Random Thoughts and Observations

Living in Wellington Village is going to ruin my grocery budget. There's too much good, healthy, gourmet food around and when it comes to good food, my willpower is weak.

I could use a getaway right now, preferably somewhere warm and sunny, with a beach.

This winter has been long, grey and snowy, though today's mild weather gives me hope that spring is near.

Although I look forward to having Internet at home, I'm enjoying the coffee shop rendez-vous with D. for free WiFi. (I was going to spell WiFi with a dash, but D. just informed me that it's uncool.)

The man sitting beside us just pulled a hair from his eyebrow; it looked like it hurt.

D. and I are considering a joint blog to chronicle our journey at the new place. Corny? Maybe. Fun? Definitely could be. I'll keep you posted (pun intended).

I want to write more.

I started flipping my hair up instead of curling it under; I feel five years younger.

I just had a medium coffee and forgot to order a decaf. It's after 5pm, I'll probably be wired 'til 2 o'clock in the morning.

It's Oscar night. I wish I had cable to get my annual dose of red carpet glitz and glamour. The rest of the year - NHL playoffs, Olympics, and Holiday season excepted - I don't miss it that much.

These random thoughts and observations are just the tip of the iceberg. My head feels full. Thank you for letting me empty it even if just a little.

Still Alive

Hello from the other side! I'm still alive and kicking - a little tired - but still kicking (with the odd screaming thrown in for good measure).

D. and I are moved into the new place. We don't have Internet yet though so I write from a coffee shop with free wireless. I've been suffering from withdrawal symptoms; this afternoon I treat myself to a little writing and surfing. Later it's back to unpacking.

The new house is still beautiful and is slowly but surely becoming a home. Part of me wishes I could wave my magic fairy wand and make it so instantaneously, but that wouldn't be as fun now would it. It takes time, but we're doing it one box at a time.

I'll keep it short this time 'round so I can fit in a bit of surfing before my free wireless time runs out. I've missed my daily dose of inspiration from the Web. It's good to be back.

'Til the next time ...

Still Packing

It's the home stretch. Tonight I'm tired, cranky and feel like I'm without a home. Luckily the move is in two days. I look forward to it.

I'll be dismantling my PC soon. I'll see you from the other side!

Packing & Painting

Cassie posing at the new digs

The past few days have been spent immersed in the world of my upcoming move. Friday was spent cleaning and painting at the new place, and yesterday I focused on packing what I have here. Eleven boxes later, I'm physically tired but surprisingly still pumped. Whodda thought?

This afternoon I will put the second coat on my new office walls and continue cleaning the new house so it's ready to receive us on Friday. I look forward to it.

The Story of Stuff

Stuff. Nothing brings it to surface as does packing for a move. With each box I pack my stuff becomes more and more visible in the form of neatly stacked piles of labelled, numbered, inventoried boxes.

I stumbled upon this 20-minute video during one of my weekend blog surfing expeditions. Created by Annie Leonard, it's an overview of stuff from the extraction of raw materials needed to produce it, to its disposal. I found the video entertaining and enlightening.

Coincidentally, Leonard is featured in the Simple Living Network's January-February newsletter (The Story of Stuff). I thought both her works were worth sharing.

Rethinking My Workspace

Yesterday I moved into an office space at work that's smaller, darker and less private than the one I had before. Next week I'm moving into a home office that's about half the size of the one I have now. In both cases I need to simplify considerably just to make my space breathable and workable. It's hard to adjust.

Maybe it's the Universe's way of telling me it's time to switch my focus, nudging me in the right direction by forcing me to rethink and simplify my workspaces. Maybe it's time to cull the old and make room for the new, identify what's important for work and creativity and leave the rest. Or maybe I just have too much stuff.

Whatever it is, the thought of redefining it, although daunting, is refreshing.

Favourite Things: Crooked Hardwood Floors

if these floors could talk ...

My floors are crooked and well worn. I'd love to hear the stories they'd have to say about life in this apartment over the years. Wouldn't that be neat?

Snow Angels

A huge thank you to Bro-in-Law who, after a two and half hour run, dug out my car this weekend. And a huge thank you to D. who, after recieving a plea from a very overwhelmed yours truly, drove from Barrhaven to downtown with an extra shovel to help me out.

I'm so blessed. And so was D. that day - by the time he got here Bro-in-Law was done. I've never seen a man handle a shovel that fast!

Snow!

wheel-deep in snow

Help! I scratched my head trying to come up with a strategy to dig myself out, but really the only thing to do is start digging - one shovelful at a time. At least it's a beautiful day to do so, and I've already accepted that there's no way the car is going anywhere today.

However on a less Zen note, just to show you the dichotomy that is me, I'd like to really REALLY thank the people who, when clearing out their driveway, decided to put the snow in front of my car instead of behind the car on the other side. REALLY thank you.

A Home for the Soul

A home for the soul sparks our imagination. Its architecture and furnishings offer more than mechanical function and urge us to explore the essence of who we truly are.

- Anthony Lawlor, A Home for the Soul

I've often struggled with the theory of detaching from my material comforts, with the notion that a home is really just a collection of wood, metal and plaster I should be able to transcend. My material comforts and surroundings - my books, my furniture, my coloured walls - nurture me, they feed my spirit. Now I know why: they help me be me.