As of late

It's been busy busy as usual for me so I'm very glad my friend Sarah has been nudging me to blog. So Sarah, here it is!

I'll start with my trip to Ottawa. What can I say, it was an amazing experience. I've never learned so much or met so many new best friends in such a short amount of time! There were so many highlights I don't even know where to start. We went to parliament, the national art gallery, the Canadian museum of civilization and toured around Ottawa. I took over a thousand photos I was so amazed by it all! I became known as the photographer of the group, which wasn't such a bad thing because I found the freedom to get right in the action of everything to take photos. Here's a few of my favorites:

We went shopping on the friday afternoon which was really awesome. It was super warm out that day so it was enjoyable wandering around downtown Ottawa. We started at the ByWard Market where I found some mittens that look like seals, super cute I'll post a photo soon, a ring, and a pair of earrings. Then we wandered around using a map of the local shopping which was really helpful. When I find that map again I'll tell you guys the names of my favorites.

Unfortunately I have to make this a short post because I have to get to bed early tonight. I have rugby at 7 am and then I'm giving blood in the afternoon! Yeah for saving lives!

I never have been very good at sticking to my new year's resolution, but I promise I really am trying. The posts WILL be more often!

First off I'd like to encourage everyone to consider supporting The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I've posted a link on the side of the page and hope you'll all take a look. One of my brother's friends has recently been diagnosed and those who know her are doing everything they can to support her. Thank you :)

Next, I'm excited super excited about my trip to Ottawa in exactly one week! I'm going with a program called Encounters With Canada. I'll be spending a week in the capital participating in activities and explorations based around the theme Arts and Culture. The program brings together teenagers from all over Canada, so it'll be an amazing place to meet people of different backgrounds and values, but who all have something in common. Now I've never been to Ontario, so I'm really looking forward to exploring more of Canada. I think it's wild to live in such an amazing, albeit huge, country and not try to see as much of it as possible!

My top things to see and do while I'm there? Well, here's a short list:

1. Parliament. Lame, I know, but I love politics and it's actually a little sad how little I follow Canadian politics.

2. Vintage shopping. I love exploring vintage shops when I'm in other cities, it seems like everywhere but Calgary has amazing vintage! I had some very good luck in Halifax this summer!

3. National Gallery of Canada. Some of the best visual art in the country, need I say more?!

Of course there are a million things I'd love to see, but that's just a preview for you. I'll be posting lots of pictures of my trip. Ottawa won't know what hit it!!

Photo courtesy of The City of Ottawa

The past week or so has been absolutely freezing here in Calgary. I dislike it immensely. Because of this weather I've been kind of hiding in my house wearing hoodies and long johns. I have been taking a bunch of photos around the house, so I'll share those with you!

I was walking with a ghost

On boxing day I purchased a new Canon Rebel T1i that I'd had my eye on for some time now and I'm enjoying it thoroughly. Along with the camera I also got a tripod and a blackberry, which I'm also loving. I've always loved taking ghosty photos, but in the past not having a tripod has made it more difficult to get some good shots. I couldn't believe how much easier the tripod made it! These are two shots taken with the aid of said tripod the other day in my basement.

jacket - thrifted GAP, shirt - This City is Burning Records (Warped Tour 2009), cords - GAP, brooch - vintage, shoes - Spring

New Year's Resolutions

Hello there world and a warm welcome to 2011. As I'm sure all of you who've been through grade 12 can remember, it's a crazy time filled with home work, extra curriculars, and work. Now these all may seem like very valid reasons to be a lazy blogger, but really, they're not. That's why my New Year's Resolution is to blog at least once a week, even if it's just a photo or link that I like!

So to start this resolution off right here are some of my favorite photos of 2010:

I Love Fair Trade

Holy man. I have not posted in a very long time. Things have been crazy lately. I've been wicked busy with the play, work and trying to get all my school work done so I can graduate this year! In the midst of all that I've also been helping to organize a Fair Trade Market at my school for Dec. 10. The aim of the market is to support local fair trade businesses and educate the public about the benefits of fair trade. The event is open to the public, so for those Calgarians looking for holiday gifts this is your perfect opportunity.

Hopefully you can make you it and learn more about fair trade in Canada and around the world.

There's a Facebook event too!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=109387475797781

Country girl at heart

As the snow fell here in Cow-town I was excited for winter, but I was also feeling a little sad about the lack of summer we had. The weather was awful this year. Alright, July wasn't that bad, but I was stuck in summer school the whole month! So I'm going to mourn my summer, look forward to winter and leave you all with the memory of my first ride on my dad's motorcycle a few weeks ago.

It was Thanksgiving long weekend, and the last summer-like day of the year. After a year of my dad having his bike he finally felt comfortable enough to have someone ride on the back with him, so he invited me to go out for a ride. I threw on my Cheap Monday's and Michael Kors moto boots - this being the first time I used them for what they're said to be made for - and off we went. We rode through the country and as I looked out at the rolling foothills, the mountains in the distance and the cows beside me I came to fully appreciate the love I have for Alberta.

This was my playlist for the ride:

• Shuttin' Detroit Down - John Rich
• Love Don't Live Here Anymore - Lady Antebellum
• Love Your Love The Most - Eric Church
• My Kind Of Radio - Jo Hikk
• Pledge Allegiance to the Hag - Eric Church
• The Road and the Radio - Kenny Chesney
• Where She Told Me To Go - Eric Church
• Pretty Girl at the Airport - The Avett Brothers
• People Are Crazy - Billy Currington
• Long Gone - Lady Antebellum
• Days of Thunder - Brooks & Dunn
• Beer in Mexico - Kenny Chesney
• Neon Moon - Brooks & Dunn
• Troubadour - George Strait
• Summertime - Kenny Chesney

I know there's going to be a lot of people that'll be angry with me for feeding this stereotype, but I honestly think that country and folk music is perfect for driving, skiing, riding, running, whatever, in Alberta. Hence the above playlist!