PinkyMouse

Not blogging

2006-03-06T13:47:00.000-05:00

As I'm sure you've noticed, I don't update my blog anymore.

I have a livejournal.

I update my livejournal. I have limited things to write about, so keeping two blog-type-things is redundant.

So....go here to my Livejournal:
http://fzmousie.livejournal.com

Updated......way more often than my blog. ;)

The bombing of London

2005-07-07T09:48:00.000-04:00

(copied from my livejournal)

"..The Zionist crusader government of Britain.." was the description posted by a supposed member of a secret branch of Al-Quaida. Revenge was the motive, innocent the victims, as London was rocked by not one but four confirmed, and possibly as many as six bombs early this morning.

"It is particularly barbaric that this has happened on a day when people are meeting to help the problems of poverty in Africa," said Prime Minister Tony Blair upon hearing of the attacks.

Hundreds of travellers were, and continue to be, stranded as London was trapped in a gridlock earlier today following the explosions as buses and subways were stopped to check for bombs. al-Quaida, the same group to proudly claim responsibility for the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, has stepped forward to claim responsibility for these attacks. These claims are still being investigated, however.

It is sad to think that a group of people could be so blinded by revenge or religion that they would attack innocent civilians simply to make a point. Hundreds of civilians are now wounded, and the death toll remains unknown, though it was estimated in the high double digits. The national response is open-mouthed shock. Internationally, other nations are on alert, including the U.S. and Canada. Canada was put on alert following the 9/11 attacks on our neighbour to the south, but nothing came of it. Nevertheless, the TTC has been put on alert as a cautionary measure.

It is frightening to think that in spite of a world economy, where boundaries diminish in the face of international commerce, we still live in a world where war and famine take hold, and where fear can still strike the heart of any human, any where, any time. It is frightening to think that as our civilization has advanced, so has the human ability to create war. Where once, a thousand years ago, 10,000 soldiers might have been a heavy loss to a nation, now each war costs the lives of hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children. There are no boundaries in war. There never were. In spite of our greater civilization, we are as barbaric as in the dark ages. It is pillage and rape of a different sort, a more cowardly sort.

One wonders what will come next. Another war?

Quote of the Day

2005-06-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

Worry is prayer to the wrong god.

I like that quote. I'm keeping that one in my list of things to remember. :)

2 months to the day

2005-06-06T14:03:00.000-04:00

I have sadly neglected my blog.

Just an update. 2 months to the day until I get married!
I'm excited!!

Herman and I bought a mattress this weekend. That is a HUGE relief. It is a really big thing off our"to-do" list.

My sister and my mom also threw a shower for me this weekend. It was very nice!! I couldn't believe how much stuff I was given. It was amazing! One of the most USEFUL things we got was a laundry basket and garbage pail full of household goods. Those are the little things that could get expensive.

All in all, it felt really good. :)

Addressing the Nation? To do what? Tell us you're a liar?

2005-04-21T10:11:00.000-04:00

The Prime Minister of Canada will be addressing the Nation tonight. While addressing the Nation may be a common thing in the United States, it's not so common here in Canada.

The National Post had it's own little quip about it this morning. I had to smile. Especially at the last option. I've quoted bits of it below:

" Herewith, a highly speculative -- and partly facetious -- look at Paul Martin's options tonight.

CALL AN ELECTION
...

GIVE PARTISAN SPEECH
...

PROROGUE PARLIAMENT
...

DECLARE WAR
WHAT WOULD IT MEAN? That Mr. Martin's address is important enough to justify prime-time coverage.
WHAT'S THE UPSIDE FOR THE LIBERALS? If you believe George W. Bush's critics, he used this exact strategy to win a second term.
WHAT'S THE RISK? Finding a suitable opponent. Sure, there's the squabble over Hans Island, but those Danes are plucky. The best option might be to stage a mock invasion of a fake country, like in Wag the Dog. "

I had to giggle at the idea of Canada going to war. An election is going to be called. It's the only viable option right now. The longer the Gomery Commission goes on, the further the Liberals fall from "glory". As for existing bills "dying", they won't actually "die". They'll just be laid to rest for several months. Things don't die in Canada. They just sleep.

For once, I agree with the NDP leader. The National Post quotes Layton as saying "This really continues to show the contempt for which the Prime Minister appears to feel about the House of Commons. He did not win a majority government but he's almost trying to act in some sort of presidential fashion. It's not appropriate in Canada." He also mentioned that Martin could have and should have made his statement in the House of Commons.

All other parties feel strongly that Mr. Martin is way out of line. This is NOT the United States, and our leaders do NOT give addresses to the nation, except in times of crises. The last address to the nation was 10 years ago, when Chretien made a public plea for Quebec to keep Canada united.

To keep this from becoming a "presidential-like" address, Steven Harper, the leader of the opposition, will be following up with a statement of his own.

I do not relish what will be happening in this upcoming election. It will be a glorious time of mud-slinging and name-calling.

Where can I go to live where the leadership is not corrupt?

The new Babylon, or the Roman Empire which never fell.

2005-04-03T19:33:00.000-04:00

The pope has passed away. The world waits through the 9 days of mourning for the bishops to enter their conclave and decide upon the new pope.

Pope John Paul III was a man of moral integrity and character. His faith, for all we could see, was placed in God.

Since his death, I have begun to realize the phenomenal power the Pope holds. He is, without a doubt, the most powerful man in the world. All the world took note of his passing, and all the world looks for the new Pope to be named.

It occurred to me a number of years ago that Rome never fell. The history books say that the Roman Empire fell, but if you examine history carefully you will see that in actual fact, it did not fall. Rome did not fall, rather it morphed into what is now the Roman Catholic church. An organization made by human hands, fully flawed, and not entirely Christian.

Before I go any further, let me say first that I am not a doomsayer. I am not standing on a soapbox to announce the end of the world by any stretch of the imagination.

That said, it has been my belief for many years that when the AntiChrist, as put forth in the book of Revelation, rises up, the most convenient way for him to do so would be through the church. More to the point, the most direct route would be through the Catholic Church. Specifically, through the office of the Pope.

The AntiChrist will speak with authority, and the whole world shall listen. He will even go so far as to declare himself te be God. How else could he make such a claim. Where else would it hold merit?

I've gotten my hands on a copy of a book called "The Two Babylons".

I am reading it right now. I will undoubtedly post much more in upcoming days about my views on this matter.

The effort involved

2005-03-28T12:13:00.000-05:00

Some phishing scams take time and effort.
Other take none at all.

For example:
�� D‮ae‬r B‮alcra‬ys M‮me‬ber,

�� T‮ih‬s e‮liam‬ was s‮ne‬t by the B‮lcra‬ays s‮re‬ver to ver‮yfi‬ y‮ruo‬ e‮iam‬l ad‮erd‬ss. You m‮tsu‬ c‮mo‬plete t‮sih‬ pr‮sseco‬ by c‮il‬cking
on the l‮kni‬ bel‮wo‬ and e‮tn‬ering in the sm‮la‬l w‮odni‬w y‮ruo‬ Barclays M‮hsrebme‬ip nu‮bm‬er, pas‮cs‬ode and memo‮bar‬le word.
Th‮si‬ is do‮en‬ for y‮uo‬r p‮cetor‬tion - be‮suac‬e s‮emo‬ of our m‮srebme‬ no l‮no‬ger h‮eva‬ acc‮sse‬ to t‮rieh‬ e‮iam‬l ad‮serd‬ses and
we mu‮ts‬ v‮fire‬y it. To ve‮ir‬fy y‮uo‬r e‮iam‬l a‮erdd‬ss and ac‮sec‬s y‮ruo‬ b‮kna‬ ac‮nuoc‬t , c‮il‬ck on the l‮ni‬k b‮le‬ow:

http://www.barclays.com/?hesxu1en_PaTNkeogzbM3Thv3Qu_YSTIJlY8J4nHfbGSgalIU4upirAcauspQ7MFizS6l

I mean.... people..... a LITTLE effort?

Biblical examples on how to be a woman.

2005-03-24T13:32:00.000-05:00

I was joking around with Herman today. Something occured to me. All my role models on how to be a good girl were rather manipulative, weren't they. Copy and pasted from my email to him:

Naomi: Assisted in convincing Boaz to marry Ruth. Covert manipulation

Ruth: Under Naomi's tutalage, covertly manipulated Boaz into a
marriage proposal. Was celebrated for it.

Rebekah: Showed Jacob how to get his father's blessing. Overt
manipulation. Was praised for it.

Rachel and Leah: Used Jacob in their sibling rivalry to one-up each
other. Though Leah was not celebrated, Rachel was. Rachel used tears
to manipulate Jacob.
Rachel: Stole from her father to make Jacob more wealthy. Lied about it.

Esther: Overt manipulation to gain the favour of King Xerxes, have
Haman caught and punished, and saved her people.

Abigail: Deliberately disobeyed husband Nabal to feed King David.
(Got to marry the King when God struck Nabal down)

Jael: Manipulated Sisera to trust her and come into her tent. Fed
him to put him to sleep, then drove a stake through his head and
killed him. Overt manipulation.

Interesting, no?
Can you think of any others?

Life and other such nuisances

2005-03-18T10:40:00.000-05:00

It's been quite a while since I last updated the Blog.

Wedding plans: Wow!!! So much has happened since the beginning of January!
I have my dress. We have the church, hall, photographer, videographer, florist, and every other big thing we need.
Our wedding website is up: http://herman-hannah.trianglehard.com/

We are working on the invitations. So far, so good. The biggest problem is finding an inexpensive printer who will print in Chinese. We need both English and Chinese on the invitation.

Honeymoon: Looking at PEI at the moment.

Cakes: Did you know that an average wedding cake runs upwards from $500??
Maybe I'll just buy a bunch of $14 slab cakes and stick them on top of each other. ;)

of all the cheek!!! (wedding etiquette faux pas)

2005-01-18T11:30:00.000-05:00

So I have this "friend" who isn't really a friend at all. Truth be told, she is more of an annoyance than anything. Her favorite pastime seems to be whining, and in truth over the last several years, I have heard little else but whinging from her.
Our friendship started in 1st-yr uni, when we sat next to each other in class. By second year, she'd dropped out (to much thinking required, perhaps?), though she occasionally stayed in touch. By 3rd year, I could hardly consider her a friend. By the time I graduated, we could hardly be considered acquaintances. I moved on with my life and got a job. She continued to whinge about how life required too much effort (and then subsequantly blamed everyone around her for her lack of job/money/life/etc).

I did meet up with her once or twice, but each conversation was filled afresh with how dreadful her life was, and how seriously those near her had wounded her by refusing to pave her lifepath with gold. (pardon the sarcasm, but I do not think highly of her)

I got an email from her this morning and the exchange that followed was....most unexpected. not to mention unpleasant.

From: M.W.
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005
HI Hannah!

I know you are very busy. I just hope you haven't forgotten about me. What's up?

M.

Okay. That's fine. I wrote back. Polite, but distant.

From: Hannah
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005
Hi M.

I have not forgotten about you, but life
continues to be very busy.
Herman and I got engaged New Years Eve and have
been very busy planning our wedding. The date is
set for August 6.

I hope you'll forgive my distance. With only 7
months (now only 6 1/2) to plan, all my spare
time (and then some) has been taken up with
clearing away as many of the big details (church,
hall, video, pictures, etc) as possible.

I hope you are doing well and are finding the
semester challenging and pleasant.

Hannah

So end of discussion for a while, right. No hint that I was even CONSIDERING inviting her. From my opinion, quite the opposite with the comment on "I hope you'll forgive my distance."

She writes back (almost immediately, I should add):

From: M.W.
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005

Wow Hannah, I am surprised and glad for you.
Am I invited to your wedding? I am your friend
after all. Am I the last person to know about this?
I really hope I am invited. It would be such a joy.

Your friend,

M.

Upon reading that, my response went from a cough, choke, and sputter, to a chuckle at the arrogance of it, to confusion as to why the heck she would WANT to come.
I've yet to reply. I cannot begin to THINK of how I should reply. On the one hand, if she is that overjoyed, perhaps I should give her an address to forward gifts to? On the other, can she seriously expect herself to be invited to my wedding? After she has on prior occassions expressed such open disapproval of my (then) boyfriend and (now) fiance? This has ranged from griping to me in person about his lack of charm (I find him wonderfully charming), to CALLING ME AT WORK to gripe about how he "ignored" her and was rude and belittling to her when a large group of us went to a theme park 2 years ago (before he and I were dating).

I've got the first half of a reply drafted.

The second half.... well, I have two versions. One drafted by myself, the other by a married friend to whom I related this incident. I've yet to actually SEND anything. I may not reply at all. Do reply if you can think of a more appropriate response.

M.

I hardly know what to say to your email.
No on both counts.
You are certainly not the last one to know. We have at this point only informed close family members who will need to make specific vacation plans to come (For example, I have an aunt flying in from England, and Herman has several relatives coming from the states as well as from Hong Kong).
The reception is being kept strictly to family and long-time family friends.

The conclusion open to debate shall be either:
"Furthermore, I cannot imagine why you would want to be at my wedding, given your prior displays and discussions regarding your open distain for my fiance" (as written by myself)

or...

"Also, I was considering your feelings; since I am aware of how you feel about my fiance, I didn't want to force you into a situation where you would have to feign happyness when you would clearly be distressed" (as suggested by my friend).

The nerve of some people is BEYOND astonishing!!

I have had other suggestions offer, ranging from overly polite (she won't understand politeness) to downright hilarious (and too rude to ever send).

I shall keep you aprised of the situation.

He asked and I said Yes!

2005-01-03T08:48:00.000-05:00

I apologize for the lack of updates. I was in Toronto for a week for a Campus Crusade for Christ conference (which was awesome by itself). What happened last week is, I think by the title of this post, fairly self-evident.

Anyway, how he did it: He took me out for dinner (which was lovely!). Then we went back to the hotel. He told me that he had a letter in his room for me, so we went up to get it. He gave me the letter and some roses. Then he told me he had a gift for me. I sat in the chair and he pulled out a rather largish box. He opened the box and inside was a figurine. He had it custom-made. He had asked me specifically to wear a particular red dress I own, which he loves on me. He had the figurines made to look exactly like us, complete with what we were wearing at that moment. It was him, down on one knee, ring box in hand and opened, and me in the chair with a shocked look on my face. It was the cutest EVER!!!

He reached under the chair and pulled out a ring box, opened it up (he was already on one knee from "balancing the box with the figurine"), and asked me if I would please marry him.

We've decided on July 30 as our ideal date, and we have a few backup dates. There is so much to do to plan. It's going to be a crazy 7 months, but I'm excited about it.

A Christmas Reunion

2004-12-22T14:02:00.000-05:00

Apparently this is a true story. I heard it on the radio a little while ago and looked it up online.

The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve.

They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc., and on December 18th they were ahead of schedule and just about finished. On December 19th a terrible tempest - a driving rainstorm - hit the area and lasted for two days. On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high.

The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home. On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market type sale for charity so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church.

By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later. She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area.

Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet. "Pastor," she asked, "where did you get that tablecloth?"

The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria.

The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten the Tablecloth. The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria. When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. She was captured, sent to prison and never saw her husband or her home again. The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home, which was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job.

What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return.

One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood, continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn't leaving. The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike? He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety, and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison. He never saw his wife or his home again all the 35 years in between.

The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier. He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman's apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.

Diet, Day 2

2004-11-30T09:34:00.000-05:00

Wow! BIG oops.

Had a coffee this morning. Didn't think about it so much. Not so good.
Had a croissant with the coffee. Bad = VERY yes!! I did think about it.

GACK!!

Okay, back on track.
No more junk food!!!

I'm such a junkaholic!! =( I love my junk food.

On the plus side, I go in for my consultation at the gym (Curves, Ladies fitness center) tomorrow after work.

Diet: Day one, later

2004-11-29T09:33:00.000-05:00

Oops.

Had chocolate milk with my bible study group. Shouldn't have done that.

Everything else is going well, though. Didn't have any coffee or anything.

Had a nice healthy baked potato and tuna for dinner.

Diet: Day One

2004-11-29T09:29:00.000-05:00

In preparation for Christmas, and to allow myself maximal indulgence, I am starting a sort of diet. A sort of semi-detox, if you will.

Fruits and veggies, mainly raw if I can manage them. Lots of juice. Lots of water.
Cutting coffee, meat, sugar, bread, etc.

I will do this for this week, eat normally next week (sans junk, of course), and then do it again the following week. That way, when Christmas comes around, I will be able to indulge without having to worry about my midsection.

Oh, also, I joined a gym. This should be good. By the time summer rolls around, I'll be in great shape!!!

Of bosses assumptions and magical assistants

2004-11-25T14:51:00.000-05:00

Okay, I will start by confirming that I do like my job. It is interesting most of the time, and I do have the occasional cushy day where very little is actually expected of me. I can go for weeks on end without seening my boss, and I was reminded today why sometimes, this is a good thing.

I went to Delores (my coworker, his personal secretary), and she gave me some mail. I took a look through it, and in there was a nice little handwritten letter detailing some transactions Mark wanted me to take care of. Sure, no problem. That'll keep my busy for an hour or so. :)

Then I got back to my office and looked at it more closely. I didn't recognize the account numbers. I went searching through the drawers. No account number. Then I read a note: "Acct belongs to Dr. J. xxxxx (my wife)". *blink*

oooooooKAY!

I went back to his office, and tried to explain that I couldn't do these transactions because I didn't have the authority to touch his wife's money. I mean....really....would she WANT me to be able to? I've never met the woman, and the auditors (evil people *spit*) won't care that she's my bosses wife, all they will see is that some random person has done a transaction on her accounts, and they'll put her through the holy ringer!! Trust me, she doesn't want that.

So, some 3 or 4 hours after getting this little note, I finally convinced Mark that I really cannot do this. I had to actually explain to him WHY. I had to sit down, with my boss, and explain why it was not my job to complete transactions for his WIFE, who works in a DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT, whom I have NEVER MET.

It suddenly hit me, though, how (knowing my boss) the conversation must have gone.
Wife talks about transactions to be done.
Mark "Oh gee, Hannah does that sort of stuff for me. Ergo, she is able of handling all things of that nature. Ergo, she can do that for you."

*sigh*

May we never forget

2004-11-11T09:24:00.000-05:00

Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events.
Sir Winston Churchill

May we never forget those who gave their lives for our freedom. May their sacrifice not be in vain.

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Of leaky pipes and handy boyfriends

2004-10-17T11:40:00.000-04:00

So just before mom and dad went away, the pipe under the sink developed a drip at the joint. It was just a drip. However, mom did not say anything about it to dad. She was (and legitimately so) nervous that he would either worry about it, or start tinkering. Neither one would be useful. He got in from Nova Scotia rather lateish Friday evening, and they left fairly early Saturday morning. He would not have had time to properly fix it.

Tuesday(ish) the drip developed into an all out leak, which caused quite a bit of a mess. We went through a number of towels, and had to empty the bowl that was catching the drip approximately every two hours.

Thursday, as I sat online talking with my beloved, I bemoaned the wretched state of the sink. It was a mere commentary, and certainly not stated to seek ny immediate attention. The response he gave nearly bowled me over. he offered to come over Friday night to take a looksee. So over he came Friday night. He took a peek and felt certain he could fix it, however we could not find the main valve to shut off the water. As a temporary solution, he tightened the joint. This solved the big leak, but there was a tiny drip left.

It was not a big deal anymore, and overnight, the water still dripping barely managed to cover the bottom of the bowl left there to catch it. He talked to his dad about the problem, and yesterday morning his dad told him the most likely spot to find the water valve. Herman relayed the info to me, and sure enough I managed to spot it.

Herman's response? "Wanna surprise your parents?"

He came by Saturday afternoon and not only fix the remaining drip, but replaced the whole tap. This was a project dad was planning to undertake over the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately, it was really not a good idea to wait another two months. The problem was with the copper pipe, not the joint, and the way the sink is set up, the whole tap needed to be removed to replace the pipe. If the whole pipe was being removed anyway, we figured why not replace it.

3 1/2 hours and 3 trips to Home Depot later, the leaky pipe was replaced with a nice new hose, and the broken old faucet was replaced with a nice new faucet. The last time was home (around my birthday), we made a stop into Home Depot so that he could look at faucets. Even though the drip hadn't developed yet, the old faucet had become quite a pain in the butt to use, as the lever was broken.

Anyway, it THRILLED mom and dad to pieces. Especially Dad. I came downstairs this morning to see him playing with the new faucet, lifting it up and down, doing his "dad giggle". If Herman ever questioned being in Mom and Dad's good books before, he doesn't need to anymore. ;) He's officially obtained Hero status. ..both for them and for me. :D

This may sound a bit weird, but it was sort of a turn-on to see Herman go all Handy-man-ish. I kinda like it. I think there is a subconscious motivator for him to prove his abilities as a Man to look after me as a Woman. ;) I teased him about it. He kinda admitted to it, too, though only "10%". ;)

Things I cannot post on LiveJournal

2004-10-04T09:27:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I do have a LiveJournal as well. Most of the posts between here and there are the same. But the main reason I have this one is to post things I cannot post there.

I went away this weekend to a camp up north. It was really wonderful! I posted about it on my Livejournal, complete with pictures. A segment of my post is below. I checked this morning, and one of my lj-friends posted the following comment.

I so dig your God talk. Keep it coming.

I found that very encouraging. Very interesting. This is from a girl whom I've never formally met. I THINK I found her livejournal through the TechComedy site I post on from time to time, but I really cannot remember. In any case, she isn't a Christian. But I find it encouraging that my words about God encourage her.

This is what she was replying to:
...The best part was the whole nature thing. I really enjoy nature. I love taking in the beauty of the world around me. Last night, after the evening meeting, Herman and I went out to the docks. He took (or tried to take) some shots of the night sky. The moon was so bright and clear. It was breathtaking. I got my pillow and one of my blankets (it was cold!!), and Herman and I laid out on the dock and just stared up at the sky. There were so many stars. All the talks on God's love didn't matter in that moment. All the sermons in the world couldn't captivate that feeling of utter peace.

There IS a God, and He loves me. The Universe is huge. Yet God is bigger than the universe. He hung every star in the sky. He named them all and knows where each one is. He knows when a star goes out and He still creates new stars. And yet He knows me by name, too. I matter to Him.He knows every foolish thing I have ever done. He knows all my mistakes and all my sins. He knows my passions and my desires. He knew all this from the beginning of time.Not only does God orchestrate the entire universe, He orchestrates my life. Encorporating every decision I ever made or will make, He created a beautiful plan for my life. He laid it all out, like a golden tapestry, weaving in what I thought were ugly threads, to create a picture that is pleasing to Him.
How deep the Father's Love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
that He should give His only Son
to make a wretch His
treasure.

I went canoeing this morning with Herman. Woke up at 6:45 to be out on the lake for 7am.The water was so much warmer than the air (not hard, considering it was 0 degrees -- I checked a few moments ago), so there was steam rising up from the lake. That, combined with the sunrise, made for a beautiful morning. I don't think Herman quite agreed with me. He was pretty cold. I don't blame him, so was I. Still, taking those few moments early in the morning to
just soak in the beauty of nature was quite amazing. ...

It occured to me a little while ago that my journal is probably the most powerful tool I have at my disposal to use in non-intrusive evangelism. It is, or should be an ongoing witness to the power of God at work in my life through my relationship with Jesus. People can either look at me and my mistakes and say "No thanks. you're no different for all your so-called 'faith'. I'll pass, thanks." Or they can look at my life and say "Wow. I want some of that." I'd rather they say the latter. I want people to want what I have, because my relationship with God is the most valuable asset to make it through the crummy points of life.

How amazing if the life of even one person was changed because of reading about the very active role God takes in my life.

Welcome to you and your High Horse

2004-09-28T16:12:00.000-04:00

Apparently I have a particular facial expression now known as my "brave face". I consider more closely to be my "I really strongly dislike you" grin.

My jaw is starting to hurt with the astonishing stupidity of "people" in general. Namely, our "Useless Methods" rep. (Against my better judgement, the name of the company has been changed to protect the profoundly ignorant.)

See, we bought two computers for Lab Research. This are moderately specialized machines. In spite of this, they were made by Dell. With the two computers were shipped two Flatscreen LCD monitors. Very nice monitors, I might add. Monitors which should not be left in an unsupervised area. Being a woman of some repute, I was given one of these nice monitors. My co-worker, also being highly valued, was given the other. Our older, crappier, slightly-yellowing-with-age monitors were given to the lab. They are significantly less attractive and less likely to be stolen. (Not that ANYone would THINK of such a thing)

Mr "Useless Methods" rep comes in today to install some software on the machines. The first thing he notices is the lack of fancy-dancy 17" LCD flat screen. Well!! This was just UNACCEPTABLE to him. He demanded the return of "His" (wtf???) LCD monitor to "His" (double wtf???) computer so that he can go about installing the software for us.
My co-worker unplugged the monitor from the other machine and took it over to "Mr big-Tech", complete with all the NECESSARY cabling. Missing were the digital and USB cables, neither one was strictly necessary. Would our friend accept that? Hell no. Could he use the other USB cable that was there? Hell no!!! His reasoning??

The computers are under warranty and thus still "belong" to the company we bought them from. Someone needs to explain to Mr. Starfish* the legal concept of a "Warranty" and "Scope of support". Additionally, he could use a brief lecture on Customer Service and what it means to create goodwill for one's company.

Starfish - Incidentally, starfish have one central hole used for both intake of nutrients and export of excrement. Yes, a starfish literally has it's mouth where it's butt is.

Blessed

2004-09-27T16:11:00.000-04:00

This deserves a separate entry.

I've done alot of thinking over the last two weeks.
It's amazing how things can happen and all of a sudden you realize how incredibly temporary life is. As you begin to consider that, you begin to wonder at the intricacies of life. What are the odds of anything happening?
What were the odds of my meeting Herman?

Here are the things you need to consider.
From the beginning of time, did God forordain that I would meet him??
He must have. In order for me to meet Herman, every situation required absolute precision, from his conception and birth until this moment. Every decision he made impacted the next decision, and so on and so forth. In addition to this, every decision I made also had a lasting impact.

I often sit back and rue my mistakes. I regret the decisions I made that detract from the wholeness of my character. But then I realize that God has redeemed them. Herman is one manifestation of this redemption. I screwed up beyond belief. Nothing I have done is worthy of blessing. Yet God has blessed me by showing me abundant love.
In spite of all my foolishness, God loves me and blesses me.
God knew what foolish mistakes I would make, and before I made them set into motion a plan to redeem them. What amazing love!!!! He even integrated my mistakes into His plan of salvation for me. Who could do that? What LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!

I do not deserve Herman. Yet God brought us together and has given us the ideal environment for our love to flourish. Even integrating our flaws into the plan, that we may offset the imperfections in each other, always sharpening each other to a greater measure of perfection in Christ

I am blessed beyond words.

Happy Birthday to me

2004-09-26T20:59:00.000-04:00

I'm 25. I remember thinking 25 was old. 25 years from now i'll probably look back and think how young it is. :P

I had a very nice birthday. the afternoon part was with family, which was fun. went out for lunch, came back, gave gifts, said nice things about the birthday person, which was actually both dad and I.

I got some nice gifts. :) Mom bought me a whole bunch of material, 6 metres of Nova Scotian tartan. I am going to make a skirt and wrap. Sarah and Naomi bought me earrings and eyeshadow. Zack got me some perfume.
Herman's mom bought me a gift, which really surprised me. She bought back some things from Hong Kong, like a fan and chopsticks with my name engraved (english on one, chinese on the other), but she also bought me a 18K white gold chain. It's very delicate and very pretty.

Herman took me out for dinner. We had a beautiful candlelit dinner at the CN Tower. He bought me a white gold necklace with a sapphire heart pendant. The pendant is set in white gold with diamonds. It's absolutely stunning.All in all it was a nice weekend. Very relaxing.

I'm tired now, though. Not sure why. It's not like I've actually DONE anything today. Maybe I'm tired because I haven't done anything. ;) Sometimes that happens.Or maybe I'm just feeling withdrawn and introspective.

Excuse me. That's MY mail you are opening

2004-09-15T10:56:00.000-04:00

Background: For the last few months, my crochet exchange packages have been taking an interminably long time.

My August package apparently never arrived, so the girl who sent it sent another one. I hadn't told her to, and sort of wished she hadn't. Canada Post is screwing with my mail. Her 1st package never arrived. Her 2nd one arrived OPEN. That's right, someone (NOT ME) opened it. I was really quite angry last night.

I started with the most logical place, Canada Post. Canada Post swore up and down (and in and out) that it was not their fault. I called USPS, who were AMAZINGLY rude. I didn't think it was possible for any human being to be that unforgiveably rude. It wasn't their fault either.

Finally, after spending too long chasing people down and playing "bounce the pissed off customer", I gave up. This morning I called Canada Customs who explained the procedure to me. I was escalated almost immediately because the woman I spoke to was upset on my behalf over what I'd been told by Canada Post. Turns out they are telling alot of people who have this sort of issue to call Customs, thus Customs is having an increased number of calls on this same sort of issue.

I was instructed to call Canada Post back and lodge a formal complaint. I will do that this afternoon. If my complaint is not taken seriously, I was told to contact the Ombudsman with a formal written complaint. I will do that, too.

The way it works is, when packages come in from the US, Canada Post takes them and sets them aside for inspection by Canada Customs. If Customs wishes to open a package, a Canada Post employee must open the package, Customs inspects the contents, and Canada Post reseals it. Therefore, if Canada Post opened my package, they are also responsible for resealing it. Therefore, the open envelope is the fault of Canada POST, not Canada CUSTOMS.

I will be lodging a formal complaint. If anything else arrives open, I'll be out of the exchanges forever.

2004-08-27T13:27:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine posted the following on their own journal. Personally, I think it's hilarious and want to support it.

trying to start a Googlebomb, linking the Windows Update page to the words
"Black Plague." I've been talking about it for quite a while now, but I've
decided to finally do it.Here's how you can help...If you find this idea
amusing, copy the following link to your Livejournal and/or web page, along with
a reason why. All we have to do, is make the Windows Update site the most
commonly referred link to the words "black plague" and we get the #1 result on
the list. It's not too hard to do. The "miserable failure" Googlebomb only took
32 people to link those words to Dubya's whitehouse.gov bio, for it to work. I
think we can EASILY outdo that one.

Black Plague

mwuahahahahaha!! >:D

2004-08-25T21:16:00.000-04:00

Today was...interesting.

Mark is on vacation (supposedly). I'm basically in charge right now, I'm really the only admin person around. This means that in spite of my cold, I cannot take time off for the next two weeks. I'm trying to sort out a computer purchase. The problem? The account it needs to go on doesn't exist yet. So before I order the computers, I really should set up the account.
I am getting the ROYAL FREAKING RUNAROUND!!! Hooooolyyyy Cow!!!!!! Dude!!!

I'm actually pretty unimpressed. We're not talking about a little tiny amount of money. We're talking in the several million dollar range here. I was getting frustrated because I thought I was doing something wrong. Turns out the big problem is this account isn't like other grant funds. It works differently. It's actually pretty complicated, yet at the same time blindingly simple With any luck, though, I will be given a number on Monday and we will get things going from there. As soon as I have a number to plug the funds into, all really should be well.
In the meantime, I have a general fund to which all spending can be diverted. I'll fix it with a few journal entries once all things are settled.Mark came in today to discuss things, even though he's on vacation. I'm not sure why he bothered. He was only in for a 1/2 hour. It was just enough time, though, for him to assure me that it's not my fault, he runs into this sort of wall FREQUENTLY with his accounts. Pediatrics seems to be like that. People have their own mini-empires, and no one likes having their toes stepped on. We will arrange a meeting with the appropriate parties when he is back from vaca.

I have had so many meetings in the last 2 weeks, it's been crazy. I have another meeting tomorrow. It's not on campus, it's at the downtown centre. This means tomorrow is going to either feel reeeally really long, or super short. Really long because the meeting is 3 hours, or super short because I won't be in my office until after around 1 or so.

I have another meeting September 9. Mark was conspicuously not invited. He could give a rat's rear, though. He's going anyway. I love Mark. As bosses go, he's so cool!!

6 months and counting

2004-08-16T10:58:00.000-04:00

When one has so much fun in life, the passage of time becomes barely noticeable. This past Saturday, I celebrated 6 glorious months of couplehood with my boyfriend.

The word "boyfriend" still seems odd, actually. I still almost prefer simply using the word "friend". He is my boyfriend, but he is also my best friend. 6 months seems so long. It hardly feels that long. Yet, it feels like I have been with him forever. I can hardly remember what I did before I was with him, yet I regret every moment of my past without him.

He is undeniably the most wonderful blessing God has given to me. I think about how free I am when I am with him. It is a level of unsurpassable trust and security. It is wonderful and freeing to be with someone, able to be wholley myself at all times.

Love: n.

A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person,
such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a
sense of underlying oneness. A feeling of intense desire and attraction
toward a person with whom one is disposed to make a pair. An intense emotional
attachment. A person who is the object of deep or intense affection or
attraction; beloved. Often used as a term of endearment. An expression of
one's affection.

Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

That describes it. Deep, tender, ineffable feelings of affection and solicitude. I am most certainly disposed to making a pair with him. ;)

Done.

2004-08-09T10:00:00.000-04:00

My sister is married and gone to mexico for her honeymoon.
My other sister leaves to return to Washington this afternoon.
We are going out for lunch later, and I am very much looking forward to it.

The wedding was beautiful. I really liked the vows. They were beautiful. The ceremony went off without a hitch, which was the most important thing.
The reception was good. The food was great! I enjoyed it alot. We had all sorts of left over fruit and cookies. :D I'm totally not complaining on that one. The watermelon was nice.
Sarah and Naomi did a really really great Spice-Girls lip-sync. It was so awesome! I've got some fantastic pictures. :D

Speaking of pictures, Herman made the observation, we will not be getting the same photographer. The photographer himself is fantastic. He does superb work!! However, "Mrs. Photographer" is horrible. She was rude and bossy and just downright ignorant. She wouldn't let him take any of his own pictures.

Like.... for real!!
He ended up sadly disapointed with only 71 shots. I got around 80ish. Most of mine were casual shots. They were really nice. :)

Anyway, all in all, it was fantastic.

The evening just blew my mind. The reception ended around 7 or so. We cleaned up and went back to the house. Took about 30 minutes to tidy through the house, so that wasn't bad at all. We were all wiped. My feet were a tad swollen and quite sore from wearing heels all day.Herman sat me down on the couch and washed and massaged my feet.
It was without a doubt the sweetest, most loving thing anyone has ever, ever done for me. I am so loved! So blessed!!I couldn't believe it. He absolutely embodies love in his actions towards me. I just hope I can show him to the same degree how much I care for him.

Of colored toes and painted nails

2004-07-30T15:22:00.000-04:00

Everyone needs a pedicure once in their lifetime. It's truly an awesome experience.

I got my fingernails and toes done today. They are very pretty. It's hard not to be vain. My hands look so nice and my toes just feel great!! :D

In other news, I've been asked (again!) to join the Campus Crusade staff as an Affiliate member. They have started a message board and would like me to basically take the reins of it. They want me to be a moderator and really get it going. To do this, I must be Staff.

I am going to think and pray about it. I am uncertain. I have been asked SOO many times in so many ways. I don't want to take on a commitment I cannot fulfill.

New job

2004-07-20T10:03:00.000-04:00

I have to admit, I ceased liking my job almost a month ago.
...oh wait, I only started my job a month ago.

Anyway, I got a new one and felt an informative post was in order. I start 2 weeks from today. August 3rd. I'm pretty excited.
This could be the start of a very nice career.

Playing Scam the Scammer.

2004-07-05T08:36:00.000-04:00

The following is an unpaid advertisement from Scam-bastards anonymous.

Are you tired of "winning the lottery"? Wish those fellas from the Zambian Mining Industry would just leave you alone? Tired of being asked for help?
Why not play along??

[fade in] This summer

[fade to email] My name is Joseph Como a merchant in Dubai

[fade out to black screen] Inspired by the brilliant folks at Scamorama

[fade to email] I worked with Zambian Ministry of Mining and Resources for eight years as a contractor

[fade to black] The mind of Mousie brings you

[fade to email] The last of my money which no one knows of is the huge cash deposit of eighteen million dollars $18,000,000,00

[fade to black] My Dear Mr. Como

[fade to email] God be with you. Joseph Como.

catch the drama as it unfolds, Live and Uncensored!!!
http://www.livejournal.com/users/tale_the_first/

Feel free to watch and post. [fade to super-evil-grin]

Update

2004-06-23T21:28:00.001-04:00

Well, after the debates, subsequent newspaper articles, and discussions, I have solidly decided upon the Conservative Party as being the best choice.

In other news, my job hunt is coming along. It strikes me as amazing sometimes, that it doesn't matter how many times you go through the same situation, there is always something new to pull out of it.

I dislike thinking about "what next", but I have to. This mini-contract that I am on isn't going to last forever. My interview with Math and Stats went well, and I have an interview with Neurology (I think) on Friday. In the meantime, I am starting to like what I am doing in Family Medicine. Lots of little bits of everything.

If only someone could/would call a ceasefire on the wretched politicking.

They say Death and Taxes are the only two sure things in life. I disagree. You can evade Taxes. Death and Politics: They walk hand in hand as Universal Constants.

Strange things happen.

2004-06-18T09:40:00.000-04:00

Odd things happen when you stop relying on your parents for information and start looking at things on your own. I might actually follow Herman's lead this election and decline my ballot in a vote of no-confidence. Or I may vote Conservative.

My sister posted a link to all the parties running in my area.
I would vote Green party, if they weren't for Gay marriage. EVERYTHING else on their list falls in line with my political views. But I feel VERY strongly against that, so I won't be voting for them.
The Liberal Party is out of the question!! I have no confidence in their ability to do anything.
I question the Conservative Party. I am a bit uncertain about a few of their policies. Of all the parties, I hold most to the Conservative party platform. I do doubt their ability to carry it out in full.
I am completely ANTI-NDP.

What we need is a Conservative-Green party of Canada. Or a Social-Conservative party. Something that takes all the best of each and combines them into one solid platform.

The ethics of job hunting

2004-06-15T08:54:00.000-04:00

This is awkward. I have decided I could like this office very much. It will certainly be a very interesting position. Yet there remains a rather stark shadow. I have yet to sign anything agreeing the the terms and conditions of my employment. There is a verbal contract that I shall work until February 28, 2005 at $16.85/hr.

Last night I got a phone call from the Math and Stats office for an interview. They wanted me to come in on Thursday. I cannot go on Thursday, but we compromised on Friday. She was incredibly accomodating. I cannot find my information sheet for this job, so I do not know if it is full-time or a contract. If it is full-time, I sincerely hope I get it. I may not take it if it is a contract (unless they offer me a sheet of paper and more than I am making now).

I am a bit confused as to the moral implications of taking an interview after one has been offered a job. On the one hand, they have yet to provide me with a formal, written contract. On the other hand, I have made a verbal commitment to them and they have made a verbal commitment to me. On the one hand, this is only a contract. On the other hand, the intent is to make it a full-time job in February, and the implication was made that I would be hired full-time at that time.

Advice would be appreciated.

Lifetimes...

2004-06-12T09:02:00.000-04:00

Time, it moves onward
tick-tocking like a heartbeat.
Stop for this moment,
Let me see your eyes,
see the passion and the depth.
Let me touch your face.
Moments move forward
like sand through the hourglass.
Stop and let me breathe.
Let me bask in warmth
Let me taste the memory:
then, now, and again.
Each moment is dear
for moments make a lifetime
and lifetimes shall pass.
Here we stand as one
You are my friend, my love, and
I, your love, your friend.

Hurrah!!

2004-06-07T10:25:00.000-04:00

There is nothing like the unexpected to perk one right up. I have a new job now. It was confirmed this morning, I start one week from today. I have a front desk and a fairly nice computer. The chair looks quite comfortable. I will be doing a variety of tasks, but mostly I will be assisting the program co-ordinator. My paycheck has been bumped up to a little over $2/hr more than I am making now, which is nice. If all that extra money goes directly into savings, I should have a nice comfortable pillow in about a year.

The beautiful thing about this job is that it came out of no where. It is such an amazing blessing!!!

Another GORGEOUS day

2004-06-04T09:31:00.000-04:00

It's beautiful out again. I love beautiful weather like this. The only problem is, the weather channel keeps hinting at rain tomorrow. I am supposed to go to Wonderland tomorrow, so rain woudl DEFINATELY be bad.

I'm waiting to hear back on a job I applied for. I might call them later.

A first entry

2004-06-03T09:28:00.000-04:00

It's early by some people's standards. Rather late by mine. It is so beautiful outside. I love my office, I have a view of the entire escarpment from here. It's only mediocre in the winter, but in the spring it is LOVELY!

I don't really have alot to do today. I haven't really had alot to do in a while. I do admit to feeling a wee teeny tiny bit guilty over my complete lack of work, but when I'm not given work, how can I complete it? So I spend my days posting on forums and playing games.

My new online "home" is the Canadian Idol forum. I joined one week ago today and I am at 200 posts. I either totally rock or totally suck, I haven't decided yet.

I have had other blogs over the years, but they inevitably fade away, probably because I am not convinced anyone reads them. This one serves a different purpose. It is a gathering spot for pictures, poetry, and prose. All my random writings will go here.