Laughter Yoga

Today at work we had a "trends" workshop for rec programmers. It was pretty interesting - presentations by Brian Johnston from PERC (Professional Environmental Recreation Consultants) and Suzanne Strutt of BCRPA (BC Recreation and Parks Association) and results of a customer preferences and participation survey. Okay, it was interesting but it was loooonnnnngggg. By 12:15 I was wiggling and yawning and I had already taken a couple of mental vacations to more interesting places. Then my friend Rhonda Jackson from Bonsor got up to do a presentation about hot new fitness activities. We heard about "nordic walking" (vigourous trailwalking with ski poles - aka dork-fit - I added that last part). We also tried drumming fitness aka Taiko-Fit, but that's copyrighted. We banged on giant rubber balls with drum sticks. That was fun and it make my arms and shoulders nice and warm. The best was laughter yoga. Rhonda got us to try a bit of it. She said we had to "fake it until we make it," or make ourselves laugh until we really started laughing. So we had to walk around the room and bow Asian-style to each person we met, maintain eye contact and bring up a belly laugh. Wow. That was easy. I was killing myself laughing from the first encounter. That made everything feel warm and good. Rhonda reminded us that children laugh 300 times a day and adults laugh 15 times a day. She said that adults often laugh little tiny chest laughs when belly laughs are the beneficial kind. She told us how it lowers stress and blood pressure and improves overall physical and mental health. Also, one hour of laughing burns 500 calories. Huhhh? Wow, I'd better keep laughing or I'm going to blimp out for sure. I told my friends, "See that's why I'm so skiiiinnnnnyyy." They laughed.

question: how often do you laugh each day?

mompoet - I don't need lessons but I enjoy practising anytime

yeti plays with his spam too

Yeah! Matthew Baldwin likes to play with spam too. I'm not the only one. Check out Defective Yeti for November 10 (you might have to scroll down).

question: doesn't it feel good when you find out that someone else is fixated on the same trivia that's got you distracted/obsessed/playing with your peas at supper?

mompoet - I know, I know, it's not all about me

2 dozen jars done and I still have my fingerprints

The last time I made pickled garlic was just about a year ago at Myrna's house. The good part about it was that it was Myrna's house. Cathy and Kirsi and Karen were there too. There was wine and sushi and good cheese and we laughed and cooked together. The bad part was the burning off of the fingertips. A couple of the ladies had brought latex gloves - more for odor protection than anything else. It turned out that we all should have had them. We did not know how harsh garlic juice is. I've been cooking with garlic all my life - but only a couple of cloves at a time. Peeling a few hundred was a new and painful experience. I ended up wearing bandaids on all of my fingers to lessen the contact with skin-removing garlic juice. After the cooking session, my fingertips turned bright red, blistered and then peeled, all over the course of about a week. I swear I had no prints for at least 4 or 5 days. A couple of my freinds had the same bad experience.

We didn't get together this fall for a garlic-a-thon, partly I think because of our last year's trauma. I was missing pickled garlic a lot. It's expensive to buy, but so yummy. Then I found 3 pound jars of peeled garlic cloves at Costco. I bought two for $6 each and made a couple of dozen jars in record time this afternoon - and my fingers feel just fine.

The house is fragrant with brine and garlic. In a couple of weeks the pickles will be mellow and yummy. I like them best this way: smear a small cracker (like a wheat thin) with a gob of plain cream cheese. Top with one whole clove of pickled garlic. Gobble. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Mmmmmmmmm. I like to have a bunch of jars ready for holiday visits and entertaining. People who have never tried it may be reluctant, but once they start, they could eat it with a spoon it's so good.

I'm not sure if these jars of peeled cloves are year-round or seasonal. They list no additional ingredients and come with a dire warning to "refrigerate for safety."

So that's what I did today. Oh yeah, I also put the Halloween decorations in the attic and cleaned the toilets. It was a perfect day. Really.

question: have you tried it?

mompoet - can't wait until it's ready

How to survive the mall on a rainy day in November

A week ago I promised a gaggle of post-rehearsal girls "an afternoon at the mall on Friday November 11." So there I was yesterday, wringing myself out after huddling in the rain at the cenotaph and preparing for a Coquitlam Centre afternoon.

Daughter had coordinated an arrival time with her buddies and a rendezvous point. I had spoken to the moms and gained agreement on the level of security and supervision appropriate for the group. We met and lunched at the food court (a good way to become habituate one's self to the noise level of the mall) then we launched the girls and the other moms left the building, leaving me in charge of the gaggle.

The girls are 10 to 13 years old, 4 of them. The rules are: stay together at all times, make good choices, keep your cell phone in your pocket so you can hear if I call to check on you, be safe and meet me back at the big couches outside of The Gap in one hour. The girls had hardly any money and make a noisy enough phalanx to scare off any potential maurauders. The one hour check-in is a precaution and also a chance for me to gauge how things are going for them as a group. When it gets too late in the afternoon or they begin to show signs of exhaustion and/or bickering, we go home.

So here's what pre-and-just-teen girls do at the mall: ride the kiddie rides, buy stuff out of vending machines (bouncy balls today), do make-overs in clothing stores - each girl gets to prescribe an outfit for one other girl to try on - the more hideous the better, record a message at Speaker's Corner, shop for junk and candy at the dollar store, eat ice cream, buy a group squish photo in the photo booth. Here's what mompoet does at the mall: buy a coffee, find a big chair (the good thing about Coquitlam Centre for me is that there are lots of big cushy chairs and couches in the middle of the mall. There are also big screen tvs with zombies watching them, but I ignore all of that.) Sit in the big chair with the coffee and a good book and tune out the mall and enjoy the book.

My mall book on Friday was Andrea Levy's Small Island, loaned to me by my friend Louise. I'm just beginning it, and it seems very good indeed.

At 3:30 I made the mom-xecutive decision that it was going home time. The protests were pretty feeble so I knew it was a good call. The girls stopped for Yogen Fruz on the way out to we left the parking lot just before 4. I dropped giggling girls off at their homes and arrived back at our home around 5:15. Andy was cooking a turkey supper.

Did I mention I don't like to shop? I think this plan will work for the time being. I noticed a few other moms seemingly doing the same thing, so I guess I'm in good company. Oh well. A good book can get you through almost anything.

question: where do you wait while others romp?

mompoet - happy side-sitter

The anti-cheese now available for your workplace

I have always detested those cheesey framed photos of skydivers and mountain peaks and soaring eagles that are hung by the rah-rah police in places of employment. You know the kind I mean. If you don't, you are either unemployed or you work in the rare place that is blessed by the absence of these pithy platitudinal planks of plunkity-plink-plonk.

Now, thanks to a link sent to me by my dad, who is a mathematician and so a pessimist by nature (not really, but that sounds good and may start a lively discussion), I have discovered an alternative. I would like to hang one up and see how long it takes my co-workers to notice.

question: which is your favourite?

mompoet - really motivated (not pretending by hanging up a stupid sign) most of the time

I am Elmo

Who are you? And where is the picture of Elmo? Oh well, it's a fun test...

Elmo You scored 47% Organization, 85% abstract, and 74% extroverted!

This test measured 3 variables. First, this test measured how organized you are. Some muppets like Cookie Monster make big messes, while others like Bert are quite anal about things being clean. Second, this test measured if you prefer a concrete or an abstract viewpoint. For the purposes of this test, concrete people are considered to gravitate more to mathematical and logical approaches, whereas abstract people are more the dreamers and artistic type. Third, this test measured if you are more of an introvert or an extrovert. By definition, an introvert concentrates more on herself and an extrovert focuses more on others. In this test an introvert was somebody that either tends to spend more time alone or thinks more about herself. You are mostly organized, more abstract, and more extroverted. Most people either love or hate Elmo. I hope you love Elmo, because that's who you are. You are both somewhat organized. You have a good idea where you put things and you probably keep your place reasonably clean. You aren't totally obsessed with neatness though. Elmo has the same basic approach. His place is pretty tidy, but he doesn't spend all of his time cleaning it up. You both are abstract thinkers. You definitely are not afraid to take chances in life. You only live once. You may notice others around you playing it safe, but you are more concerned with not compromising your desires, and getting everything you can out of life. This is a very romantic approach to life, but hopefully you are also grounded enough to get by. Elmo's whole life is based on fantasy and his imagination. In the beginning he was a regular character, but now he spends most of his time in this fantasy world. You are both extroverts. Elmo likes to talk talk talk. He'll talk with people, goldfish, tables, whatever. Without interaction with others he gets very sad. You definitely enjoy the company of others, and you don't have problems meeting new people... in fact you probably look forward to it. You are willing to take charge when necessary or work as part of a team. The other possible characters are Oscar the Grouch Big Bird Cookie Monster Ernie Snuffleupagus Kermit the Frog Grover The Count Guy Smiley Bert If you enjoyed this test, I would love the feedback! Also if you want to tell me your favorite Sesame Street character, I can total them up and post them here. Perhaps your choice will win!

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 18% on Organization You scored higher than 99% on concrete-abstra You scored higher than 85% on intro-extrovert

Link: The Your SESAME STREET Persona Test written by greencowsgomoo on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

rat skedaddled

Not-Nelson is gone. I hope he finds his way to new adventures.

question: where do you think he went? who helped him?

mompoet - pleased and curious

his name is not Nelson

He wants to go to Nelson, and so far, no ride. But he's sitting on Andy's abandoned motorcyle looking roguish, so who knows? I will take a motorcyle photograph of him in the morning when it is only murky in the back of the carport, as opposed to pitch blank like it is right now. Not-Nelson blends in completely with pitch, except for his little red eyes.

And I'm back to blogging about nothing, after 4 computerless days (new power-supply needed). I do not blog at the office because I fear that it would be the first step towards total wastage of city work-time. I think of it like when I leave the trick-or-treat candy bag factory-sealed until the first knock on the door. If I don't start, I will be okay. Same rule applies for potato chips and donuts - just say no. Red wine, mind you, well, that's another story...

But more about Not-Nelson. I will have to get to work on helping him get out of town. My friend Cathy suggested I choose a random name from the City of Nelson phone directory and Canada Post him to that person with a request for a home, and maybe future travel. I think that's cool, but it would also be fun to take him to the Greyhound Station and leave him with a note attached, requesting a ride-along in someone's bag, or maybe abandon him at the airport - no - bad idea. I might get picked up by security cameras and get detained on suspicion of depositing an incendiary device. RAT BOMB!

Sometimes when I go for a walk I leave a penny where I think someone will surely find it, then I check it every time I pass. It is remarkable how long a penny will stay in one spot. Weeks sometimes, once for months in the winter. I wonder how long Not-Nelson would stay if I left him at the bus stop or West Coast Express station?

Poor Not-Nelson. He probably just wants to go sleep in the attic. But he can't tell me. He's a plastic rat-bomb and he can't talk.

question: how can Not-Nelson get out of town?

mompoet - wasting time on my own penny

Rat hits the road

question: do you think someone will take him?

mompoet - gotta put the Halloween decorations away - better keep rat out of the attic

where in the world

I have been considering where in the world the rat should go:

He could go to Brazil but people would say he's nuts.
He could go to Turkey but he's too chicken.
He could go to Istanbul but we already talked about that.
He could go to Syria but he refuses to take anything seriously.
He could go to Venice but he's afraid of root canals.
He could go to Madrid, but he'd have to buy a bolero.
He could go to Hollywood but he'd have to buy botox.
He could go to Disneyland, but he'd end up in a turf war with that mouse.
He could go to China but it's just too darn big.
He could go to Monaco but it's just too darn small.
He could go to France. It's just right, and good cheese, but too hot in Paris in November.
He could go to Kenya but he's afraid of getting trapped in a Killing-man-jar-o.
He could go to Australia but he's afraid of being mistaken for an underachieving kangaroo.
He could go to Japan but he would get an inferiority complex.
He could go to Germany but he's too messy and unfocussed.
He could to to Holland but he just wouldn't get it.
He could go to Belgium but those hedgehogs...ewww.
He could go to Bolivia but he might get a nosebleed.
He could go to Antarctica, but it's been done.
He could go to Samoa but his ankles are too thin.
He could go to Egypt but he's afraid of the sphynx.
He could go to Scotland but he's still insecure about his pronunciation of the word "scone."
He could stay in Canada, but that's pretty predictable.
He could start close to home then branch out.
This week...Nelson....next week: Eritrea!

In the summertime, all of the hitchhikers in the interior have signs with the name of the BC counterculture mecca: Nelson. I'm going to send him to Nelson. If it works out, he'll hitch a ride somewhere else. If not, Nelson's a pretty good place for a rat.

question: where oh where?

mompoet - the untravelled

the rat

is still at home. I will make him a sign tomorrow.

question: where should he go?

mompoet - check this space tomorrow for a photo of the rat with his hitch-hiking sign

Congratulations New Canadians

My Mom and Dad will get their Canadian citizenship on November 16. Hurray and congratulations! Unfortunately, due to cutbacks, the ceremony is private with no guests or onlookers allowed. Too bad. When I became a Canadian my family came and cheered and I had my picture taken with a Mountie and some ladies from the IODE served cookies and waved little flags.

Guess we'll have to have a real hoser cheese-head party for Mom and Dad when they come home. We can watch the hockey game, talk about where to buy cheap gas and jump up and down and yell Gomery-goo-gah! Then we'll paint maple leaves on our foreheads and run up and down the street yelling them come home and drink beer until we pass out.

O Canada!

Congratulations Mom and Dad. Welcome to your second country. Vote!

question: ou est ma toque?

mompoet - 95% culturally identifiable

Port Moody Votes (a little)

Port Moody's mini civic election will happen on November 19, same as all the cities in the region. Compared to 2002, this election is small and quiet. Our mayor was acclaimed a week ago because nobody ran against him. There were 4 school trustee candidates but two dropped out, leaving the incumbents to return without having to campaign. We'll vote only for councillors. Ten candidates are running for 6 seats on council.

I went to an all-candidates meeting tonight at the Boat House at Rocky Point. There was a pretty good turnout - maybe 50 people in the audience. It was put on by Port Moody Chamber of Commerce, so it had the potential to be pretty stacked to business interests, but the questions were pretty well-balanced and the answers...uhh...boring. Everyone pretty much agreed with everyone else, so I guess we'll all have to decide who we like and trust the most to represent us responsibly and make good decisions. Issues include transportation, residential density, public safety, tax levels and social amenities.

It makes me wonder what an all-candidates meeting is like in Vancouver. Do they even have omnibus meetings there? We had Mayor/Council/Trustee meetings here in Moody in 2002. Somehow I don't think that would be possible in Vancouver. I heard that there are something like 90 candidates total when you combine mayor, council, school board and parks board. Twenty mayoral candidates alone. I wonder if they are boring too? Somehow I don't think so.

Anyway, at the Moody meeting I had a chance to say hello and good job to my friend Karen Rockwell who is running for re-election to city council. The Legislature's loss may well be Port Moody's gain. She did a good job answering questions, and did not look as nervous as she said she felt. In the audience were a bunch of familiar faces. The same 100 or so people must go to everything and do just about everything everywhere. I've heard somewhere that 8% of the population does 80% of all of the social action. In a small town like ours, that's a really small number. I guess I am one of them.

Now I have to do some reading and maybe phone-calling to decide who I will vote for. The next 3 years in our city will be anything but boring, so we'll need the ones who will be able to do the best job.

question: how do you decide how to vote?

mompoet - citizen mom

The rat experiment

After trick-or-treating we put away the battery-operated disembodied hand and the Michael Jackson Frankenstein and my favourite Mr. and Mrs. Frank N. Stein bride and groom dolls, but I left the life-size plastic rat out beside the jack-o-lanterns. I am going to see if someone steals the rat. Maybe the rat will go to Europe or Antarctica like those lawn gnomes. I would like to think of the rat having a better life than just holing up in a box of Halloween decorations in my attic for a whole year.

question: if you were a plastic rat, which would you rather?

mompoet - rooting for the rodent

Halloween in Eastwick-hill-ham-shire

How awful can it be and still be funny?

My friend Brian told me about something he saw on television so I looked it up on google. WARNING...DO NOT LOOK AT THIS IF YOU THINKS JOKES ABOUT CANNIBALISM ARE NOT FUNNY: Hufu

I'm still trying to figure out:

A. Is this for real? (I think probably not)
B. Is this really clever and funny? or has it crossed the line to cruelly horrible? (can it be both?)
C. Am I doing the wrong thing telling one more person about it? (well, you'll hear about it somewhere else if not already)
D. Can I admire the art but despise the thought? (I think probably not)

If you are strong of stomach and have a really stretchy sense of humour, check it out. If not, skip it.

Bonus: on each page there's an "escape" link for if you are feeling queasy. Check where it sends you!

question: already asked too many

mompoet - now reconsidering the wisdom of naming my squash

how weird are you

I'm a bit disappointed in my result, admiring weirdness as I do. But you gotta be what you gotta be.

You Are 50% Weird

Normal enough to know that you're weird... But too damn weird to do anything about it!

How Weird Are You?

question: how weird are you?

mompoet - don't worry, I can't read your answers, but I might ask you later

pomegranate is beautiful

question: what is your favourite fruit?

mompoet - swallowing the seeds

Syringa Tree

Holy crap. The whole theatre was crying. I wasn't just weeping, I was stifling sobs. It is a beautiful play.

Here's a link.

question: none

mompoet - wow

Chapbook Recap and Weekend Ahead

It bucketed rain all the way out to Whonnock but when we got there, Helmi and Fred's place was cozy and inviting. We took off our shoes, curled up in interesting and gracious chairs and couches, stretched out on the floor and emptied out our pockets of stories, both personal and for the book. We talked about health and love and travel and money and work. We put our energy and indignation up in support of friends to whom fate is dealing a bad hand. We laughed. We ate a big crazy patchwork supper. We drank wine. We chose a title, set the order of stories, agreed on absolute deadlines, laughed about author bios, encouraged our most-beleagured friend to go with his heart as far as including his story this time or re-writing it and waiting for next time. We talked about why we liked the story written by the one least confident about including hers. We prowled restlessly around photographs and artwork for the cover, loving nothing intensely enough nor with consensus to say "That's the cover." We agreed, barring a last minute romance with a cover yet undiscovered, that this will the "the black book with red title." We named it My Mother and Other Lies. We drank coffee, ate brandy chocolates and fruit too beautiful for words and talked about the declining quality of hospital linens. Then we went home.

Today is another day, less group collaboration, more offspring transportation. I'll lunch with Mom and Dad and Andy, then go see The Syringa Tree at the Playhouse. I will surely cry in the the dark, but that's what I do. At some point I will put finishing touches on a Sunday School lesson, help with last minute Halloween preparations including artistic design of Pippi Longstocking hair using actual hair, a bent coathanger and red spray colour. Check in about Chapter 2 and 3 math tests, cuddle on the couch with husband and watch some dvd or other, write a couple of reference letters and some thank you cards, send a message to Eritrea and make applesauce.

Life has a complicated and beautiful shape, even on ordinary days. Nothing is perfect. Everything is interesting. Much is unexpected or at least different from orignally anticipted. I am blessed.

question: whatcha doing today? Whadja do yesterday?

mompoet - oomphy