Recap and Mange Special

This weekend was pretty neat. It started off with a glorious gathering at the household of brother Brian. The dorm was invited to have beer and pizza with Brian's house and Steve's, (Ryan's brother) house. Great conversation and fellowship. Just great.

Tim and I started a Zelda: Ocarina of Time game this weekend. It will be our project before we get out Wii. We're pretty stoked.

Deathcab is one week today. Going with a bunch of us, should be magical.

I have my last midterm in about 20 min. After that, I should be clear till Wednesday, and then we have a mini reading break with no classes on Thrus or Fri. Tim and I will be writing songs, scripts and transforming our basement into a jam room.

See you.

The Art of Serenading

Greetings friends,

Quick note to blogger: you suck. It won't allow me to fully post the proper chords of the following songs because it's officially silly. Such is life.

As of late a selected few of us in ye ole dorm 34 have been serenading many people, most often females. The proper way to do this is the following

1) Have a guitar handy with someone able to play
2) Have someone present (preferably a female as to not be awkward)
3) Complement the person by calling them a babe.

Below is the chords to some of our favourite serenading songs with lyrics. Simply add the desired name and go nuts. The day shall be yours.

Version 1

C G
Oh (name) , Oh (name)
C G D G
Oh (name) is such a babe.
Repeat

Version 2

Em D Em D
Oh (name) , never knew that you were such a babe.
C G C G
But tonight I'm on my way, tonight I'm on my way.

Repeat
(adapted from the Ben Kweller song "On My Way")

Because both these fantabular tunes are in "G" (I think?), you can play them right after one another without it sounding bad. Who knows, it might even sound good. Neat.

I Wish I was a Girl

I would love to do a study of the human brain. The Counting Crows song "I wish I was a Girl" is an interesting place to start. I wish I was a girl so that you could believe me, and so that I could shake this static. Yes, those are lyrics of the song. What the singer is getting to, I'm not 100% sure, mostly because I am a striking young man and not a girl, therefore I cannot multitask by interpreting a song and blogging at the same time. So, to close this thought, Ryan wanted me to say something about breasts. Why? I'm not entirely sure, but here I go. Boobies. Interesting. Moving on.

The blogging human brain works in magical ways. I'm sure that there is some sort of mathematical equation. If one (the blogger) has ample time to spare to his or her leisure, that time will be spent doing things other than writing a blog (usually) and although writing a new blog might be on ones "to do" list, there are usually other things that fall into the cracks of our schedules other than to do the blog. Now if the blogger is swamped with other work, for example, a geography midterm tomorrow which I, I mean, the blogger hasn't studied for enough, that studying will take a commanding secondary role, encouraging the blogger to in fact, write a blog. Neat.

I've been thinking a lot lately, for, that is what I believe we as humans and Christians should be doing. Yes, we could survive by living in a small room with no human contact, art, creation or any other physical stimulus, but alas, we would not be living. There are essential things that we need that explode past the typical textbook answer of food, shelter and water. What all these things are most certainly differs from one person to the next, although similarities would most certainly show up. Never the less, there is a long list of esentials past those nifty three things. And now for the cool stuff. What is sin? Well, possibly, I'm not sure, but it could be the distortion, the alteration or misuse of the essential things that we as humans need to live. Talking crudely? The misuse of language and communication. Murder? The misuse of understanding human relationships and the respect of living things. I've started to realize (which, really is quite sad that it took me a good 19 years) of how ignorant I am on how people really live. We don't all grow up in loving homes where food is provided, where parents love each other, and where relationships are treasured. The world is pretty farked up (I was going to drop an eff-bomb, but not today. Stay tuned.) and I wonder why I grew up in the environment that I did. Etc. Mange.

Big Tim and I were discussing things that we feel safe in while trying to make a bitchin' song today. We both agreed that crawling into a warm bed when it's cold outside is very nice. I enjoy it a lot. I also like warm soup, tea with friends and being able to be yourself without freaking out about whether you're being accepted or not. Granted, that's still a struggle, but whatevs. I've been playing a lot more air guitar, it's a good way to loosen up/ push myself out of my box of comfort in the halls.

That's all I think. The next few weekers are a bit busy, so I'll be posting (up on Waggo and dropping 50) more in the near future.

Glory.

Silence Calls

Mange. Oh, sweet glory, mange indeed.

This past weekend I went to Ryan G's house for some thanksgiving loving, and although the choice was a hard one to make between going to his house and the Vandorps, I think either way I was safe. With going to the Vandorps I would have some of the most remarkable R&R time possible, and and Ryan's I would be going places, seeing things and staying up late with little time to sleep in.

Things to note about the weekend at Rye Guy's. Fantastic family. Welcoming to all ends, humorous, and generally joyful people, topped off with a mom hug by Mrs. G before we left back for Hamilton. It was great to see an enviroment where Ryan gets made fun of on a regular basis. Second, I felt like I was getting ready to hibernate. I ate quite a bit and it was welcomed with open arms and jaws. Caesar dressing in mashed potatoes. So brilliant, so fantastic. Mange. Third, I played ice hockey for the 2nd, possibly 3rd time in my life. Neat. We got some guys together and rented a rink for an hour and a half and gave 'er skidoo. Before that evening, I had never raised a puck off the ice before, and at the end of the evening during breakaway's on the goalie I roofed one top corner glove side. Oh, sweet glory. Highlight of my life, even more so than saving my group and another with spam heals with low mana against The Beast. Intense.

My brain doesn't seem to be going full steam right now, because I seem to be a sentence fragment king at the moment. Well, if you're able to read and understand the above, glory. Peace out till next thinger. Oh, and the title "Silence Calls" is purely an In Medias Res song title which is quite nice. It has strings, and I like strings.

David........................Sucks

Tricka bicka licka shooba dooba wabba wabba. Take that, rinse, repeat and play to a funky beat, broseph.

I've been playing a lot of basketball lately to keep in shape. Back in the day I thought Chapman was just trying to make me feel good saying that I was the biggest talent to ever come out of FVC, but now I'm starting to believe him. I shoot around with Ryan on occasion and I think I'm like a fine wine; I just get better with age. Leave me on the shelf for a couple years, pop the cork and unleash a world of dunks and triple doubles, fade away shots over short girls and mad handles that would make Martha Stewart whisking a tasty cake batter look like a moron. In all serious, I've missed it quite a bit and now that I'm in the gym I wish I could relive the glory days of the Bron, Herman, and on occasion, if he hadn't heroically jumped off a 50 foot cliff to save a chick that flew of it's nest and was facing sure death, Waggo. Dag guys, we were good.

I have a roommie now who is the person of Jared Dalton. He lived with Ryan and Big Tim (Adam sucks) last year, and is quality. Highlights include his ownership/rental(?) of the DVD seasons of Boy Meets World. Man, Tapanga was such a babe. I'm also getting addicted to Super Smash Bros. for the 64. It is intense, and as Ryan stated before, the trash talk might actaully be getting out of hand.

Other things to note? I don't know, lay off me. Peace.

Gettin' Jiggy Wit It

With the inspiring poetry of Will Smith,

"Bring it. Woo Uh, uh, uh, uh. Ha ha, ha ha. What, what, what, what. Uh. On your mark, ready set let's go. Dance floor pro, I know you know I go psycho when my new joint hit. Just can't sit, Gotta get jiggy wit it, Ooh that's it!"

Wow, what a great song. Seriously, I don't think there's another song that has such a danceable intro. So this past weekend we had a little bit of a shin dig. Let me break it down slow for you, possibly as slow as a transfer of genetic information between two E. coli bacterium of strain F+ and F-. Ryan G. (not big Tim, Adam) and I missed the "Decade Dance", one of 'Deems events for first years where you can get jiggy with it as long as there's no disco dancing. We then sobbed and even mourned a little about the fact that we didn't break it down. We then had an idea, nay, a revelation. Our thoughts melded into one, creating a legendary thought to have a dance on our porch. But alas! there was little room on our porch. A shortsighted squire I was, for I had neglected the fact that I live in D34, the most prime spot of all campus to hold an event. Off the front of our porch there grows two majestic trees, remnants of a once enchanted glade perceivable only in the minds of children and in the hearts of RPG gamers. These glorious trees were perpendicular and parallel to each other and our porch, making the perfect boxed shape. Oh, but people, it was more than that! There was one lone tree even further yet that could be utilized. Yes, it is true that the splendor of this tree was not as the others, most likely because of an ancient hex put on it by a powerful magical being, or possibly a stray shovel into its roots by an inexperienced landscaper. But alas, this tree would serve a purpose. It would make a triangle with the other trees, and thus making our dance floor a pentagon of sorts.

And oh, my people, the decorations! A line of rope was strapped sturdily to the porch, and wrapped around said trees to make a clothesline of sorts, and from that line hung clothes that were fit to hold garbage. Silver starts shot from the trees branches, and icicle lights gleamed as they dangled in the air. And big Tim (there you are Adam) came and offered us an audio splitter. This lead to two computer speaker sets, totaling six speakers and two subs, to be linked into mine own computer. The speakers were strung up outside to the dance floor and to the gutter overlooking the dance floor. And, as the last pieces fell into place, a magnificent playlist was made, consisting of epics from the 90's, ranging from Savage Garden to S-Club, to Will Smith and even Michael Jackson's "Free Willie" tune. With all these pieces created, the puzzle was in existence, ready to be put together by people ready and willing to "get down" metaphorically speaking. This event was of course a formal to semi-formal evening. There were door prizes, a Fall Ball King and Queen, and much dancing to be had. Quite possibly the most glorious night thus far at Redeemer, and although we lied about it being the 16th Annual, we have a feeling there will be a 17th next year.

Some Things Just Make Sense

I was browsing through the website for the "Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster" and what they seem to believe. Although most of what they believe I don't agree with, one thing I couldn't help but agree with.

Makes so much sense!

Swipes and Strokes

This past weekend I moved downstairs into a smaller room where I will be residing by myself. As I pondered about my new habitat, I came to an understanding that in reality, all this room would become is a temporary barrier in which I will weave ideas into a high concentration only to unleash the flood of beauty each time I break free of it's walls and enter into the open system which is our world. Actually, I wasn't thinking that at all, but instead was thinking, "Man, this room would look totally bitching if I had a Hillary Duff poster over my bed." The following day I went to Zellar’s and purchased it. Go figure.

As school continues to progress forward like a hummingbird sucking the sweet nectar from a calibrichoa, I realize how good it is to be here. I miss my folks back at home, but they seem to have been pushed into the background while the artist which is my schedule paints business in an array of colours over them leaving them as foggy shapes that must be remembered instead of seen.

I must admit though, the artist is quite talented. Warm yellows of various conversations, rich greens and reds of cuisine, and deep purples of rest are only part of the spectrum that completely fills the canvas of my 24 hour day. And of course the dark streaks and shading of classes and assignments outline everything else, putting the portrait that is me into focus.

I think that being burned out like an unattended pot of spaghetti will be easy this year. I mean, there's just so much going on, so much to do, and yet I'm not worried in the least. All I'm thinking about right now is the 16th Annual La Dormitoire, the new Redeemer semi-formal fall ball that will be on our front porch this Saturday. Dance dance dance.

I'll keep you posted.

Captains Log, Stardate 2789 - 13512

Patrick Stewart is a newb, we all know that. I found it funny though that his voice was a character in the game Oblivion (pretty neat) which made me think he was less of a newb.

I'm trying to figure out what one of my semesters was worst for class time. This year I have the most class I'll likely ever have in my University career, with highlights of having nine hours worth of labs a week. That being said, it is spaced out pretty okay alright.

Dorm life is pretty sweet as well. I feel I'm making a more conscious decision to live healthier, granted it's only been a week. However, if any of these current trends maintain momentum, I hope the one I do keep is cooking tastey meals. I made this this past week, substituting goat cheese with feta and cream cheese. It was relaxing while preparing it, while the satisfaction of eating it was also a highlight.

I'm more social. Go figure. Yes, the Redeemer landscape is no longer new for me, which might account for the increased James activity, but really, I think it just might be Ryan. What a trooper.

Best moved I made thus far: bring 'ye ole guitar' out. Much enjoyment.

It's confirmed, I didn't fall into the pressure of playing volleyball this year. I told coach strait up my intensions, and although I did go to the tryout (just for encouraging reason...?) I will not be seen on any court this year other than intermurals.

Yorble

Newbs and Dunes

Greetings. I remember when the days were long, and the nights where the living room was on the lawn. Alas, the journey continues my second year at 'Deems kicks off. I had a week of the training, and now I'm all ready and set for some sweet school and social loving. Although it appears that I'll be flying solo in my room this year, the other guys should fill in the gap. I'm excited, and yes, mother and father were right in saying that it would be good to be back. Guys, parents are good stuff. Brother Josh and I were discussing a while back that our blogs have got decreasingly funny as the weeks and years pass. Reading old blogs makes me wonder where all the unique humour went to. Probably drowned in the phrases "Je huit les enfant" and others. Or maybe it's just hidden as a seed deep in my soul like a blazing golden hawk. Whatever the case, I'm back in Stinky O and things are well. Peace.

Silence

Good evening.

There has been lack of communication this summer. I know. Please, don't get me wrong. I'm not apologizing by any means. Silence can been a good thing. I recently finished a novel by Chaim Potok called "The Chosen" which deals with silence in a unique way, showing the positive and negative sides of it. If you plan to go to TWU then there's a good chance you'll have to read it. Back on topic.

But the communication must be restored, for there shall be a reunion of mass proportions as I venture out to the big "O" for yet another year of studies. As of last week, I was in no means wanting to go back. My time in BC has just been that good. Friends, family, the comforts of home... they were all here in abundance. I can't stress how amazing it is to have home cooked meals waiting for you to consume them night after night after days of work. It is formidable. I was talking to a friend who was longing to return to school, stating the reasons mostly connected to "freedom" that being on your own brings. But as I look back on the past 4 months, freedom hasn't been an issue. So what if someone asks you where you're going out on any given night...they care about you. I'd take being cared about over renegade freedom any day. 'Tis be a ramblin' young boss. Topic, come be restored.

I have been able to buy and consume alcohol legally for about a week now. I must say, that is a freedom that kind of makes you smile a little bit, giggle in your kidneys if you will. I feel as though the past 5 years of my life have been at the same age (because everything changes when you're 13, you're a bloody teenager! LOL, brb, ttyl, bf, gf, byob, pwnd, hc, etc.) But when the day came where everything that society had to offer me, I felt a freedom in that. It was kind of neat. So, a few things I would like to state.

Best beer that has been drank so far: The limited release Granville Island Raspberry Wheat Ale. This beer is quite sweet, due to that fact that the raspberry puree that they added was added to the second last step of the brewing during the cooling step. Most other specialty beers (Maple Cream, any honey lager, winter ales, etc.) have their special ingredients added after the fermenting stage. Very nice.

Number of times I've been carded: Zero. I'm not sure if this is due to the fact that I have a dirty beard or that I really look quite old. I should have been carded about 6 times thus far, but alas, none has come. Werd? Werd.

So, just like Warcraft has come to an end, Summer is quickly following suit. I'm getting quite stoked for school due to the fact of a few recent events happening (big Tim Selles returning, possible dorm changes, Toronto film festival) and my flight leaves two weeks today. With Ryan living in the same house as myself, I hope many upon many hours of video editing will fill the void that was my warcraft playing time. As for James, peace.

Coco

Geez Louise

I'm back from the digital dead. Neato y'all. First of all, props to Gary and Louise for having a little baby boy. Although I was a bit off on the gender, it's still nice to see little Kai Coco came into the world closest to my birthday without going over. What a great contest.

In latest news, I just came back from camping for a week up at the 'Shwap with the fam. just chilling. What a glorious week of relaxation. Just thought I'd give an update since it's been a few months. Time flys. In two weeks time I'll be busting a flight out to "O" town for another go at the ol' degree. Go figure.

I'll blog later, promise...suckers.

Peace,

Coco

P.S. Big Tim from Redeemer has a blog now here.

Jorben Yurgen

Howdy doody. Past weeks in recap...busy. Alrighty, now that we're caught up, I'm going to make a few statements, observations if you will. First of all, high school is no longer high school to me. Let me explain. In high school, I felt fantastic, challenged, and generally glad to be there. I felt mature, old, and even a bit rebellious when I called Mr. Kim "Rob" in Physics. When I return after a year, it all seems different though. The students seem like they're 13 or 14 years old, and even the grades that were just below us seem so much younger. It was different returning as a mature, experienced and generally very handsome alumni. I realized it was no longer my home, but instead a vague stomping ground from a faded memory. The teachers however have not changed much, and that's why I return. Quality people.

Adams back, and just for all of you that read my blogs numerous times, the blog in where I described visiting David VH in Seattle should have mentioned that Adam went with me. He gave me a hard time about it and I couldn't stand to think of Adam not being happy, so consider the blog corrected.

Another thing that I've found very weird is my desire to hear certain songs. My ipod was "broken" and I lost most of my music on there. I've been missing a few songs, particularly "Photobooth" by DCFC and "Boxing" by Ben Folds. When I get into these cravings, even if I just hum the song I get a fuzzy feeling, a metaphorical "fix" if you will.

Brian's coming in two weeks while bringing two friends. Neat. Also looking forward to camping to two weeks with the friendsicles.

Updated? I think so.

Murrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry

Murphy's Law for garden hoses is that if a garden hose can only physically kink itself 6 times, it will kink 7.
I start off every morning with a nice watering of the outdoor shrubs, bushes and perenials. Usually the hose heeds to my amazing watering abilities, although today it decided that every time I had my back turn, it would cleverly wind it self in odd ways so that my water flow would cease. A tiny bit annoying, but that just might be the worst part of my job. Helping old ladies find flowers and hanging baskets...fantastic.
As for plans after work? Flying disk.

Gregory Carlton Archibald

To see what my future child's name will be, please observe the title of the blog. I think it's formal, and kinda quirky. Neat. I'm back home, and it is nice. I arrived on Friday night at 11 and went to work the next morning with my mommy. She's pretty nice too. I work with flowers in one of the most beautiful "job sites" ever. It smells, looks and feels pretty.
I went to see dvanhof@seapac.edu on Sunday and Monday. Sea Pac is a nice campus, but better yet is the all-you-can-eat-esque buffet-like cafeteria. It's where he eats whatever he want, whenever. Needless to say I'm jealous. I could have finally gained those 20 extra pounds I always wanted. Seeing friends again is nice, but I do miss Ontario a bit. Good friends and family there, with the unique zestyness of staying up very late.

Peace out, I'll keep it updated.

Adjusting...Dammit

After reading Matt's blog about rhythms it got me thinking about what my life is going to be like in the upcoming week. Bob Dylan once wrote a song that said "The Times Are a' Changing" but I've never heard that song before, so it's unlikely going to help me.

A couple of things are going to change. Firstly, the probability of me writing a blog at 2:30 in the morning during the next four months is unlikely. Also something that will be unlikely to happen is for me to eat a microwaved hotdog for breakfast...dammit. That's another thing that will have to change; the casual humorous swearing. The past couple of months has had this lighthearted cursing where we say dammit and hell in odd places. For instance, if I wanted to microwave a hotdog for breakfast in the morning, and Jake was in the fridge first, I would say, "Jake, could you pass me a hotdog...dammit." No anger, just fun, but alas, this cannot be.

Tonight Ryan, Jesse, Josh and I went around at 12:30 in the morning with a video camera waking people up in their dorms asking what the best part of the past year has been. It was neat. So, to put a tag off on this blog, what has your best memory of the past year been? More to come later.

Food

I just downed a full McCain pizza followed by a 2L V8 splash for lunch. Cheers for studying.

Death Cab

This past evening I went to see a Death Cab show in Toronto. It was a splendid time spent with Brian, Mark and Laura. Brian had bought the tickets a couple months ago and slowly but surely the day came where I would see Ben and his cronies.

We arrived and entered the hockey arena turned stage. The venue, as even Franz Ferdinand expressed, was terrible, but it didn't take much away from the night from my point of view.

The opening band was called "The Cribs" and they were from England. Typical punky stuff without much originality in my honest opinion. Next was Franz. They were tight, but their music isn't quite my style, so it seemed like forever until Death Cab came. At last they did.

They opened up with Ben Gibbard on the piano playing Passenger Seat followed by Different Names. Then they played Title and Registration which had an interesting twist to it: The arena fire alarm went off. Someone must have pulled it, which made the band confused and maybe a bit frustrated. They weren't allowed to shut it off either until the Toronto Fire Dept. got there which also took a while. Neat.

The final three songs were epic. I Will Follow You Into the Dark followed by The Sound of Settling. The final song was Transatlanticism. Unbelievable and fantastic. I would encourage anyone who's in the Vancouver area to snag some tickets for the 28th of April. There's still some available according to the site and it's at the PNE. Franz closes that night it seems.

Peace.

GOTCHA!

This week a campus wide game is played called GOTCHA! Each person pays two dollars to play which also gives them a cheap dollar store gun. Everyone also receives a target person that they are supposed to shoot. The entire system is circular so that each person has to kill a person who has to kill another person. The circle goes around until there is a person who has to kill you. If you did successfully get your target, you get who they are supposed to kill so that the circle narrows and the game ends up with two people who eventually have a shoot out to win the game. Here are the rules.

1) The game starts on Monday, April 3rd and goes until Friday April 7th at midnight. A shoot-out will take place on Saturday with remaining players.
2) There are a few areas on campus that are neutral territories and a person is safe. These areas are: classrooms, faculty and staff offices, the auditorium, the library and all bedrooms. Everywhere else in dorms is fair ground
3) In order to get your opponent out, you must have no less than two witnesses besides yourself and the opponent (This one has saved my ass already)
4) You may not get anyone while they are in class
5) The game must remain on campus; you can not get anyone while off campus.
6) If you shoot someone with your name before they shoot you, you have a 10 second head start to run away. This rule will be enforced by the witnesses.
7) Once you have hit your target, report it to student senate at their extension. Be prepared to list your witnesses.
8) You may at no time call senate to ask who is alive and who is dead.

My past two days have been exhilarating and moderately stressful. I am very grateful that the majority of my work is done with in most of my classes so that the occasional “skip” can be done in order not to get hit.
On Monday I received my target and I camped out in my dorm for the rest of the day. Rooms are safe ground after all, so I took advantage. Tuesday went relatively smooth as I was escorted to my classes by my fallen dorm-mates, and took the back routes to my dorm to avoid being spotted. By this time I was moderately paranoid, for no one had tried to shoot me or even chased me. That would all change.
I have a night class on Tuesday night for Biology. To avoid all hustle and bustle of the hallways, I went thirty minutes early and stayed in the classroom because they are safe zones after all. I had some information from an unknown source that my target would be working out in the gym from 9:00-10:00 that evening. My night class which is three hours long usually has a break at around 9:00 so, I took someone with me to watch my back as I headed to the gym. He didn’t show up, and my break was over so I headed back upstairs to my class. Just as I was about to turn the corner to enter my class, a friend who I sit next to in that class stops me and say that Justin Free, a very nice fellow in some of my science classes, has my name and was waiting to shoot me. As soon as I heard this I ran in the opposite direction with Justin in hot pursuit. As I was heading downstairs he shot me from the top of the stairs, but he had not witness so I was free! I skipped the second half of my biology class because it proved to be no longer safe, leaving my notes and backpack behind.
About a half hour later, I returned to the gym where my target was supposed to be working out because now it seemed that I had some spare time. He was there pumping some iron and I shot him from behind. After I reported all the events to senate, I went back to my place to plan my next day trying to avoid good ol’ Justin.

Peace out.

P.S. Our dorm started strong, but now there are only three of us left. My roomie Jake was attacked IN our dorm by people who snuck in. He made it to a bedroom in time to be safe though. People are intense about this!

Werd to the TI-83 Plus

Bronny boy posted a nice blog. I thought I'd point a nice sign to it here.
Enjoy

Apple Juice and Sunshine

Half a month later, here I am. It seems apparent to me that good weather and apple juice go hand in hand. Today I went to class in shorts, a teeeeeeee shirt and sandals. It was very sunny out, and although it was only about 9 degrees I did it anyways. It felt good.

The final stretch is ahead of me like deer who doesn't know it's going to be hit by a sexy precidia racing at 58 km. I'm done all my midterms and assignments before the big dance of exams. So that in turn means that I have three weeks ahead of me with minimal work. Needless to say I'm stoked.

New car smell? Please, we don't believe in that stuff.

The Redeemer "Midnight masquerade" (wow, that name, just so fancy. I almost want to wrap it up and donate it to a child who is having their birthday in the park because it's so nice) occurred two weekends ago in which many students had a banquet and dance of epic proportions. Despite that our car broke down on the way there because of a shotty alternator, it was still a good evening even if Brian did have to pick us up an hour later and escort us in his escort to the ball. The food was tasty, the music was live made up of of covers from Coldplay and Dave Brubeck, and the dancing was awkward like a high school dance.

Here are some pics. (Un) fortunately I didn't get a picture of the naked guy who blessed us with his aerobic lesson on the front stage in the later parts of the evening, but these should do.

The guys I live with

Holding Dave like a fish

Steve and I (I dyed my hair black as well)

Danielle and I

Subject: Beer

I got this from Josh VanBerkel in my email. I thought it was kinda funny.


Last month, scientists released the results of a recent analysis that revealed the presence of female hormones in beer. Men should take a concerned look at their beer consumption.
The theory is that beer contains female hormones (hops contain phytoestrogens) and that by drinking enough beer, men turn into women.
To test the theory, 100 men drank 8 pints of beer each within a one Hour period.
It was then observed that 100% of the test subjects:
1) Argued over nothing.
2) Refused to apologize when obviously wrong.
3) Gained weight.
4) Talked excessively without making sense.
5) Became overly emotional.
6) Couldn't drive.
7) Failed to think rationally
8) Had to sit down while urinating.

No further testing was considered necessary.

And Now for Something Completely Different

I thought this was funny.

The Good Dentist

I try to brush twice everyday, like all who care about their teeth should. But sometimes I neglect the duties, and brush only once or maybe not at all. But what’s one day without brushing, right? Sure, you get that layer of plaque that you feel every time you run your tongue over your teeth, but that can all be washed away with another brushing. Sometimes that little bit of neglect can do damage, but as long the outside looks clean people think you’re winning the battle with plaque. I go to the dentist to get my teeth all nice and clean so I can feel good about myself again. Today was such a day.

After the dental assistant finished with me, the dentist came in and did the final bit of the check up. He was a very friendly man, and I think he honestly cared deeply about my teeth. I asked him why and if he cared.

“Why do I care about teeth?”

"Yeah.” I replied.

“Hmm, that’s an easy one. I love teeth, so that’s why I care about them.”

“Why do you love them?”

“I just do. They’re so beautifully made. The bone, nerve, gums, everything about oral heath care is fascinating and that’s why I love them. There’s nothing better then healthy teeth.”

This response caught me by surprise. I would have thought, “Oh, I don’t care that much, I’m just in it for the money” but no! He seems to genuinely love teeth. I would even bet that they cause him sadness when someone has a cavity or when he has to do a root canal.

As a side note, have you ever wondered why the dentist asks you if you floss or not? It’s pretty obvious if you do, especially when the dental assistant five minuets before just flossed for you and your gums are bleeding all over the place. Why does he want you to tell him? He knows way more about your mouth than you probably do, so why tell him obvious things? I guess it adds to the dentist-patient relationship.

A trickle of blood was running down my lower lip from the recent flossing and then he asks the question. I wanted to say, “Yes, I do floss,” but lying straight up to you dentist is wrong, everybody knows that.

After he’s done cleaning my teeth, he tells me to call him if anything hurts and that I should come in immediately. “A cavity can sneak up on you when your defences are down, so brush and floss regularly so it doesn’t happen.” He then gives me a toothbrush and a pack of floss so that I can do what he told me to.

“My gift to you,” he said.

I feel psyched when I come out of a dentist’s office. I want to brush everyday, floss, and maybe even stimulate my gums with the little rubber thingy. I feel good when I do it; I’m thinking long term. My teeth are going to be so good ten years from now. But in two weeks I’m back to my old self only brushing once a day and not flossing. After they start to hurt, I don’t stop eating sugary foods. I enjoy the sugar too much. But then the pain gets too much and the dentist pops in you head. ‘He cares about you,’ my mind says, ‘and he said you could call him any time if you were hurting.’ But I hold off, and endure the pain for a while, hoping that it will go away. But then I finally call him, knowing that he is the only way for me to have healthy teeth.

Something to Think About

So, after you work out and get a good sweat, you take a shower. But if your shower is long and hot, you sweat afterwards. It almost defeats the purpose of showering in the first place. That's like a lot of things.

My time management is going down the toilet. I played sports for two reasons. First because I enjoy it, and secondly. . . for time management. My time management during sports was not great this past semester, so I wonder if that second reason is even a reason anymore. So, why take a shower if your just going to be sweaty afterwards?

Reading break has been fantastic, but now it is over. Back to the books.

More metaphoric pieces on the way. Besides, they're fun to make up especially when they has obvious flaws in them.

Anywho, peace out.

Life is Good

Sweet glory, it's reading break. It's almost Wednesday.... which is sad because the past two days have gone so fast. I've been haning out with the few people that are left on campus, mainly out of province peeps and the few that live too far away (i.e. Thunder Bay) to go home for just a week. Right now, I'm at Brian's place waiting in queue to play warcraft with him. We usually do this on Saturday nights where we play into the night gearing up our characters with the finest gear such as my Leggings of Transcendence.

My stress level has gone down to almost nothing now. Volleyball is over after a heartbreaking loss on Saturday to make it into playoffs. It went to five games with the fifth set score ending up as 15-13. But without volleyball, I now have evenings, which will be nice. I hope to average 10 hours a night for the next week. As for now, stay classy British Colombia. (Let's face it, no one in Ontario reads my blogs.)

P.S. Milkshakes, tzsiki and springrolls for warcraft snacks tonight, compliments of the Redeemer food plan.

Suppose I Said Colours Change for No Good Reason

So, right now I'm feeling kinda defeated. Mainly because of Calculus. Wow, that course is starting to get retarded.

I've did well in Calc first semester finishing with a strong A and second semester started off alright. We just received our midterms and I did well (especially since most of the class failed) and as of last week I wasn't worried at all about the rest that the course had to offer. But now for the past two weeks the material we've been covering seems so incredibly irrelevant and difficult that I can't see any other reason for that type of math to exist other than for the pure reason to get students in a bad mood.

I've got to the stage where I have given up on assignment questions that seems so retartedly difficult that it's not even worth giving them a shot. The past two assignments have been like this, and from what I've heard from my classmates, they feel the same way. This is not my character, because usually I give 'er shit until I get the concept or the question right. I have a feeling that if Mrs. Yip was my teacher I'd be getting the concepts . . . her door was always open at lunch.

There are three (and a half) situations when you will hear James curse allowed:
1) When he stubs his toes (they both have been broken and have an unusual shape to them)
2) When he screws up making freaking spaghetti not once, but twice in one night (who does that)
3) When he is very frustrated (the "very" takes a bit to come by, and usually 2 questions from my textbook will get me there)
3.5) When a rogue draws aggro and dies before I can spam a heal.

And maybe when I'm around Jeff Gerber just because I want to be cool and impress him with my sweet sailor mouth (but not really.)

Thought I'd vent, and you suckers read it. HA!

I Love Showers

At the moment I have 3 fantastically marvelous CD's that I have magically put together with the help of my music collection and the glorious technology of CD burners. Showering has never been better.

I was never one to listen to music whilst growing up in Ye Olde Surrey. I think the greatest extent of me listening to things in the shower was when I put on Grizzly games on my moms ghetto blaster so I could hear the sweet connections of Mike Bibby and Micheal Dickerson shouted out by the announcer (what was his name again...It's kinda bugging me.) But ever since my RA (Ye Olde Eric O'Neil) started blasting praise music and singing aloud with the power of a Glucose ---> ATP reaction that was unsupervised by biological catalysts, I never thought that music and hot water really connected.

I tried it out, and I believe (to the extent that one can understand his own thoughts and action in response to his environment) that I like it. First of all, to make the shower the best possible, I stepped up the hygienic products. From now on my shampoos are Herbal Essence of the fruity variety (currently Citrus Lift, which pretty much smells like you're washing your hair with grapefruits and oranges) and my soap is Irish Spring with aloe.

Now comes the music. It all depends what mood I'm in, but my 3 CD's are the best of
1) Pedro the Lion (1st three song: Indian Summer, Criticism as Inspiration, Second Best)
2) Norah Jones (Painter Song, Come Away with Me, Sunrise)
and
3) The Weakerthans (Left and Leaving, One Great City, ....not sure)

I know the fist few songs because I don't random the discs and my showers are about 10 minutes long. But those ten minutes are fantastically glorious. They include me singing harmony, playing air guitar (Adam, you taught me everything I know), and dancing while trying to maintain my balance on the slick floor. I don't think there's anything I enjoy more than hot water and music.

Peace out.

P.S. Bryant Reeves sucks.

Enzymes

Alrighty then...holy poop! We learned about enzymes in Bio 12 (Handy's engaged? Weird) and now we're pretty much recapping everything I learned in grade 11 and 12 in my Bio 122 class. But, we stumbled around enzymes again and I honestly can't see how anyone out there who is a biologist can not be a creationist. Lets recap.

Enzymes - complex proteins made up of amino acids (just the formation of these freaking thing will blow your head off, but I won't get into that) which is of a specific shape. The shapes of these enzymes are due to intermolecular bonding within the proteins (H-bonds, etc) and have a bonding site that is specific to a particular molecule.

What and Enzyme does - Pretty much it acts as a catalyst to make a reaction that would not usually occur on it's own. A catalyst pretty much speeds up a reaction, or in this case, provides a lower activation energy so a reaction can take place in the body.

There are tons of different enzymes, all specialized for a SPECIFIC reaction to take place.

I don't really want to get into the importance of these things in the citric acid cycle or in glycolosis, but the point I'm trying to make is that they are complex, and without them, we couldn't survive.

So, if you're not a creationist, are you telling me that these very sensitive (to temp. and pH) and specific proteins kinda just happened? That the enzyme that follows the reaction of the enzyme that follows the reaction of the enzyme before it "got lucky" (kinda like Adam, he's has the best of luck...wish I was him...he has such a nice civic...and such good taste in music) and due to evolution everything fell into place.

But that's only part of it. Anyways, all this goes on without you even knowing about it, and you survive all because these little complexes lower activation energies of reactions that we need to happen to survive.

"J" dawg signing out.

P.S. Chappy, name the kid James, or Coco. I mean, you know I had a big part on why he/she is coming into the world.

Los Mexicanos

I'll give you a quick taste of what Mexico was like because...well, just because.

Brian and I arrived in Mexico after a interesting flight over where there was much cheering by the passengers on the plane. Most of the rowdy humans were of the younger variety, which fits into the perfect stereotype that all young people are loud, drunk and and shower regularly. We caught a cab/ van (micro?) to the resort. On the ride over we were a bit concerned because we were driving on a lot of dirt roads with pot holes in them. Our fears were extinguished soon after when we caught glimpse of the lobby of the resort. It was a huge thatched roof that probably reached about 75 or 100 feet with a huge chandelier hanging from the center of a large log. The floor was nice stone and we were pretty impressed. We got to our rooms, cranked the AC down to 15 degrees and set out for the pool and some drinks. I wasn't in a beer mood so I asked Brian if it was "ok" to order a fruity drink, assuming I was putting my manhood at stake. He said it was fine, ordered me a strawberry dakery and from that point on I received odd looks from the bartender, some old ladies smoking in the corner, and Brian.

The parent arrived the next morning with me awaiting them in the lobby. It was a gay ol' time. After an hour or two we were down at the beach. It was a nice beach, but a little bit rocky in the wrong areas so you often stubbed your toes, cut your feet open, or grated some garlic on them. The food was tasty, free and always available. We each received a wristband at the very beginning of the trip when we signed in, and this little blue strip gave us permission to gain 10-15 pounds. The days when something like this:

Wake up, go to breakfast with the fam
After breakfast sit at the beach
At 10 go for "second breakfast"
At 11 get drinks because the beach bar was open
At 12 go for lunch (often at the snack bar where pizza, fries and dirty cheese and nachos awaited us
Go booooooogy boarding
Have "twosies" which was often dessert at the buffet
Chill, read, boogy, sleep at the beach till five
Eat some more, get a few more drinks

It was pretty much repetitive after that. You could rotate reading, sleeping or boogy boarding with eating and you'll have our days. It was glorious. Josh and I hit the gym up once, but after that lack luster evening we decided "why waste time burning calories when we can be ingesting them?"

Would a Donkey Eat a Straw Hat?

Yeah, I'll let you think about the title for a bit.

So, I'm back from the dead of "people who used to blog a fair amount and now have suddenly stopped blogging" graveyard. I've been occupied. I'm alright, don't you worry your pretty little faces.

What I've been doing these past two weeks
1) Catch-up on homework because of a glorious week spent in Mexico
2) Sleep
3) A little bit o' volleyball. (P.S. Our team can't finish a game for the life of us when it's tied up at 23's)
4) Lots and lots of Warcraft (lots and lots and lots and lots)

I've discovered the glorious world which I left for four months this Christmas while trying to get Brian nice gear for his character. Since those two weeks I've been playing far too much, and it's been positively glorious and fulfilling. Would this account for the total lack of contact that I've had with my fellow human beings in my social circles (possibly and octagon)? I would like to think not, and alas, I don't think it is the case.

Blogging must pick up, along with emails sent. So, I hope I can do that.

A side note:
FVCHS is doing some pretty cool things as of late. They're trying to raise funds for building a school in Sierra Leone so that the children there may have the privilege of getting an education. Their goal is to raise $25,000 and with the help of others, it's very attainable. Check out their website for mailing adress and additional info. Also, check out Matt's blog for more of a personal look on who this school can touch.

Peace out all, I'll try to keep the blogs coming, but such is life. I'm sorry if the response to the emails has been lacking. Giraffe.

I'll also try to write something up about Mexico and my vacation in BC. (???)

Music and Soul

Yeah, I died a bit on the blogging during the holidays. Back now, so more blogs a' comin'. Short one to start off, I'll have a recap of my adventures later on during the week and I'll tell you about our guardian whales that protected us.

Have emotions? So do I. Need a way to vent/show your emotions? Talk to another human being. No humans around? Listen to some music and go nuts. The following are a few of the songs that meet the mood of my emotion and compliment them fantastically. Along are also some actions you are able to do with these songs.

Emotion or Mood: Sad
Song: Mr. Jones Part II - Ben Folds, from "Rockin' the Suburbs"
Action: Cry

Emotion or Mood: Relaxed
Song: Anything from "Agaetis Byrjun" by Sigur Ros
Action: Nap/Read

Emotion or Mood: Angry/Frustrated
Song: Second Best - Pedro the Lion, from "Control"
Action: Dance aggressively (lots of flailing limbs and head bobbing)or scream

Emotion or Mood: Happy
Song: Better Together - Jack Johnson, from "In Between Dream"
Action: Driving in the sun while smiling

Emotion or Mood: Not knowing what to do or say (more so than confused)
Song: What Sarah Said - Death Cab for Cutie, from "Plans"
Action: Maybe a comforting shoulder tap or gentle back rub

There will be more like this on future blogs, maybe a every blog from here out. But, we both know that it's going to fade like a night elf using shadowmeld, or possibly a rogue that's about to backstab, I'm not sure which one fits the best.

Sweet Things

Things are going great. I'm relaxed, playing lot of warcraft, eating tasty food and enjoying the warm weather. That is all.

Yay for the Beimer's having a baby girl! Woot!

Things for You to do

1) Watch "I am Sam"
2) Watch "King Kong"
3) Watch "Scrubs"

Killing time

I'm bored, sick of studying, and waiting for 20 minutes to pass before calc is done. So, I'd like to take this time to apologize. As the wise scribe Joel Vanhove once typed in an email, "I'm sure you're all wondering why I'm emailing, because you know guys don't just send emails to keep in touch." This however is no excuse for the lack of emails sent on my end concerning my friends out home. Joel Vanhove...wise guy. Smells a bit like cabbage, but I'm sure he'll find a way to cover up that odor. I'll be home in a week, so I'll see vous (you plural en francais) in a week.

No Countdown!

Hey guys, I only have 187 more hours till I come home? Or, wait... was it 189? Maybe the square root of 34447.36? Oh, I don't know anymore. No more countdowns except for exams left. Three...woot! So now, what's all this talk about school. Aren't there better things to talk about? Yes, two in fact.

1) Jesse Dostal urinated his pants in my room last night for five dollars. I would not have put this on my blog, but Stevo thought it was a must, and Jesse didn't seem to object. Anj, please don't tell Nan.

2) We have a recording studio on the top of the stairs to the left. Yes, my room. It's fantastic, and we're trying to make beautiful music. The lyrics might suggest that I'm a cannibal, and that I live with some odd smelling people, but take heart. I'm just a silly guy. The real lyrics will be coming soon to that song once we mixed everything to sound pretty... and once we have lyrics. I hope it's good.

Une protection durable contre les odeurs avec un parfum frais et masculin

Exams = Underway

simplify and solve for "x"

x = undrwy

ms

I just finished writing my religion exam and it went well. The class of Religion 101 was an interesting one. A lot of good material to learn, not very well presented and oddly tested. I didn't have to go to a single class or write down any notes if I chose to do so and I think my exam would have turned out exactly the same. I didn't even crack open my notes for studying. Interesting.

I would also like to make a recommendation for all those studying for exams. Please, please, listen to good music while you go over your notes. It seriously makes all the difference. I listened to Norah Jones "Feels like Home" and Ben Folds "Rockin' the Suburbs." Your brain connects certain events with whatever is around it. For example, when I smell fires, I think of camping at Shushwap with the fam and of glorious BC mountains and lakes. When I think of which King of Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord (which was most of them oddly enough) I think of "Still Fighting it" by Ben Folds. Nice tool, I enjoy it fully and it's good music.

Things I want to do/want/want to learn:

1) Chill with the Fam

2) Play jazz piano (oh Norah, like glucose in my ear)

3) Play volleyball against this years FVC team

4) Listen to Peter Klomp's stories about Cooper's this year

5) Go sledding at midnight

6) Learn to play the cello or violin (string are just cool)

7) Marry Norah Jones

8) Finish writing exams

9) Buy a dressy scarf so I can be like Josh VanBerkel (ooooh, that well dressed jerk, makes me look so bad)

10) Learn how to draw or take nice photographs

A Formation of a People

Quick review of Narnia: TLWatW
Alsan: Powerful, but too safe (I'm just bitter they didn't have my line in the movie)
Kids: Well cast, innocent enough to be in a fantasy world
Edmund: Little punk that represents so many of us
Entering Narnina: Magical
Mr. Tumnus: Classic, one of the images that stuck in my mind from reading the book
The Beavers: Well represented characters, funny, and add a lot
Battle scene: Good, not gory, but it accomplished what it set out to do
Peter: Well played, brave, dreamy(?)
Witches minions: Obviously the graphic and art design on the Narnia team play warcraft, and it doesn't look like a minotaur...
Overall: 3 out of 5

Safe?

"Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.

You'll understand when you see him," said Mrs. Beaver.
"But shall we see him?" asked Susan.
"Why, Daughter of Eve, that's what I brought you here for. I'm to lead you where you shall me him," said Mr. Beaver.
"Is - is he a man?" asked Lucy.
"Aslan a man!" said Mr. Beaver sternly. "Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion - the Lion, the great Lion."
"Ooh!" said Susan, "I'd thought he was a man. Is he - quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."
"That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver; "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."
"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "don't' you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

From "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"
I've got my tickets for tomorrow night. Woot!

Trees and Their Open Branches

Update time!
Finals are next week, and I didn't really realize it. They "snuck up" on me metaphorically, which is funny, because finals are just going to be pieces of paper with ink on them in the form of questions. How can inky paper sneak up on you. I doubt that paper or ink has any will to say to itself, "I shall sneak up on this student. Oh, sweet glory, I shall sneak up indeed!" That is why I put "snuck up" in quotations and mentioned it as a metaphor. Ink and paper... no will. Oddly enough, a physical will for a person is usually written on paper with ink describing who gets what, so maybe ink and paper is a will in itself. Thus we can conclude that although ink and paper have no mindful will themselves, they can be a will for someone else, or more likely, another piece of paper with ink on it. So, maybe the finals that snuck up on me are not going on their own will, but instead on the will of other pieces of paper, possibly receipts or magazine articles.

D14 got a gamecube on a spur of the moment "we need to play more Mario games" shopping spree. So Steve and Jesse bought one. A day after Steve wanted another game, so he traded in some PS2 games, including Jesse's beloved Madden '06, to buy a wrestling game. Jesse wasn't a fan, but he's found a way to get what he wants. An item on Jesse's Christmas list : Madden '06 for Gamecube.

Volleyball has been going pretty alright okay. We've won 4 strait and just finished up winning a tourny yesterday in Niagara (falls... hahahahaha). The tourny was poorly organized and in turn we had an odd schedule. We played at 8 on Saturday morning (which we had to leave the school at 6:15 for) and then won very quickly. We were done before 9 and awaited for our next game which was to be at 6 pm. Such is life. I now consider myself a professional athlete however. We were giving 25 dollars each for the weekend as food money. I didn't spend most of my money, and I now have a made a profit from playing a sport. I'm entering my name into the NBA '06 draft this upcoming year.

Congrats to the FVC boys who came in 3rd. See you guys in a couple of weeks.

Volleyball

FVCHS Sr. Boys Volleyball took off this morning for provincials. They are ranked second in the province heading into the championship behind LCS. You can check out what's going on at the BC Boys Volleyball website. Let's hope that they'll be able to do what hasn't been done for a while for FVC and bring home the blue banner. Good luck guys. I'll be posting results on my comments for people to check out.

Yay for Life

Express excitement for snow
Take long, hot showers
Werd to long hours editing video
Smile about messes
Laugh about odd noises made
Snort when laughing hard
Enjoy monkeys of all shapes and sizes
Procrastinate, procrastinate, procrastinate... then get things done
Cheer for free laundry
Admire interesting courses
Endure boring ones
Skip the ones you can
Stay up late to do something unique
Only have coffee in pairs
Play lots of video games
Clean at least once a week
Don't do drugs
Littering and, littering and, littering and
Find a lude and know it
Don't leave your contacts in for too long
Don't have spagetti and tacos every night
Make sure to lock your windows at night
Put new sheets on your bed and turn it around
Dress well on game day
Praise God.

Hobo Names

I'm not sure if some of you trailed over to my brothers blog and took a look at this link, but if you haven't and you plan on being in front of the computer for an hour, have this playing in the background to give the room some spice.
700 Hobo Names.
Here are some visual samples.

Number 482: George Slay, the Duck Throttler


Number 249: Socks Monster


Number 521: Chaim the Squirrel Keeper

Witter Ugwar

I saw Harry Potter last night, and as an avid fan, I was quite happy. Actually, the entire theater seemed very happy, and the ambiance was fantastic. On happy parts, people cheered, funny parts they laugh, and when Ron was on the screen, the girls sighed in love. It was good for the first 75% or so, but it defiantly gets dark in the last bit, even more so then what I thought the book did. I guess I'll have to re-read it.

Come December 22nd (when I arrive where mountains live), I think it would be ever so cool to have a volleyball game with this years #1 ranked Sr. Boys team against the alumnus of previous years. Maybe a game on an evening where we can have a crowed and enjoy the good ol' times when we played together. I think that would be grand. And be a ghost, you'll never go to jail.

Please Complete and Attach a Void Cheque

It's 1:39 in the morning, I have a calculus test tomorrow which I've studied very little for. I just spent my night playing volleyball, watching some homemade videos by the best Mario Cart player I've ever seen in my life (Ryan Gelleynse) and playing N64. We're also making Jello like a factory...I think we have 3 bins setting outside with more on the way. Why so much Jello? I can't tell you that. Can't believe you even asked. Pfft. It's snowing here, so outside was better and more spacious than the fridge. So, should I study calc? Probably not...I'll be up till 4 tonight anyways. The internet is now working very well in the dorms too because Redeemer took the hint and got a new server. I can now play Warcraft, and with thanks to my shaman buddy Dumar (Johnny), I now have my very own Whirlwind Axe. I'm pretty happy with that, and things are going well. Well, I guess I better eat some Jello now...snicker.

P.S. Thank you for the peppermints and mentos.

Count Dracula

My brother is in a band called Love and Wolves. They are a good band, and well presented at all shows. They have two songs that people can listen to online if they want too.
1) Count Dracula.
2) Maybe It's None of Us.
You can also check them out on my spaces here. Check them out,
you'll
be
glad
you
did.

What are you doing here?

We looked at this for dorm devo's tonight. Pretty cool. You could read the previous chapter too to get a better feel of what Elijah went through.

1 Kings 19:1-13
1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
The LORD Appears to Elijah And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Last One

Alrighty, there was a little bit of a gap between posts, and now I have to finish off the "who I live with" marathon. This is the last guy, and yes, he's not technically "in" our dorm, but it defiantly feels like he is, so we'll call him Josh "honorable member" VanBerkel.

Josh VanBerkel

Height: 6'11"

Weight: 165

Hometown: 15 minute drive from campus, ON

Eyes: Blue/green

Hair: Brown

Quality is what I will say about this fellow. He's kind, easy to talk to, and very well dressed. He's actually so well dressed that he wore a suit and had a clipboard when he was our coach for intramural ball hockey. Very cool. He went to HDCH like a lot of other guys, and I'm not sure what he's studying, but I'm going to say business, just because I think he needs a field where he can show off his metrosexuality. He's generally just a fun guy who likes to have a good time, and he is, technically speaking, part of dorm 14. Woot.

Me and You, and You and Me

Ok then, quick flashback. Who of you remember Ernest? You know, "Ernest goes to Hollywood, Ernest Halloween Special, Ernest goes to a Remote Island?" Well, "Ernest goes to Camp" is probably my favorite, because they shoot snapping turtles at the guys who were coming at them will malicious actions. Heh, a turtle even bit a guys ear, and they had mini parachutes...how cool is that?

I got my hair cut. I went from a rugged stallion with long flowing hair and a vicious beard that could make a girl faint from the pure sight of it, to a clean cut stereotypical guy who is between the ages of 13-30 in North America. If I dyed my hair blonde and was to wear generalized collared polo shirts, you would mistake me as a student of Langley Christian. Oh, glory.

I had my hair shaved off in October of my grade 11 year during volleyball, and I had the stunning resemblance to Kurt Angle. Ah yes, Chapman, embarrassing me in front of my chemistry class. Mr. Kim lost all respect for me that day. (By the way, if teachers read this, leave a footprint so I know that you swing by.)

So, the following may shock you, and you might not even recognize me. My RA had no idea who I was till about a minute after I first walked into my dorm. Oh dad, you don't even know your own son. So, here's the pictures. If you like it, thank Adrienne for pushing me to do it. If you liked the rugged wild James better, blame Adrienne, she forced me to do it.

Before

After

Randall

That crazy Randall kid, still don't have his picture, so you guys just won't be able to see what he looks like. Such is life.

Randall Benbow

Height: 5' 11"

Weight: 155 lbs

From: Hickson (I think), ON

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Brown

Randall is an amazing guy. He is dad's room mate, and is a second year. We call him Mamma Rand. I guess that's fitting. He brings a maturity to the dorm which is irreplaceable. He lives out his life as he says he does, and it is evident that he love Christ. He plans to be a minister. He likes playing hockey, Tiger Woods Golf (05' mind you, not that crappy '03 version we have) and is very neat. He is a servant and you can find him sometimes cleaning up the house even when it's not his chore. It's very easy to talk to him about anything, and he's pretty full of knowledge on the topic of baseball, so, if you like baseball......go talk to mom.

Quick question. Gabe (or anyone who may know this), if you read this, you said that you have a relative who pitches for the Oakland A's right? Confirm if this is true. Oi!

Rosi

Ok, so yesterday I said I would post about Randall, but he doesn't have a picture, so I thought I'd just do it on the other Dave today and go out of order. Keeps you on your toes anyways...I hope.

David Rosborough

Height: 5' 11"

Weight: 160 lbs

From: Hastings, ON

Hair: Blondey brown

Eyes: Blue

Dave lives downstairs with the other Dave and is a mighty fine gent. He plays on the RUC hockey team and enjoys a good skate. He is in a few of my classes and it's been a pleasure to have him. Dave and I are also devo buddies, keeping each other accountable for making sure we spend time in the Word. He's a pretty funny guy, has an accent that we all love and enjoy, and his hockey equipment bring a sweet aroma to our basement. Cheers to David, lovingly called Rosi.

Dave Devries

Most of the dorm lives upstairs, safe off the ground from those who would dare come in at night. But alas, there are some who are so brave who not only venture downstairs at night, but they live there, working and sleeping in the downstairs room. David is one of these.

Dave Devries

Height: 6' 0"

Weight: 165 lbs

From: Couldn't tell you, ON

Hair: blonde

Eyes: blue

This vibrant fellow, affectionately called "whitey" by his room mate, came to our fair dorm later than the rest of us. The first day of our adventure to redeemer saw us with only seven in the dorm, the perfect opportunity for one more. Dave came after in the next couple of days after registering late, and we're happy he's here. He played for the Redeemer men's soccer team, and also plays club volleyball. A good athlete all the way around. He's quiet for the most part, though you can see something brewing quite often behind his Aryan eyes. I often run into him in the mornings as we both have classes. He is the best player on our dynasty in NHL '06, and is an incredible part of our dorm. Cheers.

Tomorrow: Randall Benbow

Who I live With Part 4: Pops

I'd like to think that whenever you live somewhere away from home, you need to have some sort of stability, a final word. Back in BC I had that in my mom and dad, and it's no different here in Ontario. Meet Dad.

Eric O'Neil

Height: 5' 3"

Weight: 140 lbs

From: Wingum, ON

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Brown

Eric is the residence advisor (RA) for our fine dorm. He was the one that sent out all the letters in August, put all our names on the doors on the first day we arrived, and made us feel welcomed. As his job in being the RA, he showed us the ropes of living together, and set down the rules which we were to live by. This to us seemed like he was playing a very fatherly role. We then called him dad. It's nice having a dad in the house, though it couldn't replace what I've got back at home. Eric's room mate Randall if affectionately called Mamma Rand, but we'll get to that later. Eric loves to laugh and have a good time. His love for God is evident and challenges us to live a life that is real in our relationship with God. He does weekly out-reaches with the youth in downtown Hamilton, and he sing very loudly in the shower. The singing make our dorm unique, and give it a great vibe. Solid guy.

Tomorrow: David Devries

Who I live With Part 3: Steve

A recipe for making Steven:
Add two cups water, one cup of flour, seven "eyes of newts" and 43 tablespoons off goodness, and you have made a tasty Steve.

Steven Boesveld

Height:5' 10"
Weight: 145lbs
From: Dundas, ON

Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde

Steve is a great guy. He went to HDCH (Hamilton District Christian School) for high school as did a lot of Redeemer students. While he was there, he made a good friend by the name of Jesse Dostal and is now currently rooming with his high school buddy. He also won the gold medal for soccer provincial last year, which is quite a feat considering the size of Ontario. He plays on the men's volleyball team at Redeemer, so I get to spend a fair amount of time with him him. All I can say is that he's solid. He's a fairly laid back guy and makes a great atmosphere in our dorm. He speaks his mind most of the time and can either be loud or quiet. He likes NHL '06, cooking a good meal, "ADE's" and talking with whoever may enter the dorm. I didn't really want to rate my dormies, but on a scale of one to ten, I would say Steve is pretty awesome.

Tomorrow: Eric O'Neil

Who I Live With Part 2: Jesse

Come with me to a journy beyond your comfort. Enter into the unknown. Open the door marked "14" and take a right up the stairs. Once you get to the top take another right into the room and you're in Jesse's territory.

Jesse Dostal

Height: 6' 0"

Weight: 180 lbs

From: Burrlington...?, ON
Eyes: Blue/green

Hair: Red

It would be hard to argue that Jesse is probably the funniest/ most entertaining guy in our dorm. His intrests include playing Madden '06, baseball and sleeping. In fact, Jesse enjoys his shut eye time so much, that it's often hard for him to get out of bed at all. But, he has found a way to conquer the warm sheets of his bed. He yells at himself to get up, take a shower and eat breakfast, all while still in bed. I suppose it's a way of motivation for himself, I guess it works. Profanity also helps in spurring Jesse to get up. Jesse is a very clean cut guy. He dresses well, always does his hair, and wears collar shirts. All around a class act. He is a bit messy concerning dishes and cleaning up, but who isn't in our dorm? That gives you a taste of Jesse.

Tomorrow: Steven!

Who I live With Part 1

Welcome to the my life in Dorm 14: The Guild. I said when i was back in BC before I left, "I'm going to do a blog on each one of my dormies so people can see what I live with. Well, heh, two months later here it is. So I'll start off with my buddy and roomie Jake.

Jacob Neff

Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 175 lbs
From: Elora, ON

Eyes: Blue
Hair: "sexy" brown

Jakes a great guy, and we get along well. If I'm in a quiet mood, he's fine with that, and if I'm loud, the same. He's a big fan of country music, which I'm strangly starting to like. Go figure. He likes basketball and tennis, and is genneraly pretty neat, so my side of the room looks like a mess compared to his. Yesterday we made decorations for the dorm...really weird and random. Letters out of tin foil, very nice. I might just have to become a kindergarden teacher. Oh, he also is a very good singer, and sounds great when singing country. So cool. Well, there's a taste of my roomie.

Tomorrow: Jesse Dostal

And in a Way, I guess I was

"Tis been good young baas," said Timothy as he brought back some fish from the reef on the east side of our cay.
"Timothy?" I called out blindly.
"Yes baas?" he replied as he handed me a fish.
"I'm glad I have you on this cay with me. You've helped a lot with my blindness."
"Come now baas, go eat your fish."

Ode to The Dishes

There was a time where we had many dishes,
Plates and bowls to hold fries and fish sticks.
But where I live is dirty then some,
So something so drastic had to be done.

Too many soiled dishes were found all around,
On tables, on couches, the sink and the ground.
Our RA had had it, his verdict was drastic,
And he took away most of our china and plastic.

"One mug, one cup, one bowl and one plate,"
My RA announced as he uncovered our fate.
So now I have my very own dishes,
But this was not part of my dreams and my wishes.

A revolt then happened in Dorm 14,
Something not expected, predicted, foreseen!
7 dishes did break in thirty hours,
Including a plate with green boarders and flowers.

So what is to happen to our fine dorm?
Shall hamburgers and hotdogs become now the norm?
NO, I proclaim, and I'll say it again,
NO to the finger food that causes gut pain.

But don't weep for me, oh fair people who mourn,
For my bowl and cup and my plate keep me warm.
Instead cry for Jesse, Oh people do bawl.
For poor Jesse Dostal has no dishes at all!

Oh Jesse's dishes, they did not break,
But instead they were hidden by my roommate Jake.

The Youge

New word in my vocabulary: "Youge". Very helpful term that I've been using for a while, but just recently recreated the spelling of. Twas formally spelt something like "usue" or something to that effect. But now, the youge is now clarified and ready to cause havoc. Similar to "werd" but different uses.

Werd (adv) (wûrd):
1)To identify to someone that one has recognized them, a greeting.
"He saw him enter the room and nodded his head towards him and proclaimed 'werd.'"
2)To show an understanding or to substitute for 'yes'
"'Thomas, could you move that box over here?' Thomas replied, 'Werd'"

Youge (adv, n) (yoo-je) ("je" as in french for "I")
1)To describe to someone of a habitual interaction with ones environment
a) Little or no change in ones daily routine
"In the past week, I have been up to the youge."
b) To be stuck in a rut that is comfortable
"Seth, I've been worried about how much you have been playing Zelda. It seems to have become the youge for you."


I have not had a youge for the past week. It has fluctuated. On Saturday, I reffed 10 volleyball matches for club sports and pocketed a fair amount of money. Never thought I would have a part time job reffing volleyball in another province. Wacko.

Wacko (adj) (waak-o)
1) Something that is out of line. In essence, not the youge.

After the weekend I spent most of my Sunday at Brian’s eating soup and doing calculus homework. Yesterday I had a volleyball game against the 2nd rank team in the OCAA (Ontario College Athletic Association) and we won in five games after having a rocky start and going down two games to none. I packed a guy in the face. It was a nice dig on his part, but I would have rather had a kill. It was our first win, and a big one for morale. In two weeks I have a paper due for history, and it's freaking me out for no apparent reason, but mostly because I've procrastinated thus far. I also received a nice care package from the folks. The slippers are fantastic.

If any of you have other words that are in your vocabulary that are worth sharing, please do so.

Yerrrrgan

Life is good, and I'm doing quite well. I'm relaxed, maybe too much so, but other than that super.

I play squash with my brother Brian. This is nice because I get some good physical exercise, along with spending time with my brother. Win win situation. He beats me 9-0, 9-1 most of the time, but I'm sure within a month it'll be 9-3 or 9-4. You watch, it'll happen.

School is going well. I'm not sure if I should be stressing out or if the way I'm feeling right now is how most first years feel. I have a fair amount of free time. I check my syllabus' regular to see if I'm missing something by chance. Other than two papers due in November, everything is clear sailing.

My dorm has duck hunt. This is fun, retro and challenging. I enjoy it. On top of my dorm having an old Nintendo system, we also have a 64, and a PS2. Zelda is good, and I enjoy it. We also started a dynasty in NHL '06 with all our dormies and friends as players. We are the Cottbus Cloets (it's in Germany) and we are doing alright, but most of us suck.

I lost my volleyball shoes. This didn't add to the goodness of my week, but it's not that terrible. I'm sure they'll turn up somewhere. That would be nice.

I want a pet penguin...or Terry Chucklesworth

Ok, bye.

L.a.W

I should have done this earlier, but just to let everyone know that Love and Wolves is playing tonight at the Croation Cultural Centre. Check out Love and Wolves for more info. If you are in BC and read this before they play tonight, GOOOOO.

P.S. Squash is good.

Yearbooks, Castles and Turkey

Persist through this post, I hope it's worth your time.

Oh man, it's been a while. If you were to ask me how I would feel 8 weeks ago I would have said, "What are you talking about 8 weeks from now? I only have a week left of work. 48 hours from now I'll be done." Sigh, so short sighted. Looking ahead is good, but I should have also enjoyed the present and now the past.

I spent Thanksgiving at the Vandorp's (Brother Brian's friend's parent house) and relaxed for the weekend. The house is amazing, and to fit it's superb-ness, it even has a name : Glenmount. It's an older house, composed of brick (like everything else in Ontario) and is three stories large. The floors are mostly hardwood, scattered with soft comfortable rugs from distant countries and ageless times. The couches are comfortable and warm, and where a spent time napping. There are many bookshelves spread throughout the three stories, all packed full of books ranging from "A History of Russia" to "The Encyclopedia of the Jewish Faith." Yes, some of the books were leather-bound, and at times I thought the house smelled of rich mahogany. The company was great; a party of other out of province students and the Vandorp family. Mr. and Mrs. Vandorp welcomed us with open arms and treated us like family. They cooked amazing food for us and provided us with laughter and conversation. The showers and dinners had were long and hot. It was a sad thing to go, and I wish I could have stayed longer. When I returned to my dorm I longed for a safe place where I could crash without being disturbed: Home.

The longing for home subsided until tonight, when I looked at Adrienne's yearbook. Now, don't get me wrong, this longing for home is not a bad thing at all. In fact, I'm sure it keeps me sharper. Without a soft warm reminder of the people I've left in BC, I would forget them, and I wouldn't want that for a second. The pictures brought back many good memories, and I think I broke down when I saw a picture of Drew and I blocking in volleyball with the subtitle "Good teamwork." High school was a grand time that I shall never forget, and the friendships I made I'm sure will not disintegrate like the alien skin in Roswell, or the potassium metal in water. I overheard my roomie Jake saying to a friend "High school was a bad time, do you remember those people who said 'best friends forever?' Where are they now?" I'm sure that won't be the case. God is faithful, and that was evident by this past weekend by me having a place to call home for thanksgiving, and even more evident by relecting on my years and friendships in high school. It seems to be a trend, so I'm looking forward to the future.

'I'll be gone 'till November' - Wyclef Jean
(November + 1 = see you soon.)

Lettuce, Cream, and Mitochondria

I feel like I've been lazy on the blogs, which then accounts for me being busy somewhere else. So, if there is a drought of blogs on my part, know that I'm busy. Werd. Anywho, speaking of busy, this weekend was retarded.

On Friday night I went out for dinner at one of Brian and Laura's favorite Mexican restaurants with Josh Ng and Dave Dekleer. Good times. The chicken chimichanga's (or however you spell them) were the highlight of my combo platter. Then I went home and was in bed by 1 for my big day which was to be.

I woke up at 7:30 in the morning with that "weekend tournament feeling." I was almost half expecting to walk over to Dan's house to wait for the McKay's to pick us up, but, it was not so. I was on the other side of things this time, running the tourny rather than playing. That morning I realized how much I missed high school sports and the friends I have that made up the team last year. Anywho, because I was one of two carded refs at the tournament, I was there for just under 14 hours. I think I was paid $40... such is life. I think I got paid for reffing the final game too, so maybe 50-55 then. Needless to say, it was a long day with volleyball which would never reach the "Elgin Park vs. Semi" or the "FVC vs. MEI" rivalries.


Flashback: Do you remember that fateful night, where, in the Fraser Valley Finals the glorious Falcons defeated the MEI Eagles? Oh, the glory. Those times, ladies and gentlemen, are the time that you'll cherish. Not because of the points or the final score, but rather for the festivities after. Glory.

Sunday was good. Church was good, including Josh Ng's picture of pirates and a jester saying "poo." Soup at Brian's (cauliflower and apple, butternut squash and chipotle peppers, and dirty German onion soup) then it was off back to the dorm to finish the first season of the Roswell series. This week is midterms. I'll keep you posted.

Mandarin Drapes and Mulan Selectivity

Alrighty, few cool thing to note.
1) I played my first Varsity Volleyball games last Friday, and I started. Neat.
2) My dorm has a George Forman grill. I can now do sausages and hamburgers with ease, while cutting the fat.
3) I cooked my first meal, and other than that undercooked mashed potatoes, it was pretty tasty. I did a nice chicken dish, but one downside is that my fingers still smell like garlic.
4)It's the weekend.
5)I can now play WoW with ease. How so you may ask? The ipod ladies and gentlemen. I go to the computers brand new, incredibly fast computers and I hook up. So nerdy, but so cool.
6) Family guy seasons on DVD. This is glorious anyway you look at it.
7) The Roswell television series on DVD. I'm hooked on this show about aliens, and this too is a good way to spend my time.
8) Printers that work, and work well. Brian dropped off a laserjet printer, series 6L, props to him.
9) Going to Canada's wonderland. That's what I'm doing tomorrow. Apparently it rox your sox...metaphorically speaking of course.
10) Lists of ten. Mmmmm, metric.

Asia Minor and the Problem with Progressive Civilizations

The walls in my room are covered. Whether that be with pictures, posters, or paint, there is no square inch that doesn't have something on it. Although the pictures add a lot more to the ambiance of the room than the off white paint does, they both serve a purpose, and in being honest, the paint probably serves more of a purpose than the pictures do in the long run.

I'm not sure what type of mood I'm in today. I wouldn't say I'm sad, but I'm not really happy either. Maybe the middle ground even is a bad explanation of where I am. The amount of bad news/ frustrating things maybe has put a damper on my day. My other cat died, which is fairly sad, but since I haven't been home, it's not hugely impacting. Secondly, the Redeemer network is so extremely slow that it seems like my internet is worse that dial-up. This inhibits my warcraft time with my friends, but life goes on. There are other things to that have added to my mood, and I don't think a nap or a heavy sigh can solve it. Time maybe......ooooo, how deep. I might just be lethargic, or it could be girls. I mean, with a 3:1 girl to guy ratio here, it's a plausible inquiry.

The Long Day is Over

The title of this blog has nothing to do with my current state, but rather by the music I'm listening to: Nora Jones. Mmmm. Oh Nora, why couldn't you have been Canadian, five years younger and lived in the lower mainland? I bet, with 10 to 1 odds that I would be dating her. Whatever the case, she is none of those, so I'll just have to listen to her music in the mean time.

As for an update, I made the varsity volleyball team. Woot. So far so good, and I'm pretty excited. I think my playing time will be less than last year, but I'm fine with that. The joy is that I will be playing, keeping some physical activity up, and of course watching one of the most exciting sports out there. School is also good, and I have yet to eat a box of Kraft Dinner. Oh, that orange glory, don't avoid me for too long, I shall come to you soon. Maybe a lazy afternoon. Speaking of lazy, naps are essential for everyday life. Why I didn't take naps regularly during high school is beyond me, but so far I've been napping 80% of the day's that I've been here. So good. OK, I'm going to end it off on this note, with how things "are."

So, when you get an email from someone, it's nice, and you feel good because that person thought to shoot you a message. So, I personally don't care if the email is long because one is talking about oneself for a few paragraphs. It's actually very nice. And, rambling on is good too. Some of the best things in writing come from rambling on. Check out Drew's blog if you don't believe me. Oh Drew, you are an amazing thundercat. Snarf.

Werd

Just to let you guys know, Adam's blog adress has changed, so you guys should update your link to him. It's now "wowyouarecool.blogspot.com". Woot.

The Madness Begins

So I went against everything that I said I would do back home...I tried out for a Redeemer varsity sports team. I was reluctant to go and try out for the volleyball team this past Wednesday, but with the nudging from a friend, I finally decided to go for it. What was the worst that could happen? Well, the try-out went pretty solid, and I was surprised with how well I did considering the form I'm in. It also got me excited to play sports again. Woot. I'll figure out if I make the team later on Saturday after our 8 a.m. morning practice. I'll keep you posted. Glory.

Nugget #2

And now comes the part about the University life. Hmmm, what to say. I came on Monday around 1ish and dumped my stuff into my room, then booked it over to the building to register, get my picture taken, and pay my fees. From there, I booked it back to my dorm, met my dormies Steve, Jacob, Dave, Jesse, and RA's Eric and Randal. It was very nice to have Adrienne here, I must admit. A familiar face does a lot for ones moral when he finds himself lost in a sea of unfamiliar faces. Michelle told me to take a risk (or something to that effect) so tomorrow I will make a firey effort to be more outgoing and wiggle into meeting the new people. I mean, with 1000 people I don't know, there's bound to be somebody to meet? Yes, that is logic, and logic is my friend in these foggy times. But it's not that type of fog in a scary movie, but instead a fog that is welcoming, asking you to run though it, breaking as you leave a clear path of freshness in your wake. Glory.

Things I Like
- That new computer smell
- Having a picture of your champion skiier dad in action on the slopes
- Mento's in a varitey of flavors (thank you Laura)
- The new Death Cab CD (thank you girls in Dorm 11 for letting me rip it)

The Spanish and German

Hokey Pete, I'm in university. Sick. Nuts. Generally pretty choice. And so it begins, I suppose. I've decided to do multiple blogs for the last weekend, because I don't want to write one extremely long blog that people will get half way through, then decide to get a drink and forget to come back. So instead, I will break it up into bite size nuggets of goodness. Yay! I'll start off with when I arrived, so I guess this blog will be about camping. Yes, camping...starting....NOW!

My flight over from the glory land was uneventful, consisting of watching a chick flick. I am not embarrassed in the slightest about watching it, because, secretly, I really enjoy chick flicks. The typical male "shoot em up" movies don't tickle my fancy as much as a well based plot line that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. I seriously need to get a girlfriend, so that I can have an excuse for watching such movies. Or maybe Stewie would want to watch them, but who's to say?

So I landed and Brian was there to pick me up. He surprised me with a computer, which I was tickled about, then we headed off from his house to the glorious Pinery provincial park on Lake Huron. Good times. Our days there consisted of sleeping, eating, reading, napping, eating and playing in the waves. Relaxing and delightful. We were blessed with the company of Brian's friends James, Jared, Michelle, and of course, Laura.

We left the Pinery early this morning and headed for what was to be my new residence. Glory.