Read Dating at the Vancouver Public Library

So back in December, I went to a speed dating event geared towards the queer community.



I've always wanted to go to a Speed Dating thing, so I figure why not? It was held in a library and we were all told to bring our favourite book that we could talk about, should conversation become stilted. There was a mixed crowd. The age limit was 19 - 35, and I'd say the average age was mid-20s. There were women as well as men, so we got to meet everybody which was nice. That took the pressure off a bit, turning what could've been a full on meat market into something more community-focused and where we all got to meet a bunch of possible new friends. At the very least, I picked up some book recommendations from others.

We were all given a temporary email address, so if anyone emails me, that'll be cool. Otherwise, I might try to email a few people, I don't know. It's all terrifying because of the whole "rejection" factor. In fact, I almost bailed at the very last moment when I saw a group of guys go in together. They looked young and they all went as a group, so that was a bit intimidating. But, I figured, I can't live life based on fear, so just go for it.

I'm glad I did it, and if anything comes of it, great!

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The Vancouver Public Library saw such success with this event and the heterosexual Read Dating night, that they're bringing it back for 2012!! AND this time they're changing the age ranges! On February 13, they will have the heterosexual night for women and men ages 35-55, and on February 15, they're doing another straight night for women and men aged 55 and over! Head over to the VPL to sign up or visit the website for more info!

The Contingency Plan

This past Saturday night I caught the closing show of dance trio The Contingency Plan, at the Firehall Arts Centre. I'm not sure how to go about watching dance, so the first act, titled "Las Tres Marias" was something I just didn't really...get. People were laughing at it, and I thought, Is this supposed to be funny? I mean, I guess it was humorous, but to me, I always thought dance was something to be taken seriously and that there was no laughing allowed.



However, I was there with a seasoned dancer, and she told me that she definitely picked up on the humour. I asked her how she goes about watching a dance performance, what she gets from it, and she said that she just goes with whatever feelings arise in her when watching something. Sometimes she'll marvel at the technicality, other times she'll get a sense or a feeling that is being conveyed.

With that in mind, I watched the second part with a more open outlook. Titled "Adhere," it was supposed to represent what it's like to be alone. Each of the dancers brought forth their own interpretation of what it meant to be alone. One was frantic, another was isolated, and the other was content. At least, that's the feeling that I got from it. The three women danced the entire performance, so kudos to them for a job well done!

The Grey Cup Is Coming!

So I'm not a football fan or anything, but it is exciting for our city to have the Grey Cup event taking place this week. It's the Canadian equivalent to the US Superbowl. Playing in it will be our very own BC Lions! Let's hope they win, and should they not bring the cup home, then let's pray there won't be another riot this year! For some reason though, I think the hockey fans were more likely to foam at the mouth than these football fans. Hockey just seems to be more popular and attracts more of the wannabe fans who jump on the bandwagon and like to cause trouble when things don't go their way. But football fans seem to be a devoted group who have seen their team win and lose over the years, so are prepared for it.



Anyhow, there's lots of events taking place in the city, which is the best part of all. I will try to get out to some of them and definitely will be at one of the parties! I'm not a football fan, but I enjoy a good celebration! It's not everyday that the Grey Cup is hosted by your city, so why not enjoy it!?

Vancouver Sunset

Captured tonight at English Bay around 6:00pm. The days, they're getting shorter.

The New BC Place Roof

I finally got a chance to go check out the new BC Place roof, which they've been working on the past year or so. The other night, Iris and I headed out for a Whitecaps game (soccer) but really we just wanted to hang out and see each other. I also wanted to see the inside of the stadium and the new open-air roof. There's a fancy new HD jumbotron in the middle too, which had fantastic quality. Here are some photos!

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to a Sondheim Show

I've never been a huge fan of Sondheim. Most times, I don't get it. I don't see the genius or brilliance. However, tonight Emily and I chose to go watch a local production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, a musical comedy which we found out to our dismay was written by Sondheim.



Cut to us at the end of the evening, thoroughly going over the production and how much FUN we had at it! The songs were funny and the story was fun. It was silly over the top farce, for sure, but we had a fantastic time! Who knew!?

It's playing at the Jericho Arts Centre until Oct 23, so check it out! You can get tickets here.

YVR: Next To Normal, VIFF, and CBC LIVE Vancouver

So I did take a break from my Game of Thrones-a-thon and made it out to some live theatre on Sunday afternoon with Emily.



We hit up the Stanley to take in the local production of the modern musical Next To Normal.

This is the hard to swallow story about a woman having a nervous breakdown due to a family tragedy 18 years in the making. The music and story are all original, which is rare these days in the times of musicals based on movies. I saw the Broadway production of this with the one and only Aaron Tveit, as well as Tony award winner Alice Ripley. I have to say though, Vancouver does this proud. The production at the Stanley is probably the best show I've ever seen there. It only runs till Oct 9, so you best get your tickets fast!

I'm really busy with work these days, so it's amazing that I even got to go watch this musical on the weekend. I spent Saturday morning talking to a bunch of Future Shop employees about donations and how they can impact their community. Today I was at their head office for a big kick off party, tomorrow I'll be speaking to the folks at Canada Revenue, and then Wednesday I have to stand in front of a bunch of firefighters. GULP. But I am LOVING IT.



In addition, I'm also doing volunteer work for the Vancouver International Film Festival! It's always my favourite time of year, and with a volunteer pass in hand, it's even better! There are so many films I want to go see this year! I'll have to blog about them, if only for "outreach" and "publicity" purposes.

And this Friday, there will be a big event over at CBC Vancouver! It's the kick off to Cultural Days, and will feature tons of CBC celebrities and a live concert! Check out the schedule here!