A couple of vacation pics . . .

A sad farewell . . .

So, a lot of things have happened in the last month. First off, I've said goodbye to Rigobert -- he's being retired to the junkyard after a career-ending collision. And how much is he worth? Apparently $670 according to the appraisers -- more than I would have paid for him! However, not quite enough to buy another car yet . . . hopefully by the end of the summer I will have a new addition to my family.

Also, I recently went on two trips to the States. One for my grandmother's (on my father's side) 90th birthday. She's the only 90 year old I know that e-mails and move around with ease. While there (in Eastern Washington) I also was able to see all my relatives that I haven't seen since my father passed away, so it was pretty sweet to catch up with them. Drove through Glacier National Park on the way home -- all in all a pretty sweet trip!

Second trip was to . . . uh, where wasn't it to?!! We drove down through Yellowstone (saw Old Faithful, and many other geysers, hot springs & waterfalls), Grand Teton NP, Utah (saw the Mormon temple in Salt Lake city), went rock climbing in a state park (I forget the name of the place), Zion NP (amazing rock climbing there), and finally the GRAND CANYON!! We spent a day hiking down the canyon, camped out, hiked halfway up, camped, then hiked out. Well, that's how it went for Jason, Jen and I. Brian and Mom ended up spending a second day at the campsite halfway up and made it out the next morning (it might have been a little too much to handle -- BUT, they made it out alive!!). Now that was a sweet trip!! Make that specTACULAR!!

When I was dropped off at home, my family took most of my belongings with them as I've decided to leave Lethbridge. I know what you're thinking -- didn't you just decide to go back to school like 5 months ago. Yes, it's true, but apparently I've changed my mind again. I'm such a restless person and I'm having trouble containing that. Luckily, Mom and Brian have been pretty understanding about moving all of my stuff twice in 5 months. I'll try not to do that again so as not to push my luck too much!! Anyways, I'm heading to camp this weekend as they're short on 'mature' female staff members (does that mean I'm mature?).

Oh, a special note here must go out to Luke, my climbing buddy who I've missed dreadfully and whose expressions came up repeatedly, especially on our hike down the canyon. Such expressions include, but are not limited to:

*"Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it."

*"Room for one more . . ."

*" . . . and then I found five dollars."

What I've been thinking about . . .

So, at the church that I attend, sporadically at best, we have been going over the lives of the patriarchs. That's right, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob . . .. Last week, we read through Genesis 30-31 and I know I've read this before, but I'm totally just astounded! Reading through and seeing how jealous, conniving, manipulative and petty Rachel and Leah are make me wonder why God loves any of his creation! I know, he made us and he loves us because we're his children -- the same parents love their own children even though they're flawed and jealous, conniving, etc, etc. But, it's just doubly obvious when I see Rachel exchanging sex with her husband for mandrake roots from Leah, forcing Jacob to sleep with her servant to compete with Leah (no mention of complaints from Jacob though) . . .. I'm completely aware that we are no better now, nor probably ever will be. Also, there are precious few times where any 'shining' moments by these women are recorded, so it's a little difficult to see them in a significant positive way.
But, in a way, it's also a reminder and encouragement that though Rachel & Leah behaved like this, God still loved and blessed them -- so they must have repented and there are a few instances recorded of them praising God. Even though I'm, in many ways, conniving, manipulative, jealous and petty, God still loves me and could possibly bless me? You know, I do need some more money for tuition . . . . anyways.

On to other thoughts: I'm reading A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren right now. I really haven't gotten too far, but the intro and his many disclaimers are quite entertaining and thought-provoking thus far. Here's a part that I really liked:

• "If I seem to show too little respect for your opinions or thought, be assured I have equal doubts about my own, and I don't mind if you think I'm wrong. I'm sure I am wrong about many things, although I'm not sure exactly which things I'm wrong about. I'm even sure I'm wrong about what I think I'm right about in at least some cases. So wherever you think I'm wrong, you could be right. If, in the process of determining that I'm wrong, you are stimulated to think more deeply and broadly, I hope that I will have served you anyway." p. 24

Totally cool . . . maybe you'll want to read it now? It's a good different view on Christianity and I'm so excited to get more time to read it. If anyone feels motivated to read it and feels like discussing things about it with me, that would be so cool. Really.

Anyways, that's all I've got for now. I've got to plan a soccer practice now for a struggling team -- sigh.

Whoa, so apparently time has just flown by! I haven't posted in a month! I don't even really think I've been THAT busy. I almost wish more exciting things had happened to write about. What's been going on to keep me from posting?

I guess soccer has taken up a lot of time for me. My first time coaching (and I'm only an assistant coach at that) is definitely a challenge. I really like the girls on my team. It's interesting trying to bring about the best in a group of girls with such a wide array of talent, energy and interest levels. It's also totally different than just being a counsellor -- I never thought it could be. It's a lot harder to be a friend and a coach (for me at least). How do I manage to motivate them when they're being lazy, yet keep the game fun? There's one girl in particular that has the hugest potential and shows moments of brilliance but then is just lazy and lacking motivation at other times. It's my personal mission to get her to absolutely love the game and everything about it. Not sure how I'm going to do that yet.

Also, got a climbing rope for my b-day and I'm getting really pumped for some climbing adventures to come. Also hoping for a chance to get out kayaking once or twice this summer.

That's about all I've got -- I'm not really sorry that it's not more exciting (I was going to say I was then realized it wasn't true).

Uh, hope we didn't give someone malaria . . .

So, recently I received an envelope in the mail from Canadian Blood Services. Me, thinking they might be giving me something cool because I've donated blood a certain number of times and wanted to make me feel special . . . right, like they would do that, apparently I live in a dream world.

ANYways, I opened it up to find that it says they've recently changed some policies. This jogged a memory in my head as I recall that there was an odd new question about handling monkeys and I had a conversation with the nurse about it: a consequence of new policies. Okay, I read on. Apparently one of their new policies has to do with malaria. Hm, sure, and why are you telling me this? Then I read that they're sorry to tell me that I cannot donate blood until I have been back for 3 full years from the high-risk malaria zone.

Again, okay, but what about the last 2 years that I've been donating blood? Oops, hope I'm not a carrier or anything . . . I don't exactly know how malaria works but that has the potential to come back to bite them. The three years are up in July though, so I'll be ready to infect the world again, one pint of blood at a time.

Social Man

Okay, so here I am reading a little Suicide by Emile Durkheim -- a classic if you know anything about Sociology. Oh, and by the way, not reading it for fun! Anyways, good old Emile serves up a little superhero action Sociology style:

"If, in other words, as has often been said, man is double, that is because social man superimposes himself upon physical man." -taken from Suicide translated by John Spaulding & George Simpson, The Free Press, NY, 1951, p. 213.

So, really, social man is the superior superhero . . . spiderman, superman, batman . . . who cares, they're all subject to SOCIAL MAN!!!

Now that I've really showed how lame I am, or maybe just how much sociology has consumed my life . . . I think I'm done.

After these messages . . .

Gaaaaaa!

So, the dreaded time has come . . . I have to get my wisdom teeth pulled! That's what the dentist told me today and from the look of the x-rays, he's got a point (one is pretty much growing sideways into my back molar). I LOVE my life (imagine great sarcasm here).

I know, I know, lots of other people have already had their wisdom teeth out and they're going to tell me to 'suck it up princess'. But, I thought I was going to get away scott free on this one. On the one side of my mouth the teeth are coming in just fine (really slow, but fine nonetheless). It's the other side that I can't see that's the problem.

Oh well, such is life. On the plus side, the knee is definitely improving. I can walk without a limp now. Tried a little jog to the car -- that's not so much happening. Going up and down stairs has improved in speed and degree of pain, and there's definitely increased flexibility. Please Lord, I just want to play soccer and go climbing -- that's all I really want!!

I've resorted to swimming!! Gaa!! For those of you who really know me . . . . swimming is far from a favourite activity, let alone one that I excel at. But, it's the only way I can get any exercise. Even then, I swim at a diagonal across my lane because the one leg is really just moving up and down (not actually a kicking motion) -- it's kind of a lopsided effort. I feel kind of dumb and as if the lifeguard wants to tell me that I need to kick my left leg more. I see them looking at me and I know they want to tell me . . .

Anyways, I'm rambling. School's almost over!!!! 4 more days of classes for me -- 2 more papers and two final exams.

Until next time, keep fit and have fun!