Liz's New Zealand Adventurings

anguish

2009-06-24T15:44:00.002-07:00

I've followed Eric and Leslie Ludy for some time now; my thoughts on dating, relationships and romance were greatly influenced by their messages of purity and God's faithfulness. A friend from high school has been the Ludy nanny and assistant for several years and through her I've learned of a new direction the Ludys are taking in their ministries - moving from the focal "romantic relationships" topic into the central "life in Christ" foundation. Their SetApartLife ministry is setting a quake to my insides.

Eric has this video posted on his youtube site.

Let Me Be A Woman - Elisabeth Elliott

2009-02-13T11:06:00.004-07:00

We are frail, we are fearfully and wonderfully made,Forged in the fires of human passion,Choking on the fumes of selfish rage.And with these, our hells and our heavens, so few inches apart,We must be awfully smallAnd not as strong as we think we are. - Rich Mullins

I've been to Europe. I've cherished friends in my heart. I've nibbled the chocolate and inhaled the speculoos and lingered in the beers. And still I've been broken, learning Whose I am.

The hand weights sit to the side, the coffee mug - though still warm - is empty, my eyelids sit slightly lower than fully awake, the snow will continue to be skated on, the article read, a song sung along to, a passage wept over. And I continue to break more, learning Whose I am.

Jim Elliott

2008-08-15T17:57:00.000-07:00

“Wherever you are — be there 100%.”

-therebelution

Things I've been enjoying

2008-08-09T10:43:00.002-07:00

completing first triathlon 7 Aug
visiting with friends, locally and internationally
this blog
fabulous hot weather
the Payette river
family
cycling to work

Hanging Out with the Munchkin on 12 May

2008-05-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

Game night at Jon's, Friday 17 April 08

2008-04-24T02:46:00.004-07:00

We had a fun game night at Jon's flat with Susan (Naughty) and Jon's brother, Mike. We played a nasty game of cards, but Sarah had to first make sure the tablecloth was absolutely perfect. *note: Sarah is wearing her non-prescription glasses which, she claims, "raise [her] IQ by 10 points."

Fun at the Newton's and downtown Dunedin

2008-04-23T02:10:00.008-07:00

Chris Newton wearing Sarah's op-shop find wig;

Liz, Jessie N., and Sarah in Jessie's room; me under my 7 blankets and sleeping bag;

Sarah with boots at an "op shop" (thrift shopping); Newton's house; views from the Newton's kitchen window (including large wood pigeon in the tree outside window); Sarah with her op-shop wig find; us being random again;

Liz and Sarah's Welcome to Dunedin party; 16 April at Matt and Anna's

2008-04-23T00:29:00.006-07:00

Mark, Sarah, and Susan [N]Au[gh]ty;

Jon (in yellow);

hosts Matt and Anna;

Sarah, Naughty, Anna, Matt, Matt;

Neelam, Rosalie, and Damon;

Rach, Mike, Hollie, and Mark;

Future NZ Drs. Neelam and Rosalie "talking shop" with Liz;

Liz and Rosalie;

Matt, Anna, and the massive bag of Reeses Pieces by request;

Liz and Anna displaying dessert;

Randoms of Liz and Sarah;

Naughty and Sarah portraying "dragging themselves by the lips" after Jon gave the same excuse for being late to the party...

last ones in Auckland

2008-04-22T18:15:00.004-07:00

waiting in the Auckland airport before heading off to Dunedin. Sarah suddenly shrieked when she saw an airport groundsman riding a bicycle outside. you can just see him riding away in the picture. we ought to implement bicycles at the Boise airport. on the flights down to Dunedin, with stopover in Wellington, we were given cheese platters! with crackers and grapes. they were so nice.

Pokeno

2008-04-22T16:41:00.003-07:00

Torrential rains and car problems deterred us from the beach on our last day in Auckland (15 April) but we did manage to make it to Pokeno for ice creams with Michael. Much laughing was had by all.

More in Auckland

2008-04-22T16:14:00.002-07:00

Kezia pointing out that the spot on my trousers "looks like New Zealand!" Liz and Kezia being ballet dancers...sort of.

Liz holding a bowl of magically delicious feijoas after picking them up in the backyard. We ate feijoas with every meal while in Auckland. Or just for a snack. Or for no reason at all. They are magical.

Auckland with the Latifs 12-15 April

2008-04-20T18:14:00.003-07:00

just cas[ual]

2008-04-20T17:39:00.002-07:00

At the Latif house in Auckland: Kezia, Sarah, and Liz hanging out

Took the ferry from Auckland across harbor to Devonport 12 April 2008

2008-04-18T00:08:00.005-07:00

We walked up Mt. Victoria on the Devonport peninsula. There were some cardboard boxes available to slide down the hill. Apparently some people are capable of looking good in these types of pictures. I am not one of them.

Saturday, 12 April 2008 (mostly)

2008-04-17T23:13:00.005-07:00

(out of order descriptions, sorry) Waiting in the LAX airport on 10 April, exiting jet onto NZ soil on 12 April, Kezia and Sarah waiting to board the ferry Saturday afternoon, Sarah learning about NZ crosswalks, Liz and Katryna caught offguard on the ferry,
Kezia and Sarah standing atbow of ferry, Kezia, Katryna, Sarah, and Liz waiting to board ferry, "The Windy Faces," eating hot chips at a Devonport takeaway, Kezia and Liz on the return ferry passage to Auckland.

just a few

2008-04-16T15:50:00.011-07:00

Cornwell Park, Auckland - home to One Tree Hill, which we are standing on in most of the pics. Next to the Obelisk, which remains standing atop the hill, used to grow a large, old tree. Long story, but the tree was attacked several times by protesters, and was eventually taken down by the city due to the fact that a strong wind would have knocked it over. The land houses privately owned sheep, but park goers are free to hop fences. We trekked straight up the hill, rather than taking the spiral road, avoiding mud pats and taking sheep trails. There was quite a bit of wind and rain that day and the hillside was slick. There may or may not have been some slipping that occurred...

update on the tadpole

2008-04-04T20:13:00.005-07:00

These pics taken on 29 March. I couldn't be bothered with correcting the red eyes or removing the spinach from my teeth.

frequently required

2008-03-19T12:44:00.005-07:00

It's kind of hard to believe that I'll be flying into Auckland in about 3 weeks. It's only kind of hard to believe because I've suddenly realised how small this world is. If you've got the time, money and/or connections, you can see the world quite easily. And you can share it with a most beloved sister.

The world, for me, equals people. Connections. Webbing.

I'm excited to see my old friends, but would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. We've all changed and have been through heaps of new experiences. People have gotten married, have moved, have traveled, have taken up different beliefs. Things are different. To be honest, I don't much like peripheral change. Or rather, I don't much like people leaving. It's selfish really, I understand.

I don't like that Johnny and Dani relocated. Or that Micaela is leaving for a year. Or that Michael switched jobs and moved out of state. But I also don't like that my parents won't go on vacation.

It's irritating needing to be flexible and roll with the punches.

Can't life be easy? Stagnant? Death-like?

I hope this doesn't happen to me

2008-02-22T18:41:00.002-07:00

because I'm boring

2008-02-09T11:59:00.001-07:00

I'll mainly be posting pics of the little Tad (London) until April. Aaaahhh. New Zealand, ho!

This picture was taken last night, 8 February 08, as I sat in the chair across the room talking on the phone. The Tadpole's dad kept taking pics of the kid and texting them to me in [lame] attempt to get me to hang up.

My Little Tadpole

2008-02-01T18:07:00.000-07:00

Here he is! My little tadpole, London Avery. He came into the world on 23 January 2008 at 11:11pm weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces. Presh. Proud parents are David and Heather (who is a trooper).

Some people shouldn't be dating

2008-01-01T00:24:00.000-07:00

I tell my students that they don't have the right to be dating if they can't declare to themselves and to another person their standards and purposes for dating. I don't suppose this couple has ever given much thought to a relationship centered around anything other than sex.

01:41 PM MST on Saturday, December 29, 2007
Associated Press
BREMERTON, Wash. - A 25-year-old woman was arrested for investigation of second-degree assault for getting into an argument with her boyfriend over whether his dog should be in the bathroom while the couple were taking a shower together.
A police report said the 26-year-old man wanted his dog to join them in the bathroom, but the woman objected on Thursday night.
She told him if the dog wouldn't stay out, she didn't want to be his girlfriend anymore. He replied that maybe his next girlfriend would appreciate the dog more, and called her a name.
The police report said the woman punched him in the face several times and the man dislocated his shoulder when the naked couple grappled. He told police his girlfriend threw a picture frame, which broke and cut him.
The woman was taken to the Kitsap County Jail in Port Orchard. Bail has been set at $50,000.

8 minutes to go

2007-12-31T23:53:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to make one last posting in 2007. Here we come 2008!

for dom and graham and jon

2007-11-30T16:57:00.001-07:00

I know there's only one 'h,' and it's terribly dark, but for the record, this was taken with my mobile phone while on a run at 0630 yesterday morning. I looked up to check my bearings and, lo and behold, there at the end of the street name [Shenendoah], was a pleasant reminder of my homies back in NZ. (sort of. I suppose Graham and I were never really friends - but he's included here)

it's something.

2007-11-28T18:18:00.000-07:00

My iPod was ripped off 2 weeks ago. I miss it. What I don't miss is the temptation to listen to it all the time and not pay attention to the world around me. It's kind of nice from that aspect.

Wish I could get my money back though. And I hate wondering what else was taken out of my apartment.

Technology and wilderness

2007-09-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

My sister informed me the other day that I can text to my email pictures take on my phone. Thanks to the simplicity of technology, I'm able to present some pictures, taken with my phone's camera, on a trip my sister and I took to Ponderosa State Park last week. We just camped overnight - myself in the tent with one dog, and Sarah in my pathfinder with the other dog - and the next morning spent some time biking out onto the Peninisula with pups in tow.

Lots of nice smoke from the forest fires...

Brian Regan on Flying

2007-08-15T00:48:00.001-07:00

Ahh, H2O

2007-08-03T18:37:00.000-07:00

I've recently decided that there are two types of people when it comes to sports - or extreme sports - or something. There are land people and there are water people. I am a water person. I'd like to think it's because of all the time I spent in the ocean and pools as a child. Even at a very young age (i.e. infancy) my dad would take me into the Pacific. As I grew he explained how waves rise and curl and how to recognise a current; "Never swim against it," he would say, "you'll only exhaust yourself." In later years I earned my SCUBA diving certification, swam three semesters while at Uni, and participated in the swimming portion of a team triathlon. One of my fondest memories of my Hawaiian vacation in 2003 was a day spent at the beach with my siblings repeatedly jumping off a cliff into the surging ocean below. For at least two hours we jumped, swam, and climbed back up the cliff to jump again. I distinctly recall waiting for the wave to come and using it to push me up onto the rock - the surging was quite impressive that afternoon.

From my love of water would follow my love of Scripture pertaining to the same. "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." - Jesus. And how the waters of Mara (bitter: death) were changed to sweet waters (potable: life) after a piece of wood was thrown into the pool. One of my favorite books, The Saving Life of Christ, states that when the people began grumbling after they came across the bitter water and Moses cried out to the Lord, Moses was shown a tree. The answer for death (bitter waters) was a tree. Apply the tree (the Cross) and life will follow. I just love how water is so integral to what I believe. The water and the wine. Living water; streams of it flowing through a barren land. Life.

All this to say I went kayaking yesterday with a fellow scribe. We were on the portion of the river that was rapid-less so we could practice boat control, specifically when dealing with eddies. I had to force myself to listen to the instruction of the experienced kayakers because I was so excited to be on the water. I did have some fun rescuing a lost paddle after it lodged in some branches at river right. Only after I escaped from the trees did I realise how close I came to flipping and becoming entangled. Good thing I didn't. And I managed to stay in my boat the entire trip without having to pull my skirt. Practising rolling was a blast. I'm just a little apprehensive about the day I flip while in a rapid and have to get back up without dying. We'll see how that goes.

And I FINALLY get to kayak on the river later this week...

2007-07-29T17:16:00.001-07:00

Fabulous time on the Payette river after day 1 of the Pediatric Emergency Conference in Tamarak, Idaho (24-25 July). In the duckie with Dr. Timmel.

Fun in the water!

2007-07-27T10:06:00.001-07:00

Hotness

2007-06-21T16:03:00.001-07:00

Have you ever felt like you were melting? I have and currently am.

Staying at my friend Micaela's house in Boise in June in a non-air conditioned house. I'm pretty sure it's better to keep the small amount of stuffy coolness inside rather than open the door to the oven, AKA: outside.

New with me: have officially held a full-time job for an entire year! Still working as a scribe. Currently attempting to move out of Mum and Dad's (part of staying at M's). Trying to buy a car. Trying to make it to work without a car (get pretty swift on the old bicycle). Learning to cook for myself. Learning to care for a home. Studying for the GRE. Working on my PA school application. Drinking water by the gallon. Enjoying the glorious heat of summer...while I melt.

The last line is pretty much true.

2007-06-21T15:59:00.000-07:00

It's not exactly me, but I thought it was hilarious.

Madoc Shane

2007-04-01T14:57:00.000-07:00

This is the beautiful son of a coworker of mine. He's a snuggle bug. I put the pic up at work (everyone shares baby pics) today and, while being introduced to a new CNA, heard this statement, "This is Liz...yeah, and she just had a baby about a month ago." Whoa, now. I immediately put up a note on the picture clarifying exactly who the baby belongs to. Not me.

2007-03-15T22:34:00.000-07:00

"There is no such thing as attainment in this life; as soon as one arrives at a long-coveted position he only jacks up his desire another notch or so and looks for higher achievement - a process which is ultimately suspended by the intervention of death. Life is truly likened to a rising vapour, coiling, evanescent, shifting. May the Lord teach us what it means to live in terms of the end, like Paul who said, 'Neither count I my life dear unto myself, that I might finish my course with joy...'"

- Jim Elliot

"Language is a tyranny of frustration."

- Pete Fleming

Late Tuesday

2007-03-12T15:50:00.000-07:00

Ordinary

Just another day, breathing out and breathing in
Put on the same old jacket, step out the door
And no birds are singing except the ones inside your head
And they sing

This is no ordinary day, no ordinary life I'm living
For you appear to me in the ordinary

Just another day, holding the hand of one you've loved for thirty years
Late Tuesday or Thursday afternoons blurring together like watercolor lines
And no one is singing except the voice inside your head
And it goes

This is no ordinary day, no ordinary life I'm living
For you appear to me in the ordinary

It's just another day, just another step in this maze we call our own
A trip to the store, same people around, the routine sometimes gets old
It's the same old - same old for most of us
A walk in the park (yeah, if I had time)
It's breaking my back for one little dime
That keeps bread on the table and life in my eyes
But you love these things that most would despise
That's not very ordinary

Since the day I first heard it, I have loved this tune

2006-11-16T00:34:00.000-07:00

Finlandia Hymn ~

This is my song, Oh God of all the nations,
A song of peace for lands afar and mine.
This is my home, the country where my heart is;
Here are my hopes, my dreams, my sacred shrine.
But other hearts in other lands are beating,
With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country's skies are bluer than the ocean,
And sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine.
But other lands have sunlight too and clover,
And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.
Oh hear my song, oh God of all the nations,
A song of peace for their land and for mine.

Be Still, My Soul (words by Katharina von Schlegel, translated by Jane Borthwick) ~

Be still, my soul, the Lord is on your side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In every change He, faithful, will remain.
Be still, my soul, your best, your heavenly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Raggedy Ann's Halloween at the hospital

2006-11-01T22:41:00.000-07:00

My first sutures! I was pretty darn excited.

I was so disappointed that I was one of a handful of people who dressed up, but I didn't let that phase me. No siree.

Addictive habits

2006-10-26T12:59:00.000-07:00

Guess what?! I've decided to train for a marathon - 26 grueling miles. Sounds fabulous! Since living at Micaela's house, I've been running often and am beginning to feel the love. I've decided I like running most at night, in the dark and the cold.
Two weeks ago I went running with Mel, a new RN at the ED, on some trails nearby. It was somewhat overcast and began sprinkling heftily once we started out on our run. And it was just damp enough that the dirt turned to a heavy mud and stuck to the bottom of our running shoes. By the end of the run we were soaking wet with a combination of rain and sweat; our shoes were heavy with mud and our faces were red and prickly from the cold. We laughed and washed off our shoes in puddles. It was a good day.

Last week tomorrow, Sarah and I ran downtown after dark. It was chilly, but not windy, and it took longer than usual for our muscles to warm up. We ran by the hospital for a time card signature and were requested to make a coffee run. With Platinum credit card handed over, we ran to Java and ordered the 2 requested Bowls of Soul. The return journey was hilarious - coffee overflowing lids, passing creepy others in early Halloween costumes, and laughs of running off with free coffee and a physician's credit card. That, too, was a good day. Better actually, because it was spent with sister.

Last night, after my 2 hour nap in preparation for my night shift, I went for another run, in 2 parts. I'm beginning to fully enjoy falling into my "sustainable pace," feeling my knees rise and my calves push off in rhythm with my breathing. Sometimes I like to step once in each block of the sidewalk, allowing only one foot to land in each square, switching up the fancy foot work to coordinate with the different lengths of cement. That gets the rib cage expanding and pulse pounding. I first had a little warm-up run with a stop off back at my house to leave a layer behind and stretch. Then I went off in search of a co-worker's house quite a few blocks away, pushing myself in speed. It felt good.

I'm enjoying the fact that I have a goal in mind and that I'm pressing on toward that goal. I figure, if I can train for and complete a marathon, I can become a PA. For sure.

a deep, throaty, genuine laugh

2006-10-19T01:01:00.000-07:00

Typically I despise email forwards. They're irritating and they give one the false hope of actual email in their inbox. But Kristi sent this to me tonight while I was at work. And I laughed out loud. My so-called giggling was questioned and I shared the cause. More laughs. See for yourself.

ENGLISH COMPOSITION
Every year, English teachers from across the country can submit their collections of actual analogies and metaphors found in high school essays. These excerpts are published each year to the amusement of teachers across the country. Here are last year's winners:

1. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.
2. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
3. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.
4. She grew on him like she was a colony of e-coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
5. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
6. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
7. He was as tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.
8. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM machine.
9. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't.
11. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and "Jeopardy" comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.
12. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
13. The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.
14. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
15. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth.
16. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
17. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant, and she was the East River.
18. Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.
19. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.
20. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
21. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
22. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame, maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
23. The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
24. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.
25. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.

Perfect Patient

2006-10-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

"Well, it all started when I forgot to take my Seroquel and Lorazepam...I got these really bad chest pains, but I had those two years ago too. No, wait, maybe that was the time I had a rectal abscess that I had to be admitted for. Hmmm... well, I know for sure that the amoxicillin gave me a reaction when I used it for a UTI I had 8 months ago. Fever? Oh yeah, I had one for 5 days, then yesterday, then for one hour today, but my headache and foot pain today are much worse than the back pain. And I vomited twice 6 weeks ago. Did I mention that I'm suicidal?"
- Complements of S to the L.

more pics of City weekend

2006-10-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

more pics!

The City of Rocks

2006-10-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

Went climbing this weekend with Micaela, Sarah, Kristi, Josh, Patrick and Cody. It was great fun.

last post

2006-09-10T21:48:00.000-07:00

by the way, was not fishing for complements or worry with my last post. just wanting to share. but thank you all anyway. i love my friends :o)

a word from Angela Thomas

2006-09-05T16:01:00.000-07:00

"I may have tasted peace, but to believe that the God of heaven and earth calls me beautiful--well, I think I could rest in that. If I truly knew that He was smitten with me, maybe I could take a deep breath, square my shoulders, and go out to face the world with confidence.

"If He really meant what He said, I could be secure enough to stand in the dark and wait for Him to come to my rescue. He would be the perfect place for my hope. His answer would make me strong enough to face the personal disappointment, conflict, and discouragement. If I knew that God called me beautiful, I could pursue my passions and live and love with abandon. I would not have to be guarded anymore. The desperate search would be over. I would be noticed. Desired. Known.

"As I have said, when a woman walks into a room she is either screaming, "Do you think I'm beautiful?" or she has been taught never to ask that question again. But every once in a while, a woman walks into a room and you know that she knows that God calls her beautiful. There is peace and strength and energy that comes from belonging to Him. There is a confidence that is captivating. I want to be that woman. Everything inside me wants to be a woman who moves in that kind of grace and assurance!

"If the question, "Do you think I'm beautiful?" came attached to my soul, then maybe the answer wasn't ever meant to fully come from this world. Maybe the purpose of the question is to take me by the hand and walk me into the presence of the Creator. My soul cries out and asks the questions meant to lead me to God. Maybe all that really matters is what He thinks of me.

"Have you ever heard your heart cry, "Do you think I'm beautiful?" Then let these words embrace you with their truth:

The king is enthralled by your beauty. Psalm 45:11"

- Do You Think I'm Beautiful?

31 July 06

2006-09-02T06:21:00.000-07:00

I wrote this to a friend with intention to post it to my blog, but never found the time to do so. I'm making it now. This may be relatively old news, but I'd thought I'd share anyway. It's good to reflect.

"There's really nothing new in my world except for all my thoughts. My mom went to Conneticut for 2 weeks to be a temp nanny (I might've told you) and she was treated like a worthless servant. You'll have to see "The Nanny Diaries" when it comes to theaters, or read the book, because that's how mom was treated. Except her little charge was 12, not 4 years old.

My brother was in a car accident a couple weeks ago; T-boned on the driver's side. He walked away with only lacerations to his left upper arm/shoulder region and some stiff muscles. I cleaned him up after he had the glass removed by his boss. The accident was his fault, so that stinks, but he was insured. However, he now needs a new vehicle as he is currently bumming off friends for rides.

My dad recently found an insulin pump while snorkeling in the Boise river. I told one of the doctors I work with, because I know he is diabetic and wears a pump, to inquire whether or not I could eventually have the unit returned to its owner. He told me that he had treated a young patient who had lost her pump on the same river; he also informed me that pumps cost approximately $5, 000.00. After many phone conversations with the company that make the pumps, we received a call from the owner's mother. The owner was indeed the patient seen by my doctor friend. I wasn't there, but my mom reported an emotional thanks from the single mom who's insurance company only covers 1 pump every 5 years. Her daughter was having a difficult time administering herself the accurate amount of insulin. But because we found the old pump (damaged), insurance will cover any costs to fix/replace it.

Sarah is doing well, as much as I can tell when I see her. Seventeen and starting her senior year. I can hardly believe it. But seriously, did you really need an update on my family?? I suppose I enjoy talking about them since I spend most of my day with people who don't know them and/or don't care.

And I've been left to my thoughts, as I previously mentioned. You might have assumed I haven't spent a whole lot of time, if any at all really, in the Word. I started reading "Blue Like Jazz" if only to be putting something relatively stimulating into my brain. But then, after last night, I remembered something I'd read in "The Saving Life of Christ." It says that my life isn't mine. I don't have the right to choose how I spend my day/what I read/when I exercise/what I eat/etc. Those aren't my decisions. They are Christ's. Because this life isn't mine. I don't have the right, it's out of my hands. Thinking that way makes me step back and stop.

Yesterday at church the message was on Habakkuk with focus on the last 3 verses:

17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.

...where morning dawns and evening fades...

2006-07-07T21:29:00.000-07:00

..You call forth songs of joy.

Wow. I just finished a 10 hour shift working with one of the most enjoyable docs at our ED. It was a blast. But I feel all sort of downtrodden and downcast. Why do I set my eyes on that which is not worthwhile? It's pretty amazing how quickly you shrivel when you're not washed by the Word everyday. I'm in this place where I, well, I want to be co-crucified and I don't want to be. Oh, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to make a whole lot of sense. Maybe this ought to be in my journal - just between the Lord and I.

Frustration ensues. I don't like profanities, why do I use them? I miss good conversation, why do I choose to watch a movie after work rather than simply phoning someone? I miss my friends overseas, why don't I purchase a calling card and give them a ring? I want to go to P.A. school next year, why don't I just apply? Why? Why? Why? And what's with the whole pining to be married thing? I'm so thankful for something I recently read in The Saving Life of Christ...or maybe somewhere else...(paraphrased) "God never expected anything from us but failure." His success on our behalf. By His strength. That's the reason behind "our personal, heartbreaking failure in every phase of our Christian life." Heartbreaking it is. Life's not about being skinny, popular, pretty...wish I wasn't so fixated on achieving that. I learn the same lessons over and over and over again. When do I learn?

Dear Michael introduced me to some amazing music - The Sons of Korah - and whereas I've listened to them heaps of times since, I just sat listening to a song and reading Psalm 65 along with it. For those of you who don't know, The Sons of Korah actually sing the psalms. They basically put a nifty tune to the Word. Most songs are nearly verbatim from the NIV text. I love song, so it's perfect. Anywho...

Those living far away fear your wonders;
where morning dawns and evening fades
you call forth songs of joy. Psalm 65:8

I want to live where morning dawns and evening fades. It's probably not the most comfortable place to be. Isn't it the coldest time of day? Or is that just before? Oh, but to be in the place where I burst forth into honest songs of joy...for no other reason than I am co-crucified with Christ, and He brings about His success on my behalf by His strength. Every moment. A new creation. His life.

Still safely wrapped around my left wrist

2006-06-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

haha, so yesterday my co-worker came up to me with a present (this after my bemoaning [with a smile] that I was dying - especially after a respiratory MRSA patient came in). It's a bright red wrist band we put on patients to indicate their allergies. Scribbled in pencil on mine is "WORK." :o)

my history of present illness

2006-06-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

HPI text: This is a usually healthy 23-year-old female who presents to the ED for evaluation of 2-day hx of productive cough that has been constant and increasing in severity since onset. She also complains of low-grade fever, rhinorrhea, mild sore throat secondary to rhinorrhea, cold sweats, sinus congestion, diffuse body aches, and nausea that has resolved. She denies any headache, vomiting, dysuria, abdominal pain, chest/neck/ear pain, or any other acute concerns. Patient reports that she has been working everyday for the past 9 days and has not been sleeping well. She has no other complaints at this time.

And I once wished to be Laura Ingalls.

2006-06-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

I sit here, comfy in my sweatshirt, fleece pants and poofy socks. My tummy is delighted with the toast and egg I ate for breakfast and I am in the midst of a most enjoyable book, The Hiding Place, listening to Nickel Creek, while the rains continue their downpour. My muscles ache and groan inconsolably as yesterday mum, brother and I pulled as many hay bales off the field as we could before the storm arrived. Truly, it was a magnificent one - dark and thick clouds overhead, roaring thunder, intermittent lightning and an amazing torrent of rain that left my brother and father soaked after only a few minutes spent unhitching the trailer and safely stowing the truck for protection from the assumed impending hail. The hail never arrived but today the skies remain gray and the rain continues.

And I have been delegated to the feeding and the milking of the animals. Outside.

brownies, blurry vision and whining.

2006-06-11T02:54:00.000-07:00

it's 3:56am and I'm at work. Yes, I'm enjoying the fast-paced environment of the Emergency Department at 3:56am. This morning, when I awoke at 9:20am after sleeping for nearly 11 hours after working my rear off this week and living in desperate need of sleep, I said to myself, "I'm not going to sleep until, at earliest, 7am SUNDAY morning." That's a looooong time not to sleep. But not as long as other people go without sleep. Such as residents. Or Brian, the scribe I'm shadowing. He's here with me now and he'll start another 8hour shift at 6am tomorrow morning, right about when I am heading off to my sweet, sweet bed. Poor sleepless people.

By the way, I'm not sure when the NY info will be up. Kristi and I are ridiculously busy. We've actually started a club in celebration of busy people. The Busy People Club. There are two members already.

But I LOVE MY JOB! It's excellent. I've seen so much [trauma, drama and whining] and am getting to know many doctors, nurses, CNAs, medics, administrative people, security guards and fellow scribes. And I feel like a nerd. We've had a scribe party and, well, have you ever heard comments about doctors at parties? You know, about how they talk about work...for fun? Scribes do the same thing. We talk about patients, doctors, and all of the interaction involved. It's pretty cool. And tonight I've seen staples placed in a scalp laceration, eaten a 2 brownies and ice cream, have been enjoying the consequent palpitations, and have also been enjoying rather hysterical conversation with my doctor and Brian. All in all, it's been a pretty rad first night shift.

both a blessing AND a curse...

2006-05-19T22:27:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged. Sigh. Though I'm tired and broken, I know I have to do this. People are relying on me to uphold my end of the nonexistent bargain.

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet and current street)
Winston Lewis. .....Hmmm.

2. YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME: (grandfather/grandmother on your mother's side, your favorite candy)
Flora Halva

3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color,favorite animal)
Purple Sparrow. Yikes. Not that sparrows are my favorite, but I had one as a pet once. It met a tragic end and I cried for days. Literally.

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, town you grew up in)
Anne-Felicity Nampa

5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (first 3 letters of your last name, last 3 letters of mother's maiden name, first 3 letters of your pet's name)
Nelrey Oth (Tough to choose which pet's name. We've got heaps. Decided to go with the name of one of our three goats: "Other One." Of course, there's always Cheerio the rooster, Kim and Nellie Olsen the goats, Francine, Malibu, Kenya, Love, Bart, Dewey, Malcolm, and Reese the chickens [there are more and my sis could name them ALL], Buddy the dog, Offspring the turtle [who is most likely dead somewhere in our house - he somehow escaped Wed night] and others. Tough call.)

6. JEDI NAME: (middle name spelled backwards, your mom's maiden name spelled backwards)
Yticilef Enna I think that's enough. Plus, it conveniently allows me to avoid posting Mum's maiden name :o) Only because there's the odd chance that I'll someday use it as a confirmation password for some online account. You know "What is your mother's maiden name?"

7. SUPERHERO NAME: ("The", your favorite color, the automobile you drive)
The Purple Sentra

And, compliments of Heidi:
Your Elven Name: (One of the scientific names of your favorite flower, your youngest sibling's middle name or that of the youngest person in your family)
Sylvestris Michelle. Sounds slightly masculine. Especially when Sarah doesn't want to be called Sarah Michelle, but Sarah Michael.

Your Dwarf Name: (Your least favorite vegetable, the first element you find on a periodic table)
Brussel Sprouts Chromium.

Well, I'm going to bed. Update on my amazingly fast-paced life later! (Boy, how much I miss not having a car in Dunedin...it was so much easier)

nickel creek

2006-05-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

lonely the life that once i led.
strange the paths on which we tread
led me to you, unlikely but true.
Sabra girl, clouding my view.

rainy the day the first time we met.
deep was the talk and forever my debt.
it didn't seem wrong to sing a sad song.
Sabra girl, soon you'd be gone.

early the morning and sad the goodbye.
with a wave of your hand and a smile of your eye.
so lately did meet no sooner to part.
Sabra girl, homeward must start.

rosy the lines that you wrote with your hand.
reading between them to misunderstand,
made the mistake you said not to make.

yes reading your letters conviction did grow.
i thought it a chance and i knew i must go.
its hard to believe i could be so naive.
Sabra girl, flattered but deceived.

now you just told me that friendship is all.
i'm forced to repair the breach in my wall.
illusions and dreams as usual it seems.
Sabra girl, they've been my downfall.

lonely the life and dismal the view.
closed is the road that leads to you.
since better can't be as friends we'll agree.
Sabra girl, time will cure me.

I'm wearing my "I heart New Zealand" shirt.

2006-05-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to prove to myself that it's possible for me to write a post that can be read without scrolling down. Cool.

Thanks for all the encouragement, guys. I turned in my assignment today and, boy, do I feel ecstatic!

Crying makes everything better. And people give you chocolate.

2006-05-03T17:35:00.000-07:00

Who knew the last few weeks before graduation would be so amazingly...um...tearful?
We last left Liz as she was supposed to be studying for her Pathophysiology exam that she had accidentally misdated on her calendars...

"Doot-de-doo! I have all the time in the world!" Liz thinks as she twirls the stem of a daisy between her fingers, plucking petals off one at a time. "Do homework? Don't do homework! Do homework? Don't do homework! Hooray!"

Well, so Sunday I had my first glorious shadowing experience in the ED. The day started off with a nosebleed (epistaxis) patient. Very disgusting, yet I couldn't tear myself away. Ever heard of a "rhino rocket"? It's about 3.5 inches long and they doctor crams one a piece in each nostril (and consequently all the way up into your sinuses). It's sort of a last resort for nosebleeds (which can be very dangerous in elderly patients - they bleed out quickly), expanding as it absorbs. I honestly kept expecting it to pop out the back of the patient's head. Starts out looking somewhat like a shortish, white tongue depressor but, I'm guessing, ends up resembling a tampon. Eww. I didn't mean for that to be so gross an example. Moving on.

Sunday night I started the actual writing work of my end-of-semester research review paper, due today. Already had accomplished heaps of research, just needed to bring it all together. Decided that the Patho test was going to be my "drop" test for the semester - choosing research study over patho study (it was a good decision, by the way. There wasn't any possible way I was going to understand that quantity of material in a day or two).

Working on my paper last night I stayed up pretty late and got up stinking early; 1:30am and 3:00am, to be exact. Ouch, my eyes twitch and refuse to focus, remembering that. But, hallelujah! I finished the paper - 19 pages - in time to get to uni, wrap up the PowerPoint presentation that accompanied the paper, and head to class...or so I thought. I had asked classmate Zach if he wouldn't mind giving me a ride home from class as I'm in no condition to drive; I can barely walk straight. Feels like I'm invincible, actually. This has gotta be SO much better than being drunk!

Mom dropped me off at uni and I mechanically made my way to the computer lab to finish the work. Alas. My memory stick didn't work. So I did what any girl in her right mind running on 1.5 hours of sleep would do: I cried. Right there in the lab. Sobbing. Poor Anne and Zach. Hugs. Chocolate. Offers of another memory stick. They wanted to make me feel better. But I couldn't stop crying long enough to explain that really, I'm just tired.

Our lecturer let Zach and I leave early. She said (because it was student presentation day again) it would depress my classmates if I was going to be a wreck the entire time. So off we went to seek IT advice. By this time I'd resigned myself to another night of typing, so when the news came, "someone might be able to physically retrieve the memory, but otherwise it's hopeless..." I was prepared. Zach shouted hamburgers, fries and milkshakes as a consolation before mentioning, "I feel like I should get you a piece of cake or something, uh, with a flower on it - you know - 'Sorry about your paper...sucks to be you!'" After inhaling the burger I felt a little better (why do guys understand this and we're clueless??), plus I'd gotten out of class early.

And then I walked in the door and told my sister what had happened. What makes the entire event all-the-more tragic is that it was my last big assignment of the semester. I was supposed to be "home free" after submitting it. Sigh. Tearing up ensued while searching for a saved copy; I didn't find anything. What I did find was better. A pre-edited hard copy of the near-final edition. And my professor had emailed - "Sounds like my luck. Take your time. I trust you."
My life's not officially over.

To revisit the old argument

2006-04-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

I know this is opening a vermiculous can, but I was able to read snippets of some excellent articles in Modern Reformation magazine regarding the topic. Because I am far less eloquent and organised in my thinking and writing than the author, I have copied some excerpts that were altered by another blogger.
In all actuality, I'm not sorry for bringing this up. It's a very important distinction that need be understood.

Jesus led the Purpose-Driven life. We lead the Promise-Driven life.

"The unchurch [PurposeDriven] offers the unchurched "life application" preaching. Why? This is what the unchurched expect. The unchurched always expect less than God gives. The unchurched expect preaching that gives them practical solutions to their everyday problems.[But] the [Promise Driven Church] church has something better. To begin with the church doesn't preach to the unchurched. The church doesn't really care whether someone is churched, unchurched, underchurched, overchurched, mischurched, dischurched, prechurched, dechurched, or rechurched. The church preaches to sinners - sinners who are unchurched and sinners who aren't; sinners who are seeking and sinners who aren't; sinners who are unbeliever's and sinners who aren't."

"The world will never consider 'Christ crucified' relevant. The unchurched will never tell us that they WANT to hear the message of the cross. This is why the [Promise Driven] church doesn't ask people what they want to hear. the [Promise Driven] church preaches what people NEED to hear.The unchurch offers the unchurched lots of things to do. They typical unchurch is a very busy place. Why? This is what the unchurched expect. The unchurch expect the church to be like any other volunteer organization. [But] the [Promise Driven] church has something better. The church isn't interested in giving sinners something to do. The church is interested in giving sinners the things God has done for them."

Another article that I'm currently chewing my way through can be found here.

Once in a university career

2006-04-27T19:54:00.000-07:00

Maybe if I'd worn my glasses I would've gotten the dates right...

Such is the stuff nightmares are made of.
Remember that dream where you walk into class and are instantly horrified to discover that there's a test that day...and you knew NOTHING of it?

Yeah, you guessed it. For the first time in my 5 year university career it happened.

I thought I was on top of all assignments this semester, and for the most part, I was. However, way-back-when (during the first days of this semester), as I sat down to write up my weekly-monthly-semesterly planner/diary I somehow managed to flub the date of one test. I'm not quite sure how I managed to change the date from 27 April to 2 May ('tis alluding...) but I did.

Imagine my shock: I was sitting outside in the glorious sunshine studying with a classmate.
Says me, "Boy, I hope I get a handle on this material before Tuesday."
My statement is met with the swift upward jerk of my friend's head, her face registering confusion. "The test isn't Tuesday. It's today." She says this gently, tinged with disbelief.
"NO." Says I, emphatically and slowly, "it’s Tuesday."
Smiling slightly, as if to ease the blow, "no, it's today."
Me: "I know it’s Tuesday. You're joking. You're kidding me..." My voice trails off as it all registers.
I can see the 2nd of May on my two calendars, neatly printed with "Patho test 7" and highlighted in orange. How could I have been so wrong?

I tried to study but was so full of adrenaline that I couldn't read the words on the page. I've had so many assignments due that I'd entirely put off this class until this weekend. I thought it worthwhile to plead for grace from my lecturer. The worst she could do, I reckoned, was to tell me I must take the test today. So I carefully explained it all to her, about how I had mistaken the date. Her eyes widened as her mouth formed a neat, surprised "o." She's letting me take it on Monday. I can't believe it.

In other news, I purchased my first set of scrubs today. Navy blue in colour, I selected the top with TWO belly-area pockets (not the typical solo breast pocket - useful only for a pen or two and the attatchment of credentials) and the pants with cargo pockets. Just in case I wanted to carry my life belongings with me. And I discovered that they actually make flare, yes, flare scrub pants. Ahh, the power of the consumer.

Grand finale: I've just caught wind of the fact that two of my dear, newlywed friends are expecting! They're hoping to head to NZ in January, baby in tow, for a little WWOOF participation. How I'd love to join 'em.
...off to study. Two more weeks!

To Murk :o)

2006-04-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

...this is for you! I hope your fingers warm up soon. Try battery-powered gloves. Or wrapping your hands around a dish of rehydrating mince. But you have to wait a really long time before you can eat it. Best to get it soaking long before you want to eat. Send someone ahead on the track.

One Red Ring

2006-04-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

Two more weeks of class, three finals and then...blessed graduation! Hallelujah! (it also means I will lift the self-imposed "fun ban" I've placed on myself...)

Aislinn and I are going to have a rockin' party in celebration of the momentus occasion. I hope it's nice and hot. I've been looking forward to my first-summer-in-two-years with great expectation.

It was a fun night of ferry rides, fish, and film faking.

2006-04-05T13:43:00.000-07:00

Sign of a friend (Danny): Willing to undergo public humiliation for someone else (me).

2006-04-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

at Heidi's house.

2006-03-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

I'm definitely taking advantage of the wireless connection at Heidi's house and making a quick little posting while Heidi puts away the towels she just folded. Heidi's great.
We spent the morning at the rec center, running for about 40 minutes, and talking about the superiority of firstborn children. Well, perhaps "superiority" was not the best term. We laughed about our controlling and competitive nature as it pertained to younger siblings. Heidi told me about a recent arm wrestling competition with her siblings and how she and her sister had sat in deadlock for nearly five minutes - neither one wanting to give in. I distinctly remember telling my brother, when I realised he was growing taller than me, "You have to be nice to me now that you're bigger and stronger than I am." He only laughed a sort of evil laugh.
Heidi used to open her siblings presents at Christmas and birthdays. She was forced to keep a sizeable distance away from gifts until she could control herself. I think it was two years ago :o)
I was the self appointed birthday cake supervisor, placing the candles, lighting them AND blowing them out for the birthday child.
Heidi, her brother, and I were discussing the dynamics of this paradigm when Heidi shared this tidbit, "I've heard that oldest children are the most intelligent and it just decreases down throughout the children." Brother chortled.
What's with oldest children, anyway?

"I think I am a good applicant for this position because..."

2006-03-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I spent a Sunday afternoon online, applying for summer jobs. There resided in me a nagging feeling that I ought to have spent that time working on homework. However, I justified my behaviour as necessary and ignored the feeling (who wants to do homework anyway?).
The very next day (should've done the homework) I received an email forwarding an invitation for all pre-professional students to a group interview for emergency department scribe positions at the local hospital.
[after deciding to go to P.A. school and being informed of the necessity of having "clinical experience" to apply, I gathered that the BEST way of acquiring said experience is via scribe work. You don't have to have any credentials to become one and it's a paid position. the only real hurdle is that it's a semi-challenging position to sink your claws into...and believe me, that's what you do when you're finally offered the job...opportunities rarely arise.]
I figured I had nothing to lose by attending the group interview, so I went. Aislinn also came, along with about 30 other hopefuls, and we chatted up a storm while we waited for our number to be called. I knew this was one of three group interviews and when I was told that there were only going to be approximately 6 people hired, I wasn't exactly expecting anything. But at the same time, I was; I hoped I was what they were looking for.
It turns out that I am.
Two weeks later found me agonizing over the fact that they hadn't called me back for a second interview; I just figured I'd been turned down. I even rang Aislinn to see if she'd been contacted. But the call came. And to the interview I went, 12:30pm Thursday. Two current scribes and the head of hiring interviewed me. It was fascinating to be asked those typical interview questions about my appropriateness for the position, best/worst traits, handling "constructive criticism," etc. After only 15 minutes it was finished. I didn't know whether that was a good thing or not.
The claws flew out, when, two hours later I was offered the position. Rather, I should say, I was selected to apply. There are so many people clamoring for scribe jobs that the interview is held before the application process.
I've since picked up my paperwork and training manual. There's a hefty section on medical terminology (which I've already studied and thoroughly enjoyed) and my favorite pages: the "how to" of prescription writing. There's a whole language to learn for that.
Training begins within the next two weeks. After a week and a half of classroom instruction and a couple shadowing sessions, I'm thrown out onto the ED floor. Whoa. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

The Girls Visit Idaho

2006-03-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

At Starbucks: Chelsea, Liz, Jules, Sarah, Ty

Um, sleeping: Liz, Jules, Chelsea, Liz

Ty was more than a little disappointed at Jules' rejection...at least she was straighforward.

Liz-n-Jules. Oh so much fun!

And then a funny thing happened.

2006-02-28T18:12:00.000-07:00

"Woman One" was trying to return 1 Tbsp of all-purpose white flour to the jar so as to not waste any. Photo has been cropped in attempt to preserve her dignity.

"Woman Two" was helping "Woman One" clean out game closet. Very little attempt has been made to preserve her dignity. Said dignity was forfeited with donning of mask, velcro hat, whatever is draped around her neck, and hand puppets.

Reply to Heidi

2006-02-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday I stopped by the rec after my Nampa campus class. As it so happened, I arrived at the intersection of Midland and Roosevelt only 30 minutes after the hideously awful shooting rampage ended in a car accident there. I first thought it was only an accident, but then I saw the news crew. Later I found out that what I had thought were businessmen trying to help guide traffic were actually detectives.
Now, after class on Wednesdays I usually go to my grandparents house for dinner. Yesterday I had to study for a test so I had cancelled with my grandparents.
Once I got to the rec my dad phoned and informed me of the true nature of what I’d seen. He was quite relieved to hear that I was safe and told me that the shooting had begun in a Walmart and continued through town, complete with a pit stop to change a flat tire because it had been shot.
I really can’t believe it happened. I suppose this is how L.A. began.
Two vehicles driving down an extremely busy boulevard at rush hour WITH CHILDREN IN ONE OF THE VEHICLES shooting at each other. Seriously. And there’s actually an argument that “people are, deep down, good at heart.” God save us.

All that to say, Heidi, that I was going to ring you and ask if you wanted to join me at the rec, but then I thought, "I'm going to be on an elliptical machine for 30 minutes and I'm going to have my eyes glued to my notes. I'd have to ignore her. It would be dumb to invite her and not talk to her."
There you go.

I do miss blogging...

2006-02-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

I realised that today. Reading through Mary's adventures in parenting/adopting and hopping over to catch up with the adventures in medical school (sometimes I nearly fall off my chair laughing. really.) left me with the desire to produce an amazing blog. Now, I know this mainly stems from my want of acceptance from people, but I also love to talk. To anyone. And this certainly is the ideal format to do such a thing. You can mute me whenever you wish. My problem is, I feel I rarely come up with funny or brilliant things to say. More often than not I get lost in mushy-gushy emotions and don't emerge for a couple of postings. Either that or I am completely forgetful of the habitual hilarious events in my life. Ok, well, maybe just insanely busy. Take this past weekend, for example. Honestly, I was awake at home for maybe 12 hours.
Friday:
Had the luxury of being at home this morning. Still forced to feed the screaming chickens and goats as Sarah is out-of-state (seriously, the neighbors are going to put away the spoiled screeching baby goat. I won't be surprised when they do.) but was nonetheless able to enjoy some rest to mentally prepare for the marathon weekend. Lunch with Dave and Heather - you know what? I LOVE spending time with those two. Even though he took away my dear friend, well . . . we weren't going to get married anyway. And he's really good about making sure Heather and I spend quality time together. Discussion over lunch touched on the fact that I'll be going to graduate school for at least 2.5 years somewhere out of town, probably in another state, and what will Heather do? All this from David, of course. I see only one answer. Heather and I earn the same degree, again, forcing a transplant from Boise to wherever, of the three of us. It's the only way. Class from 3 to 6. Booooooring. Nothing new. Rushed off after class to the SUB (Student Union Bldg - I ALWAYS wanted to call Otago's 'Link' 'the SUB' - 'tis the place to hang out) to revamp my resume. Answered a call on my brand-spanking-new mobile phone [it feels good to be reachable] and headed away to a job interview. An ER Scribe is what they're looking for, 5, actually. There were at least 25 of us, including Aislinn, hoping to make it, and that didn't count the two other group interviews already held. We'll see. They've got a 100% success rate of employees being accepted into their professional school of choice. Made it home Friday night at 10pm, I think.
Saturday:
Up and at-em and in class by 9am. Give myself 40 mins to move my butt from sitting-in-car-in-garage to sitting-in-chair-in-class. Not-so-narrowly maneuvered my way out of goat-feeding this morning. Three hours later I was bolting to my car to hit the gym for a tight 30-min work out. Visited with Stewart who was enthralled to discover through my pictures that I'd visited his island while overseas. Attempted to tackle some assignments over my linner/dunch, but only managed to write a few emails to friends in Dunedin. And look at friends' blogs. Sigh. But then, oh and this was the bestest, I went to pick up Hans who had shouted me a ticket to see ReliantK, to be playing at 7 pm. We'd planned on standing in line for three hours, hoping for good spots near the stage. When we arrived at the venue, I was so cold I knew I couldn't wait more than an hour for warmth. My over-21-ness got us both in through the pub, where we blissfully waited, eating dinner and chatting with the security guard until we were allowed in, just after the VIPs and nearly 20 minutes before the masses. Scoring a table at the balcony, I camped out there for the evening while Hans drifted around the building. I was joined by two Christian men, a father and son, who knew some of my old and good friends. We had delightful talks of music, maths and quantum physics. The concert was awesome! All three bands were entertaining and, most importantly, sounded fantastic. ReliantK was a little disappointing in the length of time they played - 45 min - but I was too happy to get to see them. Also fascinating was the overhead view of the crowd of mostly-teens. It ebbed and flowed like the ocean (complete with an abundance of body surfers); pulsed like an amoeba; arose and pitted like an acne-covered face. Most enjoyable. Actually home by 11pm Saturday night.
Sunday:
Chorus practice at 8:30am. I'm there by 9:15.
Service was good, thinking about the need and power of praying for others while totally depending on Jesus for His working. Talked about revival in Chad and over 700 people coming to Christ there. The incremental sleep deprivation of the weekend hit me as I cried in response to mention of an unbelieving, alcoholic husband of a praying woman coming to Christ...five years before he died. Well, the exhaustion wasn't the reason I began to cry, but it did influence the duration of tear flow.
Howard invited me to lunch with his daughter, my dear friend Lynn, and her family. Four adults and two children munched away and everyone listened to my ranting and raving over my brother's short sightedness. I'm pretty sure the table behind me of 8+ people tuned in also. Ugh. I'm not going into too much detail. How frustrating for people unaware of current situations.
But anyway.
I stopped on the way home from lunch to feed my addiction. I had to get my Chloe fix because I today is President's Day and I didn't watch her this morning (Oh the bliss of seeing her tomorrow! All to myself! I hope it's sunny and warm for walking...).
I spent two (?) hours on the couch before leaving for Adam and Heidi's. I was going to watch Nathan while they went out, but we ended up visiting, singing around the piano, stripping TP rolls of TP (Nathan) and eventually going out to dinner. I can't even begin to express how DELIGHTFUL it is to be around them. It's not because they're funny. It's not because Nathan calls both Heidi and I "Mama." And it's not because they are incredibly generous. It's because they are so comfortable, so honest, so real. And I'm in renewed awe of God when I'm around them. They are new Christians, soaking up the truth. Heidi and I sat on the couch under a blanket, two dogs and mugs of tea last night, just talking truth. I felt mightily convicted of my own complacency and general "I-grew-up-going-to-Sunday-school" attitude. Take it away, I say. Death to me. I have been co-crucified. His mercies are new every morning. And He who promised is faithful. Victory has already been won.
Remind me.
Oh, remind me.

Chloe

2006-02-15T21:32:00.000-07:00

Oh Chloe, Chloe, Chloe.

My sister is away in California helping out with Dillon. Dillon is the newborn 26th cousin on my mother's side and is the fourth child of my Auntie Kim and Uncle Terry.

My sister is a nanny. Of Chloe.
I am now temporarily a nanny. Of Chloe.

She has pretty much captured my heart. It's all the sling's fault, really. Chloe and I go for walks on sunny, non-windy days and Chloe rides in the sling, sitting snugly against my side or belly. She's about to celebrate her 1st birthday, but she's a tiny girl. A pretty girl. And a bright little thing. She likes to make an "O" with her little lips and "whoooooo" around the house, or wherever she is. Occasionally she'll scrunch up her nose, revealing her gap between her two front teeth, and laugh.

Yesterday, as she was going down for a nap, she absentmindedly reached up and felt my face with her soft hand just before I melted. She has the complexion of, well, a baby. A baby with big blue eyes and rosy pink cheeks. Her hair is taking a while to come in, but her fuzzy little head just adds to her moderate adorableness.

Today we worked on blowing out candles in preparation for her 1st birthday party.

Fascinating how God has created us human beings. Chloe isn't even my child and I can't stop caring for her, now 7 hours after I've last seen her. It could be my age, my gender, my personality. I think it's mostly that bit of El Shaddai - the all-sufficient Mighty One - inside of me. You know, that part of Him who established families to learn something of His character.
As I sat in the backseat of my car today, waiting for Chloe's parents to pick her up (special arrangement, we're not usually hanging out in a car), she and I had a wonderful conversation.

"We're just waiting here for your mommy and daddy, Chica."
"Gleeggleeg ululul hi hi hi hi bye bye bye bye..."
"Yes. Oh, that sun's bright. Sorry, I'll block it for you. Anyway, remember: Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own underst..."
"Bleebleebgussssgghhhenilnil." Big smile.
"...your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Oh! There's your daddy!"
"Gggggkkkkkkksssstttt!"

I smile, my heart so full of compassion and awe and love I don't almost don't want her dad to be there. I'll just skip class today. Or take her with me.

I hop out of the car to pass her off for the transfer. "She just woke up so she might be hungry I didn't know if there was any food in the diaperbag so I grabbed some emergency snacks and she's got her sippy cup with juice and the house keys are in her blankets and here, I'll get that." I open the car door for him and her carseat clicks into its base. With one last "Bye, Chloe!" I hand off her snack, climb into my car and head off. My heart hurts and I tell myself I'm being ridiculous. "You've been watching the girl for two weeks and you can't even let her go? You'll see her tomorrow! Good grief!"

And then I see myself in that carseat...the sling...and in the arms of the One who alone knows me. Held tightly next to Him where I am unable to be snatched away. I feel His heart ache with love as only a parent's heart can. And up moves my hand to feel His face.

Ok, let's count up the credits again, JUST to make 100% sure...

2006-01-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

Time: 14:47
Date: Thursday 25 January 2006
Place: Office of academic advisor, Boise State University

My head begins to spin and I can't read the words that are before me. I can barely smile though I feel like screaming for joy. My academic advisor and I have just gone over my Boise State transcript. The first run-through leaves me with the joyous information that, after this semester, I only need three more classes to graduate.
But wait! What's this? Two classes we've forgotten to count?! Can it be true???
My brain starts swimming. I can't focus on anything.
"Liz, if you can either take an online course or CLEP out of an Area II class (a list of twenty or so) in addition to your current class schedule you can graduate in May."
I scramble to the computer lab to print off a graduation application, email Heather with the news and drop two unnecessary credits. Then I get on the phone in the hallway (one of the last free-local-calls-allowed-not-just-on-campus-only) and ring: Mom, Dad, Paula and Aislinn. Mom nearly cries. Dad is beside himself. I am to be the first university graduate. Sarah tells me later that when Dad gets home from work, Mom quietly asks him if I'd called. They both smile.

Now the hardout studying begins. Just in case I'm quite absent from the blog realm, know it's for this reason: my attitude is changed for my last semester as un undergrad. No more Miss Nice Guy.

yikes

2006-01-10T21:48:00.000-07:00

Wow. I really need to write more often or I'll continue to turn out such books as the last post.

Where have I been??

2006-01-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

Heidi confronted me the other day. "You need to post on your blog. You haven't written anything since you got home." I was adamant that I had. The last post (see for yourself) was written after 2 Dec, at which point I experienced one of the longest days ever - living that date twice over.
Regardless, here I am, finally writing.
Christmas was wonderful. For the past 10 years or so, Sarah and I have had the tradition of getting up sometime during the 3 or 4 am hours to carry out the "Christmas Raid." This consists of looking over presents and examining the content of our stockings, all the while being paranoid that Mom will arise and catch us in the act - part of the fun. Funny enough, in light of recent Christmas discussions on blogs, the quote in our house was, "Could you be any more materialistic and nasty?!" The Christmas Raid (I despise the title but it was bestowed by Auntie, who we could never refuse) has become a point of bonding and tradition for our family, despite it's materialistic and nasty underpinnings.
Christmas Day was thoroughly enjoyable, spending rich time together as a family.
That Wednesday, Chelsea, Liz and Jules arrived from Oregon. We were beside ourselves, reuniting on the other side of the world. Four days later they were on their way to Portland after much friend-meeting, hair-dyeing, wedding-attending, movie-watching, late-night hilarity, Swahili-attempting, taco-feasting and more. I slept a LOT after the girls left :o)
New Year's celebrations began the afternoon of the 31st. Friends Matt and Ty convinced me to join them in Boise for fun before evening celebrations. LeAnn joined in and the four of us enjoyed massive bowls of ice cream and a viewing of Orange County. Dude.
The New Year's party was hosted by old high-school friends Caleb and Meg, who rented a hotel room in which to play Texas Holdem, watch videos, catch up with others, and drop crumbs on the floor because "I don't have to clean it up!" as announced blissfully by Meg. That night I visited with Johnny and Dani, who were married two hours after I flew out of the Boise airport to return to Dunedin after Heather's wedding. We toasted with champagne at midnight and went strolling downtown with cigars. Homeschoolers; they all go off the deep end eventually.
Friday, 6 Dec was spent in celebration of my 23rd birthday. I had a bit of a Pirate Party, ice blocking in costume and feasting at Johnny and Dani's. There was homemade chili and cornbread, Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls and Cracker Jack. I'd found one of those "Top-Secret" Recipes books at the house Sarah and I were housesitting at and was pleasantly surprised to discover the authentic store-bought taste of both the cinnamon rolls and caramel corn. The evening was finished with an exhausted midnight viewing of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Saturday morning I went off to Larissa's "12 Days of Christmas" Tea Party. I'm learning a lesson in God's sovereignty. When Larissa opened the door to greet me she said, "Oh good. I knew you'd get here early to help. I just knew it." I'm NEVER early and I'd made NO attempts to be so that morning. I was only hoping I'd be on time. Funny how that happens when you don't wear a watch because you lost your absolute favorite watch somewhere on the Kepler Track on the South Island of New Zealand when you were faking some sort of accent and you met two people from Nampa, Idaho who thought you'd actually picked up an accent in the two months you'd been living in New Zealand. So I helped out with the creation of the fiddly nibbly things and threw all the dirty dishes into the dishwasher.
The morning was a reunion of sorts for a Bible study I participated in the first two years of uni. I suddenly realised it was incredibly special to be sitting there with women I'd prayed for and who had prayed for me, every week, after sharing our life events. We went through heartache galore, weddings, and children in that Bible study, enjoying the sweet aroma of Jesus while we so dearly loved each other. Precious memories.
My actual birthday, Sunday 8 Jan, was spent singing at church and trekking around town for all the free birthday movie hirings. While watching "Hitch" my hair was crimped to white-man-Afro proportions. I donned my eighties apparel, complete with turquoise eyeshadow, and went off to retrieve my friends and neighbors from the airport. Last year I picked them up dressed as Meg Ryan's ditsy dependent daughter character in 'Joe Versus the Volcano.' Even with my back to them, they knew instantly that it was me.
Birthday celebrations continued into Monday with Dani coming over to watch "The Forgotten." Seriously, I haven't movie-screamed like that for ages. Twice. If you've seen the movie, you know what I mean.
That brings me to now. Tuesday 10 January 2006, 10:17am. Hoping for the pinch in my back to go away, hoping for a job, hoping paperwork will be processed quickly at Boise State. Always hoping.

Narnia. I was there.

2005-12-14T12:42:00.000-07:00

This is great, David (Tirian) posted all of my pics that I took near Elephant Rocks. I'm suddenly famous! The page has been viewed 3,132 times as of now!

I'll be having a autograph session upon my return to New Zealand.
No photographs without permission, please.

Winter in Idaho

2005-12-11T22:46:00.000-07:00

I just can't be bothered with blogging here at home. I only mean in my home, of course, which boasts a 31.2 Kbps dial-up connection to the internet. However, I was just offered a job working for a broadband provider in the area. If I accept the position, we will acquire a more pleasing method of access to the world wide web. It sounds nice. Real nice.

Anyway! What I've been meaning to mention is that Idaho (and other areas of the States) is experiencing the coldest winter in 5 years! Hooray for me! Not only is this my THIRD winter in a row, it's the coldest of them all...colder, even, than Dunedin. Protest if you must, but the wind chill on the 7th of December, at 8:44am MST was -30 C/-22 F. Now that's cold.
At 8:13am MST on the 8th of December, the standing-air temp "skyrocketed" to a chilly -14.8 C/5.4 F.
And tonight we went carolling. It wasn't bad, though, as we spent time inside buildings (we deliver fruit and biscuit plates to some of the elderly of our congregation) and raced between being indoors and the warm vehicles.

On a rather exciting note, I've begun meeting people, again, for the first time. By this I mean people that I casually knew, or attended the same congregation I do, but I was too comfortable in my control zone to get to know them.
Kristi is 25 and is passionate about the Word; preaching the Word, reading the Word, submitting to and relying on the Word. She's leading a women's Bible study and I'm enjoying it entirely. She's also wondrously friendly, outgoing and talented as a musician. We're currenly working on lyrics for a gorgeous piece of piano music she's written.
Adam and Heidi are newcomers to my congregation. They have one son, Nathan, who is 19 mos old. He's adorable and is fluent in baby sign language. [It's a great frustration and stress reliever for all involved as there is no longer much need for grunting and screaming.] Adam and Heidi were immensely friendly when we first met and I instantly became comfortable around them, cracking jokes and poking fun back and forth with them.

I was able to spend Thursday catching up with Heather, finishing off the day with herself and her hubby David over dinner. Of course I feigned Kiwi-ness and played the tourist, "What's good at this restaurant? I want something American." I find I'm terribly confident faking the accent as I'm pretty sure I'd be able to answer the questions I hope I'd attract. There were none that night, but I hope there will be some sooon.

Went and saw the new Narnia movie last night. Excellent film! I just about flew out of my seat when "Aslan's Camp" scene began. On my last day on the South Island, Jon (who was an extra in the movie), took Dom and I to where that scene had been shot. I took heaps of pictures and shared them with my friends David and MaryBeth at the after-movie-party. There was authentic Turkish Delight there AND trivia questions about the book/movie. Sounds hardout, ay?
Well, it should. Because David has designed the wildly successful "World's #1 Non-Official Website" for the film: NarniaWeb.com. Producers, actors and other highly-involved-and-special people have kept up with the information on the site, and many have been in contact with David. I recommend checking it out. It's neat. Support it if you get the chance - David's a Christian AND he was homeschooled. How much more dorkycool can you get?! ;o)

Cinderella

2005-12-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

I'm over visiting a good friend in Nampa, Idaho. I've known Jenna and her husband for about 4 years now and have babysat their three children. Jenna's coaching Mum and I how to supplement the income as an Ebay seller of baby and maternity clothing.
It's been really fun getting back together with friends. Before I left Dunendin, my friend Helen (who'd moved from England to marry a Kiwi man) asked me what it was that I'd missed about Idaho during the last year.
"Relationships," said I, "Definitely the people."
She nodded and said, "I miss 'history.' I miss telling a friend something and knowing that she understands exactly where I come from when I say it."
Aislinn has said, "All of our conversations stem from the thousands of little talks we've had..."

But I've discovered a newfound joy in developing relationships. In my God lessons about time, I realised that I can't have the relationships I want in a short amount of time. You just can't rush the unfolding of a personality. People, as ogres, are like onions. Lots of layers.

Home is good. And I miss everyone in New Zealand.

I think this sums it up.

2005-11-29T15:01:00.000-07:00

Auckland is big.

I've been downtown, took a bus ALL BY MY LONESOME and met up with friend Danny before ferrying over to Devonport, the adorable section of North Shore.
Today I'm going to Mission Bay with Justin's mum. We're going to have a picnic lunch in my little bit of blessed sun before blasted freezing Idaho.

Can hardly believe I'll be home in three days!

Murray

2005-11-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

“Humility, the place of entire dependence on God, is, from the very nature of things, the first duty and highest virtue of man. It is the root of every virtue.”
~ Andrew Murray

Humility, I have come to find, is not only the highest of virtues, but is as well one of the most challenging to cultivate. It is comparatively easy to tailor one’s conduct to suit a standard, shown by the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus’ day, than to transform one’s own heart. In becoming humble we must first see ourselves as we truly are. Without the saving grace of our Father, how utterly wretched our nature is. But we are conformed into His image through Christ’s work on the cross. Therefore, though we are “white as snow,” (Isaiah 1:18) it is not of any working of our own. “I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good beside or beyond You.’” (Psalms 16:2) The first step of humility is to not only see ourselves completely deficient in hope without the mercy of Christ, but also to accept that everything good within us comes from God alone. This also includes gifts and talents possessed. To glory in our giftings is pride, yet to ignore their existence is false humility. We must come to the median where we both acknowledge our talents and give glory and thanks to God for them.
But it is not enough to merely philosophize and converse upon the subject of humility, rather, it is necessary to convert our beliefs into actions. While examining myself in the light of the humility set forth by Christ, I see myself, as all honest men must, lacking exceedingly. My personal pride, I have found, does not take the form of flaunting and outward proclamations of superiority, but it is of a more subtle nature. Fortifications, years in the building, have obstructed the path to my heart. Pride, and fear of recurring pain, has prevented certain of these walls from destruction. But God has not called me to live a life encased in my prideful protection. An essential element of humility is placing God and others ahead of one’s own self. I must therefore stand spiritually naked before my Creator, and those witnesses around me, that God might mold me from a piteous creature into a mighty work of His grace. Stripped of my pride and humbled before His glory, I will no longer lean upon my own strength but depend solely upon His in the work set before me. This is the purpose of man, to live a life of humility and entire dependence upon Christ as we serve Him and those around us.
(snagged from Martinah's blog. Thank you!)

Pretty much alive and well :o)

2005-11-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

This update is intended to be pathetic and leave it's readers wanting for more.
I'm alive and barely in one piece at the Latif's in Auckland. I arrived last night after an uneventful flight (characterised only by my tears upon takeoff) and a heartwrenching goodbye at the airport with Dom, Jon, and Neelam. The day was spent with Jon and Dom, who drove me from Dunedin at 7am (one of the best road trips of my life thus far!!!).
Sad and quick goodbye with my family, the Newtons, who will forever be housed in my heart.

The tramp rocked! I sprained my weak (right ankle) badly and have since stretched the tendons numerous times. I've said goodbye to too many kindred spirits and shed endless tears. Nonetheless, I am thankful that God has placed a joy in my heart to return home. Everything would be so much more difficult if it was not there.

Friday 2 December 2005
6:30 pm, Boise Airport
Southwest Airlines, SLC --> BOI

[we are thinking of going out to dinner after I get back, if you're interested, PLEASE leave me a message - Mum wants to have some idea of the numbers because she's also keen to make a big pot of spag or chile to eat back at our place]

Tramping, anyone?

2005-11-13T17:12:00.000-07:00

Leaving tomorrow (Tuesday, 15 November) morning from North Dunedin at 7am to go tramp the Greenstone-Caples Track loop. Anyone interested? Emina and I are the only two right now, but there's room for three more, if you want to pack in and help out with petrol. We'd love the company and we'll probably be back Saturday (Friday if we decide to chug through the end bit).

Will head straight to the airport in the morning to drop off flattie Nicole for the goodbye.

Text, ring, drop by, comment, email if you're interested!

Note: Heidi, you can't come. That's all there is to it. I don't want to hear any whinging.

Frightening...

2005-11-13T16:37:00.000-07:00

I actually said this to my flatmate Nicole saturday night. She suggested I write it down somewhere. Even though it's incredibly embarrassing, I thought all of my loving, kind, non-teasing friends would get a kick out of it.

"You know I'm a hypochondriac, right? Self-diagnosed, of course."
pause. process.
"I can't believe I just said that."

*riots of laughter*

Free Stuff

2005-11-11T18:03:00.000-07:00

Well, ignoring the recent text that mentioned the possibility of things falling through, I am leaving Dunedin sooner than expected. Tomorrow at noon I hope to head off to Abel Tasman.
I've got some things I'd love to give away if anyone is in need (or knows someone who is):

down comforter
wool blankets
bicycle (may need back wheel replaced and tire is punctured)
end-table with wee cupboard and shelves (used as lampstand next to bed)
hotties

You'll have to pick up, but I might be able to leave them with someone else so you wouldn't be pressured for time. If you know Anna Newton's mobile number you know mine. Otherwise, you can text someone who knows me and get my number.

I will be leaving Dunners this week, though, whether it's tomorrow or not. I'm not going to smother on the cheese yet, I'll wait until I'm home and desperate for you all. Much love!

I'm not tough after all

2005-11-08T22:42:00.000-07:00

Ugh, today.
I can only assume this to be punishment for my Absinthe evening: my piercing was infected to the point of inability to concentrate. Being the hypochondriac that I am, I looked up symptoms of septicemia.

What are signs and symptoms of septicemia?

Patients with septicemia often develop a hemorrhagic rash -- a cluster of tiny blood spots that look like pin pricks in the skin. If untreated, these gradually get bigger and begin to look like fresh bruises. These bruises then join together to form larger areas of purple skin damage and discoloration.

lose interest in food and surroundings
become feverish
feel cold, with cool hands and feet
experience a coma and sometimes death

As to be expected, I suddenly realised that I had the chills (though my hands and feet were of normal temperature). But I had been wondering why I woke up this morning despising even the thought of food, which is very rare. I decided to remove the earring, hoping for some relief, but my head only continued throbbing. Since I couldn't concentrate to study (exam tomorrow!), and deciding the swollen lymph nodes on the left side of my head were a good indication of infection, AND having been worried about the rapid overtake of septicemia, I went to the student health centre. The last thing I want is to croak in New Zealand.

While walking to the health centre, I wondered what my family would do if I didn't make it home to Idaho. Morbid, I know. Decided to change the topic, but all I could focus on was whether or not the infection had gone septic, and, "Oh! Watch out for that car! You're uninterested in your surroundings, is that right?" Dying on the way to the GP would be hilarious, sarcastically speaking. That would teach the world how sick I really was. Right. Septicemia has a quick onset like meningitis, I always wanted to say I had a near-death experience. Or died and was revived. So cool.

The receptionist gave me a "you're-just-another-idiot" look when I told her my piercing had gotten infected. Sneer. The nurse didn't want to hear about it, she just glanced at my ear and wrote me up to see a GP who cleaned things up (wearing a glove that was NOT sterile. I watched her put it on after picking up another that had fallen on the floor and stuck the one that had been on the floor back in the box) then wrote me up a prescription for antibiotics.

This whole ordeal, and others, has played a part in teaching me the wisdom of making decisions based on the long-term. Yes, things might be easier for the next day or week or semester if you choose one path, but what might be the consequences of that decision in a month/year/the rest of your life? I wasn't diligent in cleaning my piercing and here I am, the day before a big exam, trying to get my brain to focus, and my stomach to stop hurting from the antibiotics.

"...Expose by faith every situation as it arises, to the All-Sufficiency of the One Who indwells you by His life. Can any situation arise, in any circumstances for which He is not adequate? ...If He be truly God, there cannot be a single one! In everything give thanks!" -Maj.W.IanThomas

Anyone up for leaving Monday morning for a road trip to Abel Tasman, four-day tramp, and journey to Wellington? Seriously! I'm looking for a ride :o)

always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres

2005-11-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe I left home 9 months ago. February 9 I flew out of Boise to LA and arrived in Auckland on the 14th of February, in Dunedin the 17th. I'm hoping to leave Dunedin this monday, 14th November, to drive up to Auckland, stopping for a tramp and a bit of city-visiting along the way. If that doesn't work out, I'll have a few more days here to say goodbye.
I feel both numb and highly sensitive to everything.
I have to finish studying for exams (should be doing that right now), pack up all my belongings, try to sell off particular items (bike or wee table, anyone?), clean the flat, send things to Auckland, and accomplish a multitude of other mundane, yet heartbreaking, tasks. Goodbyes are the hardest.
I AM excited to come home, don't think otherwise, it's just that I'm not the same anymore. And I'm tired of painting pictures of Egypt. I won't try to explain now how I've changed, or how this time, these people and the truth have impacted me over the past months. I think I'll be spending the rest of my life thinking about it.

While moving forward.

"The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has
made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time. You open Your hand and satisify the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made. The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He
fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them." Psalm 145:13-19
"Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul." Psalm 143:7-8

"Gimme some of the hard stuff, Ed."

2005-11-04T17:56:00.000-07:00

I have just recovered from what I believe to be my first ever hangover.
Now, I have concluded that the hangover was produced by many factors. Some of these being:
- ear piercing trauma recovery
- exhaustion from staying up too late and waking early to clean the flat for inspection
- being too warm (summer's acomin'!)
- general dehydration

All these factors are enough to make anyone feel disgusting, but I suppose the real cause of the hangover was the fact that I'd consumed too much alcohol for my poor body to process.
I know that heat is actually really dangerous when you've been drinking. It only increases dehydration, thus intensifying the damage of the alcohol, inhibiting liver processing. I was way too warm on the ride back from Oamaru - in a little car with the heater running (to avoid engine overheating), wearing jeans and a turtleneck. I didn't want to drink too much water at that time because I knew we'd have to stop at least three times before reaching Dunedin. That explains why I felt continually more crappy as the evening endured.
It was an absolutely putrid feeling. But I've discovered Bailey's Irish Cream and Kahlua. Mixed with a bit of milk. Mmmmm. Probably wasn't the best idea after a long day that included two glasses of wine. However, I'll wager it was the Absinthe that put me over the edge...
Really, it's no wonder that stuff is illegal on my hometurf.
My 5mLs was more than enough. I am such a lightweight.

I match my sister now

2005-11-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday flatmate Nicole and I went to get her ear pierced. It was a birthday present from me. She's a pierced woman, I tell you, with 7 to count at the moment. Two holes in each lobe, tummybutton, recent eyebrow and now cartilage of the right ear. I'd been contemplating it myself, and decided to go for it. Piercing the cartilage, that is. Much less painful than I'd heard - and I can't tell yet (waiting for possible infection), but I think I prefer the gun over the needle for piercing. We'll see.
I feel a bit of a 90s punk - sweeping the hair on the left side of my head waaaay back and showing off my piercedness. Now for some bling and a chain. I figure I'll pierce my lip, nose and ears (a few more times) and get hoops for all of them. Then I'll slowly distort my face by linking up all the hoops with the chain and ever-so-gently tightening it up over time... ;o)

I've just texted you

2005-10-29T03:37:00.000-07:00

Walked to Caversham this morning, it is quite a pleasant walk, I must admit! And I'm afraid I was a bit prideful of the fact that I'd managed to make it all the way there and without getting lost. Only had to stop once to pee as well, that's got to be some sort of record for me.

I got to see my friends Adelso and Lilian, and their daughters, Sophia and Valentina. Lili and I bonded right away when we met in February (she was my tutorial lecturer for spanish), both of us hungry for friendship. Three weeks before I arrived in New Zealand, they had moved from Canada to Dunedin - knowing minimal english. Adelso is from Venezuela; Lili was born in Guatemala. The whole family is fluent in Spanish and French, Sophia and Valentina now nearly fluent in English as well. I saw them for what I assume to be the last time. Tears. Lili hugged me so tightly.

Oh, but it was truly a fantastic day! Visiting, baking, eating fried rice, going to a cricket game, and meeting Michael's hilarious sister, Celia, over dinner. We had a grand time, the three of us, and I learned a LOT about the inner workings of Burger King. Did you know that to work at the Whopper bench, you have to be able to whip up one of the burgers in no more than 25 seconds? Or maybe it was less. I happen to know someone who could make them in 18 seconds. 4 at a time. Impressive.

Thoughts today of trusting the Lord. Hear and obey.

"Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel!

Be glad and rejoice with all of your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!

The Lord has taken away your punishment, He has turned back your enemy.

The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm.

On that day they will say to Jerusalem,

"Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing."

"The sorrows for the appointed feasts I will remove from you;

they are a burden and a reproach to you.
At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you;

I will rescue the lame and gather those who have been scattered.

I will give them praise and honor in every land where they were put to shame.

At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home.

I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth

when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes," says the LORD.

zephaniah 3:14-20, NIV

what a difference a day makes

2005-10-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday I went to St. Kilda beach to "surf." Michelle picked me up in her sporty little two-door car and we went whizzing off to pick up Justin's boogie board and Sophie's surfboard and wetties. After driving almost completely around Dunedin, we found Sophie's house and set about loading up the gear. I wish I'd taken a picture. We couldn't fit the board into the car through the boot, the angles were all wrong. Michelle happened to have some extension power cords so I suggested we lash the board to the roof. I would hold, for dear life, onto the ends of the cords inside the car. Laughing through our terrified visions of the board flying off the roof in transit and breaking a fin/the entire board, we decided that it simply had to fit inside. With some clever maneuvering the door provided just enough room to squeeze the board in - lazing at an angle from trunk to windshield.
Picking up Christine (who had available transport), I insisted that we could fit four people into the already-reduced space in Michelle's car. On our way to pick up Luke, I tested out my proposed traveling position: lying underneath the surfboard on my stomach, my hips and legs in the boot, and my torso inside the car. My breathing was a bit inhibited, so while picking up our fourth passenger, I flipped over to lying on my back which was much more comfortable. Christine sat in a huddled ball behind and against the front passenger seat, also underneath the surfboard and just at my head. Luke sat behind Michelle, who drove. This was about the most fun part of the adventure because the waves were terrible, the wind was ferocious and I'm pretty sure I saw some ice cubes float past me in the water. Once the rips started up, us three girls quit the water and joined Luke and Michelle's friend on the beach. A bunch of Student Life guys played touch at the shore while Michelle and I went for a short beach run. We took a break and I gave some cartwheel, round-off, and handstand lessons to Michelle, but the audience was a little unnerving so we headed back.
All snug and cozy for the trip back to Dunners, Luke calmly told me that if he were to tickle my feet, I wouldn't be able to move. I had already been employing my anti-claustrophobia/scuba diving techniques to stay calm, but his statement made me realise how truly pinned I was. My hips were locked into place by the seat Luke sat on. When we dropped him off he didn't get out right away. I mentioned that I couldn't wait to get out, asking if he could unlatch his seat to lay it forward so I could escape. He stared at me with a look, similar to the one Heather gave me before flooring the gas petal that day at the puddle. When he bolted from the car I mustered all of my ancient flexibility to reach for the seat latch to release myself. Just in time I wriggled out of my bonds, and though Luke had reached my foot, he couldn't keep a grasp on my ankle. Gained a painful carpet burn and bruise on my elbow from that one.
At this point I should probably explain that Luke is the leader, yes, leader, of realise, the university student-aged group at DCBC, the church have attended this year and now dually attend with Apo. It was at his birthday (30 Bells Ball) that I taught the dances. Shame on him! Do boys ever learn?
Michelle and I dropped off the gear and a quick visit with Justin. We first tried to pretend we were there to pick up the boogie board, but Justin had seen us driving in town; we gave up in a fit of tired, sunburnt giggles. I was dropped off at home, had a thoroughly enjoyable phone conversation with Michael and slept soundly until my alarm went off at 3:56am. Idaho, (Mountain Standard Time) is currently 4 hours (actually 20 hours behind) "ahead" of New Zealand and my registration began at 8am, on the 26th of October. I spent an hour registering for spring semester classes at Boise State University, before re-entering dreamland. Ugh, is it just me, or is anyone else having restless sleeps?

Shakespeare was a smart man.

2005-10-24T01:05:00.000-07:00

today was one sunny day. Had to wear two different outfits (jeans: also nonconducive to hiking), went on three walks, had four big talks, and ate five times.

The weather was glorious, a slight wind providing the balance for the intense sun.
Jeans and cardigan pulled off the look this morning, with a tank top and shorts ensemble for the remainder of the day.
A delightful jaunt around a bit of the Otago harbour, half-way up to Flagstaff (through thick foliage - complete with all sorts of pokey stickers and thistle-y type growth. trail was discovered in time for decent), and up Baldwin 1.5 times more than exceeded my "30-minutes-of-exercise" hoy.
This day just wouldn't be complete without conversation! Michael, Greg, Denise and Meade all recieved an earfull and contributed to my life.
Kicking off the day with my homeade porridge, I followed this up with a short white, a scone, a banana, and a fantastic black bean burger dinner created by my flatmate, Nicole. Dinner hit the spot.

The End.

viernes (14) y sabado (15) de Octubre

2005-10-22T00:45:00.000-07:00

In anticipation of impending doom (exam study), I allowed myself a brutally busy-with-play weekend. Friday commenced with a delightful phone call from home. After talking for a couple of hours (I don't afford calling home anymore, so home calls me), flatmate Claire and I were off to update the WOF on Uncle, our cruise-liner of a car. While we sat in the sterile little waiting room with the complementary mangled magazines, I relished reading 'The Atonement Child' by Francine Rivers (I better enjoyed 'Redeeming Love,' though both novels are a bit cheesy and unrealistic). I returned, solo, with the car (Claire narrowly missed being hit when she jumped out of Uncle at a traffic light) and took a 40 minute nap before going for a run.
This day I visited the cemetary; I love old cemetaries. The gravestones seem so magnificent, yet useless. It makes me sad, though, to see how people memorialise their forefathers today in contrast to the past. Why do we so often insist on pragmatism?
On the way back through the botanical gardens, I ran into a group of Student Life girls, with whom I was going to Port Chalmers for the end-of-year swimming party. I made it to my flat with just enough time to pack some things for the swim party, but also to stay the night at Long Beach for the Dead Poet's Nite!
I didn't have time to shower after my run, so I was the token stinky person in the van on the way to Port Chalmers (my apologies, Abbie). The pool was wonderful, though, and Danny had planned some great relay games. For one relay we were split up into teams of about 6 and given a number of items - floaty mat, tube, kayak (no paddle) - and had to move them, along with the entire team, from one end of the pool to the other. The first run I was in the kayak with Bonnie pushing me. I started to go sideways across the pool while watching Lucy zoom, backwards, to her destination. And yes, we all played whirlpool. Amazingly effective considering we only used one end of the pool.
An array of food met us outside - yum sausages, potato salad and a multitude of hot chips. Little Olivia joined in the touch rugby that began on the grass. All the big guys were so sweet, making her feel like a real part of the game!
As everyone was moving inside to continue the festivities, I had to go to catch my ride out to the beach. It was at that moment that everyone realised why I'd brought my tramping pack to the pool :o)
Additional note: this was my last contact with Aaron and Connie. They've left for the States for three months and I'm going to miss them muchmuch.
It was a full-van trip to Long Beach. Eight highschool and uni aged folk laughed and chatted wildly on the way. It was so loud that I had to text my friend in the front seat as he couldn't hear me from the back. Ok, I probably didn't need to take such drastic measures but just for once I'd like to meet my 500 texts/month limit! At this moment I've only 64 texts left. I'm thoroughly impressed with that. Not sure why except that I prefer to get my full money's worth. Sorry, I can't seem to stay on task. So much to consider and many important decisions to make.
A roasty fire was glowing and everywhere people were munching on lollies, marshmallows and damper in golden syrup or jam. I was requested to start singing to get everyone's attention, so I hopped on"stage" (a large crate) and blasted the audience with Shirley Temple's "On The Good Ship Lollipop." Then began the readings and recitations. A scene from Braveheart was acted out for the kick-off. There was a skit, some original pieces and sweet, funny childhood rhymes. I read "Ozymandias," by Shelley. Singing, ahh, was sporadic during the evening. Most of it terrible, or so I've heard. As I'd forgotten food for the next day, I bartered with my American marshmallows for some breakfast.
Just about the time the high school students had become 'one' with the sugar they'd consumed, I was getting drowsy. Caleb had recommended sleeping in the cave a short distance away - the sand was cleaner and it stayed warmer with it's low ceiling. Mike, Susan, Caleb and I moved into the cave and set up sleeping zones. We wanted to get up in time to see the sunrise, so the alarm was set for 5:40am, although it was nearly 1:30am. It was cold night on the hard sand, complete with serenading from a nearby penguin (whose lovely noises had scared the crap out of me earlier in the evening). When the alarm went off we layered up and ran outside to see the sunrise. Mysteriously dark for a sun that was supposed to come in 4 minutes. Caleb said,

Hmmm. I bet I forgot to change my GPS unit over for daylight savings. Well, I'm going back to bed for an hour!

A sleepless, shivering hour later we were up again, this time faced with a bright, but overcast, morning sky. Sigh.

Fact for the day: When your bladder is full, your body fights to keep the contents warm, often dropping your body temperature just slightly. This can produce that chilled feeling, though you are, in fact, warm enough to survive...just not sleep.

After finding a toilet, I crawled back into my sleeping bag and enjoyed glorious, warm sleep for the next 90 minutes. Yay for morning!

I've encountered just about the most wretched trick online ever.

2005-10-21T23:14:00.000-07:00

Mean, mean, mean!
My flatmate had this little link on her website. It's for a survey/predictor thingy regarding your "love life." Very hilarious, thought I, so I tried it. Entering all sorts of personal information and fudging my email address, I hit the enter button.

Ha! You've been fooled! A copy of your entry has been sent to your friend!
Hope you don't mind. If you want to fool your friends, click here.

I'm never doing anything online "just for fun" again.

Rain, STAY! ...If I've got a change of clothes.

2005-10-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

I will update on the adventures of last weekend, but here are two funny rain stories first. Inspired, of course, by Justin's blog. I never claimed to possess creativity.

Spring of last year, after a long day of classes and work at uni, I found that it was rather puddly outside. Although it was still cold and I was wearing jeans (most comfortable when worn dry), I decided to have fun in the dreary weather by running through the puddles on the way to the carpark. The few passersby witnessed my excitement blossom as felt my sneakers go all squishy. The entire time I was arguing with my mommy voice -you'll be cold and miserable on the drive home! You could get sick!- Thankfully, I've come to learn that you have to do some of the fun things regardless of silly "reasons" not to, such as having wet clothes (which would dry when you got to the car where you could run the heater for free). Anyway, I had been feeling pretty healthy.
Then I decided just walking through the puddles wasn't enough; I needed to jump. I was only wet from about the calves down, it was great!
The big puddle was coming up...oooh, it's deep!...a fellow student was approaching, I knew it was then or never. I thudded into the deepest part of the water and the splash was SO satisfying! However, not only was the water spent splaying in all directions around me, it was sent straight up the inside of my legs. That one student just smiled as I looked down at the result. Continuing the "peed-my-pants" theme I have here on my blog, that's exactly what it looked like. I then felt free to attack the rest of the puddles I encountered before my car. It was a good day.

I shared my second puddle encounter with Heather. It was the afternoon and I was on my way to her house. A major storm was brewing. The wind was howling and a slushy rain was falling. The rain turned into hail and cars sought protection under the trees lining the street. Windshield wipers couldn't run fast enough to allow visibility. I made it to Heather's during the few calm let-ups in the storm. Flying from my car to the house, I made it inside at the same moment an amazing rain began.
Heather and I stood at the windows and watched the torrents fall. Some areas of the road now had small rivers flowing across them. What do you do in situations as these? You can't just ignore them. Not when one of you has a 4WD vehicle.
The rain lasted long enough to create treacherous driving conditions (though it doesn't matter how long it rains - everyone still forgets how to drive in it). Heather and I decided to go driving. We found a few giggle-inducing roadside ponds before finding the mother of all puddles. The parking lot was empty and the drain must have been blocked because there was a puddle the size of Texas...there in our own private Idaho.
We drove through the edges a few times, screaming with laughter. The middle was actually so deep that we could've seriously damaged the jeep if we'd gone through it quickly. The weather was starting to warm at this point, so I decided I wanted to go for a wade to break in my chacos. Heather drove to the middle to drop me off, but I was pretty sure the water level was higher than the door. After getting out of the vehicle at the edge of the water, I made my way to the depths - past my knees - holding up my trousers so they wouldn't get soaked. Heather was slowly driving around and I was signaling to her how deep the water was.
But there's this funny thing about dear friends, you can read intentions in their eyes.
Heather was starting to drive, aiming the jeep just to the side of me. My jaw dropped and I began to muck my way out of the water while shrieking, "Heather NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Although she sent a wave of admirable size over the place I had been standing, I wasn't caught in it. But I did manage to drench myself by running to get away. As I approached the jeep with death in my eyes, I could see Heather, bend over the steering wheel, tears streaming down her face. She could hardly speak she was laughing so hard. She told me the look on my face was priceless as I realised what she was going to do, but my frantic running in knee-deep water rivaled for humour.
We laughed until it hurt. It was then that we saw something black floating in the puddle - one of the plastic guards from under her jeep had broken off. We scooped it up and headed back to her house.
It was another good day.

That was NOT the desired outcome.

2005-10-12T03:20:00.000-07:00

Last night I thought to use a hottie which would, theoretically, allow me to fall asleep easier and sleep deeper. It hasn't been particularly cold in the flat, at least not on the second floor, thought the ground floor is still quite freezing at times. But, tired as I was, and in light of the late hour, I figured it was a great idea! I quickly multitasked, simultaneously brushing my teeth and filling the kettle. After the hottie was filled, I tested to see if the plug was leaking still. Only a little.
Once in bed, I journaled for a while with the hottie creating a toasty, woasty, and warm bedding environment. I had to hop up for that last bladder emptying (in hopes that I would make it through the night - I have a 7minute bladder...approximately - sort of like that 7minute silence, or awkward moment, in conversation.) when I discovered my pajama pants were a little damp. No, I hadn't had an accident; the hottie had been leaking.
I tried to tighten the plug and test for further leakage. It seemed watertight at that point. I then placed it at the foot of my bed so I could have roasty toes all night. But I distinctly recall being aware of it every time I turned over in my sleep.
In conclusion, not only did I have to get up and pee early this morning (it comes down to the decision of whether or not I'll sleep better ignoring the pressure or just getting up to relieve it) but the hottie actually made for a terrible night's sleep. Disappointment.
Today was great, though! Denise and I went for a good walk this morning. We walked to where I had been housesitting last week so I could pick up my 1/3 loaf of bread I'd left there. No one was home, but I did find an open window. I was more than tempted, but I didn't. Not that it would have been the first time I've broken and entered into a friend's house.
I took a short, hottie-less rest after the walk before heading off for skit practice at uni. I've been a part of the skit team for Student Life this semester. Well, really, half of this semester. This was our third practice for one 3minute skit. Only because it was a musical. After practice we (Justin, Michael, and I) popped out of our dinky room at Clubs and Socs to take part in the $3 lunch which the Hare Krishnas put on. Today's meal: choice of leftover pasta from yesterday or lentilish soup, fresh-baked bread roll, and a slop serving of chocolate _______. I forget what it's called. Something 'sem...' But it looks like nearly pureed refried beans. Despite its nasty appearance (Michael told the server it looked repulsive), it was completely yum. I scored a helping from Justin who thought it too sweet. My own lunch was brought from home: a hexagonal glass jam jar filled with frozen peas and slices of marinated tofu from the Dunedin Farmer's Market. As to be expected, I received endless teasing for it. I am so misunderstood.
The last Student Life meeting of 2005 was a little sad as it's yet another "last" for me in NZ, but our performance of Monty Python's "The Lumberjack Song" was a big hit. We're expecting to receive our Grammy nomination soon. For my participation in the skit team I was gifted a movie ticket for Hoyts, the posh cinema in town. And for my participation in the audience today, I was gifted a nice welted bruise on my forehead by a crazy flying lolly of the most disgusting flavour ever: imitation banana. Not even students flatting stoop low enough to eat that.

For My Daddy

2005-10-12T03:05:00.000-07:00

Dad, I stole this from my friend's website. I thought it described you perfectly in the morning. I still remember Mom telling me, Daniel, and Sarah to give you space because "Dad hasn't had his coffee yet."

Oh what a beautiful morning! :o)
ps - I'll never be able to watch "Oklahoma" without cringing. I liken it to the alarm going off. But it's a good memory to have, you coming down the hallway singing that song. I always attempted to create a lightproof and soundproof cacoon out of my blankets by clamping them between my body and mattress when I heard you coming. It never worked. I love you, Dad

It's true, these are therapeutic

2005-10-10T15:00:00.000-07:00

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey
Name: Elizabeth
Birthday: 8 January 1983
Birthplace: Costa Mesa, California
Current Location: Central Library, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Eye Color: Brown and Green (hazel?)
Hair Color: brown most of the time
Height: 5'6
Right Handed or Left Handed: right
Your Heritage: Swedish, Irish, Indian...regular Heinz 57
The Shoes You Wore Today: 2nd hand maroon shoes with two orange stripes a piece.
Your Weakness: op shops and bookstores
Your Fears: they're irrational - generally anything that would end in my causing my demise, such as throwing myself off a cliff or driving into oncoming traffic. Oh, and not knowing where something or someone is. I hate suspense.
Your Perfect Pizza: HEAPS of veges and some ham.
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year: finish writing up and turn in my Congressional Award paperwork. Then Res wouldn't hate me forever.
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger: "Well, I really need to go now."
Thoughts First Waking Up: "Am I still tired? I'll just drop my head here until I decide."
Your Best Physical Feature: skin tone, eyes, ears
Worst Physical feature: my arms when I'm not fit
Your Bedtime: anywhere from 10pm - 2am lately
Your Most Missed Memory: dinners as a family
Pepsi or Coke: gag. blech. grotty.
MacDonalds or Burger King: Whoppers are the bestest!
Single or Group Dates: group...so long as they're not really dates. I'll stop there.
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: I pretty much only drink water
Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate!
Cappuccino or Coffee: Coffee Breyers
Do you Smoke: no
Do you Swear: Yes, but rarely on purpose. Slips out too often.
Do you Sing: If you know me you know I don't stop singing. Though I sing considerably less in Dunedin than I do in Idaho. Something about flatmates wanting peace and quiet, I suppose.
Do you Shower Daily: if there's time. Otherwise I employ the old bball cap.
Have you Been in Love: Not romantically.
Do you want to go to College: Desperately want to graduate. someday.
Do you want to get Married: Definitely (today is adverb day).
Do you believe in yourself: Nope. I know that there is nothing good in my flesh.
Do you get Motion Sickness: only ever since I rode that roller coaster three times in a row when I was 17.
Do you think you are Attractive: Yes.
Are you a Health Freak: My brother would say so. I am in the Pharisee sense.
Do you get along with your Parents: Si.
Do you like Thunderstorms: Yes!
Do you play an Instrument: I want to learn to play the guitar and piano.
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol: Ginger wine...mmmmmmm.
In the past month have you Smoked: No.
In the past month have you been on Drugs: Nope.
In the past month have you gone on a Date: Oh yeah! If you call going to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with a 12 year old a date.
In the past month have you gone to a Mall: Pretty sure I have
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos: No, but I did have an Oreo taste testing session with the flatties in which we compared US, Canadian and NZ oreos. No competition - Canada wins, hands down. US is a far second and NZ oreos? Well, they're just sort of sawdusty. No offense.
In the past month have you eaten Sushi: It was offered to me, but I turned it down. Not a big fan.
In the past month have you been on Stage: Have I ever!
In the past month have you been Dumped: No.
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping: Sadly, no.
In the past month have you Stolen Anything: I looked at the two bags of apples in my flat this morning (belonging to the flatmates) and thought to take an apple because I didn't want to trek up to the second floor to get one of my bananas. I didn't take an apple. I was just being lazy.
Ever been Drunk: no
Ever been called a Tease: Yes but I never liked it, so I try to avoid deserving that title.
Ever been Beaten up: Only verbally.
Ever Shoplifted: I stole pieces of 3 cent candy when I was about 9yrs old.
How do you want to Die: "The Jordan is waiting for me to cross through" - I don't care how (though I feel selfish for preferring a painless route)
What do you want to be when you Grow Up: wife, mother, grandmother, auntie, obstetrician/gynaecologist, someone who is ready for anything.
What country would you most like to Visit: Africa with my sister.
In a Boy/Girl..
Favourite Eye Color: Doesn't matter
Favourite Hair Color: No preference
Short or Long Hair: Short
Height: taller than me
Weight: whatever's healthy for him
Best Clothing Style: whatever looks good on him
Number of Drugs I have taken: Codeine when the wisdom teeth came out 5 days before my 21st.
Number of CDs I own: No idea of the actual count - more than 50?
Number of Piercings: two, have had 4
Number of Tattoos: none, I wanted a tiny freckle-coloured freckle (just so I could say I was a tattooed woman) but then I dreamt I'd gotten it and I was devastated. I remember that overwhelming feeling every time I consider a tattoo.
Number of things in my Past I Regret: They've been conquered at the cross, I don't dwell on them.

found

2005-10-07T17:20:00.000-07:00

In my abnormal psychology lecture hall I found a folded up bit of paper shoved down in the pencil groove. This is what it said,

"If you put it up to your ear you can hear the sound of the wind and the sea dancing with each other...and if you really listen, you can hear me whispering from New Zealand."

my hopeless romanticism resurfaces.

2005-10-04T00:48:00.000-07:00

It all began with the search for toilet paper. My past came whooshing back so fast I felt my hair rustle.
In the closet of the ground floor toilet, it sat upon the shelf. Anne of Green Gables on VHS. It wasn't until I had lovingly pushed it into the VCR that I remembered exactly how much I loved it.
The first strains of The Lady of Shallot hit my ear and I joined in for the bit I know:

There she weaves by night and day
A magic web with colours gay.
She has heard a whisper say,
A curse is on her if she stay
To look down to Camelot.
She knows not what the curse may be,
And so she weaveth steadily,
And little other care hath she,
The Lady of Shalott.

The story of Anne Shirley unfolded just as beautifully as I'd memorised so long ago. There was Avonlea with all its scope for the imagination, all the lovely characters, and, of course, Anne.
I have found that re-watching my favourite films, particularly those whose main character(s) I identified strongly with, has made for a fascinating glimpse of the changes in my life. For example, I always considered myself Marianne Dashwood of Sense and Sensibility (Kate Winslet's portrayal) and COULD NOT identify with Eleanor. She was stuffy. Marianne, on the other hand, knew how to fly. She could run down the hillside chasing blue sky and if it was raining, all the better. To die for love, what could be more glorious? Emotions are meant to be experienced and obvious. The "unfeeling," such as Eleanor, must lead such heartless lives.
Anne, too, shares in Marianne's soaring. To be lost in poetry, to dance and spin about on tiptoe whilst the sun melts into the ocean, to savour simple longing. To make everything more beautiful, according to one's own ability.
I was Anne. I was Marianne. I am Elizabeth Anne.
And now I am Anne, Marilla and Matthew. I am Marianne and Eleanor. The hopeless romanticism will not die, I wonder if it possibly could. No, but now I understand more of the balance. Whereas there are adventures to be had - flitting up waterfalls, singing into the waves after sunset, kissing the stars - there are new joys. Despite the heavy pack, singing in the pouring rain, mingling raindrops with tears. Walking away from a desire that will never be, only to feel the tender caressing of my heart by the One who knows what I am, what I need, and what I will become. The releasing, the receiving; the pain, the beauty. In so many ways, things are more beautiful than ever before.
The movie holds new relevance for me today; there is a blossoming from whimsical to wise. And the adventures only get better.

"Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"... eccl. 12:1

Justin and Darren!

2005-10-03T18:48:00.000-07:00

I've uploaded most of the pics, enjoy! Here I am working frantically on my computer with Ryan's assistance.

Well, are you?

2005-10-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

Welcome to D-Qwon's dance grooves, are you ready to get your groove on?

Narnia and beyond

2005-10-01T21:48:00.000-07:00

Wow. Sorry I've been so slack on my writing. The play has been over for a week, so I have no excuse! But a new website is beginning for Narnia Productions which will soon have pics up from the play. There are some amazing shots that will go up eventually. Check it out! www.narniaproductions.co.nz

ps- Happy Birthdays to my Braveheart brother Daniel who just turned 20! And to dear Aislinn, who has gone on ahead and turned 23. "Lovely woman she is." - Yoda

Soon to be intoxicated...maybe.

2005-09-29T19:36:00.000-07:00

What a marathon week!
Birthday, pseudo-family, shopping, ear piercing, stair climbing, cooking, plastic bottle cleaver slashing, photo shoots, lunchly conversations, spanish test, wind, learning the Charleston, sun, discussion, blessed truth.

I wish I were able to keep a running dialog/timetable of all the regular fun things I get to do and and all the amazing people I have met here. But I can't. Hmm.

Anyway, now I must away to participate in a psyc experiment. I haven't been allowed to eat for the last 4 hours (it's nearly 3pm now) because I will be the guinea pig in testing for psychological effects of alcohol. This involves drinking a juice, which may or may not contain alcohol, and seeing how I react while completing some assigned task. Shall be interesting! I get triple credit for my abnormal psyc class, which is icing on the cake as I rather enjoy these kinds of things.

Good thing I had those fantastic apple-honey pancakes for breakfast this morning. I hardly even smelled those nasty greek lamb wraps you guys had for lunch, Justin.

How much do they cost?

Simplify

2005-09-23T18:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I get the best idea for a really entertaining post and then I forget it.

"This is all fake," Reese Roper, formerly of Five Iron Frenzy

2005-09-23T04:26:00.000-07:00

Why am I so stuck on myself that I assume I know why things happen? Really...it's just ridiculous. Often I think I've got a handle on things. Really wish I would take God at His word.

Two days ago, I saw a young couple walking through the gardens. They looked so fashionable and hip. Right down to the brilliant blue moonboots the young man was wearing.

On that same note, Napoleon Dynamite was filmed in my home state of Idaho. There's a special place in my heart for the movie. Right next to Zoolander which was not filmed in Idaho.

Looking forward to housesitting for the next week and a half. Living in a real house! With a working fireplace and a cat! It seems so real and home-ish! I sure do miss my family.