Merry Christmas to all!

As I sit at my parents home, full of yummy food and a full heart, I reminisce of Christmas' past. Silly, Sentimental and Ridiculous. It fills me with so much joy.
I will never forget sitting on my dad's knee and him reading me "Twas the night before Christmas" right after we set out snacks for Santa and his fellow reindeer's. Or the Christmas eve that we attended St. John's church and they actually sang Happy Birthday, Jesus, while Noj and I had to bite the sides of our cheeks trying so hard not to laugh. And I will never forget the Christmas morning where I lit the top of the chimney on fire because of stuffing the fire place full of gift wrap -The fire men actually had to come!!!
There are millions of other memories that warm my heart-from the top to the bottom. I love my family through and through and am so happy to be here with them!!
On that note...MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL and TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!!

V. xo

Eville

In just a few days time, I will be basking in the splendor of a wonderful spot, outside of Buffalo, NY, called Ellicottville. Eville is truly a gem. A special place that has stolen my heart.

Sam's family has a lovely spot there which we call the "TRALET". It is a trailer but once stepping foot inside you realize it is more like a chalet, hence we meet somewhere in the middle at "TRALET".

Eville is the type of town that once entering you feel any stress lift off of your shoulders-the long islands definitely help! You can wear what you like, laugh all you want and let your hair down. Days are filled with hitting the slopes, spending time with family and friends, a yummy lunch and some apres ski action. Evenings can be filled with anything from crazy games of horse race that end with Connor at Maddies, or a book or movie curled up in front of the fire. It is the type of place where you make your own experience. Since the first time I stepped foot in the place I realized I was in love. I love hitting the Holimont hills, seeing old faces and enjoying the outdoors. It is magical and dynamic. I am truly lucky to have had the opportunity to spend my last 6 winters there and can hardly wait to be there...
V.

New...& Excited!

This my friends is a picture of my new computer! I can hardly contain my excitement...
Isn't it beautious? Isn't it spectacular? Oh the picture hardly does this amazing piece of equipment justice!
Oh, Happy Day...

V.

The First Ever Annual ADFLIX Showcase at the 2008 CANFILMFEST

Introducing the First Ever Annual ADFLIX Showcase at the 2008 CANFILMFEST.
If you are a writer or art director currently working at a Canadian Ad Agency, consider yourself challenged to submit your best short film.
The Deadline for entries is March 3rd, 2008.
For more info please contact Barbara at 416.814.3309 or barbara@buckproductions.com OR buckproductions.com/adflix.

Now get back to work!

V.

AWESOME!

Today was one of those days that you just describe as Awesome. I spent the afternoon with Sam's sister, Sarah and her beautious daughter Neva Rose. It was a whole lot of Awesome. Really. I met her at an appointment, from where we went to the Eaton Centre, did a little shopping, did some walking and did a lot of talking. It was a day for us to catch up and have some laughs and, that my friends was what we did!
We took little Neva to Indigo where I read her my very favorite story, THE GIVING TREE. Then down to meet Santa. I think this might have been the Awesomest part of the day. Little Neva Rose meeting Santa Claus for the very first time. It was so wonderful to watch and photograph the momentous occasion of Neva's very first photo with Santa.
Truly an AWESOME day!
Thanks Sar and Nev...Loving you both...
V.

Blizzard of 2007!

Well, my friends winter is officially upon us. On Sunday we were hit with what will be forever remembered as the Blizzard of 2007. Although, snow plows worked over time, it did not help the city from being completely covered! Sam and I decided to take a short walk outdoors to enjoy starbucks and grab some groceries. Surprisingly trekking through the snow upped my spirits and made me feel like a child seeing snow for the very first time! It was absolutely and marvelously delicious.
Welcome Winter 2007! I cannot wait to hit the slopes...

V.

Words to Live By...

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
FOUR. When you say, "I love you," mean it.
FIVE. When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.
SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.
EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.
NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
TEN. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.
TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.
THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"
FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
FIFTEEN. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson
SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and responsibility for all your actions.
EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
TWENTY-ONE. Spend some time alone.

I do definitely agree...
V.

A Wedding for Every Bride!

Another shout out is in order...Rich Bride Poor Bride is in STAR MAG for the week of December 24th. Rock on RBPB Team!
On the reality show Rich Bride Poor Bride, things get sticky when engaged couples are given a wedding planner and an iron-clad budget. Some couples get to create the perfect nuptials for a small sum while others have the luxury and can afford a bank-busting blow out! Either way there is drama to be found. Do not miss Rich Bride Poor Bride.

V.

Photography by TORY ZIMMERMAN!

A shout out is in order! An old friend of mine, whom is a very talented photographer has a photo essay featured in this months issue of TORONTO LIFE...This shout out goes to the WONDERFUL, FABULOUS...Drum Roll Please...TORY ZIMMERMAN! I could hardly contain my excitement when I flipped through and saw her name in huge bold letters...yay, Tor!
The photo essay is a visual story of Regent Park. The tagline from TORONTO LIFE is the following:
Last Known Address Regent Park’s ambitious overhaul will displace 7,500 people and take 12 years to complete. Maybe this time the planners will get it right Photography by Tory Zimmerman
So go my friends and pick up the TORONTO LIFE on news stands today and admire the wonderosity of my fabulous friend, Tory!


V.

Bonfire of the Vanities...Society Style!

Last night we partied the night away 80's style at the Bonfire of the Vanities Society Event! The Society put on a great night at a secret penthouse suite. Costumes were mandatory, so everyone was glammed up Dallas and Dynasty styles! There was crystal glassware, pool and even kareoke. As always, the gals thought of everything.
Truly another amazing Society event!


V.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Awhile back someone forwarded me an address made at Stanford University's Convocation by Steve Jobs, in 2005. It was thought provoking and motivating. I thought it was worth sharing.
I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Justthree stories.
The first story is about connecting the dots.I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?
It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.
And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.
It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.
None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, its likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.
Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
My second story is about love and loss.
I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.
I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.
I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.
During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.
I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.
My third story is about death.
When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.
I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.
This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope its the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:
No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.
Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.
Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.
Thank you all very much.


Steven Paul Jobs (born February 24, 1955) is the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Apple Inc., and was the CEO of Pixar Animation Studios until it was acquired by the Walt Disney Company in 2006.

V.

It is Official...

Ok my friends, it is officially Christmas at our home...We put up and decorated our cute little, REAL, Christmas tree tonight. It is a tad Charlie Brown-esque, which makes it that much better. What can we do...it was the last 3 foot Christmas tree on the lot! Better with us, then stranded on its lonesome. In all of it's glory it reminds me that it is official, Christmas is HERE!
Happy Holidays...

V.

Feeding that Fire!

I am lucky enough to have a subscription to Wish Magazine...Thanks Mrs.B! It is a bi monthly Canadian mag with interesting tips on fashion and beauty, to food and decor. It is an easy read but quite informative. Last night I rec'd the January/February 2008 Edition. As I plowed through it, I came across an interesting article about getting healthy bursts of energy from choosing the right foods. This was so relevant to me and my lifestyle. Each day at around 3pm, I get a little sluggish and a little hungry. I have designated this time of the day, Snack Time! Most everyday I pack a lunch jam packed with a healthy meal and usually some fruit, rice cakes or a vega bar for Snack Time. Interestingly enough in the article titled, "Feed The Fire", It gave a run down on what foods to choose, how they will make you feel, why they work and when to eat them.
Here are a list of the 6 Energy Boosters and Why they are a good choice:


BLUEBERRIES: They will give you a short tem burst of energy but are low cal, easy to digest carbs that are jam packed with antioxidants.

CHOCOLATE MILK: (I had some strange feedback on this one around the office). It will give you instant, lasting energy. Because it is a liquid it will digest more quickly and the protein will help stabalize the refined carbs.

ENERGY BAR: These will give you a long steady blast of energy. The complex carbs and the omega 3s sustain energy and stabilize blood sugar.

QUINOA: This super food will give you energy that will last hours. It has the highest protein of any whole grain and is a great source of B Vitamins.

WELLNESS WATER: It will keep you refreshed and alert. These products will keep you hydrated which insures proper body function.

WHOLE GRAIN CRACKERS: These will provide short-term energy. The fibre in this product will slow down digestion and help stabilize blood sugar.

The article also discussed how to sustain energy all day long. These three points were the following:
1. Break down your daily calorie intake into 55% carbs, 25% fat and 20% protein.
2. Fuel Up Regularly.
3. Eat Protein.

After sharing it with everyone in my office today, I thought it only relevant to share this article with you! So next time when you are feeling a little sluggish or lacking that "umph" to keep going, grab the above!

V.

For One More Day

Sometimes if I get home in time, I catch Oprah on time shift (Thank you Rogers Digital Cable!). Today's episode discussed Mitch Albom's latest novel titled, "For One More Day". The Author may sound familiar, he was the emotional brainiac behind "Tuesdays with
Morrie". A heartwarming read that makes you reevaluate and rethink the stages of your life and the importance of the people along the way. There is some focus on how truly short life is and how one should never take it for granted. Anyway, Albom's latest book "...is the story of a mother and a son, and a relationship that covers a lifetime and beyond." "For One More Day" "...is a haunting novel about the family we love and the chances we miss." "It explores the question: What would you do if you could spend one more day with a lost loved one?"

[Information in quotations was taken from (http://www.foronemoreday.com/)].



Through this topic, Oprah explored the question, who would you spend one more day with? She asked this of many people and numerous celebrities, including Jane Seymour and Nick Lachey. There answers were simpler then you may think. It really got me thinking...Who would I spend one more day with? I always thought I knew whom I would choose... but now I am not so sure. I mean, could I PLEASE spend one more day with a number of individuals? As you will see, there are a handful of people I would love to spend one day with-if I could!
There is Jay, Sean, Nana & Pa, Great E...I could go on. They have ALL touched me in SO many ways that I wish with all of my heart, I could have, just one more day, with each of them!

After the episode, I found myself perplexed with my own thoughts of the people I have lost... How sad to have lost so many wonderful individuals-but how damned lucky to have been touched by them and to have shared time with them! So now, my friends, I must go, purchase, and read "For One More Day", and probably cry and laugh, because someone in this novel by Mitch Albom, must have the opportunity to spend just one more day, with someone they love or loved dearly.

V.

Rich Bride Poor Bride...Big dreams, Small Budgets

Yep...this is another shout out!
What a lovely surprise, Sean, the owner of Buck Productions received today via email. This email was wishing him congrats on having an Advertisement in IN TOUCH Magazine for the marvelous show RICH BRIDE POOR BRIDE. And low and behold, what did we all find when we flipped through the In Touch...That is right my friends, just as the email stated, an advertisement in In Touch!
So a big shout out must go out to the entire Team of Rich Bride Poor Bride!
It airs on the Slice Network in Canada AND the WE network in the USA! Don't Miss it!

V.

Some more Goals to keep the Girl going!

(www.aroundthebayroadrace.com)

As you maybe aware, one of my goals is to run a marathon before I am 30. And as you also maybe aware, my dirty 30 is gaining ground-faster then I would like to even admit! So while training for the half I decided to prolong the training and keep on trucking it right into the Full.
With some persuasion from Casey, I think the SAN DIEGO ROCK 'N ROLL Marathon might just be the one. We are going to make a trip out of it! As of right now we have four couples on board, and it works out beautifully, that half of each couple are in fact the runners thus having non running counterparts that can go out and enjoy the city a little differently then us runners.
In the interim between the half and the full, I have found a 30K to help the training
along...My friends, when things work, they really work! So the run down on the dates are the following:
The AROUND THE BAY, 30K, in Hamilton, ON is Sunday, March 30th, 2008 and The SAN DIEGO ROCK 'N ROLL MARATHON is Sunday, June 1st, 2008!



(www.rnrmarathon.com)

Get'er going...But more appropriately I should say...Get those legs runnin'!

V.

Elf yourself!

Last year someone sent me an email with the subject line: "I have been elfed".
With the holiday season upon us, I thought it only appropriate to get elfed, myself, this season...
And honestly the still in this post does not do the site and what it is capable of, justice!
So go to the link: www.elfyourself.com and get elfed, my friends because it will make you laugh out loud and warm you inside-out!

V.

Tis the Season...just in moderation!

Yes my friends, tis that season. Tis that season where you eat, drink, give and be merry. Tis that season of making a list and checking it twice.
Bright colorful lights, trees decorated from top to bottom and bows galore. We reunite with Family and catch up with old friends. Tis the season of....being broke, hung over, and being exhausted! By the third week of November my Weekends in December were jam packed with so many reasons to celebrate but they all come down to one thing... "tis the season".
And I am not going to lie, this season will be a hard one to juggle. Not because of any emotional turmoil or such but because of some new items on MY agenda. The first the half marathon. Yes the training for this race takes time and yes, a lot of energy. So I have had to turn things down or make sure that I have time to get out and do what I need to do. Perhaps you are reading this and thinking "ah life is too short" but ya know we only say such things about things that do not mean anything to us but never think what that action might mean to the person doing it. This has most definitely taught me a lesson. The Second thing has been my eating and drinking habits. The cleanse has altered my perception on food and how it effects my body and my health. The No No has changed many of my ideas and so many of my choices. Who would have ever thought!!?? Not I. There is a new thought process that goes into each meal or snack I eat in a day. It is quite wonderous. So my motivation to go out, drink, eat and be merry just isn't there like it was last year or in years past.
Though such items have become a part of my decision making process this season, I still have tried to make time to eat, drink, be merry and of course catch up with old friends and family, hence tis the season...just in moderation!

V.

These are my wishes for you this Holiday Season...

V. xo

Highs & Lows of the Holidays

Sam and I sometimes play this game called "HIGHS & LOWS". We usually play it after an awesome day or weekend or even a fabulous trip. The game consists of listing off your "HIGHS" which are your favorite moments or things relating to such day, weekend or trip. It also consists of listing off your "LOWS" which are your least favorite moments or things relating to such day, weekend or trip.
Since the Holiday season is truly upon us, I thought it only appropriate to tell you what my "HIGHS" and "LOWS" are relating to the season.

HIGHS
Christmas trees
Giving gifts
Smell of pine
Red and Green
Christmas Carols
Ice skating
Santa and his elves
Family gatherings
Catching up with friends
Stockings
Cocktail Parties and Drop bys
Christmas cards
holly and mistletoe
EVILLE
The Rudolph and Frostie Movies-with the puppets
The Grinch
Candy Canes
Gingerbread houses
Christmas lights


LOWS
Hang overs
Over eating
Being exhausted
Over spending

V.

Cross to Bare

In a short time, a week Saturday, it will be the tenth anniversary of the death of someone I loved, and still love, very much. With the coming of such anniversary, I wrote the following:

10 years ago my life changed forever. We all have those earth shattering or life altering moments that happen to us. They become our crosses to bare. They test our inner strength and our emotional stamina. They happen. To all of us. Mine happened 10 years ago.

There has been so much time and so much energy devoted to me trying to move on. I have been trying to explain this for years, the thing is, you never move on. You never get over such things. Ever. You learn to live on. You live on with the pain in your heart and in your soul. You gather life by the balls and move forward but never on. You hate, you lie, you scream, you take deep breaths but you never ever move on…you live on with that hole in your heart. You learn to deal. You live with the idea and hope that they are there. Always watching, always keeping an eye out, for what we might decide to do next. They never fully go away but they are always too far away for us to feel or touch or even realize. They are there when you need them the least and gone when you feel you need them the most but always there at the most important moments. Never forgetting that they are one full breath away…Thus, I breathe the air deep in my lungs…and that is when I realize just how far away they are but just how close they may be.

On this terribly sad anniversary, I will reminisce about those old days driving down country roads, singing some silly song, when we had everything in the world to lose, but we just didn't know it.
Although, the hole in my heart does not grow any deeper, it will always remain my cross to bare.

V.

Friendship Sticks=Reflection and Goals

It is that time of year where you start to reflect on the year behind you and start to ponder the year ahead. As you know, I spent much of my childhood summers, at Camp. It was truly one of the greatest things my parents ever did for me...but that is a story, for another post, another time.
Anyway, on the last night of camp we had something called Final Council Fire. It was an evening of reflection, friendship, love and wishes. We dressed in our cleanest, sparkliest uniform. There were speeches of thanks filled with love. There were songs sung that filled the group with laughter and there were "friendship sticks". ahhh wonderful "friendship stick"s. Like the name, it was a regular old stick that you would find under a tree. The special part about these sticks was a tiny piece of paper that you wrapped around the top of the stick with a piece of string. On the paper you wrote a hope, a wish or a resolution. Everyone would give their stick to the "Little Chief" who would tie them together with twine and then place them on the fire.
2006 was what you might call a difficult year. I was faced with many negative obstacles and challenges. There were many times where it would have been so easy to throw up my hands and give up. And you know, there were a few select times that I gave in but did not give up-which only a few ppl witnessed. So as 2007 approached, I decided I would create a list of goals to work towards in the coming year. These in someway became like a friendship stick. They gave me hope and renewed my optimism.
And even though I did not wrap them around a stick, the goals/resolutions made me feel the same way inside as the "friendship stick" did. I was saying goodbye and reflecting AND allowing myself to look forward.
So as we get closer to the final month of 2007, I thought it appropriate to review my
goals, my resolutions, my wishes and see how I faired...

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS FOR 2007

HEALTH/EXERCISE

•Cut down sugar in diet
•Eat less candy
•Cut out Diet Coke
•Run a 10k
•Snow board for an entire day with no pain
•Get off the chair lift by myself without falling 5 times.
•Spin once a week
•Lose 5 pounds

PERSONAL/SOCIAL/WORK

•Don’t Gossip
•Spend less
•Laugh more
•Follow thru
•Take mental health days
•Learn from my mistakes
•Don’t take things personally
•Don’t cry
•Don’t assume anything
•Have more friends and less acquaintances
•Treat ppl like you would like to be treated
•Handle stress better-stay clam and take deep breaths
•Be aggressive
•Stand up for myself
•Blame Less and Problem solve more
•Run a marathon before I am 30
•Be promoted to Producer


As I read the resolutions, I realize I have actually been resolved of many of them! I think by taking a moment to write them out may have triggered something in me and sub consciously I have been checking these things off! These goals have allowed me to stay focused and brought me back, to me. And as I reflect on this year, I begin to slowly think through what I might write on my "friendship stick" for 2008...

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Shout Out to CC Running Room!

A shout out is in order to the COMMERCE COURT RUNNING ROOM! (runningroom.com) As mentioned in earlier posts I joined a running room clinic to help me train for the Half Marathon. I must tell you, it has been an absolutely amazing experience thus far!
The manager, Kim is fantastic! She is enthusiastic, excited, friendly and she even provides everyone snacks on the run club days! And her staff are the same! It makes it that much easier to want to go and run. I have been pleasantly surprised by my experience thus far and I can hardly wait for the weeks ahead!

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I have DEFINITELY made up for my neglect!

Wow have I ever made up for my neglect over the last couple of days!
Please comment on any or ALL of my posts...I would LOVE to hear YOUR thoughts or even... Tease away!

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After Awhile

This poem is another one of my faves...

Enjoy!

After Awhile

After a while you learn the subtle difference between
holding a hand and chaining a soul,
And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning and
company doesn't mean security,
And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts
and presents aren't promises,
And you begin to accept your defeats with your head up
and your eyes open,
with the grace of an adult,
not the grief of a child,
And you learn to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans.
After a while you lean that even sunshine burns
if you get too much.
So plant your own garden and decorate your own soul,
instead of waiting for someone else to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure…
That you really are strong,
And that you really do have worth.
-Veronica A. Shoffstall

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Fab People Doing Fab Things!

A shout out is in order to my friends Ashleigh Dempster and Amanda Blakley, Co-Founders of The Society- In the beginning of November they launched a new arm of their successful cultural club in New York! Big congrats are def. in order!
Around the same time they were featured in a killer article in The National Post (see image above or go to the National Post Website to be able to read the full article!)
Congrats to two very fabulous ladies, doing some absolutely fabulous things!!


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G-sus

G-SUS CLOTHING IS HAVING A SAMPLE SALE and It Rocks! CHECK IT OUT!
Deets: 543 Richmond Street West-Follow the Signage
Wednesday, November 21st to Friday, November 23rd
10am-6pm CASH ONLY! 80% OFF RETAIL!



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Secrets Bosses Never Tell You-But Should...Thanks Cathie Black!

While at home sick a few weeks ago, I was flipping through the channels when I stopped on Martha Stewart's show and she was interviewing Cathie Black about her new book titled, "BASIC BLACK: The Essential Guide for Getting Ahead at Work (and in Life)"
It was interesting and Black made some dynamic points so I made a mental note to definitely pick up her book (or borrow it from Emily-the reading machine!). None the less, that mental note was lost in the shuffle. A week or so after that I was flipping through the November Issue of Cosmo and there was a two page spread about the book with some important points from the book.
Thus, I thought I would share them with you...

10 Success Secrets Bosses Never Tell You but Should

1. Playing It Safe Can Backfire
Most people see taking risks as opening themselves up to unnecessary, maybe even dangerous chances. But the truth is, avoiding risks won’t keep you safe, nor will it guarantee a smooth ride at work or in life.

In fact, the opposite is often true. It’s like the monkey parable: A monkey sees a nut in a hole and reaches in to grab it. Once he’s closed his fist around it, he can’t get his hand back out of the narrow opening. Now he’s stuck. He can’t free himself unless he lets go of the nut, but because he’s afraid to lose it, he won’t let go.

Trying to avoid risks is like clinging to that nut. You may think you’re playing it safe by holding on to what you have, but in reality, you’re just hindering your own progress.

2. Failing = Success
The consequences of failure -- kust like the potential consequences of taking risks—are almost never as terrible as they seem. Just about anyone you can think of who’s a huge success has overcome failure to get where they are today — think of Michael Jordan, who was cut from his high school team, or J.K. Rowling, who was turned down by a number of publishers before one decided to take a chance on her manuscript about a young wizard named Harry Potter.

3. Heed the Two-Step Rule
Anyone can go the extra mile. Try to make a habit of taking the next step or two beyond what you’ve been asked to do.

A couple years ago, an article in one of Hearst’s magazines, House Beautiful, misidentified the legendary Estée Lauder chairman, Leonard Lauder.

Argh! It was an innocent mistake but an incredibly stupid one, and once I was told about it, I knew we needed to fess up immediately. It was a Friday before a holiday weekend. I got on the phone to Leonard’s office and learned from his assistant that he and his wife, Evelyn, were traveling in France. Hearing my desperation, the assistant gave me the number of his hotel in Paris.

“Leonard, I’m sorry,” I said. “And most of all, I’m embarrassed.” Leonard laughed and told me all was forgiven. And as he later told an interviewer for a magazine article profiling me, he was pleased I’d gone to the trouble of tracking him down to apologize.

4. Give Up Control...
Sometimes In any office environment, there are many factors you can’t control—the trickiest of which are often interpersonal. People get on each other’s nerves, step on each other’s toes, vie for each other’s jobs, and sometimes, at the other end of the spectrum, get inappropriately involved with each other. At one point much earlier in my career, I had a boss who was having an affair with a subordinate of his, an awkward situation that made all our lives more complicated. It would have been easy to get upset about the situation, but to what end? The only thing you can do is accept what you can’t change and work around it. That allows you to have a modicum of power over it.

5. Show Your Ignorance
The act of asking is one of the most important elements of success. All too often, people fear that asking questions reveals ignorance, yet the opposite is true. The root of the word ignorance, after all, is ignore. The minute you ask about something, you’ve taken a step to-ward understanding it. On the other hand, if you just ignore the fact that you don’t know, believe me, you won’t get away with that for long.

6. If You Think You Know the Answer, Check Again
There’s an old saying among journalists: “If your mother says she loves you, check it.” And in fact, you can be sure that the minute you take something for granted, it won’t be what you thought it was.

Take my name, for example. When I was in junior high, a skinny, awkward preteen with big dreams, I decided I wanted to be different. So one day, I changed the spelling of my name from Cathy to Cathie. Silly, I know…but what can I say?

I can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve received letters addressed to Cathy Black or Kathy Black or Kathleen Black. It seems like a little deal, but it’s a big deal to me... and it’s the quickest way to lower my opinion of the letter writer.

7. Sometimes You Have to Boss Your Boss
When I watched the movie The Devil Wears Prada, one scene that stuck in my head was when the assistant, Andy, stood behind her boss Miranda’s shoulder at a party, whispering the names of guests as they approached. Smooth as satin, Miranda greeted each person, coming off as an attentive and caring hostess rather than the frosty, bored snob she really was. There’s no quicker, easier way to earn your boss’s respect and gratitude than helping her look good.

8. Have a No-Surprises Policy
Never surprise your boss. If you have bad news, tell it. If you have good news, share it. For one thing, no one likes to feel out of the loop. And for another, hiding a crisis from someone who needs to know virtually guarantees the problem will be compounded. Think of your boss as a small woodland animal—make no startling moves or strange gestures. Do the work to make things easy on him or her.

9. Be a Little Naughty
Rule breaking is an underappreciated and underutilized skill. If you look at any list of highly successful people, it’s invariably populated with rule breakers—from college dropouts like Bill Gates to female trailblazers like eBay’s Meg Whitman to Internet wunderkinds like Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, who refused to believe that a little startup couldn’t take on the biggest, richest companies in cyberspace. All these people trusted their ideas and themselves enough to know which rules they could break. You can do the same.

10. It’s Not PC, But Looks Count
The way you present yourself makes a huge difference in how people perceive you, and not just in a superficial way. People make judgments about your abilities, self-confidence, and savvy based in part on what you choose to wear and how you choose to carry yourself.

When I was just out of college and looking for my first job, I wrangled an interview at Condé Nast, then one of the biggest magazine-publishing companies in New York. I dressed in a nice, conservative suit and felt pretty good about how I looked—right up to the moment I stepped into the elevator at the Condé Nast building.

I immediately felt the penetrating gazes of half a dozen fashionably dressed young women as they looked me up and down, several of them clutching their Louis Vuitton bags. Suddenly, I felt like a complete hayseed. I couldn’t help but be selfconscious— exactly the opposite of how you want to feel going into an interview—and all because I hadn’t given enough thought that morning to how I should dress. The experience taught me a lesson I never forgot.

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Heaven in a Cup...

You all know one of my faves is a non fat sugar free vanilla latte. I have actually nicknamed my fave hot morning beverage-Heaven in a cup. If you have had one then you understand and if you have never had one-then go my friend and consume! Consume two if the need arises! Because this bevvie is de-li-cious! I have tried this beverage at both Second Cup and Timothy's and they just are not as heavenly as the famous s-bucks original.
BUT (I know you knew this was coming...) while cleansing my heavenly morning bevvy was off limits. Yes my friends, I had to find my heaven somewhere else. And you know what...I did, in several Starbuck bevvies. I probably cheated somewhat but... a couple of Saturdays I treated my cleansed bod to a Tazo Chai Soy Latte. Though not as delich, it was right up there. And on my last day of cleansing I was introduced to a Misto. I enjoyed a Green Tea with Soy Misto. This was quite delich and had me regretting I had not been aware of such bevvie sooner. The true reasoning behind this story is that there is really only ONE bevvie that can truly be described as Heaven in a Cup...However, I have now tasted two other bevvies that ALMOST deserve such a description! TG for S-Bucks...
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I have been a slacker...But I had a fun weekend!!??

Ok...So I have been a MAJOR slacker in regards to this blog. I think it has been 2 weeks already. I am not going to lie my life has not been all that exciting as of late. But this is what has gone down.
I, my friends, am fully and completely cleansed! That is right...I made it! And you know what I feel abs AMAZING! It was a great experience. Health wise I feel amazing. Mind wise I feel rejuvenated. I actually contacted the naturopath, that we consulted, about how many times a year it is safe to do and she said you should do it every season change. So I have decided I will embark on the 21 day cleanse again in April 2008. I just cannot get over what an overall wonderful experience it has been! The first two days sucked and I missed bread, wine, cheese and my latte's but the funny thing is I have not have any of those things...Yet! Lol...
I have also been running up a storm. I officially began training for the HALF MARATHON...The Chilly Half in Burlington. Race Day is Sunday, March 2nd, 2008.
I have been following my schedule diligently and feeling great. I can hardly wait to start the long runs. I think training over Christmas will prove to be challenging but I am going to do my best to stay true to the sched. I have already started mapping out routes in e-ville and Rockwood. lol...who is the keener?
Other then that life has been going along swimmingly. I have not been as social as I usually am but we actually had a pretty social weekend...
Friday night we were invited over to Geoff's to hang with him and Julie, for some delicious-even cleanse friendly-fondue. What a perfect way to enjoy dinner but also each others company.
Saturday evening Sam and I ventured to a vegan restaurant called LIVE Organic Food Bar. It was soooo yummy. Not going to lie-dessert was the best part of the dinner. We had ice cream that was actually good for you-no sugar or additives! I could have eaten it until sunrise.
Sunday I woke up early for a run which proved to so wonderfully refreshing. Then around 11, I met up with Lexer and Tor for Brunch at Sadies's . We then cruised Queen West. We were not looking for anything in particular but were more interested in catching up and filled in with one and others busy lives.
And that my friends is a quick peak into my life these days.
I can hardly believe it is ALREADY November 20th and in no time Sam and I will be making a list and checking it twice while celebrating the holiday season. December is such a fun month...I hope to check in more often and maybe even have some pics to post!
Until then...
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More about Me.

There is one thing about me that I must share. I am tremendously loyal to my friends, family and colleagues. I love giving shout outs whenever possible. I believe people deserve credit where credit is due. I also believe you must celebrate the small things thus the big things will seem that much bigger and better (I thank my mentor for that realization and lesson).

Whenever I have the chance I will be pretty much bragging about how great and wonderful my friends, family and colleagues are...
Just a little more about me you should know!

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Awhile

So it has been awhile....
I am 13 days into the cleanse and feeling great! Sam and I have gotten really creative with our diets and the foods we can eat! It has actually been kinda fun! Last night we went and saw the film AMERICAN GANGSTER...which I must say was abs. Amazing. A little bit violent but Denzel and Russel were phenomenal! I know what you are thinking...What is a movie without some popcorn and soda pop? Well we made it through without the soda pop but found some popcorn to fill the craving at a health food store that we could actually eat. It was really tasty and actually did not leave your lips with that salted to the max feeling. And we enjoyed the healthy treat with some equally healthy herbal tea. It was perfect!
Tonight we have plans to go bowling...lol...should be fun! Craig has organized a few people to join us-they will most definitely enjoy some cocktails while we enjoy sobriety. It should be a lot of laughs. I have not been bowling in sometime!

This week was pretty uneventful. I ran up a storm and am soooo ready for the half marathon clinic which begins this Thursday...I can hardly wait!

ONLY 8 DAYS TO GO ON THE CLEANSE!!!! Yippee!

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Day 5...Come and Gone...

As per my post Thursday...Sam kept telling me day 5 would be the absolute worst.
Well my friends, day 5 has come and gone and nothing bad about it (sort of). I felt just as good as I did on day 3 and 4 (kind of)...

The only difficult thing about day 5 was that it was Friday. I never realized how much I actually live for Fridays. I mean Friday morning you wake up excited. (even more so if you were out the night before!) One more day of work-and to be honest how much work really gets done and sorted on a Friday??!! I mean I have had some solid Fridays where I have worked my butt-ski off right until 6pm but it is not an every Friday thing. The other thing about Friday is that-for me anyway-it is a day of treats. That is right. Because it is Friday I let myself get away with so much more then I usually would. 9/10 times I bring my lunch to work. It 1. saves me a ton of moula 2. I eat more healthy and 3. it is just plain good. But on Fridays I seem to have the attitude oh today is friday so I am going to buy myself lunch...and why do I possess such an attitude...well obviously because it is friday. I know it is strange. And I mean that is not the only thing...I allow myself copius amounts of candy, 2 lattes if I want, treats and snacks galore and pre the training for the half marathon, I would allow myself to opt out of working out and why you ask? Because, that is right, it is Friday! So yesterday being my first Friday of the cleanse, I really did not realize it would be so difficult. I racked my brain on how I might treat myself. I could have eaten out but really it would have been no different then if I just brought my lunch. Candy was obviously not an option. I racked my brain for some sort of treat-so I took a walk. yep that is right my treat was taking a walk at lunch with a colleague while she grabbed lunch. woo hoo!
So there you have my thoughts on day 5...physically it was the same but because it fell on a Friday, and it being the first Friday of the cleanse, it was difficult and hard to swallow. TGI..S? Will Saturday actually be ANY better?
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Desiderata

Desiderata is one of my all time favorites. I thought it was worth sharing.
While going through my high school years I sometimes read this to myself before bed to remind myself how small and insignificant somethings are. It helped me keep perspective, hope and my sanity! Believe it or not..it still does!
Truly words to live by...

Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
~Max Ehrmann, 1952

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Run Ving Run!

I am embarking on another adventure that also involves health and wellness. In two weeks time I will officially begin training for a half marathon and I can HARDLY wait. In the middle of October I actually signed up and started a 10K clinic at the Running Room. After running with my group a couple of times I realized that my fitness level was a lot higher then thought. I asked if I could bump up to the half clinic and they said of course. I have continued to join the 10k clinic on their runs but after next week I will begin with the half marathon clinic. The clinic lasts until the end of February and our goal race is the Chilly half Marathon in Burlington on the first weekend in March. The Running Room makes it easy to train with two open runs a week where you can choose what group to go out with plus the clinic run once a week. They also give you a schedule to train by, which is amazing. I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am about this. My love for running has been renewed and I get excited about even the thought of my next run. I will leave you with an interesting thought on the runner:

"Runners may not be any more honest than the rest of the population, but I think they are. You can pretend to be smart or wealthy. You can rent a lifestyle for a week. For a few hours or a few days, you can deceive those around you, and for a while, yourself.
But as a runner, you have to face the truth about yourself on a regular basis, and it makes you more honest. You can’t pretend to be faster than you are. You can’t pretend that you are better prepared than you are. You cannot pretend to be a runner, you actually have to run.
In the end, being a runner is no more complicated than that. To be a runner, you simply have to run. It’s not enough to dream about being a runner. It’s not enough to plan on being a runner. Sooner or later, you have to run.
And if you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run."

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Let My No No November Begin...

Last November Sam and Craig decided to use the month of November as a time to renew and refresh. By renew and refresh they meant cut out alcohol and pretty much all junk food. They both embarked on detoxes and cleanses. Thus the birth of the NO NO NOVEMBER!


I am 4 days into my No No November aka my 20 day cleanse. So far so good. The first 2 days I felt exhausted and quite drained but come day 3-I felt like my old self again...Thank Goodness! My diet is very restricted and I am on 2 cleansing kits. The first is a detox kit which stimulates the body's natural drainage processes to allow auto regulation and elimination of toxins. This is made up of 3 sets of drops that I take 3 times daily. This kit cleanses the gastrointestinal system and liver, the kidneys and gallbladder and the lymphatic system. The second kit is an advanced parasite cleansing system which is made up of droplets and pill capsules. I take these in the evening only.
My restricted diet consists of the following: lots of fruits and veggies, not from concentrated OJ, fish and skinless/boneless chicken, whole grain rye bread, brown rice, brown rice pasta, whole grain rye bread, rice cakes, Japanese green tea, herbal teas, nuts (with the exception of peanuts), soy milk/almond milk and LOTS of water. Big no no's are the following: Refined sugars, fried food, red meat, shell fish, dairy, alcohol, wheat, yeast, caffeine, white pasta/white rice, no cooking with olive oil-only coconut oil and absolutely no peanuts.
So far I have realized that I need protein. Yes that is right. Protein energizes me. I try and start my no no days with some sort of protein to get me going. I found these great all natural/vegan meal replacements powders that you add to water. Let me tell you they definitely do the trick! I have also really enjoying salads for lunch with either some tuna fish or chick peas. It is really teaching me to be creative with eating healthy-which is great.
Sam keeps telling me that day 5 is the worst...tmo is day 5 so I will let you know how that goes.
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The Boobyball

I mentioned earlier that I enjoy getting involved and I touched breifly on the Boobyball! This year I was not as involved with the event but I still tried to help out where I could. The event was a smashing success and raised approximately $100,000.00 for Rethink Breast Cancer...Abs Amazing!
Ashleigh and Amanda(see picture above), co-founders of the Society chaired it up and did a killer job.
The Boobyball has really established itself and honed a ton of media coverage. This years theme was Glamified and took on a 80's Rock theme. There was everything from cotton candy machines, a Guns'N Roses Cover band to airbrush tatoos and rock themed cocktails. It all went down in Up Country Furniture show room. All in all an amazing night! Props go to all of those involved in making it a success! I am already looking forward to next year...
On a side note, while there, Sam and I had our photograph taken by the National Post and actually made it into the society pages (See the picture they used above).


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laughter is the best medicine

They say laughter is the best medicine...and I am a believer! There have been so many moments where I have felt like the walls are closing in and then something happens or someone says something that sets me off. And when I say sets me off, I do not mean sets me off in a fit of rage but I mean sets me off into a fit of laughter and all is good. Nothing seems as bad and everything seems better. This laughter usually coincides with being with or surrounded by good people and good times. Sometimes I have so much fun that my heart hurts with joy. Moments such as these have happened many times with so many wonderous people whom I admire and love through and through. Their happiness definitely coincides with mine. It is a wonderful thing to have wonderful friends. I count my blessings daily. There is really nothing like being super silly with your best friends. Laughter is truly and undeniably the best medicine there is!
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Involved!

A few years ago I found myself being defined by my job. Don't get me wrong, I love my job and I love my place of employment but I felt like a one layered person. I know it sounds strange but I felt like I needed to become more multi layered which in my eyes makes me a better person. So I sat down and thought to myself how on earth can I do that? And then that is when it hit me...Become involved. So that summer I joined the boobyball committee. An event that raises money for Rethink Breast Cancer. http://boobyball.com/ Where I attended bi weekly meetings, helped get items donated for the silent auction, put in my two cents and via my company produced the looped video which played all night long. It was an amazing experience. It was exhausting but in the most positive way. This year I was not as involved with the boobyball but helped where I could. I attended the event which was amazing!! But I was busy with my own event..yes that is right! This year myself and five others put on the first annual Testicle Festival, which raised funds for testicular cancer through the Princess Margaret Hospital. We raised $20,000.00!!
It was a weekend event. We through a party on Saturday September 22nd and a golf tournament on the Sunday! It was fantastic. It was a lot of work but it was so much fun. Through the years since my thoughts of getting involved I have had the opportunity to be part of many different events and help in all sorts of ways. I love supporting my friends, I just love getting involved and best of all it makes me feel so good to give back!
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Keys to the VIP-Season 2 Launch!

Last night I was invited to attend the second season launch of KEYS TO THE VIP! Buck Productions where I work is the producer of the show. So over 100 ppl gathered at Kai which is inside the club INSIDE. It was a great turn out with a great group of people. Lots of drinks were consumed and lots of laughs were had. The show is a reality show where two guys battle it out to see whom is the true playa. They are sent out into a club with challenges where they must try and pick up girls. It airs on COMEDY NETWORK, Thursday evenings at 10pm. The season premier last night was absolutely hilarious! I was laughing like crazy and the winner definitely deserved to win.

All in all a great night! Congrats to all the cast and crew!
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Me!

Hello World!
I have been talking about starting a blog for sometime and I finally have done it! What fun!
I am very excited to enter the world of blogging. This seems to be a good time too because starting Monday I am embarking on my very first cleanse. I have also just begun training for a half marathon-I am 2 weeks into training. I am assuming that both will prove to be educational, personally uplifting and quite a journey.

Over the last few months I have found myself faced with so many wonderful moments and experiences that I think it will be great to be able to share all of them moving forward.

I am excited to blog away about all my experiences...
More excitement to come, Promise!

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