Wow - today someone I know is running a marathon...in Switzerland!! Yes, that's right Miss Lindsay Peters , formerly of 4H Canon Street, Edinburgh, is going to run 26 miles (roughly), just for the fun of it. Wow. Impressive stuff! I'm sure she'll do an awesome time and then enjoy a HUGE Swiss Chocolate Bar..at least that is what I would do if I ever completed a marathon. Indulge myself in a store full of candy and chocolate. Why, it's almost enough motivation to do the damn run. Almost...

Instead of running a marathon today, I went to the AFC and did an hour of cardio. Then I came home, jogged 4K and did a leg workout (think lots of squats) for about 40 minutes. So I don't feel totally lazy. Why, I might even allow myself to have a piece of Mom's pumpking pie later...

So, you might think that because I haven't blogged in over a week, I've been super busy and life has suddenly got exciting. Pffftttt. Not so much. Truth be told, I've just been trying (without much luck) to avoid being on the Internet too much and including some more productive things into my everyday routine.

Let's see, what did I do this week? Kind of fuzzy but here are a few 'highlights' that should indicate just how desperately I need to infuse my life with some real excitement:

1. I went shopping and it wasn't for food!! I actually dislike clothes shopping, which is strange because I have so many pieces of clothing. My favorite method of shopping involves going into a store, finding out if they havea cash refund retur policy and then, if they do, I just skim teh racks, pick out some outfits I like, buy em, try the clothes on and return what I don't like, or what doesn't fit. I didn't have that luxury when I went shopping on Friday since sale items tend not to be returnable :) In the end I was v. pleased to come home with one pair of blue jeans, two lacy tank tops (same style, different colours!) and an awesome pair of cropped pants that make certain parts of me look smaller than, perhaps, they really are :)

2. I went to a movie - Matchpoint, which is a Woody Allen film. Can't really compare it to other Allen films, since I've not seen many (if any), but I would say it was a good movie, but not great. Not sure I'd necessarily recommend it, but I wouldn't not recommend it...if that makes sense!

3. Went to Summerside Friday night for get together organised by Christine D. We went to the new Heritage Pub, which is really really big. And that is about all. It was great to see Christine and chat with Danielle. Christine is going to the UK in a few weeks, so I will have someone to visit there ! And Danielle is going to Istanbul in July, so that's another destination to consider :)

4. Tuesday I helped a friend out and ate way too many chocolate eggs that were innocently sitting in a big bowl at the Queen Street Commons. Then we went out for dinner at the Maple Grille and I ate salmon and other yummy, edibles. Sigh

5. It's a good thing I tempered all my eating excesses with a heck of a lot of cardio and weight training. I didn't take one day off this week.Still, tomorrow is weight-in day and I am not particularly optimistic since today I was overindulgent. I mean, we had two freaking desserts..how could I not resist??

Anyways, one of the most interesting things I did this week was take in a film called The Future of Food, which was playing at City Cinema and admission by donation. It was an amazing documentary - mostly disturbing and I felt tears welling up in my eyes at some points. I learned even more about the absolute power of corporations - over consumers, farmers and governments. It is nauseating to say the least - to realise how little control we have over what we are eating. To realise the plight of farmers. TO realise that genes of living things are being PATENTED! That was especially worrisome - that a corporation has patenetd one of the genes linked ot breast cancer and now will not allow researchers to conduct experiments using that gene without paying a HUGE amount of cash to the company.

WHO decided that life could be patented? (The answer is the Supreme Court of US)

More importantly...WHY are we, the collective that make up humanity, allowing a few rich white men to patent Mother Nature for their own financial benefits?

Do you really know where your food has come from? Do you know what is in it? Do you now how it might affect your health?

I don't know all the answers and I know there is a lot of science I don't understand but I will always, always stand behind the statement that Mother Nature knows best and we shouldn't be playing with that which has evolved over millions/billions of years. Our ecosystem is extremely fragile and DIVERSITY is a key part of the continued success of any species. GE foods threaten that natural diversity and in turn, they threaten us...

I don't want to rant..I really really dont, but the more I learn about everything the more I have to ask myself:

WHY ARE WE ALL SO COMPLACENT ABOUT OUR CHOICES ? Why do we just accept the credo of corporations? Why aren't we asking more about the motivations behind every action or inaction? Why are we simply accepting the cleverly marketed answers they spew at us? Don't we care anymore about having autonomy, choice and control over our own lives?

I don't know..it just seems to me that it truly is becoming a Brave New World. Or maybe 1984. And the key characteristic is a complete apathy amongst the general masses.

We accept what corporations and governments say/do. Why? Is it because we don't believe we have a choice? Is it because we are so exhausted from working for 'the man' we don't have any energy left to fight the good fight? Is it because we'd rather be secure than truly content? Is it because we've forgotten there is an alternative? Maybe it's time for a revolution. Remember, remember the 5th of November . . .