Comments for Ocket Blag http://blag.ockets.net A blog, one of many in the wild, wild net. Sat, 10 Jul 2010 02:10:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on “Bonjour” from Quebec! by TJ http://blag.ockets.net/2010/07/08/bonjour-from-quebec/comment-page-1/#comment-4797 TJ Sat, 10 Jul 2010 02:10:14 +0000 http://www.ockets.net/?p=539#comment-4797 Val! Yeah, now that you mention it I'm seeing the similarity. Coincidentally, my friend Lorenzo was saying he thought Quebec City was more like an Italian city than a French city. What I didn't mention was the Quebec version of the "pork paradox". I guess as applied to Quebec, it would be the "Poutine Paradox." It's like french fries, curds, gravy, and some other stuff. I think I'm getting my DV of cholesterol just reading about Poutine on Wikipedia. And yet... damn. There's also the legend of the King's Daughters. When King Francis I sent a few hundred women to New France, they say Quebec City got first pick, which is why all the women look as good as they do relative to further upstream. I think it's the walking. Val! Yeah, now that you mention it I’m seeing the similarity. Coincidentally, my friend Lorenzo was saying he thought Quebec City was more like an Italian city than a French city.

What I didn’t mention was the Quebec version of the “pork paradox”. I guess as applied to Quebec, it would be the “Poutine Paradox.” It’s like french fries, curds, gravy, and some other stuff. I think I’m getting my DV of cholesterol just reading about Poutine on Wikipedia. And yet… damn.

There’s also the legend of the King’s Daughters. When King Francis I sent a few hundred women to New France, they say Quebec City got first pick, which is why all the women look as good as they do relative to further upstream.

I think it’s the walking.

]]> Comment on “Bonjour” from Quebec! by ValOTB http://blag.ockets.net/2010/07/08/bonjour-from-quebec/comment-page-1/#comment-4793 ValOTB Fri, 09 Jul 2010 18:26:18 +0000 http://www.ockets.net/?p=539#comment-4793 Bonjour mon petit chou! It appears you are making the same observations I made living in Italy for 9 months - sans voiture (without a car). Thusly, I encountered the "Pork Paradox" - Italians eat copious amounts of pork and pecorino products, but they are all fit, and the only fat people you ever see? Usually tourists. Usually Americans. Why? Well, living on a 5th floor of an old building, sans elevator was a start. And like you said - walking EVERYWHERE. It's part of living in a city like that. Everything was walkable - markets, train station, libraries, piazzas, wine bars (my favorite part - I never had to worry about driving when enjoying wine with my dinner - AND lunch.) Coming back to the states after 9 months was a culture shock - heck even in Colorado, the only state with an obesity rate below 20% was disgusting. I agree, integrating exercise into your daily life can be as simple as, oh, I don't know - parking a little further away and maybe returning a grocery cart instead of leaving it the parking lot - along with all the processed foods (doritos and crap like that) Americans insist on shoving down their necks. I'm glad you are having this experience - to see other realities besides our own. I'm also glad you at least have a clothes dryer - I didn't have one for 9 months (they are not commonly used in Italy) and now? I haven't used one all summer long - just can't do that to my clothes anymore. Change, TJ, in perspective, is opening up the world for you. Amusez-vous! V Bonjour mon petit chou! It appears you are making the same observations I made living in Italy for 9 months – sans voiture (without a car). Thusly, I encountered the “Pork Paradox” – Italians eat copious amounts of pork and pecorino products, but they are all fit, and the only fat people you ever see? Usually tourists. Usually Americans. Why? Well, living on a 5th floor of an old building, sans elevator was a start. And like you said – walking EVERYWHERE. It’s part of living in a city like that. Everything was walkable – markets, train station, libraries, piazzas, wine bars (my favorite part – I never had to worry about driving when enjoying wine with my dinner – AND lunch.) Coming back to the states after 9 months was a culture shock – heck even in Colorado, the only state with an obesity rate below 20% was disgusting. I agree, integrating exercise into your daily life can be as simple as, oh, I don’t know – parking a little further away and maybe returning a grocery cart instead of leaving it the parking lot – along with all the processed foods (doritos and crap like that) Americans insist on shoving down their necks. I’m glad you are having this experience – to see other realities besides our own. I’m also glad you at least have a clothes dryer – I didn’t have one for 9 months (they are not commonly used in Italy) and now? I haven’t used one all summer long – just can’t do that to my clothes anymore. Change, TJ, in perspective, is opening up the world for you. Amusez-vous! V

]]> Comment on Some thoughts, some stats. by ValOTB http://blag.ockets.net/2010/07/04/some-thoughts-some-stats/comment-page-1/#comment-4773 ValOTB Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:17:53 +0000 http://www.ockets.net/?p=537#comment-4773 TJ - i'm glad you are enjoying. While taking trips with people is nice, I have to admit - I enjoy wandering on my own, moving to my agenda, exploring things I may have never found if someone were with me wanting to see the 'touristy' things. I discovered this in Paris 17 years ago when everyone wanted to see a "Perfume Factory" and I broke away from the group because: 1) I hate perfume; 2) the MAIN thing I was determined to see in Paris was the Opera House (after a long obsession with Sir Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera, which I'd just seen in London the year before); and 3) I am stubborn. So off I went to wander Paris on my own, eat where I wanted, butcher the French language, take wrong metro trains, and traverse the Jardin des Tuileries at dusk on my way to the Louvre to meet up with the group again, which I missed. Alors, I made my way to the Eiffel tower, hung out at the top as long as I wanted, wondering, "Would that man have whipped out 'Mr. Happy' in front of me if I had friends with me to which I could turn and say, 'Did you see THAT?!' " Good times. Let them roll, TJ~ TJ – i’m glad you are enjoying. While taking trips with people is nice, I have to admit – I enjoy wandering on my own, moving to my agenda, exploring things I may have never found if someone were with me wanting to see the ‘touristy’ things. I discovered this in Paris 17 years ago when everyone wanted to see a “Perfume Factory” and I broke away from the group because: 1) I hate perfume; 2) the MAIN thing I was determined to see in Paris was the Opera House (after a long obsession with Sir Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, which I’d just seen in London the year before); and 3) I am stubborn. So off I went to wander Paris on my own, eat where I wanted, butcher the French language, take wrong metro trains, and traverse the Jardin des Tuileries at dusk on my way to the Louvre to meet up with the group again, which I missed. Alors, I made my way to the Eiffel tower, hung out at the top as long as I wanted, wondering, “Would that man have whipped out ‘Mr. Happy’ in front of me if I had friends with me to which I could turn and say, ‘Did you see THAT?!’ ” Good times. Let them roll, TJ~

]]> Comment on What is this? by noisewar http://blag.ockets.net/2010/06/26/what-is-this/comment-page-1/#comment-4675 noisewar Wed, 30 Jun 2010 04:09:11 +0000 http://www.ockets.net/?p=510#comment-4675 In a roundabout response to your thoughts, I truly believe that the failure to set the right expectations is the greatest source of all non-physical pain for man. If you get a chance, read Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert, required reading for all IMO. In a roundabout response to your thoughts, I truly believe that the failure to set the right expectations is the greatest source of all non-physical pain for man. If you get a chance, read Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert, required reading for all IMO.

]]> Comment on Get your Inspiration. (Note to Val) by noisewar http://blag.ockets.net/2010/06/27/get-your-inspiration-note-to-val/comment-page-1/#comment-4673 noisewar Wed, 30 Jun 2010 04:03:54 +0000 http://www.ockets.net/?p=512#comment-4673 Amen to travel as a balm for all pains. Amen to travel as a balm for all pains.

]]> Comment on Get your Inspiration. (Note to Val) by ValOTB http://blag.ockets.net/2010/06/27/get-your-inspiration-note-to-val/comment-page-1/#comment-4655 ValOTB Sun, 27 Jun 2010 22:32:53 +0000 http://www.ockets.net/?p=512#comment-4655 TJ - You are the sweetest! Thank you - trust me, this isn't sensory deprivation (and I do not like bikes) if anything, I'm a sensory hedonist - the worst offender, I assure you. This is a deeper level. I've been back in the states a month, and enjoying the hell out of CO - the clean air, the quiet nights, cool breezes, great wines with fabulous friends, the mountains - you name it. It's a natural high living here. But after watching Cinema Paradiso and getting my nose back into Italian blogs, listening only to Italian music, I realized last night... the jig is up. I belong in Italy right now, at this point in my life. The comforts of my gorgeous home life here I did miss living in Europe. That said, that "something deeper" is telling me to return to Italy - I don't know what living there did to me, but I'm already itching to go back for more ... more passion, a little grit, hearing that beautiful language all day every day, church bells, walking through quiet cobbled streets at night - and feeling that gush from the simplest pleasures. Trust me, nothing is wrong, nothing is missing - except my passport, which is 'out' for renewal but should be back soon...then...I go back to where I left 1/2 my heart... I hope you continue to enjoy this new journey for yourself as well. Everyone has their own formula for what moves them - mine just happens to be in another language right now - and I can't shake it. Fortunately, I don't have to! Big hugs for you! TJ – You are the sweetest! Thank you – trust me, this isn’t sensory deprivation (and I do not like bikes) if anything, I’m a sensory hedonist – the worst offender, I assure you. This is a deeper level. I’ve been back in the states a month, and enjoying the hell out of CO – the clean air, the quiet nights, cool breezes, great wines with fabulous friends, the mountains – you name it. It’s a natural high living here. But after watching Cinema Paradiso and getting my nose back into Italian blogs, listening only to Italian music, I realized last night… the jig is up. I belong in Italy right now, at this point in my life. The comforts of my gorgeous home life here I did miss living in Europe. That said, that “something deeper” is telling me to return to Italy – I don’t know what living there did to me, but I’m already itching to go back for more … more passion, a little grit, hearing that beautiful language all day every day, church bells, walking through quiet cobbled streets at night – and feeling that gush from the simplest pleasures. Trust me, nothing is wrong, nothing is missing – except my passport, which is ‘out’ for renewal but should be back soon…then…I go back to where I left 1/2 my heart…

I hope you continue to enjoy this new journey for yourself as well. Everyone has their own formula for what moves them – mine just happens to be in another language right now – and I can’t shake it. Fortunately, I don’t have to! Big hugs for you!

]]> Comment on Snow day impulse buys at B&N lead to political soul-searching by christina http://blag.ockets.net/2010/02/16/snow-day-impulse-buys-at-bn-lead-to-political-soul-searching/comment-page-1/#comment-3576 christina Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:47:50 +0000 http://www.ockets.net/?p=427#comment-3576 running for office is a great idea. i never anticipated wanting to work in politics but there you go...now i'm craving going back! running for office is a great idea. i never anticipated wanting to work in politics but there you go…now i’m craving going back!

]]> Comment on Thinking the plan through… I need more of that. by christina http://blag.ockets.net/2010/02/06/thinking-the-plan-through-i-need-more-of-that/comment-page-1/#comment-3334 christina Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:51:15 +0000 http://www.ockets.net/?p=419#comment-3334 i second cleaning the bathroom...and i have lost one more method of communication with you:( i second cleaning the bathroom…and i have lost one more method of communication with you:(

]]> Comment on Thinking the plan through… I need more of that. by ValOTB http://blag.ockets.net/2010/02/06/thinking-the-plan-through-i-need-more-of-that/comment-page-1/#comment-3329 ValOTB Sun, 07 Feb 2010 10:26:33 +0000 http://www.ockets.net/?p=419#comment-3329 TJ - best way to learn life's lessons. Experience them. Congrats on the clean bathroom, however. The ladies love that! V TJ – best way to learn life’s lessons.

Experience them.

Congrats on the clean bathroom, however. The ladies love that!

V

]]> Comment on The Men Who Stare at Goats… I don’t recommend it. by Thomas Olaes http://blag.ockets.net/2009/11/09/the-men-who-stare-at-goats-i-dont-recommend-it/comment-page-1/#comment-2649 Thomas Olaes Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:45:39 +0000 http://www.ockets.net/2009/11/09/the-men-who-stare-at-goats-i-dont-recommend-it/#comment-2649 It also doesn't help that there's a scene in the movie where a private starts shooting at other soldiers in his home camp. It's a very unfortunate circumstance that the Ft. Hood tragedy happened right before this film was released to the public. I don't remember anyone in the theater genuinely laughing at that. It also doesn’t help that there’s a scene in the movie where a private starts shooting at other soldiers in his home camp. It’s a very unfortunate circumstance that the Ft. Hood tragedy happened right before this film was released to the public.

I don’t remember anyone in the theater genuinely laughing at that.

]]>