Strengths Perspective...

So, that exam I was talking about yesterday, was actually extremely difficult. Not just get a wrong answer, get zero, it was the get a wrong answer, LOSE a mark kind of exam. I guess I deserve that for underestimating the professor. But in the wonderful world of social work we are taught to turn any (I really do mean ANY) skill into a strength. Here is my strength:

I can stalk like no other. Yes, stalk. I have finetuned my ability to find out anything or find anyone. And, I can even do this in my pajama's without leaving the house. Like seriously, some people do not value their privacy like they should.

Thanks to my extraordinary facebook skills, boys that I have a crush on will be found in less than an hour. Even if I only have a first name, a hobbying or a town. Yes, I am that good. Osama bin Laden should be counting his lucky starts that I'm not interested, otherwise I'd have him found and tagged so quick his head would spin... if its not doing that already, exorcist style.

This skill does have drawbacks. I regularly see people and think I know them. I don't. And it's socially inappropriate to start conversations with them... But but your so and so's sister. "I don't actually know them" and "Don't freak these people out, Jennifer!!" plays on repeat in my head.

Another drawback: sometimes knowing too much is not always best. I have previous wrote about how I believe ignorance may possibly be bliss. Sometimes you find cheaters, sometimes you find liars, and I guess, in the long run it's better to know now.

Today, I used my skill after reading a news article about a woman from a town I had lived in, who was killed. I was curious after reading the article, and had a bad feeling, I knew and liked this person since she was always very friendly to me, even though I couldn't remember her name. Well, after creeping at least 30 people from Nipawin, that I didn't know, to no help whatsoever. I remembered the women and her husband's name. I found some of his relatives who didn't have privacy settings, and sure enough my hunch was right.

It's so sad to lose someone so nice, and so young. But as the strengths perspective dictates, we are alive. So I want to take this chance to lecture everyone on being safe this winter and to live every day like it might be your last.

Which for me might mean finding a non stalking, slightly more productive hobbie...

Don't Wake A Sleeping Baby

There are some truisms in life: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; the early bird gets the worm; close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Another one I've heard alot since becoming pregnant is "Don't wake a sleeping baby". As if! If the baby is sleeping, he's obviously not hungry or fussy or uncomfortable. I guess some people think you have to wake the baby up to keep to a schedule for feeding or some nonsense like that. (*Note: I have no practical parenting experience yet. I might learn that you should wake a sleeping baby. Keep your judgements to yourself!)

Anyway, the other morning I woke up and went to WalMart before the store got busy with Christmas shoppers. Since I pretty much just went in my sweats and ball cap (sorry other shoppers and clerks), I threw on Jen's knit boots. Without asking.

Of course, by the time I got home, she was up. I told her I wore her boots. She said "Without asking?". I said, "Would you prefer I wake you up to ask your permission, when I know you'll say yes?". "No, it's better that I sleep."

Exactly. You don't wake a sleeping baby and you don't wake a sleeping sister either! At least not my sister!

Happy Second Birthday, Blog!

Two years ago, I decided Jen and I needed a public forum for our antics and stories and general sisterly-type things that we think are funny.

Well, exactly two years ago, in 2008, this blog was born. Many, many blog posts have come and gone since then. It makes a person realize how quickly two years can go by.

Thanks for reading and letting us share our thoughts with you. We still don't have a TV show, so I can't see the blog going away anytime soon. Maybe this year will be the year we get the show ... you can always hope.

Student Life

So, as most of you know, I'm a 4th year student in the Faculty of Social Work at the U of R.

I had a very intense semester this fall. Group projects, midterms, advocacy plans, ethical dilemma case studies, 3 major presentations, journal papers, communitiy planning and organizing papers. The last 3 weeks of classes, I had 15 different assignments due. Needless to say, it seemed never ending. But that was my consequence since I chose to take my last 5 required classes simultaneously.

So, I have my first (and last) final tomorrow. I've been a little worried since the class, Research, hasn't been my top priority, or top grade. I started organizing my study strategy last night and putting all the professors tips together.

We have 3 hours to write the exam, so I expected at least 100 multiple choice and true false, with a few essay or short answer questions. Boy, was I wrong. The exam is open book, I should have known since open book exams are almost always harder.

Today, I see the prof had responded to a comment about the exam. It's 20 questions. And I thought that was a joke. Nope, really is 20 questions, 3 hours, and its open book. Makes me think this degree might be a joke.

Guess I will be happy, that its not harder, or more stressful and that tomorrow I will be done another semester!!

Too good to be true

Everyday when I wake up, the dishes are magically put away. Always back in the cupboard.

For months, I never really said anything to anyone not wanting to attract attention to a chore I may then have to complete. For the longest time, I secretly thought that maybe Ange and her husband had a dishes fairy. I mean, they must have lots of money, they have 3 types of chocolate chips in the cupboard and buy pop in cans! Turns out, the dishes fairy was too good to be true.

I finally told Ange my dishes fairy theory. She shot me down and said, "No, I put them away every morning after I eat my breakfast".

Of all the things she could have said, I'm glad she was honest, but I would have said "Well, I thought you were putting them away..." kept her going Grandpa Hill style.

Where's the Faith??

So it seems as if my family doesn't exactly have faith in me (Jennifer).

A few weeks ago when the grater (not front end loader) cleaned the street, it made an awful mess on the street where I need to park my car. So I put on my toque and Angela's functional gloves because I all own are fashionable ones, and started moving the snow and ice chunks so my car could park closer to the curb.

Little did I know that inside, Angela, Grant, our Dad, and our cousin Erica, were taking bets on how long I would last outside. While my dad had the least faith thinking I wouldn't last 5 minutes, I lasted 30, with a little help from my favorite brother in law, who came "to help if I lasted ten minutes".

Then last night, I was going through the Regina leisure guide dreaming about all the cool classes I could take if I wasn't severly oppressed as a student. I said to Ange "Hoop It up! I'm taking that its a hula hoop class".

She responded with "Didn't you just almost kill yourself with a hula hoop". My reply? "No, that was different, it was my hip, and that was on Wii, not a real hula hoop".

She didn't even need to look over at me, without missing a beat she just said "Well, wear a helmet".

Feeling jilted, I texted my best friend Krista with what Ange had just said. Her reponse? You probably better".

I guess through the years, I have made my identity being some what of a klutz. And this only leaves me the opportunity to prove them wrong.