Becoming Jane

Saw a great "chick flick" tonight called "Becoming Jane". Bill was away on Mayne Island, working with a friend of ours, so it was the perfect opportunity for a night out with my girlfriends. I totally recommend this movie. I wasn't really sure if I liked it at first, but I ended up really liking it. I love romance movies! The greatest part for me though was the values portrayed near the end of the movie (albeit sad!). It had a very Christ-like theme of self-sacrifice, laying down your life and your happiness for the welfare of others. This is something that is lost in this society. It's all about "me first" and living for self and for the moment. The movie was set in a time of honor and self-sacrifice, living for the interests of others, etiquette between the sexes, proper and improper behaviour, having your family, your elders, very much involved in your lives and having a crucial role in your most important decisions. We see that as so archaic and repressive (and, maybe on one hand, it can be). But it's also a time where you depended on others because there weren't such things as welfare or credit cards, etc. We tend to be so independent of needing each other and that has positive and negative connotations. It's such a foreign concept to us these days - needing to think beyond what we want and thinking of what is best for others. We think our own personal happiness is all that matters and that seems to justify hurting those around us, that look up to us or depend on us. Anyway, it's a wonderfully tragic tale of romance that I heartily recommend! On a side note, it took me half way through the movie to realize who the lead male actor is - Mr. Tumnus from Narnia! He's great and so is the female actress, Anne Hathaway. Guys would definitely hate this movie. Although there is a fight scene or two, there's definitely not enough "blood & guts" for their liking - poor souls that don't know what a good movie is (ha ha).

Seattle weekend

We had some fun in Seattle this weekend. Haeni (our Korean student) was really excited to go shopping! We brought along Tommy, a friend of hers from school. I don't know what was with the pigs, but there were these different pigs everywhere. Some things we experienced were staying in downtown Seattle, walking to Pike's Place market, going to the original Starbucks (the first one - there's something like 469 in the Seattle area alone!), having the fire alarm go off in our hotel (hence Haeni in the fire truck), going to these lock gates where there were fish jumping, taking a walk through the park there, seeing some views of the space needle and sunset, eating what is apparently a Seattle creation - a pancake baked with custard in it, going to the Rose of Sharon (an African American church) - I love the music and preaching there and the people are really friendly.

Last few weeks

The last few weeks I have been adjusting to my new job (same job really but at a new school). It's been kind of stressful. September is anyway when you work at a school, but esp. when it's new people, new procedures (it's a traditional school), and you have to figure out what someone else has done, where things are, etc. But it's coming along. The staff, parents and students are great and I have been encouraged with it. Change is good! I also had a get together with the staff from my old school so it was fun to see them again.
Over the last few weeks, I went to the PNE with my dad (1st pic is my dad with Haeni, our Korean student, and her friend), went to our friends (Dave & Joan) 25th Anniversary (next pic - it was a surprise!), went to the MCC Festival (verenki - yum!) and the golf tournament in my brother's memory (we had a good time laughing at our lack of golf ability and enjoyed great weather, etc.). I have reconnected with my 95 year old aunt and gramma Virdi (the punjabi gramma from my last school). It's been busy, but good. We have a dog staying with us that I've been walking occasionally, too. Been on a "diet". I hesitate to call it that. Just trying to eat healthier as I need more energy for going back to work from summer. Kind of "blew it" this weekend, but oh well!
Next weekend we plan to go to Seattle, then the last weekend of the month, Dan & Jordan are moving out, then it's Thanksgiving. Seems to be something every weekend lately and the weekends go fast when you work 5 days a week (I was spoiled at my last school I had Fridays off, but now am full time).