Monday, December 27, 2004
Hold my hips and we'll all sing, Bonga! Bonga! Bonga! Do the Christmas conga!
On second thought... leave my hips alone. I hate that annoying song. Whatever....
I can say that this has been my most boring Christmas yet. Not the worst, mind you; that would be the year that both my uncle and grampa had cancer. But easily the most boring. I dunno... maybe I'm just spoiled. Slightly.
In the past we've always been with one side of the family on Christmas Eve, the other side on Christmas Day and often again on Boxing Day.
In the past we've nver gone over-board on materialism. We had a Christmas tree, which we would set up on December 18th (tradition I guess, because of the closeness of my birthday.) and a modest number of presents. Reason number 1: simply because we couldn't afford lots, and reason number 2: we were celebrating Jesus' birth.
We didn't have stockings. Instead, baskets, that usually included something gold and some perfume, to represent the wise men's gifts. It took me a while to figure out the whole Santa Clause story. My parents never filled my head with such rubbish. The presents came from my parents. What's so hard to figure about that?
This year elly had to work on both Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. We obviously couldn't travel 3 hours to go anywhere.
This year mom doesn't believe in Christmas. It's "pagan". Saying the word will earn you a displeased look. We didn't read Luke 2 at all. There were no prayers thanking God for sending His Son. It was like any other day off. It was like Thanksgiving without being thankful and Easter without the resurrection.
Christmas Eve I replaced the Christmas light bulbs, which no one else had bothered to do, and stretched my back weirder than ever, putting me out of commission. And that was that day.
Christmas Day I slept in till 10. Got in trouble for coming to breakfast late
in my pajamas!! (there's really no point trying to explain the concept of morning stiffness. All assume it's a synonym with morning laziness.) My highlight was singing along to Newsboys while some went cross-country skiing. I was tempted to dig out my school books to keep the boredom away. Nothing about my day reminded me of Christmas. Not even the turkey dinner, since we do those at random times during the year. Not even the Christmas lights and tinsle around my room or the nutcrackers lined up on my window sill, did much.
I missed the Christian aspect of it. So I read Luke 1 and 2 that night. But it wasn't the same.
I even missed the family aspect of it. Though I did get annoyed at one of my cousins on MSN the other day... So we should leave elly here by herself and come see you just because you think so and Gramma was crying? Heck, you wouldn't say boo to me last time I was there, and obviously you just weren't around to see Gramma crying when you've been gone the last 3 years. Yeah, I love you too. May you get many lumps of coal.
Boxing Day we went to church. And I've got to give the skirt gals credit. They don't look at me as odd anymore when I show up at church in pants. Go them. We then lazed around the house while Pete did Canadian Tire commercial impersonations and then watched a Ken Ham DVD. Such excitement. (With us, life is such a gas!)
We'll probably open presents some time this week (Mom and dad always finish their shopping after Christmas anyways) and then we're driving down to Regina the night of the 30th to stay until Sunday.
So while I can say my Christmas was boring, when compared to the past, I should be grateful; At least I didn't get swept out to sea in a tsunami.
Seanna spake at
3:13 PM
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
I fear the holidays. Holidays means having time to actually sit and think about things; something I seem to rarely have the luxury of doing anymore. I can think about how boring my life is. I'm 17, I don't have a job, I don't have my driver's license, I don't know anybody in this town, and I don't know what to do after I graduate this spring.
I was thinking the other day about how amazing my life is what it is though. I don't know how many other people would put up with this type of existence I know, and not complain about it all the time and then go insane or atleast lose their sense of humor about it. I can't stand it when those around me aren't happy, so I can be in the worst possible mood but yet try to make others happy. I can't stand it when people walk around moaning about how they're in pain, so I can be in awful pain (as is often the case nowdays) and still smile. I'm not that strong of a person, yet it seems stronger than many. No matter how I'm doing, I want people to see Jesus in me. I can only thank God for helping me be the little that I am.
Anyhow, for Christmas, this will be the first year in my life that we haven't been with relatives. Every year we've made the pilgrimage to Regina to see all those with whom we share a last name. (Or whatever...) but this year we're by ourselves. I guess I'll make the best of it and catch up on my sleep. We're planning on going to see them at New Years.
Oh, and behold. This is the first layout that I've totally written from scratch. Go me. No wonder it has not much variety. Alas.
Pics. Because you want to see them. All are thumbnails, and captions show up when your mouse rolls over.
Seanna spake at
6:17 PM
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
I've wasted nearly a whole evening; looking for Mint Blistex. Mint Blistex is the only lip soother worth buying. I forgot to stock up though, last time I was at WalMart. Our local small department store was sold out. Grocery store number one had some other brand in two flavors: Cherry and Regular. I detest both. Grocery store number two had a zillion different ones ranging in price from $1.79 to $5.95, but still no Mint Blistex, as did drug store one. So I gave up (I didn't bother going to drug store two) and bought Lypsyl brand in mint flavour (the only brand I could find mint in). Moral of the story: Stock up on Mint Blistex when at Wal Mart.
Sunday was the Christmas program of sorts at church. There wasn't a drama this year, but we had a youth choir, and a bunch of other special music (Including the famous [insert last name here]s on 4, count them FOUR, violins. Da freak show!) There was a potluck after the service, and well, I felt rather stupid getting the food we had brought ready in the kitchen with all the other ladies: mom decided to not come to church since she believes Christmas is pagan. I politely tried to talk her out of it, but it's a free world. So I do my best. During the potluck some put on a short skit while the rest dined. It was about Santa Clause getting arrested by the police for breaking into people's houses via the chimney, and stealing milk and cookies. It was seriously funny. That is probably the first and last time I will ever see my dad dressed up as Santa Clause.
Seanna spake at
9:04 PM
Saturday, December 18, 2004
I meant to post this late Friday night. But I found that the floppy that I had saved it onto after typing all this on a different pc, had since bombed, and I lost all my important html files that I was working on. Heck, that's annoying. Alas. Anyhow, I continue....
At long last elly and I figure we simply
must get our Christmas shopping done. So off we go.
Firstly, as promised, we stop by mall 1 to see Meester Green Santa Hat (But I ask you, if it's green, is it really a Santa hat?) and go to Tim Horton's for a drink. My treat. (I couldn't help but wonder though, if some of his coworkers weren't annoyed.
Guy 1: "He's taking his lunch break now? At 5? But he gets off at 6!"
Guy 2: "Yeah, didn't take it all day because apparently he was waiting for these two."
Ah well, that's coworkers for you.)
At Tim's we endeavor to get deep meaning out of a backwards Tim's sign that had a resemblance to the squid from Sponge Bob Square Pants (Right. Totally.) and exchange belated birthday presents. Tee hee. Er, pardon me. I snicker about nothing of course. Oh wait, I guess in my case it was early, but I digress.
Then we go to drop off a present for Hannah at her place of employment. Her mom had said she either got on or off at 5:30- she couldn't remember though. We walk in the door, over the pressure activated rooster noise thingy at 5:31, just before she got off. Swell timing.
So yeah... then we do a bit of shopping before going back to mall 1 to inform Meester Green Santa Hat (But if it's green, is it really a Santa hat?) that we decided to take him up on his offer to give him a ride home, also so that we could see his Awesome Always On AIM sis. (Here, I snicker.
"Turn right."
"Left."
"No, right. Right here. Go!"
"Ok, now left."
"No!"
"Shut up."
Hey, you think that was bad, the trip back was worse; passing like a maniac, and getting annoyed at dear little essy.
Her: "Take those headphones off!"
Me: *Takes one earbud out.* "Huh?"
Her: "Watch for wildlife!"
Me: "Nay! I'm listening to James' CD." *Puts earbud back in*
*SLPOSH*
Me: "You ___! You slposhed Sprite all over me!"
Of course, she says she didn't mean to. But occuring less than 10 seconds after the afore mentioned incident seems rather coincidental to me. But I forgive her.) Now where was I?
Oh right. So we stop to hang out with Awesome Always On AIM sis and Meester Green Santa Hat (But if it's green, is it truly a Santa Hat!?) for a bit longer. Seriously though. I love your guy's family. You guys so rock. I mean, we go over there and everyone is like, smiling, the dog is wagging its tail, Even Younger Than AIM SIS little sis is tap dancing, Headphones On Bro is shoving fudge at us, Awesome Always On AIM sis is like "LIAR!", and Meester Green Santa Hat (But if it's green!... oh nevermind.) Ack, I won't get into everyone, but it's totally different that if I were to bring you guys over to my house. Heh, we won't go there. Or here!
So then after a while we leave, promptly take a wrong turn and end up in a back alley, but with my great (right?) directing skills, we are soon back on the main drag and eventually make it to mall 2 where we are supposed to meet up with the one skirts gals from church. (See, I'm a two skirt gal: one skirt on each leg. Can I snicker again?) Ok, really. They're not that bad of gals. Truly we had fun, once we finally found eachother. Miscommunication found us waiting at two different entrances. So we wait, and wait some more, and take a trip to the bathroom, and then wait again, and then go to the bathroom again. Ok, I'm kidding. But we finally ran into the others and actually did some shopping -which is what we came to do in the first place as I recall.
I got most of the important stuff completed too. Except, I can't find anything for elly. I've bought her sweaters for the last 4 occasions, and I swear I'll not do it again. It's odd how you can know a person so well, but yet cannot find anything that perfectly "themish".
Well, I'm headed up there again today so I'm certain I'll find something yet. There's a church program practice, and then I heard a rumor that we're going to the pastor's house for supper- not certain though. Happy Intellectual Day, essy. May this be your best year yet. And
get that back better!!
Seanna spake at
9:19 AM
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
It would have been a fun weekend had the weather cooperated. But it was the only thing that didn't, so Sunday didn't work either. Saturday morning, delivering papers, I got a 10 buck tip. "Yay! It's a sign! My gas money!" Right. I guess it's still a sign, just not about gas money. Maybe that I have good service? So... I ended up playing Roller Coaster Tycoon to ward of the boredom that resulted. Had we not been so bummed, it might have been funny... wandering around the house all morning, peering out at the freezing rain... not eating anything all day. Ah well.
But now for an awesome story. Frankly, I was slightly worried about how I would get through this month with more than the usual expenses. I don't recall praying for more money, only that God would help me be careful. So yesterday morning, one of my customers came to the door and gave me a card, thanking me for the good job that I do. I expected the usual 5 or 10 dollar bonus. I opened it to find...
50. For a moment I acted as a brainless idiot, and ran all the way back. I guess it is excusable to temporarily act like a brainless idiot when you receive 10 fold of what was expected. Have no fear though. I managed to remember to drag my brain back with me, and am no longer brainless.
And now for some usual randomness.... I was thinking the other day, if I had only one day left to live, what would I spend it doing? My first thought, I admit, was "chill out with some good friends." But then I was like, "wait. I'd see all those friends in heaven anyways. ForEVER!" If I had onlt one day left, I would love to do something I've not had the privilege of doing in the 10 years I've been a Christian; lead someone to Christ. I think I really mean it. Work at a rescue misison or something like that. I'd like to do something like that. Sometime, anyway, and get our of my comfort zone. Though speaking of comfort zone (Yeah, two different kinds, I know) it would be awesome to have one, just one, back pain free day. One hour even. Maybe?
Goodness... I'd better close.....
Well, In honour of my [insert age here]th birthday, I declare December 18th Intellectuals Day. In order to be part, all you have to do is listen to one Jars of Clay song (Or a whole album or 2 or 3 of you have time!) and read at least one chapter of Ecclesiastes. Have fun.
Seanna spake at
3:33 PM
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Dude, this is my rocking nutcracker that I bought a while back. I have a big thing for nutcrackers. Don't know what to get me (eh)? Get me a nutcracker.
Anyhow, right now I'm bummed. Elly an' I were going to have an awesome day shopping and visiting and then go to our friend's Christmas musical drama that they wrote, but the stinking weather conditions have made it impossible. *Sigh* Maybe tomorrow.....
Seanna spake at
4:23 PM
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
What I meant to post last week.
As a rule, I don't like watching the late news. Who could enjoy hearing about the pathetic state of our world? But for once, it was ok. This week Canada...
...sided with Israel in the UN. (I snort at the media's bias on the issue.)
... not let strippers be brought in as a necessary industry.
... and came closer to letting some North Koreans who climbed into a Canadian embassy gain asylum.
This minority govt. is probably a good thing.
And with the Ukraine having new elections, you might even think the world isn't that bad.
We're such a refined culture here in North American though. It's horribly disgusting, we say, that a woman murdered her child, her husband, and then herself (as twas also reported) in Toronto. Indeed, it is sickening. But then no one cares that women decades ago aborted their sons, their daughters, who, if they had been allowed to have life, may abort their sons and daughters today.
Oh, the holocaust was bad. Those who don't deny its existence, admit it. In a book I was reading a while back about a doctor in a concentration camp, he mentioned the soap. They hoped to get the soap with 3 letter stamped on the top. It made the best suds. After the war he found out it was made out of Jews. How disgusting, we say. Yet we don't think twice about using a face cream or lip treatment enriched with "young skin collagen" from the dismembered body of an innocent child.
Seanna spake at
4:17 PM
Monday, December 06, 2004
I was reading in the paper about Deborah Grey's book (which I want to read, but that's not important right now...) when I looked down the page at the happy announcements and spotted a stupid goatee that one guy was sporting. Big deal.
I looked twice. Dude... you mean that guy got married? He always did have a thing for weird facial hair. Especially on the chin.
It's a guy I knew in my youth. We went to the same church for 9 years; he was 5 years older though. He bugged us little gals, we little gals annoyed them big boys. We then went on to the stage of ignoring the others. Untill the last year we were there I 'spose.
It gets one to thinking, what ever did happen to all those people I've known at some time in my life?
One particularily good pal from about grade 5, I heard (on the evening news) the fall I moved up here, had run away from the hospital and was expected to run out of insulin in 4 hours. (She was very diabetic.)
At the same time, a former pastor of ours was found dead in a field.
Again, that fall I learned that a former friend of mine had left town. She had gotten pregnant.
A girl who ran away from home in gade 11, I later heard got married.
Do I want to know what happened to the rest?
In the announcements page of the paper this week: If the one who took [insert bailer parts here] from my field [insert which field in particular here] will return them, I will forget they were ever taken. Your vehicle was spotted in the field. -Owner.
Hmm, ok.
Seanna spake at
7:02 PM
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Physiotherapy is not a support group of any sort. Not that I thought it would be. Not that I wanted it to be. What did I think "back class" would be? Pretty much what it was; sitting in class for an hour, (However, we were allowed to move around whenever we wanted. These are chronic back pain patients y'know.) and then doing exercises in the gym for 2 hours. I, as I suspected I would be, was the youngest patient, along with about 8, 70's aged ladies, 3, 50-something men, a lady in her 30's, and a long haired tattooed early 30's guy. I now have 16 exercises to do, several times a day... all to correct back and main trunk muscles.
The day before was my assessment. The physiotherapist took a look at my back and was like "Ohmygoodness". The explanation I received was that somehow I've damaged my back, making the muscles very tight and some kinked. (In other words, coninual muscle spasms.) So tight that there's a ridge down my back, more predominantly on the left side, but on the right also to a certain extent. It reaches most of the way up my back and half way down my leg. The tightness in the leg muscles have probably put pressure on the main nerve in the leg. This is the best explanation I've heard (The doc had no clue whatsoever) and makes sense with what I've been feeling. So what we're trying to do is loosen up all the muscles. So she tried a mechanical electro something massager, which actually made it feel better for about two hours, but right now, if anything, it feels much worse. I do hope though, that all this will do some good. But sheesh... enough of my health matters, or rather, the lack thereof.
I'm decorating for Christmas. It makes everything so nice and cozy. It's actually the first year I've gotten into it. Maybe it's because elly keeps giving me all of her old decorations from last year. (You mean, I can decorate without spending moola??) I admit though, I have awful taste. (So I will never know why elly wanted me to help her... but I digress.) Multi coloured lights, purple bulbs, gold and blue snowflake tinsel... and assorted wooden ornaments on my window sill. But all this is because I'm too cheap to buy colour-coordinating stuff. I was looking for wooden soldiers, but alas... Canada must be full of pacifists. It seems they no longer sell them. A nut cracker will have to do. I do love those though. I've wanted one for years. This one is only 2 inches tall, but alas, sometime I will buy a 2 footer. Two in fact. One for each side of my door to guard it. Lest some poor idiot wants to steal my pathetic decorations.
Seanna spake at
3:54 PM
