P.S Happy Birthday Matt!
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Congrats!
My congrats go out to my wonderful boyfriend Graham on being voted "Off Campus Rep" at ABU. I knew that you could do it and I am so very proud of you. Good luck with the tasks for this year. Cause a disturbance, please. I look forward to our future political careers in the process of taking over the world. It is now in our grasps. I love you so much!!
Friday, October 22, 2004
The New Kid on the Block
Well, after how many weeks of being unemployed and searching desperatly for a job doing anything anywhere. I finally got a job. You are all talking to the newest preschool teacher in Mississauga! I got called this morning by the supervisor of Active Kids Day Care and was offered a full time position with them as the head teacher in their new preschool room. I have never been so excited in my life! Maybe that is an exageration, but I am really happy right now. The best part is that I do not have to start until the 15th of November which just so happens to be the day after I return from my trip. How great is that?
P.S I really suck at this blogging thing right now and I apologize. This is a really busy weekend for me right now, so the Survivor update will be readable on Monday or Tuesday. I am deeply sorry for the delay
P.S I really suck at this blogging thing right now and I apologize. This is a really busy weekend for me right now, so the Survivor update will be readable on Monday or Tuesday. I am deeply sorry for the delay
Friday, October 15, 2004
The ground is shaking
After a tribal reshuffling sent two men to Yasur, that tribe moved one castaway closer to reverting to an all-woman crew when they voted out new member Travis Sampson. Just before the Immunity Challenge began, Travis attempted to communicate secretly with a former tribemate. His new comrades at Yasur saw this as an act of disloyalty and swiftly sent him packing in an almost unanimous decision. Shortly after that fateful decision, Travis warned, "Don't let nobody fool you. It's as tough as you see on TV."
After yet another cold night, the men of Lopevi immediately awoke to conflict over who gets to sleep by the fire. Happy with his pole-position of heat, Travis refused to consider a rotating sleeping situation that would give all Lopevi members a chance to sleep in the prime position. As Chad Crittenden explained, "Some positions are more desirable than others. Bubba just would not give up his prime spot."
The women of Yasur and the men of Lopevi were all surprised to spot indigenous Vanuatu tribesmen approach their shore. Upon reaching the camp, the Vanuatu warriors demanded that each tribe choose a chief. Lopevi chose Lea "Sarge" Masters, while Yasur chose Scout Cloud Lee. "We kinda have a feeling that the tribes are going to get mixed up in some way," predicted Leann Slaby.
As they speculated about the mysterious roles of their chiefs, both tribes were surprised by a furious earthly rumble. It was a Vanuatu earthquake, which sent the birds into a frenzy and awoke the island volcano. Realizing the power of the Vanuatu land, the castaways were unnerved. "I could do without that," said Leann, putting it mildly.
As the castaways convened for the Reward Challenge, host Jeff Probst announced a tribal reshuffling. The two chosen chiefs, Sarge and Scout, would now be leaders of the new tribes. Scout was to assign the Survivors to each tribe, and Sarge would get to choose which tribe he would lead.
After Scout's selections were completed, the new Yasur retained its old roster with the additions of Rory and Travis, minus Julie and Twila. After the shuffle, the new Lopevi roster was Chad, Chris, John K, Julie and Twila, with Sarge as leader; the new Yasur lineup was Ami, Eliza, Leann, Lisa, Rory and Travis, with Scout at the helm.
As the new tribes readied for the Reward Challenge, Jeff Probst explained that this Challenge would be a relay-style race down into the deep water of Vanuatu. Pulling themselves along a rope line one at a time, the castaways would retrieve markers placed at two-foot increments. The tribe retrieving the most markers in the time allotted would win the Reward: a daytime excursion to the picturesque waterfalls of Vanuatu, with all the Pringles they can eat, washed down with all the beer they can drink.
The Challenge started off with a splash as the Survivors dove into the ocean in search of markers. Lopevi suffered a major blow when Chris Daugherty, dropped his marker and watched it descend to the bottom of the ocean. Stalemated and with time running out, Chris submerged himself for Lopevi while Ami Cusack, dove under for Yasur. Ami could not make it that deep and emerged empty-handed. Chris redeemed his previous mistake as he rose from the depths of the Vanuatu waters holding the crucial marker that sealed the Reward for his new Lopevi tribe.
Against the spectacular backdrop of Vanuatu's waterfalls, the new Lopevi tribe bonded over all the beer and Pringles they could consume. New Lopevi members Julie Berry, and Twila Tanner, immediately tried to bond with their tribemates. "Two women, the rest of them men. Are they gonna try to pick us off? I don't know," admitted Julie. "So, me and Twila tried to weasel our way in there pretty tight."
Meanwhile, at Yasur, the women greeted Rory and Travis with open arms, offering the new arrivals coconut milk, sweet sugar cane and comfortable beds. Dissention quickly arose when Ami second-guessed her tribe's hospitality. "I don't think it's so important to show them all of our secrets," she noted. "We're definitely still five women strong, and they need to prove themselves, or else they're out of here."
When the tribes assembled for the Immunity Challenge, Jeff Probst explained that this would be another relay race, this time through the jungle and out into the water. The castaways must race into the jungle to gather outrigger canoe parts and paddles. Once all the pieces are gathered, each tribe must assemble their canoe, then paddle out to retrieve their flag. The first tribe to bring their flag back to the beach wins.
As Jeff Probst explained the Challenge, Travis tried to communicate something to Chad, now on the opposing tribe. This exchange attempt was not lost on Ami, who had been watching her new tribemates.
The battle got off to a franetic start as Julie and Chad emerged from the brush with the paddles, giving Lopevi the early lead. Yasur fell even farther behind when Rory had trouble untying the knots to release their paddle. Enjoying a big lead, Lopevi assembled their canoe and took to the water. Paddling fiercely, Chad and John Kenney, had trouble steering the Lopevi canoe, which allowed Yasur a chance to get back into the game albeit they had the worst paddling technique I have ever seen...and I have seen quite a bit of canoing in my lifetime (my dad used to take us all the time, I loved it). However, it was too little, too late for Yasur, as the Lopevi tribe members righted their craft, captured their flag and carried it onto shore to secure the victory and the coveted Immunity.
Returning to camp after their crushing defeat, Yasur considered which tribemate they should send packing. As the newest members and the only men in the tribe, Travis and Rory knew they were on the chopping block. However, Eliza Orlins, argued that without the men, Yasur's ability to compete in Challenges could be compromised.
Despite Eliza's arguments, it was clear that Travis' new tribemates saw his attempt to communicate with Chad as treachery. "People will get themselves kicked out,"
Ami noted. "You don't have to kick them out. They'll get themselves kicked out." In the end, Travis did get himself kicked out. His brief stay at Yasur ended with a six-to-one decision that sent him home. Travis became the sixth Survivor to be voted off SURVIVOR: VANUATU.
After yet another cold night, the men of Lopevi immediately awoke to conflict over who gets to sleep by the fire. Happy with his pole-position of heat, Travis refused to consider a rotating sleeping situation that would give all Lopevi members a chance to sleep in the prime position. As Chad Crittenden explained, "Some positions are more desirable than others. Bubba just would not give up his prime spot."
The women of Yasur and the men of Lopevi were all surprised to spot indigenous Vanuatu tribesmen approach their shore. Upon reaching the camp, the Vanuatu warriors demanded that each tribe choose a chief. Lopevi chose Lea "Sarge" Masters, while Yasur chose Scout Cloud Lee. "We kinda have a feeling that the tribes are going to get mixed up in some way," predicted Leann Slaby.
As they speculated about the mysterious roles of their chiefs, both tribes were surprised by a furious earthly rumble. It was a Vanuatu earthquake, which sent the birds into a frenzy and awoke the island volcano. Realizing the power of the Vanuatu land, the castaways were unnerved. "I could do without that," said Leann, putting it mildly.
As the castaways convened for the Reward Challenge, host Jeff Probst announced a tribal reshuffling. The two chosen chiefs, Sarge and Scout, would now be leaders of the new tribes. Scout was to assign the Survivors to each tribe, and Sarge would get to choose which tribe he would lead.
After Scout's selections were completed, the new Yasur retained its old roster with the additions of Rory and Travis, minus Julie and Twila. After the shuffle, the new Lopevi roster was Chad, Chris, John K, Julie and Twila, with Sarge as leader; the new Yasur lineup was Ami, Eliza, Leann, Lisa, Rory and Travis, with Scout at the helm.
As the new tribes readied for the Reward Challenge, Jeff Probst explained that this Challenge would be a relay-style race down into the deep water of Vanuatu. Pulling themselves along a rope line one at a time, the castaways would retrieve markers placed at two-foot increments. The tribe retrieving the most markers in the time allotted would win the Reward: a daytime excursion to the picturesque waterfalls of Vanuatu, with all the Pringles they can eat, washed down with all the beer they can drink.
The Challenge started off with a splash as the Survivors dove into the ocean in search of markers. Lopevi suffered a major blow when Chris Daugherty, dropped his marker and watched it descend to the bottom of the ocean. Stalemated and with time running out, Chris submerged himself for Lopevi while Ami Cusack, dove under for Yasur. Ami could not make it that deep and emerged empty-handed. Chris redeemed his previous mistake as he rose from the depths of the Vanuatu waters holding the crucial marker that sealed the Reward for his new Lopevi tribe.
Against the spectacular backdrop of Vanuatu's waterfalls, the new Lopevi tribe bonded over all the beer and Pringles they could consume. New Lopevi members Julie Berry, and Twila Tanner, immediately tried to bond with their tribemates. "Two women, the rest of them men. Are they gonna try to pick us off? I don't know," admitted Julie. "So, me and Twila tried to weasel our way in there pretty tight."
Meanwhile, at Yasur, the women greeted Rory and Travis with open arms, offering the new arrivals coconut milk, sweet sugar cane and comfortable beds. Dissention quickly arose when Ami second-guessed her tribe's hospitality. "I don't think it's so important to show them all of our secrets," she noted. "We're definitely still five women strong, and they need to prove themselves, or else they're out of here."
When the tribes assembled for the Immunity Challenge, Jeff Probst explained that this would be another relay race, this time through the jungle and out into the water. The castaways must race into the jungle to gather outrigger canoe parts and paddles. Once all the pieces are gathered, each tribe must assemble their canoe, then paddle out to retrieve their flag. The first tribe to bring their flag back to the beach wins.
As Jeff Probst explained the Challenge, Travis tried to communicate something to Chad, now on the opposing tribe. This exchange attempt was not lost on Ami, who had been watching her new tribemates.
The battle got off to a franetic start as Julie and Chad emerged from the brush with the paddles, giving Lopevi the early lead. Yasur fell even farther behind when Rory had trouble untying the knots to release their paddle. Enjoying a big lead, Lopevi assembled their canoe and took to the water. Paddling fiercely, Chad and John Kenney, had trouble steering the Lopevi canoe, which allowed Yasur a chance to get back into the game albeit they had the worst paddling technique I have ever seen...and I have seen quite a bit of canoing in my lifetime (my dad used to take us all the time, I loved it). However, it was too little, too late for Yasur, as the Lopevi tribe members righted their craft, captured their flag and carried it onto shore to secure the victory and the coveted Immunity.
Returning to camp after their crushing defeat, Yasur considered which tribemate they should send packing. As the newest members and the only men in the tribe, Travis and Rory knew they were on the chopping block. However, Eliza Orlins, argued that without the men, Yasur's ability to compete in Challenges could be compromised.
Despite Eliza's arguments, it was clear that Travis' new tribemates saw his attempt to communicate with Chad as treachery. "People will get themselves kicked out,"
Ami noted. "You don't have to kick them out. They'll get themselves kicked out." In the end, Travis did get himself kicked out. His brief stay at Yasur ended with a six-to-one decision that sent him home. Travis became the sixth Survivor to be voted off SURVIVOR: VANUATU.
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
26 Days to Go
Okay Okay, enough with the blackmail to get back to the whole writing a blog thing. I realize that it has almost been a week since I last posted an entry...but in that space of time, I have been at the computer all of 5 times, and each of those times for like 2 seconds each. I have been to Toronto, to Peterborough, to Kitchener, to babysitting the child from hell...to being sick, to being tired, to being to apthetic to even move. But I am here now...letting you all know that in 26 days, give or take a few more, Beth and Me are jumping on a plane and flying out east. It should be a great time, and I can not wait to see Graham, I never realized just how much I loved him until he left, and now I miss him like crazy! So yay for a trip to see him...(Graham...you better realize how much I love you now...seeing as I am doing the thing that I am scared of the most just to see you!) Okay, moving now...actually, I am exhausted after trailing an 8 year old ADHD boy for the last day and a half...and I have to do it all day tomorrow too....so I am going to bed...I will maybe write more some other time.
Friday, October 08, 2004
And then they were weak
The only place where being healthy and young may be a liability is the Lopevi camp, where the alliance of elders continues to cut down the youthful and strong. The victim this time was Brady Finta, who, like the others before him, failed to put a dent in the five-man alliance formed at the very beginning of SURVIVOR: VANUATU. After seeing his torch snuffed, Brady spoke as though he were a member of the pact of elders in his Final Words: "Brady is one of those guys where, if he makes it to the merge, he's going to kick my ass."
Returning from a Tribal Council in which Lisa Keiffer, broke her alliance in order to vote out Mia Galeotalanza, tensions were high and trust was low at the Yasur camp. After fielding a verbal assault from the alliance of young women, Lisa defended her vote by pointing out the previous dishonesty perpetrated by Eliza Orlins. "I did what I did. I'm not going to argue with you. I told you I didn't trust you!" Lisa forcefully explained to Eliza.
The day after Tribal Council, the alliance of Lopevi elders were feeling good as the five older men had so far succeeded in systematically voting off the younger members. Strong, on the chopping block and hoping to turn the tide, Brady tried to make himself invaluable to the tribe by positioning himself as Lopevi's provider of fish. Using a Hawaiian sling won at a previous Challenge, Brady could only bring home the smallest of catches. "Hopefully, we'll figure out a way to shake up camp and change the dynamics of what's going on right now, because something's gotta happen," Brady observed.
When the tribes convened for the Reward Challenge, host Jeff Probst explained that this would be a test of memory skills. Pairs of tam tams, shells, pig tusks, fish traps and other Vanuatu cultural items were hidden under an array of woven baskets. The Survivors must take turns finding matching pairs in the field of baskets. The first tribe to find five pairs wins the services of an authentic Vanuatu tribesman named Dah. For 24 hours following the Challenge, Dah would teach the winning tribe everything they need to know about survival in Vanuatu, including the nuances of fishing, hunting and shelter.
Yasur quickly jumped to a wide lead, thanks to the sharp memories of Ami Cusack, Leann Slaby, Julie Berry, and Eliza. Lopevi marched back into the competition when Lea "Sarge" Masters, matched the pig jaws, and Chad Crittenden, matched the coconuts.
But victory was not meant for the men of Lopevi. Lisa uncovered the second nautilus shell to make the final pair, which won Yasur the reward of Vanuatu tutelage under Dah, the island expert.
When Yasur lined up on the beach to welcome Dah, the local specialist wasted no time with pleasantries launched into the lessons. Dah immediately taught the women of Yasur how to retrieve coconuts for milk, then showed them roots, nuts and sugarcane. The crash course on Vanuatu survival was sure to aid the Yasur tribemates for the rest of their stay. "I definitely feel more confident that I could find food by myself, that I could cook it by myself," exclaimed Ami. "I think he really boosted team moral. That's huge."
Morale was low at Lopevi as Travis Sampson, became achingly homesick. To add to their problems, the feud between alliance members Rory Freeman, and Sarge intensified. Travis observed, "Right now, we just need harmony in the team. And today, that definitely wasn't happening."
After a tearful goodbye to Dah, the refreshed Yasur tribe made their way to the Immunity Challenge, reconvening with the depleted Lopevi. Jeff Probst explained that this Challenge involved mental agility. The tribes must race to match a series of large colored tiles according to the symbol painted on each. With each tribe designating a member to be the "eyes" from a perch, they must arrange the tiles in a grid so that no repeated colors or symbols would be in the same row or column. The first tribe to decipher this brainteaser would win Immunity.
Yasur chose Eliza to be their eyes; Lopevi chose Rory. The competition got off to a chaotic start for Lopevi because the members weren't acting in accord with each other or listening to Rory. Yasur, on the other hand, listened to Eliza and worked as a team to figure out how crack the puzzle. Ultimately, the suggestion from Scout Cloud Lee, held the key to the puzzle, handing the women of Yasur the crucial victory.
With the task of sending someone home looming, the men of Lopevi returned to camp a tribe divided. Knowing they were on the chopping block, Brady and John Kenney, voiced their concern that the alliance of tribal elders was making a big mistake by voting off the stronger members because without the skills and strength of youth, Lopevi was sure to lose Challenge after Challenge. Meanwhile, the pact of five knew that it was crucial to hold strong to their plan and not waver. "Man, I hope the five of us really are together, because if not, I'm dead right now," worried Rory.
Rory's fears proved to be unfounded as the men of Lopevi ousted Brady, in a landslide six-to-one decision. Brady became the fifth Survivor to be voted off SURVIVOR: VANUATU.
Returning from a Tribal Council in which Lisa Keiffer, broke her alliance in order to vote out Mia Galeotalanza, tensions were high and trust was low at the Yasur camp. After fielding a verbal assault from the alliance of young women, Lisa defended her vote by pointing out the previous dishonesty perpetrated by Eliza Orlins. "I did what I did. I'm not going to argue with you. I told you I didn't trust you!" Lisa forcefully explained to Eliza.
The day after Tribal Council, the alliance of Lopevi elders were feeling good as the five older men had so far succeeded in systematically voting off the younger members. Strong, on the chopping block and hoping to turn the tide, Brady tried to make himself invaluable to the tribe by positioning himself as Lopevi's provider of fish. Using a Hawaiian sling won at a previous Challenge, Brady could only bring home the smallest of catches. "Hopefully, we'll figure out a way to shake up camp and change the dynamics of what's going on right now, because something's gotta happen," Brady observed.
When the tribes convened for the Reward Challenge, host Jeff Probst explained that this would be a test of memory skills. Pairs of tam tams, shells, pig tusks, fish traps and other Vanuatu cultural items were hidden under an array of woven baskets. The Survivors must take turns finding matching pairs in the field of baskets. The first tribe to find five pairs wins the services of an authentic Vanuatu tribesman named Dah. For 24 hours following the Challenge, Dah would teach the winning tribe everything they need to know about survival in Vanuatu, including the nuances of fishing, hunting and shelter.
Yasur quickly jumped to a wide lead, thanks to the sharp memories of Ami Cusack, Leann Slaby, Julie Berry, and Eliza. Lopevi marched back into the competition when Lea "Sarge" Masters, matched the pig jaws, and Chad Crittenden, matched the coconuts.
But victory was not meant for the men of Lopevi. Lisa uncovered the second nautilus shell to make the final pair, which won Yasur the reward of Vanuatu tutelage under Dah, the island expert.
When Yasur lined up on the beach to welcome Dah, the local specialist wasted no time with pleasantries launched into the lessons. Dah immediately taught the women of Yasur how to retrieve coconuts for milk, then showed them roots, nuts and sugarcane. The crash course on Vanuatu survival was sure to aid the Yasur tribemates for the rest of their stay. "I definitely feel more confident that I could find food by myself, that I could cook it by myself," exclaimed Ami. "I think he really boosted team moral. That's huge."
Morale was low at Lopevi as Travis Sampson, became achingly homesick. To add to their problems, the feud between alliance members Rory Freeman, and Sarge intensified. Travis observed, "Right now, we just need harmony in the team. And today, that definitely wasn't happening."
After a tearful goodbye to Dah, the refreshed Yasur tribe made their way to the Immunity Challenge, reconvening with the depleted Lopevi. Jeff Probst explained that this Challenge involved mental agility. The tribes must race to match a series of large colored tiles according to the symbol painted on each. With each tribe designating a member to be the "eyes" from a perch, they must arrange the tiles in a grid so that no repeated colors or symbols would be in the same row or column. The first tribe to decipher this brainteaser would win Immunity.
Yasur chose Eliza to be their eyes; Lopevi chose Rory. The competition got off to a chaotic start for Lopevi because the members weren't acting in accord with each other or listening to Rory. Yasur, on the other hand, listened to Eliza and worked as a team to figure out how crack the puzzle. Ultimately, the suggestion from Scout Cloud Lee, held the key to the puzzle, handing the women of Yasur the crucial victory.
With the task of sending someone home looming, the men of Lopevi returned to camp a tribe divided. Knowing they were on the chopping block, Brady and John Kenney, voiced their concern that the alliance of tribal elders was making a big mistake by voting off the stronger members because without the skills and strength of youth, Lopevi was sure to lose Challenge after Challenge. Meanwhile, the pact of five knew that it was crucial to hold strong to their plan and not waver. "Man, I hope the five of us really are together, because if not, I'm dead right now," worried Rory.
Rory's fears proved to be unfounded as the men of Lopevi ousted Brady, in a landslide six-to-one decision. Brady became the fifth Survivor to be voted off SURVIVOR: VANUATU.
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Dating for Dummies
So, I am sitting at home on an idle Thursday and I recieve an email from one of the leaders of my church (whose child just so happens to be in my Sunday School Class) and this leader from the church asked me to do a series in the class on "Dating for Christians" This came as a shock to me, because I for one do not consider myself an expert in this field...I am more an amature than anything else...because honestly, even ask Graham, I have done things sometimes that could have been considered as sabotaging the relationship, just stupid things really. Luckily for me, Graham loves me enough to look past these things because obviously we are still together. Anyways, back to my class...I honestly have no idea what I have to offer these children...all I really know is mostly from past relationships, remember Dave, Kyle, Ryan...etc....so I know some negative things like: how to avoid being kissed, how to deal with being stood up, and things not to give as gifts...this could be a test of my strength...I looked at the book "Every Young Girls Battle" and that could have been helpful, except for the 3 males in the class, who probably would not appreciate that...okay...so not sure what to do at this point. Hmmm...I will have to work on this. But until then, I can give you some useful information...how about, some good ideas of gift and some not so good ideas for gifts...Christmas and Birthdays are coming, and I have included some things that will work for the girl/guy who has everything...or doesn't know what they want...
(The italics are what NOT to get them, seriously)
Jenelle's A-Z list of good gifts:
A-
Affirmation- Giving this gift at every opportunity will change someone's life
Almonds- Okay this one would kill me, but some people like them
acne cream
B-
Belief- Let this person know that you believe in them
Box of Diamonds---who doesn't want this?
bedpan, broken seashell
C-
Carriage Ride- any romance inspired girl would love a carriage ride with their special guy. It may be difficult to arrange, but well worth it I assure you
Compliments- Take the time to notice the good in this person
cemetery plot, Christmas ornament (in July?), clothing 3 sizes too large
D-
Dessert- Prepare the person's favourite, a good way to the heart
Diamonds- yes again, they are a girls best friend
dead animals, plants, deodorant insoles
E-
Everything- This gift is perfect for the hard-to-shop-for
Exotic Pet- a small fish, a gerbil or a leopard...you pick
Extra Time- spending more time than usual with this person...
egg timer, eight track tape, exercise book, expired cottage cheese, exposed film
F-
Flower Shop- By buying the entire store for them, they will never run out
Frame a Favourite- Take a picture of the two of you, and frame it for them
G-
Glass Blowing Lessons- Expect to recieve several glass objects in the future
Gloves- could be any sort-winter, baseball, fancy, welding
H-
Hippopotamus- why not, everyone should have one, but to save you the trouble, have it gift wrapped at the store
Historical Relic- I was desperate for more "H" things...so try an old coin, well aged book
Hug- If you could package these, you would be a millionaire...give one everyday
home-made sand candle
I-
Inscription- Inscribe something meaningful on something special
Island- buy a deserted tropical island or rent one for the day...if cost is a facr, keep it small
J-
Journal- who doesn't want one of these? They can keep photos, quotes, letters...anything in it
Jokes- With the right timing, jokes can make anyone laugh
Jungle- If you could not afford the island, a jungle is less expensive
K-
Knapsack- prepare a knapsack full of picnic things...it's romantic
King- (for females giving gifts to males only) Treat them like a king for the day
Kentucky Bluegrass- buy as much as you can afford...if wealthy but Kentucky state
L-
Letterhead Stationary- Design and print a set of personal letterhead for this person
Library- Buy them a library, name it after them
last year's calender, lint brush, lunch with a newly divorced friend
M-
Marquee- rent a theatre or restaurant marquee (sign thing) and display a personal messge
Mint- not the breath type- the coin type
N-
Nonverbal Communication- Smiles, hugs, kisses are great. Take advantage of this easy-to-use silent gift.
Nourishment- Make them food, who does not like to eat, make their favourite
Nutmeg Farm- perfect for Christmas for individuals NOT allergic to nut products.
O-
Oneself- stick yourself in a box and send yourself to this person. Poke air holes in the box so that you are infact alive when you arrive, and label the box "LIVE PLANT, OPEN IMMEDIATELY"
Oyster Bed- ideal for the pearl lovers, hire divers
P-
Parking Lot- make sure it is conveniently located, hire a valet
Party- throw a party, the crazier the theme the better
Patience- dreaded word, I know...but it is a good thing
Q-
Quadriga- my dad helped me come up with this one, it is a Roman chariot drawn by 4 horses. This gift may be hard to fit in the living room.
Queen- (for males giving gift to females) Treat her like a queen for the day
Quotation- Find a quote that they like, write it in calligraphy and frame it
R-
Relaxation- Christmas/birthday can be a stressful time, let this person know that you want to just send a relaxing evening alone together.
Reunion- Plan a special reunion between this person and someone they have not seen in a long time.
S-
Sacrafice- Go out of your way to do everything this person has every dreamed of.
Stadium- This is a practical gift for the avid sports fan. For an added touch, purchase the home team.
Stamps- Ideal for the long distance, send this person a "school term" supply of stamps
T-
Tandem Bicycle- Buy, rent or borrow this two seater bike and take them for a ride
Thankfulness- make a list of all you are thankful about this person.
Traffic Light- Purchase a traffic light in your city and make sure it is always green, just for them.
U-
Umbrella- Do not buy just any umbrella, rather one with a radio in the handle or that turns into a life boat in case of flooding
Uplifting- Make a list of things this person enjoys doing, refer to it often
V-
Vacation- Take your special someone on a long vacation
Valentines- Why wait for February, send them cards and gifts all year, stock up on after day sales
W-
Wild Berries- they are yummy
Woods- it could go well with their jungle and island.
X-
X- giving a kiss is easy, inexpensive and delightful, but make it a good one.
Xebec- this 3-masted Mediterranean sailing vessel makes a unique gift.
Xerox- make 10 copies of your face and mail, hide, post and hand them to this person, so your face will not be forgotten
Y-
Yankees- why not, they are the super team after all
Yolks- make them breakfast in bed
Z-
Zany- allow them to be as crazy as they want to be
Zeppelin- this rare gift is a romantic way to fly, especially if you are not in a hurry
Zodiac- Rent one of these exciting inflatible boats and take them around a lake or harbour. Bring a pump and patch kit, Do not wear golf shoes.
(The italics are what NOT to get them, seriously)
Jenelle's A-Z list of good gifts:
A-
Affirmation- Giving this gift at every opportunity will change someone's life
Almonds- Okay this one would kill me, but some people like them
acne cream
B-
Belief- Let this person know that you believe in them
Box of Diamonds---who doesn't want this?
bedpan, broken seashell
C-
Carriage Ride- any romance inspired girl would love a carriage ride with their special guy. It may be difficult to arrange, but well worth it I assure you
Compliments- Take the time to notice the good in this person
cemetery plot, Christmas ornament (in July?), clothing 3 sizes too large
D-
Dessert- Prepare the person's favourite, a good way to the heart
Diamonds- yes again, they are a girls best friend
dead animals, plants, deodorant insoles
E-
Everything- This gift is perfect for the hard-to-shop-for
Exotic Pet- a small fish, a gerbil or a leopard...you pick
Extra Time- spending more time than usual with this person...
egg timer, eight track tape, exercise book, expired cottage cheese, exposed film
F-
Flower Shop- By buying the entire store for them, they will never run out
Frame a Favourite- Take a picture of the two of you, and frame it for them
G-
Glass Blowing Lessons- Expect to recieve several glass objects in the future
Gloves- could be any sort-winter, baseball, fancy, welding
H-
Hippopotamus- why not, everyone should have one, but to save you the trouble, have it gift wrapped at the store
Historical Relic- I was desperate for more "H" things...so try an old coin, well aged book
Hug- If you could package these, you would be a millionaire...give one everyday
home-made sand candle
I-
Inscription- Inscribe something meaningful on something special
Island- buy a deserted tropical island or rent one for the day...if cost is a facr, keep it small
J-
Journal- who doesn't want one of these? They can keep photos, quotes, letters...anything in it
Jokes- With the right timing, jokes can make anyone laugh
Jungle- If you could not afford the island, a jungle is less expensive
K-
Knapsack- prepare a knapsack full of picnic things...it's romantic
King- (for females giving gifts to males only) Treat them like a king for the day
Kentucky Bluegrass- buy as much as you can afford...if wealthy but Kentucky state
L-
Letterhead Stationary- Design and print a set of personal letterhead for this person
Library- Buy them a library, name it after them
last year's calender, lint brush, lunch with a newly divorced friend
M-
Marquee- rent a theatre or restaurant marquee (sign thing) and display a personal messge
Mint- not the breath type- the coin type
N-
Nonverbal Communication- Smiles, hugs, kisses are great. Take advantage of this easy-to-use silent gift.
Nourishment- Make them food, who does not like to eat, make their favourite
Nutmeg Farm- perfect for Christmas for individuals NOT allergic to nut products.
O-
Oneself- stick yourself in a box and send yourself to this person. Poke air holes in the box so that you are infact alive when you arrive, and label the box "LIVE PLANT, OPEN IMMEDIATELY"
Oyster Bed- ideal for the pearl lovers, hire divers
P-
Parking Lot- make sure it is conveniently located, hire a valet
Party- throw a party, the crazier the theme the better
Patience- dreaded word, I know...but it is a good thing
Q-
Quadriga- my dad helped me come up with this one, it is a Roman chariot drawn by 4 horses. This gift may be hard to fit in the living room.
Queen- (for males giving gift to females) Treat her like a queen for the day
Quotation- Find a quote that they like, write it in calligraphy and frame it
R-
Relaxation- Christmas/birthday can be a stressful time, let this person know that you want to just send a relaxing evening alone together.
Reunion- Plan a special reunion between this person and someone they have not seen in a long time.
S-
Sacrafice- Go out of your way to do everything this person has every dreamed of.
Stadium- This is a practical gift for the avid sports fan. For an added touch, purchase the home team.
Stamps- Ideal for the long distance, send this person a "school term" supply of stamps
T-
Tandem Bicycle- Buy, rent or borrow this two seater bike and take them for a ride
Thankfulness- make a list of all you are thankful about this person.
Traffic Light- Purchase a traffic light in your city and make sure it is always green, just for them.
U-
Umbrella- Do not buy just any umbrella, rather one with a radio in the handle or that turns into a life boat in case of flooding
Uplifting- Make a list of things this person enjoys doing, refer to it often
V-
Vacation- Take your special someone on a long vacation
Valentines- Why wait for February, send them cards and gifts all year, stock up on after day sales
W-
Wild Berries- they are yummy
Woods- it could go well with their jungle and island.
X-
X- giving a kiss is easy, inexpensive and delightful, but make it a good one.
Xebec- this 3-masted Mediterranean sailing vessel makes a unique gift.
Xerox- make 10 copies of your face and mail, hide, post and hand them to this person, so your face will not be forgotten
Y-
Yankees- why not, they are the super team after all
Yolks- make them breakfast in bed
Z-
Zany- allow them to be as crazy as they want to be
Zeppelin- this rare gift is a romantic way to fly, especially if you are not in a hurry
Zodiac- Rent one of these exciting inflatible boats and take them around a lake or harbour. Bring a pump and patch kit, Do not wear golf shoes.
Monday, October 04, 2004
"It's not junk!"
Okay, over the past few weeks, I have been told several times by several people that I have way too much stuff and would be what most consider "a pack rat" But honestly, everything that I have kept over the years has a story behind it and no less than 2 memories attached per thing. For example, I have kept every letter/gift that Graham has ever sent me since we became friends...and not to use as blackmail as a certain someone seems to believe. I kept them all so that I can look back and remember what we were feeling and when, and so that one day (not anytime soon, don't worry) I will be able to show my children the progression of the relationship between their father and me. The other thing that people have told me is that I have way too many stuffed animals, but again, each and every one of them was given to me by someone special and I wanted to remember those people for the kindness they showed me. So, I may be a pack rat, I know I keep a lot of stuff, but it is all really special.
However, as much as I treasure memories, there are certain things that over the years I have chosen to rid myself of, mainly because they were given to me by people that I no longer wish to have any contact with. But I found that when I got rid of one thing, my mother yelled at me that I should have kept it, but honestly, I think I was right in the disposal of it...and it is not like I just threw the thing in the garbage, I would never do that, I just stuck it in the mail and returned it to sender...was I wrong in that? I don't think so.
However, as much as I treasure memories, there are certain things that over the years I have chosen to rid myself of, mainly because they were given to me by people that I no longer wish to have any contact with. But I found that when I got rid of one thing, my mother yelled at me that I should have kept it, but honestly, I think I was right in the disposal of it...and it is not like I just threw the thing in the garbage, I would never do that, I just stuck it in the mail and returned it to sender...was I wrong in that? I don't think so.
Saturday, October 02, 2004
They gave Girls a bad name
On a night when both tribes were forced to trek to Tribal Council, the reigning alliance of the Lopevi tribe stuck to their plan. Despite his attempts to separate the pact by emphasizing the personal rift between Rory and Sarge, John Palyok, became the next victim of the Lopevi elders alliance by way of a five-to-three vote. J.P. disagreed with his tribe's decision, musing, "There was no way that I think I was outweighed, outlasted…outplayed."
After Ami Cusack, received Immunity from John Kenney, in a purely political move, the Yasur tribe was to send yet another castaway home. Under the pretext of emotional harmony for the tribe, Lisa Keiffer, crossed over Yasur alliances in order to vote out Mia Galeotalanza, in a stunning five-to-three decision.
Shortly after leaving Tribal Council, Mia shot some parting words at her rival: "Twila, you have been extremely deceiving with all the girls. I thought you were absolutely horrendous to me. Hopefully, you'll get voted off next."
As day seven of SURVIVOR: VANUATU crept in, both tribes had to contend with clashes amongst their members. With their alliance of older men seemingly secure, the Lopevi tribe awoke to work on their shelter. To the delight of the younger Lopevi members, personalities clashed within the ranks of the elder alliance when Lea "Sarge" Masters, questioned the work ethic of Lopevi lone wolf Rory Freeman. "He doesn't do a lot of physical work," Sarge complained. "He's not a team player. He's an individualist, but in a team you can't be your own man all the time."
The same day started with a bang at Yasur when Mia exploded at Twila Tanner, for what she had said at the previous night's Tribal Council. Mia's furious tirade centered around Twila's alleged disrespect to her and the other younger Yasur tribemates. "I can't stand Twila," Mia said. "I want her out."
While fetching Tree Mail for their tribe, Yasur's younger alliance had a chance to discuss their last Tribal Council. With the tribe separated into two alliances of four women each, it was crucial that they were all on the same page. The younger alliance, comprising Mia, Lisa, Eliza Orlins, Julie Berry, was concerned that Eliza had changed her vote without telling her comrades. But it wasn't necessarily Eliza that the young women of this alliance should have been concerned with. "I've got a back-up plan," confessed Lisa, "so we'll see what happens."
As the tribes convened for the Challenge, host Jeff Probst shocked the Survivors by explaining that there would be two Tribal Councils, and each tribe must vote someone off. This was where good old Eliza made her almost convincing (cough cough) "NO!" to which I could not help but shake my head and laugh, typical of a girl to try to convince the host of a reality show to change his mind about something by being as pathetic as possible! They give girls like that a bad name! Anyways, the winning tribe would not only receive a Reward, but would also be able to participate in an Individual Challenge. The winner would receive Immunity, the opportunity to visit the other tribe's camp, and the ability to give Immunity to a member of the other tribe at their Tribal Council.
Jeff then explained that the Challenge would require the tribes to work together to make their way through three locked cages by untying planks, using grappling hooks to retrieve keys and mastering a series of interlocking slide rails. The first tribe to crawl through the three cages to safety would win a Reward of fishing gear as well as a chance for Individual Immunity.
The Challenge started in a flurry as both tribes worked diligently to untie the various knots on the first wall. Lopevi took the lead, making quick work of the knots, but they encountered a problem when they lost one of their grappling hooks, which allowed Yasur to make up ground. But Lopevi quickly broke the tie as Yasur had trouble obtaining the last key. With Sarge barking orders, the men of Lopevi secured their way to the finish mat to take the Reward, as well as the chance to compete against each other for Individual Immunity.
Jeff Probst then announced that the Challenge for Individual Immunity would involve digging ladder steps out of the sand in order to build a ladder with puzzle-like rungs. The first Survivor to build his ladder and climb it to freedom would win Immunity, a visit to the opposing camp and the ability to grant Immunity to one Yasur tribe member.
The Challenge quickly became a two-horse race between John K. and Chad Crittenden, (oh Chad, I want you to win) as the other Lopevi tribe members struggled to find their rungs. Chad came up first with seven rungs. While Chad set to build his ladder, John K. searched tirelessly for his final rung. Chad, however, had trouble assembling the puzzle-like ladder, which allowed John K. to overtake the lead, assemble his ladder, then climb to freedom and the precious Immunity.
With John K. in tow, the Yasur tribe returned to camp from their crushing defeat. In an attempt to discern the alliance structure of the tribe, John immediately separated the women of Yasur according to who had voted for Dolly Neely, (nice move on John's part I believe) the night before. While John was digesting the information so that he could decide to whom he would grant the Immunity, Eliza talked his ear off. "She seems really sweet," John noted. "I'm sure she's really nice, but the bottom line is, 'Oh my God, will you please stop talking?'"
After stating their case to John K., the younger Yasur alliance convened to decide who they would vote out. While Eliza pushed for Scout Cloud Lee, Mia lobbied for her nemesis, Twila. At the end of the discussion, the women concluded that the night's Tribal Council would most likely end up in a tie. Mia's assessment: "I think that me and Julie and Lisa and Eliza are going to be voting for Twila. And I'm pretty sure that Leann and Ami and Twila and Scout will be voting for me tonight."
Hoping to create a new alliance, Brady Finta, argued to Sarge that Lopevi's elder alliance should be broken up in order to vote off Rory, who doesn't seem to get along with most of his tribe. "It's simple, it's not underhanded and we know our four votes are going in one direction," Brady explained to Sarge.
Personal differences set aside, the initial alliance held strong for Lopevi as John P. suffered the five votes needed to send him home. J.P. became the third Survivor voted off SURVIVOR: VANUATU. BOO! I wanted him to go further, I liked him
At Yasur, John K. granted Immunity to Ami, who he knew was not going to be voted off anyway. In the name of tribal harmony, a Yasur alliance was broken as Lisa sided with the older members of the tribe in order to vote off Mia in the shocking five-to-three decision. Mia became the fourth Castaway voted off SURVIVOR: VANUATU. YIPPEE! So very glad she is gone, now just to get rid of Eliza and I will be very happy
After Ami Cusack, received Immunity from John Kenney, in a purely political move, the Yasur tribe was to send yet another castaway home. Under the pretext of emotional harmony for the tribe, Lisa Keiffer, crossed over Yasur alliances in order to vote out Mia Galeotalanza, in a stunning five-to-three decision.
Shortly after leaving Tribal Council, Mia shot some parting words at her rival: "Twila, you have been extremely deceiving with all the girls. I thought you were absolutely horrendous to me. Hopefully, you'll get voted off next."
As day seven of SURVIVOR: VANUATU crept in, both tribes had to contend with clashes amongst their members. With their alliance of older men seemingly secure, the Lopevi tribe awoke to work on their shelter. To the delight of the younger Lopevi members, personalities clashed within the ranks of the elder alliance when Lea "Sarge" Masters, questioned the work ethic of Lopevi lone wolf Rory Freeman. "He doesn't do a lot of physical work," Sarge complained. "He's not a team player. He's an individualist, but in a team you can't be your own man all the time."
The same day started with a bang at Yasur when Mia exploded at Twila Tanner, for what she had said at the previous night's Tribal Council. Mia's furious tirade centered around Twila's alleged disrespect to her and the other younger Yasur tribemates. "I can't stand Twila," Mia said. "I want her out."
While fetching Tree Mail for their tribe, Yasur's younger alliance had a chance to discuss their last Tribal Council. With the tribe separated into two alliances of four women each, it was crucial that they were all on the same page. The younger alliance, comprising Mia, Lisa, Eliza Orlins, Julie Berry, was concerned that Eliza had changed her vote without telling her comrades. But it wasn't necessarily Eliza that the young women of this alliance should have been concerned with. "I've got a back-up plan," confessed Lisa, "so we'll see what happens."
As the tribes convened for the Challenge, host Jeff Probst shocked the Survivors by explaining that there would be two Tribal Councils, and each tribe must vote someone off. This was where good old Eliza made her almost convincing (cough cough) "NO!" to which I could not help but shake my head and laugh, typical of a girl to try to convince the host of a reality show to change his mind about something by being as pathetic as possible! They give girls like that a bad name! Anyways, the winning tribe would not only receive a Reward, but would also be able to participate in an Individual Challenge. The winner would receive Immunity, the opportunity to visit the other tribe's camp, and the ability to give Immunity to a member of the other tribe at their Tribal Council.
Jeff then explained that the Challenge would require the tribes to work together to make their way through three locked cages by untying planks, using grappling hooks to retrieve keys and mastering a series of interlocking slide rails. The first tribe to crawl through the three cages to safety would win a Reward of fishing gear as well as a chance for Individual Immunity.
The Challenge started in a flurry as both tribes worked diligently to untie the various knots on the first wall. Lopevi took the lead, making quick work of the knots, but they encountered a problem when they lost one of their grappling hooks, which allowed Yasur to make up ground. But Lopevi quickly broke the tie as Yasur had trouble obtaining the last key. With Sarge barking orders, the men of Lopevi secured their way to the finish mat to take the Reward, as well as the chance to compete against each other for Individual Immunity.
Jeff Probst then announced that the Challenge for Individual Immunity would involve digging ladder steps out of the sand in order to build a ladder with puzzle-like rungs. The first Survivor to build his ladder and climb it to freedom would win Immunity, a visit to the opposing camp and the ability to grant Immunity to one Yasur tribe member.
The Challenge quickly became a two-horse race between John K. and Chad Crittenden, (oh Chad, I want you to win) as the other Lopevi tribe members struggled to find their rungs. Chad came up first with seven rungs. While Chad set to build his ladder, John K. searched tirelessly for his final rung. Chad, however, had trouble assembling the puzzle-like ladder, which allowed John K. to overtake the lead, assemble his ladder, then climb to freedom and the precious Immunity.
With John K. in tow, the Yasur tribe returned to camp from their crushing defeat. In an attempt to discern the alliance structure of the tribe, John immediately separated the women of Yasur according to who had voted for Dolly Neely, (nice move on John's part I believe) the night before. While John was digesting the information so that he could decide to whom he would grant the Immunity, Eliza talked his ear off. "She seems really sweet," John noted. "I'm sure she's really nice, but the bottom line is, 'Oh my God, will you please stop talking?'"
After stating their case to John K., the younger Yasur alliance convened to decide who they would vote out. While Eliza pushed for Scout Cloud Lee, Mia lobbied for her nemesis, Twila. At the end of the discussion, the women concluded that the night's Tribal Council would most likely end up in a tie. Mia's assessment: "I think that me and Julie and Lisa and Eliza are going to be voting for Twila. And I'm pretty sure that Leann and Ami and Twila and Scout will be voting for me tonight."
Hoping to create a new alliance, Brady Finta, argued to Sarge that Lopevi's elder alliance should be broken up in order to vote off Rory, who doesn't seem to get along with most of his tribe. "It's simple, it's not underhanded and we know our four votes are going in one direction," Brady explained to Sarge.
Personal differences set aside, the initial alliance held strong for Lopevi as John P. suffered the five votes needed to send him home. J.P. became the third Survivor voted off SURVIVOR: VANUATU. BOO! I wanted him to go further, I liked him
At Yasur, John K. granted Immunity to Ami, who he knew was not going to be voted off anyway. In the name of tribal harmony, a Yasur alliance was broken as Lisa sided with the older members of the tribe in order to vote off Mia in the shocking five-to-three decision. Mia became the fourth Castaway voted off SURVIVOR: VANUATU. YIPPEE! So very glad she is gone, now just to get rid of Eliza and I will be very happy
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