People Gone Home

It's winter and signs of life? Rare.

L: Spadina Station, Saturday 27th around 7.30am; R: OCAD, Saturday 27th around 1.30pm.
OCAD is the Ontario College of Art & Design and the floating shoebox building at the top of the frame supported by various coloured columns is part of the "Sharp Centre for Design". Critically acclaimed and awarded, it is designed by Will Alsop.


L: Spadina Ave, Sunday 28th around 12 noon; R: Queen's Park (a), Friday 26th around 5.30pm.
The snow reminds me of dandruff...


Queen's Park (b)

Tag Me? Tag You!

Right, a game of tag is being played electronically and I have been tagged by Clare. Now I'm suppose to tell you 5 things you didn't already know about me:

1. One of my favourite films is Working Girl with Melanie Griffith in the title role, Joan Cusack as her best friend and Harrison Ford the object of her affections. Big hair, big make up, big ambitions. I think that's why as I kid I dreamt of growing up and having a corner office. No idea what I would do as a job just an office would suffice.
2. I'm bow-legged.
3. When I was in 5th grade the whole school went away to camp. At the limbo competition I was the last one standing out of 100 or so kids - winner!
4. If I was to become an actor I would never agree to: (a) wear a wedding dress or (b) lie in a coffin. Everything else is negotiable.
5. On his death bed, my grandfather cried to me "I want to live to see you get married." That was 10 years ago and he's still alive. Talk about pressure!

Let the game continue and I'm tagging Corrinne and Roland. Over to you two!

There Must Be a Titan In the Atmosphere

"Brrrr, it's cold in here. There must be a Titan in the aaaat-mosphere."

It's a quote from one of my favourite movies. Yes it's from "Bring It On", a funny high school cheerleading film starring Kirsten Dunst. It's one of the more intelligent teen movies out in recent years, perhaps that is why it was never as big as those stupid Scary Movies et al.

It was pretty darn cold on Saturday night. It was in fact -13c. But that didn't deter me and Flatmate from going ice skating the next evening.

Outdoor ice skating is one of those quintessential winter things to do in Toronto. A rink has been set up at Nathan Phillip Square and is adorned by wonderful christmas lights against the backdrop of the the Town Hall. But insiders know that for an even better rink one must head to the Harbourfront and skate on frozen lake (see pic of me with CN Tower in background). What was once a rowing pool becomes a great rink with bits of fallen leaves frozen in it around the edges. The atmosphere was fun and carefree. With only a small amount of people skating on the free rink (free if you had your own skates, which most people did) it was a really nice evening out. Boys speeding around the rink, groups of friends laughing whilst helping their non-skating friends, lone skaters who looked like they just popped down for a quick skate, mums taking their unsteady little ones for a learner's spin. In this happy arena I noticed people would leave their shoes, bags and whatever belonging they had just lying around the rink in no particular attempt to keep their possessions "safe". Unheard of in any other city I would claim! It gave me such a positive feeling towards this country, that people here are decent and trustworthy.

With the coloured lights, retro music and falling snow it was a happy Canadian outing.

A Couple of $1 Coins (read: looneys)

Saturday I went over to Dave and Sachi's house late, to meet up with the group and head on out to Rockwood. Free entry for us as Dave's friend is the promoter there. Big ups to you Dave.

Dave had on a Puma jacket and Puma shoes.

This pic we like'd to call it "Dave. Brought to you by Puma."





So we got rugged up and headed out. Here's Miki looking particularly enthused for the night's entertainment.






Here's Miki again. On our way to Rockwood Dave popped into convenience store and Miki felt a little left behind?

Stella!!!!!!!!

Faces and Places

I was watching an interesting program on tv over the weekend, about religion and spirituality and that there was a rise in numbers of Canadian youths attending church regularly, a first in 50 years. It resonated with my own sense of spirituality, or rather, the lack of that sense and feeling like I've had a void in my life for a number of months.

Work used to give me a sense of self. It is a common framework to which one defined oneself. Against this background, it didn't surprise me that as a receptionist in too quiet an office I was feeling unfulfilled, not only with my career path but more significantly as a person. There is so much more I could accomplish with the hours I have in a day. This need to be more productive finally pushed me to act. I went looking for volunteer opportunities where I can actually contribute and do some good. I needed intrinsic satisfaction.

I've put my hand up for little projects here and there; being an eco-friendly gift wrapper, information runner for Alzheimer's Walk-a-Thon, helping launch a community arts magazine, Front of House duties at an Australian film festival weekend coming up in February. All fun projects raising money for good causes or giving support to things of interest to me. However last Sunday morning I helped serve breakfast to homeless people for the first time. For one brief, unexpected moment I was struck with a great sense of grief.

The Lawyers Feed the Hungry Program serves breakfast three times a week to the homeless. Sunday's service is the only one I can attend and I was happy to cut short my Saturday partying to get to the cafeteria at 8.30am. We prepped until 10am when the guests come in for their meal. As each person finished their meal, they leave with a food package and the next person is seated to be served their meal. The prep work proior to the service was very simple and easy. The volunteer team was well oiled and each person was assigned a specific task. But I was nervous at the start of the service, not knowing what to expect.

The guests were understandably eager to be seated. They were provided with unlimited tea, coffee, juice and milk, cereal, bread, a full lunch (ham, veg, potatoes, salad) and ice cream for dessert. The waiting displeased one guest and verbalised it to one of the volunteers, a girl in her teens. I saw her trying to appease him but he didn't want to be appeased and she was becoming upset. I tried to comfort her very quickly and we moved away from this person who wanted nothing but an argument.

That was the only thing that morning that wasn't pleasant. The guests were all polite people, mostly men, but a handful of women as well. Some didn't look as if they belonged there, while some from the withdrawn look of their faces you know this is a life they've become acclimatised to. They flit from one shelter to another, constantly regrouping with the same people and becoming a community onto themselves.

I didn't expect to get upset. For one brief moment I had to fight the urge for tears and carried on with my tasks. I became relaxed about the work and enjoyed the banter and service itself. It got me thinking afterwards: is it right to help these people by coddling them? Should we withdraw this crutch and offer more productive solutions? But what of those legitimate cases where a chat over a meal is all someone needs to get back on their feet? We shouldn't penalise those who need this service for the majority who'll never leave it. There will always be homeless people for whatever reason. Taking away shelters and food services will not stop people being homeless.

The service only lasts an hour, the last of the guests leave by 11.10am. There were cheery goodbyes and promises of meeting again next week. By 11.20am I disperse with the rest of volunteers to make our own, private, anomynous way home.

It is snowing for the first time this winter.

Coutdown Update

I have exactly 24 weeks left (out of 52) in Canada till my visa runs out.

My Furry Friend

Is this guy not the coolest?

I got him for Christmas.

He's an Ugly Doll and his name is Ox.

My baby's so UGLY!

5,6,7,8...Who Do We Appreciate?

I wasn't quite sure what new years was to be like, as on Friday plans for big night were still not confirmed. Everything just seemed a little out of sorts - the warmest December on record with rain predicted for the 31st; being home alone for two weeks with slight cabin fever symptons(as Flatmate is away on holidays); christmas presents still unopened under the tree (as dictated by the return of Flatmate); the office being suicidally quiet throwing my already lax work rhythm off.

After work on Friday my good friend Deeple and I decided a spot of retail therapy was needed for the both of us, followed by easy-to-drink wine accompanied by a fine dining experience. We both felt so much better afterwards.

To combat the lethargy of the next day, I thought it was high time to make use of the metro pass Flatmate had left me. I should've gone as far as the outskirts of the GTA to make absolute use of the pass, but I was happy to take the subway to the nearest shopping mall. Saturday AND Sunday. I was invigorated by my shopping expeditions. My spirits were high and I was ready for New Year's Eve 2006 - TO style.


L: Ai, Ken, Dave, Sachi, Dom and me pre-party; R: This was taken before 12...

L: What's up?; R: Urrr..

Group photo with random guy. He just came and sat for a photo with us.

New Year's 2006 was a successful ending to a slightly less than coherant week, and certainly a nice kick to the end of the year.

Canada, thank you for the last 6 months. There were times where I didn't think we'd make it. But I think we've come to know each other a little better now, and maybe, hopefully, I'll get to see more of you in 2007. Let us never fight again. Goodbye past and hello future!