Today I was the recipient of an unexpected hug.
It was from a person I have been working with on a project for work, and therefore, doubly unexpected.
She did warn me it was coming, but that only sent me into a stunned, arms-pinned-against-my-sides panic as she descended on me, and somehow it occurred to me to reciprocate. The whole thing was over fairly quickly, and to my surprise, was actually quite a pleasant experience. I felt a definite lifting of the heart.
Driving back to the office it occurred to me that once upon a time I was a prolific hugger. What happened? Some time between late adolescence and early adulthood I allowed myself to be convinced that hugging was inappropriate or unprofessional at work and somehow this spilled over into my personal life.
Well I am taking the power back! I am going to hug as many people as I can, as many times as possible!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Totally worth the calories...
My top 12 gastronomic delights from our travels in Canada, US and Hawaii...
1. Fairmont Bagels, Montreal. Blueberry, Sesame Seed, Multigran... but best eaten fresh from the oven outside the shop with the other fanatics! Thanks Johnny for introducing us to these!
2. Smoked meat sandwiches, Schwartz Deli, Montreal. Only the best smoked meat in the world could get away with such abrupt (but entertaining) waiters!
3. Poutine, Chez Claudette, Montreal. A French-Canadian staple. French fries covered with rich sweet gravy and topped with cheese curds. Basically a heart attack on a plate. But oh-so-good!
4. Beavertails, Ottawa. Deep fried pastry covered with cinnamon, sugar, and your choice of hazelnut spread, chocolate, caramel, banana and other goodies. Or just the plain and simple classic style as shown.
5. Richtree Market, Toronto. You can wander around choosing all or parts of your meal from different vendors providing the brightest and freshest of everything you could possibly imagine and they will cook it to your specifications right in front of you. Total genius.
6. Buffet de L'Antiquaire, Quebec City. Simply the best value anywhere! Good hearty traditional french canadian fare - welcome sustainance after sightseeing in -30 degrees! Just $30 for two three course meals and as for quality... the look on Ian's face says it all!
7. The Brussa-Toi Banquet, Mississauga. With plate after delicious plate Lisa and Bruno had us simultaneously praying for more and fearing it! No photos of the meal unfortunately but here is a pic of some perogies, which were served in abundance!
8. Aunt Sandra's cheeses. How does one woman come up with so many gems? Un coup de fromage! Here's one of them....
Special mention also for Aunt Sandra's mince pie!
9. Yummy Korean BBQ, Honolulu. Inside the International Market at Waikiki there is a food court with so much Hawaiian and Pacific cuisine to choose from. My nose led me to the Korean BBQ. Always trust the nose.
10. Tim Hortons hot chocolate and cinnamon roll, special mention for Ian the Iced Cappacino, Boston Creme and Canadian Maple Donuts. Here we are fresh off the plane in Vancouver, Ian reuniting with some of his best friends.
11. Buffalo Wings, The Anchor Bar, Buffalo. The home of the Buffalo Wing. There'll be no flying away after these babies.
1. Fairmont Bagels, Montreal. Blueberry, Sesame Seed, Multigran... but best eaten fresh from the oven outside the shop with the other fanatics! Thanks Johnny for introducing us to these!
2. Smoked meat sandwiches, Schwartz Deli, Montreal. Only the best smoked meat in the world could get away with such abrupt (but entertaining) waiters!
3. Poutine, Chez Claudette, Montreal. A French-Canadian staple. French fries covered with rich sweet gravy and topped with cheese curds. Basically a heart attack on a plate. But oh-so-good!
4. Beavertails, Ottawa. Deep fried pastry covered with cinnamon, sugar, and your choice of hazelnut spread, chocolate, caramel, banana and other goodies. Or just the plain and simple classic style as shown.
5. Richtree Market, Toronto. You can wander around choosing all or parts of your meal from different vendors providing the brightest and freshest of everything you could possibly imagine and they will cook it to your specifications right in front of you. Total genius. 
6. Buffet de L'Antiquaire, Quebec City. Simply the best value anywhere! Good hearty traditional french canadian fare - welcome sustainance after sightseeing in -30 degrees! Just $30 for two three course meals and as for quality... the look on Ian's face says it all!
7. The Brussa-Toi Banquet, Mississauga. With plate after delicious plate Lisa and Bruno had us simultaneously praying for more and fearing it! No photos of the meal unfortunately but here is a pic of some perogies, which were served in abundance!
8. Aunt Sandra's cheeses. How does one woman come up with so many gems? Un coup de fromage! Here's one of them....Special mention also for Aunt Sandra's mince pie!
9. Yummy Korean BBQ, Honolulu. Inside the International Market at Waikiki there is a food court with so much Hawaiian and Pacific cuisine to choose from. My nose led me to the Korean BBQ. Always trust the nose.
10. Tim Hortons hot chocolate and cinnamon roll, special mention for Ian the Iced Cappacino, Boston Creme and Canadian Maple Donuts. Here we are fresh off the plane in Vancouver, Ian reuniting with some of his best friends.
11. Buffalo Wings, The Anchor Bar, Buffalo. The home of the Buffalo Wing. There'll be no flying away after these babies.
12. Anything made by Mr Wannamaker. There was no pausing for photos at any of these meals! But the chili and spicy meatballs stand out in my memory :) Here he is with Ian in his bar, where he also mixes up a mean liquid concoction. I love this photo.
Back to the gym for me.... (sigh!)
Thursday, August 7, 2008
White Crosses
I have just returned home from the launch of a photography exhibition organised by our Jacki Dawson, our Road Safety Co-Ordinator, called "Cross Roads" by John Robinson. (Page 3 of link)
All of the photos feature white crosses on the side of the road.
I was lucky to have a chance to chat with John before the exhibition, and as you can imagine, after five years of touring with the photos, he had a lot of stories from people who had been to see his work.
So I told him about the story of a very close friend of mine who lost someone very close to her in a crash. He honoured my friend by echoing my words during his presentation at the launch, saying that we must remember when seeing the crosses on the roadside that each one of them represents a family who Christmas will never be the same for again, because there will always be someone missing. Someone who should have been there.
And for this we are all responsible. Every needless death on the road is a loss to all of us. And that whenever we see one of those white crosses we should ask ourselves, "What can I do to make sure this dosen't happen again?" Whether it means easing off on the gas a bit, checking all your passengers have their seatbelts on, passing on that third drink, or the bravest thing of all - being a passenger and having the balls to ask a driver to slow down!
Police, Council, Traffic Controllers, Traffic Engineers and Construction workers - there are a lot of people working really hard to keep you safe on the road. I deal with them everyday, and regardless what you think, when someone dies on our roads, it's not business anymore - they ALL take it personally.
But no matter how hard these people work, it all comes down to you being a responsible driver and passenger.
All of the photos feature white crosses on the side of the road.
I was lucky to have a chance to chat with John before the exhibition, and as you can imagine, after five years of touring with the photos, he had a lot of stories from people who had been to see his work.
So I told him about the story of a very close friend of mine who lost someone very close to her in a crash. He honoured my friend by echoing my words during his presentation at the launch, saying that we must remember when seeing the crosses on the roadside that each one of them represents a family who Christmas will never be the same for again, because there will always be someone missing. Someone who should have been there.
And for this we are all responsible. Every needless death on the road is a loss to all of us. And that whenever we see one of those white crosses we should ask ourselves, "What can I do to make sure this dosen't happen again?" Whether it means easing off on the gas a bit, checking all your passengers have their seatbelts on, passing on that third drink, or the bravest thing of all - being a passenger and having the balls to ask a driver to slow down!
Police, Council, Traffic Controllers, Traffic Engineers and Construction workers - there are a lot of people working really hard to keep you safe on the road. I deal with them everyday, and regardless what you think, when someone dies on our roads, it's not business anymore - they ALL take it personally.
But no matter how hard these people work, it all comes down to you being a responsible driver and passenger.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
A little grace from Hone Tuwhare
Rain
I can hear you
making small holes
in the silence
rain
If I were deaf
the pores of my skin
would open to you
and shut
And I
should know you
by the lick of you
if I were blind
the something
special smell of you
when the sun cakes
the ground
the steady
drum-roll sound
you make
when the wind drops
But if I
should not hear
smell or feel or see
you
you would still
define me
disperse me
wash over me
rain
Hone Tuwhare
1922 - 2008
I can hear you
making small holes
in the silence
rain
If I were deaf
the pores of my skin
would open to you
and shut
And I
should know you
by the lick of you
if I were blind
the something
special smell of you
when the sun cakes
the ground
the steady
drum-roll sound
you make
when the wind drops
But if I
should not hear
smell or feel or see
you
you would still
define me
disperse me
wash over me
rain
Hone Tuwhare
1922 - 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
The best things about being a non smoker... Part One
I am going to call this Part One because it's only been 6 days and already there's heaps!
When I spray on my favorite fancy perfume I feel like a lady, not like a warthog pretending to be a lady.
Rain is quite beautiful when you can enjoy it from the comfort of your desk
My amazing powers of smelling chocolate through multiple layers have returned!
My boobies are enormous after all the ice cream I have been eating
Knowing that I am loving my body instead of abusing it makes it feel so much nicer
I don't get light headed walking up the stairs
I have not used my eftpos card for four days in a row
I don't have the hassle of extra stops on the way home - I don't need to get anything, I can just go straight home!
Where ever I am, what ever I am doing, I am complete and whole within myself and capable of facing any challenge this world presents me. I do not need anything else.
:)
When I spray on my favorite fancy perfume I feel like a lady, not like a warthog pretending to be a lady.
Rain is quite beautiful when you can enjoy it from the comfort of your desk
My amazing powers of smelling chocolate through multiple layers have returned!
My boobies are enormous after all the ice cream I have been eating
Knowing that I am loving my body instead of abusing it makes it feel so much nicer
I don't get light headed walking up the stairs
I have not used my eftpos card for four days in a row
I don't have the hassle of extra stops on the way home - I don't need to get anything, I can just go straight home!
Where ever I am, what ever I am doing, I am complete and whole within myself and capable of facing any challenge this world presents me. I do not need anything else.
:)
Saturday, May 24, 2008
The Vest that Hugs you
ScienceDaily (May 25, 2008) — Children with autism and ADHD may soon get anxiety relief from a novel “deep-pressure” vest developed by Brian Mullen at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The vest, which can also be used for adults with mental illness, delivers a “portable hug” called deep pressure touch stimulation (DPTS).
Initial results of a study with students at UMass Amherst who did not have autism or ADHD showed that participants preferred Mullen’s prototype vest, which applies pressure that feels like a firm hug or swaddling, over the current gold standard weighted vest.
I want one!
For the first time ever, Max has competition as my preferred fashion source. Imagine how happy you could be in a vest that hugs you, whenever you want, whereever you are, all day!
This could be just the start of something amazing... imagine a neck rub scarf! Or a hat that actually fixes your hair! Gym pants that massage your thighs to mobilise cellulite while you exercise!
What would be your future product suggestion for Professor Mullen?
Initial results of a study with students at UMass Amherst who did not have autism or ADHD showed that participants preferred Mullen’s prototype vest, which applies pressure that feels like a firm hug or swaddling, over the current gold standard weighted vest.
I want one!
For the first time ever, Max has competition as my preferred fashion source. Imagine how happy you could be in a vest that hugs you, whenever you want, whereever you are, all day!
This could be just the start of something amazing... imagine a neck rub scarf! Or a hat that actually fixes your hair! Gym pants that massage your thighs to mobilise cellulite while you exercise!
What would be your future product suggestion for Professor Mullen?
Saturday, May 10, 2008
The world's most perfect sandwich
Years of research and experimentation have culminated in the following sandwich, which I believe, is the world's most perfect sandwich:
Nothing but the finest, freshest homemade multigrain bread will do. Recipe is below.
Spread some mango and ginger or spicy peach chutney on one slice
then a couple of slices of manuka smoked ham
swiss cheese
fresh lettuce
slices of tomato
sprinkle salt and pepper
slices of avocado
on the other slice of bread spread some Best Foods mayonnaise
pop it on top.
Enjoy with a glass of cold orange juice :)
Bread recipe:
For a 1kg loaf, put in your breadmaker in the order given:
370ml water
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar
375g/2 1/2 cups high grade flour
225g/1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour
2 tablespoons milk powder
1/2 cup bran flakes
1/2 cup wheat germ
mix of kibbled wheat, sunflower seeds, linseeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds - about 1 cup
3 teaspoons Edmonds Surebake yeast.
Choose the wholemeal setting, medium crust.
I encourage you to experiment and critique, and look forward to your feedback.
Claire
Nothing but the finest, freshest homemade multigrain bread will do. Recipe is below.
Spread some mango and ginger or spicy peach chutney on one slice
then a couple of slices of manuka smoked ham
swiss cheese
fresh lettuce
slices of tomato
sprinkle salt and pepper
slices of avocado
on the other slice of bread spread some Best Foods mayonnaise
pop it on top.
Enjoy with a glass of cold orange juice :)
Bread recipe:
For a 1kg loaf, put in your breadmaker in the order given:
370ml water
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar
375g/2 1/2 cups high grade flour
225g/1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour
2 tablespoons milk powder
1/2 cup bran flakes
1/2 cup wheat germ
mix of kibbled wheat, sunflower seeds, linseeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds - about 1 cup
3 teaspoons Edmonds Surebake yeast.
Choose the wholemeal setting, medium crust.
I encourage you to experiment and critique, and look forward to your feedback.
Claire
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