Music: The shorthand of emotion

When was the last time music gave you goosebumps? Me? Sunday afternoon. I went to see my friend Heather in her debut performance with a jazz and blues band called the Royal Jelly Orchestra. Heather was absolutley incredible. Her voice is so soulful and effortless and her stage presence is fabulous. Absolute joy to listen to.

Couple that with some of the most talented, mind blowingly awesome musicians I have ever seen and my afternoon was complete. Absolutley tremendous sax players, a trumpet player who's amazing performance couldn't help but put a smile on your face and a pianist that rivalled any piano playing I have ever seen. One woman sang Bridge Over Troubled Water with a bass player as her only accompaniment. It was deeply moving. Her voice filled the playhouse and literally gave me goosebumps. She didn't even need a microphone.

I left smiling with this feeling of pride for my friend and for all the other people I know who are so musically talented. I love being a part of their shows, even if it is just as an adoring fan. I am just so entertained by musical talent and live performance.

Heather is particularly amazing. Having only been actively singing for three years, she fit right in with a band that contains several people who have been singing and playing jazz and blues for their entire professional careers. She truly is a natural and I'm so happy to see that she's found her "calling" in life. I think I felt the same level of happiness as her beaming mom who made the 5 hour trek to Cobourg to surprise her daughter and watch the show.

All this talent around me makes me sad I can't sing. I should be able to. I've lamented this fact a million times. My mom sings. My Dad is a great guitar player. People actually pay to hear them play together! But it's okay. I will not be sad. No, I'll live vicariously through the musical escapades of my friends and, until the next show, I'll simply continue singing badly to myself in my car.

Check out some of Heather's tunes here.

Or check out the Royal Jelly Orchestra here.

The more money I raise, the faster I'll run!

In January, I made some resolutions; or rather some 2009 goals. Some ambitious. Some very realistic. One of those goals was to sign up for and complete a 10km race.

Well, I've done it. I will participating in the 2009 David Bloom Memorial Brampton Spring Sprint and will be running a 10km race on May 3. The event is in memory of David Bloom who is the brother of my friend and former coworker, Richard Bloom. I feel happy that I can accomplish my goal and do something for a good cause that has meaning for me.

I have a modest fundraising goal of $500 so hopefully I can meet it. Evidently, there is no punishment for not meeting your goal, which takes the pressure off...unlike the Walk to End Breast Cancer that apparently holds you personally accountable for the $2,000 fundraising minimum. Likewise, no one will physically abuse or verbally harass me if I can't run all the way to the finish line (however, I'm determined to run 10km in under an hour) and I get a free tshirt!

For all my loyal blog readers (ie: Tina and April), maybe you could toss a couple bucks my way. If I meet my goal, I'll sprint the full 10km. Okay, that's a lie. I will however, jog enthusiastically. :)

You can find my donation page here

I looked for a picture that illustrated my fierce athleticism and am hoping my selection helps encourage more donations.

Luck o' the Irish

St. Patrick's Day is always fun. Even if it's on a Tuesday. I spent the day yesterday, working from home with the windows open enjoying the smell of Spring air come through my windows.

I played my "Irish Songs" playlist which consists of several classics including The Irish Drinking Song and basically anything by The Pogues. I am sure I've never understood a full sentence the Pogues have ever sang, but man, there is nothing quite like a fun Irish tune to make you want to get up, dance and grab a green pint. Even if it is Tuesday...and you're not Irish...

Highlight of the day included meeting a real, live leprechaun. Picture coming soon...

Signs

I finally finished Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Tremendous book. I highly reccommend it. It really shed some light on the nature of success and how it's really not all grit, personal effort, talent and ambition. Sure, that's part of it, but success is really more about a series of random events and opportunities; about being in the right place at the right time. Despite the fact that I'm more of a fluffy fiction reader, I found this book fascinating.

Anyways, I was on the hunt last night for something new to read and I have had this random Ian Rankin novel called Knots and Crosses beside my bed since Christmas. Graham got it in a case of specialty beer he received as a Christmas present (Whatever happened to tshirt freebies?) I read the back of the book and thought skeptically: "This looks kind of lame. I really don't know if I want to read it." I flipped the book open to a random page and it happened to be the author's dedication. It said:

"To Miranda. Without whom, nothing is worth finishing."

I don't really think I have a choice about reading this book now. Hope its a good read!

Speaking of signs, you know how sometimes it seems like songs on the radio seem to align perfectly with your feelings? That old song "Switchin' to Glide" by The Kings came on and the lyric: "Nothing matters but the weekend... from a Tuesday point of view," really hit home with me today. It's not even noon and I've drifted off into weekend day dreaming several times today already. Come on Friday!

Toastmasters: An Obituary

I have been the President of my company's Toastmasters Club for more than a year. I’ve loved the club, the people and being the leader and mentor for this group of inspiring, determined people.

That’s why it pains me to say that it looks as if our Club is going to have to close its doors. Annual fees have come due and a large majority of our members will not renew.

Due to the state of the company, they will not longer be paying for training and development costs for their employees and people are unwilling to pay for their club fees out of their own pockets. And sadly, the club has been deteriorating for some time. Membership is decreasing as layoffs increase. Attendance is down as people are overloaded with work and participation is limited because people simply can’t focus on personal development in a company that doesn’t make it a priority.

Toastmasters is far from synonymous with cool. It’s generally a club of somewhat socially awkward, introverted folks petrified of public speaking. I read that public speaking is the world’s greatest fear, ranking higher even than things like death by fire or plane crashes.

Coolness aside, it truly is one of the most effective forums I’ve seen to help people come out of their shells and become more confident speakers and communicators. I could go on for pages about the benefits of this club. The things I have learned as both a member and the President have been absolutely invaluable.

That is why I’m sad to see it fall apart in front of me despite my best efforts.

All is not lost of course. Toastmasters is well-known around the world and the GTA alone has more than 50 different clubs. I’ll transfer my membership to somewhere new but I’ll always feel a little sad about this Club that failed… with me at the helm.

Shameless Self Promotion

Anyone who knows me knows I love the spotlight. So when a former coworker asked if I would be in some promotional videos for the Habitat for Humanity Women Build Project how could I refuse? Come to the studio? Have my makeup done? Read a script from a teleprompter and hob knob with B-list Canadian celebrities?! You had me at studio.


While filming, I got to meet supermodel Monika Schnarr. She is one tall lady! Note the photo. I stood with four inch heels on a box and was still shorter than her! Alas, my dreams of modeling will never come to fruition.

After waiting weeks and weeks for the volunteer editing team to complete their magic, these are the final videos:

Video One

and...

Video Two

Okay, so I'm only in each one for a few seconds but it was such fun. I love being in the studio. Maybe I missed my calling in broadcast. ;)

National Do Over Day

According to my radio, today is National Do Over Day.

Apparently, today is the day where every Canadian gets a chance "to do over anything good to do with love, family, sensuality, travel, social life, etc., or on the darker side, career-ending blunders, socially suicidal moves, immoral or criminal acts or pretty much anything falling under the heading 'regrettable.'

Here's my list...

Things I'd do differently:
- My last job interview for the job I didn't get
- End my last relationship sooner
- Go on exchange in highschool
- Been in french immersion in school
- Giving my number to a jerk at Rob's party
- Made more lasting friendships in university
- Not dye my hair strawberry blonde in Grade 9 (Eeek!)

Good experiences I'd like to relive:
- The summer of 2006
- Any trip with Graham
- My last day of highschool
- That dinner at the Greek a la carte restaurant in Dominican Republic
- My first drive alone after getting my license
- Walking out of my final university exam
- The Green Day concert
- Summer camping trips with Tina and my Dad
- New Years Eve 1999

"Smile a Little!"

I found out today that I didn't get a job I had three interviews for. I am disappointed. I put a lot of effort into that process. Four weeks total and countless hours studying relevant industry news and travelling to and from the office for interviews. I put my whole heart into it and it sucks that wasn't enough.

So, I'm back out there and today I met a nice new contact from a downtown law firm. The meeting went well so I'm not totally sure why I was walking home from the subway with a scowl on my face. I think I was just deep in thought - both about what I still had to do for my current job and brooding (just a little) that I didn't get the job I interviewed for.

So as I walked down my street with downcast eyes, a furrowed brow and pursed lips, a total stranger passing by me in the opposite direction literally grabbed my arm, looked at me and said, "Smile a little!" and kept walking in the other direction.

I found the whole thing so amusing I did smile. And I smiled all the rest of the way home. :)

Roller Derby, Anyone?

On Monday night, I went skating at the outdoor rink down at the harbourfront. This was my first skate of 2009 and it was glorious. I love that no matter how long its been since the last time I laced up my hockey skates and hit the ice, I always seem to be at the same skill level. I had a great time. I miss skating. So as I was whizzing around the ice, enjoying all the newbie skaters wobble around in their rental skates, I was stopped by a stranger wanting to know how long I'd been skating for. We started up a little conversation and as it turns out, she's a player on the Toronto Roller Derby team and suggested I try out.


Feeling pleased with myself, I said I'd check it out online. Here's what I found out:

- Roller Derby is a cool sport and one that is evidently making a comeback
- It is a sport played by women on those old school 4-wheel roller skates
- It is part show, part sport and all players have a wicked cool skater name like Candy Crossbones, Mala Justed and Audrey Hellborn.
- It is pretty violent! Lots of injuries!
- All the girls that play look TOUGH! I was scared of the pics
- They wear cool costumes... like leg warmers and short shorts that coordinate with their team name. Love!

I emailed the "fresh meat" coordinator that organizes the try-outs and she provided me with a ton of info. Although I am intrigued, I'm going to put it on the backburner for now. It was a big time committment and a lot of $$$ to buy the necessary equipment. So for now, while I'm focused on my career, I'll remain happy skating occassionally on the outdoor rinks in Toronto.

However, if I ever try out for this team, I'd need an entourage of cheering fans... and a really wicked derby girl name...

Did Anyone Notice...

...that I changed the title of this blog?

Interviews

There's nothing quite like a job interview to make you doubt yourself.

Interviewing has got to be right up there with one of my most hated activities. It ranks right alongside brushing snow off my car and cleaning my cat's litter. Necessary, but altogether unpleasant.

Why I Love Toronto

- Everything I need is within walking distance of my place
- I live across the street from a pub... three pubs actually
- One of the pubs is like Cheers and the waiters know me and Cathy. Yes, I am a bar local
- Most of my great friends live here (aside from Tina and April! *tear*)
- I can get ice cream at 11:00 pm from Baskin Robbins
- I never get hassled walking down Church Street - except for one time a woman hit on me... but it was just once in two years, so I can live with that
- I can always find somewhere cool to eat: Indian, Thai, Sushi, Korean, Mediterreanean, Greek, Portugese freakin' barbecue... it's all good. And it never ends.
- I've lived here for two years and am still discovering new things
- The TTC... even though it sucks, it takes me from A to B at a reasonable price. I also love that it's air-conditioned in the summer, and that it comes every 5 mins, even in off-times.
- Drinking beer at a Jays game in the summer
- Being an obnoxious fan at the Toronto FC
- Great concerts like... Spice Girls :)
- I love that after the concert you can go out and enjoy a smokey, greasy hot dog in the night air and laugh at crazy people on the streets. Love.
- The airport is closeby
- Multiculturalism
- I love that you can find fashionistas, indie kids, geeky scholars, and regular 9-5'ers all hanging out on the same patio
- Empanadas at Kensington Market
- I LOVE that singing guitar man at the Madison. I also love that the Madison is basically a big frat house, but with better booze.
- Shopping. Yonge and Bloor, The Eaton's Centre, Yorkville, Queen West, Sherway Gardens, Anything down Yonge Street. For a girl who was deprived of good shopping for all her teen years, this city is shopping heaven.

Yup. The T-dot is a good spot :)

Women: Wired for Marketing

I have been out networking like crazy in an attempt to better my work situation and I've discovered something interesting. So far, I have met:

- Four Cheif Marketing Officers from large Toronto law firms
- Three Senior VPs from local PR Agencies
- One Director of Communications for an Accounting firm
- One Corporate Communications Manager for a Pension Fund

What do they all have in common? They're ALL women. All nine of them.

Evidence from this recent article in the Top Tech News seems to agree. Apparently, women's brains make them better marketers.

So here's what happens. Every baby starts off with a woman's brain - according to this article. Then, in the case of boys, a surge of of fetal testosterone takes over the communication part of the brain. Meanwhile, the girl brain goes along developing which results in drastically different brain makeup from the boy. This is why, even from an early age, girls display greater sensitivity and far greater ability to understand others than boys. The article then goes on to explain then how this accounts for the fact that women make better marketers than men - we are genetically wired to be better at it.

Looks like I picked the right career!

No Excuse

I have been the worst kind of blogger there is. As I get more and more into the social media space with my job, I realize how much my absence on this blog has hurt it. I've killed it. Any readers I once had, have now likely jumped ship, on to bigger and better blogs with daily insights and witty commentary, complete with hundreds of readers and comments.

Sigh. I will get back into this. Perhaps as I embark on my next opportunity. I can have an official launch party for the new blog.

New name suggestions welcome.

Stay tuned.

People are Strange

People are strange. A story in the Globe and Mail today would certainly prove it. In fact, with this story, strange is the understatement of the century.

Scariest Story Ever

This is a news story about how a guy on a Greyhound bus to Winnepeg from Edmonton randomly attacked a total stranger sleeping beside him. He stabbed him repeatedly in the neck with a butcher knife and then... get this: sawed off his head! Horrified passengers fled off the bus and formed a defense line so police could come take him away. No one else was injured. Injured, no. But scarred and terrified, definitley. I can't even imagine.

I can really fool myself into thinking the world is a pretty reasonable place for the most part... but it's stories like this that just confirm to me that the world is insane. It also confirms that you should never trust anyone who wears sunglasses at night. Especially Corey Hart.

Buyer Beware

So for the first time since I was a kid, I sold items at a yardsale on the weekend. Graham's parents had a lot of furniture, electronics and a million odds and ends to sell so I joined in the fun to offload some of those random items taking up space in my tiny storage closet.

To my amazement, I didn't have that much to sell! I must have done a great job purging all my junk in my two moves in 2007.

Nevertheless, I did find some things to sell: an old desk chair, some computer speakers, a DVD system, and mountains and mountains of clothes.

Interestingly, the clothes sold extremely well. I wasn't even going to bring them, saying just a day before the sale: "No one buys clothes at a yardsale!" But apparently, at a $1 a peice, no one could resist that bargain. Graham's dad informed me that people look for yardsales in the Lawrence Park area assuming that quality is dictacted by location. However, I assure you, not a damn thing I was selling in that heap was quality!

Seeing the onslaught of bizarre bargain seekers buying up our stuff made me giggle with happiness. Nothing like the feeling of free money I thought! But Claire couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with some intense feeling of guilt. She seemed to think the whole process was sad somehow - like these people lack enough money to buy real things at stores or something. I had to disagree. I don't think people go to yardsales because they can't afford something better. It's the old cliche: one person's trash is another person's treasure.

I also couldn't help but laugh at the barrage of folks buying up all the electronics before 9 am. "Does this work?" a guy asked me about my old DVD system with 6 speaker surround sound. "Yes," I said. Now if he had of asked me, "Does this work well?" My answer probably would have been, "No, it's a peice of shit." If it worked well would I be selling it for $10 at a yardsale? Do I feel guilty? Not at all. Buyer beware I say.

All in all, I made $80. Better than the $0 I was going to make having brought it all to Value Village which was the initial plan. And rather than guilt, I feel some amount of pleasure knowing my things have gone to people who want them, rather than in the trash, contributing to a landfill which is likely where a lot of it would have ended up.

Things I don't need to see at 8:00 am

So I haven't been compelled to write anything for a long time but today, I saw something on my way to work that has been irking me all morning.

Driving south down Jarvis around 8:00 this morning, there was an anti-abortion protest. People of all ages were lining the sidewalk with massive posters that said "Abortion is Wrong!" with GIANT pictures on each poster of mutilated dead babies. These awful, bloody little things, some with various body parts detached from their torsos. At the bottom of the poster it said, "At 10 weeks."

Okay, I understand that the point of the posters is to be shocking and grab attention but for god sakes, do I need to see dead babies on my way to work at 8:00 in the morning. Do I need to see giant posters of dead babies EVER? Not to mention some of the people holding the signs were children! This just seems sick to me. And to be honest, I really don't think this is a very effective way to protest! How many people's minds do you think they actually changed this morning? If I thought abortion was okay this morning, seeing that protest likely isn't going to change my mind. I think the only thing they were probably effective in doing is causing nausea and general disgust in hundreds of commuters this morning.

And while I'm on the topic of things I don't need to see on my way to work, here's another one. While driving on the Gardiner last week in extremely slow traffic, the car beside me honked at me - one of those little "beep-beep" sorts of honks people do to get someone's attention. When I looked over at the driver, he made a disgusting and inappropriate gesture with his tongue. I really can't be more specific, nor can I demonstrate in print, but I assure you, it was disgusting. I made the most repulsed face I could muster and immediatley changed lanes. Seriously, what the hell did he think that was going to accomplish? I was going to quickly grab a pen, scrawl my number on a peice of paper and hold it up to the window? Why are some guys such pigs?!

As if getting up and commuting to work isn't bad enough as it is, I have to get up, commute to work and see giant billboards with mutilated dead babies on them and have disgusting men make horrible gestures at me on the highway.

I think I may start working from home more often.

Am I a Wino?

The other day when I was getting ready for work, I found myself wondering, how much wine have I consumed in my life? I'm not sure why I was thinking this - perhaps because I was dreading another long, frustrating day at the office and would much rather be happily sipping white wine on my balcony or maybe it was because I was recently told I'm the group wino amongst our friends. Anyways, I was thinking in terms of quantity. Litres perhaps. Maybe the quantity is as vast as a keg! Several kegs even! I do drink a lot of wine.

So I thought, well, lets try to calculate this logically (because I'm such a mathematician!). I, on average, consume approximatley, 2 litres of wine a week. This is a very reasonable estimate. At times, it's much higher than this and probably at times, it is lower. However, as an average, I think 2 litres is reasonable (usually a half litre on Tuesdays at trivia, a glass here and there through the week and usually a bottle or small box on the weekend). So 2 litres a week x 52 weeks in a year = 104 litres.

One litre = 33.8 ounces. A usual glass of wine is around 6 ounces or so. So that means that in a year, I drink approx. 585 glasses of wine. With that calculation that means I drink 1.6 glasses of wine a day. :) That really doesn't seem like THAT much.

I've only really been drinking wine since late 2005 so that means, in my lifetime, I've drank around 260 litres of wine. A quick Google search tells me that a keg is 58 litres so that means I've drank almost 4.5 kegs of wine in my lifetime! Imagine the number when I'm 60?!

Maybe I really am a wino!

It's Not Easy Being Green

In honour of Earth Day - or Earth Week as we're calling it - a committee I'm on in my company is posting an earth-related article every day on an internal blog. Today, we had a great post from an employee and passionate environmentalist about Community Right to Know legislation. I wanted to link to her post but unfortunatley, it's internal-only so I stole the content and have posted it here for your reading pleasure. She tells a real personal and moving story about how toxins have affected her life..... definitely worth reading. So in honour of Earth Day, I bring you... someone elses' writing.

******************************************

Last year I turned forty-eight. That birthday is more significant than forty was, or fifty will be. Why? My Mom died of cancer at forty-eight years of age. Four years later, my Dad died of cancer. Two years later the dog died of cancer. I said to the vet, “I didn’t know dogs could get cancer.” He replied – “We’re seeing more and more of it.”

Eight years later I found out that the industrial land behind my home was being cleaned because it was contaminated. There is a chain link fence separating my backyard from the industrial property. We always had a small vegetable garden. I stopped eating the vegetables and I never planted another one.

My grandparents on both sides of the family lived to their 80’s and 90’s. My Dad’s siblings lived into their 80’s, my Mom’s are in their 70’s and going strong. Both sets of grandparents smoked, as did my aunts and uncles. The most obvious difference – my parents lived in the Town of New Toronto. It is in South Etobicoke, a neighbourhood located along the shores of Lake Ontario between Kipling Avenue and Royal York Road.

In New Toronto, our near neighbours were CIL, Gilbey’s Gin, Goodyear, Continental Can, Anaconda Steel, Dominion Colour, Pittsburgh Paints, National Silicates, Cognis/Henkel, CN Rail and Campbell Soup. We lived three doors down from the rail line and just south of the Gardiner highway. To this day, I have no idea what they emit. Community Right to Know legislation would change that.

I once said to my Dad, “You’re a smart man – why did you start smoking?” He said, “It was a healthful pursuit, the pass time of gentlemen. The Duke of Windsor smoked, so did Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. We didn’t know any better.”

Now we know better, and we have the right to know. We have the right to know what is in the air we breathe, the water we drink, bathe and play in, and in the soil we grow our food in, build our homes on and use for recreation. We have the right to know when we are exposed to toxic substances that harm our health.

Currently, that right is not protected by industry or government in our cities, provincially or federally. Toronto Public Health is considering a Community Right to Know Bylaw, also called the Environmental Reporting and Disclosure Program. http://www.toronto.ca/health/hphe/enviro_info.htm

Toronto Public Health has identified twenty-five toxic chemicals that are released into Toronto’s air at levels that are a risk to health. http://www.toronto.ca/health/hphe/enviro_info_1.htm

Nine high-risk carcinogens (cancer –causing substances) are in our air at unhealthy levels. Annually, approximately 7,000 tonnes of toxic chemicals are released into Toronto’s air land and water.

Under current legislation less than 3% of companies are required report the substances they emit to the National Pollution Registry, information the public has access to. http://www.secrecyistoxic.ca/adPDF/Accessing%20Pollution%20Release%20Reports.pdf

There are approximately 11,000 businesses in the City of Toronto that release toxins. Across Ontario and Canada polluters are not required to tell their neighbours who live and work beside them what harmful substances they are exposing them to. Over 80% of emissions into Toronto’s air are not reported to the National Pollution Registry.

A Community Right to Know bylaw would ensure public access to environmental information that is user-friendly, relevant, reliable and available in layman’s terms. The public would be able to access and understand information on the use, storage, transportation, and disposal of hazardous substances, quantities being released into the environment (air, water and soil), and the potential adverse effects of each substance on health and the environment.

You may ask yourself, “ How will it help my family and me if the City of Toronto passes a Community Right to Know bylaw, when I don’t live in Toronto?” Good question. Remember a little program that started in Etobicoke in 1977 called “Reduced Impaired Driving in Etobicoke”? Today it’s called R.I.D.E. – Reduced Impaired Driving Everywhere, and it operates province-wide, all year long. Eugene, Oregon and New York City, Massachusetts and New Jersey have Community Right to Know legislation in place, and that started with one community.

In May 2006 the provincial Smoke-Free Ontario Act prohibited smoking in enclosed workplaces and public places to protect workers and the public from the “pollution” of second-hand smoke. The laws for companies who pollute the air we breathe, water we drink and the soil we live on do not ensure we know about emissions like lead, mercury and formaldehyde. Why aren’t industries that emit harmful toxins, which pollute our environment, held to the same standards and laws that a neighbour, friend or family member lighting a cigarette is governed by?

Industries are concerned Community Right to Know legislation is an attack on them. That is not true. They are worried it will cost them money and profit. If your workers and consumers are getting sick – that will not increase your profits. Industries that are leaving North America, are not leaving because of the threat of a Community Right to Know bylaw. Everyone understands we need industry – we all need and want jobs.

No one wants to shut industry down or force them to move. My Dad worked at Goodyear, they put food on our table for forty-two years, and I try to buy Goodyear products whenever I can.

Did working at Goodyear contribute to my Dad’s cancer and death? I’ll never know. Government, industry and the public have adversarial relationships. We need to change the way we interact. The Community Right to Know bylaw is the future. A future where government, industry and communities partner and work together to make changes for the better of everyone.

It won’t be easy but it is necessary. The future needs to begin now. Please support Toronto Public Health’s Community Right to Know – it is a small step to make the world a healthier place for all of us. If you want to take action by reducing toxins and chemicals in your home, find guides to safe alternatives or learn how to support Community Right to Know. Check out this link: http://www.secrecyistoxic.ca/right_to_know.php

'Tis the Season...

... the patio season that is! Ahhh, yes. The sweet smell of Spring and patio season is upon us and I couldn't be happier. The pub across the street recently set up their outdoor patio set and it was like I'd just received a birthday present....only this present will last until September... maybe even October if we're lucky. The weather is hovering around the 10 degree mark these days but I could still be convinced to go for a pint on a patio - even if I have to wear my winter coat. :)