house-shopping with yours truly

So my boyfriend, Trevor, decided to get his real estate license (well he's almost finished) and I'm his first client. Haha! Poor soul. I'm quite possibly the most difficult client he will ever have to deal with and he's starting with me. I'm looking in Hamilton so he graciously offered to chauffeur me around to look at various different neighbourhoods - Locke, James/Barton, by the waterfront, Wentworth... that's all I remember for now.

I hadn't really seen anything that I absolutely loved until we hit downtown; specifically James and Barton Street. Once we got there, I frantically tried to look up and down each residential side street for "For Sale" signs. I would see one, but we usually missed the turn, and he would have to circle around again. The patience this man has, I tell ya. Once we found one, we'd park and look it up online. One had a red door. Bonus! He told me I can't decide based on the colour of the door. Pfft. It was too expensive anyway. He asked how far I could be walking distance from downtown. I'm thinking 20 minutes. My priorities are: location (ideally close to Go Train and shopping/restaurants), floor plan layout and then quality of the house; in that order. It's probably not a rational priority order but hey, he knew who he was dealing with.

We stop in front of another find. I told him I don't like the look of it. I don't know why. I told him I liked the one across the street though with its cute little balcony and gorgeous garden (which isn't even for sale). Not helpful.

As we circle back, scouring through the trendy, bustling area I liked, I notice The Ten Spot - where I can great quality brazilian waxes. Major plus for the area. Oh, and the new Go Train, which is probably something the general public will see as a plus and not just those in need of a good vaginal sprucing.

Still keeping my eyes open for "For Sale" signs. "Oooh there's one! Turn right, quick! MUSH." Yes, I actually said the word "mush". Ahh - too fun. Hopefully we'll start touring in-person soon!

 Mizener's antique and flea market, Hamilton, ON, Canada

The infamous massage.

After a beautiful day in the hills of Mu­nnar, watching women pick leaves at a te­a plantation, I made an appointment (wit­h a few other travellers in my group) at­ a local Indian spa for a back massage. ­Let's just say I got much more than I bargained for. The fifteen-year old masseu­se barely greeted me before she motioned for me to take off my top. Didn't leave­ the room, didn't turn away. She stood there, staring at me, smiling. Super awkward. Then she instructed me to sit on a (plastic, white, falling apart) chair in front of her, topless. She massaged my chest and shoulders from behind for a few minutes. Next, she pointed to the plastic board set out for m­e. I obliged and jumped on it face down. It was like I was laying on a stretched out, bright blue recycle bin but nevertheless, I was ready for round II.

It was an "ayurvedic" massage so she ha­d special oils that she poured on her hands. They were so aromatic - smelled like cumin and thyme. I was laying on my st­omach, soaking in the scents, eager for a back rub. Then, without asking, she suddenly pulled my pants down from beh­ind! My white tush, in its entirety, was exposed to the world. She began rotating my butt ch­eeks in clockwise motions (on the right side)­ and counter-clockwise motions (on the l­eft side); separating apart and pushing together my derrière. I was worried I wo­uld fart. After a few more moments of awkward silence, my delicate young masseus­e let out a slow, nasty and insanely loud belch. I couldn't help ­but laugh at the irony.

I went to this "spa" with a few other la­dies who were middle-aged Brits. They go­t a full-body massage and apparently other areas got rotated as well. 

Hilariously, they seemed more pissed about the fact that they we­ren't pre-warned about the stripping pro­cess as they would have shaved their "bi­ts".

We all wro­te it off as an experience. Suuuure was.

Namaste!

Ah, I couldn't have thought about a more invigorating way to start my trip to India than to begin with the (holy, colourful, chaotic) city of Varanasi! Talk about throwing myself into culture shock.

Sailing shortly after sunrise on the Ganges River, Varanasi, India

So after 3 flights (Toronto to Abu Dhabi; Abu Dhabi to Delhi; Delhi to Varanasi) I finally arrive. My host family picks me up at the airport (Ashish) with a German girl I messaged online to confirm his authenticity (Christiane). We're driving back to his guest house and I can only describe the traffic in one word: WILD.

I've been to Italy and I thought the traffic was bad there; narrow cobblestone streets, vespas zooming around, pedestrians... but that looks very tame in comparison now.

Honking all around us. Bollywood music blasting. Weaving in and out of bicycle rickshaws, tuk tuks, bikes, pedestrians walking and talking in the middle of the street, dogs, cows, goats; the roads seemed more of a place for social gathering than a way to get from point a) to b). There are no lanes in a lot of areas. By day 1, I had already experienced a few close calls where a car was driving right at us - head on - and a few where they nearly ran into our tuk tuk on the open side (read: no doors)! These drivers have to be on their A game. They merely rely on their quick reflexes.






People tuck in their side mirrors to be as narrow as possible. It’s not like they need to use them to check their blind spots or anything… pfft. In fact, instead of checking their blind spots, they honk while they’re trying to pass the other car to “let the other driver know they’re there”. It just feels like a whole other world. One day, a cow even stuck his face through our tuk tuk during a traffic jam. I PET HIM. You see, a cow is regarded as more holy than a person here.

Ganges River, Varanasi, India

Well, I thought to myself, this definitely explains the notorious behaviour of the Indian taxi drivers in Toronto.

I went to the Ganges River that night (for 40 rupees, which is like 75 cents) and caught one of the Burning at the Ghats ceremonies where it is custom to burn the bodies of those who have deceased. I watched from a small clay buildings' rooftop with a monkey perched beside me and a friendly Indian man (Aadi) who explained the whole process. Only the men of the family are allowed to watch usually so I was an exception. There are also rules on certain individuals who cannot be cremated: children under 10, pregnant women and people with leprosy. They usually have several mounds of sticks each night where different families say their prayers before laying the body down. They come from all over the country to be buried here. The whole process takes several hours. A woman's hip bones and a man's chest bones do not burn so a family member tosses them over their shoulder into the holy Ganges River. Their ashes are then put on rafts made of sticks, covered in yellow and pink flowers, and sent into the divine river. There were candles everywhere; it was quite beautiful. He told me it happens every night and that no photos are permitted as it’s a sign of disrespect. To say I felt humbled would be a serious understatement.

Then my new friend, Aadi, and I went to watch the other ceremony called Ganga Aarti. This devotional ritual - which also happens every night - uses fire as an offering. Picture five platforms with seven outfitted men. Each performer flails a variety of objects (fire, feathers, human hair!) in sync. This was an insanely beautiful performance. The boats were all lined up in front, watching. After it finishes, they light lamps and small “diyas” (candles and flowers float that down the river).

Beautiful nightly ceremony "Ganga Aarti" on the water - Ganges River, Varanasi, India

My new friend would not accept a tip from me but I wanted to thank him for his company somehow, so I insisted on buying a beautiful burgundy silk tunic or “salwar kameez” from his friends' shop. It will always remind me of the good karma associated with giving and not expecting a damn thing in return, for all he wanted was to "fulfill his dharma (moral duty) and live a righteous life", he told me. They believe this increases your chances of being born into a higher caste and thus, into better circumstances.

I yielded a bicycle rickshaw to take me back to my homestay. I weaved through crowds of people (and animals), with the turmeric-scented breeze running through my hair and the energy of the city filling my soul. To my left, I passed a man driving a small rickshaw attached to a parade float. It carried a statue of the god Shiva and speakers on each side exploding with Bollywood music. It also had – the best part – 20-30 children running behind it, dancing, smiling, holding their heads and kicking up their feet while their entire bodies shook to the music. It was just any ol' Tuesday night there but they were celebrating as if the city had just won the World Cup. I saw several floats like this on the streets before I got back to my place. It’s truly how we should be living; celebrating each and every day of life.


Spiritual celebrations are mixed with everyday life in all areas of India, not just Varanasi. It’s humbling to watch people who are so devoted to something.

Lord Shiva 'bindi' on my forehead

A 'bindi' on a woman's forehead or a 'tilak' on a man's forehead, indicates the individual is married when worn higher up. If lowered, it signifies the individual's spiritual (or “third”) eye. Through this, Hindus believe to see all which cannot be seen through the two physical eyes. It also helps them to cultivate spiritual vision. The Hindu saints constantly meditate by focusing their energies towards the spiritual eye. It is believed that when the individual's spiritual eye opens, is when he attains true enlightenment and gets closer to God.


Of course, there are still many issues in the country. Many dowries are expected from arranged marriages; from the bride’s family to the groom’s, and if they can’t pay up, many deaths occur as a backlash (over 7000 a year). There are 350 million people living below the poverty line with an average annual wage of $710 US or $1.26 US a day (about 50 rupees). Many blame this on the high rate of illiteracy and population growth. Yet, the country has its own nuclear weapon that is worth billions!

sailing in Kochi, India

After a few months of working on the ship...

Had a wonderful party with all the Filipino and Indonesian crew members last week. The real cruise ship parties happen below sea-level around crew cabins. One of them dj'ed and we were all dancing like crazy. It was like a mini nightclub. Most Western employees refuse to socialize or associate with the Filipino or Indonesian staff outside of work duties because they're seen as "the help"... such a horrible mindset.

These people are sacrificing a lot to make a better life for their family back home. Their contracts are always 10 months long, straight, without one day off work. They get 1/2 days off sometimes but never one full day.

So picture working 10 months without a break. Unreal. The Westerner employees work straight, without days off, too but their contracts aren't usually longer than 4-6 months. But these house keeping staff and bar/kitchen staff do it because they're making "good money" (read: $40 a day) and are able to support their wives and children back home. So noble. I wish I could just bring everyone back to Toronto, get them working on minimum wage and get proper credit for their hard work.

Anyway, my contract is ending soon and although I'll miss everyone and the sunshine, I'm SO excited to walk by people on the streets of Toronto and NOT have to greet them! Currently loosing my mind from all the smiling and general perkiness required 24/7.

Hi how are you
Hi Good morning
Hi Good evening
Hello
Have a good night
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!

When I lay out on the sun deck (my nickname here is Venezuela by the way, if that gives you any indication of my skin colour) someone will notice that it's me (whispering, "Oh look! It's the host of the cooking show!") and I try to hide with my sunglasses and hat.

I love the job itself though. Hosting this cooking show is one of the best ideas I've had. I'm glad I made the giant leap of faith to go do this on my own. The nutritional reading I've been doing has paid off. Some people even think I am a nutritionist!

As you may imagine, I really don't miss winter. Currently in San Juan, Puerto Rico typing this up in an outdoor cafe with latin music playing on the street. A little Spanish girl named Elena is sitting on my lap.

Valentine's day happened to be the Captain's birthday so 15 VIPS (ya baby!) were invited up to his suite for a party. His room is huge, and his balcony is gigantic. We weren't allowed to take photos but it was a glorious night. I really get along with his wife and she made sure I never had less than half a glass of wine in my hand.

Over and out.

working + living on a Caribbean cruise ship

(diary excerpt, winter 2011-2012)

I just got this amazing job to do a 5 month winter contract aboard a Holland America cruise ship: I will be hosting an internally-broadcast TV cooking show!!!


I've had a crazy week so far. It's been busy, but fun. I've been attending all the cooking shows, food/wine demonstration party plans, health/wellness shows, mixology classes all of which I'll be conducting solely on my own next week. Actually, I'll be hosting in front of my trainer tomorrow just to practice with the chef behind closed curtains and then I'll be hosting my own big show on a sea day (the really busy days because we're at sea and there's nothing else for people to do).


During these cooking shows, I have a microphone and I'm interviewing the chef, co-hosting. I have to stand behind the stove and do an introduction (very perky- for example: "Helllllo everyone! Welcome to the Culinary Arts Centre! I'm your host, Lisa. Today, seeing as we're in the Caribbean, I thought we'd do two Caribbean style recipes: orange rum chicken and a grapefruit and jicama salad, but I'm not actually a chef so please help me give a warm welcome to my chef and co-host....... Michhhhhaeeeeelllll!!!!")

Then at the end I do a conclusion, and throughout the show we're walking through the recipe and I ask him a bunch of questions about the food, why we choose certain fruits over other ones for example, the difference between regular olive oil and extra virgin olive oil, etc.

I got to run around the beach and enjoy a BBQ on my second day in Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (it's actually a tiny island that belongs to Holland America cruise ships - only about 80 people! So cute.)

The people here are really friendly - there's quite a lot of Indonesian and Filipino people working on the lower ranked jobs (only Westerners have the officer/higher rank positions like mine. All the dishwashers/cleaners/housekeepers/maintenance/servers are all either Indonesian or Filipino) because apparently they have training centres in each respective country. They are amazing. Even though some of them don't speak fluent English, I talk to them all the time and they get to practice speaking. They are all very interested in my role - referring to it as the "princess" of the ship even! Ha. As if that won't go to my head.

I've been with my trainer and the old TV host who's job I'm taking over (when she leaves in a week) all day/every day, getting trained and doing all the job tasks together. It's only on average of about 5-6 hours of work a day but it alternates depending on whether its a port day (docked at some island or Ft Lauderdale) or its a sea day. The sea days are busier because more guests are looking for things to do.

My room's super tiny (I knew it would be) but I have a gigantic closet and my own bathroom. Having my own room is a real privilege working on the ship actually. I'm on the same floor as the guests (the main floor, above the water line, and very close to the Entertainment office and Culinary Arts Centre (which is where I work 90% of the time) so it's a 30 second commute to work! Haha. Next week more crew members are leaving and new people are coming on to replace them so I'm excited to meet them too!

Out of 817 employees, there are 3 Canadians I've met so far! It's super exciting to talk about Tim Hortons and how to set up my Canadian money transfers. The chef co-host that I work with is from BC, Canada. He seems organized and on top of things. He seems a bit shy though, so we'll see what we're like on stage together.

Lots of people here have done contract after contract after contract.. gone all over the world. It's unreal some of the stories they have.
They've taken me out for dinner every night (it's free but we've got free drinks too since I'm "training" and need to "taste all the martinis" haha)! I've been eating so well; 5 star meals every night. But even if we don't go out for dinner formally it's still free meals.

Borrowed one of the girls' dresses last night for my first formal night. Super fun.

There's a few secret decks where the view of the stars is fantastic and the wind feels beautiful. Also, there are great private sun decks for during the day.

The big hangout is the O.B. (Officer's Bar) where all the staff is invited up for drinks (well, "Officer-level staff"). It gets pretty wild in there I've heard.

The captain's control room is amazing! SO many buttons! I do an event with him called the Renewal of Wedding Vows where he does a speech and I do a speech. So it's like the 2 of us host the event.

I had to do a speech last night actually (in front of 500-600 people in the restaurant, giving a close to the week and introducing everyone. They were really impressed with it.) I stand in the middle of the room and have to wear a ball gown. There's a parade in the restaurant, all around me, around a spiral staircase. It's quite entertaining! I will do it weekly.

The pool and spa are beautiful. The ship is a medium size, not huge (2000 people). As long as I get off the ship most of the days that I can, I think I'll continue to enjoy it. I'm excited for this new challenge!

Negril, Jamaica -- Beaches Negril resort

Beaches Negril has the most beautiful stretch of beach I have ever seen (7 miles long!) and the friendliest staff I have ever met. The hospitality and genuine enthusiasm from not only the entertainment staff, but also the chefs, bartenders and front desk attendants, was truly outstanding.

The resort is an intimate size – about 300 rooms total – so it’s not overwhelming. You could probably walk around the whole area in 25-30 minutes. Even though it is a bit smaller, there was definitely not a shortage of restaurants. My personal favourite was the Jamaican-style cuisine spot called “Stewfish” on the beach. You sit at picnic tables, day or night, and the best part is: they let you go barefoot! I always had the Jamaican style breakfast in the morning; callaloo, akee, saltfish and fritters.

Callaloo is the spinach-like leaves of a tropical plant, widely used in Caribbean cooking. Akee is a tropical fruit that is peeled. The inside tastes a bit like avocado.

I’m still craving it. I liked it so much -- I tried to have most dinners here, too. My favourite was the seafood dish; shrimp and spice and everything nice.

There was a small waterpark on the property for kids (or those young at heart) and lots of entertainment/sports activities to enjoy during the day. For example, snorkeling is included in your stay and I took advantage of that! I got to hold an inflated (and spiky) pufferfish in my hand, and as it exhaled, the little guy spewed out all the water from his ears and mouth! I couldn’t stop laughing and thus, I got salt water in my mouth too. I doubt my exhale looked quite as amusing, though. 

The entertainment at night is also one of a kind. They host a BBQ beach party one night and other nights they perform on stage. The steel drum band was my favourite. I got chills; not sure if it was from their talent or my burnt skin -- probably a bit of both.

Sesame Street characters you can hire for the day!

CRAB RACE.

The sunsets in Negril, Jamaica.

The "swish" n' "sniff": Things to remember when you're wine tasting

It’s important to note that before tasting, we should observe the sight and smell of our wine (I like to call this the "swish" and "sniff" technique.)

1 Euro wine in Naples, Italy.. seriously?!

The colour of wine varies immensely, even within the same type of wine. White wines range from green to yellow to brown. More colour in a white wine usually indicates more flavour and age, and a brownish wine may have gone bad. Where as time improves many red wines, it ruins most white wines. Red wines are not just red; they range from a pale red to a deep brown red, usually becoming lighter in colour as they age.

You can observe the colour by tilting your glass slightly and looking at the edge of the wine. A deep red or purple may indicate youth and a lighter orange-y colour may indicate maturity.

You'll want to “swirl” or "swish" the wine around. This serves many purposes, but the two main ones are to observe the body and texture of the wine and to release the aroma. A thicker body, for example, may imply a higher alcohol content and/or sweetness level. It also releases the molecules in the wine that make it aromatic, inviting you to take a good, long sniff.

sangria & paella in Barcelona, Spain

One of the many reasons the glasses are shaped the way they are for white wine (tulip shaped) and red wine (wider bowl-shaped) is due to flavour distribution. Different kinds of glasses are made to deliver different sorts of flavours to the optimal part of your tongue. Generally, red wines tend to feature flavours that are best tasted with the tip of the tongue and the front of the mouth, while white wines are usually comprised of lighter flavours that can be more thoroughly processed by the back of the mouth. The wider bowl of the red wine glass and narrow shape of the white wine glass both cater to this trend, respectively.

Also, red wine glasses are generally wider because increased exposure to air helps the deeper and more complex flavours of wine to develop. For this reason, you ideally want to open reds half an hour before serving to let it breathe. White wine doesn’t require as much oxidization, and thus, another reason the narrower glass is used.

In between tastings, you’ll want to rinse your palette. You’ll sometimes see a spit bucket is used or a bite of a plain French baguette is offered. For me, a sip of water in between tastings is good enough.

Ideal serving temperatures may surprise you:

Sparkling Wine 42-54°F // 6-10°C //
Rosé Wine 48-54°F // 9-12°C
White Wine 48-58°F // 9-14°C
Sherry (Light) 48-58°F // 9-14°C
Red Wine 57-68°F // 13-20°C
Fortified Wine 57-68°F // 13-20°C
Sherry (Dark) 57-68°F // 13-20°C

I sure love learning about wine! The best way to learn it to drink it, in my humble opinion.

Niagara, Ontario wine-tasting

Oh, what a gorgeous (pseudo) summer day for wine tasting. It was actually the Niagara Wine Festival on Saturday, Sep 27 so we checked that out first. After we lined up and gained entrance into the gated gathering, I found it to be overcrowded and overpriced. A two-ounce wine sample was almost $4! There were also screaming children and country music… not really my scene.

So my boyfriend and I decided to “vineyard-hop” (a more sophisticated version of your beloved “bar-hop”). We checked out Hernder, Megalomaniac and Tawse.

After driving along a quiet country road, you’ll initially notice Hernder’s beautiful restored Victorian Barn (est. 1867). Then you’ll cross over a glistening pond on a worn wooden bridge, surrounded by deep red maple trees and booming rows of grapes. Sounds picturesque right? A few other couples thought so, too. There were four weddings of over 150 people going on all in the same afternoon!

We were greeted immediately upon entrance and made to feel welcome. The attendant explained the menu to us – red vs. white. You got 4 samples for free per person (woohoo!) and thereafter, you’d pay $1 each (or $2.50 each for ice wine). Here, there was no obligation to purchase after tasting them, although you’d be nuts not to.

They’re all rated 0-2 on the sweetness scale; 0 being the most dry and 2 being the sweetest. I tried a robust merlot (0), dry riesling (0) and semi-sweet riesling (1). I don’t like my wine to be too sweet, but I also don’t like it to be too dry either, whether it’s red or white. I like it juuust right. I sound like Goldie Locks, don’t I?

I went with the semi-sweet riesling -- it tasted like green apples with just enough acidity.

It’s important to note that before tasting, we should observe the sight and smell of our wine by swishing and sniffing (see other blog post, “The 'swish' n' 'sniff': Things to remember when wine tasting” for more on this).

Next up was Megalomaniac. Atop a hill overlooking the vast green Niagara farmland, and recently renovated building, this place looks impressive even before you step foot inside. Once you do, you’re greeted with granite countertops, chandeliers and high ceilings. You pay $5 for a series of 4 samples. One of my favourites was the 2013 Pink Slip Pinot Noir Rosé. I don’t normally like rosé but this one didn’t taste as sweet as you’d expect. 

The name Megalomaniac came about because the owner originally wanted to name it after himself – John Howard—but his friends called him “another megalomaniac” for doing so. Apparently the name stuck! Each wine is named with a cheeky word that corresponds to it. I purchased one of their top-sellers, "Pompous". 

Before our final spot, along the country road, we noticed a sign that read “free kittens”! Naturally I pouted until my boyfriend gave in and parked to let me play.

Then at Tawse, it was a similar atmosphere and the wines were pricey. $5 for four samples again but if you bought two bottles, the fee is waived. Bought a dry pinot gris to spice things up.

The last two were quite posh. Next time, I think I’ll try a few smaller, boutique-y places. A lot are open well into the fall and winter, so get out and enjoy beautiful Ontario!

life in Whistler, BC

Sometimes I wake up and ask myself, "What am I doing here? I left everything. Am I crazy?"

Well, sure, I'm a little looney, but that's why you love me. I'm doing my own thing, more for myself than for anyone else. I really do want to learn how to snowboard properly.. and though it's been a challenge, I like pushing myself. I like the progression. I'm in no rush to be pro. It's just fun.

At the same time, I'm learning to appreciate a new part of Canada - a change from Ontario - and truly embracing the Canadian culture. When I lived in Toronto, it was hard to see that Canada really does have a culture on its own (and isn't just a mix of every ethnicity). Although there are heaps (heaps? ah I'm using Australian terms already!) of Aussies living here, it's nice to meet Canadians who have been Canadians for generations and generations. We really are a polite, cheerful and down-to-earth bunch.

The people in Whistler village are quite friendly - everyone knows each other by name. It's like every bar is the TV show 'Cheers'. The locals working in convenience stores, clothing stores, bars or restaurants know I'm the new girl at Maxx Fish nightclub. Kinda cool! Even the taxi drivers have started to recognize me, and drive me home without asking for my address.. as there's only about 30 drivers here! That would NEVER happen in Toronto.

I was having a conversation with one a few weeks ago:

The driver: "So do you like it here?"
Me: "Ya, everyone is so friendly, chatting with me and smiling all the time.."
The driver: "That's because every person in this town is here because they want to be, no one's here because they have to be. People choose to be here from all over the world, get any ol' job they can just to enjoy the winter and snowboard or ski all season long. I came here to ski in my twenties, and I'm still here to ski in my forties. I just drive to pay my bills."

I like the mentality:
People derive happiness from the simple pleasures of life... permanently.

Everyone is like the taxi driver. People ski or board, party, and work on the side just to make ends meet. People like me, who are here "just for the winter season" end up moving here and becoming locals. Everyone tells me, "Oh sure, you say you're only here for the season, but trust me, you'll end up falling in love with the place and the people and move here. I thought I was here for just the season too... three years ago. And same with my friend Kim. And her friend Nina. And another friend Tommy."

Whistler's beautiful, no doubt. The snowy mountains are.. well, I've never seen anything like them. Only on postcards. And the fact that they're the backdrop to my house is pretty remarkable. The pine trees, crisp fresh air and true Canadian embrace of the snowy, cold weather is definitely present here. People actually high-five and celebrate when it's snowing as opposed to the groans and moans we're used to in Ontario.

But I'm the exception to this "you'll-never-leave" rule.

Although I feel prouder to be Canadian after seeing this gorgeous landscape first-hand, I miss the city.

I miss Japanese sushi, Indian curry, and Polish perogies. The kind made from Japanese, Indian and Polish people. I miss going out to a new bar every weekend in Toronto, seeing new local bands perform, and hanging out with the people I love and respect (and who love and respect me).

I have ties at home.

It's odd for me to think that these people don't really miss their family and friends, but it makes me thankful. I'm blessed to have real connections; people I miss, people who miss me.

The silly, quirky me. No one here understands why I consistently crave Nutella, why I need to be naked all the time or why I take bites of cheese straight from the chunk. Not to mention the occasional desire to burst out and act like a full-fledged cat - and meow and hiss and explain why I feel the way I do from a puss perspective. I can't explain the the reasoning behind these things, they just need to be accepted.

The point is, I'm coming home... at some point.

diary excerpt, 2011

Snowboarding (well trying to) in Whistler, BC

My bedroom's view is of tall, snow-covered pine trees, and the view out the balcony is the peak of Whistler mountain. Kind of daunting for a beginner snowboarder, but nevertheless, I just bought my season's lift pass! Went up snowboarding for the first time today. It was QUITE an experience!

(Conversation while sitting on the gondola)
"So.. where are we getting off?"
"This gondola only goes one place.. to the very top."
"Um... WHAT?"
"Yeah. And there's only one way to get down."
I stare at the (very far away) snowy ground, gradually inching higher up the peak, fearing for my life.

It felt like we were in a wind/rain tunnel while sitting on the outdoor chair lifts (we had to transfer from indoor gondola to outdoor chairlifts to get to "the peak"). I swear, getting off the chairlift was one of the hardest things I had to do today. One foot strapped into the snowboard, the other one expected to glide on as I push myself off the seat. My guide, Dan, must have explained this process to me about 10 times before we reached the end of the chairlift, in attempt to prepare me. When the time came, I launched myself off, indeed, and ended up FLAT on my face in the snow. Then he pushed me out of the way so that I wouldn't get hit by the next oncoming chairlift. SUCCESS. I was off the damn thing.

The process of "skating" along flat ground on a snowboard is very difficult. I'd much rather be going downhill. Well, at least that's what I thought until I saw the edge of the hill. It looked like a cliff. Of snow. Well, technically it was. I told him it was steep. He told me it wasn't. I strapped myself in and
hoped for the best. After that very first (very scary) part, the hills were more reasonable - not as steep, and not as many turns. I felt relieved. Plus the serious rain storm had stopped and it was just light snow. Things were looking up.

Once I mastered (note: I use this term very loosely) heel-side snowboarding, he wanted to teach me toe-side. I found this to be much more difficult, so he literally held my hands and slid down the hill with me, board-to-board, and we tried to turn and lean forward together. Another two face plants.

At a few points during the day, I had my board facing straight, and I was picking up good speed. It was so much fun! The first time I did it successfully, he shouted to me "Woo! You're boarding!" and I turned around to cheer "Woooo!" - Boom. An butt plant this time. My feet were up in the air, attached to my bright red snowboard and my bum was sliding backwards down the hill. Apparently all you could hear from the top of the hill was "ahhhhhhwoooo!!!!!!!!!!" Two big bruises would be inevitable.

Sometimes, when he gave me a new exercise, I would explain why it was difficult for me to understand or do. He eventually started throwing snowballs at me whenever I made excuses .. prompting a serious snowball fight in the middle of the hill, while pro snowboarders and skiers glided past us.

Another tip he gave me was that when you want to change direction, all the control is in your shoulders. In other words, the direction of your shoulders will determine where you go. I decided that the easiest way to make sure I do this is by POINTING the direction I want to go. So throughout the day (please note:
it took me an entire day to get down the mountain), you could see me "carving" down the hill, zig-zagging left and right, with my extended arm and pointed finger changing direction every time. It looked like I was a bicycle rider downtown, signalling left and right turns with my hands .. but riding a surfboard, on snow.

***By the way, there's two styles people can board:
1. regular (where you guide with your left foot and your right foot is behind - which most people do) and
2. goofy (where you guide with your right foot and your left foot is behind).

I'm goofy. Figures.

diary excerpt, 2011