Change

I've gone through quite a few changes recently.  I've been laid off from the job I've had and loved for five years at Earls, applied for about a dozen part-time jobs, had two job interviews, was nominated for and won a Creative Communications Media Award. Add all that to the end of the year stress of exams and projects and I'm ready to implode.

I always handle stress very well, but getting laid off and having to look for work for the first time in forever has really messed with my brain.  I've been on the verge of tears more times in the past two weeks than I have the whole year of Creative Communications.  BUT I've emerged successful! I found a part-time job that suits my field AND got to go to the last Jets game (unrelated, but exciting).  

I know I should feel happy, and I think I do, but I can't shake this uneasy feeling.  My heart hurts knowing I'll never wear my Earls pouch again or serve Albino Rhino (or to be politically correct "Rhino") to the regulars.  I'd gotten so comfortable there and felt I was good at my job.  Working at Earls felt like it was part of who I am.  Unfortunately unforeseen circumstances led to this and I must move forward. 

This year has brought a lot of changes and I'm a different (hopefully better) person than I was eight months ago.  To quote my friend Colin's tattoo (and Don Draper) "Change is neither good nor bad, it simply is."  

Have a good summer and here's to more changes in the future :)

Dove, You Did it Again!

Jaws dropped when Dove launched their Campaign for Real Beauty in 2004.  This campaign used REAL women, flaws and all.  These ads invited women of all shapes and sizes to use feel beautiful in their bodies.  There is no doubt in my mind that these ads boosted Dove's revenue, but they also boosted some self-esteem.

Ultimately it is still a marketing campaign but it's a marketing campaign with heart.
Dove has released a video of women describing themselves and each other to a forensic sketch artist.  Each women ends up with two different interpretations of how they look.  The link to the video is here.

Dove has changed over the years their focus has always been beauty.  They have hit the advertising jackpot with this long-running campaign.

Related Links

Forbes wrote about this campaign here. 

Ogilvy & Mather produced these ads for Unilever and both got a bit flustered when they were called out for re-touching some of the images used in the Campaign for Real Beauty.

Blonde Girl's Guide to Soup

I made this really rich and somewhat spicy soup this week for the first time.  It's easy to make and hard to mess up! Plus this recipe's serving is quite big so you'll have leftovers.

I found this recipe at The Kitchn. 

Chickpea and Chorizo Soup
makes about 2 quarts

12 ounces chorizo sausage
1 large white onion, chopped and thinly sliced
4 stalks of celery, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespons fresh thyme, minced
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Chop or crumble the chorizo into bite-size pieces. Film a heavy pan lightly with olive oil and put over medium-high heat. Cook the chorizo for about five minutes or until it starts browning and and smoking. Lift out and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Pour a little more olive oil into the pan and turn the heat to medium. Add the onions and celery and cook for about ten minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for another couple minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Add the chorizo back in, along with the chickpeas and beans. Cook all together for a minute, stirring, until the beans are well coated with the onions and oil.

Add the broth and white wine and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and add the parsley and olive oil. Simmer for about half an hour, or until slightly reduced. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

It's almost April so here are some fools!

In honour of April Fool’s Day here is a list of the top five public blunders of the past year.  These people probably wish what happened to them was just a prank but unfortunately, it wasn’t.  This article will also be published in The Projector on Monday, April 1st.

HMV Mass Layoffs Live-Tweeting

      The U.K. music company HMV had their Twitter hijacked by a former employee. This former HR employee had access to HMV’s Twitter password and live-tweeted their mass lay offs.  One tweet read, “There are over 60 of us being fired at once! Mass execution, of loyal employees who love the brand.”  The former employee eventually tweeted that the executives who were doing the firing were asking around for the Twitter password so it could be changed before more damage was done.

Prison Break in Quebec

The Saint-Jérôme jail, located 60 kilometres northwest of Montreal experienced a prison break not unlike a Hollywood action movie.  Two men hired and then hijacked a helicopter, ordering the pilot to land on the roof of the prison.  They lowered a rope to the two waiting prisoners below. The helicopter then took off, with the two prisoners hanging below the helicopter grasping the rope.  The suspects were eventually apprehended about 50 kilometres away but not before one of the convicts phoned a radio station in Montreal claiming he was “ready to die.”

Candid Camera Mitt Romney Style

A bartender secretly videotaping Romney at a fundraiser exposed an ugly side of politics.  While speaking about Obama voters, Romney essentially said that 47 per cent of the country is dependent on the government, believe they are victims, and believe the government is responsible to take care of then.  Let’s just say that those “47 per cent” were not happy.  Other memorable Romney moments?  His comments about Big Bird and binders full of women.  They were also, presumably, not happy.

How Many Inches in a Foot?

That’s debatable according to popular sandwich franchise Subway.  A man from Australia posted a picture of his “Footlong” Subway sandwich next to a measuring tape.  To our surprise and dismay the sub measured up to only 11 inches, one inch short of being “Footlong”.  Soon, Subway’s Facebook was flooded with pictures of people’s “Footlong” subs falling short of the promised 12 inches.  Some Subway fans felt they were ripped off, claiming to be owed the inches Subway has cheated them out of.  Ultimately Subway explained that although they measure the same amount of dough for each sub, all bread rises differently.  They also claimed that “Footlong” wasn’t supposed to be an actual measurement, but just a term for the approximate size of sub.  Maybe the metric system is better after all.

White Trash Prince

Justin Bieber, his blonde hair, angelic voice and great success make him the great Canadian export.  Bieber was recently awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, which was presented by none other than Prime Minister Stephen Harper.  When Bieber showed up to receive the award and pose for photos with Harper, the Internet blew up.  What he wore: blue denim overalls with one strap undone, neon sneakers, a backwards hat, a white t-shirt, and a slick silver chain. The Biebs claims to have just come from a meet-and-greet and didn’t have a suit on hand or time to change.  Still, we are a bit insulted when we compare the redneck outfit he wore to meet Harper with the crisp white tuxedo he wore to meet President Obama. Hence Bieber’s new nickname, the White Trash Prince.

Is it SAD or just Winter Blues?

Many areas around the world begin to see signs of spring when March arrives but unfortunately here in Winnipeg, we got a big dump of snow, threats of flooding, and lingering cold temperatures.

Only a few weeks ago Winnipeggers were teased with a few days where the mercury rose above 0 degrees! Unfortunately we have lapsed back into a cold snap and the snowplows are still making their rounds.

I’m not a morning person, but I’ve found it even harder over the past few weeks to get out of bed.  I feel like I am stuck in a rut and find it hard to move off the couch.  I know it’s just a case of the “winter blues” but with some of my family members suffering from a form of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), I decided to do some research.

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 15 per cent of people suffer from the less severe form of SAD which is referred to as “winter blues”.  Actual SAD cases only appear in 2 – 3 per cent of the population.  SAD tends to affect people over the age of 20 and the risk of SAD decreases with age.

Research also shows that SAD is more common in northern countries (such as Canada) where there is less sunlight and longer winters.  Many people suffering from SAD find a trip down to the sunny south can ease their symptoms.  If a sun-soaked trip isn’t in your future and you think you are suffering from SAD, you should seek professional help.  SAD can also be treated with light therapy where a special fluorescent light acts as artificial sunlight.

Photo from Blisstree.com

Symptoms of SAD as listed on the Canadian Mental Health Association website are:

·      Change in appetite, in particular a craving for sweet or starchy foods

·      Weight gain

·      Decreased energy

·      Fatigue

·      Tendency to oversleep

·      Difficulty concentrating

·      Irritability

·      Avoidance of social situations

·      Feelings of anxiety and despair

Whether you have SAD or just a case of the “winter blues” eating healthy, exercising, and getting enough sleep (but not too much sleep) can help alleviate your symptoms.  Symptoms of SAD usually disappear once spring arrives but if you are having suicidal thoughts or your symptoms are keeping you from your daily life you should seek help from a professional.

Here is an article about different types of lights available for light therapy.

Unlikely Animal Friends

I needed a bit of a mood booster today so I thought you'd enjoy one too!

2013 RV Show Winnipeg

Yesterday, Thursday March 7th, my parents and I attended the opening night of the RV Show at the Winnipeg Convention Centre.

As I child I went camping first in tents, then in a tent trailer.  Now that I've moved out I sometimes camp in a rotten out truck camper, but my parents have had a major upgrade.  A few years ago they bought a 35ft, 1100 lbs fifth wheel called the Grand Junction.  It is huge! So now they've been bitten by the luxury camping bug and want to check out some newer models.  Some of these campers are nicer than a new apartment! Check out the pictures.

This is an outdoor kitchen with a sink, tv, and mini fridge.

First thing I noticed was that there was free entry for ladies.  This definitely enticed me into attending because I wouldn't have wanted to pay the $12 for entry.  Walking into the main room you see wall-to-wall trailers.  The giant models (park models - you drive them once and park them at a trailer park... kind of like a cabin!) got the most attention.  These babies have a FULL SIZED fridge and usually at least two bedrooms and sometimes two bathrooms.

GNR Trailers mascot?

This one has an island.  Check out that faucet! That TV is bigger than mine!

This is a cool feature I've never seen before.
The TV in the partition actually flips around so you can watch
TV while in bed! Some other newer models had a TV in the living
room AND in the bedroom. Luxury living.

I learned that trailer manufacturers no longer make tent campers! Somewhat disappointing, but overall I though the selection of trailers, although repetitive, was quite interesting.  Best line of the night? I accidentally bumped a touch screen control panel for one trailer and turned it on.  A rotund, roughneck kind of guy turned to me and said, "You must be a computer magician to turn that on!"  I replied, "Oh I just bumped it with my hand."

The RV show runs from March 7 - March 8 at the Winnipeg Convention Centre.