Sometimes recognition feels good

School has been keeping me occupied and eating my brain and time (I feel like) for the last year and a half. I embarked on the pursuit of my master's degree nearly two years to the day - handing in my application for the MACT program before the December 15 deadline. Little did I know what I was getting myself into.

There have been readings, group papers, online discussions, sleepless nights, frustration over APA formatting, laughter and probably too much alcohol consumed. My mind as been expanded by the material I've read, the friendships I've made with my classmates and how applicable my learning has been to how I do my job.

The end is near, I'm finishing my final two classes before starting my research project in January. God willing I will be wrapping up everything in August 2013 and graduating in November. It feels like this degree has gone on forever but today I received the best warm fuzzy ever (thanks Kate!) with this story on my research: Can LinkedIn be used to engage with alumni?

I'm so blessed and thankful to have a job, family and colleagues that have been so supportive during this time.

Village of the Fringed

Fall is in the air in Edmonton. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting chillier and back to school signs are everywhere.

This city leaves the best for last when it comes to festivals (in my honest opinion). Last Thursday the Fringe Festival kicked off in Edmonton and we've been celebrating near record-breaking temperatures (+34 with the humidity today) along with greasy sweet food, buskers, street operas, plays and all things weird and on the fringe.

I spent the weekend Fringe'ing away with my good friend Leisa - she graduated high school with my sister and we used to hang out together when I lived in Calgary. We had two very full days of plays, street performers, streetcar rides, elephant ears, mini-donuts and all other things to delight the eyes, ears and taste buds.

One of the main characters in this play was my server the other night. A must see!

I'll be Fringe'ing all week as well (I scored tickets to some great plays - thanks @MarlowMoo) and already Leisa and I are scheming how we can either volunteer for the Fringe next year or plan a week of holidays so we can see all the plays we want to.

Buskers beat boxing and rapping

The ladies in yellow in the background have "Free Hugs" shirts on!

BYOV (Bring Your Own Venue) - this was the Holy Trinity Church

Somehow Leisa ended up participating in this show

Our ride downtown was on this streetcar

Our ride back was on this beauty - a 1912 Edmonton original

I never tire of this view

This is probably my favourite time of year. One last kick at summer enjoyment before fall, school work and winter start to close in.

Music under a wide Open Sky....

Apologies for blogging so infrequently lately. I thought that going school-free for the summer would free up my time but sadly I'm even busier it feels. I really can't complain though, getting out and about around Edmonton has been a great trade off for my studies so far.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of volunteering for the 3rd annual Open Sky Music Festival in Edmonton. I may have had a connection through my roommate and PR star Natalie Harper but it was just the perfect kind of event to get me out of the house and kick off my summer.

Boasting the reggae, surf-rock and alternative sounds of groups such as The Wailers, Shane Philip, The Whytes, Five Alarm Funk, Souljah Fyah and others (see here), the weekend, while rainy, was still a great chance to get out and dance. The best part of the weekend was getting the opportunity to meet all of the local and international artists one-on-one and see how humble and real they all were.

I've got a few pics and videos posted but it was hands-down one of the best weekends I've had in a long time. Count me in for next year!

 Scott Cook & The Long Weekends

 Five Alarm Funk

 

  Micheal Bernard Fitzgerald

 

Lesley Pelletier

 

 The Wyhtes

 The Wailers

 

 Chali 2na

 Five Alarm Funk

 Kim Churchill

Just this...

Friday was the beginning of the rest of my summer. I bade my last MACT paper goodbye around lunchtime and by supper I was ready to live again. Its funny how much you sacrifice over the course of a year. For me I gave up a lot of social get-togethers and contact with friends, all for the sake of school.

So Saturday I slept in. I had lunch with friends. I went to a BBQ with more friends. We sat around the fire, guitars in hand and sang. Sunday was much the same but I got my hands dirty and planted the flower bed out front. 

This is exactly where I want to be and what I want to be doing this summer. Just this.....and nothing else. 

And then it was over (MACT 2012)

We all knew it was going to happen sooner or later but this year it just seemed to happen sooner. After three weeks of intense highs, lows, laughter, tears, thought provoking conversations, a-ha moments and plenty of wine and beer, MACT spring institute ended.

Thank you Ann Curry and Kate Milberry for sharing your expertise, stories and advice on research and social networking - you made the three weeks so amazing. Thank you to each and every one of my classmates - you have made the experience so much fun along the way and I count you all as my family now.

Congratulations to all of the 2011 cohort as we take off for the summer and get re-energized to tackle our final projects in the fall. To cohort 2012 we wish you luck and I for one look forward to seeing you again next spring to discuss your research posters with you!

** Special thank you to Greg for the fabulous photos taken at Yellowhead Brewery on Friday.

My research and life for the next year

Anonymous MACT 2011

Cohort 2011 - miss you already!

A day at the conservatory

This blog can't be about all school all the time, and thankfully this afternoon classmate Hillary and I left the books and blogs behind for a few hours and walked down the hill to the Muttart Conservatory for some sunshine, fresh air and plants.

I've taken enough photos of these gorgeous pyramids on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River from the outside, but this is only the second time I've ever been inside of the pyramids to see their wonders. Three pyramids are static, with plants from the Tropical, Temporal and Arid climates. The fourth pyramid is a feature and this month it was hydrangeas! Oh the perfume when we walked in.

The walk was a perfect way to break up some of the reading and writing monotony of our spring intensive. Back to the books this week though. We're already planning what adventure we'll be on next weekend!

Earth Day in Edmonton

It's Earth Day today and to celebrate Mother Nature actually cooperated and bestowed the most gorgeous weather on Edmonton. I needed to take a break from spring cleaning and stressing about my second spring intensive for my masters program (upcoming) so I got out for a walk along the North Saskatchewan River and snapped some pics. It was a beautiful day to be alive and out in the sunshine!

The ice is moving off the river and the seagulls were having a heyday!

I can't wait to see the flowers in the Muttart Conservatory this summer.

Curling for kicks

This Saturday I shook off school work for a few hours and got my butt out for my third Curlapalooza. This is an annual curling bonspiel that my work organizes to get people out mixing, mingling, having fun and engaging in one of the most fun winter sports (in my opinion) - curling!

 We had a sell-out again this year, 64+ people out slipping, sliding and strategizing against their opponents. It was so much fun and I always love to see the faculty, students and staff having fun outside of the traditional Monday-Friday silos.