This week is really shaping up to be fun.
Tonight my uncle and aunt from BC are swinging through Spruce Grove on their way to Neerlandia. I haven't seen them in a few years, so I'm looking forward to that. They are our only close family in Canada.
Tomorrow evening Alison and I are working at Jacks.
Then Thursday we have a test on Wills and Estates, which we just began last Friday. That should prove interesting.
Friday is Canada Day! I'm so looking forward to celebrating (especially a day off school. yay!). A group of us is going to spend the day together, and then go watch the fireworks in the River Valley.
I have to work the whole day Saturday, but after that, I'm going to Neerlandia with some friends. Steve is supposed to be coming on Thursday, and he and Alison are driving down for Sunday too.
I really should get back to the Enduring Power of Attorney that I'm typing out. Just had to rest the noggin for a sec.
28 June 2005
24 June 2005
Shakespeare in the Park
Wow! Some experience.
Last night a bunch of us went to see the Free Will Players in Romeo and Juliet at Hawrelak Park in Edmonton with some of my family and some St. Alberta friends. I really enjoyed it, especially as I have not seen much live theatre. I guess that is a plus of living near a large city. They sure did a wonderful job, although I sure caught a lot more of Shakespeare's crudities than when I read it last. :-
The Free Will Players did something more modern than the usual period costuming and sets. The set was a series of gray metal steps, ladders, and levels, with the requisite balcony. The only colour on the set was in the large red stained-glass window type banners. And the costumes were rather startling. All the Montagues dressed in white, and the Capulets in black, except for the heads of the families, and the ladies. I don't know exactly how to describe them, but I guess the closest would something like Chicago gangsters of the prohibition era. Anyway, Mr. Capulet and Mr. Montague each had very loud and glitzy suits, Mrs. Capulet wore a slinky green dress and turban, and Juliet looked like a very young girl in a short green and striped dress and long stockings. I think my favourite character was Juliet's nurse.
Now we have to go see Love's Labours Lost (I'll let someone else arrange that :-/ ).
Last night a bunch of us went to see the Free Will Players in Romeo and Juliet at Hawrelak Park in Edmonton with some of my family and some St. Alberta friends. I really enjoyed it, especially as I have not seen much live theatre. I guess that is a plus of living near a large city. They sure did a wonderful job, although I sure caught a lot more of Shakespeare's crudities than when I read it last. :-
The Free Will Players did something more modern than the usual period costuming and sets. The set was a series of gray metal steps, ladders, and levels, with the requisite balcony. The only colour on the set was in the large red stained-glass window type banners. And the costumes were rather startling. All the Montagues dressed in white, and the Capulets in black, except for the heads of the families, and the ladies. I don't know exactly how to describe them, but I guess the closest would something like Chicago gangsters of the prohibition era. Anyway, Mr. Capulet and Mr. Montague each had very loud and glitzy suits, Mrs. Capulet wore a slinky green dress and turban, and Juliet looked like a very young girl in a short green and striped dress and long stockings. I think my favourite character was Juliet's nurse.
Now we have to go see Love's Labours Lost (I'll let someone else arrange that :-/ ).
23 June 2005
Men are happier people…
Men are happier people, and here is a part of the reason why:
Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
You don’t have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
Wedding dress – $5000. Tux rental – $100.
The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.
New shoes don’t cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood all the time.
Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
You know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite, he or she can still be your friend.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
Everything on your face stays its original colour.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
You can play with toys all your life.
One wallet and one pair of shoes one colour for all seasons.
You can “do” your nails with a pocketknife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a moustache.
You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.
Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
You don’t have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
Wedding dress – $5000. Tux rental – $100.
The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.
New shoes don’t cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood all the time.
Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
You know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite, he or she can still be your friend.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
Everything on your face stays its original colour.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
You can play with toys all your life.
One wallet and one pair of shoes one colour for all seasons.
You can “do” your nails with a pocketknife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a moustache.
You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.
18 June 2005
"How am I supposed to obey God’s commands and follow His principles when my circumstances are so different from those of other people?"
Imagine that you’re a student in an art class. You and dozens of classmates are learning from a master painter. One day your teacher displays a painting of his own. It’s an incredible work of art, and he wants each of you to copy it.
You’re about to begin working when you turn to look at the person next to you. You’re surprised to note that he has a larger brush than your and a differently shaped canvas. You look around at the rest of the class. Some students have acrylic paint, others watercolor, still others oil – and everyone has different colors. Though you all have the same assignment, you each have completely different materials.
This frustrates you. Some students have materials you would prefer for yourself. Why should they get them? You’re not the only student to notice the disparity. A hand goes up. A girl to your left with only a ragged brush and three pale shades of blue on her palette is noticeably agitated. "This isn’t fair," she tells the teacher. "How do you expect me to duplicate your painting when the people around me have so many more colors to choose from?"
The teacher smiles. "Don’t worry about the other students," he says. "I’ve carefully chosen the brushes and paints that each of you has. Trust me. You have what you need to complete the assignment. Remember, your goal is not to create a painting that mirrors the person next to you, but to do your best with the materials I’ve given you to create a picture faithful to my painting."
– Joshua Harris, Boy Meets Girl
Imagine that you’re a student in an art class. You and dozens of classmates are learning from a master painter. One day your teacher displays a painting of his own. It’s an incredible work of art, and he wants each of you to copy it.
You’re about to begin working when you turn to look at the person next to you. You’re surprised to note that he has a larger brush than your and a differently shaped canvas. You look around at the rest of the class. Some students have acrylic paint, others watercolor, still others oil – and everyone has different colors. Though you all have the same assignment, you each have completely different materials.
This frustrates you. Some students have materials you would prefer for yourself. Why should they get them? You’re not the only student to notice the disparity. A hand goes up. A girl to your left with only a ragged brush and three pale shades of blue on her palette is noticeably agitated. "This isn’t fair," she tells the teacher. "How do you expect me to duplicate your painting when the people around me have so many more colors to choose from?"
The teacher smiles. "Don’t worry about the other students," he says. "I’ve carefully chosen the brushes and paints that each of you has. Trust me. You have what you need to complete the assignment. Remember, your goal is not to create a painting that mirrors the person next to you, but to do your best with the materials I’ve given you to create a picture faithful to my painting."
– Joshua Harris, Boy Meets Girl
02 June 2005
[why do i need a title anyway?]
On Tuesday night Alison and Fiona and I went bowling with Henry and Alyson. I hadn't been 10-pin bowling since we visited family in Holland when I was six, so I wasn't sure what to expect. But I wasn't as bad at it as I usually am at 5-pin. Unless it was the company. We make a loud group, I have to say :op . It's probably a good thing the bowling alley wasn't crowded.
I really enjoyed it, maybe because it's easier to knock over more pins with a larger ball. We all had to try one round "granny bowl", backwards, between the legs, which proved entertaining. I choose not to remember who won the first game, but in the second game Fiona, Henry and I joined forces to defeat the two Ali/Alysons. They were both pretty good. And once Fiona started with her left hand instead of right, she was too. With combined scores, we beat Alison and Alyson. :-D
Afterwards we went to Boston Pizza, where we alternately entertained and traumatized the staff. Oh, btw, anything with chocolate in it that you can get at Boston Pizza is scrumptious (coming from me, ha -- any chocolate is delicious, some in varying degrees). Alyson and Alison made a couple of sculptures on the big triangular dessert plates when they were clean. One was a birthday cake, for which they used napkins, torn up colouring pages, and straws, with a crayon for a candle. I think our waitress (Jenna) had a few laughs that evening.
I really enjoyed it, maybe because it's easier to knock over more pins with a larger ball. We all had to try one round "granny bowl", backwards, between the legs, which proved entertaining. I choose not to remember who won the first game, but in the second game Fiona, Henry and I joined forces to defeat the two Ali/Alysons. They were both pretty good. And once Fiona started with her left hand instead of right, she was too. With combined scores, we beat Alison and Alyson. :-D
Afterwards we went to Boston Pizza, where we alternately entertained and traumatized the staff. Oh, btw, anything with chocolate in it that you can get at Boston Pizza is scrumptious (coming from me, ha -- any chocolate is delicious, some in varying degrees). Alyson and Alison made a couple of sculptures on the big triangular dessert plates when they were clean. One was a birthday cake, for which they used napkins, torn up colouring pages, and straws, with a crayon for a candle. I think our waitress (Jenna) had a few laughs that evening.
30 May 2005
Favourite Books
If I invited Him - by Woody Kum
No! - by Kurt Reply
Allegiance to the King - by Neil Downe
Not a Guitar! - by Amanda Lin
Punk Rock Rulez! - by Lotta Noyze
Home Alone IV: The Sequel - by Anni Buddyhome
You're Kidding! - by Shirley U. Jest
Stop Arguing - by Xavier Breath
Trim Those Sideburns Too? - by Buzz Cutt
Dull Razor - by Nick Shaving
Irish First Aid - by R. U. O'Kaye
Pain in My Body - by Otis Leghurts
The Miracle Drug - by Penny Cillin
(stolen from Daniel Foucachon)
No! - by Kurt Reply
Allegiance to the King - by Neil Downe
Not a Guitar! - by Amanda Lin
Punk Rock Rulez! - by Lotta Noyze
Home Alone IV: The Sequel - by Anni Buddyhome
You're Kidding! - by Shirley U. Jest
Stop Arguing - by Xavier Breath
Trim Those Sideburns Too? - by Buzz Cutt
Dull Razor - by Nick Shaving
Irish First Aid - by R. U. O'Kaye
Pain in My Body - by Otis Leghurts
The Miracle Drug - by Penny Cillin
(stolen from Daniel Foucachon)
29 May 2005
ooooooooh
| Your Star Wars Pickup Line |
 "You will go home with me. It is unavoidable. IT IS YOUR DESTINY!!" |
11 May 2005
05 May 2005
In 1983 (the year you were born) |
* Ronald Reagan is president of the US * Sally Ride becomes the first American woman to travel in space * Marines are killed when a TNT laden suicide terrorists blows up Marine headquarters at Beirut International Airport * US Marines and Rangers invade the island of Grenada and evacuate hundreds of US citizens * The Soviets shoot down Korean Airlines flight 007 * The Internet Domain Name System was invented by Paul Mockapetris * Ronald Wilson Reagan signs a bill creating Martin Luther King Day * Baltimore Orioles win the World Series * Washington Redskins win Superbowl XVII * New York Islanders win the Stanley Cup * Return of the Jedi is the top grossing film * "Every Breath You Take" by The Police spends the most time at the top of US charts * The A-Team and Webster premiere |
03 May 2005
Hello again, everyone!
Our lecture this morning finished early, so I have a bit before Alison comes to pick me up for lunch. So here goes - update.
First of all -
I am really excited about Steve and Alison's engagement. I guess it's amazing that he found someone that all nine of the women in his family could get along with, let alone love. It's wonderful to think that my only brother and my good friend will be starting their own family soon. God bless the two of you in your future plans, Steve and Alison!
School -
We just finished the segment on Corporate Law, and started the next segment on Real Estate. Most of it so far is procedures and terms, but soon we will be doing some exercises in real estate. For Corporate Law, the Electronic Accounting class came in, and we incorporated their accounting firms for them. First we interviewed them (which is usually the task of a lawyer, so we won't actually be doing that on the job). Then we prepared all the appropriate documents for incorporation, and then submitted them to the "Registry Office" (in this case, Lola, our teacher). When she has reviewed them all, she will issue Certificates of Incorporation, which we will give to our clients, along with a Statement of Account. That one was neat, because we could relate better to an "actual" case with real clients. I hope we have some interesting exercises in real estate too.
Work -
Alison is now working the same evening shifts as I am at Jack's. She decided to work there too the other day, and was hired without delay. Our boss, Pat, is training the two of us to close up in the evening, which includes making sure there are enough back-ups in the coolers, cleanup, and cashout. I'm still enjoying it. Never having had a job in the food industry, in any public service business, for that matter, it is very different to deal with customers this way. At first I had trouble mastering the till, as it is quite involved, and the plastic cover over the buttons makes it barely legible. After every shift, we split tips from the pool. I have been saving mine up, and I have over $30 already. Any suggestions on what to use it for?
Church -
I am going to St. Albert Canadian Reformed Church right now. Reverend Reuben Bredenhof is the pastor. I really appreciate his preaching, which is always very logical and easy to follow. The young adults group there has made us feel very welcome, inviting us everywhere for visits, Bible study and other events. The discussions we have at Bible study are unlike any I've ever known - serious but fun, and often very in-depth. We have made many new friends there, who I'm sure will be friends for a long time.
Our lecture this morning finished early, so I have a bit before Alison comes to pick me up for lunch. So here goes - update.
First of all -
I am really excited about Steve and Alison's engagement. I guess it's amazing that he found someone that all nine of the women in his family could get along with, let alone love. It's wonderful to think that my only brother and my good friend will be starting their own family soon. God bless the two of you in your future plans, Steve and Alison!
School -
We just finished the segment on Corporate Law, and started the next segment on Real Estate. Most of it so far is procedures and terms, but soon we will be doing some exercises in real estate. For Corporate Law, the Electronic Accounting class came in, and we incorporated their accounting firms for them. First we interviewed them (which is usually the task of a lawyer, so we won't actually be doing that on the job). Then we prepared all the appropriate documents for incorporation, and then submitted them to the "Registry Office" (in this case, Lola, our teacher). When she has reviewed them all, she will issue Certificates of Incorporation, which we will give to our clients, along with a Statement of Account. That one was neat, because we could relate better to an "actual" case with real clients. I hope we have some interesting exercises in real estate too.
Work -
Alison is now working the same evening shifts as I am at Jack's. She decided to work there too the other day, and was hired without delay. Our boss, Pat, is training the two of us to close up in the evening, which includes making sure there are enough back-ups in the coolers, cleanup, and cashout. I'm still enjoying it. Never having had a job in the food industry, in any public service business, for that matter, it is very different to deal with customers this way. At first I had trouble mastering the till, as it is quite involved, and the plastic cover over the buttons makes it barely legible. After every shift, we split tips from the pool. I have been saving mine up, and I have over $30 already. Any suggestions on what to use it for?
Church -
I am going to St. Albert Canadian Reformed Church right now. Reverend Reuben Bredenhof is the pastor. I really appreciate his preaching, which is always very logical and easy to follow. The young adults group there has made us feel very welcome, inviting us everywhere for visits, Bible study and other events. The discussions we have at Bible study are unlike any I've ever known - serious but fun, and often very in-depth. We have made many new friends there, who I'm sure will be friends for a long time.
26 April 2005
umhum
Laura Hofstede's Aliases |
Your movie star name: Miss Vickie's Lime & Black Pepper Chips Ceus |
Your fashion designer name is Laura Venice |
Your socialite name is Shrimp Paris |
Your fly girl / guy name is L Hof |
Your detective name is Cat |
Your barfly name is Gobstoppers Red Wine |
Your soap opera name is Dufferin Street |
Your rock star name is Licorice Allsorts My Brain |
Your star wars name is Laumax Hofvig |
Your punk rock band name is The Procrastinating Steve's Truck |
24 April 2005
12 April 2005
long long ago
wow, i just realized I haven't posted in a good while. this will attempt to update you all.
Yesterday we had midterms for Legal Environment, Office Procedures, and I forget the other chapter. Anyway, I think I did ok. Now that pressure's off a bit, I can concentrate on getting my exercises done. I'm really enjoying it - even all the legalese is fun. Today we started the next segment, on accounting in the law office. Some of it's confusing, but as Lola says, numbers don't lie, so that part is fairly straight forward.
I worked tonight again, as well as last night and all day Saturday. Today being Tuesday, we didn't have a moment to sit down. Tuesdays is our special - $2.50 rice bowls. Today was frantic. Up till 4:00, they sold over 180 rice bowls, and this evening, from 4:00 on, we did over 100. But I enjoyed it, except for the customers who came in just before closing. Some people seem to enjoy coming late and ordering lots of food. Well, we did survive, which I suppose is a plus.
I had a nice surprise when I got home - Alison tells me some of our new friends called, and they're coming to spend the evening with us tomorrow. I'm looking forward to that.
This is so not chronoligcal (sp?). (Deal with it :-) )
Emily and Julie came to visit this past weekend. After work on Saturday, we went to Stony Plain to a couple of stores. That one thrift store was something else. I suppose I'm glad that we got there only about 15 minutes before they closed. :-)
On Sunday we went to St. Albert for church, and then VanRaaltes invited us over for lunch. After the afternoon service, Alyson Bosch invited us to her birthday party that evening. That was an absolute blast. Some of us played a few rounds of Dutch Blitz, and then Fiona and I played Citadels with Mike and Tricia and Henry and Fiona and some others (my memory for names is strained). It was a great evening.
I really should get to bed. Tomorrow looks like a full day already. So good night (to the owls anyway; or good morning)!
Yesterday we had midterms for Legal Environment, Office Procedures, and I forget the other chapter. Anyway, I think I did ok. Now that pressure's off a bit, I can concentrate on getting my exercises done. I'm really enjoying it - even all the legalese is fun. Today we started the next segment, on accounting in the law office. Some of it's confusing, but as Lola says, numbers don't lie, so that part is fairly straight forward.
I worked tonight again, as well as last night and all day Saturday. Today being Tuesday, we didn't have a moment to sit down. Tuesdays is our special - $2.50 rice bowls. Today was frantic. Up till 4:00, they sold over 180 rice bowls, and this evening, from 4:00 on, we did over 100. But I enjoyed it, except for the customers who came in just before closing. Some people seem to enjoy coming late and ordering lots of food. Well, we did survive, which I suppose is a plus.
I had a nice surprise when I got home - Alison tells me some of our new friends called, and they're coming to spend the evening with us tomorrow. I'm looking forward to that.
This is so not chronoligcal (sp?). (Deal with it :-) )
Emily and Julie came to visit this past weekend. After work on Saturday, we went to Stony Plain to a couple of stores. That one thrift store was something else. I suppose I'm glad that we got there only about 15 minutes before they closed. :-)
On Sunday we went to St. Albert for church, and then VanRaaltes invited us over for lunch. After the afternoon service, Alyson Bosch invited us to her birthday party that evening. That was an absolute blast. Some of us played a few rounds of Dutch Blitz, and then Fiona and I played Citadels with Mike and Tricia and Henry and Fiona and some others (my memory for names is strained). It was a great evening.
I really should get to bed. Tomorrow looks like a full day already. So good night (to the owls anyway; or good morning)!
31 March 2005
Cankles / BeBeep the Road Runner(s)
My foot is much better. I haven't used crutches for two days now. On Tuesday when I went back to school, they were all teasing me about the silly things. I put my foot up on my desk during my break to keep it elevated so the swelling would go down. One girl said, "You have cankles!" when she saw my ankle. Naturally, we all wanted to know what that was, so she explained. When she was expecting her daughter, she retained an awful lot of water. Her ankles became so swollen that they were almost as thick as her calves - hence "cankles" (ca(lf)ankles).
We moved to another classroom, as our classes have split after the first 5-week segment. Just 16 weeks left till graduation, and so much we still have to learn! Our new classroom is really nice and roomy. We have big desks, with enough room for our computers, transcription machines, books, and working room. There are only seven women in the legal secretary program, so we almost rattle around in our "office." Our teacher, Lola, wants us to get a feel for what working in an office will be like, so we treat our classmates as colleagues and Lola as our boss. On the door is a sign with the name of our firm, Hill, Conners & Carleton. We will be taught how to do standard office work, such as filing and answering the phone, as well as a host of other things that I am afraid I can't remember off the top of my head. It's a little overwhelming at the moment, but I'm sure we'll all catch on. This afternoon we started with our transcription machines, typing sample letters. I'm not very fast - have to practice the typing a bit more.
Last night Alison and I went to a Road Runners game in Edmonton at Rexall Place. A client at Alison's shop couldn't go, but has season tickets, so he gave them to her. For the unenlightened, the Road Runners are a hockey team in the Alberta Hockey League. Because the NHL hasn't played this season, AHL hockey has become much more important in a way, sort of the replacement, but less money-centered. It was the first professional game I have ever seen, so I was really excited. Rexall Place is a huge stadium, and last night it was full of thousands of people making lots of noise. The game was fascinating to watch, as I've really only ever seen the kids of our church play before, and heard the play-by-plays on the radio. The Road Runners were playing the Chicago Wolves, and they beat them 4-1. Altogether, it was a very fun and satisfying evening.
We moved to another classroom, as our classes have split after the first 5-week segment. Just 16 weeks left till graduation, and so much we still have to learn! Our new classroom is really nice and roomy. We have big desks, with enough room for our computers, transcription machines, books, and working room. There are only seven women in the legal secretary program, so we almost rattle around in our "office." Our teacher, Lola, wants us to get a feel for what working in an office will be like, so we treat our classmates as colleagues and Lola as our boss. On the door is a sign with the name of our firm, Hill, Conners & Carleton. We will be taught how to do standard office work, such as filing and answering the phone, as well as a host of other things that I am afraid I can't remember off the top of my head. It's a little overwhelming at the moment, but I'm sure we'll all catch on. This afternoon we started with our transcription machines, typing sample letters. I'm not very fast - have to practice the typing a bit more.
Last night Alison and I went to a Road Runners game in Edmonton at Rexall Place. A client at Alison's shop couldn't go, but has season tickets, so he gave them to her. For the unenlightened, the Road Runners are a hockey team in the Alberta Hockey League. Because the NHL hasn't played this season, AHL hockey has become much more important in a way, sort of the replacement, but less money-centered. It was the first professional game I have ever seen, so I was really excited. Rexall Place is a huge stadium, and last night it was full of thousands of people making lots of noise. The game was fascinating to watch, as I've really only ever seen the kids of our church play before, and heard the play-by-plays on the radio. The Road Runners were playing the Chicago Wolves, and they beat them 4-1. Altogether, it was a very fun and satisfying evening.
27 March 2005
Blessed Easter, everyone!
“Christ the Lord is risen today,”
Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say;
Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high;
Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens and earth reply.
Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King;
Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting?
Alleluia!
Once He died, our souls to save;
Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave?
Alleluia!
Love’s redeeming work is done;
Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won;
Alleluia!
Death I vain forbids Him rise;
Alleluia!
Christ has opened Paradise.
Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ has led,
Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head;
Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise;
Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies.
Alleluia!
This is my favourite Easter song. The last verse especially always stays in my head, with the triumphant ending, “Made like Him, like Him we rise; Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies. Alleluia!” The harmony is very beautiful as well, especially now that I’ve mastered the alto. There are a good number of people who sing harmony in our church, which always kind of finishes the song nicely. We sang this one this morning.
I’m home for the weekend. I have Monday off too, so I will go back in the afternoon.
I had a clumsy moment yesterday. I opened the door of my car to get in, but slipped on the ice. About to slide under the car, I grabbed wildly at the roof and managed to stay upright. However, in the process, I whacked my right ankle really hard on the doorframe. I sat for a couple of minutes until it didn’t hurt so bad, and then went to work. It really only started to bother me when I was driving home after work. Because you have to use both feet driving a standard, I couldn’t really rest my right foot. Yesterday evening my ankle was really swollen, and pressure bandages and ice didn’t help, as it’s more of a bruise than a sprain. Today everyone at church asked why I was hobbling around (especially because I can’t fit into my Sunday shoes, so I had to wear my wooden and leather clogs). Hope it subsides a little before I have to drive back tomorrow.
Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say;
Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high;
Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens and earth reply.
Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King;
Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting?
Alleluia!
Once He died, our souls to save;
Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave?
Alleluia!
Love’s redeeming work is done;
Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won;
Alleluia!
Death I vain forbids Him rise;
Alleluia!
Christ has opened Paradise.
Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ has led,
Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head;
Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise;
Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies.
Alleluia!
This is my favourite Easter song. The last verse especially always stays in my head, with the triumphant ending, “Made like Him, like Him we rise; Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies. Alleluia!” The harmony is very beautiful as well, especially now that I’ve mastered the alto. There are a good number of people who sing harmony in our church, which always kind of finishes the song nicely. We sang this one this morning.
I’m home for the weekend. I have Monday off too, so I will go back in the afternoon.
I had a clumsy moment yesterday. I opened the door of my car to get in, but slipped on the ice. About to slide under the car, I grabbed wildly at the roof and managed to stay upright. However, in the process, I whacked my right ankle really hard on the doorframe. I sat for a couple of minutes until it didn’t hurt so bad, and then went to work. It really only started to bother me when I was driving home after work. Because you have to use both feet driving a standard, I couldn’t really rest my right foot. Yesterday evening my ankle was really swollen, and pressure bandages and ice didn’t help, as it’s more of a bruise than a sprain. Today everyone at church asked why I was hobbling around (especially because I can’t fit into my Sunday shoes, so I had to wear my wooden and leather clogs). Hope it subsides a little before I have to drive back tomorrow.
22 March 2005
So I did land a job. I applied at about 20 different places, and then as a sort of after-thought, I applied at a small restaurant near Alison's work. And wouldn't you guess, the first (and only, so far) response was that after-thought. It's called Bad [bleep] Jacks (henceforward to be referred to as Jacks, Subs & Wraps or just plain Jacks, because of its questionable/objectionable name :-O ). Alison and I go there every Tuesday for lunch for their special, $2.50 rice bowls. They're delicious. Anyway, they called me in for an interview last night, which was interesting. I had submitted a resume, and when I got there, the boss lady, Michelle, sat down with me and asked me some questions. She threw me a few zingers, such as "What drives you? Ambition, money, power, family?" and "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" and "What do you understand by integrity?" That last one threw me for a bit. How do you define integrity? It's more of an idea, an intangible value I've been aware of without actual definition my whole life. Anyway, she must have gotten a good impression, because she asked me to come in for a trial shift this evening, after school from 5:00 - 9:30. It was fun to be on the other side of the counter for once, though I'm sure the novelty will wear off eventually. It was busy for an evening, because it's Tuesday. People kept coming in until just before 9:00, when we closed. I mostly scrubbed frying pans because they were quite busy, but they did teach me how to make the rice bowls. Except for during the really busy part of Tuesday, they actually fry each portion of chicken or beef in an individual frying pan with vegetables and sauce (of which there are several choices). So there's a good many dishes to be done on the go. They told me to come back on Saturday, so I guess I'm on.
I just realized that was probably not as interesting to everyone else as it is to me, so I shall cease this strain.
School was great today. It was our teacher's 40th birthday and 1st year anniversary at the college today, so our class pooled our resources and made a cake and bought a gift. It was fun, and I think she enjoyed it too. I got both the last spelling test and the take-home English exam back today, and I am pleased with the marks. On Thursday we have an in-class English final and a computer exam. If the computer part is primarily practical, I'm sure I'll do good. Guess we'll see.
But I should really run along to bed -- my feet and back are quite tired (in a good way). So good night all.
I'm sorry I haven't written most of you regularly. I seem to have plenty to keep me busy :-)
I just realized that was probably not as interesting to everyone else as it is to me, so I shall cease this strain.
School was great today. It was our teacher's 40th birthday and 1st year anniversary at the college today, so our class pooled our resources and made a cake and bought a gift. It was fun, and I think she enjoyed it too. I got both the last spelling test and the take-home English exam back today, and I am pleased with the marks. On Thursday we have an in-class English final and a computer exam. If the computer part is primarily practical, I'm sure I'll do good. Guess we'll see.
But I should really run along to bed -- my feet and back are quite tired (in a good way). So good night all.
I'm sorry I haven't written most of you regularly. I seem to have plenty to keep me busy :-)
21 March 2005
random stuff...
I'm on my afternoon break right now. Today we are learning all about Internet Explorer and Outlook, so now we are allowed online. The school has high-speed ADSL (which I learned stands for Asymmetric Digital Sunscriber Line :-) ), and all the computers are networked to the main server, so we can go on whenever. So I figured I'd take advantage of this break.
Yesterday we went to church in St. Albert again, at the Canadian Reformed church. We also went to their Young Adults Biblestudy in the evening. They are very welcoming, and since most of them are college age, they are able to carry on a good discussion intelligently.
Alison was in Grande Prairie over the weekend, visiting Steve and the others. She took the Greyhound up and back, getting home pretty early this morning. We had lunch together today, the first I've seen her all weekend.
Today I finally finished my MS Word Level 1. The last assignment was to make an interactive table of contents for the financial document created in several of the exercises. It's really amazing what you can do with Word. I am planning to go on to the advanced Word levels also, but that won't count for my overall mark. They will issue a certificate when I am finished so I will be recognized as having completed Word.
We had our last Spelling test on Thursday, and I'm waiting impatiently to see what I got. This Thursday will be our English final and Computer final, and then start the actual Legal Secretary Program.
But this is the end of this post, because break is over.
Yesterday we went to church in St. Albert again, at the Canadian Reformed church. We also went to their Young Adults Biblestudy in the evening. They are very welcoming, and since most of them are college age, they are able to carry on a good discussion intelligently.
Alison was in Grande Prairie over the weekend, visiting Steve and the others. She took the Greyhound up and back, getting home pretty early this morning. We had lunch together today, the first I've seen her all weekend.
Today I finally finished my MS Word Level 1. The last assignment was to make an interactive table of contents for the financial document created in several of the exercises. It's really amazing what you can do with Word. I am planning to go on to the advanced Word levels also, but that won't count for my overall mark. They will issue a certificate when I am finished so I will be recognized as having completed Word.
We had our last Spelling test on Thursday, and I'm waiting impatiently to see what I got. This Thursday will be our English final and Computer final, and then start the actual Legal Secretary Program.
But this is the end of this post, because break is over.
15 March 2005
Yes, this is Canada ( . . . where else?)
Since I’m looking for a part time job, Alison and I went out the other day and papered Spruce Grove with resumes. That evening, after working out, we went to Tim Horton’s, and I decided to apply there too. They had an application form for me to fill out, so we sat there while I worked on it. I had to read one section, headed Activities, a few times before I could believe it. Here, I’ll write it out so you can enjoy it too.
"Activities - civic, athletic, etc. (Please
exclude reference to any organization which could indicate race, religion,
marital status, age, colour, gender, ancestry, political beliefs, sexual
orientation, place of origin, physical disability, mental disability, or
handicap.)"
I read it out loud to Alison, and then we read it again and counted. There are thirteen categories of unmentionable activities; there was only one activity I could only write down (which won't come to mind at the moment - it was so random) that was not in one of those categories. I mean, if I were to say that I enjoyed walking, biking, or skiing, that falls under the categories age (I'm not so old that I can't walk anymore), physical disability, and handicap (I'm able to walk). And if I mentioned that I volunteered last summer as official agent for our local CHP candidate, that would indicate my political beliefs, whereas if I said that I like to read, they could conclude that I am not severely mentally handicapped.
Why don't they just skip that whole section and hire every idiot off the streets, regardless of their . . . ? Then they wouldn't have to draw any conclusions, or make any judgments (which by the way, indicate they are not mentally handicapped either).
Good. Now that's out of my system.
04 March 2005
Wow!
I hadn't realized that that picture was quite so vibrant!
I'm on Alison's computer at her work, while she finishes for the day. I have to tell you all about the deals Alison and I hit in Walmart yesterday, but maybe we can do a combined post about that. I just have to tell you about today when I wore a new outfit to school. My teacher Lola is a self-proclaimed bargain hunter and second-hand shopper. This afternoon she called me up to the front of the classroom and told them, "This is the kind of outfit you can get for $7 if you have your eyes open." And she expanded on that theme at some length, aiming at the girls who come dressed in less-than proffessional looking ensembles. That was today's interesting moment.
I hadn't realized that that picture was quite so vibrant!
I'm on Alison's computer at her work, while she finishes for the day. I have to tell you all about the deals Alison and I hit in Walmart yesterday, but maybe we can do a combined post about that. I just have to tell you about today when I wore a new outfit to school. My teacher Lola is a self-proclaimed bargain hunter and second-hand shopper. This afternoon she called me up to the front of the classroom and told them, "This is the kind of outfit you can get for $7 if you have your eyes open." And she expanded on that theme at some length, aiming at the girls who come dressed in less-than proffessional looking ensembles. That was today's interesting moment.
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