What a Great Guy!

I was at a conference dinner last night and the discussion turned to how my table mates were getting home. I explained that The Boyfriend was coming to pick me up.

"What a great guy" the man next to me exclaimed.

When he found out that The Boyfriend was driving from our east end neighbourhood to the northern corner of Mississauga to get me he was more impressed: "What a great guy!"

And when it was revealed that The Boyfriend had done the same trek that morning to drop me off leaving him to face rush hour traffic on the way home the deal was sealed: "What a great guy!"

The truth is, The Boyfriend chauffered me because he needed the car that day. Why? Because he had a shift delivering meals to the infirm and elderly that day. That really does make him a great guy. On top of that, he booked us on a tropical vacation for a week. And even more gravy is that he has been looking after our home for the last month while I have been stressing myself silly trying to turn my contract job into a permanent one.

I cannot express how wonderful it is to come home and have dinner - with candles and wine - served to you day after day. It is the most amazing kind of support to have a partner who will hold you while you meltdown in anxiety and fear and remind you how awesome you are. It is a gift that I cherish when he illuminates my darkest corners with optimism.

Truly, What a Great Guy!

Starry Saturday

Sometimes living in a city like Toronto can surprise you. When you are not even expecting it you can stumble upon a red carpet event. Such was the case last night when my walk home turned into star watching outside the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre.

Yonge street was barricaded and a crowd had gathered. My mind was elsewhere so I was not really thinking of the date. But it did not take long to realize that the event was the Geminis. Yes, the event that rewards the best in Canadian television was going down and I was able to sneak into the second line of observers right at the entrance point.

My first catch was Mark Taylor. He is currently staring in "Flashpoint", a show that do actually enjoy. It is a cop procedural and is really well done. I must say that Mark is quite handsome in person. Truthfully, it was cool to be close to a homegrown star from one of my favourite Canadian guilty pleasures: "Instant Star". Squeeee!!


Next up was Enrico Colantoni. In spite of his roles on "Flashpoint" and "Just Shoot Me", he will always be Keith Mars to me. Does this mean I am officially only one degree of separation from Logan Echolls?


Sadly, I only had my blackberry with me so the picture quality was none-to-great. And while my location was perfect, the bright lights at the entrance did not help me get decent photos of the other Canadian stars going by including: the current cast of Degrassi (yay Snake!), the Dragons from CBC's Dragon's Den and Shaun Majumder.

Then the crowd along the street went crazy! Excited screams for tween throats echoed into the air and Cory Monteith arrived. Yes, the lovable singing jock from mega-hit "Glee" - who was hosting the night's event - arrived right in front of me.


He is obviously cute. And a total trooper when it came to giving the fans his time. He signed and took pictures. He hung out by the gals waving "Glee" foam fingers in the air. It was a treat to see him being accessible and funny and kind. Go Canadian talent. For me, it was just interesting to see someone in the flesh who I had last seen on the (controversial) cover of GQ Magazine! And that lopsided grin? In full force.


In the end I took so many pics in such succession that I burnt out the screen of my blackberry. No long term damage, just a momentary glitch in the operations, but the problem caused me to leave my spot in the crowd and head home. I packed in my star watching and it wasn't until today that I realized who I had missed. After my departure, Nina Dobrev arrived. Yes, the Canadian ex-Degrassi star who is now kicking ass on my favourite show "The Vampire Diaries". She was there and I missed her. Oh well, I guess sometimes in a city like Toronto you really never know what will happen.

60 Days and Counting...

When I began my apparel diet two months ago I wasn't sure what to expect. I had been shopping so consistently and for so long that I could not fathom my time without that pursuit. As it turns out, I am doing rather well.

Luckily, the diet allows for the occassional sweets (accessories!) and vitamins (underwear, socks, bras). Still, in 61 days all I have purchased is a new hat for the winter (pictured right). In fact, I was getting very discouraged trying to find a new hat this season and lamented the loss of all thress of my winter hats from last year. I get cold ears inthe winter and I need something warm to stave off the ear-ache-chill but not mess up my hair in the process. Oh joy! when I found this stretchy ball of comfort and was sold. And, the purchase wasn't even breaking the rules!

To be honest, I do miss my mall time. This month I took my shopping to a vicarious level while searching for The Boyfriend's birthday gifts. If I'm not getting new clothes he darn well is! I over-shopped completely and had to return a few items. I still ended up giving him more than necessary but it was my only shot at buying a whole new outfit! Also, he looked really good in it all so really it was like a double-gift for me and I didn't have to go off the diet.

It has been difficult to see all the lovely fall sweaters show up inthe stores. I'm a sucker for cheap cashmere! I know I haven't kicked the shopping spree out of me yet but at the end of this month I'm feeling pretty chuffed about my restraint. Who would of bought that?

Autumn Blossoms

My mom bought me a GIANT fall mum for our yard. It took me forever to find a place where it would fit - which was the empty corner next to the back steps. But it is a perfect seasonal auburn and pretty darn lovely in the morning sunshine. Behold!

Oh So Not Zen

Nothing paralyzes me more than really wanting something. The pure desire of a specific outcome is enough to turn my brain into a cement block and my body into insolent jelly. The outward manifestation is pure freak-out procrastination.

These days the challenge is resume writing. My current job is only a contract. A contract that is ending in 30 days. Ouch! With only a month of guaranteed employment ahead of me I have begun to panic. Internally at first. Then in a stream of word-vomit confessionals to anyone silly enough to ask about work. Now I am trapped inside a mind-f*ck merry-go-round that is equal parts smug and scared stupid.

From a rational point of view I can see myself. I am easily qualified and successfully contributing to my job. I have a lot to offer. I am the living embodiment of the job descriptions I am reading. But staring at those sentences I can feel my insides shrinking. The feeling that I can do the job makes the application feel questionalbe. The fact that I need a job makes the doors of opportunity turn into walls. The sense that I really want a specific job sling-shots the position into the stratosphere of doubt.

And then the paralysis arrives. My brain gets stuck. My eyes swim. My body recoils from the tasks of writing and typing and editing. The more I think I can the less I move. The more I want to get there the farther away it feels. If only I could accept my fate. Be a little bit zen about the whole thing. A meditative state. That sounds nice.

An Autumn Weekend

Since moving to Toronto I am often confronted with comments abut the horrors of living in the city. And while I am not immune to the frustrations that come with life in an urban centre I know that The Boyfriend and I have picked the absolutely best place to live. Anyone who spent the Thanksgiving weekend with me would have learned how its not so bad.

Friday Night - October 8th
Dining al fresco on our backyard deck. Fresh BBQ steak, salad featuring garden grown tomatoes and Niagara red wine.

Saturday - October 9th
We took our bikes to the Don Valley and crusied along the path in the late afternoon sun.

Sunday - October 10th
Before the day was in full swing, The Boyfriend was off to the airport to travel home for his family's Thanksgiving. This was the view across the street from our place in the morning.

Monday - October 11th
I had a full day to myself and the warm weather continued. I took the trek down Lake Ontario's eastern shore towards the Scarborough bluffs. Almost had me believing I was back at the ocean.Ahhhhh....

Thank You

A year ago I was moving - in a mad, last-minute rush - into The Boyfriend's apartment. Two days later I was on stress-leave from my job and scampering back to Ontario for a refill of familial and friendly love. It was a tipping point in my universe. Like a rock finally overcoming its inertia and toppling down a hill a new momentum began.

Looking back it is easy to see that my universe is a beautiful place. My world is stuffed with an abundance of gifts in the people I know, the places I explore and the activities I enjoy. While I often whine about the changes I have faced this year I must acknowledge the growth that has taken place in my life and the people around me who have given so much to make it happen.

Thank you to Jodi for listening to my needs and always believing that I have more to offer the world. Thank you for setting me up in a job that forced me make a change and bring me closer to the life I always wanted. Thank you for still being an ear to my frustrations and fears even as you are embedded in the depths of your own. Your friendship is boundless and I am grateful be on the receiving end of it.

Thank you to my brother and his family for opening your home to me last winter. Thank you for feeding me so much tasty goodness. Thank you for letting me become a part of your daily lives and for sharing so much time with my niece and nephew. I have been so joyed to rebuild my connection to you and I appreciate your generosity more than I can say.

Thank you to my Toronto friends for welcoming me back to the area and filling me social calendar. Thank you for accepting The Boyfriend with warmth and support. Thank you for keeping the challenges of change at bay with solid doses of nostalgia.

In particular thank you to the Kat and Scott for inspiring me with your honesty and strength. Your verve for life in the face of struggle is a power that I wish we could bottle and sell to the masses. You make the world a better place. Fight on!

Thank you to my parents who continue to be the featherbed of support in my existence. Your generosity has always known no bounds but being able to see you more often makes it easier to be on the receiving end of your gifts.

Thank you to The Boyfriend. All of it is easier and more enjoyable because of you. Thank you for your positivity in tackling obstacles. Thank you for knowing that sometimes I just need to freak out/worry/over-analyze and for giving me the space to do that. Thank you for doing the dishes SO often and for tackling a road trip just to get us a dishwasher! Thank you for diving into a whole new life to be with me. I am in awe of that gift everyday. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Overall, thank you to the forces of luck and serendipity who have always worked within my life. Last-minute job opportunity. Cheapest flight to Mexico ever! House rental in the Beach. This year the gifts were particularly well-played.

Thank you.

Cleaving Clavicles

If there is one thing that drives me crazy about the "thin-ification" of movie stars it is the bony clavicle. All those fancy dress straps that rest on those protuding lines. Those deep hollows between the neck and the shoulders. This look is so foreign to my physcial reality. To the reality I have seen in the healthy women around me. I just wanted to point it out.