Always Standing

Snow Softly Falling

2012-01-27T11:59:00.005-05:00

It is a beautiful Friday and snow has finally arrived in Toronto, mind you it isn't staying around. I get to sit in my office and look out of the big glass window (see Right) and watch the soft little flakes fall across a backdrop of deep red brick. I work in Liberty Village. In fact, I work FOR Liberty Village with the BIA (Business Improvement Association). I really love my office, both on a emotional liking of the work and work environment level but also at the physical architectural level. I can't even tell you how tall these ceilings are and I sit amongst exposed beams and brick. Very beautiful, very inspiring. It's easy to work for an area that you love.

I Like This Concept

2012-01-25T07:47:00.005-05:00

13 - 99 Luftballoons
By Stephanie Beach Phtotography

The above photograph is part of a conceptual photography series by Steph. You can read about it and see the entire set hon her Flicker. They are some of my favourite pictures of me. I love them. Check it out HERE.

Art & Barbie

2012-01-24T10:10:00.004-05:00

The Mona Barbie
(or Mona Lisa, Skipper, or Kelly...)

My only problem with this is that it there isn't enough of it!! The above image is part of a series called "Barbie Ma Muse." It is a small gallery that superimposes Barbie onto the vision of various well-known artists, by Jocelyne Grivaud. See the whole set HERE. I love Barbie!!

Monday

2012-01-23T20:51:00.002-05:00

I am having a hard time finding something to write about...

I went to my first group session at CAMH (Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health). It seems like it is going to be good, it is a 15 week CBT group for depression. Today was tiring, and there is homework. I'm glad I finished school before starting this, seems like it could be tough.

Sending You Home

2012-01-20T14:15:00.003-05:00

I wish I could steal the photos and re-do the post here on Always Standing, but I do feel in this case that would not be right - I should send you to the source. Urban Toronto.

This is a cool Then & Now article from the intersection right near Rrunuv Bayit. Amazing!

A second one of interest is this Then & Now article about a building near the Tim Horton's I work at.

Blogging Before Birth

2012-01-19T13:48:00.006-05:00

I don't know if anyone noticed, but for a while in the Blog Archive section of Always Standing has been a post that apparently was published in 1980. I was born in 1984. Obviously it was spam. It was a long rambling thing about someone's inheritance and parents and I'm sure some sort of royal family member was mentioned. (You know how it goes.) I don't really know how it got posted - maybe through the post-it-email like before or maybe it was posted though this site. Either way it is deleted now, but I liked that I was writing before birth.

Want more Always Standing to read? Go back!! Vintage Always Standing is often quite amusing. I have blogged for almost 6 years and my life has changed a lot over that time period. Remember you can comment on any post no matter when it was originally written; I get notification of comments through my email so I will get to read what it is you write. (And remember bloggers live for comments!!)

Wiki Silence

2012-01-18T13:30:00.003-05:00

As many know - Wiki is doing a blackout today, see below.

Imagine a World
Without Free Knowledge

For over a decade, we have spent millions of hours building the largest encyclopedia in human history. Right now, the U.S. Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open Internet. For 24 hours, to raise awareness, we are blacking out Wikipedia.

I do support this idea. However, without spending considerably more time fully understanding the reasoning, wording, and politics behind the two bills currently being debated in the US, I can't really give a good arguement. I'm sure there are actually elements of these bills that I would support. I can remember from the many years of studying communication and copywrite laws at Carleton that this is a complex issue - the balance between freedom of expression and protecting artistic ownership, along with, the balance between censorship and freedom of speech - it is very difficult to figure out what is best. I am decisive but this issue has always presented a challenge.

Contested Bills:
House Bill 3261
SOPA
Stop Online Piracy Act
&
Senate Bill 968
PIPA
PROTECT IP Act
Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2011

The Correlation Between Hiding And Comments

2012-01-18T13:17:00.006-05:00

First off - where are my comments? Remember, blogger's live for comments! You can scroll completely down the page and none of the posts have been commented on. I will admit that the posts aren't exactly gold but this has been a 'comment dry spell' like I have never seen before.

I think it might have to do with the fact that there are some things that I have choosen to not disclose on Always Standing. I would not say that I have been lying, but there are things in my life at the moment that I haven't written about. Firstly, my current job. I do plan to post about it soon, but since we are a small office and I'm such a 'digitally public person' I'm worried that I would be perceived as less than professional.

I have also been on eHarmony for the last week. I don't have much to report on that except that it has been an intense and busy week, not just because of eHarmony. However, I am glad that Kristen, Taylor, and Noah pressured me into it.

From The FBI & Interpol, No Less

2012-01-14T23:29:00.001-05:00

---- This might be spam....

From: US DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: Me
Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2012 4:49 AM
Subject: FROM US DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

affairs/Foreign Assets Lodgings
U.S.Department of Treasury 1500
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20220.

Attn Beneficiary,

The office of secretary for foreign assets treasury inform you that today at the foreign assets treasury lodgings of US Department of treasury Washington,DC we received and acknowledged your inheritance funds via cash box from our "Office of international affairs" Europe and Eurasia.

I deem necessary to inform you that the retrieving of your inheritance was witnessed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Interpol envoys deployed from Europe by United States Department of Treasury to monitor the proceedings, It was confirmed to be a fair judgment by the Bureau and the Interpol as the outcome of the event was a perfect solution to curtail the activities of con artist and scam generally and is also a perfect end to your payment. Your Beneficiary Funds that was allotted into cash consignment baggage is now been deposited in our pecuniary vault.

The proceed of these event was successful because our office of international affairs led by Mr. Barry Mackay (Deputy director) who has been monitoring outstanding Beneficiary debts and Lottery Wining Debts of US citizens lodged in some international financial institutions(particularly the IMF, World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and development).He has also been keeping senior economic policymakers including the Treasury Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and the Under Secretary for International Affairs informed of our efforts.

Hence you have to contact my office for further clarifications to this matter: Office of Foreign Deputy Financial Officer U.S. Department of Treasury Washington, DC, Head of Consignment Lodgings: Mr. Michael Cena. Before we commence any further on issues concerning your consignment you are to reconfirm your bank name and your residential address as stated below to enable us verify if you indeed the rightful and legal beneficiary of the consignment for immediate payment to you with out any further delay.

Full Name:
Residence Address:
Bank Name:
Current Occupation:
Contact Telephone Numbers:
Any Form of Prove of Identification:
Current Age:

At the receipt of the above information we will not hesitate to open communication with you given you vital information for easy communication between you and the U.S. Treasury.

Thank you very much for your understanding.
Best Regards,
Michael Cena
Head of Consignment Lodgings

On Steph's Playbook

2012-01-12T21:50:00.004-05:00

A little while ago I wrote about Jeska's iPad, well now I'm on Steph's Playbook. Now, I just really want a tablet, of any kind! It is something that I am going to start researching, once I have some money.

The Wonders Of Make-Up

2012-01-11T22:34:00.004-05:00

----- from Facebook

Twitter Is Hard

2012-01-10T15:08:00.005-05:00

I got a personal Twitter account because I was having so much fun Twitter-ing for work. However, I guess I have more to network professionally because I'm not finding Twitter as useful. Maybe it is that I actually know how many followers I have and it just isn't very inspiring. (On Always Standing I can always image that millions are reading.) I am still adjusting but it is going to take a while to connect with this new social media site. It will also be easier if/when I get a new phone that is more compatible with updating Twitter. Follow me: @SweetonChris or click the Twitter feed to the Left.

A Kiss For The Ages

2012-01-09T01:02:00.004-05:00

(Click Image To Enlage)
CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Also, the wedding mentioned to be occurring in 2012 will be in the Fall and I am super excited to be the Maid of Honour. I love them both so much, best wishes Steph and Dave!! For details on the Dec. 30, 2010 proposal - see Steph's Blog Post.

Quote Of The Day

2012-01-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people."

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Spelt It Wrong

2012-01-05T14:08:00.003-05:00

I did a post a couple of years ago about about the words Learnt & Learned; it was then that I discovered that both spelt and spelled are correct. However, in the previous post, I was caught off guard when 'spelt' was flagged. I feel the need to publicly reiterate that I think the 't' endings sound better than the 'ed'.

-spell, learn, burn, dream, kneel, lean, leap, spill, spoil...

The Two Page To Do List

2012-01-05T13:47:00.004-05:00

I have a small notebook in my purse and keep a handwritten To Do list in it. However, I type up my work To Do lists.

The typing isn't just because my spelling is terrible, although that is a key consideration. I often use these lists to report on projects and their next steps at meetings or to go over my various tasks with my boss. So, at an update-style meeting with a boss it is nice to just hand over my list and go over everything - obviously it is important that things are spelled correctly.

However, another reason to use the computer to do it is that I have to update it so frequently. (No, this is unfortunately not an environmental thing, I still print it out - though only once or twice a day.) With my little booklet in my purse, I only rewrite the list once a bunch of things have been crossed off. I tend to work in fairly fast paced environments, and while some things sit on the list for a long time, my tasks are constantly moving, changing, etc.

I can remember at Justice when I had to make the change from having the list go straight down the page to having the tasks in two columns. I don't know what I felt it meant at the time: we were understaffed, it was a busier time of year, I was being given more responsibility, my pace of work had slowed, I don't know, I'm sure it meant something. At GeoConnections I never made the jump to the second column, though the list did occasionally reach a second page. It was a scary thing when the two column Justice list made it to two pages though, which it sometimes did.

I just started the typed up To Do List thing at my new job (which I will detail at some point in the future) and this place is really fast paced. I have a lot on my plate and juggling the tasks is going to be a constant challenge. I have completely filled a two column page and I haven't really been here that long at all!! It could easily go to two pages but that would just be too overwhelming. The Director has also said that this is a slow time period too. Being back in the real world is definitely an adjustment!

I'm On Twitter

2012-01-03T08:59:00.000-05:00

My first New Year's resolution was to get a Twitter account and start tweeting - last night I did so. I was a little sad about my Twitter name options, so many were taken that I had to end up with @SweetonChris. If you are on Twitter follow me!! My Twitter feed is also now featured on Always Standing, please see it on the Left.

Thank You Cartouche!

2012-01-02T22:43:00.008-05:00

I thought I had mentioned this on Always Standing before but I looked back and it seems I haven't - I have a Cartouche deck! Erin AH got them for me a couple of years back; like Tarot Cards, Cartouche should not be purchased but must 'come to their owner' so I never went to go get my own deck. I was so happy when Erin gave me a deck as a present. However, I lost them in my move to Toronto and it was only a couple of months ago that I came across them again. I use them now and then, to ask questions using the Star. Last night I did my World for the next six months, and it looks like they are going to go well!

However, not everything appears to be perfect. I did get Set (Opposition, Delays and problems at all levels - otherwise known as the Death card) in the 2nd House (Money, Possessions, Financial prospects). After Set shows up, following Em's technique, I always select a card to place on top so as to get more information; the one that showed up this time was Earth (Industry, Thrift, Money and possessions, Conservation, Practicality, All things that grow). I think I need to be much more careful financially. Thank you Cartouche! I had already figured this out though - but a little more reinforcement never hurts.

A Fresh Start

2012-01-01T14:55:00.005-05:00

My New Year's Resolutions

-Get a Twitter account and start tweeting

-Only have 'a starch' at one meal per day, and keep it small
*a starch is rice, potato, pasta, or bread

Two's New Year's Resolutions

-Stop biting

I guess that means that I have a third, which would be
- Teach Two to stop biting

Gone!

2011-12-30T21:02:00.003-05:00

The glasses I broke a while back are now gone. I went snowboarding (first time of the season, it was great!) and left them in the washroom when I changed into my contacts. Also, I had been using up a bunch of old 'dailies' I had, which were a slightly older prescription. However, I am running really low on those so have had to use my new 'monthlies' most days. They are admittedly more comfortable, but once you take them out they go into a container then and get washed - you can't put them back in for 6 hours. I still have no money to get new ones...

Twas the Night Before Christmas

2011-12-24T15:30:00.004-05:00

A Visit From St. Nicholas
(1823)
By Clement Clarke Moore
(or maybe Henry Livingston, Jr.)

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! On Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

A Happy Brother At Last

2011-12-22T08:04:00.008-05:00

I have known my little brother for his entire life, all 24 years of it. I have watched him date a number of girls who ended up being, for lack of a better word, crazy. He would stay in horrible and destructive relationships becoming more and more miserable. From about mid-high school onwards it is hard to think of a time he was truly happy with all aspects of his life, especially romantically.

It was such a relief a couple of years ago when he started to date his best friend, Aimee. They had met a few years before, in the Army. She was one of his roommates in Edmonton and they really were great friends; hanging out, having fun, and supporting each other. During this time I knew her by her last name, which I gather is how everyone refers to each other in the Canadian Forces. When she and Mike became romantically involved it was a bit of time before my mind switched over to using her first name.

These recent years as Mike and Aimee's relationship grew I watched him move forward with his life filled with hope. Mike has always bested me with growing up, despite being younger - owning property, getting a career, etc. However, with Aimee he seemed even more excited with each new stage of life. They stopped renting and bought a condo together in Edmonton. While Aimee was away 'on tour' they purchased a house, which is still being built. I don't know what either of their plans are for after this first contract with the Army is over, but whenever I hear them talk about it they are excited about the future.

It has been wonderful to see my brother happy. He loves Aimee so much and I totally understand, she is pretty awesome. She puts him in he place. They share a lot of the same interests. They are kind with each other and have fun, even when doing mundane tasks. It is a great relationship.

I am happy to say that last week my brother proposed! Of course Aimee said, "Yes!" So, now I am going to have a sister. I could not be more happy for them and am glad that it is such a great person who will be added to our family.

Congratulations Mike and Aimee
I love you and wish you both the best!

Email Was Hacked

2011-12-21T16:09:00.004-05:00

Note: I have a special email that can be used to publish blog posts, so the following got sent to, and posted on, Always Standing when I had to respond to everyone on my contacts list to apologise for my email spamming them. The previous email sent by the spammer also ended up being turned into a post, but I deleted it.

Hello Everyone - I am sorry for the previous email, my email got hacked. I do not think you should visit that 'interesting' site as I'm sure it leads to something...not so good. I have changed my password and hopefully that will be the end of it. (The grammar of the previous email hopefully tipped you off a little, I am a Master of the English now..) Sorry for the annoying stupid emails. Thanks, Chris

----

From: Chris Tine
To: My Whole Contacts List
Sent: Wednesday December 21, 2011
Subject: Re: 1

...I have never thought that sites can be such interesting! http://hosting.nborges.net/friends.group.php?lalucky=76fy4

Why Now?

2011-12-21T08:17:00.002-05:00

I can't afford this right now!! Seriously, in the weeks leading up to Christmas two very important, and very expensive, things in my life broke. First my glasses snapped in half right in the middle. Then the mouse for my laptop (the little pad thing) stopped working. I now am using an external mouse but it is a big pain. I taped my glasses together but I can't wear them out like that so have been using my contacts everyday. I don't know when I will get a new computer or new glasses but it won't be until the new year when I actually have some money.

Sim Me

2011-12-17T15:41:00.005-05:00

(From Facebook The Sims Social)

This is not exactly what my sim looks like in the game but instead what I would look like as a sim.

In Ottawa

2011-12-16T08:16:00.004-05:00

Two and I are on a whirlwind visit to Ottawa. I wanted to do some Christmas shopping here as well as visit as many of my friends and family who live here as possible. I am also hoping to pop to Montreal to see Yen and his new house. I don't know if I can get it all done!

Good Habit, Bad Habit

2011-12-13T06:21:00.006-05:00

It is just after 6am right now, as I write this. I went to bed at 10pm last night, after watching Jeopardy with Kristen of course. This is pretty insane for me. I never go to bed that early unless I'm sick or recovering from a string of late nights - not the case this time. I worked 3 opens in a row at Tim Horton's, normally I just do the two weekend days. The store opens at 5am, which means the opener has to get there for 4:30am; I wake up at 4am when I am doing this shift. Now my sleeping pattern has changed to bed early and up early for the first time in my life! I am going to be productive before my office job starts this morning too! I need to do some things for it, my MRP, and TAing. It seems like a good sleep pattern to be in but I doubt it will last.

The Office Dog

2011-12-09T14:51:00.005-05:00

I have a new job and started training this week. The office has a resident dog. Since it is still a puppy she only comes in some times but as the puppy grows, she will come more often. Today was the first time I met her. Cutest co-worker ever!!

Me, Puppy, & Some Terrible Photoshopping

Two Too

2011-12-09T13:18:00.000-05:00

Two has a Christmas List too!!

-crumpled pieces of paper, bills are good for this
-feathers on a string attached to a stick
-small fake mice
-empty toilet paper rolls
-laser pointer
-treats that make breath smell less like a^^
-old/broken shoe laces
-purple collar

I Would Never

2011-12-09T12:42:00.001-05:00

"Going to McDonald's for a salad is like going to a whore for a hug."

Christmas List - 2011

2011-12-07T10:37:00.002-05:00

Big Ticket Items
-Ownership papers for The Toy
-Snow tires for The Toy, used is fine
-Point-and-shoot digital camera
-Good warm but stylish winter boots (7)
-Running Shoes (7)
-BlackBerry Torch
-Tablet
-Cordless Drill
-A nice watch
-Good TV speakers

BOOKS!!
-Any!
-Used is great
-Easy book to learn Bridge, basics
-Books on Social Media Marketing

Gift Cards
-Sears
-Smart Set
-Victoria Secret
-Chapters
-Ikea
-Lululemon

Games
-Taboo
-Scatigories
-Boggle
-Apples to Apples
-Just Dance for Wii

Everyday Essentials
-Toothpaste
-Hard alcohol
-Liqueur
-TTC tokens
-Thin black socks (7)
-Athletic white socks (7)
-PJs (M/L)
-Milk chocolate, not with nuts

House & Home
-Extra long twin bed sheets, normal and flannel
-Throw blankets, burgundy/maroon
-Big purple bath towels
-Cheap guest pillows, small and thin so as easy to store
-Nails and such to hang things
-Simple jewellery box, black or dark brown
-Fun ice trays
-Black slotted-turners/spatulas
-Wooden mixing spoons

Useful Things
-Small set of binoculars
-Lens cap for 72mm camera lens
-Small umbrella
-Flashlights of various size
-Humidifier
-Air purifier that can remove pet dander

Electronic-Like Products
-Sims 3 Expansion packs (not Ambitions)
-Wii Remotes (x2)
-AAA and AA batteries

Health & Beauty
-Foaming hand soap
-Lip balm
-Eye shadow primer
-Eye make-up remover
-White nail polish
-Apricot Scrub (Blemish and Blackhead)
-Pretty forehead sweat bands

Random But Specific
-Moleskin 2011 Planner, 12 months, weekly, horizontal, hard cover, large
-Small Address Book, very small and with the alphabet things but then only lines so the addresses can be as long as I like
-Euros, Pounds, and American money, small bills and change would be welcome
-Small Swiss-army-style knife for purse that includes good scissors
-Dove deodorant, ultimate, visibly smooth, nature fresh

Happy Holidays to all!!!

For My Dad

2011-12-05T04:23:00.005-05:00

I often wonder about the idea that picking up a penny from the ground is not worth the energy it takes to do so. (This isn't my concept, I'm sure I read it somewhere or that someone mentioned it to me.) I assume this is figured out by the cost of food against the amount of energy needed to bend down, probably done using the slightly faulty unit of 'calories.' Also interesting, and a little easier to conceptualize, is the idea of something not being worth the time taken to do it.

Please note that the following has been taken from an xkcd comic; all credit for the mathematics involved and innovative view of the common concept goes to the author, Randall Munroe. (I'm assuming that the calculations are based on American standards, measurements, and money as of Fall 2011.)

If you spend nine minutes of your time to save a dollar, you're working for less than minimum wage.

And if you drive a typical car more than a mile out of your way for each penny you save on the per-gallon price, it doesn't matter how worthless your time is to you -- the gas to get you there and back costs more than you save.

However, what the above fails to consider is the enjoyment from 'saving.' Therefore there is potential that doing these things is entertainment to some and might actually be worth paying for, despite the apparent illogical aspect of doing so.

I Want An iPad

2011-12-01T18:01:00.004-05:00

I am writing this post on Jeska's iPad, which is amazing! I have seen them used but never actually touched or used one myself. It is just like a big iPhone - I just love it. Totally going on my Christmas list, which I promise will be posted soon.

More Two Photos

2011-11-28T06:04:00.004-05:00

I have some more photos of Two, which Steph sent me. It is fun to look back at them because Steph and Dave visited only about a month ago but Two was so much smaller then. She is growing like a weed - actually I'm worried she is going to be a big cat. I want her to stay tiny forever!! She is just so cute.

Click the links to see the photos on Steph's Photography Blog

Two and I are the featured photograph for the first post of her blog's new feature called Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) Sunday. She posts an image as she took it (straight out of camera) and then the final image after she finishes the alterations in Photoshop. It is really fun to see the, often very subtle, changes. She also gives a quick how-to about the applications, which so far have been way too advanced for me. I really need to step up my photography and Photoshop game.

Steph makes the best digital photo collages. She did one for Two, however has not sent it to me yet - though I do have copies of all the pictures it contains. I love the collage though. The little picture at the bottom right is probably the best for showing her true-to-life personality and appearance (when she is being quiet and sweet.) I absolutely love the picture with her around my neck, the fact we are looking in different directions is cool and she is just so pretty. The other photo of the two of us, at the bottom right, is hilarious and super gangster - "What are you lookin' at? Don't you mess with us!"

Right now, Two is again at the foot of the bed. She is lying on her side attacking and chewing up a piece of paper. She will chase crumpled up pieces of paper and also plays an interesting game of cat-fetch with them. She will bring them back to you so that you can throw it, she then chases it and brings it back, this can go on for quite a while. However in true cat fashion, there is no way to command her to do this and she decides when to play it.

FINISHED!!

2011-11-25T10:32:00.004-05:00

I have heard back from my supervisor and second reader - my MRP passed!! I am finally finished my Masters, the paperwork is started for my graduation. It feels so strange to be in Toronto and not have any more school. I think this whole program has been one of the hardest things I have ever done, at some points it literally nearly cost me my sanity. Wow! It is over. Done.

I am FINISHED!!

Today's Advice

2011-11-24T22:54:00.004-05:00

Adjusted from a commercial for "Kourtney & Kim Take New York" . . .

You should not have to learn that your husband is in another country via Twitter.

Oh, the Kardashians . . .

Cute But Confusing

2011-11-21T19:06:00.003-05:00

Two was doing this again just now at the end of my bed. She doesn't do it all that often, but when Steph was last visiting she captured it perfectly. I can't really figure why she does it or what it is she is doing, but she just basically flings her back legs around in the air for a while.

The Multiplicative Inverse Of Two
By Stephanie Beach Photography

Sleepy

2011-11-21T00:54:00.003-05:00

I'm tired. I can't think of a post. I just wanted to wish everyone a great week and hope that I have time soon to get all the blog post ideas I have typed up. Best wishes!! (Christmas is coming!! Tim's was playing carols tonight.)

Tim's Shift - Saturday Morning

2011-11-19T02:17:00.006-05:00

Why right now sucks a little bit.
See yellow circles below.
(Click for larger image.)

So Close

2011-11-16T13:13:00.004-05:00

I am finishing up my MRP, finally. It is taking some fine detail work as I go through each line and review each comment made by my two readers. It is slow going but I will have it done by Friday! Kristen has a countdown going for me on the whiteboard above our stove - "Freedom: MRP done in 3 days." I have "carrots" waiting for me too, things that I will reward myself with upon completion. One of them is sitting down with The Sears Wish Book and going through it page by page to make my Xmas List. The other might be a trip to the Dominican Republic - however, I won't even allow myself to research that until this paper is done. I am in the home stretch. Light at the end of the tunnel. Nearly there. Or any other cliche phrase you can come up with!

Crazy Tree

2011-11-14T13:30:00.004-05:00

----- from Facebook

Photo Courtesy of Pakistan the Only Choice

"This was taken in Pakistan after the floods and given the scale of damage the floods did; this photo is truly amazing. Here's the story that goes with it - The Spider Web consumed trees! An unexpected side-effect of the flooding in parts of Pakistan has been that millions of spiders climbed up into the trees to escape the rising flood waters. Because of the scale of the flooding and the fact that the water has taken so long to recede, many trees have become cocooned in spiders webs. People in this part of Sindh have never seen this phenomenon before but, they also report that there are now far fewer mosquitoes than they would expect, given the amount of stagnant, standing water that is around. It is thought that the mosquitoes are getting caught in the spiders web, thus, reducing the risk of malaria, which would be one blessing for the people of Sindh, facing so many other hardships after the floods."

Find A 'Mo Bro'

2011-11-14T10:37:00.002-05:00

It is Movember again and, just like last year, I donated to this great cause. The Canadian campaign raised $22.3 million in 2010. The funds raised went directly to Prostate Cancer Canada. It is such a great cause and such a cool idea - visit the website to find out more.

A Kitten Nap

2011-11-11T06:01:00.002-05:00

Two Doesn't Let Me Rest
"I only lay down for a second!"

5:00am - All Night Marking
Self-Portrait Online

By Christine Sweeton

Aged Or High?

2011-11-11T00:58:00.004-05:00

Throughout both my Masters and Undergraduate work I have had many 'all-nighters.' Recently, I discovered that I really enjoy working at night with jazz music playing. I have never been the type of person who can listen to music or watch tv while doing homework. In High School, Teri used to do her Math work while watching tv and I never understood how she did it - I would just sit there with the text book open on my lap doing nothing. Anyway, I discovered this year that jazz is perfect. There are rarely lyrics to distract me. It is soothing but not in a 'put you to sleep' way. It also creates some nice background noise so the quiet doesn't freak me out.

Kristen, coming home late one night and discovering me up working on a paper with jazz playing, mocked me a little. I have to admit, it does make me feel old. My grandfather absolutely loves jazz. We get a lot of local radio stations through cable, so I listen using the tv. I listen to Jazz FM 91. According to the station's website: More than just a radio station, JAZZ.FM91 is Canada’s only broadcaster and registered not-for-profit charitable arts organization dedicated to enriching the cultural, educational and community experience of their audience. The station began life more than 60 years ago as CJRT-FM, Ryerson's university radio station, broadcasting an eclectic mix of educational programming, classics and jazz. Then in 1996, it was transformed - embracing the concept of an all-jazz format within a non-profit, educational context and highlighting diversity and musical sophistication. This is all very nice, but still makes me feel old.

Then, tonight, a song came on with lyrics - these are quite rare. It is quite late and I am running on sugar and caffeine, soon to be infused with 5-Hour Energy Drink. I swear I didn't know if I was sleeping or awake. The song was just ridiculous. I kept listening to see if it was somehow a metaphor for something larger, but it didn't seem to be. At one point I actually questioned if I was high. Seriously, this is a song? From 2008 too! Yeah, I just don't get it. Click the video below to listen.

A Ginger Female

2011-11-09T21:52:00.003-05:00

Two is a little ginger kitten. Actually she isn't even that little anymore but she still is a she. When I first got Two, Kristen kept saying, "I thought ginger cats had to be boys" and I thought since she was a dog person she didn't know what she was talking about. Well, I took Two for her second vet visit a couple of weeks ago and the vet was very excited to see a female ginger cat since they are so rare. In fact the vet double checked the sex even though the previous vet had already confirmed. I decided to I should look into this female ginger thing.

In order to explain this we need to consider kitty genetics. All cats have 19 pairs of chromosomes, and like humans, cats have one pair of sex chromosomes. These are the ones that make them male or female and they also play an essential role in determining their colour. Like humans, in female cats, both sex chromosomes are X making females XX. Males are XY, the Y making them male. The gene which makes a cat ginger (or orange tabby) is located on the X chromosome. This gene is a recessive gene, meaning it will be overrode by other colours. So, to be ginger, a cat has to have ginger gene switched to "on" on ALL X chromosomes. For a male, this is not hard to come by, because males have only one X. But since females have two Xs then its harder to come by one that has an orange gene on each X. So about 75% of ginger cats are male, and 25% are female. It's just a matter of odds.

Turns out that Kristen was onto something. So it is uncommon but not really rare. However, I have learned to pay attention to Kristen's cat knowledge now. She had also mentioned something strange about calicoes having to be female. I thought I should look into this too.

It turns out that a ginger female is different than a calico (or tortoiseshell) male. To be calico, a cat MUST have two Xs. That is almost impossible for boys, as they are XY. That is why almost all calicoes are female. However, occasionally there is a rare genetic mutation that makes a cat XXY and it appears to be a boy. It can be calico, as it still has two Xs. Since it is a strange genetic mutation they usually end up being sterile.

So, Two is not a not a genetic "slip up" like calico males, she has just "beaten the odds" by being a ginger female.

Other People Write My Thoughts

2011-11-08T08:03:00.004-05:00

JennB really should start her own blog - though as a public servant and a very private person it probably wouldn't work very well. However, she is often sending me awesome things to post. If she isn't going to blog than I hope she is writing a lot, she is a significantly better writer than I am. I know this because she edits my work and understands things about the English language that still boggle my mind - even after she explains them for the third or fourth time I still don't understand. Also, we have tossed around the idea of writing a novel together a few times, and her ideas are stellar. I still really love this plan, mainly because I think it would let me get rich and famous on her coat tails.

JennB obviously reads Always Standing so is really good and identifying things that I would want to share or discuss. Her latest offering is from Hyperbole and a Half and is both sadly true and absolutely hilarious at the same time. "Adventures in Depression." The few drawings with the little character lying on a couch are my favourite. The quotes that accompany those hit home - hard.

Steph's Many Hats

2011-11-06T00:54:00.005-04:00

Steph got to be on TV the other day - she (or her hat) got caught on camera while she was on location as both as a participant in an awesome engineering project and as a journalistic photographer.In Ottawa on Friday, they started tearing down the South Side of Lansdowne Stadium. The company that Steph works for, as an environmental engineer, is involved with the project. One of the senior principals of the company requested that she come on-site to take some photos for them. CTV was part of the media who were also covering the event. So during the news for a split second you can see a white hard hat behind Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson (see red circle) and that is Steph! She was too short to get seen. However, I am very excited for her professionally - both as an engineer involved in this interesting endeavor and as a professional photographer attending a media event. Congrats Steph!!

Two Helps Out

2011-11-03T12:34:00.005-04:00

Binx and Two are very different. However, I guess all cats can be annoying around computers because both Binx and Two seem to drive me crazy. Binx once contributed to Always Standing by doing her own Blog Post - she was very social, for a cat, and quite connected to many of the people who read the blog. Today, Two decided to help me with my MRP. She actually contributed to an area of the paper that does still need a lot of work. Two is a smart little kitten so it is fitting that she would be interested in academic writing:

Sharpening My Mind

2011-11-03T12:11:00.004-04:00

A while back I bought two used games for the Wii. (Noah has lent Kristen and I his Wii so we have one at Bayit now.) The first one I got was Mario Party, which Steph had shown me and I loved. Kristen had also heard of it so we played it often. Basically it is a boardgame - on the Wii. The second game was Big Brain Academy. I often asked Kristen, and others, to play with me but she never wanted too. I finally convinced her and she loved the game. It is lots of little mind games to do with memorization, visualization, etc. I can really feel it quickening the way I think. In fact, when I did testing with the Wii Fit, I get much lower age scores now because my mind is faster.

I like the idea of warming up my mind, so now before writing I usually play a game or two of Freecell. These are my current statistics, not very good - I hope my writing is better!

I'm Going To Lose You

2011-11-02T17:27:00.005-04:00

I try to post at least every other day on Always Standing, ideally I post once a day. After my flurry of kitty pictures you may have noticed that the postings have trickled off, as have the visitor numbers too. My excuse is threefold: MRP, Illness, and Cottage.

I will be submitting the final draft of my MRP before the end of the month so have been working full steam ahead on that. I also have been sick off and on lately. I seem to get sick around Halloween a lot, a couple of years ago I had a cold and as a kid I often didn't feel well, but thankfully never had to miss out on trick or treating. Lastly I have been visiting my parents at The Cottage a bit more frequently which means less time spent on my computer.

I promise to pick up the pace soon and hopefully that will mean my visitor counts pick up too.

A Quick Note

2011-10-30T17:26:00.001-04:00

This summer I learned to eat corn on the cob with out butter/margarine.

Some Quick Updates

2011-10-26T19:37:00.003-04:00

There have been some posts recently that I realise I should quickly return to...

Update on TA Feedback:
When I finally braved reading the TA Feedback from my two tutorials it was very nice. For the most part they had nothing negative to say, which in fact was a tad detrimental because I couldn't learn anything from these glowing reviews. The few notes of criticism were really helpful and I hope to adjust my teaching slightly accordingly. However, yesterday was my TA Assessment when the professor comes in so I will be dealing with more feedback from that shortly. Though I'm looking forward to it because I enjoy how she teaches and would like to learn how to improve. I think it will be a positive experience when we meet to discuss my review.

Update on the Ad Banner:
I don't like the look of the banner and totally agree with Taylor's comment that it deters from the look of the blog. However, in comparison to the $0.02 I made last month, thus far this month I am up to $0.60, so that is a huge increase. You may think that is just a tiny amount of change, and it is, but remember it is basically free money. (If I ever make it up to the $100 it takes to get a pay out.) The banner stays for now.

Update on My New Facebook App:
I have not had the time to update it and add all my trips. I'm looking forward to completing to though when my MRP draft is done.

Update on Much Overdue Congratulations:
I know that at the end of this post I said, "More details on all of the above to follow, at some point. I promise." Well, some may not get much more mention just because that means a lot of posts and for some a lot of time has past. However, for those big exciting ones stay tuned, I will be posting details and probably pictures and lots of good stuff. I am proud of all my friends for all of their accomplishments and am very excited to talk more about them.

Yelling At Two

2011-10-26T19:14:00.006-04:00

I haven't seen my kitten for a while now. I'm going to visit The Cottage next week and take her to her second vet appointment. (Kittens get a lot of shots!) Then I'm bringing her back to Toronto with me. Hopefully my parents have been taking care to continue to train her as I was. I'm sure they are since they too enjoy well training animals.

Mom Scolding Two
"No, Not Allowed On Side Tables"
(Taken within the first couple of days I had her.)

No, I Was't A Hooker

2011-10-25T00:14:00.004-04:00

Conversation with a Tim Horton's customer:
Upon hearing that I used to live in Ottawa,
Him: Oh, what did you do there?
Me: I was a public servant.
Him: Whaddya mean you were a public servant? Is that like a prostitute?
Me: Uhh, no - I worked for the government.
Him: Ahh, so you were on welfare.
Me: What? Speechless at this point...

Much Overdue Congratulations

2011-10-24T09:21:00.006-04:00

-Aimee is in Afghanistan
-Aimee and Mike bought a house
-Anna finished her masters
-Anna got into an amazing intership program
-Erin AH went back to school
-ERin and Matt moved to Ottawa
-ERin started the pastry program at Cordon Bleu
-Heather moved into a new apartment
-Heather got a wicked museum job
-Kristen got hired full-time after her internship
-Kristen became Marking and Special Events Coordinator
-Noah started his Social Services Worker program
-Steph & Dave bought a house
-Steph & Dave are engaged
-Taylor and Mark got married
-Taylor and Mark went to Scotland
-Taylor got a Social Work job
-Teri got her B.Ed
-Teri rocked her first year of teaching High School
-Teri became a sixth of a teacher
-Yen bought a house

CONGRATULATIONS to all ! ! !

More details on all of the above to follow, at some point.
I promise.

My New Facebook App

2011-10-23T14:28:00.004-04:00

Thus far I have only listed where I have lived, which is why Ontario is red. I like that I can do the provinces and states individually. That is why I went looking for a travel-based application for Facebook in the first place - I wanted to start keeping track of the various states I had visited in the US. You get to put a bit of information into the map as well, like who you visited places with and when. Unfortunately I have been to places multiple times, which different combinations of people. I don't know if it will allow me to put that in. We will see.

The Bad Side Of Photoshop

2011-10-21T21:33:00.003-04:00

I love photoshop. I love using it and I love when I model for Steph and she uses it. But, I can see the downside. Despite being very familiar with the tool, I forget about. I look at pictures and think they are real. We must never forget that everything in magazines, and advertising in general, has been altered.

Check out this:
The Girls of Mad Men - Rolling Stone Cover
Dianna Agron of Glee - Cosmo Cover

Jezabel is an interesting newsite/blog tagged "Celebrity, sex, and fashion for women" and "Celebrity, sex, and fashion...without airbrushing." Whenever I run across it I find whatever I'm reading quite amazing. I should definitely visit the site more often. They have a photoshop tag, which links to all their photoshop related stories:
Jezabel - Photoshop of Horrors Stories

Bad Joke Of The Day

2011-10-21T00:20:00.000-04:00

A man walks into a doctor's office. He has a cucumber up his nose, a carrot in his left ear and a banana in his right ear. "What's the matter with me?" he asks the doctor. The doctor replies, "You're not eating properly."

Final Statement

2011-10-20T19:19:00.005-04:00

---In case anyone is interested in what my MRP is finally going to be about. The thesis statement below was officially approved earlier this month:

Published just three years after the British invasion and occupation of Egypt, Karl Baedeker’s 1885 guidebook, Egypt: Handbook for Travellers, is a text that reinforces colonial ideology and legitimates its practice. This guidebook was produced for British travellers; owing to Baedeker’s prominence and popularity, Egypt was sold across England and was even purchased and read by those not planning to travel. As Mary Louise Pratt discusses in Imperial Eyes: Travel Writing and Transculturation, travel books, including guidebooks, are significant ideological tools of colonialism. Following Michael Foucault’s definition of discourse and the work by Edward Said and David Spurr on, specifically, colonial discourse, I explore the language and images used in Baedeker’s text that reflect the colonial ideology of the late 1800s.

However, Baedeker’s text also suggests apprehension by the British, as they question their authority and ability to rule the new colony. The British anxiety shows through the text’s promotion of colonial ideology in Egypt in the same manner as described by Ali Behdad in Belated Travelers: Orientalism in the Age of Colonial Dissolution. The text shows a disruption in the dominate colonial discourse with a questioning of this very ideology. The anxiety that surrounds this questioning stems from the psychological effects of colonization as explained by Albert Memmi in The Colonizer and the Colonized. Despite the examples of subtly hinted at foreboding found in Egypt, the overarching message in the text promotes colonialism and celebrates the recent British accusation of the nation, which remained under British rule until 1922.

A Window For Two

2011-10-20T19:07:00.003-04:00

Catching Raindrops
Photo by Carol Sweeeton
Adjustments by Me

Interesting Note: The font is called "Kristen ITC"

Ad Banner!!

2011-10-19T15:08:00.002-04:00

Yes, there is a glaring advertisement front and centre!!. (I'm a sellout - I'm also poor.) This choice comes from a long period of ad revenue coming in at under a dollar a month. So I moved the long vertical ad on the right side up, it is now above the huge list of Tags that I have going on for Always Standing.

I also changed a couple of other things in terms of format/template. I have moved My Links further down the page until I get time to update them. I have adjusted the look of the Blog Archive and I have moved the Search Blog Archive further down, since I think I am the only one who uses it.

These changes may not be permanent, just something I'm trying out.

Happy Face Game

2011-10-19T14:39:00.004-04:00

----- from Facebook

So, What Did You See?

I am a little disappointed in what I ended up with! The first word I saw was LOYAL, which I thought was pretty true and I like it. Then I got LETHARGIC, which isn't very positive but as I take a break from working on my MRP to post this on Always Standing I realise it is extremely true. Then I found LOVELY and thought, "Well, that's okay" and that I maybe was being drawn to words that started with 'L', I also thought I was done until I saw that it was the first four words, not three. Then I saw what I thought was independent, but instead of the first 'n' it was a 'k' making it DEPENDENT.

So, I'm LOYAL, LETHARGIC, LOVELY, and DEPENDENT.

Binx's Frame

2011-10-18T22:53:00.007-04:00

I have been planning to put together a frame (actually a shadow box) for Binx for a long while. I finally gathered all the pieces for it tonight and it is now hanging in my bathroom.

Binx's Frame

As you can see it has her red collar, various black cat things I have gathered over the years, pictures, a broach/pin, and a little plaque. It hangs in the bathroom above the radiator where she spent a lot of her time at Bayit lying under, and startling Kristen most mornings.

Plaque Close-Up

I had two small plaques made. I did not ask/pay for her remains, so instead this is how I am choosing to honour her. One of the plaques is on the beam in my parent's room at The Cottage, facing out the window to the beach and walkway (with a view of all the dogs being walked.) The other is in the frame which will move around with me. They are identical and read:

BINX Rhrr "RapKat" Sweeton
RIP Baby Girl    1995-2011

Special Thanks: My parents for allowing me to put the second plaque up at The Cottage. Julia for the frame, which was a Christmas gift. My aunt for the pin, which she gave me years and years ago. Steph for the photographs, which she obviously took but also printed for me.

LGBT Ally

2011-10-18T22:49:00.002-04:00

"Straight but not narrow."

TA Feedback

2011-10-18T13:06:00.004-04:00

I asked for feedback from my two English tutorials this morning. (Something positive about tutorials, something negative about tutorials, and a general comment.) I have them all stuffed into my backpack at the moment and am saving them to read at home. Sometimes feedback is really hard to take, I'm worried that they are unhappy with my teaching style or my attitude or my lesson plans or anything really. I want to improve but at the same time I fear criticism. I asked for it, so I will man up and read them. I will learn from them and work to make the tutorials better but I really hope they aren't too mean.

Daily Kitten

2011-10-17T10:13:00.012-04:00

Two - The Chair Series

My parents came yesterday to pick up Two, so she is going to stay with them for the next month. I'm going to miss her but she is a tad distracting. I thought I would post a picture, though despite the title I won't be doing this daily. If you want to see a picture of a kitten every day you can check out:
The Daily Kitten -- HERE.

Kristen is back at Bayit!!

Impressive Online Presence

2011-10-14T23:22:00.004-04:00

I stumbled across this (Canadian) guy who builds Sim houses. I don't fully understand but I have subscribed to his YouTube channel so I can figure out a little more about how that works. (You can go to his website and request a house, which I don't quite understand.) Anyway, his website, and social media/online presence in general, is very impressive. Everything is easy to understand, interesting, and he covers all the bases, so much so that he even has Google+. (Ironically, I could not find an email address so as let him know I was posting this, which I like to do most times I post about others.)
-- Check out The Curtis Paradis Show HERE

Always Standing Update: I hope to someday soon get a Twitter account. Not to rush anything so don't hold your breath, but it might be time to enter the 140 character world. (The English Major in me just cringed.)

Introducing You To Two

2011-10-13T09:30:00.004-04:00

I would like you to meet my new cat -- Two.
Over the next month or so she will be living both in Toronto with me and at Long Point with my parents. We are currently in the process of training her, and if anyone has seen me with dogs, I like my animals very well behaved.

She Looks Like A Little Tiger

For Perspective - She Is Pretty Tiny Right Now

She Is Adorable When She Plays
Basically Adorable ALL THE TIME!

Very Retired

2011-10-12T15:10:00.002-04:00

My dad retired about a year ago. It has been strange for everyone adjusting to this, since he worked full-time (for the same company) since he graduated university. The past few days I have been staying at The Cottage and he seems to now be fully in retirement mode...
-He put his socks in the cat litter because it was where the laundry hamper usually is
-He put grated cheese on his coffee because it was beside his eggs

Kitten Test Drive

2011-10-11T14:50:00.004-04:00

I Think I Want To Keep This Kitten

MIAW - An Amazing Bank

2011-10-10T20:11:00.002-04:00

The Royal Bank of Canada has been promoting its Children's Mental Health Project a lot recently over the radio. I decided to look up what it is all about. Since 2009, the RBC Children's Mental Health Project has donated more than $6.5 million to 125 organizations across Canada.

RBC narrowed their focus to two areas so that their donations can make a significant, measurable impact. They give their grants to programs that focus on early intervention as well as those that help reduce stigma through public education.

Since most mental disorders begin in childhood or adolescence, early intervention is extremely important. If the signs of mental illness are recognized early and appropriate interventions are taken, children can go on to lead normal and productive lives.

Sadly, there is significant stigma attached to mental illness, which often discourages individuals and families from seeking help. RBC looks to also fund organizations that provide public education to reduce stigma. Parents, caregivers, teachers, and professionals who work with children can all benefit from increased education, so they can recognize the early signs of mental illness, and help or encourage the family to seek treatment from a health professional.

This isn't my bank, but I think much more highly of them now!

Handgun In Vegas

2011-10-08T20:59:00.004-04:00

Rocking The Glock

This picture is from my trip to Las Vegas. Teri wasn't interested in going to a shooting range but M & M were, so we decide to check out The Gun Store. It was an interesting experience, don't get me started on "The Kids Package" for those under 12. We got "The Ladies Package" which gave us a chance to shoot a pistol (Glock 19) and a fire assault rifle (AR15), which is the semi-automatic version of the M16 made for civilians.

Overheard

2011-10-07T16:38:00.002-04:00

Overheard on the subway today. One young female (possibly fine arts) student talking to another:
"Uhh, I have done nothing this week. Oh, but I punished myself for not doing school work by not doing anything fun. So I really did absolutely nothing all week."

MIAW - Go Globe!

2011-10-06T18:39:00.002-04:00

It may have been a long time ago, but in 2008 The Globe And Mail ran what appears to have been an amazing special series on mental health - Breakdown. So interesting! The part of the website dedicated to the series is still running but sadly some the features are no longer active (like where you could share your experiences and describe what single change in society or policy would help the most then The Globe sent all of the messages to every member of Parliament in Canada, in hopes they could help to break down the stigma of mental illness.) The articles, discussions, and other items of interest are still worth checking out. The most recent of which is from the end of February 2009. I hope they return to this series or do another one soon. Amazing journalism. Great information. Interesting stories.

Sadly True

2011-10-05T15:29:00.004-04:00

A friend of mine sent me the following link:

Reasonably Ludicrous!

The link above goes to the first post from a new blog. The post, entitled "Oops, I Got an English Degree," is brilliant. I don't know if it takes a fellow English Major to enjoy the humour of the piece and the clean prose of the writer or if it is funny across the board. Have a read and let me know!

Besides a small "About" section, this is the only post up, and it was just posted yesterday. The author promises a new post every Tuesday, so we will have to wait a week to see what is next. I feel very much on the cusp of wherever this writer is going. (It could be great and it could be one of the millions and millions of blogs that falls into obscurity everyday as writers stop posting and people drift away - a fate I am worry about for Always Standing.)

The post just calls out to me to write a detailed response, "Oops, I Decided to do an English Masters." However, sadly the aforementioned Masters program eats up all my writing time and all I'm left with is the occasional chance to throw out a quick post alerting you all to a great writer. One day, maybe I could be said great writer... one day...

MIAW - CAMIMH

2011-10-03T12:25:00.005-04:00

Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is organized by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) which is a group of mental health organizations comprised of health care providers, as well as the mentally ill and their families. I basically think that this is the main lobby group for mental health as the website says: CAMIMH’s mandate is to ensure that mental health is placed on the national agenda so that persons with a lived experience of mental illness and their families receive appropriate access to care and support.

Don't confuse it with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), which is a nation-wide, voluntary organization that promotes the mental health of all and supports the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness. The CMHA accomplishes this mission through advocacy, education, research and service. They organize Mental Health Week in the first week of May each year.

Also don't confuse them with The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) which is Canada’s leading addiction and mental health organization, integrating specialized clinical care with innovative research, education, health promotion and policy development. CAMH is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital, as well as one of the world's leading research centres in the area of addiction and mental health.

The acronyms are all similar. Their mandates all appear similar as well. They are all different and I don't know how they interact or work amongst each other, however the more mental health related organizations etc. the better!

MIAW

2011-10-03T10:41:00.001-04:00

Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is this week (October 2-8, 2011). This is so fitting as I have been in what Kristen describes as "a funk" lately. The goal of MIAW is to end the stigma associated with mental illness, and ensure better understanding and access to diagnosis and treatment.

Stay tuned for a series of posts this week related to mental health. While many will be related to Depression, I promise they won't all be depressing.

Found It

2011-10-01T15:54:00.003-04:00

Item Lost: Kristen's Red Spring/Fall Coat that I often borrow.
Time Lost: A week or so ago
Last Place I Remember: At The Cottage
Place Found: Hanging up in the back at Tim Horton's

Sometimes Part 2

2011-10-01T15:38:00.007-04:00

Sometimes you wake up feeling ill.
Sometimes you discover a badly written poem posted online.
Sometimes you don't remember writing said poem.
Sometimes you can't really figure out who or what the poem is about.

And sometimes, or maybe always, you should consider not uploading bad drunken poetry until the next morning.

Sometimes

2011-10-01T01:58:00.003-04:00

Sometimes you drink too much.
Sometimes it is all already in the cards.
Sometimes you don't know what else to do.
Sometimes it is all that is left.

And sometimes then, it still doesn't work out.

Final Week

2011-09-29T01:48:00.002-04:00

I have gained some (actually a considerable amount) of weight over the last month or so. I have decided that I need to seriously evaluate my activity level and diet. I will be starting the Curves Diet again and follow it religiously. This means not drinking for the first week (Stage One) but I don't know if I want to give it up all together again. Either way I'm not going to worry about it until this weekend, especially since a bunch of us are going out for Teri's birthday on Friday. I'm going to have a few more days of food and booze fun then I need to get serious about what I'm eating.

Missing My Kitty

2011-09-27T07:29:00.002-04:00

Have Litter Box, Will Travel
Binx packed up in the SUV leaving Ottawa, Summer 2010

WOTS Was Wonderful

2011-09-25T22:02:00.003-04:00

After a very very long day, I am sitting down and reflecting on the last 17 hours. It was an amazing experience to witness first-hand the inner workings of a huge Toronto festival. I was on site starting before the break of dawn until well after sunset. There is great news to report: The Word On The Street went off without a hitch, and thankfully got treated to a beautiful sunny day.

I have been writing reviews for WOTS Blog and I go into the office to visit, hang out, and help Kristen on occasion. However, I was actually hired for the day as Kristen's production assistant. I was given a walkie-talkie, which made my week. The area was divided into zones so our team had 6 other walkie-talkies and our own channel to communicate on - which was good because we (I) had no trouble filling the air time. I also got to drive around in a golf cart for a couple hours which was quite a relief after walking back and for across Queen's Park seven times within the first hour I was on site.

Being a production assistant meant that I was the direct line for the 24 volunteers Kristen had for the Exhibiting team, so that I could screen questions and concerns. This meant that Kristen had to coordinate all the large issues and spent the day trying to work her way around to personally checking on each of the over 250 exhibitors. She did an incredible job. I have watched her work on/with this festival for over a year now and she is obviously very dedicated and very talented. However, today I got to see someone who I feel rose beyond intelligent, elegant, and hard working and became almost superhuman. There are no words for how well she did today. Everyone involved should be very proud, it was a truly magnificent event.

Hello?

2011-09-22T20:53:00.003-04:00

This is a new post!

(Yes, this is all I can sum up from the deep recesses of my tired mind. I promise to put up something slightly more inspired soon. I would love to claim that it stems from the fact that comments have been a tad sparse lately and lay some of the blame on you, the readers, - but that would not be true. I just have a tad of a blog-writers-block at the moment.)

WOTS Review #2

2011-09-19T11:16:00.002-04:00

You can see more of my Toronto Book Awards posts on the WOTS blog. The second book I did was Étienne’s Alphabet which really was an amazing read.
- See it featured HERE
- See it reviewed HERE

Always Running

2011-09-18T10:37:00.004-04:00

I set a goal and I met that goal! Today was the 2011 Canada Army Run and I wanted to run the whole thing. I ran in the 5km race. I set the "run the whole time" goal every time. Both in 2008 and 2009 when I did the Army Run I wanted to not walk at all (I didn't do the 2010 race last year.) However, it never happened - I always had to stop to spend a bit of time walking. Even when I was training up for the 2008 and 2009 races, and going for 6km jogs, I always walked for a portion.

Between the 5km and the Half-Marathon, 16,000 people took part in the race this year. This is much more than last year and way more than the other years when we ran it before. This year I ran with my mom instead of doing it apart. Her pace is slower than mine and by keeping with her I am able to run for longer. She has never run a race and had to walk; she was worried that for this race she might have to. We decided to run together to help me stay running and to make sure she didn't stop either. And it worked!!

My time was pretty good too, seeing that I did a terrible job training this time and thought that the race would kill me. However, it felt good. I am very happy with it!

My Canada Army Run Results
2008 -- 44:22:0
2009 -- 39:09:6
2011 -- 39:30:0 (And no walking!!)

Interesting Feature

2011-09-15T23:06:00.005-04:00

Facebook adds strange new features to the right hand panel of their website. The most annoying one of course is the "suggested friends" one. Basically they provide names of people who have a lot of common friends, usually you have made the conscious choice not to add them as a Facebook friend. For a while they were putting up old tagged photos of friends, which was nice but sometimes confusing. I thought one picture had been recently taken and someone had gone on a trip, when I commented on the picture without really looking at all the details I was later informed that the picture was years old. Anyway, the new one provides you with what your status update was on this date in the past:Well Facebook, now that song is stuck in my head again, 2 years later! It is funny to look back at it though, you can also click and see the comments left on the status updates as well. So far this is the best little feature that Facebook has come up with. Mind you, my updates in this instance are odd, they might sometimes be depressing to see again. But still, better than the "suggested friends."

Almost Moved In

2011-09-12T23:59:00.006-04:00

My New Chair!

Sitting In Bed - Looking At My New Chair

My parents visited me in Toronto recently and helped me continue to set up my bedroom here. (Yes, I moved in over a year ago.) While they were here I bought a chair to go in my room, I love it. The purple pattern along the back and bottom is actually a scarf that Heather bought for me in England; I will miss wearing it this winter since it looked really good with my wool coat - but I looks great on the chair. You may also notice an awesome bookshelf behind it filled with leather bound books, more on those another time.

WOTS Review #1

2011-09-12T18:51:00.003-04:00

My first actual review is up now on the WOTS blog. Seriously the book was incredible! I read it so quickly. As soon as I was done my mother borrowed it and trumped my impressive two day reading by finishing it in an afternoon. Check out what I say about Alissa York’s Fauna HERE.

Quote Of The Day

2011-09-11T23:38:00.001-04:00

"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself."
— Albert Einstein

Ford's Funding Cuts

2011-09-09T21:58:00.000-04:00

Will September 19th be the date of the death of The Arts in Toronto?
That is the date of the city’s executive committee meeting where a proposal suggesting massive arts funding cuts is planned to be presented.

The purpose was prepared in response to a request from Mayor Rob Ford’s office by city manager Joe Pennachetti. If passed by city council, the plan would eliminate more than $6 million of annual funding that goes directly to 10 of the city’s top arts organizations.

But there is hope -- There are other options under consideration. Ford agreed there would be no cuts to the arts in order to get his arts advisor Jeff Melanson to work for him. “I can’t imagine city council would approve drastic cuts,” says Melanson, who has been the mayor’s adviser since November 2010. “And if it did happen, I would feel betrayed.”City council also gave its blessing earlier this year to a long-term culture plan calling for the city to increase its arts funding.

But there this is less hope -- These days Melanson has little contact with the mayor; at the end of this month he will leave Toronto and his job as co-CEO of the National Ballet School to take a job at the Banff Centre.

The purposed funding to be cut is different from that of the Toronto Arts Council. The council hands out $10 million in arts grants from the city, but the $6 million in the proposal, for the top arts groups in the city, comes directly from city hall.

For example
Canadian Opera Company: $1,317,015
National Ballet of Canada: $1,148,600
Toronto Symphony Orchestra: $1,134,036
TIFF: $800,000
AGO: $540,000
Caribana: $494,190
Luminato: $200,000
National Ballet School: $137,332
Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art: $135,980
Pride Toronto: $123,807

I am interested to see how this story develops over the upcoming 10 days and am worried about the outcome of September 19th's meeting.

"my blog contradicts"

2011-09-09T16:24:00.013-04:00

From Tube Sock Army by Kim Duff.
The following was originally published by LINEbooks, Burnaby, BC.
Copyright 2008 Kim Duff.


my cultural production

today:
processing produced culture.
                               purchase

my local politik
is in the digital massification of


this is also a love poem:
a romantic notion of
globality
mired in the move sequence
distance.

IM's and comments
posted on my pages
my profiles
locally produced
globally disseminated

            the mailer daemon sent me a message
             to tell me my message was undeliverable

I am writing this email
to tell you that today I became postmodern
in a postgeographical sense

because there are no maps
  for these territories

                        my blog contradicts what
                        my myspace profile
                        suggests.

dispersed identity
I am not to you what I am to them
                    identity
                    makeshift and posted
                    ephemerally temporal

                                            post-spatial?

I thieved these ideas
from the emissary of time.
a sickness called nostalgia

                           we logged in
                           and timed out
mediated
your cultural production
budged in line
and took the last moment:

wedged in at
the moment of blame
working out connections
at the crux of biography and production

                          the claustrophobia
                          of urban capitalists
                          pushes us further

                                    desires for need.


trappings trapped
in an architectural scale of time
we exist in the riffing off
of Banana Republic khakis and
coffee.

                     coffee and khakis.

the ceiling of online banks
pushes my banking needs
into a nighttime obsession
checking balances against
checks bouncing
a metronome of debts
we flow in
whisper

your password softly

WOTS Featuring Fauna

2011-09-08T22:44:00.003-04:00

Looks like I'm posted more on the WOTS blog than here at the moment.
Check out the next one HERE.

Pros & Cons of Tims

2011-09-08T13:50:00.004-04:00

I worked my first shift at Tim Horton's this morning. Yes, I have returned to the food-service industry after quite a few years away. It fits well with being a TA and finishing my MRP. Here is a quick Pro & Con list from my first day:

Cons
-Slip resistant shoes are really ugly
-Waking up at 4am for a 5am shift
-Sore feet from standing all day
-Carb temptations
-Doesn't pay particularly well
-Working weekends

Pros
-Fast paced, won't get bored too quickly
-Co-workers seem really great
-Location is very close to home
-I'm pretty good at it
-Canadian company
-Lots to learn

WOTS Again

2011-09-06T23:19:00.003-04:00

Another post I did is up at The Word On The Street blog...

Check it out HERE

Here Again

2011-09-01T10:38:00.002-04:00

I still need to work on my MRP so have to register for the Fall 2011 semester at Ryerson. I never finish degrees in time. 6 years to do my a 4 year undergrad and it looks like 4 semesters to do a 3 semester Masters. I doesn't quite feel like I'm starting a new year of school. It feels a bit like purgatory, not in a horrible way or anything though. I have no classes but am still going to be a TA. Things are starting to roll out though: TA orientation, lecture schedules, meetings with professors, new books, etc.

WOTS Guest Blogger

2011-08-30T10:09:00.003-04:00

As part of her job as Marketing and Special Events Coordinator for The Word On The Street (WOTS) festival, Kristen manages the WOTS blog. There are a number of guest bloggers who review various books, I am going to do a series on The Toronto Book Awards. I have already started and it is a lot of fun. I will let you know when various posts go up. I have also added a link to the WOTS blog on the right.

See my bio HERE
See my first post HERE

A Famous Boat

2011-08-29T07:44:00.003-04:00

My parents big sailboat, Meridian, was featured on the Weather Network website for Port Dover. I gather people can just post photos that are weather related on the site - the sailing one mentions that it was choppy and windy that day. Someone on the shore took a picture of them heading out on Race Night.

Waking Up

2011-08-26T01:17:00.003-04:00

Life is shifting.
Waves pushing through weak currents.
New directions, not just on TV.
Lost but not drifting.
Broke and broken.
Sleeping, yet thankfully not sick.

A Sad Day For Canada

2011-08-22T09:04:00.002-04:00

It was announced this morning that Jack Layton has died. We have lost a great political mind today. And I am sad that there is one less Canadian silver fox, quickly becoming an endangered species. I'm glad that he brought such hope, vision, and victory to the NDP and it is so tragic that he will no longer be there to lead them as the Official Opposition. I saw him three times when I lived in Ottawa (two of which he was biking) and I was always so excited. It is a very sad day indeed. RIP Jack and condolences to your family.