ribfest

here are 2 photos from ribfest in burlington (aka canada's largest ribfest) this past weekend. 

you may or may not know that i'm not the world's biggest carnivore, but i was very excited for this event. the rib vendors come from all over the canada and the us. these people eat, breathe and live ribs and i love seeing people who are passionate about something (even if it's ribs).  it was hard to choose which one to go with but we settled on uncle sam's bbq from new mexico (probably because new mexico sounded exotic). i love ribfest because there is no admission fee. how many festivals do you go to where you can just stroll on in and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells free of charge? [side note - i have been to another one - the sound of music festival (also in burlington). i've grown quite fond of burlington, it's got city perks with small town feel and beautiful lake views and parks. local wildlife sightings include bunnies and swans.]

so anyway, ribfest had 2 stages with continuous performers, we saw a few of them and they weren't bad, not bad at all. the highlight for me was sharing a bloomin' onion with mike and my parents.

heaven?

which is possibly one of my favourite indulgences of all time. it didn't sit that well but it was worth it.

stop. start.

So motivational. (clipped to polyvore.com)
i like how this can be read vertically or horizontally.  i guess that's the idea. 

i know i go on about the little things, but what would life be without them?  for example: i was walking down dundas, and a man was walking toward me.  he appeared to veer to my right so i veered to his right (my left).  at the same moment he veered to my left and i looked up at him with a growl rumbling inside of me but he was laughing because of our mix up.  i laughed too.  i should have laughed to begin with but i guess i was feeling a bit jaded. 

it's funny, riding the subway during rush hour can be draining (oh i know i go on about this too, but it's a day to day thing for me - so i think about it a lot).  it's interesting to think about.  all these people with the same goal, fighting each other to get there first.  i think if everyone just took a step back and realized we're all trying to get somewhere it would improve the general theme of rage and (mild) violence i see on a daily basis.  i'm guilty of it sometimes too.  you get pushed around enough and you start to lose your patience.  just like i almost lost my patience with the guy on the sidewalk.  there are two things that help me check myself before i wreck myself. 1: when i see people confront one another, i am reminded of how petty the situations i face really are. 2: when i'm victim of someone in a hurry, i am reminded that passing people agressively can be dangerous and frustrating to them.  for example: a girl was trying to pass me after i finished buying my metropass. just as i was about to leave she tried to pass me but i was already going through the spinny thing so there was no room for her.  as i walked toward the stairs she stepped on the back of my shoe before passing me and i turned around and said take it easy.  so, i take my own advice sometimes.

altercation

as per your request verlaan...  a new tale from the ttc...

monday morning i witnessed an altercation on the subway.  as i was boarding i could see a man in his 30s (let's call him john) stand up, swear and yell in the face of a 70 year old man (let's call him bob).  i didn't see what happened leading up to this event, but for 7 long stops they continued to argue.  one thing was obvious: john was a bully, a hot head, and a little out of touch with reality.  from what i understood john was taking up two seats (which he was), and bob had asked him to free up one of the seats.  john appeared to have a problem with the way bob had approached him, and thought it was reasonable to take up two seats because of his height... and that it was appropriate to lose his shit... on an old man... during rush hour... on a monday morning.  it was a disturbing experience for everyone on that particular car.  a couple people tried to intervene and stood up for bob... which only made john more angry.  unfortunately neither of them had the strength to walk away. finally another man came toward john saying: you have no respect, you can't talk to people like that.. and continued to call him out.  john wasn't able to defend himself to someone equally as assertive and aggressive as himself.

and on a semi related topic, here is a ridiculously cute video of a puppy and a kitten fighting:

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.

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.

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.

funny day

i woke up this morning from a deep sleep.  i can't remember the last time i've been that conked out.  it was marvelous.  mike and i had a nice morning that included tea and old motown songs before i headed home.  due to it's proximity to mike's house, i had to stop in sonic boom.  i picked up one of my most favourite movies, grizzly man (i know it's an odd one but...) and the album i ordered over a month ago.  on my way out i decided to stop into ghazale and treated myself to a carrot/apple/ginger juice (which is now churning in my stomach... in a good way?).  the lady handed me the drink and said "drink some" so i took a big sip "drink some more, i'm going to give you extra" i gulped back as much as i could and she refilled my cup. 


waiting for the subway with my friends

when i got to dundas west i sat down and waited for the bus.  i sat next to an older lady who had a small jack russell sitting on the seat of her walker.  the dog whimpered at me, and the lady asked me if i had fifty cents.  there was something about her that made me feel like i wasn't being duped.  maybe it was a scared and helpless look?  during our conversation she told me that she is sick and ohip doesn't cover all of her prescriptions.  a lot of her stories didn't line up but she was certainly interesting to talk to.  when my bus finally arrived i said goodbye and she said if she had enough change she would "get a coffee and a chicken sandwich, the dog eats the chicken and i eat the bread" ... side note: she spoke in a ukrainian sounding accent, although she had said earlier that she was from germany, and she happens to speak macedonian?? ... being that she didn't look overly mobile i went and got her the coffee and the sandwich.  she was so delighted that she gave me this necklace:

please try and contain your jealousy



it's pretty stylish.  i tried to refuse it (several times) but she insisted.  the gesture was kind.  i told her as i left that if ever see her again i'll be sure to say hello.  she told me she was going to be rich on monday and asked where she could find me.  with a deep sigh... i told her that i was sure we'd meet.

commuting chronicles

some days, i can't bear to go underground and take the subway.  while i know it's the faster and warmer route, i sometimes opt for the streetcar.  lucky for me, i have the option. 

today was one of those days.

the first car to come was packed and i couldn't get on.  i knew this was a bad sign and it occurred to me that taking the subway isn't that bad but i decided to tough it out despite the bitter cold and obvious volumes of people.  the next car to come (about 6 minutes later) was also packed, but i managed to squeeze my way into the back doors.   a couple of stops later i felt a tap on my shoulder.  this frightened me a bit (since i'm not used to anyone tapping me on streetcars) but i turned around and noticed the man behind me was motioning that he wanted to exit soon.  i had nowhere to go, so i thought... maybe i misunderstood him.  i removed one of my headphones (listening to the best of ricky gervais) and said "pardon?"  "i'm getting off here, do you want this spot?  it's a good spot."  he said.  i was delighted.  it was a better spot than where i was standing, and the fact that he went out of his way to offer it to me was a real treat.  those random acts of kindness really do something special for my spirit.

so as the streetcar continued west and people began to thin out i found a seat.  sitting ahead of me was a couple around my age.  the young man was very outspoken and he had several outbursts that i could repeat, but this was my favourite:
"hey, guy, where'd you get that jacket?"
[muffled response i can't quite make out]
"but like, is it special or something?  like what's the point of it?"
"warmth"
"oh, warmth eh? i thought like, i don't know, maybe it was for charity or something, like if you bought one some of the money went to charity or something. i don't know, everybody is wearing them, i see them everywhere.  but i guess warmth is a good enough reason."

the streetcar went out of service at queen and i had to wait a little while for the next one.  it was cold.

anyway when i finally got on the bus to go home, a drunkish, 40ish year old man stampeded onto the bus and exclaimed "is this bus going to mexico?! it's way too cold out there!" no one really acknowledged him, except for a young boy around 5ish? . . . i couldn't hear their whole exchange, but the best part went like this:
"the leafs are gonna win some game, a game tonight, soon, i mean, sometime, soon" (drunk man)
"well i don't even like the leafs" (young boy with his dad)
"you don't like the leafs!?"
"i'm a montreal canadiens fan, and so is my dad"
at this point the whole bus was cracking up.  the exchange went on but i don't remember any more specifics.  it was pretty cute especially considering that the man seemed to smarten up a little and level with the child instead of being a belligerent drunk.

photo credit

so that's the ttc for ya.

top two

i picked up joe cocker - with a little help from my friends at my new favourite store....  antique avenue, located on ottawa street in hamilton.  my parents took me to ottawa street to browse around the second hand stores.  there were a lot of great stores there, but antique alley was my favourite.  i had never seen a store quite like it!  it had that familiar musty thrift store smell, and was jam-packed with amazing collectables.  one of the owners told me that all of the items came from one guy who lived on a farm and had like 3 barns full of stuff.  one day i guess he decided to get rid of it... well according to this article, his wife wasn't as big into collecting and they were planning to move off the farm.  the prices at this store are insanely reasonable and i hope when i go back it hasn't been too picked over.

it has definitely been my most listened to vinyl over the last 2 weeks.  my favourite song on this albums is do i still figure in your life.. 

number two this week is hall & oates - rock and soul part 1.  i found it in the new arrivals at sonic boom on bloor.  hall and oates sure had a lot of boppy hits, and i've been listening to them on repeat:

favourite songs include, she's gone, rich girl, maneater and you make my dreams.  it is quite the contrast to the first album but that helps keep me balanced.

interesting fact: ottawa street is home to the first tim hortons, opened in 1964.

haters gonna hate

hate all you want - i love the leafs. . . . last night i went to my first toronto maple leafs game in over ten years.  the last game i went to was at the maple leaf gardens with my dad.  we sat front row on the lush cushioned gold coloured chairs.  it was incredible.  i think my mom got the tickets through her old job at labatt.   last night was . . . different . . . but equally exciting.  we sat in section 318 in the very last row. it was perfect.  the people were there to watch the game and have a good time.  and drink beers that were the nearly the size of a small child ... and more expensive than a leafs jersey.

the game got off to a slow start.. and there were some hecklers.   but i'm all for positivity...

someone is excited....

when it started to pick up the fans quickly changed their tune.  the game ended with an exciting 5 - 2 victory for the leafs.  it felt like everyone at the acc was my best friend. you could accidentally walk full speed into someone and as long as you apologized it was like nothing ever happened.  many smiles were exchanged.  and people were genuinely amused with my childlike enthusiasm.

go leafs!

 

relevant

yesterday i rode the elevator in my building with a police officer.  while this may not sound like an event, it felt like one.  being in a confined space with a loaded gun was a little more than unnerving.  it actually made me sick to my stomach.  i couldn't stop thinking about how exposed it was, like if the officer let his guard down someone could take it right out of it's holster... 

this morning while heading southbound on my way to work there were many officers on the subway.  another incident of confined spaces and weapons in two days...  then i realized they were on the train to attend the procession for sergeant ryan russell . . . the feeling of entrapment turned into condolence.   below is the composition of let it be that played during part of his funeral...i know it's cheesy but i really like it.  it was noted that he would have wanted people to let it be.  i thought this was a good version, it has a gospel sound...wait for it...

from the window of my office i was able to see the entire procession from dundas all the way down university and watch as it turned the corner on wellington.  we gathered around the windows and watched tens of thousands of people come together to mourn his life and show their love and support.  i have seen more officers today than i did over the whole course of the g20 summit back in june.  my boss and i stepped outside.  we were overwhelmed by the silence.  and the somber and grave looks on people's faces.  but what an amazing sight to see so many people peaceful, together . . .   it's not often that you see unity in such large numbers.  i couldn't help but think it would be nice if he knew how many people care about him today. in any event, his family does.

here are some pictures from today:

city talk and other tales

i'm all over the map here...

something i noticed today, a lot of people are dressed like "where's waldo".... and i thought to myself, who wakes up in the morning and thinks... i'm going to dress like waldo today? it weirds me out.

another thing i think about sometimes... is that when you're in the city, natural beauty is hard to come by. it's there, but you have to keep an eye out. after living on vancouver island for the better part of five years and being surrounded by mountains, ocean, and old growth forest... the views in the city can be kind of harsh. when i first moved back to toronto in september 2009 i was so excited by everything it had to offer, there was so much potential. after i started working downtown, and commuting underground in the rush hours... that potential had the potential to ruin me. it's taken time and patience, but i am truly happy to be in toronto. while i may not be awe struck by the mountains every morning, i have found beauty in the city. it can be as simple looking out my window and seeing rooftops covered with a fresh coat of snow, a vibrant sunset, the way a shadow is cast on the sidewalk, a pigeon nearly flying into my face... oh wait, that wasn't beautiful at all.... but anyway, you get the idea. and when i see these things i want to take pictures of them and share them with you.

and it doesn't stop at natural beauty... because i see beauty in humans every day. yes, i see ugliness in people too, but i have chosen to focus on the good... for my own sanity. and let's clarify that i'm not talking about aesthetically beautiful people and ugly people... i'm talking about people who are kind to one another, especially strangers. for example: yesterday i was entering queens park subway station and the woman ahead of me tried to hold the door but the wind blew it shut. she waved her arms apologetically. when i muscled the door open (with my muscly arms) she was waiting for me and she said "i'm so sorry i tried to hold it" and i replied that i understood and told her not to worry ... she then complimented my shoes and went so far as to note that while i was finishing my cigarette outside the station she was admiring them from afar. now that i'm typing this i realize she may sound kind of creepy, but trust me, i've seen creepy and this woman was entirely innocent. i have my best encounters on the subway during off-peak times. i have a bad habit of looking people in the eye and i realize that this is an invitation to talk to me. i know to keep my head down if i'm not in the mood to entertain strangers... for example... there was a man with a dolly cart(not a doll) at dundas west station yesterday, and i offered to hold the door for him. he declined my offer but thanked me... and then continued on about how he didn't want to go home because he lives in a boarding home... and he's a hoarder and he has roaches and mice... and he's trying to quit hoarding but the people at the boarding home want to kick him out... and somehow this led to him telling me that he wants to live with a woman and that mice are eating his condoms... and at this point i had to leave the bus station even though my bus hadn't arrived. i'll take some bad for some good though, what can you do?

humanity fascinates and terrifies me.

i looked into volunteering at the food bank but unfortunately all their shifts are during my work hours. i hope to find something i can commit to. i read recently about this amazing organization, Kiva: http://www.kiva.org/ in which you lend any denomination of money (i think it starts at $25) to a small business entrepreneur of your choosing. the pay back rate is something like 98%... go to the website and read more about it because i won't do it any justice. i read about it on a blog that i try and follow: http://www.raptitude.com/.

my friend amy sent me this video... it's great. you've probably seen it, but if you have you'd want to watch it again. it's pretty awesome. i had to research the name of the organization that posted it, as it was called reality changers and i had to know what that meant. upon visiting their website i was intrigued and inspired. so i thought i'd pass it on. lately it's been little things, that inspire me. and i think since realizing that inspiration is there but you have to look for it, create it almost... i dunno, i look for it i guess.

so that's all i have to say about that