Just A Little Off Kilter....

It's Thanksgiving...okay, it's Thanksgiving in the US but whatevs...I have friends in the US so it's Thanksgiving for me too (even though it's Takeout Thursday and a Jr. Bacon cheeseburger is on the menu) but still. So i n honor of all things food today (and thankfulness of course) I present to you... Eighteen food facts about Janet Off Kilter... Janet Off Kilter grinds her own peppercorns. With her teeth. Janet Off Kilter brushes her teeth with wasabi and gargles with pickle brine. But still...her breath smells like apple pie. Janet Off Kilter doesn't reduce sauces. She demoralizes sauces. Janet Off Kilter's other car is the Wienermobile. Janet Off Kilter can fit three hundred and forty-two cookies on a standard-sized baking sheet...without any touching. Janet Off Kilter owns the fastest mixer in existence. When she runs it in reverse, time flows backwards.  Janet Off Kilter grows truffles in her back yard. And at harvest time, she sniffs them

Didn't know true sadness until I accidentally pressed a button on my iPhone camera and saw my face from 2 inches away.

I have no Christmas spirit. None. Zip. Zero. I’m not a huge holiday person to start with. The Christmas decorations I own are neatly contained in one box. I don’t bake cookies, I don’t do cards, I own no holiday clothing. Not even socks. But usually I have some engagement with the season. A little part of me connects with the general excitement and allure. I hear a traditional song and smile. I find a gift for someone that I think they’ll love. I eat a cookie (that someone else has baked) and relish the crumbs. This year...nothing. I know Christmas is still a month away but yeah. A variety of factors are playing in. Work is incredibly busy, which means all I have energy for when I get home is sitting. Sometimes even that gets overwhelming. Traveling to connect with family sounds incredibly tiring, regardless of the end benefits. Decorating and baking equal clean up. Christmas parties mean leaving the house and the last thing I want to do when I get home from work is go o

My life has not been easy hard times I've seen my share, through trials and tribulations, you were always standing there. You lent an ear, and gave a hand, and always seemed to understand. At times when I was torn and weak, and could not bear the stress, you always gave your all to me never any less. To you I'm always grateful for all that we have shared, for standing right beside me showing that you cared. Thank you for your kind, supportive and loving words on yesterday's post. I'm thankful for each and everyone one of you that take the time out of your day to follow my journey and offer such encouraging words. 

When you first start out trying to conceive you are filled with hope, optimism and excitement. You smile secret smiles while you dream about your future. You have visions of blissful mother and baby moments, all soft lighting and beautiful music. As the months and years go by, and as you face negative after negative, the dream soon becomes too painful to dream. Instead of soft lighting and beautiful music there is disappointment, pain and fear that the dream might never become a reality. There is no vision, there is only a big question mark. And so you go into self preservation mode. The music goes off and the lights go dark and you start wondering if it is really worth it. Perhaps that beautiful vision isn't real. Perhaps you were fooling yourself all along. Perhaps you don't really want this. Look at your life...your life isn't so bad as it is. Maybe deep down, you don't really want this. The pain of trying again and again seems too much. Perhaps you should j

Cheese fondue, Settlers of Catan (best game ever) and seeing the inside of the climbing gym this weekend is on my agenda. What are your weekend plans?

We all have cranky days, where you just wake up cranky and stay cranky all day and no matter how much positive self talk or repeating positive affirmations you do...it doesn't make an ounce of difference.  I'm having one of the those today and it's allowed me to get a few insights into how to deal with them in a positive manner, without damaging too many people along the way. Notice how you feel, be the observer and watch the emotions flow through you and how they affect you physically. This puts a little distance between 'you' and the emotions allowing some space to breathe. From this vantage point you can see how thoughts create emotions and then emotions affect the body. Avoid judging yourself. You may find that your internal monologue will start to say things like "Look at you, you got angry, you’re bad person" That merely is the ego (or little crazy me as I like to call it) making another pointless judgement. Just let the thoughts go without b

I'm never sure of the differences between a crocodile, an alligator, and a staple remover. They all look alike.

Life is not fair. It never has been, and it never will be. Some people are born with powerful advantages. Others are born with crippling disadvantages. For everyone, in different ways and at different times for each person, life is challenging. And although life is not fair, it is dynamic and responsive. Though life is not fair, and though life presents you with endless challenges, you have the opportunity to do something about those challenges. One very important thing you can do is to dream, and use the power of those dreams to triumph even in the face of all the unfairness and the challenges. But you know what? I'm finding it incredibly hard to dream let alone use the power of those dreams to triumph at the moment. I'm struggling with the news that a friend is suffering in the midst of unfathomable situation on her road to becoming a mother, her partner a father. I'm struggling with the fact that Adam and I have fought so hard in our quest to becoming parents whe

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.  John McCrae I'm from a military family - My great-grandfather, my grandfather, my father, my sister and myself...we all served our country. My sister still serves as a member of the air force. I'm immensely proud and today I salute everyone that has served and serves in the armed forces.  Thank you. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National War Memorial via Ottawa 365

Happy weekend my friends ☺

A lucid dream is any dream in which one, for an uninterrupted and prolonged amount of time, is aware that one is dreaming. The phenomenon had also been referred to by Greek philosopher Aristotle who had observed: "often when one is asleep, there is something in consciousness which declares that what then presents itself is but a dream". I lucid dream often and I've noticed that it tends to only happen in the two weeks following ovulation (today is 2dpo). Perhaps the surge in progesterone has something to do with it? Lucid dreaming is an odd, weird and a sometimes wonderful thing but I wonder...do others lucid dream as often as I do? I am acutely aware that I'm off kilter but are there others just as off kilter as I? Here are a few interesting facts about dreams... Every human dreams. There are tons of people who can’t remember their dreams when they wake up, but they still get them. In an average lifetime, you would have spent a total of about six years of

I'm concentrating so hard on trying not to eat a third cupcake that I literally can't do my job. via Kailley's Kitchen

I love sitting in a public place watching people go by. Guessing at what they do, who they are, what their lives are like. It can entertain me for hours. It was on one of my trips to the mall when I noticed her. She sat alone in the food court drinking her tea from a Tim Horton's paper cup. I knew it was tea because the string of the tea bag was hanging over the side of her cup. I'm guessing she was in her late 70s or early 80s. That age range came to mind because she had an uncanny resemblance to my grandmother (who passed earlier this year). Her gray hair was short with the type of curls that could only come from rollers and setting lotion. Her black coat was open revealing a white T-shirt with a floral design around the neck. Her polyester blue pants had a permanent crease in the legs and her sneakers, which I am sure she had chosen for comfort, had seen better days. She sipped her tea and stared blankly ahead. Not noticing anyone around her. Just deep in thought. It was

Dear Special K® Red Berries Cereal, How wonderful you have been to me. No no, wait. Let me rephrase. How special you have been to me, Special K. See that? Your name is also what you are. I’m not sure what the K stands for, there aren't a ton of words starting with the letter K which directly relate to cereal but either way, thank you. Thank you for being there for me when I realized I didn't really know how to cook myself dinner. Thank you for being there for me when I didn't feel like ordering dinner, which would never turn out as good as you. You’re irresistible, Special K with Berries. You’re not like your simple brother, Special K, no not at all. You’re sweeter. More understanding. Your box says a serving size is one cup, but I don’t listen to “them”. No. I go all the way. The whole box. That’s what love is. Shakespeare said it best. If music be the food of love, play on. It…it vaguely relates. It has the word food in it. Also, I love you. Forever and Always, Janet

It's been a long week and I just couldn't muster the energy for today's Funny Face Friday so I present you this cheat video. Happy weekend my lovely peoples!