Movie: Frank
TV show: BoJack Horseman
Graphic Novel: Saga created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples
Novel: Annabel by Kathleen Winter
(I didn't read any novels that were published in 2014, so this was my best read of 2014)
Video game: Child of Light
App: Scrabble
Coffee: Kicking Horse's Kick Ass
Tea: David's Vanilla Chai spiked with Amaretto
What is on your list for Best of 2014?
Showing posts with label coffee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coffee. Show all posts
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Same old, same old.
Everyone gets asked "How's it going?", and once you've fallen into a normal routine you can get by with saying "Oh, just the same old, same old".
You know, the whole waking up, checking the solar voltage while listening to the insane call of a huge male Montezuma Oropendola nearby, making coffee then enjoying it by the water's edge. Taking out two loveable and intelligent bulldogs to the back patch if jungle, and then feeding them a breakfast of eggs and potatoes. Say hello to Seabastian, Piti, and Benjamin, and see what work they're up to for the day. Open up the computer to see what the world outside the island of Bastimentos is up to.
Then look out at the water to decide what kind of day it is. Is it calm and clear enough for a snorkeling trip? Mild waves for a standup paddle board run? Is there a boat anchored to kayak up to? Maybe it's too rainy for all that and it's a writing day or time to curl up with the dogs and a good book or see what projects I can do around the house. Is it scorching sunny and a perfect day to do laundry? Is it a warm cloud covered day, good for a walk to a neighboring property? Maybe I'll go for a swim or eat a coconut.
Time for lunch and I say hello to Cruz or Marta depending on the day and ask them about their week. "Hi Marta, I heard you killed your pig on Monday, how did it go?" Cruz is great conversation while Marta is more timid. I call Marta the ghost as she comes in to work and moves around so quietly I never know when she's arrived and have to go seek her out to say hello.
Some days I go into town for supplies, or have visitors or day trips. I'm usually content to stay just where I am though, and find many little things to pass the day. Then it's sunset on the dock with pelicans and maybe a chat on skype. Dinner for the dogs and myself. A short night walk to the front beach and some moments spent looking up at the stars. I'm either in awe of the brightness of the moon, or in awe of the darkness that eats the light of my flashlight. Some nights it's so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face. Some nights are so bright you can see clearly without any artificial light.
Then I think about the new things I've seen for the day. How many hummingbirds, snakes, butterflies, new bugs and fish crossed my path? Was the last time I saw a monkey really Tuesday? Has it been a whole month since I saw a dolphin jump?
Same old, same old is about to change a lot though. The owners of the house are back, the sit is over and guests are arriving soon. My hermit days are gone, and now I'll be with a bustle of people. On the dock with some wine and catching up of all things we had a very thought provoking conversation about what's next, what's possible in months to come...
I have a ticket home, and I can't commit to anything until I make it back home, make sure my head is screwed on right and see how I feel in a different environment surrounded by people who know me best. There's a strong pull though, maybe my year plus of traveling doesn't actually have to end just yet.
Tracy Chapman, I think I just got way more than one reason...
You know, the whole waking up, checking the solar voltage while listening to the insane call of a huge male Montezuma Oropendola nearby, making coffee then enjoying it by the water's edge. Taking out two loveable and intelligent bulldogs to the back patch if jungle, and then feeding them a breakfast of eggs and potatoes. Say hello to Seabastian, Piti, and Benjamin, and see what work they're up to for the day. Open up the computer to see what the world outside the island of Bastimentos is up to.
Then look out at the water to decide what kind of day it is. Is it calm and clear enough for a snorkeling trip? Mild waves for a standup paddle board run? Is there a boat anchored to kayak up to? Maybe it's too rainy for all that and it's a writing day or time to curl up with the dogs and a good book or see what projects I can do around the house. Is it scorching sunny and a perfect day to do laundry? Is it a warm cloud covered day, good for a walk to a neighboring property? Maybe I'll go for a swim or eat a coconut.
Time for lunch and I say hello to Cruz or Marta depending on the day and ask them about their week. "Hi Marta, I heard you killed your pig on Monday, how did it go?" Cruz is great conversation while Marta is more timid. I call Marta the ghost as she comes in to work and moves around so quietly I never know when she's arrived and have to go seek her out to say hello.
Some days I go into town for supplies, or have visitors or day trips. I'm usually content to stay just where I am though, and find many little things to pass the day. Then it's sunset on the dock with pelicans and maybe a chat on skype. Dinner for the dogs and myself. A short night walk to the front beach and some moments spent looking up at the stars. I'm either in awe of the brightness of the moon, or in awe of the darkness that eats the light of my flashlight. Some nights it's so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face. Some nights are so bright you can see clearly without any artificial light.
Then I think about the new things I've seen for the day. How many hummingbirds, snakes, butterflies, new bugs and fish crossed my path? Was the last time I saw a monkey really Tuesday? Has it been a whole month since I saw a dolphin jump?
Same old, same old is about to change a lot though. The owners of the house are back, the sit is over and guests are arriving soon. My hermit days are gone, and now I'll be with a bustle of people. On the dock with some wine and catching up of all things we had a very thought provoking conversation about what's next, what's possible in months to come...
I have a ticket home, and I can't commit to anything until I make it back home, make sure my head is screwed on right and see how I feel in a different environment surrounded by people who know me best. There's a strong pull though, maybe my year plus of traveling doesn't actually have to end just yet.
Tracy Chapman, I think I just got way more than one reason...
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Sometimes I just miss everywhere I've been... ♥
When I want constructed beauty with secret spots, I miss Paris. When I want loud laughter, sunshine and instant friends, I miss Barcelona. When I want to walk for miles from sun up to sun down, I miss the Camino. When I want to refuel on love, good food, and easy living, I miss the South of Spain. When I want to sit on the floor drinking wine, chatter over coffee, and laugh till I pee my pants, I miss Toronto.
I have one month till I return to Toronto. Ask me a month ago and I had very solid reasons for returning. I was very firm in why I was going back. I knew myself so well though that I bought a ticket then... because if I didn't, I'd get caught up in the moment, and who knows how many months it would be before I felt the pull to go back. I have important people to see, jobs to attend to, a life to 'get in order'. Right? Well, listening to the waves of the ocean, that all seems impossible. I've made promises that I need to keep, but otherwise I feel like everything else can wait. Maybe I have Bocas fever and a case of Hotel California Syndrome but I think it's safe to say, the 'live by the seat of your pants' is the lifestyle for me. I don't think I'll be grounded in one place for too long, even a place I've missed so much. I give myself three months before these itchy feet are ready to roam again. I cringe and smile to start the ticking clock, 30 days till I touch home snow.
Photo credit starting from top, Paris by Jenn, Barcelona by Nat, Camino by Alex, South of Spain by Alex, Outside Toronto with Jus by Kate.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Ten days to christmas...really?
I have grown up with the North American Christmas craze. Every store beacons you to gaze upon it's glorious gifts. Going into a store can be dangerous because it ends up being 'one gift for you, one gift for me'. Decorations for every religion are piled onto everything as the Hallowe'en decorations are being taken down. Holiday tunes blare from everywhere putting you in the spirit or making you miserable depending on the day.
This year though I'm in a small city in Spain where the decorations aren't glittering with the same gusto. There are very pretty lights in most of the main streets. There is a giant tree outside city hall made of poinsettias and a big white and blue tree in another square. The stores have hardly any signs or lights or decorations but outside most store doors are pots of poinsettias.
Here children write letters to Papa Noel who begins the holidays AND the Three Wise Men who mean it's back to school time. I know Santa has Elves to help him with all his mail but I haven't found out who is secretary to the Wise.
The public television here has no advertisements, so no holiday cheer there. Then the channels that do have ads are predominately for perfume (which make me blush), ham legs (which make me cringe) and lottery (which leaves me confused). Where is their sense of over dramatized commercialism to show your love?
The lottery is what people turn to when they're old enough to know that Santa isn't going to be giving them a gift. People here say "Happy Christmas, Prosperous New Year" in the regular tone then very animatedly say "but good luck on the lottery!" and have a five minute conversation about their numbers and where they'll be. Tickets cost 20-23Euros depending where you buy them and people wait in line for up to four hours (in Madrid, Port de Sol) for their tickets, so says the Spanish news.
In other news, I'm at the only internet cafe in Almuñecar where I asked for a coffee with chocolate and they brought me this...
It's not a Spanish morning if there aren't a few heaps of sugar.
... needless to say it was a delicious-warm-coffee-chocolate-delight
This year though I'm in a small city in Spain where the decorations aren't glittering with the same gusto. There are very pretty lights in most of the main streets. There is a giant tree outside city hall made of poinsettias and a big white and blue tree in another square. The stores have hardly any signs or lights or decorations but outside most store doors are pots of poinsettias.
Here children write letters to Papa Noel who begins the holidays AND the Three Wise Men who mean it's back to school time. I know Santa has Elves to help him with all his mail but I haven't found out who is secretary to the Wise.
The public television here has no advertisements, so no holiday cheer there. Then the channels that do have ads are predominately for perfume (which make me blush), ham legs (which make me cringe) and lottery (which leaves me confused). Where is their sense of over dramatized commercialism to show your love?
The lottery is what people turn to when they're old enough to know that Santa isn't going to be giving them a gift. People here say "Happy Christmas, Prosperous New Year" in the regular tone then very animatedly say "but good luck on the lottery!" and have a five minute conversation about their numbers and where they'll be. Tickets cost 20-23Euros depending where you buy them and people wait in line for up to four hours (in Madrid, Port de Sol) for their tickets, so says the Spanish news.
In other news, I'm at the only internet cafe in Almuñecar where I asked for a coffee with chocolate and they brought me this...It's not a Spanish morning if there aren't a few heaps of sugar.
... needless to say it was a delicious-warm-coffee-chocolate-delight
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