Farewell Summer!

Inter-Dec College, Montreal

Things are going to get very hectic, very soon. The summer is coming to an end and in less than a week, I will be starting my full-time studies in Professional Photography at Inter-Dec College. Tomorrow, I'll be going in for orientation, where I will get my class schedule, obtain my Student ID, get a tour of the campus and be assigned a locker. It's been 12 years since I last pursued full-time studies. I graduated from Concordia University with a Bachelor of Arts in 2001. Oh, and I haven't had a locker since high school.

Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal

Another sign the summer is coming to an end is the return of the annual Montreal World Film Festival. Last Saturday, I saw a profoundly beautiful and touching Japanese film called Case of Kyoko, Case of Shuichi. Tomorrow night, I'll be seeing Dark Blood, the film that the remarkably talented River Phoenix was working on when he sadly passed away. On Saturday night, I'll be seeing a French film called La Vie Domestique. On Sunday, I'll be seeing an Italian film called A Five Star Life. Finally, on Monday, I'll be seeing an Australian/French film called Adore. I love attending the World Film Fest, as it's an opportunity to see films from across the globe. It's also an opportunity to meet some extremely interesting people -- patrons, filmmakers and actors alike.

My niece, Liana Paré

In addition to attending the Film Fest, I will be going to see my lovely niece Liana in Last One Standing's production of The House of Yes, in which she will be playing the role of Lesly. I'm very proud of my niece and always enjoy seeing her on the stage. This Saturday also happens to be her 22nd birthday, so she's very excited!

In related news, Liana will be studying Art History at my Alma Mater -- Concordia University -- beginning this autumn. So, it looks like I'm not the only one who's going back to school! The two of us are looking forward to meeting up for coffee between classes, as our school campuses are very close.

Kampai!

In other news, last week, I was delighted to spend time with my dear friends Mike & Miyuki and their three-year old son, Koa, who were visiting from Japan. I hadn't seen them since 2010 -- when Koa was just a few months old -- and it was so great catching up with them after all this time, but it was also a tad bittersweet. Unfortunately, all of my closest friends live far away. I'm not complaining, though. I am so grateful to have the most incredible friends a girl could ask for. Perhaps someday -- when I'm a famous photographer -- I'll be able to afford to take all my closest friends on a spectacular holiday. My first choice of destination is... Sri Lanka. I hope you're all okay with that. 

It's About Time

It's been over a year since my last blog entry. I could say that I've been busy with other things, which I have, but that's no excuse, is it? Still, it's my excuse and I'm sticking with it! Haha! In any case, I'm making a conscious effort to be more consistent and prolific starting NOW!

Simon Le Bon's Save A Prayer pick!

Now, I will pick up where I left off. I can't begin to describe what an extraordinary experience the Great American Duranadventure was. There were lots of highs -- like catching Simon Le Bon's guitar pick! -- and also lows -- Nick Rhodes became very ill, so they had to cancel the last six shows of the tour, including the Chicago show I had tickets to -- but I still got to see three unforgettable shows, explore places I had never been to before, and most importantly, I got to spend time with my friends. As the band are working on their 14th studio album, I find myself dreaming of my next Duranadventure. Who knows where it will take me? One thing is for certain, Duran Duran remain my perpetual source of inspiration, and the incredible friendships I am so grateful to have built through them continue to grow. You can see all the photos from my adventures here: Memphis, Biloxi, New Orleans, New England and Chicago.

Almost immediately after returning from my travels, I started a new job as an Early Childhood Educator at Ecole Montessori International. The job took up a lot of my energy, and taught me a lot of valuable lessons. My contract ended at the end of June and I will not be returning next year. But... that's a whole other story.

Moz performing at Terminal 5

The autumn brought even more adventure! In October of last year, I had the opportunity to fly to New York for the weekend -- where I was fortunate enough to see Morrissey in concert once again -- and meet up with two of my dear Duranie friends. It had been years since I'd been to New York and although it was a whirlwind trip, it was an unforgettable one. The only bit I didn't like was when I had to bid my friends farewell. I had to get back to work, but they stayed on for John Talylor's In The Pleasure Groove book reading and signing.

Chatting with the lovely John Taylor

A short while after that trip, I found out that John would be doing a book reading and signing in Toronto. I managed to get some time off work and booked a last-minute flight and hotel. I got to meet three of my fellow-Canadian Duranie friends at the event, and I made some new friends, too. As luck would have it, my plane landed just a couple of hours before John's, so I greeted him with flowers at Pearson International Airport. I have a very dear friend to thank for that information! You know who you are...

Unfortunately, I was so nervous that I forgot to ask for a photo, even though I was holding my camera in my sweaty palm. At least I found the courage to speak to him this time, unlike at Incheon International Airport in Korea, a surreal experience that I never blogged about... but I should. In fact, I will! I also plan on blogging about the Great American Duranadventure in more detail. I realise it's been over a year, but it's still very fresh in my mind and this stuff has got to be documented! But I digress... John was extremely gracious, both at the airport and at the book signing. He even remembered where I was from and wished me a safe flight back to Montreal! What a sweetheart. Click here to see all my photos from this extraordinary experience.

Gangwa Island, South Korea, 2008

Gondolas, Venice, Italy, 1993

In other news, this September, I will be embarking upon an entirely different sort of adventure. I'm going back to school! After close to fifteen years in the teaching field, I have decided to pursue a lifelong passion and will be studying Professional Photography at Inter-Dec College. I have a lot to learn, but in the meantime, I have been trying to build a name for myself online. You can visit my website here: Beautiful Colours. And yes, the name I chose happens to be a song by Duran Duran. No big surprise there. I would be profoundly grateful if you'd take the time to check out my Facebook Page and click "like" if you are so inclined. I am both nervous and excited about starting school in a matter of weeks. The support I have received thus far from my friends as well as from fellow artists is overwhelming.

Please stay tuned. I promise not to wait a year before my next blog entry. ♥