After a long day. Good night.

And the story continues...

This one is approximately 16 years later. I don't have any new ones from this year with both of us together, but I promise to take one as soon as I can. Just add more gray hairs, ha!

My son and I tobogganing last winter:

One of me taken yesterday at the Canadian Air & Space Museum inside a figher jet model:

Cheers!

Friendship in our times

Somewhere in this blog, I believe it’s in the first entry, I mentioned that I had a couple of pen pals that I never forgot about, William and Chris. I genuinely believe that these were my first two long-distance friendships and, I think they had a lot to do with who I am today. Keep in mind, our friendship was through hand written (or typed with my old and heavy Olivetti typewriter) letters and snail mail. It took months for us to have news from each other, from the other side of the world. I was in Mexico, William was in Singapore, and Chris was in Australia. Snail mail was slow, but receiving a letter was quite a matter to celebrate.

I am now grateful for the Internet. Over a decade ago, I left my parents' home to go study a graduate degree in the United States. It was truly not that far as I am from northern Mexico and I went to live for two years to San Angelo, Texas, about a 10-hour drive, including rest stops. However, I had been dating this hot guy for a few years before I finished my undergraduate degree and we did not know if our relationship would continue, as I was leaving our city. Well, I can tell you now that our story was a happy one. Due to easy Internet communication, we were in touch pretty much daily. This also meant that, since the interest continued, he visited me every two or three months in the two-year period that I was studying and working in Texas (yes, I was employed by the Small Business Administration as part of the contract to study a full-time MBA program, all quite legal, thank you). We have now been married for 12 years, and it’s 18 years today that we started dating. Thank you e-mail and Internet. :)

Here is a photo of us when we started dating back in 1991, a funny one:


I can still be thankful for the Internet. I have made some long-distance friendships that have lasted over 10 years and I am still making new friendships that would otherwise be impossible.

Long live the Big Blue Marble!

Cheers!

To be continued...

Yes, number 7 is coming soon enough. This top ten list is tougher than I thought. In the meantime, go here: http://www.madametalbot.com/

Cheers.

A metal obsession

It's not bags. It's not shoes. It's not clothes. It IS books, ok, yes, I admit, paper turns me on much more than the latter. Especially when it's in Science Fiction writings. However, my real obsession is one: METAL. Not heavy metal, although I am a headbanger by heart. METAL. HARD. COLD. METAL. I used to collect knives. Now I stick to jewellery. Metal hanging here, metal wrapping there, metal! I am not sure it's healthy but, really, who gives a flying f***, I love metal! Gold, it's ok. Brass, much more interesting. Bronze, oh, baby! Copper, now you're talking! Silver, BRING IT ON! I wear metal clothed, I wear metal naked. I wear metal at all times. Metal dresses me. Yes, yes, yes, I don't go around the streets walking unclothed, plus that would be an ugly sight (improving since I took up Tae Kwon Do again, but nevertheless ugly), but I never, NEVER, go out without earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, METAL! FULL METAL... ok, I do not have a metal jacket, but I have lots and lots and lots of jewels. I am a dragon, I hoard! As I am on hiatus and thinking about my next top 10 item, I needed to let you know that I have an obession: METAL.

A mushroom from Ontario

Good morning!

Un champignon Quebecois

Bon jour!

Hiatus and parentheses in between the Top 10 list.

Yes, hiatus. I do not like this word or state of my life, but that's what it is. So, while I am on hold and in between worlds, take this as a piece of advice. I wear this every day. EVERY-SINGLE-DAY. It's my staple piece, why? I hate hearts. I hate heart designs. Period. Then one day, while my heart ached terribly, I went for a long walk to my favourite part of the city, Queen Street West. This is where you can taste the real flavour of this wonderful city. (Yes, I love Toronto, but I do hate being in my cubicle every day, so Queen Street West, which is close to home and my office, serves to keep me down to Earth). I digress. So, I went for a long walk, too much haze in my head, too much hurt in my heart. Things were simply not good for me. I came upon this awesome store just before Bathurst Street, called Outer Layer (http://www.outerlayer.com/) and I went in to lose my troubles and clear my mind. As I approached a glass display, I felt attracted to, yes, a heart necklace. I fell in love. I splurged. I bought it. My aches were not gone, but my heart was out in the open, enjoying the not so fresh air and the smells of my favourite place, Queen Street West. I wore it with pride. I wear it with pride to this day. I plan my other pieces around it. Here it is:

I had only to change one thing about it. The chain. Snake chains are sleek and lovely but they tend to grab my hair and pull it. I had a hefty sterling curb chain in my extensive collection, long, at 22-24 inches, and I hung it there, forever and ever. I wear my heart on my sleeve. The wonderful artist is a girl from the superb city of Montreal. This is her website: http://www.missyindustry.com/. Even though I did not buy this beauty in Etsy, she does have a shop there as well, check out http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5811521 and drool. I have my eye on several items, but that will have to wait until my return from the Netherworld. I can't include this favourite piece of mine in the top 10 list, as that's Etsy-related. But a nice parentheses will give you an idea of how much I adore my heart, me, who hates heart designs. I shall wear my heart always and all ways. Time to sign-off. As I raise my wine glass I say: "Hearts to you..."

Photo taken from Missy Industry's Etsy shop. Go there. Shop. Now.

8 is not enough!

This list is quite a challenge. Finally, number 8 comes to light:

8! THE FOG ARRIVES ON GOSSAMER WINGS. I bought this pendant from marybird at this link: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=18698



There are no words to describe its beauty. You would have to see it in person, the photograph does not do it justice. Mary is an incredible artist and, not only is her work impeccable, she takes time to actually name her pieces in remarkable ways. I wear this pendant very often, on its rubber cord or on a chain. It looks fantastic anyway and I always get comments on it. It's quite unusual and people love the name and the fact that it looks like a butterfly.

Again, this photograph is propery of Mary Bird, please do visit her shop, her jewellery is a must see. Until next time! Ciao!