A few extra

Leave it to good friends and family to always tell it like it is.

Apparently, I've put on "a few extra" lately. Not 20 pounds, just a few. Not enough to send me running to the gym or to give up my beloved cheeseburger and high-sodium diet. But enough that some of my clothes no longer fit.

But I am NOT complaining. Even though in this society we're supposed to freak out at the sight of a little pudge here or there, upon reflecting on this a bit I realized my increased shapeliness is indicative of 3 fabulous things:

1) I'm not a teenager anymore - my teen years were fun but I'm ready to move on and be a woman. Besides, I like my potentially (hopefully, fingers crossed) child-bearing hips. At least, they are child-holding hips.

2) I QUIT SMOKING!! - I don't ever like to talk about my addictions unless I'm talking about them in the past tense. I was definitely sucking down (at least) two packs a week this summer and even more after Paris. But no matter how many times Pat would plead with me to stop, I knew that I had to be ready before I could do it.

I didn't tell anyone my smoking was out of control or that it was making me sick. I just quit cold turkey, quietly and in my own way and last Thursday Pat and I celebrated 21 days of no smoking. It's just not a part of my life any more and I don't want it to ever be again.

The fact that I was able to quit was a sign that things are going well and I'm fairly content. Ok, so in terms of school and being organized and on top of things...I'm a bit of a train wreck. But despite appearances, I'm totally ok with that and I'm just enjoying the ride.

3) I'm healthy - Being insanely overweight is clearly no bill of good health but neither is being very thin. So ladies, rather than freak out at the sight of a bit of flesh here and there, celebrate. You're healthy. I don't know how long I can say that for. None of us really do.

Health is something we all take for granted. Being healthy is your ability to function and do things you like. It's living your life. Maybe we would all be as thin as we wanted if we were withering away in hospital beds, but where I come from, looking well-rounded is a beautiful thing.

So...

The next time Pat tells me I look beautiful, I'm going to forget about the tummy rolls and just believe him. Because I can breathe in the morning and really, I haven't felt this good in ages.

Good News

Turn on the television and all you see and hear is bad news.

Kidnappings, bombs, shootings, scandal, global warming...it's all so depressing.

While being selective of our news sources, it is important to stay on top of what is going on around us. Too many people have their heads up their asses.

Having said that, not all news is bad. Yet judging from most mainstream sources it certainly seems that way sometimes. I have often bitched about all the negative news in the media and even joked about starting a television network that only showed good news, "one day." It turns out I'm not the only one who feels this way.

The Good News Network (International) is a website that strictly shares GOOD news. Recent headlines include articles about breakthroughs in stem cell research and "Indians using Google Earth to save the Amazon."

The imbalance between positive news and negative news in the media is pretty blatant, in my opinion. What does that say about us? That bad news is more marketable or interesting? I think hope and inspiration are interesting too. If you agree, check out this site or just search "good news." There are many Good News sites out there to make sure your media diet is balanced.

After a few minutes on a site like this, you just might want to give this World that you've been trashing an apologetic pat on the back.

Make a wish

It is 4 am somewhere between Wednesday and Thursday. I could be drunk from lack of sleep but I feel a clarity I've never experienced before. This sort of epiphany is unfamiliar territory to an athiest like me.

I'm studying philosophy, formally, for the first time in my life and I realize now why this assignment has taken so long.

I feel like I have just assembled a puzzle. I think I have figured out everything I have ever wanted to know - or rather, I have just created it. Every last piece fits. Perfectly. Right down to the mushrooms.

Thank you Nietzsche, Mark Whalberg, Atreyu and Professor Walsh-Bowers.

I totally get it now.

ps. The name was "Moonchild."

"Nearly half of Canadians find security laws intrusive: study"

I think the findings of this study are a shame.

I'm not saying that North Americans should blindly trust the government. But I think we need to take moveis like "Conspiracy Theory" and "Enemy of the State" a bit less seriously.

I find planes going into large buildings in NYC intrusive. I find Air Canada flights being bombed by terrorists intrusive.

Since when do we hold our privacy in higher regard than our safety? I'm really not concerned about the wearabouts of "my information." I wouldn't be concerned if my every movement was filmed in the street if it meant that anything between an assault on an individual to a terrorist attack could be deterred or, at the very least, punished.

The only reason you should be worried about your privacy is if you have something to hide. If someone is buying bomb materials I think authorities definitely have the right to know about it. They have better things to do than worry about someone's recent Stag Shop purchases or street-corner weed transactions. The only ones who should be concerned are dangerous criminals like Hell's Angels and terrorists. Why should the rest of us protect them?

1984 was a good book. I enjoyed it. I'm sure everyone enjoyed it. Just realize "Big Brother" isn't out there watching your every move...you're simply not important enough.

Health kick...in the ASS

I have not had a great week. If at all possible, the coming week looks worse. I haven't had nearly enough time to do anything and there have been constant obstacles at every turn. I made a list of "things-to-do" for LAST Monday. Almost half of those things are on tomorrow's "to-do" list!
I'm so behind...no wonder I feel like an ASS.

To make matters worse, I had the delusional notion that a nice work-out would make me feel better.

HA!

Contrary to popular belief, I have been to the gym before. In fact, I even owned (and used) a membership. I used to box for God's sake. And I wasn't bad!

I've been sore before, but nothing could prepare me for THIS. I could barely move this morning and I have to walk like I have a fucking pipe up my ass. I am never doing anything "healthy" again. This old body just can't handle it.

As part of my recent health kick, my meals lately have consisted mostly of halloween candy. Right now I'm partial to SpongeBob SquarePants yogurt-covered raisins.

Pat and I did enjoy a nice dinner at his work Christmas party, although it was strange to be talking about Christmas this early, and on Rememberance Day.

Speaking of Christmas...my dad sent me a funny rendition of 'Hava Nagilah' on YouTube.

Like many girls of my background, I've heard versions of the Jewish folksong countless times, at Weddings, Bar Mitzvah's and even birthday parties.

I have never seen anything like this.

Ladies and Gentleman, Hava Nagilah, Thai style. Click here to watch.