august rush
August is nearly halfway done...I cannot believe it's gone by this quick! This month has been a time of stretching for me and I am constantly surprising myself with what I agree to take on time after time. Just to give you all an idea of what a typical week has been like this month I...
Am a full-time intern for Freedom Tree, the organization I went to Sierra Leone with.
Grant writing, document publishing, external networking, meetings, website design, planning, correspondence to contacts in Sierra Leone...it's been a full plate to say the least! But has been very rewarding to be involved with the work I started while I was away.
Am recording my 5-song E.P.!
This is probably my favourite activity as of late, as I have been managing to squeeze some recording time in and I am so happy with how everything is sounding so far! We have a live band sound for some tracks, whilst others are R&B founded with electropop undertones. The record will be up on iTunes and a release date will be announced very soon! Thanks to everyone who has been following! If you want a little preview, send me a request on the contact form and I can send you a small clip I got from the latest session.
Am taking a summer course!
Yep that's right, I am in school! It's been a whirlwind trying to balance an entire class whilst doing everything else. But this is my last year of school so I am grinning and bearing it. The final is coming up next week so I'll actually have a bit more free time after that.
Am working a part-time job.
Ah, the cherry on top...I'm still making money the conventional way on top of all of this and luckily it hasn't been that crazy and has only taken up some evenings and weekends.
Got a new job lined up for post-graudation!
I recently got hired at a new position for when I am done school! The position pays well but is not that related to my career/degree goals. My hope is to continue searching as the school year progresses, but if I can't find that dream first post-degree job, I do have this lined up! It has been a vigorous application process for this gig so far though, so I've had to balance a lot of those meetings as well this month. To be honest, it came about quite unexpectedly as well.
I am starting to find a sense of balance as some of these projects begin to pan out a bit more, but it has been fun getting back into the North American way of life. I've also gotten to check out some great new places to eat, see some movies I was itching to check out, make new friends, and learn to time manage like never before. Some recommendations for August:
Beats1. Beats1 is a radio station that is a part and parcel of the Apple Music provider. I've had Apple Music for a while but I only recently discovered how awesome Beats1 is! I've discovered some amazing music, including artists like Nao, Glass Animals, Emma Louise, Little Dragon, and Sinead Harnett to name a few. My favourite segment is definitely the Live from London broadcast...it makes me really, really, miss the U.K. (Which reminds me, my Gallery is almost finished construction! The page is currently locked on the website as I finish up the details, but soon you'll be able to see a collection of all of my images from travel and more!)
Trolley on 17th. Trolley is a Calgarian brewery and restaurant/bar right on 17th avenue SW. If you get a chance to sit upstairs, there is a dreamy view of the scattered cloud sky and a peek of some of the close Mount Royal homes. The drinks are fantastic and the mood is just right. Perfect for a warm summer evening. You won't even feel like you're in Calgary, trust.
Stranger Things on Netflix! Cliche? Maybe...but this show seriously rocked my world and acted as my reward after a hard work day last week. If you liked the movie "Super 8" and love pseudo-scary sci-fi like I do, this will not disappoint. There's a reason it has such a high rating. Makes me nostalgic for a time I never even knew.
Florence + The Machine's songs for Final Fantasy 15. Florence + the Machine just released a 3-song compilation for FF15 on iTunes this morning, and it is seriously amazing. For those who don't already know, Florence is my all time favourite artist (I got to see her front row in an ancient Roman amphitheater last July and it was the best concert of my life), and these new tracks are seriously just what I needed. Definitely check it out if you like FF or just her more atmospheric-sounding music.
Alright guys, thanks for reading my update for the month! I'll check back in later. - j o s i a h