December 12, 2008

it's been a month so i feel like i'm due in for an update.

49. Write down a blessing every day
This has been a lot harder than expected. to remember to stop and think of something good from that day... or even not GOOD, but i can appreciate from every day.... it's hard. I like to pride myself as someone who tries to stay positive about life... but it's easy to fall back on the same blessing every day, and forget the small every day good things that happen. Even if it's as small as Esther bringing home hot chocolate last night. Or pistachio flavoured gelato. Every day SHOULD be a blessing. but somehow it's harder and harder to remember that.

89. Try 10 new restaurants. (4/10)
i've been going pretty strong with the new restaurant thing! perhaps i will finish before i leave toronto! I've luckily had a friend who was bored during lunch and tried a couple new places on baldwin street with me. Baldwin street is a small street behind most of the hospitals with a random variety of little restaurants, that all are pretty good. Over the summer i had tried a panini place and this mexican place that i absolutely loved.

so in the spirit of trying new things, we went to Bodega, this french restaurant with a fixed menu and Sushi on Baldwin with a decently priced lunch menu. both places were good, nothing amazing!

In the light of my leaving toronto in a week, i decided to splurge and go out with friends (which was much needed). went to scotland yard for some british food :) annnd a random indian place for some roti (i don't remember the name, just that the roti was delicious).

98. Volunteer somewhere that helps people on the street.
Not sure how i'm going to count this one. On monday, i went to Yonge street mission (the community centre) to help out with their Christmas pageant. the idea was mainly to help make sure the pageant ran well as well as to help serve dinner (before the pageant) and dessert (after the pageant). It turned out they needed someone to watch the food (to make sure no one came in and thought it was a free for all) so during the pageant, i sat in the basement room reading 'the phantom toll booth' for about an hour. So! i don't know whether to say that my attempt to volunteer here was a success.

When i WAS with the seniors (i got the room with the seniors, there was a room upstairs with familes) ...it was interesting. I think there's always this belief that people on the street, if had the opportunity would go and steal everything. But there were many cases where a senior would come in and refuse the food because 'it wasn't salty enough' or, 'there's no chicken in this'. Reminded me that these people are... people. they have their pride, have their dignity.
Most of them also talked of how this was the highlight of their week - coming here to celebrate christmas together.

i think i will keep this goal open... i'd like to continue to do this