analyze this

i wasn't sleeping well a couple of nights ago and had a weird dream. i was at holly and caleb's wedding, but for some reason, holly asked me to wear her wedding dress. i stood at the front of the sanctuary in her white gown with no groom in sight b/c she and cae had gone off to tim hortons or something. i was anxious because the dress felt loose and since it was also strapless, it was starting to slip down. then three chinese harps were brought on stage and nathan, stephen and eric began to play. and that's all i remember. pretty weird...

Tripods!

One of my favourite childhood book series was the Tripod Trilogy by John Christopher (pseudonym for Samuel Youd). It's good! I reread it a couple of months ago and realized that there are many details and references I didn't fully understand as a kid, but I had loved it nonetheless.

The original trilogy was written in the late 1960s and a prequel was written in 1988. It's about Earth being invaded by aliens who roam the planet in gigantic, 3-legged metal constructions. They control humans with 'caps' that are welded into their skulls. The book series describe how a resistance movement is formed and its quest to free mankind from the tripods' oppression.

I recently found out that the books are being turned into a movie and it's set to come out next year. I'm so excited! My mom loves the series, too--in fact, she introduced me to them. So we will definitely go see the movie together when it comes out.

Our Lady Peace

if you went to an OLP concert would you be able to differentiate them from their opening band?

the concert started at 7pm sharp and as the lights dimmed and people started walking on stage, we were puzzled that the john labatt centre was only half full, but we cheered our hearts out anyway. then the stage lights came on and this guy who clearly was not raine maida was standing on stage. oh, right, the opening band. okay, so we sit through the 20-minute set and some of us clapped politely while others heckled (*cough* dor) and called for OLP. after a short break the lights dimmed again and we think "this is it! here they come!" but it was yet another opening band. by the time they were finished it was 8 o'clock. alright, now it's time for OLP, right? that's what we thought, too. so the lights dim for the third time and everyone's cheering and the band starts playing. we don't recognize the song. but it's gotta be OLP, so we think "they must be introducing a new song" and groove a bit and clap along. then they do another new song, and another and then finally the singer starts talking and introduces himself as daniel. huh? does OLP have another lead singer we don't know about? where's raine? what's happening? partway through the group's 3rd or 4th song a guy who is clearly raine maida walks on stage and joins the group. finally, it begins to dawn on us that this was a THIRD opening band for OLP. it took us forever to figure it out, being the doofuses that we are. afterwards we realized the singer didn't really sound like raine and the stage setup didn't look like OLP (there was a keyboard at the front of the stage with bunches of flowers on it), and yet we didn't fully piece it together until late into their set. we were so certain the next band MUST be OLP (who has three opening bands??) that we fooled ourselves into believing it was them.

anyway, it was a good concert when it finally started at 9. i liked how they mixed up their songs a bit, putting the lyrics of one into the music of another and changing the melody, etc. there was a ton of audience interaction--a bunch of people even got to stand on stage behind the band. raine walked out into the crowd a few times and everyone tried to touch him. he took a picture of himself with someone's camera. he even asked someone to record on their mp3 a new song the band was about to perform and then upload it for everyone to download afterwards. i think it was called "kiss on the mouth".

another item of note was the girl sitting directly in front of us. the whole night she kept climbing up and down the seats and dancing w/ no inhibitions whatsoever. then we also smelled pot and after awhile we pieced it together and figured she must have been high.

all in all a great day yesterday. prior to the concert, i had spent the day in london w/ dor's friends from western. they're a fun-loving bunch and i really enjoyed hanging out with them. had some nice chats. lillian and i also thought back to last december when i was visiting and how the two of us sat on the couch so worried about speech-language pathology and wondering if that was God's plan for us. six months later everything has fallen into place and we wonder why we were so anxious. silly us!

Kemis sings Edmund

You have to see this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVvsjty7FPw

heading south

it's final--i'm going to the states this fall. i'll be attending wayne state university in detroit for a 2 year m.a. in speech-language pathology. it's exactly 6 consecutive semesters of coursework and practicum so i'll be done at the end of summer 2008, if all goes according to plan.

i'm excited. as much as i love my family i have wanted to go off on my own for a bit and this is the perfect opportunity. plus it's a great program at an amazing price. since ontario borders michigan, wsu has a "good neighbour policy" where ontario students get to pay the in-state tuition fees. the cost ends up being similar to what i would pay if i were to go to a canadian school.

speaking of which, i did not get into any canadian schools. i wasn't even waitlisted this year, as i was last year. i think the reason for this is that my gpa last year was higher since it didn't include my abysmal last semester marks. anyway, if i add this year's and last year's applications together, i'm 0 for 7 in canada. yet i got into all 5 american schools i applied to. in any case, i'm very thankful i got in anywhere at all and can only attribute it to God's grace.

He reigns!

One of my favourite Easter songs is In Christ Alone. The first time I truly sang the words was while I was on a missions trip to Nashville. We were at Belmont Church where every member of the congregation worships zealously--young and old. The lyrics were particularly powerful to me that day for some reason, and as we sat in the pews singing the 3rd verse I desperately wanted to stand. Just at that moment every member of the congregation jumped to their feet in worship and celebration and tears welled up in my eyes. May we never lose the joy and wonder of Christ's victory.

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone! - who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand!

Learn Chinese in 5 minutes...

I found this in my email account. Someone sent it to me when I was in high school and I saved it and forgot about it until now. The first half I found hilarious but the magic wears off a little toward the end.

Are you harboring a fugitive? : "Hu Yu Hai Ding?"
See me A.S.A.P. : "Kum Hia Nao"
Stupid Man : "Dum Gai"
Small Horse : "Tai Ni Po Ni"
Did you go to the beach? : "Wai Yu So Tan?"
I bumped into a coffee table. : "Ai Bang Mai Ni"
I think you need a facelift. : "Chin Tu Fat"
It's very dark in here. : "Wai So Dim?"
Has your flight been delayed? : "Hao Long Wei Ting?"
I thought you were on a diet. : "Wai Yu Mun Ching?"
This is a tow-away zone. : "No Pah King"
Do you know the lyrics to the Macarena? : "Wai Yu Sing Dum Song?"
I got this for free. : "Ai No Pei"
Please, stay a while longer. : "Wai Go Nao?"
Our meeting was scheduled for next week. : "Wai Yu Kum Nao?"
They have arrived. : "Hia Dei Kum"
He's cleaning his automobile. : "Wa Shing Ka"