Today's Track: In the Waiting Line - Zero 7Zach Braff really got Punk'd! Check it out on
MTV.
If you haven't watched
Garden State yet, go watch it. If you've already seen it, it's worth a second viewing (and don't forget to get the soundtrack)!
Same goes for
My Sassy Girl...and don't forget
My Neighbour Totoro...I think my dad watched this three times in two days (or maybe that was me).
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I've been trying to follow the work of
Bruce Mau for some time now, but it's been sort of sporadic, like so many of the other little interests I'd like to have more time to explore. His
Massive Change exhibit is now on at the
Art Gallery of Ontario though, so it's my chance to learn more...think more...do more...
From the Massive Change website:
Design has emerged as one of the world's most powerful forces. It has placed us at the beginning of a new, unprecedented period of human possibility, where all economies and ecologies are becoming global, relational, and interconnected.In order to understand and harness these emerging forces, there is an urgent need to articulate precisely what we are doing to ourselves and to our world. This is the ambition of Massive Change.Massive Change explores paradigm-shifting events, ideas, and people, investigating the capacities and ethical dilemmas of design in manufacturing, transportation, urbanism, warfare, health, living, energy, markets, materials, the image and information. We need to evolve a global society that has the capacity to direct and control the emerging forces in order to achieve the most positive outcome. We must ask ourselves: Now that we can do anything what will we do?---
ADDENDUMApril 11, 2005
So my boss just told me this morning that the Massive Change exhibit was a big dissapointment. Apparently there were too many questions and not enough solutions, or ways that people who visited the exhibit to have a voice or actually do something concrete. Plus, consumerism was rampant: at the end of the exhibit visitors were forced to go through a narrow space with Massive Change-logo-ed products. Yes, I realize products are pretty common at art exhibits, but this exhibit is about CHANGE, how we can make changes for a better world - and since when has the promotion of consumer products been a good way to make a (positive) change?
I think I'll still go to the exhibit, just to formulate my own opinion, but now my high hopes are quite diminished.
Cheers to green beer! Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!
(Ok, I think green beer looks disgusting, but everyone was in such a good mood today, I can't help but be cheery too.)
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I was busting out of my clothes when I got back from dinner tonight, which is why I'm sitting here in my very comfy hand-me-down Port Credit wrestling team sweatshirt (it was my brother's) and my elastic-waisted pj's. Shaky and I went on our yearly birthday date at Auberge du Pommier and once again gorged ourselves with good food. Even though I think I liked the main dish I had last year better than this year (had the scallops and braised oxtail last year; grouper this year), I had an excellent time overall (the truffle soup, cream cheese mousse and the Kir Royale granite were yum, and of course I had great company).
I can't wait to go back next year!
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I'm going to the Andrea Bocelli concert in April! I know I'm paying an arm and a leg, but how often does he come to Toronto? Not very. And since I haven't yet bought myself a birthday present this year, it'll be my very special gift to me.
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In my last blog, I outlined some goals I have for the next year or so. Now I've decided to tack on another goal for myself: to start running.
Since about the time I was 11 years old, I've had an aversion to running because of some severe asthma attacks I had when I was forced to complete the endurance run in gym class. Since university, I've tried to improve my physical fitness, with good months of regular workouts and downtimes of non-activity. Right now I'm trying to get back into the "activity" mode with workouts, etc, but feel like I really need a challenge. I don't think I'm ready for a 10k run yet, so I'm going to go to the Running Room, buy some good runners and join a running clinic. I'm going to aim for a 5k sometime this summer, so wish me luck!
Today's track: Home - Michael BubleOk, so this track is really the track of the month. I love it! Too bad his upcoming concerts in Toronto are all but sold out.
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I've been chastised by Shaky and Hed Candi for not blogging in so long. The thing is, it always takes me so darn long to write something, and with my attention span being so short these days, I just don't seem to have the discipline to sit and blog. I'll try to be better with my blogging though - my birthday is just under 2 hours away - another new year for me to make some changes for myself (as I've been trying to do since New Year's and Lunar New Year's and now my birthday).
So anyway, it's been pretty busy since last I blogged. One of my best friends got married, I've joined the iPod club and I started a new leadership course:
On Liz's wedding: I still can't really believe it happened. Liz and Fred are so happy together. I'm glad they found each other! I don't know what else to say except that pictures will be coming soon - and they'll be able to tell the story more than I can now! Congrats to the happy couple! I'm jealous because they're on sunny Margarita Island right now. I don't know where that is, but I'm sure it's better than -20C.
On my iPod Shuffle: Shaky said he ordered something from the States for my Valentine's/birthday gift and that he'd bring it over to my place once he got it. The only thing I could think of that he might get me was a new snowboarding jacket, though he tried to convince me that he got me a very unromantic (though very practical) air filter (he insisted that it would prevent me from getting sick). When he arrived at my house I very greedily proclaimed, "Where is it?" But instead of pulling out a jacket from his car trunk, he pulled out a small little iPod Shuffle from his coat pocket. Totally unexpected and totally cool! I haven't been that excited and giddy in a long time. I feel very self-conscious with it on the subway and need to get black earbuds pronto, for fear of being mugged (I say pronto, but I've had the Shuffle for a month already - yes, I know I am putting myself and the iPod in grave danger)...
On my training course: It's a year long leaderhip course, with three residential workshops and additional 1/2 day or 1 day workshops. The first was last week, in Kimberley (near Owen Sound) on an old farm. I met some great people - as one person put it at the end of the session, we'll be the leaders of the conservation/environmental movement of tomorrow. Okay, maybe you think I'm being cheesy, but I'm quite motivated by this prospect and I really do think this will happen.
Anyway, we're all keeping a journal for the course as well, so I'll probably be using some of what I write there here as well. To start off, we were supposed to decide on some goals for personal and professional development for the year. I'm going to state them so people know about it and call me on it if I'm not trying to meet these goals. I don't think they're huge or unattainable, but they are essential to my growth:
Goal #1: A strength that I will continue to improve upon - nurturing/encouraging people's strengths and building confidence in their ability to learn new skills - I am hoping to incorporate what we are learning (better understanding of people's personality types, etc., how that is useful in leading people and knowing when to direct/coach/support/delegate).
Goal #2: A weakness to work on - I will be working on my assertiveness, especially in larger group meeting situations.
We also learned that there are just some things that you should recognize as something you're not or can't do (something that's not essential), and set it aside. Maybe you can come back to it later, maybe not. What I'm setting aside is my wanting to be an extrovert. As an introvert, I've always thought that I had to be an extrovert to be successful. Now I know it's not true (one of the facilitators at the workshop is a very successful, intelligent and well-respected person who is an extreme introvert). I know some people don't like labels - I'm not a huge fan either, but it's useful to help us understand that we're not all the same and that we need to deal with different people differently - and though I may be an introvert, I'm not going to let it box me in or prevent me from doing what I want to do...you know...save the world, then rule it ;)
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Bad news brown: As you can see above, I have much cause for celebration. Unfortunately I've reluctantly accepted that my tolerance for alcohol has dropped to next to nothing. I'm very disappointed. I'm still experimenting a bit with different kinds of alcohol and varying amounts of alcohol on the rare occasion, but I seem to have the same symptoms every time I drink more than one glass of anything - I feel nauseous, almost to the point of blacking out, and my ears plug up. It's weird and freaky. Sober to sick without any sort of happy-phase in between is not fun.
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The last word.Dear Shaky,
Marzipan is NOT an animal! Please see the definition below:
mar·zi·pan {märz-pn, märts-pän)
n. A confection made of ground almonds or almond paste, egg whites, and sugar, often molded into decorative shapes.
