The Travelling Bookworm

Holiday Inn...not so bad

2013-05-23T19:44:00.000-04:00

I went on a quick business trip at the beginning of May where I stayed at a Holiday Inn. Known for their budget priced rooms and lacklustre customer service, I checked in with low expectations. To my surprise, it was really pleasant and quite nice! It had all of my essential needs for a hotel/motel room:

1. Large washroom
2. Large (clutter-free) writing desk
3. Choice of pillows

Yes, all hotels would have #2 & 3, but I hate moving all of the hotel binders and promotional materials around to find space to write. I also hate calling to replace pillows so I would always end up with a sore neck the next morning. Tiny perks, but I enjoyed it immensely. Staff were (as expected) grumpy and obviously working at minimum wage. I didn't care, since I feel for them and left a big tip for housekeeping.

I never understood why hotels/motels don't switch over to cheap laminate flooring. It's much nicer than carpet and easy to clean and maintain. The carpet was old and kinda gross, which is my only complaint. With years of hostel travelling under my belt, I brought a pair of flip flops and this became a non-issue. Speaking of hostels...it has been way too long. I wonder if I've been spoiling myself a bit too much with hotels...even budget ones...

Victoria Day 2013

2013-05-19T14:22:00.000-04:00

Where did April go? Oh right... I met deadline after deadline and then decided to sleep out the rest of it. May has been wonderful. I am enjoying the beautiful spring weather and preparing for the last bout of craziness: writing 25 report cards and getting the keys to the house!

Only another month of work and then it's the much anticipated summer break. My plans don't involve much travelling since I'll be busy with the house! At the end of the month, the house is ours. Paint colors have been my latest obsession and I can't believe that I've turned into THAT person. The apartment is a mess of boxes and packing tape. The kitchen and bedroom are still as is, since we still aren't quite sure when we'll start cooking and sleeping at the house. We're waiting to see how much (if any) renos we could afford to do before we move in.

June is an exciting month, and I'll get around to post something as the weather warms up.

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

2013-05-09T15:53:00.001-04:00

What if you could live your life over again making changes every time you lived?

That's pretty much the entire premise of the book, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson.

Without any explanation as to why or how this happens, it just happens to Ursula Todd. Born in February 1910, she (sometimes) lives through the Spanish Influenza, WWI & II, an abusive marriage and a series of other events.

I won't ruin the shock/surprise that happens halfway through the book that connects the first and final story, but I didn't buy it.

For a book with such a creative premise, I'm actually quite disappointed that Ursula didn't come to life for me (pun intended). The characters were flat, predictable and dull. The abusive husband? Yep...saw that a mile comin'.

I think Kate Atkinson tried to comment on changing gender roles during the war, but it failed. For 400+ pages, it was just plain dull. It's a shame that this idea didn't come to a more skilled writer like Cormac McCarthy or even Margaret Atwood.

In short, skip the book. If they ever make this into a movie (unlikely in my opinion), rent it.

Too bad I started the spring with a dud. I have my ereader loaded with a few books and I'm spending a weekend out of town. A weekend where I could actually just sit on my butt and read the day away. :D

Avoiding Debt: RRSPs

2013-04-30T19:24:00.001-04:00

One of my biggest fear happens to be debt, which is why I do anything in my power to avoid it. I thank growing up poor for this. This year has been my biggest spending year because I bought my first home with my boyfriend and I went back to school. I still teach, but it's now part time and the income from this goes straight to day to day living expenses (rent, groceries..etc). I managed to do this by borrowing from myself.

Ever since I started my "real world" job, I opened a Registered Retirement Saving Plan (RRSP).It was the smartest and dumbest decision I ever made. I invested it without really bothering to learn about investments, so I didn't really earn any extra income from it. It was also the smartest decision I've ever made because it offset my income when I was working full time. And now, I borrowed against myself to pay for school and the down payment to the house.

Lifelong Learning Plan
The allowable withdrawal amount is $10,000 a year and $20,000 in total. I have 10 years to repay this.

Home Buyer Plan
The allowable withdrawal amount is currently $25,000. I have 15 years to repay this amount. If I can't pay it back for a year, that yearly amount will be included as income.

They seem like such large numbers, but this is my own money. The money that I repay actually goes towards my retirement. When I make the career switch, I don't expect to be earning a lot during the first few years, so I will be able to focus on repaying these plans. Hopefully, with more experience, my income will increase as well, so then I'll be able to take advantage of using RRSPs as a tax shelter again.

This is how I'm paying for school and contributing to my first home! The only debt I have, aside from the mortgage is to myself. :)

Expectations from a Teacher

2013-04-22T20:32:00.002-04:00

I thought that handing in my MA paper for a course 2 weeks ago would free me, but it has done little to carve out any sort of free time. It's nearly report card season, which means teachers are up to their neck in paperwork to help them with more paperwork next month. I absolutely loathe this part of teaching.

Teachers have to meet the demands of administers in handling all of the deadlines for work that we should do during class time, but not offering us any details as to how to realistically do it. I haven't met a teacher who had never lugged home assignments to correct over the weekend or evening. Yes, we have awesome summer holidays, but we work like dogs during report card season.

Students (on the most part) are patient, but they want their results back as soon as possible. I can understand, but c'mon...I have a class of 25 students. Even if I only spend 5 minutes on one paper, that still over two hours of work without a single break!

No matter how much care and effort I put into assessment to ensure that I am recording every detail accurately, there will always be one or two angry students. You mean poor attendance in class and copying your partner's work won't get you a passing grade?

I am thankful that this madness is nearly over. One more month and then it'll be summer before I know it!

Start Where You Are

2013-04-08T20:03:00.001-04:00

Some Important Dates for me:

7 more days until I'm done a M.A course
52 more days until I become a homeowner
67 more days until I finish teaching
82 more days until I move out of my apartment
175 more days until I'm no longer a paralegal student

I'm stressed, but in the happiest of ways possible. I don't think I've ever stretched myself this much and I'll never do it again. I can't wait until I can cross each item off my calendar and find some breathing room.

Zou Bisou Bisou

2013-04-06T22:37:00.000-04:00

via

The more meetings I have, the more work I have to do. For some reason, only 6 days into April and my calendar for May is already filling up! I can't wait until June when I'll have a little bit more breathing room and a house to organize. Until then, my only form of relaxation is television.

I don't have a TV, which I'm thankful for. If I did have a TV, it would be on constantly and I would really not get any work done. So, I do the Netflix thing, and I'm happy with being selective of the shows I watch. With Walking Dead over until the fall, it's time for Mad Men. My goodness, how I love this show. It's so bizzare to explain to friends who love the blood and sex of Spartacus or Game of Thrones. It's the mood, the vibe, the sexist handsome pigs of Sterling....oh I could go on.

Sunday nights are my favourite, even though it means I have another week of work ahead. For a few hours, I could curl up with my TV shows and just forget about it all.

Easter 2013

2013-04-01T23:30:00.000-04:00

It was quite the April Fool's Day joke that mother nature played today. Spring still isn't ready yet, when snow is still falling! It was a cold end of a long weekend where I spent it with the bf's family in Toronto. I had lots of delicious home cooked meals and his family made sure that I was stuffed before I could leave the table.

The one day that we did venture out, we had lunch at one of my favourite downtown sushi restaurants. It's fast, cheap and mouth watering good everytime at Sushi on Bloor (515 Bloor Street West). Service is fast, which means they skimp on friendliness...which is fine by me, since I just want my food. There's usually a line up out the door, but we went for a late lunch at 2 and missed the crowd.

I ordered avocado and dynamite rolls, while the bf ordered the Japanese chicken curry rice. For $6.99 each we got a main, as well as a miso soup, salad and green tea!

Sorry for the crappy cell phone photos! If you're in the Annex, and need something affordable and fast, I highly recommend dropping in Sushi on Bloor. If the line is insane, a 10 minute walk will get you to Korea Town. The other sushi restaurants in the area tries and fails at matching what Sushi on Bloor does.

Since April is a month without a statutory holiday, it only means that it will be busy. Hopefully the sun will come out and spring will finally arrive!

Lessons from my cat

2013-03-26T21:27:00.004-04:00

I said goodbye to an old friend yesterday. It was incredibly hard and I'm typing this with a heavy heart. Only pet owners would understand the complexity of emotions that run through you from such an event. Telling myself that her suffering has ended doesn't erase how much I wish I could get one more cuddle.

For all the irritating times and damaged furniture that I had over the years, these are some wonderful lessons I learned from my cat, Fei Fei:

1. Let your opinion be known.
Fei Fei knew instantly who and what she liked and who/what she didn't liked. On our first date, she let my bf cradle her like a baby. Prior to that, I was the only person with such privilege.

Don't spend a life with people you don't truly enjoy yourself with.

2. Stuff is stuff. You can always buy a new leather couch.
She ignored the soft cat bed and my silk sheets, but she felt a magnetic attraction to every piece of leather I brought home. My $200 leather ottoman turned into her chaise lounger. She looked like royalty on that thing!

3. Be a grumpy bitch sometimes.
It's okay to not like everyone and everything all the time. It's also okay to shut yourself away in a dark corner for a bit. It's better to be in a bad mood by yourself than be a negativity vortex in a crowd.

4. Never be afraid to explore.
Fei Fei escaped from every apartment/house I've ever lived in despite my best efforts. Still, she happily returned home never to do that again until a new place.

5. There's always time for a nap.
How can you be this fabulous if you do nothing but run around all day like the dog? Fei Fei made sleeping a sport. My favourite morning routine is to wake up with her curled beside me. I felt wonderful when she was kind enough to wake from an afternoon slumber to greet me when I got back from work.

Goodbye sweet girl, you'll be missed. ❤

Grown Up Furniture

2013-03-21T21:04:00.000-04:00

It's Friday tomorrow and for me that means another weekend of furniture shopping! We don't get the house until the summer, but I wanted to start looking to see what reasonable prices are available and give myself ample time to score a really good deal . This ultimately means shopping with the utmost discipline and going home empty handed 99% of the time.

Being an apartment dweller for over 5 years and a frequent mover, most of my furniture are collections of secondhand discards from friends and cheap IKEA stuff. Who doesn't want grown up furniture for their first home? It would be nice to sit at a dining table that doesn't have an unpronouncable Swedish name. I want sturdy, matching, functional furniture, but I didn't want to pay insane prices. This is how we made out last weekend:

We went to a furniture outlet store that has a collection of new, old stock clearance and as-is stuff. Everything we bought was new and a 5 year warranty was thrown in for everything. Now we won't have to worry about every scratch or tear. In the end, we saved $810! We probably could have saved more if we went to warehouse stores, where there aren't showrooms and just sofas, dining tables and beds packed together like sardines.

I think the key is shopping early when less people are in the store and the staff is still energetic. We walked in at 9am on Saturday. We were friendly and didn't ask for a discount on every piece of furniture. The salesperson said that we were nice and let him helped other customers while we browsed the entire store twice. He ended up giving us about $100 off each piece.

$2094 is still a lot of money, which is why I'm keeping my old furniture that is still in working shape and only spending for the areas of the house where we will spend most of our time; dining and family/rec room. My bf fell in love with the coffee table, which ended up costing more than the sofa. I got my accent recliners, which will be my new reading chairs!

We're happy that we bought our major pieces for the price we paid. There's only a few more things to get and I have coupons galore! Another furniture adventure awaits...

Crochet Raspberry Stitch Infinity Scarf

2013-03-18T20:11:00.004-04:00

Spring doesn't officially arrive for a few more days, so here's a belated craft post. I learned a new stitch that looks fantastic on a scarf. It's a bit like the popcorn stitch, but not as puffy. After the foundation chain, this is worked into every other stitch: one single crochet, followed by a double, and another single crochet. That's it!

The pattern builds slowly because there aren't as many or as big space between the stitches. It results in a chunkier scarf, which is great for the winter storm coming tomorrow.

It's a great stitch for a beginner to pick up and try! I made mine an infinity scarf because it's so much easier to wear, but it would obviously work well as a regular scarf. Please excuse me for the crappy cell phone photos and overuse of photoshop trying to "save it". This is probably my last crochet project until after I move. I just need to remember to pack all of my needles and yarn in the same box.

Life's Biggest Purchase

2013-03-14T11:45:00.002-04:00

There isn't a perfect time for everything, or a perfect thing every time. I would have never imagined purchasing a home while I'm in the middle of a career switch, but that's what happened. My bf and I were casually looking around at homes when the "Open House" signs came out on Sundays. We were picky and wanted to get a taste of what was on the market at what prices. The original plan was to make the purchase after I've settled into a new career.

We saw beautiful downtown condos with views of the river and prices that resembled telephone numbers. We also saw older homes in disrepair in trendy neighbourhoods. We wanted a garage, a decent sized kitchen and room enough for guests to stay over. Condos were quickly nixed. As cool as they were, we felt we were getting a bit old for one. We compromised and looked further afield and found the house.

Close to transit, with a park across the street, the two storey single was everything we wanted. Yes, the kitchen and fireplace were outdated, but the basement was finished and all of the windows had been replaced. It's not a mega-sized home like those newly built ones in the suburbs located at the outer edges of the milkyway, but it's roomy enough for out of town friends to stay over. It's not perfect for everyone, but for us there is no other.

Tenth of December

2013-03-12T09:44:00.000-04:00

The New York Times, on January 3, 2013 told its readers that "George Saunders has written the best book you would read this year". A pretty bold claim for the third day of the new year.

I'm new to Saunders and approached this with slight trepidation. What if I hated this? Afterall, the NY Times is critic of all that is worthy. =)

No, no, no...I picked it up because it conveniently fit in with my insane schedule. Reading is relaxing; my quiet time for myself what others would do with yoga or a walk outside. It's hard to properly read when you're juggling about a million tasks, so I gave short stories a try.

Typically, I want to be absorbed into a plot and meet each character with intimacy. I wasn't sure that short stories could do that for me, so I've read very little.

Tenth of December is weird, funny, and pretty much stunning. Yeh, I see how it's worth the hype. The story that still lingers in my mind is Escape from Spiderhead. Who knew I could enjoy an Orwellian satire? The others are really great as well and worth buying at full retail price.

The thing about these short stories is that it leaves you like a book leaves you. You can't start reading the next story right away because you aren't quite done feeling all that you've felt after the last story. This really isn't an easy feat for a writer to do. Done poorly, it's a McDonald's meal that's unfulfilling, empty and fills you with a general shame afterwards. This is not that. Saunders takes you out to high tea with the Queen.

READ THIS BOOK.

Daylight Saving Time

2013-03-10T18:53:00.001-04:00

Yep, I'm tired. Saturday night was filled with board games, friends and wine. Daylight Saving Time resulted in me waking up with a groan. It's always so much harder in the spring. The good thing is that this year it coincides with March Break. No teaching for a week, which means I can finally have a bit of room to breathe and get myself back on track with all of those million little projects. :)

No sleeping in for me, I'll wake up at the usual time and eat a decent breakfast and then plow straight into:
- blog entries (I've got a lot)
- booking a motivational speaker for a PD Day
- studying/researching for a final term paper

Yup, it'll be a busy week, but I think I'm ready for it!

stress is caused by

2013-02-27T20:51:00.000-05:00

I started the year on fire (in a positive sense). It's nearly March and my flames are now embers. No one can go full speed all the time and I'm starting to feel the effects. One of the worst things in life is waking up still tired. That's just not fair!

The easiest way to get out of a problematic situation is through. I just need to keep plowing ahead until I have less and less on my plate. Thank goodness March Break is in two weeks. I swear that I'm not going to add anything new to my plate until summer!

2013-02-23T18:25:00.000-05:00

Dear First Apartment,

You were my first taste of freedom and responsibility. It was five years ago when I first lived on my own, cooked on my own and did everything on my own.

I've had other apartments since you; bigger ones, ones closer to work/downtown, but you're the one I'll remember best. The lavender bedroom and bathroom walls, the balcony that poured lights into the living area and even the world's smallest kitchen are all etched into my memory.

I'm still not sure how I managed to fit so many people into such a tiny place for all those parties, or how I managed to create such a home out of a shell. Somewhere within those walls contained my early 20s and all of the crazy times that went with it.

Forgive me for being so nostalgic. I feel as though my apartment days are as limited as my 20s. Who knows how long before I worry over a mortgage and fussing over kids?

Okay, hopefully I have a few more parties left in me

Lullabies for little criminals

2013-02-20T18:35:00.000-05:00

I had some time to kill so I walked into a book store and started to read the first few pages of Heather O'Neill's Lullabies for little criminals. I think you know the rest of the story....me in bed at 2am closing the book and much further behind on all of my much needed reading.

This book was full of buzz a few years ago and I could see why. It's REALLY GOOD.

Told from the point of view of a 12 year old, Baby, is part child and part adult trying to hold everything together. Her father, a 27 year old petty criminals and drug addict loves her without knowing how to love her. Baby is full of love and needing love as she bounces from apartment to apartment and foster home to foster home.

The story is original and the voice is so authentic that you want to reach into the pages and just give Baby a hug. This is a story about children from the wrong side of the tracks. Instead of creating a caricature, O'Neill gives a sympathetic light to their story.

Seriously, read this book!

first long weekend of 2013

2013-02-18T13:35:00.000-05:00

Winterlude 2013

It's the first long weekend of 2013 and I'm happily sitting at home with a cup of coffee and a pile of work. The bf and other federal employees are working today, which means I'm blissfully alone for the day. Working at this pace, I may actually be able to accomplish something. I need more days off like this.

Life continues to get busier and busier. My M.A course finishes at the end of April, work finishes in mid June and summer vacation for the paralegal program is in July. Gradually, life will ease up and I promise to give myself some time to relax.

For now, I have some reading to do.

Review: Tangle Teezer

2013-02-15T15:40:00.001-05:00

I have no desire to turn this into one of those million beauty and cosmetic blogs out there, so please excuse this unusual post. I do want to share cool and unusual things that I come across. My latest find: Tangle Teezer. It's a palm sized detangling brush. Yup, that's it.

Cost: $17.95 CAN

Where: Sally's Beauty Supply

It's slightly larger than a regular hair brush made of plastic. The "bristles" are soft and flexible. And yeh... it does resemble a cat brush. It fits easily into my hands and despite not having a handle, it's easy to hold onto.

I have thick, straight Asian hair. It's layered with the longest parts reaching my upper chest. I tangle easily since I leave my hair down 90% of the time and I toss and turn constantly when I sleep. Traditional hairbrushes tugs and getting tangles out is always a painful process.

The claim that the Tangle Teezer can get tangles out of dry and wet hair with ease is TRUE! I've never had something work so easily and effortlessly before. I've been using this for a week and I'm ready to ditch my hairbrush. I use it right after I get out of the shower and on dry hair. It works!

The price may turn some people off, but for something that does exactly what it says, I think it's worth it. I know that I'm picking this up for my friend's next time I need a quick gift.

Anti-Valentine's Day post 2013

2013-02-13T19:11:00.000-05:00

Is there such a thing as Scrooge for Valentine's Day? Because whatever it is.. I'm one! For some reason, my post from last year seems to be a popular one. Hence, I'm back to expand on my notions of why Valentine's Day sucks.

Last year I said:

Any holiday focused around stuff is not worthy of celebration.

Anything built around expectations will likely collapse.

I still firmly believe in these statements. Even though I have a boyfriend, I still choose to ignore Feb. 14. There is nothing wrong with taking a moment to appreciate your partner. If you care, show it. If you love them, tell them. Don't let other people's expectations dictate what you should or shouldn't do. If you have expectations, voice them. I can't predict or read anyone's mind aside from my own.

I don't care if people are single or attached tomorrow. Just get all this overt commercialism out of my face. Actually, there's one thing I like about V-day...February 15th, when all the chocolates go on sale!

Braces Blow By Blow: Retainer Confessions

2013-02-11T20:30:00.000-05:00

I have a (not so surprising) confession to make: I HATE MY RETAINERS.

A recap of my current situation:
- my braces came off nearly a month ago (yah!)
- reatiners were made for me to wear both morning and night (boo!)
- I have to wear my morning retainers for 6 months
- I have to wear my night retainers foever (BOO!)

I'm happy that I chose high speed braces over Invisalign since I know I wouldn't be able to stand having retainers in my mouth 24/7.

I hate wearing my retainer because:
- no snacking allowed, unless I want to rush to the bathroom to take these suckers out and then put it back in again after every morsel of food
- the lisp doesn't go away when you're talking.
- I got used to the braces, but I can't get used to the retainer in my mouth.

I supposed I'm lazy, but I have a hectic life and really don't want to bother wasting time with my retainer during the day. Instead, I come home and pop it in before dinner and then take it out after. Immediately, I would brush my teeth and pop the night retainers in. It doesn't really bother me at night, since I'm not talking to anyone aside from my bf and I spend a good deal of it sleeping.

All in all, I'm not too worried about my teeth moving back to their original position. 6-7 hours a day without a retainer can't do that much harm, can it?

For my journey with braces, continue reading here.

Year of the Snake

2013-02-05T21:19:00.000-05:00

It's already Chinese New Year and 2013 will mark the Year of the Snake. Rabbit was a year of false starts and eventually, new beginnings. It was close to what my horoscopes predicted. Here's what I wrote for last year's Year of the Rabbit. Horoscopes are silly, but it's a bit like families putting up a Christmas tree; it's my own little tradition and I like it.

Here's a summary from a bunch of sites I've read. (A list of sites appears below, if you want to check out your own sign).

For those born under the sign of the Rat, the 2013 predictions are:

General:
Depending on what site you're reading; it's either going to be great or terrible. Here's what I think...a lot of good things will happen, but so will a lot of little things that may be distracting. It's important to plan for rainy days and always prepare a plan b, even if you don't ever end up using it. This is a year of planting the seeds. It may look like not much is happening, but things will show its worth in the years ahead (probably not this one).

Career:
There are people around to help, if you let them. Be professional, even when the going gets rough. You never know who may end up being your boss tomorrow. Don't close any doors, this is the time to keep all options open and let the opportunities come in. However, when an opportunity does present itself, think about it carefully. Then, think about it again. Every major decision this year should be made with complete intent and confidence!

Wealth:
Easy come, easy go. It's okay to indulge, but keep on saving like in years past. Don't be greedy. If you're stretched thin, learn to live with less. If you're lucky enough to have something in the bank, consider keeping it there when friends ask for a loan.

Love:
Keep your anger in check. Stubbornness needs to be tamed. Try not to pick fights, and if you're fighting, try and take the higher road and apologize.

Health:
Exercise will be key this year in keeping everything in check. Drinks should be minimized. There is a likelihood of accidents if you're not careful. Remember to relax and unwind. Rats will be working hard this year and this can take a toll on the body. To keep from burning out, make sure that good food is going in, exercise during the day and have a good night's rest.

Some Sites for your Reading Pleasure:

Chinese Fortune Calendar (English)

Fung Shui Web (English)

Lok Tin Feng Shui (English- short)

Feng Shui Hack (English - long)

Yun Cheng (Chinese - long)

Myocera (Chinese - long)

Tips to Juggle it all

2013-02-03T18:14:00.001-05:00

I envy people who have things done for them. I also look at them as if they're idiotic. If you are able bodied and not suffering from anything that requires medical treatment, you should probably get your ass in gear. My friend's 25 year old brother has no clue how to operate a laundry machine or cook a steak. He's an idiot.

For the past while now, I have been working as a teacher part time, studying full time to become a paralegal, studying part time at night for my Masters, work as a program chair for my professional teaching body and do my chores. Working mothers have my utmost respect. I feel like I have the right formula for my life, I can't imagine how adding a baby to the mix will change things drastically. Luckily, I'm not there yet.

Here are some things I do to juggle it all:

1. Do only one thing at a time

Things get done faster and with few mistakes when all my attention is focused on the (one) task at hand. When I read my emails, I reply to every one that I need to reply to and delete the rest. I don't understand why I should save anything for reading later. The same goes for my lesson planning, course readings and such.

2. Plan tomorrow or the next week

Even though I want to plan an entire work week on Sunday evening, it's unlikely that things will unfold as I expect it. Planning a day ahead is much more realistic. I would pack my bags and lay out my clothes (after checking the weather report) the night before. It saves me a lot of time in the early morning when I'm not entirely awake and running to make my way to work.

I also have a rough idea of some big things that I would need doing during the week. I keep the minor issues on a separate list and get those done when a spare moment comes up. If I finish my readings a bit earlier on Tuesday night, I would throw in the load of laundry.

3. Apps/Cloud tech are your friend

Gone are the old fashioned to do lists written on slips of paper. Everything should be digitalized. My calendar on my phone syncs up with my computer so when I'm done a task it is instantly updated. All my documents are on the cloud where I know I have access to it if I should forget my USB or printed copies. Seriously, this saved my butt more than a few times.

4. Schedule your breaks

Even if it's an hour, I need that time to just relax and do something not on the to-do list. Lately, I've been using this hour to get to bed early. (I'm boring, I know...but I really want to evade the flu that everyone seems to be catching).

5. Order in, nobody's perfect

I don't do this every night, but for a particular busy day I would order pizza or pick up something from a restaurant. It's one less thing to worry about and it's a treat I deserve after getting through the mountain of work.

I'm only blogging now because I managed to finish an essay on time today. There's still more readings to attend to, but I'll keep doing my best and hopefully I'll get more blog entries up later this week. I have so many ideas and catch-up posts to do!

What if Money was no Object?

2013-01-28T23:46:00.004-05:00

I've noticed a few of my friends posting this video on Facebook and eventually found myself watching it last week. It really only confirms one thing; a lot of my friends are hitting their quarter-life crisis or the life re-evaluation that everyone seems to do prior to turning 30.
It is an intriguing question: what if money was no object, what would you do? The obvious answer being: do what you love. It's hard to argue with all those rich imagery of running with wild horses and standing atop a mountain. The most poignant quote from the video:

Better to have a short life that is full of what you love doing than a long life spent in a miserable way

Now, the problem I have with all of this is that it just doesn't work.
First, this is a luxury for the middle-upper class. I really doubt that people really want to be hotel maids, cashiers or slaughterhouse kill floor workers. Perhaps there is something greater than the personal happiness that they are neglecting; perhaps it's the happiness of another. Being able to provide for your family with a roof over their head and having stomachs full of food are more important than the childhood dream of being the next great singer. Seeing and doing all that you can for those you love; that's a happy life. Am I starting to sound old and bitter? I see girls and boys in their early 20s completely engrossed in pursuing "the dream" of becoming great dancers and models, even though they only started a year ago. Other friends are calling themselves photographers due to a recently purchased DSLR. And who doesn't have a few "fashionista" friends who are still "finding themselves" as they approach 30 with nothing to show for it aside from debt and an overloaded closet? I'm not an old crank; just an old fashion pragmatist. Forget your selfish youthful dreams. Devote your life to the service of others. Not everyone can be a doctor, no, but it is your responsibility to ensure that your parents don't have to worry about you taking care of yourself. And if you're a parent, you better make sure your kids turn out okay. Who cares if you work at a minimum wage job if it means food for your family? So what if you can't be a writer, at least you don't have to live paycheque to paycheque? The satisfaction that comes from taking care of those around you is what we should live for. Forget about you and ignore what you love; focus on who you love instead.

Trying for a Lazy Sunday

2013-01-27T21:23:00.001-05:00

I'm not sure what it is about winter that makes me productive, but I am really trying to have a lazy Sunday. My phone is by my side and I've answered 50+ emails since the weekend started. I've logged on to my online discussion groups a few times already just to see if someone had posted. I'm even all caught up on my readings. Are there still tasks left to be done? Of course. Do I have to do them this instant? No.

How can I actually unplug myself and relax a little before the work week actually starts?

For starters, I have a dog in my lap. He's relaxing and I really don't want to make him move. I could catch up on my shows or even get back to that awesome book I'm reading (Tenth of December by George Saunders). Or maybe even finish crocheting my scarf. But...I kind of want to read ahead or brainstorm for that assignment...

Yeh, the workaholic is hard to kill.