At 36, I gotta say that love is more important than work, and I say that after just having spent my entire Sunday working (and not on purpose).  I do love my work, but would happily put the love of my life first.  Guessing that at the end of the day that person would support me having both.

My two cents worth.

Emme xoxo

Clearly I needed Anjelah Johnson in my life sooner to shine a little light on my love life or lack there of.  Nails chewed to the quick augmented by an earlier faux pas pointed out by my cousin, of actual books in my house.  Surprised I haven’t been dubbed the crazy cat spinster yet by the neighbourhood kids.

John (Sam B. Barnes) and Fay (Megan Phillips), as shot by Brian Campbell.

So what was the show?  Norm Foster’s Here on the Flight Path at the Metro Theatre, a good light hearted comedy about navigating your way through life and relationships from the perspective of one man and three very different women. Kind of like the story I’m writing, only I don’t have quite so many voices in my head.  Had to chuckle at myself as I often talk to my audience, but when Samuel B. Barnes did as John Cummings, at first I wasn’t quite sure how to take it. It didn’t take long, however, for me to look forward to John’s little asides and insights to the audience.  Oh and how I felt for him with the loss of each new neighbour and the anticipation of what could be with the next, laughing at their quirks and that much harder when I saw one (or to be honest, a few) of my own in them. Well played by the entire cast – Samuel B. Barnes (as John Cummings), Megan Phillips (as Fay), Sarah Szloboda (as Angel), and Robyn Daye Edwards (as Gwen). They left me wanting more. And my girlfriend, who has never reviewed a play before, decided this was the perfect date – dare she even say, a first date. Although maybe not for the freshly divorced, unless a good laugh at your predicament would be therapeutic. Not recently divorced myself, but certainly in the foibles of dating, and therapeutic is exactly what this was for me.

John (Sam B. Barnes) and Angel (Sarah Szloboda), as shot by Brian Campbell.

The Metro Theatre is interesting unto itself.  I’d love to know it’s history.  From the pictures on the wall, it appears to have been acting as a theatre for longer than I’ve been alive, but it also has the look of an old cinema. Just be warned, give yourself an extra few minutes to find yourself a parking spot, if driving, although there is a parking lot just under the bridge that had plenty of empty spots.

As for our dinner, that was at Shota Sushi and Grill in Kerrisdale, which while not cheap, was very tasty and satisfying.

If this sounds like a good date or evening out to you, then you can catch Here on the Flight Path at the Metro Theatre now until February 13, 2011.

… which is why Brie, Tommie and I are planning to see where our feet can take us.

Serena Ryder “All For Love”

If anyone happens to have a road map to the men in my world, I’d greatly appreciate your sharing it with me.

Week One: The Beginning Shot to the New Year's Resolution

Some of you will remember my New Year’s Resolution to tone this up for my own well being, and will also remember that that DOESN’T mean dieting, but rather healthy living – good food, fresh air and exercise.  The good food part comes easily to me. Unlike concern over increased consumption of processed food on the CBC, I was brought up on home cooking and have taken that into my adult life. Where I’ve been struggling is that although I grew up outdoors, more and more I spend my days working in sedentary conditions at a computer, and whilst I started the year out with a healthy dose of fresh air and exercise, that went downhill with the month long Olympic Party, fueled with a healthy dose of hops and barley.  So as I revisited my Wheel of Life with my personal coach, Jennifer Priest, the other week, I noticed that I am still struggling to find a healthy balance in fun and recreation (which I consider to include exercise) and romance. And I think the two go hand in hand. I need to get OUT and be active way more than I am.

My Wheel of Life: January 2010

Some of you will recall that I’ve been experimenting with online dating for the past year or so, and whilst I was meeting some lovely men, it wasn’t really working for me.  Partially because I am a romantic and this was a rather contrived way to meet people, and partially because I spend my days working online and the last thing I want to do at night is to go back to the computer to create a personal life for myself.  It wasn’t working and I told Jennifer as much in our last session.  She had some great alternative suggestions.

A few ideas of Jennifer‘s to get me OUT and active and meeting people all at the same time are to:

• Go to the Driving Range after work and hit a few balls.
• Find a Hiking Group and join them for weekend hikes.
• Go for a walk on my own or borrow a friend’s dog to take for a walk and actually make eye contact, smile and say ‘hello’ to people when I am out and about (scary concept for the VanCity cats, I know).
• Join a Team Sport, with people I don’t know, like beach volleyball or dragon boating.

Not so outdoorsy, but goes well with the non-processed food, healthy eating part of my New Year’s Resolution, Jennifer also suggested singles cooking classes.  Definitely trying that one out.

Loving these ideas!  Especially as they get me outdoors and active and outside my comfort zone of my true blue friends (whom I love and adore, but am very quickly becoming the crazy spinster aunt to all their children).  Off to try my first one today (after the footie match that just started).  Found a hiking group and am going on my first hike with them.  Wish me luck!

Kisses,

Emme xoxo

I am sure it won’t come as any great surprise that there was a reason for my query and even less surprising that I harbour an opinion. You see, I have a friend that I believe is in an unhealthily controlling relationship (in the lover kind of sense). She has become a shadow of herself. Of course, she doesn’t see this and sees me as the one with a problem as I’m not in a relationship. She told me relationships are all about compromises.

So my opinion? I whole heartedly disagree. I think healthy relationships are accepting and celebrating in one another’s differences. It is our differences that make relationships interesting and help us grow as people. Of course, to accept one another’s differences, communication is key and you can’t always have things your way. You need to do things with your lover in mind.

Photo by Adam Foster

Why does compromise scare me so much? The majority of you, that are likely (unlike me) in a relationship, said compromise is key, yet I continue to dig my heels in the sand and disagree. Compromise scares me, because I see my friend losing herself. She is compromising all of herself and has become a shadow of herself. I see this, not only because I love her, but because I was losing myself to compromise in my last relationship and it terrifies me that if I was still there that I would have lost myself by now. Don’t get me wrong, despite being a Princess from time-to-time, I do understand the need for compromise and don’t always have to have things my way (that’s only the other 90% of the time). Where the danger lies is in when you start to compromise yourself. Too much compromise is a very dangerous thing.

Anyhow, those are my 2 cent.

Wishing you all a summer filled with love stories of your own!

Thought you could all could use a bit of Friday Love from her!!!  I know I can (and really this is purely selfish, so I can look at her beautiful face all day).