The Art of Conversation.

Loneliness - it affects 9/10 people everyday.   ( I actually just made up that stat.)  
But it is a serious issue for some people, myself included. 

I have just moved to a new city, a new university, and a new life experience.   This change has challenged me already and its just been over a month.   I had to take a good hard look at myself the other day - after wondering why I've been feeling so unfulfilled and lonely; I realised that I assume people will make the first move.  4/10 times - someone will. (Another made up stat)   But, what about that 60% of the time when no one comes up to talk to you?    My first reaction is to dive into my purse and fish out my phone so that I can seek comfort in my Facebook "friendships" thinking " Well, if no one cares in real life I'll just Facebook creep everyone else's lives until I get a message or a like or... something!!!!".....AHHHHH..... what is happening to...society!?    (Talking to myself now)  Get your face off of your phone and take a second to realise that you are in a room full of real people and it wouldn't hurt you to make conversation with...someone...anyone!  Life is outside of your comfort zone.

My mother is full of good advice and she has told me for years now to "be an interviewer" when on a date, meeting new people, talking with old or new friends... because people love to talk about themselves.  I had forgotten about this skill, until a few days ago when my mother kindly reminded me to pour into people instead of waiting to be filled yourself.  Aka.   Put energy into getting to know someone else and often that energy will be given back.   The effort you put in will be what you get out of it.   
I put this tactic to the test, and "interviewed" someone new, and it was extremely rewarding.  I had a real genuine conversation and learn more about a new colleague.     

We've (I've) become so complacent and lazy with real friendships and have relied heavily on social media to cover me during awkward silences/moments/boredom.  But what would happen if those silences became non-existent and we filled then instead with genuine questions about another persons day or life?   I bet you our society would become less self-obsessed and more community and relationship driven.   Just a challenge ya'll out there, (and to myself)  next time you find yourself about to flip through Facebook on you iPhone try hunting for someone to strike up a good conversation with.  It is as simple as, "How was your day?"   I truly think that if we can curb our constant craving for a social media fix and invest that time and energy into other people, we will be a happier, healthier society. 

Happy Conversing.  

learning to be thankful

wooo...  It's been a long time since my last post, and since July I have moved to "The Winterpeg," as I call it.

It is funny looking back on my first month in Winnipeg, it has been filled with countless new faces and names, and upon introducing myself as "new here,"  within a moment notice I am warned about the winters.  This courtesy warning is given often as if I thought coming to Winnipeg meant a suntan year round accompanied by mild and enjoyable climates.    Yes, I knew about the outrageous winters, the insane wind and temperatures not for the timid prior to booking my flights and despite these characteristics I have committed myself to three years in the winter wonderland of Winnipeg.
My experience in Manitoba, (Which happens to be the FIRST time I've ever been in the prairies)  has been enjoyable.   I have had the privileged of watching my first prairie sunset on a farm, on a hay bale with good-new-friends.    I've invested in what I believe to be a really (really) good winter coat, and a pair of sorel's.  Winter wear I've always been able to avoid investing in while living in BC, so... I am set.    Thankfully this first month has been mild!

This weekend marks my first Thanksgiving away from my family, and there are tiny cracks forming in my heart when I get phone calls from my loving family wishing me to be there with them at our Cabin in the BC boonies.   Every year for the past 10-15? (I've lost track)  years we have packed up our things and loaded ourselves into our vehicles and scooted ourselves up to our Cabin just outside of 100 mile house.   What makes this experience so wonderful is the lack of technology to vi for our attention.  It is just good -old fashioned family time, spent around a fire, the living room, a turkey...spent together.   I am finding resemblances of 100 mile in Winnipeg... Maybe it is the dry chill in the air and the leaves clapping in the wind as if joining in on the thanksgiving celebrations?   This similarity is both comforting and upsetting.   I found myself desperately wishing for a teleporter today, as I tried to busy myself with activities for one.    This has been a day of thought, and thankfulness.    I've decided, instead of dwelling on the absence of my family, I am going to be thankful to have such a wonderful family to miss. I am thankful for the grey day it was, because it highlighted the yellow hues of leaves and made the surprise of sunshine later in the day that much more appreciated, I am thankful for the tall oak trees that shield my little white house and all the millions of leaves that have trickled down to the ground to create a "fun-must-do" activity for a boring Saturday night.   I am thankful for new friends that have been kind to a new-comer and old friends that have supported me in this adventure.  

I'll try not to go two months before posting again! 
Happy Thanksgiving.