Lise's Ramblings

You know them instantly. The guitar intro makes you vibrate with excitement (or maybe those are  reverberations from the banks of speakers). Either way, signature riffs are AWESOME !!! Make it an Eddie Van Halen riff and that's extra special. How about being at a concert when there's only a security guard between you and Eddie...and he's back on stage with Diamond Dave again. That's FREAKIN' AWESOME and that more than checks number 18 off my life list!

We ushered in the season of rebirth yesterday. Fittingly, spring's arrival included sunshine and warm weather. I love those in-like-a-lamb years. To top it off, I was serenaded by a chorus of spring peepers at about 10 p.m. (I recorded them on my phone. If you care to have a listen, you'll need to crank up your volume setting.)     Spring peepers AWESOME !

Ah ha! I bet a few of you hoped you might get a sneak peek at our home renos. Naaaaah. Instead, I’d like to draw your attention to my friend Emma’s cookie creation. During her birthday celebrations, Emma's party guests decorated cookies. What fun to see kids and adults alike gravitate to particular colours of sprinkles, icing and candy toppings. Then there was the whole quantity versus quality debate, but I suppose that could be a blog entry of its own. Getting to decorate something with your own flare…         AWESOME!!!

If you aren’t migrating to Florida , Cuba or Mexico this March Break, then here’s an escape activity for you to try at home. Think of the funniest name you’ve ever seen for a city, town, village or hamlet. It can be somewhere you’ve visited or perhaps you've read about the place in a book, magazine or online. Don’t feel you have to stop at one choice. After all, I’m sure there are plenty of silly names from which to choose. Not sure where to begin? Let me give you a bunch of names to get you started.   Heart’s Content , Newfoundland Snowflake , Manitoba Bird-in-Hand , Pennsylvania   Blowhard , Victoria , Australia Hell , Grand Cayman Tightwad , Missouri Snag , Yukon One of my September 2010 blog entries, Signs that make you laugh , mentions my favourite place name in Quebec. I love it that place names can be quirky enough that I’d consider visiting for no other reason than to take a photo of the “Welcome to…” sign....

Yesterday, North Americans sprung forward, turned their clocks ahead one hour and bid goodbye to Daylight Saving Time. Our friends in Saskatchewan , Arizona , Hawaii and selected northern communities in Ontario , British Columbia , Quebec and Nunavut are the exceptions to the rule. They never need to adjust their clocks, because they stick to Standard Time throughout the year. They may not shift their clocks, but I bet they end up doing extra calculations as they assess which provinces or states are now back in sync with them. Speaking of synchronization, I love it that my smartphone, computer and satellite TV automatically switched over to Standard Time. Now, if only all of the other devices in our lives could self-adjust the time for us. Imagine not having to reset your watch, microwave, cars, security alarm, thermostat, oven, alarm clock, etc. Wouldn’t that be       AWESOME?!?!

For me, we’re talking oodles of sauce to drown my pasta. (Yes, I can practically hear some of you uttering, “That’s a shocker, condiment chicka.”) Well, never mind my preferences. Just strike whatever you consider to be your perfect proportions of pasta to sauce, then sit back to indulge in a meal that’s exactly your kind of         AWESOME!!!

My quads felt Sunday's two-hour trek along Strathgartney Provincial Park's hilliest trail. Suffering from winter doldroms?  Try out snowshoeing. You can choose from either a social outing or a solitary trek for introspective time. If you bundle up and select a relatively wind-free route, then you can burn calories, get from point A to point B, spot wildlife and benefit from fresh air. You may even gain a new appreciation for areas you’ve only ever seen when there were leaves on the trees. Unlike many rushed sports, snowshoeing gives you a chance to take in your surroundings. It’s also a relatively inexpensive, easy-to-learn and safe winter activity. (Even a spaz like me has an injury-free track record when it comes to snowshoeing. Yes, that’s saying a lot considering I’ve chalked up countless broken bones, torn ligaments, bruises and sprains from regular activities like walking, doing laundry, playing in the backyard and skiing.) Sure, we can depend...

[Yesterday, my American friends celebrated National Grammar Day, so I decided to dedicate today’s blog entry to everyone who protects and defends grammar. I realize I harped onabout punctuation back in September, but grammar extends beyond mere punctuation.] Does it take tremendous self-control for you to resist correcting egregious grammatical errors on posters, brochures, web content and signs? If so, then consider yourself a card-carrying member of the grammar police. If you aren't familiar with this elite squad, then allow me to share a few things about those of us who are members. We’re vigilant , not mean.      We abide by grammar rules at work , because failing to do so reflects poorly on our employers, detracts from the intended message, undermines our own credibility and sets a bad example for others. We’re more accurate than built-in software tools .  Need proof? Check out today’s photo below. Yuck! This morning, Microsoft Word suggested I substitu...

If I severed my spine during a sporting accident, I doubt that would motivate me to step up my game and become a world champion ― let alone in the very same sport that left me paralyzed. Fortunately, other people are less chicken. Enter Canadian Josh Dueck . Back in 2004, Josh wasn’t considered an up-and-coming champ, but he was a talented 23-year-old ski coach and freestyle skier (read: fancy-ass manœuvres versus the usual downhill skiing or racing) . That year, Josh failed to complete a jump properly and that mistake landed him in hospital. While recovering there from his crash, Josh decided he wanted to re-experience the freedom of spinning in the air on skis. He’s just found out he’s paralyzed from the waist down , and instead of spiralling into a funk Josh sets himself an incredible goal. Merely getting back on the slopes would be a feat, yet Josh chose to soar again. So last month, the para-alpine skiier succeeded in his pursuit; Josh set a world-first rec...