Well, this weekend definitely did not turn out the way I wanted or needed it to. I'm not going to blog about all that though...it'll seem insignificant in a couple weeks. So, I'm just going to blog about the good, and ignore the bad and the ugly.

Here it goes:

I finally had eggs benedict on Friday, which I've been craving since August. Craving definitely satisfied - and so was my hunger for the next 24 hours. Taylor and Veronica and I went to Cora's, a very popular chain restaurant that serves mostly breakfast foods, on Friday afternoon to celebrate the end of a stressful Thursday. There was soooo much food and it was soooo good! After my afternoon English class Amber and I hung out together. We bought play-doh so because we were planning on playing Cranium after Campus for Christ, and the stuff it came with had gone dry. We definitley just ended up playing with the playdoh, and not playing the rest of the game.

The highlight of Friday night was finding out I know two people who will be singing in Starwars in Concert this month. They're expecting 18000 people to come watch it!

Yesterday I had a lazy afternoon, and then went out with Taylor to get some Christmas decorations. Now yes, I know that advent hasn't started, but since we're only going to be here for one more month, we decided it was time. We stopped in the market and had a beautiful wreath custom made for us, and then walked around the mall trying to get everything else we needed for 2 hours while carrying this rather large, very wonderful smelling wreath. My jacket now smells like forest, and our room is beginning to smell like Christmas. I promise to post some pictures after we get all of the decorations up.

This week's going to be busy, I have to prepare for a Spanish exam and write a politics paper both by Wednesday, then I have just less than a week to write an english paper for the end of term.

And to quote a very happy, careless past time,

That's all folks.

Butterflies

Oh colourful butterflies,

Are you really as happy and free

As you look when you fly

Across open fields

Under bright blue skies

Oblivious to the world

Beneath.?

Oh beautiful butterflies,

Are you really as enchanted and pure

As the little girl - who chases you

With her purple net, and stumbles

And laughs as her feet touch that grass -

Believes?

She won't desire you ten years down the road,

You know.

Oh delicate butterflies,

Are you really as heavenly as the world tells her,

When you seek the sweet nectar of the flower

On whose unsuspecting petals you perch,

Carefully Balanced.

Oh the irony you hold in your folded wings,

That in peace you begin your hunt

Exploiting the good and precious moments

Can't you just let her blossom?

Oh captivating butterflies

With what evil did you draw her attention,

The little girl whose tiny fingers gripped vibrant pens

Colouring within the lines,

In all her effort

Creating.

And by what twisted virtues did you cast your spell,

That she would seek you,

That you - and your sickening

Sinister plots - would consumer her

And lie dormant until

One day, when she hopes for Spring,

You flutter inside her

Awaking a new kind of

Unknown emotion.

It's a beautiful Day

The sun is shining and people are smiling - today is a brand new day.

I remember when I was little listening to dad's "crazy" music on Saturday mornings when I woke up, and had the biggest craving to do that again. So, along with the Aaron Shust worship song that's been stuck in my head this week, I bought some silly songs to wake up to. Ghost Riders in the sky, if I had a Million Dollars, Just you wait (Henry Higgins, from My Fair Lady)...the list goes on. I think I'm going to have to add some veggietales to the list soon. (Dad, what else did you play for us?)

My room mate has definitely given up on my sanity.

Friday night was the "Epic Project Party" at Campus for Christ. I learned about opportunities to go to North Africa, Panama, Paris, Scotland, or the Olympics: all for mission trips. I'm praying about the North Africa and Panama trips - I really do want to spend some time in Missions this Summer, and now I just have to find out where God wants me to go. After the project party it was games night in my dorm again. Hooray for Apples to Apples! Although I admit, we are getting to the point where some game variety might be nice.

This weekend Amber and I went shopping for Operation Christmas Child and ended up buying advent calendars. (but we got stuff for the shoebox too!) Of course we got back to my rez in time to find out that while we were out, both elevators broke down, so up the stairs we went!

Amber and Veronica both were visited by their mothers and siblings this weekend. Between that, and all the Christmas advertising and decorations that are up all over the place...I'm getting a tad bit home sick! The countdown has begun

Other than that, the weekend was mostly filled with work, and sleep. I finished writing my bulletin text - for those of you in the presbyterian church, if you happen to be at a church that uses the right type of bulletin covers on May 8, 2011, you'll see a bit of me! Finishing this came with the realization that (If you are my parents/grandparents/anyone that doesn't want to think about me growing up, don't read the next line) when it comes out, I'll be 20. Yeah...20. And that reminds me that of all the worries I have today, all the decisions I have to make, all of the things that make my heart ache: they are all small. They'll all be over with, they'll seem silly: the same as all the "crises" I remember from when I was 16. Now if only that would completely clear my mind. Here's what I'm thinking about...

Relationships, program of studies, health, where to live next year, missions projects, church.

God - I give these burdens unto you.

Lest we forget (Yesterday's post)

It would have been an amazing site, flying over downtown Ottawa this morning. Thousands of people flocked from all directions to the tomb of the unknown soldier, people of all ages and ethnicities, brought together by a need to remember, united by a bright red poppy with a deep black centre pinned over their hearts. I stop behind a man in uniform, slightly bent over to hold the hand of his young son, we wait for the light to change. The white man is illuminated, and we’re walking again. We cross into a park, nearing our destination. The son asks where everyone is going. “We’re going to show that we remember” says the dad.

A few minutes later I am a part of the crowd. I stand, craning my neck to try and catch a glimpse of the screen, hoping to see what’s going on. There are two officers standing infront of me, an elderly women just to me right, a family with two young daughters to my left, a blind man behind me. I remember being in brownies, sitting on a cold bleacher, right at the front of the crowd. Here, all I can see are the tops of parliament buildings, and our flag, gently blowing in the wind, the bright red contrasting with the crisp blue sky.

The big names arrive. They step out of black cars, and they shake the hands of veterans standing near by. First the Prime Minister, then the Governor General, than the Prince of Whales and Duchess of Cornwall. A man asks one of the officers in front of me why it wasn’t widely publicized that Charles was there. I can see raw emotion in the officer’s eyes as he replies “they are not the attraction to this event.”

We sing the national anthem: my voice quiets as I realize I can’t understand the words. I’ve heard the anthem in French, I’ve heard the anthem in English. But today I was a part of a nation singing the words, meaning the words, and in the synthesis of language we are tied together in a melody of passion; together we sing O Canada.

A shot fires and I jump. I expect the children around me to cry, but there’s a silence - not the absence of noise, but the absence of the present as heads bow, eyes close, tears fall, and we remember. In the distance, I can hear the church bells ringing downtown, announcing the time: 11:00. The elderly woman’s shoulders rise and fall as she cries. The mom softly explains what she can see to the blind man: the faces of veterans, the sea of poppies, the statues. She answers the call of the child in her arms, her voice is rich with love. Nous nous souviendrons.

There is prayer. There is a message. Planes fly over and for a split second, they darken the ground, separating us from the bright sun above is. It’s deafening, but then it’ over, and I’m left just to wonder what it must have been like, so many years ago.

A children’s choir sings while the wreathes are being laid. Their voices are some how angelic and haunting at the same time. And throughout, the gun keeps firing. I tremble. One little girl beside me just clings to her mom. The other’s hands are tightly clasped around her ears. She is distressed, her voice is desperate. Daddy, she begs, why are they doing that? Daddy it’s loud. Daddy please stop the guns! Stop them! Please daddy!. My heart breaks for the children whose daddies died trying to stop the guns.

As the ceremony ends, people begin disperse through the streets, like a frozen river breaking up, there is a madness as we break away from one another, as the madness of the world flows back into our lives. We run for busses, for lunch, for work, for class. I may be too young to really remember. but I am not too young to experience the emotion around me. And the thing that I think students often forget, is that war didn’t stop suddenly after the armistice was signed. War seems to be continual. There are soldiers just a few years older than I in Afghanistan right now, maybe even some that I know. I may be too young - but I remember.

I unpin my poppy, and hold it in my hands before I rush off to class. There’s something more than plastic here. I think about the faces I’ve seen, the pictures I’ve seen, the history I’ve studied. I think about Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Darfur. The world is still struggling.

I’m thankful for my freedom.

Faire traîner les choses

Maitenant, j'ai besoin d'ecrire un présentation française que je dois présenter demain, mais je ne veux pas! La présentation est le troisième que j'ai du fair au "La cuisine française." Il faut que les professeurs de français penser des sujets plus interessants!

So, instead of researching a minutes worth of information about cheese to add to an already very exciting french presentation about french food (in case you just decided to skip the french part without even looking for cognates), I thought I'd take some time to write about the amazing, but unproductive weekend that I just had!

On friday night, I had a great time an Campus for Christ, which was followed by some great conversation (and food) at the Draft, and then a great game of apples to apples, and three great conversations on skype!

On Saturday I did a tiny bit of work, and then went to the market with Veronica to buy vegetables and fruit, probably for the last time of the season. We had such a good time! I bought beans and squash, and onions, and spinach, and broccoli, and cauliflower, and honey-crisp apples (my new favourite). Then we were heading out for dinner when we saw a BEAUTIFUL sunset, and ran up to parliament hill to take pictures. When the sun went down we walked back through the market, and ended up going to the Keg for French Onion soup, which was oh-so-good.

Sunday I went to church, and went to a friend's place to get ready for our french presentation. Yes, it's the typical french food presentation: do some research, find some pictures, bake something for the class. Yippee. At least the thing we baked looks amazing, and tastes good too! After baking, I met Veronica at the grocery store to pick up a cake for Taylor, came back to the room and began decorating for a surprise party! She had gone home for her birthday, and came back at nine in time to find a room full of balloons, streamers, and friends. Oh yeah, and cheese cake.

So now, I have a room full of balloons, which in the morning we'll have to stuff into our wardrobes so that the cleaning lady can vacuum tomorrow, and I'm sitting at my desk procrastinating.

Life is grand!

PS, I'll post some pics tomorrow!

It's coming!

Taylor, Veronica, Amber and I walked to the NAC this morning to purchase tickets for the nutcracker, and as we walked, tiny flakes of snow were falling! Yesterday was my first glimpse of the sunrise, today was my first glimpse of snow...tomorrow? Despite the fact that I seem to be out of food again, I'm so happy! We are going to see the nutcracker on Dec. 4, and we have great seats, which we bought with our great student discount! (50% off!) I'm also hoping to see the Christmas Carol, and Handel's Messiah before coming home, depending on how far my entertainment budget can be stretched!

Early.

This morning, I watched the city wake up. I watched the sunrise, illuminiating the sky first with a vibrant orange, and then slowly fading through yellow and pink down to a cool, sunny blue. And I watched lights turn on, curtains open, lights turn off. I watched the canal, first in solemn tranquility reflecting just the trees that line it on either side, then slowly becoming alive as one, and then two, and then a hundred people began ralking, cycling, running; a metamporphasis right before my eyes. And the calming whoosh of the odd car was replaced by the constant, frantic acceleration of busses as they left the campus station. And then of course, the rush hour began. The rush which really means a slow and steady stream of cars barely moving in an attempt to get to the same place. What if each of those cars had four people in the instead of one? Would the heartbeat of the city change? Students join the Ottawa Morning Orchestra, I hear the doors open and close, the elevator’s chime as it announces its arrival, the hollow rhythm of footsteps rushing down the stairs. An the tempo picks up, the showers are on, drawers, wardrobes, cabinets opening and closing. Brushing of teeth, zipping of book bags. I watch as the campus becomes full of people heading this way and that. Each student, back pack on back, hands on the straps, foot forward, foot forward, food forward. Nobody stops to interact. I watch the cars slow down even more, stopping at the red light that I can’t see, but I always know what colour it is. I imagine expressionless faces, they’ve been caught by the web of monotony, seeing only the brake lights ahead of them, the speedometer, the clock. But I see the sun shining off the rooftops, and the trees on fire as the morning sun beams set vibrant leaves aglow. I see a city alive: each person is moving, thinking, planning, anticipating. I see the warm coffee in hand, the rosy nose and cheeks, smiling senior, who stops to capture a picture as the world rushes by. I see the music of the morning; I see a beautiful awakening; I see the world being changed.

If only everyone commuted from ten stories above the ground.

Last night I was trying to do research for my English term paper, and felt like I was going to pass out. My head was spinning, I was having difficulties reading, and I felt really weak. So I went to bed at 7:30, intending on just lying down for a bit, but I ended up just going to sleep.

This morning I woke up at 5:45, got up at 6:20, and was able to enjoy the sunrise, a nice cup of tea, and a quiet morning. It was so nice to wake up without listening to my alarm! Now I'm listening to music, doing homework, and thinking about how nice it would be to wake up early every morning.

Read the last post...then look at the pictures. One day I'll remember to post pictures first.

days gone by...

So as you've noticed, it's becoming rather difficult to keep my blog updated. I spent the last several days thinking to myself "I just updated it," but then last week all of a sudden ended, and this week all of a sudden began, and I realized "just" was over a week ago, and that perhaps I should take a few minutes to blog.

Autumn is now officially Fall, in my opinion. There are now way more leaves on the ground than on the trees, it's pitch black by 5:30, and the thermometer is slowly starting to drop. Last week the weather forecast was saying 5-9 for this week. now the high is 5, and the low is -5, and there's snow in the forecast, but it comes with rain, thankfully. On the up side, Sunday is supposed to be 13, but I'll believe that when I see it.

The end of last week (Friday) came with the end of my midterms, and I am so glad that they are finally overwith. This month's challenge? Three 10 page research papers, and a presentation in both French and Spanish. Life is grand!

Nothing gigantic happened last week, if I can recall correctly (Except the weekend, which I'll get to eventually). Taylor and I noticed two rather funny things out the window: the first, was watching someone in the building next to us roll and then smoke a joint. The second, just after hearing some loud screaming outside we looked out the window, in time to see two naked people walking around their room with the window wide open. I closed mine on both occasions. Also this week most of the leaves on the otherside of the canal fell overnight. Maybe I'll post some pictures if I get this finished soon enough!

Other random things I enjoyed this week? Receiving official emails in Frenglish. Not French followed by English, or vice-versa, but Frenglish. Oh, and discovering some amazing words by accident: first, gazump, which I noticed why trying to look up a different word in the english side of my spanish- english dictionary. It then lead to the discovery of other words when I looked it up in my English dictionary.

Gazump - originally meant to swindle, but now has to do with raising the price of a house after informally accepting a lower offer.

Galumph - to move in a clumsy, noisy, or ponderous matter

Garrulous -to be excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters.

Gambol - to run or jump about playfully.

One thing that was challenging this week was watching Taylor's friend from home having a bit of a breakdown. She came over and spent the night with us, we stayed up trying to comfort her most of the night, and her dad came to take her home in the morning. It was really hard seeing her so upset, and not being able to do anything about it. I can't imagine how Taylor must have felt. I think it'll be good for her friend to be at home - she'll be happier there. But I know it's going to be hard for Taylor not to have her here.

So now, since that's all of the things I wrote down to blog about for the week, I guess nothing else really happened? I did get some good marks back in English and Politics, (A-on a term paper, 85 on an exam) and I think I did reasonably well on my Spanish midterm, although I wont find out until tomorrow. And my note didn't include the weekend, but my blog will!

Saturday I spent the day listening to creepy music, creeping on my house via webcam when nobody was home in an attempt to surprise my mom for her birthday, and creating my halloween costume - to be the paper bag princess. Amber and I went trick-0r-treating at the Prime Minister's house, although he wasn't giving out candy when we got there, but at least we went. We also went to the governor general's house. The original plan had been to collect non-perishable food items afterwards, but it took way too long to get to the PM's house, and we were really cold by the time we got back to res. We ended up making cookies from bought dough in the toaster oven, and playing apples to apples. Oh, and I forgot to mention that I finally tried a beavertail, it was delicious!

And speaking of forgetting things, before I can explain Sunday I have to explain Tuesday, which I apparently didn't do before. I met up with Lane at a store called the Tea Party for "Tea and stories" and it quite literally was tea and stories. We had caramel-apple tea and listened to professional story tellers. I was expecting that it'd be them talking about there lives - but it was actually them telling story-book stories. I strongly suggest looking up the story "The wolf who cried boy" it was so funny! Anyway, why this was important is that Lane some how roped me into going to church with his family - which I usually do - but going to the pentecostal church his sister goes to, and watching her be rebaptized. (yeah, long story there too) This meant that I had to wake up on Sunday morning at 7:30 in order to be at their house in Orleans before 10, so that we could go to church. Then, after church and a gigantic lunch of french toast, sausages, and bacon, there was a party for all of the youth who had been baptized, and supposedly, their families. Because Lianne said Lane had to go, Lane said I had to go (so that he'd have some one to talk to, again) and off to the party we went. Now, this would have been somewhat awkward if all of the other youth's families had come, but only one or two other families had come, and they all knew eachother. So we were the only youth there who didn't fit in, and Lane's poor sister had to go her party with an entourage. She took it better than I would have!

After the party we did homework, went on a walk, and had dinner, which strangely enough wasn't 5 times larger than it needed to be! It was still delicious. Dinner was followed by Banana-grams (my new favourite game) and dessert. By the time I got home it was 10:30, and I pretty much went directly to bed.

Yesterday all I did was work, laundry, and some other little errands that I had planned. Nothing exciting!

And that leads to today, a day full of classes, and when I'm not in class, research, and when I'm not researching, updating my notes for Spanish. Fuuuunnn.