The paper is in, and registration for next semester is complete. Now, we wait and see.

In other news, my head has turned to languages again. I have long been a lover of language and have studied several. I am fluent in English, ASL and French and know a smattering of Spanish and German. I'm sure that if I worked at it again, I'd be close to fluent in both too.

But why stop there? I am interested in so many languages, so just to give you an idea of how I would like to imitate Blessed JPII (some say 'the Great'), who knew no fewer than 11 languages fluently.

I would love to know more:
Maori
Japanese
Hebrew
Latin
Greek (koine)
Italian
Vietnamese
Squamish (first nations language)
Maritime Sign Language (MSL)
French Candadian Sign Language (LSQ)

I know a few words in the majority of these, but certainly not enough to consider it even a smattering, let alone fluent. So, I'm listening to songs in Maori and practicing some Japanese at my Karate class. Maybe I'll pull out that German language DVD that I never did quite get to using...

Done and done

I just finished my term paper - final edit and technical formatting bits. It's due tomorrow and I had it done already, but I like to do one last edit the night before it's due so I can be as sure as possible that I've done the best I can. I found a fair bit to fix and added a whole page worth of extra typing! 16 pages plus 5 lines is pretty good for a term paper, don't you think?

I think so, as it's the longest single thing I've written in my entire life, Yikes!

Hopefully I get a good mark on it, I would hate to have to re-do this particular qualification.

Good night!

Caminare.

I just got home from seeing The Way by Emilio Estevez, and staring Martin Sheen. It's a great movie, one of those feel-good films that leaves you smiling. It also leaves you thinking a little, and if you're open, maybe praying a little.

I won't delve into the story much, just tell you it's a story about a man who walks the Camino to Compostella for his son - who died on the first day of his own Camino. He meets three individuals who each have an outward reason for walking the Way and an interior reason. And it's based on a true story.

I went with one of the Sisters and we both enjoyed it very much. I sat through most of it thinking I would love to do my own Camino some day. Perhaps I will, others in the community have done it. Time will tell, and it's not likely in the next couple of years - but down the road I may ask permission to do it.

My way right now is a pilgrimage of the mind - I'm working on a Masters Degree in Religious Education. For my body, my pilgrimage is towards a black belt in Karate. Of course, both of these "pilgrimages" will take some time, but I'm certain they are worth it.

Linguist at work

So, a challenge was laid to me. Ok, not to me specifically, but I took up the challenge of providing a translation of a Maori song into English. I do not know Maori, but I found a dictionary online and used my smarts and the dictionary to make an attempt. I think I did a good job, but maybe I didn't - no clue. I sent me translation off and I shall await response.

That is all.

Pro-Life

Well... despite the late notice, we managed to pull off the music for the Pro-Life Conference mass! Thanks be for small miracles and well trained student musicians.

I think I will sleep for a couple of days, but not before I soak my feet. Long day running around and my toe is only just healed from being broken back in October. So... time for a good book and a nice footy soak.

Good Night, and God Bless.

Waiata Arohanui

Ko tenei te wa (It's moments like these)
Ka waiata au (I lift up my voice)
Ka waiata ki a Ihoa (I lift up my voice to Jesus)

Ko tenei te wa (It's moments like these)
Ka inoi ahau (I lift up my hands)
Ka inoi ki te Ariki (I lift up my hands to the Lord)

Waiata arohanui (Singing I love you, Lord)
Waiata arohanui (Singing I love you, Lord)
Waiata arohanui (Singing I love you, Lord)
Ki te atua (To my God)

I came across this one on YouTube. Beautiful Maori song I would love to learn. I can easily sign to it as it's simple and slow, but I'm not sure about doing that as the hymn is Maori and they have traditions about they way hands move when they sing/dance.

I think I need music lessons from some Maori... that or I need to go to NZ...

Talk to the beads.

So, I was trolling YouTube and ran across this video clip of Ellen DeGeneres on Will & Grace. I enjoy a good laugh and so I clicked. Well, I was reminded why that particular show got taken off the air. Unfunny.

The only semi-decent things that Ellen said were "Talk to the Beads" and "What a Friend we have in Cheesecake", neither of which impacted as much as they could or should have because poor Stand-Up Ellen was scripted.

I will use the "Talk to the beads" bit some time though... perhaps in part of a M.U.D. I am developing as a teaching tool. More on that another night.

Goodnight sweetheart, hunnybunch, full of stinkweed. ;)

Can someone please tell me...

Why is it that only Math teachers teach math, only Science teachers teach Science, only PE teachers teach PE, but anyone (and I mean anyone) with a teaching certificate gets thrown into religion?

I understand ministry regs, but seriously - if all you do is read from the textbook and hand out materials from 5 years ago (with your erroneous answers) why, for the love of Pete, WHY are you teaching religion? If you are not versed in a subject don't bloody well teach it! I don't YET have a teaching certificate, but I am ten times more qualified to teach religion than one teacher I and the students have to suffer through!

"Whoever would rally the [class assembled] must be able to satisfy their basic needs.
1 - The [teacher] must have aptitudes corresponding to the [class] objectives.
2 - [Students] need to experience God.
3 - [Students] need to coexist and progress together." (André Rochais. Communities According to the Gospel. 1977)

Lord, give me strength and help me get into a teaching position.

Bonjour

So... on the occasion of writing my 20th song (none published mind you) I decided to start a blog.

Some of you know me, some of you do not. For the benifit of those who do not I am:

- 20-something
- Roman Catholic
- Canadian
- a musician
- multi-lingual

...and a host of other things. I am also in training to become a Sister (a non-cloistered Catholic nun - if you will).

I might share some of my poetry or my music, but likely I'll share insights and frustrations and musings on random things.

So, perhaps you should get your wandering shoes on, because my mind likes a good wander now and then.