Saturday, July 13, 2013

Toronto... first impressions... I want to live here!


8:50am eh!
Made it to Canada, eh, and the short flight from Raleigh to Toronto was another great start.   I sat next to a very interesting mand named Jeff Seymour who is a Financial Planner in Cary, has published a book (Greedomoter) and has been on CNBC and the Canadian version (BCC or something like that).  Anyway, we had a very enlightened discussion, using that term loosely as he did most of the talking, about the current state of our economic system and the markets.  Once again reconfirming my desire to go anywhere but here is not to far from a good idea.  I love America but I don’t love our economic policies that have led us to our current sad state from a monetary/budget/economy perspective.  But enough of that… this is not ‘that kind’ of post. 

Our flight attendant, Fredreich, was incredibly friendly and able to help us in English, French, German and Swiss German – I didn’t even know there was a langue called Swiss German!  Regardless, he gave me a list of places to go downtown, things to see, places to eat and how to get there.  He even gave me his email address so I could send him a message if I had any questions.  I can’t wait to explore downtown Toronto. 

As I get off the plane and go through customs they ask me how long I’m here – only about 10 hours for coffee and a book store, as I told the sweet customs agent, even though I don’t drink coffee.  Exit customs and my first impression of YYZ is how wll planned and organized it is.  The song playing over the sound system – nothing other than the Smiths/Morrissey – flash back to middle school with my friend Stacey Kayem and many weekends spent in Galveston with the Smiths and Violent Femmes. 

This is so out of my comfort zone and I love it.  I wish I had the nerve to take the bus and subway but I’m a bit of a fraidy cat when it comes to public transportation so I’m taking the shuttle downtown for a day of adventuring.  In an attempt to not look like a total tourist and to not look 2 years shy of 40, I have my iPod (from 2008) in my pocket, headphones in my ears, and my sunglasses on.  Here’s to never being too old to feel young and as my daughter has started saying… time to shine like the diamonds!

As a side note, and I’m sure there will be lots of them, this is going to be a stream of consiciousness so read at your own risk. It’s my blog and I don’t use it very much at all as you can tell from my last post years ago.  And apparently I forgot to clean off my playlists as I’m sitting typing listing to “Where are you Christmas” possibly from the kids Christmas playlist… so I’ll end with “Christmas is here, everywhere, if there is love in your heart and your mind you will feel like Christmas all the time”.  So true, I feel you Christmas today!  Today is a gift and I can’t wait to open it.

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