June 2014 – Jennifer Thomson

“There’s a 100 places I’d rather be, than being stuck at work” – friend, while working.

I haven’t hated every job I’ve ever had, but more often than not I’d rather be somewhere else, doing something different, with some of my favourite people.

I wanted to see if I could come up with at least 100 places I’d prefer to be, than stuck at work doing my job. Here’s what I came up with (in no particular order):

1. In bed, wrapped in a duvet, watching chick flicks
2. At the World Cup, just absorbing the sensational energy of crazy fans

3. At Disneyland, riding the teacups for the first time
4. Riding my bike around Stanley Park

5. In Saskatoon, chilling with my best friend and my adorable nephew
6. On a patio, drinking sangrias and laughing with rad company

7. Touring the Jelly Belly factory
8. Having lunch with Michael Buble and Emma Stone

9. The gym, working on my fitness
10. Chapters, trying to find my next good read

11. Lying in a hammock, reading a book
12. Driving down the Oregon coast

13. Eating ice cream on the beach
14. Cuddling with a big puppy

15. Building a pillow/blanket fort
16. Playing with Lego

17. Smelling spices in a street market in India
18. Drinking wine in France

19. Watching Britney Spears perform in Vegas
20. Getting my next tattoo

21. Indulging in a Paul Rudd movie marathon
22. Hunting for heart shaped things

23. Learning to skip rocks
24. Making my own “drunk kitchen” video

25. Ice skating outside
26. Holding hands with someone awesome

27. Shopping at Ikea
28. Looking at houses

29. Getting a hot stone massage
30. Getting a deep tissue massage

31. Going for a drive to ‘nowhere’
32. Star gazing

33. Making out under the stars
34. Falling asleep on the beach

35. Riding a dolphin
36. Skydiving

37. Working out with Jillian Michaels
38. Cooking with Gordon Ramsay

39. Partying with my besties
40. Pyjama parties with my girlfriends

41. Laughing until I cry
42. Riding in a helicopter, over the Rocky Mountains

43. Scuba diving
44. Driving fast cars

45. Ordering room service in a fancy hotel
46. Playing tourist in my own hometown

47. the Vancouver Aquarium
48. Science World

49. the salad bar at Whole Foods
50. Bulk Barn

51. Treating myself to a Lululemon shopping spree
52. Spending other people’s money

53. Grocery shopping
54. Souvenir shopping in Asia

55. Drinking tea in Japan
56. Having a tea party with the Spice Girls

57. Riding the tour bus with the Backstreet Boys
58. Getting high with James Franco

59. Singing in the shower
60. Just standing in the shower and feeling the hot water soothe my aching muscles

61. Times Square
62. Sitting on top of the “Hollywood” sign, contemplating life

63. Sitting around a campfire
64. Riding a motorcycle

65. Taking pictures of hot firemen
66. Eating peanut butter with a spoon

67. Screaming, and listening for the echoes at the Grand Canyon
68. Driving across Canada

69. Celebrating Carnival in Quebec City
70. Riding an elephant

71. Riding a camel
72. Petting a tiger

73. Joining the circus
74. Getting drunk on a wine tour in Kelowna

75. Stomping grapes
76. Reading trashy magazines while getting my nails done

77. Spending all my time doing crosswords and wordsearches
78. Playing Cards of Humanity with good company

79. Dancing
80. Singing, while driving on the highway with all the windows down

81. Spending a day with JK Rowling
82. Touring the Google offices

83. Learning to fly a plane
84. Going for a walk with a puppy

85. Having Justin Timberlake personally serenade me
86. Be pampered for an entire day

87. Pedicures with my mom
88. Running errands with my Dad

89. Listening to my grandpa tell jokes
90. Laughing, with my entire family

91. Hiking a mountain
92. Snowshoeing

93. Sleeping
94. Dreaming

95. Sailing
96. Riding a double decker bus in London

97. Riding a tricycle in the Philippines
98. Watching old home videos

99. Playing with pandas
100. Eating jelly beans

Can you think of 100 things you’d rather be doing, than what your boss has hired you to do?

17 is a scary time to fall in love with someone.

Like many people who fall rapidly from lust to love with someone for the first time, I had no idea what I was doing or getting myself into. I didn’t know where the suffocating honeymoon traits were supposed to end and where realistic approaches to spending time with someone came into play.

In the minimal moments we spent apart, I thought about him. When they happened more often than not, I longed for him. I understood that we both deserved personal space to do our own thing, but I couldn’t help but miss him.

Just at the tail end of my teenage years, I still held tight to my belief of my fairy-tale like, romantic comedy inspired love. When the “I love you” texts weren’t constant or when the affection wasn’t excessive and overwhelming, I worried slightly.

It didn’t help when rumours started swirling that he was talking to other girls I’d never heard about and my very own friends. I panicked, of course. When I confronted him, he denied it. Of course.

This was the part when I was supposed to walk away. Tell him to pay attention to me and treat me like he loved me, or say goodbye.

But, my heart didn’t really want to get rid of him. His constant denial made it obvious that he wasn’t going to dramatically change anything, because he didn’t feel like he was doing anything wrong.

Selfishly, I took matters into my own hands – trying to have the best of both worlds: a boyfriend, and someone to kiss when my boyfriend was less loving than usual. Looking back now, I realize how foolish I was.

I can’t say anything that will justify me kissing another guy when I had a boyfriend. There is no excuse for lying to him about where I was, who I was with, and what I was doing – even if he wasn’t treating me right.

I was punished for my poor decisions. Our trust was completely broken, which played a part in our eventual break up farther down the road.

Here’s what I learned:

Unhappiness is something to talk about. Speak up, explain what’s wrong, and figure out how you are going to fix it – together.

Cheating is unfair and stupid. Once it’s done, you can’t take it back; the moments of pleasure aren’t worth it and the pain you feel or cause are ultimately impossible to fix.

Don’t do it.
Because I did it once when I was 17, and I was wrong.

Month: June 2014

100 Things I’d Rather Do

Confession: I Cheated