Pleasure Boating...

See those little boats below the fireworks there? I was on one of them. Yup, you better believe it. On Wednesday night, I went on the Janzen sailboat into English bay to watch the Italy fireworks.

I am going to go ahead and say, this was the best fireworks expierence I have ever had. Riding through the bay, playing a little Coldplay and then relaxing on the deck of the boat waiting for them to start. Then when they do, the view is perfect. The light explodes in the air literally right in front of you. Like the whole show was just for you. Its easier to think this when you aren't surrounded by the thousands of people on the beach.

So it was truly magical. Italy did an incredible job. During the show, it was universally acknowledged that probably the safest bet for pure beauty is simple white. As the white light filled the sky, I was honestly filled with wonder. Yet something must be said of the colors. The reflection of colored light was shining off the water, and I was mesmerized by the mirage. And as if this wasn't enough, the whole thing was on the backdrop of the setting sun and the beautiful mountains.

Janzen said it perfectly:

"It's moments like this, that make me realize why I stay on the West Coast".

True Story....

My father was on Global TV news last night, talking about the nude beach in White Rock. I bet you didn't even know that existed. Well come into my Starbucks. You'll see the poster. The White Rock Naturalists.

You think I am kidding, but I am not. He was an advocate. Okay, well not an advocate necessarily, but tolerant. Today one of his business associates phoned and told him that he was on the news....talking about a nude beach.

Oh man, life just kills me sometimes. Do I ever love my dad.

....The Wisdom of Morrie Schwartz.....

Are you trying to be as human as you can be?

As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed as ignorant as you were at twenty- two, you'd always be twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It's growth. It's more than the negative that you're going to die, it's the positive that you understand you're going to die, and that you live a better life because of it.

I give myself a good cry if I need it. But then I concentrate on all the good things still in my life. On the people who are coming to see me. On the stories I'm going to hear. On you - if it's Tuesday. Because we're Tuesday people.

.....Love each other, or perish.....

Symphony in the Park....

Can I just say - I love the lower mainland. Here is why:

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra: Deer Lake Park: Sunday Afternoon: Absolutely Free

I sat in the park with thousands of other people from my city, and we listened to the VSO perform for us. Matt and I had some chairs, a little food and drink and we just enjoyed. At the end the whole audience erupted in cheers. They finished with the 1812 Overture. Just perfect.

As promised...

Some stolen Howie wedding photos. Now you are thinking: "where is Sharelle?". Great question, I don't seem to be appearing in these photos, but hey, you get the idea. The real kicker is the ones I am in, were taken by one Lana Jones with a manual camera. I mean really, who uses non digital cameras anymore. haha.


This is the sort of mental dancing that went down that night. And don't be fooled, those boys did not stand on the sidelines the whole time, they also BUSTED a move (yes I am talking to you Adam & Tim). This wedding was phenomenal.

There were moments where I honestly felt like I might have stepped into a time warp back to 5 years ago. The dancing with all these wonderful ladies, just perfect. One of those times when you realize, I am so blessed to know quality people who can also shake 'er down. That my friends, is a killer combo.

Happy Wednesday....

So this is Lavonne and I "at work". By this I mean, this is us playing around with an office camera instead of recording important information. But I promise - we really do work. And now you are asking yourself - why are they wearing hard hats at their desks? Great question. It's not exactly common fare, but I happened to have one in my possession this week.

This week I was filling in for someone on vacation, so I went around to every site wearing the hard hat and steal toed boots. Imagine that. Sharelle - a quasi construction worker. Okay, so not really at all, but it was fun, seeing all the things Novacom is building.

You know - its pretty great to work with your best friend...and your parents. This is my life.

***Side note: Lavonne's cup definitly does say "Forty Years of Magnificence".

Oh how I love offices.***

A "Social" Week....

I realize that I have not posted for a whole week, but here is why:
I wanted to give you a break after 8,000 posts in a row. Just kidding.

The real reason is, it was a crazy social week. There was literally something planned for every night.

tuesday - "the devil wears prada"

Okay, have you seen this wonderful film? I really enjoyed it. Apparently those who have read the book disagree, but I thought it was great.

Other criticism is that it didn't choose a path. First it made the viewer cheer "makeover!" then suddenly switched to a social commentary on how fashion ruins us. This is a good point. Yet I am still saying that I liked it. Especially that bald guy. He is great. When he constantly referred to her as "six" I just about died. Another interesting thing happened that night - the crappy white rock theatre SOLD OUT! Can we believe this? There was like a line going out the door, this theatre still has cheap tuesdays: 5.25. Anyway, I just could not believe that.

wednesday - pedicures and more

In true Lynn Baril style, she phoned me on Monday informing me that we were going for pedicures. "Umm...ok". It was great. My toe nails are now pink with little flowers on them. Never accuse me of not being girly enough.

Side note: our two esthicians were named "Daffy" and "Bingo". Mine introduced herself and I said "Hi...Bingo". I couldn't decide if I would use the name or not. Lynn just went for it, and basically every time she said "Daffy" I just about died.

Another side note: did you know that most people hate their feet? I decided, I don't. I mean I wouldn't say I like them necessarily but I certainly don't hate them. what about you?

Also - on this same day I: met Laura Neville for coffee, had lunch with Stef Fraser and went and did some Bridesmaid stuff with Joanna. See what I mean - Crazy. *cue Gnarles*

thursday - work

okay, so I am not as social as I would like to think.

friday - "the wedding" - laura and conor.

this was great times, but I feel like it deserves its own post. so once someone posts some pictures, I will do my usual and steal them, then explain the good times to you. this time I promise it will not be an "unfufilled" dream like the bridal shower.

now I ask myself: Did anyone care to know this much about my last week? Maybe not. But alas, this is what the blog is for. there you have it.

Four consecutive days at the beach.....

looking at the stars.
eating some fish and chips.
having the bbq
dinner on the boathouse rooftop & gelato.

there are reasons why i love white rock. and those are just some of them.

it's nice to have a city that you love.

Sunday Beach BBQ...

Just in case you hadn't heard:

East Beach (by SandPiper Pub)
1.30 pm - Sunday July 9th
BYOM - but I will bring K & M

Police Friend Update:

Today the cop who pulled me over (don't remember?) came into my Starbucks. His name is Scotty, and apparently, I will never be free of my "crime" because he is a regular at my store. Fantastic. This is how the conversation went down:

Scotty: "Well heellooo..."
Sharelle: "Hi there. I have to tell you, I wasn't really looking foward to this encounter"
Scotty: "Yah...AWKWARD" (as he turns his head away and laughs at me)

While I am making his drink:

Scotty: "Well is speeding your biggest crime?"
Sharelle: "Ya probably"
Scotty: "I'd say you are a pretty good person then"

So maybe the man was afraid of the Super Troopers situation, his drink being screwed up or something, but he was very gracious. I feel that perhaps my relationship with "Scotty" may not be ruined forever. I actually even confessed all and told him I was coming from a working at a school.

He went on to tell me that when he patrols school zones, a good 70% of the people he pulls over are teachers. Wow. So apparently, although I am an awful human being who sped in a school zone, my future colleagues are just as bad. One thing is for sure, this man has pushed me to want to never speed in a school zone again. I guess he is good at his job.

"The immune system just kills me"

- anon.

I'm Done. It's Summer.

There is poetry in life....

And if you swear that there's no truth and who cares
How come you say it like you're right?
Why are you scared to dream of God
When it's salvation that you want?
You see stars that clear have been dead for years
But the idea just lives on...
In our wheels that roll around
As we move over the ground
And all day it seems we've been in between
A past and future town....

:bright eyes:we are nowhere and its now:

Sometimes song lyrics just kill me....

Yours is the first face that I saw
I think I was blind before I met you
Now I don't know where I am,
don't know where I've been
But I know where I want to go
And so I thought I'd let you know
That these things take forever, I especially am slow
But I realized that I need you
And I wondered if I could come home
Remember the time you drove all night
Just to meet me in the morning
And I thought it was strange, you said everything changed
You felt as if you'd just woke up
And you said, "This is the first day of my life.
I'm glad I didn't die before I met you.
But, now I don't care, I could go anywhere with you
And I'd probably be happy."

:bright eyes: this is the first day of my life:

So it turns out....

.....that I was born for this.....

It seems like a fairly strange time for this thought to dawn on me. Its true, I was made to go to University. Yes, I have a paper due on Friday morning, that I am extremely ill prepared for. No, I am not really keen on sitting in the library all day today.

But as I walked through campus, I realized - life might not get much better than this. As much as I need school to be over, and I will be rejoicing on Friday, I also need to learn. I am so grateful that I have the chance to study, to research and to know. I think this will be one of those times in my life that I will always look back on and try to re-live.

Does this mean I am an academic? Hardly. I only wish. It does mean that learning has become a part of me. Laugh if you will. This might make me a geek, but it was truly a unique moment today.

.....Maybe it was because the sun was shining, and I had lunch talking to Master's students,
who knows......

Inspiration from W.C....

In the next three days, I have to write a term paper for my World War II history course. I must say, although this course has been quite frustrating (middle of summer), it has also been very fascinating.

My paper is on: British morale in the face of German bombing. Was it strong, as the traditional view goes? Or was it defeated? In the process, I have encountered the classic speeches of our good friend Winston Churchill. For your reading pleasure:

"Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour' ."

"We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields, and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender!"

Tell me after hearing that, would you want to go fight for your country?

I say....oh yes I would.

In case you didn't notice - I sure love Britain.

A brand new low...

Friends, this is the kind of person I am. Today Lavonne found out about this website in the Province. I have been back two times since.

www.weddingbetting.com

After you vote (because I know you will) - look at how many people have also voted. I think that might be the craziest part. So there you have it - kind of awful, kind of funny.

*********************************************************************************

It is a rare thing that I offer a post-script to a post after it has been published. But I must say I feel the necessity on this one. I want to reiterate the absolute obsurdity of believing that you or I could accurately determine the length of a couple's relationship by looking at them for 30 seconds on the internet. I think the sort of edgy cynicism caught me, but I am also aware of how awful it is.

This site has sparked some controversy in recent days, and I apologize if you were offended by my post. Just for the record, I have no desire that any couple get divorced. But the thing remains fascinating, I must say.

Why am I so Fortunate?

Sometimes I spend my life complaining about how I am not in Europe, and how things are lame. Then I realize I am so fortunate. Which I suppose is really obvious. In the past two days, two things happened that really drove this home:

one. my sister in law works at twu, so instead of getting completly shafted on my drop fees for (because we all know how much I suck at haggling) I got my all my money back and the course dropped.

two. today i got pulled over for driving too fast in a school zone (after coming from fake teaching at EMS....I am basically the worst human being on the planet) yet, to my suprise - it was the cop who Brenda and I made friends with about a month ago at Southpointe. What are the chances? So, even though I realized I was a complete idiot, I did not have to pay for a ticket.

See what I mean - fortunate. I have been bestowed with unbelievable grace in the midst of my obvious failures. So, I take this oppurtunity to say - I am grateful.

When the movie ended...

I literally clapped.

And Stef wanted to kill herself. But thats not the point. I will not listen to the criticism about this movie, I thought it was phenomenal. We all know, I am the biggest keener on a good Rom-Com (see I even have a stupid way of saying it). But this was not your average romantic comedy. I have heard it said "you felt like you were IN the fight scenes". And I say - heck yes! The thing was ridicously well scripted, and even executed. You must see it.

Recently, the ol' Rom-Com has been getting to me, because we present this wonderful storyline and then we ruin it with this totally irrational unhuman ending. Here we had some people, and an ending that just fit. Three cheers.

And now the question I bounced around already with Stef, Lavonne and My Mom:

Was the ending indefinite? What was happening there? Were you "happy" with it?

You'll be happy to know...

...that I have survived the week from HELL! Oh man, I am so glad last week is over. On Monday handed in a book report, then I madly worked on my Thomas Merton paper. Then, on Wednesday night (the Merton paper is due 12.00 noon Thurs), I get an email from the Prof. She says "I think your thesis might be too broad". I just about died. Anyway, very little sleep, and Deb holding my hand got me through. Seriously, it felt like I was in grade ten again. A good paper - by no means, but it sure is done.

In the meantime, I went to EMS to supervise some of the final classes of the year, worked at Sbux and for my dad. Yikers! So, just two more weeks of World War II, and I will back to being a normal human being. This is really great news.

I am sorry that this post is boring. Here, I will give you a teaser - as soon as someone posts Laura Howie Bachelorette pics - I will steal them and post them here (this means you Bec Shulba). Then I will tell some stories from my OUTSTANDING Saturday with the girls.

Curses on Censorship...

I am having one of those moments, where you are just sitting there going "no way!". I am reading this book for a class on WWII. This story is about a village in France who harbored Jews after the German occupation of France, despite the obvious threat of death and much worse.

When the leader of the village is arrested and goes to a concentration camp, he encounters colorful individuals. So there is some "language" like 'damn', 'shit' etc. I bought this book used, and the person before me CENSORED it. They blacked out any "inappropriate" words with their pen. I am literally so angry. One time instead of 'shit' they literally wrote over top 'curses'. Un-freakin-believable. Seriously, who does that? Anyway - I am making it my personal mission to put the words back in.

Novel cencorship abslotuely kills me. Espeically in this scenario, where the words are in there for a reason. Does this person really think, that the message of the story will be lost, if people read a swear? Grrr. the nerve. Anyway, there is my rant for the day. Let the people unite for freedom of speech and of the press! So ironic, that I should find this in a novel about a war where freedom, liberty and life was sacraficed for "national interest". Is censoring for personal interest any better? Okay, now I promise, I am done.