Pancakes

Pretty much the way to my heart, in case you were wondering. Thanks tumblr for connecting those dots.

Family Day

It’s a holiday in Canada today: Family Day. The irony about Family Day is, it’s a “provincial” holiday – so everyone in Ottawa who has a job with the Federal Government (which is probably 75% of the working population) has to work on “Family Day.” Bummer. Imagine your kids have the day off school but you have to go to work so they get shipped off to a sitter’s house? Something’s wrong with that picture.

I used to work for the Federal Government – but now I’m a degenerate grad student sitting on my couch in pyjamas at noon (and I may or may not shower) and to be frankly honest I have no classes on Mondays anyway so there really isn’t anything different about today in this household.

i’ve realized that as you become older, you become less concerned with other things in your life – things that seemed so important when you were younger – and you realize that your time is better spent with family.

nothing could really be truer. despite all the struggles, the ups and downs, life turmoils, distance and eccentricities that make up a family, there really isn’t anything that can replace them.

since the student budget is tight and my family doesn’t live in town, I won’t be able to spend the day with:

two sisters, three nieces, one nephew, two brother-in-laws or mom and dad.

but….. the other thing about getting older is your family will grow, it’s one of life’s many blessings.

and so i get to spend the day pulling shoe’s out of this guy’s mouth:

sharing a wonderful brunch for two:

And of course intervening in various attempts to overthrow the canine (from the advancing feline front):

Happy Family Day!

And remember in the words of George Bernard Shaw:

“If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.”

A dose of someone else’s genius

my photo…. not my words.

Happy tuesday everyone 🙂

Take a Chance

The saying to remember. The credo.

And to think it all came from a dinner of wontons and egg-rolls.

She Reads Too Many Novels

Wise words from Downton Abbey:

Last Day

It’s my last day in my current job before I head off to a new adventure!

A lesson from the Good Doctor for anyone (like me) who gets incredibly nostalgic about these sorts of things.

Wish me luck!

Source

Attitude

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company…. a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past…. we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 99% of how I react to it. And so it is with you.. we are in charge of our attitudes.”

This week has been snowy.

It has been ridiculously cold.

It has been a war to get on and off the bus everyday.

Deadlines approached.

And obstacles have made me feel like efforts are at times futile.

I still feel icky and run-down.

Other people have been grouchy.

And I just wish I had a cave to hibernate in.

Then I look at this nice little ditty from our good old friend Charles Swindle, hanging there, tacked to the wall on a pleated and worn piece of paper, and I think to myself… how on God’s green earth did you ever gain such perspective?

I would almost admire him if he wasn’t rubbing it in my face so blatantly.

Clearly still working on the attitude adjustment that my mother told me I needed when I was 16. The pursuit of excellence is after all a life long journey… now how’s that for attitude Swindle?!