Letter to the Hat

This has gotta be the coolest thing: Letter to the Hat.

Read it and you'll know. I cannot possibly find the words to say how cool it is.

Oh, and so cool that on my 50th bday I stood on the stage at Radio City Music Hall where I saw (and heard!) Aretha sang R-E-S-P-E-C-T last year.

Who would think to write a letter to the hat? ha hah hah ha ha I luurvvvvvvvv it!

Sleeping in, the 7 minute lunch, and crepes

Today...

Slept in, woke up at 8:00, and was supposed to be leading a meeting at 9:00. Oops! Let's say there was lots of juggling and a little yellow bus involved in getting my day started.

What a focused and intense and productive day. Punctuated by a 7 minute lunch break - including time to pee, pick up lunch (mac and cheese!), eat it, and put my nose up long enough to be friendly to my co-workers.

Crepes... I stopped to pick up a $6 spinach and feta crepe to eat walking home - and ended up having my crepe on a bar stool, with wine, followed by a banana/strawberry/Nutella crepe, with wine, followed by another glass of wine.

A day in the life of moi....

Sparklers!

I forgot how hot a sparker gets, and I have a burned finger... but it's all good, it was fun to get a sparkler on my cheesecake tonight at Aqua Riva.

It was a double celebration day, as the gang at work took me out for a 50th birthday lunch - and they ordered me up some amazing chocolate concoction.

50 is cool.

The shock of returning to work

Returning from vacation sucks sometimes. I do like the people, and I had a reasonably good day, but sheesh, getting up this morning was a killer, and it's going to be full days this week.

Found a whole website dedicated to being bored at work, amusing... http://imboredatwork.org/index.html

Drunk on Picassos

My visit to the Met yesterday was so awesome it was actually overwhelming. But, ooh la la! Saw loads of Picassos, quite a few Miros, and got to know a few other modern artists who had escaped my attention before. Throw in a couple of Warhols and my day was complete. Oh, but there were also Salvador Dalis (always makes me wonder what went on in his mind), Van Goghs,Monets, Rodins, and more. All this after wandering through the Greek and Roman statues, wowee.... You know you are art satiated, when you start wandering by Reniors with barely a glance. I could spend a week at the Met, and maybe I will sometime. ***swoon**

That might not be such a stretch, considering that in addition to now having enough Aeroplan points to get me back to NYC, tonight I scored a free round trip on US Airways by allowing myself to get bumped in Phoenix. LOL. Poor me, I get to spend 24 hours somewhere warm, with an outdoor pool, where someone else is paying for my hotel. Sweet! I get a round trip, or $300 off an international flight. This is an inconvenience I can handle quite happily!

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Today at the Guggenheim

A couple of works I saw today...

I didn't know Marc Franz's work, but I loved the energy on this one.

This Chagall was quite charming.

I also saw a Picasso I loved, but can't manage to find a pic of it on their site.... and when I Google images online for "Head of a Woman" I find dozens of paintings he did labelled the same, but not the one I saw. But I do have it on a magnet.

Part of the Guggenheim was closed while they were working on an installation, but it was kind of cool to see. I loved the building. Frank Lloyd Wright was a genious!

50 and fabulous

Today I took a backstage tour at Radio City Music Hall. It's such an awesome space, and I adored it when I saw Aretha Franklin here last year. Now, here I am, having my picture taken on the stage of Radio City Music hall on my 50th birthday. Cool stuff.





It was a pretty lazy day, considering I went back to bed after breakfast and didn't get out the door until 1:30. Visited the Papyrus store and bought myself a cute little yellow journal. Then the tour. Then to lunch - fab carrot soup, a grilled cheese off the kid's menu (really!), a couple glasses of wine, then melted over the little slabs of home made dark chocolate they gave me with my bill. OK, I asked for seconds. I then browsed at the Met's downtown store, and fell for a fab silver necklace fashioned after a Viking artifact. Not sure I would have sprung the $90 if I hadn't had that wine...
http://www.metmuseum.org/store/st_family_viewer.asp/familyID/%7BEC06F49F-A821-441B-A1E6-52CD42C1CF4F%7D/FromPage/catjewelry/familyNo/15/catID/%7B74FE9981-EE5B-48BE-902B-09F6A8CC9834%7D



Then, home for a nap, then my Rangers game. Now 'home' at my hotel, thinking about going for a night cap in the club lounge here. And reflecting on the nice calls from my family today. Oh, and I feel fab in my new duds. The girl is 50. Isn't that something? Feels good. I am definitely comfortable in my own skin.

Reflections on turning 50 tomorrow

50 pink roses, for 50 years. Tomorrow. Wow.

Interesting that that's all I can think to say right now.

But I'll greet my day wearing sexy new jeans and one of my new tops.

I think champagne will be called for.

The coolest coffee table in the world

I'm in NYC baby!

This coffee table is in the 'club' lounge in my hotel - if you just touch the table - with even a feather touch or shuffling the newspaper, the water ripples. Or appears to. It is incredibly realistic - it knows where you touched, and how gently or hard. It is so cool!! I commented to the server and he said it only cost $15K. Yup, that's 15 grand. A Microsoft special. Guess I'll just be enjoying it here.

the club lounge is great, just down the hall from my room on the 44th floor. The free appies were enough to feed me for dinner ;-) and they have breaky too. Nice.

I was a little annoyed when someone knocked on my door earlier when I had my 'do not disturb' sign up. But he apologized and I forgave when he brought in an exquisite complimentary cheese and fruit tray, and bottle of red wine - and best wishes for my 50th - courtesy of the woman who gave me my room upgrade. Sweet.

Today was pretty lazy, and my flight was delayed yesterday and I didn't get in until 2am. I splurged and took a cab (which turned out to be a limo), rather than the subway, given the hour. Still fighting my cold, but I'm winning. And the red wine helps.

I am sporting a new watch from the Fossil store. It was a planned purchase (the one thing I wanted to buy while I was here), but it's cooler than I could have imagined. The strap is made up of ovals of steel and deep brown wood. Can't find a pic of it on their website, maybe it's that new!! lol

Looked at groovy lime green cowboy boots, just a little under $600. gasp!!! lol. Let's just say my feet are as yet unadorned with anything new.

Relaxing, working on that wine, doodling, and thinking what I may do tomorrow....

How to snag a room upgrade on your birthday

I think I could write the book on how to get a free hotel upgrade. Well, only when travelling on one's birthday, but I've done it more than once. Have done it twice in Hawaii and got bumped from parking lot view to ocean front view. I think the secret is to make it clear you don't expect it.... If they have room, I'm giving them an opportunity to play hero ;-)

My upcoming reservation in NYC next week was a truly rock bottom price through Priceline, but I still emailed them, told them I was celebrating my 50th birthday, and asked very nicely if they could upgrade me. The magic worked again. I got a nice email and an upgrade from the cheapest room in the hotel to a "club floor" room, which includes a lounge on the 44th floor with tvs, free coffee, breakfast, free appys, and more. And my room itself will be on the top floors (44-50) with all sorts of other stuff thrown in.

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/property/rooms/room_class_detail.html?propertyID=421&roomClassId=1000000722

Inspired

Like many, I am still reflecting on the awesome experience of Obama's inauguration today. This is "our Kennedy". I was totally caught up in the moment. I can't imagine what it was like to be an American, or black, or there. Wow. I feel hopeful for the world. Nice feeling for a change.

What a way to say goodbye to Bubba

Just bought a ticket to see "You're Welcome America A Final Night With George Bush" with Will Ferrell. I am delighted with my luck that I will be in NYC during this limited engagement. Should be fun, and I'll be there in the front row ;-)

http://www.willferrellonbroadway.com./

Those sneakers hanging over telephone wires

I've always been curious about those sneakers hanging on telephone wires mean.

I was just listening to a guest on Studio 4 talking about his work with kids and music. Rob Kapilow said he'd met a young boy from an inner city neighborhood who would hang sneakers over the telephone wire whenever one of his friends got shot (they then went on to co-create a rap song about his friend).

There may be more than one meaning, but this one caught my breath. Right now I don't even want to know the other meanings, I want to sit with this for awhile...

Naturally 7 Live in Paris Subway ! Full Clip

I love love love this clip....

Naturally 7 Live in Paris Subway ! Full Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF-KagTq7qY

Creeping up on 50....

Ah, so time ticks away... and I find it is less than a month until I turn 50. I am ok with that, but I am still amazed and I don't know how life has flown by so fast. My brain still thinks of me as about 30.

It's leaving me reflecting on "50's" of things.... Like 50 things I still want to do, 50 great memories from the first 50, stuff like that.

Some intial thoughts (and I may return to add to this list....)

50 THINGS I STILL WANT TO DO...

1. See Rome
2. See Led Zepplin live
3. Sell a piece of my art
4. Visit Ottawa and our national museums
5. Visit the Artic
6. Take the train across Canada
7. Learn another language
8. Take a transatlantic crossing
9. See Gaudi architecture in Barcelona
10. Go to the Rock of Gibralter
11. See Moscow's awesome subway stations
12. See a rock concert at Madison Square Gardens or the o2 in London (or both ;-)
13. Make a difference in this world
14. See the Bay of Fundy
15. See Michael Angelo's David - to witness what the amazing efforts in WWII to save it gave us
16. Visit Amsterdam
17. Go to the Sydney Opera House
18. Visit Normandy and the Canadian memorial
19. Take an overnight train in Europe - lie in bed being rocked by the train...
20. A carriage ride around Central Park
21. Have nude portraits taken
22. Get a tattoo of my own art
23. Show my art at a show or in a cafe or something
24. Go through the Chunnel
25. Visit Checkpoint Charlie

50 GREAT MEMORIES.(or some just interesting...)...

1. Paris - sitting outside on the 1st level, journalling and reflecting on all that got me to that point - and just enjoying BEING IN PARIS!!
2. Celebrating my 30th and Carol's 40th in San Francisco...
3. One especially sexy man
4. Breaking a board with my bare hand
5. Seeing Aretha Franklin at Radio City Music Hall
6. The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh
7. Discovering that I have an amazing talent for doodling (who knew?!?!)
8. Waiting for the Dalai Lama to speak in a stadium when the audience broke out in spontaneous singing of "Oh Canada!"
9. Going back to Kamloops for my 20 year high school reunion
10. My very first record album: George Harrision - All Things Must Pass
11. Listening to Who's Next as a teenager, the volume blasting, and me sitting outside on the curb trying to look cool
12. The jade ring my mom gave me as a teenager -- I had received the stone as a young tyke when I wrote a letter to the man who came to town to show off his jade saddle
13. The experience of producing Tommy in Grade 11
14. Having my picture taken with an elephant when I was about 6 (ok, I don't remember, but I remember the pic!)
15. Going to my very first film festival in my 40's - I think I saw 20 films in 2 weeks!
16. Hurling over the handlebars of my sister's bike when I was about 8, knocking out my front teeth
17. The first time I felt flattered to be asked for ID
18. Having lunch with Sophia Loren
19. Going to the Live Earth concert in New York
20. Visiting Chamonix - and getting light headed at the top of the Gondola
21. Summers in Whistler with Kelly
22. Speaking at a conference in Geneva - not so much the "accomplishment", but it was such a great experience - being flown there for free, and such a small and interesting group of delegates -- out for dinner with two dozen people from a dozen countries
23. My very first apartment
24. My first car
25. The day I sold my last car and decided to never own one again
26. Housesitting the cat from hell
27. The 3 months I spent in Halifax
28. Being in Queen Elizabeth Park when a man began singing (practicing?) opera at the top of his lungs
29. The 1888 house I lived in: converted attic with skylights, sunken floor, tin roof and totally private balcony
30. My first university class - a mix of 18-88 - discussing ethics - I loooved it
31. Expo 86
32. The time I wore 2 different coloured shoes to work
33. Seeing the Who - wow... and ZZ Top, and The Rolling Stones ... and Stevie Wonder... and Eric Clapton...
34. Getting picked up on a street corner - and going for it!
35. When I proved to myself that I could flirt
36. Getting my first tattoo
37. Street lights around my rice crispies

50 THINGS I APPRECIATE

1. Patti's art
2. Patti
3. My mom's huggles
4. My mom
5. My brother's generosity
6. My brother
7. Sweet memories of Carol Leigh
8. Grey Goose
9. Avacados
10. Art
11. Being a Canadian
12. Kakuro
13. Purple
14. Kindness
15. Really good coffee
16. All the people who have touched my life
17. My sense of humour
18. Learning to like hockey
19. Swimming
20. Books
21. The awesome Vancouver Public Library - it lifts my spirits
22. Bucky Beaver!
23. That I actually did write a book
24. That Vancouver is my home
25. My creativity
26. New York City!!
27. That I like my own company
28. The CBC
29. 2nd hand book stores
30. Being comfortable in my own skin
31. Documentaries
32. That life is a learning process that never ends
33. Having my assumptions shaken up
34. Learning something new
35. Smart people
36. History - and I appreciate that I appreciate history!
37. The breakwater in Victoria
38. Coincidences
39. The Starbuck's team in my building - who make my drink without me saying a word
40. The Sunday New York Times
41. Doodling

To be honest, thinking about these things also has me thinking about the saddest moments in my life, and difficult times that I somehow got through. I'll save those for a private journal, but this is a GOOD process to go through.
;-)

a fresh look for my blog

and maybe some fresh thinking too.... I love all the gadgets can get now, trying them out...

Also setting up a "beepdoodles" blog to do something with all these wonderful doodles I am creating these days... http://beepdoodles.blogspot.com/















;-)

Interviews with Malika

I have just finished reading "La Prisonniere" by Malika Oufkir. It's also titled "Stolen Lives". I'm about to read her second book, "Freedom".

It was an interesting coincidence (or was it??) that when in NYC recently buying shoes, the salesperson helping me was from Morocco and knew the story, but had not read the book, so we had quite the interesting chat about it, and her life in Morocco.

Also found these audio interviews with Malika, worth holding onto for me, as it seemed important to me to hear her voice: http://www.eyeonbooks.com/ibp.php?ISBN=0786886307

http://www.npr.org/programs/wesat/features/2001/010421.oufkir.html

Travelling the world through books

Stumbled across this today, a woman who is intentionally travelling the world through the books she reads. I love the idea and wanted to hold onto the link while reflecting on the idea more. http://laura0218.livejournal.com/

My continued reinvention...

... of my blog, and of my life.
Made even funnier by the fact that when I tried to post this, somehow my settings had changed to Hindi and I couldn't read what I was posting! Got that figured out... lol

On my mind:

• I have lost 95 pounds


• I have achieved another personal goal I have been working towards for 5 years


• I am going to NYC in a week!

This NYC trip includes:

• Aretha Franklin at Radio City Music Hall


• NY Rangers vs Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Gardens


• A seat on the stage for Xanadu (what was I thinking??lol)

Somehow I have been thinking of spring, but I figure I'd better check the NYC weather forcast...

Now, I gotta go buy some jeans that aren't falling off me!

I am still rockin' from ZZ Top on Thursday night.

I went to my first ZZ Top concert in the mid 70's -- and I think it was probably my first "big city" rock concert and it blew my mind (well, my mind had a little help that night!!). So it was awesome to rock to the Top again!


The Vancouver Sun review was ok, but incomplete:
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=8f8f1d9d-5f52-471d-a765-c158a574dad9&k=18578


Let me guess, Corden left early and missed the final tunes... how else could she say: But ZZ Top best known for their '80s hits, and it wouldn't be a 'Top show without "Gimme Your Lovin'" "Legs" and "Sharp Dressed Man". The group saved 'em for last, and the hyped audience sang along at the top of their lungs.


Um, the last songs were La Grange and Tush, done in classic ZZ endless renditions that went on and on - frigging AWESOME!!

My fav video at the moment is the same combo recorded in 2005 -- watch this clip and enjoy -- esp. the women crawling up on the stage:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xwpajCyAO7A

no more bad boy blums in Atlanta?

I forgot I was reinventing my blog... so talk about a topic to shift gears: Read this while having coffee in public this morning and laughed out loud -- good thing I didn't sputter coffee all around me:
Atlanta declares war on hip-hop-style trousers

hilarious! Though I did see a guy lose his pants here in Vancouver the other week....

A new year, a new blog.

Happy New Year 2007!

I hereby officially retire my old blog, which was mostly focused on business. The stuff I was tracking and commenting on just doesn't jazz me anymore to the point where I feel compelled to blog them (though I still have interest in the subjects).

My new blog, well, it will be something more focused on me and who I am and what interests me and what I think -- and not caring what anyone else thinks about that. More of a personal journal.

What I've come to recognize is how much my inner self has changed these last few years. I lost my sister a little over 2 years ago, and her final 18 months were pretty painful, so I find that who I was 4 years ago is a lifetime different than who I am today. What mattered to me then means little to me now. I haven't really figured out what matters to me now, but I feel like I am continuing to shed my old skin. Eventually, the new one will emerge.

I have always liked new years, because they represent new beginnings. There is something symbolic in a new calendar year that always resonates with me.

For the couple of months I have been thinking about what the next year means to me. It's not clear, but it's coming into focus.

This year is about health.

This year is about travel. Not so much doing, but laying foundations for travel in 2008. I have begun planning a trip to Europe, maybe a month, maybe two. But where do I want to go, what do I want to see, what type of experience do I want? These are the questions I've begun to explore and will shape my inner world in 2007.

The first focus - health - is deeply connected to the second focus - travel. I've pushed my luck on my health and it's time to get real with myself -- and I'm not going to be able to travel well, or freely, if I don't have my health. It's all interconnected.

Support Roberta Westwood in the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure.

I am participating in the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure, on Sunday, October 2, 2005, and I am asking for your support.

I will be walking in memory of my sister, Carol Leigh McCarron. Carol Leigh fought for 19 years, most bravely through the last 2 years of her life, and touched many. We lost Carol Leigh on October 12, 2004. She is sadly but fondly remembered every day.

I am one of more than 170,000 participants who will all be walking or running on October 2. The money I raise will go to fund breast cancer research, education and awareness programs across the country.
I need your support because with it, the Foundation can continue to fund the research and programs that are helping improve the quality of life for families touched by breast cancer.

Donating online is quick, easy and secure! You can pay by VISA, MasterCard or American Express. Within 20 minutes, you will receive a tax receipt for any donation that has been successfully received.
To donate click here https://www.cibcrunforthecure.com/html/p.asp?t=1212544&l=1

If you are interested in participating in this year's Run, there is always room for one more! The event takes place in more than 40 communities across Canada. You can search for Run locations by visiting www.cbcf.org.

Thank you. I appreciate your support!
Roberta Westwood

Interesting story in Information Week today on blogging: Blogging About Work? Play Nice. This one tells the story of 27 employees who were fired for making negative blog posts about their employer (AAA in California) in a public blog.

To quote the author, Patricia Keefe:

Simply put, corporate HR and legal departments have been caught napping on this one. Even among companies that actively encourage employees to blog, most of them, as recently as six months ago, lacked blogging guidelines for their employees.

Keefe goes on to explore the issues, and does a good job.

Free downloadable books

My slightly stale and inactive blog... my perspectives on life must be changing, this isn't drawing me the same way it did before, but perhaps I shall reinvent or... ?

Anyways, here's something cool:

Elliott Masie has put together a free downloadable Digital Book, based on your "confessions" of the problems and challenges that keep you awake:
"What Keeps YOU Up at Night?".

He did another one last year, "701 E-Learning Tips".

Tsunami Locator - www.tsunamilocator.com

Happy New Year. Though it's a subdued one. So hard to be celebratory while the recovery effort for the devastating tsunami disaster continues...

I've been helping out a bit online, to help the work of groups that are helping to locate missing persons, though I am awed by the efforts of those who are doing more than I. But every bit makes a difference, and it helps to do something.

Through this process, I've compiled this list of resources to support the work of Locators Online and others searching for missing persons as a result of the devastating tsunami. It's online at Tsunami Locator (www.tsunamilocator.com).

Take care, and wishes for healing and peace in the world.
Roberta

Note added August 11/05: I've since taken this site down, but glad to have made a difference for a period. In truth, as I look back now, this probably had more to do with my own sense of helplessness and the desire just to 'do' something - a common urge during grief. This has been my story throughout my life in general since losing my sister, and am only now beginning to see how powerfully it's impacted me.

Tsunami: you can help with just your telephone

LOCATORS ONLINE (www.locators-online.org) urgently
needs volunteers who can dial international numbers.
If you have access to a phone where you can dial an
international number, or have a satellite phone,
please email david@locators-online.org

Back to blogging

I've had a long break from blogging, it's been a tough year, and my focus has been elsewhere. For those of you who read this blog, my sister that I mention in my previous post, Carol Leigh, passed away in October. Thank you to all who have given me support, and to all who make efforts to support breast cancer research.

Roberta

Run For The Cure sponsors welcome!

I'm participating in the CIBC Run for the Cure in support of breast cancer again this year on October 3rd. I'll be walking for my sister, Carol Leigh McCarron.

If you are interested in supporting me, just click here (you can also learn a bit more about my sister there).

Thanks in advance for any and all support!
Roberta

new stuff on blogs and learning

Found some new stuff today on blogs...

How to use weblogs to create engaging learning experiences