Five

On By LynnIn TurtleHead11 Comments

Yesterday, Little Miss Sunshine turned five. I feel like I should cue some wah-wah trumpets here and lament the passing away of my baby days, but really, I was okay with it. She’s anxious to grow up and gets frustrated when she can’t run as fast or jump as high as her brother and sister, and I want her to move forward, too. In many ways, she’s still our baby – I don’t remember the Captain or Gal Smiley being quite so babyish at age 5, perhaps this is a youngest thing? But it’s nice when she’s confident enough to dress herself or make her own snack. So I’m still getting my fair share of cuddles and snuggles, and yet, getting a more independent family that’s capable of broader experiences and adventures, and it’s all good.

So what I really wanted to talk about was Barbies. Specifically, shoes. The Little Miss loves Barbie, and up until now she’s had fun with my old doll from when I was a kid and her extensive wardrobe, hand made by my mother who had a little Barbie clothes making business when I was young. My old doll is named Sandy and reeks of Malibu. I kind of love her, still.

The Little Miss has also acquired a couple of new Barbie dolls, but they don’t fit the old clothes quite right because the dolls were redesigned in 1997 to have a thicker waist and smaller chest. So for her birthday, we bought her a few new outfits for her new-style Barbie dolls.

And the outfits came with shoes.

Now, my mother is a wonder with her sewing machine (how she made it through all those finicky wee bits of trim without losing her mind is beyond me), but shoes require a big plastic making machine. So my classic Barbie has store-bought shoes that are sensible, practical, logical.

Take these:

I think Sandy has about 15 pairs of these in various colours. Look at that nice, sensible heel. They go right from the office to date night in comfort, all night long.

She also had sporty sneakers for running, and ballet shoes for pursuing her dream:

And of course, a variety of boots featuring safe, square heels suitable for horseback riding or a day-long tour of the mall:

For evenings out, if she really wanted to get flashy, she had these (actually these little fancies belonged to my sister FameThrowa, we’ve absorbed her Barbie wardrobe into ours):

And now, compare with the shoes that came with the new Barbie outfits.

What?

The?

Hell?

Is That?

Do you see the heels on that last pair? Pointy spikes, with a ball on the end? And the others, with their high heights and sparkles and ankle straps, what are we, Lady Gaga?

I just…don’t know. I really don’t know. I’m thinking there must be something more practical on eBay.

In other news, no one seems to make patterns for Barbie clothes anymore – once the redesign happened, no one bothered to alter the patterns. I still have my mom’s old patterns but they’re only good for making more clothes for Sandy, who is already very well covered. The new ladies are going to have remain content with their cheap, sparkly store dresses and the matching ridiculous footwear. GAH.

The Marshmallow

On By LynnIn TurtleHead10 Comments

Last weekend, we got talking to some friends about a study described in Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Outliers. In the study, they took a bunch of four year olds and sat them down in an empty room in front of a marshmallow. They told the kids that they could eat the marshmallow any time, but if they could wait 20 minutes without eating it, they would receive a second marshmallow and could eat both.

They then followed the kids for years, and by the time they were well into adulthood, it became clear that the ones who were able to delay gratification and wait for the second marshmallow were far ahead of their more eager counterparts when it came to success. They made more money, they had more responsibility, they were farther along in their careers and accomplishments.

So Sir Monkeypants and I immediately both thought of our own four year old, Little Miss Sunshine, who only has two weeks left until she’s too old for this test. And we thought, maybe we don’t really want to know. Because there’s no guidelines in the book on what to do if your kid fails the test – possible strategies for turning them into future successes. It seems that if they fail the marshmallow test, they’re marked for life. We might end up spending our entire life patting Little Miss Sunshine on the head in a pitying kind of way, sighing that she’ll never amount to anything because she ate the marshmallow.

Plus, we did not have any marshmallows actually on hand, nor a sterile empty room to run the test.

But Sir Monkeypants was undeterred, so he beckoned over the Little Miss for the following conversation:

Sir Monkeypants: Little Miss Sunshine, say I give you a marshmallow. You can eat it right now, or you can wait 20 minutes and then you can have two marshmallows. What would you do?

Little Miss Sunshine: But, I don’t want a marshmallow.

[Parents beam with pride at their child circumnavigating the whole of science in this manner.]

Sir Monkeypants: Okay, say I have something you do want – like a Hershey’s Kiss. Would you like one now, or two in twenty minutes?

Little Miss Sunshine: If I wait, do I get marshmallows AND kisses?

Sir Monkeypants: No, if you do the waiting you get two things but just two.

Little Miss Sunshine: What if I wait an hour? Then can I get two marshmallows AND two kisses?

Sir Monkeypants: Um, I guess so.

Little Miss Sunshine: Then I will choose that.

FUTURE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA, right there, folks! I am so proud.

Year of Epic – July 14/15

On By LynnIn Year of Epic4 Comments

Well, we’re three days into summer vacation around here and I’m already sunburnt, tired, frizzy-haired and perma-coated in sand. Summer is awesome!

We’ve got another relatively quiet weekend coming up in Ottawa. But that’s okay with me, because we are busy, busy, busy. Still, here’s some great things that are worth squeezing into the schedule for the weekend of July 14/15. (Which is not this coming weekend. For activities for July 7/8, see here.)

Onward!

While swinging single types will likely be over at the Hope Volleyball Tournament, it’s not the most kid-friendly environment in town. Instead, consider (seriously) the Ottawa Fishing Festival. I know, it’s kind of a niche sport but the festival also has performances by magicians, mariachi bands, folk dance troops, and several local martial arts schools. You can also try out fun games like minnow races and fish golf or go for a jump on bouncy castles. Admission is free for kids under 5, $10 for ages 6 to 11, and $15 for everyone else. Plus, admission allows everyone to take part in an actual fishing competition, with judging and everything! Not for everyone, surely, but something to consider.

For something even more different, there’s the Muslim Summer Festival in Britannia Park from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on July 14. There will be a petting zoo, henna tattoos, the ubiquitous bouncy castles, a reptile show, and tons and tons of fabulous exotic food. Although I’m sure the food costs money, it seems the kids’ activities are free and they look pretty fun.

At the Diefenbunker, experience musical acts sprinkled throughout the compound as part of the Beyond the Bomb: Music of the Cold War concert. It’s on Wednesday, July 11 at 6 p.m., and costs a (hefty) $50, but it sounds just so cool. Over at the NAC, the acclaimed musical Wicked starts on July 11 and runs through July 29; tickets start at $67 and run upwards to Really Freaking Expensive, so likely you only want to take your older kids who will actually Appreciate It. Gah.

On the other end of the price spectrum, Place D’Orleans shopping mall presents their Movies Under The Stars series starting Saturday, July 14. The Lorax will start at dusk in the southwest parking lot, and it’s free. Meanwhile, the Cumberland Museum is having a Classic Car Show on Sunday the 15th, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; I believe you have to pay regular admission (which is pretty cheap) to get in.

Next weekend is also the date of the Ottawa Cycling Club’s Grand Prix, which includes an event for 13 and 14 year old avid bikers. Registration (for the kids) is $20 each and entry to the race will be closed on July 11.

Lastly, I’d just like to mention A Company of Fools, which is a troupe here in Ottawa well known for its wacky outdoor productions of Shakespeare plays in Ottawa parks each summer. This is an event I have never considered taking the kids to, because kids? and Shakespeare? outside? late at night? seems like a recipe for disaster. However, I have heard really good things about how accessible and funny their shows are, and also, I just learned that they start at 7 p.m., which seems quite within reach for summertime bedtimes. The show this year is Henry V and performances have already started, but there are still plenty to come; you can see their full schedule here. I think they accept donations but you do not need a ticket in advance, so when they’re coming to a park near you, just come out and have a good time.

And that’s it for next week – have a great weekend!

As If I Required More Evidence That I Am Old

On By LynnIn TurtleHead9 Comments

Gal Smiley, running up from the basement: Mom! I found something!

Me: That’s a cassette tape. It plays music, like a CD, only you need a different kind of playing machine.

Gal Smiley: Does the thing in the basement play them?

Me: Yes, I guess it still works. [Ed note: We’re talking about my old boom box from my university days.]

Gal Smiley: But when I press the buttons on it, it doesn’t do anything.

Me: That’s because it’s not plugged in.

Gal Smiley: So if I plug it in, we can play this tape?

Me: Sure.

Gal Smiley, calling to the other kids: We can play it! We can play it! Let’s go!

Captain Jelly Belly: Forget it, Gal Smiley…even if it does play, it’s going to be boring OLD PEOPLE MUSIC.

Excuse me as I go soak my false teeth. GEEZ.

Year of Epic – July 7/8

On By LynnIn Year of Epic1 Comment

Ugh, I am completely swamped with end-of-school-year tasks and Canada Day planning, so this week’s Year of Epic post is both late and kind of crappy. But in my defense, I have already cooked eight different dishes this morning, and it’s only 1:30 p.m., the kids are alternately hyperactive, screaming, or demanding ice cream, and it’s about 45 degrees in the house thanks to the oven being on for four hours straight. So it’s a quick post and then off for a nap, I think.

Thankfully, July 7/8 is a pretty quiet weekend in the city – I guess everyone figures they’ll still be cleaning up from Canada Day. Note that these activities are for next weekend – if you’re looking for July 1 goings on, see here.

The biggest festival in town next week (and the week after) is Bluesfest which starts the 4th and runs through the 15th. I almost didn’t even mention it here as I don’t really see it as an event for kids – certainly there isn’t any kid-specific or family-specific programming. But quite a few concerts don’t run too late, and kids under 10 are free, so if you’re a better parent than I and are willing to brave an outdoor concert with your kids, bless you, and have a good time. See their website for a full lineup and note that tickets are required for every performance.

Over at the museums, there’s stargazing at the Museum of Science on July 6, and they are also having an interesting Musical Adventure Weekend on the 7th and 8th, featuring shows, crafts, and a scavenger hunt (both free with museum admission, but stargazing requires advance registration). Meanwhile, the Museum of Aviation is having a weekend celebration of Canada’s First Air Mail, featuring a scavenger hunt around the museum (free with admission).

If you live in the west end, or are just curious about their fancy new multi-book self-checkout system, the Hazeldean Branch of the Public Library is having its grand re-opening on July 7 after having been closed for six months of renovations. It’s actually already open, but on July 7 they’ll have a reception with snacks and cake (yay!) at 2 p.m., and then a magic show at 3 p.m.

If you’re willing to drive out to Osgoode, you can check out the Medieval Festival, running all weekend long. There will be jousting and horseshoes and ye olde colouring contest, as well as lots of food. Cost is $6 per person for a day pass or $30 for a family of four.

In arts, the Mosaika light and sound show on Parliment Hill starts on July 6 – it’s a great show but be prepared for a late night as it doesn’t start until dusk. Lastly, the NAC orchestra will be playing Lord of the Rings on July 5, 6, and 7. They’ll be showing the movie The Fellowship of the Ring and the orchestra will play along with all the fantastic music from that film. It’s a long movie and a late night so this is definitely for older kids or teens, but if you have a fantasy lover in your house, it’s a can’t miss. I’ll be there myself on the Thursday evening so say hello if you spot me.

And that’s it – have a great weekend!

Upcoming requiring tickets:
Wicked at the NAC – starting July 11
Chamberfest children’s concerts – July 21 and August 2
Puppets Up! festival – August 11 and 12

Summer! Of! Awesome! 2012!

On By LynnIn Summer of Awesome7 Comments

Summertime is almost upon us, and that means it’s time to Bring the Awesome. Unlike my Year of Epic posts, the Summer of Awesome is less about one-time events, and more about taking time to visit all the great ongoing attractions this city has to offer. I like to think of it as being a tourist in my own town.

It’s not enough, for me at least, just to make the list of places to go and things to see. I also actually schedule everything on our calendar. It’s not set in stone – I can make adjustments if the weather is bad or we’re just too tired. But I find unless I actually write it down, then it’s too easy to spend our days lazing around, playing endless Lego, and eventually, coming to vicious blows and wiping each other out.

Talk about Summer of DOWNER.

Over the past couple of years I have accumulated a huge list of things to do in Ottawa. One family can’t possibly do everything on the list in one season, so we’ll be picking and choosing. We’ve happily been able to visit many of the places on the list, so we’ll be giving them a break this year in favour of new things. Of course, there’s always places that we loved so much, we will be back every year that the kids can stand it. AWESOME.

Just for complete awesomeness, I’m going to list here everything that we’ve done in the past or would like to do in the future, but there’s no way we’ll actually do all this stuff. I’ve put an asterisk next to things that I plan to actually do this year, for Summer of Awesome 2012.

I hope you’ll make your own list – maybe some things from here, maybe some of your own ideas. I love reading about other people’s summer plans so please drop me a line or leave me a comment letting me know what you’re looking forward to this season.

Anyway, here goes:

 

Scheduled Events

Late June – RCMP Musical Ride
July 1 – Canada Day on Parliament Hill – there’s also annual celebrations in Kanata, Barrhaven, and Orleans
August long weekend – Sparks Street Busker Festival
Mid-Late August – Lumiere Festival
Labour Day weekend – Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival

 

Classic About Town Attractions

Museum of Civilization
Museum of Nature
* Museum of Science (be sure to go on a day when the steam train is running, which I think are Sundays and Wednesdays, or better yet, go during Railway Weekend, July 21/22; there’s also evening stargazing on July 6 and August 10)
Museum of Agriculture
* Aviation and Space Museum
* National Art Gallery (Artissimo crafts run on Sat and Sun at 11 a.m. over the summer)
War Museum
Currency Museum
* The City Museums – Pinhey’s Point, Billings Bridge Estate, Cumberland Heritage Museum (Pinhey’s Point in particular has kids’ activities and workshops all summer long, which we plan to check out this year)
Mackenzie King Estate
Watson’s Mill
Diefenbunker
* Parliament Hill Tours (also check out Fortissimo, a massed military band, August 9-11, or Mosaika, an amazing sound and light show running nightly from July 6 through September 3)
Rideau Hall (be sure to catch the simple Changing of the Guard ceremony that happens hourly, or pop by on Friday afternoons for storytime)
* RCMP Stables
NAC – did you know you can tour the NAC every Monday, Wednesday, or Friday at 11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m., for free?

 

Free (or Nearly Free) Activities About Town

* The Public Library (Just a quick word here: the city’s libraries offer more than just books. There’s a reading club all summer long, where you can earn prizes for reading, but even more than that, almost all branches offer a ton of fun classes, workshops, and activities. I was going to list some here but there are literally SO many, it would take me all day – just for any one given branch! So click here and go find some activities at your local branch – most require preregistration.)
* Splash pad parks
* Hiking in the Greenbelt – I particularly recommend the Stony Swamp Trails, one of which leads to the Wild Bird Care Centre, which you can visit for free any afternoon; or Mud Lake (link leads to Dani’s excellent description of her family’s visit)
* Alcatel-Lucent bike days on the parkway
* Picnic and rock balancing at Bate Island
* Byward Market walk and browse (well, free-ish, if you can stop yourself from buying up ALL THE FOOD); also many other Farmer’s Markets including the Carp Market, Parkdale Market, and Ottawa Farmer’s Market – see a comprehensive list of Ottawa markets over at OttawaStart)
Gatineau park (hiking, biking, camping, beaches, and caves)
* A Company of Fools – Shakespeare in the park for a modern audience
Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame
* Backyard events: water balloons, tea parties, backyard camping, gardening
* Cruise night at Hazeldean Mall, Tuesdays
* Ottawa Beaches
Geocaching
* Ottawa indoor and outdoor pools (okay, not free, but pretty close)
* Strawberry Picking – Cannamore Orchard (also lots of other activities here – make it a day trip!), Dekok Family Berry Farm, Shouldice – Three Locations, Proulx Berry Farm

 

Fancy Pants Activity Centres and Shops

* Altitude Gym Clip and Climb
Lafleche Adventure Park – including caving and aerial climbing courses
* Ray’s Reptiles
* Saunders Farm
Karters’ Korner
Valleyview Little Animal Farm
Funhaven
La Fleche Caves
Cosmic Adventures
Midway Family Fun Park
* Pinto Valley Ranch
* Capital City Speedway – the best value is the Capital City Summer Slam, held the first or second weekend in September – a whole day’s worth of races plus monster trucks, WOOT
Putting Edge
* Mini Golf Gardens
Skyzone Ottawa
Merivale Bowling
Ottawa Fat Cats Baseball Game (possibly in their last season)
Ottawa Fury Soccer Game (read about our super fun trip to see the Fury here)
* Chinatown Day Trip featuring The Daily Grind Cafe (sells gluten-free, vegan treats which my allergic kid an actually eat – very exciting!), Global Homeware, Kowloon Market, Bubblicity – see Andrea from the fishbowl‘s great post on how to do Chinatown right
* Movies – oh how I miss AMC’s $1 summer movies, now cancelled. GAH. However, it’s still cheap if you hit the AMC before noon (tickets are half price)
Urban Quest (great for slightly older kids or teenagers)
Haunted Walk of Ottawa
Boat Tours: Pirate Adventures, Paul’s Boat Lines
Creative Places: Gotta Paint, 4Cats, The Mud Oven, Sassy Bead Company
* Dairy Queen – we usually go once to mark the beginning of summer; our super allergic kid gets a slushy; there’s also great treats to be had at Menchies, Kiwi Kraze, or for the super allergic, coconut ice cream at Thimblecakes Cafes (now in Barrhaven)
* Destination Shopping Spots: Chapters Kanata or Indigo Barrhaven, The Comic Book Shoppe, Kaleidescope Kids, Playvalue, Toys on Fire

 

Day Trips/Out of Town

(obviously there’s endless possibilities here, but these are some we have tried and loved, or would like to try)
* Mont Cascades or Calypso water parks
Papanack Zoo
Parc Omega
Granby Zoo
Camp Fortune
* Camping weekend at a provincial park
* Biodome
1000 islands boat cruise to Boldt Castle – read Allison’s review of it here
Upper Canada Village
Wakefield Steam Train (closed this year; hoping to reopen a limited part of the track in 2014)
Toronto activities: Canada’s Wonderland, Museum of Science, Zoo, Centre Island, CN Tower, Casa Loma
Niagara Falls: including Maid of the Mist and Marineland

Year of Epic – June 30/July 1

On By LynnIn Year of Epic4 Comments

(Note that these events are for next weekend, June 30/July 1. For events this coming weekend, see here.)

Next weekend is the July 1 long weekend, and we live in Ottawa. That means you can basically fall out your front door and find some sort of party going on. I tend to be a little Scrooge McDuck myself about Canada Day – I can’t stand the crowds, and the last time I was on Parliament Hill, I was so attacked by mosquitos while waiting for the fireworks I swore I’d never be back. But even if The Hill isn’t your thing, there are so, so many other things going on for July 1 (seriously: SO MANY), that there’s really no excuse. If you’ll be in town, get out there!

Now before we talk about Canada Day itself, let’s discuss a few events happening in the week leading up to the big day…

Starting Tuesday, June 26 and running through Saturday, June 30 is the Sunset RCMP Musical Ride. It starts at 7:30 p.m. and is at the RCMP Stables at the Canadian Police College. Can you really call yourself Canadian if you’ve never seen the Musical Ride? I think not.

Also, Monday, June 25 is kick-off day for the Changing of the Guard, which happens each summer morning at 10 a.m. on Parliament Hill. Warning: your children may find this boring as all hell. But if you have out-of-town guests, it’s pretty much a must-do. Just bring lots of snacks and maybe a GameBoy or two. As well, outdoor guided tours of the hill start on Saturday, June 30 (slightly more interesting to children due to the presence of many cats, and the ability to run free on the big lawn).

On to Canada Day! Deep breath.

The big action is, of course, downtown. This site is your bible for downtown activities. Stuff will be happening on the hill, along Rideau, in Major’s Hill Park, across the river at Jacques Cartier Park, and in Confederation Park. The Parliament Hill schedule starts at 9 a.m. with a really cool Carillon Concert (that means, played by the bells in the Peace Tower); concerts and buskers and other entertainment runs all day, finishing off with the fireworks at 10 p.m. Jacques Cartier Park is really the best place to go if you have young kids; bring a picnic and stay all day for bouncy castles, face painting, cheerleading demonstrations, breakdancing competition (SO COOL – this one starts at 6 p.m.), outdoor movies, and dance shows. There will also be some sort of fancy fire juggling show in the early evening – I think it’s at 8:30 p.m. – so if you can’t quite stay up for the fireworks, this is a good substitute. Over at Major’s Hill Park, there’s a really great barbeque, multicultural displays with performances and crafts, and a cool cowboy area including inflatable pony bouncers. Action at both parks starts around 10 a.m.; a shuttle bus is available to take you back and forth between them but really, it’s not a long walk and if you have a big stroller, it’s easier to just hoof it across the bridge than try to squeeze onto the shuttle.

Last year I took the girls downtown just for the morning of July 1, and I actually have to admit it was a pretty good time. There was just so much to do, and all of it free. We found parking at the Rideau Centre indoor parking garage (it was pretty full by 10 a.m., but when we left at around 4 p.m. there were still a handful of spots on the top level, so I’d recommend trying there any time throughout the day).

Also, if you’re looking for even more information on exactly what’s going on downtown, check out the Ottawa Kiosk Canada Day Page which is all hooked up to the full insider info. There’s also a great guide to stuff happening on Rideau Street and in Confederation Park over at the Ottawa Sun Canada Day page.

Okay! Let’s move on to museums. The Museum of Science, Museum of Nature, Museum of Civilization, National Art Gallery, and Museum of Agriculture are all having free admission on Canada Day. At the Museum of Science, you can play with bottle rockets, tour the lighthouse, and visit the observatory – all super, super cool, trust me. At the Museum of Agriculture, you can make and taste your own ice cream; over at the Museum of Civilization, a new exhibit is opening on Canada day, “A Queen and Her Country,” celebrating the life of Queen Elizabeth II.

Over at the NAC, there’s a whole program of free concerts and activities on Canada Day. A mass choir performs at 10 a.m., 2:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.; there’s the Canadian Forces band at 11 a.m. and hip-hop dancing at 1 p.m. Kids crafts, face painting, and colouring runs all day from 11 through 4 p.m., and there’s a lunchtime BBQ (which costs a nominal amount).

The Mackenzie King Estate is having a quieter celebration, featuring birthday cake, crafts, music, and organized games. That sounds like more my speed. Over on Victoria Island, there’s an Aboriginal Experiences event featuring First Nations drumming, dancing, storytelling, and crafts. Over at the Currency Museum, there’s crafts and a fun outdoor trivia game where you can win prizes. The city museums – Pinhey’s Point, Billings Estate, and Cumberland Heritage Village – are all having special games and crafts to celebrate “Dominion Day” – regular museum admission applies.

Whew! Exhausted yet? Because there’s more!

If you’d like to stay away from the downtown core, there’s outlier events in the suburbs. Canada Day in Kanata is a huge party in Walter Baker Park, featuring amusement park rides (totally not free), bouncy castles, face painting, tons of food, and bands (some stuff is free, some isn’t). Get there EARLY if you want parking; leave late if you want to see headliner Kim Mitchell and watch the fireworks. Canada Day in Barrhaven features a battle of the bands, a kids’ zone, tons of food, and fireworks, all starting at 11 a.m. in Clarke Fields Park. Queen Juliana Park in Nepean has amusement park rides, pony rides, music, and a nighttime laser light show. Canada Day in Orleans takes place on Petrie Island starting at 11 and features a magic show, visits by princesses, Little Ray’s and Radical Science, free music all day, and fireworks at 10 p.m.

And I think that might be it. If you hear of anything else noteworthy for Canada Day, please let me know (although it’s not like it’ll be hard to find an activity, or anything, jeez).

Also, most people have July 2 off as a holiday. Just wanted to mention that the Museum of Nature is closed that day (as it is regularly closed on Mondays), as are most malls and other shopping centres.

Have a great Canada Day!

Blogging Out Loud

On By LynnIn TurtleHead6 Comments

Tonight is Blog out Loud, and I hope my readers and friends in the Ottawa area can make it out. I was thinking this morning about how a lot of bloggers are shy introverts – like myself, actually – and that makes it tough to talk yourself into an event like this. I don’t even take the kids to soccer, because the thought of standing on the sideline chatting with the other parents for an hour and a half at the end of a long day sounds too draining. Even though they are actually my friends, and even though I always, always have a great time when I DO go, I still think of social occasions with a big “ugh” and have to drag myself off the couch.

So I totally get how going to an event where there’s a big room full of people, most of whom you don’t know, can seem scary and tiring. And how it’s a hot day, and the kids are all wild and crazy, and you’ve had a long week. And how it’s so, so much easier to stay home and watch last night’s PVR recording of Dance! Show! than to get in the car and drive downtown where there are crowds and construction and finding parking is an epic adventure. I GET IT.

And if I am being completely truthful, if I didn’t host the freakin’ thing I’d probably stay home, myself.

But! It really is an amazing, wonderful, truly good time. You will laugh, and you will cry. You will meet some great people – trust me when I say, everyone I have ever talked to there has been outgoing and friendly and kind. It can be a moving experience just to be in the room with other people who like to do the same thing you do.

It is worth getting off the couch.

So I hope I will see you there – if you do manage to make it, be sure to find me and say hi.

Year of Epic – June 23/24

On By LynnIn Year of Epic7 Comments

I’m going to try (ha!) to make this week’s entry short, as I’m in a total panic about what to wear to BOLO. To make matters more complex, I am drawing a blank as to what I wore back in year 2. I remember year 1, I remember year 3 – year 2, nothing. So I may accidentally duplicate my outfit, which I think we can all agree would be TRAGIC. It’s a highly stressful situation.

(Note that these activities are for next weekend, June 23-24. For stuff going on this weekend, June 16-17, see here.)

Festivals! The big event this weekend is the Dragonboat Festival. It’s pretty cool to go out and see the teams rowing in formation during the races. But the festival is about much more than just boats on the water; there’s also a ton of food vendors, other displays, and best of all, all-day children’s performers including Spartacat, A Company of Fools, and Paddling Puppeteers (see the full performance schedule here). If you can get a sitter, there’s a pretty awesome concert lineup for the evenings, including big acts like Spirit of the West, Said the Whale, and David Usher. Everything takes place at Mooney’s Bay Park on Riverside Drive, and the best part? Activities are all free! The races run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

There’s also the Summer Solstice Aboriginal Arts Festival, which looks really interesting and different. It runs Thursday through Sunday at Lebreton Flats (4 to 8 p.m. Thurs and Fri, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the weekend). There will be pony rides, bouncy castles, giant hamster balls (!!), music, stiltwalkers, arts and crafts, Metis games, and a whole area devoted to the centennial of the War of 1812. And the best part? Both Saturday and Sunday at noon there’s a huge competition powwow, which is certainly going to be a sight to see.

In arts next week: June 22 through 24 features the Sing-a-long version of Grease at the Bytown theatre; the Sunday showing is at 5 p.m. for those with preteens with earlier bedtimes. Tickets are $17 in advance, and advance tickets are definitely recommended. Over at the NAC, from June 20 through 23, the 7 Fingers present PSY, a “mind-blowing” circus featuring some pretty amazing acrobatics and tricks. Tickets start at $35, so this one is probably for an older tween or teenage crowd.

Events on Friday! Bob FM presents the first of their Movies on the Beach series. Bring some lawn chairs and snacks and you can catch Captain America in the great outdoors of Walter Baker Park, in Kanata. The movie starts at dusk.

Events on Saturday! It’s CHEO’s annual Teddy Bear Picnic on the grounds of Rideau Hall. We were all set to go last year when it was cancelled due to lightning conditions (sniff), so we are IN for this year. The fun starts at 8 a.m. with a pancake breakfast ($3 adults, $2 kids), followed by the usual games, rides, food, and crafts (most free, but some have a nominal charge attached). Also on Saturday (Sunday too), Thomas the Tank Engine with special guest Angelina Ballerina will be doing two shows daily, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., at St. Laurent shopping mall. I think this is free but it’s sure to be a madhouse so get there very, very early. If you’ve got an older child, Toys on Fire is having another Beyblade tournament on June 23 – watch their Facebook page for details.

Events on Sunday! The Community Cup is a multicultural event in Brewer’s Park from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There’s a soccer tournament for adults, while kids can explore games, crafts, clowns, and puppets in the kids’ zone. There’s also a ton of great international food, a chance to try out a new language, and a place to try a wide variety of sports from clubs all over town. If you haven’t had a chance to visit Watson’s Mill yet this year, Sunday is a great day for it as it’s their annual Strawberry Social, featuring strawberry shortcake, lemonade, music, and Scottish dancing ($10 adults, $5 kids).

Lastly, if you feel like playing hooky on Monday, June 25th, you can catch the annual Inspection of the Guard at Rideau Hall, at 10 a.m.

Have a great weekend!

Is Blogging Dead?

On By LynnIn TurtleHead19 Comments

Lately I’ve read a few articles about how the blogging bubble has burst. A few of the “big” bloggers have noted that their comments and hits have fallen off. Even us smaller bloggers have noticed that “no one comments anymore.” There’s been a lot of talk about how people have taken their social interaction to Twitter and Facebook. So is this it? Is blogging going to fade away like bell bottom jeans and one-shoulder sweatshirts?

I admit, I don’t comment as much as I used to. I still read, though. I have about 300 blogs in my reader and I actually keep up to date on almost all of them. But since I am reading through a reader, I have to click through to comment, which is an extra moment of time that I might not have, especially just to leave the kind of simple comment that let you know I was here, I read, and enjoyed. But I’m trying to do better at that, because I think it’s really important to let bloggers know that you loved their words, that you were touched by what they said, that you have something of your own to share on that subject. It’s a meaningful interaction to me.

I still find blogs from time to time that I add to my reader – every year at BOLO there’s someone I love so much, I have to hear more. It’s sometimes a bit of work to add a new blog. You have to invest time in reading longer posts, get to know the person a bit. Maybe even explore some back posts if something comes up that you don’t get. But it’s worth it. The people I have met through blogging have become friends. Even those who I’ve never met in real life seem like personal pals – I feel like I really know them. These days, when I tell someone a story that I read on a blog, I am more likely to say, “A friend was telling me that…” than to say, “I read on someone’s blog that…”. It just makes more sense to me the first way – reading a blog really is kind of like having a coffee with a friend.

I don’t get the same thing from Twitter or Facebook, but I hear lots of people say that they just don’t “get” those kinds of social media, so perhaps I’m missing something. I’ve “met” people through Twitter and we’ve chatted but I still feel like I know nothing about them. Maybe if I spent more time there and was more interactive there, I’d find the magic. But what I really love is delving into a meaty blog post, and finding insight into someone’s day, someone’s thoughts, or someone’s soul.

Is that too much to ask of blogging? Maybe.

I’m meandering here, but what I really wanted to say is that I think there’s definitely a continued place for blogging, even if the audience is shrinking. It’s extremely powerful to have a place for writers self-publish their works, be it anecdotes about how they burned their lunch to political rants to deeper pieces that share a difficult time or emotion. Even casual blogs that just document the day-to-day stuff can be great writing; there’s something about just being human that invites empathy. There’s meaning in sharing stories, and there’s power in developing your writing skills. Plus, there’s something worthwhile in documenting your own story, for yourself.

I’m wondering if, instead of the blogging bubble bursting, if we’re seeing more of a new life cycle for a blog. I think blogs and bloggers come in waves – people who are new to the format sign up, get excited, blog a lot, make a network of friends, and get reading, writing, and commenting. They mature in style and develop their own goals and plans, maybe spend three or four years growing their blog. Some will hit the right market segment and get huge; others will be content (or learn to be content) with a smaller audience. And then perhaps, eventually, the blogger tires of the same old subjects, the readers tire of the same old subjects, and everyone moves on to something new, leaving room for the next wave. Maybe the big bloggers who are seeing their audiences shrink are just in the twilight years, and new bloggers will come forward to take their place.

For me, I’ll always love blogging no matter what happens. I’m not cut out for the quickness of Twitter or the forced intimacy of Facebook. I like writing blog posts, and I plan to keep it up. But I do sometimes feel like I’ve accomplished all that I ever will with this space, and that I need new challenges. Is blogging dead? Mine sure isn’t, but it has matured, aged even, and sometimes gets a little tired and creaky. But I’m still here.