My Glimpses of '09

1. Library Inventoring
2. All my relatives in North America, Visiting
3. Mediation stool making
4. A fair amount of trees in the BC Southern Interior: Planting
5. Loving :)

My fav Massage moves of '09

1. Compressions: sharpening that elbow and diggin' in.

2. Eyeball PIR: using the reflex eye connection for the suboccipitals

3. Testing: How about I throw on a quick Spurlings for that cervical nerve compression?

4. Vibrations: Feel the Rhythm, Feel the Rhyme, Get on up, it's Vibration time!

5. Figure 8 Cervical Joint Mobs: Your neck has never felt better.

My FAV PODCASTS of '09

Radiolab: A pernnial fave. Continues to rock my world year after year

This American Life: A must for all with even the slightest sense of redemption for our neighbours down south

Moth: Live storytelling with no notes

The Lancet: From Oncology to Neurology to Infectious Diseases - get caught up on the medical world

New Yorker Fiction: Authors reading Authors with a little analysis to start. Very entertaining

My Most Delicious People of '09

Catherine: Sweet Fiyah Sultry Soul Lover of Mine

Moshe: Feldenkrais-ing my way to health

Sudeep: My spiritual brother and source of great inspiration

Rosey Mami: Most under appreciated, incredibly generous and consistent person I know

Paddy: roomie and friend - stats for life!!

My Entire Sutherland Chan Class: Specially Moni for your wisdom, Andres for your spirit, Chris for your humour, Holly for your kindness, Tom for your encouragement, Sarah for your smile, Gareth for your determination and Sal for your consistency. Y'all inspire me!!!

I scream

I Scream, You Scream...

After Ben & Jerry's concocted an ice cream flavor in honor of Barack Obama — it was called Yes, Pecan — they (or someone) wanted to come up with a flavor to honor George W. Bush. Here are some of the suggestions...

Grape Depression
Abu Grape
Cluster Fudge
Nut'n Accomplished
Iraqi Road
Chock 'n Awe
WireTapioca
Impeach Cobbler
Guantanmallow
Impeachmint
Melon Head
Good Riddance, You Lousy Motherf*cker
Heck of a Job, Brownie
Neocon Politan
Rocky Road to Fascism
The Reese's-cession
Cookie D'oh
The Housing Crunch
Nougalar Proliferation
Death by Chocolate
Death by Torture
Credit Crunch
Country Pumpkin
Chunky Monkey in Chief
George Bush Doesn't Care about Dark Chocolate
WMDelicious
Chocolate Chimp
Bloody Sundae
Caramel Preemptive Stripe
Pretzel Choker
I Broke the Law and Am Responsible For the Deaths of Thousands...With Nuts

Teach to me

There is a natural transition one undergoes from being a student to becoming a teacher. As we learn and develop refined knowledge on our subject matter of choice we move more and more towards becoming sole repositories of those experiences. Then if we don't pass it on, it is lost. Also, turns out there is no better way to preserve knowledge then to teach it.

A popular quote by William Glasser says “We learn… 10 percent of what we read, 20 percent of what we hear, 30 percent of what we see, 50 percent of what we see and hear, 70 percent of what we discuss with others, 80 percent of what we experience, and 95 percent of what we teach to someone.”
http://www.timelessinformation.com/memory-retention-rates-tell-you-how-to-learn/

curses, dopamine!!!

Don't know if it was something you said,
or the way you looked in the dying moments
of that September sunset

But you did it! Triggered that dopamine release...
And then your sins only reached the place of no consequence
and I dumped my heavy fruitless endeavors
and crafted new visions of life in concord-ia

Just run your chemical course dopamine
So I can return to my sheltered life of fruitlessness
And live live live,
my unadulterated unchanging stagnation.

Isn't it time you got a massage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLrBrk9DXVk

Custom bike from the wheel up

Hybrid bike with wonky wheel(Craigslist) $50
Replacement wheel (Parts Unknown) $10
Helmet (Canadian Tire) $15
Front Fender (Parts Unknown) $3
Bike Rack (MEC) $15
Seat Post quick release replacment (PU) $5
Pedals and Toe clips (Parts Unknown) $15
Spare Tube (MEC) $4
Spoke Wrench (Canadian Tire) $4
Kickstand (Canadian Tire) $5
Lots of elbow grease Free
Total: $125

= 1 kick ass custom bike for year round Toronto Urban transport

Parts Unknown is a used bicycle and parts hidden gem in Kensington Market.

Starting from scratch

Every year I leave my house and home, family and belongings and make a pilgrimage out west. When I return I re-evaluate and try things in a new way...

Design efficiencies, style improvements, clutter reduction and hopefully a clearer head.

New this year are Feldenkrais classes, Visual Media (Computer/TV) free home space and a new meditation bench that I hope to log some serious hours on. Experiments and food philosophies (Macrobiotics/Raw Fooding) and generally practicing love.

And you?

some aid for AIDS please

You have been invited to pledge Faisal Moosa in the Friends For Life Bike Rally 2009 (Crew) in support of the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation (PWA).

Secure online donations can be made with your credit card by clicking on the link below:

http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=2254617

Once completed, an electronic tax receipt will be sent to you by email within a few minutes.

From July 26th-31st, 2009, Faisal will join over 400 Riders and Crew members in making the 600km journey from Toronto to Montreal. All donations they raise will help the PWA provide accessible, direct and practical services to men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS.

For more information about the Friends For Life Bike Rally 2009 (Crew), or to join us on July 26th, please visit http://www.bikerally.org

Thank you for your generous support.

As long as there's a reason...there's a ride.

Cross Canada Bus-Trip #8

Toronto. 1 am. Depart
Serpent Lake: foolish Ontario rookie planters going to their doom
Sudbury: Kid with facial tatoos playing gun shooting video games
Bus headaches are due to jaw falling open when sleeping
Wawa: SUV's causing very anti-tech sentiments
The Soo: Eating a cookie at Timmy's
Bus: Chatting up a women who lives on the northern most tip of Vancouver Island.
Blind River: Moose sighting
Lake Superior: 2 foot waves splashing into shore
Wawa: Elvis sighting in a red cape
Marathon: Entering Neill Young Country
White River: Hail the General Store: Guns, China dolls and Chocolate Bars
Acceptable Risk: If I were to die right now, it would be fine
ThunderBay: Roach's cab
Finally able to let go the city, the stress.breathe
Kenora: Flat earth country begins
Winnipeg: MEC and Giant Tiger 5 mins walk from the bus. Why are the streets so spread out in this town?
Bus: Guy with smelly socks reserves an extra seat for his feet
McGregor: Yet another faceless, cheerless prairie town
Radiolab podcast: 1/2 life of the autonomic nervous system much greater in womyn.
Brandon: Sweet thrift store around the corner
Virden: Prairie Dog sighting (before I knew what a prairie dog was)
Sunflower seeds: ultimate bus food
Prairies: History, Geography and Biology in 2 dimensions
Oh Alberta!
Calgary greyhound: A fortress
Rockies: Daunting yet mystically alluring. Stillness
Lake Shuswap: means spider because of the many arms it has. My fav: salmon arm because it looks like the tail of a fish
Sorrento: oh where have my feminist lesbian organic farmers gone :(
Merritt: Best damn Husky station u'll ever see. My home for the next 8 weeks

The Dogmatist

There are things that we do, that once were thoughtful rational actions but are now simply rituals.

It is thought that social policy makers in ancient India made the cow a holy figure so that in a famine people would not kill their best source of sustenance(milk), fuel(dung), labour(plow) etc. for short term relief. And now the cow is so abundant in India that it is problematic to everyday life.

Many things I have let go because of the very desire to NOT fall into the category of ritual. But it just seems that no matter what endeavour I take on in a state of conscious, rational mindfulness, in time leads to a hazy ritualistic adherence without very little lease on actual understanding.

To fall victim to this process - my meditation/spiritualism, friend and family ties, political and historical stance and so much more...

sad?..

Albeit I never slew an albatross

Recently, a lingering slew of thoughts have entered my stream of consciousness demanding attention.

1. CrazyLaughin: I got an e-mail forward from my mom that said: laugh in front of a mirror for 5 mins everyday for all kinds of beneficial effects. I tried but looked so foolish that I had to stop myself: Made me think that maybe I need to be more 'crazy' (read - not so self-censoring)

2. Strategizology: I recently saw 'Yes Men' and got another forward from my mom about using mantras to re-program (orient) yourself towards a particular end. Eg: In the morning, repeat to yourself: I will serve others today; I will care for others today; I will be kind today.
So I started saying YES and repeating that saying. Already I have signed on to serve at a homeless shelter, give a free hand massage and treat a veritable stranger's back problem.

Is there something to this? Do we really actively need to orient ourselves through de-censoring exercises and strategy mantra repetitions?

Mom's the word

For 24 years of my life, either my mother or my aunt and uncle washed my dishes and did my laundry. They did not really complain but just accepted it. Why?

Now that I find myself, in a minuscule way, in that position, I am quizzled.
Though I am thankful, I ask Why did you do it? Love; Practicality; Duty; Submission?

Yo Teach!

Do you even know how many teachers I've had in my life.... I lost count a long time ago. But wow, does it ever take a lot to make just one person....

If teachers are the ones that influence your development the most then the more teachers that you have the more 'developed' you would be.

Then there are the unpaid, unconventional teachers that show up in your life and enrich it that much more. Zowie.... just to think about it is overwhelming..

After having such a reflection, there is a lot of gratitude I feel towards every single person that I ever called teacher. Thank you.

Finally, one day, you and I will be part of this cycle as well.... and somebody will call you TEACHER.

Podcast faves of 08

1. Radiolab: Science meets storytelling. This one is a must listen

2. The Moth: Live storytelling by amateurs in NY

3. White Coat Black Art (CBC): Health issues presented by Health Professionals

4. Daily Power Nap: 20 minute sonic nap - zzzzzzz

5. Blissology Yoga with Eoin Finn: Yoga on the audible frequency - very nice


All available on ITunes

On the 5th day, he shat gold...

My Master Cleanse Experience

http://mastercleanse-mettamoose.blogspot.com/

My Most Delicious People of 2008

Carmen: Spin doctor and master of the long ride.

Kaleigh: Mind Fuck, thru and thru.

David: My Patho prof/Makeup artist/SeaKayak Instructor: Brilliant.

Zanir: Rock on, little prince.

Lori: Yoga Maniac: Her existence inspires me yet another year.

Honorable mention: Virginia: Vipassana Teacher: Oozing metta like it was an oil spill.