Archive | September, 2011

A Pass For A Pass

27 Sep

For the past two days I have been ridiculously and  uncharacteristically positive. I’m not sure what has happened or what to do about it. I’ve been fairly stressed at work for the past few weeks and then last week I was somewhat sick. I pushed through it, not really noticing just how sick I was. I left work early on Friday, went to the doctor and eventually to my couch. I canceled all my weekend plans and hibernated for the weekend. By the time Monday rolled around I felt like a new person. I was healthy again…and happy. What that…?

I’ve spent the last half hour with a friend going over the things that have changed. I need to figure out what has happened so I can get myself out of future funks. Was it the weekend of being at home by myself watching TV, reading, knitting, eventually doing some baking and cleaning? Maybe. Was it that I got some positive feedback on something that I’ve been worrying about and dreading at work? Or could it be the evening of flamenco and dreaming with fellow dancers about going to Spain and taking classes that I had on Monday? Was it the after work run and yoga that I did this afternoon? All possibilities but I don’t feel that any one of these could result in such a shift in mindset.

Wait! I’ve got it!!

I’ve traded in my bus pass for a parking pass. I realize it’s not a very green decision, but I had to do it. Last week I realized that I arrive at the office every morning angry. I hate taking the bus. It’s crowded, smelly, and all the people annoy me. I become this horrible, negative, angry bus-riding version of myself for a half hour each way in the morning and afternoon. As the weather turns, standing at the bus stop, juggling an umbrella, extra shoes so I can change out of rain boots, my lunch bag and purse adds to the stress of taking the bus. How much is leaving all of this behind worth? Well, turns out, in my mind, it’s worth is the exact amount of a parking pass. 

I can’t believe this didn’t occur to me earlier when I was compiling my list of things that have changed. I’m pretty sure this is what did it!! My plan is to drive to work until May. It’s the busiest time  of year when the buses are crowded and the weather is at its worst. For the summer I’ll switch back to the bus. It’s much more bearable then. I always imagine that I’ll ride my bike to work in the summer too, but let’s face it, if it hasn’t happened once in the two years that I’ve lived in my place, chances are it’s not going to happen. Never say never, but I’m not holding my breath. And until then, I’m not going to have to hold my breath on that stinky bus anymore either!!

Fashioning

18 Sep

This week MSN Travel released a list of the worst dressed cities in the world. Vancouver ranked number three. Being a very active and sporty city, the yoga pant was blamed for its lack of style. I’m guilty of throwing on a pair of yoga pants when I’m running errands, having a day at home, or participating in some form of physical exercise; however, I still agree that Vancouver is lacking in the style department. I don’t think I’ve been in a social situation since the article came out where someone didn’t bring it up. We seem somewhat offended, but also willing to admit that we’re all guilty of being fashionably lazy.

While spending time in San Francisco with my mom this summer, we talked a lot about fashion. People put together some great outfits there. I was inspired and bought a few pieces of clothing and shoes. Including these:

I haven’t actually worn them out of the house yet, but I know I will. And I’m positive Vancouver will be giving me looks for them. Probably the same look I got last weekend when I dressed up for the roller derby. I put on my black halter sun dress, curled my hair, added a big red flower and some red lipstick.

There were similar looks when I wore my fascinator. I had complete strangers asking to take my picture. I don’t think you wear either a fascinator, a big flower in your hair, or sparkly red shoes without being prepared for some looks.

I have fun putting these outfits together. If you’d have asked me put any of these things on five years ago, I would have laughed, but I’ve reached a point where I want to have fun in as many ways as possible! When I ask myself, “Should I wear this flower in my hair?” the answer is always “Yes”. Always. S

I’m doing my part to move Vancouver up to at least the seventh worst dressed city in the world. Today while I run errands, I’m ditching the yoga pants for a pair of straight leg jeans with my new black biker boots.  How about you? What’s your favourite crazy outfit?

Seniors!

14 Sep

I just saw this on the news tonight and had to share it. These seniors are adorable. I have days where I can totally identify with their puzzlement, but there’s usually a lot more swearing when I’m involved. I can only hope that I’m as curious and playful when I’m their age.

Summer Vacation 2011

9 Sep

After a whirl wind August, I’m back home and ready to settle into a new routine. In the last month I’ve only worked a handful of days, which I’m sure I’ll be paying for with my sanity in the coming weeks, but I’ve been all over the place and had a blast. I had a few days off at home before taking off to the island. I spent some time getting sorted around my apartment and mentally regrouping after finishing exams.

I managed to fit in a few concerts…by the same band. I saw the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion in Vancouver on a Tuesday, received an email from a friend the next morning that they were playing in Seattle that night. Since we enjoyed the show so much, we hoped in my car after he was finished work, picked up another friend who was up for an adventure and off we went. Arriving in Seattle around 9:00, caught the full set until about 12:30 and were back on the road to Vancouver around 1:00 a.m. I think I crawled into bed around 4:30 that morning, but it was well worth the adventure.

Next I was off to Campbell River where my parents and I had a candle lit dinner in the garden to celebrate me finishing school. The next day we were all off to Quadra Island to be best-non-man in my best friend’s wedding. Duties of best-non-man weren’t all that clear going in, but I managed to make sure his pants were ironed, his shirt was tucked in and his finger nails clean. I didn’t realize just how honoured I’d feel to be up there with him, but I felt very privileged to be handing over the ring. During the ceremony I stood next to him and all I could see was his back. As usual, I had his back. Figuratively and literally.

After a few more island adventures which included but were not limited to missing ferries and playing foosball in the back of a bus, my mom and I took off to San Francisco. My mom and I travel well together. We catch up, we laugh, we take silly pictures of each other. People look at us funny and we just keep laughing. It was particularly fun being in San Francisco with her because the last time she was there it was prime hippy era. She said Haight-Ashbury was just the same. We walked through Golden Gate Park, saw the Beat Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. We ate all kinds of yummy food and even danced at the Tonga Room.

Once I got back home I worked a few days and then headed back out on the road for another friend’s beautiful wedding. It was a great chance to get up into the sunny Okanagan and to catch up with a group of friends for the weekend. Plus, there’s nothing like a road trip to discover that some people do in fact like the buttered popcorn flavoured jelly bellies. I thought they were just there as a marketing gimmick. You want to get the taste out so badly that you just eating more of the other flavours.

There’s much more I could say about all of these adventures, but I’d go on and on and you’d get bored. I have a ton of photos to go through so you’ll just have to wait until I post them to hear more. Since I’ve been constantly on the go for the past month, it hadn’t hit me that I don’t have to go back to school until this week. I see all the students with their shiny new textbooks and eagerness not to fall behind. I’m loving the fact that my evenings are mine and I get to choose what I’ll do.

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