Sunbeams

Every morning for the past week I've opted to ride my bike to work. The ride has been exceptionally short as I'm staying at a house very close to my work. The short ride has been lovely because it's been slowly easing me into the routine of riding. Biking to work has meant not having to deal with traffic or other frustrations that accompany driving. It's meant feeling the wind in my hair and the sunshine on my face and waking up in a more natural, healthy way. I like it. I think bike commuting is going to be my primary mode of transportation even though it's a much more significant (uphill) ride to work from my home. Still, I'm committed to doing it and I'm willing to wake up a bit earlier to facilitate doing so.

Living at Kim and Royce's and taking care of their beloved dog has been great. As Eli wrote here, it's felt a lot like we are playing house. It's a bit strange to live in someone else's space but we settled in and have felt remarkably comfortable. There is so much that I love about Eli and this period of living together has only served to solidify those feelings. Awww, I'm so happy these days. On Thursday, we go back to our regular lives and regular homes. I hope my cat still likes me.

Tonight I am going to the Franz Ferdinand/Death Cab for Cutie show at the Shaw Conference Centre. I am very excited! Tickets sold out right away and I was disappointed that I wasn't going to be able to go but a few days ago I learned that I would, in fact, be going! Yay! Yay! Yay!

This and That

The last week has been hectic but fun. This past weekend Eli and I went to Calgary (again) for a whirlwind in and out. Eli was working the Minus the Bear show and I decided to tag along to keep him company. We drove to Calgary on Sunday afternoon, spent the evening at the show and turned around to come back at around 1am. We drove on the virtually empty highway with some of my favourite songs playing in the background and Eli's cousin fast asleep in the backseat. We talked with a backdrop of black sky and shimmering stars. I love late-night conversations where tiredness seems to break down the barriers that exist in the daylight.

Last night I went to see Taj Mahal and Ruthie Foster who were playing at the Jubilee Auditorium. It was a fantastic show. Ruthie Foster said something that stuck in my head. She said, "You have to remember to pray, even when times are good. That's called being grateful." I like that sentiment because even though I don't pray in any sort of traditional way, I think being grateful is important. The music last night stirred me and had me bopping around in my seat. It was rich, beautiful, soulful music that seemed to grab me by my shoulders and demand my attention. Taj Mahal said "So much of the blues is 'I-have-four-kids-at-home-and-none-of-them-look-like-me' or 'I've-got-a-sweet-woman-but-she's-going-to-be-untrue' and I decided that I wanted to sing blues in a different way." So, what was neat was that many of his songs, while still following blues patterns, were funny/uplifting/happy songs. It was evident how much he loves music. I'm not sure how old he is (I think fairly old) but he was still dancing and singing his heart out and totally going all out. He's a blues legend and I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to see him live.

I am dog-sitting right now for Kim and Royce's baby, Sensi. She is such an adorable dog. She's huge but super friendly and completely loveable. She has these big, expressive eyes that seem like they are trying to convey some sort of message. That message is probably "I'm cute, give me treats" and I must admit it is totally working. I can't resist those eyes pleading at me!

Today has been a great day so far. I came into work and my boss asked to see me in his office to have my performance review done. I wasn't really worried but I wasn't exactly sure what he'd have to say. In my experience, performance reviews don't generally hold much meaning - the boss writes that you have done your work satisfactorily and that's about it. This one, however, was completely different. My boss wrote a 2-page attachment in which he glowed about me. It is the nicest review I have ever received in my entire career. It is nice to be so appreciated and well thought of. I think sometimes I take for granted all the positive things that are associated with my job but I really am grateful to work in such a great environment.

Oh, and for those of you in Toronto (hi Keith!), you MUST, MUST, MUST go to this event: On May 13 at 4pm, Leonard Cohen is doing an in-store appearance at the Indigo on Bay and Bloor. I would absolutely *love* to be there so I hope you will go on my behalf and take pictures (and get a book signed for me?!)

Eleven Sandwiches

Last night at Tim Horton's:

Eli: Hi, I'd like to order eleven sandwiches.
Employee 1: Eleven sandwiches?! Eleven sandwiches?! I'm NOT making eleven sandwiches!
Employee 1 (yelling at people in kitchen): We need ELEVEN sandwiches!
Employee 1(to Employee 2): You need to go on Sandwich duty because we have eleven sandwiches to make.
Employee 2: I'm not making them, YOU make them.
Employee 1: No, I'm not on soup and sandwich. YOU make them.
Employee 2: Fine, but he better tip us.
Employee 2 (to Eli): You better tip us.
Eli: Okay, okay, I'll tip you.
Employee 1 (speaking so loudly that everyone in the store could hear): Eleven sandwiches! Eleven sandwiches! I can't believe you need eleven sandwiches!
Eli (to growing line that is gathering): YES, I AM ORDERING ELEVEN SANDWICHES.
Employee 1: Okay, what type of sandwiches do you want?
Eli: 3 tuna, 3 chicken salad, 3 turkey…
Employee 1: Whoa, whoa, whoa! I can only order them one at a time.
Eli: Okay, 3 tuna. 3 chicken salad...
Employee 1: Wait! Wait! Okay, tuna sandwich (long pause as she tries to find the key). And another tuna sandwich (another long pause as she finds the key). Hmmm, how many is that? Two? Okay, one more tuna sandwich.
Eli: Okay, you have 3 tuna sandwiches, right? Now, 3 chicken salad.
Employee 1: Wait, wait, wait! I can only do them one at a time! One chicken salad sandwich (long pause as she now tries to find that key). And another chicken salad sandwich…etc.

An eternity passes while we wait for the girl to punch in all the sandwiches. The line behind us grows and grows and grows. Finally she gives the total and Eli hands over the money and pays for it.

Employee 1: Why do you need eleven sandwiches?
Eli: It's for a band and their whole crew.
Employee 1: Oh. So, umm, are these to go?
Eli: Yes.
Employee 2: Did he tip us? Did he tip us?
Eli: I'm tipping you right now.
Employee 2: That's not much of a tip for eleven sandwiches.

About 20 minutes later, we finally got our eleven sandwiches. The entire time Employee 2 made little comments making us feel like this was some great privilege that she was making them for us! I'd highly recommend going anywhere other than Tim Horton's the next time you need eleven sandwiches.

Firsts

This past weekend Eli and I went to Calgary so that he could meet my Dad and stepmom for the first time. It went really well. He was charming and eloquent and on his very best behaviour and made a great impression. We all went for breakfast and he made sure to NOT order any bacon or ham because he wanted to appear to be a "good Jew". It was awfully cute even though they wouldn't have cared either way. When he got up to go to the bathroom they leaned across the table and whispered "Oooooh, he's REALLY nice".

Last night I went for my very first skateboard ride ever. It was more difficult than I thought but much more fun than I expected. I loved the feeling of pushing and gliding and steering. I loved the challenge of balancing side to side and the anxiety rush that came with every wobble of the board. It took every ounce of concentration I had and I revelled in the feeling of being completely absorbed in something new.

Zooooooooooooooooom!

Applause, Applause, Life is Our Cause

le sigh.

I am in the midst of a bureaucratic nightmare at work. It would bore you to death and I don't want to cause any blog-related fatalities so you'll just have to go with my vague complaint that sometimes work kills something deep down inside me (my soul?). In the middle of this most awkward, intimidating meeting I began to fantasize about tipping over the boardroom table and smashing things on the floor while yelling "I quit, I quit, I quit!" It's days like this that I can almost hear Vancouver softly beckoning. Almost. Not quite.

I am in a weird mood.

My cat bit me today in a mean way. It's the first time ever that she's done that. My feelings (and hand) were genuinely hurt when it happened.

I think Joni Mitchell's "All I Want" is the most perfect song. I want to learn how to play it on guitar. I'd like to play it for you by campfire this summer.

My roommate is ticking me off this week. We are having a contest to see who will put off doing dishes the longest. I am going away for the weekend so I think I'm going to win. He doesn't know we're having a contest but we totally are.

My hair is fluorescent blonde (aka: white) in places. It's eerie.

Monday and Tuesday I get to learn how to testify in court. Apparently, I will get to take a field trip to an actual court room to practice. Practicing testifying seems wrong to me but they are willing to pay me to do it so I'm not going to argue.

Sylvia Plath said "There must be quite a few things a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them. Whenever I'm sad I'm going to die, or so nervous I can't sleep, or in love with somebody I won't be seeing for a week, I slump down just so far and then I say: 'I'll go take a hot bath.' She was so right and I wish she would have remembered that before sticking her head in an oven.

Did you know that people who have just fallen in love spend over 85% of their waking hours thinking about their amour? Source: Psychology Today

I am going to Calgary this weekend and will potentially see 8 family members. So rare. I hope it goes okay.

Actual list on my fridge:
- garbage bags
- dishwasher soap
- cha-cha lessons
- 26 small anteaters
- 2 large sandwiches
- keys to the bank
- pants
- 56 sliced pickles
- cat dancing lessons
- 13.5 pickup trucks
- 3 pink boots
- afro wig
- "better kibble!" - Reese
- opera tickets
- oversized book shelves

Everytime I go to the fridge there seem to be more items added to the list. It makes me smile even on days when I don't feel like smiling.

I'm so very lucky.

I'm in a weird mood. I think I already said that.

The Joy of Completion

Phew!

I have to post because I'm so freakin' happy right now. I have been procrastinating completing a task at work for a week! A week! I just refused to do it, finding anything and everything else to do instead. This morning when I woke up I immediately felt nauseous thinking about my overdue task. I knew deep down that I simply couldn't procrastinate anymore. I made a deal with myself that this stupid task had to be done today and I couldn't go home until it was completed. I found a number of other projects to work on all morning and then late this afternoon I finally sat down and did the stupid thing. Now it's done and I am asking myself why I made such a big deal about it. I make myself crazy sometimes. It's true.

Yay for a procrastinated task being checked off the list!

Yay! Yay! Yay!

Here Came the Sun

And Monday is here again…

Awwww, I had such a nice weekend. It was perfect. It involved too many gin and tonics (oh gin, I hope we can still be friends some day in the future), dancing, catching up over coffee with a friend I love to spend time with, a bike tune-up, a haircut, a trip to the airport to fetch my Canada-trotting boyfriend, french toast for breakfast, beer on a patio (hello spring!), a trip to Ikea, a new stereo, Scrabble, and more. The weekend sunshine seemed to permeate right through to my core leaving me in great spirits!

I read the most beautiful article in the New Yorker this weekend. It was a piece by Calvin Trillin about his beloved wife, Alice, five years after her death. Calvin is a prolific writer who has had regular columns in the New Yorker, has written a variety of books, and was known for talking about Alice in his writing. It was clear to his regular readers that he dearly loved her and when she died, people reached out and wrote letters to Calvin about her. Many of the letters were from people who had never met Alice and had no personal connection to her but whose lives were touched by her nonetheless. One letter-writer wrote that when she looked at her boyfriend she often wondered, "but will he love me like Calvin loves Alice?" Calvin's latest article was written as a response to some of those letters. He felt that people didn't really know Alice and wanted to paint a more realistic picture of her. What shines through is his deep love and affection for her and even more than that, his respect, admiration, and appreciation for her.

It was touching and moved me to tears in spots. He wrote about being motivated to impress Alice throughout his life. He wrote about their family, their kids, their life together. It was really a love letter written posthumously to a friend/lover/wife who still lived on in his heart. The article hit a nerve because it gave a glimpse of a relationship, of a marriage, that we all secretly dream of. A love that penetrates so deeply that it can't help but pour out of the couple into their work, into their daily lives, into everything. I highly recommend it and though it's not available online anywhere, I would be happy to make copies for anyone who might be interested in reading the article.

I hope the spring sunshine is cleaning up the shadowy bits that winter has left behind in your life.

Happy Monday, friends!