Life Before the Internet???

This past weekend, my house in St. Catharines was without Internet. I was not affected by this travesty as I was gone home for the holiday. However, it dd get me to thinking about my reliance on the Internet. I try to imagine how different University would have been if I didn't have the Internet. I think about all those 12 page research papers I wrote, and I wonder what I would have done without online databases. Using a catalogue, finding a book, and physically searching the shelves seems.....prehistoric. It got me to thinking about technologies progressions. We rely on the Internet to study and research, even our classes have online components such as this blog. And where would we all be without good old Blackboard. It is no wonder that social media has been born.
Yesterday I sat at my computer and typed out the steps my mother should follow if she wants to upload her photos from her digital camera onto her computer and I had a scary thought. Given the rapid rate at which technology is advancing, I wonder if 20 years from now will my children have to write out lists giving step by step instructions so I can check my email? Even though I am growing up in the technological era, it is not unimaginable that the technology will one day pass me by and I will feel as helpless in front of a computer as my Mum does? Yikes!

The Dutch Have Invaded

This weekend (like all holiday weekends) My home has been invaded by the Dutch. Allow me to explain.
My Mother is Dutch, and her parents, my Opa and Oma, always come to our house for the holidays. I just love it. First off, as they get older, they get funnier. They seem to lose touch with what is appropriate to say ( or maybe they don't lose touch, they just don't care). Much fun is had.
Here is a break down of my weekend.

1. My Opa does a 12 point inspection of his motor home ( they live in the city so we store it for them during the winter months)
2. Opa and Oma ask if I am done school YET
3. We eat...a lot
4. My friends stop by to hear the Dutchies tell crazy stories of their youth in Holland.
5. We play Dutch Dominoes. (This is in fact normal Dominoes but my Opa has taken claim over it and dubbed it 'Dutch Dominoes'.
6. We go for long walks and my Opa tells me about the people he hide in his basement during the war (My Oma whispers in my ear that this is in fact "groot lig" (a rather huge lie).
7. We eat a great dinner and afterwards my Opa tells me about all the horrible things he did to his sisters (like put dead mice in their beds) and tells me how fortunate I am that Colin does not engage in these same practices.
8. After these stories my Opa, my Dad, my brother and myself get into arguments over poilitics. My Oma swears at my Opa in Dutch for being such a "luide mond" (loud mouth I think?)
9. Finally, before bed my Opa, Oma, Mum and Dad play two games of Scrabble where my Opa shamelessly makes up word after word. He tells me he does this to keep the others "on their toes".
Before I know it the weekend is over and the Dutch are gone from Waterford, back to London....until May 24 weekend that is.

Reminiscing

The last time I was home my mother made me go through all of my old high school assignments. This little task (while time consuming) encouraged me to go through all of my old University stuff. I came across a poem I studied in my first year English class. I had forgotten how much I love it (and poetry in general....NERD) hehe. So I just thought I might share it with you all.

This Is Just To Say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

- William Carlos Williams

Also, I highly recommend the short story "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It is excellent and can be found, in entirety, online.
Enjoy!

PR "Staying Connected" Party

Once again, I would like to thank everyone for coming out on Thursday! The pictures alone indicate what a success it was :) Besides thanking everyone, I would also like to pass on some information. Adam (the owner of 'The Office') commented on what a classy, mature and respectable group of students we are (I have know idea how we manage to trick him :). Seriously though, he said he was very impressed with the party and with the manners everyone showed his staff. He said he would be more than happy to offer his restaurant to all future PR classes.
Good job guys :)

Hello hello

So, here I am creating a blog, trying to figure out if anyone (other than my lovely classmates) will actually read this thing. I suppose for my first entry I will simply give a run down of what I put on my blog site.

1. Pictures of my friends

2. My most frequently used websites

3. My favorite books

4. My favorite quotes

I promise I will have something more profound to say in my next entry