TGIF

This Friday, I felt it was necessary to treat myself after a long week of grueling (and rewarding) work.  Therefore, the highlights of my day consisted of consuming a green tea frap (my absolute favourite), vanilla bean scones (my newfound favourite) and delicious dim sum at Noodle Express.

The Starbucks downtown had these really groovy hanging lamps that looked like they were imploding with fire.  Fierce.

Also, a friendly visual reminder that the Marker Social is happening this Friday on October 14th, 2011.   I almost forgot myself until I saw this handy dandy poster in the hallway!  Tickets are available at the Mercantile for $10.

My dear friend and colleague Josh Alao agreed to help me exercise my photography skills and acted as a model for the photo that you see above.

The roles reversed and Josh got the chance to flex his creative muscles.  Fantastic job!  Not to mention, the architecture of our campus looks absolutely stunning in the background.

We finished off our Friday one of the best ways we possibly could - with a satisfying meal of mouthwatering dim sum.  In my honest opinion, I truly believe that Noodle Express in Chinatown has some of the tastiest, freshest dim sum around.  Their sweet custard buns are to die for!

Cheers to another week of CreComm under our belts!

Stickers are the best incentive

Today marks a very important day in Jackie Doming history: I submitted my very first electoral vote.

And I even got a fun yellow sticker to prove it!

I filled out my ballot at the advance polling location inside of Winnipeg Square.  For those of you who are unaware, advancing polls are closing tomorrow at 8PM.  If you aren't quite sure where to vote and you know that you won't be able to vote on October 4th, this link will help you find out where to go.

Something that I found really great were these Future Voter Pledge Cards (and matching stickers), a certificate to give your children which encourages them to vote - once they're of age, of course.  I think that it's a fantastic method of advocating democratic practices to our youth.  When I was wee lass, I never had the opportunity to witness or really understand the voting process.  I hope for a better experience for our future generations.

At 57% in the 2007 provincial election, our voter turnout isn't too hot right now.  But, on the bright side, we can work towards improving these numbers and getting people to speak up, speak out and VoteAnyWay.

That was definitely the highlight of my day.  It probably sounds lame to some of you, but I honestly feel quite empowered.  I know that this may sound juvenile, but I feel grown up!

On a side note, please enjoy this picture of my delicious southwestern fried tofu sandwich from Mondragon's.  I scarfed it down yesterday on the way home from school and I feel the need to share with you guys how freaking tasty it was.  For all of you vegetarians and vegans out there, eat your heart out.

Let's face it, David Carr's a genius

It's not every day that you get the chance to see all of the going-ons inside of one of the most successful American newspapers of all time.

Last Friday, I saw Page One - Inside The New York Times, a fly on the wall documentary about The New York Times and the newspaper industry. It highlights the negative impact that the Internet is creating on printed media, believing that all of our current technological advances may ultimately put the paper industry out of business.

I'm personally a tech enthusiast myself and I don't mind the digital lifestyle. However, it's still terrifying to consider that print media, something that society has adapted to almost instinctually, may someday soon become a thing of the past.

Tablets are taking over the market by storm and I really don't think there's much turning back at this point. Every tech giant wants a piece of the pie, after all. Competition is fierce, which is exactly why the printed paper industry is getting pushed to the wayside.

One can even argue that our newer alternative is a greener choice. However, there is much more to that argument than meets the eyes. Indeed, the cost of producing books on the environment does leave a significant carbon footprint behind. However, the mark an average eBook reader leaves is equivalent to the impact approximately 30-35 books would make. That's PER device, and some would say that it will eventually balance out by the time you've downloaded a few dozen books, but the debate remains.

Sorry for going off on a tangent there. I felt like that needed to be said.

On a lighter note, I would like to highlight my favourite part about the documentary. It goes by the name of David Carr.

The former cocaine addict slash single welfare-dependent parent definitely stole the show for me.  In the movie, he plays himself as a culture columnist for The New York Times. His unforgiving and honest journalistic approach is so refreshing. Although him and I are polar opposites, I would like to loosely emulate his no-BS demeanour one day.

Carr loves The New York Times. That being said, he basically cringes at the thought of adapting to the technological revolution. But again, if he wants to be successful in his industry, he realizes that it is something that he must learn to do.

As far as print media is concerned, I believe that all beauty must fade. There is a nostalgia that attaches itself to the act of laying out the morning paper next to your hot cup of joe. There will certainly be traditionalists that hold on to that last string of hope for printed news, and I personally hope that the string holds for as long as it can.

Those are my hopes, but we'll have to see how actual reality pans out.

Q: What inspires you?

It is strange to say that I'm feeling inspired to talk about inspiration?

I do have a sensible explanation as to why this thought is crossing my mind.  Really, I swear.

A routine class exercise is what provoked this whole ordeal.  I was sitting (very obediently) in my advertising class, listening to some examples of effective radio ads.  They were unique, entertaining and had some out-of-the-box ideas that just seemed to work.  I was thoroughly impressed.  But what I couldn't understand was how the heck these people came up with these concepts!

The question of creativity is lingering on my mind, and I just can't seem to shake it.  As both a writer and an artist, I find rare instances where I'm unexpectedly boinked by creative genius on the head.  However, 99.9% of the remaining time leaves me looking for sources of inspiration.

So my question is: where exactly do you draw your inspiration from?

Last week, I remember Lynn Coady mentioning that her fiction "comes from life", which is most definitely a vivid source to draw from.  She mentioned that her characters are often loosely based on people that she knows.  Hmm.

I often relay traits of my conjured up characters back to people that I know and have met in the past.  Sometimes this method works, but other times I feel like there is a missing dimension to the depth of my characters.

I do, however, appreciate lending life experiences to inspiration.  Each of us have gone through such private and intimate events at various capacities.  Whether it's an eating disorder or simply the order of how we eat, we each orchestrate our daily lives in a completely different way.

What I find difficult is how people get their thoughts and experiences to sound interesting.  Not just interesting, actually, but gripping - to write from life and create a piece that has people hanging onto every last word of it.  Now that is a talent that surely all of us would like to emulate.

There are times when I feel like some ideas are just so farfetched - but they end up becoming literary or artistic gold.  Take 'The Scream' by Edvard Munch, for example.

I feel like I'm beginning to scratch the surface of where creativity can be drawn, but I have a long way to go.  Whether it's a person, past experiences or even someone's writing that inspires you, I think that it's a good place to start - but where do you go from here?

Let us eat, drink and be merry!

Yesterday, I decided to meet with an old friend at the King's Head Pub.  This pub, the central hub for many CreComm gatherings, seemed like an appropriate place for such a rendezvous.  Why here?  Because she is very similar to my peers, in a sense that she is someone who inspires me to follow my dreams without inhibitions.

Erica will be leaving in twelve days to move to New Zealand for a year.  One entire year, all on her own, in a brand new country with a blank sheet of unforeseeable prospects.

She has no work transfer, nor a permanent place to stay for the time being.  She isn't unprepared, however - in fact, she has all of her affairs in order to get her foot in the door.  She's applied for her work visa, purchased a travel journal and has money set aside.

She has a few contacts, but is riding on the fact that she'll make new friends during her travels.  Thankfully, she won't have any problems doing so.  Erica is, by far, one of the friendliest and most outgoing people I know.  She's a gem to have around, which is probably why she's such a good friend of mine in the first place.  (What can I say, I pick 'em well.)

But I was still afraid.  I was scared for her, for my good friend to be taking such a huge leap without any guaranteed outcome or success.  Committing to something without having any idea where it might take you?  The thought simply horrifies me, but it didn't seem to phrase her at all.

In fact, she was as excited as ever.  I could tell by the twinkle in her eye that she knew exactly what she was getting herself into.  I mean, she's young, open to exploration and has nothing keeping her from crossing this great escapade off of her bucket list.

And then I ask myself: why shouldn't she go?  Although the experience may be one of the most nerve-racking commitments she's ever made, there is no reason not to be there.  Winnipeg will always be here, her home - but New Zealand has opportunity written all over it.

It's new people to meet, new places to see, and new stories to share.  And who knows what else she'll come across once she gets there.

I asked her what her goals were.  She replied by telling me that she wasn't quite sure, and that she didn't want to jump the gun by setting her expectations too high.  She wanted to live in the moment, let the path pave itself and she was willing to follow it, wherever it took her.  I smiled.

It's true, life really is about taking chances.  Whatever magnitude the decision may be: whether it's moving to a different country, applying for CreComm or trying out the King's Head's new dinner special.

I'm glad that I got to see Erica when I did.  I may not see her for a year, or maybe even longer for that matter.  But can I really be upset that's she leaving?  No - In fact, I am ecstatic on her behalf.  I can't wait to hear about her upcoming trip and all of the great things that she'll come across.  There's no guarantee that they'll happen right away, but for what it's worth, I'm sure something amazing will come out of her year-long adventure.

Cheers, to Erica!  May New Zealand treat you well.

Drumroll please!

Hello there, stranger.  Fancy seeing you here!

WHO:  I suppose that introductions are in order.  I'd like to start by offering my name, Jackie Doming, and I am the blogmaster of this domain.  Some of you may know me as your fellow Creative Communications colleague, and for those of you that don't, I'm a student at the Red River College in Winnipeg, Manitoba.  I live in the heart of Downtown Winnipeg, conveniently located in The Exchange District.  And that's precisely what I'm going to be posting about - exactly how phenomenal it is to be living, eating and breathing in the most exciting part of this city!

WHAT:  During these upcoming weeks, months and beyond, you'll have the opportunity to follow me as I intimately explore The District and all of its hidden gems.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with what The Exchange District (a.k.a. The District, The Exchange) actually is, it's a national historic site which was originally associated with the Winnipeg Grain Exchange.  Since its inception in the late 1800s, it has undergone a dramatic facelift and is now known as one of the most happening cultural hotspots of Winnipeg.  It houses a plethora of speciality retailers, trendy restaurants, popular night clubs and so, so much more.

WHERE:  I am making a personal commitment to try to explore every nook and cranny that The Exchange has to offer (and hide!).  To be completely honest, I haven't taken full advantage of being so geographically close to this outstanding community.  There is so much culture, history and deliciousness (both artistically and food-wise) everywhere you go.  From now on, you'll be hearing about a wide variety of stories from all ends of the spectrum: interviews with the locals, restaurant reviews, fabulous fashion finds, events in Old Market Square, art exhibitions and whatever else is going on.  And there is always something happening in The Exchange.

WHEN:  You will be hearing from me on a weekly basis, if not more often.  This is preemptively telling you to stay tuned for future episodes of my Shenanigans in The District (this blog's official title, if you haven't noticed).  I would love for you to actively participate and share commentary on my findings.  Or better yet, you can certainly join me on these future escapades.  Now now, not all at once!

WHY:  Obligations aside, I think that exposure for this part of our city is so important in not only shaping peoples' perception of Winnipeg, but also building a sense of community and local pride.  So many great things are happening down in this niche of our great big town and the more people that know about it, the better!  The Exchange's tight-knit community is expanding at an exceptional rate, but every effort counts towards contributing to its growth.

I truly believe that it is my social responsibility, as an Exchange District resident and enthusiast, to share with you what it's all about.  I think that this'll be an interesting experience for both you and I.  So here goes nothing!