Outdoor bound

I am going to spend 1 hour a day outside. Rain, sleet, snow, drizzle, or shine. I asked myself earlier this year - what inspires you most? It took me a while to come up with an answer, there are so many options... but nature won out. The clincher was a couple days ago when I was driving and the sun was rising. These rich and vibrant pink, blood orange, and yellows caused me to almost drove off of the road, and I didn't even care that I drove off the road, all I was thinking is I need to find a place to pull over and just watch this. Nature was calling.

So for one hour a day, I am going to spend it appreciating nature. I don't have to be in a forest, or watching a sunrise, I just have to be outside. It can even be in the middle of downtown Vancouver, as long and I consciously go outside for 1 hour. You never know, I might even be able to capture some of it on film, like Ruth does here.....



Even the simplest things outside are so stunning...

Opening Day

Whistler Is Open. Need I say more?

Boobo

And not the Halloween kind.

I had a little accident on my bike while out enjoying the fall. (no pun intended) I'm a little rattled (hence the lack of posts) but nothing is broken!

I am very thankful for my helmet, and promise to never take them for granted again, even if they aren't the most attractive accessories and mess up my hair! Maybe these will encourage everyone to wear helmets!

Via yakkay

Living Space IT Factor

Wow! I can't believe it is already Wednesday. I feel like it is still the weekend! What did everyone get up to this weekend? Any fun trips out of town?

I stayed in town over this last long weekend - the second time this summer too (I was in town for the July Long Weekend as well). I have always made an effort to go away over the long weekend - that extra day just calls me to travel a bit farther. This year things just seem to pop up around the long weekend that end up keeping me in town. Last weekend it was moving that kept me here. I moved into my new place - remember that one I incessantly talked about last week? This weekend also marked the beginning of my bf's big tournament: The World Ultimate Championships (Ultimate Frisbee that is) right here in Vancouver!

Leading up to this weekend, I wasn't too keen to spend my long weekend just unpacking boxes. So I made a plan to take one day off and take a trip out of town - just to escape. But I didn't take that day. It wasn't because packing/unpacking took too long, it was because once I moved into my new apartment I just didn't want to leave. I don't know what that IT factor is when it comes to an apartment - but this one has it! Could it be the south facing windows, the open spacious living area, or even the weird feeling you get by having neighbours across the alley in units just like yours? I really don't know. So really what makes a great apartment? Does anyone have their own personal IT factors when it comes to your apartment/home/living space?

Added Note: Sitting in my apartment last night pondering the IT factor, I confirmed my suspicion that IT has nothing to do with amenities. As seen from the example image below, granite counter tops are not the it factor for my apartment. Actually, in moving into this new place I have down graded in terms of space, kitchen appliances, outside area, and size of my bedroom. What I guess I am trying to say is I think this IT factor goes beyond the physical items.... which is wonderfully liberating.

Via flickr - Jeanhclee

My apartment - not unlike this one, is old and has not had any major updates since inception, but for some reason it has that it factor, despite the wood cabinets, pink toilet and metal window frames!

Quality vs Quantity

So I was biking with some friends to Deep Cove the other weekend and I had a very bull headed moment. I had biked around there before so I kind of knew were I was going so when my friends turned off my theoretical route, I questioned it quite vigorously (trending towards venomously) the route decision. But then my fellow biker said something that almost literally stopped me in my tracks. “Quality over Quantity, Ashley, we are going for Quality over Quantity.” That was it, that was what this blog is about. It is to remove my deeply ingrained sense of faster, bigger, better into more enjoyable, happier, fulfilled. Now I am no where near getting there but the rest of that bike ride I spent the time really taking in the ride, and enjoying it. Not trying to get there faster. And what a beautiful ride it was. I saw an area I had never seen before and some spectacular views that I didn’t even know existed. If I ever do ride out to Deep Cove again, I will take that route…. As I will also try to always choose Quality of Quantity!

Cycle Blood

I have a friend who has an unlimited number of very useful skills, one of them is bicycles. He is an avid, enthousiastic and skilled rider and is also mechanically inclined. He takes apart, repairs, cleans, alters his bikes with the ease of making a sandwich. Just recently he took apart his whole bike, cleaned (with a sonic cleaner) all the parts, buffed out all the scratches, waxed the frame and then proceeded to put the bike back together. It took a total of 7 hours, and while he thought this was a great use of time, his girlfriend informed me of a new term... his love of bikes is making me a bike widow!! I can see how one would think that after 7 hours!

So on that note, I would like to dedicate this post to my two biking friends, lover and widow - if he makes you a widow, get him to spruce up the house while he is at it!

These are from Bike Furniture Design and are just some of the many forms they have - all with recycled bike parts!

These designs are from Swedish designer Frida Ottemo Kallstrom which I saw on Inhabitat

OTP - Inspiration

I have little time to write today since I got into work late - I was climbing Grouse instead. So to tide us over until I do have time here is some inspiration about something that is very relevant to me. (And apparently not just me - challenges have been posted everywhere -over at Creating Passionate Users and at Diary of a Self Portrait and at Trying to Find the Words)

"Do one thing every day that scares you." - Eleanor Roosevelt

On a personal note:
I often don't see the beauty because I am concentrating too much my inner fear. Fear immobilizes me in taking steps to achieve my goals because I am too fearful that I will fail and the goal will be lost forever... So here's to pulling up my socks and just doing it! (and getting great friends to suffer with me on the way up!)

Day four

Day 4 - Spent $3.95

9:00 am This morning was a rush of activity, with me trying to get into work early, my boyfriend forgetting his cell phone at my house, and I forgot my lunch.  Luckily I had those oatmeal backups. 

2:00pm  Another lunch provided by my company.  I might have arranged this meeting and ordered food for it, but I did it before I knew I was doing this fiscal fast.  I am still thanking my lucky stars that I picked this week to do the fiscal fast. 

5:00pm All this free food is great, but it isn't very healthy.  I think I should think twice before just taking because it is free. Ugh. I don't feel so good. 

9:00pm I went to volleyball tonight, and then went to the community center to work out.  I know that earlier I said I wasn't going to go because it did cost me money, but I over-ruled it with the importance of feeling good, and making healthy decisions. Although I did record the cost in my daily spending. The workout was worth every penny!

Day Two

Dollars spent - 0.00

5:00 pm Everything so far today has gone well. I didn't even bother to hover around the meeting room doors at 1:00pm when the lunches from the meetings are being released. I've come across a dilemma however- I bought this 10 times pass to the community center, so technically if I use that pass I will not be spending money the moment I go in, but every time I use the pass it costs me money. So can I use it this week? I don't know. I have been craving to go for a swim for about a week now, so I really want to say that it doesn't count, but I think I would be wrong, and so I can't swim tonight... or for the rest of the week.

9:00pm Alternate swim - So I really really wanted to go swimming, and well, since there is an ocean 3 blocks away, I thought I would try it. Donning my housemate’s wetsuit I headed for Jericho beach. To my surprise there was a lifeguard there. The water was not as cold as I thought, but it was littered with garbage and opaque with silt. I was afraid that when I put my head under the water I would be able to see the bottom with my goggles on, but nope, I just saw brown milkiness. The swim was cut short since I freaked myself out thinking a big gross fish was going to come nibble at my toes. I was only in the water for 15 minutes! So much for a workout! I will have to find a different type of activity for the rest of the week!