The Cosby Show

The Cosby Show has recently become available on Hulu and last night I watched the pilot episode. I used to watch this show with my family every Thursday night. And yes it was TV and TV gets a bad rap- but I remember it as being quality time spent with my family. We would gather together each week and watch and laugh and enjoy time together.
Now the show launched in 1984-  27 years ago. Literally TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS. And it STILL holds up.
The writing is clever (& funny!) layered with insights that are still relevant today. The performances are natural and nuanced and the characters are relate-able and likeable. It's the original modern family. I was laughing. I wasn't cringing like one does on some older shows and other than the clothes it didn't feel dated.
Am I crazy? Is it a show that holds up as well as I think or was I just too many glasses of Thanksgiving wine in to be able to tell the difference between quality and memory?

Olivia and her "BIG" piano from FAO Schwarz

I was in Winnipeg last weekend for a long overdue visit with my family (brothers, sister-in-law and my niece Olivia). I missed her birthday so I brought her a belated present- a floor piano from FAO Schwarz- a much smaller version of the one featured in the movie "BIG" (with Tom Hanks).

She loved it! It was a hit and she played with it all weekend.  I'm sure my brother and sister-in-law are equally thrilled.

Btw- she's a musical genius. 

Please don't use Serenata flowers

To all of my London based friends:

I recently used a flower company to send some flowers to a friend in the UK. It's been over a week since I placed the order. A week and four phone calls.
And no delivery.
And no answers.
And no solutions.

They keep saying "You can cancel or we'll re-send the delivery tomorrow. Sorry- we don't know why the order hasn't arrived."

I finally had to cancel today after getting one too many cheekily written 'failure' spam-mails.

So. Don't call them. Call someone else. Call 1-800-Bloom. Or the guy who lives next door. Or a dumpster. They'll probably do a better job.

And today I ran

The whole reason I had my knee surgery was because I could no longer run without pain and swelling. And I had the surgery 6 months and 2 days ago.

It's been a long time coming but today I finally ran. And not the little steps jogging across the street or the quick sprint up the block where I can tell that I'm favouring the one leg.  I was late for my physical therapy and had to run up the street to catch a cab and then run to my PT office.

So without thinking about it I was running- dodging all of the trick or treaters on the street and keeping up a fast pace. My leg did hurt a bit afterwards but I LOVED IT.

My over-protective PT said I need to cool it for another couple of weeks- but for now I feel like it was all worth it and eventually I'll be back to the old me. Or an even better improved me.

The Android beat me

I returned it and got the Iphone 4S.

It wasn't the phone that beat me as much as it's incompatibility with my beloved mac. And yes it was great for movies and TV, but not music and itunes.

So alas I'm back to the Iphone. Comfortable and easy.

Just like elastic waisted pants and 'practical' shoes.

sigh...

Eating for my blood type

A few months ago I saw my aunt for the first time in a year. She looked great: bright skin, weight loss, more energy etc. She was glowing. She told me it was because she had started the "Eat for your Blood Type" diet.

I'd heard of this diet, it's been around for 15 years, but had never put much stock in it. Just like the Atkins diet I'd thought it was just another fad thing for quick weight loss, grounded in nothing but gimmicks and false hope. However when my naturopath doctor friend mentioned it a few months later I was intrigued (I respect her opinion a lot!). Intrigued enough to read up on it.

The initial summary provides a description of each blood type and I immediately started to identify with blood type O (no idea what blood type I was at the time). Type O's prefer intense exercise like running & martial arts as opposed to calming exercise like yoga & thai chi. O's also suffer from Ulcers and should avoid wheat. They also aren't able to drink most beverages.

I've said in the past that"I only drink a few things- wine, water and green tea. I don't drink soda or juice or coffee" (how boring was that conversation?!). I also don't like bread and I get canker sores (ulcers) all the time.  And while I hate yoga I love running and Muay Thai.

Turns out I'm O+.

I find it interesting that I could see my traits so specifically outlined in my blood type - there is something to our genetics driving our behaviours. I've been making choices that are suited to how my body is constructed.

So... I'm giving it a shot. My friend and I will try it for 3 months and see if it makes a difference.

(ed note: the one thing incompatible with behaviour and the 'science' behind the blood type is that apparently I should avoid peanuts. Like the peanuts found in peanut m&m's. This isn't necessarily 100% accurate surely?!)

Hello Android. I will not let you beat me.

I have been a long time fan of the Iphone. I lined up for it when it first came to Canada (then reluctantly had to sell it when I moved to the US). I lined up for the newer version (3GS) after a year of living in the states. I encouraged my good friend Rose to get an iphone (she never looked back) and have long been an advocate of it's utility and general all around "amazing-ness".

Then, like all relationships, the love started to fade. I started to notice that the iphone wasn't delivering on certain things. It was slowing down. It wasn't as shiny and new as it had once seemed. And everyone on the planet seemed to have one.

I wanted something new. I started the research and asked around and it seemed like an Android was the way to go -but what manufacturer and what provider?

Long (really boring) story short- I bought a Samsung Galaxy S2 yesterday- it was just released in the US market (*yesterday- I'm nothing if not an early adopter of phone technology). I love it because the screen quality and color are amazing. I love it because it's shiny and new. I hate it because I don't know how to use it.

I'm sure if I was a 12 year old girl I'd have no problem. I'd just intuitively skim through the dozens of applications and master all of the functionality. But I'm not a 12 year old girl and all of this new gadgetry is confusing and overwhelming (yes I'm 87). Can someone please just set up my music and sync it and organize the contacts with google and facebook and then get the right game app and generally take care of it for me? please?

Sigh- but I can't do that. So I shall persevere. I won't let this phone beat me. It's only been a day- give me one week and I'll be an android GS2 (that's what they call it) expert.

Facebook is our friend

I don't understand the recent revolts against the Facebook changes. People have forgotten that this a free service, and though it's become an invaluable tool for how we communicate and connect with each other- we are under no obligation to use it.

I'm also confused by people's reluctance to adopt change. If that were alway the case- they wouldn't have started using facebook to begin with. And while there is comfort in the familiar, there is also excitement in the new. And while it might be confusing at first- facebook was confusing at first. What the heck was a "wall" anyhow? Like?? I don't think so. Now it's my favourite function.

I think some of the issue is that these changes just happen- and they are out of our control, and without our opinion or input. But if we choose to embrace it (I downloaded the timeline early so that it was something I adopted vs having it thrust upon me) then we're more likely to "like it" as we have some ownership over it.

Finally Mark Zuckerberg (despite differing opinions) is not a stupid man. And he likely does not employ stupid people. There are people who study socialization, how we interact with each other, dreaming up new ways to connect and tell our stories. Not all of it will work, not all of it will be great. But a lot of it will be- creating a richer, better experience.

So embrace it.

Get excited by the newness of it.

And get over it- it's just facebook and it's supposed to be fun.

Adele - Someone Like You

LIKE

My Grandmother

Those who knew my Grandmother would appreciate this picture. She didn't always smile for the camera and wasn't big on spontaneous displays of affection. She was fairly old school and held true to the traditional English values of the WASP. I once said to her "Grandma I don't think I'll ever meet someone and get married" and she responded with "Maybe you won't. It's not all it's cracked up to be you know." Not exactly cuddly material. But then 6 months later I received the most beautiful knit blanket she laboured over- because I happened to mention in passing how much I would like one. She was there when it mattered and you could always count on her to do what was right and fair.

Easily some of my best memories growing up were the summers I spent in New Brunswick at her house in Moncton. My grandparents would take us to the beach, strawberry picking, blueberry picking, send us to tennis lessons and sailing. We had ice cream for dessert every night and she would cart us all around the Maritimes to see plays in PEI and the sand dunes in Bouctouche. She would sit patiently as we put on plays or dances or lip syncs and even though there was Church every Sunday morning, there was also cards every Friday night.

And the memories continued to build as we became adults, though the relationship shifted slightly. She was still proper but there was an easier stream of communication as she would confide in me things she wouldn't have when I was younger. (mostly making fun of her husbands relatives!)

She left behind a legacy of 5 children (plus 4 in-laws), 8 grandchildren (plus two in-laws) and 2 great grandchildren. We are a part of her and she is a part of us. And we will not forget her.

Helen J. Mitton 1924-2011.

Managing the country debt is childs play!

It's very easy for people to complain about how this country (applicable to US and Canada) is run: how our tax dollars are spent, how to avoid debt, decisions the government should or shouldn't make.
I was listening to NPR this morning (believe it or not!) and heard about a game called "Budget Hero" where one can go and actually build the 'blueprint for our Nation's future'. You can decide where our tax dollars go (defense, schools, etc) and see the implications to the overall budget- do we go bust in 20 years or do you manage to solve the debt crisis?
It's supposed to be based on real time dollars, what our interest rates are actually at etc... I wonder how closely the government would pay attention to this game if someone actually played and "won"???

Check it out here: http://marketplace.publicradio.org/features/budget_hero/

or just go to budgethero.org

Perceptions & misperceptions & interpretations with Communications

In this world where we our primary means of communication (talking either face to face or over the phone) is being taken over by the written word (email or text) there is an upswing in miscommunication & misinterpretation.

Too often people will ascribe feelings/moods/tone and temper to a note that is completely inaccurate- based upon their own mood/tone/temper or feeling. I know emoticons exist to alleviate some of this... but you can only have so many happy smiley faces before you think- surely give me some credit and I'll give you the same that you have to know I'm joking as I write this.

And at the end of the day- there is no tone in an email. Yes there is context and there is background, but too often people will LEAP to conclusions about the intent behind words (usually to a negative place) without actually giving the writer the benefit of the doubt.

Why don't people automatically jump to a good conclusion (innocent before proven guilty?) instead of just assuming the worst?!?!

Tres FRUSTRATING!!!!! : ( grrrrr...

The Beauty of the Beach

The house I'm in is literally across the street from the beach- if it's a 5 minute walk it's because you're probably wearing a brace and walking kind of gimpy.

We went today and it was BEAUTIFUL. Due to overcast skies the beach was completely deserted. There was a mist out on the water so you could only see about 15 feet out and it made the air slightly muggy and thick. I've never been to a completely empty beach during a warm day in June. It was awesome.

I just get such a high from being on the beach and near the ocean. I was shouting with joy every time the waves crested and the water hit our feet.

Why don't I live near the ocean?

It's as great as they say it is

This is my third summer in NYC but my first time out to the Hamptons. I took the "Hampton Jitney" today, bringing to mind some random SITC episode where Carrie took the same bus out for a week at some 'share'. My friend of a friend picked me up and brought us back to our fabulous beach house to not share.

They rented the house for June. ($20,000 for the month of June- but before you lose your mind- that's a steal compared to the $65,000 it is for July!) My own stay started out as a week in the sun, and its now whittled down to a few hours stolen by the pool...but every hour is worth it to make the trek out.

The air just feels fresh. I've already killed three little creepy crawly things roaming about the house (because they have NATURE out here!) and I can see the ocean literally a block away.

I will be doing conference calls in the sun tomorrow and LOVING every second.

Thank you kind sir

One of the things that has struck me over the last 6 weeks is how kind people can be. Opening doors, asking how I am (perfect strangers expressing concern) and the like. A perfect example is what occurred last week.

It was Thursday morning and the temperature was about 534C - a bazillion degrees roughly. I stood on the street in the middle- in an open area so there were no cars or delivery trucks blocking my way. I waited for about 15 minutes and there were no cabs anywhere. Everyone was avoiding the hot as hell subway and splurging for a cab (I'm not joking- it was HOT).

There were a few people in front of me and they got some cabs. And that's fair- they were there at the same time or before me. I'm on crutches- not pregnant or 90- and I didn't mind waiting.

However after 15 minutes I was the last one standing and thinking the next cab was mine. A guy in a business suit steps up on the corner in front of me. He was older (50?) and overweight and probably sweltering in his cheap looking suit. I didn't care- he wasn't going to take my cab. I started to walk towards him to tell him to back off... and then suddenly a cab driving by just stopped.

The door swung open and a guy popped his head out. He looked at me and said "I think you need this cab more than I do. Why don't you take it?" And he paid his fare- and hopped out- waiting to close the door behind me.

SO KIND.

The Final Countdown

I started walking today. It felt weird. I will keep putting more weight on the leg over the course of the week and by NEXT FRIDAY I should be crutch free!!!!!

Oddly enough I'm actually slower with the walking... but I'm sure that will change.

Waves of Hawaii from Clark Little

My uncle just sent me these shots of waves in Hawaii. They are done by the photographer Clark Little who lays in wait in the water for the wave- and catches it 'from the inside out'.

Beautiful.

Dinner recommendations

If you're ever in NYC I will take you out to a restaurant called 'Stanton Social'. It's one of my favourites- a tapas place with DELICIOUS food.

And if that's not enough: the chef opened up a new place called "Beauty & Essex" on Essex street. And it's EVEN BETTER!

Again it's Tapas and a loungey- bar type feel. But it feels more open than SS- and the food AMAZING.

so let's go. gimme a call.

Progress Update

The good news: June 7 (if all goes well) I will no longer need to use the ice and continuous motion machine. (yay!)

The not as good news: I will still need crutches for another 2-3 weeks as I start physio therapy. (boo!)

The great news: I can go outside for more than 4 hrs/day. (yay again!)

My Monday Night

* Breath Again * Heaven * Nothing Compares to U * Against All Odds * I Will Always Love You * Broken Wings * It Must Have Been Love * I Can't Live If Living is Without You * Hard to Say I'm Sorry * Right Here Waiting * Ordinary World * I Want to Know What Love Is * Eleanor Rigby * End of the Road * Hello * Bittersweet Symphony * I miss you * Chasing Cars *

Lest people get the wrong idea- the song selection was courtesy of Youtube 'suggestions'. I picked the first song and the list was off and running. By the end of the run I felt like my 14/24 year old self had just been broken up with, even though I'm not even dating anyone.

And my 35 year old self was left lying listlessly on the couch thinking someone please get me some wine while I hit repeat...

This enforced solitary confinement really is NOT good for me...