A quick note

Hello!

I know it's been a while since I posted...eeps...I don't usually wait this long between entries, but it has been a fairly busy few months. That, and I've been writing quite a bit more outside of here, so that has been a fairly significant focus which I'm excited/terrified about- and various other emotions, depending on the day or stage of development of what I'm trying to do:)

This post was started back in December...I think I'll write a fresh one though, because now the dates are all mixed up.

Ciao for now!

LOLAfest

Two weekends ago, here in London, we had a ripping good time in the form of London Ontario Live Arts festival. If you weren't there, you truly missed out, but you can come next year:) It was a delightful blend of visual art, sculpture, various forms of instrumental and vocal music, and all of these combined. What's great is it was all free, since they had a corporate sponsor as well.


In case you can't tell, I loved every minute of it!

I volunteered to show the art, and also at the info booth, and the rest of the time just enjoyed the shows and the people mingling around the stages. Some friends of mine that I get my organic produce from had a table there, and I visited them from time to time as well.

The first night kicked off with a show featuring Jamie Lidell and also Zeus. I love love love Jamie Lidell and find him to be a musical genius- you should check out his myspace. That man has style! A style all his own.

Throughout the weekend, I attended the shows of Leaf Bird, Land of Talk, Caribou, My Brightest Diamond, and others which I am not remembering at the moment. I felt very alive, standing there, alternately freezing and being really warm (on the different nights), surrounded by a crowd of hipsters in skinny jeans, toques, and plaid. Many were students, many had bicycles. There was a tremendous sense of energy in the crowd that warmed me up in spite of the evening chill, and even though I couldn't see the stage all the time, it was great to be there with friends old and new, and meet people who are so creative and artistic- it was inspiring overall.

I guess that's what I'm trying to say- rather than just be a great music festival that you look back on with fondness, it does so much to promote the arts in an ongoing sense, inspiring those involved to create, themselves. I went home and wrote some poems afterward, and still have some simmering under the surface that I need to flesh out.

The fun thing was I have a friend who played a huge role in the whole shebang and it was neat to hear about it ahead of time and then see what came to fruition after a ton of effort and hard work. And may I say, the committee has great taste:)

Well, that's enough of my ramblings...Photos to follow...

Ah, fall!

I've been taking another break from writing, but have now accumulated events to talk about:)


This past weekend, my friend Lisa and I participated in the Scotiabank Waterfront Half-Marathon in Toronto, where they block off a chunk of Lakeshore and some downtown streets. I was feeling pretty grim about the whole thing, because I've been injured for the past month, and didn't love this race the last time I did it.


We stayed with Lisa's family and they drove us to the start and watched us along the way, which was really thoughtful. It was Lisa's first half and I have to say, she did incredibly well!


I made the mistake of leaving my sports watch at her house so had NO watch the entire run! I was pretty stressed about this, because even though I wasn't expecting a personal best, I didn't want to be too slow just because I didn't know the time. The funny thing is, I beat my time from the other year by almost eight minutes and did quite well overall, so I was pleased with that. (It doesn't mean I'll leave my watch at home from now on, though!)


This Friday, my new roommate is moving in, and although we are still ironing out some tenant/landlord dynamics, it should be a go! It's all happening pretty quickly, but it will be good to have a roommate again I think, once I get used to the change. When I'm living alone, I love the quiet but sometimes it's too quiet; when I'm living with someone else, it's good to have them around but then I sometimes miss the quiet. It may take us a little while to find the middle ground, but I think it will turn out well.


Now I remember what I was going to write about- LOLA! Check out the next post for that:)

Family and Food

This past weekend, my dad and three younger brothers came to stay the night with us after dropping off our other brother at college on the way. The boys had never been here so it was exciting for them, and fun for me, too, to have them here.


On Saturday, I bought some organic veggies at the market that I'm hoping to cook up tonight- some kind of eggplant-tomato-cheese concoction, as I love that combination and it reminds me of Italy- and was given some tomatoes from some friends' garden as well. I have to cook them up in the space of a few days since, being organic, they go bad more quickly, so I have to stay on top of it better. Don't they look delicious?

Now for the fun stuff- I finally made another batch of macarons, which I've been thinking of for a while but got lazy when thinking of all the prep work. I don't have a food processor, so it takes a few steps to get the icing sugar and ground almonds fine enough to use, but I was very pleased with the results I got this time by sifting them through a colander.

I made a bittersweet chocolate toffee ganache that I have made previously, but the toffee bits must have been a bit old and I found it tasted kind of gross, so ended up caving and using PC Dulce de Leche. Originally I'd hoped to put together a salted butter caramel ganache, but by this time it was close to midnight and I went for the easy alternative. I'm looking forward to trying it next time, though.

For some reason they didn't turn out very round...maybe I should just invest in a pastry bag instead of cutting a corner from a Ziploc freezer bag :)

I hope you all had a great Labour Day weekend!

The last whiffs of summer

It's been ages since I posted, but mostly I didn't have much to write about other than the everyday, mundane (to some) tellings of everyday life.

In the last few weeks, though, the pace has picked up and a lot has been going on. I finally have some photos, too, which means I have no more excuses not to post:)

A week and a half ago, I took off on a road trip to PEI with my friend Laura, ready for a grand adventure, some sun, and some serious effort at relaxation. We brought copious numbers of books between us, and music to accompany the visual diorama around us.

I'd never been east of Quebec city, so this was exciting for me to foray into the east coast!

We stayed at a cute B&B in New Brunswick to break up the driving, and were in Charlottetown the following day.

Overall, we spent the time with the perfect mix of relaxation/reading/sightseeing. Some highlights were Island Chocolates in Victoria-by-the-Sea, the Anne and Gilbert musical in Summerside, and browsing the shops in Charlottetown, not to mention a trip to Green Gables.

I left early, heading back to Ontario to visit with my family. Liz, Jeremy and I competed in a local race, with Liz and I both qualifying in the top three of our age category, which was a personal goal I'd been aiming for, so that felt wonderful.

Now I'm back home, preparing for another full year, but a different one, with roommate details a bit iffy, and a year without Liz in London:( I'm not thrilled, but trying to prepare myself ahead of time, knowing I don't tend to deal well with these dramatic changes. I hope her move goes well and she loves where she will be living, but we will all miss her here.

I'm looking forward to a long weekend before the busyness begins again in earnest. I hope you all have a good one, too!

Big news

It's not really my news but it affects me, too...my sister Liz is ENGAGED!!! Can you believe it? Wowowow. I was buzzing with the news when she and her fiancé told me, and it took a few days for it to properly sink in. In fact, I'm not sure it fully has, yet.


This past week, Jeremy was up visiting, then he and Liz headed to a wedding in New York that he was in, and that's the weekend he proposed. She has the ring now and everything, it's really true! Yikes.


Congrats to Liz and Jeremy:)

Beets and bravery

Well. It's been a while since I posted, so I thought I should say something:) I have no new pictures, although maybe I'll post one of my haircut when I got my hair straightened. (Yes, the summer has been that exciting!) heheh.

Really, though, I am enjoying the more relaxed pace. Some days, it makes me restless and I have to get outside and walk about or something, and other days, I revel in the summertime spirit and just take my time about everything. I find I'm either rushing about, or walking quickly to get somewhere, or else I'm a complete slowpoke, wandering around the market or spending time at the library.

This weekend, I headed to the farmer's market and was treated to freshly-squeezed juice of organic veggies and fruits- a delicious mixture that zinged and kept me satiated for a good while. (That's where the beets come in.) I visited with a friend and made some new friends that day, and really I was all-around happy to be where I was. The rain was pouring steadily down, on and off throughout the day, but inside I was feeling cozy and bookish and quite pleased with poking around everything at the farmer's market. I headed to the library and discovered a newly-published book by my favourite author and I've been slowly taking it in, so as not to read it too fast, as is my wont:)

I know by now you are all riveted...hahah...but alas, I have to admit, there's not much bravery to speak of. I just wanted another "b" word in the title. I suppose there's a bit of bravery involved though, in daring to live life daily and fully; unashamed and with strength.

What do I mean by that? Essentially, that I have been waffling back and forth between various career decisions and ideas, personal/relational issues, and contentment in general. It's the constant tension between being content in one's situation and self, and striving to change or meet certain goals. I'm having a hard time with that balance and probably spend far too much time in introspection over it, but I'm getting through it. It's hard not having answers quick at hand- how many times have I rehashed that one lately?- but I'm continually learning to appreciate the time I am in now, and the friendships I have now.

Yesterday, after church, I walked to the market from my house, armed with a notebook and pencil. On the way, some guy called out my name from the back of a pickup truck, and I've no idea who it was, pretty funny. I lingered at the market, bought two truffles and some vitamins, and sat outside writing for a bit, at a table in the shade of a tree. Eventually the shadows shifted and I was sitting in persistent sunshine, so I headed for home. On the way back, a man on a bicycle called me "beauty." I was really amused and heartened by the moments of a day that you just couldn't plan:) and sometimes don't know how to interpret, but hey, I'll take the compliment:)

So, that's my daily dose of introspection (introspectiveness? hmm). I hope I haven't bored you to tears, and I'll try to post photos soon to make up for it:)

Nos bemos pronto. (I'm taking weekly Spanish lessons from my Mexican friends, so now I can say a couple other words other than just la ciruela - the plum- heheh)

Stratford

On Sunday, my three good friends from church headed to Stratford for a play and dinner, to see Christopher Plummer in Shakespeare's The Tempest. We were well rewarded, and I still thrill to think of the stunning performance he gave. The props and characters were incredible, but he overshadowed them all, while giving credence to their value at the same time. What a powerful stage presence, and a true icon.




Here is Christopher Plummer, I swear- the photo didn't turn out but I guess you'll have to go see it for yourself:)

The lovely restaurant where we ate- it was perfect, and my favourite colour scheme too. (I'm totally trying to channel Tartelette with this photo!) :)

Delicious black cod with Japanese eggplant tempura and rice in yuzu ponzi (or something close to that).

It was a truly incredible early birthday- thanks, girls! I'm so glad I spent it with you!

xo

Family

I thought I'd post some photos of my trip to visit my family first, and Stratford after.

I love my goofy brothers. It's blurry, but they're always moving about so it's hard to capture them:)

My brothers and Dad and I hiked up Blueberry Mountain, part of a property that is now connected with the local conservation authority. It was a gorgeous hike, and I'd love to see it again in the fall.

This is my longtime friend Jenny, whose kids I babysat since they were infants. We enjoyed a great time of catching up, beside her pool:)

On Canada Day, my little sister and I walked into town to meet the family at the ball park, where the fireworks were going on. They have quite a good display for a small town, and I was glad to go, although if my sibs weren't working, I would have liked to take them to Parliament Hill that day, since I don't know when I'll get a chance to do that again.

This is a creature my brother invented, and I just love it, so had to snap some photos of it. Clever, eh?

That's my weekend, in photo format:)

And now I wait

It seems to be a constant theme in my life, as I'm sure it is for many. Things start happening, and I feel like life is "getting going" again, then it slows to a standstill as I must exert some measure of will not to get too impatient.

Know what I mean?

I'm all for anticipation, but sometimes, it's difficult to wait for answers to manifest themselves. I'm not saying that life should be lived passively, expecting events and people to roll along into your existence, but at some point, even living in an active sense doesn't make solutions arrive any more quickly. For a generation where instant gratification is normal, this doesn't make sense.

They say that if something is good, it will be worth the wait. But what happens when you're not sure it's worth it?

I know I'm being really vague and could be talking about any number of things, and maybe I am...but mainly about the whole education situation, as well as reevaluating friendships and human relations in general.

It's funny, really, to start off the week with such a pensive post, because I've really had a splendid weekend, beginning with a much more relaxed trip home, and ending with a magnificent performance in Stratford of The Tempest, featuring Christopher Plummer, and a lovely dinner afterward with my three gal pals. What a great way to celebrate my birthday early:)

So...now I'm feeling convicted- the last thing I want to be is ungrateful, because I have so much- wealthy in relationships, in possessions, in mobility, in access to untold services. It's a challenge to find the balance between recognizing I am blessed but not entitled, you know?

I will post photos soon of the weekend, so I guess in the meantime you must wait...like I'm doing... :)

Later!

xo

p.s. A very happy birthday to my friend Melissa today!!!

The weekend before last, I visited my former roommate, Jenny. We hiked to some nearby falls, and enjoyed magnificent views and some great conversation.

That evening, we went back to Jenny's and made a splendid meal of asparagus, roast potatoes and sweet potatoes, and scallops- it was delicious. We haven't had a visit just the two of us for a long time, so it was great to catch up and have that time together.

Liz and I at her birthday dinner- none of the pictures turned out that well because it was dim lighting, but I enjoyed our time together and I think she had a good birthday, even though we couldn't celebrate the day of.

I guess I haven't much to say today- just doing the usual; work, soccer, more work, hanging out with friends, the occasional movie.

Tonight I hope to check out an act that's part of the Fringe Festival with a friend of mine, and this coming weekend I'm going to visit the fam. Good times!

xo

Sur le dos d'un papillon...

...roule roule roule...something-something...I really wish I knew the words to that song. It's one of the songs we sing at the preschool centre, and I don't really know the words but have to pretend sometimes. It's great being bested by a 3-year-old when they're belting out the words to the song you're supposed to know! Good times.

I guess I haven't posted in a while, and it's been even longer since I posted any photos, so I'll see what I can come up with.

This week was Liz's birthday, and we are hopefully going out for supper tonight to celebrate. She's been on night shifts for so many days, including over her birthday, so I haven't been able to properly fête her, which is unacceptable for her 25th! :) Bonne fête, ma belle!!!! If you're reading this.

This photo is from our trip to Niagara Falls with Ruth- I've used it before but it's a good one, even if she looks somewhat saintly, it's an illusion, I assure you! heheh.

There's not too much going on to talk about, I suppose. I've been attending a few shows of local musicians, which I have loved so far. I'm hoping to attend another one of this series on Thursday. One of them was pretty outside the box but fascinating, and I'm glad I went. Another was in a yoga studio- you would have enjoyed it, Haji ;) - and the one on Thursday is at the museum.

It makes me so happy to be getting my fill of culture, to feed my creative side, and grow my artistic sensibilities. (That may be a French word, I can't be sure if I've anglicized that one. Anyways.) All this time, living here, I've been hoping to be a part of this type of community, and though I still feel quite a bit on the fringes, I'm contenting with myself with where things are going. If anything, these friends are giving me a deeper appreciation for my planet, for my community, and, by extension, for who I am and who I can be. That may sound hoky to some, but it really defines where I'm at, I think. At a time when I feel somewhat listless or indecisive (just when I thought I'd conquered that swindly characteristic), it's nice to feel welcome, good to engage with others whose thoughts are simply brilliant or inspiring.

Now you're sorry you stopped by, aren't you...always rambling in this blog!

One more thought before I go- how incredible is it to witness people being their full selves, for lack of a better word? To get to look on as they engage in some activity that makes them so alive. I felt this on Friday at the show, and although it wasn't any kind of religious gathering, I felt so strongly that God was enjoying it, that he was pleased by these people using their talents to the full. I don't know if you've ever experienced that, but it really made me think about how God delights in those he has created when they, in turn, create. Incredible.

Okay, for real I will go now! Haha! You're welcome!

I'm hoping to post some more poems...please comment! I don't really show them much to people and really appreciate any feedback. Even if it's negative! :)

Chat soon.

Ho hum

Today, I feel a looming sense of agitation. I wish I could say why.

In the last couple of days, I have been working through a couple of things that really amount to a bit of stupidity on my part, and having to realize you've been acting pretty silly is not a pleasant experience for anyone, I would think. Ah well, these things are necessary, are they not?

To truly appreciate life and what it brings, you need to have a clear head and be able to discern and sort through the barrage of images and ideas we're wading through every day, and since my head is in the clouds a good part of the time, this can present a challenge; mainly, in the form of needing to give my head a shake from time to time.

I guess what I am realizing is that if I'm left alone for too long I go a little batty...heheh. I swear I'm going to end up as the eccentric aunt figure at every social function, who is a little bit off! Aahhh, I can see it all now, nooo! Maybe there's some way to evade the inevitable. I'll keep you posted:)

I won't bore you any further with my asinine observations! haha!

Another poem

I've been thinking of posting a poem here from time to time.

Here's one I wrote on April 21st, after attending a poetry reading with my cousin:

In lassitude, I'm worn
Frayed like so much tattered thread
As fragmented, enmeshed as a mass of yo-yo strings,
Separated from their shifty hubs

I'm beckoned, yet I resist the pull,
So strong it is, as the original course of a river
Must violently call her sister back to her mother-bed
Here roars such certainty

Pillowed in moss, festooned in stringy garlands,
Some forest king's best captive, willing, crustily unsavoury
Last week's rank argumetns unshed from heavy pockets
A silvered moon hangs, silently, aware.

...it's just a draft, but feel free to let me know what you think of it.

Enjoy your week!

Happy World Fair-Trade Day

After my last post, I'm not sure if anyone still wants to sit through another such long-winded episode, so I will keep it succinct this time!

Today, we are experiencing gale-force winds, and I'm perusing some local indie musicians online, drinking deliciously bold fair-trade coffee and thinking about pastries, or rather, macarons (surprise, surprise!). I think I have found a bakery in Toronto that sells good ones and I'm dying to check it out. P'raps soon.

This weather really is conducive to staying in and writing, or doodling, or something along those lines. I'm thinking of venturing out to the Ten Thousand Villages nearby because they're having a special event for world fair-trade day, which I found about when I was in there the other day, puttering about downtown. I came home with coffee beans, cheese curds, snack for bible study (all from the market), and chocolate and a paperweight from this store. I've been eyeing the paperweight for probably 7 years and I've now finally bought one:)

Well, I'm off, hoping I don't get smacked into the side of a building by this wind! haha.

Chocolate Stetsons and Blizzards

The last stop on my trip was Calgary. I enjoyed a relaxing Greyhound ride from Edmonton, and even wrote a little more of my story on the way, which was heartening. My friend Rebecca met me at the depot and we headed to a potluck she had organized for some other med students, and despite not being a part of that world, I enjoyed the interaction with her fellow students. We were able to have some wonderful discussions in the next few days, which mutually encouraged us as well.

On the following day, Rebecca had planned a hike up to Ribbon Creek Falls (by Kananaskis), and I was more than happy to be included in that. She had invited some other friends, and before heading up the trail, we had a picnic lunch at a table near the parking lot. We were mostly through our meal when a blizzard came up out of nowhere, and we sat huddled under blankets before deciding to wait it out in our cars.

After about fifteen minutes, the storm died down and we decided to proceed- not the easiest thing, considering it involved navigating a stroller over the now ankle-deep drifts across the path. However, we braved the trail and enjoyed the hike with these friends before they decided to head back to the city.
Undaunted, Rebecca and I continued in hopes of reaching the falls, but the trailblazers before us had not made it the whole way and we decided not to eke out our own path for several more kilometres before having to turn around. I can't describe the feeling of coming around a bend and finding ourselves surrounded by mountain on nearly all sides, or the clouds covering the mountains, then clearing to reveal their awesome heights. It was truly magnificent to be a part of all of this.
Rebecca is an amazing listener and asks all the right questions, including the ones that can make you squirm, but make you really think about what you are saying. This resulted in some very honest conversations, and there's nothing like hiking through snow for 14+ km to give you time to talk- it was wonderful. We were blissfully exhausted that night, but not so blissfully ready to wake up early for church. She had friends that were visiting from Africa and we visited the church where they would be that day, a small, closely-knit cowboy church. I hadn't been to one for a long time, since last time I was in Alberta, I believe, so it felt familiar in some ways but quite unlike the city church I'm now used to.

I had the good fortune to visit my cousins who live in Calgary, and was treated to my cousin's delectable cooking. More great conversation ensued, including going through an album of their trip to Germany. My cousin was borrowing his friend's car, so I was driven in an Audi RS4, and it was a pret-ty sweet ride, I have to say:) I'm blessed to be in touch with them and be able to visit from time to time, and they are so generous to have me over when I am around.

Rebecca and I went out for breakfast the next day (my last before flying out), and I accompanied her to school and developed some more of my story while she worked with a friend.

Later, I got to meet my friend Rachel for coffee, and talk about how much has changed since school, and the places we're at. She's in seminary and took time out of her crazy end-of-year assignment crunch for me, which was great. It's funny the depth you can have when talking with friends you have things in common with, right off the bat, and it's not unwelcome, know what I mean? I'm not really expressing it the best, but I was so encouraged by Rachel and our talks, in my life, in my faith, in my creative efforts. I hope that was mutual, that I encouraged her as well. She's a terrific photographer, by the way, so check out her photo blog if you wish:)

That evening, I got together with Amanda, a dear friend with whom I also lived in first year, along with her husband and new baby. I had missed her sense of humour! and insights, and it was neat to witness her at this stage in her life and be reconnected.

So ended my wonderful journey- one that not only physically distanced me from whence I had come, but in other ways, giving me resolve in some aspects of my life, and freedom in others.

Since I couldn't come up with any equal synonyms, you may have found this post repeating a common thread- that of encouragement. I was astounded how much I was uplifted by meeting again with dear friends and relatives, and how much they have enriched, and still do, my life in so many ways. In a time where I often struggle with what I'm even good at or want to do in life, I have been given the boon of affirmation when it was not expected, and I treasure that. It's not always this conclusive of a feeling, but for now, I really sense I have some direction I can take with some of these decisions.

To each of you that has contributed to this, I thank you, inadequately, but deeply.


...I almost forgot, the chocolate stetsons reference is in regards to some of these that were being sold in the Calgary airport:)