Give the gift of Divorce this Christmas season!

I was reading The Province this morning when I came across a very odd article titled "Perfect gift for unhappy couples". Apparently a british law firm has come up with the "must have" present, having sold 54 of these presents in only three weeks. What is this "perfect gift"?... Divorce gift vouchers!

Yes that's right, for $216 you can give the gift of a broken family! These vouchers offer couples half hour or one hour long advice sessions with a lawyer.

Now, I'm not against divorce by any means. If people are truely not happy with each other or the relationship is a violent and unsafe environment, then there is no reason (no, not even children) to stay together. Staying together in a marriage that is just not meant to be, can make life worse for everybody involved. However, having said that, this doesn't mean that I would encourage couples to rush right out to the lawyer's office at the first sign of tension.

As most of you know, I come from a psychology background in my schooling and thus my approach to life. As a result, I believe that some relationships can be mendable through couselling and very aggressive self introspection. The offering of divorce "gift" vouchers seems like another way for divorce lawyers to aggressively market their proffession and encourage a rushed decision into divorce.

Can we talk about the name of these things too? Divorce "gift" vouchers. Since when has a divorce ever been a "gift" for anybody involved? I don't care how violent, oppressive, or turbulent a relationship is, the process of divorce is NEVER a "gift"! While it may be neccessary and may provide the parties involved a better, safer, and more worthwhile life after the fact, it is still a very hard and extremely emotional and wearing process. While it is technically their job (and thus the nature of being a divorce lawyer), these lawyers seem to be capitalizing on the strain that the christmas season sometimes brings to couples in slightly rocky situations.

It just makes me sad that you can actually add a divorce gift voucher onto your list of things to give to that special someone.

Radio Surfing

Prelude:
So the other day in class I was explaining to one of my class mates about how I used to be addicted to blogging before Facebook came out with it's stupidly addicting games (Farmville, Roller Coaster Kingdom, and Cafe World are my current vices). It reminded me about how much I missed blogging and made me question why I ever took a hiatus from blogging. Then I remembered: I'm extremely lazy! Anywho, I'm back now (until I get lazy again that is). Enjoy!

Blog Entry:
I was driving to school early last week and decided to search for something new in the way of radio stations because I was in a bit of a musical funk, that is I didn't particularly want to listen to whatever music I had on my Zune and I started to get bored of listening to The Peak or any other "normal" radio stations for that matter. In my radio surfing (made all the better by the fact that my stereo has a remote control) I stumbled on what I thought was an all Carribbean all the time station at 96.1 FM (Vancouver) called "Carribbean Express". This was AMAZING! They even played a Carribbean Christmas song while I was on my way to school. Anyways, so I thought "hey, I have extra presets that I'm not using, I'll lock in this station because it's super cool". But I kind of forgot how to set my presets and ended up messing up ALL of my presets.

So presets messed up, I decided that I would just listen to this station for awhile. After my class that day I was very excited to listen to some more Carribbean music but became slightly dissapointed and confused when I turned on my car and started hearing east indian music instead. It turns out my "Carribbean Express" is actually just a radio show (weekdays from 9am until 11am I think) and after "Carribbean Express" is "Strictly Punjabi" (from 11am until 3pm I think). Either way, it was still pretty cool. That is until 3pm when the cantonese talk show comes on... I can't even pretend to understand what they are saying!

The next day I decided to broaden my horizons on the other random radio stations that are offered in the lower mainland area. Basically, this last week I have listened to everything from Fun FM (can't remember the frequency that is on, but my mom knew and blared out all the words to those songs) to CBC's French radio station which plays everything from Jazz to Classical and even some french pop.

I really wish I could remember how to set my presets though! I'm getting Carple Tunnel Syndrome or something in my thumb from changing the radio stations constantly with my remote control.

Happy Listening.

The Trouble with Blogging

I cannot tell you the number of times that I have logged in to Blogger within the last two weeks, with the thought that I would finally write another post for my blog. So many things have happened that I wanted to blog about: I finally got my Research Project Proposal done and handed in and am now waiting patiently for it to go through ethics so that I can actually conduct my study; I celebrated my 22nd birthday with a fantabulous two day celebration which included Parasailing, Conquering the Grouse Grind and of course our wreaking havoc at another poor unfortunate restaurant for the Rice Family Dinner- Kari's Birthday Edition-Volume 22. I also wanted to write a sentimental peice about friends and how special friendships are, but alas to no avail.

So here I am at work (where I very well could have written every single one of these blogs that I wanted to write) blogging about how I wanted to blog about certain things but haven't yet because I'm too busy or I'm too tired, or I just don't feel like it at the time.

Well that is going to change my friends! In the next 2 and a half hours I am hoping to get at least the post about my birthday done and published! I think I have basically uploaded all of the pictures (finally) to blogger so I think it's just a case of writing... I hope you enjoy!

P.S. Yes I do realize how extremely useless this post was... but it doesn't seem to matter to me.

Kari's Two Day Birthday Extravaganza!

Alright folks, I have finally added all of the pictures that I am going to use in this blog post! Do you know how long it takes to upload pictures to blogger? It's ridiculous! Anywho, without further ado I present to thee:

KARI'S TWO DAY BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA!!!

June 30, 2009: Day 1

Richard and I hop into my little blue car with "Big Red" (my zune) full of a fantasmigorical mix of musical happiness! This time we are off to Kelowna!




There is a lot of money being spent in Kelowna. I have decided that when I become rich I too will play in Kelowna!



So apparently they are too lazy to sail their boats back to the marina if they become slightly hungry. NO no, no need to go to the food... wait ten minutes and the food will sail to you!


Bret and the other Kiwi getting the parachute ready! I'M SO EXCITED!!!!


Woohoo! Look at me go!

We apparently got up to about 250 feet above the water!

It was so relaxing and peaceful up there.

Yeah, taking pictures of myself in the air! Skills, I tell you, skills!

Going down?

Getting closer to the water...

Getting even closer...

And down I go. Because of the way I had put my legs when I was going in, my legs were being pushed back and I was starting to be quite literally dragged through the water!

And back up we go to get dried up!



Richard's Turn...



And away he goes!



These shots of his legs are awesome!

Coming down

Getting closer....

SPLOOSH! As you can see he is trying to take a picture of his legs going into the water...

This is what came out!


Ok, so funny story... For some reason, the way that Richard held his legs as he was going back up made him twist around. Just as he was twisting around, the captain turned his head to look back at him and I guess because of the force of the water, Richard's shorts and boxers were being pulled down revealing a generous view of his rear end. The captain's head shot back forward in suprise, as the three of us on the boat burst out laughing! I only wish I had had the camera ready for that shot! Unfortunately I did not.
Coming in for landing...
Once we were done flying above Okanagan Lake, Richard and I decided to spend the rest of the day hanging out and relaxing at the beach.






After a lovely sushi dinner, around 6pm Richard and I decided it was time to head home, back to reality.

An Awesome day was had by all! In fact this last picture basically sums up the entire day!

July 1, 2009: Day 2 - MY BIRTHDAY!!!


To start the day mom, dad, and I headed down to the Pitt Meadows Canada Day celebrations for our annual Canada Day Pancake Breakfast! Dad normally works on Canada day but this year (the first in about 20 years) he decided to take it off and enjoy the celebrations.

Mom and I at the Pitt Meadows Spirit Square!

Dad and I at the Pitt Meadows Spirit Square

They had a bicycle parade for the children to dress up their bikes.

My favorite was the one in the top hat. There was also a little kid in an Ireland jersey wearing all green... he was also my favorite!

Jacob is super excited to go hiking the Grouse Grind yo!

Proof

We're only just starting and both Robin and Jacob look very impressed!


Getting tired?

Half way mark!!! Wooo!!! "The second half is easier right?" "No actually the second half is worse"


The view from the top!



This is what happends when you try to take a picture of yourself with Jacob standing around... (there's a bug on my arm too!)

Happy to be done.

Good picture of Robin... I'm not looking.

Much better.

Aww, aren't we cute! lol.
Now that we are done the Grouse Grind it's off we go to Santorini for a wonderful Greek Feast!

I've never had a long island iced tea with green stuff on the bottom... but it was tasty!


Nate decided to show up!

Mmmm... dessert! Jacob and I ate one side of it each but neither of us wanted to cross the line and tear down the wall.

Nate, threatening to FORK me if I touched his dessert, which I wasn't planning to in the first place but definetly wont now.

Mom enjoying her dessert.

Jacob... looking very happy!

Nate looking very bitter, angry, and full of hate... Tracy's not buying it though!

Here we are. The Rice Family at Kari's Birthday Dinner Extravaganza! (Everything sounds better when you add Extravaganza at the end of it!)

Thank you to everybody who celebrated my 22nd birthday with me. Last year I went to Newfoundland for my birthday. This year I went parasailing and did the Grouse Grind. What is in store for next years birthday??? I have all year to figure it out! (Jacob, Lori-Ann, Richard... you three better be ready for what I might throw out there for next year's celebration!)