Resourceful

It was a gorgeous day in Toronto. A few of us went out at noon to St. Lawrence Market to sit on a bench and have lunch. I frequently go there to get away from the campus and have a little down time. Afterwards, I'll make a pit-stop at Lettieri to get my new favorite beverage - green tea with fresh ginger and lemon slices. A classmate once referred to it as a "cup of summer" (it really is).

After lunch, we reconvened in the computer lab and then went on a field trip to an ERC (Employment Resource Centre) where we were met by a CEIS (Career Employment Information Specialist) who told us about the centre and all of the wonderful services they provided. I wish I had known more about what ERCs offered when I was looking for work or contemplating a new career. I always thought the services were only available to people who were on EI or social assistance but that's not the case. Depending on where you go, the services are open to everyone and the majority of them are free.

We went to the Toronto Centre ERC, which had wonderful resources such as computer training, job exploration workshops and dozens and dozens of books and publications to use. They even offer online resume critiques with a five-day turnaround and free wi-fi.

The ERC has hosted job fairs and recruitment days which surprised me at first but of course makes total sense. They also strive to serve clients within 15 minutes, which is pretty amazing if you consider how busy they must be these days.

There are Newcomer Services that include free English Conversation Circles every Tuesday and Thursday. They also have a section of matériau en francais seulment (I apologize to the Francophiles out there for my weak translation). There are several computers and telephones for public use, as well as fax machines and photocopiers. There are job boards organized by industry and field, online job search resources and information about factors that may be impacting one's employment such as child support or having a criminal record.

The centre is located at 21 St. Clair Avenue, Suite 600. If you're looking for an assessment centre, The Career Foundation is located in Suite 1200 in the same building. It's very easy to get to by TTC as it's right by St. Clair Station on the Yonge line. It is also conveniently situated close to a Citizen & Immigration office at Suite 200, 25 St. Clair Avenue, as well as an Employment Insurance office on the 2nd floor of 55 St. Clair Avenue.

So, if you're thinking of a new career or just need access to information that you can't find on the web, why not stop by an Employment Resource Centre? You might even see me there one day.

Guess who's coming to dinner?

If only life were this civilized. Last night, while I was completing my assignment, there was quite a ruckus going on outside. I kept hearing banging and scratching and the sound of a car alarm going off. A couple of times, I even got up and looked out the window to see what was going on but it was dark and didn't see anything unusual. My racoon radar was on high as I suspected them trying to get into our green bins where we compost our perishables. At one point, I imagined the savvy little latch pickers trying to get into the window which frightened me to no end as I imagined the chaos that would ensue if they got in. I thought of turning the porch lights off and on to scare them or open the front door to shoo them away. Little did I know that the furry critters had gotten into one of our bins and were busy feasting on our compost just outside the front door.

When I left the house this morning, it looked as though our bin had exploded all over the front porch (what was left of it anyway). It sickened me to think of the crap they were munching on and nauseated me further as I looked at some of the scraps and evidence left behind. I'll bet there was a posse of them dining on our waste - digging in like it was Christmas dinner. I'm glad I didn't interrupt them. Who knows what might have happened...

For those of you that don't have this problem in your neck of the woods and have never had the pleasure of seeing these critters up close, you might be interested to learn that the raccoons here in Toronto are quite large. At least the ones that I've seen terrorizing the streets in my neighborhood. Some are as large as small dogs or fat cats. They're plump and crafty (not in the good way) and don't seem to be afraid of people. They're skillful at opening up the green bins and they are the worst dinner guests because they never clean up after themselves.

[Thinking about it now, I shudder at the thought of what might have happened if I had opened the door. I imagine them running into the vestibule at the front of the house and circling me or worse yet, pouncing on me as I opened the door and then scratching my eyes and face or biting me. Oh, the horrors! I hope they don't try to come back for seconds tonight. Greedy bastards!]

In search of the perfect patio

It turned out to be a beautiful day today so after school a friend and I wanted nothing more than to sit outside on a patio and grab a nice, frosty cocktail. We traipsed all over downtown looking for the right ambiance which, to us, meant a sunny patio with an available table at an establishment that served our favorite drinks.

My friend remarked that she hadn't heard anyone order a Long Island Iced Tea in ages and commented that it seemed like an outdated drink these days. It's not like I was ordering a Greyhound or a Bennett but still. She meant no disrespect and we laughed about how the drink was very much a 90's cocktail. We then went on to give our own personal views about the 'fancy drinks of today' like two little ol' bitties and commented how some of these martinis taste like rubbing alcohol.

After testing out three different tables on three different patios, we settled on a place in the heart of downtown Toronto (which shall remain nameless). There were all kinds of funny things that kept happening with patrons and servers but it was a really fun time. I look forward to spending more time with this new friend and getting to know her (and the various patios around Toronto).

Fur coats and bikini bottoms

It's funny how quickly I've forgotten about living in Winnipeg and enduring those minus thirty-something (even forty-something) degree temperatures with the windchill. Then again, I'm one of those people who starts wearing layers under their clothing as soon as the mercury dips a few degrees. (I need to be warm at all times, really.) Imagine the irony when I asked a friend in Winnipeg if he thought the weather would be warmer and if the snow would be gone by the end of the month since I was planning a trip home. (As if his answers would really stop me from going to see my family and friends.) Still, despite all of the exposure and experience to the less-than-kind prairie temperatures, I can safely say that it is freezing here today in Toronto.

Time to snuggle up and turn on the fireplace. If my Mom lived here, I might even see if she still had the fur coat and hat she used to wear when I was a child (raccoon, no less...this could be where my fears originated from). Of course, I'm kidding about ever wearing the ensemble. I always thought it was such a ridiculous look (so Linda Evans in Dynasty) but remember the days when everyone wore fur? The horrors.

Playing in the sun

It was a beautiful day in Toronto - the sun was shining and it was quite warm. (Supposedly, the temperature got up to 15 degrees!) At lunch, a group of us decided to go for a walk and make the most of our little break.

Downtown Toronto has many lovely nooks and parks to enjoy, not to mention beautiful churches and buildings peppered throughout. It was nice to get some fresh air, chat with classmates and explore the city.

In the afternoon, we learned more about the Strong Interest Inventory and did group presentations on the Basic Interest Scales. My group did little skits to demonstrate the interest clusters. We felt goofy but I think it went okay.

The original flat top

Last Thursday night, I went to see the legendary Big Daddy Kane at the Phoenix with J, Gro and Skip. What an awesome night - from the venue to seeing BDK live. The energy at the Phoenix was amazing from the 'circle' (you know, the one people jump into and take turns breakdancing in) to BDK's performance to Gro's dancing (wow, the girl can move!). It was so much fun!

Big Daddy Kane performed for about an hour and a half. He belted out his hits, paid tribute to the holy trinity of hip hop (Jam Master Jay, Biggie Smalls, Tupac), as well as Big L (but instead of a moment of silence, it was a moment of noise) and danced like he was on fire with his 'brother' Scoob Lover. What a show!

My only complaint is this - and it's really not a complaint per se but rather, an embarrassing observation - the realization that I desperately need to practice my 'bouncing' skills. You know the move...it's somewhere between dancing (but you don't really move around that much) and bobbing (but with rhythm). If I could just master that and throw some hips into it, I think I'll be laughing (or more accurately, someone will be laughing).

Ana and Arthur

The official Hot Docs Festival guide just went up today. As always, the line-up looks fantastic and I only wish that I could trade my seat in class for one in a theatre (of course, it would be a magical seat that would appear in the theatre of my choice at any given time). The festival runs from April 30 - May 10 in Toronto with venues throughout downtown Toronto.

If you're only able to see one film during the festival, I urge you to see Ana and Arthur which is directed by Larry Young. It's an amazing film on so many levels - the story, the characters, the events, the atmosphere, the cinematography and the editing. J & I had the honour of seeing the film (even before its final version) during a couple of intimate settings with Larry, his wife Kathie, along with some privileged others.

[Congratulations to you, Larry!!!!!]

Synopsis:
'The end of the seven-year marriage of Ana, a dynamic 70-year-old cardiologist, and Arthur, her 35-year-old farmer husband, unfolds with devastating honesty on their stunningly beautiful spiritual retreat. The toxic farm they had transformed into an earthly paradise for healing chronic illnesses is now the scene of their anguish. Larry Young spent over three years shooting the break-up, his camera unfailingly compassionate and relentless in its portrayal of the raw emotions of loss and grief. Anyone who has tried to hold on to a dying relationship will empathize with what both Ana and Arthur experience, their attempts at civility, and their descent into guilt and anger. And while the age difference between them gives this break-up film a particular twist-Arthur's love for a younger woman is the immediate trigger-the emotions of loss and grief are ageless.'

Screenings:
Saturday May 2, 7:15 pm- ROM
Monday May 4, 1:30 pm - Cumberland 3

A feast for the senses

I dropped my assignment off this morning, bright and early, and then set off on my day - the beginning of Reading Week (aka Spring Break). I decided to get a few things from H & M before I met up with a dear friend for coffee. I had plans to watch a movie by myself in the afternoon but there wasn't much to choose from...plus, I forgot the free passes at home. (I think I'll go to Friday the 13th next week. I've never been to a horror movie by myself and am curious to see how frightening the experience might be.)

I thought I would do some window shopping to see what was new and exciting for spring, as well as visit Sephora to slather on some of my favorite Guava butter lotion by Korres. Afterwards, I spent quite a bit of time looking through books at Chapters. While I was roaming around downtown, I felt very bored and restless. Nothing seemed to satiate my ennui. Even as I wrote in my journal, I felt a malaise. When I got home, I was surprised to find J in the same state of mind. We commiserated about places we longed to be and lamented about others we had not yet been to. To stifle our pity-party, we decided to force ourselves to go out for dinner, (though we were sure it wouldn't remedy how we were feeling).

Isn't it nice to be caught off guard and proven wrong every so often? J, H & I had the most wonderful experience on our little sojourn. Dinner at Commensal was exactly what we needed - delicious food and the loveliest live music. If you're ever in Toronto, you really must check it out. It's a vegetarian restaurant with hot and cold buffets, including an array of desserts and beverages (it's also licensed so you can enjoy a glass of wine with dinner). If you're vegan, there's a great selection available such as Seitan Bourguignon (tender cubes of savoury seitan in a rich red wine sauce with sautéed pearl onions and whole mushrooms), Millet Pie (tofu, mushrooms, onions, leeks and millet grain wrapped in a light crust) and Thai Seitan (seitan with a tangy, maple syrup and cider vinegar sauce) - a sampling of some of the items on my plate this evening. The buffet is available for take-out and there are also a number of additional vegetarian and vegan goodies for purchase. We left feeling happy and full. We even talked about Commensal being our new 'Friday night'.

On the drive home, we decided to see what was happening downtown, including Queen Street. We drove by a concert at Nathan Phillips Square where there was also public skating. There were so many people out enjoying the beautiful weather everywhere we went. The city felt alive with activity. It seemed like Toronto was saying, "In your face!" and reminding us of what an exciting city it is to live in and we were grateful for that reminder.

Giddy up

Hello friends. Still alive...just laying low and enjoying life.

On Friday, J, H + I met up with some awesome friends and little people for the opening day of Coraline. What an amazing movie and fun company! We always have such a wonderful time when we meet up with these friends. They're hilarious and fun so we're always guaranteed a great time when we hang out with them. Next month, we'll be seeing the legendary Big Daddy Kane with them which I'm sure will be a blast! (Now, I'd better start watching some of those videos to learn the lyrics and get my moves right. Teehee.)

On Saturday, some new friends came over and we had a crazy-good time chatting, having some drinks and enjoying each other's company. The highlight of the night, however, was when one of the guests admitted to watching country music videos in the mid-nineties (which was, coincidentally, when I went through my country music and country bar phase!) and then, proceeded to share some of the more memorable videos from that era. It makes me laugh just thinking about it and all of the madness that ensued! I can't wait to see them again and see what kind of insanity will come of it!

Then, Sunday, I took the medium-sized person to The Soft City which was being displayed at the Rotunda in City Hall. The Soft City is a plush replica of Toronto, complete with streets, buildings, the CN Tower and other notable structures. People can contribute to it by creating their own little structures. Miss H made a couple of pieces including a nice building to leave behind and I? Well, of course, in wanting to spread more mail love - I created a tiny post office, a mailbox stuffed with letters and a couple of little packages tied with string. We also watched some NFB animated shorts that were playing at the Rotunda. From there, we checked out WinterCity events happening at Nathan Philips Square such as live performances on the main stage and more crafting. We cozied up at one of the several outdoor heaters to enjoy some greasy chips from the fry truck, too, and to watch the rink full of skaters doing their thang.

Now, it's back to school and time to get serious. (Heh!) It's been anything but! I've been enjoying this new class - not for its subject matter (FAR from it!) but because of some of the wonderful people that are in my class. We've been having such a great time laughing and keeping each other amused.

So, those are some of the nice things that have been happening, as of late. Oh yeah, I had another birthday somewhere in there, too. (Bleh!) It was actually a really lovely day and when I came home, I was greeted by my two favorite people wearing funny hats who had set up a trail of candles leading me to my birthday presents - a postal scale and some other goodies! (Aren't they the sweetest?!) I also received some really warm wishes and thoughtful surprises from friends and family (thanks Mom & Dad, Madame C and J+A!). ♥