Goodbye, 2008! Oh, How I'll Miss You!!!

It's the last day of 2008.
I can't believe it.
This year has been the best year of my entire 22 years on this planet!

Here are my 2008 highlights in the order they occurred:

1. I heard and fell in love with George's music.
Sure, I had heard Faith, I Want Your Sex, and Freedom '90 before, and snippets of Outside (didn't know what it was called though), but I actually heard more and loved what I heard!
It took a while to admit to myself that I actually loved the music, but I do! :d

2. I joined George Michael's fan club place and met some of the greatest people ever!
Do you know how I found the website? I was searching for an e-mail address where I could send a joking letter to George telling him off at writing such catchy songs that lodged themselves into my brain! :lol: And I joined because I wanted to learn more about him. I joined for free at first, but you can't even SEE the forums when you have a free account. :roll:

3. George in concert!!!
Did I ever, in my wildest dreams, imagine that I'd ever see "the Faith guy" in concert? No...can't say I ever did. BUT...I am so glad that I went. Made me love him even more!
AND THEN getting 4 concert calls from Johnny was incredible. 3 of which were left on my voice mail so I got to experience them later...one I was even listening to walking home from work at night. Smiling like a fool! :lol: :lol: :lol:

4. HANSON!!!!!
When I found out they were coming to Vancouver, I knew I couldn't miss them. I missed them 8 years ago, and I had no idea when they'd be back here. So, I booked my tickets the first day of presale. Not like I needed to, it was General admission, but it was my first time being able to...so I took advantage of it. :lol:
When I got the e-mail saying I had won a meet and greet, I was overjoyed. Words cannot explain what I felt. Being able to meet the band that has meant so much to me for half my life was such a rewarding experience. Taylor once said "The first music you fall in love with is more then just music". And it's so true.
Seeing pics of Taylor wearing the shirt I gave Isaac, 2 days later, was also incredible. I dressed a Hanson!!! :lol: Zac and the Yoda toy...priceless. Zac remembering my George Michael thread...like being in Heaven! Wonder what his fave song off those CDs is? :roll:
Having front row was amazing! I know that Taylor stared right at me a few times...I KNOW it! :lol:
Calling Cali & Johnny from the show, so they could experience the awesomeness that is Hanson live, too, was pretty much amazing!
Giving Taylor Girl Guide cookies after the show, and having him actually listen to what I was telling him about why I was giving him the cookies was such a great feeling.
I am in love with one of the greatest bands out there!
Oh...and coming on to the GM.com forums the next day to find them chomping at the bit to know how the concert was, was quite funny! Bet they NEVER, EVER thought they'd be excited to hear about the 3 brothers who penned the song that tortures Jen? :roll: :lol: :lol:

VOGA night

So, VOGA is quite possibly the best wine EVER.
And I usually dislike wine.
But this stuff is goooooood.

But I must confess something.

About a month or so ago, I drank way to much and got really sick.
Now I can't drink a full bottle like I used to.
And it's hard to even down a sip, let alone half...like I've managed to.

I hate it!
I like an alcohol.
Drink too much one night.
And they get sick just thinking about it.
Ugh.
I've only drunk half a bottle of Voga, but I feel nauseous.
Yes, I feel buzzed.
But I want more!!!
I'm off tomorrow.
I can get drunk and be fine the next day.

Guess, I just have to ease back into voga.

Stupid me.

Ugh.

Decisions

So, I have decided to make this my normal, everyday (so to speak) blog. Makes more sense to have one blog, instead of two!

Another decision I have made is:

I Am Not Making New Year's Resolutions This Year!!

Nope!
Not doing it!
Instead, I am making a list of things I'm going to do and another list of the things I want to do.
Why?
Because resolutions NEVER work.
So, if I make a list of the things I will and want to do, then I'll actually accomplish something!

Okay, firstly, I'm making 2009's theme song "My Life" by Bon Jovi. It's pretty much an awesome song and definitely the direction I see my life headed in 2009. But it will probably change. I mean how many theme songs have I had this year? And none of which were chosen ahead of time!
But in general, I'd say "Time Of My Life" by David Cook pretty much sums up 2008. But there's so many...2008's theme was just music in general!

Anywho....
Here are my lists:
Things I Will Do In 2009
1. Go to Myrtle beach in March
2. Go to Florida for my b-day in June.
3. Apply to the Education program at more schools (getting in isn't up to me)
4. Lose 15 - 20 pounds by Myrtle Beach
5. Lose 35-40 pounds by Florida (which means I should be at my goal...that I've had since I was 16.......)
6. Host my own Walk

Things I Want To Do In 2009
1. Get a new job (this is here, strictly because of the economy)
2. Get my own place (again, only here because of the economy and job situation)
3. Go to England for the GM fan club Christmas party
4. Go to the PNE...finally!
5. Start learning an instrument

So, those are my lists.
I know that I'll be able to accomplish some things on them, so that gives me confidence to accomplish the rest.

"I know it will take some time"

I just watched an amazing documentary all about the AIDS epidemic in the USA, in the 1980s. The film is called "Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt". I won't go too much into what it's about, because I'll start crying my eyes out again. It really moved me.

The world went from referring to AIDS as the "gay plague" in the '80s, to almost forgetting that AIDS is still in North America. The only time I hear about it in the general media is with regards to Africa. Which isn't all bad, I mean, at least it's still in our consciousness. But, how can we help all those people in Africa without helping the ones in our own backyard?

Sure, people here now have access to medicines that can mean a fairlly normal, long life. Something African's don't have. Maybe this is why we have almost forgotten that AIDS still exists here.

BUT....
It is still here.
It hasn't magically left our shores and infected African people.

We have to work to help EVERYBODY that has this disease or has been affected by it in someway.
No one person is anymore important then another.
We're all equal.
We all deserve equal treatment.
Equal representation.

But before we can even think about curing AIDS anywhere, we HAVE to give everyone equal rights.
I mean, look at the USA. There's only 2 states where gay marriage is legal. There was 3, but California reversed their decision. That's 2 states out of 50 where gay people can be recognized as legally married. TWO!!!!!!
Where as, here, in Canada, gay marriage is legal all across the country.
I'm straight, I have nothing to worry about. When I finally do meet Mr. Right, I don't have to worry about getting married or being accepted.
I want every single one of my gay friends and acquaintances to have the same opportunities that I have.
Love has nothing to do with gender, race, religion, sexuality, or beliefs. It has to do with people. People fall in love. Sexual orientations don't. Religions don't. Beliefs don't. People do.

I know this entry started talking about AIDS and has now gone down to love, but in a way it's all connected.
I'll leave you to think about that.

Challenge!

Okay, I don't know who reads this (if anybody), but I have a challenge for you all:

Do one thing this week that benefits and helps someone else.

It's Christmas. A time to think about others. A time for peace.
So, if you see someone in need, do something! Stand up! Make a difference!
And then e-mail me what you've done and I'll post it on my next blog entry.
mmmbop_2002@hotmail.com

Where Did It Start?

So, the last post I made is a post I made in my myspace blog, on facebook, and even in the georgemichael.com forums....I figured that it was a good way to start off this blog. Like, my 5th restart. lol.

Why am I starting, er, restarting, another blog when I already blog on myspace?
I have no idea.
I think it's something about people being able to view my blog without viewing all my personal info.
Or maybe because I want a blog with basically one theme, not just random thoughts and glimpses of my creativity.

This is my Take The Walk blog.

Inspired by Hanson, their Take The Walk book and EP, and all the walks they've hosted and have been hosted by fans.

It's inspired by Hanson, but not because of Hanson.
Does that make sense?

Yes, the walks and all of that goes to help children living in poverty in Africa, many living with or affected by the AIDS epidemic.

But this blog is going to go further then that.

This past World AIDS Day, December 1st, I was talking to a friend on facebook. He told me about one of his friends who died from AIDS.
Hearing about someone on this continent that died from this horrible disease changed my outlook.
Yeah, I've known for a long time that AIDS is over here.
I knew that before I knew about the epidemic in Africa.
But I've never known anyone that's known someone who's died from it.
It kind of puts the whole situation into perspective.

There's a lot of stuff on our plates.
AIDS in Africa.
Equal rights for everybody.
Global warming.
That's just some of the issues we face today.

I'm one person.
I don't have a lot of money.
And I live in a small town.
But I can still stand up and take a stand.
I can still start to change the world.

I have the internet.
I have my voice.
And I have my friends.
If we work together we can cause change.
Create a ripple effect.

All it takes is for us to get out there.
Get educated.
Open our eyes.

We have a long walk ahead of us, but together we can make it.

I'm not going to let my voice be silenced.
I'm going to speak out and let people know about the problems the world faces....and more importantly, that we can start working to actually solve those problems.
One step at a time.

Ngi Ne Themba

Ngi ne themba.

What does that mean, you ask?

It's an isiZulu chant and it translates to "I have hope."

Why am I speaking African?
Any Hanson fan can answer that.
It's a chant that a children's choir from DD Dilwayo school is Soweto, South Africa sang on Hanson's song "Great Divide".

I just finished probably one of the most inspiring books ever written, at least in 2008.
The book wasn't written by some professor at some expensive university, and it wasn't written by a former politician either.
It was written by a guy in a band.

Now, it's one thing to accompany this band on one of their mile long walks and whether you walk barefoot or not, it's still an unbelievable feeling to know that that one mile you're walking, in a city you've probably been to countless times before, is a mile that's going to change a child's life forever.
It's one thing to buy a pair of shoes, and by doing so give a pair of shoes to a child in poverty.
It's one thing to donate $25 to a school, so that those children can still get an education.
It's another thing to read the stories of your favourite band's trip to Africa, and hear all the stories of the people they encountered along their journey.

When I became a Hanson fan 11 years ago, I never thought about the outside world and the hardships anyone faced.
I danced to "MMMBop" and "Where's The Love", still played with my Barbies, and adjusted to middle school life.
I was picked on immensely because I liked a band of these guys with long hair, 2 of which looked like girls.
I didn't care.
I liked the music. I liked the fact they were ordinary kids. And the fact that Zac was a cutie wasn't so bad either!

Throughout the 11 years, people have always belittled these guys.
I still hear the jokes.
I mention that I'm a Hanson fan and people roll their eyes or start singing a badly mangled version of the chorus of "MMMBop" (which I secretly laugh at them for doing!).
But I'm used to it. It rolls off my back now.

What I don't like is when I'm trying to tell someone about Hanson's charity efforts and the Take The Walk book and they still roll their eyes.
Roll your eyes at the music, fine.
But don't roll your eyes at African children living with a horrible disease that has already claimed their parents, friends, cousins, neighbours............

I'm a Girl Guide leader. I look at my Guides, see how carefree they are. They have no major issues in their lives. And if they have any issues, they can usually be solved with a phone call.
But to know that there are children in Africa that are the same age as my Guides, living with and dying from a horrible disease is sometimes hard to swallow.

When I do put on my own Walk in the spring, I'm going to try my hardest to get it in the paper and on local news. I want as many people as possible to know about the Walk and turn up. I want the kids in Africa to have a better life.

A lot of people out there may think that all Hanson's doing is just a publicity stunt. A way for a '90s band to get some media attention again.
They may think that Hanson fans are only donating and walking because Hanson told us to. As if we can't do anything on our own without celebrities telling us what to do or think or feel.

But you know what?
That's okay.
Let people think that.
It's not true.
I didn't have to go on the Walk in Vancouver, or buy TOMS, or buy and read the Take The Walk book.
But I did.
Yes, so I wouldn't have done any of this stuff without Hanson taking the first step and opening my eyes, but I didn't do it just because they did.

This is so much bigger then a band anyway. It goes way beyond Hanson. Strip the music away....it's about helping people that need it the most.

I want the world to be a better place for future generations. Not just here and in Africa, but across the globe.

Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson use what they have to help: music.
But what do I have?
A group of friends, a unit of Guides, and an ability to write.
I thought I could do a Walk with Girl Guides, but due to new rules, that was quickly ruled out. (BOOOOOOO to National!)
That leaves me with my friends and writing skills.
I can blab 'till I turn blue to my friends all about this cause until they follow my lead and join in. I've done this....it seems to work, at least a little.
Now...the writing part.....
I think I'm going to have to talk to the local newspapers.
I think I will.

While reading the TTW book, I listened to the TTW EP that comes with all the copies of the book. Every time the song "Lay Me Down" came on I started to get choked up. The words on the page and the words that Isaac was singing combined to make me feel something that most books and songs cannot. I don't cry during songs, not really something I can do. I don't know why, but music, movies, books, etc. just doesn't make me cry. "Lay Me Down" doesn't make me burst into full on tears, but I get a lump in my throat and my eyes get the "I'm going to cry" feeling.

I've been moved.

Moved to action.

Will you join me?

Quote from the Take The Walk book:
"If hope were a person it would be a child. No matter the tragedy, circumstance or misfortune, it's true nature always seems to find a way."