Fabulous Fifty

Last night, I recorded the episode of Oprah and got to it this evening.  For the past year, my mind has been open to new ways of being and new ways of eating, especially new ways of eating.  One of those new ways showed up in that Oprah episode.  It was all about following the Vegan way of eating.  Essentially, it consists of restricting all food products that come from animals, so no eggs, cheese, meat, etc.  At first glance, that might sound impossible.  After all, how could your possibly survive with only fruits and vegetables.  Of course, there is a whole lot more available to you.  I read a book a month or so ago about reversing diabetes and the jist of the book was essentially an encouragement to follow a vegan diet.  It took three hundred pages to get to that.  They got my forty-six bucks and I got the message that could have been delivered on page one.  I have kept an open mind to it ever since.  You see, I live with diabetes and I have watched it come under better control over the past year.  The weight in my stomach was the worst situation I could have found myself in and happily, I've managed to turn that situation around.  In that episode last night, they took a reformed carnivore through the supermarket and offered all the wonderful alternatives that can fit into a vegan diet.  I haven't seen such selections here, but then again, I haven't been on the hunt.  I don't know if I'm ready to fully commit to such a thing, but I am willing to explore the possibility.  That's not to say I will never pull up to a drive-thru window ever again and ask for something that walked the earth, with the works, but I'll keep an open mind to a new way of eating.  The way I see it, I've got at least another fifty years of living to try such things.  One things is for sure, you'll hear about it if I ever take a walk away from the wild side.

Sew Wonderful

When I was just a young boy, my mother purchased a sewing machine from Sears.  I watched in fascination as a machine that just sent a needle up and down could create some amazing fashions.  It took a while for me to realize that it was the hands of the one doing the sewing that created all of those wonderful things.  Before long, I wanted to try my hand at sewing.  Soon, I discovered I was pretty good at it.  The ability to create something out of practically nothing really fascinated me.  I then put that talent to use while in university where I was known to make a lot of my own clothes.  Once I discovered how to manipulate a pattern, I could create almost anything.  I then turned that skill to home fashions and my simple drapery designs soon became rather interesting creations.  As my business grew, I then farmed that work out so my time at my mother's sewing machine was limited.  You can imagine my delight when I found pretty much the exact machine at a flea market last year in its own carrying case.  Straight out of the seventies, the man who sold it to me claimed it purred like a kitten.  He was right.  One year later, I took out that sewing machine and created fourteen drapery panels.  I was at it all day.  How nice to remind myself of a hobby I thoroughly enjoyed.  I was also reminded of something else and that was, how easy it is to recreate a piece of clothing.  I was reminded of the coat I wore last night as I walked and how it was getting just a little too big for me.  I went to the front closet and with wide eyes, I brought that jacket to the machine.  I thought to myself, why not take it in a few inches on each side, so I did.  It took all of about five minutes to turn my size medium coat into something that would closely resemble a small.  It zipped up snugly and perfectly.  When I walked this evening downtown, I couldn't help but remind myself of how proud I was walking on the first day of school in my new clothes back then.  The entire hour and a half went by effortlessly.  I could have kept on walking but dinner awaited.  I had to push the sewing machine to one side as I took my salad and chicken, but I think I'll keep it on the kitchen table for a while.  I think I've got a few piece of clothing left in the closet that could do with a re-fit.  Just imagine how good I'm going to look this summer.  I can't wait!

A Dream of a Wedding

Today, I visited a friend's blog to discover some very beautiful pictures of a Wedding she helped with last year.  It was incredible to see all the beautiful photos and how stunning everything looked once it all came together.  It reminded me of the work I used to do with Weddings.  Two years ago, I planned and decorated for a Wedding that took a full year to coordinate.  The results were incredible.   Seeing my friend's pictures today reminded me of all the work and all the planning that went into such events.  I loved every minute of it.  It got me thinking.  I can so easily compare that process of planning and decorating that Wedding to my own life's journey.  Next month will be one year since I started really living.  Living this way has almost seemed like a dream, but I know it's real because I've still got the chill in my body from walking earlier this evening.  The rain that was beating on me was freezing cold and it even penetrated the scarf that continues to find its way around my forehead.  Half way around, I felt like hopping back in the car, but I didn't.  I kept on going and once I was finished, I was proud of what I had accomplished.  I stopped into one of the coffee shops for a hot cup of tea and while I was enjoying that, with my scone, I perused the Snap magazine and wouldn't you know, there I was, in all my shimmery loveliness.  It was the picture that was taken of me several weeks ago at the Village Mall's fashion show.  I recall writing about how good I felt in that new suit that day, and earlier, I got to see how that acutally looked.   My suit looked regal.  I could have been going to my own Wedding.  I know that's going to happen.  Maybe I just needed to punch in a full year of this with me first.  Let's see what the universe has in store for me!

Support

The power of the univers has always fascinated me.  More that I am religious and more than I am spiritual, it is my belief in universal energy that I believe supports me.  When understanding support, it's easy to see the immediate examples that are around you.  For example, I had a friend visit last night who brought some very healthy dessert options.  While I may have lost my weight, I certainly haven't lost my sweet tooth.  I remember a time when I could sit to the full of a lemon pie.  Image all the sugar contained within.  Even living with diabetes, I believed I could beat the odds and have an extra piece every once in a while.  Maybe those once in a whiles were a little more frequent than I care to admit, but last night, a healthy, delicious alternative was presented to me.  Now, I just have to learn how to spare them along.  I think I washed out the empty container earlier this evening (they were just divine!).  Of course, there's always another friend who will gladly create a pot of soup and drop it off to my door upon request.  That support is wonderful and it is so recognizable.  There's also another support out there and it is less easy to recognize and that is, the support from the universe.  I believe when your intention is pure, the universe will be behind you all the way.  It's kinda like this, if you recall buying a new car in a shiny shade of silver, all of a sudden you start seeing all kinds of silver cars out there and all kinds of cars like yours.  It seems like what you focus on expands.  The same is true for looking after yourself.  Our bodies want us to be healthy.  The world wants that for us too so it stands behind us.  The universal support shows up in ways like one last parking spot being available as you look for a spot to park your car downtown as you begin your walk.  It shows up on a day when you just don't feel like walking for another minute then all of a sudden, there's this person you don't really know, but that person stops you on your trek just to say how good you look.  It also shows up in the way the supermarket that is just around the corner from your house always seems to have a freshly made salad awaiting your arrival, even if it is the last one in the bin.  Of course, I could go on and list another hundred examples of the support that is all around me.  I also believe it comes from one more source and that is, from the person who is reading this right now, the person who is wishing me well and sending all their good energy my way.  To that person, I say thank you.

In Praise of Housework

One of the things I insist on each day is a well made bed.  Sounds pretty simple, doesn't it, to make your bed each day and, indeed, it is.  Yet, not everyone takes the time to do such a thing.  I've been in many houses where the covers are just thrown over and in many other houses where you have to kick your way to the bed.  I offer this example to illustrate the point I'd like to make about the learning I've been engaged in for the past seven years.  It's called Ontology and it is the study of "being".  Essentially, you can ask yourself the question, who are you being in the matter of your life?  In the example I gave of keeping a tidy bedroom, who I am being in the matter of my home is someone who is deeply committed to having everything tidy, comfortable, and organized.  Ask any mother who she is being in the matter of her child and you will discover someone who is deeply committed to her offspring and would likely do anything for that child.  It is my study in Ontology that has brought me to myself.  I now ask the question, who am I being in the matter of my health?  That's an easy one to answer as I can see my commitment in its broadest form.  Who I am being is someone deeply committed to my life, my health, and my well being.  Just as I make my bed and tidy my home each day, I do the same things for my life.  My life consists of solid exercise each day.  My body asks for nourishing food and I do my best to give it what it needs.  I can liken my commitment to myself as similar to that of a mother's commitment to her child.  Sadly, I have noticed that so many of us do so much for others and we seem unwilling to do even a fraction of that for ourselves.  That is one of the big changes in my life--I now put myself first.  Today, I enjoyed the benefits of a long walk, even though it came in what seemed like a raging snowstorm at 6:30 this morning.  I treated myself to good food today and to some wonderful comany this evening.  I now get to head to bed where I know a perfectly made bed awaits.  That's who I am being in the matter of my life.  It will ensure I have a good one for many, many years.

A Good Recovery

There will always be times when things go wrong and I've long accepted that.  What I look for beyond the incident is how the individual handles that.  Tonight, I experienced for the first time the new restaurant at the Sheraton called Oppidan.  The name might have been a little unusual and as such, I didn't quite know what to expect.  What I discovered was an amazing experience, wonderful food, along with the company of a dear friend.  At the risk of making this blog seem like a restaurant review, it was certainly worth talking about.  My soup could have been a little hotter and while my whipped potatoes were less than warm, one forkful of my friend's risotto convinced me that this food was incredible.  Still, I was a little disappointed in the temperature of some of the things that came out, and I discreetly shared this with our waiter who was more than willing to replace my plate.  It wasn't necessary.  My fork found its way to warm satisfaction in my friend's plate.  All of a sudden, I was presented with my own, very piping hot bowl of that rice dish.  It reminded me that they certainly did care, even when I was willing to settle for something less that what I had expected.  It was a great recovery on their part and certainly prompted me to share the experience.  As a matter of fact, I believe I could speak more hightly of the experience based on the initial setback.  I guess that's the thing, we are not always perfect and things around us can sometimes go wrong.  I certainly experience that in my work, both in my capacity and on the other end.  In the matter of that, it's all about the recovery and tonight was a shining example of how little it took to make me a very satisfied guest.  Good for you, Oppidan, we'll be back.

The Power of the Potato

Tonight, a good friend returned to Newfoundland and let's face it, who wants to come back home with nobody to greet them at the airport.  I knew it was my duty.  That led to an impromptu dinner out and as suspected, most of the downtown restaurants were bursting at the seams.  It only took a little hike down Water St. to find a restaurant with a table in the window so in we went.  One thing I really love is interesting conversation so the entire evening was spent on a broad range of topics, one of which was the food on our plate.  The soup to start was well made but could have used a few degrees more to make it piping hot.  The sandwich that followed came with a choice of side and then came the moment when you stop to consider that half a plate of french fries would likely be in order.  I really don't remember the last time I ate a french fry, but tonight, I was having them.  A conversation soon followed on whether that was the best choice, so I was up front in stating that it clearly wasn't.  But in that moment, I really wanted french fries as my side.  Here's what I believe.  If I was to resist those fries as if they were the worst things in the world, no matter how much I may have wanted them, the fries win.  As long as you tell yourself that you can no longer have that desirable something that may find its way to your plate, that something wins.  What I now tell myself is that I can have whatever I want and I only eat it when I'm hungry (real hunger, that is, not the kind of hunger you believe is there late at night when something's on your mind).  I really do say that to myself.  In the matter of that, the food no longer has the hold that it once did.  What I've discovered is that the freedom to have whatever I want offers just that--freedom.  Now I am in control, not the food.  What I've also discovered is that the frequence of my consuming those kinds of foods has diminished considerably.  Just as I've said, I don't remember the last time I ate a french fry.  I'm pretty sure they won't be on my plate tomorrow nor anytime soon.  My desire for those kinds of food has changed so much.  Even with Chinese food.  For so long, that was the enemy, now I tell myself I can have it whenever I want and even as often as I want (again, as long as I'm eating to satisfy real hunger).  Again, I would have to think to the last time I had that.  For the most part, my choices are good ones but I won't make the french fry bad or wrong because it was on my plate tonight.  They were actually quite good.  I shared them, by the way, so only half the guilt was actually consumed.