Category — Uncategorized

Here are some shots of the Anna Vandas concert I helped host at my mom’s gallery a couple of weeks ago — Everyone had a great time I think.

Anna is such a lovely person with such a lovely voice. You should listen to her music here.

I first met Anna in a parking lot as she smooched her hubby Dave goodbye. It was the summer of 2005 and Dave and I were leaving to travel clear across most of the great white north to meet with our country’s top political leaders. I had just completed the Women’s Campaign School and for the first time in my life felt that my perspective, particularly as a woman, mattered to the political process.

The motive of our rag-tag group of 12 was to engage our leaders in discussion from a young, socially conservative (read small “c”) perspective. Dave got it all on film. I got it all in my heart. That trip, save for a short stint as a provincial campaign manager for the Greens, was the first time I actually spoke my mind to elected officials. The most important lesson I learned, after more than 35 political stops, was that politicians need us. They need to hear from us. All of us. And they want to. Especially from our country’s youth.

With these memories fresh in mind, I am heading solo (Michael has to work late) to a nomination meeting this evening. Michael and I are great believers in the gift of democracy. In fact, it’s this passion that brought us together.

I hope that everyone casts their ballot this Fall — we have ample opportunity to do so. Our country’s future is our choice.

in the spirit of these great lyrics, i dedicate this post to michael, my husband of one year. today.

365 days ago we entered into the most holy of covenants:

“This is a holy way of life that should not be entered into lightly, carelessly, or selfishly, but rather reverently, with discretion, soberly, and in the fear and love of God.” — Book of Alternative Services, Anglican Church of Canada

and promised one another to:

“love, comfort, honour and protect one another, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to each other alone so long as we both shall live.”

today i renew these vows.

michael, i love you.

english bay 2008

My new friend, the fabulous Jenn Co — (we met at the Anna Vandas show last week) sent me a designer inquiry today. She’s in need of surf-related jewellery for a photo shoot she’s styling. My search landed on this fantastic North Vancouver jeweller:

Billy Would: reclaimed wood jewellery

Square Tree Wooden Necklace made from an old broken dresser

Designed by Adea Chung, each unique piece is handmade from reclaimed hardwood: rescuing exotic hardwoods from various local woodworkers and factories where the size of the wood is no longer usable for them. The wood is shaped, carefully hand-sanded and then finished with natural beeswax and oil combo. All Billy Would Designs are original and eco-friendly.

….

Does anybody else have recommendations?

A couple of weeks ago Michael and I enjoyed a Saturday morning brunch with my dad, step mom, and little sister Lynn. After we’d polished off our fill of crepes and bacon we meandered across the road from my parents’ to a neighbourhood garage sale. A moment’s perusal and my hands were filled with these two fantastic finds (snagged for only $10).

First, an old crate, now used to hold my somewhat excessive card collection:

And, second, a Remington to call my very own!

My client, the BC Cultural Crawl, was featured in last weekend’s Vancouver Sun. It’s nice to see a few of my words in print. Read the article here.

“Every community has its own unique cultural footprint… From the seaside creations of the Sunshine Coast to the artisan wineries of Naramata, the BC Cultural Crawl will start you along a journey of B.C. you won’t soon forget.”

…

Speaking of basking in the sun, we are off first thing tomorrow morning for a family holiday in the remote Cathedral Lakes basin. Hiking, canoing, reading and rough-housing await in this rustic oasis. I can’t wait.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

An interesting invitation from the good people at Comment:

Dear friends,

Sometime in October we hope to publish online a compendium of contributions from the authors and artists in the Comment community, on the theme “Rules of thumb.” We are looking for very short statements of practical wisdom that you use and are willing to stand by, based on your own experience or oral traditions in your communities-preferably summarized in the form of a one-sentence saying.

The inspiration for this invitation lies in… Stewart Brand’s Whole Earth Catalog where he published a small collection of such rules by Tom Parker: www.rulesofthumb.org/about.

What is your rule of thumb?

[Read more →]

An interesting read:

Some Protestants find spiritual appeal in natural family planning

And in a similar vein:

Pro-Life Hero Tasha Danvers-Smith Earns Olympic Medal

My old boss, Amber Anderson (I was the sole server at her New Westminster café Forever Amber’s for years,) now instructs inner-city kids at the H.A.V.E. Culinary Training School on the Downtown Eastside. It’s an awesome story told by Vancouver Province’s Wendy McLellan. Read it here. The sad news is that Cook’s Studio, the former catering company that ran here (where I also served,) lost its provincial funding and had to close its doors last spring. The good news is Amber and others have taken up the reigns. Way to go Amber!

you read it right: 3 blogs.

this week has been spent starting a new project as the content coordinator for the billy graham evangelical association of canada’s soulchat initiative. they run radio and tv ads and direct people to a website where they’ll find resources, local discovery opportunities and articles. i am writing the soulchat blog which will be hidden in its development stages for the next little while. i’ll let you know when it’s live.

also, i set-up a blog for options mag this week. it’s just a start. you’ll find it here.

getting paid to blog. ooh, fun!