"Heart" and Soul
February is National Heart and Stroke Month, and, in addition to making a donation, I'm going to list the Top Ten Things we can do to commemorate this month:
10. Join the YMCA. By now, many of us have pooped out on those New Years' Resolutions. (I know you're not one of those folks, but there are other people reading this, you know!)
9. Eat some heart-healthy foods. Try a Mediterranean Salad at Chop Crazy in the Carrefour Industrielle-Vie, or some dark Godiva chocolate.
8. Bless your heart by doing something that feeds your soul. Visit a pet shop, read an improving book at Chapters or Indigo, or spend a few minutes meditating over a latte.
7. Red wine is good for you. Run to the nearest SAQ and pick up a bottle of antioxidants.
6. Are you walking enough? Get a top-quality pedometer and make sure you're getting your 10,000 steps in every day. Walking to Le Pain Dore at Peel and Ste. Catherine for a croissant doesn't count.
5. Plan B: Cross Ste. Catherine and pick up an album by Heart at the HMV Megastore instead of that pastry.
4. Wear something red. The Gap's Red line is donating 50% of its profits with the goal of eliminating AIDS in Africa. If that's not your bag, then check out Old Navy for a bright red t-shirt with a V-Day motif. Or Dollarama for a flashing heart-shaped pin for your coat.
3. A gift from the heart is always appreciated. A can't-miss tchatchkeh is a South American hand-knit finger puppet from the kiosk in Place Montreal Trust. At under five bucks, how can you go wrong? (If everyone wore these when driving, imagine all the senseless road rage that would be eliminated when you flip someone the bird wearing a knitted Spongebob puppet....)
2. Buy a copy of L'Itinerante from one of the vendors in the Metro stations or on the street. This publication helps many homeless people get back on their feet by giving them a source of income and some dignity. It's not a bad read, and it's a super cause!
1. Send the one you love the schmoopiest, foofiest Valentine's Day card you can. Even if you're sending it to your cat. Or yourself. It's surprisingly fun to cruise the racks at Hallmark, and pick out something uber-romantic!
