Sleep Hygiene

In honour of Rob - sleep hygiene is not necessarily about going to bed after having a shower!

I can’t explain it as well as Wikipedia or Stanford or even the University of Maryland . What I can tell you is what happens when sleeping is a problem;

• Waking up in the morning is NOT pleasant, and as Amy always used to describe it I either grunted (good morning) or swore (bad morning).
• Some days I could (and even ashamedly have) fall asleep at my desk at work, just because my body couldn’t take it any more.
• I’m often late because I needed a nap/more sleep/to do one more thing that was missed because I was trying to catch an extra “snooze” in the morning.
• It’s not unusual for me to be up until 3 or 4 in the morning, since I should be up by 7:30am that’s not a good thing.
• My immune system is never 100%, I always seem to have a cold or something lingering.
• Previously managers have thought I was lazy or undedicated because I could not drag myself out of bed soon enough to be on time for 8:30am (thankfully that has changed as I’ve progressed up the career ladder).

I am trying to make efforts to be better but it hard to stop my mind from spinning. The past, the present, bad stuff, things to remember, things I want to forget, wishes and dreams all spend time bouncing around my head like a yappy Chihuahua on springs whenever I’m not entirely sleepy but I’m lying in bed waiting for the sleep gods to bless me. I’ve started to practice some of the good habits that I’ve been told I should develop but certain days I’m wondering where it all went wrong and I know I need to start all over again.

Cheers to everyone I know who can sleep, I hope you know how lucky you are!

Late Night Movies

I did not get the bug (that everyone I know seems to have caught at one point or another) where you download music and video from the internet. It could be I spend so much time with musicians I know are barely eking out a living or an other possibility is that dear old dad is actually employed helping to make movies.

For some reason it just feels right to use iTunes to buy music I’m interested in having in my collection, I however don’t wish to store movies on my computer (the files are way too big!) even if I could find a site I like to buy them.

So lately I’ve been building up my DVD collection (trying to replace my VHS collection) but some movies just seem elusive, like Groundhog Day and I can’t seem to find them in stores. I’ve flirted with the idea of Columbia House but just haven’t been able to make the commitment, maybe it just needs more time. I don’t have a ton of movies just a select few that I can watch over, and over, and over again – most are described as cheesy or chick flicks but when I want to be mindlessly entertained I don’t want a drama. I need the good Couch Crack as my TV replacement.

I figure I’ll hit a critical mass around 40 or so movies and then they’ll change the format again.

Tell me why I don’t like Monday’s…

Monday’s and I have a love hate relationship. I work 4 days per week and Monday is my chosen day off, thus it should be a day I love… the 3 day weekend that I’ve always dreamed of! However as I’m living the good life I don’t need a lot of free time (only one class this semester) and I find I end up wasting each and every Monday.

Some Monday’s I don’t even get out of my apartment… and it’s not like I’m being productive around my apartment. (If I was I’d be out doing laundry but that’s a whole other story.) It’s like a whole other Sunday except the radio is marginally better.

This Monday was a little better than usual… lunch at Salad King, a wander through HMV, a quick stop by the LCBO and the kitchen table and home for a nap. Tonight was a kick ass dinner or rainbow trout, risotto and asparagus. Dinner was even more decadent as I felt like I needed a January pick me up and popped a bottle of sparkling wine, I added it to the risotto which was a moment of inspiration.

The only negative aspect to the day was the main reason why I was out of the house in the first place… I needed to give my doctor some blood for tests. I'm really bad around needles, I often pass out and/or hyperventilate - I’m so grateful to everyone else who gives during blood drives. The appointment went better than usual; I only came close to passing out today but stayed upright (with help). My doctor also was finally able to schedule a time for my CT scan – Tuesday February 13th.

And if you’re tired of the usual Boomtown rats version of I Don't Like Mondays try out Ron Sexsmith. Ron’s cover is so sweet and resigned it captures how I feel about Mondays far more accurately.

Oscars and the movies in general

I still see movies in the theatre, I like artsy, complex movies with Oscar worthy performances and I can truly kick back and enjoy a great chick flick. I’ll watch just about anything but horror (I get the creeps just thinking about it…) and some movies that others think are wonderful I’ll absolutely hate. [Titanic – all those people who died in real life came to life for me and I couldn’t sleep for days afterwards, Magnolia – what a bunch of pompous crap and Tom Cruise too… ick!] Every year when they announce the Oscar nominees I wonder if I’ve seen even a small percentage of them, this year I’m about on par… Little Miss Sunshine, Volver, The Devil Wears Prada, Pirates of the Caribean:Dead Man’s Chest (on video), An Inconvenient Truth and Jesus Camp.

That’s 6 of the nominees… not too shabby, however while I can say some of these would make it to my top 5 of the year (Little Miss Sunshine, An Inconvenient Truth & Jesus Camp) I don’t think any would hit my number 1. The best experience for my movie going dollars this year might just have been A Prairie Home Companion (Robert Altman), what a wonderful and loving tribute it was to music, family, friendship, radio and even death. It might have been that great on the pure fact that I didn’t have high hopes but Garrison Keillor manages to bring in such a warmth that it was like snuggling in for a nice little story.

The bigger question of course is if I’m going to watch the Oscars this year, I’ve missed the awards ceremony for the last 2 and felt that with radio and internet the next day I was satisfied… really the ceremonies are only good for the clothes and the gaffes.

Wines by Petite Syrah

I’m not a wine expert, although I have attended two structured tastings, but I really like a nice glass of wine every once in a while. I am also pretty decent at finding a nice bottle to match with dinner… I’d say it was a gift but I sometimes let the good folks at the LCBO help out when I’m either stuck for time or stumped on what to pair with chocolate mousse (with berries and whipped cream).

Yesterday I wandered the store picking up random bottles to restock the wine rack, I picked up a bottle of Domaines Perrin Nature Cotes-du-Rhone 2004 (Vintages 948059 | 750 mL bottle) Price: $ 16.95. I didn’t read the label fully except to note it was supposed to be good with chicken – and since I was roasting (and stuffing) a chicken for dinner it sounded like a good plan. The end result was a fantastic find, an organic wine that is listed as “an elegant and approachable blend of Grenache and Syrah, with an environmental conscience.” I now need to go back and pick up a few more bottles as it is an excellent sipping/cheese/light entrée wine that I think I might be able to serve even my most organically green family members.

I must wander the vintages section more often there are some excellent finds for under $20.00 that make just about everyone take note of the goodness of a non-standard selection.

P.S. Should dessert ever verge into the chocolate mousse realm for dessert I found a winner with Peller Estates Ice Cuvee (Vintages 18986 | 750 mL bottle) Price: $ 29.95.

New Years Resolutions

New Years resolutions in general suck… I tend to try not to make any because I know I’d never keep them. However the ones I have made (and told friends and family about... sometimes) have generally stuck. This year I’m going strong on my 2007 resolution - I decided that I wasn’t buying lunch (or for that matter breakfast) at work… that I’d bring food with me everyday. It’s been hard not to forget it in the fridge (maybe I should keep my cell in there with lunch as I rarely forget it!) but so far so good. Yes I have had lunch out with a friend here and there and that doesn’t count against me (for the record) as time spent with friends is worth it, it takes precedent over not spending money on lunch any day.

My lunch experiment was only supposed to be for the month of January but I formally declare that due to my success thus far (and liking my food in general a lot better than the cafeteria) I am extending for the month of February.

For my next trick more money saving tips… I need to save about 5K in time for October.

Women's Health Matters

Friday & Saturday were spent at the Women’s Health Matters Forum & Expo. I’d never been before (though I had heard about it) and truly thought it was an excellent – what a wonderful source of real & accurate information on how to manage your health as a woman in the most proactive manner. I saw the Friday evening keynote Dr. Alice Domar talk about how we need to nurture ourselves as much as we nurture others. Frankly good advice for anyone, especially some of my friends who are currently raising young children, and advice I one day hope to follow when the going actually gets tough.

What are you playing?

I’m currently addicted to Insaniquarium sure it’s simple but I think that’s exactly why I like it so much, it has a hint of randomness but it’s easy to master. I made it through all the levels and now I’m working on how to win faster… my best time so far is 8 minutes and 23 seconds.

Over Christmas I received Zuma and spent all of my New Years Eve weekend playing 3 games (concurrent levels) in order to reach the 13^th level… and yes I made it! 2 days lost and bleary eyes to prove it.

Maybe in my video game playing I’ll upgrade to something I can take with me on the TTC… however I almost miss my stop on a pretty regular basis and I’d be worried about it actually happening if I was even the slightest bit more distracted.

Music [ Part I ]

I may be a bit of a hopeless case when it comes to music… at dinner last Friday with friends I mentioned that I’d taken my mother to a concert at Hugh’s Room (the best concert venue in Toronto). After the obligatory wisecracks about my taste in “folky” music I wondered why my friends just don’t get my music, sure I can get down to some old school rap, or enjoy the perennial pop favourite U2 but for me there’s not much that beats sitting in a venue where not only can you see the performer without the aid of a big screen. I can watch them pick out intricate and crazy melodies and rhythms live in front of me – no pitch correction, dubbed backing or otherwise tampering with the pure sound of voice and instrument. The concert is focused on the music, not the video or merchandise and with a seating capacity of less than 300 it’s crazy intimate. There’s not a single person I’ve known that hasn’t enjoyed the experience of some music I’ve dragged them to hear at Hugh’s Room (Guy Davis, Scott Merritt, Stephen Fearing and more)… so why haven’t some of my closest friends given my non-standard fare a try? Am I just unwilling to push it for fear that I’ll only perpetuate the label of hippy (which I’m not!) or do I just want to keep my hidden gems to myself? I don’t have the answers about this one… but I know that the folk festival circuit is essential to my mental health and it’s odd I don’t share more with friends.

University... again...

I've been to my first class of the semester - Media Relations*. Tuesday nights will be filled with Tim Horton’s, writing notes, raising my hand (or just jumping in) and generally trying to cram something new into my brain. One might wonder why I spend my free time asking (wait a minute, paying) some stranger to grade me... however I’m clearly an odd duck. I love the ideas that start to generate when I'm sitting in class or during the week, my mind rarely shuts off and instead I get energized about not only class but work, my social life and pretty much everything.

My class has a few familiar faces and our groups have been assigned so I know who I’m working with and when we’re presenting. I’d like to say that group work is fun but mostly I like working on my own so it’s a little stressful, however it can be a lot of fun using someone else’s ideas to jump off from, I’ve always subscribed to the “your best idea is just behind your worst” theory.

Oh and just how many people trust the media? ... and what about the number of retractions and corrections?

So I’m in for another semester, and I’ve heard of this random story that at one point I will stop taking classes – I don’t buy it for a minute.

* Discussions of types of news media and their needs and characteristics, together with practice in specific activities such as press conferences, preparation of news kits, and news room operation. General overview of other mass communication activities – such as special events, conferences, and meetings.

Royal Ontario Museum

When was the last time you visited the ROM ? Was it a school trip or a Freebie Friday? (doesn't exist anymore) Were you there because you needed to be or personal interest?

Admittedly the last time I was there was last summer with Sharon, it was a Friday and we only wandered for half an hour or so… I was wearing new shoes though and a little cranky from the blisters that were forming - dinner was a blissful reprieve. Although in retrospect I have been a surprising number of times (Toronto Couture, Felt, Pearls…) and have always enjoyed the experience.

I went yesterday because I promised Greg an outing that involved more than dinner out at some College Street restaurant. There was nothing I really wanted to see so it was purely for the fun of wandering around (this time with more sensible shoes too) – there were some things that were clearly new and pretty spectacular. On a whim we decided to take part in a somewhat interactive history of Egypt… it was computer assisted (and clearly the target audience was younger than us, but the smaller kids loved it) and took about 40 minutes – the nice thing is it really does give you more information and context than you can glean from the art descriptions.

We did miss the Italian Design exhibit but Deanna said it wasn’t really worth the visit anyway and I was pleasantly surprised by the Lalique Exhibit .

If you get a chance to be tourists in your own city I say take a trip to the ROM, you might just be pleasantly surpeised by what's in your own backyard.

Sharing for a year

2007 will be the year I try this for a second time... I have stuff to share and it's time I started sharing.