Soak out the stress

woman in hot tubA couple of weeks ago, I had a really bad week. I mean really bad. One of those weeks where you wonder why you’re slogging away at what you do and where Friday can’t come soon enough. On those weeks, I turn to the love of my life for comfort, solace and rejuvenation: I turn to my hot tub.

I love my hot tub. Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m the happy act blogger. I write about what’s really important, like the people in your life, precious moments, having purpose and being confident in who you are.

I know I’m not supposed to love material things. I believe there is an exception to every rule, and my exception is my hot tub.

I love that moment when I slip into my hot tub, and the steamy water sends tingling sensations through my spine. I sink deeper and deeper into the hot bubbling water until I can feel the jets pounding on my back, working their magic as they massage my tired limbs. I close my eyes, and become lulled by the tones of the water: the high-pitched hissing of the bubbles on the surface, the alto sounds of the gurgling jets and the rumbling of the water pounding below the surface.

Yes, just when I think I can’t love my hot tub any more, we take our relationship to a whole new level.

This week’s #HappyAct is to soak out the stress and get yourself in some hot water. If you don’t have a hot tub, try a long hot bath, or why not treat yourself to a day spa, like the Nordic Spa outside of Ottawa? I’ve heard people say it’s wonderful.

Curb appeal

couch for sale
Free to a good home

At this time of year, many municipalities hold large garbage days. This is where you put your big stuff on the curb and then the whole town cruises the streets, scanning the curbside for treasures. In today’s age of marketing, they now call them “free giveaway day”.

My favourite large garbage day story happened in Oakville about 20 years ago. Dave and I were either dating or just married, and we had an old beat up Ford Ranger truck and an empty apartment to furnish.

Nobody does large garbage day like Oakville. As my brother’s buddy Jim Reid says, the official uniform of the Oakville housewife is a Lululemon track suit, so you can count on their castoffs being sweet.

We’re cruising around in our truck and we pull up to a house with a perfectly fine hockey net at the end of the driveway. Just as we pull up, a BMW parks behind us and out comes a young family dressed to the nines who look like they have just come from church or a family brunch.

A young boy raced to the hockey net and started pleading with this father to have it. His Dad was explaining to the boy that there was no way he could fit it in his car when Dave and I stepped in and offered to drive the hockey net in our truck to their home.

We followed them home to one of the ritziest neighbourhoods in Oakville. Seriously. These were million dollar homes. We dropped the net off, the family thanked us and we went on our merry way to find our next score.

The morale of this story? It doesn’t matter how rich you are, how much stuff you have, there is always something you want and when you can score it for free, it’s a happy day.

This week’s #HappyAct is to find out when large garbage day is in your community and cruise the streets for free stuff. You never know what you will find or who you will meet. Here’s our contribution—not curbside, but in our barn for anyone who wants it. Our old couch—perfect for a cottage or hunting camp, and free to a good home. Here’s the ad on Kijiji if you’re interested. If we like you, we may even deliver it for ya!

Let your freak flag fly

Every once in awhile, you read an article and you think, I love this person. That’s how I felt when I read, “Iris Apfel Doesn’t Do Normcore” in the New York Times this week.

I’d never heard of Iris Apfel before, but I’m going to go on record to say she must be the coolest 93-year old on the planet.

Let me rewind to a side conversation that happened Friday morning. A co-worker came into my office with a new, funky shirt on. We said how much we liked it, even though she started by saying it was different, almost apologizing. I was wearing one of my favourite Aztec sweaters. Every time I wear this sweater or one of my ponchos, someone (usually Dave, since that’s what husbands are for) makes a joke about me being Pocahontas or something.

Then at lunch I read about Iris Apfel. Iris has been a mainstay of the New York fashion scene for decades and is the subject of a new documentary. Here are some “Irisicsms” from the article.

“I think, given a choice, it’s better to be unstylish but happy.”

I love clutter. I think being totally minimal shows a lack of history and soul, and I find it sort of pitiful. I think it’s wonderful to have stuff and live with memories and things you enjoy.”

“There’s no free lunch, baby. You have to give up something to get something else, but that’s a very small price.”

This week’s #HappyAct is to read the article for inspiration, then let your freak flag fly. Be you, wear what makes you happy and be fearless.

Post script: I loved this article because it drew on so many of my blog posts over the past year. See these happy acts for bonus inspiration…

Watch Iris’ movie trailer…

Wear the same t-shirt every day

mark_zuckerbergI read an article recently where Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was asked why he wore the same gray t-shirt every day.

His answer might surprise you. He said, “I really want to clear my life to make it so that I have to make as few decisions as possible about anything except how to best serve this community… I feel like I’m not doing my job if I spend any of my energy on things that are silly or frivolous about my life.”

In a world where celebrity weddings cost millions, stylists reign supreme, and even the average person needs a walk-in closet for their clothes, we can all take a page from the Facebook founder’s philosophy.

This week’s #HappyAct is to do one thing to simplify your life so you can focus on what’s really important. And if you see me wearing the same pair of black pants every day next week, pretend you don’t notice.

Create a happy play list

Last week was the #InternationalDayofHappiness. It was fun watching people share the happy on Twitter that day. Many radio stations including the CBC and one of our local stations here in Kingston got on the happy bandwagon, asking listeners what songs they listened to for a pick me up. Mashable compiled its list with the help of Ed Sheeran and John Legend.

Here are 11 songs that would be on our family’s happy play list.

  • Bang Bang by Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj and Jesse J
  • Downstream by Supertramp
  • Shake It Off by Taylor Swift
  • The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) by Simon and Garfunkel
  • Walkin’ on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves
  • Happy by Pharrell Williams
  • Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars
  • Carry On by Fun
  • Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles
  • Wave over Wave by Great Big Sea (or any Great Big Sea song)
  • It’s Friday by Alan Doyle and Dean Brody

What song would make your play list? This week’s #HappyAct is to create your own happy play list. Feel free to use some of ours.

Savour more than just the meal

Morrison's Sign

Special guest blog

I could have went to Tim Horton’s this morning. I could have ordered a breakfast bagel and a double cream large Dark Roast. Yeah, I could have done that. Hell, I could have went through the drive through. Wait, there’s also Rotten Ronnie’s as an option, they have great coffee.

I went to Morrison’s Restaurant. That unassuming nook across from Market Square with the flashing sign reading Sea Food and Steaks.

A place where Nutritional Information need not apply. This is the place that could have been up the road from that nuclear bomb shelter, Ford Fairlane parked out front, a couple of “Hoods’ leaning against the car making plans that end in Daddy -O listening to a radio warning of a Cuban Missile crisis.

It’s not. It’s in Kingston. Downtown. Today.

I read the menu, but didn’t have to. I knew exactly what I wanted. “

Give me the Three Egg Special, over hard.”

The old lady in the white T-Shirt wrote it down. She wrote it down? Yeah, that’s exactly what she did. She didn’t have to. Everybody orders that.

I swear it was five minutes later when she came back.

The breakfast came with home fries. Not the frozen McCain’s crap. This was the real thing that resembled quasi mashed potatoes.

Boo freakin’ ya!

I sat there and savoured the bacon bliss. Inhaled it before my fork sliced through the cholesterol carnage.

Then I sipped the coffee. No flavoured wussy latte stuff. This could have stripped the paint off of that Fairlane. I thought about putting ketchup on my eggs. It was tempting but I wanted it straight up, no frills, just a slathering of salt and pepper. Ok, a lot.

My world is all black and white today. Salt and pepper. Today, I’m getting my news from the Globe and Mail print edition. When the news was as current as yesterday.

For a moment, that coffee tasted sweeter than my wife’s kisses.

The toast? Wonder Bread. Nothing from Texas style. it was either white or brown.

She put butter on it. Not margarine. Butter tastes great!

Sitting there staring at the empty plate waiting for the bill to come, I thought about those mornings when my grandmother would make me bacon and eggs. The sun shining through the kitchen window, the dog licking up a fallen piece of bacon and the smell of Maxwell House instant coffee. Yeah, those were the best days of my life.

Then I think about my wife’s kisses this morning. I think about our son’s wave and smile as he crosses the gate leading into the school yard, ”Bye, Daddy!

No, the best is yet to come.

I asked the old lady what kind of coffee it was.

“Mother Parker’s. We only serve the best here.”

This week’s #Happy Act is to go get a Two Egg Special and savour more than just the meal.

Mark is a dad, husband, screenwriter, brew master and die hard Cubs fan who was recently named the “Unofficial” blogger for the Chicago Cubs in Canada. You can check out his blog or follow him on Twitter @canuckcubbie.

Host your own awards show

Man and girl with awards
Dave accepting the Swinnie for Loudest Farter and Clare for Best Hockey Player

It’s the end of the awards show season, a time to recognize and celebrate the best of the best. We held our very own awards show last weekend, the “Swinnies”.

It was the brain child of my very creative and brilliant daughter Grace who is forever coming up with awesome ideas for us to do as a family.

As awards shows go, it was epic. Clare sang the national anthem (note to awards show producers —this should be how every awards show starts).

There were over the top musical performances, wardrobe malfunctions, someone even tripped on the red carpet. The acceptance speeches moved us to tears…of laughter.

My favourite moment was when Dave accepted his award for Loudest Farter, when during his tearful acceptance speech, Clare asked, “What, did you just smell your own stench?”

This week’s #HappyAct is to hold your own awards show. Make it epic. And don’t forget to watch the Junos tonight honouring the best in Canadian music.

Dog with award
Bella won the Swinnie for Best Idiot–a shoe in

Enter a contest…and win it!

We need to go to Vegas, baby. This week, lady luck was in the house as the Swintons raked in three prizes.

I came home one night to a nice message on my answering machine saying one of our local councillors, John McDougall put my name in a draw for people who volunteer in our community. I won a $25 gift certificate to our local gift shop, Nicole’s gifts—thanks John!

So I’m shopping at Nicole’s yesterday for presents for my sister-in-laws for their birthdays (shop local everyone!) when Nicole says to me, did you come in to pick up your prize from Christmas? I had won another draw and came home with a stocking of gift prizes!

The jackpot came on Friday when Clare’s picture of her landing an eight-pound pike ice fishing was chosen as the Friday photo winner for Ontario Out of Doors magazine. She won a $100 Canadian Tire gift card, which will come in handy when it’s time to buy new skates and hockey equipment next year. It made my day.

This week’s #HappyAct is to enter a contest. In a world where nothing is free, but online contests are a dime a dozen, it’s easy to enter to win. Have you ever won anything? Leave a comment and share your story.

The best investment you can make

Warren BuffettIt’s RRSP season, a time when Canadians take a few minutes away from dreaming of warmer temperatures and travels south to consider where to invest their money.

For investors, this weekend is big for another reason. Yesterday, Warren Buffett, the President of Berkshire Hathaway released his 50th annual letter to shareholders. For those of us who have an interest in the world of investing, Buffett is “the bomb” and his annual letter is a must-read, full of gems. I’ve included a few highlights and interesting facts from this year’s letter at the end of today’s blog.

While Buffett’s fortune of $73 billion may make him a happy guy, I think he’d agree with me that the best investment you can make is not in any one stock or company. It’s in yourself.

I can’t take credit for this advice. I was on one of my favourite social media sites, Quora the other day and saw this question: What’s the best investment a 20-year old can make? The cool thing about Quora is anyone can post an answer. One wise millennial beyond her years posted this answer: to invest in yourself.

Warren Buffett always says don’t invest in what you don’t understand. No one understands you or knows what is best for you than yourself.

This week’s #HappyAct is to make the best investment you can make by investing in yourself. Follow this advice and you’ll enjoy every bit as much of success as Warren Buffett.

From Buffett’s 2015 annual letter to shareholders

  • Wondering where to invest your money? Buffett believes in investing in businesses with intrinsic value. Berkshire Hathaway increased its ownership in 2014 to 7.8% of IBM, 9.2% in Coca-Cola and 14.8% of American Express
  • The per-share value of Berkshire Hathaway in 1965 was $19. Today it’s $146,186. That’s an annual compound rate of return of 19.4%
  • “Gender should never decide who becomes CEO”
  • 39,000 people attended the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder meeting in Omaha last year. This year it’s on May 3. Buffett gives tips on how to get there and where to shop to help attendees save money. For example, one of his companies, the shoe company Brooks will be selling special commemorative running shoes!

Make some new daytime BFFs

I have three new best friends. Their names are Kelly, Michael and Ellen.

I’ve spent every morning with my new best friends this week. That’s because I haven’t left the house. After going on about how much I love winter, I came down with pneumonia.

I’ve never had pneumonia before. I expected to be tired, but I didn’t expect to spend most of my waking hours lying down. The fatigue was unbelievable. After twenty or thirty minutes of even sitting up, I was exhausted.

As the week went on, I wondered what the heck I was going to blog about after such a dismal week. Sure, there were a few highlights. Watching the squirrels and birds at the feeders on the back deck. Sharing every couch and bed with my two big dopey dogs. Witnessing my kids’ after school routine where they burst through the door, and then proceeded to rampage through the cupboards for snacks. (One day Clare ate a chocolate pudding, a hot dog, then a bowl full of pickles in that order).

I came to the conclusion that the highlight of my week was watching morning talk shows. My new BFFs became Kelly Ripa, Michael Strahan and Ellen Degeneres.

Here are some of my observations after watching a week of morning talk.

  • Everyone dances. Whether you’re the host, a guest or in the TV audience, at some point, you’ll be expected to dance
  • 99% of the studio audience is women, which begs the question, what do men watch in the daytime? (guys feel free to leave a comment to enlighten me)
  • It’s not enough to just talk with celebrities any more—you have to get them to do some kind of stunt or play a game
  • You can win lots of free stuff
  • Every show has its own cool mug. I think I might start a new collection–a new mission in life

This week’s #HappyAct is to grab your favourite mug, curl up on the couch and watch a daytime talk show. Make some new daytime BFFs. And Kelly, Michael and Ellen—let’s do lunch—call me.