I've come to a very scary realization.
I have no idea who I am.
I'm fine with my body---No I'm not.
I'm an artist at heart---I have no real talent.
I'm happy with a simple life---I'll die miserable if I don't become "somebody".
I'm classic---I'm modern---I should have been a 70's child.
I'm afraid to take chances---I need spontaneity.
I'm alright with a comfortable relationship---I crave being chased and passionately loved.
I hate needy people---I need somebody.
I don't believe in true love---It's all that I really want.
I am, quite literally, a living, breathing, (barely) functioning contradiction. And it's becoming rather exhausting.
Still awake ( and sort of grateful nobody reads this),
Alannah
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Mel-Jane
Hey guys :)
What a beautiful Sunday! I'm in such a typical Sunday mood...I feel like I should go for a walk by the river, paint a picture in my sun room...iron my husbands shirts, go to evening mass...do some gardening, hahaha.
I'd say I've had a rough few days emotionally, at the very least. But praise God that today snapped me out of my week-long funk. I have so much to be thankful for, and I really should stop feeling sorry for myself! It's hard a lot of the time, but like my friend Magda said at work: you've got a home, a full belly, and somebody who loves you. What more could you ask for in a world so full of hate and misfortune? And so today, I'm scooting around my condo cleaning and belting out some Norah Jones, completely lost in gratitude and thoughts about how lucky I really am.
Somewhere between My Blueberry Nights and cleaning my paint brushes, I found happiness. Happy Sunday everybody :)
Thinking of sundresses and wild flowers,
Lanna
What a beautiful Sunday! I'm in such a typical Sunday mood...I feel like I should go for a walk by the river, paint a picture in my sun room...iron my husbands shirts, go to evening mass...do some gardening, hahaha.
I'd say I've had a rough few days emotionally, at the very least. But praise God that today snapped me out of my week-long funk. I have so much to be thankful for, and I really should stop feeling sorry for myself! It's hard a lot of the time, but like my friend Magda said at work: you've got a home, a full belly, and somebody who loves you. What more could you ask for in a world so full of hate and misfortune? And so today, I'm scooting around my condo cleaning and belting out some Norah Jones, completely lost in gratitude and thoughts about how lucky I really am.
Somewhere between My Blueberry Nights and cleaning my paint brushes, I found happiness. Happy Sunday everybody :)
Thinking of sundresses and wild flowers,
Lanna
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Flightless bird
Hey kids
Ohh, look. I haven't been blogging much. But anybody who knows me even in the slightest wouldn't be all that surprised. A nice way to put it would be to say I'm a free bird. I don't like to be tied down...I like to do as I please. I just say it's sheer laziness, but who's counting, right?
This year has already been full of new experiences and lost emotions. I said it was going to be a good year; I had anticipated many laughs and memories. What I didn't know, is that those memories would be those of my reoccurring past. Don't take it negatively. There's beauty in the fragility of those very moments that so carefully yet fatefully create and define the very person I have grown in to over the years. Now some may argue that I shouldn't exactly be proud of who I am, or who I have yet to become. But I guess a big part of growing up is being able to take that with a grain of salt, and find true happiness within yourself; altogether knowing you're a good person with faults and a future. I've always said...you either fix your faults, learn to live with them, or be miserable. But never complain. You can only put the blame on your circumstances for so long until even you can't feel sorry for yourself anymore. Now, it's a little daunting to know that I may be held to these words, but I feel that I have hit a point in my life over the past year where I have accepted and embodied this state of mind. I don't feel sorry for myself. It takes a lot to say that...oddly, more so than admitting that I DO in fact feel sorry for myself. I could elaborate on that, but I think I'm still internally working on that part... I'm bound to type it out at some point.
Something I have found absolutely intriguing these past few weeks, is my utter need to feel. I am a thinker. Maybe not on the scale of most brilliant minds, but I opt to use my head rather than my heart. I trust my mind. It is a comfortable and safe place. Often in disarray, but more times than not, I make the right decisions, or use my common knowledge to get me out of a bad one. After taking the time to think this through, I've realized that the reason I'm a "thinker"...is that my heart is positively erratic. My artistic nature was rather obvious at a young age. I was deeply inspired by my dads ex wife, Canadian artist Melanie Williams. In a family full of jocks and scholars...I painted, wrote, sang and danced my way through my early years, trying to ignore the fact that I was obviously the less favored of the children. Unless I could slam dunk, skate backwards, or make the Deans list, I would be (and was) ignored. And so I set out to be an accepted kid, achieving 90's in school, and being the best damned bench warmer on any team that would have me. I wasn't by any means the all-star. But at least now I was being asked how my day went. I had something in common with the useless and mind numbingly boring chatter circulating the dinner table. I'd get the odd recognition for random art I left laying around the house, or my grades in dance classes...but at the end of the day, all anybody really cared about was the latest stats my all-star kid brother was ranking. And I grew to accept it. I was raised in a logical, "thinking" family. There was no chance of having my inner artist nurtured, so I went on growing and learning the only way I was ever taught.
So now that I'm older...(like every young person does after being thrown in to "real life"...) I've begun thinking about what makes me who I am. Well, I know who I am. But WHY I am...ya know? Why am I drawn to art and music and beauty and how it is that I just "get it"...and yet, I am not a frivolous person. (I don't mean that in a negative sense...more like..whimsical..ethereal..etc...). I just don't get people who like to fight because it's "passionate" or who just "have" to do things because their "heart" says so. I really don't get it, and I don't know that I ever will. My "heart" tells me to do lots of things, but it seems childish and basically just immature. I'll never understand "closure". Or love being a "feeling". Maybe I'm missing out. But it all just seems a little naive...
This all being said, can somebody PLEASE explain to me how I cannot "follow my heart", but a painting can completely consume me to the point of tears?
This seems to be my greatest inner conflict. There's so much I have to think about. So much to learn. For now, I think I'll just continue to let myself be. Doing all I can to the greatest of my abilities...and just hope that answers will come to me with experience. At times I feel like a walking contradiction. Or maybe I need to learn that not everything can be defined or explained.
Dreaming in black and white,
Alannah Leigh
Ohh, look. I haven't been blogging much. But anybody who knows me even in the slightest wouldn't be all that surprised. A nice way to put it would be to say I'm a free bird. I don't like to be tied down...I like to do as I please. I just say it's sheer laziness, but who's counting, right?
This year has already been full of new experiences and lost emotions. I said it was going to be a good year; I had anticipated many laughs and memories. What I didn't know, is that those memories would be those of my reoccurring past. Don't take it negatively. There's beauty in the fragility of those very moments that so carefully yet fatefully create and define the very person I have grown in to over the years. Now some may argue that I shouldn't exactly be proud of who I am, or who I have yet to become. But I guess a big part of growing up is being able to take that with a grain of salt, and find true happiness within yourself; altogether knowing you're a good person with faults and a future. I've always said...you either fix your faults, learn to live with them, or be miserable. But never complain. You can only put the blame on your circumstances for so long until even you can't feel sorry for yourself anymore. Now, it's a little daunting to know that I may be held to these words, but I feel that I have hit a point in my life over the past year where I have accepted and embodied this state of mind. I don't feel sorry for myself. It takes a lot to say that...oddly, more so than admitting that I DO in fact feel sorry for myself. I could elaborate on that, but I think I'm still internally working on that part... I'm bound to type it out at some point.
Something I have found absolutely intriguing these past few weeks, is my utter need to feel. I am a thinker. Maybe not on the scale of most brilliant minds, but I opt to use my head rather than my heart. I trust my mind. It is a comfortable and safe place. Often in disarray, but more times than not, I make the right decisions, or use my common knowledge to get me out of a bad one. After taking the time to think this through, I've realized that the reason I'm a "thinker"...is that my heart is positively erratic. My artistic nature was rather obvious at a young age. I was deeply inspired by my dads ex wife, Canadian artist Melanie Williams. In a family full of jocks and scholars...I painted, wrote, sang and danced my way through my early years, trying to ignore the fact that I was obviously the less favored of the children. Unless I could slam dunk, skate backwards, or make the Deans list, I would be (and was) ignored. And so I set out to be an accepted kid, achieving 90's in school, and being the best damned bench warmer on any team that would have me. I wasn't by any means the all-star. But at least now I was being asked how my day went. I had something in common with the useless and mind numbingly boring chatter circulating the dinner table. I'd get the odd recognition for random art I left laying around the house, or my grades in dance classes...but at the end of the day, all anybody really cared about was the latest stats my all-star kid brother was ranking. And I grew to accept it. I was raised in a logical, "thinking" family. There was no chance of having my inner artist nurtured, so I went on growing and learning the only way I was ever taught.
So now that I'm older...(like every young person does after being thrown in to "real life"...) I've begun thinking about what makes me who I am. Well, I know who I am. But WHY I am...ya know? Why am I drawn to art and music and beauty and how it is that I just "get it"...and yet, I am not a frivolous person. (I don't mean that in a negative sense...more like..whimsical..ethereal..etc...). I just don't get people who like to fight because it's "passionate" or who just "have" to do things because their "heart" says so. I really don't get it, and I don't know that I ever will. My "heart" tells me to do lots of things, but it seems childish and basically just immature. I'll never understand "closure". Or love being a "feeling". Maybe I'm missing out. But it all just seems a little naive...
This all being said, can somebody PLEASE explain to me how I cannot "follow my heart", but a painting can completely consume me to the point of tears?
This seems to be my greatest inner conflict. There's so much I have to think about. So much to learn. For now, I think I'll just continue to let myself be. Doing all I can to the greatest of my abilities...and just hope that answers will come to me with experience. At times I feel like a walking contradiction. Or maybe I need to learn that not everything can be defined or explained.
Dreaming in black and white,
Alannah Leigh
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Happy New Year!
Happy New Years, Kids!
Oh boy, am I ever excited for 2010! Already have so many plans, it's enough to make my head spin!
I thought about doing an overview of 2009, but looking back, I've already posted most of the main things that took place in the last year. I didn't post much about the holidays, however. And to be honest, I don't personally have a lot of pictures to be posting! It was either my Dad and Dawn, my Mum and Sid, or Brandons family that took all the photos! I'm sure I'll accumulate some in the near future.
Christmas was amazing this year! Expensive, but amazing. We managed to spend it with both our families (which is harder for me, due to the fact that my parent's are seperated). There was a lot of driving in and out of town (even at 11 pm on Christmas eve!), but it was so incredibly worth it. This was technically Brandons and my second Christmas together...but we had only been together a couple months at the time last year, and he was just starting to meet my family. Actually, Christmas eve was the FIRST time he met my dad's side. So this year is our official first year together, and he deeeeefinitely got to experience Christmas the way my family does it. We. Get. Spoiled. It's actually a little crazy. He was extremely shocked! First, my dad came over, with three black garbage bags in tow...FULL of gifts for Brandon and I. Then my mums house...where again, we had to fill two laundry baskets to get our gifts from the house to the truck. Then my grandfathers, who gave us awesome gift certificates to go crazy on boxing day (which we did...oh boy, did we ever...). My mum's big gifts were a deep freezer and a beautiful dark wook bar cabinet with a wine rack and slots for glasses. Brandon's family got me the new series I've been wanting to read, and some board games! And, well I guess the big one for me was Brandon's gift...
Isn't it amazing? Sneaky little buggar picked it up at the mall with me there right after I tried it on! I honestly had no idea! It's pretty hard to surprise me, but he definitely did it! It's a smoky quarts stone with diamonds and more quarts around the main stone and going down around the band. I actually just got the call yesterday that I can pick it up! All the repairs, resizing, and over all quality check of the ring is finished! It's so different...so pretty!
We had three Christmas dinners at the house...and I made a turkey for all of them! I could be a professional by now! They were actually really good! Everybody said it was the most moist turkey they've had, and that everything else was super tastey! Somebody even called me Martha Stewart! I wanted to kiss them, as that is my secret aspiration in life. I want to be just like Martha!
All-in-all, the holidays were wonderful. Brandon's gone back to work now...and I'm still finding sparkles and pine needles all over the house. It's a daily struggle to get the house completely de-Christmased.
And now for 2010! The trips have already been planned...my courses in order. I'm very excited to see what the new year has in store!
Here's to 2010!
xo Lanners
Friday, November 13, 2009
TWLOHA '09
Happy Friday, everybody!
Alrighty, so it's officially TWLOHA day 2009. There are several reasons I support this cause.
Like many things these days, serious issues (or even Christianity, ugh) are becoming culture crazes. As neat as it is to have sharpie 'LOVE' tattoos sprawled across our forearms, It's really important to do our homework about the causes we are supporting. One statistic for all reading just to open your eyes...
Alrighty, so it's officially TWLOHA day 2009. There are several reasons I support this cause.
Like many things these days, serious issues (or even Christianity, ugh) are becoming culture crazes. As neat as it is to have sharpie 'LOVE' tattoos sprawled across our forearms, It's really important to do our homework about the causes we are supporting. One statistic for all reading just to open your eyes...
Untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide, and suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers. (-NIMH)
So, this may seem pretty heavy stuff for a blog, but after doing my research all week, I decided I would be part of TWLOHA awareness day/weekend. I "attended" last year...but the extent of my knowledge was basically whatever they taught us in health class in high school. Read up--seriously. It'll blow your mind.
So this year I went all out. I took out old body paints, and got to work. I won't lie...this morning was pretty emotional. Writing LOVE to support awareness over top of your own scars is a pretty powerful experience. But it just goes to show that anybody suffering from depression can get help, and overcome the illness.
I hope everybody takes a little time today to do your part. Spreading awareness is the first and easiest way to reach out. When you feel that there's nothing you can do, just SHARE! Especially if mental illness/addiction has affected you personally--whether it was you going through it, a friend or family member who suffered. The most important thing you can do is educate yourselves.
Much LOVE
Lanners
If you're reading this, and you know you need help, there are many resources available to you...
Emergency 1-800-784-2433 (or 911)
Distress Centre/Drug Centre Crisis Line 403-266-1605
Teen Line 403-264-8336
Canadian Mental Health Association, Suicide Services 403-297-1744
As well as web sites to inform yourselves...
http://www.preventsuicide.us/hopeline-new/
http://www.selfinjury.com/
http://www.suicide.org/teen-suicide-and-youth-suicide.html
http://www.al-anon.org/
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help-today/
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Well hello there, bloggers!
It sure has been a while. The last time I posted anything was in January, I believe. The start of this year...and it's already the end!
It's safe to say that 2009 went by WAY too fast! Many things have changed over the past 10 months, in so many ways. Most of them good, no worries! I've made a ton of new friends through work and church. I did a bunch of mini trips around Alberta and Saskatchewan with Brandon. I really think that it doesn't matter how far you go, being able to leave the city and experience something new is always a good thing! We went to his grandma's wedding (dad's side) and celebrated his other grandparents (mum's side) 50th anniversary! Most of this years good news has happened in the past couple of months, which is good, because I can remember details!
First, Brandon and I celebrated our first anniversary (of dating), which I think is really cool! Man, is he ever amazing! I know it's said that relationships take work, and I definitely agree...so why is this so easy? Haha. I guess it is only a year. It just seems like a long time to me, being a young'in and all! A year is a long time when you're only 19.
Talon, my youngest brother, turned 5 in September! His first day of ECS was this past August. It's Talon's first year or school, and Tyrin's last!(my second brother). Tyrin went to England again for his third time in June, as well as traveling across Canada playing soccer. He made it on to the provincial team, and later went on to win nationals! Ty will also be graduating this year. I'm very proud of both my brothers :)
In more recent news, one of my best friends, Ben King, recently got engaged! I feel terrible, because I was supposed to help him pick out the engagement ring, but our schedules didn't line up, and he did it without me. HOWEVER, he did decide he wasn't going to wait until Christmas like he said he would. Instead, he proposed two days after purchasing the ring, lol. So I didn't even get to see it first! But I am super blessed that they asked me to plan their wedding! Another thing that has happened this year! I've decided to wait to go to University for a little while, and so I'm going to be taking courses to be a wedding planner, and hopefully join an agency shortly. So I'm SO lucky that Ben and Felicia asked me to do this for them. This way, I have some what of a "portfolio" piece and some great experience!
All together, there weren't any life altering changes this year...but it was filled with friends and laughter and memories, for sure. I have a feeling 2010 will be a good year as well!
God Bless!
Tyrin and his group in Liverpool
Ty playing in England. Nice face, kiddo haha.
Ben and his awesome fiance, Felicia
Excellent pick, Ben.
Brandon's parents at his grandparents 50th anniversary
Joe (B's cousin), Grandma Darbison, and neighbor
Joe (cousin), Grandpa Darbison, Crystal (B's sister) and Tina (B's mum)
It sure has been a while. The last time I posted anything was in January, I believe. The start of this year...and it's already the end!
It's safe to say that 2009 went by WAY too fast! Many things have changed over the past 10 months, in so many ways. Most of them good, no worries! I've made a ton of new friends through work and church. I did a bunch of mini trips around Alberta and Saskatchewan with Brandon. I really think that it doesn't matter how far you go, being able to leave the city and experience something new is always a good thing! We went to his grandma's wedding (dad's side) and celebrated his other grandparents (mum's side) 50th anniversary! Most of this years good news has happened in the past couple of months, which is good, because I can remember details!
First, Brandon and I celebrated our first anniversary (of dating), which I think is really cool! Man, is he ever amazing! I know it's said that relationships take work, and I definitely agree...so why is this so easy? Haha. I guess it is only a year. It just seems like a long time to me, being a young'in and all! A year is a long time when you're only 19.
Talon, my youngest brother, turned 5 in September! His first day of ECS was this past August. It's Talon's first year or school, and Tyrin's last!(my second brother). Tyrin went to England again for his third time in June, as well as traveling across Canada playing soccer. He made it on to the provincial team, and later went on to win nationals! Ty will also be graduating this year. I'm very proud of both my brothers :)
In more recent news, one of my best friends, Ben King, recently got engaged! I feel terrible, because I was supposed to help him pick out the engagement ring, but our schedules didn't line up, and he did it without me. HOWEVER, he did decide he wasn't going to wait until Christmas like he said he would. Instead, he proposed two days after purchasing the ring, lol. So I didn't even get to see it first! But I am super blessed that they asked me to plan their wedding! Another thing that has happened this year! I've decided to wait to go to University for a little while, and so I'm going to be taking courses to be a wedding planner, and hopefully join an agency shortly. So I'm SO lucky that Ben and Felicia asked me to do this for them. This way, I have some what of a "portfolio" piece and some great experience!
All together, there weren't any life altering changes this year...but it was filled with friends and laughter and memories, for sure. I have a feeling 2010 will be a good year as well!
God Bless!
Tyrin and his group in Liverpool
Ty playing in England. Nice face, kiddo haha.
Ben and his awesome fiance, Felicia
Excellent pick, Ben.
Brandon's parents at his grandparents 50th anniversary
Joe (B's cousin), Grandma Darbison, and neighbor
Joe (cousin), Grandpa Darbison, Crystal (B's sister) and Tina (B's mum)Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Switcharoo
Update:
I've decided I'm switching my African trip with My European trip. I want to be able to spend more than a few days in Egypt, so I'm going to just do my Northern African tours with the rest of Africa NEXT spring. European tour will depart last friday of August '09. Then Hawaii with daddy and Dawn for December. Another add-on...I'll be taking an extra two weeks for Ireland and Scotland with my buddy Mike. He wants to head to the isles...clearly to drink his face off for 13 days, but I'm personally excited to see my heritage lol. Thus, all these changes will push my Southern Asian visit until next summer. Everything will still happen! Just switchin the trips around. Just a quick tid-bit for those following the glamorous life and deepest inner workings of Alannah Hutchings, hahaha.
Counting down the days til Travel shopping,
xo Alannah
I've decided I'm switching my African trip with My European trip. I want to be able to spend more than a few days in Egypt, so I'm going to just do my Northern African tours with the rest of Africa NEXT spring. European tour will depart last friday of August '09. Then Hawaii with daddy and Dawn for December. Another add-on...I'll be taking an extra two weeks for Ireland and Scotland with my buddy Mike. He wants to head to the isles...clearly to drink his face off for 13 days, but I'm personally excited to see my heritage lol. Thus, all these changes will push my Southern Asian visit until next summer. Everything will still happen! Just switchin the trips around. Just a quick tid-bit for those following the glamorous life and deepest inner workings of Alannah Hutchings, hahaha.
Counting down the days til Travel shopping,
xo Alannah
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