Winnipeg's Finest - Events Tonight

Two of my former guests, Laina Hughes and Amy Tuckett, are hosting events tonight to highlight the work they've done for their Independent Professional Projects. Laina will be launching her first book, Wolseley Stories tonight at 7:30 at McNally Robinson at Grant Park Shopping Centre. All are welcome to attend. Amy will be having a screening of Hell on Hells, a video documentary about the effects of mandatory heels in the workplace. Her screening is sold out, but I wish her all the best!

Good luck tonight ladies. Knock 'em dead!

Winnipeg's Finest

November 5th - Episode 5: Philanthropist, Amanda Furst

Amanda is a philanthropist and co-founder of Growing Opportunities International (GO!) GO! is an organization that seeks to improve the lives of those living in rural communities within developing countries, through a variety of different projects. Amanda’s desire to create this organization came about while she was helping to build a small school in Rwanda. After taking on such an important project Amanda didn’t want the projects to end, and has been helping to strengthen communities primarily in Rwanda and Tanzania over the last few years. 

I introduce you to one of Winnipeg’s Finest, Amanda Furst!

• Podcast Available

My Future Theme Song

For the past few weeks I've been in Calgary working at Brookline Public Relations for a 3-week internship (more on that in another post.) Yesterday we had a staff potluck and during our meal, one of my co-workers showed us a slide show she made of the agency's highlights of 2012. The song choice she used instantly caught my attention and I've been practically playing it on repeat ever since.

After paying close attention to the lyrics, I've decided that one day, once I reach a certain point in my life, that Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys, will forever by the theme song to my life.

[Nicki Minaj]
Spirit of Marilyn calling me, audibly
Bawling she, said that she would never leave
Continued to torture me
Telling me to come with her
Underneath my comforter
And she brought a gun with her
Pills and some rum with her
Took me on the balcony telling me to jump with her
Yeah I’m in the ghost but I ain’t doing stunts with her
I ain’t tryna be that haters wanna see that
But I got ‘em aggy cause I win the gold like Gabby

[Alicia Keys]
She’s just a girl and she’s on fire
Hotter than a fantasy, longer like a highway
She’s living in a world and it’s on fire
Fill with catastrophe, but she know she can fly away

Oh, she got both feet on the ground
And she’s burning it down
Oh, she got her head in the clouds
And she’s not backing down

[Chorus]
This girl is on fire
This girl is on fire
She’s walking on fire
This girl is on fire

[Alicia Keys]
Looks like a girl but she’s a flame
So bright she can burn your eyes
Better look the other way
You can try but you’ll never forget her name
She’s on top of the world
Hottest of the hottest girls say

Oh, we got our feet on the ground
And we’re burning it down
Oh, got our head in the clouds
And we’re not coming down

[Chorus]
This girl is on fire
This girl is on fire
She’s walking on fire
This girl is on fire

[Alicia Keys]
Everybody stands as she goes by
Cause they can see the flame that’s in her eyes
Watch her when she’s lighting up the night
Nobody knows that she’s a lonely girl
And it’s a lonely world
But she gon’ let it burn baby burn baby

[Nicki Minaj]
Dear God, If you’re here God
Make the fire disappear when they stare God
Take away my fear when they interfere God
Do you fear God? Cause I fear God
And in my backyard, that’s a deer, God
And that’s a horse ranch
And to my core fans keep repping me
Do it to the death of me
X in the box cause ain’t nobody checking me

[Chorus]
This girl is on fire
This girl is on fire
She’s walking on fire
This girl is on fire

Oh, oh, oh…

She’s just a girl, and she’s on fire

Win. Fight. Conquer. Thrive.

Ever since high school I’ve always considered myself to be a joiner, attaching myself to different committees and projects I hear about. Usually when I come across someone asking for volunteers or just help in general, I was often one of the first people to raise my hand, or offer to help. 
 

Although I’ve gotten older and seem to be getting busier and busier every day, I still find myself willing to help out with whatever I can; chances are I’ll always be this way, which I think is a good thing. But here`s the kicker...

Even though I’m that girl who`s often helping those who need an extra hand, I don’t remember ever being that girl who everyone jumps at the chance to help. I try not to ask for help that often, reason being that I like to do a lot of things on my own. But I think that theory is masking the real reason I try to hinder my needs; it feels uncomfortable when you’re in a vulnerable state asking for help, and the room falls silent. 

Unfortunately this is usually the case. No matter how big or how small the plea for someone to lean on is, it’s not usually well received or received at all. But instead on dwelling on the possible reasons why my need for help gets lost deep inside a sea of silence, I’ve decided to turn the uncomfortable situation into a positive one. 

Regardless of how tired or lazy I sometimes feel, I do think that I’m a go getter. If there’s something I really want to do, I’ll find a way to do it, even if there’s no one by my side. Always having to do things on my own may take a lot out of me at times, but when I get to the point where I can look back and see all that I’ve done, I think knowing that I had no choice but to go it alone will make me braver, will make me more confident, will make me stronger. 

It can take an army of people to tackle big challenges and to make big moves in life, but sometimes all you need is one.

I’m going to be that one. 

Lyrics

Fly Nicki Minaj (Feat. Rihanna)

[Chorus: Rihanna]
I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive
I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise
To fly
To fly

[Verse 1: Nicki Minaj]
I wish today it will rain all day
Maybe that will kinda make the pain go away
Trying to forgive you for abandoning me
Praying but I think I'm still an angel away
Angel away, yeah strange in a way
Maybe that is why I chase strangers away
They got their guns out aiming at me
But I become near when they aiming at me
Me, me, me against them
Me against enemies, me against friends
Somehow they both seem to become one
A sea full of sharks and they all see blood
They start coming and I start rising
Must be surprising, I'm just summising
Win, thrive, soar, higher, higher, higher
More fire

[Chorus: Rihanna]
I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive
I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise
To fly
To fly

[Verse 2: Nicki Minaj]
Everybody wanna try to box me in
Suffocating everytime it locks me in
Paint they own pictures than they crop me in
But I will remain where the top begins
Cause I am not a word, I am not a line
I am not a girl that can ever be defined
I am not fly, I am levitation
I represent an entire generation
I hear the criticism loud and clear
That is how I know that the time is near
So we become alive in a time of fear
And I ain't got no motherfucking time to spare
Cry my eyes out for days upon days
Such a heavy burden placed upon me
But when you go hard your nay's become yay's
Yankee Stadium with Jay's and Kanye's

[Chorus: Rihanna]
I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive
I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise
To fly
To fly

[Bridge: Nicki Minaj]
Get ready for it
Get ready for it
Get ready for it
I came to win
Get ready for it
Get ready for it
I came to win

[Chorus: Rihanna]
I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive
I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise
To fly
To fly

The Road Ahead

This year is going to be a year of change, excitement, growth, and adventure...or so I hope. 

It’s my final year at Red River College and I’ll finally get to graduate from a post-secondary institution. Although, I do still have a few credits left to take at The University of Winnipeg, but I’ll worry about that later. 

There are a number of things I’m looking forward to this year, but here are the top five:

1.       My Red Dress Gala & Fashion Show
2.       Graduation day
3.       Completing two internships
4.       My 25^th birthday (not too sure how I feel about this yet)
5.       Travelling

Yes I’m excited for the above five things, but the one thing I really want to make sure happens, is that I squeeze in as much travelling as possible. I didn’t go on one single trip last year, unless you count Grand Forks...which I don’t. Travelling is something I’ve always planned to do a lot of and its current standstill just isn’t cutting it anymore. I’ve been to many places across Canada, and was fortunate enough to venture out to Europe and Florida, but it’s time to keep the ball rolling. I even bought some cute luggage recently, to inspire me to do so.

So where do I want to travel to in the next year and a half? We’ll....I’ll tell ya...

November/December- Hopefully I end up in either Toronto or Calgary for my first three-week internship

February – A couple of us have been talking about possibly going to Las Vegas during reading week, so I really hope we can make this happen, as I’ve missed this opportunity many times already

April/May – My second internship shall be out of town as well. Also, last year some of the CreComm grads went on a trip to L.A. and I thought it would be nice to organize an end-of-the-year Crecomm trip for some of us 2013 grads...but we’ll see. 

June – My gal pal Kayla and I have been talking about going on an all inclusive trip to Cuba, Jamaica, or anywhere! If I’m lucky, this will be the time to do it!

December- My mom and I have only travelled together twice and we’ve both wanted to go to New York for Christmas. Next year just might be our year.

So many things to look forward to, and I can’t wait to share my experiences!