2007, WOW!

So, I have almost been on this earth for 30 years... And I always considered 1979 to be in the near past... It is slowly slipping away in the FAR past! YIKES!

Yesterday I received a present of two books, one was based on an inside joke from Elementary School, and the second was an interesting one that has been recommended to me by Nannan (another blogger who for anyone who doesn't know already was my grade 4 teacher at Milton Elementary School). The book is a philosophical account by Kahlil Gibran. I have read a few websites that Nan recommended in the past and his poems and thoughts were ones I considered to be rather thought provoking. Some have said his writings are reminiscent of the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, in style and also a bit topically. As I was getting ready for bed last night I picked it up to skim through a few parts and thought I would share this one. It's about "Beauty", which is a topic that I talked with April about for quite a while over tea one afternoon after work. We were discussing with concern the trend these days of girls selling themselves short and trying to maintain a very unhealthy, low body weight for the sake of keeping their boyfriends. The women's view of beauty is often not to do with their character, or emotional strength but solely of their physical image. So, I come to this by Gibran, written in 1923, in the heyday of corsets and hat pins... but yet how relevant his thoughts remain!

All these things you have said of beauty, Yet in truth you spoke not of her but of needs unsatisfied, And beauty is not a need but an ecstasy. It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth, But rather a heart enflamed and a soul enchanted.

It is not the image you would see nor the song you would hear, But rather an image you see though you close your eyes and a song you hear though you shut your ears.

I LOVE it! Such an incredible way of explaining true beauty...

Shopping Sprees, Lunch and tall black boots...

Hmmm, when trying to write a title I often draw a blank. I have no idea where they come from at times, but today I simply wrote the first three things that popped in my mind.

Shopping sprees- well naturally I am just getting my fix for the next few months. And the nice part is the stuff I might have bought at full price had I been here at the store the past few months, is now almost always marked down to a sane price! So I am happy about that.

Lunch because I just finished a wonderful "Bloggers in the real World" luncheon at the Colony Restaurant. LJLC, Nannan and I all picked to indulge in the wonderfully rich and world-renowned seafood chowder. It contained large chunks of lobster and other sinfully amazing, treasures of the sea. (UNFORTUNATELY Frank couldn't join us. I heard something about preferring to stay home and play "Bejeweled" but who knows? (OK, just kidding, however, I think I am going to be in deep trouble for that joke! hahaha) Over the holidays I have had a few very nice "catch-up" lunchs, one with Jim and Lori just after Christmas at Chez Bruno, where Kenneth works.

Tall black boots... well, they were one of my impulse purchases in Halifax the morning I was trying to get dad to stay in the city long enough for my computer to be repaired. He needed new church/dress shoes and while I was waiting I thought I should try them on, of course on a lark, but not realizing how utterly awesome the feel. They have a 3 inch heel, but were so comfortable that I couldn't not buy them. I have wore them a few times. Of course, Paul was a bit unsupportive the first time ("Hey Paul, should I wear this shoe or the boot?..."What are you going to Church or a dance bar Gillian?"), but Kenneth has been encouraging me to wear them. It's hard to explain why I would spend this much of a blog page talking about high heel boots, but for anyone who knows me well, I only bought my first pair of heels for a friends wedding I was standing up in, in 1998. I was 19 and I had to go get "lessons" of how to walk without falling down. Now these were not even stiletto style, but a 2 inch high thick heel sandal, but I was horrid. I practiced up and down the aisle over and over again till I looked less like a neanderthal and more like a human.

So, 2006 is almost dead. How do I feel? Hmmm... well, frankly I am not too sure. I have never had an age complex, but another year means another year of me, myself and I... Not me, myself and __enter guy's name here__. LOL. I've never one to be really overly preoccupied with finding... wait, let me catch myself, that's a complete lie... of course, I always have my eyes and ears opened as to single guys!

But in hindsight, this has been a great year! Career wise- School has been rewarding. I mean not in the ways it should be- students graduating in mass numbers, but I can see positive things happening in their ways of thinking and their ability to make decisions, and for me that is a goal being met! Socially speaking- I have grown closer with existing friends, re-kindled old friendships, and also made new friends who are kindred spirits. What more could we wish for- dear family and friends who are alive and well, I have a healthy body, healthy mind, healthy spirit, a roof over my head, food in the belly, retirement fund on the grow...

What more could someone wish for? Happy New Year to all of you!!!

VACATION, oooh la la!

We had a combined Christmas event with the French secondary sector on Monday. One of the events which turned out to be the highlight was the sled race. Teams of 5 or 6 raced to pull one of the teachers through a course in the fastest time. The teams got so into it, and even the teachers were challenging each other by helping their teams by cheering, pushing or kneeling. This took place right in front of the school in the field in front of the parking lot. I am pretty sure some of the other classes were watching as it was so much fun!(First two pictures show some of the excitement and intensity!





On Tuesday we had planned to go on the land for a picnic and games, followed by a small Christmas feast. Some of the trails we went to first were laden with slush, but we finally found a nice spot in the trees on the trail to Tasialuk!



All day I noticed the smiles of the students. They were genuinely having a wonderful time with each other and all of their teachers. I like it when we have a chance to do events like this one. I have noticed it can make such a huge impact on how well students identify with you in the classroom, if they can see you in a more relaxed setting like the land.



It was a little chilly out that day and after being out for so long a warm fire and cup of hot chocolate goes down oh so nicely!



The boys were getting ready for the semi-final round of the snow shoe races. By this point they were getting pretty tired of racing up such a steep hill. Much more difficult than it might seem. I climbed up only a quarter of the way to get some pictures, and I wasn't wearing any snowshoes, but my foot went down through the snow so far that it was up to my waist! Even with snow shoes it was tricky to get a good grip on the icy sections, but everyone had a lot of fun trying it all the same! After the hot chocolate and the games, we all went back to the school and had an awesome meal together- spaghetti, beef stew, egg sandwiches, fish pieces, cake, veggies and dip... Everyone was full and happy, and we enjoyed having that time together!



I like Darrel as it shows how quickly they were sprinting back down the hill in the snow shoe race during our English Secondary picnic on Tuesday morning.



This is Joe, he's a great kid. Was in my first Secondary One homeroom class, and now he is in Secondary 4! He is very atheletic and climbs trees almost like Ozzy from the most recent season of Survivor!

Check out the school website and you might get a chance to see more pictures, I wrote a little blurb for our school webmaster so he might have a chance to post the pictures and words for this event.

So, I arrived home in NS on Thursday night and after a half day of shopping in Halifax, while my laptop was in for repair, we went back to Yarmouth, arriving around supper time. Mom was ecstatic and once Kenneth was home for work, we spent a nice evening of eating, chatting and figuring out stockings. The holidays have begun!

Six Days to be leaving on a jet plane...

Feeling quite mellow tonight. My brain and body are so entirely exhausted that I can hardly do anything but sit here and reflect. Just to let you know my mood, I'll set a picture in your mind of my current state- I am listening to "You and I" by Michael Buble, I just walked back from the Co-op store (it's 10:56 on my clock), the lighting in the room is a solitary lamp with shade and 40 watt bulb, my feet are throbbing and resting on the coffee table as I type on the laptop, TV is on mute so I can see when "Sex in the City" is going to begin and all I smell is the vanilla accents of the new perfume sample I received with a Sephora online order yesterday.

Mellow maybe isn't quite the word. I don't know. Emotionally dead might be a better way to say it. I had a bad end of the day. The class Christmas music video that we worked our butts off for all week, is having some major technical difficulties when I just didn't have the time or energy to deal with it. I was kind of mad, upset, frustrated and disappointed all at once. I am sure it is just that I am so tired, but I just got so drained from the incident. And now I am just distant, detached and withdrawn feeling. I can't really help it, and I just hope I can get a boost before tomorrow, since the social event of the month is happening in the evening- the Staff Christmas Party/Potluck Dinner at the school. There will be a gift exchange, a few games, Santa will be there too I think, and then the feast of all feasts.

So, after school I ate and then found out there was "Ladies' Night" at the Co-op. So I called April and we met there at about 8 pm. (she lives on the other side of the co-op so it's kind of a halfway point) Now "Ladies Night" whether at Co-op or Northern (which took place on Wednesday night this week, I also went to that), well, that is the closest feeling you ever get in the North to the headaches of the shopping malls in the south on the weekend before Christmas. Only difference is the occasional games that happen, like the unrolling toilet paper race game, or balloon breaking with a dart, or singing the best song over the store intercom system, or race to get an item, or whatever. It is kind of fun, but really unless you are fully awake, the wait is SOOOOOO long at the cash. My legs are so sore for the hour in line tonight. It was really getting a bit on the annoying side, and due to my lowered emotional senses, I found I was getting a bit impulsive with what I was doing and saying... You know the kind of things you do and say that you wish you hadn't. Well, hopefully this horrible day will pass away into the forgotten past...

I should go to bed. Have been typing this sorry tale on commercial breaks during both "Sex in the City" and now "Friends". Good night!

Posting Pictures from Today

This shot was taken down near the beach over looking the brick building that April and Trevor lives in.(and I used to live in my first year in the North) The beach is at the south end of town.



I was on my way home when I stopped beside a house that is near the church. The sight I was looking at kind of reminded me of the row houses in St. John's that I took pictures of last Easter due to their striking, colourful arrangement. I found that today the colours of the houses blended in such a vibrant and fascinating way that I stopped my skidoo, turned around, climbed on top of a snow bank and started clicking!



Above is another shot of the beautiful colours of town. I am facing North and I want to point out the odd, nose shaped mountain peak in the distance on the right side of the shot. That is the one that shows up sometimes in my pictures from out of my classroom window, as that mountain is directly behind the school.



As I was skidooing home with Pascal and Maite after our short run on the tundra, we saw the smokey streak of a plane passing in the otherwise solid blue sky. It was fun to watch (even though I almost hit a small rock on the trail for lack of concentration) and it made me wonder if it was a flight bound for Europe or some far off land?

High tide is interesting now. Ice chunks come in, ice chunks go out. In the Spring these pieces are sometimes almost double my height, a very impressive sight to see!



It seemed like a day that everyone was out. Many of the other teachers went out for the day or overnight on a camping trip, this fellow passed me on his way to climb the Inuksuk mountain overlooking the George River.



As you start the fishing season by going out by boat, our boats are now ground in lieu of skidoos for fishing!



The following picture is a picture Pascal took of me today when we were driving north of the airport.



Last one is only a new picture for my profile...

Measuring your status or adapting to change??

I sit here rather lazily and watch out my window. The snow flurries from day break have given away now to a gorgeous sunny sky and shiny snow. Furthermore, trucks have now been passing like at the end of a short parade. These trucks are loaded down with boxes, received from the plane this morning, likely a few cases of beer in the mix with the eagerness they seem to have in getting home. Probably going to be a late night for the kids tonight...

I have seen a shift in the last three and a half years, from the measurement of personal wealth in the fancy skidoos or 4-wheelers that you owned, during my first year, now to whether your family has a truck. Something so odd to consider from a "Southern" perspective, but one that has caused a number of challenges for the Municipal planners. Whereas 4-wheelers and skidoos work better on a gravel or snow packed road, the prevalence of trucks/jeeps are now causing snow plow drivers and street crews to try to clear away as much snow as possible to help those vehicles from not getting stuck. Unfortunately, this type of road condition puts a lot more wear and tear on skidoo skiis, ski rods and tracks, as rocks are more exposed than would be previously the case.

And this summer there is a plan to pave most of the roads in town. Initially it was justified by saying it will reduce the dust, which tends to be a serious problem in the Summer and Fall... but I have a feeling that the increased number of trucks and jeeps is also pushing these goals forward. As the paving time approaches, I ask myself about the 4-wheelers, whose tires are not designed for pavement and will not only wear down much faster, but will also be less able to maneuveur safely when there is moisture, rain, or even black ice coating the pave. I have a fear that the rather reckless driving on the current rocky gravel roads that I have seen might lead to increased vehicle accidents as the teenagers who love to drive rather wildly are confronted with the unknown new surface dynamics of the pavement...

Hmmm... Worrying for now reason... I guess time will tell... But maybe the trend of families buying trucks/jeeps might become not so much a way of looking better in society but rather might become a necessity as the North continues to change and evolve into something new. I just hope that this evolution will not come to the neglect of their heritage and identity.



I digress... I have posted a few new pictures in my Picasa Album, check it out at the following link- http://picasaweb.google.com/gmwarner

Time to get my butt in gear and clean up my house... Have a nice weekend!

Measuring your status??

I sit here rather lazily and watch out my window. The snow flurries from day break have given away now to a gorgeous sunny sky and shiny snow. Furthermore, trucks have now been passing like at the end of a short parade. These trucks are loaded down with boxes, received from the plane this morning, likely a few cases of beer in the mix with the eagerness they seem to have in getting home. Probably going to be a late night for the kids tonight...

I have seen a shift in the last three and a half years, from the measurement of personal wealth in the fancy skidoos or 4-wheelers that you owned, during my first year, now to whether your family has a truck. Something so odd to consider from a "Southern" perspective, but one that has caused a number of challenges for the Municipal planners. Whereas 4-wheelers and skidoos work better on a gravel or snow packed road, the prevalence of trucks/jeeps are now causing snow plow drivers and street crews to try to clear away as much snow as possible to help those vehicles from not getting stuck. Unfortunately, this type of road condition puts a lot more wear and tear on skidoo skiis, ski rods and tracks, as rocks are more exposed than would be previously the case.

And this summer there is a plan to pave most of the roads in town. Initially it was justified by saying it will reduce the dust, which tends to be a serious problem in the Summer and Fall... but I have a feeling that the increased number of trucks and jeeps is also pushing these goals forward. As the paving time approaches, I ask myself about the 4-wheelers, whose tires are not designed for pavement and will not only wear down much faster, but will also be less able to maneuveur safely when there is moisture, rain, or even black ice coating the pave. I have a fear that the rather reckless driving on the current rocky gravel roads that I have seen might lead to increased vehicle accidents as the teenagers who love to drive rather wildly are confronted with the unknown new surface dynamics of the pavement...

Hmmm... Worrying for now reason... I guess time will tell... But maybe the trend of families buying trucks/jeeps might become not so much a way of looking better in society but rather might become a necessity as the North continues to change and evolve into something new. I just hope that this evolution will not come to the neglect of their heritage and identity.



I digress... I have posted a few new pictures in my Picasa Album, check it out at the following link- http://picasaweb.google.com/gmwarner

Time to get my butt in gear and clean up my house... Have a nice weekend!

13 Lucky Days until Christmas Holidays!

Well, I think if I was to do a poll of all of the staff at school this week they would have lmost all agreed that it was by far the most difficult, long and arduous week of the year so far. Students were going crazy, overtired and hopped up on sugary slushies a recent addition as a result of some renovations at the Northern Store...

Needless to say, I think I was also overtired myself, having trouble to sleep each night, usually only dozing off after midnight each night. I couldn't seem to fall asleep and so I just would lay there or try reading to make myself tired but to no avail. I hope to catch up this weekend, but last night our bi-weekly games night took place and for some reason everyone was in a games mood and we were up playing games until 4:30 am. It was a weird night, but as the time went by I seemed more and more awake. Pascal (one of the hosts) had created a game on the computer using close ups of pictures and we guessed as teams what the objects were as the shots zoomed out. We did good and had lots of laughs. Nelson also brought a game called something like "werewolf"... He explained the game in French so I am not 100% sure what it is called. It was very similar to a game I used to LOVE LOVE LOVE playing in Ottawa called "Mafia". Each person gets a "character" on a card and must keep it secret, each round is like a day and night and there are two werewolves who kill the others on per night. Then during the day everyone tries to figure out who is the werewolves and then try to lynch them... Peasants try to win by killing both werewolves before they get killed off themselves... We had fun, but only played that once at the start of the evening- we could have really benefitted from a second game of it but people were pretty hyper!

Hmmm... not much else to say. The snow has been very consistent, some falling almost everyday. We are getting a lot more than last year, which is good. Last year was a very tough year on the skidoo, it turned too cold for snow very abruptly so we had only a little bit on the ground and no new stuff throughout the wintertime. I think we will have a lot more pleasant amount this year that will hopefully help the snow last till the end of May/beginning of June unlike last year when it was almost totally melted away by early May.

Pictures now, I tried to take some today...







So this afternoon I dropped into the school where there was a flea market happening as a fundraiser for a secondary exchange trip. there were quite a few people there, and my fabourite little baby girl, Vanalena. Vanalena is Nancy's niece's daughter, and I love how sweet and snuggly she is. I can make her giggle pretty easily.











So I added a few Christmas lights to my front window. The neighbours across the street have lights across their whole roof. After the flea market I went driving around for a while. The pic on the right is from down by the river.





And near the end of my ride i was at the top of a hill that I like to call "lookout point" and thought I just had to try to capture the town with the funky sky. Didn't turn out as nice as it looked to me, but you get the idea! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!