bookmark_borderOpening Soon: The Christine Elias Career Museum

My colleague says I could create the Christine Elias Career Museum with the sheer amount of work bumf I have squirreled away in various corners of my office.

Do I need the complete Nortel Visual Identity Guidelines — including the stationery, signage and forms sections? Apparently, yes. Yes, I do.nortel

Of course, people actually remember Nortel.
jot
Who remembers, jobsOntario Training (there is not even a link to tell you about it!) — a skills development and employment program of the Ontario government? Me! It was my first career-type job.

A Cito business card holder? Could you part with some tangible item from your fourth job? If so, you are a stronger person than I could ever be.cito

There’s more stuff around, but I am still in process of cataloging the collection.

bookmark_borderMy secret calling: weather reporter

I studied broadcast journalism in school, so I can write a short snappy sentence. But I never aspired to be on air. My colleagues tell me that I may have missed my calling: weather reporter.

Not a meteorologist proper, of course — that involves actual atmospheric science and a whole bunch of data analysis. I stopped understanding science of any kind when we got to the semipermeable membrane chapter in high school biology — is that like a half-open door or it is more like a saloon door?

It’s not like I enjoy weather. I hate being too hot — or too cold — I am happiest in the chilly delight of mid-autumn.

too-hot
Enjoying beautiful Hawaii.
patio
There are ways to make unbearable heat more palatable…
ottawa
Enjoying lovely Ottawa.
orillia
Getting ready for some outdoor winter fun in Rosseau.
opera
My happy place — sweater weather in New York. There’s a narrow window of the weather I enjoy. The rest of the year — about 9 months on average — I am (more obsessed than usual about) monitoring the precise weather conditions we can expect that hour, day or week. I check several sources daily and compare forecasts. (Environment Canada, the weather app on my phone, the Weather Network on Twitter and several others!)
  • I need to know the Humidex — will I be weeping all day? Should I stay inside in the A/C?
  • I need to know the Windchill — will it be a scarf and hat day? Do I need to wear my balaclava?
  • Will it rain? — I need to know whether it’s an umbrella day, a rain hat day (yes I have a rain hat), or a raincoat and rain shoes (have those, too) day.
  • Will it snow? — can I wear regular boots or do I need to get out the heavy insulated ones?

So yeah, I am very informed about current and pending weather conditions.

Tomorrow we’re expecting a high of 9°C with a mix of sun and clouds and there’s a 30 per cent change of rain. Pretty much a perfect day!