Econ What?

So. This semester I took a class I shouldn't have taken. It was waaaaay out of my league. Well... more accurately it was in a completely different league than I am in. In more ways than one. I must not be the only one feeling this way, as our prof, often commented about how he has never had such a low average in his class. (My lowest mark of all time... somehow still made it above the class average! Whats the deal!) I literally thought for sure I was going to fail (I suppose I still might... I technically haven't gotten the mark back). Today. I wrote the final. I have never felt so... unprepared after so much studying... for any other exam. I was convinced it was going to be worse than worse. Somehow when I entered that gymnasium lined with rows and rows and rows of desks... I was going to disintegrate... or combust... or a hole in the floor was going to eat me up...

Now. I must pause to tell you. This prof... has his quirks. He likes to bust out jokes quite frequently (particularly against university of calgary grades)... that often are... well... they are what they are I suppose. Sometimes we laughed, sometimes we didn't. (I more often not than the rest of the class I think).

Well. After nearly failing both midterms. This prof was convinced he needed to do something different to raise the class average. A change in teaching style perhaps (though if that is what he chose... I certainly did not take not of any differences...), a ridiculous final exam maybe?... Yes. That would be what he would choose.

This is the exam I DREADED with a dread I have never ever felt towards a final exam ever.

Can I give you an example (or maybe even 2) of the craziness of this final...

Question... ("note consider the following two questions together")
Question 1
In north american society people have green pine trees inside their houses on the shortest day of the year. This is because
a) the shortest day of the year causes pine trees to grow inside peoples houses
b) having a green tree inside people's houses causes the shortest day of the year
c) both a and b
d) neither a or b; they are both caused by some other 3rd factor
e) they are University of Calgary grads

Question 2
High interests rates are prevalent during a recession because (or some other econ-speak variation of this question i can't remember)
a) high interest rates cause recession
b) recession causes high interest rates
c) both a and b
d) neither a or b; they are both caused by some other 3rd factor
e) they are University of Calgary grads


Some other possible choices for other questions

e) because chickens started producing buffalo wings

b) university of calgary grads are running the government


the rest of the questions that had answers that made sense... still most had one very obviously right answer... (well... here's hoping anyways! Maybe I just thought they were more obvious than he usually has them...)

Anyways. I just wanted to give you a small taste as to what I experienced today. Just try to imagine your hardest the stress and dread I was feeling... and then writing a test with questions like that...

It. was. interesting.
But. I suppose I passed? That's all that matters at this point right? .... Right?

re-challenge

have you ever accidentally encouraged yourself?
i do that sometimes.
reading an old journal entry. or an old blog entry. suddenly... i am reteaching myself.
i found this tonight.

"how many times a day do I say ‘ I wish I was bolder ‘. Not even about being… bolder… but doing bolder things. Like hanging out with the joyful blind lady who was selling jewelry in a little strip mall. Or sitting near someone on a bus and starting a conversation. Those moments that someday would make a great story. I always think about wanting more of those. Yet… I keep to myself, and if I have nothing better to do, I spend my day on the internet. Lame? I think so. So… I am challenging myself… publicly… to be BOLD. and stop wasting so much of my day on facebook (I am surprised facebook is still being underlined in the little red squiggly line). So maybe… someday… sooner than later… I will have some stories to share. That’s that."

this was posted one Dec 18, 2009. almost exactly a year ago.
and i wonder.
have i been bolder?
i suppose in some ways i have. i do have a couple extra stories to tell here and there. but... i definitely don't think i am near what i hoped i would be.

so. i guess. this is a re-challenge.
join me?

the post you've all been waiting for (including myself)

alright.
the wait is finally over.
I can FINALLY reveal what it is I have been blogging about so cryptically!
as some of you may or may not know... just about 2 months ago I did something random, and spontaneous... I applied for an internship with invisible children. I knew applying was a bit of a stretch... there was a lot to figure out... and not a lot of time to do it...particularly when it came to knowing if I could do it for school credit (as it turns out I could). But then... I had an interview... and then... I made it to the second interview...
However... the wait is over.. and I did not get the internship.

Some of you are probably wondering what this internship was? Well... let me just tell you! I was planning on being 'a roadie'. Which basically entails one month of training in San Diego (hence the palm trees in an earlier post), and then 3 months on the road with a small handful of other people... travelling across the states (17 teams total) Hosting screenings of the updated documentary for Invisible Children. Raising awareness. Raising funds. And inspiring young people to be a part of change that is outside of themselves.

They did affirm that I made it to their top applicants, but because for my qualifications (a female, non-driver.... need a US license to drive)... there were only TWO positions... it made it a little complicated to choose from the oodles of highly qualified people...and thus... I did not make it. Which... I totally understand! And I am SOOO glad the wait is over.

I would have loved it. It would have been hard. But... I know this... because I did not get the internship... it just means that God has something so much better for me this next season.

This is the video I made for part of the application process. (You'll have to click the link to youtube... I don't know how to post the video on here from youtube... and I lost the finished copy somewhere in my computer... odd) (p.s all the shots were taken/filmed by caroline... doesn't she have awesome skillz!)

Thank you soooo much to everyone who was praying with me and encouraging me through this LONG and STRESSFUL process!! Love you guys soooo much. And I am excited to see what is next!!!

misleading... my bad

As some of you may know, I do not always have the best hearing skills (and yes I mean hearing... my listening skills are better than my hearing skills unfortunately) An early post mentioned an update for the end of the week... well... some of you also may have noticed the end of the week came and went without said update. I guess I heard the conversation wrong that resulted in that post... I guess it was to be the end of THIS week. so. Friday. the 10th. Hopefully. Is THE day.
until then.
I am learning to be content with today. And really really REALLY trying hard not to live in the future... or possible futures...
So. I guess. Unless I come up with some other random post... I will post on Friday!

just ask my roommate

Anyone who lives around me can tell you that I LOVE squash. I have no idea why my mother never made squash while we were growing up... it is soooo easy... and sooo delicious.... and sooo versatile.

Since I discovered squash (recently) I have made it more times than I can count. I thought I would share with you a list of the different ways I've made it.



Spaghetti Squash (still the running favourite)
- with a meat sauce (of all sorts of varieties
- in a stir fry (i did it with a bit of honey garlic
- plain
- as a snack with butter and salt
- as a side dish instead of rice
- with fried chicken, onions, garlic, and a potato soup sauce
- with lemon pepper (who could forget the lemon pepper! also a recent obsession of mine... just ask my roommate)

Acorn Squash
- stuffed with a bean/brown sugar/bbq sauce mix (better than it sounds!!)
- plain!
- as a dessert with brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter
- just with butter and a bit of salt
- my roommate made it with a delicious meat stuffing with some sort of delicious sauce

Butternut Squash
- invented an apple curry recipe to eat with rice.

to name a few :)

youth ministry: an observation

So, as some of you know, I am a youth leader at my current church. I co-lead a small group of 6 wonderful junior high girls whom I adore to pieces. I also lead youth at my old Church back in the Hat, and I adore each and everyone of them to pieces too! I have always been so encouraged and so blessed by each one in so many different ways.

I have been doing this for....5ish years now. I started leading a group in my grade 12 year. And I did some random other stuff before too with Drama (Which can I just say... I miss doing drama stuff IMMENSELY!! Someday. I will do it again.)

Anyways. My observation about youth ministry came out of the ongoing.... struggle? (there is another word I want to put there... but can't seem to find it). of "figuring out" youth ministry. How to make it 'work' the best. To get the youth to be the most engaged, and the most challenged, and growing the most..

You leaders you know what I am talking about.
Each week is VASTLY different. One week... amazing conversation and deep questions.... next week... off the walls can't get anything out or in that is remotely related to the decided on topic.... next week... deep questions in the same breath as out of the blue random to do with nothing questions... next week... silence....

I dont get it.

TONS of books have been written on Youth Ministry... a couple of which I have read (and find quite useful)

But if I were to write a book.
This is what it would say.

Youth Ministry - An Observation
- the all you need to know guide to youth ministry -


page 1.

There are no tricks to youth ministry. You cannot/will not "figure it out"

page 2.

Stop trying.

page 3.

Start loving.

page 4

the end.


this would be my cover picture...



(the most common look you will see on me after a night with the youth)

Soon? I must be going crazy!

Baby step closer? I think so! Keep your eyes pealed for an update this week!!!!! This 'something exciting' is becoming a reality quicker than I had imagined!!! BAAHH. My nervous face is starting to dissipate... and is being replaced with this one..




... the 'oh my word i am so excited!!' face...