Thursday, November 17, 2016

Dash of Cinnamon

Look, I took a picture of my food! I'm cool now! Although, it's no latte....

I think its cool to hear how Sifu Brinker's vegetarian challenge has affected some people. It has affected me to be sure. I can't say I'm a strict vegetarian now but I am much more conscious of what I'm putting into my body, for better or worse. As I mentioned, I bought the Thug Kitchen cookbook and I have to say I never thought I'd crave wilted greens before. Although I did learn that mixing my own Chinese 5 spice is not the same- I don't have a clue what the ratios are. And a little cinnamon goes a long way. I'm no longer preparing meat for myself or Nick, no longer ordering it, no longer buying it and no longer craving it. My wallet has thanked me too. Yes, I did try a piece of Nicks steak that one night. It was tasty, but I found was fine with my salad. I miss the convenience more than the meat itself.

As for the uke, I haven't picked it up for a few days now but I have been practicing, going through the app suggested by Sihing Csillag (thank you!!). One day I grabbed it and sat down in front of my dad and said let me know if you can recognize this song. I don't think I even told him prior to that day that I was trying to learn it. He listened, didn't say a word and just grabbed the phone and called my mom, told her to listen. She said yeah, so? It's that guy you like. She thought he was playing Iz for her over the phone. That made my day.

Other than that, I am really a living representation of distraction. I feel that I've accomplished a lot this year, through different projects and in several different areas. Although it seems to me most of my accomplishments were outside the list I set for myself at the beginning of the year. I feel like I'm in school again- when there was a term paper due my house was never cleaner, my dogs never shiner with their groomed coats, the counters full of baked goods. But no term paper. But I'm working on it.

Well, thats all I've got. Chloe is trying to crawl on my lap- must be gun shots outside. Now thats a whole other blog...

Friday, November 11, 2016

Cranes, Weasels & Lions

I recently finished my first string of cranes. I've been in a foul mood lately and folding these guys helps me to ground myself. I've also been thinking about what they symbolize, quite fitting today, being Remembrance Day. Lest we forget.

The last week or so has been wrought with drama in all forms. Most obvious being the shock of the election. After that, the shock of how many people I know who are pro Trump and rally after his ideals. So these cranes are beginning to take on a whole new meaning for me, one small way that I can hold against everything wrong in this world without fear of backlash and harassment.

On a lighter note, here is a photo of Chloe as a lion.

Friday, November 4, 2016

Jaded

Empathy is a tough concept. There are times that no matter what I can't empathize with a person or a way of thinking, which makes it hard to have any kind of meaningful dialogue. The other side of the fence is just too... much.

I was sitting around a fire recently with a couple friends I've known since the diaper phase. Listening to one of them complain about the current government and state of the economy and then in the next breath talk about how much money the company he works for waste. Or how much resources are wasted. The bonus's the management gets and the contracts that are signed. The ways the company "save money" by burying or burning dangerous waste illegally. That time when they were supposed to call Fish & Wildlife about an endangered species but they didn't, it would have meant down time. He laughs, I cringe. Then I get mad. I'm labeled as a hippy, left winged idealist with no common sense and no idea of "realistic" expectations. From a guy who wears a pair of socks for one day and then throws them out because he likes "that new sock feeling" and can afford to buy 365 pairs a year. But complains about job loss. And I'm raked over the coals for supporting carbon tax.

Makes me feel very alone living in Alberta today. All the while seeing nothing but "Alberta Wide Rally Nov. 5th" and "Tell Trudeau Alta Matters" alongside "15 Celebrity Fails" shared and tweeted and instagrammed from the smartphones in these peoples hands. We are a rich province in a rich nation. Which, to me anyways, only increases our need to be more accountable, more responsible.

Dude, don't complain to me when you have no fresh water, no clean air, no farmable land and no wildlife. Blame yourself and your 365 pairs of socks.

Oh, and he's Trump supporter. Go figure.