I am leaving on Friday morning at 11:15 am for Prague! I can't believe it!

An Ethiopian Experience

I had actually turned my computer off and was coming upstairs to get ready for bed when I realized that, you know what, I actually had a few things in mind to blog about. I figure if you're already planning your next blog, or if you actually have a good idea of what you'd like to talk about, then really you should do it right then and there otherwise it just won't happen.

So yah, I thought I would talk about what I did this evening because it was kind of fun. I took an African Environment and Society class last semester, and it was a brand new class being offered at the last minute. Since it was so last minute, there only ended up being about 15 of us in it, which was really quite nice if you ask me. Anyway, our prof in the last week of classes was telling us about this new Ethiopian restaraunt that just opened up in Saskatoon, called "Saba" I believe... I think that is what it was called. Someone suggested that we all meet there for dinner one night, so guess what we did. We all went for dinner at the Ethiopian restaraunt. Just about every person showed up. In fact, I can't think of one person who didn't come, besides one guy who moved back home for the summer already. That is so weird that everyone came! Before I got there, I was like, oh my gosh what if nobody shows up, and I have to eat dinner with my prof?! haha I honestly would have died. I really don't know anyone in that class all that well, besides the guy who didn't come and one other girl who did come. You kind of chat in class or whatever, but anyway it was very funny that 15 people and a prof all spent the evening together. It was interesting, they brought out big platters, that the people sitting across from each other shared. Without utensils. At first I was sitting directly across from my prof and I couldn't believe I was about to share this big plate of food with him of all people there, why am I sitting across from my prof. Anyway then the two girls eating the vegetarian plate had to move everyone so that they were sitting across from each other, and I ended up eating with this girl Ashley who, again I don't know, and happens to be as picky of an eater as I am. So here we are, eating our Ethiopian food (tasty... kind of a curry like feel to the food, it was quite delicious), and we're eating with our fingers of course. Then they bring us Ethiopian coffee in a cup as big as a shot glass, and I take a sip of it without cream and sugar, and frick it was the strongest coffee I have ever tasted in my life, I was like geez I'm gonna be up all night! It was delicious though once I put a bit of cream and sugar in. An Ethiopian woman sat beside us and roasted the coffee beans in a clay pot, and it was such great coffee. Anyway of all the people there, Ashley and I eat the least, not because it was bad, just because there was a lot of food and yah, it was just a little bit different, and the Ethiopian owners are like, what is wrong? too spicy? i have more in the back, do you want? eat! eat! fricken eat! Okay they didn't say fricken eat. But we were like oh man this is kind of embarrasing, and I was trying to get the guy beside me to eat some of ours but he had already eaten all of his and he was full. But I still got him to eat my lamb. Yuck I hate lamb, Ethiopian or not. I have another story about eating lamb but I will not tell that tonight. At the end of the night, it was $10 each, and the prof decided we should each give him cash and he'll pay altogether. Little miss depend-on-interact here did not have cash, and I have to write the man a cheque for ten bucks! I am the only one who wasn't carrying cash. Does anyone else find that strange? Anyway I go to pull out my chequebook and out comes my LaSenza bra card for all the class to see. That was slightly funny. I think I recovered quickly. All in all, it was a fun night. I got to get to know a bunch of really fun people that I wished I had gotten to know before the semester ended. So that is too bad. It made me think I shoud be more friendly to those around me because I might just meet a great friend.

And thus, the moral of my story:
Be nice to strangers. Just don't get in their cars. Even if they offer you candy.

Well I am done sharing what I wanted to share.

I go to work at 8:30 am starting tomorrow. Every day, up at 7 am. Sigh. Goodnight.

My Hair

I finally brought my film in to Shoppers today... it dates all the way back to last August, when Chad and I drove to Brandon for Becky and Derek's wedding. That was a fun trip. Well I just thought I'd post a couple of them for you all to enjoy. I miss my long hair now that I see those pics... for those of you who have seen me since Tuesday... that would be my family and Lynnel and that's it... I chopped it off even MORE. To my chin. How brave of me! I love the cut a lot, but I also colored it and it's a little bit bold for me... I am going to see her Monday to get some lowlights put in to tone her down a bit. hehe. I am so picky when I get my hair done!
Thats all for now.

Oh just one more, I couldn't resist his cuteness! 

Lynnel and I and our funny faces... 

Becky and I at her wedding in August  

My little sweet man!!!

Summer bliss

***Everyone note that I have two new additions to the list,

two of my favorite girls,

Alison and Lynnel!!!***

A Toast:

To fun girls, good times and great blogs! A world apart, yet a click away!

Hahaha, I think I may have copied that from like a commercial or something? I don't know. I laughed outloud at myself there. Hello, marketing career?

I am done exams! I can't believe I had four in a row, it was absolutely exhausting. These last 4 weeks have been nothing but sheer brutalness. However I am just about done. By Wednesday, I will have everything for this year completed. This is simply the best news I have ever heard.

Mr. Kennedy is a superstar. He is giving me a third chance to complete my World Religions course, which I have put off for a long long time. I didn't even ask for it, he just told my mom to tell me to come and see him about it! That course has been a black cloud over my head for almost 2 years because I just never got around to finishing it and that is sort of unlike me. It was just a low priority on my list I guess.

Pretty soon I will stop talking about school on here, I bet you all can't wait!!!

Instead I will talk about funny old people who call Blue Cross, and hot summer weather, and bbq's and camping adventures! That is my summer line up. Jeff and I are hoping to go to Banff this summer, but I don't think I'll get enough time off at work for us to really have a great trip there, so up North will do. I've never camped at Waskesui so maybe we'll go there one weekend! Me and Lynnel and Janelle were talking on Sunday about an ALL GIRLS CAMPING TRIP.... anyone in?!! Girls that is ... it would be like our highschool girls trip with Tina and Regan! But funner because we are older and cooler now. And better campers too I'm sure. Pizza bushpies here we come!

Just no squirrel bites this year please... that was the grossest thing I have ever seen, last year camping with some friends... Barrett trying to coax the squirrel closer, closer, closer, GRABS IT, the squirrel flips out and goes to attack mode, HUGE mother bite into Barrett's hand, Barrett cries out in pain and flips the squirrel hanging on by its freaking TEETH back and forth, back and forth, goes flying into the fire and squeals at it burns to death!!!!

It makes me sick just writing about it. I had to go for a walk by myself that afternoon, to ensure that I wouldn't:
a) Faint in front of everyone
b) Puke everywhere in front of everyone

Luckily I did neither, but I am forever afraid of squirrels. Evil rotten beasts!!!

And now for my favorite...Trivia Blogsuit:

Which three cities in the world receive the most direct flights
into their airport each year?

Even if you don't know, take a wild guess!

A Study Break

So how about a blog before I start studying this morning? What a fabulous idea. This evening is my first exam, International Studies. I have another exam tomorrow afternoon and a third one Friday morning. I am just thrilled that all three exams are on each other's butts. Super. I went to the public library last night to try to get away from my busy household, but there may as well have been birthday parties going on there. I swear there were 20 kids running around the entire time I was there. Still I managed to get more done there than I would've here... American Idol and Amazing Race are simply too tempting.

The other distracting thing at the library is that I know where all the travel books are there and I found about 5 of them about Prague. WHERE I'M GOING IN TWO WEEKS!!! Seriously just yesterday I looked at the calender and realized this fact. It's hardly even a thought in my mind because I have been so busy with school lately. But 2 weeks? That is VERY soon! I can hardly believe it. I am glad I have a blog, becuase I'm sure that I will be able to write to you all as much as I can while I'm there. I know that both the hostel in Prague and the hostel in London have internet access, but those only account for a few of my nights. Most of the trip I am staying at the University of Prague, so I don't know if there will be internet access there. But internet cafe's run wild and free in Europe so I'll probably have access to it somewhere. The one girl who was supposed to be traveling with Jen and I just told us that her cousin is very sick and might die, so she might not come with us after all. That is very sad and I really like Jackie so I hope she can come with us. I also hope I don't run out of money while I'm away :)

I also am in dire need of a camera. I want to take Jenna's digital camera with me but she says you have to charge it every 10 minutes and that is really not a cool idea. If anyone is willing to lend me a digital (I have insurance if it gets lost or stolen!), I would be eternally grateful. When I went to Thailand, Jayce Kadyschuk lent me his big MEC traveling backpack, and guess what, nothing happened to it. You know why people? Because I am freaking responsible.

Yesterday I went to Matthew's school play, Bugsy Malone. He was Fizzy. He had a solo! I was so nervous for him, as I always am when someone sings a solo. I can't help it. Sometimes I'm even nervous when my mom sings a solo and she is a superstar! But it was cute. I can't believe how much work the teacher must have put into it. I would like to direct school plays, but only if that was my ONLY job... not if it was extra-curricular. I think it would be fun.

Well since I just talked about Jenna and Matthew, I had better talk about Phil. So I just went down to Philip's room and it smells like boy. You know that smell? Ick. Somebody buy that kid Fabreeze.

It's time for blogerdash! Actually, no that is too much work. Instead... I present to you...

TRIVIAL BLOGSUIT!

What game-show host made a suprise appearance on Will Farrell's final Saturday Night Live show?

(All you trivia junkies should enjoy my new blog feature.)

Friday Night

Last night Jeff and I went bowling with Blue Cross and he really kicked my butt. We did 10 pin and my fingers and wrist hurt today cuz the balls are so heavy. We've been dating for more than a year and a half and we've never been bowling together. We had fun because we were on a team with Angela, my friend who I work with, and her boyfriend and Jeff and him get along really good. They were planning our summer camping trip to Banff while we bowled so that was good news because I love camping so much, but I'm a little nervous to go to Banff because there are lots of bears there. But when I was in grade 11, I went camping in Jasper and no bears attacked us there so maybe we'll be safe. Anyway Eastside Bowl has really great pizza, I was amazed. I'd order pizza from there if they delivered, because it was darn good pizza. It was good to socialize with work people outside of the office. I stretched myself and made myself sit down with one of our higher up managers for 15 minutes, and tried to be charming. She's not exactly super duper friendly. I didn't really have a choice though because Jeff and I ended up being early, and her and her husband were the only ones there, so it would've been rather rude to have not sat with them while we waited for everyone! Haha oh well.

After bowling we went to Rogers Video and Jeff is all into buying movies all of a sudden, rather than renting them, so he bought the Manchurian Candidate dvd. We bring it home and he is snoring in 15 minutes, so I watched it by myself. This is how most of our movies go, so maybe it is a good thing that he is buying them now, so he can watch them by himself the next day! It's a pretty good movie, not really one that I would like to see again anytime soon, but not bad. Interesting to say the least. All I need to do is convince him to buy The Notebook or Bridget Jones' Diary or Fried Green Tomatos or something!

So that was my evening last night. Today I have to really write my last paper. It's about Aboriginal women in Canada. Finally a paper that is not about development, AIDS, orphans, African tradition, or Africa in general. Should be interesting because this is something that I really know nothing about besides what I see with my own eyes on 2oth street in Saskatoon here. It'll will be good to bring some perspective into my life about them. Because what I see here is really not all that good.

I'm sad that today is cold and windy. It was kind of mean how the last two days when I have been busy working that the weather was hot and beautiful and now it's Saturday and it's miserable. At the same time, it's good because then I might be more focused on this last paper.

I just read Jenna's new entry on her blog and it was all about Kayden and how much trouble he is and how much we all love him and about the day she had him. It is such a good blog entry, everyone read it! I can't wait for her to have more babies. Being an auntie is the best thing in the world. My friend Carmen is so lucky because she is the youngest and her brothers and sisters are all just starting families and have lots of babies, and they just keep popping them out! I don't know if my heart could handle all the love I have for Kayden times 6 or 7!!! I guess you just can't help but love them so darn much.

I'm out.