I am enough.

Right now I am sitting on a chair on my patio outside in a t-shirt, breathing in beautiful fresh air, and catching up on things on my relatively new MacBook. I just finished a cup of coffee and have spent the day up until now doing a variety of enjoyable and productive tasks. I did six (!) loads of laundry including all of our sheets and towels. I made a roasted red pepper and sweet potato soup, which K. and I enjoyed for lunch, and there are still two portions saved for a lunch this week. Roasting the vegetables made the whole apartment smell like fall and it was just so lovely, never mind delicious. To quote one of my favourite people - not that she was the first to say this: "My cup floweth over".

But I'm not writing today to once again share the details of how I'm spending a delightful weekend day (though I've kind of already done that). I'm writing to share a concept that I'm predicting is going to be pretty life-changing for me.

I am enough.

What a concept! I am hard-wired to aim for more. My parents instilled it in me, and this drive is what has given me the success I've already been fortunate enough to experience so far in my life. This is an innate part of me that I can't do anything about, and I'm glad for that. But sometimes it's not a motivating drive, but more of a discouraging one. I'll be sitting and thinking about something and suddenly become overwhelmed by all that I'm not but should be doing. I think, I should stop ever visiting Facebook while at work. I shouldn't watch so much TV but should spend my evenings being productive at home, doing work for the committees I'm on, or doing stuff around the apartment. I'm always doing well, and I recognize that part, but I'm always thinking about what else I can do.

Again, this isn't a bad thing, but as much as I'm hard-wired to aim for more, I think I'm also hard-wired to do more. I don't think it's something I need to dedicate so much thought or worry to. I think I'll continue to go where I want to go and be who I want to be without worrying, so why worry?!

~~
I met with a friend recently: Kasia. Kasia and I have known each other for maybe six years now, but we've never quite clicked. We have had some really fun times together with our mutual friends, but one-to-one there's been something blocking us. When we met recently, there was no blockage. She's a very powerful and wise woman, that Kasia. We sat and suddenly everything was spilling out of me including my need to aim for and achieve more forever and always. That's when she said, why not make this your new mantra:

I am enough. 

It's so simple, and could've easily been disregarded, but in the week and a half or so since I saw Kasia, it has been there like a second pulse. I'll start to get myself in a tizzy about doing more and I'll hear the phrase or even say it out loud. During my daily lunches with my work bestie, I'll find myself talking about all that I should be doing, and then I'll catch myself. No.

I am enough.
~~

I had a few big break-throughs at work in the past few weeks; I finished a big program plan, and made some significant progress in the way I'm approaching my work, and I feel a big part of that is due to my new mantra. Once you accept that you're enough, you realize you really do have everything you need. It's not about losing the drive, it's about accepting that it's already there, and there's no need to worry. I'm excited to see the doors it opens for me.

Week 3

I don't even know what to write about today, but I feel like writing...

I'm on Week 3 at the new job and I'm loving every minute of it.  It's very independent work, so I really have to plan and execute my own agenda on a daily basis.  I love that, but it can be a challenge when you're first starting out in a new position.  However, my strategy is to take that to mean a great deal of trust and respect for how I work and the work I do, and I would never abuse that.  If nobody's looking over your shoulder, you have to make an effort to put your work in front of them now and again just to show you're doing it. That's my approach, for what it's worth.

I'm also on Week 3 of living in Waterloo, though in a new capacity: I have my own apartment now!!!  Yes, my girlfriend K. and I got possession of the new place on Saturday and it's better than we remembered!  As I think I've mentioned, it will remain mostly empty until February 22nd when the full move from Toronto takes place, but it's off to a good start with Internet, a bed, and a coffee maker.  What else do you need?!  It was really nice to be able to wake up and go through my pre-work morning routine today without any obstacles.  I may be missing a few material items here and there... and a couch... and a TV... and a 1/4 cup measuring cup... but I'm managing just fine!

All for now!

Currently reading... The Devil Wears Prada

W5H: Waterloo

Guess what?  I live in Waterloo now.  I have alluded to that a few times already, but I want to give you the skinny, so here goes...

I went to university in Waterloo and lived in the city for 5 years from September 2005 to June 2010.  Then I moved to Port Hope to start a job after graduation, and lived there for two years.  Then I stayed in that job but worked out an amazing deal where I was able to work from home 3 days/week and commute to Port Hope for the other 2.  So I lived in Toronto from July 2012-January 2014.

Then, late last year, an incredible job at my alma mater came up, and so I applied for it.  I had no intention of leaving my last job, but the right opportunity came up, and after 3.5 years of service to the school I was working at before, I felt pretty comfortable moving on to something new.  Lucky for me, I got the job!  So, I spent the 2.5 weeks after the Christmas holidays wrapping up my work at my previous job; writing a transition report for my successor, and coordinating the biggest event that I worked on annually - an alumni shinny (hockey) tournament.  It was probably the craziest and busiest time of my working life to date, but I finished off really strong and the event was a great success!  I finished work at 8:30 pm on Saturday, January 18th and then started my new job 36 hours later... I know, I'm crazy.

So now I'm just wrapping up my first week at my new job in Waterloo!  Right now I'm crashing with my bestie and her fiance - so generous of them! - but starting February 1st I'll have my own place here!  I'm in Toronto on the weekends visiting K. and wrapping things up at our apartment there, which we have until the end of February.  K. will live there for that month, and then on February 22 we'll do the full move of furniture, etc. from that apartment to the new apartment in Waterloo.  I love setting up a new apartment; I'm so excited!!!

Work is off to a great start.  The first week has flown by, which says a lot because sometimes a new job means a few weeks of boredom before you really get into your work.  Not the case here!  They had me set up so I could hit the ground running, which has been amazing.  It'll be a few weeks of quiet research at my desk, but starting in early February I'll be hitting the road and getting the real work done.  I can't wait!

More on life in Waterloo soon, but now you know that I'm here in Waterloo (who/where), that I'm here for a new job (what/why), that I'm here now but will have my place as of Feb 1 and be fully moved in by Feb 22 (when), and how...

Until next time!

Posts to come... Why I like living in Waterloo right now & how I love the "7 Up" documentary series

I'd like to thank the Academy...

I can't believe I haven't updated this blog in over a month.  I hate looking at my favourite blogs and not seeing an update, and I try not to let that happen with S&G, but oh well...

Life is good... but busy!!!, which explains the lack of blogging.  Although I am not a teacher, I do work at a school and so the energy inevitably comes back to campus and my workload the moment the academic year starts again.  I love it though!  During the summer I am so bored, and although it's nice to have a break and have things quiet down a bit, I much prefer overwhelmingly busy to overwhelmingly bored.  Always.

Right now my plate is full of work associated with an event that takes place this Tuesday, so the end is in sight!  Things are in good shape so it's just a matter of working my butt off until Tuesday at around 10:00 pm, spending the rest of the week doing the follow-up on the event, and then... well, starting work on the next event, which takes place on November 6th.  And then when that's over, I'll work on the next event, which takes place on January 18th... and then I have a bit of a break.  Event-planning is hard... and I'm not even an event planner.  Oh well!

In other news, I have not been reading.  I really need to make time to read, but I always want to do something mindless when I'm not working.  I will try to get reading back into my life.

And the award for the most boring blog update goes to...


Currently reading: Nothing.
Posts to come: My thoughts on "Orange is the New Black"... eventually...

Halifornia

I went to Halifax last week.  It was a brief business trip - about 48 hours - and it was a really nice experience.

The trip started last Wednesday morning; I cabbed from my apartment to the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.  I rarely take cabs in the city but since I had luggage - albeit light - and since it was business, I thought I'd treat myself.  It's too expensive though.  I took the airport shuttle and subway back when I returned to Toronto.

I went to the airport much earlier than I needed to, as I had a conference call placed awkwardly in my day - too close to the flight to wait until after the call to head to the airport... too early to be at the airport to take the call there.  That said, I'm of the "early is never a bad thing" school of thought, plus I love the lounge at the island airport, so early I would be.

Porter refers to its service as Flying Refined, and it really is.  I sped through security and arrived in the lounge with time to spare - enough time to get a coffee, some almonds, and set up shop for my call.

The flight itself was lovely, too.  Tell me - why do I instinctively crave tomato juice on planes?

I got into Halifax around 3:00 pm and was at my hotel - the Westin Nova Scotian - in downtown Halifax by 4:00.  For the record, I am not an extremely experienced traveller and I haven't stayed in a lot of hotels, but I've stayed at the Westin Nova Scotian twice now, and it's the best hotel I've ever been to.  I feel special there.  It's fancy yet not too pricey.  During my stay, I had two delicious breakfasts at their restaurant, Elements; room service for a late dinner, which was a total treat; watched cable in bed on the big screen TV; had a bath; had two glorious sleeps... it was heavenly.  I highly recommend staying there if you get the chance.

The view from my hotel room of the Halifax harbour.

Earlier that day I tweeted that I was going to Halifax and asked the Twitterverse whether anyone had any recommendations for restaurants.  Though I'm not pretentious enough to call myself a foodie (nor do I think the label necessarily fits), y'all know I love food and good restaurants, so I wanted something great.  At least two people recommended The Five Fishermen, so I made a reservation online and around 6:45 pm I walked over.

 

My desire was t ohave a quiet, luxurious, and delicious evening out, and that desire was mostly fulfilled.  They had a table for one near the fireplace ready for me; there was no awkward removal of a second place setting.  Much appreciated.  The Five Fishermen nailed service and ambiance; it was quiet, had a great vibe, and no one made me feel like I was there too long (I was there for two hours).  I had a great time there.  I took my time, had a delicious glass of Nova Scotian wine, ate lots, started a new book (The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb), and deliberately kept iPhone use to a minimum.  However, the disappointing part?  The food!  I know!  Unexpected.  At the time I was totally satisfied, but I think I was full on great dining... not great food.  Maybe my mistake was that I didn't order a main.  I didn't want to spend too much, so I opted for wine + access to the mussel and salad bar ($25) + bread and butter + clam chowder.  The mussels got cold really fast and the cowder was very bland.  I finished with dessert, which was really delicious.  I had coffee and sticky toffee pudding (yum!) with their housemade icecream (YUM!!!).  All in all, it was decadent, but if the food had been better than the rest of the experience..... well, I might not have left Halifax.

Regardless, I was in a coma on the way back to the hotel.  After a bath and a dose of cable, I was out like a light.

My colleague and I met for breakfast at 9:00 and enjoyed delicious eggs Benedict (and he informed me that it was St. Benedict's Day... how about that!).  I then retreated to my hotel room for a few hours of peaceful and quiet work.

Business trips are great, for so many reasons.  I don't have to travel much, so they're still a novelty.  I keep busy enough these days that sometimes I forget I've got a trip coming up, but I really enjoy it.  It's paid travel and related expenses, a break from the routine, a chance to see a different city... but for me it's also an opportunity to slow down.  It's a chance to treat myself, a chance to catch up on emails, a chance to read, a chance to go for walks and see new things, a chance to do work that on any other day might seem tedious, but somehow in a hotel room feels therapeutic... the list goes on.....

I don't know if traveller's guilt has anything to do with Catholic guilt, but I have small cases of both.  I'm grateful for traveller's guilt when it's not too extreme though because despite how lovely a day spent in a hotel room might seem, TG kicks in and I know I've got to get out and do something.



Beautiful Halifax buildings that I saw on my walk to the Citadel.

I did a little searching online and learned about the noontime cannon at the Halifax Citadel.  For at least 100 years they've been firing a cannon at noon to set the city clock by?  Sounds pretty cool to me.  At 11:30 I left my room and walked the very inclined route to Citadel Hill.  I got to the Citadel and it was really cool and quiet; nothing was really open, but a nice staffperson told me a great spot to watch the firing from.  See the video below to see what it was like.  Definitely a good excuse to leave the hotel, and a neat touristy thing to do.  I also learned my iPhone is on perfect GMT.

I walked from there to Pizza Corner (another Twitter recommendation).  I'm not sure if that's the actual name of the joint or if it's just called that because it's a pizza place on the corner.  I was told to try the donair... it was delicious.  Next time I'd like to try a big slice of donair pizza.  Yum!

I walked back to the hotel to rest, work, and get ready for the whole point of my trip - an event on Thursday night.  More work, more TV, more relaxing, a shower, and off I went to the event.

I held the event at the Split Crow.  That's where I held the event last year; it's a popular spot among Dalhousie students and it worked well for what I'm trying to do.  It was a good event this year, too, but I don't think I'll hold it at the SC next year.  The staff was okay but not very accommodating, and sometimes even aggressive.  It was well worth the trip though; it was a great event!

I left the pub earlyish and walked back to the hotel.  Wanna know a secret?  I've never gotten room service!  I have one memory of getting it as a kid - I think - but no vivid memories, and I've definitely never ordered it myself.  Or, at least, I hadn't before... I have now!  I got back from the event and after getting into PJs, I ordered myself a pulled pork sandwich with sweet potato fries and a pop!  Absolutely divine!  It came on a tray which I sat right on my bed and enjoyed while watching an episode of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon".  Again, heavenly.

Another delicious sleep, and back to Elements for breakfast.  This time, I had eggs, sausage, and homefries.  Then I booked a cab with the concierge, went to my room to pack up, and off I went to the airport.

All in all, a great trip.

Reader's Digest

I can't believe it's already January 22nd!!!  This month has flown by.  It happens to be pretty much my busiest month of the year at work, so it was a stressful and overwhelming start to the year.  But, with the biggest project in my portfolio behind me, I'm feeling very successful, accomplished, and productive.  That is a great way to begin 2013.

I don't have anything in particular to blog about today, but I was feeling like I'd been neglecting ol' S&G.  So - how about a bit of a general update?  Perhaps even a list of things I want to blog about when I have more time / I'm in the zone.


My cat: I got a cat.  His name is Spoon.  I've never had a pet before in my life, save for a hamster and maybe some fish... and an infamous turtle (ask me about that story as I'm unlikely to blog about it).  Spoon and I already have a beautiful, budding friendship, and I have no doubt I'll want to dedicate one - if not many - entry to him in the near future.

Hobbies: I wouldn't call myself a workaholic.  I love my job, but I make time for lots of other things, too, and it's not that often that I find myself "burning the midnight oil".  However, when someone asks me, "What do you do?", I'm determined not to reply with my job title.  Therefore, I am cultivating a number of hobbies that bring balance and fun to my life, and which I can state to people proudly.  I'd love to write about a few of them soon.

My iPad: I got an iPad and I really enjoy it.  I may or may not blog about it.


That'll be all for now.


Currently reading... Grace: A Memoir by Grace Coddington, Quiet by Susan Cain
Posts to come... An overview of all contestants to date on "RuPaul's Drag Race" ... and maybe sometime on my cat and my hobbies.

Life in TO

Guess what?!?  For the past 10 days I have been, and moving forward I will continue to be, an official resident of the city of Toronto.  I haven't truly lived here since 2005... it's pretty wild how time flies.  5 years in Waterloo, 2 in Port Hope, and now I'm back... and I couldn't be happier!

Was it hard to leave Port Hope?  Not really.  My two years in PH were formative and important and happy and satisfying, but the time was right to make the move, and I was just flat-out excited when moving day (June 30th) finally came.  But it's important to note that I really did love my apartment in PH and it was somewhat sad to say goodbye to that great place, but onwards and upwards!!!

At least, it will be upwards soon... temporarily I'm living at my parents' place, and likely will be until September.  It's a pretty sweet gig for the meantime, and I'm grateful that I have a place to stay.


So how have I enjoyed my time back in the city???  FULLY.  The weekend I moved home just happened to be: Toronto Pride + the Canada Day long weekend + my sister's 30th birthday.  Does it get any better???  On June 30th, once all the moving craziness was done, I spent the evening celebrating 3 decades of my sister's life at the historic Lambton House (built in 1847) in the west end of Toronto.  She rented out a room at this great venue for a private party with a bar and her own DJ.  It was awesome - great music, great friends, quirky drinks (including "The '82" and "The Extra Dirty 30"), a dress code theme ("indie darling"... I was inspired by Hannah from "Girls"), and generally a lot of fun!


On Sunday, July 1, I woke up, showered, wore my finest combo of Pride and Canada Day-appropriate clothing, and headed down to the Church-Wellesley village to celebrate the gorgeous weather and the special day.  3 friends and I started the day off at Lola's Kitchen, which I believe I've mentioned before.  We were lucky enough to get a table on their patio and we took our sweet time enjoying many summery drinks (mimosas, Caesars, sangria, and watermelon spiked lemonade), their delicious food (I had the day's special: grilled cheese Benedict - delightful!), and the perfect combination of summer sun and heavenly breeze.  

Once we finished, we headed down Church St. from about Charles all the way to Carlton, checking out the vendors, people-watching, and generally taking it all in.  We crossed Carlton, down the subway stairs, and up to the corner of College & Yonge, and found a good spot to watch the parade out front of Hoops Bar, just north of College on the west side of Yonge.  It was a great spot to watch from, and despite feeling complacent about Pride every year when it comes around, once again I was overwhelmed by my own pride while watching the parade - pride for my city, my community, myself, and the amazing people I saw marching for various causes, all in the name of acceptance and gay pride.  Yes, I may be proud all year long, but what's the harm in marking a day to celebrate it in particular?  Nothing.  In fact, it's wonderful!!!


After about an hour or so of parade-watching, my girlfriend and I headed back up to her house for a Canada Day BBQ.  We ate snacks, drank beers, watched the Jays' game, sampled some delicious summery cocktails her sister put together (all tea-based... very cool), and then dug into the feast -- home-made burgers, corn on the cob, salads... TO DIE FOR.  Kudos to Steph for all her labour.  It was very well-received.


THEN we had the holiday Monday, on which we celebrated my sister's birthday again: the family edition.  We had a great little lunch in the backyard and then went to Canada Square movie theatre to watch "Take This Waltz", Canadian director Sarah Polley's second feature film, starring Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby, and Sarah Silverman.  I don't want to go into too detailed a review of this film.  My feelings about it are complicated which makes me feel like Sarah Polley did exactly what she intended, which I respect and appreciate.  I loved how unashamedly she highlighted Toronto - it was such a thrill seeing the city displayed without trying to pretend it's somewhere else, presumably in the states.  The acting was really incredible, and there were some extremely powerful moments.  Overall I liked it and I'm glad I saw it.


The rest of the week was pretty uneventful.  I'm working part-time from a home office in Toronto which has been a great new routine to adjust to and I'm finding it to be a very productive situation.  I saw some apartments and actually applied for one yesterday (stay tuned!).  Then on Friday night I went to Mississauga for the evening with some of my very besties and had a very chill time, eating Thai food and watching "The Comeback".  

Saturday morning I woke up relatively early, my sister picked me up from my friend's in Mississauga, and we drove down the 401 + the 402 to Sarnia, ON, my mom's hometown, and where some of my aunts, uncles, and cousins live.  We spent 24 hours at my uncle's place, which used to be my grandparents' house, so I've been there many times before.  He's done some incredible work on the interior and it's so amazing to spend time there, filled with memories of the time spent there as a kid, but then to be surrounded by a beautiful variation on the place I've known so well.  We arrived around 3:30, spent some time relaxing and catching up with my aunt and uncle, and then my aunt tucked me into the hammock where I read Mockingjay and took a snooze.  [Aside: I'm finally getting back into Mockingjay.  I'm determined to finish it this month and move onto something totally new.]  After a snooze and a shower, I joined more family and friends for a perfect summer dinner: BBQ'd ribs.  It was a delicious meal with fabulous company and I went to bed fully satisfied and fell fast asleep with the sound of the waves in my ears.


Sunday morning we woke up early and after some breakfast down by the lake, we took 3 dogs (my sister's, uncle's, and aunt's) for a long walk down the shore.  The combo of sun and breeze was delicious and we took our sweet time walking.  When we got back to the house, I went for a swim.  The lake was more wavy than you would imagine, and I felt like a kid again - turns out 15 years later it's just as fun to jump into the waves as it was before.  After that we had sandwiches by the beach, a little more reading and sunbathing, and then we packed up the car and headed back to TO.


So - needless to say, life in TO is off to a wonderful start!  I can't wait for whatever comes next...

Viva México!!!

As I mentioned in my last post, I was just in Mexico City for my first international business trip.  I spent just barely 48 hours there, which I guess is the first thing of note.  What?!  Who spends 48 hours in Mexico City?!  I know.  I guess that's the thing about travelling on business: you go for the business and when it "runs dry", so to speak, you go home.  No dilly-dallying; just business. 

[SIDE NOTE: I don't think I've ever actually written the word "dilly-dallying".  Now I've written it twice.] 

That being said, it was a wonderful and successful trip, both professionally and personally.

We flew from Toronto to Mexico City direct on Air Canada.  The flight was nice n' easy: I finished What the Dog Saw, read some Toronto Life, did a little work, and watched some on-demand TV: "Portlandia".

[SIDE NOTE #2: I had seen a clip from this show, and had heard great things from my girl Sains, but had never seen it.  I've now seen all the episodes Air Canada has to offer (which I now realize is the entirety of season 1) and I can now say that this show is AMAZING!!!  Seriously.  Brilliant and extremely clever television.  Love it!]

Anyway, t'was a great flight! 

We arrived to a very clean and organized Mexico City airport.  Customs was quick n' easy, and guess what?!  We saw the one and only Margaret Atwood in line at customs.  Seriously.  She was looking very snazzy in a pink jacket. 

We then hopped into a cab to go to our hotel to check in, freshen up, and have our first meeting of the trip.  We stayed at the Hotel Galería Plaza in the Juárez district in Mexico City.  We stayed in the executive suites, and my experience at the hotel was really fantastic from beginning to end.  The staff were attentive, professional, hospitable, and all spoke fantastic English.  My room was great albeit a slightly firm bed (not my taste); clean, well-kept, and comfortable.  Since we stayed in the executive suites we had use of the executive lounge for a complimentary breakfast as well as wine and canapes in the evening.  I never had the wine and canapes but the continental breakfast was pretty good.  I say "pretty good" because continental breakfasts never fully satisfy me.  That being said, the woman who oversaw the breakfast made me a delicious coffee, so I was just fine.  The executive lounge itself was nice, too; there was the breakfast area and then a more loungey area where you could use the computer.  I was able to print some documents I really needed there, too, which was great.  The hotel also had a rooftop pool with a great view of the city, and an exercise room close by.  On my third and final morning I went for a quick dip early in the day and enjoyed the view.  That was a nice little touch.  In fact, there were lots of nice little touches -- fresh fruit and a card waiting in my room when I arrived, chocolates waiting on the bed and the sheets turned in the evening... that stuff definitely enhances my experience.  Finally, on our second night there we held a reception in one of the event rooms at the hotel.  Once again, fantastic service, great spot for a reception, good food, good wine, and a good experience.  Thank you, Galería Plaza!!!  

So, that's the hotel.  What else?!  Meeting #1 went very well, and when it was over my colleague asked the person we were meeting with where we should eat for dinner.  He suggested a restaurant called Anderson's.  We thought, that doesn't sound very Mexican, but as it turns out it's been around since the 1960s and has really authentic and delicious Mexican food, so we went for it!  [SIDE NOTE #3: Grupo Anderson also owns the very popular Senor Frog's restaurants and bars, that are located all over Mexico and elsewhere.]  Once again, the service was top-notch, and the food was delicious.  I can't remember exactly what I had, but there was lots of yummy spiciness, a little guacamole on the side, and the margaritas were delicious... and very strong.  I highly recommend. 

After our wonderful dinner, we headed out in search of drinks on a rooftop outside somewhere.  We tried the Four Seasons first but they didn't have what we were looking for, so someone recommended we go to the St. Regis hotel.  It was there that we found a beautiful 3rd floor patio where we could enjoy all the margaritas we wanted.  It was a slightly chilly night, but we stayed there until we were too tired to talk, and then headed back to the Galería Plaza. 

The next morning was a lazy one.  I enjoyed my breakfast with a side of Toronto Life, and then around 11:30am joined my colleagues for a walk along the Reforma (main street) for some sun and souvenir shopping.  We wandered around, stopped at a place called La Pescaderia (that's the only link I could find) for some fish tacos and a cervesa, and then searched for some authentic-looking sombreros for my colleague to bring back.  We found them, and I bought a few magnets for friends. 

Back to the hotel we went to freshen up again before meeting #2.  We held this meeting at a wonderful restaurant in the Polanco district (think Mexico City’s Yorkville) called Casa Anis.  It was on the second floor above another restaurant and was half outside, which made for a great (and breezy!) atmosphere.  I enjoyed a red snapper and it was absolutely delicious.  We also had an amazing Mexican wine there, which I was told was a mix of a chardonnay and something else... it was amazing! 

Then, once again, back to the hotel where we held our big reception, which as I said, was great!  It was about double the turn-out I'd expected, which was great news for me!  There was a wonderful vibe in the air, and it made it feel even more successful than the trip had already been. 

I was exhausted after the reception, went straight to sleep, woke up for a dip in the pool, tidied up, checked out, and headed to the airport.  There we had 2 last cervesas, and then were on our way!  YYZ followed by ZZZ. 

And that was Mexico City!!!

Then, of course, is the obligatory... 

10 things I learned while in Mexico City:

1. I've never been to the Southern United States, so I haven't experienced the famous "southern hospitality", but I have to say that Mexico has hospitality of its own.  Everyone we crossed paths with was helpful, kind, polite, and friendly; not an ounce of snarkiness.  Most people spoke fantastic English, and always made us feel comfortable and at home.  A delight!
2. The rumours I heard about Mexico City traffic were not a myth.  Something that could take 5 minutes to drive in Toronto (and 1.5 minutes in Port Hope) could take 20+ minutes in Mexico City.  Allow for lots of time to get from one place to another, and buckle up because the ride is often not smooth.
3. Being a wordsmith is fun.  My colleague and I played an unspoken game of figuring out what words meant by thinking critically (apparently I'm not the only geek in this way).  He figured out that "extranjero" meant "foreigner" because it looked like "stranger".  I figured out that the restaurant "La Pescaderia" was a fish restaurant, because people who eat no meat but fish are called "pescatarians".  POW!!!
4. Breakfast in Mexico might be at approximately the same time as we have it in North America, but lunch and dinner are a totally different story.  Lunch is usually eaten from/between 2:00-5:00pm, and dinner between 8:00-11:00pm.  We learned that this may have originally been inspired by the siesta style of living, where during the hottest part of the day workers would head inside for their biggest meal of the day, lunch, and then a rest because it was too hot to work.  Our friend told us that siestas don't happen now in quite the same way because most people work indoors, but the tradition continues.  Aside from the siesta, the other reason for meals being the way they are is the altitude of Mexico City (more on that in #4).  To eat your biggest meal of the day in the evening would be too much to digest overnight, so instead you have something light, later in the evening.  I'm sure that's not the most comprehensive explanation, but you get the idea...
5. The gentleman we met with on day 1, after mentioning the altitude in relation to meals, mentioned that we'd definitely feel the altitude change, and in particular on day 2.  I took this with a grain of salt, thinking: "how significant can the change be?"  Then on day 2 I felt nauseous all day - upset stomach and intense headache.  I figured it was because of the few too many margaritas I'd had the night before at the St. Regis, but it persisted in a way very different from a hangover.  My colleague reminded me of the altitude change and I thought, that's it!  Then again, I might be finding a scapegoat for my hangover...
6. This, as I said, was my first international business trip, and so therefore I learned a few non-specifically-Mexican-but-business-trip-related things.  One being this -- even as a woman, you don't have to pack heavily.  I made due on one shirt, a pashmina, a cardigan, a skirt with a matching blazer, a pair of casual shoes, a pair of heels, and a dress.  That being said, I would've done even better with the skirt and blazer, the dress (not mandatory, but necessary considering the reception we held), the cardigan, and three shirts.  I didn't mean to pack only one.  I improvised with the inclusion of the pashmina, but a shirt or two more would've done me good.  Anyway, what I'm saying is -- it's worth it to pack light so that you don't have to check a bag.
7. Margaritas are no joke in Mexico.  They're strong, tasty, and not to be taken lightly.
8. Green salsa is the hottest.  I have been slowly upping my tolerance for spice over the past 5 years or so since I met Waleed, so I can take quite a kick at this point in time, but I should refrain from telling less spice-tolerant colleagues that it's "not that spicy", because they'll hate me the next morning (TMI).
9. As ridiculous as this might sound, I'm going out for Mexican food in Toronto tonight at a great joint on Eglinton West called Frida.  I've been there once before, and this may sound like sacrilege, but after having visited Mexico, I still maintain that Frida serves the best guacamole I've ever had.  And I'll put this out there - I've had a lot of guacamole in my day, so I consider myself a bit of a pro.  Frida -- way to go!!!
10. Home is where the heart is.

What Sugar and Gravy Saw...

Greetings from Mexico City!  I'm here on business for barely 48 hours, but I'm loving what I've seen, including the inside of my beautiful hotel room.

I just finished reading my first book of 2012.  Not my speediest start, it's true, but it was a whopping 400 pages of some dense yet delightful Malcolm Gladwell: What The Dog Saw.  That's his fourth book and now I've read them all, and I loved every single one of them. 

What I love about Malcolm Gladwell is that he sparks two totally different notions in me: (1) That people are truly human.  That may sound stupid, but what I mean is that we're not just a skeleton and flesh.  We're individuals, we have personalities, we have strengths and weaknesses, quirks and edges... We're all different and in our own ways, wonderful. 

(2) That there is a science to us.  We are all those things I just mentioned, and there is a scientific reason why.  Whether physical or social science, there's a method to our madness so to speak.  When we make "snap judgments", as Gladwell discusses in Blink (and a story or two in WTDS, for that matter), there are in fact neurons firing, or whatever the case may be.  We may sift through our brain by using words that turn into thoughts that turn into ideas, but something is actually happening in our heads; something totally unbeknownst to us. 

If you've never read Gladwell, DO!  His books are so..... COOL!!! 


Next on the reading list -- When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris, as well as the February and March Issues of Toronto Life 

Posts to come -- my thoughts on the series "Sex and the City" in its entirety, my experience in Mexico City, and what manicures and high heels make me feel.

Soul Nourishment

I'm at work right now, but had to take a blog break because of what's nourishing my soul at this moment.

My friend R. burned me a mix CD for Christmas (a long-time tradition) with this track on it and I've been playing it non-stop in the car.  Seriously.  Like, it ends, and then I start it again. So I finally brought the CD into my office to upload it to iTunes so I can listen to it all-day any day.  Watching these gentlemen live(ish) in the video above is even better.  Oh, to have a talent like that (as my boss said after I emailed her the vid).  She's so right! 

This isn't like listening to your average song though. No. For me at least, there's something about the music that just fills me up. Throw in some hot coffee and a quiet day in the office and it's straight-up soul nourishment. 

Other things have been nourishing my soul lately... Baths. Reading before bed (What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell). Cocoa butter. Eating meals at the kitchen table (instead of in front of the TV). Hearing the words "I love you".

Legit Jams

With a week-long vacay coming up starting this Friday, I have a serious case of the Mondays. As a result, I need some legit jams to keep me going today.

NYC Adventure #2

I'm exhausted. I wouldn't have even known I was exhausted except for the fact that I stopped working for a second to stare out the window and have a sip of coffee and I just totally zoned out. Does that ever happen to you? The worst part is when you're trying to zone back in and your eyes get all fuzzy and out of focus..... now that I'm saying this out loud, I really hope I'm not the only one who this happens to..... I don't want to find out that these things are symptoms of something.....

Moving on.....
Actually I'm not really sure what the point of this post was, so I'm not sure yet what I'm moving on to.....

Oooohhh guess what?! I'm going to NYC in less than 2 weeks - May 13th to be exact!! I can't wait. It's been a little over a year since I was last there, but this time will be different:

1. I'm flying Porter vs. taking a Megabus. Why? Well because I'm only there for the weekend so I don't have the time to take a 10-hour bus. And, because I have an income now and can afford to take a plane!
2. I'll be staying in Brooklyn vs. White Plains, NY. My friend B. who I'm staying with lives in Brooklyn now as he graduated from SUNY Purchase.
3. In addition to my travel buddy & BFF R., I'm also bringing my girlfriend along. She's no stranger to NYC, but it's our first time travelling together, so that's fun!
4. We're going in May this year vs. February. I hope the weather is nice and then we don't get caught in a blizzard on the Brooklyn Bridge again..... I'm sure we won't.
   

Oh... and did I mention that I'm going to the Met to see an opera? Did I mention I have amazing seats? Did I mention my bestie B. is dancing in it? I don't think I did... I'm super psyched about it.

Last year during my visit (Feb/2010) I made a list of 10 things I was learning while in NYC. I wonder what new things I might learn during my visit this year. I'll be sure to list them.

I'm hoping to take in some more sites this time. Last time we did a lot of walking, which I hope to do again, too, but I have no problem going to some tourist sites with fees attached this time around. Maybe a museum? I'm also really looking forward to eating a few really delish meals, maybe going out to dance, and just generally enjoying what the city has to offer.

What do you recommend I do in NYC???

Getting things done week

This is a getting things done week. Now that I've entered the working world, every week is a getting things done week, really, but this is a work-related and personal getting things done week. For example, right now I'm updating my iPhone w/ new tunes via the Hype Machine and updating my blog, which I've been meaning to do for ages... with a substantial post.

So what have I been getting done? Well... work has been incredibly busy, which is overwhelming, but also great! What I love about my job is that there's so much variety - I never expected as a fundraiser to double as a production assistant with a film crew!! That'll be fun. Work is so busy that I brought work home with me today. It's not a necessary part of my job, and it's not unusual to be replying to/sending emails after the work day is over, but today was different - I brought home a stack of work to get through and just finished getting through it. What was great was that it wasn't overwhelming, but really satisfying! I was able to organize myself outside of the work day, so that when I start my day in the office tomorrow, I won't have to waste time figuring out what I need to do, but I'll be able to do it! I also won't have to start the day sending emails - but instead will hopefully have the replies by the time I start working. Definite efficiency... I can see why my Dad has done it for all these years. Anyway - I enjoyed the experience of taking my work home. (Speaking of being efficient with emails [or not!] - check out this post on my other blog Life After WLU).

What else have I been up to?

Well here's a big advancement: remember the driving challenge? Well I took 5 lessons with my instructor, and have gone out to practice with my Dad about 3-4 times, and I'm feeling pretty confident with my driving. I need a little more practice, but I think I'm ready.

Remember my goals?

1. Get my G1 by December 31, 2010.
2. a) Register for driving lessons by February 28, 2011.
   b) Book my road test by May 31, 2011.
   c) Get my G2 by August 31, 2011.
3. Get a car by December 31, 2011.

Notice that a 3rd goal has been (added and then) struck out - 2b) book my road test! Yes that's right! I have booked the road test to get my G2. It is set for June 1, 2011. Just over a month away and I could will be a driver. I was a little hesitant to announce this, especially the exact date, but I find that "being accountable to others" makes a goal more likely to be achieved. So hold me to it, dear readers, and I won't fail!!! As always, I'll keep you posted.

Sidenote: my computer just randomly turned off. I'm hoping it doesn't do that again, but if it does - God bless Blogger for auto-saving my post. Saved me ultimate heartache.

Moving on...

I'm also continuing on in the reading challenge. Unfortunately it's slow and steady (emphasis on slow), but it's still in progress. I'm reading HP7 and totally loving it!!! Can't wait to finish it before the 2nd installment of the movie. Next on my reading list is finishing my friend Matthew Trafford's book The Divinity Gene. It's amazing, and the perfect book to take pause with as it's a collection of short stories. I'm about half-way through, so after HP7 I'm all over it!

Anyway, I think that's it for now. I'm paranoid that my comp will shut down again, so I bid you adieu!

Millennials & the Workplace

I had a conversation last night that sort of solidified a lot of things I’ve been thinking about over the past 8+ months and so I decided it was finally time to write about it.

The conversation I had was with my sister who works in Human Resources and a gentleman we met who is a CA and who has his own company. We were talking about generational differences among employees at a company/organization and what sort of problems come about as a result, but more importantly what positive changes occur as a result.

This man was in his 50s, and he’s been working for many years in a field in which 60+ hour work weeks are more than encouraged, they’re the norm. More than that, you’ll be more successful if you’re in the office for 12+ hours a day (and that doesn’t include the time you spend working via Blackberry or home office). This is the way you succeed… by stretching yourself as thin as possible and sleeping as little as you need to survive.

This man has a pretty small company from what it sounds like (in terms of number of employees), and one of his newer staff members is a 27 year old woman. What I loved about this man (we’ll call him Tony) is that he spoke so highly of his 27 year old staff member, and what he said was that he’s learning as much (if not more) from her as she could be learning from him. He said she’s aggressive and smart and stubborn, all in positive ways, and that she’s a great worker. Does she work 60+ hour weeks though? No. She works 9-5 every day… no more than that. What did he say about her productivity? She gets twice as much done as other employees of the company who work 1.5 times longer than her. She is likely the most efficient member of the company, and yet she doesn’t practice the time-honoured tradition of “burning the midnight oil”.

My sister, who as I said works in HR, lent credence to what Tony has observed, as this is what she works with a lot in her organization. In her workplace (and many others), there is a mixture of generations working in the same place. People as young as 22-24 (like me!) might be working in the same place as people in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and even 60s. Their experience and lifestyles vary, and so do their expectations of their workplaces. As an HR person, it’s my sister’s responsibility to figure out how to make employees’ experience with the organization work with whatever expectations/needs they might have. You can’t just make it the requirement across the board that employees put in extra hours because that’s what it takes to succeed, because for the "millennials"/"echo boomers"/"generation Y", even 40 hours seems like too much… at least in terms of what your superiors expect you to do in 1 week. You can probably get it done in 20 hours.

And that brings me to another point. We get a bad rep (us millennials) for being tech-obsessed, having short attention spans, not being able to use language as well, etc., etc. However true some of these things may be, there are also extremely positive aspects of us as a result of the time we’ve grown up in. I think we know better, faster ways to do a lot of things. I think we realize how many resources we have access to when we have an Internet connection. I think we can do a lot “on the go”. The examples are endless… As with the 27 year-old CA, I too feel sometimes that I’m twiddling my thumbs at work because a project took me about half the time my superiors assumed it would. I’m not alone. That said, it doesn’t mean that 20-hour work weeks should become the norm, because now we have so much time to get so much more done. Efficiency, that’s what it is.

Another difference in the work place of the millennials is that individuals graduate from post-secondary education with a different concept of what their career will look like. I think my Mom and Dad’s generation looked to the future and envisioned themselves in a 40-year career, with no more than 2 positions. Longevity was looked upon as the ideal. Land yourself with a great position at a great company and stick with it for as long as you can. Now I don’t know about you, but that’s not how I see my career, and that’s not what I want my career to be like. Maybe it has something to do with attention spans, I don’t know, but I look forward to a career of moving around quite a bit… I want to stay at every job for at least 2 years, but then I want to move on to something else, and then something else, and then maybe when I get to the top of the ladder I’m looking to climb, then I’ll settle myself into something longer-term. But before I’m the boss? I’m moving around as much as I can. That’s the career I want for myself.

The last point I wanted to discuss was Internet use at work. Toronto Life did a good issue with some articles discussing Internet monitoring at companies and banning certain sites, etc., etc. They discussed some of the top companies in the world and how many of those companies actually encourage you to spend up to 20% of your work day doing personal stuff. There was lots of discussion about the benefits of this “personal time” and how it leads to much happier and more efficient use of the other 80% of your day. There was also examples like, “Taking 10 minutes to do online banking is better than taking 30 minutes to actually go to the bank during your workday”. It’s true – it’s all about efficiency. How can I most efficiently use my time? Also, how positive is my attitude towards my work? If it’s more positive when I can take a few minutes here and there to do something for me, then isn’t that better in the long run? I believe wholeheartedly that it is.

So there you go… some food for thought about different generations and the workplace. I love living in this time period… wouldn’t trade it for anything!

e-Gravy

I'm home from work today as I am sick... bummer...

That said, it's always kinda nice to have a day at home to tidy the apartment and putter around and read and marathon season 2 of "Entourage"... ya know...

Anyway, a good friend of mine just posted an interesting interview of Margaret Atwood from the Globe. The interview is on the topic of e-books/e-reading, and it's a great, quick read. Atwood doesn't necessarily disagree with the use of them, but she has some really interesting points to make about them.

It made me think about something, but first let me quote the interviewer, Rosalind Porter:

Yet publishers and booksellers are allowing themselves to imagine a nightmarish world in which they are irrelevant – where technology companies which distribute e-books, such as Amazon, Sony, Google and Apple, also take over the choosing and the selling of books. Gail Rebuck, the chief executive of Random House in the U.K., recently described her “idea of hell” as a website ‘with 80,000 self-published works on it’ – a world where publishers and bookshops are replaced by a sort of online, super slush pile. Despite these fears, many smaller, independent publishers have had a few very profitable years, perhaps as a result of concentrating their focus on the books themselves and allowing the hyperbole of the yet-to-come iPod moment for books to simply see itself out.

This is a really interesting idea: publishing companies being taken over by the technology companies that distribute e-books. As I said, it made me think of something, which Atwood sort of alludes to... the music industry. Justin Bieber (tired example) and many others are now being discovered on the Internet. Even if you just have a crappy webcam you can record a song and post it on a platform that makes it possible to reach an audience of millions. Another thought: I can't think of the last time I bought a CD! On top of that, the process of recording, even in a studio, is increasingly (although I'm sure not exclusively) digital. Basically I'm saying, anyone with a computer can record a song.

But what about a book? Can just anyone write a book? Perhaps not yet... it's still a process that requires a lot of jumping through hoops and other obstacles, but maybe it's heading in that direction. My blog, for example. I know at least a few people read it, so I've got my work published out there... on a website, sure, but my writing is being read. It wasn't that long ago that an opportunity like this was unheard of. My blog's not making me famous or anything, but my writing is being read... it's that simple, but sort of amazing at the same time.

So if it's this easy for me to get my writing read, then could I just get a whole book online, too?

The thing is, publishers, record companies, etc. are out there to get stuff published or produced, but also to decide what could sell. What sells is (ideally, but definitely not always) what's good. I go on the Hype Machine a lot for music; a lot of it's good, but a lot of it is decidedly not good. What if all books were aggregated on a site like that? Wouldn't I have to hunt through a lot of amateur crap for a good read, whereas going to Indigo and looking at the top sellers can partially guarantee that I'm going to like what I buy... see what I mean? That said, I know that a lot of what sells isn't good, or at least not to a lot of people's tastes, so my points can be argued, but, it's definitely interesting to think about.

Natalie... you are a bad-ass bitch II

I'm having Monday morning panic as I was away from work at the end of last week and I have a big and busy week this week. Between emails and the increasingly long list of to do items that I'm compiling...... I'm kinda freaking out. I don't see blogging at this moment as a procrastination tool; I see it as stress and anxiety management. Truly. I can have an extremely productive day today, but I need to start by removing myself from the situation, and then re-entering it with a fresh perspective.

SO... what should I blog about?

BLACK SWAN

I saw "Black Swan" this weekend. I had always meant to see it, but time kept passing me by and all my friends had already seen it. So Saturday I had nothing to do and I thought, "Screw it, I'll go alone."

WHOA. Black Swan... Black Swan... It was so intense. Typical of Aronofsky, the movie drew you in to a point where you were looking at your fingernails and finding yourself holding your breath. My chest was tight with empathetic anxiety. I thought the story was unique and different. It drew you into a specific world (the dance world), but the real focus was on Nina. People like Nina are everywhere, so the fact that Swan Lake was being performed and it was set on a stage with a company, etc. was sort of an aesthetic thing more than anything else. It was about perfection and anxiety and nightmares and... I was blown away.

It wasn't the type of movie that you see and immediately want to see again. Not for me, at least. It's too intense and too much of a full body&mind experience that it's difficult to watch. That said, I thought it was incredible. I thought Natalie Portman was incredible. She won the Golden Globe for best actress in a motion picture last night, and I believe she really deserved it. She was intense and weak and vulnerable... I wonder how she'll fare at the Oscars.

Alright - time to get to work. I need to do away with my own anxiety now and get going!

Net Work

The Internet is the most incredible resource for work. This is obviously not some kind of new, genius idea I have; it's been said over and over again, but now that I'm working full-time, I'm amazed at how much it rings true.

The main thing I marvel at is networking among people in your field. I belong to a list-serv where people email each other questions and then people freely and happily share answers. I think I've helped some people out a few times with questions, and people have definitely helped me out. I basically developed a project out of answers I got from others to my questions. It's amazing... and I mean, people have always been doing it, but the Internet makes it so fast and easy and... international.

Oh the things we're able to do.....

@MalcGladwell

In Outliers, the book I'm reading by Malcolm Gladwell, he names the elements that make work meaningful:

1. Autonomy
2. Complexity
3. The connection between effort and reward

Very straightforward and concise, and extremely true.

S&G is Back / U.A.E. Travels

SO... I'm home! Back to reality, back to my apartment, back to work, and back to getting excited for what looks like an INCREDIBLE 5th year at uni.

Before I get to all that (if I get to all that), here are 10 things I learned during my stint in the U.A.E. (which occurred after my two weeks in Turkey):

(1) It was such a fun experience seeing where one of my besties is from. I love you, Wally.

(2) Us Canadians/North Americans may have breakfast ALL wrong.

(3) You KNOW you are a fierce diva when you park your Hummer wherever you want - parking spots are for punks.

(4) Dubai is insane.

(5) Mitsubishi Lancers are matchboxes on wheels - don't rent them. They go from 0-60 in 1 hour.

(6) If you're of the fair-skinned persuasion, lather up with the sunscreen before going to Wild Wadi (even if it's overcast).

(7) Ride the Jumeirah Sceirah at Wild Wadi - you'll go down that slide faster than a Mitsubishi Lancer.

(8) Try a chocolate covered date. I've been thinking about the one I ate for about a week now.

(9) There is absolutely nothing wrong with staying in all day - even on vacation. Especially when it means watching "Titanic" with your sister.

(10) Home is where the heart is.