Brett's got it too!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Finding Your Word
(excerpt from "Eat Pray Love" byElizabeth Gilbert)
"What's Rome's word?" I asked.
"SEX," he announced.
"But isn't that a stereotype about Rome?"
"No."
"But surely there are some people in Rome thinking about other things than sex?"
Giulio insisted: "No. All of them, all day, all they are thinking about is SEX."
"Even over at the Vatican?"
"That's different. The Vatican isn't part of Rome. They have a different word over there. Their word is POWER."
"You'd think it would be FAITH."
"It's POWER," he repeated. "Trust me. But the word in Rome -it's SEX."
Now if you are to believe Giulio, that little word -SEX -cobbles the streets beneath your feet in Rome, runs through the fountains here, fills the air like traffic noise. Thinking about it, dressing for it, seeking it, considering it, refusing it, making a sport and game out of it -that's all anybody is doing. Which would make a bit of sense as to why, for all its gorgeousness, Rome doesn't quite feel like my hometown. Not at this moment in my life. Because SEX isn't my word right now. It has been at other times of my life, but it isn't right now. Therefore, Rome's word, as it spins through the streets, just bumps up against me and tumbles off, leaving no impact. I'm not participating in the word, so I'm not fully living here. It's a kooky theory, impossible to prove, but I sort of like it.
Giulio asked, "What's the word in New York City?"
I thought about this for a moment, then decided. "It's a verb, of course. I think it's ACHIEVE."
(Which is subtly but significantly different from the word in Los Angeles, I believe, which is also a verb: SUCCEED. Later, I will share this whole theory with my Swedish friend Sofie, and she will offer her opinion that the word on the streets of Stockholm is CONFORM, which depresses both of us.)
I asked Giulio, "What's the word in Naples?" He knows the south of Italy well.
"FIGHT," he decides. "What was the word in your family when you were growing up?"
That one was difficult. I was trying to think of a single word that somehow combines both FRUGAL and IRREVERENT. But Giulio was already on to the next and most obvious question: "What's your word?"
Now that, I definitely could not answer.
And still, after a few weeks of thinking about it, I can't answer it better now. I know some words that it definitely isn't. It's not MARRIAGE, that's evident. It's not FAMILY (though this was the word of the town I'd lived in for a few years with my husband, and since I did not fit with that word, this was a big cause of my suffering.) It's not DEPRESSION anymore, thank heavens. I'm not concerned that I share Stockholm's word of CONFORM. But I don't feel that I'm entirely inhabiting New York City's ACHIEVE anymore, either, though that had indeed been my word all throughout my twenties. My word might be SEEK. (Then again, let's be honest -it might just as easily be HIDE.) Over the last months in Italy, my word has largely been PLEASURE, but that word doesn't match every single part of me, or I wouldn't be so eager to get myself to India. My word might be DEVOTION, though this makes me sound like more of a goody-goody than I am and doesn't take into account how much wine I've been drinking.
I don't know the answer, and I supposed that's what this year of journeying is about. Finding my word.
Posted by mer at 4:39 PM 0 comments
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Stranded
Last night, KT and I met up with Brett & Amber to see Stranded at Hot Docs. It was an intense story of survival that just kept me glued to the screen for 2 hours. Stranded is a documentary about the 1972 plane crash in the Andes of an Uruguayan rugby team... it is the real story that inspired the movie, Alive in 1993. The survivors reunite back at the crash site after 30 years and it is an emotional journey that is just unbelievable.
Posted by mer at 7:42 AM 0 comments
Monday, April 21, 2008
Pseudo-Celebrity Sighting
Today I was standing in line at The Bagel Stop in College Park at lunch a few minutes ago and this girl walked by that I recognized. It was one of those moments I often have where I think, "Crap, I know you from somewhere but can't remember where... the gym maybe? Do we do the same class? Did we go to unversity together?" So I smiled at her and she smiled back confirming my thoughts that we knew each other from somewhere. As she went through the door to the subway, it dawned on me that it was not a girl I know at all... it was Lesley Hawker! So she was just smiling to be polite - how nice. She may not be a celebrity to you, but she is to me and after today I think I may enjoy her skating more now. ;)
Photo Source: Skate Canada
Posted by mer at 12:36 PM 0 comments
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
JT Turns 4!
My nephew, Jacob, celebrates his 4th birthday with a whole wack of his little friends - kids kids everywhere! Four years old already?
Posted by mer at 8:37 PM 0 comments
Gift from Tanzania
My dad's cousin gave me this bracelet and earrings from her most recent trip to Africa through her volunteer work with CSRAI - Canadians in Support of Rural African Initiatives. A great little organization that is 100% volunteer run and enables communities and families in East Africa to address the impacts of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. They do a lot of work with schools and hospitals and unlike Foster Parents Plan and World Vision (who both have overhead costs), all money donated to CSRAI goes towards projects and ends up directly in Africa.
Posted by mer at 5:05 PM 0 comments
Progress?
So Owen's blood tests, ultrasound, and endoscopy were all normal. No foreign objects were seen during his scope... argh! It would have been a much better explanation as to what is going on with him. The bright side is that we have now ruled out some diseases such as IBD and Addison's. They took some biopsies which we now wait for the results and then presuming those are normal, we move forward with a new food - kangaroo meat based. Apparently it is good for dogs with severe stomach allergies. So we keep trying! Owen was EXHAUSTED after his scope because they have to put them under with anesthesia for that.... he slept the whole 2+ hour drive home and proceeded to sleep the night away but was up full of energy at 7:30am this morning!
Posted by mer at 4:45 PM 0 comments
Friday, April 18, 2008
Owen
So we went to the University of Guelph small animal hospital yesterday with Owen and he stayed overnight and today he starts his day of tests. More blood tests, ultrasound, endoscopy... poor boy. We've been through countless tests and x-rays already with our vet back home who ultimately could do no more and referred us to U of G. The Dr. we met with seemed really great there yesterday but we'll see how everything goes today. Owen has been having issues with vomiting and not being able to keep food in his stomach for months and months now. I'm praying things go well today and that they actually find something or at the very minimum can diagnose something... In any case, the Dr. we talked to yesterday appeared very good so hopefully my $1,800 results in something and hopefully Owen trucks through no problem today! I am hoping to pick him up later this afternoon.
Posted by mer at 7:38 AM 0 comments
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Feeling It
Can you feel it? Does it feel warm? Today is day NUMBER TWO that I have not worn a winter jacket. Look at this view from my deck as I left this morning... it is 7:30am in these pictures and not freezing cold... no ice, no frost, nothing but sun - unbelievable.
Posted by mer at 7:50 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
New Frames
I bought 2 new frames and it is so hard to choose pix to go in them. I'm thinking of these 2 pix... one I took on top of the Eiffel Tower and the other of the Louvre. I wanted pix with very angular shapes in them.... we'll see how they develop.
Posted by mer at 12:46 PM 0 comments
Spring Arriving In Toronto
Walking home from the gym last night was the first time I really felt like spring was actually arriving... bright skies, crisp air, and warm weather forecasts for the next few days. Phewf - about time!
Posted by mer at 7:47 AM 0 comments