Woa

I thought about posting this as "It's a small world after all" but I think we are past that. I leave it for you to decide.

So a few weeks back a new girl was hired at the photo studio. While she was in the process of being hired (they were having her do a shoot) it was found out that she had spent time in Canada. We did the whole "Cool! Where?" thing and discovered that we had both lived in the same town but did not make much of it because it had been some time back for both of us and she had mentioned that she had not lived there for too long, nor did we really have time to dig deeper.

Until today.

It started when we were talking about college and it was discovered that she knew someone who had gone to BJU and I knew the girl too (more as a passing acquaintance). That's the "it's a small world" part.

BUT

From there we decided to dig unto out Canadian past. The conversation went something like this (I am taking a few liberties in the process);

Me: "How old were you when you were in Canada?"

Jen: "Ummm....5th grade."

Me: "Where did you go to school? [starts naming some of the schools finally naming.....]...Prince Andrew?"

Jen: "Yeh! Prince Andrew!"

Me: "Me too!!"

[insert look of "crazy!"]

Me: "When were you born?"

Jen: "'86"

[Some quick mental math reveals that she and I were at Prince Andrew at the same time, only when she was in grade 5 I was in grade 8].

Me: "Thats so funny!! Where did you live?"

Jen: I dunno, a subdivision with a big park in the middle of it."

Me: "Me too!!"

[insert another look, then I google my old neighborhood]

Me: "I lived here. In Heritage Park."

Jen: "I lived here! [points to the main street of the same subdivision.] And my pastor lived over....here... [points to my street].

[another look]

Me: Where'd you go to church?"

Jen: "I can't remember, but the pastors son had something wrong with him."

Me: "My little brother is in a wheelchair."

[another look]

Me: "Emmanuel Baptist Church?"

Jen: "I can't remember."

There was a little more conversation where both of us were like..."Ummm...woa." Then I had to leave, as I did I called my mum and told her about Jen. I told her what I had learned and mum remembered them, as did Dad when I called him.

So, yeh, I work with a girl who went to church with me in Canada for eight months more than ten years ago.

Some say coincidence; I say God. Either way: "Woa."

I'm so doing this!!

You know I would to!

HT: Rebecca Phill...err...Ketchie

Tweet!

I broke and joined Twitter. Why you ask? Hill Harper of CSI:NY now tweets live from the set and I wanted to get his updates n stuff. He also encourages fan interaction. If you tweet add me!!

Woa

This. Is. Cool. So is this.

I love mental_floss

I would

I so want this.

Thoughts and Giggles

Just to make you smile. Some of these are really good.

On Movies and Brothers

Ok, last weekend I saw Wolverine (even wore my X-Men shirt). Loved. Tonight, I saw Star Trek. Loved more. There was one downer to both movies: no brothers.



My family did not start going to movies until The Lord of the Rings came out. The first theatre I was in was in FL and in the scene at the end of Fellowship of the Ring when Aragorn cuts off the orc's head a little boy yelled out "WOA!! He just cut off his head!!" That now gets said everytime we watch those movies together.

Now our whole family was very familiar with the stories before the movies came out; Dad had read them aloud a few summers previously when on a family vacation and we had the BBC dramatization on CD's. So leaving the theatre we began discussing. Things we liked, things we hated, things that were "interesting" and so on. This is something that continues to this day. We've been to movies with friends and leave talking about it. Our friends usually think we are nuts. We don't nitpick or criticize usually, just talk about details and lines and stuff. We remember lots.

Wolverine and Star Trek are totally movies we'd go see together and talk about. My guess is that Joshua would like the first and not the latter. I think. But I could be wrong. But I think Benjamin and I would pretty much see eye to eye on both and we'd most likely talk Joshua around (he tends to be a purest). I totally missed that last week and tonight. I walked home from the theatre tonight and had to have the conversation in my head. I realized that the drives leaving the movies are some of my favourite memories with my brothers. Can't wait to make more once I'm back!!

Thats awesome!

Periodic Table of Awesomeness. Whilst looking at it I found myself saying "Thats awesome." many times. And I agree with the placement of bacon. The link takes you to that particular table and more.

Things Hobbits get for birthdays

In no particular order:

Monies in gift certificate form (to be turned into CDs or used at the appropriate restaurant)
DVD sets
Coffee (lots!!)
Things for nail art
Golden calf
Jewelry
Popsicle molds and other kitchen-y things
Books

Other things that are not being called to mind at the top of my head. Apparently I have other boxen coming from the States so the party is going to be extended!!

The birthday day itself was fun. Church (which I was mostly dead for not having slept well the two preceding nights) then later in the afternoon dinner at an Italian restaurant. Jess and I ran around a bit after dinner then we walked home; I had to finish my grades.

We are now in the last quarter of the year. Spring break starts next week!! I'm not doing anything but sleeping and cleaning (theoretically).

Um...that's really it. I gotta go back to cleaning now. And I need to write a test eventually....

Hm

Interesting.

Randomness

The won is getting weaker; it's now at more than 1,500 won for $1 US. Ick. The reason is that apparently people here are worried that when the Japanese fiscal year begins (in March) that some of the Japanese companies are going to pull out of Korea. So things might get even worse in March. I really hope not. But Lord knows. Thankfully I already have a job for the summer. Joshua being on disability now that he's 18, I can get paid to do what I've done just about my whole life. It's about time that kid started being useful. (= Hopefully, even with the exchange rate killing me I can still be debt free by August. I was hoping by my birthday but thats probably not going to happen now. Oh well. Lord knows. Still, if I am outta debt in August I will have paid off about $20,000 in about 4 years.

One of the things I miss about the US is apple sauce. I love love love apple sauce. I'm not sure why it never occoured to me to make some here but it did not until I noticed Jessica eating some. After my inquiry she said she made it. So now I buy cheap-y apples, cut out the bad spots, cut into quarters, boil for about 20 min then toss into teh blender. Life is happier for it. I usually make 4 pints at a time. 2 "plain" pints (I add cinnamon) and two with something added. The first time I added waslnuts and cinnamon, the second I added strawberries and this last time I added an asian pear. Wonderful each time tho the strawberry kind was the best. I also like to leave the skins on. I'm never buying apple sauce again. Even in the US.

Money money money

Something fun first: you ever heard about the Forbes Fictional 15? Make sure you see the "in pictures" parts of the article.

So in the battle of South Korean Won vs. American Dollar the USD is losing. 1,300+ SKW are equal to $1 USD. When I first got to Korea I was getting $1 USD for about 920 SKW. Thats not including the chunk the banks would take if I were transferring money to the US. If it helps, think of 1,000 SKW here gets you about what $1 USD gets you in the US. I lose more in money exchange than I pay in monthly bills. That is, when I do exchange into USD. So could you please please please pray that the exchange rate adjusts itself to be a little better? I still have a school bill to pay and it gets rough when the rate does that. Least its not as bad as it was; it was 1,400 in like October and for about a week in the fall it was 1,600.

More New Years Stuff

So in my last post I mentioned the Year of the Ox. In previous posts I've mentioned that I'm a pig/boar as my Chinese Sign. I just found out that there's even more to it. MentalFloss has an interesting article about the general placement of the animals and such. That post begs for more links but I don't have them and they have not provided them. I never knew about the Yin/Yang part of the calendar cycle. I did know about the elements tho (I'm a Water Pig.)

On Fractals

I'd have a hard time explaining a fractal; the closest I can get is that basically its a pattern that repeats itself in a limited space, getting smaller the more it repeats. But it's so much more than that. Look at wikipedia for a better explanation. I really don't care how you explain them; I love them. There is something about them that draws me into it. It's like I can feel whats going on.

DeviantArt has some great pieces you can get and I really like Nicholas Rougeux's stuff. Some of his stuff almost makes me want to cry. I just wish he'd not put the titles on the works; to me, these speak for themselves. Oh, well, doesn't make them less beautiful. One day I will purchase some of them. When I have money and a place to put it. The latter is more the issue than more than the former is.

A run-down of the loot

From others:
~Lots of money
~ipod nano 4g (green)
~Assortment of clothing
~Books (Lives of the Great Composers and The Time Quartet)
~CD (can't remember)
~Quilt

From self:
~Bones Season 1
~CSI:NY shirt
~Assortment of clothing
~ipod case

A good haul this year.

Many Happy Things

1. These are the best peanut-butter cookies ever:

For 36 tookies:

• 2 cups crunchy peanut butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
  
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups chocolate chips (optional)
  

DIRECTIONS
~Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
~In a medium bowl, stir peanut butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Add chocolate chips. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place them 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
~Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

2. I'm going to be in the Chicago area for New Years!! This totally happened last-minute. For the last several months every time I spoke to Rebecca she mentioned me going to see her. Today I was just looking to see about prices and realized I had enough airline miles to go see her. So I'm going!!! EEEEEE!!!

3. My ipod's pretty much dead. So that means I get to get a new one!! I think I want a nano. I just have to do some price shopping.

4. Being home is fun. I've not really had jet-lag. YAY. Also: there's LOTS 'n' LOTS of SNOW!! Just not packing snow...but that'll come.

Ok, thats it. I'm about to go to bed.

Something to do:

My flight leaves at 11:35 and I need to leave my place no later than 6:30. And to minimize jet-lag I will not be sleeping. So to fill my time I will:

Finally post about my Singapore trip (scroll down).
Start packing (heh).
Do laundry.
Finish packing.
Clean.
Stalk people on Facebook.
Watch CSY:NY (who's shocked here?)
Put pictures on here from Singapore (if you're lucky)
Eat something (I'm thinking cereal...)
Post stupid lists on here, like you are actually interested in what I'm going to do to kill time... (=

So I'm thinking Korea's becoming "home" to me. I mean, as much as anywhere is home for me. I'm sad to be leaving, even for just two weeks. I mean, don't get me wrong; I love my family and can't wait to see them. I just think that, for now, Korea is home. And I'm happy with that. As I've said before, I love it here and am happy to stay as long as God wants me here. Still not sure about next year. Still have Max (and now Jesse) asking me if I'm staying or not. They both said they'd leave if I'm not here next year. I'm not so sure about that (parents and all right?) but still, made me feel warm and fuzzy.

We had our school Christmas concert last Friday. I about exploded with pride as to how well those kids did. I mean, I was not really involved in getting it ready so I'm not sure how the teachers who had been working with the students all year felt but I LOVED it. The nature of the day caused classes to start late and the kids to stay in the area till the program was over. Usually we tell the kids to fend for themselves between the end of rehearsal and when the program starts but I had my kids (and Velascos) over for spaghetti. I made tonnes (and real making; none of this jar stuff). Lots was eaten but I still had leftovers. The boys especially liked it; Jesse claimed it was better than any restaurant. Poor Steve, he had broken his foot the night before and was unable to be there. Poor Rocky; he ended up being the only trumpet because of Steve being gone.

It's coming up on January which means that the revolving door of students will start moving again. There are about a dozen kids leaving for Korean schools but we already have almost that many coming in, and we have an advertisement going out January 6th (Korean school year starts late Feb/early March). We're already full-to-bursting and Mrs. J has said if we get 50 more kids she's going to have to find another bulding. I think I've mentioned that before....oh well. It's going to be fun to see how things go the last half of the year. Especally since there's no Science Fair. Social Studies Fair this year. Lisa can have that chaos. (=

Ok, it's almost 2 am. I think I'll go get some cleaning done now or something.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Ok. I'm good.

Charming

When I the first seconds of this I thought "This is Korean" and moments later I was proved to be right when I first saw the name of the animator and then saw script under the title.

Want!

So I used to (and really, still do) want a lime green Mini Cooper with white racing stripes. But if this thing is in production by the time I get a car I'm totally getting it instead. Immagine the money to be saved!