Capturing 2006

During the time between Christmas and New Years I always feel reflective. I tend to look back on what has happened and to cast forward into the next year. When looking back at 2006, at first I felt a little down. In my extremist way I exclaimed to my husband, "Another year gone by and I haven't done ANYTHING!" At which point he oh-so-patiently said, "Really? Let's take a look." At first I was appropriately abashed but soon I begain celebrating all the wonderful things that took place this year. I hope you'll make a similar list!

A Smattering of Jamie's Accomplishments and Memorable Moments for 2006

• Taking my first trip to Europe. Justin and I went to Holland and also made a trip to Belgium.
• Becoming a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC).
• Becoming a Nia Blue Belt. Blue is the second of four Nia belt levels.
• Turning my full-time job into a freelance position to make room for my developing coaching practice.
• Starting this blog.
• Launching the Shyne Like a Star Dance Party on May 1 (coming again this year, so put it in your daybook!)
• Being invited to join a company's roster of coaches and doing so.
• Being invited to run a series of webinars on soft skills (e.g. self-confidence, making a good impression). They are now in the works.
• Running a Coaching Extravaganza and raising money for Inner City Angels.
• Going to fFida for the first time (which now looks like it's called the Toronto International Dance Festival)
• Going to see Soulpepper productions for the first time. We saw The Chairs and King Lear.
• Justin and I going on regular trips down to the Beaches, even in December.
• Justin and I getting to the Sunset Grill for French Toast several times during the week (when there's not a lineup out the door!)
• Seeing my favourite movie of the year, Little Miss Sunshine.
• Realizing Little Miss Sunshine had competition when my sisters and I got to see Dreamgirls on the holidays.
• Celebrating my birthday at 7Numbers on the Danforth.
• Becoming a workshop leader for justBe... (I can't wait!)
• Being featured on Self Portrait Challenge.
• Creating an art journal that worked as a magic/wish/spell journal too.
• Creating an altered book as a journal. (I'd show you but my scanner is currently kaput)
• Starting my 101 Things in 1001 Days list.
• Having light fixtures installed in the house.
• Finding and planting a mock orange tree.
• Shannon living with us for a time.
• Participating in a beautiful and moving Samhain ritual.
• Taking a Feldenkrais class.
• Going to the Gardiner Museum and seeing the amazing Paul Day exhibit
• Going to Stillwater Spa for a pedicure, thanks to the generosity of a friend.
• Trying 9 new restaurants. (See #33 on my 101 List)
• Celebrating Yule with Justin, including going to SweetTooth on the Danforth – yum!
• Exploring the Music Garden with Justin and walked all the way out to the Ex.
• Going to the Cat Show with Shannon.
• Going to the Rectory on Centre Island. I've been wanting to do that for years.
• Walking in High Park with Justin.
• Making gingerbread Halloween monsters.
• Going to the Auction.
• Working through True Balance with a group of Bloggers
• Starting to think about theatre again.
• Getting my taxes up to date.
• Fingerpainting
• The lock on our door busting at night and Justin, friends and family getting it sorted for me. I felt so loved and taken care of.
• Getting a Thai yoga massage
• Watching So You Think You Can Dance (except when they're mean).
• Watching the garden grow.
• Getting our Christmas tree from the nice guys who sell them at Canadian Tire
• Attending Nia classes on Monday and Wednesday mornings with Martha and Roberta.
• Going to Sarah’s, our local restaurant
• Going to Relish, the new tapas place with atmo that opened in our ‘hood
• Going to Sandy’s, the local Chinese food place, for relaxed Friday nights. (See Friday)
• Being in conversation with my Dad.
• Sharing time with my family during the holidays
• Seeing Suzie.
• Being credited as a Creative Consultant on a film that started as a part of a theatre piece I directed.
• Participating in a postcard exchange.

What are the moments you'll remember from 2006?

Holiday Highlights

Wow, the holiday season has been a whirlwind of activity. There's been lots of feasting and family! So before 2006 draws to a close and we invite 2007 in the door, I want to celebrate some of the highlights of the season.

Justin and I spent Yule together, and it was beautiful. One of the things we did was trek out for treats to this wonderful new bakery I've discovered called Sweet Tooth. And I was able to share it with my sister and her husband when they were here for a visit too, which was awesomet! (Oh, and that girl who works there is just the nicest!)

Then I travelled up to my Dad's for a holiday visit. I haven't done this in a while, so it was quite a big event, and I'm really glad that I went. It was also nice to have some quiet time on the train to play sudoko, listen to music and read.

Then to Shannon's for Christmas Eve dinner. Wow, did we feast! And laugh, our family knows how to laugh! And for those of you who follow our blogs - look it's all 3 sisters in the same spot - a real treat for us! And that's our brother in the red hat behind me. I thought I'd be kind and let him stay a bit anonymous, hehe.

On Boxing Day was the much anticipated Piragi Making adventure! Three sisters do some kitchen magic and make the dough. We had a blast.

Speaking of sisters, Mom and Auntie Laima arrive to show us how it's done! And the little known secret is that my husband, Suzie's husband and our uncle are all in the other room. I'm sure they're enjoying all the hubbub from a distance, hehe.

And a wonderful, nostalgic tearfest ended the visit as Shannon, Suzie and I went out to see Dreamgirls. (The boys went to see Rocky.) This is after the movie; note the complete lack of mascara!

Well, there's a smattering of the photos I took this holiday season. Did you notice how often someone in our family has a camera in their hands! There were times during Boxing Day that 5 people were taking pictures! I guess we have lots of moments to remember, and for that I am truly thankful!

I hope your holidays were spectacular!

Happy Yule!

Happy Yule everybody! This is the day that Justin and I are celebrating our Christmas together. So I'm sitting here after eating French Toast that Justin made with eggnog at a candlelit table with delicious fresh-ground Noisette coffee from Timothy's. I've been spoiled rotten by my honey and I hope he feels the same. He's been running around singing "Happy Yule Be Happy Yule Be Happy...." (sing along and discover the double meaning, hehe)

Yule is making so much sense to me this year. I'm understanding it in a way that I never did before. Here we are in the middle of winter, the darkest, longest night, and we're taking the time to remind ourselves of all of our blessings. We are warm. We are loved and loving. We have more then enough, enough to share and celebrate. And so the enveloping winter, in all her majesty, gives us a chance to cozy up and smile, to enjoy her presence and remember the light to come.

Happy Yule!

SPC Challenge ~ Red 3

Red can be powerful, sexy, dramatic and, well, silly. Here's a rare photographic glimpse of my silly side. I wish you could see that the nose actually flashes, hehe.

101 Things in 1001 Days ~ Update

It's time for an update to my list of 101 Things in 1001 Days. I'm always inspired by Shannon's weekly updates, but find that week to week I don't always have much to report. But every now and again, I do :)

#20: Get my charts done - Astrologer contacted, booked in process.

I'm so excited about how this ended up just sort of happening. My mom has a friend who is an astrologer and she forwarded her newsletter to me and my sisters. *Ding* I contacted the woman and inquired about prices etc. and started saving. But it turns out that this is now officially a Christmas present for me from my husband, and I'm booking for the beginning of January. I'll definitely let you know how it goes. I've wanted to get my charts done since I was 13 years old!

#23: Take 100 Nia Classes - in progress, 21 classes taken

I have to admit that I thought I'd be farther along in this one. In part I think I haven't been as conscientious as I could be with adding the classes I've taken. The new year will see renewed commitment, and I'm excited. I still want to acknowledge that I am 20% done on this task.

#27: FOH (front of house) lighting working - Complete - yay!

I know this one may not sound tremendously exciting but I am absolutely thrilled to have a light fixture (and one that's working) at the front of our house. For 2 1/2 years if you've come to our house at night, you've had to approach in semi-darkness. We live in a busy street, so the streetlights provide some ambient glow, but this is much, much better. Yay!

#32: No bare bulbs on the main floor or upstairs ~ Progress. Only 2 more to go!

And still on the lighting topic, we've managed to put light fixtures up in our entire kitchen and in what I call my studio (where I coach and do art). We also had some odd light fixtures removed, like the outdoor lamp that was on a wall in our kitchen, complete with green bulb. Weird. Now, it's just the bedroom, bathroom and hallway and this task will be complete. I can't wait.

#33: Go to 10 new restaurants - completed 9/10

This task has been surprisingly easy to do. I guess I go out for dinner far more than I think I do! It has been great motivation to branch out instead of always going to the tried-and-true locations. For #9, I went to The Artful Dodger with Shannon. We went for the first time about a month ago and again this Friday. What a cozy relaxed pub - perfect for a winter's eve.

#42: Go vegetarian for a week - date set

Justin and I are going to go vegetarian for the first week of 2007. We've actually talked about sticking with it until we go away on vacation at the end of that month. We'll see how that goes.

#52: Make piragi - planned for Boxing Day

Piragi (I've seen a few different spellings, so please forgive me if this isn't the most accurate) are a traditional Latvian bacon bun. There's a great post here about making them. They are delicious and special and feel like family to me. They're also rather time-consuming to make, so it's a good time to drink coffee and chat while all pitching in. I'll look forward to sharing some pictures!

#62: Read all nominated books for the Giller Prize 2006 - Reading Book 1.

This one's a little more challenging than I expected. 2006 turned out to be a bit of an odd year in that many of the nominees are small press books and less readily available. My Mom bought me the winner, Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam. It's a collection of related short stories about medical students. So far it is compelling, though some gruesome detail is a little disturbing at 7:30 in the morning for your subway ride.

#65: Go to Punta Cana - In progress, with a slight revision.

February 2, 2007 will be Justin and my 5-year wedding anniversary. We had thought that we were going to be smart, reasonable adults and spend the little bit of money we'd saved on some work that needs doing around the house, thinking it would last longer and make us happy on a daily basis. And then Justin (I love this man) sent me an email that said, "I'm putting my foot down. Let's book a vacation." And so, off we're going to this 1-km island called Cayo Levantado in the Domenican Republic to a brand new resort that's just opened this week.

It's thrilling, but it was also a big step and scary for me because I am really, really afraid of deep water. I don't really know how I'll react to this beautiful small island with glorious beaches that is in the wide open water! Well, from one side you can see the mainland, so that made me feel better. So I'm nervous, excited and can't wait to spend a week relaxing on the beach with my one and only.

Note: This picture seems to show up on almost every website for Cayo Levantado. I'm afraid I can't credit the photographer but sincerely hope they don't mind me sharing the beauty of this shot with you.

Life is a daring adventure

or nothing at all.

Helen Keller

SPC Tuesday ~ Red ~ Take 2

This is my first ever red bra.

In fact, it's my first ever bra in colour.

I could become a fan.

Secret message: To my courageous friend,

I'll look forward to your strappy shot :)

For more RED Self-Portraits, go here.
For more Starshyne Productions, click here.

We must overcome the notion that we must be regular...

It robs you of the chance to be extraordinary

and leads you to the mediocre.

Uta Hagen

My Birthday

Well, winter decided to really arrive for my birthday yesterday with temperatures of -10 degrees and a few snowflakes in the morning.

But that didn't stop Justin and I from going down to the Sunset Grill on Queen Street East for French Toast! This is Justin taking a picture of us with my brand new camera!

And then, because we're crazy, we decided to see what it was like down at the beach in that kind of weather. The lighting was extraordinary but so was the wind!

So we came home and warmed up with some hot chocolate, popcorn and Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, which I was a teensy bit disappointed in when I saw it in the theatre and is my least favourite of the books but for some reason I am mad for this holiday season!

Then we headed out to the movies and saw The History Boys. We enjoyed it, but I didn't love it the way I expected to, as a complete sucker for "inspirational teacher" movies. Still, it sparked lots of discussion about the nature of history, of learning, of education, of opinion...

And all of that simply had to take place over beers at our favourite local spot, Sarah's. What a beautiful day! And as if that wasn't all enough, my sister Suzie even put a birthday message for me on her blog. Thanks, Suzie! And I came home to 3 birthday messages, one after the other, from my Mom, Suzie and Shannon, all of whom sang me Happy Birthday. And I've got more celebrations tonight with family and friends!

Birthday's rock.

Self-Portrait Challenge: Red ~ And a Colour Meme

I wanted to participate in the Red post and Colour Meme with my sisters, Suzie & Shannon, so badly that I took this when I woke up this morning - sans makeup and still in my jammies! This is me and my red couch - is it wrong to love an object so deeply? And for me, the meme came first from Deb - and she's red-inspired too!

[ RED ]

1. Closest red thing to you? The book Who Killed Canadian History.
2. Has anyone ever cheated on you in a relationship? Not that I know of.
3. Last thing to make you angry? An election sign being placed on our front lawn without permission.
4. Are you a fan of romance? Though I don't think of myself as a romantic in the traditional sense, I do love passion and sparks and connection and the intoxication that comes with it.
5. Have you ever been in love? I'm madly in love right now.
6. Do you have a temper? Um, well, that's a bit of a tough one. For the most part no. But when I rage, I rage!

[ GREEN ]
1. Closest green thing to you? Some Star Wars Lego I bought my husband for Christmas. Oh, wait, the little Buddha figure sitting on top of my monitor!
2. Do you care about the environment? Yes.
3. Are you jealous of anyone right now? I wish I could say no to this. Lately I've been noticing a surprisingly intense jealousy for accomplished, vibrant, beautiful women. I'm taking that as my spirit calling me out and saying - shine!
4. Are you a lucky person? I am wildly lucky and so grateful for it. I really see all the good fortune I've had in my life as gifts from the Universe, and I thank her daily.
5. Do you always want what you can't have? There's something I can't have?
6. Are you Irish? A little bit in there, somewhere way back.

[ PURPLE ]
1. Last purple thing you saw? Two of our towels. Actually I just put them away today and thought, who could not like purple? It's such a beautiful colour.
2. Like being treated to expensive things? If it's something I enjoy (spa treatments, great wine, wonderful restaurants, beautiful jewellery) than absolutely. But I don't enjoy expensive things just because they're expensive.
3. Do you like mysterious things? Yes.
4. Favourite type of chocolate? Milk chocolate. I know that is so passe in this age of organic 98% dark chocolate, but it's true!
5. Ever met any royalty? I don't think so. Unless they were in disguise, walking amongst the people.
6. Are you creative? To the core.
7. Are you lonely? Not usually. I have loving people in my life and I find I'm great company for myself, hehe. Recently though I have been feeling like I would love to have more friends in my life.

[ BLUE ]
1. Closest blue thing to you? My sweater. In fact I kind of find it kind of an obnoxious blue, but I really enjoy wearing it, lol.
2. Are you good at calming people down? Absolutely.
3. Do you like the ocean? From the shore, I love it. Walking along the beach in bare feet is the best! Being on it - terrifying!
4. What was the last thing that made you cry? The Fountain.
5. Are you a logical thinker? Yes.
6. Can you sleep easily? That really varies. Usually I'm so busy my body is thrilled that I'm giving it a chance to sleep.
7. Do you prefer the beach or the woods? Depends on if I'm feeling expansive or introspective.

[ YELLOW ]
1. Closest yellow thing to you? A post-it note on my computer.
2. The happiest time(s) of your life? When I was clubbing with my girls and first met my husband.
3. Favourite holiday? As in special occasion day of the year, I think I'd go with Halloween. As in vacation, my Honeymoon in Punta Cana, hands down.
4. Are you a coward? Absolutely not.
5. Do you burn or tan? I stay out of the sun.
6. Do you want children? My husband and I are making our family just the two of us.
7. What makes you happy? My loved ones, being creative, sensual pleasures, the arts, being a part of something, making something wonderful happen, encouraging others, adventures.

[ PINK ]
1. Closest pink thing to you? My business card. And wow, is it ever pink!
2. Do you like sweet things? Yes.
3. Like play-fighting? I hate it with a passion.
4. Are you sensitive? Yes.
5. Do you like punk music? When I'm in a punk mood.
6. What is your favourite flower? So many but I'm going to go with big, beautiful, abundant peonies!
7. Does someone have a crush on you? According to my husband, he does.

[ ORANGE ]

1. Closest orange thing to you? Nada.
2. Do you like to burn things? Candles. And at Samhain, I burned a list of all that I wanted to leave behind.
3. Dress up for Halloween? Sometimes. Sometimes in costume and sometimes prettied up.
4. Are you usually a warm-hearted person? Yes, except when I was at the club. Then I did the cold-hearted power-bitch thing.
5. Do you prefer the single life or the security of a relationship? What I like about a relationship isn't security. I enjoyed single live because I could make my own choices without consultation or consideration. I could just be in my own space, in my own head. I love being in relationship specifically with my husband because of who he is and who I am when I'm with him. He's my joy.
6. What would your super power be? Okay, I'm a total snoop so it would probably be incredible hearing.

[ WHITE ]
1. Closest white thing to you? My t-shirt.
2. Would you say you're innocent? No. But I am optimistic.
3. Always try to keep the peace? No, but I always try to find the peace.
4. How do you imagine your wedding? It's remembered, not imagined, and it was an elegant evening, winter wedding. I'll remember it always.
5. Do you like to play in the snow? Not for long, too cold! Though I do like making snow angels on occasion!
6. Are you afraid of going to the doctors or dentist? I have a rather extreme phobia of the dentist. Luckily, I see the most wonderful dentist ever. The way that I've been treated in that office has really made a difference in my life. Last time I went I was even able to crack a joke and chat to the receptionist. That is huge progress and took 11 years!

[ BLACK ]
1. Closest black thing to you? My datebook.
2. Ever enjoy hurting people? I wish I could say no. But I have reveled in my sharp tongue at times.
3. Are you sophisticated or silly? Both. The better you know me, the more likely you are to see the latter.
4. Do you have a lot of secrets? Enough to provide me with an air of mystery.
5. What is your favourite colour(s)? Cool colours and white and black.
6. Does the colour you wear affect your mood? My moods tend to be wild, so I tend to keep my clothing less so, sticking to a palette to black, white, grey and sometimes blue and pink.

And amidst the holiday joy and all the pleasures above, this day cannot go by without my taking time to honour, remember and mourn the 14 women who were killed in 1989 at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal. I am grateful that for today, I am safe and so are my sisters. I am grateful for the beautiful, loving and supportive women in my life. I am grateful for all who stand up against violence, for all who choose peace, for all who see that we still have a way to travel. Today is our National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

The First Snow & Shortbread Cookies

Yesterday was the first snow here in Toronto. It was really just a light dusting in the morning, just enough to make it look pretty and feel festive. Justin was out and about doing shopping on his own because it's someone's *ahem* birthday this week. So I thought that might be a nice time to make him a treat and decided to make some shortbread bars - oh, my! Yummy, yummy yummy and easy peasy!

An interest in cooking and baking has suddenly made little appearances here and there. I'd almost forgotten I liked to do that stuff. When I was a little girl, I loved to bake. When I was in public school, I would just beg my mom to let me make something in the kitchen. And then in high school, cooking became interesting. I used to come home every day from school and hang out with my Mom while she was making dinner. I would tell her all about my day at school and what was going on in my life. I wish I had picked up more of her cooking tricks - especially how she makes her soup, which just tastes like home. Even now I watch her make it and for some reason it just seems like magic that is beyond my understanding. Maybe that's the way it's meant to be.

When my parents split up, it was my job to make one meal for the family a week, and I liked doing it. I'd spend time looking for good recipes that would feed everyone enough and be tasty. I remember my dad was so impressed once when I made a roast chicken and it was truly so much easier than any of the other things I had made. When I moved out, cooking was so different. It took me a while to not always cook for at least 6! Truthfully, I didn't even know what to make sure I had in the fridge.

And for a long while, cooking has felt functional. I enjoy the food, and I enjoy cooking with others. Making dinner is such a great time to reconnect and get up-to-date on the day. But I didn't really think much about the actual making. I was kind of on autopilot. And recently, for some reason, I've found a small resurgence in the joy of cooking. This week I tried 3 new recipes, including a delicious and easy lentil soup, which we had tonight and these shortbreads which are outrageously good. Cooking together feels like family. And sharing food feels like love.

101 Things in 1001 Days ~ #89 Take a Feldenkrais Class

A Feldenkrais class is on my list because it is one of the nine disciplines that Nia draws on, so I really wanted to have some first-hand experience with it. Today I was quite lucky that one of my Nia buddies, Samantha, was having a substitute for her class and booked in Maria, a Feldenkrais instructor. I had to shift a few things but since it was close, affordable, at a really good time and on my list, I just had to. And I'm glad I did.

Feldenkrais uses slow and gentle movements to bring greater awareness. We spent an entire hour on a combination of 4 moves and the time just melted away. When I mentioned that to the instructor she said, "I think so many of us are aching for an opportunity to just slow down." Ahhhh..... yes.....

And the practice was beautifully about paying attention - not judging, not pushing. And I felt relaxed and peaceful at the end, with a noticeable difference to how I was inside my body. What a pleasure.

I'm a little embarrassed by this pic I took of me at the end of class. I look a little ragtag and a little zoned out, but at least you can see that I was relaxed.

A Visual Feast

Some days I feel wildly lucky. Some weeks even. And though I'm going a bit crazy with holiday overwhelm, in the midst of it all are treasures like this evening. They make me glad that I live in Toronto and that my sister Shannon does too and that we have a standing date to spend Friday nights together. Tonight we had a real visual feast at the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art. It was a first for both of us (and thanks Mom for suggesting it!) and it wasn't what I was expecting at all. Sure, I thought we'd see plates and bowls and urns. But here's what else we saw. And I apologize deeply for not being able to credit the artists here for you today. I should have taken a picture of the cards.

With this first one, it wasn't until we read the description that we "got" this piece. Can you see the shapes in the negative space between the urns?

I think this was my favourite piece in the entire museum:

And this made me want to make crazy things with yarn!

And then the Paul Day exhibit. How can I even begin to express the impact? I had seen the pictures, but nothing prepared me for the power of walking into that room. It is truly unbelievable work. You know when you see old, magnificent, ornate buildings in books or when you travel? This made me wonder what it was like to see that kind of work for the first time, in its time, when it was created. This felt like seeing those kinds of intricate sculptures but with contemporary images and so I understood them in a brand new way.

And in the midst of this all there was a Christmas tree exhibit. And who's the pretty lady? Oh, it's Shannon!

And I'm in this one, if you look close enough.

And after all this, of course we went out for dinner, drinks and lots of chatting! It looks like December festivities have begun!

Inspiration

What I want to be is what I am.

What I want to do is what I try.

Dolly Parton

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