Inn of the Wandering Dragon

Feeling refreshed and relaxed after roughly an hour long walk around the neighborhood, here are a few things I've noticed: Wood smoke from backyard firepits co-mingling with conversation; Greening grass pushing up while trees and hedges still doze; People walking past make eye contact and say hello, even though they would never look twice in the supermarket; Prairie crocus lavender against brown grass stalks; Dogs that just want a good scratch behind the ears at odd intervals durring walks; A catipillar making it's way across the bike path; Roasting bar-b-ques on balconies and decks; A big brother playing basketball with his younger siblings; Kids calling out games - "I'm going to come get you"; Houses demolished and big machines tearing out the foundations; White pvc piping advertises who sits on cantaminated land and who doesn't; Frogs and crickets singing along the river while traffic roars by; Quiet satisfaction; Well fertilized lawn on the corner; Cats in windows; Clouds changing colour as the sun recedes and the wind carries a breath of the snow still covering the mountains.

Well I have made it through my abbreviated detox no worse for wear. Tomorrow I can start re-introducing foods gradually - not like Larry who is fond of coming off the detox with key lime pie first thing in the morning, I prefer to go slow. The idea is that by slowly reintroducing one type of food at a time you a) do not throw your body into a mild form of shock and b) it is a good time to test out any food allergies if you think you have any. For example, since I have not had dairy during the detox, if I just add a glass of milk tomorrow but keep the rest of the food the same then I will be able to notice more clearly if it bothers me. This approach works better than having several slices of pizza piled high with all the trimmings. Should you have an upset stomach after, it is much more difficult to pin point which ingredient is giving you grief. Fortunately I am not lactose intolerant although I know several people who are, to varying degrees. One other benefit of the detox - at least for myself, is that it gives me a chance to reaquaint myself with some more subtle flavours. So much of prepared foods has a fairly strong taste that usually is nothing to rave about, or it has little taste at all. Tossing a bunch of dressings, sauces and condiments all over it just masks the food with another strong flavour. One of Larry's biggest complaints during this comes from not being able to use ketchup or cheeze whiz but I am happy to explore my spice cupboard and sample the play of the food's natural flavours.
In case no one noticed taste is a big thing to me but I am happy to say I have expanded my repertoire of tasty recipes by following this little regime. The spicy meatballs turned out very well along with the other curry dishes I tried. I am sure most people like to pick / plan out their menu based on the taste they happen to be craving. I don't need a lot of whichever item, just enough for a taste. I can't wait to pick up some plain yogurt and try some other curry recipes in the coming weeks!

I have also been indulging in some new supplies and materials for my creative work. I have a weakness for paper, not suprisingly, but I have also picked up some thin sheets of metal for some embosing work. A long time ago I had an assignment to create a unique business card, which I did by embossing a design on metal. I don't think I have it anymore but I have been thinking of more ways to play with this, another variant of an art card. I'm also trying to work out a method to etch the surface - not for intaglio per say, but for the image itself. I think there are some fun possibilities to be had!

If coldness here then only
something fully-fledged
that scuffled
in the courtyard
& survived
left this upheaval
in every direction

Something that got loose
just in time
before central heating
& hot-water system
admitted their failings
before the house
gave in

Something I sensed
coming, though not
born to it
in the complete cessation
of movement
in the sky's tightness

Something intact
The level of shutdown
The going on

- Snow, by Tracy Ryan

A more somber post than usual. There have been some events lately that have brought about an odd sense of deja vu for me. You see, in a previous relationship things did not go well, suffice to say we fought like cats and dogs. The actual events surrounding this were very different than the present but there is one thing that lies as a common thread. There was always a sense of being up against the ropes, of being threatened and isolated. There was always a sense of being up against something that was never willing to consider that what I had to say was ever valid or worth consideration. No matter what I did it seemd nothing was ever good enough to satisfy him. In turn he accused me of doing the same to him, and of making him out to be an ass to all of my friends - but that is beside the point.
The point is that despite all the insanity and conflict there is never only one side to any story. No person in a conflict is every truly 100% right and the other 100% wrong. Each person brings their own set of emotions, beliefs and values to the table and there is no one person who can say that what you feel and value is any more or less valid than anyone else. Some days I feel that if you blindly fumble around towards the muddy middle in a conflict you might come closer to the truth than at either extreme. Emotion is very potent we have all said things or done things in the heat of the moment which we later regret. I try to refrain from judging people too quickly because I know full well that I do not have all the information. I can only hope that others are willing to grant me the same courtesy. Some days are easier than others when it comes to this but lets face it, I am still human. We all are.

Well I am back on the detox, and having it interupted just does not do me any good. This time around I am finding my motivation is low and I am not sure why. To add to that I am comming off of a week with easter sweets and birthday cake - and I am *really* craving more of those sweets. I basically have a week to go , my last day will be this tuesday comming. I have made a batch of cury lentils and fish so that I have something to take to work tomorrow - sounds tasty I know but that is what I am left with after Larry blew a large chunk of the grocery money on things like chips and crackers which I can't eat. Plus I had to wash the dishes neccessary to make it. And to be honest, I'm not all that interested in cooking right now. Hopefully things should be better by the weekend.

I'm feeling pretty good today. After two weeks of not doing any course work due to illness, Easter and extended B-Day goings on, I spent today going through more lab work again. After the work I completed today I am more or less back on track to finish up mid June as planned.
I have also started working on some ATC's (artist trading cards). They are miniature works of art the size of a baseball card and they are fun ceative outlet that can work well with small chunks of time. Right now I am just playing around with collage elements and having fun with it. It has been a long time since I have done anything like this and even though they are far short of being masterpeices, the point is that I am making SOMETHING. Something is a lot better than nothing, and when there is enough of somethng going on it just keeps getting better. Who knows where this might lead to...
Last night we met up for dinner with a long time friend of mine. It is getting to be a tradition that I usually go for sushi with him and last night was no different. Larry likes sushi only slightly more than cucumbers so this dinner had a lot more tempura and cooked meat dishes than usual. I prefer the subtle flavours of the sashimi in fact in many cases I prefer it to the cooked fish. But while I have been to this resteraunt before and quite enjoyed it, this time things were different. The sushi was being warmed just before serving and I'm not overly excited about it. In fact it was noticably warmer than ambient temperature and to me it interferes with the flavouring of the fish. I have only come across this once before when the staff was running it through a small toaster oven before bringing it to the table. In that case it was warmed way to much - the top of the fish was practically cooked! Needless to say I have never gone back to that place. Sadly I'm not sure if I want to go back to the resteraunt we were in last night either. Ah well. At the very least we had good company and conversation so the evening was still enjoyable.
After dinner we took in 17th ave for some green tea ice cream and late night used bookstores. I always end up spending more than I intend in places like that. But really, how do you resist the pull of a really good book? I found one that I had read years ago (borrowed from the library) and I could never find it anywhere in the stores so I snared it right away. Talk about a feeling of finding lost reasure! I have also been keeping an eye out for cheap stuff that can be pulled apart for my collages, no luck on that but I did find an interesting book on calligraphy. Heaven knows my handwriting is terrible and I have always liked the idea of integrating the written word with my art.
So tonight, more friends will come over for a relaxed night. Two of the people upstairs have birthdays in April so we are having one gathering for everybody. It is not going to be huge or elaborate but I think we'll have a good time anyway. I think I have time to work a couple of cards before people start arriving.