Professionalism during a meltdown

I haven't been able to take my eyes off the Charlie Sheen tirade all day. What started with me reading an Associated Press article about Sheen's shenanigans has quickly turned into a full-flegged Sheen addiction.

I can't stop watching, reading, commenting on, re-watching, etc all things Sheen (Circa the last couple of days.) I'm hooked. How can I not be when Sheen is spewing out phrases like:

"I'm Bi-Winning," When asked if he was Bipolar. Or, "I'm on a drug, it's called Charlie Sheen. It's not available because if you try it you try it you will die. Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body," was his response when the reporter asked if he was on drugs.

The man is hilarious and animated, even in crisis. (I know that's terrible for me to say and I have contemplated the millions of ways that karma will get me for enjoying Charlie Sheen's meltdown this much, but alas, the man is funny.)

I am astounded at Good Morning America reporter, Andrea Canning's composed demeanour throughout this train-wreck of an interview. I give her credit for maintaining a cool and professional attitude during Sheen's tirade, I am not sure I could have done it.

CreComm: Before and after

BEFORE

AFTER

Hooray, it's reading week! I'm tired and I need a vacation (and a hair cut.)

There is a first time for everything.

School is quickly coming to an end. In a few short months most of us will graduate from this program and move onto bigger and better things (so to speak) in our lives.

I'm so excited.

It will be awesome to finally be able to make some money and not have to worry so much about amassing more debt than I'm bringing in, and all those nightly homework sessions will be a thing of the past.

It will also be nice to unwind from the gruelling two years that I've endured at the hands of the CreComm instructors, who, with all due respect, are the toughest people I've ever met. Most of all though, I am excited to just graduate– I'm excited to invite my family to a boring convocation ceremony, and have my 15 seconds of fame as I hear my name being called out when I walk across the stage to get my diploma. I'm so excited because that's something I've never really done before...Unless you count kindergarten and grade nine.

But really, I never graduated.

In all my 31-years, I've never been able to wear that cap and gown, nor have I had grad photos taken. I've never been called across a stage to pick up my diploma while my family snaps pictures of me, and I've never been to a grad party.

Nope. I missed that boat.

I dropped out of high school at the age of 16 because I thought I was dumb. Ever since I was a kid I'd always had a really hard time concentrating or learning anything in school. As I got older it only got worse; I failed grade eight, I ended up in summer school a bunch of times, and I barely passed my classes no matter how hard I tried.

Instead of seeking or getting help, I slipped through the cracks of the public school system until I finally quit.

I ended up getting my GED when I was in my early 20s; I wrote the test and they sent me my results with a copy of my diploma. It didn't have a gold sticker on it, and I think the signature might have been computer generated, but that piece of paper meant that I technically completed grade 12, and I was proud of it.

Still, I always sort of felt like I missed out on a grad.

Now, with the end of CreComm right around the corner, I can't even explain what it means to finally be able to say that I've graduated something. As stupid as it may seem, I can't wait to see what I look like in a cap and gown...

There is a first for everything...

Live your dream

Until a few years ago I thought it was my destiny to live in Winnipeg and make my living as a casino worker. At the time I was OK with that, because I thought it was the best job I could get. It didn't even dawn on me that going back to school and pursuing my "dream job" (a career) was even an option.

Back then I wanted so badly to find my "soul mate" and settle down, so I began to entertain the idea of happily ever after with every boyfriend I ever had for longer than two months. (The two month mark was my indication: If I could last longer than two months with a guy and we didn't hate each other, it was meant to be. It never worked out in my favour though. Not even once. In hindsight, that is probably a blessing... ) Still, I had my life mapped out and it was comfortably mediocre.

I was certain that it would happen if I just waited long enough.

I waited and waited for my life to start. It didn't even dawn on me that while I was waiting for my life to begin, my life was still happening all around me. It never stopped.

I was so oblivious of the real world, because I was too busy planning for my happily ever after, that when I did come to I was completely and utterly lost.

This life that I slept walked through wasn't what I had in mind.

After being burned one too many times by my settling down plans and partners, and after facing (and barely escaping) the firing squad at work, I decided it was time for a change. I figured the only way out was to educate myself, so I enrolled as a mature student at the University of Winnipeg.

After two years at the U of W, I ended up in the CreComm program (Where I am now, finishing up my last semester as a journalism major.)

I never in a trillion years considered that this is the path my life would take. I mean, as much as I have always loved writing, I never once considered that I was good enough to write for the likes of the Winnipeg Free Press and the Winnipeg Sun. (Both publications I have written for since I started CreComm.)

My life now is nothing that I had planned for. I have no idea what's going to happen tomorrow, never mind for the rest of my life. It's hard and tiresome this way, but at least I am actually living it day by day now, instead of missing things by focusing on "one day."

Life is short. Chase your dreams.