Just when you thought the joke was dead...

Chuck Norris puts the laughter in manslaughter.

looking through the old Europe photos tonight, and I found this.
my little Euro shoe and Chuck suspended in time.
Priceless.

....today i miss....

Single Serving Friend...

On Sunday, I had a wonderful day with Matthew and we headed downtown. In an effort to use all the entertainment coupons before they expire, we decided to go for the gold. So we chose Kobe. It's the one where the chefs cook right in front of you. Our chef was named "Kevin", and he was an entertainer. He made some big fires, stacked some onions, flipped his...umm flipper? I don't know what they call those things. He also had a lot of jokes. Gotta say I wasn't expecting jokes.

Anyway, they seat you around this sort of semi-circle table that surrounds the grill. So if you on are a date for two, you suddenly are not. Its you and 5 random other strangers. At first, I thought this might be a little odd, but then we met Brian. Matt aptly named him a wonderful "single serving friend". This guy was just great, biting wit and understated jokes. We had a fairly thorough discussion about the difference between cynicism and pessimism (yup, cracking open that can of worms). I explained how my education profs are very anti sacrasm. It went like this:

Sharelle:
"My education proffessor said that sarcasm was just anger in a clown suit".

Our new friend Brian:
"Whatever - happiness is just depression in a clown suit".

Oh man, that just killed me.

Required Reading....

In many ways, my semester this fall is seriously lacking: history filler courses, seven hour midday breaks, all the "core requirements" that I put off until now. But there is one thing, which pretty much redeems the rest - I am studying the 19th Cenury Novel. So, for "homework", I get to come home and read Jane Austen.

There is just something about Austen's sardonic wit, and rich cariactures that makes me happier than I can describe. The amazing thing is, her characters are all around you. While I read the book, I just kept on writing names next to the descriptions (Was your name in there....now you're wondering...haha) Yet we don't speak like they do, with biting wit and clever come backs. I just wish I could for one day.

So for the Austen readership (or "watchership") I pose this question: do you see yourself more as an Elinor or a Marianne? And which male character truly stole your heart? There was some debate in class, and I'd like to know some other opinions. Thanks for humoring me and my literature posts. I just can't help myself.

Welcome Back John...

Friends, you are going to want to listen to this album.

I think Mayer sort of lost it on "Heavier Things". Then, something happened and he came back. I got the "first listen" with him discussing his new songs, and I had to listen to it straight through. I liked it so much, that I actually bought the album. This is a rare occurrence. The man has a way of describing the quarter life crisis, that just fits.

Get in car, let the rain overwhelm you, then put this on.
I am telling you, it’s just perfect.

Beware of Cliches....

So, as a student of good old Trinity Western University, I am required to take 3 "Human Kinetics" courses, which is essentially gym class. The whole concept is quite strange I realize. Holistic education or something like that. Anyway, I decided to take hiking. In many ways, it was a good idea, only 4 Saturdays, you know just get it over with.

Then I found myself on Mt. Seymour, on the side of a mountain. So on Saturday, I did a full hike. Now if you are a hiking keener you are thinking "ahh thats a moderate hike". But if you know me at all, you realize, I am seriously not in shape. Needless to say, it was quite a trek

Picture me, staring up at this, realizing I have to climb it....

Yet, I must admit, its true what they say, the view from the top is pretty amazing. That and the immense feeling of self satisfaction.

So I realized then, why the "mountain" and "hiking" analogies have been so grossly overused in speeches, sermons, lectures and so on. When you are up there, it feels like the greatest physical expression of "journey" possible.

I must say, it was much better when I was climbing with someone else, even if I didnt know them at all, then it was to be scaling those rock faces on my own. I promise I won't beat the analogy to death anymore, just saying I noticed something I would use, if I liked cliches. The other thing to remember is, most people you are talking to cannot actually relate to this whole hiking idea, as they are far from actually going on one themselves.

As for me, I unexpectly understood all these well worn analogies on a fine Saturday morning.

My legs however, are not thanking me.

It's true: another post about school.

"What year are you in now?"

"Fourth year"

"Wow, that must feel good..just about done"

My response to this conversation I have had about 30 times in the last week is no, no it does not "feel good".

It feels overwhelming. It feels like all the classes I avoided doing for 3 years are now coming to haunt me. I have no idea how they will be completed by Spring. It feels like I actually need to "pull up my socks" and think seriously about how I plan on teaching 18 year olds when I am only 25. It means that I have to leave a place, where everyday I walk out of at least one class thinking "I was made for this".

So, contrary to the popular opnion that all fourth years are itching to get on with the rest of their lives, I am not. Maybe I will be in 9 months. Yet honestly, there is so much more work to be done, from prepping for PDP, to actually doing PDP, to hopefully one day doing even further studies. So theres my rant. Its probably good I wrote this all down, because come April, I bet just like everyone else around me I will be saying...

"Wow...it sure feels good to be done...."

Ha.
We will only have just begun.

Can I just say...

....that I love learning.


I love that studying medieval monks can you teach you about modern Christianity. I love that most early English Literature was written to reflect the glory of our creator.

I love that scholarship can be worship.

The day I realized this was just monumental. It meant, that this desire to learn, to know, to understand is not created by me, but by God. People will say many things about Trinity Western, but one thing I will say, is that the school taught me to see academia in a whole new way.

Have I mentioned that I love school? I love the atmosphere that is ripe for discussion at any given moment. I love the intellectual insight that comes not only from proffessors, but from the person sitting next to you at the BBQ. Its amazing to find a place, where you don't feel like the English keener, but you just feel right, like this is an important thing to care about. It's safe to say, I will miss it when its over. So for now, I plan on really enjoying it.

(I think I will probably have to re-read this post during midterms and paper weeks...just for a little well...perspective)

WANTED:

Study Buddies

You probably think I am kidding.

I am not.

If you need to study,

but sort of like to study with someone else...

then I'm your girl

I might be the geekiest person in the world for having posted this.

I'm alright with that.

I think it is particularly hard for me to realize that summer is over this time around. Mostly because I never really had a summer. I was busy studying Thomas Merton, World War II, and then of course the Dead Sea Scrolls. Now don't get me wrong, I am not whining here. I realize that students are among the extremely priveleged human beings who get summers "off". And off from what you ask? Well yes, not working. So, it seems studying in the summer is not really a hardship at all. But I do sort of feel like summer came and went without me realizing. Doesn't that happen every year though?

So, we go back to the books, for the final year of TWU. I feel a tiny pang of sadness realizing this. Then I remember: I still have PDP and potentially another two years after that. Then I realize, as you all already realized if you are still reading this post, I am a very big geek. hehe.