The World's Youngest Senior Citizen

I've Moved!!

2010-10-14T20:12:00.000-07:00

I've finally made the leap over to WordPress. Blogger has been good to me over the last year. Eeks! Can you believe I've been blogging for almost a year?! I have a feeling good things are to come over at the new site. I even have my own domain name. Now that's a step!

Come visit the new blog at www.youngestsenior.com!!!

Did I really just buy that?

2010-10-08T10:35:00.000-07:00

I've often said that I should not be allowed in London Drugs with my credit card. I can always find something that I need. And by need, I mean I could absolutely live without.

The past few weeks have been beyond busy. I felt like it's been weeks since I've had five minutes to sit down and spend five minutes relaxing. And I was having a hard time seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. So one day last week I stop at London Drugs on my home from work. I'm stressed. I'm hungry. And I have a credit card.

Here's what I left with:

garbage bags
coffee filters
ibuprofen
chocolate covered cranberries
Pear flavoured dark chocolate
Sea Salt and Lime Crispy Minis
Caramel Kettle Corn Crispy Minis
Salt and Vinegar Crispy Minis
chili and lime almonds
gum
deodorant
a steam mop

It should be noted that I don't even like Crispy Minis, I was not out of either deodorant or garbage bags, and pear flavoured chocolate is disgusting.

Despite not needing a steam mop, It's actually pretty great. Makes washing the floors pretty easy and keeps the carpet clean too. I bought the cheapest one they had on sale. It came from the "as seen on tv" section, but it still gets the job done. And the miracle of all miracles is that I resisted the urge to buy the Emery Cat while I was there.

Dreaming of Seville

2010-09-26T22:03:00.000-07:00

I've been pretty lucky in the last while with winning things on Twitter. In the last year or so I've won a pound of coffee, a t-shirt, a toque, a prize pack of clothing (jacket, shirt, dress), roller derby tickets, weekend passes to Live At Squamish (a music festival) and a cookbook.

I won the cookbook months ago and never received it in the mail. I figured it wasn't coming. Finally a few weeks ago, there was a parcel that came for me at work and there it was! "Around My French Table" by Dorie Greenspan had arrived.

Now going back a few years to my trip to Spain in 2007, there was one dish that I ordered quite often. It was predictable, filling, super tasty and not to mention cheap. Tortilla de patatas is an omelet type dish with potatoes and onions. Since then, I've always meant to try making the dish but had never come across a recipe.

I opened up the new cookbook and there was a recipe for Basque Potato Tortilla, so last weekend I gave it a go. The dish was very similar to what I remember having in Spain. The recipe stressed how important it was to clean the skillet out between cooking the potato mixture and adding the eggs. I thought I had done it well enough, but obviously hadn't by how the whole dish fell apart when I tried flipping it out onto a platter. But even as a broken mess, the dish tasted just like I remembered it. I sat eating it, dreaming of being back in Seville.

Here's a flamenco tablao that I went to a few times in Seville. The same dancer, the same dress that I saw. Oh to be back in Seville...

Becoming A Fan

2010-09-24T22:06:00.000-07:00

I first started to knit about eight years ago. I taught myself from a few books and videos from the library. What made me decide, at the age of twenty-one to take up such a hobby? Well, other than it being the perfect hobby for the Youngest Senior. At the time I was dating a guy who was a huge hockey fan. Everything revolved around the Vancouver Canucks. If I wanted to spend time with him on an evening that they played, we would have to watch the game.

I can't sit still for long periods of time. I refuse to watch any movie that is longer than two hours. The thought of watching a hockey game for THREE hours practically gave me hives!

So I took up knitting. There were many misshapen dish clothes and scarves created that winter.

Now here I am, eight years later, still knitting, still not being able to sit still for long and dating yet another hockey fan. A few things have changed though. I can now knit things that aren't in a square pattern. And maybe I'm a little less square too. I've opened up to the idea that sports aren't boring and that beer is pretty tasty. Oddly enough, they make a pretty good pair.

After watching the Canada-US men's gold medal game during the 2010 Olympics I was convinced I must get into watching hockey. I watched a few games during the playoffs this year, but I never really got into it. For one, I don't really understand the rules. I mean, I get the general idea of hockey, but beyond getting the puck into the net I'm kind of lost.

So this past Tuesday was Hockey 101 for me. I was taken to my first Canucks game. I'm not sure whether it was being there in person, being surrounded by so many fans, or being there with someone who was actually excited to explain the game and what was going on, but I had a lot of fun. I now have a pretty good handle on what offside means. I'm still working on my understanding of icing, but we'll get there eventually.

I've found myself reading little bits about hockey that come up on Twitter, entering contests for hockey tickets and wondering when the next game is. I can definitely see myself becoming a fan.

Now the question is, will I still be able to knit and watch hockey? Is a fan allowed to do that? Will I only be able to knit hockey related items while watching? Thoughts, ideas? How does this work people?!

Ctrl + Z

2010-09-15T12:06:00.000-07:00

Last night I wrote a blog post singing the praises of the Vancouver Ultimate League and describing how much I enjoyed the Women In Ultimate clinic on Monday night. Today, while eating my lunch I was going through editing the post and in the process hit Ctrl + Z in order to undo one of the edits.

The WHOLE post disappeared. Blogger then auto saved before I had a chance to do anything!

Gah!!

Chances are I hit something other than Z. Either way, it's gone. I could experiment and see if it happens again right now, but I won't. I could rewrite the whole thing. Instead, I'm going to sit here cursing and giving Blogger dirty looks. Everything happens for a reason, right? I think this gives me the extra push I need to get the new WordPress blog up and running.

P.S. If you're a woman and you play ultimate, I highly recommend you check out the Women In Ultimate clinics when they're on. It was a great experience picking up tips for a better game and getting individual suggestions to make my throws more accurate and powerful.

The Bandwagon

2010-09-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

It feels like I've fallen off the blogging bandwagon as of late. In fact, I feel like I've fallen off a few bandwagons. The blogging bandwagon, the running band wagon, the sewing bandwagon. I blame summer. And other distractions. Read: summer and boys. Yep, I've been going on a few dates lately.

It's surprising how much time dating takes up. Not only do you have to spend time analyzing and deciding what to wear, you then have to spend time actually getting dressed, doing your hair and putting on an appropriate amount of make-up. Post date, you lose even more time answering all your friends' questions about the guy and the date. It's exhausting. Needless to say, adding dating to my already busy schedule hasn't left a lot of time for much else.

But this post isn't so much about dating, as it is about another love affair I've been having. An affair with poutine. If poutine is on the menu, I can't say no. I must order it. If there's a pub in town and you want to know how the poutine is, chances are I've tried it and have an opinion to share.

Some say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Well, this guy I've been dating, he might be slightly confused and think that this theory works on women too. And maybe it does. I must have mentioned that I liked poutine at one point early on.

Date #2: Final stop of the evening was at Chill Winston. We shared poutine.

Date #3: Stopped at Hell's Kitchen for poutine before heading to a party. Eeks! Meeting his friends already. Turns out they were really nice. Who would have thought? (Side note: Hell's Kitchen is by far my favourite poutine. It has bacon and deep fried capers on it.Yum!)

Date #5: Went to the Regal Beagle for some post-bowling food. I ordered the poutine.

Date #?? (who knows...at some point you've got to stop counting or else it's weird): At Live At Squamish music festival they had a food stand that offered a "Bucket O Poutine". A bucket full of poutine! It was a small bucket, but a bucket with a handle none the less. Of course we got it. It was ridiculous. People stared. It was delicious and disgusting all at once.

I know I've had poutine at least once, maybe even twice, without him. So here I am, thinking about all the bandwagons I've fallen off in the past few weeks. I think it's time to jump back on some of them. Most importantly the running bandwagon, the fruits and vegetable bandwagon, and of course the blogging bandwagon. I promise I'll be back again soon...without the gravy and cheese curds.

The Knotty Knitters

2010-09-06T22:11:00.000-07:00

I used to be a very big fan of the Amazing Race. I always dreamed of going on the show myself, if only they accepted Canadians. When I first heard that Vancouver had something called the City Chase, a race around Vancouver in one day similar to the Amazing Race, I thought I must do this. Several years have gone by since I first heard about it and I hadn't done anything about it.

This year was different. I found a friend that had always wanted to do it as well. We came up with a team name and registered. Right there, we'd already accomplished a goal. It felt like we were well on our way to overcoming challenges and pushing our comfort zones.

I know Laura through ultimate, but I think one of the main things that we've bonded over was our love for knitting. Laura is an amazing knitter and she's become my go-to person when I have a knitting related question. We appropriately named our team the Knotty Knitters. We came up with a few knitted accessories to wear during the race. She made wrist cuffs and I made knotted hair ties.

The Knotty Knitters

It was the perfect day for running around the city. The sun was out, but wasn't too hot. We had our transit passes, clue sheet and iPhone and were on our way. We had to complete ten checkpoints in six hours. We first figured out most of the clues as to where the checkpoints were so we could plan our travel accordingly.

Our well used clue sheet.

Overall, I thought the day was going to be more challenging and that I would have pushed more personal boundaries. In hindsight, we chose the checkpoints that we thought would be easiest, so we could have challenged ourselves a bit more if we had wanted to. There was one checkpoint where we thought there would be snakes and spiders. I had no problem with the spiders, but there is NO WAY I could have handled having to touch a snake. In that way, I could have pushed myself, but chose not to.

We had a few physically challenging checkpoints. One that involved jumping from platforms onto rope swings and on to another platform. I have a hilarious video of myself doing this. I will not post it because...well...it's just a little too embarrassing. Each time I touched the ground I had to do five burpees (a push-up, straight up into a jumping jack). In the end I had to do ten burpees. At the final station we tried fencing. And again, had to do more burpees. As someone with very little upper body strength, this was a challenge!


In my fencing helmet.

Other checkpoints included military fitness training, a firefighter challenge, a bouncy castle race, lawn bowling and frisbee golf. The frisbee golf challenge was one of the more fun ones because there was a consequence. If I didn't get the frisbee into the basket in three throws, Laura was going to have a strip on her arm waxed. If I didn't get it in in seven throws, she was going to lose an eyebrow!! Thankfully I didn't crack under the pressure and I got it in three tries.

Despite not being overly challenged and pushed beyond our comfort zones, we were bruised, sore, and hungry by the end of the day!! Both of us promptly arrived home and didn't move from the couch for the rest of the evening.

In the end, we finished in 5 hours 23 minutes, placing 150th out of 340 teams. Would I do it again? Absolutely!!

Official Mitsubishi City Chase Finisher!

Truly Dr. Seuss

2010-08-31T18:30:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day that it has felt like winter is just around the corner. There have been other signs, like picking up my textbooks yesterday, but today I turned on the heat in my office, pulled out a sweater and felt like beating my broken umbrella into the sidewalk as its handle repeatedly fell off.

Something happens in the summer months where I get swept up in the business of having fun. Winter is more of a reflective time where there are goals to be made and work to be done. As a result, the thought of TRUEsday was lost a bit over the past few months, but has been sneaking back into my mind. The other day I came across this Dr. Seuss quote and was reminded to be TRUE. So here it is for you.

"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive, that is Youer than You." -- Dr. Seuss

The Skunk

2010-08-25T23:50:00.000-07:00

This week seems to have an unlikely, and unwelcome, mascot.

The Skunk.

It started on Sunday while making dinner at a friend's house. All of a sudden there was a strong skunk smell and we scrambled to close the windows. We successfully kept the stench out.

Following dinner we played our first game of crib together. Not only did I lose, but I got skunked.

Last night I was at home trying to fight off a horrible headache that I'd had for a week. All I wanted was for my apartment to be cool and dark. I had my bedroom window wide open while I relaxed on the couch at the opposite end of my apartment. I heard a bunch of dogs barking outside. It's not uncommon to hear dogs in my building as most other tenants have them. This was a little louder than usual for 10:30 p.m. but I ignored them none the less. Five minutes later I was hit with the acrid smell of skunk spray. It took several breathes before I realized where the smell was coming from.

The bedroom window.

I jumped up running to shut out the smell. I was too late. I opened the bedroom door and the room was filled with skunk smell.

For the rest of the evening Mittens kept venturing into the bedroom to see what was going on. She would come running out like, "Whoa!!! Something's going on in there and I don't want any part of it!!" Yet, curiosity kept drawing her back in, only to get the same reaction and have her skidding around the corner as she made her exit.

I managed to get a decent night's sleep despite the smell, and after an evening of having the doors and windows open, I think we're back to normal. Hopefully that's the last appearance of this week's mascot.

The Staycation: Day 7, 8, 9.

2010-08-17T20:14:00.000-07:00

I was brutally brought back to reality with my 6:00 a.m. alarm Monday morning. I was hoping to have had enough of a break from work that I'd be kind of bored and looking forward to getting back to it. You know that feeling as a kid when mid-August would hit, the flyers for school supplies would come out and you'd actually be looking forward to going back to school? Yeah, I was hoping for that, but it didn't happen.

I think I was just having too much fun being on staycation. Once I got to the office Monday morning I immediately looked up how much vacation time I have left for the year. Theoretically I have another two weeks I could take. Hmmmm...

Despite not being overly thrilled to be back at work, I am looking forward to September and a change in schedule, not to mention the cooler weather.

Here's a recap of the last few days of staycation. It just kept getting better and better.

afternoon tea with mini sandwiches and scones
my first ever Cirque du Soleil experience (without a doubt the highlight of my week)
lazy sleep-ins
homemade peach pie
gelato
popcorn
hot dogs
watching Back To The Future on a big screen in the park

The Staycation: Day 5 & 6

2010-08-13T00:21:00.000-07:00

Day 5 of my staycation took me to one of my favourite places on Earth. I hiked with two friends up to Garibaldi Lake. 7.5 hours, 2 litres of water and 18 kilometers later I had that great feeling of just wanting to starfish on my bed and bask in the exhaustion of knowing how hard I had worked. Not only is Garibaldi Lake one of those places that makes me want to scream out loud to let the world know how much I love it, but it also brings me a great sense of satisfaction. I love that feeling of being physically tired and knowing I've seen such beauty.

Much of today was spent recovering from yesterday's excursion. Booking an hour long massage the day after an 18 kilometer hike has to be one of the better ideas I've had.

The Staycation: Day 3 & 4

2010-08-11T21:41:00.000-07:00

sleeping late
lounging
shopping
BBQ-ing
birthday cake (not mine)
coffee
lounging
napping
reading
laughing
more napping
cuddles with Mittens
laughing until I cried
baking
turning beet red with embarrassment

Dreaming Of The Perfect Ringlet.

2010-08-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

It seems like now that I'm not vacation I have time to remember my dreams. I woke up this morning remembering a crazy one I had last night.

In it, I was using an amazing curling iron. I have thick hair that has a life and opinion of its own. There are times when it refuses to be curly and will only lay straight and flat. Other times, depending on its mood, it will only be curly, and usually in all the wrong directions.

As a child, I dreamed of having a full set of ringlets. Last night while I was sleeping, my childhood dreams came true. I had a curling iron that created perfect ringlet after perfect ringlet. I was able to run my fingers through the perfect soft curls. And they stayed. They didn't fall and become a mass of waves.

The only catch was how this amazing curly iron worked. It looked like a regular curling iron, but inside the barrel was a BBQ flame. I can't remember how the flame was fed, whether there was a line to a propane tank or one of those small green bottles attached right to the iron. Either way, there was the same "wooshing" noise that a BBQ makes. And then there was the thrill of creating beautiful curls, but risking lighting my whole head on fire. I was living on the edge I tell you!

Now I'm obsessed with curling my hair. I have to promise myself not to enter London Drugs. If I do, I will certainly walk out with a curling iron, a set of hot rollers, a diffuser and an assortment of curling product.

The Staycation: Day 1 & 2

2010-08-08T22:08:00.000-07:00

Today is day two of my nine day staycation. I haven't had the means to plan a proper getaway for the summer, but I decided to take advantage of the beautiful city I call home and to plan a staycation. There are always so many things that I want to do in Vancouver, but never find time to do. Now is the time.

So far it has involved the following...

cheesies
beer
nap
movie
brunch
sewing
roller derby
bowling
more beer
more brunch
giggles and smiles
drinking chocolate
more naps
more smiles
flowers
popcorn

The Kalimotxo

2010-08-05T23:03:00.000-07:00

My new favourite summer time drink: The Kalimotxo (or Calimocho). Make note not to confuse the name with the popular music song "Calle Ocho" by Pitbull.

They're very different. One is half red wine, half coca cola. The other is...well, it is what it is. Somewhat catchy, but not much more.

I enjoy red wine, but I find it a little heavy and warm for the summer. Mixed with ice and coca cola?

Perfection.

Fill a tall glass with ice.

Fill half way with red wine.

Top it off the second half with Coca Cola.

Kick back and enjoy.

The Blank Sketchbook

2010-08-01T20:42:00.000-07:00

I signed up to take part in the Sketchbook Project put on by the Art House Co-op in Brooklyn. The idea of the project is that you choose a theme and fill up a sketchbook based on that theme. The sketchbook then becomes a part of an exhibition that travels across the United States and is later archived at the Brooklyn Art Library.

The theme I chose was "I'm sorry I forgot you." Since picking it, my brain has been on the look out for different ideas surrounding the theme.

My sketchbook arrived last Friday. It has been sitting on my kitchen table since. It's practically been staring at me. Taunting me. A book full of blank pages. Who knew it would be so intimidating? I bought some pens, dug out a set of pencils and pulled out some powdered graphite. Yet the pages are still blank.

What is stopping me? Most likely my own judgments. I'm intimidated by the fact these pages are permanent. People will see these pages. I can't just rip it out and start over. There is a certain vulnerability in showing your process to the world in this way. You are exposing a side of yourself that wouldn't otherwise be public. But I think that is the point of the project. I know I'm completely intrigued when I get a glimpse at people's vulnerabilities. It's like a peak inside their world. A fly on the wall of their mind. So now it's my turn.

Tomorrow. I will start tomorrow. I promise.

Who you gonna call?

2010-07-24T18:40:00.000-07:00

This week I updated my emergency contacts at work. I had been meaning to do it for a while, but it's one of those things that's easy put off. It's not until you need to use them that you usually think about them, but being the neurotic person I am, I like to be fully prepared for any emergency. Despite being a rational and non-superstitious person, there's a part of me that believes that if I'm fully prepared I decrease the chances of something actually happening.

When thinking about who I would put as my emergency contacts I thought about who I would call if I was hit by a bus and in the hospital. Obviously my parents and brother, but they're all a ferry ride and hours away. I imagine I would want someone close by as well. I wanted someone was reliable and who I thought I would be comfortable around even in a miserable state.

In the end I chose a couple who are not just ultimate team mates, but friends as well. One works in health care and the other is a lawyer. Whether I'm picked up by an ambulance or a police car, I think I'll be well covered.

So, who you gonna call?

Odd. I now have the urge to watch movies from the 80's. For now, I'll settle for improv of those movies.

The Apartment Garden

2010-07-17T17:27:00.000-07:00

Today I drove past the community garden that was up and coming in my old neighbourhood. When I was still living there I had thought about getting involved. It was only a block away and I loved the idea of having a plot of ground to grow vegetables and flowers.

As things go, I never got around to it and before I knew it I was searching for a new place to call home. Seeing the garden today, I missed my old neighbourhood. The nearby shops, familiar faces and the idea of the community garden.

I got home this afternoon and looked around my place. I've created a home. It may not be what left behind in my last place. I may not have the community garden or the friends close by, but in many ways, this place offers me much more. It's a space I've created just for me.

I love my little balcony. I've got plants growing and producing food!! I've got my BBQ and a great place to relax. I ate breakfast in the sun. A few hours later after a nap, I was back out there reading and eating popcorn. Really, could a Saturday afternoon be anymore relaxing?

My Balcony

Tomato Blossom

Strawberry

Honest, I wasn't trying to steal your purse.

2010-07-13T23:35:00.000-07:00

I was out downtown with a few friends the other night. We were on our way to go watch a band play. I was a little dressed up and walking with purpose. My arms were swinging. You could say I was strutting. I passed a group of girls who looked like they were doing the same thing.

As our paths crossed I let out a little scream. All of a sudden my swinging arm was hooked through one of the girls' purse straps and I was pulling her purse off her shoulder! How do I explain that I wasn't trying to steal her purse, but rather my arm accidentally got stuck in it?

The weird thing was that she barely noticed. I looked back and the other group barely skipped a step. I yelled "Oh, sorry!" and both groups continued on. Really, it was just another day in the awkward life of the world's youngest senior citizen.

Remember when watermelons had seeds?

2010-07-11T22:33:00.000-07:00

I bought a huge watermelon on Friday. 15 pounds to be exact. Having cut up watermelon in the fridge was my solution to the heat wave.

While snacking on it, I realized how tightly watermelon is associated with childhood for me. I remember sitting on the deck of the house I grew up in and seeing how far I could spit the seeds. Watermelon always had to be eaten outside for this reason. I don't have a single childhood memory of eating it indoors.

So when did the black seeds disappear?

It's almost as though the seeds are symbolic of easy childhood summers. Gone are the care free days full of playing and exploring. Somewhere along the way the black seeds disappeared too.

I've got a weeks worth of vacation booked for August. I wonder if I'll be able to find a seeded watermelon and a deck to spit them from?

Heat Wave

2010-07-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am that person. No, I will not apologize for it.

I hate the heat.

There. I said it.

Vancouver Life

2010-07-01T22:53:00.000-07:00

It was six years ago today that I moved to Vancouver. In my naive teen years, I said would never move for a guy, but that is exactly what brought me here. Six years later the guy is gone, but my love for city is still going strong.

One of my favourite Vancouver moments is when I come back from visiting my family. I drive from Horseshoe Bay and as I reach the crest of the Lion's Gate Bridge, the view of downtown, Stanley Park, the shoreline and the freighters all make me say "Wow, look at this place I call home". Every time. Rain or shine, it's a beautiful scene.

I love that there are endless possibilities of things to do here. Sushi and coffee. Theatre and dance. Ultimate and snowshoeing. There are spots to escape to that make you forget you live in the city. Or depending on the mood, you can be amongst all the people and immerse yourself in city life.

Here are some of my favourite spots over the years. What are yours?

Walks at Spanish Banks on stormy days.

Afternoons wandering in Steveston.

Hiking at Garibaldi.

All The Single Ladies

2010-06-27T22:05:00.000-07:00

Below is an email from a friend. We went out for drinks on Friday night. As we got in the cab, I asked "What just happened?" I agreed to pay for our cab ride home in exchange for explanation of our evening. Below is the message I received at 3:00 a.m.

The goal of meeting eligible bachelors was ill-fated from the start....

The outlook was very poor at the Pub, so the ladies moved on to a lounge down the street. There weren't many patrons in the establishment, but three decent-looking men sitting at the bar, so the ladies sat down next to them for a drink.

Some time was spent catching up, discussing failed relationships and life in general. The ladies looked over, hoping for an opportunity to strike up conversation, but nothing came to mind. Awkward.

Lady 1 plucked up the courage, on a dare to imitate the action of a drunk patron who had leaned up against one of the eligible bachelors as the men stood near the door way smoking. She muttered that it was a dare, and after no response from the men, came back inside. Very awkward and reminiscent of junior high school.

The gents came back in to settle their tab, and left shortly after. Also awkward. Saddened by their lack of success the ladies followed suit, and left the bar as well.

On the way out, conversation about the boys' bicycles began between the two groups. This inspired the three ladies and two of the men to return to the bar for a drink. A little awkward, but successful.

In the bar, five people drank. Conversation was good, and enjoyed by all. Lady 2 had her fill (she is training for a triathlon, after all) and left the party for home. Now there were four, and still drinking.

The gents had a penchant for talking about themselves, and this was somewhat overlooked by the two remaining ladies. However, the question remains: Was this because the bachelors liked talking about themselves, or were the two remaining ladies affected by the drink and just a little awkward in conversation?

A final shot ended the night and the four got up to pay the tab.

Lady 3 and Bachelor 1 chatted and entertained the idea of continuing the night together. In response to the prospect of having further relations with an attractive and ambitious [note the sarcasm on "ambitious"] man, Lady 3 got very awkward, made bad jokes and accidentally insulted him.

Barkeep Rene stepped in to dance dip both ladies. Upon request by the ladies he called them a cab. Turns out Bachelor 2 had a girlfriend and Bachelor 1 was turned off by Lady 3's awkwardness and mixed signals.

The cab arrived and the girls jumped in, relieved to be away from the awkward situation.

Lady 1 dropped Lady 3 off at home, and offered to foot the cab fare, in exchange for this story, which would otherwise be forgotten due to a massive hangover.

Listen. Watch. Repeat

2010-06-23T22:40:00.000-07:00

Here's what's playing on repeat on my iPod right now. It's Ambling Alp by Yeasayer.

I love the line, "Your lows will have a compliment of highs" and "raise your head and wear your wounds with pride".

Listen. Watch. Repeat.

Ultimately Wise

2010-06-22T23:27:00.000-07:00

I intended to take the summer off from school so that I could enjoy some down time and relax a little. Instead I signed up for three Ultimate teams and agreed to sub on a fourth. It keeps me busy. I barely see my apartment during the week. I pop in for food, water and a little sleep.

Lately I've been suffering from an unending case of the Mondays. I'm grumpy all day thinking about how long it will be until the next weekend. This lasts until about 6:30. After a half hour of being outside, around friends, running around and having fun, I quickly forget about the week ahead and my mood improves.

I love that Ultimate gets me outside, no matter what the weather. I love that I've made so many friends through the game. I love that it's great exercise and a great social activity at the same time. I love that it brings me out of my Monday funk.

Every now and then there are moments that stand out as great Ultimate moments. Last night was one of them. For some reason I looked behind me at the bushes by the field. My eye was immediately drawn to this.

He stayed, watching over us for quite awhile. I was able to get up close and take a few more shots with my iPhone. Some say that seeing an owl means he's trying to tell you something positive. Either way, it was a privilege to see him on this year's summer solstice.

Lesson Learned

2010-06-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend my dad was in town and stayed the night with me. In celebration of Father's Day I made him dinner last night. We picked up some fresh sockeye salmon steaks and vegetables at the Granville Island Market and barbequed them.

Last year, when I moved into my current apartment, my dad bought me a little barbeque for my balcony. I was really excited because it was the first time I'd had a balcony and the opportunity to barbeque.

And then, fall came. It rained. I got busy and the barbeque rusted. Badly. I ended up having to throw it out. I felt horrible about it. That sort of thing bothers me. In fact, I listed it as the one thing I felt I failed at in 2009.

I considered not telling him and just replacing it before he arrived. I decided to be an adult and I confessed what had happened. I got the expected reaction of, "Oh no, that's such a waste. Are you sure you couldn't have salvaged it?" So off we went to pick up a replacement barbeque before dinner could be made. I had learned my lesson and would take much better care of this new barbeque.

Before he left, he helped me make sure it was covered from the elements and yet safely ventilated. We discussed how I could make a proper barbeque cover with outdoor fabric. Until then, here's my shiny new barbeque all safe from the rain.

Cherry Pie

2010-06-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

I got a call this weekend to go over to a friend's place for an evening of catching up. Knowing that there would be a few of us, I saw this as a great opportunity to bake something. I recently read about a Butter + Cream's Summer Pie Spectacular and thought this would be a great way to get started. The first assignment was for cherry pie. Local cherries aren't yet available in British Columbia, but I was able to get a bag of California cherries at a reasonable price.

I dug out my 1978 copy of Better Homes and Gardens All-Time Favourite Pies and got to work. I made a variation of their Cherry-Brandy Pie. I didn't have brandy, so I substituted bourbon. I also didn't have a fresh lemon, so substituted a little lemon juice and added a little more tapioca to soak up the extra liquid. As you can tell by the empty pie plate in the picture below, the end product suited us just fine. The four of us ate the whole thing!

Cherry-Brandy Pie

Pastry for a double pie crust

4 cups fresh or frozen pitted red cherries

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca (a little more if using lemon juice)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cherry brandy (I used bourbon)

1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel (I used lemon juice)

Butter

Line a 9-inch pie plate with half the pastry. Trim pastry to the edge of the pie plate.

In a large bowl combine the cherries, sugar, tapioca, brandy, lemon peel and salt. Let stand for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn mixture into the pie plate and dot with butter.

Add the top half of the pastry, seal and flute the edges. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Your end product will look something like this. Enjoy!

Update: Check out the other pie recipes at Butter + Cream.

Shannon Falls

2010-06-07T23:24:00.000-07:00

I headed up to Shannon Falls, near Squamish, on Saturday. It had been a while since I was last out in the woods on a sunny day. I had forgotten how grounding it is. An afternoon of trails, waterfalls and meandering left me feeling restored. Hopefully these pictures capture a bit of that for you.

Make The Most Of What Comes Your Way

2010-06-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

The past few days I've been in brainstorming and goal-setting mode. I have ideas of where I want to go in life and I'm beginning the process of making that happen.

I sat down with my coffee this morning and was writing down my ideas and making some lists. I wanted all the thoughts I had, however incomplete and unconnected, to be on paper. There had to be proof that they existed.

During this process thoughts of my last conversation with my Grannie kept popping into my head. She told me that no matter what, make sure I follow my bliss, whatever it may be. At the time, we'd been talking about dance. She said looking back at her life, she'd had some great adventures and a wonderful life, but that she had also just gone along for the ride and hadn't followed her own bliss necessarily.

So this morning I was thinking about her and the adventures she'd gone on in life. In my mind, she was tough and a pioneer. Whether or not that's how others would describe her, doesn't matter. My grandfather wrote a book, Butter Side Up, about their adventures. The picture above is from the book and was taken by their friend Peter Whyte, on their ranch in southern Alberta. I pulled it out to look at a few of the pictures of the two of them. On the inside, he'd written me a note.

"...With special love from your grandpa who prays that you make the most of what comes your way."

I had forgotten about what it said, but it is so appropriate for where I am in life. Here I am, this morning, making plans in an attempt to make the most of where I am and what has come my way, all while following my bliss. Neither of my grandparents have been around for about ten years, but I bet they're smiling down on me today, knowing that their words are helping me find my way.

Acknowledgement

2010-06-01T23:15:00.000-07:00

It's TRUEsday today and I haven't written a TRUEsday post in a while. The past few days, I've been walking around with a cartoon shaped, rain cloud over my head. I've been miserable and grumpy. It's time for a TRUEsday. So here it is...

A few years back I decided to take a huge leap of faith. I quit my job, sold my car and decided to go to dance school. I auditioned, got in, and didn't want to look back forty years from now and wonder "what if?" So off I went. Teachers were brought in from across Canada to teach two, three and four week sessions. I was in a dance studio from 9-5, Monday to Friday. It became work. I realized that I loved dance, but I didn't have the true passion for it that was required for a career in dance. I decided it was best to keep it as something that I loved to do while I earned a living doing something else.

I had one teacher in particular that I connected with. His name was Marc Boivin. He taught a form of modern dance called Limon Technique (based on Jose Limon's dance company). Most teachers worked in a fusion of the main modern dance techniques (Graham or Cunningham technique), but Limon definitely seemed to fit my style and aesthetic the most. There were big expansive movements and a jumping sequence that I still remember the rhythm to.

I remember at the time thinking of Marc as a beautiful person. Not only to watch him dance, but how he communicated and shared his dance experience with his students. The one thing that I have carried with me over the years, and I've used in many aspects of life, not just dance, is what he taught me about acknowledgment of feelings. He said that there will be days that you go to the studio and you will be tired. You won't feel like dancing. You won't feel like creating. To get through that, his advice was to just acknowledge how you're feeling. Acknowledge, accept, and move forward.

I still think of Marc saying those words, and more often than not, I seem to move past the feelings that I acknowledge. So here I am, acknowledging TRUEsday, acknowledging the feelings and tiredness I've felt over the past few days. I have a feeling that waking up on June 2 will be a fresh start. What better day than Wednesday to make a fresh start?

UPDATE: Check out my teammate's thoughts on teaching and engagement.

WordPress Envy

2010-05-29T21:04:00.000-07:00

I spent today at a workshop on how to build a website using WordPress. Sorry Blogger, but I'm now suffering from WordPress envy. When I first looked in to starting a blog, I did a few google searches on differences between Blogger and WordPress. Since I'm not a highly technical person, I quickly became overwhelmed. I wasn't sure if I was ever going to tell people about my blog, so I couldn't ask anyone I knew for advice. Procrastination and intimidation had already put my blog on hold several times and I already had a Google account, so I decided to jump in using Blogger.

I've been blogging for about seven months now. I'm slowly figuring out what shape my blog is taking. I'm becoming familiar with what I want to be able to do and how to do it. It wasn't until today that I really saw how WordPress would allow me to create more of what I want. I've been frustrated by some of Blogger's constraints. I understand that having a WordPress.com hosted blog will still have constraints (as opposed to a self-hosted WordPress site that will allow further customization with things like plug-ins), but I really like the options for a clean, precise look that WordPress allows. I also don't have to worry about a lot of the technical stuff that would be involved in self-hosting. I may decide to switch to a self-hosted site at a later date, but right now, I'm happy knowing that my WordPress.com site will be secure and stable.

I was asked to take this workshop by my supervisor at work. One of our websites at work is done using WordPress and I may be required to update it in the future. Today's workshop wasn't as applicable to work as I had hoped, but it definitely interested me personally. I registered my own domain and have started to build an updated version of the World's Youngest Senior Citizen blog. I'll slowly work away at creating a look and feel that suits my Youngest Senior persona and hopefully sooner, rather than later, the new Youngest Senior site will be revealed. Until then, keep checking back here for updates and posts!

If you have experience or tips on creating a WordPress blog or switching from Blogger to WordPress I'd love to hear them! Do you think it's a good idea? A stupid idea? Should I wait? Comment away people!

One Year

2010-05-24T22:47:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot the past few days about how much life has changed for me in the last year. I know exactly where I was, what I was doing, and how I was feeling one year ago. One part of me feels like it was all just yesterday, and another part feels like that life is completely foreign.

It's not to say that my life is perfect now. There are parts that are hard, annoying and uncomfortable. Take my apartment for instance. It's noisy, surrounded by weird neighbours, and sometimes falls apart, but I love the space that I've created for myself. I've made it my home. I know that all of those hard things are a part of my journey.

My journey.

Part of the last year has been about owning my decisions and being TRUE to myself. I'm figuring out what exactly I want in my life and what I don't, and finding ways to make that happen. It's amazing that you can think something is so right, when in hindsight, so much of it wasn't right at all. I'm hoping this journey I'm on, opens my eyes and makes me see my world more clearly. So far I think it has.

People often say it takes half the time you were in a relationship to get over it. It's been one year. I've got two more to go. I can only imagine two years from now, but I sure am excited to continue on this journey.

The Blue Whale Skeleton

2010-05-22T20:40:00.000-07:00

Make no bones about it, the public opening of the Blue Whale skeleton at UBC's Beaty Biodiversity Museum was a whale of a good time...

Slacktivism and Shoes

2010-05-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

One of my true, materialistic loves in life are shoes. Flats, wedges, boots, heels. Hell, I even enjoy a good running shoe. I try to limit my visits to stores like Gravity Pope because once I see a shoe I like, I become obsessed and very creative. I'll come up with elaborate reasons why I must have those shoes.

I recently discovered TOMS, these cute little summer time, canvas kicks. And the best part? When you buy a pair, TOMS gives a new pair of shoes to a child in need. In my "I need these shoes" mind, it was a simple decision. By purchasing these shoes, I was really making a charitable donation and just happen to be gaining these shoes as a bonus.

Now sure this is classic slacktivisim, but in the realm of things to feel guilty about, I think slacktivisim is pretty low on the list. I may not be physically going to volunteer, but I'm still making a conscious decision to purchase these shoes over another. Am I really making an excuse to be materialistic and needlessly adding to my shoe collection? No, when it really comes down to it, I'm not. I actually needed a pair of summer shoes and I liked the concept of One For One movement. Now, if I bought another pair in silver glitter, I think that would be another story.

Asi se baila! (So they dance!)

2010-05-14T20:43:00.000-07:00

It's been a month since I stopped taking flamenco class and I hadn't really thought much about it, until today when I received an email reminding me of an upcoming show. This led me to looking up flamenco videos on YouTube, and when I hear the music and see the dancers, I want to join in.

I've tried to articulate why I love dancing but I seem to get stuck using words. I think that may be the point though. Dance is about expression through physical means, without words. When I see a piece of dance that I like, and not just flamenco, but all forms of dance, I find myself reacting physically. Sometimes I find myself twitching in response to the dancers movement. Other times, as with this video below, I find I hold my breath and my heart starts to pound.

Flamenco has a very high cheese factor that adds some extra appeal for me. All the ruffles, the polka dots, the flowers in the hair. When else can one dress like that and feel amazing?

It's a very different experience to see flamenco on the street in Barcelona or in small, smokey tablao in Seville, but I never tire of watching flamenco videos. This piece by a husband and wife, is one of my favourites. I've watched this video over and over, I can't tell you how many times, so I thought I would share it with you.

Ole!

Sun, Sorrel, Rhubarb

2010-05-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day that really felt like summer. I dug out my summer clothes from underneath my bed, found my capris and headed out to the first Trout Lake Farmers Market of the season. And despite my religious use of sunblock, my shoulders got their first pink sunburn of the summer.

I picked up a few pounds of rhubarb to make a recipe from my Route 66 cookbook tomorrow. There's nothing quite like good American diner fare when it comes to desserts.

I also found some sorrel, which I haven't come across in grocery stores. I remember having sorrel growing in the garden when I was younger. It was my favourite part of having potato leek soup. So of course I picked some up and made that for dinner tonight. Along with a fresh baguette and Qualicum Spice cheese, it was the perfect dinner after a lazy spring day with friends.

Tomorrow I'll be sure to dig out the higher SPF sunblock, because summer is almost here!!

My Week In Facts

2010-05-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

I have one of those annoying memories that doesn't remember useful things, like calculus formulas or how to take the derivative, but will retain bizarre tidbits of information. These pieces of information serve no purpose other than occasionally filling awkward silences. I'm kind of like the little boy in Jerry Maguire telling everyone he meets how much a human head weighs (8 pounds...just in case you haven't seen the movie).

So here are a few that have come up in recent weeks...filling any awkward blog silence...

Whales have leg (femur) bones.
Baby blue whales gain about 200 pounds a day.
Basque (from Northern Spain) is a language isolate, meaning that it has no connection to any other language.
A group of ravens is called an unkindness of ravens, in the same ways that a group of crows is called a murder of crows.
Triplets are considered full term at 32 weeks.
Don't quote me on this last one, because I haven't had time to fully research it, but it's possible that beavers become intoxicated from too much saltwater.

A Knitting Kind of Night

2010-04-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

It's a rainy, stormy evening tonight and all I want to do is knit. I have an ongoing project I like to call The Ugly Blanket. I started my first ugly blanket in high school. I started crocheting it using leftover balls of cotton that my mom had around the house. It used a whole mish-mash of brown, blue, yellow and pink cotton. I was a bit of a geek during high school, so there were many Friday and Saturday nights spent at home watching movies and crocheting. The end result was a queen sized blanket. I still have it and it reminds me of who I was and where I come from.

The Ugly Blanket 2.0 is being knit out of some wool bought on sale. Blue, white and bright orange. There's one row at the bottom that's all messed up. I'm not sure what happened, but it's part of the Ugly Blanket look. You don't go back and fix an Ugly Blanket.

The last knitting project I finished was a pair of socks. I was given a skein of beautiful blue wool for my birthday from a knitting friend. She gave me a sock pattern that suited the wool as well. Now she's one of those super talented knitters and her skill level should have been taken into consideration when she said, "Oh yeah, it's a really easy pattern." I ended up starting the first sock four times before I finally got it. The little needles were so fine and finicky to work with. But I did it. Here are my finished socks (and the needles for scale)!! I'll actually be able to wear them.

Now, back to the Ugly Blanket 2.0 and reasonably sized needles.

Testing Tricks: The Pie Pastry

2010-04-25T19:35:00.000-07:00

I love to bake. Cookies, muffins, loaves, tarts, pies, cakes, squares and bars. Here's the problem: I live on my own. A single woman should not have a whole cake or pie to herself. In reality, I'm fairly disciplined and won't eat it all in one sitting, but still, a piece of cake a day for a week is not a good thing for a woman in the dating world. Being invited to potlucks is always a good excuse to bake something, but with no potluck to go to this weekend I invited a few friends over for tea and pie.

I'm far from a perfectionist when it comes to cooking and baking. I think it has something to do with my hippy upbringing. I grew up in a community where if the pie wasn't chunky, funky and made out of whole wheat, it wasn't worth eating. I prefer my baking to take on a more traditional look and feel. In an attempt to refine my pastry skills I decided to try a few tricks that I had read about.

The first trick is to make finger indents around the edge of disc of pastry before rolling out the pastry. This helps to prevent cracking around the edges during the rolling process. This makes rolling out an even pie shell quite easy.

The second trick is chilling the pie shell before blind baking it. The change in temperature is supposed to create a flaky crust and prevent the shell from shrinking. I've read that the dough needs to cook before the butter melts, so keeping the shell as cold as possible before putting in the oven is key.

I put the pie shell in the fridge for 30 minutes before putting it in the oven. The crust had a decent amount of flake to it, but the shell still shrunk away from the pie dish.

I used my stand mixer to make meringue for the first time. I didn't realize how quickly egg whites and sugar could go from liquid to hard whipped egg whites. I completely missed out on the "soft peaks" stage and was left with thick meringue. Despite having a slightly shrunken crust and over-whipped meringue, the pie turned out quite well. It was a hit for afternoon tea and luckily there's not enough left to last all week!

Survived

2010-04-23T20:36:00.000-07:00

I've survived another semester. Whether or not I passed is yet to be decided, but there's not much I can do about that now. I figure the absolute worst case scenario (which has yet to ever happen to me) is that I failed and have to redo the course. In that case, I probably deserve to do it again. Is the world going to end if I have to redo a class? No, it's not. It won't even come close to ending.

Tonight is the first time in recent memory that I have no plans on a Friday night. This afternoon my mind was racing with ideas of what I could do. The freedom and endless possibilities were verging on overwhelming me. Yet, with all of these options, I just wanted to do nothing.

So that's what I've done. Well, I ran some errands, did some shopping, picked up some sushi and am now watching a hockey game and blogging. But I'm not cleaning, organizing or making something. More importantly, I'm not studying or feeling guilty about not studying!!!

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to the couch.

UnStable

2010-04-18T21:15:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the last big study weekend until September. As usual, I resorted to some trashy procrastination. I found myself watching the Country Music Channel at 5:00 on Saturday evening. I ended up watching part of a show called UnStable. I assume it has something to do with horses...and stables.

I could only stand watching about three minutes of it. One character, Megan, explained why she was excited to go to France. Here's her list.

Megan's Top Three Reasons She's Excited To Go To France

1. London is an awesome city
2. Berets
3. Hello? Poutine!

Seriously? I guess one out of three isn't bad? All I can say is, it sure will be great to have this course complete so I don't have to procrastinate so often and subject my brain to this mush.

What has your boss done for you lately?

2010-04-13T22:00:00.000-07:00

Last week my boss was away giving a TED talk. This was quite a big deal and everybody around the office was quite excited. He arrived back on Monday and came into my office first thing. I enthusiastically asked "How did it go?!"

"It was fine, but more importantly, I talked to Leonardo DiCaprio last week. I told him I have Marina working for me and that she is single. Unfortunately he said he has a girlfriend."

"Wow. Thank you. You know, when I was thirteen I named my cat Leo, after him," I responded.

With a deadpan expression on his face, my boss said, "Your cat was probably more interesting and communicative than Leonardo was."

We came to the conclusion that he really wasn't worth it. So I started my Monday off hearing that not only had my junior high, movie star crush heard about me, but also that I could do better than him. Not a bad start to the week.

DIY @ MOV 2

2010-04-11T21:40:00.000-07:00

DIY @ MOV 2. Sounds cryptic doesn't it? Turns out it's code for a whole lot of crafty fun! Or "Do It Yourself and the Museum of Vancouver 2".

I've been trying to focus on doing fun things that I want to do. It's a part of the process of figuring out who I am and what I want out of life. I think this is part of enjoying being single. It's easy to focus on being lonely or being the 8th wheel when you're out with a group of couples. Instead, I'm focusing on the things I want and making plans for myself. Or at least working towards this concept.

I had read about the first DIY @ MOV but hadn't been able to make it. I decided that I would make it out to the second one whether it was by myself or with some friends. I tried recruiting a group of crafty girlfriends, but in the end it was just me and one other friend.

It was a great evening. There were booths selling hand made products, from pins to storybooks to jewelery to bags. As we headed into the main room we were handed goody bags full of items from the craft stations to try at home. The room was full of craft stations and people to demonstrate or help you get started. There was a "Knit Pit" with a huge pile of yarn and needles, a collage station, a colouring station (yes I sat around with a pile of crayons and a colouring book on a Friday night), a weaving station, a spinning station, a felting station and a jewelry making station.

The room had bowls of candy and chips spread around so you could grab a snack when you wanted something to go with your glass of wine or beer. My friend sent me a text message the next day saying "My perfect night...crafts, wine and chips."

We spent most of our time at three of the stations. First we tried felting and made a bangle bracelet. Mine turned out too small to make it over my hand, so Mittens has a new toy, but she's very happy with it. It was just enough to give me a taste of what sorts of things you could do with felting and has left me considering taking a class in it.

After that we went to the collage station. I love taking images and text from old books and magazines, and combining them with different textures to create an image.

We also made a brooch at the jewelery station. We were given scraps of cloth (looked mostly like old sweaters cut up), some beads, buttons and a needle and thread.

The atmosphere of the group was great. It was mostly women, but there was the occasional man who was obviously there with a girlfriend. The people there were very friendly and conversation was easily started with lines like "Do you collage often?" In any other group, you'd think that was a cheesy pick up line. I loved looking around the room and seeing people standing around knitting.

This was the second time I'd been to the Museum of Vancouver and I had a similar experience of enjoying being single, exploring my own interests and being independent. I ended up buying a membership for the museum. I mean, the next exhibit opening in May is all about shoes. Really, you can't get much more "me" than that!

Slow Cooker Saturday

2010-04-10T13:42:00.001-07:00

I have a little weekend tradition around my place that I like to call Slow Cooker Saturday. It doesn't happen every Saturday, but rather only when the freezer needs to be stocked up with easy weekday meals and lunches.

This week is an off week since the freezer is packed full of deliciousness. I thought I would share with you the recipe I tried last weekend. I added some white buns and coleslaw and this was the perfect addition to a potluck I hosted.

The recipe is based on the Saucy Pulled Pork found in Canadian Living's the Slow Cooker Collection. One of my guests had several food allergies that included coriander, so I made some adjustments and created this.

Pulled Pork

Mix together a spice rub of:

4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 dried thyme

Rub this over a boneless pork shoulder blade roast (about 3 1/2 pounds) and let rest in the refrigerator over night.

In the morning, brown the roast in about 2 tbsp of oil and then transfer to the slow cooker.

Next, in a large frying pan cook the following ingredients until soft.

2 onions diced
4 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves

Add to the frying pan:

1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1 can tomato sauce (14 oz.)
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Bring this to a boil and then add to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours.

After eight hours, remove the pork roast to a cutting board and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Take this chance to skim off any fat that has accumulated at the top of the sauce and to remove the bay leaves from the slow cooker. Then use two forks to gently "pull" the pork apart. Transfer the pulled pork back to the sauce in the slow cooker, stir and serve.

Enjoy!

Busy No More

2010-04-07T20:22:00.000-07:00

I had a revelation on the weekend and I've decided to give up on being busy. I was at a friend's house and she asked how my weekend was going. I responded with the usual.

"Busy. Really busy."

She said, "Of course. That's your usual response. Your usual schedule."

Later I began thinking about how true that statement was. I'm ambitious in my scheduling and all the things I want to do. It can be tiring and overwhelming if I let it.

So much of life is about attitude and I've decided to change my attitude about my busy lifestyle. I've decided to stop saying the word "busy". For me, being busy has become normal. It's just the way it is. I've made choices in my life that has led me to doing so many things. Most is out of interest (Ultimate, dance, cooking, crafting) and others out of necessity (work, school). Either way, it's just what's going on right now. So it's normal.

Instead of thinking of how busy I am, I'm going to look at it as how full my life is. I'm lucky to have a life so full of friends, interests, activities and passions. Sure they all take up time, but isn't that what life's about?

Hot Crossed Waste of Money

2010-04-03T10:16:00.001-07:00

I ran a few errands yesterday in preparation for today. I'm having a few friends over for a potluck dinner. While I was at it, I thought I'd pick up an Easter treat for myself. Hot Crossed Buns. I love them. My favourite part...the cross. I don't know what it is made of, but it's the best! Sweet, sticky and really the most important part. What would a hot crossed bun be without the hot cross?

I went into the bread store around the corner from me. I was the only customer in there and two employees looked at me eager to help. I saw the pile of hot crossed buns with a sign that said $6.50. I thought, "$6.50 for 6 buns?! Really?" I turned around and walked out without saying anything.

As I picked up a few other things, I got thinking about how I'm not really doing anything else for Easter. Why not treat myself to six little buns? I contemplated how that $6.50 could pay for a movie rental or a drink out with friends. I decided to stop being so neurotic, so I took the plunge and bought the stupid buns.

I just heated two up in the toaster oven to have with my coffee this morning. They were horrible. Dry and stale before I toasted them. The crossed topping had no taste at all and was a dried up mess. Turns out I should have trusted my first instinct. Instead I ended up with a hot crossed waste of money.

A Leaky Life

2010-04-02T21:46:00.000-07:00

Back in the middle of February I noticed a stain developing on the ceiling of my hallway. A few weeks later, I noticed bits of white stuff on the floor of my hall closet. I looked up and discovered a hole in the ceiling where a leak had eaten away at the drywall.

The landlord's handyman came and the hallway stain was "solved" by painting over it. The hole was filled and painted over. A week later he came by to finish the job, and imagine this, the hallway stain was back and the closet fill was still wet! Since the actual leak was never looked at, the problem had not been fixed.

It's been a month and a half and I still have a closet's contents dumped on my bedroom floor!! The leak has been fixed, but now I'm waiting for the ceiling to be patched and painted. I feel like I'm being an impatient, annoying tenant by calling once a week to see when it will be finished.

I grew up on a small island, which most definitely has a slower pace to it. Lately, my life in the city has been go-go-go. I have to be disciplined with scheduling in order to accomplish all that I want. I get from A to B as efficiently as possible. I schedule each hour in a day to fit in as much as possible. I expect others to be as efficient with their time as I attempt to be.

There are times when I feel incredibly impatient with people. I've gotten caught up in this fast-paced city life. Growing up where things were slower and more relaxed, has left me reeling in this busyness. I know that life can be different. I've made a choice to live in the city and not go back to a beautiful, quiet spot in the world. And yet, I wonder, would I not be as frustrated and tired as I am right now?

Have I become one of those high strung people that think everyone else incompetent? No, I don't think I have. It's just that I am not one to cross my fingers and hope that paint covers up a leak.

I spent the first 18 years of my life waking up to this view everyday. Knowing that a place like this exists in the world makes me realize that this life I lead is a choice. And only I can change the pace at which I live. So here's hoping my leaky hallway problem will be solved soon and I can bring a little piece of the island peacefulness that I grew up with into my everyday city life.

My Life Is a Television Show

2010-03-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

I've been having a few too many moments lately where I feel like my life is a television episode. Imagine a combination of Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm and 30 Rock. The awkwardness of the latest events are a little too fresh to share, so I thought I'd share a story from a few years ago.

A friend and I had driven out to a local forested park to go for a run. Before heading into the trails I decided to use the restroom. One other women, who happened to be in a wheelchair, and I were waiting in the line-up. We shared some small talk. She asked if I was there to go for a run. We talked about what a beautiful day it was to be at the park. The usual, predictable small talk that takes place between two friendly strangers.

It came time to wrap up our conversation. I expected our conversation to go something like this:

The Woman: "Have a good day."

Me: "Yeah, you too."

Seems simple enough, right? Well, my "yeah, you too" response was halfway out of my mouth before I fully processed what she had said. She had not said "Have a good day," but rather, "Have a good run."

I had just basically told a women in a wheelchair to have a good run.

As I realized what I had said, we both looked at each other awkwardly. There were seconds of silence where I considered whether I should try to correct myself or apologize. Instead, some awkward noises came out, "er...uh...yeah...bye." I turned around and walked out.

As I walked away, feeling like a jerk, this was the theme song playing in my head.

Scheduling Procrastination

2010-03-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

I've found that with my busy schedule I have to schedule in everything. Laundry, groceries, running, dance class, Ultimate games, dinners out, studying, and the most important thing of all - procrastination. If it's not scheduled, it happens anyway. That stresses me out and I procrastinate more. It's a downward spiral. To stop this, I've developed a system of scheduling procrastination. It's a time for me to be completely unproductive and to enjoy some mindless entertainment. And I mean really mindless.

In the past month, I've watched the entire first season of Jersey Shore. I've read most of the Texts From Last Night posted in the last three weeks. I may have also spent a few hours reading posts on PassiveAggressiveNotes.com.

I see people who look like these television characters and often wonder what they are about. Their lifestyles are so far removed from my own that I'm left in awe of just how different others' lives can be from my own. Snooki does not stay home knitting on a Saturday night. The Situation and DJ Pauly D do not play Scrabble or Cranium on the weekends.

I was going to include links to these websites, but I do not recommend going to them. I realize they're a waste of time. Yet they seem to offer the perfect combination of entertainment and brain fluff for me.

Since I finished season one of Jersey Shore, I've moved on to the first season of How I Met Your Mother (on DVD, borrowed for FREE from the library, I might add). It's much more classy entertainment that is sometimes a little too applicable to my life. A good group of friends enjoying the ride as they struggle to find their way in love and life, all with a sharp sense of humour.

As I plan my week ahead, I look forward to my non-productive, couch time. What do you do for procrastination? Any recommendations for good television shows to get into (preferably something on DVD)? Please, anything to keep me away from more Jersey Shore!

Remembering Russ

2010-03-10T17:14:00.001-08:00

I was leaving my office today when I caught a glimpse of a person that reminded me of a former co-worker. My mind immediately started thinking about all of the people that worked with me at that particular company. Soon I found myself remembering one co-worker in particular.

Russ.

Within a few months of me leaving the company he did as well. We both left on good terms and were invited back for that year's Christmas party. He picked me up in his hand painted VW van. That Christmas party was the last time I saw Russ.

A few months after Christmas I got a phone call from one of the ladies in the office. She wanted to let me know that Russ had passed away. He was about 30 years old and they suspected some sort of heart condition or heart attack. I never heard for sure what happened. A few of us remember when playing ping-pong, Russ would complain that his boob hurt, in hindsight, making some sort of heart issue not that surprising.

I've often thought of Russ, but for some reason, remembering him hit me hard today. There I was walking to the bus stop and all of a sudden tears were streaming down my face.

I remembered him staying after work to help fix my car, his goofy smile and stellar ping pong skills. I remembered his ability to eat just as much pizza as me on pizza day. I remembered his van that was hand painted blue and yellow, and how he slept in it, not out of necessity, but just because he could. I remembered seeing his ping-pong paddle being given to his step-dad at the funeral.

I remembered him saying "you make sure he appreciates you" of any man I dated. He said this to me on several occasions. He had an on-again-off-again relationship at the time, as did I. I don't know if his words came from a place of not feeling appreciated or feeling he didn't appreciate his girlfriend as much as one should. Either way, those words have stuck with me. And every time I feel appreciated and valued, I think of Russ. And for that I appreciate him. I miss him, think of him, but most importantly, I appreciate him.

This is a Geocache. Do not remove.

2010-03-07T21:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was one of those gorgeous Spring days in Vancouver. The air crisp, the sky blue and the cherry blossoms in full bloom. I was lucky enough to have made plans to try geocaching for the first time.

I had read about geocaching a few years ago. Basically you're given the coordinates of a spot where there's something hidden. It's usually some sort of a container, with a small logbook for you to sign inside. Sometimes there are trinkets that you can exchange. You then use a GPS to find the spot and the container.

Using my handy new iPhone, I downloaded a Geocache App and was ready to go. Some friends and I headed out to Deer Lake Park. Two of us had real GPS units and two of us had the iPhone App. The advantage of the App was that we didn't have to preload the coordinates. All of the clues, hints and information were right there.

We tried finding three different caches. The first two we found. The GPS/iPhone Apps got us within about 10' off the cache. Once we were there we began looking around and reading the hints to see if we could get any further clues to where the container was hidden. We did not find the third cache. Instead we carried on and walked around the rest of Deer Lake.

It was great to get out, explore a new area, spend time with friends and to try something new. We're already planning next weekend's adventure.

That Cat Lady

2010-02-25T21:34:00.000-08:00

Friends often joke about me being a crazy cat lady. I joke about it too. I even started a Twitter account for Mittens. (She has 9 followers by the way.) But when it comes down to it, I don't really think I'm that crazy cat lady. I'm not the stereotypical single lady with a cat and lots of candles. I just happen to be single and happen to own a cat.

I've been fairly certain that I'm not really a crazy cat lady...until recently. Twice in the last month I've been searching through my purse looking for one of the many things I tote around with me everyday. Lip gloss, gum, keys, wallet, phone, pen, book, hairband, hair elastics, receipts. I could go on, but I won't.

In the middle of searching what do I find, but...

a piece of cat food.

How on earth does a piece of cat food end up in my purse if I am not a crazy cat lady? And not just once, but twice!

I don't keep my purse anywhere near where Mittens' food is kept or where she eats. I do remember being given a ziploc bag with a sample of food from the vet, but I didn't even own this purse then.

Does Mittens put a few pieces of kibble in her mouth, run to my purse and spit it out? C'mon, she's not smart enough to do that. Her nickname is DumbDumb. That would just be absurd.

So, I can't quite figure out how this food get into my purse. But either way, I may have to reconsider whether I am a crazy cat lady or not.

Olympic Fever

2010-02-22T22:42:00.000-08:00

I feel like my life has been taken over by the 2010 Olympics. The excitement I felt for the opening ceremonies spilled over into the first week of the Olympics. When I wasn't at work, I was at home with the television tuned to one of three Olympic channels. And if I wasn't at home, I was downtown taking in the sights and energy. News reporters and sports commentators talk about the energy, but it really is an amazing thing to experience crowds of this size where positivity and pride rule.

One of the highlights for me was seeing the Olympic Cauldron. Sure it's just a sculpture with some flame shooting out of it. But it's the exact same flame that traveled from Greece! It represents so much more than just fire. It brings nations together in search of a common goal. It represents the quest to be the best you can be.

Up until last Sunday, Canada had never won an Olympic gold medal on Canadian soil. That all changed with Alexandre Bilodeau's performance in the Men's Moguls. My brother happened to be in Vancouver to attend one of the Olympic hockey games. He also happened to be given tickets to the medal ceremony for Alexandre Bilodeau's gold medal presentation. And he happened to have an extra ticket!

I was SO excited to be there and to be a part of the Olympic experience. I wanted to take in everything there was to see. I saw little white pieces of tissue paper falling down from the roof of BC Place. These were leftover pieces from the Opening Ceremony (the one's in the picture above were gold coloured). I now have one small, rectangular piece of white tissue paper on my bulletin board.

We're into the final few days of the Olympics now. And as I write this, Canada has won one more gold medal. The Ice Dance. So beautiful. Seeing such proud families and joyful winners gives me goosebumps. And the medal ceremonies make cry. As the games come to a close, I'm going to try to soak up as much as I can. And I'll continue to look for the small things as well. Like the small, rectangular pieces of white tissue paper.

Happy Singles Awareness Day!

2010-02-14T08:30:00.000-08:00

It's February 14th and I'm actually excited to celebrate this year. It's Singles Awareness Day! Traditionally people celebrate Valentine's Day. I can't remember a Valentine's Day when I wasn't disappointed. This year will be different. There will be no disappoint, just celebration of all the great things about being single!

I'm off to a concert this evening with a friend or two. The great thing about being single? I can leave when I want. There will be no waiting because I'm dating someone that MUST stay to the bitter end of any social event.

I will come home and before I unlock the door, I will know exactly how clean or messy the apartment will be.

As a midnight snack I will be able to eat an entire bag of potato chips with no one to judge me except the cat. And let's be honest, her dinner doesn't look much better.

It seems many people want whatever they don't have. People in dull relationships wish they were single and able to enjoy the fun parts of dating. Those singles sitting at home alone on a Sunday night wish they had someone to share quiet moments with. But I say, enjoy whatever state you're in. You never know when your situation will change.

So here I am, saying "Cheers to Singles Awareness Day!"

Location:Canada

The Olympics Are Here

2010-02-12T21:59:00.000-08:00

Up until a few weeks ago I was suffering from a serious case of the Olympic Grumps. I was annoyed by the parking restrictions, road closures, and line ups everywhere. I kept reading about the money being spent and then seeing the poverty and homelessness that affects the streets of Vancouver.

But something happened recently. It may have been all the talk on Twitter about the upcoming games. Or maybe it was the afternoon I went into the Olympic Store at the Bay and had my first glimpse of tourists here specifically for the event. I remember seeing a group with matching winter jackets. I think they were German with flags and logos all over their big warm jackets. The jackets were mostly wrapped around their waists as it was a warm, sunny day that barely required a jacket at all. (Yes, there's something wrong with the picture of Winter Olympics and Cherry blossoms, but I digress.)

I've become completely wrapped up in the hype of Olympic Fever. The excitement of all the people in town. The free events. The most definitely not-free events (none of which I'll be attending). Either way, it's a very exciting time to be in Vancouver. I plan to get downtown and try to absorb all of the positive energy I can.

Despite all this excitement I was struck by sadness today upon hearing about a tragic, fatal accident on the luge track in Whistler. The death of 21 year old Georgian Luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was the talk of Twitter and news reports around town. So young. So sudden and tragic. So sad.

I stayed home this evening and watched the Opening Ceremonies on television. The whole thing had me on the verge of tears. Mostly it was from a sense of pride and excitement. I really burst into tears when the Georgian team walked into BC Place, removing their hats and receiving a standing ovation from a crowd of more than 60,000. Just to think of what shock the team must be in and how they must continue to put on the performance of their lives in their respective sport.

This isn't the first death to hit the Vancouver 2010 games though. In October 2009 Jack Poole, the head of the Vancouver 2010 Bid Committee, passed away from pancreatic cancer. And in August 2009 Leo Obstbaum, the chief designer for Vancouver 2010 passed away suddenly. These two men played huge roles in making the Vancouver Olympics what they are today.

While watching the Opening Ceremonies and seeing all the athletes with such anticipation in their eyes I feel inspired. I think we can all learn and be encouraged by their dedication and hard work. At the same time, I think we can take the same from the deaths of the three men who have influenced the Olympics. Without Jack's vision, the Olympics may not have been brought to Vancouver. Without Leo's talent, the games would have a very different look. And without Nodar's athleticism and love of his sport, games such as the Olympics would not be possible.

We can also take away how precious life is. It can change in an instant. So as the games continue, I will watch and cheer on my country. I'll also remember the dedication, talent and hard work that goes into all aspects of the games and I'll cherish the opportunities that I have to incorporate these qualities into my own life, even in the smallest ways.

It's a date. Or is it?

2010-02-07T21:30:00.000-08:00

The past month or so there has been much debate over the definition of a date. I'm not at a point where I feel I want to date, but I also enjoy meeting new people and doing fun things. I don't want to mislead people or find myself in uncomfortable positions, so I like to be clear and label an outing appropriately. According to Merriam Webster the official definition is:

Date: an appointment to meet at a specified time; especially : a social engagement between two persons that often has a romantic character.

Even after reading this definition, I'm still confused. Now there have been several times in the recent past that I have been invited to do things with single men whose level of acquaintance has ranged from former co-worker to someone I've met once or twice at social events. The invitations have ranged from having coffee or lunch, to seeing a movie, to having dinner.

I've asked a few friends for their opinion and this is the conclusion that I can make:

Coffee: Not a date. Most likely a preliminary meeting to see if one would like to go on a date.

Lunch: Another opportunity to get together. Allows for evaluation of whether a future date is possible.

Movie: A date.

Dinner: Definitely a date!

I will confess to agreeing to several get togethers/hangouts recently and after realizing that they were most likely dates, I canceled them. For the most part I realize that I just don't have time, which is the truth. My schedule is packed! But I will admit that part of the cancellation is me being a complete coward and not wanting to have to explain that I'm not interested in dating.

I've asked several people's opinion on the matter. Some say why label things? A date has too many expectations. Others say are very clear on what is a date. They wouldn't go to the movies with someone if it wasn't a date.

So here's where I need some help. How do you know if something is a date? How do you avoid the awkward conversation of finding out whether you're going on a date or not? Do you agree with my list above? Please people, fill me in!

29

2010-01-31T10:27:00.000-08:00

Today is my 29th birthday. It's the first time in 9 years that I've been single on my birthday. (An aside: I realize I need to stop noting all the "firsts" since my break up. It's getting tired. Plus there are so many other firsts that are great to think about. First dates, first kisses...umm, hello! Exciting! I realize this and will get on it soon!) I say this as a fact and not a "please feel sorry me" comment.

I went to bed wondering how I would feel getting up this morning and opening presents from my parents by myself. In reality, it hasn't been that different than any other year. Perhaps even less lonely. Instead of feeling alone knowing that my boyfriend is out there doing something different or leaving me feeling empty and somehow dissatisfied, I'm making my day what I want it to be. I'm enjoying hearing from people that I know care about me. I'm enjoying a relaxing morning at home before going for High Tea with a group I like to refer to as The Ultimate Ladies (ladies that I play Ultimate with...but really, we're the ultimate ladies as well).

I've had several Facebook messages from people so far today. I noticed that two of the first birthday wishes came from ex-boyfriends. Rather short-lived relationships, but boyfriends none the less. If I'm really going to be honest, they were both rebound relationships. But I find it interesting that they're two of the first people to wish me a happy birthday.

I've always said that I've had a thing for jerks. It's always "Just one more asshole and then I'll be ready for a nice guy." But really, nice guys just don't do it for me. I like a little zing in my men. So these guys that made the effort to wish me well on my birthday, are they actually nice guys?

This has me thinking, maybe I don't just go for assholes. Maybe I just seem to date men that aren't quite right for me. And of course, they all won't be quite right until you meet the one that is. The whole point of dating is to meet people and to try and figure out if they are the right match for you.

So maybe I don't just have to date jerks. Maybe there are guys out there that have some "zing" to them and are nice guys too. I guess as I age, or become wiser as the aged like to say, I'll learn to sift through them a bit better and select more suitable men.

So here's to becoming more wise and to finding a suitable, zingy man.

The Wishbone

2010-01-30T23:30:00.000-08:00

Here is a birthday card that I made for my good friend L. While cleaning up from Christmas dinner, I carefully cleaned off the wishbone and packed it away to take back home. I had it drying on top of my fridge for the last month, knowing that I would have a special time to use it.

This week while I was trying to think of a good card idea for L's birthday I realized this was the special occasion I had been waiting for.

Some time last year L came over after work one day for a cup of tea and a game of Scrabble. As usual Mittens enjoyed this tea/game sessions because it meant there were two laps that didn't move for a solid 30-45 minutes. (Read: 30-45 minutes of uninterrupted cuddle time.)

On this particular day, Mittens was interested in sitting on L's lap. After much purring, kneading and drooling Mittens wouldn't settle down. She seemed very intent on nuzzling into the pocket of L's hoodie. It was as though L had something more to offer Mittens than just a lap.

Eventually L stopped and said "Oh this is embarrassing, but I think I know why she's doing this." L reached into the pocket of her hoodie and pulled out a wishbone wrapped in plastic wrap. She'd saved it from the home where she nannies and was taking it home to save it for a special wish.

Now not every friend of mine would be so dedicated on such traditions that they would carry a wishbone around in their pocket. So when it came time to make her a birthday card and I saw the dried wishbone, I thought "L needs to have this". I was able to make the card so that the bone can be removed. So not only does the card wish her a happy birthday, but it also allows her to make a wish of her own.

The Tart That Almost Made Me Move

2010-01-27T22:04:00.000-08:00

I had my big cousin B over for Sunday dinner this past weekend. We both were functioning on very little sleep. For me, it was the day after a going away party for a friend. For her, it was the day of the annual Bacci Sale (imagine lining up at 4:00 a.m. for a sale on clothing and housewares).

I decided to make this Carrot Cumin Tart from the Williams-Sonoma Cookbook. It had potential to be a weird carroty pie. It wasn't. Instead it was the perfect combination of cheese, egg, carrot and spice, in a perfect tart formation.

As we sat around chatting and cooking in my tiny kitchen the subject of our living conditions came up. I had been browsing Craigslist for the last little while in hopes of coming across the perfect one bedroom apartment. Funny, I never found it. However, B had come across the most gorgeous house. Newly renovated. High ceilings. Fresh white paint. Front loading washer and dryer. And the kitchen. I can't even begin to describe the beauty of the kitchen. And with that, we were off on a dream of living in this house together.

The next day was when I really started thinking about it. There are times when I'm unhappy in my current place. It has a horribly ugly, brown bathroom. And a horribly ugly, brown kitchen. The floor squeaks. The walls are thin. It's messy and disorganized. But I started to notice all the things I do in a day that wouldn't be acceptable as a roommate. The amount of noise I make in the morning. The dishes I leave in the sink. The coffee cup that gets left in the bathroom after I've done my make up. The ultimate cleats left out to dry by the door. The books piled up everywhere.

I realized how much I love living on my own. And how much I've appreciated it since moving out from living with S. Sure he complained about living with me, and his complaints were most likely unreasonable and a sign of other problems between us. But part of me getting back on my feet and figuring myself out, has been aided by me living on my own.

Despite the thought of creating that Carrot Cumin Tart in the most beautiful kitchen I've seen, I feel like I need to continue on the path that I'm on. Adding in moving, a longer commute, and adjustment to roommates is not going to make this journey any smoother. It's time to calm down and focus on what I've already got. My time will come for the huge, amazing kitchen.

Until then, I'm calling in the troops. Mom will be coming for a visit soon. We'll paint my place and get organized. Can't wait! Maybe I'll make the Carrot Cumin Tart when she's here and it will become the Tart That Helped Me Get Organized And Settled.

Loving the Internet

2010-01-21T22:31:00.000-08:00

Today was one of those great internet days. A day when all things that made my day great happened on the internet.

I started this morning with a great video posted on Lainey Gossip of a crazy, Italian reporter grabbing David Beckham's balls. She donned a pair of marigold gloves, approached him during a media scrum, and grabbed his balls. This video was responsible for my crazy hair today. Time I'd usually spend on my hair, was spent watching this in disbelief.

I also entered a Twitter contest from London Drugs and won a t-shirt. This is only a little over a month after I won a bag of coffee from them. There's something so exciting when you win a contest, no matter what the prize is.

I came across this slide show on GQ.com on scary Facebook friends. For each stereo type I can pick a friend of mine that fits. I'm sure I'm guilty of a few of them myself.

The conclusion to the Noon News Extra's Slap Chop test came out today. Yesterday I watched Squire Barnes test out the Slap Chop with very little success. Yesterday's clip was long, but quite hilarious to see how much of an epic fail the device was. It's only at about the ten minute mark that they realize a piece is missing. Today's clip had the missing piece installed, yet didn't offer any better results.

The final find of the day was a song. Or rather a lip sync video of a Gypsy Kings song. Growing up with an unusual name, I was always obsessed with finding things with my name on it. I still am. Here's a song with my name in it. I don't actually know what they're saying, but the lip sync video says a lot just through the costume and subtle eye contact. You're going to be jealous that they're not addressing you. Please don't hate me for this.

You Gotta Be Here

2010-01-17T22:19:00.001-08:00

Over the holidays I met one of my parents' neighbours. She, her husband, two small boys around 4 and 6, and a one-year old baby moved from Holland to Campbell River a year ago. Apparently they had visited the area, really liked it and then just decided to move.

At the time I couldn't imagine having that much adventure and courage to up and move countries, with a young family, all because you "liked" a place.

I came across this video on Twitter twice today. I think it gave me a bit of insight into how one could fall in love with this part of the world. The last time I watched it I thought to myself "Wow, I want to up and move there." Lucky for me, I'm already here.

One And A Half Weeks

2010-01-13T22:19:00.000-08:00

It only took one and a half weeks of regular routine in the new year for me to feel exhausted. Last week was manageable. I felt relaxed and refreshed after two weeks off and a fresh start at it all. New semester, new year, new schedule, new outlook.

I had plans to go snowshoeing on Saturday, but instead I spent the majority of the weekend sick on the couch. Some sort of stomach something or other...I won't go into details. This meant that I was quite rested by the time Monday rolled around. I had missed out on socializing and exercising, but that's life sometimes.

This week has turned out to be rather stressful. Work has been busy and there are demands being made of me for things that I have no control over. There have been some other career related events that have also been stressful.

On the flip side, there have been positive and exciting things going on as well. I got back in touch with an old acquaintance from my home town. We Facebook chatted a few times over the weekend and talked on the phone last night. We've made some tentative plans to go for dinner in the next week.

I also went to my first Quiz Night at the Cascade Room. Very fun times. I almost canceled because I was still feeling a little unwell, but I persevered, drank my ginger ale, and answered one or two of the 60 questions right. I'm not sure what my team would have done without me.

Tonight I was supposed to go for dinner with my cousin and a friend of hers for the Long Table Series at the Irish Heather. I went last month for the Lamb Stew and it was delicious. I was really looking forward to trying the Roast Suckling Pig with with Apple-Rosemary Sauce. However, part way through the day the stomach ache came back, as did a headache. I decided to take this Wednesday as my TRUEsday. I canceled my part of the reservation and came home.

I feel like in the last week I've canceled too many plans. I look at my calendar and see that I have two evenings in the next two weeks that are free. I've started to panic about being so busy. I thought I had made changes in my lifestyle that wouldn't let this happen. I want to see my friends and meet new people. I want to go do active things, take classes, learn and create. But sometimes I feel like I just can't do it all.

I'm taking this as a challenge. I know I'll handle all of the stress and will experience less anxiety if I'm well rested. I will be in bed by 10:00 and I'll drink only one cup of coffee a day. (Already, I'm off to a bad start...it's 10:01). I'll exercise and eat well, but won't let it get to me if I have to let that slip a little in order to cope. I'll book evenings that are just for me and I'll consider them as big of a commitment as if others were involved. And I'll say no if I need to. I'll reassure myself that it will all be okay. One way or another, it always is.

And now it's time to get started on this challenge. It's time to end this disjointed, rambling blog post and go to bed! 10:06 isn't bad for a first attempt at this new goal, is it?!

Lists, Japa Dogs and Ravishing Beasts

2010-01-09T20:41:00.000-08:00

I love making lists. There is something so satisfying about checking items off and seeing all that you've accomplished.

Over the Christmas holidays I checked several things off my lists. I had made a list of fun things to do over my two week Christmas vacation. A few of the things included skating at Robson Square (You'll notice it was the perfect occasion to sport my red Olympic mitts) and eating my first Japa Dog. Mmm...Japa Dog, so good!

I had also heard great things about the Ravishing Beasts exhibit at the Museum of Vancouver. I figured anything that was described as "the strangely alluring world of taxidermy" was something worth an afternoon of my time. I headed out on a Wednesday afternoon to discover the animals that were waiting.

The exhibit explored the world of taxidermy from a cultural and design perspective, as well as a scientific and environmental conservation perspective. The part I enjoyed wasn't so much the educational information presented, but rather immersing myself amongst all these animals that seemed to stare right back at me. The huge moose, "Lucky" the dog, the albino skunk. All of their eyes followed me throughout the exhibit. Around each corner there was a new set of eyes.

Here are a few of the sets. It's on until the end of February and I would highly recommend checking it out if you can.

My First Meme

2010-01-07T20:53:00.000-08:00

I've seen this on some other blogs and thought it would be fun to do. I realize I should have probably done it a week earlier, but hey, I like to be different...

2009 was an eventful year. I have a good feeling about 2010.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Started a blog!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I never make resolutions. I would just break them. And then feel guilty. I was raised Catholic, I don't need any more guilt.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nope.

5. What countries did you visit?
The United States of America.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
I would like to say for someone to fall in love with me, but I only want that when the time is right.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 27 and August 1. The date S and I decided to break up and the date of my first date with P.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Realizing that I had enough self-respect to get myself out of a bad relationship.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Letting my BBQ rust.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing more than the odd attack of vertigo, anxiety and a broken heart.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
This one's easy...my iPhone!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
All my lady friends. Their support was immense and I celebrate it often.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
S.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Getting settled in a new apartment and eating out. Human contact was what kept me going. Human contact usually meant eating and drinking.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Realizing that someone could actually want to spend time with me. And getting an iPhone.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
It's a tie between "I Gotta Feeling: by The Black Eyed Peas and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" by Beyonce. And "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier.
b) thinner or fatter? hmm...about the same? definitely healthier.
c) richer or poorer? poorer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Sleeping.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Crying and being angry.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my family - Mom, Dad, Brother, Grandma, dog and cats.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Whoa...big question. Sometimes I feel like I don't even know what it means to love. But yes, I think I did.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Glee!

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Unfortunately, yes.

24. What was the best book you read?
The 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work. Didn't seem to work, but I still learned a lot.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Lady Gaga.

26. What did you want and get?
An iPhone.

27. What did you want and not get?
A tropical, exotic vacation.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
I can't pick just one. "500 Days of Summer" and "He's Just Not That Into You."

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Dinner at WaaZuBee with friends. I was 28.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
At the time, I wanted a diamond ring. Now, I know that would have led to a lifetime of dissatisfaction.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
J. Crew with a bit of sass.

32. What kept you sane?
My amazing girlfriends, Z's sangria, and Ultimate.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hugh Jackman. He's dreamy.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Obama taking office.

35. Who did you miss?
My best friend. I think he was gone a long time ago though.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
V. (a great, supportive and funny new friend) and P. (despite things not working out between us, he was able to give me so much...confidence, a sense of humour, hope...and help with calculus!)

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
The hardest things in life are the ones that make you a better, stronger person.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"I gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night."

If You Don't Know Me By Now

2010-01-05T12:02:00.000-08:00

One of the great things about being single, is that I can still hold out hope for finding someone like this. Someone that will have a glass of wine ready for me as I walk in the door. Someone who is so relaxed he's able to lounge in all white linen. Someone who owns a trendy, spacious loft.

He's out there. I know it.

And if you don't know me by now, I'm totally joking. This made me so uncomfortable that I could barely watch the whole thing.

Happy Cousin Weekend

2010-01-03T21:12:00.001-08:00

My dad has two brothers and one sister. Each one of them had one girl and one boy. That means I have three girl cousins on my dad's side and none of us have any sisters.

This weekend I spent it with all three of my Campbell girl cousins. It was the first time that we had ever hung out just the four of us or as adults. When I suggested that we all get together I wasn't sure that it would actually happen or what it would be like. To be honest, the day before the two from out of town arrived, I became anxious that it might be awkward. I wasn't sure if we would have anything to talk about or anything in common. As usual, my anxieties were unnecessary.

I had a wonderful weekend. The two youngest arrived from Victoria Saturday afternoon. We went over to our big cousin's house and made dinner. We made a delicious Mushroom, Radicchio and Smoked Mozzarella Lasagne from the Gourmet Cookbook. The mushrooms and radicchio created a rich meaty texture. The smoked mozzarella was key to the flavour of this dish. We also had a green salad and baked chicken. For dessert I made a baked pear dish with a custard topping. We agreed that we had done a good job cooking, but that we still couldn't fill our mothers' shoes as chefs.

During dinner, I became "that person" who was analyzing each of the ingredients and what role they played in the dish. After a mouthful I'd interrupt the conversation to ask about the salad dressing. A few mouthfuls later, I'd want to discuss the spice rub on the chicken. A few mouthfuls after that, I wanted to know if people thought the dish would be as good with all plain mozzarella (the answer was no).

Today we spent the day around town, going for coffee, ice skating at the GE Plaza at Robson Square, having a famous Japadog and visiting a few stores. We shared family stories and talked about our grandparents. We talked about laughing, whales and Twitter.

It was a great weekend of getting to know each other better and reconnecting with family. I can't help but sit here this evening and remember conversations I had with Grannie and wonder what she would have had to say about our get together this weekend. I think she would have shared a few laughs with us.

It definitely was a happy cousin weekend.

Top Nine Quotes from 2009

2010-01-01T15:57:00.000-08:00

It's 2010!! I felt such a huge sense of relief as the clock struck midnight last night. 2009 was finally over. In one sense, I feel 2009 was a horrible, no good, very bad year. In another way, I feel like despite its struggles, it was a great year. I made some huge changes and am a stronger person in a better place.

Over the past few months I've been making note of my favorite things that people have said. Most are from people I actually know. There is only one from television, which is pretty amazing considering all of the great lines in Glee. Sue Sylvester could have had her own list.

I was really hoping from one last brilliant quote from last night, but unfortunately I can't remember one. There was some conversation with the server about how my iPhone is like my new boyfriend. He mentioned something about it vibrating. I think it's best left off the list.

So here it is, in no particular order, my top nine quotes from 2009.

"The guys at hockey love it when I do this. I don't know why you don't." You don't want to know what he was doing.
"I'd like to audition for the role of kicker." Oh Glee...you make my Wednesdays.
Me: "Dad, do people ever ask you if you're related to Gordon Campbell?"
Dad: "Yes, we have the same generic, store bought face."
This one may not be from 2009, but worth including anyway...in reference to choosing Ms. Vickies' Black Pepper and Lime chips: "I feel like the black pecker and lime."
"These are my break up boots. I could have bought a car with the money I spent on them."
"Ugh, my printer is being such a boy. So unstable!!"
"Something terrible happened last night. I couldn't finish my popcorn!"
"He wears a locket that tells him stories" She was referring to an iPod.
After 45 minutes of hearing about the guy that parks his car next to hers, and how his wife had cancer, and the neighbour was always there helping and when the wife died the kids had to ask the neighbour to leave, but then at the funeral he came up to her and said he had to tell her something. For the last six months he and the neighbour had been having an affair, and that they were getting married. But then they wanted to get a divorce and the priest wouldn't give them an annulment so then they switched to the Lutheran church. Near the end of the story, she said, "So to make a long story short..."

Happy New Years! Here's to much health, happiness, love and laughter in the coming year.

An Animal House

2009-12-29T21:44:00.000-08:00

Mittens came with me to my parents house for Christmas. They already have a cat, Caleb, and a dog, Webster. Luckily my parents have a large house, because each of these animals are very particular about their territory.

Webster is everywhere all the time. He's curious about the cats and enjoys giving them a good chase. The way he whips his stuffed animal toys around makes me want to keep him away from Mittens though.

Caleb is pretty secretive about his life. He spends his day roaming the neighbourhood and comes in at night to sleep in Dad's office. That is until he sneaks up to my room where Mittens and I are quietly sleeping. Christmas morning I was woken up to a cat fight. A cat fight that took place right on top of me.

An entertaining activity that usually happens during any visit to my parents is the animal photography session. It's usually just Mom and me. We kill ourselves laughing while taking pictures of a pissed off cat and a show off dog. Caleb seems to escape being put through this. Below are the best of the Christmas photo session.

Webster got a new leather jacket for Christmas. He's quite proud showing it off. Note how his chest hair pokes out the top of the jacket. True biker fashion.

The beauty of Mittens' photos are in how annoyed she looks. She obviously believes that she's of a higher intelligence than the photographer (me) or the photographer's assistant (Mom). It's as though our actions confirm her theory of us being complete imbeciles.

Walking Forward

2009-12-27T23:35:00.000-08:00

So Christmas happened. It has come and gone for another year. It will be another eleven months before we start buying presents, planning menus and decorating the tree again.

I won't say too much about what my Christmas was like, other than that it was full. My stocking was full. My belly was full. My life was full of people that love me and I love back. My mind and ears were full with visiting and conversation. Christmas was full of all things that come along with holidays and family. The good and the bad.

A few weeks ago I was nervous for the holidays. Worried that I would be missing those people no longer in my life, or at least what those people represented. Worried that I would feel alone and lost. As with most things in life, those worries were unnecessary. I can't say that those feelings didn't surface at all. They were there. They were acknowledged. And then I kept walking forward.

I saw myself becoming more confident and more comfortable with myself. I didn't pretend to be anyone different - insecurities, anxieties and all. I knew I just had to do the best I could. I think that resulted in me being more "me" than I remember in any previous years.

So now I'm home. I've spent the evening unpacking, washing my new dishes and planning my grocery list based on the new cookbooks. I keep walking forward.

Falling Again

2009-12-24T15:07:00.001-08:00

You know when you're in a new relationship and you can spend hours with that person gazing into their eyes, getting to know every detail about them and hours pass by without even noticing. Friends and family never hear from you. Regular chores don't seem to get done and you don't even care.

This is how my life has been for the last week. It's as though I've fallen in love. Only there's no one new in my life. Instead, I took a leap of a different kind.

I got an iPhone.

It has to be the single most wonderful piece of technology invented. Over the top? Maybe. Either way, I just had to share how wonderful it is. I love it.

Working Out with Community Characters

2009-12-22T21:26:00.000-08:00

The community centre gym brings out a much different crowd than your usual membership-only gym. With a cheaper price tag you get senior citizens and thrifty students (of which I am both...sort of) instead of the uber jocks and head-to-toe Lulu mamas. The community centre also attracts its fair share of community characters.

I took yesterday off work to get an early start to my Christmas vacation. Knowing that I would be stuffing my face for the next week, I thought it would be a good idea to get a little exercise in before I headed to my parents today. I thought it wouldn't be as busy at noon on a Monday as it usually is at 6:00 on a Wednesday. I was wrong.

Noon on Monday seemed to bring out a different kind of character. One man in particular caught my attention. I would guess he was about 70-75 years old, tall and very thin. At first he was very unassuming, riding the recumbent bike. After about ten minutes I noticed that he was completely hunched over, as though he was sleeping, but still peddling hard. This continued for another five minutes, until, out of nowhere, he bolted upright, arms in the air, fists pumping and cheering himself on as though he was crossing the finish line in the Boston marathon. His face was pointed towards the ceiling, eyes closed as though fully living his dream.

After the finish line cheer, his enthusiasm switched to more of a rock concert arm pump with one arm and then the other. I looked around the room to see if I was the only one noticing this or if in fact, it was considered normal behaviour. A few others were looking, but trying to stifle their "what is going on" looks.

After I had moved over to the elliptical trainer I notice he had finished his workout and was collecting his things from the cubbyholes near the door. He started sorting out all of his things. Getting out clothes from his bag, lining up his clean socks and laying out his street shoes. I was hoping he was just organizing his things before picking them all up and heading to the change rooms.

Again, I was wrong. He stripped right down to his boxers. It wasn't as though he was doing this to save time or anything, because he still took the time to apply cream to his torso and back. He carefully tucked his shirt in, adjusted his collar and made sure his hair was in fine form. Again, I was left looking around the room to see if I was the only one noticing it. This time it seemed I was.

When it was my turn to leave, I was careful to go to the change room just to put my jacket on and change my shoes. Overly modest or socially aware? You decide.

How Lazy Am I?

2009-12-17T22:06:00.000-08:00

This a bread tag. And behind it is my dirty floor. This bread tag is a symbol of just how lazy I have been lately. It has been on the floor in my kitchen, underneath the microwave stand for about two months.

You might ask, "Why don't I just pick it up and throw it out?" In fact, I've asked myself that very question many times. Especially as I vacuum around it. I've even washed the floor around it.

A part of me thinks that I'm being nice to my cat and leaving her a toy. Eventually she may play with it and lose it under a cabinet or under the couch, allowing me to postpone having to pick it up until I move next. So far the only interest she has shown in it, is to give me a dirty look and to make me feel like I'm a horrible, sloth of a cat owner.

Another part of me thinks I'll get to it when I'm picking up other things off the floor. But really, how often do I go around picking things up off the floor? A guess of "never" would be fairly accurate.

The other night I was making a list of all the great things about being single and living alone. I think this is the real reason that the bread tag has been left on the floor for months. Because I can. I can leave out whatever I want, for as long as I want, and I don't have to answer to anyone. It's up to me. I can be as clean and tidy or as lazy and messy as I want. It's a glorious feeling not having someone there to judge and scorn you for leaving a bread tag on the floor.

Sure, Mittens is judgey and complains in her own way. I tell her to piss off. That's just the kind of relationship we have and the kind of apartment we live in. Bitchy and messy. Just the two of us. And it's wonderful.

UPDATE: December 31, 2009. I just picked up the bread tag and threw it in the garbage. Along with throwing out chipped dishes that bring back annoyances and hanging new artwork that has hope and infinite possibilities attached to them, I am ready for a new year. A fresh start!

Please Piss Me Off Some More.

2009-12-15T22:06:00.000-08:00

Sunday was snowy, cold and the perfect day to spend tucked away in my little apartment preparing for my final exam. Despite my encounters with Carolers the day before, I decided to take a break and venture out into the world. I walked down the street to the grocery store. All I wanted was to buy some milk.

The walk was actually quite pleasant. Snow was falling all around me. I was stopped a few times by people asking for directions. I felt like a local in my new neighbourhood.

I arrived at the store uneventfully and found what I needed in the store and headed to the check out. I chose the cashier with no line up.

She rang up my bill. It came to $10.06.

I handed her $20.06.

She gave me my receipt.

...

Our conversation went something like this:

Me: "Oh actually I gave you a twenty dollar bill."

Her: "No, you didn't."

Me: "Yes, I did."

Her: "No, you didn't."

Me: "Yes, I did"

Her: "No, you didn't"

Me: "Yes, I did."

Her: "Yeah, you're right. I just wanted to see how long we could go on like this."

WTF?!!! I know it has been a while since I worked in retail, but as far as I know, that is not considered a good game to play with customers. She continued on to say something about missing out on a night's sleep a few days ago. Not my problem!!!

I gave her the most unimpressed, annoyed, dirty look I could muster before I grumpily trudged my way home.

So, I ask you this, do I have a giant sign on me that says "Please piss me off every time I leave the house"? If I do, could you please tell me. I'd really like to take it off.

When did I become such a Scrooge?

2009-12-12T16:47:00.000-08:00

I had a bunch of mid-exam-holiday-party-present-buying season errands to do this afternoon. After driving from spot to spot and being frustrated by traffic and bad drivers, I decided walking in my neighbourhood was the best option to getting the last of the things I needed. I got one block away from my apartment when I wanted to turn around and retreat.

The sidewalks were full of pedestrians with no regard for their fellow sidewalk users. Wandering from side to side, stopping abruptly. Turning around with their coffee in hand and nearly dumping it all over me.

Then there were the Carolers. They make me uncomfortable. God forbid I ever live in a house where they come to my door. I think I would hide under the bed until they left. Their matching hats and eager looking expressions. What am I supposed to do? What do they want from me? Do they expect me to stop and stare? I think that would be rude.

The other side of the street had a band of horn instruments. Again with the matching hats. Perhaps these were the husbands of the Carolers, told that they would wear their Santa hats and they would enjoy themselves dammit. I chose to cross the street. Horns > Carolers. They had sheet music to look at and it was easier to avoid eye contact.

I'm off to a Christmas party tonight. I hope to avoid Christmas music, mistletoe and anyone saying "Ho, Ho, Ho". I'll practice my "Bah, humbug" as I get ready, but I imagine all things cheery will be unavoidable for the next three weeks. Le sigh...

Something Good Happened

2009-12-10T22:34:00.000-08:00

I'm not quite sure what happened, but one evening this week I came home and I felt different. I was going about my routine, when I stopped and realized "I don't feel crappy". It was like all of a sudden my head was clear. I could think. I wish I knew what combination of circumstances led to it, so I can repeat it in the future. But either way, I'll take it.

I don't mean to dwell on this whole relationship thing, but really it's what has been on my mind for the past week. I don't even think it was the ending of this last relationship that had me so down. I think it was the culmination of everything. All of the change in the last six months. The stress of school. The upcoming holiday season. And generally feeling lost.

The past few days have been full of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I wrote my first of two exams tonight. I'm half way done. I saw P last night for the first time since we broke up. It was good. The tying up of loose ends and the beginning of a new friendship. Acknowledging and thanking him for showing me how well I can be treated.

So something good happened. And when I really think about it, many good things have happened. And they'll continue to happen. It doesn't mean bad things won't happen too, but things will always get better.

Survival Mode

2009-12-06T20:18:00.000-08:00

I feel I should be updating my blog and sharing with the world how I'm dealing with the change in my life and what I'm discovering about myself along the way; however, I also feel that until I'm out the other side, I need to protect myself. I need to do as much as I can to figure it all out myself before I write about it.

I've switched to survival mode in the last week. I'm only doing what I need to do and what will make me feel the best I can. This means I'm surrounding myself with supportive and positive people. I'm laying on the couch and watching a movie when I need to. I'm going out dancing with girlfriends when the opportunity arises. I'm eating homemade cookies when a box is given to me (see supportive and positive people above).

I have final exams starting this week. I think feeling rested and calm is as important as studying. It's Sunday evening and I still haven't studied for my final on Thursday. Tomorrow is the beginning of a new week. A fresh start and one last busy week to get through.

It Happened Again

2009-12-01T09:22:00.000-08:00

It looks like the blog may have the opportunity for a bit of a transformation. Originally friends had encouraged me to start a dating blog. The Dating Adventures of the World's Youngest Senior Citizen. Sounds fun, no? But then I went and got into a relationship, ruining all chances to get that started.

Well, as life goes, it happened again. My ass got dumped. It was four months after our first date and two weeks after I'd told him I'd fallen in love. Now I could go on asking myself all sorts of questions. Did I scare him off by what I said? Should I not have said that? Was I not sexy enough? Was I not fun enough? Was I too needy? I was not independent enough? Did he feel pressured? And sure, all of those things are swirly around inside my foggy brain, but the one thing I was sure of going into this relationship, was that I was going to stay TRUE to myself. And I feel confident that I was always myself. I never pretended to be anything else. I never forced our relationship or tried to make it work when it wasn't.

Despite my puffy, tear stained face, I know that I only want to be with someone that knows for certain that they want to be with me. His reasoning for breaking it off was that he was confused and had a feeling inside that something was missing or something wasn't right. That's all I need to hear to know that I'm better off on my own. I'm sure we'll be able to remain friends. The relationship wasn't long enough to get bitter and resentful.

I realize how much I've learned and grown in the last six months. With a major long term relationship ending and now this. I have a good sense of who I am and what I want. I don't feel like there's something wrong with me that has led to this situation. I know that I don't like feeling heartbroken or lonely and that sometimes I'd really just love a hug. But I also know that I have many supportive people around me and that being happy with myself will bring happiness around me.

Raspberry Jam

2009-11-29T21:50:00.000-08:00

I hate public transit. This is not a secret for those that are close to me. And even those that are not. I signed up for a one year employee sponsored bus pass that started in September. I realize there are many benefits to taking the bus to work. The two major ones being for the environment and for my pocket book. Some would even say that it's also less stressful not having to drive. That is not the case for me. Instead it makes me angry and makes me feel like I hate all people.

Last week was a particularly bad bus rage week. On Thursday morning I was on my way to work. I had my usual morning play list going on my iPod in an attempt to drown out all auditory senses that I was actually on the bus. I noticed a man get on with four pieces of toast. I didn't think anything of this.

The ride to work was uneventful. My stop came up and a large portion of the riders got up to exit the bus. The man with the toast was in front of me and stepped off the bus. I followed and midway through my step between the bus and sidewalk, the toast man stopped and turned around...toast in hand. Toast with raspberry jam.

Luckily I was able to put squeeze past him and avoid smearing raspberry jam all over my white wool jacket. But not before I shook my head and said aloud "Oh for fuck's sake!" Instead of saving the environment and saving myself a few dollars, the public transit option has made me into this people-hating crazy person that swears at people.

Oh, and yes, I am also susceptible to motion sickness on the bus. Great, I've become a crazy, cursing, people-hating, barfing woman. I'm not cut out to be a bus rider.

Good Bye Neighbours

2009-11-21T14:01:00.001-08:00

Dear Neighbours,

I'm sorry that you are leaving. I will miss you staring at me through my patio door. I will miss opening up my curtains any time of day and having you stand there with your cigarette. It was like you were always there, just waiting for me.

I'll miss how you would start conversations with me while I was talking on the phone already. I know how important it was for you to share with me that you had been stung by a bee. I'm so glad I was the one that you confided this information in.

I'll miss how you would share stories about the previous tenants in my suite being methamphetamine addicts. And how you would reassure me how safe our neighbourhood was, because it's where all the gang leaders live.

I always enjoyed hearing about your cat's diabetes. And of course I'll miss hearing you whisper about me to the lady downstairs.

I think most of all I'll miss seeing your wife's boob hang out of her nightie while she made breakfast. And of course, I'll miss seeing you walk around naked in all your middle-aged, hairy man glory.

Take good care,

the Youngest Senior

Swearing At My Slippers

2009-11-19T21:41:00.000-08:00

Since the past few months have been so busy, I've found myself needing to step out of activities intermittently. Some weeks I make it through all of the week's activities and other weeks I skip out on certain ones. Last week I had Remembrance Day off work. The week before I took a day off sick. A few weeks before that I missed my Management Information Systems class. Before that, it was Thanksgiving and a missed Calculus class. Before that I missed dance class.

The first few days of this week were spent fighting a sinus headache and battling calculus concepts. By the time I made it home from work on Tuesday, I hadn't considered that it was TRUEsday or what I was going to do to be TRUE. On Tuesdays I have about 45 minutes at home before I leave again for my Flamenco class. I usually try to have a small snack and relax (i.e. peruse Twitter and Facebook).

During this relaxing time I found myself struggling to put my slippers on. All of a sudden I heard my self cursing and swearing at my turquoise crocs as I tried jamming my feet into them. This really should not have a hard task.

Flamenco class is as much a physical activity as it is a brain exercise. The steps and rhythms don't come naturally and a certain level of frustration must be reached before I am able to really dance the steps.

On this particular day I realized that if I was struggling to slip on my slippers the flamenco step frustration would be taken to a whole new level. In an effort to be TRUE and thinking ahead for the rest of the week, I decided to take the evening off.

So that's what I did. I had a TRUE evening, staying home, watching a movie (The Ugly Truth...definitely take a pass on that one...horrible) and eating ice cream with my boyfriend. It's funny how a simple evening at home can take you from a bad case of the swears to being TRUE.

Experiment in Slacking Off

2009-11-18T21:44:00.000-08:00

I've decided to do an experiment. In honour of one of my classes that could very well be the biggest joke of a class ever, I've decided to see if it's possible to do the entire class without reading the text book or doing any real studying. I will admit to briefly flipping through the text and I have attended all but one of the lectures.

Up until now, week 11 of a 14 week semester, I have done nothing outside of class time. So far I have 84% in the class and am still above the class average (by 1%, but that's still above average). I have attempted to read the textbook, but as much as I try, I just can't do it. The instructor wrote his own text and we bought it online as a PDF. I'm not sure that he has ever heard of an editor because one was most definitely not used.

Our lectures involve him opening up the PDF on the overhead screen and literally pointing at each line as he reads it to us. So I guess in one sense I have read the textbook. Mind you, his lectures are so all over the place that I barely pay attention at all. Last lecture we covered his use of "Just for Men", his father's alcoholism and how his mother prefers the "Depends" with flowers on them.

My strategy for the remainder of the semester is this: I will read the two remaining cases that will be covered in class. I will do the required work to complete the group project. That is it. I have test tomorrow evening. I still have not opened up the textbook. Let the experiment begin.

UPDATE: Success!! No studying or extra work was involved and pulled off a decent grade.

Keeping The Door Open

2009-11-15T22:08:00.000-08:00

I've been in some form of post-secondary institute off and on for the past ten years. I've tried social sciences at university, art school, business administration at college, dance school, and now finally back to business administration at a technical institute. It seems that I'm one of those people who goes to school. Truthfully, I hate school. Hate it.

I'm so often frustrated with the classes I take. I struggle to see the relevance of it all. I feel like the one thing that I've taken away from all of the classes is how to play the game. You learn to figure out what the teacher wants and you satisfy that with the least amount of effort as possible. I don't believe that is the real purpose of higher education. But in reality, it's a transferable skill that will serve one well in life.

Higher education came up in conversation twice today.

First, a friend whose education background is not directly related to her current career told me that the one thing she has taken away from her education was the ability to solve problems. She can be given a task and find a way to figure out how to do it.

Second, I mentioned to my boyfriend how all I really needed to do was pass my class. He said, yes, but what about my grade point average? In reality, I don't see myself going on to do a MBA or going on to do any higher education beyond my BBA. We then debated back and forth. I'll admit that his reasoning made sense. Who knows what my future holds. Keeping my GPA up and finishing my degree will keep doors open. I've always been a believer about taking what opportunities present themselves in life. With that mindset, it makes sense to do everything in my power to keep all the doors open.

I think in some way we're all saying the same thing. Problem solving skills or learning to play the game, it's all going in the same direction. Opening doors. Creating opportunities. In my struggle to stay focused and continue taking classes I will try to keep the doorways in my mind. A reminder that there is a purpose to it all.

Chocolate Pear Upside Down Cake

2009-11-12T22:45:00.000-08:00

I found a recipe on Epicurious for Upside-Down Pear Chocolate Cake. I decided to whip this up on Friday evening before heading out for drinks with friends. The weekend is usually when I have friends over for a quick cup of tea or a game of Scrabble. And if nobody ends up coming over, well, then you've got a snack for the weekend without having to go to Dairy Queen.

And whipping something up like this, like it's no big deal, makes you seem like quite the catch. You do have to be careful to have the chocolate wiped off your face and that there's no sugar crystals from the caramel dried in your hair. It's not attractive. I learned this lesson the hard way.

I had three pears at varying degrees of ripeness, so I decided to use them all and see how the textures compared. The recipe called for ripe but firm pears. My preference was actually for the very ripe pear. It was easier to eat with a fork and the texture of the pear and cake went well together. The size of the pear slices varied as well. It made for a less "perfect" look. I ended up fitting them in the pan where they would fit in a very anti-Martha way.

The making and baking of the cake went quite well. I don't yet have a stand mixer, so I had to use a hand mixer. Mine is on its way out and only works on the high setting. This only became problematic when I had to mix the cocoa powder in. This resulted in a large plume of cocoa powder rising in the air as the mixer attempted to mix the flour mixture with the sugar and chocolate. This is when things got messy and I ended up with chocolate on my face.

The baked cake came out looking perfect. It almost seemed a shame to turn it upside down.

Now this was the tricky part...and where I approached near cake disaster. I thought I had read to leave the cake upside down with the pan on top to cool for five minutes. After rereading the recipe I realized the cake should be sitting on the pan. I thought "oh I'll just flip it back over". It was midway through this flip that I realized this was a bad idea. The whole cake came flopping out on to the cooling rake. Amazingly it stayed in tact with only a few side pieces falling off.

I then managed to just slide the whole cake on to a plate. I'm yet to acquire a cake stand. In my mind, I'm waiting for the most beautiful, most perfect cake stand I can find. And also the funds to buy it.

I must say the cake is quite delicious. Perfect with a glass of milk. It is fairly sweet and I wonder if the caramel is required. Or maybe just half of the caramel? I will remember this for next time. I will make it again, and this time not nearly the dump the cake upside-down, or rather, right side-up.

TRUEsday

2009-11-10T07:30:00.000-08:00

Tuesdays are a special day of the week for me and a few of my friends. It all started with a conversation I had with a friend about relationships and focusing on being true to ourselves. It is so easy to stray from this when we are being bombarded by life. Each of us have so many different things to keep in balance that being true to yourself can easily be forgotten.

Often these requests are all positive things. For me personally, I work, I go to school, I play sports, I take dance class, I have different groups of friends, and I have a boyfriend. I would never want to sacrifice putting full effort into any one of these things, but I know that I cannot being fully present to each without taking time for myself.

In an effort to not forget about ourselves, we came up with a code word that we can use to remind each other. TRUE. For some reason we always capitalize it. We remind each other to make TRUE decisions and to do something TRUE for ourselves...every TRUEsday. Our first TRUEsday was spent making something that would remind us of this. I painted this little canvas that I hang by the door. It reminds me every time I leave the house to be TRUE to myself.

Other TRUE activities have involved baking, spending time with a friend, dancing, or simply going to bed early. The most important part of TRUEsday for me is being conscious of the decisions I'm making and how they affect me. Little by little I'm noticing TRUEsday spilling out into other days of the week. And in the words of Martha "that's a good thing".

The Gift of "Being Okay"

2009-11-06T19:08:00.000-08:00

My body has an odd way of telling me to slow down. Sometimes it's a migraine, other times it's vertigo, eczema or even a cold. The past two years I have suffered from a midterm exam back spasm. Last year it was so bad that I could barely walk, let alone work. I had to resort to the type of painkillers and muscle relaxants that make your face go numb.

This past week, I could feel it coming. Each day the sore lower back and a painful neck increased. I kept going. And going. And going. From one activity to the next. Counting down the weeks left of school (there's six) and thinking of how I will do things next semester to not be so busy.

But still, it was Thursday. My allergies were killing me. In November. What is there to be allergic to in November? My back was still aching and stiff. My neck tweaked every time I stepped. I was exhausted.

I made it through the day at work. I made it through class. And I finally made it home. I had survived. But there was still one more day left in the week and a full weekend of class and studying. My apartment was a mess with a week's worth of dishes sitting on the counter and a bathroom that hadn't been cleaned in weeks. I was facing that dreaded feeling of "I can't do it all!"

So Friday morning came round. I was still stuffed up and had a raspy throat. I went straight to the computer and wrote an email to my supervisor saying I wouldn't be in. I needed a day of rest.

Unless I'm on death's doorstep, I always feel guilty calling in sick. Yet, I needed to do just what I said I was going to do. Rest. I slept in for several more hours before moving to the couch with a sleeping bag. I finally rose from there at around 2:00. It ended up being a day of catching up. I caught up on sleep, chores, and studying.

At what point is it okay to call in sick? Is exhaustion being sick? If you're exhausted, you're at greater risk of getting sick. If you're exhausted, you're not going to be effective at work. In my opinion, those personal, mental health days are as important to take as staying home when you're down with a flu.

I'm still tired, my back is still store and I'm still sneezing, but I have an odd sense that it's all going to be okay. That is what my sick day gave me. The gift of "being okay" despite all that life throws at me.

Moving out, moving on.

2009-11-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

I've wanted to start a blog for a while, but not until now have I had the confidence and desire to take the plunge. Feeling unsure about what I would write, I first timidly mentioned my desire to start one to my then boyfriend. His reaction was not the positive support I was looking for. Instead he said "What are you going to write? 'Went to work, went to school, ate dinner, fell asleep?'" Admittedly I'm terribly busy and may struggle to find the time to post, but this was just one of the signs that something needed to change.

Since that exchange, many things have changed. I've moved out and moved on. Part of that process involved discovering "me" again and realizing all the things that I find interesting and all that I have to say.

In the early stages of breaking up, there was much excitement around the possibilities that the dating world held. It had been six years since I was last single. A lot of things had changed. Many friends encouraged me to start a blog documenting my dating experiences. I considered this and thought maybe this was the key to my long awaited blog. This idea didn't last long as a friend introduced me to one of her co-workers. All of a sudden I was "going steady" and being swept off my feet.

As I entered into a new relationship I wanted to make sure that I was presenting the true me. Being honest about what I enjoy and I what I don't and being comfortable with that became a goal. A recurring theme kept appearing. I really am the world's youngest senior citizen. I moved to a neighbourhood notorious for its senior citizen population. I usually bake each weekend. I always have a knitting project on the go. I love kitchen appliances and "as seen on TV" products. (FYI, London Drugs has a section!) Friday nights are usually spent falling asleep on the couch by 10:30.

I've also become a Twitter addict in the past few months. I've discovered many people who blog and many people who share similar interests in crafts and food. All of this has led me jump right into the blogging world. Despite my hectic schedule and lack of free time, starting this blog is something that I want to do. For me. For the true me.

Hopefully my posts won't be too far apart or incoherent due to lack of sleep. And hopefully I'll have the confidence to tell people about the blog. Some of the best advice I've received in recent months is "Get confident, stupid." So here it goes...The World's Youngest Senior Citizen's Blog. Enjoy!