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Tuesday, 24 November 2009

For females only

Warning: this post is intended to be read by women only. It may contain content which is not suitable for males, so don't say I didn't warn you!

This all started when I was down in Peru and took a detour to the outskirts of Ecuador to visit an old high school of mine. Long time readers may remember my horrid 56 hour busride? Yeah. Not pretty. So to reiterate, she was working at an organic farm, which really is such a fantastic concept. Recycling poop, producing next to ZERO garbage, raising animals solely for manure, organic and sustainable living. The world would be so much better off if we only emulated a fraction of these principles.

What was dreadfully frightening? The fact that the only waste produced were by females: tampons/pads.

If you do the math, there's what, roughly 3 billion women on earth. Each woman uses approximately 12,000 disposable tampons in her lifetime. Multiply that by 3 billion and .... isn't it sickening to wonder where all that garbage goes? I'm disgusted just thinking about it.

The Solution

I often bring up the concept of the menstrual cup to my girl friends, and it's amazing how few people have heard of it. Basically it's like a tampon, but instead of having (wasteful) cotton absorb your flow, you insert a CUP inside yourself and it holds the blood for up to 12 hours.

Isn't it genius? I seriously used to dream about this as a teenager. How wonderful it'd be if I could just stick a cup up there and it'd collect everything instead of stuff spilling everywhere. I have an abnormally heavy flow on the first two days. It's wretched. I always almost have to stop myself from throwing up! Or fainting. Fainting and throwing up are not good combos.

So not only would I be saving myself the monthly reminders of why I hate being a woman, but I'd be contributing to making the earth a better place. I went out and bought a pack of the Instead cups, which are disposable. I figured I'd give it a dry run first. And if it works? I would invest in something reuseable.

The Experiment

Can't say I was totally enthused with the product, but granted, I hear it takes some getting used to. Sticking it in was fine. Taking it out was tricky, just because I'm used to having a string to yank on. You have to be a chick who's REALLY in tuned with her body! And I am. But I dread the sight of blood. So I recommend playing with this product (insert/exert) while standing in the bathtub because the accumulation of all that blood isn't very pretty.

Regardless, the pro's of this this still outweighs the con's. Health-wise, it seems to be much safer than tampons. It's environmentally more sound. And I really believe that abolishing the need to consume so much tampons/pads is the key to a better future. I'm probably going to keep working on the insert/exert skills, and then hopefully move on to a non-disposable cup. Any thoughts/feedbacks/pointers

Monday, 23 November 2009

men & women

I’m turning 27 in a few months. And I’m still completely and utterly baffled at how different men and women really are. I understand it and have made rational sense of it. But it’s still mind-boggling.

With women, it’s all about the intent. It’s the deeper meaning behind the actions. What matters most is the thought within.

With men, it’s all about the end result. It’s the bigger picture. What matters most is what makes the most sense.

Here’s an example of how a girl thinks:

“I just want to see you fight for me. If you love me, show it. Don’t just sit there. Tell me to stay. I might not necessarily do it? But I want to see the intention. Don’t let me go.”

Here’s an example of how a guy thinks:

“The practical thing to do is to let you go. I’m being the realist here and you’ll thank me for it later. If it’s meant to be, it’ll work out. I’d never want to be the selfish one and stand in your way. Peace out.”

What’s worse: thinking like a guy and acting like a girl? Or thinking like a girl and acting like a guy?

I know I have a pretty complicated life than need be. But at the end of the day, I’m just a simple girl.

Saturday, 21 November 2009

To: Meena Mann

AKA: my better half or Vancouver counterpart,

Happy birthday my dear! I know this is late, but I wanted to give you the proper shout out you deserve.

I love how people are so dumbfounded whenever they meet us. My poor (reserved) cousin meets her for the first time, goes home all confused, and tells her boyfriend, "I met this chick who's EXACTLY like emily.They act the same. They talk the same. But she's ... brown!!" [Aside: the term 'brown' is a Canadian non-derogatory slang for ppl of East-Indian descent]

And that's what you'll always be to me. My brown twin!

I love telling the story of how we first met. I was minding my business at a tapas bar on Davie street and in struts some drunk girl. I (for once), was stone sober, and thought, who the heck is this crazy lady who won't stop talking to me? One thing led to another and before we knew it, we were sharing sushi and realizing how alike our personalities/backgrounds really are. You went to SFU for Comm? You come from a traditional upbringing with a nagging mother? You're a controversial figure that used to voice radio? You live alone in the West End? You hate it when your knees hurt (HA!)? You work in the media? You find it hard to find quality girl friends? You're insane at times, but totally serious and proper during daylight? Hm. Everything rings a bell.

It hasn't been that long, but I feel like I've known you forever. You keep me in check, you tell me the truth, you're an amazing friend. I miss our double dates. The one where I made Korean food (when I say 'make', I mean, buy kimchee at the store) and talked about everything and anything.

Totally wish I could be there with you this weekend, feeding you all the vodka I could get my hands on, but alas, remember that I'm with you in spirit. And who needs a party anyway? Just put me + you in a room and we're set!

xoxo,
em

news runs through our blood.

epic double date

it was seriously just a party with me and her entertaining each other

i love, love how everyone looks in here.

doing the robot.

Friday, 20 November 2009

Annoying stuff on the elevator

So I'm on the elevator the other day and it stops on the 3rd floor. I'm heading to the 5th and am the only person in there prior to door opening. In comes two ladies, chattering away and completely oblivious. As soon as the elevator closes, it proceeds to head UP because, well, that's the direction of where we're going.

"What's going on?! Gawd, why is this elevator going UP?! We want to go down!"

These two twats are completely baffled, flustered, and totally unaware that it's only logically that we go up simply because, I pressed up before them. Did they not notice the big shining UP sign outside? Or do some people think inanimate objects must necessarily do whatever they command of them, regardless of what's happened prior?

I turn my head slightly and say, "It's going up. Because I pressed it first?"

They take a few seconds to stare at me. Like it's the first time they've noticed my existence. I mean, I may not be radiating sunlight, but I'm still a human being. Then they just continue to gape at me. Like they couldn't comprehend the fact that the elevator world may be does NOT revolve around them?

I hate people. That is all.

Thursday, 19 November 2009

Timmy Ho's

Tim Horton's is a Canadian chain of coffee and to me, it just about epitomizes what Canada is really about (Horton's was a hockey legend, go figure). Did you catch the How I Met Your Mother episode where Robin is talking hockey at a Tim Horton's? Right. Exactly!

So even though Vancouver is generally laden with an average of two Starbucks per street (I'm exaggerating, but not by much), it's countered by a healthy dose of Timmy Ho's as well. It's my comfort food, or comfort coffee. So imagine my surprise when I see a dude sipping from a TH coffee on the subway! I harrass fellow transit user and proceed to follow directions to hunt it down outside Grand Central.

As I'm happily smelling my Canadian coffee and leaving said Canadian coffee shop, person in front of me doesn't keep door open and lets it smack direction into me, thus, spilling Canadian coffee everywhere! For once, I was not smiley and had an extremely sad poopy face. :(

The irony. Trying to do something very Canadian in the very American city of New York.

It's ok. I still heart this city more and more each day. Now all I have to do is find a Hooser Hut and I'll be set!