Just Me

Nothing fancy. Nothing Inspiring. Nothing really...

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Cultured or Snobby?

Sometimes, because of some people, I find myself feeling like a complicated, high maintenance, snobby person. It's strange because I'm really not, I know I'm not, and yet with a few simple words or look of mis-comprehension or non-comprehension (are those even words?), I suddenly feel like I am 'lording' knowledge over people. I've realized recently I gotta get over this. I am happy to be who I've grown into being. (I've added a few fun links to help explain myself...)

I can't stand making small talk. I can't stand media that doesn't make you think, even in the smallest, unobtrusive way. I can't stand music with really useless, stupid lyrics. I can't stand that big blockbuster movies are big block buster movies. I can't stand stupid 'fluff' books*. I can't stand wasting money eating in terribly mediocre restaurants where all I taste is cardboard and grease. I can't stand self-inflicted ignorance. I can't stand intolerance.

I love having a real conversation with someone. It doesn't have to be serious, it doesn't have to be really philosophical and deep, it just has to be 'real'. I love when a movie or a song or a concert or a radio interview or...whatever, says something to you. It could be something positive, it could inspire you to make a change, it could make you pause and consider something you hadn't before...and I'm not talking "Wow, I never knew Ryan Reynolds had such a great six pack!" I'm talking, "Hmm. Perhaps I should go have lunch with Grandma after watching "Away From Her" and be grateful to have some more time with an elder who is 'present'."

I love listening to a really beautiful piece of classical music. I love listening to Andrea Boccelli at full volume while I'm cooking alone....even though I can't understand a single word. I love listening to a new song by K'naan. I love listening to CBC radio and hearing real stories from real people in Newfoundland and how bats fly in the same day. I love watching the (CBC) news and learning more about what's happening in the world with out bias and fear mongering.

I love travelling to those places I've learned about and seeing how other people live. I love bringing back some of their customs and food and ideas to my own life. I love eating in places (including making new OR comfort food at home!) where the flavour seems to burst onto your tongue.

I love reading books that draw you into a world that someone has created either from their imagination or in a re-telling of a real event, the kind you can't wait to get back to whenever you have a spare moment. I love having an opinion and sharing it. I like challenging people to think of where their food comes from, where their garbage goes, what they're putting in their body, what they're putting in their mind...what kind of impact they're having on the earth, in their relationships...how they view their neighbours, their city, the rest of the world...I think I just love learning.

And I've realized it's okay to like these things about myself. I can still be a simple, easy going person and be who I am, like what I like. It doesn't make me a snob or overly complicated and intimidatingly intellectual (heaven knows that's the not the case!). It makes me me. And I like that person. Just give me real. A few original thoughts. A few extra pounds. A bit more salt. Let's see some colour and taste some of the 'flavour of you'.

What spawned this soap box tirade? One of my favourite friends sent me this video below. And it made me happy. It made me appreciate travelling, it made me appreciate appreciating the variety of life in our world, it made me appreciate the creativity and organizedness of the person who made it. Somehow, it made me realize it's okay, or more so, it's good (!) to be happy because of who you are.





*I'm talking harlequin's here people, yes, I can take a little chick-lit once and a while...

Friday, August 19, 2011

Thursday Thirteen of niceness...

The past couple of weeks, my big sister has been pretty much the nicest person ever.

So today's list is a tribute to her.

Thirteen nice things Corrie did for Pam this week:

1) Had us over for lunch*

2) Had us over for supper*

3) After complaining about pregnancy rib(yes, that's the scientific name), sent me an article on relief for it

4) Let me order a jeannie cake for Daryl's coming home party (I'm pretty sure he doesn't really care about the cake type...)

5) Let me take ALL the leftover jeannie cake home!

6) Told me to start watch a new show, that is now my fav. ('Happy Endings'...you should watch it.)

7) Sent me an article on how to up my iron levels with blackstrap molasses (which I seriously need to increase if I want to have a home/non-hospital birth)

8) Went to see a suuuuuuper dumb movie with me while don was "too busy" for movies**

9) Bought me (for the second time) a pair of great maternity pants at the thrift store

10) Didn't get mad at me after I ate all the fresh blueberries my mom bought her***

11) Actually listens to me whine aLOt about certain topics I can't mention on a public blog...

12) Offered to fill in for me at work so I can take a wicked awesome trip during September

13) Gave us, seriously, the most dee-licious zucchini carrot cake. I don't know how she gained these tasty healthy cake making skills, but SO good.


I mean, come ON? Can you get any nicer than all that stuff?!? Plus she took a freakin' whack load of pictures with me (fine, and everyone else...obsessed much?) at the photo booth at Becky's wedding. I know- she's pretty awesome. You can be jealous.

*Us=Me & Don...duh. But by having both of us over for supper, that's like double the nice points. Of course just having one of us would be negative points...
**No, I'm not admitting what movie it was, and yes, we should have waited for the cheap seats. But it was Towne 8, which on Tuesday nights is the same price as the cheaps so I don't feel bad. So there.
***Fine, she doesn't looooovvvvve blueberries like I do. But I did say I'd buy her some more and by the time I got around to it, they were all gone from the stores. Who knew the blueberry season was so short?!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Shameless Plug? Yep.

Seeing as how I almost forgot to vote this year*, I thought I'd try to make up for it by passing along the word to the few people who actually read this blog... even if you've already voted.

The Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards will once again be coming up in November of this year, of which don has yet to win one. Tonnes of nominations, but no hardware yet. Thing is, they have a few voting stages. The first stage, which gets you a nomination in the first place ends in just 2 short days on Thursday.
Would you be so kind as to cast a couple of votes Don's way?

You can vote here (just 'login' first): Vote for Don here.

Then you can vote for him in the "Best Country CD" category and in
the "Single Of The Year" category (song: 'Right Where I Wanna Be')

I know it takes a second, but I know it means a lot to him when his real friends and family vote too. (The first year he was nominated, he found out later he lost by two votes and wouldn'tcha know it, two very close people to him didn't bother voting.)

So take a sec and help make his day. Also, you can watch this very funny promo video as a reward after you voted. AFTER, guys, AAAAFTER.





*Yep, looks like I'll be winning the award for worst wife ever this year.

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

mmmmmuffins!

Today, a super awesome person brought me a plate of still warm home made apple cinnamon muffins at work. I already ate one before this photo, but the best part? She also brought some havarti cheese to go with them. How did she know that would make me SO happy?!

I hope Don's not reading this because I don't think these are going to make it home at six o'clock...

Thanks Karen!!