Oh Canada!

West Ottawa choir has blessed me these past four yeasr in so many ways that a. I could never recount them all and b. one would grow tired of reading such a long email. But some of the highlights have been that I met Mrs. Pierson, my choir teacher who has also become a brilliant role model and a rock. She cares when I'm not doing well,yet pushes me to work hard to fix my own problems. 

Through choir I have made fantastic friends. Choir kids are crazy, diverse, and less judgmental then your typical teen. I have had many laughs with them, often regarding Mrs. Pierson's obsession with horses. I have also been able to turn to them in tough times, the other day I was feeling anxious so I laid my face in my friend Annie's lap and cried a puddle on to her pants. But that is beside the point. 

West Ottawa choir has immersed me in beautiful music. Music helps me express my feelings when I have no words or no understanding to explain them. I have laughed at the end of songs, and I have cried at the end of songs. Music is powerful and it helps me conquer anxiety and find joy.

I have reached my senior year and these our my last days with West Ottawa choir and I am striving to appreciate every single one. This past weekend I traveled to a music conference in Flint for the day with West Ottawa Select Women's Ensemble. Throughout the long day trip I felt so much joy as well as an awareness that I should soak up one of my last WO choir experiences. I gave Mrs. Pierson many hugs that day. The only reason I decided against graduating a semester early was the thought of missing out on choir. 

One of the last opportunities I have to travel and sing and love my West Ottawa choirs is approaching. We will be taking a trip to Toronto, Canada in May. On this trip we will sing, go to a renaissance dinner, visit a science museum, WATCH LION KING AT THE PRINCESS OF WALES THEATRE, sight see, and I can expand upon our itinerary if anyone is interested. (I will also have many stories to share after the trip)

I would deeply appreciate financial support if you are willing or able to give it. The trip will cost about $650 (a great deal for such an opportunity). I hold a job and am working to save my own money, but I also must be conscientious in regards to saving for college. Currently, one way you can support me, is taking part in our century resources fundraiser. The link below leads to the website which has many products, especially delicious chocolate. 

Thank you so much for reading what I have to say. 

Sincerely, Abigail Fergus

www.helpourgroup.com

Here's what you do:
1. Click on the link to enter the store
2. When prompted, enter the code 29797 and then my name, Abigail Fergus, and grade, 12
3. Order as much as you would like
4. Check out
5. Enjoy the products; they will be sent directly to you

Anti fear list Thursday!

1. Pizza cancer

2. Spear drawing Sunday school

3. Intense gaga ball at campus life

4. Fearless cat walk

5. Muppet hand gloves

6. Piano top art

7. Annie to small group 

8. Mr. You adventure

9. Mr. Strobel striving to cheer me up

10. Mrs Pierson knowing my Kungala inclined brain

I don't think I eavesdrop

The other day a friend jokingly accused me of eavesdropping. I had been walking by while a group was wondering aloud about something or another and I knew the answer to their query so I turned and let them know what they had been wondering.

I do the same thing at work, I'll be going to put something in it's place, or desperately looking for something to clean so that time would maybe please just pass by quicker, when I here a customer wonder to another customer about something. I turn to them and answer a question they had not asked me.

My ears aren't tuned toward these people. I'm not trying to listen in on what you're saying! I'm not about that hot gossip life. I think I am just attuned to other people's emotions and thoughts and what not so well that I pick up on when people need help. And I love helping people so I struggle to refrain from helping, even when it's not asked.

So I don't think I eavesdrop. God has blessed me with a gift to understand other people (one of the reasons I want to be a youth pastor) and I don't suppress the gift when unnecessary.

ANTI FEAR LIST THURSDAY

• Armadillo and penguin immigration to Michigan plots
• Bonfire
• Made it in time for worship team
• Jablko
• Frozen Pizza and Pitch Perfect after party after concert with Jordan and Raquel
• Bonding with Sarah over escape from Doctor Who guy
• I just love my small group so much and cuddling on couches and Breanna's puppet man news
• Mr Kukla appreciates my talent at singing slavic songs though he didn't let me sharpen that thing he was sharpening and causing sparks to fly
• Donut Wednesday!
• Buying coffee at that snickers thing from the have a cookie guy
• Reuniting with Meghan and hearing her lovely stories!
• The kohl's family baking invite
• Mr. Strobel's large use of the word "surely"
• Giant cinnamon bun chocolate thing from Emma
• Meow meow meow

Animal of the Day: Dugong!

One time in eighth grade my dad informed me that manatees are also called Dugongs.

Dugongs live in the waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans.

They are in the family Sirenia, which gets its name from Siren, because sailors used to mistake blubbery sea cows for lovely fish ladies. Dugong comes from a a Malay word that means "lady of the sea."

Dugongs have a fluked tail, like a dolphin, but unlike manatees who have a curved tail uninterrupted by fluke.

Dugongs must stay near shores to obtain their delicious sea grass diet.

Dugongs are most closely related to elephants, hyraxes, and aardvarks. Quite an oddly delightful bunch!

The Dugong's two nipples lie beneath their flippers.

Dugongs have been found to live up to 73 years old.

Dugongs make a lot of echoing vocalizations to each other, a bit like whales.

Animal of the Day: Cassowary

Cassowaries are flightless birds who dwell in New Guinea, Australia, and near by islands.

The southern cassowary is the third tallest, and second heaviest bird.

Cassowaries are related to other birds such as the kiwi bird, the elephant bird, emus, and ostriches.

As opposed to most birds, the female cassowary is bigger and colorful than the male.

Cassowaries have many small "wings" that are like porcupine quills without barbs. They have a claw on each second finger of the wings. Cassowaries have dagger like claws on the center toe of their three toed feet.

Cassowaries have crests on their heads that are spongy.

Cassowaries can run up to 30 mph and jump up to 5 feet. They are also skilled at swimming.

It is believed that cassowaries live 40 to 50 years.

Cassowary women do not tolerate each other, they ain't about that girlfriend having life.

Sometimes cassowaries defend fruit trees to have the fruit to themselves. They swallow fruits such as banans and apples whole.

.

Sometimes people are cowards

ANTI FEAR LIST THURSDAY

1. Mr Strobel thinking of Life of Pi when I told him I want to be a zookeeper and a youth pastor
2. Breanna's brownies
3. I'm dang hot
4. Biking to the bus stop and the man who helped me put my bike on the bus bike rack
5. Hanging out with Grace and Oddie
6. My battle wound from having blood drawn
7. Making monkey bread with Raquel
8. Campus life paint war
9. Winning over west ottawan customers with my newsie outfit
10. Mrs. Pierson confiding that there is a hole when I am not around 
11. KUNGALA. "Abi you have your outbursts at the strangest times" even though I feel my outbursts are at logical times
12. Walmart and cafe au le (how do i even spell that) with Parker
13. Adventures with Grace Hough birthday girl and friends!
14. I learned I have heterochromia iridum

Animal of the Day: Lemming!

First a story: One time I was trying to tell josh about lemmings but I forgot their name and called them lennons so I now sometimes imagine a lot of little lemmings running around with John Lennon's face.

Lemmings are arctic rodents.

Lemmings do not hibernate; in the winter they burrow through snow for food and eat grass clippings they store earlier in the year.

Lemming populations fluctuate so violently that they regularly reach numbers near extinction.

Lemmings have very obvious color, and act aggressively towards predators rather than hiding or fleeing.

Many odd misconceptions are and have been held regarding lemmings. Some used to think they fell from the sky and then died when the grass sprung. Currently, many believe lemmings commit mass suicide by running off of cliffs. This misconception was helped spread by a Disney documentary that staged and caused the death of many lemmings. Lemmings do not commit suicide, they do sometimes die during their migrations, but they do not jump off of cliffs.

Animal of the Day: Wildebeest!

Wildebeest is Dutch for wild beast. Wildebeest are also known as gnu.

Wildebeest are a type of antelope.

A fully grown wildebeest is nearly five feet at the shoulder and weights 600 pounds.

The wildebeest migrates every year based on where the water is. The migration is a dangerous and some of the herd ends up eaten by crocodiles, lions, leopards, and cheetahs.

Wildebeest are, however, powerful and can cause harm to the lions. They are also capable of running up to 50 mph.

The herd keeps the young, more vulnerable wildebeest on the inside of the herd while traveling. At night, the wildebeest have shifts as lookouts while the others sleep.

Wildebeest and zebras team up and graze together to cause each individual less risk of being hunted.

Wildebeest can understand the warning calls of other animals such as baboons.

Animal of the Day: Giraffe!

The giraffe has the highest blood pressure of all animals.

Giraffes can run at up to 35 mph, but usually cruise at 10 mph.

Giraffes usually stay in packs of about 6.

Giraffes chew their cud like cows.

A giraffe's tongue is 18 inches long.

Giraffes only drink once every several days because it is an awkward, difficult, and dangerous experience. They are vulnerable to predators and have to splay their legs.

Giraffes fall 5 feet to the ground when born.

Male giraffes neck wrestle for dominance.

ANTI FEAR LIST THURSDAY

1. Driving with Spaghetti and then telling Thomas what was up with me driving around the PAC parking lot with spaghetti
2. Snickers coffee thing that is mostly not coffee and biking to and from church and having Abi day
3. Magic trick anatomy physics trick thing
4. Reminiscing with peers about childhood things like Freddie fish
5. Successful college application essay
6. Jason Segel as Nick in Freaks and Geeks
7. Small group with the future promise of fantastic mr fox
8. Mrs. Pierson dancing to what does the fox say?
9. Fortune cookie of truth and Annie
10. Knows lot about animals really weird but really funny

Animal of the Day: Peregrine Falcon!

The female Peregrine is larger than the male. Peregrines are monogamous.

The typical Peregrine can reach 200 mph making it the fastest animal in the world. The fastest individual was recorded at 242 mph.

The Peregrine can be found nearly every beside polar regions, New Zealand, high mountains, and some rain forests.

Peregrine means wandering.

The Peregrine's beak is notched at the tip to allow for spinal severing.

Peregrines are re-known for their stoop. To kill their bird prey, the Peregrine dives steeply into the other bird's wing. The Peregrine have small things called tubercles that deflect the rushing air away from their nostrils so that the extremely high air pressure does not kill the bird. The Peregrine uses its tears to clear vision and get rid of debris while diving.

Peregrines are sometimes used to keep birds away from airports. In WWII they were used to intercept homing pigeons.

Animal of the Day: Hero Shrew!

The Hero Shrew is native to the African Congo.

Thanks to it's interlocking, armor like vertebrae, the hero shrew can support 159 pounds on it's back. 159 POUNDS I COULD STAND ON A HERO SHREW WITHOUT IT BEING HURT OR DEAD OR ANYTHING.  Maybe it'd just be a bit annoyed and scared. The hero shrew supporting a human is equivalent to a human supporting an elephant.

It is believed the reason for the Hero Shrew's capability to support such immense pressure is so that the shrew can squeeze beneath logs and trunks while in search of food.

The Hero Shrew has two types of fur. One helps them sense their surroundings, and the other emits territorial scents. The Hero Shrew spreads its scent by dancing. Okay not really, but they contort their body around to emit the smell so it's kind of like dancing.

Animal of the Day: Vicuna!

A Vicuna can only be shorn every three years and must be caught from the wild to do so, thusly vicuna wool is a rare non edible delicacy. Though I suppose it's edible if you really want. In Inca culture it was illegal for any none royality to wear Vicuna wool.

The Vicuna is a camelid and is related to alpacas and llamas!

The Vicuna is the national animal of Peru.

Vicunas or considered to be more graceful and delicate than their relative the Guanaco.

Vicunas are shy. Vicunas lick salt from rocks and drink saltwater, they have a salt fetish.