G20-something

I got the hell out of dodge.

So my commentary on the G20 Summit is simply as a citizen of Toronto, who stradles the centre of the politcal spectrum.

My first and main issue is with the decision to have the summit in Toronto. In the downtown core, no less. The summit is not designed as a site seeing visit for politicians….so location should have more practical security sense than 'showcasing' Canada's biggest city. And if the big idea was to entice the international press to speak the good word of TourismToronto…this was certainly not the stage to do so. Who wants to visit a police state with a contrived pond? Sounds like an Orwellian tale, not my Toronto.

The massive price tag associated with summit security was due to the absolute integrated nature of the venue. The mulitple access points. The residential condos surrounding the building. The underground PATH system. It wasn't because our fence was made of gold, we just required much more fence.

However, I don't blame the pre-emptive security measures taken. People learn from history. No global summit has occurred without violence. It would be ignorant to suggest that the fence was not necessary. It's just a shame that the apparent main objective was to protect the leaders at the expense of the host city.

I feel for the protestors who had a message. The media coverage was geared toward chaos, thereby perpetuating the extremists' argument that in order to be heard you must use violence as your medium. Unfortunately, that tactic takes away from the cause and makes violence the story. Nobody wins.

Things got out of hand. Some protestors got out of hand. Some police got out of hand. The police had the added weighty responsibliity of keeping order amidst chaos. I can appreciate that…I was in Muskoka with 9 children at one point.

Thank goodness they weren't organized…and couldn't reach the matches.

The Man Scan

I've taken up a new hobby. I like to call it "man browsing", but depending on the degree and circumstance it can be elevated to "man stalking".

There's the natural "man scan" that occurs when you're going about your daily life, essentially sizing up every man that crosses your path. Giving them the green or red, sometimes yellow. Based purely on superficial attraction and possibly rooted in primal survival instinct.

Then, there's the more commited approach. Beyond the street pass, this could be someone in your office building or a neighbour or a clerk at your movie rental spot. Someone you could potentially cross again and again and again (if you're lucky and have the stamina).

Today, my office building complex had a barbeque. Most see it as an opportunity to score free grub. Me? An opportunity to see what these walls have been hiding. M and I had our radar going. Even though she is 'with boy', she is pretty supportive of my cause. We were covertly and overtly scoping out the scene, including taking photos with our blackberrys for later identification…I'm pretty sure that was the 'overtly' part.

…or there's the neighbour who is unaware of our (his and mine) pending relationship. Haha.

…or the friend who met a guy at the bar and we managed to find out his last name, the name of his employer, the address of his office and his mom's maiden name…all from a general idea of what he did and a broad intersection. Google knows.

Kidding about the maiden name thing…now that would just be nuts.





What's a single girl to do?

Train Schedules

Here we go again.

I'm once again training for a baby triathlon. I mean a try-a-tri triathlon (one guy actually thought I did triathlons with babies…I don't know). Anyway, the time frame is similar to the last one with 6 weeks to go, (see: http://www.morethanatri.blogspot.com/)…but the motivation is pretty different.

Last time, as it turned out I had a broken heart to mend…this time, no broken heart...simply a number of bad habits developed over the winter to break. A colleague of mine moonlights as a personal trainer and his fee pour moi? A latte. I offered an americano but...a hard bargain, he drives.

Last night, I started the regimen. A strict 6-week-at-6-days-with-Sundays-off training schedule. Hello! No time for Yoga Mondays. No room for two-bite Tuesdays. No excuses for missing burpee Wednesdays. I'm locked and ready.

My enthusiasm masked any fatigue last night, but I wasn't so lucky this morning. It was tough…and it will just get harder. Hopefully I'll have cameo appearances from my favourite sparring buddies, but for the most part I've got to rely on myself for motivation.

That, and the fear of J every morning when he asks how things are going. I got a customized program and a face every morning as a part of the deal. The face of delight is good…face of disapointment, bad.

Not a terrible rule to go by in general.

Morning Glory

I went for a run this morning before work. It was kind of an important day and I find I function best when I start the day with activity.

I managed to do my 20 minutes between rainy shifts.

The combination of the rainy afterglow and the natural morning light made everything look so….so vibrant. It was as if it had this new day energy. New week energy. New month energy. New season energy.

Regardless, it was good energy.

…and I carried that with me all day.

Yoga with chocolate on top

Mondays are made better with weekly yoga in Roncesvalles with N.

The 90 minutes of mindful breathing and stretching undoes whatever post-weekend shock Monday had to your system .

Unfortunately, our yoga high is threatened by the bike ride home. Dundas is pretty scary to ride due to construction, streetcar tracks and wonky intersections. Upon reaching the top of the bridge just west of Landsdowne, however,  the ride redeems itself.

From there, I see the Toronto skyline and I smell chocolate from the Aero factory. What a weekly treat for my senses. And if lights go my way, I can use that momentum all the way home.

Yoga, Toronto and chocolate.  Mondays: not for complaining anymore.

Grand Cayman

I don’t have much to say about my trip to Grand Cayman except that it was superb. I developed a bit of a crush on the island to be honest.

We weren't overly exposed to tourism so the island came off as pretty humble. It maintained it's own identity amongst the offshore cruise ships and invading ghostly gringos. J and I stayed with a friend from university. His house was incredible…but the backyard was probably the greatest backyard ever. Ever. Infinite hot tub, infinite pool, ocean. I've never been much of a water girl but this converted me.

During the day our view was the aqua horizon. Late at night, with just the sounds of unidentified mating calls we would just stare out into black nothing.

Our days were filled with lounging and watery activity….evenings, with barbeque and cards.

Superb.

Tea-lightful

In university I drank a tonne of coffee. Multiple times a day. Everyday.

I've since discovered my aversion to caffeine. I don't react well at all, so I switched to tea. An herbal natural way to get jacked in the AM.

Tazo berryblossom white tea was my preferred poison. Boxes of this stuff followed me whereever I purched. Home. Work. Boyfriend's. Sister's. And then out of nowhere, it was discontinued. Bam. I couldn't find it anywhere. I was forced to ration my stash, determining if the day was worthy of my finite supply.

I decided it made for a good opportunity to branch out and discover new teas. And it did, but I still had a soft spot for the white tea with the delightful hint of berryness.

One day I came home to a care package from my girlfriend from BC…it was a bubble envelope full of THE tea. She found it, thought of me, bought it and mailed it. So amazing. Another girlfriend, bought up Kensington's supply last weekend.

Do I not have the most thoughtful friends ever?? Yes, and I talk a lot about my tea.

I'm drinking some of it right now, and can't help but think how lucky I am.

Today is oh so worthy.