1. My Hutterite Life by Lisa Marie Stahl
2. P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern
3. The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama**
4. Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson
5. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde*
6. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
7. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
8. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
9. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
10. When in Rome by Gemma Townley
** = read in tandem with friends
Monday, September 21, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
At A Wedding
Weddings make me feel awkward.
A whole foyer of strangers.
Waiting near the door for the few people I will know to show up,
clutching my sweater to my stomach to give my hands something to do.
I'm not a fan of waiting for people.
**********
It was beautiful, and they are happy.
I like it when you can see elements of the couple in the wedding they've planned.
Smooth stones as centerpieces.
**********
I am glad that I haven't been more a part of his life, that I haven't interfered. I would have just ruined things.
**********
Sometimes people remind me of strange and beautiful... lizards.
Exotic.
Indescribable.
Incomprehensible.
A whole foyer of strangers.
Waiting near the door for the few people I will know to show up,
clutching my sweater to my stomach to give my hands something to do.
I'm not a fan of waiting for people.
**********
It was beautiful, and they are happy.
I like it when you can see elements of the couple in the wedding they've planned.
Smooth stones as centerpieces.
**********
I am glad that I haven't been more a part of his life, that I haven't interfered. I would have just ruined things.
**********
Sometimes people remind me of strange and beautiful... lizards.
Exotic.
Indescribable.
Incomprehensible.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Farewell
So, Patrick is leaving. He's moving away, way up north. For a long time he's wanted to be a manager, and that often means being willing to move around. His opportunity for promotion is taking him far away.
Good for him. I think he'll do well. And he plans to transfer back to this area once he gets some experience. But in the meantime, I'll miss him, and his parting has made me reflect on what his friendship has meant to me.
I remember back to the first time we met, when I thought he was the definition of a jerk (we retell this story all the time). I remember back to the first time we hung out, when he took me out to dinner theater on Valentines Day and we laughed about how despite the way such plans would appear, we were just friends. He took me to Cirque du Soleil that summer. We started having movie days and long conversations. He made chicken noodle soup when I had a cold and gave me chocolate when I had a crisis. He invited me to his special Christmas dinner. I started dating Justin and eventually he started dating Katie, and then we'd all have movie days together. We went out for breakfast and we floated down the river and we tailgated at a football game. He told me when he thought I was spending too much time with Justin and not enough time with my other friends (like him), and he's spread outrageous and hilarious rumors. At times it's seemed awkward, and I haven't always valued his input, but he has always been an incredibly faithful and generous friend to me.
Farewell, Patrick. Thank you for enriching my life.
~~~~~~~~~~
I think I need to start being more intentional about my friendships.
Katie, for instance. This is a sad time for her; her boyfriend is moving away, and things are new enough between the two of them that nothing is certain. She's going to be lonely. I need to help. I want to make intentional efforts to connect with her instead of just waiting until it happens on its own. I make time to hang out. It really wouldn't be so hard for me to plan to take my breaks with her, at least.
I need to realize that my friendships require effort and planning and investment on my end. I can't just coast along.
Good for him. I think he'll do well. And he plans to transfer back to this area once he gets some experience. But in the meantime, I'll miss him, and his parting has made me reflect on what his friendship has meant to me.
I remember back to the first time we met, when I thought he was the definition of a jerk (we retell this story all the time). I remember back to the first time we hung out, when he took me out to dinner theater on Valentines Day and we laughed about how despite the way such plans would appear, we were just friends. He took me to Cirque du Soleil that summer. We started having movie days and long conversations. He made chicken noodle soup when I had a cold and gave me chocolate when I had a crisis. He invited me to his special Christmas dinner. I started dating Justin and eventually he started dating Katie, and then we'd all have movie days together. We went out for breakfast and we floated down the river and we tailgated at a football game. He told me when he thought I was spending too much time with Justin and not enough time with my other friends (like him), and he's spread outrageous and hilarious rumors. At times it's seemed awkward, and I haven't always valued his input, but he has always been an incredibly faithful and generous friend to me.
Farewell, Patrick. Thank you for enriching my life.
~~~~~~~~~~
I think I need to start being more intentional about my friendships.
Katie, for instance. This is a sad time for her; her boyfriend is moving away, and things are new enough between the two of them that nothing is certain. She's going to be lonely. I need to help. I want to make intentional efforts to connect with her instead of just waiting until it happens on its own. I make time to hang out. It really wouldn't be so hard for me to plan to take my breaks with her, at least.
I need to realize that my friendships require effort and planning and investment on my end. I can't just coast along.
Friday, September 11, 2009
To Those Who Mourn
Eight years.
I just wanted to say I remember.
I wish you continued healing and peace.
I just wanted to say I remember.
I wish you continued healing and peace.
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Sunday, September 6, 2009
News #3 - A New Car!
And now the most exciting and largest purchase I've made recently: I got a new car! Woo hoo!
It's a 2009 Mazda 3. Here's some of the story.
I wasn't exceptionally pleased with what I was driving. My last car had car cancer (aka rust) and many other things wrong with it, and it wasn't a possession I was proud of anymore. I've been done school for a year now (working full time and not paying tuition), and my bank account is looking healthy enough, and I figured that this it the time when I can make big purchases. A few months ago I was looking into buying a condo, but after not finding anything I really liked I realized that I am more pleased with where I live than with what I drove. So I decided to get a new car this year, and maybe look into a new residence next year.
At first I was looking at brand new cars. The thought of a car with no secrets, one that no one else has driven before, really appealed to me - especially when I considered all the hidden problems the next owner of my last car would be adopting. But nothing appealed to me more than a Mazda 3, and they redesigned 2010 models look really strange - the front grill looks like a great big smile that might eat small children. I preferred the look of the 2009s. Plus, it's significantly cheaper to go used. So that's what I ended up doing. This car is under a year old, has less than 20 000 kms, and has two years of warranty left (and I can and might extend that). It's still new enough to feel new to me.
It's got all sorts of great features that I've never had (or haven't had for a long, long time) - power locks/windows/mirrors, heated mirrors, air conditioning, a CD player, steering wheel stereo controls, and an outdoor thermometer. It didn't have cruise control, but I had them install it because that's something that matters to me. I also had them put on side protectors, because I really value it when the car parked beside me has those - especially when my door bumps theirs. It's a four-door and I'm glad about that - my back seat just seemed so inaccessible to me in my previous two-door.
Justin bought my old car off of me and named her Felicia. Every time he mentioned being interested in it I'd list out everything I knew to be wrong with that car, just so he would be aware of what he was getting himself into. But it is better than what he had, and he and his dad do a lot of their own car work so these problems won't be nearly as expensive for him to fix as they would be for me. It's weird, though, seeing him drive up in my car when it's really his car now.
Woo hoo new car!
It's a 2009 Mazda 3. Here's some of the story.I wasn't exceptionally pleased with what I was driving. My last car had car cancer (aka rust) and many other things wrong with it, and it wasn't a possession I was proud of anymore. I've been done school for a year now (working full time and not paying tuition), and my bank account is looking healthy enough, and I figured that this it the time when I can make big purchases. A few months ago I was looking into buying a condo, but after not finding anything I really liked I realized that I am more pleased with where I live than with what I drove. So I decided to get a new car this year, and maybe look into a new residence next year.
At first I was looking at brand new cars. The thought of a car with no secrets, one that no one else has driven before, really appealed to me - especially when I considered all the hidden problems the next owner of my last car would be adopting. But nothing appealed to me more than a Mazda 3, and they redesigned 2010 models look really strange - the front grill looks like a great big smile that might eat small children. I preferred the look of the 2009s. Plus, it's significantly cheaper to go used. So that's what I ended up doing. This car is under a year old, has less than 20 000 kms, and has two years of warranty left (and I can and might extend that). It's still new enough to feel new to me.
It's got all sorts of great features that I've never had (or haven't had for a long, long time) - power locks/windows/mirrors, heated mirrors, air conditioning, a CD player, steering wheel stereo controls, and an outdoor thermometer. It didn't have cruise control, but I had them install it because that's something that matters to me. I also had them put on side protectors, because I really value it when the car parked beside me has those - especially when my door bumps theirs. It's a four-door and I'm glad about that - my back seat just seemed so inaccessible to me in my previous two-door.
Justin bought my old car off of me and named her Felicia. Every time he mentioned being interested in it I'd list out everything I knew to be wrong with that car, just so he would be aware of what he was getting himself into. But it is better than what he had, and he and his dad do a lot of their own car work so these problems won't be nearly as expensive for him to fix as they would be for me. It's weird, though, seeing him drive up in my car when it's really his car now.
Woo hoo new car!
News #2 - Laptop
My second new purchase of the past month was a new computer! This purchase was a bit superfluous; I already have a laptop and it is functional, so maybe I didn't exactly need to buy another one. But my other one is three years old and the touchpad mouse is getting sad - the left button has lost its "click" so it's hard to tell if you've really pressed it and that's a little annoying. Then we had mini cute laptops on sale at work and I just couldn't say no. It's so cute! And portable! And although its memory etc is barely respectable for today's standards, it's faster than my big laptop. I'm a fan. =)
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
News #1 - Glasses
Lots of people are surprised to find out that I wear glasses. But I do. Then they assume that I just always wear contacts. That's not true either. See, my eyes aren't that bad, so I generally just choose to wear my glasses only when I really need them. That is, I wear them when I drive, and maybe to the movies, and that's about it. The rest of the time I just don't see well, but it's good enough.
The last time I got glasses was about six years ago, when my previous pair of glasses had been stolen along with my car. Lately I've been suspecting that my prescription has changed. I'm pretty sure that things are supposed to be clearer than the way I am seeing them, even with my glasses on. So I went to the eye doctor, got a new prescription, and got new glasses.
Yup, things are clearer now through these new glasses, when I wear them. The optometrist suggested that I wear them all the time, based on what my prescription has become. But I'm having a hard time with that. It's easier to just leave them in the car.
Getting new frames helped me appreciate my old glasses. I don't like these ones as much. They're okay - a fun subdued purple colour, an okay shape for my face it seems - but my other frames were smaller and they didn't seem to have anything comparable to that in stock right now. Sigh. And if only I could get the new online benefits system sorted out...
Still though, it is nice to be able to see well.
The last time I got glasses was about six years ago, when my previous pair of glasses had been stolen along with my car. Lately I've been suspecting that my prescription has changed. I'm pretty sure that things are supposed to be clearer than the way I am seeing them, even with my glasses on. So I went to the eye doctor, got a new prescription, and got new glasses.
Yup, things are clearer now through these new glasses, when I wear them. The optometrist suggested that I wear them all the time, based on what my prescription has become. But I'm having a hard time with that. It's easier to just leave them in the car.
Getting new frames helped me appreciate my old glasses. I don't like these ones as much. They're okay - a fun subdued purple colour, an okay shape for my face it seems - but my other frames were smaller and they didn't seem to have anything comparable to that in stock right now. Sigh. And if only I could get the new online benefits system sorted out...
Still though, it is nice to be able to see well.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Return
So now that it's September (Gasp! Where is 2009 going!), I guess it's time to return from my blog-cation. I didn't really miss writing, to be honest. Sometimes I'd feel like I had something to write about and I'd intend to start a post on it, but I would never get around to doing so. It was nice to just be okay with that.
I'm not really sure how blogging will go over the next few months. I am still very tired, feeling like I don't have words, and leaning more towards just being quiet. But I have some news and new acquisitions from the last month, so over the next week or so I shouldn't be too neglectful.
I'm not really sure how blogging will go over the next few months. I am still very tired, feeling like I don't have words, and leaning more towards just being quiet. But I have some news and new acquisitions from the last month, so over the next week or so I shouldn't be too neglectful.
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