Friday 21July06 9:01pm
I had plans to go see a show tonight. I was originally going to buy tickets because they were cheap, it's in previews. I was convinced that I could get comp tickets instead so I didn't buy the tickets. Turns out I didn't get the comps, the show is sold out and I no longer have plans. *sigh*
Thought I'd rent a couple DVD's since I have no television. Slipped on a few tunes while I decided. The grooves were feeling so good I decided against the DVD's and opted for music instead. Been burning CD's ever since. I raided my best friend and his girlfriend's CD collection when I was in Montreal and I'm finally backing everything up by burning them. Mind you I've been backing them up off and on for weeks. Got a boat load of CD's, it's out of control but it makes me as happy as my cat Quincy staring out the window.
Did a quick load of laundry. That's my new thing, throw in a load here and there through out the week and I'm not stuck with being the laundry maid on the weekends.
It was the first day at work without my work partner. He is on holidays for two weeks. He's the kind of man that looks for the joke in every situation so it's a little less happy at work without him.
Other than that, I've been reading, Dreamhealer His Name is Adam. It's a non fiction book about a teen-aged boy that sees peoples auras and can heal people. It's interesting and coming in handy for research for one of my WIP's. It's also making me interested in reading on Quantum physics. Did I just say that?
Maybe no television will make me smart...
EY
21 July 2006
19 July 2006
Dead Television Report 2
9:22pm 19July06 Wednesday
Okay so the only thing that I'm missing from having no television is the Tour de France. Yesterday Floyd Landis wore the yellow jersey and after today's stage he is 8 minutes behind the lead. He's demoralized and saying that he has lost his chance to win the tour. Sucks big time.
It's not like I have anywhere to go to watch it either. No one really cares about the Tour. They say it's boring. But they don't get it. I watched every stage last year (when everyone I knew said they were only going to watch the last stage - anticlimactic) because it was Lance Armstrong's last year and I had just finished reading his book , it's not about the bike. His cancer tale was horrifying. His biking info was darn interesting.
I was inspired watching the Tour because if you really pay attention and you are watching a great, you get it.
In the time trials he pushed his ass as hard as he could. In the team timed whereby your time would be based on the last rider that made it across the line, you had to be a team player. You had to be a leader when needed, tell people or show people how to use their energy for optimum results. How many times do you have an abundance of energy and then blow your load on one thing because you think you are invincible? The Tour teaches you that if you use your energy wisely you can have everything your heart desires. In the general stages where it's about points, Lance would relax and let others win the stages but be very mindful of his points and what he needed to maintain his points and push it if he needed to worry about his points. Patience. It's nice to win a stage but it's not only about one stage it's about the whole race. I compare that to Life. It's not about one incident, It's about living your whole life.
This years race is just as interesting because Lance isn't in it. There has been no clear leader throughout. It really is any man's race. And that man will be known as the first man to win since Lance retired. That will be a trivia question alongside all the Lance Armstrong questions. Everyone knows that it's their race to win or lose and that's damn exciting. When Lance raced his last race the anxiety was over, what if he wipes out, what if the other racers get organized enough to keep him behind. The anxiety was never about whether he could do it. For me, the only disappointment was that I'd never watched the tour before. I would have loved to have seen the race when Lance gave Jan Ullrich the look on the mountains. The look said I'm going are you coming and Jan ate Lance's dust and watched him disappear like a balloon in the sky. Oh I can see it. Oh it's gone behind the clouds.
So yeah, no television is great. Got my laundry done, cooked a nice dinner, bought some shoes... But the Tour? I'm hurtin' for certain...
EY
Okay so the only thing that I'm missing from having no television is the Tour de France. Yesterday Floyd Landis wore the yellow jersey and after today's stage he is 8 minutes behind the lead. He's demoralized and saying that he has lost his chance to win the tour. Sucks big time.
It's not like I have anywhere to go to watch it either. No one really cares about the Tour. They say it's boring. But they don't get it. I watched every stage last year (when everyone I knew said they were only going to watch the last stage - anticlimactic) because it was Lance Armstrong's last year and I had just finished reading his book , it's not about the bike. His cancer tale was horrifying. His biking info was darn interesting.
I was inspired watching the Tour because if you really pay attention and you are watching a great, you get it.
In the time trials he pushed his ass as hard as he could. In the team timed whereby your time would be based on the last rider that made it across the line, you had to be a team player. You had to be a leader when needed, tell people or show people how to use their energy for optimum results. How many times do you have an abundance of energy and then blow your load on one thing because you think you are invincible? The Tour teaches you that if you use your energy wisely you can have everything your heart desires. In the general stages where it's about points, Lance would relax and let others win the stages but be very mindful of his points and what he needed to maintain his points and push it if he needed to worry about his points. Patience. It's nice to win a stage but it's not only about one stage it's about the whole race. I compare that to Life. It's not about one incident, It's about living your whole life.
This years race is just as interesting because Lance isn't in it. There has been no clear leader throughout. It really is any man's race. And that man will be known as the first man to win since Lance retired. That will be a trivia question alongside all the Lance Armstrong questions. Everyone knows that it's their race to win or lose and that's damn exciting. When Lance raced his last race the anxiety was over, what if he wipes out, what if the other racers get organized enough to keep him behind. The anxiety was never about whether he could do it. For me, the only disappointment was that I'd never watched the tour before. I would have loved to have seen the race when Lance gave Jan Ullrich the look on the mountains. The look said I'm going are you coming and Jan ate Lance's dust and watched him disappear like a balloon in the sky. Oh I can see it. Oh it's gone behind the clouds.
So yeah, no television is great. Got my laundry done, cooked a nice dinner, bought some shoes... But the Tour? I'm hurtin' for certain...
EY
What a Difference a Shoe Makes
Wednesday 8:03p.m. 19July06
Some days things just go my way and I have to remember this for those days when things don't and I tell myself that I'm doomed and am destined to follow the bad luck path.
I started off my day with two appointments. One - to get my feet x-rayed and Two - to go to the foot clinic for a foot assessment and gait analysis. I was dreading both because I just knew that I'd have to wait and wait. That's the way it always goes. I got to the X-ray suite and there were already 15 people sitting in the waiting room. I sighed. I handed in my doctor's sheet, sat down and pulled out a book. I kept hearing the receptionist tell everyone after me, "It's going to be at least an hour."
I sighed some more.
The doctor came out and called a set of names then called my name as the fourth person. I jumped out of my seat and followed them behind the door. He told each person either, "strip from the waist down" or "strip from the waist up."
Me, he told, "wait over at that door for me."
Yes the cosmos were smiling, I was going first. Didn't have to take my clothes off. I was only getting my feet x-rayed.
I left there feeling chipper knowing that I had a five minute walk and the Foot Clinic didn't open for a half hour.
At the foot clinic I wasn't paying attention and didn't grab a numbered patient form until after 2 others had. Well number 3 couldn't be that bad. We were ushered into the foot clinic's suite and told to sit down. The chiropodist came out and called number 1 and walked away with her as he looked at her sheet then turned right back around explaining that the casting so and so was still occupied so she'd have to wait. Turns out number 2 was also needing the casting so and so... I, lucky again, became number 1 and followed the quite cute chiropodist and had my assessment and analysis. Armed with some instructions on how to alleviate the crippling pain my poor feet have been suffering with, I went to work.
After work I dropped off my luggage (I carry far too much stuff) at home and promptly left again to go to the shoe store. I decided on the stand alone Foot Locker instead of going to the mall and traipsing around there paining my feet more and feeling irritated. The main thing the chiropodist said was, "just make sure some kid that doesn't know anything about shoe widths doesn't serve you."
I checked out the styles of runners for a couple pairs that I liked and as I held them in my hands my luck ran out. Some kid came up to me and asked me if he could get me shoes. Well we can't have everything go our way!
He brought me back the shoes, size 8 instead of 8 and a half and I tried them on dutifully just in case. Hurt like hell. He asked me, "How's your day going?"
"Well, I had to go to the foot doctor this morning because my feet are killing me so I need to get a couple pairs of running shoes."
Doesn't he kick into over drive? He finds out where my pain is, recommends wider shoes that have better support, even has me try on a pair with gel insoles. He's so attentive I ask him,"Do you like your job?"
"I don't mind it, I've only been here for about 2 1/2 weeks to keep my mother happy because she doesn't want me lazing around all day. I'm really into music and I spend all my spare time focused on doing my music and writing."
Gett Outt!
I tell him he's got a good face for rap. Baby faced charming cute. And I hope he keeps at it.
He goes off and gets me two more pairs of shoes. I try them both on and love love love them.
"How is it that you know so much about shoes and you've been doing this for barely 3 weeks?" I ask
I love running shoes. I like to know what makes this pair different from that pair. And I believe in good customer service.
For all you people who have made fun of black kids that spend all their money on nice running shoes, this is the guy to shut you up but quick.
When I went to pay for the shoes I told the cashier which turns out to be his boss, "that guy is good. My foot doctor told me not to let some kid serve me that didn't know anything about shoe widths and I got this charming kid that is a great salesman and damn interesting to boot."
"Yeah I know, that's why he's on my team."
I gave the kid my card and told him to email me and let me know what he's up to with his music and when I could see him perform. And check out my blog and see what I'm all about. Maybe something I've said will inspire him to continue on with his dream, not that he needs it. Maybe something I said will inspire his music.
Blake, What a great inspiring experience meeting you. You made me remember what it was like when the passion was all consuming. You have a great attitude about making the best of passing the time at a job. If you have to work it doesn't have to be agony. I know you're really not a kid it's just what us so-called grown folks say.
Turns out some things do go my way.
EY
Some days things just go my way and I have to remember this for those days when things don't and I tell myself that I'm doomed and am destined to follow the bad luck path.
I started off my day with two appointments. One - to get my feet x-rayed and Two - to go to the foot clinic for a foot assessment and gait analysis. I was dreading both because I just knew that I'd have to wait and wait. That's the way it always goes. I got to the X-ray suite and there were already 15 people sitting in the waiting room. I sighed. I handed in my doctor's sheet, sat down and pulled out a book. I kept hearing the receptionist tell everyone after me, "It's going to be at least an hour."
I sighed some more.
The doctor came out and called a set of names then called my name as the fourth person. I jumped out of my seat and followed them behind the door. He told each person either, "strip from the waist down" or "strip from the waist up."
Me, he told, "wait over at that door for me."
Yes the cosmos were smiling, I was going first. Didn't have to take my clothes off. I was only getting my feet x-rayed.
I left there feeling chipper knowing that I had a five minute walk and the Foot Clinic didn't open for a half hour.
At the foot clinic I wasn't paying attention and didn't grab a numbered patient form until after 2 others had. Well number 3 couldn't be that bad. We were ushered into the foot clinic's suite and told to sit down. The chiropodist came out and called number 1 and walked away with her as he looked at her sheet then turned right back around explaining that the casting so and so was still occupied so she'd have to wait. Turns out number 2 was also needing the casting so and so... I, lucky again, became number 1 and followed the quite cute chiropodist and had my assessment and analysis. Armed with some instructions on how to alleviate the crippling pain my poor feet have been suffering with, I went to work.
After work I dropped off my luggage (I carry far too much stuff) at home and promptly left again to go to the shoe store. I decided on the stand alone Foot Locker instead of going to the mall and traipsing around there paining my feet more and feeling irritated. The main thing the chiropodist said was, "just make sure some kid that doesn't know anything about shoe widths doesn't serve you."
I checked out the styles of runners for a couple pairs that I liked and as I held them in my hands my luck ran out. Some kid came up to me and asked me if he could get me shoes. Well we can't have everything go our way!
He brought me back the shoes, size 8 instead of 8 and a half and I tried them on dutifully just in case. Hurt like hell. He asked me, "How's your day going?"
"Well, I had to go to the foot doctor this morning because my feet are killing me so I need to get a couple pairs of running shoes."
Doesn't he kick into over drive? He finds out where my pain is, recommends wider shoes that have better support, even has me try on a pair with gel insoles. He's so attentive I ask him,"Do you like your job?"
"I don't mind it, I've only been here for about 2 1/2 weeks to keep my mother happy because she doesn't want me lazing around all day. I'm really into music and I spend all my spare time focused on doing my music and writing."
Gett Outt!
I tell him he's got a good face for rap. Baby faced charming cute. And I hope he keeps at it.
He goes off and gets me two more pairs of shoes. I try them both on and love love love them.
"How is it that you know so much about shoes and you've been doing this for barely 3 weeks?" I ask
I love running shoes. I like to know what makes this pair different from that pair. And I believe in good customer service.
For all you people who have made fun of black kids that spend all their money on nice running shoes, this is the guy to shut you up but quick.
When I went to pay for the shoes I told the cashier which turns out to be his boss, "that guy is good. My foot doctor told me not to let some kid serve me that didn't know anything about shoe widths and I got this charming kid that is a great salesman and damn interesting to boot."
"Yeah I know, that's why he's on my team."
I gave the kid my card and told him to email me and let me know what he's up to with his music and when I could see him perform. And check out my blog and see what I'm all about. Maybe something I've said will inspire him to continue on with his dream, not that he needs it. Maybe something I said will inspire his music.
Blake, What a great inspiring experience meeting you. You made me remember what it was like when the passion was all consuming. You have a great attitude about making the best of passing the time at a job. If you have to work it doesn't have to be agony. I know you're really not a kid it's just what us so-called grown folks say.
Turns out some things do go my way.
EY
18 July 2006
Dead Television Report 1
Tuesday 9:49pm 18July06
Well I'm about ready to go to bed and the Dead Television situation has gone on swimmingly. I posted a couple entries on both blogs. I was falling a little behind on my once a week postings.
It's better to go to bed feeling like I accomplished something than berating myself for the bad shows I just couldn't pull my eyes away from. Plus I listened to some music. I kinda like LL Cool J's new CD. He's mixing with a lot of R&B singers which gives it a nice edge. Sorry but I'm a fickle rap listener. I want it to feel like R&B more. Rap-lite perhaps? I'm from the Soul generation, rap has to sound good first and foremost for me.
I've got my 6 fans blowing my hair off because I admit I cater to my cats. Quincy has a thing about hanging out in the window all day, everyday and she was looking bitter every time she jumped up to find the window closed because I had the air conditioning on. She was stomping away with her head down. So I'm using my portable AC as a fan. Sounds crazy doesn't it? The cat doesn't ask for anything, she just wants to sit in the window, my kind of people. As they used to say.
I less wasted day behind me...
EY
Well I'm about ready to go to bed and the Dead Television situation has gone on swimmingly. I posted a couple entries on both blogs. I was falling a little behind on my once a week postings.
It's better to go to bed feeling like I accomplished something than berating myself for the bad shows I just couldn't pull my eyes away from. Plus I listened to some music. I kinda like LL Cool J's new CD. He's mixing with a lot of R&B singers which gives it a nice edge. Sorry but I'm a fickle rap listener. I want it to feel like R&B more. Rap-lite perhaps? I'm from the Soul generation, rap has to sound good first and foremost for me.
I've got my 6 fans blowing my hair off because I admit I cater to my cats. Quincy has a thing about hanging out in the window all day, everyday and she was looking bitter every time she jumped up to find the window closed because I had the air conditioning on. She was stomping away with her head down. So I'm using my portable AC as a fan. Sounds crazy doesn't it? The cat doesn't ask for anything, she just wants to sit in the window, my kind of people. As they used to say.
I less wasted day behind me...
EY
My Morning Prayers
Tuesday 16July06 7:18pm
As I may have mentioned in one of my postings, I suffer from depression. It hasn't been problematic for a number of years because I've taken a proactive stance and continually look for ways to feel better. This blog is one of those ways, sharing what I think of life and looking for inspiration. Another practice is keeping a book of prayers, affirmations and quotes to read on a daily basis to kickstart my thoughts in the feel good direction. I thought I'd share some of those and either provide links to sites where I got the prayers/quotes. Some of the longer pieces I will post on to my own website (ahh there is still a use for my website!) and provide the links for those as well
Statement of Purpose - I got this from the Inward Bound Seminar - http://www.getavibrantlife.com
My Statement of Purpose reads:
I, Shelley-Lynne Domingue hereby declare before myself and God that my primary purpose is to be creative and inspired, loving of myself and others.
I do this with my writing ability. I transform loving memories that people have of each other into Poetic Pieces. I write inspiring novels and books and create from my work savings and financial abundance beyond my wildest dreams.
I'm a creative genius and I apply my wisdom. I am a loving partner, sister and loyal friend. I am inspired by my relationships and see the perfection in my interactions. I am present to myself and maintain contact with my inner knowing and intuition through meditation and dream work. I have a fulfilling life with love, gratitude and balance.
Some Affirmations
I am a silent warrior and I am not going to turn my back on the battlefield.
I'm gonna ride this motherfucker till the wheels fall off - Martin Lawrence (on Inside the Actor's studio)
I contemplate myself as surrounded by the conditions which I want to produce - Wayne Dyer (The Power of Intention)
Success is my only mother-fucking option, failure's not - Eminem (8 Mile)
Wayne Dyer gives some good ones - From The Power of Intention - CD series:
Today I arise with a knowing that my writing will complete what I have already envisioned in the contemplations of my imagination. The writing flows from intentions manifest abundance. I am urged to read a particular book or to talk to a unique individual and I know that it's all working in perfect abundant unity. The phone rings and I know that just what I needed to hear is resonating in my ear. I get up to get a glass of water and my eyes fall on a book that has been sitting on my shelf for twenty years but this time I'm propelled to pick it up. I open it and I've once again been directed by spirits willingness to assist and guide me as long as I stay in harmony with it. It goes on and on and on and I'm reminded to stay in that place where I am receptive to all.
I close my eyes and paint my future and the rest takes care of itself - Dawson's Creek
I get off the couch and into my possibility - Nip/Tuck
Sometimes those dreaded chain emails that others send have a few good gems like this:
God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the ONE I can, and the wisdom to know it's me.
The Reiki Affirmation:
Just for today:
I will not worry
I will not be angry
I will do my work honestly
I will give thanks for my many blessings
I will be kind to my neighbors and all living things.
My life deserves my best effort
My writing is the gold growing in front of me
I make time everyday to work on my writing projects
I love what I do, I do what I love.
I've just spent a couple hours going through old emails trying to find the author of the writer's prayer. She took the St. Francis of Assisi prayer and reworked it for writers. It is beautiful and would love to share it. I'm going to keep looking and send emails to a few people to see if I can get permission to post it on my blog...
More prayers another day. I have forty pages of them
EY
As I may have mentioned in one of my postings, I suffer from depression. It hasn't been problematic for a number of years because I've taken a proactive stance and continually look for ways to feel better. This blog is one of those ways, sharing what I think of life and looking for inspiration. Another practice is keeping a book of prayers, affirmations and quotes to read on a daily basis to kickstart my thoughts in the feel good direction. I thought I'd share some of those and either provide links to sites where I got the prayers/quotes. Some of the longer pieces I will post on to my own website (ahh there is still a use for my website!) and provide the links for those as well
Statement of Purpose - I got this from the Inward Bound Seminar - http://www.getavibrantlife.com
My Statement of Purpose reads:
I, Shelley-Lynne Domingue hereby declare before myself and God that my primary purpose is to be creative and inspired, loving of myself and others.
I do this with my writing ability. I transform loving memories that people have of each other into Poetic Pieces. I write inspiring novels and books and create from my work savings and financial abundance beyond my wildest dreams.
I'm a creative genius and I apply my wisdom. I am a loving partner, sister and loyal friend. I am inspired by my relationships and see the perfection in my interactions. I am present to myself and maintain contact with my inner knowing and intuition through meditation and dream work. I have a fulfilling life with love, gratitude and balance.
Some Affirmations
I am a silent warrior and I am not going to turn my back on the battlefield.
I'm gonna ride this motherfucker till the wheels fall off - Martin Lawrence (on Inside the Actor's studio)
I contemplate myself as surrounded by the conditions which I want to produce - Wayne Dyer (The Power of Intention)
Success is my only mother-fucking option, failure's not - Eminem (8 Mile)
Wayne Dyer gives some good ones - From The Power of Intention - CD series:
Today I arise with a knowing that my writing will complete what I have already envisioned in the contemplations of my imagination. The writing flows from intentions manifest abundance. I am urged to read a particular book or to talk to a unique individual and I know that it's all working in perfect abundant unity. The phone rings and I know that just what I needed to hear is resonating in my ear. I get up to get a glass of water and my eyes fall on a book that has been sitting on my shelf for twenty years but this time I'm propelled to pick it up. I open it and I've once again been directed by spirits willingness to assist and guide me as long as I stay in harmony with it. It goes on and on and on and I'm reminded to stay in that place where I am receptive to all.
I close my eyes and paint my future and the rest takes care of itself - Dawson's Creek
I get off the couch and into my possibility - Nip/Tuck
Sometimes those dreaded chain emails that others send have a few good gems like this:
God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the ONE I can, and the wisdom to know it's me.
The Reiki Affirmation:
Just for today:
I will not worry
I will not be angry
I will do my work honestly
I will give thanks for my many blessings
I will be kind to my neighbors and all living things.
My life deserves my best effort
My writing is the gold growing in front of me
I make time everyday to work on my writing projects
I love what I do, I do what I love.
I've just spent a couple hours going through old emails trying to find the author of the writer's prayer. She took the St. Francis of Assisi prayer and reworked it for writers. It is beautiful and would love to share it. I'm going to keep looking and send emails to a few people to see if I can get permission to post it on my blog...
More prayers another day. I have forty pages of them
EY
Dead Television - an Opportunity
Tuesday 5:24pm 18July06
Last night after I'd gone on all my journeys... run to crappy tire to purchase a couple new fans, ran to Fresh Obsessed to buy chicken wings (been craving insane amounts of chicken for months)...I turned on my television while I did the odd thing around the house and cooked my chicken wings and didn't my converter die on me. I tried every little trick, well, tried plugging it into another outlet, but to no avail. Scared to unhook the converter because I won't know how to hook up the new one once I buy it and put the cable straight into my t.v. I decided to do without a t.v. for awhile. Sounds crazy doesn't it? But I'm looking at it as an opportunity to do other things, like, say, write.
Once I got over the shock of missing out on the rest of the Tour de France sans Lance Armstrong and with the controversial ousting of Ivan Basso and Jan Ullrich and deciding that I wanted Floyd Landis to win since this could possibly be his last race, I knew that the t.v. loss is for the best. Sometimes I have to be forced to quit before I quit. I watch too much television. I can find any excuse to watch stupidness. There used to be a time when I was more discriminating about what I watched but I can't even say that any more. Okay so I don't watch Jerry Springer but I've watched, the Surreal Life, Flavor of Love (Can Flavor Flav be the ugliest man in the world? And what are those women thinking letting him sleep with them? I loved Hoopz but was being with Flavor Flav really a win?), the Princes of Beverly Hills or bell Air or whatever it's called ( with David Foster and his two step sons who are really cute, spoiled and out of control). Who knew David Foster swears like a truck driver (no offense to truck drivers that don't swear). Who knew that he was married to Bruce Jenner's ex-wife? Sigh! But I digress...
Okay those shows are the height of my bad television watching but still bad t.v. no matter how you slice it. I've watched re-runs of the Gilmore Girls, I've seen each season about 5 times. Pathetic.
So in my new t.v. less world I'm going to have a little contest with myself and see how much more writing I do. This is the true, t.v. fast. I may even add the odd dispatch or better yet the odd dead television report. We'll see how that goes. There really isn't many ways to procrastinate without a television. Even now, I'd usually watch Miss Match (which took over for the Gilmore Girls) and Law and Order Criminal Intent ( I would marry Vincent D'Onofrio if he asked me). That's two hours I blasted away on television when I could be writing instead. And instead today I'm sitting at my desk, typing on my laptop and submitting a blog entry and it's not even 6p.m.
Crazy!
I had to listen to the radio this morning to get the weather forecast. I couldn't remember any radio stations or their call numbers to set my stereo to except easy rock. Too funny! I remember why I stopped listening to Canadian radio.
For anyone in Toronto who wants to see a funny show go see, Desperate Housepets. It was in the Toronto Fringe Festival this year and was one of the shows voted to be part of the best of the fringe. All the info is below. Keep an eye out for the Goldfish who asks, "got any two's?" He's gonna be somebody!
EY
Desperate Housepets was chosen to be part of THE BEST OF THE FRINGE, and has received an extended run at the Diesel Playhouse (the old Second City theatre at 56 Blue Jays Way).
So let your friends and family know they still have ONE LAST CHANCE to see the show the Toronto Star called "A Fringe Triumph"!
Showtimes:
Wednesday July 19 @ 9pm
Thursday July 20 @ 7pm
Friday July 21 @ 9pm
Saturday July 22 @ 7pm
Sunday July 23 @ 9pm
Phone 416 971 - 5656 for ticket info.
I'll add the Toronto Star review of it here by Richard Ouzounian:
If you want an example of the kind of thing that the Fringe does really well, then take yourself down to the Robert Gill Theatre to meet the exceptionally funny critters lurking in Robert Watson's inspired piece of insanity called Desperate Housepets.
This smart and sassy comedy is actually three playlets in one, each treating a different facet of human behaviour as seen through the eyes of our furry and finny friends. There are inter-species relationships, the search for meaning in life, and a life-and-death struggle.
The themes may sound serious but Watson and his director, Andrew Lamb, know how to work their concept for maximum hilarity.
In the first section, a flighty rabbit, played in superb camp style by Watson, tries to rekindle his relationship with a body-building hamster. Alan Lee is a masterpiece of butch confusion as the wheel-obsessed rodent and the whole sequence has a deft, comic touch.
In the second, three goldfish of unequal intelligence share an aquarium. Adrian Proszowski and Leah Wahl are content to gulp air and gobble fish food, but Watson plays a questing philosopher who scribbles Descartes on a blackboard and tries to instruct his hapless chums in the finer nuances of Kierkegaard. It's witty, intellectual stuff — sort of underwater Stoppard.
Finally, we're in the pound on "death row," where two dogs and a cat will meet their maker unless someone adopts them. Lee is a wonderfully mangy Rover, Proszowski a befuddled Fido and Wahl a scene-stealing malevolent feline. It's hilarious, yet touching as well.
Linking all three episodes is delectably plummy narration by Rachel Marks, which sounds just like the kind you hear on Desperate Housewives. But in this season of TV repeats, you're far better off with Desperate Housepets. Richard Ouzounian
www.thestar.com
Last night after I'd gone on all my journeys... run to crappy tire to purchase a couple new fans, ran to Fresh Obsessed to buy chicken wings (been craving insane amounts of chicken for months)...I turned on my television while I did the odd thing around the house and cooked my chicken wings and didn't my converter die on me. I tried every little trick, well, tried plugging it into another outlet, but to no avail. Scared to unhook the converter because I won't know how to hook up the new one once I buy it and put the cable straight into my t.v. I decided to do without a t.v. for awhile. Sounds crazy doesn't it? But I'm looking at it as an opportunity to do other things, like, say, write.
Once I got over the shock of missing out on the rest of the Tour de France sans Lance Armstrong and with the controversial ousting of Ivan Basso and Jan Ullrich and deciding that I wanted Floyd Landis to win since this could possibly be his last race, I knew that the t.v. loss is for the best. Sometimes I have to be forced to quit before I quit. I watch too much television. I can find any excuse to watch stupidness. There used to be a time when I was more discriminating about what I watched but I can't even say that any more. Okay so I don't watch Jerry Springer but I've watched, the Surreal Life, Flavor of Love (Can Flavor Flav be the ugliest man in the world? And what are those women thinking letting him sleep with them? I loved Hoopz but was being with Flavor Flav really a win?), the Princes of Beverly Hills or bell Air or whatever it's called ( with David Foster and his two step sons who are really cute, spoiled and out of control). Who knew David Foster swears like a truck driver (no offense to truck drivers that don't swear). Who knew that he was married to Bruce Jenner's ex-wife? Sigh! But I digress...
Okay those shows are the height of my bad television watching but still bad t.v. no matter how you slice it. I've watched re-runs of the Gilmore Girls, I've seen each season about 5 times. Pathetic.
So in my new t.v. less world I'm going to have a little contest with myself and see how much more writing I do. This is the true, t.v. fast. I may even add the odd dispatch or better yet the odd dead television report. We'll see how that goes. There really isn't many ways to procrastinate without a television. Even now, I'd usually watch Miss Match (which took over for the Gilmore Girls) and Law and Order Criminal Intent ( I would marry Vincent D'Onofrio if he asked me). That's two hours I blasted away on television when I could be writing instead. And instead today I'm sitting at my desk, typing on my laptop and submitting a blog entry and it's not even 6p.m.
Crazy!
I had to listen to the radio this morning to get the weather forecast. I couldn't remember any radio stations or their call numbers to set my stereo to except easy rock. Too funny! I remember why I stopped listening to Canadian radio.
For anyone in Toronto who wants to see a funny show go see, Desperate Housepets. It was in the Toronto Fringe Festival this year and was one of the shows voted to be part of the best of the fringe. All the info is below. Keep an eye out for the Goldfish who asks, "got any two's?" He's gonna be somebody!
EY
Desperate Housepets was chosen to be part of THE BEST OF THE FRINGE, and has received an extended run at the Diesel Playhouse (the old Second City theatre at 56 Blue Jays Way).
So let your friends and family know they still have ONE LAST CHANCE to see the show the Toronto Star called "A Fringe Triumph"!
Showtimes:
Wednesday July 19 @ 9pm
Thursday July 20 @ 7pm
Friday July 21 @ 9pm
Saturday July 22 @ 7pm
Sunday July 23 @ 9pm
Phone 416 971 - 5656 for ticket info.
I'll add the Toronto Star review of it here by Richard Ouzounian:
If you want an example of the kind of thing that the Fringe does really well, then take yourself down to the Robert Gill Theatre to meet the exceptionally funny critters lurking in Robert Watson's inspired piece of insanity called Desperate Housepets.
This smart and sassy comedy is actually three playlets in one, each treating a different facet of human behaviour as seen through the eyes of our furry and finny friends. There are inter-species relationships, the search for meaning in life, and a life-and-death struggle.
The themes may sound serious but Watson and his director, Andrew Lamb, know how to work their concept for maximum hilarity.
In the first section, a flighty rabbit, played in superb camp style by Watson, tries to rekindle his relationship with a body-building hamster. Alan Lee is a masterpiece of butch confusion as the wheel-obsessed rodent and the whole sequence has a deft, comic touch.
In the second, three goldfish of unequal intelligence share an aquarium. Adrian Proszowski and Leah Wahl are content to gulp air and gobble fish food, but Watson plays a questing philosopher who scribbles Descartes on a blackboard and tries to instruct his hapless chums in the finer nuances of Kierkegaard. It's witty, intellectual stuff — sort of underwater Stoppard.
Finally, we're in the pound on "death row," where two dogs and a cat will meet their maker unless someone adopts them. Lee is a wonderfully mangy Rover, Proszowski a befuddled Fido and Wahl a scene-stealing malevolent feline. It's hilarious, yet touching as well.
Linking all three episodes is delectably plummy narration by Rachel Marks, which sounds just like the kind you hear on Desperate Housewives. But in this season of TV repeats, you're far better off with Desperate Housepets. Richard Ouzounian
www.thestar.com
10 July 2006
08 July 2006
Morning Pages
10:09am Saturday 8July06
I've been up for about an hour and I'm still grogged out. Went to bed after 3am. I'm used to seeing that time the other way around, getting up not just going to bed. The thing was that I was so wide awake I couldn't believe that I would even fall asleep. I was like that as a kid, I never wanted to go to bed and my brother would play a game, he'd say, "Go lie down for 5 minutes and if you're still awake when I come in your room you can get back up." I was always asleep in two.
I decided to call this Morning Pages because I feel like talk typing but don't have any particular direction. I'm just trying to wake up really. Julie Cameron (the Artist's Way) made morning pages famous but Dorothea Brande (If you want to write) was probably the person who came up with the idea. Henrietta Klauser also gives it as an assignment in her book, Writing on both sides of the brain.
My fast went well last week. My system finally feels like it's functioning as it should. I'm making it more of a point to eat right and stay away from the junk that stops me up. It's funny that the healthier I eat the less my body can tolerate the junk. When I was deep into following fit for life, I couldn't do sugar because it would conk me right out. I make it a point to veer away from people who bring me down, I have to be more mindful of what I put into my system too. I'm not in my 20's anymore. sigh!
I had an exceptionally fantastic day at work yesterday. The bunch of us were in silly moods and shared many a moment dropping crude comments and cracking each other up. I love my guys. They drive me crazy and make me laugh and really accept me as I am despite sometimes thinking that I'm a little strange. I am a lot strange. Eccentric? Probably. I'm okay with that.
Someone that I've never met and do not know left a comment on my blog yesterday. It was thrilling because his comment (about being a nurse not be a lesser goal) was enlightening. It's good to see what impression people get from my writing and that when I mean something it doesn't always translate. I didn't mean that Nursing was a lesser goal because it's darn hard with all the studying involved. I meant that people try to come up with a reasonable goal when you say, "I want to be a ..." They want you to go after something that with education and some serious hitting of the books you can achieve. And that it wasn't an inspiring goal for me. I almost wanted to revise my piece but decided against it. It's a good learning experience to weigh my words with more care. Not to the point of stunting myself mind you. But being more mindful.
I realize that I haven't had one of my, 'me, myself and I' parties in a long time. I wonder why that is? Possibly because I'm happier. Who knows. In my parties I would play music as loud as possible and dance and sing and have a few glasses of wine. Once it got late and I'd slow down, I would inevitably turn to Cat Stevens and play his music for an hour and stare at his picture on his album cover and contemplate how deep he was and how gorgeous. ha ha. It's my thing.
Well, apparently I'm all talked out now. Going to make myself a bit to eat and apparently I'm going rollerblading today, so I've told myself anyway...
EY
I've been up for about an hour and I'm still grogged out. Went to bed after 3am. I'm used to seeing that time the other way around, getting up not just going to bed. The thing was that I was so wide awake I couldn't believe that I would even fall asleep. I was like that as a kid, I never wanted to go to bed and my brother would play a game, he'd say, "Go lie down for 5 minutes and if you're still awake when I come in your room you can get back up." I was always asleep in two.
I decided to call this Morning Pages because I feel like talk typing but don't have any particular direction. I'm just trying to wake up really. Julie Cameron (the Artist's Way) made morning pages famous but Dorothea Brande (If you want to write) was probably the person who came up with the idea. Henrietta Klauser also gives it as an assignment in her book, Writing on both sides of the brain.
My fast went well last week. My system finally feels like it's functioning as it should. I'm making it more of a point to eat right and stay away from the junk that stops me up. It's funny that the healthier I eat the less my body can tolerate the junk. When I was deep into following fit for life, I couldn't do sugar because it would conk me right out. I make it a point to veer away from people who bring me down, I have to be more mindful of what I put into my system too. I'm not in my 20's anymore. sigh!
I had an exceptionally fantastic day at work yesterday. The bunch of us were in silly moods and shared many a moment dropping crude comments and cracking each other up. I love my guys. They drive me crazy and make me laugh and really accept me as I am despite sometimes thinking that I'm a little strange. I am a lot strange. Eccentric? Probably. I'm okay with that.
Someone that I've never met and do not know left a comment on my blog yesterday. It was thrilling because his comment (about being a nurse not be a lesser goal) was enlightening. It's good to see what impression people get from my writing and that when I mean something it doesn't always translate. I didn't mean that Nursing was a lesser goal because it's darn hard with all the studying involved. I meant that people try to come up with a reasonable goal when you say, "I want to be a ..." They want you to go after something that with education and some serious hitting of the books you can achieve. And that it wasn't an inspiring goal for me. I almost wanted to revise my piece but decided against it. It's a good learning experience to weigh my words with more care. Not to the point of stunting myself mind you. But being more mindful.
I realize that I haven't had one of my, 'me, myself and I' parties in a long time. I wonder why that is? Possibly because I'm happier. Who knows. In my parties I would play music as loud as possible and dance and sing and have a few glasses of wine. Once it got late and I'd slow down, I would inevitably turn to Cat Stevens and play his music for an hour and stare at his picture on his album cover and contemplate how deep he was and how gorgeous. ha ha. It's my thing.
Well, apparently I'm all talked out now. Going to make myself a bit to eat and apparently I'm going rollerblading today, so I've told myself anyway...
EY
What would you do in the name of Survival?
8July06 Saturday 12:12am
When I left Montreal at 18 years old to live in Toronto I knew nobody. I came to Toronto because it was English and I figured I'd always be able to get a job. I always have. I left Montreal because I knew that the only way I would be respected in my family was if I moved out on my own, not down the street, but on my own where I couldn't easily be rescued.
One of the reasons I have always had a job is that I was always willing to take any job to build my resume and to survive. Going back home was never an option to me. My motto has always been, "If I have to clean toilets I'll do it. It's not like I'll have to do it forever." Some people do and I respect them for it.
I've worked at Kentucky Fried Chicken, in retail, cleaned houses for seniors, worked as a waitress, a bartender, a ticket seller, Assistant theatre manager, a busperson, an usher, a data entry clerk, a child and youth worker, a personal assistant, a receptionist and now my current gig as the service centre coordinator working with tenants in building operations. I love my job but I've worked some doozies...
When I worked in sponsorship I was also working at the Science Centre. In sponsorship I was the only original employee because all of my bosses and their assistants didn't last over a year before they quit. In 1999, my new boss offered me the assistant position but I turned it down because I knew that there was a high turn over for a reason. Plus the Science Centre paid me better. My boss, who was new to the corporation, confided in me. She told me about the daily threats and abuses of her boss. Every other week her boss was going to shut down the program and fire us because we were incompetent.
At the Science Centre the Union was in the process of sending us on strike. I was the walking stressed and didn't know if I was coming, going or just breathing heavy. I was going to lose two jobs in one fell swoop and it was January, not exactly a prime job seeking month.
Strike talks went on for two months and were finally averted. My boss in sponsorship finally quit to start her own freelance business and I was back to being the only person in our wing of sponsorship (individual giving). My next boss (my fourth) had no respect for me, had no management experience and refused to let me do some of my work from home (something I set up while I was sole employee). But then of course when I was off sick, he'd call me at home and tell me that since I was off I could do some work at home and he would bring it to. Like I was on vacation. I never did.
We butted heads at every opportunity until he told me that I'd have to write up a daily account of all that I'd accomplished each day and I'd have to train him on the fundraising software (something I'd repeatedly refused to do because they wouldn't pay me extra to train my boss when we had an IT department to do that). I walked out of his office having agreed to everything with a smile on my face, thinking, "I know I'm not going to do it, so I guess I know what I have to do."
He no doubt was sure that he had the upper hand and had won the war.
I worked the rest of my shift, packed up all my work up in a box and stuck a hand written letter of resignation on it...
"Due to an intolerable work situation and circumstances beyond my control, I must resign immediately."
I plunked the box on his desk while he was gone on his lunch and I walked out of the building.
To really piss in his corn flakes, I got re-hired in another department in the corporation. He tried everything possible to stop that from happening and was shown my evaluations over all the years I'd worked there and told, "Nobody has ever had a problem with Shelley except you. She's coming back, get over it."
He ended up getting fired two years later. Well, laid off...
That experience taught me that there's no need to be that stressed out in a job. If you let them, people will walk over you. My boss was like a date rapist that wouldn't take no for an answer.
When I left the Science Centre, after four years, I started applying for jobs that were short-term, seasonal or contract. My first contract job was what was to become my current job four years later. After I completed my second contract there I got a job with a Life Coach as her personal assistant. It was a position with lots of potential but too much work for the part time hours expected and not enough money for all my responsibilities.
The other people that worked at the 'health centre' were invited up to the Life coach's cottage for a weekend. It was a lovely time. In our conversation about people and expectations and what people will accept, The Life Coach said, "I've always been able to find people who will work for me for less money than they should be paid and they'll be grateful for it."
We all stared at her satisfied smile in silence. I was stung and stunned. I knew I couldn't continue to work for her. Within two weeks, she flipped out on me for a situation that she set herself up to have happen.
Basically she hadn't registered to have business garbage removal because it was too expensive. Instead she had me put out the garbage with the residents. She was fined heavily when she got caught and blamed me. So I quit.
She backtracked trying to get me to change my mind but once I make a decision I will not change my mind. She leaned across her desk in anger, pointed her finger at me and hissed, "That's your stuff, that's your stuff, that's your stuff."
I gave her two more weeks and even trained the next person she hired. It was a karma thing, I knew that I was going back to my old contract job in a permanent full time position, getting paid what I'd asked. I told her clients who asked why I was leaving that I was going to pursue my writing.
I would still take any job to survive today if I had to. Working more than one job always gave me a safe place to fall should I come across some of the crazy times I'd faced in a few jobs. There was always still some money coming in to tide me over and I always knew that if one job was too unreasonable, I could just walk away.
Jobs have been easy to find because I've always been willing to work. I had to go through a lot of jobs before I found the right one like the princess who kisses a lot of frogs until she finds her Prince. I've learned that I should always ask for what I want.
The worst anyone can ever say is no.
EY
Reflecting on the past.
When I left Montreal at 18 years old to live in Toronto I knew nobody. I came to Toronto because it was English and I figured I'd always be able to get a job. I always have. I left Montreal because I knew that the only way I would be respected in my family was if I moved out on my own, not down the street, but on my own where I couldn't easily be rescued.
One of the reasons I have always had a job is that I was always willing to take any job to build my resume and to survive. Going back home was never an option to me. My motto has always been, "If I have to clean toilets I'll do it. It's not like I'll have to do it forever." Some people do and I respect them for it.
I've worked at Kentucky Fried Chicken, in retail, cleaned houses for seniors, worked as a waitress, a bartender, a ticket seller, Assistant theatre manager, a busperson, an usher, a data entry clerk, a child and youth worker, a personal assistant, a receptionist and now my current gig as the service centre coordinator working with tenants in building operations. I love my job but I've worked some doozies...
When I worked in sponsorship I was also working at the Science Centre. In sponsorship I was the only original employee because all of my bosses and their assistants didn't last over a year before they quit. In 1999, my new boss offered me the assistant position but I turned it down because I knew that there was a high turn over for a reason. Plus the Science Centre paid me better. My boss, who was new to the corporation, confided in me. She told me about the daily threats and abuses of her boss. Every other week her boss was going to shut down the program and fire us because we were incompetent.
At the Science Centre the Union was in the process of sending us on strike. I was the walking stressed and didn't know if I was coming, going or just breathing heavy. I was going to lose two jobs in one fell swoop and it was January, not exactly a prime job seeking month.
Strike talks went on for two months and were finally averted. My boss in sponsorship finally quit to start her own freelance business and I was back to being the only person in our wing of sponsorship (individual giving). My next boss (my fourth) had no respect for me, had no management experience and refused to let me do some of my work from home (something I set up while I was sole employee). But then of course when I was off sick, he'd call me at home and tell me that since I was off I could do some work at home and he would bring it to. Like I was on vacation. I never did.
We butted heads at every opportunity until he told me that I'd have to write up a daily account of all that I'd accomplished each day and I'd have to train him on the fundraising software (something I'd repeatedly refused to do because they wouldn't pay me extra to train my boss when we had an IT department to do that). I walked out of his office having agreed to everything with a smile on my face, thinking, "I know I'm not going to do it, so I guess I know what I have to do."
He no doubt was sure that he had the upper hand and had won the war.
I worked the rest of my shift, packed up all my work up in a box and stuck a hand written letter of resignation on it...
"Due to an intolerable work situation and circumstances beyond my control, I must resign immediately."
I plunked the box on his desk while he was gone on his lunch and I walked out of the building.
To really piss in his corn flakes, I got re-hired in another department in the corporation. He tried everything possible to stop that from happening and was shown my evaluations over all the years I'd worked there and told, "Nobody has ever had a problem with Shelley except you. She's coming back, get over it."
He ended up getting fired two years later. Well, laid off...
That experience taught me that there's no need to be that stressed out in a job. If you let them, people will walk over you. My boss was like a date rapist that wouldn't take no for an answer.
When I left the Science Centre, after four years, I started applying for jobs that were short-term, seasonal or contract. My first contract job was what was to become my current job four years later. After I completed my second contract there I got a job with a Life Coach as her personal assistant. It was a position with lots of potential but too much work for the part time hours expected and not enough money for all my responsibilities.
The other people that worked at the 'health centre' were invited up to the Life coach's cottage for a weekend. It was a lovely time. In our conversation about people and expectations and what people will accept, The Life Coach said, "I've always been able to find people who will work for me for less money than they should be paid and they'll be grateful for it."
We all stared at her satisfied smile in silence. I was stung and stunned. I knew I couldn't continue to work for her. Within two weeks, she flipped out on me for a situation that she set herself up to have happen.
Basically she hadn't registered to have business garbage removal because it was too expensive. Instead she had me put out the garbage with the residents. She was fined heavily when she got caught and blamed me. So I quit.
She backtracked trying to get me to change my mind but once I make a decision I will not change my mind. She leaned across her desk in anger, pointed her finger at me and hissed, "That's your stuff, that's your stuff, that's your stuff."
I gave her two more weeks and even trained the next person she hired. It was a karma thing, I knew that I was going back to my old contract job in a permanent full time position, getting paid what I'd asked. I told her clients who asked why I was leaving that I was going to pursue my writing.
I would still take any job to survive today if I had to. Working more than one job always gave me a safe place to fall should I come across some of the crazy times I'd faced in a few jobs. There was always still some money coming in to tide me over and I always knew that if one job was too unreasonable, I could just walk away.
Jobs have been easy to find because I've always been willing to work. I had to go through a lot of jobs before I found the right one like the princess who kisses a lot of frogs until she finds her Prince. I've learned that I should always ask for what I want.
The worst anyone can ever say is no.
EY
Reflecting on the past.
07 July 2006
Reprieve
Friday 7July06 9:16pm
What a great summer this has become. The weather has been warm during the days and cooler in the evenings so it's easy enough to sleep.
I like that more places are mindful of energy conservation and aren't cranking up the air conditioning to the point where you need to wear polar fleece. I never did get that.
It's funny though how they design condos in Toronto. The majority of them don't have balconies and they have the tiniest windows. Getting any air through them is impossible. The silent implication is that if you want to cool off you either leave your condo (because you have no balcony) or you turn on your air conditioning. Yet the city is asking you to conserve energy. It's ridiculous! And what is with the lack of balconies anyway? Does no one spend time at home?
We work in cubicles all day and go home to boxes at night and wonder why people are filled with rage. We're squashed on streetcars and subways and stand in endless lines for groceries. We've become inconsiderate of others, talk in movie theatres and too loudly on our cell phones in public places. We put our feet up on chairs that don't belong to us. What's going on people?
I've made walking my reprieve purely by misfortune. When I worked in Daycare I was broke. A friend of mine owed me money, which would have been enough to get me through until pay day but he refused to drive down to my apartment to pay me back. I had no money for public transit to get to and from work. So I had to walk.
It took me an hour to walk to work. I walked back and forth for a week. Two hours a day. When I got paid I didn't bother getting a bus pass realizing that I enjoyed the walk. I found the walk relaxing. On the way to work I found the walk pumped up my energy level and gave me the stamina for the daily challenge of child care and better yet the politics forced by my co-workers. On the way home, I found that I left any stresses of the day at Spadina, a half hour into my walk. Plus it was a great work out - 2 hours a day. I added stretches after both walks and I was laughing.
I haven't stopped walking since. When I worked at the Science Centre I walked half the distance to work since it was a two hour walk and took the bus the rest of the way. I walked the two hour trek home most times. And now my current job is only a half hour walk. It makes a huge difference finding ways to get out of doing the salmon run, swimming upstream with all the other fish.
I've got a 24 hour grocery store in my neighbourhood and I buy my groceries at 6 a.m. I avoid the line ups and the people who insist on searching for that elusive exact change that's never at the ready. I stay away from the crowds as much as possible or get places way early so I don't feel rushed or slowed down by the crowds. I do not need to have that same rage, anger, frustration that many people exhibit. If I feel like I have a reprieve from the craziness of life I can tolerate the frustrations that inevitably will come up and enjoy the good things like this great summer weather and all the flowers I seem to be able to smell more than ever this year. And did I mention that I have a friend who has cherry trees in her backyard that are overwhelmed with cherries? I'm getting free cherries!
Where do you find your reprieve?
EY
Living in inspired reprieve...
What a great summer this has become. The weather has been warm during the days and cooler in the evenings so it's easy enough to sleep.
I like that more places are mindful of energy conservation and aren't cranking up the air conditioning to the point where you need to wear polar fleece. I never did get that.
It's funny though how they design condos in Toronto. The majority of them don't have balconies and they have the tiniest windows. Getting any air through them is impossible. The silent implication is that if you want to cool off you either leave your condo (because you have no balcony) or you turn on your air conditioning. Yet the city is asking you to conserve energy. It's ridiculous! And what is with the lack of balconies anyway? Does no one spend time at home?
We work in cubicles all day and go home to boxes at night and wonder why people are filled with rage. We're squashed on streetcars and subways and stand in endless lines for groceries. We've become inconsiderate of others, talk in movie theatres and too loudly on our cell phones in public places. We put our feet up on chairs that don't belong to us. What's going on people?
I've made walking my reprieve purely by misfortune. When I worked in Daycare I was broke. A friend of mine owed me money, which would have been enough to get me through until pay day but he refused to drive down to my apartment to pay me back. I had no money for public transit to get to and from work. So I had to walk.
It took me an hour to walk to work. I walked back and forth for a week. Two hours a day. When I got paid I didn't bother getting a bus pass realizing that I enjoyed the walk. I found the walk relaxing. On the way to work I found the walk pumped up my energy level and gave me the stamina for the daily challenge of child care and better yet the politics forced by my co-workers. On the way home, I found that I left any stresses of the day at Spadina, a half hour into my walk. Plus it was a great work out - 2 hours a day. I added stretches after both walks and I was laughing.
I haven't stopped walking since. When I worked at the Science Centre I walked half the distance to work since it was a two hour walk and took the bus the rest of the way. I walked the two hour trek home most times. And now my current job is only a half hour walk. It makes a huge difference finding ways to get out of doing the salmon run, swimming upstream with all the other fish.
I've got a 24 hour grocery store in my neighbourhood and I buy my groceries at 6 a.m. I avoid the line ups and the people who insist on searching for that elusive exact change that's never at the ready. I stay away from the crowds as much as possible or get places way early so I don't feel rushed or slowed down by the crowds. I do not need to have that same rage, anger, frustration that many people exhibit. If I feel like I have a reprieve from the craziness of life I can tolerate the frustrations that inevitably will come up and enjoy the good things like this great summer weather and all the flowers I seem to be able to smell more than ever this year. And did I mention that I have a friend who has cherry trees in her backyard that are overwhelmed with cherries? I'm getting free cherries!
Where do you find your reprieve?
EY
Living in inspired reprieve...
04 July 2006
Baby Steps - Dreams
I've decided I have multiple personalities:
I'm living my life like a 20 year old starting out for the first time.
I never quite got myself organized enough when I was in my twenties but
I've learned a lot over those two decades. So I've decided on a do
over.
Financially, I'm a 20 year old that had the kind of parents that gave
strong, sound advice on what to do as in save the maximum amount
allowed into RRSP's (Registered Retirement Savings Plans for my
American readers), save up for your purchases, donate 10% to charity.
For those of you who don't do this, it really does make a difference in
your peace of mind. When you can give, you open yourself to receive.
When you save, you know you're taken care of. When you save up for your
purchases, you appreciate what you have.
In love, I may still be a teenager - the teenage virgin who isn't ready
to go all the way. The teenage virgin who wants to take her time, who
wants a boyfriend that understands that she's a virgin so he won't rush
her. She wants the kind of boyfriend who will wait 8 months if he has
to without mentioning it, asking for it, pushing for it. A boyfriend
who by his silence lets her know that it has to be her decision when it
happens. She has to be the one to say, to announce, "I'm ready."
It's about giving her "precious" self to the right boyfriend not to any
boyfriend. That's the concept of having a do over. Clearly I'm not a
teenage virgin nor do I sleep around but I am picking and choosing what
it is that works for me. Instead of beating myself up for not achieving
the milestones that "normal" people my age have reached.
In love, it's waiting before I give over my preciousness ( my heart, my
self, my body) to someone.
A man with patience is sexier than one who coerces, or makes you feel
obligated or makes you feel guilty. Sexiness is in the patience,
knowing that it doesn't come easy and that the wanting is more than
just sexual. It's just so much better after the anticipation, I think.
In my writing, I'm going back to beginner's mind. I'm going back to
where everything about your new interest is fascinating and you look in
all areas to learn, reading voraciously, making people that you meet
characters, looking for the story in every incident.
When you see people as potential characters you find them fascinating,
you want to know what makes them tick, what's their back-story. How did
they become who they are now, what drives them? With beginner's mind,
every aspect of life becomes interesting because every aspect of life
pushes you to investigate more out of curiosity and relates back to the
writing.
I have the imagination of a child with unreasonable dreams. I am able
to imagine being a Billionaire writer if I want to. A child's dreams
are unreasonable only to adults because the child is far removed from
the realization of that dream but with baby steps all things are
possible. With a child's imagination we are taken out further than what
seems possible right now but that's how dreams begin right? The
unreasonableness of belief is based on your current reality and makes
it impossible for anyone to ever see that it can become what you want
it to become. That's why people, adults, friends tell you, "Don't dream
so big. Why don't you try a lesser goal? Why don't you become a nurse
instead they need nurses more than writers. Are you sure you can deal
with the rejection? Are you sure you can handle that?"
With baby steps, persistence, an unwavering belief and a multiple
personality, all things are possible.
EY
Living an Inspired Life
Writing2Live
02 July 2006
Wishes
"If you want to be inspired, you must be willing to offer inspiration." Wayne Dyer, pg 176. Inspiration. Your Ultimate Calling.
2July06 Sunday 1:05pm
It's funny how when I think of something in a off-handed way I often get a wish fulfillment.
Two little wishes were fulfilled yesterday. I live in the type of apartment building that is all about giving and receiving. If you don't want something any more you leave it on one of the window sills in the building and someone who wants it will take it. From that system, I've picked up a couple of shelving units, a matching desk and table set, a big arts drawer even some CD's and books. I've left boots, roller blades, carpet, clothing and other odds and sods that I never use anymore.
Recently when I got a chair that someone discarded. I cleaned and painted it, I thought off handedly, "now all I need is a small table that I can work on when I'm in this lovely chair." I was thinking of a TV table but something a little funkier. It turns out that yesterday someone discarded just that. I can adjust the sides and make the table longer and the table is on wheels. It fits perfectly with my lovely chair.
"What I desire which is aligned with Spirit is already on it's way." -- Wayne Dyer
As I roller bladed yesterday, I debated on whether I'd skate all the way to the beaches because this one part of the trek has a bridge that has padding on it that you can't really skate on. At the bottom of the hill, after the bridge, are train tracks. You've got to be prepared to slow down really quick otherwise you'll wipe out. I've never wiped out mind you but I'm always so nerve wracked that it wasn't something I was in the mood for.
I decided I'd follow another bike path and see where it led me until I got bored. It turns out I could go along the Lakeshore instead of taking that scary bridge with the treacherous train tracks. I was stoked.
I rode out to Woodbine Park and watched these dogs jumping into the man-made pond swimming after the ball that the owners kept throwing in. They were a bunch of joyful children. I swear if the dogs could laugh out loud they would. One of the dogs I watched stuck his head in the water and seemed to stay down for at least a minute with his butt and tail sticking up.
He was diving for a rock and sliding it with his feet until he brought it back to shore. He'd look up at the people waiting for someone to throw it back in and he'd start all over again.
It was a wonderfully inspiring time. It takes so little to find things to make us laugh, make us feel inspired, if we choose to look for them. In my indecisiveness at the bridge yesterday, I got in the way of a few cyclists. One guy grumbled and swore at me. I was amused. "Buddy, relax, we're all out here to enjoy ourselves. Leave the rage behind."
How many times do we get set off when we're supposedly out to enjoy ourselves? That's part of what I have to let go of. The EY Page - Living an Inspired Life: What Am I Not Letting Go Of?
I've been noticing that more strangers are smiling at me on the street. People are saying Hi. I'm feeling like I live in a friendlier world despite what the news reports tell me. My focus is changing. Because I want to be happy I gravitate towards what makes me happy. I choose to enjoy every wish fulfillment and every magical coincidence. Lord knows next week something will set me off and have me bitching. But my focus is changing. When things rile me up I find that I can get out of it quicker than ever.
"Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change." Wayne Dyer. The Power of Intention.
When I suffered from depression I wanted to spend all my time alone. I had no motivation to be around others. I had no motivation to do anything. It's funny because the changes, my changes, have been subtle. I still want to spend a large portion of my time alone but now it's about well-being and balance. I only like being around others when I've had ample time to myself. I choose the people I share my time with. I choose what I want to focus my thoughts on. I choose to believe that whatever I wish for I can have. Why the heck not?
EY
27 June 2006
Welcome to the new House
27June06 Tuesday 5:37pm
I decided to move my blog over to blogspot.com since my subscription
service doesn't work with my angelfire.com URL.
I will also cut and paste my early entries from my previous blog here.
The entries that pertain to Living an Inspired Life or that brought me
to the decision to make my blog writings about that...
EY
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22 June 2006
What Am I Not Letting Go Of?
Thursday 9pm 22June06
I had my first massage swap this week with my friend L. She does
Swedish massage and I do Reiki.
My neck, shoulders and back were filled with stubborn knots. One of L's
first questions was, "When was the last time you had a massage?"
Yeah, healer heal thyself...
As I lay on my stomach and felt her attempts to work through the knots
I kept thinking that they felt like they wouldn't let go. They were
holding their stubborn ground.
Subsequently the question flashed through my mind, What am I not
letting go of? Where in my life am I not letting go? What misguided
beliefs am I not letting go of?
There's something about pain in my body that makes me ask questions
related to that pain.
When I was ten years old I developed stomach problems. I was constantly
sick to my stomach. I went through weeks when I couldn't keep my food
down. The worst of it went on for six years.
My mother took me to the doctor during times when my stomach problems
got progressively worse. I went through all the tests and X-rays,
gagged down the chalk drink that never tasted like a strawberry shake
the nurse said it would taste like. A couple times a year I suffered
through those tests hopeful that the doctor would find a problem, any
problem. Each time after the results were studied I was told that this
real pain was all in my head.
My doctor finally sent me to a child psychologist when I was fourteen
and after a couple visits I couldn't see how this guy (who couldn't
understand why I didn't like getting my period) was going to help me.
Come on, what woman likes getting her period?
My mother threatened to physically hurt my doctor if she didn't figure
out was wrong with me. "She's fifteen for fuck's sake, she's been
suffering with this shit for 5 years you can't tell me that's all in
her head."
My doctor finally saw the light and sent me to a stomach specialist. I
liked him almost immediately. He talked a lot almost like an Anthony
Robbins, expressive and energetic. He told me that he didn't believe
that my stomach problems were all in my head, that he was going to re
do all the tests of the previous years just to make sure nothing could
be found. He questioned me about my weight and self concept to rule out
any eating disorders. Did I think I was fat or over weight? No, I knew
I was physically fit.
He did other tests - an exploratory (a camera in a tube down my
throat); an ultrasound and the like. He still found nothing.
After he told me that he believed I had a nervous stomach and
prescribed me children's Valium he told me a story:
He said, "you are like a fellow student that I went to med school with.
He had to vomit everyday during exams. In fact, he still vomits before
he goes into surgery. Whenever you are upset about something you get
sick. You'll probably be like that for the rest of your life and die
young."
I tried to imagine an eternity of suffering from an upset stomach and
digestive weakness. The image was bleak.
"I don't want to die young," I said.
He banged his hand forcefully on his desk, "You're going to have to
speak up for yourself. If you're mad, say you're mad. Tell the people
your upset with what you are feeling."
Whenever I repeat this story people are shocked by his harshness. No
doctor today could get away with telling a 16 year old girl that she is
going to die young. It woke me up. Sometimes we need the Mack truck to
get our attention. The thought of dying young, what did young mean? Did
it mean I would die at 30 or worse at 20? I was going to die because
people were upsetting me to the point of making me sick? That was
crazy! I wouldn't stand for that.
I like to call that awakening the year that I grew a mouth. My mother
and step father were shocked the first time I spoke up. They weren't
prepared for it. My doctor always insisted that I attend my
appointments without a parent. They had no inkling of what my doctor
said to me because I didn't tell them.
My mother became silently impressed. My step father went from stunned
to angry to scared (by the time I hit eighteen) when it dawned on him
that he could no longer verbally beat me down and I wouldn’t walk
away from a verbal wrestling match. In fact, I’d begun to enjoy
it. My mouth was so quick and I could mix cruel words together and
still not swear. What a liberating feeling to speak up for yourself
after years of silence. it only took me 6 years to get there.
My favorite part of the Color Purple is when Celie finally speaks up to
Mister and he backs down because he's actually scared of her. I lived
that moment. I was Celie.
I stayed on the children's Valium until I moved out on my own and kept
forgetting to take them. I realized that I didn't need them anymore.
In 1991, I got two strange lumps in my neck and my scalp got itchy to
the point where it felt like bugs were crawling all over me. The first
Saturday, I went to emergency and the doctor said it looked like the
German Measles but he wasn't sure. He gave me meds and told me to buy a
special shampoo. During the week, I developed three different rashes
all over my body including the palms of my hands and the bottoms of my
feet. I went back to emergency the following Saturday and although the
doctor was fascinated, he had no clue what was going on with me. He
prescribed oatmeal baths and upped my medication. I would find out in
emergency the following week that it was enough to dope a horse.
On the third Saturday, I woke up and felt like I had obstructions in my
eyes. I couldn't open them all the way. I stayed in bed scared to get
up, knowing full well that this wasn't good. When the courage hit me, I
got up and packed an overnight bag with stuff to do. I knew I was going
to the hospital to stay. I finally walked into the bathroom to check
myself out in the mirror. My face was so swollen that if I didn't know
I walked there I wouldn't know it was me. I had slits for eyes. I
looked like the elephant man.
In the dermatology ward my team of doctors buzzed with fascination over
my plight and said stuff like, "I'm going to give you Lydex for your
face. It's not something I would ever suggest but I figure at this
point, it can't hurt.
Great! That's reassuring.
In the two weeks that I remained in the hospital my team never knew
what I had. They experimented with treatments and my rashes went away.
A work acquaintance recommended that I see a Naturopath and I gave
David Bray a try.
David told me that I had too much heat in my system. Basically my blood
was boiling and presenting rashes all over my body. When I asked what
caused this, he said it was cumulative stress. He asked me two
questions:
"What's making your blood boil? Who is getting under your skin?"
Those questions clicked with me like my stomach specialist telling me,
if you don't want to die young you'll need to express yourself. David's
questions made me crystallize what ailments mean and get at the source.
One year when I was getting frustrated with listening to those kind of
people who bludgeon you with their opinions, I kept getting these
wicked colds and my ears were filled with liquid to the point where I
couldn't hear.
What didn't I want to hear?
We're in our bodies for our journey. When I refuse to pay attention or
try to avoid what's happening in my life that Mack truck comes
barreling at me. This week the truck tapped me and I'll have to keep
asking until I discover the answer, what am I not letting go of?
EY
Inspiration from my body.
Happy Birthday Charles Alexander Domingue... wherever you are!
11 June 2006
I Love Food
Sunday 11June06 12:07pm
I love food. I have a passion for eating. I used to work with a woman
at the Science Centre who used to say she could take food or leave it.
"I eat because I need to eat to survive," she said.
Are you kidding me? To survive?
I love working with people who love to eat. I love people who bring
tasty goodies to share. I love people who tell you about great foods
they've tried or better yet, great concoctions they've come up with.
I'm known for carrying a bag full of food to work to ensure my day long
graze fest. In fact, at the Science Centre, one of my work mates
nicknamed me the chuck wagon because I carried so much food.
I love cultures that love to eat. I love the Italians for their
homemade pastas and for giving me ideas to experiment with my spaghetti
sauce ( I put ground beef, Italian sausage, and pepperoni in mine.) I
love West Indians for jerk chicken or pork, curried goat and roti. I
love them for all the other foods that I never tried growing up despite
having a West Indian Grandfather. I love the Dutch for their meal of
mashed potatoes mixed with sauerkraut and served with with steamed
sausages. My step dad usually used polish sausages. I also love that
they embraced Indonesian food. I could eat Nasi Goreng every single
day. I love the Chinese for Dim Sum.
When I started following Harvey and Marilyn Diamond's Fit For Life, I
was turned on to salads (something I never liked) and juicing. With my
Magic Bullet I've been able to make smoothies using frozen fruit in the
winter.
I'm a firm believer that you need to be well fed before you can do
anything well. Sometimes it's the smallest things that can bring me
joy. I took Friday off work in anticipation of the Bloody Words writing
conference. I was too excited by my shop when I came home with shrimp,
escargots and cherries amongst my normal list of grocery needs. I look
so forward to what I have to eat at home that I rarely eat out.
To me, food is one more reason to love life.
My Ultimate Favorite Salad (that doesn't need salad dressing)
Spring Mix (mixed greens)
Dandelion leaves
Red & Green Seedless grapes
Grape tomatoes
Mango
Kiwi
Strawberries
Pineapple
Cheese (Havarti, Double Cream Brie or Cambozola)
If I feel like having salad dressing I add, Renee's Ravin' Raspberry
Dressing
Favorite Feel Good Breakfast
Raspberries and Blueberries mixed together
Fresh Juice (I have a Charlescraft juice extractor)
Oranges
Pineapple
Strawberries
OR
Cranberries
Green Grapes
Pineapple
I Don't Eat Enough Vegetables Juice
3 Beets
A bag of Carrots
A bag of Apples
Give em a whirl, tell me what you think.
EY
Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall
Sunday 11June06 12:35pm
I worked for a Life Coach as her personal assistant for four months
from November 2004 to March 2005. It was an interesting experience but
the best thing was that I learned that I hated winter a lot less than I
believed I did.
In one of her regular seminars, she made the attendees who said they
hated winter list all the reasons why they hated winter and then what
they could love about winter. I realized that I always loved shoveling
snow, cross country skiing, and snow shoeing. I love the slow down
(hibernation) that winter brings, the ability to stay home all day long
to read and write, cooking hot meals that make the apartment smell like
a loving home. I love making different kinds of hot soups in my two
crockpots that are on the go all winter long. I love Christmas and my
solitary Christmas ritual.
What I love about winter is the first snow fall when the snow is
covering every surface making the trees look like marshmallow trees. I
love making footprints in the snow or following someone else's
footprints pretending that I'm on the trail of a bandit or about to
find my one true love. ha ha! I especially love when the footprints are
huge and I can giggle at how much smaller my footprints are in
comparison.
Because of the winter I appreciate the first days of Spring and the
promise of possibilities. Who can be in a bad mood when it's the first
warm day and you feel like you're standing straighter. All of a sudden
we come in to bloom like flowers facing toward the life giving sun.
You undo your coat, look up to the sky, take a deep breath and smile.
I love all the colorful tulips that are planted by Parks and Rec and
the smell of lilacs that make me inhale deeper like a smoker satisfying
her nicotine fit.
I love looking forward to the Summer and BBQ's, sitting on patios with
refreshing cold beer or Sangria with pieces of fruit floating in it.
There are so many types of beer these days that it's so hard to choose
just one. Back in the days of Growler's, my favorite pub that has
closed down, summer meant wheat beer with slices of lemon to squeeze
in. I miss Growler's!
I love CHERRIES! I can and do eat cherries all summer long. I buy them
when they are $6.99 a pound and buy more of them when they are 99 cents
a pound. I love walking and roller blading, sitting in the park with
nuts for the squirrels. I love visiting Buddy the donkey at the Farm
and the little chapel across the street where Davin's funeral was and
subsequently where his memorial plaque is.
I love Canada's Wonderland and roller coasters. I love how clear and
even my skin is from the kiss of the sun. I love peaches, nectarines,
watermelons, cantaloupes, raspberries, blueberries and did I mention
CHERRIES?
I love the Jazz Festival (Montreal preferably), Caribana and Gay pride.
I love seeing hot men that have worked out all winter and the sexy
women that turn their heads. I love wearing sun dresses and sandals. I
love sweating!
It's harder for me to transition from Summer to Fall however. I still
get a bit of the back to school malaise even though I haven't been in
school for years. But I love back to school specials (i'm addicted to
office supplies) and Indian Summer with a few bonus patio days. I love
looking forward to Author's festival in October and the turkey eating
of Thanksgiving.
Learning to remember what I love about winter has made me appreciate
all the seasons. If I say I only love summer it leaves me with a few
short months of enjoyment and nine months of self imposed misery. I
used to think that I wanted to live somewhere that was summer all year
long but now I know that I'd miss winter and the excuse to hibernate
which brings me to spring and it's many promises.
EY
Inspiration all year round.
04 June 2006
Examples of Odd
4June06 Sunday 11:56pm
Quote - "Give me a man who sings at his work." Thomas Carlyle
Who knew that life would be like this when we grew up? Do you ever
notice that you relive the emotional stuff of your childhood
repeatedly?
I've been able to compare some of the jobs I've worked at over the
years to my childhood. I can remember writing in my journal years ago
about an international theatre company I worked for. I remember
comparing the big boss limping into the building as my alcoholic father
coming home in a violent rage. The staff go into hiding mode waiting
for mommy (the general manager) to come and say, "It's okay kids.
Daddy's not drunk and he's in a good mood."
At my previous arts job, my silences were similar to when I wouldn't
speak to my step father for months at a time. At that job, I knew I
couldn't fight the system so I said nothing at all. As a pre-teen, I
didn't yet have the courage to stand up to my step father, so I drove
him crazy by ignoring him as if he didn't exist.
At my current job it's about being the odd one out.
In my childhood home I was the black child in a world of white siblings
(one older brother and two younger step sisters). Things were said
about black people that were unacceptable. My mother, a black woman,
was often the one who said the unacceptable things. The life my white
step father embraced implied the rest.
I always believed that my step father wanted to be black. He hung out
downtown at Rockhead's Paradise, a black owned establishment, that had
a predominantly black clientelle. The black men he hung with and
subsequently emulated lived a life of crime. My step dad's claim to
fame (before he went to jail for break and enter charges) was that he
was the most trustworthy coke dealer in Montreal. He invited every
sort of black criminal into our house - pimps, bank robbers, murderers
etc.
While the coke was snorted, the alcohol was mixed and the music played,
the discussions were primarily about the black world versus the white
world. The black man was doomed they'd all agree. My mother would
inevitably pipe in on how I would surpass black expectations and in the
next breath she'd discuss how I'd always struggle against being kept
down by a system built for whites.
In the daytime, my mother hated my nappy hair and made fun of it in
front of my white stepsisters with their easy does it hair. They had
the hair that most every black woman coveted (until we get in touch
with our roots) and every black man loves about his white woman.
I had no choice but to embrace my blackness other wise I'd have no
sense of a stable foothold.
In my day job there are moments of emotional similarities. I am the
only woman in a group of 13 or so men. They all love women obviously
but they are guys. They point out hot women and believe things about
women (not their wives of course) that are just plain stupid.
There are jokes about my singleness, why I should date a white guy that
only likes black women. One of them even went so far as to tell me that
a real woman has babies (No, he and I aren't close).
As the female representative that absorbs the messages, I can either
debunk a myth or perpetuate it. I choose to do neither. I choose to
embrace my femininity in my unique way with a ball breaking hard edge
and a warm mushy inner core.
I come face to face with what others believe of my type (black, single,
woman) and who I choose to be amidst the mixed messages. I see each
job, each relationship, each encounter as representing a layer of
myself as food for thought... and writing material.
EY
Living in Inspiration
Work on Earth
4June06 Sunday 11:36pm
"Rachel came through you to do her work on Earth, which includes her manner of death."
Quote from Ram Dass letter to parents of child killed violently (in book Inspiration. Your Ultimate Calling - Dr. Wayne Dyer)
I often wonder what my work on Earth is meant to be. I analyze and pick apart situations and my reactions to them. What was the benefit of feeling left out as a child? I had to rely more on myself, depend less on the need to be a part of a group. Certainly the constant moves in my early childhood helped me through that. Yet I still get insulted when someone deliberately leaves me out.
What lesson am I still not learning? The learning is in finding the benefit in the so-called negative.
Looking at the recent incident ( see = Miscellaneous - Interesting 18May06 below) at work with the guys getting a special lunch when I wasn't at work, one benefit is that it's good for me to miss out both health and weight wise. My brown bagged lunches are far healthier than any special lunch they could order.
Another benefit is that I have to stop and look at my reactions and attitudes and how I choose to behave.
It's a bit of a reality check that people are sometimes happier when they are upsetting others. it is up to me how I choose to react to any situation. That is definitely something I need to get a better handle on.
There were times as a child, when I was at my happiest, that I felt like my mother deliberately did or said something to wipe the happy off my face. it was the feeling that was depressing but the lesson was to choose to be happy anyway.
We've all said that about people, " She gets on my nerves, she's so damn happy all the time."
"She's ugly (name your insult), what's she got to be happy about?"
Sometimes the only enjoyment we can see is the opportunity to pick on someone until they feel as miserable as us. It makes me think of my harmless jokes and what they may mean to others. I want to be more mindful of what I do and say.
There is inspiration in every situation especially the one that upsets me.
EY
Living in Inspiration.
"Rachel came through you to do her work on Earth, which includes her manner of death."
Quote from Ram Dass letter to parents of child killed violently (in book Inspiration. Your Ultimate Calling - Dr. Wayne Dyer)
I often wonder what my work on Earth is meant to be. I analyze and pick apart situations and my reactions to them. What was the benefit of feeling left out as a child? I had to rely more on myself, depend less on the need to be a part of a group. Certainly the constant moves in my early childhood helped me through that. Yet I still get insulted when someone deliberately leaves me out.
What lesson am I still not learning? The learning is in finding the benefit in the so-called negative.
Looking at the recent incident ( see = Miscellaneous - Interesting 18May06 below) at work with the guys getting a special lunch when I wasn't at work, one benefit is that it's good for me to miss out both health and weight wise. My brown bagged lunches are far healthier than any special lunch they could order.
Another benefit is that I have to stop and look at my reactions and attitudes and how I choose to behave.
It's a bit of a reality check that people are sometimes happier when they are upsetting others. it is up to me how I choose to react to any situation. That is definitely something I need to get a better handle on.
There were times as a child, when I was at my happiest, that I felt like my mother deliberately did or said something to wipe the happy off my face. it was the feeling that was depressing but the lesson was to choose to be happy anyway.
We've all said that about people, " She gets on my nerves, she's so damn happy all the time."
"She's ugly (name your insult), what's she got to be happy about?"
Sometimes the only enjoyment we can see is the opportunity to pick on someone until they feel as miserable as us. It makes me think of my harmless jokes and what they may mean to others. I want to be more mindful of what I do and say.
There is inspiration in every situation especially the one that upsets me.
EY
Living in Inspiration.
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