January 24, 2010

Time is flying - the Games officially start in 19 days, but for me it's really on Thursday, when we leave the office and move out to the venue. I'm very excited about it - over the past three weeks I have really learned a lot about what to expect during the Games, and I'm feeling much more confident about my part in it.

On Friday we went to one of the opening performances of the Cultural Olympiad, which goes on from now through the Games. We saw a group called STREB, which does athletic stunts, for lack of a better description. It was certainly entertaining, and different! I hope we'll be able to see a couple of more things, but time will certainly be at a premium over the next two months.

Last week I did what was probably my last mascot appearance. Over the past year I've done about 25 appearances, and it's been so much fun! It's such a great way to be involved in a different side of the Games, and it's so different from what I do day to day. I've had some really fun times, including the 1-year countdown, lots of Pulse to the Podium days, the Scandinavian Cultural Centre (with Vikings!), and the rodeo parade in Alberta. Here are a couple of pictures that Todd took at one of my skating appearances.

We've spent the weekend painting the guest room - we knew we wanted to do it at some point, and since this is basically my last weekend for the next two months, it seemed as good a time as any. We chose "Wasabi Spice" for the colour, which is a light green. I like it, Todd is ambivalent. We also want to do our room too, but that will have to wait for another time.

That's all for now. I have a phone interview for a potential job post-Vancouver, but I don't want to jinx it by saying anything further. If it works out, I'll post about it later. :)

Have a great week everyone!


January 7, 2010

We're a week on, and I'm still sick! Boo. I suspect I may have bronchitis, and suppose I will have to go to the doctor sooner or later. But I'm pushing for later. :-)

On Monday I moved into my "Games-Time role", which involves working in a different building and with a different team than I have been. It's pretty weird - almost feels like a new job! But I'm enjoying it too - it's a nice change. Today I got to pick up my company car to use during the Games. Very exciting! It has satellite radio, so you can bet there will be a lot of On Broadway during my travels.

We got our official wedding pictures! Overall we're really happy with them, especially since the photographer was a last-minute replacement, when our hired photographer was injured the day before the wedding. You can see a good selection of the pictures here.

We also have pictures of the week in Whistler and Christmas!

That's all for now! This weekend will likely be quiet, as we try to fully recuperate. Hope you all have a good one!


January 1, 2010

Happy New Year!

I am making it one of my resolutions for 2010 to actually update this site once in a while. I really let things slide last year (mostly because work is so insane!), but if anyone still reads this, here's an update. :-)

Todd and I are both recovering from a flu/cold that we caught over the holidays. Mine started on the 24th, and is mostly gone except for a nagging cough. Todd is unfortunately getting worse as the days go by, but we are planning on just staying in this weekend and trying to recover. Well, except for Sunday, when I have to go to work.

As you may know, Todd and I were married on December 19th! We drove up to Whistler on the 18th, and met up with the 16 guests (our immediate families). After the rehearsal, we had dinner out at the Old Spaghetti Factory, and Mom and I did some window shopping around town. On the day of the wedding, Todd and I went on a beautiful sleigh ride for our pictures, and then celebrated the actual wedding at the Catholic church. Dinner was a 3-course fondue at Bavaria restaurant!

We stayed in Whistler until the 23rd, doing some skiing and just having some good family time. It snowed for a couple of the days, making it wintery and very pretty! We also had a very yummy brunch at the Chateau Whistler.

We are still waiting for the full official pictures from the photographer, but here's a sneak peak!

Almost everyone went home on the 23rd, but Mom stayed in town and we did some Vancouver Christmas-y things like the train ride in Stanley Park, the Burnaby Village Heritage Christmas and the Festival of Lights in the Van Dusen botanical garden. She went home on the 28th.

We got our Olympic tickets in the mail yesterday! Very exciting - I don't know if I was more excited to get the tickets, or my uniform and accreditation. :-) It will be interesting to experience the Games for the first time both as a member of the workforce and as a spectator. I recently found out that I get to go to the dress rehearsal for the Opening Ceremony, which should be very cool!

Last night I got to do my own tradition of opening the letter I wrote to myself 10 years ago. I started doing this in 1990, and have written a letter every 5 years, addressed to myself 10 years in the future. So this is the 3rd one I have opened, written in January 2000. It was interesting - I don't feel like I've changed as a person that much in 10 years, except perhaps that I'm not nearly as shy as I used to be. Of course lots of good things have happened, and some not so good ones, but overall I think I'm pretty much the same person!

Todd is watching the Corner Gas marathon today. I've baked some chocolate chip banana bread, and am working on finishing our unpacking. Tomorrow I'll have to start taking the Christmas decorations down, unfortunately. It really doesn't feel like a month since I put them up!

That's about all that's happening right now - I promise I will try to update more often, even if there's not much to say. Hope you all had a nice New Year's Eve, and have a great 2010!!


1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Be a bridesmaid, be a mascot

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I made any last year, but my resolution for this year is to stop wasting money!!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope, but my sister-in-law is expecting in April!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My Tiger :-(

5. What countries did you visit?
Just the US (Hawaii)

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Time on the weekends not spent at work

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
December 19 - my wedding
September 30 - Tiger passed away

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Buying a home, Planning a wedding while planning the Olympics

9. What was your biggest failure?
Gaining even more weight

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing major

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Our condo!

12. Where did most of your money go?
The wedding

13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The wedding, spending time with my nephews, cool job-related stuff like holding the Olympic torch

14. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Waking up in Vegas

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?

A little of both
b) thinner or fatter?
Fatter
c) richer or poorer?
Richer

16. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Travelling

17. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worked or thought of work

18. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Every day

19. What was your favorite TV program?
Supernatural, Glee

20. What was the best book you read?
Three Cups of Tea - inspiring!

21. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I really didn't listen to much music this year :-/

22. What did you want and get?
A home, a beautiful wedding with the man I love

23. What did you want and not get?
A piano, our trip to Seattle (concert was postponed :-()

24. What was your favorite film of this year?
Star Trek (what? it was fun!)

25. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Visited the BC Anthropology Museum, went for dinner on Commercial Drive and watched the Riders win

26. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If Tiger hadn't gotten sick

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
However hard you work, some things are just too big for one person to do alone.

28. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"I could make it on my own - let me know that I don't have to, no one really wants to be alone, in whatever time we have"