Adventures with MooReece - LONG OVERDUE Tribute to my best friend from Paris :) xoxo

"Do what makes YOU happy" - The Year of the Successful Resolution

Last year at this time I was sitting in my La-Z-Boy watching the US vs. Canada Juniors game while online shopping for PUMP stuff from New Zealand. Little did I know then the year that awaited me. Little did I know that the New Year's Resolution that I made would not last 2 days and that 365 days later I'd be making the same one. This year however, it will be different because the circumstances are different. Everything is different. This time it will work! Of course, everyone who makes a resolution (except those who resolve to not make any resolutions) make the same profound declaration year after year after year. But I'm serious - this year things ARE different and I have no choice but to abide by my resolution because I was told to do so.

2010 was 11 months of wonders for me. My level of comfort on the PUMP stage was growing exponentially and for the first time ever I gained a confidence in myself that I never knew I had. I loved what I was doing and I was continuously getting better at it. I made new best friends that I would only get closer with as time would go by and I strengthened my already wonderful relationships with the friends that I had. Sure people come and go, 'tis the cycle of life, but some friends you make and you just KNOW they are going to be around for the long haul, no matter where either of you are, you KNOW they got your back. Those are the types of friends I made in 2010. I will not throw out names, you know who you are - just know that I know that you know that I know who you are :) JE T'AIME! xo

What else... the olympics are always a highlight for me. No need to recap that though. I went for ATTACK training with my best friend on my birthday! Winter was warm and short (no sledding which is always a bummer but hey - no shoveling either!) I decided on a whim to go study in France for a month. Then the opportunity to study for 2 months (the extra month in Gay Paris)arose... I asked someone who knew me well what I should do and he told me if I didn't go I would regret it and he would pack my bags and drive me himself. So I booked it. Before I had the chance to back out and change my mind.. the check was sent before I even told my mother. It never really sank in until mid May or so that I was leaving on a jet plane to another continent "toute seule". Sure I had MooReece (and he is the best travel partner a girl could ask for) but I'm not going to lie - I was just a little FREAKED OUT. Everything I had trained myself for over the last year, the physical and mental training were paying off. I now had the strength and self-confidence to do this - JUST DO IT! Easier said then done at first. I had a total breakdown the night before I left. I knew everything was going to change the second I got on that plane and I wasn't ready yet. But we all know that sometimes we have no say in when we get to go - sometimes we get shoved out with the parachute and we have to figure out when to pull the chord. I was dealing with a thousand emotions when I left for France, I was excited, nervous, scared, happy, sad, name it...I was feeling it. I was also alone. Time change was the hardest thing for me to deal with at first but ultimately became my best friend because once I learned how to use it to my advantage, I learned to stop being so dependent on everyone back home. This was my time to sink or swim and I can't float... Best experience of my life? DUH! Most challenging experience of my life? YEP! Scariest? You got it! Would I do it again in a heartbeat? My bags are already packed...

I came home to my friends and family who seemed to have genuinely missed me. I was also pleasantly surprised to find out so many people had been keeping up to speed with my AWM updates - living vicariously through my stuffed cow and I. It was all so humbling and comforting to be back. I got back on stage and it was like I had never left. I passed my ATTACK video and helped out friends with their respective endeavors. I spent most of the Fall lending a hand to whoever needed my help, for whatever they needed it for. I felt that I had been so fortunate to have had those few months in Europe that I needed to give back somehow. School sucked but otherwise life was pretty darn good. 11 months of happiness because I made the choices that brought me the most satisfaction. It wasn't always a cakewalk and there were as many tears as laughs sometimes but it was worth every second because it brought me to where I am now.

And then December came along. What a shitshow (pardon my French)! When it rains, it pours, right? It almost seems like 2010 was too good to be true, it needed to end on a bad note. "Screw you Amy for having such an awesome year... now it's time to take some of the things you love AWAY and see how you cope!" Everyday seemed like a new headache and even though I got good reminder advice "Do what makes YOU happy Amy, stop worrying about everybody else" I can't help it, sometimes life takes over and your happiness isn't priority anymore. That's what I learned in December 2010. Ultimately we are the makers of our own happiness, as adults we are the only ones who can change the situation in which we find ourselves, so if we aren't happy, get out. If someone is treating you badly, tell them to @&#* OFF and walk away. But sometimes our happiness can only be fulfilled by helping (or trying to help) those we love get out of the situation they are in because as long as they are unhappy, so are we.

Life is about relationships. That is my philosophy. Life is nothing without the people we meet, love and take care of. The soul cannot be fed through material wealth. Therefore I am a person who prides herself on the relationships she creates and maintains because they are what bring me the most satisfaction. My friends mean the world to me because without them, I would not exist. Family falls into this category as well - i.e. family can be friends and friends can become family. Friendship is one of the greatest gifts we can get. I truly believe that. I did not ask for anything this Christmas because I knew what I wanted most could not be bought or wrapped and stuffed under the tree. I'm not going to lie - it wasn't a Merry Christmas for me this year. It was a good Christmas but a sad one. A sad one because I had to say goodbye to one of the best (and I thought strongest) friendships I'd ever had. But I had taken it for granted and that was my final lesson for 2010. I always expected that friend to be there and now I have to learn to let it go. Sad as it is, it was worth every laugh and every tear (there were MANY of both) and I would not go back and change a thing. Everything happens for a reason, not everything is meant to last forever and time heals all.

Like I said, things change. Everything is different. 2010 was amazing andDecember taught me a fistfull of HARD lessons that I will bring with me into 2011. Lets just hope I learned from them - and that folks is my resolution for 2011.

Someday I'll be Saturday Night...

It's 11:34 pm on December 31st 2010 and I'm waiting to ring in the New Year (THANK HEAVENS!) Of course I know you're wondering what a charming young lady such as myself is doing at home at 11:35 pm on New Year's Eve. Well, I will tell you. I have passed the stage of getting wasted and paying a small fortune on a night out in Sudbury where nothing exciting ever really happens anyways so instead my lovely friends and I did the old foggie thing and caught a movie. Apparently we were not the only ones with that idea as the theatre was packed! We caught an early show thinking we'd hit up a bar for a drink and some munchies post-flick. That's when it got interesting. Little did we know that EVERYTHING (almost) closes at like 10pm on NYE. But we're HUNGRY! Options are now limited... after exploring MIC, Casey's, Boston Pizza and on our way to "the eg" (yes the K is still burnt out) I thought "what about Pizza Hut? They got to be still open!" So I swerve into the other lane and make a break for it. Did I mention it's so foggy I can barely see the front end of my car? We pull into the Hut with no expectations, we'd already been let down 3 times thus far (so much for 3rd time's a charm huh?), and climb out of the VW. A little celebration took place when we read the sign saying December 31st 11am-11pm... check watch...it's 9:40pm...WOOHOO! It's DEAD but hey it's OPEN and they make pizza on demand anyways. So we get a table and take forever to decide what we want and I can already feel the pressure from our server. I can honestly say I've never been served so quickly EVER! I got my meal before finishing my salad, our plates were taken away before I even swallowed my last bite and the bills dropped off without being offered dessert and my friend (aka FRIEND!) was not even half-way through her meal. It was barely 10:30pm...what's the RUSH??? The BEST was when she came back (the server who shall remain anonymous) to ask us (while grabbing our glasses) if we were done with our drinks. We couldn't really say no because she was already walking away with them. That peeps was the icing on the cake! (and we didn't even get offered any) My companions and I burst out laughing and agreed we'd never been served so ridiculously. She did not get a thank-you or a happy new year for kicking us out so abruptly. We weren't even the last ones in the restaurant! SHEESH!!! HOW RUDE!!! Nevertheless it was a night to remember and laughs shared with good friends. I'm home now, my brother is having a party, it's 11:50pm and I'm about to go watch Dick and his ball drop (no pun intended I swear). Only in Sudbury can you go out to celebrate NYE and be home before the clock strikes 12.

All that to say that celebrating the holidays isn't about what you do, it's about who you spend them with and the laughs you share because we are all so busy nowadays and these are the moments that matter because they seem to be too far and to few in between. I hope you all got to celebrate with people you love - there is no better way to start a new year.

HAPPY 2011 EVERYONE!!!

xoxo ME

Eat, Live, Love (The Much Anticipated Sequal) - The Bittersweet End to a Long List of Adventures with MooReece

As I sit at my desk in my bedroom in my house in my hometown I can't help but feel a little sad that our journey (mine and Moo's) has come to an end. 10 weeks together, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week can really bring a girl and her miniature stuffed cow close together. Undoubtedly the most exciting, entertaining, scary, stressful and amazing 10 weeks of my life.

I left Canada on the morning of Friday May 28th, 2010 with a suitcase, a carry-on and a series of goodluck charms from many of my friends and family. Some were gifts intended for the trip or lent out (and due to be returned), others from days gone by but all of which I hold dear to my heart and remind me of the people I love back home. For those of you who don't know - Moo was a gift from my best friend many many moons ago - he was attached to a keyring that eventually wore out and has been a permanent passenger in my Jetta ever since. It was only a propos that I bring him along for this extended journey of self-discovery. I would almost break into a fit of tears everytime he got lost in the bottom of my purse. When you travel alone - you need your best buddy with you at all times to keep you sane. But enough about that... what did I learn?

I learned so much about the world, cultures, politics, human kindness (and human irritability), food, language, food, the wonders of walking EVERYWHERE, food and most importantly MYSELF. As cliche as it may be, these trips, whether intended as periods of soul searching or not always amount to that. I left at the best of times and also the worst of times. Everything fell perfectly into place so that I could go on this trip, I had the money, time and opportunity to pursue this and like my friends all said "YOU HAVE TO GO!" It was something I had ALWAYS wanted to do and it was the chance to realize my biggest dream (marrying Adam vanKoeverden aside haha). Nevertheless, nothing I ever do can be that simple. I had to stir the pot and throw some fuel (ok more like gunpowder) on the fire that had been becoming my life just before leaving. And by just before - I mean like 20 minutes before my friend picked me up to drive me to the airport. But hey - that's how I roll afterall right? Not to mention I'd be 6000+ km away and wouldn't have to worry about being burned by the explosion. Needless to say it wasn't the best idea but it had to be done and it surely could not wait, or worst, not be dealt with at all. Then fear, jet lag and homesickness set in and sent me on this emotional roller-coaster that I thought would have me coming home within the first week. Will power and self-determination are incredible motivators - and as hard as I am on myself sometimes, one thing I am is determined and stong willed. I just never realized how deeply those traits were ingrained into my being. I forced myself through the hell of that first week and little by little it got easier. Or at least I tried to convince myself that it was. Things back home were still unresolved and I was losing my mind with worry. I know, I know... ME WORRY??? NEVERRRRRR.... HAHAHA Thankfully I made some of the best friends I could ever ask for and I was living in PARADISE! I could not have been more blessed and I kept reminding myself of the dream I was living and each day kept getting easier...

I had a little slip up in between Antibes and Paris when it was soooooo HOT and I was teething and suffering from massive migraines. Travelling+sick = BAD COMBINATION. My sanity started to slip and I couldn't wait to come home. I hated my first days in Paris. It was dirty, smelly, crowded and just plain UGH! I would have traded my BonJovi collection to come home. But then the ickiness faded, I made a new best friend whom I will cherish FOREVER and started falling in love with my life all over again. For Pete's Sakes I was living IN PARIS!!! Suck it up Princess and start having a good time! So I did. So much so that coming home was somehow worst than leaving in the first place. I worked so hard to get through the challenges that brought me to this Zen and now I had to leave it. Heck, I could navigate line 4 of the Paris metro without flinching - that's Zen baby! Just like every good book though, it eventually has to come to an end. And although my adventures might be temporarily suspended, my journey of self-discovery has just begun and I look forward to the many MANY adventures that are sure to be just up ahead.

I left Canada with a broken heart and a need for change and I came back with that change and the realization that a broken heart is only an illusion, what is real are the things, places and PEOPLE that you love and who love you regardless of where you are on the planet. So to all of you who have followed and kept in touch via email/facebook/skype thank you for caring so much. You have all played an integral roll in this journey and proved to me once and for all that "Love knows no borders"


J'vous aime TOUS and it's good to be HOME! xoxo

Never Judge a Book By Its Cover - unless it's a picture book that is... (Adventures with MooReece and Hippoppotame)

My shuttle picks me up in 6 hours, I'm packed, the apartment is clean and I've said goodbye to my loved ones (or rather "see you later, alligator"). Despite doing all of that, and enjoying a wonderful farewell meal of Falafel and Pantheon Ice Cream and knocking back the last of my Kronenbourg, I'm still not believing that this fairytale is coming to an end.

Paris has been a hard sell but she's quite the saleswoman! I came here in the mother of all heat waves, starting a cold and my wisdom teeth piercing through and I all but threw in the towel before even giving the city a chance to prove herself. Luckily I had my beautiful friends (old and new) to keep me afloat until I sucked it up princess and started having fun. The old adage "you never know what you have until it's gone" is so very TRUE! I just spent the last 4.5 weeks LIVING IN PARIS! I mean I walk by Notre Dame everyday, the Louvre like it's no big deal. The Eiffel is a bore... heck I don't even bother going to see the Arc de Triomphe until my last day! And so now that I'm leaving I just want to chain myself to one of those palm trees at Paris Plage and stay here forever! I just needed to cut Paris some slack, it can't be easy being the most tourist infested city on EARTH! I blamed the city, but it's not Paris' fault. Paris is perfect and charming and beautiful (minus the ickiness...) and just wants to be loved like everyone else.

Et bien Paris, je t'aime de tout mon coeur et on se reverra bientot!

Tu me manqueras!

xoxo Amy et MooReece (et maintenant Hippoppotame :))

OUI c'est NORMAL! Happiness like only a laugh on the Seine can bring (Adventures with MooReece con't)

I've officially decided to name my next cyber project "FMAVIEdotcom" (please note that "dot" has to be pronounced with a french accent because HERE they don't say "pointcom" like we do in "quebecois", they say "dot" with their charming accent - but wait, we've been through this - the French don't have the accent - I do!!! Oy this is complicated!)

You see I will be leaving France in well under 48 hours now and I just spent the most lovely evening with my bestie just doing the "Paris" thang. We enjoyed a lovely dinner (note that we were seated next to Canadian tourists and HOLY COW we DOOOOO sound soooo funny!! I knew they were Canadian right away!!! I've heard enough different French to know my people when I hear them - AWESOME!!! I never would have noticed the difference 2 months ago). We had "Pantheon" Ice Cream (photos to come) and sat on the Pompidou pavillion where we were entertained by an asian man with an accoustic guitar singing pop/folk classics. LaBamba, Twist and Shout, Mrs Robinson, You're the one that I want, Unchained Melody (but I didn't hear that one...Jill caught it though LOL) and after asking me where we were from he sang some Bryan Adams "Everything I Do" and some Joni Mitchell! He was a riot and it was such a awesome way to spend an hour chillaxing with all sorts of people and catching some live entertainment. Jill and I are lucky that way - strolling into free and AWESOME entertainment! GO US! We said our goodbyes after our posteriors were beginning to be permanently imprinted with cobblestone outlines and headed towards the Seine.

Other than the Seine River (which is GROSS, to put it lightly) there are no bodies of water for public enjoyment anywhere near Paris. So every summer the city of Paris opens up "Paris Plage" where they literally turn the banks of the Seine into a beach area (they even truckload in the sand!) There are beach stands, beach chairs, water fountains and sprinklers to keep yourself cool - the only thing you can't do is swim! We decided to check it out and I must say I was quite impressed with the entire outfit. Very well patroled, no vehicles (but bikes unfortunately), mostly locals, street acts and entertainment all over the place and even "petit foot" tables (that's FOOZE for you non-frenchies). I think it's great that the city pulls this together because this city is so stressful and hot and icky - it's amazing to just go out to the river and relax as you would at the beach anywhere. It's no French Riviera or Deauville - but when you're in a pinch - and you're always in a pinch in Paris - it's a great substitute. We parked ourselves back down on the side of the Seine (I carefully removed my sandals as to not have them fall in the river) and laughed laughed laughed for the next 2 hours. It's been a long time since I laughed that hard for that long - people had to think we were drunk! Unfortunately for all of you it's all inside-joke stuff that just wouldn't translate well and the effect would be lost so I won't bore you with the details. Suffice to say that we had quite possibly the BEST evening of our entire stay in Paris and there isn't another soul I would rather have shared "CE SOIR" with. Jill looked over at me at one point and asked "What are you thinking about?" and I thought about it and looked back and said "nothing" and for the first time ever I actually meant that. I had really been thinking about NOTHING - I was fully present and loving the moment that I was in - perfect in every aspect. I was 100% happy and there wasn't a single thought going through my mind. AMAZING!

Paris has been loud, pushy, annoying, smelly, frustrating, angry and just a royal pain in the you-know-where but after fighting against all of that I've finally realized that at the end of the day - that's PARIS! I'm living IN PARIS! I can walk by the Louvre and Notre-Dame and think it's no big deal...whatever. I can enjoy picnics and impromptu displays of hillarity on the Seine - just because... I can choose to be pushed, annoyed, frustrated, angry and bothered by the madness of this city or I can embrace it and love it like it was my home all along. This city IS beautiful, you just have to look a little deeper to see it. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and I can finally say with confidence that it hasn't been wasted because after 4 weeks I can definitely say that Paris has been my HOME!

Ouistiti!!

I met a man on the London Eye I Wanted to Kiss! Thank You Losch for Giving Me Faith in Humanity

This blog is going to be a little different from all the others. This blog is about a man and his friend Jill and I met on the London Eye (that giant ferris wheel). The man's name was Losch (forgive the misspelling - it's pronounced Law-shh) and his friend's name was Ulf. Losch was Swedish. I'm not sure about Ulf because Ulf was severely handicapped and deaf and we could not communicate directly with him. We did not get into details about Ulf's condition but I am guessing he suffers from something akin to Muscular Dystrophy or some other form of incredibly debilitating disease that has him more or less paralyzed. He can move his arms VERY little and because sign language is his only method of communication it is VERY difficult for Losch to understand him because Ulf cannot move to make the sign gestures. Losch knows sign language and does his best to communicate with Ulf.


Losch was telling us he's known Ulf for maybe a year and a half now and by the way he treats and takes care of Ulf you would think they were brothers. NEVER have I ever seen anyone be so kind and gentle. You see Ulf was visiting London with some friends and Ulf decided to join them for a day so he flew from Stockholm with a 10 hour layover (I don't remember where) just to come and hang out with them. Speed-tourisming as well. Turns out Ulf's caretaker is afraid of heights to Losch happily volunteered to take Ulf up and give him a view of the entire city of London. Jill and I were just fortunate enough to have been in the same capsule as them. Losch was telling us that he has to use his imagination to figure out what and why Ulf is feeling a certain way because of the difficulties with communication. Ulf understands Losch much more than Losch understands Ulf and one can easily see how much that pains Losch. He wishes he could do more for his friend but feels helpless because he simply doesn't know what's wrong sometimes. For example, that day Ulf was sad. Losch guesses it's because a friend of his had just left, but he can't be sure.

These men are truly inspiring and meeting them filled my heart with so much joy and love and happiness that I just wanted cry. That is what HUMANITY is all about. Just over 1 year they have known each other. Beautiful. We said our goodbyes and when we got off I looked at Jill and said "I want to kiss that man just for being him". She said "People like that confirm that there is a God". It is my most profound hope that Losch and Ulf have nothing but love and happiness in their lives because they touched my life and my heart like noone ever has. I am oh so grateful to have met each them and will NEVER forget the 30 minute London Eye ride that reconfirmed my faith in humanity. Love really does conquer ALL! BLESS THEIR HEARTS!