Archive for category Uncategorized
Incensed
Posted by Patricia Caviglia in Uncategorized on March 23, 2013
Yesterday, I went to Costco. Ready to checkout, I chose the closest lineup since they were all about three or four people deep. In front of me, stood a young woman with a stroller. I was fairly certain that someone was in the store with a cart that belonged to her. And I was right. As the line moved quickly, she started looking around frantically for her companion, spotted the person, waved to get their attention and called out. I was happy to see the man and the cart show up fairly quickly. Then two more carts showed up pushed by two other people and bypassed me and the three other customers behind me without so much as a “Sorry.”
That’s when I LOST it.
![Image courtesy of [image creator name] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net](http://masksthebook.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/id-10057689.jpg?w=320&h=320)
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Their reason: “He’s paying.”
I didn’t care who was paying. I cared about the fact that I picked a lineup based on how long I would have to wait and that was based on the number of people and the amount of purchases in their cart. And, I imagine, so did the people behind me. So, I started arguing about fairness.
Within thirty seconds, an employee intervened and, wouldn’t you know it, the gentleman was all about being fair as he explained to me: “Since I am fair, I will go to the back of the line.”
Thank goodness!
I’m going to give these people the benefit of the doubt and believe that in the future, they will all present themselves at the checkout together.
Do you have any good shopping stories to share?
This Month’s Feature: Polka Dots
Posted by Patricia Caviglia in Uncategorized on February 27, 2013
Warning: This is a rant.
Every month for the last few years, I buy a women’s magazine. What I like about it is that it’s a women’s fest. It includes ladies’ fashion and beauty, interviews with female celebrities and trailblazers, real life stories about women, career advice for women, financial advice for women, relationship advice for women, a women’s health and fitness section, some pop culture articles and fun stuff like women’s jokes. You get the idea.
So why is it that for the past six months, at least three of the feature interviewees were under 21 female celebrities? Somehow the interview with the 19-year-old child actress or 20-year-old rock star, as good an artist as she may be and as hard-working as she may be, contributes little to this woman’s thoughts.
FreeDigitalPhotos.net
My judgement has nothing to do with these young celebrities. They have earned their place in a women’s mag. My gripe is with the magazine itself. While a feature on a 30-year-old actress will include questions such as “How do you prepare for a role?” or “Tell us about your work with such and such a charity,” our young celebrity gets questioned about her penchant for polka dots or her boy crushes. Since they have achieved success at such a young age and are not leading average lives, I’m thinking there must be more to these young women than lattes and nail polish. I know my thoughts went a little farther than that when I was an average nineteen year old.
If I were these women, I would be insulted at being reduced to a brainless pretty face by a magazine claiming to empower modern women. Maybe these women could tell us what they think brought them success at such an early age or how they deal with 15 hour day shoots or what they consider major world concerns. Those are the questions I would like to read the answers to, because, if a 20-year-old with fame, money and power is a role model to the current teen generation, I’m hoping she does more than inspire it to wear polka dots this year and stripes the next.
What’s your beef with women’s mags?
Poop and Boogers
Posted by Patricia Caviglia in Uncategorized on February 19, 2013
Since September, many conversations with BabyGirl revolve around poop. At first, I was concerned and attempted to manoeuvre our talks to more polite topics, such as the pasta and meat sauce on our dinner plates. Of course, the meat sauce looked like bloody poop. And then, she asked for seconds.
Eventually, I recalled my own fascination as a five-year old. So I thought, “Okay, it’s normal.” Unlike my mother, I chose to engage in poop conversations as they came and went which could be several times at day.
The interest in poop was reinforced at school by the acquisition of a Baby Alive doll. Baby Alive is fed water, which she promptly processes into a diaper. Add Baby Alive colouring to the water, and there’s what my daughter calls poop. Since Christmas, BabyGirl owns her own Baby Alive which she likes to feed diaper-less over the kitchen sink and giggle as she watches the doll produce a stream of water. Ah, the joys of childhood! Of course, I am expected to assist in the spectacle. Ah, the joys of parenting!
One day as I picked her up from the afterschool program, I discovered her and her friends in deep conversation about…poop. “All I ever hear about is poop,” I announced. The instructors laughed and the kids giggled. Inside, I thought, “I’m so relieved that her peers are into poop too. Cool.” Ah, the victories of parenting!
Tonight, I caught her picking at her nose. “Do you need a tissue,” I asked.
“No,” she replied.
I remembered the booger eaters of my childhood so I decided to check. Sigh. “Did you eat it?”
She giggled. “No, I don’t eat my boogers.”
“Do your friends eat their boogers?”
She giggled. “Some do.”
“Does Sarah* eat her boogers?”
She laughed. “Yes.”
“She looks like the kind of kid who would,” I said. We both laughed hard for a bit. Then I said, “Don’t eat your boogers, okay?”
She giggled again. “Okay.”
“I love you. Good night.”
“Good night, Mama.”
So what do you talk about with your five-year old?
*Names have been changed to protect the booger eaters.
V-DAY 2013 - HOW WILL YOU RISE UP?
Posted by Patricia Caviglia in Uncategorized on February 13, 2013
Reblogged from Patricia Sands' Blog:
There will be plenty of blog posts about hearts and flowers this week. As people all over the globe celebrate this very commercial day of spreading love … and I’m all for the sentiment behind it … I’m asking you to take some time to put thought and effort into another kind of expression of love for February 14th.
The V-Day 2013 call to action this year is…
Are You Thirty-Nine?
Posted by Patricia Caviglia in Uncategorized on February 12, 2013
Did you watch the Grammy’s? Yeah, me neither. I was too busy on my own red carpet. It was my birthday this weekend and I celebrated my last 30th year by enjoying the fluidity of life.
Friday morning, I was treated to at least 15 cm of snow. I embrace all the seasons and I figure that if I’m a winter baby, my big day should take place in a winter wonderland.
Community – Snowstorm in Toronto
yournews.cbc.ca
I loaded Mom and BabyGirl into the car and trekked all of 1.9 km to the mall so that I could beautify myself on my special day. 
I’m liking my new haircut. (By the way, if you’re at Square One, check out Loucas at Donato Salon.) We had a lovely Greek lunch at the food court followed by a winter’s drive to the train station to drop off BabyGirl for her weekend with her father.
Unfortunately, my evening plans with my friend Patricia Sands were cancelled, but I’m sure we’ll make them up at the first opportunity. Speaking of Pat, she’ll be releasing a new novel in the spring and I’m one of the chosen few to get a pre-market copy. I’m enjoying every word and, since this was my weekend of indulgence, reading it added to my pleasure, mon plaisir.
I spent the evening cleaning my desk which might seem wrong to some, however, it was a long overdue chore. When I was done, I felt like I had just Pinesol-ed my life. Can you smell the lemony fresh scent?
Saturday, friends from Montreal called to give me their best wishes and to catch up on life in general. It’s always a treat to hear from them. Mom took me for sushi at Spring Rolls. I tried Saki for the first and last time. The restaurant manager was kind enough to let me send it back and order a glass of wine instead. Mom and I shared this platter. Delicious!
On Sunday, anticipation filled the air as I did groceries, baked myself a wonderful chocolate cake stuffed and covered in whipped cream with mandarins, and awaited the return of BabyGirl for my party – complete with flowers, a balloon, a gift and a sweet little voice singing “Happy Birthday”. She also asked the questions: “Are you one? Are you two? Are you three?…Are you thirty-nine? I love this kid!
It was a great way to start my new year which happens to coincide with the Chinese New Year – the Year of Snake. I’m slithering into it. How about you?
Inner Ninja
Posted by Patricia Caviglia in Uncategorized on February 5, 2013
As far as hip-hop, I think Classified is a national treasure. He collaborated with David Myles, again, on Inner Ninja, an upbeat inspirational song about facing life’s challenges and growing stronger. The addition of the children’s choir sounds good on the radio and even better as they are featured in the video. Check it out…It might speak to your inner ninja.
What’s made you stronger?
Blue Jays Winter Tour
Posted by Patricia Caviglia in Uncategorized on January 28, 2013
Watch the Toronto Blue Jays hit the ice in Saskatoon. They’re coming…
Are you jonesing for baseball as much as I am?
Making Work
Posted by Patricia Caviglia in Uncategorized on January 20, 2013
Courtesy of David Castillo Dominici
I have one of those jobs that allows for nothing other than doing my work. I usually have at least ten hours worth of work although I work eight hours. Everyday, I leave tasks unfinished. I force myself to stop working and eat or go to the washroom or go for a walk. I like working so I don’t mind.
Once in a while, I catch up. It happens every couple of months. I find myself all caught up: the day-to-day tasks go smoothly, no issues arise, I can go for a walk, have a real lunch break, even have a chat with a co-worker. This makes me completely paranoid.
I’m so used to having more work than I can handle, that to have too little worries me. Did I do everything? Is there something I’ve forgotten? Is there something I postponed so long ago that I don’t remember? What will my boss say if he sees me staring at my computer screen? Since he’s a workhorse himself, but not a slave driver, I’m guessing he’d say nothing.
I’ll make work. I’ll get busy organizing computer folders, dusting my desk, anything to look busy. The stupid things is that this respite as I’ve mentioned comes only every two months and only last for an afternoon. The next day, I’ll be back in the pressure cooker. Yet it stress me out more than being regularly swamped. It’s actually the part of my job that I hate.
What’s the least favorite part of your job?
Make A Wish
Posted by Patricia Caviglia in Uncategorized on January 12, 2013
Courtesy of Stuart Miles
There is a new moon this weekend. It’s the opportunity for new beginnings. Whether or not you’re into astrology, you always have something new to tackle or something you’d like to change. A new moon is a good time to make a wish list about these things.
We’ve heard of the power of saying something out loud in like “No” to an attacker. There is the power of positive thinking like “Yes, I am beautiful” or “I am smart” or “I am good.” And there is the power of writing. At bedtime, I like to log the good things that have happened in my day. It allows me to feel good about my day and fall asleep relaxed and happy.
So why not write down our goals, hopes and dreams during the new moon? This moon, I’m going to wish for the congestion that has clung, for three weeks, to my respiratory system like flies on garbage to be completed removed from me. And now that the holidays are over, I’ll wish for my money to linger in my bank account and in my wallet for longer than it has in the last couple of months. Also, some of you will hate for this, but I gotta wish for snow. Come on, it’s winter! Let’s make some snow angels.
What will you wish for?
The Tragically Hip
Posted by Patricia Caviglia in Uncategorized on September 27, 2012
Early in the summer, I signed up for the Molson Canadian Red Leaf Project, which offers volunteers a free concert ticket for a couple of hours of work restoring a local green space. When I volunteered, the concert date was posted as September 29, but the artist’s name was left blank. I took a chance and was rewarded with a TRAGICALLY HIP concert ticket!
I can’t wait til Saturday night. 
What are your plans this weekend?
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