Daily Meditation

Thought for October 2:

“The greatest achievement is selflessness. The greatest worth is self-mastery. The greatest quality is seeking to serve others. The greatest precept is continual awareness. The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything. The greatest action is not conforming with the world’s ways. The greatest magic is transmuting the passions. The greatest generosity is non-attachment. The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind. The greatest patience is humility. The greatest effort is not concerned with results. The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go. The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.” - Atisha

Expanding Horizons

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle

During September some bolts have been twisting and turning in my head and heart, as a result of which I have been actively looking to expand my horizons. I’ve got the energy of a billion bears. I am increasingly interested in activities at Ryerson University, which I’ve never experienced before (or at UBC), and so I applied to the Ryerson University Finance Society case competition which is going to be happening all day on November 7. It’s not the prize - $4,000 for winning team plus some lucrative internships, - that’s motivating, but the fact that I want to do it.

I am also going to write an article for Ryerson Marketing Association - I’ve been thinking about a lot of recent developments, and will definitely write something interesting. I have an increasing interest in getting to know my fellow classmates more, which I never cared for before, heh. I’ve also been developing relationships with my professors, who are all super awesome people. Lucky me this semester.

To quote VHS or Beta’s “You Got Me” (download Baby Daddy’s remix), “Everything’s better off this way” Oh yeah, I’m researching shooting ranges near Toronto, as well as looking for archery lessons. I’ve got a good eye, better put it to use.

Hot Product Alert: Last week I went to Sephora in search of an amazing shower gel, and KORRES natural products caught my eye. Their products are “skin-compatible, environment-friendly, joyful and effective”. I grabbed the wonderful jasmine shower gel, and oh, wasn’t I impressed!! Korres is fabulous! Their claims are all true. I suggest you check this Greek skin product line out. (I’m trying out the Sunflower and Vitamin F shampoo for coloured hair really soon and can’t wait!)

why hello

Originally uploaded by dreamtiger

this is from such a long time ago! well, well…. 2004. I remember, those were the days. Summer after we graduated from high school, the days before university, texting my boyfriend at the time (finance engineer guy, heh), we just spent the afternoon shooting 35 mm and speculating about the future. The sun shone brightly, the belt felt heavy, we felt the lightness in our stomachs and were so full of optimism… Speaking of, the positivity is even higher now.

CDOs, CDOs squared, cubed, synthetic…

Ladies and gentlemen, these days I cannot express how outraged I am at the financial world, or rather, the organizations that let things plummet to such lows. Today, for the first time ever, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 777 points, resulting in a $1.1 trillion loss.

I don’t need to reiterate what you can read on the Marketwatch, Yahoo! Finance (being my favorite) and the likes.

The news that really affected me and me question the point of saving these ethically challenged companies is the fact that Lehman Brothers had a $2.5 billion to spread between 10,000 employees days before the bankruptcy. What.the.hell? I know, working for the company like that is probably a blast, since you get rewarded for driving the firm to the ground, but for Christ’s sake!

I am taking a really good class this semester - Ethics in Finance with professor Allen Goss. It’s amazing. Although Finance is my minor (Marketing being teh major), I am really quite enjoying this class and am never bored. I also appreciate a healthy dose of current events as opposed to the theoretical boredom. I am also a fan of “overthrowing” (i.e. pushing aside as ‘irrelevant’) traditional views everyone gets taught in finance. We just got exposed to the Agency Theory Capital Structure and Pecking Ordering Theory as opposed to the Static Theory…

The point is, I am becoming increasingly sensitive to the ethics at play in pretty much any industry. I am becoming more concerned with socially responsible brands, with sustainable practices, with the things that won’t blow up in your face pretty much. I don’t know what it is, but my Gordon Gecko days are over; same as the days of adoration of Gordon Geckos are over.

Simple Pleasures

Excuse me while I delay my research on Equator Principles (for my ethics in finance class, very serial biz), and list some things that currently make me happy:

1. Green Tea
2. Sunny days before the winter settles in
3. Yoga & Pilates
4. Heroes (season 3; makes me happy; I need a break once in a while, too)
5. Increasing number of potential squash partners!
6. Videography as a start
7. Supporting local businesses and eating healthy foods (Beretta Farms in particular!)
8. Texts from certain someone
9. Sticking to my plan
10. December plans! Vancouver, Dublin and who knows what else…

Santogold is on tonight at the Koolhaus.

“I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.” Margaret Thatcher.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

I really enjoyed this movie. The not so subtle sensuality was like honey. The North American naiveté, late night dinners, beautiful people, narrow streets, all this spoke to me. I really, really loved Spain this August, and I believe that no matter what path I take through the labyrinth, I’ll end up there again. Multiple times. With different people and experiences.

Topics in Vicky Cristina Barcelona that caught my eye: the beautiful Spain, throwing oneself at opportunities that life presents to you, marriages that would eventually lead to unhappy ones (and poor people that can’t take that step and liberate themselves from it!), Gaudi, and the passionate people.

Go see it. There is something for everyone.

Finally, Bell

You know, two years ago I wrote a paper on Bell’s Beaver advertising campaign for my Visual Communications class. I dissed the efforts pretty hard. For Christ’s sake, why should Canadians listen to what the goddamn beavers have to say about telecommunications? What does bloody Gordon know about PVRs? I wrote a lot more enlightening and obvious arguments as to why Bell should fire their advertising agency…

AND LO AND BEHOLD, THREE YEARS LATER THEY DID IT!

I was just really outraged at incompetencies of some agencies, and how easily they feel they can ridicule a telecommunications company. And so of course, now that Bell saw the light, they’ve almost become the rival that Rogers deserves. Almost.

PS. I still can’t stand the “er” part. Er here, and er there. Dave and I saw these teaser ads the day we flew to Berlin and had a whole discussion about this. I didn’t expect Bell to reach that level of abstraction. And annoyance. Yet again.

Platja den Bossa

I really like this photo, which I took in Ibiza, on Platja den Bossa. I haven’t even noticed the great composition - look at the man and the woman! And then check out the couple in the distance - their heads are almost on the same level as the couple’s in the foreground. Yeah!

Playa d’en Bossa is the longest beach strip on the island (2 km). It’s full of beach cafes, bars, restaurants that often have famous DJs spin some tunes before performing at major clubs of the island (Space, Amnesia, Pacha, Privilege, Eden, did I forget something?).

We rode our scooter to the beach after spending most of the day in Eivissa town (where we scootered all the way to the top! See other photos), and relaxed. Be warned - numerous umbrellas beach chairs (is that what you call them?) that fill up the area have to be paid for. Watch out for the collector man.

Till the seas run dry

This song by Lamb… I found it a very long time ago, (relatively, considering my fresh age) in 2002 or 2001. Like most great things in my life, I found it randomly, driven by instinct more than any conscious decision.

It has been my favorite song for years. Except that for the past 4.5 years I haven’t listened to it, and thus have been lucky not to associate it with any particular person. I find that many songs we hear during certain periods of our life we tie with whatever person/s are closest to us at the time. Sometimes, sometimes that ruins the songs for the years to come.

Let me present to you “Gorecki” by Lamb. I love that song. It is the best piece that Lamb delivered.”the one I’ve waited for…” Lyrics and extras follow

September’s Developments

I haven’t written all the posts about Europe, but I will continue to post more about my tour as I keep a to-do list of blog posts and I’m back (unfortunately). While I am hesitating to start reading Michael Porter’s Competitive Strategy, which is the big bang book in bussines strategy, I will write a little about what’s going on, especially since Hans pointed that studies have shown that blogging is quite good for you. Agreed.

The first week is so far very hectic. I straightened everything out with with my bank, Ryerson and work, signed up for the gym (to play squash, do cardio, swim), for pilates (let’s try this out), and cross-training group classes. Having paid $30 for the latter, I can go to as many classes - which include Cardio Camp, Spinning, Yoga, Abs & Butt, Boxing and Cardio Kickbox, - as I can, every week. First session tomorrow. I’m also doing a major health check this semester, it’s long overdue.

I’ve become a big proponent of cooking at home, and have a well-stocked fridge at the moment. After fabulous excesses of European food, I’m switching to lighter choices, and eliminating meats from my diet; let’s see how it goes. I compiled a weekly menu for myself to make sure I get all the recommended daily servings of various foods, that I prepare certain products earlier on to avoid spoilage, and to save the time spent on meal contemplation in front of the fridge.

One is more likely to get into a habit of doing particular things if one has a schedule, and since I want to improve time management skills and accomplish more in this busy time of my life, I set one up. Incorporating time for classes, studying, work, exercise, leisure, self-development, online tasks, it will go in effect starting next week.