Happy as a Lark

As predicted, today has been a super-duper day! After my depressing blog entry last night, I headed to class, which ended up being a guest speaker, who was excellent. Kirk somebody or other, whose the head of counter-terrorism, counter-organized crime for the UN mission in Kosovo. It was great to hear all about the problems with the UN, from someone who has obviously chosen to work through those issues, instead of dismissing the entire system. Afterwards, the professor, speaker, and a couple students went out to talk further. I, as usual, ended up sitting and listening for most of the time, but I greatly enjoyed it. Especially the half an hour or so conversation on the Chinese threat to Taiwan. Hmm.

So, other happy news: I just finished my entire paper, 12 pages. Only took a few hours. I always get discouraged by spending so much time researching, the writing is so easy in comparision. And the best news is, I had twice as many notes and quotes as I needed, but this time, I have a whole other paper to write. So, I basically did all my research for two papers without knowing it. It's not the same paper, I'm writing two entirely different ones, but to do with the general topics of Chinese government repression. Lovely, happy, stuff.

Now, I'm off to go shopping as a little treat. I'm not planning on buying much, but I just want to sit in Chapters. And, I feel like going to Scholar's Choice for school supplies. No one likes going back to school at the end of summer, but new school supplies make it more enjoyable, I'm hoping it works the same for teachers.

Hope you're all having equally happy days!

Uugh

Not especially happy today. I spent most of the day working on a research paper, but still have so far to go. I'm running out of time! And I got my teaching schedule for the fall, which makes me want to run and hide under a bush. No changes really, well - grade 1s instead of grade 2s, but that was expected.

I got my test of definitions back and was not happy with my grade. It's this whole Canadian grading thing. I feel like I failed, when really I think I was closer to the upper end of the pack. Still, I'm disappointed.

I was thinking today how nice it would be to be a thinker rather than a feeler. Some days I would certainly rather not have my emotions dictating me. Hmm. I guess I can't change it. Tommorrow will probably be a happy day and make up for today!

A Sunny Day

Well, I have unfortuantely been holed up in my dorm room slaving over my class work. Outside, Halifax is deliciously warm, as hot as I like it. Yesterday the temperature, according to the paper, reached 30. Still, I haven't felt 'sweaty' once. Summer as it's made to be - enjoyable!

Working instead of playing means that I don't have any new pictures. This is a sunflower shot I took at the public gardens last week. It makes me feel happy. (=

Some of my current diversions...

I'm going to take that reading list off my sidebar, because I haven't changed it since I put it on. Really, I do read quicker than that. Although I'm currently overwhelmed by the 20 some books sitting above my desk waiting to be read and processed into research papers, the two books I'm really reading are:

The Lexus and The Olive Tree, by Thomas L. Friedman. Yes, it's on globalization and it probablly will make it's way into a paper, but it still counts as 'fun' reading, because I'm enjoying it. Its, let's say, less academic. In other words, readable!

Specimen Days by Michael Cunningham. I just got this from the library today. I LOVED the Hours, and the movie was really just icing on the cake. So, according to a few blogs, his new book is similiar, this time structured around Walt Whitman. I'm going to take it to the sea, sit in the grass, and read it under the sun.

For music, I'm enjoying a few new cds: Drunkard's Prayer by Over the Rhine, which I knew I would love, and I do. Michelle made me a great cd with Feist and Arcane Fire. I'm not sold on Arcane Fire yet, but I love Feist. I trust Michelle to point out the really great Canadian musicians, becuase otherwise my cd collection would be a little US heavy. And finally, I'm very impressed with David Crowder Band's Sunsets and Sushi. I was so sick of 'worship music' I thought I would never be able to buy one of those prepackaged American cds again, but thankfully, Sunsets and Sushi was excellent (and entirely different.) Okay, so I'll put the David Crowder Band onto my list of all-time favorites.

For television, I delight in a weekly episode of Monarch of the Glen. Other than that, I'm trying to limit my TLC intake, because as some of you know, once you start, TLC can suck 3 or 4 hours out of your day without you noticing. But, While You Were Out I consider to be worthy of my precious time. Finally, a new show I've just fallen in love with is Slings & Arrows. Yes, Slings and arrows, like from Shakespeare. It's a Canadian show on Showcase, about a Shakespeare festival, like Stratford. It's filmed mostly in Toronto, I think, the last episode I recognized the lobby of the Phantages Theatre (I suppose it's called the Canon now, but that's just sad). It has Paul Gross and Rachel McAdams (The Notebook) in it. It's hilarious, and just so very Canadian.

Snow Angels under the stars

I'll tell you, the closer I get to the end of the summer; the more stressed I get. I just feel like I am being dragged away from a beautiful, peaceful, intrinsically nice country to a sweatshop. Literally. And I have to drag myself away kicking and screaming: "But I want stars, and sunsets, and snow angels!"

This rant was motivated by the feeling I get every evening when I walk out of class into a still, pink world. The sunsets here in Halifax are divine, and I didn't see a single sunset my entire time in Taiwan. I find it hard to believe that you can't see a sunset anywhere in Taiwan, I assume it has more to do with the fact that Taipei is in a smog-filled valley, and I am always surrounded by tall buildings. But there's never even a hint of pink in the grey gunk that is the sky in Taipei. No clouds floating through, carrying all shades of lilac and salmon. No soft breeze that smells like the salty sea. *remorseful sigh*

The other thing I was remembering was Millenium's Eve, when Kathy, Jill and I wandered up the hill behind Grammie's house, and laid down in the crunchy thick snow, made snow-angels and stared up at the starriest sky I've ever seen. *remorseful sigh*

A Lovely Saturday Night

This was one of my favorite parts of my overall wonderful weekend in Mapleton.
It was Saturday night, and Grammie and I stayed home from the 50th Anniversary Bash (Aunt D brought home squares, anyway!). There was nothing on TV, so Grammie played the piano. She started out trying to play from the books, like Chopin and such. She was having a bit of trouble, so she decided to just play from ear. Wow, it's incredible that she can remember all those beautiful and complicated songs at the age of 91 (?). It made me so happy that she has such a great qualitity of life, and it also made me think about how most of my female ancestors lived into their 90's. So that means I likely have a good 70 years of life left. That makes me feel a sense of relief, that I don't have to rush to start trying to fit in all I want my life to be. I've got some time. (=

Patty

Patty has come into her own, since the sad death of Netta. She looks like she's enjoying her new Alpha female status, no?

Which reminds me, you should read about poor Mrs. Watson, the cat. Her photo reminds me of my kitten Emma who died. (Remember that batch of kittens that all got sick. So sad.) oh well, enough about cats getting sick and dying. That's too depressing for an extreme cat lover like me.

Catching up on posts

I love getting back from a few days away from the internet. It's so exciting to get to read multiple new posts on my favorite blogs. There were two posts that really touched me and made tears come to my eyes (not good - this is a computer lab, for goodness' sake). One was good tears, the other hurt tears.

The good one: Real Live Preacher's Essay Big Numbers and Little Girls

The sad one: The comments to Bobbie's Emerging Sideways post about, well, I suppose the lack of understanding in some emergent leadership. It's fascinating. I'd love to be able to use it for my gender, feminism and development class. It starts with a few different women commenting and agreeing with Bobbie's hurt, you can really sense the emotional emphathy. Then, enter a few dominant male leadership types, bringing a sort of black and white defense of their position. Then the women come back in and try to knit all the voices together and get everyone to some sort of consensus.

It made me sad, because I've felt that male leadership dominance that claims to be completely open to women in leadership, yet really sticks to the traditional leadership roles that exclude women. One thing I found really interesting, when I checked out the sites of the men who were being criticized and were criticizing back, they could have been written by any of the pastors / leaders I've known over the years. It's that one 'type' that rises to the top in the business world and the church as well.

On Pagitt's site, he has the same personality test results that I have on mine. The Enneagram. He's a type 8: a Challenger."The Powerful, Dominating Type: Self-Confident, Decisive, Willful, and Confrontational" I'm a type 5: an Investigator. "The Intense, Cerebral Type: Perceptive, Innovative, Secretive, and Isolated." There's no competition there. Obviously, there would have to be a commpletely new understanding of what 'leadership' in the emergent church looks like, if there were ever to be a place for a female type 5, instead of being ruled by the type 8 males.

That's my two cents. Let it be said that I really know nothing, know none of these people, and don't think through my opinions before I write them. Disclaimer!

feels like friday

So, it feels like Friday. Tomorrow I'm taking the bus to Springhill to spend the weekend with Grammie and the Aunts. (= I'm quite excited. However, before that I must plow my way through a 'test on definitions' in this evening's class. On one hand, I feel confident, because it seems exactly the same process I perfected in my Mainstreams of Civilization classes at Huntington. On the other hand, I feel like my lack of knowledge of the political terms somewhat prohibits me from making stuff up that sounds good, which is an integral part of essay tests. We'll see.

For example, there are two new terms that seem to come up in every article and every lecture in this class and the last. I figured out what they meant from the context, then looked them up later. Anyone know what hegemony or diasporas are? I'd let you guess, but then what if everyone knew what they meant then I'd feel stupid and so on.

So, hegemony is "The predominant influence, as of a state, region, or group, over another or others." My first professor said she defines it is "who sets the rules of the game." Interesting, eh? You can use it in lots of ways and sound quite smart.

Second, diasporas is: " A dispersion of a people from their original homeland; also, the community formed by such a people." I find this especially helpful for describing the communities around Thornhill. Diaspora. (=

P.S. Kathy's bashing around Australia. She got to go to Target. That's just not fair. If you want to read her adventures, she has started a rather ugly blog: Kathleen in Asia. She's given me permission to pretty it up, which I intend to do, after this little test tonight.
Also, is everyone as impressed with Michaelle Jean as I am? I was watching her live this afternoon, speaking about her appointment as Governor General and her passion for Haiti, and I just thought she was the so eloqent, passionate and sincere. Perhaps its because she's a journalist and not a politician. If only I was a Haitian immigrant who could speak 5 languages, perhaps I could aspire to be Governer General someday.

Summer Reading

I haven't updated that reading list on the sidebar in months. Trust me, I do read books a bit faster than that. This book, Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, was on some bloggers Books Meme that was going around awhile back. I made a note to get it from the library, and was thrilled at the old, 1950's edition they had. It's a short book, really perfect to read on vacation, by the ocean. The title is literal you see, and she discusses different shells as pictures into a more simple yet full life. Enjoyable, especially when I could sit by the Ocean to read it.

Summer Colours

I didn't touch this picture at all, it really was that blue and that yellow.

Halifax Harbour

Ah, a Sunday afternoon, a bench and a cool (okay, cold) ocean breeze at Point Pleasant Park.

Oh dear...

I'm very comfortable flying. But every so often when we're landing or taking off I think about that documentary I saw as a teenager about how almost all airplane crashes happen on take off or landing. I just saw the news that an Air France flight crashed landing in T.O. I hope it's not as bad as it looks in the picture.

A morning dip

The birds in the bird bath made me laugh. Everything about this weekend seemed lovely and fresh and new. I really had a wonderful long weekend, and finally felt relaxed enough to go into vacation mode. Of course, now it's Tuesday and I am again overwhelmed at all the things I need to fit into the next few weeks. Still, one of my goals this summer was to explore Halifax and that was what I did. (Of course, now I don't want to leave!)

The Farmer's Market

This is the center of the Farmer's Market at Keith's Brewery downtown Halifax. It spreads out in all directions, up and down. It's huge, and pretty busy. I could really get used to this, a Saturday morning walk with my backpack down to the market, for lots of lovely fresh fruit, cheese and baked goods (like Pineapple Cherry Squares). Oh, and it's also the oldest Farmer's Market in North America. Halifax certainly has a lot of old things.

Fields of Lavender

The smell of lavender has grown on me. I used to associate it only with little old ladies, but now I think I associate it with aromatherapy massage. I had to buy a little bunch at the Farmer's Market to scent my dorm room.

Street Performers

And walking along the waterfront, I enjoyed bagpipers and awhile later, some girls Highland Dancing. It reminded me of when Kathy and I used to dance, so I actually gave them money for their "Scotland 2006" trip.

St. Paul's Anglican

This is the oldest church in Canada. I decided to go to this church because I knew where it was and what time it started. They have a lovely traditional service that uses the Book of Common Prayer and hymns. The service, in it's reverence and structure, was a bit like some of the post-modern services I've been to, minus the dark room, coffee and candles, of course!

Inside of St. Paul's

The inside of St. Paul's. You can't really tell, but the accent colour on the back wall and on the pipe organ is Dutch Blue. He-he. That's how I'd decorate a church. There are also lots of those gold plaques around, one of the tour books said it's supposed to be the church with the most memorial plaques. And there's a remnant stuck in the wall from the Halifax explosion, that's pretty cool. And there's a padded red velvet pew reserved for the Queen or the Royal Family, should they venture this way. Isn't that such a great church?

Stained Glass

I can never get enough of stained glass. When we went to that church picnic in Port Greville, the local corner store had an advertisement for stained glass panels from a demolished church for sale. I was ready to buy one for the time, decades in the future, when I own a house and could put in a stained window. I didn't buy one though. (=