catch this guy: Martin Sexton

If you ever come across Martin Sexton in your local concert listings, I highly recommend you check out his show. I remember when I first saw him perform at a tiny club nestled in Park City, Utah at last year's Sundance Film Festival. The snow was falling outside and we were all huddled together, waiting for him to hit the stage. I had no idea what to expect, I had never heard of Martin Sexton before. As soon as he started playing I was hooked. His soulful voice and amazing vocal range sent goosebumps rippling across my arms. I couldn't believe that I hadn't heard of this immensely talented singer before. He had the stage presence of Jack Black, but the beautiful soul of Grant Lee Buffalo. We were fortunate enough to catch him again in Seattle at the Showbox on April 19th. He did not disappoint. Backed up by a band this time, his show had more of an O Brother, Where Art Thou feel to it - a real southern swamp kind of sound. I love the fact that he partnered up with Clif Bar to make his tour "green." His tour bus is filled with biodiesel, his tour shirts are made from organic cotton, he only eats organic food back stage - he's paving the way for bands to make a lighter imprint.

I am a bit of a purist and prefer the show where it was just Martin and his guitar in Utah -it is truly the best way to showcase his vocal range. Maybe I have a soft spot because we were lucky enough to run into him at the grocery store in Utah, where we got to thank him in person for his great show. I still giggle when I think of how People Magazine takes photos of celebrities with captions reading, "they buy groceries, just like us." He's a down-to-earth kind of guy and once you check him out while his "church" is in session, you too will be a believer.

on being a woman

I had a wonderful morning sitting on the back porch in the sun reading the book "Becoming Myself." It's a wonderful collection of essays written by women from all walks of life on what it means to be a woman.
I thought I'd take a few moments to write my own perspective on that very topic.

I was born at the right time. I love the fact that as women today we don't have to be pigeon-holed. We can be wonderfully complex creatures who aren't boxed in. As I grow older, I embrace the very things that make me different. I used to think that happiness was "the dream". I thought that happiness meant you had to have a husband, children, a house, a retirement plan, and a career. But as time has gone on, I've realized that to me happiness means tapping into all the things that speak to my soul. Happiness is discovering my unique strengths and developing them to their fullest potential. Being a woman is becoming who I am meant to be, not who I "ought to be".
I love the fact that I grew up with with adventurous girls who have turned into my life-long friends. We drew pleasure from jumping ditches, climbing trees and doing cartwheels in our yards. We could have a picnic with our dolls in the garden and follow it up with bike races around the block. We could be girly girls and tomboys in the same week and it didn't matter. To this day, I feel just as pretty in a dress as I do wearing my hiking boots and climbing in the mountains. I love the empowerment that comes with being a modern woman. Today's woman can be anything she puts her mind to. She should never apologize for who she is. If a woman chooses to be a homemaker, a career woman, a working mom, a single woman - she can. We have finally gained the right to choose.

I love the fact that I have friends from all walks of life: women who champion one another and support one another in their individul pursuits of happiness. I have no time for women who waste their energy cutting one another down. Women's friendships are most empowering when we can lean on one another and lift each other on our shoulders.
Oprah always says you have "aha" moments in your life. I remember lying on a rooftop in New Orleans last year, hammering in soffits. I looked around me and realized I had truly grown as a woman. With a fear of heights and a shy disposition, being on a rooftop and surrounded by strangers on foreign soil was definitely out of my comfort zone. But in that moment, I realized that I was happy, helpful, having a laugh and learning new skills. I was doing something that my grandma never could in her day. It would have been unheard of for a woman of her era to be away from her family working on a construction site.
We've come a long way. I can't wait to see what the future holds for each of my friends. As long as we try our best with each day, and keep growing, there's no limit to what we can become. So don't worry about "doing it right" worry more about doing it your own way.

New Resume Addition: Experienced at lining up

I don't know what could possibly be more fun than standing in line for 9 1/2 hours to renew your passport. Oh wait, I know, standing in line for 9 1/2 hours and going home empty handed. Farcical is probably the best word to describe today's events - but leaning more to the definition of "stupid" than "slap happy". Although, I have to admit, I could have happily slapped a few people today.

Work offered me the opportunity to fly to Las Vegas for a conference in two weeks, provided I get my passport updated in time. I called around and happily discovered that if you go to the downtown branch of "Passport Canada" you just have to show a meeting itinerary or airline tickets and for an extra $70 or $80 you can expedite the process and get your passport in three short business days. A couple of weeks ago a co-worker of mine lined up to renew her passport at 6 a.m. and walked out of the downtown office by 10 a.m. So, I naively thought that if I arrived at 7 a.m. I should have the process wrapped up by noon. You know, leaving ample time aside for an afternoon run, walking molly on the beach and catching up with my friends.

My first mistake was arriving at 7 without a coffee in hand. I stood in line and had to wait outside for about an hour before they shuffled us indoors. All I could do was stare longingly at those ahead of me who had the white gleam of starbucks cups in hand. "Oooooh look at me, I'm so organized and left myself an extra five minutes so that I could actually enjoy my time outside in line with a grande double shot non fat extra hot 1/2 shot of vanilla latte." Do you remember that feeling you get at Disneyland when you think you're getting close to the front of the line, only to round a corner and see it zig-zagging its way over hell's half acre? I had the same sinking feeling when they let us into Sinclair Center. If you ever wonder where Vancouverites hang out these days, they're all in Sinclair Center in the passport line. Apparently there were hundreds of people in line before 6. a.m. My heart sank as I saw people ahead with their lawn chairs in hand.

It's funny when you're in a line up all day. Your mentality shifts into one of desperation. "Can you hold my place in line? I'll be right back I have to run to the ladies room." And you do everything in warp speed so that you can quickly return to "your spot". And just as an aside, what are the rules with the handicapped stall in a public washroom. If there's a line-up, can you use the stall? I used it and then felt guilty after when I noticed a woman with a cane in line.

But I digress.

I giggled to myself when I noticed around 2 p.m. (7 hours into the line) - the old men in line were all starting to mill about. With one hand on their hips and another shielding their eyes as if blinded by the sun, they looked upwards towards the passport office hoping some passport pope-like ticket agent would come to the balcony and give us a tidbit of guidance. I especially revelled in the fact that it took until 3 p.m. for someone to swing by and tell us that, oh no, new development - we might not make it, but it's up to us to stay or go. Seeing as though I had spent 8 hours up until this point sitting & reading, shuffling along, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat - I decided to stay until the end. At 4 p.m., the passport agents handed us a yellow form - we wouldn't get to see an agent that day, but if we held onto these forms, they would allow us to deposit all of our information into a drop box. They made us line up (a process we were stars at by now) - and "stand by" while they put together said drop box. At 4:15 a very grumpy and over worked commissionaire told me in a thick scottish accent it was a waste of time to be there and that the drop box wasn't going to happen! I asked him if we could come back in the morning to this phantom "drop box" that was being set up. And he said, "look lady, you're naught gittin it, I'm tellin ya, it ain't goin' to happen!" As he started screaming and swearing, people gathered around and asked to speak to his manager. He just laughed at us and said, "I am but one man!"

Long story short, I will not be going to my conference, I am not one iota ahead in terms of my passport application and I now get to work the weekend in lieu of having this day off. Good times!!