October 19, 2009

Good Morning

There is something about this song that completely changes the tenor of my day.
That is all.

October 15, 2009

Feels Like the First Time


So last night I grew the balls to get on stage and do stand up comedy for the first time.
I don't really remember very much of it because it all happened so fast, but I was told afterwards that I did a great job. On a sidenote, this was also something on 'my list' of things to do before I die... so I am pleased to check that one off now.

If any of you are thinking about this, I highly recommend you try it.
My dear co-worker at MTV, Derek Forgie hosts the event about once a month in support of the HSSE. It's a very warm and welcoming environment for people who just want to get up on stage and try stand-up for the first time.

Join their Facebook Group and come out and participate in their next event. It's only $5 and each act is about 5 minutes a piece.

Here are some friendly tips I learned from last night:

-be prepared for the spotlight (it was so damn bright I couldn't see a single person in the audience and it was weird hearing them laugh but not being able to see them at all.
- don't be afriad to adjust the mic stand/take the mic in your own hands
-use the stage. Act shit out, especially when giving anecdotes.
-Chill out. Drink a beer before you go up and loosen up a bit.
-out of courtesy to the other acts, keep it as close to 5 minutes as possible.

in health and humour,
-A

October 08, 2009

MLG Time Lapse

Pretty cool to see the transformation.
Also kind of creepy that I was being watched for 5 days...


October 07, 2009

Google Street

Big news. Google Maps has just launched street level views for Toronto. What does this mean? I can finally explain to friends where the hell I live now!

Check it:


To the left is Burrito Boy. To the Right is Tequila Sunrise.
Where does that leave me? 
Heaven. 

October 06, 2009

Back on blades again

When I quit figure skating six years ago to work in TV, I never thought those two worlds would ever come together again for me. I was a competitive figure skater for over 10 years and stopped at the end of high school so I could attend Ryerson for television and concentrate on working in TV. 

After years of freelancing with Insight Productions I received an e-mail from my producer saying that they were teaming up with CBC to create a new entertainment show called Battle of the Blades. Not only were they looking for a floor director, but they were looking for someone to do this from ice level. I couldn't believe what I was reading. This job had my name written all over it. The question was, could I fit back into my skates again? (The answer is no, but luckily my sisters always had bigger feet than me). 

Walking into the Maple Leaf Gardens for the first time in over ten years immediately brought back all the memories. The smell of the arena, the runny noses, and the sweet sweet sound of my blades crunching edges into the ice. I felt right at home again.

We had our first meeting on ice with the participants when suddenly I was surrounded by hockey legends and figure skaters I looked up to growing up. 
I think the general feeling at that moment was shared by all of us; we were excited to get going and bracing ourselves for the long days ahead.

Even though we've never done a show like this before, I felt completely comfortable knowing I had such an great team around me in every dept who I've worked with in the past. From the producers to the TVA's, I knew we had such a solid group on board.

I mean, look at this Leafs Dressing Room: Peter and Sandra brought life to a room that's been boarded up and vacant for years!


Before I knew it, it was our first show day. The audience started piling into the Gardens and really brought life to the arena again (some even sporting their leafs jerseys). As I skated around before the show, I thought to myself, 'Wow, I get to do the two things I love to do tonight: Skate and help run a live TV show.' And of all places, the Gardens!

So if you haven't booked your tickets yet, get on it. Tickets are $5 through Ticketmaster and are selling fast. Then let me know what day you're coming and make sure we get some embrace time. I'm only here for one more month before I head off the Aussie to conquer more TV. 
and stay tuned for more pics from the rink!

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