Something that made me smile

December musings

I am thinking about wrapping up my blog at the end of 2009. I want to focus on other things come the new decade. The decision is not made yet but the more I think about it, the more it feels like it is time. But before I am completely gone, there will be one or two more posts.

Here are a couple things that came across my path this week:

Obama's peace speech...here is a part that moved me:

So let us reach for the world that ought to be — that spark of the divine that still stirs within each of our souls. Somewhere today, in the here and now, a soldier sees he's outgunned but stands firm to keep the peace. Somewhere today, in this world, a young protestor awaits the brutality of her government, but has the courage to march on. Somewhere today, a mother facing punishing poverty still takes the time to teach her child, who believes that a cruel world still has a place for his dreams.

Let us live by their example. We can acknowledge that oppression will always be with us, and still strive for justice. We can admit the intractability of deprivation, and still strive for dignity. We can understand that there will be war, and still strive for peace. We can do that — for that is the story of human progress; that is the hope of all the world; and at this moment of challenge, that must be our work here on Earth.

Teux Deux

A new to-do software I am checking out. As a lover of lists, I hope it helps me hold on to everything I need or want to do. It currently does not have an igoogle app or iphone app...they are working on it. Will just test it out during the next couple weeks to see if it is worthy of my lists :-). Speaking of tracking things, I am looking for an online budget tool that is easy to do. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know.

I have started to think about next year's theme and long-term life objectives especially as this decade winds to an end. I am enjoying the Art of Non-Conformity's perspective on year-end reviews and planning. If you haven't checked out this website, please do...it has some pretty insightful and achievable ideas on how to live life fully. As much as I love my life, I know that I am not necessarily living as intentionally and fully as I could be. In 2010, there will be some changes...they will be difficult but necessary. I am an instant-gratification type person and I need to think more long-term about my life and humanity as a whole.

I will sign off with a quote from Dolly Parton...

You'll never do a whole lot unless you're brave enough to try.

Up-up-upholstery

Look what happens when life is so busy...I have so many blog postings/ideas and no time to post. So today, I am uploading all my drafts because I don't know when I will have another chance.

I thought I would share my adventures in recovering furniture. I have never upholstered or recovered anything before in my life until this week. My grandmother's old dining set was graciously bestowed to me. However, it has been well loved over the years and needs some work. I decided I was not going to re-finish the wood this year but I definitely needed to change the fabric on the chairs - it is dreadful.

I have done 1 chair - 5 more to go. Take a look!

The state of the chair seats when they arrived


In process removing the old...the yellow had disintegrated into a fine dust.


A first look at the possibility



The final product (almost - I still need to screw the seat on)
Not bad!

Advent

The Christmas season is nearing. Advent has started. A sense of Christmas is starting to spread through my soul. Last week, I attended "A Christmas Carol" at Theatre Calgary (the poem I posted last week was from the play). On Friday, there will be a little Hallelujah Chorus happening as I head to hear Handel's Messiah. I am taking a friend who has never heard it live. I love taking people to their first performance of this amazing music. My mom did that for me years ago and it is one of my favorite Christmas memories. I even remember what I wore for the concert - I think my mom bought me a new dressy outfit for the occasion.

Tonight, while listening to Elvis Christmas and Boney M, I finished decorating my home with Christmas baubles. However, I have yet to spend any real time contemplating the Advent of Christmas. But I have about 7 or 8 days off before the holidays so I hope to take some moments to truly anticipate the celebration. I am not sure if I blogged about this last year but the Advent Conspiracy is a great movement to re-new the true Christmas meaning. I hope to share with you what I am learning this holiday season.


This year, for my annual Christmas brunch, I decided to do a "party with a purpose" and will be asking for a donation to the YWCA of Calgary and their work with women and children in need. A fabulous organization in our city. If you are looking to give back this season, I humbly suggest this charity. Or for my family, if you are wondering what to get me for Christmas, a donation to the YWCA would make my day.

Ring Out Wild Bells

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,

The flying cloud, the frosty light;

The year is dying in the night;

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,

For those that here we see no more,

Ring out the feud of rich and poor,

Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,

And ancient forms of party strife;

Ring in the nobler modes of life,

With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,

The faithless coldness of the times;

Ring out, ring out thy mournful rhymes,

But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,

The civic slander and the spite;

Ring in the love of truth and right,

Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,

Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;

Ring out the thousand wars of old,

Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,

The larger heart, the kindlier hand;

Ring out the darkness of the land,

Ring in the Christ that is to be.

-Lord Alfred Tennyson

Benefit of the Doubt

I read a line recently that essentially said "...if you trust someone, you will give them the benefit of the doubt. But if you don't trust people, you will immediately think the worst."

You know those times in life that Oprah calls an "aha" moment - this was one of those moments. I realized my lack of trust towards a good friend and that there just may be another side to a situation. In fact, with this particular friend, I had created a whole story to support my theory about how they were out to hurt me. I used justifications, examples...you know, hard evidence showing how I was so hard done by. After reading that line about trust, I realized I never did fully trust them (well, for that matter, anyone). At that moment, a wise voice from within led me to call this friend and hear the story. As it turned out, the reasons for their actions and the reality of the situation were nowhere near my theory. In fact, their actions really had nothing to do with me. Not only an "aha" but a humbling moment.

Life Lesson #4543* - trusting people allows them the space to share their story. Their actions still may not be right or appropriate but perhaps understanding why they did it will save a friendship.

* random number because I feel like I am always learning something about life

Forgiveness= strength

A photo from the U2 concert

Gandhi said the weak can never forgive; forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. The idea of forgiveness seems to go against our very nature as humans. It feels as though we are surrendering power to another. For me, there is a struggle between knowing that forgiveness actually frees me versus wanting someone to pay for the hurt I feel. And then I think about how much I am forgiven and one would think that would be enough to convince me to freely forgive but the struggle continues. I was recently in Vancouver for the U2 concert. It was an amazing concert with numerous highlights but one in particular was when Bono started singing Amazing Grace and then all 55,000 people in the stadium sang with him. If only those words were always lived out in my life. Why is extending grace to others so difficult despite the immensity of grace bestowed on us? Here is a clip from the concert (I apologize for the quality of sound and image).

long time gone

During the past month, I haven't been able to afford the luxury of writing on my blog. Mostly my busyness is around work events, wrapping up year-end and getting prepared for the Olympic torch relay (we are sponsors). This work thing sometimes can get in the way of my real life but it does provide some exciting opportunities. Below are some high-lights and low-lights that I may blog about in greater detail at a later date. FYI - there are no photos because that is another luxury time did not afford me.

Film Premiere - What Are We Doing Here? - interesting film on aid to Africa asking the question - is it really helping? I left the film with more questions than answers but that was the point of the film.

Trip to Yellowknife - What a beautiful city in the fall. I gave away a $40,000 grant to an after-school program, announced a torch bearer team and attended the Champions for Children Gala. Hung out with Donovan Bailey, Adam Kreek, Ben Rutledge and Fiona Smith-Ball - you know, the usual life stuff. Also had the Yellowknife cultural experience at the Gold Range bar.

Girls Night Out - Bollywood Style - a fundraiser for "Room to Read". Best event I have attended in years. I go to many events each year with my job and this one surprised, thrilled and energized me in ways I did not expect. I can't wait until next year.

Trip to Lethbridge - yummy thanksgiving food and lovely family time. Just love those people in the 'bridge. They pour love into my life and my cup overflows.

Mars Hill Bible Church podcast on "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." - Can't get enough of this sermon. I have listened to it four times now and am filled with gratitude that God is with me in my ache for all that is not right in the world and in myself. God is not waiting for me to get it all together and be holy before blessing me. God is blessing me in my questions, my doubts, my yearning for the redemption of this broken world. Download the podcast on itunes and listen.

Obama's peace prize - all I have to say is that peace is not an achievement but a way of living and on-going understanding and love of those who appear to disagree with us.

"One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal we seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal. We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means."

Trip #1 to Edmonton (& Edson) - work related - v. little excitement besides the advent of winter driving on terrible icy roads.

Trip #2 to Edmonton - a day after returning from Edmonton trip #1, I turned around and drove back up for a funeral. A dear friend's father passed away. It is hard to wrap your mind around the fact that I am in the life phase where we begin to say goodbye to the generation before us.

Leadership Calgary - am fully into the program now and am devouring the reading requirements as we begin to think about our thinking [aka "existential outward bound"] Recently finished "Deep Survival" and am currently reading "Mistakes Were Made (but not by me)". I am really enjoying getting to know the people in the course - they want to change the world. Great conversations!

As you can see, I am still alive but ready for a break. I am looking forward to a few days off next week when I head to BC to see my boyfriend Bono, my sister Wendy, my parents and some good friends. However, before I leave on my short break, I am volunteering for the Arab Film Fest and attending a grant making conference. So, just a quick glimpse into my life these days...I hope to blog more often but we shall see.

Peace.

Stand By Me

With the International Day of Peace on Sept 21 approaching, I hope you enjoy this hopeful music. Peace to you today.

One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal we seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal. We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means. - Martin Luther King Jr.

You can't shake hands with a clenched fist. - Indira Gandhi

just a quote today

"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing & rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there." -Rumi

I am loving this quote these days. It reminds me to choose grace.

bliss moments

My Monday morning started out rather typical for a Monday. I spilled my coffee down the front of my shirt as I walked into the office. It did not bode well for the day but then I walked towards my desk and behold, what did I see...a copy of Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" cookbook. And to boot, it was a used copy. My colleague knew I was looking for a copy and she had one lying around she didn't want. It made my day. Who knew a cookbook could make a day right? She inscribed it "Bon Apetit Sara."

The spine of my new treasure - so exciting

On another note, I bought my first ever piece of art. My friend Kristin does some really beautiful art and yesterday, she held an art show. I attended and purchased. I feel like a grown-up now. I think this is also on my 101 things to do list. Now, I just need to get it framed properly.

The color didn't really come out well in the photo but the message is clear

And on the topic of beautiful and wonderful things, I picked up a bushel (or so) of colorful tomatoes. I will be making another batch of the Mothership Tomato Salad. I can't wait to eat it. I am also going to try making homemade crostini to eat with the salad. I am inspired by the movie, Julie & Julia. In the film, Amy Adams character, Julie, makes these crostini-like things in her frying pan. My mouth watered. By the way, if you have not seen the movie, go now and see it. Meryl Streep is amazing once again.

And they even taste like tomatoes...

Lisa Hannigan - I Don't Know - video

I love this song and video. Enjoy!

idea books

I am a collector of many things but I think my favorite thing to collect is ideas. When I was in grade 7, I began collecting ideas in books. Partly inspired by my older sister and partly inspired by the world, these books took a life of their own. The ideas arrive in my life in the form of notes, pictures, magazines, quotes, ticket stubs and so many other things. I am not sure how many books I have but it always gives me a slight thrill to complete an idea book. And tonight, another idea book is complete.

The completed book

A sneak peak inside

Now, the difficult decision of choosing the new idea book. Many things need to be considered before a book is chosen for the prestigious role of Sara's idea book. I am leaning towards the green one. I like the color. It makes me smile.

Desiderata

A friend revealed this poem to me recently. I thought I would share it with you.

Desiderate

by Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

moonshot

Today marks 40 years since a human walked on the moon. This was a rather incredible feat if you ask me. A few years prior to the landing, JFK announced that America will put a man on the moon. That was a rather incredible statement considering the state of the US Space Program.

Although I don't always agree with the billions of dollars spent on space exploration while people on earth are starving to death, there is a sense of awe when you realize how vast the universe is and how small we are in it.

People now refer to statements like JFK's as a moonshot statement. An incredible idea with the will to accomplish it. It got me thinking - what is my moonshot statement? What could I achieve if I had the idea and the will to do it?

Perhaps it is in just taking a small step towards the idea...

Be Surprised

"All of us have had the experience of a sudden joy that came when nothing in the world had forewarned us of its coming - a joy so thrilling that if it was born of misery we remembered even the misery with tenderness."

“Life always bursts the boundaries of formulas”

I recently found these great quotes on surprise by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, the author of "The Little Prince" [SIDENOTE: I must re-read that book soon so I don't become too much like an adult]. The quotes below made me re-look at my year theme of "Be Surprised". The whole thing about being surprised is it requires an unusual openness to life and a resistance to organizing every detail in life. This creates a good deal of protest from the planner within. I like to be in control and prepare for the next event, step or person in my life. But as I am discovering this year, sometimes the decision to not plan brings unexpected joys, surprises and blessings. Here is just one small example - I decided to "boycott" the Calgary Stampede and not attend any work or personal parties or events (much to the chagrin of friends and colleagues). I think I was the only one in Calgary not doing anything Stampede-ish thus leaving my calendar wide-open for 10 days. Then out of the blue, I get a call from an old friend who happened to be in town for the week and I was free to hang out a few times and catch up - a luxury my normally busy life would not have afforded. Surprise!

This example is just one of many small decisions I made this year which initially appeared to have little consequence in the big scheme of things. But in fact, those minor choices were part of a larger surprise or purpose in my life. There have been so many blessings in the past 6 months that I am often in awe that I still want to be in control. The thrill of a surprise should be enough to let go of the control...

This whole experiment about preparing to be surprised reminds me of the Woody Allen quote “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans". I started thinking about God and surprises. Throughout the bible, God takes people’s plans for their lives and blows them to smithereens. In fact, I have a sneaky suspicion that God revels in surprising people with situations that seem so far from anything they could imagine:

Surprise, Adam - meet Eve

Surprise, Noah - it’s gonna rain, you better build a boat

Surprise, David - so you’re gonna to be king

Surprise, Jonah - yes, in fact, you are in the belly of a fish

Surprise, Mary - you are pregnant

Surprise, Martha - your brother is alive

Surprise, Paul - you are blind

Surprise, Peter - you are going to lead my church

Surprise, World - He is risen indeed.

Just think of the surprises awaiting in our lives...

prayer beads

Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays. ~Søren Kierkegaard

Prayer is when you talk to God; meditation is when you listen to God. ~Author Unknown

During my recent trip, I became fascinated by prayer beads. I kept my eyes open for some beads I liked as I travelled but I never found any I loved in my price range. I did find these lovely silver ones but I couldn't justify the price.

When I returned home, I began to look into the use of prayer beads. Many faiths (Muslim, Buddhists, Bahai, Sikh, Catholic, Anglican, Hindu and Orthodox Christians) use beads during prayer. Each beads represents a request or praise to God. Whether in meditation or repetition, the beads focus the person praying on the task at hand. Perhaps that is why the beads fascinate me. During times I dedicate to prayer, my mind wanders to a thousand other things so to have a tool to focus prayer appealed to me.

The beads are made from pretty much any type of material and the number of beads vary anywhere between 19 and 108. A couple weeks ago, I found some beads I loved. I decided on 33 beads - 30 around the inner circle and 3 hanging down from the loop. 33 beads are used for Muslim, Orthodox and Anglican prayer beads. 33 is also the age of Christ at his death.

Whether it is listening or speaking to God, people of many faiths earnestly seek God. And that gives me hope.

I stumbled across this "reverse" prayer on the weekend. It made me smile.

Good morning, this is God. I will be taking care of all your problems today. I will not need your help so have a good time. I love you.

To that I say amen.

Glorious & Free

Happy Canada Day! It truly is great to live in Canada...so many freedoms. Yesterday I celebrated with about 300 new Canadians who recently moved to Canada from 124 different countries. It was their first Canada Day celebration! I looked around and saw the world right in front of me here in Canada; it made me so proud to be Canadian.

Also, if you haven't seen the movie One Week with Joshua Jackson and you are Canadian, you need to see it. It truly is a love letter to Canada. If you haven't been fully appreciating the beauty of this country, you will fall in love with it again after watching the movie.

Another thing I love about Canada is the summer. Because our winters feel so cold and long, I appreciate summer all the more by spending as much time in the sunshine as possible, visiting farmers markets and loading up on fresh veggies and fruit, attending festivals, sitting on patios drinking wobbly pops and devouring quintessential summer foods. Here are some shots from the past week in celebration of summer:

A BBQ dinner - grilled veggies, steak, corn-on-the-cob and tomato/mozza salad

Some produce from the Calgary Farmers Market

Some tomatoes used to make Jamie Oliver's Mothership Tomato Salad

The Lakes and felds and becks and terns

Here in the Lake District, they have their own vocabulary for the nature around them. I have yet to put the definitions to all the words but I believe a beck is a brook and a tern is a small lake. I thought the felds were falls but I think they are actually hills but one cannot be sure.

This "walk" has been a tough slog. It is not a nice "Jane Austen" stroll in the park like Elizabeth Bennett took to Mr. Bingley's house. No, it is a mountain hike and scramble that we were not properly prepared for.

The first day from Ulverston to Coniston was sunny and hot. I was lazy and did not put adequate sunscreen on my body. Three days later, I am still suffering. It was also a long day - 14 to 16 miles (we are not quite sure) which equaled 9 hours of walking. It was a relief to arrive at our B&B.

A pastoral scene from the first day

The second day from Coniston to Great Langdale poured rain. We were drenched to our skin by the time we arrived at the B&B. When people say it rains in the Lake District, they mean it truly pours. We were trying to figure out why mom wanted to walk in the Lake District versus a stroll on a Caribbean beach to celebrate her retirement. This 12 mile day in the rain just about did us in.

The four of us in the rain

Great Langdale after the rain

The third day from Great Langdale to Stonethwaite was up a mountain and down the other side. Going down was so hard especially on mom. We persevered. The weather was cloudy and cool with the odd shower but manageable. The rains came just as we arrived at a charming B&B in Stonethwaite. The relief was indescribable.

The fourth day was a pleasant 8 mile walk from Stonethwaite to Keswick. With the cool, cloudy weather, it was the best day of the "walk". Keswick is a quaint town. We are taking a rest day today and exploring the town. This afternoon we are travelling by bus to Caldbech rather than walking 17.5 miles up and down various mountains.

I am looking forward to the end of the hike although time with the sisters and mom is great. It definitely is not the walk in the park I had assumed it would be. But you know what assumptions do...

Off to the lakes

I can't believe my time in London is almost over...but what can you expect when the stay is only 3 days long! After our busy day on Friday, mom & I headed to St. Pauls Cathedral on Saturday morning. It is v. beautiful for sure. It was a leisurely morning without too much activity. After admiring the cathedral, we headed to the Museum of Gardening to meet mom's friend for lunch. Actually, interesting story, this friend, Elsie, and my mom have been penpals for years and never met until yesterday. Kinda like a blind date without all the horrible expectations!!!!
After lunch, mom and I went our separate ways. She and Elsie went on their own adventures and I met up with my dear friend Lisa. It is good to spend time with old friends who know you so well. We meandered and wandered the southbank stopping at the Tate Modern for Pimms on the 7th floor bar. Lovely view of the Thames and the City.
After drinks, we met up with Lisa's friend Chris for a few hours which included entertaining conversations, loads of laughs, and consumption of much wine. The evening ended with great Indian curries, a visit to Lisa's flat and a tube ride home. A great day!
Since mom went with Elsie to her place for the night, I had the great luxury of a bed to myself. Lovely! In the morning, I met up with Lisa for brunch and a wander in Kensington before meeting mom in the afternoon to explore the National Gallery and to see Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace.
Must run and pack for the lake district. We train up north in the morning where we will meet up with my sisters - Wendy and Nicole.

London is like an old friend

We have been in London for over 24 hours now and I think my poor mom is a bit overwhelmed. With only 3 days here, it is difficult to get a taste of the city.

For our first day, we had some errands to do along with the sightseeing so here is the itinerary of our busy first day in London:
- Up early (thank you 2 hour time change)
- Coffee on way to tube station (thank you to the tube workers who finished their strike and went back to work this morning- much appreciated)
- Stop at Mailboxes Inc to see into shipping mom's many purchases back home.
- Stand in line for Oyster card (for the tube) because machine was broken
- Take tube to buy theatre tickets for tonight
- Walk to Sara's paradise - Paperchase - (stationary galore)
- Take tube to National Rail Station to purchase train tickets for Monday (cheaper if bought in advance apparently - no sign of that actually being the case)
- Take tube to Tower of London
- Eat lunch by the Thames (thank you cloudy but pleasant London weather)
- Spend hour following a Yeoman Warder around hearing tales of blood and gore
- Wander the rest of the Tower of London, see the crown jewels and read prisoner graffiti from centuries past
- Meander across Tower Bridge towards the South Bank and browse Borough Market
- Eat at fish! restaurant (yummy tuna burger and waiter)
- Take tube to theatre - we watched Carousel (mom's pick) I am still figuring out my take on the play. Definitely theatre for a generation or two before me.
- Take tube back to hotel where I plan to go to bed

I am exhausted...no wonder mom feels overwhelmed. At least I know the city well enough to get around...everything is new to mom.

PS - am using a public computer to blog so no pictures. The wireless access is ridiculously expensive so it is by principle I refuse.

Best Lines in Istanbul

The merchants of Istanbul are imaginative in their attempts to lure us into their stores. Here is a sampling of the best lines so far:

"Can I help you...spend your money?"

"Hello ladies, welcome to paradise."

"Hello Spice Girls"

"How can I change your world?"

"Can I hassle..er...I mean, help you?"

"Are you spicy girls?"

"Hello, I am here"

It usually brings out a smile from us. Today we spent our day in Taksim wandering down a shopping street - Istiklal Caddesi and then to the Grand Bazaar. I think my shopping limit has been reached.

More Istanbul Delights (or is it Turkish Delights)

Amy & me at the Blue Mosque our first day

While travelling, it is important to find a balance of touristy activities and relaxation activities. The great thing about Istanbul is you can find great cafes and roof top terraces which provide great opportunity to relax and spend hours with tea.

Here is a quick update of our last couple days:

Sunday - headed to a Turkish/International church so mom could experience it. It was a longer (than we are used to) service but interesting. Because there were a lot of  westerners it wasn't too unusual. After the service, we met up with Amy's friend Zeynab, walked through a protest, ferried back to the Europe side, visited the Spice Market (which required some shopping) and finished the day on a lovely roof terrace of a restaurant we stumbled across just a few streets from our hotel. As providence would have it, I spotted an unusual store from the terrace...it was full of textiles and old fabrics and I was in love and now in debt. No, I did control myself but if I was wealthy, they would have had a good business day!!!

The Spice Market

Monday - we took the Bosporus Ferry Cruise from Istanbul up the strait to the Black Sea. It was a beautiful day - perfect for climbing the hill at the end and exploring ruins of a castle. Just before we headed back on the ferry, some really fascinating fog rolled in from the Black Sea....it was very cool. 

Here I am on the Bosporus Ferry - the fog behind me

Mom on the ferry

Today, we are having a more relaxing day in the Taksim neighbourhood. It has many cafes and is set up for  meandering. Then I think we are going to explore the Grand Bazaar which should be fun.

Until later...

pictures from istanbul day ht1

The wireless internet at the hotel is quite slow and a bit up and down so I will only be able to upload a few pictures. Right now, we are just winding down for the night. Amy and mom headed to the garden to read. I am re-charging my laptop and blogging.

Enjoy! 

Basilica Cistern - an underground water tank. Very cool

The girls out and about

Mosaic at the Hagia Sofia of Madonna and Child and the emperor and empress ( i think it is Justinian and Theodora)

Istanbul

I usually have a strong first impression of a city once I arrive but with Istanbul, there is no one single overpowering sense of the city for me yet. Perhaps I need to have more time to soak it up or perhaps I am still suffering from jetlag. We arrived at midnight last night after a day of travel. Quite tired but glad to meet up with our hotel driver and my lovely friend Amy at the airport.

The city is old and beautiful. The weather is perfect (in other words not snowing like back home in Calgary). 

We awoke this morning to a lovely breakfast on the garden patio at the hotel. It was a leisurely breakfast with lots of good food. I look forward to our daily breakfast for the rest of our stay. It is more like brunch which is my favourite meal ever!

For our first day, we wanted to stay close to the hotel as we didn't know how tired we would get throughout the day however, we packed quite a bit into the first day:

- Hagia Sofia - Beautiful mosaics (pictures to come)

- Blue Mosque

- Rode the tram

- Basilica Cistern - I think that was my favorite spot today

- Arasta Bazaar

- Walked by a few obelisks 

- Sat on a bench to people-watch while drinking tea

We wandered to the sea and ferries to pick-up a donar for lunch. Yummy street food - chicken and pita. Yumm-o! Now we are just relaxing in the garden terrace deciding what to do for dinner. It truly was a lovely day but I think it will be an early evening as we are all a wee bit tired.

I promise pictures will follow. Until next time...I was going to say goodbye in Turkish but it requires a special character that I have no idea how to type on my keyboard - it is basically "hoshchakal".

An amazing life

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. -- Albert Einstein

On Saturday, while catching up with an old acquaintance about the going-ons of my life, I realized I am blessed with a wonderful life. It truly was one of those stop-you-in-your-tracks moments where you become overwhelmed with it all. Even during this past week some amazing things happened - here is a brief update:

Leadership Calgary

During the past year, a number of people encouraged me to apply for the 2009/2010 Leadership Calgary program. It is a program developing leaders in the city to re-think societal and community problems. I went through the application and interview process. Last Thursday, I received the call telling me I was accepted into the program. Colleagues and friends who have taken this course are forever changed. It shifts their view point on their lives and the world. In light of this, I am nervously excited with anticipation to begin this learning journey.

Calgary 1/2 Marathon

On Sunday, I completed my first half marathon in 2:19:42. It was a beautiful day to run with perfect conditions when we started at 7am. The sun was just peeking over the horizon and there was a gentle breeze to keep us cool. My favorite moment was not completing the race but the beginning. The only sound for the first kilometre was the sound of 4,000 pairs of shoes hitting the pavement. The syncopation of the sound was so incredible. At the same time, as far as the eye could see, there was a sea of runners all moving in the same direction and I was in the middle of them. 

My friend Christine and I ran the race together. There were some walls we had to break through but we finished strong. I was expecting more euphoria at the end but it was more a quiet pride and a massive relief that we finished the race in one piece.

Pampering

My lovely friend Claire is getting married in July. To celebrate, Punam and I threw a non-traditional stagette to pamper the bride and ourselves. A facial and full manicure for the bride and mini-manis for the friends. It was a relaxing afternoon catching up and chilling with food and bubbly. 

Punam receiving her mini-mani

The results of my mini-mani

The bride receiving her pampering

Two year anniversary

I received a small gift from the bank in recognition of my 2 years with them. I truly love my job and am passionate about my career in philanthropy. Every day my life intersects with people wanting to change the world and I get to help them along the way. I am truly blessed. I wish someone told me in high school that this career existed. Maybe I wouldn't have taken 10 years to find it.

Red Snapper - Yucatan Style

I finally took a cooking class. It has been something on my to-do list for years and is listed on my 101 things. Done. Check. On May 23rd, my friend Nikki and I learned how to cook real Mexican food. It was a hands-on class and our portion of the meal was a red snapper yucatan style. So much fun! I will most likely take another class. 

Upcoming trip 

Only 3 more sleeps and I leave on another adventure - this time to Istanbul and the UK Lake District. Because my life is full to overflowing these days, there hasn't been much time to fully anticipate but the excitement is starting to seep in as I begin making piles for the trip. Stay tuned - I hope to post updates while traveling.

Interesting websites I recently discovered

This is indexed

Neatorama