Love: The Soul of the Island

   Good morning dearest readers and I hope you have either slept well last night or are still sleeping well at this point. I'm up early since I'm getting ready for work but while browsing on my phone this morning, I stumbled upon some of the pictures I took while vacationing on Manitoulin Island. If you've read some of the older posts you know that Manitoulin Island is my favorite place on this planet and that I crave to go back the second I leave it. Well I'm missing it already so it's a good thing that I took pictures.
   The ones I will post are taken during my favorite part of the day there. Sure I like my mornings since I go for coffee with my dad but I don't have the chance to look at the sunrise. And I like the afternoons since we go golfing, or kayaking, or spend time with family, but the weather changes out throughout the day. The one time of day that continues to be utterly beautiful is the sunset. We've recently had a string of bad weather and I did feel it on the island but regardless of rain or cloudy days, the sunset was always breathtaking.
   When I see the sky the way you'll be able to see in the pictures, my mind is filled with wonder as I try to imagine if aboriginal mythology is correct. Maybe, just maybe the island does have a soul and it reflects and grabs hold of my attention with its mesmerizing sunsets. Regardless of what I think, I just know that its a time of peace and reflection, and one of the main reasons why I keep going back.

K.P.H.

Literature: Breaking those Boundaries

   Good evening dearest readers and I am pleased to report that I am back from vacation and therefore will try to write as often as possible since I have no scheduled other arrangements. Slowly but surely school is creeping its way forward as summer unfortunately inches its way to an end. It's never fun to see vacations end but how could we appreciate them if we had them all the time. By now I'm sure you all know how being grateful for what you have is very important to me, because if you cannot be thankful for what you have, how can you expect to appreciate what you want.
   Now I didn't start this entry to lecture you all on being grateful, I have started this entry to confess. I'm not a person who's big on change. My parents know this (a little too well I might add), my friends know this and my roommates know it too (especially when I stay upstairs and don't want to go out because I have to make a big decision). I do have big decisions to make coming up that will alter how certain things turn out for me and they aren't easily made. However, I didn't have that much trouble breaking a literary boundary. I have said, and I stick to my word when I said that I will NOT read a Jodi Picoult or Nicholas Sparks book because they are sappy and corny and everything I try to escape when I immerse myself in a literary journey.
   When I followed a fantasy writing workshop with Ottawa's very own Patricia K. McCarthy, I acquired a new mentor. I've had the privilege to be coached by Nancy Richler, and now Patricia has been gracious enough to offer me more opportunities than I could have imagined possible at this stage of the game. I will be able to attend a book launch party (and get to meet publishers and agents), I'll be working a booth at the Ottawa Geek Market selling Patricia's novels as a 'booth babe' (which is quite the flattering title), and also be able to write pitches, and be her available helper and volunteer. Because I'm getting so involved with an entrepreneur/author, I've started to read her Crimson Vampire series. Each book takes on a different sub-genre and I'm quickly learning that maybe my tastes are a lot more eclectic than I thought. She brings a very different and unique twist to the common day vampire. The novel is not focused on the mythical aspect of it all, but of the true, normal love between two people who are each other's worlds. And I'm telling you now, Twilight has nothing on this series. I've nearly finished the first novel of the six and my interest is peaked (ps. the vampire doesn't sparkle because that would be stupid).
   So whether you are on the fence about reading her books or just want to do research on a Canadian author, I'll include her website bellow. Everyone needs a little help sometimes and it's good to support each other because the struggle is real. With a little hard work and a helping hand, it's amazing what turn the world takes when your eyes open wider.

http://www.patriciakmccarthy.com/

K.P.H.

Laughter: Okay Alice

   Good morning dearest readers and I know it is still early so I don't expect most of you to be awake yet, but I wanted to write one last entry before I left for my vacation this morning. It will be a quick entry at that.
   For many things, my mother and I share many interests. However, when it comes to books, I tend to gravitate more towards my father's preferences than my mothers. It's not that my mom doesn't read good books, it's that she's a lot more open when it comes to books than I am. I'm not one who likes sappy, lovey-dovey or even those who claim to be fiction but portray a much too real story to be able to have that title.
   My mother just recently finished a book entitled "Still Alice" and from what I understand, it's the story of a mother who has an early stage of Alzheimer's which is only going to get much worse with time. This is a serious issue, but my mom enjoyed it because it made her think and consider a whole new perspective to how she sees the world now. My parents have even started a kind pun back home related to the book. When one of them starts to forget something, they just tell each other "Okay Alice, what did you forget?" and then proceed to help each other find the item that has been lost. As I was packing last night, I couldn't remember when I had put some papers and my new contact lenses that my mom had given me on Tuesday, and I spent the night retracing my steps to no success, just to have her look in the box of books next to the bed and pull out the bag that I needed.
   Though I hadn't read the book, I still know much about the story since my mom likes talking to me about it. Even if we don't all have unfortunate early signs of Alzheimer's, we still seem to misplace things a lot more easily. When you've got too much on your plate, relax, take a step back and get someone else's perspective because you might just be overthinking the whole things. Pace yourself at everything because life's a marathon; sure you can come out on top, but you'll end up exhausted too. Live you life the way it was meant to be lived!

K.P.H.

Love: Forget your Fancy Footwork

    Good evening my dear readers and I wish you all well on this fine Wednesday. I am fortunate enough to only have one more day of work before I am able to leave for my vacation. I should probably mention that right now, but I will not be able to post entries for the upcoming week because there is no internet nor cellphone reception where I am going. It's not that I don't enjoy all of your company, but once in a while it's good to live disconnected for a period of time.
   I still have to finish packing but I didn't wan to leave without posting a couple last entries that you can read while waiting for my return, so today I've decided to post another video. It is something completely different, and by different I mean I'm not using a conventional instrument, and by not a conventional instrument, I mean I'm using a cup. Yes my dearest readers I have attempted (and I personally think that I've succeeded) the Cup Song that has been introduced to the world through the movie "Pitch Perfect". I actually had the chance to learn the cup routine before the movie even came out at a French youth convention, but it just made it a little easier to learn the entire song from the beginning.
   If you've been able to master the cup song, or have given a not-so-traditional twist to a popular song, I suggest that you share it so that more people can be inspired by your work. It is true what they say; it only takes one match to light a spark, and from that, the whole sky can be lit. Therefore dear readers I encourage you to let the creative juices flow and show the world the fire within.

K.P.H.

Love: Cover Me Up

   Good afternoon dearest readers and I hope you are all enjoying your Monday. This week is the week I finally get to pack up and head over to the place I've been longing for ever since I left it last; yes, I am finally going to Manitoulin Island. I'm leaving soon but I still have a work week ahead of me. However, there is nothing that can bring down my good mood right now.
   With that said, I've decided to release a video today and it's something rather new to the blog. You will see that I have my guitar out therefore it is not the fact that I'm singing that's new, it is what I'm singing that's new. For the first time I've decided to release a cover of one of my favorite songs. Usually I tend to showcase my own songs, but since I've only had the chance to copyright the ones that have been posted, I will be releasing covers for a little while now until I have everything else organized as well as new material written.
   So I invite you to enjoy my dearest readers and feel free to post a response in the comments of one of your favorite covers; whether you are the one covering it, or it is being interpreted by another artists. Always remember that anything can be beautiful, but it is when we see it through the eyes of another that we have a whole other appreciation for it.

K.P.H.