I never worked this hard in university. I never HAD TO. But baking school man, has given me an anxiety disorder. Kidding! I already had one.
I've posted some baking escapades over on The Oven Wall. Truffles, chocolate shops and my hatred of eclairs.
How 'bout some pictures?
Pretty much crazy about these glasses. Anthropologie. Eeee.
I want this hair on my head RIGHT NOW. I found this blog called Fuck Yeah Hair and I spend a really shameful amount of time on it. I sometimes even wish my hair was a pastel. Even though I know I don't want that. But there's a lot I do want on here. Too bad hair's not like makeup. If it was, I would totally be bald right now. Because I could have my hair back tomorrow. 
Watched Mao's Last Dancer last night. I am now fascinated with Communist China history. The Communist regime in China was heavily influenced and connected with the Russian regime. The culture and the landscape in China is so different and majestic. Mao's Last Dancer was fascinating in how it represented the culture of the time. The dancing was so impressive but as per dance movie, it didn't have much of a captivating plot to speak of. Pretty predictable but it had moments of immense beauty. Ballerinas can do incredible things to their bodies. Too bad it's so hard on their bodies.
Inspiration:
P.S ~ My blogger looks new and it makes me so excited.
Lemon and mixed olive tapenade. 
My father-in-law bought me this cookbook for Christmas because he obviously loves me and wants me to be happy. This cookbook, y'all, seriously is so good. The pictures alone. I feel good about my skills by just reading it. It's like transferrence. So thank you Bourke Street. Australians are good for society. They do these creme brûlée tarts that are vanilla custard tarts with the caramelized sugar crust on top. Genius. Or they do bread with roasted potatoes in it. Their brainstorming sessions must be a ton of fun. Givin' the green light on awesomeness. 
You see the creme brûlée tarts? Far right? Booyah.
Having a couple days off from school has been great for my perspective. I was able to read today, drink some coffee that wasn't cold, go for a walk on the beach, workout in the daylight. I have been downright spoiled. Bankybear has it's spring finest on right now. All the trees are budding, flowers are sprouting up from the ground. And our lives are all drizzle so it's definitely spring in the Pacific Northwest. This is the point in the year that I cuddle my SAD lamp like a lap dog. "The summer makes up for it." I keep hearing this so it must be true.
I'm taking my camera out for documentation sake tomorrow regardless.
Song of the day: Little Black Sandals by Sia
Thursday, January 12, 2012
His Old Man and the Sea
As promise, y'all. Moozh's tat in progress, two sessions in. Some of the blackwork remains to be done and then from there the rest is water-colour with filigree and some negative space. Look at the tension in the fisherman! And the marlin! And the bubbles!
I can't wait for it to be finished! I loved Moozh's initial thought for the tattoo and then with Zara's artistic touch, it exploded.
Again, check out Zara's site to see more and if you like what you see, 'like' Fly the Cage Tattoos on Facebook.
I can't wait for it to be finished! I loved Moozh's initial thought for the tattoo and then with Zara's artistic touch, it exploded.
Again, check out Zara's site to see more and if you like what you see, 'like' Fly the Cage Tattoos on Facebook.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
It's 2011 -wait 2012…..yeah 2012.
Hey Y'all.
I think I did maybe head to Cowtown for the holidays (which flashed by like a peep show) with the intention of blogging sometime along the way. And then I snapped out of the daydream where I am that person who takes time out of a busy day to blog. I do not have the mental organization to have those skills. I get too caught up in the moment. *I shouldn't phrase that like it's a bad thing. But immortalization of said moments is rarely initiated by me.
The holidays got dressed and left rather indecently. Moozh and I landed the day before New Year's Eve and that evening I sat in my chair and sighed, "I can't wait for Christmaaaaa…..how did this happen." The whole season was a blur. It feels like Starbucks came out with their red mugs what seemed like way too early and the next thing I knew, I turned around and I was hung over on New Year's Day. Our midsections, bank account and general belongings inventory are all showing the signs of a holiday season. But instead of pupils right now, I have the blasted Apple rainbow wheel. "Thinking, thinking, thinking…oh yeah you did do all that. You drank too much. But you really enjoyed your time. Save changes?"
It really was fun though. Cowtown was shockingly milder than Bankybear the whole time we were there. Which made me stoooooooked that I packed my huge wool jacket when I ended up wearing my leather jacket everywhere. It was a good cure for homesickness though. Making the trip home, I was able to make it to my younger sister's musical theatre performance and take my other sister out for dinner. I was able to just chill on the couch with my bro and listen to him tell me about what he's interested in. Eat gruyere and drink beautiful red wine with my dad. Gab with my mom over pedicures and makeup. Went out for ChaiNogs with my sister-in-law and laughed and cried in the middle of a Starbucks until nearly four hours disappeared. Bake with my Mama. Moozh and I cooked for everyone. He made stew and I made bread and we were able to kind of express what we're wanting to do with our lives that way.
On either end of our trip to Cowtown, we spent time in Victoria, getting our tattoos started and, in my case, nearly finished. My aunt truly is one of the most talented people I've ever met and I am truly blessed have her ink permanently on me. When Rik and Zara (my aunt and uncle) moved to Victoria last summer after their year of travelling and a year living up island, Zara opened up her own tattoo shop. She has a loyal following of clients from the shop that she worked at in Winnipeg for years and then built a further international client base the year they were travelling. If you have any desire to have some ink, especially if you want something original, check out Zara's site, Fly the Cage Tattoo. My tattoo really just has some minor outlining and then some water-colour bubbles in the background and then I'm set for life. Moozh's sleeve is still in progress but it gets exponentially more amazing with each session.
The craziness didn't stop once we got home from Christmas. After New Year's Eve, where I thoroughly embarrassed myself (story for another time), we had New Year's Day to recover and then we both started our programs January 2nd! We're a week and a half into
Moozh has been learned the obsessive and compulsive tenets to Fine French cuisine (The entire first week is just knife skills) and I have learned over a dozen different bread recipes and the science behind flour, gluten formation and composing an original recipe. I come home from school with on average about four loaves of bread. We start croissants on Friday!
To track our progress in school, I've started up another blog called The Oven Wall. The name derives from the origins of bread, where the Egyptians would bake their flatbread on the hearth of the oven but also on the walls of the oven, like naan is traditionally made today. We have pictures of our spoils and some run down of each of our days. We'll be taking pictures as we experiment at home as well. We've recruited everyone we know as a recipient of our learning curve, regardless of their knowledge or not. My Chef is amazing. Aside from being flamboyantly Italian and hilariously crass, even at 630 in the morning, he teaches the food science and biology behind food. And this coming Tuesday, he leaves for Italy to represent Canada in an International Gelato and Ice Cream competition. I am truly blessed, and entertained, by his tutelage. Moozh's chef is just a bad ass French dude. He doesn't say much and he pretty much represents the last of the French Old Guard, as far as cooking goes. Our school is very fun. It's very small and so you get to know everyone pretty quickly. Our instructor from our wine class that we took in October still remembers us!
In contrast to my time at the Yoob, I have so much excess mental creativity at the end of the day, I find blogging so incredibly cathartic. At the Yoob, I was always mentally exhausted by the time I got home. Through this process, I will hack out some semblance of a balance for myself. My return to creative writing will probably be a slow one but I have prepared myself for that wait. In the meantime, there's some pretty tasty food to be had. We make stollen in week 3, which makes up for my intention to make it during the holidays. We make chocolate and cakes. I'm especially excited for ice cream, given who I am learning under. I'm off to study laminated dough because 'laminated dough is challenge.' Viamo!
I think I did maybe head to Cowtown for the holidays (which flashed by like a peep show) with the intention of blogging sometime along the way. And then I snapped out of the daydream where I am that person who takes time out of a busy day to blog. I do not have the mental organization to have those skills. I get too caught up in the moment. *I shouldn't phrase that like it's a bad thing. But immortalization of said moments is rarely initiated by me.
The holidays got dressed and left rather indecently. Moozh and I landed the day before New Year's Eve and that evening I sat in my chair and sighed, "I can't wait for Christmaaaaa…..how did this happen." The whole season was a blur. It feels like Starbucks came out with their red mugs what seemed like way too early and the next thing I knew, I turned around and I was hung over on New Year's Day. Our midsections, bank account and general belongings inventory are all showing the signs of a holiday season. But instead of pupils right now, I have the blasted Apple rainbow wheel. "Thinking, thinking, thinking…oh yeah you did do all that. You drank too much. But you really enjoyed your time. Save changes?"
It really was fun though. Cowtown was shockingly milder than Bankybear the whole time we were there. Which made me stoooooooked that I packed my huge wool jacket when I ended up wearing my leather jacket everywhere. It was a good cure for homesickness though. Making the trip home, I was able to make it to my younger sister's musical theatre performance and take my other sister out for dinner. I was able to just chill on the couch with my bro and listen to him tell me about what he's interested in. Eat gruyere and drink beautiful red wine with my dad. Gab with my mom over pedicures and makeup. Went out for ChaiNogs with my sister-in-law and laughed and cried in the middle of a Starbucks until nearly four hours disappeared. Bake with my Mama. Moozh and I cooked for everyone. He made stew and I made bread and we were able to kind of express what we're wanting to do with our lives that way.
On either end of our trip to Cowtown, we spent time in Victoria, getting our tattoos started and, in my case, nearly finished. My aunt truly is one of the most talented people I've ever met and I am truly blessed have her ink permanently on me. When Rik and Zara (my aunt and uncle) moved to Victoria last summer after their year of travelling and a year living up island, Zara opened up her own tattoo shop. She has a loyal following of clients from the shop that she worked at in Winnipeg for years and then built a further international client base the year they were travelling. If you have any desire to have some ink, especially if you want something original, check out Zara's site, Fly the Cage Tattoo. My tattoo really just has some minor outlining and then some water-colour bubbles in the background and then I'm set for life. Moozh's sleeve is still in progress but it gets exponentially more amazing with each session.
 |
| ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL!!!!??? |
The craziness didn't stop once we got home from Christmas. After New Year's Eve, where I thoroughly embarrassed myself (story for another time), we had New Year's Day to recover and then we both started our programs January 2nd! We're a week and a half into
Moozh has been learned the obsessive and compulsive tenets to Fine French cuisine (The entire first week is just knife skills) and I have learned over a dozen different bread recipes and the science behind flour, gluten formation and composing an original recipe. I come home from school with on average about four loaves of bread. We start croissants on Friday!
 |
| My latest |
To track our progress in school, I've started up another blog called The Oven Wall. The name derives from the origins of bread, where the Egyptians would bake their flatbread on the hearth of the oven but also on the walls of the oven, like naan is traditionally made today. We have pictures of our spoils and some run down of each of our days. We'll be taking pictures as we experiment at home as well. We've recruited everyone we know as a recipient of our learning curve, regardless of their knowledge or not. My Chef is amazing. Aside from being flamboyantly Italian and hilariously crass, even at 630 in the morning, he teaches the food science and biology behind food. And this coming Tuesday, he leaves for Italy to represent Canada in an International Gelato and Ice Cream competition. I am truly blessed, and entertained, by his tutelage. Moozh's chef is just a bad ass French dude. He doesn't say much and he pretty much represents the last of the French Old Guard, as far as cooking goes. Our school is very fun. It's very small and so you get to know everyone pretty quickly. Our instructor from our wine class that we took in October still remembers us!
In contrast to my time at the Yoob, I have so much excess mental creativity at the end of the day, I find blogging so incredibly cathartic. At the Yoob, I was always mentally exhausted by the time I got home. Through this process, I will hack out some semblance of a balance for myself. My return to creative writing will probably be a slow one but I have prepared myself for that wait. In the meantime, there's some pretty tasty food to be had. We make stollen in week 3, which makes up for my intention to make it during the holidays. We make chocolate and cakes. I'm especially excited for ice cream, given who I am learning under. I'm off to study laminated dough because 'laminated dough is challenge.' Viamo!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Vic Ink
My left shoulder feels very crinkly right now. I am two hours out of the tatt chair, having received a tattoo that has been in the works for hat feels like forever. In a fortuitous layover between home and family for Christmas, Moozh and I both got inked by my fortuitously talented aunt in Victoria. . It has gone through many manifestations over the course of three and a half years. Colors, shape, placement, etc. but there is a rather...sensitive area right around my spine and the color is only half done but it is MAJESTIC.It's an octopus that cruises along just below the crest if my shoulder. Sculpted in tones of maroon, browns and creams with a future balance of aqua and turquoise bubbles and watercolor background. Once it doesn't look like a sunburn with tentacles ( tomorrow) I will post pics. Because it is beautiful (did I say that already?). Watching The Fades, The Trip and Life is Too Short, I mellowed out and cringed through outline and color, put to SHAME by my husband the prior day who had twelve hours of line- and black work done on his Old Man and the Sea tatt. Which I will also post.At the moment I am sitting in the Victoria Airport, contemplating what I am going to get Zara to do next. It's a pure shame it has taken me this long to get inked by her. But to be honest, she's in demand. So shame it may be, it's still reality. If you're looking, check it: Fly the Cage. Vancouver island is not the far away. Also, The Fades. Watch it. SO good. Six eps and you will watch the scene of the last and cry yourself to sleep that you have to wait for season two. Or pray or season two. Be it the adrenaline or sheer vanity, I'm feeling good right now. Sure changed my tune from yesterday hey?BTW: have not had a great experience in the Vic airport having our plane come in on time. More time to blog!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Just like the Japanese...
Okay is this guy not a total magroot!?!?
One of our regulars at work has an adorbz li'l guy like this. Then tonight walking through Gastown with Mama and Dad D, we came across another. Her name was Honey and she had the most perfect, plushy coat. Her owner was telling us that 'Shibas can be quite standoffish, just like the Japanese'. We all laughed and then glanced over our shoulders. Honey was just tiny, maybe a foot and a half tall at four months. Others i've seen, i'm assuming full grown, have been about two and a half feet at the shoulder. I don't know how old this li'l guy is but I want one just like him. According to Wikipedia, Shibas do 'best in an environment without other small lets or children but appropriate socialization can make all the difference'. I hope so because the cuteness is killing me.
Those who hide too well away...
Ok so.
Recently, my beloved in-laws (and when I say 'beloved' I truly mean 'beyond myself with excitement upon their arrival'), we're out on the west coast for a few days prior to a trip they were taking. We headed out to whistler and basically had a totally bitchin' time. Came back into Van and got to take them around. The weather was flawless, we got to take them around our city and see the, after a long, hectic emotional Fall. We got great pictures which i wanted to post here. Of course by 'recently' I mean THREE WEEKS AGO! What is my problem!? I know I have been avoiding this lovely, comfortable beanbag chair of Internet known as blogdom because I am stressed and so once I have managed to escape the constancy of living in my brain under these circumstances, the last thing I want to do is spew, for your sake as much as mine. Life is in general upheaval lately. Everything from the practicality of working vs school (even when it is only for a time) to the emotional slog of sifting through inter-relational 'issues' has made my psyche (and the consequent outpouring of it) inhospitable and my generosity nearly non-existent. My desire is to pull a NaBloPoMo as I did last year to exercise my own internal accountability for my blog. Because I like it here. And I always feel better once I leave. (Except for the Pinterest post. I was just as pent up after I wrote it as I was before.) I am being emotionally lazy right now because I feel emotionally wasted. That's as self-pitying as I'm going to get on my blog :)
*On a side note I am blogging through a different interface right now which mainly means that I will no longer be able to blame my insufferable grammar and spelling on OS Lion. Using a new interface required I learn how to use it properly and I wasn't interested in that for a few weeks.
I want to summarize some baking successes I have had lately. This is a list for posterity when I'm feeling inept.
- I made a pumpkin loaf pimped out with hazelnuts and dried blueberries.
- Red velvet cupcakes with fudge frosting for Halloween that totally claimed me as red velvet fan. I am, however, not enough of a fan that I feel I need to convert every dessert known into red velvet. I may make red velvet crepes for Moozh on Valentine's.
- I made brown sugar pavlova for small group last weekend that was glorious and actually made me want to run for the camera when I glanced into the bowl after hearing my hand mixer shriek at hi speed for three and a half minutes. But I didn't let it deflate (even for the sake of posterity).
My project leading into December is to create a hydration starter. I am at the tail end of Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain wherein one of his many anecdotes recounts a brilliant baker he worked with on many an occasion had a giant heaving tub of sourdough starter he affectionately called "the bitch". I intend to call her the same. The only thing that makes me hesitant to start a starter is that is IS quite time consuming and requires a fair share of attention, something I do not have plenty of right now. But, as the Wild Yeast blog has convinced me, a good 100% hydration starter is a magical thing to have. And it won't take long to get a hefty return on your investment.
Come Christmas-time, I want to make stollen, reconfigure a cool take on mincemeat, made Mama Dempsey's coffee cake Christmas bread, and make peppermint pots de creme. Here we go.
I'm doing the countdown dance. Five weeks and I'm sporting my whites. Five weeks! Work just hired a new baker who graduated from PICA's pastry program in June. He has been such a great wealth of information leading into school for me. And I am even more pumped for the faculty now that I have first hand accolades from someone who has come through their leadership.
Until then, i'm going to enjoy and be present through what will likely be our last Van christmas. Ooh I totally forgot about Glogg. Making it!!!!
Next entry will be stimulating, I promise :)
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Turkey Day!!
It's been too long yet again. Let's post some pics up in here.
Moozh outdid himself once again and with the creative genius of our foodie friend Alan, T-Day became a thing of beauty. We will be eating it for easily another three weeks and it will eventually feel like less of a thing of beauty but for today's purposes, we are going to look at the beauty.
Moozh outdid himself once again and with the creative genius of our foodie friend Alan, T-Day became a thing of beauty. We will be eating it for easily another three weeks and it will eventually feel like less of a thing of beauty but for today's purposes, we are going to look at the beauty.
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| Glassware is key. We used our tasting glasses from wine and beer class. |
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| There was a truly absurd amount of cheese in use. I thought it worth documenting. |
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| Our appies. Notice the cheese. |
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| This is my 'boule', sliced like a pumpkin, before baking. Cranberry Rosemary Artisan bread. |
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| And this is it after. |
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| Roasted Brussies. That is bacon. |
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| Dressing (by yours truly). Lots of dried fruit to combat the cheese. |
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| Beer and Pie. A winning combination. |
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| This is the only picture we have of the pig, which is amazing to me. It truly was impressive. |
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| Duh boys, kickin' it in the kooknaya (kitchen). Red T-shirt was the uniform of choice. |
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| The evening ended happily and after an excessively loud round of Cranium at 1130pm. |
It seriously was a day of so much fun and such great people. My only disappointment is that we didn't get any swinging pictures of our great guests. So much laughter and great stories. Our party was probably 50/50 Yanks to Canucks. They shared with us the Black Friday- Green Bean and Dirt Pudding American version of Thanksgiving. It made us so excited we're going to do it all again at the end of November. But then we'll let some others do the cooking too. You can't have a monopoly on good taste.
Hope you all had a beautiful and tasty Thanksgiving dinner. I realized in the midst of it all I don't really know what Canadian Thanksgiving is all about. I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with wanting to do it because the Americans do it but needing to do it a month earlier. I did hear a story somewhere that it had something to do with the King being sick and when he recovered they decided to celebrate the harvest. In Canada it's always about a monarch. Half of us don't even vote properly.
But a day where you are supposed to (even if it is only subconsciously) made to think about what you are thankful for. It made me thankful for my husband, who loves me when I suck'; who 'holds me close at night and thanks God for me'; who goofs around on Saturday and dreams about our future with me. I am thankful for my parents, who are broken and real. I am thankful for my sisters, who are the most beautiful and creative women I have ever know. I am thankful for the awesome guys who love them and hold them close and thank God for them. I'm thankful for my bestie in Cowtown who leads such a beautiful life and always inspires me. I'm thankful for all of the incredible people and friends that God introduced us to in Bankybear. I am thankful for my in-laws because they make me laugh and love me even though I am flaky. And I am thankful for those who love them. I am thankful for carbs and for jersey knit sheets. I am thankful a body that constantly impresses me and feet that run like the wind. I am thankful for the freedom of speech and the chance to have all my needs met in one day. I am thankful that I know God and that my life is His. I am thankful that he has planned for me beyond what I can hope or imagine (Eph 3:20 NIV). There are many things unmentioned here which I am thankful for as well, and so much for because they are still there even when I forget them. Like running water. And Skype.
Three cheers (and leg kicks) for chunky scarves and soup weather! In Bankybear the weather has been so Fall it had made me smile. What are you thankful for?
Hope you all had a beautiful and tasty Thanksgiving dinner. I realized in the midst of it all I don't really know what Canadian Thanksgiving is all about. I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with wanting to do it because the Americans do it but needing to do it a month earlier. I did hear a story somewhere that it had something to do with the King being sick and when he recovered they decided to celebrate the harvest. In Canada it's always about a monarch. Half of us don't even vote properly.
But a day where you are supposed to (even if it is only subconsciously) made to think about what you are thankful for. It made me thankful for my husband, who loves me when I suck'; who 'holds me close at night and thanks God for me'; who goofs around on Saturday and dreams about our future with me. I am thankful for my parents, who are broken and real. I am thankful for my sisters, who are the most beautiful and creative women I have ever know. I am thankful for the awesome guys who love them and hold them close and thank God for them. I'm thankful for my bestie in Cowtown who leads such a beautiful life and always inspires me. I'm thankful for all of the incredible people and friends that God introduced us to in Bankybear. I am thankful for my in-laws because they make me laugh and love me even though I am flaky. And I am thankful for those who love them. I am thankful for carbs and for jersey knit sheets. I am thankful a body that constantly impresses me and feet that run like the wind. I am thankful for the freedom of speech and the chance to have all my needs met in one day. I am thankful that I know God and that my life is His. I am thankful that he has planned for me beyond what I can hope or imagine (Eph 3:20 NIV). There are many things unmentioned here which I am thankful for as well, and so much for because they are still there even when I forget them. Like running water. And Skype.
Three cheers (and leg kicks) for chunky scarves and soup weather! In Bankybear the weather has been so Fall it had made me smile. What are you thankful for?
Monday, October 3, 2011
"Sometimes you ask yourself…should I have tattooed my forehead?"
I don't know if any of you do this too but one of Moozh and I's favourite things to do is cuddle in bed at night and watch movie trailers. In most cases, it exonerates me from feeling like I have to see the movie because often the trailer is better than the movie. But sometimes I'm surprised. I just had one of those moments.
I just watched the trailer for The Other F-Word. Immediately it made me think of my sister who just got married because her journey into parenthood is likely going to be turbulent and beautiful and she and her husband are going to be those parents on the playground that none of the other parents understand. My sister is an ass kicker and she and her husband have a unique and dynamic view of life. Which means they are also going to be those parents on the playground that all the other parents wish they were as cool as. As I watched the trailer, which I suggest that all of you do, I had a serious moment of realization. A realization that what the Lord has prepared for our lives will drastically surprise and change us. Life is meant to teach us and through the process of giving your life to various things (marriage, parenthood, career) you become better, you become more. Inherently parenthood teaches wisdom, grace, patience, selflessness because those are the things that are required when you are responsible for a small, dependant being. The movie profiles all of these punk rock icons, from Mark Hoppus of Blink-182, Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tony Hawk, through their processing of their fatherhood; from "the ultimate anti-authoritarians become societies ultimate authorities".
I had coffee today with a lovely good friend who is due in December. She had moved through the various baby showers, through buying a stroller and putting a car seat in her car. But the part of our conversation that had me thinking all day long, was when she spoke of becoming pregnancy, of moving through pregnancy and thinking through the permanence of having a child, and how it drastically changes how you think about your own development. You don't think about your family of origin, about conflict, about your marriage in at all the same way anymore. You have to filter it through the lens of this person who is brand new and strange to the world. Even in marriage you can remain in certain levels of selfishness (though it is hard) but in parenthood you can't. The paradigm can't survive beneath that. Yes we all know people who are selfish and act for themselves. But I don't find I ever look to those people and validate their parenting, or think of them as parents at all. Parenthood seems to be a specially designed racetrack that manages to drastically change the way we think about our world, ourselves, our life. Because we have what feels like many friends right now that are expecting, I find myself musing often on how not ready I am for that commitment. I also think about little people running around my house one day with Moozh's mannerisms and looks of his fitted into the puzzle of their faces but I realize that there is a desire of preparation for that. The independence I struggle so hard to reconcile. My introspection. My sleep schedule. These are not things very accommodating to children. At the end of the day, Moozh can put himself to bed, he can feed himself and occupy himself while I put on makeup and surf pinterest.
But what this movie helped me to see (and did it in such a breathtaking way) is that parenthood changes people in spite of themselves. It helps to wear away at your selfishness and your personal gain slowly and discreetly. Flea has this amazing quote in it. "My children gave me life, you know. They gave me a reason." Friggin' Flea! But what I also like about the film is that it displays that the parents in it didn't just blend and bleed into this banal, khaki parent figure. They still have passions, opinions, things that set them apart. Their children will grow up understanding that their parents' life goes beyond their children.
I also find it infinitely quotable:
"Maybe punk rock was never meant to grow up. But it did."
"There's nothing in the punk rock ethos that prepares you for children."
"Maybe the way we're going to change the world is by raising better kids."
I think parenthood will also, as much as we may not want it to, help us to understand our parents even better. Undoubtedly, we will see and maybe even understand why they made certain decisions and why they thought certain things were right. Ultimately though, it will unify generations of people that have all made the same discoveries and thought the same things through the journey through becoming at times what you've despised. It's a good journey.
I just watched the trailer for The Other F-Word. Immediately it made me think of my sister who just got married because her journey into parenthood is likely going to be turbulent and beautiful and she and her husband are going to be those parents on the playground that none of the other parents understand. My sister is an ass kicker and she and her husband have a unique and dynamic view of life. Which means they are also going to be those parents on the playground that all the other parents wish they were as cool as. As I watched the trailer, which I suggest that all of you do, I had a serious moment of realization. A realization that what the Lord has prepared for our lives will drastically surprise and change us. Life is meant to teach us and through the process of giving your life to various things (marriage, parenthood, career) you become better, you become more. Inherently parenthood teaches wisdom, grace, patience, selflessness because those are the things that are required when you are responsible for a small, dependant being. The movie profiles all of these punk rock icons, from Mark Hoppus of Blink-182, Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tony Hawk, through their processing of their fatherhood; from "the ultimate anti-authoritarians become societies ultimate authorities".
But what this movie helped me to see (and did it in such a breathtaking way) is that parenthood changes people in spite of themselves. It helps to wear away at your selfishness and your personal gain slowly and discreetly. Flea has this amazing quote in it. "My children gave me life, you know. They gave me a reason." Friggin' Flea! But what I also like about the film is that it displays that the parents in it didn't just blend and bleed into this banal, khaki parent figure. They still have passions, opinions, things that set them apart. Their children will grow up understanding that their parents' life goes beyond their children.
I also find it infinitely quotable:
"Maybe punk rock was never meant to grow up. But it did."
"There's nothing in the punk rock ethos that prepares you for children."
"Maybe the way we're going to change the world is by raising better kids."
I think parenthood will also, as much as we may not want it to, help us to understand our parents even better. Undoubtedly, we will see and maybe even understand why they made certain decisions and why they thought certain things were right. Ultimately though, it will unify generations of people that have all made the same discoveries and thought the same things through the journey through becoming at times what you've despised. It's a good journey.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
"The 'Earth' without the 'art' is just 'eh'…."
Two days ago was my second year wedding anniversary and in celebration of that, I gave my bloggy a facelift! You will notice a new "Lexicon" tab which is a glossary for all of the bizarre words I use on this blog. I will likely continue to change my blog visually in the next few weeks. Some blogs just have great designs. Like Smitten Kitchen. I think in the five years I've been reading that blog the layout, the typeface, the background, hasn't changed once. That is what is known as consistency. Which I don't think I have in any respect yet. But I have been married for two years! That's consistent.
In two years I have been Moozh's crazy, trendy bitch who buzzes the side of her head who doesn't pay her cell phone bills and and sleeps in her car (even though she had a house and a bed). I have been his hippy granola wifey who wears Prana and Chacos and washes her face in glacial rivers. I have been his Fisherman's wife who wears waffle knit and big socks and we talk in long, late hours of Shiraz and Yankee Candles about being fisher's of men.
All in two years! That's alotta changin'. Makes me feel like I've had an identity crisis. Or that I have multiple personalities, which I'm sure is not as fun as it looks on United States of Tara.
My Jew class is over tomorrow. I kind of feel like I've been dragged by the waistband of my underpants through it. My head is super full with just tons of extracirricular stuff, things that Moozh and I are trying to figure out. And so I haven't been present in this class, I just haven't. Which is too bad because I love Jewish history even though it makes me want to slit my wrists sometimes.
Good friends of ours just found out that they are having a baby girl! Mama is due in December but yesterday they found out that it is a little girlie. I called her "Devochka Rabyonuk" which means 'baby girl' in Russian. As it goes with Russian, something short and nickname-y becomes cumbersome with really harsh consonants. But it's pretty fun to say. Devochka Rabyonuk. I'm gonna make her booties. Or mocassins. O die! That's the cutest.
Pregnancy is the new skateboarding. Everyone is doing it. We have friends in Cowtown that just had their baby and other friends that are due in the fall. We have our good friends in Bankybear that are preggers. That's it. It's actually not that much. But I guess when you're always eating with them and talking about acid reflux all the time it seems like a lot. But many pregnancy is fun when you don't have to do it yet. Baby Ds are quite a ways in the future I think. Not quite ready to share Moozh yet.
Well, there isn't a cloud in the sky in Bankybear right now and you know how she can get. I have to get outside before she feels unappreciated and sulks for the rest of the day.
Happy Thursday! Tomorrow's Friday!
In two years I have been Moozh's crazy, trendy bitch who buzzes the side of her head who doesn't pay her cell phone bills and and sleeps in her car (even though she had a house and a bed). I have been his hippy granola wifey who wears Prana and Chacos and washes her face in glacial rivers. I have been his Fisherman's wife who wears waffle knit and big socks and we talk in long, late hours of Shiraz and Yankee Candles about being fisher's of men.
All in two years! That's alotta changin'. Makes me feel like I've had an identity crisis. Or that I have multiple personalities, which I'm sure is not as fun as it looks on United States of Tara.
My Jew class is over tomorrow. I kind of feel like I've been dragged by the waistband of my underpants through it. My head is super full with just tons of extracirricular stuff, things that Moozh and I are trying to figure out. And so I haven't been present in this class, I just haven't. Which is too bad because I love Jewish history even though it makes me want to slit my wrists sometimes.
Good friends of ours just found out that they are having a baby girl! Mama is due in December but yesterday they found out that it is a little girlie. I called her "Devochka Rabyonuk" which means 'baby girl' in Russian. As it goes with Russian, something short and nickname-y becomes cumbersome with really harsh consonants. But it's pretty fun to say. Devochka Rabyonuk. I'm gonna make her booties. Or mocassins. O die! That's the cutest.
Pregnancy is the new skateboarding. Everyone is doing it. We have friends in Cowtown that just had their baby and other friends that are due in the fall. We have our good friends in Bankybear that are preggers. That's it. It's actually not that much. But I guess when you're always eating with them and talking about acid reflux all the time it seems like a lot. But many pregnancy is fun when you don't have to do it yet. Baby Ds are quite a ways in the future I think. Not quite ready to share Moozh yet.
Well, there isn't a cloud in the sky in Bankybear right now and you know how she can get. I have to get outside before she feels unappreciated and sulks for the rest of the day.
Happy Thursday! Tomorrow's Friday!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
A Hundred Miles in a Million Years
Heyo! I'm back! Actually I was back last Saturday and it has taken me this long to find my ass with both hands. I probably found it with my right hand somewhere around Tuesday but the left's always a little slow.
So.
I'm still tanned. Even though I haven't seen the sun in 7 days.
You know when you would play in those bouncy castles as kids and you would run at a bouncy wall expecting it to be totally fun. But then you hit it and it "bounces" you back to the ground a bit faster (and harder) than you expected and it knocks the wind out of you and you're trying to play it cool because your not a baby (AND IT'S A FRIGGIN' BOUNCY CASTLE) but you kind of hurt your butt? That's kind of how I feel about school right now. It's just BIG. And I know I can handle it. I just kind of hurt my butt.
(And what are you talking about you never ran at a bouncy castle wall. You totally did.)
My class runs until the 29th. By now I have a handle on what I'm doing and we're slowing entering territory in history that I'm more familiar with. Modern Jewish History is basically huge. 1500s until today and it's pretty much all sad. Haven't encountered an uplifting thing yet. But that's uplifting in itself, I guess. That through all of their sadness, through persecution based on their religion, through all this time, Judaism still exists and people come together and tell their collective story. And there's humility in that. But our last reading was on the Sabbatean movement, where a dude named Sabbatai Zvi (say that aloud to yourself right now) showed up in the 1660s saying that he was the Messiah, walked around trying to change things, and some of the Jews totally bought in. And then he converted to Islam.
Boom.
What the…what?! That's kind of what Jewish history is like. Something good looks like it's going to happen and then something bad happens. Something really disappointing. Like escaping famine by going to Egypt and then being enslaved there for hundreds of years. Case in point. One historian has said though that for the Jews, the best of times and the worst of times typically occur in the same situation. And that's just the way things are done.
But we just got back from doing things that were fun so let's talk about that! I will go into greater detail in a later post about everything but the two weddings were so perfect! My sister's wedding was so cool and Moozh and I did great at the reception. She looked so beautiful and my bro-in-law looked swank! I will hopefully post pictures at a later date but I want to be respectful to them. They're still waiting to get their photos back and I know what an agonizing process it can be waiting for wedding pictures. And Sasa and Curtis' wedding was amazing as well! Holy, can't wait to get those pictures back too! The Mill that they got married at, whoa. The weather cooperated for both, the pictures I did see turned out miraculous. Moozh performed Sasa and Curtis' wedding and I couldn't have been more proud of him. The words of encouragement and exhortation that he had for them were beautiful and what he chose to emphasize and include things that were important to them made the message so meaningful to even those that were just sitting watching. Again, pictures hopefully later but I will post some pictures that Moozh took while we were in Maui. Man's got skills!
It feels very strange and not totally great to be back in Vancouver. I think I got too accustomed to being able to wear my bathing suit under everything. I'll get back into the swing of things. Can't wait to see all the people that I love here!!
So.
I'm still tanned. Even though I haven't seen the sun in 7 days.
You know when you would play in those bouncy castles as kids and you would run at a bouncy wall expecting it to be totally fun. But then you hit it and it "bounces" you back to the ground a bit faster (and harder) than you expected and it knocks the wind out of you and you're trying to play it cool because your not a baby (AND IT'S A FRIGGIN' BOUNCY CASTLE) but you kind of hurt your butt? That's kind of how I feel about school right now. It's just BIG. And I know I can handle it. I just kind of hurt my butt.
(And what are you talking about you never ran at a bouncy castle wall. You totally did.)
My class runs until the 29th. By now I have a handle on what I'm doing and we're slowing entering territory in history that I'm more familiar with. Modern Jewish History is basically huge. 1500s until today and it's pretty much all sad. Haven't encountered an uplifting thing yet. But that's uplifting in itself, I guess. That through all of their sadness, through persecution based on their religion, through all this time, Judaism still exists and people come together and tell their collective story. And there's humility in that. But our last reading was on the Sabbatean movement, where a dude named Sabbatai Zvi (say that aloud to yourself right now) showed up in the 1660s saying that he was the Messiah, walked around trying to change things, and some of the Jews totally bought in. And then he converted to Islam.
Boom.
What the…what?! That's kind of what Jewish history is like. Something good looks like it's going to happen and then something bad happens. Something really disappointing. Like escaping famine by going to Egypt and then being enslaved there for hundreds of years. Case in point. One historian has said though that for the Jews, the best of times and the worst of times typically occur in the same situation. And that's just the way things are done.
But we just got back from doing things that were fun so let's talk about that! I will go into greater detail in a later post about everything but the two weddings were so perfect! My sister's wedding was so cool and Moozh and I did great at the reception. She looked so beautiful and my bro-in-law looked swank! I will hopefully post pictures at a later date but I want to be respectful to them. They're still waiting to get their photos back and I know what an agonizing process it can be waiting for wedding pictures. And Sasa and Curtis' wedding was amazing as well! Holy, can't wait to get those pictures back too! The Mill that they got married at, whoa. The weather cooperated for both, the pictures I did see turned out miraculous. Moozh performed Sasa and Curtis' wedding and I couldn't have been more proud of him. The words of encouragement and exhortation that he had for them were beautiful and what he chose to emphasize and include things that were important to them made the message so meaningful to even those that were just sitting watching. Again, pictures hopefully later but I will post some pictures that Moozh took while we were in Maui. Man's got skills!
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| This is where Sas and Curtis got married, to give you a taste. |
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| This is a sunset from the West part of the island. But look at the perfect placement of that boat! |
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| Jellyfish at the Aquarium. The Maui Aquarium is awesome! |
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| We actually saw quite a few turtles by accident while we were snorkelling but this one was at the aquarium too. How cute is his face?! |
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| This is how pineapple grows. On short stalks with long, angular leaves |
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| This was the view from the rehearsal dinner. Again, Moozh did well with the timing. |
Friday, June 10, 2011
"And have you tell me that wherever I choose you go…"
Here we go y'all. Twelve hours from now I'll be butt-skipping into Cowtown, groggy but ready to party. I get to see my sister wear a bow or something similarly outrageous on her head and open presents. My sister gets married in a week! Makes me smile.
This week is going to be packed with family stuff and wedding stuff. Bombaniers here I come. It's all candy covered almonds and tinted cellophane for me this week. It's all good. I love crafts.
This week is going to be packed with family stuff and wedding stuff. Bombaniers here I come. It's all candy covered almonds and tinted cellophane for me this week. It's all good. I love crafts.
I hope that the next four weeks are filled with lemonade, and tanlines and hopscotch and sunsets. Mine will be. And there are rumours of a sister blog to this one in the works. A travel blog! And by rumours, I mean my brain is tinkering away at it.
Happy Friday!
P.S~ Go Canucks!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
"Aruba, Jamaica oooh I wanna take ya to Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama. To Key Largo, Montego…"
I have a tan line from my hair. That is some serious sun exposure.
This weekend was incredible. Friday, Saturday and Sunday I pretty much spent every waking hour in the sun. I was in amazing company and lost track of how I was…situated. So now my face is tanned a bit…lopsided. Monday I tried to stay out of the sun a little bit to see if it would mellow. And it didn't. BUT IT WILL. I'm trying to be positive. And even if it doesn't, I will have rather interesting documentation of tanning gone awry in all of the pictures at my sisters wedding. No big.
Four more days muchachos. I become more excited with each day. And I've made lists! My husband (and my Mom) would be so proud. Chances are likely that I will have my poop in a group (or as BJ would say 'terd in a herd') by Friday and I will be able to spend four weeks away from home without a hitch. And by hitch, I mean, "Where's my…oh man!"
It's all about keeping the weddings separate, at least in my mind (and my suitcase). Or else I'll end up wearing shoes that don't match and four bracelets. Which would be excessive. Moozh looks killer. Hot bod + tan + crisp suit = the best ever. We're going to do our best Posh and Becks with a healthy dose of Tim Burton and Helena Bon Bon. A little quirk never hurt anyone. Especially emcees. A game where the bride and groom have to take off their shoes and a numerous jokes at people's expense. We got it in the bag. Trust.
This is one from a bunch of photos I took today along the boardwalk. Pictures just look so much better with sun. And my tattoo looks like the Adidas symbol. Strange.
Happy Tuesday! I hope it is sunny where you are. We will all meditate in flip flops to generate warm weather. Unless you're in Philly. Then you're not allowed to think of anything hotter than Donald Trump. Gross.
This weekend was incredible. Friday, Saturday and Sunday I pretty much spent every waking hour in the sun. I was in amazing company and lost track of how I was…situated. So now my face is tanned a bit…lopsided. Monday I tried to stay out of the sun a little bit to see if it would mellow. And it didn't. BUT IT WILL. I'm trying to be positive. And even if it doesn't, I will have rather interesting documentation of tanning gone awry in all of the pictures at my sisters wedding. No big.
Four more days muchachos. I become more excited with each day. And I've made lists! My husband (and my Mom) would be so proud. Chances are likely that I will have my poop in a group (or as BJ would say 'terd in a herd') by Friday and I will be able to spend four weeks away from home without a hitch. And by hitch, I mean, "Where's my…oh man!"
It's all about keeping the weddings separate, at least in my mind (and my suitcase). Or else I'll end up wearing shoes that don't match and four bracelets. Which would be excessive. Moozh looks killer. Hot bod + tan + crisp suit = the best ever. We're going to do our best Posh and Becks with a healthy dose of Tim Burton and Helena Bon Bon. A little quirk never hurt anyone. Especially emcees. A game where the bride and groom have to take off their shoes and a numerous jokes at people's expense. We got it in the bag. Trust.
This is one from a bunch of photos I took today along the boardwalk. Pictures just look so much better with sun. And my tattoo looks like the Adidas symbol. Strange.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
"There's a ghost in this house. When it sings it sounds just like you…"
I met John Fluevog today.
He goes to our church. Vancouver is so funny that way. Matt saw Ryan Reynolds right after we moved here, talking on a pay phone. I saw Joshua Jackson walking on Kits Beach. After Randy Quaid went bat-crazy, we saw him and his wife staggering along outside of the Starbucks by our place.
I've been so caught up with the gorge weather here I totally missed the anniversary of Moozh and I moving to Bankybear. June one is our one year. This means we're going to have to buy a card and some nice lingerie to make it up to Bankybear. Especially because she has been so jazzed up and looking pretty for us the past few days.
It's already been a year! I was trying to think what I was doing this time last year. I know Moozh and I were both job hunting but we were also enjoying the weather and seeing the sights. Our friends were so good to us, showing us around and introducing us to the city.
What have we done in that year?
~ We've picked a church and left that same church.
~ We've church shopped (which took a while).
~ We've picked a church and stayed :) (Yay!)
~ We entered our first year as a jobless household, trusting the daily (and at times, frightening) financial pragmatics to the Lord.
~ We met Regent College. And it's blessings began.
~ We met some of our favourite people in the world for the first time.
~ We had our first Vancouver winter. (BIG sad face)
~ Moozh's sister got engaged! Wooooooooot!
~ I went to Flo-rida! Spent the first time EVAR away from Moozh. A whole week! But got some bitchin' girl time (plus we had the pool to ourselves because we're Canadian and anything over 13 degrees is considered swimsuit weather).
~ My sister got engaged!
~ Moozh got connected with the Arts program at Regent. He started writing, painting and designing again!
~ I got into the Creative Writing program!
~Moozh turned 30!
~ We survived our first Vancouver winter. (BIG happy face)
So much has happened! And here we are at the outset of year two in Bankybear.
I fly home this Saturday! This week is going to be a blur.
He goes to our church. Vancouver is so funny that way. Matt saw Ryan Reynolds right after we moved here, talking on a pay phone. I saw Joshua Jackson walking on Kits Beach. After Randy Quaid went bat-crazy, we saw him and his wife staggering along outside of the Starbucks by our place.
I've been so caught up with the gorge weather here I totally missed the anniversary of Moozh and I moving to Bankybear. June one is our one year. This means we're going to have to buy a card and some nice lingerie to make it up to Bankybear. Especially because she has been so jazzed up and looking pretty for us the past few days.
It's already been a year! I was trying to think what I was doing this time last year. I know Moozh and I were both job hunting but we were also enjoying the weather and seeing the sights. Our friends were so good to us, showing us around and introducing us to the city.
What have we done in that year?
~ We've picked a church and left that same church.
~ We've church shopped (which took a while).
~ We've picked a church and stayed :) (Yay!)
~ We entered our first year as a jobless household, trusting the daily (and at times, frightening) financial pragmatics to the Lord.
~ We met Regent College. And it's blessings began.
~ We met some of our favourite people in the world for the first time.
~ We had our first Vancouver winter. (BIG sad face)
~ Moozh's sister got engaged! Wooooooooot!
~ I went to Flo-rida! Spent the first time EVAR away from Moozh. A whole week! But got some bitchin' girl time (plus we had the pool to ourselves because we're Canadian and anything over 13 degrees is considered swimsuit weather).
~ My sister got engaged!
~ Moozh got connected with the Arts program at Regent. He started writing, painting and designing again!
~ I got into the Creative Writing program!
~Moozh turned 30!
~ We survived our first Vancouver winter. (BIG happy face)
So much has happened! And here we are at the outset of year two in Bankybear.
I fly home this Saturday! This week is going to be a blur.
Friday, June 3, 2011
"Sing out loud, gonna get back Honey. Sing out loud, get away with me…"
Jesus is my best friend.
Last night at small group each of us prayed for a 'simple blessing' that we wanted to ask the Lord for. Some people asked for new clothes, some people asked for a nice bottle of wine (we're mostly all students so we have really simple pleasures). Me, I asked for a sunny day. It was the simplest, most rewarding gift I could think of. And guess what? Today. Was. Awwwwweesome. I was, with all of the other wheedling Bankybear-ites who have been so deprived from Vit D, out on the beach in my bathing suit. Sunglasses, the smell of sunscreen and the glistening condensation on the side of iced drinks peppered the lawn. One of my favourite things to do is to lay back in the grass and read. The wind was just cool enough and the sky was cloudless. On my run, I was brought to near tears because I was SO happy. In so many words, I loved today. And God is good.
We have such great friends. This week Matt and I had dinner with a couple different friends of ours. They each had us over for dinner and made a point of mentioning celebration that I got into my program. So sweet! I have fallen so in love with many of the friends that the Lord has brought into Matt and I's life. So many diverse people with so many different gifts and passions and going after many different things but each of them have been such a blessing to us.
I fly out to Cowtown a week from tomorrow. Whoooa! I feel like I've been anticipating this for months and now it is nearly upon me! We're getting everything sorted out with packing and tickets. I have my outfits for the weddings. Moozh and I are figuring out our emcee magic for my sister's wedding. Lots to do but I'm so excited to head out and have time with my families. My sister in law's lingerie shower is tomorrow so I will be sending her positive vibes.
I love tats! Check this one out. So beautiful and intricate. Found it on Pinterest.
Another great song. She has such a beautiful, simple voice.
Also check out The Golden Age by The Asteroids Galaxy. It's on a Heineken commercial right now which is how I found it but she's adorable and it gets stuck in my head every time.
I found this on Pinterest too. I love the quote. It just keeps spinning in my head.
I hope it is sunny where you are and that you have a slurpee in your hand. If you don't have the latter, rectify that.
P.S ~ Book of the Moment: Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King.
P.P.S ~ I've decided that I'm going as Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander from Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for Halloween. Kick ass character. Bitchin' style. Rooney Mara had her lip, eyebrow, nose and nipple pierced for REAL for the role. Commitment.
Last night at small group each of us prayed for a 'simple blessing' that we wanted to ask the Lord for. Some people asked for new clothes, some people asked for a nice bottle of wine (we're mostly all students so we have really simple pleasures). Me, I asked for a sunny day. It was the simplest, most rewarding gift I could think of. And guess what? Today. Was. Awwwwweesome. I was, with all of the other wheedling Bankybear-ites who have been so deprived from Vit D, out on the beach in my bathing suit. Sunglasses, the smell of sunscreen and the glistening condensation on the side of iced drinks peppered the lawn. One of my favourite things to do is to lay back in the grass and read. The wind was just cool enough and the sky was cloudless. On my run, I was brought to near tears because I was SO happy. In so many words, I loved today. And God is good.
We have such great friends. This week Matt and I had dinner with a couple different friends of ours. They each had us over for dinner and made a point of mentioning celebration that I got into my program. So sweet! I have fallen so in love with many of the friends that the Lord has brought into Matt and I's life. So many diverse people with so many different gifts and passions and going after many different things but each of them have been such a blessing to us.
I fly out to Cowtown a week from tomorrow. Whoooa! I feel like I've been anticipating this for months and now it is nearly upon me! We're getting everything sorted out with packing and tickets. I have my outfits for the weddings. Moozh and I are figuring out our emcee magic for my sister's wedding. Lots to do but I'm so excited to head out and have time with my families. My sister in law's lingerie shower is tomorrow so I will be sending her positive vibes.
I love tats! Check this one out. So beautiful and intricate. Found it on Pinterest.
Another great song. She has such a beautiful, simple voice.
Also check out The Golden Age by The Asteroids Galaxy. It's on a Heineken commercial right now which is how I found it but she's adorable and it gets stuck in my head every time.
I found this on Pinterest too. I love the quote. It just keeps spinning in my head.
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| Saying Images |
P.S ~ Book of the Moment: Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King.
P.P.S ~ I've decided that I'm going as Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander from Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for Halloween. Kick ass character. Bitchin' style. Rooney Mara had her lip, eyebrow, nose and nipple pierced for REAL for the role. Commitment.
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| W Magazine |
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
"I see your grace in the light of the day. I look up to the sky and say, you're beautiful."
I found this off of Tomboy Style. I love finding new blogs and I especially love question-survey type things. The good ones make you think about things you may not have thought about before.
If not in Bankybear, I would live in… Lahaina, Maui. Final Answer. Estes Park, Colorado; San Francisco, California; Montreal, Quebec are all yummy too.
My dream holiday would be to…drink wine and eat bread in Provencal, France. Or to go to Lahaina, Maui -which is what we're doing this summer!!
My current obsessions are…wearing jersey, eating goat cheese out of the container, short shorts (without leggings underneath!), listening to Fleet Foxes while I watch the sun set over the bay, yeast breads, freshly painted nails, tea with fruit.
I channel my childhood self when I…wear leggings, talk to myself on long walks, or eat peanut butter toast.
The fictional character I most relate to is…Lilo (From Lilo and Stitch).
If I had to be outdoors all day I would…plant a garden (an homage to my ma-in-law), walk barefoot, go for a hike, read a book in the grass.
My favorite qualities in a man are… self-awareness, sense of humour, accountability.
My favorite qualities in a woman are…self awareness, humility, and honesty.
I'm terrified of…Oprah going off the air. This is big.
My cocktail of choice is…red wine, a gin and tonic, or a mojito. But I'm picky about my mojitos so I don't order them often.
If I could go back in time for one decade it would be… the 1920's. I want to be a flapper and have fabulous clothes and dance all night long to live jazz music.
As a teenager I was totally into…live music. Looking back I spent a lot of time listening to music I didn't particularly like because I LOVE live shows. Must be the musicians in my family that live music and performances were so much a part of growing up.
I tend to splurge on…fresh produce. There is nothing like fresh grapes, with the turgid texture on your teeth. It makes the sound,"krsssss". Or salsa with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and cilantro. Food as it is meant to be eaten.
I finish up my class this week! No more talking about campylobacter virus. Moozh and I both finish up classes this week and then it's just a a countdown to matrimony. My sister gets married in less than a month! Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh!
Happy Wednesday!
If not in Bankybear, I would live in… Lahaina, Maui. Final Answer. Estes Park, Colorado; San Francisco, California; Montreal, Quebec are all yummy too.
My dream holiday would be to…drink wine and eat bread in Provencal, France. Or to go to Lahaina, Maui -which is what we're doing this summer!!
My current obsessions are…wearing jersey, eating goat cheese out of the container, short shorts (without leggings underneath!), listening to Fleet Foxes while I watch the sun set over the bay, yeast breads, freshly painted nails, tea with fruit.
I channel my childhood self when I…wear leggings, talk to myself on long walks, or eat peanut butter toast.
The fictional character I most relate to is…Lilo (From Lilo and Stitch).
If I had to be outdoors all day I would…plant a garden (an homage to my ma-in-law), walk barefoot, go for a hike, read a book in the grass.
My favorite qualities in a man are… self-awareness, sense of humour, accountability.
My favorite qualities in a woman are…self awareness, humility, and honesty.
I'm terrified of…Oprah going off the air. This is big.
My cocktail of choice is…red wine, a gin and tonic, or a mojito. But I'm picky about my mojitos so I don't order them often.
If I could go back in time for one decade it would be… the 1920's. I want to be a flapper and have fabulous clothes and dance all night long to live jazz music.
As a teenager I was totally into…live music. Looking back I spent a lot of time listening to music I didn't particularly like because I LOVE live shows. Must be the musicians in my family that live music and performances were so much a part of growing up.
I tend to splurge on…fresh produce. There is nothing like fresh grapes, with the turgid texture on your teeth. It makes the sound,"krsssss". Or salsa with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and cilantro. Food as it is meant to be eaten.
I finish up my class this week! No more talking about campylobacter virus. Moozh and I both finish up classes this week and then it's just a a countdown to matrimony. My sister gets married in less than a month! Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh!
Happy Wednesday!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
"Stepping forward, keep us from just singing…"
I'm in the home stretch now. A lot of major projects worth many marks have been handed in. Yesterday I had my Russian oral exam. It was hilarious and ridiculous and we got 95% but through the whole process I was thinking about actually being able to speak Russian one day instead of agonizing over memorizing a script where I say things as difficult as "What will I do if I don't buy razors?"I will get there eventually. I'm taking a Conversational Russian class next year where there will be native speakers present. I will have to make time to take breaks and cry during it but I think that class will be really good for me.
Chose to serve and not be served
Jesus, You have called us
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give
We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken, we must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action, we must go
To act justly every day
Loving mercy in every way
Walking humbly before You, God
You have shown us, what You require
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out, Lord
I'm still waiting for the sun to come out. Bankybear is soggy everywhere. Everywhere you go the grass is like 'Screw this. I'm just not thirsty anymore.' Which is pretty much the feeling of everyone in the Lower Mainland.
My heart is heavy for my best friend right now. She just returned from six weeks in India where she was working in a hospice. She was volunteering at the Mother Theresa House of the Destitute and the Dying. While she was there her Oma passed away. I remember the process of saying goodbye to my Grandpa when he was sick and how agonizing it was to not be there at every moment. This past Sunday I heard this worship song for the first time and it makes me think so much of my best friend and her sense of obedience to where Christ leads her. She lives to "feed the hungry, stand beside the broken" as the song says. This past Sunday, the pastor said something that seems to sum up why I love Easter and Lent season. It was something to the effect of there is death in sin, we find life in the sacrifice of Christ and we find joy in the Eucharist of remembering that sacrifice. As impossible the process of saying goodbye to them seems, they wait there for us. Where they are is better than here.
God of justice, Saviour to all
Came to rescue the weak and the poorChose to serve and not be served
Jesus, You have called us
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give
We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken, we must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action, we must go
To act justly every day
Loving mercy in every way
Walking humbly before You, God
You have shown us, what You require
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out, Lord
It's April! 74 days until Trotta-P'ron! 91 days until Bauer-Dempsey! Summer is awesome. I want to buy short overalls and creamsicles. Those always make me think of summer. Although I don't know if I could wear short overalls without my family making fun of me endlessly. Maybe jelly sandals, the most uncomfortable shoes ever?
What makes you think of summer?
Monday, March 14, 2011
"Will you share your dollar with me…"
There was a magical stillness to the city tonight. Moozh and I went for a walk along the water. The coast slopes and juts into the pebbled water as the lights of the West End fall in swirls and shadows fall upon it. Pillowy fog tops the northern mountains. Blurry lights from Grouse Mountain peer through it. Cars buzz along Beach Street.
And wedding excitement! I pretty much can't stop thinking about the weddings this summer. I get my mullet trimmed tomorrow so hopefully I look less like Joe Dirt. I'm at a place where I just want to wear my bathing suit and read Go Fug Yourself on the beach. I will hopefully graduate to something a little more…academic at some point during the summer. But this summer is going to be awesome.
And wedding excitement! I pretty much can't stop thinking about the weddings this summer. I get my mullet trimmed tomorrow so hopefully I look less like Joe Dirt. I'm at a place where I just want to wear my bathing suit and read Go Fug Yourself on the beach. I will hopefully graduate to something a little more…academic at some point during the summer. But this summer is going to be awesome.
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| I would have fifty terrariums if Matt could stand it. Can you imagine? A whole house full of these. I'm a hoarder in the making. Sea and Aster |
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| These are just beginning to show here. Alicia Block Photography |
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| I want this bathing suit. And these tattoos. Fables by Barrie |
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| Mmmmm this is pretty. ASOS |
Friday, February 4, 2011
"Bonne fete a toi, bonne fete a toi…"
It's mah Burrrrrrday. Twenty two years old. Or as my mom would say, I was twenty, two years ago.
There are couple of memorable birthday parties.
~I remember when I had an "Under the Sea" themed birthday party. I was six (hopefully). We went swimming I think and then my mom made this awesome cake that had an octopus made out of a cupcake and twizzlers on top. She also made a treasure chest out of a twinkie and smarties. That's probably why it was memorable. I had never seen my mom buy twinkies before.
~This time last year, Moozh and I were in Victoria and we went to Il Terazzo for dinner. They had a paid sommelier on staff (As opposed to an unpaid one.) and since I had never seen one of those in real life, we HAD to go. I wore too much makeup and a shirt that was too tight and drank way to much and had A LOT of fun on my first married birthday.
~My nineteenth birthday I do not remember anything other than I puked ALL NIGHT. There were moments where I'm sure I was upright and dancing but most of it was tequila comeback. Pace yourself, girl.
~Eighteen was super fun because Shuma aka Party Planner Extraordinaire planned a treasure hunt for my party. We went to a foreign movie and a Greek restaurant and weird things that I liked and everybody came. It was so nice. I was blindfolded and led across train tracks. I remember wearing an absurdly oversized jacket. And I remember taking three tries (THREE!) to break a plate and say opa! It's a constant struggle for me.
Yesterday was my Russian teachers birthday and so today during our class, one of the other Russian teachers came in and blabbered something in Russian I so desperately wish I understood and gave her a bouquet of red roses. And then I came home and had an almost identical bouquet of red roses on my kitchen table! Except MINE had twenty-two roses in it. (Chances are my teacher's should have had more than it did).
Today I am going to sit around in my pajamas and listen to Russian pronunciation. Tomorrow Moozh and I are going to see Blue Valentine (I am rather proud of the patience with which I've waited for this movie) and we're going to a Russian tapas bar downtown. It carries 100 different kinds of vodka. It's the good life.
A girl in my Russian class sent me this adorable video. A crocodile singing in Russian about how he's sad his birthday only comes once a year and how he wants 500 ice cream sandwiches for his birthday. Sounds good to me.
Happy Friday!
What's your favourite thing about birthdays?
There are couple of memorable birthday parties.
~I remember when I had an "Under the Sea" themed birthday party. I was six (hopefully). We went swimming I think and then my mom made this awesome cake that had an octopus made out of a cupcake and twizzlers on top. She also made a treasure chest out of a twinkie and smarties. That's probably why it was memorable. I had never seen my mom buy twinkies before.
~This time last year, Moozh and I were in Victoria and we went to Il Terazzo for dinner. They had a paid sommelier on staff (As opposed to an unpaid one.) and since I had never seen one of those in real life, we HAD to go. I wore too much makeup and a shirt that was too tight and drank way to much and had A LOT of fun on my first married birthday.
~My nineteenth birthday I do not remember anything other than I puked ALL NIGHT. There were moments where I'm sure I was upright and dancing but most of it was tequila comeback. Pace yourself, girl.
~Eighteen was super fun because Shuma aka Party Planner Extraordinaire planned a treasure hunt for my party. We went to a foreign movie and a Greek restaurant and weird things that I liked and everybody came. It was so nice. I was blindfolded and led across train tracks. I remember wearing an absurdly oversized jacket. And I remember taking three tries (THREE!) to break a plate and say opa! It's a constant struggle for me.
Yesterday was my Russian teachers birthday and so today during our class, one of the other Russian teachers came in and blabbered something in Russian I so desperately wish I understood and gave her a bouquet of red roses. And then I came home and had an almost identical bouquet of red roses on my kitchen table! Except MINE had twenty-two roses in it. (Chances are my teacher's should have had more than it did).
Today I am going to sit around in my pajamas and listen to Russian pronunciation. Tomorrow Moozh and I are going to see Blue Valentine (I am rather proud of the patience with which I've waited for this movie) and we're going to a Russian tapas bar downtown. It carries 100 different kinds of vodka. It's the good life.
A girl in my Russian class sent me this adorable video. A crocodile singing in Russian about how he's sad his birthday only comes once a year and how he wants 500 ice cream sandwiches for his birthday. Sounds good to me.
Happy Friday!
What's your favourite thing about birthdays?
Saturday, January 8, 2011
You put your right foot in, you put your right foot out...
Week one down. I am officially in a science class that scares me very much. I'm not the only person in my Russian class that...kind of forgot a LOT of stuff over the break. My creative writing classes are charismatic (FINALLY). And my Gender Studies class is the first of that kind of class I've ever taken taught by a man. It's shaping up to be a gooder.
Watched Mao's Last Dancer last night. I am now fascinated with Communist China history. The Communist regime in China was heavily influenced and connected with the Russian regime. The culture and the landscape in China is so different and majestic. Mao's Last Dancer was fascinating in how it represented the culture of the time. The dancing was so impressive but as per dance movie, it didn't have much of a captivating plot to speak of. Pretty predictable but it had moments of immense beauty. Ballerinas can do incredible things to their bodies. Too bad it's so hard on their bodies.
Inspiration:
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| I want their bedroom. See their house tour. |
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| In her day, I think she was the most beautiful woman in the world. |
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| Do you know they don't have a stomach. But they still eat things? The things you learn on Planet Earth. Awesome. |
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| So delicious and spicy. |
P.S ~ My blogger looks new and it makes me so excited.
Monday, January 3, 2011
New Shutta shutta!
Two words: Bush League. I will catch up to you Sasa Dempsey.
We tried out the flash. Did we ever. This is probably what it will look like when we get hit by an atomic bomb. I'll be sitting on my computer, looking at food blogs, minding my own business and then BAM! Nuclear Annihilation.
The paper lamps from Ikea give a cool soft light. 
This is my favourite because the pawns from our chess set remind me of Matt.
The aforementioned chess set. They've got the front seat on most cool things that happen in our house.
About a dozen of over three hundred books. Totally absurd but they work when it comes to decorating.
Knicky-knackies.
And Petiheh. I'm thinking of making her my mascot. She benign, not as chipper as other mascots, but that is where we have an affinity. And she's cute.
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