little bitty girl

I was on the streetcar this morning on the way to work where I encountered a school trip in progress. There were about fifteen very rambunctious eight or nine year olds on a very packed work rush streetcar. Once we hit one of the main stations, people cleared out enabling me to watch the children interacting with each other.

I've always said that I find the ages of eight to eleven odd. Kids are past the cute stage and they're not yet disgruntled teenagers. They're still feeling their gangly selves out, figuring out how to socialize with one another. I noticed in the back a cluster of girls, all chatting with each other. On closer observation, one of them was obviously being singled out. You could see the conflict in her - trying to fit yet trying not to care.

It was painful to watch actually. I wondered what had happened for the other girls to ostracize her so. The group seemed to be gravitating toward an obvious trio in the centre. For a while, I watched these three girls hold their court and then, a surprise. One of the "popular" girls looked out through the crowd, noticed the left out girl, reached out for her and pulled her in. The others could do nothing but to follow her example and include the outsider too.

I wonder. How does one make a kind child? And how do I make sure that any children that I have in the future, are the kind ones?

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Posted in Watchin' People, What's Buggin' Me

Last night, in order to avoid any encounter with the cleaning lady, I decided to meander to the Winners near my place. It's always such a great way to kill free time as there is so much to see and browse through. As always, I spend more time in the home section than in the clothing section. I am surrounded by clothes all the time, so why surround myself with more? I was enamored by all the pillow choices (those of you who know me, know very well that I LOVE tons of pillows on the bed) when a very confused and well dressed young man approached me.

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Posted in Watchin' People

Here I am, once again at the airport. I have to say that I find this to be one of the best places to people watch, one of my all time favourite pastimes. I just love the new Terminal 1 at Pearson International. Everything is so shiny, pristine and fresh. The one thing that I do detest however, is the insane line ups at the Air Canada counter despite the fact that they have the self help kiosks. I always have to treat a domestic flight like an International one.

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Posted in Travel, Watchin' People

I think I should have a category just for things that I pick up from the gym. After a very long hiatus from the gym, I dragged my sorry butt back there. As you all know, I have a love-hate relationship with the place but, eh, I have to pretend to care about getting fit before bikini season -- before doing what I always do, which is to say "screw it!"

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Posted in Much To Do About Nothing, Watchin' People

Do you notice that sometimes we, as people are not as trusting about other people in general? And don't you find it a little sad that we tend to be so suspicious of our fellow human beings? I know, there are a lot of psychos out there and I think that is why we often react the way we do, but I think sometimes we need to go with our gut instincts.

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Posted in Watchin' People

Is anyone else as fascinated by the Starbucks phenomenon as I am? How did one company just up and take over the world and brain wash us all into their way of thinking? Never have I ever heard so many choices in my life - isn't coffee just coffee? Apparently not, according to Starbucks. Sizes are not small, medium, large but tall, grande and venti. And we like sheep, just go along with what they tell us to say. I never knew that you could have your latte, not just as is but with caramel, extra hot, with foam or no foam and skinny on top of it all!

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Posted in Watchin' People

I am in Edmonton right now working a trade show and a prevalent issue or topic of conversation that keeps coming up is whether I am from the east cost or the west. You see, I do sales for Western Canada but I am based out of Toronto. People always find that strange and I guess it is, but the thing I find so surprising are people's reactions. A lot of people from the West have been saying that I don't seem like an East Coast girl at all. (whatever that means!)

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Posted in Watchin' People

I love people-watching. Human beings and the way they interact with their environment never cease to fascinate me. Today was an especially good day of people-watching so I thought I would share. This will also be one of those long, hodpodged - NOW there's a good word - convulated entries about nothing in particular, so don't feel obligated to read this.

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Posted in Watchin' People

I have to warn everyone RIGHT NOW that this is a going to be a long, convulated example of me having verbal diarrhea and if you're not interested, then just don't read this.

So, in a fit of insanity I went to the gym today at 6:30 am. It all has to do with a promise that I made to myself about how my chic-chic poo poo gym costs me so much money and I have to go to the gym at least three times a week to make it worth my money. But with me travelling so much, I felt like I needed to make up for lost time or whatever.

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Posted in Much To Do About Nothing, Watchin' People