The best characters on TV

Another chance to post a photo of Donald Glover

I used to be a movie geek. I took some film studies in University, I spent hours in video stores back when you could get seven old VHS movies for seven days for $10, and I would scour newspapers and magazines for the best movies of the year lists – lining them up for viewing soon afterwards.

But sometime in the last 5-10 years, that all changed.  DVD sets of TV shows were more convenient to watch and relatively affordable, sites like Sidereel and TVDuck made it easy to stream things onto the laptop often in my lap, external hard-drives gave me more space to store the stuff I download, my varied media schedule gave me late evenings and afternoons to watch, and, dare I say it, there’s some great TV being made by both basic and premium channels.

It’d be hard to tell you my favourite shows of all time or even of the current season. In fact, the  list I came up with: My favourite TV characters of 2012 doesn’t even come from the best TV.

2013. It’s here.

How 2013 will be different from 2012:

1. My family will be bigger. My brother and his wife are expecting their first child – my first niece or nephew.

2. I will have a new job.  In fact, I will have two new jobs starting in the next few days. I went from no work to a whole lotta work in a hurry. Neither are reporting jobs, nor are they media jobs. It’s really a new career beginning.

3. I will be staying close to home. The travels of 2012 will (unfortunately) not be repeated. We are getting several visitors from Australia. We’ll trek to Calgary to see the new one. We will also head to Toronto for the wedding of an old friend. It was a year of engagements among my friends (at least according to Facebook), 2013 will be weddings and 2015 will be babies.

4. With less long-distance travel comes more close-to-home exploration.  I intend to spend more time on local mountains this winter, hiking, camping and kayaking in the summer.

5. I will know how to drive standard. This is more of a hope than a reality.  I have taken a few lessons so far but it’s painful.  After 15 years of driving, I’m finding the process utterly frustrating.  I know I’m a good driver but the skills fail to translate – and if you’ve ever honked at a vehicle clearly marked “student driver”… you’re a dick.

6. Steady as she goes for the relationship. We’ve lived together over a year – awesome. We’ve met all the family and friends – smooth.  We’re approaching two years together – still magical.

7. Orgle will be a permanent resident. The paperwork was submitted over 6 months ago. Whenever he checks the wait times, it has gotten longer. It’s now about year. (And he was fast-tracked through the process.)

8. The unexpected. Each year brings challenges not foretold. You have to be excited for them. I know I am.

2012: A Year in Review

January.

Stuff we did: Went to the Vandusen gardens for the first time, it was also the last day for the Christmas lights there, so it was busy.  Attended the wedding of one of Orgle’s coworkers. Apparently, I attend one wedding a year, this was it! The biggest snowfall of the year came and went, to Orgle’s dismay. I saw my favourite band, Fitz and the Tantrums for the second time in less than a year. We got free tickets to an Oilers-Canucks game here in Vancouver – even getting to sit in the box of the Oilers’ owner. (With whom I’m less and less impressed.)

Travel: A terrifying trip to the interior to go skiing – from freezing rain on the way out to white out conditions on the way back.

February.

Stuff we did: Strapped on cross country skis for the first time since I was a child.  It was NOT like riding bike.  I have forgotten everything I once knew. I got really sick midway through the month. I also got around to finally printing some of my pictures in a darkroom.  A lot of fun.   Sad to think this hobby will soon be difficult – or even obsolete.

Travel: Up to Whistler for a week to ski (I end up only getting one day in due to pneumonia-related symptoms). We went because Orgle’s dad and brother were visiting.

Life events: Meeting Orgle’s dad and brother. Later that month my mom retired – joining my retired dad on the Island full time.

March.

Stuff we did: This was probably the most relaxed month of the year. Some skiing (both downhill and cross country), lots of cooking, dinners with friends…

Travel: Off to Vancouver Island to celebrate my dad’s birthday and to ensure my parents weren’t driving each other insane, living together 24/7 for the first time in many years.

April.

Stuff we did: I was a speaker about online legalities at the RTNDA BC conference. I joined a women’s team for a soccer tournament in Squamish.

Travel: We went to Seattle and Portland with my parents, my brother and his wife.

Life events: Celebrated a year with Orgle (with dinner at Chambar). I sincerely can’t say enough nice things about him. His unwavering support through my unemployment has been monumental. He is a caring soul who believes in me even when I do not. I didn’t know I could love someone this much.

May.

Stuff we did: This is as active as I got all year.  I bought a bike to ride to work, I’m still playing soccer and now volleyball a couple nights a week. This would come to a crashing halt six weeks later. I was a speaker about the future of news online at the BCAB conference.

Travel: Third annual take-over of my parents place in Cedar.

Life events: At the start of the month, Orgle tears his ACL playing soccer. Eight months later and he is still up to 5 months away from surgery and another 8 months to a year from recovery.

June.

Stuff we did: I was interviewed to be the head of the new Huffington Post BC edition. (The first of many interviews through the rest of the year.) Finally got Orgle to the Alibi Room – a big deal after some failed attempts.

Travel: Camping on Orcas Island.  Boy did it rain.

Life events: In a soccer game, I badly sprained by ankle. Six months later I’m still recovering. Hoping to play again in January. Also, this blog turned 7! (Meaning two months later I celebrated 7 years in Vancouver.)

July.

Stuff we did: My balcony garden really started to take off. Sure, I planted my tomatoes too close together, making them tall and skinny instead of bushy.  I also accidentally put the mint in with other things.  I think I managed to separate it out, but we’ll see what sprouts in the spring! I started a cider blog and Orgle reconfigured our wine fridge to fit in more beer as he keeps cellaring it.

Travel: A trip across the country to Newfoundland (More pics here and here), where the people seem warm and welcoming even if you’re not entirely sure you know what they are saying.  It’s a beautiful, rugged landscape and every meal seems to be served with fries. We also are off to Vancouver Island again, this time to celebrate my mom’s birthday – my oldest friend, Sabrina, happens to stop by!

Life events: Tell my boss I’m quitting in August.

August.

Stuff we did: It’s Orgle’s favourite day of the year – Dog days of summer at Nat Bailey.  It’s a night where people can bring their dogs to the stadium for baseball.  Orgle loves pups.  We wander the Richmond Night Market, gorging ourselves another night. We officially become Whitecaps supporters. We bought a five game pack with friends and watched most other games on TV. We head up to Britannia Mining Museum – familiar ground for Orgle who once worked at an underground mine.  Despite his knee and my ankle, we get out for some hiking through the summer. We hiked near Whistler and then went to the spa afterwards. Some of my final shifts at the radio station are spend working at The Fair at the PNE.  Orgle wanders the grounds for the first time, even taking a zip on the wooden rollercoaster.  He also goes to his first (and last?) CFL game.

Travel: Whistler for hiking and spa.

Life events: Walk out of the radio station for the last time.  I spent nearly five years working there and it was time to go. On the last day of the month, we head to the airport, Australia-bound.

September.

Stuff we did: More than half of the month was spent in Australia. The rest was spent celebrating birthdays and, well, starting the process of figuring out what to do with my life.

Travel: Having been with Orgle a year and a half, it was time to fill in some of the knowledge gaps.  In other words, it was time to visit his homeland, meet his mom and other sister, see pictures of him as a baby and get to know his friends. We spent just over two weeks in Australia. (Pictures: Brisbane/Sunshine Coast, Melbourne/Great Ocean Road, Adelaide/Wine Region, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary), It was a painfully short visit (planned as such with the hope that I would be able to get it off work, which in the end I quit over).

Life events: Celebrate my 31st birthday and Orgle’s 29th. We’ve also been in our little apartment a year which, if my moving history suggests anything, is a milestone.

October.

Stuff we did: I read career help books and applied for dozens of jobs. Orgle worked.

Travel: Taking advantage of my unemployment and Orgle’s decent vacation day allocation, we drove down to Seattle and caught a flight to Iceland for just over a week. It’s a beautiful country built on lava rock. It’s like they say, Iceland is green and Greenland is ice. (We flew over Greenland.) – If you consider Australia an island (which technically, it is not), it was our fifth island in less than five months. We also went to Vancouver Island for Thanksgiving.

Life events: At some point you realize your relatives aren’t going to be with you forever. I’ve lost my dad’s parents and the inevitability of my mom’s parents passing is upon us.  I have a grandfather who doesn’t remember me, nor the answer to a question less than five minutes ago. My mother recently made an astute comment that modern medicine is keeping his 87 year old body in relatively good shape, but is it worth it if his mind is going… going… gone?

November.

Stuff we did: We watched Obama win again. That was pleasant. We were hiking North Shore mountains into November without snow or legitimate cold (this would soon end). Other fun things included hosting a clothing swap, convincing Orgle we needed to go to Ikea, learning how to make bread and going up to Squamish to look for eagles and dead salmon (finding a great out of the way meal too!).  I signed on with CBC to do some casual fill in as an associate producer for current affairs programs. I also got more involved with volunteer and political work.

Travel: Our second annual group getaway to the Sunshine Coast. It’s an excuse to sit in a hot tub and play board games (not at once).

Life Events: Three months without a full-time job. To be fair, if I wanted a job, I could have one by now. But I don’t. I’m terrified by the idea of taking something I will hate again.

December.

Stuff we did: Started the month at Orgle’s company Christmas party, then woke up early the next morning to catch a ferry to Nanaimo. My brother and his pregnant wife were there visiting my parents. Unfortunately, I was only able to spend a day there before heading back to Vancouver for an interview with CUPE. Alas, it wasn’t worth it as I didn’t get the job.  Like November, it was a month of lots of interviews, meetings and rejection calls.  In less depressing news, Orgle got himself a case of Westvleteren – I’ll let you google that one. Friends joined us for a potluck on the 15th and karaoke on the 21st. I’m blessed to have such wonderful friends (and more Christmas cards than ever before!) We even got a little snow just before Christmas, and more presents than I deserved under the tree.

Travel: Took Via Rail to Edmonton to give Orgle the real Canadian winter experience.  It was -23 degrees when we got off the train. Christmas lights are better in the snow.  Also spent Christmas in Cedar with my parents and relatives.

Life Events: Another year over.

Next post: Looking forward to 2013.

Five things I want to do in my life

Someone probably built this house by hand. (Skaftafell Park, Iceland)

I used to have a “30 things to do before I’m 30” list. While I didn’t accomplish everything on it, I gave it a try (25/30). I figure I got the big things done: Before 30 I managed to save up some money (which is allowing me to have an extended unemployment as I find something I really want to do, rather than just jumping back into an unfulfilling role), I established a career, I traveled a lot (celebrating the big 3-0 solo in Japan last year), I fell in love with a man with whom I’d like to explore the rest of my life, and I think I have a better grasp on who I am then I ever did in my 20s.

So instead of having a short-term deadline like last time, I’m looking big picture.

Info(graphic) about Erin Loxam

What should I do?

I am currently working through the book “what colour is your parachute”.

Yes, I’ve decided I’m not just looking for a job but a career direction.

One of the exercises is to find out some skills and knowledges and combine it all into a job. I have written them below. I’m supposed to put this list to friends, family, readers(?) and see what jobs come to mind in connection with those areas. Take wild guesses! Use as many of the terms as you want!

If there is one thing I have learned about job hunting, it’s that you can’t do it alone. So if you happen to read this, whether you know me or not, I’d appreciate your thoughts.

Green technology

Research

Storytelling

Initiating and leading

Planning

Logistics

Compiling

Online writing and analytics

Innovating

Spatial awareness

So, what job title do these areas make you think of?

Finding the next step in a sea of unemployment

At the end of August, I quit my job. I had been with the news organization for nearly 5 years – starting as an intern, leaving as a manager. Along the way, I was, first and foremost, a reporter, but also a web editor, a writer and an anchor.

Now I just need one…

It was the job I went to school two years for. It was how I racked up over $20,000 in student debt. (This after a full economics degree as well.)

It is all I have known for the last 7 years.

So, what’s next?

The question often comes up, “What do you want to do?”

I hum. I haw. I come up with a list. But the list is all the things I don’t want to do.

I have no idea what I’m going to do next.

I do see a couple options:

1. Get another media job – This would be the easiest thing to do, as I have experience, education and a good track record. I thoroughly enjoy being a reporter but would need an organization focused at a market more my speed.

2. Get into PR/Communications – This is where a lot of media folks end up. I really like the idea of doing this for a company I’m passionate about, where I can use my social media expertise to bring awareness to campaigns and issues I believe in.

3. Get into _______________ (Market research? Polling?) – I have trouble defining this job but I figure organizations need people like me. As someone with an economics degree, I love research and data and trends. The reporter in me relishes investigating things. Having worked in an exceptionally fast paced environment, I’m quick on my feet and believe in accuracy in even the most hectic of situations. Despite the fact I’m a numbers nerd at heart, seven years of journalism has taught me how to write.

And so I search…

If there is one thing I could tell potential employers, it’s this:
They see on my resume all the social media accolades (awards, achievements, conference talks and my teaching gig at the Vancouver Film School) and want me to tweet for them. I like social media and appreciate it as a tool to spread a message. I regularly tweet, blog (mostly on The West Cider) and am one of many addicted to Facebook. However the idea of *just* doing social media bores me.

You see, I saw a need at my former job to get the organization on board social media. I took on a leadership role, I pushed for it, I developed a strategy and managed a team that implemented it. I am self taught. I did such a good job of learning it, I now pass that knowledge onto students.

My adeptness at social media should be less about hashtags and character counts and more about my ability to pick up whatever skills are needed and absolutely excel at them. In five years, I had five different positions while managing the online content. I want new challenges, I need them.

But if I stray from media or from communications, how do I ask an employer to take a chance on me? Or do I demand it?

In the meantime, I’m going to Iceland next week.

24 Random things about my trip to Australia

The list starts below the photos. You knew there would be photos.

1. Just over 2 weeks is not enough.

2. It’s not cool when your partner gets upgraded to executive class and you’re left in the middle seat between two strangers for 15 hours.  Don’t ask about this, Orgle is done talking about it. It sucked.

3. Koalas are amazing. They are so soft and have such dexterous fingers. I love them. My pictures prove this here and here.

4. The trip was good for my cider blog. Turns out Australian consumers have much more choice. However the craft beer selection is still a couple years behind us in the Pacific Northwest.

5. At first dining out seemed more expensive. The price of a beer or an entrée* was more than I expected, but without tip and having tax included, it was pretty much comparable and easier to calculate. Big fan.

*6. An entrée is an appetizer.

7. There are very few major differences in terminology. When I was trying to go shopping, mall is something different. Gas station seems to be “servo”. At first I wouldn’t say anything when I walked into a store because I didn’t know how to answer the question, “How you gettin’ on?”

8. I heard about all the dangerous things in Australia. The snakes and the spiders and the sharks… but the most dangerous thing appears to be motor vehicles. There are dead kangaroos on the road everywhere. I didn’t see any of the others.

9. It’s beautiful. I think in terms of pure beauty, the Sunshine Coast and the Barossa Valley were my favourites. We travelled the Great Ocean Road in pretty miserable conditions. I’m sure it’s a sight when not so grey outside.

10. Orgle’s mom is a wonderful cook and one night she cooked up some Moreton Bay bugs. A trip highlight for sure.

11. The trip lowlight was hurting my neck again.  The middle economy seat coming over followed by a bumpy flight to Melbourne really put me out.  It was the worst it has ever been. I don’t know how Orgle has the patience to deal with me sometimes.

12. AFL. It’s ironic that I’m putting out this post on the day of the Grand Final between the Sydney Swans and the Hawthorn Hawks. At the start of the season I decided to be a fan of the Fremantle Dockers. Against some odds, they actually made it to the playoffs and through the first round of games. It was one of many I watched on the TV there. Even made it out to see a Brisbane Lions game in person. It’s a dynamic sport that I wish could find an audience here – not just because of the tight shorts and sleeveless shirts.

13. In an Instagram photo I posted of Adelaide, I said: Adelaide is the Edmonton of Australia. People make snide remarks about it but when you ask when they were last there, they’ve never been.  As well, it’s bigger than most people think. I thought it was a really pleasant city, surrounded by gorgeous grape-growing regions and the ocean (so it that respect, not Edmonton).

14. Aussies love Utes. See Wikipedia. I always thought they were called a trucar. (Like a mix of the words truck and car which appears to not work as well when typed, leading me to believe I just made up that term as a kid.)

15. I watched 7 movies on the flight to and from Australia. The one I liked the most was “Safety not Guaranteed“. I really enjoyed it. (It has 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, so I am not alone.) The other movies I watched were: Five Year Engagement, The Avengers, Moonrise Kingdom, One Week, Snow White and the Huntsman, and Ghost. I also watched 8 episodes of Modern Family and most of 500 Days of Summer played as I did word puzzles.

16. Orgle’s friends seem cool. Yesterday I added a bunch of them to my Facebook. Most accepted the request. Maybe we can convince some to visit here sometime?

17. The other strange Aussie animal I really liked is the Echidna. They are way cute. After I say this, most people say, “what’s an echidna?”

18. Possums, however, get the big thumbs down.  Creepy buggers.

19. I also don’t get cricket. Orgle says it’s a thing because what else are you going to do in hot, humid summers? I suggested surfing. He agreed.

20. Home auctioning seemed to be a big thing.  It was hard to get a handle on real estate prices in Melbourne because of it.  It was less of a thing in the small towns we went to.  Seeing one hundred year old homes in the Barossa for $500K had me rethinking my life plan.

21. I’m now committed to convincing my parents to get chickens. Orgle’s mom has some. It seems to be working out for all involved.

22. Orgle’s dog is getting old. I don’t know if she will be around next time we visit. It makes me sad because I see how his face lights up around dogs. It’s only a matter of time, and finding a pet-friendly rental, before we have our own.

23. Is Australia like Canada? Yes and no. I would say there are probably more US-Canada connections but due to geography, that makes sense. But it’s not dissimilar. You can see that the origins were similar. I’m sure I annoyed many Australians with A. The way that I pronounce Australia with all the full syllables in it and B. My constant comparing of the two countries.

24. I will go back. Tasmania is on the list, so is Sydney and the Blue Mountains. Don’t tell the Aussies, but I’d like to see some of New Zealand too if I’m in that neck of the woods.  However, first I have to find a job and save up money.

I’m sure that’s what my next blog post will be all about.

 

 

August, Australia and Dawson’s Creek

Here we are, just days away from August.

Summer starts every year.
And then you have a realization that it is running out.
That’s where I am now.

The season started with some ligaments gone awry. I hoped my ankle would be a quick fix but nearly six weeks later it’s still not close to soccer and volleyball-ready.

As you may have noticed below, we had a pretty spectacular trip to Newfoundland. And the travel doesn’t end there.

Every month of our relationship, Orgle and I have gone somewhere.

At the end of this month, we’re off to Australia.

Thoughts: Ales Hemsky.

Once upon a time, I wrote about hockey on this blog. From time to time, I still do. I may not write about the NHL and the Oilers, but I’m always up to talk about it. My RSS feed is full of daily reading materials.

There’s lots of chatter on the ol’ Al Gore on the subject of Mr. Ales Hemsky.

I believe he is a goner.  I’ve read he has essentially disappeared from Oilers video montages.  The Oilers media talks about him like he’s terrible (yet at the same time up-sell his return value).

There are all sorts of posts on the matter..

BDHS: Ales Hemsky and the Fans

MC79: I hate to point this out, but Hemsky isn’t dead.

Lowetide: Wing and a prayer

Copper and Blue: Ales Hemsky’s final run with the Edmonton Oilers

…and there are tons more like this. Mine won’t turn over any new stones.

Like Pat, I stop before I get to the comments of most sites.  I can’t read that drivel.  Not because I disagree with many of them and, frankly, think I’m smarter than those folks, but because part of my day job entails moderating thousands of comments.  The only thing it has taught me is that under the veil of Internet anonymity, people release their core idiocy.  I’m scared for humanity.

Back to Hemsky.

How about a list? I love lists.

5 reasons to keep Hemsky:

Bonus: He’s not Cam Barker.

5. He was named to the all star game… LAST YEAR.

4.  2007 Hot Oil Hot Off Champion.

3. Stats.

2. He’s still just 28 years old.

1. What are you going to get for him?  Reading posts around the league about deadline day, and many think Hemsky is not worth the risk.

I’m actually not totally against trading Hemsky.  If there is a deal that actually does some good, I’m for it.  I’m just so disillusioned by past moves that I no longer expect a decent deal to be done.  When I look at teams like the Canucks (who are shoved in my face constantly), I see a team with skill all through the lineup.  Getting rid of Hemsky leaves a hole in the lineup.  Based on how well numerous defensive holes and the hole in net has been addressed, how can I trust that management will bother filling them?

I was watching a Vancouver Giants – Edmonton Oil Kings game this weekend that featured young Keegan Lowe. It was a fun game. We sat in the front row by the penalty box to give my Australian boyfriend’s brother an up-close experience of (Ice) hockey. As I watched young #4, a defenseman for the Oil Kings, it dawned on me. I no longer associate Kevin Lowe as the player. I think of him only as an inept manager.

You can blame Renney, you can blame Katz (actually, I’ll get back to that), you can blame Tambo, but who has been here these painful 6 years? Lowe.

Katz was an Oilers fan growing up.  So was I.  But a stockpile of number 1 picks does not hide the fact that I’m forgetting what success feels like.  Stop ruining my memories.  Start making some tough decisions regarding the management of this team.  It’s… not… working.

In just over a week, we’ll be saying happy trails to Hemsky.

He was a step off when he came back from injury and now he’s just a half-step behind. I imagine he’s about 8 days away from full go. Just in time for the trade deadline.

As an Oiler fan who put up with the last 10 years, I wish him well. I have no qualms with Horcoff or Smyth but Hemsky is the only magic left from ’06. And he is real magic.

I look forward to what he’ll do for another team in a playoff run.

I look forward to seeing what crap we’ll get in return.

But I wish they’d treat him like the best player of the Oilers of the last decade, because he was/is.