Nov
28
Every week Loretta, our ED, writes an article for the Vancouver Observer. Here’s last week’s article.
Alex R’s story was so compelling that Emily Barca from VO offered Alex an opportunity to write about Vancouver shows.
Passion girls just keep going!
Nov
28
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s… SNOW?!
Christmas is in the air, Vancouver! Has everyone started their Christmas shopping?!
How has everybody’s week been? Well, after the snow blasted down and painted the city white, I called up some friends, and we all piled into one vehicle and ventured forth to Metrotown Mall! When we got there, we blasted through the mall, and rounded up everything “Christmas-y” that they had to offer. What can I say, I’m a sucker for Christmas!! Preparing for Christmas can be madness at times; the malls are crammed, people are pushing and shoving to get to gifts for their loved ones, Starbucks line ups go down the street, but when you go with friends, it makes things more fun! Aside from Christmas shopping, I’ve had a challenging, yet adventurous and accomplishing week of climbing the Lynn Valley peak, which was freezing cold but fun!! Also, I spent some quality time with friends, went to build a bear, had an eggnog latte at Starbucks, and decorated my apartment for Christmas!
A favorite tradition of mine is to bake up a storm of shortbread and gingerbread cookies, and enjoy some Christmas movies with my friends!! For the first time, I’ll be spending the holidays in Vancouver this year. Things are going to be a bit different. Yes, I am definitely going to continue the tradition with my friends down here, but I realize that Christmas goes a little deeper than that. You see, while we’re all snuggled up with a cup of hot chocolate, watching our favorite Christmas classics, there are people on the streets who have nothing, nowhere to go, and nobody to do it with. This year, I’m going to do whatever I can to help whoever I can, and I encourage you to do it too!! Whether it’s dropping a few canned goods off at a local food bank, or dropping a few coins into a Salvation Army kettle pots, anything and everything helps. I am encouraging everyone to carry a few granola bars in your pocket/purse and if you see a homeless on the street, hand one over to them. Remember, they aren’t going home to a warm house and home cooked meal!! My plan is to volunteer at a homeless shelter with a few friends, collect some sweaters, jackets, socks, gloves, toques, and anything that I can do that will help make someone’s holidays that much better, and take it to a homeless shelter.
Christmas countdown: 36 sleeps!
“Peace on earth will come to stay, when we live Christmas every day.” – Helen Steiner Rice
Nov
21
Optimistic Disaster – Tanya Lee
As I’m walking along a crooked ridge
Moments tumble and shatter on the ground
Eruption of passion, I feel enriched!
All I see is light, I’m not looking down
Liquid oozes over the horizon
The world is shaped like a silver screen
Shades of wonder reveal what’s surprising
Life gets dark, but I can still see the gleam!
All I see are the objects I can face
I’ve lost everything but I’ve still got hope!
Handling everything with simple grace
My glass eyes become a kaleidoscope
Ink connected to paper, I begin
Art burnt by eruption, I’m jumping in.
Nov
13
Underage Thinking
Hola! Je m’appelle Tanya Lee!
Anybody who knows me knows that I’ve always wanted to move to Vancouver. While visiting it when I was 13, the infectious, lively, colorful, cultural city gave me a high, an awakening, new level of hope. It was a done deal, I knew that one day I would end up living here.
Embarking on a very adventurous move from a small town to Vancouver was a challenge but it’s been a great learning experience. Resources are spread thin in a small town, and in the big city, they are scattered all over the place like wildfire.
At 17, I made the decision to move to Vancouver. I saved up enough money to live off for a month and a Greyhound ticket to get there.
Drive, optimism and ambition have helped me towards discovering my passion and pursuing what I’ve been dreaming up ever since I was fourteen. Adventures inspire me to the max and helps carve a path towards my dreams. I’m a curious, optimistic, driven, and relentless girl who is trying to figure life out.
This blog is going to be full of stories from back home, how I’m accomplishing my goals, challenges that I’ve faced and conquered during the week, and many other encouraging, positive things!
Journalism has always sparked an interest in me for a few years now. Practicing writing fuels the inspiration. Pursuing it keep the flames burning.
Writing is my life. writing down my feelings and expressing myself helps me paint a picture. It helps me discover things that I haven’t discovered before. I live for late night coffee runs and endless hours writing in coffee shops. Finding the “perfect” sushi restaurant, talking to people, getting to know them and their theory on life fills my curiousity. And devouring and assembling words, like a puzzle, into stories and songs is something I can do with ease. Soaking up inspiration from anything and everything makes me happy.
Writing keeps me sane.
Five goals of mine for the years to come, are to help someone through a challenge, get a degree in journalism, publish the book that I’ve written, copy-write and send my lyrics to a producer, and finish my other book.
Words are beautiful in my eyes. You can play with the same set of words and create many different stories with them. How I would describe my style of writing is “unique.” Nothing makes me yawn more than reading the same mainstream, generic styled stories. I’m constantly challenging myself to twist, turn, re-form, and look at my stories and lyrics in new perspectives and I’m proud of every song and story.
They are all inspired by something and have my feelings spiraling through them and smudged across them. Re-occurring themes that I enjoy writing on are optimism, medieval times, love, colors, dark and twisted feelings, and happiness. Honestly, I believe that anybody can write, people who’ve been through a lot have the most to write about it, they just choose to bottle it up.
I find it interesting how many people run away from challenges. I believe that they’re meant to be there. We’re supposed to battle them, to strengthen and grow. It’s not meant to be easy, it’s meant to be difficult, so that when it’s all over and done, you can look back and think, “I won the battle, I conquered my fears! Life was adventurous.” Challenges are what keeps me going. If life didn’t have challenges, then life would be boring and wouldn’t have meaning.
Blogging has always been a dream of mine. When I was asked by The Passion Foundation if I wanted to write for them, I felt absolutely ecstatic and honored! Being asked to write this blog, I hope that I can use my dream to help others fulfill theirs. If this blog makes you feel happy, optimistic, and inspires you to life out your dream, then I’ve done my job.
This blog is dedicated to you. I want to to help inspire you to live out your passion in life. If you haven’t discovered it yet, then I hope it helps spark something in you. You deserve it!
Thank you for reading, and I hope you continue coming back weekly!
I’m going to leave you with quotes that I live by,
Enjoy!
“Until further notice… Celebrate everything!!”
“Do not follow where the path may lead.
…Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
- Harold R. McAlindon
Nov
8
We are proud to announce we have some amazing volunteers with the Passion Foundation. Each man and woman who gives their time and energy brings such incredible gifts to the table and we can’t express our appreciation enough. So much so, that we’ve decided to highlight each one over the weeks to come.
Today we honour Julia Spitale
This past year Julia became involved with the Passion Foundation. She believes in the foundation’s mission to help young women discover themselves, their passions and create their own community projects.
Last summer she organized a charity event, Little Lilith. The night showcased Vancouver female singer/songwriters, including Nat Jay, Elaine Ryan, Jodi Doidge and Lisa O’Neill. Proceeds from the night went to the foundation.
A singer/songwriter herself, she also pledged to volunteer for the foundation an hour of her time for every person who attended one of the dates on her Outside the Cottage tour Summer 2010.
Julia will volunteer as a facilitator for the passion foundation’s upcoming workshops.
Julia Spitale is a lover of life, communication professional, singer/songwriter, traveler, personal cook and volunteer coordinator.
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/juliaspitale
http://www.myspace.com/jspitale
Nov
4
Check out this new project and how you can help make it happen!
http://www.pincgiving.com/campaign/burnaby_custody_passion_project
