9/23/10
Look what I made!
There is a fish fry at my parents church tomorrow night, so my Dad and I made some decorations! My favourite parts are the turtles and the bubbles.
9/21/10
Up to Ottawa
The next morning, I got up around 4:30 am to catch a bus from my Grandma's house in Cobden to Ottawa to see my cousins. Oh man, that was early. I couldn't really sleep on the bus either, since the seats are pretty small and there was a lady sitting beside me.
When I arrived at St. Catherine Street in Ottawa, my blue-eyed and freckled cousin, Alexis, collected me. She was bundled up in a winter hat, coat and mittens because it was so cold in her car. We stopped at the nearest McDo's for some Egg McMuffins before heading to her beautiful apartment downtown. Our morning was pretty relaxed, we just sat on the couch for a nice, long chat.
At first, Alexis and I were concerned about the sun— it was so bright and we had neglected to protect our porcelain, freckly skin from it's burning rays. I got my picture taken with the GG's mascot and we got some delicious stadium food and beer for lunch. Luckily, the temperature began to drop again, so we were able to cover up in our wooly garments.
The game ended up being pretty exciting! McMaster were winning for the first three quarters, but then Ottawa was able to score a couple of field goals and the running back ran almost the whole length of the field to score a spectacular touch-down!
Later that evening, another cousin, Sascha joined us for some curry at Alexis's apartment. We went for a swim and a hot tub at Alexis's boyfriend's apartment and we slipped out for a drink at the Royal Oak as well.
We drove back to Newmarket that night and we arrived home just in time to enjoy this sunset!
9/16/10
Post Script
I have been listening to the radio at work this week.
My morning show is Radio 2 Morning with Bob Mackowycz on CBC Radio 2. This show is great. It plays such a great mix of folk music, country, rock, hip-hop, classic rock, etc and most of it is Canadian! Awesome. I have discovered so many great new artists! My new favourites are Leela Gilday (North West Territories), Two Hours Traffic (PEI) and Dan Mangan (BC). Canada is full of so many talented song-writers and musicians!
Unfortunately, Radio 2 starts playing classical music at 9… and that's not really my cup of tea. That's when I switch over to BBC Radio 1's live stream, where I listen to my favourite English DJ, Mr. Greg James. He's just a silly man… and he has some pretty good guests on his show, too. This also means I get to hear all the newest British Top 40 (which is a hundred times better than the American Top 40). My new fave UK songs are… Olly Murs: 'Please Don't Let Me Go', Eliza Doolittle: 'Pack Up', and… I know it's not new, but I just love Example: 'Kickstarts'.
Of course, I switched back to the CBC when they start playing music that is more to my taste again. Here are a few songs I just love— enjoy and support Canadian music and culture!
My morning show is Radio 2 Morning with Bob Mackowycz on CBC Radio 2. This show is great. It plays such a great mix of folk music, country, rock, hip-hop, classic rock, etc and most of it is Canadian! Awesome. I have discovered so many great new artists! My new favourites are Leela Gilday (North West Territories), Two Hours Traffic (PEI) and Dan Mangan (BC). Canada is full of so many talented song-writers and musicians!
Unfortunately, Radio 2 starts playing classical music at 9… and that's not really my cup of tea. That's when I switch over to BBC Radio 1's live stream, where I listen to my favourite English DJ, Mr. Greg James. He's just a silly man… and he has some pretty good guests on his show, too. This also means I get to hear all the newest British Top 40 (which is a hundred times better than the American Top 40). My new fave UK songs are… Olly Murs: 'Please Don't Let Me Go', Eliza Doolittle: 'Pack Up', and… I know it's not new, but I just love Example: 'Kickstarts'.
Of course, I switched back to the CBC when they start playing music that is more to my taste again. Here are a few songs I just love— enjoy and support Canadian music and culture!
Working.
I have been finding it very difficult this week to come up with a blog post. It's not that nothing interesting is happening in my life, or that I have no time to dedicate to writing… I've just been feeling a lack of inspiration.
Granted, I've been pretty tired this week. I've been doing some freelance work at a local studio and it's been 9-5. It's been good— I've got to see what working in a real studio is like. I've been helping to create some great pieces for real-life, actual clients! I have been getting tips and tricks from the pros I work with! It's been very good for my development as a designer, I do believe.
But it's also been challenging, sometimes a little frustrating, and honestly, it's been a real wake-up call. I mean, I am completely exhausted when I get home in the evening— and I sit at a computer all day! In the evenings, all I want to do is chat to my friends and family or veg out on the couch. My eyes are too tired to read and my wrists are starting to feel the effects of repetitive clicking (I've been trying to remember one of my professors' anti-carpal tunnel exercises). I haven't played my guitar all week, I haven't attempted to knit anything and I haven't had a chance to sit down and work on my as-yet untitled, based-on-a-true-story writing project. After four days of full-time work, I look ahead to a bleak future where only the weekends break up days and days of monotony. I know, I know… I'm a whiner. I finally got myself a bit of work—in my creative field, too— and here I am complaining that I have no time to myself. Just last week, I was thinking I had too much time to myself. I guess it doesn't help that my design skills are a little rusty and I work at a snail's pace.
I know that my endurance will improve, as will my technical expertise and my speedy speed (practice makes perfect, right?) and I will soon find that my evenings stretch on and I'll be able to enjoy yoga classes, coffee dates and long telephone calls. My body will adjust to waking up with the sun and I will fall back into my comfortable position as a 'morning person'. It will get better.
Or… who knows? Maybe I'll *shudder* try the au pair thing again— this time with less children and more money. Maybe I'll backpack my way around the world, washing dishes and working in hostels. Maybe I'll become a missionary and teach children in developing countries about Jesus. Maybe I'll get a job in Starbucks and devote my spare time to writing novels and short stories about my F.R.I.E.N.D.S. There are so many possibilities.
But for now, I am a designer. And for now, a designer I must be.
Granted, I've been pretty tired this week. I've been doing some freelance work at a local studio and it's been 9-5. It's been good— I've got to see what working in a real studio is like. I've been helping to create some great pieces for real-life, actual clients! I have been getting tips and tricks from the pros I work with! It's been very good for my development as a designer, I do believe.
But it's also been challenging, sometimes a little frustrating, and honestly, it's been a real wake-up call. I mean, I am completely exhausted when I get home in the evening— and I sit at a computer all day! In the evenings, all I want to do is chat to my friends and family or veg out on the couch. My eyes are too tired to read and my wrists are starting to feel the effects of repetitive clicking (I've been trying to remember one of my professors' anti-carpal tunnel exercises). I haven't played my guitar all week, I haven't attempted to knit anything and I haven't had a chance to sit down and work on my as-yet untitled, based-on-a-true-story writing project. After four days of full-time work, I look ahead to a bleak future where only the weekends break up days and days of monotony. I know, I know… I'm a whiner. I finally got myself a bit of work—in my creative field, too— and here I am complaining that I have no time to myself. Just last week, I was thinking I had too much time to myself. I guess it doesn't help that my design skills are a little rusty and I work at a snail's pace.
I know that my endurance will improve, as will my technical expertise and my speedy speed (practice makes perfect, right?) and I will soon find that my evenings stretch on and I'll be able to enjoy yoga classes, coffee dates and long telephone calls. My body will adjust to waking up with the sun and I will fall back into my comfortable position as a 'morning person'. It will get better.
Or… who knows? Maybe I'll *shudder* try the au pair thing again— this time with less children and more money. Maybe I'll backpack my way around the world, washing dishes and working in hostels. Maybe I'll become a missionary and teach children in developing countries about Jesus. Maybe I'll get a job in Starbucks and devote my spare time to writing novels and short stories about my F.R.I.E.N.D.S. There are so many possibilities.
But for now, I am a designer. And for now, a designer I must be.
9/12/10
Look Out!
9/9/10
2003-2004
Today, I found the perfect treasure to liven up this gloomy, grey day: my grade 11 'digital yearbook'. I think this is probably the first time I have ever taken a good look at it. Of course, it is not compatible with my MacBook Pro, but I could view the pictures using my web browser. It's hilarious that photos taken only 7 years ago can look so dated. It's really interesting to look back at those photos viewing myself and my friends so differently now than I did back then. Anyways, enjoy!
Here I am (2nd from the left) sitting across from Kayla at 'Peer Helpers' training. We weren't yet friends when this picture was taken. I used to dress like a poser.
Meghan thinks something is HILARIOUS at Peer Helpers.
This is a GREAT shot of me and Andrew at Music Banquet. Hot.
Here is a pic of Meghan and Jason at Semi-Formal. This is less than a year into their 7-year relationship. Look how YOUNG Jason looks!
Sweet. Look at my short hair! I had a nice duck tail goin' on. P.S. That jacket has a bedazzled mustang on the back.
Awesome shot of me and Mel (far right) at Semi-Formal. I hardly recognize us!
Stef and a friend reading in the library. Woah, she looks so different now!
Finally, here I am with a tall, dark and handsome stranger at Semi. Haha. Love the hair.
Here I am (2nd from the left) sitting across from Kayla at 'Peer Helpers' training. We weren't yet friends when this picture was taken. I used to dress like a poser.
Meghan thinks something is HILARIOUS at Peer Helpers.
This is a GREAT shot of me and Andrew at Music Banquet. Hot.
Here is a pic of Meghan and Jason at Semi-Formal. This is less than a year into their 7-year relationship. Look how YOUNG Jason looks!
Sweet. Look at my short hair! I had a nice duck tail goin' on. P.S. That jacket has a bedazzled mustang on the back.
Awesome shot of me and Mel (far right) at Semi-Formal. I hardly recognize us!
Stef and a friend reading in the library. Woah, she looks so different now!
Finally, here I am with a tall, dark and handsome stranger at Semi. Haha. Love the hair.
9/7/10
Moleskine
Despite my tendency to champion such prestigious products as my MacBook Pro and my MEC backpack, I've never been much of a 'designer addict'. In fact, I am usually thrilled to search through racks and racks of second-hand clothes at Value Village or pick up my necessary appliances at the garage sale around the corner. I'm not afraid to wear cheaper Ugg-like boots instead of the real thing and I rarely shell out piles of cash for brand-name jeans.
But… when it comes to day-planners, there is only one that provides me with all of my scheduling and note-taking needs. Last week, as I began my job-search, I purchased a Moleskine day-planner. It's not often I wax lyrical about something I have bought, so bare with me. Here are some reasons why I love my new Moleskine day-planner.
1. My planner goes from July 2010- December 2011.
2. My planner has full-month calendars for each month AND it fits a whole week onto one page.
3. My planner has a ruler inside!
4. My planner even has a page that converts North American sizes to European sizes and UK sizes!
5. My planner has a full ruled page on every spread for notes.
6. My planner has an address book and a pocket in the back!
7. My planner has a bookmark and an elastic to hold it shut.
Now, many of my contemporaries have strayed from writing things down to entering their appointments and important notices into their iPhones, Blackberries and other PDAs. But as I discussed with Garrett earlier this week, I think there is still value in the analog way of life. Plus, I remember stuff better if I physically write it.
Anyway, Moleskines are great.
But… when it comes to day-planners, there is only one that provides me with all of my scheduling and note-taking needs. Last week, as I began my job-search, I purchased a Moleskine day-planner. It's not often I wax lyrical about something I have bought, so bare with me. Here are some reasons why I love my new Moleskine day-planner.
1. My planner goes from July 2010- December 2011.
2. My planner has full-month calendars for each month AND it fits a whole week onto one page.
3. My planner has a ruler inside!
4. My planner even has a page that converts North American sizes to European sizes and UK sizes!
5. My planner has a full ruled page on every spread for notes.
6. My planner has an address book and a pocket in the back!
7. My planner has a bookmark and an elastic to hold it shut.
Now, many of my contemporaries have strayed from writing things down to entering their appointments and important notices into their iPhones, Blackberries and other PDAs. But as I discussed with Garrett earlier this week, I think there is still value in the analog way of life. Plus, I remember stuff better if I physically write it.
Anyway, Moleskines are great.
9/6/10
When the Weather is Inclement
Today was not sunny. I was very thankful that today was a holiday, because when I got out of bed and looked out the window… I was happy to stay in my pj's for a bit longer.
It was the perfect day for rainy day things. First, I made oatmeal cookies with my Mom. We are supposed to be cutting back on sweets, so adding some fibrous oatmeal was our compromise. And then we added some chocolate chips!
Then, we watched 'An Education'. It is a coming-of-age film about a sixteen-year-old girl who becomes involved in a romantic relationship with an older man. 'An Education' is set in the early 1960's, so the film is full of beautiful period costumes, hairdos and makeup. I'd seen the trailers for this film when it was first released and I had assumed that the moral of the story would be that the lessons we learn from the 'school of life' trump any benefits our formal education can offer. It turns out that it's a bit more complicated than that. I really enjoyed this film and I highly recommend it!
After our movie, we had a very rainy-day meal for lunch. We all wanted something nice and creamy and full of carbohydrates. So my Mom made egg sauce on toast— don't knock it 'til you try it. It looks like the weather for the next week is going to be equally as gloomy as today, so I thought I'd post the egg sauce recipe so you can have a nice rainy-day lunch, too!
Stir together milk, butter, flour, salt and pepper. Heat until thick and creamy. Chop boiled eggs and add to the sauce. Spread over toast. Serves 3-4.
After lunch, I taught my Dad how to edit some photos for his blog, Trix4U Entertainment, using 'Photoshop Elements'. He got the hang of it eventually, haha. Check it out to see some of his photos from his trip to Paris in the spring.
What do you do on rainy days?
It was the perfect day for rainy day things. First, I made oatmeal cookies with my Mom. We are supposed to be cutting back on sweets, so adding some fibrous oatmeal was our compromise. And then we added some chocolate chips!
Then, we watched 'An Education'. It is a coming-of-age film about a sixteen-year-old girl who becomes involved in a romantic relationship with an older man. 'An Education' is set in the early 1960's, so the film is full of beautiful period costumes, hairdos and makeup. I'd seen the trailers for this film when it was first released and I had assumed that the moral of the story would be that the lessons we learn from the 'school of life' trump any benefits our formal education can offer. It turns out that it's a bit more complicated than that. I really enjoyed this film and I highly recommend it!
After our movie, we had a very rainy-day meal for lunch. We all wanted something nice and creamy and full of carbohydrates. So my Mom made egg sauce on toast— don't knock it 'til you try it. It looks like the weather for the next week is going to be equally as gloomy as today, so I thought I'd post the egg sauce recipe so you can have a nice rainy-day lunch, too!
Egg Sauce
Here's what you need:
1 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of flour
a dash of salt and pepper
2 hard-boiled eggs (boil eggs for 5-7 mins)
After lunch, I taught my Dad how to edit some photos for his blog, Trix4U Entertainment, using 'Photoshop Elements'. He got the hang of it eventually, haha. Check it out to see some of his photos from his trip to Paris in the spring.
What do you do on rainy days?
9/5/10
The Week in Review
I've had quite a busy week— although I seem to have spent much of it sitting around at home on my computer.
As I mentioned last week, I had an interview in Toronto on Monday. I thought it went pretty well, actually. It was definitely an encouraging experience to say the least. My interviewer had many good things to say about my work and that has helped me to be a bit more confident in sending my portfolio out to different agencies.
A lot of my week has been spent searching for job postings online, writing up cover letters and sending out my digital portfolio. I know I'll find a job somewhere, but my no money situation is making me a bit nervous. I am blessed to have parents that are lending me money to live on, but I am not too happy about getting DID (deeper in debt).
On Tuesday, I met with Mel and Kayla at Tim Horton's for some much needed catch-up time and general girl talk. Mel is getting ready to head across the pond for law school in London. She's been trying to get through her reading list and get caught up on English law. Kayla is training for a marathon coming up in October. I am super jealous of her dedication to running… and her runner's legs haha. She's suggested I join up with 'The Running Room', which is the group she runs with. I think I will! There's a 5K group coming up in October.
Wednesday, I met with lovely Laura to do some thrift shopping at my local Value Village, where I used to work. I always find a few things I like at the thrift shop and I was certainly not disappointed on this trip. I'll let you check out her awesome blog for more details.
Then the birthday celebrations began! Kayla's birthday was Thursday, so the Posse got all dolled up for a delicious dinner at Milestone's. I haven't spent much time with the whole Posse together since I've been back, so it was really nice to sit and enjoy their company.
Friday was Mel's birthday, so the Posse got all dolled up again!
—But first, I visited Laura at her condo downtown (which I haven't seen yet). It's really nice, actually! We had a soak in her building's hot tub, grabbed some delicious Pizzaolo and had a good ole chin-wag. It must be so nice to be right downtown, in the middle of the city, close to everything, including hundreds of graphic design jobs. *sigh*
Later that evening, I made my way to Mel's friend's apartment for the par-tay. Except when I reached the address Mel had given me… nobody was there. Having no cell phone, I scrounged for change in my wallet and skipped across the street to use the pay-phone… which was broken. I walked up and down the block a couple of times, but there was no trace of my friends. After about 15 minutes, Jason showed up. We walked down to one of the main streets and a very kind stranger let me use his iPhone to call Mel's cell phone… which she didn't answer… so I left a message. Jay and I walked out to Queen Street where, luckily, we bumped into one of Mel's friends who was also on her way to the apartment. Mel must have given us the wrong address! A few doors down from where I had been waiting half an hour earlier was Mel's friend's apartment! Anyway, pretty soon everyone else arrived and we got the party started!
Mel played some music that we first heard in the UK and we danced up a storm… but that was nothing compared to the moves we pulled when, donning glow-stick bracelets, we got to 'Play'– a latin gay club. Of course, we didn't get there until after midnight… in true Melody fashion. Anyways, I had a great night! They played salsa remixes of all the top 40 stuff we all love to dance to! We met some drag queens, danced with a topless man and learned some spicy dance steps from some Latin dudes. We spent most of the night up on the stage! I am really glad I chose my flat shoes over my pumps because I was on my feet the whole time.
We crashed at around 4 am on Mel's friend's apartment floor, completely pooped from dancing. Some of our group were feeling a little worse for wear, so we were very happy to make our way to Fran's for breakfast. It was fried eggs, bacon and… poutine all round.
Today (Sunday), I began my church search. Today, I checked out Heise Hill Church, which is a Brethren in Christ church about a 20 minute drive from my house. I chose this church because it broadcasts sermons from 'The Meetinghouse', a church I attended while at university. I really enjoyed the teaching! Today, a guest speaker addressed the issue of the contrast between the violent God of the Old Testament and the loving, gentle God of the New Testament. I'm not sure I'll stick to this church though. I have a few more on my list that I want to suss out.
Well, tomorrow's Labour Day… I'm going to see if I can convince my parents to take me to the CNE!
As I mentioned last week, I had an interview in Toronto on Monday. I thought it went pretty well, actually. It was definitely an encouraging experience to say the least. My interviewer had many good things to say about my work and that has helped me to be a bit more confident in sending my portfolio out to different agencies.
A lot of my week has been spent searching for job postings online, writing up cover letters and sending out my digital portfolio. I know I'll find a job somewhere, but my no money situation is making me a bit nervous. I am blessed to have parents that are lending me money to live on, but I am not too happy about getting DID (deeper in debt).
On Tuesday, I met with Mel and Kayla at Tim Horton's for some much needed catch-up time and general girl talk. Mel is getting ready to head across the pond for law school in London. She's been trying to get through her reading list and get caught up on English law. Kayla is training for a marathon coming up in October. I am super jealous of her dedication to running… and her runner's legs haha. She's suggested I join up with 'The Running Room', which is the group she runs with. I think I will! There's a 5K group coming up in October.
Wednesday, I met with lovely Laura to do some thrift shopping at my local Value Village, where I used to work. I always find a few things I like at the thrift shop and I was certainly not disappointed on this trip. I'll let you check out her awesome blog for more details.
Then the birthday celebrations began! Kayla's birthday was Thursday, so the Posse got all dolled up for a delicious dinner at Milestone's. I haven't spent much time with the whole Posse together since I've been back, so it was really nice to sit and enjoy their company.
Friday was Mel's birthday, so the Posse got all dolled up again!
—But first, I visited Laura at her condo downtown (which I haven't seen yet). It's really nice, actually! We had a soak in her building's hot tub, grabbed some delicious Pizzaolo and had a good ole chin-wag. It must be so nice to be right downtown, in the middle of the city, close to everything, including hundreds of graphic design jobs. *sigh*
Later that evening, I made my way to Mel's friend's apartment for the par-tay. Except when I reached the address Mel had given me… nobody was there. Having no cell phone, I scrounged for change in my wallet and skipped across the street to use the pay-phone… which was broken. I walked up and down the block a couple of times, but there was no trace of my friends. After about 15 minutes, Jason showed up. We walked down to one of the main streets and a very kind stranger let me use his iPhone to call Mel's cell phone… which she didn't answer… so I left a message. Jay and I walked out to Queen Street where, luckily, we bumped into one of Mel's friends who was also on her way to the apartment. Mel must have given us the wrong address! A few doors down from where I had been waiting half an hour earlier was Mel's friend's apartment! Anyway, pretty soon everyone else arrived and we got the party started!
Mel played some music that we first heard in the UK and we danced up a storm… but that was nothing compared to the moves we pulled when, donning glow-stick bracelets, we got to 'Play'– a latin gay club. Of course, we didn't get there until after midnight… in true Melody fashion. Anyways, I had a great night! They played salsa remixes of all the top 40 stuff we all love to dance to! We met some drag queens, danced with a topless man and learned some spicy dance steps from some Latin dudes. We spent most of the night up on the stage! I am really glad I chose my flat shoes over my pumps because I was on my feet the whole time.
We crashed at around 4 am on Mel's friend's apartment floor, completely pooped from dancing. Some of our group were feeling a little worse for wear, so we were very happy to make our way to Fran's for breakfast. It was fried eggs, bacon and… poutine all round.
Today (Sunday), I began my church search. Today, I checked out Heise Hill Church, which is a Brethren in Christ church about a 20 minute drive from my house. I chose this church because it broadcasts sermons from 'The Meetinghouse', a church I attended while at university. I really enjoyed the teaching! Today, a guest speaker addressed the issue of the contrast between the violent God of the Old Testament and the loving, gentle God of the New Testament. I'm not sure I'll stick to this church though. I have a few more on my list that I want to suss out.
Well, tomorrow's Labour Day… I'm going to see if I can convince my parents to take me to the CNE!
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