Why I am switched into "off" mode....

You know that moment? It's the one right after high school, when you are standing there, looking out at the world, and it seems so vast and you wonder: "what am I going to do?" and it feels so overwhelming. Then, the next thing you know, you have signed up for some program in a post-secondary institution and your life is again dictated for you for another four years. You write the papers, get the grades, and then you graduate.

And then it happens again.

University is over. And again, you are staring out at the big bad world, and you wonder: "what do I do next?". In my case, I signed up for yet another program. This time, with a "practical career focus". Once again, you do the program, jump through the hoops and figure out what is required of you.

And now, I am here again.

It's a little different this time. The thing that I am "supposed to do" is quite obvious. But at the moment, that doesn't seem to make it any less scary. In fact, it almost seems more scary. I keep joking that I am not sure what scares me more: that I WON'T get the job, or that I WILL and then I will have to face all those crazy high schoolers all over again.

As I write these words, I wonder if I should post them. There seems to be a high possibility of misunderstanding. You might think that Sharelle must "not want to teach", or something of that nature. I don't think that is it really. I think it is more about transition. It's that point where your life shifts, and you are forced to move with it. Those are hard moments for me.

So I thought I would send these thoughts out into the void, and see what you thought, if maybe you identified. Ohh blogging...

Rom-Coms....

Well hello friends. It has been a long time hasn't it?

Once again, I feel the pressure to create an epic post since all this time has passed. But it's not going to happen. Instead, I will post about Romantic Comedies, affectionately known as Rom-Coms.

It's no secret that I am big fan of romantic comedies. There was a time when they were probably the only movies I watched. Then one day, I had a horrible realization: these movies were messing with my mind. I had written journal after journal pondering the "love" presented in these movies. Were the movies right? Were they presenting something I was missing?

Then, in conversation this week, this BBC Article came up. It described a study that was done on Romantic Comedies. This doesn't really come as a shock, but the study found that "Rom-Coms create unrealistic expectations when it comes to love". Probably my favourite part of the article is that it actually calls them Rom-Coms (it is Britain after all, where I picked up the term in the first place).

The article also found that "fans of films such as Runaway Bride and Notting Hill often fail to communicate with their partner. Many held the view if someone is meant to be with you, then they should know what you want without you telling them"

Apparently, people who watched the films were more likely to believe in fate and destiny. Also, the article stated that "Films do capture the excitement of new relationships but they also wrongly suggest that trust and committed love exist from the moment people meet, whereas these are qualities that normally take years to develop." I thought that was an interesting point. Can you think of a romantic comedy where they had an awkward "determining the relationship" conversation and then refused to call the person their boyfriend for six months? Because I haven't. So basically, romantic comedies are not mirroring my experience. ha.

So, what I would like to know is this: do you agree? Are Rom-Coms essentially problematic? Can we continue to watch them anyway, aware of their flaws and unrealistic portrayals of love, and just enjoy them for what they are? What are your thoughts? Have you ever had a moment where you thought that these movies might be messing with your mind?

Remember Hugh? Now we have Colin...

This week - this little gem was discovered. Colin Firth- dancing. Enjoy.

Because I was getting sass....

Well tonight I got sass all the way from Costa Rica about not posting on the blog. So even though I don't have anything great to say at all, I thought I should post. As my accurate friend has rightly pointed out, I have not posted since August 14th. Yikes.

Things I like right now:

1) The Fall - right now, as I drive down the street, or walk on the path and the leaves crunch under my feet, I am reminded how much I love this season. It really is the most beautiful season in my mind. And I get to wear sweaters, and jackets. Try taking a drive down 16th avenue one of these days.

2) "And Then You" - Greg Laswell. This is a lovely song from Grey's Anatomy that I am listening to non-stop. I don't know why - but it calms me down. Its not amazing, but it seems to be what I need.

3) UBC Education Library - the lovely people of UBC education library post their unit plans online, for the mutual edification of all. It's a wonderful thing.

I can't think of anything more. My life is ridicolous. In all my university years, I don't think my life has ever been this ridicolous, which is really saying something.

But the PDP slogan is this: "I can do anything as long as it's temporary" or in the long lost words of Brenda and Gina at Lehigh: "I can do anything for two months". And that's all I have left. Here we go.

Maybe at the end, I will be fun again, and post random things. We'll see.

It's Game Time....

Was flipping through my photos tonight, and found this one. It took me a second to realize what it was a picture of. Then I thought - time for a blog game - it has been a while hasn't it?

So, you guess: what do you think that photo is of? If this were "Z-fx" or something, you would get a sweet prize. But let's face it - "Z95.3" no longer exists, and I'm not very good at giving out prizes. But blog recognition - that's gold....

C'mon, let's play. What do you think?

Portland....

So my summer school semester ended, and I figured it was time to celebrate. So Matt and I took a little trip down to Portland. We discovered that this was the city for us. Basically, it can be summed up in these two words: books and beer. The largest bookstore in the Northwest, and scores of mico-breweries. We were basically in paradise. This city has the coolest culture, and was so fun to explore. We felt so at home there, like it was "our kind of city". That's a good thing to find.

Some Highlights:

.the sign which greets us upon our entry to America (in Lynden no less!).

This is some art work from the "McMenamins Kennedy School". This place is a school built in 1915 that is converted into a "resort". The Mcmenamins family owns these heritage buildings, and converts them into hotels/restaurants etc. These buildings are so perfectly executed with wonderful artwork and culture, paired with their own great tasting beer. Check out the website. These are cool places to visit. We are for sure going back to stay hit up more of these places.

Matt made me swing hold onto this trellis while he took a picture. I am not going to lie - it was uncomfortable, and the picture is sort of dorky, but the point is to showcase the beautiful brick building and detail in the place we stayed.

Sharelle at Powells Books
or
Sharelle in Heaven.
Four city blocks of books. A whole room dedicated to the classics.
Tess of the D'ubervilles - 1891 and Les Miserables - 1862.
My head spun, literally. I couldn't even focus. Beautiful, cheap books all around me.

Matthew and I in "Detention Room" - one of the converted school rooms which is a little sitting parlor. I posted this one because of his sly look.

All in all, a great trip. It's wonderful to re-ignite the travel spirit in your own backyard. I love exploring and finding new delights. And this trip certainly provided them.

Windows Down....

I wasn't kidding about the rotation ("attempted artsy" then ridiculous) Get ready for the most useless piece of reading you will do all week.

.Windows Down.

Okay, so it's a hot day, and you are driving, and your windows are down. Air conditioning or not, we all do it from time to time. Now, you might put your arm out the window. And my big question here is:

How do you put your arm out the window?

Do you sort of let that arm hang on the side, do you keep your hand up? Do put your hand straight out?

The reason I ask is that I was driving around the other day, and I saw a person with their hand in a straight up "stop sign" motion. Even more tilted than the diagram, like they were actually telling you to stop with their hand. I thought this was a little unusual, but then within five minutes, I saw the exact same motion again! And then, I wondered, maybe I am the crazy one? Is the "stop sign" hand out the car window normal? I need to know.

"Stop Sign" Hand

"Normal Hand"

Okay, these diagrams are far from perfect. They are meant to teach Irish drivers how to signal. (Hence the opposite side of the vehicle driver) So there doesn't necessarily need to be up and down movement. The point is that your hand is slack, and that it either rests on the side of the car, or in some "downward" motion.

I've always thought that the arm out the window is such a wonderful pose. Relaxed, disinterested. And then, boom, I am confronted with the reality of these stop sign hands, all rigid and firm.

Does it really matter? Well obviously not really, but I just thought a poll might be fun. I'm not here to judge, what do you prefer? I'd like to know...

.and one more thing.

why do people wait in drive-thru lines in their cars, when they could get out, breathe some fresh air, and wait in a line up half as long inside? It constantly astounds me. That being stated, if you are said people who sits in their car, please continue to do so, because you make my inside line shorter. Thank you.

Theatre Critic....

In the past two weeks I have gone to three plays, so I figured I better put all that "theatre-going" to some good use, and do a few little reviews.

.King Lear.
Bard on the Beach

I am usually a really big fan of Bard on the Beach. I mean, how could I not be? Shakespeare in the park overlooking English Bay. I'm not going to lie though. Watching "King Lear" was well...interesting. As usual, they did a modern re-invention, so the great King Lear was pushed in a wheelchair. Normally, I am all for interpretations, keeps it interesting. But this one was pretty "art-house". There was even music. I was so undecided when I left the theater that I went home and read all six reviews written. They pretty much fell on all sides of the spectrum, both love and hate. "Those who hate it are calling it "King Lear: The Musical". Then others loved the play and thought the interpretation was brilliant. It's like watching a movie you love on screen. It's always tough seeing it being portrayed through someone else's eyes. That being said, Christopher Gaze (Mr. Bard on the Beach, and my favorite local celebrity) was an unbelievable King Lear and rocked the final scenes with all the grace and passion I could have hoped for. So should you go see it? Maybe, I'm not sure. I'll let you know after I watch "Twelfth Night" next week, which of the two is a more of a "crowd pleaser". Shakespeare as a crowd pleaser? You better believe it.

.The Back Kitchen Release Party.
Arts Club Theatre: Granville Island Stage

All the conditions for watching this play were right. I had just spent a lovely date day on Saturday with Matt, and we got student rush $20 tickets. (if you are a student, and don't know about student rush, you better click on this link) So I was already in a good mood. Then, this little play pulled out a big surprise and really delivered. It's about a traveling band from Newfoundland working its way across Canada to honor a deceased band member. I know, I thought it sounded a little lame on the playbill as well. But the actors/musicians really draw you in with their songs, and their story. It was charming, heart-warming, and funny. That's a pretty good combination in my books. So maybe go, (and if you do, let me know, because I can get you five dollars off) or get your parents to go. But heed the Arts Club warning: "Warning: There is offensive language in the play (but not too offensive because it is spoken in a charming Newfoundland accent). Oh that made me chuckle. I really do love the Arts Club. At this play, I also won free tickets to a play in the fall because I raised my hand. Some guy shouted out, but he lost. Yes, that's right. So, maybe it was the night that was awesome and not the play? Hmm.. No, it was the play too. I'm going to go ahead and say it's the "sleeper-hit-of-the-summer". Best phrase ever.

.The Producers.
Arts Club Theatre: Stanley Industrial Stage

On Sunday, we went to this play with Jenny and Nathan. And it delivered. Big time. This play is so off-the-wall and has Mel Brooks in every inch of it. The premise is that two producers are looking to find a play that will flop so that they can make millions. They find "Springtime for Hitler". There's some context for you. I laughed pretty hard. The production of it was really well done. Lots of singing, dancing, choreography that make musicals the great thing that they are. I was impressed. I was especially happy because it means that when these folks put on "Les Miserables" next year, we might be in for a treat. But as for this play, if you can take a little blurring of the appropriateness lines, and appreciate Mel Brooks, you are in for a treat. But your pocket book will take a little hit. I had to warn you.

So there you go, a few theatre reviews. I get that they might be a little accessible than the ol' movie reviews, but I figured, hey why not? And expect a full Bard on the Beach report after Sunday, whether you like it or not.

Go see some Vancouver theatre.
It's a good time.

Really?

I like to do a little rotation on the ol' blog. After I post a "thoughtful post", I like to post a little bit of nonsense, just to keep people like Bec happy. That way, I can't be accused by either camp of being too "artsy" or the opposite. (what is the opposite of artsy?)

So here we go:

Some sights that caught my eye this week and made me go "really"?!?

As I walked up to my car in the SFU parking lot, I glanced down at my tire and saw this perfectly outstretched piece of gum. I don't know why, but both Marissa and I had a pretty good little chuckle.
So, is the moral of the story to not spit our gum out in parking lots?
I don't know. It does look pretty cool.

The next day, I stumbled upon this little gem in the Peninsula Village parking lot.
Does this strike anyone else as extremely ironic?
An SUV advocating clean air!
I feel like a bike rider, or a scooter, or even a YARIS could have this plate.
This guy - not so much.
Do you think he is trying to be ironic?
I guess it's possible.
Only in White Rock.

(Side note: As I took the photo, I turned around to see someone walking straight at me. I was SO SURE it was the owner, about to ask me why the hell I was taking a photo of their vehicle, and then I would awkwardly explain. It wasn't the owner. Thank goodness.)

*Update: Brandon Drewlo (Mr. Car Trivia) has told me that this is indeed a hybrid vehicle. But I still hold to my original claim - that is ridicolous. And makes no sense. A Lexus SUV Hybrid. I mean, just the existence of that vehicle is an oxymoron.

Failing by Default....

“You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default”
–J.K. Rowling
(Commencement address to Harvard Graduates 2008)

This quote has been knocking around in my head all week. At first I couldn't place it. Then tonight, I realized:

Maybe Rowling has identified my biggest current fear.
Now it stands glaring me in the face.

And it just made me wonder: How much do we all fear failure? Rowling concludes that what she feared most in her 20's was not poverty but failure. And I think that's true. I don't really worry that I won't find a job and pay the bills. I am relatively sure I can do that. But what about teaching? And I am talking about actually teaching, like teaching that makes a difference. That seems like such a lofty goal. Seeing as this is a public forum, people will probably feel the need to give random affirmation. That isn't what I am looking for here. Because in the end, you are the only person who actually knows the full weight of your own limitations and possibilities.

What I want to know is this: do you fear failure? or poverty*? or both? Do you ever wonder if you will just not attempt things because fear immobilizes you?

I know, these are very personal thoughts, and this may be a far too public domain to discuss them, but its a question to get you thinking anyway. And hey, if you are feeling brave, post some thoughts. I'd love to hear them.

*Poverty in a very "North American" sense of course. I am sure we can never know real poverty, but to the extent that we could on this continent. Which one might argue, could be very little, and yet we still might fear "financial failure". Perhaps that is more "user friendly" term.

.monday.

Cold, cold water
Bring me round
Now my feet won't touch the ground
Cold, cold water
What ya say?
It's such…
It's such a perfect day

- Coldplay
"Strawberry Swing"

I am not going to lie. Having Monday off is a little weird, but it's also kind of awesome. So, on what was supposed to be a productive homework day, I took a little break and went down to WR beach with Stef. It was pretty much impossible not to, with the weather so perfect.

Then I came home, and listened to the new Coldplay album "Viva La Vida" which by the way is unreal. Go take a listen. I think they've taken it to a good place.

One thing is for sure. I won't be singing this happy tune in July when everything is due. Then you can all go to the beach, and laugh at me. Deal?

Mr. Harry Potter...

As usual, I am indecisive, and can't figure out if I want to change the blog.

So, on to new things. There gets to be this point with blogging where so many wonderful things have happened, and you have been out "living" your life, and not necessarily writing about it, and then suddenly, you don't know what to post anymore.

In order to get the juices going again, I am going to post on my current reading:


I can hear some scoffing out there, and I am okay with that. I am not going to lie to you. A few brief weeks ago, if someone had said "Harry Potter", I would have had a vague image of Daniel Radcliffe in my mind, and dismissed the thought entirely.

But now...

I have read books 2, 3, 4 & 5 in a matter of two months. It is absolutely ridiculous. I am so lost in the world of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore and all the other wonderfully constructed characters. I hate to admit it. But I am a Harry Potter convert. You will now find me on a regular basis pondering such questions as "Is Snape really evil?" and "What is J.K. Rowling's moral framework?". I laugh at Harry Potter jokes. It's like some torrid love affair, being sucked in so fast.

I justify it on this basis. There is a lot going on here, and I want to bring that to life if (and when) my students read these books. There is a yearning for truth, justice, and above all good. I don't know how many books are doing that anymore.

and now for the fans:

.recent favorite passages.

And now Harry, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure (credit to LVD on that one)

"But for heaven's sakes...you're wizards! You can do magic! Surely you can sort out..well...anything!"
Fudge, who really did manage a smile this time as he said kindly:
'The trouble is, the other side can do magic too Prime Minister"

"You have not asked me, for instance, what is my favourite flavour of jam, to check that I am indeed professor Dumbledore, and not an impostor"
"I didn’t..." Harry began, not entirely sure if he was being reprimanded or not.
"For future reference, Harry, it is raspberry…although of course, if I were a death eater, I would have been sure to research my own jam preferences before impersonating myself."
(I am not joking when I say, I laughed out loud to myself for a good five minutes at this one)

.a Harry Potter joke.

(bumper sticker found on a car in seattle, saw it, laughed out loud, and made spiro take a picture)

.and for the REAL keeners.

a link to J.K. Rowling's commencement address at Harvard, which is nothing short of magical.

So, if you have made it this far, you are probably a fan.
Some queries:

What is your favorite passage?
What do you love about HP?
Do tell.
Let's have some solidarity about loving this stuff eh?

of the myriad of things that deserve to be posted...

....this is not one of them.

So many lovely things have happened over my break. There are even pictures to accompany these adventures. I promise, they will all get posted in due time. But first, I need some opinions.

I am seriously considering changing the blog template. Now, to some this may not be a big deal, but to me, its pretty serious for this reason.

Once I change, I can NEVER go back.

This is not just me being over-dramatic (which I am), I actually can't. The only way I can get the new template I want is by switching to Blogger Beta. Now, if I switch to Blogger Beta, I can no longer have this current template (my "Scribe" template on Beta looks awful). So, here is what I ask.

1. Click on this link.
2. Look at the template*
3. Give me an opinion if I should change (keeping in mind, it would be permanent), or not. I am looking for your honest opinion here. It's okay, if you say you hate it, and I choose it anyway. I just want to know what the people think.


*If you are thinking "wait a second, how can we go to a link to look at this blog?" and you look up at the URL, yes you will discover that I actually created a fake blog to test it out. I AM that ridiculous.

.the peg.

This weekend Matt and I went to Winnipeg. We visited his family, and I got to see one of my wonderful CP's, Bonnie Dowling. Matt grew up in Winnipeg, so we took a little tour of his childhood spots. I must admit, my affection for the town is growing. The buildings are lovely, and the people are well, inexplicably great. However, not so great - getting almost blown over by the wind, and literally EATING dirt that blew into my mouth.

That being said, the words, and the laughter were irreplaceable.

*Disclaimer: to those expecting to see photos that point to some artistic glory, or even a shred of photographic thought (you know who you are...). Just forget it. I am not the photo taking CP. I never have been. These were a last ditch effort, twenty minutes before we left to at least have SOME pictures of our trip. We can't all have the same skills now can we? And the partially good ones - were taken by Bonnie*

Is that Bonnie and I "rowing" in front of the "Rialto" bridge in Venice?
Perhaps, or it could be the painting on the "Daly Burger". You choose.
Either way, I'm keen.

Are we still posing in front of the Rialto? Yup, we are. I don't even know....

I've always wanted to take Matt to Venice.
And now here we are, caught in a manufactured candid moment :)

Let's Play...

Its my two week break. I have time to do dumb things, so I stole this from Spiro....

• Pick 15 of your favorite movies.
• Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie (or quote them from memory).
• Post them on your blog for everyone to guess.
• Fill in the film title once it’s been guessed.

These are the players’ rules:

• No Googling or using IMDb search functions (don’t cheat!).
• Leave your answer(s) in the comments.

I pick the quotes; you guess without internet aid. If someone has answered it already, its in bold at the end.

Thank you to everyone that played. I am truly impressed at your movie knowledge !

You guys did so good. I am impressed!

1. “Maggie, when you grow up and are incredibly beautiful and intelligent and possess a certain sweetness that's... that's like a distant promise to the brave, to the worthy, could you please not beat to a pulp every miserable bastard that comes your way simply because you can? Could you not do that?” - One Fine Day (why no one guessed this sooner is shocking to me! George - my "favourite movie...c'mon...haha)

2. “Love is not a feeling….It's an ability” -Dan in Real Life

3. "She was in Spain, people do stupid things when they're in foreign countries"
"Yes, they buy leather jackets for much more than they're worth but they do NOT fall in love with fascist dictators!" - You've Got Mail


4. "Have you no consideration for my poor nerves"
"You mistake me, my dear. I have the utmost respect for your nerves. They've been my constant companion these twenty years" - Pride and Prejudice

5. "Love gives you wings. It makes you fly. I don't even call it love. I call it Geronimo. When you're in love, you'll jump right from the top of the Empire State and you won't care, screaming "Geronimo" the whole way down. I love her so bad, I just... whoa, she wrecks me. I'd die for her" - Conspiracy Theory

6. "Let's go get the shit kicked out of us by love" - Love Actually

7. "We need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet... I mean, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things... all of it, all of the time, every day. You're saying 'Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness'." (I don't LOVE this movie, but this is one of the most lovely quotes) - Shall We Dance

8. "You don't have bones of glass. You can take life's knocks. If you let this chance pass, eventually, your heart will become as dry and brittle as my skeleton. So, go get him, for Pete's sake" -Amelie

9. "People say, You must have been the class clown. And I say, No, I wasn't. But I sat next to the class clown, and I studied him." - Waiting for Guffman

10. "You see? That is just like you. You say things like that, and you make it impossible for me to hate you." - When Harry Met Sally

11. "Sitting there, alone in a foreign country, far from my job and everyone I know, a feeling came over me. It was like remembering something I'd never known before or had always been waiting for, but I didn't know what. Maybe it was something I'd forgotten or something I've been missing all my life. All I can say is that I felt, at the same time, joy and sadness. But not too much sadness, because I felt alive. Yes, alive" - Paris Je'Taime

12. "I dunno, he must be a king"
"Why?"
"He hasn't got shit all over him" - Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail

13. "Little did he know. That means there's something he doesn't know, which means there's something you don't know, did you know that?" - Stranger Than Fiction

14. "In my opinion, the best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are. Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what have you, the right person will still think the sun shines out your ass. That's the kind of person that's worth sticking with." -Juno

15. "Maybe that's all family really is. A group of people who miss the same imaginary place." -Garden State

So now that you have read them, and know what they are, post in the comment box saying which numbers are which movies.

I am interested in the fact that almost half my quotes were about love. I guess I will always be the perpetual English Major Romantic despite my cynicism....

Ch-Ch-Changes....

Seeing as the "I just about died" post has been on the blog a good six weeks now, I suppose it is time for "new" news. And let me tell you, there are things to report. 

Now, let's just play a quick round of "let's make obvious statements about ourselves".

I don't like change.

But that has not stopped the world from changing on me. Since the people have demanded (yes demanded!) a blog post about the recent changes, I figured it was time to post.

.the sbuckles.

Yes the time has come. It is actually hard to believe. It has been four years. This summer I am going to work for Novacom, and PDP is pretty mental. So it was time. 

I really couldn't have asked for a better minimum wage workplace to spend my university years. White Rock I Starbucks really has been good times. We have had ridiculous parties, crazy late night closes and stories that I don't even believe myself. I can't say I won't miss it, because I really will. But is also the end of the era. I can feel it.

So thanks to of you White Rock One Baristas who made it great. And thanks to everyone else who paid me visits. I probably wouldn't have made it through all those closes without you (this is starting to sound like an Oscars speech). I do technically have one more shift, but I am giving it away because....

.the move.

My parents finally sold the house. And now we are moving. As of Friday, I will officially be a White Rock resident. We are moving to a condo on "George" street which translates to about 154th and 14th. Its going to be pretty tight, with me and the parents transitioning from this massive house to a two bedroom condo. We'll get to know each other real well. hehe. But hey, its free rent AND I'll be closer to the beach. Let's focus on the positives right. So I am in the midst of packing my room and finding all kinds of things I didn't even know I owned. 

.the car.

Yes, the car is at the top. It is a 2009 Toyota Matrix. I know, "2009?". I don't get it either, but it smells new, and looks good, so I'm happy. The drive is amazing. The salesman had me where he wanted me, and he sold me on four wheel drive, and all the other safety features. I mean really, "post-ditch" I wanted to buy it all. At least I won't get stuck in the snow again. I do have one complaint though. When the back door opened, some rain water dripped on the seats and they stained! How weird is that? I took it to the dealership to show it to them, and they all joked that they would upgrade to "free leather". I say, no joke, DO IT! We'll see, I'll keep you updated. Matt is still defending his Toyotas. They can do no evil in his eyes. 

So those are the changes. I keep telling myself that in three weeks, it will all be over, and I will have a three week break from PDP. For now, life will be a little crazy....

"Lucky"....

Well I suppose it is time to tell the story. I didn't really feel up to doing it last week, but this way I have to tell it less in person, so here goes:

Last week Wednesday I had a snow day. I was home doing homework when my mom called, asking me to pick up something for Brandon and bring it to the office. The roads seemed okay, so I decided to go. I was driving on 40th avenue, towards 168th (about 5 minutes away from my house), when I looked down for a second. When I looked up, I had crossed the center line. I saw a vehicle farther down on the road, so I swerved. On the slippery road, my vehicle lost control, I spun out, and my car flipped into the ditch in the reverse direction. So somehow, my car did a 180 spin, and flipped.

The next thing I remember, I was inside my car, mud and water all around me I was freaked out. It seemed like an eternity trying to find my window to get out. I got the window down, and climbed out the window onto the bank. My pants, my shoes, my hair, my face was all covered in mud. The people on the other side of the bank seemed shocked to see me standing there. Someone came running around to help me. They laid me down in the backseat of a truck. Then the fireman and ambulance arrived. The paramedics put me in a neck brace, and made me lay on the stretcher and told me not to move my neck or my back. In the ambulance I started crying my eyes out, realizing what had happened.

When I was wheeled into the hospital, the nurse asked my name and the paramedic responded:

"Lucky....her name is Lucky"

The hospital was pretty emotional. My dad, my mom and Matt arrived. Eventually, after six and a half hours, I got the results from my bloodwork, x-rays etc. By some unbelievable miracle, I am okay. I have muscle stifness, neck and back pain, and I suffered a mild concussion. But that is it. When you look at the car, its hard to believe:

just looking at that makes me shudder.

Looking at those pictures, it becomes very clear to me:

It wasn't luck.

I know that it was a miracle. I know that God protected me. I know that my life was spared. It seems crazy to believe, that God would intervene on 40th avenue, for me. But I see no alternative. I wish I had some other miracolous revelation to share. But it still hasn't come. I sure hope it will.

Two more things. One: could you email me your phone number? The phone was killed in the crash. Two: in case you were wondering, yes, it is a write-off. Good-bye Phantom...

Can you deal with silence?

I have a question to pitch to the blogging world:

Do you always listen to music (or something) while you are driving?

Do you ever just drive silently? Listening to nothing but yourself?

*Now, I just need to make a note here, that I am NOT referring to those who have no options of listening to music, because say, they drive a beater car or something of that nature. I mean, you guys probably have the whole 'silent driving' market cased. What I am really talking about here is choosing to turn off your radio, or other noise making device. *

I realized today on the drive home that I always have something on. I always have this little battle with turning something on, whether it be my ipod, the radio, just something. Even today, with a minor headache, I still needed something on. So odd. The thing is, I consider myself a reflective person. I like thinking about things during my day, probably too much most of the time. But I don't really drive silently. Is it that I am afraid of what I might think? I think a therapist might go crazy on me.

The point of this post is not to beat ourselves up, we do that too much in the new year already. It's just a honest query. I wondered as I manically turned on my radio today, "does anyone drive silently anymore?" I am interested....

"I don't run"....

*warning: what follows, is a very long post, essentially about nothing, but somewhat amusing if you enjoy imagining me looking ridicolous*

When we were in Europe, Brenda would randomly turn to me as we were walking somewhere and say "want to run?". For no good reason. I would turn to her point blank and say: "I don't run". Sometimes, we had to run...with backpacks on, in flip flops, across roads and train stations. And in this scenario, I could do it. But just for no good reason, absolutely not.

It makes me think of Lynn: "I don't run for the bus". One time we missed the bus in Guelph, and we walked in the cold for another twenty minutes, just because Lynn didn't run for the bus. Which always makes me wonder now, who is the type of person who runs for the bus?

All of this to say, the past week and a half has been filled with frantic running:

Bid Closing Sinclair Centre
About a week ago, I closed a tender downtown at this horrible building. It has about four different towers, with seperate elevators. What does closing a tender mean (the construction lingo)? Novacom has to submit an estimated price for a project we hope to do. This price only comes in about 10 minutes before it is due, so someone is meant to be sitting waiting for the price, and then run it into the office. But no, I was not sitting abd waiting. I was running, and yes I meaning dodging people in the streets through downtown Vancouver. Then up the stairs of the wrong tower, then down, then up again. Eventually I found an delightful old security guard who calmly told me directions before I booked it away from him. I did get there, but it was literally stamped at the last exact minute it could be there.

Granville Island
This weekend, we went to "Its a Wonderful Life" at Granville Island Stage (which by the way, I absolutely loved...you must go see it, sooo well acted and delightful). Matt had to work in the morning and we got the wires crossed on the time to meet. So we get to Granville Island at 1.54 (the play starts at 2.00 pm). I got out of the car, ran to the parking lot, secured Matt a spot (stood in it, while other cars drove by thinking I was crazy). Then Matt and I ran to the theatre...pretty much the whole way. In dress clothes. Brandon and Lindsday (who were later than us) actually saw us running. She said it was a sight to see. She considered rolling down the window to yell at us, but did not follow through on the impulse. She figured running people might not want to be yelled at. Good call on her part. We got there, as the doors were shutting, into our seats for the whole play.

Bid Closing Linden Architecture
Today, once again, I found myself running down Vancouver streets. This time, picture me, carrying a christmas basket, all tied up with a bow, a tender envelope, and holding my cell phone for directions. At one point, I put the phone in my pocket to run across six lanes of traffic. I had the wrong address to start with, so I drove to two different locations in vain. By the time I got close to the correct address, I just started to run with my mom giving me a play by play of where to go next. It was crazy. People must have thought I had gone mad. Delievered the tender in the nick of time.

You might not have wanted to hear my frantic running stories, but there you have them. The point that I am shocked by in all of this is this : sometimes running actually makes a difference. You actually make it there quicker, and save those few short minutes you really needed in order to make it there on time. I mean, there isn't a lot of dignity in running clad in full dress clothes downtown, but it got the job done.

Maybe Brenda is onto something...

"Something in the way she moves...."

I know, the album cover is a little odd. But honestly, if you like James Taylor at all, you need to get this CD.

Normally, I am not into the 'live sessions' thing. But the acoustic sound in this one is just unbelievable. At work, we have this joke, because one day I caught Trevor just staring out the (foggy) window. I said "Trevor, what are you doing?", and he was just lost in the music. He says "I don't even know how he does that...." and just trails off in wonder. I sort of laughed at him, and then...

It happened to me.

I just got caught up in it. I know this is probably a function of nostalgia as well as James Taylor. That, and I am a sap. But still, it really is incredible. It comes on, and just makes me stop where I am. Some sounds and voices are just classic. And to me, this is one them. Go listen to it.
Better yet, come in to Starbucks, and I will put it on for you.

"The Anxiety of Authorship"....

I am not going to lie.

I don't know what to blog anymore.

I mean, I went to Europe, and I posted stories, and they were very dramatic. We visited foreign countries, saw unreal sights, met up with friends, jumped out of trains (okay, Brenda jumped out of trains, but the blog told the story). And now, here we are.

So, I keep thinking "what will be the first post?". What could be epic enough to follow up Europe? And then I realized, nothing will be. So, I am going to post about Mandarin Oranges, in an attempt to salvage the whole blogging process. I won't lie to you. I have been on facebook for the past twenty minutes, and it provided me with nothing more, so I came here. I don't know why that is. But there are some things for which blogs are better, and one is this, random thoughts:

Why are all my mandarin oranges so small this year?

Yes, I know, it was my facebook status, so its old news. Let me just explain though. When I was a kid, I couldn't even finish a mandarin orange. Now, I have to eat two. I don't know if this is a classic case of things looking different on the 'other side' of childhood. Or, are they actually getting smaller? I seriously want to know. Your thoughts please. Let's try this blogging thing again shall we?

Euro Photos....A Teaser....

Prague, the beautiful.....

Brenda in Prague...I realize this one is sideways. I am doing the best I can okay...haha.

Glamorous... hehe. Me in Prague Gardens.

Vienna...with our friend Stephanie (not pictured here)

So I lost our first two weeks of pictures (camera error or something). So we will need to get some more from Brenda later.

But the people demanded pictures, and I am demanding replies. What is the deal with NO COMMENTS. People I am in Europe..come on....

But no, seriously, please comment. I would love it...

You know you are a backpacker when....

-you watch lavonne produce a small spoon she has packed with her since italy in the grocery store in order to eat her yogurt. she resolutely states: you just have to keep one with you at all times. -brenda asking the gelato lady for a sample AFTER she is already eating her cone, because she needs a yogurt spoon -the first thought in my head after getting an espresso is...hey that spoon is little and useful. -you walk over to a cardboard bin IN YOUR PACK, and start rifling through for a box that would be suitable to send across the ocean. hey, its free and its on the street, fair game right? i defenitely did this and brenda was shocked to see me leaning over a bin.. -putting your money on the table in the room without locking it up is the best feeling in the world (yay for the russells) -you sit in a train stairwell and are pleased because you have a seat...(this happened to me yesterday), but i made a german friend and thats the main thing -you adopt of the attitude of 'no problem, another train will come in a little while' when trains are missed. -a meal of bread is well received, and a meal with bread AND nutellla is celebrated. -a homecooked meal (graciously provided by the russells tonight) is the greatest thing of your life -a shower where flip flops are not required calls for celebration -free internet is considered a gift...such as right now, at the russells again. i am so grateful.... backpacking is wonderful, but an entirely different culture. you meet a city, and take in on in only a few days. as soon as you figure out the transit, the street names, the language, you pack up and leave. its an odd feeling but it certainly teaches you ingenuity. its a whirlwind tour, but right now, at this stage of life, i wouldnt have it any other way. we are meeting so many people in the hostels and i am loving it.

Our adventures in Wien and Munchen....

Its been a while hasnt it, since I left you with us jumping off trains in Prague. And now, here we are, having gone through Vienna and finishing Munich. Its crazy how fast these cities go.

 

.Vienna.

Well I always say that I love Austria, and I still do, but we sure did get rained out. The first day we experienced some pretty schizophrenic rain. We went to these beautiful gardens and the weather just couldnt decide how it wanted to go. There was sun, rain, then torrential downpour. Hail and everything. But nevertheless, we enjoyed the Royal Gardens. Brenda and I are both shocked at our love of gardens. Who would have thought we would come to Europe and look at Gardens...but these my friends are beautiful gardens. LIke small theme parks. And dont we all love a good theme park. In fact, on this trip we have been accused of being 'typical North AMericans who treat Europe like a theme park'. I tried to deny it, but its true, I love getting the passport stamped, when the man comes through the train. THen Brenda and I peer at the passport pleased at our new stamp. We are theme parkers through and through. And I am okay with it. Small tangent, but the point was, the gardens were beautiful.

In Vienna, we also took in a music event, which I am going to leave for telling in person, because you cant know all the stories through the blog. We also went on a random 'underground tour' which Brenda thought would be a good idea. We saw a lot of bones and preserved bodies. Very creepy. 

All in all, Vienna was enjoyable but we returned our hostel both days very very wet. Climbing uphill to the hostel in the rain is never a good time. But we are Europe, so I will stop complaining. We were in Austria after all. And we did have a great hostel mate, Stephanie, who became our friend and came around with us. She was in Austria to teach German, so she could actually speak to the locals which was wonderful. Particularly on the day we went for Wiener Schnitzel (no, this is not a hot dog, go look it up). Best meal so far. Loved it. 

 

.Munich.

I think a love affair may be starting with Munich. I love this city. I dont know if it is our amazing hostel (three cheers for Wombats with an indoor garden, a private bathroom, wonderful amenties and nice rooms), the amazing location our hostel (in the city centre), or the city itself, but I am loving it here despite the rain. We went on a great tour with the hostel yesterday, in which a man took us around in the city in lederhosen (how do you even spell that word?). He was a wonderful, silly, Canadian, black man. (yes its true). So people stared at him a lot which was pretty funny. He was so informative and showed us so many great spots. At the end of the tour, I loved the city. Now that is a good tour guide.

The environment of Munich is great. Being the capital of Bavaria, it has a very traditional feel. The stores actually sell Lederhosen and people buy them. Today I saw a man finding his size. They are also staunch Catholics which is interesting considering it is the beer captial of the world. Brenda and I have enjoyed being out in this city where people are willing to meet us and have us join in.

More on Munich later...this silly 'easy internet cost' is killing me. Tommorow, internet is hopefully free as we join Karlin and Charles for a very nice break in Basel, Switzerland.

 

Continue to keep us in your thoughts, prayers, and emails....hehe. But no seriously, send some our way, its nice to hear some words from home, no matter what they are.

 

Bourne Movie #4: The Trip to Praha

We are safe and sound in Prague...barely.

Now I wish that were entirely a joke but it isn't. Here is the skinny of what happened today. We missed our bus in the morning so we ended up running, yes literally running for the train to Prague from Berlin. Picture us in flip flops, huge packs running through train station. Once safely on the train, we breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed for a couple of hours. As we arrived at our destination we had some confusion about the stop. See, in the past couple of cities there has been two stops in major cities. One is the main train station, and the other a little station. We wanted to get to the main one, so we didnt get off. I know this seems odd, but almost all trains stop at both. In any case, this train didnt, which we realized about two seconds too late.

So there we were on the train going past Prague and wondering how to get back. We end up having to buy a return ticket from the next tiny town. This turns into its own adventure as we get off thre train in Kolin. We go into the shop and start doing the conversion on the prices. And they are soooo cheap. You know those Eastern European stories you hear, where people become gluttons - well that was us. We start throwing choclate bars, ice cream, pop, chips, candy, and other random items on the counter. And the funniest part, Brenda is leading the show, saying "get it" because its so cheap. The lady ends ups laughing at us and giving a bag for ALL our stuff. So silly, so North American. But wonderful.

So now were are headed back to Prague. We get to the station and are gathering our stuff to get off. Standing in the doorway the train begins to shut for leaving. Brenda says "no way" and I say "go". Brenda starts to leap off the platform and the trains begins to move. She falls onto the platform with the door hanging open, backpack hanging off. She is laying on the ground and I am freaking out. I manage to pull the bag off the door where it is caught and wonder if Brenda is ok. I get off at the next stop, hoping to find a way back. I go to the board to find a return train with no luck. The information man says the only way to get there is the subway. So I go find it and I am standing there, trying to determine if I should go or stay, angonizing over what to do when Brenda comes running up behind me. We just stood there for a minute hugging because I was shocked she was actually there. Brenda is doing okay, but she thinks a bruise on her leg is forming. I can't believe she is alright and we were reunited so quickly.

You might all be judging us right now for our poor travel skills, but I am telling you, these things happen and we had the presnce of mind to figure it out. We defintely did thank God for our safety. And we decided no more train jumping:) Today, someone at our hostel, upon hearing the story called Brenda "Jason Bourne". Pretty true. Keep praying for us, we will need them for safety. But I promise we are good travellers...really:) Love and miss you all. I said it once, and I will say it again, send email, probably to my hotmail right now, or both, because Gmail is being weird.

And once again, I promise, Brenda is fine. Not just Brenda fine, but really fine. That and Prague is beautiful, we are looking forward to seeing it tommorow. All is well.

Icn bin ein Berliner....

If anyone knows what that title is a reference to, I will award you many points....

 

First, an update...

Brenda got her luggage. You probably all know this  by now, but it arrived. At literally, the 11th hour. We were to leave London at 4.00 am (yes, its true). And the luggage arrived at 11.30 pm. Can you believe that? I really didnt. It was honestly a miracle. Somehow, some way (probably Larry Baloun) it got there. So we were glad...particularly Budds who pretty much hugged her bag for 10 minutes.

 

Thal, Switzerland

So, our journey has advanced. Since my last post, we have travelled to Thal, Switzerland to witness a wedding reception of our dear friends Jon and Katie VanLaake. It was the most beautiful four days. I dont even know how to begin to describe them. We arrived in a small city with winding streets and charming walks, perched up against a hillside. Katie and Jons apartment is in the greatest building ever, complete with a garden gate, wood floors, a loft and wooden cases with locks that harken to Lion,the Witch and the Wardrobe. We attending their reception on Saturday, which took place on the lawn of a ´castle´, a beautiful building with towers from 1604 and small fountains out front. After the reception we went to the Van Laakes (Katies new family) and were served the Van Laakes own wine and fresh cheese by candlelight. Being part of this wedding wind down with the family was probably the best thing I could imagine. The Bruins and Van Laakes welcomed us in as if we were one of their own. Wilbur (Jons dad) took Brenda and I on a tour of their Vineyard and we reflected on the meaning behind 'I am the vine and you are the branches'. Perched on the hillside at his vineyard, listening to Wilbur talk about the love of wine and tending his grapes was probably the most wonderful moment I can imagine. Between the wine, the coffee and the chocolate, we were spoiled with amazing food.But it was also so much more, we got to be a part of "swiss life" as silly as that sounds. We experienced the organic life of a family, as they brought us into their home, their garden and their vineyard. They took us to places we could have never found on our own (Bodensee Lake!), and fed us meals, cakes, sweets, cheese, wine that is important to them. I am so grateful for these days. As I said to Brenda, I would have done this whole trip, JUST for those four days, truly magnificent.

 

Berlin, Germany

I guess it is pretty obvious that Berlin is in Germany, but hey, you never know. So now as I write this, I sit in Berlin. It is also an amazing city. Thanks to Lavonne and Monicas great tip, we caught the New Berlin free tour of the city. These tours are great. The guides work off of tips at the end, so the tour is ´free´´. They work so hard and condense so much history into 3 hours. If you go to that site, you might be able to see a picture of us, or so they said, I dont know. On the tour, we walked through the Brandeburg gate, passed the Rheistag (German Parliment) saw the Berlin wall, walked through the Holocaust memorial, saw where Hitler died and so much more. This city is chalked full of incredible history. Just think, two world wars and the Cold War with Soviet Occupation. This city is basically the centre of 20th century history. So I am loving it. If England was my literary paradise, this is the history one....everywhere I go, my history texts are coming to life. This is a pretty amazing city as it tries to move away from its past and strive for more, pretty interesting. Today we went to a concentration camp...this is far too tough to describe on a blog so ask me one day in person.

 

So, things are well. We are safe, and so is our stuff. One funny thing is, Brenda and I keep forgetting to eat and end up wandering around starving until we must stop to eat. Needless to say, it has resulted in some funny meals. Tommorow we leave for Prague. Its strange to think we have already covered 3 cities, but also crazy to think there are so many more ahead. Send me a line if you get the chance, just saying anything at all...its good to hear from you.

 

I am suddenly realizing this post lacks incredible stories...so let me say this, they are happening, but you might have to ask me about them in real life...some things just cant be blogged..hehe. Love and miss you all my friends. Write me!

 

 

 

Locks, Laughter, Lost Luggage, Les Miserables= LONDON LOVE

Lost Baggage

Well here I am in my first European entry. Sitting in a London internet cafe because my dear compatriot needs to sort out her baggage. Yes, Brenda STILL does not have her bags. They never arrived with Air Transat, so she has been wearing the same clothes/borrowing things until today. We are hoping that it all gets processed very soon, because it is pretty hard to be a backpacker without a backpack. Brenda is taking it far better than I ever would - putting up with it and showing that characteristic resilience. We pushed her to give the airline a hell of a time though. In any case, if you think of us, pray for this, because we are leaving at 4 am from London tommorow, and not sure how she will get her baggage before then.

 

Locks

Now if you ever needed a good travel story, I got one, and on day one no less. So we are staying at this fine establishment called the EasyHotel. The rooms fit a bed, a plastic washroom and a tiny hallway. Its clean but oh so small and silly. Brenda had not yet arrived and I went to have a shower. I finish my shower, and turn to the lock when it FALLS OFF. So picture yourself in a tiny, locked, plastic airplane size bathroom UNABLE TO ESCAPE. I am standing there dripping wet, without a towel and freaking out. I try to play McGyver and whip out a bobby pin to no avail. Finally, quite a bit later I hear Brenda at the door to which I yell 'I AM LOCKED IN THE BATHROOM'. She thinks I am kidding, and laughs and then finally gets it. After getting a freakin hotel clerk to open the door (the room key was inside clearly), she comes in and starts laughing uncontrollably (picture Brenda, you know the one, barely breathing). I am yelling for rescue and she finds the piece of the lock on the other side. Eventually I get out, but I am having claustrophobic nightmares. Hows THAT for your first hour in London?

 

Low Classes and Les Miserables

Okay, not the best title, but I had to fit into the alliteration. We have saw Le Miserables with Lavonne and her mom, and we were shocked with awe. That Jean Valjean could sing, it was so moving. Then today, went to SHAKESPEARES GLOBE. I pretty much died. It POURED rain, and of course to be authentic I bought a groundling ticket, standing in the open air auditorium. Pretty silly, but we found a covering, after Brenda got soaked int he line (no bag=no jacket..ugh). We saw Merchant of Venice, and I was in love.

 

The truth is, I am desperatly in love with this city. The rain has continued the entire time we have been here unabated. But my love stays strong. I just cant get enough of London. It brings me such joy. In the evening, we have enjoyed pints in the local pub meeting wonderful Brits. In the day, we explore, find sites of literature, history, culture, theatre...I love Britain. I forgot how much it feels like my home. Its great to be back. I dont really want to leave in the morning.

 

Yet...I am still thinking of all of you. I would absolutely love to get an email or a comment if you get a second. It means a lot when you are in a foreign land:) Something about travelling that is so invorgrating and so lonely all at the same time..Send me a line...I miss you all...

 

 

 

T - 6 days.

I am trying desperately to think of something clever to say. It really has been far too long. I promise I have been doing wonderful things, well sort of. I have been mostly working and doing homework. But I have sneaked in a few weddings, showers, stagettes and other general wedding mayham.

 

To be honest, this is mostly a test blog. I am sending this from my email to "try it out" for my Europe trip. Yes, my Europe trip. I defenitely leave in 5 days (August 19th). This is both exciting and frightening all at the same time. Today I submitted a paper for my summer class. To finally be done that is a huge relief. Now I am trying to get everything together for Sunday (while working everyday). So it should be...interesting. But how can I be complaining right? I am going to Europe!

 

In an effort to revive this silly post, which mentions almost nothing and involves no great pictures, I tell you this - I WILL be posting Europe stories here. Now don't expect pictures - because I think the chances of me getting those up in Europe are low. But do expect silly tales of adventure. I was going to start a travel blog, but I just don't have time...so we'll stick with what we know. Come back soon for Europe adventures...

 

.symphony and summer.

As only a true blogging geek can, I was thinking about how to link these two sets of photos together when the obvious answer came to me: symphony of music and of light. For the sake of the blog, we must return to the titles of years past. And let's face it - "celebration of light" isn't a very good name anyway.

.symphony in the park.

Two weekends ago, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra did a free show in Deer Lake park. So we trudged out there, complete with cooler full of drinks, dinner, brie and red pepper jelly. No, we didn't mess around. This year, we roped in a few others: Lana, Brenda, Rick, Shaun, Jon and Katie. Heck, even my parents joined our blanket. It was the place to be. As always it was a wonderful event: listening to beautiful music as you stare up at that beautiful sky. It's hard to get any better than that.

.the symphony of light.

As it turns out, these weeks are getting quite busy as I try to finish off my course, plan for Europe, and attend weddings. I had this sudden fear I wouldn't be able to attend any of the fireworks. But Stef and Heather came through for me. Here's the thing: I just love the fireworks. I know its a hassle getting down there, finding a parking space, taking on the crowds and all of that. But when I am sitting there, experiencing the solidarity of the crowd all around me, I am taken in. All of the silly "fireworks madness" seems worth it - at least to me. I feel like a little kid, resisting every urge to yell "ooo" and "ahhh" as they go off in the sky. This time, we sat on Kits beach, thereby avoiding the downtown madness. It was a great call, we were many feet away from fellow sweaty bodies (I don't want that much solidarity). Not one, but two of our fellow fireworks attenders had radios out for clear reception. We ate candy, Heather took pictures with the new SLR, and life was good.

In all honesty, I think this post was just for myself, to proove that I am actually finding time to do fun things in the midst of my mental summer. But hey, at least I had pictures right?

.true story.

i am sitting on matt's back porch.

through the trees i can hear a barbershop quartet.

no, it's not a radio, it's real men. i can hear them talking.

they are sitting on a porch rehearsing.

there is also some sort of harmonica (a tuning device?)

and their harmony is amazing.

they are singing "in the still of the night".

they are telling me they love me.

i couldn't be happier.

this is one of those summer moments you couldn't create if you tried.

i imagine they look like this:

except maybe with those amazing striped vest and hats. but i guess you don't wear those during rehearsal....