when i get down...

...I listen to this:

a truth.

Some days, being single sucks.
Some days, it feels like you'll be single forever.
Some days, it feels like you'll always have to plan your own birthday party, and ask your married friends to find a babysitter so you can hang out.
Some days, married friends comment on how your single life is so adventurous and free, and you just want them to know it also includes lonely times, tears, tough questions, and a whole lot of waiting around.
Some days, you just don't want to be the only one having to make all the decisions about your life. 
Some days, you just need to vent.

Today is one of those days.

i love this place.

If you're unfamiliar, this is a painting of Main St., Vancouver. On the right is the Ivanhoe Hotel, a place I call home 12 nights a year when I bring CBC students into Vancouver.

The Ivanhoe has a certain rhythm. A certain smell. A certain sound (usually the ancient heating system...or the sounds of the late-night crowd at the pub below...whichever is louder). A certain "I can't believe that just happened" feel, such as the time Steven Segal made a movie in the building (which went straight to DVD by the way). I walked into a lobby full of African-American "SWAT" men. I can't say that's ever happened to me anywhere else. I love it.

What I really have grown to love is the people of the Ivanhoe. There's Chris who runs the front desk; then there's Chris who runs the cafe; and there's Chris who runs the pub. Yup, I'm serious. (Ok, well actually Chris #3 just gave up the pub and took over the cafe from Chris #2, so now there's only 2 guys named Chris).

But honestly, there are some wonderful people with incredible willing and protective hearts who take care of me and my students when we come into Vancouver. (I even ran into one of the maintenance men on the ferry going to the Island for Christmas last year - we had a little conversation about life and I had to chuckle at how life unfolds as I walked away).

Each time I'm there, the routine is similar. When I lie in my bed on the fifth floor of the Ivanhoe, I look out my window and watch the lights of Science World as I drift to sleep. At least two hours later I am awoken by some craziness outside below on the street. But that's part of the charm. You never know what you'll get, but you can be sure it will be interesting.

All this to say, I've grown to appreciate a place that as a child I saw as dirty, dark, and scary. Whenever I eventually move on from my role at CBC, I'm going to miss the Ivanhoe, the Chris...es, and the "who knows what" that keeps it interesting. I may just have to visit.

...and we wonder why.

This week I'm sure you heard about the 10 year old in Spain who gave birth.

The reaction is shock and amazement from us in North America: how did it come to this?

And then today I watch this, which we tend to watch and think "how cute"...but really, what happened to kids being kids? By encouraging this, do we then cut childhood short?

how i know i'm an optimist.

Sitting in Starbucks, an older man comes up to me.

I hear:
"Hi love, can I steal your chair?"

Then I realize...he actually said:
"Am I allowed to steal your chair?"

I'm a glass-half-full type of girl.