random ramblings of a crazed mind

This may be a dis-jointed, rambling, ranting or non-sensical blog because my mind is fairly jumbled these days. Work is fabulous but I have never been so busy or worked so hard before in my career. The great thing is the end of this craziness is nearer than it was yesterday - it will be over November 2 and then it will die down to a normal busyness. I was going to provide a play-by-play of the insanity but once I wrote it, it was actually quite annoying and slightly boring. So instead, here are some thoughts to share with you:

• On Monday, Calgary had it's municipal election. My protest vote regarding our mayor didn't really make an impact but I voted none the less. A small rant here- I do not understand why there was only 24% voter turnout... for starters, 100 years ago, as women we were not considered people and thus could not vote - we should vote purely because we have the right to! The apathy drives me batty. Also, you have no right to complain if you don't vote.
• Also on Monday, I attended a fundraiser for women in Afghanistan. At the event, there was a photo exhibition from recent elections in Afghanistan. It showed Afghan women striving to make a difference while still facing extreme dangers. One of the photos showed a long line-up of Afghan women waiting to vote because they finally had a voice. Now, there is a country struggling to become a democracy and the women recognize they have the right, the privilege and the duty to speak up. This gives us yet another reason why we should vote in Canada.
• At the VIP reception of the above mentioned fundraiser, we had the chance to meet David Suzuki. But I passed on the opportunity because the desire to meet famous people baffles me. And really, what was I going to say to him.... "uh, I take the bus to work and recycle (sometimes)?" Well, since the crowd around him was on the larger side, there were less people at the food tables which had lots of yummy Afghan food....a much more satisfying experience for us. Funny enough, David Suzuki did flip my colleague the bird...okay, not really, he just happened to be scratching his face with his middle finger as he walked past us.
• Today, I discovered there is no better way to start a day than with a cup of Second Cup Butter Pecan flavoured coffee and a business meeting with a v. good looking man. And there is no better way to spend a lunch hour than with fast-food Japanese cuisine and conversations with intelligent women.
• I have learned a lesson in the past couple of weeks - when you have gone to bed and are in the semi-conscious state of half-sleep, don't call yourself at work or write yourself a note to remind yourself about something seemingly important. It will end up being a scrawled note like "Baby carrots online" or a crazy voicemail about writing to your step-brother in Saudi Arabia. Yes, I write this from personal experience. I did save the voicemail to remind myself not to take myself or my work too seriously. After all, it is just giving away money and not life & death.

Speaking of giving away money, tomorrow I will be driving to Edmonton to do just that - I truly love my job!

Take a walk when autumn comes to town

Autumn Song

Leaves of brown they fall to the ground

And it's here, over there leaves around

Shut the door, dim the lights and relax

What is more, your desire or the facts

Pitter patter the rain falling down

Little glamor sun coming round

Take a walk when autumn comes to town.

(Van Morrison)

Today, upon the suggestion of my sister, I took a walk down in Fish Creek Park on this lovely fall day. Around every corner, memories from my childhood and youth greeted me. I loved this park growing up...the long summer days of riding our bikes from Babo Grove to Sikome Lake...the winter picnics with friends during high school...walks as a family on Sunday afternoons. Wandering the paths makes you forget there is a city with a million citizens just over the hill. I realize I need to visit this park more often. With the mountains in my backyard and Fish Creek Park on my doorstep, there is no excuse for not enjoying it, especially in the fall. Many of the leaves are gone now but there is still so much beauty in the barreness of the trees.

Robert F. Kennedy speech ~ Mindless Menace of Violence

I watched the movie "Bobby" tonight. For the first time, the realization of RFK's greatness hit me. He was a leader with a timeless vision for the United States and the world in the late 1960's. His message still needs to be heard today to remind ourselves that we are all brothers and sisters.

In looking for some of his speeches online, I came across this Youtube video which uses his "Mindless Menace of Violence" speech against some of the images from 1968 and during the past 40 years. Although the images are focused on American events and issues, hatred and violence thrives in every country.

Secrets and more

I have three things to share and they all have to do with secrets (kinda). I think in our secrets we find how connected we actually are with one another. Sometimes it is in our secrets that we become kindreds with other souls. I love how C.S. Lewis puts it - "Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one."

Now, don't worry I am not going to bare my soul here. There is a time and place for that but I am thinking that a public blog is not that time or place. But these are just a few things I find joy in and wanted to share with the one or two people that have nothing better to do than read my ramblings. (thank you for reading by the way!)

The first thing I want to share is Postsecret. Check it out http://postsecret.blogspot.com/. It started innocently as an art installation and it has taken a life of its own. Every Sunday, the site is updated with 20 new secrets. Anonymous people send in their secrets. In these secrets lie our humanity. In reading them, it amazes me how similar we all are. Not to mention, the site satisfies the spy in me. It gives a glimpse of others. Here is an example:

My second thing to share would be what I would put on a Postsecret card. I secretly love to watch the New York Sunday Times Wedding/Celebration videos. They are 4 minute (approx.) videos on how a couple meets and falls in love and gets engaged. If you ever doubt love or its existence in our world, I challenge you to watch these videos and not have a smile on your face at the end of each one. There is a new video every Sunday and even a cynic like me believes in love afterwards. http://www.nytimes.com/pages/fashion/weddings/index.html.

My third thing to share is the Blogger Play tool. My fellow bloggers may have seen this on Blogger but if you have a few minutes, click on this http://play.blogger.com/. It displays in real time the images posted on blogs around the world. Similar to Postsecret, it makes you realize that no matter where we live, what we do for a living, who our family is, we are all human and there is much that unites us. Often I find time slips quickly by as the pictures mesmerize me in the "slideshow" - it reminds me there is alot of goodness and love in the world.

Do you remember show & tell from elementary school? You would share something that was really valuable to you. Well, this is my show & tell for today.

My life is my cathedral

Last year, I heard a song called Cathedral by Karla Anderson (a great Alberta songwriter/singer) and the lyrics really resonated with me. I shared the song with my close friends and one of those friends just sent me this random email about it. Before I share what her email said, I wanted to share the lyrics with you... the song is both beautiful and haunting.

Cathedral(Karla Anderson)


Well I’m building my cathedral
And simple though it seems
The foundation’s here, the walls are up
And love supports the beams
Everyday I’m adding something new
Everyday it’s taking shape
It’s designed by a master craftsman
You know it’s built by the choices I make


My life is my cathedral
And the doors are never closed
But I’m always under construction
So wear your hardhat and watch your toes


Well maybe when you come here
We’ll find a comfy place to rest
Yes, or maybe we’ll need to renovate
After we have confessed
When you look at it you may see beauty
Or you may see the cracks and the flaws
But I just hope that you’ll stay for awhile
And you’ll visit me because


My life is my cathedral
It’s a house of dominoes
It’s just systematically falling down
When life deals out the blows
Well the altar’s washed with tears here
The windows are a little blurred
There’s a simple silly beauty
That to some might seem absurd
Some walls are painted wildly
Some rooms you will never see
Hey but if you come in peace my friend
You can take a tour with me


My life is my cathedral
And the work is never done
It’s a labor of love, it’s a masterpiece
And the fun has just begun
When you look at it you may see beauty
Or you may see the cracks and the flaws
But I just hope that you’ll stay for awhile
And visit me because


My life is my cathedral
And the doors are never ever closed
But, I’m always under construction
Always under construction
I’m just always under construction
So wear your hardhat and watch your toes

(Karla Anderson/Lefty Was Right Music) SOCAN ©2002


The song always gives me hope because it is okay if I don't get everything done today. It is okay to be changing. It is okay to be broken and sometimes a little rumpled and messy.

Back to the email my friend sent me - she pasted a story she read on a blog about cathedrals and life. Here is an edited excerpt from that blog (I have no idea whose it is but it is good stuff!)

The woman began by describing a gift someone gave her when she was feeling rather un-noticed for all the sacrificing she did....

"It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn’t exactly sure why she’d given it to me until I read her inscription: “To ---, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.”

Here are four truths about cathedrals... No one can say who built the great cathedrals– we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

Legend has it that wealthy man who came to a cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. Puzzled, he asked, “Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that no one will ever see.” And the workman replied, “Because God sees.”

It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, “I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you’ve done is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can’t see right now what it will become.”

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree."


I supposed it's just another way to see our lives as a cathedral.

A swap-a-rama - oh my!

Today was "Swap-a-rama" day!

It is the event of the year where friends get together and exchange items. Basically, you bring items which is still beautiful or worthy but you are just not using. At the swap-a-rama, you choose from other people's beautiful, worthy but un-used items. It is like shopping without the sticker shock or Visa bill. This time around, it was at my place. So I whipped up a Mediterranean mezza feast along with some good wine. Mmm good!

After the food, the swapping began! Oh, the good things to choose from. The great thing is that whatever is left at the end is given to charity so everyone benefits. We had a couple of people who didn't make it to the swap (always disappointing) but they really missed out! Here is what I picked up:

• 2 chair covers
• 1 turquoise bowl
• 2 brooches
• 1 pendant
• 1 key/mail holder
• 1 purse
• 1 metal container
• 1 rolling pin
• 1 lantern

Labouring on Labour Day

As some of you knew, I worked on Labour Day Weekend. There is some irony to that considering it is a holiday to give the worker a break. Hmmm...but I really can't complain because I was in Banff and woke up to this view from my hotel window both mornings.

In addition, I planned a great event (if I do say so myself) for about 100 people. A little exclusive dinner reception for a few of our clients which went off with barely a hitch. Here is a pre-event look.

After the event, I sat down and listened to four of the top string quartets in the world compete at The Banff Centre. Good food, good music...have I mentioned before that I love my job!