Lefty

Don't be fooled by my left handed card creation... I really am getting by pretty well with my left hand. Perhaps too well? Still thinking I can do it all has lead me to do some painful tweaking of my shoulder. So now I know why they tell you to stay immobile after shoulder surgery.

On a brighter side, I started the first of 40 days of my Mantra meditation. Working with the gayatri mantra so that should help...

one armed juicing with mum and Holly...

My new juicer arrived just in time to help heal me up with raw organic goodness after my shoulder surgery (crazy insane pain by the way, but not going to get into that here). I do have to say though, THANK YOU to my Mum for helping me get through the last few days. Love you :)

Courtesy of the Spud.ca Juicing program, my new juicer arrived with a bin of fresh organics. If you are thinking of juicing check it out. Great deal, and they had $75 off in groceries when I signed up.They know I'm fresh from surgery too so bring it all up to my kitchen weekly!

Here's a little collage of our first juicing. I'm still out of commission so mum did all the chopping and let me put in the veggies (my favourite part) and pour for the photo. Our first juice was so delish - carrot, celery, apple, ginger and parsley. Poor Holly loves carrots but she's on a no sugar restricted diet...

And then I made the best quinoa salad with the fiber ends (tasted way better than that sounds)...

My morning after the full moon...

I could be wrong... but I don't think having 4 DUI's qualifies someone as an expert on traffic law? Thought it best I keep that disagreement to myself rather than argue with the drunk ranting guy on the bus at 8am, no?

Surprised, Impressed and dazled by my friend...

After years of knowing someone, you think you know how they will react in situations... and then sometimes you don't :)

So I was at a party last night with some friends and during the night we meet this guy. Very cute. We'll call him Ryan Gosling 2.0. He was a lot younger... I'm guessing 23? but there was some chemistry for sure with my friend. So night goes on, we were having a good time. I think I remember him coming by and saying goodbye, we were distracted by good conversation, and the wine. Anyway, we look around and we were the only people left. Literally. Even the staff were gone. We decide to move to another venue and on the way out we see a cab. In the back seat is Ryan 2.0 with a bunch of girls. So my friend walks up, opens the back door and says 'hey, take my number'. The girls were in shock... and impressed (there may have been a high five in there), and by the time we got to Sandbar for drinks Ryan 2.0 had already texted her to make plans for tonight.

Impressed I am. Did I mention she's shy?

My Dharma 101 lesson

This is something I've struggled with, not unlike most people. Discovering your purpose and mission, or your divine destiny (Dharma) is no easy task. The thing is, it's something you can't look to others to find (as tempting as that may be), it's yours and yours alone.

For me the first lesson was in finding my own voice. Easier said than done. There are a lot of voices in my head and they convincingly sound a lot like me. The extra voices belong to the influencers... sometimes it's people that influence (like the voice telling me how to be to make my friends and family happy), and sometimes it's my own emotions like envy or desire telling me how to be to get what I possessively and/or obsessively think I need. It's difficult to peel away the layers to what truly is right for me. Good news, after years of introspection I think I've almost got it... almost.

Stumbling block - getting wowed by someone who's dharma path seems awesome and plunking myself into it. Like being pulled into someone’s great idea. It's giving them the happiness and fulfilment I want so why not do as they do. But the thing is, it has to come from my own inner voice to take me to a purpose and mission that will satisfy and make me happy. Or so I've heard :)

Level 2 Dharma lesson coming when I figure it out.

 

Day one today... no more toxin

Food Matters.

You can be sincere, and be sincerely wrong...

I heard a rumour...

The sun is coming, my iphone told me so. Here is my list of things to cram in before the rain comes back:

• Get the patio ready at my loft and BBQ at least one night
• Hit all three peaks of the Chief... haven't done that in a few years
• Chill on a patio and drink beer with friends (after hike)
• Rent a Vespa for the afternoon... thinking about purchasing
• Talk friends into bringing the boat to the lake
• Paddleboard
• Talk friends into sailing in English Bay :)
• Chill, yoga and meditate on the beach
• Chill, yoga and meditate on top of mountain

Long list, and I have a lot more. Hope the weather lasts :)

Heart goes out to Boston...

Perhaps if I/we could stay grateful and content with what we are given in this life, the universe would stop sending lessons to put things into perspective for us. I was lamenting about having limited use of my right shoulder and left elbow due to cartilage and ligament tears… and then Twitter ignited with the news of the Boston Marathon explosions. Lives and limbs lost. Perspective.

Don't freak out ;)

I changed the name of my blog...

I originally named the url for this blog 'Imperial Dreams' after my first 2004 trip to Costa Rica when I was dreaming of returning and siping a yummy Imperial Beer in a hammock in Jaco, on the beach in Tamarindo, in the mountains of Monteverde, in the jungles in Montezuma, and even in my hostel in San Jose. The heading was Lame Thoughts, because I started out just posting my spin on the random funny(ish) things I experienced.

I did return in 2011 for a month in the Jungles of Montezuma and knew that I wanted to be back... more permanently. I was 100% certain. I even hesitated writing in my blog because I felt different. I was still Tammy who put a funny spin on daily life experiences, but now there was also this other side to me that wanted to share 'out-there hippy, connected to nature and the world' stuff. Just didn't feel like 'Lame thoughts' covered it all.

When I returned home my goal was still there... but my resolve tapered away. Got caught up in the world and living. I don't  know if I will live in Costa Rica, but I do still want to live a different life, more connected to my yoga practice and nature... but still me with my dance, marketing and tourism passions. I don't know the path there yet. One shift in conscious at a time I guess? Evolving the name from 'Lame thoughts' to 'Imperial Dreams' is today's shift...

Might have to go bigger soon : )