"So what's the plan?"

"The sun is shining, the weather is sweet..."

Toronto has been sun-kissed for the past week and despite the ambiguity of the Year of Passion (YOP), I have returned to the waking-up-smiling state of mind. I'm not entirely sure if its the freedom and time to do yoga almost everyday, take my time to meet with friends for overdue coffees, lunches & dinner meet-ups around the city, rabbit hole my way around to incredible job opportunities, or a combination of the above which screams flexibility, but it's been wonderful. However, the gig is up - aka my rented flat is up at the end of the week, and the YOP is still TBD.

Back to Oakville (aka Mum's place) to re-group & decide? mmmmmmmm not so keen.

Fly to San Fran, California area to volunteer at the largest Sustainability focused conference in the Americas? mmmmmm yes please.

My first meeting of San Fran occurred much after Danny Tanner, DJ, Uncle Jesse and the Full House crew graced our TVs back in grade school.

Actually it was last May while taking a short hiatus from corporate Canada where I found myself in the liberal-minded mecca of San Fransisco with my favourite sibling-o-funpack: Christina (happy taco on the right) & Laura (super fries on the left) Hug.

San Fransisco's colourful neighbourhoods, authentic Latin American food, easy-going west coast style, sunny personalities, and daily nudity lived up to Cali's rep for being open-minded and free-spirited.

Visiting the uber-green campus grounds of Stanford in Palo Alto (a mere 30 minute C-train ride out of San Fran) I was blown away by the outdoor living, cycling/longboarding culture and outdoor lectures we saw take place on just a typical Monday at this progressive uni.

And like any memorable trip, there is usually at least one song that instantly evoke the memories of that trip. This time around, although so overtly cliche, we embraced it...

...and apparently the charm of this little ditty isn't restricted to non-Californians. So after 5 days of annoying the organic tofu out of each other by singing & humming this melody, you can imagine our utter disbelief when we were walking the grounds of Stanford and 2 longboarders come around the bend belting "Californiaaaaa, here we coooooome..." No joke.

Love. I love this place.

Now, it is the Year of Passion that is what brings me very south and very west of Toronto, and back to California. It's called Sustainable Brands, and is a 4-day conference with over 500 Sustainability professionals, that link up annually at this conference to learn and educate; inspire and be inspired; network and socialize with their fellow partners in crusade for sustainability in business. Held in the seaside town of Monterey...

I will exchange 20 volunteer hours throughout the 4-day conference, for an 85% discount on the $US 2,400 delegate fee. (I am a sucker for a great deal after all)

Departing this Sunday, June 5 on an 8 am flight to San Fran, the infamous Christina Hug and I will take a ride share (from the Sustainable Brands website) to Monterey down the infamous Big Sur highway 1. (And here I thought the song Big Sur was just a funny name for a funny song....Oh Vanessa...)

All the California references aside, this conference includes a gala dinner @ the Monterey Aquarium, an evening networking session on the beach (complete with bonfire) and all the leaders in the sustainability world coming together for 4 days! GAH - Amazing!

This just has all the right ingredients to make a Year of Passion cupcake, and I can't wait to take a delicious bite.

Oh right...

FOLLOW-UP from last week's post about further dream jobs:

1. Grassroots marketer position@ Patagonia in Ventura, CA (Remember that one?) I applied last week and got a quick response: "Thanks but no." Humph.

2. Yoga training in Bali + Andrew visit in Jakarta = Plan B after Sustainable Brands

New ones on this week's hit list...

3. Co-Director at The Otesha Project: Cycling for Sustainability in Melbourne Australia

What is it? `..NGO that offers bicycle tours and educational programs to engage youth about sustainable consumption. Using theatre, multimedia, and interactive workshops, Otesha (Aust.)’s creative focus provides a unique approach to understanding environmental and social justice issues, enabling youth to become role models and sustainability advocates.`

4. Harvard Green Program Coordinator at ummm, Harvard in Boston

Year of Passion...how I love thee.

xoxo

V

Staycation kick-off...

"You came in with a breeze, on Sunday morning..."

Yesterday was an epic day with good friends, new foods, cultures, locations, sunshine and a fresh mind...all in my own backyard: Roncesvailles, High Park, Parkdale, Trinity Bellwood, Kensington & the quintessential sushi in the Annex. Ok, so it wasn`t quite in my backyard, as the official measurements of the yard of my townhouse shared with 3 other eclectic souls in the St.Lawrence Market district of Toronto might be 15 x 20 feet (without the shadows), but you get the idea.

Nothing says loving quite as well as being a tourist in your own town - so at 9:30am bright and early Sunday morning (complete with `proper footware`, backpack and extra large camera...)

Care and I, my tiny tot friend with a wit sharper than a set of Cutco`s and love of science, set off on the queen street car to Roncevailles: the up and came westend hood of TO known for its Polish food, proximity to High Park and yummy mummies

Once arrived at the sunny spot of Ronce, the tree-lined off-shoot streets of Roncevailles border this `so-Toronto`street of indie cafes, grocery & flower shops, Polish delis and delights, sprinkled with a hint of catholicism as those in their Sunday best emerge from their weekly hommage to the big guy in the sky...




Walking just a few blocks West, we find ourselves in Toronto`s take on Central Park - High Park. Delicious detached from the city core, yet linked at the same time, our stroll through this urban oasis is greenalicious.

We emerged out the north end of the park, strolled along Bloor West, then back down Ronce stopping to have a Polish lunch of Borscht with sour cream, egg and dill, then east on Queen alllll the way home to Care's place on Church and King.








What an incredible way to welcome back the sunshine, and also clear the mind for this week - playing the waiting game to hear back from Leith & Jochen re: SFA Project Assistant. (aka dream job at Von Trapp house in Salzburg, Austria)

Here are the facts:

Wednesday, May 12 - 30 minute Skype interview with Leith in Chicago

• She said I did "very well" and very sufficiently answered the questions about why I want the job, staying diplomatic, maintaining relationships and communicating with different groups of people
• My communications background is a strong advantage
• They are really looking for someone with "charisma" to engage and get the SFA off the ground
• There are 5 or 6 total short listed candidates - all of which will have been interviewed by now (last interview slot was Sunday)
• She and Jochen will let all candidates know by Wednesday of this week @ the latest of the outcome....

Less than 72 hours and counting....

PLEASE please please send your positivity this way :)

xoxo

V

.. . . ...connect the dots.. . . .. . . . .

"Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish"

-Steve Jobs @ Stanford grads

Last night I watched a video of Steve Jobs, the mastermind who created Apple computers and never graduated college. He was addressing a graduating class from Stanford in 2005. He tells 3 stories: "Thats it. No big deal. Just 3 stories."

The first was about why he dropped out of college, how typography on the Mac originated. He closed that story saying:

"Believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you confidence to follow your heart."

Second on how cheating death changed his life and how

"remembering that you are going to die is the way I know to avoid the trap of feeling you've got something to loose"

His third and final story was about getting fired from Apple and how his "love" for what he does has allowed him to overcome public humilation, rejection and temporary defeat. He finished that story saying

"YOU'VE got to find what you love. And that is as true for work as it is for lovers....the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you beleive is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle."

It was on TED.com, (the TED Talks website) which has recently become my "go-to" site if craving some good ol' multimedia...not to mention to be inspired/entertained/educated. Looking deeper, I found their description of what they hope to achieve at Ted Talks:

"We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So we're building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world's most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other."

Wow. What a delicious concept, and final product no less. I know this is not new for many, but wanted to share, especially since passion is built right into their model of success...

2 weeks notice...to Salzburg?

"This is one for the good days

and I have it all here in red, blue, green"

Toronto was blessed today with an unseasonably balmy summer day of 25 degrees. Waking up before my alarm to the birds singing (yes that's right - the non-pigeon type do exist in the city), all to the blue backdrop of a spring's morning sky and red brick of the neighbours house. As I peddled me and my favourite blue summer dress into work, feeling the warm air on my skin, and wind in my newly blond-y locks, I smiled at the opportunities that currently lay on the doorstep. Excitement and adventure is on the menu and I can hardly wait.

Monday was big. It was the first real big step towards the YOP. Lighting the fuse as I see it. I gave my 2 weeks notice. No job offer in hand, no plans made, no solid next steps: which one might be able to imagine could be anxiety inducing for the typical risk averse crowd at a Big 4 Accounting firm. Can I get a "Hollaaaa"?

But amongst the ambiguous quasi plans for the future, there lies one that has captured my heart and soul, am beginning to feel like Charlie with the Golden tickets - although in my case, am unsure if the ticket I've got is just a raincheck for passion, or if this is it:

It's called the Sustainable Futures Academy (SFA) and its in Salzburg, Austria.

I would be Project Assistant working closely with one of the leading minds in environmental sustainability, Leith Sharp: the women who 5 years ago, started the Green Campus Initiative @ Harvard and has established herself as one of the leading minds the global environmental sustainability arena.

So last Saturday morning, I had a ridiculously positive first interview over Skype with the Director of Education at the Salzburg Global Seminar (the NGO that is starting the SFA): Jochen. Born and raised in Germany, very close to the Dutch border, Jochen and I chatted for almost 2 hours about the SFA, and what the Project Assistant (me!) would be doing. And the short answer is that it is EVERYTHING I envisioned as an ideal vehicle for the YOP:

a) international and global work environment

b) focused on the environmental sustainability - and at the level to have real impact

c) working with a small group that are passionate, forward thinking and energized about how they spend their days

oh and did I mention I would be living, working and staying at the same place where Julie Andrews & the Von Traps lived in the Sound of Music???

And I quote....

"Located just outside of the heart of Salzburg, the original 18th centrury rococo castle lies like a jewel in a dream-like setting. It looks back at a plentiful past as a birthplace of the Salzburg festival and location of the world-famous film "The Sound of Music." The castle is American private property and hence not publicly accessible. Only guests of the house may enjoy the pleasure of 11 suites in the castle or 55 rooms in the Meierhof."

If successful, I would find myself in Salzburg as soon as my UK passport comes back from Washington - ETA June 4, 2010.

I'm short listed with 2-3 others Jochen tells me and am awaiting an interview with Leith this week - then 1 short week after they will inform who indeed has the golden ticket.

Send your positivity this way and I promise you an amazing time at the Von Trap mansion!

xoxo

V