Victoria's Island

Saturday Peace

Today is pure quiet and peace. Nothing too crazy happening. Just going along with the flow. Enjoying long stretches to linger with the newspapers and take the time to really read the black and white. Nothing like a good newspaper. Sadly though the recession is even affecting some of the most venerable news institutions. Suppose fair is fair.

Had a very good day on Friday. There were a couple of highlights. Started the day with a session at the Ottawa High Performance Center with John Z. JZ is taking care of my strength and conditioning for the upcoming season. Excellent session with him - JZ has put together a program that will build functional strength and increase my flexibility. I'm stoked to get in the gym and to start lifting heavy things.

Had an excellent phone call late yesterday afternoon as well. I'm in a round of interviews for a pretty exciting position. I've got four more phone interviews scheduled for Monday - all for this same position. So things are looking good on this front.

Last highlight was the tasty meal I made. (I actually made it Thursday evening and then we ate it on Friday...) The recipe was from my Gourmet Nutrition cookbook. Sauteed Beef in an Indian Spinach Sauce. Yep, it was as tasty and easy as it sounds. The beauty is in the ingredients - to make the cream sauce I used 0% fat cottage cheese (don't wrinkle your nose - you couldn't taste the cottage cheese). The recipe called for yogurt but all we had was raspberry yogurt - somehow this didn't seem appropriate. Anyway, very easy and tasty recipe. If you want the full details - post a comment and I'll drop you an email.

As I said, pretty quiet today. Got a good ride in this morning and I'm finally caught up on ER. I'm heading out in a little bit for a three-hour core strength workhshop at Mountaingoat Yoga. Looking forward to it. After this hard session of training, we're going out for dinner. The plan is Moe's (yes, world famous Moe's). This is one place we like to eat at when in Burlington, Vermont. Well, I discovered that there is a Moe's in Orleans. So we are going to indulge with some Mexican. Also planning to watch Slumdog Millionaire - that is if the burrito comas don't wipe us out!

I've given up on The Shack. Can't do it. Not sure why. The premise is interesting and I really thought I could get into the novel. But I just can't wrap my mind around it. Not sure what this says about my "beliefs". I'll give the book some space and come back to it. Might not be the right time for me and this book. So I'm switching gears and I'm about to start reading Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.

Okay, it is Saturday. We  shouldn't be on the computer. Turn it off and do something fun. (A nap would be perfect...)

Refreshing

Had sort of a draggy day yesterday. I was waiting for an email  yesterday so I ended up spending way too much time in front of my computer (i.e. all day). This kind of dragged into me into a lull. I became bored and frustrated. Funny how too much of something can do that. So I told myself last night as I was falling asleep that I would not let that happen again today.

Today is a good day. Since the beans have been spilled on Twitter, I'll tell you here. I had a job interview today. It went well. Really well. Looks like I'll be getting the position. Thing is, I'm kind of hoping for another position to come through... Hence waiting at home yesterday for the email. Keep your fingers crossed that everything comes together.

So I treated myself to lunch today. Went to one of my fave spots - Wild Oat. Love the deluxe pizza at Wild Oat. I'm also a sucker for the scones, so I had one - pear cardamon - pretty darn tasty. Typically Wild Oat is super packed at lunch, not today. I had no issues getting a table. Now I'm at Sbucks at Bank and Third. Normally this place is packed as well. Now, not so much. Is this the recession effect? Is it because it is a beautiful day and people are out getting fresh air? Are people turning their backs on corporate Canada? Interesting.

One side effect of spending so much time on the computer yesterday was I made some excellent progress on my new project. I can't tell you much here. Only two other people know about my project (Marc and my little bro). Suffice it say, it has been a long time coming for me. I'm excited. But I'm also damn scared. I really believe this project could be good. This is what scares me. Guess I'll rely on my  "genius" to help me through the tricky times. But I'm following my brother's advice and simply approaching it like a bike race - put my head down and pedal - and good things will happen.

Just learned that there is movie about the grand canyon playing at the Imax theatre. I've always wanted to visit the grand canyon. Seems like this movie might be as close as I can get for a while. So might go check out the film this weekend. An extra bonus is that Dave Mathews Band does the soundtrack.

Discovered a new book at the big store yesterday. The Third Man Factor. I'm adding it to my list. I've heard a couple interviews with the author and I think it is worth a read. Consider it added to my Chapters wish list.

Did you watch Top Chef last night? We decided to stay up and watch it in real-time. I won't spill the results here since I know a few of you haven't watched the finale yet. Suffice it to say, I was disappointed. But it was still a good episode. One lesson to be taken from last night's episode: stay true to yourself. Gee, who knew life lessons could be found in reality television?

I'm in a one hour parking zone. I'm ten minutes shy of the one hour limit. Should I risk it? I think so. Today has been excellent so far. I'm pretty positive it won't be spoiled by the bylaw dudes and dudettes.

Okay, off to surf a bit and then work on the project. Big fan of today.

On Creativity

While I don't know each and everyone of you personally, I do know that we all more than likely have more in common than simply this web site. Some of you are writers. Some of you are bike racers. Others are close family. Still others are knitters. And there are others who I don't know but I'm guessing have a passion for something as well.

Where am I going with this? Well, really I think that anything that one has a passion for brings out a certain spirit in oneself. This spirit may manifest itself in sport, in creative pursuits, or in a pure and simple zest for life. This spirit is a guiding force. But it can also be a stress. I've written before how I've felt tormented by not being able to "define" why I am on this planet. This was a hard question for me to reconcile. I'm finally at a place where I can recognize and appreciate my gifts and how I am making a difference.

I didn't plan on writing about this today. But I just watched a rather stimulating videocast by Elizabeth Gilbert, the author. You may have heard of her most recent book Eat, Pray, Love. Well, in this videocast she talks about the "genius". I think it is very similar or if not the same as the "spirit". Anyway, watch the videocast. It is kind of long - 19 minutes - but worth it.

Thanks to Marc for sending me the link. This guy always seems to know just what I need to keep me pushing ahead.

In other news, just putting the final touches on my latest article for CycloCross Magazine. Funny how this writing process works. I mulled over the article for a few days. Then finally I just sat down and wrote it. I never really know where the words on the page are going to take me. It is almost like magic that the words come together and actually make sense.

Kicked off the day in style with a little trainer ride and then some yin yoga. Love that deep stretch. So relaxing. I'm going to a 3 hour core workshop this weekend at MountainGoat, taught by Mark Laham. Hopefully it won't be too painful.

Alright, I'm out of here. I've got some creative pursuits on deck so I best get to them. Watch the video. You'll be glad you did. By the way, Gilbert's book The Last American Man is most excllent and worth a read.

(Top Chef season finale tonight - I vote for Carla. But don't tell me who wins - we don't watch it in "real-time"...)

Tuesday Morning

Okay, it isn't really morning. More like mid to late morning. But it is still before lunch so morning it is. Anyway, having a pretty good morning. I've got a smooth mug of chai tea (with a hint of milk), CBC radio is on, and Murphy the cat is lolling around in the sun. Not bad.

So today is Shrove Tuesday. Funny I presumed that everyone grew up with Shrove Tuesday. Nope. Marc had never heard of it. After some poking around on the WWW, I discovered that Shrove Tuesday is a British tradition. In the U.S., the Tuesday before Lent is known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras. For Shrove Tuesday, the tradition is to have pancakes for supper. I'm not sure if we as kids ever did have pancakes for supper. We did have wonderful crepes on Sunday mornings - super thin served with fresh lemon juice and sugar (I can taste them right now). I thought about making pancakes for supper but have decided against it. Are you doing anything for Shrove Tuesday?

Shrove Tuesday brings us to Lent. Growing up I didn't ever give up anything for Lent. This year I'm going to give up peanut butter. I love peanut butter. I could eat it every day. I mix it in my yogurt, cottage cheese, oatmeal, and eat it right out of the jar. Hence the reason for giving it up.

We had a very relaxing weekend. It basically revolved around riding the trainer and friends. We got out for a fine meal and evening of laughter with our most excellent pals on Saturday night. There is nothing like a burger from The Works (I'm a three ring binder on elk whole wheat bun coleslaw on the side) and a peanut butter chocolate milkshake. It was great to catch up with our pals and just enjoy hanging out.  Sunday was more of the same - riding in the morning and then a great dinner with our pal and his new girl. We went to the Singapore. The Singapore is one of our favorite restaurants. We've been eating there since 1994. I typically order laksa or mee hun. But this time I shook it up and ordered shrimp sambal - it is my new favorite. Soo good. We had a great evening with our friends - lots of stories, a few laughs and ronded out the night at Sbucks with some warm drinks. Perfect way to close off the weekend.

Really didn't do much else. It is so rare for us to have quiet weekends. Road racing and cyclo-cross racing mean that the weekends are very busy - we are rarely home during these two racing seasons. So it is nice at this time of the year to really just hibernate.

I finished reading Republic of Love. A very good read. If you would like to borrow it - let me know. I'd say this is one of Carol Shields' lesser known works. But it is worth a read. I splurged on Sunday and bought two new books: The Shack and Outliers. I almost bought Still Alice as well, but pragmatism won out and I left the store with two books. I'm currently reading The Shack. I'm enjoying it. I've read a few reviews of this book and have heard by word-of-mouth that this is a must read. I'll let you know. Outliers looks really good - it will be next.

Not much else going on. Plugging away with the job hunt. Have had a few good calls and emails but nothing tangible yet. I'm feeling pretty good though. In my opinion it is early days in this process so I can't expect anything big just yet.

Marc and I have been watching Top Chef. I really enjoy this program. I suppose it is because I have an inner-cook. I pretty much always follow recipes so I'm impressed with people who can simply improvise - and I'm talking more than improvising a stir fry or salad. Top Chef is almost over and I'm seriously rooting for Carla. She is awesome. So free with her personality and spirit. I'm impressed with people who are so comfortable in their own skin that they can just be free and express themselves. Seems such people are generally happier and more positive than those who are holding back a bit. We're also watching Amazing Race. It is okay this season. But we're not thrilled with the contestants this year. But as Marc pointed out the sub-par couples are compensated with impressive country visits. So far the contestants have visited Switzerland and Austria. Next up Romania.

Okay, I best go. I've got a couple of projects on the go. No knitting news. I've lost my knitting groove. Funny, I've got the yarn, needles and pattern selected and have even put said items in my trusty knitting bag. Just haven't felt inclined to knit. Suppose it is because part of my brain is consumed with the job hunt and the other part is busy mulling over a new creative project.

Feeling Fine

I'm in a good place right now. Had a super good day. Started it off with an early morning trainer session. Chased this with an assessment at Ottawa High Performance Center - getting a strength and conditioning program designed. Chilled out at home on the WWW. Got in some guilt-free reading time in the early afternoon. (Thoroughly enjoying Republic of Love by Shields.) Hooked up with one of my Ottawa Cross sponsors for a catch-up. Yes, we talked bikes and bike racing, training, gear for 90 minutes.

Now I'm at the Bridgehead in Wellington Village. I've got a mint tea going and lots of ideas swirling in my brain. I'm still amazed that out-and-out panic about my job situation has not set in yet. Perhaps it is early days. Or maybe it is because I've had a few bites already so I'm not in the desperate phase. (I really really hope not to get to the desperate phase...)

Not to mention that it is Friday. Which signals the weekend. So really there are no reasons to not feel fine.

Nothing much going on this weekend. Going out for dinner with our good pals on Saturday night. Soo looking forward to it - we can catch up with them and we're going to do it while munching big burgers at The Works.

Funny the conversations one overhears in a coffee shop. It really makes me aware of my voice and how it can "carry". When people heard me and my sponsor talking about bikes this afternoon did we sound like the woman next to me who is passionately discussing the pros and cons of firewalls? Really makes one wonder...

Suppose I should just stick to one of my new themes for 2009: worry about myself and don't get stressed about what others around me may or may not be doing. Don't take this to mean that I'm taking a selfish approach to life. Rather I'm trying to concern myself with the things/people that are really important. To take a phrase that has been heavily marketed, I'm trying to take a "don't sweat the small stuff" approach to daily life.

Well, enough for one Friday afternoon. I don't really have anything earth shattering to write today. I do apologize for my grammatical errors yesterday. I truly meant to type: I rode my bike and I want to try no-knead bread. Sorry, it can happen to the best of us. Thanks to the eagle eyes of my dad and Marc for pointing out my gaffes.

Hype

I don't want to sound negative here but really what is the big deal? Yes, the President of the United States is visiting Ottawa today. But really - why the excitement. Yes, I agree he is the "hope", "change", "the one-we-need". But still? I don't understand why so many people are downtown right now at this moment on Parliament Hill. From everything I've read and heard over the past week about Obama's visit, there is no chance of seeing the man. So I just don't understand why people have made a pilgrimage to Ottawa and have taken the day off of school/work to see him?

It is amazing really how a non-event becomes an event. In this case, the award for turning a non-event into an event, goes to the media. The hard cold reality is that there really is nothing to "report" about Obama's visit to Ottawa. He is coming to meet with our Prime Minister - but lets face it - nothing really groundbreaking or life-changing is going to happen in the brief visit. So, since there is nothing tangible to fill the newscasts and newspapers with, the reporting turns to hype-creation. Now that Parliament Hill is packed with "fans", the on-the-scene journalists have something to "report".

Sigh, sorry for the rant. I'm excited as the next citizen about the new President. But lets not get our hopes up. This man has a long tough road ahead of him. Unfortunately he has come in at a terrible time. He is going to have to make the tough decisions - the ones that aren't always going make the electorate happy. The reality is that it is not going to be all sunshine and roses.

Okay, in other news... I road my bike today. Yay! One hour on the trainer. At a very low wattage. Felt so good. Legs remembered how to pedal. Time went by quickly. Felt so good to be riding again - even if it was on the trainer. Watched an old episode of ER. Funny to see ads about the bus strike and how the city can help people out - I'm just guessing those ads didn't go very far with Ottawans...

Sort of a busy day today. Still have to get the shoveling done. Then I've got some work on my new "secret" project. It is exciting. Soon enough I can tell you about it. I had two very good phone conversations yesterday. Both are very promising. I should have some news on that front next week.

The apple pie was a resounding success. I didn't realize how easy pie baking really is. I see more pies in Marc's future. In case you're wondering, the recipe I followed was from Clean Eating magazine. No sugar was added. This truly is an apple pie you can feel good about eating. (If you want the recipe - email me or post in the comments.) Up next - hummus. I have a new recipe to use - thanks to a fellow blogger - this one looks much better than the one I tried a few weeks ago. Also can't wait to use my new food processor - thanks H! And on the baking front - thinking bread... No-nead bread. No-nead bread is making the waves of the WWW lately, I think I'm ready for it.

Phew, gotta go. My tea is ready and the driveway is still snowy. Have a good one.

Apple Pie

Happy Valentine's Day Marc!

Warm

I have warm and sunny feelings right now. Recent events of colds, sore throats and job loss aside, I'm feeling pretty darn lucky. Today is just one of those days that I want to have over and over. Nothing really that I can put my finger on that has made this day so special. Suppose it is the culmination of good vibes and solid feelings I've had today.

Kicked off the day with a session of yin yoga. I love yin yoga. It is so different from hot power yoga. Yin yoga is all about the stretch - we hold postures for 2 to 4 minutes. We use props such as bolsters and blocks to support the body and get a deep stretch. It is soothing for the body and the brain. I'm actually able to zone out and simply focus on feeling my body. To top it off, this morning I got to see a lot of my yoga friends. What a feeling to be welcomed by such friendly faces. Made the class even better to be surrounded by some good friends.

Been doing lots of stuff here at home. Usual search of the job boards. Got the apple pie sorted out. Remember the Valentine's Day apple pie? Well, it is now assembled. Peeled and sliced eight apples. Rolled out the dough - phew it worked out okay. I had lots of apple left over - might make applesauce with the leftovers. Just need to bake the pie now - going to put it in so that the house will smell nice and tasty when Marc gets home from work.

Hooking up with a good friend tonight for some coffee/tea and a catch-up. Nice way to round out the day.

Tomorrow, I start riding again. Yay! Really missed my bike. I've enjoyed the break. But now it is time to get pedaling. Besides the trainer time gives me some guilt-free television time. Planned viewing tomorrow includes Californication or possibly some episodes of ER.

Well, I best go. Lots of exciting things happening around here today that I can't really write about. Hopefully next week I'll have some good news for you and me!

I am a true believer that everything happens for a reason. And it looks like things are working out for the better. Happy Wednesday.

Solidly Smooth

What a title... It is challenging to come up with a new title daily. So some days (like today) you get a cheesy title. What a day. A most excellent day.

Busy. Very busy. I like busy. I get a lot done on busy days. Did a bunch of house stuff this morning - organizing, tidying, collecting, etc.

Had a swell lunch with some blogging pals. We had a great catch-up and talked about everything. We could have sat there all afternoon but work called. Funny we talked about stress. It started out with a question about how I'm feeling/handling this period of "not working". Surprisingly, I'm not stressed. I think it is because I'm experiencing some good traction in the market and because I'm super busy filling my days with non-work stuff. We started talking about work stress - how it really differs from company to company and from private sector to the government sector. Interesting how stress is measured. It comes down to perspective and experience.

Did a couple more errands and now here I sit at Sbucks in South Keys. Taking advantage of the free WiFi. Nice to be surrounded by chatter and people.

Well, that really is about it. Working on a couple things that could turn into some work. Hoping to get to the library tonight. Might be pushed to tomorrow though. Started reading Republic of Love by Carol Shields. I read this book many years ago and so far it is a decent re-read.

Not much exciting happening today. Hopefully I'll have some good news to share with you in the next couple of days. Send me some positive vibes tomorrow in the early afternoon.

Back to Life

Funny, I've used the above title before. Wonder when? I'm guessing it was another time when I was feeling sick or injured.

Well, I'm rounding the corner and starting to feel better. Marc told me I look better than I did on Saturday so that is something. I definitely do feel better. Can't believe how much I slept and generally lazed around this weekend. I'm not good at being sick. Or maybe the reality is that I'm not good at listening to my body when it it tells me to slow down and rest.

Now I'm at the phase where I want to feel my body. I want to get it moving. I'm considering a yoga class tonight. I know, I know. I'm only starting to feel better - should I push it with a yoga class? We'll see how I feel tonight. It is a basics class....

Discovered that one of my favorite authors is going to be in town on Thursday. I'm planning on going to listen to him speak. Chris Cleave. I thoroughly enjoyed both of his novels. This is a writer who should not be overlooked. Check out his blog and for details on his visits to Ottawa and Toronto.

Busy last night and this morning sending out my resume and writing samples. There appears to be a lot of interesting work out there. Problem is, there are a lot of talented people just like me out there looking for work as well. I'm keeping all options open and not limiting myself to Ottawa and area. This is the wired age after all. And I'm proof that an excellent job can be done remotely. Have little black computer and will work for you! (Hmm, maybe that should be my new tag line?)

Only downside of being a telecommuter for close to two years is this: wardrobe situation. Yep, bit lacking in the clothes department. Luckily I have identified a couple of interview outfits that will work. When I get that almighty job offer, I'll be doing some economy stimulation of my own - I'll be out buying some new shirts and a pair of pants. Yet another reason to hire me - I'll personally stimulate our economy - isn't this what the Canadian government wants?

A friend of mine is writing a novel. I started reading it last night. I'm liking it. It is inspiring for me. I used to want to write "the great Canadian novel". You know, the novel that would change the world. Well, sometime ago I put that dream/goal on the shelf. But now I'm feeling inspired. I have a couple of ideas in my brain rattling around. I do have some time right now. So perhaps I should doing some creative typing? We shall see.

In knitting news. Well, I've got the yarn organized. I've got a pattern. I finally have a reason to use my wonderful Denise interchangeable needles (thanks Mom). I need something that gives me instant gratification and is fun to knit. So I'm joining the cowl craze. I've got some funky thick wool that will do the trick. Starting today. I'm feeling inspired and since I'm in a "no book" phase, what better time than now to start a new knitting project. Oh, remember that fabulous vest I knit last year? Well, I've worn it only once. I'm considering ripping it out and knitting something else with the yarn. The yarn (Americo) wasn't cheap so I don't want to see it go to waste. Hmm, perhaps I should start the cowl first?

This week is looking good for the apple pie experience. I'm a bit worried about the dough... I might just buy a frozen pie crust in the event of disaster.

Okay, this has been a very cathartic break. Time to get back at it. Thanks for reading. Most of all, thanks for the comments - much appreciated.