... Adventures in life, art, music & mischief.

An End & A Beginning...

2010-12-28T23:17:00.000-08:00

WHO THE HECK IS MAYA KAVAL??

I've often been one to say that it's up to me to decide who I am.

I suppose this year I'm about to take my own advice quite seriously.

I'm entering a new phase of my life... And with that is coming a new website, a new blog, a complete and total new way of living and even a new name.

Don't get me wrong. Danielle has served me well. And to those who already know and love me as Danielle, they can continue to call me by that name... (I'll be keeping Danielle as my legal middle name anyways...)

"Danielle" has become quite meaningful to me, and the name itself represents many lessons and years of living.

Many Summers ago, at a children's camp in Northern BC, I learned what my name meant. An elderly volunteer whom we called "Firefly," with baby naming book in hand, would look up name after name for the children standing in the long line-up. Two ahead of me in the line was a girl named Melissa.

"Melissa, you're name means 'honeybee!'"

Wow. That's kind of cool!

The girl right in front of me was called Sarah.

"Sarah... Oh wow. You're going to like this. Your name, dear one, means 'Princess!'"

My turn.

"Danielle? Danielle... Danielle... Ahh. Danielle is the masculine form of Daniel, which means, 'God is my Judge.'"

WHAT!? I've been gypped. What little girl wants to hear that??

Well, several years and many adventures, gains, losses, lessons and successes and mistakes later, my name has become quite precious to me. I've grown and changed a lot. I'll never forget the lessons I have learned as Danielle.

But now I'm beginning a new chapter in my life. New challenges. New vision. New passion. New people. New lessons. New growth.

I am incredibly grateful to those who have shared my journey so far--- To my family, my friends, my extended contacts and to those complete strangers who enjoy creeping through my blog from time to time! (I know you're there! Hahaha.) Every bit of friendship, support and kindness has not gone unnoticed!

I invite you now to journey with me into this new season of life...

Enter the age of Maya Kaval.

www.mayakaval.com

...go home...

If You Love Something, (And You're An Idiot), Set It Free

2010-10-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

Okay. So I know that there must be some grain of wisdom in these words for them to have stood the test of time, blah, blah, blah, but let's be honest. Most people just use this phrase as an excuse to be lazy underachieving idiots. (No offense to lazy, underachieving idiots... But you are a bunch of lazy, underachieving idiots. Just callin' it like it is.)

If you love something, set it free? Really? That doesn't seem quite right to me.

If it comes back to you, it is yours? Really? Like, Que sera, sera... Whatever will be, will be, and all that crap?

Bah!

I've been schooled in these "words of wisdom" from a young age... There was a poster with this quote on it, hung in the bathroom of my childhood home. It had a picture of two birds flying into a sunset. I remember "doing my business" while studying this phrase, and struggling with it. I never understood, If you loved something, why on earth would you just let it go?

I still don't get it. The stupidity of this logic actually ticks me off. I'm still throwing the same question around; If you love something, why the heck wouldn't you get off your ass and fight for it? Is it not worth that much to you??

If you love someone, for heavens sake, don't just "set them free." Man up and show them that you love them with your words and actions.

If I love someone, I'm going to make sure they know it. Will it always be easy? Of course not. Will I make mistakes? Absolutely. But if the relationship is worth having, make it right and put some effort into it.

Set them free? Give up? Sure... If I no longer want them in my life.

If you want something, for heavens sake, it's not going to fall into your lap simply for wishing it. Get your act together and do something about it. If it was easy, any schmo would have it. It's going to take some perseverance and indomitable spirit, but if it's worth having, don't give up.

If I want something, I'm gonna work for it... Will it always be easy? Of course not. Will I make mistakes? Absolutely. But if it's worth having I won't let anything get in my way.

Set it free? Give up? Sure... If I don't actually want it.

Quitting on dreams or quitting on people is not going to anybody what they want... And if you somehow think that it is, you've got a whole lot of, "Well, I guess it wasn't meant to be" coming your way.

Is it ever okay to quit? Absolutely! Sometimes quitting is the wisest option. Knowing when, what and who to quit is a valuable life and energy saving skill. As my friend Daisy put it,

"Pray that you never learn not to care, only that you learn to understand when it is worth spending time making it right or when you can just acknowledge it and walk away knowing you are okay with who you are."

That's not easy. Walking away rarely is...

But if there is something you want and it's worth having...

For heaven's sake, don't set it free.

Go out and get it.

Back to the picture of the birds...

Do you know what happens to budgies if you set them free?? They die. Even if they wanted to come home, budgies are migratory birds and have no homing abilities... They will freeze to death, starve to death or become an easy meal for another animal.

Shall we test this theory out?

Go ahead. Set your dog free.

How long do you think it is going to sit at your front door, waiting for you to love it again?

I don't know... Until it gets hungry, maybe?

Chances are, starving for affection and food, your beloved puppy may be sniffing at your neighbour's door step in no time.

If you want a sure fire way to kill a relationship or a dream... Go ahead. Set it free.

If you love something

Set it free

If it comes back to you

It is yours

If it doesn't

It never was

What... A load... Of crap.

This is how it really should read:

If you love something

But are too lazy to go for it

Then don't bother

If it lands in your lap anyways

You are one lucky idiot

If it doesn't

Then that's what you get for being a lazy loser and perhaps next time you could make a little effort

Or how about this one...

If you love something
(And you're an idiot)
Set it free
If it comes back to you
You're a lucky idiot
If it does not
You're a sorry idiot

Well...

That's the way I see it.

Thanks for tuning in...

I'm heading home to go snuggle up to the man who, for the past nine years, has refused to set me free...

I think that speaks for itself.

XO,

Dee

...go home...

Something In The Water??

2010-10-06T22:45:00.001-07:00

Dinner? My place? Anyone?
We were thinking of frying up some zucchini...?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

It's YOUR fault!

2010-09-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

I was just thinking...

What's the point of pointing the blame anyways?

If there is a "fault" at all, it suggests to me that there is some issue or challenge that needs attending to. What seems, in my mind, (Perhaps I'm crazy?) to be a lot wiser use of time would be, "Let's get all hands on deck and come up with a SOLUTION!"

Now unless you have some incredible coaching wisdom that will help grow the guilty individual, empowering them to avoid the same mistake and to make more profitable decisions in the future, then what's the point of wasting your time finding out whose fault the whole mess is?

Are you really going to dig to the bottom of the manure pile just to point and shout, "AHA!!! It's YOUR shit that stinks!"

Does that solve anything? And come on... Does it really make you feel better?

Just some thoughts...

XO,

Dee

...go home...

Cleanse

2010-09-27T07:00:00.001-07:00

Wow Danielle, live in your car much??

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

On Fuel, Joy and Ninja-ness.

2010-09-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

(Choose Joy! Choose Joy! Choose Joy!)

Another Morning-- Another Chance-- Another "New Years"

Sunday, September 26, 2010

That's right. It's time for another start-over.

For anyone who knows me, you know that I LOVE New Years. It's my favorite holiday. I love the clean slate and the chance to start again... It's like at the stroke of midnight the whole world is born again, my records are wiped clean and we are all empowered with the chance to write our own story and decide who it is we are going to be this coming year... Or at least for the coming week.

I think that's why I've decided to celebrate New Years so often. I'll take a fresh start as often as I need one... And today? I need one.

For the past few years I have been on the most amazing road of rediscovery and reinvention. Three years and three major lessons.

A quick re-cap!

1. Don't put diesel in your tank if you run off of gasoline. Can food be enjoyable? Absolutely! Keep in mind, however, the primary purpose of food is FUEL. I learned what kind of fuel my body runs off of and what kinds really mess it up. Some people "poor you!" me when they hear what I no longer eat. I "poor you!" them as I watch them suffer with the effects of their bodies trying to function, running on poor fuel choices. Things I no longer put in my body?? Dairy, wheat, soy, corn, peanut, sesame, alcohol, sugar, eggs, meat, cranberries... And several more. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with cranberries! But for me, they are a poor choice as my body does not respond well to them!

The benefits of learning this lesson have been incredible. I'm 80 pounds lighter, and bounding with energy. I used to sleep 14 hours a night and then nap all day... I was unable to work, and left my apartment but once a week, and only because I was forced to get out! Now I am fully capable of working 13 hours with no break (happened last week!) at a full time job that is far from being your average desk job, while dancing 10 hours a week, learning to run and juggling several other social commitments, important relationships and a significant commute. Not bad.

2. Happiness is a choice. Was that ever a relief to learn. For so long my emotions were governed by the winds of circumstance and how I felt was completely out of my control. Happiness is a choice. Joy is an art and it is a practice. How empowering! I may not choose what happens around me (although I am learning that I have a lot more control in that as well...) but how I feel is completely up to me.

--> If you took a sip of something from the fridge and found that it was curdled, how long would it take before you realized it didn't taste good? Would you swallow, or spit it out?

--> If you put your hand on a burner, how long before you realized it was hot and painful? Would you continue to hold your hand there, or would you remove it?

--> If you smelled something putrid, how long would it be before you realized you did not like the smell? Would you continue to breath deeply, or would you seek fresh air?

--> When you have a negative thought in your mind, how long does it take before you realize your thoughts are bringing you down? Would you continue to dwell on it, or would you...

SPIT IT OUT. REMOVE IT. SEEK FRESH AIR. Happiness is a choice. I don't have to dwell on things that bring me down...

3. Black belts don't quit. Tyron Clark of Clark's Taekwondo taught me this one, and it's changing my life. I have goals, visions, dreams and hopes... But some days I am discouraged to the point of being absolutely destroyed inside. Tyron has encouraged me through these times, helping me change from being a quitter to an achiever with three sentences. "If it was easy, any schmo would have it. A black belt is just a white belt who didn't quit. We don't quit." We're not just talking Martial Arts... We're talking life. If you want it, don't quit. Keep moving.

THREE steps forward, one step...

Back. *sigh*

I'm not the same person that I was three years ago, that's for sure. These lessons have changed my life... But I'm still on a massively steep learning curve incline and still take the occasional step back. Today was one of those days.

Today I forgot how to choose joy. Today I became wrapped up in a bit of self-pity and negativity. Instead of realizing my tank was empty and filling it with good fuel, good thoughts and a little bit of indomitable spirit, I chugged around on empty and mulled over some circumstances that were making me miserable. I forgot that my happiness does not depend on any other person but me. It is my choice.

I've got to focus on sorting out my own business and doing what makes me happy... If I keep doing that, quality people will naturally want to come along for the ride... And for those who don't? I don't have time for them anyways... I'm far too busy moving forward to fight for their attention...

To all my friends who sometimes struggle to put one foot in front of the other-- Be encouraged. Have another New Year, on me.

Walking with you, your sister,

Danielle

...go home...

Bubble bath?

2010-09-07T16:11:00.001-07:00

We knew it was only matter of time! Hahaha!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sunday Caching

2010-08-30T08:12:00.001-07:00

Kalvin: "Um... My GPS batteries are dead. Can we just use your phone?"

Danielle: "It says we have accuracy of about 449 feet and it would like us to go 453 feet THAT way."

Helpful.

We never found the cache... But we make a meal out of some blackberries and snuggled with a friendly kitty.

Speaking of kittys... I came across this random picture of a cat.

He reminded me a lot of my friend Jeff.

I think they are soul mates! Agree?

Anyhow... Geocaching... Right. Thats what I was talking about. Even with crappy GPS conditions, we still managed to find one in Beban Park.

And we also found lots of bunnies to chase... Like this one, with a munched on ear!

Kinda reminded me (a lot) of this:

Have a happy day!

Xoxo

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Two Things...

2010-08-18T07:49:00.001-07:00

Something fabulous that I just got?? My amazing new Muay Thai Kickboxing shorts! I feel fantastic and FIERCE in them!

If any of y'all are from Victoria, and you are interested in some seriously fun fitness you HAVE to come try out any of our Martial Arts programs at Clarks Taekwondo.

Seriously. Let me know. I'll hook you up with a free month of training to check it out... You'll get hooked... That's just how it's gonna go!!

Something awesome that I WANT?

A BANJOLELE!!!!!

If anyone is interested in getting me an $800 gift, please consider the banjolele. Thank you!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The scene of a murder??

2010-08-16T22:58:00.000-07:00

No!
Kalvin informed me tonight that Ketchup is a great brass cleaner... Eager to prove him crazy, I marched to the fridge with my tarnised zills and tooth brush in hand...

Um... The results kind of surprised me.

Wish I had taken before shots... But, well, here are the afters...

I'm gonna say,
"Not bad, for a condiment!"

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Post party

2010-07-31T12:37:00.001-07:00

The boys take it as their personal mission to rid the world of balloons, the dog has a minor heart attack and the entertainer plays on.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Just One Of The Many Services We Offer...

2010-07-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

Golly gee!!

I hope I pass!!

The World Is Out To Make Me Smile...

2010-07-22T22:46:00.000-07:00

Seriously...

Langford got a new traffic circle...

And it does this:

How can that not make you smile??

...go home...

Fire Truck!

2010-06-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

Colwood obviously has a bigger budget! They can afford an actual truck. This guy could at least pack a couple of garden hoses and some serious Super Soakers!

Well, I Feel Safe!

2010-06-14T10:09:00.001-07:00

On my way to work today I became a little distracted by the sight of this miniature fire rescue vehicle, out to save the world!

Where do you think they keep the hose? Or is there a water gun behind the seat??

Me... Rockin' it in the rescue vehicle, with the wee blinking lights on in the front. Awesome points awarded: 50

Have a happy day!

An Authentic Mexican Made Piñata!

2010-06-11T20:05:00.000-07:00

Master Clark and I hosted a birthday party at the studio today for a Mexican family. The mom made a piñata! A-mazing! It made me think of The Three Caballeros... (My obsession with that movie may or may not have destroyed the sanity of many-a-babysitter.)

Susana poses by her creation.

Master Clark delivers a beating to a hoard of small children.

Piñata hat!

Cake cutting with a samurai sword.

I love my job.

Aww, Gossshhhh. Blush, Blush

2010-06-10T21:51:00.000-07:00

At work today...

I approach one of the young gentlemen preparing for the MMA Kickboxing fitness class from behind.

Mitt full of progress cards in my grasp, I attack the exposed back of his left upper arm, announcing loudly, "Papercut! Papercut!"

He turns to me and replies, casually,

"Have I told you lately that you're awesome?"

Hi-yahhhh!!!

2010-06-10T07:52:00.000-07:00

Incase I haven't gushed enough about it in person, (If you are one of the few people I've actually managed to see at all this past month...) I've got a brilliant new job!! I am the Program Director for Clark's Taekwondo & Gracie Jiu Jitsu in Langford.

If your thoughts / reactions to that are anything along the lines of, "What the heck!?" then join the club! I'm just as surprised as the rest of you.

I started off my job search with fairly low expectations... Not that I didn't expect to get a job, I figured I would have no problem with that! But my standards and expectations were low in regards to what kind of job I would accept... I didn't really care, so long as it freed me up
to pursue what was important to me!

With my growing interest and passion for bellydance, most of my goals revolve around dance training, physical conditioning and learning about what it takes to start and run a small business. (I've got plans! So many glorious plans!)
So whatever job I would accept would have to fit into that. I'm not about to let my whole life go by without me making a serious effort at bringing my ideas and visions into reality. They will no longer take the back seat. I will give them a fair chance at life. I will run hard after them and see what magic takes place.

I can't even begin to describe all of the millions of ways that my job at Clark's Taekwondo is the perfect fit. It is an incredible blessing, above and beyond what I was even capable of asking for or imagining!

Training in martial arts is proving to be excellent cross training for my dance. I am seeing improvemt in my strength, balance and coordination.

Working and training in the Clark's Taekwondo family is giving my life the most incredible boost of positive energy.

Learning from Tyron Clark is not only preparing and educating me in the art and practice of running a business, but it is profoundly changing my life.

Only 5% of leaders are visionary leaders. Tyron is amongst the 5. He is constantly learning, improving, seeking, challenging, dreaming, doing and achieving. He doesn't accept excuses. He refuses to allow negative energy to poison his workplace or drain him of life. He won't put up with it.

I am learning so much from him and enjoying immensely the incredible positive atmosphere that he has created at the studio and in his life...

But the most valuable lesson that he has given me is one I'm clinging to daily.

We don't quit.
Quitting is not an option.

He tells his students, "A black belt is just a white belt who never quit."

And when I'm feeling discouraged he tells me, "If it was easy, any schmo would have it."

We don't quit.
We don't quit.
We don't quit.

What DO You Do With A Drunken Sailor?

2010-06-09T22:08:00.001-07:00

That's what Victoria wants to know! Sailors, sailors everywhere!! Not many of them sober... :-)

- Jeremy Walsh entertains a packed house Wendesday night at the Irish Times

One Time Offer!!!

2010-06-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

Touch a truck!
Wooo!
Is this what Langford does for a good time on a Tuesday?

Location:Langford, BC

MICROOOOOOOOOOO!

2010-06-06T20:36:00.000-07:00

This is this little micro cache that has been bugging Kalvin and I for a long time... We've gone back several times to this wee park just down the road trying to find this "1 inch bison tube" in a wee little forrest wonderland... It has escaped us every time.

The hint on geocaching.com says, "If you're standing by the fence looking at the compost, it's directly behind you at eye level."

Turns out it's behind you and around some obstacles... And eye level varies, by, well, the level of your eyes.

Turns out Mary's eyes are juuust the right leve.

I can finally check this one off my list.

Gah!

...go home...

Stressful Dreams

2010-06-02T08:09:00.000-07:00

When will my subconscious grow up?

So apparently the sleeping part of my brain has really missed the memo on where I am in life.

I dreamed last night that I was getting ready for school... That's right. For high school. I was back in Quick... (I haven't lived there for 7 years.) I was frustrated and stressed, flipping madly through my agenda, trying to find a clue. I had no idea what classes I was in, or what time I needed to be there for. I wanted to show up and to do well, but I couldn't remember for the life of me where I needed to be and what I was studying.

And then a thought hit me... I think I have a job too. What did I do last night? I was working, wasn't I? Yes I was... Until quite late. Where do I work? What time do I need to be there again? How am I going to get there if I don't know when and where to go?

Stress, stress, stress!

When my alarm clock went off, I woke up feeling very unrested. I decided to scrap my morning plans and take advantage of another hour of sleep.... But apparently my stressful highschool dreams hadn't gone anywhere, and were awaiting my return...

An hour later I woke up feeling even worse. I took advantage of another 30 minutes.

Half an hour later I awoke feeling... Well... Even more tired... But there wasn't exactly an option to try again on the re-charging sleep bit, as I had left myself with a grand total of 15 minutes to get ready and out the door for work.

Stress?
Yep. Not gonna lie.

SoOoOoOo...

Dear Brain.

Get on my team, would you??

Night is for RESTING. Day is for WORKING.

Now I have to continue on with an entire day completely unequipped with strength, energy and mental clarity, all because you decided to stress out about things that don't even exist last night. The least you could do is save your stressing for the daytime, when I'm awake, so that I could tell you to CAN IT, and remind you of where we truly are in life... I hope you have a plan on how we're going to get through today on what feels like zero sleep... I'm not impressed. Not impressed at all. Reform your ways, or I'll be forced to look into buying a superior model.

Sincerely,

Danielle.

Obviously I had very little control over my dreams... But isn't it sad how much of our lives are wasted in stress? So much time is sacrificed in a ritual that doesn't help us find solutions, destroys our ability to function, gets us nowhere and leaves us GRUMPY.

What's the point?

...go home...

Happy Thotz

2010-05-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

Take notes.

This is how one should prepare for the day.

Thanks Delia for showing me this! :-)

...go home...

Pit Surveillance

2010-05-16T20:53:00.000-07:00

Surveillance during a game of Pit helped us identify the owner of the two abandoned cards at the end of the game, resulting in their -50 point penalty.

Sneakily played.

Sneaky.

...go home...

Anonymous Parking Lot Literature

2010-05-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

Crumpled and wet from rain, I found this piece of anonymous literature in a parking lot today. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The elephant loodedd over at the giraffe . The giraffe hasd a vaery long neck which he used to eat the leaves on the trees. The elkephant saiod "I really neede somer leaves to eat" "can you reach saome for me" . The giraffe looked at him and sighed"if you weren't so last you could get the leaves youesetlf." But the giraffee compled ant got the elephjant some leaves. Whiile the elephant atre he started to choke. The elephant had actualy ate a small space shape that was no bigger thatn a Frisbee. The martain named marv in shot his way out the elephants throat and the eplpephant bled to death. The giraffe thankmked the Marvin for getting rif of the elephant. "no need to thank said the martain. I was j"ust to help". The martain went back to his planet. His boreadd of directors were very ahppy to hear of thios triumph over the great gerey terror. "we value as a martain" said the board leader. You shall gfwet to live anywhrer you please for the rest of your days" the martain vhoise to live on Tanus and lived by a gterwat waterfall alone and tranquil. Until that ship that was in the eater came to life. Then a never ending wart between the humansd and the ione immortal martian took place. The mrationa won and killed akll the humansd. He said at least thwere must be more in the universe". The martain was happy again.

The ende

...go home...

One Gene Pool, So Much Awesome, Episode 2

2010-05-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

My sister attempts to teach my dad how to play the ukulele via Skype. Unfortunately, my dad does not have access to the ukulele, and my sister is clueless as to how the instrument is played.

...go home...

How To Fall Off The Face Of The Earth

2010-05-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

A step-by-step program by Danielle.

1. Get an awesome new job with mega hours.

2. Have ridiculous amounts of fun breaking out in hives and having multiple allergic reactions to everything in the whole wide world.

3. Drive up north. Grab your sister. Bring her home.

4. Feebly attempt to vaguely remain in contact with hobbies, friends, and of course, one's spouse.

And that, dear readers, is how I've managed to fall off the face of the earth.

I'm starting to get a bit of a rhythm and routine, although I've still got a lot of figuring out to do. I plan on returning to the face of the earth quite shortly... Or at least to the face of the blogosphere... I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....

Love and sunshine...

...go home...

One Gene Pool & So Much Awesome...

2010-04-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

I was just reading through an old journal and I found this amazing entry that I wrote last summer when my sister was staying with me in Duncan. Reading it again, I literally laughed out loud twice... How does so much awesome come out of one family??

Scene 1:

In the car. Danielle with auto windex, pointing at Kimberley's arm.

Danielle: "Stick 'em up."

Kim: "Don't do it!"

Danielle: "Stick 'em up."

Kim: "Don't do it!"

Danielle: "STICK 'EM UP!!"

Kimberley puts pinky fingers into the air.

Danielle: "Say 'Danielle is awesome.'"

Kim: *silence*

Danielle squirts Kim's arm with auto windex.

Scene 2:

In the kitchen. Kim, doing dishes. Danielle, waiting for the sink.

Kim: "Hold your horses!"

Danielle grabs imaginary reigns.

Kim: "Hold your horses!"

Danielle trots off laughing menacingly and neighing.

Kim: "I SAID HOLD YOUR HORSES!!"

Kim walks up to Danielle and wipes her disgusting, slimy dish soap hands all over Danielle's arms.

Danielle: "EEWW!! NOO!!"

Kim: "You let your horses run amok!"

Scene 3:

Kim, in the bathroom, lamenting...

Kim: "My toothbrush sings me a song, but I can't find it, so I have to use this tooth brush! It doesn't sing. Come sing me a song."

Danielle enters and begins to sing: "If Danielle's awesome an you know it, brush your teeth."

Kim pauses... Then, *brush, brush.*

Danielle: "If Danielle's awesome and you know it, brush your teeth."

Kim: *brush, brush*

Danielle: "If Danielle's awesome and you know it and you really want to show it, if she's awesome and your know it, brush your teeth."

Kim: *brush, brush*

Danielle carries on with verse 2: Scrub your tongue, and verse 3: take a spit.

Kim only cooperates to a point, but enjoys the music nonetheless.

Danielle exits.

Kim, shouting down the hall: "YOU FORGOT TO DO ALL THREE!"

...go home...

Woaahhh Mary.

2010-04-04T00:12:00.000-07:00

You'll never believe what I did to my friend Mary tonight...

She asked for it.

No really, she did.

Started off fairly innocent...

"Hey look at these sweet combs I got for 50 cents!"

...

50 cents later...

Kay, so here's the thing...

Mary had aspirations...

She wanted to look like this:

But she came out like this:

There's still hope, right?

They'll calm down, won't they?

This one thing we know for sure...

We are both really really sick of Bob Marley music.

It's been a looong night. :-)

...go home...

A Quote Worth Quoting...

2010-04-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

Life purging, day two! Apartment almost completely organized! I am very impressed with myself... I'm hitting up a small pile of papers right now, and catching up on my journaling... I came across a scrap paper on which I had written a quote that I one day intended to be transferred into my journal.

"Mean spirited criticism doesn't ever come from someone doing valuable art themselves." -Liza Matlack

An insight like that almost makes it easier to let go and forgive, doesn't it?

Don't be afraid of people. Go put a little beauty back into the world.

XO,

...go home...

Purge

2010-04-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

Today is a fabulously gusty, blustery day.

I'm purging... My home.

Spring cleaning, I suppose.

I found these amazing glasses that I made when I worked in a school:

Awesomeness points awarded: 15.

...go home...

Bazaar, Indeed!

2010-03-31T10:12:00.000-07:00

My weekend started already in the realms of the ridiculous and the awesome.

This is Shari showing me her pro Asian photo modeling skills, at Pho Hoa in our middle of the night trip for food...

And this is Nath saying goodbye the the cops he just scared from the restaurant by shamelessly flirting with them. (Game on, Nath! Game on!) :-P

You know my weekend really only had one way to go from here...

Hah hah.

Alright...

An overnight in Victoria...

2 1/2 hours of sleep...

A 7:00am ferry...

BAM! Vancouver.

5 hours of bussing, and the rest of the day on foot...

I wanted to have a romantic picnic under this tree...
(Or a nap?? Do you think the neighbours would have minded??)

And then 6 hours fabric shopping in Little India... (Daisy's thing... She's just opened a costume design business! More on that to come...)

Little India...

Danielle: I get the feeling like my wardrobe is about to significantly change in these next couple of years.

Daisy: *nods repeatedly, with eyes bulging.*

Daisy is overwhelmed in fabric heaven...

By the time we arrived at our hotel, we were very happy to finally be free of our luggage, (We carted that stuff around with us all freaking day!) and to collapse into glorious Holiday Inn beds...

Apparently I was out cold by 7:30. Do you blame me?

Daisy wasn't far behind. We slept hard.

NEXT DAY: MEDA GRAND BAZAAR!!

This lady had a skirt she made out of ties...

I took these pictures for Amber.

AMBER! These are for YOU!

The lady sporting this and I talked about how cool it would be to make smaller skirts/hip scarfs in this fashion... I wrote the idea down in my journal, although... Well... For those who know what I'm like with a needle and thread, they are probably already giggling at the idea of me creating anything like that... :-)

For those who are wondering, MEDA = Middle Eastern Dance Association.

That's right. A bellydancer's bazaar.

Besides two rooms of this:

There were also free workshops taking place, and tons of performers!

Nath & Andromeda (from the Sacred Centre Dance Company)

Um... I forget what these ladies were called...

But I love their skirts!

These ladies are called "Bubblegum." (I can't imagine whyyyy...) Heheh

When I first read the name and then saw the flash of pink I had an inward groan... But then they started to perform. They really made it work. They were delightful to watch. I loved how they interacted with and played off of each other. Very cute.

This is Bunny and I. Bunny is pure sunshine. If you need a happy pick-me-up, just hug Bunny.

Here are some of the business cards (etc?) I collected...

And then...

Yes. I must tell you about this.

...

There was a gap in the schedule.

A performer couldn't make it.

So somehow I got hauled into doing this:

I made one wee mistake, but I'm pretty pumped with how it went! It is only my second time getting on stage at an event!! I'm still quite a beginner!! But what a huge confidence boost! I think it was pretty darn freaking awesome, considering it was completely impromptu!! Yep... Not exactly planned for... Good thing our street clothes were all relatively dance worthy... I've had days where this wouldn't have been true. :-)

N e how... Here is pretty tree #2, with the lovely Daisy.

And then several bus transfers and sky train adventures later, we're back on the ferry.

Here we are discussing stage names and signatures, and going on and on about how freakingly awesome our weekend was.

I've learned some things about myself lately.

I've learned that I 100% have the power to maintain a positive attitude and to choose and experience joy.

And I learned that I have the ability to re-charge in the presence of people, so long as they are the right kind of people...

It turns out Daisy is the right kid of person!! Did I mention 2 1/2 hours of sleep, 5 hours of traveling and 6 hours of shopping before we even got to put our luggage down in the Holiday Inn? Did I also mention that there was not one moment of drama or tension? Neither of us even came close to shutting down. Somehow we managed to achieve instinctively the perfect balance of interaction and independence that allowed us to enjoy each other's company immensely, and recharge in each other's space without once becoming drained or irritable.

What an awesome freak of nature! I could travel internationally with this woman! As a matter of fact... I think I one day will. I don't see this friendship disappearing anytime soon...

Much more on this to come.

Obviously. :-)

May your day be overwhelmingly filled with colour and joy.

XO, D

...go home...

Sic A Moose And Let It Go.

2010-03-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

Gosh that was a clever title. Awesomeness abounding. Did I mention that I give points for random acts of awesomeness? 25 points: Danielle. Yesssssssss.

When one goes traveling, one needs a travel moose. Kalvin and I never go anywhere without Melvin. He sits in our window and looks for wildlife while we drive... He has done an excellent job alerting us to any potential hazards and we would never do a long distance drive without him. He is so special to us. :-)

The other weekend I accompanied Grace to Sicamous. Kalvin told me not to forget Melvin! I told him it was okay because Grace had a Melman. (Melvin's idential twin cousin... Yah, that's right. Grace thought our travel moose was awesome and got one of her own...) So I left Melvin to watch over my car while I was gone.

On the ferry Grace read her traditional trash magazine. I mocked.

And then I made a boat... Cause there was lots of water on the ferry floor.

Then there was a moment of full blown tragedy when we realized that there was no moose. Quatchi wasn't going to cut it.

So Grace BECAME the moose.

'Round about Kamloops, I discovered that mangos are not the most convenient of travel foods.

"Pleh!" (*Spits mango pit onto pavement.*)

"Dab, dab, dab, khhhhhhhhh" (*Attempts to de-stickify face with fabulous new cupcake tissue, then takes a moment to empty nasal cavities.*)

...

Over in Sicamous...

This is Grace's Step-dad. He likes kitties.

And Liberace...

And trendy eye wear...

And me!

And this is Grace with her mumsy! She is a lovely lady!

So... Anyhow... Why were we in Sicamous?

Answer: 15 rubbermaid bins worth of stuff.

Grace had to clear out her life's collection of stored items at her parents house, because they were going to relocate!

I'm a pretty stellar partner for this kind of adventure. I have perfected my "steely gaze."

Grace: *opens up bin, lifts item, squeals with delight, makes eye contact with Danielle, hoping to share her joy at the discovery of such a long lost treasure.*

Danielle: *steely gaze.*

Grace: "You're right. Let it go."

Rather effective.

Super hero Danielle takes out the first round of trash!

Grace models spectacular earrings.

Danielle models a foam flower.

Grace gives up on sewing items to her Girl Guides hat.

Danielle does round 2 with a mango.

Grace's boyfriend, Joel, get's stuck on speaker phone, placed into a basket, and then verbally harassed by two crazy women.

Grace becomes temporarily distracted by a bar...

But then gets back to work... Going through a life time of memories...

And doing a whole lot of letting go.

Like I said... 15 rubbermaid containers is what we started with... We paired it down to 2, plus a couple various items. This is the car on the way back. We still had room for a couple of bodies.

Mission accomplished! On the road again. I'm happy... Although slightly concerned with Grace's apparent lack of attention to the road! :-P

Hey, a truck.

On the way home...

This is Steve. Not only did he make us excellent, custom, fresh mango bubble tea smoothies, but he also danced for us. Yep. That's right.

And this is David. He loved us. Although he informed me that I was lazy because I didn't have babies. I tried to tell him that I wasn't ready to be a mom. He wouldn't hear any of it. :-)

He did, however, teach us all about Panda Z.

And sold other items of awesomeness, such as the moose antlers (modeled by Grace earlier,) and this roaring kitty cat.

And guess what I found in the back seat?

Melman!

Melman, Melman, Melman!

Turns out he was looking out for us, the whole trip, after all!

Quatchi (obviously) became rather smitten by Melman.

And the rest, I suppose, is history.

Ohh, it is love.

XO,

...go home...

Tragedy or Pure Awesomeness?

2010-03-25T13:15:00.000-07:00

It's official.

I've worn through the finish of my ukulele... Right down to the wood.

I haven't decided if this is tragedy or the result of pure awesomeness.

I mean, on one hand... Yeah, that's right. H-core ukulele-ist. Awesomeness abounding.

On the other hand... *squirms*... $350 ukulele... Ugh.

My friend Adam says:

"I'd say that's a mark of hardcore awesomeness. People pay more money for pre-beat up instruments. Gives them a false sense of badassness... But you can just enjoy the real thing!"

...go home...

Guess what we did while you were gone??

2010-03-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

Unrealistic expectations are often appointments with disappointment. Whether we are talking about a close friend or a romantic partner, if you want a sure fire way to kill a relationship, then simply make that other person your all and everything. Place all of your love and happiness eggs in one basket, and go ahead and raise a little hell when they disappoint you...

Boundaries are good. Having other friends is healthy. Pursuing hobbies and interests that don't all revolve around your significant other are not only acceptable activities, but extremely beneficial ones as well.

Does distance make the heart grow fonder?? Heck, yes it does. And if you spend time pursuing activities and passions that fill you up as well as building friendships with people that inspire you and encourage you to grow, then not only will you be a more interesting person to be with when there is no distance between you, but you will also enjoy the freedom that comes when the pressure to make you happy and fulfilled is no longer resting on the shoulders of one individual. I'm talking about two whole people enjoying and delighting in each other as opposed to two incomplete people, desperately clinging to each other, begging to be fulfilled.

Don't get me wrong. Neglecting your partner in pursuit of self-fulfillment is not what I'm talking about. You do need a balance. Time together is important. Interactions between my husband and I during the week are small and infrequent, as he is busy during the day, and I am gone at night... But we often make time for each other on the weekends, and we enjoy those moments when our paths do cross throughout the week.

A lot can be said for offering generous forgiveness, even when you're not asked, giving the other person space and assuming the best. For example, here are a couple of things that have gone down in my life the past couple of weeks that my husband has been extremely generous and forgiving about...

The BOLLYWOOD show! Lots of extra practices, and me practically living in Victoria! Besides the rehearsals, the actual shows themselves, or the incredible workshop offered by the Bollywood girls, I spent so much extra time soaking up Victoria sunshine and indulging, wasting days and nights away, in the company of amazing friends, and all of the new people I had met through this experience.

Nath, considering eating his mini-treat sample in one giant bite, while we waited to meet up with the Bollywood girls to do some shopping and exploring in China Town.

Kalvin was very supportive. Belly dance is for sure not his thing, but he came out to cheer me on. He made sure to pay close attention so that he could tell me all of his favorite parts, and all of the things he was impressed by...

Even in coming out, Kalvin still gave me my space. He headed home to Duncan afterwards, and I didn't make it back until after 3:00 the next morning. This was not a source of contention between us. He wasn't upset at all. He gave me my space on this one, and that freed me up to enjoy the sheer delight of this event and all of the people involved, guilt free and drama free.

And do you want to know what he let me get away with (tee hee) this past weekend!? I took off with a friend to Sicamous on Thursday night... (Pictures and stories will be posted soon! Check back...) I arrived back on the island Monday night, in time to head to belly dance classes. And following dance, I went out for Vietnamese food with a friend to fill our bellies, and catch up on each other's weeks. Kalvin had stayed up that night, hoping to greet me when I got home... But I got home late. Was there any tension or upset between us? Absolutely not. Just massive excitement to see each other!!

He is so freeing, supportive and forgiving with me, that it is easy to give him the same benefits. I love that he is connecting with such a great group of friends, and spending time with them. I love hearing tales of climbing cliffs, exploring caves, battling with paintballs and homemade tomahawks and camping with no tents because they are men! "Men don't need tents! We'll build shelters!"

I just can't tell you how much I love coming home after a night class to find my husband has taken over the living room with a bunch of guys and two giant board games that they have frankensteined together to make one massive game. I love slipping in quietly, grabbing a snack, and then listening to them debate the rules of the game, making them up as they go.

"Hey honey! Guess what we did while you were gone?"

When one of us is wrapped up in an event, or excursion, it is never an excuse for the other person so sulk and marinade in, "you owe me!" bitterness. We both get busy living life, and then when we meet up again, we'll both have stories to tell.

From...

"I've had a break through with my shimmy!"

"I got 109% on my last test!"

"I was introduced to an amazing new restaurant!"

(me)

To...

"We strapped Logan to a soap box racer and shoved him down a hill!"

(kal)

Video Cred: Logan Lobo. (The same crazy Filipino featured in the video repeatedly eating pavement...)

Haha, ohh man. I love those boys.

Hm... Where was I...?? What was my point??

Oh yeah... Forgive each other. Give the other person a little space to be a whole person. Make sure you are making the effort to become a whole person yourself.

I've heard it described once in the terms of "tending your garden." Don't wait for the right person to come along, pick all the weeds, and plant the flowers that you want in your heart and life. Tend your own garden. You are responsible for letting go of hurt, seeking healing, growing to become who you want to be and creating what you desire. That's not your partner's responsibility. Make it their responsibility, and they will resent you. Tend your own garden... And then invite them in...

Give them the opportunity to actually enjoy the flowers.

XO,

...go home...

I've got a FAN!!

2010-03-07T09:20:00.000-08:00

Had an (over) three hour long rehearsal for the Bollywood show yesterday! And another one of those coming up today! (Woohoo!) But BESIDES me taking this moment to once again tell you that you should all come out to that (and you should...) I wanted to tell you what happened to me AFTER yesterday's rehearsal...

It was a gorgeous day in Victoria, and so when rehearsal was out, Kalvin and I went to Dallas Road and had a ukulele jam by the ocean... It was GREAT... Until we met my biggest fan ever.

She was VERY drunk... And vocal... And she had an ear-gasm after about every three words that I sang... She moaned, squealed, danced, begged me for a business card that I didn't have... Informed me that I should be famous and she was gonna get me there... She told me multiple times that she loved me... Loved me... LOOOVVEEDD ME.

It was quite a unique experience... I mean, she was definitely the kind of woman who, if she would approach you, would typically be asking for money... And she didn't. She did, along with all of the above descriptions of her celebration of my singing by the oceanside, inform me that she was very upset that she didn't have any money on her to give to ME.

Now... (OOH, DON'T FALL OVER!! Careful of that rock!!!) I was very flattered... I mean, wasted or not, who doesn't enjoy having someone appreciate their music THAT MUCH? (Moan, groan, wiggle, squeal, shriek, "HEEEEYY YOOUU!! (to a stranger) Come over here and listen to this girl sing!! She's gonna be *hiccup* *slurrrr* ffffamous someday!") It was all flattering.. Very flattering.

I just have one request.... Um... As awkward as this is... Thank you for the compliment... But could you kindly stop touching my foot? No, I'm not ticklish, and it doesn't make me want to give you a business card that I've already told you several times I don't have any more than I do right now... Just sayin'.

XO,

...go home...

Get Bent!!

2010-03-04T08:37:00.000-08:00

Alright... So here's the deal... Saturday, March 13th, I will be hitting the stage for my FIRST TIME EVER as a BELLYDANCER. Eep! Come on now, you KNOW you don't want to miss out on this. Either it is going to be impressively, epically awesome, and you will be awe inspired and dazzled, OR, I may be a gong show in glitter. WHO KNOWS? Either way, this is something you are going to want to witness. Ten years down the road from now you will be able to say, "HEY, I was there the FIRST TIME she hit the stage as a bellydancer!" Or, ten years from now, you may still have the right to relentlessly tease me should things go drastically the way that I hope they do not! :-)

Aside from being a part of this monumental moment in my life, which as far as the show goes, is not all that big of an event. (I'm just in the one number...) There will be many other incredible, highly skilled, and entertaining performers coming your way in the Bollywood show who will make it much worth the effort!

Nath Keo of Victoria BC will be performing with his Sacred Centre Dance Company...

And special guests, from Penticton BC, The Bollywood Bellydance Tour, presented by Get Bent Active Arts Society...

This is a double feature event... Two groups, one show!

And I'll be thrown somewhere in the midst of all that!

Seriously! Don't miss it! :-)

Two things for your viewing pleasure: The poster!

And some clips of the Bollywood group from their last year's performance! Seriously, watch the whole thing... These girls get gooooing! :-)

TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED IN

ADVANCE BY E-MAIL FROM NATH KEO:

sacredcentredance@shaw.ca

Or at the door!

Click here for the Facebook event page...

Seeee yyoouuuu tthheerreee!!!

Love, Danielle

...go home...

Jammin' w Bobbi, Kalvin on Robaxacet and the Pink & Blue Pancake Open Door Policy.

2010-03-03T16:37:00.000-08:00

Bobbi & I jam every Wednesday night... We are working on some original songs that we would someday like to grace the world with! Hehe. During one such jam session, while I was attempting to share with her a song I've been working on, her cat took a liking to my lap.

Kalvin had a lot of back pain going down the other day... So he took a Robaxacet... He thought it would knock him out... Instead it... Musically... Inspired him? EEK! (Not for the faint of heart, I asure you... Only watch if you really do want to see Kalvin simultaneously butcher my ukulele and a great AC/DC song all in one go.)

On the topic of unnaturally coloured pancakes...

"The door's always open! Feel free to drop in anytime!"

You know how lots of people say that... But you would never dream of actually taking them up on their offer... And you likely doubt the sinceriy of their offer in the first place... (I mean seriously, who is ready for company any hour of the day with zero notice? I love you, but please, give me 5 minutes heads up at least... Trust me, you'll be glad you did.)

Grace and Jess are two such ladies with a supposed open door policy... I've never really taken them up on it... Until Monday, when I finished an appointment at my naturopath and had an hour to kill before my bellydance class... I thought, "What the heck? Let's do this zero notice drop in thing."

This is what I found.

And I was there to bear witness to the whip-cream massacre...

A man-handled piece of whip-cream equipment resulted in the whip-creaming of several items, aside from the intended pancake.

(*Grace not impressed)

(*Jess, however, reasonably impressed with her freshly whip-creamed bacon.)

(*Floor (picture not included) likely still sticky... Cat probably happy.)

Anyhow...

Today? Chores and business planning stuffs.

Tonight? More jammin' with Bobbi!

Have a happy Wednesday!

XO,

...go home...

Nath Keo @ The Duncan Garage Showroom

2010-02-28T13:55:00.000-08:00

**(...The man for whom I cut short my date day with my husband to watch dance...)**

As promised! A couple of clips from Nath's second solo sequence at the Duncan Garage, February 27th, 2009. I just thought I should mention... This man doesn't choreograph his solo dances. This is all improvised... Made up on the freaking spot! I described the experience of watching Nath perform in a facebook status:

"Nath Keo's performance tonight at the Duncan Garage was both delicious AND nutritious. (Read: amazing to watch and inspiring.) Yum!"

He makes me want to work harder.

*note: scroll down for the explanations on the shirt! :-)

AND NOW THE PART YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR...

The "shirt"!?

Nath: "The shirt?" *giggles* Well I thought it was kind of like video game geek turns bellydancer..."

Daisy: "Ohhh! I thought it looks more like you pulled a pair of athletic socks over your head..."

Danielle: "Now, you see, I thought that you had just put it into the dryer a little too long... I was gonna tell you, 'Uhh, Mr. Keo, I think you shrunk your shirt. I can see your nipples."

BONUS INTERPRETATION FROM MY HUSBAND, KALVIN:

"Perhaps he didn't pay the Mexicans enough to finish the shirt?"

***Note: On behalf of my husband, I apologize to all Mexicans... Especially shirt making Mexicans. I'm sure your work is very nice.

N e how...

As of February 1st 2010, Nath has opened his brand new Sacred Centre Dance Studio in Victoria, BC! Interested in taking bellydance classes?? This man's level of expertise in performance and instruction is far above the rest... And not only that, but he'll make you smile. I dare you to not crack a smile in his class. (Impossible.) Enticing to watch, delightful to be around and an absolutely dynamic instructor! Visit his website at www.nathkeo.com and drop him a line!

Tell him Danielle sent you. :-)

Who doesn't love a man in a nipple bearing shirt?
Just sayin'...

Peace! XO,

...go home...

Saturday is Date Day... Until you ditch your man to watch another man dance.

2010-02-28T00:24:00.000-08:00

Well, recently, Saturdays have been date day! That's because Kalvin has had a sudden streak of getting Saturdays off! How exciting! So we have been able to galavant and explore, as well as coffee shop it up and relax together... Not something that happens a lot... He's busy in the days... I'm gone in the evenings... Our stars don't often line up... (Distance makes the heart grow fonder?? Heh heh.)

But today... Today was lovely... Today included:

Giggling... At a snail... Who was trying to climb a wall.

Seriously, snail. Where are you going?

Today included some more giggling... At an orange (it was orange in person, okay??) cracked advertisement for "unlimited tanning." If you don't understand why this is funny then I would suggest going for the unlimited tanning deal, and then reporting back to me on the condition of your skin in a decade or so...

Or just look at this photo and slap on some sunblock.

***

Pheeew. I don't know about you, but I needed a couple moments to detoxify my brain after that last photo. Sorry for imprinting that image in your mind.

Moving on!

Today included me taking a picture of my feet. Just gonna throw that out to the universe.

HEY UNIVERSE! These are my feet.

Today also included FABULOUS red and grey striped granny pants.

How hip am I?

For Kalvin it included hunting for hipster shades...

Today also brought us to little coffee shop where Kalvin and I curled up on the couch with hot bevvies and books.

I can haz beans?

AND THEN...

Today concluded with...

Me abandonning my husband and taking off to see a belly dance show.

Yep.

Nath Keo, (whom I... "may or may not have" mentioned before... Heh heh heh) was the special highlight performer at today's Bellydance Extravaganza at The Duncan Garage Showroom. Check in tomorrow for some video clips of his second solo sequence of the evening, (I was too mesmerized during the first one to even pull out my camera... I was prepared for the second one!) and for a special explanation, (courtesy of Nath, Daisy and I) on what the heck his choice of shirt was all about. (A treat, I assure you!)

Goodnight!

XOXO,

...go home...

Don't Be So Arrogant

2010-02-23T01:32:00.000-08:00

Ever get that feeling like someone is looking at you? Laughing at you? Talking about you? Ever felt a little uncomfortable and self conscious when it feels as if complete strangers are taking notice of you? Being entertained by you? Like you are somehow the star of their conversation?

"Don't be so arrogant."

I don't remember who told me that, but I've heard it several times. "You wouldn't be so concerned about what other people are thinking about you if you knew how surprisingly little they did."

I've been told, "Don't flatter yourself."

But even so, sometimes when the little foreign couple is chattering intently in the corner and they occasionally throw quick glances in your direction, one can't help but wish he knew what the heck they were going on about...

Funny thing happened tonight.

Nath and I were out eating absolutely delicious late night food at Pho Hoa on Fort street... And in walked a hungry couple who began speaking... In Cambodian. Cambodian just so happens to be Nath's native tongue, and he didn't miss a word of their not so private conversation.

Now I LOVE... I mean, absolutely L-O-V-E, that not only did this couple actually take the time to NOTICE us, but full on had a bit of conversation about us... As Nath re-tells it to me, it went something like this:

"Stupid white girls always going after the Asian men. I bet she's only with him because he's successful."

Now, my day was already completely awesome. I got to spend time with the incredibly handsome Lance, whom I hadn't seen since high school! I got to catch up with my beautiful friend Amber, who just got back from an amazing trip to New York... I got to shake my booty at two belly dance classes, and then eat some delicious food with my friend Nath, whom I absolutely adore...

So like I said, my day was already pretty awesome... But this just MADE it. It was the absolute cherry on top. For one shining moment I was completely entitled to throw out all of those humbling words and thoughts and consider... Perhaps the world really does revolve around me??

Hehehehehe.

Simple joys, huh? Life is sooooo good.

...go home...

Dragons, Cougars and Stewart, OH MY!

2010-02-22T11:22:00.000-08:00

Victoria wildlife...

Eat that lettuce, eat that lettuce!

Eye contact! Don't eat me!

*Whew!* That was scary...

In other news...

When Kalvin and I are rich, we will have orb chairs.

In other, other news... Hey, It's Stu!

Drumroaster's makes pretty latte's...

Maple Bay is a lovely place for a ukulele jam...

Random abandoned church...

... is a lovely place for...

um... er...

graffiti hunting! :-)

The end! (Of the photo part...)

But hey, in other other other news, guess what else Kalvin and I discovered this weekend? We decided to hike Mount Prevost, as this is something that we had (and have) yet to successfully achieve... We didn't (still don't) really know the trails and roads that would have actually have made this attempt successful, but we were up for an adventure so we decided to just wing it... And... Well...

Apparently there were blockades set up on all the normal trails and roads because they didn't want people up there while there was a big crew, busy as bees, filming a MOVIE! But, being the out of the box hikers that we are, we missed all of those cleverly placed hiking hindrances and scaled the mountain in our own fashion...

We ended up coming out of the bush just below where they were filming and we stared in a puzzled fashion at the giant entourage of trucks and vans parked all over the mountainside as we debated back and forth as to what magical party was taking place just up the trail. We had the pleasure of meeting three Hollywood trained dogs. They were beautiful. And we were quite fortunate to have not met the Hollywood trained COUGAR who was romping through the bushes at the same time we were. Apparently the reason why they were blocking off the mountain was because they were filming a cougar attack scene. Go glad we didn't partake in that.

SoOoOo... That was exciting!

Apparently the movie is called "Wrecked," and it is starring Adrian Brody... They also did a bank robbery scene in downtown Duncan on Sunday! We saw the wee crowd of Cowichanites gathering around the spectacle...

AANNYYHOOOWWW...

I've got to jet to Victoria... Sushi date with Mr. Lance!! YAYYY!! Then naturopath appointment... And two bellydance classes!

*happiness abounds!*

Enjoy the continued baths of magical sunshine! Have a happy week!

Love and stuff,

Dee

...go home...

It's A Magical Day In Duncan Today...

2010-02-18T14:05:00.000-08:00

The sun is shining brightly, yet the air is perfectly crisp.

The birds inside and outside are singing, and so are the buskers. Downtown is filled with bluesy melodies and guitar riffs.

People are smiling and making conversation with strangers.

Have I mentioned that this island is paradise?

...go home...

These Are A Few Peculiar Things...

2010-02-18T00:24:00.000-08:00

Old camera is ready to retire.

New camera is ready to steal the spotlight.

New camera can go under water.

SPLOOSH!

New camera can also be dropped and stood on!
**How exciting!**

First picture ever taken with new camera!
(Creepy picture, I know...)

Kalvin has a new hat... And a new belt.

Someday I'll teach him how to wear a belt.

I've been eating lots of interesting things lately...

We discovered corn soft tortillas. (No wheat! Hurrah!)

Now I can eat baby burritos!

This apple-pear thing is filled with crunchy peanut butter.
CRUNCHY peanut butter. Inside a prapple! How avant-garde.

Kalvin lime zested and herbed up his pizza the other day.

I banana-ed mine.

Speaking of bananas... Who does one talk to in order to purchase advertising space on a BANANA?

(*note sticker advertising Wii game*)

The birds thought my banana pizza was kind of weird...

They stared down at me from on top of books while I was eating, and gossiped amongst themselves.

It's been sunny lately!

The birds are out and about, enjoying the sun...

(*Note birds on top of curtain rod.*)

Sunshine makes me happy.

So do peeping birds.

Banana pizza, on the other hand...

(I think I can live without.)

Love, Danielle

...go home...

The Michael J. Fox Marathon Of Hope

2010-02-16T08:35:00.000-08:00

Hehehehehe....

...go home...

I Don't Want To Miss A Thing (ukulele cover)

2010-02-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

I Don't Want To Miss A Thing, ukulele cover

Dedicated to my friend Amanda, who requested the song back in OCTOBER... It's been a long time coming... I started recording this one and figuring it out, and then I got reaaaally sick. I lost my voice and confidence completely. :-( THEN, all the audio and video stuff that I HAD recorded when amok, and there was mass destruction... You can imagine that I was very reluctant to ever pick the project up again after so much went wrong... Eep. But I eventually did... So this is take...? I don't know. The audio was done back in October. The video was done much later... (Original video!?!? Lost and destroyed. *sigh*)

To Write Love On Her Arms day was in November... (See how behind I am?) but the reminder and call to love is valid any day of the year... So hear this challenge.

You love those who love you? That's easy. Anyone can do that. But what about the rest? And what about your enemies? What about those that you have deemed as not deserving of your love or forgiveness? Perhaps they need it more than you realize.

Hope you enjoy the song... Even though it is making me go cross-eyed and I plan to never watch this video again after it is posted... (*insert masses of frustration here*)

Hope your day is incredibly happy!

Aaaannndddddd For Your Information:
- Yes, I realize how freakishly annoying my face is in this video. I'll try to fix that for next time, hahaha.
- Hear that? Yes, that's my tin whistle! I had no idea what I was doing really, so I just made it up.
- The photos? Obviously not mine. Thank you people of the world for posting your photos on the grand old internet, and for letting me borrow them with or without your permission. :-) They are lovely!

"Here lay Danielle's eyeballs which she may or may not have gouged out of her face in frustration while trying to create this video. May they rest in peace until they are reunited with her in paradise."

...go home...

The Butcher And His Vegan Wife????

2010-02-03T11:48:00.000-08:00

Yikes, that got your attention, didn't it?

Are you hoping it's a joke?

Say it isn't so!

Sorry... That's kind of the direction things are going...

First let me tell you a bit about my journey...

I've never felt comfortable in my own skin. I've always had issues with my weight. In grade five I remember one conversation that took place between two of the girls in my class over a fellow classmate of ours who also struggled with his weight.

"Man, that guy is soo fat!"

"I know! It's gross!"

"He's soo fat... I bet you he's like... 100 pounds!!!!"

Hold on a second... I know 100 pounds doesn't seem like that much... But to a 65 pound grade five girl, it really did. And even though they weren't talking about me, as I sat there, eating my lunch, my eyes glossed over with tears. I was 140 pounds at the time... I would have been so horrified if they knew. You can imagine my shame and guilt.

By grade 8, I was 5'7 1/2'' and 190 pounds.

I held there quite steadily. I may have been overweight, but at least things weren't continuing to snowball... I've never grown another 1/2 inch in height, and (accept for one really intense cleanse diet in grade 12 which caused temporary weight loss) I maintained 190 pounds all through my school years. I eventually came to accept that weight as natural for me, and that I was designed to be overweight. I had tried many strategies over the years, but the truth that held in the core of me was that I was too tired to be active, and too addicted to what I put in my mouth to ever make a change. Food was comfort. It was medicine.

I was married at the age of 19 an we moved to Vancouver Island (PARADISE, incase you're wondering...) I took a hair design course for a year... Commuted to Victoria and back (from Cowichan) and enjoyed being married...

And just like a frog being slowly boiled to death in a pool of luke warm water, my health, vitality, energy and life began to seep out of my body leaving behind exhaustion and depression. Extra layers of body fat began to cover me like winter coats that I couldn't remove. The only things I desired were sleep and food... And although I suspected that one was responsible for the other, all attempts at controlling the food failed miserably... It felt as though no matter how much or how little I ate, my body continued to shut down while it blew up.

I reached the bottom of the pit in 2007. I was 240 pounds. I slept 14 hours per night, and then napped all day. I couldn't work. I left the apartment only once a week, and only because my husband insisted I come with him to church! And what fun that was. There was a lady there who wouldn't be convinced that I wasn't pregnant. ("No Julie, I'm not pregnant... Just fat!" "Are you surrre?" "Yes Julie, I'm sure!" (Puts hands on my stomach and rubs) "It just really looks like there's a little baby in there!" (KILL ME NOW.)

Yesss... "Kill meee nooowww!!" sounded like a really good option. I remember praying... "Um, God? If this is what my life is, I really don't want to live it. Just thought you should know. I'd rather die then go on like this."

Doctor after doctor told me that I was tired because I was fat, and I was fat because I ate too much and I was lazy. I'm not kidding!! I just wanted to scream at them.. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, I CAN'T EVEN GET UP IN THE MORNING!

A journey in photo's...

Then a visit to a naturopath changed everything.

"You are intolerant to dairy and gluten, Danielle. You also need to cut the sugar out. These things have been causing you much grief your whole life... You are slowly poisoning yourself. If you don't stop, you will kill yourself. You also have Candida levels right off the charts. This is a result of what you've been eating. Dairy, especially. You consumed dairy... You got infections... You were put on antibiotics... The antibiotics killed good bacteria as well as bad... Yeast took over when not challenged by the good bacteria. This resulted in Candida overgrowth, which you have... And I've never seen it so bad in someone so young."

At the very beginning of this blog was when that journey started. I cut out: Dairy and gluten. I restricted: sugars. I began treatment for Candida. Six months and 70 pounds later, I was 180 pounds for Christmas. (That's 10 less than I was in grade 8, if you can imagine.)

My life was changed. My energy was reborn. A fog was lifted off of my brain. I became a new person. "How can you restrict your diet so much? That must suck!!" Well no, thanks for your concern, but it really doesn't suck at all. It's such a joy and blessing to have an answer! It's NOT a sacrifice. It's NOT willpower! When the pay off is you see results like I did and begin to feel the way I felt, eating differently is NOT A SACRIFICE!!

Relapse. Alright, so alcohol, in it's essence, is sugar. Even when I thought I was being really cleaver about it... (Gluten free beer! Socially... Not all the time... What's the big deal?) Back up to 195 pounds. But hey, at least I'm no longer 240!

But once again, about that frog being slowly boiled to death... Sometimes you don't realize how tired you are until you become refreshed. Sometimes you don't realize how heavy your burden is until it is lifted. Sometimes you've got to have your husband issue a "no alcohol until the car is paid off" initiative challenge before you realize what alcohol was doing to your body!

Back down to 180 pounds in no time flat. And a resurgence of energy! My body literally stood up and shouted, "THANK YOU!" Like I said before, when you see positive results and feel the benefits of doing something good for your body, it is no longer a sacrifice and a discipline... It becomes an easy choice. It's become an easy choice for me. When the challenge is over and alcohol is taken off of the "taboo list", for me, it will stay there. I feel too good to let it back into my body. I feel too good without it!

And then I became ill last October... Now before you all go feeling sorry for me, let me tell you what a blessing it was. First of all, I infected the man who was caring for me and my dear husband joined me in bed with the flu. It was actually a great time of bonding, if you can believe it. "They who puke together stay together!" Heh heh. But more than that, sickness gave me the opportunity to give my body a fresh start. It was as if a "re-set" button was pushed in my brain and I was given the power to re-establish my relationship with food. I ripped off food's "Hello my name is comfort" sticker and replaced it with "Hello my name is fuel for your body." Dependency broken. Thank God!

I lost another 10 pounds. I was sitting, thrilled, at 170. (20 pounds lighter than grade 8!!) Everyone told me, ooh that was just weight loss because of illness, it will be back on in no time. I told them, heck no, it won't! Food and I have changed our relationship. Sickness gave me the opportunity to cleanse and re-establish new boundaries. I proved this was true by shaving off another 5 pounds.

AND NOWWW THE PART OF THE STORY YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR...

It started with The China Study. I don't have time for reading these days, but I'm an audiobook junkie. Over the course of several commutes I listened through this intriguing book. The author, a scientist, who grew up on a dairy farm and was very much an "eat your meat and drink your milk" little boy, ended up choosing a vegetarian lifestyle after all of his research indicated that animal protein, meat, milk, etc, continued to point towards incredible risks of heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases and ailments. One study, which was quite interesting, in particular, had 100 to 0 results. (Talk about winning by a landslide.) All of the rats in that study were injected with the same cancer causing agent. Half of them were fed a 20% protein diet... The other half a 5% protein diet. 100% of the high protein group developed cancer. 0% of the low protein rats did. (Strong win.) There were many examples of these studies and I'm not going to drone on and on about them. (Seriously, read (and/or listen to) the book!)

So as the audiobook ends... I'm en route to class in Nanaimo... I continue the thoughts that had been going through my head for the past couple of days... The claims in that book come across as complete heresy when one is raised to believe that milk is a health product and that you need to eat your meat and get your protein. (Did I mention that I'm married to a butcher??) But perhaps... It's worth an experiment. I never would have chosen to cut out alcohol. But now, having done it, I'll never go back! I feel far too good without it! Perhaps I could give Vegetarianism (or the more intense Vegan diet) the same fair fighting chance. If my body says, "Thank you!" Then it's worth the effort. It my body doesn't seem to care any, then why bother?

So those thoughts were going through my head... And then my ipod does what it does best... Continues on to whatever is next to be listened to. The China Study audiobook was over, and so it began to play what was next in the alphabetical list of audiobooks... Which just happened to be the Old Testament Book of Daniel... The first Chapter of which had a section that went a whole lot like this...

Daniel 1:12-17

"Please test your servants in this for 10 days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance to what you see." So he agreed to this and tested them for 10 days. At the end of the 10 days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand dreams and visions of all kind."

Funny.

Well at least I thought that was.

Or creepy.

Take your pick.

Is it a matter of right and wrong? You'll never hear me say that. Is it a matter of right and wrong for my body? Absolutely. I suppose we all have our "issues" to deal with... We all have our "crosses to bear." But I'm not feeling as though any of this is a sacrifice... I'm just happy for an answer. Happy to learn what my body does and does not want!!

Today marks the end of my third week as a Vegetarian. (Although I have not been outright consuming eggs, I am still working my way through my remaining gluten free pizza shells which do contain eggs... So as soon as those are finished I will step it up, Vegan style!) Although this is still in "experiment stage", I have to say it is strongly learning towards a resounding "Yeesssss!" My notes so far? I'm eating... Ohh am I eating! People asked, "Vegetarian!? Really? But you are already so restricted... What will you EAT?!" Oh, I'm finding things... Home made sushi, for starters. I'm eating but-loads of this stuff!

And I'm losing weight! The scale told me that I was 156 pounds this morning. (That's 34 pounds lighter than in grade 8... And 84 pounds lighter than I was in 2007, incase you're wondering...)

I am sleeping SOLIDLY. I often wake up in the exact same position I fell asleep in.

My insides feel clean and more efficient. My energy is fabulous. I'm making strides in my dance class, and feeling more grounded and balanced than ever!

And heck! I'm starting to feel pretty sassy and confident in my dance outfit!

All I can say is... Life's a journey. Don't be afraid of change... And there is hope. There is always hope.

Do something good for yourself today...

And I'll keep you posted on my own journey, because it's far from being complete!

Much love and hugs,

Danielle

...go home...

Status Updates I Could Have Made This Week...

2010-01-28T10:16:00.000-08:00

Umm... Kalvin is chasing the birds with a didgeridoo.

I was drinking some water and then I looked around at all my thirsty dying plants and I felt guilty.

Banana in my sushi! Banana in my sushi!

I wonder if they should really be letting Kalvin play with knives at work so early in the morning... I found the peanut butter in the fridge and the soy milk in the cupboard. I don't think he's quite all with us, folks.

Hula hoop bruises... Everywhere... Need to make lighter hula hoops...

...go home...

Lean On Me, Ukulele Cover

2010-01-27T10:27:00.000-08:00

While we're on the topic of friendships... A song that has always meant a lot to me...

...go home...

Something New And Beautiful (& The Day I Met Wally)

2010-01-26T16:02:00.000-08:00

Part One:

When I was a kid I had a really difficult time making friends. There seemed to be this pattern in my life. I would love hard, bend over backwards and commit whole heartedly. In return I would be taken advantage of, used, and ultimately tossed aside when someone or something better came along. I wish I could say that these were select incidents, few and far between, but no, they formed more of a reoccurring theme in my life...

If you let them, those kind of experiences will bend and warp you. I didn't know any better, and I let those relationships dictate to me who I was, where my place was, and what I was worth. I came to believe that I was undesirable as a friend... That people didn't really want me around... That everything about me was unlikable... That I was somehow second class, and unworthy...

It didn't take long for those ugly things to become cemented in my heart as "truth." Once that happens it is impossible to accept any message that contradicts those beliefs. That is where major self sabotage comes in. "They don't want me around, so why should I even approach them?" "No one wants to hear from me, so I certainly won't call them." "They are just going to reject me anyways, so perhaps I should really pretend like I'm not interested... Or better yet, reject them first!"

I realize now that although in many instances I was mistreated, a lot of relationships were sabotaged before I even gave them a fair chance. In essence, my beliefs about myself and others taught the people around me how I was to be treated. Many relationships could have been different had I only taken the time to learn how to love myself, and then allowed others to do the same.

This realization came as a great comfort to me and has greatly helped me on my path to healing. But even so, love continues to be a risk. Whenever you make room in your life and your heart for another human being, there is always the chance that they will soak up all you pour into them, only to turn and walk out, leaving behind nothing but a giant whole in your heart and life where they used to be. It happened to me again, this past year, in fact.

For a while I was devastated. I hate that empty feeling... That chasm, the exact size and shape of the person you had invested so much in... Nothing else can fill that hole... At least not at first. I did end up filling in that time and energy with other things that are becoming consuming passions in my life. I'm bellydancing, hoopdancing, singing, writing music, getting crafty, going on adventures, playing ukulele, and continuing my journey towards learning to be organized, mastering my routines, and obtaining maximum health! My life is changing, and it's for the better. These days I have joy and positive energy surging through my veins and can honestly say, I LOVE MY LIFE.

But I can't push people out forever. The time has come when I have once again regained the strength to acknowledge my desire for deep, quality friendships. An inner circle. And with this new found knowledge and self realization I am summoning up the courage to reach out and pursue friendships. I will not just sit back, wallow in self-pity and expect rejection. That's not me anymore. I will love hard, bend over backwards, commit whole heartedly, and hang on to the hope that eventually I will reap the rewards of this in returned love and friendship.

WHY IS IT, that these UGLY LIES continue to pop into my head?? "They're too busy." "They're not interested." "They don't want to hear from you." "You'll never be in anyone's inner circle." "They'll keep you at arms length." "They'll use you." "No one ever wants to be your best friend." "Why bother?" Suddenly I see my entire being and outlook change and reroute to that old familiar path of self destruction. No... Not this time... NOT THIS TIME!!!

I'm going to love hard, bend over backwards and commit whole heartedly. That makes me vulnerable, for sure. But does that necessarily have to be a bad thing? My heart may be open, unprotected from attack... But in being so, it is also open to the chance that love may be returned, and some people I care about may venture across the chasm of social friends and acquaintances, into the treasured realm of family... Life long friends... Inner circle. Even though I have no experience in my past to give me evidence that this kind of experience is even possible, I'm choosing to believe that it is. And I'm choosing to believe that the risk is worth the gain.

Redefine. Refocus. Reinvent.

Here is some self love therapy on canvas...

Part Two:

Today I met Wally... Officially... With a handshake. (Three handshakes actually, now that I think of it...)

Wally is the older gentleman who lives in the apartment below mine. We have seen each other in the halls many times... We have passed each other by and exchanged hellos. Once, he knocked on my apartment door to inform me that I had left the lights on in my car. (I felt like an idiot.) The next week, I got to return the favour when I got home late and found his van lights glowing..

This afternoon, on my way home from a trip to Monk Office, with a paper bag of study goodies in my arms, I saw him. He was on his way out, with a thin package tucked under his arm. We met half way up the hill. Normally, we would have avoided eye contact until the very last moment, at which time eyes would connect, a quick, polite smile would be given, and then both parties would hurry along. Not this time. I'm not sure why.

We made eye contact from a long distance off, and exchanged large smiles. When we reached each other, we stopped. He shook my hand and introduced himself. I returned the pleasantries. He then took the package out from under his arm and explained where he was heading. "I'm going to get my painting critiqued," he said. He opened up the package and gave me a peek at a lovely water colour painting of sailboats on the ocean. It was beautiful.

"Painting is great therapy, isn't it?" I asked. He agreed. I'm not sure what inspired me to continue, but I then proceeded to tell him about my heart ache with friends... The emptiness they leave and the risk of loving them...

His eyes got a little glossy. "I've got a brain injury, you know. I might not remember your name the next time I see you. It happened 10 years ago. I used to have five children. One of them died. And I used to be married. She left me after I got my brain injury. Talk about a hole in your heart and life. But now I've got this. This is my fourth painting! I just remember being in the hospital after my last stroke, and a lady came in. She was an artist. She asked, does anyone want to learn to draw some things? I shot my left arm into the air... (I couldn't use my right one...) I remember thinking, I'm not left handed, but let's see what this thing can do!"

HOPE.
I suppose we are both looking forward to something new and beautiful.

XO,
D

...go home...

My Album Cover

2010-01-22T10:39:00.000-08:00

NOW ITS YOUR TURN!

Instructions below...

1 - Go to "wikipedia." Hit “random”

or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wi ki/Special:Random

The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random quotations"

or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3

The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”

or click http://www.flickr.com/expl ore/interesting/7days

whatever the third photo is, will be your album cover. No matter what

HAHA! My "band name" sounds so fabulously honky! Click here to see my friend Genine's...

...go home...

On The Topic Of Social Life & Relationships...

2010-01-21T08:19:00.000-08:00

"I realized that there's no changing people. Option 1 is to accept highly flawed people and put a tremendous amount of work into the upkeep and survival of these relationships. Option 2 is to find people with really great character and personality traits and put the same amount of energy into boosting these relationships into the stratosphere."

- Alex Shalman (10 Areas Of Your Life That May Need A Boost.)

...go home...

Geocaching Mt. Doug Takes 1 & 2

2010-01-19T22:40:00.000-08:00

So Sundays seem to be the only day of the week that Kalvin and I can get out and galavant around the island geocaching, so this post is is actually two whole weeks in the making. How exciting!

Part One: How Does One Accidentally Climb A Mountain??

Sunday afternoon, January the 10th, Kalvin and I had a three way battle on our hands. Battle no. 1, Kalvin vs. GPS. Battle no. 2, Kalvin and Danielle vs. mountain. Battle no. 3, Kalvin and Danielle vs. sunset.

Kalvin vs. GPS

It's a fairly new toy... Kal hasn't had the chance to fully figure it out yet... So let's just say his navigational skills had us doing multiple 180's, picking trails, changing our minds, and romping in grand old circles. Kalvin was becoming increasingly frustrated. "See, look at this! Our latitude is bang on; we just need to go further West to reach our destination. But no matter which way we go on this trail we end up getting father and farther from where we want to be."

We were getting grumpy.

Danielle: Okay, so right where I'm standing is at the correct latitude, right?

Kalvin: Right.

Danielle: So from here which way do we need to go, East or West?

Kalvin: West.

Danielle: From here, which way is West?

Kalvin: (looks at GPS compass and points) That way.

Kalvin and Danielle: (eyes follow Kalvin's pointed finger and rest on cliffs in the distance) Ohh.

Kalvin and Danielle vs. Mountain

Not willing to take the chance that the paths may lead us in directions undesirable, and with our eyes firmly fixed on the cliffy heights in the distance, the battle of Kalvin and Danielle vs. Mountain began. Now we didn't set out to discover alternative ways of climbing a mountain... We didn't even intend to climb the mountain at all... But that's what we did.

We successfully reached the coordinates of our destination... Just in time for,

Kalvin and Danielle vs. Sunset

No time to find the cache... It's getting dark!

Unsure of whether or not our vehicle was about to get stuck in the park, locked behind a "Dawn to Dusk" gate, and not at all interested in hanging around the side of an unfamiliar mountain in the consuming darkness of night, Kalvin and I bounded down the mountain. This bounding was made possible due to the discovery of a trail. (Note to selves: Climb mountain using trail next time... This strategy may prove more efficient...)

Part Two: Take THAT, Mount Doug!

The following Sunday, January 17th, Kalvin and I had our fists up and ready for round two... This time, we brought our A-Game. Heck yes, we did.

Kalvin poses with his first ever find! (Together our 6th)

I'm collecting buttons!

Number 7, hidden in a log...

Number 8, a great jaunt through eye stabbing prickly bushes!

This one has a sweet bug in it, made from a spoon and a fork.

Number 9, inside the cliff crevasses!

Bed of ivy...

Cache # 10, in some sticks and under a rock... Camo!

Geocaching Mt. Doug Take 2 was quite a successful event... I suppose the words, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" are in order. Ahhh, sweet victory.

XO,

...go home...

Holy Hernandez!

2010-01-18T10:05:00.000-08:00

Belly dance class started up again the other week with the AMAZING Nath Keo. I told him to make sure he works us extra hard because I spent my holidays eating extra hard... Feels so good to be back and shaking my wibbly bits... And with such great people! :-)

After class on Friday, I took Nath to the Irish Times to see my friend Jeremy Walsh play. Nath had never been to the Times, and was quite looking forward to meeting Jeremy and seeing him perform, as he had been hearing his name around quite a bit. Nath doesn't listen to a lot of English music, so I figure it is high time he was schooled properly in good folk and celtic music, and the Irish Times last Friday was our first stop... And we definitely hit it up on the perfect night!

Jeremy was playing with one of his favorite fiddlers, Kalissa Hernandez. They are a really great team, and that girl can set a fiddle on fire with how fast her fingers move! So in all honesty, on any given night, if you were to be lucky enough to catch Jer and Kalissa teaming up, you would offer up a "Holy Hernandez!" in honour of the magic those two can create together... But this particular Friday night something even more speical was in the works...

Kalissa's sister, Ivonne Hernandez, who often gigs with Jeremy as well, happened to be in the crowd. Jer invited her up, and in perfect unison, the two Hernandez sisters set the night on fire. To see one set of fingers moving that fast is incredible enough... Two see two blurring, in perfect unison, is beyond imagination!

And then (with Jeremy's "subtle" coaxing) Kalissa put down her fiddle and broke out into a huge step dance solo... Apparently (she told me after the show) that was something she hadn't done in years, but with the house full of people in high spirits, drinking up entertainment, that thought didn't enter anyone's mind... All that we knew was that this girl went from blurring fingers to blurring feet, and it was great to watch! She then rejoined her sister in a fiddling duet... And, with fingers continuing to blurr with speed, the two sisters began to step dance in unison while continuing to play.

Like I said, if you catch one Hernandez sister performing, you are in for a treat... But what we got to see that night was something super special... If you were there, you know exactly what I'm talking about... If you weren't, it's safe to say you missed out, for sure!

Jeremy Walsh continues to gig quite frequently at the Irish Times in Victoria, and he is a local musician worth catching! Make sure you give him a handshake afterwards and introduce yourself, as he is one of the most genuinely friendly people you'll ever meet.

Go ahead and tell him I sent you... :-)

Have a happy week!

XO,
D

PS: I saw a bike in the back of a truck the other day that had a back wheel made out of concrete... Does any body want to tell me what that was about? Any ideas??

...go home...

All I Have To Do Is Dream

2010-01-13T18:38:00.000-08:00

Two things I love and am learning these days are the ukulele and hoopdance... So I decided to awkwardly throw them together in one video for the world to enjoy... So... Enjoy. Heh heh.

My hair today was fashioned by the lovely Paris McIvor of Paris Styling Group. That's right, I got my hair cut today and I'm feeling faaaabulous.

The birds singing in the background weren't quite death metal birds today... More soft rock, I guess... How kind of them to "keep it down" while I recorded. (*rolls eyes*)

...go home...

Dancing Isabelle, Original Song on Uke

2010-01-12T14:51:00.000-08:00

So I'm struggling with some homework and needed a break before I gouged out my own eyeballs... So I pulled out my ukulele. This song is an original that I wrote last summer, and it's likely far from being completed... Please excuse the birds in the background screaming in protest... They are very opinionated about music... If they like a song they peep along happily... If they don't, they scream. Should I take this personally? They really hate me singing! Hahaha.

...go home...

You hear that Music?? It was coming from MY cubicle.

2010-01-11T20:42:00.000-08:00

I got my car serviced on Saturday at BowMel Chrysler ... I absolutely love my car dealership. Is that weird? They've won my heart, it's completely true. For starters, the place is absolutely riddled with musicians. Bobbi Iwasiuk, the beautiful lassy at the service desk, is a guitar player and has written quite a bit of her own music. Jim Aspinall (sales manager) and Ken Hill (parts manager) are two of the fabulous rowdy old men that have hijacked me for their band... ( See here and here for parts one and two of that story, incase you're at all confused...)

Aaaaand then there is Allan Graham... I just call him the Aussie... Actually, I think everyone does... Comes in handy when you forget his name... He's the guy who actually sold me my car back in June. He's so special. He gets a notice on his computer that let's him know when one of his clients is coming in, and he's always lurking about, waiting... I made the mistake of leaving my "focussed blinders" on while marching straight to my destination (the service department) this past Saturday. I didn't make it ten steps. STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! (In place... Picture a grown man mini temper tantrum.) Awww. The Aussie needs some attention. :-)

He wanted to tell me that he's going to buy a ukulele! I decided in my own mind that I'm the source of that inspiration. I had given him a private ukulele concert back in June when I was buying my car... He in turn gave me my first ever busking tip (a grand total of $0.31)

Here's a little snippet of what I had to say about my experience with Al from my journal, back in June 2009.

When I was at the car dealership today doing some paper work and discussing details on my purchase, the crazy guy who was helping me asked me about my ukulele... I happened to have it with me so I whipped it out and played for him. He was very impressed. We gathered a nice little crowd outside his cubicle. My favorite moment was afterwards, by the front desk, when he announced to his co-worker, "You hear that music?? It was coming from MY cubicle. You see, interesting people attract interesting customers... Dreadfully dull people on the other hand... Well, you just attract dreadfully dull people in here. You need to spice it up!

A couple of other quotes from the Aussie that I figured were worth writing down...

"My boss has a floppy fish handshake you say? Oh that's awesome! I'm gonna call him floppy fish!"

"If you don't like the smell of your car you could always take up smoking! It's great for weight loss as well."

Aside from being a regular old craaazy, Al has taken pretty good care of me... He has decided on a number of occasions to not allow me to walk home, or to take the shuttle, but instead has given me personal chauffeur rides home in fancy new vehicles... (The opportunity for an unscheduled break coupled with a mid-day joy ride is probably a little too irresistible...)

So yes, I love my car dealership and all of the crazy people it employs. If you're ever in the market for a new vehicle and/or some cheap entertainment (well... the vehicle part sure isn't cheap, but the entertainment is for sure...) go to BowMel Chrysler in Duncan BC... Tell them I sent you, and ask the Aussie how his ukulele skills are coming along, and don't forget to insist he chauffeurs you around in a hot ride. And if the man resists, stomp your feet... Loudly.

...go home...

Princess Party

2010-01-08T16:01:00.000-08:00

So my friend Genine is getting married this year... I wonder how much she would L-O-V-E a princess party in her honour??

If all else fails... My birthday is in May. Ya'll can get planning. Make sure the good fairy comes... She sure knows how to work the dance floor! Wouldn't be a party without her.

...go home...

ZZ Top Is A Little Before My Time...

2010-01-07T11:31:00.000-08:00

And yet looping in my mind at this very moment...

I been bad, I been good

Dallas Texas, Hollywood

I ain't askin' for much

I said, Lord, take me downtown

I'm just looking for some tush

That's right. I've been hijacked by a bunch of rowdy old men and forced to sing against my will.. Heh heh. Just joking... Partly. :-) What I mean to say is I'm officially part of the band that I auditioned for and had my first full band rehearsal last night. It was AMAZING. They brought in their former lead singer to give me some coaching and she was soo helpful! The band is incredible... So freaking talented... The music is super fun! I kicked ZZ Top's butt last night. (In my own mind, at least...) Tush is so my song! :-) More on this to come... Obviously, I'll keep ya'll updated.

In other news... Incredible sunrise this morning, and I was awake to see it. That's right. I'm still getting up on time! Hurrah! The new ipod is really helping... Before, when the alarm clock went off it was so easy to sink back into the covers... But now, in those weak early morning moments when my body would be normally seeking to throw my alarm clock across the room and shut back down for a further snooze, I just pop my earbuds in and turn on a podcast and find my brain and body wake up within a couple of minutes... It's great! *so proud*

And of course, my eternal dismay... Why is it that a camera can never even come close to the magic that my eyes are seeing? This was so much more breathtaking in person... Hrm.

N e how... Back to homework... My hula hooping / blog reading break is over... Back to the books. Eeps.

Have a happy day!

XO, Dee

...go home...

Eeps!

2010-01-06T15:25:00.000-08:00

I found my coasters featured on a blog! How exciting is that!?

www.dailyetsian.blogspot.com

...go home...

A Tourist Or A Traveller?

2010-01-06T11:02:00.000-08:00

I met a guy in my Math class last night... His name is Brad. I asked him what his plans were for his schooling, and what direction he was thinking of taking. He had no idea. I suppose that's pretty normal. He went on to tell me that he currently works in a bank and all he knows for sure is that it's not what he wants to do for the rest of his life... As for where he is going, he doesn't know... He just knows that he doesn't want to stay where he is. That's a start.

I asked him about his hobbies and passions. The question seemed to catch him off guard and he became silent for a couple of moments. After seemingly racking his brain, he stuttered his answer, "I d-don't know." "I suppose all I do is work." I probed him a little further, asking about his passions and hobbies when he was a child. Perhaps there was a clue buried in his past that would unlock something that he didn't even remember he loved... He couldn't do it. He tried, but couldn't come up with something that satisfied him enough to give as an answer.

It really makes one think... Life-- Is it meant to be enjoyed or endured? Does one live to work, or work to live? Is life full of colour and adventure, or is it simply a matter of survival? Is it realistic to be able to love one's life, or is the only hope and relief in escape? Is change possible?

I'm a podcast addict. I love learning. I'm also a self declared self improvement junkie. Is that so bad? I'm just trying to resist living a stagnant life. Change is good. Hopefully I'm changing for the better... At least that's what I'm striving for.

I've recently learned something interesting about the terms "tourist" and "traveller." Apparently, there is a significant difference. The word traveller comes from the word travail, which implies enduring and suffering. We're not talking about a cushy hotel and mai tais on the beach. We're talking about submersing oneself into another culture, living alongside the people and experiencing life in a new way. The biggest difference between a tourist and a traveller is that a tourist comes home with a tan and a photo album whereas a traveller comes back a different person.

A tourist escapes one's own reality by taking a vacation. He seeks and enjoys comforts, takes guided tours and many photographs. If all has gone well, a tourist returns to his life somewhat more rested and energized, but other than that entirely unaffected.

A traveller goes deeper. A traveller experiences a new life. A traveller embraces life changing experiences whether they bring joy or pain. A traveller truly never returns, as who he once was has ceased to be.

It's just all got me thinking... If all you have at the end of your life is money in the bank, and a series of great facebook profile pictures, then I fear you've never lived at all.

There's more to life. Don't give up until you find your passion and your purpose... And for heavens sake, don't leave this life unchanged.

...go home...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On a completely unrelated topic... I camo duct taped a bag today... I think it's awesome, but that's just me... :-)

I hope inspiration hits your hard today.

xo, D

Mischief

2010-01-05T08:14:00.000-08:00

One of Kalvin's stocking stuffers this year was a bunch of static mirror stickers... Here's a pic of my mirror, and as an added bonus, me with my toothbrush, the spot where I slobbed on my t-shirt, and a bleached up towel in the background...

They also work really well on framed photographs...

Just sayin'...

PS: Added a new item to my store today! Check out my new upcycled magazine page coaster set in my Etsy Shop...

...go home...

There's Modge Podge In My Hair, And Various Other Updates

2010-01-04T21:50:00.000-08:00

1. Yesterday's geocache planting didn't happen as planned... Day kind of went awry. I guess that happens. We did however take a short walk and found a cache in Centennial park. This one had a geocoin in it... It's from Alberta. We're thinking of taking it further up island. We also made our first attempt at finding a micro... Darkness fell before we were able to find that needle in a haystack... We're talking about something 1'' big in a forestry park. Eeps! We'll be back.

Geocoin from cache find number 5

2. One of my major goals this year is to master my routines... I'm pleased to announced that I nearly nailed my morning routine today... That means I dragged my sorry butt out of bed at 6:00 in the am, even though I didn't have to be anywhere. I'm pretty pleased with myself. I'm not a morning person so going to bed before the sun comes up and waking up early enough to not call your breakfast "brunch" is kind of a big deal for me... Takes effort. Lots of it.

3. Modge podge... Everywhere. Coasters almost finished!! Should be up in the store tomorrow. I'm so excited! Paper folding production is going much more efficiently thanks to the paper cutter that I've been gifted with... THANKS HEIDI!

4. Life is starting back up this week... School... Dance... Gems... I've got some pretty big plans and visions that I'm about to try and give some major movement and life to in the next couple months... I'm talking pretty big life direction stuff... (No, not babies, don't even go there, hahaha.) I really feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be, doing what I'm supposed to be doing... Really excited for the future!

What are some of your goals? Do you have any dreams? Tell me in a comment, I'd love to hear.

-D

...go home...

2010 Quotable Quotes Geocache

2010-01-02T19:18:00.000-08:00

Here she is! The first cache that we have put together. We decorated her with camo duct tape.

Put a little story on the inside.

Packed her with goodies.

And left the first autograph / quotable quote in the logbook. :-)

I can't wait to some day peruse through that notebook and see what people have written! We plant tomorrow! (Sunday.)

...go home...

Plant A Cache? New Years Adventures In Geocaching...

2010-01-01T21:55:00.000-08:00

New Years Day... We had two options. Catch up on the rest we had just deprived ourselves of or go for an adventure... We chose to go.

Kalvin had the idea that we should create a New Year's Day tradition... Unfortunately (due to lack of sleep?) our creative energies were mysteriously tapped out... We turned to the grand inter-net for advice. Google search: "New Years Traditions." Not very helpful. We did learn, however, that the Irish apparently nail their fruitcakes to the wall to ward off bad spirits on Halloween. Interesting.

Then a wave of brilliance surges through my brain: We should go geocaching. Google search again. Result: Geocaching.com. Click. Sign up. Alias: jamesandmay (our middle names... Clever, huh?) Cache search. Result: THERE'S A GEOCACHE RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD!!

For those of you who are a little more than confused, a quick explanation. Geocaching is GPS assisted treasure hunting. That's right. I'm officially a modern day pirate. Arr! It works like this: Person # 1 assembles a waterproof package of booty, that at minimum contains a writing utensil and a log book and can go on to contain all kinds of treasures. Said person hides the booty in a mysterious (and legal) location and then registers his site on www.geocaching.com. Once approved, anyone can view the GPS coordinates and go for a hunt! Once you find the cache (booty, heh heh) you sign the log book, trade items if you wish, return it to its place, and then post your log on the website telling the world that you've found that cache!

N e how, back to story... RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD! WALKING DISTANCE! Woohoo! After arriving at coordinates (which landed us near the 49th Parallel grocery store...) we spent about 20 minutes rustling through bushes, and then we found it! Our first ever geocache discovery. :-)

Geocache find #1

Aaaaaand we were hooked. Our next geocache was a lot easier to find. Also walking distance from our apartment, one swipe at the leafs exposed this one. How exciting!

Geocache find #2

And then although there were many more in our very own Duncan backyard, we wanted to head up island a little bit, so we carried on our adventure at Yellowpoint, near Nanaimo...

Our third of the day was a doozy! We were there at high tide, and the coordinates wanted to take us right into the water! Those coordinates, however, are only a reference point, from which we were instructed to travel so many feet in a certain direction... The tide really threw us off and we were looking way farther than necessary... We spent about 45 minutes rolling through the increasingly mucky wetness before a last minute revelation had us pull back a piece of a log... Please note soggy face of "I CANT BELIEVE I DIDNT THINK OF THIS SOONER!"

Geocache find #3

*sooo happy we found it*

Darkness was closing in quickly as we scampered through moss and leaves for the last find of the day. Success! And the coolest hiding place too, inside a little rock cave. :-)

Geocache find #4

On our soggy return home we had one more brilliant brain wave of awesomeness. Geocaching is clearly going to become a hobby that Kalvin and I will enjoy together frequently and for many years to come! But as for our special New Year's Day tradition? We're going to make and plant a new cache every new year. How perfect is that?

So here is the beginning of our 2010 caches... Far from done.

And here is a picture of the booty that I came home with today! Arr!

Happy 2010! To many more adventures!

xo, Dee

...go home...

Holiday Feasting According to Danielle & Kalvin

2010-01-01T10:39:00.000-08:00

Classy New Year's Eve Dinner...

Followed by a New Year's Morning Breakfast of Champions...

And then, equipped with the sickest music collection on the planet (courtesy of my brand new ipod, thank you Kalvin) we are off to practice what we preach... That is, go exploring and have an adventure... We are even considering trying to invent a New Year's Day tradition... Will our creative, adventurous spirits prevail against the warring exhaustion of our unrested bodies? Stay tuned...

...go home...

Who Do You Want To Be?

2009-12-31T11:27:00.000-08:00

Redefine - Refocus - Reinvent

New Years is such a special time for me. I love the passing away of one year and the new gift of the next. I love fresh starts. In the past, New Years would be the one time a year when I would take a little time to think... To evaluate... To plan... To set goals... I, like millions of people at this very moment would make my list of "resolutions." It wouldn't take long, however, until every last one of them was broken, and I was left feeling like a failure. "Perhaps next year," I would tell myself. And then I would go back to just living my life as the old me, putting back on the shelf, once again, the extraordinary person that I wished to be.

One of the concepts in the book "The Secret" is that your current circumstances are not a result of who you are now, but of who you were in the past... The things you were doing and thinking in the past are what created the situation you are now in. I agree with this, although I am both encouraged and discouraged simultaneously.

On the bright side, I can forgive myself! That was past Danielle. Today's Danielle has the opportunity to live differently and bring about changes for future Danielle!

This encourages me to to fish through the beliefs I have about myself, toss out the ones that aren't beneficial to me and keep only the ones that I want to be true. It's time to add new life to that pond, focus on things that aren't perhaps true yet, but could be. Who do I want to be?

Today is December 31st, 2009. Tonight, at the stroke of midnight, I shall die. Danielle will cease to be, quite as you knew her. There will be a new Danielle in her place. Welcome her. She is seeking to be more:

Joyful. Positive. Forgiving. Comforting. Genuine. Passionate. Successful. Vivacious. Lively. Energetic. Healthy. Friendly. Connected. Creative. Productive. Wise. Fun. Spontaneous. Adventurous. Humorous. Expressive. Balanced. Peaceful. Organized. Decisive. Thoughtful. Secure. Diverse. Strong. Talented. Sensitive. Inspired. Insightful. Cheerful. Honest. Attentive. Spiritual. Playful. Resilient. Outgoing. Unique. Routined. Intelligent. Optimistic. Gentle. Kind. Prayerful. Loyal. Disciplined. Determined. Reputable. Innovative. Prosperous. Resourceful. Goal directed. Imaginative. Gracious. Humble. Punctual. Appreciative. Loving. Patient. Happy. Sunshiny. Fit. Spunky. Thankful.

And as this new and improved Danielle, I will take it on as my missions in 2010 to:

- Pay off my loan

- Finish upgrading my math (and get an A+)

- Decide on my schooling goals.

- Meet with a business advisor about my dreams.

- Master my routines.

- Eat when I'm hungry, stop when I'm full and refuse to snack after 8pm.

- Excel in my dance classes

- Lose 10-15 more pounds

- Grow in deeper friendship with my husband
- Become closer friends with Sam, Amber, Nath and Stacey

- Dwell on the positive in every situation

- Talk to God constantly and spend time with Him every day

- Keep up with my blog, and build a following :-)

- Do some more vlog and ukulele videos

- Finish my first ever original music set

- Pursue crafty endeavours

- Sell things on Etsy

- Vocal exercises on a regular basis

- Journal

Unfortunately, with every fresh start that I give myself, everyone around me seems unwilling to accept that past Danielle is dead. Past Danielle has been replaced by an entirely new being. Today's Danielle is different. Isn't it funny how so many seem to be set on our failure to change? We are quick to accuse and slow to lift the charges of our judgement. This world does not freely hand out fresh starts.

I've made a decision.

I will not be like the world.

The Bible says that God's mercies are new every morning. Now, first of all, if the God of the whole universe is willing to forgive me all over again, every day, and give me a fresh start, every morning, then why should I continue to accuse myself? I will be a new person. Time for a fresh start.

Second, if the God of the whole universe is willing to forgive me all over again, every day, and give me a fresh start, every morning, then why should I consider anyone else unworthy or incapable of the same? Perhaps the next time that our paths cross I'll pass on the amazing gift of a fresh start. After all, I'll be meeting a brand new you. The old you will be dead and completely replaced by the new and improved you of that day. I wonder who you'll be?

I've got this great new cover for my laptop yesterday that says, "In a world where you can be anyone, be yourself."

Who are you?

Who do you want to be?

Redefine - Refocus - Reinvent

love, Dee

...go home...

... Adventures in life, art, music & mischief.

An End & A Beginning...

If You Love Something, (And You're An Idiot), Set It Free

Something In The Water??

It's YOUR fault!

Cleanse

On Fuel, Joy and Ninja-ness.

Bubble bath?

Sunday Caching

Two Things...

The scene of a murder??

Post party

Just One Of The Many Services We Offer...

The World Is Out To Make Me Smile...

Fire Truck!

Well, I Feel Safe!

An Authentic Mexican Made Piñata!

Aww, Gossshhhh. *Blush, Blush*

Hi-yahhhh!!!

What DO You Do With A Drunken Sailor?

One Time Offer!!!

MICROOOOOOOOOOO!

Stressful Dreams

Happy Thotz

Pit Surveillance

Anonymous Parking Lot Literature

One Gene Pool, So Much Awesome, Episode 2

How To Fall Off The Face Of The Earth

One Gene Pool & So Much Awesome...

Woaahhh Mary.

A Quote Worth Quoting...

Purge

Bazaar, Indeed!

Sic A Moose And Let It Go.

Tragedy or Pure Awesomeness?

Guess what we did while you were gone??

I've got a FAN!!

Get Bent!!

Jammin' w Bobbi, Kalvin on Robaxacet and the Pink & Blue Pancake Open Door Policy.

Nath Keo @ The Duncan Garage Showroom

Saturday is Date Day... Until you ditch your man to watch another man dance.

Don't Be So Arrogant

Dragons, Cougars and Stewart, OH MY!

It's A Magical Day In Duncan Today...

These Are A Few Peculiar Things...

The Michael J. Fox Marathon Of Hope

I Don't Want To Miss A Thing (ukulele cover)

The Butcher And His Vegan Wife????

Status Updates I Could Have Made This Week...

Lean On Me, Ukulele Cover

Something New And Beautiful (& The Day I Met Wally)

My Album Cover

On The Topic Of Social Life & Relationships...

Geocaching Mt. Doug Takes 1 & 2

Holy Hernandez!

All I Have To Do Is Dream

Dancing Isabelle, Original Song on Uke

You hear that Music?? It was coming from MY cubicle.

Princess Party

ZZ Top Is A Little Before My Time...

Eeps!

A Tourist Or A Traveller?

Mischief

There's Modge Podge In My Hair, And Various Other Updates

2010 Quotable Quotes Geocache

Plant A Cache? New Years Adventures In Geocaching...

Holiday Feasting According to Danielle & Kalvin

Who Do You Want To Be?

Aww, Gossshhhh. Blush, Blush