Things I've Thought This Week

1. My lost debit card is definitely not lost. It has vanished. The world hates me and I hate the world. Well, maybe that's a little harsh...but it sounds cool.
2. What I could "pretend" to look for at the Wicker Emporium when I visit Morgan. Nevermind, that would take too much effort.
3. I love dancing with my friends.
4. If I become a DJ I am totally only going to play the first verse and the chorus of songs, and then skip to the next one.
5. Prayer is such an amazing thing to share with friends.
6. It's nice when everyone holds hands to pray.
7. Is it Fudge or Rebekah making that noise?
8. Do I snore?
9. I am going to get sick of this song if I keep listening to it over and over again.
10. I am so glad that this child is not mine.
11. Which arm goes with which leg?! This will be my first and last Aquafit class. I hope I don't kick anyone near me.
12. It's time for bed.

Fete

Turning 20 has been a very positive experience. It's been great to spend some time with family and friends and have those times be about all me, haha jk...or am I ;)? Usually I don't feel older, but I do this year. However, I don't long for my teenage years cause I have enjoyed them and it's ok that they are over. Here are some birthday memories. Our oven is quite finiky, so the cake didn't turn out as planned...it was just a little harder than cakes usually are. I cut my finger trying to cut it and I bled on my cake. Oh yes, it was quite a sight. It's quite comical now that I look back on it though- more interesting and exciting than a regular birthday cake for sure ;). Dessert at the Shoe Shoppe was lovely, and it's so pretty in there. Morgan, Amarea, and I ran around the sand at Kearney Lake barefoot on our way home. Morgan has hot toes.

I love spending time with my girls.

Thanks for the awesome presents ladies!

Ahh

Enter visual image:
Jessie stands outside this morning, closes her eyes and thinks, "Oh, how I love you Mr. Sun!"

Another Night at the Grindstone

My night at work:
1. The see-through bathing suit woman has bought a new swim suit. Finally. If you have been wearing the same bathing suit for an extended period of time in any pool-please check the fabric in the front and in the back for me. Also, if anyone has a wording suggestion on how to approach a patron with such a problem-let me know. My past action has been just to look the other way until she got in the water.

2. The cute guy at the adult swim totally heard us talking about how hot he is. And I was really trying to be discreet too. Crap.

3. I actually almost enjoyed hosing the pool deck. Most times when you hose the deck, one person will lifeguard the whole time it takes to hose...which is at least half an hour (when we only usually do 15 minute shifts). I have to resist the temptation to go reeaally slow so I can get out of lifeguarding for as long as possible.

4. I thought yet again about how quiet I am at work...ah well. I talk to some people quite a bit, just not everyone.

5. One of my preschool kids slipped and fell head first (from a standing position) off the mushroom today. If you haven't been to the Stadium...it's this huge stand in the shallow water. My heart totally jumped in my chest. This kid has never put his face in the water for me and he was submerged for a good few seconds till I grabbed him. I was like, "Are you ok? Did you hit your head? Did you swallow any water? Does anything hurt?". Like I'm not exaggerating I said all those things to him. He was totally fine. He looked at me and said excitedly, "My whole head was under water! This is the first time I have ever done that! I even opened my eyes! I did it!" He was so proud of himself. My poor blood pressure. I looked sheepishly at his grandparents who came with him, expecting them to have a look of concern on their faces...and they were smiling and waving...oh yes. It is almost amusing now that I think of it.

Good night! I'm 20 :).

Remember

I have been forgetting things a lot lately. Most of these things are my own personal belongings, like my purse and my lessons binder. I also always forget them at work. I'm not the problem, it's the chlorine. Perhaps the prolonged exposure has done something to my memory cells.

One thing I wish I did forget is the fact that I should call the places that I dropped off my resume to. I left one at the child care centre and the gym at the Stadium. It's seems like so much work to call and follow up. I think that if they want me they'll hire me. Speaking of resumes...I think it would be hilarious if we all had to make marriage resumes. Mine would be something like this (I have to say, I am not just making this up on the spot-I made this as a joke awhile ago and I just found it on my computer):

Skills
-can tell the difference between navy blue and black
-makes a conscious attempt to smell clean at all times
-can sing children's lullabies and along to songs on the radio in tune
-will go to any function that includes dancing, ANY function
-will be able to help if your heart should stop at any time, or if you forget how to swim
-is only moody once a month (and when she's tired, and oh yes also when she's stressed...)
-likes all types of movies (in a "1:1 chick flick to other genre" ratio)
-is well read in "love and relationships" literature
-can tie a tie
-enjoys watching sports on television (only recognizes basketball as a sport)
-can cook a wide variety of dishes
-can keep a positive demeanour after being outdoors for an extended period of time

In other news, this weekend was nice. Girls nite was fun on Friday-lotsa conversation, fitting atmosphere, and an interesting mix of a fruit smoothie ;). Josh and I went to see Scary Movie 4 together on Saturday-more sibling bonding time, though I didn't actually like the movie very much. Sunday was our Easter celebration- an egg hunt, church service, and a turkey dinner by the fire. Thank you Jesus for the sacrifice you made to set me free.

Growing Older

It's really interesting to look back on friendships from elementary, junior high and high school and see how they've changed. I think it's really cool when you have a friendship where you have grown closer in areas of your lives that you weren't close in before. I love how each friend is different and how they make your life more interesting in their own ways. Sometimes you get a feeling that a friendship is going to change, even before it happens. Maybe that falls under "women's intuition" but I don't think so. Sometimes I wish that all the friendships that I once had over the years didn't grow apart, and that people didn't change. Then I think that I've changed too, and that I wouldn't want to go back in time and be close with some friends as me who I am now. Sometimes I wish that I was the person I was in high school and things with some people hadn't changed, but most times I don't. One thing that is a little weird is when you are in the middle of a friendship that is changing and growing apart. In certain cases like that, sometimes I find myself wanting it to be the way it used to be, or gone...then I feel bad for thinking that. Most times I just remind myself that though things are changing, the friendship is just different -not lost forever (and different is ok). One thing I find kinda funny about MSN is how you keep contacts that you don't talk to- when you haven't in like years. Somehow, you find yourself still reading their MSN names whenever they are on, even the little messages in italics. However, maybe that's just me. I love how when we were kids we could spend the whole day with someone and not even plan anything and you'd just play.

I think that's all of my compiled thoughts on friendship for one night. Next time: can guys and girls be friends. Haha, just kidding. I don't want to touch that one. I think they can. Sometimes. ;)

Bug

Nothing ruins an attempt to sun tan like an ant that climbs on your leg. A close second would be a cawing crow that overpowers the sound of everything else in the yard.

Suprise!

This Saturday night has been wonderful! The year-end BBQ with CCC was great! The food was yummy and it was fun to catch up with people I hadn't talked to in awhile. One of the best parts was praying for the graduates and the girls going on missions. I'm so excited for those projects, especially for Rebekah-you're in my prayers, girl! Another occurance at the party was the game. Hum, the game. It was a Lego game, and my team lost badly. Like we didn't make a structure at all. I now know that my memory and explaining architecture do not go together-and they never will :). I can't wait for next school year with the group...have I said that already? The next part of the night was (me, Amarea, Morgan, Bek) surprising Sarah on our way home cause we were driving right by her place. You know that there is going to be girl bonding when the video fireplace turns on. That was a good 5 minute visit ;). We missed you, Megs. It's so nice to be with the girls, even just driving around together.

When Amarea dropped me off a little before midnight, the boys next door were getting home too. I have never met these 2 college guys that have been living next door to me for the last 2ish years. I've only seen one outside once and I got really shy all of a sudden. I know they are there though...cause I've met their dad and their dog. Introducing myself will be my summer goal. I went inside my house and my brother called up to my mom and she would not let me in my room for like 10 minutes. However, I saw a package of balloons on our rocking chair. When I was allowed to enter, my family gave me an early birthday present! It was a new bed spread and a pair of flip flops. These flips are so cool! They are pink with pink sequins. Definitely the most glam things I own. I feel like a diva when I wear them. The next time you talk about flip flops try calling them just "flips"...cool, eh? ;). My mom and I have the same taste in furniture (including bedding). I haven't had a surprise like that in a long time. My real birthday is only on April 21st. I still don't know how I want to celebrate the big 2-0...

The rest of my weekend has been made up of work. My new work schedule is almost all evenings (except for Sat. mornings) and lots of teaching. Ick. I might apply around for some daytime hours in other parts of the Stadium, like childcare or something. However, I'm planning on being positive and enjoying this last session...cause then Beaches start! Wahoo!

Well, even though I am awake and in a stellar mood...I think I'm going to head to bed now :). Nite!

Outside

I love the nice weather and how our days are sunny longer now! Spring and I are good friends.

However, I am not good friends with blue jeans. I have been looking for this certain pair from Bluenotes and they never have my size in. I should have bought it when I first tried them on. You know how everyone looks for the perfect pair of jeans? I found it. And now it's gone...I'm going to stalk all the Bluenotes stores in HRM. Someday they will be mine.

I've decided to walk my dog everyday. I never volunteer to be the one to walk her, but I've taken her for 2 walks in a row this week and it's been lovely. I actually enjoy it. Shiloh is a little on the pathetic side though. When we go down Ridge, there are a few big dogs that are usually tied up (the really tame ones aren't even tied...they just wander around their property) and most of them will bark and bark at her. She doesn't make a sound. She'll just look up at me and then start to walk faster. Someday I hope she gets sick of being barked at and just starts to holler at the other dogs...I wouldn't even tell her to stop :). Or maybe it could be like a cartoon and she would open her mouth and roar like a lion at one of the dogs and then an anvil would drop on the dog's head. Then the dog would walk out of a door on the anvil and be just fine.

After supper, Josh and I played outside. The best game we made up was rock baseball. One person stands on the dock holding a stick, and the other person throws rock lightly to them, and then the stick holder tries to hit the rock in the water. I won cause I hit a rock the farthest-into our neighbours lawn where it bounced off their swinging chair. We stopped the game shortly after that ;). Josh put his bare feet in the lake today, I wasn't as adventurous. One of my favourite things to do outside in the summer is play cards on the deck while the sun is setting. It was still too cold to break out the cards. We finished off our brother/sister bonding evening with watching Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind. I thought it was ok, but he really liked it. I think it made him feel smart when he finally understood the plot. However, I was proud of myself when I started to understand it too :).

The rest of the spring hours are coming out this week...what will my next 3 months be like?

It Isn't Jessie Anymore

Your French Name is:

Fawne Lasseur

What's Your French Name?

These are kinda addictive...

Gummy Bears

Gummy Bears

You may be smooshie and taste unnatural, but you're so darn cute.

What Kind of Candy Are You?

Sigh, Sunday

Well, I have to say that I am glad that this weekend is almost over. On the positive side, my swim time was 10:25 (and it had to be under 12 min.) and I have formidable resuscitation skills :). And now, here are some things to try next time you are at an aquatic facility.

FUN at your local pool:

Stand on top of the high board and say you won't come down until your demands are met.
Tell the lifeguards that they aren't doing their jobs because you have seen at least 15 people drown today.
Ask people if they have seen your pet shark.
Sit in the baby pool and play with the toys.
Take a flutter board and pretend you can't swim.
Hit strangers with your flutter board.
Ask an attractive lifeguard to practise CPR on you.
Sit on the top of the water slide and don't move.
Insist that you saw a monster at the bottom of the pool.
Ask a lifeguard if skinny-dipping is allowed.
Try to negotiate the price of getting in.
When in line, ask strangers if they think invisble people get a discount.
Take your towel, tie it around your shoulders and say ''Wheee! I'm Batman!'' while running around.
Hit strangers with your wet towel.
Throw people's things into the pool.
Play Marco-Polo by yourself.

(http://www.lifeisajoke.com/miscellaneous58_html.htm)

So...I don't know if this is accurate :)

Your 2005 Song Is

Don't Cha by the Pussycat Dolls "Dont cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me Dont cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me" What happens in 2005, stays in 2005!

What Hit Song of 2005 Are You?

Weekend = Work

It was nice that I enjoyed last weekend, cause this weekend is packed with work things. Friday night is lifeguarding at the pool. Saturday is an all-day inservice (and lifeguard competition) at the pool. Sunday morning is my beaches screening. Hum. I think I will just wear my bathing suit the entire weekend and not take it off until Sunday afternoon-just to save time. While the topic is the weekend: Vote for Megha! She will always be the Vice President of INDISA in my heart.

For this summer, I applied only to 2 beaches for my 5th year working with HRM Beaches : Kinsmen and Silversides. I picked these two, not because they are slow beaches ;), but because I can bike to them. I'm finally going for Beach Captain. Here are the stats of each:

Kinsmen Beach
First Lake, Lower Sackville

• farther away
• will close halfway through the summer (with at least 2 weeks of the summer sitting on the beach-telling people not to go in the water)
• swimmers itch
• a real beach with sand
• people visit more in Sackville
• there is a rec. center right there (aka. a shield from the rain and a washroom to use)
• it just seems like more fun to me

Silversides Beach
Lake William, Waverley

• closer
• will stay open all summer (and lessons have really good registration)
• really cold
• a dock on a hill
• the people who come are really nice, I hear (they bring gifts)
• it is a semi-private beach so you have to deal with people paying
• there is zero shelter in case of rain
• two hyphenated words: porto-pottie
• the days seem to be really long

After careful consideration, I put the 1 by Silversides and the 2 beside Kinsmen on my application. We'll see what happens. In closing, has anyone seen my second wind...because it's been MIA for awhile...

Things I've Thought Today

Thoughts:
1. It's cold outside. How can it be so cold when it's so sunny and the sun warms up the entire house? Maybe I'll put on a sweater. Nah.
2. I wish that there was a tree in my backyard where motivation to exercise grew. Oh and where chocolate grew. Maybe a pink tree.
3. I really like just not thinking about my hair and putting it all up in a toque. Maybe that's why I'm so warm.
4. I should really do something productive with my free time, like read a good book.
5. Maybe I'll learn to knit something other than scarves and hand towels.
6. I know, spring cleaning! I'll start in the sunroom.
7. I really hope a spider doesn't drop on my head.
8. I'm going to paint that outside table tomorrow. What else could I paint. Hmm the deck. No, the deck wouldn't look good sea green.
9. I think it would be nice to live alone, wait-no it wouldn't.
10. I wonder if the woman from church who used to be a body builder took steroids. She must have.

Stairs Conquered-Check!

I devoted some of my Sunday afternoon to the repair of Shiloh's psychology. My little dog has a fear of two out of the three sets of stairs in our house so she won't go up them. Only up. She can go down. For example, she will go down to see some noise at the front door and then realize that nothing is there. Next, she'll whine until we pick her up and take her up the stairs to be with the rest of the people in the house. I think she slipped on the stairs once and the experience instantly became detrimental to her stair climbing future. I wanted to change all that and turn her into an independant and confidant animal who can go up stairs without any stress or inner turmoil. We spent lots of time today going up and down both sets of stairs in the entry way. I helped her go up, then we went up and down with cheese as a reward, and finally she only got cheese when she went up the stairs. She did them all by herself at the end, and it was a good thing too-cause I think I gave Shiloh her calcium intake for the entire year today.

TGIF

My Friday night was chaotic at the pool. When I have kids, they are going to be wonderful and always well-behaved in public. Next it was off to Sarah's 20th birthday. I saw Carol, who I hadn't seen in 2 years, and sorta freaked out when I saw her. I think that I hugged her a little too tight that first time. A bunch of us chilled at Sarah's place-atmosphere: disco ball (well-lit :) ) and oldies tunes. We also had the chance to take a ton of newbies to Polly's Cove. Yeah, so I brought the people in the car I was in to the wrong spot. My rationale on the whole getting my car there was this: we just drive along the long and winding road till we come to the spot. So look for it on the left, right off the road. The real problem happened when there was more than one little gravel inlet that had a path off of it on said road. Anyways, after Sarah and her car full zoomed by us all standing around outside our car it really sunk in that we were in the wrong place. We arrived to our final destination with pizzazz because when we got back in the car, someone (this might have been me as well, but I really don't know who it was) stepped on Shaun's Axe body spray and the car began to smell really good until the scent got so strong that we could taste it. I think it actually shot up really close to Katie's face-not good, no one wants that in the eye. We had to pull over to air the car out. It was something like 3:86 (around 2am), according to the car clock, when we finally met up with everyone else. So we trekked through the bushes and over the little cliff and across the rocks and finally got to "the spot". The stars were beautiful and it really wasn't as cold as I was expecting. I had dressed for the weather with 3 layers of pants and a big winter coat. There were some really good shooting stars. There was one especially long one, like very long. I love being by the ocean-even more than the stars. The moon was orange. Overall, I think that everyone enjoyed it-even the complainers ;). May I just say, if you are reading this, and you haven't been there-you've gotta come next time! As we were driving home, it was just getting light out. It's nice driving in a car as the sun is just coming up, same with driving as the sun is setting. I was dead when I finally crashed at Sarah's place...but it was worth the tiredness. Happy Birthday Sarah Chan!

Misunderstanding

Pretend for a moment that you are a lifeguard (if you aren't one). If you are scanning a pool, and I think this makes the most sense, you look from right to left (or left to right) and slowly scan the pool-then repeat. I scan from right to left. People come in on the right side of the pool. If someone walks by me I look at them (on my right) and then continue to scan the pool towards the left. However, there can be a misunderstanding when a bystander at a certain angle watches you scan, because if another person comes into the pool and is walking towards your left, and you are continuing scanning the pool to the left, it looks like you are staring at that person walk by. I never thought about this, until the the coach of the adult swim team came up next to me with a big smile and said quite loudly "Jessie! Stop checking him out, he's married!". I, surprised by this, said, "I was not checking him out!!" Then I turned red. It took me a little while to think of why the coach thought that's what I was doing. I'll admit that I did think that the guy was cute when he walked by-his face was cute, however no one knew that but me. Then I scanned again and another swimmer strolled by at the same time and it all made sense. For the rest of the shift, I intentionally tried to time my scans so it didn't look like I was gawking at the swim team's Speedo butts every time one of them walked by me.

Faith

...to believe throughout life's ups and downs, no matter what they are, the truth of the gospel-that Christ loved us enough to die for us; that abundant life in Christ is really not about doing it all, having it all, being it all, or knowing it all but about knowing him through it all-is to practice authentic faith.
-Brenda Waggoner

This part of a book I'm reading called Fairy Tale Faith (life isn't a picture perfect fairy tale, in case you haven't noticed ;) ) reminded me to treasure and hold tight to the faith I have in God's goodness, love, and justice especially when it's easy to let situations in life cloud that.

Comment

I've changed the blog settings so that anyone can add their two cents in on an entry. I'm thinking about fabricating some memories about different people that didn't really happen in real life...;).