An Inconvenient Truth, take 2...

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

This was in the paper today. So was this.

The IPCC report is the fourth to be issued by the UN-organized group of scientists, and draws on contributions of about 2,000 top experts from around the world, including many from Canada.

The first report suggested global warming might be happening. The second, in 1995, said it was likely to be under way, while the third, in 2001, had a tone that indicated scientists were pretty sure they were seeing humanity's fingerprints on changes in climate.

Quotes from the newest report on Global Warming:

Humans have already caused so much damage to the atmosphere that the effects of global warming will last for more than 1,000 years

Moreover, 11 of the past 12 years rank among the warmest since humans began taking accurate temperature measurements in the 1850s, a record of extremes so pronounced it is unlikely to be due to chance.

The future is bleak, scientists said.

The report will be released to the public on February 2

Human Trafficking

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

This video made me cry.

sidebar

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Last night Erin and I played basketball.
I have been playing since second year with my nursing girls.
I'm going to say it, because it has to be said: we rock.
We even won the intramural league our first year.
Last year we were beat out in the Semis.
Not only are we pretty good, but it up there with the most fun I have all week.
They are awesome girls!
I played well, but boy did it hurt to run up and down that court.
It's fun to have something to look forward to at the end of a long school day.
Oh, and our team name: The Fab Foleys.
That's right. google foley people, look for a nursing related word and you'll get it :)

Life stress

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

I'm over-tired, over-worked, and over-whelmed today with life.
I think it was probably from not sleeping all night long.
I have a big problem with not being able to sleep when things are on my mind. And, I have a problem not being able to let go of things easily. It's a rough cycle. I can't sleep because there is always something pressing on my mind. I can't let go of the things on my mind so I will never sleep peacefully.
I even try to take gravol to knock myself out! Unsuccessfully of course.
Some days it's worse than others. Lately, it has been really bad.
I feel bad complaining because I know there are people going through way more than I could ever imagine...
I guess I am taking one day at a time, making to-do lists, checking things off, and chipping away.
Help remind me to be thankful for each day.
Help remind me to have a positive attitude.
Help me to focus on things other than myself.
That might help me sleep.

Beautiful Dreamers

I'm still not sleeping...
Tonight was a night of dreams, despite a lack of sleep.
I'm excited for FRWY.
Sitting with friends talking about a dream for our community gave me the desire to dream for myself too..
.

Dreams for 2007

February
* live with The Simple Way in Philidelphia for a week
* get through midterms without caring about grades
March
* volunteer at the Evolving Church Conference:Restoring Justice
* finish classes at McMaster University
April
* survive this transition month
May
* get married!
* move into my own place (with Nathan)
June
* backpack through Europe
* graduate
July/August
* volunteer at day camp
* apply for my first nursing job
September
* run the whole 10km Terry Fox Run (in memory of my Uncle)
* continue my education somehow
* join a new club, event, league
October
* be working part-time as an RN
* make a new friend
November
* invest in my community
* meet a neighbour
December
* have almost all my loans paid off for a fresh start in January...
* celebrate the holidays with all my new family
* able to say that I am not the same person who wrote this post

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I can't sleep...
I'm too stressed out.
There is too much on my mind.
I want to sleep.
But I can't.

And so I blog.
I'm turning into Nathan....

FENDER BENDER

Sunday, January 21, 2007

I was driving home last night from FRWY and I was stopped at a red light on King Street. Right near Caroline..(I think, to be honest, it was kinda a blur. I was so shocked I didn't know what to do, I wasn't thinking straight)
Anyway, it was just before Jackson Square...near the Burlington bus stop connection.

The roads were pretty slippery, but I didn't think it would end up in an accident.

I was fully stopped at a red light, and the car behind me drove right into my bumper.
The back of my baby is broken.
My poor Volvo needs a new bumper.

I don't think there was any damage to his car. His shiny silver Lexus SUV. Goodness.
Why my car? Just because it's ugly and old? Not fair.

Anyway, the guy tried to tell me there was no damage. I laughed in his face.
Then he tried to lift my bumper and put it back on the car, as if to say, there's no problem here. As he lifted my bumper, he broke off a piece. Smooth.
I laughed at him again and told him that there was definitely damage and that it needed to be fixed.

In that moment, I froze. I didn't get his driver's licence, his insurance information...I wrote down his name, on a scrap piece of paper. I got a cell phone number. And that's all he was going to give me.
Luckily, I'm not a complete idiot, and managed to write down his licence plate number and the make of his car as he was driving away. That's right, he told me he was late for a wedding (at 8:30pm on a Sunday) and proceeded to drive away.

Before he drove away I told him that I was a poor student and couldn't afford to fix the bumper and needed to know he would be trust-worthy to fix it. He assured me of the fact that my car would be fine.

I'm too naïve.

After a long night of phonecalls to the police, my parents, Nathan, insurance agents, and Pernell and Margie...I'm ready for bed.
Thank you guys for talking me through it...

Hopefully I'll have a better morning and get all this cleared up without too much hassle.

BEST BIRTHDAY EVER

Friday, January 19, 2007

Melissa just emailed me to say that on Feb. 18, Amazing Race is having an ALL STAR show!!!

AMAZING. :)

Chit-chat

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Today I woke up, late, mid-afternoon to be exact. But I do have a recovering-sickness excuse card to play, so I'll use it.
It was great to wake up to see Erin Stanley. That girl makes me smile. I love being around Erin.
But I woke up and dragged my sweatpants over to where Erin had plopped herself on the couch. We just chatted for the good part of an hour, maybe more, it was great.
Throughout the conversation the subjects ranged, but one stuck in my mind on a personal note.
I mentioned to Erin some thoughts.

You know what Erin, all the things I aspire to be in my life don't have anything to do with physical appearance. I want to be patient, kind, compassionate, thoughtful, loving, understanding, less cynical, optimistic, the list goes on for ages and ages. How come, if I could snap my fingers right now, the things I would change would be about physical appearance? Snap. Skinnier. Snap. Taller. Snap. Why am I so caught up in materialism that even though the desires of my heart are to be kind, I'd pick skinny instead?

Erin just kind of listened. I appreciate good listeners. Erin is a great listener. I need to be more like her :) I chat too much...but that's beside the point.
Anyway, she pointed me to the Audrey Hepburn quote on our mirror thanks to Randy.

Beauty Tips.
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, reclaimed and redeemed.
Never throw out anybody.

Beautiful.
I know some may scoff and say, well Audrey Hepburn can say that, she's drop dead gorgeous, but I'd reply that you've missed the point.
So do I at times...
but I'm working on it.

N is for Nathan

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Nathan is gross.
If all my patients are like Nathan, I'm beginning to re-think my future.
No wonder there is a nursing shortage.

However, Nathan did make up for all the sickness by making sure I was totally cared for the whole time I was sick. Naomi said that you know it's love when the other person can stand your puke. I like Naomi.
So, I'm thankful for Nurse Nathan inspite of the disease.

In other news, the countdown to my birthday is at 5 days...

First day at school

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

What is education? Is hould suppose that education was the curriculum one had to run through in order to catch up with oneself, and he who will not pass through this curriculum is helped very little by the fact that he was born in the most enlightened age.

Soren Kierkegaard