Rain

My husband used to joke that if so many girls love long walks in the rain on the beach then every time it rains they should all be bumping into each other - but that never seems to happen does it?

Yesterday it was raining, as it's apt to do in February in the Vancouver area - and when Eco (my dog) and I were out walking, we saw no one. Not one other person who likes long walks in the rain!

So, I'm curious, do you like walks in the rain and if so, do you ever take one?

Africa

While flipping through the March 2010 issue of In Style magazine, I noticed yet another Hollywood celebrity - this time Rachel Bilson - in Africa promoting her charity. I wondered, do you think the people and children in some parts of Africa think all Americans are drop-dead gorgeous? (I realize though, that their definition of 'gorgeous' may vary greatly from ours, but I'm sure you get what I mean). Do you think they have a skewed idea of what we look like since so many beautiful celebrities are flying in to start schools and feed children? Would they be surprised if they came to America and saw what the average person really looked like?

I'm curious, what do you think?

Secrets

Part of my Sunday ritual is reading the posts on the Post Secret site. The secrets are often so loving and kind, although sometimes they can be revengeful.  Sometimes they express love, sometimes a wrong doing or a hurt experienced. If you're not already reading it, perhaps you'd like to try it. I find the creativity with the secret is almost as interesting as the secret written.

Today, I found this one the most stirring. In case it's gone when you link to it, the writer said they asked someone to write their secret as they didn't want their handwriting recognized but the person they asked couldn't write the secret down and admitted she had the same one too.

We all have secrets don't we - I don't think there's a human on this earth that can honestly admit they don't. And one of the things that seems to make us feel better is knowing that we're not alone, that we're not the only one experiencing such an issue. I  guess that's why talk shows in the 70's became popular, TV was a way to share secrets and the viewer felt a bit better knowing they weren't alone. The internet has helped and harmed this as we are able to better connect with strangers around the world, but often can't communicate to the people in our lives, sometimes in the same room.

I'm curious, have you ever anonymously shared your secret and were your relieved or did you regret it?

Gifts

Last night the kid was here for dinner and I asked him if he bought anything for his mom last weekend for Valentines. As he told me about the gift he bought, his dad was laughing and his face was getting redder and redder as he ate his dinner; and when the kid told me the price ($5), his dad was laughing pretty hard by that time.

You see, Jp gave me the same present for Valentines (although it was coupled with a gorgeous pair of diamond earrings) but it was funny. Kids only seem to be observant at the wrong times. Even though they were together and in the same store at the same time, this time the kid didn't notice that his dad bought the same present, so he happily and honestly told me all about it, looking over at his dad and wondering as he told the story why his father was laughing so hard.

Wife + ex-wife getting the same present for Valentines = BUSTED (although I actually don't care what she got)

One time I was at a Christmas time party and a guy there took a bunch of us into a room to show us a leather jacket he bought his girlfriend. When we all came out of the room, she was very curious as to what it was. Stupidly I said "oh it's beautiful, it'll look so nice on you!" And then everyone tried to cover up my mistake by throwing other hints at her and pretending that I was just leading her on.

So I'm curious, have you ever spilled the beans and ruined a present surprise?

Dog Clothes

In life there are many 'fine lines' and one that I find interesting (but trivial) is the subject of dressing up a family pet. My last 4 dogs have been bigger, working dogs that didn't need clothes for protection or warmth in our climate save for a few days a year. When we suddenly had a snow fall, I'd put on a winter coat to keep their tummies dry. And since I walk Eco (my chocolate lab) daily, she wears a rain coat so she doesn't get that stinky dog smell and it reduces the amount of 'road spray' on her tummy - this is more for cleanliness since she's an inside dog. And this is really the only times I put anything on her. They are practical pieces. My mom lives in a snowy part of Alberta and I sent her dog some Muttluks - this is also practical as road salt can wreak havoc on dogs foot pads.


In this article, they answer the question - do dogs like wearing clothes?

So I'm curious - do you dress your dog up? What does it wear? What do you think of people who dress up their pets? What is too far/too much?

Unseasonably Warm Weather

This year, in the Vancouver area, it's been rather warm for January and February. For me this is a good thing as we don't have a furnace and have single paned windows. For the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver - it hasn't been so good. I saw on the news last night that they've been trucking in snow from Manning Park! Can you believe that? Dumptrucks full of snow driving about 3 hours to deliver snow to Cypress Mountain (behind North Vancouver) and they've had to cancel some of the spectator events because of the mud.

Tickets for the Olympics went on sale last year and are very costly. Many people have been waiting anxiously to be part of the Olympics and suddenly their even has been cancelled? Ouch. If I was a sports fan and really wanted to go - I think I might just put up with some mud so I can watch this 'historic' event.

I'm curious - what would you do?

Advice

My brother recently informed me of a quote that advised not to give advice (I know...) it said that smart people already knew and "the others" didn't want to know. (I love the part of "the others" - who are these people?)

To me, this is really good advice, for you see - I am a problem solver. In fact, my husband recently 'yelled' at me that he just wanted to tell a story and didn't want me " to solve the problem'!!!

A good friend has posted dog behaviour problems on her blog. Now I agree I am not a dog behaviourist, however, I have 'rehabilitated' 3 troubled dogs. But I'm not saying anything. Okay, fine, I'll offer her support with her problem - but not advice. You see, I don't think she'll like my advice. I've tried in the past before but although she poses problems to the world on her blog, she still resolves it on her own (or what her husband tells her what to do). I've tried that so many times and it never seems to be received well, so I'll keep my mouth shut - unless I am specifically asked for help.

I'm curious - what do you do when someone poses a problem, but doesn't specifically ask for help? Do you offer advice?

The Naming of Things

As you may know (or not), I am a yarn crafter - that means I do knitting and crocheting and other crafty things.

When we knitters/crocheters set about picking a project, we carefully select the recipient, the pattern and yarn. For example, I recently knit my mom a pair of socks because I really wanted to try the intricate lace pattern. Pattern designers often give their patterns unique names so that we don't have to deal with 7 hundred billion patterns called "scarf". The socks I knit were named "Hedera" and I referred to them as such the whole time I was knitting them .

You see, we are a different breed - by just mentioning the name, the pattern, yarn details and other memories return to me. Just say "Monkey" or "Jaywalker" to a sock knitter and many would be able to tell you in great detail all about the socks. Some knitters even say that their thoughts get knitted into the fabric and when they look at a project, they can recall the parts they knit when they were angry, or who they had a conversation with or even what they were watching when they made certain project. We have formed a relationship with this project and truly know every inch of it, as we've made every stitch along the way.

And when I give my project away, I still think of the name. But the non-knitting recipient has no idea about these details. They just know they like the blue/green socks or the pretty purple lacy ones. And that's okay, as long as my work is being enjoyed.

I'm curious, do you feel the same way about your hobby, craft or art? How much of a relationship do you have with all the little parts of your project?

Journals

A friend of mine just received her mother's journals and has spent the past several days reading them. I asked her if she read anything interesting and she said her mom only wrote about which garage sale they went to and which restaurant they ate in. Rarely there would be an entry about someone coming to visit.

My mother, like me, has used her journals as a way of saying what she couldn't say to others; a way of working out problems and frustrations especially when dealing with others. My mother told me recently that she has burned many of those writings as she didn't want her kids to read them 'when she's gone'.

I respect her decision. They are her writings after all, and maybe I just don't want to read about how I disappointed her when, or how I made her angry. On the other hand, I'm hoping there may have been good writings and memories that are now gone - although I tend to write only when I'm upset so if you picked up my diary/journal I'm sure you'd think I was miserable and hated everyone always - and perhaps she wrote that way as well.

Some people use their journals for ideas - for writing or creating with little sketches and swatches and all sorts of things. Some use it to keep track of their lives.

I'm curious, do you keep a journal or diary and how do you use it?

Dream Weaver

Last night I dreamed that I was (the late) Britanny Murphy's personal assistant. First of all - I don't know why.

But in my dream I was stuck with the dilemma of correctly fulfilling my employer's requests - a soft boiled egg - but how soft is soft? Or a glass of chocolate milk - how chocolaty does one like it? In my dream every request was fraught with questions of proportion or strength or other criteria. Suddenly things I was confident with were now put into question.

In the end, my employer lost respect for me because I was so busy taking care of her, that I didn't take care of myself.

Okay, lesson learned - the one in the dream and the one behind the dream, since I'm sure a dream interpreter would point out the obvious - that I need to take care of myself first.

How much weight can you put on a dream's meaning? And are there other lessons to be learned?

I've been able to wake up and then go back to sleep to continue my dream, but I have not been a lucid dreamer. Can you force your dream to come out the way you want it to?

Bittersweet Anniversary

Today is my 10 year anniversary at work. Wow. That's quite the thing these days isn't it? The same old job for 8 of those years. There is definitely lots to reflect on - it's definitely a bittersweet moment for me.

I received a quick email from one of my managers, and another took the opportunity to joke about something I don't particularly find funny (I haven't told him NOT to say it, I kept thinking it would go away, but he keeps bringing it up, so I'll have to either accept it, or tell him how much it bugs me). Allegedly a 'service award' with some cash is to come, butnothing has been received or mentioned yet.

I know if I ran a company, I'd certainly make a bit bigger deal out of an employee staying for 10 years, however, I suppose since there are several managers and sales reps who have been with the company for 20+ years, maybe they think ten years isn't a big deal. But still don't you think it's some sort of accomplishment that should be rewarded? What do other companies do for employees 5 or 10 year anniversaries - please tell me if you know, I'd love to hear.

Oh and by the way, I'm not dwelling on it, after 10 years with being in this company I am well aware of 'how they roll' and have accepted the moment as it is.