Espresso Conversations

I really enjoyed my lunch today. Decided to take a walk down Spadina Ave to see what my options were, and ended up in a nice cafe called "Le Gourmand." It was a bit on the expensive side, but the food was good and my Americano was delicioso! (Pardon my punning! I enjoy it:) If you ever go, think before you order a cookie though. It was like eating 10 regular cookies! They must use 3 cups of cookie dough to make these things...mine was at least 2.5 inches thick!

When you eat downtown Toronto, there aren't many seating options, so I had to sit right next to a table of 3 men instead of my usual preference of a nice, private corner where I can watch people and wonder what they are thinking about. (No, I'm not a "creeper" but I do like to people-watch!)

I had to struggle not to laugh because I couldn't help but overhear the conversation of the men beside me. At first I was a bit shocked at what they were saying, but as I listened, I thought, "Men all over the world must meet and have these conversations!"

I'm sure you have guessed by now what they were talking about: their wives. Story after story of their wives' frustrating "female-ness" and how they dealt with it. All 3 of them talked pretty big too; telling each other how they handled their women, and giving each other tips on what to do or say when their wives "act up."

Like I said, at first I was a bit offended for the women they were talking about, but then I figured that they were probably all talk. After all, what self-respecting woman would put up with being "handled?" Not many!

Poor menfolk - having to meet in cafes to tell their stories of bravery and manliness! Even if they were fiction stories...

Don't get me wrong; I don't agree with spouses talking about each other like that at all, much less to their friends! However, sometimes it can be an amusing conversation to listen in on...

Working for the Weekend

Someone was snoring her heart out on the subway this morning...she sounded like a cross between a snorting hog and a jet taking off! It was funny to see other peoples' reactions to it; once they realized where the strange sound was coming from, everyone had a good laugh. Poor woman - she must have been pretty tired! She didn't wake up once.

I work downtown Toronto now, and have decided to take the TTC rather than brave the traffic on the Don Vally Parkway. Public transit does have its disadvantages though...such as standing outside in -20 degree weather waiting 25 minutes for a streetcar that is supposed to run every 2 minutes. Or how about missing the earlier bus home because there was a delay on the subway? On those days, nothing could make a traffic jam seem more appealing!

This morning was a good day to ride the TTC though. There was no traffic, no delays, and to top it off, I got a seat on both subways! I arrived to work early which means I can leave early; life is good.

There are so many people working in this city and sometimes I wonder if everyone is unhappy. If I had to take a guess, I would say that at least 80% of the working class do not enjoy their jobs. I do most of the time, but there are some days when I would rather just throw in the towel and stay in bed!

It's too bad people can't find a job that they enjoy. Imagine if everyone or at least most people liked and enjoyed their work each day. If you are deciding what type of job to look for, make sure you apply to jobs that you can make a career out of - a career you can see yourself in for at least the next 10 years. That way, you won't be one of the masses on the road depressed about going to work in the morning.

Let's Make It Count

Have you ever noticed how the days fly by, making weeks turn into months and months turn into years? Before you know it, you are wondering where the last 5 years of your life went!

It is so easy to get lost in our daily routines, doing the same thing day in and day out... Heck, even driving can be like that! I can't count the times I have driven for 20 minutes, and then wondered how I got there - scary to think about, isn't it?

How many days have we lost? How many moments have we missed because we were lost in our own little world? Too many. Way too many.

I don't want to say something cliche like, 'it's time to wake up and smell the roses' but in essence, that is what we need to do...

Let's start something new today, shall we? How about finding at least one thing per day that you love about life? Or you could start out by doing something nice for a stranger every day. How about taking the long way home, and actually noticing the nature around you?

There are many things we can start doing (or not doing) to make every day count for something. Pick one that you think will make life a bit more memorable and do it!

If you want something to spice up your life a bit, and you are directionally challenged, (like me) try driving different routes to work, school - and don't be afraid to get lost. (Hint: the "spice" is when you have to find your own way back!) Also, don't be afraid to ask for directions once you do get lost. Even if you are, again, like me and won't remember those directions once you get back to your car!

Eat a Parasite and Lose Weight?

hThere is a new diet trend in Asia - eating parasites to lose weight. The above picture was taken from an ad in the early 1900s. Are we actually moving backwards instead of forwards here? How could we go back to this kind of life threatening diet?

Women and girls in Asia are feeling a tremendous amount of pressure to stay thin and unfortunately, exercise is not recommended because muscles on a woman is not considered attractive.

I am all for different cultures and what they contribute to the world; after all, the world would be pretty boring if everyone was the same. However, when one of your "cultural differences" means eating disorders, malnutrition and potentially death, I think that something should be done about it.

We can't stop women from feeling bad about their bodies; this is a choice that each individual woman has to make for herself. We can, however, regulate which diet products and ads are approved to be released to the public.

One might add that educating people about the dangers of putting a parasitic worm that lays 200,000 eggs per day might help the problem as well, but in my opinion, it wouldn't stop the problem. It is obvious that ingesting a parasite is bad for the body. I think that we have to go deeper here - much deeper.

The women in Asia are suffering from the same disease that women in North America have - it's just a little more advanced in Asia! Girls in North America as young as 7 and 8 years old are worrying about their body image. When I was 8, my biggest worry was that bedtime would come before I was done playing. I certainly never thought about pimples, how big my nose was or about how "fat" I looked in my clothes! My childhood was much happier for it.

What can we do about this problem? We can't stop magazines from publishing pictures of "perfect" people, and we can't stop pop stars from exuding the wrong type of self image to our youth, but we can teach our children to value what is important, and to be comfortable with who they are.

Addicted...

I am sitting here in a coffee shop, savoring every sip of the satisfying, yet sadistic drink that keeps me coming back for more. Half-caf one week, regular the next, and before you know it, you're onto the double espresso shots... The coffee bean truly is the most evil out of all the other beans!

Ok, ok, so I'm not in a coffee shop. I lied..I admit it! ~sigh~ I am sitting in a Cinnabon place eating a little chunk of Heaven itself. Try as a might, I just can't avoid some of my weaknesses. But I am drinking coffee, so it was only a half lie..

I can't help but notice how much people go out of their way to avoid being near anyone else. There are 2 other ladies enjoying a calorie-filled, guilt-free (maybe!) treat, and we have all strategically chosen to have our backs to one another. Coincidence? I think not!

Ever been standing in a line-up when a stranger randomly chooses to talk to you? What is your first reaction? Come on, be honest now...Your first thought was "Why me?" Then you became more comfortable and in the end, you found that the conversation made the line-up move faster.

Why do we go out of our way to be alone? Is talking to a stranger really so scary? (If you are a child, then the answer is definitely yes!) However, as adults, we shouldn't be so uncomfortable around people who are more than likely going through the same life issues as we are.

That man sitting across from you on the bus could be wondering how he is going to scrape enough money together to give his family a vacation this year because he didn't get the raise that was promised to him.

The girl riding the escalator ahead of you might be thinking about more than friends and clothes; she might be thinking about how much her parents have been fighting lately and wondering how close they are to divorcing.

The woman in the grocery aisle beside you just may be wondering how she is going to stretch her paycheck to feed her kids and pay her bills this month.

We all have something that we can offer to those around us. No, I'm not talking about money - money is only a temporary fix. Next week the same needs will be back again. What you can offer the stranger next to you is a friendly face, a smile, and, dare I say it? A random conversation that will let them know that they are not alone in their struggles!

Serenity Now!

I don't know where my brain is at today, but it certainly doesn't seem to be staying in one place! I can't keep on the same train of thought for more than 30 seconds, and even if I know what I'm talking about, it really doesn't sound like I do, because my words just come out in confusion.

I'm hoping that writing about it will calm my brain and help me to make more sense for the rest of day... We shall see if it works.

There is so much going on in my life right now - it is hard to keep track of everything I have to do. I have about a dozen people all needing and wanting things from me, and everyone seems to call on me at the same time, and I feel like pulling the hair out of my head!!! :s Some days I am fine, and can deal with the chaos that has replaced my life, but but there are days (like today!) when I want to dig a hole in the ground, get into it, cover myself up and hide from the world for a few days!

Serenity now indeed... Have you ever wished there were more days in a week or more hours in a day? I have - actually I've also wondered what it would be like to have more than 2 arms! However, if we got our wish, there would just be more things to do to fill up all that extra time, and we would be even more over-worked than we are now.

It is important to take time to relax regularly, even if you can only grab 10 minutes! Take some time, pull the car over and breathe for a few minutes, and remember that people can wait a little extra time for that paperwork, project or whatever it is that they are demanding of you.

Getting Fired is No Fun!

Well folks, I was fired recently from one of my 6 jobs... (Yes, 6 jobs!) I was the caretaker of a community centre, and it was the perfect job for me: right across the street from my house, I made my own hours, and I could clean it early in the morning, late at night, or any time in between.

However, this centre is also run by a few of the long-time residents of the community, aka: the old ladies of the neighborhood! They are nice ladies, but to quote the last caretaker, "They are stuck in the 1950's, and they don't like to pay for anything." (He said it, not me! I just repeated. ;)

I guess he didn't claim all the hours he was putting in for the job, and I certainly did not leave anything out when I made my invoices! Therefore, I had the job for 3 months, then they knocked on my door and fired me. Oh, they hemmed and hawed around the reasons for letting me go, but it was plain to see the real reason behind it - money.

I was let go once before from a job where money was the reason. Not that in either of these circumstances the employer didn't have enough money to pay - if that was the case, it wouldn't have upset me at all. No, with both jobs it was just that they found someone who would do it for cheaper.

I was upset, I'm not going to lie! I don't think I would have been so upset if they had just come out with it and told me the real reason though. Skirting around my questions is just not very professional - I would rather hear the truth any day than not very well thought out lies!

There...I vented. I feel better now - still a bit stressed about having to replace the income, but I'm trusting that this door closed so I better one could open up. Those old ladies were getting to be a pain to deal with anyways! ;)

YouTube Has Taken Over...

Anyone ever stop to think about how much we "depend" on YouTube? You can literally find anything on YouTube, from weird commercials, to the most random videos of people whom you don't know, doing things that are really not that safe! (See above video for proof of THAT! My favorite is the guy who forgot to let go of the bowling ball...)

Don't get me wrong here; I'm a fan of YouTube, and have been for a long time... Once I watched a whole season of Scrubs on YouTube - in the span of a couple of weeks! I came home from work, and went straight to the computer... Life felt a bit empty after I was all caught up!

Seriously though, you can watch almost anything on YouTube! I'm surprised MTV is still around. Who would wait for their favorite song to show up on TV when they can just type it in and watch it within seconds? (Note: I may be a fan of YouTube, but NOT of MTV!! ;)

Well, this has been the most random post ever! Stay tuned for more, and don't forget to tip your waiters and waitresses..

Retirement for Chickens?!

Everyone in Canada knows that Vancouver, BC has a thriving homelessness problem. However, not many may know about the growing homeless chicken population! Yes, apparently there are many homeless chickens wandering the streets in Vancouver. The city's bylaw states that residents can keep up to 4 egg laying chickens in their backyard, but it also states that they cannot kill the hens when they get too old to lay, or even if the owners get a hankering for some meat!

Hmmm, a law that allows people to keep chickens but not to kill them. Interesting, especially as the city is proposing spending $20,000 on a shelter - for CHICKENS!!! There are many in the city who are against it (the non bird-brained people - excuse the pun!)

The worst thing about this proposed shelter is the raging "human" homelessness problem in Vancouver. I can't believe the mayor and the city council would even think about proposing this shelter. If they are concerned about people killing their own chickens, they should open up a butcher shop on the outskirts of the town, or have a service that comes and picks up the chickens when they get too old to lay eggs. Then they can have a butcher kill the chickens and...problem solved - no abandoned chickens!

Once the city has a handle on their "human" homelessness problem, and Vancouver has some money available, then would be a good time to propose something like this. Although, I still wouldn't think it was a good idea! So ridiculous...

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100409/bc_backyard_chickens_100409/20100410?hub=BritishColumbia