2011.

January 5th, 2012       comments 2

I think it’s pretty safe to say that 2011 will go down in the history books as one of the most defining years of my life.

As many of you already know, May 22, 2011 marked what has undeniably been the darkest day in my 40 years of life – losing Bailey. Though I consider myself lucky to have had 12 years with this wonderful little man who stood so gallantly by my side through thick and thin, the loss of him is still almost unbearable.

But I’ve always preached that life is like a pressure chamber – and when one door closes, it forces another one open. Losing Bailey hasn’t been the exception to this rule. Months after his death, I knew I had the capacity in my heart to love another dog, so after considering the various breeds that peaked my interest (including another Yorkie), I drove 8 hours to pick up Ali – a German Boxer who stole my heart through the various photos sent from the breeder.

Ali and Bailey could not get any more opposite: One was 4 lbs full grown, the other is 65 lbs at 7 months old. One was male, the other is female. One was a lap dog, the other desperately wants to be. One hated the cold, the other loves snow like nobody’s business. The only similarity between the two is their love of snuggling, and my love for them.

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The epitome of Douchebag.

July 27th, 2011       comments 2

This actually came through as a comment to a post I have on here, and I thought it was interesting enough to get it’s own space. For those of you who don’t know, ‘Dimitri the Lover’ is a scumbag out of Toronto Ontario who is infamously known for leaving a voicemail that could only be described as psychotic. The voicemail went completely viral online. It should be noted that Dimitri’s real name is James Sears, and he’s a convicted sexual predator who lost his medical license after being found guilty of sexually assaulting his female patients. A real charmer, if you ask me.
Without further adieu, here is the comment:

WARNING TO WOMEN ABOUT “SEDUCTION GURU”

Please read this public service announcement carefully and pass it on to every woman you know. A “seduction guru” named “Dimitri The Lover” attacks women on the street, in broad daylight, as his “girlfriend” looks on and smiles (it happened to at least 3 of my friends). As a lesbian who has been harassed by her fair share of men, I was shocked that this man gets away with his misogynistic, criminal behavior. Then I learned that the police turn a blind eye to his crimes because they get a 25% discount on admission to his meetings.

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An incredible, unconditional love.

May 24th, 2011       comments 11

I’ve always judged people by how they reacted to Bailey, whether they were walking into my house or passing me by on the street. If you were capable of showing any level of indifference to my happy, little 4 1/2 lb Yorkie who just wanted to love you, then you were not welcome in my life.

Bailey was the best dog in the world. He was, without a doubt, the man of my life. If I had a bad day at work, or was sick with the flu, or crying from a broken heart, he was always the guy beside me showing me that he cares. Whether it was one of his infamous stares while standing on my lap, or just a tiny warm body snuggled into me, he never ever failed me. That’s the incredible thing about dogs – if you give them love, they will repay you a thousand fold with an unconditional love and devotion that simply cannot be measured.

My little man was a canine of routine. After almost 12 years with each other, we had the whole thing figured out. Every night he’d stand in the same spot beside my bed waiting for me to lift him up into it before I crawled in. Every time his feet hit the duvet, he’d bounce around like a neurotic rabbit, find that special place, dig furiously into it and then drop himself in with a huge sigh. Every weekday morning, he’d sleep through my alarm clock, stir slightly when I dragged my ass out of bed, but refused to make any motion until he heard me come out of the shower. Every evening he’d greet me with leaps of joy, all the while barking like a mad fool. And on the weekends, we’d sleep in with each other. If I sat on a chair, he was on my lap. If I laid on the couch, he was laying on me. If I got up, he followed me. When I used the bathroom, he sat outside the door. It didn’t matter what I did or where I went in the house, Bailey was always with me…always keeping a watchful eye on me….always showing me how much he loved me.

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Beware the straw man.

May 11th, 2011       comments 4

I’ve had the good fortune of convocating from university with a masters in Psychology and a minor in Philosophy – a pretty slick and complementing combination, if you ask me. If I could go back to school (translation: if my mortgage payments suddenly disappeared), I’d definitely set my sights on a PhD in philosophy. Commonly known as the ‘art of debate’, philosophy has taught me how to think critically and laterally. It has also educated me on identifying and seeing through the various fallacious argument tactics people use to support their position.


Today was no exception. I had the joy of witnessing the straw man effect in perfect form. For those of you not familiar with this term, imagine a fight between two people where one creates a man of straw, attacks it, then proclaims victory. All the while, the real opponent stands by untouched. In essence, it refers to the act of swapping Opponent A’s argument with something sort of similar, (but not)…and then attacking that point when really, it wasn’t their position at all…and then claiming false victory over it.

Wikipedia has a great example:

Read more…

No means yes: Reverse engineering the protocol of opposites.

February 24th, 2011       comments 4

He is a poacher..he took what was precious and left me for dead.

An open letter to “Justice” Robert Dewar;

I have a weakness for sharp-dressed men….especially those wearing well-tailored suits.

Given that I work in the financial core of Toronto, I see men in well-tailored suits five days a week. Sometimes they smile at me as we pass each other by. Sometimes they strike up a conversation with me in the elevator. Sometimes they even ask me for my telephone number or offer up their business card. But at no time during any of my daily dealings with these sharp-dressed men in well-tailored suits that I have a weakness for do I presume I have any right to sexually assault or rape them.

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Just as I suspected….

January 10th, 2011       comments 1

Is your cat plotting to kill you?

Right down the line.

January 4th, 2011       comments 2

Music is, without a doubt, one of the most important things in my life. It defines moments in time for me – good and bad – and I simply cannot live without the stuff. It’s like a drug and I’m heavily addicted to it’s effects.

As such, I’ve made every effort to ensure that mini-me is a true musicphile and not your typical 21st century teen who’s mind is closed to anything outside of todays Top 10. From strategically placing a speaker on either side of my belly throughout my pregnancy, to playing the great 1970′s rock bands like Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, and Bob Seger constantly as she was growing up. Of course, this also included the lesser known’s like Al Stewart, Gary Wright, and the Little River Band.

The point is: she has always been exposed to the love of music that has held me so tightly my entire life.

Read more…

At the end of a rope.

July 20th, 2010       comments 3

Earlier this evening, I attended the memorial service for a friend who, amidst the chaos that life can throw at you, decided that the easiest route out was to tie a rope around his neck and end it all.

Words cannot describe just how incredibly sad this entire situation is. It is a tragedy, heavily compounded by the fact that there are two beautiful babies involved here.

Considering the amount of people that were in attendance – each with their own memories – it’s hard to understand why he didn’t reach out for help when so much was available.

Read more…

Suing Rogers for breaking up her marriage.

June 16th, 2010       comments 3

Now, let me start by saying that, as a whole, I’m not a fan of Rogers. Granted, they’ve done some REALLY great things for me in the past (note: cell phone fiasco). However, I still believe they’re pirate hookers when it comes right down to it.

With that said, the recent headlines around one Toronto woman – Gabriela Nagy – suing Rogers for what she terms a “breach of privacy” just reeks of a certain sentiment that’s prevalent south of the border: sue everyone for everything because, hey, it’s not MY fault.

As the story goes, Ms. Nagy was acting without discretion behind her husband’s back, carrying on an affair with another man (I’m assuming it’s a man, but you never know). Once her husband found out via the consolidated Rogers bill, he left her and subsequently filed for a divorce like any normal breathing human being with any ounce of dignity would.

Read more…

Colour.

June 8th, 2010       comments 1

Around Venezia from Icam on Vimeo.

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  • Archives

  • 101 things in 1001 days….

    Give...and ye shall receive in ten-fold..
    1. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
    2. For every item not completed on this list, donate $5 to Sick Kids Hospital Charity.
    3. Do one random act of kindness per week. (44/143)
    4. Feed the birds.
    5. Make 12 mixed CDs and leave them somewhere public for someone to find and enjoy (x 12)
    6. Give someone a second chance.
    7. Donate $100 to the Canadian Cancer Society once per year (does the Princess Margaret Fund count?)

    Loving my family and friends...
    8. Remind myself EVERY day that it's a phase...it's a phase...and she'll grow out of it unscathed...eventually.
    9. Call, email, text my brother on a monthly basis. (1)
    10. Visit the graves of my grandparents and dad every month
    11. Visit my parents at their house (I've only been there three times and they've lived there for 12 years - BAD!)
    12. Have a dinner out once every 2 weeks with Shelby. (43)
    13. Don't lose touch with old, distant friends.
    14. Get to know my neighbours.
    15. Buy a birthday cake for all friends/family celebrating their day.

    Keeping my finances in check...
    16. Save $10,000 to my chequing account by June 2009. Or maybe July 2009.
    17. Reduce my "retail therapy" sessions to once every two months.
    18. Cut 50% out of my grocery bill when it comes to junk food.
    19. List all the stuff I don't need on CraigsList and sell it.
    20. Don't open ANY more statements from my investments until the recession has blown over.
    21. Stash all coins in the jar and NEVER borrow from it.

    Oh what fun I will have!!
    22. Start attending the opera again.
    23. Obtain my scuba diving license.
    24. Get back into sailing.
    25. Take photography classes.
    26. Take guitar lessons.
    27. Take salsa dancing classes.
    28. Enjoy a really awesome thunderstorm without the fear of a tornado.
    29. Join and engage in Geocaching missions x 5.
    30. Watch 15 movies in the theatres.
    31. Get back onto the piano.
    32. Start shooting pool again.
    33. Expand on my current "Shelby" tattoo.
    34. Get two more tattoos. (1/2)
    35. Skydive...one more time.
    36. Learn to snowboard.
    37. On a large canvas, paint something worthy of hanging.
    38. See David Grey live again.
    39. Vote.
    40. Bake a pumpkin pie from scratch.
    41. Watch Casa Blanca.
    42. Embarrass myself at a karaoke bar.
    43. Crash a wedding.
    44. Get a personalized license plate.
    45. Go blonde, just for the hell of it, again. (but then back to brunette)
    46. Visit 10 major cathedrals and indulge in the architecture. (5/10)
    47. Adopt another dog, or a cat for Shelby.
    48. Go rockclimbing.
    49. Host a housewarming party when I move into Toronto.
    50. Learn how to design a website entirely in CSS.
    51. Dress up for Hallowe'en.
    52. Win something off the radio.
    53. Buy a motorcycle, obtain my M-Class, and enjoy motorbiking again.
    54. Go berry picking.

    Taking care of #1...
    55. Don't allow myself to get stressed out about stupid stuff.
    56. Eliminate all the people who cause me stress (with the exception of those I cannot) out of my life.
    57. Learn to give up and walk away.
    58. Send 5 postcards (1/5)
    59. Quit smoking.
    60. Start running again.
    62. Start taking vitamins daily.
    63. Go back to the gym.
    64. Reduce my daily intake of Coca Cola by 50%.
    65. Reduce my daily intake of coffee by 50%.
    66. Figure out my real bra size and find one that's comfortable.
    67. Stop double-guessing myself.
    68. Find The Love of My Life. (coming soon)
    69. Enjoy my birthday for a change (x 1).
    70. Do a will.
    71. Do something good for myself at least once per month.
    72. Visit the doctor regularly, rather then avoiding her like the plague.
    73. Floss daily.
    73. Eat more fibre.
    75. Disallow stress to affect my eating habits - maintain weight at 125 lbs and not a pound under!

    Organization is NOT my strong point....
    76. Try to maintain this blog on a regular basis.
    77. Clean out my office at home and ditch all the old computers I still have and don't need/use.
    78. Organize all personal documents.
    79. Have my old VHS movies converted to DVD.
    80. Completely go through the entire house from top to bottom and get rid of EVERYTHING, unless I absolutely cannot live without it.
    81. Make my bed every morning.
    82. Sell my house and move back to Toronto - Summer 2009.
    83. Never let a houseplant die from lack of water.
    84. Complete a wall of framed and matted photographs, all taken by me.
    85. Keep water in Bailey's bowl at all times.
    86. Finish cataloging my CD collection.
    87. Organize the music on my harddrive.
    88. Digitize all my negatives from print photos.
    89. Document as much of this list as possible with photographs.

    Oh...the places to go, the things to see.....
    90. Travel to Dubai.
    91. Do a camping trip with friends.
    92. Take my daughter on another trip (not the Dominican Republic again!)
    93. Do an all-girls weekend.
    94. Go to a spa.
    95. Do a wine tour in the Niagara region.
    96. Visit Tobermory, Ontario.
    97. Do Vegas
    98. Travel to Chicago for a weekend.
    99. Travel to Bora Bora...or Turks & Caicos, or Bali.
    100. Go to Canada's Wonderland with Shelby.
    101. Visit my brother and his fiance in British Columbia.