A Rocking Weekend

VOCO is the Varsity Outdoors Club at our university, and it is an amazing group to be part of!  For only thirty dollars a year, you have access to all the incredible trips, lessons, and adventures outside in this beautiful region.

This weekend we took off  and did a bit climbing with some spectacular people!  Not only did we get to meet great new friends, climb to ridiculously beautiful heights, jump in a lake afterwards, camp on top of a mountain.....but we had precious time to breathe clean fresh air and take a break from academics.

I really  do believe that university is learning in all sense of the word....as Mark

Twain said, “ I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.”  There are some things better learned indoors and some things better learned outdoors.

While I was camping alone in a tent that night, on top of a mountain, in pristine nature, I got a bit scared.  I kept hearing footsteps around my tiny tent and I didn’t know what or who it was.  It got me thinking about how our minds do that sometimes – invent stories.  In truth, I was perfectly safe...but that fear felt so visceral as I was waiting for my mattress to inflate.  That’s because emotions are sensation.  They are our physical response to thoughts, and they are ok.   So many of us feel like we are not in control of our emotions, that they determine how we operate.  I have felt like that too.  The truth is that once we feel them, we can let them pass.   We have to let our emotions pass through us, not try to get rid of them as soon as we can.  As Jung so wisely put it, “What you resist, persists.

Just fyi, those footsteps around my tent were a family of deer, according to a friend who walked by.

I don’t know how I got to talking about that when all I really wanted to do was to let you know I had a beautiful beautiful time with VOCO this weekend.

Thank you for that.  

View from my Window

This is what I look at as I turn to my right, while writing this post.....the view from my dorm window.  Doesn't get much better than that.  I feel so lucky!!

  Oh yeah, and it's like 30 degrees outside today.  Okanagan heat is back!

PS: By the way, do you know how depressing it is to continually check blog comments and continually see - "NO COMMENTS FOUND."  Haha, not to sound desperate or anything.

Avalanche City

Recently a really good friend let me in on the ridiculously beautiful secret of Avalanche City, who make incredible music.  I hear that the guy in it plays ALL the instruments and sings in most songs!  Isn't that impressive?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMVVTZO5Dck

I like the acoustic version of this song better, but I just love the escapism and spontaneity in the lyrics....it's so romantic.  And as my favorite kiwi friend told me, the line "there's nothing a bit of fresh breeze won't cure"  is very characteristic of New Zealand.  This is a huge part of the reason why I would like to do my study abroad over there!  Or should I say down under there :P

~

In the car on the way to the city
in the morning it was foggy on the windscreen
we talked about the day ahead
and shouldn't we just run away instead

We started to believe our dreams
and I just kept driving right past the exit
throwing our cellphones out of the window
yelling at the city goodbye we wont miss you

I knew now that our lifes on track
as I felt the strength down in my bones come back
you smile at me and I at you
cos this is all we ever wanted to do

So to the south now with our hearts alive
and our heads free of worry that our lives provide
off far in the distance almost out of sight
goodbye to city days so long to city nights

So believing every word we say
I drove on until the break of day
a smile stretched from my ear to yours
there's nothing a bit of fresh breeze wont cure

Go on, you said
Drive on, you said
Go on
Go on

Letting Go, Holding On

One of my wonderful floor mates, Emily, gave me a great quote the other day:
" All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on." - Henry Ellis

It feels more real than ever.  Sometimes I find myself torn between two (or three) worlds, of my old school Pearson College, my home and family, and finally here where I actually live.  It is hard to let go, because at Pearson and at home there is so much attachment - to people and place.

What do you think?  Is it better to live in the present? Or divulge temporarily into the past or future?  Obviously sometimes it's necessary to plan or reflect, but how does one go about "living now?"  I know Eckhart Tolle has some interesting ideas on the topic....

On another note, classes are great!  I especially love sociology, gender studies, and English!  I have some rad profs!

A Glimpse Into Residence

My peace lily, named Dove

My tropical plant named Delilah

Textile from Kenya and my yoga mat

My wall of love and my bed

My desk of diligence.  Ha!

Fridge, laundry basket that isn't there, photos from my summer, new lamp

Closet

Room view when you walk in, it's roomier than it appears

Self explanatory

Bathroom from my entrance (plant's name is Kai)

Toilet and Camille's beautiful artwork

3 Scary Things

- Mosh Pits.  These are like little concentrated balls of barbarianism.  Why the heck do people feel the need to bounce around and crash into other people?  Are we bumper cars?  Hello?  This was frightening at the concert on Saturday night, I thought people were pretend boxing.

- Little cricket things with wings that make a clapping sound

- Cell phones.  Still have not gotten used to them.  Emily helped me discover t9 yesterday!  Congratulations Emmy, I am now able to text marginally faster (5 minutes per text instead of 10).

Pearson College, you have made me technologically retarded. 

A Down Day?

I don't know why.  Maybe it was not going to bed until midnight and waking up at 7.  Maybe it was some intense conversations.  Maybe it's being in a new place.  Maybe it's the new ID rules on campus.  Maybe it's the email telling me I need to take more courses. It's probably the fact that blogger tells me "there are no comments found for this blog."

But today I feel a bit blue.

It doesn't make sense because last night was SO lovely.  I made the most delicious dinner (with my 20lbs of potatoes and other fruits/vegetables fresh from the farmer's market) with my sweet suite-mate Camille and my friend Shayle.  I had an incredible class with the wonderful Prof. Hargreaves....and things should be all on track. It's starting to cool down and feel like fall today.  Changing seasons.  Changing moods.

Someone('s roommates) left their cell number and a note saying "I'm lonely" on my door today.  Haha.  So now we have a little texting thing going on.  Weird, this age of technology.  In the old days people used to "court" and "ask for someone's hand."  Now all they're asking for is my number.

I spoke with my dear friend from NYU Abu Dhabi the other day, it was so glorious to see her face again.  As painful as it is to realize I will never go back to Pearson, those friendships are still very much alive and blossoming.

With a bit of a heavy heart,
Emmy

PS: here are some photos of our DELIGHTFUL dinner.  Camille is such a wonderful person to live with and cook with.

Another Day of Chill Intensity

Don't get used to this habit of a daily post, it's just the whole exciting-new-endeavor phase, along with my ridiculously light course load enabling me to write on the whim.  I'm trying to figure out whether to take only four courses; which involves one class a day three days a week, and 2-4 classes a day the other two days...what do you think?  Is that enough school?    Haha.

Well today was wonderful.  I mean, in some ways.  It is 10th anniversary of the tragic September 11th terrorist attacks.  I was nine years old when I woke up on that sleepy weekday to hear on the radio announcers confused and terrified.  I remember my first thought being "How could towers that big and strong fall down?"  It didn't even occur to me that there were people inside! Maybe that is just how a child's brain works.  At school all the TVs were blaring and my grade 4 teacher made us write a paragraph about how we felt, because "this would be a day to remember."  When I saw people jumping out of windows from the 100th floor my heart jumped out with them too, what would it be like, free falling to your death knowing there was no other way to end it?  What were they thinking?  Did they feel air on their skin and look at the clouds or was it just all crashing rubble and blistering fire? 

What did they say to each other before it was all over?  Were they expecting just another work day?


The thing is,  I had a family tragedy this summer when one of my cousins who was very young was killed.  It was unexpected and it jolted me into the reality that all of this, all that we take as a given, all that we know we don't really know at all.  We are not in control.  And most of all, this life is a fleeting, precious, and valuable gift. 

Have you listened to a really powerful piece of music that stirs something dormant in your soul?  Well today I did, it was something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFSRs7iqAv8

I went to a lovely inter-faith Sept. 11 ceremony at a United Church and it corporated many different traditions and religions (Centre for Inquiry, to Sikh, to Lutheran) and I was so moved by the messages of healing and remembrance.  It felt good to do something on this important day.  It is also a full moon tonight and in many different beliefs that has significance.  Basically I am just feeling really connected right now, on a Sunday at university.

When I went to Kenya this summer on a humanitarian-educational trip (I will tell you more in another post) I was interested in how seriously people take Sundays.  There is no work on Sundays.  I like that. I like that we set aside time for rest and renewal of spirit.  It is vital, essential, and something we don't realize in the speedy chase of North American paced lives.

So my learning today is this:  slowing down Sundays makes me more sunny :)

All my love,
Emmy xox


http://www.discerningthetimesonline.net/TheHarlotanddaughtersInterfaith.html


http://www.discerningthetimesonline.net/TheHarlotanddaughtersInterfaith.html

Late Night Conversations

Funny how 1am conversations can leave you feeling so happy.

Crime Scenes and Beaches

Life is full of surprises.

I woke up to another beautiful sunshine-y morning today, I stepped outside with my amazing suite mate Camille to go for breakfast.   I walked down the stairs and noticed police cars and yellow caution tape.  Suddenly more little placards with letters were around...evidence placards.  Yes folks, something fishy happened. I am probably not allowed to disclose what it was but from what I was told:

Last night (first weekend of the school year) it was major party central.  There was a fight involving people not from the university. Weapons were pulled out and people were hurt.

I am disheartened.  A little bit disappointed, but am comforted by the fact that something of this nature has never happened before.  The school also does a lot to promote safety,  we have a great program here called Safewalk, where you can get attractive people to walk you home if you are feeling afraid/unsure.  We also have RAs doing rounds regularly to make sure policies are enforced, and yes the university has strict policies surrounding alcohol, drugs, and parties. We are also given a wealth of resources, counselling, and places to relax.

I am glad those policies exist, though.

I hope this doesn't happen again.

On another happier note, I had a lovely day at the beach with my new friend from the Yukon, Kelly.  She is beautiful and we had a ton of fun today in the water and meeting new people.  I am thoroughly soaking up the new environment and loving meeting so many awesome faces.  Everyone here has a fascinating story to tell, and I rejoice in hearing them.  Especially in gorgeous places, and believe me, the valley we are in is absolutely stunning.

Thank you for that, university.  And please please keep us safe, healthy, and happy from now on.

-Emmy


http://www.freefoto.com/preview/28-31-4/Crime-Scene-Do-Not-Enter


http://bcadayatatime.com/2009/11/17/day-27-bare-it-all-on-wreck-beach/

Nice to Meet You

Hi there!

I don't really know how you found me in this overwhelming cyber world, but somehow you did, and I'm glad you stopped by to visit. 

I'm starting this blog on my fifth day of university after wandering around campus on the first Friday of the year. I am not your average party girl.  In fact, I suck at parties and drinking and drugs and all of that.  Which is not so much a bad thing.  Instead I enjoy baking and writing blogs and cleaning the lint of the dryer filter.

I feel a bit disillusioned by the image we have of what we do in university.  Sure the drinking is fine.  Sure we have all this new freedom.  Sure we are surrounded by attractive people.  I will not deny these luxuries, but why are we here?

This is why I went to university:

- To figure out how to best help the world
- To figure out how to best help myself
--> To gain the skills and tools to live a life of meaning
- To make friendships and have interesting adventures
- To learn


Is anyone with me?  Anyone out there at all?
This blog ought to have some kind of theme.  There are so many university blogs out there, I guess.  How about - making sense of nonsense.  Haha, I really can't think of an angle here that makes me different, so for now let's just say I'm in the process. This is a blog ABOUT the process.  About making choices at the crossroads, of choosing to say yes, of new beginnings, of adventures, of fear and fearlessness, or love, and losing love.  This is a story of youth.  This is a story of beauty that isn't pretty every day.  Of life that is full.

Because in the end, isn't that what we all want?  A full life...

Yours in peace,
Emmy