Sometimes...

Sometimes Monika, Chelsea (and maybe Tashley) and I are leaving for New York City this evening so that we can take in the International Artists Movement encounter (aka conference). This promises to be a weekend filled with meeting artists of all kinds from around the world - a chance to share, learn, discuss, be challenged and be inspired. And hey, any place that Fujimura's at, or that he created, can't be all bad.

Exciting times people, exciting time.

The Kind Of Bars I Frequent Now

We hit up a couple of buffets whilst on tour - one regular type buffet in Montreal and one Chinese buffet in Barrie (yes, the same one we hit the last time were there, and yes, it was still instant gut rot). Of course I sampled the salad bars at both of these establishments. Let me just say - very disappointing. Is it too much to ask for radishes and hot peppers? And a few sunflower seeds? Dude, those can make or break a salad - even Calvin College has those at its salad bar - and Vicky's Buffet in the cultural city of Montreal doesn't? Sigh. I was glad that John and Kevin where there - they having sampled from the pinnacle of salad bars at the Mercy Centre.

I just had to share that disappointment.

DSB - seriously - if you find a good salad bar, and you take me there, i'm as good as yours!

Well Maybe Not Easy

Something we learned from a pastor while on choir tour -

Babies make for easy church growth.

Tur

The choir during the welcome at St. Andrew's Presbyterian, Belleville



Chevron (a nickname i just decided to give her) getting acquainted with the piano at Bethel CRC, Brockville



The sultry, smokey voiced Stronks and I in Quebec City



John, Rachel, Kevin and I at my parents' after the Belleville concert



My first day of school, no wait, my last day of tour

J'aime Les Jews (Tour)

Quote of the day for Monday...

"I heard you with the Jews last night."

I'm Sure It Would Be Unholy

I'm in a hotel in Cornwall right now. Its nice. And we don't have to have wheels rolling until 10am. Mmmmm.

I just wanted to share a little funny thing from yesterday's drive from Hamilton to Cornwall - on a coach bus with 35ish people on it.

So we do a thing where more senior-ish students interview rookie choir members so that the entire choir can get to know them. Its pretty tender and usually very hilarious. It often happens closer to the end of tour because we have the most bus time then. But our biggest chunks of bus time happen to be now, so we're doing them now.

One of the questions asked to the freshmen was: if you could combine any two animals and make a superbeast, what would they be and what would you call it? As you can imagine this got some pretty funny and really strange answers from interviews already revealed. A little later after 5 of the interviews had been read over the bus mic, one of our resident hilarious sopranos, Janine came up and said that she had something really important to say to everyone.

She got on the mic and said that one of the first year sopranos had been further discussing the superbeast question - and they wondered what kind of a superbeast would be made by combining Dr T and myself.

cough.

The Reason For The Season

Late yesterday I suddenly realized that I have only had 3 cinnamon hearts this month. I'm pretty sure thats one of the signs of the apocalypse. Its right in there amongst the horsemen.

But seriously, how have I been serving myself this grave injustice?

"Wow. That's really screwed up."

Choir Tour

Its that time of year again..... Choir Tour Time!!

I thought that you might like to come to a concert or two. Thusly I will post when and where said concerts are (side note, i don't know the actual locations of all of these churches, you're on your own there). Awww.

We will be singing a blend of pieces from the upcoming 25 Anthems for 25 Years concert and our Christmas concert. Some pieces may include: the first movement from Handel's Coronation Anthem #2 - The King Shall Rejoice, For God Commanded Angels To Watch Over You by Felix Mendelssohn (and sometimes Brahms), Antonio Lotti's Crucifixus, C.V Standford's Beati Quorum Via, the Robert's spiritual He Has The Power!, a Dale Grotenhuis favourite Blessed Be the Name of the Lord and much, much more!

Saturday, February 16
Quebec City, PQ
Saint Charles Garnier Church
8pm

Sunday, February 17
Quebec City, PQ
Saint Charles Garnier Church
part of the morning service, 9:30am

Montreal, PQ
Knox-Crescent-Kensington & First Presbyterian Church
6225 Godfrey Avenue in Montreal
7:30pm

Monday, February 18
Brockville, ON
Bethel Christian Reformed Church
117 Windsor Drive Brockville
7:30pm

Addison, ON
Heritage Community School
7463 County Rd 28; Addison
9:30am

Tuesday, February 19
Belleville, ON
St. Andrew's Presbyterian
Corner of Church St.& Pinnacle, Belleville
7:30pm

Wednesday, February 20
Barrie, ON
Trinity Anglican Church
7:30pm

You Know..

You know that the sock tan you got in the summer was a mighty good one when it is still very, very much evident in February.

DSB - Job To Do

Dear Secret Boyfriend,

You are more than allowed to take me out to lunch, maybe Mexicali Rosa's today and then make me supper as a way to help me nurse the emotional hangover from last night.

Make That 6-7

marriedtothesea.com

It Just Keeps Getting More Exciting!

My Mom sent my blood donor card to me in the mail. I am O positive. And according to the nice letter Canadian Blood Services sent with the card, and then their website (which I went to on my own), this is the most common blood type in Canada. It is also one of the most versatile as it can be given to anyone with a positive blood type.

Whoot!

Cabin Fever

Dancing on hardwood floors while wearing Oma slippers - risky.
-5:11pm


"The roads are slick and dangerous."

Just like me baby.
-6:01pm


Farting while sitting on an exercise ball - hilarious!
-7:10pm


Sometimes licorice breaks and hits you in the eye.
-7:52pm

Tread Lightly

Ok, so you know and I know that the roads in the city aren't that bad. I don't discount that the roads in the country are bad, but maybe, well, we got lucky on this snow day and school closure. Shhhhhh. Here's the thing nobody say anything to Jacob or Justin about this. Actually wait, no, say things, but say bad things - like if you work downstairs at RUC and you're getting some coffee and either of them walks in to also get some coffee, can you talk loudly to them about how it took you 15 hours to scrape off your car, and how the roads were so bad and it was 4pm before you even saw a plow. Or if you're talking with a co-worker in the hallway and you see either one of them coming, can you speak emphatically about the 10 car pile-up at the end of your street - even if there wasn't one, say there was (why does it say there is a paper jam, when there iiiss no paper jam) and then say how glad you were to not have to be on the roads. We need to tread lightly here people - if they think they're losing their judgment on snow days, well, we may never see one again.

FYI

You should know that Church in the Box is this Sunday night, in the Redeemer auditorium at 7pm. This month's theme is Christ the Foundation/Brother, the offering is for World Wide Christian Schools. The speaker is a woman that I have known for a very long time, who I think has a very dynamic story to tell of the power and tenacity of God. The speaker is me.

You should come.

They Forgot One

While I was at the worship symposium there was a lot of printed material for sale. At one table there was a series of pamphlets. I was looking at my desk this morning, and I think based on the denomination, the location of Calvin College and a few other things, they should work this title in with the rest...

Some current titles include - So You've Been Asked to Lead A Worship Team, So You've Been Asked To Sing A Solo, So You've Been Asked to Lead In Prayer

Addition - So You've Got A Map Of Michigan