Damn... sorry for not posting for such a long time. Excuses: I'm finishing my paper, studying for the MCAT, and trying to sort out many things for the big trip. All of it is giving me stressy tummy aches and an acne'd forehead.
My main reason for posting now and not just forgetting about it until things calm down a bit (like, October) is that I want to express how floored I am by the generosity of my friends. Firstly, to Yellow Mustard Girl and to Phronk: you are amazing. While I've never met either of you in person, I enjoy your writings immensely and am quite convinced that you are super-cool people.
Megan: man, you rule. I've not been able to get you on the phone yet... but when I do, oh boy, there will be many squeals of gratitude and I promise that if I ever get to plan a blind date for Bryan Webb and Derek doesn't mind, I will hook you up.!
Seriously, you people are great.
PS: I shadowed an ophthalmologist this week, and learned how to use an ophthalmoscope to check for cataracts and corneal ulcers. Super cool!
PPS: Mark has a new blog! YAY! You should read it!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
The Sales Pitch
Not sure if I've mentioned it here or not... but... I'M GOING TO AFRICA!!!! After hanging out in Poland with Mark's family (we're heading over there on June 24th! Flights are booked!) I'll be going to Accra (the capital of Ghana) for 7 weeks! I've volunteered with Unite for Sight, an international non-governmental organization that aims to cure blindness and provide eye care to people who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford it. I'm going to be conducting visual screening tests, and getting glasses for people who need them, or referring people for (free!) eye surgery if they need it. I'm so excited - after spending three years at the Centre for Vision Research, I'm finally going to be able to put the knowledge into action.
Ok, now this is the part where I ask for your help. I've committed to fundraising at least $1400. This is in addition to paying for my accommodations and airfare - that part has already come out of my pocket. The money is going directly to Unite for Sight and will pay for eye surgeries (mostly cataract surgery). Each surgery costs $50, so I (WE???) will be restoring vision to at least 28 people! I would be so grateful if you would be able to help me out, even if its just a couple dollars or what you would normally spend on a coffee! I promise that I, and definitely the people who have their vision restored, will be endlessly grateful to you.
I've created a fundraising page that you can check out. It allows paypal donations, and also has the address for sending cheques if you'd prefer to donate that way. I can also forward any cheques to Unite for Sight directly.
Click HERE to sponsor me!
Any fundraising ideas would also be greatly appreciated :) Let me know if you have any questions!
Ok, now this is the part where I ask for your help. I've committed to fundraising at least $1400. This is in addition to paying for my accommodations and airfare - that part has already come out of my pocket. The money is going directly to Unite for Sight and will pay for eye surgeries (mostly cataract surgery). Each surgery costs $50, so I (WE???) will be restoring vision to at least 28 people! I would be so grateful if you would be able to help me out, even if its just a couple dollars or what you would normally spend on a coffee! I promise that I, and definitely the people who have their vision restored, will be endlessly grateful to you.
I've created a fundraising page that you can check out. It allows paypal donations, and also has the address for sending cheques if you'd prefer to donate that way. I can also forward any cheques to Unite for Sight directly.
Click HERE to sponsor me!
Any fundraising ideas would also be greatly appreciated :) Let me know if you have any questions!
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Flume Tunas.
I just got back from a great weekend in Lake Placid with Mark, Ryan, Matt, Jenny and Jen. We stayed in an awesome little cabin and did an amazingly huge hike. It was stunningly beautiful and I can't wait to go back there, or somewhere like there. The weekend made me want to go live somewhere beside a river on a mountain.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
We're going to Europe!
I guess it's hard to top a post about experiencing near zero-gravity.
The last week has been insanely busy, what with moving out of the love apartment (including the house-cooling party), visits from Paula and Megan, hoboing around Toronto, travelling to/from Whitby, working, and going to shows (two today, and Casiotone for the Painfully Alone on Friday). Also, Mark and I booked out tickets to Europe!! We'll be flying into Glasgow (so exciting!) spending a few days there, and then heading to Krakow where our Polish adventure will begin. Maybe we will come back from our trip cultured and polished?
(yes I know that was a terrible joke)
Things deserving more detail: Leaving the love apartment. We had a really great last weekend there - the housecooling was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed the camping feel of the last few nights. By the end, all that remained were candles, records, and blankets, and the simplicity was beautiful. On Monday, I cleaned that place SO well, partly because I loved living there and partly because I really liked the supers and didn't want to leave them with a lot of work. Taking a last look before closing the door on that space was pretty sad, but Mark took me out for a lovely sushi dinner and reconvinced me that our trip will make it all worthwhile.
Megan-visit! Megan came with me to Whitby for my first night back at home to make the transition a little bit easier. We met up in Toronto and had some Vegetarian Haven with Bronwyn and Maya (Bronwyn's friend/roomate) and then walked down to the Go Train and took it back home. It was awesome to have some good girl talk, sleepover styles. We made some strawberry rhubarb crumble pie, and went and picked up crazy Mark so that he wouldn't have to walk 10K to my house.
Hopefully, I'll write a bit more this week and post some pictures. Now, Mark and I are headed downtown for some Mount Eerie and some PB&J (that would be Peter Bjorn & John).
Edited to add:
Fun with Sharon: We had dinner a bunch of times and painted our nails in the sun on her porch and had wonderful chats AND THEN SHE DITCHED ME TWO HOURS BEFORE THE PETER BJORN AND JOHN SHOW and I had to sell her ticket. But seriously, we've had fun.
The last week has been insanely busy, what with moving out of the love apartment (including the house-cooling party), visits from Paula and Megan, hoboing around Toronto, travelling to/from Whitby, working, and going to shows (two today, and Casiotone for the Painfully Alone on Friday). Also, Mark and I booked out tickets to Europe!! We'll be flying into Glasgow (so exciting!) spending a few days there, and then heading to Krakow where our Polish adventure will begin. Maybe we will come back from our trip cultured and polished?
(yes I know that was a terrible joke)
Things deserving more detail: Leaving the love apartment. We had a really great last weekend there - the housecooling was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed the camping feel of the last few nights. By the end, all that remained were candles, records, and blankets, and the simplicity was beautiful. On Monday, I cleaned that place SO well, partly because I loved living there and partly because I really liked the supers and didn't want to leave them with a lot of work. Taking a last look before closing the door on that space was pretty sad, but Mark took me out for a lovely sushi dinner and reconvinced me that our trip will make it all worthwhile.
Megan-visit! Megan came with me to Whitby for my first night back at home to make the transition a little bit easier. We met up in Toronto and had some Vegetarian Haven with Bronwyn and Maya (Bronwyn's friend/roomate) and then walked down to the Go Train and took it back home. It was awesome to have some good girl talk, sleepover styles. We made some strawberry rhubarb crumble pie, and went and picked up crazy Mark so that he wouldn't have to walk 10K to my house.
Hopefully, I'll write a bit more this week and post some pictures. Now, Mark and I are headed downtown for some Mount Eerie and some PB&J (that would be Peter Bjorn & John).
Edited to add:
Fun with Sharon: We had dinner a bunch of times and painted our nails in the sun on her porch and had wonderful chats AND THEN SHE DITCHED ME TWO HOURS BEFORE THE PETER BJORN AND JOHN SHOW and I had to sell her ticket. But seriously, we've had fun.
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