Moments D129: Breeze

Today’s unexpected smile and therefore moment to share was post a long week at work and play. I was laying on my love seat watching old episodes of shows I haven’t seen in months. The sun was setting behind the tennis courts across the street and a cool, sweet breeze was blowing through the open window.

That cool breeze brought a satisfied and content smile. I paused my shows and lay there soaking in the moment. The golden rays of the disappearing light and the cool breeze tickling my face.

Moments with a cool summer breeze.

Moments to pause.

Moments D128: New Friends (Teamwork2)

Today is another day of endings. It’s the end of baseball season for me. And while our baseball team didn’t fair very well in the standings, we DID make a great team.

Today I smile for the new friends I’ve made. The shared laughter, bruises and skinned legs. I smile for the silliness and for the opportunity to revisit a sport I haven’t played in 20 years. It was a summer of exploration, of reconnecting with myself and my baseball team brought me a little closer to me again. I can’t begin to express the gratitude I have for this team of men & women.

I’ve re-learned the game of baseball; from second base, to outfield, to mid-field to third and short stop. I’ve found my inner ball player again; the need to swing hard and run fast; the need to chase balls down and throw for the double play. (like tonight’s). Great new memories. Great new friends.

AND - if you want a giggle, read this summary of our Monday night subbing in last week. TOO much fun.

Moments of reflection.

Moments with new friends.

Moments D127: Teamwork

Today, the end of beach volleyball season arrived. It marks a solemn day as it equates with the end of the summer. The days are growing shorter. The evenings have a chill in the air.

As I sat around the table with my team of 8, I remember not long ago when we had our night of matches. That night we struggled to play well. We were, after all, new to one another. We had never played together before. I remember going out after the first round of games and everyone introducing themselves around the table. It was quite a moment as I, being the captain of the team and the thread that pulled all these people together, most of the stories had me attached to them.

I remember feeling a touch uncomfortable as I don’t like to be in the spotlight. I also remember the watching the forging of new friendships and I remember, over the weeks that passed our triumphs and our losses. But throughout it all, we had fun. We had a lot of giggles and a lot of laughs.

The piece that stands out most for me today, on this final day of play with this team, is that as a team we pulled together. As a team, those in need of learning, learned. Those that had experience shared. The cheerleaders who, no matter what challenge we faced, were positive and kind with their words. And those of us who pushed for more concentration and control. Together we supported one another. Together we lifted one another and taught one another.

This is not new for me, as I’ve played on many teams or partaken in many team-building activities. But, there was something special about this particular team and today’s moment is dedicated to them. As I looked at my team tonight at the bar, I smiled as I soaked in their conversations from a distance. New friends, new team mates for a new season and lots of laughter.

Today’s moment is dedicated to the two lovely ladies and the five incredible men I shared my summer Wednesday nights with. Thank you for your teamwork, your dedication and to a summer of fun volleyball filled with smiles and laughter.

Moments of teamwork.

Moments of reflection.

Moments D126: Birthday love

Birthdays can be a fickle day for some. But here’s how I see it (thanks Mom): ”It’s better than the alternative.” What’s the alternative you say? Being six feet under. Yes. Having a birthday is definitely better than that!

Today I was able to celebrate a belated birthday with one of my dearest friends. We visited one of the best places in the city to enjoy what she loves most (outside of Hello Kitty and Heineken!), Margarita pizza (D.O.P). (And yes, we googled this at the table!). Pizzeria Libretto. An incredible meal with two incredible ladies.

The moment the brought me the biggest smile was at the end of our delightful evening, when the birthday girl picked up the postcard that came with the bill. She ooohed and ahhhhed over the card. Something simple. Something delightful and unexpected. A Pizzeria Libretto postcard. What an easy way to remember a night of birthday love between friends.

Moments of great conversations.

Moments of just shoving it all in.

Moments of much laughter!

Moments D125: Rain Storms

Today was the playoffs for my competitive co-ed 4’s beach volleyball team. We did well (finished 2nd), but better yet we played well and had a lot of fun doing it. But, while those two hours on the beach were filled with smiles and moments to share, the one that stands out most was watching the rain storm roll in.

The storm clouds started filling in the evening sky around 7:45-8pm. We were in the middle of our championship set of 3 games when the organizers broadcast that we needed to shorten the final game in the set to only 15 points due to the storm coming in.

While playing my favourite sport, on a beach (also a place I love, the sand, the water, the breeze), I watched a fascinating storm brew in front of me. Within minutes the bright dusk sky turned dark. The lightening was quick and hard to see as it danced amoungst the clouds and only rarely broke to hit the ground below.

We finished (lost) our game shortly after 8pm. By the time the nets and lines were wrapped up and handed in, the clouds began to break under the weight of their wares. It was a slow release, just a misty sprinkle at first. I quickly walked to my parked car, which was about 8 minutes away. If it were 10 minutes away, I would have been drenched!

I got into my car, turned it on and did a U-Turn. By the time I was straightened out, the clouds gave up their fight and the heavens opened up. This was no simple rain storm. It was as though someone had tipped the bucket and the bucket had no end. (My fastest setting for my wipers was not fast enough!)

It was that moment. That moment where I smiled the hardest today. I was happy with the activities of the evening, but happier still that I had just missed the torrential downpour of rain by a mere moment. Sometimes, I am that lucky!

Moments to watch rain storms.

Moments of luck.

Moments D124: Burnt

Sometimes one must admit when they’ve gone too far or done too much.

That was me today. Yesterday was an amazing day followed by a challenging evening. This made today a day of rest and sleep.

I had plans for today. Beach volleyball. I didn’t make it. Was I disappointed? Sure, but when I awoke today (quite late for me), I was already late for the beach crew. I had 5 texts waiting for me. I quickly texted our coordinator of pickup and then rolled back over to sleep.

Being sunburnt and physically tired from yesterday’s activities I didn’t have much energy left for much else.

In the end, being burnt (out) was a good thing. It forced me to take a day “off” and slow down for a bit. It was good. Do I feel badly that I didn’t accomplish anything. You bet I do, but some part of me feels deliciously happy that I was unplugged and away from it all for a day. I had time to reflect upon my life, my plans and also to just do nothing.

Moments to nap.

Moments to pause & ponder.

Moments D123: Leviathan vs Behemoth

Today was a day filled with adventure at Canada’s Wonderland. I haven’t been there in over 12 years. This is a place I used to love going to. I had season tickets for a couple of years when I was in my 20s. Why did I give it up? Why haven’t I found (made) time to go sooner? All questions that came to mind over the past 8 months.

I loved my day at Canada’s Wonderland. First stop: Leviathan. Gates opened at 10am, by 10:15 we were in line. With a 306’ drop gaining speeds of 92mph at an 80 degree descent, it was well worth the first hour and a half waiting to ride Leviathan. We rode in the very front. I held my hands up for 90% of the way (I’ll admit, I chickened out near the bottom of the first hill and grabbed on!) and I had a hell of a time laughing, hooting and hollering throughout the ride. It was the best 3 minutes and 28 seconds of the day. BIG smiles afterwards and lots of discussion about it’s creation, it’s limits broken etc. It is a serious coaster for serious riders only! Leviathan is Canada’s Wonderland’s latest addition to the park - it opened May 2012.

Later in the day, after a dip in the water park, we finally rode Behemoth. This coaster premièred in 2008 and I nearly went to Canada’s Wonderland with a colleague from work. Boy, do I wish I had. This BEAST is fast with a brilliant cork screw (or helix in the world of coaster peeps). Again, we rode in the front seats (where else really?) It was amazing in the dusk, with the lights of the park colourfully ablaze. And hey - the added affect of bugs smattering on one’s forehead was pretty funny and exciting too!

But Leviathan won my heart. So much so that we decided to stand in line for the last 1.5 hours of the day to sneak one more ride in. (And for the record, next time I’m getting the Fast Lane. Standing in the sun frying, not so much fun when there’s a way to get onto rides faster!)

Riding Leviathan a second time was amazing. The day had been pretty incredible, including finding a new/mystery ride called Time Warp, but it was this beast that made it all worthwhile. All the waiting, all the sun, all the plastic NOT being recycled (perhaps worthy of another blog post!).

Riding Leviathan at the end of the day was like a bookmark. It opened and it closed the day. This time, I held my hands up the entire way. Perhaps I had found a place deep within me that stepped over the fear, or perhaps I was just in a place where I didn’t care and I was too stubborn to grab on. Either way, I had my hands up the entire way. It was incredible and on some level quite empowering.

All in all, a beautiful day. But like all moments, they pass. The evening was filled with the pains of the day. Too much sun, not enough water. Too many bad foods…and not enough food.

It reminded me that life is very much like the coasters I rode today. There are ups and there are downs. There can be some fantastic highs, but in a blink of an eye you are speeding down, down, down.

That’s okay with me. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Life would be rather boring if it were straights all the time. I like the ride. It’s not always easy to ride it with your hands held high, but damn, I do have fun trying.

Moments at Canada’s Wonderland.

Moments in life.

Moments D122: Sparrows

Today I had a delightful lunch with one of my best friends. It was absolutely delightful. He introduced me to a delicious new beer. The Stiegel Radler. Unfortunately our beer stores only sell it by the Keg. Hmmm. An excuse for an end of the summer party? Perhaps. Perhaps indeed!

And while the stories shared over lunch and the delightful plates of heaven at “le petit dejeuner” where moments in their own right, today’s unexpected smile comes from something a little less expected.

As I was walking from the parking lot back to my office on this hot summer afternoon, I walked through a flock of sparrows. They must have been young as they were smaller than normal. Small enough for me to notice their size. Small enough to make me smile as they flittered away from me.

The silly little birds. You’d think the flock of 10-12 sparrows would have flown away from the direction I was walking. But no. Instead, the group of them flew a few inches away from me and as I approached a second time, there was a flurry of wings and chirps, like I was doing this on purpose to them - stirring up their perch in the sun. They repeated this foolishness a third time and I shook my head. It wasn’t until the fourth time this happened that I giggled and said aloud to them “silly birds, I’m not chasing you!”. And then, something magical happened. As I approached them for a fifth time, quite near to the office doors, they didn’t flitter away. Instead, they stayed on the fence and a nearby bike and watched me pass by them.

And I smiled. I smiled all the way up two flights of stairs thinking about those silly sparrows.

Today’s moment. Silly sparrows flying all around me, but not away from me. The moment where they paused to wait for me to walk past them.

It was a moment to enjoy another creature. And a moment to dream of flying with them one day, instead of walking through their flutter.

Moments D121: Second Chances

High-res →

This morning I had to stop and admire the second round of roses on a dying rose bush outside my apartment.  (Actually, it’s ONE single rose on the bush this time around.)

It’s not a pretty bush.  It is actually pretty gnarly and dried up looking.  Honestly, I was surprised that it was in bloom again.  (This is the second set of roses this season!)  I’m surprised that without anyone taking care of it, it was able to find enough energy to create such a beautiful flower.  

This got me to thinking about a parallel into life.  It’s not unlike the lives around me.  There are people (myself included) that have gone through phases of feeling gnarly (not in a good way) and dried up.  But there is always something deep down inside pushing us to share the beauty within.  It’s not always easy (especially when you have been ignored and uncared for), but it ALWAYS feels so wonderful to share the beauty.  Even if it is but a single flower.

Moments with stopping to appreciate the flowers.

Moments to reflect.

Moments D120: Empty Fountains

Today's moment is brought to you by an empty fountain/splash pad at my local beach/park.  Typically it is a sad sight to see.  Why, after all, doesn't the city fill it with water for the kids to enjoy.   It SHOULD be filled with water....kinda like this one:

But instead it remains dry and hot concrete in the middle of a park heading into the beach and playground.  

Today, on my walk to the beach for volleyball I crossed over the empty fountain and I was pleasantly surprised!  No, it wasn't filled with children's laughter as they splashed and played, but it was filled with chalk art.  It wasn't that the art was particularly awe inspiring, but the scale of it was.  Every inch of the splash pad was covered in chalk drawings and there was uniformity to it all as well.  Someone (or a couple of people) must have planned out what they were doing.  The inner circle was all the same set of symbols, and the out circle was another set of the symbols.  

As I walked through it the first time, I smile.  As I walked past it on the way home, I smiled again.

I'd say that was a good moment.  Bravo to the Chalk Artists and their canvas of the Empty Fountain.

Moments for art.

Moments D119: Biking for transportation

Today was the first day I’ve biked to work. I’ve been meaning to do this all summer, but with my hectic schedule it’s been nearly impossible to find a day where I wasn’t expected somewhere either too far to bike home from or I would be out too late to want to bike home from.

I was nervous. I wasn’t sure how long it would take me to bike to the office. My estimate was 30 minutes. So I planned for 40 minutes just to be on the safe side. After a delayed start due to soft tires that needed air, off I went.

I loved it! All 21 minutes and 18.2km of it. Seeing all the other bike riders, passing the cars, turning left at a couple of intersections (nerve racking in rush hour traffic), and cursing at the street car tracks as they bit at my tires. I pushed hard on the hills and loved the burn in my quads and I felt good when I finally pulled into the office parking lot. Twenty-one minutes. Five more than it takes me to drive into work. Only 192 calories burned, but boy was it a good feeling. I can’t wait to do it again sometime soon.

I’ve only ever ridden my bike for pleasure/entertainment before this moment. So today was a new adventure for me. A moment of using my bike as a mode of transportation instead of “just for fun”. How fortunate that I still, very much, enjoyed it!

Moments of new adventures and new transportation.

Moments to exercise and feel good.

#moments #exercise #biking

Moments D118: Just before the alarm

Today I awoke about 10 minutes before the alarm went off. I haven’t done this in months, perhaps close to a year even.

And yet, I realized this morning, in that moment 10 minutes before the alarm went off, how much I LOVE that moment. Waking 10 minutes before the alarm means two things (1) I have a 10 minute built in snooze and (2) I’m not scare awake by my daily alarm. (which I really truly do hate!)

I lay there in bed, lazily stretching my back, my legs, my arms. I cozied into my duvet a bit more and lounged. It was a beautiful moment and a great way to start my day!

Moments of lounging.

Moments of peace.

Moments D117: Smoking the ball

Today was day two of the tournament, and the best moment, by far, was the moment where I smoked the ball past the left fielder.

It was late in our first game. We were losing, but we were keeping up the fight. I was bound and determined NOT to swing at the first pitch (something I struggle to avoid as I’m eager to hit the ball!). I found my patience for this “at bat”. I let the first pitch go. It was a ball. (phew). I thought to myself, “okay, let’s do that again. I don’t need to rush this.” and I let the second pitch go. It was a strike. Disappointed that I had let that go, I was eager, but aware when the third pitch came my way.

It was a perfect pitch with an arc that met my hard swung bat with quite a bit of force. It was truly, the best connection I’ve had all season, and the proof was in its flight. It went right over the left fielder’s head. He wasn’t even close even though he did give it a good run. It was an easy double for me and I batted in a run. Yes a very, VERY good moment for me today.

The poor left fielder was teased for the rest of the game by his female teammates and I received congrats from a bunch of them for “smoking the ball” past him. Even on different teams, us gals stick together!

Moments of girl power.

Moments of success.

Moments to glow and bask in the light.

Moments D116: Dragonflies

Today was day one of a weekend long baseball tournament. It was the perfect weather. Sunny and bright, but not scorching hot.

I was playing left field and during the first game, which started at 9am and was 1.5 hours long, there was a point that I was surrounded by dragonflies. It was marvelous. Everywhere I looked they were zipping about, chasing one another. I fully admit, it was hard to focus on the game at times as they were simply beautiful to watch. They really are magical. (I loved this picture - and had to share it!)

They reminded me of a new soul in my life. She collects anything dragonfly. You can find them all over her home/cottage. A beautiful soul that I was lucky to be introduced to nearly two months ago now. 

They also reminded me that I hadn’t finished setting up my bedroom in my new apartment. When I first moved in, I did a shop at a storage solutions store. They had the Umbra Wallflutter with dragonflies. I had to buy one! I have yet to install them. Perhaps later this weekend!

Moments with nature.

Moments to pause & reflect.

Moments D115: Mail Can be fun to pick up

Most days the mail is filled with admail and bills and sometimes there is a lovely local business sharing its flyer in my mailbox. Today, I was surprised by my mail. It wasn’t a special day. It’s not my birthday, it’s not a holiday, and yet, there was a card in the mail for me.

A surprise “hello” card. This coming shortly after a surprise thank you card from the very same beautiful person. A thank you card on Tuesday and a “hello - you are an awesome friend on Friday”. Wow. That is just a simply awesome moment for me. This is the type of energy and love we should all surround ourselves with.

I was fortunate too, in that I checked the mail on my way to work, early in the morning. These beautiful words set my on a great path today. Today was a lovely day celebrating friendship.

Moments of surprise.

Moments of friendship.

Moments D114: New Life

Today, as I was driving to my late baseball game grumbling about the poor service I received at my local nail salon, I received the best text message in a long long time.

It came from a girlfriend of mine. One who, came into my life via one of my oldest and dearest of friends. They make the cutest couple! She has such a big bold and beautifully warm personality and she gives the best hugs! He is a clever, funny, open, old soul whom I know I’ve known from past lives. Together they are magical. And, honestly, it doesn’t matter how much time passes between our visits, because when we finally do connect, it’s like we haven’t skipped a beat.

Now I haven’t seen this dear sweet couple in quite some time. I’m guessing close to 4-5 months now.

The text message was an image of a sonogram and the message was “We’ve got a bit of good news to share!” NO SHIT! LOL. Unfortunately, it was too late to call them (I will tomorrow!), but I couldn’t be happier for this wonderfully beautiful couple. They are going to be great parents and I can’t wait to meet their little one.

Moments caught off guard.

Moments of new life.

Moments D113: Canadian Music

Now, I’ve have XM radio in the car for about 8 months now. I love it! But, I really haven’t had time to explore the hundreds of stations in any depth. Like any music on the air (no matter what the station or focus), the music inevitably begins to sound all the same. This morning I went searching for something new.

And new I found! My pleasant surprise: I found an XM radio station that was dedicated to Canadian indie musicians: The Verge

Now you may scoff at the idea (I nearly did!), but the line up of artists/songs that I heard en route to work was pretty great. Deadmau5, Sloan (one of my favs!), City and Colour (what a voice) and finally The Tragically Hip.

It was that moment that I realized: I really do love a lot of Canadian music. I can think of a few more off the top of my head. Alanis Morissette, Arcade Fire, Metric (LOVE THEM, and Emily Hanes on her own is pretty amazing as well - I particularly love “Dr. Blind”), Feist, The New Pornographers, and oh so many more. I was surprised (nearly shocked really) at the list I loved!

And so today it is a moment to celebrate Canadian Indie bands. In my search for website links, I came across this blog that summarizes their top 100 Canadian Indie bands. An impressive list.

So, take a moment and celebrate music.

And yes, I am a proud Canadian celebrating music that resonates with me.

Moments D112: First Invoices

Today I eagerly awaited the day to slip away. I had big dinner plans with two of my best friends at a restaurant I’ve adored for many years. Who wouldn’t be eager for the evening to arrive!

My friends have had some changes themselves. One (eagerly) awaits news of a layoff, the other has just completed his masters in urban design and has recently started his own architectural consulting firm. (And if his website was up and running, I’d link it, but it’s still a work in progress!) This new firm has really only been in existence for the past 6 weeks. And yet…they are busy. Not JUST setting up the company, but with proposals for exciting projects!

So today’s moment of the day: Finding out that this fledgling company billed out its first invoice. Six weeks, 1 invoice, 1 project moving forward, 2 in the queque.

I couldn’t be more proud and excited for my dear friend. He’s an amazing soul and someone with much drive and vision. And I promise, once he and his business partner are ready to reveal their website and company name to the masses, YOU will be the next to know!

Moments D111: Starting Fresh, Unexpected Visitors

Yesterday my cell phone fried, not literally, but figuratively anyway. It rebooted itself and when it restarted it was fully reformatted and buggy. {sigh}

Today I spent most of my day trying to figure out what happened. While I lost all my texting history, my phone contacts and the memos and diary entries stored locally on my phone, I did NOT lose any of my photographs or video. So, while I was upset in losing my memos & diary entries, I was glad that I hadn’t lost my photographs and video. A bit of good and bad feelings mixed all together!

In the end, I had to completely wipe my phone (reformat it officially) which meant backing up my photos/videos and setting the phone back to it’s factory settings. Hours later, my phone was set up all over again complete with apps, widgets and the ability to back up texting & memos (but not the diary). Success within defeat.

It got me thinking. A fresh start. My phone had stored all sorts of old history and information in it. Some (most) of that stuff was from a previous lifetime. Texts from my ex; diary entries about my Dad’s hospital visit; photos from trips pre-separation etc. My phone is now a clean slate. It’s an opportunity for me to truly start afresh. No more casual glances at a past life - I’ll have to work much harder to do that now by turning on my desktop at home (where my backups are). Honestly - how often will I do that? Not very. But when the information was on my phone, it happened. It happened more often than it probably should have, after all I have this need to re-visit situations/times and really get a feel for how I’m feeling NOW about things that happened THEN. Sometimes that’s important, but sometimes, it’s just torturous. I think the universe stepped in and said “ENOUGH!” And so, I celebrate a fresh start. A chance to fill my phone with new moments.

In the same vein as this concept of starting fresh, I had an unexpected visitor tonight after volleyball as well. He is a dear friend to me and we’ve had our differences over the time we’ve known one another, but, like my phone, I was feeling like it was time to have a fresh start. It was good to finally be in that place. Shed the past. Shed the misunderstandings.

Moments to start fresh. I wonder where this will take me. Stay tuned!

Moments D110: Lazy Laughter, Deep Conversation

Today I slept in as I haven’t in a very long time, but I suppose that could be because I didn’t crawl into bed until 6am! I guess it’s all relative, isn’t it? I still only had 5.5 hours of sleep!

The afternoon filled in with lazy laughs with my friends (new & old) as we commiserated over the headaches, the dishes and the bottles. As the day wore on and the group thinned out it was just my dearest friend and I. The lighthearted laughter turned to serious conversation.

Why? Well, we’ve both had our share of intense growth moments this past 6-9 months. With a milestone birthday, it’s easy to fall into reflection of the past year, of friends who have moved on, lovers who have moved on (or struggled with), career choices and lifestyle choices. Deep conversations. Every soul needs those moments to explore and learn about self.

Later that evening, the theme of deep conversation continued with another special person in my life. It’s amazing how deep one can get in a time of pure reflection of self. It’s like the clouds part and the sun shines upon issues/people/situations that are of the utmost importance to you. All other concerns fall by the wayside.

So today’s moment? A celebration of laughter and deep conversations.

#moments #friends #Girlfriends #Dig Deeper #soul #laughter

Moments D109: New Friends, Old Stories

Today was a big birthday celebration! The BBQ was a huge success full of love, laughter, tasty food and great conversation. It’s difficult to chose one special moment of the day as there were simply so many! (Yes I am fortunate to be surrounded by such energy!)

But there is one moment that stands out (a bit) for me. It was the moment, later into the evening when the last sprinkling of party guests were enjoying their conversations and drink. It was when the newly wed asked me about my recent separation and how that came to be.

Now, I’ve only met this gentleman once before this particular evening. It as at a family friend’s cottage and while he was a bit vocal at the cottage, he was on his “adult/family” behaviour. At the BBQ party, he was a lot more vocal, more opinionated and much more amusing with with his interactions. This was a moment where all of a sudden he was serious and grounded. This was a moment where I had a sneak peek to his softer side. The side where he was sensitive and caring. It was a strange digression from his “party self”.

For me the moment stands out because he took the time to ask questions about my Mom and later about my Dad. He took the time to ask me the “whys” and “hows” of the process. And bottom line, he wanted to know (and he asked me quite loudly and assertively) “Well, f**K, are you HAPPY now at least?” There was a tone of amusement in his voice, but I knew, given the rest of the conversation that he really did want to know the answer.

Fortunately, I AM happier, and it was a quick and easy thought to share. We toasted happiness and drained our drinks.

Yes, a great moment indeed.

Moments of new friends and getting to know them better.

Moments of sharing old stories more concisely. AND better understanding the depth of those stories.

Moments D108: Dry Lightening

Today was a very special day as it was one of my besties’ birthday. It’s not really significant that it was a milestone birthday (at least not for me), but it was incredibly meaningful for me to have spent her birthday evening with her.

It was just the two of us. We shared a bottle of wine and good conversation before dinner. We puttered about and prepared for the following day’s BBQ party. We shared another bottle of wine. We shared a bourbon (ah, Bulleit!) and we watched a lightening storm.

There was no rain. There was no thunder (audible to our ears). It was dry, dark and striking. The sky flickered. It taunted. Was the storm coming or going? The sky flashed, definitely coming….then it calmed….definitely going. Then it twinkled, the kind of lightening that dances in the clouds but never leaves them to touch the ground. It was a delightful show. We watched, at times, in complete silence just absorbing the view and energy in the air.

It was such a peaceful, beautiful moment to share with my best friend on her very special day. I feel fortunate to have been a part of that moment.

Moments with friends.

Moments in nature.

Moments D107: Baseball in the Rain

Today’s bigger, deeper soul moment was about love & light. But there was also a smaller, yet also quite meaningful moment that happened today as well that I feel must be shared.

Today it rained most of the day. It wasn’t a pretty day, but it was still one filled with love. After work I had an early baseball game. It was still raining when I left the office for the field. I simply was NOT looking forward to playing in the rain. (We are only cancelled out if there is thunder and lightening.) I might even admit I was a bit grumpy about it, but being a team player, I wasn’t about to bail.

And then, something magical happened. Upon arrival at the field I was greeted by two smiling team mates. We warmed up in the rain. I got a soaker. We laughed. I was made fun of. We laughed some more.

And soon I forgot about the fact the rain. It was a drizzle for most of our game, but it turned out to be fun and silly….

It was a great game. Not only because we won, but because our team had much fun together. It was the first time during our season where I felt more me than ever. I was quirky and silly. I cheered when I would have otherwise felt to shy to do so.

Moments of revelation.

Moments of camaraderie.

Moments of friends.

Moments of silliness and laughter. (but no mud as expected!)

Moments D107a: Love & Light

First, I must share the fact that today I was surrounded by love & light. Surrounded by the love and support of friends, new and old. Right from the start of my day, I had positive words. It was a beautiful day in that regard. As the day wore on, it became a day of digging deep, of sharing secrets, of, well, digging even more deeper. It’s been exhausting, it’s been amazing, it’s been comforting, it’s been eyeopening and it’s all because of the beautiful people/energy in my life. So many words shared. So many insights and positive energy. I am so incredibly fortunate to share their energy. Further, I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by this energy which helped to shield me from the smattering of unexpected dark words and energy that burdened me later today.

For these beautiful people, I am thankful. For the reminders. For the tough love, for the beautiful compliments, and for sharing their love and light with me. I am thankful for my support system and I could not let this entry go without sharing that thought.

But today’s special “smile” moment was less heavy and more about a moment with self.

We should all be so fortunate!

Moments D106: Boundaries

This subject matter, boundaries, has been top of mind for some time now. Between my girlfriends and I, there certainly has been a lot of opportunities to discus the merits of boundaries. Setting them, abiding by them, and when necessary altering them within reason and comfort.

Today’s moment: Accepting boundaries. Both given and shared. Personally I had to manage a boundary thrust upon me. Personally, I shared a boundary. It felt good to stand my ground and maintain my boundary.

This seemed to have happened for a dear friend of mine today as well. So, it only seemed fitting to dedicate today’s moment to boundaries. Digging deeper within and knowing what it is “self” wants and what “self” is comfortable with. A simple thing, but for someone like me, and for someone like my dearest friend, it isn’t easy to stay true to “self” when all we want to do is keep the peace and please others. It’s a delicate balancing act and I’m only just beginning to learn this skill.

Moments to accept boundaries.

Moments to share boundaries.

Moments of being ever true to self.

Moments D105: Birthday Love

Today’s moment was brought to me by a dear friend/colleague at work. It was his birthday over the weekend (Sunday actually) and the office had prepared a birthday card just for him. I was out of the office on Friday and unfortunately, my co-workers thought that I had stashed his card in my office. This meant that he didn’t receive the birthday love that was meant for him before his birthday arrived.

But, perhaps there was a reason for this. And sometimes I think the universe likes to have a giggle with us.

Today, once it became apparent that the card wasn’t in my office, it was realized that not everyone had signed it. Low and behold we took the time to completely fill that card full of birthday love.

I was in his office when it was brought to him. The lovely lady who dropped it off barely stopped to say Happy Birthday as she quickly kissed his cheek and gave him a half hug. It was a surprise to him. I think he thought we had forgotten. HA! Birthday love shared, check! Surprised to boot? Cherry. On. The. Top.

Moments sharing love.

Moments captured.

Moments D104: Luxuriously long lunches

Today’s moment was an incredibly long lunch. Spent outdoors. Watching the action on tennis courts across the street. Good food, good, deep conversation and not a care in the world what time it was.

Ah.

Moments of food.

Moments of relaxation.

Moments to focus on the NOW and nothing more.

Moments D103: Rain Days

Today was an early start than normal for me and I spent a lovely morning catching up with a dear friend of mine on the phone. As I sat on the balcony, I watched the clouds rolling past very quickly listening to her recent adventures I could see that it was definitely going to be a rain day as they had been calling for. It was the first time that there was a bit of a chill in the breeze too; summer’s first hint at retreat.

Little known fact. I love rain days. They invite me to take some down time and enjoy a slower pace. I welcomed the enticement. So the question became….what to do on this rain day.

First stop - my favourite Tim Burton movie Nightmare Before Christmas. As always, it was fun to revisit this classic!

Next stop - some shopping. Why not? It’s end of season. Zellars is closing its doors in many locations and there are great deals to be had at these locations. My friend & I found some great deals!

Okay, I’ll admit it, during a break in the rain I did play some tennis. I know, not really a slower pace, but still something out of the ordinary!

Final Stop - more TV and lounging. (See - I can slow down!)

Moments - rain days. Time to slow down.

Moments for favourite movies.

Moments for finding deals.

Moments to relax.

Moments D102: Cherry Oreo Blizzard

Yes. You read correctly.

Today was a day of Olympics and hiking. It was a hot day for a hike, but the water fight at the end was fun! But that’s not the moment of the day, though a very close second!

Today’s moment, yes, that’s right was a new food creation. I love cherries. I love Oreo Blizzards. Today I had the brainchild of combining the two! OMG - it was love at first bite.

My moment: Don’t be afraid to try something new. Combine two things. Hey, why not combine THREE if you dare.

Food moments. Yes, some of the best moments for me!

Moments D101: Brunch

There is nothing like sleeping in on a weekday and then going for brunch.

Well, one of two ain’t bad! I had guests stay over post concert so I was up early, but doing so allowed me to prep for the rest of my weekend at a leisurely pace. That was followed with a leisurely brunch and stroll through High Park.

Yes. Brunch on a weekday. An awesome moment.

Moments D100: New Music

This evening was filled with much fun, laughter (and great food!). First stop post work (and the beginning of my long, long weekend!) was Terroni. Delicious pizza and great service - a must if you haven’t visited them before. But tonight Terroni was not the moment of the day (but boy, was it a very close second!)

Today’s moment was the delightful discovery of a new band, one that I will now follow a little more closely. This band opened for the brilliant Florence + the Machine’s Ceremonial Concert tour. (And, for the record, Florence + was damn amazing!) The Walkmen have a great sound and I always love to stumble across new sounds. They actually prefer the sound of vintage musical instruments, so their sound does stand out from other bands.

So today’s moment - new music with old friends and dear family.

Moments to share.

Moments sing

Moments D99: Reflection

Originally I had another simple blog posting to share a special moment from today. I realized, however, after starting the title for the blog, that today is a momentous moment. (yes - momentous!) I’ve been blogging for 99 days straight now. (Give or take the pauses over weekends I am without a connection to the online world.)

It’s been an interesting process to find a special moment on each day. Not every day has an obvious choice. Not every day has an easy subject matter to share a special moment about. Some of my posts have been controversial. Some have had depth and peered into my soul and others have been simply silly. Many have offered either light and inspiration to others or words of comfort and support.

For me, it has been a process of determining what is most important to me on any given day. For on the best of days, I have many smiles and special moments with the people I surround myself with. On the darkest of days, the same applies in that there are really only specific special moments that can make me smile and shine as I should be.

After being in a cave (of my own making) for many years, it’s been an enlightening process. Who am I? What is it that I seek in life? Who in my life brings me joy, support and love in my darkest moments. Who, on the flip side, has faltered.

Over the 99 days of blogging, my quest for self has evolved and shifted. Where it was once about a simple moment, I felt the need to dig deeper and find out why that moment was important to share. It’s beyond the moment itself and why the moment inspires. During these past three plus months, the blog has also inspired many a conversation with my closest friends, co-workers, acquaintances, family and near strangers. Yes it has been interesting.

So tonight, as I turn over to D100, I ask you to reflect. Consider what it is in YOUR life that gives YOU the deepest pleasure in all that you do and all that you encounter. It’s not easy to strip away the material, the expectations and the emotional side of life to see this deep into your soul, but I challenge you to do it none-the-less. Dig deeper. Reflect upon why. Seek and find a clearer sense of self as I believe we should all keep looking and examining self. All too often we become complacent even when we are not fully satisfied. Dig deeper. You owe it to yourself.

Moments of reflection.

Moments of respecting opinions & insights.

Moments of sitting with self.