Turning A Page

Hard to believe, but 2011 is over in just a few hours. As I look back on the past year, I'd say that overall it was a good one but I'm looking forward to what 2012 has to offer!

This year started off with my finishing off my program at Fanshawe. Well, more accurately I was about half finished. The candle was burning at both ends, but I did survive and even won an award for my efforts! I met some really great friends during my time at Fanshawe and glad I returned to the classroom!

In February, I headed to Florida with my friend Kim for spring break. It was a welcomed reprieve from my crazy schedule. Soon after it was my birthday and then I was finishing up school! In hindsight, it flew by. Thanks to my friend Duane for encouraging me to count down the days and telling me that if he could do it, I could do it!

Probably the biggest event for me this year was buying my first home! What an exciting (and sometimes stressful) ride. Most of the spring/summer was spent packing, moving, unpacking and settling in. It has felt like home since the moment I first entered. I love it! A special thanks to my parents who have helped me every step of the way, even with cleaning the eaves :)

With September comes the Toronto Film Festival. This year was particularly star-studded including Bono & The Edge as well as Brangelina, George Clooney, Ryan Gosling and Keiffer Sutherland. What fun Lisa and I had. A great annual tradition.

Well, that about ends my recap of 2011. If you're reading this, you probably know about all the bumps and highlights along the way anyway! Wishing you all the best in 2012. Happy New Year.

Good News

Connie got a very encouraging phone call from her family doctor yesterday. He had just received her pathology report and wanted to call her right away. Her lymph nodes tested negative, which is terrific news. I'm still not sure what the next step is or what the future holds, but for now, this is welcomed news. (an excellent birthday present for Steve)

Happy Birthday Laurie Lane

Today is my dear friend Laurie's birthday. Well, December 28th is her birthday. I fear it is after midnight and the date stamp will show December 29th.

Anyway, Laurie is a kindred spirit that I have shared both laughter and tears with. She is the perfect blend of hilarity and heart-to-heart confidante. We share many of the same hobbies and passions - music, CBC radio, photography, blogging, the list goes on.

So my friend, happiest of days. Much love.

Christmas Musings...

Another Christmas has come and gone, and I must say this has been my favourite in recent memory.

It was spent with family and friends and filled with delicious food and memories alike.

After spending countless weeks in hospital, my Aunt Peggy was thrilled to be home for Christmas. And I was thrilled that my cousin Esther invited me for Christmas dinner. It was so nice to share that special family time with them and awesome to see Peggy doing so well. She made homemade buns for dinner (her legendary specialty) and I could tell she was just so pleased to be "home". After dinner, Esther played the piano while Mom and I sang along.

It was also special that Grammie was able to spend the day celebrating with our family. I picked her up in the morning and taxied her home in the evening, after the presents were opened and we were all stuffed! I know she loved being a part of all the excitement. My favourite moment of the day was when she tried Josh's raccoon hat on!

After just a week following her surgery, Connie had a couple of big days - attending family celebrations. I know she was not feeling quite up to her usual self, but she looked fabulous and pulled off the day in style. Connie Style. :)

Hope your Christmas was as good as mine!

My Favourite Day of the Year

Christmas Eve is here again.

I can't believe another year has passed, but alas, here we are on December 24th. It is my most favourite day of the year. Christmas Eve is all about anticipation. Once the 25th arrives, it's so busy and before you know it, it's over. The 24th is a lovely day of leisurely making your way through the day, meeting up with friends and enjoying the culmination of the weeks of preparation. At least, that's what it should be. I'm sure there are many people running around in a mad dash on Christmas Eve but I like to try and keep it low key.

This year I felt like Christmas was here before I even realized. I was behind in my shopping, cards, baking...pretty much everything that goes with the season! With a couple of loved ones in hospital, etc. in recent days it compressed my time left to complete the list. At first I was finding this stressful, but then I realized that I really just needed to abandon a few things on the list and life would go on.

Fewer cards were sent, the folks at Autobahn didn't get their Volkswagen cookies and perhaps my gift-giving is not up to "Janice" standards this year. But, I'm ok with that. What's important to me is that I was able to spend time with my Aunt Peggy while she was in hospital and I spent last weekend at my sister Connie's.

Over the next few days I'm planning on spending time with those people that mean the most to me and I hope you are able to do the same.

Boobies Bracelets

I had heard of these "I love boobies" bracelets before and really hadn't given them a second thought. Yesterday when I arrived at work, I discovered this was our top story. A local 13 year old boy was refusing to remove the bracelet which threatened expulsion and was making headlines.

I went about my business, making graphics and preparing for the news. However, when our producer asked me if I was offended by the bracelet, what came out of my mouth surprised me.

In fact, I was offended. The word "boobies" does not offend me at all. Whatever. What does offend me, however, is the fact that breast cancer is being trivialized and merchandised. It is bad enough that the colour pink has been hijacked by companies of all varieties. (how much of the "proceeds" really go to breast cancer research? Or more importantly, to breast cancer fighters/survivors?) But capitalizing on the word "boobies" with the guise of supporting breast cancer really lit a fire under me.

The kid in our story, as I said, is a 13 year old boy. Why do you think he's wearing a bracelet that says "I love boobies"? His parents claim that he is mature and wearing it to support a friend that had breast cancer. I am really doubtful of this. In addition, no one really seems to know who benefits from the sale of these bracelets. They "assume" money is donated to a charity. Our reporter checked the variety store that sells them and the owner really didn't know either. So, let's admit the bracelets are doing nothing to support either research or breast cancer patients.

Cancer is evil. But, breast cancer hits its victims with a one-two punch. Not only are they dealing with the disease but a very personal and visual part of their body. Let's not insult them by wearing bracelets (or anything else) that say "I love boobies"

Pink Powderpuff

I just wanted to take a couple of minutes to update things with my sister Connie. Last week she had her surgery and she seems to be doing well. She has a strong and determined spirit and does not let much get her down. Impressive, really.

I spent Friday at the hospital in the waiting room, her room, the atrium, Tim Horton's... I was there for a while :) It's always amazing to see how much people care in times of crisis. Thanks so much for the support network that showed up.

I spent the rest of the weekend at Connie's house, helping her with stuff around the house as she was (supposed to be) resting. I'm rather impressed that she is keeping up with posting on her Caring Bridge blog. You can follow it here.

Keep up the great work Connie. You're doing amazing.

POSTSCRIPT: re: the title. When we were little, we had a CB in our motorhome. We never actually used it, but Connie and I liked to pretend sometimes. She decided her call name would be Pink Powderpuff. Being the little sister that thought everything her older sister did was super-cool, I decided on Purple Powderpuff.

Christmas Tunes

Nothing says nostalgia like Christmas music. There is just one time of the year when those old favourites are pulled out and many carry with them cherished memories from years gone by.

It seems that anyone with a recording career has put out a holiday album with countless collections also available at your fingertips. But when it comes down to it...do you prefer tried and true? Or new pop sensation?

I was contemplating this today while listening to my "Christmas" playlist on my ipod. I have a collection of new and old in that list including James Taylor, Tony Bennett and Dave Matthews Band. But I must say that my favourite Christmas album is The Carpenters Christmas Portrait. It is heavy on the traditional but I just love Karen Carpenter's voice.

I anticipate picking up Michael Bublé's Christmas album this year and maybe Justin Bieber's Under The Mistletoe. LOL...just kidding.

So...what's your favourite Christmas album?

Worth Writing About

I know I have posted before about my Aunt Peggy, but after a visit with her today, I felt she was worth writing about once again.

This nearly 87 year old woman has been through so much in the past year and yet she continues to have a smile on her face and the best outlook on life. She recovered from a broken hip, but then broke seven ribs. After a lengthy recovery from that, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Always a fighter, she decided to have the surgery because in her words she was "not finished yet".

Peggy's recovery from that surgery has been slow and plagued with set backs. Yes, there have been times where she feels discouraged (who wouldn't?) but I think we could all learn a thing or two from this tiny frail woman that has unending determination.

She is currently in a London hospital, which has made it easier for me to visit regularly. I have treasured these moments and have discovered that the visits are as much for me as they are for her. It is so encouraging to walk in and see her sitting on the bed or in the chair embroidering and talking about how "it's a beautiful day".

I wonder how many of us would have this outlook after more than 3 months in hospital, hooked up to various machines and monitors, poked and prodded regularly and most of this time she has not been able to eat any food.

I truly hope that she gets her Christmas wish and is able to go home soon. Much love Peggy XOXO

From London, Ontario... this is Q

We did it! The determination and creativity of a group of Londoners paid off this morning when Jian Ghomeshi announced he would bring his CBC Radio show Q to London in February.

What started off as a single tweet by a Londoner grew into a full-fledged campaign across Ontario! What fun it was to be involved...from tweets #JianInLdnOnt, Facebook "likes", blog entries, instagrams, youtube videos, heck...even our own website!

A great example of social media bringing people together. Can't wait for Mr. Ghomeshi to host from our fine city!

contemplating cancer

They say that you don't know what you're capable of, until it happens. I suppose that is true in many areas of life and I am learning that with each day.

Last week, my sister Connie was diagnosed with breast cancer. Fortunately, it is a stage one or two cancer and she has surgery booked within 2 weeks with an optimistic prognosis. However, this does not negate the gut-wrenching feeling when you hear those words. They are words that I have heard too many times before, unfortunately.

The first time cancer hit close to home for me, was when my friend Bruce was diagnosed with bladder cancer. It was terribly upsetting to see him go through treatments and the toll it took on him physically. My sister Jo-Anne was next with colon cancer. The reality of that diagnosis was very close... my very own sister...with cancer. This summer my 86 year old aunt was also diagnosed with colon cancer. It has been an emotional rollercoaster seeing her go through recovery with many setbacks. And now, this disease has infiltrated my family once again.

Connie is so strong and brave, she is really amazing me with her attitude. I told her she must be related to Peggy (who has had nothing but spunk and determination throughout her ordeal). I know that she will come out an even stronger person.

Love you Pink Powderpuff :)

My Sweet George

I can remember walking into the newsroom 10 years ago at 5:30am. At the time, I was working on our morning show and it was the beginning of my shift. As I signed on to my computer and started looking over the rundown, I saw a story called V-GEORGE. My heart sank as I read the script. George Harrison had lost his battle with cancer.

Having been a life-long Beatles fan, I was saddened that only half of the group was left. George had been my favourite for a long time. The quiet one. A musical genius in his own right that was overshadowed by the magic of Lennon/McCartney.

Hard to believe it's been 10 years already.

#JianInLdnont

For the past several years, I have faithfully listened to Jian Ghomeshi host a show called Q on CBC Radio. If you know me at all, you know that I am a huge fan of CBC Radio. So, when the former Moxy Früvous-er hit the airwaves, I tuned in. The national show which focuses on the arts reminded me of Morningside, which I loved. Yes, I believe that over time, Jian has become the next generation's Peter Gzowski. Less rumpled and better looking but a silky voice that so easily asks the right questions with, what I might add, a bit of an endearing stutter sometimes that is reminiscent of my beloved PG.

When I saw a tweet last week that Jian should bring his Q show to London's Aeolian Hall, it sparked my interest. That would be fun! What ensued was a full-on competition amongst a handful of Ontario towns, all vying for the privilege of hosting the crew. That one little tweet from London, Ontario has sent thousands of Ontarians into a social media frenzy while bringing communities together.

For example, some of the offers made by Londoners include donations to charity of web design, film production, music and art lessons...the list goes on. Isn't that so cool?

To contribute to this campaign, I decided to play on the recent interview Jian did with Kermit The Frog. (Yes, I was elated to see my favourite radio host and my favourite Muppet come together) My idea was to have Kermit endorse London with a few photos around town. Take a look: 

Kermit officially supports bringing @jianghomeshi to #ldnont #JianInLdnont

@jianghomeshi 's new friend Kermit the Frog gives London a thumbs up. He thinks Jian should bring @CBCRadioQ to town.

Hopefully London is successful in its bid to bring Q to town. The winner will be announced December 8th! If you want to get in on the campaign, use the hashtag JianInLdnont, check out (and like) the Facebook page, the YouTube video and use your creativity! My tech-genius friend Carmi and I have been nerdily enjoying this whole process. Check out his blog here.

CHANNEL 10 ACTION NEWS TEAM

You  might have noticed a surge in the popularity of the moustache in recent days. Is it making a come back? Or is it all part of what has become known as Movember?

Movember, the month formerly known as November, is dedicated to growing moustaches and raising awareness and funds for men’s health issues; specifically prostate cancer.

• On average men live 4-5 years less than women
• 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime
•  25,500 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year in Canada

Everyone knows someone that has been effected by cancer and when it touches you personally, it increases your desire to participate in such campaigns. Although I'm not growing a moustache, I'm coordinating a team of men that are! I am proud to say our team has raised nearly $500!

I invite you to support our team by donating at http://mosista.co/actionteam10 
You can even go old school and donate cash or write a cheque payable to “Movember Canada”. All donations are tax deductible. We only have three days left to support these Movember moustaches, so please come along for the ride.

Funds raised will help make a tangible difference to the lives of others. Through the Movember Foundation and their men’s health partner, Prostate Cancer Canada, Movember is funding world-class, research, awareness, educational and support programs which would otherwise not be possible.

For more details on how the funds raised from previous campaigns have been used and the impact Movember is having please click on the links below:
About Movember  Prostate Cancer Canada    Global Action Plan

Thank you in advance for helping us change the face of men's health. Go the Mo!

Moustache Season. Now Open.

I'm Game

I have always loved board games. So, when I moved to London and discovered a group of my co-workers that also loved board games, we instantly connected and had many a "games nights". Over time this group morphed - gaining some members and losing some too but the games nights lived on in one form or another.

It had been quite some time since I had hosted such an event. My apartment in the nunnery had just been too tiny to have more than 4 people. So, I guess I had "mini games nights" but nothing full-blown.

After moving into my house, Duane and Lisa would remind me of this and ask when I was having a games night. I finally decided and put it on the calendar.

Some of my favourite people came and we had such a great time! Can't wait for the next one.

It's the best iPhone yet.

I am smitten with apple products. The effort they put into their design is amazing... and they are beautiful to look at! So, when the iPhone 4s was unveiled, it started me thinking...it's time for an upgrade. My poor phone had been slowing down and I even had to revive it a few times.

A friend was upgrading to iOS5 the night it was released and updating me on how cool the new features were. I watched the video online and finalized my decision to upgrade.

After a lot of fanangling with Rogers/Bell/Rogers/Bell...I opted to switch to Bell. It's a fantastic plan that includes 10 numbers that I can call anytime for FREE ...anywhere in Canada! This facilitates cancelling my land line! Plus I get my 35% discount for being a Bell employee. Sweet.

The iPhone 4s really is the best iPhone yet. I can talk to it...and it talks back! It provides me with answers to questions, will read my texts to me, will type my texts as I say them aloud and has FACETIME! Video calls between me and other apple nerds...very cool.

So, yes...I am completely enamoured with my latest accessory. The only downside is that I wanted white. (apparently there have been issues with the white phones cracking. Boo to that.)

Silver Boots

I spent Sunday afternoon with my niece Abby. Twelve years ago, she made me an auntie which has been a pretty cool experience. And now, I can hardly believe she is on the verge of teenagerism and taller than her mom!

We spent the afternoon shopping while I got a glimpse of who she is becoming through her selection of stores and items she liked to look at and the constant chit chat about school, friends and things she thinks are cool.

Our first stop was Winners and when we wandered through the shoe section, I spotted what I knew would be the purchase of the day... silver sequined boots! Abby loved them and immediately tried them on. A perfect fit! We decided to put them "on hold" until we did some more shopping, just to be sure.

So we completed her Christmas shopping (one gift for her brother, one for her sister) and also picked up a sweater and t-shirt for her. But, we ended up back at Winners for the silver boots. She was over the moon!

We stopped at Coffee Lodge on the way home for a hot chocolate/coffee and I discovered her favourite subjects at school are very similar to what mine were. Music, art, french and she's good at math but doesn't like it. I played the grown up card and told her it would be a wise move to take french as long as she could and keep it up as a language. We also talked about music and I tried to educate her about my faves - explaining who the Beatles were and also the genius of Paul Simon :) I found out she's making a claymation video at school and I can't wait to see it!

A great day spent with one of my favourite little people (who's not so little anymore) AND...I was pretty proud when someone said she looks just like me. That's pretty cool.

Thoughts about Parents

I am convinced that something happens to you when you become a parent. Something inside you changes as you become less self-focused and suddenly you would do anything for this little being that is part of you. I really can't say for sure, since I am not a parent but I have observed this change in most parents.

Mine are no exception. Throughout the years there have been many times when they sacrificed their own time, desires or financially for the love of their kids.

Since I bought my house, I have particularly noticed this. My mom & dad have helped out so much with mundane tasks around the house that have helped me out so much. It's actually been a really great bonding experience for me & Dad as he shows me how to do things and trips to Home Depot.

Last week they came and helped me get ready for winter. While Dad & I worked outside - cleaning out the eaves and putting patio furniture, rain barrel and hoses away for winter, my mom worked away in the kitchen. She cleaned my oven, my toaster oven...even my coffee maker! When I came inside, everything was sparkling!

Thanks Mom & Dad...for all you do and all that you are to me.

Sentimental Journey

Tonight I took a bit of a sentimental journey. I went to see my Grammie for the last time at 447 Baird Street. A house that she has lived in for 57 years...and before that they lived in what is now the garage, while Grandad built the house.

I'm a sentimental at heart, so naturally leaving behind this structure stirs up melancholy. So many memories reside here, not only for me but for my mom and her brothers.

I am happy for Grammie that she is moving to an apartment where she will be surrounded by other seniors with plenty of activities to keep her busy. This is a great move for her, but I'm sure there is a part of her that also is sad to leave her home. Although I will admit, she is taking it all in stride.

I have lots of fond memories of/with Grammie (found here, here, here and here) and look forward to many more trips down memory lane over a cup of her famous tea.

Great Expectations

The topic of managing expectations seems to have come up in one form or another with various people in the past little while.  It is interesting to me that the same concept applies in so many different areas of life.

I tend to be a bit of a dreamer and therefore, my expectations can be unrealistic in many circumstances. This is innately who I am, so I have dealt with the rollercoaster ride of disappointment most of my life. It doesn't seem right to me to not be a dreamer... however, in determining that I can manage my expectations, I can have a more predictable/realistic result or reaction.

People are people and they are they way they are. I cannot change how any one person is or how they will react to things. The only thing I can change is me. I have discovered that until you pin your own expectation onto someone or a situation, things are ok. But, once you start to formulate your own plan, you leave behind the reality of the situation and that person or situation will never live up to what you are now expecting.

I hope I am explaining this concept sufficiently. I wanted to share this light bulb moment as it has occurred to me several times in the past few months in so many aspects of life.

The Barcelona

Is there anything more appealing than the Barcelona chair? Really?

When I bought my house, I started thinking about the atmosphere I wanted to create in each room. I loved the idea of a light and airy, modern, sleek living room.

Purchasing new furniture is a daunting task: you need to consider size, style, colour... I'm glad that I took my time and lived in the house before making any decisions.

I knew that I did not want big, over-sized "bulbous" furniture. I prefer the clean lines of a modern home. The Barcelona chair had always been on my radar so when I found a set at a liquidator in Sarnia, I was very excited!

It has been a few weeks since the Barcelona has made my house its home and I must say, we are getting along well. It feels rather luxurious to sit on cream leather and it looks so sexy! Quite possibly the best aspect of my new furniture is when I walk in the door to the smell of leather. (sorry to all you animal-lovers, but it's true). Now...I just need to get that cow-hide throw for the floor.

Wisconsin

Another weekend, another date with my nieces and nephews. This time it was Madison's turn. Her birthday is actually in February but she was in Florida for her birthday. Then she returned when I was busy finishing up school...and then I bought a house...and finally we celebrated in October!

Our first idea was to make a scrapbook. Madison really likes crafts and I thought that would be something fun to do together. However, once I saw the forecast for the weekend, I knew we had to be outside. We opted to go apple picking at Apple Land. We had a great time with perfectly sunny skies. We picked apples, rode the train, had a picnic lunch, saw the animals and finally headed home.

We decided to make apple crisp with some of our apples and Madison did all the reading, measuring and mixing. All Auntie Janice did was use the knife to peel and cut the apples. It turned out great and she was able to take it home to share with Mommy & Daddy.

We had such a fun day together, I can't wait to do it again. Happy belated birthday Madison. I'm so happy you decided to join our family eight years ago :)

Liam's Big Day Out

As is tradition, I recently celebrated Liam's 4th birthday with a special day just for him. Jo-Anne brought both boys over for dinner on the Friday night. We had planned on having a fire in the back yard, but it was pouring rain, so we stayed inside instead. Having a wii makes Auntie Janice pretty popular with these boys and there was a lot of excitement while bowling, boxing and other wii games.

When it was time for bed, Jo-Anne & Jesse went home and Liam got to stay for a sleepover! In the morning, while we were having breakfast (and the day hadn't really started yet) Liam declared "this is the best day ever". LOL...cuteness. It turned out to be a beautiful sunny day and we hit the farmer's market before going to Green Lantern for lunch. You see, Jesse got to go to Green Lantern on his big day out (I think he just liked the name) and Liam had to do the same. He ordered a chocolate chip pancake...just like Jesse. It was cute.

After lunch we headed to Leaping Deer Legends Corn Maze. What a fun day! There is so much for kids to do here, we barely had time for the corn maze! Liam's favourite was the big slide, but other highlights were a wagon ride, feeding a baby goat, cheering on our favourite pig during the pig races, climbing on lots of straw, and of course a big (and I mean huge!) ice cream cone to end the day.

We had so much fun. Happy birthday Liam...can't believe you're four years old!! Love you so much. xo

House Warming!

I spent most of the day cleaning up my yard. I have a walnut tree in the back and it creates quite the mess, but I have to admit I like doing yard work! It was a beautiful sunny day and I raked and weeded while listening to some of my favourite music. It made for a great day.

Anyway, this reminded me that I never posted about my housewarming party. This summer was a bit of a blur with lots of things on the go and somehow that post got missed. A big thanks to my mom and dad who helped enormously in making the day a success. My dad finished all my little projects for him without any complaints...just painted, cut, drilled, hung, etc. Mom worked her little pitootie off in the kitchen, making sure food and beverage were constantly available.

It was great to see so many friends and family and I hope everyone comes back to visit. But not all at once... :)

A Nova Neighbourhood Discovery

I really like finding new little treasures in my neighbourhood and this weekend I discovered one more. On Saturday afternoon, I was meeting my friend Jodi for coffee and she suggested meeting at Nova Era Bakery. She had heard it had good food but had not been before. I had also heard it had good food, so we decided we should check it out.

It's in a very convenient location...just a 10 minute walk from my house and as luck would have it, Saturday afternoon was perfect weather for an afternoon stroll. Ironically, neither of us was hungry when we got there so we opted for drinks only but decided we would need to return to sample the food. The display case only contained a huge assortment of delicious goodies!

It was really nice to have a lazy afternoon of catching up over coffee with Jodi. This might just be my favourite thing thing to do...coffee with friends. So much, in fact, I spent yesterday afternoon doing that with my friend Kim and tonight I'm meeting up with Amanda and Sarah for coffee.

Do you have a favourite spot to meet up with friends?

National Coffee Day

It's national coffee day. At least that's what I heard in the twitterverse. Who knows what each day will celebrate. Just this week, I heard it was National Dental Health Day (wished my sister well as she's an hygienist) Chocolate Milk Day and now we are celebrating the java.

Well, I like coffee so I'm going to celebrate. I've already had 2 cups today and I'm planning a trip to Starbucks tonight. Coffee can have such a comforting effect...holding a warm cup in your hands on a cold day, the smell of it brewing in the morning, a good excuse to catch up with an old friend...the list goes on. I can't imagine being an anti-coffee person. (yep they are out there)

I started drinking coffee at a pretty young age, during many trips to my Aunt Peggy's house with my parents. The adults would always finish the evening off with a cup of coffee and I soon joined in. Since then, I have eliminated the sugar from my cup but despite my attempts, I'm still creaming it up.

So, how do you take your coffee? Where's your favourite cofffee spot? I gotta say my order at Starbucks is an Americano with room and I'm really digging a local haunt in my new neighbourhood called East Village Cafe.

Happy Coffee Day!!

Finding Time For Your Passions

 I recently attended an Elton John tribute show with a friend. Her husband played Elton, and did an amazing job! On the way to the show, Shelley was telling me about Ed's love of music and how after a bit of a hiatus he got back into it a few years ago. It's always been a passion and he decided to act on that. He has performed with various bands or on his own and is even teaching music lessons now.

What struck me when I saw the show was the effort that went into pulling it off. It wasn't just the 2 hour show that I saw that night. There were weekly rehearsals with the band, hours spent coming up with costume changes and hunting down just the right elements to create those costumes. A labour of love for sure.

And what did Ed and his friends get from this experience? Well, they certainly are not going to make it rich from the ticket sales. They will be lucky to break even after paying a sound guy, lighting guy and renting the theatre. What they will get from the experience is the satisfaction of doing something they love and fulfilling the passion that is within them.

I found this inspirational. Many times life gets to be so busy just keeping up with daily demands, you forget about the things that you once loved doing and that give you so much satisfaction. I know I have definitely felt this way.

So, when I got a phone call from a guy I used to do improv with, I accepted the invitation to join them on stage! Yes...it's true. I used to do improv, back in my high school/college days with a group called "No Laughing Matter". I never really considered myself to be the funniest in the group or the most outrageous, but it was something I really enjoyed doing. The group disbanded and 2 of the members reconnected a few years ago as "The Fidgets".

So, I agreed that I would be a part of the show. I was a little nervous before my first rehearsal as it had been 13 years since I had done improv in any form. (other than improvising my daily life) But after stepping on the stage with John and Dave I realized I was excited to be back at it.

I'm looking forward to the show on Friday night. It's at Victoria Playhouse in Petrolia at 8pm if you'd like to attend. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door.

September

Here I sit...hands poised over the keyboard, ready to post to my dormant blog and wondering where to start? This summer has been a whirlwind ...from buying a house and moving in, to working at a new job and all the extra excitement that summer brings! Now I'm carving out a few minutes to post and I'm at a loss!

I suppose I could remember my house warming party and post some of the projects I've worked on around the house. I could recap my star-studded weekend in Toronto at TIFF. Perhaps an update on the craziness that has been work the past few weeks while switching to CTV. All future posts, I'm sure. But tonight, just some reflections on September.

Yep, my favourite month of the year. The days get a little shorter and cooler but there is still plenty of sunshine. Something in the air changes after Labour Day...and I like it! Schedules go back to routine and things start to settle in for...no...I'm not going to say it, but you know what comes after Fall.

A walk through the mall or even flipping through a magazine gives me the urge to update my wardrobe to cozy sweaters in rich browns and oranges, tall boots of soft leather - maybe a buckle or two...hats, scarves (for fashion...not for warmth)...yep...all great aspects of September. Other things I love about it: apple picking, corn mazes, pumpkin flavoured everything, raking leaves....the list goes on.


For this reason, I have booked all Fridays off in September and will have a long weekend every weekend!

Face Lift?

I'm toying with the idea of a new "look" for my blog. But, after six years of the same...I kinda feel like it's an institution. What do you think? Time for a fresh new face? Or keep the "brand"? Hmmm. (yes, I know...need to post!!)

PLEASE STAND BY...

OK faithful followers...don't ditch me now. Sorry for the delay in fresh posts at My Place In The World. I have a gazillion in my head, but finding the time to actually compose and post them has been tricky. We just launched a new station re-brand at work which has had me working long, stressful days. The dust is starting to settle now and perhaps this weekend I will find some time to sit on my porch with my laptop and share some of my thoughts! Until then...can you believe it's September 1st???  (shout out to Mr. Conway Twitty who would have been 78 today.)

Road Trippin'

Hanging out with my friend Laurie is always a hoot. We love a lot of the same things (like Vinyl Cafe, pumpkin lattes, photography, blogging, country music, CBC, etc) so when we get together, we always have a good time. Those times, however, are few and far between. We live in cities about an hour away from each other and with the demands of daily life, it's hard to connect our schedules.

We dream of the fun we can have: road trip to Nashville, an afternoon of exploring with our cameras, concerts, etc. It's fun to dream. Well, this summer we decided to put our plans into action. A little too much action perhaps! We picked a day and cleared our calendars. We were hitting the road. To do what was a little unclear but we were determined! The list of ideas grew and soon we were creating a mosaic of all our plans into one day!

Laurie picked me up and after a quick tour of my new house, we hit the open road. Our route included St. Marys, Stratford, Shakespeare and possibly Elora...ummm, ya. We quickly narrowed that a bit! We landed in St. Marys and promptly got a coffee and started poking about in the quaint little shops. What fun! We discovered some real gems and picked up a few treasures as well. Soon enough we pulled our cameras out and took some "artsy" shots around town. Trying to combine our photo excursion with other adventures was spreading our focus too much (a little photog humour!) and soon we decided to leave the cameras in the car. That would be for another day.

Simply meandering through Stratford (my fave!) and lunching with Laurie made for a delicious day. We eventually ended up down by the Avon river, amongst the swans discussing the ups and downs of life. That is what I truly love about Laurie: I can open up to her and be real without feeling vulnerable. She understands.

Already looking forward to the next adventure Laur!