Why Would I Leave Canada?

I freaking love Canada!!
As part of my efforts to cherish every last moment in my home and native land, I went for a walk down by the waterfront this afternoon. I live on a very large, very clean, very beautiful freshwater lake in Ontario. I sat down on a rock near the shore and gazed out.

The gorgeous lake I live on now.

I listened to the birds, watched people strolling by on the path, and breathed in the crisp autumn air.
Then I had a thought. If I just put two triangles... right there...

Pretty much Lake Atitlan

Ta-dah! Now I'm in Guatemala, baby! Yeah! :)
I guess my love of water is one of the major reasons I chose Panajachel as my future home. I couldn't imagine not being near water!
I will be sad to leave my wonderful country, but I am excited to have a new adventure. Can't wait! Time is going so slowly right now. Hurry up, January!

Midnight Epiphany

Fall colours in Algonquin Park, courtesy of Kyle McDougall Photography

Last night I was drifting off to sleep when I had a sudden thought and my eyes popped wide open.
"That was my last Canadian summer."
And then...
"This will be my last Canadian fall."
Oh no! I felt a bit panicked, and then scrambled in my mind to recall all the fun things I had done this summer. Had I gone swimming in a clear Canadian lake? Yes. Had I gone camping under the stars? Yes. Had I enjoyed the beautiful sunshine? Yes. Had I hiked in a pine forest? Yes. Had I taken wild random road trips with the car windows rolled down? Yes, yes, yes!
Whew! Seems like I had enjoyed my last summer without realizing it would be my last.
As for autumn, it is my favourite season and I intend to cherish every second of it! It's hard to imagine never seeing the leaves change colour again. Or hearing Canada geese honking overhead as they fly south. Or feeling the frost crunch under your feet on a brisk morning walk.
But never say never, as they saying goes. I imagine that I will be gone from my lovely country for quite a while, but still somewhere in my mind I know I will be back. And I'll be sure to plan my trip for fall!

What Is Your Nahual?

I was visiting the Guatemalan Tourist Website and noticed a section that said "Discover your Nahual". I had no idea what that was, so of course I clicked on it!
Your Nahual is your spirit animal according to Mayan astrology, and it is calculated using your date of birth. Wikipedia also says that a nahual or nagual is a shapeshifter who can assume the form of their spirit animal. Wild!

On the Guatemalan Tourism site, they made me enter my email, which I hate, so I'm not going to directly link that webpage here, but instead direct you to Mayan Jade Jewelry's page. There is a simple form there to fill out and they will give your Nahual, and of course offer you some lovely jewelry with your spirit animal on it. :)

Iq', my Nahual

So my Nahual is... *drum roll* ... Iq'. Yes, I said ICK. Ha ha! Or it could be IQ, as in intelligence quotient.

Anyhoo, it's represented by a hummingbird, which is hilarious and ironic, since I weigh approximately 47,000 times as much as a hummingbird! But I do love them. They are bright, zippy, and beautiful. We feed them up at our log cabin and get quite a number of them fighting over the feeder.

WikiGuate says that Iq' people "can be strong, impulsive, proud, imaginative, obsessive, with good memory and mathematical ability." Sounds about right!

In Western Astrology I am an Aquarius, with strong influences of Gemini and Aries, making me weird, impulsive, idealistic, and talkative. In Chinese Astrology I was born in the year of the Rat, which shows intelligence, resourcefulness and curiosity.

I agree with most of what astrology of all methods tells me, including the bad stuff. I am imaginative but a daydreamer. I am impulsive but adventurous. I am idealistic but opinionated. I am intelligent but also a scatterbrain. My sister says I'm "the dumbest smart person" she knows. She also quips, "Genius Girl strikes again" when I do something really ditzy! :D

Of course, all of this stuff comes from Cloud Cuckoo Land, but it's fun to think about.

Oh, oh, oh! Bert's Nahual is Kawoq, the Turtle! Ha! We're the Hummingbird and the Turtle. That sounds like a fairy tale or something. :D

What's your Nahual? Do you think it's appropriate to you?

EDIT: Another great site with awesome interpretations is Mayan Astrology Sign.