Sept. 29th: Riding the Cyclone!

Tonight was the second show I have seen this week, and it was PHE-NOM-E-NAL!  I love theatre.  Everyone knows that.  And I can see the good in practically every show I see.  But it is rare when I see a show that I cannot find a single thing to dislike about it.  Atomic Vaudeville's RIDE THE CYCLONE was one of those shows for me!  The music, the script, the characters, the design, the direction, the stylization, the choreography, the performances, the singing - everything about it made me fall in love.

Now perhaps I am biased because this show falls into the dark comedy category which I thrive in.  The first show I ever saw that made me want to work in theatre was a dark comedy.  The favourite acting role I've ever had was in a dark comedy.  The most memorable and moving shows I have ever seen have all been dark comedies.  I even wrote a dark comedy. I once asked the question to a group of friends: Would you rather live in a world animated by Dreamworks, or Tim Burton?  My answer surprised everyone around the circle (and admittedly even me), but it was offered without any hesitation - Tim Burton!

I do not know why I became so in love with this genre, but there is something about it that I am completely drawn to. I presume it has something to do with the tragic beauty of the stories.  We all know that we should not take life so seriously, but I love the idea of not taking death too seriously either.  Death and tragedy in and of themselves are horrible and scary. But an opportunity to see the beauty and even the hilarity in these events, is one I will take with pleasure.  It might not be sensitive, and it might not be politically correct, but for some reason it always feels right to me.  Clearly the combination of feeling love, fear, anger, sadness, and excitement all at one time is a state of being that I really enjoy!

I am not suggesting that I wished that I were on that cyclone with those kids in the story tonight.  Far from it.  What I am suggesting is that those kids have the right idea of being able to reflect on the good around them and make the best of even their most tragic moments.  A big thank you to the cast and crew of Ride The Cyclone, for giving me one of the best nights of theatre in my life.  Also - thank you to Andrea for inviting me to be your date.  I owe you big time!

Sept. 28th: Back to Acting Class

Last night I saw the first of three shows I will be attending this week.  Circle Mirror Transformation was the story of five people in a weekly acting class.  Being there for the opening night with a theatre filled with actors, Artistic Directors, and theatre practitioners was an absolute treat.  The very opening scene involved all of the actors laying on the floor on their backs in stillness and silence until the first word was uttered.  That word was "one".  And without hesitation the audience laughed hysterically because we were all brought back to that moment in acting classes when we all performed that counting exercise.  I am curious to know how this show will be received by audiences that are not filled with theatre practitioners.  I wonder if too much of the humour would go over their heads, or if it will land nicely in a way that still fulfills the basic story.  I guess time will tell.

What the show definitely did for me was allowed me to reflect on all of the ridiculous acting exercises I've done.  I remember one time in University being in a vocal class with 8 ladies.  In one of our exercises were were on all fours, curving and arching our backs, while exhaling with these drawn out moans.  I can only imagine the thoughts that went through the heads of any guys that walked by the room at that time.  That was the moment when I realized what exactly I was spending thousands of dollars of tuition on.  In the end I guess it was worth it.  I have a career in theatre and still perform regularly, but I have to admit that some of those exercises were absolutely ridiculous.  Ridiculous, fun, and awesome!

Just for fun - here's a video of a ridiculous drama class.  Enjoy!

Sept. 27th: A Memory Dropbox

It's amazing how you can have those days where one seemingly insignificant thing is brought up so many times that you have no choice but to acknowledge its significance.  A couple of years ago I signed up for a file sharing service called Dropbox for the purpose of sharing some larger files.  I used it once and have no recollection of every using it again - until today.  This service was brought up a total of three times today.  The first time was when I was trying to find an easy way to share a file at work.  The second time was when I was at a Board Meeting and we were trying to figure out a way for all of us to have access to a file.  And the third time was tonight, in a phone conversation with Luke when I wanted to see some photos he was looking at.  He had the ingenious thought of sending me the photos through Dropbox and in doing so, we both ended up getting a little more storage space for free.  And most importantly - I was able to see the photos that he took from our trip to Tofino, which took place in our first month of dating.

I have to admit, Dropbox is a handy service.  So if you don't have it yet, but think you could get some use from it, you can sign up here.  And because sharing is caring - here are some of the photos that I now have full access to.

Sept. 26th: Good News at the right time!

Today provided the perfect example of why I decided to start this blog.  Suffice it to say that it was an eventful start to the week, and not for good reasons.  I won't go into the negative (because that goes against the whole point of this project), but fortunately something really awesome happened today to make up for everything.  Unfortunately I cannot talk much about it right now, but I look forward to being able to share it with everyone.  It's something I've been looking forward to for a while now. And especially when I look back at where I was at this point last year, it is amazing to know how much difference a year can make.

And before my family starts making assumptions about changes to my relationship status, or whether I'm pregnant or not (for the record, I'm not) I will specify that this good news refers to something that I have personally worked hard for.  I cannot wait.  In the mean time - to make up for my being so vague - I am attaching a video that I am in that was featured on TV.  Enjoy!

Sept 25th: The Greatest Game in the land!

I am not the biggest sports fan, but I've been hoping to see an NHL game for a while.  And thanks to some amazing sponsors I was invited to attend a Canucks game last night.  It was AWESOME.  It was a pre-season game but it was still amazing.  We were playing the San Jose Sharks (which I was excited to see, especially after seeing these two teams play in the playoffs last year).  The sharks took this game home with them, but I attribute that to the fact that the Canucks never really played their key players.  It may have been fun to see Burrows, Bieksa, or the Sedins take the ice but it was still a great game and a fun night out.  Special thanks go out to the Rosedale on Robson Suite Hotel for making this night happen.  It was greatly appreciated.

Sept. 24th: Friends - new and old!

A lot happened today.  Improv audition, a walk downtown, a concert in Stanley Park, and a house party.  But I think the major theme of the day (and therefore the day's awesomism) is FRIENDS.

At the improv audition I was able to catch up with some friends who I haven't seen in months and I was even able to meet some new people who I hope to see more of in the near future.  Then I was able to catch up with not one, but two high school friends downtown.  Adriana came in to visit from Victoria and Brad was in town again for another band tour.  Perhaps the novelty of seeing these two out here should have worn off by now since I actually get to see them both fairly frequently - but it hasn't, and I am quite grateful for that.  Also in seeing them I was able to meet some of their friends.

When you have awesome friends, it is no surprise that their friends are also awesome.  So being able to spend a few hours with a new group of awesome people was .... well you get the the idea.  I can think of many times when I have met a new group of people through good friends and it has drastically changed my life.  So here's to good friends, old friends, and new friends!

Sept. 23rd: Bringing the Funny!

Friday night was fantastic!  I had my first improv show after a three month hiatus, and it was SO much fun.  We had six performers in total, all pulled from the Pacific Theatre funny bin, and we had the privilege of playing with a live band complete with keyboard, drums, and bass.  And what was even better was we were performing in the Ironworks.  I'm used to performing in theatres, so to be able to perform in front of people at tables with some drinks in hands was very reminiscent of performing at a comedy club, and reminded me of when I first started performing improv 12 years ago.  Wow - that sentence made me feel old.

And now for a moment of self-reflection!  Being able to perform in this show after three months off was a major relief because those three months felt REALLY long.  I was doing a lot of other performances during that time, but I really missed the improv.  The reason why I find it so weird is because I really only started performing improv again this year.  I guess I performed in a show or two over the past couple of years for our theatre, but before 2009 I had spent a solid six years without performing improv at all.  I was busy studying or working towards my administrative career and didn't find the time.  Late last year I decided to finally take some classes with Vancouver Theatresports League to make it a priority again, which ended up leading me to Second Storey Theatre which has since become my improv home.  And now I am at the point where a few months without any improv (workshops or performances) really wears on me.  It's amazing how one simple thing can affect my personal fulfillment.

All of this to say that I am EXTREMELY grateful to have so many people around me who have allowed me to bring improv and comedy back into my life.  It was a great show on Friday.  I definitely felt a bit rusty but I think there were some good laughs and all in all I was very proud of everyone for bringing the funny and raising some money for the Union Gospel Mission.  Fun in the name of a good cause is always a good thing!

Sept. 22: Alison Chisholm, VP

Yesterday I had a conversation with a co-worker at lunch about titles.  We felt that we should have a discussion about them as neither of our titles at work fully encompass what we our roles are at the theatre. Despite not being that keen on titles I have decided that the day's awesomism is being dedicated to them.

In the evening I attended a board meeting for an organization that I have just recently become the Vice-President of.  I took on the role because I feel like I could handle the responsibilities and I also wanted to be able to help the new President as much as possible.  What I was not expecting was the feeling I got when I looked at the Board slate and read "Alison Chisholm, Vice-President".  Seeing those words after my name freaked me out a lot, but also made me feel really good about taking on the challenge.  If five years ago someone would have told me that I would be a VP of a board at this time, I would have said they were crazy.  Thankfully a lot of time has passed and experiences have given me the confidence to take on the title.  After all - it's just a title . . .  right?

Sept. 21st: Noobs in Nice Cars!

When I first moved to Vancouver I became really confused when I saw a lot of cars on the road with stickers of the letter N.  Eventually I came to learn that this N meant that the driver of the car was a new driver.  Yes - British Columbia actually has a law requiring drivers to share with the world that they are inexperienced and ... well ... noobs.  It's kind of funny to watch a car with an N sticker drive by, but it is also kind of sad.  Where in Ontario you could blend in with the experienced drivers and no one would know the difference, here drivers can assume that they are better than others simply because they don't have to drive with an N on their car anymore.  And let's face facts: experienced drivers can be just as bad or worse than inexperienced ones.

One of the ways I really appreciate the N decal, is when it is used to even out the playing field.  In Vancouver there are a lot of nice cars.  I remember a game my brothers and I made up while roadtripping to Florida where we took the premise of the punch buggy game and applied it to nice cars (ie. Mercedes, Lexus, BMW), but instead of punching we decided to poke each other to cut down on the pain.  Well, even the poking was enough to leave us bruised, and I think Vancouver would cause just as much bruising had the game been played here - possibly more.  However, in Florida a 16 year old can be gifted one of these nice cars and actually drive around in it showing off to friends and family, while a Vancouverite being gifted the same car is being forced by ICBC to be a little more humble about their nice new vehicles.  Today while I was waiting for the bus I saw a Porsche drive past me with an N decal, as well as a very loud and well-maintained Mustang that loved the attention it got anytime it revved its engine.  Little did the driver know that all of my attention and appreciation was going to the Green N on the cars backside.

I definitely do not think that I am better than these new drivers (particularly since I take the bus), but I appreciate the fact that I do not envy them in the slightest.  Sure, they might have nice cars, but I have the freedom and independence to move around freely without any labels, or more specifically decals.  I kind of feel bad for these Noobs in their nice cars, but I also know that in a couple of years they will be driving around in their Porsches without any decals, and their world will be back to normal.  So for now I will be a horrible person and say: "Hooray for status equality"!

Sept. 20th: Performance Envy!

I remember a day when I used to hate musicals.  And I mean HATE.  This was when I was back in high school and felt that I knew everything.  Having taken a total of 5 drama classes I felt like I was expert on theatre.  Despite also taking a lot of music classes, I felt that the focus of music in musical theatre took away from the authenticity of the story and made the performances contrived.  I actually came around to musicals a while ago, but today was a great way to reflect on how wrong high school Alison was.

Having just come back from the Arts Club production of Next to Normal, I want to give a huge shout-out to all of the performers.  I feel like Next to Normal would have been the perfect example of why I didn't like musicals in high school.  It's a very dramatic story sung all the way through in musical stylings ranging from melodramatic to rock.  'Fake' would have been the word that misguided high school Alison would have used to describe the show.  Fortunately I have grown-up and learned a lot, and can now understand what an authentic performance looks like, and I found it tonight.  The music was impeccable and the acting performances were absolutely beautiful and truthful.  I am extremely envious of the talents I saw tonight,  however I am also inspired.  I know that I will never have the vocal qualities that these performers possess, but they all make me want to be the best performer I can be.

So I might not have been right about everything in high school, but I was right about wanting to dedicate my life to theatre.  I am grateful to be working in an industry that has the level of talent that I witnessed tonight, and to be able to share in this talent often.  Now to work on my own performance abilities!

Sept. 19th: Baileys and Cocoa!

Today was a great day.  Simple, and awesome.  Nothing was hectic about it.  I got a lot of stuff done at work.  I had time for myself at home.  I even had time to clean up around the apartment and make myself a delicious meal - complete with leftovers.  And I still had plenty of time to relax and 'do nothing'.  By do nothing I mean sit back and watch TV with a cup of hot cocoa for desert complete with Bailey's and a nice big marshmallow leftover from camping.

I'm not generally one to have a drink on my own.  I have nothing against it, but it's just never been something I've done.  But tonight I wanted a delicious desert to indulge in after my meal and I was all out of ice cream so this seemed like the next best thing.  It did not disappoint!  I don't think this is how I'm going to end all of my days but it was the perfect end to this day.

Sept.18th: Random Flash Mobs!

It was another fun-filled day today.  It started with the Grand Wedding Show to prep for Natalie's wedding, followed by the first choir rehearsal in over a month (or two), and a workshop for the Artisan U Improv show.  Generally it was a great day, but there was one random thing that happened today that I wanted to write about.

During our lunch at the convention centre a random masquerade ball formed in the food court.  Now - I know all about flash mobs.  I've been a part of several flash mobs actually, but never have I been one of the innocent bystanders to witness a flash mob . . .  until today.

I think the original point of flash mobs is not really being practiced anymore.  Originally they were set up to appear that random people were coming together to do something awesome, and then once they did it - all of these random people would walk away minding their own business as if nothing had happened.  Now flash mobs seem to appear as groups of people wanting to share random fun, in random places, at random times.  Either way - flash mobs are awesome!  Random fun in a safe and friendly environment is always a good thing.  I was thrilled to be on the other side of it today.  

Sept. 17th: The end of a long week.

Again - this post is arriving a day late - but I feel like the timing of it is actually impeccable.  Do you know that feeling that you get after coming home from a long day at work when you just sit down and let the relaxation set in?  Well that's the feeling I've got right now - and it was actually the feeling I had last night as I was writing.  Except my feeling was the result of several long days in a row.

I worked 60+ hours this past week.  That's not a complaint, but rather a fact and a reflection on my state of being.  Because I certainly was not burnt out.  I was definitely tired, partially because I was also sleep deprived, but I was still raring to do things the next day.  What I enjoyed was the fact that this crazy week that I had been preparing for, was finally over and I could finally enjoy that little bit of downtime. 

Sure enough that moment didn't last long as I ended up having another jam-packed day today, but it made me realize just how appreciative I am of the little downtime that I allow myself.  Sure - it means that my apartment gets a little messy because I choose downtime over cleaning, but one of the perks of living alone is that I can get away with it.  And I think that's pretty awesome!

Sept. 16th: Customer Service Gone Right!

First - my apologies for the tardiness for this blog.  I've been working long hours this week, but rest assured that even those long days contained some awesome things.  Yesterday in particular was a lot of fun.  After working a long day in the box office, I finished the day by enjoying some drinks and good conversation with a friends over a board game, which just so happens to be my ideal evening, and should probably be blogged about. But because I feel like I've already written about that subject matter at some point already, I'm instead going to choose to focus on the benefits of working customer service.  (Sorry Linsy - I still love you!)

I'm sure everyone who has ever worked customer service has some horror story involving a difficult customer.  (If you haven't then I'm guessing you might be new to the job, or you have a horseshoe in your backside).  Yes - there are some difficult people out there, but there are also reasonable and kind people, and even those that make customer service an experience to look forward to.  For instance - when a patron comes to a box office window and asks for tickets for two adults and an old fart, it is AWESOME!  I particularly liked the part when I was able to call someone an old fart to his face and it just made him like me more.  I guess as a customer he's had some horror stories with difficult customer service representatives who find his self-depricating humour disrespectful, which I think is a shame.  So really, if there's anything to learn from this awesomism, it's that we all just need to lighten up.  If someone extends you some offering of enjoyment and fun - take it!  Trust me, it will be worth it.

Sept. 15th: Laugh tracks work!

You know those annoying little laugh tracks that were added to really bad sitcoms that needed them to try to fool audiences into thinking that the show was actually funny?  Well last night I found a use for them that makes them awesome.  

In having a very late night conversation with Luke, we were joking around and at one point he offered his punchline which was quickly followed by the random sound of many people laughing.  It was hilarious and actually made his joke funnier.  I found out later that the sound was coming from a video that he had turned on mid-conversation (which I wonder if I should be annoyed about) but it was so hilarious that I had to give him props.  I now wish that I had a laugh track on me at all times to play whenever I make a less than funny joke.  

I don't know if laugh tracks ever worked for those sitcoms, but when placed in a real life situation it can be hilarious.  Thank you laugh tracks for finding your purpose in life.

Sept. 14th: Evening with Grammy!

We had the official opening of our season last night, and it was an emotional ride.  We opened the season with Gallery 7's production of Tuesdays With Morrie. It was a fantastic show and hit very close to home.  Morrie is a man dying of ALS, who has his former student come back for one last lesson about life, love, and death. He is an amazing man who reminds me a lot of my Grammy, who also died of ALS several years ago.  Like Morrie, Grammy was also such a positive person who understood how to appreciate the little things in life.  So many of my fondest memories include her.  So, in her memory I wore some of her old jewellery to the show, including a necklace with a heron on it, which I tearfully clutched during the final moments of the show.

As heartbreaking as it was to watch the show and remember Grammy's last struggles, I was so grateful to relive the memories that I had with my own Morrie.  I also have so much more respect for my Dad, and especially my Aunt's who helped Grammy through her last days. I know it couldn't have been easy, so I want them to know how much I appreciate everything they did.

Thank you Gallery 7, Ken Hildebrandt, Glen Pinchin and Pacific Theatre for an amazing show and for allowing me to pay some respects to an amazing person!

Ken Hildebrandt and Glen Pinchin in Gallery 7 Theatre's production of Tuesdays With Morrie.

Sept. 13th: Home Cooked Meal!

I do not enjoy cooking.  I love eating and creating flavour combinations and meals in my head, but the process of cooking is not something that I enjoy.  I feel like it's a chore, and not even one that I prefer.  Given the choice between cooking or cleaning, I would ask for the rubber gloves and sponge any day.  Unfortunately one of the perks of living alone is that I don't have that choice.

Today I decided to embrace this chore and make myself a delicious home cooked meal, inspired by my Grammy.  In Wisconsin when we were younger, there would be mornings when we would wake up really early and catch some rainbow trout.  We'd then take it back to the lodge, where the necessary preparations were done so that Grammy could pan-fry the trout battered in corn meal. It was so good, and one of the few times I enjoyed eating fish when I was younger.  So I tried to replicate that meal today with the frozen basa filets I had in my freezer.  It didn't quite work out as well as hers did, but it was a valiant effort and it still tasted delicious.  Especially with some fresh dill on it, and served alongside some corn on the cob, and snap peas.

And now I get to sit back feeling nostalgic, proud, full, and with that satisfied feeling that comes from finishing any chore.  Thanks for the delicious meal and motivation Grammy!

Sept. 12th: The Simple Things!

Today has been pretty chill.  A normal day at work.  An evening of chores and errands.  Nothing much to write home about.  But in the process of trying to figure out what awesome thing to blog about, there were still a few little things that made this day great.  A friend came in to visit me at work, I was offered a ride home, I got a few things accomplished around the house (though not as much as I would like), and I was able to indulge in some guilty pleasures.

Again, these are all very simple things but that's essentially the point of this project.  To find these little things in each day and appreciate them as much as possible.  To end the day with a smile on my face.

And so in an effort to put a smile on the face of anyone reading this, I would like to share one of the videos I found today when indulging in my guilty pleasure of youtube.  Enjoy!

Sept. 11th: The excitement shakes!

It was another great day on the island today.  Luke and I spent the day with his brother and sister-in-law and their two awesome kids.  The original purpose of the trip was to do some work on the computer, but it quickly turned into so much more than that. When the work was done and the kids were awake, we had some fun in the backyard.  We spent a bit of time around the garden and near the water feature where we found a lot of lizards and some garter snakes.  This was nothing new to the kids, but it was especially cool to me.  I haven't seen lizards since Florida, and I vaguely recall seeing a garter snake in my backyard in Ancaster, but that was a LONG time ago.  So of course I became a bit of a kid and just stared at the pond for a while hoping to see as many lizards as I possibly could.  Eventually Luke and his brother had to pull me away, so that we could go berry picking - which would be another first for me.

I've picked some berries from my Mom's and Grandmother's raspberry bushes, and I even remember picking and eating a few blackberries on the way to the beach in Cape Cod, but I have no memory of ever investing any time in the picking and collecting of berries from any public park or berry farm.  So having the opportunity to do so with some very eager children was pretty awesome.  Our fingers were all red, and a very tiny bit of blood was shed (which is to be expected when you only reach for the plumpest of berries which are in the prickliest parts of the bush), but it was totally worth it.  After taking the many berries back to the car, we decided to reward ourselves with a stroll to the beach.

At the beach we saw a seal, and found and picked up a snail and a couple crabs.  The first crab was just a little one, but were the kids ever excited to see it.  The little girl (less than 2-years old) was so excited that her limbs started shaking at the mere thought of being able to touch it.  As an adult I feel like I have a good grasp on how exciting little things like that can be.  When I saw the lizards and the seal I was pretty darn thrilled.  But never so much that I would start shaking.  The most anything will ever get from me these days is a very brief jig.  But she was full on shaking.  And of course we were all laughing.  Probably out of jealousy that we will never experience that kind of excitement ever again.  But also because it was just so darn cute.

We then went back home where I got to play with the kids some more. Having only ever met the kids once before (in an environment not conducive to playing), I'm so glad that they warmed up to me. They kept taking me around to play with them while all of the other adults were being productive.   It was truly a pleasure playing with them and having their imaginative minds take me on some fun adventures.  Their energy, lust for life, and intense excitement over such small things is really special and something I admire in all children.  I wish I could spend more time playing games with my own niece but hopefully I'll be able to make up for it over Thanksgiving.

What a fantastic weekend!  A bunch of firsts, time spent with family (even if not my own), and playtime with some awesome children.  I'm just sorry that it had to end.

Sept. 10th: Good spirits!

I love it when a day just works out.  In the process of trying to figure out how to spend the day, we found out that a friend could use a ride to the ferry terminal.  Since he had given us many rides to the ferry terminal in the past, we were happy to repay the favour, and on our way we discovered how we would spend our day. There are a number of wineries in between Victoria and the ferry terminal so we decided to check them out.

Despite growing up near the Niagara region of Ontario, I have never actually been to a winery before, so this impromptu date was quite a treat.  We first stopped at the Church & State Winery, which was really big and quite fancy.  There was a wedding taking place there at the time, but we were still able to enjoy a wine tasting.  I really like sweet wines and I eventually found out that all of the Church & State wines rate a 0 on the sweetness scale, which explained why I wasn't the biggest fan.  But Luke really enjoyed the Quintessential wine (their big award winning wine) which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc Franc, Merlot, Malbec - and one other that I can't quite remember.  It was a little rich for me, but I could understand why he liked it so much.

Then we made our way up the road to check out some of the other places, and came to Victoria Spirits.  Had we paid attention to the name we might have figured out that it wasn't a winery, but once we got a tour of the distillery we figured it out.  Victoria Spirits is best known for their gin, but they also make Vodka, an Oaken Gin (for the whisky drinkers), and bitters.  They also help distill things for other companies.  For instance, at the time that we were visiting they were distilling Meade for Tugwell Creek, located in Sooke, BC.

After Peter took us on the tour of the distillery we headed upstairs for a tasting of these spirits with Phil.  Now - I enjoy my spirits, but I generally prefer them mixed with something. The only time I've really tasted gin or vodka on their own is when I've taken sips of Luke's martinis, and I've always found them to be a little too strong for me.  Interestingly, when I sipped on these spirits they were actually delicious. The vodka went down very smoothly, the flavour of the gin was impeccable and quite refreshing, and the subtlety of the oaken gin was quite a surprise.  I was hoping for a taste of the Meade that they were distilling at the time, but Luke and I decided to purchase a bottle at a private Liquor Store on our way home so that we could provide ourselves with our own taste test - and was it ever good!

The other thing that was great about Victoria Spirits is that it was clearly a small business enterprise.  When you drive in, it's just this house with what looks like a barn, a small vineyard (from when they were a winery), a beautiful forest in the back, and a small parking lot for the few visitors that they get at a time.  It was a truly awesome experience. Thank you Peter and Phil for a great afternoon!

Sept. 9th: Bus and Ferry People!

I love taking transit.  I also loved having a car (poor Camry - you are still missed), but one of the blessings that came from losing my car was that I was forced to take transit.  And the people I see and meet on the bus and even on the ferry are very often hilarious and provide outstanding entertainment.  Here are the people I ran into today:

1. BEER GUY - On my way to the Canada Line I was on a very crowded 99 Bus where I must have looked parched or at least like someone who would appreciate a drink, because the guy right next to me pulled out a beverage and asked me very politely and genuinely "You want a beer?"  Surprisingly this wasn't the first time I was offered a beer on the bus.  I did turn it down and thanked him for the offer, to which he responded with a nod and a smile to show his respect.

2. MULLET EXTRAORDINAIRE - I have seen some mullets in my day, but never to the extreme of this one guy on the 620 bus.  The top and sides of the head (aka. the business) were buzzed without any of the lengthening guides, while the back (aka. the party) was only maybe a couple of inches shorter than my hair but a little more wavy.  AWESOME!  I just wish the high school crew were with me to enjoy it to its fullest.

3. NICKELBACK DAD - While waiting in line for the ferry I was standing behind a father and his, I'm guessing 8-year old daughter.  They're exchanging songs on their iPods and he shows off by sharing a little Nickelback with her.  She nods then exclaims "I like Coldplay." He looks at her with disgust and says "Coldplay is garbage.  Nickelback is way better."  I ponder whether this could be deemed child abuse.  Nevertheless, they were a pretty cute father/daughter pairing.  But I have a feeling that little girl will be teaching him a lot over the next few years.  Or at least trying to.

4. BLEACH BLONDE - On the ferry I sat next to a wall with a plug to charge my computer, but first gave it over to the bleach blonde girl who had intentionally sat down (after me) to plug in her phone.  I was happy to share, so let her have it first as the attractive guy next to her was already using the other one to watch Inception.  Then the flirting began.  From what I remember of Inception is that it was a pretty intense movie that should probably be watched without interruptions.  But that certainly didn't stop this girl, and the guy certainly didn't seem to mind.  Ah, young love.  I hope they have fun tonight and play it safe.

Oh people!  I don't understand you sometimes, and you can often annoy, but God love you!  You're still awesome.  For anyone who does not regularly take transit - you are missing out!

Sept. 8th: On the Fringe!

The Fringe festival is a really awesome thing.  It's a great way for new and emerging artists to have an accessible way to showcase their work and talent to a huge community of people.  I dabbled in the Fringe a couple of years ago with my one-woman show and I couldn't have been more grateful for the experience of being able to produce my own writing.  Tonight as I watched my friend Erin perform in her own written work, The Selkie Wife, I could only hope that she felt the same way.

The play was stunning and the site-specific venue was absolutely perfect.  What better way to watch a play about the sea than by being outside in the salty air with seagulls calling around you.  The timing also couldn't have been more impeccable.  It's amazing that, in the hour long show, we managed to catch the sunset without ever actually noticing until it was gone.   

Thank you Erin for a beautiful theatre experience.  I hope you relish this time and mingle with your fellow fringers and meet new people who can teach you so many new things (just as they did me).  And please make sure to use that pass of yours as often as you can.  I remember my high school drama teacher telling me that 'there is something to be learned from every piece of theatre that you see, so you should make sure to see as many shows as possible'.  I am paraphrasing, but I think it's really good advice, and there's no better time than now when you have all of these different shows right at your fingertips.  

I hope you have a great run!  Congratulations on a great opening night!

  

Sept. 7th: From morning til night!

I feel like I've been having a lot of just full-blown awesome days lately.  Today was no different!  Starting the day celebrating a friends birthday, followed by a reading of the most recent draft of a new play, then eating cupcakes with bright blue icing, is already pretty cool.  But ending the day with friends who I literally had not seen since their wedding day (which was at the end of April) was the ice cream after a delicious meal.

You know those friends that you have that you can go a few months without talking to, but any time you get together it's as if no time has passed?  I am fortunate enough to have a lot of people in my life who fit into that category.  Though I guess that's what happens when you surround yourself with positive people who genuinely care about your well-being, and when a lot of these people live a few provinces away.  But when the friends only live less than 8 blocks away, then letting a few months go by without seeing is  inexcusable.  Matthew and Joyce: Thanks so much for the delicious meal, the ice cream cone, the hard work, and the deep conversations.  I love you both so much and am thrilled to have finally seen your new love nest!

Sept. 6th: It begins!

One year ago today (or at least last year right after labour day) I went through a weird existential shift.  As I waited for the bus to go to work I got that same feeling that I used to get on the first day back to school - only I wasn't in school anymore.  Still - I had an overwhelming sense of "Fun's over.  Time to get down to work."  I didn't get that today.  Or at least not until I entered the office.

Our box office opened today.  Today was also the last day that our subscribers could get the earlybird discount.  Phones were ringing off the hook!  This is a big change after a very quiet summer in the office.  It's official.  The theatre season has began.  Which means I am going to be able to see some amazing art and hear some amazing stories very soon.

Welcome theatre season!  It's going to busy and thrilling.  I can't wait!  

Sept. 5th: Pleasure Toast!

Okay - so the Kamloops breakfast didn't quite work out on Sunday, but fortunately we still had Monday to make up for it.  So after finishing up our spider dogs* and packing up the tent, we headed back to downtown Kamloops to Hello Toast!  It was worth the wait.  They had a menu item called Pleasure Toast, which of course caught my attention.  Then I read the description:  Cranberry sourdough bread, soaked in egg, served with a mulled cranberry sauce.  . . . Guess what I ordered!

It was SOOOO good.  How good?  Let's just say that after the first few bites I had tell myself to be quiet for fear of recreating the famous restaurant scene from When Harry Met Sally.  There's a reason why they call it Pleasure Toast.

After breakfast we eventually made our way back home.  I realized that I had never actually driven along the Coquihalla in the daylight.  It's a gorgeous drive.  Not that I should be surprised.  It's beautiful British Columbia after all.  But it's amazing how I am constantly overwhelmed by the beauty of the landscape here.  A weekend spent in the outdoors experiencing the natural beauty of this province is nothing short of AWESOME!  Thank you long weekend!

*For the record, spider dogs are roasted hot dogs that are quartered at each end so that they curl as they cook, thus making the hot dogs look like spiders.  If you haven't made them before, then prepare for your mind to be blown the next time you are camping.

Sept. 4th: Kamloops is beautiful?

Sunday morning was great!  After a very cold first night in the tent, we made sure that we were prepared for a better second sleep.  We layered like crazy, made sure the sleeping bags didn't have holes in them, and kept our feet nice and warm.  And sure enough - we were actually able to sleep in.  It was a great night sleep that was followed by an early morning fire.  Welcome to what was our humble abode, complete with water feature.

We tried to start the day with some delicious Kamloops breakfast, but then got slapped in the face with small town charm.  Apparently there are still places in this world that actually close on Sundays or when they are down a worker.  Weird!  Alas - we went to another delicious breakfast joint that I used to go all the time in Montreal.  Enter Cora's!  If you want a breakfast that includes half a plate of fruit, then Cora's is the place for you.  Sure it wasn't Kamloops specific, but it was still new to a couple of us, and therefore still awesome.

After breakfast we decided to spend the day fulfilling one of my desires of the trip: a day at the beach.  Yes, Kamloops has beaches.  It's still a desert.  It's just a desert with a river running through it.  And so we made our way to Riverside Park and spent a relaxing afternoon in and around the river.  

Afterwards we enjoyed a delicious meal and some entertainment, and headed back to the campsite to enjoy some beverages and 20 Questions (or 50 Questions ... whatever).  Any night spent with friends, drinking, playing games and chatting is pretty awesome.  Spending that same night next to a fire and under the stars is even better.  Thank you Kamloops for your simple beauty!

Sept. 3rd: Agricultural Fairs!

Okay so I'm beginning a list of all of the awesomeness that happened this weekend in Kamloops.  There was a lot, so let's get started!

It first started with a trip to Armstrong for the Interior Provincial Exhibition (also known as the IPE).  It seemed a lot like the Ancaster Fair and Heritage Days combined into one event.  The day started off with a parade.  I LOVE parades.  Luke, however, does not.  So the fact that he came to watch the parade was huge.  It takes a pretty awesome person to be willing to put up with something that they REALLY don't like, just for the sake of making their partner and friends happy.  Having a good seat and good company can also make the situation better.

After the parade we made our way over to the fair and the flood of nostalgia began.  The smells of the animals, the grand stand, the rides, the crafts, the vegetables, and the many many ribbons.  I felt like I was home again - just in a much hotter and drier climate.  I have not been to the Ancaster Fair for almost ten years now, so perhaps things have changed since then, but there were some things at this fair that I had not ever experienced in Ancaster.  Such as waiting in line for the tilt-a-whirl right after someone threw up on it, getting bruised from the Scrambler, watching miniature horse races, or eating Taco Salad out of a Doritos bag.  IPE - you are awesome!

Also awesome is making it back to the camp site in time for some hot cocoa, roasted marshmallows, and spider dogs, and a view of the night sky.  Generally - it was a great Saturday!

  

Sept. 2: A land of no internet!

It's rare that I actually get a chance to be in a location where I am without internet for more than 24 hours.  I'm looking forward to this weekend of being a luddite and enjoying the great outdoors.  Sleeping in a tent, under the stars, without any real connections to the rest of the world, other than those in my immediate surroundings.  Yes - I look forward to this weekend.  Pen and paper, I look forward to you too.

Oh - don't think that just because I'm away from the internet that I am going to use it as an excuse to not write about these next few days.  I'll just be logging it while I'm away.  The web part will come back into play when I get back to Vancouver on Monday.

So - goodbye online world!  Hello nature!

Sept. 1st: My fake father!

I love it when my friends are so comfortable with me that they extend that level of comfort to my family members - even if they aren't part of my family.  For instance - when an older gentleman by the name of John Chisholm calls my place of work looking for me, I love it that my friend/co-worker will actually ask the question "Are you Alison's father?" even when the answer to that question is no.

Yes folks - there is more than one John Chisholm in the world.  I happen to believe that I'm the daughter of the best one, but this gentleman seemed pretty awesome too.  I was able to speak with my fake father today as I helped him complete his ticket order.  We bonded over the awesome/awkward situation and then got into some conversations about being a Chisholm.  Asking if I my family were from out west, talking about our Chisholm families in Ontario, and finding out that west coast John Chisholm was actually somehow related to the former Toronto Police Chief, John Chisholm, from back in the day.

So - even though he wasn't my father, it was great to talk with this John Chisholm who has great taste in theatre.  Glad to have you as part of the clan.  Feros Ferio!

Aug 31st: Sexy Dramatic Fantasy Plots!

Wow!  Wow!  That's all I can say.  My mind is BLOWN.  Who knew that if you combined the Tudors with the Lord of the Rings, that you would have an amazing HBO series?  George R.R. Martin did!  Or at least the person who read his book and happened to pitch and sell the series to HBO did.

Yes - I've been spending the better part of my evening watching almost the entire season of Game of Thrones, and it is bloody amazing.  Sean Bean - you made an awesome Boromir, and are an even better Eddard Stark - or at least now you're a lot more likable.  I love you and your awesome kids (looking at you Arya), and their dire wolves.  I'd ask you to adopt me, but I don't think I want to be a part of all the stuff that your family is going through right now.  So I'll let you deal with that on your own.  Just know that I'm rooting for you!

Next up - Episode 9.  I hear it's a doozie!  NO SPOILERS PLEASE!