The Daily EO: May 7th, 2013

Tonight we watched a screening of Wrong Time Wrong Place.  It is about the massacre on Utoya Island and the bombing in Oslo that happened in Norway in 2011.  It was well done.   Somehow the film found a way to walk a fine line. It recognized the untellable fear and horror but also the small spark of life that is emerging from the ashes of the survivors and those who love the dead.

Many of those in the documentary told of such small decisions that saved them and left others dead.   And as I walked home, I thought of the millions of choices I make each day – most not even consciously considered.

I read stories about soldiers who gained fatalistic attitudes during wartime – coping with their fear by believing that you could not avoid the bullet that had your name on it.  So, there was no point in being afraid – that bullet would come no matter your actions.  The parents of one young victim argued this point – the mother thought that her daughter would have died when she was 20 regardless (if not on Utoya Island), the father thought this view was nonsense.

I like to think that I have my choice in any given circumstance, but what if my path was predestined?  Would I live differently?  Take more risks, do more things, eat more heavy cream?

May 7th 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  Am I approaching a wrong time and place?  Will I feel the different that day?  Will I know?

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The Daily EO: May 4th, 2013

A gorgeous day and a forecast of more to come.  I awoke determined to find both more items to throw out of my warehouse AND to get outside to run run run.  I did the first while I waited for my running partner to get out of bed and get ready.  Emile is good at being on time and reliable, but given a fluid schedule, he is the best futzer I have ever met.  He could stretch anything into a 4 hour event.  But nonetheless we finally got out of the house.

I should mention here that I changed my rules for my running month of May.  I am not going to run every day – honestly Self! You are a Materials Manager you are busy – but instead run a  cumulative amount for the month.  This seems more realistic as I can definitely spend more time on weekends exercising then I can on my 12 hour days spent commuting and working.  So, my goal for the month is 130 kms.

But back to Saturday.  What a Day!  Sunny.  No Humidity.

But the Sea Wall was crowded.  Really Crowded.  I took a picture to show you:

photo

Okay – that actually was a picture of my view at the Vancouver Sun Run, but you get my meaning.  There were a whole bunch of people pouring of off the cruise ship and everyone was out enjoying the weather.  It made it feel like a race picking your way around people.  But I got in 9.2 kms.

Okay – that is another lie.  I am a liar.  I cannot claim 9.2 kms today.  My shins.  My poor poor shins.  They hate me after pushing through the Sun Run and having recovered yet.  So, I probably ran about 6. or 7 and then had to walk – at a lively pace – but walk nonetheless for the rest of the day.  There comes a point that pushing yourself is stupid if it is going to result in injury or longer lasting pain.

But it was such a beautiful day that we decided to register for the BMO marathon on May 5th.  Because we could.  Because we were right there.

Okay – that is another lie.  God – what is wrong with me?!  There was never any intention of signing up for the marathon or the 1/2 marathon.  Instead, we were going to do the 8k, but for some crazy reason whoever was in charge of the race – and it must not have been a sane person – scheduled it to start at 6:30 am.  Wha?!  The only thing I do at 6:30 is get out of bed into a hot shower.   So sorry BMO – and all the charities that you fundraise for – forget it.  I am keeping my shins in bed along with my 50 bucks.  Because I always sleep with my shins and 50 bucks.  Always.

But – the best part about not signing up for the BMO marathon was enjoying the “Expo” and getting free things like health bar samples, yogurt, weird BMO gloves that look like those gloves you buy for exfoliation in the shower rather than real gloves.  I must say the Vega booth was pretty cheap on their samples though – you had to go up and request that they cut a little piece of a bar or give a little sip of a drink.  If you are giving free samples – then don’t be cheap about it.  That’s what I say!  Put them out there – share your stuff.  Don’t make them beg for it!

Any hoo, back home where somehow it was already 4:45 pm (I blame Emile with his futzing not my walking) to shower and eat healthy things like kale.

Another LIE!  I am out of control!  Instead, we used my hidden credit card and coupon to buy $2 sweet fries at A&W and since we were there you can’t not have a diet root beer or apple turnover while sitting in the sunshine.  (not that I have a hidden credit card normally, it was just tucked away in my running shorts).

So, off we ran to see “The Manor” all the way across downtown as part of the Doxa film festival.  It was good – but I found it hard to watch sometimes as I wonder how the director was able to show his family warts and all.  (including his own warts).  The filmmaker was there, and we joined in a lively discussion after the movie to learn more of his story, and went for drinks with the producers after the show.

Okay.  Yep.  That too is a lie.  We left immediately afterwards – alone – and headed to Chill Winston’s (best location in Gastown), sat outside, had a beer and wine and shared a pizza and watched the world go by.

And that is no lie.

May 4th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  The best day of my life!  Okay.  No.  Really, what I mean, is there are no regrets moving to Vancouver today.  And Oh!  That heat lamp at Chill Winston’s was pretty freaking awesome with the sun setting and the temperature dropping.  And the wine was excellent.

Run Today:  6.5 kms
Cumulative Total:  16.3 kms

The Daily EO: April 29th, 2013

I watched “Super Size Me” before any one had ever heard of Morgan Spurlock.  I enjoyed the ridiculous debate in a dozen locations within in Europe all claiming to be “The Centre” of it all.  I watched with concern and skepticism the “World according to Monsanto“.  I wondered what was wrong with Americans in Michael Moore’s “Bowling for Columbine” and “Roger & Me“.  I got sucked into Al Gore’s message in “An Inconvenient Truth“.   I fumed and shook my fists at the idiots who destroyed the financial stability of the world in an “Inside Job“.

I am a sucker for a documentary.  Everyone can relate to the human condition, and yet every person has their own story.    But in all my years in Ontario, I only ever got to Toronto’s Hot Docs Festival once.  So, when I saw Vancouver had a smaller, but similar festival coming up, I bought tickets immediately.  For some reason, watching documentaries make me feel like I belong in the educated world where gossip is shunned, and ideas are examined.  Possibilities abound for a better world.

If you’re looking for me, here’s where I’ll be (because I took into account some of Emile’s tastes too):

April 29th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:   Striving for Self-Actualization in a movie theatre.  *Love* a documentary!