Heather

I was 4 years old when John Lennon died; I spent the next 20+ years wishing I could go to NYC and pay my respects in Central Park. On my first trip, shortly after 9/11, I wasn’t able to get there – George Harrison had passed away the very day I arrived, so needless to say Strawberry Fields was full to the brim with mourners. But I went back, on Ringo’s birthday, the following summer, and I sat down at the “Imagine” mosaic with a group of strangers and we all sang “Here, There And Everywhere”. It remains one of my favourite memories. I’d go back in a heartbeat.

I wanted to do something just a tiny bit rebellious, something I could either show off or keep a secret – and I hate tattoos (besides, who knows if I’ll still be passionate about the same thing in 50 years?? And I’ll be sagging, too…) – so I chose to get my navel pierced. I’ve had it for ten years, and I have no plans to take it out! I like the fact that it surprises people who think I look so straight-arrow; it’s nothing major, but it reminds me of that free-spirited, do-what-you-want side of myself.

I think, if I gave myself the chance, I’d remember all I’ve forgotten and could probably get to be good at it again. Another creative outlet can’t be a bad thing!

I used to be able to fly through one or two books a week. I have bookshelves that are literally overflowing with books I’ve been meaning to read. I need to close my laptop more often and dedicate more time to losing myself in the pages of those books instead! Friends are constantly sending me books that they think I’ll enjoy; I should settle in and READ them so I can thank my friends and tell them what I thought of their gifts!

It’s an amazing, world-class hospital, and if I can achieve my dream of becoming a nurse, I would love nothing more than to work there and be as kind to those kids as the nurses were to me throughout my childhood.

I never thought I’d have the guts to do it, but I’ve now done it twice: A spur of the moment credit card splurge that found me alone on a plane, traveling across thousands of miles to meet people I’d only known online or through friends. I did it once to Santa Barbara in 2005, the first time I’d ever flown alone (and I’m terrified of flying!), and it was one of the greatest weeks of my life. I did it again the following year, to Seattle, and again, I treasured every second of it. It’s something I want to do now and then in my life – just pack a bag and GO, consequences and money be damned, because it’s so freeing. And it’s the kind of thing you’d never do if you thought too much about it.

...but I’d like to DO something with my life that’s really worth bragging about for them. I think my career choice would do it. Me being a nurse, and dedicating myself to being a GOOD one, would be something they’d be proud of. I think they’d also be pretty thrilled if I finally submitted something I’ve written to be published. Mostly, though, I just endeavour to be a good person, to not hurt anyone intentionally, to be there when I’m needed, to be honest and kind and unselfish, to make them laugh… It sounds ridiculously trite, I know, but I’d like to be all of the things that THEY are that make me proud to call them my family and friends.

...so far I haven’t come across someone who truly adds to my life, and to whom I can be that same addition. My mother has always told me that a man should be the icing on the cake, not the cake itself, and I wholeheartedly agree. I’m not actively looking; I love my friends, my family, my hobbies, my social life. I don’t NEED a relationship to be happy. Nothing big is really MISSING (well, except my dream job, which I hope I’ll be on my way to getting once I get school in order)...so if someone worthy of loving happens to cross my path at this point in my life, I’ll be able to say I’ve found the icing for my cake.

In 2001 I went on a contraceptive drug called Depo Provera. I only received 3 injections, but they caused me to gain 60 lbs in under 5 months, and I’ve only ever managed to lose half of it. I didn’t do enough research before choosing that drug; I had no idea that some people had such dire side effects, nor did I know that it’s the same medication used to chemically castrate sex offenders. Uh…yeah. I would have thought twice, and I would still be in decent shape – not thin (I don’t need to be model perfect), but healthy. So I need to get serious and get healthy, because I know that will change everything about my life…including the length of it.

...for my parents. I’d keep the one they’re living in, and buy the one they WANT for them. That would be amazing.

If I can get my ducks in a row, and get the job I want so desperately (nursing), I’d devote as much of my income to saving up for my parents and giving them some of the freedoms they had to give up for me. Nothing would mean more to me than to be able to pay them back for all they’ve done.

Maybe “idol” isn’t the right word, but I always thought it would be fantastic to meet the people who do things I admire so much – musicians whose music makes my heart ache, writers whose books take me out of myself, actors whose movies I watch again and again, doctors who’ve done amazing things with science… I’m SO lucky to say I’ve met a whole lot of remarkable people, both famous and not, and I’ve never once been let down by the experience. I was blessed enough to meet Michael Hutchence of INXS (and SING with him!) only two months to the day before he died; I’ve met Bob Dylan, Malcolm McDowell, Vanessa Redgrave, George Romero, countless hockey heroes like Curtis Joseph and Doug Gilmour, some of my very favourite authors (Neil Gaiman, Chuck Palahniuk, Mark Z. Danielewski), endless Canadian musicians who have all been amazingly humble given their extraordinary talent, many doctors who work at the Hospital For Sick Children in Toronto (some of whom are responsible for my ability to walk)... I love that I’ve been able to thank so many of these people for the happiness they’ve brought me. And I love that I have never once been disappointed by the person behind the image.

My favourite band since I was 10…and the one time they were anywhere close to me (touring with Madonna in 1987), I was too young to go. Now I actually HAVE A TICKET and am flying overseas to see them – crazy, right?? – so assuming I actually get there and the concert isn’t cancelled, I’ll be able to scratch this one off!

I’ve taken the lessons; I know how good it is for me. I need to start doing it more regularly, for my mind and my body.

...has been to, as Paul McCartney famously said, “rent a cottage in the Isle Of Wight, if it’s not too dear”. I’m FINALLY making it to Scotland this year, so once I’ve made the leap off my continent, maybe the Isle isn’t too far off!

Finally figured out what I want to do with my life; now I just have to figure out where to get the money, and which school isn’t oversubscribed. Being a nurse is, finally, the one thing I’m sure I want to be. I’d have liked to have figured this our at 18 instead of 30, but I’ll take it. Some people never truly know what they’d love to do; I’ll try to count myself lucky that I at least know now.

I finally “won” NaNoWriMo in 2007, but 50,000 words out of a book that’ll probably end up being about 110,000 is only a start! I have a second book in the works as well, which should weigh in between 60-80K, and that’ll be my project for NaNo in 2008. I already have a publisher picked out, too.

I started out saying I was just going to visit the American League parks, but then I found myself in Los Angeles, and the Dodgers were playing… So now I’ve expanded it to include the whole league! So far, as of June 2008, I’ve been to two in Toronto (the old park at the CNE and the new SkyDome/Rogers Centre), Yankee Stadium (before they planned to tear it down, thankfully!), SafeCo Field in Seattle, and Dodger Stadium in L.A. Many more to come, I’m sure. Next on my list looks to be visiting Cleveland; after that, probably Boston. I don’t know if I’ll make it to Shea Stadium before they tear IT down, but…one never knows.