It’s a gorgeous morning as I gaze at the white orchid on my coffee table in full bloom, a gift from my friend’s daughter who hand-picked it for me for my birthday. The boats are still on the water (which I realized can mean ‘still’ as in not-moving, or still as in they’re still there); in this case, it’s both.. as last night I saw them lit up from a rooftop lounge, shimmering in harmony like battleships.
I can’t believe I haven’t written since May! Time is flying by, and that nagging voice that says Write! is often hushed as summer fun takes over.
In May I performed at a new talent showcase at Yuk Yuk’s in Ottawa! It was super fun; I was one of two women in a line-up of 11 people. I made a joke about dating white guys “Maybe he has a cottage!” and later a tall white guy came up to me and said, “Great set!…. And also… I have a cottage” with a wink. Noted!
I got to dance at the beautiful Winchester Theatre with my flamenco class. We performed the farruca dance, a masculine and strong dance that embodies power and strength. My favourite part of the whole experience was the funny and supportive group of women I got to know – one lady commented that it’s amazing how everyone shows up every week for class (even if we miss one here and there), despite what we’re going through, to choose joy.
I studied for and passed my Salesforce Administrator exam which was a big weight off my shoulders. I’ve been wanting to do it for years, ever since I did some Salesforce consulting work with my neighbour in Ottawa, but I just never got around to it and motivation dwindled. But just like many things in life, the best motivation is external, so when Salesforce announced that all exam vouchers were expiring on July 13, I knew I had to do it! Hoping I’ll make my way to Dreamforce one day, a big conference in San Francisco that has previously featured Barack Obama and Malala as speakers, and performances by Alicia Keys and Lenny Kravitz!
I’m currently reading Yajnaseni: The story of Draupadi by Pratibha Ray. It goes deep into the mind and heart of a heroine who is beautiful, strong-willed, and trying to make sense of the interesting twist of fate that brought her to a place that no woman can imagine – being the wife of five husbands! She realizes that she will need to adapt and carefully observe each one, while still maintaining her ground. “This body of five elements would be the possession of five persons. How would this be possible? The dilemma lies stretching endlessly, the night somehow always ends.”
The night does always end, with memories of drinks (fake ones!) and good conversation in my mind, yet the next morning lies ripe for discovery. What did you discover this morning? ;-)
She's Come Undone 