Ruthlessly Sorted

As I am getting ready to move I am going through boxes, bags and other assorted storage items that I haven't gone through in a very long time if ever. When I first moved into my apartment my mother dropped off a large load of things that she'd kept for me and I never went into them. So now I am taking the opportunity and going through all the boxes and I find I am getting rid of as much as I can stand. I am pushing aside that thin streak of sentimentality and tossing aside what doesn't mean the most to me. Now of course I am nothing if not practical, so, I will be having a yard sale, be donating any useful items to the Salvation Army etc...

I have enjoyed seeing some of them items though. I found my grade 6 year book and it still burns me that I didn't press hard enough on the paper so you can only read about 3 words :). I also discovered the reasons behind why I am not allowed to have a library card anymore, and the remnants of my obsession with finding items that had my name on them. What I really love to find are the pictures - which are not going anywhere. Pictures of my dad with...HAIR, and I don't actually ever remember him with hair so it's a big revelation. Pictures of my various uncles weddings, and pictures of me growing up - apparently the attitude was there from day 1.

Now I will go continue to sort, and hopefully toss, but thoroughly enjoy some walks down memory lane.

Here I go

Well, I may be writing in my blog more often over the next couple of months, but it's hard to say. This month I am obviously because for some reason I find myself compelled to write in my blog and that almost never goes well :).

I am feeling a little tugged both ways right now because there's this massive to do list but I don't want to start some things now because it's too early and at the same time I feel like I'm leaving in no time at all. The best I can do is keep plugging away at the items and the fact of the matter is what is done is done, and what isn't isn't. I can't change that nor would I if I could. The deadline helps me stay focussed.

I've started to come to the realization that oh my goodness I'm leaving this city that I've lived in for my entire life. Leaving a routine that is firmly established and centred around a church that I've been attending since I was 7 years old. No matter how often I reassure myself that I'll see my friends and family for vacation and online it just won't be the same. No more phone calls from people saying they are ont their way to pick me up for a night out...no more "we're going to BP's" and knowing which one cause it's the only one we go to. So, I'm a little sad in and around the thrill of moving forward and doing what I'm meant to do.

Someone asked me once "What do you think when I say home", and I answered Calgary, and they were a bit surprised, but I know that no matter what changes happen in my life, and no matter where I end up this will always be home. Even if it isn't my first answer. I don't think you can ever forget the first place that was truly home.

Now, does the person who asked me that remember that conversation?

Busy

One of the comments I quite often get from people I socialize with that I met through work is "Wow, you're so busy". I always respond "No, not really" and in the past couple of years that statement was especially true. I was only out generally 2 sometimes 3 nights a week and of course Sundays. This was a huge slow down from someone who growing up considered less then 4 nights a week out a vacation. However, since my acceptance to training college my schedule has completely gotten away from me. Ah well, it is good to be reminded of how to live a filled life and I figure it's good preparation for what will be in my books and everyone elses a very busy lifestyle in a few months.

On the practical side of things I'm going around my apartment cleaning and sorting. I haven't started packing yet although that will come soon enough. The big thing for me is that I haven't cleaned out my stuff in over 5 years. The one thing about moving around every couple of months like I did when I was younger was that I didn't have that much stuff to worry about. Now I'm going to get much closer to that then I have been in awhile.

In other news, my birthday passed just recently and I always enjoy that. This year I headed to Edmonton and enjoyed being a little bit spoiled up there. Of course they do that every time I'm up there so I don't need a birthday but this time I got presents.

Now to reorganize my life and figure out how I'm going to fit in a trip to BC for my cat, packing, moving, moving again and getting to Winnipeg. Not to mention all the smaller yet no less vital things like the fact that I still have to do my day-to-day items like get groceries, go to work and make it to band practice.

Wish me luck, pray for me and stay away the minimum safe distance :)

Who'da Thunk?!?!

I found out very recently that I was accepted into the 2009 session for Canada's College for Officers Training. I am and will probably continue to walk around in a slight daze wondering if it's real.

I have been talking about going to training college for as long as I can possibly remember so the fact that it's finally here seems odd. I am excited and terrified about the challenge ahead of me as I move forward.

Everyone around me has been wonderfully supportive and I know they will continue to be so and I am always thankful for that. This support makes the challenges ahead seem surmountable instead of insurmountable.

Seattle

Well, I'm home from a trip across the border. This weekend I went to Seattle for 3 or 4 days to sightsee, shop and relax. I flew to Vancouver, B.C. to meet my mother and then we drove across the border which I have not done for a long time. We stopped at a mall for some shopping and headed into the city to check in and figure out our game plan for the weekend.

I got to see the fish fly at Pike Place market and a couple of those huge US stores that we don't have here. The selection at Bed, Bath and Beyond was something else. I enjoyed some fabulous and incredibly fresh seafood right on the pier and hit up my two fav. stores Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works. I sucked up my fear of heights and went to the top of the Space Needle which was windy enough that I was glad everything was fenced around, but the view was amazing and totally worth it.

I did manage to be sick (and still am as I write this), and of course being me I fell and scraped mself up some. I am now back home and still on holidays for another week or so and am planning on just lying low and getting completely healthy.

Tough Questions

I've been asked a lot of questions lately that have really made me focus on my faith and where I'm at with it, my life and how I got to where I am, and where I'd like to go. The ones about my life are in a lot of ways very easy. It's not a problem for me to look back and see my pitfalls, my successes and exactly how I ended up where I am in turns of money, jobs, and everything else.

The ones about my faith and where I'd like to go slow me up a little. Not that I don't know the answers but I haven't really had to explain that before and putting it into words has been something of a challenge. Those questions have been good for me though. I have been forced to evaluate myself on many levels and admittedly have not always come out showing well.

Some of the questions have been about timing too and that's not a question I feel I can answer except to say that I believe this is when God has called me to take the steps I'm taking, and ya know even if things don't happen this year that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm wrong. Maybe I do need to do the paperwork, and have the process done this year regardless of whether or not it happens right off the bat.

Well enough about that...I have a busy month in March and I am excited for it. I look forward to seeing some old friends, gaining some more experience in ministry and having some time off of work. I do love vacation even if I don't go anywhere.

Construction Zones

I seem to have a beacon on me that says please surround with construction. See not that long ago the city undertook a major construction job right at the intersection where my building resides. This caused a variety of minor but noticeable changes in my life and I was glad when the bulk of it was done. However, just as that job was wrapping up a major construction zone started up across the street from the building where I worked, and again several minor but noticeable changes. Well, I no longer work in that building so I thought that I would finally be free of all construction zones when....you guessed it. They are remodelling the entire interior of the lobby of the building where I now work. I just can't seem to get away from construction. I suppose now I will just have to be happy that these projects provide people with jobs which in these times is no small feat.

As for my job it has gotten interesting. Not only the increase and variety of my actual work but also the tense atmosphere due to potential layoffs. I am trying to take it all in stride while praying that I keep my job, and that everyone else keeps their jobs, but it can be difficult to work with that hanging over your head all the time.

I find working with the possibility of being laid off especially daunting because I am saving for training college this year. My application has progressed nicely and I am now finishing up the last of my paperwork. I passed my course with flying colours (for me), and am glad to be finishing everything up. Once that paperwork is done it will just be a matter of patience and prayer, and ya know...I can do those.

Oh, and I also got two new tattoos to my families many varied reactions, but these two should finish it up for me. I can't believe I have 4...it seems like it should be a lot but maybe because three of them are on my back I don't think it's too many.