Category — Uncategorized

For once I am reading for pleasure, and it is bliss.

I wanted to post a few of my favourite pictures from the past few months. Life has been amazingly full. We moved to our new condo. I started and completed the self-employment program through Langara College. We traveled to Summerland, BC to spend Easter with Michael’s family. I spent a couple of days working with my mom in Victoria. And on Thursday we head to New York City for my friend Debbie’s wedding. Hope you enjoy these snaps…

Michael and I, Easter in Summerland

A walk at Deer Lake with Jenn

Out for a walk with second cousin Penny and sister Britt

Deer Lake, my new favourite running/walking spot

Weekend shenaningans with Sarah of the Waters, pictured here at Urban Outfitters on Granville

Deer Lake again

Some of my favourite ladies at the BC Student Forum - Laura, Jenn, Miranda and Kristen

Jenn and I

Poppies in Victoria

from www.e-flux.com

Vancouverites: Check out this incredible FREE event. Presented by a couple of local brilliant (female) minds!

The Arts and Social Transformation:
An evening of exploration and creativity
Michelle LeBaron and Carrie MacLeod, facilitators

Tuesday, February 26, 2008, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Vancouver Museum (Joyce Walley Learning Centre)
1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver
Admission is free.

In this interactive, participatory evening, using Vancouver Opera’s upcoming production of Fidelio as the point of departure, we will discover together how, individually and collectively, each of us can effect social change. And we’ll explore the crucial role that the Arts play in bridging cultural differences.

The evening will include brief characterizations of various attitudes and approaches to social change in our global age. A wide range of attitudes - from optimism to despair - and diverse approaches - from activism to consensus-based processes - will be canvassed. Participants will be invited to examine one perspective in dialogue with others, and to consider its efficacy in promoting social justice in a variety of situations including political incarcerations.

Michelle LeBaron is Professor of Law and Director of the UBC Program on Dispute Resolution. Carrie MacLeod is a PhD. candidate at the European Graduate School in Switzerland and the creative director of the CRANE research initiative (Conflict Resolution, Arts and iNntercultural Experience).

My mother is accomplished, to say the least. She is another person I’d like to introduce you to.

Not only is she the mother of four, a wife, and a business owner. She is a tireless advocate of the arts, publishes a province-wide guide to the arts, culture and heritage of British Columbia, is an active member of numerous arts and tourism organizations, founded the BC Cultural Crawl and sits on the board of the inimitable Vancouver Club.

Tonight I have the honour of attending the Tourism Industry Awards with my hero: my mom. Her legacy project: the BC Cultural Crawl, has been nominated for Best Tourism Marketing Campaign. (I was able to help write the proposal which won her the nomination.)

So tonight I will sit amongst BC’s arts and cultural leaders, clap wildly as my mom’s speech comes to a close, and join with and the rest of BC as we celebrate my mom.

Current mood: proud

We visited Green Gables, Prince Edward Island on our honeymoon last fall

For all the Anne of Green Gables and Road to Avonlea lovers out there (Anneli…): rejoice! You will soon be able to purchase commemorative Anne stamps and coins. Read the full article here.

My parents bred my love of Anne early on, whilst nurturing a life-long loyalty to the beloved network who whisked me to her island home every Sunday night.

today i had a revelation. it may be a tad bit cheesy, but it’s helping.

it’s really about two letters: “b” and “y”. and two words specifically: job and joy.

it i think of my work as a job, i suffer. my work suffers. i dread it, curse it, avoid it.

if i think of my work as a joy, i am glad. i get paid for promoting small businesses in my community? i get to tell stories about inspiring men and women across the country? what a joy!

oh the difference a little change makes…

i was equally relieved and horrified when sarah e-mailed me yesterday to tell me she was unable to comment on my site. finally i know the reason i’ve been feeling no comment love! :(

the comment feature has been fixed, so please indulge me!!

Hello friend, I’ve been thinking.

I want to make this blog more personable. More about telling stories. And less about me and my postulations. So I’d like to start introducing you to some of the most important, and inspiring, women in my life. ‘Cause really, I’m not all that interesting.

back: laura, jenn, me, miranda. front: megan, anneli and kristen at the bc student forum last weekend.

First I’d like to introduce Megan (sporting the hot white shirt dress above.) Meg, or as I affectionately call her: ‘partie a’ (of the cahier fame) is amazing.

The current issue of geez magazine embodies my friend: thoughtful, questioning and passionate about agriculture. Meg not only works in the agri business as a full-time consultant, she is also finishing studies at ubc and making plans to move to ottawa to be part of an exciting new church plant! If you’ve been reading this blog for long you will remember that I visited megan on her santa cruz campus in california last spring. we beached and explored berkeley and worshiped together at vintage faith. i am so excited to see where God leads megan upon graduation and beyond… to grad school? to be a prof? to become a raspberry farmer? a ceo? none? all of the above?

megan. willems. makes. me smile.

on thursday night michael and i celebrated our first married v-day. we indulged at shabusen: the restaurant where we shared our first ‘date.’ in actuality we were just friends at ‘the original date’ - awkwardly sandwiched at the restaurant’s only single bench booth (which michael swears was an accident…), busily scarfing edemame and squid.

at any rate, dinner was lovely and i swooned as he told me the true valentine’s plans: a weekend stay at the listel: vancouver’s boutique art hotel, dinner at tropica and an afternoon walk along the sea wall.

now we are home: rested, relaxed, romanced. three cheers for valentine’s day!

i think i cleared 40 hours this weekend.

friday and saturday marked the 7th annual bc student forum and it was, as always, an inspirational event for all involved. this year the forum hired me as their communications manager, so this weekend i was sporting my work cap (or more accurately: narcissist blazer, hylas and nymph slacks and 5inch heels.) the only potential hiccup this weekend was the mayor’s eta, but he rolled in smiling just as his bio was coming to a close. phew. success.

this year’s panelists included the influential: justice james turnbull, the controversial: tom williams, and the insightful: greg pennoyer, and the savvy: nicholas klassen: a wonderful mix leaving the students, facilitators and staff with much post-event-pondering. always an excellent sign.

then sunday morning i rolled out of bed to hit a monday deadline. wrote straight from 9am to 10:30pm, save for a short jaunt through the new neighbourhood with my wonderful hubby. i don’t know how he puts up with my schedule right now, but i sure love him for it.

current mood: ready for a weekend.