TGIF?

For most people, Friday signifies the end of a long week at the office and the start of a leisurely, work-free weekend. Not so for me. As a freelancer, I make my own schedule. And over the past little while, I've noticed that Saturdays and Sundays are often when I'm most productive in terms of writing (articles), reading (about freelancing), and learning (about social media management).

The weather forecast indicates we're in store for a not-so-nice few days followed by a sunny and warm "work week." So I'm telling myself now is crunch time. I'm gonna focus on getting my query letter written for my class next week, motoring through my yet-to-be-read copy of "The Elements of Style," and watching the last few instructional videos on how to use social media platforms most effectively.

While you're enjoying your waffles and freshly squeezed OJ tomorrow for brunch, I'll be at Starbucks typing away, my eyebrows knit in deep concentration. But don't feel too bad for me because the tables will turn. Come Monday, I'll be the one living the good life -- doing something fabulous, like biking around Toronto island or lunching at some new hot spot on Ossington. And you'll be stuck at your desk, trapped by a chatty co-worker who feels compelled to tell you about every minute detail of his weekend, right down to his trip to the shoe maker.

WHY VEGAN, NOT VEG? WATCH THIS VIDEO (FROM THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW) AND FIND OUT.

Art by Krisjanis Kaktins-Gorsline

This young Canadian artist is on fire right now. I just read about his work, which manages to be simultaneously visually appealing and thought-provoking, in the June issue of ELLE Canada.
"The primary focus of my practice has been the production of figurative oil paintings created through a process of psychic auditing in which imagery is generated through a process of intuitive exploration. I would describe my practice as a cycle of ingestion, gestation and expulsion of imagery. I am interested in the way imagery is absorbed and then reconstituted in the mind."

I'll love you forever / I'll love you for always / As long as I'm living / My baby you'll be

-Robert Munsch

How To Train Your Dragon - My Hands

"Idealists...foolish enough to throw caution to the winds...have advanced mankind and have enriched the world” -Emma Goldman

Please help me in celebrating David Suzuki's 75th birthday

Dear David,

Ignorance is bliss (at least in the short run) and the truth about where we’re headed is -- to put it mildly - inconvenient. But while the world turns a blind eye, you rise up and speak out. In that calm, composed way of yours, you devote your life to lifting the veil of denial off the eyes of our self-consumed society. How you manage to hold on to the hope that people will come through and turn things around, I’ll never know. And it is the reason why in my eyes, you are one the greatest leaders of our era.

With great admiration,

Erica Leibner

In honour of David's birthday, my goal is to raise $1000 for the David Suzuki Foundation. Funds raised will support various work to protect the diversity of nature and our quality of life. One of these projects involves urging the cosmetics industry to list ingredients on products so people know what they are putting on their bodies and can avoid toxic chemicals. I firmly believe in this cause, and that there is no excuse for the cosmetics industry to be selling us products that are making us sick.

Ignite Imagination

Hi all,

Sorry I've neglected this blog for so long. I'm ready to get back in the saddle though, and intend to use this space for stuff that's too personal or in-depth for facebook or twitter.

Got a fantastic forward this morning from mummy dearest that I really love. It especially speaks to me at this moment in time, as I've decided I want to focus on pursuing my career in writing so that I can put my meandering mind and outlandish ideas to good use.

While her daughter is sound asleep, the mother of the little girl in these pictures creates an alternate universe from whatever she can find around her. Like this woman, I too like to have fun with fiction. So here's the story I came up with, as a result of being inspired by these photographs...

Once upon a time, a woman found the perfect way to incorporate her personal and professional life. Originally, she did this as a hobby, until it took off and become profitable (massively profitable, so that she and her daughter were able to move out of their stingy 1 bedroom apartment and to a beautiful bungalow by the beach, where they listen to Melody Gardot and eat expensive vegan marshmallows all day). In my mind (my presumptuous mind - you can blame it on "creativity"), thanks to her new found fame, she was able to quit her day job (she probably just did it to pay the bills) and now indulges in doing what she loves most. Her passion and outstanding propensity to create these beautifully poetic "scenes" has made her famous and given her the opportunity to "live to work," not "work to live."

Here is a link to her blog: http://milasdaydreams.blogspot.com/

I'm looking really forward to reading it when I get a chance!

Have a great day, all. And please "follow" by blog if you can. I know it needs a massive makeover and I promise that along with the content, I'll be improving the look and logistics of it.

xx

Me.