How to choose a font for a tattoo

I'm in love with literary tattoos.

(I recommend Contrariwise as a great place for literary tattoo eye candy and inspiration!)

I'd say there are two different ways to go approach choosing a font/typeface for your tattoo:

1. If you don't know your quote/words yet, or if you know you want an ampersand, for example, but aren't sure what you want it to look like:

• A good place to start in this scenario would be to investigate the six or so different type categories, and then choose maybe one or two of them that appeal to you.

2. If you have already chosen your words, then perhaps it already lends itself to a certain category already. Or, if not a specific category, then maybe a certain feel (informal vs formal, business-y vs casual, serif vs sans-serif.)

Here's an example:

I've been drawn to the word 'Selah' lately.
It's a term used in the Bible, mostly in Psalms, and from what I understand, the meaning is around taking a moment to pause and reflect on what's just been said.
It's used after statements like:

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us.   Selah

and

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.   Selah

So in this case, I would picture the word 'Selah' to be used in a script. But fairly formal, as in calligraphy, and not an informal handwriting.

Next, I'd consider the size of the tattoo. A large size can allow for more detail in the font, whereas as smaller one would need less detail.

I like the site dafont.com for font exploration.
Here are some options I'd consider for a small Selah tattoo:

#1:

Font: Chopin Script

#2:

Font: Mutlu Ornamental

 This one is too detailed for a small version.

But I couldn't resist including it anyway.

#3:

Font: Selfish

 Interestingly, the more I look at this, the more

I realize it's probably too detailed for a small tattoo as well.

(i.e.the lines in the S requires you to be able to see the 

differences in the thickness of the stroke.)

#4:

Font: Some Weatz

 ps- I love capital S's!!

#5:

Font: Wedding Nightmares

Unless something jumps out at you right away, I'd say it'd be good to have a least 10 options to choose from.
Then maybe stare at them for a while to decide which one you want permanently inked on your body.

If I was choosing one of the above, I think it'd be between #1 & #4.
I also love #2 for something bigger.

My Digital Story

At long last!

Here is my digital story that I created this summer as part of Volunteer Toronto's SharedTime Project.


It was such a blast to create this.

During our three-day workshop, 10 volunteers from across the city gathered at Evergreen Brickworks and, with the help staff from the Centre for Digital Storytelling and Volunteer Toronto, we crafted our stories!

We laughed, we cried.... it was such a special experience to hear what others are doing and experiencing in the city. And there's such a feeling of 'Wow' when we gathered on the last day for the screening of our stories. To watch everyone's polished stories and congratulate each other.

Speaking of screenings.... I had the opportunity to take part in the SharedTime Premiere on the December 5th, 2011 - the UN International Year of the Volunteer +10.
I must say, it is quite something to see your work up on the Big Screen!

Dog Walking is my new favourite thing.

Dog Walking Update:

I love it!

It definitely did not start out as a fun time. (Walking around in circles for 2 hours and picking up dog poop? no thank you.)

But, I've come to enjoy it as I 'bond' with the dogs more. Some dogs are more difficult than others, but for the most part, they're all adorable. I definitely have favourites. My original favourite was adopted after being at the shelter for over a month. (We're all very happy for him!) My new buddy is this guy:

Isn't he handsome? He's bigger than he may appear in this picture (picture him bigger than a retriever).

There's one dog in the shelter right now who is wearing a cone around his head and when we go for walks he continuously shakes his head to try and get it off. It's sad yet hilarious. Poor guy.

Some of the dogs have a cough, which requires us to put on protective clothing when we take them for a walk. I view it as a costume!

Dogs + strolling + a costume (sometimes) = good times!

The BeltLine: The best trail in Toronto?

A couple weekends ago, a friend and I explored (and conquered!) the BeltLine Trail.

It's definitely a pretty trail, with a tree canopy and wide pathway. At one point, it is situated behind some fancy houses, so you can gawk at the backyards of Toronto's rich and famous people.

We encountered quite a few runners. So perhaps it is known as a good running trail. It is well-paved, I'll give you that. 

We started the trail near Davisville & Yonge St and strolled along until the end.
Closer to Davisville, it oddly intersects major streets, which means that you either have to J-Walk to reconnect to the trail, or you have to walk up to the lights and cross the street like a law-abiding person. Either way, it is kind of annoying. It does only happen a couple times. After that, the trail continues uninterrupted until the end.

 

Verdict: Definitely not the best trail in the city, but it is a good trail for an afternoon stroll. 

The best way to spend a Saturday Afternoon in Toronto: Evergreen Brickworks

It's no secret that I love Evergreen Brickworks.
I went back there a couple weekends ago, and rented a bike from BikeWorks.

This weekend, and friend and I grabbed our Nikon dSLRs, and headed off for adventure!
Here's the evidence:

My shoes.

Brick factory

colours

Graffiti Phone Booth

heehee!

Yup. I love Evergreen.

Sneak Peek: What I'm up to

Here's a sneak peek at what I'm up to:


Moving!!
I've discovered a benefit to being a bad packer. When it comes time to unpack, it feels like you're opening presents!
I have no clue what's inside each box.
And they each have such delightful contents.
The box that's currently closest to me contains pots and pans, cutlery, magazines, towels, books and mugs, an iron, and cushion covers!


Scribbles!


New dSLR!
I'm thinking of starting a Fun Flickr account...





Working on my course. I'm having a blast.


Cleaning and organizing...


and putting in drawer liner!

 
Dog-walker training here I come!

Obsessed with Wisdom

One of my favourite photography exhibits ended last week: Wisdom by Andrew Zuckerman.

I just stumbled upon it back in June. And I went back 3 more times to peruse the photos and read the quotes. ...and gain some wisdom!

 

It was such a special experience. Strolling among the photos, stopping at each one to discuss the photography and quotes with friends.

"Cooking is truly an act of love" - what do you think? 

Or, the concept that if you're not moving forward, you're decaying. Being stagnant is actually decay.
hmm. Where does contentedness fit in?

One of the benefits of going to see the exhibit so many times was that I started to remember the quotes and could compare/contrast them in discussions with friends. 

This seems manageable: 

Here is one of my favourites: (of course)

 

"enormous risks". wow. 

  

Here's another gem:

 

And from the book: 

love it.

My new favourite part of the city: Evergreen Brickworks

 

A few weekends ago, I spent a weekend at Evergreen Brickworks (EBW). I was there participating in a Digital Storytelling workshop. (It was brilliant!!! Stay tuned for more info on how it went.)

Every so often I come across these gems, and I wonder, "why didn't anyone tell me about this?!"
EBW is one of those cases.

I love. love. love. this place.
It feels like an oasis.

A place committed to nature and community. 

 

I think part of the feel comes from the fact that it's kind of in the middle of nowhere. It's definitely accessible by car, but not really by public transit. Yet it's only 10 minutes away from the city.

However...  They have a free shuttle! And.... the shuttle drop-off/ pick-up spot is about a 1 minute walk from my new home!!

SCORE!

 

So, if you're looking for me, just pass by EBW first. 

I can't wait to hang out there -  all the time. 

Saturday farmers' market.

Sunday antique market.

Yummy food/cafe (locally grown, organic delights)

Weekday activities (I need to do more research on this. ...I want to take a workshop there!) 

Bike rentals and nature trails

fun.

11 fun things to do in the elevator

According to my Yes and Yes calendar, this past Saturday was National Talk in the Elevator Day.

My new job requires me to take the elevator at least twice a day, and I've been thinking about how to make it more of an enjoyable experience.
(One thing to note, is that I'm only on the 3rd floor, so the ride isn't very long.)

I didn't happen to be in an elevator on Saturday, but the previous Friday, I made an effort to talk in the elevator. It wasn't much of an effort though. ...I said "Thanks!" to someone who held the door for me. :)

But it's a new month! I'm crowning August 2011 as "Talk in the Elevator" month.
We'll see how it goes.

To start off, I've developed this list:

11 Fun Things to Do in the Elevator:

1. Whistle/hum The Little Spanish Flea song
2. Face inward (with your back to the door)
3. Swap Twitter handles
4. Count down the numbers aloud (New Year's Eve style!)
5. Tell riders a super random fact (Did you know that 'Frisbee' used to be a trademarked name? It's like Xerox or Kleenex.)
6. Jump right before the elevator stops
7. Ask riders what they're listening to on their iPods
8. Dance
9. Conduct an impromptu poll  - Nikon vs. Canon, Mac vs. PC, M&Ms vs. Smarties, BB. vs iPhone vs. Android, Mary Poppins vs. Maria (Sound of Music)
10. Change outfits (Clark Gable style. ...no flashing!) 
11. Chug your drink before you get to your floor (bonus: if you're with a friend, get them to yell "chug! chug! chug! chug!)

What else should I add to the list?

Want a Change? Just Do It!

(photo (c) Xandert)

Earlier this year, I was chatting with a friend about my desire for change in my life, and she described me as being 'restless'.
And she's completely right!

I've since embraced my restlessness, and am running with it!

As I write this, I'm sitting in my half-empty apartment, surveying the items that I still need to pack.

Back in the Spring, I was apartment hunting, but because I had to give 60 days notice for terminating my lease, I was having major difficulties finding a new apartment that was available in 60+ days.

The solution?

1. End my lease.
2. Chill for a bit. (30 days)
3. Then start looking for a new place!

Thankfully, it all worked out splendidly. My new apartment is in The Danforth (which everyone keeps telling me is an amazing neighbourhood), and it has most of the key features I was looking for.

One of the benefits of 'forcing' change, is that it makes life more exciting! Rather than the predictability of structure and planning, this method creates an unknown element which is fun to live within.
During the month where I was chilling, I was able to dream about the future. Who knows where I'll end up! Downtown? North York? Port Credit? The west-end? The east-end?
(I should mention, one of the keys to this approach is that I wasn't too stressed about the situation. My Plan B for if I didn't find a place was that I would move back in with my parents. So it's not like I was facing homelessness or anything serious.)

The other fun aspect of this approach is the punch!
You know when you make unplanned decisions, you often need to roll with the punches that arise?

In my situation, the punch was that my new apartment's move-in date doesn't aligned perfectly with my current apartment's move-out date. So I'm moving in with my parents for a little bit.
This means, storage facility, commuting, two moves, living out of a suitcase, and other things.

But again, this kind of adds some extra flavour to life.
I think of it as lime zest.

tangy.

The moral of the story is: If you want a change in your life, just do it!

WANTED: Fun!

Guess who's learning braille!!

I'm stoked. I registered for the Braille Transcriber certification course, and I received all the course materials, so I'm on my way!
Braille is fairly complicated.

This is going to be a fun journey.

Earlier this month I went wandering around the city and came across a labyrinth near the Eaton's Centre.
Labyrinths are fun, I suppose.
But I was mostly intrigued by this plaque with braille instructions/descriptions:

In addition to the studying/work that this course requires, I want to add more daily fun to my life.
Enter... dogs!!

The plan is to become a volunteer dogwalker with the Toronto Humane Society.
I attended an info session last week, and now I need to start the application/training course. We'll see if I meet all the criteria. For a charity, they have a really strenuous volunteering application process. (Multiple phone and in-person interviews, various training sessions...) I suppose it's understandable, given that you're dealing with living creatures. And the THS has had such bad press over the past couple years

Other options:

• Barista course: There's a Groupon right now for a 3hr course training you fancy-coffee-making skills! I don't have an espresso machine but I figure it might be fun to get one. And/or to learn about how Starbucks gets my latte tasting so good! [Update: I bought the Groupon!!]
• Photography course: I wanted to take this earlier in the year, but I decided not to because I don't own a dSLR. And then today, while I walked through my new work neighbourhood, I had a great idea for a photo project. So now I want to get a dSLR. ...And if I get the camera, what's stopping me from doing a course?
• Illustration: For whatever reason, I feel like taking a drawing course. I think it'd be fun!
• French: Should I take more french? It's kind of counter-productive to take a one-off courses and then wait months (or years) until taking another one. Maybe I should enroll in a longer credit course. Or certificate program! (intense!!)
• Desktop Publishing: A while ago I was looking into certificate opportunities in T.O for desktop publishing courses. I ended up dismissing them though, because I wouldn't be in town in the Fall. But now that I am staying in town, maybe I'll go ahead with it!

hmmm, what other fun course options are out there?

How to gain Wisdom

Buy it on Amazon!

Wisdom is a book by Photographer/Filmmaker Andrew Zuckerman.

I first came across this work last week - there's an exhibit of Wisdom at Brookfield Place (BCE) in Toronto.

I stumbled upon the exhibit and quickly became mesmerized by the large-scale portraits/quotes. About thirty minutes later I discovered that the book was located at a nearby table! So I became enthralled with that for a while.

I then returned to the space the next day to take another look.

Check out this portrait of Painter Andrew Wyeth: 

 

His face and his facial expression are amazing. Combine that with his quote which is about the power of love, and it's quite possibly my favourite portrait out of all of them. 

I want a copy of this for the dining room in my new apartment. 

Can you imagine? Right over the head of the table?

Speaking of new apartments... the Wisdom book would make a great house-warming gift! (hint hint)

The exhibit is at Brookfield Place until August 5th.
I highly recommend a visit - or two.
(bonus: It's right by Cheeseland!)

Dear Stranger, You're awesome!

It's time to write some fan mail to strangers!

Over the past week or so I've been impressed by some strangers/acquantances who have really pleasant and welcoming 'spirits'.
You know those people who just draw you in, and sort of emit sunshine?

I've decided to let them know.
(Now,  there's fan mail to podcasters or celebrities, but that's not what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about super random fan mail for regular people who aren't particularly putting themselves in the spotlight.)

I wrote my first "you're great!" email last night to a couple I met briefly while apartment-hunting. (Bonus: the couple is currently living in my new home. Good vibes all around!)

There is a little hesitation on my part, cause who knows how I'll be interpreted, or misinterpreted (i.e. presumed hidden agendas), but I'd say it's definitely worth the risk.

Here are a few components to consider including in the email:

• Who are you (If the person is truly a stranger, it's likely that they may have forgotten your interaction with them. Jog their memory!)
• Describe what is special about them
• Explain how they impacted your day/life

Also, try not to sound like a stalker or crazy person.

Happy writing!

What does your future hold?

(photo by Nino Andonis)

what to do, what to do?

My French-language course is winding down. Two more weeks to go, and then I'll have my Tuesday and Thursday nights back!

I realized a couple months ago that if I don't plan out my life, I don't actually accomplish much. So I've started a list of '31 things to accomplish by 31' (inspiration from Sarah Von) and my planning for the next couple months relates to the things I want to accomplish. (yay!)

One thing on the list is to learn Braille.

A couple years ago I investigated becoming a Braille Transcriber, but my plans were thwarted fairly early on in the process.
Now I've decided to try again. Fingers crossed!

Another thing I might attempt this summer is becoming an Audio Book Narrator.
The idea itself makes me laugh, because I don't think I'm a very animated speaker. The process I'm looking into is fairly involved (various tests, audio samples, and interviews). But I'll start and see how far I get. It should be fun.

I'm not sure what else to try and start this summer. If everything goes as planned with my job, I will be out of town from October to Christmas. So in-person activities are out of the question.
hmmm...

How to Enjoy Yourself in Toronto

Last weekend a friend of mine came to visit me in T.O and I was given the challenge to provide her with an exciting classic Toronto weekend.

As someone who doesn't particularly enjoy planning (I prefer the 'go with the flow' method), I struggled to come up with a timeline of activities for the few days.

In the end, I only had one timed item on the list of activities. However, as is usually the case, we had a great time! We wandered around the city and enjoyed some of my favourite Torontonian things.

1. Luminato: "Habit"
This was my first time taking part in the 'Free Creativity' festival.

We went to OCAD on Saturday morning to view a play called "Habit". A description from the Luminato website:
"Three actors inhabit a house for eight hours a day, spontaneously going about their business while seamlessly repeating a script....as you watch through the windows of ... a fully-functioning house, constructed inside the project space...  Habit raises fascinating questions about the nature of performance, spectatorship, and even reality itself."
It was pretty hardcore. Brilliant concept. Uncomfortable script / subject matter.

2. Starbucks
Yes, I'm including this on the list. My beverage was made just the way I like it. And it made me happy.

3. AGO giftshop
I love browsing through the AGO Store. This is where I bought my latest gadget!

4. Burrito Boyz
Arguably the best burritos in town.
We popped by the Adelaide location and took our burritos to go.

5. 401 Richmond Roof-Top Patio.
My first time to this patio.
 
It's smaller than I envisioned, but it has a great 'community' feel.
 
I imagine that all the creatives in the building pitch-in and make the space comfortable and clean.

6. 401 Richmond 
After munching on burritos on the patio, we wandered around the building. I love this space. I should go there more often. The building itself is fantastic, as are the tenants. We wandered around the design book store and art gallery.

and I was enthralled with the washroom.




brilliant.

7. NFB Mediatheque
To give our feet a rest, we headed to the NFB to watch some free films.
We ended up watching Nadia's Journey. A film about the experience of women living in Algeria. It's an eye-opener for sure. And really sad.



8. 7 West Cafe
After coming back home and watching the Oprah DVD, we headed out to XocoCava for some after-dinner ice cream. Unfortunately though, they close at 10pm. ...Where do you go when everywhere is closed? 7 West of course!
7 West is one of my favourite spots. I'm a tad bit obsessed. We were there for a few hours and then headed back home.

Day 2 involved visiting a small community church in my neighbourhood, having lunch at a local park, and window shopping along Yonge St. We also stopped by an art store and I bought myself a huge canvas to make my next painting  (stay tuned for the final piece!)


So how do you enjoy yourself in Toronto? Wander around, take the subway, explore, go through open doors, eat, stay up late, and most importantly, do it all in the company of a friend.