Credo

I believe we were created.  The more I see on this planet, the more I see evidence of an intelligent design.  Working with plants, I am constantly and consistently amazed by the diversity, the grace, and the beauty of the natural world.

I believe we were created to live on this Earth.  I can't stand the mindset of 'we are on earth for a time; our citizenship is truly in heaven' for one more second.  We were created to live.  I love living.  The act of living, and truly being engaged in life is the most fantastic feeling.  Life is beautiful; Carpe Diem.

I believe that love trumps everything.  There is nothing else in life that we should seek before it.  Love is fascinating, terrifying, weakening, strengthening, beautiful and terrible all at the same time.  We were made to love, in any and every form imaginable.

I believe in the simple act of believing.  I think that no human can live out a satisfying existence without discerning that in which they place their faith.  It may be a simple belief that man is inherently good, or a more complicated manifesto of political and religious beliefs.  Be that as it may, man needs to believe.

I believe that death is what gives value to life.  If life were unthreatenable and never-ending, we would have no reason to seize it and live in it actively.

Finally, I believe in God.  But not in the God that you are thinking.  I believe that there exists Something or Someone out there who has created us.  But I can certainly no longer call myself a Christian, and I am certainly not going to attend any more hypocritical, corrupt, money-grabbing churches or schools.  I am not going to let some governing 'authority' tell me what is wrong and right, when they have historically condoned slavery and condemned women.  And I am no longer going to attempt to fit in to a community of lies and hatred.

 I understand all of this is quite blunt and potentially shocking, but I felt the need to get it out there.  I don't want a to maintain the facade I had been maintaining before.  I live unapologetically, and I want you to all know at least the gist of who I am and what I believe.  I don't want to start internet wars here, so I may not approve many comments on this post,  If you simply need to engage me in a debate, email me.

All I Want For Christmas is Vous

For the past three days, it has been snowing in Paris.  Presumably, if you are reading my blog, you know me well enough to know that I detest the snow.   I absolutely abhor the cold.  I generally hibernate during the winter season.  But for some strange reason, this year, there is a warm glow in my heart when I think about Christmas...

For the last few years, my Christmases have been less than joyful.  The birth of my Saviour is overrun with lights and commercialism, and it breaks my heart.  For the past few years have also found myself in a season of loneliness.  Add the cold on top of that, and you nearly always get one miserable girl.

So what makes this year different?

My friends -- the best friends anyone could have ever hoped for -- have decided that they want me to be with them for Christmas.  And they have gone far beyond simply stating that desire.  They have actually decided to go in together and get me home.  That's right: that ridiculously overpriced holiday ticket from Paris to Toronto?  That is my present this year. 

And that is why I was overjoyed to see snow in Paris this week.  And that is why I am watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas right now.  And that is why I  have had an unshakable smile for the last week!

I Need You So Much Closer.

True friends...
-Leave their bed to stay out all night and think with you
-Drive all night long with you to see your friend
-Hold your hand when it's cold
-Watch the moon with you
-Are honest, no matter what the truth is
-Stop keeping track of who owes who
-Can take correction when they're wrong
-Can correct you when you're wrong

Deep thoughts.

It's sad how true this is.

I once sat on a couch with my three best friends, watching a fan go back and forth. It wasn't because we had nothing to say, it was because the fan was more important to us, and at that moment far more interesting than anything we could say.



Side note: they are still my best friends and the distance between us all is pretty hard. I have no doubt, though, that when we get together over Christmas, we will still sit in our comfortable silence.

The Weekend Waltz.

Weekends are always nice. Weekends with with Dan Kikkert and Austin Miedema are tons of fun!

We went to Coffee Culture, where we drank coffee and discussed life.
We went to a concert where Dan played (and played very well!)
We went to a playground and played grounder.
We went to a free BBQ where a certain vegetarian was unhappy.
We went to a convenience store to buy a lot of energy drinks.
We went to the Gateway and played hide-and-seek.
We went to the beach and fought each other after spinning.
We went to the park and discussed life, death, disease and poverty.

I feel as though these boys are like brothers. They remind me of my old band, my old football team, and even my old tenor section. It's nice to be able to be yourself among a group of guys who see you as one of them and not some sex object. Such a blessing.

I'm sitting here now, missing Redeemer very much and getting very excited for the fall. Also, and I am sitting here, I am noticing that my laughing muscles are once again quite sore. :)

Orange Juice Blues.

Three words: BASEMENT BOB DYLAN.




(Joel rocks my socks).

My Alcoholic Friends.

(A song by the Dresden Dolls. Awesome lyrics.)

Parties are fun. Two in a row; twice the fun.
Here is a random party tip from Grimsby.

Kraft Dinner is really good when shared between ten best friends.

You've Made Me So Very Happy

This is a very good day.
Very good.

1) My laptop came home
2) The weather is beautiful
3) I got to see the house for the summer
4) I fell in love with the house
5) I am an alto in choir
6) Next year is going to be amazing
7) I am learning all about real friendships
8) I realized I have a lot of them
9) I may have a job this summer -- outside!
10) I'm aceing exams left and right


RAD-FREAKING-TASTIC!

I Shall Be Free

(That's a Bob Dylan song -- definitely worth listening to).

The summary of my awesome Easter:
1) Relaxing with my dormie Abby after everyone else had left. This includes listening to hippie music and unplugging everything in the house to save the environment.
2) Downloading a bit of tunage at Coffee Culture and running into a few old friends there.
3) Realizing Grimsby hasn't changed at ALL.
4) Having a staff reunion party with my lovely lady friends from Grimsby Public Library.
5) Going out with my step-dad's side of the family. Singing with my mom, sister and great-aunt too loudly. Getting our waiter, Ron, involved.
6) Hanging out with some old friends I haven't seen in too long. Watching a terrible movie. Eating an entire ice-cream cake.
7) Scaring myself by being alone in an empty dorm. Watching sweet movies.
8) Talking with Ashley on the phone for too long in the morning.
9) Biking to Hamilton and buying new cymbals with Jen.

I hope everyone else had an awesome Easter!

Make Me Smile

(A song by Chicago). Today, a study on what made me smile today:

Travelling, Memories
Old friends, New friends
Hippie dancing, Hardcore dancing
The 60s, 80s, 90s
Recycling, Compost
Musicals
Painting, Abstracts
David Suzuki
Coffee
Braids, Dread locks
Parties, Concerts
Mismatched socks
Dreams
Prayer
Piercings, Tattoos
Black shirts, Super-bright shirts
Coca cola
Anarchy
Caramel
Jeans with holes
Bikes
Summer, Spring
Pillows, Pillow fights
Office chairs that spin, Office chair races
Shopping carts, Shopping-cart jousting
Coloured lights
Grilled cheese
Guitar, Piano, Drums, Bass
Ethnic jokes, Ethnic diversity
Environmental Science Lab
Crocheted things
Scarves, Sandals
Lemon juice
Jello
Old people, Young people
Puns
Pennies
Sales
Computers
Boxers
Cats
Plaid, Polka-dots, Stripes
Soul patches
BBQs
Eyeliner
Sunglasses
Thunderstorms
Porches, Balconies
Flowers, Weeds
Clean dishes
Red hair
Records, CDs, Tapes
Choir
Music
Peace signs
Jesus

That's all that I smiled about from this morning until now.

Spring Makes My Fever Right.

(An Elvis Presley lyric).

Happy Spring everybody.

Winter has always been tough for me; I feel trapped, cold and almost always 'under the weather' for the whole season. But when I woke up this morning and heard dripping water that wasn't rain or wet snow...

I couldn't be happier than I was when I sat out on my porch today and listened to Ben Lee.

Happy Spring. Happy happy Spring.
God Bless!