First things first, congratulations, Canada, on being the #1 country for raising funds for Movember! You guys brought in over $37 million (CAD) for a great cause. You doubled the US output with only 40,000 more registrants. You also beat out the UK by about $9 million with over 100,000 less registrants. Australia beat us in terms of funds raised per registrant, but in total you raised about $14 million more, and they're the guys that started Movember in the first place! So way to go! Super proud of my Canuck Mo Bros and Mo Sistas and all those who generously gave out of their excess. I'd also like to point out that the Canadian unemployment rate is 7.4% compared to the American's 7.9%, UK's 7.8%, and Australia's 5.4%. All this to say that under fairly similar circumstances to the other major contenders, I'm proud of you for coming out on top. I don't think this result reflects a difference in economic hardship, but rather one of culture. I tip my hat to you, my home and native land.
Well, we're in the last week of semester two, meaning I'm basically living in C5. Lots of days of studying, eating, and sleeping. I've been emailing a couple of my incoming students here and there to answer their questions. Coincidentally, they're both calling me "Kristen". Every now and then I think about giving them bad advice to get back at them, but I just don't have the energy to think up bad advice. Needless to say, I'm never naming my kid Kirsten, Kristen, Christian, Kirsty, Kristy, Christine, Christina, Chrissy, or Crisco.
Speaking of names, at church on Sunday, Christina and Tiffany asked me if my parents had a strategy in naming us. I only know of the "in-en" strategy (Gavin & Justin being my brothers), and Biblical middle names (David, Matthew, and Sara) but then it got me thinking. If I was a guy, I would have been named Aaron, which still kind of works phonetically (and would have made for an interesting best friend duo with Aaron and Erin, though I'm sure we wouldn't have been best friends because we'd think each other would have cooties until we hit puberty). But it doesn't fit with the "in" model. If guys were supposed to be "in" and girls "en" then would it have been spelled Aarin? Or would you have given a guy the name "Erin", which would subject him to much ridicule? Furthermore, I'd have a Biblical first name, so what would my middle name be? Was child #3 going to break the trends regardless? Were you just throwing caution to the wind since you already had two? I'm puzzled. I'm also sleep deprived and go on tangents. We'll have to have a good conversation about this when I come home.
To rewind a bit, Saturday was the championship game for the Humble Hitters. We were up against the first team we played this season. The team that pummeled us 10-2. First off, we still didn't get how we made it this far, so win or lose, we'd be happy with our effort. It was a tight game with chances back and forth, but they have a superstar on their team and he scored/facilitated essentially all their goals. We lost 4-1. Ali was able to play and she played well. James had to catchup on some much needed shut-eye and hence didn't play. Composure for the most part was kept on our side, save for a couple locals on our team, but I was proud of our effort and affect. Richard (a first semester, from Vancouver) is without a doubt, the best player we have on the team. Hands down. No contest. And it's not the impeccable skill (or his Canadian citizenship) that gives him that title. He would win it alone for consistently working hard and clean, playing the full game, and keeping his cool. Not once did he complain to the ref, argue with a competitor, or say anything bad about anyone. I think it's safe to say that the rest of us on the team are guilty of at least one of those in a single game, let alone a whole season. How fitting that he should be named MVP and take it in the most humble way possible (very Chelsea Thorp of him). He gives me hope for what Humble Hitters could be as a team, or any Christian sports team for that matter.
The only player that comes close to Richard is Bill Bono...with a little more skill and less extroversion. Bill played for the exercise and the camaraderie with his team and competitors. I don't know what Richard plays for. Maybe the love of the game and the instilled goal of valour. I don't know, but it's an awesome example to me and to others. I'm sure we all interpret his quiet leadership in different ways, but I see this as that's how I want to live - consistently work hard and focus on the positives because complaining and arguing is so futile. Just go out there and love without worrying if you're being effective, if you're reaching the right people, if you've lost your chance, if it's noticed, if it means anything. Do you know how simple life would be if I didn't have those questions to hold on? I've had periods in my life where I've been so incredibly purposeful in certain relationships and had it pay off, but I've also had periods where I've just been consistent in a far less invested way and had it be as equally as rewarding. So what I'm saying is that in my experience, it doesn't matter if I'm putting strenuous effort or the bare minimum into loving others. So long as it's love (and I'm speaking of the unconditional variety), it can be used for limitless good, completely out of my control. Heck, if I did try to control it, I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to come up with all those peak moments I've had the pleasure of being a part of. I think you'd be amazed at what happens when you surrender control over the things that matter most in your life, not to mention the things that don't matter too.
Alright, fast forward to Monday. Practicals!! Histo in the morning. Anatomy in the afternoon. The histo practical was at the annex which is easily a 15-20 minute walk for people from our parts of town. So what did the crew do? We called a cab, of course. No shame, and more importantly, no sweat. Our comfort is very important to us and if the alternative is wiping the sweat off our face so that it doesn't drip onto our scantrons, we'll happily pay the $2EC and avoid having our blood supply diverted from our brain to our muscles. Rocked it out there, then walked to IGA to do get some groceries (breakfast for the rest of the semester), then stopped by Uptown to order take-out, then walked home to drop off the groceries and grab my gear, back to Uptown to pick up my meal, then to C5 to scarf it down and study anatomy. The first semesters had their mini that day and because they're such a large class and the 4ths are using St James for their review program, C5 was being commandeered. We were politely asked to pack up and leave and find a new study spot. As I made my way out of C5 I saw the RCF crew and prayed with them for the mini, then headed to find my new study spot where Janos and Candyce were. A couple hours there and then it was anatomy time. It was probably the easiest out of all the anatomy practicals we've written. There weren't too many trick questions. Some pretty reasonable and straight forward stuff. So confidence beeming and then it was time to study to the mini. Also time to get those green scrubs laundered and given to Chelsea.
Tuesday, up before 7am so that my laundry could get picked up. Figured this would be the best day to get it done since I don't plan on being up before 7 again until the day of the final and of course the day I leave. Ate breakfast, did my devotional, went through some flash cards and headed out to write Mini 3. It was a short exam. Only 87 questions, which is nice energy wise, but not nice in terms of how much each question is worth. Some questions gave me a hard time, others I had no clue, but I guess that's the case with most exams. After the mini, it was just after 10am, meaning a meal wasn't really to be had with the crew. Instead we headed home and hit the beach, well, just Kat, Candyce, Janos, and I. We had the whole beach to ourselves. Enjoyed the intermittent sun, talking about questions on the exam, and watching a pelican swoop high above and then dive into the sea to get some grub. It was pretty awesome. I tried to get it on camera, but failed miserably despite the numerous opportunities I had. Then we headed home to shower and reconvened for a late lunch at The Usual Spot, minus a tired Kat who stayed home to nap.
Guys, all I have is a clinical skills practical and the final left and then I'm flying home. So unless something crazy happens between now and then, consider this the last post of the year. No sense in keeping up a blog titled "I Got It at Ross" while I'm on vacation away from Ross (or you know, while I'm on vacation in general). Let's not forget that the whole reason this blog exists is because you asked for it so you could keep up with me while I was away. Well, I won't be away. I'll be in your vicinity and we can talk face to face, hand in hand, spoon in spoon (Courtenay...). To the readers I've accrued from Dominica and abroad (I'm talking to you USA and Russia - I'm still confused by how high you rank in my ratings), you'll have to forgive me for the radio silence. Consider it a short hiatus like TV shows airing re-runs during the Christmas break. You'll get your new weekly episodes within the first week of January. The material will be just as familiar as the "will-they-won't-they" story lines that keep you hooked for ten seasons (except, this series is signed to a four-year contract, with option for a spin-off entitled "The Rossident Years"). So with that, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with blessings and refreshing experiences.
"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may
have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and
high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that
surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the
fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:17b-19
