The Life of Karyn

17 Days

2009-04-23T23:23:00.002-06:00

In 17 days, I will be leaving Whitehorse. I have accepted a full-time, permanent Dietitian position in my home town in Manitoba. Although I am thrilled about this, I feel sick every time that I think of leaving Whitehorse. I have been in Whitehorse for 18 months now, minus the three months that I spent in Edmonton last summer. Throughout my time here, I have made amazing friends and memories that will be with me forever! There are so many more things that I have wanted to do and see before leaving the Yukon-experiencing a Yukon summer, finishing off the Alaska Highway, going to the Dawson City Music Festival, visiting Haines, Alaska, and so much more! I never thought that I would be leaving so soon.
On the other hand, however, I know that I would also regret it if I would have turned down this job to spend a bit more time in the Yukon and do everything that I wanted to do. This job opportunity is pretty much my dream job, and although the timing couldn't have been worse, I am excited about beginning my first real career as a Dietitian. I also look forward to being closer to my family and friends, being home for the summer to go camping at Blue Lakes, being able to take part in all of the activities leading up to the weddings of my two very best friends, and just getting some good retail therapy!

2009 So Far

2009-04-16T21:59:00.002-06:00

I knew that 2009 was going to be a defining year. The first year that I would start as a professional. I didn't expect 2009 to be this big, however...and it is still only April!!

So some of the highlights:

1. We bought a truck-our first vehicle that we have bought together, and my first vehicle ever!

2. Ryan and I both started businesses-mine a Nutrition Consulting Business and Ryan's a Home Renovation Business. Ryan took off flying and has been busy non-stop since his very first contract! Although I have not been actively pursuing business for myself, I have been able to pick up a few contracts which have definitely helped out financially! It is also nice to have Ryan making money while being close to home.

3. I got my first Dietitian job-a casual position in Long Term Care.

4. We took our first trip to Dawson City-visited Diamond Tooth Gerties Casino and did the Sour Toe Cocktail-I even have the certificate to prove it!

5. We bought a cargo trailer-Ryan's new mobile home while he is working!

6. I got my second Dietitian job-a full time permanent position in Dauphin, Manitoba (both Ryan's and my home town). The position is in Diabetes/Chronic Disease Management and Renal/Hemodialysis.

It is amazing how much has happened in just 4 short months. I am both excited and nervous to see what the rest of 2009 brings us!!

HireMICHAELforHamiltonIsland.com

2009-01-30T18:05:00.003-07:00

I don't think I have to say much. The website says it all so check our www.HireMICHAELforHamiltonIsland.com for yourself.

Our neighbour Michael has applied for the position of Island Caretaker, as part of Tourism Queensland's "Best Job in the World" campaign. I cannot think of anybody that would be better at the job! Michael is a pro at marketing as you can tell from his application, and would attract the attention of people around the world! Michael wouldn't consider this work, however. Hiking, exploring and discovering are all things that Michael loves to do anyways. Plus he would bring his entire family and loyal blog readers along with him for the adventure (and I know I would love to see the Great Barrier Reef even if it is only through Michael's blogs, videos and masterpiece photographs).

Michael is already a local celebrity , but he still needs more help and support to make this happen! So please check out his application video and rate it 5 out of 5! I know that he will make Whitehorse, Yukon Territory and all of Canada proud!!

Just a sneak peek!

A Hurried Update

2009-01-07T18:09:00.002-07:00

I have not had the opportunity to blog as often as I would have liked to over the past few months. My days consist of working, sleeping and then getting up at 4:45 am again to go back to work. I had intended to catch up on my blogging while at home for the Christmas holidays, but these attempts proved fruitless as my parents only have dial-up internet. Here is a quick update on what has been going on with me:

1. Ryan and I are finally settled into our new place and loving it. It is great to have a stove again, and we have definitely been taking advantage of it!

2. I finally got the results back from my registration exam, and I PASSED! They have taken my money, so now all I have to do is wait for my membership card and I can officially call myself a Registered Dietitian!!

3. I will be training throughout the next month for a casual Dietitian position in Long Term Care. I am excited to finally start working in a dietitian position, even if it is not guaranteed hours.

4. I have put in my resignation from my position as Diabetes Prevention Program Coordinator at Skookum Jim Friendship Centre. This has been bitter-sweet as I have truly enjoyed the position there, but feel that I have not had the time to fully commit myself to any of my work over the past few months, which is hard for me as I like to give everything I do 110%. I also think that it is important to keep myself available for actual dietitian work that may come up, possibly in consulting, which is something that I would really like to venture into. My boss at the Friendship Centre has been great (although disappointed) and has offered me the opportunity to consult with them in the future for various program related activities.

5. The weather here in Whitehorse has been frigid over the past few weeks, averaging around -35 degrees without the windchill. I am getting used to the cold, but my car is not, and I pray that "she" will make it through the winter!

Several Reasons Why I Will NOT Fly Air Canada Again.....

2009-01-07T15:03:00.002-07:00

Several misadventures throughout my recent trip home to Manitoba for Christmas have drawn me to the conclusion that I will not fly with Air Canada again:

1. When purchasing my ticket from the airport, the woman at the front desk did not know how to enter my Aeroplan Miles number, so I did not collect any Aeroplan miles. It is now MY responsibility to call the company and ensure that my account is credited.

2. After connecting from Whitehorse to Vancouver to Calgary to Winnipeg, all that I was offered on the plane was a bag of pretzels. The justification was that I had not had a continuous flight, however, I did not have any time between connections to even grab a snack.

3. Upon arriving to Winnipeg, I discovered that one of my bags had been left behind. I did not recieve the bag for two days (luckily I had planned on staying in Winnipeg for a couple of days and not going straight to my parents' which is 4 hours away).

4. Air Canada did not offer me any compensation for the lost bag. It was only after I researched their policy on the internet and specifically asked to have my interim expenses covered did they authorize me for interim expenses. They offered me $50.00, which I must claim by submitting my baggage slips, boarding passes, reciepts and identification to their baggage claims office.

5. IF the bag had not been returned to me, Air Canada WOULD have provided me with compensation of up to $1500 but would not cover any of the following items:jewellery, silverware, negotiable papers, securities or other valuables, business documents, samples, liquids, food and other perishables, computers, prescription drugs, photographic equipment, video equipment, cellular telephones, cameras, electronic equipment, artistic items, artwork, chinaware/ceramics/pottery, electronic and mechanical items, glass, musical instruments and equipment, paper (includes photographs/negatives/prints, historical documents, maps), recreational and sporting goods (tennis rackets, scuba gear, fishing rods, surfboards, sporting trophies such as animal antlers and horns), garment bags, articles attached, tied or strapped to the exterior of checked baggage, perishables, fragile or articles that are unsuitably packed or baggage which is packed in damaged or unsuitable containers. To me it this doesn't leave much that they WILL cover.

6. I had originally booked my return flight from Winnipeg to Whitehorse. However, once home a friend that was travelling to Edmonton offered me a ride to Edmonton. I decided to switch my flight as I would then not have to deal with the hassle of getting from my parents farm back to Winnipeg. I thought that since the flight from Edmonton was significantly cheaper than the flight from Winnipeg, I would recieve credit with Air Canada. However, they stated that since my ticket was non-refundable, I would not receive any credit, and that I would in-fact have to pay $75.00 more to switch the flight. They were generous enough, however, to waive the $25.00 service charge for handling my call (which took me over an hour to get through)! It must have been the Christmas spirit!

8. When checking in in Edmonton, the lady informed us that they had oversold on seats, and that she could not assign Ryan a seat. It was only right before we boarded that they found a seat for him.

7. Our flight was delayed almost 2 hours in Edmonton, merely because another plane which was having mechanical difficulty was attached to the gate which our plane was supposed to depart from.

8. After the 2 hour delay in Edmonton, we had to rush to catch our connecting flight in Vancouver (again not leaving any time to grab a snack). Once at the gate in Vancouver, they advised us that our flight was delayed 10 minutes...then 10 minutes more....then 10 minutes more...then 10 minutes more! Once we finally got on the plane we sat there for another 40 minutes while they loaded the baggage before we took off.

9. On our final leg home to Whitehorse, which was a 2 hour and 9 minute flight, we decided that we would pay the extra to get someting off of the menu, as we had not had a chance to eat all day. There was a fairly decent menu that is offered on flights over 2 hours which included fruit, sandwiches, etc. When we asked for the items that we had selected, but were informed that since we were flying on a Jazz flight, we were not offered anything off of the menu. On a Jazz flight, menu items are only offered on flights over 3.5 hours. I guess we didn't read the small print. We were, however, offered a small bag of pretzels.

All in all, we have never been fond of Air Canada, but since we thought it would be easier to have them transfer our baggage for us, we booked with them. In retrospect, it would have saved a lot of stress to fly with Air North and then transfer ourselves to WestJet. We would have also not have missed out on the wonderful deli trays and cheesecake that AirNorth offers! Oh well...there's always next time!

Omnivore's Hundred

2008-11-26T14:23:00.003-07:00

A recent newsletter that I recieved from the Dietitians of Canada Student Network mentioned the Omnivore's Hundred, a list developed by British blogger Andrew Wheeler of 100 foods that he thinks all omnivores should try at least once. I found it pretty interesting and thought that I would share it. I was actually surprized that I have only tried 27! Here it is.

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.

2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.

3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.

4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison

2. Nettle tea

3. Heuvos rancheros

4. Steak tartare

5. Crocodile

6. Black pudding

7. Cheese fondue

8. Carp

9. Borscht

1o. Baba ghanoush

11. Calamari

12. Pho

13. PB&J Sandwich

14. Aloo gobi

15. Hot dog from street cart

16. Epoisses

17. Black truffle

18. Fruit wine made with something other than grapes

19. Steamed pork buns

20. Pistachio ice cream

21. Heirloom tomatoes

22. Fresh wild berries

23. Foie gras

24. Rice and beans

25. Brawn or head cheese

26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper

27. Dulce de leche

28. Oysters

29. Baklava

30. Bagna cauda

31. Wasabi peas

32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl

33. Salted lassi

34. Saurkraut

35. Root beer float

36. Cognac with a fat cigar

37. Clotted cream tea

38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O

39. Gumbo

40. Oxtail

41. Curried goat

42. Whole insects

43. Phaal

44. Goat's milk

45. Malt whiskey from a bottle worth $120 or more

46. Fugu

47. Chicken tikka masala

48. Eel

49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut

50. Sea urchin

51.Prickly pear

52. Umeboshi

53. Abalone

54. Paneer

55. McDonald's Big Mac Meal

56. Spaetzle

57. Dirty gin martini

58. Beer above 8% ABV

59. Poutine

60. Carob chips

61. S'mores

62. Sweetbreads

63. Kaolin

64. Currywurst

65. Durian

66. Frogs' legs

67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake

68. Haggis

69. Fried plantain

70. Chitterlings or andouillette

71. Gazpacho

72. Caviar and blini

73. Louche absinthe

74. Gjetost or brunost

75. Roadkill

76. Baijiu

77. Hostess Fruit Pie

78. Snail

79. Lapsang souchong

80. Bellini

81. Tom yum

82. Eggs Benedict

83. Pocky

84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant

85. Kobe beef

86. Hare

87. Goulash

88. Flowers

89. Horse

90. Criollo chocolate

91. Spam

92. Soft shell crab

93. Rose hariss

94. Catfish

95. Mole problano

96. Bagel and lox

97. Lobster Thermidor

98. Polenta

99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee

100. Snake

Basic Rules/Courtesies of Self Checking

2008-11-22T19:56:00.003-07:00

After standing in line at Superstore for an hour today waiting for Self-Checkout as the people ahead of me self-checked their 2 overflowing carts of groceries, I think that there are some basic rules of self-checking that everyone should follow.

1. Self check is supposed to speed up the checkout process, so if your transaction is going to take more than 5 minutes, do not self-check.

2. Do not self-check if you have more than 15 items in your cart/basket (unless you can do so in under 5 minutes).

3. Do not self-check if you have more than 5 items without barcodes (ex: produce) (unless you can do so in under 5 minutes).

4. Do not self-check items that have been marked down with stickers.

5. When self-checking, follow the instructions on the screen. If the computer tells you to place the item in the bag, do not stare at the screen blankly or start talking back to the machine.

6. If you run into difficulty, seek out the help of the associate in charge of self-check. Do not stare at the screen blankly or start talking back to the machine.

7. Do not expect the self-check associate to stand by you and help you with your transaction from beginning to end. This is not the purpose of SELF-checking. Go to an actual checker.

8. When self-checking, give your transaction your undivided attention. It is not courteous to other waiting customers to be talking on your cell phone while trying to one-handedly check your groceries.

9. Make sure that you have gathered all of your items before begginning to self-check. Do not, under any circumstances, leave your self-check station to get that forgotten item off the shelves.

I think that Superstore must be commended on their efforts to try to deal with their ongoing problem of mile-long line ups. We all want to get out of the store as quickly as possible, but we must also be courteous to our fellow shoppers. The new self-checkouts have replaced the express lanes, and under ideal circumstances 4-6 self-checkouts should be able to operate quickly and efficiently under the supervision of only one employee. This will free up those other employees to operate the regular checkouts, which are still the best option in many cases.

Highlights of Vancouver...

2008-11-20T20:46:00.002-07:00

After a 3 1/2 day trip to Vancouver, we are home sweet home. It was nice to go "outside" for our first time since moving to Whitehorse in July, but it is also nice to be back home despite the frigid weather that we came back to.
It was a great trip to Vancouver, and we had a wonderful time. When I wasn't at my conference, we were shopping and touring the beautiful city. Some of the many highlights of our trip included:

1. The Weather: It didn't rain the entire time we were in Vancouver despite their predictions of a rainstorm the entire time we were there (it did end up raining just as we got to the airport to fly back to Whitehorse). We enjoyed 10-12 degree weather for our entire vacation.

2. Our first SkyTrain Experience

3. The food: Although we have a couple good restaurants in Whitehorse, they are few. It was nice to try something new while we were in Vancouver and re-experience some of our old favorites.

4. The shopping: Again, something that there isn't very much of in Whitehorse.

5. The purchase of my new leather jacket!!

The one thing that I wasn't impressed with, however, was the hotel. Because of my conference which was taking place, we were able to stay in a hotel that we would never been able to afford otherwise. With the regular room price being almost $500/night, I expected exceptional service. I expected mints on the pillows. I expected complimentary bottled water. I expected somebody to automatically help us with our bags. I expected heat lamps to dry you when you get out of the shower. I expected free internet. I expected free outgoing local calls. However, we did not recieve any of this.

Accreditation Exam

2008-11-14T22:08:00.002-07:00

I will be writing my dietetics accreditation exam tomorrow. It is funny to think that five years of education all hinge on this exam. I have tried to study, but I do not know what to study. There is so much information pertatining to being a dietitian, that if I have not learned it within the past five years, I will likely not learn it the night before the exam.
The exam is multiple choice and consists of approximately 250 questions. It is written in two 3-hour blocks. I think that the most stressful part of the exam for me is not knowing what I need to pass. Each question on the exam is weighed differently, and one question may be of greater importance than another. Therefore, the "exam people" are unable to provide a concrete number on what is pass and what is fail. I would rather know. I have done some practice exams and scored around 85%, which I feel is quite good...but what if 90% is actually the cutoff? But there is no cutoff..it is pass or fail. With any luck, I will pass!

High Cholesterol?!

2008-11-14T20:51:00.002-07:00

Despite being a nutrition student, and now a Dietitian, I have always eaten what I want. Luckily for me, most of the things that I want are good for me. I love fruits and vegetables and actually crave them more than any other foods. I drink more milk than I probably need and it is always skim. At least one meal a day is always balanced, containing foods from all of the food groups in the right proportions. I eat three meals per day, conveniently spaced out at Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, often with snacks between.
Despite this however, my diet is far from perfect and physical activity is close to non-existent. Popcorn is my weakness. Although popcorn is classified as a healthy snack, my popcorn is the microwave variety, extra buttery type, laden with trans and saturated fats. One could talk me into doing anything for them with the promise of chocolate. I think that bacon was sent from heaven, and cannot think of a single food that it cannot be added to. I love butter, even on its own. And now working two plus jobs, and zero spare time, I have been eating out for lunch pretty much every day.
I have always been fine with my eating habits. I enjoy food more than most and always justified to myself that it is alright to eat those not-so-healthy things as long as I recognize that they are not-so-healthy and do so in moderation. I have also told myself that I am healthy, and as soon as my eating habits begin to affect my health, I would shape up. Well that time has come.
Last week I visited my doctor to refill a prescription. While there she went over some lab values that we had not discussed from previous bloodwork. Those lab values indicated that I have high cholesterol. Not alarmingly high-just high. My HDL (good cholesterol) was well above the target range, and my LDL (bad cholesterol) was within range. My Total Cholesterol was high. With a high HDL, this may be the reason for the elevated Total Cholesterol, but it is high cholesterol none-the-less. Which means it is time for change.
Of note, Ryan visited the doctor today who said that his Total Cholesterol was also elevated-not surprising as we eat the same food. At least we have each other for motivation now.
So, following my return from Vancouver, I (we) will be making the following changes: 1) No more bacon (maybe the turkey variety if I really crave it) 2) No more butter, only non-hydrogenated margarine 3) Daily physical activity which will start with a 30 minute walk every night.
Hopefully this will help!

Tepanyaki Restaurant in Vancouver?

2008-11-07T17:33:00.002-07:00

I have a conference in Vancouver for my work coming up next week. Since I am going for work, they will be paying for my flights, meals and hotel room while I am there. Neither Ryan or I have been to Vancouver before, so we decided to buy Ryan a plane ticket as well and make it into a Christmas Shopping "vacation".
Since it is rare that we are able to get out of Whitehorse, I would like to take advantage of the great food and restaurants in Vancouver and try out a Tepanyaki restaurant there. The only problem is that I don't know of any good Tepanyaki restaurants so I hope that somebody can help me out. I have looked into Kobe, which is pretty close to where we will be staying on West Georgia, but the ratings are not very good.
While we are there I would also like to visit Liliget, Canada's only Indigenous Foods Restaurant. Has anybody been to Liliget, and if so what were your thoughts?

Karyn's Christmas Wishlist

2008-10-25T17:33:00.003-06:00

1. Leather Jacket-for the past 3 years I have been asking for one for Christmas, as I do not have a warm jacket that is a bit dressier than my Columbia winter jacket.

2. Espresso Maker-Even though I do not like espresso, I think that one of these machines would come in handy for cappucinos and steamed milk.

3. Lise Watier Desirable Eau de Toilette-Even though I work in a scent free work place, I like to wear perfume once in a while when we go out, and find it very difficult to find something that I like. This one is fresh and clean smelling with just a hint of girliness and is not too strong.

4. Crock Pot-Although I thought I did my fair share of Crock Pot cooking while I was in University, slow-cooker cooking is now in again. I have been passed down some amazing slow-cooker recipes that I am dying to try and I like the idea of coming home from work to a nice hot meal.

5. Filing Cabinet-It seems that our piles of paper just seem to get bigger and bigger. We have been using Rubbermaid filing boxes, but it would be nice to have everything together and easily accessible in a filing cabinet.

6. Diamond earrings-While in Skagway this year I saw some gorgeous diamond hoop earings. Although they are way out of the price range of anybody that would buy me a present, this is a WISH list isn't it?

7. Yoga pants-I must admit that I have never worn them before, but they sure do look comfy. Maybe I would even be able to get rid of my tattered yellow polar fleece pants. MAYBE!

8. Stainless steel water bottle-I have to admit that I don't drink nearly as much water as I should be, merely because I don't remember to. Aroma Borealis, a shop in town has some really cute colored water bottles.

9. MEC Clothing-Since moving to Whitehorse, Ryan and I have fallen in love with MEC. They have some really nice outdoorsy clothes at reasonable prices, and they ship for free if your order is over $75.00. My MEC wishlist can be found at http://www.mec.ca/Apps/wishList/wishlist_main.jsp?bmUID=1224978494172

10. Artwork-I would love to have a piece of artwork from one of the Yukon's amazing artists such as Nathalie Parenteau, Stephanie Ryan or Lark Melnik.

Moving on In

2008-10-23T19:45:00.003-06:00

I never thought that we would be moving again so soon, but we are. I thought that our next move would be into our own house, but instead we will be moving into our friends' Norris and Charmanine's house in mid-November. Although we had no intentions of moving out of our current basement suite so soon, we are excited to be moving into an actual house, complete with stove and dishwasher. The house is also in a pretty nice neighbourhood in Hillcrest right on the greenbelt, so we have back door access to trails for tobogganing and snowmobiling. It will be alot of work to pack up and move again, even if it is within the same city, but I think that our new place will be a much better fit for us.

Babies

2008-10-21T13:31:00.002-06:00

I found out the other night that I will be an Auntie again in June. My two year old niece, Blaire, called to tell me that "there is a baby in mommy's tummy and I am making peanut butter toast and watching tigers". She seemed more excited about the toast and tigers than the baby!
This is exciting as it will be my third time being an Auntie, not counting Ryan's sister who will be having a baby in April. It must be my age, but it seems that all of the people around me are getting married and having babies...like its a trend. I want these things too but would like to be more financially stable before venturing there.
At times like this it makes me sad to be away from home. I have already missed out on pretty much my Nephew's entire life, and I know there will be a lot more little moments that I will miss out on in the future. However, I will be happy to welcome the newest member of our family in June.

Left

2008-10-21T09:10:00.002-06:00

There are many reasons that I decided to move to Whitehorse-the scenery, the uncountable number of things to do and activities to get involved in, the friendliness of the people, the "small town" feel, and the great friends that I have made here in such a short amount of time.
However, since we moved back here in July, our friend Chandra has moved to New Brunswick, this week Tim will be heading back to Ottowa and in about a month Norris will be moving to Beijing. I still love Whitehorse and have no intentions of leaving any time soon, but I can't help but feel left!

(Grand)Parents' Visit to Whitehorse

2008-09-22T23:53:00.007-06:00

Travelling over 2500km from Manitoba, mid-August saw the arrival of my parents and grandparents for their first ever visit to the Yukon. Pulling a pop-up trailer behind them, they made the long trek by truck over 5 days.

It was great to see them all, as the last time that we had all seen each other was last Christmas. It took very little time to catch up, and almost immediately we were tourists amongst what is now our city. For Ryan and I it was great-we got to do all of the "touristy" things that we hadn't yet done, or have been too busy to do. Whitehorse definitely has alot to offer in terms of attractions, especially during the summer months. We planned our days full of activities that all could enjoy, as grandma is 68 and grandpa is 73. Amongst the things that we saw were Myles Canyon, Yukon Artists at Work, Beringia Center (which also allowed my family their first Atlatteling experience), the SS Klondike, Yukon Brewing Company, the Fish Ladder, the Frantic Follies and our first trip into Alaska to visit Skagway.

I was also lucky to have my family here to help me to celebrate my graduation ceremony. In all we had an amazing time-but like all good things, it was too short. Strangely, having my family here actually served as a reminder of how far I really am from home, even though we are now settled and happy here in Whitehorse.

Grandpa learns how to throw an Atlattle

One lone fish at the Fish Ladder

Frantic Follies

Photo op on the way to Skagway

Receiving my internship diploma

Things that I learned Throughout Internship

2008-09-10T18:41:00.003-06:00

I have finally completed my internship in dietetics! Finishing up has been both bitter sweet, as I have truly enjoyed my internship experience and I am now entering the "real world" with hesitation and uncertainty....but also alot of excitement and enthusiasm. Reflecting back on my internship experience, there are many things that I have learned, not only about nutrition and diet, but also about life in general.

1. Taking chances may come with great risks, but they also reap the greatest benefits.

2. If you try your best, your efforts will not go unnoticed.

3. Sometimes the people with the smallest voices make the biggest impact.

4. You will always be your own biggest critic. This isn't a bad thing, as sometimes you only have yourself to go to for constructive criticism.

5. There are two types of people-the people that genuinely like to see others do well, and the ones that like to see others fail. The ones that like to see others fail are not very popular.

6. There will always be somebody smarter than you or that does something better than you. There is alot to be learned from these people if you do not let pride get in the way.

7. It is easier to get out of bed in the morning if you know that you are getting paid for your work.

8. Do what you love and the money will follow (NOTE: At least I hope this is how it works!)

9. Dry cereal makes an excellent meal.

10. Nobody is pure evil...there is even some good in the most horrible of people if you give them a chance to show it.

First Month Back In Whitehorse

2008-08-25T23:28:00.002-06:00

As I had expected, my first month back in Whitehorse has been crazy hectic, leaving little room for anything non-work related. Since we returned to Whitehorse at the end of July, I have been working pretty much non-stop. Since I still had 4 weeks to complete of my internship, I have been doing that during the week, and working at my new job at the hospital on weekends. In between all of that, I am racing to complete assignments and evaluations that are required to officially end this internship. With only 2 weeks left of internship (8 days to be exact), I can hardly believe that I am going to be done. It is a huge milestone in my life, which comes with alot of excitement, but also some uncertainty. I have been going to school for 20 years now and I definitely don't know what it is like to be finished work and not have assignments to go home to. What am I going to do with myself? I have also not yet secured a job as a dietitian which is a source of stress for me. There are so many opportunities here, and everyday I hear of areas in which Dietitians are needed in Whitehorse and the Yukon, but there are just no positions! My biggest concern is that I will stay here for a year, or even longer, and still not have a dietitian job. In that case I would have to move to where there are jobs and just hope that somebody will hire me with no experience!
But besides all that, this last month has been super busy, but I was lucky to have this past week off to spend with my parents and grandparents who travelled all the way from Manitoba to visit. They were also able to be here for my (early) graduation ceremony. It is bedtime though, so I will blog about all of that another time. Just wanted to write something as it has been so long!

Edmonton to Whitehorse

2008-08-12T20:40:00.009-06:00

We woke up early Saturday morning-moving day-to finish all of the last minute packing and cleaning and get on the road. It was 9:36 when we pulled out of the driveway and were on our way-but wait-Ryan forgot his sunglasses in the bathroom, so I took off running down the street to get what had been left behind. It was easier than to turn the 17 foot UHaul Truck around while it was pulling a trailer carrying Blue Lightening! I got the glasses, and again, we were on the road!

Our first stop was in Atcheson, just out of Edmonton to fill up with gas and get some breakfast, as all of our food was already packed up in the truck by then. By the time that we got going again, it was almost 11:00 and we still had a seven hour drive ahead of us-so much for making it there by five! With a few quick sight-seeing stops along the way, one being in Mayrethorpe to see the Fallen Four Memorial Park, our next stop was in Fox Creek to have lunch with Amber and Jason, Ryan's sister and "brother-in-law". We got some groceries while we were there and filled up with gas again. We departed Fox Creek at 4:00.

We had our entire trip planned out, and were planning on spending Saturday night at Charlie's Lake Campground, just out of Fort St. John. However, right when we got there, black clouds started rolling in and the rain came down! By that time it was about 9:00 and it was getting dark, and we decided that our best option would be to get a hotel room that night, so we found a $69/night hotel room and moved our stuff in. The hotel was older, but clean, and it had a Lounge attached to it. After showering and talking to our parents, we decided to go down to the Lounge to get a bite to eat, but it was closed. Then somehow, I am unsure how, we ended up in a stripper bar located next door. It was alright, but definitely not how I had envisioned spending the first night of our big adventure!

Sunday morning was another early start. We decided to start off early again, as we were taking longer than planned to get from Point A to Point B. We definitely couldn't cruise in the rig that we were driving! Sunday was shorter, and alot more scenic. The drive through the mountains was absolutely amazing, and we took advantage of many of the truck stops to stop and take pictures. We were not in a hurry, and told ourselves that we were going to see everything that we wanted to see. As we travelled North, the gas prices increased exponentially it seemed! There were many times along the when we would find ourselves thinking that we should have filled up a few gerry cans in Edmonton. The highest price that we saw was $1.75/l. Needless to say, we drove right on past! Of the many sights that we saw on Sunday, Muncho Lake was my favorite, with its clear blue water and glass-like surface.

We reached the Liard River Hotsprings at about 6:00. This night was beautiful, and we were able to set up our tent and camp for the night. We had an amazing supper and went for a dip in the hotsprings, which were a bit too hot for my liking-I much rather enjoyed them in the winter. We then had a bit of a bonfire, and went to bed early to be well rested for our last day.

Monday was pretty uneventful. Ryan and I were both tired by then, and were anxious to get to Whitehorse. Again, the scenery was great and we saw some wildlife along the way. We made it to Whitehorse in about 7 hours where we were greeted by Ben and Jessica, our friends and now landlords. They made an amazing fondu supper for us, and all of us, along with Tim managed to get everything unpacked that night! It was a great trip, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I am now happy to be back in Whitehorse which will be our home for a while!

One of statues at the Fallen Four Memorial Park in Mayrethorpe (Leo Johnston).

Ryan and I in Dawson Creek, Mile Zero of the Alaska Highway.

Me driving "the rig".

Ryan and I at Muncho Lake.

Me at Muncho Lake.

Hanging up our sign in the Signpost Forest in Watson Lake.

Ryan and I.

Whimsical Cupcakes Part II

2008-07-20T11:26:00.002-06:00

Ryan and I went to the City Market yesterday (a huge farmers' market downtown). We went particularly because we knew that there would be a booth there for Whimsical Cupcakes! So just to fill you in on the cupcakes that we tried there, and how we are on our list, the ones that we tried yesterday were:

Chocolate Peanut~Butterscotch Bliss:
Chocolate buttermilk cupcake with peanut butter frosting and butterscotch chips.

Kooky Cookies 'n Cream:
Chocolate cupcake topped with whipped cream cookies 'n cream sprinkled with Oreo crumbs.

Saturdae Smarty:
Because we're closed on Sundays...a vanilla or chocolate cupcake with chocolate meringue buttercream and crushed smarties!

Whimsi-licious:
Rich Chocolate cupcake topped with a high swirl of homemade marshmallows with a hint of almond dipped in mint chocolate!

Orange Creamsicle

Wildberry

With that being said, we still have 11 more flavours to try!

Checking In

2008-07-19T11:05:00.004-06:00

I have really been bad at keeping up with my blogs. As our moving day gets closer, we get busier and busier. There is so much to do! We are leaving a week from today and I still haven't even started packing! I work every day, and it seems that there is always something to do after I work. Most nights I don't even get home till it is bedtime!
Amongst all of the crazyness though, we have had the chance to do a few eciting things.
Ryan and I, along with his friend Mark and his girlfriend Ashley went to the Body World's exhibit that I had mentioned in a previous post. The exhibit was great. It was at the Telus World of Science, which aside from Body World's had alot of other neat little exhibits that were fun to check out and play around in. The Body World's exhibit was a collection of real human bodies that had been preserved through a process called plastination. The exhibit displayed the human body in many interesting ways, and it took us about 2 hours to complete the whole thing. Of my favorite displays was one in which human fetuses had been preserved at different stages of development. It was amazing to see how a fetus grows and develops, and the difference that just days or weeks can make in the development. I also found it interesting to see all of the blood vessels that are within our body. One display demonstrated this by removing all other body tissues and organs including the bones and muscles. All that was left was the blood vessels, which were preserved witht the body still intact. It was amazing to see. It was also interesting to think that all of these bodies were real people, some even had tattoos.
Another thing that I got to participate in yesterday was the Intern Celebration of Achievements at Capital Health. This ceremony was basically the graduation for all Capital Health Dietetic Interns that will be completing their internships within the next month or so. Since I am almost done, I was also included in the ceremony and presented with a flower and a chocolate that said "RD" (the abbreviation for Registered Dietetian). I was not expeciting much of this ceremony, and truthfully really didn't even want to go since it isn't my real graduation, but I am glad that I participated. It was a beautiful ceremony with friends and family present. After the ceremony, there was a reception where they served some amazing food such as shrimp, wontons and other delicious appetizers. They even had wine and martinis (definitiely the highlight for me)!
Anyways, I do not have too much more to blog about today, as I just plan on packing and finishing off some assignments this weekend. I should have the chance to blog once or twice more before Ryan and I start on our adventure!

12 days till we're outa here!

2008-07-13T22:32:00.002-06:00

Only 12 days until we will be heading back to Whitehorse. Although I am super excited to get out of Edmonton and return to a more laid back lifestyle, it is hard not to get stressed out with all that there is to do before we leave. With only one weekend left, I have hardly even started to pack. This doesn't leave me much time, since I work every day.
Ryan has been great and has managed to fill half of our living room with boxes that he has packed throughout the day, but this is just the tip of the iceberg! How did we get so much stuff? The "clutter" seems to have me on edge though, as I like to have our living area neat and tidy, something that is not quite possible in the midst of a move.
I have not even officially been hired for the Diet Tech job that I applied for at the hospital in Whitehorse. I will be doing my telephone interview tomorrow after work so I hope that I will know soon after if I got the job so I can get the whole relocation allowance ball rolling.
Along with the moving stress has come financial stress as well. If I am accepted for the job and the relocation allowance, we will still have to pay for our whole move ourselves and then wait to be reimbursed. This is a large bit of money considering that I am not getting paid to work yet. We will also have to pay our first two month's rent plus a damage deposit in the amount of one month's rent before I will be seeing a paycheque! At times like this I am thankful that my family is able to help me out. Without them, this move would be almost impossible!
Despite all of this, however, I am super excited for the move once it starts happening. I have never driven the Alaska Highway, so it will be a huge adventure. We plan on doing the trip in 3 days and will be taking our tent and camping along the way. It will be like a vacation well-deserved!

Vitamin Water

2008-07-13T21:36:00.005-06:00

Last week Ryan and I attended the Edmonton Street Performer's Festival in Sir Winston Churchill Square. While we were there, I saw something that caught my eye-a drink machine dispensing "Vitamin Water". I had to take a picture of it, as this is the first drink machine of this sort that I have ever seen.

I think that the concept is great-a healthier alternative to pop machines. However, since I was unable to do my research I am still skeptical (I think that this might be a relatively new company because it appears that the website is still in progress). First off, I wonder how much of these vitamins are actually in the water. Are the amounts consistent with the Dietary Reference Intakes (the guidelines that tell us how much we need of all of the vitamins and minerals, and how much is too much)? Further more, does an average person have the knowledge to decide which vitamin they are lacking in and should choose based on their daily food choices? I was also surprised that there was no water available with vitamin D, as if I were to choose one for myself I would probably choose vitamin D. However, they were likely only able to use the water soluble vitamins for these beverages. Including the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) may have also been risky, as one would not just pee it out if they consumed too much.

I also wonder about the sugar content of these beverages. Consumers are very gullible, and would most likely believe that they are choosing a very healthy beverage because it has vitamins in it. However, it may not really be that healthy if it is full of sugar.

I hope that the website is working soon, as I am very interested to find out more. I am guessing that I will be seeing a lot more of these machines in the near future!

Whimsical Cupcakes

2008-07-09T19:20:00.003-06:00

Yesterday for Ryan's secret date, I took him to Whimsical Cake Studio. I had come across the website for this studio while in Whitehorse, and I had to check it out before we head back to Whitehorse. The studio is a charming little pink shop located in Riverbend in Edmonton. The owner of the shop makes all of her cupcakes from scratch and displays each flavor on a pedestal behind a glass counter. She also makes AMAZING custom cakes for any occasion.

Since there were so many flavours of cupcakes to choose from, we decided to get a box of 6 cupcakes. The ones that we chose were:

Pretty in Mint:
A milk chocolate cupcake with peppermint frosting

Snowball:
Fluffy sour cream cupcake topped with a tart lemon icing rolled in flakes of coconut.

Funky Monkey:
Chocolate cupcake with banana flavoured frosting.

Razzle Dazzle Me:
Vanilla or Dark Chocolate cupcake frosted with real raspberry butter cream.

Nostalgia:
Classic vanilla or chocolate cupcake frosted with creamy vanilla or chocolate frosting.

Caramelo:
Chocolate or vanilla cucpake with a satin caramel buttercream.

I can honestly say that these were the best cupcakes that I have ever tried! My favorite was the Razzle Dazzle Me (unfortunately Ryan chose this one and I only got a bite....but it WAS his date!). I cannot wait to go back to this studio and try all of the other flavors! Only 17 days to accomplish this task, but if anybody can do it, I can!

Just an example of the potential of these cupcakes!

Tipping Etiquite

2008-07-04T18:58:00.002-06:00

I realize that this is a much over-discussed topic in todays society, but I can't help myself from blogging about it. I personally think that there should be a rule book on tipping etiquite, written by an unbiassed author. Maybe I will write this book and make millions!
Going to Quiznos for supper is what triggered this all. Before I go any further, I have to thank Ryan for introducing me to Quiznos and forcing me to go there for lunch when I really just wanted Subway....I must say I was pleasantly surprised. I am also excited that I will have something to discuss with Travis the next time that we see each other.....with our love for Pita Pit and now this I cannot even fathom how much we have in common. But back to the topic of this blog, there was a tip function when when I paid for my sandwich....a sandwich that took about 1.5 minutes to assemble. Obviously I declined leaving a tip, but I am now obliged to defend myself to all of my blog readers. So here is my personal tipping etiquite and the questions in which I still have:

Rule:
I only tip when people go over and beyond the general duties of their job.

Rationale:
They are already paid for doing the basics.

Many employers also pay employees far less than they are worth (often wages so low that even full time employees are still living below the poverty line), counting on patrons to pick up the tab. I experienced this in university while working as a waitress at a restaurant. At this restaurant, the diswashers felt that they were not getting paid enough for their job and threatened to quit if they did not get a raise. So instead of giving them a raise, the employer developed a new policy saying that waitresses were required to give dishwashers 35% of their tips. This way the dishwashers were content and the employer did not have to foot the costs of wage increases.

Examples:
I do not tip for fast food, as you have to get it yourself, and there is nobody serving you. Also, the essence of fast food is speed, and these employees do not have the time to go over and beyond their basic duties without sacrificing the essence of the establishment. Therfore, according to the rule, they do not get tipped.

I also do not tip for delivery of food. I am either already paying for that with the meal, or there are added charges for delivery. In addition, the delivery drivers are already paid to deliver, so why do I have to tip them? (I am not even going to go into detail about the delivery that Ryan recieved in Jasper when his food arrived by a Chinese man riding a bicycle...I have no rules for that).

I do not tip gas station attendants who pump my gas. I do not even tip if they wash my windshield which is somewhat of an exception to the rule, as I think that this is going over their basic duties of pumping gas (and I must say it makes my day when they wash my windows). I just don't think it is a norm to tip a gas station attendant, and I would feel awkward giving them money. If it was an accepted practice, however, I would tip for this.

I do tip taxi drivers who help me with my groceries. When I was in Whitehorse without a vehicle I would do a big grocery shop once a week, and there was one taxi driver with Premier Cabs that would always help me carry my groceries up a flight of stairs in my building, so I would tip him. However, if they did not help me with my groceries they did not get a tip.

Exceptions:
I always tip waitresses. I am not happy about having to do this, but I think that it is almost unacceptable these days to NOT tip waitresses. However, if I do not feel that they went over and beyond their basic duties, I will leave a very small tip and hope that they get the point.

I always tip my hair dressers if I like the job that they did. It is very hard to judge in this industry whether someone is going over and beyond their basic duties, so if I like it I tip. If I like it, I am also more likely to go back to that person, and knowing that I tip they may put more effort into their job , and I will reap the benefits in the end. I also have very difficult hair that takes more time than the average head of hair would, so I like to reward those patient enough for sticking through the 3 hours it takes to do a color.

Questions (and some attempts at answers):
1-What is the appropriate tipping percentage?
2-Is it acceptable for businesses to charge you for interact transactions? For example, if you buy a smoothie from Booster Juice, is it right that they charge $0.25 to pay by debit? I know that this is not really related to tipping, but it is something that I am not OK with and this seemed like an appropriate place to say so.
3-What is the most appropriate method of tipping? I personally like to tip with cash. I find it offensive to be prompted to tip on an interact machine when the recipient of that tip is standing over you. However, I will tip on a credit card receipt, as this is something that the person will not see until I am gone.
4-Should tip amounts change with seasons and events? For example, should one tip more around Christmas? I do not because I need my money more at this time, so why be giving it away more freely?
5-Is it acceptable to be automatically charged a gratuity when eating out with a large group of people? I do not think this is acceptable, as the server may not necessarily go over and beyond the basic duties. It is also very offensive to me at the Olive Garden when the gratuity is automatically tacked on to your bill, "but they will remove it if you ask for it to be removed".

Well obviously I could just continue on about this topic (hence the book I am going to write), but I think that this is enough for now.