It's been a year... and a few months

In this newest of New Years, I've decided to exercise my brain and write something useful, maybe prophetic, most probably just nonsense that the world has imparted on me. 

Last I wrote, it was in 2012. I'd like to think I'm not a superstitious person (more to have some fun with superstitions). However I recently mentioned to a friend that 'even' years seem to bring better luck and happiness for me, which is perhaps why I haven't been able to bring myself to write anything in 2013. 

I think also 2013 was a prolonged limbo. Not that I wasn't happy! The highlight of my year would have to be this:

And a bit of this as well............

 All thanks to a lovely Australian friend who decided to visit Canada and the US for her holidays this year! These scenes are all of either Ontario or Quebec, two beautiful provinces that I'd recommend anyone to visit.

There was also New Years last year in Calgary which involved dressing up and having tiny hor d'oeuvres whilst sipping on champagne. 

Skiing with my fellow colleagues made the list as well. That weekend was one to remember....well, at least parts of it!

So yes! There are these and a good few more examples of which I can re-iterate to you the joys of 2013. However, limbo has set in, I think, due to the fact that I am moving into a splendid new townhome. Waiting 2 years for it to be built is bringing on a sense of impatience. Now the first year (a.k.a 2012) was fine. I was saving money and mentally preparing myself to move for the very first time in my life. However, in 2013 I had thought earnestly that I'd be moved in by September. Note to all of you buying condos, they take FOREVER to build. They keep changing whether or not you're in first or second or third phase. Originally my unit was in first phase, which then got pushed to second. The salesmen don't tell you this in advance, so if you're looking to move quickly, buy a unit that's already close to being fully built!

  

Such a big milestone has brought on many emotions! 

Ecstatic happiness (I'll own my own place! Freedom! I can decorate any way I want to! I can host any type of party at any time! YES!) can turn into...

Hyperventilating fear (I can't do this alone. Will I have enough money for the bills, mortgage? Will I have anything extra for traveling? Did I really want to do this? Yes of course it's about time I moved out... But am I ready? Oh no, I have to live ALONE). I hate the word alone. It's not really a pleasant feeling either. I battle with that everyday. 

I come back to my senses of course, every time. Hopefully I'll be getting my possession letter soon enough. 

At any rate, 2014 IS the year I move out so already because of that fact it should be a better year in general. Buying some of the furniture and kitchen items in advance is proving to be a stress reliever as I won't have to purchase them all at the same time when I move in.   

I think my New Years resolution is to keep it simple, stupid. Learn how to live on my own, decorate my place when I move in, sit on my front step and watch the world go by for awhile. The simple pleasures of life. I've been too busy wanting more, not being happy because I don't have exactly what I want at that precise moment, or being fixed on 'running away' altogether. I do have much to be thankful for, here at home.

And perhaps when opportunity awaits, be a bit more spontaneous, instead of planning every moment. 

Thoughts?

Gravity by John Mayer
(...just keep me where the light is....)

An endless circle

It's 26C today. Those of you under the Fahrenheit system, that would be 79F. Where I'm from, that's darn good hot weather! Today is the Summer Solstice, a long awaited day since the beginning of the teaching year in September.

The Summer Solstice signifies the beginning of:
-long summer days
-greenery as far as the eye can see
-spending endless hours in the garden

-touring another part of the world
-sipping iced tea on a porch
-bbq's with family and friends

-puffy mash potato clouds that turn into a deep rumbling thunderstorm
-suntanning at the lake or by a river
-summer breeze in the evening blowing through my hair

 My friend lives on an acreage just outside of the city. This is what she wakes up to each morning......

 Oh yes, and she also owns 2 horses, 2 dogs, 2 alpacas, and a goat.


 Aaah the life you can have with an abundance of land!



 Summer = camping in the mountains

 Suntanning by the beach, in this case in the mountains!

Another plus to Summer- bonfires which last until the Milky Way makes its way through the stars in the late hours of the night











It's been almost a year since I started this blog. August will be a true full year. An endless circle life is. One that has many many bumps in the road. This year was no different than the rest of the endless circles. One minute I'm celebrating the end of last Summer, now I'm celebrating its beginning again.

Summertime and Summer nights! Enjoy to the fullest!

Rascal Flatts- Summer Nights

The Lucky One

The Lucky One- Official Trailer



I cannot wait until April 20th. Why? Because I get to immerse myself in a world of undying romance that I know can exist in this world of 50% divorce rates. The movie, The Lucky One, is based on a book that Nicholas Sparks wrote, one that I just finished reading today. Talk about awakening my inner helpless romantic! Nicholas Sparks has a way of doing that though. Just think "The Notebook" and you can see my reasoning.

Reading books like "The Lucky One" remind me when I feel discontent with my fellow human kind that there are people out there that truly respect and love their neighbors, friends, and significant others. Being bombarded with examples of infidelity, lust, and disloyalty in general has a toll on my moral well-being and I find myself coming home at times feeling more exhausted not from the rigors of my career, but from processing the information I overhear from people I meet. Here is what I think of when my rational mind shuts down from a mentally exhausting day (please note that this does not solely happen at work but any place I may be at):

1. Can someone please tell me why men are afraid of committed relationships?

I've heard countless times that men feel like they're in shackles once they are committed to one woman. And this is before marriage. Apparently, marriage itself represents prison! Enjoy single life while it lasts because when you get married, you won't ever be happy anymore.

2. Division of labour. Ok, I get that certain jobs are allocated to either the man or woman within the household. That's normal. But when I start hearing conversations like, "When my man is sick, I used to make him food and get him things at the beginning of our relationship but now, absolutely not! I tell him to suck it up and get his own food," I can't help but wonder what sort of a relationship this married couple has. Really? You aren't going to help your spouse get better? Wow. No words.

3. I'm really starting to hate how some men look at women, like they're pieces of meat. Give me a break! Isn't there any respect left in this world? Each individual in this world has a purpose and is unique and should not be looked at as something to use for a few hours then tossed. Love 'em then leave 'em. Mr. Sparks, where exactly are those honest, loving men you write about in your books?

4. No, I do not want to go on a date with you because I highly doubt you will stay loyal to me, so stop asking me for the 10th time. No I do not want to sit on your lap at the bar or touch your chest. I find you disgusting and wouldn't touch any part of you if you paid me a few million. Thanks but I think your girlfriend wouldn't appreciate what you are asking me to do with you.....Are you seeing now my mental drain?

5. The thrill of the chase! After awhile, if you don't give in, they lose interest. I suppose that's a sign that they aren't really great friends but that truly is a slap in the face. Especially when before, they share jokes with you and stories, and now do not include you in their conversations. If by chance they do, they are usually making you uncomfortable. Seeing this truly depresses me especially when you know the person affected had a completely different mindset of who the 'chaser' was at the beginning.

Time shows a person's true colors and sometimes, they aint pretty. I have fantastic friends that I can vent to and understand my background; however, it would be nice to be surrounded by more of the people who believe in the same values I do, who aren't afraid to stand up for someone else when they feel uncomfortable and tell them to back off, who are fiercely loyal to close friends like I am. All this negativity is truly getting to me right now. I have been listening to this song all evening and hoping for karma to eventually kick in:

The Frey- You Found Me

Solar phenomenon...and other musings

The Sun. It is the center of our existence, our life. It is the sole element that keeps the Earth rotating, gives life to plants by being the key component to photosynthesis, brings warmth to a summer's day and can be simply beautiful at dawn or dusk. More recently, the Sun has been quite a marvel due to this:

...which then leads to this:

...and can often cause this:

In the last few days, we have witnessed solar flares being released and impacting Earth. These flares often produce impressive solar storms that disrupt electrical grids and satellites due to spikes in radiation. As well, solar flares interrupt the normal flow of the magnetic field of Earth at the North and South poles causing the beautiful Aurora Borealis to brilliantly light up the night sky. 

Beautiful indeed. But it makes you wonder how much we rely on electricity and our cellphones on a day to day basis. Last year, I asked my Grade 7 Science students to write down how they would survive if electricity went off grid for a week. In a journal form, they wrote down how they would heat up their food, what sort of techniques they would use to stay warm, and what sorts of activities they would partake in to keep themselves occupied. It was quite amazing what the students came up with. They truly drafted up ways of surviving Canadian winters, cooking and preserving rationed food, transportation (some engineered clever inventions that did not use gas or electricity), and just simply returning to the simplicity of life before the explosion of technology and its bi-yearly advances (Double points for writing down simple exercise and sports outside with friends!).

And yet, despite technology and its apparent advantages and disadvantages, I return to that simplicity of life when I take time to enjoy a simple sunset in a winter sky. Besides, I need my camera to capture this moment after all!

FUN

                                                 Thank you Sandi for this song!

Currently, I'm in a good mood. This song reflects my optimistic outlook. According to a few thoughtful minds, 2012 is progressing in a positive upwards spin! Here's why: (please note that this blog may be slightly selfish on my part)

1. My S.A.D is in check! The light therapy lamp is working. I feel a lot more energetic and motivated to try new activities, which leads me to...

2. I've already tried a new sport- curling! I always find it is so difficult to do any physical activity in the winter time because of the temperature decrease. However, curling with my co-workers was a riot which left my muscles sore from all the sweeping and sliding on the ice. I will be continuing to pursue this workout in the next few months.

3. I'm going out more in general! Last year, although I had a very successful year at work, I was not enjoying my Friday and/or Saturday nights as much as I should have. This year, not only do I have more daily activities to partake in, I find myself enjoying my city more by going to different events, meeting new professionals like me, and just appreciating the company of my smart and vivacious friends!


4. I bought my own place! Although I might not be moving until next year, the next coming months will include payments, picking the cupboard/wall packages, observing the building process, getting mentally ready to move out, and seeing if there are any potential good looking professional men that will be my neighbors (because I will need someone next door to protect me if such a need arises, not to mention that good eye candy is always a great motivator to get up in the morning).

According to my friend Amelia, it's always best to end a list on multiples of 5. So in this case, I shall end at #5.

5. I'm going on dates...... (trying to think of something to say)...... Enough said.

There was a time that if I didn't know enough about the guy, I wouldn't even think about going on a date with him. Now, well, I might still change my mind about this dating thing, but I am liking meeting new people, which is happening FAR more now than it did last year.

There are FUN times to be had in 2012. Let's see what else the year brings!

Travel

"Good afternoon and welcome to flight 858 with service to London England. This is a pre-boarding call for all those who need assistance or have small children. Please make your way to Gate 50. Thank you!"

Airports are one of my favorite places to visit. I'm not a big lover of flying and airplanes themselves; however, airports have a quality of freedom that re-energizes my passion for travel.

I was blessed to have been exposed to travel at a young age. My parents believe that traveling is an important part of life, of growing as a person. People who travel learn how to take care of themselves, how to accommodate other people and be flexible with many different situations. In addition to personal growth, every place traveled offers insight into how people live everyday, the history of the area, and the pulse, the heart that keeps a place alive or vibrant!

In the past few years I've done 2 international trips. In between, I also travel within Canada, and embark on many roadtrips within my own province. I'd like to share with you fellow readers, some of my favorite memories of my New Zealand and my England/Scotland/Ireland trip. You may guess which pictures are from which countries.  

Although all these photos were taken in different countries, they all have a few things in common. They represent why I travel. A big reason is to see the different faces of Mother Nature. Every habitat is different which to me is scientifically exciting! The sounds of different birds in New Zealand for example, is nothing I've heard before. I went on many hikes while I was there and I learned so many tidbits of information such as, one of the native bushes that grow there develop gigantic leaves which were used like toilet paper by the locals. 

The architecture, the music and festivals, the food and wine, or in Ireland's case, Guinness beer are all very much a motivator for me to keep traveling. I had the opportunity to be one of seven Jameson Whiskey taste testers where I learned (and tasted) the differences between Jack Daniels, Jameson Whiskey, and Scotch Malt Whiskey. It has everything to do with how many times the whiskey is distilled and how it is distilled (i.e. whether wood burning is used for the smokey taste, e.t.c). 

Ireland has one of the best music cultures! You walk into any local pub and there is a live Irish band ripping the floor with fiddles, mandolins, accordions, and guitars. The sound is infectious! All I wanted to do is keep my feet moving to the beat. There was much clapping, singing, and socializing that went on every city we visited in Ireland.

Here's a clip of the Irish band that I saw while in Dublin. They own their own pub, and serve FANTASTIC lamb for supper, and entertained us with true Irish music!

Overall, traveling is truly the thrill of being in a new place, of forgetting reality for a few weeks, and taking in the culture as it is. You can only read so many books, magazines, and brochures. The best way to explore the world and to become knowledgeable is to go see it first hand. As for me, I'm already planning my next trip :)

Addendum: I wish to add a point to this piece that a friend reminded me of. PEOPLE! Truly, a big part of travel is to MEET NEW PEOPLE! This year, I had the opportunity to meet intelligent, beautiful, and positively interesting people on my tour of UK and Ireland. Each person brought something unique to the table and I find many times that I am missing all the amazing people I traveled with! I hope that someday, I will have the chance to travel with all of them again :)