It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Judging from the weather today, no one would believe that tomorrow is December. It was about 7 degrees Celsius today and absolutely beautiful. So it is hard to start thinking about Christmas and the season of advent. But this weekend, I solved this conundrum. Here are five easy steps to get into the Christmas spirit:

1) Pull out Christmas decorations and deck the halls.


2) Listen to the Boney M Christmas album


3) Buy festive food. I bought mini mandarins. Aren't they adorable?


4) Invite people to a Christmas party. My 4th annual Christmas brunch is taking place in just 2 weeks.

(prep from last year's brunch)

5) Start thinking about gifts - this brings me great joy! I am making, buying or donating to charity for my Christmas presents this year. For the buying, I chose on-line purchases, of course - there is nothing like the crowds in the mall to make your Christmas spirit disappear. As for making gifts, my loved ones - you are in for a treat!! And most importantly, charity - my donations this year will be going to ChristmasFuture again.


By the way, as a reminder to my beloved relatives in the 'Bridge. I will be joining y'all for the Christmas festivities. Love you & can't wait for it.

Overheard conversations

I sometimes play a game when I am out at a coffee shop or restaurant. I call it "the first date" game. I watch couples and try to determine where they are in their relationship. The really fun ones to watch are the two people on a first date. I then determine from their body language whether or not there will be a second date. Earlier this week, I watched this guy and girl having coffee at one of my favorite coffee haunts - Kaffa and Salsa House. It was an obvious first date. The conversation seemed fairly fluid but not entirely comfortable. I think the girl liked him but perhaps going on dates is new for her. Her crossed arms on the table send one message but she is leaning forward. The guy was a bit nervous and talked quite a bit. His body sent mixed signals - sitting back in his chair but open. This is hard to decide. I think they were of the christian faith purely based on their clothes and body language (and choice of beverage). They were definitely talking about first date topics - travel, work, family. I think there will be a 2nd date. I don't know if playing this game is actually an act of judging. I just like creating stories about people. Here is my take on that girl - she is single because she has been committed to her studies and career. She looks about early 30's. He has recently decided that he needs to settle down in life and find a nice girl. They met on-line. She seems nice but not a lot of chemistry. I really shouldn't play this game because I am a disaster when it comes to dating. But it is fun to imagine other people's stories. Who knows if there will be date number 2...only the stars will know.

Eavesdropping is considered a rude habit however when one is journalling in a coffee shop, conversations are bound to be heard...here is another I heard at the same coffee shop.

This conversation was between a new mom and a mom-to-be (first time). They talked about cloth diapers and diaper rashes for 45 minutes. Is this interesting to mom's? The idea of ever participating in such a lengthy conversation about the color of a baby's bottom makes my ovaries shrivel. Seriously ladies, there is more to life than shit on diapers. .. there is wipes, change tables, pablum, toilet training, oh, the topics are really limitless. The mom-to-be looks like she may want to re-think her decision because she just realized what her conversations will be like for the next few years. Too late, lady! Maybe the idea of these conversations excite some women...each to their own.

fragments of my life

Again, my blog will be a mixed update of sorts as this past week was a pretty great one in the grand scheme of my life. Here are some highlights:


1) Girls weekend in Canmore - Punam, Lynn, Claire & I did what women do best - drank wine and over-analyzed our lives. It was wonderful. If you are ever in Canmore, I recommend the condo complex we stayed at - Canmore Crossing.


2) There is a new president-elect in the USA. This makes me smile! I still get goose-bumps when I think about it. If you have not read the book "The Audacity of Hope", read it and you will understand my goose-bumps.

3) I am enjoying a 4-day weekend - enough said.


4) Caught up with old friends: Sarah, my best friend from high school; Jo-Anna, a kindred who lives on the other side of the world; Alicia, my girl...I was her youth leader but she teaches me so much.


5) Went orienteering with my work team and was partnered with the person I encountered challenges working with in the past. However, we rocked as a team and came first in the orienteering course. We also understand each other a lot more - good conversations while completing the tasks.


6) Attended a Lucinda Williams concert last night with my brother - loved it! I need to purchase her new album. It is a wee bit softer than her past albums...apparently, she has found true love.



7) I live in a country where I have the freedom to say what I want, believe what I want, vote for whomever I choose. Thank you to those men & women who sacrificed so I can experience freedom.

Yes, they did

Tonight, I and a few poli-geeks crashed the Democrats Abroad party and celebrate a history-making moment. With a beer in hand and CNN on the TV, we watched until there was no doubt that Barack Obama would be the next president. I had a strange desire to cry with joy and laugh the audacity of it all at the same moment. It feels like the whole world's trajectory has been shifted. Hope for change - that is the core of human existence.
The other inspiration of the day was the huge voter turnout. Americans used their voice and power to be heard...if only all democratic countries (hello Canada!) would understand that each vote matters.

gold digga

I am not sure if blonds have more fun but I had a great time as a blond at a Halloween party this past weekend. Some think Halloween is just for kids but I can attest to the fact I have more fun as an adult for this "wicked" holiday.
This year, I went as a gold digger. Dressed all in gold (thank you Nicole for the skirt - it made the outfit) and carried a golden spade. I walked around all night and asked men how much they made. Unfortunately, with the stock market crashing, there was no gold to be found... :-)

Below: My friend Lynn and I - Both puns: Gold Digger and Black Mail.
We had a great night.

the beauty of imperfection

For some reason, there is a strange desire within to show the world that my life is together...that I am together. In fact, reality is a much different thing. I don't have it together. I am struggling to find out why I need to show the world this crazy ideal. I don't want to be perfect...perhaps it is a control thing but whatever it is, it needs to stop.

After some contemplation of this realization, here are my learnings:

- Allow myself the grace to make mistakes such as showing up a day late for the 10K race as I did in September. No one died due to this oversight.
- Share triumphs and failures with my confidantes...even if that means breaking down and losing the plot at a wedding.
- Be real and vulnerable. Ask for help or cheerleaders when I need them.
- Have friends over even when my house is untidy - they are coming to see me...not my cleaning abilities.
- If life takes a detour and I can't complete my 101 things in a 1001 days, that is okay.
- And most importantly, in the words of Anne (or was it Miss Stacey?)..."Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it." I love a do-over, a new start...or a redemption.

In other news, I attended a un-church this morning and enjoyed the non-churchiness of it. I may go back next week. It is definitely in the emergent church realm...relational and relevant or as Brian McLaren calls it "A Generous Orthodoxy". The sermon topic involved the Robert Plant/Alison Kraus musical collaboration "Raising Sand"...definitely not normal church.

fall cleaning, sorting, organizing and re-arranging

There is nothing like your family coming to visit that spurs you into a cleaning frenzy. I should have people visit more often because my house would be somewhat cleaner. However, the unfortunate thing about cleaning is that when you clean one area of your home, the other areas that look worse than ever.

Oh well, I used the opportunity to purge and organize which are two of my favorite things to do. Did my recycling, took a few boxes of goods to charity, framed some pictures and re-arranged my furniture in anticipation of the "new" antique secretary desk that will be arriving shortly. Due to the new furniture layout, I will have to get rid of my old-school TV...and I will have to buy a LCD screen to fit the space. Oh, shucks! I also may have to splurge and purchase the macbook because my desktop PC just isn't going to fit on the antique desk. Oh shucks!

There is a satisfaction that comes from everything in its place. Since my October will be insanely busy with work trips, events and weddings, it is just nice to start the month in an orderly fashion.

Also this weekend, I tried to clean up Canadian politics by casting my vote at the advanced polls. However, I don't think it is really going to make a difference as I am in Stephen Harper's riding and he is a shoe-in to win his parliament seat. But since I am an ordinary Canadian who supports the arts and believes poverty issues should be addressed both nationally and internationally, I voted for a change in candidate. When it is all said and done, the important thing is that I voted.