Absolutely Inspiring!

Need a little inspiration today? http://holly101list.wordpress.com/

If I haven't mentioned it before, I know some pretty inspiring people. Another one of them is Holly. She's been a good pal for several years now, she's been a close friend and like a borrowed big sister many a time :)

Holly started her 101 Things in 1001 Days project last winter, and so far has been ticking things off the list like mad! Way to go Holly! She's been cooking up a storm, kissing in the rain, sleeping on her blacony, reading, writing letters and even becoming a local celebrity of sorts. She recently was on a local radio station, Hot 89.9, to play in their daily competition "Crush Rush". One of her goals was to do this..and she did it!! Yeah!!! But it didnt stop there. She contacted the station after to ask for the audio and explained she wanted to add it to her collection of things to show that she has been progressing through her list...which then lead to her explaining the list. They were so wowed by the idea they had her come back on the show to explain to all of ottawa what she is doing and so far has been getting feedback from tons of people who are inspired by what she is doing. Which is not only really cool, but excellent as one of her goals was to inspire 5 people....she's definitely overpassed this. Keep going Holly, you really are an inspiration.

Check out her blog, where you can also listen to her two appearances on Hot 89.9 as well as check out all the fun pics she's been taking in documenting her experiences.

Today: Is number 56. "Get over fear...give blood! " Holly and 4 other friends of ours are going to give blood, some for the first time just like Holly. What a great goal. My friends like to save lives...what do yours do? :) Hahha..I kid. But really this is a fabulous task and I wish you much luck today Holly, Pammy, Kate, Tor and Dan (the seasoned pro). Love you guys you all rock!

Nobody puts baby in the corner

Ok so it actually took me many years before I ever saw this movie. But I've sinced watched it at least a dozen times. Its one of those movies that I watch and I get chills.

In memory of Patrick Swayze, and his battle with cancer, here is the final dance scene from Dirty Dancing. (My favourite of the movie...chills!!! chills!)

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpmILPAcRQo

http://reason.com/blog/show/136078.html

Yes!

Found it! I posted a link to the audio for this a few weeks ago, well I came across this on you tube today and have been listening/watching it over and over. Love the song. Video is pretty wicked. Makes me miss the days when I was in high school when I used to watch Much Music and there was actually music videos playing.... Also makes me miss having Much Music ...basic cable..you are kinda sorta boring.

I just finished spending a fabulous week with one of my favourite people. Shawn and I spent the past week and a bit house/cat sitting for my friend Gen and her husband Steve while they jetted off to Italy. A well deserved vacation and much needed break from life for someone who has been busting her behind all summer on her ever growing new gig as a photographer. Fifteen:Fifty-One Photography has been booked solid for this summer wedding season, along with some maternity shots and family portraits. Italy came at the perfect time I think.

Now she's back (YAY!) and her stories have made me ache even more to just get the heck outa dodge and see more of the world that is waiting for me to see it.

Anyhow, back to the wonderful man I got to spend my down time with for a week. It was a great experience. It's probably the most time we have spent together since we began dating almost 4 months ago. Things with Shawn have seemed to just easily, so easily, fall into place. We clicked practically from day one. His open and warm smile, and his (lame) jokes are the first thing that brought me in. It took him 2 weeks to pop the date question. On one hand, it came outa no where, but yet, at the same time, I thought "took you long enough!".

Now almost 4 months later, it feels like I've known him for longer than I've known most of my closest friends. He's also fit in quite well with the closest of them, which has been very important to me. My girls are the pillars in my life. There's family and then there are those who are like family, just as close as family, and I have some pretty amazing people in my life whom I count in that group. I love them and I don't know what I would do if they were to disappear.

Shawn - well he's made life interesting since he came into my life. For a couple of 4 months we have actually had a couple of ups and downs that we've both weathered through mostly unscathed, and I have little fear of what is to come for us next. We have talked really openly about where we are at right now and at time where, in the past, is often when I get cold feet and jump ship, I feel glued to this spot and I don't want to move. And "playing house" for a week in a beautiful home, pet included, things were pretty...nice :) Making dinner together, taking walks, doing chores together, just spending down time with each other... and...oh especially BBQing - my favourite as I live in an apartment where we can't have BBQs or grills on the balconies - things just felt right. I know 4 months is early, but I already know that Shawn is someone special and someone who I know will stay in my future.

Thank you Gen and Steve for allowing us to watch over your beautiful home while you were gone. If it wasn't for not wanting to live on Reactine any longer, poor Tugger would have been kidnapped home with me!! You have a lovely home. And p.s. I love my little piece of Italy, Gen. You can never go wrong with jewellery with this girl. ;)

Ohhhh and before I go, a few updates...

A new book is on the go thanks to Kate (I may have mentioned this in a past post)...I've been slowly going through it as August has been a crazy month, but with fall I feel curling up with a book will be done much more easily, especially will the fresh weather we've been having since last week.

I also hit my two recipes a month goal this time around. An Oreo-Cheesecake for dessert the night Shawn and I were at Gen and Steve's prior to their departure. I also tried my hand for the first time at cabbage rolls. Verdict = good but I did not season the meat enough. Should have used a bit more salt. They cooked well, but it just needed more...taste. But overal, I'm pleased. I was worried they would turn out uncooked or just....a mess. Next...I've got my eyes set on making Moussaka and maybe...Lasagna...? Or another dessert... Baking has always been my favourite. My dad mentioned they were "low" on oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Just a hint I guess!

Back to the 'real' world

Working in Marketing and Communications for the better half of my time, as well as on the web team here at the Gallery, I recently decided that it was important for me to brush up on my social marketing skills. I started a Twitter account a while ago but let it fall by the wayside (much like my little blog here). I will be updating regularly again, so please ch-ch-check it out if you tweet, too :) @jamiemcglashan

I'm also going to try and be really really good with my blog posts from now on. Fall will mean (a little) less time outside and more time for sitting down and letting my words flow out freely :) My 101 Things in 1001 days project will not work on itself.

Song I can't stop playing this week :D Its a goodie. Jay-Z feat. Rihanna and Kanye "Run This Town".

**update** my apologies, had to remove the link here due to copyright.

A bit of a stretch

I feel like after reading the entire Twilight saga in a week that I went through a reading detox. Things got so busy with the weeks leading up to our surf trip, and even after coming home it was always something every week. Either a birthday, an amazing day out in the country taking pretty pictures, random (crazyfun) roadtrips, or another birthday here and there, and reading just didn't factor in. I have honestly had very little "me" time lately. Summer has been a blast but sometimes we just need to decompress.

In June, while on our trip, we had a fair amount of down time. Surfing was both physically and mentally exhausting and on occaisions we'd take a couple hours out - pretty much a necessity - and nap, play cards, or read. I brought along with me one of the 3 novels Shawn had lent me. Two of these are James Rollins, his favourite author. I had never read or heard of him but they are comparable to the Dan Brown novels (also whom I have not read but thanks to Hollywood, he's on my radar). Shawn insisted it might be something I'd enjoy at least to try it on for size. So I chose The Judas Strain to start.

Now...I have always been someone with a very active imagination. I can spend hours a day dreaming coming up with various plots or scenarios on pretty much anything in my life or stemming from pure fantasy. Well, this book ceretainly awakened that active imagination subconsioucly, and after a few days of reading, the suspense and action started top seep into my dreams at night. I was always running from something, or looking for something, and it was always a dire situation.

The Judas Strain is the first action/suspense/mystery novel I have ever read. Its brilliant. However...it was almost too much for me. There is so much going on in every page, I felt like I was watching a movie unfold infront of my eyes. So many details, so many key players, and several locations. My brain often felt in overdrive! I think this is why it took me nearly 2 months to finish this novel. I could only ever get through a handful of pages before I would feel like I needed to put it down, breath, and move on to something else before I went crazy.

I read the last quarter of the book in the span of 2 days while I was sick from work. I thought, ok here comes the end of July, and I have definitely..shamefully...dropped my 2 books a month quota, so lets at least get this under my belt. Reading something so far out of my realm was a challenge but also thoroughly satisfying. After a few fluffy books I think I'll be ready to take on the next James Rollins sitting on my book shelf. I have picked up one of the books Kate lent me months ago to start on. Bitter is the New Black. Its a 'chick-lit'. And I have no doubt I will devour it in a matter of days. Might meet my monthly quota afterall!!

If you want to learn more about James Rollins and his novels, you can check out his web site here http://www.jamesrollins.com/.