Lapsus Calami

default

2012-02-11T12:19:00.003-05:00

A cup of tea, several stacks of books, my agenda (a.k.a. my lifeline), some music, my computer, a pen with blue ink, a mechanical pencil, sheets of note paper, a sweater (or blanket) (or both). . .

I'm doing schoolwork.

can you use it in a sentence?

2012-02-06T00:17:00.000-05:00

YouTube video of the weekend.

cast your eyes on the ocean

2012-02-04T21:05:00.004-05:00

The ever calming sound of waves crashing on the shoreline is a sound I could listen to on a daily basis. Perhaps it's a sound I should listen to on a daily basis.

This week provided a sampling of grad school with my first batch of assignments to mark and the early stages of research for a grad-level sized paper.

a kind of heart ache

2012-01-23T18:19:00.002-05:00

I really miss it. I see pictures of students who are in England now, and my heart aches. I long to be there again. Perhaps my real regret is not being able to share it with someone really close to me for the whole time. Don't get me wrong - it was wonderful to have mom there for a week - but for those other weeks...

I see people who are constantly travelling with others, whereas my journeys and explorations were often solo. Discovery the beauty of creation on my own, with no one to share the joy.

But I'm home now and have others to share other travels with. This is where I am. This is where I learn to be content. This is where I count the many other blessings which have been showered upon my life.

And perhaps some day I will go back.

the swing of things

2012-01-12T21:30:00.003-05:00

the title of the video says it all

I have completed the first week of the final semester of undergrad and the future holds a lot of written pages by the end of April. 3 seminar presentations, 1 midterm, 3 quizzes, 1 performance review, 1 4 page paper, 2 8 page papers, and 1 20 page paper. My ambition is to remain positive, to see all of this as a a welcome challenge and as preparation for grad school, especially since I am officially a TA, not just a Departmental Assistant, this semester and will grading alongside my writing and reading.

Reading. I've actually been enjoying the assigned readings so far. Tolkien's Silmarillion, various articles by David Lodge and R.B. Kershner regarding literary theory and criticism, a short story by Ruby Wiebe, who is known as the author of the dreaded novel study in grade 11: Peace Shall Destroy Many, selected contemporary novels such as Haroun and the Sea of Stories and In the Skin of a Lion. And on the side, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, one of John Le Carré's spy stories which I have started now for the third time. Oh what fun it is to ride on the sleigh which is getting closer to the edge of a sheer cliff, the Cliffs of Insanity.

It's great being a student. :)

need space? have books!

2012-01-11T16:50:00.003-05:00

I always need more space on my bookshelf for the books which are growing in stacks on the floor in front of the double-shelved bookshelf. Here is the solution I came across today:

i can only imagine

2012-01-08T20:56:00.006-05:00

Post no. 1 for the new year - it's only a week late.

No, this is not about to be a review of the past year, as it was rather quite eventful. Although, I do have to mention a few things which have had an impact on my life: England (obviously), the passing away of my oma, ending a long-distance relationship, and beginning my final year as an undergraduate student.

These holidays have been filled with all sorts of delightful things: skating, visiting many, many friends, and generally spending time with family, (although I didn't do any of the baking I said I would…). Grad school applications are almost completely finished, and I am on the brink of a new semester.

The challenging task of this year is to put all concerns in the hands of the One who controls all things, and not getting caught up in the cares of tomorrow. Here's to putting all things to prayer.

falling in love with poetry

2011-10-27T12:16:00.005-04:00

As Kingfishers Catch Fire

As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves - goes itself; myself it speaks and spells;
Crying What I do is me: for that I came.

I say more: the just man justices;
Keeps grace; that keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is -
Christ - for Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men's faces.

- Gerard Manley Hopkins

haunting the halls

2011-09-08T21:11:00.003-04:00

A lengthy silence.

A filled summer.

A new school year.

A final year, begun with a vengance like the blaze of a summer sunset over the Atlantic ocean.

A year which promises long days and full evenings, but brightly coloured patches in all of the work which sometimes seems to overwhelm.

A year which will result in growth, carefully crafted, though it sometimes takes the evening light to appreciate the delicate lace of a weed.

the fruit of the field

2011-07-02T18:18:00.006-04:00

Today, the kids and I met up with a friend at the local strawberry festival in Stouffville. The day started off grey and looked rather threatening, but the sun came out just as we were about to leave. For such an active and well-established festival, we had never heard of it before, and so we (well, for sure I was) were really excited to go see what it was all about. Imagine a small fair, all along one street, with various vendors selling their wares stationed along the sides, all calling and beckoning for your attention.

The boys weren't entirely convinced that this was a good place to go to until we came across a slide - the bouncy castle type of slide - where rides were unlimited. Yes, the free activities at this festival are definitely a perk: a slide, bouncy tree castle, wall-climbing, obstacle course, a cookie in the shape of a strawberry which you could slather with icing and sprinkle with red coloured sprinkles to satisfy the sweetest of sweet teeth, and, the pièce de résistance, a free pony ride. The only free item which I hesitate to be entirely enthusiastic about is the whistle, given by our neighbour across the street who was at one of the booths.

Of course, you can't leave a strawberry festival without having a bowl of ice cream with fresh, locally grown strawberries.

A quick stop on the way home at the local fresh produce stand brought home plenty of strawberries to feed an army of kids. 16 cups were made into pies, the remainder is sitting in a bowl (rapidly diminishing), and a quart is safely stashed away.

(we sort of, kind of, matched on purpose. i started the trend, though ... just for clarification)

Pie for dessert tonight. I think, after this weekend, I'll have satisfied my craving for strawberries. At least, for the time being.

to the third and fourth generations

2011-06-28T19:16:00.002-04:00

newbie. probie. green. wet-behind-the-ears.

Yes, the training of the next generation of highly sophisticated and skilled weeders has begun as we make plans to finally remove once and for all those perma-dirt stains.

They will be us.

How easily we are replaced.

gettin' to the church on time

2011-06-20T19:08:00.006-04:00

What a weekend, surrounded by family and friends. Sad tears, happy tears, laughing tears ... they were all there. My good friend Emily, the other half of the LLC (Lonely Ladies' Club), got married this weekend to the man who has been made for her. Both Joel and I were able to be a part of their special day as I was a bridesmaid and Joel played for the ceremony.

theme for the day

Nerves, calm, joy - they were all scheduled in after a frantic morning of the last minute flurries (ie, setting up the hall and teaching the groomsmen how to fold napkins) to create a beautiful day.

Music, laughter, dancing - all elements of a celebration. Congratulations to them!

Also: where has the summer gone? The end of June is speedily approaching, July will pass by quickly, and then August will fly by with the summer breeze. Yes, I am aware that there is still much time between now and the official beginning of school (which marks the end of summer), but the past month and a half have slipped by. What has happened to the time for those extensive book lists? for that anticipation for this wedding which seemed to be eons away? for wondering if the weather was ever going to warm up? for that last visit to Ontario before the final two months which will bring long distance to an end? We thought twelve months was absurdly long, and that any who told us differently was selling something. [Side note: it's time to watch the Princess Bride again.]

And yet here we all stand, on the brink of making large decisions we never thought we would have to make. We claim to be old, wondering what has happened to the carefree days of 'youth'? We are passing from adolescence into adulthood, some kicking and screaming along the way while others fall into it naturally and gracefully.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear Him.
The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.

Psalm 34

one weed, two weed; green weed, brown weed

2011-06-14T19:18:00.003-04:00

Life has slipped back into its natural rhythms of the summer; the cold mornings, the warm afternoons, fluctuating temperatures which can be frigid and damp one week while being scorchingly dry the next. People are coming and going, friends are moving on with their lives, graduating, marrying, working, traveling, writing a thesis . . . I see them for a time, and then they wisp away again.

This all sounds rather melancholic. I guess part of it is the constant farewells and the anticipation of saying goodbye.

However.

This coming weekend promises to one of epic proportions. Well, maybe not quite that drastic, but it does promise to be one of the highlights of this summer. A good friend from Redeemer is getting married this weekend and Joel is in Hamilton. What's not to look forward to?

and o! this small world

2011-04-28T19:28:00.006-04:00

Home.

I have seen so much; each small pocket of the world seems connected only by a flight through the air above 35,000 feet. Each sphere is special with its wonderful people and fantastic landscape, unique in their own way.

It was hard to leave England, especially because the weather was so warm and lovely, when Scotland had been so spectacular. Loch Lomond, Glencoe, Edinburgh, and Glasgow -- it's definitely a place I would like to return to.

Glencoe, Scotland

When I arrived in Halifax, it was raining harder than it had been while I was in England. But Joel was waiting on that other side.

I had the opportunity of meeting many special people while in Nova Scotia; the people who Joel can call family. I was greeted in the congregation as someone who was already known and accepted. They are amazing people - they ought to be, as they managed to coerce me into playing ball hockey. (Ps, I scored.) After being apart for four months, to be together again, to have conversations without an ocean in between, was an incredible blessing. Our goodbye this morning was only for a week, as he's coming back to Ontario next weekend for a very brief visit.

at Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia

And now I'm home. Another pocket of family. Back to a semblance of what is considered to be 'normality'.

But life's always an adventure, no matter where you are.

at the end of the day

2011-04-11T18:09:00.003-04:00

I dreamed a dream, and tonight it came true. The 25th anniversary of Les Miserables at the Queen's Theatre in London, England.

Extremely contented sigh.

Now for less than four hours of sleep, and we're off again.

my bags are packed, but i'm not ready to go

2011-04-10T15:45:00.006-04:00

This past week has been an absolute blur. Monday concluded our exams, and Tuesday marked our last day to wander through Oxford (doing the last minute touristy stuff like eating at the Eagle and Child and going to one more service at Christ Church).

We were introduced to Wednesday with extensive drama practice from about 9.30 in the morning to roughly 10.00 at night (with long breaks in between, don't worry). Thursday was a repeat. Friday showed us that we can actually put on a performance with amateurs and limited practice time. Looking back, it was a lot of fun and we did end up enjoying ourselves, the mistakes and the bloopers and the small things going on behind the scenes definitely made the evening memorable.

the cast plus Glena, our director

from left to right:

Wickham, Miss Bingley (also Lady Catherine),

Lydia, Mrs Bennet, Mr Bennet,

Elizabeth, Mary (also Charlotte),

Jane, Mr Darcy, Mr Bingley (also Mr Collins)

The goodbyes started on Saturday; we cleaned the church, dissembled the room which had been our little home at the Baptist Church, and then lay about soaking up the sunshine for the rest of the afternoon (yes, some of us actually have tans. Take that, Canada. It's 20 degrees here, and it's only April), wandering about the town and fawning over the lambs frolicking in the fields - although I still haven't seen one prancing about.

Marion and Andrew opened up their home to us again for the "last hurrah" - a traditional meal of fish and chips.

And now it's Sunday. We've said farewell to the Baptist congregation, our flights and hostels are booked for Scotland for the next week, I, at least, have my bags packed and weighed (and am still under the limit, which means I could have bought those books at Blackwell's), and all that is left is to put the finishing touches on my essay which is to be resubmitted. And tomorrow we leave. They say time flies when you're having fun and it really has. I can't believe that three months have slipped away so suddenly.

Our bus leaves at 7.30 tomorrow morning to London.

Until I arrive in Halifax, cheerio!

the road it goes ever on and on

2011-04-01T15:15:00.003-04:00

Today was our last day in Oxford.

Time passes so quickly.

i'm still here

2011-03-26T19:34:00.002-04:00

It's amazing how quickly essay and exam time rolls around again. This week has been peppered with classes, presentations, fieldtrips to Rousham and Bath, and mad dashes to the library to snag a couple of hours of research time.

Research always leaves you in want of more, but time is restraining.

The essay I am working on right now is relating Bakhtin's theory of the dialogic imagination, that all forms of speech or writing implies a relationship between the speaker (or writer) and listener (or reader), with Jane Austen's use of letters in her novels, as remnants of the epistolary novel which was just dying out when she began writing.

I think it's interesting, but I've heard otherwise.

down and south

2011-03-20T14:59:00.006-04:00

I have just spent a wonderful week with mom, traipsing about the English countryside with nothing but a little tourist map. The modes of transportation: trains, buses, steam trains, and foot. Most definitely the latter.

Saturday: train from Oxford to Bournemouth, bus from Bournemouth to Swanage. We stayed in a nice bed and breakfast in the heart of Swanage, as big as it is, and walked to the water in the evening to shake off the itches which come from traveling for some time.

Sunday: a huge breakfast, a quiet morning, a nice service at a local church, one steam train trip to Corfe Castle, one amazing and historic castle. William the Conqueror began building it shortly after his conquest in 1066. Since him, the castle has been added to throughout the centuries, and was finally destroyed by gunpowder in order to prevent people from taking refuge in it (as it is in a prime location for defense).

Monday: today, we walked from Corfe Castle to Lulworth in a very roundabout way, culminating in walking for about nine hours, most of it unnecessary. The sun was out, which truly contributed to our positive attitudes. The search for the best and cheapest place to stay continued our adventure: as Dutch people, we wanted the best deal, but the youth hostel was completely locked up, so we ended up staying in an inn with a delightfully cozy pub which served a satisfying Jamaican hot pot for dinner.

Tuesday: once again, sun! And a chance to see Lulworth in the light. From Lulworth, we walked to Wool in order to get to Lyme Regis by nightfall. The weather could not have been more beautiful; we ended up hiking around in tank-tops because the sun shone so brilliantly.

Wednesday: an early morning amble on the Cobb, once again followed by a hearty breakfast (I have never eaten such large breakfasts in that many consecutive mornings), a last walk about the town before making the long journey home to Charlbury.

Thursday: we had planned to visit Milton's cottage, but it involved a lot of planning and organization, so we went to Oxford to have a proper English tea instead with tea and sandwiches and scones and clotted cream and cake . . . We had walked off the calories on Monday.

Swanage

Corfe Castle

sheep and lambs

Lulworth Cove

Lyme Regis, home of the Cobb

It was truly amazing to see places which have been written about, places that have just been a dot on a tourist map. Time after time of feeling disappointed and thinking that all our plans have been ruined, God provided for us again and again.

This countryside is lovely and I have enjoyed my time here, but the prospect of going home is becoming a favourable one.

"austenacious"

2011-03-07T16:10:00.005-05:00

Today was another of these absolutely glorious sunny days here in England, perfect for seeing the countryside and Jane Austen territory. To begin with, we were given a tour of a four hundred year old home which is still inhabited today and has the original thatched roofing. Things like this are so remarkable.

Then it was off to Steventon, where Jane Austen was born and grew up. The home is no longer there, but the church most definitely is.

the church in Steventon which the Austens attended

From Steventon, we went off to Chawton, where the Austens moved after their father died. It was in this house that Austen revised her works and prepared them for publication.

Jane Austen's writing desk

We made a very quick stop at Chawton House, just long enough to get the Reader's Digest tour of the house, and then bundled back on the bus to head back to Charlbury.

Chawton House, owned by Edward Austen

The 'food for a rambling fancy' album on the side contains more pictures from today.

a bit of brightening

2011-03-06T14:10:00.005-05:00

Our trip to Blenheim Palace was postposed due to the poor weather last week. To make up for the disappointment, today was warm and delightfully sunny.

I wander'd lonely as a cloud

that floats on high o'er vales and hills,

when all at once I saw a crowd,

a host, of golden daffodils;

beside the lake, beneath the trees,

fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

and twinkle on the Milky Way,

they stretch'd in never-ending line

along the margin of a bay:

ten thousand saw I at a glance,

tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

a poet could not but be gay,

in such jocund company:

I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought

what wealth the show to me had brought:

for oft, when on my couch I lie

in vacant or in pensive mood,

they flash upon that inward eye

which is the bliss of solitude;

and then my heart with pleasure fills,

and dances with the daffodils.

- William Wordsworth

a wonderful time of the year

2011-03-05T04:21:00.001-05:00

It's course selection time :)

This means trying to fit as many courses as possible into a single school year. Right?

all the king's horses and all the king's men

2011-03-04T18:26:00.004-05:00

This is week 7.

Every Friday, Regent's Park College has Formal Hall, and part of this Oxford Programme is attending one of these formal dinners. This year, we were offered the opportunity to go twice. I chose the Bodleian over dinner last time around and couldn't find any alternative for this evening. It's not as negative as I make it seem.

The dining hall is dimly lit with candles and soft lighting. Guys are required to wear a suit and girls show up in their fancy attire. The three course meal includes a salad, a main course (this week of potatoes and pork tenderloin), and dessert (creme brulee for us). You feel as though you are at a fine restaurant with excellent service. And, of course, everyone is on their best behaviour (despite the wine they have brought in) and using their refined table manners.

Note: wearing a dress does wonders for your posture.

(the girls, minus one)

My favourite part of the evening: the sky is so clear tonight and you can see the stars, unobscured by either lights or smog. Yes, this country is beautiful.

news from the western front

2011-02-27T11:29:00.002-05:00

Dear people:

My mom is coming to England in a week and three days. I am extremely excited. :)

Love,

maria.

cold, dark, dank, and musty

2011-02-22T16:16:00.004-05:00

Cold yes, but Broughton Castle is definitely not dank or musty. The history of these places is incredible - I never cease to be amazed. And the castle even has a moat and lots of armour inside. My brothers should be very jealous.

It's been visited by royalty (Queen Anne and King James I slept here in 1904); it's been used for films (Sir Ian McKellan was in the Great Hall as Chauvelin in "The Scarlet Pimpernel" 1982, costarring with Jane Seymour).

We were given a tour of the house by a woman who sounded Dutch, and we met the lord of the castle himself, Lord Saye and Sele. He invited us to coffee, but we had reservations at the Saye and Sele Arms for lunch, the pub right beside the driveway.

Broughton Castle

on the roof with Gill

the gardens which will look amazing in tourist season

Tomorrow our new classes begin with Jane Austen and the second half of the History of Drama. After seeing so much more of England (and watching the BBC's Pride and Prejudice), I'm really looking forward to these new courses.

now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer

2011-02-21T18:05:00.005-05:00

Today we took the Oxfordshire Playbus (no picture of that vehicle, unfortunately) to the real Stratford, Stratford-Upon-Avon. Don't get me wrong, I quite like the one back at home and there are definitely similarities. Mostly the mixture between swans and Canadian geese.

I have heard so many stories about the damp and the chill of the English weather, and experienced it only really for the first time today. Accustomed to the mild weather and slightly overcast skies, if not sunshine, I potentially didn't dress as warmly as I could have. The drizzling rain kept us to the museums, which, very conveniently, were all included in the one ticket which is valid for the next twelve months. So for any visitors who plan to come out here (wink, wink), I could procure a second one for you (nudge, nudge).

Anne Hathaway's house was first on the hit list (the kitchen still had the original stone floors from 400 years ago) and was followed by a tour of the *new* Woodland walk -- as opposed to the old one which used to be there?

Anne Hathaway's cottage

We were then delivered to Shakespeare's birthplace and set free to tour both it and the town, so long as we were at the Holy Trinity Church by three. I came within inches of a copy of the First Folio, published 1623. The house is filled with actors who are more than willing to perform upon request. We were given the "alas, poor Yorick" speech by one, and then were offered variations on famous poems from the point of view of a cat by another. Apparently there is a book for sale full of such things on Amazon, but I forget what it was called. The "death be not proud" by John Donne variation was quoted for us.

Next was a very quick stop at Nash's House, owned by Shakespeare's granddaughter's first husband Thomas Nash. Shakespeare purchased this house in 1597 and died here. Hall's Croft, next on the agenda, home to a physician and son-in-law to Shakespeare. After chatting to the very welcoming tour guide, we meandered through the house, observed the rather spacious garden, and then made our way to the Holy Trinity Church. Parts of the church (namely the tower) have been there for eight hundred years. The significance of the church in connection with Shakespeare? He has been buried there, along with members of his family, with a curse on whoever should move his bones placed on his tombstone.

me 'n Hamlet 'n poor Yorick

a tree taking over Hall's Croft

There is a link to more pictures from today on the side.

Now I am home again after an evening spent watching another two episodes of the Pride and Prejudice, starring Colin Firth. It's all homework, really; we're just trying to get into character for our play production. Such dedicated actors we are.

- blink - and it's gone

2011-02-17T10:25:00.003-05:00

Last night I submitted my paper, which was completed at least to an acceptable state. 14 hours later, sitting in the library, looking at overviews of the Shakespearean plays we have studied, I found some quotes which would have been quite helpful in the context of the essay.

They say that a woman's work is never done. It's not. Especially when she is a student.

In forty-eight hours (oh to be able to say forty-two!), the first term will be finished and we will be reeling in shock after having completed our exams. In another six weeks, the next batch of papers are due. Tempus fugit indeed!

Being here makes me appreciate the world of literature - there are so many books, so many interesting things to study, so much potential for knowledge and wisdom. . .

a small complaint

2011-02-12T14:08:00.002-05:00

Why is the weather always so lovely when you have to sit behind a computer or with your nose in a book all day?

My other question is how to make a 5000 word paper out of 5000 words of notes?

for students

2011-02-09T18:52:00.002-05:00

"And at once it struck me, what quality went to form a Man of Achievement especially in Literature which Shakespeare possessed so enormously -- I mean negative capability, that is when man is capable of being in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason."
- John Keats

tendrils of fog and mist curling about me

2011-02-08T10:21:00.010-05:00

At the moment, I have secured a desk for myself in the Radcliffe Camera with stacks of books around me. If I look up, there is a spiral staircase. If I look left, I see the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin with all its spires through the window. And the sun is shining. If I look right, I see a statue of Johannes Radcliffe and people working away diligently. If I look down, I see a paper full of scrawls which will be a 5,000 word paper by next Wednesday. Sounds simple, right?

We came back from London Saturday night after three packed days. Thursday: 8.35 am train, which we thankfully all made. Two hours later, we had left our bags at the International Student House (ISH), our sleeping accommodations for the next two nights. With the weight off our backs, we headed off to the Tower of London. The history that is there is so incredible. Exhibits of armour which dates back to William the Conqueror, names scratched into the walls of chambers, the biggest diamond in the world, rooms that are still inhabited to this day.

It's a good thing we had a schedule to keep or else we could have stayed there for quite some time longer. We went back to the hostel in order to unpack. Us girls were excited because we all were in the same room. The downside: it was the basement of the basement. I'm not kidding. It was like the forgotten dungeon that didn't exist in present memory. The nearest "loo" was up two flights of stairs to the main lobby. The nearest showers were on the third floor.

Dinner was also an adventure. Some of the girls had a copy of "London: Free or Dirt Cheap" so we scouted out a cheap fish and chips restaurant. Except we couldn't find it. Deciding that it might be a good idea to take the tube to find a local eatery close to the theatre, we jumped aboard. A group of ten is hard to feed on a tight schedule, so we split off. Some of us got lucky with good sandwiches while others landed a nice little Italian restaurant which had a cover charge (which we didn't realize until we had sat down).

Like a good day in London, it ended with a play. "An Ideal Husband." Unfortunately, perhaps due to being tired or completely missing the humour, we weren't overly enthusiastic about this one.

Tube home. For most of us. Some of us were still hungry and wandered to the nearby McDonalds. I know. In London, and we resort to cheap food which is too easily found in North America.

Friday morning greeted us with grey clouds and a whisper of rain on the horizon. Marion and Gill, the coordinators, had a full day planned for us, starting with a tour of the Globe Theatre bright and early. Ish. The current Globe Theatre is actually the third one to have been built. Personally, I am very sad because Hamlet opens at this theatre a mere four days after I leave this country.

Once the tour was over, we were let loose in London. We walked by St. Paul's Cathedral (unfortunately, Disney was playing in my head the entire time), and then some of us went to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese for lunch. Now, this isn't just your standard English pub. Ok, maybe it is, but this one is really cool. This one was rebuilt in 1667 after the Great Fire of London and Charles Dickens ate here. Yup. It's true. There's even a plaque on the wall.

Parliament was next at 3.10 in the afternoon. (Oh to have had the chance to see Westminster Abbey!) Nonetheless, Parliament was amazing. We followed the path of the Queen and saw the room where she gets ready to meet with parliament, where she puts on the crown (which we had just seen the day before). Parts of that building have been there over a thousand years. The man who designed parts of the building was about our age when he submitted his ideas. Yes, this is about the time to get cracking and get something accomplished.

Dinner was less of an adventure because we met up with Louise, one of our tutors/academic coordinator, at a place called Nando's and were given a little cave to sit in cozily together.

"The Rivals" came next, which we found to be much more engaging.

Since it was our last night in London, we decided that something should be done to commemorate the event. Across the street from the hostel was a little pub/club/who-knows-what which remained open past 11. Securing a table and stools enough for those who did come was a bit of a feat, but once again, we came, we saw, we conquered.

By ten o'clock the next morning we were supposed to be out of our room. As we were clearing things up, a woman walked into our basement suite, opened the fire exit door at the opposite end of the room, and then headed back to the main door. A girl stopped her and asked if she needed anything, but she didn't speak English. We think she worked for the hostel, but are not certain.

We all headed off to Trafalger Square, and then split up there. I went with some girls to Covent Gardens, then met up with Bethany, the girl who stayed with Lee a number of years ago, and we went to Camden Market, Kensington Gardens where I walked where J. M. Barrie walked (and definitely stopped to photograph the Peter Pan statue), and made a pit-stop at 221B Baker Street which is not at 221B Baker street at all.

It was the Green Man, an Irish pub, for dinner (about three minutes away from ISH) and conversation while waiting for the rest of the group to reconvene at the hostel so we could all travel back together. Estimated arrival home: 11.30. Going away for a few days definitely makes Charlbury feel more like home now.

Sunday I went for a four mile walk with Gill around Charlbury's countryside. The mud is definitely coming as spring is rapidly approaching. Sorry, Canada, the flowers are already popping up here.

Monday night was girl's night with Colin Firth. Need more be said?

And now it's the library for me. If you'd like to find me, I'll be in the Upper Camera.

the train station this morning

my home for the next week

a foggy day in London town

2011-02-02T13:29:00.005-05:00

This afternoon, in our Medieval Drama class, we presented various mystery plays from this age: the best being Mak the Sheep Stealer.

The setting: out in a field, around the time of Christ's birth.

The characters: Mak the Sheep Stealer (I think his vocation is self-explanatory), Gill his wife (in this rendition, Gill was played by a male with a fake Scottish/Irish accent), as well as two shepherds.

If I can get a copy of the filmed version of our performance, I shall try to share it.

Due to the oncoming traffic of essays and presentations, I have been making use of the many resources made available in the Bodleian library. It's only been around since 1602. No big.

Monday I'm headed off to the Camera to claim a stack of books and hole myself up for the afternoon. Somehow, that doesn't sound as dreadful as it should...

But, before all the studious activity can happen, we are headed off to the city (as if there is only one here) for the weekend. Big, busy, but beautiful London. The Tower of London, An Ideal Husband, a tour of the Globe theatre and of the Houses of Parliament, as well as the Rivals. All within 48 hours with sleep thrown in there somewhere. Maybe. Saturday is our own to finish doing the really touristy stuff - if one can ever finish doing the touristy stuff in London - and it's back to Charlbury at some point in the evening.

Sometimes, it's still all a little unreal that I'm actually in England.

"what a fine thing for our girls!"

2011-01-30T18:07:00.007-05:00

this is a picture of where I am staying

I really do love weathervanes

Cornbury Park

[more photos to the right]

The weather today was lovely, cool and crisp. And the sun came out. This clearly meant an outing with my trusty friend, the camera that now works. Hooray!

This evening we went out to a restaurant with the 'exec' students from Regent's Park College. Most of the Canadian students were rather tired and reluctant to go (as some of us had taken naps instead of enjoying the fresh air this afternoon), but after the wine had broken the ice, we had quite a jolly time. Our fake British accents were judged and were found ... lacking.

Unfortunately, I don't have a photo to commemorate this event, but today marks having spent six months together with my Joel. :)

it's a small world after all

2011-01-29T14:25:00.004-05:00

I have just finished a fairly complete first draft of my first assignment here in England. This is impressive because it is not due for another two and half weeks.

Next on the list: deciding what to write my papers on. One for Shakespeare and and one for early drama. Any suggestions?

Today, a student who stayed with my hostess a number of years ago, came for a visit. She also went to Redeemer, studied history and english, had the same teachers (not that much changes in four years), and stayed in the same house in Charlbury. Now she's living in London, where we are headed on Thursday!

We also had our first drama practice yesterday. Let's just say that it's a good thing that we have until April.

Quote of the day: (from a friend's margin notes in 17th century lit.) "Don't be alarmed. There is just a madman running around with a sub-machine gun. Please go lock yourself in the closet." - Dr. Loney

i consider it a thought worth pondering

2011-01-26T16:57:00.005-05:00

3 weeks. Roughly 7000 words all due on the same day dispersed among 4 different assignments. Followed by 2 exams. Exit term 1.

I came to a sad conclusion. The Globe, yes, the Globe theatre, opens with Hamlet four days after I leave the country. Four days. I am sad.

Skimming through our script for Pride and Prejudice, I realized that, in the roles of Mary Bennet and Charlotte Lucas, I dominate the stage as both characters in a single scene. Don't ask how I shall accomplish this feat - this is up to the director to decide. "All the world's a stage and all the men and women are merely players", "we are either kings or pawns" but the director tells us when to enter the stage and when to move to C5.

(Also, for those who haven't noticed, the background picture is of Lyme Park which was the original Pemberly in the BBC version.)

This morning, an Oxfordite peer and myself led the music for our Wednesday morning chapel. I've never really played music publicly, at least not with a fellow musician, but this was really enjoyable (despite the chaplain taking over the leading of the singing). So to those who do play guitar, beware. I might just ask you to join with me in worship in answer to Christ who calls, "Come."

the will of the gods

2011-01-25T12:37:00.007-05:00

I am fated. The bookstores draw me.

Before I get too far ahead of myself, allow me to set the stage.

Our class which had been scheduled for today was moved to Friday instead, so we in essence had the whole day to ourselves. To do work in the Bodleian Library, of course. Three of the girls (Hannah, Sally and Emma) decided that they wanted to spend the whole day in Oxford, and asked me to tag along.

The train leaves at 8:35 am.

Can I point out that I made it to the train first, even after sleeping in, even after making time for a shower and breakfast? Attribute this to the walking quickly skills which are being finely honed.

We wandered around town for most of the morning, stopping for a coffee to plan our course of action, making notes of where the amazing shoes are sold, taking lots of pictures, wandering through the Botanical Gardens which have the potential to be amazing in the spring, stopping at the Bod just in time to be productive for a little while before heading off to Regent's Park College for lunch.

The food there is incredible. I would just like to point that out. Today's menu: chili on rice with a brownie for "pudding". Dessert here is pudding.

Back for some more work, and then I headed off to Blackwell's before catching the 4:47 train. This store is wonderful. Not only is it filled with books, but it has multiple floors which are filled with books, the uppermost of which is used books. This is where I come into trouble.

Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South, since my copy had been deemed too shabby and was put in the litter bin.

Wilkie Collins' The Law and the Lady - I've heard good things about Collins. Wilkie, that is.

Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children because it is a must-read.

At 4:30 I looked at my watch and realized that I had better leave then. 8 minutes later (trust me, this is no small feat for short legs), I caught up with friends who were also catching the 4:47 train about a minute away from the train station.

My camera has mysteriously decided to start working again, so click here (also listed along the side) to see an album of the adventures up to today.

Now, to read As You Like It for tomorrow.

the honeymoon is over

2011-01-22T16:19:00.002-05:00

My bags are unpacked, the closet has clothes (and shoes), the drawers are full, the suitcases have been stowed away. Now it really feels as though I'm really here for the next three months.

It's different being in a different home and staying somewhere for a week and will require a bit of getting used to but that can be managed.

Today was a sleep-in day and a pack-up day and do-a-bit-of-reading day of things such as Mankind ("Wher spekys þis felow? Wyll he not com nere?") and the Merry Wives of Windsor with little success in either but they are a work in progress. Early Modern English and a modern translation of medieval English require a lot more effort than, say, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, which might also be on the go.

My room has two bookshelves, both of them full of interesting books. My own books have been put away in the drawers and stowed in the window ledge, with a "torch" as a bookend. It's called being creative.

Tomorrow is already scheduled with a 10:30 church service at the Baptist church, and then a progressive lunch to help us figure out our way around town, as well as meet some of the other hosts and see other homes. And then it's another busy week of trains, classes, studying at the Bodleian Library, drama practice, more classes, more studying ... and learning to cook!

Yikes.

the dear stole my hart

2011-01-21T11:08:00.005-05:00

This morning was our first drama session. Yes, the students of Redeemer and Crandall are presenting Pride and Prejudice before we come home. "Auditions" were this morning, meaning that we had to read bits out loud so that our director (who happened to be a neighbour of C. S. Lewis and met Sir Ian McKellen) can allocate us our parts. Our fate will be revealed to us in a few days. However, it sounds as though it will be fun.

Speaking of a hem six inches deep in mud and eyes brightened by the exercise, I took a walk through Cornbury Park this afternoon. Around three o'clock in January, the sun is already starting to sink down. It was once a royal hunting lodge, and now houses a deer park. A public walkway goes past the deer park.

I wish I could offer you my own pictures but my camera is not working right now.

And tomorrow is move-in day.

our first day of school

2011-01-17T17:11:00.002-05:00

Having fun isn't hard, when you've got a library card. Yes, we now have access to the famous Bodleian library. We had to swear an oath that we wouldn't damage the books or smoke in the rooms or set fire to the library etc etc etc. I had been instructed to read my oath in Latin. Unfortunately, since this is not my native language, I first had to read it in English, and then could reread it in Latin.

Quote of the day: Say hello to Duke Humphrey and his sexy Bod for me!

Sunday no. 1

2011-01-16T16:21:00.004-05:00

My alarm clock this morning was the sound of birds and rain.

For the week, I am staying with the assistant coordinator, Gill, who has given me the attic which has been made into quite a cozy little room with windows, a very comfortable bed, and internet access - which I am thoroughly enjoying.

There are five different churches in Charlbury: Roman Catholic, Quaker, Methodist, Baptist, and Anglican. Once every few months or so, they have a combined service. This morning was one of these and was led in the Quaker style.

After the service, we were taken on a tour of Charlbury by Hugh. Thankfully, the rain had cleared up by this time and we even had sunny patches. The "important bits" of town can be seen in about an hour or so. Its status was upgraded from village years ago because it was given a charter that allowed it to hold a market. Although market is no longer held, its status has remained - a fact that the locals are very proud of.

Lunch was offered by members of the Baptist church - "headquarters" for us. Then we were all given our orders for the next couple of days with strict instructions to not miss the train tomorrow, for we're off to Oxford tomorrow.

We met at the co-op (the local grocery store) around five this evening in an attempt for us all to get our bearings and wander around town for a while. However, it was dark and raining, so after familiarizing ourself with the grocer, we went our separate ways for the evening.

I was introduced to "Lark Rise to Candleford" this evening - a BBC production. I have heard several stories about the show, every one a rave review and my sentiments are now added to the collection.

Unfortunately, there are no pictures yet, but hopefully soon.

jetlag

2011-01-15T15:33:00.003-05:00

Fun times. The flight was delayed by half an hour (once we were all on board), and then met turbulence before arriving at Heathrow Airport. The fun part: getting off, through customs, baggage claim and on my way to the underground train which runs between terminals in about twenty minutes. (This is apparently unheard of.) The last person to arrive was also delayed, which meant the rest of us were an interesting bunch of characters. Needless to say, we've all been that way today. A bus was waiting to pick all of us up from the terminal and brought us down the sloping, winding roads to Charlbury. Which, by the way, is charming. Think James Herriot territory with sheep and moss growing on the roofs ...

Total hours awake (minus a doze on the plane and the bus): 31. I think. The math may be a little off.

But the people here are lovely. As are the accents.

And the prospect of sleep.

the first step to overseas

2011-01-14T17:04:00.004-05:00

I'm sitting at the airport right outside my gate. The airport offers the wonderful service of wireless internet - quite a lovely feature.

I've said my last goodbyes to friends, teachers, family and loved ones; the suitcase was packed, found to be overweight, and thus repacked into two; the last minute stuff is checked off; I've already forgotten an item and successfully retrieved it (sets a good precedence, doesn't it?); the bag has been checked twice; no sensors went off passing through the gate (oh good); and now I sit with strangers who are either going to England as well or using it as a jumping board to another destination.

1 hour to take off.

how to become popular

2011-01-10T11:43:00.004-05:00

(At church that is.)

Option 1:

Become engaged. I am speaking personally by living vicariously through a friend.

Option 2:

Decide to move away for three and a half months.

a time for everything

2011-01-03T20:01:00.003-05:00

A time for beards, and a time for shaving them (for Joel, that is; he came home with one as per request); a time for saying hello, and a time for saying goodbye; a time for quiet, and a time for visiting; a time to be home, and a time to start packing ...

Joel and I were able to spend almost all of the Christmas holidays together - minus the last minute shopping, and dentist appointments, and those exams and studying for them. I wrote my last exams at Redeemer until December 2011. School would be starting on Wednesday, but I will be cleaning up the chaos that is reigning in my room so as to stop living out of a suitcase :)

Handel's Messiah at Roy Thomson Hall, exciting announcements by friends (an engagement and a pregnancy), catching up with good friends, spending quality time with family and each other - yes, it's been a wonderful holiday.

It's been an incredible year with the next one already laid out with some of its plans and fears and anticipations.

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2010-12-06T19:56:00.001-05:00

Last week, our theory assignment was to create a Christmas song based on the words by Christina Rosetti. Little did I know that this idea is a part of the "been there, done that" category. So here is "Love Came Down at Christmas" by Jars of Clay. It's strange to hear it, after having drummed my own melody into my head.

Love came down at Christmas,
love all lovely, love divine;
love was born at Christmas:
star and angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
love incarnate, love divine;
worship we our Jesus,
but wherewith the sacred sign?

Love shall be our token;
love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and to all men,
love for plea and gift and sign.

racing towards the finish line

2010-12-04T12:07:00.004-05:00

for the literary folks:

In modern linguistic terms, the story of the Incarnation is the story of how the Transcendental Signified became a lowly signifier while continuing to be a signified.

The project for this weekend is an essay on C. S. Lewis and how his sense of morality influenced his writing.

One of the strengths of Lewis’ writings is that he gives us such an exciting picture of what goodness looks like. His fiction is filled with characters who demonstrate that being virtuous is not a weak characteristic in a personality, but rather one of strength, courage, honour, and power. Lewis gives us pictures of good which fascinate and draw us, awakening within us the hope that we too can rise above our instincts and limitations and do the right thing. Virtue is the ability and power to choose good, which arises from a transformation of our hearts and minds.
.

this world keeps spinning faster

2010-12-01T00:28:00.002-05:00

It's amazing how much our lives are caught up in technology.

This evening I gave a presentation on different locations in England used in the Harry Potter films. I had hoped to connect my laptop to the projector system, so that all the work I had done to the PowerPoint presentation would work, but something didn't connect properly. Unfortunately, having embedded the videos into the slideshow meant that they did not transfer over to the other computer at our disposal.

Strike one.

I love having an internet connection - enables me to stay in contact with those who are able to keep me sane in moments of panic which seem to strike at any given moment without any due notice.

Strike two?

More and more, I am realizing how important transportation is in this day in age. Not having that method of getting from point A to point B is severely limiting.

Strike three.

The moral: either you have to learn to be completely independent and rely on your feet in order to get you anywhere or you have to learn humility and dependence upon others.

christmas in a cup

2010-11-20T22:00:00.000-05:00

I have a confession.

I may be addicted to tea.

The first step is admitting you have a problem, right? Or is it simply good preparation for England (assuming that everyone there does drink tea, the archetypal Brit)?

Also, for your amusement, Victor Borge and Dean Martin: (although my family and I have differing opinions on the funniest clips)

who are you and what have you done with [name]?

2010-11-06T21:30:00.004-04:00

A crazy week has drawn to a close. It began with the completion of an essay, the frantic rewriting of that same essay within two hours to make the midnight deadline, a power outage at school, a rescheduled midterm, and a movie review.

Welcome to November, folks.

It's hard to believe that this semester is more than half over. I realize I mentioned in my previous 'post' (apparently two sentences don't constitute as a proper post) that only a couple months remain until the holidays. My brother clearly announced this afternoon that there are only seven weeks left until Christmas (inevitably followed by his ever-growing list ;) ) which means that in ten weeks I will be distanced from home and loved ones by an ocean. It still seems all a little unreal.

But that's the future.

For now, I'm waiting to put the icing on the cake.

Also, I have been struggling with "Thy Will Be Done" so I would like to share this link. It is from the soundtrack of "Joseph King of Dreams" which speaks of letting go of our own dreams when doors appear to be closing and following the path He has set out for us.

to/two/too

2010-10-24T13:44:00.003-04:00

In two months and a few days, the first semester will be over and we'll be into the holidays again.

In two months and a few weeks, I'll be in England for a few months.

thanksgiving

2010-10-12T07:11:00.004-04:00

this too shall pass

2010-09-27T22:45:00.001-04:00

We have wandered far from God; and if we wish to return to our Father's home, this world must be used, not enjoyed, that so the invisible things of God may be clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, -- that is, that by the means of what is material and temporary we may lay hold upon that which is spiritual and eternal.

Augustine, On Christian Doctrine

take it as you will

2010-09-22T10:54:00.001-04:00

Quote of the day:

If you have Jesus in your heart ... someone should tell your face.

Compliments of Dr. Loney.

at the end of the day

2010-09-11T21:32:00.005-04:00

"Some texts are born literary, some achieve literariness, and some have literariness thrust upon them." [Terry Eagleton, Literary Theory: An Introduction]

School, in all its various forms, has begun once again. These lofty ideas of criticism, ambiguous statements, the idea that each reading is a rewriting ... my favourite quote of today's reading is from Paul Ricouer as he is discussing the relationship between story and life: "We learn to become the narrator of our own story without completely becoming the author of our life."

How true is this?

I can learn, acquire knowledge and insight, but at the close, I am just myself. Me, as I am. And it is the simple things which matter most.

keeping up with the joneses

2010-08-18T22:35:00.004-04:00

Blogs are allegedly the safe and the way to announce new relationships. Here, the news slowly circulates as people stumble across your blog rather than having the news plastered on the front page news.

As many of you have probably heard by now and for those who have not, I am dating a wonderful boy named Joel. [Insert pretend gasps of shock - we haven't heard that yet.] He's a special person.

life in the peripheries

2010-08-11T17:11:00.004-04:00

We paused a moment or two to chat with the customers. So often we don't know what is going on in the lives of others, the issues they are dealing with or the joys that they would like to share. As I work, I remain wrapped up in my own small sphere of thought, only emerging from the bubble when conversation has been struck up.

Sometimes, I share my own joys and excitement about either upcoming or past events but rarely do we discuss fears or the serious issues surrounding each life. If we cannot build a relationship with those with whom we work every day, how much more difficult is it to relate with those who we rarely talk to?

I'm not trying to say we need to spend all our time and energy on getting to know people. It's the foundation that really counts - built at the foot of the cross. Recently, I spent a week at Campfire! where I met so many people who I had never spoken to before. Yet there, background, personal history is not important - you are there for the sole purpose of praising the Lord. It is this infectious joy which is carried from that place, something that we should seek to share with others.

God works in so many incredible ways. I walked [well, drove] away from Campfire! with the renewed conviction that, even though we are sometimes crumpled, torn, ground into the dirt, God still sees the worth underneath the layers of dirt and grime. Most amazing are the times when He grants you so much, especially when you least expect it.

LOVE (III)
by George Herbert

Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lack'd anything.

"A guest," I answer'd, "worthy to be here";
Love said, "You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee."
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
"Who made the eyes but I?"

"Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
"My dear, then I will serve."
"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
So I did sit and eat.

mistakes

2010-06-21T20:55:00.002-04:00

Do not put statements in the negative form.

And don't start sentences with a conjunction.

If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that a

great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing.

Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.

Unqualified superlatives are the worst of all.

De-accession euphemisms.

If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.

Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.

Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.

- William Safire, "Great Rules of Writing"

catching a quick breath

2010-06-17T23:57:00.002-04:00

Sometimes, life moves by too quickly to fully grasp and appreciate the moment.

the sounds of laughter

2010-05-23T18:16:00.003-04:00

I have missed you.

i can only imagine

2010-05-23T18:11:00.003-04:00

The fruit of the Spirit.

Pause there a moment. Fruit. Singular. One fruit. One fruit that has different characteristics of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. A beaker pours out the blessing of the Spirit which works that fruit in us, which, in turn, manifests itself in different ways.

We try to mimic these characteristics of perfection, but how deep does the desire run? Is it heartfelt or done out of selfish ambition or a desire to make those attributes our first nature?

flowers were harmed in the making of this bed

2010-05-15T16:02:00.004-04:00

[No, really, they were.]

Here are some helpful hints and tips for those who have started their four month summer career and feel the cooler weather in their very core.

[also entitled: 5(0) ways to leave the chill behind]

1. Dress warmly. - Always a bonus; layers are key: hat, mittens, jacket, several sweaters, t-shirt, long sleeved shirt, tank-top ... you can always take them off later and empty half of your wardrobe into the vehicle which you are using. Trust me. We have several closets in there.

2. Work hard. - This one should be self-explanatory and a "duh" [think Moose from the Archie comics]. It promises to warm every last ligament you have.

3. Drink lots of tea/coffee. - If you have the luxury of several returns to the shop where hot beverages are easily accessible ... that is the opportune moment.

4. Manure can be a wonderful thing. Including the added benefit of getting warm while shoveling it, it and its steamy scent envelop you, cascading over your feet like a warm blanket. Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures.

5. Way no. 5. introduces the classic bouncing when cold. - Works almost every time. Just not when you get strange looks and decide to stop in order to protect any last shards of dignity you can scrounge together ... that is when you get cold again.

If all else fails, well, there's always a hot shower and more sweaters waiting at home.

a little light summer reading

2010-05-02T20:10:00.005-04:00

In no specific order of importance, I introduce the following:

That stack, along with the list of things I would like to do this summer, is now approximately the same height as I am. On a side note: adventuring to a used bookstore is always a dangerous thing -- especially when they have a whole section on literary theory.

I have also gained a greater respect for those who can successfully make a pie. Apparently, it's not as easy as it looks, but it tastes just as good.

the ninth hour

2010-04-28T22:34:00.003-04:00

It's the last minute crunch before the end - the final exam that concludes half of my undergraduate education. Granted, the milestone isn't as large as that of finalizing that education, but it is a pillar of a kind.

Had we but world enough, and time,

This last-minute studying were no crime.

Time slips past so quickly, it's wingéd chariot hurrying near. [No, I did not write a seventeenth century exam a few days ago and just quote Andrew Marvell.]

Good Friday, 1613, Riding Westward

2010-04-04T20:48:00.003-04:00

LET man's soul be a sphere, and then, in this,
Th' intelligence that moves, devotion is ;
And as the other spheres, by being grown
Subject to foreign motion, lose their own,
And being by others hurried every day,
Scarce in a year their natural form obey ;
Pleasure or business, so, our souls admit
For their first mover, and are whirl'd by it.
Hence is't, that I am carried towards the west,
This day, when my soul's form bends to the East.
There I should see a Sun by rising set,
And by that setting endless day beget.
But that Christ on His cross did rise and fall,
Sin had eternally benighted all.
Yet dare I almost be glad, I do not see
That spectacle of too much weight for me.
Who sees Gods face, that is self-life, must die ;
What a death were it then to see God die ?
It made His own lieutenant, Nature, shrink,
It made His footstool crack, and the sun wink.
Could I behold those hands, which span the poles
And tune all spheres at once, pierced with those holes ?
Could I behold that endless height, which is
Zenith to us and our antipodes,
Humbled below us ? or that blood, which is
The seat of all our soul's, if not of His,
Made dirt of dust, or that flesh which was worn
By God for His apparel, ragg'd and torn ?
If on these things I durst not look, durst I
On His distressed Mother cast mine eye,
Who was God's partner here, and furnish'd thus
Half of that sacrifice which ransom'd us ?
Though these things as I ride be from mine eye,
They're present yet unto my memory,
For that looks towards them ; and Thou look'st towards me,
O Saviour, as Thou hang'st upon the tree.
I turn my back to thee but to receive
Corrections till Thy mercies bid Thee leave.
O think me worth Thine anger, punish me,
Burn off my rust, and my deformity ;
Restore Thine image, so much, by Thy grace,
That Thou mayst know me, and I'll turn my face.

- John Donne

one

2010-03-26T23:32:00.000-04:00

Just one more.

Sometimes the small things feel like the biggest.

signs of spring

2010-03-17T14:18:00.003-04:00

To celebrate St. Patrick's day, the colour green has been prominently displayed about the school. However, the most popular location in which to publish the statement of green is outside. There is not a cloud to be seen with a warm sun on my back as I follow the crowds outdoors. To be sure, the natural greens are lacking but linger in the promise of a return that is near at hand.

surely there must be some truth in this

2010-03-17T14:07:00.003-04:00

a jolting reality

2010-03-13T13:16:00.001-05:00

"When you look into water, you see a likeness of your face.

When you look into your heart, you see what you are really like."

- Proverbs 27:19

early morning escapades

2010-03-11T08:41:00.000-05:00

The sound of running water is a beautiful thing.

let's play that one more time

2010-03-06T21:53:00.005-05:00

music was made for two

just sit right back and you'll hear a tale

2010-03-02T20:16:00.005-05:00

[Theme song of the weekend. Never let your children/siblings watch too much of Gilligan's Island. You'll soon regret it. No matter how much you need that half-hour nap.]

I really wish there were not a limitation to learning and education. The time has come again for course selections for the upcoming year. My problem lies not with finding the stuff that interests me, but weeding out the extraneous courses that are less interesting and not beneficial to an honours Major. You'd think that the six course difference between a general and an honours would allow you a little more leeway, but it's all a facade. All it does is force you to take four 400-level courses which are interesting anyway.

I want to take it all and simply learn.

weekends are for reenergizing

2010-02-28T15:42:00.000-05:00

let's just hope that works

the countdown

2010-02-25T18:00:00.005-05:00

1 more day.

So my car is apparently unsafe at the moment. Being completely naive and clueless when it comes to motorized vehicles, I don't drive it. Maybe I should really look into a mechanics class and invest in an old pair of jean overalls.

snippets of sound

2010-02-08T22:02:00.002-05:00

I’m her favourite sister, she says. I say the same of her. We work together like fingers moving over a piano, sometimes stumbling, sometimes moving smoothly, but always creating a beautiful sound.

there will never be a more beautiful you

2010-01-27T21:22:00.004-05:00

If you can't be a highway, just be a trail;
If you can't be the sun, be a star
For it isn't by the size that you win or you fail-
Be the best of whatever you are.

- Douglas Mallock

As found in an essay by Martin Luther King, Jr. regarding the dimensions of a complete life: John on the isle of Patmos saw life as it should be, complete on all three sides with the length and the breadth and the height. If life is perfect when these aspects are in perfect harmony, how much more is the amazing love of God that transcends the limits of our limited lives.

the last man standing

2009-12-31T18:37:00.003-05:00

Our home has been under quarantine for the past couple days. It has been eerily quiet, unnaturally so.

And thus we all turn that corner to a new year, with all those resolutions that are hardly ever kept, fresh ambition, a new semester to look forward to after being well rested from our holidays (hopefully), plans and events to fill up the blank pages of that clean calendar.

So here's a prayer that your next year may be filled with joy, even in the midst of trials, and that you continue to receive the many blessings poured freely from above with open hands.

rearranging priorities

2009-12-25T17:00:00.006-05:00

The Journey of the Magi by T.S. Eliot

"A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter."
And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
And running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires gong out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty, and charging high prices.:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.

Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wine-skins.
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arrived at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory.

All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we lead all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly,
We had evidence and no doubt. I have seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death."

adventures through the looking glass

2009-12-20T00:24:00.002-05:00

The next two weeks I am home. Mostly. Enough to call it home for the holidays. Things have been put away, Christmas music was playing in my room almost all day. And Monday, there is no need to drive anywhere.

This evening I curled up in a chair with my little sister by the fireplace, and read some poetry out of a newly acquired anthology of British literature. "You're finding a lot of adventures in there," was her response to my excitement over the authors found in there (Byron, Tennyson, Hopkins, Wordsworth, to name a few).

Not coming home for a weekend reinforces the great blessing of the times I am able to come home.

an apology

2009-12-17T22:13:00.000-05:00

"Always be prepared to give an answer for everything."

laughing like children

2009-12-10T21:09:00.006-05:00

The Hamilton Spectator is most helpful in regards to decorating.

Today consisted of a step backwards in time. Only at Redeemer can one spread newspaper across the hallway with tape and scissors and scraps of paper while managing to escape with only odd glances cast in your direction. Only here are you a name and a person, not a number, and feel at ease with the professors who seem to enjoy the antics.

Quote of the day: "What are you doing?" - Dr. Bowen

the genius of Handel

2009-12-05T23:06:00.004-05:00

How is that we can offer up such a beautiful song of thanksgiving and praise to the King of kings and Lord of Lords, the omnipotent God?

crunch

2009-12-04T08:47:00.003-05:00

Two weeks from today will be my last day of exams.

Two weeks from today, I will be able to go home for a full two weeks; spend time with family and friends, bake cookies, catch up on sleep, read a book purely for enjoyment (perhaps getting through textbooks properly)

skating, singing [loudly and off key], snowmen...

late nights curled up beside a fireplace with quiet music and a steaming mug of hot chocolate...

kids and mittens, glowing from the cold...

these are a few of my favourite things that make home wonderful

Advent

2009-12-02T12:12:00.002-05:00

"Are you ready for Christmas?"

Why does the next question after the former have to do with shopping?

a closed chapter

2009-11-28T21:47:00.003-05:00

why people should study English

2009-11-27T20:45:00.003-05:00

word of the day: unmellifluous

On another note, Friday evenings are not conducive to writing essays.

fried onions

2009-11-20T23:48:00.004-05:00

"The price paid for knowledge is the loss of the eye of innocence."

- Stephen Leacock

'x' marks the spot

2009-11-15T22:05:00.006-05:00

originated as the Phoenician letter samech, which has been translated as prop, support, post or a fish. X was related to the Greek xei, which sounded like "ks". The Romans adopted the Greek xei but used the form of the Greek chi. X was the last letter of the Roman alphabet until around 50 AD. Several authorities — Ben Jonson among them — consider X to be a less than legitimate letter because the ks would replaced its sound so easily. Though X is the least used letter in English, its a well known symbol of Christ (Xmas), was used as a signature by illiterate people throughout history, and has always “marked the spot”.
http://www.alphabetandletter.com/X.html

X is Christ
x is the unknown
X is the way to the eternal Treasure that we continue to search for, digging up fields and giving all that we have to own that Treasure

an evening spent in song

2009-10-24T21:14:00.006-04:00

Music is an unavoidable aspect of our home, whether you want to hear it our not. Strains of classical from the kitchen, the squawk of new violinists, the attempt at quiet strumming drifting downstairs, a whistle, a plunked out chord...

constant babble around the dinner table, shrieks of laughter from outside, running footsteps, the creak of doors and hardwood floors...

All nature sings, and 'round me rings the music of the spheres.

touching the sky with your toes

2009-10-14T21:07:00.002-04:00

it's the small things

the real stuff

2009-10-10T11:33:00.003-04:00

"Do not climb into a cannon when they are shooting it.

Do not open the drawbridge for strangers."

in preparation

2009-09-26T20:57:00.002-04:00

Vivaldi, a mug of steaming tea, and apple pie to go along with the homework. Add a quiet home and the sound of rain sifting through the trees.

What more could you want?

open window

2009-09-19T12:20:00.003-04:00

Autumn is drifting back with clear blue sunny skies and crisp breezes.

surpassing knowledge

2009-09-18T10:00:00.003-04:00

"how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ ...

that you may be filled to the measure

of all the

FULLNESS

of God"

as we keep spinning

2009-09-12T18:32:00.005-04:00

The colours are returning to their natural state once again with the rich gold and reds. Routine is settling down yet seeming not to slow down.

Do we ever stop to see the plastic bag dancing in the wind, to see the beauty in simplicity? The early sun playing with the dew?

How much is missed and gone unnoticed?

big things in small packages

2009-08-17T20:39:00.003-04:00

I love getting mail. Cards, letters, even bank statements, but especially packages that hold books. Space is becoming scarce on my bookshelf.

They smell good as well. :)

bay

2009-08-11T22:13:00.007-04:00

at the close

2009-08-10T19:32:00.005-04:00

The dusk comes with the song of birds, softly washed clouds, and solitude. Just a girl, nature, music, a pen, and words to offer up in thankfulness.

Quote of the day: "We're not 'kiddie' cats, we're unicorns."

"Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening."

2009-08-06T16:54:00.001-04:00

Are our ears still open for the call?

defined by flying squirrels

2009-08-02T18:37:00.002-04:00

Life is peaceful at midnight. The crackle of the fire overriding hushed conversations. Stars obscurred by the light of downtown.

Midnight. That time when coaches turn back into pumpkins, when the Sandman is making his rounds, the start of a new day, the turning of time.

afternoons and coffeespoons

2009-07-29T22:16:00.002-04:00

Word of the day: Brilliant

Didi: [as an insult to me] You're brilliant.

He wisely decided to call me brilliant after he learned the definition.

washed in pastel

2009-07-21T21:56:00.012-04:00

the remaining puddle after a light rain