Hey Folks! For Ryan's (a friend of mine) MBA - Information Systems class he has created a YouTube video (with a couple classmates) and posted it. The idea is to get as many views as possible. So watch it! Again, and again and again and again!!!
Thanks!
Australian throws 4-year-old daughter to her death
I think I've officially lost a gold band that meant a lot to me. I've misplaced it many times but I always end up finding it a couple of days later. This time it's been a couple of weeks and I still can't find it. I keep looking for it... checking and rechecking where it could be. See. This is the downside of being a massage therapist. If you have jewelry you have to remove it when working with clients. Anyways I am not giving up but this is frustrating me this morning. I keep checking my hand to see if it's on it but it's not. And every time I realize it's missing, I feel frustrated that I could have lost something that meant so much. Damn! Damn! Damn!
Update: Found it! See... all I had to do was whine about it and it shows up!
"You've got to keep the possibility for long term relationships open."
My brother told me this during one of our casual morning chit chats. I enjoy spending time with my bro. He's definitely grown up.
There are two types of people... those who put their happiness and relationships first, with work being second.... and there are those who have business/work as their first priority and their happiness and relationships as a second. What's interesting is when type #1 and type #2 get together.
I have enough aeroplan points to go to anywhere in Canada or Mexico for free! With 5 000 more points I can go to Costa Rica and with 15 000 more points I can go to South America! Getting closer! Europe and Asia are still a far stretch away but that's ok :) I am looking forward to packing my backpack and leaving to find new adventures :)
I just found a couple of courses on Certified Infant Massage Teacher Training and Certified Pediatric Massage Training! They're offering these courses in Vancouver and Seattle in March of this year... I got all excited and was about to sign up... I then looked at the price. $650 for one class and 450 for the other. Eeeeppp! So I am going to save this for later :P but I am really looking forward to taking continuing education courses in pregnancy. Maybe I will take the doula course as well.
After the pregnancy work that we did in class, I was a little bit scared off. It was awkward and I was clumsy. I was frustrated that I wasn't able rock the treatment. My nerves got in the way. It was a humbling experience. I've treated a couple of pregnant ladies since then and I've gained some confidence. It's like all things. It comes with practice.
There are so many possibilities for the future... it's terribly exciting. I just want to be done with my board exams so that I can start either travelling or working... or working and travelling :)
A couple of days ago I got tagged by jhawke to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. Having been busy for the beginning of my break I put it off... I also didn't know whether I could actually come up with 25 random things. But hey! I am winding down from my ultra productive day (went for a Nexus interview, went to work, cleaned the washroom, bedroom, kitchen, living room, polished my boots and did laundry... I feel so domesticated!) so I figured why the heck not? They're in no particular order, it's just the first thing that comes to mind.
So to continue with that thought of going back to Winnipeg... I canceled my trip to Maui and I now have a nice credit with AirCanada. I decided that I didn't want to go to Maui for the 6th time. Especially if it's 
on my own. I would much rather spend that travel money on an other trip... like say South America!! Or Winnipeg... Honestly, I think I'll be heading to Winnipeg before I find myself in SA. Though SA is tempting, the Peg can be done over the four months where I will be studying for boards. A quick flight over and I'll find myself putt putting along on a tractor, in a field, watching the sun go down and the sky light up with a zillion stars! Ah the farm... I love it!
So for now there's no carrot at the end of the stick. No nice tropical beaches awaiting my arrival. No waves waiting to be body surfed and beer to be drank on the lanai. Maybe I'll just be satisfied with knowing that I busted ass in this program and graduating is my reward... ha ha doubt it :P I want to travel!
Living far away from family is tough. I've found it harder and harder as my cousins are starting to get married and have children. I have also found it hard because I know that Grand Maman and Grand Papa are getting older and the list of health issues are piling up. It makes me nervous.
I learnt with Grand Papa's passing that it's very important to tell your grand parents that you love them because you never know when they will be gone. For a long time after he passed away, I carried a lot of guilt over not spending more time with him the last time I was in Winnipeg. Eventually I got over that but I have learned how precious my grand parents are. So I really value the 3 that I have left. I love them and I tell them every day (though mostly through thoughts and good energy).
This morning when I woke up, I went upstairs and Maman and Papa were watching TV. Maman and Papa never watch TV, especially at 10 to 6 in the moring. I went to see what they were watching and it was the video that Papa is making for his parents. I sat there for a while and watched with them. It's amazing! For Grand Maman's 75th Birthday they rented a school bus (because that's how large the clan is) and took us down memory lane. They visited places like the house Grand Papa helped build, the school my Papa went to and all of these very important places that were part of Grand Maman's life. Papa was inspired by this video and between the clips of the tour are photos of my ancestors, of Grand Papa and Grand Maman when they were young, old video clips of the clan having pic nicks in the park on a Sunday. It makes me tear up to see such a beautiful video. Photos of Grand Papa while he was in the war tug at my heart strings and make me proud to have such a strong and wonderful Grand Papa.
Then I remember that Grand Papa is becoming more of a frail old man that is still wonderful, full of love and smiles but he's getting older. So is Grand Maman. Grand Maman on Mom's side is going to live until she's 1000 so I am not too worried about her. This has got me thinking... maybe I should go to Winnipeg this summer. We'll see.
Actually down here, I see fog. But yesterday Dan and I went snowshoeing and we decided to tackle the Cypress peak. Brave of me to do being I had swam for 2 hours the day before with the oh so lovely Heidi. I had also walked all arou
nd in the city in high heels... but hey! I am on break so as long as I am happy, I don't care how my body feels.
Though I was slightly hung over and sore from the swim I had done the day before, I had an amazing time! It was a bit of a feat for my first snowshoe of the season but it was well worth it. Luckily Dan was ok with going ahead without me and I took my time :) It was breathtaking up top and it was so clear that you could see forever! The fog was way down below and it unveiled Vancouver for a short period of time. Because of the inversion, it was stinkin' hot up there! The smart snowshoers were in a t-shirt and shorts... the not so smart ones (me) were in long sleeves and long johns and snow pants. HOT!
So far my break has been thoroughly amazing! I've spent a lot of time walking, working, seeing clients and swimming. That seems to be the pattern for the rest of the two weeks. I have appointments (either seeing clients or being the client) each day this week. I am going to swim every other day. I am also going to go to work. I am still going to keep time for myself to play (and clean). Tentative plans for a overnight hike this weekend. I am one happy girl! Ready to tackle level 600! ... in two weeks :) For now I play.
*photos were taken when snowshoeing to Cypress peak.
Finals are tough enough as it is. Today's OP* went particularly well considering yesterday night I did not study AT ALL. Instead I looked up really funny videos and laughed until my abdomen hurt. It was really nice to laugh a lot. I had already studied for the written portion of this exam and I feel quite confident with it so I figured I'd take a night off. I also have a huge exam tomorrow that I am conserving my brain function for. Systemic pathology is brutal!
Anyways I don't know how the OP went. I feel like it went quite well. I think it's quite amazing that I've become the therapist that I've become. Mind you I've worked hard for it. This afternoon the Dean came by to give us our level 600 schedule (yay last level!) and he seemed quite angry. He also seemed disappointed in us.
Disappointment is something I don't do so well with. I am really hard on myself as it is so if I do something wrong I will be disappointed in me and I will give me a hard time about it. I feel like I should be worried about me... about not disappointing myself and not about whether others are disappointed in me or not. I am fully capable of owning up to my own mistakes. So if I mess up during my boards, I want me to be disappointed. I want me to be responsible for those mistakes made. I don't want others to feel responsible.
Class is over. Time for me to go home and study pathology! Wish me luck!
*Oral Practical exam - it's where we get to show off our hands on skills, our communication skills with our clients. We basically have to think fast and put together a treatment plan along with remedial exercises and all the wonderful stuff your therapist would normally give you.
but when the house phone rings at 5:30 in the morning it can usually snap me out of the deepest sleep. With my family back in Winnipeg and grand parents getting older it's always a worry that one of those phone calls won't be good news.
Maybe I should go back and visit them. Maybe that idea of moving there for a year to be closer to them isn't such a bad idea after all. Maybe I should send them a letter telling them that I love them. Yeah, I think I'll do that.
Mark aka The Boy is on his way back to Canada. 15 days ago he decided he missed Canada so much that he'd fly back here for a quick visit. His timing is perfect because I am on reading break! Maybe I might just have time to go up to Whistler and raise a little hell with this wee little Scottish boy :P
*Photo was taken in Oahu on our last day in Hawaii. Typical Mark and Janelle... I'm showing Mark how champagne and OJ in the morning is done... And Mark is so nonchalant about it :P
but for now I have this nagging feeling that I just want to feel small in someone's arms.
I am barely capable to keep my eyes open... the only thing keeping me awake at this moment is the flashing lights of the translink supervisor van. It's helping out an electric bus who lost it's antennae. Despite this feeling of burning eyes, I trudge on. I've studied for a good portion of today going from one coffee shop to an other with nothing but a dinner break in between. Dreams of Maui and driving down the coast to San Diego drift through my mind when it's not occupied with the endless amount of pathologies or of bylaws. Ack. Can't complain though, I am happy to be in the position I am in. I don't think I've ever been so relaxed about finals EVER! It's a good feeling to have.
*photo taken by my mac, while studying Bylaws in Starbucks.
That'd be Dawson... a friend I met a couple months back and who's also in school. He's been working ultra hard for a big exam that he's writing on Monday. Yesterday the plan was to meet for a quick dinner so that afterwards he could go study at UBC and I could go home and study. We ended up walking along the board walk to kits, had dinner at the Naam, then we walked to UBC (and stopped by Cupcakes to get some sugary goodness) and we studied until 1am together.
This evening I find myself sitting in Irvin Barber Center at UBC with Dawson, studying together. Sure he's studying how to configure computers and I am studying systemic pathologies but it's great to have someone who sits quietly and studies. It makes me want to do the same (except for now... I am blogging :P). It's been great! It's even had me studying until midnight or one (when the building closes). I wish he didn't live in Langley or where ever he lives... I also wish his exam were not this coming Monday but the one after so I could continue with this groove that I've gotten into... at least until I am finished my finals. Hopefully he's studying all day tomorrow too :) I like finding people with no life :) it's good to have the company.
Yesterday Pam graduated and the three of us girls could not be any prouder of our lovely friend! Maja and I are up next.... then Maui with the four Musketeers to celebrate all of our hard work! Look out Maui!
"At birth, 200,000 to 2,000,000 oogonia (potential eggs) and primary oocytes (more mature potential eggs) remain in each ovary. Of these, about 40,000 remain at puberty and around 400 will mature and ovulate."
and it's looking quite good. My lowest mark being 79% on last weeks written final... my highest mark being 100%. Not too shabby I say :) I've been working tremendously hard and I am really glad that it shows. I am proud of myself. Now I just have to continue like this until the end of term... Only 8 more school days to go and it's break time! It will be my last break at Utopia Academy EVER! Then in February I start level 600! The last level! It's been one heck of a journey so far but I am in the home stretch!
Tomorrow is the Dea graduation. The last class to graduate before I find myself in front of all our my class mates and my loved ones. That thought makes me smile :) I'm ready.
I thought this song is fitting considering I am studying the male and female reproductive system. And no, I don't want to see your genitalia... there are enough in my anatomy and physiology text book.
Having spent the majority of my morning working on this darn medical legal report, I decided to take a quick lunch break. I also wanted to get a bit of fresh air so that I could come back to my report with a clear mind. Hopefully that would give me the push I need to finish this darn thing! Of course I couldn't just go for a walk, that would be too straight forward, so in preparation for Wednesdays graduation, 
I decided to get my eyebrows threaded. So for just $7 and a quick walk in the snow this was the result... The first photo is the before photo and the 2nd is the after. The difference may seem minimal, however it sure brightens my eyes and makes me look more awake. Ok, so maybe not in these pictures but I've also been working on assignments for the past 6 hours. :) Well best get back to it :) These pointless posts won't get me any closer to finishing!
Hike the Inca Trail and backpack South America with me until the soles of your shoes wore thin?
The itch... it's started again and South America beckons.
I have lots! I've also been ultra productive today. I wrote two out of three assignments and am currently working on the third one. This last one is a bit of a toughie... It's a medical legal report with 5 parts
Today I start the marathon of final exams. In past terms it was more of a sprint because all of our finals were within a week. Now they are spread out and I find it kind of nice. 
Yesterday I managed to dedicate 5 hours of study time to craniosacral therapy and I got up at 4:30 this morning to finish up what I didn't have time to study. I feel prepared and that's a good feeling to go into my first two finals with. We have a total of 8 finals with Anatomy and Physiology (next week) and Systemic Pathology (in two weeks) being the only two exams that I really have to ace. Yeah I also have to ace the other ones but I kind of slacked on systemic path and A&P. Anyways it feels like I did... I don't actually know for sure.
This evening I am going to go swimming with Heidi, a class mate of mine. I've decided to swim more often. I really enjoy it and it makes me feel better. When I dive into the pool, as soon as my hands break the water, I can feel all of the stress and worry leaving me and staying at the surface of the water. It's a really neat feeling but it's something that I've felt for a long time. Mom keeps reminding me that when I was little, if I was grouchy or upset, they'd take me swimming and I'd come back much happier. Now I have a bit more time on my hands so I will be able to do the things that make me happy. It'll help me get through the next four and a half months :)
*Photo taken by Matt... who has an awesome underwater camera and brought it to the pool last week. I also hang upside down in the water, it feels quite nice. It's also how I am training myself to hold my breath for longer. Back in my synchro days (yes, I did synchronized swimming for quite a number of years) I was able to do two lengths of the pool without taking a breath... that's not the case anymore.
