positivity

this morning i was inspired by the lady at bathurst subway station who hands out the free daily newspaper.  as i approached her in the freezing rain, just as every time i've seen her before, she had a big smile on her face.


good morning! i exclaimed, i hoped to meet her smile with equal enthusiasm
good morning - hope you're having a good day! she says
no umbrella? 
no but i'll be going home soon. in 2 hours.


2 hours did not seem soon to me.  i was worried she'd be soaked.  we continued small talk for a little while.  a car pulled up and she ran over and brought the man 2 of the free daily papers before he drove off.  that's so nice of you. i said.  she didn't seem to mind.  the smile never left her face.  i told her i wished i could be more like her, i can't really explain in words how much sincere positivity this woman projects.  i told her i don't know how you do it. to which she replied i'm no eeyore.

it took me a minute to figure out what she was talking about, but when i did i smiled.  you certainly aren't.  i thanked her and as i descended the steps to the platform i noticed the smile hadn't left my face.  how infectious a bit of positivity can be!  the feeling carried with me throughout the day.  and when the everyday turbulence hit i remembered to keep a smile on my face.

it's not like it is particularly difficult to be positive.  but it doesn't appear to come naturally.  it's something to work on.  but what a difference it makes.

spontaneity

i had a post prepared today to commemorate mitch hedburg.  he passed away 6 years ago today.  but instead i want to share this beautiful quote with you:

photo from this flickr page
quote from hafiz or hafez

i thought it was such a beautiful way of thinking about love and life.  i feel like people in western society have such a great sense of entitlement.  and the reason for this is unknown to me.  it reminded that an entitled point of view can perpetuate negativity in life.  that everything doesn't have to be give and take, sometimes it can just be give.  it reminded me that life isn't all about the day to day and to think of the bigger picture.  the things to be grateful for, like the sun  ... which luckily was shining today.  and the snow is slowly melting and you can almost feel spring in the air.

and i finally have another tale from the ttc.  i was sitting on the bus on my way home today when a young boy (around 3) shouted out aye aye aye and a young girl (around 4) shouted back in a slightly higher pitch: aye aye aye, from the back of the bus.  they were total strangers, and she was completely unprompted.  he went again: ooh ooh ooh  and she called back in her voice: ooh ooh ooh.  they continued exchanging sounds for almost a minute.  she said we're talking dad.  it was evident that these children knew how to speak, but embraced the simplicity of the sounds they could make and the interaction.  and in turn the entire bus was giggling.  it was pretty special.

sam cooke

sam cooke, what a talented man.  i read recently on the exclaim website that there is a sam cooke biopic being made.  isn't it tragic that he was only 33 when he was shot and killed?  there has been a lot of controversy surrounding his death.  i think he struggled with alcohol addiction and maybe drugs, i guess i'll learn more about that when the movie comes out.  or in one of the 3 biographies written about his life...  my main interest in him comes from my love of his music.  he soulful and smooth voice is like no one else.

quelf

i was introduced to a new board game this weekend called quelf:

quelf is a multi player game, we played over the weekend with mike's family.  the game is played with 3 - 8 players.  each player chooses a character to represent them as they move to the end of the board.  as you roll the dice, you move onto different coloured bricks.  each of the colours represents a quelf card, and comes with it's own set of rules as to how to card is played.    

blue cards represent roolz (aka rules): my rule was to keep my right elbow on the game board at all times until i got a new rule. 

yellow cards represent stuntz, when you draw one of these cards you are asked to preform a stunt, if you do not preform the stunt you must take the penalty and move back that many spaces. 

red cards represent scatterbrainz, in which you pick a topic or a word to rhyme off of the card and it goes aroung the table until someone messes up, they take the penalty. 

green cards are quizzles in which the person who drew the card is asked a true or false question or something the like.  

and lastly the purple cards are called showbiz and these cards challenge you to perform in one way or another, if you do not preform you must take the penalty.  

it is a fun and interactive game in which you will not be bored for a single second.  there is really no strategy or skilled involved, it is just the luck of the draw and your ability to meet whatever challenge the card presents.





stewart lee

stewart lee is hilarious.

i had posted a video of him in an older post.  his joke about harry potter and the tree of nothing.  here are a couple of his jokes if you're maybe in need of a giggle:

In the Vatican square, they were selling lollipops. You could buy lollipops about that big with the face of Pope John Paul II on them. You could buy a Pope John Paul II's face lollipop. I bought about ten. 
And I just thought... In the light of his death a few months later, I wondered whether sales of those lollipops went up or whether they went down. Did good Catholics think, 'Ah, the Pope's just died. It would now seem inappropriate... to lick a sugar effigy of his face.' 
Or did they go, 'Ah, the Pope's just died. But what better way... ...to commemorate his life than by licking a sugar effigy of his face?

and here is some insight from stewart lee on buying real estate:

What's happened is somewhere, along the line, as a society, we confused the notion of 'home' with the possibility of 'an investment opportunity'. What kind of creature wants to live in an 'investment opportunity'? Only man. 
The fox has his den. The bee has his hive. The stoat, has, uh... his stoat-hole... but only man chooses to make his nest in an investment opportunity. Mmm, snuggled down in the lovely credit! All warm, in the mortgage payment, mmmmm...  

lesson 2

today i have another important lesson i would like to share: if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all.  it's easier said than done, in most cases.  but it's worth remembering when you're angry or upset.  although comedians speak cruelly in order to make people laugh.  should this be an exception?  absolutely.  second lesson comes from mark twain:  if you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.  how true is that!?  okay final lesson for the day: leave everything a little better than the way you found it.  plain and simple - people, places, things.  do it.

lessons

one of the most important lessons i learned during my years in the public education system was not about math, science or history.  i was in grade five at the time, when our teacher handed out a test...  before commencing the test he said "make sure you read all of the instructions before starting."  i scoured the first page for instructions but all i saw was questions.  i noticed my peers had already begun writing and became concerned that i was falling behind.  as i filled out the test a strange feeling came over me, the questions didn't appear relevant... until i got to the last question on the second page.  well, it wasn't a question it was an instruction, and it read something like do not answer any of the questions.

once the entire class had arrived at that question we looked at our teacher with dismay.  some students, like myself, were worried that our grades were about to drop.  others were annoyed at the teacher, they believed he had tricked them.  only 1 student out of our class of 28 had actually followed the instructions.  this test did not count towards our overall evaluation but it did teach, at least some of us, a valuable lesson.  ever since that day, whatever the type of directions i read them through.  i think it has helped me greatly in terms of recipes and assembling things.  and as an overall life lesson.

and so in the spirit of this lesson... i took on my rice cooker tonight. and then i took a picture of it.  and i threw in a picture of what i made in my rice cooker. and a photo of my slow cooker, because i like it.

downtown yoga

i attended 2 yoga classes last month at the yoga sanctuary in toronto.  they have 2 studios, one on the danforth and one at yonge & college.  the first class i attended at the downtown studio was ashtanga.  the second class on the danforth was yin yoga.  the classes couldn't have been more different but they were equally enjoyable.  the ashtanga class was fast paced and challenging, the instructor was phenomenal.  he would adjust the newer students without making them feel singled out.  he also offered beginner options for the more difficult poses.   the yin yoga class consisted of holding poses for 5 minutes at a time.  the poses were simple but staying in them for that length of time proved difficult.  this class was offered in the dark with music playing..  the instructor shared with us part of the books she was reading. i can no longer recall the name of the book - but i do recall what she shared:
fear - false expectations appearing real . . .

i liked both of the classes for different reasons.  unfortunately neither of the locations are convenient for me.  both of the studios are in gorgeous old style buildings with high ceilings, beautiful windows, exposed brick and wooden beams that make me happy to be in toronto.  the spaces in themselves were inspiring, and add on top of that the effects of yoga... i was effectively exhausted both mentally and physically at the end of each class, which was exactly what i went there for.

one thing i didn't go there for was the headband pictured below from downtown betty which i picked up from the danforth studio.  i can't figure out much about the company (ie where they are located) but i love their logo and it is hands down the most comfortable and effective headband i have ever worn. i  would highly recommend it for keeping your hair out of your face while exercising.

grizzly man

grizzly man is a film about the dangers of humans acting like bears.  just kidding, kind of.  it is a "docu-drama" put together by director werner herzog of footage timothy treadwell took during his annual summer quest to "protect the bears."  after watching you get the sense that timothy was protecting the bears in his mind, but in reality he may have been doing them more harm than good.  in total he spent 13 summers in the alaskan katmai national park before he was eaten by a bear.

i like this film because of the incredible footage of wild animals - this is no planet earth dvd.  timothy didn't have any idea that there was a boundary between him and the bears.  we see them up close and personal.  my favourite scenes include footage of his fox friends.  they are such unbelievably beautiful animals. 

it also provides a window into a man who is deeply troubled.  timothy's demons and passions were intense and layered.  before he decided to become the protector of the bears, timothy had struggled with drug and alcohol addictions.  it was evident that he lived life on the edge. 

the people who knew timothy and speak about him are priceless.  one man says he was acting like they were people dressed in bear costumes.  another woman speaks about timothy attempting to "mutually mutate" with the bears.  i still can't figure out what mutual mutation is and i hope i never do...  another man, sam egli who is described as timothy's close friend, and is also the pilot who flew him in and out of camp has quite a lot to say about treadwell's life and death:

 My opinion, I think Treadwell thought these bears were big, scary looking, harmless creatures that he could go up and pet and sing to, and they would bond as children of the universe or some odd. I think he lost sight of what was really going on.

there are actually too many quotes to go on...  but whether or not you've seen it, you can get a sense by reading the memorable quotes from imdb.  i know the beginning of this movie always has be giggling because of quotes like the ones above, but in the end it is a tragic story... it still however, remains as one of my favourite movies.

That bear, I think, that day, decided that he had either had enough of Tim Treadwell or that something clicked in that bear's head that he thought 'Hey, you know, he might be good to eat.'

week end week begin

happy first day of spring!

spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush. 

Doug Larson

with the blink of an eye another week has passed me by.  as i was mourning the end if this weekend i got ants marching stuck in my head.  week end week begin.

01 Dave Mathews Band - Ants Marching by acidfreeworld

on a quick side note - i just saw avril lavigne on a pro-activ commercial.. times must be tough for her.

this weekend mike and i met his parent's for brunch.  it was my first experience at a cora's.  the food and the service were good, although i ordered one of the more simple items.  i can see why they're so popular.  we then took a familiar walk through the sunny streets of kensington market.  even though it was probably in september, i couldn't remember the last time i had been to kensington.  it's definitely is one of, if not the best community in toronto.  on our walk i stumbled upon some banksy-esque graffiti.

the sun was shining and the temperature was almost warm.  spring will be here in no time... but i can hardly wait.

cold war kids

cold war kid's third album came out this year in january.  i love it.  i haven't listened to their second album much but i loved the first album, robbers and cowards.  i was initially drawn to the songs that are driven by rock-y and heavy piano.  mine is yours has less piano (if any?) but after a few listens, i'm really into it.  my favourite song is louder than ever

Cold War Kids - Louder Than Ever by shockentertainment

the best part of the album, in my humble opinion, are the first 4 songs.

on friday i saw them perform live at the phoenix.  the venue is definitely not one of the best in toronto.  but it easy to get to via ttc at least.  i thought the band fell a little flat live.  in fact it inspired me to decide that from now on i primarily want to go to shows of musicians that i genuinely love and respect and love dancing to their music.  dancing being the most important part at the moment.

audience is one of their singles that features more of the piano sound i like:

Cold War Kids - Audience by Matt Kuhn

but imagine if they inverted their name to hot peace adults?  tee hee

graffiti?

toronto is home to a variety of graffiti and a lot of non-inventive tagging.  as you wander through the streets and alleyways, there are some clever, intricate and interesting pieces.  on a cloudy winter day, graffiti brings colour and life to the otherwise grey streets.  and on a sunny day they truly come to life.

in may 2010 the notorious and elusive banksy marked toronto with several new pieces.  you can see photos of banksy's art in toronto here.

as far as i know, graffiti is a crime against property... meaning it's illegal.  and i kind of get that.  but more often than not, stumbling upon a creative piece of graffiti brings a smile to my face.  and i wonder if the crime is part of the appeal?  i wonder if it were regulated instead of illegal if there would be as many ugly, unimaginative tags out there?  ... although i should note i have seen some cool tags so i'm not totally bashing them... but i definitely prefer images over letters.  here is a quote from banksy that sums it all up:

Imagine a city where graffiti wasn't illegal, a city where everybody could draw whatever they liked. Where every street was awash with a million colours and little phrases. Where standing at a bus stop was never boring. A city that felt like a party where everyone was invited, not just the estate agents and barons of big business. Imagine a city like that and stop leaning against the wall - it's wet.

if you haven't already seen the work of canadian artist roadsworth it's definitely worth clicking on the link and browsing through the gallery.  the creativity is out of this world!

unfortunately, i don't have any photos of my own to share of the art that i love.  instead, i have some shots of the graffiti along the lakeshore west line taken from the go train.  be prepared to not be wowed.

einstein's dreams

mike told me about alan lightman's novel einstein's dreams and picked up a copy for me to read.  it is a fictional account of einstein's dreams during the time that he was developing his theory of relativitity.  his dreams are centered around different concepts of time.  each chapter describes a theory of time; in one world people have no concept of future or past and are stuck in the present moment.  they cannot comprehend that there will be a future.  if someone is stuck in a time of misery or a period of joy they remain that way.  in another chapter people can slow down the aging process by living farther away from the centre of the earth and people migrate to the mountains.  one dream seperates people as "nows" and "laters" and in this world, people live forever.  the nows are highly productive (over-achievers) and the laters believe they do not need to accomplish anything until later (fairly self explanatory).  in another dream time does not exist at all.  for 30 consecutive nights (and 30 chapters in the novel) the young einstein appears to be tormented by these dreams.  he explains to his colleague and friend michele besso that he is convinced knowing about time will bring him closer to "the old one" (aka god).  i really enjoyed exploring theories through my imagination.  the chapters were short however, and it seemed that as soon as i wrapped my brain around one concept i was on to the next.  it was an interesting book that provided insight into einstein and his theories.  and it provided me with a lot of confusion in my brain, but in a good way.

strangers and friends

i'm exhausted today.  but it's worth it, because there is nothing like catching up with a dear friend.  i decided to surprise amy at the airport last night.  her flight was coming in at 11:30 PM.  she hadn't asked me to come to the airport so it became a great opportunity for me to pull off a surprise.  i'm terrible at surprises.  i get too excited and often ruin them.

as i anxiously awaited her plane to land, i looked around at the other people in the waiting area.  i asked the lady next to me which flight her person was on, it wasn't the same one.  we chatted briefly about waiting, and how difficult it was.  when her man arrived she wished me well.  i was touched.  i remembered feeling this way often in airports and while travelling, common interests and goals turn strangers into instant friends.

amy's flight was scheduled to land at 11:30, at midnight, it still said "on time" and not "arrived."  i began to worry.  i noticed a couple near me discussing the same worries that had been going through my mind.  we agreed that it was worrisome, but probably the fault of the airport or something (in attempt to quell our worries)... about 5 minutes later they informed me that their daughter had phoned and they were on the ground.  she was on the same flight as amy. and again i was touched.  i thanked them for informing me.

i breathed a sigh of relief.  and i prepared myself for the big surprise.  i had been standing eagerly in front of the doors but i decided to hide behind a pillar and sneak out and surprise her.  then my phone rang, it was amy.  she was calling me from the other side of the wall.  i could hardly contain my excitement.  i already knew about the delays she had been experiencing and was doing my best not to let on, but it was a challenge.  i had made a sign in the event that she didn't recognize me.  it had been 4 months since i'd seen her after all.

when we hung up, i knelt down to retrieve my water bottle from my bag.  amy had mentioned she was really thirsty.  as i was searching i heard a familiar voice, i looked up and she was attempting to leave the baggage area to have a drink of water.  i hid myself behind the pole and remained unseen.  phew.



after another hour of waiting i had removed all of my outer layers and was camped out on the floor in front of the doors.  a man who had been there for as long as i came up to me and said listen, we have been waiting a long time - what is going on!? to which i replied they're having a problem with the baggage carousel. this didn't satisfy him.  he was with a young boy (around 5) who was visibly distressed.  i offered him to play the vortex game on my ipod.  he smiled and sat down next to me and i showed him how to play the game.  another 20 minutes or so went by the boy grew tired of the game, when am i going to see my mom? he asked.  i suggested to the man that we all sneak into the baggage claims area and look for our loved ones.  he was hesitant but with a little persuasion we were on our way.

my phone rang again, it was amy.  what a relief i thought, it will be easy to find her.  i saw her by the payphones and walked over without answering my phone.  she had her back turned to me and i tapped her on the shoulder have you seen this girl? i asked as i pointed to the sign.  her first reaction appeared to be a "leave me alone" look, and then when she realized it was me she was happy and surprised.  we ended up waiting another 40 minutes or so for her bag and arrived my apartment very late but in good spirits.

i felt fortunate to have many kind strangers in my day and a friend like amy in my life.

swans

this past weekend my mom surprised mike and i with a trip to lasalle park, overlooking the hamilton harbour in burlington.  she had recently learned that the once endangered trumpeter swans were being brought back to ontario by one dedicated individual.  the swans are tagged for tracking and research purposes.

my mom reported the first day they went to see the swans there were tons of them.  they sound something like this:

this curious fellow is a mute swan:

it was a special treat to spend some time with the swans and i hope to see more of them.

but not any black swans because that movie scared the crap out of me.

albert camus

You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.

----------------------------

i learned about camus and his beliefs in an intro to philosophy course i took in 2008.  unfortunately, all i can remember right now is that i was fascinated by him.  but he's got a point here, don't you think?  if you don't agree with him, he's at least got you thinking about it.

bob dylan

people seldom do what they believe in. they do what is convenient and then repent

not long ago i bought a postcard with the image off of nashville skyline (but in black and white) from sonic boom..  there was something about bob dylan's expression that made me smile.  i liked the feeling it gave me.  it has a similar calming effect that his music often does.  i put it in a frame on the windowsill by my bed with some other images that make me happy:

here are my top 5 bob dylan songs in no particular order:

10 Positively 4th Street by musicm00ks

Like A Rolling Stone by Itubaina Radio Retro

All I Really Want To Do (Bob Dylan) by Prelatus

Bob Dylan - Times They are a-Changin by michaelvanasse

and it ain't me babe. which i have spent so much time looking for an audio version that isn't a cover i'm about to remove it from my top 5.

i'd like to close with a few more of his words of wisdom:

don't criticize what you can't understand.



style

unfortunately i missed a fantastic show last night.  mother mother played at the phoenix and i had no idea.  it's canadian music week in toronto.  mike is exhibiting for work, so he has this fancy badge that i think is really cool.  it doesn't look anything like this:

i had briefly skimmed the artists but there were so many i couldn't be bothered to search (thoroughly) for a familiar name.  please listen to my favourite mother mother song:

the weather appears to be trending to the warmer side.  i've noticed major improvements in the quality and quantity of people watching.  i find it much more interesting during spring, summer and fall.  maybe because i'm not a huge fan of winter after the month of decmber.

. . . toronto is a great place to observe different styles.  it might be due to the mass amounts of people.  my current favourite website has brought their street style feature back.  this is entertaining for several reasons: sometimes it's inspiring, and sometimes it inspires laughter, and other reasons to be determined by the viewer. i wish i had the guts to take photos of strangers because there are a lot of different styles i'd like to document.  but it's pretty much impossible to take a photo of a stranger and not feel like a creep.  whether or not you're taking it in secret.  that's why i like pages like street style!

my kindrid spirit

funny bunny

i forgot to include this in yesterday's post:

this bunny, and his bunny friends have given me a reason to look forward to work...

believer

this is a ruby andrews song...

You Made A Believer Out of Me- Ruby Andrews by rchtct

which is featured in this q-tip song...

Wont Trade- Q-Tip by rchtct

it's from his album the renaissance (2008) that i picked up from sonic boom a few weeks ago (i had mentioned it a while ago in this post)...

neighbourhood map of toronto

i first saw this map at alternative arts on bloor in the annex.  it's a framing store that has posters, plaques and a variety of cards and....  i love this print.  i did some research and found out it's from a company called ork.  it got me thinking about how large and diverse toronto is.  and how rich the city is with history.  my mom has given me several historical books of toronto and both her and my dad are quite knowledgeable on the subject.  there are so many neighbourhoods that i have never been to or seen... and i'm excited by the prospect of new worlds to explore.

i had a brief conversation with my friend amy tonight.  she told me about the yarn-bombs she had spotted outside the library in courtenay.  here is one of the photos she took.  it's so detailed!

i forgot to mention that i've seen quite a few yarn bombings in toronto.  i'll have to remember to take a photo next time i see one.

doodling

doodling doesn't sound that bad when you say it but it looks awful to type.  i can't really call it drawing.  the definition of doodling (according to thesaurus.com) is drawing casually and that is exactly what i like doing.  as soon as there are rules and constrictions i become uninterested.  but if i titled this post "drawing casually" i would be laughing at myself too hard to actually type anything.  

i have, on occasion, attempted to draw [seriously].  usually based on a picture or another drawing.  and while it is a little less relaxing, it is all the more rewarding.  whether you want to call it doodling or drawing, i don't believe this particular form of expression discriminates.  everybody doodles!  however different techniques work for different people.  for example: did you know that singing opens up the tension that you hold in your diaphragm?  so belting out a tune when you're stressed can also be therapeutic.

this got me thinking about vices.  the web defines a vice as a moral weakness.  i'm not entirely sure how to define "moral weakness" but to my knowledge a vice is another form of stress relief.  i have heard many times we all have vices... and i guess that's true.  i have just completed 7 days smoke-free.  it has been challenging because i do not know of anything that is equally as satisfying.  and some days it doesn't seem worth the trouble.  but i know in the long run it is worth it.  it's just all too easy to lose sight of that.  i vaguely remember what it's like to not want a cigarette.  a couple of years ago a regular at my old work said to me "i didn't know you smoked, that's so 80s." we had a chuckle but he seriously questioned why the hell i would be smoking.  it's not something i ever thought i would do, in fact i grew up absolutely hating it.  so i must say for anyone who is just starting to smoke, or is able to pick it up and leave it with mere will power, leave it.  it might seem easy for you now, but it won't always be.  it will only become more difficult.

this is the song that is keeping me on track ...

mark twain

my friend jay shared a quote with me recently.  it's from mark twain's biography.  he said when he read this blog it reminded him of it, or maybe when he read the quote it reminded him of the blog...

What a wee little part of a person's life are his acts and his words! His real life is led in his head, and is known to none but himself. All day long, and every day, the mill of his brain is grinding, and his thoughts, not those other things, are his history. His acts and his words are merely the visible, thin crust of his world, with its scattered snow summits and its vacant wastes of water--and they are so trifling a part of his bulk! a mere skin enveloping it. The mass of him is hidden--it and its volcanic fires that toss and boil, and never rest, night nor day. These are his life, and they are not written, and cannot be written. Every day would make a whole book of eighty thousand words--three hundred and sixty-five books a year. Biographies are but the clothes and buttons of the man--the biography of the man himself cannot be written.

of course this quote would come from a writer...  why would i think that?  because i think some people live in their heads more than others. specifically people who have a lot of time to think.  i notice the busier i am the less time i spend in my head, especially if i'm doing physical work. i hadn't thought of it before, my writing does provide some insight... but roughly 79,500 words that don't make the cut.

i would also like to take this opportunity to note that i believe actions speak louder than words... in theory.  but in truth, our actions don't always reflect our thoughts.  and our intentions and actions don't always align..  this can cause misunderstanding and hurt.  it is important to remember that you are the only person that has access to the millions of thoughts going through your head.  you can't assume that other people will know what you are thinking or what you mean.  and i think what we forget quite often, is to think about how our words will affect other people before we say them.  if you're thinking in your head all day about how wonderful someone is, but the first thing you say when you see them is "you're late"... do you think they'll know you've been thinking about how wonderful they are?  some food for thought, directly from my thought capsule.

i was looking for a picture of mark twain, as i always like to find an interesting picture of the person i'm quoting... and i must say he isn't at all photogenic....  i was having a difficult time finding a photo i liked, and then i found this site called zazzle that makes custom mugs (among other interesting items).  and i spent more time than i'd like to admit customizing a mug to share.  but the real question is - who want's to look at mark twain's face first thing in the morning?

women singing

when i was a teenager i didn't like listening to female singers.  i can't think of a particular reason, other than most of the bands i liked had male vocalists.  my the times have changed.  the list of females vocalists that i adore is continuously growing.  but here is a sample of my current favourites:

1 - florence and the machine:

2 - adele:

3 - jill barber:

4 - fiona apple:

5 - julie doiran:

6 - cat power:

7 - lily allen

i'd love to go on but i'm stopping myself here.  too much of a good thing.  or not a good thing for everyone.  but if you haven't listened to say, fiona apple since the 90s you should definitely give her another try.  and if you've already heard it all, well i hope you enjoy my playlist.

goings on

this morning i shared a laugh with a stranger.  we watched a man pry open the subway doors and squeeze his way on.  i had been standing there hoping the doors would re-open due to his ninja like door stint, but they didn't.  i think she had been hoping the same.  as the train started to pull away we made eye contact and laughed together.  it was nice.

on another interesting note - as i was riding the st. clair streetcar today i came across a store called: st john fish sandwiches and antiques.  i had to look it up, and it turns out that it is... an antique store that also offers sandwiches and pop.  so - how about that?

i still can't get over how amazing my niece and alison are.

baby jane

i just got home from meeting my niece, baby jane and visiting with her proud parents phil & alison.  jane was born on thursday march 3rd, 2011 at 1:10 am, weighing 9 lbs and 1 oz.

my brother and sister-in-law are naturals as parents.  and they've been awake for nearly 48 hours.  they seem incredibly comfortable with the new addition to their family... but how couldn't they be?  she's perfect.

the newest member of our family has made both of my grandparents great, turned my parents into grandparents, and now i'm an aunt.  she has brought us so much joy and love and hasn't even been here for 24 hours yet.