My Favorite Summer Past-Time

We wait all year for it, complaining about the cold, snow covered season of Winter, the rain and fluctuating temperatures that come with the transitions of Fall and Spring, and eventually we find ourselves in the thralls of a hot and promising Summer. Everyone has their favorite summer past-times whether they be going to the beach, visiting a special place, cottage vacations, or travelling the globe.

I have one very favorite past-time that I try to fit into every summer. I get to go back home to what I consider my own summer paradise on none other than Cape Breton Island. It's not far to go from where I live, but it's just far enough away that you can forget and leave behind all of your troubles for a moment. Living in Cape Breton I took many of it's natural wonders, such as its peaceful and beautiful scenic views, and its hospitality, completely for granted. Coming home from mainland Nova Scotia, and the city of Halifax, I find myself in utter bliss that I have managed to escape from the ever surmounting demands I'm under throughout the year to come home for a short time and enjoy what Cape Breton has to offer in the summer.

They say Cape Breton in the Fall is a wonder to behold, what with travelling the Cabot Trail and admiring its many beautiful colours which the Fall brings out. But a Cape Breton Summer brings some beauty as well, and its perfect for those who want to go camping, hiking, beaching and any other summer activity you can think of. It truly is an escape from the concrete jungle we find ourselves in when we live in the city. This summer I got to take my partner home with me to show him some of my favourite things about a Cape Breton summer. While my hometown lies on the outskirts of the quiet city of Sydney, Nova Scotia (if it can be called a city), I like to escape to Ingonish where my father's family settled along the shoreline of King's Point.

Aerial Shot found online of King's Point Beach, Ingonish, NS

My great-great-Grandfather built and established property at the point of the shoreline directly along a beach and his children built along the stretch of beach. While most of them have moved away, our family maintains two properties along the beach, including the old beach house my great-great-grandfather built. To myself its an icon of that beach, and that beach is the place I call paradise.

View from the beach at King's Point, Ingonish NS

Alex and I at King's Point Beach, Ingonish NS - August 2013

It isn't busy and filled with people like the provincial park counterpart close by, leaving the beach, the water and everything that comes along with it, yours to enjoy. You get to meet and catch up with distant relatives who also make it a point to return each summer. These relatives literally come from all over to enjoy what this little piece of Cape Breton heaven has to offer them.

While I love the beach, I also love the things that go on around the island. This summer we made a point to get to A&K Lick-A-Chick (if you haven't heard of it, you probably live under a rock), and it's ice cream business Lick-A-Treat (not as funny when it rolls off the tongue, but still unique and enjoyable). After all, what is a vacation without treating yourself to some yummy food! It's literally unique to Cape Breton and tourists flock to it, centred in the Bras D'or Lakes area.

Akex and I outside A&K Lick-A-Chick, Bras D'or, NS

We also got to attend a light parade to kick-off event for Sydney's annual week-long summer event "Action Week". We shared laughs at how small-town it feels after seeing so many other parades, but its authenticity, tradition and the spirit around it is enough to make you smile and feel proud of the sense of community in Cape Breton. This was a cherry on top of my fantastic weekend home to Cape Breton Island this summer, and this is why it's hands-down a favorite past-time of mine.

What if I had to live without my iPhone?

Let's face it, we all have a huge addiction to our smartphones. Everywhere you look people are staring into their hands walking down the street, staring at their laps during meetings and classes. It also works as a nice save during awkward moments to just pretend you're doing things on your phone (you've done it, I know you have).

 I've been asked before, and again recently "What would you do without that smartphone?!". Immediately all I can think of is the amount of separation anxiety I'd be going through. 

My iPhone is essentially my life all captured and put away to easily access at the touch of my fingers. The reason people rely so much on their smartphones is that they can be personalized to suit your needs, and organize an otherwise hectic life into one small phone. So after giving it some thought, I've come up with some ways to describe just how sad my life would be if I had to live without my iPhone:

Organization

My iPhone is my life saver when it comes to organizing my life whether it's around my job, school or social life. If I didn't have the calendar feature, I would probably lose track of everything I need to remember. Without this I would forget about meetings, event times, and I would not be able to keep track of what I need to be doing each day.

 Yes, I am one of those people who would forget my head if it wasn't attached, funny enough, I never forget my iPhone! Okay, maybe I could buy an agenda, but who uses paper any more?

 Without my iPhone I would not be able to check my emails on the go. This is absolutely essential for me, as I often need to check this to keep myself up to date with group projects and work. I also handle my banking on the go with my phone. How awesome is it that we can handle our finances wherever we are!? You can't forget about Google. In a few quick swipes and taps I can find out anything I need to know about a topic! This comes in handy when proving a point over an argument at dinner. Google, you truly are my other brain. Not to mention with my handy-dandy Transit app, I can check any bus stop around my location and see a list of times when they will arrive at each stop. This helps immensely in the morning when I need to figure out how I'm getting where I need to go and when. 

Entertainment

It's no secret that you can carry music on your iPhone, I mean it was only birthed from the concept of the iPod. I need my music with me wherever I go, and to have it combined with my phone is great. Without this, I would have to carry around a simple cellphone and an MP3 Player at the same time. Two devices? Why is that necessary? There's a step backwards! I can also use 8tracks, which is my saviour when I'm bored with my own music. You can't forget games either, such as Angry Birds and Temple Run! I mean without my iPhone, I'm sure I'd be more productive in this sense, but why live without some fun and games?!

Social Media

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin. Need I say more? We are all guilty of checking these an unnecessary amount of times throughout the day. Without Facebook on the go, I couldn't keep track of my social media friends and the world around them! God forbid, I may need to use a computer for this....literally. Twitter is my information super highway, one simple glance through the last hour and I can update myself on the goings on of the world. Instagram, who doesn't love telling their stories through picture and video, plus all of the fun filters! I love discovering new people to follow, and love to share my experiences through photos. Without all of this, I would probably have to call people up and ask them to tell me everything that has happened in the past few days. I know, sounds terrible.

Pros

So, I've talked through the cons, and I figure maybe the pros are good to look at as well. I mean something good must come out of not being glued to your phone all day. With a smartphone, you have to respond immediately to texts because people can tell if you've looked, at this day in age it's hard to get away with saying you never received it. No more phantom cellphone syndrome - you could have sworn you felt your phone vibrate, but low and behold you haven't received any notifications.

 I am guilty of having a bad case of "FOMO", a "Fear Of Missing Out". When Facebook acts up and won't load my news feed, I tend to lose my temper and for some reason can't stand that I won't know that "so-and-so" had a delicious breakfast this morning. Being away from my phone makes me feel restless, because I feel like I have no control. Therefore without a smartphone I guess you would actually have to be social, be able to relieve yourself of stress (debatable) and not be controlled by your phone every waking hour!

On the topic of: Lac Megantic

Most of us have already and seen and heard the news, that in a small town in Quebec called Lac Megantic, a train went off its tracks and bulleted through the small town in a streak of blazing fire, leaving behind a path of major destruction.  This event is one of the many tragedies that have happened in small communities around the world throughout this past year. Lac Megantic has made news headlines all over, and questions have been raised as to if the train derailment was really an accident, or if the trains were tampered with. Either way, it does not distract from the devastation left in the disaster’s tracks. The physical landscape of Lac Megantic has been forever changed, and so has its people. Parts of the train lie around the town and look as if they were picked up and placed into spots. Metal lamp posts, benches and fixtures within the vicinity were melted and bent form the force of the explosions. Where a local tavern once stood, stands toothpicks of wood and tree stumps and charred carnage.

The Transportation Safety Board has called for an immediate review of railway safety, investigators have found evidence that the train may have been tampered with, and the death toll has risen to 42 people.  This town, like many this year suffering from natural and man-made disasters needs to rebuild itself in more ways than one, and thanks to many donations piling in, they have a chance to cover up the mess left behind. However, they will always feel the loss of loved ones and community members due to this senseless tragedy. 

I sincerely hope that they will rebuild themselves out of the ashes of this tragic mishap and that they feel the support of not just their community, but the larger community of our country that has rallied together to help them.

My 3 Most Important Values & Why They Matter

I was recently asked how I would define my most important values. I feel that everyone has their own set of values and that they are all influenced by an individual's perception, the way they were raised, and what is truly important to their inner peace. Well, here is what I consider most important in my life:

Keeping a Clean House

Growing up, I was always taught to value a clean house. There is something to be said about keeping a clean house, and as much as it can prove to be a lot of work, it is rewarding and holds benefits. I've lived with plenty of people and had to deal with a lot of different values on cleaning. It was not surprising to see dishes not done by my roommates for a week or more at a time. As for myself, I pride myself on keeping my place tidy whenever possible, I even find myself cleaning other people's messes. Cleaning not only makes your abode look presentable, but it reduces anxiety, stress, and you get some exercise out of it! Have you seen Hoarders? That show induces so much anxiety in me, because I simply don't understand how someone can let themselves go so easily! Put in the elbow grease and it'll pay off!

If you can tell me that you don't mind the top picture below, and don't see much of a difference between the top and bottom. FYI: We won't work out well together.

Making Time for Yourself

I am a huge believer in "me" time. Everyone should appreciate the work they do and what they give back to the community. I love taking moments to appreciate my hard work, by doing, well....nothing! After a busy and hectic week, there is nothing I love more than carving out a few hours to do whatever the h*** I feel like doing! Usually this consists of buying junk food, watching my favourite movie or tv show, or some good old fashioned yoga and meditation.

So, if you find yourself working hard and never having time to your own thoughts, carve out that time and give yourself a pat on the back, YOU DESERVE IT!

"Honesty is the Best Policy"

This is not just a saying, honesty truly is the best policy. Nothing looks better on you than being your authentic self. For myself, I can read people like a book when I meet them. I know when someone is not being sincere. Being inauthentic or insincere leads to lying, which leads to stress, which leads to unhappiness. Life is too short to be anything but happy and you can't be happy stepping on egg shells your whole life! Just be yourself, and let yourself shine!

There you have it! Cleanliness, self-appreciation and honesty are my 3 most important values. What are yours?

What Canada Day means to me.

Canada Day is a day that comes once a year, just like New Years, Christmas, etc. but only for Canadians. It would seem that most countries take one day a year to observe and celebrate the accomplishments and pride their people have in their home and native land. Canada Day is no different, and it is evident that it means a lot of different things to everyone. 

So, what does Canada Day mean to this Canuck? That's a good question, as I'm not entirely sure what this day actually does mean to me. Normally, my Canada Days have consisted of celebrating our pride, our heritage and above all else a national statutory holiday (Day off!). Everywhere you go, you see Canadian flags donned in every size you could think of whether it be in people's hands, tattooed, drawn or painted on them. People from all walks of life in Canada adorn the central symbol that represents all that we stand for as a country. 

So Canada, why do we have a holiday? I could go research some heritage moments, and re-cap all of the great things we have done as a country in the past 100+ years. Here are my ideas as to why we should celebrate!

Poutine, probably the #1 most well-known Canadian dish. This beauty can be found all over, and it's as simple as "french" fries covered in gravy and cheese curds. Of course, now you can find different variations on this time-tested recipe. Behold poutine in all of it's cheesy, gravy covered glory. You're welcome.

Here is a more local reason to celebrate Canada Day! In Halifax, Nova Scotia, in some unknown pizzeria shop a donair was created and no one is exactly 100% sure of the donairs origin within Halifax, Nova Scotia, but I think we should be proud of this ground-breaking food. Without donair we would be without donair sauce. If you haven't been to Nova Scotia, then I suggest one of the first things you try, is a donair!

Canada is also 10 years strong on the gay marriage front. If that is not something progressive we can all celebrate about, I don't know what is! Let's give a big hoorah, for being one-step ahead of our neighbors south of the border!

These are just a few of things that symbolize why I celebrate Canada Day, and why I think we all need to take a second and thank our lucky stars for being able to stand free on this country's soil, marry who we love, and eat poutine and donair by the bucket load if we so choose.

So here's to Canada our home and native land!