Day 211: Angel's Cradle

http://www.theprovince.com/health/Abandoned+baby+drop+opened+Vancouver+Paul+Hospital/2968055/story.html

St Paul's Hospital will be providing a safe place for women to drop off their unwanted babies. The mother gives birth to the baby. If they don't want to keep the baby, the can drop the baby off anonymously. The drop off is located beside the emergency door at St Paul's Hospital. The mother can open the small door, drop the baby off and leave. Once the mother closes the small door, an alarm will go on and a nurse will attend to the baby. The baby is then taken care of and passed on to the ministry of children and family development.

I was very shocked when I first read the article in the Province. I saw it on the 6 o clock news. The anchorperson interviewed a doctor at St Paul's hospital. The doctor said that they have mothers who give birth and then leave the hospitals without their babies and it happens once a month. I can't believe that happens. That is horrible to abandon a baby. It is good that the hospital provides a safe place for the babies. I think the hospital realizes there are many woman who abandon their babies so they wanted to provide a safe place for them to leave the baby. Babies have been abandoned in the garbage dump, in the garbage bins, and even at the door step of the hospital. I do realize that not all pregnancies are planned and some are a result of a negative experience. There are many types of contraceptives available. There are also many clinics that will provide contraceptives and counselling. There is also the avenue of a legal adoption process. To abandon a baby is the ultimate last resort.

Day 210: Reunions

Restaurant blog update: Chili Garden
http://lisa-restaurants.blogspot.com/2010/04/chili-garden.html

These few weeks has and will been reunions for me. The other night I saw a friend whom I haven't seen in 15 years. We went to elementary school together. I forgot that we even went to high school together. It was thanks to Facebook that we reconnected. We have two mutual friends. One was here in town for a short while. He was in town for a few days and I saw him one night and saw her also. I saw her for only about 30 mins. It was right before my swimming lesson. We had intentions to meet again because we live so close but we didn't. We finally got together with the other mutual friend. Because of all the things happening at the Olympics and my trip to Chicago, it took us about 3 months to get together. We just went out for dinner. It was a two and a half hour dinner because there was so much to catch on. We had to catch up on the last 15 years.

My next reunion is on May 8. There were 5 of us that hung out in 1998. There was my two cousins, my guy friend, my girl friend and myself. We did many things together. Life happens and we went our separate ways. For the past 10 or so years we haven't seen each other. One cousin found my guy friend on Facebook last week and suggested we go for coffee. I though if three of us were going to hang out, might as well get the other two to come also. I got their emails and emailed all of them to see if they wanted to come together for a reunion. All of them are up for it! We are going out for dinner and bringing our significant others. There is lots to catch up on from the last 10 years.

Day 209: db bistro / walking

Restaurant blog update:

http://lisa-restaurants.blogspot.com/2010/04/db-bistro.html

Health and wellness update:

http://lisahealthwellness.blogspot.com/2010/04/day-6-training-for-sun-run.html

Day 208: Dine Out Vancouver

This should be a foodie's dream time of the year. It is Tourism Vancouver's promotion to get people out to eat at participating restaurants. There are 3 pricing levels; $18, $28 and $38. Each restaurant is categorized in a pricing level. The price is for a three course meal. For some restaurants, its totally worth it because their regular menu is quite pricey. Some restaurants are so popular that the day the list comes out all their reservations are booked for the whole time period.

This year Dine Out Vancouver is from April 26 to May 6, 2010. Because it is so popular Tourism Vancouver doesn't release the list of restaurants till a week prior. This makes it difficult for me to plan a dinner for Dine Out. It doesn't give me much time to invite guests to the dinner. I will only be going to two dinners this year. Both of them are organized by my friends. I am just tagging along.

For the last 4 years, I have been spending a lot of money on eating out. Some people don't like spending lots of money eating out at restaurants. I think it is a whole experience. It is to enjoy the company of friends and to try new foods. Some restaurants are more relaxing and have a nice decor. It contributes to your whole dining experience. When you eat out, you don't have to worry about cooking and cleaning. unless you like cooking. Sometimes you just don't have time to cook.

Day 207: Imitation, a form of flattery?

I went to the Canucks game on Friday night for Game 5 of the playoffs. It was exciting and the energy was incredible. It was my first Canucks playoff game. I like Fin, the mascot. He's really cute and gets the crowd cheering for the Canucks. One of the highlights for me at this game was when Fin came out wearing green spandex. He was imitating the Green Men (http://www.facebook.com/canucksgreenmen?v=wall#!/canucksgreenmen?v=wall).

The Green Men sit beside the opponents penalty box. Every time the opponents get in the penalty box the Green Men mocks them by making crying faces or just being silly. I'm sure they opponents hate it when they get in the penalty box.

Was Fin wearing the green spandex to mock them or because he admires them?

I started my blog last summer. Then the movie Julie and Julia came out late in the summer about Julie writing on a blog for 365 days. Now I know two other people who has a 365 day challenge. One has a fitness challenge. He has a fitness goal and determined to get in shape / be in shape by day 365. He is running and doing yoga. The other person is a photographer and has a 365 day photo challenge. He is challenging himself to take a photo (a good photo?) every day and carrying his camera everywhere he goes. Maybe they got inspired by the movie? Maybe I inspired them?? hahah.. I don't know. If I did, they haven't told me.

Day 206: Glee / Canucks

I don't follow alot of shows but Glee is one show I follow. The season started again after a few month hiatus. The much anticipated Madonna episode was on Tuesday night. I was so excited to watch it. My favourite show and my favourite singer all in one. They sang about 10 of her songs. It seemed like there was one every 5 minutes. They sang her retro hits (Open Your Heart, Like a Virgin, etc). It was a Madonna sing along for me!

I was excited for the Glee episode with Madonna but I'm even more excited that Im going to see the Canucks vs Kings at GM Place tomorrow night. It's going to be a nail biting game. The series is tied at 2 - 2. I have never been to a playoff game before. I heard the energy there is incredible. I am hoping and praying really hard that the Canucks will win tomorrow's game. I paid an arm and a leg for the tix (seems like that to me). They better give me good entertainment value for me to get my money's worth.

Day 205: Updated Bucket List

I am noting the items I have done (or started). I have not added any items ..YET!!!

1. Learn to swim - took Level 1 lessons, have to take Level 2 to actually swim properly
   
2. Learn to do aqua fit - done
   
3. Excel at rollerblading - still working on
   
4. Run Vancouver Sun Run or another type of run- coming up on May 9, 2010
   
5. Learn to play golf
6. Learn to ski
7. Learn to snowboard
8. Go horseback riding
9. Learn to play tennis
10. Learn Mandarin - have to take more classes
    
11. Go to Tofino
12. Go paragliding
13. Go scuba diving
14. Learn pilates - done
    
15. Go rock climbing - indoor and outdoor
    
16. Go visit Chicago, Illinois - went in March / April 2010
    
17. Go visit the Louvre in Paris, France (and the rest of Paris)
18. Go visit Hawaii - went in Nov / Dec 2009
    
19. Go on a Caribbean Cruise
20. Take up photography
21. Be a better pool player -ongoing
    
22. Take up gourmet cooking
23. Learn to write - took one course..more to come?
    
24. Start and continue a blog about me and my thoughts - ongoing
    
25. Finish my bachelors degree
26. Meet Oprah and talk to Oprah
27. Meet a difference in a persons life every month - ongoing
    
28. Donate my hair to raise money for cancer - still growing my hair to the required length
    
29. Join Big Sister program
30. Donate blood - last July
    
31. Visit Rick in Japan
32. Celebrate life every day - ongoing
    
33. Become more financially literate
34. Find the love of my life
35. Continue with my family tree
36. Go seadooing - last Aug at Cultus Lake
    
37. Go windsurfing
38. Sins of the City Walking Tour - went in Sept 2009
    
39. Go go - karting
40. Go see Montreal
41. Go see Winnipeg
42. Go see PEI (on the rest of eastern Canada)
43. Go to Birch Bay
44. Go to Cultus lake - went Aug 2009
    
45. Go to a cornmaze
46. Go ATV’ing
47. Go camping
48. Go fishing

17 out of 48 items have been completed or still being worked on

hmmm have to think of more items..maybe more challenging ones?