Twenty-Seven

November 13, 2014 - 2:49am - by admin

It was my birthday yesterday

I'm 27 now.

Which isn't a huge milestone but it gave me pause to sit back
reflect, think
on the year that's come and gone
and how crazy things have been.

I was fired from my first big-girl job
I left a long-term relationship
I lost a lot of so-called "friends"
I've been called all of the awful things you can call a person
and then some.

I cried more than I ever have in my life.

But in all of it I managed to find so much.

A 9-5 that challenges me and is allowing me to grow
Freelance work that's engaging and exciting
Gaining new friends
realizing the amazing potential in older ones

Opening my heart up to someone new

which was the scariest thing of all

but obviously the most rewarding.

It's crazy to think that
not too long ago my dad was sitting in a hospital with my mum
holding her hand as I was being born
instead of golfing
on November 11th, 1987, in Winnipeg, Manitoba

which is the craziest thing of all to consider

because when the fuck hasn't it snowed on my birthday?

My skin is stained with fake blood

November 1, 2014 - 10:41pm - by admin

which got me a couple of weird looks at the gym today -especially the giant red line down the side of my face, but, oh well.

It was worth it to dress up like zombies and hand out candy last night though.

I hadn't handed out candy to kids since I lived with my parents and since I live in a really family-friendly neighbourhood I expected kids to come in dozens but they didn't which surprised me. I was also unimpressed with the groups of older kids who just showed up at my door wearing regular clothes and a weird hat or necklace or whatever.

Are kids these days really that lazy? I wore my witch costume back-to-back for like four years because my mum said I was "too old" and still went out.

Even I knew that no costume meant no candy, duh.

Anyway. I also experienced this moment:

Kids these days!

Once the trick-or-treaters died down we inhaled chicken and a few drinks and headed to The Park Theatre to check out Evil Dead: The Musical which was un-fucking-believeable.

We had front row seats in the Splatter Zone because obviously that's what you do at a show like that.

The opener was an Elvis impersonator who shot fake blood onto the crowd by jerking off his fake-blood-filled watergun. He also threw stuff like fake spiders and snakes into the crowd and (almost) did the splits. It was incredible.

The show was phenomenal of course. The actors were great, the songs were hilarious, and it felt like the perfect thing to do on Halloween.

By the end of the night were covered in fake blood and my face hurt from laughing and smiling. Perfect.

Hope you had a Happy Halloween, too!

xox

yr girl Shaner

How my 9-5 cured my blogging blues

October 29, 2014 - 6:10pm - by admin

(okay, this helped, too)

Yesterday I had one of the most interesting, challenging and unique days of my work experience so far: I sat down with the team at my office and participated in planning a year-long marketing strategy.

This was the first time that I was tasked with developing a long-term strategy for a client/employer, and while I'm thrilled to say that I rose to the occasion, preparing for it also ate up a ton of my free time and focus over the last little while. Beyond doing my community management and copywriting freelance stuff I barely had the time to get together with friends or have a night in to unwind.

I was drained for weeks.

So it was natural for me to expect that after 8 hours of planning, discussing, and planning some more, and finally setting a date for a follow-up meeting (yikes) that I would be feeling just as run-down and at a total lack for words as I've felt over the past little while.

Except I didn't. I felt great. And, for the first time in what feels like forever, I actually have words spilling from my fingertips so fast that I can barely keep up with them.

(which any writer will tell you is the best feeling imaginable)

As I sipped my wine in my bath yesterday, I started thinking about why this might have happened, and I realized that (gasp, shock, awe) my 9-5 actually cured me

It made me think outside of my comfort zone.

I work in a real estate office by day and since I've started we've been working on getting a total stylistic overhaul in place, as well as developing a long-term social media and content marketing plan. Because of the nature of the business (fast-paced, really intense) I had to really plan out a lot of moves in advance and focus on areas such as direct mail marketing in addition to the online stuff that I'm used to, so it really forced me to think outside of my comfort zone and make changes to what I normally think of "business as usual" tactics for marketing.

It forced me to focus.

#RealTalk time: these past 6 months have been a total whirlwind. I left a lover, fell head over heels with a charming-as-hell slice of a man, attended two festivals, camped, grew a garden, cycled all over the city, and moved house, all while working my regular 9-5 and managing my freelance clients. Needless to say it's been a bit crazy, and while I don't think I let my work slip in any way, I certainly felt pretty scattered and focusing on planning 2015 really helped me get centered and start pulling the pieces of myself back together.

It made my defend and discuss, and sometimes reconsider my decisions.

Most realtors brand themselves in a very similar fashion (if they brand themselves at all) and it was an interesting challenge to have to explain why things like blogging and Facebook engagement are worthwhile investments to someone who, while understanding that they are important, don't quite grasp the why of it. Something like content marketing seems like a given for me, but having to go in-depth as to why and how they would benefit the business, as well as presenting a long-term strategy which was challenged from multiple angles made me really have to think over why I wanted to shape our brand in a particular way. It was great practice, since I haven't had to do that for a while, and the feedback was immensely helpful in making sure that I was making the best possible decisions.

It made me work out more.

Sounds silly, but bear with me here: honestly, there were days where, after being at the office and doing freelance stuff at home, my brain felt so jumbled with stats and ideas and words that I just needed to get out, and I've started hitting the gym again on a regular basis. I write heaps more when I work out regularly (is there something about the treadmill that gets the creative juices flowing? Who knows.) and definitely feel significantly more inspired after hitting the gym after a day at the office.

It forced me to do a ton of research.

This is pretty self-explanatory: when you spend a bunch of time looking at, listening to, or discussing stuff that you love (in my case: copywriting, content management, social media, all that good stuff) it's hard not to want to start implementing all of the things you've learned right the f now. As a result I literally have a backlog of things that I want to blog about and share here, and it feels ah-maz-ing.

It reminded me that I'm totally capable.

We all have times when we start to feel down about ourselves, and while I was preparing for this huge meeting I had my fair share of "oh my god can I even get this together in a way that makes sense?!" moments. So when it call came together, smoothly and efficiently, it felt like this huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. I felt relief wash over me and I remembered that, heck yeah, I can totally rock this!

It made me want to take on more freelance work.

This kinda relates to the above point. After yesterday's meeting I felt totally inspired to get out there and do more of what I just finished doing -there's nothing like the feeling of successfully planning and implementing a huge project, is there? Anyway, now I'm ravenous for more clients! Not because I'm in this huge hurry to ditch my 9-5 -not at all!- But being able to explore new ideas and help this business grow makes me want to help other clients as well.

So (shameless plug) if you or anyone else know you know are looking for some copywriting or community management help, hit me up and let's chat!

It feels SO GOOD to be cured of my blogging blues!

What do you do to cure yours when you're feeling uninspired? I'd love to know!

Happy Monday evening, dears

October 28, 2014 - 2:45am - by admin

In case you're wondering where I've been the answer is that I've got a huge meeting at work tomorrow

of the annual strategy-planning kind

and I've taken on a couple of new freelance clients

which in addition to making a point to do sweet FA on Saturday

(because even the most badass blogger needs a break once in a while)

has eaten up my life.

So tomorrow's the big day. We're ordering in lunch and I'll be presenting stats, ideas and plans for the first time in my big-girl career.

Which is intimidating & exciting. Mostly the last one.

If you had asked me at 21 what I'd be doing in 5 years I wouldn't have said "full-time Marketing Manager & freelance Community Manager duh"

but here we are.

Life's surprised me a lot this past year.

But I've gotta jet because my dad just texted (!!!) me asking to chat with him about social media for his work

which coming from a dude who a few years ago could barely email is a pretty big deal.

See what I mean about life being full of surprises?

Happy Friday

October 17, 2014 - 11:17pm - by admin

Worked from home because yr girl has a sore throat and screw sitting in an office answering phones when I can happily whittle away at my workload from the comfort of The House at Bear Corner (where I live) and even better do so in thigh-high socks and not office attire.

Worked on a website, wrote some content, strategized. You know how I do.

Ventured out of the house in the cold to get coffees, beans, groceries and a bunch of wine because it's the weekend you sillies.

We went to DeLuca's Fine Wines and ate part of a chocolate shoe that didn't look like a shoe at all, but rather just pieces of chocolate on a plate at the front counter. But the lady working there also gave us port to try with it so all was good.

She made me laugh and it hurt and I sounded like The Cryptkeeper.

But even though my voice is fucked I'm not going to let it stop me from seeing July Talk tomorrow night at The Pyramid.

With all the cool kids aka John, Adrian and LJT and whoever else shows up that I don't know about yet.

Maybe the dude we we chatted with at Thom Bargen.

Is it weird to say hi to your regular barrista outside of a coffee shop setting?

Maybe I'll get to find out.

Hope your weekend is

I want to be my cat when I grow up

October 15, 2014 - 5:28pm - by admin

This is what he did while we ate dinner last night

then proceeded to roll around some more

chase his toy under the couch

pop a sick lean on the wall

and fall asleep on the ottoman.

All in the span of a single Doctor Who episode.

Toulouse is livin' the life.

Walked home from work in the cold

October 7, 2014 - 12:24am - by admin

Because I wanted to, not because I had to. Because my walk home from work across the Osborne Bridge and through Wolseley is lovely and provides some really good time to think that, honestly, you just can't do unless you're walking.

Also because it's getting to that point in the year when it's just going to be
too.
damn.
cold.
to do so, which will break my heart a little bit even though winter means stuff like:

tasty soups (tonight's example: potato & leek, currently simmering)

jackets and scarves (today's example to the right/above; sent that to John on the walk)

hibernating in my new amazing house in Wolseley (read: lots of video games and catching up on tv shows)

writing, writing, writing (case in point, this blog)

hanging out with my Lenore Boys aka John, Alex, Les and Julius (aka, Best Housemates Ever)

and the sweetest surprises from the one I love (pictured below)

All these things to look forward to on a regular 'ol Monday night.

Wonder what the rest of the season will bring?

Hopefully something like this:

Goodbye Greysolon

September 26, 2014 - 6:34pm - by admin

it's been a slice.

I lived in that little two-bedroom apartment in that little three-storey walk-up on Spence Street in West Broadway for almost four years.

It's seen me through a lot of things

relationships
jobs
friendships
university

so many beginnings and so many ends that I've lost count.

I made it my own. I painted, I hung up my art, I whispered my secrets and mourned my tragedies within those plaster walls.

That apartment wasn't just a place that I lived. It was somewhere where I shared my life with someone else, and it marks the final "moving on" step in my life. It felt good -cathartic, even- but there was still a piece of my heart that felt like there was a lead weight pulling it down to my toes.

I walked through the rooms, soaking in their emptiness.

The living room, totally barren, with paint flecks on the floor from when my ex and I put together and painted our own furniture because we didn't have the money to buy anything new. The window where Ford and Toulouse used to sit when they lived together. All the good times shared with friends in that room.

The old bedroom that we once shared, now the new tenant's room, where I used to wake up and look at the sun through the vines that crept across the window. Where I woke up with a smile on my face so many times and where, towards the end, I woke up with dread in my heart. I cried myself to sleep in that room too many times to count.

The old office. So trendy and cool and well-organized. The hours I spent blogging, writing papers in university, or just nerding out over YouTube videos or some weird post on Reddit.

I've sold the desk where I used to sit.

The kitchen, with it's awful storage and cobbled-together shelving. The large, gaping space on the wall where my ex pulled the floating bar we'd installed off the wall in a fit of rage after I moved out. I didn't like being there in that kitchen, looking at the evidence of that side of him. I didn't stay in there long.

I cried a bit, and John held me. It helped.

When I stepped out and locked the door for the last time I felt light headed. Like when you're in an airplane and it's taking off and your heart is floating in your chest and your whole body feels like weightless. I floated down the hallway and left trails of tears behind me.

I'll still visit the Greysolon from time to time, as I know people who live there, but that was the last time that I'll walk up to suite 17 and turn my key in that lock. The last time that I'll be bombarded with feelings and emotions and that strange feeling of not-quite-right that it took on once I lost a lover and acquired a roommate.

It's good, but also different, and strange. Life is like that, I suppose.

So goodbye, Greysolon, and my dumpy old apartment that, for a while, was something truly beautiful.

xox

yr girl Shaner

The Poutine Cup rocked my world

September 19, 2014 - 6:49pm - by admin

In case you missed it The Poutine Cup was a badass event held at Fort Gibraltar where a bunch of the best restos in town made fancy poutine and competed for the title of Best Poutine.

This gentleman took me and we had a blast drinking beer and eating poutine and otherwise making the French proud.

We had the good fortune to spend the evening with the charming and hilarious Adrian and LJT which honestly made the evening so much better.

Everything's better when you share it with friends.

Especially when "everything" means poutine with the fanciest toppings and seasonal craft beer from yr favourite local brewery.

The place was packed to the tits

(sold out, I believe?)

and there was so much all you can eat fancy poutine that yr girl had to drag herself up the stairs to the top of the fort wall to take this photo.

By the end of the evening we were all standing around and loudly exclaiming how full we were

while still sipping full glasses of PunkNFest, of course.

Later in the eve there was live music to serenade us while we munched away and then later while we bemoaned how much we ate

which was completely worth it, but you know.

At the end of the night they announced the winners:

Marion Street Eatery for their amazing creation with apple chutney and other goodies, and then the Judges Choice which was MAW's Eatery and Bar.

Yr girl voted for Marion, as did the boys, because we know our shit.

Looking back it was an incredible night:

I got to hang out in an old fort, eat all the poutine I could eat, drink amazing beer from my favourite brewery, and do it all in the company of some of my favourite people.

What else could a girl ask for?

How has a week gone by?

September 18, 2014 - 7:34pm - by admin

Recently the days slip by like sand through my fingers and I realize that I haven’t even blogged
scratched out notes
written a letter
in nearly a week and that it feels like a part of me is missing.

Last week I spoke at Red River to first-year Creative Communication students with my internet buddy Liz Hover and one student asked

Do you make money directly off your blog? If not, why do you do it?

And I wasn’t sure if my response was the one he was looking for but after Liz replied I sat there and I paused and I said

Because I’m a writer. I have to write.

Which is true. Just typing out these words feels so cathartic and I feel a part of my stress over moving and work and everything slipping away.

It’s like getting lost in the words except I’m not, you know? Maybe you don’t.

Maybe I’m crazy, but aren’t we all, just a little?

Anyway as I was saying I had the good fortune to be invited back to Red River where I got to talk to students about social media and blogging and a bunch of them stayed after to ask questions because

wouldn’t you know it?

we ran out of time.

I’ve been speaking to Creative Communications students for a few years running now and I’m consistently impressed with the quality and thoughtfulness of their questions.

Blog, I told them. Blog till yr sick of blogging and then blog some more.

Which is really great advice that I should really follow sometime.