Intern Retreat

This past weekend was a retreat weekend out on Pender Island. And it was so sweet, so many good times. Swimming, playing cards, playing tennis and just chilling with my new family here for the next 6 weeks. It was pretty much the best, and biggest place ever.

I had something else to write when I came on here but I can not remember what it was, hopefully it will come back to me later.

George Carlin

So George Carlin passed away today and I can't say I know much about him other then this long thing he wrote and I am sure many of you have heard it, but here it is anyways.

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

Remember to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.

Remember, to say, “I love you” to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Times they are a changing

So life as Ryan knew it is about to change. FINALLY I have roommates again, which makes me quite happy, 10 of them to be exact with another one coming Thursday. I am pumped I actually did stuff today. Like went to the park and played soccer, and socialized with people, it had been far too long.

Anyways thats all and once I again I would like to add Go Germany! And also I am so happy that Italy lost today, beyond words with joyfulness. So I call a German win over Turkey and I am gonna call Russia to upset the Spaniards. Should be an exciting final.

Swimming

So when only a day before I was thinking being fluent in German was nearly useless in Vancouver as the language is rarely spoken, I find myself in two instances where I find it extremely useful.

Situation 1

Being in Cafe Roma watching Germany destroy Portugal, I am able to speak German with others around me in anticipation of German victory.

Situation 2 (A bit of a longer story)

I decide to go swimming with Tori, he is in grade eight and is quite the person let me tell you. So we are about to go up to use the water slide and on the way up the lifeguard is coming down, saying that the slide is closed. Bummer. So we decide to go sit in the hot tub for a while, and Tori decides to go ask the lifeguard if they are going to open the water slide again. He talks for quite a while and comes back telling me that, the lifeguard said no, so he told her that his friend (me) was from another country and really wanted to go on the water slide. She agrees to open it up for just one slide, and I proceed to pretend to speak German on the stairs up the slide. So I guess it is useful...

Go Deutschland!

Sweet Weekend

So this past weekend was the best weekend I have had in a while. And that sure is something considering I didn't even watch any Euro Cup on Saturday or Sunday. So I suppose you all are wondering what I did.

Saturday
- Worked (I understand this is something the average person does not look forward to, however the money is a nice new thing)
- Hung out with peeps, playing nintendo wii for a few hours deep into the night (Although I do a lot of hanging out, or "chilling" this time was more fun because new people came, and I am definitely looking forward to new roommates)
- Sleepover in the basement (And old ritual that we try to keep going at the house every now and then)

Sunday
- 6:00 AM Wake up call
- 6:30 --> On the road to Seattle (Just good times)
- Approximately 5:55 PM I find the nices shoes ever (plus they only cost $35)
- I proceed to buy the shoes
- Bocce ball in the park (Guys win and Girls have to make them cookies)

I just enjoyed hanging out with people all the time, and new people started coming and are going to continue coming, and I am totally looking forward to it. I am pumped for the summer.

On another note, I really need Germany to pull through tomorrow in a must win game against Austria.

Base-BALLA

So I am sure many of you are wondering how my baseball (technically softball) debut went.
And it went pretty good. I am proud of myself in my first official game of organized softball. Went 4-4, with three tag outs, and two good throws from third to first for the out. On top of that I also finished off three handfuls of spitz. Good on ya Ryan.

Picky Eaters

So I thought today of the reason why people are picky eaters!

And I can tell you all that you can blame it on your parents. I means seriously if you are a picky eater it is because:

A) Your parents don't make you eat food they don't like, plus naturally there will be some foods you might not like, which makes double the amount of foods.

B) If your parents eat lots of food, and you say you won't eat it, then they allow you to not eat those foods, they are encouraging you to become a picky eater.

So There you have it everyone, that is why you are a picky eater, it's not you it's them.

Pay It Forward

So this just came to mind today while I was riding the bus.
Have you ever been in one of those lines at Tim Hortons and you step up to pay and it turns out the person ahead of you has paid for your coffee? Well neither have I, but you have at least heard of the idea. Then you pay for the person behind you and so on and so on the cycle continues of people doing a kind deed for the person behind them.

I think this idea is kind of cool how you influence other people to do something by your action. Well today I realized another way to do this. While sitting on the bus a teenage guy got up and offered his seat to an older citizen. At first the older lady didn't want the seat but eventually accepted the kind deed and had a seat. This small act, of what I am sure most people would say they are just doing what they thought was right, influenced so many people around to in change offer their seat to someone they figured needed it more. Weather it was guilt that made them do it, or something rang a bell saying... Hmmm it is easy to do nice things for other, I still think it is kind of cool.

Could you imagine what would happen if everyone started doing random nice things for other people? How could anyone be angry at anyone? Why would anyone repay kindness with anger?

If only the world were so simple.

Probably Cancer

So I don't hang out with kids every day anymore but that doesn't mean that I don't run into them in the neighborhood. Which is exactly what happened yesterday on my way to Safeway to buy some milk.

(Ryan is walking to by milk)
Kids: WAHAHAHAHA RYAN!!!
(I did not even realize this one girl knew my name but apparently she did and was quite happy to see me)
(It's Jilvan, Shobi and Kessiah, kids who do not actually go to my camp but one of the other camps in the neighborhood)
We go on with regular conversation that a 19 year old may have with grade 3 and 4 kids. Until...
Jilvan: You guys have to come see the dead rat by my house!
Ryan: Sounds pretty gross.
Jilvan: Nope it's just a dead rat.
(We go and turns out the rat is gone)
Jilvan: They must have taken it away, but it's head was crushed, and it already had a lot of hair missing so it probably had cancer already.

I have a feeling after telling that story that it was one of those you had to be there. But I assure you it was really funny, and definitely put a smile on my face.

Student

Just so you all know that I am officially accepted to the University of Winnipeg.
This is old news to me, well like a week maybe, but just felt I would share that with everyone.

Hero

So lately I have had this urge to play baseball for some reason, not really sure why. Might be because I went to see a Mariners game the other day. Lucky for me I was invited to play some softball for tonight, unfortunately it was canceled due to rain. That puts the commencement of my baseball career on hold. Dang. Here is a picture of me, Check those guns I could totally hit a few homers. I guess the MLB will just have to wait for me.

Game Over

So I have not posted in a long time and I feel like I have let down you the reader, my large following who everyday look at this page hoping for an update. Anyways lots has happened lately.

First off After School Program finished last Friday, which made for a sad/fun day. Luckily a good number of the kids are coming to summer program so I did not have to say good-bye too many times. There were laughs as well during the water fight, which made for an all around good day and finishing of camp.

Also I am obliged to put this in here, but it is kinda cool. So some guy from Matchstick Marketing gave me a free portable iPod charger for free, and to use and gave me a bunch of coupons for money off, and one extra charger with batteries to give to someone who could use it. So I have been testing it out and it is pretty sweet. Energi-On-The-Go is the deal. Also came with my new very own Energizer Bunny. So it's kind of cool, also it works really good, my batteries still haven't died yet at least and I have used it a bunch. So I would recommend it to all ya'll.

Also I realized I kind of like reading, and I have been reading a lot lately, know of any good books? Let me know.