So I'm back and I have something to say.

Hey, listen, people take the summer off all the time. I didn't or anything, I mean I've been working and all, but the blog took a backseat. And that backseat fell out of the back hatch and careened into a ditch somewhere in an isolated area that for some reason I couldn't get back to. I think there was an avalanche there or something.

Anyways, I went through the wreckage, found my little buddy [read: The Advantage], put it front and centre and got a seat belt clicked in around him. Drive safe, I always say.

My point is, I'm not going to be apologizing, or making excuses, because that, people, is what we call living in the past. I'm just going to get back to it.

I have some great posts planned for the next month! Keep an eye out.

So, as per the Advantage of Doing, what have I been doing, you ask?

After I got back from Greece and Turkey I started doing temp work, a great way to make money but not commitments, then moved onto a serving job at the end of August. It's at a great Italian place that I will not give you the name of until I'm any good at serving, and everyone is real nice. Food is killer.

I've been exercising! As part of my save money plan, I moved in with my brother. He has a condo with an extra room (and my own freaking bathroom) and he's being the great, wonderful, caring person that he is and putting me up for much less rent than I had been paying. Anyways, he's been showing me some great exercise routines I can do right here in the condo, which are a great add on to my walking and biking outings. Imma be rippppped. Watch out.

My eating well has been quite steady. It's something I falter on sometimes, but only when I forget that in order to do something, you must do it. So: To eat healthy you must eat healthy. Not: To eat healthy you must indulge vigorously then come back to your plan. That's not how it works. For me anyways.


And I've been enjoying the hell out of summer. It's been real nice here in the City of Champs and afternoon visits to Hawrelak, campfires at my friends place, music festivities, beers on patios and visits from old and new friends have been frequent and welcomed.

Sasquatch in June. Also welcomed.

Hey, if you have questions for me, or think I'm slacking, or want me to write about anything in particular: Message me. Here, there, anywhere. On Twitter (and instagram) @carrie_okee isn't a half bad way to do it.

Dolla dolla bills ya'll

So. I've been trying [read: ripping my hair out in frustration] to make a post using pictures from my trip. But alas, Blogger seems to be failing me in the "this is easy!" department. So you'll have to wait until I have the patience to try again. For the 8th time. I don't want to talk about it.

So let's talk about me! And the Advantage. So how it should always start, the Advantage of Doing I mean, is with what you want to do. What do you want to accomplish? What is your goal, dream, desire?

Figure that out and you're halfway there. Now:

Do it. Make it happen. What do you need to succeed? What makes your goal feasible and reasonable and attainable? What I've noticed a lot of the time, other than your number one necessity (pure belief in yourself and your AMAZING goal): you need money. Ew, gross, I know.

My goal #18: Travel again very soon (details to come). And so I was job hunting the first few weeks of June when I got back. Obviously, my most awesome job opportunity would be writing somewhere full time. But obviously those are hard to come by. So, I found an awesome landscaping job... -ish. I get driven out every morning to a site (farmer's field) where there are test canola plots. They need to be hand weeded. So that's what I do. Except today. Because the rain is treacherous.

ALSO, I got asked to be a runner for Boonstock last weekend. IT WAS AWESOME. I got paid cash to drive rockstars and DJs around from airport to hotel to site and so forth. I was the night driver. So I slept all day, worked all night. The switch back to being up for morning weeding was interesting, but I made it.

And ALSO, last but by far not the least, I am working for FinalEyes Communications (www.final-eyes.com) as a Social Media Planner and Executioner. I might figure out a way to reword that...

Anyways, it's so much fuuun! I get to write the company's tweets and facebook posts and we are going to be working on a blog in the near future. I love it. It's by far the best job I ever had, even though the hours are short and scattered. I figure if I can get a few more accounts like that, I'll be set.

So, three jobs in and I'm feeling alright. I am looking for a more permanent full time position. Specifically one that allows me to be paid even though it's raining...

I really believe that doing something you love will make you richer than any job that's big on pay, bore and settling for it. But that's a career, not a job. My career is writing, and I am glad to say I am starting in a place that feels good to me. My jobs are this and that and the other thing and they suit me just fine.

I would also like to extend a deep, hearty thank you for waiting for me! I got so caught up in trying to get that one post up that I forgot that I wasn't actually posting anything. So look out, internets, I'm back in business.

I'm Back!

Wow. Sitting here, in front of the proverbial blank page, I have so much to write about. But it's almost like too many people trying to get through one entrance. It ends up clogged and no one can get through.

Sometime I feel like my life is like that. I want to do and try so many things, and so sometimes I end up doing nothing for fear of missing out on something.

Now that that's down on slate, it seems silly. Is anyone picking up what I'm laying down?

Anyways, I am going to pick some topics for you! My trip, is one.

I am SO GLAD I went. It was with Free and Easy Travel, so I was with a group of 25 people. The company is Alberta based, so all the people were from Canada, most from Western Canada, and a few from Edmonton! It's cool that after spending 23 days with these people, who I bonded profusely with, you never really have to say goodbye. I know I'll see them around.

I definitely made best friends. Legit.

My trip was: Greece: Athens --> Ios --> Santorini --> Rhodos --> Turkey: Kusadasi --> Oludinez --> Istanbul


Photos to come, stories to add.

Great Wisdom

I can't do this all myself, you know. I need some help sometimes. Just like the next guy:

READ ME: I'm about how to write like a pro.

So check this guy out, Colin Nissan, he's hilarious and he's right.(Thanks to Linda B. for the link!)

I'm leaving on my trip tomorrow at 3pm!

I cannot and will not guarantee blog posts while I'm gone, but I hope to at least give some pictures and some updates.

Keep looking back! See ya'll in June!

Heaviside - April Doers of the Month

 

"WASTED GENERATION will be available for the first time ever on May 25th at the Pawn Shop on Whyte Ave. in Edmonton,"  

from their website: www.heaviside.ca 

Heaviside is a local Edmonton rock band. I've seen them live a number of times at the Starlite Room and Brixx. When they asked me to review their newest CD, I was pretty stoked. Seeing a band live is SO different than listening to a recorded album.

And usually, for me, it's the other way around. Learning to love a band through their albums, then seeing them live.


First off, go see these guys live. If you like this album, you'll love them live. The voice of the lead singer  is phenomenally stretched beyond a normal human being's range. Wasted Generation captures it well, but hearing it live is whole other experience.

Secondly, what a well mastered album. You guys must have had to deal with some assholes before getting someone this good!

Third, the tracks:

I think my favourite is Eva. It's super catchy, and I always find myself dancing around my living room when I listen to it. And I hear it's about the drummer's girlfriend? Enticing.

My hidden super favourite is Bring It On. It's loud and says, "I'm in your face and I'm not getting out of it til I get what I want." It makes me feel very powerful and very Zen at the same time. I can't explain it. 

Air guitar? Sure! Best one to rock out to is Queen For A Day, definitely. The riffs that you hear throughout the album combine here to make a super track worthy of air anything, really. Air drums, air bass, air bottle blowing. Whatever tickles your fancy, really.

As a whole, the album is a great listen. Something I could imagine people having good sex to. Something I want in this world. It's wholesome rock. There's no gimmicks, no cheese, no flair. Just a great voice with great musicians playing rock music.

This is why these guys are my April Doers of the Month! They've been working together for years and they've put some damn hard work into completing this album. Congratulations, guys! Well deserved props.

Check them out at the Pawn Shop on May 25th for their release!
(DO IT, cause I won't be here, and I wanna hear about it!)

On Voting

I hope you did.

The Advantage: Change in the City of Springtime

This time of year is historically [read: 'istorically] a time of change.

From students finishing exams and moving onto summer co-ops and drunken stupors, to the very weather we exist in changing from cold to warm, frozen to soggy.

So, why shouldn't it be my time to basically change everything in my life?

As you know, I leave in a week on my big trip! I am very excited.

My last day of work is this Friday. I have VERY bittersweet feelings about it. It is going to be sad and hard to leave, to be completely honest with you (and myself, I guess). I adore the people I work with, and we had a marvelous time at a going away dinner for me last night.

Nothing too special happened, but I think that was best. It was nice to all just hang out, chit chat about our lives and move on.

It's hard changing. I've done it a lot in my life. I've moved from my small home town to the big city, the big city to the big world and back again, and now who knows, really. I've freed myself of any hangups, responsibilities and tie-downs.

Traveling, of course, alters ones state of mind. It frees the soul, I believe, to think what it wants to think.

I have a lot of decisions to make before my arrival home. I'll try not to rush them. Like I said, change is hard.

Relating this to the Advantage of Doing isn't too difficult. I mean, change means a lot of work. A lot of thinking,  a lot of doing. the difficult part is doing it. But, lucky for me, since I'll be unemployed when I get back and all, it's sort of forced on me. Easy shmeasy.

On a lighter note, see what I did there with that top picture?