Almost Famous...

Well...when I say almost famous...I mean a split second of fame really!!

The final version of the commercial has been aired and is now posted on the Ottawa Hospital Foundation website as well as youtube.

I can't believe that it took nearly twenty hours of filming for a thirty second commercial!!! None the less...I'm in it briefly.

I appear near the end of the shoot...there is a scene in which we are all running down a hallway (away from the cameras) past a poster for the race. I'm in scrubs and wearing bib number 3371!! Look for the ponytail!!!

Though my appearance in the commercial is brief, I am in the final shot that made up the Ottawa Hospital Foundation poster!! Look for me, front and center, pushing a wheelchair across the finish line!!

Who knew I would be a doctor one day?!?!

Check out the commercial here! (bottom right hand corner: "view our tv ad")

Sleepless in Ottawa...

So, I've been having a hard time sleeping lately. And it's only at night. I could sleep the day away given the opportunity but, once the sun goes down, I'm ambushed with a new sense of vitality that doesn't leave until my alarm clock goes off! I've always been more of a night hawk than a morning person and up until I started a nine to five job, I would often be up until two or three in the morning (most of my best school work got done in the wee hours of the night). Lately though, my sleep has been taken away from me for different reasons...mostly because I have been finding that my mind doesn't want to stop going a mile a minute. It's been grappling a lot lately with the roads and directions in which our lives take us. It seems as though we get into these routines and forget that things really can change at a moment's notice.

I've never really been one to second guess my choices and even now, that's not really what I'm doing. My life is wonderful and everyday I am grateful for everything that God has blessed me with. I have the very best husband that I could have ever hoped for, we have phenomenal friends and family, a wonderful home and challenging jobs to go to everyday. We have our health, we have joy, we have love, we have laughter and inspiration. Everyday we have more and more things to be thankful for. Right now though, I am trying to decide what the next path is to take.

It's an interesting time in our lives right now and we are in a position to make numerous different choices. Each one is exciting and just being at this point fills me with a wonderful sense of possibility. Steve and I have been very careful regarding the decisions that we've made and the priorities that we've followed through with in the past few years, and in turn, they are really starting to pay off. The patience and long term vision that we have had is proving to have been a worthwhile investment. The world really is our oyster right now and honestly, it's one of the first times in which I've felt so at liberty to be and go wherever the spirits take us. It's an incredible feeling!!

I've learned a lot about myself in the past year and for various reasons, I've discovered that many parts of my life and the decisions that have been made occured more due to other people's expectations as oppose to any authentic desire to do so. It's a harsh and sucky reality but, I'd rather discover that now than thirty years from now. In light of this, I'm really finding a new side of myself that I haven't appreciated as much in the past. I'm following new interests, pursuing forgotten dreams and surrounding myself with different people. It's new...it's exciting...and it's also very scary.

It's that scary side of this new venture that is keeping me up at night...weighing my options and visualizing all the different possible journeys to be taken. Don't get me wrong...knowing that I could write a book...dig up a dinosaur...or become a kindergarden teacher is thrilling. But when you've spent your entire life taking one path, the realization that you have so many options becomes a bit intimidating!!!

One of my biggest weaknesses is worrying. I always worry. I was a very worried little girl growing up and even now, worry and anxiety often get the better of me. Since renewing my faith four years ago, I've been much better but, constantly trying to pave a smooth road has somehow been ingrained in my blood. I think that much of the time, worry can drive us into action but, other times, worry just sucks the joy out of life and the adventure out of the unknown. It's not a side of myself that I like and I work at it constantly.

This past weekend though, I was especially nervous and fearful. Things at work were going a little rough and the pressure was getting to me. It made looking ahead at different options that much more important. For some reason though, nothing brought comfort and even that became distressing in and of itself. On Sunday afternoon, I went to Starbucks to read a bit. The place, as usual, was packed and there wasn't any tables available. I asked two gentleman sitting at a large table if I could share with them until another spot became available. Shortly there after, we starting conversing about various things and before I knew it, two hours had past and I never even noticed. Part way through our conversation, the topic of religion came up and one of the gentleman told me his profound story that lead him to believe in the peacefulness of death;

Apparently, in 1986, this gentleman was gunned down in an intersection here in Ottawa by someone that he didn't know. He was left to die and spent four days in a coma and the next two years learning how to walk again after being paralyzed. In those four days, he flatlined seven times and was clinically dead once. In that moment, he said that he didn't see a light or have an out of body experience but, he did say that it was the most peaceful thing that he's ever experienced. He said that because of that experience, he is no longer afraid of anything. Granted, for a long time after the shooting, if he would hear a loud noise, he would instantly begin shaking and he would experience the shooting all over again. However, one day, he remembered that peacefullness and decided that he would no longer be afraid of anything ever again.

I found his story fascinating and asked him if he looked back gratefully for that experience. He said no!! I have to admit that I was surprised. I asked him how he could not be thankful for such a thing when it has enabled him to live the rest of his life without any fear...something that many of us struggle with on a daily basis?? He responded quite simply by saying that anyone could choose not to be afraid. He said that it wasn't getting shot that made him not afraid...it was making the decision that made the change. He believed that at any point in time we can choose to live our lives that way and that we don't need to be left for dead or learn how to walk all over again in order for this happen.

I was stunned. I've never heard something so true in my life.

Shortly there after, we all decided that our time was up and we went our seperate ways. I never caught either of their names and it's likely that I'll never see them again but, that story has lingered with me.

I'm sure some people would say that it's meaningless and others would call it a coincidence or a bias perspective of the conversation.

I call it a reminder that God is always listening...and I'm suddenly feeling adventurous!!

- Gen

Name of the Year

I religiously read articles by Bill Simmons (aka The Sports Guy) on EPSN.com’s Page 2. I’ll admit that he was funnier in his earlier, less popular years. Maybe making the big bucks, moving from Boston to L.A., and being one of the most read sports journalists on the internet has gone to his head. I would consider him the internet sports equivalent to Oprah. He has such a huge readership that he influences millions of people each day and I think he knows it.

Be that as it may, I was reading one of his articles today and he had a link to a NCAA tournament style bracket for Name of the Year (NOTY). Check out the website here. It’s quite hysterical what some people deem appropriate names for their children.

The names are supposedly all “real”, although looking through the archives I noticed that some past winners of the NOTY were disqualified because the names were later “invalidated”. I’m not sure how they find all of the names, but it appears that they scour the internet, newspapers, magazines, etc. looking for people with “unusual” names.

For example, Intelligent Infinite Botts lives in Albany, NY, and at the ripe old age of 14 went back to jail for the second time for assaulting a 12-year old. In 2005, he stabbed a fellow student and was in jail for a year.

This makes me wonder – at what age do you think Intelligent became intelligent enough to realize that his parents were swimming at the shallow end of the gene pool and that the future wasn’t that bright for him? I’m guessing he figured it out in his early teens and threw in the towel after that.

Or how about Destinee Hooker? She plays volleyball and competes in track and field at the University of Texas. I think it’s safe to say that she has vastly exceeded her parent’s expectations for her life, unless of course she has been using “alternative” methods to fund her education.

There is also Phyre Burns Quickly. Do you think her (I’m assuming it’s a girl) parents are hoping that she will learn something from her name at a young age? Or perhaps this was something that they came to realize and in order to never ever forget this important fact they decided to immortalize it in their next child’s name?

Looking at the brackets, Anita Fiel is clearly a darkhorse as she got a raw deal as the 14th seed in the Sithole regional. Her name is simple, yet brilliant. I wonder if she knows Gertrude Nipple.

It is hard to argue with the four number 1 seeds in each regional – the previously discussed Mr. Botts, Yourhighness Morgan, Vanilla Dong, and Mario Hilario. I think that Mario Hilario and Vanilla Dong are clearly the favourites and may end up meeting in the finals, in which case, I would give the edge to Mario.

Some of my other favourites are D. Zeke Ezekowitz, Kyle Sackrider, Doris Morris, and Sasha Junk.

Who do you think will win the 2007 NOTY?

- Steve

February Song...

Where has that old friend gone

Lost in a February song

Tell him it won't be long

Til he opens his eyes

Where is that simple day
Before colors broke into shades

And how did I ever fade
Into this life

I never want to let you down
Forgive me if I slip away

When all that I've known is lost and found
I promise you I'll come back to you one day

Morning is waking up
And sometimes it's more than just enough

When all that you need to love
Is in front of your eyes

And I never want to let you down
Forgive me if I slip away

Sometimes it's hard to find my ground

Cause I keep on falling as I try to get away

From this crazy world

I heard this song for the first time at the Josh Groban concert last week and it nearly brought me to tears. Granted, I tend to have very strong emotional reactions to music (especially live music) but, I think that this is one of the most beautiful songs that I've ever heard. It's so sad and so romantic all at the same time.

When I listen to it, I picture this song being a letter from a father to his daughter on her wedding day as the new couple are dancing to their first song. Her dress is long and flowing, as is her hair and they are dancing under the stars on a warm summer night. Josh is at a grand piano singing (perhaps a wedding gift from the family!) and suddenly, all is right with the world. I picture paper lanterns hanging from trees and tiny little lights strung over water. I picture peach coloured tulips and green ivy. I see a white century home in the distance that holds the future of many years to come. I see a father saying goodbye for the first time and letting go for the last.

I think that it often happens that people have the words and just don't know how to say them...and then songs like this come along and change everything.

The Reality of Ron Mueck

One of the best decisions that I ever made in my life was to leave politics and take on the learning curve of working in the fine arts. Though it took me almost six months to eventually get my feet underneath me, I have been eternally grateful for the change and have never once looked back. It's been good for my soul to work in the arts. Though I'm not an artist myself and have never really enjoyed art history a great deal, art, in general, is a very soothing field of practice. It's almost therapeutic to walk through the Galleries and try to comprehend the existence of a five hundred year old painting. I often wonder, given the opportunity, what stories they would tell!

Of course, behind the scenes isn't always as calm and collected as the final product but, artistic chaos still somehow seems better than anything that politics ever threw my way!!

For numerous months now, my colleagues and I have been pushed outside of our comfort level in order to promote a very unique exhibit that is not only making it's Canadian debut but, has been breaking attendance records all over the world. Finally, last Thursday evening, in the presence of the NGC Foundation, Madame Chretien, regional media and hundreds of invited guests, we got to watch all of our hard work come together in the phenomenal exhibit presenting the works of Ron Mueck.

Mueck, originally from Australia but now living in Britain, is a fairly new artist (within the past ten years) who creates life like sculptures using fiberglass and silicone. The result is truly an experience that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster! He originally worked for such shows as the Muppets and Sesame Street, but eventually turned his gift into his own works of art. All of his sculptures are either miniature in size or larger than life with a sense of detail that almost makes you wonder if they are going to start up a conversation with you...they're incredible! Unfortunately, my favourite work, Angel, won't be presented but, overall, our exhibit (presented with the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain) is the largest exhibit of his works in the world (featuring 16 pieces).

Mueck is also an artist well known for his privacy. Though he almost always travels to assist in the installation of his exhibits, he seldom, if ever, agrees to give interviews regarding his work. Thursday evening however, I had the extraordinary priviledge of meeting Mr. Mueck and talking with him a bit about his craft. There is something particularly exciting about preparing for an exhibit in which the artist is still living. So often, we are showing art that is many centuries old and when the time finally comes when you can honour a living artist, the experience is so much more rewarding! With one slight exception, I have had nothing but wonderful experiences with all the artists we have worked with...and Mueck is now at the top of my list (or atleast tied with Christopher Pratt!!). A man of great humility and class, he was an absolute pleasure to speak with and was incredibly humble about the huge contribution that he has made to the artistic world. It makes working to ensure the success of his exhibit that much more fun!!

Click here to see the Mueck mini site at the National Gallery of Canada webpage.
Mueck is on view until May 6th, 2007.

photo credits:
Untitled (Big Man), 2000
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington (DC)
Two Women, 2005
Collection Glenn Fuhrman, New York