My Facebook Date

This blog was dedicated originally to my dating life and every once in a while I return to its roots.  Recently I've become really into infographics--what a convenient way to put out information into the ether of the WWW.  And so I've researched a bunch of topics starting with being a blended family.  Crickets..... 

Well, what about Facebook? There is a treasure trove of stuff about social media & dating. So I let the infographic speak for itself.  Cool Stuff!

What does Facebook say about your love life? infographic

Sailing Into Year Three

When I stop & think about where I am from three years ago, I almost can't believe it. At that time I went from being a single mom with a crazy dating life to being for all intents & purposes married with a stepfamily.  Yikes!  Did it happen really fast or is it just my impression of it? On the left is the card that I gave to Xing Fu--so representative of who we are as a couple(except I ask, where is the pole for that kite??)  Inside it says, "The adventure continues..." That too is representative of us.  It has definitely been quite the adventure from when we first sailed together down on the West River to now--sailing off into the uncharted waters of being a "blended family". It hasn't always been smooth waters (to continue this sailing/water metaphor), choppy to be sure & occasionally gale force winds--to be quite honest, this relationship has been one of the hardest things that I've worked at in my life.  I think that is a good thing though--my commitment to what we're building together is what drives me & the thought of sailing off into the sunset together at some point in the future.... This post is dedicated to Xing Fu--I feel so lucky to have met you & that you have chosen me to spend your life with.  I wouldn't trade it.  143

Almost Three

I am thinking it's a sign
That the freckles in our eyes
Are mirror images and
When we kiss they're perfectly aligned

--Such Great Heights,  The Postal Service

Just about three years ago, things began to change dramatically for me.  I received a text while I was shopping for groceries which said, "I hope our freckles align."  I think that may have been the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me.  When I read that text, it literally took my breath away.  I remember the moment precisely.  I was walking with my cart toward the frozen aisle at the Shoppers at Greenspring, thinking about how my weekend was quite strange but knew that something may shift soon, so I was already in a heightened state & there it was. I won't ever forget that time--when I'm frustrated or irked with Xing Fu, I remind myself of that text & I'm transported back to that day.  And to this day, some of the most touching, & eloquent things are said to me via written correspondence of some sort.  Even as we edge closer to the three year mark, & as Xing Fu likes to say, "the blush has worn off that rose," there are times that transport me back to when my feet didn't touch the ground & I was a silly, giddy thing.  I'm glad it's still there.

Winter's Solstice

The Didgeridoo

Climb the light the color of love
Aligned with the sign of the beautiful desire
One and other you and I
Entwined in the finest beautiful, beautiful, beautiful desire
--Beautiful Desire  Telesma


Vaycay is always filled with activities & usually the summer is the non-stop activity trip but I this vaycay, as it is inevitably & unfortunately drawing to a hasty close, has been chock full of stuff going on.  I wrote about the beach trip but I didn't share another part of the winter break--stuff that Xing Fu & I did alone.  

On the solstice, and the day after the world was about to end, Xing Fu & I went to a warehouse way out near Arbutus in a clearly huge industrial park to listen to a band we enjoy a great deal--Telesma.  For me, Telesma has some history.  Way back I've written about how each year there was a solstice party featuring Alex Gray painting & Telesma playing with lots of other performance artists.  The first year that I wanted to go, I ended up with the bizarre ex-preacher with 11 kids who couldn't even make it to the show.  The following year, Xing Fu & I were going to go but it snowed on the solstice & the show was pushed to February.  We eventually saw the show & it was amazing & wonderful.  It was great to go to see them on the solstice once again, three years later. 

It was definitely freaky-deaky driving there because it was in a warehouse way back of row after row of gray, squat buildings with minimal lighting.  Obviously not designed for a concert....but we found it & with a bit of trepidation, climbed the stairs into the nondescript warehouse--inside was Orion Studios--a practice/soundstage/studio for artists & bands. The room opened up with cool lighting & posters, a stage, artists painting, & lots of folk of all ages, types, milling about. There was even a cool face painter so I sat down & had her put lots of sparkle on my face (along with face paint). Also amongst the folk was an artist very similar to Alex Gray--Adam Scott Miller.  Kinda the trippy vibe that Alex Gray has--we looked over his prints & decided that one was perfect for our house--so we bought a reproduction painting entitled "Celestial Shore"  which Adam personally signed to me.  

Celestial Shore

Telesma hit the stage & Xing Fu & I were immediately caught up in their sound.  Lucky to have such a cool local band around.  Hard to describe them but I've seen them described thusly, "electro-acoustic psychedelic world dance music".  And on their website they self-describe as being able "to taste the color of sound."  http://telesmaband.com/      Regardless, we were enjoying the vibe and everyone was grooving together.  A great night for us and we have a little bit of the evening hanging on our wall now. Looking forward to more nights like this one for 2013.