We all have those days when we feel shortchanged in some area of life. There are days when we wish we had a more generous cash flow; days when we wish we could replace the reflection in the mirror with the self-image that we seek; days when we crave the kind of love that feels like the embrace of a breeze that flows just beneath a summer sunset.
If you are sitting at a computer, reading these words, consider:
You are richer than almost everyone else in the world.
You have the time to afford leisure, to take leave from your work to read a blog. You have the wealth to afford internet communication. You have the freedom to read and write what you want. You have a stomach full enough to focus on these words.
Maybe there are things we wish that we could change. Maybe there are things we don't need to. Maybe there are things we can.
Showing posts with label off-topic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label off-topic. Show all posts
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
That's Amore
I keep my personal life fairly removed from this blog, mostly out of respect for my loved ones. But today I am going to (cautiously) throw caution to the wind and tell you that being married to the biggest pizza-loving, sci-fi/fantasy-reading, outdoor-loving, mountain-worshiping, feminism-embracing, ultra-calm man is pretty awesome.
We have a wonderful time together and being married is more fun than I ever dreamed! But keep in mind that if your dreams are anything like mine, they perhaps include mild irritants, differences of opinion, and revisions of ideal divisions of labor, in addition to the usual niceties of good dreams. Manski and I do not have a "perfect" relationship, but we love to work at it and between our different views, backgrounds, studies, experiences and gifts, we are a great team. It's hard to believe that we've been together for almost 5 years, but my heart still ticks faster than a watch every time we see each other after school/work. I used to think that I could never be with someone who didn't have the same outward expressions of enthusiasm as me, but I have come to learn that Manski's tendency to under-react to everything is a treasure in many situations. Sure, I can't get him to jump up and down, clap his hands and scream when we score a great batch of carrots or a great song comes on the radio, but when times get tough, that same temperance comes through and soothes any sense of panic or worry I have.
There are lots of things Manski and I do not agree on, but we have very cohesive ideas about what constitutes "the good life" (see: topic of my entire political science degree) and how we want to treat ourselves, each other, our families/friends and environment.
I've overcome a lot in my life, and there are still so many ways in which I strive to better myself (whether out of ego, vanity or altruism) but I will say this - if you have love in your life - be it familial, romantic or platonic, savor it. Swirl it around in your heart like a fine wine and find the comfort and familiarity in its age, warmth, honesty and trust. New friendships can be surprising, old friendships can be disappointing (and vice versa) but as long as you are open to love, love will be open to you. I've worked for the government, worked at my education, worked at being a better athlete and done volunteer work, but the best and most powerful/meaning work I have ever done, has been the work that keeps love alive in my life.
We have a wonderful time together and being married is more fun than I ever dreamed! But keep in mind that if your dreams are anything like mine, they perhaps include mild irritants, differences of opinion, and revisions of ideal divisions of labor, in addition to the usual niceties of good dreams. Manski and I do not have a "perfect" relationship, but we love to work at it and between our different views, backgrounds, studies, experiences and gifts, we are a great team. It's hard to believe that we've been together for almost 5 years, but my heart still ticks faster than a watch every time we see each other after school/work. I used to think that I could never be with someone who didn't have the same outward expressions of enthusiasm as me, but I have come to learn that Manski's tendency to under-react to everything is a treasure in many situations. Sure, I can't get him to jump up and down, clap his hands and scream when we score a great batch of carrots or a great song comes on the radio, but when times get tough, that same temperance comes through and soothes any sense of panic or worry I have.
There are lots of things Manski and I do not agree on, but we have very cohesive ideas about what constitutes "the good life" (see: topic of my entire political science degree) and how we want to treat ourselves, each other, our families/friends and environment.
I've overcome a lot in my life, and there are still so many ways in which I strive to better myself (whether out of ego, vanity or altruism) but I will say this - if you have love in your life - be it familial, romantic or platonic, savor it. Swirl it around in your heart like a fine wine and find the comfort and familiarity in its age, warmth, honesty and trust. New friendships can be surprising, old friendships can be disappointing (and vice versa) but as long as you are open to love, love will be open to you. I've worked for the government, worked at my education, worked at being a better athlete and done volunteer work, but the best and most powerful/meaning work I have ever done, has been the work that keeps love alive in my life.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The Best Things in Life Aren't Things
But that is a post for another day, friends.
Let's take a breather from serious discussions about injury and recovery, from the ethics and politics of food and from anything other than the things for which (apart from a general enthusiasm for life) I get up for in the morning!
I would consider myself a simpleton, but when it comes to chocolate, I eat nothing but the very best I can afford. This means a limited role for mid-range chocolate like Lindt, but my snobbery was caught off guard by what might just be my chocolate bar of 2009: Lindt's Fleur de Sel bar. I first heard of this bar when Jenna raved about it on her blog. I was definitely intrigued, but the bar seemed to elude this Canadian consumer, until done day, when Manski and I were doing our weekly grocery run and picking out our bars for the week (a fun ritual), I came across this little gem!
Recently I've discovered that the cure for what ails ya, (no matter what ails ya)is a drizzle of olive oil. Seriously, once you experience a great finishing oil, you will want to top everything from your dips to your soups to your veggies to your toast! This particular oil is probably a mid-range olive oil. It hails from the land of OPA(!), Plato and Volcanoes and is a delicious finishing touch to everything! Great oils can cost anywhere from around $9 to hundreds. If you ever get a chance to do an olive oil tasting, you can really appreciate that certain varieties of olives (which, by the way, I simply cannot appreciate outside of oils)are more peppery, sweet, bold and rich. There are wonderful olive oils from all across the Mediterranean, from various regions of Italy, the Middle East and North Africa. As for me, I think if it as magical potion. I swear, my hip feels a bit more healed after every spoonful!
Speaking of Plato and Republic (a work that I have read time and again..with varying degrees of enthusiasm), another great supplement to my day is this excellent tea! Now, I normally don't drink bagged tea. I much prefer loose-leaf (less waste, more customizable options) but this Republic of Tea Black Raspberry Green Tea elixir, boasting fruit and leaf notes, is abundantly delicious iced or hot! I love to sip tea while doing readings, writing papers and during class, but this tea.. this gorgeous, luscious tea is best enjoyed without any outside distractions. You don't even need to gaze out the window.. Just curl up in your favourite spot, close your eyes and sip each meditative atom with a perfectly contented heart. If you could liquefy comfort, this would be it. I love to sip this tea, while soaking in the morning sunlight..if you'll forgive my dirty windows!
Liquid comfort is also something you can shower in. Inspired by my friend Adrienne, I have taken to dropping 2-3 droplets of essential oil into the shower each morning, just soaking in the oils and scents, feeling nourished by the water and the fragrance. Who's silly enough to turn down the opportunity to enjoy a mini-spa every morning?
I've found what's at the end of a rainbow, and it might just be better than gold! This time of year, beautiful rainbow carrots and tomatoes emerge around these parts. Though these beauties won't be around much longer, I do enjoy snacking on them everyday. Sometimes with some homemade hummus, other time with some raw almond butter, and mostly by their sublime lonesome. The colours are beautiful! This picture really doesn't do my lovely carrots justice, but as you can see, the gorgeous orange core is enveloped by what looks like a thick, stunning and vivid deep purple planetary ring.
Piles of books..everywhere. One of the things I love most about Manski is his voracious appetite for books. We are both avid readers, but during school months, I keep up with academic reading with just 1-2 books for leisure on the side.
We have 3 hugh jass bookshelves, but I love finding these little piles all over our home. I feel like it really represents the youthful curiosity, delicious/comfortable silences and constant excitement in our lives.
From our bathroom shelf, to the piles by the bookshelf, and even the small selection on the dresser for pre-bed reading, there is always something to pick up. Heck, there is always something to read while you sip the aforementioned tea, snack on the aforementioned veggies or treat yourself to the aforementioned chocolate!
(Edit: Paparazzi alert! Cassandra Forsythe's book "The Perfect Body Diet" is on my bookshelf. See below! Check out her blog through the link to your right!)
What about you? What are some of the simple (or opulent) pleasures that add some excitement to your day? Anything about your home that you just love?
Let's take a breather from serious discussions about injury and recovery, from the ethics and politics of food and from anything other than the things for which (apart from a general enthusiasm for life) I get up for in the morning!
I would consider myself a simpleton, but when it comes to chocolate, I eat nothing but the very best I can afford. This means a limited role for mid-range chocolate like Lindt, but my snobbery was caught off guard by what might just be my chocolate bar of 2009: Lindt's Fleur de Sel bar. I first heard of this bar when Jenna raved about it on her blog. I was definitely intrigued, but the bar seemed to elude this Canadian consumer, until done day, when Manski and I were doing our weekly grocery run and picking out our bars for the week (a fun ritual), I came across this little gem!
Recently I've discovered that the cure for what ails ya, (no matter what ails ya)is a drizzle of olive oil. Seriously, once you experience a great finishing oil, you will want to top everything from your dips to your soups to your veggies to your toast! This particular oil is probably a mid-range olive oil. It hails from the land of OPA(!), Plato and Volcanoes and is a delicious finishing touch to everything! Great oils can cost anywhere from around $9 to hundreds. If you ever get a chance to do an olive oil tasting, you can really appreciate that certain varieties of olives (which, by the way, I simply cannot appreciate outside of oils)are more peppery, sweet, bold and rich. There are wonderful olive oils from all across the Mediterranean, from various regions of Italy, the Middle East and North Africa. As for me, I think if it as magical potion. I swear, my hip feels a bit more healed after every spoonful!
Speaking of Plato and Republic (a work that I have read time and again..with varying degrees of enthusiasm), another great supplement to my day is this excellent tea! Now, I normally don't drink bagged tea. I much prefer loose-leaf (less waste, more customizable options) but this Republic of Tea Black Raspberry Green Tea elixir, boasting fruit and leaf notes, is abundantly delicious iced or hot! I love to sip tea while doing readings, writing papers and during class, but this tea.. this gorgeous, luscious tea is best enjoyed without any outside distractions. You don't even need to gaze out the window.. Just curl up in your favourite spot, close your eyes and sip each meditative atom with a perfectly contented heart. If you could liquefy comfort, this would be it. I love to sip this tea, while soaking in the morning sunlight..if you'll forgive my dirty windows!
Liquid comfort is also something you can shower in. Inspired by my friend Adrienne, I have taken to dropping 2-3 droplets of essential oil into the shower each morning, just soaking in the oils and scents, feeling nourished by the water and the fragrance. Who's silly enough to turn down the opportunity to enjoy a mini-spa every morning?
I've found what's at the end of a rainbow, and it might just be better than gold! This time of year, beautiful rainbow carrots and tomatoes emerge around these parts. Though these beauties won't be around much longer, I do enjoy snacking on them everyday. Sometimes with some homemade hummus, other time with some raw almond butter, and mostly by their sublime lonesome. The colours are beautiful! This picture really doesn't do my lovely carrots justice, but as you can see, the gorgeous orange core is enveloped by what looks like a thick, stunning and vivid deep purple planetary ring.
Piles of books..everywhere. One of the things I love most about Manski is his voracious appetite for books. We are both avid readers, but during school months, I keep up with academic reading with just 1-2 books for leisure on the side.
We have 3 hugh jass bookshelves, but I love finding these little piles all over our home. I feel like it really represents the youthful curiosity, delicious/comfortable silences and constant excitement in our lives.
From our bathroom shelf, to the piles by the bookshelf, and even the small selection on the dresser for pre-bed reading, there is always something to pick up. Heck, there is always something to read while you sip the aforementioned tea, snack on the aforementioned veggies or treat yourself to the aforementioned chocolate!
(Edit: Paparazzi alert! Cassandra Forsythe's book "The Perfect Body Diet" is on my bookshelf. See below! Check out her blog through the link to your right!)
What about you? What are some of the simple (or opulent) pleasures that add some excitement to your day? Anything about your home that you just love?
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The Soundtrack of my Life
A few weeks ago, I wrote in the Gauntlet on "Musical Pharmacology", and lately have been so smitten with Beethoven Sonatas, that I felt it was time (at last) to take a cue from my old pal Nate Green, whose neat blog post entitled "From A to Z on my iPod" has inspired me to share some of the music that populates my playlist.
I used to have one earphone permanently implanted in my ear, but I have gone through the past few years of life savouring music as an endeavor in itself. But hey, I still like to fire up the old iPod for a soundtrack to bus rides to work, and training.
Without further ado:
A
Arcade Fire
B
Beethoven - All Piano Sonatas (Especially Moonlight Sonata 3rd Movement and Pathetique Sonata 1st Movement, performed by Daniel Barenboim)
C
The Clash
D
Daft Punk
Death Cab for Cutie
E
Eliot Smith - Miss Misery
F
Frou Frou
G
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.
H
Howard Shore - Lord of the Rings Soundtrack
I
Imogen Heap
India Arie
J
Jay-Z (The Black Album)
Jamiroquai
K
K-os
M
Many Chao
N
Notorious BIG
O
OutKast
P
The Postal Service
Q
Q-Tip (A Tribe Called Quest)
R
Rachmaninoff
S
Talvin Singh
T
A Tribe Called Quest
U
The Urge
V
Viktor Vaughn
Vivaldi
W
None!
Z
Zero7
I used to have one earphone permanently implanted in my ear, but I have gone through the past few years of life savouring music as an endeavor in itself. But hey, I still like to fire up the old iPod for a soundtrack to bus rides to work, and training.
Without further ado:
A
Arcade Fire
B
Beethoven - All Piano Sonatas (Especially Moonlight Sonata 3rd Movement and Pathetique Sonata 1st Movement, performed by Daniel Barenboim)
C
The Clash
D
Daft Punk
Death Cab for Cutie
E
Eliot Smith - Miss Misery
F
Frou Frou
G
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.
H
Howard Shore - Lord of the Rings Soundtrack
I
Imogen Heap
India Arie
J
Jay-Z (The Black Album)
Jamiroquai
K
K-os
M
Many Chao
N
Notorious BIG
O
OutKast
P
The Postal Service
Q
Q-Tip (A Tribe Called Quest)
R
Rachmaninoff
S
Talvin Singh
T
A Tribe Called Quest
U
The Urge
V
Viktor Vaughn
Vivaldi
W
None!
Z
Zero7
Preserve the Species Campaign
Before I launch into a fairly fun post on my favourite training music (aka my POWER play list), I want to share a brief story with you.
There is a field hockey team in the CIS whose funding has been cut. This team sets the bar very high indeed, for community involvement, for hours of training on the field and in the gym, and most of all, for commitment to excellence. The threat of losing this team impacts the whole of the Alberta field hockey community and high school programs, as well as the very existence of our sport at the university level.
This is my team, the University of Calgary Dinos. We have launched a campaign, spearheaded by out amazing Alumni, called Preserve the Species. If you are interested in contributing to this cause (admittedly my proximity bias may come in to play) I think you may find that it is one of the best investments you ever make, toward supporting youth empowerment.
Please visit the Dinos FHC site to learn more and to support our efforts to keep our program alive and thriving.
Thanks!
There is a field hockey team in the CIS whose funding has been cut. This team sets the bar very high indeed, for community involvement, for hours of training on the field and in the gym, and most of all, for commitment to excellence. The threat of losing this team impacts the whole of the Alberta field hockey community and high school programs, as well as the very existence of our sport at the university level.
This is my team, the University of Calgary Dinos. We have launched a campaign, spearheaded by out amazing Alumni, called Preserve the Species. If you are interested in contributing to this cause (admittedly my proximity bias may come in to play) I think you may find that it is one of the best investments you ever make, toward supporting youth empowerment.
Please visit the Dinos FHC site to learn more and to support our efforts to keep our program alive and thriving.
Thanks!
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