Snakes and Ladders

Climbing ladders takes time, and avoiding the snakes that try to pull you down is not easy – or so I felt when I was finishing up my degree last spring and trying to figure out where I was going to go from there.

I took a full time gig at the theatre I’d been working at part time for a few years straight after graduating from my Education degree. It was only temporary, it ended with the summer and I had no idea what I was going to do with myself at that point. I didn’t apply for my teacher’s certificate at the time nor did I apply for any teaching positions – why? I’m not exactly sure. It was just one of those things that I did that I didn’t quite understand. I knew from my internship that teaching was a thing that I loved to do. But, I’m just not one to run on spur of the moment employment. I need time, I need to collect my thoughts, I need to wake up, get ready, eat breakfast. I also don’t particularly like the idea of getting phone calls at five or six in the morning – specifically because I have a terrible time waking up from my alarm, so I can imagine a ringing phone would be the same.

So I waited for something to happen naturally. I toyed with the idea of going to the UK to teach – but that was a big commitment and I needed time for this too. Then, one day while I was at work, I was approached by the Education Director of the theatre and we had a chat. She was leaving to pursue other endeavours and wanted to recommend me. It happened, the job was falling into my lap. I was elated.

It took a little while for it to become official, but it happened and everything was great. Though, the original position was a half-time job, they knew the experience I had with the theatre and added quite a bit to my new job. With me in the position it continues to evolve, my role becomes bigger every month and I become more passionate about theatre every day.

What do I do? First and foremost, I co-run the Theatre School – extra-curricular classes for ages 3 and up. I am responsible for organizing and coordinating all things theatre school related. This means I take in registrations, keep in contact with parents and students, and hire and supervise the instructors. This has proven to be a difficult task for someone who is new to the whole management and HR thing. I have an education degree – I am trained to manage kids. But managing professional adults is like walking on thin ice, constantly. It can be terrifying, but I am learning so much and I hope I don’t burn too many bridges along the way. Mistakes happen, accidents are made, and I just hope that people don’t take anything I do personally, because it’s not about that at all. I’m just trying to find my bearing

Secondly, I coordinate all of the youth shows. This is the aspect of my job that takes up the most of my time. This means I book tickets for school groups; I am in constant communication with teachers from all over the province.  I also coordinate and sometimes instruct workshops and tours! This is always fun.

Thirdly, ‘all other duties as assigned’. This is a statement in all of our employment contracts that pretty much says, when asked to do something that may not be part of your regular duties, you signed saying you would do them. These usually include things like being a fake audience member during rehearsals, doing voice recordings for sound designers, being in plays whether I’m singing Oh Canada or actually performing. And best of all, participating in Office Dance Parties. (see photo below).

    (photo by Stephen Rutherford, Persephone Theatre)

Lastly, I run a lot of the social media outlets for the Theatre. This is an aspect of my job that is not really part of my department - though they're using my age to their advantage and I honestly love this part of my job.

So, as you can see, I really hit the jackpot – or rather, the jackpot hit me. It’s a challenging position, but it pushes me to learn each day and helps me figure out my place in this industry. I've already had someone tell me that they heard I was going to be a "lifer" in the theatre world; I'm not sure if it was intended as a compliment or insult, but I was happy to hear it. There are always new things happening at this theatre, and it’s honestly never a dull moment.

Until next time,

Dillon

PSA: 3 Simple Points About Sexuality

This topic of conversation comes up a lot in people’s everyday lives and it always somehow makes its way back to my ears and I’m here to tell you to stop in 3 simple points.

1. Sexuality is so complicated and different for every single person on this planet. It’s not “one or the other” which many people have been raised to think. Sexuality and gender are spectrums. Which means that people fall on a certain point of this spectrum and it’s hard to describe someone’s sexuality because it’s such a diverse spectrum. As society progresses, we absolutely need to stop criticizing people for their sexuality no matter what they are born to be, because you will never be able to tag their sexuality for them. Never. Don’t even think for once that what you speculate about them is how they feel. Don’t ever assume that they have suppressed their sexuality and are in denial. Though, there might be cases that someone might have hidden their sexuality from the public. This does not concern you. It does not. 

2. Sexuality is a private matter. It is not something that everyone in the world needs to know. It’s not something that you need to wear as a badge on the breast of your shirt so people can “expect” certain behaviours from you. No. Let me put it to you in the simplest terms: IT’S NONE OF YOUR GOD DAMN BUSINESS WHAT SOMEONE’S SEXUALITY IS. Unless you are in an intimate relationship with this individual, you have no right to be nosing your assumptions and preconceived notions into this person’s love life.

3. Sexuality is not a choice. People have an innate tendency to respond to sexual interaction in their own personal way.  Most often this is something you are born with, but depending on what kind of interactions an individual might have in their lifetime may influence how they respond to said interactions. It’s not a defect. It’s not an issue. It’s not weird. Just like everyone has a different personality (and should not be labelled or categorized because of that either), they have a different sexuality. And I repeat, it’s none of your business.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This comes up because I am not the stereotypical man. I display a lot of feminine qualities, and I always have. I am gentle, soft spoken, happy, and kind (or so I’m told). But, when people talk to me they immediately assume I am homosexual. Then, they question my relationship that I am having with a girl. Then they immediately have pity for my significant other, because they think that I am hiding this deep dark secret and that she has been completely blind to my personality for the two and a half years we have known each other. Give us some credit. We are educated, intelligent adults.

Then let me tell you—I am aware of my behaviours and so is she. We often joke about how we don’t really follow the gender binaries. We are very happy together. We don’t need anybody telling us things they have speculated about our intimate relationship, because it’s OUR business only. NOT yours. It hurts her just as much as it hurts me when people openly assume these things and think that they are helping by saying these things. Well, let me tell you, if you like seeing people unhappy and angry towards you, then keep doing this. Otherwise, we are happy, and all we ask is that people see that we are happy and are happy for us too.

These assumptions don’t go unnoticed. So, think before you speak. And remember, the only sexuality that is your business is your own, unless someone else invites you into theirs.

Thank you.

Until next time,

Dillon

A Little Bit of Ugly

The end of summer brings on a series of sentimental and fun blogs here at Any Given Sundae. It was decided to finish off the season of fun exciting activities that we would each make homemade gifts for one another.
This is not a new activity for me. I've been making homemade gifts for people ever since I got into University and couldn't afford to purchase people fancy extravagant gifts. So I would pour my heart and soul into these little items and hope that the recipients would appreciate them, even if they were sup-bar creations.
As you may have noticed from a couple of my previous blogs, I have embarked on the DIY and funky homemade items quite a bit this summer. I am very proud of the new items I have added to my repertoire of 'things'. Mostly because I was getting bored of making people paintings and poems and other artsy-fartsy fuddy-duddy things. Don't get me wrong, I loved making those too, but new things are always exciting!

So, finally, I will reveal the secret of what I have made my two good friends:

I made them Ugly Teddies *copyright *patent pending

They were so well received that I even gave my work one on my last day (along with some mythological libations).

They were so easy to make (as you can probably tell), even though I had to hand sew them and make my own pattern. I figured it out, and they turned out so ugly that they're kind of cute.

I've decided that I am going to continue making these Ugly Teddies and if they start to sell I will make sure all the proceeds go to "Changing the World" (in one way or another), and the slogan that Marley and I have come up with will be "Making the World Beautiful with a Little Bit of Ugly".

Also, I have to give credit to my Aunty Janice, who was there when I was finishing up the last one and gave me some pointers on how to make them a little bit quicker and better. She got inspired and whipped up a REAL dinosaur in one afternoon. Show-off. Kidding.

So there you have it: Ugly Teddies.

Until next time,

Dillon

Challenge Week: Limited Wardrobe

The last time we wrote a blog I was challenged by Jazmin for the next blog to wear only 6 articles of clothing for a whole week (this excludes socks, underwear and accessories, thank the Lord).

I started this challenge with excitement. I thought that it would make my life so much easier because I am just like Lizzie McGuire trying to find the right outfit to impress her crush, throwing clothes around from my closet until hours later I finally find the chosen pieces. It's usually extremely underwhelming and I'm never happy with that decision in the end anyway. Needless to say, I was looking forward to not having to practice this daunting and exhausting task everyday.

So I planned my six articles very strategically, thinking ahead of what I was doing in the coming week. This is what I chose

Four shirts:

        

My shirt for work

My awesome indie band t-shirt #coolteacher.

A somewhat more uppity shirt for potential special occasions.

And my tank top because it was supposed to be outrageously hot that week and weekend.

In addition I chose two sets of bottoms:

My work shorts that doubled as my casual every day shorts,

And my bathing suit because I planned on going swimming over the weekend.

That's it!

I didn't get as much documented proof that I stuck with this challenge, but I can guarantee that I did in fact commit pretty well. Here are three pictures of myself during this week:

This was at work (safety vest is mandatory) and the kitty came to visit me and cuddle. You can see which clothes I am wearing here.

Here is Marley and I at the lake right before we went out on the water. I am wearing my swimming trunks in case you couldn't see.

 The only thing that I did cheat on was that I wore my other jean shorts which were basically exactly the same because my work shorts just got intolerably dirty at work and I was performing that evening. So I wanted to look half decent.

One thing I noticed was that after about day two I actually found this challenge very difficult to do. As a person who loves expressing my personality through the clothes that I wear, limiting myself to only 6 pieces was quite a let down #firstworldproblems. But, it kind of put in perspective for me how some people who may not have the resources to have as large of a wardrobe as I do may not also have as much freedom to express themselves. How difficult it is to look presentable everywhere when you have to wear the same thing wherever you go, and how uncomfortable you feel when you are in public wearing clothes that may not be ideal for the situation you're in. But, it doesn't just stop at clothes.

All in all, I was relieved when the week was up and I could wear whatever I wanted again. I've learned the simplicity of having little choice in clothes, I've recognized that it is challenging at first but after a while I was kind of okay with the clothes that I was wearing. They kind of became part of me and I didn't really worry about how they looked anymore.This feeling was easily reversed once I put different clothes on.

Also, I am glad that I worked at a place that I wear the same clothes every day anyways, because if I worked in an office or something I would have been devastated to wear the same six clothes every day. The looks. The judgment. The horror.

I would urge people to give this a try! Especially those of you who are like me and change your outfit eight zillion times a day! It's a nice break and actually almost a complete lifestyle change. Part of your daily routine is gone... and that leaves more time for stuff!

Until next time,

Dillon

Blanket Fort Part 3 of 3

The Whimsical Circus Fort

Here you see the Circus Tent like structure of the Blanket fort. The blankets chosen with care and strategy to create the curb appeal to attract the glummest of patrons into its splendor. 

Here you have the host and Elephant tamer, Benjamin the Mighty with his Elephant, Geoffrey. (Figures included with fort). 

This is where the spectators sit and enjoy the show while Mighty B performs his rare and superb Elephant show.

Here you see the panoramic view of the spectators seats. The cushions and blankets are one of a kind, mostly hand-made. You may notice a quilt near the centre, it is reserved for honorary spectators only as it is a quilt made of divine fabrics and craftsmanship. 

Here we have an updated sound system run off of electronic devices. We have upgraded the circus tent recently to have electricity.

In this corner, there is a rather large movie selection and the air system. In tents with large crowds it tends to get quite stuffy, this fan is top-of-the-line Blow Your Brains 3000. The movies provide entertainment for the late night lovers where an electronic screen will be provided upon request.

The tent can hold approximately six sitting patrons, attractions include performances by world renowned entertainers, relaxing lounge corner, central air, and electricity. You won't regret coming into this Blanket Fort.

If you think this blanket fort deserves to win the contest vote for Blanket Fort Part 3 here!

Empty Parks

I often imagine a world where there are no humans. I don’t yearn for that kind of a world – I mean there are plenty of worlds where humans do not exist so it’s not hard to come by. But, I think that humans need a blank canvas to create anew what we lack today. All of the tumult and torment that humans have put each other and other species through in this world gives me a constant bitter taste at the back of my throat. I have an unforgivable resentment towards past and present humans in general, but I always have hope for the future. Although I do think that it would be nice to just have humans go on holiday for a few years from Earth so that it can recuperate from our parasitic ways.

In regards to the blank canvas; I say that in terms of possessions and perhaps emotions. I think it would be unwise for humans to forget absolutely everything that we have been through in the last few millennia. History is important for a reason, we just need to find more solutions to fix problems and resolve these issues instead of setting them at bay for the time being and having to deal with them again and again in some slightly altered version of the original. But what happens when people have everything taken from them and are forced by nature to start fresh just like everyone else? We would probably just end up back to our current societies. Is greed the culprit to blame? Or is greed just a more evolved version of our primitive ways to display who holds the power in our society? Is greed necessary to maintain some sort of balance in how we function as a species?

Here’s my all time favourite question to ask people: Can you imagine a world where there is absolutely no form of currency at all?

Most of the people I ask are too established in jobs and lifestyles to be able to think of any alternatives to the way they live now, so they often fall short with answers and then justify why we need money and why barter systems would not work and then how self sufficiency needs to start somewhere and you can’t just start it without supplies etc etc. But here’s my problem with those answers: barter systems are still forms of currency because you are putting value in goods and trading them to get other goods; self sufficiency does not mean that we have to go backwards in time to the horse and buggy – we have the knowledge to do things better than we did in the past. We just need to be creative and innovative in order to figure out how to do all of this without money. If we can develop the internet, which is an infinitely (as far as I know) vast world in its own, surely we can come up with worlds that we can physically live in too! I plan to ask my future students this question and I am intrigued to see what worlds they can create with their not-as-corrupt minds.

But then, on my walk to work this morning I saw the park that has been having an event every night this week and is usually packed full of people – but it was empty aside from all of the debris left behind from the festivities. The tables, the chairs, the tents, the bare stage, the haphazard signs, the obvious human footprint placed on that park hit me in a strange way. I felt sad; though I talk big talk about how much I dislike humans, it made me gloomy to see such a lively place so lackluster. Maybe we don’t need to change all that much. Maybe, in all of my passion and rage I neglect to notice the fun and the excitement humans can create for one another too. I forget that we have all worked really hard to get where we are today, and that we are trying to improve every day we’re on this Earth. Maybe I just need to allow myself more freedom to experience the positive occasions in life. Maybe that bitter spot in the back of my throat can be sweetened with a little more human compassion. Maybe my resentment is forgivable.

So, instead of clearing the canvas for humans to start anew and asking questions of complete alternative ways of living, maybe I should ask people if they can imagine one thing that we can do in order to make this world a little better. I really don’t think that there is one wrong answer to that. So, tell me, what would you do to make this world a little better?

Until next time,

Dillon 

Saving Princess Ivory

So, as you may have noticed on Jazmin's blog post, we decided to do something that we haven't done since we were kids!

My cousin (and now my roomie) and I used to play together a lot as children and we would come up with the utmost ridiculous games. One of which you will see in the following video that we [dramatically] reenacted from our younger years (except we drank apple juice instead of wine...).

Take a look at our Spy Kids Cooking Show and enjoy!

p.s. if you are trying to watch on a smartphone, the embedded video will not work so here's the link!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnEpc47BRG4&list=UUX7YPp3pbV_exAuCrkHWt5Q&feature=share

Until next time,

Dillon

Dive Away

This week we challenged each other to try something new. Although, making art pieces isn't really something new for me, I have never stained wood, nor made a piece like this before. I have been collecting paper coasters from pubs for over a year now and have gotten Marley to get me some from her travels in Europe and abroad elsewhere. I have collected a plethora of coasters from Saskatoon's locations as well! Here is the process of my piece that I like to call "Dive Away", as it looks like the table top from a dive bar in Europe. 

I purchased these planks and stain from Rona. This process was a lot easier than I had anticipated. I put two coats of stain on the boards. I could have put more to make it darker, but I liked the "worn" look it gave when there wasn't as much stain on it.

I soaked the coins in vinegar to make them more shiny. I have kept these from my travels in England two years ago.

I let this wood dry over night so that I could start pasting the things!

It's a good thing I had two bottles of glue. I actually ran out.

Here's all my paraphernalia. Coasters, photos, plastic cards, coins, buttons, a guitar pick, and a map of the tubes in London. 

I organized the items how I wanted them first before I glued them.

These photos are actually a purchase I made from the establishment called "printstagram". They print photos you select from your instagram account and mail them to you via Fedex. The pictures are great quality and make your photos look like a legitimate photographer took them!

This is my tube pass from London.

Marley started playing with my camera.

Bennie was not impressed with anything all afternoon.

Here it is all glued.

The purpose of this project was to create some sort of headboard for my bedroom. It kind of has that rustic feel to it that my room has been enveloping. Since I didn't have time today, I will hopefully update how my room looks once I have the pieces to hang it up. I also plan on giving it a thick layer of varnish to give it a glaze so that the small pieces become more permanent to the wood.

"Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you're there. It doesn't matter what you do, he said, so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that's like you after you take your hands away. The difference between the man who just cuts lawns anda real gardener is in the touching, he said. The lawn cutter might just as well not have been there at all; the gardener will be there a lifetime." - Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

Until next time,

Dillon

A Rainy Day in the Life

What is that awful noise disturbing my precious slumber?

Ah, yes... I'm in real life. And I have to work... (this picture was approximately 31 minutes after my alarm first went off. It's a good day when I can get up after pressing snooze only three or four times. I've been late to work many times in the past because of my problems with pressing snooze in my sleep). It's Friday June 20th, 2014.

Here is my work attire. Jeans and a company shirt. Prepared to get dirty, essentially. 

Oh. It's raining? hmmm...

Guess I better wear my hat. 

Hop in my car. I have an '07 Honda Civic. It's been good to me thus far!

The commute through my neighborhood!

It's our stock transfer day at work. One of my coworkers and I have to unload the truck!

Here's the front door. Behind the rainy window.

Here's my baby. #28. I fork a lot of things with this sexy beast. 

Here is my office. The stock yard. We distribute stones and bricks for commercial and residential projects. Lots of heavy lifting.

But, couldn't do that heavy lifting in the rain without being first sent to good ol' Canadian Tim Hortons for some coffee and donuts! (Paid for by the company, so I can't complain.)

It's nice, because I rarely have time for breakfast in the morning after sleeping through my alarm for so long. So it tides me over until lunch.

Okay, I'm back! Classic convex mirror selfie on the forklift. My coworker took my fork while I was away. God damn him.

He pretty much unloaded the whole truck, so I got stuck in the rain receiving the order. These are the invoices. Needless to say, we had to print off other copies because these were toast. Or the opposite of toast. Whatever.

All this rain has eroded the cinder block wall! It's amazing how effortlessly nature can reclaim the land that humans have ruined. I admire it. 

Here is my view Monday to Friday, 7:30 to 4.

Getting bored. Let's take a selfie!

Workin' hard or hardly workin'?

Ran out to tell Andy that I am going for my lunch. Caught him on his phone. Sneaky little bugger.

I am seriously lacking groceries at home, so I decided I'd have to find a lunch elsewhere.

Vern's Pizza it is! mmmmm.

Oh god. Look at that. Holy shit. I can't handle these pictures.

I can smell it's tastiness just looking at this picture.

Went back to work. Got soaked after half an hour. 

My jeans are drenched. Luckily it was rather warm outside!

Along the fence on my favorite hiding spot at work are some old discontinued, broken bricks. Thought it was a nifty picture. It's aight.

Next door is an old car-wreckage lot. I see this van a lot. It kind of creeps me out. I wonder how many people have died in the cars in this lot. I imagine this place being heavily haunted at night time. 

ANDY LET'S GET OUT OF HERE WE'RE DONE! (He loves his job, he never goes home).

All locked up. WOO!

Always battling the traffic on my way home. It tests my patience every day. 

All ready for the rest of the day! Gonna go to midtown to get a new do! Yes, I go to the mall to get my haircut. At a walk-in salon. They've always done my hair well, and I have a couple of hairdressers who do really well. Neither of them were in today, so I ended up with a different hairdresser and I actually had minor panic attacks. I don't know why. My hair grows so fast that it really doesn't matter who cuts it because it looks exactly the same a week later anyway. 

Underground parking because why not when it's pouring rain outside. I always sacrifice the couple bucks for this convenience.

Before

After!

Okay! Now I am meeting my ladyfriend and her family for a nice little meal at Gibson's for fish and chips!

So tasty. I feel like today was not the best day to take pictures of my meals. I swear I don't eat this shitty everyday. *shifty eyes* This meal consisted of a lot of talk about tattoos. The fellow beside us had a tattoo of Smaug from the illustration on the map inside The Hobbit novel. We told him how much we admired it. Then the server commented on my tattoos and asked me where I got them done. I was flattered. Sailor-ish restaurant, tattoos, tasty food, good company. Couldn't have been better!

Marley took my camera on our drive to Target. She dressed like a hippie this day. She's pretty cute. She just got back from an almost 3 month long trip to the Bahamas. Although you can't tell in these pictures, she is extremely tanned. I'm happy to have her around again!

Stop light selfie!

Driving selfie!

Target purchases. Some make-up, some bounce, some article of clothing (sports bra? I can't remember), and an extremely large pillow. Oh Target. It's got everything you need! ...Look at her button face though!

[ugly] Singing selfie!

We went to the movies, but I'm a goodie-two-shoes and am afraid to take pictures in there cuz I might get in trouble with the law. So I took a very dark picture of the silhouette of my drink. We saw Maleficent (it was my 2nd time). I love the movie. I think the magic of the Moors is a thing of beauty, and I could get lost thinking about it any time. Also, I love how powerful Maleficent is painted, because a lot of movies always rely on dialogue to prove how powerful some characters are, but Maleficent showed us with her magic and her cunning and strong-willed mind. 

Say good night Marley! (I drove her home after chilling for a bit)

My end-of-day bed selfie. Don't mind the bloodshot eyes. Contacts and 3D movies are always a bad idea for me. I forget to blink sometimes!

This is the clock. I finally managed to shut the light off and roll over to sleep at this time. Looking forward to sleep in the following morning without having an alarm to wake me multiple times!

Until next time!

Dillon