It's official: 2010 is my new best friend

Yes, it's only January, but I have come to the realization that 2010 is my newest best bud. Why, you ask? Well the last 30 days have been quite a transformation (...a very necessary one, I might add).

I was smart enough to take a solo vacation over the holiday, enjoying a week to myself to read, reflect, sleep, hike and repeat. This is a picture of the path from my cottage (and back to myself really). Not a difficult place to be when you need some time to be one your own.

I knew I was overwhelmed and downright exhausted from the past year but I didn't realize how burnt out I was until I got away to unwind and unravel it all. I think I wrote more in those 7 days than I did all 365 of the last year. God, what a gift to be able to step away and check out (or, more accurately, check in with myself) before starting a new year.

The moment I got home, a number of things began to shift:

* No longer did I feel the need to kill someone (well, at least it wasn't my first thought when someone pissed me off...that's progress, no?);

* I came back to work refreshed and completely re-energized. I might even go so far as to say I have been excited about work;

* I enrolled in and started a unique photography and creative writing course that I am loving (check it out at www.susannahconway.com);

* I got back in the gym and started running again (sadly, I am also pretty sure I have had more exercise in the past month versus the entire past year);

* I took an Executive Finance course that just about did me in...but didn't thanks in part to a new friend who helped make it a rather enjoyable experience;

* And rather than giving up wine altogether (who does that?), I've decided rather to only really enjoy it while in the company of others (I figure it's a step in the right direction anyway).

The last 30 days have been a welcome change in my world but a change that I don't think would have been possible without the 365 that came before them. There is much benefit in moving through the dark days to appreciate all the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Cliche, yes. True, absolutely. I've proved this to myself countless times over the years and yet the power in it still never ceases to amaze me.

So, with that, I wish a big 'G' Goodbye to 2009, and a warm hello to 2010. Hoping you all are primed and ready for a new path, new opportunities, and the new adventures to come.

Sonja

A Few (more) of My Favorite Things...

I have been terribly negligent with my writing as of late. Nothing like more time in hospitals to kill one's motivation. Thankfully, my family has been given a short reprieve from further hospital stays and, after seeing a friend of mine take the leap and launch her own business blog (http://kasacoaching.wordpress.com/ - way to go Kat!), I got the inspiration I needed to carve out some time to blog.

So let's keep it simple, shall we?

Here are a few more of my favorite things that deserve a mention:

Fringe
http://www.fox.com/fringe/

Not only does it fill the void that X-Files left in my TV viewing world, I think Fringe is one of the best new shows (relatively speaking...I believe it's already in it's second season but only just catching on) on TV. And coming from someone who spends very little time watching TV, this is high praise in my world.

I never realized I was such a big fan of sci-fi, or what is now being rebranded as "speculative", but clearly I am. Fringe is from the genius that is J.J. Abrams (...also creator of Alias, Lost, and the new Star Trek movie...among others). The show is intelligent, suspenseful and a bit mind bending. I like that this series makes you think while it entertains and leaves you speculating, like a great Michael Crichton novel does, could this really happen or already be happening???

Cactus Club Cafe's Ravioli + Prawn Trio
http://www.cactusclubcafe.com/

When you taste something this delicious, it must be passed on. The interesting thing about this particular dish is that I'm not sure I would have ordered it had one of my dinner guests beside me not done so. I love good pasta but ravioli is not usually a big draw for me. That all changed the moment my table mate was presented with this dish. It took me all of 30 seconds before I grabbed our server and asked for a plate of my own. I couldn't get over the aroma coming from this dish.

The menu describes this starter as "butternut squash ravioli with sautéed jumbo prawns"...but let me share with you that this doesn't come close to describing it's flavour. What seems like a fairly simple dish turns out to have a rich and complex flavour that just about knocked me off my seat. It was so unexpected. I was torn between the great conversation I was having at our table and the food I was doing my best to slow down eating and savour. The food won my attention. Had I not been with business colleagues at the time, I'm pretty sure I would have ordered another plate for myself. It is that good.

Raw Canvas
http://www.raw-canvas.com/

Raw Canvas is my favorite new place to be. Not only is it a hip, relaxed lounge to park yourself at for a glass of wine and some tantalizing cheese & meat pairings (such a great way to eat), it is also a place you can come to for art, music and, best of all, painting.

Let me be clear here, a painter, I am not, but I love the idea of being able to paint. Before my first trip to Raw Canvas, I had only put paint to canvas once before (not counting Elementary School, that is) and I can't draw to save my life. That being said, I love playing with paint, mixing colours, trying different brushes and techniques out at their studio. This creative style of mine can only be described as abstract...in the most abstract of terms. I seem to end up with paintings that all look the same at the end of the day but it doesn't bother me in the least. The process is truly too much fun not to repeat.

They said it best on their website: Raw Canvas is the place to "Eat. Drink. Make art." It's the perfect combination and it is worth checking out whether you are going on your own, with a group of friends or with your colleagues for a corporate celebration.

Eat. Drink. Make art. Not a bad theme to adopt for the new year ahead.

Etsy
http://www.etsy.com/

I learned about Etsy through Twitter not so long ago (God love Twitter!). It's a site designed to showcase and sell only handmade items. Very cool concept and great website.

The handmade letterpress cards I came across are one of my favorite finds to date (http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=handmade&search_query=letter+press+cards). I'm of lover of all things stationary and these elegant, clean and crisp cards are beautiful. I also really like the idea of supporting the people who work so hard to create these handcrafted works of art in our mass produced, big box store era.

Straight No Chaser
http://www.sncmusic.com/album/christmas-cheers-1/

What holiday season would be complete without great Christmas music to accompany it? This year I was introduced to Straight No Chaser, a group I had never heard of before and so pleasantly surprised to be introduced to.

Holiday music doesn't change very much from year to year so when I came across these fellas with their unique and very merry take on the holiday music genre, I figured there may be a few of you out there who would also appreciate the introduction. Enjoy!

I hope you have an opportunity to enjoy some, if not all, of these favorites of mine. If you have a few of your own, post your comments and share them with the rest of us. A good thing should never go unnoticed.

Ciao for now,

Sonja

Let's Skate!

I love this time of year, especially when we have days like today that are beautiful, crisp and clear (and after yesterday's torrential downpour and last night's storm, it is a very welcome change). Not sure I am into starting the Christmas festivities as early as Nov. 1 (as it seems our malls and retail outlets would like us to be doing) but I have to say I'm getting excited about winter in general.

The local mountains have opened early this year and I have just learned that the Robson Square outdoor public skating rink will be opening on Nov. 24! You can read all the details at http://bit.ly/3LeTzt.

What's more festive than outdoor skating with Christmas lights everywhere and holiday music to get you in the mood?! Warming up afterwards with an eggnog or gingerbread latte and some roasted chestnuts (disgusting, by the way, but God do they smell good). It's a Hallmark commercial waiting to happen.

I'm a terrible skater, having failed an early level back in my wee years for not being able to skate backwards fast enough...or was it that I was so embarrassed I couldn't get my feet to do what I wanted that I didn't even finish a circle of the rink? Ah well...six of one, half dozen of the other. It clearly wasn't my calling but I love it anyhow.

See you at the rink,

Sonja

Remembrance Day

November 11th always sparks my historical curiosity. As if to honour the memorial, I read only historical fiction this time of year related to WWI and WWII. I am particularly drawn to the stories of the Holocaust. I have never fully understood why but I read everything I can get my hands on, watching every documentary I come across, about how an unfathomable number of Jewish men, women and children were rounded up and sent to their deaths.

Being a student of psychology my whole life...always asking 'why', much to the limits of my parents patience growing up...I am utterly fascinated with how it could have happened. It was not that long ago. How people could turn off their humanity to such a degree has always been beyond my limited...and, yes, privileged...understanding.

I strive to learn all I can as a way of understanding. It's my nature. Not to agree or disagree with choices made long ago...choices that cannot be undone...but to find a way to wrap my brain around it; to learn how to keep humanity from repeating its mistakes...through my actions, since that is all I have control over.

Sadly, it is but one example of many genocides around the world throughout history. It is, however, the one I am most drawn to and it is the one I continue to read about every year at this time. Perhaps because there are still survivors alive today from WWII and so it has a strong foothold in our collective consciousness. Perhaps it is due to the simple reason that I am still seeking to understand and have not yet been able to answer my own questions. Whatever the reason, I find myself reading another story about WWII and asking the same questions.

This year especially, I wish my grandparents were still alive to share their stories with me. I have been reading The Wayfinders by Wade Davis and am troubled by the alarming number of cultures that are dying out, and with them, their stories, their languages, and their wisdom. The implications his thesis holds for when the last of the WWII veterans and survivors have passed on is equally disturbing. Is it possible that their stories and the teachings of their experiences will die with them?

**************

Here are some of the books with content related to the World Wars that have left a lasting impression on me:

Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Night by Elie Wiesel (non-fiction)

Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl (non-fiction)

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky

The Diary of Anne Frank (non-fiction)

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Fugivite Pieces by Anne Michaels

Band of Brothers: E-Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne... by Stephen E. Ambrose

Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks

The Wars by Timothy Findley

Beach Music by Pat Conroy

For those with other book recommendations related to WWI or WWII, I welcome you to post them here.

Lest we forget.

Sonja

Room to Read

I love to read. Ever since my grade 5 teacher read Roald Dahl's, The BFG, to our class, I've been hooked. I'm not even sure what is was about that particular story that captured my imagination, or why I hadn't inherited my parents love of reading before that, but The BFG was something special and sparked my (since then) life long passion for reading (and a compulsion for collecting books, I'm afraid).

I read every Roald Dahl book I could get my hands on after that and, when there were no more to devour, I turned my attention to the Choose Your Own Adventure books. Classics! I found it hard to believe they ever went out of vogue but, thankfully, I hear they are making a comeback.

I cannot imagine what my early years would have been like without all those fantastical stories. I am very fortunate that I never had to worry about it. They were, quite simply, always available to me. So no surprise that I am drawn to organizations and initiatives that are working to promote literacy and a love of reading to those who are not as fortunate.

Speaking of which, I recently became involved with the local chapter of Room to Read (http://www.roomtoread.org/), an incredible nonprofit organization committed to promoting and enabling global education. If you are not already familiar with this non-profit, allow me to enlighten you. Founded on the belief that education and literacy is critical to breaking the cycle of poverty in the developing world, Room to Read has established more than 700 schools, over 7,000 bilingual libraries with 5 million books, has supported over 3 million children by providing increased access to higher-quality educational opportunities and continues to support the education of nearly 7,000 girls who would have otherwise gone without.

I first learned about Room to Read through reading John Wood’s book, Leaving Microsoft to Change the World. He left his life as a corporate executive behind and co-founded the program with an equally inspiring individual, Erin Ganju, who will be speaking in Vancouver on Nov. 17th.

If you are interested in the event, or, better yet, would like to register, please click on the link: https://www.roomtoread.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=526

I assure you, it will not disappoint.

Sonja

Vancouver International Writer's Festival

The VIWF has, sadly, just come to a close for another year. I never seem to have enough time to get to all the events I would ideally like to but this year I was fortunate enough to see quite a few nonetheless.

Here are my personal 'notable mentions' from the writer's I went to see:

Sarah Waters - The author of Tipping the Velvet, among others, spoke about her new book, The Little Stranger. I've been trying to finish this book for a while now, not because it isn't a great read - it is - but because it keeps me up at night. Very spooky book. Perfect for this time of year. The Little Stranger was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize this year.

Michael Crummey - Canadian author of River Thieves and The Wreckage. His new book, Galore, is completely different from anything I've read before. Incredibly entertaining book full of fascinating Newfoundland folklore. Galore has been nominated for the 2009 Governor General's Literary Award.

Audrey Niffenegger - The author of the bestseller The Time Traveler's Wife was promoting her new book, Her Fearful Symmetry. Very interesting woman and equally interesting and original new book.

Colin McAdam - A favorite new author...and also a Canadian. His first book, Some Great Thing, was nominated for a number of awards. He was at the Festival promoting his new book, Fall, which has just been nominated for the Giller Prize. If you ever have an opportunity to see McAdam read live, just go. He's as entertaining as they come.

Daria Salamon - I am so glad I had the chance to see her read from her book The Prairie Bridesmaid. Daria, a Winnipeg native, is fresh and funny and raw, both in person and in her writing. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting her and am laughing a lot through her first novel.

Talented writer's with fabulous new books, each one worth reading.

And now I am off to read my very first advanced copy of a book: Marian Keyes' latest, not yet released, The Brightest Star in the Sky. Can't tell you how excited I was to come home from the Writer's Festival to this in the mail (indeed, I lead a sheltered little life...and I'm ok with that).

Marian Keyes' books are very much my guilty pleasure. Her writing is witty, intelligent and wonderfully entertaining. She has an ability to take a serious topic, make it accessible and palpable so it resonates in some way to just about any reader, while, at the same time, making it laugh out loud funny. A definite crowd pleaser, especially if that crowd happens to be primarily female.

If nothing else, having this blog (a.k.a. a vehicle to promote the books and authors I enjoy) is allowing me to get my hands on a few advanced copies of future bestsellers. Nice. I'll take that. Thank you very much Penguin Group (Canada)!

Ciao for now,

Sonja

My Top 34 List

Creating my Top 34 List for my 34th year was not as easy as I anticipated...hence my delay with posting it. Well, that wouldn't be the only reason for the delay. Life seemed to have other plans for me, as it often does.

At the end of the day, I ended up with over 55 items on the list (thank you to all who contributed!), which will certainly make next year's list creation a whole lot easier.

So without further ado, here is the list that will be shaping my year ahead (in no particular order):

1. I will have an article published in some form of print media.
2. I will be vacationing in France and Italy this year.
3. I will fall in love (...cheesy as it may sound, it just feels like the right time...again).
4. I will be redefining my career (more to come on this one).
5. I will cook a new recipe every week. Believe it or not, this one is a huge stretch for me.
6. I will take snowboarding lessons.
7. I will take a progressive dance class and perform again this year. My muscles are already aching.
8. I will get my front teeth fixed. Not exciting, I realize, but I have put this on hold for far too long.
9. I will get to New York this year...and if I plan it right, I will be able to take in a literary festival while I'm there.
10. I will become involved with TED in some capacity this year (http://www.ted.com/). This is going to take some creativity and a tremendous amount of work on my part but it is a dream of mine to be involved in their network.
11. I will take a ride on a tugboat (don't ask...always wanted to...has to do with my dad and the stories read to me in my childhood).
12. I will read an economics book...cover to cover. As much as I love to read, I'm not as excited about this one but would really like to learn more. I'm thinking the classic, The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith. Good thing I've given myself a year for this one.
13. [I am unable to publish this particular one...but rest assured, it's a good one;-)].
14. I will ride on a train for the first time.
15. I will complete the outline for my (first) book.
16. I will run a 10K...and enjoy it...in under 60 minutes effortlessly.
17. I will rent a car and take a solo road trip.
18. I will treat my mom to a day at the spa with me. She, who has never treated herself to anything like this, will likely say no so I'll have to be a bit crafty.
19. I will go ATV'g with my brother.
20. I will finally go kayaking.
21. I will get a Brazilian wax. What's a little pain for curiosity's sake?
22. I will make a microloan to a Grameen recipient. An amazing organization founded by Noble Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus who wrote Banker to the Poor: http://www.grameen-info.org/.
23. I will take on a new teaching/public speaking gig and get back to what I love to do.
24. I will visit the Louvre in Paris...finally!
25. I will host a dinner party for 8. That would be appetizers, main course and dessert...all homemade...all out of my comfort zone.
26. I will learn to speak and read French (I didn't say 'well').
27. I will have lunch in a vineyard.
28. I will visit Powell's Books in Portland.
29. I will finally get to Tofino this year.
30. I will either do a public reading of my own material or stand up comedy on an amateur night. The idea of either is already making me nauseous.
31. I will take a ballet class again. That's not the scary part. The scary part is actually getting back into a leotard!
32. I will paint and hang a canvas in my home - done and done, quite recently actually. This one I will do again.
33. I will volunteer with a kids book drive and donate time and books to charity. This one is already underway as I am getting involved with Room to Read. A great book by John Wood and a great NGO. Check them out at http://www.roomtoread.org/.
34. I will take a writing class.

All I can say is I better be making some serious coin this year to ensure I get to all of these places and experience all of these things. I'm certainly putting that out to the universe.

Ciao for now,

Sonja