Spreading the Word...

Someone asked me once "is it a small world or do we just move in small circles"??

I think the answer is that with all this technology...our small world is becoming a very small circle!!!

Anyways, for a glimpse into my small world...go visit Russell in New Brunswick...he just did a very thoughtful little post about our blog and frankly, I just want to brag about how awesome my friends are!!

By the way, don't get all seduced by his sexy graphics and pretty pictures...you won't find any of that here!!!

One Hundred and Counting...

It's just creeping up on 9am...the sun is bright...the office is quiet and guess what...??? This is my 100th post on our blog!! I had to see it to believe it but, it's true...this is the 100th page in the life of Gen and Steve (or rather, mostly Gen and sometimes Steve!!!).

I started this blog on Thursday, February 16th, 2006 on a really cold and dreary day. I was home sick with a cold and was reading Dan and Shannen's website with admiration when I decided to try and test my skills at cyberspace myself!! Ever since getting married, Steve and I were feeling a bit overwhelmed at trying to keep in touch with everyone in our lives. With our time now split between two families, it was more of a challenge to be everywhere at once. I've learned the hard way that sometimes the distance between families can be very hard to manage at times and the extra effort put into keeping in touch goes a long way.

So, with my neo-citron in one hand and kleenex in the other, I spent the afternoon trying to put together a blog site for the first time in the hopes that it could bring us that much closer to those that we love on a day to day basis. Even if no one ever read our blog...feeling like we were connecting somehow made the distance between everyone seem smaller.

100 posts later, I'm happy to say that our "readership" has increased slightly (everyone...say hello to Russell in New Brunswick!!) and I think it's safe to say that we have our regulars!! It's those regulars that I'm very grateful for because sometimes, I feel very alone in my blogging world...as though it's just me and cyberspace with no one in between. Every now and then though, I'll get an email reminding me that it's been "too long" since I've updated the blog and I am renewed with a sense that maybe it's not all for nothing!!!

Mind you, it's never for nothing because on a personal level, it's very therapeutic for me to post here. While I often daydream of writing a book one day...for now...these are the first chapters. Even on days when my book is in the far off corners of my mind...sometimes it's cathartic to express the moments of my life that go from serenity to insanity in the blink of an eye!!

Aside from that though, there is also the unexpected...the surprises that come from the things you didn't plan. I've been surprised at times by the connections that have been made and the long lost relationships that have been able to resurface because, sometimes, the written word is all that is necessary to bring breath back into a friendship in need of air. So often, we can write what we could never say. I'm grateful that we can bring a piece of home to Heather while she is away and on her own for a little while longer. I'm grateful that Ginger and Michael can know that though we've never met, we are still family in the distance. I'm so grateful for Lesley in Kingston who has brought life, laughter, support and wisdom to my world in times when I thought there was little left. I'm grateful for Kelly and her faithfulness to our blog. I'm grateful that I can know what Nadia's really doing on the weekends!!! I'm grateful that I have the chance to get to know Russell better now than I did when we spent time together many years ago. I'm grateful that I can be with my runners via my running blog in times when we can't run together...because ultimately, we are all still getting there together. I'm grateful that Marie holds me responsible for my blogging responsibility!! I'm grateful that I could have a glimpse into Heidi's inspiring life even though we don't share a kitchen anymore. I'm grateful that even though I miss seeing Anne's face every day, she can still "visit" me every week. I'm grateful that I can share myself through the beauty of technology in a time when technology has become the death of us. And I'm surprised at how many people have found our blogsite by googling Ron Mueck!!!! Clearly more people are interested in him than they are in us...understandably so!!

Looking back (and for those of you who are just recently joining us), these posts have been some of my own personal favourites:

February 17th, 2006 - What's Yours??
February 22nd, 2006 - The Ultimate Escape
May 5th, 2006 - The Vice or The Versa??
June 25th, 2006 - Pathways to Peace
August 2nd, 2007 - The Kite Runner
August 29th, 2006 - Who's Life Will You Change??
September 13th, 2006 - Tragedy Strikes Again
October 1st, 2006 - Who's On First??
November 4th, 2006 - The Nearest Book
January 29th, 2007 - Living on the Edge
February 8th, 2007 - Own the Bunny

The quote of my Starbucks cup this morning says "I believe with all my heart in the power of art to saves lives". With that being said...I believe with all my heart in the power of the written word to bring people together and mend broken hearts.

Thanks to everyone for sharing in our life.

- Gen

Want a Cheap Trip to Paris...??

Go to google maps (http://maps.google.ca).

Click on get directions.

Put in New York, NY as your start address and Paris, France as your end address.

Scroll down to #24 in the list of directions.

And be sure to note the "estimated time of travel"...it cracks me up!!!!

Auntie Gen misses baby Rohan!!!

The Bigger Picture...

Every day, when I walk to and from work, I pass a homeless man that sleeps outside the Chapters at Rideau and Sussex. He's been sleeping there ever since the weather warmed up and he calls himself Crazy Dave, the homeless poet!! He writes poetry on scrap pieces of cardboard and "sells" them for change. He chooses to live on the streets because he feels that shelters are too unsafe and anything that he manages to possess just gets stolen right from under him.

A journalist took a photograph of him once and gave Dave a copy of the print. I bought it off of Dave and it is now framed in our bedroom. He looks so worn and as though he has seen so much in his life. What I love about the photo though is that it shows so eloquantly just how much spirit Dave has. He's not bitter or angry or rude. He's full of life and optimism about his circumstances. I seldom ever give Dave money, but I will often bring him food or have a coffee with him and chat a bit...he's got a lot of stories to share.

About a month ago, I was at Chapters buying a book when I saw Dave in line in front of me. He was buying a sale copy of the The Jungle Book with the money that he had collected!! I asked him about it and he just smiled at me and said that he was excited because he had never read it before! I sort of chuckled because I have never read it either!! I've been bringing him books ever since.

I was so moved by this moment because so often, we tend to judge those that live on the street...being quick to assume that they missed the boat and ended up there due to addiction or an error in judgement on their part. Dave may call himself Crazy but, he's anything but crazy. He is a reminder that the world needs more compassion and there is hope in all situations. People need our generosity, our kindness, our simple acts of giving eye contact and saying "good morning".

I am not always in a position to give monetarily to Dave but, I always express my respect and gratitude to him because he has more spirit and hope within him than most other people I know...people with beds to sleep in, jobs to go to and homes to call our own. It's frightening at times to realize how much we take for granted, especially as consumers of the Western World.

If you ever need a sense of perspective and gratitude, feel free to visit Dave...have a chat with him, ask him about his favourite book...and remember that it's only when we have nothing that we realize we truly have all we'll ever need.

"Truth or consequence...say it aloud...use that evidence...race it around...There goes my hero...watch him as he goes...there goes my hero...he's ordinary..." - Foo Fighters

photo by Sarolta Gyoker (designsoul)

What Would You Do...

...if you only had one day left to live??

I know...it's a pretty intense question but, really...if you knew just how limited your time was...what would you do?? Or what would you have done differently??

One of my training partners and friend, Jesper, sent me this great website called The Buried Life, about a group of four friends who made a list of 100 things to do before they die. They got themselves an RV and travelled cross country in hopes of checking off as many of their items as possible. While doing so though, they also asked other people what they would like to do before their time was up and ultimately, made a documentary about what would essentially be people's last wish.

Some of my personal favourites from their list are...
- to smash a computer
- take a stranger out to dinner
- lead a parade
- go into space
- kiss Rachel McAdams

In 2001, I made my own list of 100 things to do before I die, and I'm proud to say that I've been plucking away at it fairly consistently ever since, gradually checking off one or two things a year. Last year I learned how to drive standard...this year I am pacing the National Capital Race Weekend...next year we are off to Australia for a month...the list is really going faster than I thought it would!! And it's equally growing faster than I thought it would too!

However, if I knew that today was my last day...putting aside the obvious of wanting to spend it saying "I love you"...I would want to take more pictures. I know that must sound weird but, I haven't taken enough pictures in my life. I haven't recorded all the people and places that have shaped who I am as a person. Especially these days, when digital cameras make it so easy to capture your life, there is very little excuse for not doing so.

I love photos and I love being surrounded with them. I love going through old baby pictures and remembering how much life changes. I am grateful to family and friends for having taken so many pictures for me throughout the years but, I wish that I had taken more myself.

My favourite photographer, Yousuf Karsh, once said that "there is a brief moment when all there is in a man's mind and soul and spirit is reflected through his eyes, his hands, his attitude. This is the moment to record."

That statement is why, if I had one single day left to live...I would spend it being camera happy!!

What would you do??