Monthly Archives: April 2012

Apr 28 2012
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We have a mantra

I woke up this morning to the realization that I have been at this blog posting thing for an entire week. I may not have posted each day of the week but I did “think” about posting almost every day so the commitment is there. And in the life of a shallow person a one week commitment is pretty significant. I don’t think there is any scientific evidence for this, like there is for the dogs, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say that one shallow week is the equivalent of a year or so in other people’s time. I mean I can hardly think of anything that I have stuck with for more than a week. Ok, so I played Farmville for two and a half years but I’m not sure that’s a good example. And I did finish knitting a scarf last winter but it turned out shorter than I had originally planned. No, as I sit here racking my brain trying to think of “things I have done for more than a week” I’m drawing a blank. But this is different. I have found a purpose, a goal so to speak and I am carrying it out through the writing of this blog. I have followers, and I can put that in the plural because there are two, so now it’s important for me to find a way to stick with this. What can I do to make this work?  What will make me commit to this for longer than a week?

After some thought I decided the answer was to create a mantra. If mantras keep other people focused, why not me? So here it is. My mantra is “one week at a time”. Now that I have written it down it sounds vaguely familiar. But I’m going with it. I’ve made it through one week and I think I can make it through one more. And maybe one more after that. I’m happy to share my mantra if you think it will work for you too. Just be careful with it. You don’t want to get too far ahead of yourself.

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Apr 25 2012
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Born this way

As you may imagine I am not really into party politics.  And before you judge, remember I live in a province where the choice is between “Right” and “More Right”. But when a politician uses the lyrics of a pop song as a reference point for his rather draconian ideas about who should live how, well that gets my attention.  Throw in a little fire and brimstone and you really got me thinking.  And so it was that I began to wonder if being shallow was something I learned or could it be a genetic trait?  Do I have a choice? In other words, was I just born this way?

Now I love my Mother.  She’s a sophisticated, smart business woman who at 96 years old (no that’s not a typo) lives in her own condo and still fries up a mean bull’s eye.  But as I pondered this question a recent conversation we had came to mind.  It went something like this:

Mother: So what’s going on with that election in Alberta?
Me: Well Danielle Smith seems to be gaining ground.  We’re a little concerned.
Mother: Isn’t she the leader of the Wild Rose Party?
Me: That’s the one.  You know, the ones who don’t believe in climate change, think two-tiered health care will fix the lines, figure white people understand other white people best, and are pretty sure that gays are going to burn in hell.
Mother:  Yes, I’ve seen her on TV and it’s too right wing for me.  But you know, she’s a lovely looking woman.

Yep…I love my Mom but I think I’m gonna have to go with Lady GaGa on this one.

Apr 22 2012
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What have I done?

Last night I couldn’t sleep.  I found myself tossing and turning while ideas, topics and sentences relentlessly floated in and out of my consciousness. It was a veritable word fest. And so it seems that I am overwhelmed with the enormity of this undertaking.  I have to admit that the sudden realization that I have committed to sharing my thoughts and ideas about being and becoming shallow is rather daunting.  Can I really do this?  What am I going to write about? Does writing about being shallow make me less shallow? My Mother doesn’t have a computer so will anyone read this? And if they do, will they like it?  Will they care? What have I done?

Fortunately the light of dawn brought with it the much-needed perspective I had been missing.  I’ve paid my 17 bucks.  I’m in.

Apr 21 2012
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Welcome to my world!

This is it. I’m finally getting the Shallow Blog started.  If I can stay off my computer games long enough, this could actually work.

It’s taken quite a while for me to get to this place.  Friends have been imploring me to write, to get this thing off the ground, but I needed time to ponder just what should go in a blog like this one.  I have tried to explain to them that being shallow comes with baggage, not the least of which is never really getting around to actually doing what you say you are going to do.

Just ask my family.  All of those little bottles of shampoo and conditioner that I religiously collect (and so, by the way, do you) from the multitude of hotels I stay in. They are still sitting on my bathroom vanity waiting for me to figure out what to do with them and why I take them in the first place. The credit card invitations I get in the mail that I used to be able to throw out but no longer can lest my identity be stolen by some poor homeless person who, upon sifting through the bags of garbage in my back lane, decides he or she would like the chance to flash a platinum American Express card with my name on it the next time they are shopping at Holt’s.  Not shredded yet. And this shallow blog. Originally conceived almost ten years ago during the many wonderful lunches I shared with my bff Kevin who, like me, leans towards all things shallow.  Still not written. Until today that is.

Today is the day.  Today I put pen to paper, fingers to keys.  Today I come out of the proverbial closet (not that one) and reveal myself to the world for who I really am.  I am shallow and proud of it.  So here I go.  I’m not sure I’ll write something every day, or even every week.  I’ll write when I have something to say.  It could be instructive or informative, funny or even a little sad. Whatever it is, it will help you to better understand what it is like to be shallow and proud, and maybe, just maybe, you will see some benefit in adopting this often maligned approach to life.  And if you don’t, you can buy a T-shirt or mug that I am sure I will eventually try to hawk from this site.  I’ll leave that to you.

Yes, for better or for worse, the Shallow Blog is born.

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