Wednesday, January 29, 2014
simply obsessed- must learn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHHkw1QIzwA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Friday, January 24, 2014
Let Me Introduce You To....
Andy McKee...
I first heard one of his songs played by a friend. Drifting. I instantly could not forget it.
This guy is a musical genius.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG0Prs_EqLE&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Monday, January 13, 2014
Butter Castles and Giant Overgrown Buns
I had the pleasure of eating here yesterday. My new friend Clarke suggested it (great idea BTW!)
I had heard of it before but just never got around to actually going. It has been featured on the Food Network and the Lonely Planet Website- again- never saw either so I was getting the full frontal experience.
This fabulous find is situated just off of 109th after you cross the high level bridge (hence the name;). It boasts the best cinnamon buns and brunch. Parking is tight but it's to be expected when you consider where the place is situated. And, its busy! Really busy! There was a line up to the door when I showed up (it was a Sunday but I was informed that its always like this). It's not overly big but quaint. There is local art on the walls that you can purchase. The overall feel is- well- my grandma would have taken me to this place (she totally would love it here).
Well- I cannot say I indulged in a cinnamon bun(although I should have considering I have not stopped thinking of it since yesterday) but man- their omelettes- to die for!
I was especially impressed because not only did they make me a egg white but they also have a Glutten free Menu (for those dieters who have jumped on that particular bandwagon) AND they also serve breakfast ALL DAY LONG! What sent me over the top is the fact that they make their best efforts to purchase locally grown and manufactured products for their restaurant which supports other mom and pop businesses in the area.
Anyhow- I must make a note- the staff was kick ass- never once did my coffee get below the 1/2 way point (not that it would have made a difference because I really don't mind my coffee room temp) and they were super friendly (I got a smile and giggle when I asked for 5 more butter packages to build my castle).
I have to say- my next visit- I will definitely be indulging in a C-Bun. Only thing- It will have to be shared. ;)
Nom, Nom, Nom....
There Is Pleasure In The Pathless Woods
There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more,
From these our interviews, in which I steal
From all I may be, or have been before,
To mingle with the Universe, and feel
What I can ne'er express, yet cannot all conceal.
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more,
From these our interviews, in which I steal
From all I may be, or have been before,
To mingle with the Universe, and feel
What I can ne'er express, yet cannot all conceal.
Thursday, January 09, 2014
No Meaning- Just Sounds Beautiful
I was browsing my YouTube account and I came across this... it chilled me. Simply Beautiful.
Sugar is Evil
I was watching a documentary last night from the 5th estate- A CBC production. It was called "the secrets of sugar"....
http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/m/episodes/2013-2014/the-secrets-of-sugar
WOW- is all I can say. I am in process of purging (the impulsive side of me has kicked in and gone to the extreme). I am not really in shock about it. I looked at my salad dressing. Trashed. I looked at my salad- 3 g of sugar per serving... wtf... its salad.. I looked at the back.... ahhhh... the cabbage- gotcha. That can stay. It's truly amazing how sugar is added to EVERYTHING. I mean... Everything. It actually disgusts me- they compared the average amount of sugar you ingest in an entire year. Go have a peak- see how fast you start to think of flushing all refined and processed sugar out of your diet. The addictive qualities in sugar are apparent- hence why we always crave that chocolate bar or ice cream...
Go forth and watch. Be informed and then trash that ice cream bucket and replace with a carrot. Or something.
http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/m/episodes/2013-2014/the-secrets-of-sugar
WOW- is all I can say. I am in process of purging (the impulsive side of me has kicked in and gone to the extreme). I am not really in shock about it. I looked at my salad dressing. Trashed. I looked at my salad- 3 g of sugar per serving... wtf... its salad.. I looked at the back.... ahhhh... the cabbage- gotcha. That can stay. It's truly amazing how sugar is added to EVERYTHING. I mean... Everything. It actually disgusts me- they compared the average amount of sugar you ingest in an entire year. Go have a peak- see how fast you start to think of flushing all refined and processed sugar out of your diet. The addictive qualities in sugar are apparent- hence why we always crave that chocolate bar or ice cream...
Go forth and watch. Be informed and then trash that ice cream bucket and replace with a carrot. Or something.
Bliss Point
We all have one- the opportune position in life where everything has aligned and life is .... Grand.
I believe we all have this certain groove we can get into that creates this internal Bliss Point. A balance and happiness within where we feel... complete. But- what contributes to this bliss point?
1. Your Home. It's just that- a Home. This includes your spouse, maybe kids (or a dog, or ... your computer?), The place where you can retreat, be quiet and be in solitude if need be. A place to rest. Relax. A place to enjoy the family. Or simply enjoy the silence depending on what you find appealing.
2. Your Career. You are no longer working that 7 till 7 position at the local grocery store. You have a real job. You can afford a house. A car. Insurance. AND food!!! You actually LIKE your job. No, You LOVE it. You don't dread walking into work everyday. You ACTUALLY look forward to perhaps an evening out with your colleagues.
3.You're social network. I am making reference to Oldenburgs "third place" or "rendezvous". It's the place to go to unwind (when home just doesn't do it) or that place you look forward to after a hard days work. Your friends are often here. You crave this place- its a place to kick back and relax. A place to see your friends, discuss the hockey game (or WHY on earth Amber Riley won dancing with the stars is far beyond my comprehension- clearly Jack was the better selection!).
Regardless- this social network is often what we lack. The missing fulcrum to our teeter totter. When we don't have this place- we find ourselves engrossed in a tangled web of work and home and no "out" to just be "you"- Not mom or dad. Or Boss. Or the coveted employee you became. Or the lonely person rearranging the closet for the 13th time in 2 days... (not that I ever did that.... (insert shifty eyes here)). Just. Fabulous. You.
Of course-there are more things that contribute to that bliss point-
Self worth?
Emotional stability (no, that doesn't count if you are seeing your therapist 5 times a week and taking 3 different sedatives to calm your nerves and put a mute on those other 4 personalities you have been trying to shut up for the past decade).
Security
Etc. Etc.
In the end- its about what makes you feel balanced... Perhaps something worth noting.
I believe we all have this certain groove we can get into that creates this internal Bliss Point. A balance and happiness within where we feel... complete. But- what contributes to this bliss point?
1. Your Home. It's just that- a Home. This includes your spouse, maybe kids (or a dog, or ... your computer?), The place where you can retreat, be quiet and be in solitude if need be. A place to rest. Relax. A place to enjoy the family. Or simply enjoy the silence depending on what you find appealing.
2. Your Career. You are no longer working that 7 till 7 position at the local grocery store. You have a real job. You can afford a house. A car. Insurance. AND food!!! You actually LIKE your job. No, You LOVE it. You don't dread walking into work everyday. You ACTUALLY look forward to perhaps an evening out with your colleagues.
3.You're social network. I am making reference to Oldenburgs "third place" or "rendezvous". It's the place to go to unwind (when home just doesn't do it) or that place you look forward to after a hard days work. Your friends are often here. You crave this place- its a place to kick back and relax. A place to see your friends, discuss the hockey game (or WHY on earth Amber Riley won dancing with the stars is far beyond my comprehension- clearly Jack was the better selection!).
Regardless- this social network is often what we lack. The missing fulcrum to our teeter totter. When we don't have this place- we find ourselves engrossed in a tangled web of work and home and no "out" to just be "you"- Not mom or dad. Or Boss. Or the coveted employee you became. Or the lonely person rearranging the closet for the 13th time in 2 days... (not that I ever did that.... (insert shifty eyes here)). Just. Fabulous. You.
Of course-there are more things that contribute to that bliss point-
Self worth?
Emotional stability (no, that doesn't count if you are seeing your therapist 5 times a week and taking 3 different sedatives to calm your nerves and put a mute on those other 4 personalities you have been trying to shut up for the past decade).
Security
Etc. Etc.
In the end- its about what makes you feel balanced... Perhaps something worth noting.
Do I Need To Explain?
For so long- I placed myself in an Ikea Cart when it comes to my dating life. I watched as men wheeled their carts down my aisle and ever so carelessly I jumped in their buggies just to realize perhaps I didn't belong or didn't fit quite right. Or I would hop aboard and then realize the driver didn't know where the hey he was going. If you've been to Ikea (who hasn't?) you know what I'm talking about- wheels going in all 4 directions. Not knowing which way to turn. You can't control it- it wants to go left when your wanting to go right. It has a turning radius of a 12 ton truck- making the shopping process long and painful and often causing crashes into other carts or objects. You have to pull the damn thing to get it to follow. OR better yet- you'll luck out and pick that special cart that will be missing a working wheel or two making it impossible to steer. It requires patience and often the trip to the damn store takes 3 times longer than anyone has patience for on a weekend when everyone else is there...
While I'm at it- Why not bust out the Product Selection- Yet Another Comparison
Some of the products are pretty damn cool. But wait. Get it home and next thing you know you're in Swedish Hell drinking a bottle of Zen Zen by yourself cursing at an assembly manual that's in some language none of your friends speak-its missing 3/4 of the pieces required to put the damn thing together and you're debating on picking up a drill and some screws to solve the problem (DO NOT TRY DOING THIS- ITS NOT A SOLUTION). You then have to go back to the damn store and go through the above process all over again. Fast forward 6-12 months later- you're back yet again shopping for a replacement to the item you bought because it's either broken or you are realizing that its not functioning in a way it was promised.
Sigh
Now Tiffany's- automatically my heart comes back to its resting 53 beats per minute. You shop there because you never have any intention on returning the product. You know the product is well made. You give it a lot of thought prior to purchasing. There is no assembly required so drinking the bottle of Zen Zen is because you are celebrating your purchase- not agonizing over it. You know you are getting quality and you know what you purchase will be nothing short of spectacular. Usually- it's the product that picks you- not the other way around.
The Best Part---- You Don't need a cart to shop at Tiffany's.
...THIS....
.......NOT THIS........
Wednesday, January 01, 2014
2014- The Bucket List
....revised. ... again...
1. Quadruple Syked Photography regarding production and amount of photos on site- Get Noticed- Grow the Business. Be recognized in the photo world.
2. Gymnastics- Gym Ops. Gym Momentum Canada. MAKE IT HAPPEN.
3. Waterton- trek Crypt lake and Red Rock canyon....***revised**** hot spring
4. GM Camp- Bring a team- increase enrollment and make a change in some inter city kids lives
5. Sell my condo and relocate.
7. Shoot with Grace Chiu again
8. Buy a new lens- fisheye. And maybe just maybe a camera bag. SIGH
9. Road trip to the coast (doesn't matter which one)
10. An Iceland fishing trip!
11. Fall in love
12. Paint more!
13. Do another cover on guitar and piano. Not simultaneously though
14. Attend 1 hockey game, one opera and one concert
15. Touch the ocean- again
16. Teach the kids to ski.
17. Spend some quality time with the big G-Ma.
18. Remember to let those close to me know how much I love and appreciate them more often
19. DANCE LESSONS!!!!
20. Watch a live football game
21. To jump off a bridge into the sea ...:)
22. Create an art piece for the home that doesn't resemble something my 6 year olds made
23. Pull an all nighter and feel good the next day (ie. Spectate and observe)
24. Give up banana chips
25. Make waves in IG.
26. Design something that doesnt cause concern.
27. Become the main supplier for a equipment company in Iceland.
28. See europe. If only just a little bit.
29. Cycle 20 km in under 25 min
30. Iceland trek
2. Gymnastics- Gym Ops. Gym Momentum Canada. MAKE IT HAPPEN.
3. Waterton- trek Crypt lake and Red Rock canyon....***revised**** hot spring
4. GM Camp- Bring a team- increase enrollment and make a change in some inter city kids lives
5. Sell my condo and relocate.
7. Shoot with Grace Chiu again
8. Buy a new lens- fisheye. And maybe just maybe a camera bag. SIGH
9. Road trip to the coast (doesn't matter which one)
10. An Iceland fishing trip!
11. Fall in love
12. Paint more!
13. Do another cover on guitar and piano. Not simultaneously though
14. Attend 1 hockey game, one opera and one concert
15. Touch the ocean- again
16. Teach the kids to ski.
17. Spend some quality time with the big G-Ma.
18. Remember to let those close to me know how much I love and appreciate them more often
19. DANCE LESSONS!!!!
20. Watch a live football game
21. To jump off a bridge into the sea ...:)
22. Create an art piece for the home that doesn't resemble something my 6 year olds made
23. Pull an all nighter and feel good the next day (ie. Spectate and observe)
24. Give up banana chips
25. Make waves in IG.
26. Design something that doesnt cause concern.
27. Become the main supplier for a equipment company in Iceland.
28. See europe. If only just a little bit.
29. Cycle 20 km in under 25 min
30. Iceland trek
Because I Value So Much in This
My best friend posted this article in his blog- I had to repost because it speaks so true to my frame of mind right now..
You can either click on the link of read it below.
http://vacilandoblog.wordpress.com/
You can either click on the link of read it below.
http://vacilandoblog.wordpress.com/
New Years Thoughts 1.
‘Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”— Henry David Thoreau
Each New Year we resolve to improve ourselves. We reflect on what went well during the past year and what we could have done better.
Many people resolve to improve their health by losing weight, exercising more, and eating healthier.
Others think about how they might improve relations with the people in their lives. To recognize past faults. Perhaps they’ll vow to be a little more patient, listen more and speak less, take the time to understand another’s viewpoint rather than rushing to judgment. Some will push themselves to perform better at their job, on the playing field or in the arts, so that their truest and best self shines through.
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken,” Oscar Wilde wrote.
If you are pushing to be your best self, life will not be easy. You can’t get any better simply by doing what you always have done, living comfortably and safe. You’ve got to take chances and when you take chances inevitably you fall down. Progress happens when you stand up, brush yourself off and try again.
“Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure … than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat,” President Theodore Roosevelt said.
This is a good time to take an honest look in the mirror and ask whether you are living the life you have chosen for yourself or simply being swept along on a sea of other people’s needs and expectations and the crisis of the day.
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment,” Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote.
In the coming year, I want to encourage you to embrace the struggle, to fight to be your best self.
“Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself,” William Faulkner wrote.
Believe in yourself. Because I believe in you.
“Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I shall have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it, even if I may not have it at the beginning,” Mohandas Gandhi wrote.
We only have so many new years in our lives, only so many opportunities to start fresh. Make this your year. As I have said before- DREAMS HAVE EXPIRATION DATES.
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough,” Mae West said.
As we seek to improve ourselves, let us also strive to lift up those around us. Let’s remember the simplest and best advice ever given to create a happy and successful life: “Treat others as you wish to be treated.”
Please have a truly happy and fulfilling 2014.
Happy New Year.
Peace to All
Each New Year we resolve to improve ourselves. We reflect on what went well during the past year and what we could have done better.
Many people resolve to improve their health by losing weight, exercising more, and eating healthier.
Others think about how they might improve relations with the people in their lives. To recognize past faults. Perhaps they’ll vow to be a little more patient, listen more and speak less, take the time to understand another’s viewpoint rather than rushing to judgment. Some will push themselves to perform better at their job, on the playing field or in the arts, so that their truest and best self shines through.
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken,” Oscar Wilde wrote.
If you are pushing to be your best self, life will not be easy. You can’t get any better simply by doing what you always have done, living comfortably and safe. You’ve got to take chances and when you take chances inevitably you fall down. Progress happens when you stand up, brush yourself off and try again.
“Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure … than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat,” President Theodore Roosevelt said.
This is a good time to take an honest look in the mirror and ask whether you are living the life you have chosen for yourself or simply being swept along on a sea of other people’s needs and expectations and the crisis of the day.
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment,” Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote.
In the coming year, I want to encourage you to embrace the struggle, to fight to be your best self.
“Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself,” William Faulkner wrote.
Believe in yourself. Because I believe in you.
“Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I shall have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it, even if I may not have it at the beginning,” Mohandas Gandhi wrote.
We only have so many new years in our lives, only so many opportunities to start fresh. Make this your year. As I have said before- DREAMS HAVE EXPIRATION DATES.
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough,” Mae West said.
As we seek to improve ourselves, let us also strive to lift up those around us. Let’s remember the simplest and best advice ever given to create a happy and successful life: “Treat others as you wish to be treated.”
Please have a truly happy and fulfilling 2014.
Happy New Year.
Peace to All
Say it aint so?!
...Pertaining to my goals for this year...
....tis true... should probably take that and roll with it...
...in time...
... my new take on things...
... for you My BFF- Cannot wait till the end of the month!...
.... To everyone .... cause we always need to remember this small detail....
Wake up- It's a New Year!!!
I woke up into next year. This time around it was a solo party at Rebecca's house. I have to say- I started reading my new book and narcolepsy took over and I was out by the SECOND PARAGRAPH. I'm thinking I was tired- or too warm (my E-blanket was on full force). Anyhow, Im sitting in my living room on my couch contemplating on what to do today and wishing my tassimo machine was next to me as I'm incredibly lazy right now.
I will for sure hit Remedy and say hello to my fantastic peeps over there (maybe bring them cookies?). I need to get groceries. I ran out of lettuce. Hit the gym- that's a must.
Today- its the first of January- and also the last first day of 2014. I shall enjoy it. As with any other day. :)
Happy New Years My Friends!
I will for sure hit Remedy and say hello to my fantastic peeps over there (maybe bring them cookies?). I need to get groceries. I ran out of lettuce. Hit the gym- that's a must.
Today- its the first of January- and also the last first day of 2014. I shall enjoy it. As with any other day. :)
Happy New Years My Friends!
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