Moonlight

Ever wonder what they mean when they say, 'the moonlight spilled in through the open window' or 'by the light of the moon'? On a night like tonight, it is a thing of magic. It was a full moon 2 nights ago and though the midsummer moon has begun to wane, it is extremely bright. Almost Eerie. On a cloudless night like tonight, the brilliant light of the moon illuminates all it touches. It spills in through the windows and bathes everything in a soft white glow. Almost ethereal. Brings on thoughts from Macbeth...

By the pricking of my thumbs 

Something wicked this way comes...

Facebook Comments

Facebook has currently 1.23 billion users and I am one of them. There's even a song that conveys quite comically the perceived purpose of facebook to its most common users. For some, it is a self marketing tool and for others to promote their public, private or home based business. There are predators on FB and innocents as well, who really shouldn't be on FB but their parents felt it would be acceptable to enter in a fake date of birth and create a profile for them. There are charities on facebook, some legal and some illegal. There are activists, anarchists, narcisists and a whole range of mentally unstable people. Some people use it as a platform to speak out regarding what they consider an injustice and others use it as a platform to discredit the people speaking out. If you could take a step back, you would see that FB is really a more open online version of the real world, without the boundaries of decorum, civility and integrity. Since FB has been online, there has been a sharp increase in suicides amongst teens. There has also been an increase in awareness for different diseases and their cures. It is so easy to write something horrid about anything and anyone if you are hiding behind a wall of the internet. You wouldn't dare do it in public for fear of physical retaliation.

There is so much hate and intolerance in the FB world. Much like the Medieval times, the ignorant are given the tools and the ability to spread mass outcry and histeria about things that have been happening for years without anyone noticing.

For example, the dophin killing festival in Finland. As sad as killing a dolphin might be, the meat is shared across the entire village. How is it any different from killing wild salmon, whales etc? Another example is the Dog Festival in China. It happens once a year and though I agree torturing an animal is inhumane, killing a dog and eating it is no different from killing a goat and eating that. If dinosaurs were alive, we would be lunch. Research has shown that some animals do keep their prey alive as long as they can during the consumption process as it keeps the meat fresh. Though I am no advocate for this kind of consumption, torture is prevalant in nature and we, humans, have been inflicting it, not only on animals but also on ourselves for millenia.

In the real world, if someone were to make a statement, that could be contested, there would be a plethora of comments issued in favour or against it. In the facebook world, if you make a statement and someone comments, you can choose to delete their comment if you don't like it. So easy to discount an opinion that didn't find favour with you. All in all, Facebook encourages the darker sides of the human condition - cowardice, narcissism, intolerance, self importance, vulgarity and depravity. Now, would the good be enough to outweigh the bad, such that we continue this everlasting addiction to broadcast our own business while spying on others. Is that the Facebook way?

Disclaimer : I do not own any rights towards the Facebook song and Logo. There are just used as reference in the material here.

The Red Violin

It's back to the grind tomorrow and I attempted a last ditch effort to effectively utilize my leisure time today with a meaningful film.

Though I find most technology an annoyance and irrelavant, i.e. GPS, I have to agree that PVR is quite useful. Till date, I have not managed to watch the Red Violin from beginning to end. I've caught snippets of it while surfing through the online guide at the most inopportune moments. Today, with luck being in my favour, I discovered that said film was playing this afternoon on Showcase. I was, thus, able to secure a recording through PVR to watch later this evening.

I was finally able to follow the entire story uninterrupted. It did not disappoint though the entire Samuel Jackson portion was hardly inspiring. The film was neither riveting like the English Patient, nor grief inspiring like Schindler's List, nor satisfying like the Shawshank Redemption. Nevertheless, it kept you thinking long after the movie had ceased. Particularly interesting were the storylines in Italy, Viena & China. For a blood veneered violin to have survived centuries, passing from one hand to another, used and abused and finally restored is truly inspiring.

I personally believe, we leave something of ourselves behind in our possessions and there is a 'chi', if you can call it that, that flows from it to the person taking over that possession. Perhaps that is what gives antique furniture and instruments so much character. If they could tell stories, can you imagine what we could learn of our past, of ourselves and of our actions. Something to ponder when you find yourself browsing on Craig's List or Kijiji...

Can you cook?

My single girlfriends always complain that whenever they go out on a first or second date, the gentlemen's quest for discovery always include the irksome question of all time... Can you cook? Which begs the question... why do they ask?

I'm curious and am eager for enlightenment. Is it because they are hopeless in the kitchen? Has cooking for ONE lost its allure? Is it due to sheer laziness which enables a disdain for anything culinary? Was there a traumatic kitchen episode in childhood which lead to Culinary PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder)? Are they afraid she's into the RAW diet? Does it question their machismo? Are they concerned about food poisoning? Are they sizing up their competition (the next Iron Chef)? Or are they simply curious?

Whatever the reason may be, single women everywhere vehemently abhor the question. So interesting, how three little words can wreck such psychological havoc.

Is the way to a man's heart really through his stomach? Gentlemen, if you are looking for Date #3 through #5, please refrain from this particular query, no matter how tempted you are and how innocent the question might seem. For a single woman, it conjures images of frigid winters, the depths of hell and an eternity of gluttony driven exploits featuring you. If lost for sensational conversation, stick with the weather & your health. 😊

Happy New Year - 2015

Welcome to 2015! Much like 2006, this is going to be my year of change.

Just to give you some perspective - in 2006,  I lost 47 lbs, started wearing contact lenses (abandoned the hideous spectacles that made me look like a female Urkle) and became assertive.

This year, I plan to change - physically, financially and professionally. Why? Because it's time. I'm stuck in a philosophical quicksand a.k.a proverbial RUT.

Physically: I'm 48 lbs overweight. Most of it, I gained unceremoniously post marriage (since 2010). My husband has managed to become 20 lbs lighter and fit over the last 4 years. I, however, seem to have consumed and doubled the pounds he discarded. At 35, that's a step away from my health committing suicide,  as per my beloved spouse.

Financially: I've incurred some necessary debt. We have a mortgage (we need to find a larger house with a basement & private garage in Toronto) and I had to succumb to purchasing a new car (Nyx). Brutus (my old Toyota Echo) tried to kill me on the 401 in July last year,  hence the necessity.

Professionally: I'm a Purchasing Professional for one of the largest builders in Southern Ontario. I'd like to think that my work environment is stable but one can never be too sure in these uncertain times. I want a professional license to increase my net worth.

As I said, a year of change.  How do I plan to do this? I'm not sure yet. The weight loss part is easy. The other 2 are remarkably more difficult.  Any suggestions are welcome! In the meantime, I need to purge my kitchen of sinful delights and tighten my purse strings.

For anyone reading me rambling - Happy 2015! May your new year be filled with health, wealth, bountiful happiness and success in all your goals.