I'm at a fundraising conference for 3 days this week. So far I'm realizing that really, I learned a lot about fundraising at the KC. But a refresher is always good, plus, we have privacy laws here which basically don't exist in the States so it's harder to find out personal information about donors etc. (it's scary, in the States so much information is just a google away).

However, the main thing I learned was that theatre people drink way more than fundraisers. At the strange cocktail reception this evening, their were 3 of us (all theatre folk) standing next to the open bar, and pretty much everyone else was at the other end of the room listening to some sort of motivational speech. I thought perhaps it was because fundraisers made enough money to buy their own drinks. My friend said it was because fundraisers knew to get everyone else drunk in order to get them to give them money. Both valid points.

No spoilers

I saw the new Harry Potter movie tonight. It's scary! I mean, I've read the book so knew what was going to happen (though I'd forgotten a couple of things), but I think it got in to my psyche because on the subway I thought this hooded guy was following me (I even switched cars!). I'm sure he wasn't a Death Eater, but better safe than sorry...

Full Moon Hangover

These last two days have made me and those around me grumpy. Yesterday I was grumpy grumpy grumpy. Today it was hard not to be inspired to TTC rage, everything was so full and people were nutso. So I'm coining a new term - Full Moon Hangover - for the crazy that lingers after the full moon. I think it has potential.

I bought pink toilet paper. I seem to remember coloured toilet paper being big in the 70s but I haven't seen it in ages. This is supposed to support the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, but I have to admit I bought it because it was $2 cheaper than any other option. It sort of clashes with my bathroom though.

Diamonds!!

I can't believe I forgot to mention the diamonds. After work yesterday, I went with Laurie to look at diamonds.

It was the strangest set up. This bare office on the 20th floor of an office tower - only furniture in one room with a long table of consultants talking diamonds. It was total fly by night diamond sales!

And there were bags and bags of diamonds.

They weren't set in anything so you were buying (well one was buying, not me by any stretch) the diamonds to then be turned in to whatever you wanted.

We learned all about the four Cs - Colour, Cut, somethng and Carat. Apparently I wasn't paying close enough attention. Our sales guy was actually very informative, though I don't think he quite knew what to do with us. I tried to get myself a commission if I convinced Laurie to buy something large! The biggest diamond we saw was only $48,000. A bargain as it would retail at something like $72,000. (see some detail I remember...)

I've never been much of a diamond person, but these sure were pretty. So sparkly...

(no I didn't buy anything!)

the week that was

Thursday I had my auditor in. It is definitely not fun prepping for an audit when you haven't been around for any of the fiscal year - well barely anyway (we have an Aug.31 year end which is random). It was relatively painless in the end - only a couple of minor adjustments. I like our auditor well enough but she did one thing that turned me right off. I had gotten a written quote from her prior to her coming in - and then part way through the day she says that her fee is going up $500 (which would be a 25% increase over last year). I said that actually I was going to pay what she quoted me. She backed down but it felt sleazy. I don't know if she thought because I was new that she could push it or what. Next year I'm going to do some shopping around methinks....

Last night was the Steam Whistle Unsigned concert series again at the Roundhouse. This is such an amazing partnership for us. Basically a guaranteed $2000 every 3 months or so. I stayed for all 3 bands last night so was up way past my bedtime but I was enjoying myself - plus I had to make the speech from the stage last night (ugh) so I had to stay a good part of the night for that. Clearly all the older fogies like me were there for the second band (my favs of the night - The Young Empires I think they were called) as by the third band - Rich Aucoin (hugely popular) everyone in the room except for me was like 20 years old. And the girls were all wearing skanky pseudo 80s outfits with high heels. I must be old because I thought they were all dressed so inappropriately! and frankly just badly. Trashy is not classy girls! The guys all had a hipster cardigan vibe (instead of the hipster plaid from last show). Anyway, I felt old making my speech. They didn't have any stage monitors on so I could only hear myself through the speakers into the crowd so with a 2 second delay. Awkward to ignore that so I felt like I was speaking really fast! Anyway, it's all good, a little fundraising, a little PR. A few G&Ts. A good night.

New hair

Okay, so after much debate and a Facebook poll, I decided not to dye my hair brown. Sad really - I will some day. The clincher was when my hairdresser- who normally is all for the crazy colour - said "oh I love your blonde". Boring. She also pointed out how people kill for my natural colour.

Boring! Anyway, a compromise was reached. I am still blonde, but it is quite a dark blonde, with all sorts of honey blonde low lights which to me looks quite dark, though no one at work noticed.

It had started to rain when I got back to the office, so perhaps it was just because it was dark in the office...or maybe it looks exactly the same, who knows...

I should also say that if I spent less money on my hair, I could have an apartment full of furniture by now. Priorities I guess, but stupid!

It feels a bit like a right of passage that I know someone whose marriage was announced in today's NY Times.

This afternoon I went to see the current exhibit at MOCCA by David Hoffos

http://www.mocca.ca/

If you are in Toronto, go see this! Don't wait, just go. Really neat on so many levels. Just clever ideas and technique. You may have to wait in line to get in - yes, a line up for Canadian modern art! amazing. And it's free. You can thank the Hal Jackman Foundation for that.

The afternoon was complete with a kinda lame pseudo art protest outside of MOCCA with a sign saying "I will not produce bad art" and some guy burning something. Lame. But whatever.

Apparently I love theatre. I don't really have any desire to work in anything else - I feel this job is too far removed from the process. And yet it seems I really only love short theatre. Fortunately most of what I am seeing this season is 90 minutes or less no intermission (my favourite words). I suppose musicals would be the exception - and Priscilla flew by (though it was short for a musical at less than 2 1/2 hours).

Last night I saw the impressive The Middle Place - written, directed and designed by friends based on interviews with youth in a shelter in Toronto. It was theatrical more than theatre I think, but I also feel it should be seen by everyone living in this city. Or any city. When it comes to your city, go see it. Tonight I'm going to The Year of Magical Thinking - which should be wonderful. Both are under 90 minutes long and that makes me so happy. Isn't that sad though? I want to see your show but only if it doesn't take too long... and I apparently love theatre.

I watched the CBC online at 11am this morning to see the ceremony in Ottawa for Remembrance Day. I remember standing out there many years as a child and it always being cold and grey and rainy. It looked beautiful today. Last year it poured on Damion and I at Arlington Cemetery. Maybe it's fine as long as I'm planning to commemorate inside.

I also remember being turned down for the Ottawa youth choir that sings every year for the ceremony. I'm still a tad resentful of that if I'm honest. This year, they didn't sound very good either!

The faces of the old veterans always make me sad. It's something about how they look so smart in their uniforms and how you know that they will stand for the entire service if they can, even if it's the longest that they have stood in a long while. It is just that important. So many of them seem alone in the crowd and their faces are etched with expression. It just makes me sad.

Second random event of the weekend. Walking along Bloor Street this afternoon I passed a mini-parade. It looked like just one army regiment - lead by bagpipers and drummers followed by maybe a hundred officers all in beige kilts. Judging by the number of non-white people involved, I'm assuming that they were visiting from somewhere, but there wasn't a banner or anything to explain who they were or why they were marching past the Bata Shoe Museum. I have also never seen a black bagpiper before, so that was kinda cool.

I went to the Whole Foods in Yorkville which was very much as I remembered it, but at the same time incredibly disappointing. It paled in comparison to my P St. store in DC (and seemed more expensive which is hard to believe) and I was left feeling a bit sad about it. Though I did buy myself a mini chocolate cupcake which was very tasty.

I went to see the documentary Marwencol today. I am so happy to have semi-regular documentary screening access again. Anyway, we went to the new TIFF Lightbox building for the first time, which is very impressive, though the screening rooms are quite corporate, at least the one we were in.

The film is about this guy in New York state who had been savagely attacked by five teenagers and as part of his own therapeutic rehab, builds a WW2 town in Belgium with essentially Barbie Dolls in his backyard. The detail is remarkable. He then takes pictures of it and his images are really incredible - the composition, lighting, everything is perfect and he was using an old crappy camera with a broken lightmeter, all outside...anyway...it's all kinda strange and sweet at the same time.

We realized too late that there was indeed popcorn concessions and so after the film went exploring. I hope that TIFF has a solid plan for maintaining operations of this building because there is staff everywhere. Dare I say over-staffed. We were met by a wall of staff before we could get to the snacks and one spontaneously gave us a tour of the place. It was a tad odd actually but we did get to see this secret room for members - the members lounge - for coffee and drinks and where the tables were all touchscreen so you could play chess and stuff. It's not actually as secret room, it just looks like you are about to walk in to the window before you get there. I have to say the building's design is really well done - at least what I saw. I'm not sure how well it would handle huge crowds as there seems to be just one way in and out of everywhere, but on a Saturday afternoon with only a handful of patrons and three times the staff necessary, it was just fine.

Okay so I may have gone shoe shopping after work and I may have bought two things. One was very practical - winter boots, a girls gotta have winter boots. The other pair may have been the most pretty pair of red shoes with square toes and a moderately sensible heel. Moderately. But they are Hush Puppies so they are practical. Indeed.

I have to say how glad I was to have had my yoga class yesterday. This is a bit of a cheat since my teacher reads this, but it's true. It's frankly been a stressful, frustrating few weeks, ones that have been a tough slog. Anyway, taking that break in the middle of the day was exactly what I needed.

Update on my friend

Since many of you have asked (thank you)...he seems to be doing well. Things to know:

Don't tour with the Rockettes to Indiana.

In the US, get married - do not reman common law as your non-married partner will not have any legal right when it comes to healthcare decisions and so the doctors will wait until you wake up. Um yeah.

Anyway, things have gone from dire to very hopeful in a quite miraculous fashion. So this is all good news.