A balmy -2

Hi Everyone!

The weather changed last night and it's -2 this morning. I've been sick for the since Monday night but I'm feeling better and I'm back to work. Stupid tummy, soup and crackers.

Anyways, got my final paper handed in last night after waiting 50 minutes for a bus that runs every 15. This is getting very fustrating as my waiting was done before the weather change and by the time the bus came, my toes were getting numb (wearing winter boots) and even after a bath when I got back, I still wasn't warm. The warm weather should get things back to normal. There were people with stalled vehicles in their driveway that had to wait 3 days for a boost as the towtrucks/mechanics worked overtime and good luck getting a taxi.

Have a great day!

-42 Wind Chill

Hi Everyone!

It's -27 (stayed pretty steady all day) tonight and I've decided not to go to my meeting. Between the weather, my ride cancelling due to health reasons and my paper not being done yet, I think I've made the right choice. Although it was going to be an interesting meeting, I don't think I actually need to be there. I'm no longer on the executive and at this point my contribution to The Townships Project is the unapproved (or not yet approved) newsletter.

This morning, Sylvia and I met at the C-train station (as per usual) but no train arrived (unusual). The first announcement said there was a 15-20 minute delay to to weather, a medical emergency and an accident. When it was repeated, it was medical emergencies and a couple accidents. About 5 minutes later, it was announced again but we were then told to find alternative transportation methods. We ended up calling Chris to pick us up. By the time he arrived, the train also came. Never did get fully warmed up until now.

The weather isn't forecasted to break until next week.

Did some Christmas baking on the weekend and put up my wreath. Lisa and I will decorate this week and I don't know if I can wait until the weekend for the tree. I pulled out my prettily wrapped present last night but a stupid little fluffy bunny started eating the corners. I'm not impressed.

Anyways, I need to focus on my paper tonight so I'll write again in a couple days. Have a great day!

A crunchy snow day

Hi Everyone!

It's -16C (-25 with the windchill) this morning. The walk from the C-train station to work was teeth chilling.

I've gotten through most of the week but my calender keeps filling up. Although I love the social aspect of this time of year, there are times (especially with this long-term cold snap. It's predicted this'll last for a couple weeks!) that I'd rather just stay inside with some hot chocolate and cuddle with the furry family.

My schedule for the next week:

Tonight-decorate Christmas tree at church
Saturday-American Thanksgiving (yum!)
Sunday-church
Monday-Townships meeting
Tuesday-school Christmas dinner/hand in final paper(exam) for class
Wednesday-no class!
Thursday-choir
Friday-skipping out on the church Christmas dinner (too expensive and I'll need the break)
Saturday-first aid course (1 of 2)

I'm writing this out mostly for me-I can't always find my calender so I can quickly check any computer and see what the day holds.

On Monday, I went to Phil's (my boss) house for the work wine evening. Indulged quite a bit and was hung over the next day. I should know better but this was good quality wine and the hors d'oeuvres were paired with them.

Tuesday was the fancy work dinner at Capo. This restaurant was ranked #2 new restaurant in Canada by Enroute (the posh Air Canada magazine). Amazing meal - extremely expensive (glad I wasn't footing the bill). Was very good and only had a couple drinks. Each course was paired with wine but I don't even think I had an entire glass (except for the drink at the beginning). I needed to finish up my homework later that night. To give you an idea of this place, check out their website www.caporestaurant.ca. They have a separate water menu ($7.50/bottle). I urge everyone to look at it for the descriptions.

Meal:

drink-Aperitivo Rose (white wine, strawberry purree, orange twist)

1st course-(bottom to top) thin shortbread wafer, carmelized onion (which I actually ate-at least a little bit-very sweet) and mushroom (nice try), cheese, green leafy stuff (looked a bit like dandelion-very bitter). On the side of the plate was a tiny egg (robin sized) cut in half with a cherry tomato cut in half and they were piece together.

2nd course-pasta in a butter sauce covered in a veal tomato sauce (amazing)

3rd course-steak, 3 baby potatoes and mashed rutabega (I know my spellings wrong but so was it). The steak was amazing.

4th course-bread pudding flavoured with chocolate and ice-cream on top. I didn't mind the outside but the inside was a bit odd. The outside reminded me of a brownie but as you got closer to the centre, it wasn't as nice.

Wednesday was the final in-class night for my first course. I wasn't able to complete all of my homework but I did finish the paper worth 20% of my final mark (vs 6% for homework. I did get about half done and handed it in). We had a potluck dinner and I brought chicken satay and chocolate dipped fruit.

Thursday was choir practise. We're doing Jesu, Joy... and a Mozart piece on Sunday. I enjoy the Mozart piece (Bach still doesn't do anything for me).

I've got a pile of things to do this weekend. I need to finish a couple cross stitch pieces, do my final paper, laundry and start Christmas baking. Sometime next week, I'll likely start decorating but I'll wait on the tree until next weekend.

Have a great day!

The Forbes Fiction 15

Hi Everyone!

I thought this was rather funny. Here's a link it the entire article.

http://ca.pfinance.yahoo.com/ca_finance_general/91/the-forbes-fictional-15

1. Daddy Warbucks
2. Montgomery Burns
3. Scrooge McDuck
4. Richie Rich
5. Jed Clampett
6. Mr. Monopoly
7. Bruce Wayne
8. Anthony Stark
9. Prince Abakaliki of Nigeria
10. Thurston Howell III
11. Willy Wonka
12. Lucuis Malfoy
13. Tony Montana
14. Lara Croft
15. Mario

Have a great day!

Help to choose the new 7 wonders of the world

Hi Everyone!

Thought this was an interesting website:

www.new7wonders.com

Have a great day!

Friday!

Hi Everyone!

I suspect it's going to be a slow day.

I hope this will be a productive weekend - I've got a lot of stuff I need to do.

Friday - put away dishes (they air dry), wash dishes (too lazy over past couple days), sweep outside steps, clean out Whiskers' cage, clean bathroom, tidy livingroom

Saturday - laundry, school reading, make hamburger soup, pay bills, start essay & homework, write letters to Jeysel & Yahya (my sponsor kids), look at psychology course, work on choir music

Sunday - Harvest lunch at church, finish essay, complete blanket (which I'll also be working on over the weekend), clean out Gilbert's cage, complete homework

It'll be interesting to see how much of this list actually gets accomplished.

Next week will be busy. I have something going on almost every day.

Sunday - harvest lunch
Monday - get together at Phil's (my boss) house.
Tuesday - office Christmas dinner
Wednesday - final class for my course, potluck supper
Thursday - choir
Friday - free!!!!!!
Saturday - American Thanksgiving at Leslie's

My weeks generally aren't this full so it's important to get all my schoolwork done on the weekend. I am looking forward to everything though so at least my week isn't filled with things I'm dreading. I'll do my best to keep you up to date.

The furry family's doing well. Mike's been meowing at the door and sitting on the mat as if he thinks that if he does this for long enough, the door will magically open and he can stroll out to enjoy the outdoors. Whiskers has been strangely well behaved. One of my black moors passed away this week. I think he was already ill as he wasn't looking good for over a week. The other guys seem o'kay. Gilbert is loving my new salad cravings as he get to have a bit of romaine lettuce when I make a salad. Iceberg lettuce is too nutrient-deficient for him but he likes romaine.

Last night I gave a letter and form to our church board chair to show my interest in becoming an "inquirer". In the United Church, if you are interested in a vocation, you go through a process called "discernment". Basically, you meet with a committee for a period of a year or more and work through if and where you would be best suited. Since I'm still a little unsure, but think at this point it may be as a staff associate, I think this process will be very useful.

Next Wednesday is my final class for my first course. I must hand in my final essay by the following Wednesday. We're having a potluck meal at the beginning. It's amazing how quickly the time went.

Have a great day!

Getting ready for class tonight

Hi Everyone!

Work's winding down for the day and I'll be heading home in a few minutes. Finished my homework over lunchhour (I tend to gather my written thoughts better under pressure). Made my Hazelnut cake last night. It has an odd texture but I removed them from the pans this morning and the crumbs tasted fine. It's strange that there was no flour in the recipe. Anyways, have everything ready to go at home to make the mocha whipped icing. I should even be able to fit in my journal writing (I tend to do it last minute so I have all of my thoughts for the week) and a light supper.

Yesterday I had an interesting conversation about fuzzy socks. I'm talking about the warm fluffy socks for women that feel like the're from a chenille sweater and they feel as if they're giving your feet happy little hugs. They don't make these type of socks for men! I tried explaining my pleasure to the guys at work and they gave me blank looks. So, after work, I headed down to The Bay. I think this would be a great product for men (after all, why should they have to suffer with icky harsh cotton socks). If anyone knows where fuzzy socks exist for men, let me know so I can get a couple Christmas presents for work!

After my fruitless search, I headed down to the make-up counter. I had bought some eye shadow last week and was quite happy with it. The name of the manufacturer is Shiseido and they're Japanese. Anyways, I was looking for something less neutral and the girl did an amazing job. She repeatedly showed my how to apply the look and how to incorporate the colours I already had. As part of the eye makeover, she also curled my eyelashes. I've never had that done before. It didn't hurt and there was a noticeable difference. The only problem I had was when she was touching up the mascara and the wand made a downward pressure on the lash. That surprisingly hurt. So far I've had amazing service from them. The eyeshadow glides on very nice, it doesn't feel heavy and blends nicely. Highly recommended.

Have a great day!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Hi Everyone!

When I came into work this morning, Christmas greeted me! Lori's mom decorated over the weekend.

Didn't work on Monday. Remembrance Day is a holiday here so although we weren't too sure what to do because it fell on a weekend, Chris made an "executive decision" and gave us the day off. Slept a lot (and missed church).

I've been craving caesar salad all weekend. Have no idea why. Have even been using the dressing (although it's drizzled on, not drenching it). It's a caesar romano dressing and I'm wondering if it's the vinegar taste in it.

The furry family is well. I found the laser pointer so Mike's been thoroughly entertained.

I've been having troubles concentrating on my homework. I think it's more the content rather than boredom. It seems that a lot of this week's work involves looking at my first week's work and making changes to it. I've brought it to work today so hopefully I can answer a couple questions during lunchtime and I'll finish the rest tonight. I've bowed out of a Townships Meeting to focus. I'm also trying a new recipe tonight - chocolate hazelnut layer cake. I'm bringing the snack for class tomorrow and although I've never made this recipe before, it looks straightforward. I'll let you know how it goes.

My schedule's starting to get busy again. Although this week isn't bad, next week is the start of Christmas parties. Sunday is the Harvest Lunch (I need to make hamburger soup - yum), Tuesday is Christmas dinner for work, Saturday is American Thanksgiving at Leslie's (a friend from church).

Have a great day!

Why I love being a member of the Unitd Church...

Ad campaign aims to fill the pews
Provocative United Church ad features bobble-head Jesus

PAUL WALDIE
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail, Posted at 4:41 am EST on 07/11/06

The United Church of Canada is launching the largest advertising campaign ever by a Canadian church in an attempt to spark debate about religious issues and encourage people to come back to the pews.

The series of advertisements poke fun at some traditions and tackle controversial topics such as sex and gay marriage.

One includes statues of two grooms on a wedding cake and asks, "Does anyone object?" Another features a can of whipped cream with the question, "How much fun can sex be before it's a sin?" Still another depicts a bobble-head Jesus on a car dashboard and asks, "Funny. Ticket to hell. What do you think?"

The $10.5-million project, to be officially unveiled today in Toronto, includes advertisements in magazines, community newspapers and on the Internet. It will also include the creation of a website called WonderCafe.ca which will feature discussion forums on a variety of social issues. The church also plans to hold seminars to teach its 3,500 congregations how to be more welcoming to newcomers.

The United Church of Canada is launching a $10.5-million promotional campaign that includes ads in magazines and the Internet, as well as a website.

"We are trying to increase the visibility and awareness of the United Church of Canada," said Reverend Keith Howard, who is heading the three-year project, called Emerging Spirit.
"We have become aware that particularly for people in the 30- to 45-age group, many of them do not even know that the United Church exists, much less what we stand for."

Membership in the church has been declining steadily in recent years and stands at about 573,000, still making it the largest Protestant denomination in the country.

According to Statistics Canada, while more than 80 per cent of Canadians say they believe in God, less than 19 per cent attend a place of worship regularly.

Dr. Howard, who is based in Victoria, said the church spent more than a year to research why people, particularly those between the ages of 30 and 45, have been turned off by organized religion.

It found there's a perception among many that followers of established churches are judgmental, arrogant and unwilling to listen.

For example, in a poll conducted by Environics Research for the United Church, 64 per cent of respondents in that age group claimed some religious affiliation, but 73 per cent said that "organized religion tells you what you have to believe."

"The United Church of Canada must establish its own unique positioning, promote its own values and help people break damaging stereotypes of organized religion," researchers hired by the church concluded in a recent report.

The church said it hired Smith Roberts & Co., a Toronto-based ad agency, to create a campaign that would attract attention without appearing too slick, too packaged or too evangelical.
Some seminars for congregations have already started to explain the rationale for the campaign and to help church members improve "the welcoming etiquette of their congregation," the church added, which can include everything from proper signage to whether coffee should be allowed in the pews during sermons.

The overall objective of the campaign is not to convert people to Christianity, Dr. Howard said, but to speak to Canadians who already consider themselves Christians.
He added a major focus of Emerging Spirit is to encourage people to visit the WonderCafe website and talk about ethical and religious questions such as "Does God hate me because I am gay?"

The site makes little mention of the United Church and it will be managed by an outside agency with content coming from a variety of sources. While the website has no direct contact with the United Church, it does include a list of United churches across the country and a small Web page for each one.

"Down the road, we hope that people will somehow become aware that the United Church exists and that we have something of value," said Dr. Howard, who previously was acting executive secretary of the church's B.C. council.

The ad campaign received overwhelming approval at the church's general council meeting in August, but some members have grumbled about the cost, saying the money could be better spent elsewhere.

Dr. Howard said the church is aware of the concerns. "It was a tough decision for the church because we know we live in a world in need and the United Church has always had a strong commitment to justice and social issues," he said. "I think, though, in the end the church sees this as an investment in our being able to equip a church that will be able to continue and grow in that kind of work."

Other churches have had varying degrees of success with ad campaigns. Two years ago, U.S. television networks refused to air ads by the United Church of Christ that depicted bouncers standing in front of a church door deciding who could enter. The message read "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we." The networks objected, saying the ads highlighted the exclusion of gay couples and other minorities by other organizations.

The United Church's campaign will begin with a magazine ad aimed at the coming holiday season. The advertisement shows Jesus, instead of Santa Claus, in a shopping mall with a child on his lap. "Would you still take your kids? After all, isn't Christmas supposed to be about Him, not the guy in the red suit?"

A gray Monday

Hello Everyone!

It's gray out-foggy in places, but the snow is melting.

I went to Ikea last week and bought the last bit of shelving I needed for my room. It consists of 2 metal bars that you fasten to the wall and you hook your shelving into it (kinda like what you use on moveable shelving for bookcases but in a larger scale). I have a top wire shelf, a clothes rail under it and a smaller wooden shelf that sits slightly above my laundry basket. I now have everything set to keep my room organized. I'm rather pleased with how everything looks (and it was inexpensive-to get a similar unit at Home Depot was going to be 3x the price).

Didn't get a lot of homework done on the weekend so I'll be focusing on that tonight. Part of my homework is about spritual gifts. I did a test because I was struggling a bit and they told me I have a teaching gift. I actually knew this before but my mind was acting rather blank and it took a computer to remind me about it. If anyone is interested in taking the test, the website is www.churchgrowth.org.

I've been trying to eat healthier so this was the second weekend in a row that I had salad (in a bag). It was romaine lettuce though and I discovered that it has lots of vitamin A in it. I also had cod liver oil for the first time yesterday. It was peach flavoured and it is supose to have vitamin D in it. As Canadians, even with fortified milk, most of us still don't get enough so I'm seeing if this'll help.

I'm back to working 9-3. Hooray for salary!

Attended the Rememberance Day service yesterday. I didn't realize it before I was heading up to the choir room. I found it a bit difficult (especially when singing) but after it was finished, I was glad that I went. Clint (minister) also gave me a bunch of old reference books. Another minister (who has retired) was clearing out his library so although they're a bit old, there's some very interesting information in them. I think if you totaled the thickness of the four books, it'd be about 8"!

Anyways, I'm excited that Dr. Who is on tonight (they had some stupid special on last week). I'm limiting my tv viewing (I generally turn it on when I get home and turn it off at bedtime) so I'm dropping it down to 3h/night. I know it's still a lot but it'll be 1 hour of fluff, 1 hour of my daily show (Dr. Who-Monday, Gilmore Girls-Tuesday, Grey's Anatomy-Thursday, South Park-Friday, Jericho-Saturday or Sunday) and 1 hour of news. If this goes well, I may drop it down further to 2 hours. This is probably why I don't get a lot of things done. After all, studies have shown that there is more brain activity when sleeping than when watching tv.

A big "Hello!" to my new cousin Kyra. She is Tammy & Pete's new daughter. According to Aunt Linda, she's "cute as a button".

As part of my homework, I have to come up with some abilites/skills that I have. I'll post some of the stuff and if you'd be willing to comment on anything, it'd be very appreciated. I'll probably put any entries like that under "Homework" title.

Have a great day!