Summer Lovin', had me a blast

Well, the time has come; the end of summer. Or at least the end of August, which is pretty much the same thing. School supplies are in the stores (and parents and kids are out in droves buying them), tweeds and sweaters are filling the clothing stores along with thick coats that make one cold just to look at them. Even the weather seems to have turned Fall-ish in the past week or two with rain, cloud and chilly mornings becoming the daily norm (though today it was a lovely and unexpected 22 degrees and sunny!). It's all rather depressing. Even though I don't have to go back to school (thank god), I do have to start saying byebye to shorts, sandals, bare legs, beach trips, patios, and watch as the days get darker earlier and earlier.

*SIGH*

Oh well, it had to end sometime. And I can take solace in the fact that, despite a few personal hiccups near the beginning, this summer has been very enjoyable and full of some fun experiences. Herewith, my list of my 10 favourite experiences of this, the Summer of 2009 (not necessarily in any particular order):

1. NS International Tattoo - I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy being part of the adult choir again after a 2 year hiatus, but I was SO glad I went back in the end. I made some new friends, caught up with existing ones, sang some beautiful music, attended a pumping piper party with impromptu performances from many talented musicians, including a fife and drum band from Massachussetts, drank copious amounts of tea, and laughed til my cheeks hurt. Despite a slight swine flu spread towards the end (which, luckily, I managed to side-step), it was a wonderful experience and I can't wait until next year. (This experience gets special props for keeping me busy enough to ignore personal problems going on back at home and putting them out of my mind.)

2. I finally got to Taboo nightclub, which I had been wanting to get to since it opened. Verdict: Not as nice as I had hyped it in my head, but still fun. Plans to go back in future and this time under the guise of the "Sex and the City" party package, or something similar.

3. Joyce - This person gets her own category, simply because she was so lovely, and because we had various experiences with her. This 27 year old TESL student from Taiwan lived with my mom for 4 months until July - we introduced her to lobster and scallops, the Valley and pet cats and she introduced us to the wonderful industriousness, thoughtfulness and graciousness of her Asian culture. A package containing Taiwanese noodles, crackers, spices and cute chopsticks in their own little woven, multicoloured sleeves that arrived recently served to further cement the admiration.

4. Even though I didn't have tickets to the Paul McCartney concert (F*#K ME!!), I still managed to see him perform....well, sort of. I got to hear him anyway - there wasn't so much "seeing" considering we were standing clandestinely on the outside of the fence with all of the other stupid morons that didn't think far enough ahead to get themselves INSIDE said fence. I didn't mind - I got to hear him perform all of my favourite hits, including a rousing, power-pyro version of Live and Let Die (one of the best!) and got to absorb a little bit of the wonderful feeling of harmony and happiness that seemed to surround the concert site that night. Sir Paul, indeed.

5. I'm probably a huge dork for citing a friend's rather informal house-warming party as one of the highlights of my summer, but alas. Not only did I meet some fun, friendly new people, drink many Coronas (bliss!) and catch up with the lovely hostess, but I got to explore the most eccentric, charming house ever (opium den! magic trick room! cat doors to the basement! leopard print bathroom!) and had my first ride on a Vespa. As a result, I've developed a love for scooters that I can't afford to mollify. However, it's an idea that's in the back of my mind for next year....and besides, if I ever feel the need for a ride, I can give Justin a call!

6. We vacation in PEI every year, but this year was especially enjoyable, particularly because it was sunny and hot EVERY DAY the week we were there. Considering it was rainy and cloudy every day last year, this was a great blessing. What's better than sitting on the beach, sand on one's feet, flipping through an engrossing book and/or thick, summer issue of the latest fashion magazine, baking one's skin and occasionally taking a stroll down to the water for a refreshing, cooling swim in the Northumberland Strait? Not much, I say...

7. I'd be lying if I said I'd like to take up pole dancing tomorrow (as a career OR pasttime...for one, it would be rather hard to do this anyway as long as your body resembles that of a round pear with stubby sausages sticking out of it) but I still had fun trying it out for a friend's bachelorette party. Say what you will about it, but my arms were sore the next day, and ya know, it kinda made me feel a little bit sexy (in an awkward, uncoordinated sort of way).

8. The Breakfast Club al fresco - two good friends, free popcorn and pop, Freak Lunchbox candy, 80's cult movie goodness...that's all I have to say about that.

9. It was rather irritating to have an entire weekend's plans (Upper Clements Park, Whale Watching, road trip) ruined by Hurricane Bill (or what turned out to be Way Over-Hyped Bill), but the weekend still turned out fun with a trip to a friend's cottage. We had a lovely Fri evening/Saturday morning and afternoon on or in the water and came away with rather harsh sunburns (which, let's be honest, are always the hallmark of a good cottage trip, wouldn't you agree?). Again, more catching up with friends I hadn't seen in a while, pigging out on chips and candy, and general enjoyment.

10. The aforementioned cottage trip was followed by an impromptu jaunt to the Halifax waterfront to see Sons of Maxwell perform (Don is the boyfriend of a friend of mine so we were playing Groupie) a fun, energetic set at Nuts4Ribs (a fundraiser to raise awareness for testicular cancer), including the United Guitar Song that has pretty much made Dave Carroll a household name. I was filled with pride for the MSVU PR program (my alma mater) after listening to a funny one-minute rap by one student about the fundraiser and it's goals ("nuts, balls, testicles, if you don't check em you could lose em, so give your doctor a call!"), and reading the various promotional signs that they designed (my personal favourite, "Grab Your Meat"). I was glad to see that the profs are still pushing envelopes and opening students' minds over at the Mount.

Of course, I had many more experiences this summer, big and small, but these are some of the most memorable. More than anything, this summer was an awakening of sorts for me - mentally and emotionally, and in positive AND negative ways. I intend on carrying this attitude on into the Fall - some plans include fitness classes at the Dartmouth Sportsplex, returning to Dartmouth Choral Society, attending various Fall events (including the launch of a new local fashion magazine I had the privilege of writing an article for, Atlantic Film Fest, Word on the Street, NS Food & Wine Fest, Valley Pumpkin Fest, etc etc...so many events, so little time and money!!), and continuing to get back in touch with myself and what feeds my soul.

Summer isn't quite over yet though, so perhaps I'll have more things to add to this list in the coming weeks. Summer days driftin' away...but I take solace in the fact that they will become Fall days and ah-oh those Fa-a-all nights.

Insert Cheesy Metaphor Here

Wow, to say that my life the past 6 months has been a rollercoaster would be a grand understatement. The past month or so of that six has been particularly tumultuous. Ironically, I feel happier and more content in many ways than I've felt in a while.

I always knew that I was someone who dealt with change well, but I'm realizing more and more that I, in fact, NEED change in my life. I need to shed my skin, sweep the dust out the door and change my course every once in a while in order to stay sane and to feel in control of and happy about my life. It jolts me out of complacency! And it's a good thing, too, because I've had more changes in my life in the past few months than is reasonable. On the other hand, I've learned more lessons than I ever have before - both positive and negative (mostly the former).

For example, I realized who my true friends are and this can be a good and bad thing all at once - it's a good thing because I now know what people are better eliminated from my life, and it's a bad thing because it's depressing to find out that you don't have as much support behind you as you once thought you had. Not to mention feeling like you've lost a piece of yourself and your life experience. However, I'm not one to point fingers (this is partially my fault as well) and a lot of this is due to circumstances out of the control of mere humans (schedules, diverging interests and priorities). And this has forced to get out and hang out with new friends, or rediscover old ones (or ones that were "occasional", that I'd hoped would become good friends but never quite got there), and that's been a lovely experience.

I've also learned that you can't change people - well, sometimes you can for the better or worse, but not fundamental, deep down, ingrained parts of their character and personality. Come to that, you shouldn't try to change these parts of anyone, just as you shouldn't change yours for anyone else. If you have to change who you are to be with someone, than they are not the right person for you. On another note, don't settle - even though you care about someone and they have good qualities, this still does not mean they are the right person for you, esp. if there seems to you that there's something missing. You'll miss out on so much if you settle too early and for the wrong reasons. Now I'm naturally cynical, so I'm not inclined to subscribe to the Rom-Com-true love-there's someone out there everyone's meant to be with forever-cheesy school of thought. But, I do believe in karma - good things come to those who wait and if you live your life for YOU and work as hard as you can on yourself, that good things will come your way.

I'm been finding more and more that the harder you push sometimes, the harder things lean in the opposite direction (and this goes for anything in life, not just people). It's, of course, always a good idea to plan ahead and be organized if you can, but the fact is, life isn't organized. And just because you try and organize things a certain way does not mean that it will fall into place just as you expect. In fact, more often than not this is NOT the case. The key is to not have high expectations. I'm learning more and more to let go of control and accept this fact; to be more easygoing and spontaneous; live more in the moment and not next year. Besides, the seeds that are to be sown next year need to be planted and cultivated now (ooooo, how deep ;p)

I've always been an independent person also, but I've realized now more than ever that you can (sometimes) only rely on yourself, and if you can't rely on yourself you aren't going to be able to make anyone else rely on you. As self-absorbed as it sounds, you really do need to "look out for number 1". You need to listen to what your body and mind are trying to tell you. You should want the same things and the other person shouldn't make you stressed, worried, and moody on a daily basis - relationships are work, but they're not supposed to be that much work, otherwise why bother?

I've realized that I need time alone and I need to have space to do what I want and build my life the way I want without distractions. I've come to the realization that I'm a quiet person sometimes, and I'm ok with that; there's no point in trying to change it or be ashamed of it. I've realized I'm a very tough person who can bounce back pretty quickly from anything without help from anyone else. I can meet challenges head on, look them in the face and laugh. I want to see the world and I want to contribute to it in some meaningful way.

So, where do I go from here? I'm not sure, but I'm taking it day by day and this is one of the most exciting times in my life to date. I'm making plans and goals and I will stick with them no question, even if I have to kick myself in the ass so many times it hurts. At the same time, if plans and goals don't pan out, I will change my tactics and direction and try again. Sometimes this is a sign that you're not going the right way anyway.

I'm not doing the half-marathon I was planning on, but I am planning on sticking with running (weight loss is a MAJOR goal for me from now til Christmas) and I am formulating ideas in my head for a trip to California in January (and possibly moving there, or somewhere similar long-term once my job here at PS is finished next summer) and possibly buying a Vespa in the spring (tee hee, these ideas make me giggle with excitement, no matter how crazy they sound).

I'm going to focus 110% on my job and doing it well and leaving an impression. I've joined a local Meet Up group to (hopefully) make new friends and get out to as many fun events as I can. I'm attempting to work on keeping in touch with friends and cultivating my important relationships more deeply. And, I'm not going to tie myself down to one person for a while, at least not seriously, until I can achieve some of these things I've set out for myself.

I feel as though I was walking down a road and all of a sudden I've turned and am walking down a completely different one. Or perhaps I've reached a fork and am still trying to decide which prong to follow, I dunno. Either way, that old path has ended and I must choose a new one, or several. This is a scary and overwhelming thought, but it's also so exciting it makes my mind race. The one thing I know for sure is that no matter what's around that bend - I'll be ready for it.

Pet "Pawsengers" and other Heartwarmers

Ok, so my plan for writing today was to update re. the marathon training progress, aka Kim realizing how fat and unfit she really is. However, I heard about this new thing a little while ago and, as a steadfast animal lover, I think it's so freaking adorable I couldn't resist mentioning it. 

Just recently, a new airline was introduced; and not just any airline but a (wait for it) PET airline! That's right Pet Airways is a "pet-only airline dedicated to pet-friendly travel". On PA, pets fly in the main cabin of the plane, not in the cargo hold, and have pet attendents attending to all their needs until they land safely at their destination. At first, it sounded to me kind of like a Disney movie, and a Disney-esque image appeared in my head of cats and dogs perched in airplane seats wearing little headphones and sipping from little clear plastic cups just like people. How cute!

Obviously, the reality isn't quite that romantic - the pets are still contained in carriers and they are placed on shelves in rows. However, the beauty of this idea is that they are not contained in the dark, cold, scary underpart of the plane with no interaction for hours on end. They don't come out at their destination traumatized or sick. Besides, it's much less stress for owners travelling with or moving their pets, not to mention other passengers who may not necessarily be comfortable with an animal in the main cabin. You can track your pet through the company's website (www.petairways.com) and sign up for the "MyPaws" club, which provides (for a small membership fee) discounts on many PA partners, including 40% off pet supplies at their online store, %10 off pet-friendly hotels, and 10% off at 1-800-PetMeds. 

This issue is rather close to my heart, having had first hand experience a few months ago. When my brother moved to England the beginning of February, my boyfriend and I agreed to "adopt" his cat, NutNut (for the record, my brother named her, not me). Only problem was, he had to put her on a plane from Toronto to get her to us. Sounds simple enough except that there (of course) was a snow storm the night we were to pick her up, and as such the plane had to turn around and by the time she got here at 3:30am (about 5 hours later than she was supposed to), you can imagine what her state of mind was. 

So, she spent the better part of two days in a plastic box being carried by strange people through strange places with strange smells and then being passed off to her two strange new owners. Not to mention that my brother had to sign a waiver from Air Canada stating that (basically) if she was dead on arrival, they would be cleared of responsibility. She was so thrilled by this entire experience that she spent her first two to four days with us hiding under our bed. She loves us know and is very content, but man it would have been nice to have Pet Airways back then!

As the PA website states: "You see, on Pet Airways, your pets aren't packages, they're 'pawsengers'. And every step of the journey, we'll take care of them as if they were our own. Because that's exactly the way we'd want Zoe (PA creators, Dan & Alysa's, dog who inspired the venture) to be treated." 

You would have to be a total asshole not to have your heart warmed by such a statement. In this day and age of negative media stories about how crappy the economy is, what foods can cause cancer, and people leaving their pets at home while fleeing wild fires, it's nice to hear about such a positive venture, one that is based on love and compassion. Ok sure, it may seem a bit silly to shell out hundreds of dollars just to fly your pet in its own airplane with his doggie friends, but the point is (at least what any pet lover/owner will tell you) that our pets are our family. You would never put your grandmother or your child in a cargo box at the bottom of the plane (no matter how much they irritate you), so why would you do that to your pet? Wouldn't you at least like to have another option? Pets bring so much joy and fulfillment into our lives and they ask for nothing in return but food and love, so the least we can do is return the favour.

So, once again I'm amazed at the genius of some people and the amazing ideas they come up with, that I wish I had thought of. Now my only question would be....ARE THEY HIRING?!

Pet Airways Commercial - YouTube

A New Adventure...

...but hopefully not a stupid one that I'll regret forever, or alternatively will kill me or at least my heart and my knees. Ok, I'm being a little dramatic here. In reality, I'm very excited about this new endeavor and can't wait for January 2010.

Why? What is happening that month, you ask? Well, it just so happens that as of yesterday, my intrepid boyfriend and I registered for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon. Yes, me. Me who has never run more than a few minutes in her life and really never even exercised all that much outside of gym class and certainly has never been able to play any kind of sport or even had any remote interest in any kind of athletic event known to man. I guess the thing is, though, that's what excites me, oddly enough.

For a long time now I've been looking for some positive change in my life. In various ways, but just generally in terms of lifestyle. The past couple of years I've felt as though I've changed, and have even become a little lost. I've had some negative experiences that unfortunately have reverberated long past their initial sting and have had some of the lowest lows I've ever experienced in my young life. I'm not trying to tell a sob story here or complain about how crappy my life is because that's certainly not true - I've also had some very positive experiences and have been blessed in many ways. But generally, I haven't really felt as though I'm living my ideal life and being my ideal self (sorry to go all Oprah on you, these are just the best words to describe).

One big area of change that I've been meaning to tackle for a while now (and is a manifestation of the aforementioned confusion) is my health. To be frank, I've probably gained 10-15 lbs just in the past 6 months and probably about 40-50 lbs in the past 5 years. In this time, I went from being the smallest I've ever been to the biggest and I've never been happy with that. I have tried many different things to try and lose weight and get in shape and nothing has worked. I've realized that I'm a very impatient person that, if she doesn't see results within the 1st week, immediately quits and moves on (and this goes for many areas of my life, but particularly diet and exercise). Anyone who's ever tried to lose weight and get in shape KNOWS that this attitude is not condusive to losing weight, as it takes a while to see results.

I realized that I needed a swift kick in the ass in the form of a challenge - preferably with a deadline to work towards and a non-refundable cost so that I'd be less likely to bow out before even getting anywhere. Anyway, long story short I found out about the marathon through acquaintances who did it, spoke to another friend who's a running fiend and expert, read countless running forums and resources online, and decided that this could be (finally) the way to reach the lifestyle goals I've been striving and yearning for for a long while.

So, basically I have almost 9 mths to get myself in good enough shape to be able to run a 13.1 mile course in 3.5 hours or less. This is a challenge, but it's also realistic. I can barely contain my glee when I think about how good I could look and feel in 6 mths if I stick strictly to a training schedule of 4-5 days a week and following Canada's Food Guide. I want this more than I've wanted anything in a long time and I can't wait to tackle the challenge. It's very scary but I know if I stick with it (which is against my nature) that I can meet this challenge and get myself in the best shape of my life.

I just wanted to share this to whomever cares (or even if you don't) so that you know that if I'm not home the next few months and you can't get a hold of me, I'm probably out running...or swimming or at a yoga for runners class or something. Also, I hope you will follow our progress in the pages of this blog and support us every step of the way - even small words of encouragement and being able to express my worries and challenges and triumphs, even if it's just out to the "void" and not to anyone in particular - will be SO extremely motivating and appreciated over the coming months. I welcome any thoughts, tips or questions you might have.

It's time for a new adventure and there's no turning back now! Official start date is Monday, April 27th, 2009.
Here we go...

Born to be LEFT in The Wild

Today's rant comes from a letter I felt compelled to write to Vogue magazine today. Now, say what you will about Vogue (and I will, so stay tuned!) but I do read it every month religiously as it satisfies my fashion fix, and keeps me informed about what's going on in the world of culture. They have beautiful fashion spreads and insightful articles from some of the best authors and essayists out there, and they are probably more "with the times" than you might realize.

Take the March 2009 issue - usually one of two extra-fat issues throughout the year (hello, spring collections!) - with Michelle Obama on the cover. Now, I don't mean to be a sheep here and jump on the "Obama-bandwagon" just because everyone else is, but it must be said that Michelle is a poised, intelligent and yes, stylish woman who I think is a refreshing and exciting choice for the cover, as opposed to the usual "flavour of the month" celebrity. In addition, I found page after page of "drool-worthy" features and articles inside to quench my need for colour and creativity.

However my delight quickly turned to revulsion when I turned to p. 411 (yes that's right I said 4 HUNDRED 11 - this issue is not quite War and Peace but it's close) and to an accessories feature entitled "Born to be Wild". And, no it was not about a Steppenwolf reunion (sadly) but about the "newest accessories of the season in feral prints mixed with exotic skins". Page after page of python purses, ostrich bangles (which cost over $650 each, I might add) and tons of animal prints. At my estimates (which are probably extremely conservative) there had to have been at least 10 snakes killed just to make this one fashion story happen!

I am consistently disgusted every month to pick up fashion magazines and see dead animals hawked as the newest trendy thing. I don't understand how someone can walk around knowingly wearing a dead animal on their body - it's morally wrong in every way but particularly in this day and age where there is wide access to fake materials that can be substituted, and the awareness of threats to our environment is only growing. I would never think it's ok to kill something in the name of fashion. I don't even really think it's ok to kill animals for any reason, but of course (like most others in the world) I eat chicken and fish and don't think anything of it. But at least eating an animal provides a purpose, i.e. nutrients and protein for my survival, while a calfskin clutch or leopard stole serve only to provide sustenance to your appearance (or at least some people think so). Would you kill your housecat or your pet hamster in order to make yourself a cute, fun purse or wallet? Of course not - so why is it ok when it's snake, zebra or leopard? Where do we draw the line?

Of course, for every fashion magazine feature about the latest fur coats and exotic-skinned accessories, there are 5 animal rights and welfare groups that are standing up against such practices. The "Fur Free Alliance" is an international coalition dedicated to stopping the killing and exploitation of animals for their fur and there are countless Human Societies and SPCA's around the world serving as advocates for animals. In my research, I even discovered an event that pretty much made my life, that being the "Cool vs. Cruel" fashion design contest. For four years now, staff from the Humane Society of the United States have travelled to Art Institutes across the country and spoken to fashion students about the problems associated with fur for fashion. According to their website, the students were shown 4 runway designs that used real animal fur and were asked to re-invent these designs, sans cruelty. An online vote and a subsequent awards dinner are held to recognize the winners and contributers. One of the judges is my-future-gay-husband-to-be-but-doesn't-know-it-yet, Tim Gunn of Project Runway.

At least I know I'm not the only one shocked and appalled by the blatant marketing and promotion of these innocent creatures who died for fashion; it's comforting to know that there are many people out there who are as mad as I am and who aren't going to sit by and watch it happen. I'm only one person with one laptop and it's such a giant problem, but if we all take small steps we can start to see big changes, so I figure I'm doing my small part writing letters and articles such as this one, even if I feel I could be doing more.

And that's the point isn't it - that these creatures are innocent. Human beings think that because animals can't talk to or communicate with us that we are superior and we, as a society, do everything we can to demonstrate this power. But we are missing the point - not only that many animals are actually intellectually and physically superior to us in countless ways and that we should be proud, fascinated and awed by the number and variety of wonderful species we have on this planet; but also that BECAUSE animals can't talk, it is up to US to be their voice. It is up to us to speak on their behalf and interpret their needs and wants and try our best to give that to them, rather than take it away. The last thing they need from us is to destroy their habitats, families and way of life. So, maybe Vogue's title "Born to be Wild" is in fact appropriate, considering that chances are if animals did have a voice, some of them might choose to slither, bound, run, or crawl up to the folks at Vogue and elsewhere that don't respect their role in our world and our relationship to them, and repeat some of the lyrics: "...I'm a true nature's child, we were born, born to be wild, we can climb so high, I never wanna die..."