Monday, December 24, 2007

What's worse than a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree?

A fake Charlie Brown tree.

The true reality in how incredibly Dutch my parents are came out several Christmases ago. My mom got angry no one was vacuuming the needles under our gorgeous, real, living Christmas tree. So she decided that unless someone was willing to vacuum every day, that we couldnt get anymore real Christmas trees. Needless to say, that year my parents went out and purchased a fake tree on Boxing day for a great deal. The tree was incredibly cheap...in more ways than one.

The following Christmas came around and we bitterly set up our sad excuse for a Christmas tree. At least fake trees are designed to be more "perfect" than the real trees. Once the tree itself was set up, we all stepped back. It looked like Charlie Brown's tree AND it was fake. I have to admit, it does look better once its been decorated, but it's still not nearly as good as a real tree.

Last year, we found a nice tree lying on the side of the road. Naturally, we picked it up and carried it home. The nicest tree we'd ever had.

It's taken me many years to learn Christmas is not just about the tree, the decorations, going to church on Christmas morning, singing Christmas songs, and visiting family. Those are just some perks.

5 years ago, my family spent Christmas in the hospital. My mom was struggling to recover from complications of cancer surgery. Christmas day included spending time with my mom trucking around her IV pole in the patient's lobby. It was a weird Christmas, and I loved it. I finally realized what an amazing gift life really is. The gift from God at Christmas beats out getting an ipod or snowboard for Christmas any day.

This Christmas I want to thank God for the gifts I already have. Thank Him for the family He's given me, as much as they get on my nerves sometimes...many times...Thank Him for my house (...my parents house :)), my friends, food on the table, being able to get an education, and my mom, for her 5th year with no cancer.

God is good

Merry Christmas

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

one down...three to go...

I got sick of studying....

I did my worst class's exam today. Being done it is glory. I (hopefully) will never have to hear that prof butcher the English language ever again. Honestly it was pretty funny to listen to him, but I've had enough.
strange but true sayings of dr. Pai:
" It's Pai, but not like apple pie...P-A-I"
"what?" - he seriously threw this one in every sentence, potentially even multiple times per sentence. Jackie counted one class he said this 215 times in 50 minutes
"interpretate" - ooooooh you mean interpret
"rememberize"
"brack" - (this means black)
"do you understand what I'm saying? let me repeat one more time"
"I have a what? friend. He is what? 185 centimeters. He plays what?" class: "basketball!" Pai: "no! football"
"I just had a new baby. He is what? way cuter than I am. He is a girl"
"cunt" - this was how he said the word count. Everyone laughs each time and he doesnt get why.
...

the snow was crazy on Sunday. I went camera-happy. Church was canceled and I was supposed to play. It was nice.



And then there was a gorgeous rainbow 2 days later that even my nearly-blind neighbour could see so it was even bright enough for her to see.



Oh ya and that movie I was talking about on my last blog, the one that was being filmed. Apparantly Ashton Kutcher and Michelle Pfeiffer are in it and they were at SFU, but I didnt see them. The movie is called Personal Effects and its supposed to come out in 2009. I think the only reason I would see it would be to say "hey..that's my human physiology class! you see, it's not actually a courthouse, that's where I go to school!"

Friday, November 30, 2007

I Love Snow!!!!!!

Long time no blog...

So I guess it's been a while seeing as I last blogged when the semester started, and here I am at the semester's end. Christmas is so close I can smell it. This semester feels like it has taken years. It feels like years since I've had some good long quality time with friends without having school on the back of my mind, years since I could sleep till noon with no regrets of lost time, years since deadlines never existed...

In reality, it has only been months - four months - but they're almost over!

nothing too much to report here. We just had snow this week, a couple inches at SFU. Now the campus is grey AND white. Gorgeous.

A movie was being filmed here yesterday, and they had the entrance to my class blocked off, so we all had to wait behind this big curtain till they finished shooting a scene before we could get to class. I forget what the movies called....something with a p...but they made the hallway at school into a courthouse. It really does not look like a courthouse, more like a boring school hallway with signs that say "courtroom A" and so on. There was also no talking on the scenes that they filmed. I think it's going to be a really exciting movie, you should all go watch it *cough cough*

Work is still lame as ever, but the people are still fun. We're planning a mass-quitting some time in the New Year because apparantly we are all "replaceable". We'll see how it goes when they have to replace all their most experienced employees. McDonald's is lame.

I should head to class soon...

peace

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Midterm?

After all those years learning root words throughout elementary and high school, it turns out all former knowledge must be thrown out the window for the intellectually superior realms of University. Let me explain. Take the word "midterm" for example. Based on what I've learned before, "mid" is a prefix for "in the middle of" basically representing something occuring at the center of an event. in this case, the event would be the term. So if I put it all together, and midterm will occur in the middle of the term. Au contrair my friend, no such assumption is true. now apparantly, a midterm can occur at any point and time throughout the term and more than just once. So going with the whole post modernism thing, "mid" actually refers to "whenever I want it to be".

So I have a midterm on Tuesday. The beginning of the 4th week of school. In a way it's nice to have my exams spread out a bit more, and since there are 3 in that course, the knowledge expected to be learned for each will be slightly less. It just feels too early. It feels like school has just started and already I'm expected to display a knowledge for a topic I've barely ever glanced over yet. I probably should get to that :P

Other than that, school is going pretty good so far. Overall, my profs are so-so. Two of them are good, the other 2 are just weird, but one of the weird ones is so weird I was actually tearing up I was laughing so hard in class. He's just strange.

I'm sure the funny embarrasing moment stories will come soon enough so I can entertain whoever reads this with my blatant stupidity :):)

Boersma

Monday, August 20, 2007

road trip etiquette 101

well it has already been over a week since I got back from my road trip to Oregon with the big sister and let me tell you, it was awesome. here's a little play-by-play summary for you because I fear this may get a little long recalling a whole week of events in paragraph form

1. on the first day we drove for 12 hours down the coast to Florence Oregon. My uncle told us about a nice campground there, so we went to check it out. The sign said "no vacancy" just like every other campground we passed along the way, so we went to the front desk just to see if there was a wait list. The guy told us that we were in luck. We got there at 7:20 and if the handicapped spots arent taken by 7, they go up for grabs for anyone. So we ended up with the campsite for disabled people, which couldnt be closer to the bathrooms or running water.

2. on day 2, we had to switch campsites since someone was coming who actually needed what the site we had, had to offer. So we packed our stuff and moved to a new campsite. We spent the day hiking up the sand dunes (intense workout I must say) and relaxing on the beach, which was just one big sand dune by a lake.

3. Day 3 we had to move again to a new campsite and we finally got a site that was more permanent so we payed for the rest of the week. Then we decided to find a church to go to. We ended up at this lutheran church that was probably the oldest standing building in all of North America. The insides smelt of heritage museum and the members we not much younger than the building. But once we stepped in, we couldnt just leave, so we stayed for the service. We were the only ones under 60 in the entire building, so it was just a little awkward. The service was very Catholic, but it was interesting to partake in a communion that was a bit different than what I'm used to. Overall, it was interesting.

4. we went to the Sea Lion caves in the morning. It wasnt the best weather so there were tons of sea lions on the rocks and inside the caves. Apparantly its the world's largest sea cave, so that was pretty cool. Sea lions are really loud and we spent the rest of the day mimicking them. Good times. We also went to Newport and I got a copy of the new Harry Potter for $18. We did a bit of shopping. Then we went to Devil's Churn which was this place by the ocean with lots of rocks and the water just crashes up against the rocks. You cant go to close to the edge, or the water will wash you into the churning ocean below. Tres cool.

5. Went to crater Lake which was a 4 hour drive from where we were staying, but very well worth it. Some of the bluest water we'd ever seen. We hiked down to the water there and sat by the lake with our toes in the water then hiked back up. Oh and did I mention, we got in for free? It's supposed to be $10 and I went to pay with credit card, but she said the line-up was too long behind us, so she just let up in and told us not to tell anyone...about....it.....oops :)

6. Went to go to Heceta head lighthouse, but it was too foggy, so we went back to the campground and went to the beach. It wasnt foggy at the beach. I got the sexiest farmer tan you will ever see not gonna lie :)

7. Went to heceta head lighthouse and hiked the short trail to the lighthouse. Also went to go tidepooling (biology nerd I know...animals are cool ok!) but the tide wasnt going to go out very far, so after having fun with some mussels and kelp, we left to go shopping in old town Florence.

8. packed up and drove back home.

What we learned:

1. so apparently it's illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon, who knew? so we almost ended up with a fine...and possibly a 12 year prison term ;) j/k about the jail ,but they will fine you. Crazy Oregon people!

2. lots of people bike down the Oregon coast. Looks like fun.

3. When hiking up sand dunes, one step forward=a half step back=very tiring

4. one word: "restroom"......but I don't want to sleep, I want to pee!

5. Canadians are uber cool

6. Even people in Oregon have accents

couple photos:


phantom ship at Crater Lake



crashing waves at Devil's Churn



Hug Point!!! need I say more?

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Summer is Finally Here!!

I never want to take a summer course ever again! Even though it was just one credit, I found myself putting things off so much to the point that I didnt even study for the final. This class was supposed to be an easy "a", but I'm pretty sure I failed in the attempt of getting one. I think I passed though, so for a physics lab that all I can hope for :)

I'm leaving on a road trip on friday that I'm so stoked for. It worked out that only me and my sister had time off for a vacation (she's a teacher and I can get time off whenever I want at McDonalds..even though they were mad I booked off days, but I need a holiday from that hole of a restaurant sometimes!) so I'm going on a road trip with Cath...for some sisterly bonding. It should be fun. We plan to go down the Oregon coast, and my uncle told us about a great camping location that we think we might stay at while we're down there. It's right by the ocean, but these huge sand dunes block the park from the ocean, so you just have to go over the dunes. and then the park has two lakes! I've never been camping at a place with 2 lakes. But they use one for fishing and boating and the other for swimming, so none of that nasty Eurasian Millfoil (ropey seaweed type stuff) caused by moter boats will be in the swimming lake. Horray!

So, now its just getting all the camping supplies together and loading up the little Honda Civic, and praying I can get through customs at the border. I seem to always have some sort of problems at customs pretty much every time. The worst was the last time I went on a plane. They got mad at me for having lip gloss in my purse even though it was only 10mL of fluid..apparantly any fluid is bad fluid. And then they pulled me aside with my backpack because they thought they found a "foreign object" inside. "Oh that? That's just my mp3 player" take it out, show it to the guy, ok it is safe to let this girl on our plane from Terrace to Vancouver. Like someone is going to hijack a plane with 30 people on it thats flying over the coastal mountains.

But I'm off on friday..and should have tons of fun. And I'll let whoever reads this know how it went!

Bon Voyage!!

Boersma

Friday, July 13, 2007

Old Age

I have 4 grandparents...

now maybe you're thinking congratulations elly...you can count! But seriously though, having all 4 grandparents alive when the grandchildren are in their 20s is pretty rare. And its not that I have young grandparents or even young parents, it just so happens that Dutch people (and Fresians) live for a long time. We're a hearty race. Or maybe its just Boersmas and DenHaans. In any case, the downfall of having all grandparents is the knowledge I will have to lose all of them after developing a long relationship with each one.

Things have been quite stressful at home lately as my parents deal with their aging parents. With my grandma in a nursing home developing some form of dimensia or Alzheimer's along with the heart trouble she's had for years, my grandpa lonely living at home alone, my opa gradually losing his eyesight and my oma also having heart troubles and just getting weak, it seems like nothing else could possibly go wrong.

well, yesterday, my oma den Haan was taken to the hospital by ambulance, they figured it was dehydration and they didnt have a bed for her, so they sent her home overnight. Then today, she was doing even worse. She was taken to the hospital again by ambulance and they ran a bunch of tests. They found a slow blood leak on her brain and they need to operate. She also may have bladder cancer and she needs a pacemaker.

Please keep my oma in your prayers as she goes through all this medical work.

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Initiation

It's a conspiracy. McDonalds is trying to kill me.

Apparantly part of the initiation into the managing world of fast food chains is pushing their employees to the far reaches of their physical capacities. This past week I've done a late night (9pm-5am) then the following day I opened (5am - 1pm) then the next day i do another late night which is followed by yet another opening shift and so on. I there is any way to confuse your body about sleeping and eating patterns this is it. And to add insult to injury, I haven't been able to sleep in on my days off because we're getting a new roof, which is noisy business.

Some of these 5am shifts need to be accompanied by an energy drink just so I dont doze off at the till or do something stupid. But I dont think that level of caffeine is good for my body. I'm usually pretty wired as is. Coffee wakes me up pretty good. Energy drinks are way too powerful. I get so crazy hyper its not even funny. Wild.

So work has been...well work. There is no better way to describe it. My one two-credit physics lab course has been death...but on the bright side its almost over and thats my last physics class EVER!! My brother just moved out a couple days ago, so I've reached the pinnacle of a youngest child's existence, when I rule the household. I'm sure I'll get bored of being the only kid at home soon...My sister left for europe today for a couple weeks...so jealous.

Lovin the weather!!! summer is finally here!!!!

all for now

Boersma...OUT!

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Lately

A whole lot of nothing has been going on for me for the past little while. Don't get me wrong, I haven't been sitting around doing nothing, it just feels like I havent accomplished anything.

My summer semester has started now, and my one class for the summer, my one lousy lab is a total flop. I hate it. It doesnt help that the only person I know is in the other section (aka the room next door) and I got stuck with a bunch of people who dont know anything and just look at my paper to answer their questions. I tried explaining it to them, and eventually I just handed mine in and left them to finish on their own.

I've been working as well. It seems I am not always a woman of my word. It's not that I never keep my word or that I cant keep a secret, I just seem to state that I will "never" do something, and then I end up doing it. For example, my job. I used to say I would never work at McDonald's...and here I am...having worked there for about 2 and a half years!! When you measure a job at McDonalds in years instead of months, you know there is something wrong. And now they have offered me a position as a shift manager, another thing I said I would never do, and I am actually considering it! It does after all look good on a resume, but I was going to quit at the end of the summer, and by the time I get the promotion (since I have to be promoted twice to get there, and part of the second promotion is going for a panel interview with a bunch of head honchos...:S) it will be August.We'll see how it all goes. It's a nice pay raise at least. But now I've been thinking about taking the fall off school and working as a manager and making tons of cash and then going back to school. I dont know...so confused.


Thats about all thats been going down lately...not much.

Oh ya, my poor puppy...my 8-year-old lab-x...had to have surgery to scrape some dead tissue off her eye and now her eye has to be stitched closed for 2 weeks so it can heal and she has to wear one of those cones on her head so she wont scratch it. She looks so miserable, but it is also kind of funny because she goes bumping into everything.

And that's the kind of weeks it's been post-Terrace vacation :P

Boersma

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Good Ol' Terrace BC

So I just got home from a relaxing week up in Terrace BC. Here's just a brief little run-down...or play-by-play in good old hockey fashion...of my trip

day 1: - took a freakishly early flight to Terrace and was uber tired all day...but so was my sis so we made a good team.
- watched the Canucks tragically lose game 6
- went to their library to take out movies...ya movies!! and not just movies about books. I picked out "cars" it was awesome
- my sis' friend came over after the game and we had some yummy alcohol and tried to play phase 10 (the card game) by my rules which were made up on the spot since i forgot the instructions at home...and I still managed to lose...and then we got sick of it and played some wizard instead

sleep....

day 2: - church...where my sister's old Bible teacher from FVC is now her pastor...weird.
- BP for lunch ....hottest waitor EVER not gonna lie. awesome
- went to the school so my sis could work and I could use internet. watched some lost and gray's anatomy on a tape since my sis has no cable...oh ya and survivor
- had dinner
- went to my sis's friend's house to watch Amazing Race (YAY!!) and the Aprentice...

sleep...

day 3: - decided to stay home and sleep in while my sis went to work...bad idea...so boring
- watched cars and did dishes and pretty much did nothing all day
- watched game 7 vs. Dallas which was spectacular...and very amusing since my sister fell asleep cus she was so tired but i was actually talking to her while she was sleeping and she just seemed out of it. She doesnt remember the game...it was so weird...and funny at the same time

day 4: - went to school with Cath and hung out in her classes all day marking things and creaping out the students

day 5: - pretty much the same as day 4 plus...
- when I booked the ticket to Terrace it was a bit of a "surprise" type thing for my sister, but it turned out she had a teacher's conference in Prince George to go to...but she asked the principle if I could come and he said it was fine...so this day includes a roda trip to Prince George
- we got to Prince George a little late-ish and were very tired so we went to bed right away at Esther's Inn
- the road trip included many deer sightings and even a bear...ooooh

day 6: - teacher's conference - wow they're boring. I thought if I didnt like it I could just take a walk and go check out the sights of Prince George...but the school it was held at is way out in the middle of nowhere...so I got to tag along to seminars
- keynote speaker....something about literacy in lower grades?...primary show and share (aka a bunch of people talking about what they do in the classroom...whaaa?)....lunch YAY...seminar on teaching about sexuality...good times
- went "shopping" at a Prince George "mall"
- ate some Vietnamese food
- Watched survivor in the Esthers Inn pub
- sat in the hot tub ...(avoided young couple who seem to have mistaken the hot tub for a bed in a private room...oops)

day 7: - more conference - went to a seminar for coaching volleyball...even though I know I will never ever coach volleyball since I dont like those sports with the net in the middle..I just thought it would be good to do somthing physical
- so I suck at volleyball and I was playing with all these coaches when I go to mak a hit (which was terrible by the way) and I land from a jump and there goes my left foot...so I sprained my ankle and got to sit out with icce on it for a while.
- it felt ok so I just shot some hoops with a volleyball...but then the 6 hour bus trip back to Terrace did a number on me and I could barely even walk when we got back to Terrace
- rested my foot as much a possible
- watched hockey

day 8: - flew home...worst (or best depending on your stomach) turbulance ever it was incredible...the flight was actually mildly exciting
- landed back in Vancouver 30 minutes early

And that pretty much covers it. Many little details left out but this would be way too long if I had to include everything. So that's it...I'm back home now...nursing my foot.

I decided that if I ever become a teacher I will need to come up with some good excuses to get out of conferences 'cause they are boooorring!

Boersma

GO CANUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- road trip back home

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Happy Gang Centre

I did it...I finished second year. As of friday at approximately 11:05 am, I handed in my last exam and ran out of the room. And now, I'm spending a nice little vacation in Terrace BC visiting the sis and just chillin. Right now I'm actually sitting in the Centennial Christian staffroom using their internet while my sister works on her report cards. My sister's internet, by the way, sucks. It likes to lose the signal when you move a fraction of a millimeter.

Not too much going on right now other than the little vacation. oh ya...driving around town today after church, i saw this building with a sign saying "the Happy Gang Centre" hahaha I laughed so hard. Never seen one of those in Whalley. Apparantly it's a senior's centre.

How about them canucks. i must say I was quite disgusted by the game last night. they are going to need to do more than that to take this series...but I'm sure they totally can.

so....after my sports injuries course, I volunteer for SportMedBC now and I have a spot working for this U-18 lacrosse team for the summer. It's just volunteer with more experienced people, but it will be good to get the experience. Excited.

thats all for now

Go NUCKS

turrrrrcooooooo

Boersma

Friday, March 30, 2007

on a lighter note...

Here it is...the story of my life right here out of the lips of the ever-humorous Dane Cook himself. Just replace the word "brother" with "sister" and "Burger King" with "McDonalds" and you have my life in a nut-shell. Enjoy...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=B8wiv30_s7E&mode=related&search=

hehe...no offense Cath :)

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Where's a stress ball when you need one ?!?

I don't think I have ever quite experienced stress before. Usually I just dont let things get to me and I coast on by whatever problems are in my way. But as the end of a semester looms ahead and the glimmer of exams creep up on the horizon, I feel the effects of adrelalin...or should I say epinephrine as it is now affectionately known..pulse rate increasing...clammy, cold skin....a sense of panic. No doubt it's my "fight or flight" response kicking in. And all my mind wants to do now is to run away, but my body wants to fight.

It has been a rough week. The end of semester always comes with its ups and downs, but this time more than ever.

My grandma (Boersma) has been sick for a while now. First she was in the hospital, then they gave her a pacemaker, then she went into a rehab facility, and now, a nursing home. I dont think she has moved around so much since they immigrated from Holland. All this movement will leave anyone unsettled, especially within one of my least favourite facilities, the hospital. I HATE hospitals. My mom was shocked to hear this considering I had once talked of becoming a doctor. "Well you must at least like the maternity ward," says my mom. Although most creatures of the female variety have a soft-spot for babies, I dont really care for them. I think babies being born is the most disgusting thing ever, a miracle none the less, but still gross...and then after that all they do is poo and barf and cry for eternity. I'm thinking this mentality will change in many years time when I become a parent...but for now...just let me play with the kids.

So this past week, things had really gone downhill. She wasnt eating, barely drinking and just getting weaker. I didnt even know what to pray for. Asking God to let her live longer would just be prolonging her pain, but I also didnt want to pray for God to take her away either....it feels a little sadistic. So I just gave it up to God...and He answered in his own way. Today she was eating and talking a doing a bit better. So I guess He is willing to let us keep her for a little longer after all...and He's helping her feel better at the same time. It was rough to hear her crying out to God with what little strength she had. "Help me Lord". She just has so much faith and is really an inspiration to me.

Hearing a story about a young mother with breast cancer recently left me also looking back on my Grandma's life as she experienced a similar event. in her 30s, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. there was nothing the doctors could do and they told her to do as much with the familiy as she could because he was only going to give her months to live. She told him that only God knows how long she was going to live. She ended up winning that fight with cancer and nearly 50 years later, she is still giving her pain up to God. Her faith is amazing, and I never want to see her go, but I know it's unrealistic for me to think she will outlive me. Death is a part of life.

God can only keep her on earth for so long.

Please pray for my grandma. Pray for peace and for comfort from her pain and that she may find joy in all the hardships.

Still smiling...

Boersma

Thursday, March 08, 2007

Caught red-faced

I was so embarrassed today it was nuts. And i'm pretty sure my face was beet red too. At least I can laugh it off. Anyways, so I was in my lab for sports injuries, so we were just doing functional tests on eachother to test for "injuries" to the hip. So there's about 20 of us in the room and we're all just working in our partners. Suddenly a little tune rings out. It sounds oddly familiar. Oh dear...thats my cell phone! I forgot to turn it off and left it on high...just so the whole class could hear no doubt...my lovely ring-tone. Good old Super Mario Brothers, they've done it again. People started singing along and stuff so it was pretty funny...but I for one was thoroughly embarrassed. I have the nerdiest ring-tone ever and now my whole lab knows about it. Oh well, at least my mom still thinks I'm cool!

Need sleep.

Boersma

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Rascal Whatts?

So today is the day of the Rascal Flatts concert in Vancouver. Am I going? Well, I still am not completely sold on the whole country music thing. I just have a cute story from a little while back. My history with this group begins with Canadian Idol, embarrassingly enough for me to admit. I guess you could say the idol shows are my "Achille's Tendon" of sorts (aka its my weekness...and I dont want anyone to know...so I'm posting it in a blog...wow Im dumb...anyways....) One of the contestants sang "What hurts the Most" by Racsal Flatts. By who? Who the heck are they? A few days later I heard the same song on the radio. Cute song actually. Then, a guy came through the drive-thru at work. All decked out in a cowboy hat and listening to JRFM on his car stereo with all his hick friends, he asked me if I liked Rascal Flatts. I said I liked one of their songs....seeing as it was the only one I had ever heard. So then he was like "Do you like this one?" and he started to sing the chorus of "My Wish". What a cutie!!! All Im thinking is "now I do!!". Honestly I wouldnt mind if that guy came to serenade me every day. So anyways..the point of this story is that I ended up downloading some of their stuff. And I must say, I'm still not a country fanatic, but some of their stuff is actually pretty good. Some of it is still too country for me.

Anyways, I need to study. What a wonderful weekend. My profs like me so much they schedule 2 midterms in the 2 days following my birthday. And a happy birthday to you guys too jerks!! no Im kidding. Im in university..what do I expect? Happy studying!

Peace

Monday, February 26, 2007

Swtichfoot






too lazy to type anything, but they say a picture is worth a thousand words. This is inspired by Lynn's blog. I love Switchfoot.


Friday, February 23, 2007

Lent.....I know I'm a couple days late...

I have always joked about my mom giving up being pregnant for lent as I was her last child and was born on Ash Wednesday, which just happened to fall on March 4th 1987, and has never fallen on my Birthday again...yet. So the conclusion is this, either she decided to give up having me taking up space in her body for lent, or I decided to cease being a fetus for lent, whichever the case, that day 20 years ago changed everything...well I'm here arent I? So perhaps in the 40 day period between my birth and my first Easter..with my baptism squeezed somewhere in the middle there, my parents decided that 3 was enough children to have in one family. I was probably in this time frame in which my dad sprouted his first grey hairs.

But, putting all theories aside, why do we give things up for lent? I have always wondered this question. Are we any less Christian if we dont? I dont think so. I see it as more of a personal thing. If giving something up that you eat too much of or spend too much time doing helps you to understand/appreciate/meditate on God's sacrifice to man and the ressurection, then all power to you. If you do it beacause everyone else does, then I think you need to rethink your decision. We can never understand the sacrifice God made for us, but if giving up something allows you to spend more time focussing on God or reading the Bible, then your decision has purpose. So basically what I'm saying here is dont give up somthing for lent if it is just because your friends are.

I've always wanted to give up homework/school for lent and see if something like that could actually fly if you claim it is for Religious purposes, but Im pretty sure a University dean would not buy that.

Sometimes what i like to do is instead of giving something up, I like to add something/ do something more. For example actually set aside time to read my Bible and pray every day, not just when my school/work schedule can allow time. Or take a walk everyday...no matter what the weather and just take in God's creation. No matter how many times you take the same walk, there is always somthing new to take in.

But thats all for now. Im pretty tired, so Im not even sure if this all makes sense...

peace

Boersma

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Bubble Toes

I need a break from studying...on a Saturday...woohoo!..well actually it could be worse, I could be working ;) Here's some things that I've been noticing about the differences between a public university with 22,000 students vs. a Christian Highschool with 500 students...

You know you have ventured into the "real world" of school when...


...There is a flavored condom dispenser instead of a tampon machines in the girl’s washroom.

...Your TA drops the F-bomb like a clumsy fool more than saying useful information.

...People you know have sex with TAs thus getting better grades.

...One of the most popular days of the week is Thursday…pub night.

...Evolution is accepted as a common knowledge truth with no questions asked. Creation just isnt an option. (not to say evolution cant exist...I like to believe that God created us with the ability to best suit our environment....who really knows though)

...People make-out on the bus on the way to school.

...Your prof swears.

...Your personal space is violated while riding the bus. (because they’re so stinkin’ crowded!!) Spooning on the bus!! my favourite past time I'm not gonna lie.

...Birth control classes are offered followed by a free gift of condoms for all (but we all know the best birth conrol is not to have sex in the first place! DUH!)

...STD twister is offered as a fun game to distract you in the hallways between classes. (actually its very educational...and its twister a win-win!! right)

...a girl can "work out" in the gym without a bra on and half a t-shirt without getting kicked out. (honestly it was the nastiest thing I have ever witnessed. And workout was in quotations since all she was doing was bicep curls minus the curls. it was basically her bicep twitching from a fully contracted position to a near-fully contracted position. That is to say, she was barely moving her arm whatsoever. And the t-shirt thing...she had cut a shirt just below the sleeves so it was basically a cylinder of fabric wrapped around her bra-less body and barely staying in position. What a creaper!!)

...there is a club for gays and lesbians ("Out on Campus")...although they encourage anyone to come.

...clubs are off-limits due to racial differences (they wouldnt let me join the "Canadianized Asian Club"...I was pretty choked about that....they have a cotton candy machine! it makes cotton candy!!)

Well thats all I got for now. Feel free to add whatever you want to this list as it is in no way in full completeness.

I should go study up on some sports injuries and the like...good times...

Boersma

**note** please pray for my grandma...she just got a pacemaker and she got moved to a rehab centre now, but she still is pretty confused and might be getting dimensia or something.

side note little story....kinda has to do with this pst I guess.

So just yesterday, me and Adana...or Adana and I, I guess I shuld say, were checking out what kind of Valentines day events were going on in Convo Mall (big central area outside where convocation takes place at grad time...) and we were standing there when this guy comes up with a bag holding something that looks like a sucker. He asked us if we wanted one...I thought yummmm sucker...or course I want one! so he was like "here you go..I dont know what flavour it is" I say "thats okay" and go to take a little look-see to determine the flavour I got. As I glimpse the packaging which, hidden below celophane (sp) was a perfect square little package with the word "Lifestyles" on it. Im thinking uh oh....flip it over to see the other side....ummmm Adana...we just said yes to getting a free condom....flavoured condom. awkward!!! so we just walked away and tossed them out and that was that. I guess they expect everyone to be "getting some" on valentines day, but that just isnt me. :S

Saturday, February 03, 2007

direction...?

It's that time of year again. Midterm season. Perfect timing for a nice juicy sweet blog... I have 3 midterms next week, which means I'm going to be super cool and have no life for the next couple of days...unless something fun comes up...no,no..need to study :P University seems to be getting better now that I'm pretty sure I know what I want. I can be so indecisive at the best of times, but I'm pretty much set on a major in Kinesiology with a Bio minor. I feel like such a nerd saying this, but I am actually really excited about a course I'm taking right now. It's called Sports injuries: Prevention and Rehab...and its all about, well what the title says...injury in sport, how to prevent them, and should an injury occur, how to help the athlete get back to how they were. The course is taught by an actual doctor...not just a prof who uses the prefix "doctor" in his name. This guy has his own medical practise and also works for a variety of minor sports teams in the lower mainland as their team physician. Then the TA who teaches us how to examine injuries to determine what they are..and then how to tape up joints (like ankle taping etc.) he's a physiotherapist at UBC and works for their sports teams as well.

The best part is, that by completing this course as well as a CPRC/first aid course you can get a BC sports aid certificate and work as a volunteer for different sporting events and teams...which also gives an inside edge if you want to volunteer for the 2010 olympics...so exciting~!!!

I need to practise my tape jobs...anyone have a sore ankle??

Ewww...kinda gross story...I will shorten it to a nutshell since this is getting kind of long for me..
On my little Community shuttle bus this morning....a guy 2 seats infront of me puked on the ground of the bus. The bus driver had to pull over and clean it up with paper towels and he sent the guy out of the bus to clean himself off with the paper towel. I felt so bad for the busdriver..thats such a nasty job the poor guy. It's days like this that they probably feel they dont get paid near enough for the job they do. I have that feeling at work somtimes. Good old Whalley. Needless to say I just barely got to school in time to hand in my assignment.

I need to sleep now...

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