Just chilling

Fiona the cat
Teaching a private lesson on
relaxation in the laundry room

Last week when I went to buy lottery tickets, the total the
for the latest draw was 49 million (Canadian -- so if you're
somewhere else it may not seem like a lot). I was buying
tickets for a draw of 4 million, which I would be entirely
pleased with if I won. People in the line started talking
about the 49 million one, and a 20 something fellow
behind me said, "Yeah I won that!" "Really," I asked,
so how are you using the money?" "Just chilling," he
said, and we both laughed.

"Just chilling," is not something city people are good
at all the time. It would probably take about 49 million
dollars to be comfortable enough as a city dweller with
a massive mortgage and kids to put through university,
to be able to "chill."

I asked the man why he was standing in line to buy
another ticket, and he said, "Well I have to help
my friends, don't I!" One of the things I love about
Toronto is the ready sense of humour I encounter
everywhere. In fact you can't paint a stereotype, but
I'd go so far as to say we're a funny culture. It isn't
the best country for the serious and dour. We like
to laugh, and we export our comedians on a regular
basis. Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, Samantha Bee
have all made names for themselves in the US and
there are dozens more.

So until my lottery win arrives I'm planning on
taking a summer course in "just chilling."
Now that would be Canadian. You can't just
"do" something, you have to "study" it. So
I'll sign up for a "chilling immersion" course,
and maybe by the end of the summer,
I'll know more about relaxing, than just,
"make tea, take the tea to your bedroom,
lie down, read your book, drift off to sleep
if you want to."

Have a knowing-exactly-how-to-chill day.