Yesterday Jordan and I celebrated three years together. Since he always complains that I never blog about him, I thought that in honour of this milestone I would dedicate a blog to him.
Most of you know Jordan as either the shy boy who never talks if you are in my family, or the goof ball who never seems to shut up if you are his friend. But Jordan also has a side that most of you never see and so today, I am going to illuminate for you all the sweet side of Jordan.
Jordan loves to buy me flowers. My mom says that Jordan has bought me more flowers in three years than she has been given in 26 years ( I think this is a hint Dad). He usually picks out beautiful roses - red, pink or white. Sometimes they are for special occasions and other times they are for no reason at all. He doesn't like to give them to me in person, but puts them in places where they will surprise me. He has left them on my gym bag during basketball practice and has even snuck into my house to leave them on my bed.
Jordan also buys me a lot of candy and food. Every time he gets gas he always comes back with a chocolate bar for me. In high school, I would often open my locker to find Starbucks or Orange Julius waiting for me. When I am feeling sad, he comes by to cheer me up with some chocolate.
Jordan can also be pretty crafty. He has written me many notes and made me some pretty nice cards. Most impressive is the bulletin board he made me for our first year together with hearts, roses, stickers and photoshopped pictures. You can tell that there was a full utilization of girly scrapbooking supplies.
Jordan knows how to plan special dates. He took me to a fancy restaurant on our first date, and even though I only ordered cheese toast, it was pretty wonderful. The day before we left Redeemer to come home, he and James cooked a fantastic dinner for me and Ree, complete with candlelight and romantic music (Rod Stewart anyone?) The best part was that it was a surprise.
The sweetest thing about Jordan is not in what he does for me, but in how he treats me. He tells me I am beautiful and never does anything to disrespect me. He treats me like a princess even when I act like a witch. He listens to me and gives me great advice. He is the best friend I could ever ask for.
Now that you are probably all gagging at this overload sentiment, I hope you feel enlightened. Beneath Jordan's oft-shaggy hair and unshaved visage lies a very loving man. I guess he doesn't show off this part of himself very much because then everyone would want to date him and we couldn't have that now could we?
Monday, December 31, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
Ontario vs. Alberta
I have been neglecting my blog as of late and I am sorry that I have disappointed those of you who have been expecting the highlight of their day to be on the other side of a mouse click, only to be greeted by the same familiar words. I know how interesting my life is and I feel bad for not letting you all share in it.
Truth be told, I actually wasn't feeling bad at all, until someone (better known as Ryan) told me that by starting a blog, I had an obligation to update it faithfully. That is easy to say, but it is hard to think of clever, profound or interesting things to say all the time. Because of my current lack of creativity, Ryan told me to blog on Ontario vs Alberta.
I don't know if living in Ontario for three and a half months really qualifies me to compare it accurately and thoroughy to the place I have lived my whole life (minus three and a half months) but I will do my best to be partial in comparing this polluted, dismal province to beautiful, glorious Alberta.
In all seriousness, there are many wonderful things about Ontario that I have never realized I was missing until now. Here are my top 5, in no specific order.
5.There is an abundance of interesting places and events - Niagara Falls, Hockey Hall of Fame, Parliament, Rideau Canal...and music groups and other touring acts don't skip over the entire province.
4. It is evident that people are proud to be Canadian.
3. The rich history - you can literally stand on the same ground as the famous explorers and Canada's founding fathers. (I know not everyone thinks this is as fascinating as me, but hey, I'm a history major)
2. The beatiful colours of fall - thousands of reds, oranges and yellows all combining to create a sense of warmth amid the cooling weather.
1. There are some pretty fantastic people here who make life pretty fun and exciting.
That being said, Alberta is still tops in my books. First of all, we actually have milk in jugs instead of bags and we don't have PST. There aren't as many people there so the whole pace of life is more relaxed. We have beautiful moutains and we have wonderful prairies....my list could go on and on, but the real reason I love Alberta the most is far more important than these superficial ones.
Alberta is my home and the home of those that I love the most. I have spent my whole life there, growing, learning and laughing. I value Alberta not because of the way we package milk, but for the thousands of memories I have made there. When I think of Alberta I don't think about it as a geographical place, but as my home filled with my family, friends and a sense of belonging. They say that home is where the heart is, but I also think that the heart is where the home is.
Ontario is still quite a wonderful place. Even though I miss home, I am enjoying myself more than I ever thought I would. When my time at Redeemer is done, whenever that may be, I know I will value Ontario for all the memories currently in the making. After all, Ontario is a home to most of the people I have met, and they are welcoming me into it with open arms.
Ontario vs. Alberta? The winner is really up to you.
Truth be told, I actually wasn't feeling bad at all, until someone (better known as Ryan) told me that by starting a blog, I had an obligation to update it faithfully. That is easy to say, but it is hard to think of clever, profound or interesting things to say all the time. Because of my current lack of creativity, Ryan told me to blog on Ontario vs Alberta.
I don't know if living in Ontario for three and a half months really qualifies me to compare it accurately and thoroughy to the place I have lived my whole life (minus three and a half months) but I will do my best to be partial in comparing this polluted, dismal province to beautiful, glorious Alberta.
In all seriousness, there are many wonderful things about Ontario that I have never realized I was missing until now. Here are my top 5, in no specific order.
5.There is an abundance of interesting places and events - Niagara Falls, Hockey Hall of Fame, Parliament, Rideau Canal...and music groups and other touring acts don't skip over the entire province.
4. It is evident that people are proud to be Canadian.
3. The rich history - you can literally stand on the same ground as the famous explorers and Canada's founding fathers. (I know not everyone thinks this is as fascinating as me, but hey, I'm a history major)
2. The beatiful colours of fall - thousands of reds, oranges and yellows all combining to create a sense of warmth amid the cooling weather.
1. There are some pretty fantastic people here who make life pretty fun and exciting.
That being said, Alberta is still tops in my books. First of all, we actually have milk in jugs instead of bags and we don't have PST. There aren't as many people there so the whole pace of life is more relaxed. We have beautiful moutains and we have wonderful prairies....my list could go on and on, but the real reason I love Alberta the most is far more important than these superficial ones.
Alberta is my home and the home of those that I love the most. I have spent my whole life there, growing, learning and laughing. I value Alberta not because of the way we package milk, but for the thousands of memories I have made there. When I think of Alberta I don't think about it as a geographical place, but as my home filled with my family, friends and a sense of belonging. They say that home is where the heart is, but I also think that the heart is where the home is.
Ontario is still quite a wonderful place. Even though I miss home, I am enjoying myself more than I ever thought I would. When my time at Redeemer is done, whenever that may be, I know I will value Ontario for all the memories currently in the making. After all, Ontario is a home to most of the people I have met, and they are welcoming me into it with open arms.
Ontario vs. Alberta? The winner is really up to you.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Words of Wisdom
Accomplishment is a cold companion
- Hugh Cook
A quote from the mainstage production at school. Simple but powerful.
- Hugh Cook
A quote from the mainstage production at school. Simple but powerful.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
My Turn
A while back, there was this little game on blogs where people would have to write 7 random things about themselves and then tag their blogging buddies to do the same. This was all before I got in on the blog action so I am thus tagging myself so I don't feel left out and because frankly, I don't have anything better to write about. Here are the seven facisnating facts that you may or may not know about me
1. Christmas is my favourite time of the year. I love the decorations, the Christmas carols and the coziness of the indoors while watching it snow. I love how everything smells like a mixture of apple pie, gingerbread and pine trees. I also enjoy a great cup of apple cider, but it has to be the Alpine apple cider from Costco that my mom only buys at Christmas. (Mom, could you buy some for your favourite daughter?)
2. I have never bought a CD for myself. I am not against music per se, but most of time music just seems to get in the way of conversation. Background music is ok, like while your cooking supper or driving in the car, but listening to music just for the sake of listening to music doesn't interest me. In fact it mostly frustrates me. I am aware that I am probably the only person on earth who feels this way, but that is ok.
3. I like to think of myself as patriotic. I think that everyone should celebrate Canada Day with enthusiasm, vote at every opportunity, and wear poppies for Remembrance Day. Canada is a great country. Be proud.
4. Dragonflies scare me. They always fly straight at you. And they are always mating.
5. When I was younger, my aspirations for the future were cleary set out in my mind. I wanted to be a barbie maker, a cowgirl and a mom. I guess I could keep these options open seeing as I currently don't have any better ideas.
6. I am very fond of reality TV. The critics out there will say that none of it is actually real and so forth, but I refuse to believe that those Survivors aren't actually surviving. I know that they always pick the crazy hippie people who do not accuratley represent society as a whole (watch Wife Swap) but I am entertained. We all need mindless entertainment sometimes.
7. I have been dating Jordan Van Dyk for
1046 days, 23 hours and 50 minutes as of 11:50 pm on November 11, 2007...
...and I still love him. I love him a lot. He means the world to me.
I hope you feel enlightened. I tag no one.
1. Christmas is my favourite time of the year. I love the decorations, the Christmas carols and the coziness of the indoors while watching it snow. I love how everything smells like a mixture of apple pie, gingerbread and pine trees. I also enjoy a great cup of apple cider, but it has to be the Alpine apple cider from Costco that my mom only buys at Christmas. (Mom, could you buy some for your favourite daughter?)
2. I have never bought a CD for myself. I am not against music per se, but most of time music just seems to get in the way of conversation. Background music is ok, like while your cooking supper or driving in the car, but listening to music just for the sake of listening to music doesn't interest me. In fact it mostly frustrates me. I am aware that I am probably the only person on earth who feels this way, but that is ok.
3. I like to think of myself as patriotic. I think that everyone should celebrate Canada Day with enthusiasm, vote at every opportunity, and wear poppies for Remembrance Day. Canada is a great country. Be proud.
4. Dragonflies scare me. They always fly straight at you. And they are always mating.
5. When I was younger, my aspirations for the future were cleary set out in my mind. I wanted to be a barbie maker, a cowgirl and a mom. I guess I could keep these options open seeing as I currently don't have any better ideas.
6. I am very fond of reality TV. The critics out there will say that none of it is actually real and so forth, but I refuse to believe that those Survivors aren't actually surviving. I know that they always pick the crazy hippie people who do not accuratley represent society as a whole (watch Wife Swap) but I am entertained. We all need mindless entertainment sometimes.
7. I have been dating Jordan Van Dyk for
1046 days, 23 hours and 50 minutes as of 11:50 pm on November 11, 2007...
...and I still love him. I love him a lot. He means the world to me.
I hope you feel enlightened. I tag no one.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Farmer's Market
On Saturday, my dormmate Erica and I decided to go to downtown Hamilton instead of study for our religion test and wander around.
We took the bus because we have to pay for it in our tuition and we wanted to get our money's worth...and we don't have cars
This store was advertising $5.00 shoes and this is what that $5.00 would get you.
Belly dancing outfits!
After asking three people for directions and failing to understand them each time, we finally found the farmer's market. There was an incredible amount of good food there from sausage to pastries and so many different ethnicities. An old Turkish man and an old Portugese man tried very hard to sell us their stuff.
Potatos...because I love them.
Lots and lots of fish...and many interesting smells.
We went downtown without having any idea of what bus to take back. We asked a busdriver and someone waiting but one told us the wrong bus and the other person didn't know. It may sound easy to figure out the bus schedule, but not when there are 50 different routes and 20 different bus stops on one street. After 20 minutes we saw the bus that took us downtown and figured that it must be going back the way we came and so we ran to catch it and thankfully, we got home safe and sound.
Downtown Hamilton
We took the bus because we have to pay for it in our tuition and we wanted to get our money's worth...and we don't have cars
This store was advertising $5.00 shoes and this is what that $5.00 would get you.
Belly dancing outfits!
After asking three people for directions and failing to understand them each time, we finally found the farmer's market. There was an incredible amount of good food there from sausage to pastries and so many different ethnicities. An old Turkish man and an old Portugese man tried very hard to sell us their stuff.
Potatos...because I love them.
Lots and lots of fish...and many interesting smells.
We went downtown without having any idea of what bus to take back. We asked a busdriver and someone waiting but one told us the wrong bus and the other person didn't know. It may sound easy to figure out the bus schedule, but not when there are 50 different routes and 20 different bus stops on one street. After 20 minutes we saw the bus that took us downtown and figured that it must be going back the way we came and so we ran to catch it and thankfully, we got home safe and sound.
Downtown Hamilton
Monday, October 29, 2007
Who Loves Margarine?
A couple of weeks ago, I made some macaroni and cheese for lunch. That was the first and last time I have had macaroni since I have been here. Why you ask? Let me tell you. I took a bite of it and thought "Hmmm...this tastes a little funny" but I couldn't quite figure out what it was. I took a couple of more bites, hoping the taste would go away, but it was most defintely still there. Unsure of whether it was just my own tastebuds, I got Jessica to taste it. She took a bite and then promptly spit it in the garbage. We decided it tasted like the smell of compost. Yuck.
We weren't quite sure what made the macaroni so disgusting but I threw it out and went on with life...that is until supper time. We were having potatoes and I LOVE potatoes. It might actually be an obsession. Anyway, I put some margarine on my potatoes and then started to eat them. I only took a couple of bites when I noticed that they tasted a little bit off...kind of like my macaroni! Thanks to my skillful deduction, I figured out that the common factor in both these food ruining moments was the Becel margarine we had all been so happy to get, opposed to the hydrogenated, saturated, trans fat, heart attack margarine we had been using. We all took a whiff of the margarine and it smelled simply disgusting.
Being the good Dutch people that most of us are, we called Becel which is actually Unilever Canada and told them our sad margaine story. Monica (a girl from my dorm) was the one who actually called, and having never tasted the margarine, she told them it tasted like pesticides. Exaggeration never hurts. The lady on the phone told us to dispose of it immeadiately and talked on and on about all the different reasons it could have gone bad. Then...the magic moment came when she said that to replace our margarine, we would get four free coupons for Becel!! That made our day. Today these coupons arrived in the mail along with a letter which read:
Thank you for contacting us regarding Becel Margarine. We are very sorry to learn you had this experience.
Our company is dedicated to marketing products of only the highest quality and safety. Providing superior products at competitive prices is our commitment to you. We are concerned when we hear of a problem involving one of our products and will share your comments with the appropriate staff.
Thank you for bringing this important matter to our attention. We regret and inconvenience this situation may have caused you. Please accept the enclosed with our sincere appreciation for using our products.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Hooper
Consumer Services Rep
Aren't they nice? The only problem is that the coupons expire on December 31 and we probably won't be able to use them all. Margarine anyone?
We weren't quite sure what made the macaroni so disgusting but I threw it out and went on with life...that is until supper time. We were having potatoes and I LOVE potatoes. It might actually be an obsession. Anyway, I put some margarine on my potatoes and then started to eat them. I only took a couple of bites when I noticed that they tasted a little bit off...kind of like my macaroni! Thanks to my skillful deduction, I figured out that the common factor in both these food ruining moments was the Becel margarine we had all been so happy to get, opposed to the hydrogenated, saturated, trans fat, heart attack margarine we had been using. We all took a whiff of the margarine and it smelled simply disgusting.
Being the good Dutch people that most of us are, we called Becel which is actually Unilever Canada and told them our sad margaine story. Monica (a girl from my dorm) was the one who actually called, and having never tasted the margarine, she told them it tasted like pesticides. Exaggeration never hurts. The lady on the phone told us to dispose of it immeadiately and talked on and on about all the different reasons it could have gone bad. Then...the magic moment came when she said that to replace our margarine, we would get four free coupons for Becel!! That made our day. Today these coupons arrived in the mail along with a letter which read:
Thank you for contacting us regarding Becel Margarine. We are very sorry to learn you had this experience.
Our company is dedicated to marketing products of only the highest quality and safety. Providing superior products at competitive prices is our commitment to you. We are concerned when we hear of a problem involving one of our products and will share your comments with the appropriate staff.
Thank you for bringing this important matter to our attention. We regret and inconvenience this situation may have caused you. Please accept the enclosed with our sincere appreciation for using our products.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Hooper
Consumer Services Rep
Aren't they nice? The only problem is that the coupons expire on December 31 and we probably won't be able to use them all. Margarine anyone?
Thursday, October 18, 2007
It's Brother, not Bother
To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time.
Clara Ortega
My whole life, people have pitied me for not having any sisters. They say how awful it must be to have all brothers and ask me if I have ever wanted a sister. The truth of the matter is, I can't ever remember really wanting one. Sometimes I wished that I could have someone to share clothes with, but that was about it and now that Kerri Lynn is a part of the family, she has taken care of that problem quite well. If people took the time to think about it, they would realize that youngest + only girl = spoiling!
Now that I live with 7 girls, I am realizing just how lucky I am to have all brothers. I could always count on taking as long as I wanted in the bathroom that I had to myself. I could always count on there being lots of the food in the house. Serioulsy, the girls here eat nothing and therefore when they make meals and do the shopping, it is in accordance with their hating habits. A handful of pasta? Half of a tiny chicken breast? Maybe I just eat a lot, but I honestly don't know how they aren't always hungry because I sure am. I have also realized just how much most girls don't understand boys. Yes, they are kind of messy and they do say slightly off colour things and often forget to inhibit their bodily functions...that is just how they are. Deal with it. Despite all this, I do get along wonderfully with my dorm. They are all wonderful girls, but they just aren't the same as brothers.
I am truly thankful for my brothers in so many ways. I am thankful that they took me outside of my Barbie world sometimes and let me play boy games. I am thankful that they helped me play sports. I am thankful for their sense of humour, even though I didn't always laugh. I am thankful that they encourage me. I am thankful that they teased me. It helped me to not take things so personally...although I think I may still require more help in this area. I am thankful for their protection and all their advice. I am thankful that when we fought, we were never angry the next day. Boys don't hold grudges.
Most of all I am thankful for the examples they have set for me. They have had to learn many things the hard way so that I don't have to. They have experiences which I can draw from and learn from. They work hard in everything they do and they inspire me to do the same. I am proud of all of them and I hope that they are proud of me too. So much of who I am is because of my brothers.
Have I ever wanted a sister? I think brothers are just fine, thank you.
Clara Ortega
My whole life, people have pitied me for not having any sisters. They say how awful it must be to have all brothers and ask me if I have ever wanted a sister. The truth of the matter is, I can't ever remember really wanting one. Sometimes I wished that I could have someone to share clothes with, but that was about it and now that Kerri Lynn is a part of the family, she has taken care of that problem quite well. If people took the time to think about it, they would realize that youngest + only girl = spoiling!
Now that I live with 7 girls, I am realizing just how lucky I am to have all brothers. I could always count on taking as long as I wanted in the bathroom that I had to myself. I could always count on there being lots of the food in the house. Serioulsy, the girls here eat nothing and therefore when they make meals and do the shopping, it is in accordance with their hating habits. A handful of pasta? Half of a tiny chicken breast? Maybe I just eat a lot, but I honestly don't know how they aren't always hungry because I sure am. I have also realized just how much most girls don't understand boys. Yes, they are kind of messy and they do say slightly off colour things and often forget to inhibit their bodily functions...that is just how they are. Deal with it. Despite all this, I do get along wonderfully with my dorm. They are all wonderful girls, but they just aren't the same as brothers.
I am truly thankful for my brothers in so many ways. I am thankful that they took me outside of my Barbie world sometimes and let me play boy games. I am thankful that they helped me play sports. I am thankful for their sense of humour, even though I didn't always laugh. I am thankful that they encourage me. I am thankful that they teased me. It helped me to not take things so personally...although I think I may still require more help in this area. I am thankful for their protection and all their advice. I am thankful that when we fought, we were never angry the next day. Boys don't hold grudges.
Most of all I am thankful for the examples they have set for me. They have had to learn many things the hard way so that I don't have to. They have experiences which I can draw from and learn from. They work hard in everything they do and they inspire me to do the same. I am proud of all of them and I hope that they are proud of me too. So much of who I am is because of my brothers.
Have I ever wanted a sister? I think brothers are just fine, thank you.
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