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...it's called summer. I took this photo of Maggie in Lake Ontario the afternoon we drove to Niagara-On-The-Lake. It was a beautiful afternoon and not once did snowbanks, brown slush or wet socks enter my mind. These days, I need proof that spring will come again.
This is not a list of resolutions. Resolutions are empty promises. This is a list of five things I want to do this year and the general theme is to simplify my life:
1) Purge things: CDs, clothes, things I've not used in the past year. I have too much furniture and too much stuff right now. For the next month or two, I will be decluttering and will soon have boxes of things I am donating or throwing out.
2) Keep track of my spending: I've started recording everything I spend my money on and I hope this practice will help me find ways to reduce it once I see bad habits forming in my expenses.
3) Make my home my home: This is related to the Great Purge. In the past three years, I've moved eight times (including moving twice in Hong Kong alone). It's time to settle down and make my apartment my own. Last night, three months after moving into my current apartment, I attempted to put curtains in my room. Turns out the drill is broken and I failed, but it was a step in the right direction. Anyone have a working drill?
4) Walking: Of course, no New Year's goal list is complete without a reference to exercising. Yes, I plan to play squash more regularly (anyone need a partner?) But even more than that, I'd like to walk around the city more. I've been pretty good with it lately, even in the colder weather it feels great. It's about the physical activity but also the interaction between pedestrian and environment. I feel much more a part of the city when on foot than I do in a vehicle.
5) Stick to my schedules: This is the hardest because it relies on other people but I guess I have to be a bit of a bummer and say no more often. I like to map out my own schedule days in advance, whether it's in my head or in my agenda. Unfortunately, with the way people make appointments with each other, they're rarely concrete plans. I blame the cell phone, people just say "I'll call you later" instead of making a plan that moment. I need to balance the spontaneous with the schedule and the key, I think, is to stick to my priorities, which are, more or less, mapped out above.
I try to maintain a reasonably professional and positive attitude on this blog but I'm going to make one acception today because I have something important to say:
This year sucks.
There, I said it.
I don't like much about 2008.
I've been allowed one day of pessimism and I'm going to use it.
Things that suck: fevers, body aches, throat infections, laryngitis, tonsillitis, pink eye, HSBC Hong Kong's "English" customer service, Trimurti's samosas, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" and searching for a new roommate.
Things that don't suck: pirate eye patches and this song:
(At least I ended on a positive note.)
I decided to give my external hard drive the big "eff you!" this evening and I downloaded some music I've been meaning to listen to. One of the first things I tapped into Hype Machine's search engine was "Moldy Peaches." I downloaded the adorable "Anyone Else But You" because I heard it in the partly Canadian flick, Juno. I saw the film after gleefully waddling through mountains of snow on Sunday and fell in love with it. I have a poor memory, but I can't remember enjoying a film this year as much as I enjoyed Juno. The You Tube video features Ellen Page and Michael Cera singing said Moldy song, but you should hear the whole thing performed by the songwriters (with banjo!) just because it turns into an entirely different song when it's not the more naive pair of Page and Cera singing:
I haven't been writing much, I know. It's not that I've been too busy, I just avoid the task because I don't feel like I've got anything to say. Maybe it is busyness that has kept me away because I can't string together sentences or thoughts to create a coherent entry. Instead, I've been reading other people's words and stories. I consider this a little victory since I've previously written about wanting to read more.
The book club is to thank, in part, but the irony of the club is that we speak very little about the book and more about food, public vs. private education and who we should kick out/admit into the group. Still, I'm encouraged to read even outside of our reading list. I've admitted myself into Vincent Lam's Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures, a book I've always wanted to read and finally am because I want to better understand Helena's med school experience. Last month, I read Rex Pickett's Sideways for pleasure and because I found it in the Chapters bargain bin for $5. Incidentally, my wine intake has increase since the purchase.
I guess this is all a step towards becoming the person I want to be. Someone who is better read, organized, more frugal and cooks healthy and fulfilling meals. I do miss my music. I've been spending less time searching for mp3s and more time researching recipes. I blame my external hard drive which has kidnapped my iTunes library and refuses to negotiate. I'm only really sad about it when I want to make mix CDs. The rest of the time I'm enjoying CBC Radio podcasts and the occasional Jazz FM programming.
Stay warm.
The summer was good to me. Cottage-country sunsets, windy boat rides, French fries, Sauvignon Blanc, Lullabies for Little Children, dodgeball defeats, softball hopes, Robin Hood costumes, my pirate, roasted tomatoes, barbecue, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and love, love, love. Yes, summer was good to me. Was it good to you?
[mp3] Tegan & Sara - The Con
[mp3] Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Phenomena
[mp3] Two Hours Traffic - Heroes of the Sidewalk
Last week, I moved in with my buddy Chelle. It was a spur of the moment decision and now I find myself living in a small house in East York. Yes, East York. I didn't really escape the suburbs. Instead of being surrounded by the wealthy immigrants of Markham, I'm in the older, more Caucasian suburb bordering Scarborough and the Don Valley Parkway. It's OK though, the rent is affordable and it's temporary. I have access to a foozeball table, Wii, PS2, Game Cube and an interesting cat named Phoenix.
My favourite thing is that we share a side yard with the upstairs neighbours. Although my parents have a backyard on their Markham property, it's not very accessible since it's in a townhouse complex. One has to trudge through the basement (where I've put my life in boxes) to get to the back door OR go around the complex and through neighbours' yards. It's not very private or nice, despite the view of the golf course.
Here in East York, however, there is a nice side yard with green grass, a big weeping tree and toys strewn all over. I like it, despite the mess, I think it's charming and last Wednesday, I decided it symbolizes everything I love about spring: the re-emergence of forgotten toys, leaves and colour.
I hope you're enjoying spring. This humidity is gross, but at least there's colour again.
[mp3] Feist - I Feel It All
[mp3] Sarah Harmer - The Hideout
