Welcome, 2009!

I wonder what's in store for us all in the new year. The last one has been furiously fast, packed with challenges, interesting and a bit tiring.

I wish you and me courage, love and beauty to paint the months to come.

Modern-day Renaissance Men

I had 2 wonderful visitors (should I call them shoppers?) yesterday.

One of them is The Renaissance Man incarnate. He's finishing his 3rd Masters degree, and plans to go to med school next. He knows 8 languages, some of them extinct, and plans to learn more. He reads the historical scriptures and philosophers in their original form. His dedication to his family is admirable - he is translating his grandfather's life creation, an 8 volume book of history written in Sanskrit, into English as a token of thanks to the lessons his grandfather taught him.
And he comes to shop here to please his mother, bless her soul.
He's wearing a coat he bought here, naturally.


The other was introduced to me by one of the lovelier regulars, who said once - "I'll cry if you ever close this shop". He is a beautiful immigrant from Burundi, a musician, a young man with a gentle soul, a lover of music and rhythm and people and the world.

I never thought I'd find such inspiration doing what I'm doing.

The Double Holiday

I keep thinking why is there such a huge difference in the way we embrace what is essentially the same pagan ritual of mid-winter light worshiping celebration.
There are the historical explanations to why the Jews downplayed their celebrations throughout history since the original diaspora took root in Europe. But can it explain every difference?
The Christian holidays are so lavish, I feel both liberated for not having to go through all that craziness on one hand, and on the other I feel a little mean spirited for not participating.

I'm feeling sheepish

I've started to read a new book, "Three Bags Full, a sheep detective story" by Leonie Swann. It just so happened that I bought a little dress a few days ago, that match the story. The universe must be saying something to me, I'm not sure what.
Take a look yourself and if you're getting the hint of what the universe wants, please tell me.


The Sheep Song by Dresden Dolls

"I want your story"

This time it wasn't me saying it. It was one of my occasional visitors, who's a writer, and he wants me in his next book, which is "a 200 pages long love poem".
well, how could I refuse?
So here I am writing about a writer who is writing about me.

Now at Last I know

Feist sings Blossom Dearie

Now at last I know
What a fool I've been
For I've lost the last love
I shall ever win

And at last I see
How my heart was blind
To the joys before me
That I left behind

When the wind was fresh
On the hills
And the stars were new in the sky
And a lark was heard in the still
Where was I
Where was I

When the spring is cold
Where do robins go
What makes winters lonely
Now at last I know

When the wind was fresh
On the hills
And the stars were new in the sky
And a lark was heard in the still
Where was I
Where was I

When the spring is cold
Where do robins go
What makes winters lonely
Now at last I know

New Qoute

Both in thought and in feeling, even though time be real, to realize the unimportance of time is the gate of wisdom.
Bertrand Russell

Kisses and Chocolate

Today was a cold day in Toronto, but a good day.
It started off with a cup of great coffee at a local, very loud, coffee shop where all the cool crowd seems to spend their mornings: Jet Fuel on Parliament St. Apparently it's a hang out for writers, actors, hip older parents and their new born babies, and Michael Ondatji. I felt he was eavesdropping on our conversation to use it in his next novel...
Later, in the shop, a few of my regulars came to visit, shop, and cheer me up - one with a kiss planted gently on the back of my hand and a compliment (You look great! he said) and another with a pack of much needed chocolate.
And then I was able to relax in between customers and finish my book.

From the mouth of babes

My 11 year old son came up with the following philosophy - without any provocation whatsoever:

"I figured out what the meaning of life is - Beauty. There is nothing ugly in life, only our inability to see the beauty in everything".