Save the Yolanda Typhoon victims from human traffickers

November 21 1:35 pm ,

Rise up, Philippines!

Rise up, Philippines!

She has seen it happen, she said.

When a disaster strikes, young girls who come from good families—sheltered, vulnerable—would become orphans. Depraved men—and women—from the underworld, otherwise known as human traffickers, would circle them like vultures. In their fragile state, with no one to look after them, no one who knew who they were or where they came from, they would fall prey to that life.

The Philippines has just experienced a disaster and no one knows who is looking after the orphaned children.

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Posted in: Canada, Rescue72 Disaster Preparedness

Inner abilities

November 8 8:29 am ,

Dwelling Place

Dwelling Place

I just finished a book recommended by one of my favorite bloggers, Leo Babauta of Zen Habits.

The title was The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake.

I did not know that lemon cake could be sad, and the child in the book did not, too. At the back of my mind was the other book/movie Like Water for Chocolate but I suspended the animation, not wanting to color this latest book with my own perceptions (or that other book’s perceptions). Which were pushed back to the forgotten anyway (which reminds me, I have to get to that book again).

Of late, I have been reading several books where people have super powers. Except they are real and not in the realm of the imagined.

Okay. I may be naive but that was my takeaway: these people are real and they had problems. No, not problems, but abilities which are so far off center that it becomes a disability.

Like people who can taste emotion in food, which mostly, interestingly, is one of pain.

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Posted in: Book Review, Life Stories

Top 5 Most Unique Cars on the Road

November 3 5:53 am ,

Guest post

Over the past few decades, car buyers have primarily been attracted to practical hatchbacks, 4×4’s, and the occasional sporty car. But over the past few years, an increasing number of motorists are choosing unusual cars that don’t easily fit into one automotive bracket. Here are the top 5 unique new cars that offer something different to drivers looking to stand out from the crowd. For the ones that didn’t make the list, visit vcars.co.uk

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Posted in: Random

It’s official, I am a record holder

October 12 1:36 am ,
Swim fishie fishie

Swim fishie fishie

Yes, it is official. I am a Guinness World Record holder. Who would have thought? It was unplanned, unintentional and totally amazing. Here’s the press release. Ehem.

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Posted in: Canada

Guiness World Record Holder

September 12 1:33 pm ,

Row, row, row your boat

Row, row, row your boat

Well, not yet. It is not yet official.

But I don’t think I could listen to Row, row, row your boat anymore.

Yes, I joined the recent attempt to break the current record of 154 participants for a nursery rhyme relay. There were 180 of us for the Nursery Rhyme Relay singing of Row, Row, Row Your Boat during the 10th Richmond Maritime Festival held in Richmond, British Columbia.

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Posted in: Canada , Tagged: , ,

Vancouver’s Grouse Grind

September 9 11:30 am ,

The view

Ancient sentinels by Danvic Briones

The Grouse Grind® is a 2.9-kilometre trail up the face of Grouse Mountain, called Mother Nature’ s Stairmaster. It is located in Western Canada.

I signed up to conquer The Grind.

But it conquered me.

When Sun Tzu said “subdue the enemy without fighting”, I didn’t know he was talking about mountains.

And there, on top of craggy stairways, winding their way to a seemingly unreachable top, on a tough terrain that has been peppered with foggy breaths and hardened determination, I found out – I am not superwoman.

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Posted in: Canada, Life Stories , Tagged:

It only takes a spark

August 15 4:21 am ,

One of the world's amazing wonders...

One of the world’s amazing wonders…

I just met with my Spark sisters and I am stoked.

As always, I learn a lot when I am with them, more so when I keep my mouth shut. From them come the most wonderful stories and learnings and I am just thankful to be in their presence.

Here are 5 things I learned from them today:

1.  Spouses need at least 15 hours per week with each other. 20 for couples who are in crisis.

No, your husband can’t be watching TV while you are on your computer. You have to be there, with him, talking to him – about his day, about his thoughts, about everything and nothing. It cannot be just a co-existence, there has to be a purposeful exchange of self, or a simple touching of minds. 

You can also apply this to your children. At least have a date with each one (if you have more than one like I do) every week. I know Bo Sanchez practices this and it cannot be overemphasized. Children are young once, their minds can be trained in (what should be) the most positive, inclusive, loving environment they will ever know in their lives only in this short span of time. It does not matter if they are 3 years old or younger. They know.  Let’s not squander this time with them.

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Posted in: Spark , Tagged: , , ,

A whisper said: go

August 2 6:57 am ,

The many shades of blue

The many shades of blue

Pleasantville. The movie.

Where Reese Witherspoon—everyone (some in a burst of fire, others fireworks)—had an awakening that put the colors in the small town inside the TV set. That comes to my mind when I go through new roads. It is as if the pasty-grey scene is unfurling before me, in a slow unravelling of life and color and beauty.

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Posted in: Canada , Tagged: , , ,