Coulda Woulda Shoulda

When I was a reporter, sometimes I would have killed to be able to make up quotes for people. To put words into their mouths, saying what they wanted to say but just more elegantly than they ever spoke to me in person. Now, with the job of compiling press releases, I find myself at a loss to write good words of someone else. There it is. A clean slate to work with. All I need to do is write them down. And I can't think of anything more interesting to say then 'we are very pleased to be bringing you..' or 'we'd like to thank...' What happened to me? Where did all my words go? Where is that person who used to go out, talk to people, listen to their words, write them down and then imagine better quotes that would make the story sound more poetic? Careful what you wish for, I guess.

Yes, that's right, I arrived home last night from a wet walk to the grocery store to find a treasure. I am often asked what I most miss from home. Until recently, I never really had an answer because family and friends is an obvious one and besides them what else could possibly matter? In an effort to be able to make conversation, however, I decided that the weather would be one thing. Sounds strange to be missing the minus 40C weather but really, its the extremes. I love the hot summer much more BECAUSE of the minus 40C weather and if I don't have the minus 40C weather, how can I look forward to the steamy summer? And there certainly isn't anything steamy about the summer here unless you count the mist and rain as steamy....am I STILL talking about the weather? After that question is answered - and if the person has not backed away slowly - he/she will tend to ask what food I miss. The only thing I really can't get here that I can get in Canada? Kraft Dinner. KD. Crap ...

Just thought I'd have a look back to some of my first entries. Amazing how not matter how time passes, emotions can come right back up to the surface with a few written words. Here was one of the first entries I ever wrote. I still believe this is true, for those of you who are pondering the idea of starting again. I had a lot of support but I had a lot of these too: Ah the cynics. You have to wonder why it is they think it won't happen. I think deep down they really want you to fail. They disguise it mostly with suggestions as to what you can do or bring up a lot of 'what if' scenarios - like they actually care. But deep down, they don't want to think this will be THAT easy.I'm not expecting it to be a walk in the park but I'm being intelligent enough to know what I will risk and what my limits are. I would say so far the hardest part has been the cynics. This is something I'm so excited about. I've never felt more focussed on something extra-ciricu...

We were lucky enough to hear about a month ago that D would be kept on in a permanent position at the place he is at right now. After a few weeks of adjustment, he is getting himself nicely settled in. What I am missing, can I say, is my grocery man. I am spoiled, internet, I really am. I get home from work, I go to the gym, I maybe prepare the salad but for the most part, after I shower and get into my pjs, I have my dinner made for me. When D worked from home on Canadian hours, it meant I could call him in the morning, decide what we were going to eat for dinner and he would be away to fetch it for me, if only because if he didn't leave in the morning, he wouldn't leave the house at all that day so REALLY he was securing his own sanity..but I digress. Now that he is a standard 9-5ver, I am left with the job of picking up any items we do not have at home before the shops close. Which leads me to: THINGS I MISS ABOUT MY TORONTO HOME 1 - I could finish work at 11pm and still get...