tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52827653418832514302024-03-13T04:50:40.934-07:00Wistful Voyages...write a little, read a little, get up, get out, live a lotToniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.comBlogger319125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-24422845539612412732016-04-06T18:57:00.000-07:002016-04-06T18:57:19.324-07:00New Blog with a Travel FocusHi All 7 Readers,
As you can see I have not updated this blog for a while. Life has changed since grad school and I have moved on to some new things.
I'm back in Alberta.
I'm in the classroom teaching.
I'm singing in some new choirs.
I'm meeting a lot of new people and enjoying my city, revisited.
In the next few months my plan is to begin a blog dedicated to travel and tourism. Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-13664519553657875332014-06-07T15:20:00.000-07:002014-06-07T15:20:40.767-07:00Thesis is Done!I defended my this on June 3 and it went well. I am currently in a state of exhaustion and subdued elation. It feels good to be done even though I have some corrections and improvements that need to be completed before I can hand in the final draft to be printed and bound. So glad to be done. A three year and nine month journey that I did not think would take that long. &Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-78023605995338454712013-10-07T18:01:00.000-07:002013-10-07T18:01:01.055-07:00Dad's SupportMy dad needs to replicate himself so more people can have a dad like him. All these thoughtful comments while he is on a cruise ship and should be having tons of fun rather than reading my thesis.
Exhibit A:
Hi Tonia,
I’ve read your thesis over more than once and I find it fascinating.
Knowing that you have given all that you have to writing the thesis and yet Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-40477964157342973212013-09-07T09:28:00.001-07:002013-09-07T09:32:43.746-07:00Missed a Few Months...How....Wow. I have never missed two months of blogging since I started this blog a few years ago. It is not that I don't have things to blog about, it is about the time factor. Now that I am in the workforce full-time again, I have a position of management, I continue to write my thesis (despite sacrifices of my recreation time and other life activities), and I moved to a new adult, grown-up, Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-77351045738576012282013-06-29T13:23:00.002-07:002013-06-29T13:24:52.539-07:00Another VoyageSo my life is set up into different chunks of time and focus. While I was traveling, this blog was about travel. While in grad school, I focused on it (but I have not caught up with all that I want to say so more to come). Now that I am a leader or boss of a small organization (I prefer leader), this blog may get a bit theoretical as I attempt to learn how to become a good Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-11802116748416899222013-06-22T10:50:00.002-07:002013-06-23T09:00:32.659-07:00Zoe at the Special OlympicsLife is really busy right now with a new job, finishing thesis, and now a flood in my hometown and I am making sure my house is not being washed away. The good news is, my sister competing in Alberta' Special Olympics this weekend in Devon, Alberta. Despite the flooding, the event is going on as it is further north and not in the flood zone. Here is a blog post my mother wrote Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-68716585562930018742013-05-30T16:32:00.001-07:002013-05-30T16:37:05.006-07:00Life UpdateI can't believe where the past few months have gone. Crazy busy plus I just got back from a trip to visit family and friends in Calgary. The purpose of the trip was to begin taking my belongings back to Calgary as I am near graduation, only having had two work related interviews, and no job offers. My winter gear and all other assorted accoutrements were pack to drive back to Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-85582496231825819512013-04-30T12:24:00.000-07:002013-05-30T16:34:14.766-07:00Women of Note ConcertCome one come all to the concert of Women of Note here in Winnipeg on Sunday, May 5. We are performing a variety of songs including ABBA, a song from Zambia, a song written in Mexico called Oye, beautiful French tune by Faure and Rutter, the very difficult piece Laudate Dominum by Hovland, one of Eric Whitacre's lullaby's set to music, spiritual Heaven Bound Train, and finally the Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-38004904039432372472013-04-28T21:03:00.002-07:002013-04-29T18:38:28.704-07:00Crunch Time 4My body crashed and burned this weekend. It appears that both my brain and my body realized that major parts of my life are ending and both decided to just stop and rest. I am very lucky that I get to take the time to relax and recuperate as most of the weekend was spent cleaning my apartment and being exhausted. I am hoping I get my energy back early this week. My Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-9646372193164664252013-04-27T09:50:00.000-07:002013-05-04T06:54:27.881-07:00Crunch Time 3So I did it. I handed in my thesis to my professor earlier this week. Now begins several months of re-writes. I wonder how sick I will be of my thesis before it even goes to my committee? While I await the first set of re-writes I am hearing horror stories of both the length of time other grads have experienced for re-writes and how many people cry either during or after Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-67973458142041671242013-04-01T09:00:00.000-07:002013-04-01T09:00:09.864-07:00Born to Run
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Running is not something that I like doing unless I have a basketball, am running bases, or playing some sort of sport. Having started running in the Running Room clinics a friend lent me this read. After devouring this interesting novel about a Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-5897102778630339352013-03-28T11:54:00.000-07:002013-03-28T11:54:35.914-07:00Holi Easter BirthdayGood Friday was March 31, 1972 back on the day I was born.
Easter Sunday is March 31, 2013 my 41st birthday.
Easter and, as it turns out Holi, has always hovered around my birthday, gone off into April, then returned to hover. This year it is an alignment that is encouraging me to spend time with my closest friends who have shown long term kindness and mutual consideration with a few Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-72719216354307589672013-03-15T18:04:00.000-07:002013-03-15T18:04:48.122-07:00Crunch Time 2Update on how thesis is going.
Well. Quite well.
Then I had a colleague that came to the grad student office sick.
Sick people should stay home.
Then I got sick. For a whole week.
I stayed home. Still recovering.
Still managed to get some work done in front of my computer. Productivity down however.
Will persevere.
A few years ago a good friend introduced me to this blogToniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-50809491840865685072013-03-12T11:36:00.000-07:002013-03-12T11:36:02.283-07:00The Scarlet Contessa
The Scarlet Contessa: A Novel of the Italian Renaissance by Jeanne Kalogridis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Really like her books. The covers make these look like romance novels but they are history lessons, stories of power and control, and reminders that women did play roles in history, we simply have lost their stories and creatively have to fill in the holes. Great author. Page Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-63643904965096809002013-03-02T20:20:00.001-08:002013-03-02T20:20:29.913-08:00Nutty ProfessorThis week has been strange. Many things occurred but in all I am concerned I will never, ever, ever get a job. Ever. Let alone one I enjoy. I expressed my concerns to a full-time instructor from my university, when I saw her at a conference, and she gave me some advice:
"Tonia, quit trying to look into the future and do what you need to do now. Focus on finishing Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-53138123156830599912013-02-14T08:39:00.004-08:002013-02-14T08:43:42.532-08:00Canada Reads! Yes We Do!
It is Canada Reads time!
Five more books to add to my reading list.
One or two are twenty years old; several new to literature.
I love Canada Reads, in particular the radio debate.
Keeping books and radio alive!
The contenders:
(Excuse the fuzzy books. Read them anyway.)
Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-56383091170177641242013-02-09T11:48:00.000-08:002013-02-09T11:50:44.617-08:00Canadian Geographic NodWe take a break during this regularly scheduled thesis writing time to make an important announcement. About one month ago I was re-introduced to Instagram, one of the big 2012 website explosions. This website is a photo sharing site on which those who post retain the rights to their own photos (unlike Facebook and others sites), can use quick filters to alter shots, and look at otherToniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-2796420407019648972013-01-24T09:09:00.002-08:002013-01-24T09:19:26.416-08:00Crunch TimeSo it is crunch time for me and my thesis. I have nine weeks to complete the document and can't afford to take any longer, not professionally, not financially, and not personally. The number of participants I have is great, if I get a few more, then fantastic. The data has been organized and now I will sit at a computer for nine weeks and try to find themes, relationships, Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-78579017493161041162013-01-21T22:07:00.000-08:002013-01-21T22:07:34.275-08:00Against the GrainI have a friend who is having some troubles lately. I am having some troubles with a few friends. Love this song because it reminds me that I don't have to fix everything, but I do need to be honest and follow my own instincts and heart. A dedication to both of us.
I have seen City and Colour in concert twice, once at a festival and again at a performance hall. Both times I Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-60888489887575435232013-01-14T09:00:00.000-08:002013-01-14T09:00:09.387-08:00I, Mona Lisa
I, Mona Lisa by Jeanne Kalogridis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Several years ago I gave this book to my mother as a Christmas gift. This holiday season while visiting family I saw it on the bookshelf and decided to read it myself. It was chosen because my mother is a musician and a lover of art. Having lived in Europe as a pre-teen, I have memories of my mother taking me around to Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-36896776554865156572013-01-13T09:00:00.000-08:002013-01-13T09:00:07.096-08:00Marco Polo Didn't Go There
Marco Polo Didn't Go There: Stories and Revelations from One Decade as a Postmodern Travel Writer by Rolf Potts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Within the context of being a post-modern traveller and writer, Potts takes the reader through chapters of stories, each dedicated to an individual experience he has had after having vagabonded about the globe for a decade. This book provides an Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-22170093165302246122013-01-12T09:00:00.000-08:002013-01-12T09:00:02.247-08:00Vagabonding
Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
"Research your own experiences for the truth...Absorb what is useful...Add what is specifically your own...The creating individual is more than any style or system." - Bruce Lee, p. xviiiPotts introduces the reader to a travel phenomenon called vagabonding, a fun easy going word that means Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-85045831333628132752013-01-09T09:00:00.000-08:002013-01-13T18:28:10.054-08:00Financial Irony and ToolkitsThis week I received mail from my Member of Parliament (MP) Joyce Bateman. She is letting me know that the "our government wants to strengthen financial literacy across the country". This sudden need for the population of Canada to become more financially literate is in part due to the increasingly large individual non-mortgage related debt load we are accruing each year. Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-31688825795550040962013-01-08T09:00:00.000-08:002013-01-08T09:00:00.243-08:00Grad School Lazy = RUNIt is time to get in shape using my shapely form. Going from teaching all day and moving around for 6 hours organizing children, teaching lectures, providing supplies, starting projects and the general mayhem of teaching elementary school, grad school has left me lazy. Yes, I blame grad school. Other than the research I completed this summer at festivals and interpretive centresToniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282765341883251430.post-40382461210807058012013-01-07T09:00:00.000-08:002013-01-07T19:28:36.645-08:00Bare: The Naked Truth About Stripping
Bare: The Naked Truth About Stripping by Elisabeth Eaves
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
"Somewhere behind my desire to be both a reporter and a stripper lay an impulse to conceal. Stripping - in competition with acting and espionage - is the ultimate job for someone who's instinct is to present different facades of who she might be. There is nothing more illusory than a woman pretending toToniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15960486841313449167noreply@blogger.com0