i know that song...

strolling the boardwalk in Halifax, i heard this awful singer. it was obvious that he had some skill on that guitar, but he sounded a little bit like a lost and lonely beagle.

who am i to judge? have you ever heard me sing? yeah. there is a reason for that...

so, i walked up and down the boardwalk taking photos and pushing this dudes voice out to the distance--his playing was kinda nice. i took this shot from the end of the boardwalk.

eventually, words started to pierce my ears and i recognized the song. his voice was cracking and the clarity of the words wafted in and out like a breeze in a vacant house.

all he sang were sad love songs and every one sounded the same. no one tossed a cent into that case, and as i approached him, he never looked at me.

he just kept watching the end of the boardwalk.

the power of light...

i get excited and my momentum is overwhelming. few can understand it, fewer can handle it, and it's usually a let down for me.

i'm a freaking tsunami heading for the beach every time i start a project or meet a guy. moderation isn't in my vocabulary. if i'm in, i'm in up to my neck. this is why i'm always busy and simultaneously single.

i recently described myself to someone. i said, "it's hard to get my attention, but once you do, it's like being caught in the lighthouse beacon. darlin, if that light can cut through dense fog, it could slice you to pieces."

sometimes it takes more than one...

i never really watched sex in the city. i've seen maybe 5 episodes and a couple of those twice because that's just my silly luck.

as with any entertainment with a group of characters, people usually identify with one character more strongly than the others. for me, it's an amalgam of all four. depending on the day... i could be blasting the optimism like charlotte or laying down the cynicism like miranda or getting comfy in my independence and finding my way like carrie.

last night, i was telling a story over cocktails and i realized that i might just be crossing lines--not in a bad way necessarily. hmmm, this was a prime samantha moment. i enjoy those. she's my favourite character. ha!

i like that about myself. it's something i'm actually proud of--that i'm not entirely consistent every day. i'm not super trendy, or uber practical, or over the top racy--every day. it's sort of a grab bag and i realize the inconsistency can drive some mad, but i really enjoy the variety it creates in my life.

i'm just saying... it takes all kinds to make my personal world go round. the more diversity, the clearer i think. i don't understand it either, but it works for me!

funny how things work out...

this was one of the best thanksgivings that i've ever had. i've heard the legend of this sort of day.

i've a love-hate relationship with the holidays. i'm a festive girl who loves the hubbub. that's just how i roll. i dig decorating the place with trinkets of the harvest, breathing in the smell of a turkey, and the inevitable pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream. but, there has always been so much stress--buckets full of ulcer-creating expectation, both real and imagined. i hate the holidays.

this year, my family thanksgiving was canceled at the last minute as my mom got a touch of food poisoning. i felt terrible that she was sick... much as i'd have liked to lounge around and not have to move, i'd never, ever wish sickness on anyone, especially my mom!! (she is better, btw. i talked to her an hour ago and she was quite chatty.)

so when she called at noonish, i was a little stunned to find myself free. the possibilities rose like a swarm of happy honey bees. what to do? what to do?

well, i thought, i've got sweet potato souffle and a pumpkin pie that i've already made for the family dinner... and, i've a little turkey that i bought a while ago. (just last weekend i decided to give the bird away because i didn't see myself ever cooking it--so glad i didn't.) i also had a bag of fresh cranberries and an orange for cran-relish. what the hell! i've got thanksgiving dinner!

now that i'd committed to making a turkey and doing my own private shindig, it occurred to me that i had a friend that just might not have plans. luckily, he was free and agreed to come for dinner. so, i deemed this my little thanksgiving train wreck and made no promises on how it would turn out!

well, dinner wasn't until after eight, but we sipped champagne and caught up... periodically prodding little Tom to see how he was cooking. it was truly wonderful to enjoy the evening and laugh without fretting. there was no pressure that everything had to be perfect and that everything possible be represented at the table. this was so easy!

i'm thankful--very thankful. i'm thankful that my mom is feeling better and her illness seems to be passing. i'm thankful for all the wonderful peeps in my life--several of which i chatted with and texted with today--and i'm thankful for my health and the opportunities in my life.

but tonight, i'm thankful for my friend who shared dinner with me and helped make this one of the most lovely thanksgivings evah!

notes....

quick note... i'm waiting for dvds to burn before i go to bed.

this was a most interesting day.

i was going to post a video of a song, but today was about tomorrow and that song is about yesterday.

i am looking forward and that is a refreshing change. tomorrow holds a lot of possibility built on a very positive today.

we will see, my friend. we will see.

shimmies and stuff...

and we play... the fraternity of shimmies. that's us.

we danced at the fair trade market yesterday. this was my first "festival" of sorts. i've always danced in workshop or recital shows. i've done a couple restaurants and haflas, but never anything like this.

it was fun and it was different. the audience has a different feel--most people don't know the difference in the styles of dance or music and that is just fine by me. i like that Nissa puts on a diverse show... i think it's fun for everyone.

the market was really cool, too. i plan to go back next weekend to see Los Flamencos, my favourite flamenco dancers and musicians. i'll also be snagging some of those lovely scarves one of the vendors was selling!

a friend and i went to see a bollywood film after the fair trade, and i thought it was pretty good. i still say that a bollywood movie would be a great place for a flash mob. also, some of the really tasty music was done by a canadian band.

yes, i also know that i missed yesterdays post. my bad, i totally dropped the ball. i was working on the wedding pics, finishing them up till 3 am, and i just forgot... gah! i'm apologizing to the interwebs.

but i'm actually looking forward to this holiday week... hoping to catch up on some back logged photos and get through some general house keeping... like the mail. i tried to volunteer, but no one that i called needed anymore help. i was really bummed and am deciding now where to volunteer for xmas. no procrastinating!

tired and sassy...

it's been sort of a long day. it ended really well with a pretty good run of animated shorts at the SLIFF. i've a good friend who is fun to see shorts with as he always sees things that i don't. i like that. ;-)

the day started out well, too. i shot the eighth grade class at St. Marks while they made pizzas that they sold for a fundraiser. nearly six hundred! good for them! it was a lot of fun and they needed shots for the memory book that they are publishing. i'm just really glad that i could help. what awesome kids and parents and teachers!

i only regret that i didn't start a food fight.

almost done...

whenever i process photos, i get emotional. that's just the way i roll. i love to see the expression in a person's face... the emotions.

this couple is amazing.

slap happy glenda sees the shorts...

dude, i'm so tired, but i drug myself out of bed to write this. it's going to be brief. *snarky snarl*

that's just a ruse. actually, i did drag myself out of bed to get this post done, but i'm not feeling at all snarky. i had a perfectly lovely evening.

i saw the dramatic shorts with a friend and they were fantastic. i think there was only one bum in the batch, so to speak. they've all left me thinking and that's what i was hoping for. last year, there were a couple that were disturbing, one especially. this year, there was only one that got under my skin in an uncomfortably close to home way. but, i digress.

i was surprised to see debrah harry show up as a shrink in a pretty spiffy thriller of sorts. the only other time i saw her on film was in videodrome--the only movie that i've ever walked out on. she was much better this time.

if you haven't gone to SLIFF, there is still time this weekend! and, if you can drag a friend who is fun to chat with, well that's just whip cream and a cherry on top!

and now... off to bed before i turn into slap happy glenda, the good witch.

bonus post...

i decided last weekend that i really want to do more volunteering. sometimes, things get a little too me-centric and i remember that i've forgotten others. i really do hate that about myself and have to try to combat that laziness. i mean, it's not like i'm scrooging my friends or anything, i've just been hiding in my little bunny hole too long.

i remembered that last year i'd exclaimed that i was crazy for not volunteering over thanksgiving and the holidays. now that i'm not married or attached in any way... my plans are pretty open. i'll see mom, but since we don't really do a big meal anymore... i sort of miss the bustle of having the holidays, but not the headaches!!!!

i began my search sunday night... and just an hour ago, four days later, i found a source. you have no idea how hard it has been to find a place to lend a hand on thanksgiving. geez. the event through work is full... online was a vast wasteland of non-information. i really thought that i'd find a ton online... but i was so wrong.

finally in desperation i went to the newspaper website. bambambam. looky there! a link to a plethora of opportunities!! when in doubt do it the old fashioned way.

tomorrow, i'm calling a center for women in transition... a halfway house for women who were incarcerated. i hope that they need me. :)