Feb. 29th: One Giant Leap for Awesome!

February 29th??? Well - that means it's this year's extra day!  You know what that means?  Extra AWESOME!

First let's start off with the huge belly laugh in the office caused by Andrea's awesome attempt (and disastrous failure) to be a figure skater on her office chair. Had she not gone for the spin it probably would have worked.  ... Andrea - I hope your knee is feeling better!

Oh, and of course there was that trip to Denny's for free pancakes because we were smart enough to wear our pink shirts on Pink Shirt Anti-Bullying Day.  And because free pancakes just aren't quite awesome enough, Denny's had the know-how to make them pink.  Free pinkcakes = awesome!

Then after a not so tiring 12 hour day of work, I get home and find an amazing package of goodies waiting for me from my parents including a lovely card mentioning that they included a little gift for me to show me how proud they were of everything I've undertaken to live my dream.  What did they get me?  A charm bracelet with a theatre masks charm.  I think I have just proven that I have the best parents ever!

And as if that weren't enough, I went ahead and made the best spontaneous purchase of my life.  Since my good friend Emilie moved to the Yukon I have been dying to make a trip up to see her.  Unfortunately my plans to see her often conflicted with plans to see family, or other life commitments.  So - it just never happened.  But when I found out the other day that flights from Vancouver to Whitehorse were on for just $99 - I immediately looked at my calendar, compared it with our theatres calendar and realized that this was meant to be.

If I were a more patient person perhaps I would have waited to confirm that I would have a travel buddy, but quite frankly I've been waiting too long to visit Emilie and the beauty of the Yukon.  So - I just booked my flight!  That's right - in early July I will be enjoying what it's like to not see the sun go down.  I am SO excited, I can't even explain it.  Usually after big purchases I have a bit of panic over spending a big chunk of money.  Not right now!  Now - all that I'm feeling is awesome!

Congratulations leap day - you have sufficiently filled your quota of awesome for the next four years!  It will be interesting to see if you can do it again in 2016!

Feb. 28th: The Art of the Inhale

I have a new love.  I call it Catalyst Theatre.  A couple of years ago I saw their production of Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, and I was completely and utterly blown away by the design and stylization of the production.  So as soon as I heard that their show Hunchback was coming to town I knew that I had to see it.

As implied by the title, Hunchback is based on Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame about a priest, gypsy, and deformed bell ringer whose lives become entangled in a tale of overpowering love.  Catalyst's telling of this classic story is punctuated with yet another impeccable design, phenomenal musical arrangements, some amazing choreography, and of course the ridiculous triple-threat talents of the entire cast.

It's weird because I often hear mixed reviews of Catalyst shows.  I guess I can understand that the styling of their shows is based on a very specific aesthetic that will not match everyone's taste.  But being one of those people who LOVES their aesthetic, I have a hard time understanding what's not to love.  These people can make a simple inhale an absolutely breathtaking experience.  ... And for the record, I actually thought long and hard as to whether to leave that sentence intact, but because of how much I mean it, I decided to ignore any potential cheesiness for the sake of maintaining the literal translation.

To say this show was awesome feels like a bit of an understatement to me.  Congratulations to Catalyst Theatre, Vancouver Playhouse Theatre, and the Cultch for this stellar production!

Feb. 27th: Slumber(ish) Parties!

Who doesn't love a good ladies night?  Well ... men ... maybe.  You know, cuz they're not invited.  But me - I am not a man and just so happens to be one of those girls who LOVES a fun ladies night in.  So when my good friend Shay mentioned that she would be hosting a slumber party on a night when her hubby was out of town - well I was in!

Any night that involves treats, girly movies, girl chats, and a crazy huge sleeping area, is a great night.  The things I hadn't planned for was that lent had already started and therefore my giving up 'sweets' was put to the test.  Also - my hacking cough put my considerate side in gear and made me spend the slumbering part of the night in my own bed so that the only person I would disrupt would be myself.

Still -  the evening was fantastic.  I got to know some new ladies, and learned some new things about the ladies I already knew.  And that's always awesome!  Thanks for the lovely night Shay!

Feb. 26th: Epic Snowfall!

Okay - so on my fairly lazy Sunday the most epic and awesome thing happened to me.  First of all I was in a really fantastic mood - and that's always awesome - but then while I was walking home from getting some groceries something crazy happened that made my face hurt from smiling too much.

So, for those who don't know, Vancouver weather can occasionally be a little schizophrenic.  There are the odd days when the weather just doesn't know what it wants to be.  Recently there was a bright and shiny and then spontaneously hailed for no reason.  Today wasn't quite like that, but it was awesome.  On my way to get groceries the sun was shining and it was gorgeous which is probably what put me in my good mood to begin with.  But after getting my groceries I started my long walk home and realized that as I stepped outside that the weather wasn't quite as nice as it was on the way down - but that wasn't going to ruin my mood.  After all, it was still sunny to the East and West, but right where I was there was this dark slightly ominous cloud and in the distance I could see the cloudy streaks of precipitation.  I thought to myself "Oh well.  At least it's not raining on me right now."  Still I continued my not so short walk home listening to some showtunes.

As I approached my street, I noticed this small white flake float down to the ground.  I thought "That's weird.  There's only one."  Then a good 10 seconds went by and then I saw another solitary flake float the ground. "But it's sunny" I thought while looking to the west.  Then I looked up and with the wind blowing my hairback and the epic sounds of I Am Africa (from The Book of Mormon soundtrack) in my ear, I noticed that just up the hill there were LOTS of snowflakes coming down.  But to the East and West, nothing but sun.  Well - hello face muscles!

It seemed like the last few times it has snowed in Vancouver I have been stuck in a basement office just hearing about and not experiencing it.  But not this time.  No - this time someone made sure that I was going to enjoy the snow in one of the most epic and awesome ways possible.  And I am so grateful!

Feb. 25th: Learning From Others

Saturday I spent the evening at Second Storey Theatre volunteering with Front-of-House and watching some great improv.  I have to say that it's really awesome when you are surrounded by amazingly talented people who you have the pleasure to learn from.  It's too bad that I don't have more spare time to see more of the shows at Second Storey because I learn so much every time I go there.

I was originally planning to head home right after the show, but instead of making the mad dash to catch the bus in time one of my improv friends stopped me and offered me a ride to the skytrain instead.  I was happy to take up the offer to hang out with her more in the car ride to the skytrain.  And in doing so I was able to sit in on the notes session after the show.  Even though I wasn't in the show, it was such a great experience to have seen the show and hear the notes afterwards.  Some notes were expected, so weren't but made a lot of sense, and all of them were beneficial to hear.

Thank you improv friends for providing me with yet another fantastic learning opportunity!  Learning is awesome!

Feb. 24th: This Means War, Loewen!

Okay - so Andrea and I have been having a friendly battle about whether I've been sick or not these last couple of days.  I have admitted yesterday that I wasn't feeling 100% and therefore opted out of plans to enjoy a night at home to get back to full power.  But despite my best efforts, I felt that my percentage had actually dropped today, and for a moment this evening I almost surrendered and gave in and let a little bit of sickness ruin another night's plans.  But thanks to a delayed effect of drugs and Andrea's phone being turned off - I made my way out the door to win my pride back!  That's right, Loewen!  You may have won the battle, but I won the war!

And really I am SO glad I did.  Because the evening was filled with the awesomeness of seeing our friend Aleks on the big screen in This Means War.  True to form, he was epically awesome and hilarious in his role as the Karate Dad. We, of course, stuck around to see his name roll through the end credits so that we could give him our applause.  And to think that if my 6pm self had gotten its way, I wouldn't have seen it at all.

You know that phrase: "If you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything." Well I think it's kind of stupid.  I can get what people mean when they say it, but I have a hard time taking it seriously (possibly because I remember hearing it in The Princess Bride).  The fact is that if you haven't got your health, there are still lots of other things you could have.  Like JOY for instance!  Sure I could have stayed home and treated myself better, but I would have been miserable (trust me - I did it last night).  Part of what influences your physical health is your mental health.  I personally think I needed this night of fun and ridiculousness to bring me back to normal.  I feel so much better already!  Hopefully tomorrow I'll be back to that 100%, but if I'm not then at least I had an awesome night out!

Feb. 23rd: Finding a way out of a jam!

After leaving a number of minutes after my friendly colleagues I walked into the Parking Garage to find them stuck in a bit of a jam.  They were stuck between a concrete post and a rather large truck with very little room on either side.  Fortunately with my new obsession with Discovery Channel's new show Canada's Greatest Know-It-All and the recent episode where they need to find their way in and out of tight spots, I looked at the space around the car and realized that it was ample room for them to get out.  All they needed was a little guidance and whole lot of trust in me.

I will admit that if I were the one behind the wheel I probably would have had some reservations about moving with only mere inches to spare, but Andrea clearly has a lot of faith in me.  Which clearly she should have had because with some team work and some running back and forth between the front and back of her car with accute awareness of her clearance on both sides, we got the car out! YAY!

I know some people might think it's silly for me to consider this today's awesomism.  I'm sure a lot of people could have found themselves out of the jam with no problem.  But I am generally not one of those people, so the fact that I had a brief lapse of spatial confidence that a good friend believed in and the result was a sheer success ... well I think that's pretty darn awesome!

Feb 22nd: Being responsible!

So we're nearing the end of February which means we are coming to that crucial time when we get one last chance at a tax break on our 2010 tax returns.  That's right - RSPs are due!  So I spent the evening getting stuff together for my contribution this year.

Coming from a Scottish background, I learned the importance of being frugal at a fairly young age (and after staying at a hotel that chained it's TV remotes to the bedside table, I learned the difference between being frugal and being cheap).  My Dad was sure to drill the phrase "Only If Necessary" into my head before every shopping trip to the point where strangers would overhear me turning down clothes on back-to-school shopping trips and wonder where I came from (truth be told - I think my Mom may have shared their sentiment sometimes).  I've generally been good about not spending money on useless things, but it's only in recent years that I've become an active saver - and it feels good.

I know that I'm not the highest wage earner around, but I do know that I make more than enough to live in what is the most expensive city in North America right now, and still have the ability to put away some cash here and there.  So if anyone out there has excuses as to why they can't do it - I'm here to say that you can!  It may require some lifestyle changes but once you realize that the majority of your expenses are on basic consumer items that you don't even need then you will find that the transition doesn't need to be nearly as difficult as you think it might be.

By no means am I saying that I'm doing everything right (I'm not), but I can definitely tell you that being proactive about my future feels absolutely AWESOME.  For anyone who wants to make a change, but doesn't know how, I strongly recommend watching the show Til Debt Do Us Part!  It will give you the swift kick in the pants you need.  At least it gave me the kick I needed - and I couldn't be happier about it.

Feb. 21st: Final Day with the Comedy Legend

I cannot begin to describe how unbelievable these last two days have been.  There's a reason why Kevin McDonald is as famous as he is.  Because he's an absolute comedy genius.  It was great to spend two full days with him learning how to transform an improv scene into a great sketch.

I especially liked getting to talk to him more about his experience on Kids In The Hall and their process of collaboration.  If there is anything I learned from these workshops it is that the success of sketch comedy has a lot to do with the communication between the writers.  The beauty of improv is that the writers are too busy directing and performing to think about how they are going to funny.  The funny just sort of happens.  But when you put a bunch of comedians in a room who all have their ideas of how to make something funny, it can be hard to decide collectively which funny route you want to take. 

The lesson I took away is to respect my fellow comedians and do my best to understand their comedic strengths in relation to my own so that together we can create the funniest scenes possible.

Thank you so much Kevin McDonald for an extremely inspirational two days.  And thank you for the extremely hilarious performance with Table 23 tonight.  There really is only one word to wrap up yesterday and today: AWESOME!

Feb. 20th: Day One with A Kid in the Hall

So - I was lucky enough to come across this amazing opportunity that any Canadian aspiring comedian would love to pounce on.  Second Storey Theatre, where I perform improv in Port Coquitlam, received word that a well-known legend of Canadian comedy wanted to host a two-day workshop in their space.  That comedian just so happened to be Kevin McDonald, of Kids In The Hall fame!

WHAT?!?!?!? Well obviously I had to attend the workshop.  I don't even know what I want out of my career as an improviser/comedienne but it seemed to me that attending the workshop could only help me get it once I figure out what it is.  If absolutely nothing else, the workshop would at least be highly inspirational.  Oh - and I couldn't be more right.

Truthfully, as soon as I walked in the room and he extended his hand and said "Hi.  I'm Kevin." I was completely blown away.  He is exactly as you would expect him to be.  Hilarious, fun, charming, and personable.  And I signed up to spend two full days with him!  Pinch me!

After Day One I am absolutely inspired. Still a bit intimidated (he is Kevin McDonald after all) but mostly inspired.  I realized how difficult it can be to write comedy, especially from improv.  But it is encouraging to hear a legend talking about what was right about your work, even if the scene was far from perfect.  I cannot wait to see what happens tomorrow.

Feb. 19th: TV Movies

Have you ever had that experience of having every intention to see a movie, but never actually make the effort to actually see it?  And then all of the sudden one quiet night at home while channel surfing you find the movie playing on TV.  Yeah - pretty awesome, eh?  Well that's what happened to me on Sunday.

After a good and redeeming improv workshop, I enjoyed a rare night at home.  Because I like to enjoy my spare time watching TV I started flipping through channels, and what did I find playing but The Blindside.  After hearing surprisingly good things about this movie, and its Oscar wins I really wanted to see the movie.  I clearly didn't want to see it badly enough, because if I had I actually would have taken the effort to rent, stream, or somehow see the movie.  But no - I just happened to be sitting at home looking for something to watch and it made it's way to me.

I'm glad I finally got to see it.  It's still a fairly sentimental and hallmark type movie, it does have a lot of substance, and Sandra Bullocks performance was certainly worthy of her Oscar win.  What a great way to spend a portion of my Sunday before falling asleep extremely early - which, by the way, is also quite awesome. Especially when it is very clear that your body needs it.  I strongly recommend both sleep and The Blindside.

Feb. 18th: Party at the Legion!

Birthday Parties are a given awesomism.  But when you host a birthday party at a Legion with a live band and shuffle boards then the awesomeness of the party is increased exponentially!

Legions are amazing places.  They are these historical venues, with cheap drinks, fun activities, lots of open tables, a great group of regulars, and if you're lucky you'll even get a live band who play some classic songs.  So when my good friend Linsy chose to host her b-day party at a Legion I was super excited.  It was a great way to have a really fun night out, and still be able to mingle and chat with all of the party-goers.  We were able to drink, dance, and catch up while even getting a few rounds of shuffle board.

I seem to recall playing at least some version on shuffle board at some point or other.  Or at least I remember a varnished board with targets that required throwing circular disks down a cornmealed surface.  Whether it was actual shuffle board or not, I don't know.  But I certainly do not recall it ever being so hard.  When we shuffle boarded at the Legion, it was amazing how much all of us young'uns were struggling with what seemed like such a simple game.  We were lucky when were able to keep the disk on the board long enough to even be counted as 1 point.  And then we'd look next to us to watch these older couples landing there disks in the 2 or 3 point sections with what seemed like little to no effort.  I hope that some day I become good enough to do that, but I cannot conceivable figure out how to make that happen.

Linsy - thanks so much for the great party!  I hope you had as much fun as I did.  Happy Birthday!!! 

Feb. 17th: Support from the Audience

Okay - so I had a show on Friday night.  I'm not going to sugarcoat things.  It really wasn't a great show for me.  My fellow performers were great and extremely supportive, but for some reason I was having a rough night.  Fortunately I had some great support in the audience.

It's amazing how a friendly face in the audience can make a huge difference to morale.  Seeing Luke out there supporting during the show, and hearing his distinct laugh helped me out a lot.  But most importantly when the show was over and I was beating myself up, it was really nice to have someone try to save me from myself.  I can't say that he was successful (I am pretty strong and determined after all), but knowing that I at least had his support and encouragement was a really nice feeling.

Maybe one of these days I'll take his advice and be a little less hard on myself.  Maybe!

Feb. 16th: Understanding People

I really miss posting about random happenings, so that's what I'm going to focus on today.  Now, my choice of today's awesomeness might seem a little weird because it should be one of those things that we all experience daily.  That being said - even if we do experience it daily, we should still acknowledge the awesomeness of Understanding People.

I know I have discussed trials and tribulations of customer service before, and how great it can be when customer service goes well, but today I specifically want to thank all of those understanding people out there who take bad news well.  I hate being the bearer of bad news.  But I also get no better sense of relief as I do when I anticipate a backlash from a person and instead hear them say "No problem."  I know this shouldn't be anything special but I do really want to thank all of those people out there who understand when things cannot go the way they want.  We all know that we can't always get what we want, but that doesn't stop us from trying.  The key thing to remember is that if we want to ask for a favour, that we are doing just that: asking for a FAVOUR.  If someone declines, it is our responsibility to smile and thank them for their consideration.  LOTS of people remember to do this.  Some don't!

I'd personally like to thank the majority for being the good understanding people they are.  Please feel free to ask for a favour anytime.  I just hope that next time I can actually help you out!

Feb. 15th: Let them eat cake!

Generally I'm not one to take pride in plans falling through, but when my romantic gesture of making a double-layer cake for Luke turned into me making two layers and only icing one - that meant that there was a whole other layer of cake to deal with?  What to do, what to do?

I actually wanted to leave the cake at Luke's place.  I had made it for him, and I really didn't want to have to take it home with me.  I already had a lot of sweets to get through before the beginning of Lent and I didn't want to have to worry about another one.  Fortunately Luke reminded me that I work in an office of people who love treats, and so ....

Needless to say, the cake was eaten by the end of the day.  It's rare that I bring a baked good for the office to enjoy (I blame my angry oven), but it was pretty awesome to see how excited people were to have some cake.  Even if it was just a cake from a box - it's still cake and therefore awesome!

Feb. 14th: Love Day!

VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!  Whether spent with friends, family, or a boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse - it is day of celebrating the ones you love.  And for the first time in a while I was actually to spend the day with my partner. 

Somehow the stars aligned so that I had to be in Abbotsford on the Tuesday morning, which meant that I was able to wake up on February 14th to wish Luke a Happy Valentine's Day before we both had to head out the door for a day at work in the Ford (yes, I just called it that).  We were able to have lunch together before he had to go back to work again.  Meanwhile I was able to take the time to catch up on some work and do some help out around the house.  And even have an adventure in making cake without the standard supplies required for making a cake (like a mixing bowl, measuring cups, and the appropriate number of cake pans).  Unfortunately my time management hadn't worked the way I hoped and Luke ended up coming home just as I was icing the first layer of cake.  I had just enough time to get a thin layer on and carve a misshapen heart in it as he walked into the kitchen.  It wasn't the big romantic gesture I had planned, but the hilarious awkwardness of the moment couldn't have been more perfect.

And it was a great preparation for the change in other Valentine's plans.  After a stressful day at work and my not feeling well, we changed our minds about going out for a romantic dinner and instead just had a simple night at home with Luke making breakfast for dinner.  

It's so easy to get caught up in the romance of Valentine's Day.  I will admit to having fallen into the trap despite my best efforts to believe that I didn't need it.  But while I was reflecting on the ridiculousness on what I was feeling, I realized that any disappointment I had felt was caused by the fact that the evening ended up being just like most other nights spent together.  And really - if my usual nights spent with my partner involve him making me dinner and cuddling with me on the ground as I curl up in the fetal position, then really isn't every day Valentine's Day?  I think so!  And that's just awesome!

Feb. 13th: Sparring with Teacher!

After another class of Cardio Kickboxing I have come to realize just how desperately I need the class.  While I wouldn't call myself a lazy person, I would say that I'm out of shape and extremely weak.  Fortunately for me this week I was partnered with the teacher.

Truth be told, the last time I did Cardio Kickboxing it was back in high school and my good friend Julie was teaching.  I don't remember ever sparring with anyone, but rather just ended up following the sequence of punches and kicks.  But in this class the majority of the class is spent sparring with partners, switching back and forth between who is holding the pads and who is throwing the punches.  It ends up being a full workout, but with enough opportunities to catch your breath - you know, for those people like me who are need to catch their breath.  But this week was different.  When you're partnered with the teacher, there's no chance to switch.  So I ended up getting twice the workout that I usually do.

It was awesome to push myself even more than usual.  I don't know if it's something I'd hope for every class, but it was good for the one class.  And the timing couldn't have been better, because that just happened to be the class when I was getting picked up, and therefore didn't need to worry about walking to the bus.  After a full hour of lunging and kicking, my legs were feeling a bit wobbly.  Hopefully that will stop being the case by the end of these 12 weeks.

Feb. 12th: Real Life Video Games

Okay - the weirdest and most random thing happened today.  The best way to describe it was like watching a video game in real life.  It involved a car and a helium balloon.

While driving to my morning improv workshop, I looked out the window and saw a floating object.  Upon closer inspection I realized that it was an old helium balloon with only so much helium in it that it hovered about 6 feet off the ground with one of those straw like sticks hanging down from it.  It was absolutely surreal because it was completely motionless.  It just hovered perfectly still in the middle of the lane.  Any amount of wind would have had it moving but at the time I saw it there must not have been any wind or anything at all to disturb it.  That is until a car came by and hit it.

You know when you are playing those racing games and you have to collect tokens or coins?  That's exactly what it looked like when the car hit balloon.  The balloon was high enough that the car didn't hit the balloon itself, but rather just the stick that was hanging from it.  But still - it was a perfect hit and it looked hilarious.

I know it's really silly but I'm making this floating balloon my awesomism for the day.  It was just a perfect storm of having the perfect amount of helium, combined with the weight of the stick, and the lack of environment influence that allowed the balloon to stay completely stationary before being hit by a car.  Perhaps it was one of those "you had to be there" moments, but at least there was one other person there to witness and vouch for the awesomeness of this event.  It's amazing how much I appreciate these random acts of awesome.

Feb. 11th: The Quick Dash to the Airport

This morning I was able to sleep in without any real plans for the day other to perform in the improv show late at night.  And then at some point in the day I received a phone call from my Mom telling me that her travel plans had changed and that she would be in Vancouver for a few hours in the evening.  Having experienced a weekend in the life of Alison in December, she was expecting to hear that I would busy.  But she also knows me well enough to know that if I will meet up with her at any cost so long as I can find some time.

And that's just what I did.  I needed to be at the theatre for 8pm, but she landed at 6:15 giving us just enough time to have a bite to eat at the airport and catch up before we bid farewell for another few months.  It was a quick visit, but one that I was extremely grateful for.  On the way to the theatre I of course became a little mopey.  It's hard saying good-bye.  During the visit everything seems so normal.  It's as if no time has past at all.  Then after every good-bye reality kicks in again.

I miss my family.  But I made my choice to live in Vancouver, because my life out here is completely awesome.  So if that means that I have to make short trips to the airport just so I can get a couple of hours in with family - I will take it.  Love you lots Mom!  Looking forward to seeing you again in May.

Feb. 10th: On stage at Work

When I considered a career in theatre administrations, I started thinking about what my dream job would be.  What I came up with was the opportunity to produce theatre full-time as an administrator, while being given the chance to perform on the theatre's stage at some point in a season.  I don't know what made me so lucky but that's exactly what I got.

Every year Pacific Theatre has its annual improv show, SIDESHOW, that in the last few years I have been privileged to be a part of.  It took me a while to get into it because I hadn't done an improv for at least four years by the time I started at PT.  After a few drop-in workshops I got back on the horse and was invited to participate in the show and have been a part of it ever since. It's pretty amazing to be a part of the theatre's season - even if only for a weekend event.  It's pretty awesome feeling like I'm being invested in as an employee as well as an artist.  I didn't know how realistic my career goal was, but I'm grateful that I was able to find it.

Feb. 9th: The '50s and '60s!

After going to see The Marvelous Wonderettes on Thursday I had all of the music in my head for the next little while.  The show included some of the best hits of the 50's and 60's.  It's funny because I don't really remember my parents owning any albums with some of these classic songs, but I definitely knew them all.  Maybe I just never noticed the albums in the collection, or maybe the songs were in compilations or soundtracks, but somehow I became very acquainted with song and lyrics of "Lollipop", "All I Have to Do Is Dream", "Stupid Cupid", "Heatwave", "It's In His Kiss", "You Don't Own Me", "It's My Party", "Son of a Preacher Man", "Leader of the Pack", "Rescue Me", and "Respect".

I do recall hearing some of these songs from movies (Mermaids and Sister Act, as I recall) but I can't pinpoint when or how I heard the others.  I guess the beauty of classics is that they are classic - so no matter how old you are, it is almost certain that at some point in your life you are destined to hear the songs at some point or other.

So here's to the classics!  And specifically the 50's and 60's as represented by the Marvelous Wonderettes.  Thanks ladies!!!

Feb. 8th: The Genius of Leonard Cohen

Wowza!  I almost forgot just how amazing Leonard Cohen is until I went to see Chelsea Hotel tonight.  If there are any Canadians out there who are not familiar with the genius that is Leonard Cohen, then I strongly recommend that you stop being silly and do some research.  And if you are in Vancouver, then I recommend that part of your research involves going to the Firehall Arts Centre.

I continue to be amazed by the level of talent that Vancouver has to offer.  I cannot give enough praise to the entire artistic team of Chelsea Hotel for putting together such a magnificent show.  The show is very simply a collection of poems and songs by Leonard Cohen strung together to create a phenomenal piece of theatre.  I still can't figure out how they did it.  I think it had something to do with the script, the beautiful designs, and the ridiculous talents of all of the performers.  Forget about being triple threats.  These performers are actors, singers, and dancers who are also skilled in playing a variety of instruments.  Talent like theirs just seems unfair to all of the other performers out there who are looking for work.

This show was absolutely astounding, but I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed while I was watching it.  I kept thinking about close friends and family from back home who would have absolutely loved to see the performance.  Unfortunately they won't get the chance to attend simply because they are geographically unable.  I hope for their sake that this show is an outrageous success and ends up going on tour.  Let's hope Vancouver audiences pull through and make this production the success it deserves to be, so that other Canadians can also enjoy and celebrate one of our greatest artists!

Congratulations to the Firehall for an awesome show!  Best wishes for the rest of the run.

Marlene Ginader and Adrian Glynn McMorran in Chelsea Hotel

Feb. 7th: Stylin!

It's an awesome day when a complete stranger asks for a moment of your time to give you a compliment.  As I was getting off the bus I had someone stop me on the street to talk to me.  He was on the bus as well and noticed me.  He said he was a stylist from Paris and had just come to Vancouver and he really liked my style.  He asked my height and commented on my body (somehow without seeming creepy) and started talking about how he would love to work with me about how I could further my styling capabilities.

I had to break it to him that I had absolutely no funding to afford a stylist let alone the styles he would likely put me in.  In fact, the outfit that he had complimented me on cost me $20 (excluding my $50 winter coat).  He seemed understanding and just grateful for the chat and the opportunity to talk about his business.

I am well aware that there's a very good chance that he wasn't even a stylist (especially after googling the business name he had given me).  And yes - there's a chance that he was using it as an excuse to hit on me (which - again - he managed to do without being creepy at all).  But it doesn't change the fact that it's awesome to have someone stop you on the street to pay you a compliment!

Feb. 6th: Chocolate Milk

Mmmmmm - chocolate milk.  So delicious and creamy.  But definitely not one of those things you have every day.  Fortunately for me I happened to remember a couple of people mentioning that chocolate milk can be a good thing to have after a big workout.  Well I don't know if or why this is true - but I wasn't going to let a good excuse to drink chocolate milk pass me by.

This spring I decided to sign up for a cardio kickboxing class to try to be active in this dreary season.  I had to miss my first couple of classes, but I made it tonight and wow was it ever a workout.  I should have seen it coming.  I'm weak as anything and to say that my cardio is lacking is an understatement.  The good news is that despite it kicking my butt tonight, I am still encouraged by the class and look forward to the next one.  (A huge improvement on my previous attempt of keeping fit with capoeira).

I left the class feeling invigorated, very sweaty, and extremely thirsty.  I knew on my way home that I would be passing by my grocery store, so I made sure to take an opportunity that I get so rarely.  I grabbed a basket, grabbed a few essential things that I needed, then headed straight for the chocolate milk.  And what do you know? It's on SALE!  It's like it was meant to be.

Oh - and because I'm a total nerd and needed to know, I googled "Why is chocolate milk good after a workout?"  The first link I found was from a fitness magazine:  

 Its high water content replaces fluids lost as sweat, preventing dehydration. Plus it packs a nutritional bonus of calcium, and includes just a little sodium and sugar -- additives that help recovering athletes retain water and regain energy.  - http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/superfoods/chocolate-milk-after-workout/ (Follow the link to read the full article)

So there you have it.  Further proof that chocolate milk is awesome!  Thanks brown cows! 

Feb. 5th: Defining "Walkable"

Yesterday on my walk to a friends place to hang out I started to think about my life in the city vs. my life in the burbs.  It seems odd to compare the two since the burbs is where I spent my time growing up and learning how to live, while the city is where I spent my time practicing those lessons.  Even so - it was an interesting thought process I went through.

Back in Ancaster it seemed that it just wasn't possible to get anywhere without driving.  This tends to be one of those things that is commonly stated by suburbanites.  That being said, it seems that most suburbanites always have a vehicle made available to them and therefore why not drive everywhere?  But what happens if you don't have a car?

Since getting out of Ancaster and the suburbs to live in both Montreal and Vancouver, I became so used to walking places that a half hour to forty minute walk really didn't seem that bad.  Keep in mind that I was a student and have been working in the arts, so budget restraints might play a factor in this walking thing.  But the fact is that 30 - 40 minute walks to get to a destination were most certainly doable.  Especially if the alternative meant having to wait for two different buses which could end up taking just as long. I remember when I found out that some friends of mine were moving to my area in Vancouver.  I became ecstatic because it meant that I could walk to and from their houses.  It was still almost a 30 minute walk, but in my mind it seemed so close.  Whereas when I was growing up in Ancaster and had to walk 30 minutes to work, it seemed like such a daunting task.  But after a few years in Montreal and coming home for summers when 5 of us needed to share 2 cars, I was often happy to volunteer to take those 30 - 40 minutes walks to work.  I was even happy to take the 15 minute walk to the bus stop just to get downtown.  Soon enough, those long walks seemed like the norm for me.

Funny how a little change in environment and lifestyle can totally change your mindset about some things.  I stil laugh to myself when tourists are trying to figure out how to get somewhere and they ask the question "Is it walkable?"  I've learned from answering this question a number of times that when someone asks if something is walkable what they really mean is "Can I walk there in 15 minutes or less?" Even though I know what they are getting at, I still answer with an enthusiastic "YES! ... but it might take you about 30 minutes."

Bonus #6: Winter in Vancouver

I meant to post this yesterday but with the evening being as awesome as it was I never got around to it.  So here it is now.  Vancouver on Feb. 3rd!  Welcome to the neighbourhood.

Feb. 4th: Settling Upper Canada!

So much awesome in one evening.  After a full day of cleaning and doing laundry I was welcomed by Luke who came in and said "I'm taking you to dinner.  How soon can you leave?"  I still wanted to finish folding laundry but I knew there would be something significantly wrong with me if I turned down his awesome offer for the sake of having my clothes a little less wrinkled.  So I got ready and we made our way out for an awesome dinner at one of my favourite restaurants.

Then off to an evening of Settling Upper Canada!  We all know the board game, Settlers of Catan.  Well good pal Josh thought it would be awesome if he made his own version of the game and called it Settlers of Upper Canada.  The game is played almost exactly the same, but the concept is different and the tiles are all crafted.  I got a little confused by the crafting as there was now a brown tile, which I mistakenly thought was wood, but apparently it was intended to be fur (thereby replacing the sheep resource).  So inspired by the new Canadian theme, the new resource quickly became the beaver resource.  Very Canadian and hilarious, and therefore awesome!

It was such a great night.  Crafts and board games = AWESOME!  Thanks Shay and Josh!   

Feb. 3rd: Getting past the nervousness!

I have heard people tell me that the minute I stop being nervous about performing is the moment I need to stop performing.  Well - if that's true, then clearly I need to keep performing because I spent my entire day on Friday filled with absolute dread about my performance that evening.  I've performed a lot, and I always have that hint of stage fright before going on which quickly subsides as soon as the show starts.  But Friday was something else.  At one point in the day I actually questioned whether I wanted to do the show or not because I was so nervous.  Despite all of the training and the workshops I have done to prepare for the show, it was my first show as a resident cast member and I really REALLY wanted it to be a good show.  

Fortunately a hectic transit ride to PoCo and my deliberate attempt to go into the theatre with a smile on my face distracted me from my nerves long enough for me to only feel excited for the show and focus on what I needed to do to get ready.  By the time the show started it was back to the usual stage fright which quickly melted away with the warmth of the crowd.  The show was fantastic.  Great scenes, great support from the performers and the audience.  It was so much fun.  To think that at one point I actually thought about not doing the show was crazy.  It was a good realization of how crippling our fears can be sometimes, and the empowerment that comes from getting past them.

May I forever maintain that sense of nervousness before shows.  Thanks for a great night gang!

Feb. 2: All in one peel!

Today I want to celebrate life's little successes.  

Like this orange for instance.  Doesn't it look delicious?  And suspicious?

Perhaps it's the fact that it's not an orange at all!  It's just an orange peel.

Ah yes - the single orange peel.  Is there any greater feeling?  Probably.  But this small success was all I needed to make me giggle and feel awesome today.    

And because awesome begets awesome - so stay tuned for  an upcoming Bonus post!

Feb. 1st: Inspirational Women

Today's awesomism are all of those amazing women who are, or should be, an inspiration to every young lady out there.

My inspiration for today's awesomism began when the incomparable Lucia Frangione stepped into the office.  I cannot think of another woman out there who carries such grace and confidence in such a classy and understated yet unmistakable way.  She radiates what it is to be a woman.  Strong, independent, sexy, yet humble, and securely vulnerable.  She knows that life is a beautiful thing to be cherished and most importantly experienced.  I aspire to have even just a portion of the grace and mindset of this woman.

Then later tonight I was inspired by more women as I sat and watched the opening night of Calendar Girls at the Stanley Theatre.  For those who don't know, Calendar Girls is about members of a Women's Institute chapter who create a nude calendar to raise money for the hospital where the husband of one of the women was treated for leukaemia before passing on.  It's inspired by a true story of a calendar which was released in 1999 by a WI Chapter.

The play itself was extremely inspirational, as was watching another primarily female cast on the Stanley stage.  But if that wasn't enough, I got a little teary-eyed at the end when the Artistic Director came out immediately following the curtain call to inform the cast audience that Trisha Stewart who inspired the role for Chris (played by Helen Mirren in the 2003 movie) was in the audience with us tonight.  How awesome is that?

All of these women are so extraordinary that it is my absolute pleasure to write about how awesome they are.  A big thank you to all of the women who have inspired my confidence and independence to make me the woman I am.  Thank you for your continued inspiration!

Jan. 31st: Play it again Sam!

Here are some things that are awesome:
1.  Classic private eye movies
2.  Live Musical Parodies of classic private eye movies
3.  Having one of your favourite actors perform the role of the private eye in the musical parody of those classic private eye movies.

Tuesday night I got a second chance.  Exactly one week prior I was supposed to go see a late-night theatre show, but instead ended up curled up in the fetal position on my couch trying not to throw up.  My staying home was the right choice, but I was sad to miss the show.  Fortunately all I needed to do was apologize for never being able to use my tickets, and presto change-o - they were moved to the following week. Awesome!

So I was finally able to go see Gunmetal Blues, and somehow even managed to get a sick Luke to drive an hour into town to come join me.  I felt really bad about having him come out when he was really sick, but I knew he loved the genre so I trusted him to make the right choice.  And I think he did, because we had a blast at the show.  It was so much fun and Andrew Wheeler was amazing as Sam the private eye.  In general - it was a great and classic night.