Home for the Holidays

I haven't blogged in far too long, but it's the holidays and I'm at my Mom's secluded house with zero cable so I'm sure I'll be able to find plenty time to whip up a post here or there.

Got into town yesterday evening- It's funny how Toronto is only 4 hours away from Ottawa (3 1/2 if I'm driving), yet it seems as though we've driven 10+ hours North. The weather's about 10 degrees colder here and where I could still see grass in Toronto, there's not an inch of ground here that isn't covered with a foot or two of snow. Although I'm not too crazy about the subzero temperatures, the scenery is a welcome change. Seeing the houses surrounded by a blanket of snow, Christmas lights twinkling in windows and around the fluffy evergreens dotting front yards... it fills you full of Christmas Spirit with nothing more than a glance. 

I still haven't gotten used to the concept that my brother, sister and myself have all left the nest and are travelling home to celebrate Christmas with our parents. My little brother and sister who are now 18 and soon to be 20 respectively... wow, time flies. My brother who used to be a knobbly little dweeb now towers above me? When did all of this happen!?

It's nice coming back to the comforts of home; no matter how much things change, home always has that feeling of everything fitting back into place again. My sister and I jokingly guessed at what food's we'd be greeted with back at Mom's. In the fridge? An avocado, some grain bread, a white cheese of sorts and something exotic and totally random that Mom bought on a whim. In the cupboards? Muesli, many types of muesli, nuts, maaaybe some nacho chips if we were lucky and a few boxes of cereal gone stale now that my brother's no longer around to polish it off in a few days. Silly creature comforts.

One thing that I both love and hate about my Mom's house is the fur! Oh the fur! My Mom has 2 very hairy dogs (one black and one beige) and 2 equally hairy cats (one black and one white); not to mention, the additional two cats that I bring with me whenever I visit home! Long story short, no matter what colour of clothes you're wearing, if you sit down in this house, you will have animal fur all over you. Everyone who has spent time here knows it; It-is-inevitable. I feel bad for my Mom sometimes for living alone in such a big house with so many chores to keep ontop of- I've literally seen hair-ball-tumbleweeds go rolling across the basement floor before, like some scene out of an old Western movie. I can help while I'm here, but I know that those tumbleweeds are still rolling about after I leave to head back to my budding Life. Funny, these creature comforts.

The animals here are a big part of what makes this house feel the way it does; so warm and loving. I'll never tire of being greeted by the four familiar furry faces, sometimes 6, that race to the back door the instant they hear the doorknob being turned. There's something about the love that animals give that I find so genuine and wholesome. I've been gone almost 3 years now, and this is still run of the mill. I still know exactly where to step so the floor won't creak as I move about the house at night. My room's been gutted and revamped into a greenhouse/aromatherapy haven, but my bed still waits for me in the same place it's always been and it feels like home when I crawl in to it at the end of the night. 

Ten days to get re-acquainted with who and what I have known and loved for so many years-

December

December 1st has arrived,

The year is almost at it's end.

For me,

this time of year becomes

magical-

Briskly cold and pure winds,

carry the first Snowflakes of the year,

Quietly dancing haphazardly through the sky;

Sunlight reflecting their sparkles.

I love the feeling of taking a

deep breath

of the cold, winter air through my nose.

It can wake the dead it's so crisp and pure.

Frost-crusted grass that crunches in the early morning

as people make their way to their respective places.

Holiday scents of cinammon, candy cane and

fresh baked cookies.

People bundled up in their

scarves and

mitts and

oversized boots and

oh-so-Canadian toques.

The last leaves of fall

cling onto the sparse branches of the

soon to be slumbering trees. 

Rosey cheeks and noses;

the visibility of one's breath-

Hot chocolate

and cozy blanketed filled evenings.

The prolonged stay of the moon and night

allows us to better appreciate the

Sun's presence.

Tinsel,

Bells,

Brightly lit lights

and the warm Spirit that fills us.

... I've never been a big fan of the cold,

drawn- out,

Canadian winter; however,

It really is a beautiful 

and Magical

time of year.

Enjoy your December <3

*smile*

Puppies in fajita bread? One more thing to smile about :)

Yes Virgnia, there is a Santa Claus

If you haven't seen or read this classic article yet, enjoy :)

A true story about the spirit of Christmas.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus
By Francis P. Church, first published in The New York Sun in 1897. [See The People’s Almanac, pp. 1358–9.]

We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

Dear Editor—

I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O’Hanlon

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

About the Exchange

Francis P. Church’s editorial, “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” was an immediate sensation, and went on to became one of the most famous editorials ever written. It first appeared in the The New York Sun in 1897, almost a hundred years ago, and was reprinted annually until 1949 when the paper went out of business.

Thirty-six years after her letter was printed, Virginia O’Hanlon recalled the events that prompted her letter:

“Quite naturally I believed in Santa Claus, for he had never disappointed me. But when less fortunate little boys and girls said there wasn’t any Santa Claus, I was filled with doubts. I asked my father, and he was a little evasive on the subject.

“It was a habit in our family that whenever any doubts came up as to how to pronounce a word or some question of historical fact was in doubt, we wrote to the Question and Answer column in The Sun. Father would always say, ‘If you see it in the The Sun, it’s so,’ and that settled the matter.

“ ‘Well, I’m just going to write The Sun and find out the real truth,’ I said to father.

“He said, ‘Go ahead, Virginia. I’m sure The Sun will give you the right answer, as it always does.’ ”

And so Virginia sat down and wrote her parents’ favorite newspaper.

Her letter found its way into the hands of a veteran editor, Francis P. Church. Son of a Baptist minister, Church had covered the Civil War for The New York Times and had worked on the The New York Sun for 20 years, more recently as an anonymous editorial writer. Church, a sardonic man, had for his personal motto, “Endeavour to clear your mind of cant.” When controversal subjects had to be tackled on the editorial page, especially those dealing with theology, the assignments were usually given to Church.

Now, he had in his hands a little girl’s letter on a most controversial matter, and he was burdened with the responsibility of answering it.

“Is there a Santa Claus?” the childish scrawl in the letter asked. At once, Church knew that there was no avoiding the question. He must answer, and he must answer truthfully. And so he turned to his desk, and he began his reply which was to become one of the most memorable editorials in newspaper history.

Church married shortly after the editorial appeared. He died in April, 1906, leaving no children.

Virginia O’Hanlon went on to graduate from Hunter College with a Bachelor of Arts degree at age 21. The following year she received her Master’s from Columbia, and in 1912 she began teaching in the New York City school system, later becoming a principal. After 47 years, she retired as an educator. Throughout her life she received a steady stream of mail about her Santa Claus letter, and to each reply she attached an attractive printed copy of the Church editorial. Virginia O’Hanlon Douglas died on May 13, 1971, at the age of 81, in a nursing home in Valatie, N.Y.

Wednesday Confession...

... I have a huge crush on Little House on the Prairie's Charles Ingalls, played by Michael Landon.

I don't particularly care that he starred on a super old-fashioned Christian show, or that he was born in the same year as my Grandfather (1936); he was one hell of a hunk of everything good back in his prime. I don't know what the appeal is... maybe it's his "stylish" suspenders... or his potato sack pants... or perhaps it's the Farrah Fawcett'esque hairdo he's been rockin for pretty much his entire life. There's just something about him as that character....

Mmmmmm, mmmmmmmmm! 

Just thought I'd share ;)

The committee trapped in my Brain folds

So tired and drained, but I can't sleep...  

Too many things going on,

the committee's going wild-

Discussing things like all that I saw, and did, and learned today,

the homework pile I've only just made a minor dent in,

the incessant journalling,

the gift giving at the end of this week

and the gift giving for Christmas...

Both of which are putting a strain on my trusty plastic cards-

Future dates and things to do,

Planning and anticipating

(I must sleep!)

Trying to tell myself to live in the now.

Let the "what if's" go unmentioned

and let the now's be appreciated to the fullest.

My committee is jumping up and down now,

it's hurting the inside of my head

and once again,

I must sleep.

I must.

Softly hushing the committee,

It's night-time now.

It's late

I must sleep.

There will be tomorrow committee,

but for now,

Shhhhhhhhhhh-

Girls are like...

Girls are like
apples on trees. The best
ones are at the top of the tree.
The boys don't want to reach for
the good ones because they are afraid
of falling and getting hurt. Instead, they
just get the rotten apples from the ground
that aren't as good, but easy. So the apples
at the top think something is wrong with
them, when in reality, they're amazing.
They just have to wait for the right
boy to come along, the one
who's brave enough
to climb
all the way
to the top
of the tree.

Poem retrieved from: http://phocks.org/stumble/girlsarelike.php

Sunrise, Sunset

Peace

Quiet

Recouperation.

Sunrise-

Life.

Refuel

Compose

Do I look okay?

Take my seat 

& navigate

through this concrete jungle.

Beams of sunlight

Permeating through the towering sky-scrapers

Speed

Rush

Hurry

GO.

Pause.

Here & Now.

Remember all that we are fortunate to have

Pause.

GO!

Smile inside

at the

World

People

Flora & Fauna

the Elements

the ever changing seasons

easing into one another so effortlessly.

Run here

Do that

Learn this

See, see, see

Do, do, do

Learn.

Grow.

Pause-

Here & Now.

Remember the others.

We are so fortunate.

Continuation 

until the Sun slowly falls

behind the horizon until it becomes

Night and the moon and the stars

take their place.

Love

Gratefullness

Appreciation

Life.

Peace

Quiet

Recouperation.

Cooperation & Fairness

A Sunday morning lesson on cooperation and fairness,

as demonstrated by Virgil and Vulcan.

:)

Made me smile; if they can figure it out, why aren't some humans able to? (The fairness section is especially cute when Virgil continues to re-give his white token).

Sponge Eyes!

Completely random picture, but it made me chuckle so thought I would post it... and since it's my blog, I can do what I want :)

That aside, I can't get over the immense amount of valuable information I've taken in with my very own eyes over the course of the last week. One week and a day into my placement; 3 weeks to go. My eyes and ears have become sponges and it's only just begun.

How will I ever close these information seekers with everything going on around me and inside my head.

The journey continues... 

:)

Reeling in my Imagination

As I sit here alone, 

In this cold and sterile empty place,

I make an effort to contain my imagination,

In attempts to maintain my sanity.

Night-time place: 

Strained thoughts of good things.

Day-time place:

Makes it all worth while-

Prevention of Self

Often times,

I wish I could

get to know someone better-

To become friends;

Rather than acquaintances.

But I don't know how

to go about doing that,

without coming off as

overzealous or even desperate.

I'm afraid that

maybe they won't want

my Friendship...

So I just don't try.

Retrospect

Nothing is ever one-sided;

What one might perceive one way,

Someone else may perceive otherwise.

Actions and words become misinterpreted

Until someone comes clean and discussion begins.

There are always two sides, two perspectives,

Learning someone elses vision can lead to

Awareness of oneself and of others.

True friendship needs honesty.

Words of Wisdom

I don't know why, but I've literally been going through an obsession with Cat Stevens for the past 2-3 weeks. Every morning when I wake up, I set a playlist of about 15 of his songs and go about getting ready for my day with it playing in the background. It always puts me in a happy, positive, ready-to-take-on-the-World type of mood. I had always loved certain pieces of his in the past, but I've lately become enthralled with his work and his outlook on life.

Cat Stevens is a stage name that Steven Demetre Georgiou developed for himself at the onset of his musical career. At the height of his popularity in the mid-late 1970s, he converted to Islam where he adopted the Muslim name Yusuf Islam (unfortunately for him, after the tragic events of 9/11, his name has since been added to the "No Fly" list due to a suspected terrorist having the same name!). Shortly after he converted, he set his musical passions aside and devoted himself to philanthropic and educational causes within the Muslim world. Since then, he has received numerous awards and worldwide recognition for his efforts in promoting World Peace.

I wanted to share a few of his quotes that I found because I truly feel that he is an extremely talented, genuine and brilliant man who possesses a refreshing and realistic perspective and ideology of the World. Ride on the Peace train, enjoy :)

"All things can be forgiven if we can progress. "

"Communal well-being is central to human life."

"I always knew looking back on my tears would bring me laughter, but I never knew looking back on my laughter would make me cry. "

"I am confident that, in the end, common sense and justice will prevail. I'm an optimist, brought up on the belief that if you wait to the end of the story, you get to see the good people live happily ever after. "

"I found a religion that blended scientific reason with spiritual reality in a unifying faith far removed from the headlines of violence, destruction and terrorism. "

"If you want to sing out, sing out, and if you want to be free, be free, cause there's a million ways to be, you know that there are. "

"To be what you want to be, you must give up being what you are."

Mr. Yusuf Islam a.k.a. Cat Stevens

He's a little out of it, but hey, it was the '70s ;)

Beautiful song <3

Conscious Awareness

Anything that has a shape will crumble away.
Anything in a flock will disband.
We’re all like bees alone in this world, buzzing and searching with no place to rest.
Illusions are as various as the reflections of the moon upon a rippling sea. Being so easily become caught in a net of confused pain.
May I develop compassion boundless as the sky, so that all may rest in the clear light of their own awareness.--From the Bardo Thodol- The Tibetan Book of the Dead

Lately I've found myself thinking more and more about the concept of conscious awareness, that is, breaking from the state of unconscious consciousness.

I've been reading a multitude of publications on this topic and have been trying, read trying, to incorporate this practice into my everyday life, starting with my Yoga practice. Now, it's quite easy to maintain conscious awareness whilst practicing Yoga, especially when a soft-spoken teacher is guiding you through your breath and focus but applying this theory to everyday life is a challenge... especially in this fast-paced, bustling, busy, race, race, race society. It's too easy to forget why we are here, that we are here in the first place and that there is so much more going on around us and within us everyday that we are living unconsciously conscious- The bigger picture of it all. 

One article I read states that: "Self-Aware-Existence can be experienced in so many ways without noticing why or how the whole process works to create an experience of the now" and that "Ones higher cognitive abilities begin to awaken just by exposure to the different ways of relating to ones thinking, thoughts, emotions, and interpreted perceptions of life and reality."
(http://www.geocities.com/gadbyme/ConsciousAwareness.html) .

Conscious Awareness provides a new perspective on everything, from the way I feel at any time, to the how and why I think and perceive the way I do. It also provides a consciousness about our surroundings, the people we encounter, our senses, our emotions, our society, Life, nature, the World. Another article states that: "Consciousness is so fundamental that we habitually overlook it, leaving it in the background while we remain distracted with the surface phenomena of our life.... Repeatedly letting go of all the inner events that seduce us into losing ourselves, we create the possibility of looking beyond them." http://www.innerfrontier.org/InnerWorkArchive/2005/20050620_Entering_Conscious_Awareness.htm

The concept of Conscious Awareness is so vast that I can't sum up everything I want to say about it because I am still not 100% sure of all that it entails but the primary step is becoming consciously aware of ourselves, in our bodies, in the here and the now. This is what I attempt to do while practicing Yoga; you first quiet the mind and become fully aware of your breath flowing in and out of your body, oxygenating your blood, rushing through your nasal passages. You start to meditate on this breath and feel the sensation of being in a particular place, of the energy surging through your body from one toe at a time all the way up to the hairs coming out of your head. Feeling this and the sensation of your clothes and the air on your skin, creates an indescribable tingling, surging sensation that is literally your energy flowing through your body. Total body awareness. My Yoga teacher walks us through this by having us bring our focus to our right baby toe, and then the toe next to that and so on, then the edges of our feet, the sole, the heel, the ankle, etc.. etc.. until you reach the top of your head on the right side of your body where you then repeat the process on your left side starting with your left baby toe until your consciousness reaches every part of the entirety of your body. The feeling is unreal.

I've also been trying to remain aware of my connection to the Earth while out and about; of my feet being grounded to the Earth, that I am a part of it and truly savouring all that it has to offer. I could go on and on and on about this topic and considering I'm currently blogging rather than writing an important school paper, I should probably stop now before I start going even deeper. My point though is that Conscious Awareness is a valuable tool for truly experiencing what it is to be Alive and can help quel judgements of others and the situations we encounter day to day.

Try the Yoga awareness exercise I outline above, it can't hurt to try it at least just once! And when your mind wanders, which is most likely will, make a concerted effort to bring your focus back to the awareness of whatever body part you're engaging. I guarantee you'll like to effects and perhaps pursuing Conscious Awareness will become a goal of yours as well :)

October 13, 2006

3 Years Later,
although it feels like it's been a decade.
I still turn to you for guidance
and look to the skies for your Rainbows.

I miss your hugs,
Your laugh,
Our nights of sleepovers,
movies and ice cream.
I miss getting to borrow your head to toe night gowns,
and your never ending supply of flannel socks with the stickies on the bottom.
You showed me the value in taking the time to "veg out",
And taught me what it means to be a true Warrior.
Our games of intersect90
and the afternoons we spent "poking around";
I only wish we had more time.

You are forever missed and always in my Heart;
Give Babes and Mocha a love scrub for me,
I know you're watching down on us.

<3

Passion

Always be True
to the Hopes and Dreams
you hold Deepest
in your Heart.

Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda

*sigh*

Feeling unnecessarily disgruntled at the moment.

Have you ever experienced psyching yourself up
over something you were so strongly looking forward to doing,
Only to discover that someone's already done said anticipation
and that the train's left the station?

BAH!

Well intended,
Non-appreciated.

Blue Sky Tripping

Imagine you were walking down the sidewalk listening to music,
When you pass by another person walking down the sidewalk listening to music-
Now imagine, just for a minute, that you were both listening to the exact same song,
at the exact same part of that same song,
at the exact time you just passed each other by...

Something to muse ;)

Ukraine's Got Talent

Historical, Moving, Inspirational, Pure Talent, Beauty, Art-

If you haven't seen this yet, I strongly encourage you to watch the entirety. You will not be disappointed, this woman possesses an unimaginable skill and will move your heart.

You too can be musically inclined!

Da-da-da-daaaaa! The Virtual Piano! Next thing you know, we'll be playing in the National Orchestra ;)
Enjoy!

http://www.thevirtualpiano.com

September 23, 1985

24 years ago,

a 19 year old did the bravest thing ever
and gave life to a brown-eyed baby girl.
Thanks Mom,
you made the ultimate sacrifice for me
and I'm eternally grateful for all you've done.

"I want to" -> "I will"

I've been thinking lately about things I'd like to improve about myself... personal goals if you will. I don't know what triggered it, but I've had an onset of things that I've been telling myself I would like to change, ASAP; however... it's very easy to push thoughts away and disregard that they even exist... especially ones that require Will Power!
For this reason, I've decided to record my personal goals so they're no longer just a thought in my head, but something I can see and read and seriously pursue. I'm hoping this will make them more of a reality than a fleeting thought passing by.

I want to:
- Cut back on my coffee consumption. I want my morning coffee to be replaced with an herbal tea every second day.
- Stop picking things on my face & be okay with my skin not being completely smooth.
- Get back into my wheatgrass regime!
- Floss my teeth every night before bed.
- Stop eating after 9pm!
- Cut back on my indulgence in a certain plant.
- Reduce my intake of meat & increase my consumption of vegetarian friendly meals.
- Take my hedgehog out to play at least a few times/ week.
- Stop biting my cuticles (no one wants an interpreter with gnarly hands!)
- Ensure schoolwork is always my #1 priority.
- Continue my Yoga practice & strive for meditation rather than a workout.

All a test of will power; here's hoping that seeing these in black and white will help give me a kick start to success and personal growth.

Cheap Laugh

I'm not huge on the whole "LOLz Speak" craze, but these did make me laugh out loud.
Hope they put a smile on your face too; Happy Days!

Brits: We do a Body Good

Jim Sturgess, fellow Brit. Ain't he dreamy *sigh*....

I'm currently grooving to some straight Beatles whilst (attempting) to tackle my enormous mountain of dirty dishes (notice "attempting" as I'm now sitting down blogging... taking a "break"). Anywho, got me thinking about the utterly beautifully fabulous movie "Across the Universe" in which I first became smitten with the above, Jim Sturgess.
Yes, yes, my boyfriend is aware; he begrudgingly sits by my side as I swoon and clasp my hands while watching the movie... for the hundredth time!

Here's two of my favourite scenes from the movie, if you haven't seen it yet stop reading immediately and get to it!!!
Here comes the Sun, Enjoy ;)

The Expressions at 00:11 & 00:15 make my Heart smile


This scene made me cry first time I saw it, Carol Woods is phenomenal <3

Confucius Says...

"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance."
- This quote expresses something very profound which also is very useful to know: Ignorance is a willful neglect or refusal to acquire knowledge. It is not widen one’s own perspective in order to see a broader truth. As an example it would be to have racist thoughts and not realizing that all men are equal.

The ultimate truth therefore is where there is absolutely no ignorance, meaning where the perspective or consciousness has become one with all that there is. In Buddhism ignorance (Avidyā) is seen as the primary cause of suffering. Liberation is Enlightenment. Another quote by Confucius here is "Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star."

"Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart."
- Whatever you do and whatever you commit to, do it fully, give your all – one hundred percent. It is the essence of Carpe Diem – Seizing the day and it’s surely the best way to be satisfied with what we do and get the best results.

"He who learns but does not think, is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger."
- Confucius explains the connection of learning and reflection. Reflection of that what we learned by thinking or of the results we get by applying the knowledge. "Study without reflection is a waste of time; reflection without study is dangerous" is a similar quote by Confucius. Learning is only useful if we connect the learning within our own minds, with what we already know and what is useful for us. This reflection of any knowledge also saves us from blindly following any knowledge without checking its truthfulness and validity to us.

I think everybody experienced learning when we really want this knowledge and interweave it with what we already know. If there is a need or problem we want to solve, the consume knowledge much more effective than it happens for students in many universities.

My Personal Favourite:

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it."
- Amazing. It calls for dropping the inner mask through which we constantly see and evaluate the world, distorted by our wants and belief-systems. Here we have to look at things as they are. Just like a newborn child would look at things. Then we are able to really see again, without instant labeling of what we see and therefore only really seeing our label. If we become able to do this – just for a second without judgment, we can see that everything in nature is as it should be. And in this natural perfection lies beauty.

Source: http://www.globalone.tv/profiles/blogs/confucius-says-the-top-10

Gezellig

"I'm gonna buy me a ticket as far as I can,
I ain't never comin' back
I'm gonna take me that south-bound,
All the way to Georgia now,
Till the train it run out of track"...

Don't ask me what it is about Marshall Tucker Band's "Can't you See", but every time I hear it I become overwhelmed with feelings of coziness, "gezellig", and a sense of one with Life.
I know it sounds corny, but there's something about listening to the opening riff of this song while being somewhere alone, I was just on my bike whizzing through the quiet streets of after-dusk Toronto, that makes me feel like all is right in my Life.
It's strange how one song can have such a powerful impact on my state of mind, especially considering that the lyrics don't particularly hit home...
I guess I'm writing because I just experienced this inner peace and tranquility and realized how strange it is to have such a thing stem from such a song. Perhaps it's because it instantly ignites a streaming slide show of memories from summer's past... Time spent driving for hours with no destination in sight or mind, the rules we broke sitting in close-knit circles in who ever's house happened to be parent-free at the time, stealth cottage weekends mid-winter just so we'd have some freedom and jokes so funny we could have sworn we were going to pee our pants.
This song reminds me of my (on-going) Youth. I feel like it has come to embody all the good feelings from memories past and memories in the making. It feels like something real and measurable, representing the attitude and feelings of the times- The "gezelligheid".



PS- This and Jethro Tull make me deeply regret ever giving up being a flautist... maybe one day.

Online Window Shopping

Etsy: my favourite site for online purchases; Although seeing as I'm broke in terms of disposable income, I've been forced to browse... "browse" until I find something I must, must have! Here are some of my Favourite Finds this Sunday:

Smiley Veggies

Inner cogs of a wrist watch (this wouldn't be distracting while signing... would it?)

My Favourite <3
Wooden replica of an old-fashioned gas gauge

Makes me feel Cozy

*sigh* I will never grow old of this show <3

Downward Slope of the West

Spare tire.
Pooch.
Dickdo.
Flab.
Muffin Tops.

Call it what you will, these are just a few of the names used to describe the ever-expanding mid-sections of far too many North Americans. You know what I'm referring to; the flap of excess tissue that can be clearly seen hanging over people's pants, skirts, shorts etc... The sad thing is that this phenomenon has become a normality in our society; so much so that clothing stores have gone so far as to alter their sizes so that what once was a size 14, is now a size 10... after all, you don't want someone to be *gasp* upset about their true size.

So why am I choosing to write about this? The fact is, I was stunned today. I saw something I had never noticed before... well, many things that I had never noticed before. Walking through the halls of my college, it seemed as though every second person was sporting their very own, home-grown spare tire. These are people my age; people who are supposed to know what it means to live a healthy lifestyle and the importance of doing such. Of course, I always want to give someone the benefit of the doubt and I'll tell myself in the back of my head "Oh, well maybe they have a thyroid problem..." or "maybe there are other under-lying issues that have influenced the way in which they live their life". But in all honesty, the majority of the time these are individuals who would rather take the elevator to go up one floor than take the stairs, rather grab a nutrient-deficient, over-processed, quick-to-go breakfast, lunch or dinner than take the time to ensure their bodies are properly nourished.

We have bred a nation of over-indulgent, under appreciative and lazy people. We have both disregarded and turned a blind eye to our body's needs and have come to rely far to heavily on medical advancements to solve our problems for us, rather than addressing them ourselves. We are so unbelievably fortunate to have all that we do here, but all too often people take this life for granted, continuously searching for something better.

There's a reason why North America houses some of the largest people in the World. It's because we have gotten far too caught up in a fast-paced life of convenience, readiness and instant gratification. The result of this can be seen in the youth of our country who are becoming increasingly dormant and overweight. These children are our future and this epidemic has spiraled so far out of control that school's have now instilled a mandatory 30 minutes of physical activity per day, aside from regular physical activity classes. What happened to recesses where kids would assemble an impromptu game of tag? Or play a game of touch football? Or even pull out their favourite skipping rope and go to town? The allure of video games, "Happy" meals and television have outshone the past times that our parents used to partake in when they were children. We now have to force physical activity upon many youth in our society... It's a scary and dangerous slope.

What I saw today shocked me. It also made me sad that in a country where we are so privileged, that so many people continue to take advantage of the luxuries we have. Our medical institutions are already struggling with addressing the multitude of disorders that come from living an inactive and unhealthy lifestyle. This way of life that we have accepted can only either take a turn for the better or for the worse. I pray that these people wake up one day and recognize how fortunate they are to live in this society, how many resources are available for them to use in order to improve their quality of life, that their body is a temple and should be treated as such. Take a look at how the rest of the World lives and I'm sure you'll notice that something is wrong with how the majority of North Americans are choosing to live theirs.

Here

Do you ever feel Lost,
Even though you know exactly where you Are?
What am I searching for...

I Am Blessed <3

The Cross-Over

Speak up little voice,
Don't leave me hanging-
I need you more than ever.

The cross-over has begun.
Should begin.
Must begin.

8 months...
I must slowly begin to draw the line
in the imaginary sand that surrounds me.

My eyes have been opened,
There's no one laughing
and that little voice is harshly telling me to smarten up,
get with it and start drawing that damn line.

Things that were once accepted
are no more...
So says my little voice-

I cannot let my care-free nature
jeopardize
my Future.

Pick up that heavy stick;
Draw.

Frivolous Entertainment

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Mr. Oizo...

Because really, who doesn't love a corporate puppet smokin' on some jerky?!
:)

When the Star Shines

Good morning Star Shine;
I opened my eyes and you weren't there,
Your pillow's untouched,
Patiently waiting for your return.

Good morning Star Shine;
We move and do, do and move,
Ever while a sense of absence lingering in the air.

Good morning Star Shine,
The Earth says Hello-
I can't wait for your return,
so my Star can Shine again.

Circa 03.20.2006

Young Love-
Is there anything else like it?
I can't get You out of my Mind-

Everything-
Everything about, within & of You;
I want You and no one else.

Take me away,
To the tips of the Stars;
Where We can Live eternally Young,
Eternally in Love-

Grama...

I woke up this morning thinking about my Grama Perry who passed away Friday, October 13th 2006 after a long battle with mouth cancer.

She was honestly the best Grandmother I could have ever asked for- I'll always remember the many days we'd spend "poking around" the mall; browsing for hours and hours was something we both loved to do. If it was rainy, we would "veg out" on the couch, always with a bowl of ice cream, a movie and usually a game of InterSect 90 somewhere in between. I used to win all the time at that game and I sometimes wondered if my Grama was going easy on me :)

She was a nun, a teacher, a principal, a National Arts Centre pianist, a step-mother, a grandmother and above all, a fighter. My family used to joke that my Grama would be canonized (made into a Saint) after she passed because of all the years she had to "put up" with my crazy, eccentric Grampa!

I still don't know why my Grama decided to quit the convent, but our family always laughed about the time she once (as a nun) threw one of her students beds out the window because it wasn't made properly!

One thing my Grama did, which I could never thank her enough for, is she would write little books for my monumental Birthdays. She would write about our family, about my life, about the life of their beloved dog Babes after she had to be put down and so on. She would write her own experiences and thoughts about first becoming a Grandmother and how it changed her from the person she used to be into the person I knew her as. Whenever I go back to Ottawa and have an opportunity to visit my Grama's gravesite, I always bring one of her little books and read it to her; I know she's listening.

When my Grama was diagnosed with mouth and tongue cancer, the Doctors gave her 2 months to live. It was a really scary time for us and my family watched my Grama transform from a festivally-plump woman to a frail bone-thin skeleton. Although her outer appearance changed so drastically, my Grama's amazing self always shone through. She fought, and fought, and fought and managed to live an amazing 11 years longer than the Doctors had expected her to.
For the last 10 years of her life, my Grama was fed through a tube in her stomach and it would make me so sad to hear how all she wanted was to be able to eat a Harvey's HotDog again.

My Grama was a fighter, she was amazing, IS amazing! She gave me a small heart-shaped pillow one year on my Birthday and it's become one of my most cherished possesions.
On the pillow it says: "Always be true to the hopes and dreams you hold deepest in your heart"; that short little message has helped me get through some rough times.

Thanks for everything you did and are still doing Grama, I love you so much. Rest In Peace & I'll be watching for the Rainbow in the skies on October 13th.

Oh Bowie <3

I woke up with this song in my head for some odd reason but as this is one of my favourite movies, I thought I'd share it with you guys too! ENJOY :)

Humid Rainy Days

This vaguely sums up my day today, except instead of one screaming baby, I had about 20 kids from the ages of 4-14 and no cell phone :P
Still....
I freakin' LOVE it!
Keep Peachy <3