A Note from This time Last Year

So it’s DONE!
I did it, I finally did it! I can’t believe the day has come(why this date? See below)
I have been planning on getting this tattoo for well over a year now. So many people have had their different opinion on it, good, bad, undecided, but mostly a lot of criticism. People did not understand why I wanted a tattoo in the first place. I had explained that I have wanted one for probably the last 10 years; yes I was young. I made sure that it wasn’t just a ‘phase’ that I would grow out of eventually. I waited to make sure of the design I wanted. I waited, waited, waited some more. Originally I wanted a symbol of a Maple leaf with a lacrosse stick and hockey stick crossing; patriotic I knoowww..lol. Eventually the desire to have such a tattoo began to fade.

Some of you may know that just 5 years ago this month my close cousin killed himself; it was horrible. He wasn’t just a cousin that I would see once a year (like most families), NO! We were basically siblings; we were born three weeks apart. Our family is very well bonded and close-knit —we did EVERYTHING together! Anyways, point is that for the next couple of years I was pretty sad. I mean, I wasn’t ‘emo’ and completely depressed or anything. But, it is because of this tragedy that I became a bigger and better person. It made me realize that life is short and that nothing goes as planned. Although I have been raised to know this, coming from a large family with three brother, plans usually don’t go as hoped, but you need to be able to cope, adjust, and move on. My parents did an AMAZING job juggling all of our activities, from basketball, baseball, to lacrosse and hockey, to many other after-school activities.

On that note: I guess another reason that this adventure came to fruition (is that the word I want?) is the simple and yet not so simple lesson I learned from my dad, especially in the last few months before he died January 17th 2009. Do what makes you happy! I encourage everyone to think about this. What are you waiting for? For how long are you gong to wait? When will it be the best time? Can I afford it right now? How will I know I can afford this later? Ask yourself these questions. As my motto goes, “Live for today, for’ tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone.”
From the point of being able to afford ‘things’ it brings me to an event that happened, of which wouldn’t have happened if I talked and thought about it but didn’t jump at the opportunity. THE RETURN OF THE SPICE GIRLS TOUR. Enough said really, but I shall continue…

My first year at The University of Western Ontario in London Ontario Canada, was a change-around. I once was the kid who got involved with EVERYTHING, then it kind of stopped for about 2 years. Anyways, here I met a guy named David Anderson—my Don (R.A.) ‘of the universe’. He encouraged me a lot to get involved with events going on around residence (Essex Hall), to make things short, he even helped me to decide to become a R.A. myself. AMAZING choice! Just another example of deciding to ‘go with it’ to ‘take a chance’; and so it seems was beneficial.

Last year, my second year, I was a Residence Advisor in Delaware Hall—a place I never thought could compare to Essex. Boy was I wrong. Again, to cut things short (cause this is already long enough...) I met some amazing people, including the rest of staff, my floor residents, and many other residents in the building. So what is the connection to Spice Girls you ask…. It is because of the friendship that I made with Tracy Wong, that I was given the pleasure of being asked to go to THE FINAL CONCERT!!!! Myself and my cousin, Tracy and her friend all went down to Toronto —simply put, it was unreal! It was my very first concert EVER!
ROTSG February 26, 2008 (so today’s date is my Spice-iversary!)

I just mayyyy have tear’d up a bit when they started singing…la la la, la la, la la la …you get the point. Why was I so overcome with joy? Immediately I thought of how much happiness was endured because of the whole world domination by the Spice Girls. I remember that my very first CD was a BackStreetBoys, butttt then I got my SpiceWorld CD. It was at the time of those things that my life was encompassed by GIRL POWER! At this time I was playing hockey, lacrosse and baseball on boys teams—which don’t get me wrong, was fun, but tough; it was hard trying to fit in sometimes, but it was also really rewarding when I would surprise my teammates or more importantly, the teams we were playing against that YES a girl can play (better than most of the guys).

So what? Well it was ‘Sporty Spice’ that was an idol at that time. It was someone who promoted sports, and more importantly, about kicking ass. Boy’s ass’s!!! So I guess this is when I began to absolutely adore this ‘character’. Later in life I analyzed more of what it was to being a Spice Girl. What they were told to do, how to act, and yet be themselves. With the fall of the group came the rise of ‘Sportys’ (Melanie C) solo career. One of her debut hits as a solo artist was her duet with Bryan Adams (When You’re Gone), and followed by her first album NORTHERN STAR. { I encourage all to have a listen to her albums all four of course. } Anyways…have a listen especially to the album titled song. This song can be interpreted in MANY ways…I like to think of it as a message of inspiration. A message to remind you not to listen to what everyone else has to say; live YOUR life, don’t live someone else’s.



I have learnt my lesson well.
The truth is out there I can tell.
Don't look back and don't succumb to their lies and goodbyes.
Live your life without regret.
Don't be someone who they forget.
When you're lost reach out for me.
And you'll see she's not far.
Northern Star.
Northern Star.


And soooo, the tattoo.
Yes it is a replica of Melanie’s BUT it is not simply because I idolize her. It’s not because she is the most intimate artist with her fans—she even stopped for a group picture and autograph when she came here to London’s Music Hall.It’s not just because I appreciate her incredible work or her ability to be absolutely truthful about her past (which is very commendable), but rather because of all of the connections to it. I KNOW that this note will not serve enough justice to why I got a tattoo, or why I got the one that I did. But I hope this gives you a little more insight and hopefully you won’t judge someone else for getting a tattoo. A person doesn’t decide to mark their skin for life without a good reason. They may just say ‘oh just because..’, inside you know they have a reason. A sign in the shop that I found interesting was: “a tattooed person has never commented on those who haven’t got any”—meaning, why should you judge someone with ink? They most certainly are not commenting on you for NOT having one.

P.S. I really wanted to go into the meaning of the star symbol, and more specifically the 'northern star' and it's traditional meanings and it's geographical meanings (YAY Geography!)
Rest In Peace:
Dad April 2, 1956-January 17th 2009
Mickey April ####-August 2008
Poppa Dec ####-August 12 2007
Trevor May 29, 1986-February 5, 2004