Thinkings

Hello again wed world. I don't believe anyone reads this anymore but I wanted to post something as I sit here and think about other things while I am supposed to be writing an essay exam which is due in just under 4 hours (I have my intro already so the rest is smooth going). Anywho a couple thoughts:

1) It appears as if disjointed random thoughts are the in thing. As I read through others blogs I read things like:

"It's snowing. Snow I like. Snow makes me happy". This is a quote made up by me because I do not wish to actually make fun of particular people by using a real quote.

Maybe that's what a blog is all about so maybe I'll try it.

2) I like reading. Reading is good for my brain. It makes me happy.

Hehe I'm not so good at this. Anyway I am almost done exams and even before I am done I am getting overly excited about the fact that I get to start reading again! I am planning out what book I will start with but I am never really that planful in my reading material...meaning I don't create book lists which I want to read. I just pick up the first book that I see and start areadin'. I used to hate reading because I couldn't get over the idea of it just being words on a page. My head wouldn't get into it. Now I have the oposite problem. I get so into my reading that I forget about the real world. I can read a book and actually become the main character. It is scary actually. If I read I will completely faze out of life. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I can avoid all problems in my life by reading a book...hummm...doesn't sound too bad but I think there is a risk to living in a fantasy world...it's too easy to run away from problems. Well it's been 4 months since I actually had the chance to read so we'll see if I have changed. Who knows, maybe it will just be words on a page.

Oh boy time is apassin' and I need to get writing!

wrecking havoc

I am really loving my online discussions. It's absolutely great. I get to hide my identity and be the biggest devil's advocate you have ever seen! Although it's not so nice when random people start "yelling" at me in computer form. I get a little annoyed with one person saying something and then the next 10 posts go "I agree totally" "that's a very good point" "you said what I was thinking" etc. etc. follwed by a little extra information. So I decide to mix it up a bit by saying the opposite, usually bringing in some fiction novel that I read or something else just as random. Anyway this is not the first time someone has actually yelled at me. I think that I have been blamed for the nuclear bombs dropped in Japan in WWII. Don't you love outside the box thinkers ((sarcasism INTENDED)direct quote from yeller).

Welcome back to university life Lynn.

research based

If you want personal changes to occur then the changes much happen while in your natural environment. Research has shown that this is true for troubled youth. If you want to help them you must work with everyone in their lives so that the change is possible. It is a community effort. If you pluck someone from their environment and put them in a new setting that person has to recreate themselves b/c their entire world has changed. That recreating will be affected by those around the person especially if they are encouraged to be a certain way. But what happens when that person goes back into their natural environment again afterwards? When it comes to youth usually they will return to their old ways b/c nothing has changed except themselves and when someone is fighting against a force 10X stronger than themselves they are bound to fail no matter what skills they have learned. Is research always right? There are always exceptions to the rule...all we can do is hope I guess. One thing that I always have to remind myself of is that when it comes to personal changes you can't do it by yourself and community is important but it begins with yourself. Don't wait for someone else to take the first step for you. That's up to you and all we can do is pray that your community is behind you.

Missing carefree holland.

back in canada

so here i am back in canada. it's about time i update my blog and maybe even change the title considering i am no longer in holland. being back has been great so far...minus the increase in work of course. it's amazing how humans can adapt. when i was in holland i would never have imagined that i could just jump right back into life in canada. i was actually nervous to leave and didn't even want to leave (is that hard to believe considering i was living in europe having the most maxo relaxo life anyone could have;D). anyway it's too great having freedom to do what i want when i want and i love living with the girls in the house. basically it's good to be back!

I have never seen such a beautiful camping picture in my life so i thought that I would share it. Imagine it is from the Ontario Parks website, meaning that such a beautiful spot exists in ontario! Based on the rock and water it is somewhere on georgian bay but you can never so so such...could be in the great canadian sheild, more inland from the bay. Makes me realize why I decided, even before I left for Europe, that I never want to move out of Canada (as Sanna says " never say never Lynn!":D. The house where I live has an absolutely beautiful garden and it is so nice to sit out in it on a nice night with candles, a glass of rose, some friends, or a book. As I was doing that exact thing last week it almost felt like I could have been at a cottage in ontario's "north" except for one thing: I could here the highway and airplanes flighing overhead. It did not destroy the experience but it did help me to realize how small the Netherlands really is. Even though I am surrounded by forest here I am still so close to busyness. Don't get me wrong I LOVE!!!! being so close to everything; biking distance even from Amsterdam I realized this past weekend; but this picture that I have posted speaks for itself:D. Happy wildernessing my dear Canadian friends. Be there with you in a month!

PS: I am not homesick right now...just enjoying everyday as it comes. Can't beat playing outside all day with sweet kids. I get to do all the fun kid things again without the stigma of being immature...could I ask for more?

I have never seen such a beautiful camping picture in my life so i thought that I would share it. Imagine it is from the Ontario Parks website, meaning that such a beautiful spot exists in ontario! Based on the rock and water it is somewhere on georgian bay but you can never so so such...could be in the great canadian sheild, more inland from the bay. Makes me realize why I decided, even before I left for Europe, that I never want to move out of Canada (as Sanna says " never say never Lynn!":D. The house where I live has an absolutely beautiful garden and it is so nice to sit out in it on a nice night with candles, a glass of rose, some friends, or a book. As I was doing that exact thing last week it almost felt like I could have been at a cottage in ontario's "north" except for one thing: I could here the highway and airplanes flighing overhead. It did not destroy the experience but it did help me to realize how small the Netherlands really is. Even though I am surrounded by forest here I am still so close to busyness. Don't get me wrong I LOVE!!!! being so close to everything; biking distance even from Amsterdam I realized this past weekend; but this picture that I have posted speaks for itself:D. Happy wildernessing my dear Canadian friends. Be there with you in a month!

PS: I am not homesick right now...just enjoying everyday as it comes. Can't beat playing outside all day with sweet kids. I get to do all the fun kid things again without the stigma of being immature...could I ask for more?

Boxin' Lynn

Sanna has been trying to get me to come to her boxing class for about 4 months now. Every week I have thought of some wonderful excuse not to go; the main one being that I have to watch the kids. Well today she got me. She was over with her youngest girl and my family had to go so she knew I didn't have to take care of the kids. So I went. I was very skeptical going in and now I'm hooked. Who knew that bashing at someone's head, arms, legs, and tummy could be so much fun:D! And it's not even just the hitting that's fun it's also very good exercise. I was sweating like a pig (sorry for all the details...hehe). I just have to make one quick apology...Jan and Elissa I'm very sorry b/c I am now covered in bruises. Oh well...all a part of the fun...no pain no gain.