An ode.

The books I am going to read live on the shelf behind my bed. They are lined up neatly awaiting their turn. The books I am going to read live on a side table next to the shelf because the shelf got to0 full. The books I am going to read live in boxes under my bed, because the church book sales I attend mean that the side table does not provide enough space. The books I am going to read live on shelves in the home I keep at my parent's house, because my tiny apartment does not provide enough room. The books I am going to read live at the library, on a hold list that my additions keep infinite. The books I am going to read live in your apartment, on your shelves, because when I come over, I will borrow one. The books I am going to read live on the front tables of chain book stores, where all the popular fiction resides. The books I am going to read live in the back corner, top left shelf of the used book store around the corner. The books I am going to read live on best seller lists, Oprah's book club list, and the unscientific, unofficial, almost entirley inaccurate list (kept by me) of What People Are Reading Next to Me on The Subway. The books I am going to read live, grow, self propogate pretty much everywhere. For this I am grateful.

It would rain

Despite the lack of rain for the past few days I recently expereienced a sense memory:

At my home-home (not to be confused with my Toronto-home) on summer afternoons the feeling of coming rain would creep in through the open windows and fill the air in the entire house. It was the feeling of a release, a letting up of pressure you had been previously unaware was there. Shortly after this the rain would start, softly at first then becoming more urgent. Mom, from the garden usually, would call out instructions to close all the windows. Every window in every room would then be closed, by whoever was home. If we were too slow, or the waer came too quickly, rain would splash through the window screens, pooling on the sills. The tiles in front of the screen door would frequently fall victim, for some reason the sliding glass door was always the last to be shut. Sometimes this is what the word summer means to me.

WE WON!!!!

Our floor hockey team won! We have never actually done that before. And this time we won, and we did so by scoring more goals than the other team, not via the other team forfeiting. While I did not score any goals I was all up in there doing important floor hockey things. I think I may even be getting better, my sports skills are improving, I am very good at getting in other people's way. Surely this win will lead to an avalanche of unending, uninterrupted winning.

New!

I finally acquired myself a new laptop. I have been living out of Daley's Mac since before Christmas. It has been a wonderful Mac. And I am sure Daley misses it, which is why I got around to buying a new laptop. It's very pretty, and filled with Windows 7 which I am still getting used too. Things keep popping up, but they make pretty sounds when they do so, so I am going to allow it.

I will even be able to upload photos! Which means maybe New York pictures! All 8 of the ones I took!

New York!

I spent the weekend in New York! And I sucesfully flew there and back alone, without any horrible incidents! And my luggage showed up!

While in New York I got to visit the Strand. A bookstore that is apparently 18 miles of books. Three floors of floor to ceiling, every surface covered, books. I was very very happy. And I saw Times Square and Grand Central Station and many tall iconic buildings that I cannot remember the name of. And I had Soup Dumplings! Dumplings that have soup in them! Hard to eat? Yes. Delicious? YES!

And I got to eat at the restaurtant that the New York Times had just declared as having the Best Pizza in New York: Motorino. The wait was over an hour and a half (luckly you can leave your name and then come back after drinking tea at a cafe) but it was worth it. So delicious.

I got to go shopping in SoHo and I found out where Jay Z got his name. I also went to the MoMA which was featuring an exhibit of Tim Burton's work. The exhibit was high on my list of favourite things about the New York Visit (best pizza and huge bookstore obviously ranking pretty highly) it was a fantastic look into how hard Tim Burton works on all of his projects. Rather inspiring.

But now? Now I sleep.

I don't fly enough

I fly out in a couple of days to New York! And I have started the process of freaking out about it. I am trying to find out what carry on I am allowed. From my readings it seems I am allowed one bag and a purse. I wonder if my back pack would be one bag. Oh I panic easily.

Eco Changeover

I have started a new project. I am slowly, as the old standbys are used up, moving over to eco friendly products for my body and for my home. I don't really know what I am doing. There is a bit of a learning curve here, I am learning that there are different chemicals found in regular moisturizers and shampoos that many many people dislike. I am learning that not everything that says "eco friendly" or "organic" is made from 100% natural ingredients. I am learning that things made from natural ingredients can also have ingredient lists that read like tongue twisters. I am also learning that no one has it all figured out. So I am learning as I go, and doing my best.

I picked up diswashing liquid today by ECOVER. It claims to be tough on grease.

I also picked up Frosty Mint toothpaste, which, once my colgate runs out, I will be trying out. This toothpaste points brings up one of the big issues with this eco changeover: It is 4 dollars more expensive than the regular brand I buy. Most nature friendly products are more expensive, but they also tend to have cuter pictures of animals on them. It's a trade off.

Jingle Bell Rock

When the radio station that plays at work gets switched to 24 hour Christmas, this can add heaps of pressure on someone who has yet to start her Christmas shopping.

balloons

I am currently trying to think of reasons that the large office tower across the street from me would have multiple floors decked with red, white and green balloons. They are attached to cubicle walls, filing cabinets and desks. I doubt it is for one person's birthday as a few floors have it. It could be for an Italy festival they are having, but I see no corresponding banners. And a month ago there was a similar balloon situation but they were all pink. This is most curious.

Christmas in the City

10:00 am on parade Sunday. The subway is filled with tiny people in Santa Claus hats, swinging their legs and shifting in seats, their excitement too big to keep inside. Regular riders don't complain when the swinging and the shifting result in kicked shin bones and jostled rides. The conductors ride with doors wide open, while wide-eyed children stare at the lights and buttons.

Santa is here people.

Dinner

Tonight I made a cous cous & tofu stir fry for dinner. Since I have made it many times with Peter, and since I called him before I started making it to get directions, it was no problem at all to make. A delicious time was had by all.

That is how the post should have gone. Instead it goes like this:


To make cous cous one should out it in boiling water that is just enough to cook it but no too much so it does not get soggy. I apparently erred too much on the soggy caution side. When I checked on my cous cous I discovered that instead of 'fluffin nicely' it was 'smoking' & 'burning'. And judging by the amount of smoke I would have to say it was making it's way quickly towards being on fire. The aftermath, was a lot of wasted cous cous and a charred pot. Once again I am glad I have not invested in an expensive pot set, as my charring days do not seem to be ending.


Round two of dinner making went much smoother, and was a lot more delicious.


In answer to my cousin's question: Book club is going great! We just had a meeting last night, we read Any Known Blood by Lawrence Hill. An interesting look at 5 generations of a family and the different difficulties they come up against.

Stair Climb

I did it! I did the stair climb! Completed it! All the way to the top! Even that bit that is just antenna! I suction cupped my way up that part. It was totally awesome. I am glad I completed something from my life list AND raised money for the United Way. And I got a T-Shirt! With my time on it! 23 minutes and 58 seconds. Which is an even faster time then I was expecting. And then there were waffles for breakfast. Oh yes, a good time was had by all

Le job Le Hunt

I frequenlty find job hunting frustrating. It seems to underline the fact that I have no idea what I want to do. The concept of it also empasizes that I am not where I want to be with my life and that I do not know where I want to be and that if I did know, I do not know how to get there. It also frequenlty makes me sad and grumpy. So I often avoid it.

Pretty Things and RL

I have been very much into dragon flies lately. I think because they have been on everything, clothes, bags, cards etc. Or perhaps they are just more salient because I am into them now (sometimes a psychology degree can be very tiresome).


I found this pretty item on etsy: necklace

And then I looked up dragon flies on flickr: up close!

and not to be annoying or anything, but they are not as pretty in Real Life.

But you know, they can actually fly. So that's like being better.

Fence Fence!

I had an awesome fencing practice tonight. This was the first practice in awhile that I actually felt like I was accomplishing something, and not just flailing about like a useless never fenced before idiot. And I actually got a good work out of the whole deal, so I am feeling pretty good.

I am doing the stair climb this Sunday! The CN Tower Stair Climb! What was once the tallest freestanding building, but then got usurped, but then got resurped when they made up a whole category, will be climbed by me! This Sunday! Not all the way up, that attenae part at the top is a little tricky, but as far as they let me go! I am hoping for a time in the low twenties, but we shall see what will happen.

This event, in addition to raising money for United Way, will be the first item crossed off my life list! This will be an exciting moment. Then perhaps a hot air balloon ride!

oh hey!

Have I mentioned that I have moved? Did I mention that I love my new apartment? Did I mention that my commute is the same to work, and faster to everything else? Did I mention that I have an oven? Did I mention that I have a washer and drier? Did I mention any of this? No???

My Bad

Advice For Italian Boys - Anne Giardini

I recently read Advice for Italian Boys by Anne Giardini, by the recommendation of the Toronto Public Library that had it listed as a 'Best Bets', and who am I to argue with the library.

The book focuses on the life of a 20 something Italin boy growing up in a town in Ontario. The driving story focuses on the main character trying to find his way in life while balancing the expecations, desires and advice of his family and friends. Relvoing around his story are the stories of his brothers, his parents, his grandmother and almost everyone he comes in contact with. Her explorations of the invidual characters read like beautiful stand alone stories but in the end layer together to build a thoughtful and elegent narrative. In this way Giradini acknowledges that no one exists in a vacuum, and that other people's experiences and actions can affect us in ways that can change our life direction.

Giardini's writing sets a slower tempo than what I have become accoustoumed to lately. Her descriptive and detailed writing bordered on lyrical. The read was satisfiingly slow, forcing my brain to ratchet back to a pace that is similar to what is achieved while on vacation.

I would recommend this book for a book club, for people who like stories that create an entire world and for someone who needs a mini mental break during their day.

That was fun wasn't it?

42 steps from the Street

Today my roommate and I gave our 60 days notice to move out of our current apartment. The one that smells like fish, pretty much all the time.

Can you believe it has been almost two years already?

I mean I remember when I had just moved in! And when I painted! And when I discovered a gas stove could kill me! All very exciting stuff.

I have found a new apartment! It involved a lot of agonizing.... A LOT. Ask Heather, she will inform you, much agonizing occurred.

I had been planning on living alone, but then my friend Emily called and asked if I would be interested in living with her and another girl. I almost said no, right off the bat, as living alone was the big dream. Then she said the glorious words: "laundry in the apartment" !!!! Not downstairs or nothing... but IN THE APARTMENT ITSELF!!!! So I agreed to check out the apartment. It is pretty nice. But very small. But in a great location! And has a doorman! And a gym! AND LAUNDRY IN THE APARTMENT.

After much agonizing (seriously, the amount of agonizing cannot be over emphasized, in fact any over emphasis would still be a huge underemphasis) and number crunching (two budgets were created, one where I lived alone and one where I took the apartment, and these budgets were compared to my current budget) I decided to take the apartment.


So the big question is: can I live in a small apartment with two other people and be happy?

"In the end, if you take care
You can be happy or unhappy anywhere"
- Lyrics from a sweet tune by Everything But the Girl

bookstores are always a good place to be

Afew months back one of my favourite podcasts included an awesome song as their outro. I loved it. I kept skipping back the minute and 56 seconds to listen to it. I tried searching the lyrics on the internet but I could not find that version. I gave up after an hour (I tried!) . Then only occasionally thought of it since then.

Last week I was half an hour early for dinner with friends, so stopped off at a bookstore to browse for awhile. I was on my eigth back-of-the-book read through when the song played over the soundsystem. The very nice counter clerk (and by very nice I mean she got all upset that I was interuppting her discussion with a co-worker) told me the soundtrack that was playing. The song, and all the songs on that CD are currently uploading to my iPod. Internet? bookstores win again.

In other news, I bought four lemons today. for a dollar. They are bright and yellow and happy. And only a 25 cents each.

In defence of sangria

In response to Peter: I am totally looking forward to Saturday Sangria, I think the missing part is looking forawrd to things like summer vacation and such.