Under the Weather and Feeling Good

Under the Weather and Feeling Good

Don’t complain about bad weather. Get even. Or balanced

Use it to connect to balance your health and to look better.

Are you still with me?

What I am about to say may sound complicated but other than do what you always have been doing like eating and taking care of yourself, you need only to add noting the weather.

I have introduced the Doshas in my previous blog entries. In Ayurveda, there are three Doshas; Vata, Pitta, Kapha. They are derived from the five elements; Air, Space (Vata), Fire (Pitta), Water, Earth (Kapha). Each person and everything that exists around us are made from these elements and have a combination of the three Doshas.

If you are Vata: it means that you have a higher ratio of air/space. If you are Vata Pitta, it just means that you are equally high in air/space and fire/water. And the rarer combination is Tridosha meaning you have equal quantities of each of the energies.

You can discover your Doshas by allowing an Ayurvedic Doctor take your pulse. A great opportunity to do this is approaching as Dr Sharma will be doing complimentary Ayurvedic Diagnosis at Pure + simple’s 725 King Street West Location on Thursday, June 11th from 4:00-7:00pm.

To see a summary of the Dosha characteristics go to my April 1, 2009 blog entry or go to http://www.pureandsimple.ca/2005/files/products/ayurvedic.html .

You can also take a Dosha test that can be found in Kristen Ma’s book, BEAUTY 2.0. It is available on line and at any Pure + simple location. Or you can do a self test which you can get at any Pure + simple location. For a convenient location, go to (http://www.pureandsimple.ca )

Then you need to be aware of the weather conditions in the morning. Be familiar with the weather characteristics wind (air) , humidity (water) , temperature hot (fire), wet cold (earth), dry cold (air) Cold damp weather is Kapha, Hot weather is Pitta. And Cold dry weather is Vata. Of course it is important to note the intensity of the characteristics so you can respond with the appropriate intensity. So if it’s windy that would make it very Vata.

You then need to learn how to balance the weather conditions with your own energies with diet and personal grooming to maintain good health and beautiful youthful skin.

I will discuss diet and personal grooming and exercise in balancing you Doshas to the weather in my next entry.
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Get Connected

Get Connected

Feeling connected is good. It is believed that feeling connected has many psychological and emotional benefits like lessening stress – if you want more details go to - http://www.susankramer.com/Connection.html http://www.youmeworks.com/ca.html.

It is also believed that feeling connected can increase cognitive abilities and so we can perform better at work and at school - http://www.healthyalberta.com/HealthyPlaces/660.htm.

Feeling connected also allows us to be more mentally and emotionally balanced helping us avoid depression. http://www.webmd.com/depression/news/20050203/feeling-connected-helps-women-avoid-depression

I have found that feeling connected can also help you look and feel better physically.

Let’s start with what everyone means when they talk about “being connected”.

It is that feeling of belonging. On a very personal level it can include finding a kindred spirit in that one true love and being part of a tight knit loving family. Go to http://psychcentral.com/connectedquiz.htm to see if that special person is really your soul mate.

Our circle can grow beyond friends and family to include political and special interest groups. As our feeling of belonging grows, we find that we can empathize with the needs of and support the causes of those who are not part of our “tribe” or live in distant countries. We can also become committed to global concerns like the environment.

While strong ties to a group can give us the benefits mentioned, our sense of connectedness can rely too much on external forces (other members of the group).

As I pursued self awareness and healing, I have “accidentally” stumble over a feeling of connecting to the universe while practicing Chi Kung.

This feeling of connection to the source can give a strong sense of self, a rock solid foundation - one that is not at the whims of the acceptance or actions of others.

But this profound connection to the universe with its feeling of stability can be attained through many ways.

Those wiser than I, become aware of their mortality and begin to get beyond earthly preoccupations to learn to connect to the universe.

Many of us connect by choosing a conventional religion. All of the major religions have a belief of connecting to that bigger entity as shown in the Hinduism and Buddhism concept’s of Atman, (not Richard Simmons clothng line) each person’s soul, being connected to Brahman, the over soul. You can learn more about this at http://www.hinduwebsite.com/atman.asp

For many, that connection can also be realized through art and music. Most of us have had deep connection to a story, movie or song, even if only for a moment.

We can also find that connection through nature by gardening to walking in the woods.

Due to my personal circumstances (I have ADD), connecting was more of a challenge. But fortunately for me, I discovered Chi Kung and Yoga. Both of these physical practices were designed as a part of spiritual practice and enlightenment. Like most Westerners, I began both these practice without a thought to spiritual enlightenment. I began learning Chi Kung in the hopes of reducing a cyst in my left kidney without surgery or medication. My Chi Kung master constantly reminded us to let go and to let the “chi” flow into our bodies. But with my level of consciousness, it merely meant attaining more energy and getting healthier.

Then one day as I did my daily Chi Kung exercises, I suddenly felt the surge of energy flow through my body. I felt exhilarated and calm at the same time. I experienced the connection between my soul to that of the over soul.

If you would like more information on Chi Kung you can email my Chi Kung Master Jean Li at quimac@rogers.com or you can visit our Grandmaster Wong’s site at http://www.shaolin.org/ . If you prefer, visit an alternative site belonging to a well known Toronto Chi Kung Master, Teresa Yeung at http://www.masterteresa.com/master_teresa.html

From that moment on my Yoga postures were improved as I was more aware of my physical body and energy flow. Less anxiety, fear and more love and empathy for others were permanent benefits of that critical realization. Since I tend to be Vata in outlook, I enjoy a Yoga that has a spiritual element rather than one with a more athletic focus. I hate routine so I need a Yoga studio that allows for my nomadic nature.

My favourite Yoga studio is the Yoga Centre Toronto at Yonge north of Eglinton. Visit their site at http://www.yogacentretoronto.ca/home.html . Each Iyengar Yoga class is done according to the our individual physical abilities with the teachers compassionately pushing us to perform to our best. It is also one of the few nonprofit Yoga studios in the city.

The second most important practice with which I have achieved connectedness is Ayurveda. Ayurveda, like Yoga grew out of Hinduism and Buddhism. Ayurveda, a healing modality from ancient India, is the study of living a healthy balanced life. I daily balance my energies with that of my environment with my skincare and diet. It also can influence my decisions for physical activity. I find that the environment influences my state of mind so with diet and skincare I can neutralize any negative effects like irritability, depression or disorientated.

As I learn to better balance my energies, the more connected I become to my environment and those in it. I also found that I felt and I looked better.

I will show you how to balance your energies (your Doshas) with that of the environment in the next blog entry.

Assembling Your Healing Entourage

Your Own Entourage

Entourages are not just for celebrities. People, like us have them too. Our “entourages” tell a lot about us. A person concerned with external beauty and the physical body will assemble an entourage that may include a hairstylist, a manicurist, a dentist, a medical doctor and a dermatologist. This is very common when we are teenagers, as we are less aware of our internal life.

As life changes to focus on our careers and performance, our entourage may include a Massage Therapist, Medical Specialists, Psychiatrist and perhaps a Naturopath or a Traditional Chinese Doctor.

As we mature those of us who take time to reflect become more aware of our spiritual dimension and its profound effect on our mental and physical health. Your entourage reflects your complexity and sagacity to include an Ayurvedic Doctor, Reflexologist, Colon Therapist, Psychotherapist, Reiki Master, Cranial Sacral Therapist and any of the alternative professionals of choice in Vitality Magazine. (link to Vitality Magazine at http://www.vitalitymagazine.com/ )

“Entourages” can evolve organically as your personal needs and beliefs systems change.

You can also redesign your team with a set of goals in mind . Spell out your goals. Take inventory of the current situation of which can include your available time, your health concerns. Then devise a plan on how you can achieve it. Assemble your team of advisors paid and unpaid. Monitor your progress.

A large “entourage” does not indicate declining health or old age. More often these are times of transition or of acute illness. Size can change as needs and life situations change. It may grow to temporarily include a psychotherapist if you feel the need to better understand a complex relationship experience or so call irrational behavior. Connect with a colon therapist (my favourite includes Deborah at Oasis Health) and an herbalist (drop into Thuna’s on the Danforth (416-461-8191), Roger + Evelyn are a very knowledgeable team) when embarking on a detox program.

The nature of the entourage changes as your life changes. As I matured I have become more complex and healing is on more dimensions. I like my boomer friends have found healing from many diverse natural healing modalities. They have helped us be rid of common and chronic ailments like allergies, poor digestion, and low energy along with more acute and life changing ones like cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

What make a healer more effective for us more multidimensional beings? We of the Boomer Generation have experienced more changes in ways of life than past generations. Our numbers have made holistic health, environmental concerns and organics popular. Therefore as we age we need healers that are not just good at healing but ones that are as creative problem solvers as we are.

My focus on external beauty has changed from physical perfection to having it help me communicate with my internal body and mind. Dry skin cautions me on dehydration and my kidneys as well as too much stress or worry. Water retention warns of fatigue or of a slower metabolism or circulation and perhaps a tendency to be resistant or possessive. Undue redness in my skin warns of over consumption of salt or protein and a need to find out why I am irritable or too competitive.

So I visit my Acupuncturist, Dr Shan Wu, (http://www.asian-acupuncture.com/)weekly to balance my body’s main energy flow which energizes me. I bring up any concerns so she may take care of them with my visit. She starts to prepare my stressed out body for acupuncture with a rigorous (her tiny size does not prepare you for the intensity) shiatsu treatment. My acupuncture changes each week according to my current state, my complaints and my time of the month. After acupuncture, I get cupping as I have a sluggish lymphatic system. I walk out refreshed and ready to take on the next week with a positive energy. My visit is $95.00.

My poor digestion has been part of my life and causing other health concerns since teenage. My daughter Kristen insisted I see her Ayurvedic Doctor, Dr Sharma,
( http://ayurvedatoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 ) to correct it. Each visit includes his focus on my mind body spirit as he balances my busy mind with scents of saffron, jasmine and juniper. I usually see him in the morning so the smell of camphor wakes up my senses and clears my lungs. He feels my pulse to detect any imbalances in my energies and customizes my body treatment. Then he sends me home with herbs to take until my next visit. Each visit is a well deserved regular rate of $80.00. A comfort for us who are apprehensive of the unexpected charges of some Naturopathic visits.

A real treasure is Yim To ( 41 Grange Ave 416-971-5850) , a kung fu master who applies his knowledge of healing sore and damaged muscles and ligaments to relieve chronic pain. He doesn’t speak English but if you can point out your pain he will get to the root of it and in days repair what you were told only surgery could. For $20.00 you can experience for yourself how simple and humble healing can be. My partner had severe back pain. He tried expensive back treatments where they stretch your spine, acupuncture, physiotherapy and cortisone treatments with no luck. His medical doctor advised back surgery as the only solution. So as a last ditch effort he agreed to go see Yim. Skeptical but not wanting to leave any stone unturned before accepting surgery he visited Yim at his humble home in Toronto’s Chinatown. After a couple of visits, he experience pain relief not achieved with any of his earlier therapies. With back pain decreasing, he had Yim add patches to his shoulders and elbows increasing his visit to $40.00. After a couple of weeks of daily visits, he now only visits Yim periodically for a muscle tune-up.

My new best friend is Reflexolgist, Jean Louie (jean.reflexology@gmail.com 905-773-6748). She totally accommodates my needs as she volunteers to come to my home late in the evening after I have taken a relaxing hot sea salt bath. For one hour twice a week she balances my health by stimulating the pressure points in my neglected feet. I am especially a good candidate for reflexology as my leg circulation is sluggish and I have a tendency for swollen feet and ankles. Now my sleep is more restful and the next day is fabulous as my organs are in top shape.

If your entourage is minimal and you have some minor discomforts like some digestive concerns or if your energy is waning, head over your local Supplement Plus (3 locations in Toronto). Staff armed with certification in homeopathy or naturopathy so are equipped to help in a pinch. For digestive irregularity Supplement Plus have a wide range of natural solutions from Genestra’s Acidophilus to “Metagenix Ultra Inflam” to chewable digestive aids like, DGL Licorice. Energy boosts can come in homeopathic drops or vitamin ampoules.

So start managing your entourage towards a healthier you -----and enjoy life!

Please feel free to contact me at jean@pureandsimple.ca if you want to learn more about the above.

Battling Cellulite

Battling Cellulite

Spring is here and as summer approaches we reveal more skin. So at this time of the year, our skincare focus expands beyond our faces as we take closer looks at our legs and feet -- arms and hands ---and tummies more critically.

While weight loss may be a concern for some and the big focus is cellulite. Stubborn cellulite on our limbs and stomachs can frustrate even the thinnest and the most athletic of us.

We despair as the unattractive texture appears on the underside of our bicep and the backs of our legs as our skin thins with aging. The most disappointed are the slimmer and more athletic of us as cellulite shows more easily as the skin becomes thinner and loses the cushion of the fatty layer to reveal the accumulation of fat and toxins.

For those of us who want to look better and find solutions to lessening this accumulation of toxins, we also get other healthy benefits. Circulation is improved giving us more moist skin and I personally got slimmer shapelier legs. After a life of envy of those like my sister, who had long slim legs, I had finally resigned myself to more generously proportioned legs. But to my surprise my cellulite treatments gave me the slimmer legs that had eluded me in my youth.

I loved the results so much I wanted to share this great experience with clients. As I was training to do cellulite treatments, I was surprised to see that even my skinny arms had cellulite. While my cellulite was visible it was not severe enough to hurt. I found that people with stage three and four (more severe) cellulite were more sensitive to massage sometimes even to touch in those areas. So those of us with the worst cases could not tolerate the most effective cure very well.

So what are some viable options to lessen cellulite?

The best options, like anything for the long term, are the ones that included your own efforts. So Liposuction is not included. While Liposuction is an option for people who want to get rid of adipose fat but it does not lessen cellulite. Adipose fat is the fat from being overweight while cellulite is interwoven into the third layer of your skin.

Endermologie is one of my favourite treatments because its kneading massage movement is a welcomed relaxing feeling and it delivers great results. The results are not merely cosmetic but does reduce cellulite so that you get an overall health benefit of better circulation in your legs. A great place to have this done is in Markham where endermologie is popular with the Chinese Canadian women from Hong Kong and the therapists are passionate enough to keep updated about their work. At certain times of the year, you can get some very good deals. Nancy at MK Laser Clinic (www.mklaserclinic.com) was my successful introduction to endermologie. Her treatments gave me fast enough results to stick with it and to start a home program. Another great place get endermologie is Perrine Spa (905-763-3880). Annie the owner is continually updating her ability to get rid of cellulite with tips from her colleagues in Hong Kong.

The quick results from endermologie helped to encourage my effective self care.
Self-care is important for cellulite management long term. Benefits are its deep affects on your overall health and your appearance. It requires little other than dedication and it is simple to do. Starting results are slow if you do not support it with endermologie, so strong commitment needed.

An example of a simple quick home program begins daily with a brisk dry brush of your skin especially the areas with cellulite. It gets the circulation going and removes dead skin. Then jump into the shower. After towel drying massage skin with a good moisturizer. Work the areas you want to be rid of cellulite more vigorously.

Daily exercise is very, very helpful. I do yoga n the morning so I make sure lunge postures are part of my routine. Other great exercise practices include, walking, cycling, running, aerobics. Daily exercise will increase the speed and quality of the results. Choosing ones you enjoy is important so you will continue for the long term

Weekly care can include a hot steam sauna, hot baths with Epsom salts and a massage treatment. I am currently get reflexology from a very caring and knowledgeable reflexologist, Jean Louie. She comes to my home in the evenings twice a week. You can contact her at jean.reflexology@gmail.com

Dr. Wu at http://www.asian-acupuncture.com/ has been my energy tonic as I visit her regularly to balance and boost my body. Lately I have noticed a numb feeling just before my period so I have asked her to do some acupuncture and cupping on my front thighs to stimulate the circulation. This simple treatment has improved my comfort in this very trying time of my month so I am less moody and irritated the week before menstruation.

So you see keeping skin moist is not just beneficial for our faces, but will promote better circulation in our bodies. The secret to health and beauty is circulation.

What starts out merely as a cellulite treatment can slim down a disproportionate heavier body part, moistening chronically skin and relieve cold hands and feet.

Are the TV ads by makers of the pills for restless leg syndrome making you wonder about the lose - lose proposition of taking easy pharmaceuticals and the win – win of just a little effort and logical thinking?

I can see for Miles and Miles

Beautiful eyes are a sight to behold but what about sight itself? Are you resigned to the inevitability of sight deterioration as you age? Are you just going to accept reading glasses as you enter middle age? Do you believe that weakening vision, especially night vision is natural as time passes?

With each visit to my optometrist, I resolutely accepted the increasing weakening of my vision as a sign of aging. My prescription did not change but I wore my glasses more and my night vision was a scary concern as I begin to make more effort when driving in the dark.

Then one day my perception of sight, my sight, changed.

Just before the Christmas Holidays, I began correcting my vision to become glasses-free. I had met John Yee ( learn more about John’s innovative solution to near sightedness at http://www.theeyefix.com/ ) at the Whole Life Expo and after listening to his explanation of how he could correct my short sightedness without the risk of laser I decided to try his simple risk free solution to improve eye sight.

Glasses were a way of life for me. I come to loved hiding behind any one of my three pairs of prescription fashion sunglasses. I rarely wore glasses indoors but I did wear them at special occasions to replace the eye makeup I had grown allergic to. See FOR YOUR EYES ONLY to understand and relieve dry eyes.

Did you know that obeying your optometrist can worsen your eye sight? According to John my neglectful act saved my eye sight! Prescriptions are filled according to our night vision which is poorer than day vision. Therefore we all end up wearing glasses that are too strong for us during the day!! And that weakens our vision over a period of time. Since I did not wear my glasses religiously my prescription did not increase over time making John’s job of improving my vision quicker and easier.

To improve my vision all I need to do was to insert the lenses in my eyes for one minute three times a week and exercise my eyes by looking into the far distance. The lenses corrected my vision by changing the shape of my eyes.

John changed my lenses as my vision improved and with each new pair of lenses my vision improved. John generously lent me weaker glasses to compensate for weaker vision a night mainly for driving.

It’s been almost four months that I am glasses free. To maintain my vision I insert the lenses and exercise my eyes weekly now.

It is very frightening how little I knew about my vision and my eyes before correcting my vision naturally.

With my obstacle free vision, I have become more aware of how my eyes change as I go through changes in my monthly ovulation schedule and from the foods I eat and the stress I create in my life. I feel the dehydrating effects of the foods I am allergic to. My eyes would dry out and sometimes even water.

Now when I tell a client suffering from rosacea that eating Pitta foods are not good for her skin as red meat and oily foods make her capillaries dilate, I know how what dilating capillaries really mean as I feel the consequences of blurry vision.

While blurry vision is not great, I am thrilled with the discovery of the true meaning of holistic health. I welcome any experiences you have as you discover the miracle of your mind body and spirit.

I also now understand why my eyes are so allergic to make up. The drier the eyes are them more sensitive they become. Another opportunity to better help clients with sensitive or allergic eyes.

For Your Eyes Only

It is said the “EYES ARE THE WINDOW TO THE SOUL”. Most mornings like this one, I awaken with a puffy soul.

So my first act in the morning is to spray my eyes with Organic Rose Hydrosol ( for more information on this product go to http://www.pureandsimple.ca/2005/files/products/skincare.html) . This shot of moisture helps to start draining the stagnant fluids while I prepare myself to meet the world.

My daughter, who inherited this sluggish circulation around the eyes applies a cooling hydrating mask like our Calming Cucumber Mask instead. ( for more information on this product go to http://www.pureandsimple.ca/2005/files/products/skincare.html).

What’s the difference? It is really personal preferences. My Vata nature is impatient and want to move quickly onto my day while she is Pitts and moves through her day with more purposefully and demands better results.

It could be multiuse products as I also use the Organic Rose Hydrosol as my hydrator throughout the day while Kristen uses the Calming Cucumber Mask weekly to alleviate her sensitive skin’s redness and inflammation.

No matter, we both end up with less puffy eyes.

In the middle of the day, as my skin dehydrates, my eyes look more aged I freshen up my eyes with a dab of Collagen Elastin Plus( for more information on this product go to http://www.pureandsimple.ca/2005/files/products/skincare.html). This is a great trick to freshen your whole face if you want to look your best for a special night out.

Now you may be perplexed when I also complain about being plagued with dry eyes.

You may want to scream, “MAKE UP YOUR MIND – Do you have dry eyes or puffy eyes!”.

But the two are not mutually exclusive. The swelling from accumulating liquid is caused by dehydration. The dehydration in turn is caused by a lack of circulation as the delivery of moist nutrients to the cells is being impeded by under functioning capillaries. Therefore dehydration makes your eyes look and feel dry and also leaves you suffering from puffiness. It’s a generous two for.

So keep the areas around the eyes beautiful and healthy by keeping them moist. See previous blog entry, “VANITY IS GOOD FOR YOU” to read about how moist skin maintains good circulation.

For the adventurous try Netra Basti. A few years ago I treated my dry eyes to Netra Basti, an Ayurvedic Eye Treatment at the Ayurvedic Institute in New Mexico ( for more information about the Ayurvedic Institute and their Panchakarma program go to http://www.ayurveda.com/panchakarma/index.html ). This nourishing eye treatment is done by building a dam around the eye socket where warm ghee is poured over an open eye. For about fifteen minutes your therapist leads you through eye exercises which clean of pollution and other debris caught behind the eyes. This eye treatment relieved my chronic eye strain and rejuvenated my aging eye area. It was worth the day of looking like one who awoke from a major alcoholic binge as my eyes swelled up from greedily absorbing the ghee.

If after you have tried the serum and eye cream and even Netra Basti and you still have puffy eyes it may be due to aging organs. Chronic dehydration and water retention can reveal a weakening kidney. As we age our organs need some pampering. I take Banyan Botanicals Kidney Formula to give my kidneys a boost. If you are plagued with puffy eyes or dark circles ( also caused by circulatory problems or it could be warning you of an oveloaded liver) see a good Naturopath, Traditional Chinese Doctor or Ayurvedic Doctor to give a boost to overloaded or weakening organs. Look good; Feel good at its truest!

More about Naturopaths, Traditional Chinese Doctors ad Ayurvedic Doctors along with detoxing organs later. Please feel free to ask questions here or in person.

A Winning Experience

This journey began when our accountant Steven Chong surprised us by nominating Pure + simple for the Most Innovative Company Award 2009 to the Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneur Awards committee just before Christmas. This is very telling of Steven’s exceptional talents as an accountant if you knew my unconventional approach to bookkeeping.

The vetting process was very formal and thorough as Pure + simple’s achievements and potentials were tested by the ACCE Selection committee of business owner members and outside professionals from the Ontario Ministry of Small Business and Consumer Services and Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

When we became finalist, we were interviewed by Christine Lam of Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Vernon Tao of the Ontario Ministry of Small Business and Consumer Services.

While Kristen and I did our best to win them over---- we, or at least I was not fazed by the opportunity. While Kristen took the day off to get her hair professionally done and had taken some time off to shop and put together a special outfit— I decided to work my shift at our Oakville shop and had not even thought of my outfit until it was time to dress.

Of course as a Mid-Ager, I have a collection of designer suits to comfortably choose from. I chose one that was evening’ish – black on black with sequins discreetly caught in mesh —conservative cut to help me look the part of an serius business woman ---and was old enough to be considered vintage to convey my philosophy of conservation and respect for the environment.

I rush to pick up a couple of my staff and to get some help in make up. I had to put on enough make up as to not look washed out for the cameras but not so heavy handed as to scare onlookers in daylight as the cocktail reception was at six.

As a habitual late arriver, we enter with some of the dignitaries who arrived in Rolls Royce’s and dropped off elegantly and expensively dress women with jewelry that sparkled even in daylight. My first hint this not just any business as usual award.

The second hint was the parade of VIP’s, including Canada’s Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty, entering the dining hall. My stomach closed as I took a bite of my smoked salmon appetizer. I could feel my heart beat faster and I blame the salt in the salmon and decide not to eat anymore. When the main course arrived I ate the sea bass which I ordered to substitute for the usual beef. An Ayurvedic aside --- I only eat beef if the weather is very damp and cold as it has a tendency to make me dull minded and sleepy otherwise. When ever I hear my voice on tape, I am shock at its high pitch so –it was no to bread, potatoes, dairy or sugar to keep my voice at its best squeaky best. And a big no to cold drinks as in times of nervous energy, it can stir up Vata and making me appear flakey and incoherent.

After dinner and a lengthy introduction of dignitary speeches about how important entrepreneurship and innovation were especially in these “recessionary time” the award announcements begin.

My petty nature gives me momentarily relief as we followed a “not too stellar” speaker as the second recipients. But it is not long before I experience the fleeting quality of confidence from the external sources as I walked across the stage and was overcome by the sea of lights from cameras that are there to objectively record my actions into oblivion.

Now I panic. I am to speak as my ADD mind is attracted to the lights and the reverberations of the microphone. Add to it my stage fright and my fear of looking foolish and I am filled with a feeling of jeopardy. I fight for my concentration, as I coach myself to talk slowly. I regret not having cue cards. So I decide to make it short by editing down the people to thank and to forget any attempts at humour.

Kristen is prepared with notes, which instead of looking robotic, she came off as a very articulate and confident. After we leave the stage I am calm but finally feel my hunger. There is no opportunity to eat as food is cleared from the tables and Kris and I are called to get photographed for the newspapers to publicize our win.

When I return I catch the lengthy speech of female winner—it was a great year for women as five of the seven winners were owned or c-owned by women. But at thirty minutes long, her acceptance speech it was longer than the audience’s attention span and reminiscent of the droning on’s of an old codger.

I met the talented designer my closet of black down coats as they announced the winner of the Most Progressive Company of 2009, Johnny Yui. I love his coats for their warmth, quality, design and because they did not make me look like the Michelin Man. I was truly honour to meet Johnny and his partner, Bessi Chow the VP of Everything. And of course it was a nice surprise she was already a client of Pure + simple’s.

Then to top off the evening Ann Hoy, director of the Ministry of Small Business and Consumer Services, came to congratulate me and asked if I would find time to meet with the Minister. Even though I have no idea who the Minister is – I did finally realize the importance of this award and the importance of the ethnic community that has generously accepted Pure + simple as one of their own.