<![CDATA[AWCS Youth Program - Steamy Goat Diaries]]>

<![CDATA[AWCS Youth Program - Steamy Goat Diaries]]>Thu, 08 Oct 2026 13:22:02 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[RIO out and about]]>Tue, 28 Apr 2015 20:36:20 GMThttps://www.realityisoptional.com/steamy-goat-diaries/rio-out-and-aboutWe at RIO love to get our nerd on. Lately some of us were found wandering the halls of the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo visiting our resident web comic creator and leader of Pen & Panel kids' cartooning club, Sebastien Ringuette. Here are a few pictures we snapped.

]]><![CDATA[Steamy Goat Diaries - issue forteen]]>Sat, 23 Aug 2014 03:46:54 GMThttps://www.realityisoptional.com/steamy-goat-diaries/steamy-goat-diaries-issue-forteenby Rosencrantz the goat

Hello readers, this just in I am soaked. I did the ALS ice bucket challenge (and if you are reading this you have been challenged). She wrapped me in a towel after to keep me warm. Isabella did the challenge to and she screamed. It was funny! She told me once I dry I can be brushed! I'm so excited! Well the summer is almost over and it's getting colder. I don't like the cold. Now we are watching the musical, Rent. Why at they so against playing rent?? Well I'm going to watch my movie so goodnight good reader.

Waiting for Netflix is a daunting task

Oh yeah, sorry reader I just remembered, Isabella and I also made yummy cookies!

]]><![CDATA[Steamy Goat Diaries - issue thirteen]]>Fri, 22 Aug 2014 21:13:31 GMThttps://www.realityisoptional.com/steamy-goat-diaries/steamy-goat-diaries-issue-thirteenThe ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
- by Rosencrantz the goat

I have done the ice bucket challenge and now I nominate all of you to do it too. I will be donating my required $10.00 to the ALS foundation for research into this disease.
By the way - it was cold, and now I am soggy.
- Rosencrantz the goat

Okay goat, we did your challenge. Here's the proof.

Another RIOite does the challenge.

Ophelia Does the Challenge

Thanks a lot Rosencrantz, Its cold but fun, and now I am wet. I hope I get brushed like Rosencrantz did too!. ~Ophelia
(push the button to see Ophelia get wet)

MAXINE GETS WET

]]><![CDATA[Steamy Goat Diaries - issue twelve]]>Fri, 22 Aug 2014 17:43:41 GMThttps://www.realityisoptional.com/steamy-goat-diaries/steamy-goat-diaries-issue-twelveGlobalfest diaries - by Ophelia and Iago

Ophelia and I have finally met. I am RIO's original mascot, and therefore superior. Ophelia is new and has much to learn, but she's apparently has more time to write diaries than I do. We decided to go on an adventure together to see the things humans call 'fireworks'. They are apparently exploding, non-lethal bombs, which look very nice. There was also going to be a cultural festival. I will take this chance to learn more about the human race. This is us on the human transportation device called a 'Bus'.

Yours truly, Iago

This is Michael, he is very nice, he tastes very nice. Do his glasses have lenses? I guess we will never know. Isn't he beautiful? We met him on our way to fireworks, as Iago explained before. How exciting! c:
~ Ophelia

We have arrived at the festival. We are now off to the transportation with sustenance. We will commemorate the occasion with a feast.

Yours truly, Iago

A feast! With lots of food split five ways, because sadly Iago and I have to share with the humans. We had yummy food like wings, fries, dumplings, Hawaiian donuts, and three different kinds of Whale Tails. It was a wonderful feast, delicious start to the evening, now we are going to enjoy the many different cultures at the cultural festival. c:
~Ophelia

We have made it to the cultural pavilions. We learned about places such as the Land of Scot, and the Philippines. We also visited a human from Cameroon. He was slightly confused and awestruck by my appearance. The exploding lights will commence soon.

Yours truly, Iago

I got lost! I am a lost kid, literally. The crowd of people is just so huge and I am just so small, apparently Iago doesn't have mind powers that include telekenesis. Hopefully they include finding lost goats, I hope I get found.

--Later--
I am found! It's so nice that GlobalFest has a tent just for lost kids like me, how crazy. Iago used his mind powers and found me after he and the humans realized I was lost, people in large crowds can be so scary, I am glad I have a friend like Iago to help me out.
~Ophelia

The humans are anticipating the moment the colourful bombs go off. This feels very similar to the fire sacrifice at Wordsworth. I hope there will be chanting.

Yours truly, Iago

The fireworks were amazing! They were kind of scary with all the noises but it was beautiful. Some of them looked like a waterfall, some of them looked like showers of golden rain with purple tips, well some didn't have purple tips. They were beautiful. There was some sort of love story, and music. It was good and now we are off back to the human household to sleep. Goodnight steamy readers, talk to you next time!
~Ophelia

]]><![CDATA[Steamy Goat Diaries - issue eleven]]>Thu, 21 Aug 2014 23:18:40 GMThttps://www.realityisoptional.com/steamy-goat-diaries/steamy-goat-diaries-issue-elevenThe Quebec diaries - by Ophelia

August 5th 2014
On my way to Quebec today!! So excited. The flight was four hours, I didn't even watch a movie. It took a long time. But it was fun and I enjoyed it for the most part. As much as a goat can enjoy an airplane flight. When we got there we were picked up and went to Gregoires (hot dog place or in French.... Uhh I don't know, someone ordered for us since we don't speak French) its very French here, being Quebec and all. After that off to the place we are staying at. It was a good day. Before bed we swam and watched TV.

August 6th 2014
Second day, woke up and ate breakfast. When humans friend woke up they ate carrot cake and went swimming. It was super fun, we found a ball to play with and did hand (or hoof)stands, and flips. That took up pretty much all day. Then we went to New York state! I am there now writing this. Human bought some stuff at a fair we went to and now there is a concert type thing. Talk to you steamy readers later. Hope you're having just as much fun as this steamy goat is.

We just walked around.. human spent lots of money. Apparently people here wear a lot of tie dye. Human got a tie dye sweater. It started pouring and we walked to the car. We went for ice cream and went back to Quebec home.

August 7th 2014
This morning is almost over and not much happened. Well one exciting thing happened I just have to tell you. Humans friends grandmother has a pug. She tries to take me this morning!! Luckily human saved me. What if she ate me!? She is very very hyper. Anyways, I will let you know what the day holds tonight. She took me again! Today was just a chill day, we just sat around and swam.

August 8th 2014
Another kind of chill day. Human and her friend cleaned the pool with the vaccum, it took ages. Eventually we let grandmother take over, she got sick of it too and put in the other automatic vacuum. It was a good day, and we swam today too.

August 9th 2014
I met another human, she was nice, we dipped our feet in the pool and had conversation.
Went to New York again for the fair, there was another concert. We just walked around again. Spent more money. The fair seems to be the place where it all goes. The vendors are really nice though, one even took Canadian money. It was great. Human bought some gifts for her friend and mother and it was good.

August 10th 2014
Went to the beach today, soaked in some rays, it was hot out. I've never been to a beach before today. It was so much fun, I like it a lot. We played in the water, tried (and horribly failed) some stunts and humans buried each other in sand, and played frisbee. It was fantastic. But lots of laughs, pizza for dinner then we went to Dunkin Donuts, human and her friend had never been before. They had Coolatas, strawberry and vanilla bean, both of them enjoyed their drinks. American portion sizes are huge, they got smalls but they were like Canadian mediums. But they were delicious. It was wondeful.

August 11th 2014
Today was so hot. The pool was up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit! It's usually at 75, humans helped move a table so grandmother could mow the lawn. We just had a chill day and watched television and played a game called Flow. A quite boring day I guess but tomorrow holds activity.

August 12 2014
Went to Leblanc for a hot dog lunch. Yumyum. We meet up with humans friends aunt and drove to Quebec city. Then we toured old Quebec and saw lots of beautiful old buildings, we went for dinner at some place and had some French thing that tasted like pizza. After we got a maple on ice and beaver tails, they aren't actually tails of beaver and they taste wonderful. Nomnom. Then souvenir shops we went to, human found something for her friend and it was a good day, with all that walking they were so tired when they got to the hotel they just went to bed.

August 13 2014.
Heya! Today we went to an amazing place that was gorgeous. It was called Parc Des Chutes De La Riviere Chaudiere. It was raining, but it wasn't too bad. It felt like parlour trying to get over all the rocks, and then we went to the suspension bridge and looked from a different view. It was weird to think we had been down there so close. It was a great feeling. Its still raining now, and we are getting timmys, not sure if we are going back to Huntingdon for spaghetti night or if we are going to the mall or somewhere else in Quebec, talk to you steamy readers later.

We went to spaghetti night, and it was delicious!! Worth not shopping 100% . It was amazing and then we went home and had some conversation, watched TV, now we are going to bed, night.

August 14 2014
It was humans sisters birthday today. She couldn't tell her Happy Birthday as she was at a camp and without a phone but that's okay, she will when she gets home. She shall greet her sister with a big hug and a happy birthday when she gets back home. c: Just another chill day, lots of texting and such. It was a wonderful day. More television then off to bed. Night readers!

August 15 2014
Last night, human killed a spider. How mean!! She saw it yesterday morning and I guess it was hard at work making webs all day and so she took down all of the webs. She was scared but that's no reason to kill the poor thing. Anyways, another chill day, seems to be a lot lately. But they're still good days. Still wonderful. And still full of late night television and then sleeping, something different today, human learned how to play 31 haha. Talk to you all tomorrow.

August 16 2014
Today we got up early, at 7:00 AM. A girl came to pick us up and we went to her daughter in laws grandmothers house. She owns this huge property that includes a forest. Human and her friend were talking about how amazing it would be to just bring a notebook and pen and just write in the forest, I agree. Its so gorgeous here, I didn't get any pictures of myself there but I will put a picture of the forest along with these entries. It was a good time and we munched on chips. After we went to the house and had fresh corn on the cob, watermelon, and pizza for lunch. After that we went to the girls house, they played 31 with quarters (Its a card game) it was fun, then they had more pizza for dinner, as they didn't have much for lunch. Humans friend jumped on the trampoline. It was a wonderful day. I hope yours was just as great.

August 17 2014
Today we ate toast for breakfast, leftovers for lunch and then at 1:00 we left the house off to Ontario for dinner. We went through the states, and stopped at a shopping centre, it was hilarious when grandmother said "Wow this mall is huge", human and her friend looked at one another and laughed because it was small in comparison to the malls where we live. It was one floor and most the stores were closed. Human bought a top and cardigan, and also an eraser for her little sister. It was more expensive then expected, whoops. After we went through the border again to Ontario, St. Huberts is where they went and had chicken, it was delicious as human said and chocolate lava cake for dinner was just wonderful. Yumyum. Then off to home. After that they went back home and human and friend played 31 outside, once it got to cold they came back in and played at the table. Then they found green lantern was on TV and watched some of it and then went to bed. It was a wonderful day.

August 18 2014
I've awoken to the same setting again. I just wrote up my diaries from yesterday and now I have nothing to do. I will update you on the days events, I think we are getting some rhubarb. This trip I learned rhubarb just doesn't want to die. Grandmother has run over the stuff with her lawn mower and it just grew again. Its crazy.

Turns out cutting rhubarb is super fun c: We played 31 and now we are watching television. I will update you later.

August 19 2014
Up at 5:30 AM ugh, I'm not a morning goat. Off to the airport I will update you there if I have time but if not then I will update you when I get home.

Finally home, its been a long flight and this goat is tired. Yummy dinner, hot tub and then sleep for this one. Hope your day and days afterward are wonderful. This goat is off to bed. Goodnight Steamy Readers, talk to you when I next do.

~Ophelia

]]><![CDATA[Steamy Goat Diaries - Issue Ten]]>Thu, 21 Aug 2014 22:35:15 GMThttps://www.realityisoptional.com/steamy-goat-diaries/steamy-goat-diaries-issue-tenWordsWorth Diaries by Iago

Day One/Two - 5:50 AM
Greetings humans. I am Iago., an alien vampire with many amazing powers. Though I do realize my species look quite similar to what the humans call 'chickens'. A certain writing group seem to have made me their 'god', or something and asked me to write a diary whilst at a camp called 'WordsWorth' and thus, here I am.
The first day, I was finally freed from the bag I was wrestled into y my now caretaker, Emily. I was shown around and eventually taken to a ceremony called 'campfire'. It was quite interesting. The humans all huddled around a brning object and chanted many different songs. They chanted about something called an 'Austrian'. I haven't the slightest idea what it is. I would like to meet one.
My caretaker is living with two others in a small room. Their names are Olivia and Hana, but they were recently nicknamed Livi and Akuma. My caretaker was nicknamed Red. Quite befitting, I think. Either way, here I am early in the morning, feeling enormously excited for what is going to happen next.
- Yours truly, Iago

Day two - 7:00 AM
Hello. Iago here. On the second day, I was a part of a musical trio. I even had a solo part. I was quite excited, because I heard we were performing.
- Yours truly, Iago

Day three - 7:15 AM
I was taken to the campfire ritual again. The humans were chaning different things this time. I was kept in a pocket for the most part.
A muciatn human and oet human came to entertain the small humans. They are quite talented.
- yours truly, Iago

]]><![CDATA[Steamy Goat Diaries - Issue Nine]]>Tue, 05 Aug 2014 03:47:28 GMThttps://www.realityisoptional.com/steamy-goat-diaries/steamy-goat-diaries-issue-nine

By Ophelia the goat

July 13 2014
WordsWorth starts today, how bittersweet. Being away from family sucks sometimes but WordsWorth sounds amazing. Dinner was delicious (being a goat I was worried about camp good but human ensured it was delicious and wasn't she right) Campfire, fun, story, fun, its gonna be a loong week. Night!

July 14 2014
Monday! Least favourite day of the week but it was good. Breakfast was yummy, scrambled eggs, muffins, I can't remember what else. I'm writing this late. I think I'm catching on to the act of procrastination. Lunch was good, and dinner too I can't remember lunch but dinner was pasta (there was a bet going on, a girl won 50¢ because she guessed we would have pasta for dinner) first class is grest so far and so is second and third! So excited for the rest of the week, each day feels like at least two. At lunch human played Death Polo, I think her team lost but she said it was fun. Bed time story was AWESOME. it was a "non-fiction" about all the writers at the camp. There was an adult open Mic, all the instructors and creative team members were amazing. I feel so lucky to be in a place with such great people.

July 15 2014 It is now Tuesday D&D occured last night but human was so tired she just went to sleep. Food was yummy again. All the classes were fun, action scenes was great, we made art with typewriters and third class was good. LARPed at lunch. Now it is free writing time and I am writing my diary. Human put a DEAR WORDSWORTH in the box, I wonder how they will react. Write to you later. Later--- dinner was gokd and a band came. Sadly this goat is poor and couldn't get anything. They were good. Campfire was full of singing, stories, poetry, and some guitar playing. Then a story from Derek and went to bed. Night.

July 16 2014 Mm.. bacon. Should goats even eat bacon? I don't know but its DELICIOUS. After breakfast we did some activity, classes were cool, at lunch human and I went on a writing prompt scavenger hunt. Human carried me in her pocket it was fun! I wrote for awhile at the chapel in humans notebook. We went to the river and I got to sit on a rock in the river. It was kind of scary but super fun. I heard the whoosh of the water. It was exhilarating. We went to a question mark tree third class, dinner was good. Bread is yummy. After dinner we had a panel which was good.

July 17 2014 Today was good. Lots of action. At lunch I played citadels for the first time ever, it was good. There was a poetry slam, it was good and full of talent. It rained so campfire was on the porch rather than at the campfire. It was still good. But now a goat has gotta sleep when a goats gotta sleep.

Friday July 18 Today started all wonderful. I was in a great battle. I just hid in the trees while the shapeshifter fought. Oops sorry. Then typewriter class, we got to freewrite so I wrote this. It seems that's all I write which isn't untrue. Fine I shall write a goat poem but warning I've never done this before. Its a haiku I hope you enjoy.

I am a grey goat
My name is Ophelia
I write diaries.

August 4 2014
I apologize for not updating you sooner. That procrastination again. Second week was fantastic. I forgot to write my diaries so I can't be as detailed. Lots of stuff happened. I actually had money this time but no band that week there was a swing dance, but I did buy a fantastic book. There was more new people the second week. I really enjoyed WordsWorth, the last day was full of tears and hugs and love. It was heartwarming and wonderful. I want to go back forever. Human didn't want to leave. She met a lot of people and was more outgoing the second week causing her to make more friends. Next year she plans on coming back. She plans on going back until she can't anymore. Anyways after that we just stayed home and played video games a lot. And then we went to a family reunion and that was good. Dropped off humans sister at her camp, and I helped human pack today. I will try my very hardest to stop forgetting to write my diary. I apologize. Off to Quebec tomorrow. I will try to take many pictures. Love you all and hopefully talk to you when I get back if I don't take forever to send this thing in again. I missed all of you a whole lot and sorry I didn't take many pictures I will try to be better while I'm in Quebec. Lots of love ~ Ophelia.

P.S. I'm so excited for this trip I'm sleeping in the bag Talk to you when I get back steamy readers.

]]><![CDATA[Steamy Goat Diaries - Issue Eight]]>Mon, 04 Aug 2014 02:55:06 GMThttps://www.realityisoptional.com/steamy-goat-diaries/steamy-goat-diaries-issue-eight

by Rosencrantz the goat

August 3rd
I am very sorry readers, I have not done much. Isabella couldn't bring me with her to many places. For the last two weeks Isabella taught Japanese students. She seemed to have lots of fun. Last Thursday she came home crying. She was very sad they had to leave. She also went to her grandma's place over the weekend. She came back smelling like dogs, cats, rabbits, and hedgehogs. I'm not sure I want to ever go there. When Isabella is at home she runs around a lot. I don't think she ever sits still, but whatever it's fun to watch. I have been a good little goat, Isabella said, I only eat the cans occasionally. I can't believe summer is almost over, I am very sad. Well that's all this time readers. Have a good day!

]]><![CDATA[Steamy Goat Diaries - Issue Seven]]>Sun, 13 Jul 2014 17:03:28 GMThttps://www.realityisoptional.com/steamy-goat-diaries/steamy-goat-diaries-issue-sevenby Rosencrantz the goat

Saturday June 12th:
Hello readers, very sorry for the lack of updates. This goat has not done much, the human Isabella did a drama camp, she performed amazingly. Other then that she has just worked. I stay home all the time. I made friends with all the stuffies on her bed.
The human seems a bit down lately, I think she misses her friends. She spends a lot of time on the computer talking to them, she listens to her music a lot to. She does like to go outside a bit though.
I hope she can see her friends so she can be super happy again! She babysat two dogs awhile back. We stayed for a whole weekend alone in a strange house, but we had fun. Well that's all I have to say. Godspeed good reader!

]]><![CDATA[Steamy Goat Diaries - Issue six]]>Sat, 12 Jul 2014 17:46:48 GMThttps://www.realityisoptional.com/steamy-goat-diaries/steamy-goat-diaries-issue-six1by Ophelia the goat

Sunday July 6th 2014

Today was great. I went to a baseball game. I tried on sunglasses. They're a bit big but cool. I also drank some iced tea. It was warm because of the heat, jeez it was HOT today. The game was cool, and the team I was cheering for won both games (There were two games ahah) and after the game I had my picture taken with one of the players!! He's human's brother and he is really nice. He taught me what pine sap was and why he had some on his bat. Yay. After the game we got slurpees and just headed home. It was a long day. I hope your days have gone well too. Talk to you next time.

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