This town is CRAZY.

Here in Sumas, I cannot go to the bank to exchange my money. I have to do it at the grocery store.

Odd.

Sumas

I made it back from a cabin on the Spokane River in Idaho, which was a really awesome place to spend Christmas.

Sumas for two more sleeps, then I get to go back to Calgary! I'm so ready to go back.

Tomorrow is going to be SWEET! I am getting a visit from my favorite creepy friend!!! We are going to have Tim Hortons and do all sorts of other things to make Sam and Jen wish they could have been here, too.

Way to go, Idaho!

I'm going to Idaho for Christmas! I'm leaving today, in about 20 minutes, and coming back on Boxing Day. My grandma rented a cabin in Coeur d'Alene and a bunch of my family is going out there for the holidays. Should be fun!

The transition continues...

Yesterday was my last day at work and it went pretty well. I was working at a daycare, so I tried not to get too attached to the kids because I suspected I wouldn't be here for very long. I managed to make it through three months of work with only one kid that I will miss A LOT - a 4th grade troublemaker of a boy who also happens to be the only other Calgary Flames fan that I know of in this city. We've had lots of fun talking hockey and sorting out all of the trouble this kid gets into.

Wrap-Up

Things are starting to wind down here in the US of A. Today is my last day at work - I have a sneaking suspicion that the kids are throwing me a going-away party that has so-far been disguised as a Christmas party. Kids aren't the awesomest at keeping secrets, haha.

On Tuesday I'm leaving Seattle and heading to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho for Christmas. It is a little random - my grandma, who lives in Palm Springs, CA, rented a house there for the week for all of us to stay in. I'll be back in Sumas late on the 26th, then I fly back to Calgary on the 29th.

I will miss my friends here, but I'm really excited to go back to Canada and back to school!

The official "I get to go back to Canada" blog.

There is a Canadian Consulate General in Seattle.

Yesterday I woke up at 5:30 and left the house at 6:45 so I could be downtown before it opened at 8:00. I was the third person there and the eighth person to get a number. I was very prepared and had a pretty good idea of what to expect.

I waited for my number to pop up on the screen, then handed my application to a lady who said that another lady would call my number so that I could pay. So, I sat down and waited for my number again.

When the screen flashed my number, inviting me to give money to Canada, I went to the cashier's counter and was informed that the price had gone up $10 since I last checked the website (two days ago!). There's a bank machine downstairs, she told me, and agreed to wait for me.

I went downstairs and paid a $3 fee to take out some money. The lowest denomination the cash machine gives is $20 and I needed $10, so I also had to go buy a juice. The Canadian Consulate does not give change.

I went back upstairs and paid the lady, who told me to sit down and wait for my number to be called AGAIN. When my number appeared on the screen for the third and final time, it directed me to interview booth 7. Interview booths in Seattle are not as friendly as interview booths in Calgary. In Calgary, the interview booth's are nice little desks with boxes of tissue in case you cry. In Seattle, the interview booth is a small room with some chairs, which is separated from the interviewer by glass. No boxes of tissue.

In interview booth 7, I was told that I had not been out of Canada long enough to be eligible for a study permit.

I sort of "went off" on her, quoting Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and basically refusing to accept her reasoning. I couldn't help it, I love Canada and the words just started spewing out of my mouth. After I was done talking, I immediately became really scared that she would not like my attitude. Maybe she'd rip up my passport right in front of my eyes or tell me that I was never allowed back into Canada.

Instead, she read the portion of IRPA I had quoted and agreed that I had, in fact, been out of Canada for long enough. After the technicalities of the law were sorted out, she asked all of the normal study permit questions and issued me an acceptance letter (I get the actual permit when I cross the border).

Welcome to Advent

Sadako Sasaki

Located in Seattle's University District, Peace Park is a memorial to Sadako Sasaki.

Sadako was 2 years old and living in Hiroshima when the atomic bombs were dropped. She consequently developed leukemia and, in the hospital, began making paper cranes.

The Japanese saying is that one who folds a thousand paper cranes will be granted one wish. Sadako only made it to 644 before dying. She was 12.

Sadako's story is a symbol of the perils of nuclear war and has been used to promote peace in many parts of the world. The paper cranes that people draper over her statue symbolize the yearning for peace that exists in this world.

Bohemian Rhapsody + Muppets

= AMAZING

Flip Side

A little while ago I wrote something for Insight for Living's LifeTrac blog. In a nutshell, it was about how our prayers sometimes go unanswered and that we should be ready to pray "your will be done" and actually mean it. Sometimes that is a really difficult thing to do.

Anyways. I bring that up because I want to balance it out a bit. Today I want to talk about something related but different, something joyful. It involves a small piece of the story of my life, which I'd like to share...

I started following Jesus when I was 11 or 12 years old. Since then, I have probably spent more time talking to God about my mom than any other subject. I don't intend to do any mom-bashing, so suffice it to say that she has had some really wild years and that some people, herself and myself included, have had some painful experiences during those years. She comes up a lot when I talk to or listen to God - I have always just felt like I need to pray about her more than other people.

God, I want my mom to know peace that passes understanding. It exists, I've experienced it. But can we please find a way to let her experience it, too? ... I want so badly for her to know how much she is loved. That she is loved far more deeply and completely than the world tells her she is. ... God,  I want to believe that amazing things can happen, but this seems impossible. Maybe she won't ever know that you are the source of these things. Can you somehow make it so that she can feel your peace and love, even if she doesn't know it's you? Please?

I have said these sorts of prayers over and over, with great sincerity, for the past 12 years or so. Then, a few months ago, in mid-August, something kind of crazy happened. My mom simply yet profoundly realized that nothing in this world compares to the love that God has for his children. She completely restructured her life around the love of God and she has an inexplicable feeling of peace about her new life. In a day, 12 years of prayers were answered and continue to be answered.

All of this has left me with my jaw on the floor, completely in awe of God. It blows my mind every time I think about it. I think it will for a long time. It is just so good.

I guess what I'm getting at is that God is good. And he has good plans. We can join in on all that goodness when we talk to God about stuff. How sweet is that?

Last Night: 2 Things

1. There was a storm and it was SO loud! Erin and I couldn't even talk to each other for awhile because the noise was so massive. HUGE house-shaking thunder, HUGE lightning, TONS of hail, TONS of wind, lights flickering... it was awesome!!!

2. I had a slumber party with my bestest friend in the whole wide world. I love Skype! (And friends.)

Slums are real....

http://www.theplaceswelive.com/

This website is pretty incredible... it takes you on a tour of the homes of different people who, for one reason or another, have had to make lives for themselves in slums, which are housing a higher and higher percentage of the globe's population every year. Life in the slums is very real and I think it is worth our time to take a look at the way over a billion people are living today.

Stirring

I used to really ache for those who suffer. I would literally lose a lot of sleep crying for and praying for those who live in extreme poverty, those who have little freedom, those who are suffering from the world's injustice. I have been lamenting the lack of that sort of empathy in my life for several months now. I want to be compassionate, but I feel so hollow. I don't know where that part of me, which seemed so abundant in the past, has gone.

The other night I was reading a book called Gracias: A Latin American Journal by Henri Nouwen. One of his journal entries stirred my hunger for justice back to life a little bit. The emotions I went through when I read this section gave me a taste of what I used to feel like nearly all of the time. It is a tough, good feeling.

True prayer always involves becoming poor. When we pray we stand naked and vulnerable in front of Our Lord and show him our true condition. If one were to do this not just for oneself, but in the name of the thousands of surrounding poor people, wouldn't that be "mission" in the true sense of being sent into the world as Jesus himself was sent into the world? To lift up your hands to the Lord and show him the hungry children who play on the dusty streets, the tired women who carry their babies on their backs to the marketplace, the men who try to forget their misery by drinking too much beer on the weekends, the jobless teenagers and the homeless squatters, together with their laughter, friendly gestures, and gentle words - wouldn't that be true service? If God really exists, if he truly cares, if he never leaves his people alone, who is there to remind him of his promises? Who is there to cry out: "How long will you frown on your people's plea? . . . Turn again, we implore, look down from heaven and see. Visit this vine and protect it, the vine your right hand has planted. . . Let your face shine on us, and we shall be saved" (Ps. 80)? I feel that in a world rushing to the abyss, the need for calling God to the task, for challenging him to make his love felt among the poor, is more urgent than ever.

A friend of mine was talking today about how convicted she feels to do whatever she can to help the "least of these." She was so passionate and spoke with such conviction. It reminded me of my former, better self. I miss the old Ashley.

Mr. Spots!

I finally made it down to Mr. Spots Chai House in Ballard. Mr. Spot's is the original home of Morning Glory Chai. Morning Glory is such a tasty spicy chai. I'm not exactly sure why they call it Morning Glory, but the first time I drank it, I had such pleasant dreams that I woke up feeling really great. Morning glory! The Chai House is pretty great. When I walked in there was a lady in one corner with a massage chair set up - she was giving free back massages. I also got a free slice of homemade pizza because it got a little too crispy for them to sell.

This is a great place to come on a drizzly Seattle Sunday afternoon.

While I'm on here, I suppose I will take a moment to share the little piece of writing I did for Insight for Living's LifeTrac blog (coordinated by the one and only Robyn Roste). Anyways, the writing piece... Here it is!

The coffee is very necessary this morning...

I had to be up earlier than usual to make it down to the lower Queen Anne neighborhood for a class I am taking today. I made it with some time to spare, so I found a spot for breakfast and a triple shot Americano (I am not used to waking up this early!). So, here I am at Citizen Coffee. It is a really fun little spot, close to Seattle Center but not so close that it has any sort of touristy feel. The building is really cool, as are the employees. The coffee is nice and rich and strong, just what I need this morning! My breakfast sandwich is AMAZING. Mmmmm... eggs and bacon and tomato and and fresh basil on a yummy savory biscuit. They also serve wine and make crepes - I think it'd be fun to come here some evening and indulge in those.

Maple Leaf

This morning I have been sipping coffee and working on a research project at a place called Cloud City Coffee, in the Maple Leaf neighborhood. After reading the Wikipedia entry on this neighborhood, it just might be my new favorite neighborhood in Seattle. Here is an excerpt...

A popular story is that in the early days of Seattle's settlement the neighborhood was "so far north, it might as well have been Canada", and was named "Maple Leaf" as an inside joke.

Aw. That just warms my heart right up. Anyways, this place is pretty sweet, plus it's close to where I'm staying right now. The coffee is locally roasted, and cheap. Their drip coffee is self-serve and next to a pile o' mugs and a little piggy bank in which you put your dollar. It has a very familial feel to it - lots of people chatting it up on comfy couches, kids playing make believe, people enjoying good food together. Very nice.

Bus Instincts and Free Time

I am getting good at knowing when I need to hurry for the bus. Actually, I've probably just been getting lucky with catching the bus lately, but I'm going to call it skill. Somehow, for the past couple of days I have just known when I need to run to the stop so that I don't miss the bus. I'm always a little bit proud when I get to the stop just in time. I'm also always a little proud when I decide I don't want to run, and the bus is a few minutes late.

Today I am in Greenwood getting a head start on next week's schoolwork at Wayward Coffeehouse. I found this place when I tried to get a job here a month or so ago and, even though they didn't hire me, it looked pretty sweet. So, here I am! The barista really liked my Charmander shirt. I mean, who wouldn't? (Sam wouldn't.)

I am getting tired of having so much free time, but at least I am getting some changes of scenery and getting to know Seattle a little better (Seattle really is a cool city).

It is amazing how having free time can suck the life out of me. I mean, I'm not doing anything, but I have little energy and am superly moody. I'm trying to get over this, to make things to do for myself and trick myself into thinking that I have to get them done. It is weird to find myself being somewhat driven by success/accomplishment. I always think and say that following Jesus transcends those things. Yet here I am with all the time in the world to spend getting to know Jesus better and all I can think about is how I'd rather be doing more work/school/anything. I'm such a hypocrite!

Further Adventures

Couch surfing aside, I am having an adventurous time in Seattle. I am still looking for more work and anxiously awaiting the study permit application/decision, but there are cool things for me to do in the meantime.

Since I am a student, I got a little bit of a deal on a transit pass. So, I have one of those that is valid until right around the time I leave. I am doing my best to utilize the transit pass by choosing different neighborhoods to study/read/hang out in. It's pretty fun. Right now I'm in Capitol Hill by myself, sitting upstairs in a coffee/crepe shop called Joe Bar and sipping on an Americano, listening to some Supertramp, doing some people watching, a little reading and writing. Life is good, it seems, when I put in a little effort.

Seattle has so many nooks and crannies. Places to explore. Lots of water and hills and other things that you don't find in Calgary. I don't think I'll ever know all of the ins and outs of this city, but it sure is a good time trying to figure some of them out. If I get really adventurous, I will embark on a ferry adventure or two, just for kicks...

If you want to try and figure out where I've been couch surfing, I think the map on the left is pretty fun. Right now I'm in Northgate. Before that, I was in Green Lake and, before that, Wallingford. I work in Windermere. Do any of the neighborhoods you see on the map sound interesting to you? I'm still thinking of where I want to explore tomorrow....

Couch Surfer Heaven

I have hit the jackpot...

FUTON!

I have been couch surfing for 5 full weeks. I came here to Erin's place on Sunday and it's pretty stinkin' great. Erin is great - she and I were roommates for a few years. That was back in the University days (well, technically I am still in my University days, but it's not the same). It is so sweet chillin' with her and catching up on the last couple of years.

Did I mention she has a futon? I can sprawl! It is glorious. Also, Erin is a muffin maker (I call her the muffin man... I'm not sure if she knows I call her the muffin man). She makes muffins on Wednesdays. Breakfast was good today, my friends.

On a completely different topic, I am already starting to feel the pressure of my re-application for a study permit. I'm planning on applying in early December, so that is only about six weeks away. I am trying to stay busy and avoid thinking too much about it until the time comes to start getting paperwork together. Yet here I am blogging about it. Silly American.

Movin' along...

I am into my fourth week of couch surfing. Actually, I was floor surfing this past week. I have been sleeping really well on the floor, but I have had crazy dreams almost every night. Also, I am finding some large knots in my back. I think Lindsey got a couch delivered to her apartment today, though, so it should be a little cozier tonight.

Overall, Seattle has been a good time so far. I am getting a lot of chill time with some of my favorite university friends, I am enjoying the randomness of the University District (yesterday a girl walked by a window i was sitting next to with a cat perched on each shoulder), I am eating a lot of good food, and I am getting a lot of work done in the class I am taking, Philosophy 101. I am actually enjoying the class more than I expected to. It is not as floaty as I thought it would be and I am really loving that it is online. I am more articulate as a writer than I am as a speaker, so that works for me.

There are certainly ups and downs to the whole deal, but there are ups and downs everywhere. I am mostly doing OK. Having been pulled out of a place I love is still hard to handle some days, but I am discovering that I haven't been transplanted to a bad place. It is good. It is not what I wanted, but I didn't ask God to give me what I wanted, I asked him to give me what He wanted. Now I'm trying to want what He wants, but it is hard to get past my own agenda.

Surfin'

Well, I have made it through 2 weeks of this couch surfing Seattle adventure with about 14 weeks to go. It is kind of fun living life week by week, taking people's generosity as it comes, doing my best to reciprocate, and staying wherever there is a space for me.

Arriving in Sumas on Wednesday, September 9, I made myself a little nest out of sleeping bags in the corner of my mom's living room and slept there until leaving for Seattle four days later, a Sunday. It was good to chill with my mom and bro, to see that they are doing OK, and to join them in looking forward to better days.

Since then I have been sleeping on Gen and Bobby's couch. Gen and Bobby are two good friends from my days at University of Washington. I was a bridesmaid in their wedding a couple of summers ago, the same summer that Jen and Cassy got married (not to each other). I have really enjoyed staying with these two, mostly because I have missed spending time with them over the past few years. They have been so generous in sharing their apartment with me and have joined me in going with the flow for a couple of weeks.

Gen and Bobby's lease allows them to have guests for up to 14 nights, so I will be leaving here on Sunday and moving to Lindsey's apartment. Lindsey is the twin sister of my best friend from elementary/middle/high school, so we grew up together. We both moved to Seattle right after high school and have helped each other out with a couple of different housing situations. Since her lease lets her have guests for up to a month, Lindsey is going to let me stay on her floor until the end of October. It'll be nice to be in one place for a whole month, and to have my own set of keys (Gen, Bobby, and I have been sharing 2 sets of keys).

From there, I'm not sure where I will stay, but I'm not too worried about it. Things have had a pleasant way of falling into place since my immigration interview. I really couldn't ask for a better situation while I am here.

It has been so good to know, to really know, that God is taking care of me in a beautifully communal way. That God is letting all of us, near and far, take care of each other in community.

I am...

Here is a quote from my first day back at rich kid daycare...

"Oh, I have that game on my iPod touch."

-boy in kindergarten

Bum

Last night I took my brother out for pizza and, as we were leaving, they gave us two free large pizzas. I'm taking it as a sign that I will be very good at being a bum this semester.

Motion Movement

I'm in Sumas right now, being reminded that there is not much to do in Sumas. The house my mom is renting is literally 2 blocks from the border that I cannot cross without convincing an immigration official that I won't stay in Canada illegally.

I go to Seattle on Sunday and start work on Monday. My living arrangements are still being sorted out, but I think I might just couch surf and, if there are a few gaps, I can always bunk at the young adult shelter that exists in the basement of the church I go to in Seattle (don't judge - I think it would be adventurous).

As for my mental state, it is a little shaky, but experience tells me that I will survive. I am generally flexible and easygoing, but I put a lot of energy into getting ready to go back to school this semester and most of that got thrown out the window after my immigration interview last Tuesday. That still stings.

I will admit, though, that my stress level actually went way down after my interview and I am really glad that it is finally over. Even though I am still getting over what happened at the interview, I've at least had the motivation to figure out what to do about it. This summer was really rough and I am so glad it is done even though I am not where I was expecting or hoping to be.

I am ready to full-out tackle these next three months with whatever strength I can muster up. I'm going to work my face off, ace my classes, and do everything I can to get ready to apply for a study permit at the consulate in Seattle. I know I will have days where I won't be this motivated, where all I will want to do is hop on a flight back to Calgary, but right now I have to force myself to be excited about everything (rejoice always, right?).

I get to take a couple of classes that will transfer. I get to go back to a job that I loved. I have some incredible friends in Seattle who aren't going to let me be miserable for three months. These are things worth being excited about.

Puzzle Pieces

Things are working out.

I have a flight to Abbotsford booked for Wednesday. I'll spend a couple of days with my mom, then head to Seattle.

I'm going to take 2 classes this quarter at a community college in Seattle. I already got a letter guaranteeing that they will transfer to the university here in Calgary. I'm about 95% sure that I will be back in Calgary for winter semester. (The 5% is intended to account for the unpredictability of immigration officers.)

I got rehired for my old job at the daycare! The current daycare director doesn't know me, but the principal likes me a lot, and her recommendation was enough to get me that job.

The only hairy thing remaining is housing. I'm looking into what is described as a "small sleeping chamber" that is ridiculously cheap and in a kind of cool sounding cooperative living house. The room itself sounds... primitive (I think that is too nice of a word), but I'm not picky and it'd be really nice to save some money by living simply. We'll see if that works out after I actually see the place in about a week or so.

I really REALLY want to sincerely say thank you to everyone who has offered encouraging words, their couches in Seattle, prayers, phone calls, text messages, hugs, spontaneous visits, advice, and lots of love. What started out as a really crappy week actually turned out to be not so bad and, even though I'm gonna miss Sam and Co. like crazy, I think I'll be OK.

How are you guys so amazing? It blows my mind.

The interview

I went for my interview with immigration on Tuesday. I presented all of my financial information and it was going really well. I was ridiculously prepared, I looked professionally awesome, and I even bothered to take my eyebrow ring out for the occasion.

Then, at the very end of the interview, the officer totally caught me off guard. She told me that there was almost no chance she'd be able to grant me a study permit. Apparently, the course I took last semester as a visiting student was not a class that you can take as a visiting student. I honestly still don't fully understand the rule I was breaking, but she informed me that I had violated the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

When you violate the IRPA, you can't receive any sort of permit or visa for 6 months from the date of the violation (which, for me, is in mid-October). You also must leave Canada as soon as possible.

So, the night class that I took at Ambrose last semester got me in trouble. I had no idea that I was doing anything wrong and still think the information on the immigration website is misleading, but ignorance is not a good excuse for these sorts of things.

That is my story.

If you ask me how I'm doing, I will most likely say that I am OK. I'm really not OK, so I am sorry if I've lied to you about it. I'm trying so hard to be cheerful but I absolutely hate all of this and I am honestly a total wreck. I don't really want to go into why this is so hard for me right now, so I'm just going to end here.

Age old question...

Where can I find a sweet job with amazing pay?

(I am leaving Canada.)

Fight!

Things today are a little bit crazier, but a little bit more promising. I am therefore a little bit less of a mess. Thankfully.

My interview is now happening before school starts (in about a week), so that is a huge improvement on yesterday's situation. Now I just have to scramble to get a whole slew of paperwork together to convince them that I will be a good, financially responsible student here in Canada.

Here we go.

Fight or flight?

Today I came face to face with the fact that I might be leaving here really soon. Instead of a study permit, I have been given an interview time where I will have the chance to show whether or not I have sufficient funds to be a student in Canada. The interview is not until September 17, which is after school starts. My savings account is not all that impressive and I fully expect to be rejected for a study permit on those grounds. I should be more optimistic than this, but I'm not having an optimistic sort of day.

I could do everything in my power to stay here in Calgary even though I'm almost sure I can't stay here as a student. I might be able to find some sort of job here and get a work permit, I don't know.

I could go back to the states and find a job. That seems like the easy answer but it is also the answer that I hate. I love it here and am really torn up by the prospect of leaving.

I don't know what to do and I'm kind of a mess.

New Pledge of Allegiance

I pledge allegiance to God,

Who created all people in all nations and all the earth,

Who loves all of His children extravagantly,

Who forgives generously,

And whose kingdom lasts forever.

Upside Down Pt. 1

I think it's a good idea to question some of the things that people expect you to accept, even if doing so might put you against the flow. The first time I remember really questioning something that was the status quo was in grade 8/8th grade.

Something that you may or may not know about American public schools is that the students stand and say a pledge of allegiance every morning. It is just one of those things you start doing when you're five years old and don't really question.

A friend of mine who happened to be a Johovah's Witness would never stand or say the pledge of allegiance, so one day I asked her why. She told me that she only pledges her allegiance to God. That made so much sense to me! But, being a new Christian, I wasn't sure whether or not I should say it. All the other Christians stood and said the pledge of allegiance, so I kept on doing it, too, even though I started feeling weird about it.

Then, one day in high school, I stood for the pledge of allegiance and just couldn't make myself say it. I had become convinced and convicted over those couple of years that pledging allegiance to a flag is pretty blatant idolatry, so I just stopped doing it.

The Pledge of Allegiance

I pledge allegiance to the flag

of the United States of America

and to the Republic for which it stands

One nation under God, Indivisible

With liberty and justice for all

My point is not that we should all stop saying the pledge of allegiance, rather that we should think about the things we are doing and, if they seem wrong, then maybe they are wrong and maybe we should stop doing them.

Choke

I've had a problem with my yawns lately. For some reason, every time I yawn, I start to choke on my uvula. Then I stop yawning, have a little cough, and I'm fine. So I guess it's really no big deal.

Blog

I really enjoyed that month off from blogging. I'm not actually sure if I like blogging anymore. I guess I'll give it another shot and if I still don't like blogging I will call it quits.

I went to BC last week with Sam! It was fun. Blackberries were out in full force. Before we left Calgary, I was starting to dislike blackberries because the ones you can buy at the store here are just not good. But I rediscovered my love for them by eating lots and lots of them right off the bush. I was so excited by how good those blackberries tasted. From now on, I think I'll only eat them if they are fresh-picked.

Anyways, the trip was good. I had a couple of "rough" days, but I have such great friends that I was thankful for those days, too.

VBS and back to the real world

I was having so much fun at VBS this week that I kind of forgot that things are a bit of a mess right now....

... my car is not operational, is rather expensive to fix, and needs to be transported back to Washington in a few weeks. Then it needs to get sold in time for me to pay for school.

... But then again it may not need to get sold in time for me to pay for school because I am STILL waiting for my study permit. How lame is that? It has been 5 months now, and it is only supposed to take 2 months. Also, you cannot call to ask about these things. I am definitely starting to feel the pressure of not having that little piece of paper. As in, what the heck am I going to do if it does not come in time? Or what the heck am I going to do if I am rejected?

... I have a whole corner of my not-too-big room devoted to stuff I'm trying to sell on Craigslist. This is related to the whole paying for school thing. I am a little worried about it because I need to take a certain number of classes to be able to get a work permit. But I can't take that certain number of classes if I don't save up enough money. A bit of a catch 22 there.

Anyways, I am going to take a whole month off from blogging, effective immediately. Just because I feel like it. You will hear from me again on August 17, right after Sam and I get back from the trip we are taking to BC. Bye for now!

Africa Can

If you really don't like Obama, just skip the first 15 or so seconds... this short video is about the African success story that is the country of Ghana. Thanks to Obama's visit, Ghana is getting a bit of well-deserved attention today. Really makes me miss the place and my friends there a lot. Anyways, enjoy the video!

The Law

Me: "Annie, you're cute. It's illegal to be that cute."

Annie: "Noooooooooooo... it's illegal for kids to drive."

this week is NONSENSE!

When I moved here, I had heard that the city is very proud of its cowboy atmosphere, and that Stampede is the best time of the year.

Turns out that Stampede is the ONLY time of the year that this city even so much as resembles anything that has anything to do with cowboys. The cowboy image is such a facade! For one week out of the year, people wear jeans and cowboy hats to work, eat large scale breakfasts together, and talk about chuckwagon races. It is a huge act for all of the out-of-towners. It is so ridiculous. I hate Stampede! (But I like the free food... I think they should do that all year.)

Somehow Calgary even earned the nickname Cowtown. Now, I'm sure there were plenty of cowboys kicking around back before Calgary was such a big city, but nowadays there is nothing about the city that leads me to believe there are any cowboys anywhere, aside from a couple of bars that try to look like they are some modern sorts of saloons. Oh, and the sign that welcomes you to Calgary when you come into the city from the airport. Any real cowboys would have had to leave the city because there are now cows here, or adjust to city life.

Does Calgary make you think of cowboys, the wild west, or anything of the like? I just don't get it.

Oh Well

So, this friend of mine suggests new places that she and I should go on vacation just about everyday. I like to humor her (and myself) a bit because it really would be nice to get away, but the conversation usually ends with her saying something along the lines of, "you need to get a job that pays big money."

She will typically start off suggesting grand getaways. "Oooooh, let's go on this 10 day cruise of the Caribbean!" or "Let's fly to Greece and lounge around the Mediterranean for a week!" I don't even ask how much things cost anymore.

I counter this friend's incessant travel temptations by compulsively entering contests where the prize is a trip... somewhere. I don't really care where. Or what. One of the contests is for fans of some video game I've never heard of. You "get" to go see the studio where they make the games, which might be interesting for about 5 minutes. I'm so desperate that I would gladly travel.... somewhere.... to look at some video game studio.

Anyways, I really am itching to get away. Part of the problem is I can't even leave Canada until my study permit shows up. I'm channeling positive energy into the mailbox, hoping it will come today (I'm not sure what that means). I have trouble praying that it will come today, because I really just want the study permit to come when God wants it here, even if it psyches me out a little bit having to wait so long.

Opposites

Sam and I are SO opposite... she loves to bake treats, and I love to cook meals! It is amazing that we are even friends, really.

The Hair Update

I guess it's time to show you how my hair is growing in. More like growing up... it does not go flat, it just sticks straight up. But I don't mind, I like it. It is just now getting long enough that I will get a messy spot where my head touches the pillow when I sleep. 

Annie is IN LOVE with my head. She no longer gives me a hug and kiss when I leave. Instead, she wraps her arms around my head and gives it a little rub when it is time to say goodbye. 

I think Sam likes my hair more as it gets longer because then she can pull it easier when I am being annoying. Also, I think she was a little afraid of the dreadlocks. And after seeing all the dandruff that was stuck in their middles when we cut them off, I really can't blame her. (Overshare? Undershare? There are pictures of it, if you want.)

Sam's dad no longer calls me Sideshow Bob and no longer charges me a "Bohemian Tax."

I don't think my mom has actually seen either of my recent hair don'ts, not even in pictures. Also, I think she was so excited when I told her that I got rid of my dreads that she didn't quite catch on to the fact that all of my hair was gone, too.

Nasal Irrigation Cont'd.

I ran more saltwater through my nasal cavity today. 

Sam didn't even have to make me! She wasn't even there! She won't even know about it until she reads it right here on my blog!

I didn't even gag! Or cry! Or freak out at all!

Good for me.

Oh, the things I agree to...

Today, while I was sipping a water bottle, Sam came up and squeezed the bottle so hard that water came out my nose. I'm pretty sensitive to water being in my nose, as in it really scares me and obviously hurts, so I started to cry a bit.

The water coming out of my nose reminded Sam that some people pour warm saltwater into their noses when they are congested. I happen to have quite a cold at the moment, so she decided that we should try it. She was SO excited by the idea of pouring something into one nostril and seeing it come out the other. (I think it is something like Cassy's fantasy of me snorting rice up my nose and spitting it out my mouth.)

I explained to her that warm salt water makes me gag worse than just about anything else, but she insisted that we try it out, first with freshwater to get me warmed up, then with saltwater. I was and still am skeptical about how much she knows about this method.

Anyways, I was SO scared. I was totally freaking out, weeping, etc. It really did hurt, and it really did go in one nostril and out the other just like Sam thought it would. The saltwater really did make me gag, though it did seem to loosen everything up. Or dilute it. Or something.

Oh well, at least Sam got to do her little experiment. And I... well... I guess... I faced my fears? Came closer to the ability to snort rice up my nose and spit it out my mouth? Submitted to a ridiculous request from someone other than Jen?

Monopoly...

Sam and I played Monopoly today and, when I started to get down on my luck, she was merciless! If Monopoly were real life, I think today would have gone something like this...

Sam: "Ashley, you owe me money."

Ashley: "I don't have any money, but you can have my computer."

Sam: "Pshhh... no way, your computer is used... practically worthless"

Ashley: "Are you kidding me??!! It's only a few months old, it's still under warrantee, and I paid a bunch of money for it! I'll Even throw in the carry case and printer."

Sam: "No, that's not enough."

Then I would proceed to sell all of my possessions on eBay and give all of the money to Sam.

Getting back to real life, I just want to say that I got the Nintendo version of Monopoly a few weeks ago and it is really fun. Some of the correlations to the original Monopoly are a bit of a stretch, but it's still sweet. Even when Sam "The Crazy Capitalist" Thomson gets Mario and Luigi within the first couple of rounds around the board, then proceeds to take me for all I'm worth as quickly as possible. It was even really fun the first time I played Nintendo Monopoly, when Jen took away the use of all of my fingers and both of my eyes in order to drag out the game for as long as possible. I think I suck at Monopoly.

Live vs. Not Live

When I saw the David Crowder Band play at YC, I LOVED it. They were fun, folksy, they had so much energy, and, I mean, look at the guy...

He just looks cool, ya know what I mean? (Or maybe you think he looks crazy, but I think he looks cool.)

I had listened to an album or two before seeing him live, but I never really jumped on board. So, after I got back from YC, I gave him another chance. Though I really appreciate his music now, I STILL can't get into the albums. I think he's just one of those guys who is really really awesome live, and listening to his band any other way just doesn't compare. Maybe I will be able to enjoy the albums more when the concert isn't so recent an event in my mind?

Kind of the opposite of Taking Back Sunday. I saw them live before I had ever listened to any of their music and they were so terrible that I don't know if I'll ever give their albums a chance, though I have been assured by a couple of reputable friends that they are excellent. Whenever I think of Taking Back Sunday, I just want to pose like any of the four guys in the background.

Twinkle Toes

I have something to blog about that might sound like a lie.

I got a PEDICURE. As in, somebody cleaned my feet up and painted my toenails.

When asked if I wanted to get a pedicure, I was hesitant. I used to have a pretty ridiculous foot phobia, not to mention the fact that being pampered is not really my thing. And I don't think my feet were in all that bad of shape to begin with.

But I did it. Can you believe it?

Phone

The doors were open this evening as I was eating my cheese and crackers. I heard a familiar buzzing noise, so I went looking for my phone, which I knew was on vibrate. I was surprised that it was vibrating for so long, but I continued looking. In the spirit of the hot and cold game, I followed the noise. It led me to the front door, which revealed the neighbor weedwhacking in his yard. Sure did sound like my phone, which was actually in my pocket the whole time.

Poll!

I made a new poll!  Care to vote?

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Sam to Peru

Sam is going to Peru tomorrow night.

Sam is an absolute MANIAC when she is packing. She has containers in containers in bags. She is prepared for all emergencies - everything from her shoes breaking to having 4 pens run out of ink. If the 4th pen ran out of ink, she would be glad she brought 5 of them. I'm not sure what she'd do if the 5th one ran out of ink. Hopefully she does not read this and then go straight to her room to pack another pen. 5 should be plenty. Anyways, watching her pack has been good entertainment tonight. If I didn't like her so much, I would wish that she would go away more often so I could watch her pack all the time.

In all seriousness, though, I think it's pretty sweet that she gets to go use her mad EMT skills way down in Lima. So, if you think of it, keep her in your thoughts and prayers for the next couple of weeks and join me in being glad that there are such useful ways of serving.

Hair, Lack of

My favorite part of having no hair is watching it grow in. It changes every day. And it's kind of like velvet - soft in one direction and rough in the other. I've been rubbing my head like crazy. I also like figuring out which sections of hair are growing in which direction. It's kind of like a fingerprint.

(Endnote: I wrote this post in advance and scheduled its publish time, so me posting this right now does not necessarily mean that I decided to get my butt out of bed today.)

On Thursday

I have nothing to do tomorrow.

Should I sleep all day, or should I get my butt out of bed and go for a fatty bike ride?

What's under my hood, you ask???

Nothing!!!

AHHHH

Any tips on putting up with Sam's antics? I cannot STAND them anymore, maybe I should move out?? Does anyone have a place for me to live?

Hairy Mann

I went to school with a boy named Hairy Mann. I just thought of it because this post concerns my hair, although I am not a Mann.

Dreadlocks are a lot of work. It takes weeks to get them in and they require a lot of maintenance for the first few months. It takes like 15 minutes to wash them properly and it is best done in a bath rather than a shower. I am used to taking only 15 minutes to get my whole self ready, so it's quite a hassle. You don't have to wash them every day, but I wash mine at least every second day. There is also a dandruff issue. Conditioner is a no-no, so my scalp is super dry. Chelsea (Shanghai) says that dreads are allowed to be dandruffy, but it drives me crazy. 

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the way mine turned out, save for a few in the back that haven't gotten enough love. They're fun and they make me feel way cool, but I still think I'm gonna cut 'em off within the next week or so. Part of the excitement of putting them in was knowing that eventually I'd get to shave my head. I don't know about you, but I've always wanted to know what my head would look like naked.

I'm thinking of making it into a fundraiser to benefit Future Island by selling the right to cut each dread for $10. Because I have 33 of them, that'd make $330 for Future Island. I think it'd be kind of cool to have 33 different people cut my hair. There is also a possibility that I will just give Jen and Sam each a pair of scissors this weekend and let them go to work. We will see.

Lucky!

The other day, while Annie and I were walking across a field, she suggested we stop to look for 4-leaf clovers. I found one within the first minute of looking! I was so shocked and Annie was so mad, haha. She had a little tantrum right there in the field because I found one and she didn't. It was the first time I had ever found one, I always thought they were mythical or something. Have you ever found one before? What does one do with a 4-leaf clover? I pressed it... now what?

TV

I used to rather enjoy being one of those people who just doesn't watch TV. When I was in elementary/middle/high school, I watched a ton of TV with my brother and sister. But, I gave it up when I moved to Seattle. I didn't start watching TV again when I moved to Canada, but since moving to Sam's house, I have begun to watch more and more of the ol' tube.

It was easy to resist at first. I'd watch the Flames play once in awhile and that was enough. But then I started gravitating into the TV room after supper, then occasionally in the afternoon. I probably watch about 2 hours of TV a day - that is over 7% of the awake part of my day!

I haven't even got to the worst part yet... I have watched multiple consecutive episodes of the same show. As in, I have a show. It's not even a comedy (like The Office - which I love, yet never watch). The show is... I can't believe I'm admitting this... Grey's Anatomy. I'm so glad the season finale was this week so I can forget about TV for the summer.

And the new hobby...

with 33% of the vote...

is...

SEWING!

Okay, let me be straightforward with you and confess that I changed my vote from wandering to sewing on the last day. I was afraid that running would win. I don't really like running that much and I'm not really sure how it got shortlisted to begin with.

Also, I'm really glad busking didn't win. I don't really know what sort of skill I would busk. My juggling isn't impressive to anyone over the age of 10. Again, how did that make the list? I personally made that list and I'm not sure why half of the things on there sucked.

Wandering would have been good, but I'm always wandering around anyways.

Sewing will be great! I think my first project will be a Perry the Platypus stuffed animal.

Should I go with Perry as a secret agent, or Perry as a pet?

 

OR

Bike Ride #1

Today I went for my first real bike ride in Calgary (biking between Sam's house and her aunt's house and Nan's house doesn't count because they all live within ten minutes of each other).

My original plan was to bike from my house to Ambrose, the school I'm hoping to go to in the fall. If my study permit comes, I'm going to try to bike there and back on the days I have school (twice a week). It's 21 km, that's 13 miles, from my house to the school.

I made it a little less than halfway. There was freezing rain falling from the sky and I could see one of my favorite coffee shops from the bike path I was on at the time. I was also pretty tired. I got lost once or twice or maybe even three times on the maze-like side streets, which must have added a good deal of extra mileage to my trip.  A hot cup of coffee was way too tempting.

I stopped, had my coffee, and made my way back home. Getting home was way easier, it took me 50 minutes to get home compared to the 100 minutes it took me to get to the coffee shop. Getting home was also way colder and way wetter. I was SOAKED. It rained/sleeted/snowed the whole way home. Haha, maybe that's why I got back so much faster.

Anyways, I don't think biking to school will be that bad. Maybe I'll make a real trial run on a sunny day. 

I have to slowly work up my hardcore-ness, although I still have no intention of ever riding my bike in -40 weather. I tend to wear ear warmers even when I ride my bike on warm days. My ears are SO sensitive to wind and cold, and bike riding involves wind. If I were a superhero, my costume would definitely include ear muffs.

"I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant!"

That is the name of the TLC documentary that Sam, Sara, and I were watching tonight. One of the featured ladies said that her only symptom was mood swings. As soon as the lady said that, Sam became convinced that I am pregnant, but that I don't know it. (As it turns out, I can be a teensy bit moody with Sam.)

Now, every little idiosyncrasy I exhibit is proof that I am pregnant. She is trying to figure out who the father is. She is even planning play dates for my unborn child and Avery, Sara's little girl (Sara is Sam's older sister).

I'm thinking maybe I should just run with it. Like, if Sam thinks I'm pregnant, maybe I could get her to do stuff for me. What kinds of things do people do for their pregnant friends?

(edit: just to clarify, I am NOT pregnant. Haha.)

Reactions

After Sam read about Perry the Platypus, she decided that I had no reaction that she liked. So, she hacked into my blog and added "retarded." I don't like that word, so I changed it to "foolish." Sam likes both of those words, so she shouldn't have a problem with it. Actually, it's my blog and I can do what I want! So stick that in your pipe and smoke it, Sam.

Perry the Platypus

I am not supernanny, so sometimes cartoons are on the agenda. My favorite is Phineas and Ferb. They have a pet platypus who looks really really stupid, but who doubles as a secret agent. His name is Perry the Platypus. He's pretty awesome.

Allowance

So, I've started giving myself an allowance. Not that I was living any sort of frivolous life to begin with, I just wanted to be aware of how I'm spending my money. 

Last week I gave myself $10 and all I spent was $4.25 for a game of squash at the leisure centre. This week I gave myself $8.53 because I had it in change, and it left me 9 more dollars for next week.

The only thing I'm not sure about is gas. I use my car to pick up Annie and take her places that are too far to walk. I also use it to drive to church every other week or so, and to the occasional social gathering. I don't go to social gatherings often... is it awkward to refer to them as social gatherings? Anyways... I'm trying to get into the habit of riding my bike places, but I haven't ventured out of the neighborhood. I need to learn where the bike paths are.

Ummm... I think this has turned into a disorganized ramble, but oh well.

It's not all about saving money. Being resourceful is probably a better description. Like, seeing the significance of little acts. I've never been one to leave the water running while I'm brushing my teeth, but what about while I'm washing my hair? It takes me a LONG TIME to wash my hair, and I realized the other day that I was wasting A TON of water. By the way, wouldn't it be cool if there were some way to put your bath water into a tank and use it to flush the toilet? I read that idea in Jesus for President. That book was really great.

Basically I'm trying to start a dialogue here on ways to be resourceful. We really aren't short on resources here in Canada, but that is no reason to be wasteful. Thoughts?

Human Right #10: The Right to Trial

Have you ever been accused of something you didn't do? Maybe took the blame for something simply because your reputation implied that it could have been you? Or because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time?

I was a total punk ass when I was a kid. I was always getting into trouble, usually for things that I did do. But there were a couple of times when I got busted for something that I didn't do. Once I was accused of flipping off the bus driver, and once I was accused of yelling in the library. I pled each case with fervor, but it was my word against that of the bus driver/librarian. In both instances, I got sent to the "Solution Center" (the place for bad kids). Maybe I should have demanded my right to trial?

Obviously my situation wasn't serious. At all. The point is, what the accusers think happened isn't always true. We are human - sometimes we make mistakes and sometimes our senses trick us - so sometimes it takes a lot of good evidence to prove that something happened one way or the other.

I, for one, am glad that it would take more than one pointing finger to put me in jail, even if it could put my elementary-school self in the desolate corner of the special education room known as the "Solution Center".

I know...

I am probably going  a bit overboard with the Blogger features today, but I'd also like to draw your attention to the "reactions" you can choose from. These are found below each post. Sam had them on hers and I was jealous, so there you have it.

Poll

Hi. I just want to direct your attention to the poll I have posted on the right ----->

It's going to be a real drag of a summer if I don't find something fun to do with all of this free time.

Saving

I've got to be quite frugal if I'm going to pay for the classes I want to take in September. Plus, there are some habits I've developed over the past couple of years that I'd like to break. There were, after all, days when I had no car and lived primarily off of dumpster bread.

So far I have effectively cut out buying coffee, and eating out in general. I've been using my bike instead of my car to run errands. Would suspending my cell phone for awhile be too much? Do you think Sam would go for taking the bus/train to church?

Human Right #9: No Unfair Detainment

Number 9 is all about imprisonment. The UDHR says you can't lock someone up without a reason. Fair enough.

"Friends OFF"

Have you ever heard that phrase before? When and where?

Pity

Hello guys, so this is Sam blogging for Ashley. If you could all be so kind and give her your pity comments that would be great. She is a little down that no one is commenting on her blogs these days. So Please help me out I can only comment so many times!!

too clean to find anything...

It's not like I urgently need it, but I have looked high and low and my yellow fever card is nowhere to be found. Sam gave me my Hep A booster today (perk of having a best friend who is also an EMT) and I went to write it down right away. I was going to write it in with my yellow fever immunization record but I can't find it!

My room is SUPER clean due to my excess of energy yesterday, but the bright yellow piece of paper is nowhere to be found.

How I Got Sick

Sam got sick first. Then, one evening, she got herself into a coughing fit while she happened to be standing right in front of me. She was using her hoodie to cover up and I was watching her, mouth open wide in surprise at how nasty her cough sounded. She accidentally dropped her cover. My mouth was still open. Now I am sick.

I think I'm nearly better, though. My energy today is about triple what it was yesterday. Unfortunately it has been snowing for the better part of the day. I did, however, manage to go for a small hike with a few friends (proof below). Afterwards, I organized my room so thoroughly that I don't know how I'll ever find anything in there again.