A while ago, I blogged about training for a 5k run. But this last summer, I actually ran a 10k race in the Ottawa race weekend (without cheating).
The first thing I needed for training was new shoes! My old ones were about 3 years old and falling apart, so this meant one thing - shopping! The shoes I bought have mesh on them so things are quite airy when a gust of wind comes my way.
Training for this was another story. I decided to use my lunch break at work to train, and methodically used googlemaps to plot out my training circuit (during non-work hours of course), which ended up being 4.8km on googlemaps (plus a nice hill/shortcut that google's system did not recognize). And, because my lunch is only 30 minutes (plus 15 mins since I get in early), I had plenty of motivation to get back on time (or get fired..).
Considering that a few years ago, 5k was hard for me, my training went pretty well, except for my first day. As I have blogged about many times before, I am HORRIBLE with directions. It was all going fine until I came to a road that I couldn't remember if I was supposed to go left or right at (as usual, in doubt, I went left). What saved me was good-ol OC transpo. I used one of their handy bus-stop maps to locate myself and get back to work after a solid 38 minute run.
The race weekend went much better for me, since I had over 10,000 running buddies to follow and didn't have to worry about directions (huge arrows mapping the route ) and the fact that I followed a lovely man dressed in a bunny outfit. I finished the race in 1:06.12 and am planning on getting to 1:00 next year!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Into the Heart of Africa
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| From Toronto Star, February 24, 1990, F11 |
Wrong.
This is an exhibit about Canadian imperialists and how they collected African objects that eventually found their way into the Royal Ontario Museum...
Saturday, December 3, 2011
29. Don't rack up fines on my library card for 1 year
I am notorious for forgetting to return library books. Luckily, as a Masters' student, I get to keep them for 4 full months per book, so I can put off returning my books for a long time without getting fines.
The solution to this problem, is to simply stop reading. And since I have no more time for leisurely reading, I won't be borrowing library books (except for academic ones, which as previously mentions, I can keep for 4 months), so I think that I can cross this one off my list!
The solution to this problem, is to simply stop reading. And since I have no more time for leisurely reading, I won't be borrowing library books (except for academic ones, which as previously mentions, I can keep for 4 months), so I think that I can cross this one off my list!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
07. Wear sunscreen every day for 2 weeks in the summer
Did I ever tell you the story of when I went to the spa, and the aesthetician was trying to extract my blackheads from my nose? Well, sit down and listen because it is quite the amusing tale.
So there I was, listening to the gentle and soothing sounds of waves crashing on a sea shore (which, fyi actually really stresses me out) and this lady is trying to clear my pores when she turns to me and says, 'oh, I thought those were blackheads, turns out they are just sunspots. You should really wear sunscreen since it is much easier to prevent sunspots than get rid of them'
Well la-de-dah. Sorry if I happen to freckle easily. Besides, aren't I paying you? Why are you ruining my day of relaxation. Go give your advice to someone who cares. Did I ask for your opinion? No? Then let me get back to the sound of waves.
Anyways, when I went on vacation this summer, I made a conscious effort to apply sunscreen every day, especially to my face. I don't like putting sunscreen on my face because it makes me look very pale, and if I am nothing else, I am gloriously tan (or caramel as I like to call it). But because I had sunscreen on, I didn't wear a hat when I got home I had more freckles than ever, so I'm not sure if it helped or not. At least I don't have blackheads...
So there I was, listening to the gentle and soothing sounds of waves crashing on a sea shore (which, fyi actually really stresses me out) and this lady is trying to clear my pores when she turns to me and says, 'oh, I thought those were blackheads, turns out they are just sunspots. You should really wear sunscreen since it is much easier to prevent sunspots than get rid of them'
Well la-de-dah. Sorry if I happen to freckle easily. Besides, aren't I paying you? Why are you ruining my day of relaxation. Go give your advice to someone who cares. Did I ask for your opinion? No? Then let me get back to the sound of waves.
Anyways, when I went on vacation this summer, I made a conscious effort to apply sunscreen every day, especially to my face. I don't like putting sunscreen on my face because it makes me look very pale, and if I am nothing else, I am gloriously tan (or caramel as I like to call it). But because I had sunscreen on, I didn't wear a hat when I got home I had more freckles than ever, so I'm not sure if it helped or not. At least I don't have blackheads...
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Power, power, power
I never really gave much though to how power plays out in the world around me. People have always told me it does, and I believed them but as I start actually reading and researching for my papers this year it has really become clear just how pervasive it is in places that are traditionally regarded as institutions of 'truth'.
I am writing two papers at the moment, one on the South African archives after apartheid and the other on the place of the 'other' in museums (specifically looking at the ROM's exhibit Into the Heart of Africa) and I keep finding examples of how power plays out in practical ways.
The first one made me aware of the idea of archival authorship, which questions the notion that archives simply hold the past, in its true form. Instead, this paper has begun to show me how people and institutions actually construct our knowledge of the past. They can direct information into the archive, (and by the same authority, prevent other records from entering the archive). It makes me question how this knowledge was selected, and makes me wonder what else was prevented from becoming knowledge.
The other paper is still in its formative stages, but what is interesting to me is how this exhibit, in talking about the experience of colonialism in Africa, is not even really about the African experience. The exhibit is actually about the missionaries and soldiers who were in Africa and imperialist ideology. Interesting then that the exhibit was showcased as a "historical journey through sub-Saharan Africa". The problem with this is that the museum is in a position of authority but doesn't offer any counter-narrative against the ideology so it almost seems like they are endorsing it (which I don't think they were).
I am still percolating my ideas in my brain, but I will see what I find when my papers are finished.
I am writing two papers at the moment, one on the South African archives after apartheid and the other on the place of the 'other' in museums (specifically looking at the ROM's exhibit Into the Heart of Africa) and I keep finding examples of how power plays out in practical ways.
The first one made me aware of the idea of archival authorship, which questions the notion that archives simply hold the past, in its true form. Instead, this paper has begun to show me how people and institutions actually construct our knowledge of the past. They can direct information into the archive, (and by the same authority, prevent other records from entering the archive). It makes me question how this knowledge was selected, and makes me wonder what else was prevented from becoming knowledge.
The other paper is still in its formative stages, but what is interesting to me is how this exhibit, in talking about the experience of colonialism in Africa, is not even really about the African experience. The exhibit is actually about the missionaries and soldiers who were in Africa and imperialist ideology. Interesting then that the exhibit was showcased as a "historical journey through sub-Saharan Africa". The problem with this is that the museum is in a position of authority but doesn't offer any counter-narrative against the ideology so it almost seems like they are endorsing it (which I don't think they were).
I am still percolating my ideas in my brain, but I will see what I find when my papers are finished.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
90. Wear matching bra/underwear every day for 2 weeks
Disclaimer: this post discussed feminine undergarments
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Still reading? Well, I can only do so much to keep people from getting in trouble at work. Upwards and onwards explorer. This might be the wrong expression for the topic. Maybe I should be saying 'on to the dirty laundry'?
Ok, so I know many people who wear matching bra and underwear every day, but I am not one of those people. Actually, I like to wear mis-matching underwear in as bright as a colour I can find. I like when people look at me and they have no idea that I am wearing neon green and polka dots underneath my demure and unassuming historian facade. But I decided to try this out, to see how the other half live. (And other half in this case, does not mean men, it still means women... so.. moving on)
First, I defined the rules. Matching includes undergarments with similar themes: stripes, colour, pattern (for example, reindeer and snowflakes are both winter themed), etc. I actually planned it out, and matched up my bra's to their appropriate co-ordinated underwear. Turns out, I don't have that many matches, so I broadened my strict rules to allow for design (lace of different colours counts as a match) and complementary colours (everything goes with black) and I had it! 2 weeks of co-ordination.
The actual task of wearing matching bra/underwear was not as much fun as I thought it would be since I like to pick my bra and underwear on the day of, looking for as much contrast as possible. I especially did not include this 'game' to include matching my bra and underwear to my clothes as that would have been too much for my inherently rebellious character, and I have since gone back to my organized mis-matching of undergarments. So, the next time you see someone, maybe you will wonder just how much you can really tell about the person from outward appearances alone. Or maybe, they're going commando... in which case, that's a whole different blog post.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
The Canadian War Museum
I had the opportunity to go to the CWM this pre-rememberance day. For this reason, this post is not going to have the humour of many of my other posts. I had to write a report outlining my observations and I decided to focus on the way that text is presented at a museum, and what is it that makes someone chose to read or ignore parts of the text that is presented. What I observed was museums are a place of individualized experience, and that while some dedicated individuals will read every single piece of information in an exhibit, the majority pick and chose what they are going to read, so that they don't end up spending 8 hours there. Below I offer some analysis as to why we read some text and not others.
The sheer amount of information at museums is often quite overwhelming, and at the CWM, I gravitated towards information that was part of the larger narrative rather than looking for information on specific artifacts or art pieces. In the main gallery, I noticed myself reading panels of text that explained larger implications and meanings of themes presented such as life on the home front, or discussion of nationalism and the South African war. In contrast, I chose not to read text that looked at specific battles, or historic figures. Due to the overwhelming amount of information presented, it is difficult to absorb all available text in a single visit. Reading text on larger themes and narratives provides the observer with the option of getting the most ‘bang for their buck’, in that they are able to construct the larger story with the start, middle, and end. However, with textual overload, the observer often cannot absorb information that would provide colour to the story, or fill the missing gaps. For this, multiple visits may be required. With each visit, you can chose to focus on developing your knowledge on different aspects of knowledge that is presented.
Similarly, I would read text on subjects that I was already aware of. For example, I read the panel explaining rationing at home to provide materials for the war-front. As with the idea of reading panels that discuss the grand narrative, deepening my knowledge on subjects on which I had previous familiarity allowed me to incorporate new information without being overwhelmed. I took my visit as an opportunity to reinforce knowledge already possessed rather than learning specific details regarding areas of Canada’s military history that were completely new to me. Applying this to the general observer, when presented with an over-abundance of text, textual information serves to strengthen pre-existing knowledge and interests. More importantly, by using this approach, it can be inferred that individual observers will focus on different aspects of the gallery’s text, varying with each individual’s previous knowledge and own personal interests.
What I did not read were panels and written text surrounding ‘big ticket’ items, such as Hitler’s car, or large gun displays. In these situations, the artifact became the singular object of focus, and I did not feel the need for additional narrative. The downside of the object becoming the centre of focus is that the context of the object can be lost. While it is true that Hitler’s car is one of the biggest draws of the museum, very few people read the surrounding text to understand how and why Hitler was able to rise to power and the atrocities committed under his rule. As a result, the object is seen simply as a ‘cool’ item. The seriousness of Hitler’s role in WWII is diminished when observers do not take the time to read the information provided in the accompanying text. I fell into the trap that many do of looking at only the item being displayed, and not looking at why this object has significance, and what the object can tell us about a person, place or event. However, this also adds credence to the notion that observers only read text when they can adequately absorb it.
Taking my experience as an observer provided me with an interesting opportunity to analyze the place of text at the CWM.
The sheer amount of information at museums is often quite overwhelming, and at the CWM, I gravitated towards information that was part of the larger narrative rather than looking for information on specific artifacts or art pieces. In the main gallery, I noticed myself reading panels of text that explained larger implications and meanings of themes presented such as life on the home front, or discussion of nationalism and the South African war. In contrast, I chose not to read text that looked at specific battles, or historic figures. Due to the overwhelming amount of information presented, it is difficult to absorb all available text in a single visit. Reading text on larger themes and narratives provides the observer with the option of getting the most ‘bang for their buck’, in that they are able to construct the larger story with the start, middle, and end. However, with textual overload, the observer often cannot absorb information that would provide colour to the story, or fill the missing gaps. For this, multiple visits may be required. With each visit, you can chose to focus on developing your knowledge on different aspects of knowledge that is presented.
Similarly, I would read text on subjects that I was already aware of. For example, I read the panel explaining rationing at home to provide materials for the war-front. As with the idea of reading panels that discuss the grand narrative, deepening my knowledge on subjects on which I had previous familiarity allowed me to incorporate new information without being overwhelmed. I took my visit as an opportunity to reinforce knowledge already possessed rather than learning specific details regarding areas of Canada’s military history that were completely new to me. Applying this to the general observer, when presented with an over-abundance of text, textual information serves to strengthen pre-existing knowledge and interests. More importantly, by using this approach, it can be inferred that individual observers will focus on different aspects of the gallery’s text, varying with each individual’s previous knowledge and own personal interests.
What I did not read were panels and written text surrounding ‘big ticket’ items, such as Hitler’s car, or large gun displays. In these situations, the artifact became the singular object of focus, and I did not feel the need for additional narrative. The downside of the object becoming the centre of focus is that the context of the object can be lost. While it is true that Hitler’s car is one of the biggest draws of the museum, very few people read the surrounding text to understand how and why Hitler was able to rise to power and the atrocities committed under his rule. As a result, the object is seen simply as a ‘cool’ item. The seriousness of Hitler’s role in WWII is diminished when observers do not take the time to read the information provided in the accompanying text. I fell into the trap that many do of looking at only the item being displayed, and not looking at why this object has significance, and what the object can tell us about a person, place or event. However, this also adds credence to the notion that observers only read text when they can adequately absorb it.
Taking my experience as an observer provided me with an interesting opportunity to analyze the place of text at the CWM.
Friday, November 11, 2011
64. Give successful directions to somewhere in Ottawa 6 times
For anyone that knows me, the idea of being in a car with me with no GPS probably raises mixed feelings of terror and dread. With a 50% chance between left and right, the fact that I was wrong last time surely means that the next time I will be right, right? Ok, I will be the first to admit that I can get easily confused between left and right. (But when it doubt, always chose left). That being said, I do not easily give up, or admit that I am lost.
I recently was trying to get on the 401 in Toronto, looking for the exit for Bayview (the punchline of the story is that there is no exit/entrance for Bayview). What a terrible feeling it is to be able to see the highway, but not being able to find the on-ramp. The worst part is, that I had told my sister that this "detour" would be easier than the way Google Maps had suggested. Oh, I am so naive... Well, lucky for me I had my iPad with me. With some minor wireless-piracy tactics, I finally made my way to an on-ramp 1 block ahead 45 minutes later. Not bad for a nice Sunday drive.
The moral of the story is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But if the "it" you are referring to is my internal compass, your best chance is to get out of the car and take the bus...
I recently was trying to get on the 401 in Toronto, looking for the exit for Bayview (the punchline of the story is that there is no exit/entrance for Bayview). What a terrible feeling it is to be able to see the highway, but not being able to find the on-ramp. The worst part is, that I had told my sister that this "detour" would be easier than the way Google Maps had suggested. Oh, I am so naive... Well, lucky for me I had my iPad with me. With some minor wireless-piracy tactics, I finally made my way to an on-ramp 1 block ahead 45 minutes later. Not bad for a nice Sunday drive.
The moral of the story is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But if the "it" you are referring to is my internal compass, your best chance is to get out of the car and take the bus...
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
69. Call in to work sick just because
Not that I am admitting that I have done this, but if I had (or were in the future to do this), hypothetically speaking, the sequence of events may have gone as follows:
- call into work early in the morning before clearing my throat so that I can pull of sounding sick
- go back to bed for at least 2 hours
- wake up leisurely and eat breakfast
- sit on the couch and watch bad daytime tv
- go for a nice walk
- meet up with a friend for coffee
Good thing I am a hardworking employee who does not abuse the sick-leave system... Because that would be very very wrong. Very wrong.
- go for a nice walk
- meet up with a friend for coffee
Good thing I am a hardworking employee who does not abuse the sick-leave system... Because that would be very very wrong. Very wrong.
81. Do 3 good deeds anonymously
I found a cell phone on the bus the other day. It was a nice, shiny, blackberry bold, but I resisted the urge to sell it for photocopy money (as a grad student, this urge is quite strong) and looked through the contact list for someone under 'Home', or 'OMG Call if Found'. Lucky for me, the most recent person to text was 'Mom'. I got in contact with her, and she went into what I like to call Super-Saver Mode. This is something that all mom's do when they need to get something done for their kids. My mom did this for me when my phone and wallet were stolen in Rome, so I know this mode quite well.
That being said, a few days later I dropped off the phone to its rightful owner and I guess karma worked out for me because I finally talked to my insurance people and they are going to give me 400$ to replace my stolen phone. So... what that means is.. iPhone 4s here I come!
As an aside, I may have slightly tainted my good deed by snooping through her pictures and videos. Just for some background research of course.
That being said, a few days later I dropped off the phone to its rightful owner and I guess karma worked out for me because I finally talked to my insurance people and they are going to give me 400$ to replace my stolen phone. So... what that means is.. iPhone 4s here I come!
As an aside, I may have slightly tainted my good deed by snooping through her pictures and videos. Just for some background research of course.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
25. Get over my fear of butterflies by going to a butterfly exhibit without running through it
I don't consider myself one of those people with irrational fears. Really, I don't. There are just certain things that... make me jumpy. Below, I have included a summary of the greatest threats to my overall sanity:
- putting things in a pre-heated oven without oven mitts (began with the brownie incident of '94)
- getting locked in a stairwell (with no cell phone reception)
- any type of sudden movement following suspenseful music in a movie
- butterflies
Before people judge me for this last fear, I will provide a brief synopsis of how it came to be. I have actually pin-pointed the exact moment when I started to fear these disgusting flappy creatures. I was on my grade 8 band trip to Toronto, and we went to the Niagra Falls Butterfly exhibit. Honestly, they really need to put a warning up. Those things are HUGE and have no morals. They land everywhere, as if it was their god-given right to touch my arm (and worse places too). And they have those fake eyes on their wings. And they just flap their wings so fast. Give it a rest already.
That being said, it isn't just butterflies I am scared of. It is basically anything that has super quick flapping wings.. Like crickets, and moths. They just makes my stomach crawl.
Well, last year I went to the Butterfly exhibit at Carleton. I saw little kids with oranges in their hands to actually attract butterflies to them. I couldn't believe it, who would want that to land on you? Well, I walked in, ran through it as quickly as possible and then went outside and hyperventilated. It was a nightmare, and I am still petrified. I'm not sure if it counts as successful, but I can tell you one thing - I am not doing it again. But I did take this picture:
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
61. Make a friend in a random city/county
To begin, this item was actually one that had a related to-do item (keeping in touch with said person), however for reasons that will soon be explained, I will NOT be keeping in touch with this person.
Setting the scene: Imagine this, I am in Istanbul with my sister after a fantastic 17 out of 18 day vacation. We had both gotten nice tans, I managed to not get my passport stolen (although I wasn't so lucky with my wallet and blackberry) and we had plans to go to a Turkish bath later that day. All this to say, that we were planning on enjoying our last few hours of vacation before heading back on our 15 hour flight home. In fact, we would probably even have time for a nice nap in our hotel before the 3 different mosques blasting the call to prayer would wake us. All set!
Uh oh, reality check. Did we buy ANY souvenirs yet? No, we hadn't because we thought that we could do this on the last day at the Grand Bazaar. We had scoped it out a few days prior and we knew where to get some cool things for our family and friends back home. We show up ready to drop our highly prized American dollars and wha-aat? It's closed?
"Oh yeah.. it's Sunday. Everything is closed" - F
Not only was the Grand Bazaar closed, everything was closed! Lucky for us, we are tourists, staying in the touristiest part of town, 100% willing to fall into tourist traps for ridiculously inflated tourist prices. No one gets in the way of capitalism! (except maybe those pesky communists)
Convenient for us, our hotel was located right off the main tourist road, which even more conveniently IS open on Sundays. We walk into a couple of stores but it was all the same stuff. Evil eyes and apple tea. Finally we found this one store that actually had handmade stuff. We were able to find these really cool hand-painted tea sets for a couple of people. As we were getting our stuff gift-wrapped, the clerk starts talking to my sister and I, and we introduce ourselves briefly. At this point, we are thankful to not be going home empty-handed, but we still have stuff to buy so off we go in search of the next shop.
As we continue, it is becoming apparent that there really isn't anything um.. how do I say... not horrible? So we decide that we had seen something in the other store that we could buy for someone else, so back we go. Purchase made, more small talk. In total, I think we went to that store 3 times. As we were walking by on our way back to our hotel, the clerk (who, shall remain nameless. Less for privacy purposes, more because I don't remember his name) asked me and my sister if we would like to go for dinner with him. We accepted and off we went, although my sister only stayed for half the "date."
This would all make for an interesting story, if not for the fact that he turned out to be quite boring and not interested in simply friendship. By the end of the night, he had told me that he would remember me always and asked to stay in Turkey (presumably forever?) and come meet his family. To make matters worse, he said that I look young, apart from my few gray hairs, which is a big no-no. I am a silver fox, take it or leave it!
The night ended and he gave me his email and phone number, but I ended up throwing it out when I got back to the hotel. Besides, my bf probably would not have approved.
Update with less than 1 year to go
So I suppose this is the "home stretch" although I don't feel as though I worked hard enough for the first year and a half to really be on the home stretch... maybe I will call it the cool-down phase. Anyway, like my favourite hockey team, I always was a 3rd period kind of gal.
I have updated my list to only include those items that still need to be done. Perhaps I will write a couple of blog posts to show that indeed, I have been working on my list. You know, to show that I haven't been slacking.
Update: Man, some of my goals are laa-me. I won't be doing those. Now that I have attained financial success, I can just pay someone to do those for me.
Healthy Lifestyle and Nutrition
03. Gain enough weight to be able to donate blood
04. Donate blood /1
05. Try out surfing /1
For the Mind/Body/Soul
12. Do a morning prayer for my grandfather every week for a month /4
13. Make 2 new friends that I could trust with my life /2
14. Wake up early to watch the sun rise 5 times 2/5
For Myself
17. Become self-sufficient in the kitchen. (in progress)
19. Bake 3 apple pies myself /3
20. Start and finish a scrapbook /1
27. Keep my room clean for 6 consecutive months /6
Financial
COMPLETE. I am on my way to financial success! And by success, I mean that the tax man is not coming after me.. this year.
For Fun
37. Watch at least 10 Cary Grant movies 5/10
38. Have dinner on a rooftop /1
40. Create a time-capsule and bury it /1
42. Have a Harry Potter marathon once all the movies come out /1
44. Meet and take a picture with a celebrity /1
45. Write and have published a "Letter to the Editor" /1
47. Get one of my weird dreams interpreted /1
48. Go to a palm reader and tarrot card reader /2
50. Play Texas Hold'em at the Casino /1
Travel
56. Go to the Just for Laugh's Festival in Montreal /1
58. Learn to say "My name is" in 4 different languages 3/4
62. Keep in touch with random friend /1
Local Living
64. Give successful directions to somewhere in Ottawa 6 times 1/6
66. Test out at least 5 new Sushi places /5
68. Go to the Busker Festival /1
Relax
I always did know how to relax
Relationships
78. Give my dad a second chance
Giving Back
79. Put change in someone's expired parking meter /1
81. Do 3 good deeds anonymously /3
82. Stand up for someone who can't stand up for themselves /1
83. Go through my clothes and donate what I don't wear every 6 months /5
84. Everytime someone comes to my door selling chocolate almonds, buy a box. Currently bought: 3 Although the most recent box I bought was stale and overpriced
86. Donate my hair to Locks of Love once /1
87. Tip a waiter/waitress 100% for an amazing service /1
Miscellaneous
89. Complete a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle /1
90. Wear matching bra/underwear every day for 2 weeks /14
91. Do not kill mom's plants until 1001 days is over /1001
93. Play Roll up the Rim to Win until I've won at least 5 times /5
95. Take a bubble bath at least once a year /3
96. Tell someone off who really deserves it /1
97. Make more of an effort to get of baby sister's good side
Just Because
99. Donate 5$ to a charity for every item not completed at the end of 1001 days
100. Create a new list after this one expires
101. Find something to smile about every day /1001
I have updated my list to only include those items that still need to be done. Perhaps I will write a couple of blog posts to show that indeed, I have been working on my list. You know, to show that I haven't been slacking.
Update: Man, some of my goals are laa-me. I won't be doing those. Now that I have attained financial success, I can just pay someone to do those for me.
Healthy Lifestyle and Nutrition
03. Gain enough weight to be able to donate blood
04. Donate blood /1
05. Try out surfing /1
For the Mind/Body/Soul
12. Do a morning prayer for my grandfather every week for a month /4
13. Make 2 new friends that I could trust with my life /2
14. Wake up early to watch the sun rise 5 times 2/5
For Myself
17. Become self-sufficient in the kitchen. (in progress)
19. Bake 3 apple pies myself /3
20. Start and finish a scrapbook /1
27. Keep my room clean for 6 consecutive months /6
Financial
COMPLETE. I am on my way to financial success! And by success, I mean that the tax man is not coming after me.. this year.
For Fun
37. Watch at least 10 Cary Grant movies 5/10
38. Have dinner on a rooftop /1
40. Create a time-capsule and bury it /1
42. Have a Harry Potter marathon once all the movies come out /1
44. Meet and take a picture with a celebrity /1
45. Write and have published a "Letter to the Editor" /1
47. Get one of my weird dreams interpreted /1
48. Go to a palm reader and tarrot card reader /2
50. Play Texas Hold'em at the Casino /1
Travel
56. Go to the Just for Laugh's Festival in Montreal /1
58. Learn to say "My name is" in 4 different languages 3/4
62. Keep in touch with random friend /1
Local Living
64. Give successful directions to somewhere in Ottawa 6 times 1/6
66. Test out at least 5 new Sushi places /5
68. Go to the Busker Festival /1
Relax
I always did know how to relax
Relationships
78. Give my dad a second chance
Giving Back
79. Put change in someone's expired parking meter /1
81. Do 3 good deeds anonymously /3
82. Stand up for someone who can't stand up for themselves /1
83. Go through my clothes and donate what I don't wear every 6 months /5
84. Everytime someone comes to my door selling chocolate almonds, buy a box. Currently bought: 3 Although the most recent box I bought was stale and overpriced
86. Donate my hair to Locks of Love once /1
87. Tip a waiter/waitress 100% for an amazing service /1
Miscellaneous
89. Complete a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle /1
90. Wear matching bra/underwear every day for 2 weeks /14
91. Do not kill mom's plants until 1001 days is over /1001
93. Play Roll up the Rim to Win until I've won at least 5 times /5
95. Take a bubble bath at least once a year /3
96. Tell someone off who really deserves it /1
97. Make more of an effort to get of baby sister's good side
Just Because
99. Donate 5$ to a charity for every item not completed at the end of 1001 days
100. Create a new list after this one expires
101. Find something to smile about every day /1001
Monday, July 4, 2011
The Lure of the Royals
It's been a while since I've updated, and I figured this is the perfect opportunity to start up again since I have recently started spending a lot more time on the computer at work, although I am not spending a whole lot more time working (as it were...). I am still working on my list of 101 things, but on a slightly scaled-back pace. Actually, it might have something to do with the fact that I realized that if I were to not do any of my 101 items on my list, I would only have to donate 500$ to charity, and I would get a tax-receipt anyway.
I have decided that I would use this opportunity to look at one of the most fundamental questions of human nature, namely why do we care so much about famous people? What is it that makes us idolize these people, or make us willing to stand for hours in the freezing snow, miserable rain or scorching heat just to catch a glimpse of the right half of an arm of someone who doesn't even know you exist?
Well, I have the answer. It is because famous people - namely Will and Kate, are so much fun to watch. I like to wonder what they are thinking when they see 500 000 people sitting on Parliament Hill who came out just for them. Here is what I imagine is going on in their brains. (All said with a delightful British accent of course) Oh fabulous, everyone can admire my new wife Katherine with her delightful hat. Much better than those hats everyone wore at our wedding. It certainly is hot in Canada. Didn't grandma-ma say that Canadians lived in perpetual winter? Hmm.. yes.. rather. I suppose it is time for me to wave now. Oh, the adoring public. Hey you.. get back.. peasant
I think we watch famous people because we all like gossip, and this is a way that we can gossip on a larger scale because it isn't limited to your circle of friends. You can connect to people you have never met before if you both follow the latest of Alex Rodrigez's girl drama.
Anyway, I will be back to blog about other exciting topics in the coming weeks.
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