Montreal at minus 35 Celsius - colder than the North Pole?

Are you kidding me? Montreal colder than the North Pole?

Yep - you betcha little booties that was true all week this week. Daytime high temperatures hovered around -35 degrees Celsius (yes, that's a minus sign) once the windchill factor was considered. Do you have any idea how cold this is? Supposedly certain parts of the human anatomy if exposed to the elements will freeze in 3 seconds flat. This is why some of my Canadian friends think I belong in the loony bin for moving here halfway around the world from beautiful, tropical Malaysia where the temperature is a plus 35 degrees Celsius all year long.

What can I say? The butler made me do it!? It was all for love? ( I know...real corny!)...or perhaps a moment of temporary insanity.... Whatever the reason, I'm here now. I love my adopted country despite major homesickness for my birth country several times a year. (Chinese New Year approaching fast - hope I survive missing the family)

Sometimes things don't turn out the way you want them to but your life is what you have. And... every now and then we need a perspective and attitude adjustment. If I am courageous enough to take a moment to look in the mirror, too often I am thinking of what I do NOT have, what I'd like to have more of, what I want others to have less of, what I missed out on .... wish I was taller, slimmer, blonder with blue-er eyes, spoke 3 more languages than I already do and have a killer smile. Oh wait! I do have a killer smile! :)

Jokes aside, what about you? Seriously, can you identify with that attitude adjustment I just mentioned? Puh-leeze tell me you do.... :)

I'm listening to Nickelback's "Gotta be Somebody" as I'm writing this - check it out on my link on the right - one of the lines in their song says " everyone wants to know they're not alone". Gosh, hope I'm not the only one in my world confessing to the need of an attitude adjustment. Eek!

Anyway, the next piece below has been circulating around the internet for a while. Unfortunately I have no idea how it originated, perhaps someone can tell me. It is a beautifully written piece and reminds me than when I am shivering in minus 35 Celsius weather hoping my car engine will start after a long day at work, thinking how on earth my Montreal can be colder than the North Pole....that really, I have MUCH to be thankful for and very little to complain about.

Blessings everyone. Enjoy reading the following and then celebrate how truly fortunate you really are.

A.

****again - wish I wrote this but I didn't. If someone finds out who did, I will update the post with appropriate credit *****

Think of it this way. If you live in a good home, have plenty to eat and can read; you are a member of a very select group. And if you have a good house, food, can read and have a computer; you are among the very elite.

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness; you are more fortunate than the million who will not survive this week. And, if you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation; you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a religious meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death, you are more fortunate than 3 billion people in the world who can't. If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep; you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet and spare change in a dish someplace; you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy. If your parents are still alive and still married? you are very rare, indeed. (Especially in North America)

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful you are fortunate; the majority can, but most do not. If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder; you are fortunate because you can offer a healing touch.

If you can read you are more fortunate than over 2 billion people in the world who cannot. Count your fortunes and pass this along.

Computer Graphics, Birthdays and Milestones....

So this morning, hubby was telling me about his "Boys' Nite" outing yesterday. Definition of "Boys' Nite" - A bunch of daddies get together a couple of times a month on weekend nites to race and crash cars or shoot and destroy enemies....all from the comfort of a couch, surrounding by junk food and drinks AND thanks to machines like the XBOX 360. :P

Anyway, hubby was talking about the amazing computer graphics on this racing game last night and reminisced about his first game ever. Where there used to be simple lines to show your racing course and ticking sounds to indicate your "engine" was working, now there are multiple views of the course including one from above (from a helicopter!! Haha) that can even show your driver leaning as you swerve or the driver shifting gears and all sorts of almost real stuff.

Why am I talking about this? I don't even like computer games.... I know, I'm forever the one outside of the crowd. It just got me thinking about birthdays and milestones. This week, a brother and a friend celebrated birthdays. One was my "baby" brother who is not a baby anymore...made me realize I'm not so young anymore. (Thanks 'Dric!)....the other is an old friend who thankfully is older than I am, pshew!! LOL!

Back to subject at hand...I digress way too much. Must work on fixing that! I got to think about the birthday cards I received last year for my milestone birthday and how they made me smile. So, here's sharing with you excerpts from one particular card, wording courtesy of Carlton (give credit where it is due) .... and if you understand any of these, that means you have have hit or are close to the big 4-0 !! By the way, some of these may be culture specific....but hope you can relate.

Do you realize that 40 years ago....

• Call waiting referred to a line outside of a phone booth.


• A flat screen was something you put in your windows to keep the insects out...


• An airbag was someone who talked too much.


• Spam * was found only in the kitchen.


• A cell phone was what you used to make your one call from jail...


• Guys only got pierced ears from going to a really loud concert.


• High-speed access was an on-ramp to the highway...


• ... and a birthday was something you actually looked forward to!

So - dear family and friends, here's wishing you lovely celebrations throughout the year as you reach your special days. May you be surrounded by people who love you and who are there to celebrate YOU!

A very special THANKS to MY people who surprised me last October by celebrating me in such a BIG way. Love you!

Will explore a bit about how men and women handle their milestone birthdays in a future blog.

A.

* spam - known as luncheon meat in M'sia.

Happy 2009!

So folks, it's a new year! Do you feel any different? Made any resolutions?

I did not feel any different this morning...only a bit more bleary-eyed...as we got home late from a New Year's Eve party (2:00a.m.-ish) and at 6:00am, the phone rings and the very cheery voice of a beloved brother 13 time zones away gets on our digital answering machine (which can be heard on all phones on all levels of the house!) to wish us a Happy New Year. He was always my favourite brother till this year! HAHA! Just kidding-lah, Dric... thanks for being your caring self and remembering us across the miles. You are a gem! (Just remember our time difference better, OK? Hahaha!)

Anway, resolutions...what are those??? Dictionary.com defines "resolution" as -

1. The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination.
2. A resolving to do something.
3. A course of action determined or decided on.

Well.... I'm a mom with young kids at home and I also work outside the home. So... for some years now, resolutions have flown out the window for me. Though I begin the year with good intentions, generally, life must evolve as priorities evolve. I guess some of you would disagree with me and call me wishy-washy. You are entitled to your opinion of course but I have learned that one must be flexible with what life brings. To be rigid and dogmatic is to likely miss out on wonderful life lessons and blessings.

So - for this first day of the new year, I have no specific "course of action decided on". I know however, that what I'd like to see by the end of this year is a happier family (should I learn to properly juggle all the demands on my life), dozens of happier students (they wish I would be a more lenient marker at exam time :D) and a happier me (as I learn to appreciate how "fearfully and wonderfully made"I am).

Feel free to visit my blog often (sign up to follow me- haha) and we can both see if I get all the above accomplished in 2009. Oh...and to beloved friends and family 13 time zones away - I do hope I get to see you "next year"!!!

xoxoxoxo

A.