This is where we revisit, rethink or just think about what it is we are trying to accomplish here.
I started this blog just over 3 years ago and it has morphed and changed a number of times. I have enjoyed this space and this identity, UrbanPraire, but it feels like it no longer suits my purpose.
I am the proud new owner of LiveSmallThinkBig.ca
So heres to turning 40 and following your dreams! More information on that as it unfolds but in the mean time if you have enjoyed this site feel free to follow along on instagram under Live Small Think Big.
I was born in Brandon, Manitoba and spent the first 20 years of my life in the same house living with the same people.
At 20 I left my home town and moved to Calgary. I lived there for 4 years and in that time I had 3 addresses and in those homes had 7 living situations. I had two different jobs and finished a degree in Environmental Science.
After feeling like I got what I needed from Calgary, I left to go travel for a year and spent some time in S.E. Asia (Thailand, Viet Nam, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore) and then headed to Australia to work and travel. I lived in Melbourne for a 3 months, travelled for a month and then crashed on the floor of an Irishman’s bachelor pad in Sydney for a month so I would have enough money to get back to Canada.
I moved to Toronto at 25 with $300.00 and no idea how much harder living in a big city was. I stayed until I was 29. In those 4 years, I had 6 living situations and worked for 1 company but within that company I was employed at 4 different stores and had 3 different roles.
Once again, I felt fulfilled so I decided to leave and this time it was all travel and no work. I went to Europe, Morocco, India and back to S.E. Asia (Thailand, Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia).
At 30, I returned to Toronto where I have been living ever since. In the last 9 years I have had 5 living situations (slowing down a bit). I have always worked for the same company and this time upon my return I have worked at 4 different locations and within those 4 locations I have had 7 roles.
Believe it or not, I am actually a good roommate and reliable employee. Life in my 20s moved at a crazy, fun speed. Life in my 30s has presented some interesting moments and some solid challenges.
Until now I have never know where I wanted to be, which I think might be evident of what you just read. When I found my land, I found a lot of calm and the place I cannot wait to be.
This blog has been a number of different things for me. Right now, it is the journey of a woman who has decided to give herself the best 40th birthday gift ever – space to sit, breath and take in all of what just happened over the last 20 years.
I am slowly packing up my life in Toronto and heading “up North” to build a 100 square foot home. I have no idea what I am doing but everything will work out just fine because I feel like I am going home.
LEO Jul 23 | Aug 22 “Don’t ever tame your demons — always keep them on a leash.” That’s a line from a song by Irish rock musician Hozier. Does it have any meaning for you? Can your personal demons somehow prove useful to you if you keep them wild but under your control? If so, how exactly might they be useful? Could they provide you with primal energy you wouldn’t otherwise possess? Might their presence be a reminder of the fact that everyone you meet has their own demons and therefore deserves your compassion? I suspect that these are topics worthy of your consideration right now. Your relationship to your demons is ripe for transformation — possibly even a significant upgrade.
For the first time in my life I have taken technology along. Posting as I go.
I have also discovered that there a lot of super interesting people doing what I’m about to. I think I’ve found my online classroom.
Here’s to turning a corner and embracing technology a little bit more.
Visit their site. SomeProduct.
Starting to create a space where Toronto can come and find out all about urbanrprairieto….
Monday – Day of Thanks. Cause all of these were amazing moments.
Tuesday – Still the hearts. I love this day the most too.
Wednesday – Back to reading the news. Not just Harper this time. Everyone.
Thursday – Idle No More and the Environment with content mainly from First Nations website from around the world.
Friday – Still grade school experiments. Some collaborations, some projects on my “to do list” or “not likely to get to this list”, and things I have done that make me think/feel like I am super awesome because it did not come from a corporation.
Saturday – The making of the googlie eye art show which ends in May. The making of the homestead which begins in June.
Sunday – Whatever I want and it often will never make it into this world.
UrbanPrairie. UP. Because we have no where to go but up.
But in this attempt we are going to move slowly. I have spent the last 18 years learning by leaping. And in someways it feels like with each leap I looked less. So thank you to my family for making me feel like I had a very soft place to land and thank you to my friends who slowed me down thru the fall. Much obliged. Tip of the hat. Awe thanks, that sure was sweet of you. Curtsey of the skirt.
I also just about 23 acres of Canada. I want to create a good old fashioned, state of the art (art being off the grid technology), kind to its neighbours, drop your shoulders and breath, gay (being happy) homestead.
So this year I am going to start attempting on learning how to be a good host/hostess.
but moving this somewhere I can remember
ABOUT – 2013
UrbanPrairie. UP. Because we have no where to go but up.
If I could have a super power. I would be able to run my hands over books and in that touch absorb all the knowledge.
If I could become brilliant at a dream job in the next second. Political cartoonist. Wired to what is going on, super quick to translate it into witty, captivating, short stories. They are romantic and can punch you in the gut sometimes.
This is my attempt to work out my brain. One activity a day. I don’t know everything but I am slowly starting to know a lot more. And “Knowledge is Power” so maybe I do have a little super hero in me.
I love my current day job. It gave me all of the photos you see here. Lately thou, with what is going on in the world and they way the media represents it combined with the way we react to it, makes me wonder what exactly is going on with us. Hopefully some of these posts will make you think a little differently or question a few truths you have come to believe.
UrbanPrairie. UP. Because we have no where to go but up.
UrbanPrairie keeps changing and evolving. First it was a street-front shop filled with pretty things other Canadians had made. Then, it was my little work bench and the idea I could sell to stores but it started up as the first round of posts you see here from the month of May.
Now it’s different. It’s a cleaning kit to remove toxins from our homes. It’s a bike petition to move us forward to clean transportation. It’s a proposal to Pride Toronto on how to lead the way next year with the least amount of plastic ever. It’s a day dream that I could create a 100,000 person charity. It’s a googlie eye art show without a home.
It’s an attempt to build a better community.
It’s an attempt have some great conversation.
It’s a new urban think tank that is going to create environmentally sound ideas with an artistic bend to help make a better spaces for all of us. Non-humans included.
Thank you
on an aside: the goods for sale have not been fixed in any way. ie I have simply added hangers etc to whatever I have picked up
I have things for you
Very pretty and story-full things waiting to appear here, but I have been side tracked lately
More stock to come in August
Thanks for visiting!!
UrbanPrairie 