PACER

Tamas in TORONTO

BUSTED!

Tamas and the Melton's at Canada's Wonderland. (Murray said someone had to take the picture)

When things in your daily life get worse, when 24 hours a day are not enough, always think of the "Flower-pot and the Beer".

A professor stood in front of his philosophy-class and had some things with him. When the lesson started, he took a very large flower-pot out of his bag and began to fill it up with golf balls. He asked his students whether the pot was filled now. They affirmed.

Then the professor took a bowl with pebbles and put them into the flower-pot. He rocked the pot smoothly so that the pebbles would slide into the gaps between the golf balls. Again he asked his students whether the pot was filled or not. They affirmed.

Next, the professor took a can with sand in it out of his bag and put it into the flower pot. Of course the sand filled even the smallest remaining gaps. Once more he asked whether the pot was filled. The students replied in unison: "Yes, the pot is filled."

Then the professor took two cans of beer from under the table and poured their whole content into the pot by which he filled the last tiny gaps between the grains of sand. His students started laughing.

"Well", the professor said when the laughter decreased, "I would like you to see this flower-pot as a representation of your lives. Those golf balls are the most important issues of your life's: your families, your children, your health, your friends - in short: all the preferred and passionate aspects of your life's. Aspects that would still complete your life's when everything was lost. The pebbles stand for those other things in life, such as your jobs, your houses and cars. The sand symbolizes all the minor things." And he added: "When you put the sand into the pot first, then there is no more room for the pebbles nor the golf balls. The same is true with your life's. When you spend your time and energy on all the minor things that life may hold, then you will never have a place for important issues. Watch out for everything that threats your felicity. Play with your children. Use your spare time for a medical check-up. Take your partner to a nice restaurant. There will always be some time left to clean up the house or deal with one's duties. Always take care of the golf balls, the really important things. Set your priorities. The rest is only tiny grains of sand."

One of the students raised his hand to ask what the beer stood for. The professor grinned: "I am glad that you asked that question. The beer is there to show you that, no matter how difficult your life's may be, there is always room for one or two bottles of beer."
 

News from Renee Vriesema

OK... I got thinking of how much French  used to know compared to now..  it was like I came knowing next to nothing - cusp either I said it wrong and they didn't know what I meant, or they said something - and I mite have known the meaning written down on a sheet, but I couldn't understand it when said, or the words I was taught meant something different, and the conjugation of verbs is different, or I've had it where I've sworn or said I was a slut because I thought I was saying something right - but I wasn't lol... its confusing.

The teachers don't make me do work - I just copy the notes from my friends.. I don't take the tests - or if I do I don't have to finish them or do well.. they don't even give me the test paper when handing them out to the other students, I have to ask for one.. but they talk too fast for me to understand and I cant read French yet.. so its really difficult and tires me out really fast when I try to do the class work

But I'm catching on more and more every day so that's good.. but its still really difficult and I feel like imp boring around my friends because I cant talk very much.. I don't exactly know how.. and I feel like an idiot a lot of the time because I don't understand very much.. like I know its to be expected and all - but its not great when it actually happens.. those are the times I wish I was back home where I understood most everything and could talk all I want..

But that's just looking at the language lol - I'm loving most everything here - I really like the people .. my host mom and dad told me I would have to live with the mother of Amandine (Amandine is the girlfriend of my host parents son).. I asked why and they said because I would have to try to make her laugh lol.. they say she has no sense of humor and NEVER laughs - but they really think I could make her lmao.. so that made me laugh knowing that they think I'm funny lol.. 

But I found out I switch to my second family January 1.. and when I think of actually leaving Jules and Chantal I get a sick feeling in my stomach.. I really like them and living with them.. and even though I can still see them any time I want - its not going to be the same. I know its only been just over a month I've been living with them.. but I know I'm going to be sad to leave.. they told me though that I could come over any time and that they are going to be sad too when I leave.. they actually like having me here lol - they say I'm different.. but they're really glad they took me in their home for this time... they've already told me that I have to come study here in Belgium for university and live with them - or near them.. but Jules was trying to find a way to see if it was possible for me to stay 2 years here.. lol his excuse 'I think it will take about 2 years for your French to be almost perfect... you don't have to go back after one year'.. knowing they like me already just after one month really makes me feel good. 

I went shopping today with my friend Melissa - I called her and asked if she wanted to come shopping with my mom and I and she said yes, so we had a fun day lol.. I was worried id be boring because I cant talk very well or about a lot.. but it actually wasn't that hard.. and we had fun making fun of the clothes lol its really hard to shop here because all the clothes are so different and I don't like any of them!! oh well.. I'm going to come back to Canada looking like a weird Belgium lmao but its all good..

lol:        " Laugh Out Load "
lmao:     " Laugh My A.. Off "
 

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