An international New Years

The following was also found on FactMonster.

How to say "Happy New Year" in 33 languages:

1. Afrikaans - Voorspoedige nuwe jaar
2. Arabic - Kul 'am wa antum bikhair
3. Basque - Urte Berri on
4. Bengali - Shuvo noboborsho
5. Chinese (Cantonese) - Sun nien fai lok
6. Chinese (Mandarin) - Xin nian yu kuai
7. Czech Stastny - Novy Rok
8. Dutch - Gelukkig nieuwjaar
9. Esperanto - Bonan Novjaron
10. Finnish - Onnellista uutta vuotta
11. French - Bonne année
12. German - Ein glückliches neues Jahr
13. Greek - Eutychismenos o kainourgios chronos
14. Hawaiian - Hauoli Makahiki hou
15. Hebrew - Shana Tova
16. Hungarian - Boldog uj evet
17. Indonesian (Bahasa) - Selamat Tahun Baru
18. Italian - Felice Anno Nuovo or Buon anno
19. Japanese - Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu
20. Korean - Sehe Bokmanee Bateuseyo
21. Laotian (Hmong) - Nyob Zoo Xyoo Tshiab
22. Latin - Felix sit annus novus
23. Nigerian (Hausa) - Barka da sabuwar shekara
24. Norwegian - Godt Nytt År
25. Philippines (Tagalog) - Manigong Bagong Taon
26. Polish - Szczesliwego Nowego Roku
27. Romanian - La Multi Ani si Un An Nou Fericit
28. Samoan - Ia manuia le Tausaga Fou
29. Spanish - Feliz año nuevo
30. Swahili - Heri za Mwaka Mpya
31. Swedish - Gott Nytt År
32. Vietnamese - Chuc mung nam moi
33. Welsh - Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

Oh the things you do...

Today, from my friend Anthony I got a new website to check out - it's called FactMonster. So much fun - it's got all sorts of neat quizzes and games (I've done most of the quizzes about Harry Potter already) and it's perfect for a little information junkie like myself. So, once again, I'm inspired to write out some fact that I've found.

Guess who else was born on my birthday? Fanny Brice - yup, the very person that the musical Funny Girl was based on. You can read some neat facts on the true Fanny Brice here, and if you haven't seen the movie, I suggest you do because it's a Barbara Streisand classic. I also share the same birthday as Richard Dreyfuss, everyone's favorite star from What About Bob? and Mr. Holland's Opus, as well as cleptomaniac Winona Ryder (nee Winona Horowitz, who's dad produced the original Batman series).

Guess what happened on my birthday in years past? In 1787, Mozart's Opera Don Giovanni debuted in Prague. In 1929, the New York Stock Exchange crashed on Black Tuesday, precipitating the Great Depression. And in 1998, John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, returned to space at age 77.

Guess what happened the year I was born? The year of 1981 was full of adventure as it was the year that AIDS was first identified, the year that Pope John Paul II wounded by gunman and the year that Ronald Reagan became the 40th US President and then went on to nominate Judge Sandra Day O'Connor, 51, of Arizona, as first woman on the US Supreme Court.

Very random. Check out your birthday.

On finding a husband...

The picture below is from Ben Eden (www.beneden.com).

You can also click on the picture to see his website.

Like most ladies my age, yes, I occasionally think about
marriage. I've never really been a sap about it (not that it's wrong to be romantic) but I do think about it. I guess things were brought about this week a little bit because now a second one of my best friends is heading down the aisle - the one who said she would never get married! (Yeah, right Al! We knew better!) So, I was surfing the internet for some solid advice on marriage - ok, truthfully, I was bored and wanted to see what would come up if I typed "on finding a husband" in Google, but that's just details...Ironically, the first site that came up was all about finding a husband in Christian context! ha! Nonetheless, there was some very solid advice some of which I will share with you.

Honesty and intentionality. It all comes down to this, people. So many of us are afraid to talk about the marriage factor because it's borderline taboo. I mean, who would want to admit that deep down they are longing to share themselves with another person for the rest of their life? God knows I'm petrified of this - admitting that I want it at least. No one wants to appear needy or lonely or whatever. We all want to appear strong, and all too often we fall into the trap of feeling like we're weak because we don't want to live our lives alone forever. Really, what's the big deal? There really isn't anything wrong with talking about marriage - it should be something we can converse about like politics or religion. We don't often shy away from having an opinion in these matters, so why should marriage be any different?

The other half of the equation is our need to be honest with ourselves. It's ok to want someone else around, it's ok to have needs, it's ok to have feelings and it's ok to be vulnerable. I can only speak for myself, and I know for a long time I have been, and still am in some ways, absolutely terrified of the commitment of marriage. I've pushed it aside saying I didn't want it for so long because the truth is that I just don't know how to fully open up to someone else. I judge myself far more than anyone else ever could, why would I let someone else in to have the potential to hurt me or judge me. Truth - real love shouldn't be about that. My fears prevent me from loving properly and allowing myself to be loved. Once I admitted to myself that I had a problem there, things began to change. I see I have the capacity to feel and give love - and it doesn't make me weak, it makes me stronger because I am braver now, and I see the risks are worth the taking.

Now where does the intentionality fall into play? It comes down to not being afraid to play the game of love for the sake of marriage. I'm constantly surprised by my Christian friends who really are in the dating scene to find a husband or wife. It's not easy to do, but really, it nice to cut the crap and just be direct - "No, I don't want your pretzels!" (inside joke, sorry). Personally, I find this concept fascinating and intimidating all at the same time - afterall, it's a choice, and it causes you to close many doors, but leaves you with one giant one open. But intentionality is more than just being ready to take a shot at finding "the one", it's about forming an opinion, creating standards and boundaries for interpersonal relationships, and most importantly, it's about BELIEVING MARRIAGE IS POSSIBLE and to be ready to do something about it!

We're all too often drifters when it comes to committed relationships - we're willing to settle for the comfortable, we're willing to stand by and wait for someone to come to us... Well, you know what, sometimes it pays to be a little proactive. This doesn't mean running about trying to land yourself whomever falls into your path first, it just means you have to focus on the prize realistically and be ready to move forward if and when the time comes to show someone you think they are worth the effort. It also means guarding your own heart so that you aren't throwing away your affections carelessly and spreading yourself too thin. (Heaven knows, as a HUGE flirt, I know how this can get messy...)

So, here comes the solid advice I found - what not to do in relationships...

1. Resist the counterfeits: -
This term can refer to many things, but it specifically is meant to address the tendancy that most of us singles have to want to fill in the void with bad habits. A first example is the "buddy". You know, the person that you refer to as just a friend who you don't really treat as just a friend...the someone who you don't dare to ask them about their intentions ...(gulp, guilty conscience here). A second may be pre-marital sex - you connect with someone physically and you then wonder why they aren't going towards marriage. A third may be spending all your time time in a single group, even after you've decided that there is not potential marriage candidate in the bunch.

Sure, these habits might cure loneliness short term, but in the end, they're just a temporary fix. What's worse, it that these habits may be causing you to be alone. (Gulp again!) The best cure is to start respecting youself by setting up high standards for your relationships. By creating boundaries, you're not only protecting your own heart, but those you interact with. Plus you can resist the temptation to spend your best self on counterfeits. Take it a step further, treat others the way you want to be treated. By approaching the opposite sex in a principled, respectful and intentional way, you eliminate the guess work and by treating others with kindness and honesty and by being direct you with show off just how great of a marriage candidate you are!

2. Retain sexual power: -
Ever heard the expression "Who's going to want to buy the ice-cream truck when you're giving out the popsicles for free?" Take it to heart. If you're playing into the idea that sexual acts will enhance your relationship, really, it's not true. You lose your sexual power and your ability to find the right person. Physical intimacy jump starts an emotional connection to someone too quickly, and though it can be great at the time, once the spark fades away, it seems that you've created a relationship on thin air. (Trust me on this - I have kissed on the first date. Tsk. Tsk). Sex will become an idol and will cloud your judgement causing you to make bad decisions.

Yes, unmet sexual longing is a rather powerful motivator - heaven knows it's caused quite a few quick engagements in the past. For those who have once had the desires met, it may be even harder to go without, but you just have to take encouragement from remembering that sex has been designed to sweeten the commitment of marriage and it should flow from a Godly relationship. Sometimes it pays to have your dessert last - and luckily, God is gracious enough to give all of us a chance at getting it right.

3. Reassess your options: -
Sometimes we're too quick to put someone into the category of "just friends" because we're not attracted to them. Well, what's the harm in taking a moment to change your thinking - instead of basing everything on physical chemistry, look at your friends and think "Which one of these men would be a Godly husband, strong partner and good father?" You never know about those diamonds in the rough...Of course, this doesn't mean you have to "settle" too quickly, it just means that you can take a moment to see where God may be able to make love grow - a little prayer goes a long way. Plus, it helps you gain a non-objectifying sort of perspective - rather than boys being pieces of meat, they become pieces of men...(ugh, that was AWFUL).

4. Check your expectations: -
What are you looking for in a partner? Do you find yourself casually dating with one foot out the door? I sooo know I'm guilty of this. All to often we want to focus on finding a "soul mate", someone who knows us down to our very core and who loves us fully. The trouble is, this might be directly setting yourself up for failure. We can't expect that the people who love us will never ask us to change, especially when it comes to the turbulence of marriage. Relationships between humans will never be perfect, because we're not perfect creatures. So, don't kid yourself, if something gets tough, suck it up, and it something is great, then rejoice in it. Marriage is about commitment - till death do you part - but it you go into expecting highs and lows, a good marriage will make the lows all the easier to swallow.

5. Ask the people you know for help:-
This is probably one of the easiest and hardest things to do. Right now, the world's view on marriage is certainly not the hopeful one that it once was. Once it was a primary purpose in life, now it's optional. This means that there is less support out there culturally for marriage. So why not ask your friends for help? This can be two-fold. First, I would hope that we all have friends that love us enough to help us see where we have the need to improve on ourselves to become a more whole person, someone more ready for marriage. Talk to friends, ask them to help you with your brokeness, ask them to help you get rid of the emotional baggage from years of unsuccessful relationships. You'll be surprised at how much they'll want to help you out! I know my friends are really great that way...

Secondly, friends are a connection to a wealth of new people. If you only spend time with peers of the same age, who are all going through the same sort of period of life as you are, it's not surprising that nothing new and exciting is being brought into your life. Go out, meet your friends and their friends. You never know, right? Plus, if your friends are believers in marriage, their other friends may be too, in fact, they may be looking for the same things you are. Maybe this means you'll stumble across Mr. or Mrs. Right, maybe it just means you'll make a new friend, either way it doesn't hurt to make new allies!

Just to note, the above writing is my rendition of the advice from Candice Z. Watters (you can check out the article here). I may not agree with everything, and I may be taking a few liberties with what Candice has written, but overall, this little rant reflects my opinions too. I'm not writing this to convince you of anything either. It's just think it's food for thought. You can't force marriage to come along, and there really isn't a formula for making two people fall madly in love and commit their lives to one another. Thinking about this stuff can put you in the direction towards marriage rather than down a somewhat-into-it-but-not-fully-committed-to-the-game kinda path. Every now and then you've got to purposefully change direction and to be made aware of where to go next - and the rest is up to Him.

Congrats Al and Scott!

What an awesome Christmas!

I just received the best news in the world! Alison (my best girl friend) and her boyfriend Scott got engaged last night! Congratulations to you both!

Can I be a bridesmaid? ;)

Merry Christmas to all!

A few thoughts on Christmas:

• I happen to think that Mariah Carey's "I Don't Want A Lot for Christmas" is great...one of my favs to sing along to! And if you haven't heard Weird Al's song "The Night Santa Went Crazy!" you've just gotta - it's hilarious!
• Two of my all time fav Christmas album are Dolly and Kenny's Once Upon A Christmas and John MecDermott's Christmas Memories.
• Elf and A Christmas Story are probably two of the funniest Christmas movies that I love to watch! National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is up there too!
• I miss my puppy - it's my first Christmas without her, and my first time home without her here too...
• Anglican church services are awesome!
• Family is family, you gotta love them!
• Christmas cookies are fantastic - mmm...so is brandy butter and the thoughts of true English Christmas pudding...
• I miss my family in Africa - wish I could see them.
• It's Christmas! The people that in darkness sat have seen a great light, and the Saviour of the World was born this very night! AMEN A THOUSAND FOLD! PRAISE GOD!

Merry Christmas to you all!

Expectations of a 40-yr old virgin - a movie review

Last night I was in a downright crooked mood - I just didn't want to deal with anything. So, I took myself to the movie store and rented "The 40-yr Old Virgin". I was expecting a funny movie, but what I wasn't expecting was a movie centred around a heart of gold.

By no means am I suggesting to you folks out there that you have to agree with my general review of this movie, and I will state that I do have biases towards wanting to wait for the right person before having sex. I was really impressed with this movie, though. It may have had a too much swearing, and may have had some uneccesarily graphic scenes, but I did feel that it did have some exceptionally redeeming qualities.

For those of you who know the premise, the movie centres around Andy (Steve Carell) who is coasting by life as a loner, and as a virgin. He is quite happy to deal with his trouble himself, but things get thrown off course when three of his co-workers find out about his "plight" and seek to remedy this situation. Andy migrates through a few series of unfortunate blunders, but eventually finds himself in a very solid and loving relationship. As the movie progresses, Andy sees the complications that arise from not being honest, and from trying to force himself to do things that go against his character. In the end, everything works out just find, with a happy ending that is a little tongue-in-cheek without being too cliché or cheesy. You're left feeling satisfied - just as Andy finally is!

Steve Carell, the star and writer, portrays Andy is such a wonderful way. He is not fully a geek, but he is not fully suave either. He's believable, and well-rounded. This is why the movie seems all the more charming. You like the character of Andy, and he's genuine, so listen to his story makes it all the easier, and you never once a left feeling like the character is trying to heavy-handedly beat you into his point of view.

From a redemptive point of view, this movie has a lot of good messages. Corell's character shows that it is possible to be a fully functional man and still be waiting for the right relationship because sex should be special (in fact, Andy does get married before he gets laid for the first time!) The movie also makes a point to saying that porn is not all it's cracked up to be for men - it can be degrading and can lead to unecessary objectification of women. Also, there are some very brave views on love and relationships, showing it's not going to be easy and you have to work at it.

The movie isn't perfect though, you will have to sift through some blatant swearing and some scenes, although funny at times, that condone some not-so-admirable behaviour, but overall, it's a quality flick in my opinion.

Check it out yourself.

A new baby and a fab gift

Today has been slow again at work, but the office is all a buzz - one of the ladies I did my training with, Shelley, has had her baby! His name is Kai Mapp, and he was 5 pounds even at almost 3 months early. Congratulations! Both mother and son are doing fine.

Also, one of the girls here was very thoughtful - she bought me a book on the Clash that she found on the chuck-out bin at Chapters just because she knows I adore them! Wow, I barely know her, so it's just so sweet.

Merry Christmas to that!

Home for the holidays...

Most of us are on our way home for the holidays in some way or another - now whether this means we are actually leaving our current places of residence to go to our family place or residence, or whether we are simply going to a comforting place in our minds, it doesn't really matter - the fact remains, there is something about Christmas time that makes us long to be at home.

But what does it mean to go home? They say home is where the heart is, but what happens when your heart checks out and you're left considering only a building?

I guess it's just a part of growing up - you move forward on your own path and you are no longer within the parameters of the home set up for you from your parents, and you become wiser, and it's easier to see the cracks in the surface when you do come home. Parents and siblings are not longer infalible, and the real world seeps in...

But you know what? I've been musing about this for a few days now, and really, all these questions just make me realize how happy I am to know that I will always have a home that is peaceful and bright that lies within the realm of heavenly grace. Amen to that.

A tattoo idea

So I've been surfing the net a little, checking out some potentially interesting tattoo ideas. I like this one, it would keep with my chinese character thing, and is meant to stand for Holy Son. Cool.

Oh Holy Night

Oh holy night!

The stars are brightly shining

It is the night of the dear savior’s birth!

Long lay the world in sin and error pining

Till he appear’d and the soul felt it’s worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Fall on your knees

Oh hear the angel voices

Oh night divine

Oh night when christ was born

Oh night divine

Oh night divine

The girls I know and love

Do any of you out there have a set of friends that you just adore? Come hell or highwater they are with you. They comfort you, they tease you, and they challenge you. They know you well enough that you don't have to say anything because they already know. They aren't afraid to tell you to "cut the crap!" and "to stop being a drama queen!" The kind of people who are willing to stand by you no matter what, even if you don't talk to them every day.

That is what I think of my best girl friends!

I never imagined that in my first year of university I would stumble upon such solid friends as I did. I was young, I was scared, and I was relatively out of my element as I had just moved from a completely different province. I didn't know what was in store for me. Yet, on that very first day I met a plucky blonde who had an uncanny resemblance to me named Courtney, and subsequently in the next few days I met Jennifer, Alison and Nushin. If you can believe it, we made such fast friends that we were barely into October before we knew we all wanted to live together when we left residence. Now, you'd think that would back-fire, but no, we did live together - in fact, we lived together for three years while at school in a fantastic little apartment on Bagot St in Kingston. We had a home, we were a family.

I love these ladies.

This past Monday, I had the treat of once again being able to get together with them to eat dinner, talk and exchange Christmas gift. It was us five plus Farah, Nushin's sister, who was an honourary member of our apartment (if you can believe it, she also lived on Bagot street!). I can't tell you how good I felt on Tuesday morning after having just spent an evening with my ladies! Thank God for friends like them.

(p.s. I hope to soon put up a pic of us here).

A really busy weekend

Today I feel like I need a day off after my weekend off. This weekend just zoomed by, leaving me feeling tired and with the sense that not much was accomplished, including sleeping properly. Don't get me wrong, this weekend was great fun, I just went full throttle and now, I've got a case of the Mondays. (Please reference Office Space).

On Friday, we had a good-bye celebration for two girls from my church, Rachel and Heidi, who have both been accepted to do an exchange program overseas for the next few months. I'm so excited for them! So, we had dinner and drinks, and then made our way to Supermarket (in Kensington) to dance the night away. We cut a rug, we danced up a storm...ugh, enough clichés. In fact, me and one of my friends actually danced right up until the last song - not bad considering I wasn't actually going to go dancing at all. It was just fun!

Going out dancing is such an interesting experience every time you go, but I'm finding it all the more interesting lately when I go out with my Christian friends. My first time I went, I didn't actually believe my friend Leslie when she said going dancing was Freedomizers was nuts because you've never seen a crazier bunch of dancers. Well, I know now that this is true - I've never seen a more wild bunch (have we met Luke Minaker???) and I've never seen a co-ed group go dancing while leaving so much space between them. (We leave room for the Holy Spirit! ha!)

This past Friday was an yet another interesting experience, in the sense that it shed a little light on my Freedomize boys. The boys we were with were quite offended by the club pick-up mentality of the guys dancing around the dance floor. I've gone out with protective friends before, but these boys seemed exeptionally apalled by the fact that there were boys just hovering near us girls. (Something girls HATE!) I've got to admit that it made me feel all the more appreciative of the non-overtly-sexualized way that boys and girls try to relate to each other in Christian terms. I mean, I can take care of myself in a club - in fact I get quite fiesty, but all the same, it was touching to know that my guy friends wanted nothing more than for us girls to have a fun time without feeling like we were a part of the meat market. Moral of the story: Props to you Freedomize boys!

Saturday flew by admist the stress of trying to get errands done - I felt terrible seeing as I couldn't even get everything done I wanted to. Before I knew it it was time to get prepped and beautied up for Handel's Messiah at Roy Thompson Hall. Talk about an amazing experience! I've never been to the Messiah before, and it's quite awesome to sit and hear almost a hundred and seventy voices singing words taken directly from the Bible - all of which tell the Truth. Wow! It was also really nice to spend an evening out with Freedomizers in a different context. We all got to dress up, dresses and suits, and have a good time. I definately looking forward next year. I can't past up an opportunity to get dolled up and hear amazing music. :)

Sunday was another full day - the morning was spent visiting Lorna and Kiwi (my dad's elderly second cousins and my closest relatives in Canada) having tea, which is always nice. I have been going to see Lorna and Kiwi in Toronto since before I can remember. In fact, they even have a picture of me when I first came to Canada at the age of about eighteen months old! After tea I rushed off to a choir practice with my friends to prepare for our debut at the service last night. Everything went relatively well - although we did flub a little, I think it sounded pretty damn good for a first go at things. I'll keep you all posted on more choir info. I was glad though that we did get a good reception, I really wanted nothing more than to share something I really love with the people of Freedomize!

I'm sad to say I find myself tired, and ready for bed...I really do need as rest after my weekend off...

All in song titles

This is something I used to do with my friend ages ago. We used to have whole conversations using solely song titles to convey the message (adding only minimal amounts of words necessary to string them together). For example, if I wanted to explain that I am tired and going to bed soon, I would write something like:

somebody told me sweet dreams call me to feel so different

where the higlighted words are song titles (The Killers, Eurythmics, Blondie, Sinead O'Connor). Make sense? I'm going to attempt something longer in the following post which tells the story of my encounter with a boy I was totally disinterested in on the weekend. You know, I hate to say it, but he was a Gino and I don't find that attractive...eww...(Oh, and challenge yourself to find the artists is you don't know the song - it's fun!)

This weekend I was a dancing queen dancing in the dark thinking I was getting to funkytown, when Iended up in more of a combat baby situation. A gent not born in the USA tried to mambo italiano with me. He said he said "I wanna hold your hand" and that I was just like honey. He talked about his heart of glass and I felt under pressure. He said "I need you tonight" but I felt he meant he wanted to bungle in the jungle in my love shack. Most guys want to do the wild thing or drop it like it's hot in da club because of my humps (or other girl's bits and pieces). He didn't make me feel like makin' love with his hungry heart because I believe in a thing called love not tainted love. He wasn't too shy and one way or another he was determined to kiss. I was thunderstruck and I thought "Is this love?" I assured him if ya getting down i'm not your holla back girl, so don't bother. Girls just wanna have fun, but the times they are a changing so it takes more than a feeling to say let's get it on. Boys who wanna sex you up is not a new phenomenon, but it takes the power of love so I'm still fighting it. Luckily I found an escape when I said to a friend take me out so I can go home for a rest. The moral is that another one bites the dust singing a song for the dumped. So men, if you want to see paradise by the dashboard light and you still haven't found what you're looking for, try and treat her right and you just might find some sexual healing in love and marriage.

Boy, I've got a lot of time on my hands..

Reflections on Christmas

I like Christmas time. Not only is it advent - a wonderful time to reflect on the upcoming celebrations of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, but it's also a time of Christmas movies, hot chocolate, and decorating. Sigh.

Honestly, some of the best memories that I have from my university career came about at Christmas time, when I was living with my best girlfriends. We all love Christmas, and seeing as exams were over part way through December and we wanted to maxmize decorating time, we would put up decoration almost immediately after Halloween. Every girl would decorate outside their doors with lights, and we would often just leave them on so we had a Christmas-y hallway. We also started a tradition of breaking up the study time with Christmas movies - favourites that include White Christmas, the original Miracle on 34th Street, Mixed Nuts, National Lampoon's Christmas vacation, One Magic Christmas (but it only counts if Al cries) - so that at the end of each long day of hard work you could look forward to cuddling up on the couch with your fantastic friends to with hot chocolate and candy canes. Sigh. I miss that feeling. I love Christmas.

Then there is always the tradition of going to church on Christmas Eve with my family and then coming home to open the gifts sent from Africa. This was because we would all be up at the crack of dawn to call Africa for Christmas greetings, and you had to thank them for their gifts. (This year this tradition will be postponed seeing as we did the family Christmas thing in October, but the thought will be there!) Sigh. I just love that feeling of sitting next to the Christmas tree lights, tingling with anticipation or the feeling inspired by just sitting and staring at the lights and ornaments. I can't wait for Christmas!

This year, though, I think I've created a new tradition for myself - office Christmas parties. Although I didn't make it to the official Shindig for the GBCCC at Sunlife, I have managed to go two for two as "arm candy" to parties for my friends. My first venture was the party held at Wycliffe College at U of T. I went along with my friend Andrew, mostly because he (literally) asked me to be his arm candy for the night the day I returned to Canada from Africa. Somehow in my jet-lagged state I said "Sure!" Alas, it was fun - a good night of free food and drinks, plus the blessing of being amongst an Anglican church family even if just for a day. (Again, something that I grew up with, so it's something I cherish). Then this past Sunday I acted as a "date" to the Etobicoke Ikea party with my friend Enoch. So much fun! We ate tons of food and danced up a storm - trying, of course, to avoid the path of an overly friendly co-worker who was grinding with not just one, but about three different guys. (She hasn't read the Metro I take it - for weeks now they have been saying this is a no-no for office party etiquette. Tsk, tsk). Overall it was a lot of fun!

Maybe I should start renting my "arm candy" services. Um, no wait, that would give me a bad reputation. Maybe I'll just stick to being the invited girl, the random friend who will come along and have fun, but not too much so you are embarassed in front of your collegues. I figure this year has been a nice step into that direction. I'm batting two for two. Yay me! Yay people for inviting me!

p.s Below is a picture of Andrew and his arm candy. Aren't we cute?

Profound thoughts

None of these are mine, but sometimes it's just fun to collect random thought and quotes from other people. I particularly enjoy witticisms myself. Witticism of course simply being witty remarks. Here are a few fun ones that I came across lately:

"It is far better to be silent than merely to increase the quantity of bad books."
~ Voltaire ~

"The only way to amuse some people is to slip and fall on an icy pavement."
~ Edward Watson Howe ~

"Duct tape is like the Force. It has a dark side, it has a light side, and it holds the Universe together."
~ Carl Zwanig ~

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."
~ Mark Twain ~

"Experience is that marvelous thing that enables you recognizea mistake when you make it again".
~ F. P. Jones ~

"It's not the men in my life that counts, it's the life in my men."
~ Mae West ~

"It is better to be beautiful than to be good, but it is better to be good than to be ugly."
~ Oscar Wilde ~

"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us."
~ Calvin and Hobbes (Bill Watterson) ~

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
~ Groucho Marx ~

"Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain."
~ Lily Tomlin ~

"Anytime four New Yorkers get into a cab together without arguing, a bank robbery has just taken place."
~ Johnny Carson ~

"Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen andoxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vitalingredient in beer."
~ Dave Barry ~

"Life is something that happens when you can't get to sleep."
~ Fran Lebowitz ~

"Americans always try to do the right thing -- after they've tried everything else."
~ Winston Churchill ~

"I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man I keep his house."
~ Zsa Zsa Gabor ~

"We should not permit prayer to be taken out of the schools;that's the only way most of us got through."
~ Sam Levenson ~

"I can resist everything except temptation."
~ Oscar Wilde ~

Over the weekend...

Over the weekend I looked up my uncle's website for his artwork, it's now posted on the side. Please check it out! He's an amazing painter - all self taught. He also does wood work and he's a fantastic handyman. He's still going strong, even after he lost a thumb and forefinger in a carving accident.

For years I've been blessed to know his work, but I hadn't really seen much until I went to Africa. He has tons of work around the house. Below is my favourite picture, it hangs in the front hallway of 27 Vlei Rd, and I used to look at it every day while drinking my tea. Hope you like it too!

Working hard or hardly working

Ok, so it looks like I can now say that my job is a job - in the sense that I am basically out of the training room, and onto my "training wheels". As of yesterday, I was give a bit more rein and was put out on to the phones.

It's day two of being on my own, and quite frankly, I think this is going well. I don't always have all the answers, and there are spaces of time when there isn't much going on, but I like what I do. I like helping people. Who knows how long this will last, right? ;)

Baby steps.

Learning a new word is fun

Today as I was commuting to work, I did my daily routine of reading the Metro, and I noticed one of the little blurbs at the top. I, being a renowned collector of useless knowledge, found it rather interesting. It was as follows:

"Even kissing has a scientific name: philematology, which has been defined as the art or science of kissing".

It allowed me to probe the internet for a few more interesting facts about this lovely phenomenon that we all enjoy (oh, come on, admit it!):

• Scientists believe that kissing is a learned action as opposed to an instinctive one. Some scientists have theorised that it was originally inspired by mothers passing food to their babies with their mouths, and subsequently affection became associated with touching lips.
• Kissing comes down to pheromones. Pheromones are an organisms' unique scent. They reveal the mood, health, disposition, and recent exploits of the particular individual. Thus, pheromones could be used as evaluation of compatibility as a mate. When we are close to another's face we get an olfactory cocktail that tells us a lot about each other; women find out if a man is a good candidate for a father, and men find out if a woman is fertile and strong and thus if she's a good candidate for a wife.
• Kissing feels good (duh!). The lips and tongue are packed with nerve endings and are incredibly sensitive to this sort of stimulation. In fact, the lips and the area around the mouth happen to have the highest concentration of sensory nerves endings of all the tactile senses. To seal the deal, the lips are also outfitted with a very thin layer of skin making them the most sensitive part of the body.
• Can you believe there are even motoneurons that are designed to let you work in the dark to maintain your relative position to this soft feeling of goodness?
• The warm and tingly feelings associated with pleasure of kissing are the outcome of a potent surge of dopamine, norepinephrine, and phenylethylamine in the brain. This "cocktail" of neurotransmitters, triggered by electrical signals from the lips, is received by the emotional portions of the brain.
• Studies have shown that kisses assist in the prevention of tooth decay, stress relief, weight loss, and can raise self confidence - but some of these effects might fall under the category of the Placebo Effect - I mean, we've all got faith in kissing.
• Kissing might help you tell if a person is in good health. Consider the act of kissing as a way of testing someone's spit - body fluids are a pretty intimate aspect of a person after all. In addition to bacteria, saliva contains immunoglobulin (a compound that binds to bacteria to signal disposal by the immune system). Stress and anxiety levels can also be measured in saliva by monitoring the breakdown of noradrenaline. In other words, a person can make a pretty educated guess about a potential mates' health just by swapping spit.
• Scientists have found that the size of a person's lips can make a big difference to how attractive other people find them. Basically, big lips are considered to be attractive, however it is possible for lips to be too big. Men consider a full pout on a woman to be a turn-on, however Mick Jagger-style lips may not necessarily be perfect on a man. Men's lips should be full yet virile-looking, according to the women surveyed. Thin or pursed lips on a woman were seen as signaling a lack of desire, while full, red lips were seen as a reflection of warmth and sensitivity.
• The Christmas tradition for lovers to kiss under the mistletoe is meant as both a sign of romantic love, and as a sign of good luck and future prosperity. The practice has its roots in acient Celtic mythology, when the Druids considered mistletoe to be magical and used it to make various magic concoctions. Tradition also held that if two enemies met under mistletoe they would have to lay down their arms and treat with each other. The kissing part comes from the Norse mythology. The goddess Freya's son was killed by a spear made from mistletoe, thereby bringing winter into the world. Freya declared that mistletoe become a sacred plant thenceforth, and that it be a token of love rather than death.
• Most people turn their heads to the right when kissing, according to German researchers who spied on 124 courting couples in the interests of science. It is believed that right-kissing may be a reflection of behaviour in the womb - unborn babies tend to lean to the right. Researchers observed kissing couples in airports, railway stations, parks and benches in the US, Germany, and Turkey. Only the first kiss, if more kisses followed, was counted. To qualify a kiss the act had to include lip contact, face-to -face positioning and an obvious head turning. They found that 80% of the kissing pairs turned their heads to the right, and 44 to the left - a ratio of about two to one in favour of right-kissing.

Now that you have some facts, think about what kissing means to you. I like this quote by Ingrid Bergman: "a kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous." Maybe there is something more to kissing - being a girl we tend to add in the emotion. Sigh. But isn't it amazing how this (relatively) simple act ties in so much - biological, emotional and mental aspects are all covered. Maybe I should start somes philematological experiments. ;)

FYI, notes taken from:

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro04/web2/gkelly.html

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s498838.htm

http://www.kissingsite.com/kissingfacts.htm

I got a new haircut!

I am seriously in love with Paul from Shampoo. Every time I get my hair done, he encourages me to get something a little different each time, and he cuts my hair and does my colour so well. I highly recommend going to this place if you live anywhere near the downtown Toronto area.

Yay haircut day. It makes me feel all purdy...

I've gotta kick the shoe habit

I really like these boots. Fluevogs rock.

Sardine-n-it-up!

Now, if anyone had told me last year that I would be spending a Saturday evening playing Sardines in Toronto's Kensington Market, I don't think I would have believed them. But that's exactly what I did this weekend passed!

For those of you who don't know what Sardines is, it's a slightly different version of Hide-and-Go-Seek. The idea is that someone goes and hides, and then everyone goes out to search for them. If and when the hider is found by a person, that person then stays with them in the hiding spot, and you do begin to feel like a can of sardines. hehehe!

For the first round on Saturday my friend Galen and I went to hide. We chose a low stairwell, somewhat covered by the dark, that let to a wall. We were a little nervous that the door was an apartment as we didn't want to fall in or anything...well, you can imagine where this is going. We were eventually found by our friend Mark, and he joined us, agreeing that it was probably just a storeroom we were sitting by. Then just as we went to get up, Mark tipped us over a little, and the door suddenly opened, and I fell in through the door! It was someone's house, there was music playing! Yikes! hahaha! Luckily there was a little sheet covering the door so I wasn't discovered, but I swear, all three of us jumped up so quickly and ran away giggling as fast as we could! A definate highlight to the game!

Turn around time: one day

God is soo good!

Whenever things seems down in the dumps, there is always something that reminds you that you are a child of God, and you are blessed. Tonight everything turned around. My diatribe yesterday was met with a very solid Truth, that statement made years ago is not a reality! It does not come from God, and in His name it's stronghold has been broken! Amen to that!

Thank you Lord, for lifting that weight from my heart and replacing it with love! Amen once again!

A glance into the mind of a girl

Sometimes I enjoy being a girl, other times I just get annoyed with myself. The reason? The my abilities to over analyze and self-depricate. Yikes. Though most of the time it's unecessary, sometimes it's good - it allows me to realize something is wrong. But right now, in the last few days, it's just been tough to deal with. I'm torn...in more ways than one. I'm generally happy - I just started my new job and I'm enjoying it, some friends of mine are having a fantastic day (Go R-Dawg and J-Sonic!), but there is a part of me that is stumbling through some major hurt feelings and dissapointments. They aren't new types of feelings and it's not really even a new situation, but still, it sucks.

Ever find it hard to balance things like hope and dispair? Yes, it's one of the lovely dichotomies of this world. Most times I enjoy two sides, but really...

Honestly, I'm trying to be cautious in what I say - this is a blog that so many people read, and well, I don't want everyone questioning my sanity or something (ha!). No, really, it's just hard to be completely vulnerable over the internet! But regardless of those concerns, I did promise insights into a woman's mind, right?

The situation is thus - once again I am feeling the unduly dissapointments of feeling like an object of infatuation rather than an object of admiration. And well, it really, really feels wretched. It's just awful to constantly feel like boys are looking at you as someone who would be lovely to shag and not someone who is worthy to snag. It's only your dear friends who sticks around long enough to see you for who you are, and relationships aren't meant to be in the picture with them. Other boys come and go and some are bad, and some are great. And you find yourself hoping that well, just maybe, maybe this one will want to know me, for real. This one will want to talk, will want to flirt, but most importantly will want to be your friend and lover (used in a Jane Austen suitor-type way). Yet something always happens, ALWAYS - and you find yourself hurt and teary-eyed, wondering "What's wrong with me?" You see other girls - boys seem to be willing to bend over backwards for them. You wonder "Am I just someone who's around to boost boys egos for a while until they find the real thing?" - like a rainbow, pretty and nice to admire, but just really something to follow until you find the pot of gold. The rainbow just fades away...

When I consider all these pent up feelings, it's tough to realize just how affected I have been by my past. You see, I'm really good at hiding stuff when I don't want to confront it. More often than not I will blow off a situation thinking "Whatever, it doesn't matter that you were hurt, you don't need that person". Luckily I'm managed to step out of most of the cycles of feeling like I'm not worthy at all - it's a long uphill struggle from hating yourself to loving yourself (11 years and counting...) and I can deal with dissapointment in constructive ways, and I learn. I pray for more strength. It's just certain times, I revert back to being a very unconfident young teenager who heard it said of her that she was "probably a great lay, but nothing more" - and that part of me that believe this screams in agony, and the part of me that knows it's not true stumbles a little...

And I pray for more strength and see how much I've grown, and that I'm no longer that girl, in fact I never was. But the situation still hits hard because that little piece of you that isn't jaded, that little piece that still hopes and is willing to be vulnerable feels like it's been slapped in the face...again. You feel like you want to puke.

Eventually you move on - quickly or slowly it doesn't matter - and you begin to forget about how you got hurt and you start to hope all over again. You never know, it might just stick some day. And if not, you can always get yourself a new pair of shoes. Because in the end, boys can come and go, but you will always need shoes! ;)

The QUDC lives on!

Funny moment this weekend:

I'm out with a friend, we are in Pages on Queen St. W and lo and behold there was a book on the "new in non-fiction" table that caught my eye. It was called Growing Up with Degrassi. Inside to my surprise there was an essay by my friend Mark Jansen from Queen's all about the QUDC! Ha! Can you believe it???

I've got a new job!

This is my very first post from my work computer - the girl is moving up in the world I tell you! Just before I left for Africa I accepted a position to be a customer care rep in a call centre, and so that's where I am today. It's day two, and it's going well. Yay training!

Funny, this time last year I was training for Jets Go. Boo.

A weird head space

Aside from the weirdness of being jet lagged, the last few days have been interesting - I've ended up in a strange head space, and I'm not really sure what it means. There was something about going away that allowed me to have a little bit of space from some of the crazy dramas that seem to happen here in the city, and I was able to get some much needed perspective. Drama isn't always necessary, and it's all relative.

Seeing my family, and knowing some of the history that they have survived made me stop and think - I've had it pretty good here in Canada. Really. I could have spent my life in Africa, had to deal with major political change and tough times, but my parents chose to leave for myself and my sister. Times have been hard here too, but still I've always felt relatively sheltered. So the dramas are all relative.

I guess it does make sense that I'm in a weird head space - I'm resisting all senses of drama here. I feel it. I don't want to deal with it. This doesn't necessarily mean that I am being surrounded by tons of it, I just don't want it to come. Yet I can't explain it, I feel like something is going to happen soon - my "faye" tendancies might be acting up - and I just have a feeling like something is going to change soon, for better or for worse I don't know. It's just a weird sensation and a weird head space.

Hmm...

African heritage reflections

Lately I've been missing my family, but I got an email update this morning from my aunt and it inspired me to write a little blog on all the lovely terms that I want to use, but can't because one I have a Canadian accent so it sounds horrible, and two because most people won't get what I'm saying. Here are a few of them (some of which my mother has been using for years):

• bokkies - little boxes/pots
• bakkie (pronounced bucky) - small pick-up truck
• "Ag, shame!" - term use when anything goes wrong, or is cute, etc usually denoting a sympathetic feeling
• woofie - term used most often by my aunt to describe dogs
• stompie - small end of something, most often used to refer to the butts of cigarettes
• Tot Siens - goodbye in Afrikaans
• "Foertsek!!!" - basically the equivalent to "Buggar off!"
• designer - term used most often by my aunt to descibe anything fancy
• braai (pronounced br-eye) - barbequing meat over an open fire of hard wood
• pommie - term used to refer to Brits (prisoners of mother England)
• Mugabe - dictator who is ruining the state of Zimbabwe (oh wait, we can all used that one - had to get a jab in there)
• mealie - green corn
• robot - traffic light
• podkos (pronounced pot-kor-ss)- snacks
• sarmie (pronounced sah-mee) - sandwhich
• naartjie (pronounced nar-chee) - name for a tangerine
• Bobotie (pronounced buh-boor-tee) – traditional South African dish made with minced meat and curried spices, with an egg sauce which is poured on top and then baked.
• muti (pronounced moo-tee) - medicine (usually referring to liquid forms taken orally)
• slops/slip-slops - flip flops/thong sandals
• cozzie/togs - swimming wear

Updates on the blog

I've added some pictures to some of my old posts, and I'm trying to set up a link to some highlight pictures from my trip. Look for the link of the side. Enjoy!

Safe, Sane and Single

Ladies and gentlemen, I am once again on Canadian soil and I am safe, sane, and even single. No eloping for me, at least not yet anyway. hehehe!

I landed in Canada on a delayed flight from London Heathrow, rather tired, seeing as I woke up at 5 am in London and didn't even sleep a wink on the plane - but I did managed to last until 9pm in Canada (2 am London time) and I'm hoping that my jet lag isn't going to get worse. I'm not surprised that I'm tired, though, seeing as our last few days in England were action packed. My godmother was very intent on making sure we saw as many sights as possible in our short time visiting with her. On our first day, just off a 12 hour flight and 2 hour train ride, we were whisked off to visit the picturesque village of Lacock where some of the first Harry Potter movie was filmed. Then it was off for a quick freshening-up and we off again for dinner at a true English pub and to meet my father's cousins (and their families) both of which my father has not seen in over 60 years! It was really cool to make yet another family connection, and one I don't think any of us expected to make!

The next day was another busy day, as Coral (my godmother) had organized a reunion lunch for a bunch of nurses who all trained with her and my mother in Zimbabwe, some of which my mother hasn't seen in about 40 years! It was so much fun hearing the ladies swap stories about the pranks and adventures they would have while they were training, ranging from pretending to be dead and frightening the staff to sending notes of the balconies while on night shift. Ha! One lady even let it slip to me that apparently my mom was a bit of a drama queen herself - now that explains a lot!

On our next day, we managed to have a lovely day of sight-seeing in Bath. What an amazing city! We were really lucky to have a break in the rainy weather so we hopped on a double decker bus and went around the town. I managed to get a few good shots in, but stupidly I forgot to charge my camera, so the pictures were limited. (I'll get more from Mom soon enough!) We also had a chance to go around the Roman Baths, which were actually surprisingly interesting, in the sense that I didn't know quite how much I was going to enjoy the tour. I can't believe how old the baths are, and just how intact they are too. Very cool. I highly recommend spending the pounds to see them, it's worth it. Oh, it's also worth tracking down a Bath bun and a Sally Lunn bun too - it can't hurt having traditional English treat, can it?

Soon enough it was out last morning there, and we were on our way back to Canada - probably a good thing too, seeing as patience was running a little thin on the family front and we were all getting a little annoyed with each other. We spent the night in London near Heathrow just to rest our heads, and it was back on the plane again - and now we're up to speed!

It's good to be home.

Jolly Ol' England

It's about 9:10 in the morning and I'm doing my internet business again, this time at Heathrow airport. We climbed off the long flight from Cape Town just over and hour ago, and now we're just getting freshened up - I feel soooooo sticky after 12 hours on a plane - then we're off to catch a train to Trowbridge, near Bath, to see my godmother, my mom's nursing friends, and even my dad's long lost cousin that he hasn't seen in sixty years! Should be a fine adventure for the next four days, then we're back on the plane to Canada on Saturday. Wahoo!

I'm feeling a little blue that I'm no longer sitting drinking tea with my aunt and uncle. (Trust me they drink tea - I could almost float home!) We went out with a bang, though. On Saturday it was my 24th Birthday, so we had a celebration, and it was great. Literally this is my first birthday spent in Africa since my birth day. We also exchange presents and so on as a little early "Christmas with the Canadians" kinda thing. We also were celebrating my aunt's 60th birthday and 40th wedding anniversary. Lots to be happy about!

Yesterday was a tearful good-bye - it's hard to leave when you feel like you're just getting to know someone for the first time in a life time. At least now I have a personality to add to the picture of the mysterious people in Africa I talk to every Christmas morning! Sigh!

Time's running out again, but onwards and upwards! See you all Saturday!

Under African skies

As of the 18th (I think) of this month, I have been safe and sound in RSA and having quite a good time. (Don't worry, the weather here is not too hot, really - it ranges from bitter cold winds to hot sun seeing as we're on the Cape, and the winds come straight from the Antartic at times). We landed in the morning - it was so touching, my aunt was teary-eyed and full of joy at seeing us, along with my uncle and cousin, and even his partner - everyone came to see us off the plane! We made the drive back to Lakeside (near Zandvlei) and "suburb" of Cape Town proper, where my aunt and uncle live and settled in to life here.

I have to say, there was something just so awesome about landing here. I don't think I believed it, but there is something really African in me - I've been told that it's something in my blood that will never go away, and it just seemed so happy the minute I stepped onto African soil. Deon, my cousin's partner, swears that Africa knows - and being born here guarantees that I will have that pull forever...sigh...it's hard to explain, really, but I'm so glad to be here.

It's been a real treat getting to know my family, basically for the first time in my life. There have been lots of stories about life in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) where we are all from - stuff that I've never really heard about seeing as I've been in Canada for most of my life. We've visited Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch, Simon's Town, the Boulders (to see African penguins) and much more...so many pictures, so many stories. Tomorrow we're having a grand celebration to celebrate my 24th b-day, then Christmas (the first ever together) and Anniversaries. It's going to be great...

Time's running out...I'll add more when I can!

A long lost godfather...

It's been over a week, almost ten days since we've started this trip and we've packed in quite a few things. I'm surprised we got her without murdering each other seeing as an 8 hour plane ride, followed soon after by an 11 hour plane ride is enough to make anyone edgy. Needless to say, I bit my tongue on most of my drama queenish moments - not all, seeing as my CD player and my headphones both decided to break on the trip to RSA! grr!!! - and we made it safe and sound.

One of the highlights of the trip was me getting to meet my godfather, Tony, for the first time that I can remember. My parents last saw him about 24 years ago, just after my christening and just before they left for Canada. We met up with Tony, who consequently is an Anglican priest, in London, near Picadilly Circus while we had a twelve hour stop over between flights. It was just enough time to get in a little lunch and a look at the Edward Munsch (sp?) exhibit at the Royal Academy. Can you imagine I've got a godfather who loves movies like Sin City, but he is still someone who will do a High Church service every week? Very cool. One of the nicest parts was him letting me know he's been praying for me all these years, and well, that's just always nice to know, right?

The rest of the day was spent getting back to the airport so we could hop on the next part of the journey - not without having a break to buy some English Cadbury chocolates...mmm... All stress aside, we made it, and we were on the way again.

Internet, sweet Internet

Ok, so I'm officially rediculously a product of my environment - I can't help but admit that I've truly been missing the internet as of late. I mean, really, you're thinking, she's on vacation in Africa, it can't be a major thing, but all the same, the fact that I haven't been able to get online until now has actually driven me a little nuts. Yikes.

So, to all of you out there that have been checking this blog for info on my trip, I'm sorry you're not hearing from me until now. I only got online briefly yesterday for the first time and I just had time to write a few quick emails before having to rush off. Today I am slipping away to write this whilst my mom, aunt and sister are doing a few errands in the mall. So, I shall quit this message and try and write a few more installments about my trip with better titles.

Just know I miss you all, and I'm thinking of Canada, but I'm having a great time on the Western Cape, and I've got tons of pics to share when I get home! See you soon!

And I'm gone...

Leaving Toronto 19:55. British Airways, baby. Quite ironically out of Terminal 3, former home of Jets Go. ha!

I'll try and update this blog, but I don't know how often I will get the internet. For all of you out there, best wishes, God speed, and lots of hugs.

More thoughts on Degrassi

So, my roomie just got me the BEST early birthday present ever! Season three of DJH on DVD! I managed to get some more quality Degrassi in before I leave tonight! Sweet. It reminds me of something though...

So I realized the other day that I almost forgot to share one of the greatest Degrassi moments in my life. I had my very own Degrassi sighting. For real!

It all happened back when I was working for Jets Go. I was on one of my first flights, coming back from Vancouver, and who was sitting on my plane by Andy Chambers, the guy who played Luke Cassellis. We all remember him - he was the sports guy who in Degrassi High ended up giving Shane drugs and abandoned him while he was high. Then Shane had the "accident" and ended up with brain damage - very big deal!

Being a silly girl, I didn't ask him if he was on Degrassi, that would have just been going too far as a flight attendant. But all the same, it was him, I swear it!

Man and Wife

Last night the associate pastor at Freedomize married a very lovely woman. It was beautiful! Congratulations David and Jen McGhee!

Honestly, last night was a very moving night - it was hard to get too swept up, seeing as most of us were working hard serving and organizing food for the reception, but all the same I was glad to be there. I'm relatively new to Freedomize, and I know David as just a little bit more than an acquaintance, and Jen even less well - however, this doesn't stop me from knowing what an amazing blessing this marriage is for the both of them, and yeah, even for the rest of us. This marriage is full of life!

Just about two weeks ago, I was able to sit and listen to David speak about Jen and his upcoming marriage. It was so inspiring and so exquisite to just be in the presence of a man so completely in love, but so completely in Godly romantic love. He talked about the blessings that Jen brought to his life, and how grateful he was to know he was soon going to be calling her wife. He talked about the little joys, like her setting up their apartment while he was gone for two hours after they moved house. He talked about the fact that it felt right, and that there was even a spiritual connection that just seemed to highten intimate moments when they were together. He said "This relationship makes me feel alive!" And I thought to myself, "That must be true, because this relationship is making me feel full of life by just listening to you, David!"

In this world, I fear it's rare to have that kind of a relationship, not because God doesn't want it to happen, but because the world doesn't want it to happen. The lines of marriage are blurred and have a focus that tends towards a legal declaration of love rather than a joining of a man and woman in the blessing of God, the Father. (Don't get me wrong, these marriages are still very valid and full of love, but...)

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

There is power in asking God to bless a union because if a relationship is meant to breathe life into you and your spouse, it HAS to come from God because God IS life.

Amen to that!

Just about prepared

So, I'm just about packed and ready to go. I managed to get a bunch of things I needed for travelling today - standard stuff, like travel shampoo bottles, etc and new make-up. Gotta have a fresh face for the world, right? It feels pretty good to have some stuff in my suitcase. I guess it makes it seem more real. I even had my last shift at the store before I go away today. One more thing done with for now. Tomorrow's the wedding, then one day to get the last minute prep done, and I'm gone...

Wow.

Even closer...

Sunday is creeping up - slowly but surely it is arriving, and I find myself slightly nervous and very excited. This time next week I will be in Cape Town, RSA. I keep thinking I know what to expect, but really I don't. It's going to be a long trip, but a very worthwhile one. Oh dear, I'm getting all fluttery thinking about it.

I've still got some last minute packing to finish, it's been kinda pushed aside for a few days, seeing as I'm helping out with my pastor's wedding this weekend. Wow, it's a busy time. Luckily I got Saturday off, so I can get everything done I need to before I go. Baby steps, and lots of planning...like laying stuff out on my floor! hehehe!

Sigh. I really need this vacation.

Wow, now THAT was a compliment!

I had a random thought today about true compliments - one's that just speak to your very soul, ones that just feel a little need you have, ones that just make you feel great. Recently, I recieved such a compliment from a friend. It was just really genuine and off-the-cuff but it was beautiful and it made me feel really good. (Thank you, person, if you know who you are!) I thought for a moment and realized that it was probably only the second compliment that I've recieved like that this year. And it made me cherish it all the more. The first compliment happened in March, again in a very random manner, but a person just turned to me and said something that made my very insides just feel sunnier. He didn't even know how much what he said had meant to me, and still might not know to this day. It was just something I needed to hear, and it built me up in a great way. Hmmm...there should be more encouragement like that.

Ever really think about these kind of moments? Challenge yourself for a second, just ask yourself when was the last time someone really genuinely made you feel good. Remember it, and never forget it. We can always use a reason to smile, right?

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

For the second year in a row, I didn't make it home to visit my family for Thanksgiving. It's kinda sad, because for a long time (especially when I was at school) it was something I really looked forward to. But alas, as things worked out, I've had to work both last year and this year. In the end it's been good. Last year around this time I was going out to brunch with my ex Dan and his parents, this year I was offered at least two different turkey dinners. It's amazing what can happen in a year...

Today was a good day. I had some weird dreams last night, something to do with Germany, probably because I watched a German movie before bed and I have a new found bank of German friends. Very strange. I awoke, was running late, but made it to work. For the third day in a row, it was just me and Kaleena on at the store, and it was pretty chill. We had a fairly steady flow considering it was Thanksgiving Monday, and we still managed to beat our goal in sales for the day. I mean, I managed to sell 6 watches - that's almost ridiculous based on the aforementioned holiday. Heck ya!

Then I went and had a great meal of turkey and veggies at my friend Rachel's. This girl is amazing - I have never met a better organizer and more practical girl than her. She's fantastic. I mean, she's the only person that just about rivals my sister in whom I find great and sensible advice about 95% of the time. (That's saying a lot, 'cause I really love and respect my sister, and hold her opinions in very high esteem). But back to the dinner - dessert was pumpkin and white chocolate tart topped with marzipan pumpkins. Wow. It was nice to just be somewhere to have someone take care of you, with good conversation. If you can't be with your immediate family, it's good to have a very amazing replacement family. Sigh.

Tonight was bonding time with Nick - it might just be that he is switching over from WWE RAW to UFC (Ultimate Fighter Challenge), so tonight I sat down to watch some of the fights. It's true, it's very exciting compared to the sheer contrivance that is professional wrestling at times. Maybe Monday night will be forever changed at the Harem House!

Anyway - today was a good day friends. I hope yours was too. Full of fall leaves, pumpkin pies, and good friends and family. Blessings!

Love for the ladies of #3.

Picture for no reason.

Excuse me, didn't you go to Queen's?

Today was a super Queen's hook-up kind of day. Seriously. It's sometimes ridiculous how many Queen's alumni (even current students) that are walking around Toronto!

For example, today, in my store, I not only had one, but no, two people from Queen's walk in, both of which I knew! The first was a lovely lad named Peter with whom I worked at Walkhome in first year (that being 99-00). He came in to get his sister's watch repaired and we had a moment to catch up. About an hour later, another girl came in to the store who looked very familiar. I asked, "Didn't you go to Queen's?" and she said "Yes!". We did the intros, and tried to figure out why each of us looked familiar to the other. I finally made the connection - she lived upstairs from me in Adelaide Hall in first year. Holy crap.

The best part is that this happens all the time. Last night on the subway to St. Clair West, a boy got on and he was from Queen's I'm sure of it. I didn't know him, but I'm pretty damn sure he was in science with me. Last week on my way to visit my friend Michelle, a fellow Queen's Alum, I was in College station, and TWO Queen's grads that I knew walked by me. Two days ago my friend Chris Rapson walked past my store on Queen West. The connections are endless. We always said it was two degrees of separation at school, now it's leaking into life in Toronto! Ha!

Ironically, tonight I went out with Queen's friends, three of which are in a Masters program at U of T, all from different years, and the people we know are interchangeable. Funny. It's just funny. I guess there nothing else to say but...

OOOOHHH!!!!

Oil thigh na Banrighinn a'Banrighinn gu brath!
(Do the) Oil thigh na Banrighinn a'Banrighinn gu brath!
Oil thigh na Banrighinn a'Banrighinn gu brath!
Cha Cheil, Cha Cheil, Cha Cheil!

C'mon give us a try at Degrassi Junior High!

Everyone has a weakness, everyone has a guilty pleasure. For me, it's Degrassi. The ORIGINAL Degrassi (like most purists, I have a small issue with The Next Generation). Now they are coming out with Degrassi on DVD. I am now the proud owner of both Season 1 and Season 2 of Degrassi Junior High! Yay!

Ok, so why do I love Degrassi? There is just something beautifully charming about it. None of acting is spectacular, the clothes are so funny, and some of the characters are darn near annoying (who doesn't Kathleen irk?!?), yet I love it. I started watching it years ago, not even much when it first came out I don't think, mostly after school when it was being re-run. I just got into the stories. Being a pop culture junkie, I just ate up this little piece of Canadian work. I became a Degrassi fan.

I mean, afterall, there is a lot of meat in these stories. Imagine writing about teen pregnancy, wet dreams, divorce, alcoholic parents, shoplifting, inappropriate approaches by adults towards kids, depression, and more in just the first two seasons of Junior High! There is something very honest and direct in the work that Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler did for teens in the late 80's early 90's. They weren't afraid to talk about the issues or even have moments that were a little contrived at times so that kids would have something to talk about with their parents. I mean, really, Degrassi talks (pun FULLY intended).

The staying power for me, and I think for some of my fellow fans, is the utter campiness of the show, and the endearing qualities of the characters. Like any good show, you begin to feel that you know who they are. Joey Jeremiah will always be at my service, and Caitlin will always be fighting for the cause of the week. Another good challenge is testing my skills at how much I actually remember about the characters! These trivia are just off the top of my head:

• What kinda of car did Clutch drive? (Trans Am, but this might be wrong)
• What was Spike's real name (Christine Nelson)
• What does Lucy try convince Voula to steal? (A sweater)
• What does she get caught for shoplifting? (A scarf)
• What is LD's first name? (Lorraine)
• What happens to Wheel's parents before he moves in with his grandparents? (They die in a car accident)
• What nickname did Joey give Michelle? (Mouse)
• What did Claude send to Caitlin right before he killed himself? (Roses)

Hmm...if you like this trivia stuff, check out more on the Degrassi Online website. There is even a list from the Queen's University Degrassi Club - a club that I was a member of - and that yes, really exits.

Actually, to tell you the truth, I love that club, and still have stuff from it - a sweatshirt that says "Zit Remedy Road Crew" and a mug that says "Everybody wants something". We are crazy bunch at Queen's, and some friends of mine started The QUDC, and it was so great. We would meet on Monday evenings, watch episodes of Degrassi (usually a Junior High one then a High) then we would talk about them. We had a great Family Feud kinda thing based on the top answers on a survey done in the club. We had trivia. We even had guest speakers - one of which was a Queen's film professor Clarke Mackey who directed a few episodes. Oh can we ever handle the Degrassi goodness!

The crowing success would have to be our Degrassi party though, we all got assigned characters, and we had to show up fully in character for the party. It was sooo much fun. You can see the pics on the website, but I've got a couple of my favs to add here. They feature me as Stephanie Kaye (I did everyone proud, came dressed as a prep and changed when I got there), my friend Neilson at Derek Wheeler a.k.a. Wheels, my friend Eric at Joey Jeremiah, and my friend Mark as Archie Simpson a.k.a. Snake.

Aren't we just so cute?