tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45483849225611254842024-03-05T23:33:27.019+00:00VivaciousA blog of Eva's media, travels and random rants & observations.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-51702006375438429992011-04-15T18:16:00.003+01:002011-04-15T18:26:09.806+01:00Van airport, pre-ShanghaiI have to say, I've flown many times through Vancouver YVR but have never been through international and it's beautiful! There's a massive fishtank, loads of duty free shops, and just yeah, had no idea all of this existed here!<br /><br />Sitting online taking care of last minute business, which includes not getting all the pay I'm due from my last job so this will be difficult to take care of from overseas and an annoying headache, but also enjoying sitting at my computer here in the lounge looking out at the mountains. They're pretty clear too since it's not raining. <br /><br />Just saw this video posted on fb by my friend Annie, haha, made me smile:<br /><br />www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-oe2PvmFp8&featurea=youtu.be <br /><br />(tried putting it as a direct link but for some reason it wasn't showing up once I publish the post -think I need to edit the colour of link text in my blog, I changed to this layout just this month, but will look into that later. You will have to tiresomely copy and paste the link into a new browser window :P )<br /><br />Sad I can't hang around to watch the Canucks play tonight! Wonder if I'll be able to access online Canucks radio from China? I also missed Bones last night and hope I have a fast enough internet connection when I get there in order to stream on Megavideo -or if there's another site I'll have to go to? Or will all that kind of stuff be blocked?Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-4496777028386379862011-04-15T03:18:00.002+01:002011-04-15T03:27:50.278+01:00Fly in the mornWell, my flight leaves in the morning, transfer through Vancouver and then off to Shanghai. Will be a bit of shlepping because when I arrive I take a train to Hangzhou, stay there a couple of days for training, and then a train to Nanjing will I will spend the duration.<br /><br />Prettyyyy much all packed now. Had a lot to take care of being leaving and now the sun is setting (or rather the light is fleeting since it's April 14 and it snowed ALL DAY here in Edmonton so just grey and I am NOT impressed!) on the last day in Canada for a while!<br /><br />Might not get to travel at all once I get to Nanjing because teach right up until my flight, but the city is very historical (used to be the capital) so I'm sure there will be a lot to see! (Did I mention this in my last post? Can't remember, distracted watching the Office!)Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-61714348012112857542011-04-10T00:14:00.003+01:002011-04-10T00:20:07.832+01:00China this week<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxitCtOEmhaaShPSaptTsSLvaDbdvJa2gqEcnZX4cGrV2iKBAFDFyWSKRcNzPPtl2CmBYOhbBwPRIbnLxk6Gv8oebbXHye8VinFQzhES0tZmXUprQ4hL0G4S7DSl4n9kJZHjcBF2M8ydn/s1600/map.GIF"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxitCtOEmhaaShPSaptTsSLvaDbdvJa2gqEcnZX4cGrV2iKBAFDFyWSKRcNzPPtl2CmBYOhbBwPRIbnLxk6Gv8oebbXHye8VinFQzhES0tZmXUprQ4hL0G4S7DSl4n9kJZHjcBF2M8ydn/s320/map.GIF" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593727597939481442" /></a><br /><br />Less than a week until I fly off to China to teach English at a college.<br /><br />Volunteered at Rona Ambrose's election campaign headquarters today and am going to go back on Monday for a couple of hours to help out on the phones.<br /><br />If it's any consolation to myself, I did get one response to my last blog post where I solicited for people to say hello, but the comment was on Gmail's "Buzz" so it didn't show up on here as well :P<br /><br />Don't have too much to take care of before leaving. It's just a short term contract until first week of July, so if it goes incredibly wrong, it's not as though I have planned a year around it. Should be a pretty interesting experience though. I wonder if I'll be able to actually get to a functioning level in Mandarin.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-37117947353947140752011-03-28T19:15:00.003+01:002011-03-28T19:35:48.726+01:00SoccerI played indoor soccer this past weekend for the first time in about 10 years after injuring my knees and having to retire from club soccer and enter into track & field (I did provincial level t&f for about three years after exiting soccer to strengthen my knees, work on technique, etc., and it was a lot of fun but I missed soccer for quite some time). I appeared to not have lost all of my touch, which was a nice feeling, and it made me want to enter into a women's league again this coming year. After not having played for that long, it was more fun for me than any of the rugby I've played since grade 11 when it had been offered to me as an alternative. It appears my knees are fine and it might have just been growing pains way back when. Who knows.<br /><br />I'm home today from work though. I chested a ball booted by the opposing male goalie and I was right by the bench when I did it. I immediately grasped at my chest and ran off, wondering if I would need the defibrillator. I played the rest of the game, but once the adrenaline wore off, I've had chest pains and laboured breathing since, so here I am at home instead of at work.<br /><br />I have a lot of paperwork to take care of though so at least I'll be more likely to get to it this evening than when I get home exhausted from work and don't want to do anything extra that resembles work.<br /><br />Photos were taken from a phone in the stands so maybe I'll post one in the next day or so, so that there's at least some visual content and not just boring ramblings :P<br /><br />I tried removing nail polish last night but I don't have gauze, just kleenexes, and I didn't have the patience to scrub for a long time at each nail, so I have weird looking remnants of light pink. Hmm, not even that I didn't have the patience. The kleenex rips up if you press to hard, and you have to keep pouring on more remover because it absorbs it fully after a few seconds, so it's pretty hard to do the job properly. At least it wasn't a dark colour!<br /><br />I haven't had a comment on a blog post in over a year, but I know randomly people do read this sometimes because even during weeks at a time when I don't have a new update, when I check on my profile, it always says there are at least a few more views. If you've read this, give me a shout! Perhaps it will prompt me to become more interactive with it again and post exciting things like circa 2008! Maybe. No promises. But say hi anyway.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-33994743350814627582011-03-28T04:18:00.001+01:002011-03-28T04:19:29.765+01:00Looking forward/onwardIt's like a constant punch to the stomach. A hollow feeling. I need to get out of here; I need to go to somewhere entirely different and at least feel like I'm living.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-7124103754674982322011-01-15T07:03:00.002+00:002011-01-15T07:06:28.771+00:00If I were motivated...Actually, it's not really a matter of motivation, I just don't have the same desire to create blog posts like I did when I first started this. I still enjoy having this site exist, but for quite some time now I haven't been updating that often -which is obvious from the lack of posts. Perhaps now that I have a fulltime job and am not freelancing anymore, things like posting online for fun on here will pick back up again.<br /><br />Watching HGTV and looking forward to a relaxing weekend -although also looking forward to getting back to the gym after being away on holiday and then starting a new job and not wanting to be tired!<br /><br />Definitely not the greatest level of literary achievement in this post, but ah well!Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-43388693855573532682010-11-26T04:15:00.003+00:002010-11-26T04:22:52.959+00:00Back to ABIt was inevitable, I guess.<br /><br />Writing for ShalomLife.com now, here are some links:<br /><br />http://www.shalomlife.com/eng/14191/Movember_Moustaches_in_Full_Bloom/<br /><br />http://www.shalomlife.com/eng/14199/Israeli_Documentary_Shortlisted_fora_Oscar/<br /><br />http://www.shalomlife.com/eng/14186/Matisyahu_Still_Tweeting_Vegan/<br /><br />http://www.shalomlife.com/eng/14184/Israeli_Sitcom_Wins_International_Emmy/<br /><br />http://www.shalomlife.com/eng/14157/Song_and_Music_Video_for_Gilad_Shalit/<br /><br />http://www.shalomlife.com/eng/14150/Seth_Rogen_Busy_Again_With_a_New_Script/<br /><br />I know this is nothing fancy, just giving you the links which need to be copy and pasted into the browser instead of embedding them into their titles or something, but the titles are listed in full in the URLs, so you have the gist of what the articles are about. I need ideas, sort of hard to come up with stuff everyday without access to any news wires or press releases, so feel free to contact me; anything arts and culture, from anywhere.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-83665420110298679552010-10-13T06:21:00.002+01:002010-10-13T06:24:41.276+01:00Travel Spain; A Short Expose (accented E)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCV1a5dBN1J7uzz14NR5z_EEZNN6N1mmDyuQ6GWHUC21eWtwnLqQWDdll1nH_T1VOcb9IN5yOw52he_BzJbvS7Nv5D5-DRUFSqXTFLTwpxuFcF7zz6ZTXdil3XeqTgoE-rAAZMf8AkUeOf/s1600/spain.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCV1a5dBN1J7uzz14NR5z_EEZNN6N1mmDyuQ6GWHUC21eWtwnLqQWDdll1nH_T1VOcb9IN5yOw52he_BzJbvS7Nv5D5-DRUFSqXTFLTwpxuFcF7zz6ZTXdil3XeqTgoE-rAAZMf8AkUeOf/s400/spain.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527397039836594658" /></a><br /><br />Click on the article photo, and then can enlarge again to read in normal size.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-15958101657187833782010-10-12T10:39:00.002+01:002010-10-12T10:57:20.903+01:00He-llo To-ron-toI wrote that title as my dad would say it, in imitation of Mick Jagger and his pedestrian British accent when he came to Canada for a concert a few years back.<br /><br />In any event... been in Toronto for a few weeks now and there has definitely been some disappointment. My job got cancelled and I am currently unemployed. Luckily, as a freelancer, I have been getting by and NOW I had the privilege this past evening of meeting a lovely girl in my field who gave me some great suggestions and enthusiasm. <br /><br />Since I got here I have been back to Vancouver for a week, which was fantastic; very enjoyable. I always loved Vancouver. I'm glad to still have it as a place to visit for friends, family and the beauty and relaxation of the city itself.<br /><br />Toronto is different, for sure, but I didn't give it enough credit before. It's easy to get down on ones self when there isn't enough to do, but there are opportunities here that just do not exist in the smaller, more remote parts of the country. It may take some knocking down doors, but I have faith something will come up.<br /><br />I revamped my C.V. this evening based on a template and the, again, great help and advice from my new acquaintance, and tomorrow will be getting business cards. All the sudden, when looking at this new C.V. format, I have more confidence in applying for freelance gigs. I hadn't had the opportunity or privilege of actually getting feedback from anyone out here before on how I should conduct my applications, or on how my experience fares in comparison to other people here (especially with their graduating institutions being local). A few tweaks, and I'm feeling rejuvenated in getting back out there with applications. I still was applying this whole time, but had become quite listless about it. As well, I hadn't been visiting a particular website with job listings because I had felt I didn't have enough experience to get any responses; but that actually is not the case so I have that page open right now.<br /><br />Anyway, this blog post is really more like a journal entry for me, as I know my step by step on what I'm doing and what websites I'm visiting is probably of little interest to the general public. I've enjoyed writing this though, so since it's my blog, that's a start ;)<br /><br />However, it's currently almost 6am (I stayed up doing online assessments for an employment agency on programs such as Excel) and I feel I will lose the battle on waking up for my 9:30am doctor's appointment if I sleep now -so I've sort of lost the darkness to sleep under... At least there are the Commonwealth Games to watch -- Alexandre Despatie in particular! It literally only seems like a couple of years ago that Alex, at age 13 in 1998, won his first Gold at the Commonwealth Games. I remember being in Edmonton with fall colours around me, perhaps on the school bus on the way home, and it being mentioned. I recall the photo of the little boy being held up by a grown man, cheering his accomplishment. He seemed so small, but we all were too -he is only a year older than myself. I think this is actually the first time that something that feels so recent has actually been such a large amount of years ago. Twelve years.<br /><br />Good morning east coast, and a late good night, west coast.<br /><br />Eva<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOcYT6AT5_r-3NiNIsTqPJJD1WZAHgtcdSzNa_jgrPNAsqxXcYgZ4VDBdV5m4sZvAVmI1jcaED0U-MPwJUBSG_SrlELAIzLcId8O12n9eiBrX1ngaaX2cu8Of8csV3MmDXiPSjre-sUgi/s1600/toronto.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOcYT6AT5_r-3NiNIsTqPJJD1WZAHgtcdSzNa_jgrPNAsqxXcYgZ4VDBdV5m4sZvAVmI1jcaED0U-MPwJUBSG_SrlELAIzLcId8O12n9eiBrX1ngaaX2cu8Of8csV3MmDXiPSjre-sUgi/s200/toronto.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527096428470638882" /></a>Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-17355007080383678272010-08-07T00:04:00.002+01:002010-08-07T00:14:08.284+01:00Movin', againThis time back out east; Toronto is calling.<br /><br />Tying up the loose ends in Vancouver, stopping in Alberta, and then off to Ontario.<br /><br />I had avoided Toronto since being in Ontario for my undergrad, but it really is the place to go in Canada for work in media. <br /><br />I don't have a job lined up there so I will have to sell my car. Slightly sad about that since it's so nice, but at least the city is negotiable by public transit. And who knows, perhaps by the time I'm set to go there, I will find a job from the several I'm applying for online beforehand.<br /><br />I'm trying to do some fun things in Vancouver before leaving. A couple weeks ago went cliff jumping at Lynne Valley, and now looking for other such outdoorsy things. Sunday Matisyahu is performing at the Commodore Ballroom and I anticipate that will be well worth the $44 ticket.<br /><br />I don't have anything incredibly exciting to say in order to have this blog become a hot spot destination due to its cutting edge op-ed and in-depth analysis of world goings-on, but one can come away from this and feel as though their own seemingly mundane existence is mirrored by many others and that life isn't perhaps so lonely and isolated after all. Shared human experience of the day-to-day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuvDlz1G0YXF0a9f4z-okBx0Rp1_a_jYjlzewrP_8she6UNtnG9gXSr3hqPJv-PBCYhcKKHT1WtFubh8k6_JuAsZQVdSCoFI50YARjNNh2MnBrvdWvKeidNcEO6TOVm5pBDwuoOppIseq/s1600/mundane.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 262px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuvDlz1G0YXF0a9f4z-okBx0Rp1_a_jYjlzewrP_8she6UNtnG9gXSr3hqPJv-PBCYhcKKHT1WtFubh8k6_JuAsZQVdSCoFI50YARjNNh2MnBrvdWvKeidNcEO6TOVm5pBDwuoOppIseq/s400/mundane.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502438963496472850" /></a>Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-60280209787233750162010-07-22T21:42:00.002+01:002010-07-22T21:47:14.004+01:00Vancouver UpdateI do often fall behind on blogging.<br /><br />It's so easy to get caught up on browsing for jobs and feeling that every free moment available online should be utilized in advancing my career.<br /><br />In any event: I am now working two promotions positions and working at HMV. I was just offered a Social Media internship two days ago in Vancouver and that will begin Aug. 30th.<br /><br />I am not limiting my job search to Vancouver. This is very much an "Insider's" city and I will move if I am unable to find sustainable long-term work here. Out of all the job postings in the country on the professional websites I visit, I would say about 80% of positions are in Toronto. I do have my dual American-Canadian citizenship, but I don't know much about the American markets and with the state of the economy right now, I don't think I want to risk moving down there cold with the hopes of finding a job that would include health care.<br /><br />I just made a LinkedIn profile today. Interesting.<br /><br />The summer in Vancouver is beautiful. Yesterday I went cliff jumping into the water in Lynn Canyon. The water was absolutely freezing, but at the same time it was amazing to see and be in water that was so fresh and clear.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-7696953113591458532010-06-06T08:02:00.002+01:002010-06-06T08:10:38.717+01:00It ContinuesToday I went up the Drive to a garage sale advertised on Craigslist and walked away with an Aristotle book. I most definitely would not have gone in thinking "I really need some ancient philosophy today," but there was a Britannica set in perfect condition and I couldn't help but get one of them.<br /><br />I also got a small TV to replace the ratty one that came with my room, and got a couple nick knacks including a nice cup/jar thingy to put loose change, a small delicate vase to put single flowers in and some hangers. I also arranged to pick up a towel rack tomorrow. That one costs $10 but it can be used as a small clothes rack and that is actually something I need as I don't like to use the dryer after washing my clothes. At the moment, some articles of clothing are spread out on my carpet to dry, and that is definitely not ideal!<br /><br />This blog could be all up on current events and edgy, but I prefer getting stuff like my Craigslist excitement/angst out on here. I'm actually in the middle of writing the article for the Showstoppers tribute show I went to this week -just taking a break after spending a considerable amount of time going through and editing the photos.<br /><br />---<br /><br />The weather was really nice today! Went for a run at Trout Lake and even though the sun didn't quite seem like a summer sun, it was so beautiful; if anything because it was so nice just to see so many people enjoying the outdoors and being active!Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-62930252659875960382010-06-03T05:38:00.003+01:002010-06-03T05:49:06.493+01:00Craigslist<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGbMyy8Qn69UjfobIum3RJApfALnCre7g-oF49OLP09nix16FnLPDldvb4PqvedVrws35F0AwPJTFdQDqFnfQjuZW0sXdHYO5fq6SKpgJS-zOd3w3pdVTff6xqhSVTz8ABtTvD9EvcWXD/s1600/craigslist_art_257_20080423132047-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 257px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGbMyy8Qn69UjfobIum3RJApfALnCre7g-oF49OLP09nix16FnLPDldvb4PqvedVrws35F0AwPJTFdQDqFnfQjuZW0sXdHYO5fq6SKpgJS-zOd3w3pdVTff6xqhSVTz8ABtTvD9EvcWXD/s320/craigslist_art_257_20080423132047-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478404308542573106" /></a><br />I've pretty much been living on Craigslist for the last couple of weeks.<br /><br />After moving into my new room, and having it be the first place that's really "mine," it's so exciting to add stuff to it! This morning I got a hat and wine rack, candle holders and a coat rack while this evening I got a matching Ikea lack side table to one I got last week.<br /><br />Not that you needed to know any of my specifics, but yeahhh, exciting! Haha. My room is so comfy looking now. The corner has an Ikea Poang chair with a PERFECT little table to go beside it. This table was being sold on the Drive by a woman out of her van. It's just perfect. <br /><br />Once my boyfriend's mom gets back from her roadtrip down to Mexico, I'm going to replace one or both of my dressers, and get a sofa chair for the living room -just don't have the capability to get larger items right now. I think I'll replace the coffee table as well. Those items always go for free because people don't want to have to move them, or can't. I did spend money having a couch delivered the other day... It isn't as great looking in person as in the ad so I was somewhat disappointed, but it's just underneath that isn't great, the couch came with a nice cover, and it's what the eye sees that counts so I'm ok about.<br /><br />And, will be getting some free books tomorrow! The guy has some by Leon Uris, who I've read QB VII, and I love it. Great author; the book was so moving.<br /><br />I'm still occasionally opening up the job links, but I think I'm going to relax now that I got my HMV job. I could make much more if I get lucky enough to land a hostessing job (I don't think there's any chance I will get a serving job in this city), but it takes a lot of time to send out C.V.'s to places off of there after browsing it, or to go in person if they don't accept via e-mail. At least I have something for now and can breathe a little bit.<br /><br />I know everyone else cares as much about the detail of my Craigslisting as I do, so I hope you have enjoyed this post! :PEvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-11000202763989106442010-05-30T22:19:00.001+01:002010-05-30T22:19:59.436+01:00And...The rat race.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-29805877066647844332010-05-20T20:19:00.000+01:002010-05-20T20:20:08.721+01:00And NowIt was so sunny and beautiful as I stepped outside this morning to catch my shuttle to the airport. All I thought was "darn, would have been nice to stay and enjoy this day." :PEvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-11911601375082055742010-05-19T19:27:00.004+01:002010-05-19T20:08:07.335+01:00Head Space<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrUIfLImYfdWdBn4P0muMq4bbD5Lci291zgsj43qP86mcyW-UBdVkD91rqeRacQxTClmOA77QD0wPvNzI4XpPJ7SNfuhrd4VmD-Ct6eEBfQBD718OgUs_7pzraf9C1p1clSnft7avxX57z/s1600/too+busy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrUIfLImYfdWdBn4P0muMq4bbD5Lci291zgsj43qP86mcyW-UBdVkD91rqeRacQxTClmOA77QD0wPvNzI4XpPJ7SNfuhrd4VmD-Ct6eEBfQBD718OgUs_7pzraf9C1p1clSnft7avxX57z/s320/too+busy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473059653542648818" /></a><br />I'm in a terrible head space. This holiday has worked in reverse and is really grating at my nerves. There's actually something quite distressing about looking down a street and seeing moderately tall buildings go on as far as the eye can see. It's suffocating. If one wants a breathe of air here, then they live in New Jersey or somewhere else that is far away from the centre and then the transit to get anywhere takes forever. This is not for me. It has made me long for the sunshine of LA, that is more my calling. And I want to go back to Vancouver, now. It suddenly has so much more appeal. It is a city, but it's easy to get into nature. Here, yes, there is Central Park and other smaller areas of refuge, but it is not a proper escape from the bustling, over crowded traffic pushing inwards from its green borders.<br /><br />I should be writing a short article, or I "should" be going out to do something on my last day in the city, but all I'm doing is sitting in the hostel lounge doing nothing. I just want some time to myself. It's too busy. It's too noisy. And staying at a hostel, it gives no chance to unwind; there are always other people around. I will need to take a break after this "break" in order to be sane once I return to Vancouver.<br /><br />If I do anything today, it will be to take the subway down to the ferry and take it across to Staten Island. It's grey out though, so who knows. At least it's not storming rain out like yesterday.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-80817779739612424782010-05-16T01:04:00.004+01:002010-05-16T01:24:37.518+01:00Garden State<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRR9kKJzuIE8Rc0YzFeaRt5G0oxIU8gYVPx210yikcuUwTGhbBOtNCW14MF_FGMd9tydl9WjHiGhq9KyGEGf5S8WCF3psakxp3CMuq8S2gPPeeZ2nqkHKzOPA1ZxyCs-P-Y3OyANrPQ0sE/s1600/new_jersey.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRR9kKJzuIE8Rc0YzFeaRt5G0oxIU8gYVPx210yikcuUwTGhbBOtNCW14MF_FGMd9tydl9WjHiGhq9KyGEGf5S8WCF3psakxp3CMuq8S2gPPeeZ2nqkHKzOPA1ZxyCs-P-Y3OyANrPQ0sE/s400/new_jersey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471655965927070578" /></a><br />I have been in New Jersey for the last couple of days, but looking forward to going into the city!<br /><br />I arrived to Newark Airport and stayed in Irivington, NJ, the first night. It was an airport hotel with a shuttle, but it was definitely not in a great place :S The front desk was behind glass. I was supposed to get a room with one king bed and ended up being given a room with two queen beds and a couch -far too much room for one person! It was a bit lonely-like being a lone individual with that much space! Since then I've been out in Englewood which is a wealthy area where several esteemed individuals live. It's pretty nice out here, but again, looking forward to begin my NYC wanderings! I plan to walk all over Manhattan and through Central Park to find a nice place to sit and read. As well, seeking out the street, can't remember what it's called, that has the 5 floor Abercrombie since the Canadian dollar is now on par with the American dollar, totally worth it to make a purchase :)<br /><br />Lining up in Times Square tomorrow for Broadway tickets, *fingers crossed* I can get an ok price for one of the shows I'd like to see!<br /><br />I wanted to see both Jersey Boys and Avenue Q but didn't realize how expensive tickets are (minimum $100) if just bought off the website. I'm just hoping to see Avenue Q now, for the matinee tomorrow afternoon.<br /><br />I bought three pairs of shoes today -a nice pair of supportive sandles not flimsy types, a pai of blowfish and a dressy pair of rocket dogs all for $100 -I wish Canada had DSW! All the shoe stores would go out of business if we did though. But I'm ok with that!<br /><br />It's very humid here and didn't sleep until 6am last night/morning. It's making my hair go slightly wonky, but now that it's back to brunette, it still looks ok when it's down and the curls aren't perfect. Although the humidity doesn't really agree with me, it was nice to wear a tanktop today and not be cold at all! Also put on sunscreen for the the first time this season :) (Yes, a happy face; sunscreen is my reality :P It's sort of yucky to put on, but needing to put it on means the weather is great outside :) )<br /><br />I've had a couple of articles in the Independent published lately and will post those soon.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-63789355958072331612010-04-19T21:36:00.001+01:002010-04-19T21:36:59.277+01:00Listen to the birds sing. <br />They will sing their happy song come both days of joy and sorrow. <br />This human's happy song will have to wait until another date. <br />Alone will the birds sing, just as I, alone, will not.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-11017351353660052402010-04-19T02:33:00.003+01:002010-04-19T02:42:50.097+01:00Oh Once Upon a TimePlease refer to part of the lyrics from Adam Lambert's single "Whattya Want From Me."<br /><br />Pop music becomes so successful due to the ability of open-ended lyrics to appeal to the masses; they too have experienced the sadness and heartbreak, the confusion and the emptiness. <br /><br />I am but one of the masses, finding pop culture lyrics that hit the core and make me feel like I'm burning.<br /><br />It would be so much nicer if a high pitched pop singer could merely be written off as a corporate whore, instead of finding lyrics that tear at me everytime I turn on the radio, walk into a store, or happen to hear a passing tune from someone else's earphones.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-83105460367720094142010-04-08T01:18:00.006+01:002010-04-08T02:07:48.315+01:00Swinging<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZiHKTg0S5VtG3TbFA_1bsmPaJCrXjAKGPJmSEdYBFV6AhgAFSHcH57z_-7S1SVnXTXuRkVG7T8ftMaQA1GA2mKbglVe8bDDl20j5DvOOrJz59gYrd35jI-0N4FPZNU_1tqaT3G9xOuMi/s1600/IMG_4218.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZiHKTg0S5VtG3TbFA_1bsmPaJCrXjAKGPJmSEdYBFV6AhgAFSHcH57z_-7S1SVnXTXuRkVG7T8ftMaQA1GA2mKbglVe8bDDl20j5DvOOrJz59gYrd35jI-0N4FPZNU_1tqaT3G9xOuMi/s400/IMG_4218.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457560355309930706" /></a><br />Watching the tennis shoes swung over the telephone line outside my room spin clockwise in the wind.<br /><br />The curtains are parted just so that I have a slim view of the outdoors.<br /><br />And now the one shoe recoils back into a counter clockwise turn.<br /><br />The shoes are oblivious to time. They spin with nature.<br /><br />Wind the other day blew at the show and now only one swings while the other holds onto the power line, keeping them up there against the wishes of gravity.<br /><br />The mountains cannot be seen today. Clouds and rain have made their presence too strong.<br /><br />Blue sky is somewhere up above, but not visible to this eye, not on this late Wednesday afternoon.<br /><br />Half of the shoe has disintegrated, leaving the sole hanging from the body of the object. What once were serviceable to the human foot now hang pathetically over 19th St, a testament to how everything practical can become abandoned and useless.<br /><br />The car down the road, it will be one of many that will be culprit to the final demise of these shoes when they finally fall 30ft to the aging tar surface below.<br /><br />Perhaps it will be my car, all shiny and new, that runs over the old, soggy shells of shoes they used to be.<br /><br />There lives a dog on this street. He may pick up and run with them, a temporary new toy for his fleeting amusement.<br /><br />Everything is fleeting.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7KXrOFSRwHS87sYGm_H55-9_tCbyehRU1vDr01rjE8-R2JRQY6OKVbDwiEmeYhyJlnfpwOKNk7bycgyrslh07IeHq-QyvCGJYkhb57RTkMuvIUGe3DW9wAue7h9DPKCXzEj-JtEp0Wf-/s1600/IMG_4219.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7KXrOFSRwHS87sYGm_H55-9_tCbyehRU1vDr01rjE8-R2JRQY6OKVbDwiEmeYhyJlnfpwOKNk7bycgyrslh07IeHq-QyvCGJYkhb57RTkMuvIUGe3DW9wAue7h9DPKCXzEj-JtEp0Wf-/s400/IMG_4219.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457566974625791138" /></a>Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-19948133879426357422010-04-05T01:07:00.002+01:002010-04-05T01:14:23.016+01:00Definitely didn't seem that long...Hm, I kept thinking to myself that I should make a new posting on here, but hadn't realized how much time had actually passed since the last one.<div><br /></div><div>Since the last post I packed up my stuff and drove through the mountains to come out to Vancouver for a couple/few months. Pretty nice out here, even with the crazy wind storms the past two days. My car got out unscathed, anyhow.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have some actual writing to do, so this post won't be very interesting :P That's always the excuse too. "I've got to get this article in so it's ridiculous to write on my blog which isn't for pay when this deadline is so close." Yet, of course, instead I just refresh Facebook like, every minute and I may as well have written a few interesting posts since February. Ah well.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of my favourite musicians, <a href="http://www.yoavmusic.com/">Yoav</a>, had a new album released this past week and is coming to Vancouver on May 1. Excited! I saw him in York, UK in the fall of 2008. Wow, doesn't seem that long ago :S</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWTf3gCD5qo_wOcuxrH8SMdI2eN4Kx9T2o5IgQ0ofZ5_uAkc2HeKTkyuKnlczLHt7GZ2S8KZtc257aAO7jBvSJtTrZ6LQjb9J8jNGIJy56GVx5ssUCuBkfHLLc_asZpFX5imQirxbUCVV/s1600/1003043423_l.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWTf3gCD5qo_wOcuxrH8SMdI2eN4Kx9T2o5IgQ0ofZ5_uAkc2HeKTkyuKnlczLHt7GZ2S8KZtc257aAO7jBvSJtTrZ6LQjb9J8jNGIJy56GVx5ssUCuBkfHLLc_asZpFX5imQirxbUCVV/s400/1003043423_l.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456439845541834962" /></a>Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-6368137679847662632010-02-27T07:07:00.002+00:002010-02-27T07:17:26.762+00:00Back in ABAnd so it goes, back in Alberta, again. One of my best friends went to Vancouver today from Toronto for her reading week, and I didn't get the chance to go out to Victoria, or even see all of my friends in Vancouver; was not ready to leave! Back to the same old... hole myself up in my room on my computer and leave the house to go to the gym. What an existence. Even one more week of this will drive me crazy.<br /><br />My American passport arrived so I can up and go to the States now with ease, but I have a pending second interview with the Toronto Blue Jays so I'm holding out for that. It would just be for the season, so until beginning of October, and that is something I should accept if offered. It's not like I would have to actually live in Toronto for so long, and I'm sure it would be fun enough. I've enjoyed my promotions jobs in the past. Not sure what sort of chance I have of getting the position, but still worth it to put up with Edmonton for an extra week or so and not commit to moving anywhere before knowing if I got the position and should be driving to Toronto.<br /><br />On a lighter note, although I did filming during the Olympics which impeded me from taking as many photos as I otherwise would have, I still got a nice album's worth. It can be viewed in the following link as a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2240950&id=90400303&l=4a703ecae2">Public Facebook Album</a>. Of course, if we're friends on Facebook then it will just show up as normally viewing it.<br /><br />Canada did awesome today in the Olympics. Would have been so awesome to go out again. I haven't gotten trashed like that since going out with the Rugby girls in Leeds! Seems I can still indeed take a full pitcher and a couple extra drinks on the side and still be somewhat comprehensible.<br /><br />I will archive the footage from the Olympics soon and figure out how I'm going to piece it together. I only got about 2.5 hours of footage -far short of the seven hours of tape I bought, but I still caught some decent stuff. Shame I don't have anything more complex than iMovie, but I'll make it work and can always make something more advanced in the future.<br /><br />Currently being a sap and listening to Adam Lambert to a bit of an excess.<br /><br />Confused.Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-83098940093332173772010-02-24T05:29:00.003+00:002010-02-24T05:38:28.300+00:00On my way out the doorVancouver has been absolutely amazing. I definitely needed a few more days to fit everything in, but it was still fantastic. I had forgotten how much I liked living here and don't fancy going back home...<br /><br />The city has been insane, here is my super awesome video which witnesses the madness:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2bbOSj4NnE">Granville and Robson at night in Van City</a><br /><br />Flying home at noon unfortunately. Will post more, perhaps a photo essay or something, once back. Doing that may be second priority, though, to getting to the gym ASAP upon return!<br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-3016516572078835492010-02-17T01:25:00.003+00:002010-02-17T01:29:32.298+00:00Off to Vancouver!!Watching Canada play Norway and leaving for the airport in 45min, yay!<br /><br />I will have NO sleep this week; will be totally crazy. Curling in the morning then staying in Van for the day so that I can get to the transport hub in North Van on time to get to my Whistler event in the early morning hours of Thursday.<br /><br />Eeeeeeeee! haha<br /><br />In preparation, I went skiing yesterday and made a video of it. Training; I will be competing as a top Canadian athlete in 2014 :P<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOYZqCMPlbA">Skiing Video</a><br /><br />Woo, Canada FINALLY scores! Iginla<br /><br />Ok, closing my computer, will post once I'm there :)Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4548384922561125484.post-67775320992351576052010-02-15T05:38:00.003+00:002010-02-15T05:45:21.355+00:00SkatingI had a lovely afternoon skating at Hawrelak Park in Edmonton today. I made a small video from it which I have posted to Youtube:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IicGBEgLAIY">Skating video</a><br /><br />I quite enjoy the video myself. I wanted to focus on the family atmosphere of the place, and the beauty of children learning to skate. I myself was brought to Hawrelak as a child and I remember trying to learn to skate on figure skates... it wasn't until I was allowed to get hockey skates that I really learned to skate properly: something about how figure skates have heals, it made it difficult for me to push off properly and really get good pace and strides.<br /><br />I also just bought an Olympic Biathlon ticket! It wasn't incredibly expensive (hardly the $22,000 being asked for men's half-pipe snowboard on Cypress!), and I'm really excited! This way I can go up to the town of Whistler. Unless people have event tickets, they are not allowed up to Whistler over the course of the games. I really wanted to go to see what it's like up there, and just for the experience, so this is great! I have to leave where I'm staying at around 5am, but still worth it; and I can catch up on sleep on the way there. This will make for some great filming! I will have to miss the Our Lady Peace concert to go, but I've seen them three times before anyhow and there's other concerts to go the remaining days I'm there!<br /><br />Also, I e-mailed the Olympic press people and they said video cameras are allowed in the venues as long as the footage isn't for commercial use. That's perfect! Footage from the curling event in Richmond will really add to the documentary :)Evahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321335564112031714noreply@blogger.com0