... looks like the PVR wins again.
Added the link to the third Bandwidth episode from my internship over the break to the post below.
Off to eat more cookies, M.
Beach vacation in Dominican Republic
8 months ago
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The break begins!
As usual, December comes and we all get the school crazies. End of semester papers, documentary edits, internships, beer. Lots of beer.
But somehow we all make it through (mostly thanks to the beer) and now I'm pleasantly back at home in Kamloops, sipping a gingerbread latte that my Starbucks-trained sister lovingly prepared for me and enjoying two weeks sans classes and deadlines. Work? Sure... I've got a website to update/redesign, two proposals to write, and a tidy stack of books to devour... but no deadlines. Woo!
For the past two weeks, I interned at CBC Radio Music and was lucky enough to work with Amanda Putz on Bandwidth. Two weeks of interning bliss: researching and learning about Ontario indie bands, interviewing and producing segments, audio editing to my heart's desire-- I even got to produce this coming week's episode! And Amanda is fantastic, so much fun and a great person to learn from. If only I could sneak to the second floor of CBC Ottawa and live there forever... sigh.
And, of course, I wouldn't be a shameless self-promoting j-student if I didn't provide links...
This past week's episode of Bandwidth- the Chanukah/Holiday episode- can be found on the NXEW blog. Amanda mostly worked on this show, but I came in to help in announcing Christmas shows around Ontario and also made Amanda a special Chanukah gift, which I give to her on-air near the end of the show.
The week before was All Things Hamilton- at the NXEW blog by clicking here. On this show, I interviewed TO band Hamilton Trading Co-- my first radio feature on air, which is pretty exciting.
The episode I (mostly) produced-- The Not-Quite-Christmas Show-- will be on this Saturday on CBC Radio 1 across Ontario and Nunavut (not in the GTA though) at 5:05pm. And, of course, I'll link it when I can ;)
*edit: you can find the show here!*
The holidays may mean I blog more. Or they might mean I just eat more Christmas baking and shun my laptop in favour of the family's new big-screen TV and PVR. I guess we'll find out which one wins out in the next week or so...
But somehow we all make it through (mostly thanks to the beer) and now I'm pleasantly back at home in Kamloops, sipping a gingerbread latte that my Starbucks-trained sister lovingly prepared for me and enjoying two weeks sans classes and deadlines. Work? Sure... I've got a website to update/redesign, two proposals to write, and a tidy stack of books to devour... but no deadlines. Woo!
For the past two weeks, I interned at CBC Radio Music and was lucky enough to work with Amanda Putz on Bandwidth. Two weeks of interning bliss: researching and learning about Ontario indie bands, interviewing and producing segments, audio editing to my heart's desire-- I even got to produce this coming week's episode! And Amanda is fantastic, so much fun and a great person to learn from. If only I could sneak to the second floor of CBC Ottawa and live there forever... sigh.
And, of course, I wouldn't be a shameless self-promoting j-student if I didn't provide links...
This past week's episode of Bandwidth- the Chanukah/Holiday episode- can be found on the NXEW blog. Amanda mostly worked on this show, but I came in to help in announcing Christmas shows around Ontario and also made Amanda a special Chanukah gift, which I give to her on-air near the end of the show.
The week before was All Things Hamilton- at the NXEW blog by clicking here. On this show, I interviewed TO band Hamilton Trading Co-- my first radio feature on air, which is pretty exciting.
The episode I (mostly) produced-- The Not-Quite-Christmas Show-- will be on this Saturday on CBC Radio 1 across Ontario and Nunavut (not in the GTA though) at 5:05pm. And, of course, I'll link it when I can ;)
*edit: you can find the show here!*
The holidays may mean I blog more. Or they might mean I just eat more Christmas baking and shun my laptop in favour of the family's new big-screen TV and PVR. I guess we'll find out which one wins out in the next week or so...
Friday, July 10, 2009
A few of my favourite things
In honour of tomorrow marking one month back in town, I offer my dear readers the following...
10 Best Things About Being Back in Kamloops
(in no particular order)
1. Time Warp
... the radio stations are pretty much exactly the same as when I was in high school. People who live here regularly find this frustrating. I, however, love the short-term opportunity to nostalgically rock out. Case in point: belting out Amanda Marshall's "Let It Rain" as I passed by Riverside Coliseum, where I saw my first "real" concert-- Amanda, playing, nonetheless-- back in grade 7.
2. Francie
There's already a post on her and how awesome she is, but it's worth repeating. Francie rocks my socks. Even when high school boys laugh at my car at the park. Or I walk into the lunchroom to hear my coworkers trying to deduce "WHO is driving that 90s hatchback?". Or she takes a good 30 seconds to hit 60 going up the hill. Heart.
Kamloops is a great city to drive in-- the weather is perfect for rolling down your windows, there's a beautiful view of the valley down from my place... and it's really big and hilly, and I'm pretty lazy, so it's far superior to... shudder... walking.
3. Canada Day
Ottawa notwithstanding, Kamloops has one of the best Canada Days I've been to- it's a huge community event with tons of live performances and art displays and kids' games and amazing food put on by tons of the local cultural associations. And the fireworks over the river are pretty fantastic. Plus I got to do a story on it for the news-- woo!
4. Perfect way to end the day
I won't pretend I'm up for many of the sunrises... but the sunsets in the valley are gorgeous.
5. Sun, sun, sun...
At least 4 days of brilliant dry heat and sun for any crappy rain day... the perks of being in a desert.
6. Riverside Park
I can't tell if Riverside has gotten nicer and less sketch since I lived here, or if my standards have substantially lowered after being in Toronto... but the park is lovely, even if the beach is a bit lacklustre.
7. The old haunts
Denny's, the piercing shop, Scoops (or better yet, when it was Summer Dreams), the tea house, Zak's...
... I just realized that all of my favourite places in town either feed me or poke holes in me. Hmm.
8. West is Best
This can be proven through equations:
Safeway > Hartman's; Save-On > Loeb; Superstore > Loblaw's
Okanagan Springs, Big Rock, Growers = amazingly delicious
And the fresh fruit from the Okanagan pretty much schools the ByWard any day of the week.
9. Deck privileges
What can I say? Like most folk, I enjoy being able to barbecue and nap and drink beers. All three are exponentially better when a deck is involved. The only downside is that nosy strata types are often watching deck goings-on... which means I've had to keep my pants on. Thus far.
10. The... pace...
Things are slower out in BC... and even more so in Kamloops. Outside of the newsroom, there's rarely a reason to rush. It's probably one of the things I've missed most.
10 Best Things About Being Back in Kamloops
(in no particular order)
1. Time Warp
... the radio stations are pretty much exactly the same as when I was in high school. People who live here regularly find this frustrating. I, however, love the short-term opportunity to nostalgically rock out. Case in point: belting out Amanda Marshall's "Let It Rain" as I passed by Riverside Coliseum, where I saw my first "real" concert-- Amanda, playing, nonetheless-- back in grade 7.
2. Francie
There's already a post on her and how awesome she is, but it's worth repeating. Francie rocks my socks. Even when high school boys laugh at my car at the park. Or I walk into the lunchroom to hear my coworkers trying to deduce "WHO is driving that 90s hatchback?". Or she takes a good 30 seconds to hit 60 going up the hill. Heart.
Kamloops is a great city to drive in-- the weather is perfect for rolling down your windows, there's a beautiful view of the valley down from my place... and it's really big and hilly, and I'm pretty lazy, so it's far superior to... shudder... walking.
3. Canada Day
Ottawa notwithstanding, Kamloops has one of the best Canada Days I've been to- it's a huge community event with tons of live performances and art displays and kids' games and amazing food put on by tons of the local cultural associations. And the fireworks over the river are pretty fantastic. Plus I got to do a story on it for the news-- woo!
4. Perfect way to end the day
I won't pretend I'm up for many of the sunrises... but the sunsets in the valley are gorgeous.
5. Sun, sun, sun...
At least 4 days of brilliant dry heat and sun for any crappy rain day... the perks of being in a desert.
6. Riverside Park
I can't tell if Riverside has gotten nicer and less sketch since I lived here, or if my standards have substantially lowered after being in Toronto... but the park is lovely, even if the beach is a bit lacklustre.
7. The old haunts
Denny's, the piercing shop, Scoops (or better yet, when it was Summer Dreams), the tea house, Zak's...
... I just realized that all of my favourite places in town either feed me or poke holes in me. Hmm.
8. West is Best
This can be proven through equations:
Safeway > Hartman's; Save-On > Loeb; Superstore > Loblaw's
Okanagan Springs, Big Rock, Growers = amazingly delicious
And the fresh fruit from the Okanagan pretty much schools the ByWard any day of the week.
9. Deck privileges
What can I say? Like most folk, I enjoy being able to barbecue and nap and drink beers. All three are exponentially better when a deck is involved. The only downside is that nosy strata types are often watching deck goings-on... which means I've had to keep my pants on. Thus far.
10. The... pace...
Things are slower out in BC... and even more so in Kamloops. Outside of the newsroom, there's rarely a reason to rush. It's probably one of the things I've missed most.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Home on the Range
As I sit on the couch on a lazy Sunday afternoon, sipping a chai and tapping away on my laptop, I get to wondering what the best parts of being home for the holidays are... and then realize that it's spending lazy Sunday afternoons lounging with a laptop and a chai.
That's the other good thing about being at home- I normally don't have to overthink things.
All in all, being back in beautiful BC is... well, beautiful? Whether it's contemplating gnoming and dildos (not together, you perv) over pub food with Lisa and Tica, making awesome jewelry and (attempted) bellydancing with Sinead, or watching Gidget and playing Settlers of Catan with my ridiculously entertaining sister, I love that the pace of life seems to slow exponentially when I reach the Interior.
Having lived away from Kamloops for almost seven years, I've gotten past the fact that my hometown has changed a good deal from when I lived here. Instead of it being a problem, I've learned to enjoy getting lost while driving around town or getting ridiculously excited when I discover a new funky place on the main strip. Plus, I'm kind of enjoying the Y's recent gym upgrades... it used to be kind of brutal when you wanted to go work out.
I've been interning at the Daily News, and even that has been fun and chill. My editor doesn't want to stress us out or give us all of the lame assignments because it's my holidays and because I'm unpaid– and I'm not twisting her arm to make me write city briefs. I've been able to write a couple of features, a few news stories, and am working on a recycling piece for next week. I'm also not supposed to work Christmas Eve and get to end my internship whenever I want. Maybe writing for a small daily paper isn't that bad of a job after all?
As Christmas approaches, my massive extended family is starting to pilgrimmage back to the Loops... yesterday, my aunt, uncle and twin cousins arrived from Texas and they'll be staying with us for a week. Seeing as our house is small enough that even I don't have a bedroom (yep, it's a futon in the computer room for me– home sweet home!) and that the twins, who are six, are still learning to use their indoor voices, this could prove to be an interesting seven days...
That's the other good thing about being at home- I normally don't have to overthink things.
All in all, being back in beautiful BC is... well, beautiful? Whether it's contemplating gnoming and dildos (not together, you perv) over pub food with Lisa and Tica, making awesome jewelry and (attempted) bellydancing with Sinead, or watching Gidget and playing Settlers of Catan with my ridiculously entertaining sister, I love that the pace of life seems to slow exponentially when I reach the Interior.
Having lived away from Kamloops for almost seven years, I've gotten past the fact that my hometown has changed a good deal from when I lived here. Instead of it being a problem, I've learned to enjoy getting lost while driving around town or getting ridiculously excited when I discover a new funky place on the main strip. Plus, I'm kind of enjoying the Y's recent gym upgrades... it used to be kind of brutal when you wanted to go work out.
I've been interning at the Daily News, and even that has been fun and chill. My editor doesn't want to stress us out or give us all of the lame assignments because it's my holidays and because I'm unpaid– and I'm not twisting her arm to make me write city briefs. I've been able to write a couple of features, a few news stories, and am working on a recycling piece for next week. I'm also not supposed to work Christmas Eve and get to end my internship whenever I want. Maybe writing for a small daily paper isn't that bad of a job after all?
As Christmas approaches, my massive extended family is starting to pilgrimmage back to the Loops... yesterday, my aunt, uncle and twin cousins arrived from Texas and they'll be staying with us for a week. Seeing as our house is small enough that even I don't have a bedroom (yep, it's a futon in the computer room for me– home sweet home!) and that the twins, who are six, are still learning to use their indoor voices, this could prove to be an interesting seven days...
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