The Good Life

I have an awesome life. Why is my life so freaking awesome? Seriously? What did I do to deserve it more than other people?
Today Brynne came to visit me at lunch after a crazy and excitingly busy morning at work. We played Frisbee in the park across the street, it was hilarious and embarrassing. I haven’t played since Africa, and it was windy, and the Frisbee was super crappy and cheap…but enough excuses. We sucked. I think the most we got in a row was maybe 5? It was hilarious and cruddy, I actually could hardly breathe the whole time cause I was laughing so hard. And Brynne was leaping everywhere, and there were people walking by watching us…man. That was hilarious!
Then we went for ice cream, what a gorgeous day. We drove there in the GREMLIN! That’s right, people, the Gremlin LIVES! I almost wept, and I remembered the trick to opening the passenger door. I missed a car with such personality. Know where the Gremlin would not fit in at all? In Leamington, the land of beautiful cars. Road trip, Brynne? Ha ha!
I also had a fun and productive afternoon at work, too. Just what I needed!
Now I am off to the grad supper and then to the grad ceremonies. Can you believe I graduated a year ago today? I can’t at all. I can’t believe I looked like that a year ago today either. My, how things change! I’m pretty much happy with the past year of my life, how things went and how I turned out. I wonder where I’ll be a year from now?

Dani California

Firstly, I love this song!



All I can say is, how much fun would this video be to film? And how many different people do they imitate in it? So funny! Its pretty much the sweetest idea ever.
Oh, Chili Peppers.

Stratford!!!

So, I'm at Terrell's, which is too exciting to even explain. I arrived around 1:30 and when I got here it was POURING rain, like super hardcore and it rained all night, with thunder and lightening to boot. We went out for lunch at Jack Aster's and then drove home. His house is so nice, and pretty, and I feel very welcome here, which is sweet. Then I got the tour, then I got to meet Ben and he's totally awesome, I enjoyed him very much. We went to Walmart (they have a Walmart! And a Shoppers! Brynne we'd be so set!) and got soaked running back to the car. Then we went to Ryan's, and his house is AMAZING and huge and gorgeous and his family is so unbelieveably nice and his mom hugged me! Anyhoo, Ryan is also awesome, although I may have lost points when he found out I don't play baseball (don't worry, I think I gained them back by playing pool and got some extra ones for a joke during a Subway ad...). Then we watched So You Think You Can Dance with his sister, Kelly, and that was fun, and then came home at a late hour. The rai was INSANE! And there were frogs all over the road! Then this morning we went to Stratford, had a beautiful picnic lunch by the river(? lake?), and walked around for a bit. Terrell and I mostly went to like, toy and game stores, book stores, and chocolate stores. We bought nothing. Then we went to the theatre to see "London Assurance" which was very funny, and well acted. The costume and sets were AMAZING. I was quite blown away by them, man! That was fun, excpet I fell up the stairs and hurt my toe...but all is well. Then we walked around a bit more, had chinese and came home. Now I'm going to go tear Terrell away from whatever sports he's watching. Man is it ever good to see him again! Tomorrow is very open, I don't know what we'll do but I guarentee it will be fun! :)

Hope you're all having fun at work, suckers! Ha ha!

I Dyed Again!

So I was bored with my natural color and decided to dye my hair again. It was called "chocolate cherry" and is pretty...I think this pic captures it pretty well. Its a nice emo pic, eh? Ha ha! Well enjoy. :)

Philippians 4:8-9

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Hear No Evil

Ok, so on the way home from Ashley's there was absolutely nothing on the radio. Nothing! All crappy weird songs, so I was flipping through different stations trying to find something worth-while to listen to. All of a sudden the dial stops.
And it stops on 101.1 THE FARM.
At first, I gasp. I hold in a scream. Since Hot 101 became "Slop 1o1", a country station, I have refused to listen to it. And there it was, playing in my car.
Thank God no song was on, but what I heard was almost worse. The DJ, taking a call from a listener. A young girl complaining that her dad still thinks of her as a baby, even though she's in grade six. The DJ responds.
With a forced southern accent.
I am not fibbing, this is complete truth. She says, "Well you have a good night there, li'l darlin'" and continues to introduce the song with one of the worst accents I've ever heard.
This is why I hate country music. See what it does to people's minds? This poor woman thought she was from a southern state, not Western Manitoba! Its sick what it does to people, really. In my opinion that is just another reason for it to be outlawed.
Goodness, now I sound like a cowgirl. Its already poisening my mind...

Beautiful

So Caryn made me this lovely CD, all with songs about being beautiful, and I really like this one. Its by Bethany Dillon, and I love the words. Its totally just the cry of her heart, and I share it. Enjoy!

I was so unique, now I feel skin deep
I count on the make-up to cover it all
Crying myself to sleep cause I cannot keep their attention
I thought I could be strong
But it's killing me

Does someone hear my cry?
I'm dying for new life

[Chorus]
I want to be beautiful
Make you stand in awe
Look inside my heart, and be amazed
I want to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
Just want to be worthy of love
And beautiful

Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me
Fighting to make the mirror happy
Trying to find whatever is missing
Won't you help me back to glory

[Chorus]

You make me beautiful
You make me stand in awe
You step inside my heart, and I am amazed
I love to hear You say
Who I am is quite enough
You make me worthy of love and beautiful

8 days until I fly to London, ON, and then onward to Leamington!!!!

I HATE My Boobs!

Sometimes I hate being a girl.
Okay, so today I had the most irritable and frustrating experience, also known as bra shopping. Seriously, complete annoyment! I must seriously have the oddest breasts in the whole world, because not a single one will fit me properly. Its like I'm between sizes - C is too small, and cuts into me, and D is definitely too big. I mean I can't be a D, if I am there really isn't much to show from it. And the numbers...those are band sizes, correct? Well I'm not big around up there I don't think, but a 36 is most assuredly too small...I must've tried on 12 bras without any success. And I am officially retarded (for lack of a better word) when it comes to how exactly they should fit. I seriously need to go see a bra specialist fitting person. I know they exist, I saw them on What Not to Wear once. They will probably tell me that I have abnormal breasteses and need to buy a $200 bra from them.
Or maybe I'll just give up and live in sports bras for the rest of my life.

Funny Video

Turn up the volume and press play...its just not funny without the sound and believe me, you don't wanna miss it!!!

The Dixie Chicks

Okay, so I just watched the video for "Not Ready to Make Nice" by the Dixie Chicks, and I just had to comment that Natalie Maines is definitly, to me, one of the most beautiful women on this earth. She's so unique, and incredibly stunning. She really knocks me out. Man I love the DC! They are amazing and seriously, one of the best looking bands out there. I think I want their new CD...

Love, Actually.

Did you ever think about being in love? Or even just love for that matter? I mean, what it really means and what its like? I'm sure everyone has, but today after watching a video my friend Al made me, I was thinking about what love actually means to me.

1. As someone quite self-critical, especially about looks, its quite the thing to look at yourself and be like, 'I don't love this, but someone else does." And then you have to think, 'well why don't I love me if someone else does?' and it just gets quite silly and you basically have to just get over yourself.

2. I love people VERY easily. Its just my nature, to love people. So when I love someone, I'm hardcore about it. I want to be with people I love all the time, I want to tell them how much and why I love them (I think everyone deserves that, no?). I love things like their smile, or their laugh. Their forearms. Their little quirks. I love just being surrounded by people I love. Now turn all that around. What? Someone out there also feels the same way about me? All those feelings and emotions that are so real and deeply rooted within me are felt by someone else, towards me? Whatever! It blows my mind. I can hardly believe that.

3. Now this is the real kicker. Take how you feel about the one you love and times it by 10 billion. Thats how God feels about you. No matter what you do, or don't do, how you look, or how much or how little you love Him, He loves you more than you could ever imagine - and thats the real mind blowing thing about love.

Romans 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. "
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Tremble

So I've been thinking about Heaven lately. A girl I know who's my age died this week in a car accident, and I've been thinking about her alot, and death, and bad timing, and life, and basically evaluating so many things. I mean if I were to die right now, I'd almost feel satisfied because I just had an amazing year - but still jipped because I have so many amazing things to do. I know that God is going to use me in so many ways still has so many plans in store for me. I feel like my life is falling into place, and really can see God's hand in so much of it. I mean I had a scary incident with a semi the other week and His hand protected me then. Where was it when Sam was driving? I'm just trying to sort it all out. Anyhoo, back to the main topic. I was listening to the song "Tremble" by Audio A and thought about how every person, whether saved or not, will face God on their judgement day. How Sam did it, how I have yet to do it. How sad I will look, on my knees begging God to forgive everything I've ever done...Here are the words. They paint a vivid picture.

Shaking like a leaf
Afraid to life my eyes
Afraid of all your glory
Ashamed of all my pride
Then you call me in
To your holy place
I fall down
Down on my face
And I beckon you for mercy
And I beckon you to forgive everything that I've ever done
And I tremble
And I tremble
I am just a man
Showered in your grace
You're the holy god
Your glory fills this place
And I beckon you for mercy
And I beckon you to forgive everything I've ever done
And I tremble
I tremble

Church Bulletin Bloopers

These absolutely slay me - my favorite number 18, the one about B.S.!

These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

1. Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Methodist. Come hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.

2. The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water." The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus."
3.Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.

4. Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands.

5. The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.

6. Remember in prayer the many that are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say "hell" to someone who doesn't care much about you.

7. Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.

8. Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

9. For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

10. Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.

11. During the absence of our Pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when J.F. Stubbs supplied our pulpit.

12. The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing "Break Forth into Joy."

13. A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.

14. At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.

15. Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 pm - prayer and medication to follow.

16. The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.

17. This evening at 7 pm there will be a hymn sing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.

18. Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.

19. Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.

20. The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours."

21. Our next song is "Angels We Have Heard Get High."

Amazing Picture!

Okay, so I love this picture, its quite phenominal. Brynne took it outside of Caryn and I inside at Gullivers. I love how you can see whats outside and whats inside at the same time! Pretty dang sweet. That was a good time. The drinks over Brynne's head look like the house behind her is lit up all pretty, and the sky looks like its inside the building - amazing! Plus Brynne is almost riding a motorcycle and Caryn and I look HOT!

Panic! At the Disco

Ok, so Brynne introduced me to this band and I like them. Well I like them enough to write a post on them, I guess. I would like them more if they didn't swear. Like the one song is so good, but they swear like 3 times in it, and it made me sad. But yeah, I love like 3 of the songs on their CD (probably because they are the only ones I actually understand). They sound like Fall Out Boy, only more 'emo' or what have you. I think that "But its Better If You Do" is the best song, that and "Time to Dance." They're super random, like they say stuff like: Just for the record, the weather today is slightly sarcastic with a good chance of: A. Indifference or B. Disinterest in what the critics say. Like thats funny! My favorite lyrics though are 'When I say "Shotgun", you say "Wedding", "Shotgun!" "Wedding!" "Shotgun!" "Wedding!" So random, like what is that? It actually makes sense in the song...anyhoo. So yes, Panic! is pretty a-okay. Maybe don't listen to them when you're feeling down because they are all emo and moody, I mean look at them!

Wow that was a super honest review.

EDIT: By the way, what the heck is emo? What is the real definition of it? I'm starting to doubt that these guys are emo - but I mean they look emo...what a dumb word. EMO. Emo eMO EmO! Ha ha, I'm silly. But seriously, what defines 'emo'?

These Words of Mine

Here is a pic of when Care Bear came, and Pauly Boy and Zachary James as well. Man I love those people. I love lots of things. To quote Hedly, "If loving meant living then I'd never die." Ah, Hedly. I need to put a new CD in my car.
Okay so I went to the golf course in SL today for work, and I decided that I really love the smell of freshly cut grass. It was such a gloriously summery day out, and these old people with no jobs were out golfing in cute outfits, and it smelled so lovely. Then I looked and there on the lake were two old men in a boat...so cute! It just screamed summer today - I wished I wasn't working and was out walking a dog or something through the park (well if I had a dog, and SL had a real park...). Speaking of dogs I saw the cutest one ever in a car today, he liked me and would've let me scratch his ears if he wasn't stuffed in some overheated car (HELLO! animal cruelty!). He was big and lovely - I know, me liking a large dog. There must be something in the air today if that is happening!

Anyhoo, whilst at the golf course I realised how much I dislike Nelly Fertado. I mean I really like her older stuff, but this "Promiscuous" thing - like is she a sell out or what? What ever happened to the "Cuz this life is too short to live it just for you" stuff because I mean, she's totally just contradicting that, sinning weird stuff like "I can see you with nothing on" to some over-used wanna-be Black Eyed Peas hook...I dunno, its just depressing to me, to hear her drop that unique originality that made her so....Canadian.

Nelly being generic and Janna liking dogs - what is this world coming to?

My New Mantra

Anybody know The Nylons? Old accapella group, sparkly shirts and finger snapping? Amazing harmonies and great performers? Anyways, I was listening to their CD on the way to work today and there was this song that one of the guys wrote called “Loving You”. Sounds like a cheesy love song, correct? Well it’s about loving yourself, which is a pretty foreign concept to me most of the time, and it’s not the greatest song or anything, but it’s cool to think about what the words mean – made me think, anyways. And to have a guy saying that to a girl…

First things first, let’s talk about your self esteem
You don’t need some guy to complement you to feel like a beauty queen
You’ve got to tell yourself everyday
That the way you look is better than okay
Doing everything, everything you can
To please yourself and not some man
You will find true peace of mind in

[chorus]

Loving you
First on your list of things to do
Got to feel good about yourself
Before you take on something else like
Loving me
Though I hope that will come easily
I think it’s only secondary to
Loving you

You should know that you deserve the very best
Stop comparing how you look ‘cause you shouldn’t think about the rest
You’ve got to tell yourself all the time
That the person that you see as you will do just fine
Everything you are, who you gonna be
Just always be yourself with me
You can set your spirit free by

[chorus]

You’ve got to love yourself much better
You’ve got to love yourself that will make you stronger
You’ve got to love yourself much better than before
You’ve got to love yourself so much more

On another note, I was at Hamiota School over lunch, and the grade 12 kids were going into the gym before I left. Guess what class they have after lunch? Dance. Not lying, they have a dance class. And even though they were all two-stepping to country music, I was still incredibly jealous and bitter; I mean why didn’t our school have something cool like that? Man. Not like there were too many people in my class I really wanted to dance with…

Near Death Experience

So I had an interesting experience today. I was driving to work and there was this semi in front of me. I had been following it for a while, but couldn’t pass it due to oncoming traffic. Finally there was a break and I moved out to pass. I had pulled out and signaled, and as I was passing, the semi started driving towards the yellow line, and then over it, and soon it was driving down the middle of the road and was REALLY close to me. So I ended up driving on the shoulder on the opposite side of the road to pass him. I don’t know what he was doing. There was a cement mixer thing on the shoulder in front of him, but a long ways away. I had time to pass him before we reached it. It was weird that he was passing while I was passing. Man I totally could have died! Seriously, after it happened I was like, woah, he obviously did not see me and I could’ve been killed. That was scary stuff.
On another note, BJ AND TYLER WON THE AMAZING RACE! I am so excited, mom and Caryn and I were screaming at the TV for the last 2 minutes. It was so exciting, they completely deserved to win. I love those guys! Can’t find any pictures of them online – annoying. Man they totally rock! That’s happy.
Hope your day is too!

I Love Old People

~ HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, MOMMY! YOU'RE THE BEST!~

Wow, its been forever! I kinda suck at keeping up to this thing, my summer must be starting to get busy. Well not too much to report on, I'm sure I'm keeping Caryn as bored as possible b/c there's not a whole lot to do in Strath, plus I'm working and all that, but yeah. We've watched a sufficient amount of TV this week, its been grand. I've introduced her to so many shows, like Amazing Race, Lost, and AI. She gets all into it, I love it. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that BJ and Tyler win the Amazing Race, they're the best!
Friday was the best day ever. It was Manitoba's 136 Birthday and I had to celebrate it for work. So I went to SLS and did a MB Music Challenge, and it was so sweet! I loved that! Then I had lunch in Strath at the school's Multicultural Day. That meant perogies, peroshky and melktert! Then I sang what I know of the SA National Anthem, and everyone stood up and all the little kids had their fists in the air, it was sweet. Caryn and Ash both refused to sing with me, those bums.
Later that day, Caryn, Brynne, Ashley, Curtis, Leanna and I went around to all the seniors in town and delivered the left over melkterts to them (my mom made like 8 dozen too many). It was so fun! I love old people, they are so entertaining and endearing. I love small towns, that we can deliver home made things to almost the entire senior population in 1 hour. Or just go into their houses and leave them on the counter...I love it! Then we gathered at my house and ate the left over tarts and watched "Chicken Little", the funniest movie ever. Then Kaitlan and Erica showed up and we watched "Bring it On" and talked passionately about how the Clovers were NOT better, I'm sorry but it rips me everytime the Toros lose b/c they are so superior, even a dummy could tell you that - if you wanna challenge me on that go ahead. By that point in the evening I felt like death I was so tired so everyone left and I went to bed.
The next day Caryn and I watched "From Justin to Kelly" which is so bad its enjoyable, I love that movie! After eating supper we went to Leanna's and watched "The Cutting Edge" which is a splendid early 90s movie about a hockey player becoming a figure skater - its so good! Man! Then we went to Leanna's room and talked for hours about girl and God stuff, it was phenominal, and her 6 wk old kitten fell asleep against me, she's so cute! We got home around 1:00.
Today was church, a mother's day potluck, and then a trip to my Baba's. Tonight we're having a funny supper (usually popcorn and deep fried things, lol) and watching a movie. Yes, another one. I realised in this post that I watch way to many movies...

The Ups and Downs of My Wkd

Good news first:
1. I finally unpacked my Outtatown bags (I know, I know) and it was cool to go through all my stuff and I found a few cute notes and things - and a lot of candy! Like a half eaten Tempo...I ate the rest.
2. I slept in - until 9:30! Whoo!
3. It was such a gloriously summery day out yesterday! It reminded me of that day that Cass and I finished exams in grade 11 and then ate popsicles on the picnic table downtown. That was the best ever!
4. Terrell called me! Thats always exciting!
5. Mom and I looked at flights and set a tentative date for me to go out to Leamington, I am super pumped. All I need to do is comfirm it w/ my boss. I am so freaking excited its ridic! 48 days...
6. I made brownies and they were really good. I love baking!
7. People came over! I did something social! :)
8. Brynne and I went on an incredibly sweet walk last night. We left at like, midnight, and got back around 3:00 am, it was so amazing. We went to the playground and scared drunk ppl and then walked out into the country for miles, then layed in the middle of the highway. The sky was incredible, and I broke in my new flip flops! We layed on top of the water plant and looked at the sky, and plus the entire time we talked about anything and everything, it was great to hear her heart and have her hear mine - man that was the sweetest thing ever!
9. I was asked to sing in church today - Fairest Lord Jesus. I sang it with my Pastor and his son Mike, who rocks my socks. Afterwards Sarah's mom told me what a great ministry that is - now I feel more at peace about taking some music courses at CMU.
10. CARYN IS COMING OUT TO SEE ME FOR TWO WEEKS! She gets here tuesday, I could almost puke I am so pumped! Oh my gosh! And Zach will hopefully come out, and bring some other Winnipeggers out w/ him, and you can camp in my yard and we can have a weiner roast - I am so pumped!
11. I played my guitar outside on my porch swing b/c it was such a nice day. I love it!
12. My skin looks so much better! I just showered and it hardly freaked out.
13. I am wearing my favorite pants.
14. I am going to bed after this. :)

Bad news:
1. Unpacking made everything seem so final, and made me miss my community and Africa like you would NOT believe!
2. Ah, I miss Cass! Holy crap!
3. My fingers are super burned from my guitar strings...it hurts.
4. Henk isn't coming home. That makes me so sad, I miss him like a crazy fool. :(
5. So last night one of my dad's friends was over, and I was in the kitchen cutting up the brownies to serve to my friends, and he says to me "Did you gain weight in Africa?" and I said, "Yes I did." And he replied, "Yeah, I could tell." I brushed it off, but it still stung. I wish I had the energy to work out. I will soon enough, thats always been in the plan...