The Diary Of An Insane Bat Mom

Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) studying Last year, I outlined my goals for 2022-2023  and I'm thrilled to share that I've made significant strides in achieving most of them. I understand that setting goals might not resonate with everyone; however, from my standpoint, having specific targets has greatly contributed to maintaining my mental well-being. Did I tick off every single goal? No, and that's perfectly okay. Instead of dwelling on what I didn't achieve, I'm choosing to focus on the milestones I reached this past year, and I couldn't be prouder. Before delving into my new goals for 2024, let's take a closer look at what I managed to accomplish and what's still a work in progress. (1) Ask for help - This has been a personal struggle, but I've made strides. I've learned that seeking assistance doesn't signify weakness; rather, it's a strength. Breaking the habit of self-reliance was tough, yet the positive outcomes made it worthwhile. (

Moving to Ontario certainly came with its ups and downs. Relocating is always a stressful endeavour, but crossing provincial borders adds a unique set of challenges. Let's begin this blog post by recounting my experience of selling my condo in a particularly tough real estate market. In the face of economic uncertainty, inflation, and rising mortgage rates, I consider myself fortunate to have received a good offer for my condo. I attribute this success to my condo's prime location in one of Montreal's most sought-after neighbourhoods. Nevertheless, the sale was not without its share of skepticism and negotiation. The process was certainly demanding, not to mention the effort required for staging the condo and vacating it for showings. However, in the end, all the effort proved to be worth it. I distinctly remember stumbling upon my dream home online. Last summer, during a visit to my boyfriend in his quaint Ontario town, I arranged with a real estate agent to see the house.

Growing up in the culturally diverse Province of Quebec during the 80s and 90s provided a unique and challenging upbringing for me. Being born to a French Canadian father and an English-speaking mother meant I was exposed to both languages and their respective cultures, creating a fascinating but sometimes conflicting experience. In an era when dual-income families were becoming more common, my parents adhered to traditional roles. My father was the sole breadwinner, working tirelessly to support our family, while my mother took care of the household. Looking back now, I deeply appreciate the sacrifices my father made for us, even though it meant I didn't get to see him as much as I would have liked. Despite his demanding schedule, he always made time for me, demonstrating his unwavering love and dedication. When I entered Highschool, my dad pulled me out of the French school system and I went to an English school but I was in a bilingual program with advanced French classes. This

A couple of years ago, I made a life-changing decision to purchase a Kindle, which I believed was the epitome of modern innovation. The convenience it offered was unparalleled, as I bid farewell to the hassle of searching for bookmarks, and the built-in backlight made late-night reading a breeze. The exceptional battery life further solidified my admiration for this digital marvel. However, as time went on, I discovered that my love for physical books remained unyielding. There was an inexplicable allure in the tangible experience of holding an actual hard copy, immersing myself in its unique scent, and relishing the satisfaction of turning the pages with my hand instead of a mere flick of the finger. A vintage-looking copy of Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein (Book Outlet) When I embarked on my university journey, I decided to put this preference to the test. I alternated between reading digital copies of my textbooks and using traditional hard copies. Inevitably, the latter won

Around this time last year, I found myself at the lowest point in my life. My heart was broken, and depression consumed me, causing me to spiral out of control. Every day felt like a battle just to keep my head above water as I struggled to crawl out of the pit of despair. I spent months confined to my bed, lacking the energy or desire to do even the simplest tasks like showering or cleaning my house. But as time passed, I began to slowly pick myself up from the darkness. Usagi Tsukino, Sailor Moon (1992) Like a phoenix rising from its ashes, my journey of healing commenced with a life-changing event: receiving an acceptance letter from Concordia University. I was ecstatic to be admitted into my first-choice program, English Literature, even though I missed the deadline for the Fall Semester, and my studies would begin in the Winter. This opportunity motivated me to reignite my passions for reading and blogging, which brought genuine happiness into my life once again. When school star

  ''You'll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.) KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!'  - Seuss. Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Random House, 2020.  My baby bat graduated elementary school the other day and my heart swelled with pride and joy.  As most of you know, my birth story was a difficult one and this particular milestone holds a profound significance for me considering the challenging journey I had endured since giving birth. As a result, I am reminded of the fortune I possess whenever I celebrate my child's accomplishments and I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to experience the joys of motherhood when there was a tim

It's been a month since I last posted, and why not post something now for the hell of it? Not much is happening over here. I have not really been inspired to write anything since I am surviving my first semester at University. It has been a tough transition for me. It all started at the end of January when I quit my part-time job. It needed to be a better fit for me and there were too many demands. It was hard to balance my studies and baby bat plus working over 24 hours per week. I took a break from job searching for a few weeks because my mental health went to shit and I was about to start my midterms. Now that my midterms are out of the way, I have resumed the job search. Someone once told me that the first semester can be hard for some people and I can attest to that. I am one of them. In addition to my mental health issues, I had some issues with my physical health. I got one virus after the other. While it wasn't Covid, these colds lasted for over two weeks and I was supe

Image of my University's library, taken from their website ( Concordia ) I had some time to kill between classes yesterday afternoon and instead of trekking back home for an hour, I decided to stay on campus to kill time by visiting the library. Since I was young, I always felt happy and at peace there because being surrounded by all the lovely books is soothing for me. In fact, I walked around like a kid in a candy store and even got to see some very old books displayed behind some plexiglass! How I wanted to reach through those plexiglass cabinets to touch those old, yellow pages! I love old books, they always make me wonder about their previous owners and wonder what they thought or felt while reading those stories. To me, reading is not just reading words on a page. I get transported to a different place or time. Depending on what I am reading, I can visit a fantasy world such as Middle Earth or time travel back in time and discover how people lived in that period. I can read b

Setting a butterfly free ( Meer ) Letting go of situations, people, jobs, and things that no longer serve you or your happiness is a step towards a productive life. Sometimes the decision itself to walk away is a difficult one to make but usually, in life, the most difficult decisions are the best ones. It doesn't matter what career you have or where you are in a personal relationship. Toxic is toxic. It is imperative to make sure you are living your life to its fullest. We often forget that our time here is limited and we need to make the best of it instead of just squandering it away on someone or a situation that is really doing more harm than good. Sometimes, we just need to walk away and focus on the things that matter to us. It sounds simple, doesn't it? Turns out, there is a whole process of letting go and it isn't as easy as we may think it is.  Why do we Struggle so Much With Letting go? Is it a fear of change or the unknown? Change is scary. Walking into the unkn

Today was my first day at University. It was everything I imagined it would be and much, much more. As you guessed from this blog's title, it was a crazy, wild day! I had a dream! Let's start from the beginning. A few days ago, I had a dream that I got lost on campus and couldn't find my class. In my dream, I even took the school's shuttle bus and went to the other campus that is located across the city. I ended up finding the class by the time it was over. I had to take a photo of Concordia University's shuttle bus that takes you to the Loyola campus. I thought it was hilarious considering the circumstances! Guess what really happened? It all started when I woke up at 3:30am with a migraine. I took one of my meds with some Tylenol and fell back to sleep once the pills started to take effect. My alarms (yes, that is plural and not a typo) went off and I promptly shut them off. I snoozed my last alarm but slept through it. My baby bat's dad had a premonition and

This is an update on my previous post about how I made some changes to my office, AKA Sailor Moon room! My little work area, minus the keyboard. The lights in the background are of Artemis and Luna as well as Chibi Usa. My Sailor Moon Akko keyboard! Well, I got the lights for my Ikea Detolf cabinets and I installed them! I am quite happy with the way everything turned out in my office. The only thing I need is to get a curtain so I can hide my closet! I have so much more room for more figures! I am quite happy with my little study area. The only item that is not displayed is my Sailor Moon Akko keyboard. For some reason, I had issues with some of my keys. For example, the "S" key wasn't working. After trying several things, like removing the key, plugging and re-plugging, I had to reset the keyboard. It works! I originally thought it was due to my operating system but nope! I am so happy! I have a chrome book that you can fold in half and I use it as a tablet. or as a mo

  Usagi Tsukino, AKA Sailor Moon getting a bad test score (tuxedounmasked.com) As most of you know, I will be starting University next month and I am super excited to embark on the lovely (yet sometimes daunting)journey into the world of academia! Registering for your classes can seem scary but exciting and even a little confusing, all rolled into one! I wanted to share my experience in this process in hopes this blog post can help any first-time University students who are registering for their first classes! If anyone has advice, please hit me up in the comments! Again, this process can be daunting for any new student who is entering University and any tidbit of information is helpful! The Most Important Thing You Must Know - The University Won't Chase After You When I went to register for University and even after I signed my acceptance letter, I was bombarded with emails from the school with lots of information. A lot of it was for International students who are moving to my ci