Of Community Involvement
So last year a friend and I did CIBC's Run for the Cure - a 5k run in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. We signed up about a week before the event, didn't do much fundraising, and basically used it as an excuse to walk her dogs for the morning. It was a ton of fun, and immediately afterwards, we decided to do it again this year.

See? It was fun? Where else do you get complete stranger firefighters in pink willing to pose with you? (That's me on the bottom left, in case you're wondering. My hand is at that weird angle because we'd been trying to get the dogs to hold still - there's food in that hand)

So this year, we're more organized. There's more time to fundraise. And this year, in celebration of how much improvement and such I've made over the last year, I hope to actually RUN the 5k this year.

I realize that just about everyone and their entire family does this run, and you've probably already been hit up for donation about half a dozen times, but if you could see your way towards sponsoring me in this run, it would be greatly appreciated. I'm pretty close to my goal - if even 6 people donate $5 (that's about £2.8, or $4.5o US, or 3.25 euro), then I'm there. If you're in Canada and donate, anything $20 and up automatically received a tax receipt (under $20, you have to make sure you request the receipt when donating).

My Donation Page at the CIBC Run for the Cure can be found HERE: TTR's Page

It's a great cause, and so many people have been affected... So please, consider donating. Please.
Of recent trips for work...
At the end of July I was sent to Victoria for work, and then was in Vancouver towards the end of August for a day. We were conducting interviews for a BC/AB-wide process, so I didn't anticipate that I'd have much in the way of free time. I was wrong, and actually had a fair bit of time to kill in Victoria. But, of course, not anticipating free time, I hadn't taken my camera. Go figure. So I decided to try and find one of the old-school disposable cameras that used to be so amazingly awesome. I looked in drugstores, I looked in tourist shops - finally I actually went into a specialized photography store, and they had some. So I got to take some photos after all.

First, the Fairmont Empress, Victoria. As I stood outside in the sweltering 30 degree heat, I wondered what it would be like to stay in a Fairmont... I've been in the lobbies/bars/restaurants, but staying at one is really out of my budget. Little did I know that the Fairmont in some locations actually offers amazing deals for people there on government business, so I did get to stay at the Fairmont Vancouver when I was there in August. It was a hotel room like most others, so I've got to say, I'm not sure the money spent on the Fairmont name is worth it... But at least now I can say I've stayed at a Fairmont.


Totem pole across the street from the BC legislature in Victoria. There were a few of these scattered on the grounds.

Fountain at the Royal BC Musem. Super pretty. Lots of birds around, too, and relatively isolated. I was a bit sad I didn't get to go to the museum (I was going to go at one point, but it was going to close in less than an hour, and I didn't figure the $20 or whatever it was for admission was worth it).

Art Gallery in Downtown Vancouver. It was lovely.


Library Square, Vancouver. Several government offices are located in this complex. I found myself wondering if they'd gotten the idea for the architecture from the British Museum, or vice versa... Either way, the British Museum's courtyard feels much more airy and spacious, but this was still pretty cool.
Of OUCH!
So my building's garbage chute and I had a bit of a disagreement a little over a week ago. On Tuesday, Sept 1, to be precise. It seemed to think I wasn't getting my arm out of there fast enough, while I seemed to think it should let me go about my business. The result, my arm was pinched in the latch. Below, you can behold the resulting carnage. And these photos are today - the bruise is more than a week old. You've missed the spectacular blue and purple, and are now getting to see the green/yellow/red fabulousness that it is right now. And yes, there were some choice four-letter words involved.

Labels: , 0 comments | edit post
Of last-minute arrangements
I was meant to hvae a promotion interview at work last week on Thursday at 10 a.m.

At a little after 9 a.m., I got a phone call from the coordinator saying that my interview was being postponed because one of the board members forgot some paperwork. No date was set.

This was a little bit of an issue, because the same board member goes on vacation after tomorrow for about a month. No interview before tomorrow, no shot at that raise before another month goes by.

Yesterday, I still had no date set, so informed the coordinator that I could be reached by cell outside regular work hours (the coordinator is two time zones ahead), and that I was usually in the office between 7 and 7:15 in the morning.

This morning, my cell rings at 6:55. It's the coordinator saying my interview is at 7:30.

I'm not sure how well I did... I suppose I'll find out in a few weeks when my results come in...