Yes, guys, I get it. You all preferred the last layout. I’ve received multiple comments telling me to keep the last layout up, even though I obviously do not want to, so here’s the deal with that once and for all:

I cannot write with a layout that I hate.

Historically, any time I’ve taken a break from writing aisling-b.net/dreamling.ca the main reason has been that I’ve grown to dislike the design, and it unmotivated me to write. This site has always been first and foremost my blog, and so keeping myself in a state where I am able to update it regularly is kind of important.

This layout and the last layout is/were not meant to be beautiful masterpieces, but rather stand-in designs until I have the time/inspiration to make something I like. Unfortunately, when I’m spending 8 hours a day coding, at work alone, and then working on various projects, I don’t really feel like coming home and continuing on. That’s being extremely optimistic in assuming that I would even have time once I got home.

So, I know you guys are attached to the disgusting layout with the pastels and the sketchy things, but it makes me feel ill to look at it. On the bright side, you’ve been attached to other designs before, and then you got over it. Each of my major relaunch designs since I got Dreamling have been featured in various places, the last layout was not some sort of one-hit-wonder, so everyone just chill.

Thnx, Mmgt.

For those of you who couldn’t possibly care less about what this place looks like, please continue on to my ode to Lilian Tula: designer, inspiration, rock star.

… you muthaf***ers watch how I attack…

Sorry.

OKAY, so, on Saturday’s edition of Adventures with Ling, I tagged along with my parents as they did what they usually do on Saturdays– shop! See, I’ve recently freed myself from the eternal Hellish bonds of Stupidstore, and I’m having some issues adjusting to the freedom. Namely, I am having issues with the idea that I am available for social interaction. So, I tagged along with my parents. This usually involves me getting presents (I got new Converse shoes, yay). This weekend was one of the more lame shopping weekends, however.

My mother decided that she wanted a bike. She has a bike. It is a mountain bike. I’m sure it is quite nice, I don’t know, I haven’t seen it recently since, you know, winter happened. But, she decided she wanted a new bike. Something called a road bike. I, personally, thought bikes sort of worked wherever you pedaled them.

Obviously, I was misinformed, and I was absolutely shocked and flabbergasted beyond all everything when I wandered around the first bike shop we visited and checked out the prices of those bad boys. One cost nearly $10K. My entire post secondary education costs around $8K. If the bike wanted to, it could sell itself, go to school AND buy itself a Macbook.

I know my parents, and I always believed them to be practical people, so, understandably, I nearly had a heart attack when I found them looking at bikes that were $1300! Who needs that? My bike cost less than $200. Granted, it is a one-speed, but what more do I really need? I’m not entering the tour de France, I’m just cycling to the store and back, like normal people!

It made me think about the people on bikes that I see when I am on my way home from school. There are tonnes. And they all look like they’re off to meet up with Lance Armstrong.

Whatever happened to the good old days when you just jumped on your bike, while still in your pyjamas and rode up to the store to get emergency 6:30am chocolate? Or when you saw a guy on a bike with the 5ft Yogi Bear he stole from your front porch, so you ran home and your roommates all jumped on their bikes that they got from some thrift store, and rode off to find the thieving bastard?

I’m bringing it back! We haven’t seen the end of casual biking! I can bring it back into the limelight, but only with your help! This summer, grab your bike, don’t pay attention to the fact that you’re not wearing tight pants or a reflective jacket, and just casually cycle places. And then casually cycle back. It’s not a race. There’s no reason to have a faster bike (especially if it costs more than a semester worth of education). Take it easy, be casual, and show everyone you know what bikes are REALLY about. After all, if I wanted to race, I’d have a car.

There seems to be a problem in my class, and it’s not getting better. In fact, it may be getting worse. It involves an identity crisis between the following people: Ling (me), Kaitlin, and my friend I affectionately call Asian (her actual name is Kaman, and she comments here under the name Krazy).

Let’s examine these three subjects, shall we?

Okay, so, in diagram A we have a photo of me stuffing my face with a cupcake, Kaitlin just being there, and Asian striking an Asian pose. Pretty typical. As you can see, we are all different people with different interests and personalities. If you were to be in a room with us, the differences would become even more apparent. We’re all quite loud, yes, but I am often the one not doing work, Kaitlin is often the one doodling and I have no clue what Asian does because I can’t see her desk from mine. She’s probably making origami. ANYWAY.

I get called Kaitlin at least twice a week. I understand that we have similarly coloured hair, but I’m not kidding when I say that Kaitlin is nearly a foot taller than me. And we have voices in different ranges. And I can be found bursting into song roughly 83.4% more often than her. So, yes, I don’t get it, but you know, I suppose there are a few unobservant people out there who could somehow get us mixed up even though they spend 6 hours a day with us, every day, since September.

The REAL baffling part is when Asian gets called Ling. We do not look alike. I mean, she is Asian. I am an incredibly pale white girl with red hair and emo glasses. But she seems to be called Ling more often than I am called Kaitlin! She usually replies with something along the lines of “you guys are a bunch of racists.” Everyone laughs. But it still keeps happening!

So, handy guide:

Ling:

• Red hair, glasses, short (5ft3).
• Loud, in a constantly singing sort of way.
• Obsessed with cupcakes.

Kaitlin:

• Red hair, glasses, tall (she’s what? 5ft10? 5ft11?)
• Loud, but most often off in her own doodling world.
• Plays DnD and knits.

Asian:

• ASIAN.
• Loud, but in a snarky way.
• Obsessed with cats and adorable things.

Yeah. So. I hope that clears a few things up. It’s hard enough having a weird name like “Aisling” and trying to listen for all the variations in pronunciation that come with that, let alone trying to figure out if the person shouting across for “Kaitlin” actually means “Ling.”