29.1.08

The Story of Stuff

The beginning of this video is fairly self-evident, but stick it out - it's very enlightening. Please watch it and think about what's said.

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

28.1.08

Remembering Challenger

I was only two or so, but the Challenger accident brings tears to my eyes every year that passes. Today is the 22nd anniversary.





Please, take a moment to remember that space exploration is not something that the world does just to show off - the Cold War is over. While it is costly - in dollars and lives - the price is well worth it.

I still dream of being an astronaut. Maybe some day I'll be the first ordained minister in space.

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.


Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee
No 412 squadron, RCAF
Killed 11 December 1941



Rest in peace. Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, and Judith Resnik.

10.1.08

Two Hundredth Post

So, I haven't actually posted anything about myself for a while, so I think I will while I've got a bit of time.

In September I moved to Waterloo so that I could begin my studies to become an ordained minister in the United Church. I'm attending the University of Waterloo, and I love it. Obviously, not everything is great, but for the most part, my teachers have been fantastic, and I've been learning lots. Since I don't need a specific major to get into my master's program at seminary, I'm able to take pretty much whatever courses I'd like, which as I've planned out thus far, is going to make for a pretty interesting three years here.
I'm through one semester now, and I passed all five courses, and had decent marks as well. Right now one of my big concerns is plotting out what courses I want to take for the next two and a half years so that I can end up with a Religious studies major, and enough credits to even get my degree! If you're curious, I've shared it here.



On a more personal side of things, I'm living in an apartment with four other people. We each have our own bedrooms, then we share the kitchen and living room... also we have two bathrooms so things in the morning aren't nearly as hectic as they could be. My roommates include an optometry student, two nursing students, and Tim, who works at a college in Kitchener. It's a decent situation, though we all feel that we're getting ripped off rent-wise. Aside from that, though, we take turns making dinner during the week, and share chores... things are pretty good. This is a pretty good living situation for me, easing into the university lifestyle, and living in community. Everyone I live with have been living with other people in this kind of situation for years, so they're all very considerate when it comes to personal space and privacy. I'd like to think that we're all fairly close friends too.

The plan for next year is for Tim and myself to move down to Kitchener into a place (yet to be decided) somewhere near his workplace. This year he is borrowing my car to drive down to work; which has worked pretty well, but it causes a bit of friction when we both need the car around the same time. Also, not Tim's fault, but I waste far too much energy worrying about anything happening to the car while it's in his possession... yes, I'm a control freak. I know.

Other than that, life's pretty busy planning church stuff. We were hoping to host a young adult event at the end of January (25-27), but it looks like it's going to fall through due to lack of interest. Kind of a bummer, to say the least. On the positive side, though, I'll probably use my free weekend to see my girlfriend, Vanessa, back home in Sartown.

There's plenty more I could add, but at the moment I need to run and get some lunch. I'm working at the Bookstore on campus, and my shift starts in an hour! I hope everyone is well.