Vancouver

Went into the centre of Vancouver yesterday. Figuring out the public transit system was pretty easy (it's much better than Brisbane's) and Mum and I made our way into town via the Sky Train before walking round the dock area and then catching a bus up to Stanley Park.

That park is huge! We walked quite a bit of it, right up to the top where there was a lookout overlooking the shipping lanes entering the bay. We went to Beaver Lake, but saw no beavers and then made our way back through the gardens - seeing quite a few squirrels, which were pretty cute.

We then caught the bus back to Gastown, the older more traditional part of town which has a lot of those touristy type shops and was very nice to walk through.

Today Mum, Ness, Nathanael and I went to 'Metrotown', a giant Mall (probably twice the size of Chermside). I'm not one for shopping but it was interesting witnessing a very different culture of shops, clothes, food and sporting apparel.

I'm still feeling pretty darn crook. Seems all this sickness has allowed my sinuses to become infected. So feeling pretty rotten most of the time, but making the most of it anyway.

Not Jetlag

Spent all night in a feverish sweat, and feeling mighty crook.

Am a lot better today, still headachy and a bit disorientated. Not what I wanted after flying all the way to Canada, especially now I'm having to keep away from little Nathanael cause I'm sick.

Hoping it clears up real quick!

14 hours in the air makes me sick

Well I've made it to Vancouver. It's an amazing looking place. And it has been unbelievable to meet and hold Nathanael, as well as seeing my sister and her husband for the first time in 12 months.

But I've never been this badly knocked around by jetlag. My biggest problem was not sleeping well in the days before travelling, and I simply cannot sleep on planes. So for 14 hours I tried to sleep with no avail - we left Sydney at 10:30am Saturday and arrived in Vancouver 7am Saturday (2 1/2 hours before we left... :-p)

It's knocked me around so bad I've been feeling pretty crook - I've had a sleep but it wasn't overly restful or deep.

Just want to feel normal again so I can enjoy my nephew and my trip!

2 Hard Weeks

Well I'm off to Canada tomorrow, but these past weeks have been incredibly draining. I have completed 5 assignments, plus sat a Greek exam. The workload has been intense but I've still managed to do alright with everything. Now I just have one assignment due when I get back from Canada and then I can concentrate on exams.

I'm glad I've got 14 1/2 hours to sleep on the plane :-)

Welcome: Nathanael David White

Well something quite worthy of me taking a moment away from assignments and posting on here has happened. My sister, Vanessa, in Canada with her husband have welcomed little Nathanael David into the world on the 10th Sept.

Nathanael is my first nephew... so this first time uncle is very very excited! It makes working on all these assignments over the next two weeks worth it, knowing that once done, I can jet off to meet this fantastic little bloke!

Blog Hiatus

My life is oozing college assignments and class work. This is all intensified by the fact I am going to visit my sister in Canada in three weeks and need to have everything in early before I go.

So I am most probably closing the door round here for the next couple of weeks (unless something amazingly exciting comes up that I just have to throw up) so don't expect any big thought out posts... my mind is thinking hard elsewhere!

However, when I'm back in full swing there will be many exciting things to write about as I head to Canada for the first time and meet my first niece/nephew for the first time :-)

Lots of amazing firsts going on there!!!!

Jesus Racing Test Day

Andrew Fisher and the Jesus Racing V8 Supercar team had a test day with Triple 8 Racing at Queensland Raceway yesterday.

It seems they had a good run, with both Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup offering the team some advice on the car, track and driving.

Andrew has to get use to the sequential gear box used in the main series, but from the look of his Facebook status he seems to prefer it.

It's great to see a Jesus Racing car out on the track with the Vodafone big guns.

Creed

The Apostles Creed - mistakenly first believed to be written by the twelve but in any case it was certainly a common and well known creed to the early church...

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

the Maker of heaven and earth,

and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

born of the virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, dead, and buried;

He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven,

and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost;

the holy catholic church;

the communion of saints;

the forgiveness of sins;

the resurrection of the body;

and the life everlasting.

Amen.

10 Years

Just continuing thoughts from my school reunion last Saturday. The main thing that it made me realise was how much I had done these past 10 years, and how much of the stuff I'd planned to do while in high school I hadn't done.

At 17 I'd clearly seen myself married with at least one kid by the time I was 27, probably working a good job, maybe in Sydney or Melbourne (or somewhere overseas like London or Miami).

But now looking back, I can see that my life has been full of amazing things - even when looking at what other class mates have done I can't believe I've fitted so much into the last 10 years;

• I.T Degree
• 10 years of leading youth camps for WEC
• 6 months of missionary work in Africa
• Living in communities without power or water
• Learning other languages
• Playing in pub bands, bush bands, folk bands, rock bands and church bands
• Working as an I.T Professional for a state-wide company
• Experiencing business trips to Cairns, Townsville, Emerald, Rocky, Dalby, Kingaroy.
• Running an entire online mobile office at Schoolies Week on the Gold Coast
• Planning and managing multi-million dollar projects
• Playing soccer at many levels
• Preaching to youth and young adults
• Doing chaplaincy work at racetracks and looking after some of Australia's biggest names in motorsport.
• Working in the pits of Indy and V8Supercars
• Beginning a second degree.

In essence I feel the last 10 years have been completing my place in God's plan, and that is the entire reason that my life feels so full and exciting.

Yet how much of this have I taken for granted? How much do I look at the plans I had when I was 17 and feel a little sorry I haven't quite made it there yet?

What have you done these past 10 years? Should you be looking at it from a different angle as well?

Reunion

Last Saturday I had my 10 Year High School Reunion.

It was a good time. West Moreton Anglican College put it on at the school (in the Staff Room, which was kind of weird cause 10 years ago that's where we'd go when we were in trouble) and I found it a rewarding time to catch up with my old school mates (many of whom I hadn't seen at all in the past 10 years).

I wasn't exactly part of the 'in' crowd in high school, not in the popular group and one of those guys who sat on the fringe a fair bit. It didn't bother me too much, because I had a great group of friends at church, so didn't feel at too much of a loss. Finishing school I basically wrote off my class mates and just got more involved with my friends at church... in hindsight it is one of the things I regret the most. I missed everyone's 18th and 21st birthdays, and really lost a part of me which had played such a big role in who I was becoming.

Initially I think the reunion was a tad awkward. Here were heaps of people I knew, but didn't really have anything in common with anymore. However, as the night went on it just got better and better. Once we left the school and headed for Brother's Leagues Club for the 'after-party' things picked up a heap and it was just like old times.

A couple of big surprises, both in looks and occupations... but on the whole most people were just as I remembered them. I really valued many of the conversations I had, especially one girl who I don't think I hardly spoke to at school, but spent a considerable amount of time with chatting away last Saturday.

If anyone has their reunion coming up I can only encourage you to go - no matter how weird it might feel - because it truly is a special celebration.

I just hope it's not another 10 years before I see these mates again!