Another Month

Well, tonight I cancelled my flight to Toronto that was booked for this Sunday, and am postponing it for probably a month. Things were not working out job-wise for the month of May, and I decided it was wiser to stay in Alberta at my parents' home rather than in Ontario at my friend's house. It's cheaper here, but there aren't quite so many good friends around, and definitely not the good weather! I will however be eventually heading out for a summer working at camp again, starting at the beginning of June.

So turns out I have about a month more of good quality internet access left. Yay for that. :) Thank you to everyone who has participated in the whole Random Interview Project so far, it has been fun to read everyone's responses so far. I am spacing out posting one a day now that I know I have more time, and so everyone's has a chance to be near the top of the page for a bit. If anyone else would still like to participate, let me know, I'd love to interview you as well. Although it's getting a little tougher to think of random questions, but I think I have only used one question more than once so far.

I hope you're all having a good morning/day/evening wherever you happen to be. Thank you for reading.

Random Moment

Our donkey, Norah, tried to eat my sweater sleeve this morning.

Just thought you might like to know.

Interview #4

The fourth interview of this series comes from the lovely Rebecca of World Wide Wood:

"1. Tell us a few things about your home state that you particularly love:
Massachusetts is a fantastic state! First of all, just look at that name! No boring "Maine" here. Secondly, there is so much incredible history here. You can hardly walk 10 feet without running into a historical marker, "So and so slept here." "Such and such a battle fought here," " first such and such in the nation." Very cool. I also love that I can be in the City (Boston) doing city things and in a short two hour drive be in the mountains (Berkshires) doing mountainy things.

2. What is the best thing about being married?
There's someone else to ask to do the dishes...and if I ask with a cute face they almost always get done by someone else. Seriously, though. I love having my best friend with me always.

3. Share a favourite childhood memory:
First let me say how much I love your nice Canadian spelling! Once when I was like 2 and a 1/2 my family went to the World's Fair in Tennessee. While there we went to a restaurant with a man playing the piano. He came over to our
table, gave me a big all day sucker lolly-pop and then sat me on top of the piano and sang to me in front of the whole place. And suprisingly, I remember it despite my young age!

4. Describe the moment in life at which you were the most scared:
In third grade my good friend, her brother and their mom (my mom's friend) were murdered...another person came to my house late one night to tell my parents what had happened. My little brother and I sat at the top of the stairs freaking out because our mom was screaming and crying and no one came up to tell us why.

5. What is your favourite movie and why?
I have a lot of favorites for different reasons, but one that comes to mind is "George of the Jungle" with Brandon Fraiser. It is funny and witty and colorful and just all around entertaining.

6. If you could go anywhere in the world, for a week, all expenses paid, where would you go and why?
I want to go everywhere, but right now I think it would be really awesome to go to Peru and climb to Machu Pichu. I've been to South America and want to go back... and Machu Pichu has always fascinated me.

7. What do you miss about college and why?
All my friends. After graduation we all kind of scattered the country.(except for my husband who stuck around)

8. Tell us about three of your favourite sites online:
www.knitty.com -- cool, up to date knitting patterns. It's always inspiring.
www.pogo.com -- I'm totally addicted to word games and solitaire.
www.blogger.com/redirect/next_blog -- It is great to read strangers' innermost thoughts!

9. If you could go back and re-live any moment from your life, what moment would you chose?
I know it is cliche, but probably my wedding. Not because I'd want to change anything, but because I had so much fun...lots of friends and family. Yeah. that's what I'd pick.

10. Tell us something about yourself that might take one a while to learn about you:
I like talking about deep philosophical things, but I hate talking with argumentative people who can't back up their ranting. But I usually supress my dislike if their still in the room.

Fun, fun. Much better than, "what do you feel is your biggest weakness?"
questions that I've been getting!

Cheers,
Rebecca"

A Change of Weather

I just changed my WeatherPixie to a Toronto one from the Moose Jaw one... and it went from being rainy and 9C to sunny and 23C. Here at home it's apparently 13C and sunny.

It doesn't look like 13 degrees out to me. I think I will go out and check and have a run with my dog.

Query

I have been using 1ASPHost for hosting photos and graphics, they have 100MB of free space which is great... but I keep having problems with my files disappearing. That's why I keep having "X"s on my sidebar where images are supposed to be. The files disappear and never return.

I have no idea why the files keep disappearing other than the fact that 1ASPHost is the least reliable service provider I have ever encountered on the internet.

I'm looking for somewhere on the net that I can upload files without needing to download any programs to do it. I'm looking for somewhere that I can host stuff and remotely link to it. Does such a place exist that is remotely reliable?

Interview #3

This third interview comes from Flip, all the way around on the other side of the world. :)

1. Tell us something unique about the area you grew up in:
"It depends on how wide your definition of "area" is, I guess. If you mean the part of the country, I'd say the dialect. It's no coincidence that most actors playing morons in Swedish films choose to speak Östgötska (pronounced something like "uh-schutska" with "sch" as in the Scottish "Loch"), as the dialect is called - there's no way of describing the sound of it other than as dumb :)

If you mean the local area, I grew up in a rather poor suburb where most people had more or less severe social problems of different kinds. The school I went to between 12 and 14 years of age had a lot of problems with kids doing drugs, smoking and drinking alcohol, which would have been rather unique for any school in Sweden during the 80's. I don't think it's very unique in any other aspect.

2. What is your favourite book and why?
I could go for the obvious, of course, and say "The Bible". It's the only book where I can find something that speaks to me regardless of where in life I am. Other than that I don't think I can choose just one favourite... It all depends on the mood I'm in when I read and the subject I'm interested in at the moment. One indesputable all-time favourite must be the Webster's Encyclopedic Dictionary, though.

3. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would you chose and why?
Luckily you're not the first person who've asked me this, so I've got the answer prepared :) Icecream. It's the only food that comes in enough flavours, and where no one would mind if you snuck in an essential vitamin that just happened to colour the icecream green or pink.

4. What is something about yourself that people usually do not notice for a long time?
I don't know if it's a good idea to tell you or not. If it takes time to notice, it's probably because I don't want them to notice :)

Seriously though, I think it depends very much on the other person. The context in where I get to know people also very much dictates what sides of me I show, I think, and hence what they will notice. Most people probably don't notice that I'm actually rather shy.

5. Tell us about one hard lesson that you have learned so far in life:
Hmm... That's a difficult question. Did you mean "hard" as in "painful" or as in "difficult to learn"? It's more that some things have taken a lot more time and practice to learn, I guess. The most important things I've learned are probably that:

A. You can't avoid the sorrow and difficulties of life, but you can choose how you handle them. I don't believe that everything that happens has a meaning, but I think most things can get a meaning. Letting bad things happen to you without even trying to gain something in terms of personal growth is somehow a wasted life experience, isn't it?

B. Jesus will always be a greater saviour than I'll be a sinner.

6. If you could change anything about your growing up years, would you, and what would it be?
I honestly don't know. Of course there are things one sometimes wish had been different, but the thing is that if they had been you would probably not be the same person today. And I've come to like who I am. Not that I think that I'm perfect, of course, but on the whole I get along rather nicely with myself :)

7. Tell us about a couple of your favourite blog posts that you have written so far:
Once I've written a post I usually never read it again, so I don't have any favourites as such. Somehow the words aren't mine after they've left my head, so it feels very strange to read them when a while has past, if you see what I mean? After reading your question I had a quick read-through, though, and if I have to pick some it would probably be these:

Monsters
This is what I think
The Kill-Kenny clock
Raindrops keep falling on my head

The first two because they summed up some things about me that had occupied my mind for quite a while, "the Kill-Kenny clock" mainly because I like the pictures and because I found the similarity between Kenny and the clock rather amusing. "Raindrops keep falling on my head" is also about something that has been on my mind very often. (Yes, I confess - I'm slightly (although some claim "very very") nerdy.) I like most of the photo posts too, but more for the pics than for the writing, I think.

8. What are some cool things about Sweden that we (living elsewhere in the world) probably do not know?
If you had asked what cool things people think they know about Sweden, but which aren't true, this answer would probably have been a lot more entertaining. :) But I'll stick to dry facts:

- All names of the different furnitures at IKEA are Swedish names, places or words, and 2002 the IKEA catalogue was printed in 34 different languages. "IKEA" is short for Ingvar Kamprad (the founder, who is know wealthier than Bill Gates) Elmtaryd-Agunnaryd (which is the place where Ingvar Kamprad was born and started his business).

- It was Swedes who invented the zipper, the ball bearing, the Coca-Cola bottle, the Celsius thermometer, dynamite, the pace-maker, the periodic table and the adjustable wrench.

- 2003, Sweden had the lowest poverty and illiteracy rates in the world and the second highest longevity mean (close to 80 years). Sweden was also the only nation with more than 40% (45.3%) women in the parliament.

- In year 2002 6.02 million reported that they use the internet, which is quite good considering the entire population is just below 9 million. We've also got quite a few great sportsmen and -women, Anja Pärsson, Börje Salming and Mats Sundin, for example.

- Speaking of sports, one of the most common sports for a Swede to have played is "innebandy" (indoor bandy). It's a bit like hockey, but with no ice, different stick and a white perforated ball. You'll have to see it to understand, so I'll attach a photo, I think :)

- In spite of Sweden being famous for meatballs with potatos and lingonberry jam, we also have quite a strong vegan/animal rights movement. And a strong environmentalist movement.

- Sweden was a great political power in Europe during the 1700's. Now we're happy if people don't confuse us with Switzerland.

There are probably loads of other cool facts about Sweden but I'm not cool enough to think of them, it seems. Hope at least some of these were previously unknown to you :)

9. If you had to choose between living on a mountain top or a boat, which one would you pick and why?
Mountain top, without a doubt :) The view is better and I wouldn't get sea-sick.

10. If suddenly one of the primary colours (red, yellow, blue) disappeared from the world forever, which one would you prefer to be the one that disappeared?
Yellow, I think. Most colours I find ugly have got yellow in them. But then there would be no green, of course... Hmm... No, I'll stick with yellow, I think."

Tomorrow Comes

Sometimes, but only sometimes, I wish God would write upon the sky in great big huge letters what we should do.

Because that would just make things so much much easier and less stressful and everything like that.

But I don't think we would learn so well that way.

I'm sure God has the perfect plan. I'm quite positive of it in fact. I just can't figure it out myself right now. But I guess He doesn't want me to anyway. Relying on Him is really the only way.

Interview #2

And now for my second interview, this one is with the infamous Holly Skelton of a day in the life of vegetation.

"1. If you had to chose a new middle name for yourself because there were too many Annes out there, what middle name would you chose?

probably ivy, which is my grandmothers name, and i think it would be funny to be 2 kinds of plants

2. Pretend for a moment you had grown up in Caronport. What was your favourite thing about growing up there? What did you hate the most?

my favorite thing would be always having other kids around and playing all over the place, being safe to go to anyones house, or the root cellar, or the mystery of the tunnels, my least favorite thing would probably be that i never experienced "real" childhood like other kids, i know how "port kids" are, and i don't think i'd like it..

3. Your favourite place to visit is???

i haven't visited to many places, but i'd say the place i enjoyed visiting the most was bc.

4. If you could only listen to one musical group or singer for the rest of your life, whom would you chose to listen to?

James Taylor or Sloan, probably james taylor becuase he has more albums..

5. Do you like cheese?

chuckle chuckle i love cheese, cheese is so good for you it helps you loose weight ;)

6. What is more important in potential husbands, the quality of cleanliness or the quality of good conversationalizing?

umm... good conversation obviously, look who i am with :) just joking Justin is a cleanly fellow, though i think cleanliness is somthing you could help someone learn, good conversation you couldn't.. besides, a clean marriage isn't a good
one, but one with a lot of communication is a good one right? or somthing like that anyhow, what do i know about marriage.

7. Have you ever cheated on a school assignment? If yes, share that experience with us:
no

8. Imagine for a moment that you have $2000 in your pocket. What are you going to do with it? No one else knows it is there.

honestly as lame as it sounds i'd pay off my student debt becuase if i spent it on somthing else i'd feel guilty and i'd still be in debt.

9. What is your favourite hymn and why?

great is thy faithfulness, if you knew my pastor from when i was a kid you would probably understand..

10. If you had to live with a former roommate again for a full year, and share a bedroom with them, who would you chose (not including me)?

Honestly, probably Janna, we got along really well, and never spent any time together outside of the room so, even thought she was a crazy girl and i questioned the cleanliness of her sheets, i'd say her, but i'd also state that
she would have to leave the coffee maker and the cooler out of the room..

read greenandleafy.blogspot.com and be satisfied."

Interview #1

Well folks, I have officially recieved back my first interview. And let it be known it was recieved back from the last person to request an interview.

Without further adieu, here is the interview of the speedy Jodi Chambers of former roommate fame:

"First of all, I would like to state that filling out these questions makes me feel like a superstar.

1. Of all the jobs you've had so far in life, which one was your most favourite and why?
Considering the various career paths that I have journeyed down in this life of mine (all 22 years of it), I would have to say that I am torn between two and so you get two answers.

1a: Governor's Cup staff, it is my most favorite because I got to work with Marty and we would gamble daily regarding important things such as how many cheese nips a male hand can hold. It's fun to see all the runners every year and I really like administrativey stuff.
1b: Resident Assistant, Lewis Apartments. I liked being an RA because it was cool to play an influential role in the life of wee little freshman and see their lives change over the course of the year.

2. Thinking about the year ahead, what are you most looking forward to?
Since I'm living at home again, I'm looking forward to being able to use soft TP again. We always bought the hard, sand-paper stuff at school because it was cheapest, but my mom goes for the gusto and now I use nice Cottonelle...mmmmm.
Michelle's Note: I was unaware of the fact that we bought "cheap tp." I thought we bought the good stuff. It was Purex I think. You know, the kind with the little pillows printed on it.

3. Thinking about the year behind you, tell us about two of your favourite memories of it:
Good chats in our room at 117 Cottonwood (we had separate beds). Oh, I just realized that I was supposed to limit my answer to two favorite...I thought I got to share all of my favorite. Let's just say....time spent with friends (especially Michelle, Keith, Sebastien, and Josh) and time spent with God.

4. If you could go back and change anything about your high school years, what would you change and why?
I really liked high school. Now that I have discovered my keen sense for home video-making, I probably would make a few more home movies. I would have gone on the Mexico mission trips for the right reasons and I would have pet my dog more often before my parents killed him.

5. If you had a baby tomorrow morning at 6:42am, what would you name it and why?
Is it a boy or a girl? And am I in labor right now because I sure don't feel anything? This pregnancy thing isn't so bad...I would name a girl: Natalie something--because it's a good name...not the something part, just the Natalie part...I'm at a loss for a middle name. And for a boy: Nathan Isaiah--because it's cool or the name Jacob is always quality too. Is there anyone out there named Mark? Are you normal? Just curious...
Michelle's Note: I would like to suggest "Michelle" as a middle name. Just a suggestion though.

6. Do you like cheese?
YES! Cheese is a diet supplement.

7. What are four of your favourite things about your homeland?
I changed it to four because four is more....Mountains, lakes, trees, and my dad.

8. What are three things you will miss about Canada the most now that you have returned to the land of Swiss Miss and 24-hour Wal-Marts?
Was this survey made personally for me???? Ah...that's so nice. The three things I miss the most are:
1. Keith
2. Michelle
3. Free long distance after 6pm
(respectfully)

9. What relative are you most fond of and why?
My dad, because he is the greatest. He is the greatest example of a humble and kindhearted servant of Christ. He is a hard-worker and finds joy in whatever he does. He is passionate and truly a man after God's own heart.

10. If you could pick a new dog out, what kind of dog would you chose and why?
Other than the obvious...redbone hound named Russ (may he rest in peace). I would pick a black lab (similar to my neighbor's puppy) and I would name him Jake (after my good looking neighbor)....why? oh....I got side-tracked, I don't know why. Because it's 12:18 and I should be sleeping and everyone who reads this is going to think I'm a mental case and I'm going to be sent to Shady Pines. Really folks, I'm normal. Trust me.

THIS SURVEY IS COMPLETE."

Landmark

I'm about to break 16 000 unique page views on this site. I attribute this to the following factors:

1. This site is the #17 search result on Yahoo for "michelle".

2. This site is the #9 search result on Google for "michelle johnson". (It's odd to me how you can be so high up in the search ranks on a miss-spelling of your name).

3. This site has also had 84 visitors alone searching for the query "scary websites." I hope I disappoint.

4. Eleven people have surfed in searching for information on the "molson canadian mastercard." You're supposed to get a free hat when you use it... but just to let you know, you don't.

5. Most websearchers get here looking for Jars of Clay or Starfield lyrics.

6. The fact that people have come here looking for "instructions to make moose origami" (I can't even make a paper crane!), "pretty in pink pictures" (I posted on the movie once I think, but sorry there were not any photos), "purchase kurt nilsen cd" (talk to someone else, I don't have any info, sorry), "coorel" (you know you want to buy pirated software when you can't spell...), and "how to knit cables" (find a book, it might be easier) makes me chuckle.

Deep Spam

I have been cleaning out my inboxes today. Spam is so interesting sometimes, but more times than not it's uber-annoying. This spam was of the interesting-what-on-earth variety:

"This was a good resolution, but Turkestan is so thinly settled that before the boy could plan out a course of action he had passed the barren mountain range of Thian-Shan as nimbly as an acrobat leaps a jumping-barThis won't do at all! he exclaimed, earnestly
The traveling machine seems to be running away with me, and I'm missing no end of sights by scooting along up here in the cloudsHe turned the indicator to zero, and was relieved to find it obey with customary quickness"

Interview You

Okay, so I have like 5 days of good quality internet access left. In reflection of this, I want to post some good quality stuff.

So, I have this idea. It technically comes from other people around the net who have done it before me. But I want to interview a few people and then post the answers to said interviews here. Your interview questions will be tailored uniquely for you.

So, who wants to be interviewed? Leave your email address in the comments.

Can't Get Enough

1) Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4. Write down what it says:
"For correct exposure, the meter must be set for the effective exposure index of the film in use."
- Minolta XE-1 Owner's Manual

2) Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What do you touch first?
Nothing, although there is a chair a couple of centimeters past it.

3) What is the last thing you watched on TV?
CSI: Miami. My sister is there. Well, near Miami. Not on CSI: Miami though. She gets to do cool things like hang out in the Everglades and see all kinds of endangered animals. I never got to go anywhere cool like Florida.

4) WITHOUT LOOKING, guess what the time is:
11:27pm

5) Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?
11:25pm. I've told you before, I'm good at this game. I can guess the time usually within three minutes.

6) With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
Nothing actually. It's 11:25pm. Everybody's sleeping.

7) When did you last step outside?
About 10pm. The sun was setting. It was pretty.

8) Before you came to this website, what did you look at?
Uh, I have a few browsers open. Que Sera Sera. Sarah Hatter. Little Thoughts.

9) What are you wearing?
That's a creepy question I often find. What am I wearing? Well, I'll tell ya: Cruddy old jeans that I bought two and a half years ago in Montana that used to be cool but have since lost their coolness and also have a big hole in them, my royal blue "Wolves Mini-Basketball" t-shirt that I've had forever (and don't ask me what mini-basketball is, I don't know), and my favourite ivory coloured knit cardigan that Jodi thinks is gross. It's not though, it's cool, it's like a 50s skating cardigan with a neat cable knit pattern.

It doesn't really match the cruddy jeans and the mini-basketball t-shirt though... but hey, I'm at home. I don't have to match.

10) Did you dream last night?
I was on the bus. I didn't need to dream. My life was surreal enough already.

11) When did you last laugh?
Probably tonight on the phone with my friend Joanne. Or maybe after that with my Mom. I'm not sure, I can't remember.

12) What is on the walls of the room you are in?
Paint. That's it. There however used to be this really cool collage of photos of my Mom of her college days that I made a few years ago but she hated it and took it down. But really, it was cool. They were all funky different sized snapshots of her in different pink clothes. I can't recall ever seeing my Mom wear pink, but back in her modelling days, she used to wear tons!

13) Seen anything funny lately?
Hmm... not that I can recall.

14) Last movie you saw?
Finding Nemo. Last week with Rachel in our living room. It was funny. Make this my number 13 too.
15) If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first?

16) Tell me something about you that I don't know?
My friends in high school used to call me Mitchell.

17) If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
What does "regardless of guilt or politics" mean? I think that I would give more people the chance to hear about Jesus. Because He, after all, is the coolest.

18) Do you like to dance?
Like to? I'm not sure. I think dancing is a hilariously funny occurence.

19) George Bush:
What about him? I'm Canadian. I'm sorry, I don't keep up with Geo too much.

20) Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Well, I have my whole life refrained from getting too attached to names because I think that this decision should be made equally between a wife and her husband. But I think I would put forward the suggestion that her name be Phyllis but we call her Lily for short.

21) [Same question for a boy]
Same answer as question 20, but I am not sure what name I'd put forth. I always like the name Cary. But it's kind of girl-ish. But Cary Grant wasn't a girl. I also like the name Andrew. But I think I am easily swayed into other male names.

22) Would you ever consider living abroad?
Yup.

Questions via Michaela.

Michelle, M. A.

So I have graduated, said good bye to many, and have also surved the 21-hour bus ride home. The bus ride turned out to be the most horrible I have ever endured, but the fact that it is most likely the last one over 6-hours (it is 6-hours on the bus from Edmonton to home) I shall ever have to partake of again (I hope, I hope, I hope), I managed to make it through.

I got here at 6am this morning, and went back to bed at 8:30 and slept until 1:30pm. It was lovely. A bed is much nicer than a bus seat.

Now what?

Graduation

Tomorrow morning I have graduation ceremony practice, the actual ceremony is Saturday afternoon. Then that evening is the seminary graduation banquet. My family can't make it so I'm having two friends come as my guests.

And here I am, at the end of my education. I feel like I should have something profound to say.

Maybe later.

HI

Get back to work Kimmy.

Stolen

Okay, I totally stole this idea off of Michaela. Some of the stuff I changed though. But, I want you to copy this list, write in your answers, and email it back to me at michellejohnston[at]gmail.com . (I got a new gmail account and I want to try it out, I don't know if I'm going to keep it or not, we'll see). I'll post the good answers. This could be fun, but it's up to you.

1. My blog name comes from what?
2. Where did we meet?
3. Take a stab at my middle name:
4. How long have you known me?
5. When is the last time we saw each other?
6. Do I smoke?
7. Do I believe in God?
8. When you first saw me what was your impression?
9. Month of my Birthday?
10. Color hair?
11. Color eyes?
12. Do I have any siblings?
13. What's one of my favorite things to do outdoors?
14. What's one of my favorite things to do indoors?
15. Do you remember one of the 1st things I said to you?
16. What's my favorite type of music?
17. What is the best feature about me?
18. Am I shy or outgoing?
19. Would you say I am funny ha ha or funny sarcastic?
20. Am I a rebel or do I follow all the rules?
21. Would you consider me a friend, an acquaintance, or a good friend?
22 Would you call me hippie, glamorous, nerdy, snobby,or something else?
23. What phrase(s) do I use too often?
24. If there were one good nickname for me what would it be?
25. Are my parents still together?

This is the End

It's officially the end of my educational career. I think. Seven years is enough. Hopefully I am qualified for some sort of a job somewhere.

This weekend is graduation. And on Sunday I'm leaving this little town I have called home for the past 5 1/2 years during the school year.

So this means I have been packing all my stuff lately. I am always surprised at how much I have. But this year I have made much progress by giving a lot of it away. But I still have one of those big foam #1 hands that you get at sports games, it's red and is from a St. Louis Cardinals game. I can't find anyone who will take it.

And stuff like that you can't just throw out.

Mr. Right

Needs to have good email manners. I have decided this is essential. Like, I mean he has to respond to emails from me. That would be a good thing.

(note: I found this today in my drafts section of my Blogger files, it's from March 18. It's still true. So I thought I should post it.)

My Trip to the Emergency Room

So, my friend Leanne asked me to fix her backpack for her, so last night before supper, I dug out my housemate Rachel's sewing machine and proceeded to sew away.

We had a few people over for supper. Dan, a guy me and my roommate know got back from a missions trip to Slovakia and the Chech Republic yesterday, was cooking burgers outside on the BBQ. Jodi was busy in the kitchen. Keith and Greg and Josh were in the living room.

And, as sometimes happens, the needle on the sewing machine broke. But it didn't just break, part of it FLEW UP MY NOSE.

What do you do when part of a sewing machine needle flies up your nose? I don't know what you'd do, but I started to freak out. Jodi and Dan didn't quite seem to understand that I had a metal sliver up my nostril.

And when I asked Jodi to find her flashlight so I could look up my nose, she laughed a lot, but eventually figured out that I was serious. Someone called in the midst of it all, and I had no idea. I was tetering on the brink of passing out. Jodi never found her flashlight.

Eventually I got Jodi to dial the doctor on campus' number, and I talked to him, and went over to his office, and he dug around in my nose and couldn't find it. He said there were two possibilities: either it was way back there, or it had fallen out already and so I should go and look for the pieces at home.

So I went home and looked around for the pieces. I found two. They didn't fit together perfectly, so that meant there was at least a third renegade piece out there somewhere. Dr. J said I could go to the Emergency Room later and get an x-ray taken if I still thought it was in there, and since Jodi was going to Moose Jaw anyways, I went.

But first we had supper and stuff. But imagine eating and stuff when you're worried that you have a shard of metal up your nose. I'm not sure if I was just uber-paranoid, or if it was because I had just had a doctor poking around in my nose, but it felt like something was up there.

So, anyways, I went to the hospital and had to tell the story to four more people... the receptionist lady, the emergency lady, the x-ray lady, and the doctor. I got to wear a neat hospital bracelet though. And they x-rayed my nose twice.

But they couldn't find it. The doctor said I probably blew it out. That's a good thing I guess.

Unless, you know, it's lodged somewhere in my lungs.

My Paper's Online

The full text of my Ministry Related Research Project is now accessible online here. Much of the research in this paper is taken from the Christian blogger surveys that I conducted in March 2003.

I do welcome your thoughts and comments, please feel free to email me at dialog[at]briercrest[dot]com, leave them here, or visit my other blog, Dialog, and join the discussion there.

Man Night and Pictures from Girls Night

Man Night last night was a smashing success. Jodi had the pleasure of wearing a White Sox baseball jersey. I wore a purple hockey jersey with "COMPASSION" plastered across the front. They were a dorm intramural hockey team this year.

Greg and Keith provided a large bag of super spicy chicken wings (no napkins allowed) and 3 Dad's Root Beers in bottles for every participant. I was the first to finish my three.

We played some X-Box... including Halo, some sort of hockey game, and some edition of Need for Speed. The car racing was the only game at which we were all remotely even on the same level.

We were apparently to play street hockey as well, but unfortunately it was raining.

And we also watched Terminator 2. I am not sure why anyone would like this movie, other than Arnold's hilariously funny line "What is wrong with your eyes?" when the kid is crying.

And, unfortunately I do not have any photos available from last night, but I do have these photos from Girls Night.



Greg, Jodi, and Keith with their face masks on. Mine was pink, it made my face look like it was melting.



Jodi and Greg crafting up a storm.

Pictures from Montana

Here are a few links to some pictures from my trip to Montana last weekend:

A cool shot of the Helena Cathedral.

My roommate Jodi in front of the Helena Cathedral. I had to lay on the ground to take this picture.

Me, Jodi, and Josh... this is on the Helena Cathedral grounds, but you can't really tell.

This is from the front of the Helena Cathedral on the right side of the main doors, you will notice St. Paul, Father Damien, and St. Joan of Arc. There was some other guy also taking photos at the same time and so I couldn't take a picture of the other three statues on the other side of the door as he was in the way.

Another shot of Paul and Father Damien. Who is Father Damien anyways?

This is me, in the mountains at a place called Hell Gate, where we went climbing a bit.

My Apologies to Mr. Killingsworth

So I have been getting a lot of hits off of jasonkill.com, and I have naturally been wondering why. Sure I posted a comment there yesterday, but that doesn't usually get me a lot of hits. It's just a comment. A sincere wish of happiness in fact.

But somebody pretended to be me, and impersonated me, and wrote a rude comment after my real comment. I'm sorry, even though it wasn't me.

I don't know Jason in real life. I've never met him. I did used to read his blog a lot, he's a great writer. I think it's swell he's getting married. I wish him a lifetime of happiness with his bride.

And I wish there were less stupid people on the internet.

Updates

- I got my CD back from the clutches of my housemate's computer's CD drive. I listened to it this morning. This was a great thing.

- I booked my flight to Ontario. It's for May 2. I'm still currently only volunteering and don't have a paying job for May, but I assumed the offering of free room and board meant I should go.

- I almost have my MRRP ready online so everyone can read it. ;) It should be online on Monday if all goes well.

- Tonight is Man Night, postponed from before. Man Night includes myself, my roommate Jodi, and Keith and Greg participating in the following: the obligatory wearing of jerseys, the eating of chicken wings, the drinking of root beer from bottles, the playing of video games, and the watching Terminator 2.

Copy Cat

From sarahhatter.com:

1. Find the nearest book.
2. Open to page 23.
3. Find the 5th sentence.
4. Post it.

"Whenever you revert to either the last-saved or last mini-saved version, you will also lose any links updated since the last time you saved the publication."

- from Adobe PageMaker 6.5 User Guide

P.S.

If anyone knows where my copy of Jars of Clay's "Who We Are Instead" is, I want it back. Thanks.

Un fortunately I don't think the person who has it reads this.

Busy Busy Busy

Last night I went to see "The Prince and Me" with my roommate Rachel and another friend Erin, we had to go all the way to Regina to seek out the theatre around here playing it. I am a sucker for any cheesy girly romance movies, so of couse I loved it. There was one guy in the whole theatre, but then again, there were only about 12 people in the whole theatre. It was a fairly clean movie, there were only a couple of swearwords that I noticed and just a lot of kissing and not really anything worse. So that was nice for a change! And, Julia Stiles has great hair in the whole movie. I always fall in love with movie hair. Sandra Bullock in 28 Days is another great movie hair moment.

And, in other news, I'm currently trying to figure out what I'm doing with my month of May. I was going to go to Ontario and work for a month part time at camp and the camp was going to find me a job somewhere else as well because they can't pay me for that month... but so far they haven't found anything. The problem is it would cost me money to live in Ontario for May because I couldn't stay at camp... although I do have a place to stay there at a friend's. So, while I would love to go and work at camp for free (it's a fun job and I have lots of friends there and it would be cool to be there for May) I don't know if I should really do that. I can go and stay at home for free. But at home I would also have not much to do. My Mom did tell me however I can scrub out the kitchen cupboards. ;)

I have been busy lately keeping up with the discussions that have been going on all over the blogosphere about my blogging surveys and other related topics. I am excited about the dialog that is going on.

So, yeah, that is what I am up to and have been up to lately. I haven't written one of these posts in a long time.

Another Listy Quiz

Steak or shrimp?
I like both

What denomination are you?
I am non-denominational. I grew up in the United Church of Canada. I went to a Mennonite youth group in high school. I went to a Baptist church for awhile. I interned at a United Methodist church.

I'm Protestant and evangelical.

Do you like to fish?
I think it's kind of grody.

Are you better at english or math?
English. I always solve math problems in a very round-about way.

What kind of music do you listen to?
Usually CCM. Sometimes general "rock" stuff too, but not often.

If you could travel overseas anywhere right now, where would it be?
London, or Australia.

If you could drive any car, what would you get?
I think I would get one of those little fake SUVs, like a Tracker or something. Probably a silver one. Or maybe a neat shade of green.

You've got 2 million dollars in your bank account as of NOW. What do you do with it?
First, tithe by giving to missions. Second, pay off my student debts. Thirdly, build my parents a new house. Fourthly, buy some fun stuff like some new clothes. Fifthly, save the rest for things I'll need in the future.

Are you out of school?
I am graduating April 24th.

What was your favorite subject in elementary school?
Art. And language arts.

Do you want to get married? Have kids?
Yes.

Beach or mountains?
I do't care. I like the prairies too.

The Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls?
Both are pretty neat, although I've never seen the Grand Canyon. I would expect it would be less capitalized on and developed, but I could be wrong.

What are you going to do once you get out of school?
Work. I assume. Hopefullly.

Where are you from originally?
I was born in Saskatchewan. How did I end up back here?

Do you like dogs?
Yes, my dog. She’s the coolest.

Do you eat fast food? If so, what's your favorite place?
Yes. I like McDonald's. I would chose McDonald’s over any other fast food restaurant any day.

Via Cocqui.

Journey On

Today was the last college chapel of the school year. I have often gone to college chapel this year (the seminary only has chapel once a week while the college has it four times a week), and so I went today.

We all sat on the chapel stage and had communion, I reflected on the five and a half years I have spent in this place.

It’s been a long road with many people and experiences along the way.

I am excited to be done. I am excited to finish. I am excited to walk across that stage and get that fake diploma and then get the real one in the mail in a month or two.

The journey isn’t beginning, it's continuing. School was just one part of it, one very long part.

I am looking forward to leaving this place that has been my temporary home. There is a world out there waiting for me, and a place is out there in it somewhere that I will come to call my own.

Things That Might Make You Think You're Pathetic

1. Having people remind you that you don't have your real driver's liscence, just your learner's permit.

2. Realizing that you've had said learner's permit for 10.5 years.

3. Realizing that the kids who were born ten years after you are now getting their real liscences before you.

4. Realizing that other people younger than you are out driving their cars and are doing fun stuff like that while you've been sitting on the computer signed in to MSN for two and a half hours hoping for someone cool to come online and talk to you.

Back from America

I am back from my weekend trip to Montana... where there is a casino on every corner and a church across the street.

The border last night was horrendous and we were in line for over two hours. However, we entered the line off a ramp and a very nice couple in a silver car let us in and did not make us spend forever on the ramp. We spotted them from afar and postulated that they would be the ones to let us in line. The truck and minivan in front of them were not so nice. We gave the very nice couple in the silver car a bag of Whoppers. Hopefully it made the wait shorter for them somehow, enjoying the malted milk and choclately goodness of the Whoppers.

What did we do in Montana? We ate lots. Jodi's family likes to feed people. We went shopping. Keith and Josh tired of American department stores. I, on the other hand, do not tire too easily of American department stores (except when having rounded the entirety of Dillard?s for the fifth time still having not located our lost companions), they have cooler clothes than ours (or so I am deceived into believing). We went hiking in the mountains (and all picked up a few woodticks). We walked around downtown. We played at a toystore. We got creeped out by the weird stores (whose idea was it to sell Looney Tunes figurines and car racing apparel at the same store???). We went to a bunch of art galleries. We went to Jodi's church. And, we also fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine.

We rode on a carousel. (I couldn't find a specific link so here are a few).

We got back at 3am this morning. We had some good chats on the way back, and Jodi and I also had some very tasty cheeseburgers.

I took lots of pictures.

It was fun.

Comments

I've noticed people getting rid of their commenting function on their blogs lately.

I like comments. I like reading comments. I like leaving comments. I think it's part of the greatness of blogging. The whole interactive-community thing.

When you turn off the comments you lose that. People are just reading. They aren't interacting. They aren't given a chance to respond.

If you took the comments off of your site, why did you do it? If you have comments on your site, have you ever thought about getting rid of them? Why?

I'm just curious.

20-Somethings and the Church

Amber is preparing to write a book on 20-somethings and the church, and emailed me to participate in her survey to gather some statistics. I was ever so happy to do so.

If you are a 20-something person, and would like to participate in her survey, hop on over here to fill it out. It's short and shouldn't take too much of your time.

Big Sky Country

Just a quick hello from Helena, Montana. We have been spending the day exploring downtown and climbing mountains. Hope you are all having a wonderful Easter weekend.

The bunnies have started to scare me. Whose idea was that anyway?

Tick Tock Passion

What makes you tick?

I never particularly liked this question. But then again, you don't get asked it too often. What do you answer to that?

I remember my first year of college during my first semester, every Thursday morning I got a ride with the professor who lived next door to me, instead of taking the bus. I never saw her except for our half-hour ride to school once a week.

We always had awkward conversations, but she had good questions. One Thursday morning, very early in the semester, she asked me what my passion was. I don't really particularly remember what I answered, I probably said painting or art in general, but I do remember her saying that if I wasn't heading towards it then I was in the wrong program.

I was studying art, and while I loved it, it wasn't my passion.

It'll probably sound like a Christianese answer, but Christ is my passion. He is my reason for existence. He's the One for whom I live.

So what makes me tick? Although sometimes I get caught up in the messy details of life, the love of God makes me tick.

The pulse of life within my wrist
A fallen snow, a rising mist
There is no higher place than this
And my soul wells up
O my soul wells up
Yes my soul wells up with hallelujahs
- from "Hallelujahs," by Chris Rice.

Quotable Quote

"No it does not get better than this. Sitting in front of the computer is the good life, which blows I know. And all I can say is I know how you are feeling. I am glad that I know someone who is the same age as me, both physically and mentally. Because these little people who are like 24 and married, they don't know. Any ways back to your depressing email, what did God create us for, I am not sure where is that adventure that Steven Curtis Chapman is always talking about?"

Memory Lane and New Roads

My old roommate from my very first semester of Bible college came to visit yesterday... I had not seen her in over five years. It is amazing how much people stay exactly the same yet still change in interesting ways. We went out for lunch with another friend of ours, reminisced about other friends of old, and caught up on what we're all doing now and hoping to do in the immediate future.

Tomorrow I'm going to Helena, Montana for the Easter weekend with Jodi and two friends. We'll be seeing all the cool sites of my roommate's hometown and joining a 17-person Easter meal on Sunday before returning back to Canada.

I need to do some work, so I'm done for now.

Long

Another long list of questions and answers, this one comes from Cocqui, I slightly modified it to my liking:

Spell your name with bands/singers:
Okay, I totally cheated on this question and had to look up bands. Some of these I’ve never even heard of.

Mercy Me
Indigo Girls
Caedmon’s Call
Handle With Care "Metal, hardcore from Liège, Belgium; this band split"
Eddy & the Hot Rods (I think that is a funny funny name)
Lifehouse
Lollipop (I have no idea who they are, apparently some "punk" band)
Elephants. They don't really exist that I know of. I would call my band that.

Have you ever had a song written about you?
Yes. Nothing serious though, it was goofy.

What song makes you cry?
None.

What song makes you happy?
"Why Georgia" by John Mayer

What do you like to listen to before bed?
Usually something soothing-ish

What color pants are you wearing right now?
Jeans. They're blue and grey-ish.

What song are you listening to now?
None, just the buzz of the computer lab air conditioner.

What taste is in your mouth?
Spit. :)

What’s the weather like?
It had just started to rain before I came inside, the clouds were very grey.

How are you?
Not too bad, I am a little sleepy.

Do you get motion sickness?
Yes, sometimes. When I was a kid I used to barf on car trips all the time.

Do you have a bad habit?
I still bite my nails. I've been trying to quit for eleven years.

Do you get along with your parents?
Yes. The majority of the time... :)

Do you like to drive?
I don't drive very often. I like highway driving. Cities I'm not so fond of driving in.

Favorite T.V. show?
I haven't watched TV since Christmas break.

Favorite conditioner?
I am currently using Pantene Pro-V Volumizing conditioner, but I just switched from Fructis.

Favorite video game?
Um… I don’t know. Sims was fun for awhile. All computer games get boring after a while.

Favorite book?
Besides the Bible, I really liked books by Kit Pearson.

Favorite magazine?
I don't know. I haven’t been keeping up on magazines for awhile. I really liked Victoria, but I don’t think they make it any more. CCM is okay, to keep up with the latest CCM stuff. I'm embarrassed to say I like Martha Stewart Living. I also like Mary Engelbreit HOME. And when I was in art school I loved spending the afternoon in the library reading all the art and crafts magazines.

Favorite drink?
I like ginger ale mixed with cranberry juice.

Favorite thing to do on the weekend?
Sleeping is always good, worship, hanging out with friends, painting, scrapbooking.

Favorite band/group/singer?
I always like Jars of Clay, and currently I’m on a John Mayer kick. This will probably end soon.

Have you broken the law?
I sped once. I have left graffiti a time or two.

Have you run away from home?
No.

Have you ever gone skinny dipping?
Uh, no. I’m too modest

Have you ever made a prank phone call?
Yes, back in the day.

Have you ever tipped over a Porta-Potty?
No. I've never even thought of doing that.

Have you ever used your parents' credit cards?
Yes. With permission.

Have you ever skipped school?
No. Well, once in high school our French teacher told me and a friend we didn't have to go to French class and our Social Studies teacher thought we were skipping, does that count?

Have you ever fallen asleep in the shower/bath?
Not that I can recall.

Have you ever been in a school play?
Yes, in junior high.

Have you ever let a friend cry on your shoulder?
Not that I remember. People don't usually cry in my presence.

Children?
Someday, when I'm married and stuff. :).

Have you ever been in love?
No.

Have you ever had a hard time getting over someone?
Yes, hasn't everyone?

Have you ever been hurt?
Yes.

Your greatest regret?
I try to not regret things and instead learn from them.

Do you have a job?
Not currently, I'm still technically a student until the end of the month.

In your MP3 player right now:
I don’t have an MP3 Player. I think my CD player has a LaRue CD in it.

If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
I’d like to be an olive green.

What makes you happy?
Photography.

Who makes you the happiest?
God.

What's the next CD you’re gonna get?
I don’t know. The bookstore was supposed to be having this ginormous CD blowout sale and I went and there’s like nothing there… and I currently have no CDs that I really really want. I will get the new Starfield CD when it comes out next month.

Whom do you consider good friends?
Hmm... good question. My roommdawg Jodi is a pretty good friend, and Holly of the infamous life of vegetation. And Joanne, who calls me every night and I can talk to about anything. And Heather, my old roommate. And Carolyn, my good Chum. And Jordan and Mike are pretty cool too. And there are a bunch of others as well, but the list would go on to long.

What do you like to do?
I like taking photographs, scrapbooking, painting, reading (when it's not for school and I'm interested in it), bike riding, walking in fields, sewing, hanging out with people, crafting up a storm, cooking, and some more assorted fun stuff.

When was the last time you cried?
Oh, about a month ago. And I only usually cry once a year, so I've gotta last 8 more months!

When was the last time you got a real letter?
Sometime in the last couple of weeks.

When was the last time you got e-mail?
About 20 minutes ago.

What was the last thing you purchased?
Groceries.

What was the last TV program you watched?
I don't remember. It's been over three months

What was the last movie you saw at the theatre?
Cheaper by the Dozen

In the Limelight

What do you think? I was going for a more spring-time-y look.

I'm wearing flip flops and the only time you need to wear a jacket is in the computer lab because for some strange reason it is freaking cold in here!!!

I left the snow turned on because people seem to like it. :)

Wowsas

My site counter is going to top 15 000 visitors soon. That's seems to be to be a lot of visitors in the less than 19 months Mikao's World has been around.

Real Life

So I'm working on my resume and cover letter this afternoon for a real job.

Not just a summer job, but like a real-life job.

Sometimes I never thought this day would come.

It is Finished

Today is Yearbook Day. It's the day when I do a little speech in front of the college student body of 800 students in chapel and dedicate the yearbook to a person or couple who has served Christ through serving the student body and school, and it's also the day where we (the yearbook "staff" a.k.a. volunteers) hand out the yearbook to all the students.

It's neat to see something you've spent all year working on in the hands of students and seeing people excited about it.

First & Last

I am procrastinating, I got this off of Jenn's site:

FIRSTS

First job: I don't know. Some of them I never got paid for. My first paying job was working at Kippewa for Girls, a private camp in Monmouth, Maine.
First screen name: michellej, on some Jars of Clay sites.
First funeral: Um. My great-grandmother died the spring I was in second or third grade.
First pet: We always had pets. Slinky, the siamese, we had when I was born until I was 14. He was 15. He was also the best cat ever.
First piercing/tattoo: My ears were pierced when I was 13. I thought I was going to die it hurt so much.
First kiss: I kissed a boy for a stick of grape bubble gum in grade three. On the schoolbus of all places. In front of everyone.
First one that mattered: Well, that would still be yet to happen.
First love: I don't think I have ever been in love. Actually, I know I have never been in love. My first crush was on a boy named Cary.
First enemy: I don't know...
First big trip: Our family went to British Columbia when I was 8 in our honking huge brown van. I remember wanting to wake everyone up when I first saw the mountains because only me and my dad were awake in the van. I thought there would only be a few and then we'd go back to prairie again.
First concert: Hokus Pick when I was 13 I think.
First musician you remember hearing in your house: Kenny Rogers.

LASTS

Last car ride: My roommate drove me to school this morning because she had to drive somewhere afterwards. Normall y we walk.
Last kiss: Probably saying goodbye to my Gramma in January.
Last library book checked out: I just returned my limit of 15 library books on Thursday. I don't know what hte last one I signed out was... they were all related to my MRRP.
Last movie watched: Spy Game, last night. It was okay.
Last beverage drank: Water
Last food consumed: I had a mushroom omelette last night.
Last phone call: Joanne
Last CD played: Ginny Owens, the one that you can get in three different colours. I have the pink one. I totally forget the name of it, I haven't played it in over a year.
Last annoyance: Being asked "Can I pick up my yearbook now?" The answer is "No. You can pick it up after chapel is over."
Last soda drank: Maybe Ginger Ale? I don't really remember, I don't drink "soda" too often.
Last ice cream eaten: Nestle Limited Edition Chocolate Peanut Butter with Twix hardshell.
Last shirt worn: Black t-shirt.
Last website visited: Cocqui

NOW

1) Single or Taken: Single
2) Gender: Female
3) Birthday: May 5
4) Sign: Taurus, but who cares?
5) Siblings: three.
6) Hair color: Brown
7) Eye color: Hazel
8) Shoe size: 8
9) Height: 5'5" I would like to be an inch taller.


RIGHT NOW, WHAT ARE YOU

1) Wearing: Jeans, brown leather clogs, a mossy-green collared t-shirt.
2) Drinking: Nothing at the moment
3) Thinking about: I have no idea what to say in this email.
4) Listening to: The fan of the computer lab air conditioning unit.
5) Watching: The screen
6) Feeling: Hungry (I should go home for lunch), and that there is a kink in my neck.

Questions and Answers

A friend of mine asked me two questions, "Where should I go?" and "What should I do with my life?"

These were my answers:

a) Maybe you are where you should be but you don't want to think that it is right. Or maybe you are right and you are where you shouldn't be. If that's the case, why aren't you where you should be?

b) I don't know what you should do with your life. What should I do with my life? I think it's a relative question.

When you ask yourself the question "what should I do with my life?" what answer do you come up with? Is it the real answer or just the answer you've held on so long for that you don't know what the real answer is?

I think that is the most philosophical thing I have ever written.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Icecream with a Twix Hardshell Coating

Girls Night was cancelled last night and postponed until tonight. So now I must go home and have some supper before the face masks, sundaes, craft time, toenail painting, and Sweet Home Alabama movie watching begins.

Maybe

Holly says:
my left shoulder is killing me, i can't figure out why

Michelle says:
repetitive movements

Holly says:
maybe but i don't actually use my left arm when transplanting plants

Michelle says:
oh

Michelle says:
hmmm

Michelle says:
i don't know then

Michelle says:
maybe aliens attacked you in your sleep and stole your spleen and a couple of shoulder ligaments.

Holly says:
it could be from watering i guess

Michelle says:
or that.

April Fools

So, I didn't really realize it at first, my friend Joanne pointed it out, but my April Fools Day this year was packed.

My oral comprehensive exam was scheduled for 12noon, it is one of the requirements you must complete to graduate with your Master of Arts degree from my school. The oral comprehensive exam is given by two professors, the chair of your department (with whom you usually take the majority of your classes, in my case, Youth and Family Ministry), and another professor who you get to choose (well, you get to say who you want, you don't always get who you want). I left it up to the seminary office to pick my second professor, and I ended up with a good one, a professor with whom I took Screening Scripture: The Bible in Film & Video) last spring.

The oral comprehensive exam consists of 6 major sections: summarizing your learning goals, course of study, and outcome; identifying/comparing/contrasting five key thinkers in your field, identifying principles for ministry in your field and discipline of study; biblical and theological astuteness, analyzing a few of the 10 desired outcomes of seminary (they give you a list beforehand and you write a 5-page paper of where you're at with them); and also discussing a burning ministry issue in your field of study.

We talked about highlights/lowlights of my program (highlights included Essentials of Youth & Family Ministry and the film class I took, among others; my lowlight was taking Counselling Adolescents and Their Families and feeling left alone to swim, and my reason for coming to seminary (I was quite surprised to find myself in seminary in the first place but wanted more youth ministry classes and more time to learn before heading off into the working world).

My five key thinkers included Walt Mueller, some relational ministry thinkers, and a bit of Andrew Careaga. I was also asked a lot of questions about theorists like Piaget, Erikson, and Havighurst, all of whose names I recognized but didn't know whose theories were whose!

The section on biblical and theological astuteness I found quite unique, very different from the way we are asked to talk about it in college (you write a 10 page paper on your doctrinal position on 12 points like "Sin" and "Angels and Demons"). Students are allowed to have a sheet of notes with them for the oral comprehensive exam, so mine were mostly verses on my doctrinal position (I have a terrible memory and can't remember where verses are for the life of me). I was given a hypothetical situation in which an unchurched kid came to me to discuss the part of "The Passion" where "by his stripes we are healed" flashes across the screen and asked what that was all about. What would I do? Well, I said I would talk about how that verse was from a portion of Isaiah 53 (and may I make a note here of how especially proud of myself I was for knowing this?!?!?!?!?!?!?!), I would talk ever so briefly on how it was prophesying about Christ, and then went on to state verses, etc. that I would use to discuss how we are sinners and how we know this (i.e. what we need to be healed of), what Jesus did for us (i.e. his stripes, or wounds), and what this means to us (what our "healing" is). I was also asked a few additional questions, and some random stuff on justification, assurance (I did not know that Methodists think you can lose your salvation...).

The "desired outcomes of seminary" they discussed with me included my involvement in the church during my time here at school (I wrote in my 5-page outcomes paper that I had participated in the very large community church here where I felt uninvolved and lacking fellowship in the church setting, not getting to know anyone community-wise), and my "clear sense of vocation and call" (I talked about camp work and such, my giftings in administration and helping, and my future ministry plans).

And then at the end, my program chair asked me if I could discuss and share with them the concept of community found on the internet, and internet ministry, and into that I wove some of my MRRP research and findings. We discussed adolescent bloggers, Xanga, (the lack of) internet "pastors" and whether or not the concept was even possible, and a few other assorted things.

Then, I left the room and they discussed me... then I came back and they informed me (drum roll here) of my clear pass (hurrah). They suggested I continue to keep on learning, and perhaps should consider taking more theology courses (which I have actually been thinking about), and familiarize myself more with theorists, etc. because such things are important to understand when working with adolescents.

Their commendations included that I have a good understanding of my personal strengths, weaknesses, and gifts, I'm an articulate writer (they said I have good writing, that is pretty swell I think!), and I am doing "cutting edge research... very relevant." And my chair also said a bunch of stuff about how he though I had transformed my difficult internship (when I was a youth ministry church intern a few summers ago) into something good, discovering my gifts more fully and using them and moving on to fruitful ministry. That was very encouraging.

So, with that, my oral comprehensive exam was over. I was surprised it was so easy. Everyone always makes such a big deal about it. I always hear about people crying.

Later that afternoon I printed off my MRRP and handed it in, a glorious moment as I said yesterday. Eventually it'll be online, until then, keep checking out Dialog for pieces and tidbits. In case you were wondering, my purpose statement for the paper was this: "The purpose of this study is twofold, firstly to discover how Christian webloggers are interacting online with themselves and non-Christians webloggers, and secondly, to encourage and facilitate online relational and incarnational ministry via weblogging, especially pointed towards adolescents."

Some other stuff happened yesterday, of the kind that I won't post because it's my blog and I don't want to. You can't tell everybody everything after all.

Hope your April Fools 2004 was just as great.

ABCs

I borrowed this from Chloe. I hope she doesn't mind. :)

A - Age: twentyfive. When people tell me they're 25 I think they're old.
B - Band: Jars of Clay. Well, it changes sometimes. Sometimes I like Switchfoot more.
C - Choice Of Meat: Chicken.
D - Dream Date: Hmm… that’s a toughie. I think any date would be fun if it was with the right person.
E - Excites You: Scrapbooking. I know, I’m a lame-o.
F - Favorite Food: I like pizza. But I think my favourite food is this really good stirfry that I make.
G - Greatest Gift: God’s love.
H - Happiest Day Of Your Life: Many have been happy.
I - Ice Cream: Vanilla with those chocolate stringy things in it that President’s Choice makes, my relatives always call it worm icecream.
J - Jelly Bean: Buttered popcorn. You know, the Jelly Belly ones.
K - Kool Aid: I don’t particularly like fake juice.
L - Love: I love many things… sunshine, flip flops, softly falling snow, crisp winter air, a starry night, blooming flowers, friends and friendships, Jesus my redeemer.
M - Most Valuable Thing You Own: My camera, a Pentax MZ-6.
N - Name I Like: I like the name Gardenia Lily Mae.
O - Outfit I Love: Corduroy pants and a wool sweater.
P - Pizza Topping: Cheese. Cheese is pretty much always good.
Q - Question I want to ask: What was it really like to live in the olden days?
R - Roots: Who has roots any more?
S - Sport to watch: Maybe figure skating?
T - TV show: I haven’t watched tv since Christmas.
U - Unique habits: Tying my shoelaces different than everyone else I know.
V - View from the window: A cruddy lawn and fences and trailers. I don’t live in a trailer, but everyone behind me does.
W - Weather I Love: I like all of the seasons, they’re each unique. I always liked autumn the best, but I’ve become somewhat partial to summer lately.
X - X-Ray? I think my last one was when I had a chest cold in the eighth grade.
Y - Yesterday's best moment: Going to bed.
Z - Zoo's, ya like 'em? Oh goodness me, no. I think zoos are gross. I don’t want to see animals in cages that smell like poo. And it costs $17 to go to the Toronto Zoo! (just to warn you, in case someone asks you if you want to go and you didn’t know that it cost a small fortune).

General Announcements

1. There is no more snow left. It has all melted.

2. I finished my MRRP and just handed it in. 72 pages. $7.20 to print it. The glorious feeling upon completion cost nothing.

3. I passed my oral comprehensive exam with flying colours (more about that tomorrow)

4. Tonight is Girls' Night for me, Jodi, Keith, and Greg. We're having craft time, painting our toenails, doing facemasks, and watching "Sweet Home Alabama."

5. For that Jodi and I will be forced to endure Man Night tomorrow.

6. Back to your regularly scheduled blogging tomorrow. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. You guys are awesome!