Vote for Andrea: "the one in the stripes"

Click the above picture to be taken to article in the Edmontonian.

Click here to vote.

The ever-fashionable A

When I had my first "date" with Andrea over at Miet et Cannelle, I was terrified. Her blog shows the world that she's this lovely little bundle of beautiful imagery, a cool philosopher, and all around the person you want on your team when the world comes down to choosing sides. That night, over a bottle of red, I became just a little more intimidated. But in a good way. Over the past months, she's been a calming force over my life as we get together over some sort of beverage (caffeinated or alcoholic) to chat. Being around her makes me happy. Sometimes it makes me feel incredibly excited to head back to school, since I need some schoolin' to bring me up to her level, but it makes me happy. Happy to be around someone so clever, so creative, and so appealing.

This week, Andrea's Summer Street Style issue of SEE Magazine hit the newstands. It was a ton of work, but like her, it's absolutely lovely. You should check it out.

Friend, I couldn't be more proud.

Technically, today is 20-Something Bloggers' Blog Swap Day. Since I fail to live by the rules, the lovely Alana at The Good Girl Gone Blog and I will be trading spaces on Friday. Be excited.

Also, you should check out Alana's blog today for some neat enviro-conscious items to help you celebrate Earth Day everyday.

Me, I promise to keep on the Boy about the importance of recycling. It's something I plan to implement with the Beginning of Cohabitation, coming soon.

You'll never judge people by appearance again

This video from Britain's Got Talent is just incredible. INCREDIBLE.

YouTube won't let me embed it, but go watch it.

Everyone is laughing at her, expecting her performance to be so bad, but Susan is cheeky for a reason... she's insanely talented.

Doesn't hurt that this is one of my favourite songs from Les Mis.

No Cheese with my Wine

The next interVivos event No Cheese with my Wine! Is taking place on April 2, 2009. Due to the limited number of attendees, space is bound to fill up fast so RSVP soon at: http://www.simplersvp.ca/intervivos/.

Why I Relay

I must admit, before I interned at the Canadian Cancer Society cancer wasn't a bit concern of mine. I had very few people around me touched by this disease. I had never held the hand of someone I loved as they underwent chemotherapy or radiation. I had never had to see the health of anyone close to me deteriorate before my eyes. I had never seen the fight that survivors go through, or experience the victory when all signs of cancer have left the body.

The only real experience I had with cancer was when a girl in my elementary school died of the disease. And we weren't close. I chose the internship at the Canadian Cancer Society because it was good experience. Because the women who worked there were friendly. And because the City of London had decided not to take an intern, afterall. I knew I'd not only be a part of the public relations team at the office, but I would be the entire public relations team. You'd better believe that looks awesome on a resume.

I loved working at the Society. I got so involved in the cause that I started working extra hours, I started volunteering for events like Daffodil Days. I started hosting volunteer training sessions in the evenings. The women who worked there became my family. We didn't just share a job, we shared our lives, our stories, and in some cases, experiences with cancer itself. I met so many people who were in various stages of cancer treatment, so many survivors, and so many families and friends of both those who beat the disease and those who lost. These people changed my life.

I volunteered for the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life that year, and seriously guys, I never expected one event to touch me so deeply. When the cancer survivors started off Relay with the Survivors' Victory Lap, we cheered and applauded with tears in our eyes. Their victories were the victories of the thousands of people who showed up that night. Their victories were proof that cancer could, and will, be beaten. Their victories held hope for those who were recently diagnosed and their friends and families who put together teams to support them. It was an amazing high.

Later, at dusk, when the luminaries were lit around the track, casting a glow over the field as Amazing Grace rung out, friends and strangers united in their common grief. They lit candles to remember those who couldn't be at the event because their bodies weren't able to beat the disease. They lit candles in hope that those they loved would kick cancer's ass. They lit candles for friends, for family, for people they had never met. To walk around that track and feel the presence of all of those who lost their battles, to see the tears in everyone's eyes, to see friends and family grasp their loved ones tight in support, it was overwhelming. It no longer mattered that cancer wasn't overly close to me. What mattered is that we find a cure.

In 2008, it is estimated that approximately 166,400 new cases of cancer and 73,800 deaths would occur in Canada. That's an average of 3,200 Canadians diagnosed each week, and 1,419 Canadians who would die of cancer every week. Every one of us will be touched by the disease in our lifetimes, if not personally, then by dealing with the disease attacking a friend of family member.

Guys, I don't like to ask anything of you, but it would mean the world to me if you would pledge me for Edmonton's Relay for Life event this year. On the right sidebar, I have a link to my personal, secure page where, if you want to, you can make a donation. If you're in the area and want to join my team, give me a shout. The event is absolutely incredible and I encourage you to participate in an event near you (by the way, the Canadian event is based off of the ones done in the United States -- so even if you're not Canadian, you probably have one of these things taking place in your area).

Let's fight this disease for those who haven't been able to, for those who don't have the strength, for those who are too busy supporting their loved ones to have the energy. Let's make cancer history.

A new President, a new era

As I huddled with others into a coworker's office this morning to listen to the inaugural address of Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States of America, I could not help but notice the stark contrast between him and his predecessor.

Instead of a man who talked about a country binded by fear, on a day which seems like it was not all that long ago, we heard a man who talked about the hope of America. The goodness of the people. The unity of a country that would reach out to those in need. A man who admitted that the road ahead will not be easy, but who called upon his nation to work together.

It was amazing. It was moving. It was about time. It's a good thing not only for the people of the United States of America, but for the world.

I encourage everyone to read the full text of Mr. Obama's address here, in case you weren't so lucky to see it this morning.

Speak out Edmonton! (All others, sign the petition)

I received this poster, and the information that follows, this afternoon from my friend Z. I believe I've commented on Omar Khadr before, and if this is something that you believe in, please act by either signing the petition or attending the event on Saturday (or both!).

Z's boss, Satya Das, was approached by Omar Khadr's lawyer, Dennis Edney, to put together a petition to bring Omar home. Satya is doing this pro bono.

If you do not know who Omar is, watch this.

This petition is not about whether Omar is innocent or guilty. This is about requesting that the Canadian government bring him home to Canada as soon as possible so that Canada can deal with the situation appropriately. It's about human rights. Protecting the same human rights all Canadians share, Omar included.

Here's the petition.

Conquest or Cooperation event almost full!

...for my American readers

Vote!

The last interVivos event we had was a young candidates' forum for the federal election here in Canada. Last weekend, at a friend's birthday, he made a point to mention how much he enjoyed the forum and how happy he was to have voted for the first time.

The Presidential election happening on November 4 will most certainly impact Canada and determine what the entire future of North America looks like. One vote can make a difference.

Elle... one political science geek fighting apathy, one person at a time...

Liz and Annie on the future of North America

With increased globalization and the recent success of the European Union, a case could be built for creating a similar North American Union. Join interVivos as they discuss the current state of NAFTA, and how our relationship with the U.S. and Mexico might change with the advent of a borderless North America. Is the "Amero" in the works for us, and how plausible is such a relationship right now given current global markets and the need for populations to recognize and defend their regional identities?

There are very, very few seats left to discuss the future of North America with Anne McLellan and Elizabeth May. RSVP today if you're in the Edmonton area.

Dear Sweetheart: Love Letters from a Soldier

During this particular lovey-dovey week, I'm a little soft for the stuff that love letters are made of. If you're looking for a little love-fest read these ones, featured in the Globe and Mail.

It was the Second World War. A million young Canadians were marching off to risk their lives. One of them, David K. Hazzard, was separated from his beloved wife Audrey, but soon found a way to fight the loneliness – with his pen.

He wrote hundreds of letters, beginning each the same way – 'Dear Sweetheart.' They are a riveting account of what he went through.

How did he cope without Audrey and his two young daughters? How did they cope without him? In the weeks ahead, the series Dear Sweetheart will publish new letters daily. In the end, their story is our story.

We tell it as a homage to those who died, the 180,000 veterans who survive, their children, their grandchildren – and Canada's fighting families today.

Google: keeping you from drunkmailing, when you don't have the willpower

Smart, and hilarious.

Bring Omar home

Omar Khadir was a child soldier, captured on a battlefield in Afghanistan when he was just 15, and now he's being charged with murder. He has been held at the military prison Guantanamo Bay for the last few years. He is a Canadian citizen. The lack of a fair trial and being held for so long without charges is a human rights tragedy. Canada has done nothing to push for a trial or to keep him from being tortured. Sign the petition to bring Omar home.

Best advice ever

Don't save MSN conversations. Private conversations. Whatever.

People find it and you never mean completely what you say. You get angry at a significant other/are peeved at a pal and you vent about it. It's healthy. Other people confide their secrets in you. You have a couple drinks and flirt with an ex.

All okay things. But nothing you want your current thing to read and get all whiny over.

[disclaimer: this is not a current issue in my life, but in the lives of friends]

Things I love. Right now.

Random things of late that make me ridiculously elated are:

Things I've Bought That I Love -- Mindy Kaling, writer/actress from the Office is absolutely hilarious. Her blog, which features other contributors but tends to be dominated by her own posts, is very fun. She'd be the kind of girl to go for drinks and girl talk and squeal over cute shoes/clothes/things with.

Aveeno Lip Conditioner, Essential Moisture with SPF 15 -- I have a ridiculous pile of lip balms/glosses, let me tell you. And this one little tube of balm goes with me everywhere. Even now that the tube is empty. The air in Alberta is super dry all of the time so my skin dries out like the desert. Not any more! I pull this little baby from my pocket, sigh that it needs to be replaced and attempt to get out whatever I can salvage from the tube. And then I look at it. Look at the garbage can. And put it back in my pocket. Why? Because I have a poor memory and this way I remember to replace it. Must. Replace. Lip. Conditioner.

The Jumbotron at the hockey game -- I went to the Oilers game with B last night. My first Oilers game. Aside from being disappointed in the Oilers (winning streak no more), my people watching skills have reached a new level. Favourite thing about the hockey game (other than the hockey part, obviously) is watching how people react the second they realize they're on the big screen. Ha! Hilarity! Even funnier? The people who try to hide from it.

Why love letters have to die with the relationship from which they sprung

I'm a bit wordy -- forgive my title.

I used to be one of those people. The people who would keep mementos and letters and cards thrown chaotically into a box for future reference. The Pandora's Box of love letters and memories past.

It got to a point where I just couldn't do it anymore. 

It's not only hard to look back at bits and pieces of the good times -- relationships past, friendships from long ago -- it's misleading. To pick up old romance spewed from the pens of past loves and yearn for something that couldn't be and possibly never was. To see reality through the rose-coloured lens of loneliness (which, lets face it... is usually when these boxes of notes get dusted off). It's not a good thing. It doesn't help make things better.

It skews how we see our own current reality. We try to measure up what we have or what we don't have with what we thought we had a long time ago. We blissfully ignore the ugly yelling matches and the differences that separated us. We miss people who we have let go for a reason. We try telling ourselves that we miss the friendship we had with someone who, quite honestly, probably wasn't friendship material in the first place.

It's healthy to purge sometimes. It's good for our sanity. It helps us truly move on. 

Let's face it. It's hard to be truly happy with yourself or truly happy with someone else until you really let old flames flicker and fade out.

This post is dedicated to a friend who stumbled upon one of her own hidden-away letters. 

An update of sorts

Life has been a little crazy as of late.

Work has been a madhouse. I've been filling up my time with friends, including meeting new friends and saying goodbye to some old(er) ones. It's strange how close you can get to people in such a short amount of time. Sometimes you just click with people. Sometimes people surprise you in fabulous ways. And sometimes they let you down.

Christmas is on the horizon and while I often say that I am not a big fan of Christmas, that's a lie. I'm not a big fan of the rush and the swarm of people in malls and the consumerist buy-buy-buy of the holiday season. However, I am a huge fan of finding something for someone which I know they will absolutely love -- seeing the look on their face when they get that perfect, yet unexpected gift, family, old-fashioned christmas carols and holiday drinks at Starbucks.

This month I made the first trek back to my university city. Wasn't there long enough to scout out the old haunts and count all the things that have changed -- but had the opportunity to spend a fabulous weekend catching up with old friends... which is absolutely worth the air fare back there.

We also picked up a girl at the bar. She hates this story. Maybe because we exhaggerate just a little. (Exhaggerate? Me? Never!) We actually met her cute male friends while she was off dancing with a boy and took them back to our house to play Cranium. They got a kick out of how I hid my flip-flops under a little deck near the bar so I didn't have to walk home in ridiculous heels (gorgeous yet not so fabulous after dancing most of the night away). We got to kick their behinds after they trash talked us all the way back to the apartment. It's pretty much a win-win situation. It's always good to meet new people, and it's fairly easy here, I find, since most people have come from somewhere else we usually find ourselves in the same boat -- not having nearly enough friends around. We befriended this sweet girl and made her come to our Halloween party, though she was apprehensive of course, and she's been stuck with us ever since.

Sometimes life is about letting people go as well. Whether it's letting people you've become close with leave the city to begin a new chapter of their lives (in Saskatoon? Yeah... okay). Or whether it's about writing off a friendship that was very obviously not meant to be.

On that note (which seems unrelated and isn't overly really) -- drive safe during the holiday season. It's coming up fairly quickly with Christmas parties (I've already been to two!) and whatnot... so drive safe. Stay sober, pay attention, buckle up, slow down. All of that. That's my little lecture for the day.

Haunted by lemony visions... and the prospect of more weddings

A couple weeks ago I had this incredibly random dream which involved light, fluffy, lemon cupcakes. I can not gets this vision of cupcake heaven out of my head, even though I have long since been a huge lemon fan. Must. Make. These. Cupcakes. The need haunts me and I know not why.

I think there may be a problem with the fact that every time I get a drunk-dial in the middle of the night I fear it is another friend telling me that they are engaged. Who calls me after 4 a.m., boyfriend in tow, merely to tell me how in love they are and yet how they are thinking of me at the same time? ...oh right, Erin does. Stay away from the Koolaid.

Speaking of weddings, my cousin is getting married in Cuba in the spring and I'm seriously considering going. Even with the prospect of Europe. One of my friends called me "moneybags" last night when I was explaining this to which I say... no mortgage, no little family, no car... what else is there to spend money on but travel? Works for me.

Megpie's wedding countdown is three weeks. Brother is getting married in five. Airplane tickets have (finally) been purchased and I don't nearly hate Air Canada so much anymore due to the lovely ticket counter lady at the airport. Though I still hate them plenty. West Jet is my airline love. The dress is nearly ready. My bags are far from packed. My duties are still a little bit unclear. But I am getting a little bit excited. It'll be good to go home and see all the friends/family who I have left back in Ontario. And I shall get to spend the night with the littlest sister in her university abode, which will be all sorts of girly fun (though she must wake up in the morning for class before we head home to the farm).

Still reading Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs. Still loving Klosterman. Even though at times he is ridiculously pretentious and I don't particularly agree with him... I can't remember actually laughing out loud at a book so much. In weird places. Like on the bus surrounded by sweaty strangers. Hilarity. People should read this book if only for this reason. The man is funny.

Last night, went to Packrats with my peeps. Had the best wine of my life. And the food. Oh the food was amazing. Everyone must go (or try to go) here. My new favourite restaurant. Ever. Also, check out the Fringe. Because it is arty and awesome. And deliciously dirty.

Happiness, Vaginas and Strong, Inspirational Women

This is absolutely incredible. Eve Ensler is hilariously funny and incredibly brilliant. Her talk about her journey, V-day and the Vagina Monologues is definitely worth a listen.

The women whose stories she tells near the end of the talk are absolutely astounding. I have been blessed to never be in a situation even remotely close to anything any of these women have encountered, and I can't say that if I was I would have this much strength to affect change.

In university, a friend and I were part of a group which went around to highschools and discussed violence against women and healthy relationships. It was all part of something that one brave woman put together after her daughter was killed by an ex-boyfriend that she had been in an abusive relationship with. This woman traveled to schools everywhere in order to show other young girls what abuse looks like and discuss how to get out of that situation. Incredible.

Even if you're not into the Vagina Monologues, watch this clip.

"When we give in the world what we want the most, we heal the broken part inside each of us."