Love it!

- Charles Swindoll -

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.

It is more important than appearance, giftedness, skill. It will make or break a company, church, a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the inevitable.

The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes!"

- Mother Teresa -

"People are often unreasonable, & self centered -
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives -
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends, & some genuine enemies -
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest & sincere people may deceive you -
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight -
Create anyway.
If you find serenity & happiness, some may be jealous -
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today will often be forgotten. -
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it may never be enough -
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God -
It was never between you and them anyway!"

Chapter 11: Family wedding, Halloween and Olympic Torch Relay

Anne Lamott - Bird by bird "Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he'd had three months to write. It was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother's shoulder, and said, 'Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird."

This is a great little story, that I just heard, and it made me think of my situation at the moment and I found it very encouraging. "Article by article, Lizette. Just take it article by article."

So I always knew Grad Studies are pretty intense right, but wow, I have to admit I have been working really hard these days. I have been learning so much which is great, but some days I wish I could spend some more time with all the amazing people I have met so far or ..... that I was an extreme introvert :).

Besides all the articles there has been some really exciting events these past couple of weeks.
I went to my cousin Conrad's wedding in South Carolina. Was great to see some family again and to share this special event with Conrad and Carry.



Hanging out with some of the cute kids before the wedding...



Conrad and Carry :)



Halloween was also a very interesting, entertaining event. Here I am with my friends Michelle and Marie who went as "shooting stars"! Very original :)



and with Kim - " Colonel Mustard"



The Olympic Torch Relay came thru Victoria last weekend, and it was very special to see this, everybody was really excited. My house mate Michelle was one of the lucky people who ran with the torch. Here in the first picture she is very excited to teach us more about all she has learned during this amazing opportunity.

I got to do my first Rotary speech in my host country this week at the Saanich club and I'm very excited about my upcoming speaking engagements at Whistler, Langley and West Vancouver - Sunrise Rotary Clubs in December.