Tried another quiz- the Celtic Horoscope (pretty accurate it seems)

You Are A Fig Tree

You are very independent and strong minded. A hard worker when you want to be, you play hard too. You are honest and loyal. You hate contradiction or arguments. You love life, and you live for your friends, children, and animals. A great sense of humor, artistic talent, and intelligence are all gifts you possess.

What's Your Celtic Horoscope?

Post about my Home in the North

Weird? I am writing my first blog on my Apple laptop (instead of my parents PC) and I don't have any of the font editing tools as I do when I am on the PC... I apologize if this will be the only formatting that I can do from now on since this is the computer I will use all year to correspond! However, one benefit of writing this on my laptop is that I have some pictures from the North so you will be able to witness a few realities of the life I love so much! I realize that I have not many pictures of me, mostly ones of others... actually no pictures of my new skidoo from this past winter, or even of my new house... Guess you'll have to wait for those! This first pic is a typical one of me when I go for a skidoo ride. I love the fresh air that you breathe in through the neck warmer! LOL Second pic is from one side of town looking towards the mountain, which leaves a shadow on most of the houses halfway through the day... In the pic you only see a small part of town, but I like the way it shows what most houses look like. AND the last picture is of my old 4-wheeler. I bought it second hand from another teacher my second year. It is fun to drive around from August- early October, and then from late May-June, but really I like the skidoo much more. Not just because it is new but because of all the camping possibilities in winter that it opens up. So, yeah, the 4-wheeler is a Yahama Big Bear 350, and it is nice for when you feel like driving around. On that day I went to the road past the airport where there is a tall mountain. I climbed the mountain with the machine then took lots of pictures all the way to Ungava Bay and where the George River meets the Bay. It really is beautiful, and pictures don't even do it justice!

Saturday, what a day!

Oh, what a nice day, today turned out to be! The forecast was so dismal sounding that I didn't think the Yarmouth Waterfront Festival would be able to happen, but Mother Nature blessed us again! (Thanks!) I was invites to join a Seafest crew on a boat for the parade of lights. I was somewhat reluctant but am glad now that I said yes. It was so beautiful to see the other boats and the docks packed with people. There seemed to be an outpouring of community spirit and the band that was playing only helped that even more. I couldn't believe the mix of songs that they knew how to play- anything from oldies to new stuff, country to hard rock to hiphop... There were so many people dancing away that you could not even count them. Good stuff! If my mom didn't have to go home to get some sleep before work tomorrow, I think my dad and I were ready to stick around and have fun. Short entry for today, not much happened earlier- did a bit of shopping with my mom, and had a wonderful barbeque of ribs and sausages at my brother/ future sister-in-law's house just down the street. Great time, good food and their "kids" are so cute! (tiny black kitten named Harry and a 2 year old black lab called Maggie) That's all for now, happy Sunday! G.

Valley Ho!

My father had a nother meeting in Halifax today and since my mudder also had the day off, we went up together so we could shop while he worked. Nice day of travelling, made few pit stops on the way up via the south shore, then had a solid three hours of wandering, sightseeing and of course, shopping. ON the way home we stopped into visit some family friends who now live in Bridgetown. What a cute town, many old, danty and quite well kept homes and the trees, they were HUGE lining some of the street. I mean it is no Wolfville, however, it is awfully cute for being a place I have never visited much! Meg and Glen were very happy to have visitors, especially unexpected ones, and we only really stayed a half hour but they were very touched and pleased to have the company. I don't think I could live in that region of NS, the heat when we exited the otherwise, air-conditioned car, was STIFLING to me. I guess that is why the norh suits me so well. Up north you can clothe yourself properly to be comfortable in frigid arctic temps, but here if you have shorts and a tank top on and you are still boiling hot, what else can you do, except maybe visit friends with a pool, brave the Bay of Fundy waters or try to get a job at M&M? FOr the curious blog read among you, I am going back up north for my 4th year in a few weeks. I am teaching at a school called "Ulluriaq" which is Inuktittut for "star". (see the website link on my homepage sidebar, there is even a webcam that shows a view from the school towards the daycare and my old house) The community is and isolated fly in Inuit community located in Nunavik (which is the piece of land in Northern Quebec NOT the new territory, which is Nunavut) Similar but different! I am a secondary teacher, and teach a variety of course for students in the equivalent of grade 8-12. My favourite classes are Biology and PSD (personal and social development, otherwise health) even though I was trained in geography and history in university) and I don't mind teaching math or English which I have also done the past couple of years. Every year my courses change a little bit, but I don't mind much since I like new challenges... (I have also taught computer courses, and like those but don't get much chance to do it these days.) I have a lot of respect for those who teach the youngsters of society... I don't think I could teach any younger than MAYBE grade 4, because I hate it when kids get whiny and tattle tale... Well, I have to wake up early and start waiting for my new iPod which Fedex is due to deliver tomorrow- ARGH, they have a HORRIBLE company ethic and personnel from my experiences on Wednesday, but DON"T get me started!!! Good night,G.

Okay, I swear this is the last one.... for today!

Try it out and let me know if any of you are either the bright star soul or the dreamer soul...

You Are a Prophet Soul

You are a gentle soul, with good intentions toward everyone. Selfless and kind, you have great faith in people. Sometimes this faith can lead to disappoinment in the long run. No matter what, you deal with everything in a calm and balanced way. You are a good interpreter, very sensitive, intuitive, caring, and gentle. Concerned about the world, you are good at predicting people's feelings. A seeker of wisdom, you are a life long learner looking for purpose and meaning. You are a great thinker and communicator, but not necessarily a doer. Souls you are most compatible with: Bright Star Soul and Dreaming Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

Too Cool!! Try this quiz and tell me if it's accurate for you?

I tried this quiz and it is only one question... I have been told from many people however that I am talented in this area... Weird how clicking on a picture could also figure that out! G.

Your Hidden Talent

Your natural talent is interpersonal relations and dealing with people. You communicate well and are able to bring disparate groups together. Your calming presence helps everything go more smoothly. People crave your praise and complements.

What's Your Hidden Talent?

Another Quiz... these are fun!!

Hey Everybody- I might actually do a few of these quizzes... hope you don't mind but they are sometimes quite fun to see what you get... This quiz is to see how old you act... For some reason the title might not show up but it determined that I was 29 years old... So, it was almost right on!!(Since I am 27)

You Are 29 Years Old

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What'>http://www.blogthings.com/whatagequiz/">What Age Do You Act?

I am a Chick Rocker (whatever that means!)

You Are a Chick Rocker!

You're living proof that chicks can rockYou're inspired by Joan Jett and the DonnasAnd when you rock, you rock hard(Plus, you get all the cute guy groupies you want!)

What Kind of Rocker Are You?

I was trying to check Aussienan's blog and since it was blank I checked some of her contacts so I could at least read something worth writing about then I saw this silly little quiz and took it. Guess I am a chick rocker... Guess that is better than being pegged as a Death Metal Kiss style!! I just hope that the prophecy about the "cute guy groupies" really does happen!! (Any of you praying people get to work for me! LOL)

Ding Dong...

Well, its has been quite an interesting few days of trying new things. I attended an amazing concert of the Holy Trinity church bells on Seafest Saturday, and was impressed by how many different tunes you can play on the bells. There were four different musicians and the songs lasted over 2 hours, everything from Sailor songs to children's songs to church music to the Beatles and other oldies. As a result of the concert, I became very curious as to how the bells worked and asked Lori Colbeck- who I knew played the bells from time to time as well. She said she could teach me how they worked, and thats what we did on Saturday morning. (My apologies to anyone reading this that might live in the neighbourhood, since your attempt to sleep in was probably thwarted!) I have always been involved in musical pursuits- every once in a while still play my trombone from high school days, the guitar, drums, and fiddle a little with the piano- so this seemed like a somewhat mysterious and challenging thing to try. I was a bit shy at first but it is SOOOO fascinating!! I have now decided that I would really like to practice more and play occasionally when there is noone available some Sunday. The neatest part of the instrument is that there are only 11 notes- D, E and B flat, but no sharps and no B natural, so your range of music is rather limited! I photocopied a few pieces from Lori's binder and plan on practicing a bit around lunch for a few days... This morning at 10:15, I went up in the tower to watch Pat Nickerson play. She has been playing the bells for around 25 years now and is absolutely phenomenal. Her hands were a bit shaky at times and pressing the levers take a lot of strength and energy, but you would never know she has those difficulties if you hear the complexity and speed of the songs she plays... At the end of the 40 minute concert, she began a number of ecstatic peeling runs of notes and she was moving so quickly that I actually had to step back in awe! The funniest part was watching people walk by the church and bell tower as if there was nothing happening. I guess we are sometimes so used to things or maybe we assume they are automatic, that we take them for granted... We might not have an understanding of the preparation, effort and energy that goes into the creation of those beautiful sounds, sights and smells around us! Next time you hear church bells, think about all of the people around you in your life that work to make the world and more pleasant, kind and lovely place to be.

Testing what you are made of...

This picture should be accompanying my last entry about dreams but last night I was having trouble uploading the images, and plus I was in a rush to get to Karaoke at Rudders so I didn't post them... This pic (to the left) shows the type of highway that I was driving on with my host parents in Italy. SO scenic, it was breath taking! This other pic shows how the cliffs are used in all of the building- including the churches and houses. If you are ever looking for a GORGEOUS place to visit, then go to Garda Lake (or Lago di Garda in Italian). >*< * > *< * > *< * > *< * > *< * > *< * > *< * > *< * > *< * >*< Well, anyway onto today's posting. Rain. Some people say that tough situations or circumstances test us to show what we are really made of. I somewhat agree- today as I bailed water from our basement for the second time in a week, I felt tested. My patience was running VERY thin, wishing there was a less tiring way to get the job done. But as I kept working, I realized that when push comes to shove you do what you have to do in an emergency like that. I was reading quotes yesterday and read one that said that our true character is tested not during difficulties but during successes... When things are going well for us, sometimes we become proud about our accomplishments and skills, selfish/greedy with our wealth and with our time, and we expect a certain level of treatment just because "we deserve it". Success tests us more than trial, since nothing actually forces us to remain humble, kind and generous as difficulties FORCE us to react or lose something of value. Interesting. My desire is this- Lord, may my integrity and virtue be tested and found to be right and solid. (PS and take the rain away! LOL)

Quotations for the Dreamers Among Us

“ A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world." Oscar Wilde (Irish Poet, Novelist, Dramatist and Critic, 1854-1900)

I love dreaming, day- dreaming or night-dreaming, that world that exists only in my own mind. If only others could see it at times, it would cause very interesting discussions to take place on this side of reality. However, it also gives me comfort that some of the most spectacular things I have seen or that I imagine are for my eyes only, for I need not explain myself to those who don't understand. For in the right time and place, I believe I will understand all those things which I have seen and they will come alive.

I once had a dream that I was looking up to a shining blue sky. On either side of me were steep cliffs, so close together that I felt as though I was in a crack. As I looked up, I was not afraid or worried, I was just dazzled by the brightness of the sky and coolness of the wet, dark rock on either side of me. As I watched, I felt drops of water fallings onto my face and into my eyes. The water was cool and felt refreshing as it dribbled down my cheeks and neck. I remembered the vividness of this dream and held it in my heart for a few years.

In 1997, I graduated from high school. I was not too sure what I was interested in studying at university or what field I would like to work in, so I accepted an offer from the local Rotary Club to go as an exchange student to Germany for 1 year. I felt as though it would be a good opportunity, but still was a little bit afraid and worried that maybe I was not choosing the best route for my life. During the Easter Holidays, my host parents rented a flat in a community in the mountains around Lago di Garda. We drove in their Beamer from Northern Germany to the town in Northern Italy, which was one of the most incredibly scenic drives I have every been on. At one point the road narrowed and weaved in and out of the rocky cliffs just south of the Alps, we stopped in one neat rocky tunnel and talked a little bit about the engineering strategies behind the building of those roads (my host father was an architect). I looked up above that road to see how high the mountains were around the road and my heart skipped a beat. I automatically recognized the scene from my dream. Water drops hit my face and I felt so warm inside. I felt as though God was reminding me of the dream and was telling me that in fact I HAD chosen the right path for my life. I was in the right place, at the right time and that it was all planned far in advance. What comfort that those dreams we have can bring.

Shoo Be Doo Be Doo Wah!

I don't know why I am doing this poem but frankly I feel like it, so there!

There's a song in my head,

But my eyes feel like lead,

Think it's now time for bed,

Since my heart's well fed.

From the day I just had,

with my bro, mom and dad,

Being cool's just a fad,

Friends make me glad.

Can't type any more,

I can see out the door,

bed's contents to the floor,

I'm... ... falling... ... fast aslee-zzzzz...

Gillian- Wed., July 19th, 2006 11:59 pm AST

Pics (especially for profile)

This is me doing some Ice fishing up north.

This pic was a bit distorted, but was from me during a "house crawl" party that

I created with another teacher to entertain some of the staff at my school one weekend.

(In 2004 I think?!)

This was the first fish I ever caught in my life.

It was during a school trip one weekend in September 2003.

What a rush!

I was trying to do some artsy pics of myself one day.

This one was just trying out the black and white function...

Day two... and the beat goes on...

Hmmm, I have never been at a loss for words very frequently but am feeling a little sluggish in the mind today. Possibly it was the late nights that I have been living, or maybe it is the heat (boy, do I ever miss the north!), but either way I am excited thinking about the course of today. Holidays are so refreshing and give you a chance to sit back and survey the vast opportunities that are available to yourself. This week I have been helping out with a vacation bible school. They were in grave need of helpers and so I thought I could do a good deed and help out. Unfortunately however, I am starting to realize how superficial some people are. Too many people in this town of mine are more concerned with proving themselves to be of value than they are with actually giving to others. So many people here in this town are always trying to come across as knowing more than the Jones', or being better than the Jones'. It seems that few people in Yarmouth are happy with just merely keeping up with the so-called Jones', but they need to feel superiour than them. I have been back for only a week and a half and it is already driving me nuts. I hate to be judgemental, since I think the real problem is that people don't have much self- love and self- respect, which causes them to always feel inferiour. I just wish that more people could become comfortable in their own skin so it would not be so offensive to be around them. I don't have much to brag about myself- but despite all of these weaknesses I am comfortable with who I am, so I am not in the race to prove to others that I am worthy of their respect... If they don't respect me, well, it doesn't change who I believe that I am. I know that I do not have to conform to other people's expectations of me... People here would be much happier if they could grasp this, and also I think that their relationships would be stronger. Just some thoughts... feel free to share what you think, maybe I have not considered something about the struggles that people face sometime. I consider myself to be rather open-minded and understanding, so please help enlighten me! It's been a tough day so I just have to vent!

Finally getting in the BLOG GROOVE!

Hi Everyone, Well, I have checked out a few blogs this evening and decided that maybe this is the perfect thing to get into to give me a place to share my incessant rambling reflections with more than the journal page. Welcome and feel free to interact with me on this site, so I can also keep in touch with all of you! xoxo, Gillian