa club to dance and you don't know what the proper moves are. So basically, I just went along with my partner at the salsa club back in Cincinnati and never fully learned the correct salsa steps and procedure. I did pick up on it really

Stress Relief

2009-02-09T17:56:00.003-05:00

This morning I crashed. I don't mean this type of a crash:Although I have had my share of these types of crashes without the severity of this poor Nissan 350Z. No, the crash I'm talking about came about in the middle of Blackmore's class when I suddenly got this overwhelming urge to cry. It came out of nowhere and I was taken aback. I started shaking too and it was a bit disconcerting. I didn't

List of the Best Canadian Cell Phone Companies

2009-02-08T19:37:00.004-05:00

In my recent decision to move to St. Catharines, I realized that I would finally have to switch to a Canadian cell phone carrier......much to my chagrin. So today I went on a hunt in Masonville Place to seek out a proper service that was compatible to my needs. Needess to say, I didn't find a whole lot I was impressed with, but I've narrowed my choices down to either Bell's student blackberry

Response to "State of the Live Web" 2007

2009-02-04T15:07:00.005-05:00

Recently I was asked to read an article called "State of the Live Web," and I have to say, I was quite surprised to see just how fast the blogosphere is actually growing. The use of Technorati as a gauge for the statistics is also quick to catch the eye. Blogging is a great way to put your ideas out there for the whole world to see. I think this is amazing! As a society, we've come into this ago

Zombie Nation

2009-02-03T16:05:00.003-05:00

You really have to admire people who have a sense of humor in today's serious society. That's why I really think it's quite awesome when I see funny things in unexpected places. This video is the perfect example. Ninjas, pirates, Chuck Norris, and zombies aside, pranksters really deserve the recognition rather than these modern scapegoats for jokes..msnbcLinks {font-size:11px; font-family:Arial,

Enter the Dragon

2009-02-02T09:30:00.007-05:00

I am reconnecting with my quest to find the perfect fruit that has been abandoned for quite a while. I'm extremely picky when it comes to the variety of normal fruits that appear on the normal Canadian market, but have recently decided to reach out to some exotics......ohhhhh la laTwo candidates:The prickly pear fruit from the prickly pear cactusDragonfruit My deal with the

Hotel Tantrum

2009-01-30T17:30:00.007-05:00

I love my job, but working in a hotel can sometimes be a pain, especially when there are little kids hockey teams staying with us. They run around screaming and playing hockey in the hallways, and when I talk to their dad's about the problem they say they'll do something but they really don't seem to care. And then there are times when the bands stay with us that play at a club down on Huron and

Czesc chai

2009-01-29T19:35:00.004-05:00

They say that variety is the spice of life, but I heartily disagree. In actuality, I say Chai is the best spice of life.....and makes really good tea!!! This may seem like a more-than-usual random comment, but I am using this to introduce my lovey's parents: Krzystof i Basia. After six months of dating their son, I finally got pictures of them on my birthday on Tuesday with the camera that Piotr

Party Shots

2009-01-28T16:46:00.005-05:00

On Saturday, my Kentucky friends, Piotr, and I went out to a club in Cincinnati called Beluga. One of my best guy friends, Tom, spins there with his friend Paul, so it was a blast. All dance music! Very European! Here are some shots:Me and Tom (part of Colardo & Grant.....Tom is the "Grant)One of my two best friends, NattiMe and my lovey....<3<3<3<3<3 My brother Justin & sister-in-law, Brittany

Post-It Notes

2009-01-28T16:22:00.002-05:00

I apologize for all the posts today, but my parent's internet wasn't working in Kentucky because of their finicky modem, so I wasn't really able to post...and of course yesterday was my birthday and mock show at CHRW, so that was busy.Yeah, so my mock show was a blast! I love putting together a radio show! I'm not so crazy about the way my voice sounds on the radio, but I suppose its something

Carpal Tunnel.....finally an answer

2009-01-28T15:42:00.004-05:00

For the past two weeks I've had numbness and tingling in my left and right hands....primarily in the thumb, pointer, and middle fingers. I went to the Student Health and they ran some blood tests, but I've heard nothing back from them. So when I went home to Kentucky this past weekend, my dad made an appointment with his doctor for me and she diagnosed me as having Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.At least

24

2009-01-28T13:24:00.003-05:00

I'm not talking about the show either. I turned 24-years-old yesterday and I have to say, I had a pretty darn good day!I was really surprised by how many people actually wished me a "Happy Birthday" and it was really nice to feel cared about so much. The only really weird birthday wish was randomly from my ex, whom I haven't talked to for six months. Some good ones were from my family in New

Michigan drivers: my rant

2009-01-21T19:47:00.003-05:00

Every region of every country has crazy drivers, but I've come to believe that they tend to congregate in certain areas more than others. Namely, Michigan, northern Ohio, Ontario, pretty much anywhere north of Toledo. I should edit this title to include Ontario drivers too, because they're just as bad, but Michigan drivers take the cake!Map of worst drivers in the US by ordinary citizens.....

Inauguration Day & Shut the Heck Up Already

2009-01-20T19:12:00.003-05:00

January 20, 2009: President Obama's Inauguration Day! And what a day it has been: parades, speeches, and balls, oh my! Every news station is playing peoples' reactions and frankly, I'm sick of hearing about it.Yes, I understand this is a very historic day, and yes, I do understand that change is around the corner. I have had my moments of sheer jubilation, but I can't extend it for 24 hours a day

Accountable for myself

2009-01-19T17:37:00.002-05:00

It's already the 19th of January and I haven't started my resolution, which is (surprise, surprise) to lose weight. Like this isn't the most cliched resolution ever, but who doesn't want to makeover themselves? Who doesn't want to feel va-va-voom when they look at themselves in full-length dressing room mirror? Well I think I should begin my way to my goal. I've set it as realistic as possible:

Economic Supersonic

2009-01-18T21:11:00.002-05:00

I've been wondering as of late what kind of job I'm going to get after I graduate. It's the question on every soon-to-be graduate's mind and it's a tough thing to think about. Some of us will go back home to living with our parents and work in our home towns, some will move to other countries and pursue jobs with an adventurous attitude, while others will zoom off to grad school and earn their

My Future in Canada

2009-01-17T21:25:00.003-05:00

Last night I had a wonderful discussion with my boyfriend, Piotr, and my future here in Canada. Since this is my third and final year of my MIT degree, I have to start planning about what is next in my life. Well, Piotr is undoubtedly the love of my life. From the first moment I met him, it felt like an arrow had pierced my lungs, because I was breathless (cheesy I know.. hehe). Anyways, so after

Cambell's Ain't Got Nothin' on Me

2009-01-17T13:26:00.003-05:00

What does a cold cold day in London call for? Homemade soup of course! Although I normally stick to the cream of______ soups, I made a veggie & noodle meadley today!mmmm mmmmm goood! haha.Ingredients:Base veggie broth:onion (finely minced)minced garliccelery (some finely chopped & some chunks)carrots (ditto)watervegeta seasoning (essential to every European cooking fanatic)After I let it cook

Infuriating Furnace!!!

2009-01-17T10:03:00.003-05:00

I'm going to clarify that although I often say I love the cold, I think I've had enough!As much as I would like to compare myself to an Eskimo/Inuit woman.........I would love to see the warm state of Florida appear out of thin ice...quite literally:Kentucky has such hot, humid, and miserable summers that I was always glad when the coolness and snowy-joy of winter rolled around, but I don't think

Oh Cold Snap!

2009-01-16T12:15:00.004-05:00

I'm really getting sick of the cold weather, er, FRIGID COLD weather!! I start looking like an eskimo when I go outside! So today I'm going to introduce a gadget that I find fun or interesting. Let's call this a stint called: Gadget Fridays Today's gadget is from ThinkGeek.com and it's a fabulous way to annoy co-workers and anyone in general. I personally think this will work well on my dad! (*

Video Response to "Outfoxed" Documentary

2009-01-15T20:38:00.002-05:00

Last night in class we watched the documentary "Outfoxed" regarding Rupert Murdoch and this destruction of journalism ethics with his Fox News Network. Who in their right mind watches this station after finding out the truth about Rupert Murdoch and the Fox News Network? Their views are skewed and biased and therefore cannot offer the 'fair and balanced' view of news that they claim to make. The

And then there was one......

2009-01-14T11:46:00.001-05:00

So I guess I should introduce myself properly based on the terms of my blog title.My name is Magda, short for Magdalena. This is not my legal name. It is however, my Polish name and more times out of not I prefer it to Meghan.I do not hold a Canadan passport, driver's lisence, or birth certificiate. Some would call me an expatriate or expat, and that is entirely true. I am, in fact, one of those