Canadian Ice Fishing

So I finally went ice fishing for the first time EVER on Sunday. It was a whopping -48 degrees with the wind chill! Joey and Bruno and I left around 7:30am and went to Diefenbaker Lake(about an hour from Saskatoon) to fish for the day. I froze every part of my body, including my bum, because I broke down and went pee outside in the snow about half way through the day. It was a lot of fun though and hope to be able to go in less extreme weather conditions sometime. We spent about 7 hours out there on the lake in a little hut with a propane stove to keep us warm and failed to catch even one fish. I think there were no fish because they would have to be out of their minds to be swimming around trying to find food when it was that bloody cold. If I were a fish I would definitely lay low and try keep warm and not die...haha. Good ole Saskatchewan winters...I recommend experiencing it to everyone;)

My Family

I have a very small family which I used to hate but have grown to love the tight bonds I have with the little family that I do have:) My Mom has been doing pretty good. She is still living in Tisdale. She has had her battle with illness over the past years and is not able to work now but she has been doing better, trying to take care of herself and staying optimistic. My brother lives in Gull Lake, Alberta and works there as well. I don't get to see him too often but miss him lots. My Dad passed away on July 2, 2008 in Lethbridge, Alberta which was a very difficult time for all of us. I never ever thought that I would lose my father at 27 years of age but tragedy often brings strength with it so I am thankful for that. Family is very important to me and I love them very much. There is not a day that goes by that I am not grateful to have these people in my life rooting for my success and there to pick up the pieces when I fall apart.

Within a family, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds us closer together, and the music that brings harmony and inner peace

Watashi wa Kogyaru desu! NOT!!!!!

What's Your Japanese Subculture?

You Are a Kogyaru!

If it's cute, you'll wear it. Fake and bake, hair bleach, and bright makeup line your bathroom cabinet. As for clothes - anything that's short and cute ("kawaii!"). You are the prize object of all sorts of men - but you are really looking for a rich foreign guy. He'll find you out hanging out in Shibuya shopping at the 109, text messaging and sending photos over your cellphone.

Friends

The Love We Share Without Knowing

I am happy to say I got to meet the author of the best book I have ever read in my life!!! Chris lived in Japan at the same time as me and I got the opportunity to meet him through the great Jody D White. He is a wonderful novelist and I think that his new novel " The Love We Share Without Knowing" is the best souvenir that I will ever own from my time in Japan(and I bought it a couple weeks ago in Canada which is ironic to say the least). I can barely describe it and I am not sure if I will do it any justice in my little blog blurb. I am not sure that all will have the same feelings of fondness and understanding that I did while reading it but nonetheless I recommend it to everyone. The stories interweave and each story is better than the last. The book has a truthful, honest outlook filled with sympathy, regrets and above all... love. The book took me back to Japan: the karaoke booths, the foreigners, the bright lights of Tokyo, and also let me look at the other side of things(through the eyes of the Japanese). The cultural references depicted in his novel are profound and the underlying meanings strike the reader as they move through all of the lives of the characters. Poignant and clever, this book had me laughing, crying and at the end it had me screaming for more...
Thank you Chris:) I know I keep singing your praises but it is well deserved and I mean it from the bottom of my heart.

My new favorite thing is ....

YOGA! I have started going to Yoga classes at the U of S and absolutely love it. The word yoga means "union" in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India where yoga originated. We can think of the union occurring between the mind, body and spirit.

What is commonly referred to as "yoga" can be more accurately described by the Sanskrit word called asana , which refers to the practice of physical postures or poses.

Asana is only one of the eight "limbs" of yoga, the majority of which are more concerned with mental and spiritual well being than physical activity. In the West, however, the words asana and yoga are often used interchangeably.

I have a lot of work to do if I am going to be good at it but I am optimistic;) I went with Sarah and Rhonda today and it was enjoyed by all, thanks girls!

So until next time everybody...

NAMASTE
( meaning the divine in me honours the divine in you, a term said when parting)

Marley and Me

Mom came down to stay with me for a couple nights and we went to "Marley and Me". I was expecting a comedy(as was Mom) and both of us left the theatre bawling! It was a story about life, love, family and of course the importance of the family pet! Marley(named by Owen Wilson) after Bob Marley, was a wild, willful dog who did not listen to ANYBODY and had a will of his own. Although he ruined a lot of things,both events and material goods, I couldn't help but love fall in love with him(and I am not even a dog person!). Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson were both GREAT in their roles as the married couple who we saw from wedding day until they had 3 children. It was a tale about real life(assuming our lives are full of that much happiness) and made me want to get a dog, settle down and pop out a few kids;) I recommend it to anyone at any age. The importance of family is showcased in the movie and you realize what is important and that is love. The love you have with your family remains through both good times and bad... (Thanks Mom for the great pick!)

I have no words...

Ohhhhhh Thailand!!!!!!

I now feel like I should do a "Thailand in a Nutshell" for ya. It was HOT and I am not just talking hot, I am talking scorching, uncomfortable, horrific heat. The kind that made a girl that we met get third degree burns on her back from going snorkeling. I don't burn and I BURNT. I also got very, very sick but it was all worth it to look at what I got to look at. Beautiful, aqua, pristine waters, white sand beaches and the most delicious food I have ever eaten despite the fact that it gave me diarrhea;) Thai people are beautiful and both the visit to Bangkok and the visit to the exotic island are ones that will not leave my memory. It is an incredibly poor country and was a cheap place for Crystal and I (flying in from Japan) to holiday. Elephants, massages, scooters, making curry, snorkeling, sleeping naked out of sheer necessity, and seeing the beauty of the land and the people is what I remember.

In A Nutshell

I cannot sum up my time spent in Japan as I will undoubtedly not do it justice. I wish I would have done this while I was there but...alas I had no computer and little time as I was at karaoke! haha. I always loved this picture. I met so many wonderful people in Japan and most(not all) of them are in this photo. I lived in Shimodate, Ibaraki and taught English to 1-10 year olds. The kids were wonderful and taught me so much as did all the friends I made. Japan is a beautiful country with magnificent landscapes and the feel of the old world. They are such polite, giving people and I had the best time of my life. I am thankful every day that I had the opportunity to go there and experience what I did. I know that it forever changed me and I apply this experience to my everyday life now that I am back in Canada. I won't go into particular memories here as I cannot count the number of memorable moments that happened in my two years there. I just want to mention all of the people that forever will be in my heart: Ang, Brad, Jody, Juan, Crystal, Riccardo, Colin, Daichi, Mel, Nori, Dan, Jen, Drew, Billy, Trav, Peter, Chris, Anna, Dave, Brian, Mike, Mie, Hidenori, Hideki, Yuka, Sagi-san, Yoko, Makoto, Leah, Una, Neil, and my great bosses and Japanese "parents" Cynthia and Hiro. (I know I am forgetting some!)You all made an impact on me and I love you all and will always remember you. Thank You and I hope that we will meet again someday! Also thank you to both Mom and Joey for flying over to Japan to experience it with me. ARRIGATO GOZAIMASU and SAYONARA!

Ummmmm, I always thought it was Momo chan???

What's Your Funky Japanese Name?

Your Funky Japanese Name Is Tarikuseiya

Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto!

A Poem Persay...

Life can be divided up into millions and millions of pieces
Pieces that all somehow fit together and make our life whole
Moments that are over in an instant but forever change us
Times that seem to go on forever when we don't want them to
Every piece, every fragment of me in body, mind and soul has
been constructed and placed carefully for some karmic reason
and it is not up to me to question why but only move on to the
next piece of the puzzle...turning it, examining it, holding it up
to the light until it somehow fits in place. The progression of I,
the building of myself through a process much greater than me.

Blogs Schmlogs;)

Create
Well it seems I am far, far behind on the infamous blogging bandwagon. I am addicted to blogs...well my friends blogs at least and have decided to take the plunge and stop boycotting. I am not sure of where to start as so much has happened to me over the past five years but for now I will stick to the present. My life is wonderful at the moment. I am a 27 year old Education student living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. I have an English degree from the U of S and am wishing upon my stars that someday I will publish something. I say "something" because I really don't care what it is as long as my name is on it and it doesn't make me look stupid;) Truth:I damn well hope it is a wonderfully written fictitious novel. I am a true Gemini...witty yet flighty and I change my mind more often than I change my underwear(and yes I change my underwear daily) . Singledom seems to be my choice these days ( well for much longer than days actually!) and I hope this blog allows YOU, the reader, on the roller coaster ride that is my life in my quest for love and success...
CHEERS TO THAT!