NOVEMBER 2016
THEME
What emerged over the month?
DARKNESS | tinged with bafflement. I chose “light” as my One Little Word for 2016 and I am ever so glad I did. It has kept me looking for alternative views, more positive, more kind, more light.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
What were the big and small victories?
Hello NaNoWriMo. I really enjoyed the writing group opportunity set up in Burlington. | Samhain is all about rest, renewal and release. A time to let go of all I do not need through winter. | Grampy kept us current with many articles regarding the U.S. election. | Chloé’s simple consult with the chiropodist turned into surgery. After her recovery there will be no more chronic pain! | Caden was chosen as one of the S1 Leaders for the service trip to Costa Rica in March. | I renewed my membership to the Munk Debates. Such good stuff! | Congratulations to the Chicago Cubs! The curse was broken in an epic game 7 win. | Haircuts for all, including Tucker! | Spa days are the best days. Grateful to my sister for introducing me to facials. | Senior School cabaret had Chloé singing – and dancing – two days after surgery. #trooper | Caden’s fancy new crutches came in. | Chloé got the part of “the teacher” in the school musical which after much debate and deliberation she will participate. | Digital scrapbook day had me focusing on some upcoming projects – and getting up-to-date with ongoing pages. | An extra hour of sleep was welcome, but I really don’t understand the whole Standard and Daylight Savings concept. #antiquatedthinking | I enjoyed a fabulous 90-minute conversation with my 91-year-old aunt. May I live that long and be that sharp! | I re-subscribed to the Unique Lives Lecture Series held at Roy Thompson Hall through 2017. | Day in the Life was almost forgotten! | DynaCare Nurse got all of the information needed for the insurance companies. | I became a member of the secret Pantsuit Nation group on Facebook. | Foot follow up and Chloé is healing well. | Caden won first and third in a photography competition at school. | I was asked to help out a friend who needed a photographer for a charity event. So I did. | November long weekend had Chloé and Julia in Montreal with Claire to check out McGill. | Remembrance Day we honoured those who fought for our freedom. | Happy mail day brought a Hermit print from The Wild Unknown tarot deck. Love it! | Report cards are in and they were fantastic! | Euchre Night up at the Rait’s was so much fun! | Good news from the Orthodontist – Caden will have his braces off in time for Christmas! | Blood Tests were taken with a real reminder of why I make an appointment. It was a 90+ minute wait for everyone without one. | Nordstrom at Yorkdale is amazing – but I’ll go to the Eaton Centre, they have an Encore department. | I’m all set with a new Pinterest board for Sally Hope’s Kundalini course. Here is how 2017 is going to look for me. | Claire was chosen as a TEDx QueensU Delegate. So exciting. The event takes place at the end of January. | The first of five real estate courses was like sipping water from a fire hose. What an exhausting week! | Lights are on the house! | Originally he didn’t need a police check, then he did, then the school was going to take the whole group, then it was up to each individual. So, mid-week trip to the police station up in River Oaks resulted in dinner at the Keg. First time in forever! | The meeting for the South Africa Trip was entertaining and information-filled. So much paper! So many documents to get and notarize! | Carol Services at Appleby had Chloé performing in every service. Cole came into town (first time in 2 months!) and sang with other alumni. Fun. | Gilmore Girls was, for the most part, entertaining. | I can finally shower in MY bathroom! Whoot! | Chloé has her great dream, a window seat in her room. It’s huge! | Cole is the lead, Eddie, in Dogfight. We don’t go to see him perform until early next month, but he’s enjoyed the process – and I enjoy the SnapChats and texts! | We’ve had Tucker for a year (on 28th)! | I graduated from my endocrinologist. He tells me he’s happy to see me annually since my numbers are so consistent. I’m to go back if something changes – which is my great hope! | Claire home to visit George Brown with thoughts about taking hospitality or tourism next year. So far? All systems GO! | Plans have been made to head to Barbados over the Christmas holidays. Yay!
SETBACKS
What were the lessons?
I caught a nasty cold and missed out on going to my Introduction to Glass Fusing. | Delirious, I was taking the night time meds for the day and the day time meds for night. I caught on after three days but what a wonky three days! | Wires crossed and Caden missed his driving lesson as instructor was waiting in parking lot and he was waiting outside the front of the main building. | Daylight Savings Time ended so it’s now dark at 5PM. Who’s idea was this? | 2AM texts from my panicked children when all the numbers were in. | Caden fell up the stairs at school which resulted in six stitches in the knee (on the same side as his sprained ankle). I wasn’t prepared for the 4-hour experience at the new hospital! Good news? The X-rays taken confirmed no fracture. | Tucker pulled too hard (going after a squirrel) and pulled down his dog-walker. He has a new gentle leader and I hope it helps. | Found some product that has unexpectedly helped the pain in my hip go away. And now they’re out of stock! | Chloé was under the weather in Montreal and crashed when she got home. No wonder – she had strep. | leecurrie.com went down! No theme back up was found at GoDaddy. Ugh. What a mess. | Claire ended up in the hospital in Kingston due to a crazy flare up of her eczema – it was awful! | A $1200 dollar project was billed as a $2200 project. Huh?
PRACTICE
By way of Elizabeth Gilbert, I found a TedTalk given by Sarah Trimmer. She survived a number of successive medical tragedies. Through it all she maintained a journal practice to elevate her happiness. Five simple observations of her day: TODAY I AM GRATEFUL FOR…; TODAY I HELPED SOMEONE BY…; TODAY SOMETHING THAT MADE ME HAPPY WAS…; TODAY I LEARNED….; TOMORROW I WILL… #startandendhappy This is something I can definitely incorporate into my daily practice. After all, gratitude is nurtured by awareness – and practice.
ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
Great quote: “Act the way you’d like to be and soon you’ll be the way you act.” Leonard Cohen 1934-2016
What we watched and enjoyed: The World Series was fantastic! | Caden and I caught up on the rest of Grey’s Anatomy so now we can watch what we’ve recorded for this season. | The Voice? Love. | Gilmour Girls, much anticipated, not quite sure about how I feel about the “musical production wasted space” but the rest was good.
Weather: Up and down. Wet and dry. Typical autumn.
Unexpected: Delighted that the Cubs won the World Series. Theo Epstein is indeed the Curse Slayer. | After months of making other plans my olders have decided we should go back to Turks & Caicos for Reading Week. Frantically trying to get that organized without going to the poor house. | I ordered a poster from the US and it took more than 2-weeks to arrive, I ordered a poster from the UK and it took 2-days to arrive (for 1/2 the price!) | Another revelation of my wasbands infidelity. At this point it has become comical. And no, I don’t care now, and I wouldn’t have cared then.
Discovery: Rents in downtown Toronto are not measurably different from those in Kingston, the difference is they’re not asking a fortune for student ghetto housing owned by the slum lords of Kingston. | As a result of some time clicking on many woo links, I discovered Goddess Provisions and I received my first box! So exciting. | Becoming more comfortable and consistent with my Ketogenic way of eating. Also taking my Pruvit supplements and have really started feeling a positive difference!
WTF: U.S. Election was a pure shit show. I hope they find a way to heal – and not pull us down that messed up rabbit hole with them. “What do we tell our daughters about this election? That a man who has constantly belittled, objectified and insulted women can win the highest office in his country – and maybe not in spite of those things, but because of them.” from Globe Opinion. Trying to #gohigh. Followed up with what I believe to be true: “America died on Nov. 8, 2016, not with a bang or a whimper, but at its own hand via electoral suicide.” Neal Gabler
Goodbye: I have no words to express my sadness at the passing of Leonard Cohen. I was introduced to him and his talent by way of Jennifer Warnes Famous Blue Raincoat (1987) which is still, to me, one of my most favourite albums. At the time I had no idea it was covers of Leonard Cohen’s words and music. Once I did, I couldn’t get enough. Soon after, 1988, was the first time I heard the mind-blowing cover of Hallelujah by k.d. lang. He was such a talent and inspiration.
Exhale: With much thanks to Kenda Blum at kiwibcreative.com my website and this blog is back up and in working order. Hours were spent with GoDaddy and working on WordPress. The theme back ups weren’t backed up! But we’re in working order – and I can find everything again – so exhale! And onward.
Projects: Deciding on what projects and courses I want to participate in through 2017. So far? The Magic of Myth II with Elizabeth Duvivier | Empire Mastermind Group with Team Danielle LaPorte | Oracle School with Colette Baron-Reid
Online Courses and Classes: Fierce Grace Collective with Carrie Anne Moss; Sacred Wheel Immersion with Allison Carr; The Moon Sisterhood with Anne Hayman; The Inside Story with Susannah Conway; Awaken Your Witch with Chani Nicholas; Do What You Love with Beth Kempton; The Wisdom of Story with Glennon Doyle Melton and Brené Brown; Do What You Love with Beth Kempton; Creating Peace from the Inside Out with Oprah and Deepak Chopra; Wildheart Kundalini 40 Day Challenge with Sally Hope; Little Altars with Licia Morelli | Savor with Rachel Cole | The Healing Path with Anthony William (Medical Medium); One Little Word and Hybrid with Ali Edwards; and, FIT2016 and Scrapbook Your Year with Cathy Zielske.
In-person Courses and Classes: Writing Kid Lit w/Brian Henry (Quick Brown Fox) | OREA Real Estate as a Professional Career | Kundalini Meditation at iGita w/Jackie Crespo
How was your November? What are you noticing in your life?
