Look Sharp!

Chopping up a storm at Knifewear with a $900 knife.

Someone recently asked me where to buy a good knife. Memories of Knifewear and all the research I did for a knife-buying service story for City Palate magazine a couple of years ago came flooding back. So I responded by asking them if they first knew how to buy a good knife. I thought I'd repost the piece for my knife-buying friend and for any others who might be in the market. Happy shopping and chopping!

My National Geographic Book Debut

It's finally here! My book debut! Okay, it's not really MY book per se, but I did contribute the sections for Banff and Jasper National Parks for the most recent version of National Geographic's Guide to the National Parks of Canada. So I can take some credit. It's been in the works for several months (and I thought magazines worked far ahead!) so it was exciting to see the final product. It's slick people! Pick up your copy today.

Getting Back on the Wagon

I've totally fallen off the wagon in terms of getting fit. Or correction, I never really got on the wagon to begin with. I purchased some workout DVDs since it's too hard to get to the gym and find a sitter. But, I made a fatal error. Sadly, I was wooed by a dancing workout DVD by a Dancing with the Stars "star" . I tried it out and it was embarrassingly bad. I mean, how can I get serious about getting fit trying to dance a "sexy rumba"? Not gonna happen.

So I'm going to try again, this time with tae-bo workout DVDs. That should be a better workout. At least, it better be. I'm also going to heed the advice of Edmonton Oiler player Jason Strudwick who I interviewed for Apple magazine. He and figure skater Jamie Salé share their tips for living healthy. Good advice. Now can I follow it...

Delinquent blogging...

I must apologize for my delinquent blogging on this here site. It's really terrible, I know. While I'm on maternity leave, I fear this may continue to be the case.

But, for those of you who follow Alberta magazines, I'm blogging somewhat regularly for the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association, so I invite you to check out their site at http://albertamagazines.blogspot.com.

I promise to get blogging here in the near future! Thanks for your patience.

Stoking the Fire

I cannot believe that it's already the end of January. Time flies. One good thing about that is, I can't wait for winter to be over given the extremely frigid Alberta weather we've been having! I mean really, -20 as a high is downright depressing. We've just had a brief reprieve but as I look outside and see the flakes falling and the thermostat dropping, I know we're in for yet another deep freeze.

That means staying indoors and cozying by the fireplace. It's also a good opportunity to stoke the flames of love, if you will. Timely, since my daughter is approaching four months old and I can finally entertain the idea of sex without simultaneously reliving childbirth (sexy, I know). Valentine's Day is also coming up--a good excuse to rekindle the romance, at least as best as new parents can.

With romance in mind, have a read about a couple I interviewed about their wedding day for Avenue Edmonton. People find love in all sorts of places, and I love writing love stories. And it's true what they say. You discover a whole new kind of love when you become a parent. But I was surprised to find that my love for my hubby has also evolved watching him as a proud papa. Can you feel the love or what? Okay, okay, enough fromage. I'm grossing myself out. Until next time...

New Year's Resolution or Should I Say, Reconstitution

The New Year is creeping up on us, and with it, the annual desire to clean the slate and have a fresh start. I've never been big on New Year's resolutions. I'm more of a fan of year-round resolutions. But this year, I find myself looking at the New Year mark as a "ready, set, go" trigger for getting back in shape. I know, I know, how cliche. But truly, pregnancy has done a number to this once happy body. Now it's all , how shall we say, loosey goosey. I really should have been much more appreciative of how low maintenance it was before. Now, I see a hard road ahead, full of crunchies and other strenuous and time-consuming, not to mention boring, abdominal and pelvic exercises. Sigh.

Hence, the reconstitution. Reconstitution of my body that is. Or here's hoping (see above image minus the retro '80s highcut aerobic pantie). In truth, the New Year could really be an excuse for my procrastination to date. But I prefer to keep things on the up side so we'll view it as goalsetting rather than goal-avoiding.

With this newfound focus on my health, it's only fitting that a few of my last assignments before maternity leave were for the Apple, Alberta Health Services' magazine. In it, I interview Olympic Champion Chandra Crawford who had to go through a different kind of reconstitution, recovering from her injuries to compete at the 2010 Olympics. Read about how she makes her health as big a priority as her sport.

Here's to a healthy and happy 2011!

Do Your Best

Well, I'm the proud new momma of Miss Annabel, who has just hit the ripe old age of three weeks. Hence why I've fallen off my blogging (and many other activities such as sleeping and showering). I gotta say, this mothering thing is a lot more challenging than anticipated, largely because I am more sleep deprived than I ever thought possible. (To think that I was worried about the labour--it's laughable now!)

But I'm doing my best because I must. It's what you do when it's for your child. I never really thought the meaning of becoming a parent would be so palpable so early on, but it pretty much kicks in ASAP.

Doing your best is about all you can ask of anyone. And if you truly do perform at your best, then it is almost always enough. And if it isn't, part of doing your best is knowing when to ask for help. Which I am trying to do as well.

Along the same lines of doing your best, Avenue magazine's November issue features the annual Top 40 under 40 (nice segue, I know). I had the pleasure of interviewing Stephanie Raynor-Hohol, one of this year's top 40 who is a single mom and business owner, working hard and doing good. Have a read through on all her do-gooding.

Until next time, which hopefully won't be too far off, but if it is, you now know why...