Be-

Taoism a la Winnie-the-Pooh

How can you get very far,

If you don't know Who You Are?

How can you do what you ought,

If you don't know What You've Got?

And if you don't know Which To Do

Of all the things in front of you,

Then what you'll have when you are through

Is just a mess without a clue

Of all the best that can come true

If you know What and Which and Who.

-- an excerpt from "The Tao of Pooh" (Winnie-the)

by Benjamin Hoff

'Tis the Season

Take some time to sit back, take it all in & let dead-lines fade away...

I believe you can make me well-

Ted Neely, Carl Anderson and Yvonne Elliman: Jesus Christ, Judas & Mary Magdalene-

I'm not a religious person, but the 1973 musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" is one of my favourite movies of all time. I've been reading a book about the slums in Calcutta, India that has a high focus on the leper colonies and the thousands of affected people who live there. This brought back memories of a scene from this movie... I used to sing along to this film so enthusiastically that I thought my vocal chords might explode or I'd give myself some kind of hernia.

To date, I haven't come across another movie, musical, with the same level of fantastically beautiful vocals as there are in this one. Gives me goosebumps everytime...

Happy Thursday, hope you enjoy- Namaste.

Leper Colony Scene


Mary Magdalene's Lullaby


Judas' "Heaven on their Minds"

Tubular Bells

When I was about 14-15 years old, I overheard my Dad listening to some funky, instrumentals. This is when I discovered Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells; same creator of the creepy and notorious Exorcist theme song.

One night while lying in bed, I put my earphones in and allowed the music to put me in a trance; there was no other thought in my mind other than the pure hypnotic progression of the song... My mind was clear and uncluttered, it was at this time that I experienced my first, and to date only, out of body experience- Astral Projection.

I've never been able to recreate this feeling, this experience, since that one night while lying in my bed. I felt weightless, like my body was hovering above the 4 comforters that had once felt so heavy on my body....

Here's the song that initiated it all; close your eyes, enjoy and let it take you on a ride-

Blog's been slacking...

And today's no exception!

Happy Sunday, enjoy some cheap internet humour :)

DJ Kitty

Bonus

Imagine...

John Lennon Memorial, Strawberry Fields, Central Park, NYC- November 2007

Today mark's what would have been John Lennon's 70th Birthday...

Imagine the differences he could have continued to make in this World if his Life hadn't been selfishly taken from him at the young age of 40. Lennon's death was felt around the Globe & although this tragedy occurred before I was born, my Heart still drops and I get body-wide goosebumps when I think about what happened and what could have been under different circumstances.

I try not to think of the man ("man") who committed this heinous act because his purpose was to become famous from his actions. He doesn't deserve an iota of thought because that's exactly what he hoped to attain-

Instead, let's remember the brilliant, musical, charismatic, peace loving and peace advocating pure Soul that Lennon was and appreciate the mark that he left on the World and in so many people's Lives; Gone but never forgotten, you are missed dearly.

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one."

"I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together."

"Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup,
They slither wildly as they slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my open mind,
Possessing and caressing me.
Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes,
They call me on and on across the universe,
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box
They tumble blindly as they make their way
Across the universe
Sounds of laughter shades of love are
Ringing through my open ears inciting and inviting me
Limitless undying love which shines around me like a
Million suns, and calls me on and on
Across the universe"
- John Lennon

Pride Rock-

“Our aspirations are our possibilities.”
~ Robert Browning

Did you know?

The word "amok"
(as in: "The Bieber fans are running amok!!!")
is derived from the Balinese language.
The term was used to describe
an ancient Balinese battle technique,
in which the attacker suddenly begins an
insanely wild,
hand-to-hand
style of combat.

This,
of course,
terrified the Europeans,
and the word "amok"
made its presence known.

10 Reasons to Smile-

Do we really need reasons to Smile? Is it really necessary for me to write this entry?

On a daily basis, Smiling tends to come quite naturally;
however, when you're in one of those no-good, down-in-the-dumps types of mood,
the Brightness & Beauty of Life can become skewed.

This entry's dedicated to a friend who's been taking the bumpy roads lately-
Keep your Head high & never give up; set your Smile free!

# 10. The sweet face of a kitten or puppy


# 9. The colours of Autumn


# 8. Bob Marley's music (surely it'll brighten your day!)


# 7. An Owl wearing a knit toque (random, but guaranteed to make you Smile!)


# 6. Remembering all the silly (& stupid) things you got away with in High-school


# 5. Your parents (for the patience they practiced during our teenage years)


# 4. A chicken wearing a track-suit (how absurd!)


# 3. Your Friends (the true ones who you know will always have your back)


# 2. Knowing that you have the Power to control your Destiny
(cheesy photo, yes I know)


# 1. You're Alive & part of this World!
Breathe it all in & Smile :)

Fairytale Digs

Stumbling on this drizzly-dreary Saturday morning, I came across a house in Mexico City that resembles something you'd expect to see in some far-off, Fairytale dream land.

The House was designed by Senosiain Arquitectos and was given the prestigious name "Nautilus" due to it's resemblance of the cephalopod mollusk's delicate spiral shells. There's just something about this House... this Home, that strikes a chord with me- I never thought it was possible to Live inside of something so beautiful & coming across this discovery, has only made me fussier about the Future Home (very distant future home!) that I'll choose to be my (our) very own.

So, without further adieu, I present for the enjoyment of your senses, "The Nautilus"!

The Hidden Path of Self-Discovery

"It's better to live your own destiny imperfectly
than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection"
~ A quote from the "Bhagavad Gita", the ancient Indian Yogic text

"Masking"...

... A wonderful little skill that was presented, preached, practiced & "perfected" (ok, maybe not perfected) during the course of my program of study.

It's amazing how much I've been using this delightful little technique in the past few days. So what is "masking" you ask (in the sense that I'm talking about it at least); well, "masking" is the art of hiding your true emotions/beliefs/opinions about a certain scenario/person/situation in which it is not appropriate to voice your opinion on the matter.

For example... have you ever rolled your eyes at a stupid question or comment? Well, during my work, it's not appropriate for me to *roll my eyes* at the information or exchange taking place; in fact, it'd be downright, cut and dry, unprofessional. That being said, funny enough, the majority of my most recent masking practice has been happening outside of work!

I've never been one to be able to hide my emotions well, I'm more of the open book type-
If I'm happy, you'll know it-
If I'm surprised, you'll know it-
If I'm sad, you'll know it-
If I'm ticked, ohhhh boy, you will know it!
Anyone who knows me well can attest to this and because of such, learning to "mask" and I mean really mask my innermost feelings has been a big challenge for me.

I'm sitting here thinking to myself "and what's your point? Why did you even start writing about this?", and to be honest, I can't remember. I guess I'm just a bit in awe of how much I have improved this complex technique in such a short amount of time...

I suppose that's what happens when you're exposed to people that you just can't relate with; they're on Mars and I'm here on Earth... or maybe it's the other way around.... either way, when all I want to do is shake my head in awe at someone and have an utter "are-you-f'ing-stupid?!" look on my face, the better option (for now) is to "mask"... let it slide... leave the soul-searching to them, I don't want to preach anymore, not at least until they're ready to look beyond themselves at the bigger picture-

Pseudo-Shortbread Biscuits, a la Toaster Oven

On my downtime, here in (blank)town, I've started to expand upon my culinary and baking skills- now, I've always been one to lean more towards the baking side of things; there's just something that can't be beat about a warm, gooey, home-style meal fresh out of the oven to make you feel good :)

Problem is, our oven here in (blank)town is... *gasp* busted (cue sad clown music); however, not all is lost! You see, we have our trusty Toaster Oven, the little Toaster that could! And thanks to this toaster oven, I've been able to continue creating and experimenting with different types of dishes.

A friend told me I should start including my baking adventures on this blog, but so far, whenever I get an idea in my head I just go-go-go, having only remembered about documenting the process when all's said and done...

Well, well! Memory served me right this time, and I got set up before the cooking was done, so here is the first (of possibly many) food blogs to come- These savory biscuits are odd, yet delicious. Despite the ingredients, they come out with a shortbread'ish-like flavour, suped up to a new level with a tad of Crunch. Enjoy :)

Pseudo-Shortbread Biscuits
(The original recipe I found was called "Cornflake Biscuits", but I changed a few things up and decided the new title was much more fitting)

Ingredients
~ 3 tbsp of yogurt (get creative! I used mango-papaya flavoured)
~ 1 tbsp olive oil
~ 1 tsp salt
~ 1 tsp chili powder
~ 3 cups all-purpose flour
~ 1 cup of butter
~ 1 cup of crumbled cornflakes
~ 1 tsp baking powder
~ 1 egg yolk, beaten
~ sesame seeds
~ sprinkling of sugar

*** Preheat oven (or in this case: toaster oven) to 350F

Mix yogurt, olive oil, chili powder & salt in a bowl until well blended

Add flour, butter (semi-melted is easier to work with), cornflakes & baking powder into the yogurt/olive oil mixture. Mix until well blended into a stiff dough...

Ta-Daaaa!

Roll out sections of dough to 1/4" thickness & use any cookie-cutter (or in this case, a champagne glass) to shape the biscuits.

Plain-Janes into ------> Beautiful egg-yolk glazed, sesame & sugar sprinkled biscuits

*** Pop those lovelies into the oven for 20-25 minutes (until golden brown on the tops) and you'll have your very own pseudo-shortbread biscuits in no time!

Bon Appetit!

Inspirationals-

Image source

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. ~Mark Twain

If you want your life to be a magnificent story, then begin by realizing that you are the author and everyday you have the opportunity to write a new page. ~ Mark Houlahan

Keep your face to the sunshine and you can never see the shadow. ~ Helen Keller

The View

"The World is a looking-glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face.
Frown at it, and it will in turn look sourly upon you;
laugh at it and with it, and it is a jolly kind companion"

~ William Makepeace Thackeray

The Years....

There are tribes around the World who don't keep track of how many years they've been on this planet... it's just not something they focus on or worry about- Imagine how your Life might be different if you weren't making developments (e.x. college, moving out, acting more "mature") based on your Age... Would you be more Free? Less inhibited?

Creativity in Motion

I'll just say one word: WOW!
The rest of the entry speaks for itself, enjoy-

Image from here

Pets: They're not just for humans

Good Golly Geocaching!!

I was introduced to "Geocaching" today; wonderful, exciting, secretive Geocaching!

I had never heard of this activity before... this society of World-wide "treasure" (cache) hunters, but there are thousands of millions to be discovered around the World! When Commander/ Commanda/ Ms. Gee excitedly messaged me about her discovery of Geocaching, I was... for lack of a better word stoked! A secret community of treasures and treasure hunters?! I quickly visited the site (linked above) and typed in my postal code-

Lo' and Behold I discovered that there are over 200 caches within a 5 mile radius of my home... over 200 within 5 miles! I raced out to the closest one, sans shower/sans breakfast, and to my delight after a quick search.... discovered my very first Geocache! Now, I still haven't been very clear as to all that's involved with Geocaching, so I'll let this fancy video clear things up:

Naturally I was thrilled to share the news of this discovery with Jesse... something free and FUN to do in (blank)town, that we could enjoy together, outdoors, and would maybe even help us find some hidden-gems of...(blank)town!

We jotted down 4 other caches that were in the closest proximity to our Home (might as well start close to Home!) and headed out on our bikes in search. We were successful in finding each and every one that we set out to although a few definitely led us on quite the hunt!

Here are some photos we took of our first 5 finds; from nano, to mid-size range.
Give it a try yourself! I guarantee it'll bring some curiosity, adventure & joy your way; especially when you discover how many secret treasures you've walked right on by on "lesser-informed" days :)!

Cache #1 (Sans shower/ sans breakfast):

The log for cache #1:
(this is where I learned that "holy crap! this stuff is real!":


We didn't get a picture of cache #2 cause it was pretty much the same deal as #1, SO, here's cache #3 that led us on quite the hunt/ opened our eyes to some new areas of town...

(Isn't he handsome!!!!) <3 times infinity!

Now, here's Cache #4 and I'm sure there's some unwritten "cacher code" about disclosing details of where you found your treasures... but really? When are you guys going to visit (blank)town?
We found this one in an old, peaceful graveyard, nestled between some overgrown trees:

We didn't take anything but did leave a brass rose charm for a bracelet. There was a log entry from someone else who had been there earlier in the day!

And last but not least, Cache #5 a.k.a. the "Nano" cache!!! (super teeny!) Props to Jesse on finding this one, I would have been lost:

Believe it or not, there was actually a middle-aged man who found this cache just before us!! We were looking and noticed that he was looking in the same area. We said "nah- there's no way he's geocaching too!", but he most definitely was!

Anywho, enough rambling, long story short, geocaching is a wonderful, secret, sleuthing society that you're sure to Love! Give it a shot, you'll be surprised what you find :)

Craigslist > Rants & Raves > LOL!

I saw stumbled across this a few days ago & am still laughing! Many a hilarious gem to be found in Craigslist's rants & raves section :)

Stuff & Bother

"People who don't Think probably don't have Brains;
rather, they have grey fluff that's blown into their heads by mistake."
-- Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne

"It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short,
easy words like "What about lunch?""
-- Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne

"Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along,
listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering."
-- Piglet, Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne

"To the uneducated, an A is just three sticks."
-- A. A. Milne

Maybe...

Image from apartmenttherapy


As I stand here,

watching the raindrops fall,
I can't help but think....
that these very same raindrops,
that fall upon my hands,
are the very same raindrops....
(relatively so)
that the dinosaurs felt,
Once upon a time....

Forecast: 42 Degrees & Haze

Every year when autumn's cool winds blow in paving the way for Winter's imminent freeze, I start my yearly yearning for the return of Summer's hot and sticky months.

I've always been one to proclaim that I would rather live in 40degree weather than endure the sub-zero tempertaures that envelope our country half of the year. Summer never seems to last long enough for my liking and come September, I'm left wracking my memory with where the time's gone and what I spent my hot, Sun filled days doing. 

Today is August 10th and I'm already thinking back in awe as to how fast the time has gone... however, this Summer's been different than the others. For one, I'm not surrounded by the familiar faces that I usually keep company with during lazy days and humid evenings; and for two, I'm experiencing my first summer... sans air conditioning.

Now to be fair, my Mom doesn't usually turn on the a/c unless it's absolutely horrid outside, but in those times I at least had the refuge of a cold basement to escape to and cool down when needed. This year is zip, zilch, nadda- The heat's become so oppressive, it's all I can do try and lay still, in next to nothing with a fan pointed directly at me, blowing a pathetic (but welcome!) stream of cool air.

Point being, I now understand why I've always enjoyed Summer and craved the intense heat and humidity all of these years... I've always had the cold, immaculate saviour of an air conditioner or a cool dark basement to bring me back to a comfortable temperature. Lucky Life to have never experienced the true, incessant intensity of 40+ degree weather day after day...

I need some a/c stat! Time for a trip to the theatre-

Hold Your Head Up

Pulled myself out of my pity-puddle this morning;
Recognized that if I'm down and craving an upswing,
I should only be looking to myself-

Not going to get happier
moping around in a lump
within an overheated, stuffy apartment-

Up and at 'em
Up and atom
Up and at them!

"And if it's bad, Don't let it get you down, you can take it
And if it hurts, Don't let them see you cry, you can take it

Hold your head up, hold your head up
Hold your head up, hold your head high"

Motivation....

.... I ain't got any-

In the waves of ups & downs that is my motivation level,
this past week's been at an all time low;
It all slips by without a second glance
Stuck in a box at the Southernmost tip-

135 days and counting...
there's got to be a silver-lining-

We are interconnected, we are One-

"Sometimes I go about in pity for myself,
and all the while,
a great wind carries me across the sky."
- Ojibwe saying -

... There is a bigger force in which we are all, everything, connected to one another

Catchy like a Cold

Heard this song last week on the radio, first time in a long time, and have had it stuck in my head ever since. *Sigh* Paul Simon, I love your buttery-smooth ways...



Muppet's Remake ;)

Time to Grow

A seed is planted,

Makes it's comfortable Home

deep in the soft, rich Earth-

Sunshine, water, time....

Delicate roots begin to Sprout,

making their presence known throughout-

Sunshine, water, time....

A vivid-green, whispy tip 

pokes it head through the ground;

reaching, higher, and higher

growing Vibrantly& Vivaciously-

Sunshine, water, time....

Leaves unfurl, one-by-one,

twisting & turning

Reaching to the Light

Vivid-greens changing to Lush emeralds-

Sunshine, water, time....

Blooms form, taking hold of the once wispy-tips,

Round and full of Life

they begin to open

Unleashing Beauty & fragrance on all that surrounds.

The wait was worth it,

The journey successful-

Sunshine, water, time....

Sorry to burst your bubble...

... but slapping on a fake smile & perky tone of voice does not hide

or change the fact that you are OH-so-very RUDE!!!

It's high time to jump on down off that tall horse of yours.

Nostalgic Tunes

Between the ages of 14-16, I was literally obsessed with the 1979 movie musical "Hair". I'd watch it in the morning and again before I went to bed; dancing & singing throughout.

I woke up this morning with the songs of "Hair" playing in my mind, time for a trip through the looking glass?......

Peace

Belfast Cemetery, Northern Ireland (Krystian Kozerawski Photoblog)

I used to be afraid of cemeteries... I used to hold my breath whenever one came into sight because I was scared the spirits would come into my body if I took a breath in- Fact was, I had never even stepped foot in a cemetery... that is until my Grandma Perry passed in 2006.

Ever since then, I've found cemeteries fascinating... evoking an eerie kind of peaceful feeling. The rows upon rows of stones, standing through the years; representing a Life, a person, that's come and gone on this Earth. The older the cemetery, the more my mind wanders... What path did that person travel in their Life? What did they do for work? Did they walk these same streets that I am now over 100 years ago? Were they happy or was their Life full of hardships?

I took a slow walk through "Windsor Grove Cemetery" this evening, stopping to pay respects to those who have long passed and who are very likely now forgotten. The burial grounds were grouped by family and the area that I walked primarily housed those born in the mid to late 1800's... there was even one family that was born in the 1830's! I stopped at one family plot and read the faded names and dates of a row of simple, square stone slabs that lay flat in the Earth. Almost all of them were babies... Born 1895, Died 1895; Born 1891, Died 1891; Born 1888, Died 1888... it wrenched my Heart to think of poor babies laying there all of these years; but in the same breath, I felt a sense of relief because they were a Family, and they were/are together in eternity, all the little babies surrounding the larger shared tombstone of their Mother & Father.

I'm still unsure as to where I stand on my beliefs of the after-Life, but I do believe that each and every one of us holds a unique spirit- What happens to that spirit once we pass, who knows? Perhaps our spirit is reincarnated into a new Life form, perhaps we go to Heaven and eternal bliss, perhaps we wander the World forever stuck in time, or perhaps we just disappear...

Wherever it may be that we find ourselves once our time has come, I believe it is Peaceful- The families that I had the priviledge to visit today have been resting for well over a century. The ground has shifted and their tombstones are faded and cracked, but, they have eachother-

I only hope that the Loved ones & friends who have passed over the years have found their Peace, wherever they may be.

Rest In Peace Grandma Perry, Great-Grandma Ida, Grandma Colleen, Nando, Teddy, Moez, Josh and baby Scott. <3