Here I am! and do you know your neighbours?

I'm sorry, this blog has turned into a weekly publication as opposed to the daily one I had intended. I created this blog as a way to force myself to stop and think every day about what I had done, and to force myself to see the positive. But lately my work schedule has picked up, and so I have a new schedule which I'm trying to get used to. I'm hopeful that once I fall into this new routine, my blogging will also fall into a groove.

This weekend, Chris went away to visit his parents. They live in a little place called Meadowville, in the country. Wow, I miss the country. Eventually I'd like to move back there ( we'd probably need a car to do that though!). While he was gone I decided to do some small home renovations; I tend to do those things when he's gone. I think I doubt myself less. What I really wanted to do was paint the bedroom a really girly, pretty colour, like pink. You can guess that that didn't fly. So I settled on a compromise, and painted the entryway, which really needed some brightening. I chose a colour called Ocean Breeze (pictures to come), and also painted some new shelves the same colour, for the kitchen and my studio. While I was at it, I filled a ton of holes in the walls, and replastered the bedroom windowsill. It was fun! I really love doing those things. I just wish I didn't have 40-year old carpet that went four inches up the walls, and linoleum with holes and burn marks throughout (ahem, ahem miss building manager, if you're out there reading this : )

I read something interesting this weekend in the news. A man is apparently boycotting Facebook because he's frustrated with people calling themselves your friends, while they're actually only acquaintances, in order to gain more "Friends" to add to their "Friend" list. I've felt disheartened by this before too, and I was quickly turned off of Facebook (besides the fact that it's a complete waste of time once the novelty of discovering that your friends from highschool are still alive and well wears off) because I felt there was this petty competition going on, which really had nothing to do with friendship.

This made me wonder if there was anything really positive about these online communities. I think there is something good about people being able to form collectives with like-minded people, and in a way they are in fact forming connections within a community. So, are these online communities essentially replacing "real" communities? I have to say, this is the first time in my life I've ever even pondered the subject of community, and thought about my place within my own community. I wonder how many other people my age feel as though they belong where they live, and feel a connection with it and its landmarks. I can only speak for myself, but I bet most don't. Maybe that's just an aspect of city living? Maybe its intrinsic to our generation, since communication is so different than it was for our parents? We are connected with the entire world, across the planet, we can talk to anyone. But at the same time, we're isolated because we don't have to speak to people directly...it's strange.

Here are some more photos of Chris's parents' place,