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July, 2010

  1. Cambridge + Boston

    July 31, 2010 by Gail

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    We left my house about 7:30pm Friday and arrived safe and sound at Eric’s place in Cambridge near Harvard Square after 5 o’clock on Saturday morning. Much to my amazement, even though I had a second driver I was fully able to drive the entire journey from Toronto to Boston in one shot with fuel and bathroom stops. 10 hours of driving after editing all night on Thursday, sleeping a few hours, and working in the afternoon. I don’t know where that energy came from.

    But now that we’re in Cambridge/Boston, I’m ready to WALK WALK WALK and not drive anywhere just yet.

    We skipped brunch and went straight to a meat-feed bonanza lunch at Redbones BBQ.

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    As you can see, the portions are large enough to sink a ship! Afterward, we all slipped into food comas and ducked into Diesel Cafe for coffees to wake up.

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    From there we took a combination of underground and shuttle buses to Boston Common, which was teeming with folk enjoying this fine Saturday.

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    The evening took in more exploring, from the harbour to pubs to Quincy Market and the historic district. More pics coming! (What’s processed can be viewed here.)

    Category USA | Tags: | 2 Comments

  2. Dance Friday

    July 30, 2010 by Gail

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    Some dance floor photos from recent weddings, because it’s Friday and it’s time to dance! The long weekend is here! (At least in most of Canada it is — Quebec is the exception because their Civic Holiday is St. Jean Baptiste Day in June.) I’m off to Boston this weekend for a well-deserved break from untold hours of wedding photography and editing.

    Safe travels, everyone!

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    Category Image Legacy | Tags: | No Comments

  3. Doing My Part, Part 2

    July 29, 2010 by Gail

    It’s official — I am now a volunteer driver for the Canadian Cancer Society! It’s been a process, and this morning was the final step before I could start. Had a two-hour office training session this morning at 8am, then toured Sunnybrook Hospital, Princess Margaret Lodge, met the dispatchers, and over to Princess Margaret Hospital, all before I started my afternoon work at The Firm. I start driving patients next week, when I return from Boston.

    Category Haunted by Cancer, Mobile Blogging, Volunteering/Charity | Tags: | No Comments

  4. Happy 8th Birthday, Blog!

    July 28, 2010 by Gail

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    Eight years and 3,642 posts later, what have I learned from writing on the internet?

    1. While employed, don’t write about work.
    2. While self-employed, don’t write about clients.
    3. When writing late at night (that would be always, for me), revision is probably necessary.
    4. Don’t write about the love life. (Getting married was the exception.)
    5. Pets like being in the blog. Or rather, readers like pets in the blog.
    6. When in doubt, keep it in draft.
    7. Keep the ranting to a minimum.
    8. There can never be too many photos of well-presented food.
    9. The best camera you have is the one you have with you.
    10. Every post needs a picture.

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    Category gailatlarge.com | Tags: | 9 Comments

  5. Counselling And Support Referral Resources In Toronto

    July 27, 2010 by Gail

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    As part of my participation in a University of Toronto research study a week ago about psychological health in women, I was given a resource list that I thought would benefit the greater Googling public in the Toronto area. I want to write more about this, but as usual I’m short on time so I’ll just post the list for now.

    Distress Lines

    Distress Centre of Toronto 24-hour crisis line: (416) 408-4357 (408-HELP)
    http://www.torontodistresscentre.com/

    Gerstein Centre Crisis Line: (416) 929-5200
    http://www.gersteincentre.org/

    Referral Services

    Women’s Counselling, Education, and Referral Service: (416) 534-7501
    - free service offering referrals to therapy
    http://www.wcrec.org/

    211 Community Connection
    - information on government health and social services
    - dial 211 or visit: http://www.211toronto.ca/

    Low-cost or Free Counselling Services in Toronto

    1. OISE/UT Counselling and Psychoeducational Clinic
      - individual psychotherapy with graduate students, runs Sep-May, sliding scale
      252 Bloor St. West, 7th Floor (Bloor/St. George)
      Tel: (416) 978-0620
    2. Catholic Family Services
      - individual and group psychotherapy and wellness groups — sliding scale to no fee
      1155 Yonge St., Suite 200 (Yonge and Summerhill)
      Tel: (416) 921-1163 (they also have a location at Yonge and Finch)
    3. Family Service Association
      - individual psychotherapy, sliding scale
      355 Church St. (Church and Gerrard)
      Tel: (416) 595-9618
    4. Women’s Health in Women’s Hands
      - health services (and therapy) for women of colour in the Toronto area, no fee
      2 Carlton St., Suite 500 (College and Yonge)
      Tel: (416) 593-7655

    Category Culture + Society, Gail at Large, Haunted by Cancer, Loss, Widowhood | Tags: | No Comments

  6. Glub Glub

    July 26, 2010 by Gail

    shroudedMy friend Georges’ impromptu visit last Thursday to the sorry state of my apartment shamed me into a cleaning frenzy and tackling my laundry tonight, which took me the entire evening from the time I arrived home. It’s now nearly midnight and I’m not finished yet! Between the washing machine, washing mats in the bathtub, and washing dishes, I feel like I’m drowning in detergent!

    Speaking of drowning, this photo to the left has been my Flickr icon for five years. I like it as a thumbnail because it looks like I’m underwater. In reality, I’m standing over my camera, trying not to fall over. Maybe I’ll get back into the self-portrait phase again to experiment, something which I do from time to time but not with any regularity. I think the last self-portrait series I attempted was in Georges’ basement studio in Quebec City, over Easter Weekend. I borrowed a floppy hat. I love hats, but I have a large head (go ahead, I can take the jokes — I’ve heard them all!) and volumes of hair, which makes it harder to find a hat that fits and my noggin’ overheats quickly with all that insulation. Finding the Perfect Hat is a lifelong mission. This was my Perfect Hat for a long time, but it disappeared somewhere in the move between West Coast and East Coast.

    … I know, the detergent fumes are getting to me, I’m rambling.

    Category Blah Blah Blah, Gail at Large | Tags: | No Comments

  7. My Picnic Spot In Mimico

    July 25, 2010 by Gail

    Took my car for routine maintenance, stopped by a Japanese bakery for picnic food, and staked my claim on a high patch of grass by the lake to eat and read a book. Parfait! Laying against a gentle slope, I watched boats, gulls, and planes go by. I made a phone call, read a book, and enjoyed the sunshine. Five happy hours later, I left my perfect spot and felt entirely at peace.

    Category Mobile Blogging | Tags: | No Comments

  8. Sunday Snooze

    July 25, 2010 by Gail

    They want to snuggle, but it’s far too hot.

    Category Mobile Blogging | Tags: | 2 Comments

  9. We Do

    July 25, 2010 by Gail

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    Had a full day Saturday shooting a wedding that brought together a Guatemalan family and an Indian family. It was very colourful! Lots of photos to show after I get some rest — this was a 16-hour shooting day!

    Category Image Legacy, Working Life | Tags: | No Comments

  10. The Craving For Japanese Food Continues

    July 23, 2010 by Gail

    Except this time I stopped by my neighbourhood place, where they treat the webmaster (me) very well. I’ve had a long day.

    Category Mobile Blogging | Tags: | No Comments

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