I love Spring!

The weight of the oppressive cold has been lifted,
I feel like I can breathe again.
The birds are singing a sweet melody,
I want to join in their chorus.
The tulip plants, though not budding, are green,
Giving hope for new beginnings.
It's easy to believe that Summer is around the corner,
First I want to take in the Spring air.

Rights

It's been 94 years since women were given the right to vote in the province of Manitoba. I didn't know we were the first province to give women that right. 2 years later women were given the right to vote across Canada in federal elections. That's not that long ago. We've come a long way with Women's rights since then. I'm very thankful for my right to vote, to own land, to have an education, and basically do whatever I want. I can't imagine living in a place that restricted my choices because of my gender. I have absolutely no idea what oppression or discrimination feels like.

It was only in 1960 that Aboriginal people of Canada were given the right to vote in federal elections. That's only 50 years ago, and the wounds from oppression are still evident in our society. How long will it take to achieve a society that is free from discrimination? Is it even possible?

2085

My grandparents have had their share of health problems in the past couple of years, and every year they say they never expected to live this long. My grandpa is 90 and my grandma is 85 and they are still independent and living on their own. I think it's so great, and they really are so cute together. At our Christmas gathering (which happened to be on New Year's Day) I heard my grandpa say to my grandma, "Wow, 2011, I didn't think I'd ever live to see this year. Did you think we'd make it this long?" and my grandma said, "No". It was really cute. My grandma also shared some memories about her childhood Christmas's. Things were so different back then. And it got me to thinking about what life might be like if I live to be 100. I don't ever want to get that old, but what if I do. I'll tell my grandchildren about facebook, ipods and cellphones and they'll laugh and say "face-WHAT?!?" and I'll shake my head and say, "Those were the days." Then they'll fly off to the moon where they now live because it's the latest thing to do.

My favorite part about working nights:

Watching the sunrise! (these pictures don't do it justice!)




**Disclamer: These pictures were not taken while I was on duty. In fact they were taken after I left work.**

Preparing for Christmas

only 2 weeks until Christmas and for the first time this year, while making small talk, I found myself asking the dreaded, cliche question: "Are you ready for Christmas?" I hate that question, and I don't know why I asked it...but it seemed like the "right" thing to say at this time of year.

The tree is up and decorated! The Christmas tunes are pumpin'! I've baked a couple of batches of Christmas cookies. I have NOT started buying gifts yet (That's what Christmas Eve is for...haha!) What else is there left to do?

I went to church tonight and the pastor was talking about the story of Zachariah and Elizabeth and when they found out that they would have a son: John, the one who would prepare the way for Jesus. After a period of shock and unbelief, both Zachariah and Elizabeth were pretty excited to have a son. The end of Zachariah's prophesy in Luke 1:76-79 says:

"And you my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God's tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace."

John was supposed to get ready for Jesus's coming to the world. How did he do that? By telling others about salvation through forgiveness and giving them something to hope for. Maybe that's what getting ready for Christmas is all about. Just a thought.

And the bunny trail: Not going to lie...I was slightly distracted when the pastor read Luke 1:62 and just kept going. I found it odd and confusing. It is after John is born and the family are confused as to why Elizabeth wants to call the baby "John". They turn to Zachariah. The verse says: "so they used gestures to ask the baby's father what he wanted to name him." Why did they use gestures? Zachariah couldn't speak...but it doesn't say anywhere that he couldn't hear. Weird.

Cowboy Angel

I love this song (Put the the Lights on the Tree) by Sufjan Stevens. Last year my cousin and I played/sang it at our Christmas gathering. The animation makes it even better! Ever since the lights have been put on my tree, I have had this song in my head.

Post-Dramatic Stress Disorder (PDSD)

**Disclaimer: The intention of this post is not to make light of an actual serious illness of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder...but rather to provide a therapeutic outlet for myself as a recovering PDSD sufferer.**

What is PDSD?
It is an emotional condition that develops as a result in participating in a dramatic production. The symptoms generally start developing after closing night. It is an acute disorder that has a good prognosis. However, once one has experienced this disorder, they are more likely to experience it again in the future!

Symptoms may include two or more of the following:
-Feelings of sadness
-Randomly inserting lines from the play into everyday life
-Having flashbacks/nightmares about the play
-Erroneously believing that they have to go to rehearsal.
-Wishing they had some fake eyelashes to wear
-Headaches
-Nausea, Vomiting, and Diarrhea
-Oliguria
-Cardiac arrhythmia's

Treatments:
There has been very little research done in the area of treatments for this disorder. One sufferer of this disorder stated that keeping in contact with cast and crew members helped diminish the symptoms. Drinking a hot cup of tea and reading a good book also been known to help ease the suffering. Talking about your experiences with others (even if they get sick of hearing about all your stories) is another recommended therapy.

Prevention:
The only prevention is abstinence: Do not get involved in any dramatic productions, EVER! But really, who wants to do that?

P.S. In case you're wondering...I only experienced 3 of the 9 listed symptoms...I guess it was a mild case. :)