Coulda Woulda Shoulda

Today, I learned a good lesson from Mother Nature: Don't get too greedy with the weather. Since we started our journey 3 days ago, we have had nothing but blue skies and sunshine, so much sunshine that in fact I was forced to stop at a Walgreens somewhere along the I-90 in South Dakota to buy some 'stylish' over-the-glasses-sun-gear so as not to burn my retinas from the glaring-ness that was the SUN. So, today, when we decided around 4pm, that we were only about 160 miles shy of a city that would get us closer to a Seattle New Years and that we should just continue on, even if it got dark, I think Mother Nature decided she was going to give us a piece of her mind. The first 80 of those last 160 miles were still serene - beautifully windy and picturesque amongst the Rocky Mountains. I had almost gotten over the fact that the day before felt just..too...long and had conceded that continuing on, past our 4-5ish finish time, would make tomorrow a shorter drive day. Plus, there ...

It has been 5 months in the making but D and I are officially off on our next adventure. This adventure has coincided with the longest most intense project I've worked on since my days as a book publicist. And so, I am only now getting to the point where I have 2 minutes to myself, to write about just what is going on in my part of the world. I am currently making a cross country trip from Ontario to British Columbia via the United States to my new home in Richmond, B.C. D is going back to school, I am continuing to be a tech writer and we will be in the Vancouver area for the Olympics, not before we make the epic journey in our car across multiple States in a much more comfortable albeit similar distance as many many pioneers from years past across this vast continent. So far, so good. With many things to say, I'd rather collect thoughts before I put them here, however I thought it was important to get down that I am leaving, gone, moving, outta here, off again. What I also wi...

Yes. Gone quiet. VERY QUIET. But I've been doing some thinking, processing, analyzing, vacationing, drinking....well, you get the point. LIVING. But I finally found something that I wanted to post and is relevant to the theme of this blog, which is meant to be reaching outside of those cozy boundaries we allow ourselves to be in and really exploring something new, challenging and exciting. I sent this recent email to friends of mine and now, I'd like to share it with you. What I didn't say in the email is how I actually got teary eyed writing about it at the end. I have a feeling this experience will touch me in ways I wasn't expecting: Sunny days everyone, As some of you may know, I began running in races last summer after a great group of friends convinced me it would be a fun thing to do. Since then, I became a little addicted to the challenge and decided I would try to run a half marathon. My training began in May of this year after I ran the Sporting Life 10km, a t...

It may perhaps be because I spent the weekend with a luverly bunch of mothers or perhaps its just because I'm addicted to this site but I decided to check out today's Momversation only to find it taught me something about my mother. Do You Judge Young Mothers? | Momversation Posted using ShareThis My mom was so "lucky" to spend her 20s with me as a child and her 30s with me as a teenager. Being a woman who has now been through my 20s and creeping into my 30s, I have even more love and adoration for her. I mean, I know I'm fun, but MORE fun than a karaoke room? Actually, I suppose they may give you a similar experience... But I digress. Because the point of today is my respect for my mom got even LARGER and even I didn't think that was possible when I considered the possibility that being a young mother may have actually been quite a lonely place. I remember she said she relished 30 because by then, she was a mother of 4 and was just happier to be taken a bit ...

I'm heading out tonight to this event: http://www.jhr.ca/en/getinvolved_n4r.php Nights for Rights I'm excited to go for a good cause. I'm intrigued about bidding on the auction, especially what David's Tea will have on offer. I'm hoping it will help me feel a little closer to the big G-Town reunion I'm missing that's going on in London as I write. I'm certain I will drink my recommended daily drink intake (that is, according to my doctor who I saw yesterday, 9 drinks) in the evening. Happy Weekend.

I thought I couldn't be more shocked about FOX "news" (and I use that term lightly) but this recent clip scares me. I'm a bit at a loss for words on what to say. I'm not intentionally trying to further promote negativity from the U.S. because I know so many Americans who are good, kind, thoughtful, respectful, intelligent people. I guess I just couldn't help but think of all the soldiers families when I saw this, even as recently as this past weekend when four more were lost. And I also thought, what would FOX news have done if someone talked about their military in this manner? Also ignorantly poignant that one of the commentators didn't even realise that Canadian troops were fighting, that we have been for 8 years, in a country the U.S. pretty much just abandoned. I'm not sure what I expect to come out of posting this. I suppose if we look at this and remember that some people are watching this in the U.S. right now as their source for information. A...

In high school, I gave my mother a heart attack when I announced that I was going flying with a classmate and that the 17 year old would be flying the plane. He introduced me to negative Gs and even let me take the wheel for a bit - sorry Mom, I wasn't telling you that part! We all knew back then that there was no stopping this guy. And I can't believe I'm only 15 people away from saying I flew with the next Canadian astronaut. Stolen from CTV, that dashing young gentleman centre and just left of the lone female is my good fly boy friend. After that flight, we became good friends. Either that or he tolerated me for another good number of years, rambling on as a girl among the boys, always ending up being a crazy pants in one shape or form. We'd lose touch then reconnect then lose touch again. Training to be an astronaut tends to require some dedication. My only excuse was too much time spent in the pub. I'll be watching him now, though, keeping every limb crossed to...

I know, I know, I've gone silent again. But I must say this video made me a little nostalgic for that crazy place called the UK. Happy commuting today

I'm bit addicted to the online community site Momversation, which showcases some pretty talented ladies discussing a crazy range of things from swearing in front of your kids to circumcision yes or no? The latest topic, thanks to dooce , is certain to get some attention. To Kid or not to Kid An interesting dialogue. One I'm not quite prepared to get involved in just quite yet but later, when I gather my thoughts, perhaps I'll venture in. I suppose the only thing I will say is that I don't really condone anyone judging anyone else's choice. Either side of the coin. So bottom line, no judging. Mutual respect. Be nice to your friends. See? I guess everything I ever DID need to learn, I learned in kindergarten. The floor, is yours....

Last week, D and I ventured out to hear this guy speak about not only his time in Afghanistan but also, where the world of journalism is headed for the future. He's an alumnus of our school - Ryerson University - and being back in those halls made me kinda itch a bit not only for the thrills of reporting but also, the world's-your-oyster feeling of being a student. I suppose that's partly what drew me to teaching, that observation of wonderment and newness of topics show to people who have not yet experienced it. Amongst the many interesting and inspirational things Smith said, there was also quite an poignant comment from an establish newspaper man in the crowd. Someone asked him what employers are looking for these days, a typical 4th year student question, which although understandable kinda of sounded dense in the context of the conversation and certainly for someone who has been out of school for almost 10 years. He answered the standard, 'drive, ambition, willing...

I recently changed desks at work from a window view to a room view and decided that I would bring in my birthday present from last year to give me a different view. D bought me a Kodak Digital Frame, which we occasionally will put on in the house but as of recently, we found it simply sat turned off. For the last two weeks, I'm taken down memory lane on a daily basis. D thought it would make me want to travel more. I just find it brings me happiness to remember all of the places I've been. I guess that's why anyone takes pictures, prints pictures, keeps pictures and looks at them again. It's just been so great to have the slideshow of my life flip before me throughout the day. And it helps me remember moments like this one: Sometimes I forget we went to Luxembourg. That we spent two nights there at the beginning of our first trek. That it was the second country we were in after the Netherlands and was the beginning of longing for discovery. That it had the most gorgeous...

People - unless you're a doctor trying to save starving children and an army is blocking your or you're about to stop Dr. Evil from pressing the Explode the World button, there is absolutely no need for this type of outrage. Actor shows off his small vocabulary and intellect Boo urns, Mr. Bale. There are a lot more talented people out there who probably can handle themselves just that much better then you just did. Loser.

I'm salivating at the possibility that I will be here this weekend: Blitz Your Bod It is exactly 10 times the price of what I would pay for my Korean Sunday Sauna but that just means that I can only go 1/10 of the time. Better than nothing. And this time of year, I can't wait!

It has now been over a year since we got back. We left London on January 17, 2008 and arrived the same day back to a world unknown - Canada. We had no idea - nor did we speculate - what was in store for us when we got home. What we knew for sure was that we needed rest, calm, stability, quiet, same old same old for a good period of reflection. We didn't need adventure or escape or incomprehensible challenges. We knew we needed to be able to sleep in a bed for more than 3 nights, to not have food dictate our daily itinerary, to not have to wonder whether we would be understood. Home gave that to us. We were surrounded by wonderful friends and supportive families that were willing to help us in any way they could reintegrate back into this world that seemed very far from home. I think I've always called it home. This year has taught me that it is, in fact, home and that even though lots of places around the world felt like home, this is the one place that really defined that word...

My interest in education and nurturing the next generation probably started years ago when I was a Girl Guide leader. Part of me thought back then that I just liked to be bossy. There was one moment, during a weekend camping trip, where I saw the light in a girl's eyes and I knew that this was a feeling that I wanted to witness again. She was a small little blond girl, 9 years old and while very out going and precarious, she was terrified of fire. All the girls had to try and light the stoves by lighting matches at least once as part of the tasks to compelete their 'Overnight Camp Trip'. And this girl was petrified. So, I helped a little. I showed her how to do it. We practiced with wood and then got ready for the real thing. I could see the fear in her eyes and yet there was a determination. She was GOING to do it, even if she was completely convinced that she wouldn't. And then she did. On the first match try. And the look on her face was one of beaming accomplishment...

I have quite a few things that I want to write about here but after a weekend cooped up with the WORST COLD OF THE CENTURY (and after living through yellow dust in Korea, THAT' saying something) I am still just trying to focus on lifting my glass of orange juice to my mouth with out sneezing, coughing or falling asleep. But there was something I just read that I wanted to share. Because I like it. And I sometimes know how lucky I am that travelling and living around the world and having someone like D has allowed me to put things in perspective that other people struggle with, that I used to struggle with and that I am now quite happy is not one of my struggling points (although I have many other, one of which is rambling on when I SPECIFICALLY SAID I did not have the energy to do so.) Here is it

My sister C reminded me today of a time that seems almost light years away as I sit look out a window of the PILES of snow and the MINUS of degrees in weather. This is a shot of me finishing my 2nd 10km this October. I kinda like how I'm in mid air. And thats a look of joy and satisfaction and MAN DO I KICK ASS on my face. So, I'm physically AND mentally, flying. And that fuzzy person? Taking the picture in the left hand side of the screen? Well, that's my biggest cheerleader, D. I decided to take on a long distance running challenge thanks to friends of our L&J. L had done loads of long distance when we were younger, so she pretty much breezed through the 10km that got me addicted to running. She set up a running schedule for us, I think it was 10 weeks in advance, and by sticking to it, I surprised myself. I remember the first couple of days, struggling to complete 3.5 km, wondering how it was I thought I was ever going to go 3 times that amount without my lungs givin...

You may have noticed my blog has been less about travelling and dreaming and more about stuff, or how to reacquaint yourself with stuff after you've spent 6 years avoiding stuff. I managed to find something today, however, that would MERGE both the travelling AND the gadget-stuff type life. See it, Post it, Love it, Make Out With it After spending hours of potential sight seeing time and millions of pennies at various Internet cafes uploading photographs, I can say that THIS is perhaps the best $500 value you'll find. Standing in from of the Eiffel Tower with the most beautiful sunset? Don't want to leave it but have the EXTREME URGE to share the love? Take the picture. Upload to your site. (note: okay, sorry, you'll need to find a wireless hotspot to do so but hey, you get my drift) I realise phones do this but phones do not have the pretty-ness of this beauty NOR do they all have that wonderful touch capacity that Aston Krucher was showing us before Christmas. This pe...

http://deartoronto.com/2009/01/05/33-seen-reading/ I started following this woman and her blog awhile ago and have really been inspired by her creativity and innovation. Watching this story makes me miss books. It also makes me miss being around people who work in the book industry. There was a lot of drama and always a lot of anxiety about the future but this type of story reminds me that there is hope. People do read. And at the end of the day, if your stress is related to getting them to do so, well, that's a stress I can get on board with.

I'm currently at my desk, F5-ing my web browser screen on this website just to get the MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION from the MacWorld Keynote 2009 speech. It's in these moments that it makes me want to run out, buy a Mac and start preaching the good word around to techy's alike. Its only natural to live up to my coke-bottle-glasses image, isn't it?

2009 is here. Does anyone remember Y2K? God, that seems like, years ago. Well, 9 years ago to be exact. I have lots of way in which I am going to alter my perception this year. I will not call them New Year's Resolutions because really, that is just setting myself up for disaster. But I am going to look at this year with new eyes. And hope that with each day, I will keep the awe-ness that I so cherish in daily discovery and observation. I'm going to slow down. Say no. Prioritize. Stop and smell the roses type thing. I'm going to not let the snow get me down and leave my house anyway. I'm going to try to relish in my distractions and not rue them. I'm going to remember that endorphins are my friends and 10 times up and down my steps can do the trick if it's -20 outside. Wishing you all new hope and adventure.