snow steps

Today I was reminded how peacefully quiet it is to walk on snow.

At Work

Nettoyez en profondeur...

Yes, Canada is bilingual. At least on packaging and government forms.

I started a cleanse a week ago. I have done cleanses in the past like the not-eating-at-all-for-a week cleanse, which I did in Austria together with Maria, after several people recommended it to us. The promise was to feel fabulous after day 3. Day 3 came and I still felt like a half-dead fly on the window sill. Note to myself: "Not eating does not work for me. Need to eat."

In the past I have done the wild rose cleanse, a herbal detox combined with a mostly (80%) alkaline diet. You can
eat as much as you want (works for me),
but no sugar (okay), no meat (no problem),
no dairy (that was a little hard - don't love soy or almond milk in my latte and I LOVE yogurt!) and
nothing fermented (don't quite agree with that - what's wrong with sauerkraut or vinegar?).

Especially the "no-sugar rule" was interesting: up to that first wild rose cleanse, I had no idea:

• that sugar is pretty much in any processed food. Makes sense from a commercial perspective, after all sugar sends the message: give me more, give me more, so exactly what the company wants you to do: buy more of it. To look at the bright side: sugar is better than cocaine, which they used to put in food and drinks for the same reason back in the days.
  

and

• how strong the effect of sugar was: First the sugar high, which makes my thought race, I am enthusiastic, I feel great... until I experience the crash: I feel shitty, exhausted, I want to nap..or alternatively: have more sugar. The Vicious Sugar Circle.
  

The only time sugar is awesome for me is on a hike or long-distance bike ride. In that case, it's highly welcomed quick and fast-accessible energy.

I decided to say good bye to the wild rose cleanse for two reasons:

• the herbs are pretty strong and - especially the third time they made me feel sick to my stomach
  
• I tend to believe that my diet is pretty healthy as it is, especially when i see what most of my co-workers put in their mouths every day. In my experience yogurt or a little bit of milk is okay.
  

So, when Heather announced she was doing a homeopathic cleanse, I decided to join her, because

• it's more fun in a team
• I expected it to be more gentle
• it didn't restrict my diet, the only requirement is to drink a lot of water, which I do anyways. However I read a review that recommended to combine it with a high-fiber, organic diet, which I also do most of the time.
  

I was surprised, how strong the effects are though. In fact, I reduced the recommended amount of drops on some days, because I felt it was too much. In this past week, I experienced

• headaches
  
• tiredness - i felt really tired in the evening, but in a good way
• emotional weirdness - weird, weird dreams, and some emotional roller coaster rides during the day (like suddenly I decided that I don't love my job anymore and instead I should quite and move to the Netherlands to take a Masters Degree in Industrial Ecology...although... that would be exciting)

I hope these are all side effects of the detox due to toxins being flushed out of my systems, which will be gone by the end. 5 more weeks. Just in time for the Christmas Debauchery.

AND FOR NO REASON

This poem was a burning man present, and it has been on my fridge ever since. Talking about fridge - that's where I keep the important stuff, not just inside, but also outside, like a reminder on a post-it: "A Handstand a Day Keeps the Doctor Away", Ida's first picture, a sticker "In Trance we Trust", or my massage therapist's phone number.

Anyhow, here is the poem by an unknown author:

And
For no reason
I start skipping like a child.

And
For no reason
I turn into a leaf
That is carried so high
I kiss the Sun's mouth
And dissolve.

And
For no reason
A thousand birds
Choose my head for a conference table.
Start passing their
Cups of Wine
And their wild songbooks all around.

And for every reason in existence
I begin to eternally,
To eternally laugh and love!

When I turn into a leaf
And start dancing,
I run to kiss our beautiful Friend
And I dissolve in the Truth
That I Am.

Peace Enlightens

Globe

What is the use of a house if you don't have a decent planet to put it on?

H.D. Thoreau

Animal Copyright

This is a 10 min excerpt of the art films shown in the exhibition "Ashes and Snow" by the Canadian artist Gregory Colbert. His artwork which shows humans and wild animals in a very crazy intimate context, such as a kid on a sleeping elephant, is not just eye-candy. Gregory Colbert is on a mission:

He’s founding Animal Copyright and the Animal Copyright Foundation. The foundation will collect 1% of all media buys that use animals, and will distribute these funds to conservation projects around the world. “Corporate poachers” who don’t use Animal Copyright will be shamed by bloggers, the media and others if they don’t display an Animal Copyright symbol.


Interesting idea. This would get to the root of the problem, namely that the value of nature and wildlife is currently not integrated in our monetary system. And for those, who don't care about the environment in real life, maybe they DO care what they see on TV. Television without nature and animals might get boring after a while.

2999.9 HP KMs

2,999.9 Human Powered Kilometers...

...I decided to get my heart racing from turning pedals instead of from getting angry because i am stuck in a traffic jam in construction-boom-town Calgary. I know, it's not the greatest accomplishment in 1 1/2 years, but better than nothing. Especially, after that strudel.

strudelicious

We started a Friday-morning-breakfast-at-work tradition. In multi-kulti Canada a diversified endeavor! I already sampled "Monkey Bread" from Michigan, "Fruit and Muffin" from Canada and "Palatchintat" from Hungary. My contribution was - of course - Strudel. No, sorry, not home-made, but very Austrian! I got it from Gunther's on 17th, an authentic Austrian bakery, run by a couple from Upper Austria. It reminded me of a bakery from the 70's or 80's, especially when die Frau Baeckerin said they don't accept credit cards - cash only!

Still - the 13$ cash are well worth the Strudel.

You will be remembered, Jack.

Jack moved on into the next world on October 16 2007. I have only got to know him over the last year at Moontribe, but his presence made me smile, laugh and dance. My thoughts are with his family in this time of grief, especially Koren.

He was passionated about cars, especially VW vans, and man, I have never seen a VW van that had more love put into it! He was also working on the development of a zero emission electric car and was interviewed for a film about electric cars (if I remember correctly - it's going to be a part 2 of the documentary "who killed the electric car?"). Click on the picture below to enter his website.

You will be remembered, Jack.

Almond Milk

I treated myself to a blender and am now enjoying almond milk several times a week. This is Dela's recipe:

• Soak 2 handful of raw almonds over night or at least for 8 hours
• Put them in the blender with a little bit of water. There should be more almonds than water in the blender.
• Blend.
• Add water. I fill up the whole blender. That's a good amount for two people.
• Add a little bit of maple syrup.
• Strain it through a strainer or cheese cloth - the remainder can be used for skin care, baking or just compost it.
  

Today I also added some vanilla, and I have tried carob powder or berries before too. A hint of maple syrup is a must. Delicious!

Great frothy snack - that's also good for your health, because it's alkaline forming.


That's what it looks like when you first blend it. Leave it at this stage for a while, before adding the rest of the water.

1st Annual Bridgeland Party

"Come on in!" Brit the event-organiser welcomes guests at the 1st annual bridgeland party with Catherine's Louis Sipp Sparkling Wine from Alsace.

Bisque de tomate. Tres bien!

The bluriness of the picture suggests that the photographer who took my picture must have sipped to much Louis Sipp ;-)

the boccia tournament

Yessss!!!

aaahhh!

yeeeehh...

uuuuhhh...

Calgary Fall

I am taking in the last few colourful autumn days of the year. Calgary is beautiful in the fall, covered in yellow and red. I am taking it in as much as I can before the brown/white season starts.

San Francisco

Another successful business trip to San Francisco. I love it! A couple of weeks ago I went to a green conference and I found some time (not enough) to explore the long beaches, serene lagoons and idyllic towns in the area. I like cities that have lots of green space around them, just like Vienna and the Wienerwald. Here in San Francisco, you can escape the busy-ness of the city by heading North - crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. September is a good time to visit San Francisco: the fog that hangs over the city in the summer has lifted. "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco" Mark Twain allegedly said (others claim it to be of unknown origin). Whoever it was, Mark Twain or Anon, he definitely has not visited Canada or Scandinavia in the winter.

swiftly melting

Pragmatic Dreamer

"Maned Cloud"

One of my highlights of my recent trip to Michigan was to see a presentation by Jean Marie Massaud, a French designer, whose work is influenced by natural, organic forms. Like his whale shaped air cruise ship "Maned Cloud": Our desire to explore untouched natural places, often destroys exactly the places that we want to experience (think Cancun). Traveling by Massaud's air cruise ship avoids the need for hotels in such places and adds another dimension to the vacation. Not sure, if I will be able to afford to travel on the luxury cruiser, if it ever gets built, but maybe I will see the whale float by one day. Even that would be a surreal experience.

Truffle
Chairs inspired by the sought-after mushroom