Happy Leap Year

I'm back... working on yearbook tonight I've finished all I can on the last 4 pages of the year, I still have to wait for to get the "real photos"... I've used all the digital ones that I can. So, now I'm using the internet while I can here in the yearbook office. :)

Youth Quake was great... I had an awesome time. A church from the town where I work at camp in the summer in Ontario brought 64 people, most of whom I knew, so it was great to see a lot of friends here! Neat to hang out with people in a different setting. I can't wait to go back to Ontario and see everyone again this summer.

I've found that a wonderful thing about not being on the internet for 3 days does something magical... pretty much everyone has updated. :)

I was trying out the Bloglines thing, in hopes that it would save me time from having to surf to all the sites I like to frequent to see if they've updated. But, I've found that Bloglines isn't very up-to-date, it takes a while for it to catch on that someone has updated. I suppose that is due to the RSS/XML feeds and not Bloglines, but whoever's fault it is... makes me not like Bloglines all so much. And you also miss the "design experience" of a blog when you read blogs through a service like that. And the blogs don't get the hits that they would with you surfing to their site.

Anyways, that is all for now. I'm tired. I should finish what I'm doing and go home to bed. Have a good night and day everyone. I will talk to you more tomorrow.

Weekend

Thank you to everyone who has so far volunteered to take my survey, and also to those who have linked to my site, I appreciate it greatly! The blogosphere, and the Christian blogosphere especially, never ceases to amaze me.

Due to Youth Quake happening this weekend on campus, I won't be able to use the internet until Monday. To those who have filled out the survey so far, I will be emailing you part two early next week. To those who would still like to fill out the survey, please feel free to continue leaving your email address in the comments here or emailing me directly.

Until then, have a wonderful weekend everyone.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
- Colossians 3:17

It's a New Day

Holly has gone home. My roommate is somewhere weird in Montana for the day. And I'm working on sending out my surveys.

Youth Quake is this weekend, about 4000 youth will converge on our little campus for 3 days. This is the first year I've actually known anyone who will be here for it, a bunch of people I have worked at at camp the past couple of summers are coming out. I expect it will be a lot of fun, but also pretty exhausting! Students never get much sleep YQ weekend!

You Kind Assistance is Requested

Will you fill out a survey for me?

As you may or may not know, I am currently working on my MRRP (Ministry Related Research Project) to complete my Master of Arts in Christian Ministry with and emphasis in Youth and Family Ministry here, which is somewhat similar to a thesis.

And, as you may or may not know, my MRRP is on blogging. Not just blogging in general, but a more specific topic in regards to blogging. However, I can't really tell you my topic because I am hoping you will volunteer to complete a survey for me, and if you knew what my specific topic was, that might taint your answers.

I am looking for Christian bloggers to fill out this survey. It will be in two parts, one to be answered first and then the other one to be answered not too long later, but neither should take you too terribly much time.

The survey may now be taken directly online by clicking here.

And feel free to spread the word, I would appreciate as many responses as possible. It is my hope that this project will have a positive effect on the blogosphere.

Thank you!

Mmm... THANK YOU!

Jake is one of my favourite people today because after my Swiss Miss post he sent me some... and I got it today right after I found out I'm being audited by Alberta Student Finance, which I would say highly warrants consumption of large quantities of hot chocolate!

Cruisin' the Jaw

My former housemate and good chum Holly is here, so Jodi took us all to Moose Jaw this afternoon for a fun filled day of excitement. Not only did we go to the scrapbooking store (where, by the way, I spent way too much money and decided I need to quit scrapbooking even though it's fun, because it costs too much money), we also took pictures all over town, went to the mental asylum (we think, we're not too sure, we kinda got lost), went to Pita Pit for supper, went to the big huge moose statue, and got our film developed at Wal-Mart. My favourite part was lying on the ground in front of St. Andrew's United Church to get the whole church spire and Holly and Jodi in the photo.

Educated

This afternoon on my walk to the academic building, I passed a woman who had to be around the same age as me. But, she could have been perhaps a couple of years younger or a couple of years older as well.

The difference between us, however, was that I was carrying a backpack of books and she was pulling a little wagon with her two children in it.

When my mother was my age she already had given birth to her first child. I spend my days doing research. I work at camp in the summertime. I don't even have a boyfriend.

My mother went to modeling school for a semester and modeled for a bit doing runway shows, and then I think she did a year of secretary school. She got married. She had four children. She quit working when I was 2 to raise her children properly and went back to work part time when I was 12.

As I continued my walk to the academic building, I was marveling at how pretty much in the length of two years I will have become a highly educated woman. I received my Associate of Arts degree in 2002. I received my Bachelor of Arts in 2003. This April I'll get my Master of Arts.

There aren't too many females who finish four year degrees at Bible college... they end up leaving or getting married or finishing a shorter degree. The population of females in fourth year here, and those finishing their B.A.s is not very large. The number of women in seminary is even smaller. There aren't any others in my program (youth and family ministry).

I continued on my walk and then came across a woman I know, who also happens to be highly educated, as women go. She’s about ten years older than me. She's not married and she works for the school. She just got a car. A 1981 Buick LeSabre. She got it for free and was jubilant at her good fortune.

Where will I be in 10 years?

I was talking to a good friend of mine on the phone not too long ago and she was asking me what I planned to do after I am finished here. "I don't really know for sure, but I'm applying for jobs," I responded. "Surely God has not brought you this far without a reason, Michelle," she said.

And it's great to know she is right, I just have no idea where He's taking me next.

Competition Changes

*Disclaimer: This story is from the memory of a ten year old child, written almost sixteen years later.*

I think that hate is a strong word. But I hate it when friendships become a competition.

In fourth grade I had three really good friends, Levana, April, and Kathy. Levana was one of the coolest kids in the whole school. She had yellow stirrup pants that were practically to die for they were so cool. She wore all of her t-shirts with a belt, which I thought was a tad odd, but hey, she was Levana, she could get away with wearing anything probably. She won the proficiency award every year for our grade as the one with the highest marks. She was smart, she was pretty, she had cool clothes, she had her ears pierced, and her mom let her get perms.

Sometime near the end of the school year, in late May or perhaps early June, Levana decided she did not like me anymore and no longer wished to be my friend. I can specifically remember being in the ravine behind the playground and the maze on the schoolgrounds and her telling me to "go suck on an egg." I can also remember being particularly puzzled by this statement, not only because I had never heard it before, but also because I did not think it possible in any way to actually suck on an egg.

Anyway, the fact that Levana decided she hated my guts affected the whole friend group of course. Levana and April both lived close to the school so they went home for lunch and didn't spend much of the lunch hour at school. This was ideal because it meant for an hour I could hang out with whoever I wanted to pretty much without the threat of Levana around. I could hang out with Kathy all I wanted.

However, during moring recess and afternoon recess, Kathy and April hung out with Levana and not me. Our class only had about 15 students in it, and I think there were only maybe 2 or 3 other girls besides us four. It was most unheard of in elementary school to dare to even consider playing with kids in another grade.

I remember one day when Levana came back early from lunch so she had time to play at the end of lunch hour. I had been playing with Kathy, but as soon as she noticed Levana coming across the baseball field, she informed me she had to go because she couldn't be seen with me. She ran away from me and I understood. Levana was the coolest girl in school, you didn't want to be in her bad books. Because it sucked. Big time.

I have absolutely no recollection of why Levana and I were no longer friends. And I doubt she does either, and sometimes I wonder if she even remembers any of this. I haven't seen her though since I moved away the second month of fifth grade. That summer, when we told people we were moving in October, she "forgot" that we weren't friends anymore and spent a lot of time at my house. When school started up again she did put some distance between us again, I think there must have been some danger for her reputation to mend our friendship so quickly in the eyes of our peers.

Having Levana's friendship was a competition. You never knew when it could turn sour, and you did not want to be on the outside of it.

I called Levana about five years ago, I hadn't talked to her since exchanging a few letters in seventh grade. We were both older of course, and had graduated high school, but had since then experienced different things. She dropped out of university and moved in with her boyfriend. I had finished a year of art school and was just beginning Bible college. I had never had a boyfriend and wouldn't even consider living with one.

It's interesting where life's road takes you and where you end up. It's interesting to see how friendships develop, change, and morph and end.

I can remember my Mom telling me once that she didn't think a particular friend of mine was one of those friends you stay friends with for life. I think she was wrong though, I talk to that friend still almost every day.

True friendships shouldn't be competitions. The greatest prize isn't the friendship with the coolest person, it's the friendship with the one who cares.

My "Foreign" Valentine

Thank you so much for the Valentine Rebecca, you are so sweet.

:)

The Next Sandra Schmirler

Curling: A game originating in Scotland in which two four-person teams slide heavy oblate stones toward the center of a circle at either end of a length of ice.

So yesterday I went curling. I don't know anyone who just goes curling. It's not like bowling, you don't just decide with your friends to go curling. Usually you only go as part of gym class or if you're in a curling league. But all good people from the Prairies have been curling at least once. We all know who Sandra Schmirler is.

But yesterday was an odd day, and I ended up going curling with my roommate Jodi and an odd assortment of people, the majority of whom I did not know and had never spoken to in my life. It actually ended up being pretty fun though. I hadn't curled since probably eleventh grade gym class, 1995 or so.

I was going to attempt to tell you how the game of curling is played, but it's hard to describe such a weird sport and I think clicking here and then clicking on the "Learn more about the basics of curling in our Flash animated demo" link will show you better.

It always makes me chuckle when I can tell people that in grades 5-8 we always got a whole day off school to go curling at the town rink. My favourite part is the slider that you wear on your one shoe that makes is so you can slide down the ice.

Although hucking a big huge rock down the ice is pretty cool too.

X + Y = A Clean Driveway

I have this theory that there is a "Cleanest Driveway Contest" going on on my street. This theory is supported by the following facts:

1. The man in the house across the road from us is out shovelling his driveway whenever there is the slightest bit of new snow, and generally when he has any free time, as far as we can ascertain. I have never seen him at any other time other than the times he is shovelling his driveway.

2. The professor down the road was shovelling his driveway during his lunch hour the other day. He just hopped off his bike after riding home from the academic building and started shovelling. Like he doesn't have anything else to do.

3. A family next to the professor started chippin' away yesterday at the half foot of packed-down snow that had accumulated on their driveway over the winter so far. They have half of their driveway immaculately cleared.

There are a few facts that also tell me my house will not be winning at the Cleanest Driveway Contest any time soon.

1. It has been so long since I've actually seen our driveway without snow on it that I cannot even remember if it is paved or not.

2. We tend (well, actually Jodi is the only one pretty much who shovels, being the car owner) to only shovel as much as is necessary.

3. It'll melt. What do we need to spend time shovelling for? There doesn't seem to be a prize in this contest anyways. Unless you consider the fact that the mere effort of shovelling your driveway gets you a mention on this blog.

Question

Q: What do 25-year-old seminary students wear?

A: Monster truck rally t-shirts.

Of Those Taking a Break

"I don't think anyone can keep a blog going steadily for several years. Life intercedes."
- Lawrence Krubner, in apophenia

Blogging breaks seem to be becoming commonplace.

Enjoy your time away.

Hmmm... Maybe

So lately I've not been thinking about the future, because I've been doing other stuff. But you know, it's always there, at the back of my head.

I have a job for May thru the end of August. After that I'm not too sure what I'll be up to. I do have a job to apply for though, and although it is something I never ever ever thought I'd do, it would be the super coolest job.

That's exciting.

But, unfortunately, it's not in Guelph...

Holly says:
seriously, move to guelph, we could find a super cool old herritage building and live on the top floor, there will be hard wood floors, and brick and a fire place.

Holly says:
we can get cool ikea furnature

Heater

This afternoon I am going with my roommate Jodi to take my old roommate Heather back to the Regina airport. Heather was my roommate my third year of Bible college (2000-2001). When she left school in April 2001, I really thought I would never see her again... but it turns out I've spent the weekends of the past two summers pretty much at her house, so that has been pretty neat. I think it's awesome how God gives us such great people in ourl lives. Her visit this time has been short, but I have no doubt I'll be seeing her again soon, and that makes me glad.

Saturday we had "Heather Day" and took all the Heathers we knew and a bunch of other people to Regina to see "The Last Samurai." I was actually quite surprised that I liked it. I wouldn't buy it, but it was a pretty good movie. I liked the whole theme of how even though he was this great "American Hero" for savagely murdering Native Americans, he felt remorse... and ultimately this lead him to fight with the Japanese equivalents of Native Americans, and basically became one of them.

Last night we watched "Tarzan." I had never seen it before. I'm not a big cartoon fan, but it was okay.

Heather has one of those wacky West Jet flights where she gets to fly Regina to Edmonton and then Edmonton to Toronto. For those of you not up on your Canadian geography, Edmonton is west of Regina and Toronto is east...

Sorry if things around here have been boring lately. I've been busy. I love blogging, but I do need to live my life as well. I must run. I need to have some lunch.

Forward

"While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.

Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction and there's nothing you can do about it!"

Oh Good!

These two are blogging again. Or will be.

This makes me happy.

About Love

In honour of Valentine's Day, I have assembled the following list of some of my favourite posts from various people on romantic matters, love, and the like. Enjoy.

Cameron Lawrence "Come Pick Me Up"

Cocquita Mackey "P.S." (Scroll down to Monday, January 05, 2004).

Scott Heinen "The Real World"

Heather Armstrong Count Your Many Blessings, Name Them One By One

Travis Mielonen Dating Creed- Part Three: Defining

Carly Bishop Second Place (scroll down to Wednesday, February 19, 2003)

Michelle Johnston The Lure

Chris One More Question

Dave Simpson A Happy Welcome

Hearts

Remember when you were a kid in elementary school and in art class and you had to make a big heart envelope and your mom would buy you a box of 32 valentines and you'd carefully address one to every kid in the class and put heart stickers on the little envelopes and then put them in each of your classmates' big heart envelopes and then at the end of Valentine's Day you'd bring home your big heart envelope overflowing and full of 32 valentines all addressed to you?

I hope your Valentine's Day 2004 is like that: full of love.

What?

This is ridiculous. Right before Valentine's Day? Come on, seriously?