And so begins the second round of the blog-off! Our first word is SURVIVOR -- read my post below, please. I am really excited to be doing this; hopefully it will kick-start my creative noodle as well as raise money for a good cause. Check out Five Second Dance Party, Courtney's site, for more info. Kudos to her for doing a three-day walk to fight breast cancer!
You can also click the link on the right to fund mammograms.
Thanks for visiting!
Friday, July 6, 2007
Survivor
For some, it's a reality TV series. For others, it's a media-made hero who walked away from tragedy, or a friend who lived through a ravaging illness. But not everyone has FOX, watches the news, or has an inspiring story that begins in a hospital bed.
There is another kind of survivor: yourself.
You don't have to be Lance Armstrong to be a survivor. Just as your picture on the cover of TIME Magazine or a million dollars would alter the course of your life, so can the simple realisation that you are already a survivor. You've come this far, haven't you? Made tough choices, worked hard, maybe uprooted yourself or made a stand in a crowd.
Each day you inhabit the earth with purpose, you survive.
I know many people who belittle their victories. They're afraid to share what they've accomplished, certain they'll be seen as arrogant. While their high school friends are working, they're the ones at college, pretending to like it but feeling alone--yet they will themselves to go to class, focused on the goal. There is the young woman who fought her way out of an emotionally abusive relationship, and later opened herself up to the possibility of a new love.
Why should these types of victories be any less of a success than the "outwit-outplay-outlast" mentality of Survivor? The so-called reality show pits contestants againts each other in a short-term, all-out battle for money and notoriety. Theirs is a battle of strength and wit, but nothing at all like the daily battles we each face. The toughest opponent you will ever know is yourself. And when you fail, it is on your own terms, and you can't vote yourself off the island. You still have to pay your bills, even if it means there is nothing to eat but tuna and apple juice for a week. You still have to go to work, even if you have been demoted unfairly, until you find a new job. You still have to communicate with the outside world, because life doesn't stop while you get yourself together.
If you're a survivor, you will find a way to overcome the things that burden you. Not ignore them, but overcome them, no matter how insignificant they may seem alongside political disasters or grave illnesses. We all bear different burdens, strengthening our spirits in the process. Many of us are quietly surviving, with others unaware of the struggles we face daily. Perhaps we ourselves are unaware of this tenacity we bring to every day. Each of us has a purpose to discover, a quest that tests and fulfills us. Giving yourself over to that purpose, every day, is what makes you a survivor.
There is another kind of survivor: yourself.
You don't have to be Lance Armstrong to be a survivor. Just as your picture on the cover of TIME Magazine or a million dollars would alter the course of your life, so can the simple realisation that you are already a survivor. You've come this far, haven't you? Made tough choices, worked hard, maybe uprooted yourself or made a stand in a crowd.
Each day you inhabit the earth with purpose, you survive.
I know many people who belittle their victories. They're afraid to share what they've accomplished, certain they'll be seen as arrogant. While their high school friends are working, they're the ones at college, pretending to like it but feeling alone--yet they will themselves to go to class, focused on the goal. There is the young woman who fought her way out of an emotionally abusive relationship, and later opened herself up to the possibility of a new love.
Why should these types of victories be any less of a success than the "outwit-outplay-outlast" mentality of Survivor? The so-called reality show pits contestants againts each other in a short-term, all-out battle for money and notoriety. Theirs is a battle of strength and wit, but nothing at all like the daily battles we each face. The toughest opponent you will ever know is yourself. And when you fail, it is on your own terms, and you can't vote yourself off the island. You still have to pay your bills, even if it means there is nothing to eat but tuna and apple juice for a week. You still have to go to work, even if you have been demoted unfairly, until you find a new job. You still have to communicate with the outside world, because life doesn't stop while you get yourself together.
If you're a survivor, you will find a way to overcome the things that burden you. Not ignore them, but overcome them, no matter how insignificant they may seem alongside political disasters or grave illnesses. We all bear different burdens, strengthening our spirits in the process. Many of us are quietly surviving, with others unaware of the struggles we face daily. Perhaps we ourselves are unaware of this tenacity we bring to every day. Each of us has a purpose to discover, a quest that tests and fulfills us. Giving yourself over to that purpose, every day, is what makes you a survivor.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
6 weeks and counting...
Wow... we've been married six weeks already!
I have to say, when you get married you know it won't all be kisses and long walks on the beach. But you hope it is.
Jody and I have been very very busy, and still we feel there is too much to do, even for two of us. We have fallen terribly behind on thank-you notes. We have taken on too much -- fixing computers, trying to reorganize the entire house in one month, dump run, helping my parents move, attempting to sort out a budget before we buy anything big (ie; a bed).
Our strategy has changed to unpacking one box a night, no matter how tired we are. Some days we do better, so we are down to only 3 more boxes of my stuff that needs a home. My mom brought home the Ikea bookshelf we asked for from Vancouver, so I used my new screwdriver set to put that together in about half an hour on Sunday and it's mostly full already. I do love books... and candles. Jody was in shock on Sunday when I unpacked a box and a half of PartyLite. Hey, he has games complete with a racing wheel and flight stick... I figure I can have some tealights and pretty holders.
Just last night we ordered wedding photos. It was difficult; not only were there so many beautiful ones, Jody actually teared up looking at his "lovely bride" and I got a bit emotional thinking what a wonderful ceremony we had. Plus, we were a little stressed out two nights ago because we were feeling the pressure to order before the photos went offline, and what I wanted was a nice time together--instead I was cranky over how rushed we were. Last night was much better because we knew it would take three hours, so we planned for it. Our order is in, and should be here soon. Also, I took some in to Blacks, and they turned out nicely up to 8X10. I don't know that I would trust a close-up of faces in an 8x10, though, so that's what we ordered professionally printed from our photographer -- plus one 11X14 of the kiss behind the parliament buildings fountain, which seems to be a favourite of anyone who's seen the photo collection in its entirety. 587 photos. Good grief.
We are trying to make time for ourselves and our friends. We've had an ice cream date, walking around downtown with gelato in hand, pretending it's summer. We went out to Swans and Swing City for dancing, but not as often as we'd hoped. We had a nice dinner out with Mitch & Pam at 5th Street, and have made many meals together, some of them with wine or fancy dessert. We pored over the Boulevard cookbook we received in the mail from our dinner-out restaurant in San Francisco, deciding we will have hero status if we manage to make ANYTHING.
Michelle has joined us for dinner & the first two Pirates movies at home. We hope to make this some sort of a tradition. She and I saw The Painted Veil together when Jody was out and our friend Sarah was consumed with busyness from work. It was sad, but well-acted; we were, however, disappointed in the ending. And one of my roommates was in the kitchen banging around on a really pivotal, quiet scene. Grr.
We've set up my computer on the house server so I can play my music on the speakers attached to the TV, through some technological miracle of Jody's PS3 interacting with my computer. Don't ask me how. We also use that to watch episodes of Battlestar Galactica, and are nearing the end of Season 3 now.
I joined a book club and have just finished reading "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy, but no word yet on when we'll discuss it. Should be interesting, seeing my English friends outside of cram time. And I am thinking of participating in a blog-off to raise money for a girl going on a 3-day walk to fight breast cancer.
I have been trying to ride my bike more, but it's a bit scary. I went down a street with no bike lane to get downtown the other day-- it was busy and I got sworn at, then nearly cut off to the point where I had to pull over and give up and get on the sidewalk while someone backed into a parking space. So I can't say I'm too thrilled, despite my new lock and helmet and flashing light.
My folks are moving in less than a month now. They've bought a house, which my dad fully intends on restoring before they leave (reality: my mom does the work). So that's keeping the whole family busy. We are also making trips to Vancouver to see Unc, and our cousins are playing lots of field hockey. Never a dull moment.
Anyway... that's about what I've been up to the past month or so since the wedding. Just last night Mom called and asked if we could loan her a teapot until they move... And I said no, absolutely not. We have none to spare; we need all seven. At once. :)
I have to say, when you get married you know it won't all be kisses and long walks on the beach. But you hope it is.
Jody and I have been very very busy, and still we feel there is too much to do, even for two of us. We have fallen terribly behind on thank-you notes. We have taken on too much -- fixing computers, trying to reorganize the entire house in one month, dump run, helping my parents move, attempting to sort out a budget before we buy anything big (ie; a bed).
Our strategy has changed to unpacking one box a night, no matter how tired we are. Some days we do better, so we are down to only 3 more boxes of my stuff that needs a home. My mom brought home the Ikea bookshelf we asked for from Vancouver, so I used my new screwdriver set to put that together in about half an hour on Sunday and it's mostly full already. I do love books... and candles. Jody was in shock on Sunday when I unpacked a box and a half of PartyLite. Hey, he has games complete with a racing wheel and flight stick... I figure I can have some tealights and pretty holders.
Just last night we ordered wedding photos. It was difficult; not only were there so many beautiful ones, Jody actually teared up looking at his "lovely bride" and I got a bit emotional thinking what a wonderful ceremony we had. Plus, we were a little stressed out two nights ago because we were feeling the pressure to order before the photos went offline, and what I wanted was a nice time together--instead I was cranky over how rushed we were. Last night was much better because we knew it would take three hours, so we planned for it. Our order is in, and should be here soon. Also, I took some in to Blacks, and they turned out nicely up to 8X10. I don't know that I would trust a close-up of faces in an 8x10, though, so that's what we ordered professionally printed from our photographer -- plus one 11X14 of the kiss behind the parliament buildings fountain, which seems to be a favourite of anyone who's seen the photo collection in its entirety. 587 photos. Good grief.
We are trying to make time for ourselves and our friends. We've had an ice cream date, walking around downtown with gelato in hand, pretending it's summer. We went out to Swans and Swing City for dancing, but not as often as we'd hoped. We had a nice dinner out with Mitch & Pam at 5th Street, and have made many meals together, some of them with wine or fancy dessert. We pored over the Boulevard cookbook we received in the mail from our dinner-out restaurant in San Francisco, deciding we will have hero status if we manage to make ANYTHING.
Michelle has joined us for dinner & the first two Pirates movies at home. We hope to make this some sort of a tradition. She and I saw The Painted Veil together when Jody was out and our friend Sarah was consumed with busyness from work. It was sad, but well-acted; we were, however, disappointed in the ending. And one of my roommates was in the kitchen banging around on a really pivotal, quiet scene. Grr.
We've set up my computer on the house server so I can play my music on the speakers attached to the TV, through some technological miracle of Jody's PS3 interacting with my computer. Don't ask me how. We also use that to watch episodes of Battlestar Galactica, and are nearing the end of Season 3 now.
I joined a book club and have just finished reading "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy, but no word yet on when we'll discuss it. Should be interesting, seeing my English friends outside of cram time. And I am thinking of participating in a blog-off to raise money for a girl going on a 3-day walk to fight breast cancer.
I have been trying to ride my bike more, but it's a bit scary. I went down a street with no bike lane to get downtown the other day-- it was busy and I got sworn at, then nearly cut off to the point where I had to pull over and give up and get on the sidewalk while someone backed into a parking space. So I can't say I'm too thrilled, despite my new lock and helmet and flashing light.
My folks are moving in less than a month now. They've bought a house, which my dad fully intends on restoring before they leave (reality: my mom does the work). So that's keeping the whole family busy. We are also making trips to Vancouver to see Unc, and our cousins are playing lots of field hockey. Never a dull moment.
Anyway... that's about what I've been up to the past month or so since the wedding. Just last night Mom called and asked if we could loan her a teapot until they move... And I said no, absolutely not. We have none to spare; we need all seven. At once. :)
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Counting down!
The wedding is almost here!
The tally so far is:
8 more sleeps
85 RSVP's
1 bachelorette
1 shower
2 cakes
1 hair trial
54 bobbypins
5 haircuts
1 out of town guest (Nana)
35 favours done
45 programs printed
2 passports
2 excited fiance(e)s
I can't believe it's so soon! :)
The tally so far is:
8 more sleeps
85 RSVP's
1 bachelorette
1 shower
2 cakes
1 hair trial
54 bobbypins
5 haircuts
1 out of town guest (Nana)
35 favours done
45 programs printed
2 passports
2 excited fiance(e)s
I can't believe it's so soon! :)
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