Happy Easter!
Up from the grave He Arose!















I am in denial of much great depth that I have to work tomorrow....so without further ado, I shall talk about my weekend. I had a very interesting time at home from Thursday nite until Saturday afternoon - going home is never a uneventful time.

The best part of my time at home was grabbing my camera, lying on the grass hill in front of the house and just soaking in the beautiful silence, the cool fresh air and the damp smell of fresh dirt/grass. (oh and lets not for get the 101 photos I took!) Dad and I also took a gander down the path to the back bush..it's been quite some time since I've been back there.


In a moment of that afternoon I thought to myself that I never want my parents to leave that plot of land - it would be like ripping out a part of me if that ever happened. I love having a forest just moments from the doorstep, being able to sit under hundred year old maple trees, have campfires and roast marshmellows on a crisp summer nite, lying on the grass watching the stars. For as much as that sounds cheesy, i miss the country life. (I know this isn't the first time I've said this).

Anyways, this post is taking me forever to get posted....adieu for now!

Oh for some fab photos of my adventures of home - click here.

P.S. I've become a shutter bug.

It's been 14 weeks since I started keeping track of all novels that I've read...and I've been able to read a book a week! Quite amazing I know! Or sad, depending on the way you look at it. :P

Amount of books read so far?

*drum roll please*

Fifteen!!!

No wonder my book shelf looks like this...



















Or the floor beside my bed...

Ain't it a beaut??

It's love at first sight.

And shameless amounts of stupid photos.

It's my first ever digital camera of my own!

Canon PowerShot A610
5.0 MP 7.3- 29.2mm

M: "So D, Pastor e-mailed me last night and said I can be 'semi' in charge of young adults now".
D: "We don't need any leader, we are not an organization!"

GAH!

H (to guys): "We want to go camping!"
G: "The kind where u have to pay?"
H: " Uh, yes."
*grumble grumble*

GAH!

My response (and Heather's) = stupid boys!

H: "Men don't know the administrative things that need to be done"
Pastor: "That's true, don't listen to D!"

I don't care what the guys say at church, I'm realizing my passion is for building a young adults community and giving back to the church so I'm gonna take this role and run with it!

I'm insanely giddy right now, especially odd since I'm at home by myself, alone on a Saturday nite. Went shopping...oooh, got a pair of sandles for the summer, a blouse (to add to my growing pile in my closet), a polo shirt (i love them!), a roots umbrella and a movie (Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe), watched some tv and now just chill'n in front of my comp.

I also just got an e-mail from my pastor about YAG. Apparently I am officially "semi" in charge of the Young Adults at my church if I want the job - to quote: "that is if you want it….and I know no one else can do a better job"

This makes me excited!! *claps hands* I've already got a ton of ideas for events and ways we can help out the church - now to run them by Pastor Mike. And update the website:
Hope Fellowship Young Adults

How true this cartoon is. And here I thought this only happened to my family. :)

Can anyone cure the 2pm Brick Wall? Or at least put some padding on it so I can sleep?

M: "Some people's children!"
R: "No, some people need children!"
M: "I think it's a little too late for that"

(Well done R, you gave me some blogable material.)

New quarter released this week for Breast Cancer Awareness. I hope one of these end up in my wallet!

These have got to be the best Christian t-shirst I have ever seen! This is definitely wearable apparrel that isn't strickly bible thumping - more comical then anything.









































For more of these tee's and some funny satrical stories - larknews.com

1. Thanks goes out to Heather for suggesting to go to Embassy - good times and so miss the worship! Oh and welcome to world of Christian music! There is some good stuff out there! (Shawn McDonald and David Crowder are the best!)

2. Having 14 ppl over and not getting help with dishes from guests = huge mound of dishes (to yet be tackled completely - I know what i'm doing tomorrow nite)

3. My digital camera shopping spree is on hold still..

4. I'm Lion-o. Err, no that would be the song I'm listening to.

5. I have yet to read another book by weeks' end, I have to keep up my record!

6. Map decoded from an episode of Lost:




















This is so crazy! But cool. :)

Shopping with Ivan for prom dress 8/10
Dyeing my sis's hair 7/10
Chicken Little 9/10 (cute movie!)
Losing an hour of sleep 2/10
Sunday School craft 1/10
Hosting Lunch 8/10
Feeling like Spring 10/10
Ice Age 2 3/10

the Meltdown event was a success! Despite the crazy amount of people that showed BUT such a great sign of things to come!! :D

*Updated April 2@ 10:30

It's that season again...

My sister and I have started a count of how many wedding invitations we have so far:

Cyn - 2
Me - 2*

As soon as I turned 20 it was like "wham!" everyone's getting married. Just plain craziness. Even my old prom date from high school is tying the knot in the fall.

I guess it only goes downhill from here...:P

Learn the amazing Japanese art of folding t-shirts here. (My sister mastered it in 2 min!)

Office 2007 Sneak Peak video, click here.

Sancus Real video for new song, here.

What grade 11 Commtech taught me:

1. learning radio frequencies is rather boring
2. it shouldn't take 2 months worth of classes to make a music video - then again we used an old school camera that required a VHS tape.
3. I know the entire lyrics to "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind. See item #2
   
4. claymation is fun - even when no one in the class found our video funny but us. Yah for superhero "Frenchy McFry"! (wish I could find the final product!)
   
5. my career idea of radio was crushed after recording myself broadcasting.
   

A Dutch man has taken out bank loans to build a $1.2M replica of Noah's ark. The ark is one-fifth the size of the original vessel, and the man plans to open it as a religious museum and zoo ...

"This will speak very much to children, because it will give them something tangible to see that Noah's Ark really existed.."

Hmmm, what's next? Rebuilding of the tower of Babel?

Good way to start off a week with Things You Said!

K: "M, do you still need 'powerzone pdf'?"
M: "No, that printed off"
K: "What about 'searching for true love'?"
M: "Uh, no."
K: "'Hot Italian Guys pdf'?"
M: "Uh haa, haa. You are so not funny K!"

K: "M, you can come by my desk to smell my tea"
M: *grumbles* "Just because I made one comment, I'll never live it down" *

K: "M likes fruity smelling guys"

*Last week I commented on the nice fruity aroma coming from K's cup - this fine smelling tea is known as Ginko Belova. Apparently saying something nice about someone's beverage is odd and worthy of mocking.

From last week:

F: "What's with the gorMET lunches? Pizza and wraps?!?"

The count is so on!

2 for 414 possible days.

I should consider myself quite blessed with this amount of kindness.



Hee, hee. :)

What defines having roots? And since when is marriage the first step to having a life?

Wanna read more? Click here. My opinions from discussions of late.

(and thanks M.P. for fueling my post for this evening)

I've lost inspiration. For some reason I'm feeling post-less lately.

I need blog worthy material!! Care to give me some suggestions?

(and an image)

I am getting increasingly frustrated with my lack of vocal range. Gah! Is it too much to ask for my voice back?

K: "I like listening to you talk right now"
M: "It's not fun, it's frustrating!"
C: " You should ask her lots of questions"
K: "So what'd you do this weekend?"
M: *sticks out tongue*

Interesting fact: one of my friends is sick with the exact same thing and it happened at the same time too, odd especially since we haven't seen each other since January. Strange I tell ya, strange. :)

So ends another weekend.

Spend Saturday morning at my parents house going thru papers I kept from my childhood - a humbling experience to read who I was back then.

In the evening I headed out to Wingham to chill with my best friend Pam and what a fantastic time it was!! We went down to the local pub for some munchies/drinks and to chat it up. I miss the small town life - or lack there of, couldn't believe how dead the downtown was at 10pm - where was everyone? Easy answer - hockey game! My dad had come with me so he could go watch the Ironmen play and actually ended up picking me up (from Pam's) in a break between OT. I actually went back to the arena with him and watched 2 more periods of overtime - I so miss watching "live" hockey on Saturday nites. The Ironmen lost 5-4 at 15:47 in the third period of overtime. :(

The downer of the weekend is that my cold (if we should call it that) has gotten worse. I've had a sore throat for a couple days and by last nite I was in a lot of pain and my voice pretty much is gone. Do you know how hard it is to not talk?? Gah! Tomorrow is gonna be fun, well for other people that will make fun of me...ah well. I'll survive.

Also got my hair hacked off again after a 6 month lapse of getting it cut. I am really gettin attached to straight hair...it was lovely.

"I can now do the hair swoosh thing"
*turns head to flip hair gracefully*

Time to get pumped full of meds and hit the hay.

T: "Hello my fellow earthling...are you wearing green today?"
M: "Yes I'm wearing green pants but didn't notice until I got to work"
T: So you brushed up against some wet paint then eh?"
M: "No I stepped on a leprechaun."
T: "That's sad."

M: "J, you need to stop being so polite."
J: "So I should more obnoxious like you?!?"
M: "Ouch"

C: "Can I see your eyes? Yup, still not feeling well"
I always thought eyes were the window to your soul, not your sickness...

J: "I heard that K..er, um the photocopier is on the fritz"

E: "Sandy Claus and Chris Mouse?"
M: "it's so cheese"
E: "that's funny"
M: "cheese! ha, ha I just got my own joke. Man I'm slow"

K: "I don't want to be on your stinky ladder"

TYS quote from a while back:

M: "Stupid piece of crap!" (in reference to a broken umbrella)
F: "I thought you were talking about C."
M: "Well that's a given..."

My sister Christina is moving home this summer!! Oh how I miss her!!

My next pair of glasses:

What the office sounds like today:

*hack*
*hack*

*cough*

*hack*

*honk*

Oh, the sweet sounds of germs flying thru the air at terrifying speeds. Breath in oh, delicious air of sickness....

So it seems as tho I may have made a social life for myself to some extent. It's been a busy last couple of weekends (well Sundays anyways). Last wkend it was dinner and a movie with a friend. Now today I had a Young Adults lunch at Heather's - it was good! Got to chat with some others my age (from church) and get to know them. Then I went skating with Dee - I love skating! Also had dinner with her, Elisha and my old roomie Chris (dinner compliments of him).

Feels so good to busy and have friends to chill with. *grins*

P.S. Looking forward to hanging with my best bud next weekend!

Look! She's all growed up!

I still remember when she was little..

with her blonde bob cut hair...

her toothy grin..

and her nose always stuck in a book.

She's my little sister who is growing up so quickly before my very eyes. She's probably gonna beat me up for posting this but *grins* I'm doing it anyways!

It's kinda crazy to look back and remember growing up together and how much our relationship has changed - quite dramatic but definitely for the better - we actually get along! *gasp* (Since we used to fight all the time, ask my older sisters). She's my sister but also my friend....

I love my little Ivan.

It's Thursday.

There I posted.

Deep thoughts coming later.

Must stop talking to myself especially in a room by myself with others close enough to overhear.

Listing old tv shows has brought some much reminising and amusement for the past couple of days - with people randomly msging me shows I missed. The best one so far that I forgot was...








“Smoggies!” features the Suntots, a group of kind, cheerful characters who live in harmony with nature. Their idyllic surroundings are threatened by the Smoggies, a trio of garbage-strewing characters anchored offshore Coral Island, the Suntots’ home."










































I so remember this show! The suntots are so cute (for an old cartoon) For a full listing of episodes - click here.

*Please note: I was out of sorts at work yesterday - my apologies and you are forgiven Jerkwad! :)

All because of a cup of hot chocolate...I'm freak'n annoyed. Gah! Why do such small incidents tick me right off?

In spirit of my fellow coworkers who enjoy reminishing repeatly about the old days of tvs shows they used to watch, I decided to create my own list:

• Under the Umbrella Tree
• Fred Penner
• Sharon Lois and Bram
• Dark Wing Duck/Mighty Ducks
• Road to Avonlea
• Wind at my Back
• Walt Disney
• Mr. Dressup
• Pinwheel (creepy show, used to scare me)
• Today's Special
• Seaseme Street
• Romper Room
• Tin Tin
• Fraggle Rock
• Winnie the Pooh
• Looney Tunes
• Bugs Bunny Show
• 911
• Ready or Not
• Saved by the Bell
• Breaker High
• Chip and Dale - Rescue Rangers
• Inspector Gadget
• Ghost Writer
• Book Mice
• Eureka's Castle
• Polka Dot Door
• Gummybears
• Ducktails
• Danger Bay
• Full House
• Home Improvement
• Family Matters
• Cosby Show
• Fresh Prince of BelAir
• Carebears
• Bozo the Clown
• Batman
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Ninja turtles
• Ghost Busters
• Art Attack
  
• Alice in Wonderland
• Eureka
• Bill Nye the Science Guy (gr 9 science class)
  
• Teddy Ruckspin (thanks Heather!)
• Babar
• The Raccoons
• Alvin and the Chipmunks
• The Smoogies! (can't believe I forgot that one!)
  

Other shows:

• Lois and Clark
• BayWatch
• Pacific Blue
  
• Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy
• Seaquest
• Walker Texas Ranger
  
• Thunder in Paradise
• Due South
• North of 60
• Star Trek
• Blossom
• Slidders
• Doogie Howser, M.D.
• Cheers
• Life Goes On
• Wings
• Roseanne
  

Some of the shows were in the 90's because I used to watch tv with my little sister so some of them aren't that old of shows.

Anyone else from the 80's era know of anymore great shows you used to watch? This is soo much fun! The list keeps getting longer! I love it!

You cannot pull the wool over my eyes, Drama Queen!

Just finished a book that is going to be a big seller in the Christian book market - House by Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker and I have to say I'm a little disappointed. From this combination of authors I expected a better ending! The story was gripping, suspenseful and downright evil but the ending lacked the Umph! I was anticipating. Maybe because I've read so many books by these 2 authors I have high expectations?!? Like my sister said the one author seems fascinated with focusing on the death and resurrection, per say, of a person.
I don't like leaving the taste of disappointment in my mouth because I want to say that this was an amazing book....yet I can't. It's a great read, scary, dark and mind boggling but it just didn't hit me as awesome...unfortunately.
I think I need to explore some more christian fiction authors - sample other works of talented writers that leave u wanting more to read.

Oh and with all my bragging to my pastor, I better buy him a copy regardless of my opinion :)

*This book does not release until April 1, I got an advanced manuscript*

So I'm a geek.

Last night while reading a post on a blog I read regularly - I stumbled across a link to the new proposed Windows upgrade - Windows Vista! I'm excited at the new look they are going for - the gradient 2 shades of one colour bar, clear-ish icons, and just the general "sleek" almost Mac like look. Mind you I plan on waiting for a year after the actual release to even think of upgrading.

Got talking about past summers of working at camp...*sigh* Despite the crap I had to deal with at both camps I worked at, I definitely have some fond memories and do miss it. I can't believe that Camp Menesetung is still up and running and that Lori the cook is still there! Craziness!

I totally miss the rush of going nuts in the kitchen, sneaking cheesecake out to those on patrol, getting caught in the fridge with fellow counsellors munching on brownies, sleeping in the tiny white cabin, star gazing, never cooking the porridge to the correct consistancy, waking up to misty sunrises and stillness, pranks, my buddy Shaun, Vesper point (left pic), the tuck closet, swimming after a hard day in the kitchen, never singing for my mail.... I miss that place for the people and having so many memories from 3 summers of slaving away in that kitchen. It's so strange to look back...camp was a good thing in my life and I won't forget it. Ah, memories!



(Dining hall/Kitchen)

FANTASTIC trip! There is no other city like New York! Below are a few pics from my adventures with Dee and Elisha but I have all my photos (well the good ones) posted on my Flickr site -
www.flickr.com/photos/chel84/

Things you said and memorable moments:
M:"...I have to start writing this stuff down!
D: "I remember everything!"
M: "Hello, I'm God!"

Sal was our driver from the hotel in New Jersey to New York City. We couldn't place his accent but he was a hoot!
"Come back at 8? S'ok!, Come back at 9? S'ok! S'ok! I drive to please!"
"When you buy cds they rip you off and you can't come back and punch them in the nose. They took all my money!"

On the way home we stopped at McDonald's for dinner. Dee is between Elisha and I - she needs to get out from behind the table, I slid over for her to get around me and end up sitting on the floor - the bench was shorter than I thought. *insert peals of laughter*

E: "I don't like the name Portit Packett"
D: " That's fine, 'cause that's not the name"
E: "What's the name?"
D: "Porter Packer. Two words"
E: "I don't like that name either, sounds like porta potty"

We rode the subway quite a bit the second day - even ending up places we shouldn't have been, almost missing the right stop...oh and me getting stuck at the turnstyle because I hadn't mastered the art of swip and go.

E: "Gross, gross, gross!"
E: "It was like a squishy ball"
D: "What's wrong with a squishy ball?"
E: "It was an apple!"
(frozen apples that thraw don't make a great snack)

One of the rare moments that we didn't know exactly where we were going:
M&E to D: "Go get directions!"
D: "Pansies!"

Jerkwad - coming to an office near you!

jerk¹ ( P ) Pronunciation Key (jûrk) + wad
v. jerked, jerk·ing, jerks
v. tr.

1. To make fun of as many coworkers as possible in one day.
   
2. To be tall, 6' 4", with a ballcap.
   
3. To annoy so much as to become blogable material.
4. To laugh and be laughed at.
5. Have the initials of C.F.

Courtesy of Uptown Girls Dictionary

Vengance will be mine! Mwwahhaaahaa!

I'm a total geek! I just finished cataloguing all the books I own into a database library software. Next on the list, put the library kit to good use.

GAH!

When did I become such a nerd?!?

P.S. Thanks to B for the software! It's getting put to good use already! Thanks...

Totally posted a comment on the David Crowder Band website (in regards to an American Snowboarder who listened to "Oh Praise Him" by David Crowder while during a run at the olympics) and SO got a personalized e-mail in response this evening.

Getting real e-mails from band members is fun! This is the second one I've gotten email from DC*B and I've gotten an email from Shawn McDonald's wife too.

Coolness. I feel special.

I will say this once and hopefully never again - I will NOT go back to sleeving the binders. You can absolutely forget it. That was a nightmare and so not cutting edge, we need to be "with it" to have good sales - using hole punched colour printed sheets in a 2" binder just won't cut it anymore.

I will be adamant about this!

New Music:
















I was given this CD to listen to at work today. One word to discribe the music - interesting. The lead singer has some what of a raspy voice, the lyrics are a tad contriversial in a concervative christian way, but I really love the instruments thru out the whole album - guitar, piano, cello, sax.... Not sure how much I like it yet...but most music tends to grow on me before I actually claim to like the cd/band.

Making Fiends:











Something out of the ordinary...it's a little obscure...
www.makingfiends.com

There are 2 seasons with a total of 21 episodes I think. My favourite is #17 that is done in Russian.

" Charlotte is dumb!"

Books:



















Showdown: Almost done the book and it's taken me a week to read it. Sad! For some reason I can only handle so much of this story at one time. So far I can't say this is my fav of mine from Ted Dekker- still prefer the Circle Trilogy.

3 Weddings and a Giggle: Every girl needs their indulgances once in a while, a brainless unrealistic romance novel. I laughed, I cried...or neither. Finished reading this on Sunday.

Just to tickle your tastebuds for now... (almost literally)













More pics to come tomorrow...err later today once i get some sorta ZZzzzz's in....

C:"...change the company around me.."
M:" We'll you greatly improved mine!"
C:"..that was your best one yet!"
M:"I know! Finally!"
T:"I missed it, what did you say?"
M:"I can't ruin the moment"

J:"So that explains why..."
M:"Well aren't you the smart one Janis"

BAM! My wit is back! I'm totally on a roll today! (I am going to give the credit to my booster juice drink from this morning). Bring it on people, I'm packed with comebacks today!

Me working diligently? Never!

(Can you guess what's in my hand? A prize to the first right guess!)

Photo courtesty of a coworker- May 2005

F: "Michelle, C said he doesn't think I'm funny"

LUAU Party!
Friday night marks the first ever all-girls Hawaiian Party hosted by me, my lovely sister and our friend Lisa. This party is gonna be fantastic! Door prizes, drink menu, crazy hawaiian outfits, beach boys music and food. It will be a tropical good time :P (I hope to get some pics up shortly after the event) .

______________________________________________________


New York City - here I come!

I am stoked! Dee asked me if I wanted to go on roadtrip with her to NYC in less than 2 weeks and I'm going!! Thank goodness the timing is okay for work and I do have the finances to go. It is kinda early to take a vacation but it only cuts out 3 days of my 10 day allotment, and really, who would pass up and offer on a roadtrip to New York? I'm totally excited! I've even started my packing list!

That's it!! I'm offically gonna quit talking - I'm gonna become a mute! 3 times in less then 24hrs I've been told that no one can understand me and I talk too fast. I get it! I've been this way for 21 years, it's going to take me a while to change the way I speak. To myself, I sound totally normal, it's hard for me to tell that what I am saying comes out mumbled. For crying out loud this is not something I can easily change. To quote a friend - "You just need to SLOW down". Last time I checked I wasn't in the fast lane, except my mouth.

Gah! Why am I cursed with a fast tongue and people with slow ears?

Uggh...go from mushy romance novel to freakish twisted world of Ted Dekker...scary place to go. His books are so obscure and twisted but filled with so much truth, evil and incredibly mind bending thoughts. I can never finish his books without stopping and going "whoa!". There is just something about the way he weaves his stories that just make my brain tick and rethink the things I know and even things I have been spoon fed my entire life religiously.

The power of books have on ones mind....

3 Wedding and a Giggle = *gag* I picked up a cheesy novella from the church book exchange last week - not such a good choice for a read. Ugh, I get so annoyed woth unrealistic romance stories.

So

why

do I

read

them?

This last week I've discovered a few handy websites/tools that will enhance my internet browsing.

Bloglines - RSS feeds, the most internet tool ever! I read a whole ton of blogs on a weekly basis and am constantly looking for updates - now I don't have to waste any more clicking! :P I log in and check my feeds for any new items! Cool, eh?

Protopage - This is another handy dandy web based tool. Basically I can create my own page and add random "post-it" notes, link panes, video feeds, to do lists, etc.... What a way to stay organized! Now I can have this as my homepage and every time I open a new window I can access and read any important items I have noted to myself.