Amsterdam - here I come!

by Arlette

Finally. I have been wanting to visit Amsterdam for years, and this October it will finally become reality. Half business, half fun. In fact the business part should be fun too: it's a course about environmental life cycle analysis. I am very excited.

I will even have a personal tour guide. My friend Judith, an Amsterdam expert, will join me for a few days. I like it when things fall into place - I can't wait to explore the city of Grachten!

And of course, I will visit the motherland as well. Look forward to seeing you, Austrians (just in time for Heurigen season)!

Serpent

Crazy thing happened to me today. I went for dinner with Rebecca and suddenly a beautiful exotic-looking woman smiles at me and then I noticed a huge Boa around her neck - and I mean the real one. I am not afraid of snakes per se, but something in me said very clearly: watch out!

Rebecca, on the other hand was all over Sasa (I believe that was her name - or something that sounds very similar. It's pronounced Sssssss..asa). Skeptical Annie had to get scientific prove first that she is not going to be strangled by the Boa. The owners did confirm that she is well-fed and she only kills for food. So I was relieved, because I thought the chances are very high that she prefers a rat over me.

I asked if I could take a photo of Debbie (the beautiful owner) with her snake. It completely backfired. "Why don't I take the picture of YOU with the snake!" Debbie said. So here we are - Rebecca and I as brave serpent whisperers!

Cirque du Soleil

Corteo is still showing in Calgary until the beginning of September. I highly recommend it. Those peeps are amazing, talented, courageous, and will take you on a magical journey! And hooping just gained another dimension - enjoy the video clip!

Carlos

in Nosehill Park

We can either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same.
Carlos Castaneda, author & mystic

And gratitude is a great gateway to happiness. I am really grateful for all you wonderful people (also the ones across borders and oceans) in my life!

A few shots from my short weekend visit to Shambala in British Columbia can be seen by clicking on the picture below.



Another thing that makes me happy is roaming around in the city, hanging out with friends, and watching strangers. Stopping for a cup of coffee in a sidewalk cafe, listening to the birds and getting some fresh groceries on the way home. That's the way I like it!

Watch the movie from NY below for some carless street project inspiritation. The New Yorkers really seem to like it! It is a lot easier to enjoy, play and interact in an open space instead of in a parking lot with running engines.


from Streetfilms - thanks for sharing No Impact Man.

Dubuasca

Love this song. Enjoy.

Luise

I love coincidences. The morning when Luise was born, I was on my way to Lake Louise in the Rockies - staying overnight in a hennessy hammock. Unknowingly honoring Luise's arrival in this world :)


First I was a little afraid of bears, but this fear was quickly overcome, as my mind had to deal with other stuff: how to stay warm. I was okay, as long I was on the thermorest, but as soon as my knee was off the thermorest, touching the hammock - I was freezing!

Still, the hammock adventure was worth it. When I opened my eyes in the moring, I only saw hammocks, bicycles, trees, moss, grass and sky.

Note to myself: next time I will go hammocking closer to the equator. Click on the pictures to see more photos.

Eclipse Continued

Maria and Emil happy about the new addition to the family

On August 2nd 2008 (02.08.2008), the day after the eclipse, my little sister Maria's little baby, who was expected to be a boy named Theo, arrived. Theo turned out to be a girl and was named Luise (I am still hoping that she will be middle-named Anna;)

Welcome Luise!

She is going to be one fiery girl - with the Sun, the Ascendent, Venus and Moon all in Leo!

Luise was born at home, which Maria prefers to a hospital birth. According to her mid-wife, there were lots of babies born that day. I wonder if it's because of the eclipse?

I look forward to meeting Klein-Luise on my next trip home - hopefully in the fall.


Ich wuensche Euch, Klaus, Maria, Emil, Ida und Luise alles Gute!

Eclipse Alert!

Tonight we will experience a solar eclipse. And a New Moon. And in Leo. That must be good! Unfortunately it's going to happen at 3 in the morning, so not visible here in Calgary. I will be dreaming...

Be real and get involved with...

...the plastic project! And it's happening right here in Calgary.

Studio Green Tea is collecting plastic for an art project.

That makes my life easier, as throwing plastic into the garbage didn't make me very happy. But what can I do? There are hardly any effective recycling processes in place for plastic and a lot of the food I buy comes in plastic containers.

Currently some of the plastics in Calgary get collected and stored for hopefully some future uses. Some of them, like the HDPE milk jugs get downcycled to pipes. Better than not recycling at all, but the emphasis is on DOWN-cycling. Compared to glass and steel's recyclability, plastics do really poorly.

Currently plastics end up somewhere on our planet, like in landfills or in the ocean, which is a problem (I wrote about the Plasticific here), as it takes hundreds of years to degrade.

So here is our opportunity, fellow Calgarians:

• check your plastic, if it has a recycling symbol.
• Numbers 1 through 5 without the 3 are good - can be collected for the art project.
• Clean the material - we want the artists to enjoy the project as well, so let's have them do their magic with non-stinky material.
• Connect with the plastic project team, aka Green Tea Studios to arrange material drop off.

Find out more about the plastic project, including contact info here.

And while we are at this: Zack & Co from Green Tea Studios also did some other fun installations which are candy for the eye and funky to the ear.

Click here for some meteoric astro chill and ocean beauty;

or here for some microeditminimalelectrofunk (Ah! a wordsnake! Looks very Dschoerman ;)

Happy Plastic Gathering!

Happy Anna Day!

When I was a child, July 26 was an extra special day. In the middle of the summer holidays, I got a cake, best wishes and presents from my family. Enough reason to wake up with extra excitement and joy for the day!

So for all us Anna's (and I know there are many - even if's the middle name) - enjoy your special day! Best wishes to little Anna in Edmonton - have a fun party :)

Off to the folk fest to celebrate...

St. Anna, who was the mother of Maria, with her three husbands - just found out about this here!

Obama in Berlin

Yes, let's build bridges between North America and Europe!

A potential American President, who is liked in Germany? That would be novel.

Bird and Fortune - Subprime Crisis

British Humour. Funny.

Never Shop Alone

These pictures are from the last Fashionista Social Club event a few weeks back.

You might know that I can't stand malls - they stress me, make me bitchy, and give me a headache. I really don't get why so many people decide to waste so much time there.

That doesn't mean that I don't like nice clothes. When they get pre-screened by a connoisseur and served with some sparkling wine and raspberries - that's the way I like it!

Fashionista Social Queen Laura chooses good fabrics too: the dress in the picture is made from silk, which feels lovely, and she also carries cashmere and merino wool.

The only problem: I come with the intention to get some work clothes, but I always walk away with yet another summer dress...Oh well, next time! Never shop alone.

Recharging Batteries

John Beswick - my role model in how to recharge batteries. Wish I had a hammock...

As so often after a stressful situation, I have come down with a cold. The body doesn't lie and if it calls for attention, it's best to listen to it.

This sunny weekend is all about recharging my batteries, being in the moment, rest, relax and renew.

Off to the roof top patio to enjoy my cup of tea under the blue skies...

We are but Guests on the Mountain

My week has been filled with sadness. Cousin and friend Robin passed away unexpectedly while climbing on Mt. Kidd in Kananaskis last week.

In times like this, I am reminded how important family and friends are. I sometimes take you for granted.

Robin taught me that life with a smile on your face is better. It's true. Try it.

I will remember your kind nature, our lively conversations, and our hikes in the mountains.

Robin

Alone Looking at the Mountain
All the birds have flown up and gone;
A lonely cloud floats leisurely by.
We never tire of looking at each other -
Only the mountain and I.

Li Po
This poem was in Robin's photo album from his Peru trip (spring 2008)

"When you were born, you cried, and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."
You certainly lived life. And we certainly cried.

Wasting Time

Time you enjoyed wasting, is not wasted.

John Lennon

Do you enjoy it?

Catching Up

I am back in town and found my Mini USB cable, so I was able to download the pictures from Toronto.

Toronto was good. I enjoyed the big city - 3 days without a car, but getting around with public transit and walking, which seems a lot easier in Toronto than Calgary. Or maybe my destinations were just all in the right spots. I enjoyed some good exotic food, like at the Harlem: for the first time - I believe - I had Gazpacho, Caribbean chilled soup. Pretty tasty with the cornbread. And the art on the wall portrait was telling a strong story about the artists opinion in world politics.






David Suzuki was awesome. He inspired me. I loved hearing his story's of the history of the world, how we are completely dependent on nature. How without nature, we couldn't live on this planet. Nature gives us food and purifies the air we breathe. Oh, and water is an equally precious resource, that needs to be treated respectfully. Looking after our resources makes sense. It's like money: we want to keep some capital, and let the capital work for us and sustain itself. Keeping our resources strong and healthy is the right longterm thing to do. On day 1 they had a water break on the main pipe outside the building. So there were hundreds of people sitting in a conference, drinking coffee and then they said: sorry water is broken: you can't go to the washrooms. We had to go to the neighbour hotel. Funny, that that happened at a green building conference! At that point, it's good that you have good neigbours, that let you use their washrooms, otherwise it could have been a dilemma!




Yonge Street is lovely too. I went to a yoga class, conveniently located only a few stations north of downtown. And I got a little walk and window shopping in - that's the way I like it!

Some of the architecture caught my eye.

Good trip - and now I am enjoying the summer in Calgary. It's the best time of the year here in Calgary. It's been a rainy month, so it's super green right now! Lots of stuff blooming. The mosquitos, those little buggers, unfortunately also thrive in this climate. They have been brutal this year: They eat you alive ;) ! Well, they keep you active: they keep you moving...

Photos from beautiful, awesome, sunny California will follow soon!

Happy weekend! xo )

One the Roll

I am back in Calgary for a one day pit stop. Toronto was amazing. On Thursday, David Suzuki was speaking, and man, is he ever an inspiring speaker. The first time I heard of him was on the Queen Charlotte Island. Tante Sandy made me aware of him and told me about his Nature show. So I got his book "Sacred Balance". Highly recommended.

I won't get into in his speech too much at the moment. I just wanted to say hello and let you know, photos from TO are still to follow. Once I find my USB cable, that I knew where it was when I was in the old place, but now in the new place, we are still playing hide and seek...

Now I got to go back to packing my stuff. I am taking a week of work. Yeah - I love holidays! I am going to sunny California (surprise ;) a welcoming change after - what seems like a month - of rain in Alberta.

May your week be super - ueber - drueber - fantastic!

Shifting into the Mainstream

Greetings from Toronto. I am currently at the Canadian Green Building Council's first national summit and I am very grateful for having made the trip to the other side of the country. "Shifting into the Mainstream" - the title of the summit is very much to the point: within the last year - without doubt - the green movement has shifted from solely being in the minds of granolas, hippies, ecologists (and me) into the mind of the mainstream.

It's amazing what a room of like-minded people can do to refresh our vision of living in harmony with our planet. It's amazing how chatting with people who share the same values nourishes the soul, and makes me look forward to finding new opportunities to make a difference.

Tonight Ray Anderson was the keynote speaker at the celebration. (Check out Mr. Anderson's talk on youtube here) He reminded us: "Let us not celebrate too long. We still have a long way to go. There is no time for complacency. Our technology has to fundamentally change. Instead of "plundering" our resources - from the linear concept of TAKE - MAKE - WASTE, we need to to transform our technology in a cyclical concept of reusing renewable materials with as little waste as possible." So, true.

He finished his speech with: "One person at the time. It cannot happen without you and me. It's up to us."

And we need to act now. Let's move out of the competitive mind into the creative mind and let's make a living, create value AND have a zero footprint: all at the same time, they are not mutually exclusive. It might not be completely possible right now, but we can align our actions today, so that tomorrow we are one step closer to a more sustainable future.

Are you a dog person?

tristan

"My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog thinks I am."
- author unknown

Happy Weekend :)