Shannon's Blog: Minding My Own Business

"She said Tell me are you a Christian, child? And I said Ma'am I am tonight." -Marc Cohn, Walking in Memphis “Do you know the Lord’s prayer?” The question - called out to me by a stranger on the street - catches me off guard.  This guy is vaguely familiar to me. He and his girlfriend sit in a doorway with their stuffed backpacks. I imagine they may be under-housed. Calling out greetings to the passersby.  I had smiled as I'd walked past, returning a friendly wave.  And now, this question from left field: Do I know the Lord's prayer? I cringe inwardly. Is it leading up to a creative request for spare change? Am I about to have my WASP-y ass handed to me? I pause, calculating the risk.

"Nobody can bring you peace but yourself."  Ralph Waldo Emerson A few months ago, back when travel was still in the social lexicon, I pulled off the highway for a quick health break.  Imagine my disappointment when I discovered the available facility wasn't a bathroom at all, but an outhouse. Gross! I have specific protocols for outhouses:  close my eyes, hold my breath, sometimes even plug my ears.  And for the love of all that is good, control that imagination!   Focus only on the task. These are natural instincts when we're uncomfortable.  And although these strategies are perfect for a five-minute pit stop, they aren't productive for long-term coping.

I can't believe it's already May. Since my last blog,  I've reached a number of exciting milestones: I got my business license, launched my new Facebook page , and deposited my first paycheque as an entrepreneur! I'm proud of my progress. But truth be told, this has been a tough winter, and this post is more personal than professional. I spent months feeling like I was fighting the office cold, and generally felt a desire to climb into my bear-cave and hibernate through to Spring. In March, just as the sun came out and the robins began to sing, my pace of life slowed even further. I felt tired, sluggish, and couldn't concentrate. My motivation was non-existent. I assumed I was finally getting the flu. I didn't get the flu. But I spent almost a week at home, sleeping 10-hour nights and topping up with mid-day naps. I startled easily, and could feel my pulse pounding in my belly, sounding alarm bells at imaginary threats. At this point, m...

It's that time of year when the world falls in love Every song you hear seems to say   "Merry Christmas, may your New Year dreams come true." - Christmas Waltz by Sammy Cahn & Jule Styne I love the centrepiece laid out on the table above, and the way it brings joy on so many levels: pinecones for texture and growth, pomegranate seeds for colour and zest, sprigs of pine for fragrance, and of course, a lantern to light the path. Add a little Sinatra to round out the senses. Whatever your personal tradition, this is the time of year we find solace amid the darkness, and celebrate the gradual lengthening of the days.  During this time of reflection, I wish you all the warmth and coziness of December.  Wrap yourself in a blanket and curl up by the fire. Take afternoon naps. Bake gingerbread. Keep your loved ones close.  It's the season for comfort. From my home to yours, Merry Christmas! xo Shannon  *** What a year!  This marks my...

"On the subway, we feel like strangers, but we're all in this together." - Ben Lee, Singer full song here I've been talking to a lot of people and seeing a lot of comments online from people who are lonely. We are finding it harder and harder to make those personal connections that give us that sense of belonging we all seek. I don't have the clinical or sociological expertise to discuss the roots of this problem or its significance on society, but I'm a human, and I've also experienced loneliness - especially through large swaths of my adolescence and young adulthood - so I feel modestly qualified to talk about this. I don't mention any of it to bring you down. I mention it because there's a terrible irony here: If you feel lonely, you're not alone. This is a complex topic, with many strands and solutions that vary by circumstances.  But let's not overlook the simple solutions either - whether you're lonely yourself...

We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.                                                                                          - John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States In the last month, I've been taking ca...

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. -Ralph Waldo Emerson Did you feel life pick up speed his week?  I know I did. My inbox flooded with loudspeaker announcements of sales, as every store I've ever shopped at tried to grab a piece of me.  Yikes! Whether or not you're in the thick of things already, we're all close.  It's the last week of November after all. The time when to-do lists surge out of control. Parties and concerts abound.  We burn through our reserves of Vitamin D. I'm on high alert. As a small business owner, my biggest risk to my productivity isn't a computer virus or a power outage.  For me, it's the common cold and flu. Have you ever tried to write when you're sick?  Sinuses aren't the only thing that clog - inspiration does too. And it's hard to be creative when you're sleeping. Starting now, I'm keeping extra special watch over my well-being. That means paying attention to hand-washing. Stay...