A few days..

It may be a few days until I get another chance to post. I'm off to Redeemer tomorrow morning! Tonight, though, I get to go to Detroit to pick up the boyfriend. Busy few days. Happy Labour Day tomorrow!

Duct Tape

Duct Tape is my friend! It has proven its strengths through the years. After numerous boxes, cars, windows, quick-fixes, hockey sticks, wires, antennia, chairs, couches, pots, pans, etc, etc. Duct Tape has never let me down. But how much do we know about Duct Tape, other than the fact that it holds the universe together?

(All information taken from Wikipedia)
Duct tape was developed in 1942 during WWII as a water resistant sealing for ammo boxes. They also used it to repair military equipment such as cars, airplanes, tankers and of course, the general wear and tear of the everyday soldier. The name 'Duct Tape' came from its use on heating and air conditioning ducts a purpose for which, ironically, it was ineffective. After WWII, people started using Duct tape for everything and it quickly adopted the name 'the ultimate material' in the engineering circle. NASA used duct tape to repair a hole in 1970 on Apollo 13. Duct tape has worked its way into pop culture as well. It became the influence for the Red Green Show, and was used in many, creative ways by MacGyver and the A-Team. Tim Allen even used it in Home Improvement, with the saying 'if you can't fix it, 'duck' it!' Useless information for you, but one thing is for sure. "Duct tape is like the Force: It has a light side and a dark side and it holds the universe together."

In all that, I still like Duct Tape for the simple task of closing my boxes. I know my stuff isn't going to fall out come Monday, and that is a relief all its own.

'Keep your stick on the ice!' (Red Green)

The Beginning and the End.

"When God closes a door, He opens a window."

Perhaps not one of the most commonly aquired quotes from the Sound of Music, but this has a lot of truth to it. I've been dealing with the element of change these last couple of weeks. Change in the good, needed way. The kind of change that happens when you grow up.

My last shift at the BK Lounge was on Monday night, and couldn't have been better. I got to work with my favourite people, and say goodbye to some of my favourite customers. It was sad. Everytime I did something for the last time, I thought about it, and smiled and remembered all the great times I had at that job. I really lucked out with the BK. My bosses were fantastic (they gave me Sundays off for church) and really friendly. The hours were great. I enjoyed my managers and everyone that I worked with, and besides the fact that it IS Burger King, it gave me a chance to learn how to deal with a lot of different people. A lot of really dumb people....

On top of that, I am leaving for University on Monday morning. So packing things up has been...nostaligic. I have finally finished the shopping aspect, now its the packing part. I am horrible at packing. HORRIBLE! I show everything I pack tender loving care, and utmost devotion in the form of pondering over it for moments, reliving a great memory with that item. If it has something to read, I read it. A picture to look at? I study it. Everything requires careful contemplation before the pivitol decision to throw it in the trash or keep if for years to come. Sadly the trash pile is never as big as the keep pile. So packing now has become a particularily tedious task. I have to be ruthless with my stuff! I have to throw things away! I think the easiest thus far has been the closet match I had on Monday night. I looked and thought (and I strongly suggest this method for all you clothing addicts out there..) 'Have I worn you in the last 6 months?' If the answer was no, out it went. I have closet space for the first time in years, and I only have 4 more days to enjoy it! I expect all my writings and pictures and school notes will be harder to part with. I'm going to need an entire day (tomorrow perhaps?) to go through all that stuff.

It's a beginning and an end here. An end to all those things I loved so dearly, youth group, my job, my school, my newfound closet space. A beginning to the rest of my life. I'm going to university! I'm moving out, making my own way in this world, and taking as much as I can with me. I think God closed a window and openned a door. :)

Winding down at the BK

Last night was my last overnight at Burger King. The coffee didn't kick in until about 1am, at which point Paul's tunes started on the Blues Brothers. Considering I had this lovely caffiene high, and drive thru was temporarily quiet, dancing seemed appropriate. Paul Kovacs must be applauded for not laughing too hard at me. After all, I'm not a dancer. Hip Hop, Jazz, Ballroom, it's a foriegn language to me. So when I tell you that I'm jamming out to 'Soul Man' with moves relative to Carleton from the Fresh Prince of Bell Air, you understand that this was funny.

In my 2 years and 2 months employed at the lovely BK Lounge, I have never been one to act like a complete idiot. I often leave that for the self indulgiant flirty girls who seem to have to impress everyone. But, I figured, last overnight, who cares. So I was being a nut. Paul commented at one point in time 'I have never seen you like this before..' (which is true.)

To make a long story short, I was bringing some crutons up front from storage. You know, prepping for the next day, when my lovely soul man came on and I danced. My worn down shoes hit a nice soapy water patch on the floor and down I flew. I fell on my butt and just layed there, laughing. Greg, the manager working that night, and Paul both came running at me, yelling 'Britt! Are you okay?!' Like I had seriously injured myself. I couldn't do anything but sit there and laugh.

It`s 12 hours since that happened. My buttocks hurt. But that was one of the best moments I have ever had.

Blahism

Let's get one thing straight. I love GOD! I can recite the Apostle's creed and believe every word of it. I have a decent grasp on the catechisms, and I think I know where most of the Biblical books are. I know that Jesus teaches love, and faith, and trust, and sacrifice, and I believe that the rules are there to make our lives better, not to hinder our lives. I am Christian Reformed, firmly founded on 'blahism'.

One thing I have never been able to understand is the demonination, nor what the big deal about denominations is. I know the difference between protestants and catholics. I know about the Reformation, the Crusades, and why the various creeds and catechisms were written. I know that in the Protestant Christian faith, there are a multitude of other various churches that have broken off. Baptists, CRC, URC, RCA, Presbyterian, Luthern, Methodist, etc, etc. And other than the practising differences between the various Protestant churches and the Catholic ones, we all fundimentally believe the same thing, don't we?

I'm not here to debate faiths, but the practises. I'm not even going to debate the practises of the denominations outside my own. I will however say this. When people are asked to describe Christians in North America, their reactions is as follows. 'Judgemental, harsh, boring people who have nothing better to do than try and stuff their religious views down the throats of their neighbors, and then sit through the most uninspiring, unhappy service anyone has ever seen.' I know that when I come across people and they ask what denomination I am from, I say CRC. 95% of the time the response is "But its so blah." Hence the coined term blahism.

Christianity is anything but blah. In fact, Blahism should not be the definer of the Christian faith at all. God gave his son so that we could be saved. We should be rejoicing, not turning up our noses if someone is sitting in our pew at church. We should be lifting our hands and praising, not standing still for fear that someone is looking. The problem lies in the first description of Christians. 'Judgemental'. God teaches us to love. Which we do. But we have been caught up in the image bearing perfectionist society. God didn't tell us to love only the well-dressed, porcelian-doll type people. God didn't tell us to love only the homeless, forsaken, broken people. God didn't tell us only to love those of our own race, or faith, or class. God didn't tell us to love only the people in our church, school, community. God told us to love everyone. EVERYONE.

I blame the judgement for the blahism. We sit in church, first of all, primped and proper. Sunday clothes, Psalter Hymnals..we are the hypocritical congregation not unlike the one from the movie Footloose. We have our spots that we always sit in, the people that we always talk to, and the gossip that we always share after the service is over. (I`m not even going to start on that..) Church is boring. When did praise and worship become overcome with a list of unspoken do`s and don`ts that the entire world must follow. Why is it irreverent to wear jeans? Why can`t we raise our hands and sing? Why do we stare upon newcomers as if they don`t belong? Why is it, that we expect to come out of church feeling depressed and tired? It`s no wonder the world doesn`t think Christianity is all that great! We are a pretty boring bunch of people!

Can you really blame people for not being interested? Our world is consumeristic, self agreeable, and unaccountable. Why come to church if you can do your groceries, surf the net, or party on? Why bother putting any effort into faith at all when the world tells us that every belief is somehow `correct`, `respectable`, `self-adhesive`. The problem is simply, religion is a bunch of rules and regulations that a no-frill world just doesn`t want. In short, it`s boring, it`s blah.

`Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!` -Phillipians 4:4

I don`t think we were meant to be a people of blahism..

Baltimore Bullet

Now, don't get me wrong, I like the Olympics. I like the fact, that for one event, the world can come together, relatively peacefully, and compete for the most prestigious prizes next to the Nobel. I like the fact, that for 10, 14, however many days, China and the USA compete for not over super-world power, but athletic ability on the world scale. And, I'm not going to lie, I like watching Phelpps.

Something about the Olympics is refreshing. It's huge. World Championships pale in comparison. Something about Canada not winning a medal in the Summer Olympics is typical. I don't even remember anything spectacular happening in Athens, so why should the Canadians put any effort into Bejing? Okay, so that's a little harsh. But let's be fair. We're Canadians cheering for the Baltimore Bullet, Michael Phelpps of the USA. Next best thing right? I can only imagine how lane 8, Canadian swimmer felt, knowing his country was cheering for the Eagle neighbor. It's probably bad that I don't even know his name! Overshadowed by USA fame again? Not quite.

The 2010 WINTER Olympics are in Vancouver. So where do you think Canada's sporting money is going towards? Summer athletes? I think not! Come on, besides Donovan Bailey's win forever and a half ago, what Canadian has ever come out of the Summer Olympics on a podium? (And of course, with the exclusion of the Rowing Team in 2004) No, folks, we are Canadian. We will forever do what Canadians do best...and that is snow. Snow in every shape and form. Skiing, boarding, skating, hockey, and those nice little sleds that go round and round and round. Who could ever forget Canadian Hockey victories in Mens and Women's teams? Who could forget the Sale/Peltier scandal of 2002? And what about Katrina Lemay Doan's stunning victory in speed skating?

To be fair, Canada is pulling out 6th, 7th, 8th places of the whole world in this years summer Olympics. To be 8th in the world isn't that bad. Nevermind the gossip that the Chinese are cheating ages, giving in to Hollywood expectations as far as little girls, beauty and voices go, and winning everything. Nevermind the fact, that alternatively, the Bejing Olympics are proving the Chinese prominance as a growing world superpower. Nevermind the fact that the Americans are trying hard to hold onto some speck of dignity. Canadian athletes are young. The gymnists will be ones to rival with come 2012. Alexander Despatie is still a force to be reconned with. The rowing team is rebuilding, and so are the other boating sports: Kayaking, Sailing..

The Olympics have never been simply about the gold. In Greece, they were a power symbol. Today as well, the talks of boycotting the Olympics came with the politics, not the competition. It's time to face the facts that China is growing. It is home to the most people, has one of the largest economies, and the fact that it has pushed it's athletes to win almost everything in it's own country is no suprise. I expect the next several years will be interesting to watch as the superpowers of the world shift. The USA empire will end sometime. Sooner, rather than later. Even the Roman empire fell. Perhaps, then, it is better than Canada sits as it does. Incredible at the sports unique to our country, but holding up just well enough not to make the podium come summer. As always, we stay in the happy middle, not causing too much of a rukus. Typically Canadian.

And yet, we still can't help cheering on Phelpps. Politics aside, this guy is phenomenal. Any country would be lucky to have him.

I love Canada, dearly. We are great, easy-going people, whose politians are more like girls fighting in the drama of high school, whose comics are some of the best around. We are the producer of the Barenaked Ladies, Celine Dion, Insulin, the Zambonee, the Zipper, Terry Fox, Real communication thanks to Alex Bell (Bell Canada anyone?). Our country was founded thanks to a bunch of businessmen who were beginning to realize how profitable Canadian soil was. Our civil war was a 20 minute barfight where the only injured party was an American who happened to be a spectator. We burned the Whitehouse to the ground, gave the Americans back their land and shelters thousands of African-American slaves. We have some of the most incredible scenery in the world, most of the fresh water, and at least 12 unofficial accents. (yes, I count Newfie). We're the first country to adopt the Multi-culturalist policy, ie: French and English, and we have pretty decent respect for all people. Not to mention we wrote both the American and Canadian anthems (you question the USA one? Written by a British North American..civil war...BNA was what is now Ontario and Quebec). Canada was the only country to reach its target on D-Day, we invented the proper use of the word 'eh', and Poutine is a pretty good thing. We have openned up the world's eyes to Tim Hortons, Sidney Crosby and, yes, even Wayne can have some honourable mention. We clearly invented the toque, perfected the winter boots, and are home to the best Skiing around. Not to mention the HBC. Yes, Canada is a good place.

So it doesn't bother me that our Olympians aren't winning medals. We don't need Medals to prove we're pretty fantastic. Besides, we gave the world Hockey. I think that's quite enough.

Live, from Parliament Hill

Turtle and Cross Country skiier crossing. You'll never see those in Southern Ontario!


Cars were wondering what we were doing in this one. Not the drivers, just the cars. They seemed to enjoy stopping to ponder and then moving on their way. I don't think anyone else in the area enjoyed these signs as much as I did.

Ottawa!

Has funny road signs. I'll add them soon.

Sitcoms old and new

I'm writing this while watching a culmination of Happy Days and Friends. It's funny how TV hasn't changed all that much in the last 30 years. I mean, sure, the video picture got better and CSI made its debut, but it's still all about love, life and finding some way to fit in. Comedies will always be about families, friends, and human nature.

As we speak, Chandler and Joey are bidding farewell to their precious fooseball table. Ross is on his way to say goodbye to Rachel before she leaves for Paris. Richie and Potsy are trying to prove their manhood by drinking away their dignity at a bachelor party. (Potsy's had a bit too much...)

Yes, TV hasn't changed.

There is something relaxing, enjoyable, about being able to laugh at the idiosyncrasies of us. The dumb things we do, the funny things we do, life is just one big sitcom. The more you can laugh at it, the better you come out. I think that's why God gave us senses of humour. Otherwise we would be very miserable beings. Yes, that's it. Wise words for today: Sitcoms teach us valuable life lessons. Laugh at every moment. Smile big, Love bigger. Don't forget to take pictures!

The Truth in Comics

I hate to admit that this is what I do. I hoard my best thoughts in my brain until they are formulated well enough to be a blog entry or a diary entry. I have never wished it upon someone else though. :)

This one makes me laugh. It's proof of the power of pop culture. Vic Dana would be saddened that the majority of people would know what a Smurf is, before him. (by the way, Dana is the singer of this song..don't worry, I didn't know either, I googled it.)

This one makes me laugh on account of the fact that I am NOT over it! :)

:)