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.