Nico Space

random random

2009-11-21T19:07:00.000-08:00

*Luke found the report of our dig at Loughbown 1 near Ballinasloe in Ireland and there are photos of the ringpin I found. When I first found it I said, "look! a golf tee!" Instead it was a 9th century bronze ringpin on my first day at the job. Amazing!

*Reading through old blogs is interesting.

Even if some things I wrote make me cringe of embarrassment it really helps to bring memories back.

*I am in Regina this weekend for the second weekend in a row. Although this week is a little less stressful than last.

I am getting camera training this time. Even though I use my camera quite often these days, I do have a lot to learn. In general my shots are too loose and I need better sequences. It was great to go to a press conference today and come back and be really satisfied with my shots. It is all about changing my tripod of position each time. Not taking shots in a straight line. Different angles is key. My trainer is brilliant and has a way of explaining things in a way I understand.

Panda and the sopranos

2008-05-13T13:22:00.000-07:00

I will take a real photo of them soon

I was reading a few old posts and realized that I should keep up with this a little more. A record is important for stirring up memories. I was in an antique store a few weeks ago and there was some farmer's old diary from the 50's. It didn't have much that was very interesting but I thought it would be cool to find some one's old diary and write a play about their life. My gran always kept a diary...maybe I should try and track one of those down.

I think I am going to buy more fish today. In case you haven't spoken to me in a while I bought a tank about a month an a half ago and am keeping 4 tiger barbs and one panda barb. They are not the most beautiful fish but they have so much personality. I know that sounds odd, but they really are not very boring at all.
Anyway, 5 doesn't seem to be enough. The panda barb took over the tank and corners the four tigers. I have been reading up on them and apparently they do better in bigger groups. So, I bought a 40 gallon tank off kijiji from some lady in Langham. I have prepping the tank and think I am ready to introduce my old fish to their bigger habitat and add some more. I hope a war doesn't ensue between the old and the new and the big and the small...

I will keep you posted...

La gang de Radio-Can

2008-03-04T14:57:00.000-08:00

Christmas eve

2007-12-24T14:28:00.000-08:00

It's christmas eve and I am at work. But I am very lucky. Some people aren't home for christmas and some have to work a lot later than I do.

It seems like there is a lot of tragedy this christmas, a lot of people I know have relatives who have passed in the last few days. And just when you think that has to be the last one, Oscar Peterson dies.

I am starting to feel the excitement of christmas eve, which is odd because the whole day I was saying, sure doesn't feel like christmas...

I am excited to eat some good food with my family!! And presents...I love presents. I know it shouldn't be about the presents...but I love presents!

2007-10-04T22:05:00.000-07:00

I have an exciting weekend coming up. My cousin Michael is geting married in Martensville. It's going to be in the gorgeous United church along the riverbank. It is the first wedding on my dad's side of the family. But we are a really small family so there will not likely be many more...
I saw my cousin Des tonight who came all the way from Cardiff. Talk about two worlds colliding.

OOOh Saskatoon

2007-10-01T18:38:00.000-07:00

It is quite strange to be working in Saskatoon. But a lot more comfortable than Regina. It's comforting to go to familiar buildings to do interviews. I saw a few people I know throughout the day.
It was down to the wire though to give my story in. I don't think I will ever get used to this really last minute stuff.
It sure is nice not to go to a hotel after work tonight though.
What used to sound glamorous is now real.

2007-09-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

I am watching Peter Mansbridge up North.
I sure have a lot to learn from him and I sure miss the North.
But, I am happy to be in Saskatchewan.
I ran into Murray at Ohanlon's tonight. I was picking up some of that Sheperd's pie Jeff said was so good (it was very good!) and there was Murray. Second time meeting him in Regina. I love familiar faces and I love the feeling of knowing a place.

I had a lot of fun at work today.
It was my first ever TV report.
TV is so nice because because you actually have to get off your desk chair and get out and meet people.
That was the point of getting into all of this business in the first place.

NEVER QUESTION THE BLOG!! Unless you want to....

2007-09-13T18:11:00.000-07:00

OK, so I went through a period and I was questioning the blogging.
I know...the blog shouldn't be questioned.
I as WRONG.

I will keep on blogging for the time being. I hope people who checked up on my blog once in a while have not given up on me.
Since I am Madame français these days cause of la nouvelle job, it is probably a good thing for me to write in English once in a while.
I tell you...it hasn't been easy. My head hurts and I am tired. I have never felt so much extreme repetitive stress.
I have studied and worked for the past 6 years in English and my French has definitely suffered. It is coming back slowly and I am very excited for the point that I will feel just as comfortable in French as in English.
It is so easy to lose a language, it's not even funny. I am so happy I have the opportunity to work in both of mine.

I am listening to Bush adress the nation in my Regina hotel room...
I was so excited to grow up and stay in hotels and eat out every day and watch cable TV.
It really isn't all it is cracked up to be.
I am craving home.

100 people

2007-08-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

I was at a party about a week before I left Cardiff and one of the students in my programme asked me what was the the most important thing I learned this year. I hate picking favourites cause I think everything is important but some of the things one of my profs told us were really interesting. The critical thinking skills he taught us were really, really useful. He also showed us a breakdown of the world, if the world only had a 100 people. I think it was a great way to put things into perspective.
Here is an abbreviated version:

If the World were 100 PEOPLE:
Gender
50 would be female
50 would be male

Age
20 would be 0-14
67 would be 15-64
14 would be 65 and older

Geography
5 would be from North America
9 would be from Latin America & the Caribbean
12 would be from Europe
61 would be from Asia
13 would be from Africa

Religion
31 would be Christian
21 would be Muslim
14 would be Hindu
6 would be Buddhist
12 would believe in other religions
16 would not be religious or identify themselves
as being aligned with a particular faith

First Language
17 would speak Chinese
8 would speak Hindustani
8 would speak English
7 would speak Spanish
4 would speak Arabic
4 would speak Russian
3 would speak Bengali
2 would speak Malay-Indonesian
2 would speak French
45 would speak other languages

Overall Literacy
82 would be able to read and write
18 would not

Literacy by Gender
87 males would be able to read and write
13 males would not be able to read and write
77 females would be able to read and write
23 females would not be able to read and write

Education
76 males would have a primary school education
72 females would have a primary school education

66 males would have a secondary school education
63 females would have a secondary school education

1 would have a college education

Urban/Rural
47 would be urban dwellers
53 would be rural dwellers

Drinking Water
83 would have access to safe drinking water
17 would use unimproved water

Food
17 would be undernourished
Infectious Disease
<1% would have HIV/AIDS
<1%would have tuberculosis

Poverty
53 would live on less than 2USD per day
50 would live in poverty

Electricity
69 would have electricity
31 would not

Technology
34 would be cell phone subscribers
17 would be active internet users
1 would own a computer

Since I have a college education and I own a computer I would say I am one of the richest people in the world.
My mom called me this morning and told me that she met someone who knows my friend's boyfriend that lives in the United States. I thought to myself what a small world! But then I thought, what a small rich world. I know he has a college education and owns a computer. So we mix with the same small percentage of very rich.

2007-08-04T04:02:00.000-07:00

Out to a Mexican restaurant with Des, Geroge and Melini. George is taking the pic

SWITCH

2007-08-02T04:53:00.000-07:00

So this week has not been as horrible as I told myself it was going to be. I am too negative sometimes. The flatmates being gone, it has been a little lonely but really quite bearable. It has been nice to make a mess of the house and just hang out on my own a bit.

I had my last meeting with my supervisor and then got on the phone to try and book a flight home early but it would cost me an awful lot and I actually had quite a bit of work to do. It has been nice taking it easy on the final touches of my dissertation. A little change here and a little change there and suddenly it looks a lot better.

I have not touched anything so I have a lot of packing to do this weekend...and laundry. It is kind of odd to be leaving this place and not being sure when I will be back. I am planning on coming to grad next year but that will depend on work and money and all the other issues.

Tuesday at Des' was great this week. I think my crossword puzzle skills have come a long way this year. Crosswords are a strange thing. Even though the clues are random you get used to thinking in a crossword kind of way and if you do crosswords from the same author you begin to catch on to their pattern.

Des got his whole house rewired, it is definitely brighter and the switches are modern. The other light switches dated back to the 1930's. They were round, bulky and you really had to switch them on. They looked like the one above. They also made a kind of sizzle sound when you turned them on. It wasn't a gentle click.

I am going to miss the Tuesday night gang. But Des, George, Melini and I are going to go out for a meal on Friday night. We are going out at 8:30. Everything works about an hour or two later than it does back home. Lunch is usually at 1 or 2 and supper is at 7 or 8. Or maybe just an hour later than what I am used to.

My documentary is now recorded on CDs so I suppose I am finished tinkering with it. It is hard to lay things to rest that you have been working on for a while. I feel like it will never be perfect but nothing ever is so I will have to deal with it. I am getting the written portion bound tomorrow and I will hand it in.

I think it will take a while for me to realize this isn't going to be hanging over my head anymore.

Going out for lunch with Elaine today. She said she wanted to go for a British lunch so we must be going to a pub or something.

What day is it? Blink blink

2007-07-29T01:43:00.000-07:00

Everyone (my mom and luke) keep on telling me about this crazy heat. Damn, it is rare I see the sun here. So much rain. Luckily Cardiff has not had any flooding as of yet. It has been pretty terrible elsewhere.

This photo is of cardiff bay, Abi and I went down to the restaurant on top of the water for lunch yesterday. It wasn't this rainy though. We actually caught a little sun. I just feel like I have been missing out on the summer fun. But maybe it is uncomfortable?

Abi left for home to Geneva yesterday. Can't wait to go home myself. I have been saying that for a long time now...
I just feel like all I do is work and watch TV. However, I have been very lucky to have so many visitors and I sill have some friends here that I meet wih from time to time.

My God. I feel like I am whining. Things are pretty damn good when I think of it. I am almost one my MA and going home in a week. August is just so amazingly full of fun things to do. The Fringe, Folfest, Mike and Deanna's wedding extravaganza, Daniel's crazy ass huge wedding. Wow. I suppose I can put a little work in and suck it up butter cup. I actually have quite a bit to do this week and the time will be sucked away.

My own medicine

2007-07-23T06:18:00.000-07:00

I suppose if I am asking other people to blog (chris) I should do the same. I don't want to be called a hypocrite. I don't want to be called a hippo anything.

Well, as you probably know I am really looking forward to going home. My doumentary is put together in a sort of draft version. I still need to work on my levels. I may need to enlist some help from teachers with that. It seems the more I fiddle the worse it gets.

My prof is in France so there is no going over it with her until next Monday. So I am going to try and get all the other stuff out of the way. I have to finish my reflection and do a conclusion. I also have to get my production file all sorted and looking organized. Definitely not my style.

I am happy Abi is still with me for a week. I had to say goodbye to my other two roomies on Saturday. I don't think I have quite come to grips with this year coming to an end. I am just looking forward to sitting around in my backyard and having a little holiday.

Listening to Luke on the radio

2007-07-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

Luke told me he was going to be on CFCR today so smart me I am checking it out via web.
Man! He is awesome at being interviewed and I am very impressed at how well he sounds live via radio!
Fantastic Luke!!!

BBQ in the park

2007-07-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

Daniel is still here. I am happy about it but it is too bad he forgot the day of his flight. He has rebooked and is now leaving tomorrow. What a horrible feeling that is. I am sure evryone in the world has had a similar experience.

Anyway, it gave us time to have a BBQ in the park tonight. My roomate Abi got it all together for us. It was quite relaxing.
It has been great hanging out and doing fun things with Daniel.

I have been going through the process of possibly getting a real job and it has been an emotional roller coster. Actually thinking of a real job is a really hard shift after so many years of school.

Doing well at doing good

2007-07-16T02:52:00.000-07:00

Hey yo,

Things have been really good lately. I have been having fun with Mike, Deanna and Daniel. Now it is just me and Daniel left and we are still having fun! Des took Abi, Daniel and I out for supper last night and it was extremey tasty.
Today I hink we are going to go to Castle Coch and Cardiff castle in the same day!!! It will be very interesting since it is the same designer. It's not ABC (another bloody castle) for me yet. I still get excited by it, even if I have been to these two before.

I miss you all back home and can't wait for an amazing August. I am determined to make it incredible. August is my favourite month ever! But July has been sweet.

This week it's back to work!! I will sleep at the Bute building if I have to. I want to finish this thing!!!

This is a photo of a cock fighting ring at St. Fagan's.

PHOTOS

2007-07-13T03:10:00.001-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=35270&l=3256a&id=687205614

2007-07-12T01:27:00.000-07:00

Mike was saying that people blog a lot less since Facebook and it's sooo true! I need to keep this up because it's a good record of where I have been.

We have been having a great time here. It is so nice to have friends from home around. Mike, Deanna, Daniel and I went to the Museum of Welsh Life yesterday and then came home and we all made Fajitas together. We drank lots of the rum my dad brought back from India then walked down to En Route the Funky Buddha.

Today we are planning to go to Bath. I really don't mind going there again because it's so beautiful. It's only an hour away on the train so it's the perfect day trip.

Things are going pretty well with school. I had a super meeting with my supervisor. i am very happy I agree with most of her suggestions. It would suck if we didn't see eye to eye. She also pushes me to be more straightforward. I do have the tendency to tip-toe around things and expect people to know what I am really trying to get across. So hopefully I will get better at that.

Watch out Saskatoon. Papa is home tomorrow

2007-07-07T15:58:00.000-07:00

Just thought i'd give y'all some warning.

I had my last day with my dad here today. Finally, a sunny day! Haven't had any of those till now.

Dad and I were sitting on the patio at the Claude today and there was a girl who had a tatoo saying "Hardcore til I die'. Yes, it was spelled out exactly like that. Oh my, that is the last thing I would have written on my body (snort snort chuckle chuckle). You know, this world, it takes all kinds.

It has been really fun going out for supper and hanging out with Des and dad. Last night we went to a little pub on the way to Caerphilly. It was very, very yummy. There sure are some amazing restaurants here.

Ok, I am tired and not sure why I am blogging....

Later

My story is up

2007-07-05T09:26:00.001-07:00

My digital story is now up on the BBC website! They sent me the link today:

"My cousins and I were amazed by the way she could blow cigarette smoke out of her ears."
'To know someone' by Nicole Lavergne-Smith
http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/audiovideo/sites/yourvideo/pages/nicole_lavergnesmith_01.shtml

The video didn't work very well at school (the moving pictures weren't moving) but it worked when I played it at home.

My innards are fine, thank you

2007-07-05T04:35:00.000-07:00

The best thing about this documentary is the familiar voices I get to listen to all day. I always forget that I am in Cardiff because I am constantly listening to Canadian accents.

I went to Boxersize last night. It was the first period of major exercise in a few months. I went back to Sk and sort of gave up. This cannot happen when I return!I need to get in shape to dance the night away at Daniel's wedding.

I love how my family is talking about their outfits for the wedding. I am so excited to see how everyone looks! My mémé showed me her outfit twice! Which, reminds me that I still need to find a dress. I told everyone I was going to wear a large brimmed hat with big feathers so that everyone behind me can't see a thing!

It is the first period I have been alone at night in quite a while. My flatmates are all gone this week so I have the house to myself. I thought it would be terrible but apart from sleeping with all the lights on it is going pretty smoothly.

Humans are meant to spend time with one another and it is comforting to know someone is there. It is too depressing to be alone all the time but it is unhealthy to not be able to be alone. We need time to reconnect with our innards.

Hot stuff

2007-07-03T04:34:00.000-07:00

Both sides now

2007-07-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Well, I am all settled in.

Dad and I had a great trip this past weekend to Llantrwyd Wells. Or, as I say, one of those double L places.
We stayed in a little hostel right beside a pub. The first night everyone turned around an stared at us wondering who we were when we walked in and the second night we were greeted by everyone with a friendly knowing hello. The second night there was a man playing guitar in the pub. It reminded me a lot of Luke's gig at Maud Millars. One lady came up to dad and I during it and told us we were very welcome in the town. I thought that was very nice.
That day we had gone to Aberystwyth. It is a little run down but still a nice town.
Last nigt and tonight I went out for supper with Des and Dad. Both wonderful suppers. It sure is nice to have family in town. Today I spent some time working on my documentary. I also had my first meeting with my supervisor. She was really happy with my progress and very encouraging. I will meet with her again next week. I want to go hardcore this week getting it all together so that I have some free time for Mike, Deanna and Daniel coming next week. I can't wait to have my Canadian posse here.

Spurts

2007-06-28T05:20:00.001-07:00

Since I am now away from home and my best buddy isn't with me all the time for me to blab away to, I suppose I will go back to blogging.
I am loading all my interviews on Cool Edit today and they each take a few minutes, so I will blog in little spurts.
My trip here went very smoothly. The flight attendants were really nice and I was surprisingly comfortable the whole way. I also slept quite a bit. Yet, it has not helped my jetlag. I have been having a lot of trouble falling asleep at night. The birds were tweeting and the sun was coming up when I last looked out the window during the night.
When I arrived my phone was ringing and I had a message from my dad. I called him up and he was just pulling into Cardiff. No time to be lonely at all! We went to Des' house and had the usual Tuesday night feast!
Dad and I will go on a little trip this weekend but I am not sure where yet.

2007-06-11T14:51:00.000-07:00

OK.

It seems I am a better blogger when I am not at home.

Things are swell in Saskatoon. I am having a lot of fun and according to my mom I go out every night. It is true. I have been going out a lot. I think it's fabulous.

My interviews are going well. I have 2 or 3 left and then I am done. I have interviewed 10 people so far. I am learning a lot about interviewing and learning tricks to not forget my next question. Sometimes I get too wrapped up in what they are telling me that I forget where I want to go. I have been surprised at how I remember my questions pretty well.

It is really hard in a half hour or an hour to stay focused on one path. Every person is so full of information that sometimes I just want to hear all of it rather than stick to the key points.

Transcribing kinda sucks but it does give me the opportunity to really think and examine what each person has contributed.

I have a lot of transcribing to do this week and I want to get a good structure together to show my prof when I get back.

I am sad to go back to Cardiff and I am really hoping I can find a good job near home when I come back. Life is easy here and I like being close to my family and friends.

I was shortlisted for an internship with the UN in Namibia and found out I didn't get the job last week. It is the second year in a row I am shortlisted. Although, last year I actually got to the interview stage. I wasn't too let down though. Africa will happen someday and now, I suppose, is just not the time. I sort of feel like I want to get really good at my craft and go abroad and teach later in life. Right now I would be going to learn. Although, every experience should be give and take.

Anyway, happy times.