Short one today, folks,
I can't believe how much I've been neglecting this blog. Call it a case of the Year-End Stresses. Finished my first final exam at the graduate level today. I'm glad I spend three straight days studying, but it was easier than I thought it was going to be. Now I just have one final (Statistics) and two papers left to write. Then I get to go home!
That's right! This out-of-town Westerner is going home for Christmas. And she can't wait.
I get to see my mom and my dad! I get to see my brother! I get to see all my friends!
I get to see real snow. Feel real cold.
I finally get to drive again! I can't believe how much I miss driving my car. I'm going to say it, I love me my little gas burner; environment be damned.
I get to go back to a real city. I know. Toronto is a real city. It's just not my real city. It's more of a metropolis than a city. This displaced Albertan is looking forward to being back in Edmonton.
I thought of making a list of all of the things I am missing the most, but realized that the list would be about the length of a thesis dissertation. Let's just suffice to say that above all else, I'm looking forward to seeing family. And friends. But as much as I love my friends, nothing beats a hug from Mom and Dad.
All right, now I'm just throwing myself a pity party. Seven days and I won't be so homesick. Until then, I'm peace-ing out on the blog. I'll do a good one about being home. About how "the air is sweeter," "the snow is whiter," "the hockey is better," and "the politics are..." Okay, even though I'm swimming in "lefties" out here, the existence of Rob Ford has really made me doubt this whole "left-wing" Easterner bit. I don't really know what "the politics are" here, but I've got to say, Alberta has had a couple of political doozies since I left.
Until next week,
Cait
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Tis the Season!!
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, dear readers,
It is December 1st and Christmas is coming. Seventeen days until I fly home. Twenty-five days until Christmas Day. Thirty-one days until the new year. Thirty-six days until my birthday. I love this season!
When I went to class this afternoon I was joyfully surprised to find my Residence Lobby had been decorated with yuletide cheer. There's a Christmas tree with lights and ornaments, a garland with a wreath over-top the front desk, and a large, white, lit-up moose (our residence mascot).
I have a Christmas moose hanging on my door.
I have advent stockings hanging on my wall (I have no chimney, or else they would be hung there with care).
The only thing missing... Snow.
December 1st and this blasted city has no snow. No winter wonderland for me to wake up to. No winter wonderland to trek through to class. December 1st and I haven't even taken my winter coat out of the closet.
I miss Edmonton in the winter. There's something sadly magical about the need to put winter tires on your car in late-October. There's something truly magical about seeing the Alberta Legislature lit up with Christmas lights and covered in snow. There's something welcoming about blanketed fields and ploughed gravel roads.
I'm looking forward to finding my own winter wonderland here in my adoptive city, but until there's snow, I just can't get attached.
I love winter.
I love snow.
I love this season!
I'm looking forward to heading home for the holidays to see my family, my friends, my city, my snow, and my winter.
Until then...
I leave you with a little "Let it Snow" performed by Jamie Cullum.
Cait
It is December 1st and Christmas is coming. Seventeen days until I fly home. Twenty-five days until Christmas Day. Thirty-one days until the new year. Thirty-six days until my birthday. I love this season!
The only thing missing... Snow.
December 1st and this blasted city has no snow. No winter wonderland for me to wake up to. No winter wonderland to trek through to class. December 1st and I haven't even taken my winter coat out of the closet.
I miss Edmonton in the winter. There's something sadly magical about the need to put winter tires on your car in late-October. There's something truly magical about seeing the Alberta Legislature lit up with Christmas lights and covered in snow. There's something welcoming about blanketed fields and ploughed gravel roads.
I'm looking forward to finding my own winter wonderland here in my adoptive city, but until there's snow, I just can't get attached.
I love winter.
I love snow.
I love this season!
I'm looking forward to heading home for the holidays to see my family, my friends, my city, my snow, and my winter.
Until then...
I leave you with a little "Let it Snow" performed by Jamie Cullum.
Cait
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Oiler Fever
Hello hockey fans!
I'm finally going to do a blog just about hockey. No mention of other topics!
1) Two months in to the Oilers season, the greatest hopes we had for our young guns saving us from our lonely position at the bottom of the heap, have been dashed. Sitting with just 14 points, only New Jersey and the New York Islanders can claim to be in more dire straights. It begs the question, what can the Oilers do to change things around?
I doubt there will be a coaching change. That's a personal observation. I haven't heard any rumors threatening Tom Renney's position with the club, but it's usually the coach that gets hit the hardest. Seeing as we've seen three coaches in three years of poor point production, I'm starting to think it may not be a coaching issue.
Could a trade be a plausible alternative? I think ideally, Edmonton would love to see some new blood come in and fire something up. The question is, what do we have to give that we don't need ourselves? Anyone who would garner trade interest is desperately needed within the club. Can't give up a young guy, the fans would lynch Steve Tambellini. At least I know I would. And it's time to invest in our future.
Can't give up Sheldon Souray because no one wants him and he's prone to injuries (at least he seems prone to injuries within our system).
We may just have to get through the hard times again. Fans need to face reality: We're in our rebuilding years. I whole-heartedly believe that if we hadn't done so well in the 2006 playoffs, we may have been able to build faster. 2006 was a fluke with average guys playing way, I mean WAY, above their previously showcased skill level. If we hadn't gone to Game 7 of the finals, we wouldn't have had inflated salaries based on two months of play. We would have had more money to invest in younger players and actual "stars" to hone the skills of our rookies.
Pittsburgh and Chicago had some tough times. I'm not saying we have someone like Sidney Crosby in our youth line-up, but with a couple years of top five draft picks, we could definitely change the face and skill of our franchise.
2) Is it time to consider sending guys like Taylor Hall, Magnus Paajarvi, and Jordan Eberle back down to the minors?
I understand why we want them playing in the big league. It brings in fans, it gives them some ice time, and allows them to get used to playing against top quality players. However, I wonder if there's merit to this argument: At some point, does all the losing affect how they view their abilities and really decrease their confidence? Especially when they're being touted as the saviours of the franchise? If we aren't winning, I can imagine the pressure from the franchise and the City of Edmonton must be somewhat overwhelming for guys who should be deciding what to major in in university and not what to buy first with their million dollar salaries.
I like the idea of letting them play on the farm team to boost their egos. However, if we send them down, who do we bring up? I'm pretty sure the average experience exhibited by players on our team is already pretty low.
3) On December 2nd, I have tickets to watch the Oilers take on the Maple Leafs in Toronto. Expensive arena? Check. Expensive tickets? Check. But being able to wear my Oilers jersey in another arena to cheer my home team on is completely worth it, even if we're humiliated by the by the Leafs.
Until next time, sports fans,
Cait
I'm finally going to do a blog just about hockey. No mention of other topics!
1) Two months in to the Oilers season, the greatest hopes we had for our young guns saving us from our lonely position at the bottom of the heap, have been dashed. Sitting with just 14 points, only New Jersey and the New York Islanders can claim to be in more dire straights. It begs the question, what can the Oilers do to change things around?
I doubt there will be a coaching change. That's a personal observation. I haven't heard any rumors threatening Tom Renney's position with the club, but it's usually the coach that gets hit the hardest. Seeing as we've seen three coaches in three years of poor point production, I'm starting to think it may not be a coaching issue.
Could a trade be a plausible alternative? I think ideally, Edmonton would love to see some new blood come in and fire something up. The question is, what do we have to give that we don't need ourselves? Anyone who would garner trade interest is desperately needed within the club. Can't give up a young guy, the fans would lynch Steve Tambellini. At least I know I would. And it's time to invest in our future.
Can't give up Sheldon Souray because no one wants him and he's prone to injuries (at least he seems prone to injuries within our system).
We may just have to get through the hard times again. Fans need to face reality: We're in our rebuilding years. I whole-heartedly believe that if we hadn't done so well in the 2006 playoffs, we may have been able to build faster. 2006 was a fluke with average guys playing way, I mean WAY, above their previously showcased skill level. If we hadn't gone to Game 7 of the finals, we wouldn't have had inflated salaries based on two months of play. We would have had more money to invest in younger players and actual "stars" to hone the skills of our rookies.
Pittsburgh and Chicago had some tough times. I'm not saying we have someone like Sidney Crosby in our youth line-up, but with a couple years of top five draft picks, we could definitely change the face and skill of our franchise.
2) Is it time to consider sending guys like Taylor Hall, Magnus Paajarvi, and Jordan Eberle back down to the minors?
I understand why we want them playing in the big league. It brings in fans, it gives them some ice time, and allows them to get used to playing against top quality players. However, I wonder if there's merit to this argument: At some point, does all the losing affect how they view their abilities and really decrease their confidence? Especially when they're being touted as the saviours of the franchise? If we aren't winning, I can imagine the pressure from the franchise and the City of Edmonton must be somewhat overwhelming for guys who should be deciding what to major in in university and not what to buy first with their million dollar salaries.
I like the idea of letting them play on the farm team to boost their egos. However, if we send them down, who do we bring up? I'm pretty sure the average experience exhibited by players on our team is already pretty low.
3) On December 2nd, I have tickets to watch the Oilers take on the Maple Leafs in Toronto. Expensive arena? Check. Expensive tickets? Check. But being able to wear my Oilers jersey in another arena to cheer my home team on is completely worth it, even if we're humiliated by the by the Leafs.
Until next time, sports fans,
Cait
Friday, November 12, 2010
The Awkward Job Interview
Hello fair readers,
I'm not sure if this practice is reserved for those looking to work in the clothing retail industry, but the awkward job interview certainly seems to be the norm. When I worked for a few brief weeks at a clothing retailer in Edmonton, my interview was not conducted in the privacy of someone's office. It was conducted on a bench in the middle of a mall. In public.
Already the pressures associated with a job interview can be enough for a cool-headed person to question their abilities and usefulness. To put this exercise in public sphere just seems cruel. Anyone can hear the questions and answers. All of a sudden your job interview becomes a performance piece. In a way, this is a good way to judge whether a potential employee can deal with serving customers and keeping a cool head when presented with challenging issues (though nobody is saving the world selling jeans to hippy high school kids). However, considering you may not want your resume to be a public document for all to see, judge, and in this case, hear, the public one-on-one interview just seems out of place to me.
I bring this up because in the course of my shopping trip yesterday (got some great winter boots that should outlast these slushy Toronto winters I hear so much about), I was privy to one of these public interviews. As I sat waiting for a friend in the dressing room, a grade 11 girl who lived 45 minutes away by public transit, was interviewing to become a sales associate. Already the fact that I know her grade and, by association, expected age, how far away she lived and that she takes public transit, makes me cringe for the violation of privacy. I then heard the expected question "Why do you think you'd be a good person to hire?" (Not my wording, but the same question is asked in many iterations in job interviews everywhere).
And so ensued the cliche answers: "I feel I can really bring the company up and contribute well to the company atmosphere. I'm a bubbly, optimistic person and I work well with people. I have a great fashion sense. I'm reliable... blah blah blah.
The answers vary slightly from job to job, but there seem to the key buzzwords and phrases that we all use. It's just odd to hear them coming from someone else as you eavesdrop (not a hard thing to do when you're sitting less than 2 feet from interviewer and interviewee) on an interview.
Anyway, dear readers. I wonder if you've ever been subject to these public interviews (group interviews don't count). I have. It's not a fun experience to be judged by outsiders and an interviewer at the same time.
Hope you all have a good weekend. I'm off again to the St. Lawrence Market on Saturday (weather and sleep permitting).
Cheers,
Cait
I'm not sure if this practice is reserved for those looking to work in the clothing retail industry, but the awkward job interview certainly seems to be the norm. When I worked for a few brief weeks at a clothing retailer in Edmonton, my interview was not conducted in the privacy of someone's office. It was conducted on a bench in the middle of a mall. In public.
Already the pressures associated with a job interview can be enough for a cool-headed person to question their abilities and usefulness. To put this exercise in public sphere just seems cruel. Anyone can hear the questions and answers. All of a sudden your job interview becomes a performance piece. In a way, this is a good way to judge whether a potential employee can deal with serving customers and keeping a cool head when presented with challenging issues (though nobody is saving the world selling jeans to hippy high school kids). However, considering you may not want your resume to be a public document for all to see, judge, and in this case, hear, the public one-on-one interview just seems out of place to me.
I bring this up because in the course of my shopping trip yesterday (got some great winter boots that should outlast these slushy Toronto winters I hear so much about), I was privy to one of these public interviews. As I sat waiting for a friend in the dressing room, a grade 11 girl who lived 45 minutes away by public transit, was interviewing to become a sales associate. Already the fact that I know her grade and, by association, expected age, how far away she lived and that she takes public transit, makes me cringe for the violation of privacy. I then heard the expected question "Why do you think you'd be a good person to hire?" (Not my wording, but the same question is asked in many iterations in job interviews everywhere).
And so ensued the cliche answers: "I feel I can really bring the company up and contribute well to the company atmosphere. I'm a bubbly, optimistic person and I work well with people. I have a great fashion sense. I'm reliable... blah blah blah.
The answers vary slightly from job to job, but there seem to the key buzzwords and phrases that we all use. It's just odd to hear them coming from someone else as you eavesdrop (not a hard thing to do when you're sitting less than 2 feet from interviewer and interviewee) on an interview.
Anyway, dear readers. I wonder if you've ever been subject to these public interviews (group interviews don't count). I have. It's not a fun experience to be judged by outsiders and an interviewer at the same time.
Hope you all have a good weekend. I'm off again to the St. Lawrence Market on Saturday (weather and sleep permitting).
Cheers,
Cait
Sunday, November 7, 2010
All Quiet on the Eastern Front
Hello readers,
I've been trying to think of something to write down for a few days now, and I am drawing a complete blank. Don't get me wrong, I could write about how annoying Blackberries can be, especially when the only thing you can hear in class is the "click clickity-click" of the keyboard. But in actuality I've got nothing much to write about.
I saw R.E.D. last night with some friends. I highly reccommend it. Supremely funny with some good action. Bruce Willis can still kick some serious ass.
Went back to the St. Lawrence Market. Always a good time there. I walked down there. I'm trying to live a healthier, active life, so I made the commitment to walk to St. Lawrence until the weather won't allow for it anymore. It's a nice 40 minute walk to get there and I get to explore a different route everytime I go.
Went trick-or-treating last weekend with my little cousins (a skeleton, a ladybug, and a penguin). They are soooo cute. And I got some free candy out of it, so... SCORE!
Really, other than that, all quiet on the Eastern front.
Cheers,
Cait
I've been trying to think of something to write down for a few days now, and I am drawing a complete blank. Don't get me wrong, I could write about how annoying Blackberries can be, especially when the only thing you can hear in class is the "click clickity-click" of the keyboard. But in actuality I've got nothing much to write about.
I saw R.E.D. last night with some friends. I highly reccommend it. Supremely funny with some good action. Bruce Willis can still kick some serious ass.
Went back to the St. Lawrence Market. Always a good time there. I walked down there. I'm trying to live a healthier, active life, so I made the commitment to walk to St. Lawrence until the weather won't allow for it anymore. It's a nice 40 minute walk to get there and I get to explore a different route everytime I go.
Went trick-or-treating last weekend with my little cousins (a skeleton, a ladybug, and a penguin). They are soooo cute. And I got some free candy out of it, so... SCORE!
Really, other than that, all quiet on the Eastern front.
Cheers,
Cait
Friday, October 29, 2010
Music
There is nothing better than a beautiful Fall day and a fantastic song to frame it. Nietzche said "Without music, life would be a mistake."
I hope you've had this feeling, dear readers,
Walking to class yesterday, I was enjoying the changing colours of the trees. I was also enjoying the tunes from my iPod, when it shuffled to the perfect song. It wasn't about Fall, it wasn't about changing colours, it wasn't really about anything at all, but it was a perfect song. It made me physically smile; my back straightened, my step quickened and adopted a slight bounce. If I were a little more eccentric, or at least a little more secure, I would have started dancing, right there. I even considered skipping.
Music does this. It tames the savage beast, soothes the soul, and can make my entire day, no, my entire life, change. I wasn't having a bad day, I wasn't having a spectacular. It was just an ordinary day made exponentially better by a single song on my iPod. It's the little things.
I cannot express how much I love music. How much it affects my life. And I don't always realize it. I no longer drive, seeing as my car is parked in Sault Ste. Marie and not downtown Toronto. This means I no longer have a solitary place to belt-out my favourite ballads, croon to my favourite country tunes, and sing my usual soundtracks. I sing quietly in my room, but I have no place to perform, and it's leaving my soul a little hurt.
In high school, I was asked to make a soundtrack to my life. The songs on that list have changed, and I'm not even sure any would make my list today (other than "Drive (For Daddy Gene)" and "I Hope You Dance".) It just goes to show how much things can change in such a little amount of time. I leave you with five songs I'm listening to now:
1.) Awake My Soul - Mumford and Sons
2.) Hurtin' Alberta - Corb Lund
3.) St. Andrews - Bedouin Soundclash
4.) #3 Roxburgh Street - Captain Tractor
5.) Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
Keep singing dear readers,
Cait
I hope you've had this feeling, dear readers,
Walking to class yesterday, I was enjoying the changing colours of the trees. I was also enjoying the tunes from my iPod, when it shuffled to the perfect song. It wasn't about Fall, it wasn't about changing colours, it wasn't really about anything at all, but it was a perfect song. It made me physically smile; my back straightened, my step quickened and adopted a slight bounce. If I were a little more eccentric, or at least a little more secure, I would have started dancing, right there. I even considered skipping.
Music does this. It tames the savage beast, soothes the soul, and can make my entire day, no, my entire life, change. I wasn't having a bad day, I wasn't having a spectacular. It was just an ordinary day made exponentially better by a single song on my iPod. It's the little things.
I cannot express how much I love music. How much it affects my life. And I don't always realize it. I no longer drive, seeing as my car is parked in Sault Ste. Marie and not downtown Toronto. This means I no longer have a solitary place to belt-out my favourite ballads, croon to my favourite country tunes, and sing my usual soundtracks. I sing quietly in my room, but I have no place to perform, and it's leaving my soul a little hurt.
In high school, I was asked to make a soundtrack to my life. The songs on that list have changed, and I'm not even sure any would make my list today (other than "Drive (For Daddy Gene)" and "I Hope You Dance".) It just goes to show how much things can change in such a little amount of time. I leave you with five songs I'm listening to now:
1.) Awake My Soul - Mumford and Sons
2.) Hurtin' Alberta - Corb Lund
3.) St. Andrews - Bedouin Soundclash
4.) #3 Roxburgh Street - Captain Tractor
5.) Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
Keep singing dear readers,
Cait
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Too Long
Long time no see, dear readers,
I'm sorry for my absence. Busy life of a grad student/social butterfly has kept me away.
Too many things have happened since I last wrote for me to get them all in, so I think I may just start anew. I will mention some events that took place. Went to Ottawa and had a great time with my sisters. Had fantastic Thanksgivings with the McDiarmids, Hergets, and Sorochans. Met with a member of the school's staff to discuss my internship (I'm hoping for a job in Ottawa!). Went out for drinks with some classmates after Thursday's class, then went out for a friend's birthday on Friday night and had a fantastic time. Learned to bake cinnamon buns. Learned to make won ton wrappers. Had a great evening discussing governance and institutions, eating great Thai food, and drinking a multitude of martini's with another friend. Too much stuff!!!
Anyways, to start anew, I found a new app for my iPod Touch that is called "smidge." It's run by Pfizer and it's a 21-day good habit maker. Today is day one. You're given 6 daily tasks/goals to do:
1) Drink more water
2) Take the stairs
3) Do a deep breathing exercise
4) Train your brain
5) Eat more fruits and veggies
6) Be positive
So everyday, for the next 21 days, I will be attempting to drink 11 cups (not glasses, cups) of water, eating 9 servings of fruits and veggies, taking the stairs up to my suite, doing a breathing exercise to relive stress, doing a brain teaser to challenge my brain and taking a picture that stimulate positive thinking.
Today's picture is supposed to be one of a close friend and I'm supposed to reminisce about good times together. Considering my closest friends are home in Alberta, I have gone through my old pictures on my computer and found thing one instead of taking a new one:
I took a cake decorating course with Amanda a few months back and this picture reminds me of how much fun we had. I miss everyone at home, but I'm happy that I'm doing what I love, and I'm positive they are doing what they love at home.
I'll leave you with a quote from a little book Mom got me called "Keep Calm and Carry On.":
I am an optimist. It doesn't seem too much use being anything else. --- Winston Churchill
I promise I'll check in more often,
Cait
I'm sorry for my absence. Busy life of a grad student/social butterfly has kept me away.
Too many things have happened since I last wrote for me to get them all in, so I think I may just start anew. I will mention some events that took place. Went to Ottawa and had a great time with my sisters. Had fantastic Thanksgivings with the McDiarmids, Hergets, and Sorochans. Met with a member of the school's staff to discuss my internship (I'm hoping for a job in Ottawa!). Went out for drinks with some classmates after Thursday's class, then went out for a friend's birthday on Friday night and had a fantastic time. Learned to bake cinnamon buns. Learned to make won ton wrappers. Had a great evening discussing governance and institutions, eating great Thai food, and drinking a multitude of martini's with another friend. Too much stuff!!!
Anyways, to start anew, I found a new app for my iPod Touch that is called "smidge." It's run by Pfizer and it's a 21-day good habit maker. Today is day one. You're given 6 daily tasks/goals to do:
1) Drink more water
2) Take the stairs
3) Do a deep breathing exercise
4) Train your brain
5) Eat more fruits and veggies
6) Be positive
So everyday, for the next 21 days, I will be attempting to drink 11 cups (not glasses, cups) of water, eating 9 servings of fruits and veggies, taking the stairs up to my suite, doing a breathing exercise to relive stress, doing a brain teaser to challenge my brain and taking a picture that stimulate positive thinking.
Today's picture is supposed to be one of a close friend and I'm supposed to reminisce about good times together. Considering my closest friends are home in Alberta, I have gone through my old pictures on my computer and found thing one instead of taking a new one:
I'll leave you with a quote from a little book Mom got me called "Keep Calm and Carry On.":
I am an optimist. It doesn't seem too much use being anything else. --- Winston Churchill
I promise I'll check in more often,
Cait
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