social.

It's true, time flies when you're having fun.

I have had the time of my life covering the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games and cannot wait to for the next project. This was, hands down, the highlight of my entire summer, if not my journalism/social media career so far.

I'll be back on the blogging track as much as I can - I have many a post planned for you all and some fun features coming up this fall.

If you have an event, product or something you want reviewed, I'm open to the challenge! Just shoot an email to plfavro@yahoo.com or tweet me @PortiaFavro

Have a great start to your week and stay tuned...there's even more to come this fall!

PS how incredibly awesome were the Spice Girls in the Closing Ceremony last night? I died.

medals.

Pretty incredible day at for Canadians in the Olympics.

To give some perspective, Canada didn't even win a medal until day eight in 2008. On day eight in 2012, we have won 10 medals.

Pretty cool to get to work at the broadcasting network the day Canada wins their first gold of the Games (you go Rosie MacLennan!) and also swimmer Michael Phelps last Olympic race ever.

I'm soaking this all in - feeling thankful, happy and blessed to be along for this ride.

As well, I'm trying to soak in some of my favourite summer essentials on this faux-long weekend.

Every free moment I get between my jobs will be spent in a bathing suit, outside and sipping on something lovely.

Thank you to so many for your support, it means the world to me. See you on the other side of London 2012!

openingceremony.

Today was awesome. I got a taste of London, the Olympics and working with a fantastic group of people.

This is the start of something big.

Thank you to so many of you for all your support, kind words and thoughts! I'm ready to take on the next 17 days of Olympic coverage and cheer for my country along the way.


Check out this photo from inside the CTV Olympic control room. I was lucky enough to get to watch the lighting of the cauldron while I was in there!

Here's the link to the Opening Essay for the London Olympics. Not going to lie, I teared up a little when I saw it yesterday in a preview, especially when it talked about the Vancouver Games. It's a pretty special time to be a Canadian.

playlist27.

Holy smokes where did July go already? I've started work with CTV's Olympic bureau and am getting very, very excited for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games starting next Friday.

If you're not already, follow @CTVOlympics on Twitter for all the latest news, athlete information and more throughout the games.

My brain in thoroughly induced with everything British, so it felt fitting to dedicate this month's playlist to the artists of the British Invasion.

Of course, we honour the classics (we all know how much I love my Stones...) but it's time to share the torch with some of the new voices coming out of the UK. Check out Marina and the Diamonds, Florence and the Machine and Rita Ora, some of my new favourites.

Also released this afternoon - The Spice Girls will be performing their hit "Wannabe" at the London 2012 closing ceremony. #Cantwait

Enjoy the playlist and have a great weekend!

mantra6.

Solid first day at my internship - started work on a segment going to air, brushed shoulders with a few journalism idols and I'm feeling like a real grown up.

I'm happy and sad all at the same time - I have been so ready to be done school that this feels like a vacation. However, it's also the introduction to the world as a career woman, which I always saw as being far away.

The time is now.

No matter how dark the winter may be, I'm going to be bright. It's all good.

PS on a totally unrelated note (and I never do this!) here's my best dressed pick from last night's Academy Awards ceremony: Gwyneth Paltrow in a white Tom Ford dress. Effortless and stunning.

spontaneity.

As much as I like the carefree and spontaneous nature of my life (and I have to be, I'm a journalist), there's a part of me that will always love routine, repetition and the comfort of what's coming next.

One small way I can maintain and have control over at least one aspect of my life is knowing where to go for certain things. The wonderful thing about living in a metropolitan city like Toronto is you can be out walking at any hour of the day or night, and the coffee shops are still full of people working, the bars are busy with young and old partiers, and you get ice cream at 10PM just because you feel like it.

One of my girlfriends and I have our religious date. Some may think it's boring, but for us, it's perfect. We have a token restaurant we both love (and I don't get to enough), and end up hours-long conversations about everything over soba noodles.

Our apartments are steady. In a time when I know I'll be moving out of what's been my home for the past few years, I can really see how this little place has grown up with me, and I think I'll miss these lime green walls.

On Monday, I'm starting the last half of my semester working at CTV's Canada AM as an intern. I tested the travel route today, and it's interested to see how this will now be my new constant. Right now, it's the eve again. The eve on the unknown.

Who knows what's going to happen? I'm willing to try. It's the spontaneity that keeps us alive.

journey.

Merry Christmas and (almost) Happy New Year! I hope that you all enjoyed lots of time with family and friends this holiday season.

2011 has been an amazing year full of opportunities in both dance and journalism; I'm hoping for the same in 2012!

Upon my return to Toronto I will be starting work in the Ryerson newsroom and then interning at CTV's Canada AM for my practicum placement. I'll still be running the social media for McClung's Magazine, and it will continue to have constant updates about the issue through the semester (check for the winter issue coming out in January!) I'll be graduating from the journalism program this June - needless to say, I'm excited!

In the dance world, I have completed six contemporary solo and duet pieces for dancers at Reflections Dance Studio and they will compete across western Canada in cities such as Vancouver and Calgary this spring. My open choreography/music theatre piece for Kelowna Secondary School's dance team will also be travelling to perform and compete in the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan in the coming semester.

Thank you to so many of my friends and who have believed in me and my vision (whether it be for something dance or journalism) and supporting me through this journey.

As I stand on the edge of my next chapter, I owe so much to those who support the dreamers. I couldn't do this without you.

Stay posted for updates about journalism, dance, life and everything in-between here and on my Twitter (@PortiaLoretta) for the coming year - this is only the beginning!

(PS here's another sneak peak of one of my dancers...beautiful lines!)

ctv.

Three years ago this week, I would have laughed at myself if someone told me what I would be doing now.

I was lying onstage after falling from the best grand jete and saw my whole life flash before me. As someone carried me off, I thought my life was over.

After all the blood (literally, Ontario has dry weather and I get nosebleeds), sweat (being stuck in groups with indie kids at bars for shows) and the verge of tears (when something didn't go right once that I had spent forever working on) the payment of the perfect internship has finally come my way.

I thought I blew it. When she offered me the job, my first words were, "You've just made my dreams come true." Then I paused, wondering if I sounded like a complete child.

*Note, I was speaking to the producer of the national news network.

"You know," she said, "That's one of the first really genuine reactions I've gotten in a long time. You're really honest."

I'm the luckiest girl in the world.

Thank you to the support of so many of my friends and family for letting me pick their brains, read my stuff, edit, re-read, critique, laugh, cry and generally be the stars of my fan club.

Looking at myself in 2008, I can really see how much I've grown, worked and gotten better - mentally, physically and emotionally.

Another dancer said to me right before graduation that I would come back stronger than ever before, which felt unbelievable when I was walking around in crutches.

I made it. I made it.