That's what I said...

Gingerbread Houses - Round Two

2011-12-23T14:23:00.000-08:00

Some of my lovely lady friends came over last week for round two of gingerbread house construction.

Gingerbread house village.

Jesi's house.

Kate's house.

Hilary's house.

Becca's house.

House Construction

2011-12-10T17:48:00.000-08:00

Our annual family tradition of building gingerbread (a.k.a. graham cracker) houses ensued last night. We listened to Christmas music, constructed (somewhat) sturdy foundations, and covered candy in icing sugar and jammed it onto our little buildings. I chose a different approach this year and focused on details rather than on adding as much candy as possible. Mine is the log cabin.

Gingerbread isn't as yummy as it used to be

2011-12-10T17:24:00.000-08:00

Have gingerbread men ever been yummy? I thought they were. I know ginger creams and ginger snaps and soft ginger cookies are. But what about gingerbread men?

They sure are fun to make though. And to decorate.

Haircuts (afro and otherwise)

2011-10-03T18:21:00.001-07:00

John is the proud owner of a hair clipper set. His afro badly need a trim so he set up shop in the front entryway of our little apartment and buzzed it off.

Seeing him do this reminded me of my childhood experiences of having my own hair cut. Mum always cut our hair. Until we started wanting more complicated cuts (e.g. layers), we sat in a chair in the kitchen with a brown cape draped around us and had mamma snip away.

Esti was the one who cut my hair short when I was about 12. She also does bangs and trims for me these days. I'm not sure where she learned. She's probably just a natural.

Strike Lake Camp

2011-09-13T13:02:00.000-07:00

Probably the best Labour Day weekend I've spent so far has been this last one. John and I had the privilege of spending it with Milly and Quoc in beautiful Manning Park. When I say beautiful, you may have some sort of image in your head of a cozy little campsite that you drive into next to other little campsites that are driven into by other people yearning to get away from city life by sleeping in a trailer for a night. But this simply was not that kind of camping.

The campsite we enjoyed for two nights (called Strike Lake Camp) is about 7 km from a parking lot and nestled inbetween tall tall trees. The trail to it follows three sparkling lakes through the forest and the sound of rushing water is the last thing you hear as you fall asleep and the first thing you wake up to in the morning. There are ready made fire pits, a pile of wood to fuel the fires and logs surrounding them for stools.

The food cache is where the bears hang out, waiting for an unsuspecting camper to leave the door to the food open.

Quoc made use of the fresh water for his water purifier device. It served us very well.

We ate oatmeal for breakfast, supplemented by hotdogs and marshmallows. We ate hotdogs for dinner and marshmallows for dessert. Basically, whenever we were hungry we ate hotdogs and marshmallows.

We washed in the river. It was very cold and refreshing.

We hiked back to the lodge to get more food and to eat our traditional camping trip icecream.

It has been confirmed: camping with Milly and Quoc is a good time. Despite blisters, bad night sleeps, fear of bears (that was all me I think), weiner and marshmallow diets (I only mention this one as a con because by Monday afternoon the others longed for a salad - I could have gone on eating marshmallows for another week), setting up camp at the wrong location and having to take it down and march a little further on, ash and soot coating everything - camping is worth it.

The gorgeous landscape, eating everything over an open fire, being able to see millions of stars at night, spending time with friends in a unique setting, discovering again and again how blessed we are to live in British Columbia, seeing a black bear 15 meters away - it's all pretty rad. I give Manning Park two thumbs up.

Lighthouse Park

2011-08-31T17:36:00.000-07:00

John and I cycled the 50 kilometer round trip to Lighthouse Park over the weekend, not thinking that our efforts would be so amply rewarded. We walked through beautiful forest with towering trees to get to the rocky beach. We brought a little brunch of pomegranate salad, peanut butter and jam sandwiches and hard boiled eggs and enjoyed it looking out over the water. We could see Vancouver, North Vancouver, the Lion's Gate Bridge and Richmond from where we sat. Seagulls cawed around us. It was nice. Please go there next time you have a chance. You won't regret it.

Stanley in the Morning

2011-08-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

I rose at 4:40 this morning. Why? you ask. To strap on my runners and make my way to Stanley Park early enough that I could have the park to myself. The seawall is absolutely packed during the day - cyclists, rollerbladers, runners and walkers all do their best to avoid collisions in the narrow path. But I didn't want that sort of experience for my first 10k. I wanted solitude. I wanted privacy. Only me and the sound of my (admittedly ragged) footfalls.

The experience was better than I imagined. It turns out the park is just as busy in the early morning as it is in the afternoon. I shared my run with squirrels, crows, seagulls, geese, and groups of racoons plodding along the trail as if it was made for them. And the sights! The sky looked like it had been finger painted by a child. Streaks of pink and yellow and eventually blue illuminated the east. The water was calm and speckled with ducks sending ripples out.

Everywhere I looked it was beautiful. I felt so alive and grateful. Grateful for my body that is able to take me places I want to go; grateful for the breathtaking natural and constructed beauty of Vancouver; grateful that I have found this passion for running that allows me to experience these moments.

And my first 10k run! I was dripping sweat by the end and staggered a bit up the hills but otherwise I felt strong. I can't wait to build my speed and endurance up. I can't wait to keep using my body in this rad way.

Peppered Nectarine Salad

2011-08-17T18:36:00.000-07:00

So, I bought loads of nectarines at the store a few days ago (because they're so delicious!) and was researching ways of using them in a recipe. Cobblers, pies and tarts were all prohibited (for this striving to be healthy household) and I eventually found a salad that piqued my interest.

Behold, Peppered Nectarine Salad.

2 ripe nectarines, diced
2 bell peppers (red are indisputably the best)
1 c. halved grape tomatoes
1 c. shredded carrot
1 small red onion
a few handfuls of greens (we love liberal helpings of arugula)

For the dressing:
1 lime
lots of freshly cracked pepper
2 tbsp walnut oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried basil

Directions: Combine the fruit and veggies, whisk the dressing together, toss and serve.

I served the nectarine in slices but I recommend dicing them so that their sweet juicy deliciousness doesn't overpower the other flavours in your bite. I forgot to add onion but I think it would blend very well with the other ingredients. Also, the recipe doesn't call for carrots or greens but I thought a few more vegetables would help balance the nectarines. All in all, a tasty fresh salad with a hint of exciting spice.

FYI, goes very well with lightly seasoned baked salmon.

Baked Apples

2011-08-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

I've recently revisted my quinoa cookbook and found a wealth of delicious sounding recipes that I had previously ignored. This recipes is not one of those. I knew from the moment I read it that I had to make it. And with John and I trying to eat well, this recipe really fit the bill for an after dinner snack.

Please read below for culinary bliss:

1/3 c. quinoa
4 Gala apples, cored
1/2 c. toasted slivered almonds
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1 c. blueberries
1 c. yogourt

Cook the quinoa until fluffy.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut a piece of parchment aper to fit a baking dish. Make a shallow cut around the midsection of each apple to allow movement of the skin during baking. Stand the apples in the baking dish.

Combine quinoa with toasted almonds, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and allspice. Add the berries and spoon the mixture into the cored apples and around the base. Loosely place a piece of foil over the top of the pan to prevent the apples from burning.

Bake for 35 minutes until apples are tender. Remove from the oven, place in individual bowls and add a dollop of yogourt on the side, sprinkled with cinnamon.

Religious Knowledge Deconstructed

2011-08-14T18:05:00.000-07:00

For anyone interested, here is a paper I wrote recently about the possible evolutionary origins of religion. I'd love to hear your responses (if you can get through it).

The By-Product of Evolved Behaviours: Deconstructing Religious Knowledge

In this paper, I would like to explore how and why religious knowledge has been constructed. Why is unverifiable knowledge both ubiquitous and infused with value throughout human history? Why does religious truth inform billions of people about the way the universe functions and how is that truth reconciled with scientific knowledge? Please note that by religious knowledge or truth I mean information relating to entities or forces of a supernatural nature and everything attributed to arising from these entities. Due to evolutionary research, we know that human behaviour and the complex social knowledge collectively shared by us is the product of millions of years of natural selection. If natural selection, as Darwinian scientists claim, eliminates useless expenditure, how has the extravagant set of behaviours associated with religion survived? Darwinian selection dictates that animals that squander their time in wasteful activities will be outlived by animals that utilize their time efficiently, surviving and reproducing (Dawkins, 2006). The behaviour that religious knowledge encourages seems lavish and evolutionarily costly, like a peacock's tail. The resources used to construct a cathedral, for example are absurdly high in that the expense of human life, man hours and available material resources and seem indulgent for a building that is not used for sheltering or feeding a population. However, for a trait or a set of traits to survive, there must be a reason for them. The peacock's tail is for attracting mates. I will demonstrate how religious knowledge is simply a by-product of human behaviour that originally evolved for the purpose of survival but has since favoured the impulse for religion.

Firstly, I will show how the behaviours associated with the enhancement of social solidarity are formed and how they are predisposed to the creation of religious knowledge. These behaviours are effective communication of different models of reality and the application of commitment theory through: the demonstration of trustworthiness through irrational behaviour; the establishing of commitment through the sharing of emotions; and the public observation of rituals. Secondly, I will authenticate my claim that behaviours evolved for the purpose of individual rather than group survival value inclined humans toward forming religious knowledge. These behaviours are expressed as agency assignment, hyper agency detection device, and intentional stance. Thirdly, I will introduce some evolutionary psychological mechanisms and establish how they inform many aspects of religious knowledge, such as children's vulnerability to falsehoods, native dualism and teleology, irrationality associated with falling in love and the attachment system. Fourthly, I will draw comparisons between tendencies in animal behaviour toward man and the tendencies in human behaviour toward supernatural entities to illustrate how animal behaviour was a precursor to hominid behaviour. Lastly, I will outline the contemporary benefits of religious knowledge.

The most prevalent argument for the creation of religious knowledge as a by-product of certain environmentally dependent behaviours is the survival value associated with social bonding. It has been observed that religiously organized groups cooperate more effectively and have better success competitively than non-religiously organized groups (Dow, 2006). Apparently then, there is a correlation between cooperation and religious knowledge. There are several theories regarding how religious knowledge enhances group cohesiveness; one of them hinges on the idea that there is no absolute external reality and that the information we each process through our five senses is represented as different models of a reality (Dow, 2006). With the existence of variant internal models of reality, it was necessary for humans to develop a means of communicating effectively with each other using symbols. "Complex symbolic communication" (Dow, 2006, p. 69) provided humans with the ability to represent complicated ideas to others, thereby increasing the social cohesiveness of the group and ultimately its survival.

Communication is used by different organisms to indicate various ideas. In the non-human animal world signalling is a method of communicating reproductive fitness to potential mates. For humans, it was important to communicate trustworthiness in order to demonstrate an ability to cooperate in a group environment (Dow, 2006). This trustworthiness was manifested in "irrational acts of commitment" (Dow, 2006, p. 72). These irrational commitments to unverifiable knowledge (expressed by the commitment theory) created feelings of trust. If viewed from the perspective of a group aiming at survival, these seemingly irrational acts can be seen as rational. Groups that are the most cohesive tend to fare better in the long term than groups that do not excel at internal cooperation (Dow, 2006). So, religious knowledge is simultaneously rational, in that it promotes cooperation within a group and irrational, because it necessitates belief in supernatural beings. Akin to trustworthiness as an indicator of a willingness to cooperate, is the perspective from some religious minds that close-knit religious communities should maintain that closeness by imposing taboos. Restrictions regarding interaction with non-members of the group prevent individuals with an only casual commitment from diluting the intense feeling of unity the group shares.

Social commitment, as part of the commitment theory, also plays a part in the development of religious knowledge. Humans have an incredible capacity for "unprecedented level[s] of subjective commitment to social norms (Rossano, 2006, p. 348). Put simply, we have a tendency to want to conform. Self-conscious emotions like embarrassment, guilt, shame and pride are only meaningful when individuals are part of a group. The desire to conform in ways that will enhance interpersonal relationships compels individuals to behave in ways that are acceptable to the group. Having similar emotions with other members aids in building and maintaining social bonds (Rossano, 2006). Emotions such as guilt when letting others down, pride when exceeding others' expectations, empathy for those in pain or indignation against those who are perceived to be morally inferior, are powerful tools in simultaneously ensuring group cohesion and curbing the natural impulse to be self-interested. The social emotions humans display and have displayed historically are "harnessed" (Rossano, 2006, p. 348) to reinforce social unity and ostracize deviants.

Another important aspect involved in commitment theory is the observation of rituals. Certain patterns in animal behaviour have been viewed as a forerunner of religious ritualistic behaviour. Flocks of birds, for example, "perform their ritual evolutions in the sky" (Verkamp, 1991, p. 541) and could be perceived to be enacting meaningful customs. In humans, the practice and impact of rituals and ceremonies are far more easily seen. Traditional societies often engage in "rhythmic dancing, disturbing imagery, and the ingestion of psychotropic substances producing ecstatic emotional states that enhance social bonding" (Rossano, 2006, p. 348). Rituals such as these promote the release of brain opiates, which in turn aid in the construction of strong ties between members of a group. Initiation rituals performed in traditional societies also often involve strenuous physical and emotional trials. These trials demonstrate that an individual is willing to undergo hardship and is committed to the group (Rossano, 2006).

Commitment theories demonstrate the social pressures exerted on individuals attempting to maintain healthy group ties. Individual survival behaviours have also evolved over time, one of which, agency detection, is when an organism assigns another's actions to something like belief, desire or intention (Rossano, 2006). Studies show that, in humans, the ability to attribute agency to other people develops over the first several years of life. With such complex social dynamics as were exhibited in hominid culture, the capacity for comprehending the goals of others would have been a useful skill (Rossano, 2006). Members of groups who could accurately read the intentions of those around them would have a significant survival advantage.

In conjunction with the skill to assign agency in humans, the ability to see agency in inanimate objects and events was also an important survival skill for early humans and animals. This theory advances the idea of attributing mysterious circumstances to an agent and is called hyperactive agency detection device (HADD) (Sosis, 2009). Cognitive theorists contend that religions are brimming with knowledge of unseen agents such as gods and spirits, who cause things to happen (Dow, 2006). This modern belief may stem from an evolutionary trait exhibited in animals. For example, a rabbit that, seeing a rustle in the bushes, imagines a predator instead of what is most likely causing the rustle (the wind), has a greater chance of surviving than a rabbit who does not imagine a predator. One day the rustling will eventually be the sounds of a crouching tiger and the rabbit will have ensured its survival by running at the first sign of perceived danger.

A comparable theory, intentional stance, postulates that survival value is exhibited in the ability of organisms to speedily process information in dangerous situations and make decisions based on that information. It can be viewed as a short cut for second-guessing the intentions of entities that matter to us for purposes of survival (Dawkins, 2006). Similarly, animism is the "hyperactive habit of finding agency wherever anything puzzles or frightens us" (Ward, 2008, p. 222). After uncovering the fact that traditional societies subscribed to a belief in animism and other related religious concepts, anthropologists of the 19th century began to think of religious knowledge as culturally evolved from lower to higher levels of thought. The belief that spirits inhabit every animate and inanimate thing offended the European thinkers and they subsequently labeled traditional religious knowledge as savage and industrial religious knowledge as civilized (Dow, 2006). This mentality indicates a reluctance to accept a behavioural explanation for the evolution of religious knowledge. Fortunately, much of the research done today is less vulnerable to fallibilities of this kind.

Psychological mechanisms have contributed to the evolution of religious knowledge. One such mechanism that has persisted to this day is the facility with which children are "brainwashed" (Wright, 2009, p. 464) by perceived authority figures. In hominid societies as well as in contemporary societies, children must believe the council of their parents or risk endangering themselves. There is a selective advantage to children who are taught not to eat unidentified foods or venture near a cliff edge over those who learn from personal experience that falling very long distances can be fatal or that eating strange berries can cause bodily harm (Dawkins, 2006). It is an essential component of human survival to pass accumulated knowledge on to successive generations; however, the absolute trust a child places in his parents and elders leaves him vulnerable to a belief in falsehoods. A child cannot distinguish good advice from bad so when an elder admonishes him to "sacrifice a goat at the time of the full moon" (Dawkins, 2006, p. 205), the knowledge is stored and passed down to the next generation as valid. This gullibility is evolutionarily sound but in many cases prevents children from thinking rationally about the world and instills in them an alarming susceptibility to falsities that can persist into adulthood.

Another psychological mechanism that may prime human brains for the creation and acceptance of religious knowledge is the theory that dualism and teleology are ingrained in human thought processes. Dualism is the belief that the mind and body are separate and the body is inhabited by a spirit. Conversely, monists believe that "mind is a manifestation of matter" (Dawkins, 2006, p. 209) and cannot be separated from the body. These two convictions are important in regards to religious knowledge because one asserts the idea that a spirit can survive the body's death and live in an afterlife. Studies have been done that demonstrate an inclination for humans, and especially children, to support dualism rather than monism. Studies in the area of teleology have also been done to ascertain the predisposition of humans to accepting that philosophy. Teleology, the assignment of purpose to everything, was found to be widespread in children (Dawkins, 2006). We have already discussed the evolutionary purpose behind teleology; the contemporary effect is that we believe that since everything has a purpose, it must be the purpose of a supernatural power. The native nature of dualism and teleology in the human psyche indicates that humans may have a psychological predisposition for religion.

The irrationality of religion may be the by-product of a "particular built-in irrationality mechanism in the brain" (Dawkins, 2006, p. 214) which compels us to fall in love. This phenomenon drives most men and women to engage in monogamous relationships with partners that are not necessarily ideal. For example, a man is unlikely to find one woman a hundred times more lovable than her competitors, yet when he is in love, he often feels that this is so. The oddity of perpetuating a romantic relationship with only one person is exhibited in the fact that it is only in this particular area of life that monogamy is expected. It is socially acceptable to love more than one child, parent, friend, book or composer, but it is taboo to love more than one romantic partner. From the evolutionary standpoint of survival and reproduction, it seems beneficial to conceive a child and maintain a relationship with the other parent throughout the weaning process to ensure the survival of progeny. In regards to the production of religious knowledge, the irrationality mechanism in our brains could affect the human inclination to love supernatural beings or forces and to perform irrational acts motivated by that love (Dawkins, 2006).

Continuing with the theme of love, it has been contended that the attachment system is fundamental to religion, especially Christianity (Kirkpatrick, 2006). The attachment system, evolved in humans through natural selection, is meant to protect vulnerable infants from the dangers of their environment. If the primary caregiver of an infant is too far to provide necessary protection, the youngster will cry, call and reach to generate closer proximity. When the environment is safe, the role of the caregiver is to comfort and provide a "secure base" (Kirkpatrick, 2006, p. 5) from which the infant can explore. The attachment system may be a source of religious knowledge in that a supernatural being replaces the role of the primary caregiver in providing safety, comfort and security. For example, a religious person will go forward with faith that god will protect him from danger and sustain him through trials.

Some scientists and theologians have compared man's devotion to God with canine devotion to man, a source of religious knowledge founded on theories that animals' patterned or ritualistic behaviour anticipates human religious behaviour. Charles Darwin thought he found such patterns in the barking and growling of his dog at a parasol blowing in the wind (Verkamp, 1991). He hypothesized that this example displays elements of animism which has already been defined as the belief that supernatural forces explain all inexplicable movement. Darwin also saw significance in the loyalty of dogs to their masters and likened it to human devotion to God because the feelings characterized by it, "love, complete submission to an exalted and mysterious superior, a strong sense of dependence, fear, reverence, gratitude, and hope for the future" (Verkamp, 1991, p. 541) are similar to a dog's fear of and submission to its master. Further demonstrations of dog and man relationships versus man and god relationships are relevant because primitive man is closer in social behaviour to hunting dogs than he is to any other member of the animal kingdom (Verkamp, 1991). Hunting dogs become attached to human masters by transferring submissive attachment from the pack leader to a human. This is analogous to sudden conversions of many human adults to ways of perceiving god as all powerful and all knowing. Characterized by love, faithfulness and devotion, the transference of love exhibited by puppies for their mothers to human masters is also demonstrative of the love humans harbour for their supernatural masters.

The benefits of religious knowledge on the contemporary human population have less to do with survival and reproduction and more to do with social participation. For instance, the knowledge that religious groups have more social cohesion than other groups indicates that groups with similar beliefs, ideas and ways of life are proficient at cooperation (Dow, 2006). Socially, it is beneficial to belong to a group and to participate in activities that produce meaningful relationships. Some studies have shown that modern industrial societies that exhibit signs of religious faith are associated with longevity and greater health (Dow, 2006). Surely this is linked to the mental health attained through engaging in robust social interaction as opposed to solitary activities that tend to produce feelings of loneliness and separation from society. Another possible positive effect associated with religious knowledge is the placebo effect, resulting in reduced stress for those imbued with faith in a higher power. The placebo is related to the attachment system, in which a member of a religious group feels comforted and protected by a supernatural entity. This is also associated with the consolation theory, in which the faithful find the belief in a god and a heaven consoling.

Religious knowledge then, originated as a by-product of a set of behaviours that evolved through natural selection over the hundreds of thousands of years of human history. Originally intended to perform important roles in survival and reproduction, these behaviours have predisposed humans towards certain ways of producing knowledge, known as religion.

Sister Trip 2011

2011-07-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

These are my sisters. They're pretty fun to hang around with. We've just celebrated our second annual Jensen Sister Trip. Last year was Turkey. This year: Whistler.

This is Jennie. She's the oldest. It is always such an educational (and fun!) experience conversing with her as her knowledge of the world is pretty much comprehensive.

This is Amelia. She's the brunette. Her charismatic charm is probably the trait that those who don't know her well appreciate the most about her. But I think my other sisters will agree that her most endearing quality is what a caring friend and confidante she is.

Here is Esther. There's no doubt but that she's the most generous selfless sister a girl could ask for! Her willingness to give of herself is truly heartwarming. (I don't think I tell her enough how much her continual generosity means to me.)

Sarah is the last. She's my childhood buddy and too rad for words. We've grown up from Barbie playing playmates to young adults with still so much in common.

For those of you who don't suspect, sisters are most likely the best people in the world to have in your life.

Josh Vander Vies

2011-07-11T21:35:00.000-07:00

This man is incredible. I think we can all learn something from his life. As a side note, Josh was one of the pioneer super navigators for EATI (the Equipment and Assistive Technology Initiative). It was, unfortunately, before my time so I never had the pleasure of meeting him.

You can find the link here.

Bad Form, Vancouver!

2011-06-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

The Canucks had a very good run this year. These photos are before Game 6 of the Cup Finals.

After our loss, everyone left pretty quickly but left behind such garbage!

I thought garbage was bad form. Here is what happened after our game 7 loss:

Asian Lettuce Wraps

2011-06-08T19:03:00.000-07:00

16 butter lettuce leaves
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp Asian chilli pepper sauce
1 zuccini, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 tbsp dark sesame oil

1. Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.
2. In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Set aside. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in carrots, zuccini, chopped water chestnuts, green onions, sesame oil, and cooked beef; continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.
3. Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito, and enjoy!

P.S. Asian wraps go well with Strongbows and hockey (unless your team starts to lose 4-0 by the 3rd period).

P.P.S. Make sure to make enough for a hungry man in your house. (John had five wraps.)

Grilling in the Front Yard

2011-06-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

Sunday was sunny. So John prepared some veggie and chicken kebabs along with corn on the cob.

We brought a blanket and the grill into the front yard of our apartment (picturesque location, I know) and invited Milly, Esti and the girls over for a picnic.

We had cherries for dessert.

Tofu Cabbage Salad

2011-05-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

* 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon sesame oil
* 1/2 (16 ounce) package extra-firm tofu, diced
* 1 cup snow peas, trimmed
* 2 small carrots, grated
* 1 cup finely shredded red cabbage
* 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix the chili sauce, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Place tofu in the mixture, and marinate 1 hour in the refrigerator.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Immerse the snow peas in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, then immerse in a a bowl of cold water. Drain, and set aside.
3. Toss the peas, carrots, cabbage, and peanuts with the tofu and marinade to serve.

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

2011-05-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

While I was visiting my sister Esther yesterday afternoon, she gave me this recipe that she found at www.ourbestbites.com.

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad (with some revisions)

chopped lettuce
ground turkey, sauted with garlic and onions
chopped tomatoes
1 avocado, cubed
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, rinsed and drained
1 can black olives
grated cheddar cheese
handful of tortilla chips and salsa on the side

DRESSING:
chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 c. light sour cream
3 tsp. adobo sauce from canned chipotle chilies
2 tsp. chili powder
juice from 1 lime

Combine the dressing ingredients and toss with the salad ingredients (except for the chips). Enjoy with a fresh squeeze of lime juice!

Spring Flowers

2011-04-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

This post is dedicated to my sister in snow-locked Edmonton whose delight in a small vase of hothouse daffodils wrenches my heart. I took these photos this afternoon on my walk home from our community centre (where, by the way, there were dozens of people out jogging, walking their dogs, playing baseball, frisbee and rugby).

I love spring because it seems to signal the renewing of a sense of community. People are brought together by warm weather while winter seems to keep us cozy and separated in the islands of our homes.

Milly came for a visit and thoughtfully brought these pink buds.

Date Night

2011-04-02T19:15:00.001-07:00

Date night last week.

The Food: Incendio Pizzaria
The Film: Incendies
The Transportation: Beatrice and Rupert

Sounds like a recipe for a fabulous night, right? Wrong. Everything was perfect until we watched the French film Incendies. It was very well done but just...so...sad. It dampened our moods. We walked home kind of depressed.

The Moral: only watch comedies on date night.

Mario Time

2011-04-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

Mario Brothers on Wii is one of the funnest times to be had. Especially in such good company. The two lovely ladies are my Kinesiology buddies and Scott is just Scott. An old favourite.

Blueberry Flax Pancakes

2010-12-22T09:23:00.000-08:00

2 2/3 cups quinoa or whole wheat flour
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups milk
2 large eggs
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup flax seeds
lots of blueberries

1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In a medium bowl whisk the wet ingredients.
3. Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and mix until smooth.
4. Lightly spray a nonstick frying pan with cooking oil and place on medium low heat. When the pan is hot, pour the batter into the pan in about 5 inch rounds. Sprinkle with blueberries immediately.
5. When several bubbles have formed flip the pancakes and cook for another minute or so.
6. Spray the pan with cooking oil again and repeat until all the batter is used.
7. Top with fresh or frozen berries, sliced bananas and a light drizzling of maple syrup.
8. Enjoy!

Torture Devices

2010-10-24T13:17:00.000-07:00

The Judas Cradle

The Judas Cradle is usually attributed to the Spanish Inquisition. The victim would be stripped, bound with ropes, and suspended above the device. They would then be lowered, usually very slowly, onto the device, making the pyramid enter the vagina, anus or scrotum. The amount of pain the device inflicted could be changed in several ways. The victim could be rocked, they could be dropped repeatedly onto the device, one leg could be lifted, olive oil could be spread on the pyramid or brass weights could be hung from the victim's legs.

Sometimes to prolong torture the victim would be suspended above the device over night and torture would continue the next morning.

The device was rarely, if ever, cleaned. If the victims did not die from the device, they almost always died from infection. Torture with the Judas Cradle could last several hours to several days.

Apart from the agonizing pain one suffered, the humiliation was the primary attraction for this method of torture. Whenever the victim fainted from the pain, the torturer would lift the victim until the tortured person was awake again to commence with the process.

The Brazen Bull

The Brazen Bull was invented in Ancient Greece by Perillos of Athens. Perillos proposed his idea of a more painful means of execution to Phalaris, the tyrant of Akraga. Phalaris liked the idea of the Brazen Bull and so it was made. Once finished, Phalaris ordered it to be tested on Perillos himself. Perillos was removed from the Bull before he died but was later killed by Phalaris when he threw Perillos off a hill.

When a victim is placed inside the Brazen Bull he or she is slowly burned to death. The device gradually became more sophisticated until the Greeks invented a complex system of tubes in order to make the victim's screams sound more like an infuriated bull, and also made it so the smoke from it rose in clouds of incense.

Even though this torture was not used as frequently during the Middle Ages as it was used earlier by the Greeks and Romans, it was still used in Central Europe. This torture is similar to being boiled alive.

Autumn is Fantastic!

2010-10-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

I'm going to go ahead and say something shocking: autumn is awesome! Here is why:

I love the crisp mornings and evenings.
I love curling up some place warm with a hot beverage in my hand.

I love wearing sweaters and toques and shoes with thick socks.

I love not being too hot when I exert myself a little.
I love the leaves and the chestnuts.

Are these dumb reasons for loving a season? If so, I challenge you to come up with better reasons. In fact, I DARE you to come up with better reasons.

Kino Cafe

2010-10-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

10 Books in 3 Months

2010-10-02T15:44:00.000-07:00

These are the only books I need to read for my classes this semester. Not a daunting stack of literature at all!

Cambie Street Past Bedtime

2010-09-24T22:04:00.000-07:00

Mastercard

2010-09-23T19:56:00.000-07:00

2 skytrain passes to Stadium Station: $5.
2 tickets to the Canucks vs Flames pre-season game: $100.
2 hotdogs and 2 Rickard's Reds: $24.
Watching our boys from the fourth row with the love of my life: priceless.

Neighbourhood Photos

2010-09-21T17:20:00.000-07:00

A few photos from a walk around the ol' neighbourhood.

Rebecca's Riced Red Peppers

2010-09-17T20:37:00.000-07:00

2 red peppers
half onion, diced
half zucchini, diced or shredded
2 tomatoes, diced
5 mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
half cup of rice (brown, white and wild)
few splashes of Worcestershire sauce
half cup feta
half cup grated chedder
half cup tomato sauce
cup of water
spices (salt, pepper, basil, oregano, etc)

1. Cut tops off peppers, clean out seeds and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Saute garlic and onions in a skillet for a few minutes. Add Worcestershire, tomatoes, zucchini and mushrooms. Add rice, water and spices. Mix. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
3. Add the feta, chedder and tomato sauce. Mix. Stuff each pepper with the mixture, adding a sprinkle of chedder to the tops of each pepper.
4. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until the cheese is melted.
5. Enjoy with a salad and crusty bread.

Four Items

2010-09-10T10:01:00.000-07:00

These four items have served me well over the past few days. I feel almost in the bloom of health again.

Picture Frames

2010-09-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

I've been stopping by yard sales over the past few months and have collected a few picture frames. Now to fill them!

Back to School

2010-09-07T19:28:00.000-07:00

"He writes like E.E. Cummings. Except worse." Said by student to her friends on the skytrain.

I'm suddenly very excited about going back to school.

Having a Blue Milk with Friends

2010-09-04T21:25:00.000-07:00

These guys are adorable.

EATI

2010-09-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

EATI: Equipment and Assistive Technology Iniative. It's really quite cool. This government funded program helps people with disabilities get the equipment and training they need to be able to work and live independently. Through this program, people with disabilities who have depended on others to be able to leave the house, have access to technology that allows them to explore and participate in their community. Can you imagine the ecstasy of being able to leave your home unaided, after years of laying on a bed unable to move? Some people who have been helped by EATI have pasts like that.

One man, who is now in his forties, was injured in a diving accident when he was a teenager. He broke his neck. He doesn't have control of his arms, legs or diaphram even. He underwent a tracheotomy so that he can breathe through a tube that enters directly into his trachea. He uses shoulder movements to force air into the tube, just as we use our diaphram to force air into our lungs. He has to consciously focus on making those movements though, or he'll run out of air.

But the most amazing technology this man has is his power wheelchair. I had never seen anything like it before I started working for BCITS. He has three tubes arranged near his mouth that are connected to the chair. By sipping or blowing he controls his chair. Different lengths and intensities of breath tell his chair to move back, forward or turn, fast or slow. It's amazing to watch. He gets around quite well and lives a very full and satisfying life.

We are so blessed to live in 2010 with this amazing technology available to us. For more information about EATI, visit the website.

Turkey

2010-08-31T17:43:00.000-07:00

Did you know I visited the Republic of Turkey with my sisters a few months ago? It feels like a lifetime has passed since that trip.

I remember the four of us walking the streets of Istanbul and being accosted constantly by street vendors and restaurant owners urging us to patronize their establishments.

I remember how crowded the Blue Mosque was; how hundreds of tourists were packed inside to marvel at the intricate tiling and to gawk at the Muslims praying with their backs to us. I felt both grateful to have been allowed the opportunity to enter such an impressive, historically rich building and disgruntled on the locals' behalf who surely find the ever present tourists obnoxious.

I remember the Aegean cruise on our little gulet; eating meals together; playing backgammon; exploring ancient Greek ruins on tiny islands; diving into the clear clear blue ocean and clambering over rocks to find sea creatures.

I remember the places we stayed, how we alternated sleeping arrangements so that we would have a chance to spend one-on-one time with one another.

I remember carpet buying in Selcuk; the tea and talk; the proprietors laying carpet after carpet in front of us searching for the colours we liked, the patterns that pleased us. Jennie bought a beautiful carpet for her home from a skinny charmer named Osman.

So many memories are packed into mere two weeks. I can't wait until our next sister trip.

The Worst Service Provider = Bell Mobility

2010-08-17T19:05:00.000-07:00

It all began with a lost cell phone...

...and it ended with John and I writing my first strongly worded letter ever. I'm not angry at Bell; but this is the first time I've ever written a letter to try and correct what I see as an injustice and I want to share my enthusiasm for it.

My favourite part of this sordid tale was listening to John talking to manager after manager on the phone on Bell's Customer Support Line. He was magnificent, explaining clearly and methodically (but with a gusto I've rarely heard in him) what the situation was and why it was Bell who broke my trust by failing to provide a service that I, in good faith, have paid for. I almost shuddered in delight when he told the manager to "take a little pride" in the company he represents.

I'm sure you'll come to understand the details of this thrilling account from the letter following:

I called Bell seven weeks ago to replace my lost cell phone at which time I was promised a promotional offer for a phone that would arrive in five to seven business days. After seven hectic weeks of scrambling for other means to communicate, I called Bell to see what the delay was and was told that the phone would not ever arrive. Apparently, the agent I spoke to seven weeks ago was informed of this but decided not to follow up with me.

The poor customer service I've endured these past two months has led me to the conclusion that Bell is no longer a company I would like to be associated with. When I called earlier today to cancel my account I was told that being lied to by Bell about the delivery of the phone, as well as being charged for two months of service I was unable to use, were not substantial enough reasons to void my contract and nullify the cancellation fee.

This break of trust with a service provider that I have used faithfully for five years leaves me profoundly disappointed and upset. The supervisors/managers that John spoke to on the phone earlier today were completely unapologetic about the admittedly flawed service I have received these past two months. When John was told that the grounds on which he was asking for my cancellation fee to be waived were unacceptable, he asked what would qualify an individual to have their cancellation fee waived. The manager refused to answer and threatened to "terminate this phone call". This lack of courtesy is shocking and disrespectful. When customers can't call the Customer Support Line and be given reasons why their requests cannot be fulfilled, you have failed in your mandate.

On the whole, Bell's lack of pride in maintaining an efficient and customer service driven company is embarrassing.

What do you think? Are we tough beans or what!

In Loving Memory

2010-08-17T17:31:00.000-07:00

My Town

Dear little town of LaVerkin
I wonder how you feel today?
Do you sometimes have growing pains,
As you expand, first this way, then that way?

I remember when you were so little and cozy,
In the not so distant past,
When every one was my next door neighbour,
And the pace we lived was not so fast.

I guess we can't stop what we call 'progress'
In this day of the jet and trips to the moon.
But sometimes I long for the 'good old days'
And think, those days have passed too soon.

But some things that linger on forever
Are the memories of this place.
They gladden my heart with rejoicing,
For my memories don't have to keep pace.

- Genevieve Gubler (1913-2010)

I have fond memories of visiting La Verkin, a small town in southern Utah. It brings a smile to my face to think of my grandma being disgruntled at a population boom (3,000 people in 2000) that changed her town from the "little and cozy" one she knew into something a little too fast paced for her. She's an old fashioned country girl to the core.

Sarah, of course, describes our grandma much more eloquently than I.

Symphony of Fire

2010-08-03T17:46:00.001-07:00

The annual fireworks competition in Vancouver every year is now called the Celebration of Lights. But John and I agree, Symphony of Fire is much more catchy. We spent the day at the beach enjoying the hot hot sun and the cold refreshing ocean.

Then we set up our towels on the grass at English Bay and watched the sun set as more and more people flocked to the waterfront to await the fireworks.

I love Vancouver more every day. Sometimes its beauty makes me catch my breath. I wish these photos did it justice.

Bonne Fete!

2010-08-03T17:33:00.000-07:00

My sisters are pretty great. Esther and Amelia (otherwise known as Esti and AJ) took me out for a delicious dinner out on a sunny patio overlooking the water for my birthday. We ate fish tacos and spinach salad and ceviche and watched little boats as they paddled along.

Then we rushed to the UBC campus for a beautiful performance of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Who knew German could sound so melodic?

Thanks you guys. You always make my birthdays so special.

5:49 am

2010-04-14T05:39:00.000-07:00

It's the end of the semester and you have an 8 page term paper on genre theory coming up. You haven't put it off (of course not, who does that?) but somehow the due date is tomorrow and you haven't started writing it yet. It's two o'clock in the afternoon and your class is tomorrow at 6. What do you do?

Recipe for an Awesome Term Paper in 28 Hours:

1. You need at least one comfortable work space in which to spread out all your papers. Ideally several in a close vicinity so that as you get bored of a certain position or vantage point, you can move to a more interesting one. Work spaces must be close to food/water and a washroom. They must not be in places where you will be easily distracted. I prefer my own apartment but cafes such as Waves that stay open 24/7 may be a good option as well.

2. Laptop computer. Important for quick writing and editing.

3. Printer. I've only recently got one and have found that they're such a luxurious luxury. I love printing out drafts of essays that need to be edited so that I can cover them in black ink, input my corrections into the laptop and print off an improved draft. There's just something about doing it by hand. The ability to circle and scribble more easily perhaps?

4. Two pots of tea (Earl grey, hot). That's eight mugs of essay writing power. Essential for Awesome term papers.

It is now 5:49 am and birds are starting to sing outside my window. I can just see a tiny hint of a light in the sky somewhere in the east. I think it's going to be a beautiful day. Just two more drafts to go!

Easter Balls

2010-04-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

So I had grandiose plans for Easter crafts this year. I saw a picture of a papier mache bunny and I vowed to make one for each of my nieces. Here is what I did:

Step 1: Prepare the paste and the newspaper strips (courtesy of SFU's newspaper, The Peak).

Step 2: Cover balloons in strips of gooey paper.

Step 3: Repeat step 2.

Step 4: Hang your creations to dry.

*****WARNING*****
Papier mache takes a long time to dry! Longer than you could ever imagine! Please prepare your craft well before it's needed.

After a day and night of drying (with only two layers) it's time to paint.

Step 5: Paint a base coat.
Note - If you have lame paints like I do (Crayola washables from Superstore bought the night before 10 minutes to close) it will take a few coats of paint to cover the newspaper satisfactorily.

Step 6: Let dry.

*******WARNING******
Having to do several coats of paint will probably leave you behind schedule if you don't plan for it. Please prepare your craft well before it's needed.

If you have run out of time like I did (a couple of hours before we were supposed to head over to my sister's for Easter dinner I was still applying base coats) the best project you can probably do is an Easter egg. The bunnies require more time and effort, unfortunately.

Step 7: Apply designs onto egg.

Step 8: Fill with candy.

It's no lie that I'm ashamed of my Easter balls (that look nothing like eggs) however hopefully someone can learn from my mistakes; hence, pictures and a detailed record of my bungles.

I ended up putting them in a plastic bag to take over to my sister's while the paint was still drying so they got a bit smudged. However, the candy inside the eggs made up for the deficiencies in aesthetics and my nieces were happy. Success!!

Here are a few photos of the lovely Easter dinner Amelia provided. She's quite the host. Happy Easter!

Serdar

2010-04-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

My Politics and Ethics TA deserves a tribute, I think. His tutorial was the funnest and most interesting in all my long two years of post secondary education. Paige agrees (she's the pretty one on the far right), therefore it's true.

1. He would present two opposing views of an issue and tell us to "attack, attack" one another's arguments.

2. Whenever he needed to think up an example, it always somehow involved murder.

3. He would interrupt us continuously, sometimes to ask what we thought about legalizing marijiuana.

These are just a few reasons why I name him Teaching Assistant of the Year!

Favourited Spring Activities

2010-03-28T17:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my sister, niece, boyfriend and I tried to swing like monkeys on a jungle gym. It's more difficult than I remember. But playing with exuberant enthusiasm is just as fun as it was when I was 10.

Welome, Spring. You make me feel young again.

The Missing

2010-03-26T09:58:00.001-07:00

I missed St. Patrick's Day. I apologize. Here is a little green fairy to make it all up to you.

Shhh, she's sleeping.

Highlight

2010-03-22T09:55:00.001-07:00

Have you ever felt the weight of a little bird in your hand? its skinny feet grasping your finger? its funny eyes staring unblinkingly at you from 30 cm away?

We spent the weekend in Whistler snowboarding. And this was probably the highlight.

Of the Homemade Variety

2010-03-14T23:12:00.000-07:00

Bread. I've gone and made it. My first and second attempts were eatable (by John's questionable standards) but unsatisfactory: one too crusty, the other undercooked. But my third! It was beautiful. So beautiful that I arranged some fruit behind it and took a picture. Corny? I don't think so.

I have two favourite memories of homemade bread: One is of my mum kneading the dough in a huge yellow bowl. She would kneel in the little entrance-way to the kitchen where her knees would be on the carpet of the living room and the huge bowl of dough would be on the linoleum of the kitchen floor. She would kneel there and knead, her hands strong and quick, folding the dough and pushing with the heels of her hands. She made something like ten loaves (one for each of her children, perhaps?) at a time. The most I've made is two. It's tiring, kneading that dough. I have a new respect for her, now that I've done it.

My other memory is, of course, of the product of her labours. She would often time the bread to be out of the oven just before her children got home from school. We would enter the house and the delicious aroma would immediately overtake us. We devoured thick slices of that bread, slathered in peanut butter or honey, in seconds.

I never stopped to wonder at the satisfaction my mum must have felt at her children's enthusiastic response to her baking skills but now I can only hope that she felt as gratified as I do. John is a very complimentary eater. Even my less successful attempts have been rewarded with nothing but encouragement.

The Time Has Come, the Time is Now!

2010-03-13T22:14:00.000-08:00

Hey peeps!

I haven't had the opportunity of taking pictures as of yet but with or without pictures you should know: it snowed! Mostly up in the mountains. They look gorgeous from Cambie Street.

The snow has invoked great excitement in my household. Finally we can snowboard again. The last time weather conditions allowed John and I to snowboard was in January at Big White. Fantastic powder and some great runs there. Just sayin.

Canadian-ness

2010-03-10T10:03:00.000-08:00

"I saw all the flags and everyone wearing red and white and I felt so ... so proud to be Canadian."

I've heard variations on this theme every day since the Olympics came to (and left) Vancouver. Initially it grated on my nerves. Why does their patriotism arise only on these sorts of occasions? But I realized that I'm guilty of the same crime.

Don't get me wrong, I love Canada. All the time. But before I saw the seas of red and white filling the streets and hundreds of maple leafs waving at me from every angle I wouldn't have said I'm particularly patriotic.

So what is it that incited this swell of feeling in us during the Olympics? I think it comes down to one word: community. For two weeks we weren't separated by race or creed or political leanings (for the purposes of this post please just accept this statement). We all identified with an overarching commonality ... Canadian-ness! The property of being Canadian.

We were reminded for a little while that there's at least one thing that unites us. It felt good to be a part of something, a community, a group of people with a shared goal. It felt good to belong.

Disinclination to Write

2010-01-04T20:35:00.000-08:00

There is so much to say about December: experimenting with baking, John's birthday, LAN parties, making my first Christmas Eve dinner (beer butt chicken), bringing the tree home on the skytrain, gingerbread house making, New Years at Six Acres, wine and beer and pounds of butter in everything. I'm afraid I don't have the inclination to write details though.

A Student's Reality

2009-11-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

Rebecca is doing this right now. (Studying, that is. Not being a haggard looking male.)

She wishes she were doing this instead.

Winter, how thou dost tempt me.

Graffitti

2009-11-20T18:36:00.000-08:00

Read on the inside door of a bathroom stall at Simon Fraser University today:

Blue pen: Can you please refrain from leaving your piss all over the seat. It is disgusting.

Black pen: Try squatting you lazy bitch!

Blue pen: Dude, you are in Canada. We have seats for a reason otherwise there wouldn't be any. It's not lazy, it's custom.

Red pen: Wipe your fucking "custom" off when you're done celebrating your noble heritage then. In Canada we don't like sitting in piss.

BFFs

2009-10-23T23:14:00.001-07:00

Here is John. He's really nice. And smart.

Bet'cha don't like him as much as I do, though.

Green Tea Will Not Deceive You

2009-10-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

I made sushi last Thursday and it was pretty unpalatable. It was, however, less unpalatable than the miso soup that John made from a carton. Beware of foods that look easy to make. They are sneaky devils.

The green tea was exquisite.

Muchacho Bonito

2009-10-07T15:32:00.000-07:00

I was at the library a couple of hours ago innocently typing something up for some class or other when I heard a voice. I looked up, curious, and saw a boy across from me working away busily and singing beautifully in Spanish. I smiled in pleasure at the unconventionality of it. Here we were in the middle of an academic study centre, surrounded by studious students and a beautiful boy was singing a beautiful song and no one was annoyed by it.

SFU grows on me more and more.

Farewell

2009-10-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

It's definitely autumn. I can tell because my toes are numb underneath my socks, I'm wearing three layers of sweaters and it's raining steadily outside. I can also tell because, even though it feels like I just began school last week, it's already midterm time.

Here are some summer photos given as a last farewell to those carefree days.

Did You Know...?

2009-09-17T13:17:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the word stereotype originated with the use of the printing press in the 15th century? Printers would use an image numerous times because an image engraved on wood wasn't very precise and copper images were time consuming and required much skill; so, to be cost effective, they utilized engravings created sometimes decades before.

Do you notice anything about the Native Indian figures in these pictures, taken from the engravings of Theodore de Bry in 1590? European features, Greek musculature - these images do not reflect reality and yet they were used again and again to portray what the indigenous people in the New World looked like to those interested in Europe.

This, and many other interesting facts can be discovered at university.

Labour Day Wedding

2009-09-06T16:25:00.000-07:00

A friend told me that, despite not having given it much thought or attention, she's determined to get married on Labour Day weekend. She listed her reasons: as a statutory holiday rounding up summer vacations, her wedding will be well attended; Labour Day symbolizes new beginnings, appropriate for her and her husband's-to-be brand new lives together.

I support her in all of her marital decisions, please understand. For me, however, Labour Day is perhaps the last day I would choose to commence a life of bliss with the man I love. It has always indicated an end of freedom for me as a child. In July and August my parents would pack us into the van and drive to wherever we had relatives: southern Alberta, Utah, California, Las Vegas. Simple trips, but fun. Summer holidays were to be looked forward to with anticipation, enjoyed with relish, and remembered with longing. Labour Day symbolized the immutable perseverance of school. Do any teenagers really enjoy it? I was no different. I dreaded the end of the long lazy summer afternoons I used to read under the plum tree in the back yard, a pile of pits accumulating beside me, the end of rollerblading to the lake (in Kelowna) and spending the evening floating in calm cool water as the sun set.

Growing up, Labour Day meant everything good was coming to an end and everything awful was about to start up again. As an adult, I feel differently. I look forward to school with a zest I used to reserve for ice cream on a hot day. The change in the seasons excites me. I've lived summer to the fullest and now I'm ready for mittened hands wrapped around steaming teas.

I still adamantly refuse to consider marriage on this day though. Old prejudices die hard.

Love is Not

2009-08-27T12:45:00.000-07:00

Love is not just a function of the eyes.

Beautiful objects will, of course, inspire

possessive urges - you need not despise

your taste. But when insatiable desire

inflames you for a girl who's out of fashion,

lacking in glamour - plain, in fact - that fire

is genuine. That's the authentic passion.

Beauty, though, any critic can admire.

-Marcus Argentarius

I first read those words in a second hand bookstore on Main Street. I was crouching amid volumes and volumes of dusty poetry and this tiny red book, almost hidden by the taller books around it, caught my eye. It's called Love Poems. I immediately bought it. $4.75.

The Favourite Game

2009-08-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

By ten o'clock the floor was jammed with sharply dressed couples, and, seen from the upstairs balcony, their swaying and jolting seemed to be nourished directly by the pulsing music, and they muffled it like shock absorbers. The bass and piano and steady brush-drum passed almost silently into their bodies where it was preserved as motion...

There was nothing superficial about a thousand people deeply engaged in the courting ritual, the swinging fragments of reflected light sweeping across their immobile eye-closed faces, amber, green, violet. They couldn't help being impressed, fascinated by the channelled violence and the voluntary organization.

-Leonard Cohen

Don't his words just curl around your senses deliciously?

Vocab Slam

2009-08-19T12:11:00.000-07:00

I enjoy reading. Generally, as I read I keep a list of all the words I can't decipher from the context and, when time permits, look them up. The idea is to expand my diminutive vocabulary. Here are a few, by request:

garrulous - excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner, especially about trivial matters
recalcitrant - reisting authority or control
zeitgeist - the spirit of the time; general trend of thought or feeling characteristic of a particular period of time
incontinent - lacking in moderation or self control; unceasing or unrestrained
proclivity - natural or habitual inclination or tendency
occlude - to close, shut, or stop up
specious - apparently good or right though lacking real merit; superficially pleasing or plausible

Conversations with an Octogenarian

2009-08-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

There's a very old, very skinny Chinese man that I see in my neighbourhood occasionally. He must be about 80, with large decaying teeth and a thinning grey comb over, always carrying something in a plastic grocery bag. Every time I see him he stops me in the street and tells me in a direct business like fashion that I'm very very beautiful. I generally thank him for the compliment and try to direct the conversation into more interesting channels. He will not be diverted! He ignores every comment unrelated to my physical appearance.

And near the end of our dialogue he always extracts a strange promise from me. "Will you promise me something?" he always asks.

"Uh, sure."

"Promise me you'll get even more beautiful."

I chuckle uncertainly. "I'll try."

"No! Don't try." And reminiscent of Yoda he admonishes, "Either do it or don't do it."

Either get more beautiful or get more ugly? With these limited options I choose the less offensive of the two. "Ok, I'll do it."

Then he smiles his toothy smile and putters off in a self satisfied way, as if he had just accomplished his goal for the day.

Picturesque

2009-08-12T17:17:00.000-07:00

I love the way the moon looks rising over those old Victorian houses in East Van.

Canadian Hero

2009-08-07T17:46:00.000-07:00

I was in my first year of college when I learned of Leonard Cohen. And by learned of him I mean my English prof played 'Suzanne' in class and I immediately dismissed him and his work as stupid. I was bored by his low register, by the repetition, by the lack of what I thought was instrumental interest, by the stupid lyrics that I didn't understand.

I was distracted by the boy that sat next to me. We often giggled conspiratorially at the prof's poor english skills. She was a fresh faced middle aged lady from Russia who spoke with a heavy accent. We never forgot one incident in which she was trying to describe an animal to us. "It's large, has spotted fur...." We stared at her blankly. "Rhymes with leotard..."

Could she possibly mean leopard? As one, the class burst into laughter. We sat there laughing at our bewildered professor for at least a minute. (We were a jolly, if somewhat immature bunch.) Finally, wiping the tears from my eyes, I enlightened her as to the correct pronunciation of that difficult word. Her face changed colour as she quickly went on with the lecture.

I've developed a bit more sensitivity since that year. Cohen moves me. I listen to him on repeat at work and the time flies by with his beautiful words.

You held on to me like I was a crucifix.

Like a baby stillborn

like a beast with his horn

I have torn

everyone who reached out for me.

I'm stubborn as those garbage bags

that time cannot decay.

I said, "Lady, unfold me".

Fire Hydrant in East Van

2009-08-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

Here is the scene: hot Sunday evening, the sun on its slow journey down towards the blue mountains, we two on our bicycles, on our way home for dinner, our skin burnt from our afternoon on the beach, our bodies still glistening from our swim in the ocean.

The first thing we noticed was the water streaming down the road, under our tires. Then we saw the people. Dozens of them dancing and frolicking around a busted fire hydrant. You told me we couldn't miss this, so we leaned Beatrice and Rupert up against a fence, tore off our clothes and ran towards the spray. It was cold and it hurt but we dove through it like children.

There was music and beer and wet bodies and laughter and a carefree crowd enjoying the moment with a spontaneous exuberance that took my breath away.

You wanted to stay forever but I had an appointment to keep so we left slowly, with backward glances. You were grinning from ear to ear as you said, "Now I can cross that off my list."

Dean Martin vs Sad Baby

2009-07-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

There was a small boy in a stroller in front of me on the skytrain yesterday. I couldn't see his mum's face, as she was turned away, but she was wearing a polka dot sun dress and her bare back and bronzed shoulders looked young from behind. I had my book in my lap but favoured watching the boy instead. He was fascinating. He had tousled blond hair and large dark eyes and was gazing solemnly at his mother. I couldn't hear what she was saying, as I was listening to my iPod, but whatever it was didn't sit very well with her young son. His face, slowly flushing in displeasure provided an interesting counterpoint to my music. I was listening to a live recording of Dean Martin, improvised of course, a vivacious crowd laughing at the end of almost every stanza.

I love Chicago, it's lively and gay,

I'd even work here without any pay.

I'll lay you odds it turns out that way,

That's why the gentleman is a tramp.

The boy's eyes filled with tears and his lower lip quivered dangerously as he watched his mother.

I love the free fresh booze that you get.

So I'm in debt, I'm flat, take that.

The tears spilled over, leaving streaks on his dirty cheeks. Suddenly he burst into sobs and covered his face with his small hands, giving himself over entirely to his wretched state. I sat there, mesmerized, torn between empathy for the wailing child and amusement at Martin's easy charm as he played with his Chicago audience.

My wife just told me, "Have I news for you.

The doctor's sure that I'm way overdue."

Wait til she finds out my girlfriend is too.

That's why this gentleman is a tramp.

The boy was still crying, with his eyes covered, as I got off at Broadway Station.

Family Reunion

2009-07-20T21:07:00.001-07:00

Track Bikes

2009-07-16T12:51:00.001-07:00

Of all the improbable professions I told my mum I'd like to devote myself to when I grew up (ie: tornado chaser), I never suspected that, as an adult, it would be something as romantic as an East Van hipster/bicycle snob.

What they care about:

-track bikes

-thrift store shopping

-independent music

-the environment

-not brushing their hair

What I care about:

-eating cereal

-my family

-reading

-sleeping with fluffy pillows

You see the discrepancy? I do have a bicycle but it has a basket and a bell and isn't built for speed. I can't carry it over my shoulder like a handbag as I so long to do because the frame is too thick. I don't venture out in the winter, earning me the reprehensible standing of Fair Weather Rider. And I enjoy nothing more than pedalling leisurely along companionably with a friend or two, taking in the view and stopping for an ice cream, which is a definite turn off for fixed gear enthusiasts whose sole aim is speed. In short, I'm just not the stuff bike snobs are made of. Perhaps I'll be a blogger instead?

Ode to Katie

2009-07-13T19:44:00.000-07:00

Do you want to know who made me do it? (Start a blog, that is.) Katie. Or, as some extremely tactful people down the hall like to call her, tall girl. She is, admittedly, quite tall but I wouldn't say her height is her defining characteristic. She's an anomaly. Hard to place in a category. She wears pretty ruffly blouses tucked into high waisted skirts but kicks back in baby blue Uggs. She has a bachelor in fine arts but is returning to university for law. She plays basketball and cycles with a helmet. She hates Harry Potter and loves Mormon blogs. She knows New York almost as well as she knows Vancouver. In fact, she knows quite a lot about nearly everything. Google and her are like this.

Recently at work we were discussing the importance of a general knowledge of politics and after confessing my ignorance of even an elementary comprehension of it, she cleared the whiteboard and drew a diagram of the Canadian political spectrum. Conservatives and the Green Party were at opposite ends. NDP was left of centre, Bloc Quebecois right, and the Liberals were somewhere in the middle.

Underneath Conservatives she wrote:

religion
business
money
anti-gay
ECONOMY!

Underneath NDP she wrote:

socialist
health care
welfare
gay

Above everything:

Alliance + Progressive Conservatives = Conservatives

Alliance = CRAZY

Stephen Harper, our blue eyed Prime Minister, is crazier than Bush, said Katie. And that is why I follow her advice. Because she knows.

Blizzards and Blood

2009-07-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

Here is a conversation that just took place in my sister's kitchen between myself and my five year old niece. She was sitting at the table, her pencil crayons and colouring sheets spread out in front of her and a day old Tin Roof Brownie Blizzard melting quickly in her hand.

"Do you know what a menstrual cycle is?" I asked.

She shook her head.

"Do you want to know?"

Nod. Ice cream running freely down her chin, brownie in its wake.

"It happens to girls. Well, women really. Once a month they feel kind of sick and blood comes out of them." I waited for a reaction.

She looked up from her icecream. "Ew."

Perturbed that she was taking it so lightly, I said, "How do you feel about that?"

She shrugged and rooted around for chocolaty chunks with her plastic spoon.

"Do you feel like that's weird or interesting?"

Shrug. Another bite.

"Gross? Cool? Awful? Wonderful?"

She shrugged four times.

I suppose empathy for the monthly plight of women will come later when she realizes how inexorably uncomfortable it is.

The Sunny Side of the Street

2009-07-09T17:23:00.000-07:00

I walked on the other side of the street today. It felt so new. And strange. And good. I had no intention of crossing to the other side but a cyclist had activated the pedestrian controlled light and traffic was stopping just as I approached the intersection, so I crossed. I felt a bit shy. I always do when I cross a busy street like Oak. A bit sheepish, as if I was stealing time from these madly efficient commuters. I always feel as if they're looking at me impatiently, crossly. Hurry up, they tell me silently, exasperated.

I keep my pace casual. The light will change in its own time whether I walk briskly or not. I will not be intimidated by their glares. Piles of cars, each with a glaring driver. And more coming all the time. Eager to get home after a long day at work.

The west side of Oak was worth it though. It's lovely. It has big houses and tree shaded side streets. I passed one carefully groomed hedge of poison ivy. Alright, maybe not poison ivy, but it looked an awful lot like it. Life seemed more interesting over there, greener, brighter.

I'm slightly ashamed to admit how rousing I found the whole thing. Maybe I'll try it again tomorrow and see that it's not such a big deal afterall.