I was sad I had to work while my friend Adana carried the Olympic torch through part of Surrey yesterday, it would have been cool to see her run it. I had to work at 4pm, and I had spent the night before at home, so I got stuck in crazy traffic on the way to work, but I thought nothing of it because I didn't think the torch was coming down that stretch of King George Highway. The closer I got to work, the more people I saw lining the street. Turns out the torch was coming down my stretch of King George. It took almost 10 minutes for me to turn into the parking lot, and then I ran to the street to watch. After the torch went by, one kid turned to his dad and asked "is that it?"...haha you gotta love kids. It's true though, there was so much hype, but when it comes down to it, it's not such a big deal. Some guy carrying the flame lights the next lady's torch, they hug and dance around, and she continues down the street. Done.
As for me, work is still crazy, disorganized, and very last-minute, but you can see things slowly coming together. I still know that once Friday comes around the chaos will become a little more organized chaos, people will be cranky pulling long hours with little rest, and bad food.
The drivers at my hotel love us. (how could you not? haha). Apparently there are issues with other RAs not doing what their supposed to and just not being very helpful at other hotels, so right now, even with a lack of amenities, the Quality Inn is the envy of all the other drivers. Most of the drivers here are recently retired, in their early 60s, and basically not much older than my dad. They bring us cookies and other snacks they stole from the bus depot, extra sandwiches they sneak from lunch, a dinner they don't want, you name it, it's great. I get a per diem for food allowance and I don't have to buy much food at all because the drivers keep feeding me. One driver went out to get me a donut along his route, said he'd surprise me, and came back with a box of 15 timbits. It's so sweet. I think some of them are just trying to butter us up. They've already been joking around about "favors" on Valentine's day - don't worry I've turned them all down. The vast majority are joking, but there's one or two that I think are not...a little creepy, but I'll just have to keep my eye on them.
That's it for now. These posts are turning into the diaries of the Vanoc employee, but really not much else is going on in my life right now, aside from planning for the mission trip to Mexico with my church youth at the end of March.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
I'm not ready
When I was little, we used to play a game with my dad before bed that we appropriately named "I'm not ready". This game consisted of me and my siblings jumping on my parent's bed and my dad had to grab us, but he wasn't allowed on the bed. When he caught us, he would throw us over his shoulder and bring us to bed, one by one. Just so you know, even though I'm the youngest, I almost always "won" by being the last one left jumping on the bed. I don't really know why, but this seems like a good analogy for what's going on with the Olympics right now, so I'm going to go with it for now.
The Olympics are inevitable. They can't be postponed or negotiated, but they are set in stone, just like my childhood bedtime. Outwardly, to the untrained eye, Vanoc looks ready, just as I had my pajamas on and teeth brushed before playing the pre-bedtime game, and to anyone who wasn't my parent, I appeared ready for bed. But on the inside, I was not ready, and neither are they. This job is so disorganized. Hopefully they get their act together before the world gets here.
This job is through the co-op program at school, and although it has almost nothing to do with my degree aside from that it is connected to the transportation for the olympics, which is sports-related, and kinesiology is sports-related too. It is also designed to help us with direction for what career path we intend to take in the future. I am confirming I am not cut out for office jobs. I hate being stuck behind a desk. It is so dull and boring and I feel so sluggish. I think I get more exercise being in school, because I don't sit for a whole 8 hours in class. I've been considering the PDP program for highschool education at either SFU or UBC, but it scares me. I was a bit of a brat to teachers in highschool, and I wasn't near the worst one, and I think my antics would annoy myself, if that makes sense. Maybe I can learn to deal. I don't really know many other options with a kinesiology degree. Seeing as I graduate soon, I need to start figuring this out...
The Olympics are inevitable. They can't be postponed or negotiated, but they are set in stone, just like my childhood bedtime. Outwardly, to the untrained eye, Vanoc looks ready, just as I had my pajamas on and teeth brushed before playing the pre-bedtime game, and to anyone who wasn't my parent, I appeared ready for bed. But on the inside, I was not ready, and neither are they. This job is so disorganized. Hopefully they get their act together before the world gets here.
This job is through the co-op program at school, and although it has almost nothing to do with my degree aside from that it is connected to the transportation for the olympics, which is sports-related, and kinesiology is sports-related too. It is also designed to help us with direction for what career path we intend to take in the future. I am confirming I am not cut out for office jobs. I hate being stuck behind a desk. It is so dull and boring and I feel so sluggish. I think I get more exercise being in school, because I don't sit for a whole 8 hours in class. I've been considering the PDP program for highschool education at either SFU or UBC, but it scares me. I was a bit of a brat to teachers in highschool, and I wasn't near the worst one, and I think my antics would annoy myself, if that makes sense. Maybe I can learn to deal. I don't really know many other options with a kinesiology degree. Seeing as I graduate soon, I need to start figuring this out...
Monday, January 25, 2010
Bored
So I finally started "working" now, which is good, but everything is still so disorganized, it's driving me nuts. I put working in quotations because I'm not exactly doing anything right now.
I got hoe from a wedding reception on Saturday night, and decided to check my email because I was supposed to have heard something from Gameday regarding my start date and schedule. Sure enough, I got an email, and when I opened my schedule, it said I start 10am on Sunday, and that I needed to check in to my hotel and then wait for my supervisor to come and train me. So, I showed up and checked in without having anything because I had no time to pack. I'm staying at the Quality Inn in Surrey at least until March 5. There are 2 other RAs at my hotel, and we have to share a room, which has a main, typical hotel room, with a second bedroom with 2 beds in it, so 3 beds in total. We also have a kitchenette, with microwave, kettle, stove and fridge. It's all tiny, but functional.
So I check in, and one of the other girls showed up, and we just hung out in the room getting acquainted and waited for some direction. A manager finally showed up at around noon, but he didn't have much more information for us as he hadn't been told anything either, except that we had a few drivers showing up who needed to sign an agreement that they would behave at the hotel.
So between the 3 resident advisers at my hotel, there are 3 different shifts each day; one person covers midnight-8:30am, one person 8am-4:30pm and one 4pm-12:30am. I got lucky and scored the 8-4:30 shift, 6 days per week. The downside is, since we are all sharing a room, people are constantly coming and going at weird hours, so I think sleep will be limited. What a gong show this all is. Crazy.
As for right now, I'm sitting on a couch in my hotel room, trying to occupy myself with things to do till 4:30. There really is nothing. So I'm getting paid close to $18 per hour to hang out at a hotel.
I got hoe from a wedding reception on Saturday night, and decided to check my email because I was supposed to have heard something from Gameday regarding my start date and schedule. Sure enough, I got an email, and when I opened my schedule, it said I start 10am on Sunday, and that I needed to check in to my hotel and then wait for my supervisor to come and train me. So, I showed up and checked in without having anything because I had no time to pack. I'm staying at the Quality Inn in Surrey at least until March 5. There are 2 other RAs at my hotel, and we have to share a room, which has a main, typical hotel room, with a second bedroom with 2 beds in it, so 3 beds in total. We also have a kitchenette, with microwave, kettle, stove and fridge. It's all tiny, but functional.
So I check in, and one of the other girls showed up, and we just hung out in the room getting acquainted and waited for some direction. A manager finally showed up at around noon, but he didn't have much more information for us as he hadn't been told anything either, except that we had a few drivers showing up who needed to sign an agreement that they would behave at the hotel.
So between the 3 resident advisers at my hotel, there are 3 different shifts each day; one person covers midnight-8:30am, one person 8am-4:30pm and one 4pm-12:30am. I got lucky and scored the 8-4:30 shift, 6 days per week. The downside is, since we are all sharing a room, people are constantly coming and going at weird hours, so I think sleep will be limited. What a gong show this all is. Crazy.
As for right now, I'm sitting on a couch in my hotel room, trying to occupy myself with things to do till 4:30. There really is nothing. So I'm getting paid close to $18 per hour to hang out at a hotel.
Friday, January 22, 2010
The Truth Comes Out
Watching the Winter Olympics has been one of the highlights of my university career. I remember back in first year, winter of 2006, Torino Italy, cutting classes to watch events with Jackie. TVs were propped up around campus with crowds of people huddled around watching whatever happened to be on at the time. I don't like crowds, neither does Jackie, so we managed to discover a lecture hall in the Computer Science hallway with constant Olympics coverage projected on the wall, comfortable seating, and no one else in the room. Every chance we had, we would sit in that room and watch everything from curling to bobsleigh. When I found out the Olympics would be here in 2010, I couldn't wait for this year to come. It seemed so far off then...
When the opportunity came up to get a job with the Olympics, I jumped at it. It seemed too good to be true. For those that don't know, I was offered a job as a resident advisor. I didn't know what that was, but I was told I'd be living at Olympic Village for free, get a bunch of free clothing, and it was going to be great. I was so excited for this opportunity to rub shoulders with the athletes.
I had a training session today, and some of my dreams were shattered. Apparently I don't know how to speak Vanoc-anese - let me explain. It turns out that "Athlete's village" actually means "random hotel at some location in the lower mainland", "free clothing" translates to "black and orange coat", "athletes" means "bus drivers", and "resident advisor" is really "hotel concierge". Basically, I am going to be living at a hotel for 2 months, but they haven't told me where yet, and send bus drivers on their way to their shuttles to take them to the bus depot. I get to give out meal tickets, make sure they have their cell phones, and contact hotel front desk if a bus driver is being a tool and needs something. I get money for food. And I am going to be nowhere near Olympic venues. Not exactly what I had in mind.
When the opportunity came up to get a job with the Olympics, I jumped at it. It seemed too good to be true. For those that don't know, I was offered a job as a resident advisor. I didn't know what that was, but I was told I'd be living at Olympic Village for free, get a bunch of free clothing, and it was going to be great. I was so excited for this opportunity to rub shoulders with the athletes.
I had a training session today, and some of my dreams were shattered. Apparently I don't know how to speak Vanoc-anese - let me explain. It turns out that "Athlete's village" actually means "random hotel at some location in the lower mainland", "free clothing" translates to "black and orange coat", "athletes" means "bus drivers", and "resident advisor" is really "hotel concierge". Basically, I am going to be living at a hotel for 2 months, but they haven't told me where yet, and send bus drivers on their way to their shuttles to take them to the bus depot. I get to give out meal tickets, make sure they have their cell phones, and contact hotel front desk if a bus driver is being a tool and needs something. I get money for food. And I am going to be nowhere near Olympic venues. Not exactly what I had in mind.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Olympic Woes
Year 2010 has begun like no other in the history of my life. First off, over Christmas holidays, my mom got a herniated disc and has been a little out of commission since. That, however, has not prevented her from traveling to the other side of the world with my dad to go to Seoul Korea for a wedding. They left yesterday morning. I guess my mom is tougher than I thought. ;)
My opa fell on New Years Day, bringing him to the hospital with a broken hip. He had surgery the same day and is recovering in the hospital.
I was supposed to start work with VANOC on Jan. 4 as a resident adviser in athlete's village until after the Paralympics. VANOC hired another company, Angus One, to run the co-op students (which includes me), and the process is taking longer than they expected. So, I found out Jan. 1 that the start date would be Jan. 8 and we would get more information before then. Today came, and still no word, so I emailed Angus One asking for some info. They said they're behind schedule and training wont start till next week because nothing is up and running yet.
This has been the most stressful pre-work experience I have ever had. I really hope the job isn't this stressful. So now, I get another couple days of holidays...and I'm starting to get bored.
My opa fell on New Years Day, bringing him to the hospital with a broken hip. He had surgery the same day and is recovering in the hospital.
I was supposed to start work with VANOC on Jan. 4 as a resident adviser in athlete's village until after the Paralympics. VANOC hired another company, Angus One, to run the co-op students (which includes me), and the process is taking longer than they expected. So, I found out Jan. 1 that the start date would be Jan. 8 and we would get more information before then. Today came, and still no word, so I emailed Angus One asking for some info. They said they're behind schedule and training wont start till next week because nothing is up and running yet.
This has been the most stressful pre-work experience I have ever had. I really hope the job isn't this stressful. So now, I get another couple days of holidays...and I'm starting to get bored.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
"Simply having a wonderful Christmas-time"
I love Christmas. Christmas movies, music, trees, the cold weather...it's great! Not much to say here about life as it is right now. I am still waiting to get more information from VANOC on a job that I am supposed to start a week from Monday. I hate the uncertainty, but I guess I could consider this a lesson in patience. Basically, what I know thus far is that I am going to be a Resident Adviser for the athletes at Olympic Village - but they still haven't told me if I'm in Vancouver or Whistler. VANOC has to be the least organised employer I have ever worked with.
Here's just the highlight reel of the Christmas holidays so far:
- worked a lot
- took my mom snowshoeing (this has become a tradition for us) and my brother came too. The sucky part was that the only day we had free was a day that it was raining on the local mountains. We still had fun though
- Went to my uncle's for dinner with the cousins on Christmas Eve. We had fondu. It was delicious.
- Went to see my Grandma and Grandpa at Menno Hospital in Abbotsford on Christmas morning after going to my Grandpa's church in Abbotsford. (My Grandma lives at Menno). It was great to see her but hard because you never know when it's going to be the last Christmas with her.
- I played piano with my Grandpa and another lady singing Christmas carols. I had never done anything like that with my Grandpa before and it was great.
- In the afternoon on Christmas, we went to my parent's church to help with a community dinner for people with nowhere to go on Christmas.
Here's just the highlight reel of the Christmas holidays so far:
- worked a lot
- took my mom snowshoeing (this has become a tradition for us) and my brother came too. The sucky part was that the only day we had free was a day that it was raining on the local mountains. We still had fun though
- Went to my uncle's for dinner with the cousins on Christmas Eve. We had fondu. It was delicious.
- Went to see my Grandma and Grandpa at Menno Hospital in Abbotsford on Christmas morning after going to my Grandpa's church in Abbotsford. (My Grandma lives at Menno). It was great to see her but hard because you never know when it's going to be the last Christmas with her.
- I played piano with my Grandpa and another lady singing Christmas carols. I had never done anything like that with my Grandpa before and it was great.
- In the afternoon on Christmas, we went to my parent's church to help with a community dinner for people with nowhere to go on Christmas.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Time
...I need more...
...if only I had more....
...it would be done but I ran out of...
...there's never enough...
...life would be so much easier if I just have more...
...free...
...spare...
...leisure...
...buy some...
...kill...
...waste...
This four-letter word seems to comprise so much of our vocabulary. It also seems to be blamed for most of our misfortunes. As the end of this semester nears, there never seems to be enough time. Not enough time to study, to finish my assignments, to spend time with friends, to spend time with God, to clean my room, to do my laundry, to think about my future...
I have been asked the questions people normally get asked as they near their undergraduate career. "So Elly, what do you plan to do for the rest of your life?" The rest of my life? Really? I know I'm not much of a planner, but seriously, that's over 50 years (hopefully) that I have left. Do I really need to consider that far in advance? Now, I know that's not exactly what they mean, but it seems that way some time. Now that I'm 22, I really should know what career path I want to take and what my goals in life are - but I don't think that's realistic. Some people do know at this point what career path they want to take. I don't think God programmed me to work that way. All I know is that He will be with me every step of the way.
I had an interview today with VANOC that went really well. They "conditionally offered" me a job today which was different than the ones I was applying for. Basically, my interviewer is promoting me for the position at the end of today with the rest of the VANOC, so as long as the other VANOC staff haven't handed out a lot of offers for this position, my chances are pretty high. She thought I would be a good fit as a Resident Advisor - it would be coordinating that the people in Olympic Village get to where they need to go, that their stuff goes with them, and liase with the bus drivers. I wont know all the details until I get the formal offer, but the exciting part is I would have to live on site, which would be pretty sweet, so we'll see.
As far as graduation goes, it looks like it'll be in August, which is fine, because I have no plans aside travel for after grad, so this buys me more time before I need to apply for a "real job".
So I think I have wasted enough time. It's time to return to my homework and finish this semester strong - second-last semester of undergrad...it feels great!
...if only I had more....
...it would be done but I ran out of...
...there's never enough...
...life would be so much easier if I just have more...
...free...
...spare...
...leisure...
...buy some...
...kill...
...waste...
This four-letter word seems to comprise so much of our vocabulary. It also seems to be blamed for most of our misfortunes. As the end of this semester nears, there never seems to be enough time. Not enough time to study, to finish my assignments, to spend time with friends, to spend time with God, to clean my room, to do my laundry, to think about my future...
I have been asked the questions people normally get asked as they near their undergraduate career. "So Elly, what do you plan to do for the rest of your life?" The rest of my life? Really? I know I'm not much of a planner, but seriously, that's over 50 years (hopefully) that I have left. Do I really need to consider that far in advance? Now, I know that's not exactly what they mean, but it seems that way some time. Now that I'm 22, I really should know what career path I want to take and what my goals in life are - but I don't think that's realistic. Some people do know at this point what career path they want to take. I don't think God programmed me to work that way. All I know is that He will be with me every step of the way.
I had an interview today with VANOC that went really well. They "conditionally offered" me a job today which was different than the ones I was applying for. Basically, my interviewer is promoting me for the position at the end of today with the rest of the VANOC, so as long as the other VANOC staff haven't handed out a lot of offers for this position, my chances are pretty high. She thought I would be a good fit as a Resident Advisor - it would be coordinating that the people in Olympic Village get to where they need to go, that their stuff goes with them, and liase with the bus drivers. I wont know all the details until I get the formal offer, but the exciting part is I would have to live on site, which would be pretty sweet, so we'll see.
As far as graduation goes, it looks like it'll be in August, which is fine, because I have no plans aside travel for after grad, so this buys me more time before I need to apply for a "real job".
So I think I have wasted enough time. It's time to return to my homework and finish this semester strong - second-last semester of undergrad...it feels great!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Hello, I am in Ontario
I've been in Ontario this past week for my cousin Alesha's wedding in Kitchener. I played piano for the wedding, so I had to be here in time for the wedding rehearsal, but instead of coming for just those two days, we (my parents and I) decided to make a bit of a holiday of it and come in early. What a great decision! This week has been fantastic, so I have to tell you all about it.
We flew in on Tuesday, but because of the time change, the whole day was pretty much gone by the time we got here. We were tired from the flight to London and the drive to Cambridge (remember, this is Ontario not England) we decided to call it a night and go to bed "early". Early being 12pm Ontario time, but only 9pm in BC.
The next morning we woke up refreshed. Wednesday. The weather for the week was not looking too promising, but the forecast for the day was gorgeous, so we figured it would be a perfect day to drive to Niagara Falls. It was gorseous. Nice and hot, but also not too humid, and the spray from the falls was the most refreshing thing. We had a picnic, took a long walk, looked at some shops, then came back to Cambridge for some dinner.
Thursday, we took the drive to Toronto to see the sights. We wanted to see the CN tower, but seeing as it would be $20 each to take a ride up to the top to get a view of the city, we decided to see the view of the CN tower from the sidewalk. We had a picnic lunch on the shores of Lake Ontario, then proceeded to a place I really wanted to see - the Hockey Hall of Fame. I loved reading up on the history of the best Canadian sport and seeing the architectural beauty of the old bank the Hall of Fame was situated in, but best of all was the item sitting upstairs. On the top floor was all the awards hockey player dream of, from the Hart Trophy to the Vezina. But best of all was the trophy behind the velvet rope. The biggest prize in hockey. The Stanley Cup. I waited in line for my chance to get a photo taken with the cup. (I'll post some photos later) It was great. We decided to beat the traffic and left before 4, but the weather had other ideas. Tornadoes were hitting the greater Toronto area as we headed back South the Cambridge. There were strong winds, heavy rain, thunder, and brilliant lightning. I never saw a tornado, but heard later on the news the massive destruction that took place not far from where we were driving.
That evening, I was invited to my cousin's bachelorette party, which was a blast. We started by taking a fitness dance class thing, then went "bouldering" which is basically wall climbing without a harness, so you don't go as high. It was a blast, as well as a great workout. After, we relaxed our muscles in the hot tub, then went to open presents, eat food, and have some drinks. I was told it was going to be at a fitness club, so I just wore some workout pants and a tank top, but following the main event, a bunch of the girls wanted to go clubbing, so I accepted the invite. I was way under-dressed. We went to a club with a dress code, and I don't think I would have gotten in if it weren't for one of the bridesmaids knowing one of the bouncers. So, there I am, in a fancy club where the ladies wear dresses (mostly) and a lot of the guys were wearing dress clothes, and I'm in there wearing runners, yoga pants, and a racer back tank top. So out of place. It was almost comical. I still had a good time, so that's all that matters. We ended the night at a bar, where I was much more at home with the way I was dressed.
Since I got in late on Thursday, more like Friday morning, I spent most of the morning sleeping, so my parents went to St. Jacob's, an Old Order Mennonite community close to Kitchener. They're sort of like the Amish in their way of living. I went shopping at some outlet stores, then had the wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner in the evening.
Saturday was the wedding, which went really well. We had about 4 hours to kill before the reception, so I went with my Uncle and some cousins to St. Jacob's to go to the farm market, and hopefully see some horse-drawn carriages. We didn't see any there, so we drove to a nearby town called Elmira, where we came across some Mennonites in a carriage at McDonald's. It was quite the sight to see. There you have a horse and buggy on the side of the road with a man in traditional clothing. Then you see a lady in a bonnet and traditional clothing walking towards the buggy with a McFlurry, coffee, and a bag of food from McDonald's. It seemed like twisted logic as a group so against modern advances is supporting a consumerism giant.
Interesting fact: We learned later that day that the McDonald's we saw was the only McDonald's in Canada with a hitching post. The reception was a blast, just a good time over all.
Today I got to go to Canada's Wonderland with my Boersma cousins and my Uncle. It was a great time. Some great roller coasters as well as water slides, and the weather held up nicely for us as well. But, I should head off to bed - early morning tomorrow as I head back to the beautiful west coast.
Night.
Boersma
We flew in on Tuesday, but because of the time change, the whole day was pretty much gone by the time we got here. We were tired from the flight to London and the drive to Cambridge (remember, this is Ontario not England) we decided to call it a night and go to bed "early". Early being 12pm Ontario time, but only 9pm in BC.
The next morning we woke up refreshed. Wednesday. The weather for the week was not looking too promising, but the forecast for the day was gorgeous, so we figured it would be a perfect day to drive to Niagara Falls. It was gorseous. Nice and hot, but also not too humid, and the spray from the falls was the most refreshing thing. We had a picnic, took a long walk, looked at some shops, then came back to Cambridge for some dinner.
Thursday, we took the drive to Toronto to see the sights. We wanted to see the CN tower, but seeing as it would be $20 each to take a ride up to the top to get a view of the city, we decided to see the view of the CN tower from the sidewalk. We had a picnic lunch on the shores of Lake Ontario, then proceeded to a place I really wanted to see - the Hockey Hall of Fame. I loved reading up on the history of the best Canadian sport and seeing the architectural beauty of the old bank the Hall of Fame was situated in, but best of all was the item sitting upstairs. On the top floor was all the awards hockey player dream of, from the Hart Trophy to the Vezina. But best of all was the trophy behind the velvet rope. The biggest prize in hockey. The Stanley Cup. I waited in line for my chance to get a photo taken with the cup. (I'll post some photos later) It was great. We decided to beat the traffic and left before 4, but the weather had other ideas. Tornadoes were hitting the greater Toronto area as we headed back South the Cambridge. There were strong winds, heavy rain, thunder, and brilliant lightning. I never saw a tornado, but heard later on the news the massive destruction that took place not far from where we were driving.
That evening, I was invited to my cousin's bachelorette party, which was a blast. We started by taking a fitness dance class thing, then went "bouldering" which is basically wall climbing without a harness, so you don't go as high. It was a blast, as well as a great workout. After, we relaxed our muscles in the hot tub, then went to open presents, eat food, and have some drinks. I was told it was going to be at a fitness club, so I just wore some workout pants and a tank top, but following the main event, a bunch of the girls wanted to go clubbing, so I accepted the invite. I was way under-dressed. We went to a club with a dress code, and I don't think I would have gotten in if it weren't for one of the bridesmaids knowing one of the bouncers. So, there I am, in a fancy club where the ladies wear dresses (mostly) and a lot of the guys were wearing dress clothes, and I'm in there wearing runners, yoga pants, and a racer back tank top. So out of place. It was almost comical. I still had a good time, so that's all that matters. We ended the night at a bar, where I was much more at home with the way I was dressed.
Since I got in late on Thursday, more like Friday morning, I spent most of the morning sleeping, so my parents went to St. Jacob's, an Old Order Mennonite community close to Kitchener. They're sort of like the Amish in their way of living. I went shopping at some outlet stores, then had the wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner in the evening.
Saturday was the wedding, which went really well. We had about 4 hours to kill before the reception, so I went with my Uncle and some cousins to St. Jacob's to go to the farm market, and hopefully see some horse-drawn carriages. We didn't see any there, so we drove to a nearby town called Elmira, where we came across some Mennonites in a carriage at McDonald's. It was quite the sight to see. There you have a horse and buggy on the side of the road with a man in traditional clothing. Then you see a lady in a bonnet and traditional clothing walking towards the buggy with a McFlurry, coffee, and a bag of food from McDonald's. It seemed like twisted logic as a group so against modern advances is supporting a consumerism giant.
Interesting fact: We learned later that day that the McDonald's we saw was the only McDonald's in Canada with a hitching post. The reception was a blast, just a good time over all.
Today I got to go to Canada's Wonderland with my Boersma cousins and my Uncle. It was a great time. Some great roller coasters as well as water slides, and the weather held up nicely for us as well. But, I should head off to bed - early morning tomorrow as I head back to the beautiful west coast.
Night.
Boersma
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Time to Clean
So today is cleaning day, and that is why I blog, mostly to postpone the inevitable. Thankfully there have been no more poo incidents, but for the past 2 days, the dog has thrown-up in the basement. I cleaned it up yesterday, only to wake up to more vomit this morning. I am currently in the process of desensitizing my brain to its nastiness so I can start to clean it up. This is not the only reason why I am cleaning today. My parents come home this week on Wednesday, and I need to make the house look like I've cared for it regularly over the past few weeks. They read this sometimes, so I guess the secret's out. It's not too bad, it's tidy, but it needs to get clean.
I decided not to feed the dog this morning until she starts bugging me for food. If she's sick, I dont want any more of her messes around the house.
Ok, that's enough, I should get to it. At least this time half the mess is on the linoleum.
Boersma
I decided not to feed the dog this morning until she starts bugging me for food. If she's sick, I dont want any more of her messes around the house.
Ok, that's enough, I should get to it. At least this time half the mess is on the linoleum.
Boersma
Monday, July 13, 2009
The Grouch
It was around 5:15 at The Right Shoe today, a time less than an hour before closing where we get a lot of people just coming in to browse. I approached one lady who seemed to be studying the shoes more carefully than the other customers were, which was enough evidence to show me she was not a browser but a shopper. I approached her and asked her if she had any questions. Sure enough she did. She told me about the Merrell hiking shoes she had purchased before and how their insole had the best support for her foot and that nothing else had better support (which I believe is a little flawed - in an arch support war I think Birkenstock would be the hands-down winner). However, this time she was not looking for a hiking type shoe but wanted a bit more of a dressy sandal that she could wear to the office but also take long walks in. Ok, so my task is to find a comfortable dress shoe for her...can be done. She shot down some of my ideas, but managed to pick out one she liked. I was about to grab her one in her size when another customer who had just walked in stopped me to ask me a question. The other girl I was working with was upstairs at the time dealing with a customer on the phone, so it was just me on the floor with about 4 people in the store, so naturally I listened to the other customer's question.
The other lady was looking for a sandal for walking for a trip she is going on in the fall. She wanted to know if the sandals would go on sale before then of if she's better off getting them now. She told me the brands that were recommended by her podiatrist at Paris Orthotics, and I told her those brands don't go on sale very often and if they do, it's because we only have the "extreme" sizes left like 6 or 11 and she was a 9-1/2. I was on my way to just point out where she should look for the sandals when the other lady I was helping stops me and says, "Excuse me, but I was here first." And I was like, "yes, I realize that." What else do you want me to say, really? Then she said, "aren't you going to grab me my shoes?" And I responded with, "yep, I'm getting them, I'm just showing this lady where to look, but I'll get them in a second." With that, the lady slipped her shoe back on and stormed out of the store, leaving me completely flabbergasted and the other lady who had come in after felt so bad. She turned to me and said, "I'm so sorry. I lost you a customer." And I just said, "Don't feel bad. If that's her attitude I don't want to help her anyways. What am I supposed to do? I'm the only one down here. I can't ignore everyone and just focus on her. It's not your fault."
I had to reassure this lady several times that it wasn't her fault and that I don't want to deal with people like the grumpy lady anyways. The other lady was much more pleasant to work with.
I think I just don't understand where the grumpy lady was coming from. If I'm in a store which clearly has more customers than sales associates, I don't expect to be waited on. If the sales person quickly stops to guide someone else, that's fine. That is their job and it is also more efficient for sales if you can grab something for one person while the other is looking for things they like in the right section. If I didn't guide the second lady where to go, she probably would have picked out some sandals that weren't good for her feet and I would have to correct her and show her what would be better and why. If I can avoid that first step and show her what to look for, she will pick out good footwear that I can grab for her thus avoiding the step where I explain to her why the shoes she picked out are bad. It just seems logical to me. In my opinion, the first lady had no right to storm out like that. Well, "right" is not necessarily the best word, maybe "reason" would be better. I think she was being completely irrational and needs to stop being so selfish. I hope I never run into her again, but it's hard to say if she'll ever be back. With that attitude I hope she doesn't come back.
The other lady was looking for a sandal for walking for a trip she is going on in the fall. She wanted to know if the sandals would go on sale before then of if she's better off getting them now. She told me the brands that were recommended by her podiatrist at Paris Orthotics, and I told her those brands don't go on sale very often and if they do, it's because we only have the "extreme" sizes left like 6 or 11 and she was a 9-1/2. I was on my way to just point out where she should look for the sandals when the other lady I was helping stops me and says, "Excuse me, but I was here first." And I was like, "yes, I realize that." What else do you want me to say, really? Then she said, "aren't you going to grab me my shoes?" And I responded with, "yep, I'm getting them, I'm just showing this lady where to look, but I'll get them in a second." With that, the lady slipped her shoe back on and stormed out of the store, leaving me completely flabbergasted and the other lady who had come in after felt so bad. She turned to me and said, "I'm so sorry. I lost you a customer." And I just said, "Don't feel bad. If that's her attitude I don't want to help her anyways. What am I supposed to do? I'm the only one down here. I can't ignore everyone and just focus on her. It's not your fault."
I had to reassure this lady several times that it wasn't her fault and that I don't want to deal with people like the grumpy lady anyways. The other lady was much more pleasant to work with.
I think I just don't understand where the grumpy lady was coming from. If I'm in a store which clearly has more customers than sales associates, I don't expect to be waited on. If the sales person quickly stops to guide someone else, that's fine. That is their job and it is also more efficient for sales if you can grab something for one person while the other is looking for things they like in the right section. If I didn't guide the second lady where to go, she probably would have picked out some sandals that weren't good for her feet and I would have to correct her and show her what would be better and why. If I can avoid that first step and show her what to look for, she will pick out good footwear that I can grab for her thus avoiding the step where I explain to her why the shoes she picked out are bad. It just seems logical to me. In my opinion, the first lady had no right to storm out like that. Well, "right" is not necessarily the best word, maybe "reason" would be better. I think she was being completely irrational and needs to stop being so selfish. I hope I never run into her again, but it's hard to say if she'll ever be back. With that attitude I hope she doesn't come back.
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Success
Well, so far no other problems with the dog, hence the title of my post. I've been taking her for extra long walks so she does her business, but I also enjoy exploring new routes in a neighbourhood I've lived in my whole life, so it's win-win. It's amazing how certain streets can be overlooked, only to be traveled 22 years later. I love my neighbourhood. Quiet streets, lots of trees, and plenty of ditch space for the dog to poop. It's great.
I played for the Jen VanHove/Joel Nagtegaal wedding today. What a beautiful day to have a wedding, it was gorgeous. This is just the first of a couple other weddings this summer, and I love it. It's like I have a gig. I get to showcase myself for 30 minutes before the service, without being too obvious, so it's more my style - up front, but not drawing excessive attention to myself. It feels so intimate, and to calm the nerves a bit, I like to pretend I'm just sitting in my parent's living room at the old piano playing my heart out and praising my God for the gifts He has given me. The next wedding is not till after my finals, and it's in Ontario, so it will be nice to have a bit of a holiday in a lesser-traveled part of Canada for me, and to see family I haven't seen in a while. A bunch of Boersmas together - this could get rowdy.
Classes are going steady for me. I wrote my last midterm for the summer yesterday, and now I don't feel like doing my homework, so I blog. I am also procrastinating walking the dog in the heat, so I blog. I probably should be watering the flowers, but I blog instead. :) This semester is going by incredibly fast. If the next two go by as fast as this one has, I'll be a graduate before I know it - with no idea of what I intend to do with my degree. Is it this hard for everyone? A lot of people I've talked to have it all figured out, the next 5 years at least are all mapped out already. Part of me is envious, but the other part knows that's not my style. I take it one day at a time, and I need to trust God will show me what I am supposed to do in His time. As for now, I finish my studies in Kinesiology at SFU, and move on to bigger and better things. Music perhaps. We'll see.
As for now, I need to water the plants so not everything is dead when my parents get home. So far the dog is still alive, and I think my chances of keeping her around are pretty high. For the vegetables, the zuccini are coming up in full force and appearingly on steroids :O. I caught the dog eating an apple from the tree the other day. Judging by her face, it was not quite ripe yet, but she ate the whole thing, after playing with it thinking it was a ball. Ok, that's enough, I think the plants are dying, time to save some lives.
Boersma - Plant hero extraordinaire
I played for the Jen VanHove/Joel Nagtegaal wedding today. What a beautiful day to have a wedding, it was gorgeous. This is just the first of a couple other weddings this summer, and I love it. It's like I have a gig. I get to showcase myself for 30 minutes before the service, without being too obvious, so it's more my style - up front, but not drawing excessive attention to myself. It feels so intimate, and to calm the nerves a bit, I like to pretend I'm just sitting in my parent's living room at the old piano playing my heart out and praising my God for the gifts He has given me. The next wedding is not till after my finals, and it's in Ontario, so it will be nice to have a bit of a holiday in a lesser-traveled part of Canada for me, and to see family I haven't seen in a while. A bunch of Boersmas together - this could get rowdy.
Classes are going steady for me. I wrote my last midterm for the summer yesterday, and now I don't feel like doing my homework, so I blog. I am also procrastinating walking the dog in the heat, so I blog. I probably should be watering the flowers, but I blog instead. :) This semester is going by incredibly fast. If the next two go by as fast as this one has, I'll be a graduate before I know it - with no idea of what I intend to do with my degree. Is it this hard for everyone? A lot of people I've talked to have it all figured out, the next 5 years at least are all mapped out already. Part of me is envious, but the other part knows that's not my style. I take it one day at a time, and I need to trust God will show me what I am supposed to do in His time. As for now, I finish my studies in Kinesiology at SFU, and move on to bigger and better things. Music perhaps. We'll see.
As for now, I need to water the plants so not everything is dead when my parents get home. So far the dog is still alive, and I think my chances of keeping her around are pretty high. For the vegetables, the zuccini are coming up in full force and appearingly on steroids :O. I caught the dog eating an apple from the tree the other day. Judging by her face, it was not quite ripe yet, but she ate the whole thing, after playing with it thinking it was a ball. Ok, that's enough, I think the plants are dying, time to save some lives.
Boersma - Plant hero extraordinaire
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
A Rude Awakening
**caution. The content of this blog may be overly disgusting to some readers. Read at your own risk**
Taking care of the house while my parents are gone involves taking care of the family dog. She's pretty low maintenance, usually, needing a walk or two per day and being fed when I have breakfast and dinner. Love her occasionally when she wants to be petted, and maybe give her a bath if she gets too stinky. Pretty easy right? Not this morning.
Last night, I took the dog for her walk, came home and finished my lab report, but I left the back door open for her to go outside because she hadn't pooped yet. After finishing my report, I went downstairs with some tea to watch tv before going to bed. That was when I saw it. On the rug downstairs, the dog left a nice little gift of diarrhea. Disgusting! Cursing, I went to get some towels and various other cleaning supplies and cleaned it up. I then watched tv and went to bed, praying it wouldn't happen again during the night. I figured she must have gotten it out of her system, so she should be fine. I got to sleep in today as Tuesdays are my Saturdays, and by "sleep in" I mean I woke up at 9 because I still have lots to do today and I went downstairs to get the dog. Usually I just open the basement door and go back upstairs and she catches on quickly and comes running up herself. This morning, I warily looked around the corner of the door and stepped onto the basement carpet. If she had done something last night, I was going to find it before the whole house stank. Lo and behold, there was a nice big one planted on the carpet, and a couple other little dribbles scattered on the floor. By the door was a nice little spot where she peed, and further down the hallway was another little chunk of soft poo. So gross!!!
Following the evening ritual, I said things under my breath that should not be re-spoken here, and proceeded to grab an arsenal of cleaning supplies. The whole basement reeked of dog poo. First I cleaned up the poo, then wiped down the spots with water to get it out of the carpet. Then, I grabbed my mom's carpet cleaner and intensely cleaned each spot. It doesn't smell as bad anymore, so I'm glad about that, but that was probably the most vile thing I have ever had to clean up in my entire life. I hope it never happens again, and I intend to take the dog out for as long as it takes her to poop tonight, even if it's two hours, it will be worth it.
Either that or I need to start investing in dog diapers. :P
I appologize for the gruesome post, I just needed to vent a little about it and I was craving a little sympathy. :)
Till next time
Boersma
Taking care of the house while my parents are gone involves taking care of the family dog. She's pretty low maintenance, usually, needing a walk or two per day and being fed when I have breakfast and dinner. Love her occasionally when she wants to be petted, and maybe give her a bath if she gets too stinky. Pretty easy right? Not this morning.
Last night, I took the dog for her walk, came home and finished my lab report, but I left the back door open for her to go outside because she hadn't pooped yet. After finishing my report, I went downstairs with some tea to watch tv before going to bed. That was when I saw it. On the rug downstairs, the dog left a nice little gift of diarrhea. Disgusting! Cursing, I went to get some towels and various other cleaning supplies and cleaned it up. I then watched tv and went to bed, praying it wouldn't happen again during the night. I figured she must have gotten it out of her system, so she should be fine. I got to sleep in today as Tuesdays are my Saturdays, and by "sleep in" I mean I woke up at 9 because I still have lots to do today and I went downstairs to get the dog. Usually I just open the basement door and go back upstairs and she catches on quickly and comes running up herself. This morning, I warily looked around the corner of the door and stepped onto the basement carpet. If she had done something last night, I was going to find it before the whole house stank. Lo and behold, there was a nice big one planted on the carpet, and a couple other little dribbles scattered on the floor. By the door was a nice little spot where she peed, and further down the hallway was another little chunk of soft poo. So gross!!!
Following the evening ritual, I said things under my breath that should not be re-spoken here, and proceeded to grab an arsenal of cleaning supplies. The whole basement reeked of dog poo. First I cleaned up the poo, then wiped down the spots with water to get it out of the carpet. Then, I grabbed my mom's carpet cleaner and intensely cleaned each spot. It doesn't smell as bad anymore, so I'm glad about that, but that was probably the most vile thing I have ever had to clean up in my entire life. I hope it never happens again, and I intend to take the dog out for as long as it takes her to poop tonight, even if it's two hours, it will be worth it.
Either that or I need to start investing in dog diapers. :P
I appologize for the gruesome post, I just needed to vent a little about it and I was craving a little sympathy. :)
Till next time
Boersma
Friday, June 26, 2009
A House To Myself
This morning I rolled out of bed, rubbed my eyes, grabbed a sweater and the car keys, loaded the car with luggage and drove my parents to the airport. Oh ya, did I mention it was 2am! Today my parents left for almost a month of travel in China. I would be lying if I said I wasn't jealous. For me, I am in the heart of the summer semester at SFU. Knee deep in homework, struggling my way through the warm, sunny midterms, grasping for a taste of summer vacation. Mine will come in August when I have two weddings to party all night at within a week of each other.
With the parents gone, the house feels vacant. I came home today praying the dog hadn't peed on the carpet, or worse. She had been left indoors all day because I was at school - all day. Every creak, every strange noise, whenever the dog barks, I perk up more than normal, suspecting the worse, and finding my imagination getting the best of me, yet again. This little taste of living on my own is a great feeling.
My dad left me with a eulogy he wrote for my grandma, just in case if something happens when they're gone. My grandma has been sick for a while, dealing with Alzheimer's disease. It has to be one of the worst and hardest ways to go in my opinion, both for the one who has it as well as for their family. My grandma doesn't recognize me anymore as her granddaughter, and that's a really hard thing to take. I've always connected really well with my grandma, we have a lot in common, and it's hard not having that same sort of connection anymore. The point of this story is, I offered to read what my dad wrote at the funeral, if it happens when they're gone. It would be really hard, but I know it would mean something to me as well as my dad. I pray that she can live at least until my parents come home, and that God will take her peacefully and painlessly home.
I'm off to bed because I am exhausted. More to come in the future.
Elly
With the parents gone, the house feels vacant. I came home today praying the dog hadn't peed on the carpet, or worse. She had been left indoors all day because I was at school - all day. Every creak, every strange noise, whenever the dog barks, I perk up more than normal, suspecting the worse, and finding my imagination getting the best of me, yet again. This little taste of living on my own is a great feeling.
My dad left me with a eulogy he wrote for my grandma, just in case if something happens when they're gone. My grandma has been sick for a while, dealing with Alzheimer's disease. It has to be one of the worst and hardest ways to go in my opinion, both for the one who has it as well as for their family. My grandma doesn't recognize me anymore as her granddaughter, and that's a really hard thing to take. I've always connected really well with my grandma, we have a lot in common, and it's hard not having that same sort of connection anymore. The point of this story is, I offered to read what my dad wrote at the funeral, if it happens when they're gone. It would be really hard, but I know it would mean something to me as well as my dad. I pray that she can live at least until my parents come home, and that God will take her peacefully and painlessly home.
I'm off to bed because I am exhausted. More to come in the future.
Elly
Friday, May 29, 2009
"I will sing to the Lord for He has been good to me." Psalm 13
It has been WAY too long. My blog is like a neglected animal right now who hasn't been loved in a long time, roaming the streets, and eating garbage. I am now its rescuer saving it from a life of dejection and giving it love. With so much on facebook now, blogs are becoming a thing of the past, but I'm getting kind of sick of facebook...aside from looking at pictures and catching up with people...so I want to bring this back.
Since my last post, I don't even know how long ago that was, but it was before going to Mexico. I went to Mexico with my church youth group, and it was such an awesome experience. There were times when the people got frustrating to be around, but it was such a blessing to go back to the place that touched my heart back in grade 11. I did a co-op job last semester which allowed me to take the 10 days off that I would probably not have been able to do if I were in class. I've been a little confused lately as to what I'm supposed to be doing with my degree - I'm almost done, just a couple semesters to go, and I have no idea what to do after. At first, I wanted to go into med, but decided against that, then I decided physio, but now I'm not even sure if I want to do that. I'm ready to be done with school for a while...maybe I'll just find a kinesiology-related job, whatever that'll be.
While I was in Mexico, I helped lead worship at the kids camp. I recently started teaching myself guitar, so I brought it down with me and faked my way through the music as best I could, it wasn't too bad. I got to play the keyboard with the Mexican worship team during their Sunday service, and I felt like I was in heaven. They are such amazing musicians and it was really just a blessing to be playing music with them. Amazing. It made me really want to pursue music and see where that takes me. We'll see what happens.
As for now, I'm in summer school. Something I vowed never to do again, but clearly that has changed. I figured since I didn't do school in the spring, I should get back to it now and then I can graduate sooner. That means next April I'll be done. Free from school. And ready to live my life for God.
Boersma
Since my last post, I don't even know how long ago that was, but it was before going to Mexico. I went to Mexico with my church youth group, and it was such an awesome experience. There were times when the people got frustrating to be around, but it was such a blessing to go back to the place that touched my heart back in grade 11. I did a co-op job last semester which allowed me to take the 10 days off that I would probably not have been able to do if I were in class. I've been a little confused lately as to what I'm supposed to be doing with my degree - I'm almost done, just a couple semesters to go, and I have no idea what to do after. At first, I wanted to go into med, but decided against that, then I decided physio, but now I'm not even sure if I want to do that. I'm ready to be done with school for a while...maybe I'll just find a kinesiology-related job, whatever that'll be.
While I was in Mexico, I helped lead worship at the kids camp. I recently started teaching myself guitar, so I brought it down with me and faked my way through the music as best I could, it wasn't too bad. I got to play the keyboard with the Mexican worship team during their Sunday service, and I felt like I was in heaven. They are such amazing musicians and it was really just a blessing to be playing music with them. Amazing. It made me really want to pursue music and see where that takes me. We'll see what happens.
As for now, I'm in summer school. Something I vowed never to do again, but clearly that has changed. I figured since I didn't do school in the spring, I should get back to it now and then I can graduate sooner. That means next April I'll be done. Free from school. And ready to live my life for God.
Boersma
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Gordo has foot pain
I now know something about the Premier of BC, Gordon Campbell, that the majority of BC residents do not know. So how did I get such valuable information you might ask? This past Sunday, Gordon Campbell came into my store because the neighboring Paris Orthotics is closed on Sunday. He had a prescription for a met pad for his shoes which could not be filled that day because the place was closed. So he came in looking for some relief. It turns out the premier of BC has metatarsalgia, which in non-geek terms basically means, the front of his foot hurts. To make a long story short, he bought 3 different over-the-counter insoles to try them out.
I love not taking classes. Co-Op is fantastic. I love going home and not having extra work. I love not stressing over future exams. It's great. I can't wait till I'm finally finished my degree and I can just work and not have to worry about school anymore. This semester is just a taste of what that will be like, and I like it.
I want to travel. I mean I REALLY want to travel. I want to see the world while I'm still free - not tied down to anything...or anyone. I've been holding off. Telling myself I should graduate first or I wont go back. We'll see if I can make it that long. For now I'll take mini trips. I'm going to Mexico with my church in April, so that will be good. I also have a cousin getting married in Ontario this summer and I'm playing piano so I'll be going to Toronto this summer as well. I have never been there and I look forward to seeing things like Niagara Falls. So it should be a good summer. Hopefully those trips can quench my thirst for travel a little bit longer so I can graduate.
Boersma
I love not taking classes. Co-Op is fantastic. I love going home and not having extra work. I love not stressing over future exams. It's great. I can't wait till I'm finally finished my degree and I can just work and not have to worry about school anymore. This semester is just a taste of what that will be like, and I like it.
I want to travel. I mean I REALLY want to travel. I want to see the world while I'm still free - not tied down to anything...or anyone. I've been holding off. Telling myself I should graduate first or I wont go back. We'll see if I can make it that long. For now I'll take mini trips. I'm going to Mexico with my church in April, so that will be good. I also have a cousin getting married in Ontario this summer and I'm playing piano so I'll be going to Toronto this summer as well. I have never been there and I look forward to seeing things like Niagara Falls. So it should be a good summer. Hopefully those trips can quench my thirst for travel a little bit longer so I can graduate.
Boersma
Friday, January 23, 2009
Co-Op
The evidence that grass still exists on my front lawn is starting to emerge. As most of the snow from a month ago has melted, another snowfall has been predicted for this weekend. Oy. On the plus side, that means we will sell more Yaktrax at work next week and get rid of our winter stock items.
Speaking of work, it has been going great. My mom asks me almost every day if I miss school yet, and every day my answer is the same, "no"! And somehow, she is shocked every time. "You mean you don't miss it at all? Nor even a little bit?" She just can't fathom the idea that I might not enjoy school as much as the next guy. Many people I've talked to over the years at SFU would have answered the opposite to the question my mom always asks. In discussions with other university students, I am surprised to find the vast majority are comfortable where the are just studying and actually fear getting a career after graduation. I guess I just don't quite fit in with that crowd. I can't wait to finish school and start living!
I really like my job a lot. The people I work with are great. We are all Kinesiology majors or grads, so we all share common interests in one way or another. A lot of people ask me "what does working at a shoe store have to do with getting a university degree?" Then I have to explain what exactly we do. We specialize in fitting shoes for people so they are getting the correct fit and the right type of support for their foot needs. Some people have really messed up feet, let me tell you.
It's rough though, because I get a really great discount and I work in a shoe store. I am constantly seeing things I like and I have to tell myself not to buy them. So far, I have only bought some really good slippers (which I wear at work every day - it's awesome), and a few pairs of athletic socks - which are amazing. I am limiting myself to get one pair of runners, a pair of sandals closer to the summer, and maybe some trail type shoes, and possibly a dress/casual shoe. Ugh...so many shoes!
Next door to my store is a Paris Orthotics, and we work closely with them. Right now, they have a pedorthist-in-training, and he needs to practice casting molds of people's feet for orthotics. Today, I got to be a guinea pig and he casted molds of my feet. It was the coolest feeling. I asked if I could take the molds home. He hesitated, and then his supervisor said, "I don't see why not", so now I have two hardened foot molds sitting on my desk - interior decorating at its finest.
Taking transit is one of the few times I actually have a desire to read. That, and right before bed. During school, I never felt like reading at either of those times, because I was just so sick of doing homework for my classes. I have been able to finish two books so far on transit in 3 weeks - that's pretty good for me. The first one I read was The Shack. I had heard a lot of hype about that book, so I decided to read it for myself. Not a bad book, but I didn't find it quite as good as what people claimed it to be. I think it speaks more to a parent, or just someone who's older.
The second book I read, which is possibly one of the best books I have ever read, was The Kite Runner. I remember Lynn told me about the story and that there was a movie about it, but that the book was way better, so I decided to read it. The story was excellent, and gripping, I could barely put it down. If you want to read an excellent book, I highly recommend that one.
Here is just a quote that I liked from The Shack:
"Every time you forgive, the universe changes; every time you reach out and touch a heart or a life, the world changes; and with every kindness and service,seen or unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing will ever be the same again."
Boersma out
Speaking of work, it has been going great. My mom asks me almost every day if I miss school yet, and every day my answer is the same, "no"! And somehow, she is shocked every time. "You mean you don't miss it at all? Nor even a little bit?" She just can't fathom the idea that I might not enjoy school as much as the next guy. Many people I've talked to over the years at SFU would have answered the opposite to the question my mom always asks. In discussions with other university students, I am surprised to find the vast majority are comfortable where the are just studying and actually fear getting a career after graduation. I guess I just don't quite fit in with that crowd. I can't wait to finish school and start living!
I really like my job a lot. The people I work with are great. We are all Kinesiology majors or grads, so we all share common interests in one way or another. A lot of people ask me "what does working at a shoe store have to do with getting a university degree?" Then I have to explain what exactly we do. We specialize in fitting shoes for people so they are getting the correct fit and the right type of support for their foot needs. Some people have really messed up feet, let me tell you.
It's rough though, because I get a really great discount and I work in a shoe store. I am constantly seeing things I like and I have to tell myself not to buy them. So far, I have only bought some really good slippers (which I wear at work every day - it's awesome), and a few pairs of athletic socks - which are amazing. I am limiting myself to get one pair of runners, a pair of sandals closer to the summer, and maybe some trail type shoes, and possibly a dress/casual shoe. Ugh...so many shoes!
Next door to my store is a Paris Orthotics, and we work closely with them. Right now, they have a pedorthist-in-training, and he needs to practice casting molds of people's feet for orthotics. Today, I got to be a guinea pig and he casted molds of my feet. It was the coolest feeling. I asked if I could take the molds home. He hesitated, and then his supervisor said, "I don't see why not", so now I have two hardened foot molds sitting on my desk - interior decorating at its finest.
Taking transit is one of the few times I actually have a desire to read. That, and right before bed. During school, I never felt like reading at either of those times, because I was just so sick of doing homework for my classes. I have been able to finish two books so far on transit in 3 weeks - that's pretty good for me. The first one I read was The Shack. I had heard a lot of hype about that book, so I decided to read it for myself. Not a bad book, but I didn't find it quite as good as what people claimed it to be. I think it speaks more to a parent, or just someone who's older.
The second book I read, which is possibly one of the best books I have ever read, was The Kite Runner. I remember Lynn told me about the story and that there was a movie about it, but that the book was way better, so I decided to read it. The story was excellent, and gripping, I could barely put it down. If you want to read an excellent book, I highly recommend that one.
Here is just a quote that I liked from The Shack:
"Every time you forgive, the universe changes; every time you reach out and touch a heart or a life, the world changes; and with every kindness and service,seen or unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing will ever be the same again."
Boersma out
Sunday, January 04, 2009
2009
Clearly the snow does not stop. It took me 20 minutes to get up my street to go to church this morning. I was stuck on the inch of ice covering my cul-de-sac. Since I had to play piano this morning, I panicked a little thinking I wasn't going to make it. If you are unaware, a CRC church gets lost without a pianist. The pianist is king.
I rang in the new year pretty miserably. I was sick , so I spent the night lying in a recliner and watched movies. My parents came home at 11:45 so I didn't have to ring in the New Year alone. I felt so crappy I just wanted to sleep, so I took some mini naps to get me to midnight so I could say "Happy New Year!" and then hit the hay. Bummer. But it's alright, there will be better New Years for sure.
I think this is going to be a pretty stellar year. I'm officially starting my new job tomorrow. It's going to be great, I hope. I'm really looking forward to taking a break from school for a bit. I'm so sick of classes, and I want to get a better idea of what I actually want to do with my degree.
In April, I'm going to Mexico for 10 days for a Mission Trip with my church. I went on this trip 5 years ago in grade 11, and I am very excited to go back there and see what plans God has laid out for me there.
I intend to buy a guitar soon and start learning to play. It's something I've wanted to do for a while and I think it would be fun to be able to play an instrument I can take with me wherever I go without looking like a tool. (Carrying my saxophone around would be pretty lame :))
I had a friend's wedding yesterday (Kim VanEe) and more weddings to come this summer. My cousin is getting married in August in Ontario, and another friend (Adana) is getting married less than a week after that. Should be lots of fun.
That's all I've got for now.
I want to keep this more updated from now on. I tend to let it slide a little.
Boersma
I rang in the new year pretty miserably. I was sick , so I spent the night lying in a recliner and watched movies. My parents came home at 11:45 so I didn't have to ring in the New Year alone. I felt so crappy I just wanted to sleep, so I took some mini naps to get me to midnight so I could say "Happy New Year!" and then hit the hay. Bummer. But it's alright, there will be better New Years for sure.
I think this is going to be a pretty stellar year. I'm officially starting my new job tomorrow. It's going to be great, I hope. I'm really looking forward to taking a break from school for a bit. I'm so sick of classes, and I want to get a better idea of what I actually want to do with my degree.
In April, I'm going to Mexico for 10 days for a Mission Trip with my church. I went on this trip 5 years ago in grade 11, and I am very excited to go back there and see what plans God has laid out for me there.
I intend to buy a guitar soon and start learning to play. It's something I've wanted to do for a while and I think it would be fun to be able to play an instrument I can take with me wherever I go without looking like a tool. (Carrying my saxophone around would be pretty lame :))
I had a friend's wedding yesterday (Kim VanEe) and more weddings to come this summer. My cousin is getting married in August in Ontario, and another friend (Adana) is getting married less than a week after that. Should be lots of fun.
That's all I've got for now.
I want to keep this more updated from now on. I tend to let it slide a little.
Boersma
Friday, December 26, 2008
No more dreams...
...this is reality.
Years of singing "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas" have finally paid off. Our white Christmas came in style and left the Lower Mainland wishing Christmases were wet like usual. In the Boersma household, "White Christmas" has been parodied to a more Vancouver-friendly version of "I'm dreaming of a wet Christmas".
We are never satisfied with what we have. Each year I have envied the East Coast of Canada for their beautiful blankets of snow gracing their lawns and clogging their streets, creating havoc with travel plans. This year, the white stuff fell in the West and already, after only a week, most people are sick of it and wish it would just go away. Attempting to navigate a Honda Civic out of a hilly driveway in the snow makes going out anywhere not even worth it. It can take about 30 minutes to swerve the car up the street. That's a two minute walk people. Two minute walk, 30 minute drive - pick your poison. I would walk, which is precisely what I did today, opting to take a bus to an overcrowded mall just to get some good deals. Was it worth it? The Dutch part of me, so basically my whole being thinks so, but my sanity begs to differ.
When it came time to go home, I discovered my bus had decided it's only going to run on the main streets. I do not live on a main street. Needless to say, everything I had bought was soaked by the time I got home.
"It doesn't show signs of stopping". Safely back home, I sit staring at the window at sheets of snow pouring from the sky to land and add to the snow on the ground which is already well above my knees. According to a physiotherapist, I have "abnormally long lower legs", so the snow is pretty darn deep.
People in the Lower Mainland are terrible drivers at the best of times. Throw in some snowy conditions, and you risk your life trying to get around.
Do I love it? Absolutely! There's something comforting about frolicking in the snow without a care in the world, acting like a 5-year-old, and nobody finds it strange.
I love winter!
Merry Christmas, Blessed Boxing Day, and Happy New Year!
Boersma
Years of singing "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas" have finally paid off. Our white Christmas came in style and left the Lower Mainland wishing Christmases were wet like usual. In the Boersma household, "White Christmas" has been parodied to a more Vancouver-friendly version of "I'm dreaming of a wet Christmas".
We are never satisfied with what we have. Each year I have envied the East Coast of Canada for their beautiful blankets of snow gracing their lawns and clogging their streets, creating havoc with travel plans. This year, the white stuff fell in the West and already, after only a week, most people are sick of it and wish it would just go away. Attempting to navigate a Honda Civic out of a hilly driveway in the snow makes going out anywhere not even worth it. It can take about 30 minutes to swerve the car up the street. That's a two minute walk people. Two minute walk, 30 minute drive - pick your poison. I would walk, which is precisely what I did today, opting to take a bus to an overcrowded mall just to get some good deals. Was it worth it? The Dutch part of me, so basically my whole being thinks so, but my sanity begs to differ.
When it came time to go home, I discovered my bus had decided it's only going to run on the main streets. I do not live on a main street. Needless to say, everything I had bought was soaked by the time I got home.
"It doesn't show signs of stopping". Safely back home, I sit staring at the window at sheets of snow pouring from the sky to land and add to the snow on the ground which is already well above my knees. According to a physiotherapist, I have "abnormally long lower legs", so the snow is pretty darn deep.
People in the Lower Mainland are terrible drivers at the best of times. Throw in some snowy conditions, and you risk your life trying to get around.
Do I love it? Absolutely! There's something comforting about frolicking in the snow without a care in the world, acting like a 5-year-old, and nobody finds it strange.
I love winter!
Merry Christmas, Blessed Boxing Day, and Happy New Year!
Boersma
Monday, December 08, 2008
Aaaaahhhhhh
Shown above is my sigh of relief.
Classes are over, exams are over, and Christmas holidays have officially begun.
I chose a job for January - I'm going to be working at The Right Shoe in Vancouver, so I'm excited for that. The people there are great. When I went for my interview, two people working were friends of mine from SFU, and my interview was mostly just me chatting with my boss about being a trainer for sports teams - the injury stuff, because he did that too, and about piano, since I taught piano for a bit, and his wife is a piano teacher. It's a great place and I'm very excited to work there.
I haven't yet decided if I want to go back to school in the summer or do another semester of coop and go back in the fall. I'm leaning towards just working till September. I'm sick of taking classes and I really need a break, and I also need the money to pay for the classes I need to take to graduate. Oh the life of a student.
So here goes my first January of not being in School since 1992 when I was 4 and not yet in Kindergarten. That is so sad.
I am also very excited to go back to Mexico with my church. It's been 5 years since I went and I miss it a lot, so I'm pretty stoked to return.
So ya, things are going great right now. I spent about 4 hours cleaning my room today - not that I did that great of a job, it was just that bad :P. And now I'm trying to catch up on lost time and maybe get some reading done - that pretty much gets put on hold when I'm in school. I started reading The Shack at the end of the Summer, and I got about half way when September rolled around and I haven't read any since. I'm thinking I might have to re-read some parts to catch up.
Anyways, I'm just talking about nothing now and this is getting a little long, so I'm going to stop.
Till next time.
Boersma
Classes are over, exams are over, and Christmas holidays have officially begun.
I chose a job for January - I'm going to be working at The Right Shoe in Vancouver, so I'm excited for that. The people there are great. When I went for my interview, two people working were friends of mine from SFU, and my interview was mostly just me chatting with my boss about being a trainer for sports teams - the injury stuff, because he did that too, and about piano, since I taught piano for a bit, and his wife is a piano teacher. It's a great place and I'm very excited to work there.
I haven't yet decided if I want to go back to school in the summer or do another semester of coop and go back in the fall. I'm leaning towards just working till September. I'm sick of taking classes and I really need a break, and I also need the money to pay for the classes I need to take to graduate. Oh the life of a student.
So here goes my first January of not being in School since 1992 when I was 4 and not yet in Kindergarten. That is so sad.
I am also very excited to go back to Mexico with my church. It's been 5 years since I went and I miss it a lot, so I'm pretty stoked to return.
So ya, things are going great right now. I spent about 4 hours cleaning my room today - not that I did that great of a job, it was just that bad :P. And now I'm trying to catch up on lost time and maybe get some reading done - that pretty much gets put on hold when I'm in school. I started reading The Shack at the end of the Summer, and I got about half way when September rolled around and I haven't read any since. I'm thinking I might have to re-read some parts to catch up.
Anyways, I'm just talking about nothing now and this is getting a little long, so I'm going to stop.
Till next time.
Boersma
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Decisions
There are definitely times in my life when being indecisive is my downfall. For some reason, I am really bad at making decisions, and now I'm stuck with a pretty big one.
This week has been great job-search-wise. I got my first offer yesterday for The Right Shoe in Vancouver. The manager is such a good guy and we got along right away, which is important to me in picking a job. I also knew a bunch of the employees from school as I've had classes with them in the past. Working at a shoe store is not my ideal, but it has a great working environment, the staff is great, and the pay is reasonable for a coop job. It is also the typical job a coop student gets on their first placement for kinesiology.
I had an interview today that went really well. I found out about an hour ago that they're offering me the job! This one is for a physiotherapy clinic in Ladner. I would be assisting the physio by monitoring their patients' exercises and prescribing different exercises they should do so they can regain full strength and range of motion. This job is beyond my skill levels I think, so it is a bit of a stretch for me and honestly, it scares me a little. However, working in a clinic would probably be the only way for me to get into physio school if that was the path I wanted to take since my grades are not high enough. This job pays less than the shoe store for the first four months, but it's an eight month placement, so I wouldnt have to look for summer employment, and the pay goes up after the 4 months. I think it would be more challenging for me, and as much as I like that, it scares me a little. This is not a typical first coop term job, so I'm very fortunate and I think I should pounce on this opportunity while I have the chance.
It turns out my chances for another interview for a job at a chiropractic clinic are pretty high. This one in in Guildford and the chiropractor is really nice. Ideally, I think I would choose this one if I was offered it, but we'll see how that goes.
Needless to say, I shouldn't be complaining because it is better to have too many job offers than none at all. Hopefully I can choose the "right" one, or the one that is best for me. Your prayers would be awesome right now. This is going to help lead me to what path I want to take after university.
I have to do homework now :(
Boersma
This week has been great job-search-wise. I got my first offer yesterday for The Right Shoe in Vancouver. The manager is such a good guy and we got along right away, which is important to me in picking a job. I also knew a bunch of the employees from school as I've had classes with them in the past. Working at a shoe store is not my ideal, but it has a great working environment, the staff is great, and the pay is reasonable for a coop job. It is also the typical job a coop student gets on their first placement for kinesiology.
I had an interview today that went really well. I found out about an hour ago that they're offering me the job! This one is for a physiotherapy clinic in Ladner. I would be assisting the physio by monitoring their patients' exercises and prescribing different exercises they should do so they can regain full strength and range of motion. This job is beyond my skill levels I think, so it is a bit of a stretch for me and honestly, it scares me a little. However, working in a clinic would probably be the only way for me to get into physio school if that was the path I wanted to take since my grades are not high enough. This job pays less than the shoe store for the first four months, but it's an eight month placement, so I wouldnt have to look for summer employment, and the pay goes up after the 4 months. I think it would be more challenging for me, and as much as I like that, it scares me a little. This is not a typical first coop term job, so I'm very fortunate and I think I should pounce on this opportunity while I have the chance.
It turns out my chances for another interview for a job at a chiropractic clinic are pretty high. This one in in Guildford and the chiropractor is really nice. Ideally, I think I would choose this one if I was offered it, but we'll see how that goes.
Needless to say, I shouldn't be complaining because it is better to have too many job offers than none at all. Hopefully I can choose the "right" one, or the one that is best for me. Your prayers would be awesome right now. This is going to help lead me to what path I want to take after university.
I have to do homework now :(
Boersma
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