Archives of Our Lives

I am home after a short (much too short) weekend in Canada.

As I was going through Customs in the Calgary International Airport, I had to fill out a declaration form. I didn’t have anything to declare besides an overstuffed suitcase full of sweaters and scarves which I was planning on leaving at my fiancee’s house (where they will stay until I move up there in October and actually need them). Luckily, it isn’t illegal to bring sweaters into Canada (imagine how much people would have to pay in duty…) so I didn’t have to admit anything about Kyle, or my plans to become a Fairbanks on October 20th. I even took off my engagement ring because when I don’t, they ask me if I am engaged to a Canadian, and I get very nervous when lying to people in uniforms. Every time I cross the border, I feel like a complete fraud. At any rate, I made it through customs–whether or not I’ll make it through the gates of Heaven remains to be seen.

The biggest reasons for the trip were to see my fiancee, make wedding plans, and shoot engagement photos (though if you were to look on my Customs Declaration Form, my one and only purpose of the trip was to visit “family”). Here are some of the fruits of our photographic efforts.

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo 5

Photo 6

I posted the top six favourite Announcement photos, and I hope everyone takes the opportunity to vote for their choice in the poll to the right. I would like to say that your vote will count for something, but when it comes down to it, the choice will probably just be up to Kyle and me. (If the results are totally obviously in favour of one, though, we will take that into consideration. Good citizens of Blogspot and LiveJournal, let your voice be heard!!!)

Time to finish talking about myself, but after these six random tidbits I write about moi–meme, I will only post interesting things on my blog. Promise.

1. It has been a long-standing New Year’s Resolution for me to go see a movie alone. I don’t know why I have a problem with this–I don’t group up with other girls to use the restroom, and I was 100% content to spend an entire week touring Paris alone. But for some reason, to see a movie in a theatre all by myself seems the ultimate symbol of loneliness and rejection. My friend Lindsey enjoys it occasionally, but me? I dread the day when it comes to that…

2. When I was eight or nine years old, I spent an entire year speaking with a British accent. 24/7–during school presentations, when bearing my testimony from the pulpit at church, even at the dinner table. Sometime during my childhood, I was taught that if I worked hard enough, I could become anything I wanted–and I truly thought I could turn British. I even fantasized about going off to boarding school (my mom was hurt when I asked her if I could go); I suppose you could say I was a bit fanatical. I don’t know when–or for what reason–I stopped. No matter, really. God bless the U.S.A!!

3. My favourite flower is the Antirrhinum (commonly known as the “Snapdragon” [available at a Home Depot near you]). They are lovely and come in a variety of colours, and they are practically impossible to kill. Plus, they are functional–I mean to say, they really DO something…they snap.

4. I like the smell of manure. It’s true. The processed kind that is on everyone’s lawns throughout the glorious month of October–love it. Every fall, I drive around my neighborhood with the windows down (okay, sometimes I walk, too) just to get my fill of the pleasant aroma. I know it’s only cow dung and chemicals, but to me, it is a symbol of everything autumn. And I do love autumn.

5. As a girl I hated my name so much that I got my entire sixth grade class (plus the teacher and the school principal) to call me “Cammie”. But as soon as I got to Carson Jr. High, I met three other “Cammies” (or variations of the spelling) and decided to go back to the more unique me.

6. It takes me a long time to decide whether I like a person, but once I decide, very little can alter that decision. It’s like they say in Pride and Prejudice, “My good opinion once lost is lost forever.”

So now I’m done. {Please forgive the lack of photos in this post…I just don’t feel overly crafty when I have to write so very much!}

Now I tag…Melenie, Tessa, Lindsay White, and…Brandon!

I can nary believe I lived through the trauma of yesterday. Of course such an heinous thing would happen in August. I would say I “lived to tell the tale,” only there is no WAY I would tell that tale over the internet. To do so would require the use of words that would instantly turn my G-rated blog into something far, far worse–like Double-X.

Anyway, I am alive; I have been tagged by my lovely friend Afton Willis, so I guess that means you have to sit there at your computer and read a bunch of stuff about me (I always like reading other peoples’ tags, I just don’t think people will find my own all that interesting). I call this:

JOBS I’VE HAD:
1. Au Pair in Belgium (Glorified word for “nanny”). This was amazing. I speak French.
2. Administration assistant at Arizona School of Real Estate and Business (glorified word for “secretary”).
3. Sales associate at Interior Fabrics. I sold fabric. Of the long line of people who have worked there since me, I like to claim that I was the One Who Started it All. (It’s not a claim–it’s true; for some reason it sounds like an arrogant thing to say, though. It’s just a fact. [That still sounds arrogant!])
4. Sales associate at Ann Taylor Loft. I don’t think I ever brought home much of a paycheck. All I have to show for my 1.5 years at ATL is an extensive (and somewhat outdated, now) wardrobe. I like clothing my body in the latest fashions; I wish I could do it more often.
5. Delivery driver at Jason’s Deli. This is a current part-time job I hold. It is not my claim to fame, and I get embarrassed any time I see people I know while I’m on the job. But it’s an honest living–Walking Tall, right?
6. I also work as a sales associate at Images of Nature in the Scottsdale Fashion Mall. I dis-enjoy the Scottsdale Fashion People but I love the job, and my fellow employees.
7. Sundry other positions, like janitorial services, lawn-mowing, and even newspaper delivery. And yet, I still have no money.

PLACES FOR A WEEKEND GETAWAY:
-I have no problem traveling far away, even if it’s only for a few days. My dear friend Chelsie once went to New York City (from Mesa) for only 18 hours. She’s my hero. That said, I would pee my pants to go to any of these places: Prince Edward Island, Australia, the Ngorogoro Crater in Africa, Antarctica, Vietnam, Maine, Haggerty Georgia (fictional place, but still), or any state I have not yet seen. Traveling is one of my lifelong passions.

MOVIES I CAN WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN:
-I am embarrassingly easy to please. Basically any chick-flick will do. Some of my legendary favourites include: Anne of Green Gables, the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice, You’ve Got Mail, Princess Diaries, Lord of the Rings (all). I guess that makes me thoroughly predictable. Oh, and I really liked Stardust, too. I don’t care what you say.

GUILTY PLEASURES:
1. Diet Dr. Pepper
2. QT Chicken Taquitos
3. Naps
4. Spending any money at all is something I usually have to rationalise.
5. Lip Gloss

PLACES I’VE LIVED:
1. Mesa, AZ
2. Lethbridge, Alberta Canada
3. Brussels, Belgium
4. My heart has kind of always lived in New York City. Does that count?

PLACES I’VE BEEN ON VACATION:
-How about I just redirect you to this map…

Doesn’t Colorado look lonely?

Plus Canada, Mexico, France, Belgium, England, and Scotland.

FAVORITE FOODS:
-Pickles. Krazy Sub. Carne Asada Burritos from Super Burrito. Poutine. Ramen Noodles (Maruchan, not Top). Tuna fish casserole. Uncooked vegetables with ranch.

FIRST KISS LOCATION:
-Let’s just say the first kiss that really mattered was on the green couches at Kyle’s parent’s house. I am pretty sure all his siblings have kissed on those couches, and I can’t decide whether to be proud to join the ranks, or kind of creeped out by that. Either way, they’re in our basement now…let us hope they have good karma.

SIX RANDOM THINGS ABOUT MYSELF:
-I cannot fathom that anybody is still actually reading this. I’ll do it tomorrow, so as not to kill off my friends–death by boredom would be very bad indeed.

…and an OB/GYN, according to what “They” say.

Whoever the heck “They” are. “They” say that I should go visit the gynecologist before I get married–I say “Hogwash!“, but for some reason “They” have more seniority. I guess “They” have been around a lot longer than I have. After all, I am only 20 (but I’ll be 21 by the time I get married, which makes me feel better about myself…).

“They’re going to do WHAT????“

When I called to make my appointment, the receptionist gave me a list of things to remember [come early, bring insurance card, etc.], and when she asked if I had any questions, I kind of had a nervous breakdown:

Me: Well, I have been dreading this day all my life, really. I mean, I have heard horror stories about this visit. I just know it is going to hurt, and I can’t even imagine how beyond awkward I am going to feel.

She: Oh, it’s not that bad.

Me: (With the vulnerability of a 5 year-old on his first day of Kindergarten) I know. The thing is, though… I am really scared.

She: (Pregnant pause [no doubt while she contemplated the lameness of some people in the world]) Would you like me to leave a note on your file for her (the OB/GYN) to be gentle?

Me: (Moved almost to tears by her kindness) Oh, would you? Thanks–that’s really nice of you. You’re really nice. I hope the good Doctor is as nice as you are…

I am so not looking forward to this…

Tomorrow is a really big day for me. If you have any spiritual tendencies at all, please say a prayer for me Monday at 1 p.m.

I have a confession: I missed blogging during my six-day hiatus. My last post was a cry for help, really. “Do people even care,” I would ask myself. “Do people know that I care? Do people who know that I care actually care that I know?” Tiring and tedious, anyone with a blog can probably relate to these feelings of vulnerability. And I wanted to know if people cared. So I asked for feedback, and feedback I received. Due to the relative volume of comments on my last post (13!!! All-time high for me), I have recommitted myself to the cause: Bloggers unite–I am back by demand (whether that demand is popular remains to be seen), and probably for good.

Da Vinci Code, anyone?

Now, wait. Before your culturally-unaware eyes glaze over, read me out: COOL people like ART!!! I love art (If cool people like art, and Camille loves art…). Seriously, though, I can spend beyond hours at art and history museums; I get lost in the translations of what an artist might have meant by her work, and what I, personally, learn from it. Love it. Love, love, love. That said, I can understand why people might not find the same joy I do in works of art. Some people, for example, like to exercise. Exercise people like to be active, and I don’t. I would much rather walk leisurely through a museum than hike even a very small mountain. (The one exception to this was the time I ran through the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa before closing time.) So if you are an exercise person, I understand if you don’t want to finish reading this post.

However, if you prefer the freedom and vastness of the world of art, please feel free to stay tuned my next post: Cubism at a Glance. [Just kidding. I won’t write anything on my blog about Cubism, because I think it’s lousy. Take that, Pablo!]

Really, though, I am likely to write a few posts about some of my favourite and most-loved works, and I might write a guide about some interesting art movements throughout history. But I promise, I will make it very interesting–that’s the Camille Strate Guarentee.

People who look like this just belong in a museum, particularly if that museum is in Paris… Good thing I am not an exercise person!

Good news! The polls are in, the scores have been tallied, and the outcome is as it should be. It is confirmed that, among my friends and fellow internet stalkers, there is not one person who believes August is the best month of the year. (It doesn’t matter which month was voted best, really. All that’s important is that it wasn’t August.) I feel like all might be good in the world–or at least not very bad.

Another good-ish thing is that I have figured out how to add music to this blog. Please feel free to scroll to the bottom of this page and listen to any of the five lovely songs I’ve chosen for this week’s playlist.

Lastly, I think I am finished blogging. This is probably the last you will hear from me. Thanks for the good times; I have really enjoyed my brief venture into the blogging world.