On Romanticism

I have been thinking a lot about romance lately, and the various forms in which she exists. When thinking about romance, we often imagine candle-lit dinners, long-stemmed red roses, making love on a beach, and poetry dripping with intergalactic grandeur. These romantic notions are based on love, sensuality, and sexuality.

But what are the other ways that one can be romantic?

For myself, I am highly romantic about my life, about the way I desire my time on this planet to unfold, and all the things that I hope to accomplish. This indeed does include falling in love (and all the gushy things listed above), but also many romantic notions of adventure, lifestyle, and community.

I want to write poetry in a Paris café, I want to watch the sunrise from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, I want to buy a boat and live on it, I want to run a marathon, I want to record an album, I want to plant a garden, I want to watch children grow, I want to bake bread, I want grey hair, I want to die knowing that I have lived.

For a long time, I was hesitant to admit to the true extent of my romanticism. I think this was a response to the fact that we are living in fairly un-romantic times. These are the days of Wal-mart, the 6 o’clock news, suburban isolation, and institutionalized aging. It is tragically easy to live an un-romantic life. We have jobs that tell us to be more efficient, schools that tell us to be more logical, and a society that tells us to be unoriginal.

I, for one, feel a need to fight against the dying of romance. And as such, I have chosen to be an ally to romance, because I think she has seen better days.

So what is being an ally to romance?

It means stating loud and clear that I AM A ROMANTIC and that I am pretty damn proud of it. In doing this I hope you are able to think about your own romantic tendencies and divulge in them from time to time. You may just find yourself smiling a bit more.





Tips on living a romantic life (from a self appointed expert):

• Get new stamps on your passport regularly

• Write letters and postcards (not just e-mails)

• Take time to daydream

• Keep a journal

• Build/design a home

• Be bold (…I’m still learning this one)

• Become comfortable with tears

A Little Spruce Tree

A mighty wind has blown me across this continent and up Hwy 97 to my hometown of Prince George, the White-Spruce Capital of the World. It feels good to be home. It is reassuring to know that I can go out into the world, allow myself to be altered by many formative experiences, yet I am able to return to a place where change is much slower and family is a constant.

I am a little spruce tree, and my roots run deep into this clay soil.

Perhaps you can relate to a hometown or a place where you can return and be reminded of the past (if you live in the same city that you grew up, perhaps this place is a yearly vacation spot, or an old neighborhood). We have places in our lives that hold history, for me, Prince George is a forest of memories.

When I return, there is often a process of taking stock of what I have been through since my last visit. What have I accomplished? Who have I met? Where have I traveled or wandered through? How have I allowed the world to change me, and more importantly, do I like the changes? It is an opportunity to witness personal growth and evolution as I compare the person I am today to younger versions of myself.

One great way of doing that is how I engage with my family. There have been times when I have returned and have been bit temperamental (to put it frankly, I was a bitch). Other times I have been withdrawn and distant. These days, with the exception of an occasional mood swing, I find that I am able to be much more present. I am more interested in engaging in a way that is beneficial to the overall climate of my family system.

What does this mean? It means knowing when to challenge and when to accept, when to speak out and when to keep my mouth shut, when to step up to lend a hand and when to take the time I need for myself. It is a knowledge of what is desired from my loved-ones, while keeping in mind what I need to do for myself so that I am able to be of service to them. For me, this is much of the essence of maintain healthy relationships.

In theory it sounds lovely, in actuality it can be quite challenging.

So the choices I made a couple of weeks ago have allowed me to return to familiar soil. I am satisfied with my decision and the opportunities it has granted me: I like being home, I like the fact that I can have time and space to reconnect with family and self, I like the large sky of northern BC.

It has been six months since my last visit and my time away from this home has left me a bit older, more experienced, perhaps even a bit wiser. And I will leave here feeling rested, and ready to allow myself to be challenged, pushed, and formed again. I have learned that the world grants much opportunity to experience and develop; I just have to be willing to grow.

Luckily, spruce trees are meant to grow.

Safe and Sound

After five days and 5000 km's, we have arrived in Vancouver.

We have been extremely fortunate to have good weather and no automotive problems! For those who were curious, we took the interstate highway (I-94) across the northern USA, visiting nine states in five days. It was a really beautiful drive... I would go as far as saying that it was more beautiful than the Canadian route (Highway 1). I am inspired to go back.

More highlights:

• The Badlands of North Dakota

• A slow sinking sun over the Montana prairies

• Dramatic storms and epic mountains of the Continental Divide

• Talking to the locals... I have never met so many friendly people

I wish I had more time to ramble on and on about it, but unfortunately I'm a bit pressed. Stay tuned for some video footage of the trip. We did a video journal each day, and I hope to share some of that.

I'll leave with some photos of the landscape that we saw (photos stolen, but accurate representations):

One Night In Fargo

It’s Tuesday morning, and I’m on the Interstate 94 highway in Northern Dakota. I’ve got the sun shining down, some country music coming through the radio, and prairie fields as far as the eye can see. It’s the true mid-west experience… except instead of a noble stallion, I have an iBook.

So far the road trip is going really well; I am reminded of my love for movement and travel. We’ve been doing long days in a little car, but thankfully I am joined by two fun-loving and laidback friends: Rachel and John.

I don’t have much battery, so I will give the highlights (and lowlights) of the trip so far:

• Driving through Chicago at night. The Sears Tower had two pillars in the shape of devil horns, lit up in red light… the evil headquarters of corporate America.

• Eating meals in greasy American diners. The people have been extremely friendly and warm. At one diner they had a special section for “Professional Truck Drivers”.

• Rachel hit a raccoon… there is a very specific sound when a car collides with a large rodent. I hope that you don’t have to hear it. Ever.

• Spending the night in FARGO! Yup, I’ve seen the movie, now I’m living the experience. We’ve got a dead raccoon in the trunk, we just need to find a wood-chipper.

• A sketchy highway motel with a bizarre wet spot on the carpet and the heavy sent of perfume in the air.

That's all I have time for now! (we're currently pulled into the driveway of some random citizen, stealing his/her wireless internet! God Bless America!)

Saturday Night in Orillia, Ontario

So the world-wind trip from Chicoutimi to Prince George has begun. We'll be traveling through the northern states, and up through Seattle... I hope to get a photo of Fargo, North Dakota.

Tonight I am in Orillia at the beautiful home of Rachel's Aunt and Uncle. It is lovely to be a country home, and luckly they have some wireless internet as well. The best of both worlds.

I had twelve hours in Montreal, as I arrived last night around 9 PM and left early this morning. I love that city so much, the smells, the sights, the sounds. I am excited to come back in July, but even more excited to be on the road again.

A HUGE THANKS to the folks that swung by and saw me last night. I am feel so blessed that I can roll into town for an evening and that people are willing to make space in their lives for me. You are all loved dearly!

So wish me luck on my travels! I hope that my path crosses with yours this summer...

(oh, and here's a little video that I enjoyed... I call it "The Summer That I Almost Had")

Peace and Love (and Homeward Bound)

A couple of weeks ago, over dinner conversation, I asked my Host Mother if she was a hippie in the 70’s. I had a sneaking suspicion because she seems to enjoy talking about sex and works as an artisan. She replied to me, “I was more ‘Peace and Love’, then a hippie because I didn’t smoke enough pot.”

* * *

So yesterday I went for a job interview at the “Musée de la Défense Aérienne”. They are searching for two tour guides for the summer, and I met the qualifications… so I thought, “why not?” I could spend the summer learning about planes, practicing my French, and Learning about the Military (the museum is on the Canadian Forces Base Bagotville).

Before the interview, I had thought about what it would be like to be in a Military Air-force work environment. My imagination had conjured up images of Top Gun… strapping men with moustaches and aviator sunglasses, having lunch breaks with Maverick and Goose, getting random free rides in the F-14 Tomcats, the soundtrack to my summer being “Take My Breath Away”. You know, the usual stuff.


Well, as we know, sometimes my imagination races faster than reality.

At the interview, I was greeted by a pimply-faced, recruit from Ontario who is in Bagotville for the summer. He was indeed very nice as he gave me the tour of the museum, going into excited detail about the planes used in World War I and II. He spoke eagerly about the most effective bombs and guns. Then he told me that at the Royal Military College, it’s hard to meet girls. Shocking.

I began to imagine myself giving the tour. Would I be that interested in learning the history of Aero-War? Could I give a passionate and engaging tour to the public? Should I spend the next five weeks here, talking about planes and war and bombs? Ultimately, it would have been a very intriguing and random experience, but no, I just don’t think it’s my scene.

Like my Host Mother, I think that I am just a little too “Peace and Love”.

* * *

After the interview yesterday, I made my decision: I will be heading to BC for 3 weeks. Thank you to those who shared their thoughts and ears with me as I hummed and hoed for the past couple of weeks. So if you are in BC, then I hope to get a chance to meet up with you in the next month!

My sister gave me some good advice: “When you don’t know what to do, then sometimes the best thing to do is to go home.”

Homeward bound, I am.

Chicoutimite at Heart

It's official, I am supposed to be learning french! I just completed a highly scientific internet personality quiz, and it has reconfirmed my motivation to learn the language of the passionate. Now I just have to move to Paris...

Actually, Chicoutimi is much like Paris. The people here speak french, they have hair, and are even known to eat bread. There is also a really tall tree, not far from my home here, that with a little trimming and a spotlight could be mistake for the eiffel tower. I think I'll buy a burrét before I leave.

Interestingly, I am not really sure when I will be leaving. I am faced with a decision on what I would like to do with myself for the next five weeks. Here are the options:

1. Find work in Chicoutimi. This would allow me to save a bit of money and continue to practice my french... however I would have to quit any job that I found after only five weeks.

2. Roadtrip out to BC. My roommate here is driving to Vancouver and needing someone to join her on a mad, cross-country four day adventure. Benifits include seeing family and folks in BC... minus points however for incuring more student debt.

3. Go back to Montreal.


Anyway, if you have two cents to throw at me (larger amounts of money also welcome), you can leave your, advice, votes, instructions, words-of-the-wise, and insults in the "comments" section.

You Should Learn French

C'est super! You appreciate the finer things in life... wine, art, cheese, love affairs. You are definitely a Parisian at heart. You just need your tongue to catch up...

What Language Should You Learn?