Sunday Scribblings #50 - Quitting

To be a quitter, to resign from, to leave, to abandon burden. To quit.

Quitting conjures negativity. When, they have "given up". They couldn't tolerate their boss any longer, so they
quit their job. Or they were to sensitive to be in the world, so they quit life. Or they became a "sinner" because
they quit going to church.


Quitting means giving up sometimes, but in a positive sense.
Quitting smoking, quitting gambling or quitting dieting (yes, dieting is a good thing to quit since it perpetuates an unhealthy obsession with food. More on my thoughts about that here).

My spirit has forced me, for my well-being and sense of self, to quit.
On more than one occasion.

I must say, it hasn't always been easy.
Because the cessation of something is
not as easy as the "apple-Q" command.

Mostly what I've quit is what the world insists I should do or be.

I used to be out to impress others, but that was the best thing I ever quit in my life!

Now it doesn't matter, because I honour what's right for me, and quit the rest.

Like I quit worrying about how I look.
I quit starving myself.
I quit shaving my legs.
I quit worrying about straightening my naturally curly hair.
I quit buying clothing because of its labels.

I quit waking up and working a 9-5 slavery job.
That's because I quit fighting the drugs which make me level.
And that's because I quit denying the fact that I have bipolar disorder



So some quitting actually does a body good.

I challenge you to quit.
To find something that is not longer serving you.
And quit it.
NOW.

j

Sunday Scribblings #49 - Soar/Sore

I could be sore
at those in my life who choose to soar away
and find their stuff.

but i'm not.

Sunday Scribblings #48 - Telephone

Red dial telephone.

I was the phone that lived in the basement at 11 Santamonica Blvd.

The one that Jenn and Kim (and often Lori Day) made the crank calls with. The one that they used to speak quietly to their "boy friends" or gossip with their "best friends" on.

I would sit on top of that maple desk, the one next to the wood paneled basement
walls. I remember how they would slide into that desk that held me and my buddies Phone Book and Yellow Pages.

There was often quite a bit of doodling going on while while they talked. Sometimes, they even used the holes on my dial to create perfect little circles in pencil which they later tried to erase. Just the thought of that eraser sends tickle-shivers up and down my long handled hand-set.

Now I cease to exist.

Even though Kim held on to me for awhile as a "vintage" momento of the past, better things came along.

Yes, evolution got the better of me. A new species arose that blew me out of the water. Suddenly new varieties of communication organisms found their niche and replaced me.

The cordless phone.

The one that Jennifer won for "customer service excellence" when she worked at Canada Trust (ha!). She was proud of that phone and forgot all about me. She used to brag that her cordless phone was the same one that Jerry Seinfeld had. How could I compete?

So, I became extinct, no longer able to survive against superior competition.

I watched, from my electronic graveyard in the sky, though, as that cordless phone became less and less desireable the smaller and more sophisticated cordless phones became.

And then the whole cell phone wave, and now the texting craze?

How can we, the telephone species, survive when everyone seems to find it much easier to abbreviate their thoughts in a text?


I wonder, will texting follow the telephone devolution and experience a future wave of extinction similar to ours?

Open (free) wireless service in Toronto

(Updated July 9, 2009)


For those of us who are self employed, and those of us to like to cycle commute to and from gigs and clients, here's something that's really important to know.
Where to fuel up with cawfee, eats & cerveza and where to get work done when you're on the road?

My experience so far.....(PLEASE ADD TO THE LIST)

COFFEE SHOPS



1. East of Yonge Street

The Village
Croissant Tree
625 Church Street
416.925.8379
Comments: GREAT couches, always great people watching,
and no obligation to buy if it's a quick stop-over.

Cabbagetown
Jet Fuel
519 Parliament Street (north of Carlton)
Toronto, ON M4X 1P3, Canada
416.968.9982
Comments: You'll find many-a creative soul in this joint and some
inspiring music to keep your fingers clickin' on the keyboard...
Don't take the staff's demeanor personally. Their sullenness adds to the ambiance....
Warning: Mac-dominated space (and only 3 electrical outlets to keep you powered up)!

Riverdale
Broadview Espresso
817 Broadview Ave
416.553.3833
Comments: Wireless is hit and miss as it is "borrowed" from elsewhere, but the service is unbeatable and the lattes are the best in the city.

The Riverdale Perk
633 Logan Ave (north of Gerrard)
416.462.3538
Comments: Quiet, homestyle local kind of place.
The food is mediocre but the artwork beautifies the space and, hey, it's a local hangout with a great patio for the dog-walkers on the way to Withrow Park.

Dark Horse
682 Queen Street East (west of Broadview)
416.898.6235
Comments: Hip, full of cool people. The kind of place that makes you feel
cool to be you. Only a few outlets to choose from.

Leslieville
Mercury Espresso Bar
915 Queen Street East, west of Logan
647.435.4779
Comments: Across the street from Value Village - one of a kind shopping apres latte.

Tango Palace
1156 Queen Street East (west of Jones)
416.465.8085
Comments: I once overheard that "getting around this place is like being on an
Air Transat Flight". The selection of edibles is INCROYABLE, and the Kick-Ass coffee will do just that!

Red Rocket
402B Queen St. East in Leslieville (one block east of Greenwood Ave)
416.406.0880
Comments: Not much to look at out of the window (other than the TTC yard), and the muffins (although chocked full of granola) will weigh you down for a year.

2. West of Yonge Street

Yorkville
Urbana Coffee
878 Yonge St, near Davenport
416.960.0878
Comments: The lattes need a little work, but they have a
great selection of fair trade, organic teas and coffees.
Take a look at the board for the wifi password.

U of T land
Daily Express Cafe (below the Holiday Inn near Yorkville)
280 Bloor St W (west of St. George)
416.944.3225
Comments: Nice mix of locals and Holiday Inn folks
who remind me how to reeee-laaaxxxx.

Urbana Coffee
1033 Bay Street ~ at St. Joseph, diagonal from Bistro 990
416.960.1033
Comments: The lattes need a little work, but they have a
great selection of fair trade, organic teas and coffees.
Take a look at the board for the wifi password.

The Annex
Lettieri Espresso Bar & Café
581 Bloor Street West
416.516.1655
Comments: next to Honest Eds. A little bargain shopping, a little latte sipping, a little working...

Linux Caffee
326 harbord street (west of Bathurst)
Comments: Nice vibe with lots of local artist support.

Down-downtown
Cora's
277 Wellington St. West (at Blue Jays Way)
416. 598. 2672
Comments: A recommendation from Jacqueline...

Orange Alert Coffee
298 Dundas St W
Dundas and McCaul (across from the AGO, near OCAD)
416.595.5222
Comments: A lovely downtown spot with a great view of the AGO.
The few times I've been there the folks behind the counter have been
sugar sweet!


RESTO-BARS

1. East of Yonge St

Greek Town
The Court Jester Pub (Danforth)
609 Danforth Ave (west of Pape)
416.465.6247
Comments: Awesome veggie burger made with beets! Chunky sweet potato fries add maximum to the dining experience.

Riverdale
The Old Nick
123 Danforth Ave (east of Broadview)
416.461.5546
Comments: All I have to say is Martin. If Martin is working, you will have
the pleasure both a place to work and a comedy show. If Martin is not working,
Christine, Ashley, Jay, Suzie and Greg are sure to make your experience magnifique!

Whistler's
995 Broadview Avenue
416.421.1344
Comments: Will (the bartender) is a great (Estonian) guy who makes turkey dinners!


2. West of Yonge St

Yorkville
Hemingway's
142 Cumberland St (east of Avenue Rd)
416.968.2828
Comments: be careful of the drunk silly guys who might spill beer on your keyboard!
My favourite meal ~ spinach salad with grilled salmon, mango, avocado....yum!


The Annex
The Pour House
182 Dupont Ave (at St. George)
416.967.7687
Comments: a big U of T crowd and great Nachos (which are 1/2 price on Tues nights (along with all the other appetizers!)

Sunday Scribblings #47 - Family

I carry a family around with me
deep in the vertical plumb line of my body
my family rests
in the spiraling energy fields
that run from the front to the back of my body
all along my spine

they are my vertical reference line
the one that anchors my foundation
and gives me power

my sacred centre of family
invites me into myself
giving me magical gifts of
survival
connection,
feeling,
and desire

like any family,
it takes work to keep mine healthy
vitality and beauty release energetic blocks
in my creative identity
I cultivate sensation
through movement and colour and emotion

lounging in awareness
my family communicates the power of
intuition,
clarity.
self-preserving knowledge
i am connected to a something greater
a timeless, spaceless sense of all-knowing
wisdom, understanding and bliss.