17 posts tagged “qotd”
How did you celebrate Valentine's Day?
Submitted by Stephen.
I spent Valentines Day making a big batch of Love to share with my students as well as other people in my life, significant and random.
I taught two yoga classes last night (was surprised to have a few couples attend together!). As my students rested in Savasana, I tip-toed around the room, laying out plates full of the sweet surprises. A few told me later that they could smell the cookies as they rested! Everyone enjoyed the sweets after a challenging yoga class!
I also shared my cookies with G-the-janitor (the janitor who cleans the school where my evening classes are held) and the friendly TTC guy in the subway collector booth, who I see each week as I make my way home.
I have three classes today - I'm taking cookies to all of them. I dropped off a small bag of cookies with the homeless guy who sits outside Union Station wrapped in a white blanket (I try to bring him something every week). I gave cookies to the sweet security guys who open the doors for everyone who comes in (even though they don't really have to).
And there are still some cookies left!
My Saturday morning class will feel the Love and I'm going to give cookies to some of my favourite vendors in the St. Lawrence Market when I go there on my Saturday shopping rounds.
I'm saving two cookies for my favourite volunteers at the soup kitchen - an older couple who have been particuarly kind to me.
I'm having so much fun, I may need to make some more! ;-)
What do you do when you find yourself with nothing to do?
Submitted by Cassie.
Free time is so precious to me. How I chose to spend it depends on the context.
Often, I will read a book - I'm rarely without one and I read constantly: while riding on the subway, standing in line-ups, sitting in the doctor's office or while waiting for a lunch date. While riding public transit, I'll sometimes close my eyes and meditate or do pranayama (yogic breathing exercises). On subway platforms I'll sometimes even do simple yoga poses!
In spare moments at home, I love to close my eyes and listen to music, cuddle with my dog or sit and do nothing at all. I enjoy knitting (though I haven't been doing much of it lately).
In the summer months, I'll sometimes take my drum outside to the park (I play African Djembe). If I'm feeling musical, I'll practice my guitar. If I'm feeling artsy, I'll write or draw or paint.
And if I have a larger block of time available, I'll head to the kitchen to pursue my latest passion, baking. I particularly enjoy listening to CBC Radio One programmes as I knead bread or prepare the dough for cookies or muffins.
I think one measure of a full life is what you do when you have nothing to do. I'm never bored and each day unfolds full of activities, people and work I enjoy.
How do you stay organized?
Submitted by devillibrarian.
In terms of time, I plan ahead, make lists and leave early for commitments when I can. In terms of stuff, I live simply. I keep a minimum of stuff and make sure that there's a place for everything and everything is kept in its place.
Time:
I like to plan ahead. I use Google Calendar to do my scheduling. I often use lists to help me remember what I need to do/bring with me on particularly busy days. I prepare ahead when I can. I build 'buffer' time into my schedule to account for the unexpected. Often I'm early to a class or a commitment and I use that extra time for reading.
My routine on very busy days is a good example of how I organise my time. I'm breathing a sigh of relief today because I'm finally through the 'busy part' of my week. I teach during the days, but I also teach evening classes until 9:30 at night on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Before I leave for class, I set up the futon for sleeping (it's folded up much of the time because I live in a tiny city apartment), prepare my food and tea, and pack my bag with a few travel-sized toiletries as well as everything I need for teaching three yoga classes. I leave for class 15 minutes earlier than I really need to.
My classes prevent me from eating a normal supper and I've been experimenting with different ways of nourishing myself in the evening hours. It can't be anything to big, or too crunchy (in case I need to eat it during the Savasana, the period of rest at the end of class). I'm also very active, so it needs to be both nutrient-dense and energy-dense.
What I've come up with is this: a small bowl of cottage cheese to be eaten between classes, some tropical trail mix for snacking on over the course of the evening and a small bowl of bran cereal with rice milk (I put it in a baggie and tied a knot in it), which I eat after classes while waiting for the subway home. I prepare these items ahead of time, in small plastic containers.
This next bit of advanced planning maximises the amount of sleep I get on these busy nights. During the last 10 minutes of my last class of the evening, as my students are resting, I grab my travel-sized soap, toothpaste and contact lens case and dash up to the teacher's washroom (my class is in a middle school that doubles as a community centre). There, I do nearly everything necessary to 'get ready for bed' and then I put on my street clothes. Later, at the subway station, I eat my cereal. I do my evening meditation on the train. All of this allows me to walk in the door and almost immediately climb in bed to sleep.
The next day, it starts all over again.
Stuff:
This one is easy: I live simply and I don't collect stuff.
Some basic guidelines: If I haven't used it in a year and it has no significant sentimental value, I get rid of it. Everything I own has a designated place in my home - it if doesn't, I get rid of it. If I run out of room for stuff, I get rid of some stuff. I do twice-yearly clear-outs of all storage places, including clothing. My storage spaces are organised in plastic storage containers, labelled with the contents.
It actually helps that I live in a small space with very little storage. When I first moved into this apartment, it was meant to be temporary. I was a tad bit upset that I had to sell half my stuff in order to fit my life into this space. After six months, though, I found myself sorting through my belongings and getting rid of even more stuff. And I keep doing it. I've discovered that I'm happier without extraneous 'stuff' weighing me down.
When the great leader Gandhi died, all of his earthly possessions could be counted on two hands: two dinner bowls, wooden fork and spoon, the famous porcelain monkeys, diary, the Bhagavad Gita, watch, spittoon, letter openers and two pairs of sandals.
I find this (and the many things he accomplished in his life) simply inspiring.
What was the best movie you saw this year?
I used to be a huge movie buff - I went to see a film, usually at the Bloor Cinema or the local art movie house at least once a week. It was my indulgence. But in the past five years, I've stopped. I'm sure part of it has to do with rising prices - specifically, the special 'cheap Tuesday' and matinée prices that used to draw me in. I just can't seem to justify spending $14 to go see a movie. If I notice a film that interests me, I wait for DVD and then I usually forget about it and don't bother.
So, for your amusement, I present Kai's Best Film of '07. Or perhaps I should call it Kai's Only Film of '07:
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
What can I say? I'm a Harry Potter Fan...and I was on a date with a pretty girl ;-)
What was the one thing that you wanted badly that made you do something ridiculous?
Submitted by estell.
I wanted my father's love and approval so desperately that I lied to myself and everyone else for nearly ten years and passed myself off as completely straight, even though I was attracted to women and had been since I was 13.
The irony is, Dad died never knowing the heroic lengths I went to be someone he could respect. At age 17, I couldn't take it anymore and I left home. I never went back. We never spoke again. He died hating me and for a long time, I hated myself.
I was nonchalant when I learned that Dad was gone but secretly, I was dying inside. I never spoke to anyone about it, just went on with all the lies and the self-deception and trying to make amends. On some level, I believed that if I could be a 'good daughter', maybe I could reclaim those lost years and my relationship with my father.
Years later, it all unraveled (as lies always do) and I was left to pick up the pieces and try to put my life back together in a way that made sense to me, reflected who I really am.
Sometimes, I wonder what my life could have been like if Dad hadn't been so homophobic. When I was a pre-teen, we started talking about 'the facts of life' - I do give my father huge props for being open and honest about this topic, at least. But Dad also told me me that homosexuality was 'sick' and that 'men and women fit together like puzzle pieces.' I believed him. My dad was my hero, so he must be right.
I was convinced that something terrible was wrong with me when I fell in love for the first time. I ached with emotion whenever I thought about my girlfriend but wondered what Dad would think if he knew. It was a such a sad and difficult time.
What if Dad had believed that there are many different ways to love? What if he had told me that it was okay to love girls? Would I have been less confused and miserable, as I kept getting crush after crush on girls instead of boys? Would I have been able to preserve my relationship with my Dad?
If he told me that it was okay to be gay and that he loved me no matter what, how would my life be different?
And here's the deepest, scariest question of all: would I be in a healthy relationship right now, instead of single and alone?
When did you really get to make a difference for someone else?
Submitted by bodhibound.
Two (sometimes three) times a week, I volunteer at a local soup kitchen, serving food, cleaning tables, pouring drinks, preparing food - whatever needs to be done.
Many of our guests at these meals are homeless. Some have homes but are struggling financially. Some are old and lonely and enjoy the social interaction of the meals. All are just trying to get by, the best they can.
On Thursday mornings, a family comes in: a young mother, father and their infant daughter. I always pack a bag full of food - bread, milk, juice and anything else extra I can find - and put it in the basket underneath the baby's stroller.
This morning, I packed a big bag with lots of extras, including fruit, pudding and sweets for the holidays. Both the mum and the dad made a point of approaching me and expressing their thanks. The mum gently touched my arm and said "You'll never know how incredible helpful this is to us, this extra food."
I acknowledged her thanks and as I turned back to my task, I had to blink back tears.
I'm trying to find some clothing for the little baby. I think I’m going to ask around the neighbourhood.
I'm glad to know that I'm making a difference, but our guests make a difference in my life too. I learn lessons of dignity and gratitude and about willingness to accept help (something I still struggle with).
These meals are often the best part of my week, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to be of service to others.
Which breed of dog is your favorite? Post a picture of it.
Submitted by Melissa.
Miniature Schnauzer, of course!
What's your favorite thing to drink when it's cold outside?
Hot, herbal tea or green tea. Green tea is my choice in the morning, herbal tea in the afternoon and evening.
Right now, I buy the plain old Chinese variety cheap green tea, but I'm open to suggestions if anyone has a favourite to recommend. My favourite herbal is President's Choice Licorice Spice tea. Love it. The licorice is already sweet, so I don't need to add any sweetener.
Here's a tip for keeping a steady stream of hot tea available all day: brew the tea, then put it into a small (500 ml) stainless steel thermos. It's portable, if you need it to be, but you can also do this at home, refilling your cup with hot tea every so often.
Today is Veterans Day. Is there anyone you know who has served or is serving in the military that you'd like to honor today?
I'd like to give a shout-out to Vox's very own Candy Sparks!
Candy's photos and stories helped me better understand the real hopes and fears and joys of someone who is on military service in Iraq. She blew away many of the stereotypes I had about the military and military people.
She also helped me appreciate the very real sacrifice that people in the military service make for our country (yes, I said 'our' - I'm a dual-citizen, born in the States).
Beyond the life and death stuff, there's a deeper story: Candy was away from her family, far from the things that were familiar to her, living in a dangerous place. Yet she found time to write and share her thoughts, she made time for fun and she has a unique perspective on things. She's one of the most non-judgmental and open-minded people I've met on Vox. Best of all she makes me laugh!
I still don't entirely agree with US presence in Iraq and some of the decisions made by the current political administration seem shortsighted and reactionary. But I also think much negativity has been perpetuated by the media - and this has thrown a shadow over good work done by many men and women in the military service.
So I'd like to honour Ms. Candy Sparks today...thanks for doing your bit for Uncle Sam, Candy - you rock!
What item(s) do you have to prevent yourself from buying at the grocery store?
Cupcakes. Seriously, those Baker's Oven 'two bite' cupcakes with the really good frosting? They're addictive! But not chocolate, only the vanilla.I'm currently on a hiatus from sugar (among other things). I've found that this is the best way to keep myself from eating junk food. My version of junk food tends to be sugar-laden since I have a horrible sweet tooth.
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