by Donna

2010 Vancouver Olympic Glory Relived

2010 Olympic Glory Granville Street
Vancouver launched a number of events on February 12, 2011 to celebrate and relive the one year anniversary of Canada’s 2010 Olympic glory. Some events to name a few were the LunarFest, the relighting of the Olympic Cauldron, Illuminate Yaletown and entertainment & ice skating at Robson Square.

2010 Olympic Glory Canucks fan!
Of course there was also Granville Street, closed off to pedestrians between Smithe and Dunsmuir from noon to 10 pm for street hockey, buskers and the eruption of spontaneous sing song. The following video caught the Olympic revelry on Granville Street at about 10:30 after the Vancouver Canucks win 4-2 over the Calgary Flames and the day after Egypt was freed of President Mubarak after weeks of protests. What a day of celebrations and cheering!
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by Donna

Happy Birthday! Wikipedia Turns 10 Today!

Wikipedia-10 Years of SharingHappy Birthday Wikipedia! The free online collaborative encyclopedia turns 10 years old today.

In online years Wikipedia would be considered a senior citizen, a most commendable feat, but I hope to see them around for much longer. I suspect they will because there are an endless amount of people out there who can’t help but share their knowledge (>17 million articles in 271 languages with 3.5 million alone in the English edition) and there are even more who want to consume this knowledge (408 million monthly viewers a month). Think about how many times you’ve read a Wikipedia entry and of the millions of lazy students scouring the world wide web lol. Continue reading →

by Donna

Reflecting On 2010 & The Elm Grove Holiday Lights At English Bay

My Stunning English Bay View.
Where did the year go? It’s been a long time since my last post and I want to squeeze in one last one before 2010 is over! I started this blog with all sorts of grand ideas and as you can see I got waaay waylayed. It’s been a year of patience, learning and reflection. Okay, maybe more dreaming than reflecting…

Whenever I’m at my computer looking out the window of my apartment, perched high up in the Westend of Vancouver, my breath is taken away by the spectacular view of English Bay. It doesn’t matter what the weather, how often I see it or if it’s even only a glimpse out of the corner of my eye I am absolutely stunned by it’s beauty. As an example, today was one of those rare clear days where I could see the snow capped peaks on Vancouver Island. Really, I can and no, it is not Bowen Island! Yes, I am blessed to live where I do.

In closing the year I want to show you below something shiney and sparkly that always distracts me when it’s on – besides Facebook lol
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by Donna

The Results Of My
Flash Animation Course

On Your Mark! Animated Banner

I’ve been pre-occupied in the last week working on my final project for the beginners’ Flash animation course I just completed. It was frustrating to learn to say the least – new concepts, jargon, functions and scripting (code) – all Greek to me. Maybe there was too much crammed into an 18-hour course? Maybe my low energy levels? Maybe my learning style wasn’t compatible with the teaching style? Maybe my expectations were too high (again)? Nevertheless, as difficult as it seemed Flash is one of the most fun programs I’ve learned to use! Just have to figure out how to make use of this knowledge I’m acquiring ;o)
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by Donna

Who Are Florence and The Machine?

Florence and the Machine debut album Lungs

Florence and the Machine debut album Lungs

I love one of Vancouver’s newest radio station, 100.5 FM – the Peak.  They profile a lot of up and coming independent adult alternative rock.  One day shortly before the MTV music video awards I was looking through their facebook fan page (is it still called that?) and came across this video of Florence and the Machine’s “Dog Days Are Gone”.  I had never heard of them but Oh My Goodness!

You know how a lot of music videos are so “artsy” and you go “WTF”?  Well, that’s how it started out as I sat there stunned trying to figure out if there was a meaning to their madness but then I don’t know what happened!  I started loosing control over my body, my toes started tapping, my head started bobbing, shoulders swaying, then a huge smile came over my face and my torso started rocking it. That’s just how good the music made me feel!

Don’t get put off by this weird video. Watch it first and then hear me out to the end ;o) Continue reading →

by Donna

Lala The Shopping Penguin

Everyday Lala, the King penguin, has a shower, puts on his backpack and waddles the 329 steps to the local fish monger to buy his ration of five fish. He swallows a whole mackerel or two and then carries the rest home in his mini backpack. Only mackerel or sardines will do for this king!

I came across this amazing video about Lala the shopping penguin and HAD to find out the scoop on this little guy! See his fascinating story below the video!

“Lala is like my firstborn son” says Yukio Nishimoto, a construction manager living in Shibushi, in southern Japan with his a wife and two daughters. So how did a penguin end up living in a home in a country where whaling and selling turtle shell and ivory are still legal? Continue reading →

by Donna

Free 2lb Bag Of Potatoes From
The Little Potato Company [COUPON EXPIRED]

Free 2lb bag of potatoes from Little Potato Company - Expires July 1, 2010.

Little Potato Company

The Little Potato Company wants us to enjoy the great taste and freshness of their little tubers and are offering a free 2 pound bag with the coupon on the right. Expires July 1, 2010 so get yours fast!

I got my free bag today at Urban Fare in Coal Harbour but you can get your bag of potatoes also at the following grocery stores in British Columbia: Continue reading →

by Donna

How To Care For Christmas Kalanchoe

Unhappy looking Kalanchoe

Unhappy looking Kalanchoe

Before I start cutting stems from my two and a half year old Christmas Kalanchoe and plunking them into dirt in an attempt to propagate it I figure I should find out how to properly care for it in case I’m successful.

As mentioned in my previous post the Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana (aka Christmas Kalanchoe, Florist Kalanchoe and I love this name – Flaming Katy) is a succulent native to Madagascar. It was introduced in Potsdam, Germany in 1932 by Robert Blossfeld thus it’s name. It produces clusters of small flowers above dark green, waxy leaves in single and double flowering varieties. The flowers come in many brilliant colours such as white, pink, fuchsia, red, yellow, orange, etc.

Basic Tips For Maintaining Healthy And Happy Kalanchoe

• Use a good draining potting mix like cactus or succulent soil.
• Allow the soil to dry to the touch before watering thoroughly.
• Place in very bright indirect light or even full sun if it’s unavoidable.
• Fertilize once a month (except during the darkness phase if you’re trying to re-flower). A balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer is ideal but make sure to dilute it.
• Prune back as much as you like after flowering season to encourage compact and bushy growth.

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by Donna

Hope For My Christmas Kalanchoe Plant


Colourful Christmas Kalanchoe plants.

Colourful Christmas Kalanchoe Plants.


My Spindly Kalanchoe.

How a Kalanchoe should not look!

I had a beautiful leafy, bright red flowering Christmas Kalanchoe (pronounced “kal-un-KOH-ee”).  Note past tense “had”.  I was first attracted to the vibrant clusters of flowers at the nursery but they never reappeared after I brought it home. After three years that lush plant is now spindly and not so easy on the eyes.  Deep down I’ve hoped the Kalanchoe would somehow “fade away” so I wouldn’t have to be responsible for it any more.

It’s trying hard to stay alive so my guilt is preventing me from tossing it out (it could also be the separation anxiety I suffer from when disposing my things).  But, after some coaxing from my boyfriend to put it out of it’s misery and grow new plants from cuttings I’ve decided to give my brown thumb another test.
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by Donna

Testing My Brown Thumb With
Beefsteak Tomatoes

Overcrowded and mangled Beefsteak Tomatoes 1 month.

Overcrowded & mangled beefsteak tomatoes after a windstorm.

I’m attempting to grow a few beefsteak tomato plants in containers on my patio this year to test my brown thumb again.  How does one kill cacti?  Couldn’t tell you.  It just happens 🙁  Up until last year I’ve managed to keep only five spindly green houseplants alive longer than a few years.

Things may be taking a turn for the better though.  Last year a wonderful neighbour gave a bunch of us ladies in the building seedling cherry tomato plants to kick off the summer solstice.  Gulp!  I panicked.  Could I nurture this living organism to maturity?  Or would I have to bare facing my neighbour as the person who puts her summer solstice gesture out to pasture?  Continue reading →