Month: April 2012

Sunshine Coast Adventures: Nifty at the Painted Boat

/ Lauren / Leave a comment

View from our patio at the Painted Boat

Sometimes, a lady just needs a holiday. And not just any old holiday, which often involves headaches and penny pinching and a hotel room overlooking a dumpster and crack deal. Sometimes, a lady just needs to vacation like a rich person.

Enter 604pulse.com, and their recent contest to win a free 2-night stay in a villa at the relaxing, beautiful, and oh-so-luxurious Painted Boat Resort on the Sunshine Coast. On a whim, I entered the contest back in February, never expecting to think about it again. Until I won. Wooohooo! Nifty got a rich-person vacation!

On Friday, the TC and I packed our rental car (obtained super-cheap by booking through hotwire.com and by buying our insurance through ICBC instead of through the rental company, FYI) and headed up the Sunshine Coast. With the sun beaming down and a compilation of 90s alternative hits rocking the stereo, we enjoyed a pretty but winding drive to Madeira Park. We accidentally passed our turn twice but in no time at all we were at our destination.

And what a destination it is. Every villa at the Painted Boat resort has a waterfront view. Because it was off-season, the resort was fairly quiet and I suspect this is the reason we were bumped up from the standard two-bedroom villa I had won to a two-bedroom villa that also had a loft (this place was twice the size of our decently spacious apartment). The master bedroom had a king-sized bed and overlooked the bay. Its en suite bathroom had a huge stone-tiled shower and a massive bathtub. There was a fireplace. A large patio with a barbecue. A beautiful kitchen with granite counter tops. There was even a washer and dryer in one of the closets (which came in handy on our first morning when I spilled milk down my sleeve).

Minions, build me this bathroom!

Minions, build me this bathroom!

Needless to say, I spent my weekend “star-fishing” the massive bed, taking more baths than I needed, and “ballet dancing” all over the beautiful expansive hardwood (which of course becomes “figure skating” when you are wearing socks). Obviously, whenever we were in our villa, TC and I wore the plushy robes provided by the Painted Boat (my assumption is that rich people don’t restrict themselves by wearing actual clothes any more than they have to, I wouldn’t).

Kayaking on the sea!

Kayaking on the sea!

Though on Friday night we kept matters frugal by cooking supper ourselves (excellent steaks barbecued on waterfront patio, courtesy of my TC) and relaxing under the stars in the resort’s hot tub, for our second day we decided to live it rich and take advantage of the resort and its activities. Late afternoon massages at the Spa (I had a salt scrub first) put us in a lovely mood for dinner at the Restaurant at the Painted Boat. It was a luxurious, spendy, delicious day.

My favourite activity was actually the cheapest one–before our fancy massages and dinner, TC and I rented a double kayak from the Painted Boat and spent two sunny hours paddling around the bay and various little inlets near Madeira Park. During these two hours, in addition to the regular seagulls, geese, and crows, we saw the following wildlife:

  • sea stars (purple, orange, and white)
  • a cormorant (we think)
  • a loon
  • a bald eagle
  • a blue heron
  • clams and sand dollars beneath the water
  • a crab being viciously killed and eaten by a crow
  • a SEAL splashing around and having a great old time (he didn’t let us get too close though).

Basically, this place is awesome. I don’t have much more to say, except that my weekend was awesome. Not only is the Painted Boat itself a beautiful and beautifully located resort, its proximity to the rest of the wonders on the Sunshine Coast meant that after checking out on Sunday, TC and I were able to take a very short drive to hike in the Skookumchuck Rapids Provincial Park and make it back to the Langdale ferry before 4:00 pm.

I miss you already.

Yeah…my weekend was awesome. Thank you so much to Robyn at 604Pulse and to Jennifer and Lori at the Painted Boat Resort for providing my TC and me with this amazing opportunity to live rich and relaxed for a glorious weekend on the Sunshine Coast. For all its being a 4 1/2 star resort, the Painted Boat retains a relaxed and outdoorsy atmosphere that was not at all stuffy or classist. My heart cries for the beautiful kitchen and the fabulously huge bathtub, but I am fully content and happy with my new memories of the unceasingly beautiful province of BC.

Disclosure: Not much to disclose, actually. Our stay at the Painted Boat was free because I won a random-draw contest held by 604Pulse.com. I do not believe any of the parties involved knew I was a blogger, and I certainly was not asked to blog about my visit.

“Jason and the Argonauts” at Carousel Theatre (epic theatre for smart teens)

/ Lauren / Leave a comment

Every once in a while, I have the pleasure of reviewing a show presented by Carousel Theatre. Every once in a while, I also have the pleasure of guest-posting for my friend Raul Pacheco-Vega, of Hummingbird604.com.

Never before have I had the pleasure of doing both AT THE SAME TIME.

Well now I have.

The following is my review for Visible Fictions’ Jason and the Argonauts, being presented by Carousel Theatre until April 29th. To see my review in all its glory, please visit the actual post at Hummingbird604.com.

Heroes. Villains. A quest for destiny. Treachery. Sea monsters…Ken dolls?

Using only the contents of an old trunk and a wooden cart (designed with breathtaking cleverness by Robin Peoples), Scottish actors Tim Settle and Simon Donaldson of Glasgow’s Visible Fictions energetically retell the Greek myth of Jason and his quest for the Golden Fleece with intimacy, humour, and virtuosic performances. With shows at the Waterfront Theatre until April 29, Jason and the Argonauts marks the end of the 2011/2012 season of literary classics presented by Carousel Theatre.

Jason also marks one of Carousel Theatre’s first steps towards offering programming for older youth audiences and though younger children (age 7 and up) will still find much to enjoy, it is adolescents and teenagers (and their parents!) that will appreciate this ingenious retelling of the ancient story the most.

While at first your smarty pants youngster (or you) may be incredulous that the story of “like, 50 guys who are supposed to be on a boat with monsters and stuff, and you know, like, a beautiful princess” can be told effectively by only two actors (both men), the magic of Visible Fiction’s Jason and the Argonauts is not only found in the story itself, but in the way in which Settle and Donaldson are able to convey it using only their abilities as performers and the few props at their disposal (Ken dolls, paper boats, and sticks are used to great effect in this production). The gasps from the Saturday-night audience as the Argo appeared from seemingly nothing did not go unnoticed (or uncommented upon) by the actors. It is this back and forth between performers and audience, and this recognition of our intelligence and interest, which allows us to wholeheartedly root for the characters of “Andy” (Settle) and “Josh” (Donaldson) as they take on the telling of this epic quest for glory and justice.

Incredibly disciplined performers, Settle and Donaldson play the dramatic moments of the story as well as they do the comic ones, with real sorrow, tyranny, and danger all alive on the stage as Settle and Donaldson make switching from one character or scene to another look as easy as breathing. The show is charming, intelligent, and thoroughly entertaining.

Jason and the Argonauts is also a breath of fresh air from a continent whose tradition of theatre is centuries more well-established than our own, and therefore, whose expectations of their what their audiences will be able to engage with seem to be much greater. Precious few theatre companies (especially those who wish to be accessible to younger audiences) would be comfortable staging or presenting such a complicated two-hander, with worries that the constant switching between characters (and the lack of costume changes, etc. to indicate the switch) would make the show “too confusing” for audiences to follow. Visible Fictions trusted their actors to tell the story, and trusted their audience to follow it. Carousel Theatre has placed its trust in us and in its older youth audience as well, and guess what? We can follow Jason’s journey just fine.

In fact, due to Carousel’s practice of holding Q & A periods with the actors after every show (not just on a special “Q & A Night”), watching a more complex show like Jason and the Argonauts can also be incredibly instructive for those pre-teens and teens of yours who are interested in theatre. When I attended on Saturday, a large group of high school drama students were seated in the first two rows. I was impressed by their intelligent questions (see? We don’t need to “dumb down” great theatre!) and by Settler and Donaldson’s thorough replies about their training, rehearsal process, their lives as working actors, and the physical and psychological skills they employ to find and maintain so many different characters in one show.

It is wonderful to see a show that is both accessible and enjoyable AND assumes its audience to be sensitive and intelligent. I am excited that Carousel is pursuing programming for older youth audiences and hope to see more productions of the same caliber in their future seasons.

Jason and the Argonauts will be performed at the Waterfront Theatre until April 29, with school performances during the week and public performances Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:00 pm, with 2:00 pm Saturday matinees. Tickets can be purchased online through Carousel Theatre’s website, or by calling their box office at 604-685-6217.

Disclosure: My ticket to see Jason and the Argonauts was provided by Carousel Theatre. I maintain full control over my writing, and of course, Raul maintains full control over any content posted on Hummingbird604.com.

It was truly a pleasure to review this show, and a pleasure to be able to share it through Hummingbird604.com. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed attending and reviewing Carousel Theatre’s 2011/2012 season. Now that it’s over, I’d like to extend a big thank you to Raul for putting Jessie van Rijn (General Manager for Carousel) in touch with me in the first place, and Jessie for continuing to invite me back and being so lovely to deal with. I’ve had a fantastic season with YA theatre (and I don’t even have kids!).

I Wanna Go Home–to High School

/ Lauren / Leave a comment

Lately I’ve been homesick–for high school.

I’m not one of those “summer of ’69, those were the best days of my life” types whose flower bloomed when they were seventeen and who’s been wilting ever since. High school was an emotionally messy, facially pimply, gossip and insecurity-ridden angst-filled existence. But it was also a period full of promise.

When I was in high school, I thought 25 was old. I thought I would have a career (in the theatah, of course!), a husband, and maybe even a kid by now (ha ha ha ha ha). I felt like the only thing separating me from my dreams was time and a university degree. I guess I assumed the rest would just arrive in due course as time went by. What I failed to understand then was that time does bring our futures into our lives, but that we don’t make that step from here to there without choices along the way, and sacrifices. The fulfillment of one dream may mean the compromise of another. You don’t just wake up one day and BANG! your future  arrives. You get to where you’re going through the decisions you make.

In high school, the only decision with long-term consequences I really had to make was where to go to university. It wasn’t much of a contest–I went to the U of A because I wanted to audition for their theatre program in the future and they gave me money (and even that wasn’t long term because I transferred after first year).  Other than that, I didn’t need to decide anything. Love? That wasn’t a decision. I just knew I had to be with so-and-so because he was The One (update from 2012: he wasn’t). Friends? I’ve had the same bestie since kindergarten. Career? I had a part-time job, it was okay and then I quit but that’s alright because my parents were feeding and housing me.

Done and done. All of the pesky decisions regarding survival and building a future out of the way, I had plenty of time to obsess over my clothes and go to parties and have crushes and heartbreaks and decide that no one understood what a sensitive intelligent soul I was (I just couldn’t wait for university where my brilliance would surely be discovered and celebrated).

My journey from high school has been a good one. For the most part, I’ve had a great time, with great people alongside me every step of the way. I’ve learned so much–about me, about the world, about all kinds of crazy things I never dreamed existed. I’ve travelled, I’ve been in and out of love, I’ve lost some things and found new ones and here I am, doing just fine, though definitely an adult for real now with some adult choices to make about my life’s direction.

Things are pretty good.

But when I was in high school, friendships didn’t need to be maintained–there were only 23 people in my graduating class so by Grade 12 we had put our junior high pettiness aside and become a family. We had each other, without even trying.

When I was in high school, no one I knew had died yet.

When I was in high school, our potential was unlimited because of our ignorance about the way the world worked.

When I was in high school, tomorrow was a dream so tonight was Party Time.

When I was in high school, we were all invincible and there were no choices that had lasting consequences one way or another (or so we thought).

If today was April 13, 2004, the ditches at home would still be full of run-off water and snow would still exist in front of the north sides of buildings.

I would be training for track and field.

My class would be studying Hamlet and we’d be dressing up in silly costumes to read the parts.

Most of the girls would have their dresses for graduation already hanging in their closets (mine was ivory–I still have it).

The 23 of us would be engaged in the easy comradery that comes of having known each other most of our lives and from knowing that we’d be graduating soon–we were all forging ahead together for one last push towards the Unknown. There is almost a patriotism that binds the graduating class of a small rural town to each other and to the community. Respect and pride would be felt in all facets of our lives.

We would all be together, on the verge of our dreams, before the pits and rocks would become visible. We’d be suspended in a beautiful moment of optimism.

We’ve all experienced loss since we’ve been in high school. When we talk to each other now, there’s a weight in our voices and on our shoulders that wasn’t there before. Some of these losses have been felt by all of us, and they pull us together across time and distance. Some of these losses have been private. We are becoming the adults that had sent us on our journeys and wished us so well, whose bright hopes for us masked their concerns about what we would face. We’re growing up–we haven’t been spared it.

If I could capture April 13, 2004 in a bottle, it would be the colour of milky yellow sunshine. It would smell like wet grass. It would sound like easy laughter and taste like a warm clandestine beer. And if I had my way, all 23 of us would be there to see this distillation and shake our heads at our silliness together. All of us.

Invisible Suffering (and what we can do)

/ Lauren / Leave a comment

Van Gogh’s Room at Arles

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), “approximately 1 out of 4 people know someone who died by suicide.”, which is a frighteningly high number of people confronted with shock and grief at the sudden loss of their friend or loved one. This post is an acknowledgment not only of the distress experienced by those who attempt or complete suicide, but also of the incredible loss experienced by those left behind.

I have been so fortunate in my life that I am able to say, and believe, that the world is a beautiful place and that life holds glorious things. But the sad truth of the matter is that the world is also full of pain, and for many people (more people than you’d think), the weight they have been forced to carry (by tragic events, an illness, etc.) is more than they can bear. Do not mistake this for weakness, selfishness, or ingratitude. This is simply suffering. Regardless of where it is found–in an old person, in a young person, beneath a tough exterior or behind a smile, it is suffering.

An important tenet of most (if not all) systems of ethics and morality is that people should, if possible, attempt to alleviate the suffering of others. This tenet does not extend only to those who are physically and financially suffering, but to those who may be suffering mental and/or emotional illness and distress as well. Unfortunately, unlike visible suffering such as physical illness or poverty, mental and emotional distress is often invisible–a secret pain closely guarded by the sufferer.

Unlike with visible suffering, there is no obvious solution—if we saw someone bleeding we would give them a Band-Aid. If a friend was ill we’d cook for them or offer to watch their kids for a while. But if someone is in mental or emotional pain, we seem to clam up, unsure of how to help, or if we should. If the sufferer doesn’t tell us they’re in pain, we often don’t even realize there is a problem in the first place.

When I say that it is our responsibility to try to alleviate suffering, I am not by any means condemning those who were not able to prevent the attempted or completed suicide of a friend or loved one. In any tragedy, several complicated factors are at play and seeking to lay blame with those who are left behind will only further stigmatize issues surrounding mental health and suicide.

So what can we do to help someone, especially if we don’t always know who is in need of our help? First and foremost, I believe we should remove once and for all the stigma surrounding suicide. In recent years, several brave families have decided not to hide the cause of their loved one’s death and have brought mental health and suicide into our consciousness (in the media, in our communities, etc.).  Suicide is not an attention-seeking dramatic act perpetrated only by “crazy” people.  It is a desperate act committed (and attempted) by human beings of various ages, lifestyles, backgrounds, and cultures. What these people have in common is that they are in pain. The more we acknowledge that this pain exists, the less we try to sweep it under the rug and pretend it doesn’t happen, the more likely it is that those experiencing this pain will share their troubles with someone and seek help and support. Knowledge is power, and the more we know about suicide and mental health, and about what those around us are going through, the more we can help each other or ourselves.

To that end, I have come across some links which may be helpful:

If you are concerned that someone you know may be considering suicide, the CMHA’s website has a very informative page on suicide prevention. According to the CMHA, “There is almost no risk that raising the topic with someone who is not considering suicide will prompt him/her to do it.” so even if you’re wrong about a person’s intentions, it can’t hurt to talk about your concerns and let them know that you care about what happens to them.

In addition to the information above, on their “Media Guidelines” page, the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) asks that the following information be included when someone (like me) is writing about suicide:

Warning Signs of Suicide

  • Suicide threats
  • Statements revealing a desire to die
  • Previous suicide attempts
  • Sudden changes in behaviour (withdrawal, apathy, moodiness)
  • Depression (crying, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, hopelessness)
  • Final arrangements (such as giving away personal possessions)

What to Do

  • Discuss it openly and frankly
  • Show interest and support
  • Get professional help
  • Call your local Crisis/Distress Line

If you are considering suicide, please know that help and support are available. To locate a crisis centre nearest you, please visit the “Find a Crisis Centre” page on the CASP website (suicideprevention.ca). To give you an idea of how important your life is, on CASP’s website there are 27 different organizations listing Crisis Lines in the province of BC alone. I urge you to reach out to one of these resources and/or a loved one.

Unfortunately, even with our best intentions, we cannot always prevent tragedy. For the survivors of suicide (i.e. those left behind), CASP provides information for those trying to cope with grief after a suicide. Their site also provides information and resources for helping you find Survivor Support. Like the crisis centres mentioned above, you can find these resources listed by province.

As with the suffering of those who attempt or complete suicide, it is important to remember that the survivors of suicide are suffering as well. If your friend or loved one has become a suicide survivor, the most important thing you can do is listen, without judgement, without “solutions”, and without pushing them to talk.

I wrote this post with the purpose of supporting an environment where anyone, no matter what their reason or background, will feel safe reaching out and seeking help for what they are going through. Sometimes this means seeking professional help and there is nothing shameful about this. Yes, the world may be full of a lot of pain but it is also full of people who want to help lighten the load, and professionals who have the tools to do so.

I am aware that Mental Health Week is in about a month’s time (May 7-13) but this post couldn’t wait–every week is the right week to try to alleviate any suffering you find, whether the suffering is your own or that of a friend.

Disclaimer – This post is technically an opinion piece, a result of my desire to minimize harm using the tools I have available to me (which include this blog). The information I have provided appeared on either the Canadian Mental Health Association or the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention’s website at the time of posting. I am not a mental health professional, and the content of this post is not a substitute for the assistance of a mental health professional.