Wordless Wednesday

Not a pure wordless wednesday, as this links to a video.   All I have to say is I 'heart' lindy hop and So you think you can dance. 

http://vodpod.com/watch/2572597-sytycd-season-6-top-12-ellenore-and-ryan-lindy-hop-by-carla-heiney-ive-got-to-be-a-rg-cutter-by-the-boilermaker-jazz-band

Thanks also to Mary Murphy for giving props to Frankie Manning.  

Toilet Training Update

Once again I'm blogging about toilet training.  To try and keep this blog as poop free as possible click my cloth diapering blog for further details.

Inspirational Women

So yesterday I did a fun yet superficial blog about shoes at the Women in Leadership Foundation SuperWomen & Friends Gala.  I had not planned on blogging about the event, as I was volunteering and figured I'd be too busy.  But the keynote speaker was so awesome and so funny I found myself taking out my notebook and writing some things down. 

The keynote speaker was Andrea Holmes, a 2010 Paralympic Alpine hopeful.  I instantly liked her as we sat in the mini touch up bar (how fabulous was it to have a mini hair and make-up bar before the 'red carpet' photos).  She and my friend were having their hair done and we all easily laughed and joked about how 'only women' would think of such a thing. 

Andrea's quick wit and sense of humour makes it clear she often uses humour to make other people comfortalbe with her disability.   She easily jokes about herself refering to wearing 3" heels with her prosthetic leg; her leg & ski dropping off a ski lift; beating the girl in Grade 6 at track after she and her mom dismissed her because of her disability; and how going through an airport security with her can be a disaster. 

She spoke of her immense pride of representing Canada in games around the world; walking into the arena for the Paralympic opening ceremonies in Athens; and being 1 of 10 Canadians to carry the paralympic torch in Beijing. 

It is clear that Andrea is a very determined focused woman. She sets unattainable goals for herself and goes for them.  She decided she was going to compete in Athens Paralympic games just 2 years before the games, and had no coach at the time.  And she decided to switch to winter sports when Vancouver was awarded the 2010 games.  She knows it will take a lot of work to make the 2010 alpine team, but she is determined to make it. 

She noted a favourite quote...  " When you wake up in the morning, you have two choices - go back to sleep and dream your dreams, or wake up and chase those dreams!"  -- Author Unknown ---

Andrea's choice is obvious.  As I wake up tomorrow I hope I'm awake enough to chase mine.     

Running

So I wrote the post below on Saturday and thought that I posted it.  It is a lame post, but I want to show that I had actually done the post on Saturday and didn't miss a day of Blog a day November. 

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Today I'm just running.  Last minute pieces to organize for any media attending tonight's Women in Leadership gala and none of the technology seems to be cooperating. Thankfully FedEx Kinko's is open on Saturdays.

Off to iron dress, hair, make-up, dress and then run downtown.

Tomorrow I'll hopefully have some fun pics and highlights of the evening.

Shoes, shoes everywhere

Last night was the big Women in Leadership Foundation gala I've been working on for months.   And the dress that I hand tailored Friday night didn't come up to snuff, so a bunch of other dresses got reviewed and finally one chosen. A pretty (if bit boring) black dress was chosen in the end.  And all because it went with the all important red shoes!  So it was the winner. 

And while a lot of other women were dressed in black, there was a great array of lovely dresses at the event last night.   But top of mind for me was checking out all the fantastic shoes.  So this is a picture blog of the gala in shoes.  Early in the evening all the shoes are women I know... but after a drink from the martini luge I started asking strangers to take pictures of their feet.  The biggest trends seemed to be the pointy toed black, followed by red shoes with a black dress. 

Couldn't figure out how to get the flickr album to show up inside the blog, so just click below to find the album.   Flickr Shoe Set

Follow Friday

The November rain seems to be getting to me more than  usual these days, and I woke up with a headache.  So today's blog follow friday will be all about the escapism blog. 

I love the pop culture analysis at mamapop.com and snarky comments about silly reality stars or strangely dressed celebrities.    Run by and contributed to by a great group of parents. Somehow their analysis and comments seem to hit home more for me than lets say some other bitter bitchy gossips - can you say Perez 'get a life'.  These are people who love pop culture. Plus I never really feel that they cross the line into what isn't really my business.    For those on twitter you must follow their updates @mamapop.

Plus you have to LOVE any sight that has herbadmother.com as a contributor.  I will follow that bloggess to the ends of the earth.  She gives her take on motherhood and life with her usual biting humour intact.  Be warned this one is not for the faint of heart.   She always lays it out there with honesty and if it too hard for you to read... well that would be your problem.  @herbadmother on twitter.

What to wear

For weeks I have had my new black chiffon dress hanging at the front of the closet.  The purpose was to remind me to get it tailored before the Women in Leadership Foundation gala this upcoming Saturday.  The dress isn't exactly new... it is over a year old. But I've never worn it because it needs to be taken in.   So I put it out front and centre to make sure I remembered to take it to a seamstress.

I didn't!

Gala is now in 2 days.  So my choices are:

1. Hand sew it myself (my sewing machine is broken).
2. Find something else to wear.  And yes, I do have other dresses, but I've worn them lots of times and really wanted to wear my new dress. 

To add insult to injury I actually bought new shoes to wear with the dress.  Now lets call a spade a spade here. I haven't bought new shoes since last spring (those awesome orange fluevog sandles).  And these snazzy red shoes called out to me.  So the gala might - just might - have been an excuse to buy new shoes.  But they are comfortable which is important when you are standing at a gala for several hours.  And most importantly they are red.  And now darn gone it I want to wear them out.

So I guess I'll be spending Friday night taking in my own dress... the old fashioned needle and thread way.   Hopefully my hand sewing will last until my second martini.