Coulda Woulda Shoulda

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.