Happy Leap Day

A little leap day trivia .... click here and here.

Star Wars

Star Wars through the eyes of a three year old!

Quote of the Day

"A good traveler has no fixed plans,
and is not intent upon arriving."

Lao-tzu

New at CPK Red Velvet Cake

Tonight I met up with a friend for dinner and conversation at California Pizza Kitchen. Every couple of months we meet up at the local CPK , enjoy great food and share the ups and downs of life. A- introduced me to the Thai Crunch Salad - and I instantly ditched pizza for the salad. This evening, I did some exploring on the dessert menu and made an amazing discovery. New to CPK ...Red Velvet Cake.

No more driving to Dough Boys in Los Angeles. Now, I can get, awesome, rock your palette, Red Velvet Cake, just a block away!


Three layers of moist red velvet cake frosted with vanilla bean cream cheese and white chocolate curls. Served on vanilla bean sauce.

Credo

by Dorothee Solle
from Revolutionary Patience

I believe in god
who did not create an immutable world
a thing incapable of change
who does not govern according to eternal laws
that remain inviolate
or according to a natural order
of rich and poor
or the expert and the ignorant
of rulers and subjects
I believe in god
who willed conflict in life
and wanted us to change the status quo
through our work
through our politics

I believe in jesus christ
who was right when he
like each of us
just another individual who couldn't beat city hall
worked to change the status quo
and was destroyed
looking at him I see
how our intelligence is crippled
our imagination stifled
our efforts wasted
because we do not live as he did

every day I am afraid
that he died in vain
because he is buried in our churches
because we have betrayed his revolution
in our obedience to authority
and our fear of it
I believe in jesus christ
who rises again and again in our lives
so that we will be free
from prejudice and arrogance
and from fear and hate
and carry on his revolution
and make way for his kingdom

I believe in the spirt
that jesus brought into the world
in the brotherhood of all nations
I believe it is up to us
what our earth becomes
a vale of tears of starvation and tyranny
or a city of god
I believe in a just peace
that can be achieved
in the possibility of a meaningful life
for all people
I believe this world of god's
has a future
amen

Bike Ride Through LaJolla

I have not been very successful with my attempts to go snowboarding. While the high winds raged in the moutains, it rained much of the day here on the coast. Not much to do but enjoy a quiet day at home reading and catching up on odds and ends.

Last weekend we had full on summer weather. I enjoyed getting out on my bike and taking a ride through La Jolla. It was a crowded and teeming with tourists. My coastal ride became an exciting obstacle course - lots of fun dodging cars and people.

Here is a little video from my bike ride last weekend. It is set to one of my 'new' favourite tunes - Pocketful of Sunshine!


Dodging obstacles and soaking in the beauty
A bike ride through La Jolla

Thwarted Again

Summary Last Updated - 2/24/08 at 6:51 AM

Mountain High East, North, and the North Pole Tubing Park are closed today. Mountain High East will re-open Monday, Feb. 25th. Mountain High West is currently on a wind hold!!!

Human Tetris

I have never been a big video gamer. The only video game I have ever owned is Pong. We would sit on the floor, mesmerized, and play for hours on our black and white TV. I guess that is dating myself.

One summer I worked as a short order cook in Wasaga Beach. The kitchen crew lived in the basement of the restaurant. Our big Friday night excitement was to make everyone a milkshake (we were allowed one a week) and compete at Pac Man. I always lost!


A Human Game of Tetris

For more (pong, space invacers etc) check out http://www.notsonoisy.com/

Peace Store

Walking up State Street in Santa Barbara

Snow in The Mountains

I had a little taste of snow over Christmas, But, that was a couple of months ago and I am longing to go play in the white stuff.

A friend sent me some pics of her kids playing in the snow last weekend at Mountain High. They drove up to the mountains with the kids and spent the day playing in the snow - while two hours away I was riding my bike on the beach! Most Southern California kids don't own winter clothes - so they run around in the snow in their old sneakers and jeans until they are soaked through! All part of the fun.

It has been raining all week and according to the Mountain High website they have 6 new inches of snow!

Let's hope the weather holds and my friends and I make it to the slopes this weekend!

Looking on the bright side...

It was raining today - so it was rain shoes (a.k.a. duck boots) today.

On the upside rain at the coast means snow in the mountains. Perfect for this weekend's snowboarding trip!

Groovy New Shoes

I gotta say I am feelin' pretty funky in my new shoes. I figured they would be a fun way of shining a little sunshine and bringing a smile to everyone's day.

I knew my groovy shoes were working when my heads down, serious, work work work colleague R- broke out laughing hysterically when she saw my colourful mis-matched shoes. I think our super intense, ultra serious, work environment needs more funky mis-matched shoes!

Free City Vans

* only available at the Malibu Free City Supershop

President's and Family Day

Happy President's Day!

I have to admit I am not really sure exactly what President's Day is all about. I think it originally had something to do with Washington or Lincoln's birthday and then became a general day to honour the President's. It is also a holiday in my home province of Ontario. Folks in Ontario are celebrating Family Day.

How should President's Day be celebrated? Ever wonder how many people call or send gifts to the President on his day? I generally celebrate (?!?) by doing my taxes. I figure that is my way of sending a gift to the President. I just wish it wasn't such a BIG present!

How do you celebrate President's Day?

Surfrider Beach, Malibu

It's a long weekend and so I am celebrated by making a little day trip.

Today's destination was Surfrider Beach in Malibu. It was a gorgeous day with great surf. Lots of surfers in the water and some were catching some great rides. It was fun watching the nose riders.



I took a stroll down to the pier. Lots of families with little kids, out enjoying a day of fishing together. I talked to one cute little girl who had a hot pink plastic Barbie fishing reel! She gave me a huge smile and shook her head when I asked if she had caught any fish.

Just north of the surf break is the Adamson House and the Malibu Lagoon State Park. There are no tours on Sundays but you can wander through the grounds. The Adamson House is famous for its' Malibu Tiles. I saw several as I explored the property. I look forward to returning again and taking a tour of the house. The Malibu lagoon was full of all sorts of neat aquatic birds - even with all the rain we have had lately - it was still rather dry.

Dry Malibu Lagoon


Tile Fountain at the Adamson House


I had planned to continue my earlier dessert tour of L.A. by stopping at Dough Boys for dinner and then complete the day with some of their awesome red velvet cake. Alas, the restaurant in Santa Monica was closed and I was too tired and lazy to head up to Hollywood. Instead it was off to the Farmer's Market for Fish and Chips. I discovered a new Pinkberry at the market - very cool. Still I held out for red velvet cake and was happily suprised when I found some in the Starbuck's on the top floor of Barnes and Noble.

I brought along my iPod for the drive and listened to Spanish PodCasts on the way up and back. Trying to get back in the Spanish groove after taking the fall off.

¡Tuve un viaje bueno!

Seals On The Beach

I had so much fun last week with 'girls day out' that I decided to make LaJolla my bike ride destination today.

It was another gorgeous southern california day. The calendar says February but the weather says June!

LaJolla was very crowded and my bike ride ended up being quite the fun obstacle course. I shot some video, but don't have time to get it edited and posted tonight.

I stopped for a while at the children's pool to enjoy the seals. There was quite a few of them up on the beach sunning themselves. The crowds were three people deep watching and observing. I found a spot and spent about half an hour watching a mother and its' baby trying to make it up on the beach. Every time the baby the baby tried to come ashore - a wave would come in and sweep it back out. The mother would swim back out and coax it ashore, again only to have it swept out again. The baby was teeny tiny. I hope it eventually made it to shore and enjoyed some time sunning on the beach.

Seals sunning themselves on the beach.
Red circle is baby and mom in the water

Friday Peace Post

Love is in the air...

Happy Valentines Day!

Winds of Change

This emerging generation of evangelical pastors and theologians realize that Christianity has an image problem: it is seen as hypocritical, judgmental, too focused on the afterlife, and too political. They desire something radically new and different, yet still solidly rooted in Jesus.

...[they] are abandoning a worldview that reduces the gospel of Jesus Christ to an afterlife-oriented, fire-insurance, salvation pitch. These are Matthew 25, Luke 4, and “Sermon on the Mount” Christians. They really believe that the kingdom of God represents God’s best hopes and dreams for this present age, not only for the life to come.

Snipits from beliefnet blog entry. Click here to read the entire post.

Fired Up, Ready to Go!

It goes to show you how one voice can change a room. If it can change a room, it can change a city. If it can change a city, it can change a state. If it can change a state, it can change a nation. If it can change a nation, it can change the world!

- Barack Obama

Fired Up, Ready to Go! - The Speach


Fired Up, Ready to Go! - The Song/Making Of

Ever met a Canadian?

Ever met a Canadian? Let's see how much you know about the folks from the Great White North.

Click here to take the quiz.

Post your score in the comments section!

Operation Freeze

Improv Everywhere hits Grand Central Station NY, NY.

207 people freeze in place for five minutes

Thought for The Day

Be the change you wish to see in the world.
- Ghandi

We are the ones we've been waiting for...
- Barack Obama Feb 5, 2008

Benediction

Go forth into the world in peace;
be of good courage,
hold fast that which is good;
render to no one evil for evil;
strengthen the fainthearted;
support the week;
help the afflicted;
honour all people;
love and serve the Lord,
rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you, and remain with you forever.
Amen.

From the 1928 Book of Common Prayer

Scaling The Wall

Creative approach to mountain biking at the beach! Stumbled across this guy on my walk yesterday. I watched him ride up and over the wall several times.

Girls Day Out

In honour of M's birthday -- today was "Girls Day Out".

We are currently enjoying summer like temperatures - the low to mid 70's today. It was perfect weather for wandering around LaJolla and visiting the beach. When I first came to San Diego I lived right in the Village of LaJolla. I enjoyed walking to the Cove almost every evening. Now, when I go back for a visit, I feel once again the wonder of my first days in San Diego!

We enjoyed lunch at The Hotel La Valencia. A first for both of us. I recommend the salmon and spinach salad. Spectacular! We had a wonderful view of the ocean from our table. The surf was up (way up!) and we enjoyed watching some adventurous souls body surfing.

After lunch we strolled through some galleries. My favourite was the nature photography of Mangelsen.

At the end of the day we returned to the ocean for low tide. The reef was brimming with tidepools and we couldn't resist taking our shoes off and dipping our toes in the ocean. I dipped a little more than toes - a big wave came along when I wasn't paying attention. I ended up soaked up to my waist! A very soggy end to the day.

M and E at the Cove


Swimming in a Tidepool?!?


Low Tide in LaJolla

The Squash is Back!

It's back, it's back!

Koo Koo Roo has brought back the squash.

I'll let Ross himself tell you about the return of the 'Ross Squash'.

Yes We Can!

The Yes We Can Song
by will.i.am

I was sitting in my recording studio watching the debates...
Torn between the candidates

I was never really big on politics...
and actually I’m still not big on politics...

click here to read what inspired will i am to write and produce this video.

¡Sí, podemos! ¡Sí, se puede!

Lent Begins

We are not converted only once in our lives but many times, and this endless series of large and small conversions, inner revolutions, leads to our transformation

-Thomas Merton

When we choose some exercise for Lent it is not so much the practice that transforms us. It is our willingness to change, to continue the journey. It's not about getting there ... it's about being on the way.

May you find joy in the journey

Lean Cuisine Wednesday

The day after Fat Tuesday, after all those pancakes -- it is Lean Cuisine Wednesday.

Nah, it is Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is named for the ashes that are placed on the forehead during a traditional ash wednesday service. Ashes are an outward signs of inward repentance and humility before God. They are also a reminder that “From dust you came and to dust you will return”. The ashes are formed in a shape of a cross - the symbol of victory over death and life eternal.


This Is Our God
Chris Tomlin
selected lyrics

The refuge for the poor, a shelter from the storm
This is our God
He will wipe away your tears and return your wasted years
This is our God
So call upon His Name, He is mighty to save
This is our God

A father to the orphan, a healer to the broken
This is our God
And he brings peace to our madness and comfort in our sadness
This is our God

A fountain for the thirsty, a lover for the lonely
This is our God

The Gulf Coast

Not only is it Pancake Tuesday in Canada. Today is Super Tuesday, Fat Tuesday and in New Orleans it is Mardi Gras.

New Orleans and the Gulf Coast are on my mind today. It is two and a half years since Katrina ripped through the area. So much still needs to be done to make things right. Here are some opportunities to help out:

• Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project 2008
  
• The Make It Right Foundation
  
• Habitat On The Gulf Coast
  
• Friends and Family Community Connection
  
• Visit New Orleans
  
• Make It Right T-Shirt
  

Obama talks frankly about the current state of New Orleans. Click here

PancakeTuesday!

Today is Pancake Day. Woo hoo! Look out IHOP here I come!!!

Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent, is traditionally celebrated with merriment and great quantities of pancakes. In fact, in many places, including Canada, the day has come to be known as Pancake Day, or Pancake Tuesday.

Back in the day, strict Lenten rules prohibited the eating of all dairy products. Pancakes would be made to use up the supplies of eggs, milk, butter and other fats. The rich Shrovetide pancakes were eaten as a ritual or symbol of self-indulgence before the fast.


Click here to read about Shrove Tuesday on Wikipedia.

Celebrate Pancake Day at IHOP! From 7 am to 10 pm IHOP will be giving away a free short stack (three) of buttermilk pancakes. All that they ask in return is that you consider making a donation to support local children's hospitals through Children's Miracle Network or other local charities. Click here for more info.

Democratic Debate in 60 Seconds

I currently reading a spanish language reader's digest magazine from November 2004. I am tasked with summarizing the articles so I can discuss them with my spanish tutor. I am not sure I like my reading material pre-digested for me. Yesterday, I read the joke page. I now have an appreciation for the phrase 'lost in translation'.

I recently stumbled across an interesting new website ( www.mahalo.com ). They post condensed versions of new items - such as the 60 second version of the the State of the Union Address. Reader's Digest versions of current events?!?

Here is the 60 second version of the democratic debate.

Prayer

Come, O God, in your Holy Spirit and help create a holy silence within, that we may be able to listen to you and to one another. Create in us the language of love which is first the capacity to hear without judgment and without the need to fix, or heal or correct because we trust You for that. And make, O God, our differences our delight that we may grow in unity.

Let It Snow

It has been cooler (low to mid 60's) and rainy lately. A wonderful combination that reminds me of the cool fall breezes and warm spring rains of Ontario.

I received the following e-mail this week ...

NEWS
Mountain High is enjoying the greatest winter conditions it has seen in years. With nearly ever lift and trail open, the deepest snow pack in So Cal, and a ton of great activities, it is going to be another fantastic day for skiing and snowboarding at Southern California's closest winter resort.

Then it dawned on me - Superbowl weekend is the perfect opportunity to hit the slopes! While the crowds are distracted by football and flaked out on the couch eating chips and salsa - I can enjoy a blissful day of snowboarding.

Just thinking about it, has got me in a winter groove. I love the beach and warm weather - but there is nothing like the wonder of a fresh snow fall.

Waking up to snow at Christmas

Makes me clap my hands, makes me wanna dance!

Came home from work the other day totally spent and super duper frustrated.

What a wonderful surprise to discover the following on my TiVo.

This put a bounce back in my step and helped me 'look up' and finish the day on an upbeat note.


Ellen and The Tribe of Judah Choir

Stomp!
Kirk Franklin
God's Property

Lately I've been goin' through some things thats really got me down
I need someone somebody to come and help me turn my life around
I can't explain it
I can't obtain it
Jesus your love is, it's so amazin'
It gets me high, up to the sky,
And when I think about your goodness, it makes me want to
STOMP
Makes me clap my hands, makes me wanna dance,
STOMP
My brother can't you see, I gots the victory,
STOMP
Lately I've been goin' through some things thats really got me down
I need someone somebody to come and help me turn my life around
I can't explain it
I can't obtain it
Jesus your love is, it's so amazin'
It gets me high, up to the sky,
And when I think about your goodness, it makes me want to - STOMP
Makes me clap my hands, makes me wanna dance,
STOMP
My brother can't you see, I gots the victory,
STOMP

When I think about the goodness and the fullness of God
Make me thankful, pity the hateful, I'm grateful
The Lord brought me through this far

STOMP
Makes me clap my hands, makes me wanna dance,

QOTD- Kindness

Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.

- Franklin D Roosevelt

Bust a Move

The Pickster and I get down ...


If you have problems viewing the embedded video (Internet Explorer doesn't play nicely with it)- try this link.