As we get closer to 2013, you may be like the millions of other people starting to think about what goals and resolutions you may plan for yourself for the New Year. I've also thought a lot about it, now it's just a matter of committing to it.
I've never been one to eat healthy. As an adult, I've never been a breakfast person, as my tummy generally doesn't like accepting visitors until about 10:30 in the morning, otherwise it gets a little cranky. For my many years working the mid-day shift in radio, I also often skipped lunch, which was difficult to enjoy while you're on air. By the time I got off air at 2, it seemed too late to eat when there was only a few hours to go until supper, so lunch most times got ditched as well. Then when I finally got to that one meal of the day that was a sure thing, it has often been less than ideal when it comes to the essential 4 food groups that it should likely be.
In the last 6 months, I have gotten much better. I often make a decent supper and ensure that I have enough left-overs for the next day so that I'm always taking a lunch to work and not going out to eat. It's often a meat of some sort, rice, a granola bar and an apple sauce or fruit of some type. Pretty boring, but it hits the spot.
My resolution however is to take the next step and make it better, but also work on better physical health. Over the summer I biked pretty much every day or would go for a walk. Biking obviously isn't a great option for a Saskatchewan winter, and by the time I get home from work, it's too dark now for a safe walk through the park, or cross-country skiing which I'd like to take up. The thought of going to a gym makes me whine a little, and I find it hard to get motivated to work out at home. There is however a lighted outdoor rink a block from my place, so I may dig out the skates and start doing laps at night. It's funny, but it's something right?
When it comes to eating, you're hearing of more and more people trying to remove all things "processed" from their diet. I was talking to a friend from Toronto the other day who I admire for her resolve to stick to what she sets out to do when it comes to her food choices. In the whole time I've known her, she's never been big on sugar or foods that are deep-friend. But now she's onto something new called the Paleo diet. The premise of it is a return to the caveman days just as the name suggests and focus your diet around the hunt and gather theory. Diets consist mainly of fish, grass-fed pasture raised meats, vegetables, roots and nuts. Foods that are no-no's are grains, legumes, dairy products, refined salts, refined sugars and processed oils. The main beverages of choice in the diet are tea or water, and alcohol or fermented drinks are also on the naughty list.
It was an interesting read to say the least, and when you think about it, when have you ever seen a picture of a fat caveman or cavewoman? It certainly might be worth a try and I can't say I'm opposed to any diet that encourages meat. The challenge will be avoiding the refined sugars, salts and restricting the amount of alcohol consumed. But again, when have you ever seen a drunk caveman? Don't answer that if you've seen the Caveman movie with Ringo Starr and Shelley Long. If you have, go ahead, say "caca" and giggle a little. It's ok.
Tia
Monday, December 10, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
The Story of Neena
After 5 days hanging out in Toronto, I'm writing this from Terminal 3 at Pearson reflecting on many things from this trip. It was full of fun, laughs, drinks and good friends. But it was also tinged with sadness for our fellow human beings.
I travel to the Big Smoke usually every 3 to 4 months, so I have a pretty good sense of what the city is about. But I don't think in all the times I've been there before, have I seen such an abundance of homeless people. I often see the usuals every trip - the guy who plays the bagpipes at the corner of Queen and University or the big guy with his guitar and amp on Queen Street just up from Nathan Phillips Square. There were many new faces this time. One of them was Neena.
Neena (the name I've given her) was this tiny little asian woman. She maybe stood 5'3 and was about 40 if I had to guess. I saw her the first day I was there as she approached a woman sitting down from me and asked her for a smoke. She was a little chatter bug, and the happiest and most cheerful homeless person I've ever seen. A little spitfire who walked around in her little happy go lucky world, always in sock feet with no shoes on. The second day I was there I saw her again - twice! The second time was coming back from drinks with a friend on Queen Street. We crossed by each other at a walk light, and as she went by I could hear her repeating to herself, "my karma must be underneath the ground somewhere." I saw her every day after that as well.
On my final day today, I walked over to Nathan Phillips Square which has become a home for many of the city's homeless, particularly at night. I had walked through it on Thursday night, where in the shadows of Toronto's down time, I could see every second bench covered with a body who was bundled up for some sleep before the sun came up and they had to find elsewhere to go. Today as I walked through, I looked over and saw Neena once again. For the first time she was wearing shoes! They were these stylish high heeled shoes and she also had a new fancy purse. She walked awkwardly in the shoes as she clearly was not used to wearing them, but she was proud as spit and walked around waving hi to everyone who came across her path.
I wanted to go over and sit with her and ask her what her story was and what she meant when she said "her karma must be underneath the ground somewhere" but I didn't have the courage. Instead, I watched her from a distance admiring how happy she was despite her circumstances, but felt sad for her at the same time. The one thing obvious about her and many of the homeless, is that they are battling many mental issues that likely will contribute to them never becoming a normal part of society again. They will always roam the streets, mumbling stories and rage to themselves, never seeking help and perhaps never being offered help because the resources to deal with the homeless just aren't there for the amount of people who now are among those stats.
Many times when I was unemployed, the thought crossed my mind: what if I just can't get back on my feet and wind up homeless. Would I be able to survive? Fortunately I don't have to answer that question now, but after seeing Neena on this trip, I'm grateful for the life I do have, even if I'm not rich. I have a roof over my head. I don't know if Neena ever will ever have that again, but I'll look for her the next time I go back to Toronto when the winter has arrived and see how she's doing. I hope she'll still be that chatty, happy, little spitfire I first encountered.
Tia
I travel to the Big Smoke usually every 3 to 4 months, so I have a pretty good sense of what the city is about. But I don't think in all the times I've been there before, have I seen such an abundance of homeless people. I often see the usuals every trip - the guy who plays the bagpipes at the corner of Queen and University or the big guy with his guitar and amp on Queen Street just up from Nathan Phillips Square. There were many new faces this time. One of them was Neena.
Neena (the name I've given her) was this tiny little asian woman. She maybe stood 5'3 and was about 40 if I had to guess. I saw her the first day I was there as she approached a woman sitting down from me and asked her for a smoke. She was a little chatter bug, and the happiest and most cheerful homeless person I've ever seen. A little spitfire who walked around in her little happy go lucky world, always in sock feet with no shoes on. The second day I was there I saw her again - twice! The second time was coming back from drinks with a friend on Queen Street. We crossed by each other at a walk light, and as she went by I could hear her repeating to herself, "my karma must be underneath the ground somewhere." I saw her every day after that as well.
On my final day today, I walked over to Nathan Phillips Square which has become a home for many of the city's homeless, particularly at night. I had walked through it on Thursday night, where in the shadows of Toronto's down time, I could see every second bench covered with a body who was bundled up for some sleep before the sun came up and they had to find elsewhere to go. Today as I walked through, I looked over and saw Neena once again. For the first time she was wearing shoes! They were these stylish high heeled shoes and she also had a new fancy purse. She walked awkwardly in the shoes as she clearly was not used to wearing them, but she was proud as spit and walked around waving hi to everyone who came across her path.
I wanted to go over and sit with her and ask her what her story was and what she meant when she said "her karma must be underneath the ground somewhere" but I didn't have the courage. Instead, I watched her from a distance admiring how happy she was despite her circumstances, but felt sad for her at the same time. The one thing obvious about her and many of the homeless, is that they are battling many mental issues that likely will contribute to them never becoming a normal part of society again. They will always roam the streets, mumbling stories and rage to themselves, never seeking help and perhaps never being offered help because the resources to deal with the homeless just aren't there for the amount of people who now are among those stats.
Many times when I was unemployed, the thought crossed my mind: what if I just can't get back on my feet and wind up homeless. Would I be able to survive? Fortunately I don't have to answer that question now, but after seeing Neena on this trip, I'm grateful for the life I do have, even if I'm not rich. I have a roof over my head. I don't know if Neena ever will ever have that again, but I'll look for her the next time I go back to Toronto when the winter has arrived and see how she's doing. I hope she'll still be that chatty, happy, little spitfire I first encountered.
Tia
Friday, August 10, 2012
Summer Friend
Last night I sat on my front step with a rum and coke in hand, soaking up the cool breeze and just listening to the world around me for a bit. Within a few minutes of sitting there, I could hear the woman from about 5 houses down walking up the sidewalk with the little guy from next door who's only about 6 or 7. She said "see you tomorrow" and he replied "goodbye" and she waited for him to get safely in the house before making her way back home.
This little guy is always down at her house playing with her little boy. Almost every day when I come home from work and drive by their house, they're on the front lawn playing with toys or on their bikes and he waves as I go by. I usually see him Saturdays and Sundays beating a path down the sidewalk to go visit, or returning home at about supper time. The family he belongs to are affectionately called my "crazy neighbours" who don't do anything with the kids themselves. They just hole up in their house, come out to smoke, and that's about it. You never see them taking the kids for walks or going to the park with them, so it's nice to see this little guy finding someone to socialize with and that he's got a summer friend.
It makes me think back to when I was just a kid. We lived in Alberta and would go stay with my grandparents in Maple Creek for a bit of the summer. One summer at the swimming pool, I met a girl about my age named Cindy. We hit it off instantly and hung out quite a bit while I was there, as she also happened to live just down the alley from my grandparents. When I had to go back to Alberta, I was sad to have to say goodbye to my new friend, but excited for the year to go by so I could see her the next summer.
When the next summer rolled around and I returned to my grandparents, I was eager to go down to Cindy's house and see her. But for whatever reason, my grandparents would tell me I'd best not go and that she probably wasn't there. I'd go out into the back yard and play, hoping to see her ride down the back alley on her bike or just catch a glimpse of her just so I could wave or something just to let her know I was back. After a couple of days of not being allowed to go to her house, I asked if I could phone her. That's when the truth came to light. Sometime between then and the previous summer, she had committed suicide. It was a lot to get my head around at such a young age, and I felt lost knowing I'd never see her again.
To this day when I see kids at the park playing or just hanging out in the summer, I think of Cindy and wonder what could have been so horrible in her life at such a young age that she would take her own life. I still don't know why, and that'll always be something I'll likely never know the answer to. I'll just always remember her as that happy, smiley little girl she was that one summer when.
Tia
This little guy is always down at her house playing with her little boy. Almost every day when I come home from work and drive by their house, they're on the front lawn playing with toys or on their bikes and he waves as I go by. I usually see him Saturdays and Sundays beating a path down the sidewalk to go visit, or returning home at about supper time. The family he belongs to are affectionately called my "crazy neighbours" who don't do anything with the kids themselves. They just hole up in their house, come out to smoke, and that's about it. You never see them taking the kids for walks or going to the park with them, so it's nice to see this little guy finding someone to socialize with and that he's got a summer friend.
It makes me think back to when I was just a kid. We lived in Alberta and would go stay with my grandparents in Maple Creek for a bit of the summer. One summer at the swimming pool, I met a girl about my age named Cindy. We hit it off instantly and hung out quite a bit while I was there, as she also happened to live just down the alley from my grandparents. When I had to go back to Alberta, I was sad to have to say goodbye to my new friend, but excited for the year to go by so I could see her the next summer.
When the next summer rolled around and I returned to my grandparents, I was eager to go down to Cindy's house and see her. But for whatever reason, my grandparents would tell me I'd best not go and that she probably wasn't there. I'd go out into the back yard and play, hoping to see her ride down the back alley on her bike or just catch a glimpse of her just so I could wave or something just to let her know I was back. After a couple of days of not being allowed to go to her house, I asked if I could phone her. That's when the truth came to light. Sometime between then and the previous summer, she had committed suicide. It was a lot to get my head around at such a young age, and I felt lost knowing I'd never see her again.
To this day when I see kids at the park playing or just hanging out in the summer, I think of Cindy and wonder what could have been so horrible in her life at such a young age that she would take her own life. I still don't know why, and that'll always be something I'll likely never know the answer to. I'll just always remember her as that happy, smiley little girl she was that one summer when.
Tia
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Aunty Tia
Earlier this week I had my nephew Clay staying with me for a couple of days. I'll confess that I'm not the most prepared Aunty host. I have a spare room, but no spare bed. I have an old house that doesn't have air conditioning. I have crazy neighbours who have a dog that barks constantly. And as a cat owner, collecting cat hair on your clothes is a given at my house. But I hope he came away from the stay with an appreciation that I'm a unique aunt.
One of the first things I did was introduce him to Extra gum. I gave him a piece to chew, and about an hour later when he went to throw it out he said, "that gum lasts a long time!" Dear sister, your son may start asking you to buy him Extra.
I strategically fed him. A kid's appetite can be hard to keep up with. So one night at about 5:30, we went for a Blizzard first, and then I cooked him a burger about 20 minutes later. The theory was he'd get full from the ice cream and not need to eat as much supper AND it would mean his sugar rush would hopefully be over by the time his 8pm bed time came around. Sure enough, he was full after just half his burger. I also told him not to tell his mom about this little adventure.
He may have a new appreciation for lint brushes. The first night I introduced him to my handy little roller that soon had him as cat hair-free as was possible. He thought it was the neatest thing and even asked me the next day about cost comparisons between lint rollers and duct tape. It was a great conversation.
I also taught him about the value of money. On the first day, I told him I was going to keep all the receipts from his stay and send him home with a bill to give to his mom. I was joking of course which I don't think he caught onto. At the end of his stay he asked, "do you have that bill for mom?"
The moral of the story is: if you want your kid to come home a little tainted, feel free to send him to stay with me. It'll be fun!
Tia
One of the first things I did was introduce him to Extra gum. I gave him a piece to chew, and about an hour later when he went to throw it out he said, "that gum lasts a long time!" Dear sister, your son may start asking you to buy him Extra.
I strategically fed him. A kid's appetite can be hard to keep up with. So one night at about 5:30, we went for a Blizzard first, and then I cooked him a burger about 20 minutes later. The theory was he'd get full from the ice cream and not need to eat as much supper AND it would mean his sugar rush would hopefully be over by the time his 8pm bed time came around. Sure enough, he was full after just half his burger. I also told him not to tell his mom about this little adventure.
He may have a new appreciation for lint brushes. The first night I introduced him to my handy little roller that soon had him as cat hair-free as was possible. He thought it was the neatest thing and even asked me the next day about cost comparisons between lint rollers and duct tape. It was a great conversation.
I also taught him about the value of money. On the first day, I told him I was going to keep all the receipts from his stay and send him home with a bill to give to his mom. I was joking of course which I don't think he caught onto. At the end of his stay he asked, "do you have that bill for mom?"
The moral of the story is: if you want your kid to come home a little tainted, feel free to send him to stay with me. It'll be fun!
Tia
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
I Can't Make This Up
A true story a friend told me the other day! Her uncle went into retirement, however, must have soon gotten bored and decided to start up a new business. His business? Cleaning cat litters for people. I'm not sure (even as the crazy cat lady) what would possess a person to take that up as a profession, but he did.
Recently he was hospitalized with a bronchial infection that resulted in pneumonia. When they did some tests they discovered something a little alarming. His bronchial parts were coated with a cement like material that they determined was a result of cat litter dust, as he never wore a mask. It is treatable, and he'll be fine.
The kicker of the story, and again, I'm not making this up...his previous occupation that he retired from, that you'd think he'd know better - a respiratory therapist. Maybe he wasn't a very good one?
Moral of the story, if your respiratory therapist tells you not to worry about wearing a mask while cleaning cat litter boxes, don't believe them. Just do it!
Tia
Recently he was hospitalized with a bronchial infection that resulted in pneumonia. When they did some tests they discovered something a little alarming. His bronchial parts were coated with a cement like material that they determined was a result of cat litter dust, as he never wore a mask. It is treatable, and he'll be fine.
The kicker of the story, and again, I'm not making this up...his previous occupation that he retired from, that you'd think he'd know better - a respiratory therapist. Maybe he wasn't a very good one?
Moral of the story, if your respiratory therapist tells you not to worry about wearing a mask while cleaning cat litter boxes, don't believe them. Just do it!
Tia
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Cry Wolf and Catch 22
Today we're dealing with the wind which has nicely decided to follow up the big storm that parts of Saskatchewan had to endure yesterday. A storm which tornado chasers and storm watchers were predicting as early as last Wednesday and Thursday could bring us severe systems.
There was much hype leading up to these last couple of days about tornados and cyclones and how we better start getting the basement ready for some possible "big ones". Then the system petered out and didn't produce what everyone thought should live up to the hype.
I too was one of those people who last week and into the weekend was a little peeved with hype machine. But as Monday and Tuesday rolled around and the real possibility of something big started shaping up on the radar, I'm not ashamed to admit I took food and water to the basement and got ready. As someone who was watching the system tracking eastward from Moose Jaw, and as someone who lives on the outskirts of the city on the far edge of the Cathedral area, I was worried. Let's face it, you've likely seen what did tear through a field southwest of Moose Jaw.
I also watched all those people who on social media proclaimed their disappointment with the storm falling short of its hype status. True. But here's the thing: never have we been so well informed, and so quickly informed about a storm than nowadays with social media. And the technology nowadays being used by weather watchers is so bang on that last night they were predicting in units of minutes, as to the arrival of when a storm would hit a location. They were pretty much bang on with the ETA of what we got hit with in Regina.
Sure, the hype might have cried wolf, but had a tornado hit hard in a town or city, and we didn't hear anything about it's path or destination, we would all be crying and pointing fingers at whoever about being un-informed! Catch 22. Our parents and grandparents never had this technology we have to be informed like we can be in 2012. I personally would rather be over-informed than under.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my food from the basement and return it to the cupboards.
Tia
There was much hype leading up to these last couple of days about tornados and cyclones and how we better start getting the basement ready for some possible "big ones". Then the system petered out and didn't produce what everyone thought should live up to the hype.
I too was one of those people who last week and into the weekend was a little peeved with hype machine. But as Monday and Tuesday rolled around and the real possibility of something big started shaping up on the radar, I'm not ashamed to admit I took food and water to the basement and got ready. As someone who was watching the system tracking eastward from Moose Jaw, and as someone who lives on the outskirts of the city on the far edge of the Cathedral area, I was worried. Let's face it, you've likely seen what did tear through a field southwest of Moose Jaw.
I also watched all those people who on social media proclaimed their disappointment with the storm falling short of its hype status. True. But here's the thing: never have we been so well informed, and so quickly informed about a storm than nowadays with social media. And the technology nowadays being used by weather watchers is so bang on that last night they were predicting in units of minutes, as to the arrival of when a storm would hit a location. They were pretty much bang on with the ETA of what we got hit with in Regina.
Sure, the hype might have cried wolf, but had a tornado hit hard in a town or city, and we didn't hear anything about it's path or destination, we would all be crying and pointing fingers at whoever about being un-informed! Catch 22. Our parents and grandparents never had this technology we have to be informed like we can be in 2012. I personally would rather be over-informed than under.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my food from the basement and return it to the cupboards.
Tia
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Do you Ever Wonder....
Why companies always come out with products that are "new and improved"? It always makes me ask myself "what was so wrong with the previous product that it had to be improved? And if it's always having to be improved, is it really that worthy of a product?"
Who decided and what prompted the decision to issue expiry dates for condoms? I thought of this while I was doing up the ziplock on my turkey breast bag.
Are the makers of Dyson aware of how phallic their TV commercials are? "That's why all our new vacuums have balls." Then the narrator is followed by text on the screen that says "No awkward moves, no loss of suction." And that doesn't sound dirty to anyone else other than me??
What goes through a dog's mind as it stands and watches its owner take out a plastic bag and clean up its doo-doo? "I really need more bran in my diet."
How could we work it so that the NHL playoffs are done in March?
If robins think we're imbeciles for coming up with the song "Rockin Robin"?
How hilarious it would be if dogs meowed and cats barked??
Why grocery stores who claim they want to help the environment don't teach their employees how to more efficiently pack plastic bags? "Ok, I'm going to put your bread in a separate bag all by itself, and your meat in a bag on its own, double wrapped."
And last but not least, do you ever wonder what banana coffee would taste like?
That is all.
Tia
Who decided and what prompted the decision to issue expiry dates for condoms? I thought of this while I was doing up the ziplock on my turkey breast bag.
Are the makers of Dyson aware of how phallic their TV commercials are? "That's why all our new vacuums have balls." Then the narrator is followed by text on the screen that says "No awkward moves, no loss of suction." And that doesn't sound dirty to anyone else other than me??
What goes through a dog's mind as it stands and watches its owner take out a plastic bag and clean up its doo-doo? "I really need more bran in my diet."
How could we work it so that the NHL playoffs are done in March?
If robins think we're imbeciles for coming up with the song "Rockin Robin"?
How hilarious it would be if dogs meowed and cats barked??
Why grocery stores who claim they want to help the environment don't teach their employees how to more efficiently pack plastic bags? "Ok, I'm going to put your bread in a separate bag all by itself, and your meat in a bag on its own, double wrapped."
And last but not least, do you ever wonder what banana coffee would taste like?
That is all.
Tia
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