I was talking to a friend this past weekend about packing for trips. We were polar opposites. I was telling her I can pack a backpack and be on my merry way. She however, travels like most of her family does. Packing way too many bags for the simplest of trips.
When I was 30 I started my travel adventures, vowing to take a trip someplace new every year that I'd never been to before. My travels have taken me to San Francisco, Jacksonville, Jekyll Island/Savannah, Corpus Christie, South Padre Island, New Orleans, Biloxi/Gulfport and Toronto. There have been a few skipped years due to money being tight, but overall, it's been a blast exploring these new places.
One of the most annoying things when travelling is the whole feat of having to lug your bags around, thus the reason I pack uber light. One small backpack or suitcase usually includes jeans and shirts that all match with each other so you can mix and match everything. If it's a summer trip, I might take one pair of jeans and opt for 3 or 4 pairs of very matchable shorts instead. The less I have to wear pants, the better! Of course you can't skimp on clean undies and socks. I always take a plastic bag along as well to keep dirty laundry separate. I'll also save all my change during the trip, and try to find a laundromat nearby to do a load in the event of a longer trip or just wanting fresh clothes to go home in. The change jar might also come in handy should you be needing to pay for any transportation like busses or subways.
Shoe-wise, I keep it pretty light too. Generally I'll have a pair of "travel" shoes to start things off. These are comfy, clean shoes that aren't too restricting for those days you might start swelling up a bit during flights, yet comfy enough that they're something you feel safe wearing all day for bursts of walking as well. If it's summer, I'm all about my travel shoes being a pair of flip flops, providing they're not a ratty old pair that smell like dog. Summer trips usually include 2 pairs of shoes - flip flops and a pair of runners for lots of walking days. But if you have any dressier events on your agenda, a pair of flexible ballet shoes that easily can be folded or stuffed into your suitcase work well as well. My rule of thumb for trips: don't buy new shoes for a trip! If you attempt to break in shoes on a trip, you're just setting yourself up for blister hell!
I don't seem to pack very light when it comes to personal hygiene products, but you can never be too safe in this area can you? I ensure the usual hairspray, toothpaste, brush, makeup bag, facial cleanser and toothbrush. One thing I always forget that I strongly encourage, take your own soap and hand lotion! The hotel soaps and products are a nice touch, but they tend to be full of perfumes and dyes and whatever else. I came home with a nice rash from Toronto recently from using the hotel stuff. It's easy enough to go to a store to buy products, but you may have a hard time finding a place that just sells single bars of soap anymore, and some places charge a fortune for smaller sample products, nor is the selection very good. In regards to the blister hell quoted above with the shoe section, taking along a few band-aids isn't a bad idea either. Gravol and Motrin are also on my must-pack list.
The rest is pretty standard and based on the individual. Obviously if you're travelling with kids, it's a lot tougher to pack light, but that doesn't mean you can't be efficient about it. Just keep it simple stupid as they say. And my last rule of thumb - never leave home without a good tube of chap-stick on you! It will be a life saver I promise. Happy travels!
Tia
Friday, March 30, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Retiring from Radio
Well it appears my 4-month vacation is coming to an end. Today I accepted the position of Member Services & Communications with the Sask Trucking Association here in Regina. No relocating – yayyyyy!
I’m extremely excited to be moving into a Communications role as my eventual goal was to transition into a PR or Communications job as I turned the corner into my fourties. As I said to someone the other day, it’s time to stop being all cool on the radio and start being an adult planning for a solid financial future some day. After all, not having kids, I don’t have anyone to pay for my seniors home do I?
I am sad in many ways to officially be retiring from my radio career. I worked my butt off for 20 years to get to where I was and wasn’t finished with where I wanted to go before someone decided I was no longer required. It’s like the carpet got pulled out from underneath me and there are many things I don’t have closure on. I’m also sad that I’ll miss talking to and hearing from listeners who’ve been so kind to me all these years in Regina and Moose Jaw. You are incredibly loyal and I’ve been blessed to have many of you as friends, even if it is just on Facebook. Keep being the wonderful people you are! To my fellow radio colleagues from all these years, it’s been a pleasure to work along side you and I wish you continued success. If I could offer any advice, it would be to have your back up plan ready to launch at any given time and a decent rainy day fund banked away. The industry is about to get very interesting over the next year or so. To my music friends who I’ve worked with all these years, some who’ve become great personal friends, it’s been a blast working this thing we call the music business together. We all got into this crazy life because of music and we’ll always be music people no matter what.
I want to thank everyone for their support through this ride the last few months. Barb, Paul, Krista, Rob, Kim, Chari, my sister, Edward, Debra, and to everyone else for their on-going ears and advice. I’ve learned a lot about myself and my character this last little while. But I’ve also learned who my real friends were, and I’m lucky to have had such a strong support system surrounding me and propping me up.
So I have until April 2nd to continue to enjoy my time off. I think an official retirement party may be in order so we can all get schmammered together. This weekend I’m going to enjoy my rescheduled holiday to Toronto that got cancelled in November when my world came to a crashing halt. Upon my return it’ll be a little spring cleaning and then back to work I go!
Goodbye radio. Onwards and upwards ☺
Tia
I’m extremely excited to be moving into a Communications role as my eventual goal was to transition into a PR or Communications job as I turned the corner into my fourties. As I said to someone the other day, it’s time to stop being all cool on the radio and start being an adult planning for a solid financial future some day. After all, not having kids, I don’t have anyone to pay for my seniors home do I?
I am sad in many ways to officially be retiring from my radio career. I worked my butt off for 20 years to get to where I was and wasn’t finished with where I wanted to go before someone decided I was no longer required. It’s like the carpet got pulled out from underneath me and there are many things I don’t have closure on. I’m also sad that I’ll miss talking to and hearing from listeners who’ve been so kind to me all these years in Regina and Moose Jaw. You are incredibly loyal and I’ve been blessed to have many of you as friends, even if it is just on Facebook. Keep being the wonderful people you are! To my fellow radio colleagues from all these years, it’s been a pleasure to work along side you and I wish you continued success. If I could offer any advice, it would be to have your back up plan ready to launch at any given time and a decent rainy day fund banked away. The industry is about to get very interesting over the next year or so. To my music friends who I’ve worked with all these years, some who’ve become great personal friends, it’s been a blast working this thing we call the music business together. We all got into this crazy life because of music and we’ll always be music people no matter what.
I want to thank everyone for their support through this ride the last few months. Barb, Paul, Krista, Rob, Kim, Chari, my sister, Edward, Debra, and to everyone else for their on-going ears and advice. I’ve learned a lot about myself and my character this last little while. But I’ve also learned who my real friends were, and I’m lucky to have had such a strong support system surrounding me and propping me up.
So I have until April 2nd to continue to enjoy my time off. I think an official retirement party may be in order so we can all get schmammered together. This weekend I’m going to enjoy my rescheduled holiday to Toronto that got cancelled in November when my world came to a crashing halt. Upon my return it’ll be a little spring cleaning and then back to work I go!
Goodbye radio. Onwards and upwards ☺
Tia
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Do you Swear?
Yesterday I was picking up the kiddios at their school. Each day the parents/care-givers arrive and wait outside the classroom door until the teachers release the beasts.
As I'm leaning against the wall, a woman was just down the hall within earshot talking to one of the dads. I'm pretty sure every 4th word that came out of her mouth was "shit". I should point out that this was just outside of a class for 4 yr olds and in a Catholic school to boot!
I'm not a saint when it comes to swearing, but I was a little appalled. There's a time and a place and I'm not sure that was the best choice of words given the location. God probably didn't think so either!
So when is it not appropriate to use that kind of language? Well a Catholic school would be one place. In front of kids certainly is the wrong place. But at what age of kids do you worry less about loose lips and give into the fact they'll learn it eventually? I also avoid swearing around seniors as I find it disrespectful. Swearing around people you've just met is touchy until you get a sense of what they're like first. And despite both my parents being the type to swear up and down like sailors, I actually don't like to swear around them. It's odd I know.
Do you have any "swear rules"?
Tia
As I'm leaning against the wall, a woman was just down the hall within earshot talking to one of the dads. I'm pretty sure every 4th word that came out of her mouth was "shit". I should point out that this was just outside of a class for 4 yr olds and in a Catholic school to boot!
I'm not a saint when it comes to swearing, but I was a little appalled. There's a time and a place and I'm not sure that was the best choice of words given the location. God probably didn't think so either!
So when is it not appropriate to use that kind of language? Well a Catholic school would be one place. In front of kids certainly is the wrong place. But at what age of kids do you worry less about loose lips and give into the fact they'll learn it eventually? I also avoid swearing around seniors as I find it disrespectful. Swearing around people you've just met is touchy until you get a sense of what they're like first. And despite both my parents being the type to swear up and down like sailors, I actually don't like to swear around them. It's odd I know.
Do you have any "swear rules"?
Tia
Friday, March 9, 2012
Black Eyed Tia
A friend woke up with a little bit of a black eye this week. She's not sure why or what happened, but suspects a blood vessel may have broken on it's own.
I'll admit I was giving her some grief over it and even texted her yesterday asking if she wanted me to go buy her an eyepatch. Saying that out loud makes me giggle like a little school girl. I don't think she found it nearly as funny.
I shouldn't poke fun I guess. I've had a couple of black eyes in my time. My first one was in grade 6. I got bitch slapped by my friend Stacy as we were having a dispute over a hammer we were using to build forts. She slapped me and it's true, you do see stars and tweety birds for a brief couple of seconds. The next day I went to school with a big ol' shiner.
A few days later, I was playing out in our yard at night. I was standing under the big yard light by the corrals tossing a softball up in the air and catching it. My throws got higher and higher to the point that one went up, I lost sight of it in the glare of the light, and the next thing I knew it came down and popped me in the eye. Yup, it sure did leave me with another black eye on the other eye.
The next day I went to school again with another big ol' shiner to match the other one. I remember standing by the shelves when the teacher came over with a very concerned look on her face and asked me if there was something going on at home I wanted to talk about. Two black eyes on a grade 6 kid tends to spark a little panic that a call to social services might be in order apparently. I assured her however that everything was fine, I just had a little bad luck.
What can I say, I had an interesting childhood ;)
Tia
I'll admit I was giving her some grief over it and even texted her yesterday asking if she wanted me to go buy her an eyepatch. Saying that out loud makes me giggle like a little school girl. I don't think she found it nearly as funny.
I shouldn't poke fun I guess. I've had a couple of black eyes in my time. My first one was in grade 6. I got bitch slapped by my friend Stacy as we were having a dispute over a hammer we were using to build forts. She slapped me and it's true, you do see stars and tweety birds for a brief couple of seconds. The next day I went to school with a big ol' shiner.
A few days later, I was playing out in our yard at night. I was standing under the big yard light by the corrals tossing a softball up in the air and catching it. My throws got higher and higher to the point that one went up, I lost sight of it in the glare of the light, and the next thing I knew it came down and popped me in the eye. Yup, it sure did leave me with another black eye on the other eye.
The next day I went to school again with another big ol' shiner to match the other one. I remember standing by the shelves when the teacher came over with a very concerned look on her face and asked me if there was something going on at home I wanted to talk about. Two black eyes on a grade 6 kid tends to spark a little panic that a call to social services might be in order apparently. I assured her however that everything was fine, I just had a little bad luck.
What can I say, I had an interesting childhood ;)
Tia
Monday, March 5, 2012
The Mystery Jakki Cup
Yesterday I posted this picture and asked "what is the significance of this cup?". Although some interesting guesses, no one quite hit it on the head. Unless you remember my radio days from Lethbridge, it was almost an impossible question.
In about 2000 I believe it was, I had accepted a morning show co-host position at Country 95 in Lethbridge. I was excited for new opportunities and to be heading back to Alberta. Once I got there to start the job however, the PD threw a little surprise at me after I had signed the paperwork. His words were something to the effect of "by the way, your name on air is going to be Jacqui Daniels".
I'm sure my jaw was sitting on the floor. Jacqui Daniels? Really?? It sounded like something that you'd read in the credits of an adult film. They thought it sounded more country though. Not to mention it's very difficult to suddenly start calling yourself by another name after how many years of being a Tia.
I hated it, there was no denying it. But I thought that if they weren't going to give me the choice of what name I went by, then at least I'd damn well spell it the way I wanted to. So it became Jakki instead. The cup is from a staff event held for us by Champs Lounge, which specifically asked for correct spelling of everyone's name. I got the last laugh after all.
And now you know the rest of the story.
Tia
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The Cross Canada Adventure that Wasn't
A couple of weeks ago I had interviewed for a job in Moncton, New Brunswick. For the record off the top, I didn't get the job. It's always crushing when you don't get the gig, but I was also somewhat relieved.
In my anticipation (because I'm a planner), I had prematurely started to research things like cost of living, vacancy rates, etc. In that planning, I was also eyeing up my trusty map of Canada trying to figure out how long a move like that would take. My guest-imate was that it would be a 6 day drive via an all Canadian route. That could have been shorter, however, I was taking into consideration travelling with pets and the fact that you never know what will be brewing from mother nature. There is the alternate route through the states and back up, but if you're crossing the border with pets, you need proper paperwork and it's not guaranteed they won't make you make a trip to the vet once you get there.
I was also debating pulling a small U-haul with my VW or just selling all my stuff and going with a car load and starting over. Pulling the U-haul likely wouldn't have been so bad, but risky if you hit stormy or icy roads. Pack ratting everything into my car would have been challenging, then add in the cats, and it would have been just down right interesting. It also makes me wonder how stressful the trip would have been on them.
It's all hindsight however, and nothing I have to worry about for the time being. But had things been different, that certainly would have been my epic move of all moves in my radio career. Crazy huh?
Tia
In my anticipation (because I'm a planner), I had prematurely started to research things like cost of living, vacancy rates, etc. In that planning, I was also eyeing up my trusty map of Canada trying to figure out how long a move like that would take. My guest-imate was that it would be a 6 day drive via an all Canadian route. That could have been shorter, however, I was taking into consideration travelling with pets and the fact that you never know what will be brewing from mother nature. There is the alternate route through the states and back up, but if you're crossing the border with pets, you need proper paperwork and it's not guaranteed they won't make you make a trip to the vet once you get there.
I was also debating pulling a small U-haul with my VW or just selling all my stuff and going with a car load and starting over. Pulling the U-haul likely wouldn't have been so bad, but risky if you hit stormy or icy roads. Pack ratting everything into my car would have been challenging, then add in the cats, and it would have been just down right interesting. It also makes me wonder how stressful the trip would have been on them.
It's all hindsight however, and nothing I have to worry about for the time being. But had things been different, that certainly would have been my epic move of all moves in my radio career. Crazy huh?
Tia
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