The big Apple...

I did it...I got through my first semester of grad school and I really really enjoyed it. The beginning of the semester was a bit of an adjustment period but as the semester progressed I really felt like this was something I was meant to do. It was not about the courses but being surrounded by like minded people who inspire me and make me realize my goals are possible. There are lots of interesting people who have such diverse experiences in the program. It makes me excited about the potential when I am done.

So, exams did not go as well as I would have hoped for, but it was hard for me to stay focused. I did pass my courses which is good and I think I did manage to get an A+. I was hoping for a better grade on my final then I actually got in Biostats. Oh well..... I think I complained about getting a B+.....My how the times have changed since undergrad.

After a few nights of relaxing and one night of drunken debauchery. Yes, there was definite debauchery, mistletoe.....I hopped on a plane to go see my friend Marie in New York. Marie and I met 3 years ago when I was in Japan.

I just wanted to treat myself after this semester. Cuba and Costa Rica did not pan out so NYC was another option. New York is a pretty crazy city. There are people everywhere and even more lights and cars. Christmas time in New York is insane. A bit of shopping was done and a whole lot of walking...my poor footsies....

I did manage to make "friends"....yes I encountered random people who happened to be men...I can't help it if I have a tendency to smile and they recipricate. Let's say that NYC was good for the part of my self esteem related to boys. New Yorkers don't deserve the stereotype that they are given. They are actually pretty nice.

I have 5 more days here. There are plans to go to Boston and hit the hills for some snowboarding....yippie...

Snow Days

I meant to write this blog last week but was having too much fun in the snow to actually come inside to write about it on my blog. Last week it snowed in Vancouver. For those of you not familiar with Vancouver weather, snow is a rarity. We get rain in the winter but hardly ever get snow. Which means it was chaos....but that also means a snow day. Fortunately, because I work in a university, if the weather gets bad it shuts down. So last Monday SFU was closed and I got to stay home. The snow day was to cap off the already great time I had playing in the snow during the weekend. I made snowmen, had snowball fights, and of course went to Queen Elizabeth park at 10:30 on Sat. night to go sledding down the hill. We had makeshift sleds, boogie boards with a garbage bag over it to decrease the friction and slid down the hill. It was like I was a kid again and sliding head first down the hill. I was in heaven.

Unfortunately, it warmed up and once again it is raining. The snow is slowly being washed away and that means no more sledding. I guess it is a good thing cause I have a final exam to write and probably don't need another distraction to take away my focus from learning about multiple linear regression for my Biostatistics Exam.

Everyone needs a Hug

Today I participated in a Free Hug event. We gave away hundreds of free hugs today in downtown Vancouver, in front of the Art Gallery. With hand painted "Free Hug" signs around our necks we set out to hug as many strangers as possible, to spread some joy and bring smiles to everyone. It was incredible....hugs do make you feel good. I know I felt good hugging everyone. For the most part people were pretty receptive to being hugged. There were some skeptics and an occasional dodgy fellow but all in all I think it was a success. People walked away with smiles on their face and told us how much they needed a hug.

The free hug campaign was started by a fellow named Juan Mann, whose mission in life is to bring hugs to everyone in the world.

You can read about the campaign at http://www.freehugscampaign.org/

Let me know if you are interested in participating in the next free hug event. Here are some photos that show just how much fun we had.

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/jennifer_archer/Free%20Hugs%20Vancouver%20Nov%202006/

Who are you trying to impress?

Today's rant and raves is directed towards guys that just don't get it. If you try too hard with a girl, she will sense your desperation and be completely turned off. I repeat, don't try so hard. I like boys that know what they like and aren't afraid to go after it, but there comes a point when you have gone way to far. When you try too hard it tells me you are insecure and don't know what you are doing. Don't come on so strong and please don't use cheesy pick up lines.

Happy Halloween

I may be too old to go trick or treat'n but I am not too old to go to the pumpkin patch and get the biggest pumpkin I could find. My friends-Risa, Karin and Adrian and I drove out to Richmond to go for hayrides, sing alongs and pumpkin picking. We were probably the oldest kids there but definitely the most enthusiastic. We sang our little hearts out while we rode the hay wagon out to the field to find the most perfect pumpkins. We rocked "Old McDonald".

We initially picked small pumpkins, but then we came upon some bigger ones, we immediately decided that bigger was indeed better. Much huffing and puffing later we got them back to the car and spent the evening carving and creating the best jack'o lanterns. I decided that my pumpkin would be called Denise....after Denise Richards....I was inspired....

The Key to success for me in Gradschool relates to me finding a Man????
I got sent this article and thought that it was interesting. Take a look at it and let me know if I should go man hunting so I can get through gradschool. I wonder if my Mom's nagging about me getting married actually would help me finish my Master's sooner.....maybe she knows something I don't know.

This is an interesting news item about the relationship between marital status and success at graduate school! http://insidehighered.com/news/2006/10/20/marriage

Bipolar??

I know that last week, amidsts the two midterm studying and the biostats assignment I was doubting myself and was wondering if I was smart enough to be in gradschool. I still on occasion doubt my "worthiness" to be doing my masters but I this week, post midterm craze, I am feeling like I belong. This Masters in Population and Public Health is what I am suppose to be doing. I like the people in the program and I am amazed at how diverse they are. Just talking to them makes me excited about what I will be able to do once I get through this. I am sure that I will have my up and down days once again, surely in about 9 days when I have my next set of midterms but for the time being...I belong....I belong....

It has been a while since I have felt like I have purpose in my life and am feeling truly passionate about school again. My brain does like the stimulation although, it would rather not have to think about statistics, probability and two tailed t-tests.....

Plus, I aced one of my midterms, although it was probably one of the most easiest tests that I have ever written....15 multiple choice with over half of them true false....gotta love Michel and Epidemiology

Smart Enough.....

I knew grad school would be tough but I didn't really think about what it would do to my self esteem. This week I started to question whether I am smart enough to do this. I guess this self doubt stems from my struggle with trying to understand Biostatistics and feeling mowed over by the formulas and numbers. I cannot believe the amount of work this course requires. I am only taking 2 courses but between work and trying to maintain balance in my life, I am pretty exhausted.

I know that this will all be worthwhile in the end. I know I can do this, just need to focus and I will get through it. Gosh darnit, I am smart and people like me.....

The 43 things you want to do....


If you had to list the 43 things that you want to do in your life what would it be? Look at the following website for inspiration

http://www.43things.com/

My top 43 tihngs would be

1. Finish Grad school
2. Dance in the rain
3. learn to play guitar
4. Learn to salsa
5. travel to Paris
6. Live in Africa for a year
7. Surf in Australia
8. learn to speak French fluently
9. own my own house
10. Exercise more
11. go to Havana and have a Mojito
12. cook a gourmet meal for my friends and family
13. launch Wah Wah designs
14. learn to let go
15. read war and peace
16. have babies
17. be more decisive
18. learn how to take great photos
19. buy a digital camera
20. laugh more
21. paint a large painting
22. bake an apple pie
23. start a charitable foundation
24. be more open minded
25. live in the moment
26. tell someone I love them and mean it
27. hug and kiss more
28. get rid of some of my shoe collection
29. save the world
30. deal with some issues
31. spoil my nieces and nephew
32. learn to ride a motorcycle
33. write a book
34. rent an RV and go for a road trip
35. hike the West Coast trail
36. get a crazy hair cut
37. Swim more
38. meet someone special
39. realize that I am beautiful
40. build a house with habitat for humanity
41. do a chin up
42. visit as many countries as I can
43. find a job that I love and am passionate about

Happy Anniversary

Today 10 years ago I started university and now 10 years later I started school again. It was like I went back in time, except I am now older and hopefully a bit wiser. I started my first day of gradschool today. It was a long time coming something I have been planning to do for years. I finally decided to do it. It was a bit overwhelming especially when I cracked open my Biostatistics textbook last night, to get an idea of what I was suppose to know for today, OMG....I have forgotten so much. In fact, I should be reading right now.

The other good thing is that I am already with some of the faculty. I interact with them in the kitchen that we share and they were all surprised to see me in the class. I guess that is one of the perks of working where I work.

I am surprized by how diverse the students are in my program. We have dentists, doctors, nurses, Statisticians, anthropologists, and a whole crew of others. Many of them are well traveled and have had interesting other lives. I think it will be good...wish me good luck.

What day is it.....

I have been on vacation from work for almost a month now, I have completely lost track of time and have fallen into a routine of going to bed late and getting up late. If you know me I am usually a 6:45 am riser even on weekends. My internal clock keeps me on a tight schedule. However, with this lack of work I have been getting up later and later, sometimes at 9:30 am and even once at 10:25 am. I miss the early mornings, but I do wake up just in time to see all the morning talk shows. After a few hours of watching nothing on TV, I manage to take a shower and eventually make my way out of the house just before or after lunch to either find food or to wander around my neighborhood. Luckily the beach is near by and the library is close.

Other than catching up on sleep and reading a lot I have been doing nothing too exciting about my vacation. I was going to do some crazy spontaneous trip but that never panned out. I looked into those all inclusive vacations, which are not usually my style, are much more if you are going solo. I was a bit disappointed that I wasted my time off.

The one cool thing I did was finally get my tattoo. It is a cherry blossom and I love it. It is a simple design that I drew. It has symbolism for me and I think it represents a significant period in my life. It did hurt when I got it done, I asked Jay the tattoo artist if any body has cried on him and he said no....I wasn't about to be his first so I sucked it up. My family stills does not know and I think I will let them discover it on their own. My mom especially would freak.....sometimes they just don't it.

Countdown to being a student has started, in about 2 weeks I will join the masses and re-enter the classroom. I am a bit scared but ultimately more excited then frightened. I can do it.....or at least I hope I can. I just can't leave that university.

Bowron Lakes

I got back from an incredible 8 day canoe trip in the Bowron Lakes last Saturday. I had a wonderful time paddling the very scenic series of 5 lakes in Northern B.C. The weather was awesome except for the 2 days of head wind which nearly killed me. I swear that my shoulders were burning at the end of it. It was an amazing trip and this city girl managed to tough it and survive the lack of showers, the killer mosquitoes, and the lack of flush toilets. The water was so clear and the mountains so green. I loved every minute of it. Every night we stayed at a different campsite and they were all equally cool. My favourite part was running this portion of the lake leading up to a river. It is called the "chute" and it a small channel of fast moving water. You are suppose to do it only if you are an experienced canoeist and should run the canoe unloaded. We decided to float down in our life jackets first to "scout" it out and then ran it with a fully loaded canoe after doing some manoevers as practice. We all nailed the chute and no one tipped. It was a fun ride. I wish that the rest of the lake was like that. I love that along the lakes there are large signs stating "Danger, waterfall do not go pass this point" and then a picture of a canoe going over a waterfall. There was a group of kids watching us and I think we broke all the rules and set a terrible example for them.

The Bowron Lakes was a great vacation and I had a wonderful time. The group that I went with got along well. We also learnt about the qualities of moonshine and its effects on sleep patterns, that we need the words to Cecilia by Simon and Garfunkel, headwind sucks, and travel scrabble rocks.

Bed time

My summer has started and that means being away for almost all of the month of July. I have slept in my bed for about 5 days in July.

Bus adventures

As a regular transit user in Vancouver, I have the standard bus misfortunes, wet umbrella smells on rainy days, crying kids, sleepy people who put their head on your shoulder, and occasionally the lonely people who talk to me. For the most part I am used to the trials and tribulations of bus riding. However, this morning there was a lady who was definitely not with it. She was a mix between a TV Evangelist and a children's entertainer who sings about not doing drugs. I was waiting on Granville street and this lady suddenly says, the air smells like sh"t, those cigarette smokers make the air smell bad" She then starts to sing a song about how cigarette smoke stinks and smells really bad to the tune twinkle twinkle little star. She also says that kids do not believe in Jesus because they lie, have sex, swear and are dingalings. She also went on to say that Jesus loves her cause she does not do any of the above. She got onto the same bus as me and then harassed a poor man claiming that he could not pay for his bus fare because he spent his money on cigarettes. She was at the front of the bus and he was at the back, but that did not deter her she continued to yell at him. She entertained us with another cigarette song and at one point was so moved by her convictions that cigarettes are bad that she burst into tears.

I do not think I have ever heard a bus so silent in my life. We all smiled uncomfortably to ourselves but I could tell that everyone thought she was nuts. She got off the bus but not before telling us that Jesus does not love us because we are dingalings.

I am not sure her anti-smoking campaign is working...I think it is a better deterrent for kids to stay off drugs so you don't fry your brain.

The bus never ceases to bring interesting people into my life,

World Cup

I love my job, because it allows me to take a 2 hour lunch break to watch the World Cup. We went to the SFU pub to watch Italy play Ghana. (Italy 2:o)

I have never been a huge football fan, yes I called it footy..thanks to my brit friends, until I caught the World Cup fever in Japan 4 years ago. It was so exciting to be in the thick of it. I remember creating English Lessons around football players.
I like this game, very exciting, plus soccer players have nice legs. Ichiro and Nakata two of my most fav. Japanese men.

Go Japan go!!

I am so cute....you can't help but hug and kiss me

See, everyone in our family loves shoes....it is genetic


Micah Bunny.....she laughs, she eats, she poops, and smiles.

Singing in the Rain

I do not think there is a part on my body that is not soaking wet. It is monsooning out there tonight. I finished pottery class and I usually walk home but tonight it was raining so hard that from the pottery studio to the bus I got soaked. I normally do not carry an umbrella cause I am a west coast girl and am used to the rain. However, it was raining so hard today that it rained through my coat, my jeans, and my shirt. Luckily I had flip flops on today or else......

I did meet a nice man at the bus stop and we chatted about living in Kits and growing up in Chilliwack.....

Copacobana

I would like to introduce everyone to a new edition to my little family of toys...I got my new laptop today and I have decided to name her Lola....yes Lola....yes, I also know that I am too old to name inanimate objects but I just cannot help it, I have a bike called Gracie, a guitar named Kaiya and a computer named Lola

I am indeed a bit wacky...

My computer is fab, 15 inch screen, Pentium M, and a whole bunch of other stuff that I cannot remember...but it works like a charm and I am now connected to the world on my very own piece of technology.

This is a big purchase for me and I am so far still trying to test out the waters

Random Thoughts for today

1. I love the sunshine and the fact that I do not have to wear shoes and socks, yeah for flip flops and birkies
2. Flexibility in a job is great, ie you want to leave at 3pm cause you need to get groceries
3. It is cheaper not to eat, food is expensive
4. Parents will do almost anything for their kids, even when they are 28
5. I adore my nieces and nephew, I miss them when I don't see them and love hearing my nephew on the phone
6. eating ice cream instead of going for a run is bad
7. trying to meet nice boys in Vancouver is near impossible
8. and when you meet a nice boy, who you think you will have beautiful kids with, relying on a third party to hook you guys up is near impossible....(frustrating)
9. Parents and family will always ask you why you are not dating someone....(see point 5 and 6)
10. I hate coming home to a messy house....(groan, messy brother bah!!)
11. I love the dishwasher
12. I love my independance and don't ever want to lose that again even if it means living with a messy brother
13. spending $150 on an super duper sonic care electric toothbrush on the recommendation of the dentist is okay as long as it prevents your gums from receeding
14. It is okay to be scared about going back to gradshool, you just wish they would make a decision about whether you can go part-time or not
15. When a friend asks you to help her move, you help her move even though you hate moving cause you adore your friend
16. Purple highlights fade to a yucky orange brown after 8 months, time for new highlights
17. Self-proclaimed detox is still detox when you have a max of two drinks
18. I do not like being woken up by a telephone call in the morning
19. I love music and could not imagine a world without it
20. It has been a very long time since I have driven a car

Thursday Afternoon Blues.

It is 3:30pm on a Thursday afternoon and I cannot seem to concentrate on work. Today has been one of those non-work days, which means I spent the better part of the morning checking email and surfing the internet. Some of it was work related but mostly it was not. I know it is very bad seeing how I work for the government and I am perpetuating the stereotype but some days all you want to do is to do nothing. I guess today is one of those days.

I am tempted to go to the gym for a little while and kill some more time but my energy level is low and all I want to do is to find a place and go for a nap. Too bad my boss is still here or else I would crawl under my desk and sleep.

Anyways, all is well in my world. I am looking forward to the warmer weather. I have already broken out the sandals and gone sans socks a few times. I hate shoes and socks and cannot wait for it to get warm enough so that I can wear sandals all the time.
Yeah for summer!!!!!

I played some beach volleyball last weekend, it was sunny out but not all that warm. I was freezing and the sand was blowing everywhere. When I got home there was sand in my ears, my mouth, my hair and in my shorts. It was fun despite the cold and it also made me realize just how slow I have gotten in my old age. The joints just do not move and bend as fast as they used to.

Post-Easter report

The Easter Bunny did not stop at my house this year and drop off chocolate. Not sure why he did not visit. It could be because he heard rumours that I had been naughty, which are entirely untrue...well okay, I have been a bit naughty, but still my actions did not warrant the lack of chocolate. Oh well, considering how much other unhealthy food I ate this weekend, the chocolate was not missed. I had two Easter dinners this weekend. One with friends and one with family. I am a sucker for desserts and could not resist the yummy goodness of pies and cakes.

I even contributed to my own downfall by making two lemon meringue pies. My sister special requested pie and cause I was in charge of dessert for our family dinner I took on the challenge. I must admit during the baking process there were moments where I thought I would burn the lemon filling and I had to have 2 tries in getting the meringue to form soft peaks. This was my first time making pies and I think it worked out okay. However, if anyone ask I will deny that I enjoyed it and will stand by my proclamation that I cannot cook and bake.....

Hopefully, the Easter Bunny did not skip your house.

Pirate's life for me


I was talking to some girls from my pottery class and we were discussing the very intellectual subject of what is your pirate name...well it is

My pirate name is:

Iron Charity Bonney

A pirate's life isn't easy; it takes a tough person. That's okay with you, though, since you a tough person. You can be a little bit unpredictable, but a pirate's life is far from full of certainties, so that fits in pretty well. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.

Break through

I finally did it!!! I linked my turns for snowboarding. Finally, it happened. Last Thurs. night I finally decided that I was going to committ and do it and not let my fear stop me. So, I decided not to think about it and just did it. So, I did up my bindings, squared my shoulders, took a deep breath, kept my weight directly over my board, put pressure on my front foot, shifted my hips forward, leaned back and made my first turn from my heel side to front side....I did it, that is until I leaned too much forward and caught and edge and went down. For the brief moment I made the turn and was feeling proud until I went down and hit the snow. Luckily, it was fresh powder and it was soft to hit. I have been practicing and subsequently have linked my turns, still not stellar but getting better. This is a mini triumph for me and fear of committment...well at least when it comes to snowboarding...Committment is a whole different story when it comes to other aspects in my life.

My three little munchkins

What is going on?


I have once again been neglectful of my blog. In all honesty, it has not been a priority for me at all. Obviously, my mind is elsewhere. Mostly, very focused on work and getting these projects off and running before I go back to school. I am actually very happy with work and everything I am doing. I have been pretty involved in the planning of a 2 major meetings, one focused on bringing together researchers we have funded to discuss their science and the other on increasing capacity in the areas of obesity research. It is nice to be so involved and have feedback on what is going on. In addition to those meetings, I am also working on 2 major funding initiatives that I have written and will help administer. Work is hectic but going well.

As for my real life, things are good. Most of my activities are going well, volleyball is fun, pottery is shaping out to be really interesting, snowboarding okay, guitar non-existent, and French class a bit overwhelming. So, beyond guitar and snowboarding all is great. However, I am determined to master the two.

What else is going on? My birthday was great; my friends blindfolded me and took me to the spa. I was really surprised and it was so relaxing. I think it was one of the best birthdays yet. My friends actually cared enough to plan it and keep it a secret. I thought we were going snowshoeing but when I finally could see it was the spa I was in shock. It was so incredible. Then the following weekend we went to Big White. That was fun, albeit the big wipeout took the wind out of my sails for a day or so, but the next morning I was at it again. It was really good snow and the Sunday we had blue skies. I really enjoyed myself.

Officially Old!!!

Today I can no longer honestly tell people I am near my mid-twenties. I am now officially in my late twenties. I was fibbing a bit before when people would ask how old I was, I used to say "oh near my mid twenties"...aiya no more!!! I am old.

I am not sure if at 28 I am any more grown up, I certainly don't act that way but perhaps there is a different level of expectation of me now that I am 28. Certainly my family feels that I should start "settling down", whatever that means!!! 28 to my family seems like an ear mark for life to take root, but I am just not on that path. I have no desire to have babies and buy houses right now, I think I am too busy just enjoying being me. There is another adventure in the horizon and so many places yet for me to travel to.

I would love to share my adventures with someone but until that right person comes along I am content to travel solo. My co-workers jokingly tell me I am a spinster but if being a spinster means I can take a month to travel Europe and not have to worry about responsibilities other than what city to see next then I am happy to be a spinster. Don't fret too much, I want to put down roots and have a family but not before I am ready, perhaps after a stint in Australia and some time in Africa....hmmm...by the time I am 40 should be about right.

As well, thanks to all you folk out there who sent me birthday wishes, it was appreciated and I was touched you remembered.

Hawaii

So, the plans for Europe have been put on hold yet again, a bit sad but definitely for a good reason. My friend from uni, Vesna is getting married in April in Hawaii. I have never been but am excited about being there for this occasion. Hawaii would be a lovely place to get married. I know that it will be beautiful.

I guess, Europe will have to be post-poned again. There is some thought about going in August, but that is prime Tourist season....perhaps it is just not meant to be at this point. I guess I will have to deal with my disappointment about not going to Europe by going parasailing or snorkeling in the blue waters of Hawaii. ;)

Boarding Babes

In an effort to be a more well rounded individual I have been taking a number of different classes and trying to get into different things. There is of course my ongoing struggle with my mushroom fingers and guitar, mastering the clay and showing it who is boss, a return to volleyball, my desire to become more worldy-French lessons, and finally my efforts to channel the edgier boarder in me. The latter being the most painful I have decided.

I bought snowboarding equipement a few months ago because I figured that it would incentive to go up and learn. Who knew I was so uncoordinated, well actually I knew that but the bunny hill beat it into me yesterday, just extra emphasis that I am not very coordinated. Every muscle in my body now aches, and I am sure that there are more aches coming as I try to board on a more regular basis. However, I will not be defeated by the soft white stuff that is not so soft when you are zooming down the mountain and lose your edge. I am going to get good, all it takes is committment as my cute Aussie instructor told me yesterday, of course I smiled back and said yes, you are totally right, while in my mind I was thinking.."I have fear of committment", I hate the C word. Oh well, I have to learn to deal with committment in some form and this might be the first step in conquering it.

So, wish me good luck and pray that my bones are not as brittle as I think they are. Feel your fear and do it anyways, go committment!!!!

Blogging

Heya, it has been a while since I have written a blog, beyond the announcement of my new niece. I guess it is because I have been busy but probably because I have been lazy.

So, what is going on in the Wacky World of Char, well I have decided to keep myself very busy. I have a schedule that is jam packed, playing volleyball, doing pottery, snowboarding and learning how to parle francais. So that ties up every weeknight except Tuesdays. Tuesdays was suppose to be self learning guitar, so far that is not going so well, darn these mushroom fingers and lack of musical talent.

I figure that this is a great time to be doing all this stuff cause once I start gradschool in Sept. I will have no time for anything but sleeping, studying and working. I am almost looking forward to going back to school, not entirely sure if I am excited about it, but not dreading it. It is about time I start a new chapter in my life.

However, before I head back I would like to have one last adventure. I am thinking about doing a trip to Europe this spring, London, Paris, and Prague. Three places I have always wanted to go to. Paris in the Spring, it will be lovely...perhaps even meet that dashing European man who will sweep me off my feet. Well, that or try to mug me.

Other than a full plate and visions of springtime in Paris and Prague I have been recuping from way to much festivities over the holidays. It seems that I have been at one social function or another since the beginning of Dec. I think it will all come to an end once we get past Chinese New Year, Jan. 29th. Finally, no more food.

Just also want to say thanks to you faithful readers of this blog. The postings are not always so entertaining but I am glad that there are a few of you who keep reading.

More babies

My sister Christine had her baby on Dec. 28 at 3:00pm and I am now a proud aunt to another baby girl, Kiyah Rylee Cho. She is adorable and a beautiful addition to our family. I cannot believe that we have another little baby in our family. Time goes by so fast and my nephew will be 2 in a few weeks. Sometimes thinking about it makes me feel old and then my nephew does something silly and I am right there acting silly with him and he makes me feel like a kid again. I adore those kids.