It was my birthday last Saturday (August 23) and I was at camp for it, so my amazing roomies had a surprise party for me this week so that I could celebrate with friends. The surprise was awesome (and so was the intimate dinner beforehand). During the evening, my kindred spirit (we met at camp when we were 8, while sitting on the same tree branch, no less) brought me a simple little postcard that she found at Fresh (as in the restaurant. I'm always a little jealous of people who can eat at Fresh because the food looks so good, but my severe nut allergy keeps me from tasting it. I ate there once and had a reaction, then went to see Lis Mis and the first 30 minutes were sort of ruined for me). Anyway, the postcard was advertising a blog called Toronto Craft Alert. This little postcard has changed my life. Toronto Craft Alert was exactly what I needed to get myself into the Toronto crafting world. I've already applied for another craft show (it's in December and it's called City of Craft). I'm so freakin excited about this blog discovery! There are blogs about upcoming shows, sales at different stores, information about starting your own business, examples of new work, contests, classes... it's all there and it's all amazing. I am in love.
Check it out:
http://torontocraftalert.blogspot.com
So, I know it's been forever since I last blogged, but that doesn't mean that I haven't been busy creating! I loaded up a ton of new t-shirts last week; check them out it the photos section of my blog.
In more new and exciting news, I just applied to my first show! That's right, Palais Designs may be gracing a table at the Freshest Goods Market that is being held at Nathan Phillips Square from 10am to 10pm on Sunday, September 21, 2008. The show is for young entrepreneurs (between 16 and 30) who are developing or running their own businesses within the fields of urban arts. So sweet. The whole thing is organized by a group in Toronto called, MANIFESTO.You should totally check them out at www.themanifesto.ca. They do some incredible stuff in the city, all in support of the arts.
I have always figured that the ability to compromise is one of the keys to a good relationship. It is important to me that I make an effort to help others get what they want, without losing sight of what I want also. I figured this was also the key to surviving my experience of farm-sitting this year.
With the myriad of animals on the farm, all on their own schedule, of course, my sanity depended on flexibility and accommodation of various feline, canine, and bovine needs. I try to fulfil their needs and not lose sight of my responsibilities to their survival.
Keeping such a goal in mind was especially valuable when I found out that some of the calfs had pink eye, and needed to be treated twice daily. This involved me haltering them, tying them to a post, and spraying bright purple liquid into their infected eye. This is typed and read much more easily than done. I spent quite a bit of time patiently waiting for the calves to be in the perfect position where they wouldn't spot me tossing the halter over their ears, and under their chin. Nonetheless, I spent the week with bright purple hands, and curious looks as I went into public. Some wondered whether I was an unsanitary tattoo artist, I'm sure.
In general, compromise worked well. If I was lucky enough to get them in the correct position, and they were generous enough to allow me toss the halter over their ears and under their chin, I compromised, and tied them to the nearest post, forgetting my hope of tying them to the post where I wanted to. One poor bull calf even decided that he was going to stay lying down, instead of standing up for the squirt in the eye. Fine with me. I compromise.
After some time trying to reason with him that standing was probably easier for him, and most particularly for me, I gave in and squatted to attempt to tie him to the lowest rung of the gate, which is where he firmly decided he wanted to be. I had forgotten that I had left the spray bottle close at hand by my feet, and sat right on it! I guess my bottom won't be getting pink eye anytime soon, because, realizing what I had done, I stood and felt a very wet spot, looked around and saw a very purple-dyed pair of shorts! Goodbye tattoo artist, hello...hmmm...I guess novice farmers are the only ones with purple bums!
INCOMPLETE
One day I'll find relief
I'll be arrived and I'll be a friend to my friends who know how to be friends
One day I'll be at peace
I’ll be enlightened and I'll be married with children and maybe adopt
One day I will be healed
I will gather my wounds forge the end of tragic comedy
I have been running so sweaty my whole life
Urgent for a finish line
And I have been missing the rapture this whole time
Of being forever incomplete
One day, my mind will retreat, and I'll know god and I'll be constantly one with her night dusk and day
One day I'll be secure, like the women I see on their 30th anniversaries
I have been running so sweaty my whole life
Urgent for a finish line
And I have been missing the rapture this whole time
Of being forever incomplete
Ever unfolding
Ever expanding
Ever adventurous and torturous
But never done
One day, I will speak freely
I'll be less afraid
And measured outside of my poems and lyrics and art
One day I will be faith-filled
I'll be trusting and spacious authentic and grounded and whole
I have been running so sweaty my whole life
Urgent for a finish line
And I have been missing the rapture this whole time
Of being forever incomplete
i just saw this commercial on tv...thought it was great.
check it out here @ http://forbetterlife.org/be-inspired/tv.asp?id=3204
stumbled on this a few weeks back, it's a pretty sweet program that integrates all your web stuff in one place. the cool thing about it is that you can link it to a domain or sub-domain.
best thing - it's 100% free! (and 0 advertising!)
Soup is a tumblelog, a super-easy blog that can do more than just text: post links, quotes, videos, audio and files.
Quick overview:
- Friends view: Easily follow what your friends are up to in one combined list
- Customization: Pick from skins, tweak your layout or edit the CSS for full flexibility
- Domain names: Be independent and run Soup at your own address
- Groups: Invite friends to share a Soup with you.
- Easy interface: In-place editing, live customization previews, endless scrolling, automatic post backup, no seperate backend...
- Free, no ads: Your page is all about you: We won't slap our logo or anything else you don't want on it.
Last night we took Scout to the new Dog Wash in Brantford. It's located at the Galaxy Self-Serve Car Wash. They had such a great set up - just like a self-serve car washing station.
The Dog Area was in a room, 2 stalls for washing. Big basins for dogs of all sizes and a bouncy hose that sprays water, shampoo, conditioner, and flea solution.
Yippee!!! I finished my first half-marathon yesterday!
For the first 6 km, I was struggling with the fact that I had to pee....badly....of course there was a line-up just before the race, so I decided to hold it, and hope I could find a bush or something...apparently running with 100 other people (as opposed to the other 6 in the arctic) does not leave as much time to duck behind a bush. Finally I saw the big blue box....I headed straight for it (I think that was the fastest I ran in the whole race!) ignoring the water and sponges people were thrusting into my hand screaming "the only thing I'm here for is that blue box!!!!!". Phew....that felt good!
At the turnaround I slowed down and jokingly asked the mini-crowd there where the finish sign was...hee hee!!!
I didn't know if I would make my goal, but then, at the 1 km remaining mark two angels appeared by my side....Noreen and Melissa ran the last kilometre with me....so I was able to finish in 1h58. My goal was under 2, my training had been close to 2, but it was a very hot and muggy day. It was sure close! Maybe another marathon is in my future?!?!
Yesterday around 6pm Brantford, ON had a tornado. I went out after and shot some of the damage in the neighbourhood. the last shot (sky/tornado) is NOT my photo. It was taken by Mike Munday and was on the cover of the Brantford Expositor Newspaper this morning.
It's coming !!!
Neighborhood
Explore friends, family, friends & family, or entire neighborhood.
Links from my Friends and Family
Palais (one of our brilliant camp alumni) just put up a p...
