"You see that tower looming over the horizon? Yeah, I think I'll climb it. Why you ask..?"

Sponsor My Canada Life CN Tower Climb and support WWF-Canada

In one week from now I will be preparing to haul my foodie butt up the world’s second largest freestanding structure. In case you’re wondering, that’s a whole 1,776 steps to the top, baby. “Why would you do such a foolish thing, at 7 AM in the morning on a Saturday, might I add?”, you may be asking yourself.

On April 17th, I’ve decided to unselfishly give up my warm bed on a VERY early Saturday morning to support the World Wildlife Federation in their annual CN Tower Climb, which raises money for their campaign against climate change. I’ve chosen to participate because, whether climate change is real or not, it’s always better safe than sorry. I’m dead scared of being all too aware that it’s human nature to act only after tragedy strikes. I’m participating because it’s all too easy to be complacent and place the blame on others, or deny reality altogether.

Please help support this initiative – whether it’s because you admire my courage to get out of bed on a weekend before the sun rises and drag my body up nearly 2,000 steps, or because you realize the immediacy of our need to address climate change for the sake of our lives and those of our children’s – either one will do. Any and all support will contribute to a better tomorrow.

Christmas Time on the Clock

It's that time of year again! And what a wonderful time it is - that is, if you have the time to stop and smell the holly and the ivy.

Last year was my very first official working world Christmas, and boy did it fly by. Being in school and having the majority of December off for the past 16 years did nothing for my ability to really stop and enjoy the season. Last year came and went like a drop in the frying pan, and with Christmas being my favourite time of year, there was no way I was going to let it happen again. So here is my 12 Ways of Christmas that I've concocted to make sure I make the season bright!

12. Make your own christmas decorations - while rooting through some old boxes of christmas decorations, I found a plain green wreath with no decorations on it, stowed away. So I decided to hit up the dollar store to stock up on everything the glittered and jingled. After spending 3 hours staring intently at the placement of red, green and gold bells, pointsettas, pinecones and bows, I couldn't help but feel a little warmth of the ol' christmas spirit.

11. See the Santa Claus Parade in your town - Every year I make an effort to attend the Santa Clause Parade. In Toronto, we're spoiled to have one of the biggest and oldest parades in the world, but Santa makes sure to stop in, in every little town across the world. And so do a lot of cute kids dressed up as various fairy tale creatures, and marching bands to pump up the volume on the christmas carols. And if it snows - bonus!

10. Go downtown to see the decorations - particularily the mall windows and city hall - the Cavalade of Lights in Toronto is highly recommended by myself - the fireworks display was amazing (what doesn't say Christmas more than a rendition of "Thriller" with human torches running up the side of a massive building?). The trees all lit up and a night-lighed lap or two around the skating rink really sets the mood.

9. Watch every Christmas movie you catch on television - twice. - I will never, ever get tired of the classics like Home Alone (1 and 2. 3 was a disaster.), Charlie Brown's Christmas, A Christmas Story, and my favourite, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I can remember watching these movies as far back as elementary school (I saw Christmas Story for the first time in Grade 2 on the last day of class, and I sincerely reconsidered asking Santa for a BB Gun. Was it too late to change my mind?). Watching these movies definitely brings back fond Christmas memories.

8. Get that Christmas tree up, deck the halls, and the mantle, and the cat - Sure the Christmas tree can be a major hassle to assemble (or cut down, and drag home), each year (hello pine neetles EVERYWHERE), but once it's glittering with lights and decorations, it adds a very nice touch to any room. I also love pulling out the decorations one by one from storage, each one with a story from Christmases past attached. Add wrapped presents, and voila, you have Christmas excitement.

7. Bake Christmas cookies and cakes - Enough said.

6. Make a Christmas-themed cocktail - Ditto.

5. Attend every Christmas party you can - Even if you're not in the Christmas spirit, seeing old friends and singing a couple Christmas carols can really bring the spirits up.

4. Spend the time to find that great gift for that special someone - it might be hard to get something for that special someone who's very picky, or has everything, or even worse, you've known so long that you swear there's nothing left to surprise them with - but the greatest feeling is getting a gift that you know they will love, and you just can't wait to give it to them and see their face on Christmas day.

3. Give to charity - Those Salvation Army pots are not going to fill themselves! At Christmas it's especially important to remember those who need assistance, and are not in the position to have the luxuries of family, friends, presents, parties, etc. this time of year. Even if it's a few dollars, a toy or a just your donated time, every little bit helps to brighten the season for someone else who may need it. Remember, the true spirit of Christmas is of giving!

2. Attend a Christmas mass or service - Now I know this subject can be a little touchy for those who are not reglious (I'm not much one for religion myself), but the story of Jesus' birth and of the spirit of Christmas is very touching and I believe, still rings true in today's society. The Church service I attend each year is very open and rather than preaching damnnation, tells the story of Jesus' birth through carols, and modern-day tales of Christmas spirit in the city. I look forward to it every year!

1. ENJOY IT - Life is short, and even shorter are the days we are given to celebrate. Enjoy when you can, endure when you must.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2010! May this year be the one where we finally get it right.

Timmy Horton's Etiquette 101

Tim Horton's may be Canadian's favourite joint on the block, but I fear a little bit of that American ownership rubbed off on us customers, unbeknownest to us. I visit the local Timmy's for my pre-work morning coffee nearly every morning of the week, like a good little Canadian, and I've recently noted a disturbing trend - simply put, Timmy's etiquette at my local has gone down the tube.

Take, for example, the day a co-worker and I were standing in line - nothing out of the ordinary, waiting for the next available cashier. At the sound of "next, please!", my co-worker and I halted our conversation and turned our attention to the cashiers' area. In the 1.7 seconds or less it took for natural reaction time, a woman behind us, who clearly possessed the reaction time of a puma, annoyingly whined "She saaaaid, YOU'RE NEXT". Thank you superwench. Wouldn't want to play against you in a video game, you'd probably whoop my delayed-reaction time butt.

Or again, the following morning. As I waited by myself in line, I removed my headphones so as to ensure being able to hear the cashier's call, considering that I too have been largely annoyed by those who stand oblivious to the call as they rock out to the latest German rock gem to hit this side of the Atlantic. When I finally heard the enviable "next!", I almost instantaneously felt a swift swipe across the back of my arm - one hard enough to cause a sharp sting. As I looked back in surprise, I was faced with large man glowering down at me, the kind of look I might have gotten if I had insulted his mother or favourite football team. What makes a stranger think he or she can lay a hand on another? Withdrawal symptoms via coffee deficiency, or no.

Or yesterday - as I left the restaurant, piping hot coffee in the right hand, newspaper and purse in the left, a young guy opened the door for me. I actually recall thinking "finally, a considerate Timmy's patron!" Well, the thought didn't last long - he had merely pushed it open, deeked in during the momentum of its closing, allowing for a quick test of my reaction time, juggling my coffee in my full hands and managing to free myself long enough to stop the door from hitting me smack dab in the face. I must have given him a visible enough dirty look, as he briely came out of his stupor long enough to mutter "oh, sorry..."

Timmy's is not a house of ill repute, and us Canadians are known for being polite. So when did this transition begin? Maybe it's just my little downtown Toronto location in the business area of the neighbourhood, or the time of the morning, or the weather, or the alignment of the stars - either way, I hope this isn't a trend that continues.

Car Free Day - You Ain't Ready Toronto

This morning as I was waiting for the good ol' 53 bus to take me to work, I scanned the front page of the Toronto Sun, as I usually do from its bright red box on the street corner. This morning's page displayed a picture of a gridlocked Toronto street with the headline "Car Free Day?". As I considered the irony of the situation, I began to think of the consequences of a car free day, if it was say, legislated by law, on the infrastructure of Toronto.

I recently visited London, England and was in awe of its public transit infrastructure. In addition to an underground subway system with multiple lines and several crossovers which extended out far into the suburbs (making any trip to any location within the city and the outskirts quick and painless), there were also extensive bus lines, light rails, and train services - all for one fee within the same system. Compare this to Toronto and...well it's a little easier to grasp the differences when it is visually represented:My point in this little rant is - Toronto's excuse for a public transit system simply couldn't hold the volume of riders it would absorb should even a small percentage of the people on the roads take transit on a regular basis. The system is deeply in debt, falling apart (weekly delays during rush hour due to failed signals among the most common), and its bus services can barely keep up with the current demand. It's often more than once a week that I'm forced to wait nearly 20 minutes for a bus during rush hour. When it finally arrives, it's a blessing if I can avoid being physically assaulted by the hordes trying to simultaneously board the bus, acting as if it will leave 2.7 seconds after it reaches the station. And that's a walk in the park compared to what occurs when the subway system is partially or entirely shut down: I have witnessed people push, trip, and even kick fellow riders in such situations.

For those of you who ride the TTC frequently, who get stuck in the tunnels and are horrendously late for work on a semi-frequent basis because there was a problem at ONE station in our ONE system and, due to the ONE line we have going in ONE direction, and have to wait until the all clear, you know one thing - Toronto, you ain't ready for a car free day.

Big Bang Theory

I can't believe it's been a year since the Sunrise Propane explosion in Toronto last year. I remember it like it was yesterday. I can honestly say I didn't experience half of what some of those did who lived in the neighbourhood where it took place, but yet it deeply affects me still.

I live about 20 minutes northeast of the site, and I remember the night it took place - we were outside wrapping up a birthday celebration we were having for my boyfriend, when all of the sudden the ground shook and the sky lit up bright as day, with a red/orange glow. We all looked at each other and I remember saying "Since when is lightening red?" Before anyone could respond, another explosion lit up the sky and we knew there was something up. I immediately panicked - all I could think of was "terrorists" over and over in my head. My immediate impulse was to get in the car and drive north. My friends laughed at me and said it was probably nothing, but I knew that something was terribly wrong.

For the next hour, the sounds of explosions shook the sky literally every 8 to 10 seconds. We tried to call the non-emergency police line and got a busy signal for over half an hour, until finally we got through. All they could tell us was that the lines had been inundated with calls and emergency crews were doing "all they could" - of course, the dispatchers had no information. By this time I was in tears, shaking as hard as the ground felt beneath my feet. I'd never heard or witnessed an explosion before, and still at this point had no idea what the cause was.

I remember that day I witnessed something even more horrible than the explosion itself, which was the reaction that one particular member of our party had. Everyone deals with an emergency differently, and some do it by laughing it off or trying to pretend it's nothing, which in itself can be considered healthy as a means to reduce stress or shock. However, one particular person was having the time of his life, saying "wow this is like fireworks! Look at that sky, so cool! And it's free!" and literally sat back and sipped a mixed drink. I remember him saying "Karen, why are you so upset, enjoy this!" I could barely see him through my blurred eyes, and remember screaming that people could be dead or dying, loosing their homes, their cars, their pets. And he was having a laugh at it! My other friends, while not taking enjoyment out of it, were cool as a cucumber.

Today I read in the paper that the company which was responsible has not yet been charged, and there are still people who have not been able to return to their homes and have not yet been financially compensated for their losses. For a few weeks after, and even to this day, I find myself fearing a fire or explosion at nearly every turn. I have these gruesome day dreams that seem to appear randomly and out of nowhere, when I'm in a car, on a train, walking in a mall, etc., of random explosions going off, and the damage, and all the people who would be involved. It's interesting to me how it's conscious thought, and never occurs in a nightmare.

That day I lost a little faith in humanity, but also realized how lucky we are to live in a country that isn't wartorn or a target for terrorism or combat. That one experience has scarred me, to the point where I can't imagine what it would be like for someone who lives in Iraq or Afghanistan. I have much more respect for the armed forces and the civilians of those countries as a result of this experience. It is definitely one I will not soon forget.

Earth Hour - Round Deux

Wow, I cannot believe it's already been a year since Earth Hour 2008! I remember hearing about it way back in October 2007, and having everyone look at me like I had two heads when I tried to explain the concept to them. This year, market research is showing that 75% of Canadians are planning to take part! That's AMAZING.

I've only been awake for an hour, but already the Interweb is buzzing with the (sadly, to be expected) few who make it known that they believe Earth Hour is a waste of time and won't accomplish anything. Yes, you're right. That is, if you choose to not do anything in the belief that it won't accomplish anything, then it won't. Because it can't.

Last year I attended the Nathan Phillip Square event that I promoted at York University, and it was an amazing experience. At 8:30, lights one by one in the sky scrapers around the city square began to turn off. The BMO building went down flight by flight, ending with the giant logo on the top of the building going out, the cherry on top of the cake. It was surreal walking through Toronto and seeing just how much light is unnecessary. Of course, that is the message that one should take from the whole event - not that one hour is going to make a difference, but that a whole lifetime of over/unnecessary use is the greater issue.

Earth Hour is meant to be a collective call to action, to show us that 75% or more of our energy consumption in the developed world is wasteful. This is one of my favourite images I have ever come across - an image from space of the world at night. Here you can clearly see the areas of the world which posess major cities, and where the developed vs. "undeveloped" world exist:



I find this image both beautiful and disturbing at the same time. It is physical evidence of our energy impact on Earth; so significant, it can be viewed easily from space. It also depicts discrepancies between the rich and poor of the world. But I think most importantly it reminds us that, while our individual use of energy appears insignificant, our collective use as a society is extremely impactful, and therefore needs to be addressed.

Last Earth Hour, Toronto's energy consumption was reported to have dropped 7% from the previous hour, and over 8% based on previous consumption patterns for that day and time by Ontario Hydro. If that isn't hard physical evidence that Earth Hour is "doing something", I don't know what is. On top of that, since Earth Hour 2008, I have personally noticed a proliferation of media content surrounding how to reduce one's environmental footprint, including energy consumption, and I really believe it's events such as these that are making even the most ignorant and complacent of society think twice.

I came across two articles that I really enjoyed today. The first being a list of how to celebrate Earth Hour this evening, and another on how to continue to lower your energy consumption (EASILY!) permanently.

http://green.sympatico.msn.ca/earthhour/article.aspx?cp-documentid=962109

http://green.sympatico.msn.ca/earthhour/green-living-online-article.aspx?cp-documentid=973542


Be the change you wish to see in the world!