Hello fellow writers, readers (and specialty beer drinkers),
I have been, ahem, on a hiatus for a while – after the first year of CreComm ended with a bang I went away to embark on a journalism stint with the military in Shilo, Manitoba.
And then I decided to finish my degree. The program I am currently in is a joint degree and diploma with The University of Winnipeg and Red River College – so I hit the books for two months and accumulated a total of 35 hours of sleep in the span of that whirlwind. I remember one evening in June deciding that I needed to blog… and falling asleep on my laptop.
In July, I went on the trip of my year – to Lausanne, Switzerland for the 14th World Gymnaestrada. It was 13 intense days of steep hills, hot weather, 5 am training calls and four sold out shows. It was an exhibition of dance from all over the world; our team being the representative for Canada, and showcasing an array of aerial dance as different animals. Yes I was a monkey! I blogged about my experience on the dance team website:
“On Wednesday July 6, the ladies and gentleman of Winnipeg’s Momentum Aerial and Acrobatic Troupe headed off for Lausanne Switzerland (via Toronto, Frankfurt and Geneva of course). For some, it had been a two-year project, beginning with the road to the Canadian Gymnaestrada in Winnipeg on July long 2010. Others, like myself, began our trip six years ago before the WG in Austria – others still, before Portugal, some as far back as Sweden. Our performance in the FIG Gala has been in the making for over twelve years…”
Read the full story here.
But I made sure to get me some home-town lovin. My next trip away from home took me to rural Manitoba. I finally spent time with family in Brandon; stopped for the best deep-fried pickles in Erikson; shivered on the beach at Clear Lake; and finally went to Gimli. Yes, I have lived in Manitoba for ten years and have yet to visit the Viking. Spent one of my favourite days of this summer there.
I topped off my summer tour in the Okanagan Valley. Staying in Penticton, B.C. with friends, I went on wine tours, kayak jaunts, channel chill-outs (that is, relaxing on a floaty for three hours in the hot sun) and plenty of beach days. I wish I could write something that doesn’t sound trite, and right out of a summer tour guide, but it can’t be avoided. “The funnest place on earth!”
And to cap it all, I met a wonderful group of people – in interesting ways. Some great witty writers, drinkers, and friends through Twitter. Most notably, the ever charming @cenquist, whose blog is undergoing a wicked redesign that shall be linked at a later date. Then the son of a Maclean’s editor and travel writer who told me all the great places his dad has been too (on the plane seat beside me). For those of you who don’t know – being a travel writer is my dream. And last – but not least – I met an ambitious and quirky journalist intern (in B.C.) who reminded me just how excited I am to be in my final year of CreComm.
I am officially a journalism major now, and I can’t wait to share the upcoming year with all of you. Of course, I will still post my creative writing pieces – don’t think I wasn’t writing poems on these trips! – And filling you in on my thoughts (for fear of academic penalty, ha!).
So here’s a toast to the new school year – oh, and Happy Birthday Cre.ature Feed!
Bon Appetit!
Cre.ature Feed 