Saturday 29 May 2010

The sound of love - Follow Me - The Makepeace Brothers

I like these guys! They are simple, funny and talented! And moreover, they use this talent to spread the love! Cheers to the Makepeace Brothers!



To quote them: Our time has come to shine!
May you all have a fantastic weekend!
LOVE
AND SUNSHINE

Friday 28 May 2010

Grateful for life

This morning, on my way with my roomate to go at her school to get a handcrafted wood furniture that she has made, I walked the same streets than I usually do. But this morning, there were many police cars. A very dramatical car accident, involving three cars had just happened. It seems that a truck, for a reason that I don't know yet, had crossed the opposite course, climbed onto the pavement, crossed a green portion of the park, passed through a bus shelter, to finally crash into two other cars on the next cross street.

For the whole day, I've been having a thought for the poor people who were involved in the accident, trying somehow to send them my best wishes, and hoping - oh so hard - that it has been less dramatical than I was imagining. And I couldn't help but to think that I could have been walking on this pavement, or waiting for the bus in the parc or at the bus shelter, on the car's path...

Tonight, when I came back home, I found out that - thanks God - nobody has lost life, but three people have been seriously injured: a walker, a 20 years old lady who was waiting for the bus, and the driver who has lost the control of his vehicle.

I needed this to remind me that an as ridiculous accident as this one can happen to us at any time, but I'm glad it was not MY time yet. To be grateful for life took even more sens for me today.
I love you all my friends! Live our lives and give love to our loved ones every day which is offered to us!
IN ALL MY GRATEFULNESS FOR THIS LIFE

Saturday 22 May 2010

Happy birthday, brother!

I got the chance to have two older brothers, who I love very much. Let’s call them Jerry, the youngest of them (I already mentioned him in some previous posts), and Marc, the oldest by 9 years. And today is the birthday of the elder. So this is especially for him :

I love you, and I'm missing you so much!! Hope I’ll be able to visit you within the next year! So often I’m thinking of you, hoping and praying so that everything goes well for you! Much love and kisses to you from here.
YOUR LITTLE SISTER

Thursday 20 May 2010

Lost and found

I’d like to send a special thanks into the universe, to the very kind and honest person who has found my water bottle today.

In this beautiful day, my roommate and I went for a very long walk accross the town, entering into many stores, just to browse for some summer clothes. We always have a water bottle when we go for a long walk. Usually, I prefer to fill it with - of course - water, but in which I add a bit of liquid chlorophyll, with just a drop of some kind of sweetness, like maple syrup or simply stevia.

Unfortunately, what had to happen happened... It's only when the thirst took me, that I realised none of us was holding my very brand new "Supporting Hearth Day 2010" bottle. Confused and sad a bit by this lost, since it is my favorite one for many good reasons, we started to review the entire last hour or so. Just a big blank. We finally had no other choice than return into the largest store we were went. Running around and asking to any employees I was passing by.

Discouraged, I was about to give up, but still decided to ask to this one last person, folding clothes behind a counter. As I was approaching, I perceived this grey metal shape. Seeing my look of astonishment, she exclaims: "Yes! Someone has found it!" Nothing but gratitude and joyfulness came over me. All the customers around could certainly feel it! At least, I saw a smile emerging on some faces, while I was proudly brandishing it. YES!

I am so surprised to have found it back in such a large store, with such a lot of people!
SO, WHOEVER YOU ARE: THANK YOU!

The sound of love - What Is Love? - Never Shout Never

Here is an interesting video I've discovered while browsing to find new songs for this The sound of love series of posts.



I like the way it has been made. Sunny, sunny day, everyone!
LOVE

Tuesday 18 May 2010

What a beautiful day to do gardening!

This afternoon, I've been doing one of my jardinieres, while the nice renovation man was building an additional part to my kitchen's cupboards. I love gardening, it allows me to be fully mind-centered, giving love and carefulness to those plants that bring good smells up to our nose, or good tastes up to our taste buds.

So here is my first fine herbs jardiniere.


And here is the biggest tree of the whole street, which actually is right in front of my appartment, and which gave me shade in this nice and hot day. Can you see the beautiful lilac at my neighbour's place? Each time I open my door, its awesome smell comes to me. I love lilacs!

I wish you to have a very nice "zen moment" in doing your own jardinieres (or garden, I wish I could have one!), if those are not done by now!
LOVE AND SUNSHINE!

Sunday 16 May 2010

Thanks to my French friends

Yesterday, I went partying to the appartment of my roommate's boyfriend and friends. Thought I would come back soon at home, but just wanted to go chill out a bit with them. Yeah, right! It appeared that I had a SO great and wonderful time there, dancing like crazy on every type of music, feeling totally free of appearances.



The more liquid that was going through my body, the more I was going faaaar away from the time to go to bed. I finally never get back home that night! I finally fell down early in the morning, and slept on a camping mat for a couple of pretty short hours!

What an awesome and easy-going party that has been! Thank you, buddies, for this memorable time! I wish we had made a video, or took any pictures of this event!

LOVE!

Nothing related, except for the magical instrument that I brought at the party, but I just got the news in: my wonderful -9 months old- little niece started to (kinda tried to) play Djembe too! Alllriiiiight!! Kisses!
P.S. Thanks for the cute picture, Pete!

Saturday 15 May 2010

Reposting other people's

Hey there, pals!

I'd like to repost two things from SuperForest.org today. First, this post, written by Carla on May 10th, about the way to "be present" in our day-to-day tasks. I think that to do so, is one of my top ten of things to do for a better health (see OTHER COOL LINKS ON... HOW TO CHANGE HABITS FOR A BETTER HEALTH, on the left of the screen), with changing food habits, using greener products, communing with Mother Nature, and practicing lovefulness and joyfulness. All very nice topics that goes along with my blog! So here goes her post, in its entirety:

SuperForesters Carla and Diego Present: “The Art of Doing” (Field Notes Edition!)


Good Morning, SuperForest!

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post on "The Art of Doing" and how absolute presence was something I was severely lacking in my life. Without even being fully aware of it, my mind would float to the past or drift toward the future and more often than not, this would build a lot of stress and tension. Noticing these problems and reflecting upon them was the first step, taking action was the second.

So I started out right away. Knowing my lack of presence was a brilliant opportunity for change and self-improvement, I decided to pick a day in which from the moment I got out of bed, to the moment I slipped back in, I would be "present" and "aware". That particular day turned out be a Tuesday, and despite being aware of the challenge I was about to face, it was still much more difficult than I expected. But as time has progressed, it has (slowly) been easier to integrate "presence" in my normal consciousness. Here are a few things I learned along the way... my "field notes", if you will. :)

1. Get rid of your daily to-do list. Instead of writing a long list of things you have to do that day, narrow it down to perhaps one or two things you get to do that day. That's all. Just pick one thing you're excited about and do that one thing while focusing all of your energy on it and removing all distractions in the periphery. Once you do that one thing, move on to another, and another, and so on. I was a skeptic about this theory until I tried it and found I was actually getting much more high quality work done.

2. Be conscious of not only your actions (and focusing on the task at hand), but your thoughts, too. If you find yourself falling back on negativity, literally say "out" to those thoughts. If you're anything like me, you might be surprised at how often this occurs.

3. If you do find yourself beginning to feel any tension or get worried, pause, take a few deep breaths, and recollect

4. Fourth, never underestimate the power of the great outdoors. This one totally took my by surprise because during my "day of presence", I noticed that the easiest place to fully embrace the here and now was outside. When I was doing regular daily tasks (showering, brushing my teeth, reading, writing, etc.) inside, it was very very difficult for me to concentrate on what I was doing. But outside, my senses were heightened. I would see the dancing leaves on trees, feel the wind on my skin, and it seemed as if all sounds were electric and there was constant beauty in my surroundings. Put simply, when outside it is difficult to focus upon anything but the present moment.

At around this same time, SuperForester Diego Stocco had a similar experience of absorption in nature and presence during events that as he put it, were "out of [his] control". Being the artist that he is, he proceeded immediately by capturing it in a video he calls "Wind Light Trees and Piano" and has agreed to tag team this post with me by writing a bit about what the experience was like that afternoon, what his constant work with nature has taught him, and consequently, how nature helps illustrate the beauty of presence.

Take it away, Diego!




Right before I recorded "Wind Light Trees and Piano", I heard the wind and the wind chimes, and the trees and everything else moving, I knew it was happening right there and if I wanted to live that moment, I had to jump out of the house and record it!

I learned to really appreciate these random and uncontrollable moments because they give me an opportunity to be more reactive, when I recorded "Wind Light Trees and Piano" I couldn't expect having the same gust of wind happening twice exactly the same, so I had to be ready and focused if I wanted to record that moment. I extend this principle also to when I'm playing my custom built instruments, improvisation is a big part of what I do.

Essentially, this brings us to the fifth major thing presence teaches us, and that is...

5. Be reactive.Moments like the one depicted in “Wind Light Trees and Piano” happen spontaneously, like a musical movement we didn't expect. And with the beauty of nature around to inspire us, act upon those inspirations, and create something.

And there you have it, SuperForesters. Four tips on how to be present and the big tip from SuperForester Diego on what to do with that presence.

I'm definitely nowhere near a high level of being able to constantly "live in the moment" but when it comes to presence, perhaps that's the point. Maybe it's something that has to be practiced more than it is "perfected". In any case, I look forward to continuing the journey.

With much love and appreciation,

SuperForester Carla (and SuperForester Diego!)

P.S. Much gratitude goes out to Diego for not only co-writing this post with me, but for constantly creating astounding sources of inspiration. Thank You!

* * *

Thank you Carla, to have allowed me to repost this. I could not have explain it better! Many thanks also go to your always-so-great posts, dear Carla, 'cause they often get to me right on time to bring me to push my own thoughts further! Cheers, and may you continue to enjoy your challenge this much! ♥

Also, for your information, this REALLY works! I am, personally, living this same experience since about two months - and that's why Carla's post has called me this much! - and I can say that I am as much excited than she is, by the way that I am feeling the effects of it. It has changed so many things, and I feel so much lighter, that I will just never be able to let this way of being to go away! Also, the fourth point that she discribes is absolutely the same for myself! So go outside! Yeaah!

In addition, just to let you know, Diego Stocco is the great creative musician that makes music from a bonsai and music from sand. Check these out!

Finally, the second thing I wanted to repost is this super, but really SUPER, great video, shared on May 9th by SuperForester Mathew. Since that I've watched it a first time, I'm watching it everyday! So I want to pass this on:



Do things that scare you, Sing, Dance, Be nice to your siblings, all so good advices! "Brother and sister, together we'll make it through", I like it! Thanks, Mathew, to have brought my attention on this video!

ENJOY YOUR YOUTH, ENJOY LIFE! LOVE! ☼

Thursday 13 May 2010

Enlighten me, please!

Ok, I am probably missing something there…
So, I want to share some thoughts that makes me feel a little mad today… I know, this is a feeling that I am trying hard to never feed – and that here is supposed to be a space for sharing love and positivity - but, I think that you guys can help me out to turn it into happier thoughts…

This morning I read a TreeHugger's article on Facebook, concerning all the spilled oil in the gulf, and so many other people’s comments turned me perplex…


And here is just one of the videos you’ll see if you take the time to click on the link and read the full article :

And then, here is what I think about all this :
I DO agree that we are already too much exposed to too many chemicals (and I AM working on to do my part to reduce it) but, even if it is an addition of some more chems, I DO also think that this is already a more efficient solution, NO?

It is not simply by placing barriers before it gets to the beaches that will save what is left. It really is time that we remove fingers from the nose, and work faster, more intelligently! These barriers do not help to clean up anything out there: they simply are a hypocritical way to hide the ugliness of our actions (right on the other side, the bottom sand WILL be deeply polluted, and of course the water too!)... So that the people do not see, at first glance, all the spilled oil and all these little dead beings...

So I think that, if we work quick enough with it, this polymer will absorb all the oil and we’ll just catch it before it sinks into the ocean…

Thus, until proven otherwise, it still is a good idea, to me! Am I just dumb, or what? Please someone, enlighten me with your lantern!
PEACE

The sound of love - Anything You Want - Jason Mraz

Have I told you that this guy is my favorite singer? Yeah... and too many times probably! ;) But if you like my posts, I'm pretty sure that you love, or might love, Mraz as much as I do!

Among all of his songs, here is probably my favorite one. To share it with you, I've chose a version with the lyrics, so that they get stuck into your head, and so that you sing it the whole day long... hehe!
I know, this version also has an extension over the beginning of another song, and I am sorry for not being able to fix this.



One more thing, as a little aside note: we often kinda forget the whole team surrounding our favorite singers... who are nonetheless part of the final result that we love so much. So, for all of your wonderful songs, I want to thank you, Mraz, AND your whole big team! Toca, you also are doing an amazing job! Love you all!

MAY YOU ALL, DEAR READERS, SPEND A FABULOUS DAY, SINGING!

Tuesday 11 May 2010

Thank you, dearest friends!

Here are 2 short stories of things I recently did with two friends of mine. The stories and the two friends are - in a way - related, even if they don't know this much each other yet.

THE TONIGHT SUPPER.
Tonight, a great friend of mine came to my place for supper AND, in all of his generosity, to do me the favor to settle another computer for me and my roomate, since I have broke the laptop...

I first met this friend when I was a teenager, in a visit to my youngest brother's place. We came closer friends about 2 years ago, when I started to go much more often to my brother's place and started to do camping with them all in the summer. We found that we had much in common and much to share.

Tonight again, we shared much and had fun. I appreciate those moments.

THE OTHER NIGHT SUPPER...
AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LAPTOP.
Last Friday night, my roomate and I were having a super great, inspirational conversation, after we had a yummy supper together - two things that are now rare for more than a month, since she is very busy at her woodworking school - when I suddenly accidentally spilled my glass of wine on her laptop.

There followed a frantic race to mop up the liquid as quickly as possible between each keys. Then the longest waiting moment of my life, to see what would happen... A dark shade was making its way into the screen... I know: we should simply have turned it off BEFORE, but we innocently thought that we did it quickly enough, so that everything would be okay. But no: the final shut down happened by itself.

The bewilderment and guilt are taking me, as I look up to watch at my roomate. Almost as distraught as me, she doesn't say a word. No daggers in her look, no swearing words, nothing. As calmly as possible, she finally just said "Okay, let's leave it dry for a while, we'll see tomorrow, and wish it will be fine".

TO END IT UP.
Since Saturday, the laptop is lying opened at my other friend's place - the first mentioned in this post - with fans oriented on it, to dry. And since there, I am grateful everyday that my secondly mentioned friend - my roomate - don't make me feel too guilty for this.

Thank you, Pete and Claude-Emilie, for being such good friends, generous and patients. Our friendship has a very high importance to me. I hope I let you know it quite often.
I LOVE YOU BOTH, DEAREST FRIENDS!

Wednesday 5 May 2010

Simple things to do

Since I'm back in Montreal, I've changed one more habit. As everybody, I sometimes do not have the time or the energy to cook myself something. In these cases, I used to pick up the phone and order something to eat... and unfortunately receive a bunch of not recyclable containers.

Since a lot of restaurants are accessible by walk here, I've started to go out and get my meals by myself (I know, sometimes, we just do not feel like going outside, but then I choose a really close restaurant, and do what I can with their menu). I bring with me my own big reusable container and I insist so that they put my take-out order in it. Sometimes, employees look at me with some kind of weird face, but does this really bother me? I do it by convictions, and it makes me happy, so I am cool with their reaction, do my best to explain, and if I still get that weird look, I just reply by a huge smile before going back home to enjoy my "greener" meal. 



This action is not extraordinary, but is still an addition to all the other actions done by you all in all over the world. :)
MUCH LOVE TO YOU!

Monday 3 May 2010

The sound of love - Better Way - Ben Harper

I could have been one of these humble people walking on your footsteps in that video, sir Ben Harper!



The stronger we'll believe, and act for, the more our world gets better,
LOVE

Laundromats

Last weekend was, for my roomate and I, the beginning of our final move into our new appartment. It will continue tomorrow with all my boxes that are coming from Abitibi, where I lived during the past year. With all this bedlam, our washer and dryer machines are not connected yet, because some renovations are still to be done. Thus, for the second time this week, after dinner, I grab my roomate's laptop and a bag of clothes, and I go to this laundromat at a short distance by walk, which is attached to a cybercafe, from where I am writing this post while eating my dessert.

This will probably sounds strange to many of you, but I had never been in a laundromat before! And I am actually getting a lot of fun at it! Ok, probably that knowing the fact that this is a temporary situation makes a difference in how I appreciate it... But in this current situation, this is a new way for me to get in touch with the people in my new neighborhood, in talking to them while folding clothes: why not?!

Have a great week everyone!
LOVE