New iPad!!

It was a Christmas present from Steve -- thanks Steve!!

Wilderness Volunteers

I spent about four hours today reading Backpacker magazines, and came across this cool non-profit organisation called "Wilderness Volunteers". Anyone can sign up to camp out at a national park for a week and help restore/maintain trails. Some of the places you can go are: John Muir NP, Yellowstone NP, Glen Canyon NP, Zion NP, Yosemite NP, Denali NP, Glacier NP, Acadia NP, etc etc etc!! Check out the program's website:

WV homepage | WV project schedule | WV FAQs

Great Resource for Healthful Living

I just stumbled upon a site called Evolving Wellness. It appears to be a Canadian site (score!) and it's very useful for those of you looking for ideas for healthful living -- food & nutrition, environment, chemicals & health, natural products, recipes, etc. It is amazing -- check it out!

Also, I haven't tried this particular flavour yet, but LÄRABAR has a new product line called JŎCALAT.

JŎCALAT is Fair Trade Certified™ chocolate in its purest form. Harmonizing with fruits and nuts, each flavor contains no more than seven simple ingredients. Deliciously rich. Organic. No added sugars. Free of dairy, soy and gluten. A wholesome indulgence you can feel good about eating.

NHL Fever

So my amazing boss got me corporate tickets for two NHL games -- looks like I'm going with some friends to see both Boston and Toronto take on Atlanta. I can't wait!!! In other news, I'm flying to Toronto next Wednesday just in time for the annual Kooistra girls' ornament exchange. ♥ Then, I'll attend a few dinner parties and spend some good quality time with friends over coffee (fresh Tim Horton's, perhaps, if I can stomach it). Pretty soon I'll be coming back to ATL with Katie and Kaitlynn for some New Years adventures ~ I'm thinking a roadtrip to Nashville is in order. The Opryland Hotel is so gorgeous this time of year, so I think we'll see that and spend some time sightseeing downtown Nashvegas. :)

Wintry Weather... Well, Kind Of.

I'm about to start teaching a class called "Winter Driving for Southerners -- Why the Threat of Ice Does Not Constitute Driving 30 km Below the Speed Limit". Maybe I should take my hockey skates out and see if I can get to work faster in those. :)  It's perfect walking weather, though, and I love being the only one outside at night when I take Callie and Duke out for a walk/run. Sometimes I sleep with my window cracked just so I can breathe in the cool, crisp air. Love it.

CARE International Conference

In March 2011 (during Lee's Spring Break, might I add) I am trekking up to Washington D.C. for CARE International's annual conference. If anyone is interested in going with me, please let me know! :) See links below for more info.

CARE homepage | CARE conference | CARE the girl effect

I love my iMac

The Importance of Community

As someone who is a self-starter and very motivated, I oftentimes find it hard to be in large groups. I have a small, tight knit group of friends and spend a lot of time doing things alone -- cycling, reading, working, playing piano, etc. Although I like the feeling of being alone in a crowd, i.e. reading in the library as opposed to reading at home, the "alone-ness" often turns into loneliness. I found a great article on the subject of singles and living in community (click here) and continue to remind myself of the quote by John Donne, "No man is an island, entire of itself. Each man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main". Enjoy. :)

On an entirely different note, if you're looking for easy-yet-delicious recipes for the holiday season, check out Slow-Cooker Tapioca Pudding (click here) and Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp (click here). Mmmm.

Handel's Messiah

My mom and I went to see/hear the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra perform Handel's Messiah and it was spectacular! I've heard sections of it growing up -- a byproduct of growing up in the church, I'm sure -- but there was nothing like hearing all of the songs in order, and live.

Washington DC

This weekend I'm in Arlington/DC/Alexandria area with Jason, Randy, Linn, my parents and my dad's parents. It's so nice to be back in "civilisation" again and in an actual city. Sorry Atlanta, but you don't qualify as an actual city in my books. lol. The weather is nice and crisp -- perfect walking weather!! I can't wait to take the metro into downtown DC tomorrow and explore. :)

Come What May

All of a sudden reality hits and I am left wondering about the impact I have on others' lives. Life definitely is not predictable. Never have I been more thankful for a loving, caring God who says you don't have to do this alone. Being able to accept grace and more forward at a time of utter confusion is not my forte, but I'm getting better. I just have to keep reminding myself where my identity lies.

"The sense of being led by an unseen hand which takes mine, while another hand reaches ahead and prepares the way, grows upon me daily." - Frank Laubach

Family Weekend

My family is home!!! Well, Duke has always been here, but I thought I'd show off his blonde hair. Haha.

Tonight's Playlist

• Just Like Heaven by Katie Melua
• Skeletons by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• Forever Young by Youth Group
• Seein' Red by Unwritten Law
• Between The Lines by Sara Bareilles
• Innocent by Our Lady Peace

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October 2010

GREAT WEEKEND

Coffee and wandering around the Borders book store
Exploring the biggest wine/liquor superstore ever
Late-night sushi, mmmmmm....
Day-trip to Chattanooga/Lookout Mtn with Mom (Rock City & Ruby Falls)
Painting my room (still, yes) and movies, movies.

Paint, Scotland & Mountains

An odd title, perhaps, but it's a true fusion of current events. This week I am painting my room blue and light cappuccino/brown, trying to finish up a Scotland photo book, and am heading to Lookout Mountain on Saturday morning. Work has been terribly light this week, unfortunately. But the weather has been beautiful and the leaves are GORGEOUS! Peace.

Playing with Light

Tonight's Playlist

So, I'm doing some work on my Scotland scrapbook tonight, which is kind of boring without some good music. (Yes, I am ashamed that I'm a good 2-3 yrs behind on my travel photo-books). Here's what I'm rocking out to:

• Swedish House Mafia (ft Pharrell) - ONE 
• Labrinth - LET THE SUN SHINE
• The Fragrance - 1901 (cover)
• Telepopmusik - BREATHE
• Boyce Avenue - TEENAGE DREAM (cover)
• Temper Trap - FADER (favourite!)
• Pendulum - WITCHCRAFT (raaaaave)
• Matt & Kim - DAYLIGHT

Ernesto "Che" Guevara

Last night I woke up in the middle of the night and decided to watch a movie. I picked "The Last night I woke up in the middle of the night and decided to watch a movie. I picked "The Motorcycle Diaries", which is about Guevara's 4-month journey across Latin America before finishing his medical degree. Having never left his native Argentina, Guevara's experiences during this trip opened his eyes to the poverty and injustice so prevalent in South America. What I find interesting about Guevara is the path that led him to become a revolutionary and rebel. I plan on reading some of the books that heavily influenced him to try and understand how he formed his own ideologies/philosophies. I also want to get my hands on a copy of his written memoir "The Motorcycle Diaries", which will undoubtedly provide deeper insight into his Latin America travels.

Thanksgiving

Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving!
Today I am thankful that, amongst other things, God has not given up on me despite the innumerable times I fail. I am also thankful for the vast amount of resources by which I am surrounded. God has truly blessed my family and I don't reflect enough on His provision in my life.

Stars Concert

Last night I went to a Stars concert with Randy and two of his buddies. The opening act was Wild Nothing and they were actually pretty good. The concert was so long though, and I struggled to stay awake. It was after midnight when it ended...
It was an entertaining show for the most part, as I think the male lead was drunk. He just started mumbling words and knocking over his keyboard at the end.

Some hilarious memories include Alex's lion touque, the "lucky pillow" (I knew I should've rephrased that, haha), getting lost in downtown ATL, getting cut off at the pumps by the creeper decked out in Lamborghini gear, and almost having several guys jump in my car when I pulled up to wait for Randy. Haha. Good times.

Canada Post and other adventures...

Dear Canada Post: I'd really appreciate if you would stop sending me letters EIGHT MONTHS late. Your tardiness is a bit ridiculous, if you ask me.
(Which you haven't, but hey.)

In other news, I'm taking a watercolour painting class with my mom starting next week. I am very excited to acquire a new skill and exercise the left part of my brain. My mom and I recently arrived home from a long weekend in Hilton Head, South Carolina, which I will be posting pictures of soon. =)

It's like God uses the sky as a canvas. 

I can do nothing but look up and smile.

Thoughts on War

I just watched a docudrama on the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Between this film and the recent reading I've done of WWII accounts, I am incredibly saddened at how brutal humans can be to each other. Exterminating an entire people group via concentration camps or slashing people to death with machetes is unfathomable to me, as young and naïve as I may be. (Actually, morality hardly depends on age, in my opinion.) Anyway, after the film ended I just sat and cried for a bit, wondering why history repeats itself over and over, and why there is so much hatred in this world.

We need not look only to the past to learn of mass violence and war.

• The LRA insurgency in northern Uganda, Congo, and Sudan
• Congo War in the Dem. Repub. of the Congo (formerly Zaire)
• Drug wars in Mexico
• Civil wars in Palestine, Somalia, Ivory Coast, Georgia (not to mention civil unrest in several other nations)
• America's "Operation Freedom" wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
• Arab-Israeli conflicts

And the list goes on and on. 

All of this to say that the world is far from where it should be.

I don't really know how I should end this post, but I do feel a glimmer of hope b/c I know that I can help make a difference, as small as my contribution may be. I want to help women gain a foothold in developing and underdeveloped nations so they can improve the quality of life for their families. The key to economic growth and sustainable change is women; I feel very strongly about this. 

If you want to know more about empowering women and their communities, check out a few resources:
HOPE. CARE. UNIFEM.

Today's Playlist

Breathe - Télépopmusik / Airplanes - BoB & Hayley Williams / Ready to Start - Arcade Fire
Here I Am - David Morales ft. Tamra Keenan / Electrify - Mutemath / A Thousand Miles - Vanessa Carlton
The Funeral - Band of Horses / Stereo Love - Edward Maya ft. Vika Jigulina

This weekend has been great -- very relaxing and enjoyable. I was able to finish rereading a book called "Number the Stars", which is a story based on real events in Denmark during WWII. Very interesting. That is the second book I've read this week dealing with WWII events. I am continually dumbfounded by the scope of the Nazi takeover and how it affected people all over the globe. Germany has had quite a violent 20th century, with the two world wars followed by the RAF violence in the 70s. And of course the Berlin Wall, which lasted from 1961 to Nov 1989.

Anyway, I'm ready for the weather to start cooling down! It's been in the low 90s this weekend, with forecasts staying in that range during this coming week. I made the mistake of turning off the A/C one night so I could open the windows. Nothing like a cool breeze coming through the house.
Except there was no breeze.

Finally, after trying to sleep on every floor of the house, I decided it was too hot everywhere and finally shut all the windows. The thermostat indicated that the house's internal temperature was 88*F -- a bit hot for mid September if you ask me! Yikes! Hopefully it'll cool down in the next few weeks. :) I fancy fall weather.

I watched Benny and June with the Muellers this past weekend. What an adorable movie! I had such a great time with everyone over there, even if we did turn the garlic bread into a piece of charcoal. I felt like I was practically part of the family; everyone was so welcoming. :)

Back on crutches again... this is exactly the reason why I bought a pair years ago. If you're out there and feel like sending up a quick prayer for me, I'd appreciate it. And please also pray that my mouth heals quickly from my surgery... it's been 6 days and I'm still a bit swollen and very sore. It's hard to keep positive about all this; even harder to grasp that God is somehow with me in my pain.

Wisdom Teeth

Recovering from the operation is sooo not enjoyable. Hopefully my mouth heals quickly...

Pray for Flood Victims in Pakistan

The flooding, which began late-July, is still a huge problem for millions of Pakistanis. Relief isn't being brought quickly enough to meet victims' needs, despite the United Nations and several countries pledging aid to this nation. Many fear that diseases are spreading quickly, especially considered the state of hunger/malnutrition many face. Please pray for the people affected by this heavy flooding! It's been 3 weeks and there is so much devastation. Can you imagine losing loved ones, your home, your livelihood, and waiting for food packets? Below are some pictures from MSN-BC (Getty images). Read a recent article here.

Nan :)

This past weekend I met a 65-year old woman who is biking across Canada. Her name is Nan, and she's from British Columbia. I was quite inspired by her, especially since it's my dream to do the same route when I graduate (and with the same tour). She was spending a few nights at my Grandma's bed and breakfast, so I had the opportunity to spend 2 hrs chatting with Nan about her summer. Best of luck with the final stretch, Nan!!

Last Weekend

This past weekend was amazing... I drove up to Cleveland and got to hang out with some friends (Kristin, Emily, Bri, Nikki, Lauren, Blake, etc etc) before the end of summer. I also went out with my friend Abid Khan and his wife Aiman (and their newborn baby Hasaan!). They treated me to Indian food and then had me over for tea. It was wonderful. And then I had a run-in with the police a few hours later (don't even ask). I don't know if I should be offended that I was asked "Do you have any guns or knives in your car?". I'm an innocent, blonde, college-aged female - what do you think?! Of course not! Definitely don't want to relive that experience. After it was established that I was not armed, the officer was actually pretty nice, so I'm thankful it ended well.

Anyway, good luck to Bri and Ryan as they head off to South Korea in the next few weeks - you will be missed. And to the plethora of other people going their own ways, much like a modern day Diaspora - good luck with everything. :)  I can't believe how quickly the years go by.

News Article

Is reliance on foreign cash setting U.S. up for a fall?
Click for Globe & Mail article.

Need a refreshing summer drink? Try mixing a bit of Malibu with crushed pineapple, and then blend with 2 frozen coconut milk ice cubes. Delish. 

Actually, coconut milk is really good for you especially if you buy the light version (no artificial stuff, it's just with less fat). What I do is open a can of coconut milk and pour it into an ice cube tray -- that way I can pop a few cubes into a smoothie or drink. 

Which brings me to a great smoothie recipe. 2 coconut milk ice cubes, a spoonful of flaxseed (ground or whole, doesn't matter which although I've heard ground seeds are easier for the body to digest), some milk, frozen mangoes and berries, a spoonful of vanilla protein powder..... and BLEND to your heart's content. Personally, I love my smoothies very thick (not liquidy at all) so I add very little milk. If you like frothy, creamy smoothies you'd probably enjoy adding 1/2 a banana. 

Last but not least, if you're looking for a refreshing evening wine you've got to try Sangria. I really like Cruz Garcia Real Sangria from Spain... it's fruity (natural citrus flavours), lightbodied, and a delicious red wine. If you are more of a white wine person, try Sangria Blanca. I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds promising. :)

A bit of humour...

Workaholic

Today I have fully embraced the fact that I am indeed a workaholic.

And that's okay, because I love work and want to dedicate my life to making a difference in this world.

I am constantly realising that I don't have to feel guilty about what I love or who I am.

I am me, and I love work. 

Yes, I also love fun, but at the end of the day I can't sleep until I feel like I've accomplished something.

Hence the 2:30 a.m. bedtime some nights.

Anyway, I found an interesting article on multi-tasking and how it can be counterproductive. Check it out HERE. :)

I still love the Netherlands... even though we lost to Spain.

Psychic Octopus...

Wow, I can't believe this... but I just read a BBC news article on an octopus in Germany who has predicted a Spanish victory in tomorrow's World Cup game. Check out this link for the story. Craaazy...

I am reading an amazing book called Finding Alice... it's about a female university student who, in her senior year, starts developing signs of schizophrenia-paranoid. As her mental illness progresses, she ends up locking herself in her apartment for weeks and then hitch hiking to another city to live on the streets. It is a heart-wrenching story (fictional, I believe...but it gives you a first-hand idea of what people with this disorder are dealing with) that reminds me of the movie A Beautiful Mind. John Nash, a Nobel prize winner, dealt with the same illness as Alice, the main character in this book. I am not finished it yet, but I can't put the book down!! (Which is not a good thing when this is my only day off this week and I have an economics exam tomorrow night). Anyway, I highly recommend this novel!

(FIFA) Fútbol Update

- Argentina defeated S. Korea 4-1 (I totally predicted this)

- Greece won against Nigeria, 2-1... interesting game.

- Mexico beat France 2-0, which was surprising. Vive Mexico :)

 OLE OLE OLE OLEEEEEEE...

First Dutch Victory

I watched part of the 2nd half of the Netherlands vs. Denmark game this morning... and watched the Orange score their second goal and win the game! Woot!!! For those of you who don't know, all of my grandparents are landed immigrants from Holland. I grew up in a Dutch community and we take our football allegiance very seriously :) Here are a few pics of the team -- from fifa.com. Peace!

Cambodia Project Makes News

The Cambodia "business plan project" I was part of this past semester made the university headlines this past week. :) I am so excited to see the ideas implemented over there. Check out the site for our project partner: People for Care and Learning (PCL) and the news article.

I ♥ Nannying

This summer I'm a part-time nanny for a wonderful 7-yr old boy. It's a great deal of fun -- today we played around outside and went exploring in a forest, made pancakes, went to a bookstore, cruised the neighbourhood in a golf cart, drew some pictures, and dressed up in crazy masks and ran around with BB guns. Love it!

Bowling Balls

If arachnophobia is a fear of spiders, what on earth do you call a "fear of getting your fingers stuck in a 10-pin bowling ball"? Just curious. Not that I suffer from this or anything...

Wedding... now back to class

Classes start tomorrow at KSU... hello Macroeconomics and American Government. Oh well, it's only 8 weeks so I'm sure it will fly by pretty quickly. And I have another wedding to look forward to attend in August (in Canada). My mom and I just spent the weekend in Niagara to attend Michelle's wedding. It was beautiful!! And now she and Brian are on their honeymoon in Panama. : )

Ontario-bound

In less than ten hours, I'll be on a plane headed north. :) It's my cousin's wedding on Saturday, so my mom and I will be spending the weekend in beautiful St. Catherine's, Ontario. Oh, wine country, how I miss you. Seriously, though, it's the most beautiful place to be in the summertime. The whole Niagara-on-the-Lake area is full of vineyards and estates, bike paths along the Niagara River, bed-and-breakfasts, and all sorts of leisurely activities. Picture perfect. Anyway, I'm excited about the getaway, but kind of bummed that I won't be up there longer to visit family and friends. But I'm blessed to get to see the wedding. ♥

10K TRAINING

Today is the day I begin training for a 10K... and however unfit I have become over the past 2 years, this is my "summer of fitness" and I have high hopes for success. I'm joining a group of runners to help keep me motivated and on track. In other news, this weekend is my cousin Michelle's wedding. : )  My mom and I are heading up to St. Catherine's-Niagara Falls area on Friday and I am very excited. Below is a picture of Michelle and I back in 2006.

Moving Out... and Lacrosse

So I moved out of my place in Cleveland this past Saturday. What a job! *whew*
Anyway, I'm back in Kennesaw and trying to enjoy my full week off. :)
Mom and I are leaving for Niagara Falls on Friday to see Michelle's wedding.
Last night I got to see my youngest brother Randy play lacrosse... here are a few pics.

Harrison Bay State Park

One day after work I went on a random drive. Had no clue where I was going. All of a sudden I saw a sign for a state park. I thought, "Hmmmm... I wonder where this goes". So I started heading in the direction the sign pointed me toward. Twenty minutes later, I see a huge body of water and think "NO WAAAY! I had no clue this was here!"

I started exploring, and found a cozy little spot under a tree. It was nice and sunny out, and I fell asleep listening to the birds chirp and the water lap against the rocks. How peaceful. : )
I'm trying to re-learn how to relax. It was definitely a hectic semester.

Art Night

With the exception of two phallic symbols (ahem, Kristin!) our paintings turned out pretty neat. Never a dull moment at Kristin/Bri/Emily's apartment. =)

Camping at Chilhowee

Last Saturday I went camping with some friends (Emily, Kristin, Elisheba, etc etc). We drove up to Chilhowee in hopes of seeing the sunset from the top of the mountain; our plans were dashed, however, by a female police officer who pulled us over for speeding. Thankfully she let us off with a warning. We still missed the sunset though. :( After stopping for a few photos, we found everyone's parked cars, then gathered our gear and walked through the woods to a clearing.

We sat around the campfire, made some s'mores, and discussed Russian politics. Okay, the last one was a lie, but it would've been a fascinating conversation considering the death of Lech Kaczynski.

There were 25 people camping out -- a decent-sized crowd. As the early hours of the morning set in, we "made our beds" under the stars... Yep, no tent. It was really cold -- especially after the dew fell -- but looking up at the stars was well worth it. Here's a photo we took on our trek down the mountain, where we met some sweet ladies from the Wildflower Society.