Boats @ MindSay

I can't sleep. I think it has something to do with the boats, that are for some reason blowing their horns every two mins, and somthing to do with a conversation I had at church today. I'm hoping that by dragging my tired butt out of bed to write about it will make slumber comes easier when I lye back down.

So at chruch today I was with a friend of mine who I have had some classes with when one of her friends came up to talk. I had never met this lady but my friend (we'll call her Rebecca) had spoken about her and I knew they were close. Anyways, Rebecca's friend, (we'll call her Beth) started talking about this paper she is writing about how there is no difference between the hormornes exhibited between men and women, and that any differences are merely a socially constructed schema. Nither Rebecca or I agreed with this but since I had just met Beth I decided to not say much on the subject. I realize that becasue Rebecca is my friend I am biased in her favour but I am inclined to think that if I were a stranger to the subject my views on what transpired would not waver.

Rebecca told Beth that she did not agree and that she believed that women and men were created differently. By design women are more emotional, especially around that time of the month, which I won't mention in case there are boys who come aross this and actually decide to read this in it's entirety! Anywyas...Beth then proceed to tell Rebecca that she thought she was being ignorant and close minded, that there had been scientific studies done to prove her point. I said nothing but now as I lie awake...this is what I wish I would have said...ready?!

" Beth, seeing as I have just met you this may come off as rude, but that is how you are coming off on me so I am not that bothered by it. Are you not also being close minded by not even considering Rebecca's point of view? Seeing as you are majoring in Psychology I imagine that you have payed attention when they have said, in every class, that any study can be bised in favour of the conductor and that correlation does not equal causation... however if you are going to ignor this basic rule may I imform you that there have also been studies done to confirm that we come from monkeys? As a God fearing women I would also imagine that this stament has caused a reaction in your stomach. But why then do you so freely accept the study on emotions? I am not saying that men and women are 100% different nor am I saying they are the same. But in either situation, I find you ignorant and close mined. I realize comparing evolution to hormones is extapolating just a tad on my part but my point remains the same. Just because Rebecca does not share your views....does not make her wrong."

Close mindedness is somthing that is plaqueing our world today. This is sad. I have seem countless blogs about this...how people have been hurt or excluded becuase of someone not stepping out of their comfort zone and looking at the mirror from a different angle. Being a University student I am very aware of the common opions held about Christians in general. We are close minded biggots, who are trying to impose our beliefs on the world and what right do we have to do that?! And I agree....most of us are close minded and slightly biggotted (spelling?!). But by being told that we are not allowed to mention our faith in public,  and that we are not allowed to pray or mention Jesus outside if our little goups because we might offend someone else, is also close minded in the other direction. Close mindedness works in both directions. If we are agreed with the subject at hand or not...I think it's time...as Christians that we make an effort to not be so self-rightouse. We don't have to agree, but why should we condemn?

John 3:16, 17

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that who should ever believe in him should not perish but shall have ever lasting life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn it, but to save it through him"

It's time for the third installment of the honeymoon in WA pictures.  I already covered the town of Friday Harbor (where we stayed for three nights) and our whale watching tour.  All that's left are a few of my favorites from the other random locations we visited on San Juan Island, and one more entry covering Orcas Island.

San Juan Island was the location of the last land dispute between the US and Britain.  In the mid-1800s, the Americans had a camp on the southeastern tip of the island, while the British had a camp in the northwestern section of the island.  Both camps are now parks offering camping and hiking.  By the way, for some reason, Germany decided the island was going to ours (danke!)

The American Camp is filled with wonderful patriotic names like 4th of July Beach...

The tree growth on the southern sides of the islands is scarce because of sun and rain conditions.  Some areas are quite barren looking.

The very tip of the island is called Cattle Point, and isn't park land.  However, the only way to get to it is by going through the park.

I must say the English had a much more beautiful setting for their camp.  Being located on the northwestern section of the island, it had considerably more trees.  There were three oak trees in the middle of the camp that were huge.  It's hard to tell how large they are in these pictures, but that little white building wasn't so little.

The size of the evergreens also amazed me.  It wasn't that they were big around, but that they were so tall and straight.

We also visited a small town just north of the English Camp called Roche Harbor.  Things were pretty slow while we were there, but in the summer, the harbor is packed with boats.  Roche Harbor was once the location of a cement plant.  It was ideal because of the large amounts of limestone that make up the island.  They had large kilns (which I couldn't get good pictures of due to cars being parked right in front of them!) where they'd heat the limestone to get pure lime, a key component of cement. (As a civil engineer, this was really cool :))

There's a small Catholic church in Roche Harbor.  It's the only privately owned Catholic church in the country.

Based on the cement-making history, a small state park south of English Camp is called Lime Kiln Point State Park.  It's beautiful, and has an orca-watching site.  Unfortunately, we didn't see any orcas there either.  Now, I don't know if this is something usual for any of you to see, but we were pretty amazed by the size of these maple leaves.  And, yes, that's the new hardwear on my finger.

There was a decent sunset while we were at the park, but nothing picture-worthy.  It did cast a decent light on the lighthouse, though.

Next up:  the final set of pictures from the honeymoon.  I hope you guys are enjoying them so far :D

   Wow, I had a blast this weekend...other than my nose, cheeks, forehead (basically whole face lol), chest, stomach, and legs being a lil sunburnt now--it was great!!

   Well, Friday night when we got up to my cabin, we went to the neighbors' cabins, and I stayed at Steve and Nancy's when Lee, Troy, and Britney got there. I hung out with them for a while, and then went back to my cabin when it was like--midnight.

   Saturday....oh wow, where to start....well we all went over to Steve and Nancy's cabin, and planned on what we were going to do. After lunch, we all went out on the lake. We brought tubes to go tubing, Troy and Lee's wakeboard, and waterskiis. Diane and Jim, and Steve and Nancy took their boats out, anchored them down after they tied them together, and then Randy took his pontoon out (we went out on that because our boat wasn't in the water), and tied that to the boats. We called it the "Larson Lake Redkneck Yaht Club" haha it was great fun! Everyone on the lake except for 3 houses were out there! Well, we just partied out there for a long time...and it was awesome. Then Troy and Lee went wakeboarding....I've never seen someone go wakeboarding, so it was awesome. Troy could do a backflip and tons of other tricks...wow it was impressive. We were out on the lake just partying for almost 6 hours, with strong rays of sun beating on us....so of course I got burnt a little. I don't wear sunscreen because I don't like the way it makes my skin feel...but yeah. Oh wow, we had sooo much fun!!! But then I had to go in because I had to babysit at 6...so it messed up my fun, because I missed the fish-fry and hanging out with some people I haven't seem for a while. But hey--I made $20...woo hoo--more towards my spending money for Florida. Anyways, when I got back from town at 2am...everyone was in bed. So yeah that was the end of my night. Holy shit though--it was fun. It doesn't sound like much fun---2 boats, 2 pontoons, a jet-ski, waterski's, wakeboard, tubes, and a bunch of people....haha actually that does sound fun! It was great...there was a lot of gross-talk, laughs, smiles, burning, tubing, and everything else going on....woo hoo!

   Troy and Britney might come up next weekend, but they aren't sure. I'll get to see them and Lee on the last weekend in August though, because that weekend a lot of people go to a resort, and they always go--this year I'm going with them...hopefully Lee can pick me up on Friday on his way up since he passes by my house. But yeah....wow I'm busy the next month!

   Alrighty guys...I know I said I was all the way over Alan. That was a lie. I am mostly over him....but I can't seem to get all the way over him...it's like a piece of me still wants to hold on, even though my heart knows it's only getting hurt by holding on. I don't know what I'm hoping for, but I can't seem to let go all the way yet. It's dumb--I know...but it's true....so very true. I went out with him for a week, and broke up with him..I regretted it...but I still held on through his relationship with another girl, and having to hear about her hurt me, but I didn't show that I was hurt or jealous of her to him...and then when she broke up with him I thought maybe I could have a second chance....uh--not. And once again, I felt hurt. I cried over another guy. I've done it a million times, and I should be immune to that type of thing by now...but I'm not!! It's retarded of me. I shouldn't have held on this long anyways. I'm stupid. There's always going to be a place in my heart for him, but I don't know if he'll ever have my whole heart....I hope I find someone else.....unless we eventually end up together forever. I know that's a stupid thought too, because I'm just dumb like that. Maybe one day when I get over him, he'll want me like I wanted him....except I won't be there to fall for him again. I'm working on getting over him all the way so I can start the school year fresh and without anything to regret. Wow, it's hard to let go of that little bit though...so very hard. I'll be done with him soon I hope. My heart still clings...but I'm going to let go. I miss last summer....I want to take it all back....

   I can't wait til August 9th....I leave for Florida!!! I'm so excited....but I'm kind of scared to ride on the plane since I've never been on one. Oh well, I'll be just fine. I can't wait for the hot weather (getting a nice tan), gorgeous guys with dreamy eyes, and since it's my first time--I'll have the time of my life. I'm taking lots of pictures when we're down there...wow I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!

   Hm...I don't know what else to write...well, I'll blog later if I remember what else I was going to put in here lol.

Sweet dreams everyone~
Nicole Lyn