Lost In Translation

One of the reasons I started this blog was that a little over

4 years ago I changed jobs.

I went from a middle management position where 

I did alot of business writing to a

Logistics Administration position where I communicate

via e-mail to people in China.

I feel like I've had to dumb myself down in my e-mail communication,

leaving out unnecessary words so that messages are clear and concise 

and can be easy translatable in translation software.

Sometimes communication is tough and I have to read

received e-mails aloud so I can ask my coworkers,

"What do you interpret that as meaning?"

A perfect example of lost in translation is this

Christmas wish received today from

Yang who works in a factory in Ningbo, China.

I know he means well, but I just don't get what Yang

was trying to say:

 

Have an icy-icy CHRISTMAS, with BUTTERING MSGs, CHOCALATY CALLS, CREAMY THOUGHTS, FRUITY FUNS.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

I Was Tagged!

I was lucky enough to be tagged by Alycia from one of my favorite blogs; 

The Curious Pug   (aka: Monty & Mabel's Mommy.)

Rules: ( That I will NOT be able to comply with! )
1. You must post these rules.
2. Each per­son must post 11 things about them­selves on their blog.
3. Answer the ques­tions the tag­ger set for you in their post, and cre­ate 11 new ques­tions for the peo­ple you tag to answer.
4. You have to choose 11 peo­ple to tag and link them on the post.
5. Go to their page and tell them you have linked him or her.
6. No tag backs.
7. No stuff in the tag­ging sec­tion about ‘you are tagged if you are read­ing this.’ You legit­i­mately have to tag 11 people.

11 Things About Me:
1. I am super emotional and cry at the drop of a hat.
2. I am a little bit mental when it comes to food and beverage expiry dates.
3. I put on one sock then my shoe, then my other sock then my other shoe.
4. Adam is the only person I can sing in front of.
5. I wish I lived closer to my parents. Close enough to stop around for tea after supper.
6. I cannot count the times I've watched all 3 Lord of the Rings and all 8 Harry Potter films on DVD.
7. If I had to choose one style of food to eat forever, I'd go with Chinese.
8. I enjoy ironing and folding laundry.
9. I have Sarcoidosis.
10. I am most happy when I'm at home with Adam & Crockett.
11. I don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

Questions from Alycia:
1. If you could go back in time, what time period would you visit?
The Shire, Middle Earth - Third Age of the Sun, TA2941, by Shire Reckoning. I'd like to be a Hobbit and cook, bake, sew and tend to my garden.

2. What are you looking forward to in 2012?
Adam working and our being able to relax and enjoy life a bit more.

3. Describe one of your hidden talents.
I can do voices and accents. I wish I worked on The Simpson's or The Family Guy or Yo Gabba Gabba.

4. You can only bring what you can carry because zombies/aliens/vampires are attacking! What do you bring?
Water bottle, Extra Strength Motrin, needle and thread, band aids, dried fruit strips, beef jerky, knives, guns and ammo.

5. What's the best vacation you ever took?
Our honeymoon. We only went to Niagara Falls, but we had so much fun!

6. What's your favorite movie or book?
So many......a movie I really love is While You Were Sleeping starring Sandra Bullock & Bill Pullman.

7. If you could have only 1 super power, what would it be and why?
Invisibility.  It would just be so cool to be a fly on the wall.

8. What's the first thing you do after you wake up in the morning?
Um.....tinkle.

9. What is the craziest thing you've ever done?
Tattoo #1, #2 & #4.   #3 was not crazy ;)

10. What are you most proud of?
Our marriage and relationship.

11. Best piece of advice you've ever received.
Save for a rainy day.

So, here is where I kill this game in that I cannot tag 11 people.  Sorry - but the questions have been fun!

30 Things to Start Doing for Yourself

 Here's another great article from Marc and Angel that I hope to put into practice.

It is a long read but totally worth it.

 Remember today, for it is the beginning.
Today marks the start of a brave new future.

Here it is, a positive ‘to-do’ list for the upcoming year – 30 things to start doing for yourself:

1. Start spending time with the right people. – These are the people you enjoy, who love and appreciate you, and who encourage you to improve in healthy and exciting ways.  They are the ones who make you feel more alive, and not only embrace who you are now, but also embrace and embody who you want to be, unconditionally.
2. Start facing your problems head on. – It isn’t your problems that define you, but how you react to them and recover from them.  Problems will not disappear unless you take action.  Do what you can, when you can, and acknowledge what you’ve done.  It’s all about taking baby steps in the right direction, inch by inch.  These inches count, they add up to yards and miles in the long run.
3. Start being honest with yourself about everything. – Be honest about what’s right, as well as what needs to be changed.  Be honest about what you want to achieve and who you want to become.  Be honest with every aspect of your life, always.  Because you are the one person you can forever count on.  Search your soul, for the truth, so that you truly know who you are.  Once you do, you’ll have a better understanding of where you are now and how you got here, and you’ll be better equipped to identify where you want to go and how to get there. 
4. Start making your own happiness a priority. – Your needs matter.  If you don’t value yourself, look out for yourself, and stick up for yourself, you’re sabotaging yourself.  Remember, it IS possible to take care of your own needs while simultaneously caring for those around you.  And once your needs are met, you will likely be far more capable of helping those who need you most.
5. Start being yourself, genuinely and proudly. – Trying to be anyone else is a waste of the person you are.  Be yourself.  Embrace that individual inside you that has ideas, strengths and beauty like no one else.  Be the person you know yourself to be – the best version of you – on your terms.  Above all, be true to YOU, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.
6. Start noticing and living in the present. – Right now is a miracle.  Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you.  Right now is life.  So stop thinking about how great things will be in the future.  Stop dwelling on what did or didn’t happen in the past.  Learn to be in the ‘here and now’ and experience life as it’s happening.  Appreciate the world for the beauty that it holds, right now.
7. Start valuing the lessons your mistakes teach you. – Mistakes are okay; they’re the stepping stones of progress.  If you’re not failing from time to time, you’re not trying hard enough and you’re not learning.  Take risks, stumble, fall, and then get up and try again.  Appreciate that you are pushing yourself, learning, growing and improving.  Significant achievements are almost invariably realized at the end of a long road of failures.  One of the ‘mistakes’ you fear might just be the link to your greatest achievement yet.
8. Start being more polite to yourself. – If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend?  The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others.  You must love who you are or no one else will.
9. Start enjoying the things you already have. – The problem with many of us is that we think we’ll be happy when we reach a certain level in life – a level we see others operating at – your boss with her corner office, that friend of a friend who owns a mansion on the beach, etc.  Unfortunately, it takes awhile before you get there, and when you get there you’ll likely have a new destination in mind.  You’ll end up spending your whole life working toward something new without ever stopping to enjoy the things you have now.  So take a quiet moment every morning when you first awake to appreciate where you are and what you already have.
10. Start creating your own happiness. – If you are waiting for someone else to make you happy, you’re missing out.  Smile because you can.  Choose happiness.  Be the change you want to see in the world.  Be happy with who you are now, and let your positivity inspire your journey into tomorrow.  Happiness is often found when and where you decide to seek it.  If you look for happiness within the opportunities you have, you will eventually find it.  But if you constantly look for something else, unfortunately, you’ll find that too.  
11. Start giving your ideas and dreams a chance. – In life, it’s rarely about getting a chance; it’s about taking a chance.  You’ll never be 100% sure it will work, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work.  Most of the time you just have to go for it!  And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be.  Either you succeed or you learn something.  Win-Win.
12. Start believing that you’re ready for the next step. – You are ready!  Think about it.  You have everything you need right now to take the next small, realistic step forward.  So embrace the opportunities that come your way, and accept the challenges – they’re gifts that will help you to grow.
13. Start entering new relationships for the right reasons. – Enter new relationships with dependable, honest people who reflect the person you are and the person you want to be.  Choose friends you are proud to know, people you admire, who show you love and respect – people who reciprocate your kindness and commitment.  And pay attention to what people do, because a person’s actions are much more important than their words or how others represent them.
14. Start giving new people you meet a chance. – It sounds harsh, but you cannot keep every friend you’ve ever made.  People and priorities change.  As some relationships fade others will grow.  Appreciate the possibility of new relationships as you naturally let go of old ones that no longer work.  Trust your judgment.  Embrace new relationships, knowing that you are entering into unfamiliar territory.  Be ready to learn, be ready for a challenge, and be ready to meet someone that might just change your life forever.
15. Start competing against an earlier version of yourself. – Be inspired by others, appreciate others, learn from others, but know that competing against them is a waste of time.  You are in competition with one person and one person only – yourself.  You are competing to be the best you can be.  Aim to break your own personal records.
16. Start cheering for other people’s victories. – Start noticing what you like about others and tell them.  Having an appreciation for how amazing the people around you are leads to good places – productive, fulfilling, peaceful places.  So be happy for those who are making progress.  Cheer for their victories.  Be thankful for their blessings, openly.  What goes around comes around, and sooner or later the people you’re cheering for will start cheering for you.
17. Start looking for the silver lining in tough situations. – When things are hard, and you feel down, take a few deep breaths and look for the silver lining – the small glimmers of hope.  Remind yourself that you can and will grow stronger from these hard times.  And remain conscious of your blessings and victories – all the things in your life that are right.  Focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t.
18. Start forgiving yourself and others. – We’ve all been hurt by our own decisions and by others.  And while the pain of these experiences is normal, sometimes it lingers for too long.  We relive the pain over and over and have a hard time letting go.  Forgiveness is the remedy.  It doesn’t mean you’re erasing the past, or forgetting what happened.  It means you’re letting go of the resentment and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on with your life.
19. Start helping those around you. – Care about people.  Guide them if you know a better way.  The more you help others, the more they will want to help you.  Love and kindness begets love and kindness.  And so on and so forth.
20. Start listening to your own inner voice. – If it helps, discuss your ideas with those closest to you, but give yourself enough room to follow your own intuition.  Be true to yourself.  Say what you need to say.  Do what you know in your heart is right.
21. Start being attentive to your stress level and take short breaks. – Slow down.  Breath.  Give yourself permission to pause, regroup and move forward with clarity and purpose.  When you’re at your busiest, a brief recess can rejuvenate your mind and increase your productivity.  These short breaks will help you regain your sanity and reflect on your recent actions so you can be sure they’re in line with your goals.
22. Start noticing the beauty of small moments. – Instead of waiting for the big things to happen – marriage, kids, big promotion, winning the lottery – find happiness in the small things that happen every day.  Little things like having a quiet cup of coffee in the early morning, or the delicious taste and smell of a homemade meal, or the pleasure of sharing something you enjoy with someone else, or holding hands with your partner.  Noticing these small pleasures on a daily basis makes a big difference in the quality of your life.
23. Start accepting things when they are less than perfect. – Remember, ‘perfect’ is the enemy of ‘good.’  One of the biggest challenges for people who want to improve themselves and improve the world is learning to accept things as they are.  Sometimes it’s better to accept and appreciate the world as it is, and people as they are, rather than to trying to make everything and everyone conform to an impossible ideal.  No, you shouldn’t accept a life of mediocrity, but learn to love and value things when they are less than perfect.
24. Start working toward your goals every single day. – Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.  Whatever it is you dream about, start taking small, logical steps every day to make it happen.  Get out there and DO something!  The harder you work the luckier you will become.  While many of us decide at some point during the course of our lives that we want to answer our calling, only an astute few of us actually work on it.  By ‘working on it,’ I mean consistently devoting oneself to the end result. 
25. Start being more open about how you feel. – If you’re hurting, give yourself the necessary space and time to hurt, but be open about it.  Talk to those closest to you.  Tell them the truth about how you feel.  Let them listen.  The simple act of getting things off your chest and into the open is your first step toward feeling good again.
26. Start taking full accountability for your own life. – Own your choices and mistakes, and be willing to take the necessary steps to improve upon them.  Either you take accountability for your life or someone else will.  And when they do, you’ll become a slave to their ideas and dreams instead of a pioneer of your own.  You are the only one who can directly control the outcome of your life.  And no, it won’t always be easy.  Every person has a stack of obstacles in front of them.  But you must take accountability for your situation and overcome these obstacles.  Choosing not to is choosing a lifetime of mere existence.
27. Start actively nurturing your most important relationships. – Bring real, honest joy into your life and the lives of those you love by simply telling them how much they mean to you on a regular basis.  You can’t be everything to everyone, but you can be everything to a few people.  Decide who these people are in your life and treat them like royalty.  Remember, you don’t need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends you can be certain of.
28. Start concentrating on the things you can control. – You can’t change everything, but you can always change something.  Wasting your time, talent and emotional energy on things that are beyond your control is a recipe for frustration, misery and stagnation.  Invest your energy in the things you can control, and act on them now.
29. Start focusing on the possibility of positive outcomes. – The mind must believe it CAN do something before it is capable of actually doing it.  The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful.  Listen to your self-talk and replace negative thoughts with positive ones.  Regardless of how a situation seems, focus on what you DO WANT to happen, and then take the next positive step forward.  No, you can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control how you react to things.  Everyone’s life has positive and negative aspects – whether or not you’re happy and successful in the long run depends greatly on which aspects you focus on.  
30. Start noticing how wealthy you are right now. – Henry David Thoreau once said, “Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.”  Even when times are tough, it’s always important to keep things in perspective.  You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night.  You didn’t go to sleep outside.  You had a choice of what clothes to wear this morning.  You hardly broke a sweat today.  You didn’t spend a minute in fear.  You have access to clean drinking water.  You have access to medical care.  You have access to the Internet.  You can read.  Some might say you are incredibly wealthy, so remember to be grateful for all the things you do have.

Funk Be Gone. Please.

Finally my little corner of the world is back to normal.

Almost 2 weeks ago, Adam's computer bit the dust.

What was to be a small fix ended up being a major overhaul.

I don't like using Adam's computer for a number of reasons 

and he doesn't like me using it either.

I get it, because I hate it when he uses mine.

He's an Internet Explorer.

I'm a Firefox.

He's a multiple window open multitasker.

I am focused on one thing at a time.

 He's a Forum Admin.

I'm a Blogger.

His mouse is sticky & covered in hot sauce.

Mine is not.

Some say separate bathrooms is the recipe for a happy marriage. 

I say it's separate computers. 

My computer is now back on my homemade desk in the

corner of our bedroom with my dog sleeping happily behind

me on his pillow on the bed.

Adam is in his man cave with all the settings on his computer

as he needs them to be and no longer needs mine.

The world again makes sense.

Sadly, that was not the only thing keeping me away

from the keyboard.

I could have updated my blog during the 10 minutes

a day that Adam stepped away from the screen but I

have been in a bit of a funk.

It was even bothering me that I wasn't keeping up with Radvent.

A pre-Christmas, lack of daylight, S.A.D,

Black Dog funk.

The weather has been wonderful.

Bad for the planet, animals and plants, but good

for someone with a pedestrian lifestyle who is prone to

falling on the ice.

I've said and felt since the end of November

that I'm just not feeling Christmas this year.

I want to, I'm just not.

Is it because I don't have enough disposable income to buy quality gifts?

Because I'm not willing to go into debt for a few luxuries?

Because Christmas is magical for kids and we don't have kids?

Because we haven't decorated?

Because I have NO IDEA what to get for anyone?

Who knows.

I am looking forward to having some time off.

For the 1st time EVER, I will be off between

Christmas & New Year.

It's not even booked vacation time.

I'll be off Friday at noon returning to work

on Monday Jan 2'12.

What are we doing?

Nothing.

Cuddling on the couch with Adam & Crockett.

I want my parents to come over and spend time here with us.

I want to watch movies and documentaries.

(All 3 Extended BluRay & Extras of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and

maybe even trying a Harry Potter Marathon)

I want to go see the shop Christmas Windows downtown.

I want to go up to the restaurant at The Bay on the top floor

and eat  a Club Sandwich and French Fries as I look out over 

The Eaton's Center and City Hall and watch all the people moving about in the city.

I want a Candy Cane Latte.

(Adam graciously offered to put some toothpaste in my coffee as an alternative)

I'd love to go skating a City Hall but won't as I wish to remain injury free.

I want to sit & wait while Adam goes to music stores and

browses through thousands of CDs and DVDs.

I want to bake and prepare delicious meals.

I want to knit.

I want to be domestic and do laundry.

I want to tidy & reorganize my DVDs.

I just want to enjoy waking up and not rushing out to catch a bus. 

I want to sleep well.

I want to take Crockett for walks.

Take photographs.

I want to write.

I want to read.

I want to take long bubble baths.

I want to organize my (pardon my french) shit to start off 2012 right.

 Too much to ask?

I don't think so.

It is amazing.

I started this blog in July 2010.

There are a few blogs that I read daily.

They are written by people I admire and who inspire me.

A few feel like they are my friends although we've never met.

I've been introduced to creative, smart, witty, funny, artsy-crafty,

dog and cat loving people.

Being away from my blog for even a few days made me feel odd.

I know I am not a writer but for me, this blog is my platform, 

it is my therapy, it is my place for exercising my brain

and challenging myself.

Right now, sitting here writing while

I drink a nice cup of tea, I'm already feeling a bit better.

This Whole 99% Thing

I get it, I do.

I am concerned with the disappearing middle class.

I feel that there are generations younger than

me that have a (pardon my french) fucked up

sense of entitlement and no money management skills.

Occupy Toronto turned into a few seriously dedicated folks

mixed in with Toronto's young adult homeless population

setting up a tent city that resulted in the true message being lost.

There are CEO's and CFO's, movie stars and professional 

athletes all over the world making far too much money.

There are teachers and nurses all over the world making

far too little money.

I'm in a tough spot socioeconomically.

 Adam & I are in our 40's, married and childless.

We were both born in Canada.

Adam has been out of work for longer than anticipated

and we live on one income.

 We are not property owners.

We do not own a car.

I pay my taxes.

We live within our means.

We have the necessities.
 

Take all of the above into account and

we qualify for exactly nothing in regards

to Govt programs or tax breaks.

Provincially and Federally

we are invisible.

We don't matter.

I DO NOT want a handout.

That is not what this is about.

It's about a frustration of being invisible.

I see the 1% at my office everyday.

I see the 99% in life, on the bus, subway, everywhere, everyday.

The parking lot at work consists of a Maserati, a Jaguar,

2 Lexus's, an Audi, and a Camry.

I take the bus.

Am I bitter?

Yes and no. 

More no than yes.

How much the world has changed this first 40 years of my life has

me frightened for the changes of the next 40 years.

Radvent 12/11

After a long week of work and commuting, there isn't alot of time

to run errands and get the chores done during the week.

My preference is to get everything done on Saturday so we can

spend a task free relaxing Sunday.

Adam took care of laundry on Friday.

Yesterday was a busy long day.

Today, Adam, Crockett and myself 

are deserving of a lazy day.

Radvent 12/10

I write for myself.

I find it therapeutic.

It helps me organize my thoughts.

I write to make my husband proud of me.

Rules I find important are proper spelling and grammar.

If anyone writes me an e-mail or a text or a note or anything

that is not proper English or is in anagrams, I cannot read it.

I don't want to try to figure out phonetically what they mean.

The more I write, the more I become interested in language

and realize that writing is so much more than sitting in front of

a keyboard.

Neverland

Adam showed me this trailer for Neverland.

It is showing on the Space channel December 18th & 19th.

Peter Pan being one of my favorite stories, I am

really looking forward to this.

 

Neverland: 
Peter and his streetwise gang are transported from turn-of-the-century London into an enchanting parallel world where time stands still and an adventure awaits like nothing you've seen before. Stars Rhys Ifans, Bob Hoskins, Charlie Rowe, Anna Friel and Kiera Knightley as the voice of Tinkerbell. 

Radvent 12/9

Thoughts and words make a difference.

I am not one who can look in the mirror and recite,

"I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me."

I do know that if I get down in the dumps and starting thinking,

....if one more thing happens....

I can be sure one more thing will happen.

Instead, I consciously think of all the blessing I have

and how lucky I am.

I truly does influence the mood I wake up in

and how I go about my day.

Radvent 12/8

Right now, with life the way it is, it is almost critical

that I stay within my comfort zone.

I need to stay balanced, on a merry-go-round.

A Roller Coaster right now would not be good

for my mental health.

I also consider myself lucky that I am

able to live a merry-go-round existence at the moment.

Comfort for me is security.

Rent and bills paid.

Food in the pantry.

Crockett happy.

I need this comfort right now so that when

things change, I'll be ready to ride the Roller Coaster.

In the front seat, with my arms raised up over my head.