I've been 'tagged' by Christa over at www.christabro.blogspot.com, which means I have to answer the questions that she's asked, which amount to a timeline of the last ten years (and other assorted questions, most of which I answered,) so here goes:
10 YEARS AGO TODAY: I was 19 years old, living in Manotick, Ontario. My parents had moved from my hometown of St.Catharines, Ontario, seven hours north to this small town just outside of Ottawa, Canada's capital. I was finishing up a novel I had been writing since that February, about a talented young teenager who was both a phenomenal hockey player and an amazing young novelist. (This was heavily, heavily, heavily derivative of John Irving's The World According To Garp. Then again, at nineteen, pretty much everything you do in life is derivative.) Having just completed my first year of university as a film major, I was seriously considering switching to Creative Writing. (Which I did; later that year, I would ask my teacher if she would take a look at my rather ragged first novel, and she very politely said, well, no.) I was also running a lot, hoping to try out of the York University cross-country team later that fall. (I would end up getting a stress fracture in my right foot and missing out on the season.)
5 YEARS AGO TODAY -- I was living in Sagamihara, Japan, just outside of Tokyo, teaching English. Had been in Japan one year. Was just getting comfortable there, after six or seven months of wondering where the hell I was and what the hell I was doing. Had yet to take Japanese lessons or travel anywhere around the country.
1 YEAR AGO TODAY -- Living in Phnom Penh. Ecstatic that I had been offered a consultancy with UNICEF that would start in October and could take a break from five years of teaching. Scared shitless wondering what I would actually have to do there. Contemplating when to tell my boss at the university that I was quitting. Wondering what I would say at my brother's wedding back in Canada a month later.
YESTERDAY -- Taught my morning class and evening class at school. Went for a five a.m. run, at which time I saw groups of young Khmers huddled around photocopy shops. (See an upcoming post.) Read some of Thomas Friedman's From Beirut to Jerusalem. Thought about the paradox: One's individual way of interacting with a higher being is an essential component of so many people's lives, and yet it has also created so much friction and heartache through the century, on continent after continent. Watched some of ROCK STAR INXS. Wondered whether anyone gives a shit about INXS anymore. Watched some of Erin Brockovich, which was kind of weird, because earlier in the day I had read Kevin Smith on his blog at www.silentbobspeaks, and the movie he's currently acting in is being directed by the woman who wrote Brockovich, and he watched it recently and was amazed that it held up so well, but while watching it again I thought that, while entertaining, it's more of a showpiece for Julia Roberts, a vanity piece, a simulation of this kind of movie rather than the real, honest thing. (But I could be wrong.)
TOMORROW -- Run, teach, read.
5 BAD HABITS I HAVE -- Picking my nails. Eating junk. Judging people. Not listening to any cool music. Not living in the present.
5 THINGS I LIKE DOING -- Reading, writing, running, thinking, and watching movies to see whether or not the actor in the scene blinks, because they usually don't, which gets kind of freaky after awhile.
5 MOVIES I LIKE -- Heaven and Earth, Without Limits, Spartan, The Godfather I-III, Empire Of The Sun.
5 FAMOUS PEOPLE I'D LIKE TO MEET -- Vladamir Putin, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nelson Mandela, Stephen King, Steven Spielberg.
2 comments:
Great answers. It's interesting to learn about where you have been in the past years-so many places and so much accomplished. I also would like to meet Stephen King, I think I own nearly all of his books but would be lying if I said I read them all. I heard he has a human skull on his desk, do you think this is true? I also think Nelson Mandela is wonderful and can imagine myself going completely silent in his presence for fear I'd say something really dumb.
Many of our modern drugs have harsh side-affects and cost the “earth”, so the next time you come down with a cold or the flu or anxiety help, why not try a gentle alternative that costs next to nothing?
Instead of immediately forking over large amounts of money for over-the-counter drugs, go to the kitchen cupboard and see what you can find to relieve your symptoms including anxiety help.
Here are some helpful hints for anxiety help …
A simple hot compress applied to the face is very soothing to those throbbing aches and pains of a blocked sinus, while a few drops of eucalyptus oil on a handkerchief can provide welcome relief for similar conditions. While supplements of vitamin C, D and zinc will shorten the lifespan of a common cold, a hot lemon drink is also extremely good. And be sure to cuddle-up in bed when you have a cold, as it will make the body sweat out the germs.
Cool lemon juice and honey are a great soother for a sore throat and gives the body much-needed vitamin C at the same time The juice of one lemon in a glass of water is sufficient. Melt the honey in a little hot water for ease of mixing.
A smear of Vaseline or petroleum jelly will do wonders for those sore lips and nose that often accompany a cold.
A 'streaming cold' where the nose and eyes water profusely, can respond to drinking onion water. Simply dip a slice of onion into a glass of hot water for two seconds, then sip the cooled water throughout the day. Half an onion on the bedside table also alleviates cold symptoms because its odor is inhaled while you sleep.
People prone to catarrh may find that chewing the buds from a pine or larch throughout the day will clear up their condition in just a few days.
Do you suffer from sore eyes? If your eyes are sore from lengthy exposure to the sun, try beating the white of an egg and then spread it over a cloth and bandage the eyes with it. Leave the preparation on overnight. Soft cheese (quark) is also a good remedy for this condition.
For those unpleasant times when you suffer from diarrhea, two tablespoons of brown vinegar will usually fix the problem. Vinegar can be rather horrible to take, but who cares! The problem is more horrible. Vinegar can usually be found in most people's cupboards, so you don't need to worry about finding someone to run to the shop for you in an emergency.
Sleepless? Instead of reaching for sleeping pills, which can quickly become addictive, try this: Drink only caffeine free tea or coffee starting late in the afternoon.. Go to bed earlier rather than later, as being overtired tends to keep people awake. Make sure the bedroom is dark and quiet. Use only pure wool or cotton sheets and blankets. Polyester materials can cause sweat and make you thirsty (if your child constantly asks for water throughout the night, this could be the reason).
And don't watch those scary movies just before retiring! If you still can't sleep, make a tea of lemongrass or drink a nightcap of herbal tea containing chamomile. It's easy to grow lemongrass in your garden or start a flower pot on the balcony for ease of picking. Simply steep a handful in boiling water for five minutes. Honey may be added for a sweetener.
Of course there will be times when you do need modern drugs, so if these simple remedies don't have the required affect, be sure to see a health care professional.
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