Blame it on the Whales

It’s been a while since my last post. I realize that. Truth be told, I have been in a funk since my return from my Alaskan Cruise. I blame it on the whales.

While in Juneau, in a chance encounter, I witnessed a pod of humpback whales engaging in the most elaborate of feeding rituals in nature, ‘Bubble Net Feeding.’

What it looked like was 12 whales performing a synchronized swimming routine.

What was really happening was this: (description taken from National Geographic)

It all starts when a pod of whales dive deep under a school of fish, form a circle, and blow their breath out simultaneously, forming a net of bubbles. Within the ring each humpback has a specialized task.

Some blow the bubbles, while others go down and herd the prey towards the surface. Another group screams "incredibly beautiful and haunting sounds" in order to concentrate the prey and force them up towards the surface into the confines of the bubble net, and they all get together in the group and they come charging up through this tunnel of bubbles, almost like missiles coming up through a silo, and then engulf the prey into their huge mouths at the surface.

Not all Humpback whales know how to do this – it is not instinctual. ‘Bubble net feeding’ is a learned behaviour, which is taught by a mother whale to her calf during the one year they spend together before the calf becomes independent. It is thought that only 50-75 whales on earth know how bubble net feed.

And I saw it with my own eyes. The magnificence of the situation brought me to tears. Tears of gratitude, profundity and great sadness at all the beautiful moments in this world that I miss every day. It hit me all at once.

While I am in my beige cubicle, a piece of a million-year-old glacier is crashing into the ocean.
While I am in the grocery store deciding between name-brand and generic store-brand, a 5-year-old Mayan girl pounds cornflour into a small tortilla.
While I’m watching a commercial, between segments of 24, a whale is teaching her calf the intricate art of ‘bubble net feeding.’

It’s like, all this amazing stuff is happening all around me while I’m living my life. Somehow my life seemed like a joke compared to the magnitude of the world and nature. I’ve found it difficult to reconcile my everyday reality with the miracles that occur in our universe. I guess that’s what they mean by ‘feeling connected to the world.’ Except, instead of feeling connected – I had never felt so removed.

Even the notion of connection in my world is a farce. In corporate North America, success depends on stripping every ounce of connectedness from business interactions. If you read any business etiquette book - especially written for women. They have rules:

• Dress modestly. No cleavage at work. (hide any indication that you’re capable of feeding young)
• Don’t cry at work or show emotion. Remain cool and detached. (emotions show your despicable humanity)
• Remain guarded in your speech. (words may connect you on an emotional level; which could become awkward if one of you quits/gets pregnant/gets promoted/gets laid off.)

We spend so much time at work that hiding our human-ness because messy stuff like feelings, tears, elation, love are reserved our real life, the one we live between 6pm-10pm behind closed doors. Poker-face. No wonder we’re tired, depressed and detached.

This is why I haven’t posted in a while – why I haven’t been as active on Facebook. I’ve been wondering if our so called ‘connected’ society is real at all. We are part of this very alienated world wide web.

I’m not suggesting that one can’t really connect online – that meaningful connection can only be face-to-face. We have more opportunities to connect today than ever before, and yet we say less and less. Shorthand kills our connectedness.

Feeling connected – truly connected, like the connection you feel when watching whales takes work. Modern urban society is not conducive to these feelings. And we're all lazy. It takes mental energy to maintain perspective and remember that the world is bigger than the asshole that cut you off in traffic or the misplaced remote control.

Until very recently – the past few decades – scientists believed that humpback whales were solitary creatures. Except for the mother and her calf, they rarely traveled in groups. With recent developments in sonar technology, they’ve found that whales sing to each other over great distances in the ocean. It turns out they do communicate, but in a manner too elaborate for humans to comprehend.

I’m learning that its easy to be a smug human. We don’t know it all.

just because...top 10 things learned on an Alaskan Cruise

10. Prince Rupert BC is closer to Alaska than anything big in Canada.

9. When you're north of the tree line it feels like you're on another planet.

8. There is a species of worm that lives in glacier ice.

7. Wild Alaskan salmon tastes like candy.

6. Cruises are great for people who don't mind listening to sales pitches 24/7.

5. Bears give birth in hibernation. The mama bear is asleep and when her cubs are ready, they crawl out of the womb. I wish humans gave birth that way.

4. Mixing 2 parts dark rum with 8 parts Ginger Beer, makes a 'Dark and Stormy' and it's delicious!

3. Unlike other Americans, Alaskans have a real understanding and reverence for Canada.

2. The smallest desert in the world is in Carcross, Yukon. It measures 1 square mile.

1. Seeing whales will touch your heart and affect you more than you can imagine.

Halotherapy: Take it with a grain of salt.

**For you gamers out there, not that kind of Halo therapy.

My local newspaper recently advertised that the newly opened Salt Spa on my street was giving free trial sessions. I love trying new stuff, especially free stuff so I called for an appointment right away.

Online, this looked interesting.

"Salt Therapy or Halotherapy is a 100% drug free therapy that utilizes dry aerosol of salt micro particles and minerals to treat a bunch of respiratory and joint issues."

I don't think a hangover counted as respiratory and joint issues, but I booked my appointment for the morning after K&S's wedding. I walked into the Spa, which had typical 'spaliness' to it...low furniture, scented air, the CD's you listen to from the sampler at the drug store. I began to relax already.

The owner took me for a tour of the salt cave rooms. When she bought this property, she had people come in, hotglue the wall and threw a bunch of rock salt on it. Whatever stuck was then baked on with lamps, then voila - a salt cave.

This is somehow meant to resemble the beach. Apparently this is the new it thing in Eastern Europe. I guess in Siberia, this is what the beach would look like.

I first got a glimpse of the children's cave. How to describe it.......a solitary confinement cell on the moon with Ikea furniture. In seeing my expression of sheer horror, the owner smiles and assures me that Halotherapy is even safe for newborns.....riiiight.

She then sets me up in the adult salt cave. I took off my shoes. The floor was crunchy with rocksalt. 'Like the beach' the owner giggled. Riiiiiight.....like the beach. Is that blood on my ankle?
I was seated in one of the eight Muskoka chairs along the room. I was glad I was the only one in there. Before she scurried away, the owner asked me if I had any musical preference.

'I wouldn't mind any Pet Shop Boys'

I guess that wasn't what she had in mind because she countered that with, Bells, Faraway Lands and Rainforest.

I felt like a nerd. I got Faraway Lands.

The Muskoka chairs reclined. They were comfy. I only had 3 hours of sleep, so it was nice. Green lights danced around the walls like fireflies. I'm horrible at relaxation. It's part of the reasons I suck at yoga. The booming subway below was making it even harder to settle down. So I sat there. Watching green lights. Trying to feel, smell or taste the salt. Wondering if salt was penetrating into my skin. Musing about doing a tequila shot on my own arm.

I didn't taste or smell a thing.

25 mins later, I emerged from the room. The owner asked me how I felt. Well, I told her the subway was a little disruptive. 'Think of it as your personal tsunami and work it into your meditation.' Nice try lady. Good cover for picking a bad location for a business.

Overall, I did feel somewhat more relaxed, but that was due to the music, reclining chair and dark room more than the rocksalt wallpaper.

I don't buy it.

i heart Zuko Light

When I was in Mexico, I discovered Zuko Light. It was a bit of a random find actually, much like my Green Tea flavoured Trident gum of which I bought a case.

Zuko light is like Crystal Light, except like, a thousand times better. The same way the Diet Coke/Pepsi tastes better in Mexico. I think the artificial sweetners they use are different - unless it's all really sugar and they're f**ing with us 'cause we don't read Spanish.

I bought a few packs of Zuko in Cantelope, Mango and Pina Colada. And tonight I finished my last pack ;-( I'm very sad about it. I may have to risk H1N1 to get some more. It's that good.

Why I watch 'The Hills'

The plots are predicable, insipid, obviously staged. The drama is paltry. For not acting, the acting sucks. There are commercials every 3 minutes. And yet, I still watch The Hills. If Jerry Seinfeld created the ‘show about nothing’ genre, The Hills exemplifies it. Even Charlize Theron agrees,

“The Hills” is about nothing. I think the girls are beautiful and when they cry their mascara runs and that’s real, but I don’t get it!”

I didn’t get it either. When the show is on, I can’t seem to pull myself away. The show isn’t even meant for me. I am after all, past the demographic that would aspire to be BFF’s with LC and the gang. Beach party with Brody and Frankie – no thank you. I’ll choose my hubby and my grubby t-shirts anyday.

Last night, I finally understood the appeal. The scenes, the characters…so familiar…almost nostalgic…then it hit me.

Lauren Conrad is Barbie.

A pretty girl with a nice car, and dream house who has a gang of equally pretty friends who love boys and fashion. I have played out the very same dramas hundreds times with my own Barbie dolls as a little girl. The parallels are quite startling. I made clothes for my Barbie, Lauren Conrad is a fashion designer. Lauren has Brody, Barbie has Ken. Lauren is a mega-celebrity, attending red carpet galas one day, then goes to work and school the next. So does Barbie. Barbie has huge boobs and are made of plastic, so does Heidi. Each new character has a sister coming in and out of the picture (Lauren, Whitney, Audrina, Spencer and Heidi all had their sisters ‘guest star’) just as Mattel created sisters for Barbie – anyone have a Skipper/Kelly doll?

The plots, far from being real reality are sappy daydreams of a six-year-old. ‘Let’s go to the pool.’ ‘Let’s get dressed up and go to a fancy party.’ ‘Let’s have lunch. Nyam nyam nyam (chewing)… (after 3 seconds) I’m done. Let’s go shopping!’ Break-ups, girl spats and sibling rivalry are as gritty as it gets. Nobody has a drinking problem, nobody gets an abortion. It makes me wonder if any of MTV’s writers are of legal working age.

As Lauren Conrad leaves the show, it makes me question the show’s future. Like when my favourite Barbie found her tragic fate flushed down the toilet, will Kristin Cavalari take her place as the new doll out of the box. I predict a strong start, with interest waning over time. If you don’t believe me, just ask any six-year-old.

My new Workout Philosophy, lessons learned from my Crockpot.

An Inspiration Junkie finds philosophical insights from anywhere and everywhere, even kitchen appliances. Today I made a chicken stew using my crockpot, letting it simmer all day. It was great to come home to a prepared dinner and the stew tasted awesome. I’ve made stews before using my stovetop and they came out equally as good. Naturally, this made me think of the gym.

At the peak of my fitness, I was working out 2-2.5 hours a day, at moderate intensity. I call this the crockpot method. I got the results I had wanted. The problem was that it wasn’t practical to devote all my time to lengthy workouts, so over time I maintained the same intensity, and shortened my workout time. Eventually this backfired all the results I worked for were lost. I was devastated and went through over 2 years of disheartened half-assed working out. Over the past two months, I’ve tried something different. Short workouts. (20-45 mins) Butt-kicking, limbs on fire short workouts. I am going to call this the stovetop method, and I’ve been seeing some results.

Yesterday, while stirring my stew, I realized that both the crockpot and the stovetop will yield a delicious final product. I just have to pick one cooking method and stick with it. One cannot make a stew on a low temperature for a short time – that just gets you flabby, half-raw chicken.

A related aside: I was a little nervous leaving my crockpot unattended while I was at the office yesterday – in case the house burned down. I thought that I should probably install a webcam so that I can watch it simmer from my computer at work. Like they do with daycare. What do you think of that idea?

25 Random Things about me.

This is one of those things that will be a Facebook classic. People found them ridiculous but I really enjoyed the little 2-week-long fad. I love getting to know lesser-known things about people. Even silly sounding things. I think it's the silly little things and the fact that we all have them that connect us as humans.

Here was the list that I had submitted.

1) I have songs playing in my head 24/7/365. If you ask me at any time, I will be able to tell you what song is playing.

2)I spend more time on my hair than most people spend on their pets or children.

3) Superman 3 is the most terrifying movie I've ever seen in my life.

4) I feel a deep sense of pride and accomplishment when I finish things like a bottle of shampoo or ketchup or butter...like I've actually done something worthwile.

5) My favorite food in the whole world is LOX. I would choose it over chocolate.

6) I have a supernaturally good memory and have very clear memories starting from when I was 18 months old. If you ever told me something, chances are, I still remember it.

7) I am obsessed with dachshunds and when I see them on the street, I chase them.

8) My dream is to visit Europe someday.

9) I hate most movies. I tried to sit through Godfather and Star Wars and was bored.

10) I love my friends more than they'll ever know.

11) I am missing a certain groove in my ears which makes wearing IPOD earphones physically impossible for me.

12) I would go home to South Africa in a heartbeat.

13) The smell of meat or onions at night keep me awake.

14) Kindergarten and University were the worst experiences in my life.

15) I am a leftie and feel a genuine sense of discrimination at a world made for right-handed people.

16) I always eat dessert first.

17) I've never built a snowman or gone toboganning.

18) I deplore Swiss Chalet chicken. I don't understand how people can eat that slimy crap. Actually, I have an aversion to most chicken and won't eat it unless there's no other option.

19) I am a fanatic of the Pet Shop Boys and if I could meet anyone on earth it would be Neil Tennant.

20) I don't really like the outdoors, but I feel like I'm supposed to love it.

21) I would rather stand in front of a big crowd of people and speak than do anything else on this earth.

22) None of my baby teeth fell out on their own, and eventually had to be pulled out.

23) When I was two, I used to want to grow up to be Olivia Newton John. I didn't understand that you couldn't grow up and be another person who already exists.

24) When people are flakey, it really bothers me. Flakeyness is becoming more an more socially accepted and I find that a shame.

25) I've never used a port-a-potty in my life.

I'm sold on silicone - and not in the way you're thinking.

My first blush with silicone bakeware was around 2 years ago when I took a chance on a mini-muffin tray. Many moons, mini muffins and cupcakes later I decided that I need to get a regular size silicone muffin tray.

After work, I made a quick dash to the St. Lawrence Market before it closed to visit my fave haunt for kitchen ware, Placewares. Luckily, I got so much more than just my muffin tray. The very smart cashier opened my eyes to a whole new world of uses for my little plastic tray. It was super silicone serendipity. Who knew you could do so much like make:

• Gigantic ice-cubes
• Jello Shots
• Individualised sorbet desserts
• Poaching eggs in the oven or the microwave
• Little toast cups for hors d'ouvres
• Mini meat-loaves
• Ice-cream sandwiches
• Baking falafel

I do get really excited over stuff like this (as husband rolls his eyes) and yes, I have overdone the alliteration in this post.

Random Factoid

Baking powder is made with cream of tartar, which is a by-product of wine making.

Now you know.

There’s more to Facebook than adding friends.

I was chatting with my very media-savvy friend when she informed me that Facebook is becoming passé. News to me. She told me that most people are realizing that their friend list can’t possibly grow at the rate that it did when they first joined and that they have already added everyone they know. So – what’s the point?

Doh!

These are the same people who go to networking events, get business cards, give business cards, and then forget about the cards until they end up soggy from the washer.

Worse than that, I few months ago - I received this message from one of my Facebook 'friends'

"hey,

since we don't really speak on a regular basis, im removing you from my list. no offence, i just wanna keep my list to people that im in relatively constant contact with."

I swear, someone actually sent out that message. and Yes, I did find that offensive - and sad. Obviously, he missed a huge point of all this facebook stuff.

I think that guy and the 'passé' people doing two things very wrong.

1. If they don't have more people to add, they need to log off their computers…go out into the real world and connect with real flesh-and-blood human beings. (then they can rush home and add them to the friend list)

2. Remember to give those on your list some TLC – connect! Develop relationships. Build a network. Do the pokey-pokey. That’s what it’s all about.

I get stuff all the time. People offer me stuff. People help me with stuff. Others think I'm lucky. I am not lucky. I spend a lot of time building relationships. I e-mail and call people when it's their birthday. Even if I haven't talked to them since high-school (and even if I never actually spoke to them when were in high school). People love to receive wishes on their birthday. It makes them feel special and it takes less than a 2 minutes out of my day.

I comment on people's photographs - telling them when their babies are cute, and when they look great. It makes people feel warm and fuzzy. When people feel warm and fuzzy, they are more likely to help you out if you need...let's say...a referral, or an introduction, or some advice.

I've met some outstanding people recently through public speaking engagements and I have been spreading the message of how important it is for people to connect. I wish more people felt the same.

I am a yoga dropout.

again.

I don't have an answer for this, so I'll just put it out there into cyberspace and see what happens. I have yoga guilt.

I don't love yoga, and I seem to be terrible at it due to my very short arms and non-existant torso, but I feel like I should be doing it because it's healthy and it's supposed to clear your mind or whatever. But every time I go, I get frustrated at how much I suck at it and how boring it is to actually clear you mind. So I feel guilty.

Is yoga guilt a Jewish thing? Lord knows we have a monopoly on guilt.

So I've spent the past week doing Bikram Yoga, which is yoga in a room that's heated to 37 degrees celsius. My body does not tolerate heat well, so I thought this would be a nice challenge. Suprisingly, I enjoyed the heat and find it did help me relax and stretch.

The thing about yoga is it supposed to help you cultivate patience. But so is trying to move a pen across the table with your mind. Just because they say it's supposed to happen, doesn't mean it will....sigh....

I think it's time I bind my downward dog and take it for a hike!

My favorite Things: Stuff I love so much I will even get on a plane to get some!

*disclaimer: this post is girlie. Guys, scroll down to Chili, below.


I've had the most uninspring day ever. Miserable weather and recession talk has been getting me down. So for no reason whatsoever, I'd like to share some things I can't live without.

1. Inglot Nail Polish

I didn't discover Inglot until they had closed their 1 Toronto store. It's too bad too, because they make the BEST nail polish. It dries fast, with no stink. Now if I'm going to Montreal or Ottawa, I stock up on a few colours!

2. Palmers Cocoa Butter Lotion

The greatest cream I've ever used, and that's so important when the weather is really cold. So much better than the fancy expensive stuff. Also, unfortunately, not available in Canada (why sell a moisturizer in a country where the temperature is below freezing for 7 months a year?)

3. Four O'clock Chocolate Spice Tea

I discovered this in Mexico and became hooked. To my delight, I found out that it was a Canadian product. I had to speak to 5 different people in Quebec before they told me where to buy it here. I've been trying to wean myself coffee so I start my morning off with a cup of chocolate spice tea with chocolate milk every morning. It's my new addiction.

4. Kiss Me Mascara

The concept of 'tubing' your eyelashes sounded freaky, but all it means is - this is awesome mascara that won't smudge or be raccoon-y. End of

story. Expensive, but worth it!

Maybe you can die of a hangover.

I had the privilege of visiting a graveyard on a recent trip to Mexico. Wow. Talk about inspiration! Mexicans have a very different attitude towards Death - they even have a holiday to celebrate and remember the deceased. While we North Americans have little choice in our concrete slab, Mexican graves are beautiful, each being an original piece of artwork, representative to a life lived fully. This one made me smile:

Imagine if our lives could be captured and commemorated in such a whimsical artistic tribute.

Maybe it would make people live differently?

Either way, I hope Leon Corona is having a fiesta up in heaven.

I hear they have an open bar.

A decade in 30 notebooks

One day, if I am so lucky and so blessed, they will make a movie about my life. If they made a movie about my life, it would be called 'The Notebook.'


In 1999, one of my brilliant college profs gave some advice. She said. 'You never know when inspiration will strike. Get yourself a notebook, and keep it with you always. Whenever you have an idea, write it down.' I took her advice and after that class, I got myself a notebook. I started sketching stuff and writing down random thoughts. The random thoughts turned into quotes, phone numbers, ideas, song lyrics, guitar chords, many pasted photos of dachshunds, recipes, computer shortcuts, etc....


It's been 10 years since then and I never stopped writing. Today I filled my 30th notebook.

I often go back and read through the decade that was my 20's and I'm I feel grateful that I've kept up writing. My notebooks are like mental photo albums. I can go back and read a photograph of my 21 year old mind - what my priorities were. I have chronicled every milestone, fear, dream, goal reached and goal abandoned. I have noted names of interesting people that I wanted to meet - only to have met them a few years later (perhaps a little law of attraction action?)

Thank you Arlene Cohen, for creating an Inspiration Junkie.

I am excited for a new year, a new decade (my 30's) and especially a new notebook. If they ever made a movie about my life, it would be called 'The Notebook.' Something tells me the movie would do well.

Found: from the Inspiration Junkie Audio Vault

I often warn people to be wary of what they post on the internet. I give public presentations on creating a powerful online presence. Today I decided to completely ignore my own advice, and post something that may come back to bite me in the butt. I found an audio recording back in the vault. The same way they find early recordings of U2 from like, the 70's when they recorded demos in the shower and you hear their moms walking around in the background and stuff. Well, this was recorded by a precocious 7-year old, left alone with a tape recorder in the 80's.



Enjoy the heartwarming little tale, may your Christmas be merry and bright.



To listen, please click here: http://www.box.net/shared/uz78dleco8

New Years Resolutions for 2009

I've been thinking about this one. Why does it seem that every year, I make the same lame resolutions....lose ## pounds, save $$ dollars, achieve *** at work...yada yada...so uninspiring...

For 2009, the Inspiration Junkie is going to mix it up a little. Instead of the same old thing, I'm going to think 'out of the box' and come up with different things to resolve. Maybe then I can stick to them. And by sharing them on my blog, I will make myself accountable.

1. Get over my fear of ice. Yes. I'm the slow person that's holding you up in the winter. You may see my backside as I'm hunched over and shuffling along like there's poopoo my pants. Once you pass and realize it's me and I'm not 100, you laugh and swear. I'm walking like that because I tend to fall easily.

2. Learn to use my sushi rolling machine. Knowing how much we love sushi, my mother-in-law gave us a sushi-rolling machine. It looks great, but comes with an instructional DVD. That part is intimidating. Then again, my turbo hair straightner came with an instructional DVD too and that didn't stop me...

3. Stop watching so much trashy reality TV. And try to get on a trashy reality TV show instead.

4a. Get a cleaning lady. Can that be a resolution? or:
4b. Teach my dog to clean the house. She's at home lying around all day. What, you've never seen the show 'Dogs with Jobs?' - and if I succeed, I can get us onto 'Dogs with Jobs' and fulfill resolution #3. Multi-tasking we call it.

5. Stop sticking the little Chiquita stickers from fruit and tomatoes all over the kitchen counter and walls. It really pisses off my husband.

6. Learn to speak with a Trini accent. Trini accents are dead sexy.

7. Stop 'faking it' during the abs routine at the gym. Just because the instructor is on her back too, it doesn't mean she doesn't see me just laying there. As they said in high school 'you're only cheating yourself. Now do some crunches.'

8. Learn to turn my TV on and off. Ok, it sounds dumb at first, but it takes 5 remotes (TV, cable box, VCR, DVD, surround sound system). By the time I figure out how to turn the thing on, I've missed the show. And once I learn to figure out the TV, I can watch the instructional DVD to my sushi roller.

9. Take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. With 14 floors, I can burn calories and kill valuable work hours at the same time. Multi-tasking we call it.

10. Post more often. Maybe then you'll visit more. I miss you when you're away.

Oprah's Fat Again.

I have missed an entire month of blog posting. The world economy is going to hell in a handbasket. Canadian politics is finally as interesting as the Young and the Restless and THIS is what I chose to write about?

Yes friends. News flash-Oprah's fat again. So many thoughts rushing through my head. One particular dislike that bugs me is when people comment about people's weight to their face. Like when someone tells you that you've gained a few pounds, or ask if you've lost weight. Even the most scalephobic people have eyes and/or wear pants. Um...they know their own current weight situation without other people's feedback, it's personal. Thank you very much.

Then there's the other extreme, Oprah, who has built an empire on many things, and her battle of the bulge being one of them. The reason I am writing about this on a blog that's mainly about inspiration, is because Oprah has been a leader that I've looked up to for a very long time. By publicly admitting that she's fallen off the wagon and gained weight back, it has made me admire to her even more. (an aside, I noticed a little more junk in Oprah's trunk for a while, and so has my mom, but who are we to comment...see paragraph above). I am proud of Oprah for admitting that she is human. The most powerful woman in the world turns into a blubbering mess, literally, when faced with rugelach just like us regular folk.

Lately I've been having conversations about how when certain people reach success, they disconnect. They become snobs and lose touch with their humanity. Oprah has never done that. This is her secret to success. She's real, and the relatability has kept her on top. I'm proud of Oprah for 'coming out' about her weight gain - not an easy thing to do, but I think it's made it easier for others to admit that we're all human. I love you Oprah. Come over to my place any time. I'll bake.

Thanksgiving

I went to the cemetery on Thanksgiving weekend. Just to walk around and realize how grateful I am to be on the right side of the ground. I saw some beautiful kind of graves. Kinds you don't get in this age. Like, from the 1800's. This one was from 1843 and it broke my heart.

I hope you're as overjoyed to be alive as I am. Happy Thanksgiving.

Full in-box = Full tummy.

I collect recipes.

Duh!

Hear me out. For years, I have been collecting recipes by cutting them and pasting them into binders. Also by writing them on scraps of paper. My mother has done the same thing, and I know lots of women (no men - surprisingly) that take pride in their extensive recipe collection.


Then why is it that they never actually MAKE any of the recipes they collect? Most will resort to trusted, memorized standbys. I'll tell you why. Because even the most organized, alphabetically organized recipe card box is STILL not organized enough. You will never find what you need when you need it.

I 'd like to share my method of recipe collection. I've created my own on-line database organized my way with my own classifications and notes. I can access this database anywhere that I have an internet collection, and it's free and easy to maintain. Since beginning this database 6 months ago, I have collected 714 recipes, and have experimented with new recipes more than ever before!

Here's how I developed my method. Feel free to create your own online recipe database, if you are so inspired. It is time consuming, but it really is worth the hard work.

• Create a gmail email account. This should be totally different from your regular email acount. i.e. my recipe account is mickis.recipes@gmail.com
• Enter in every new recipe as a separate email, and email it to yourself at your recipe account
• Add labels to your recipes. This is where you really personalize your system. You can label your recipes according to cuisine, course, or level of difficulty. You can label one recipe with several different labels. Here are the labels I use: 'tried' for recipes that I've attempted before, 'healthy' for on-the-wagon standby's that I make regularly. 'Occasional' for recipes that I make to impress, and 'cheat' - exactly what the word implies. (see post on Smores Pie)
• To add notes to your recipe i.e. if you make it and want to note some modifications, you simply add a second email to the thread. It keeps the notes and comments together.

Searching for Recipes on the database: (this is what makes it worth it)

• To search by ingredient, you can enter the ingredient by entering the search field at the top of the window
• To browse recipes, you can sort a list by label. For example, if I wanted to browse through my recipes that I've tried before, I select the label 'tried' and it will bring up the list of recipes that I've pre-labeled 'tried.'

There you have it. I love my system. On a side note, if you're not using a gmail address for your regular email I can't even describe how superior it is to yahoo and hotmail.

Otta-why's everything closed? The Inspration Junkie's foray into our nation's capital.

I convinced the hubby to drive us 5 and something hours east to our glorious captial city because despite being a bona-fide card-carrying Canadian citizen for the past 13 years, I'd never been to Ottawa. As always, when I travel, I excitedly search for new sources of inspiration. Apart from some beautiful archtecture, and taking 63 photographs of our magnificent parliament buildings, I've learned that Ottawa is the city that fun forgot. It's pretty culturally and artistically devoid. This Inspiration Junkie was fresh out of material.

Actually, there was one highlight. I got really excited because a beaver came right up to us right on the street! I was freaking out, I took like a zillion pictures. Then my hubby told me that the beaver was a groundhog.

Yup, a bona-fide card-carrying Canadian, I am.