Sloth Is My Deadly Sin

Lately I’ve been thinking about laziness. Which is apt, because thinking doesn’t require a lot of stamina, it can be performed using minimal energy and effort.

I’ve been thinking about my mp3 collection and how much harder it becomes year after year to seek out interesting and engaging music, it’s much easier to just switch on the radio every morning and bounce along to whatever the airwaves deems popular and therefore worth replaying every 20 minutes. It’s similarly just as easy to walk through your front door, plop on the couch, and press a couple buttons on the remote control to get passably entertaining drivel. It’s the very reason I’ve decided to cancel cable; the thoughtlessness, the mindlessness, was just killing me on the inside.

I’ve been thinking a lot about passion, and where exactly it went. When you’re a teenager, everything is a freaking crisis or mind-blowingly exciting. Things are tempered a little in your twenties, but instead of hyper-reacting to every situation, you develop an appreciative but mature appetite for life. Then I hit my thirties and it’s like I can’t feel anything anymore. Okay, that's a little maudlin of me, it's not like I'm dead inside. But I don’t obsess over the new tune I heard, my heart isn’t captured by a scene on TV or a passage in a book. I don’t find myself consumed anymore, not the way I used to be when a song or a TV show or a book or any hobby really would swallow me up and only let me go when my brain demanded I finally go to sleep.

I miss being interested and curious about things, exploring something new, expressing creativity through writing or singing or even just plain old imagination and daydreams. My life nowadays is more concerned with maintaining boring day-to-day responsibilities to myself; do the dishes, track your bills, buy groceries, plan that wedding, finish the laundry, get a good night’s sleep. There's no impetus for excitement and wonder anymore.

I Am Hugging My Emergency Fund Right Now (Or: Why It Pays To Be A Saver)

Fun has been cancelled for the indefinite future. Just as I was feeling a little bit of financial freedom and security and control, I’ve been hit with the double whammy of health issues and car issues. Nothing tragic, I just need to get a root canal, plus all my tires are bald enough to violate safety limits so I had to get all new ones. And get the suspension replaced. And other things that add up to a whopping load of cash.

The good news is that I have a whopping emergency fund for these exact situations, so lack of money isn’t an issue at all. It’s just that part of me wishes that money could have been used somewhere else. Like the wedding, or furniture, or a down payment on a house.

But in the end I have no one to blame but myself for incurring these costs. This isn’t fate striking me with bad luck. Whether we’re talking about teeth or transmission fluid, a little preventative maintenance goes a long way. I’ve definitely been lackadaisical about taking care of my health and car in the past. A co-worker actually bonked me on the head when I told her that instead of changing my engine oil every three months, I change it never.

Therefore, lesson learned. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Next on the list: try to find a good physiotherapist or deep tissue masseuse so that I don’t keep throwing out my back!

Thrills and Chills

Despite being immune to such influences in my tween, teen, and young adult years, last night I realized that I’ve spent more time in a state of “scared by creepiness” these last 12 months than I have for the entire rest of my life. Is this something that happens as we get older? Are children simply immune to creepiness? I swear to god that “Elephants On Parade” sequence in Dumbo was plain old fun when I was a kid, instead of the disturbing creepfest I interpreted it as when I finally saw it again in my early twenties.

When I’m talking about the scare factor of creepiness, I’m talking about the sense of unease we get from things that are abnormal, off kilter, but in a seemingly understated/innocuous manner. It’s the sense of not knowing more, of only having a glimpse of the story. It’s finding a human-shaped burn mark on a wall. It’s the sound of a crying child when there is no child to be seen. It’s inanimate objects slowly following your movement through an empty room. Seemingly innocuous, and no harm done, but maybe... what if...

It’s the not knowing that creates creepiness.

But there’s actually a fine line between creepiness and wonderment. No one freaks out when Lucy finds the random lamppost in Narnia, that’s because the book is written with a sense of childlike curiosity. Tone and mood are huge influencers on whether something is plain odd or forebodingly odd.

The one thing that creeped me out as a child and that continues to creep me out to this day: the moon. I mean the full moon, especially when it’s low on the horizon and looks larger than usual. I have no idea why the low-hanging full moon creeps me out so much, it just does. SHUDDER!

Vegetarian Deliciousness On the Fly

So I just pulled this recipe out of my ass when I realized I had tomatoes and mushrooms in my fridge that were about to lose their prime freshness:

• Fry tsp minced garlic and green onions in canola oil at medium heat, cook until garlic is golden
• Add one chopped tomato and 1 tsp chopped fresh basil, continue cooking until tomatoes break down
• Add one package sliced mushrooms (I used cremini)
• Add 1 tsp dijon mustard
• Add 1 tsp veggie stock powder with 750 ml water
• Simmer on low heat until mushrooms are tender (8-10 minutes)
• Add 1 tsp cornstarch (mixed with tiny bit of cold water)
• Add al dente pasta (I used about 3 cups uncooked aka quite a lot)
• Toss with a sprinkle of dried oregano
• NOM WHILE HOT!

Flavourful as fuck with a lot less salt/sugar than bottled pasta sauce. I already love mushrooms as is, but I wish someone had told me earlier that fresh basil is basically HERBED MAGIC. :D

Mo’ Money Mo’ Security

Since the new year rolled around and I’ve accepted that the State of Engagement requires copious budgetary planning, I’ve been on an aggressive saving plan. Any and all money leftover at the end of the month goes directly into my savings account and I’ve been doing well so far. I think in both January and February I saved an extra $700, in addition to the $500 and $100 automatic monthly deposits into my RRSP and TFSA.

Then March rolled around and I got bit by the “you deserve it” bug. See, because I’m so frugal and save so much money, I know I’ve got extra disposable income. And the tighter I hold my own reigns, the more I want to buy the stuff on my ongoing Wish List. This month’s obsession: new perfume. But because I’m frugal by nature, I didn’t just stroll into Sephora and buy it. Nope, went to a local flea market, trawled the various perfumery stalls until I found the cheapest one, paid cash.

New perfume aside, there’s been other items on the Wish List. I set up an appointment for a Swedish massage, because I work in front of a computer all week long. But again, did it frugal style: Groupon deal! I bought a purse (the $22 one as opposed to the flashier $59 one). Both my watches were languishing with dead batteries, so I had to get those fixed. And I’ve been pretty social this month as well, dropping money on dinners out and tickets to various events.

Needless to say, I was sort of “spending scared” for most of the month. I’ve got the additional cost of paying property taxes for March through to May, so I wouldn’t have as much money as the previous months. But it looks like if I stay the course and only spend on necessities, I’ll be okay.

But because life never goes as planned, this weekend I’m going wedding dress shopping with my sister. Then the weekend after that I’m on a jeans shopping mission with my BFF. But knowing that money is tight will be great incentive for continuing to reign myself in.

Behold The Glory Of All Creation!

As someone on Twitter said, if you’re not watching #Cosmos you owe me a 72 page essay outlining why not. ;)

For those not in the know, “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey” is a science documentary series being shown on Fox TV, produced by Seth McFarlane, hosted by the phenomenal Neil deGrasse Tyson, inspired by the original series from Carl Sagan. The interesting thing about the show is that it’s not trying to be ground breaking or revolutionary. Instead, NdT just points out the facts with the tenacity of an astrophysicist who’s had quite enough of America’s anti-science fundie creationist bullshit.

I saw the first episode during a rerun on Saturday; even though I had previously heard the episode incited controversy through its narrative of the church vs. free-thinker, I wasn’t prepared for how all-out the show actually went! They really painted religious figureheads as the enemies of progress, all the while emphasizing that science is not in competition with faith or god, but really an extension of it.

Last night’s second episode also wasn’t afraid to throw some punches, especially regarding evolution. NdT was basically like: “listen, evolution is a fact, deal with it”. More than anything, this show is a political statement, a measured response to disinformation and distrust. But even as NdT recalls the religious opposition to Darwin or alludes to a man-made ongoing mass extinction, he also shows how marvelous science can be. My favourite moments:

- Did you know that on Saturn’s moon Titan, there is a large water mass named the Kraken Sea? KRAKEN, seriously.

- NdT looking straight into the screen, subtly inviting children watching the show to be the individual who finally unravels the origin of life on earth.

Can’t wait for next week! Wish I could mainline it like House of Cards. ;)

I Can't Do Anything Halfway

One of the sorta-resolutions I wanted to make in the new year was "less internet, more reading". My hope was that by swapping one for the other, I wouldn't end up with so much wasted time on my hands. No more getting sucked into another YouTube or Wikipedia black hole and suddenly realizing it's an hour past my bedtime and there are still dishes in the sink and I haven't brushed my teeth or done the laundry or taken out the trash. Reading, clearly, is far superior to dicking around on the internet (or watching TV for that matter, but I'm increasingly not a TV person anymore... how this has happened, I don't even know.)

Unfortunately, if I was looking to not get "sucked in" to something, perhaps I shouldn't have picked reading as an alternative option. Because give me a good book and it's the same story all over again, except this time I'm curled up on the couch when I realize it's an hour past my bedtime and there are still dishes in the sink and I haven't brushed my teeth or done the laundry or taken out the trash. *facepalm*

Need to find another another alternative, most likely some kind of crafting (crochet, scrapbooking, embroidery, etc.). Right after I finish this book of course.

Recipe: Ham Fried Rice

I recently made ham fried rice for the first time and it turned out really well, but my creation was inspired by a number of different recipes I found on the internet. So I thought it would be best to make a post with my exact ingredients and steps, so that I can refer to it again for future posterity!

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 3 cups cold cooked rice
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 cups chopped green beans
• 3 stalks spring onion, chopped
• 1 cup diced cooked ham
• salt and pepper to taste
• oil for frying (canola or vegetable)
• dash of sesame oil

Directions:

1. Heat a small skillet with a little bit of oil, then crack the eggs into the pan. Cook the eggs as though making scrambled eggs, removed from heat and set aside when the eggs have just set.
2. In a larger skillet, heat some oil and add the garlic, cook until just browned.
3. Add the green beans, cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the diced ham, cook for another 5-7 minutes.
5. Add the spring onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add in the rice, egg, oyster sauce, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until the rice is evenly coated.
7. Finish with a hint of sesame oil, mix evenly.

YUMMMMMM!

10 Things I've Learned After Being Engaged For Exactly A Month

1. Companies see me as a walking dollar sign and will try to sell me all kinds of bridal-related crap.
2. The Knot has some great advice but is biased towards traditional Christian weddings.
3. More people need to save themselves drama/money and elope.
4. I don’t even like cake!
5. Remember those Amar Chita Kata stories where kings would meet the daughters of sages in the forest and they’d fall in love with each other and secretly get married by just exchanging garlands? Yeah, throw a couple witnesses and that’s the kind of wedding for me. ;)
6. There are couples who only have their parents meet each other after the engagement is announced, and I call these people UTTERLY MAD.
7. Surefire way to destroy my sanity: wedding inspiration on Pinterest.
8. I need to spend more time at Offbeat Bride and not Pinterest/The Knot.
9. I need to start my own wedding blog for the penny-pinching, feminist, first-generation Indian, interfaith wedding crowd.
10. Weddings are a boondoggle, what matters is the marriage and partnership that comes after!

YouTube Delivers Again!

I have a lovely little EDM discovery for everyone today. I was on YouTube one day and decided to trawl the Ministry of Sound channel for new dance tunes. I saw a recommendation from an artist named Porter Robinson, who I already knew of via a collaboration he did with Matt Zo (also an amazing song/video). Clicked on the video and oh my god. Sweet song of course, but the video is so touching and moving I maaaaay have shed a tear or two in the process.

Watch for yourself and be the judge!


My interpretation: this woman is running away from her problems (symbolized by the otherwolves) and finds refuge in an alternate reality, full of beautiful landscapes and a silent but supportive companion. She enjoys the sights, recuperates, stops running for a while and recharges. But she cannot escape her problems forever. Eventually they find her and push her silent friend off a cliff, but in its last moments the creature sends her back in time to the moment before she leapt away from her problems. Fully restored by peace and respite, she now has the strength to tackle her problems head on, and chases the otherwolves away, saving the creature and her own destiny at the same time.

Let me float back to the place you found me
I’ll be okay

Ring It In

I like taking stock of the year as it comes to a close and I have to say that I’m in a much better place now than I was a year ago. At the end of 2012, things were just plain old good. On the other hand I’ve been dealt a very fine hand for the end of 2013. First off I negotiated myself a bigger raise for 2014, secondly I got news that my condo’s maintenance fees are not going up for the next year, and finally my partner surprised me with an engagement ring just before Christmas! Needless to say 2014 is looking up, but no doubt it will have its own set of challenges like:

• Getting started with wedding planning. No date has been set and we haven’t finalized a budget, but within days of the announcement I was bombarded with information and requests and calls for compromise. For a woman who never really thought much about weddings, it’s all a bit overwhelming.
• Related: saving up for the wedding. I already have a ton of money saved up and I don’t want to spend a ton on it either. But it would be nice to not have to dip into my savings and just use some money gathered in the upcoming year instead. Just call me the Budget-Conscious Indian Bride!
• Unfortunate side effect of wedding planning: worrying about your appearance. I’d like to shrink my gut down a couple inches if possible, but more than anything just get back in shape and be more physically active for my own health’s sake. Also, thanks to coffee and tea every day for the past 3 years I think I need to get those teeth whitening strips. :P
• Before fiancé popped the question, my big plan for 2014 was to get my professional certification, which involves a lengthy application process, in-person interview, and a difficult examination. Not sure how I’m going to fit this into my plans now, but it needs to be done! My manager and the company CEO are eager for me to have that certification under my belt. Maybe I can actually use it as an excuse to put off wedding planning? ;)