glory.

It's been a glorious, long hot summer here in Toronto.

It's been different - not going home to my summer job, friends, family and life in British Columbia was something very new for me (as well as the humidity of Ontario).

However in ways, this was my favourite and best summer yet both personally and professionally.

Big and small, here are a few of my favourite moments:

The last photo shoot with my favourite photographer Katie before she moved back to B.C. (and is getting married next summer!)

Taking in the "50 Years of the Rolling Stones" photo exhibit opening night at the Analogue Gallery with fellow J-Skooler (and my lovely friend) Cashlyn.

I got to celebrate my two passions with my friends and family on the same day.

I graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor of Journalism in the afternoon, and performed in a big dance show that evening.

mantra8.

"A loser isn’t the person who gets involved and comes last,

it’s the person who doesn’t get involved in the first place"

- Shelia Pistorius (mother of Olympian and Paralympian Oscar Pistorius)

I can really relate to this in a lot of facets of my life. Every opportunity, audition, contract, and event is an opportunity.

I also can literally relate to this.

When I started swimming in grade twelve, I felt like the biggest loser finishing last in every single set. I was creamed in all the races. Swimmers half my age (I was only 18!) were speeding past me in the pool.

There were times when we would be swimming the 1,500 metre race and I would be the absolute dead last person in the water.

A lot of people asked why didn't I quit. I was in a competitive age category and wouldn't be able to take down the swimmers my age who had been training their whole lives.

I just really liked the water. And the people. And the lifestyle.

The loser is the one who doesn't get involved.

Months later, I qualified in the women's Division 7 races at Provincials in British Columbia. I was close to last in the pool, but I still came out with a lot more than I had anticipated (including two provincial titles).

I wholeheartedly stand behind Shelia Pistorius's quote - it's the truth and a mantra to take into the start of the month, rest of the year and future.

september.

New month, new apartment, new view on things to come.

September always feels like a fresh start. For the last 18 years, this day has been the first day of school. I would always have my outfit laid out, bag packed, lunch ready to go.

Today, I'm running around between an audition, working handling the social feeds, setting up the apartment and tip toe-ing through the raindrops that thundered down on Toronto today.

I thought I would be more sad. Instead, I feel energized. I'm free to put my skills to work (which they are - thankfully) and go wherever I want, when I want, with whomever I want.

It's a cliche that's terrible, but the end of university has meant a whole new chapter of my life has started.

Lots of projects in the works and more to come on the journalism and dance front. Keep your eyes peeled to my Facbeook page, Twitter and blogette for the latest updates!

Thanks again for the support of my fantastic friends and family. By helping me stand on your shoulders, I have been able to reach new heights I would never have been able to touch before.

keith.

Well, the move went well, I'm all settled into my new place (just need some furniture) and happy as a clam.

Photos to come as I embark on this design adventure on my budget and need to be creative. I have many ideas swimming in my brain and can't wait to try to make them real.

Hope you are having a lovely long weekend and soaking in these last few summer days.

tiff.

There's always things happening in Toronto to keep us city folk busy.

Whether it be trying out a new restaurant, exploring a boutique in an area we go to for kicks or staying up too late at a music show at the El Mocambo.

TIFF (Toronto Internation Film Festival) is a whole other story. TIFF mania literally swallows the city, with people looking for the stars (I have had both Brad Pitt and George Clooney sightings in my TIFF repetoire) or looking to be seen at a film premiere.

I have never actually gone to see any of the films at TIFF - between school, work and life, I wish I had the past few years made it to at least one. I have taken in a few of the movies post-TIFF, which is preferable. I'm not one to rush tickets to be in the same theatre as a movie star, but I would like to see one of the films.

Depending if my schedule allows it, there are the five films I am going to try to make the time to see during TIFF. Obviously I don't make it into the same theatre as the current toast of Hollywood, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but I'll definitely be taking in the gala movies apres TIFF

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Do I even need to explain? Not only is this one of my favourite Shakespeare plays, but it's a contemporary version. I die.

LOOPER

Josephy Gordon-Levitt plays a looper, who has to get rid of people from the future who have time travelled to his era. The problem? His future self (played by Bruce Willis) is his next target.

ANNA KARENINA

Based on the novel about a society woman who must decide whether to follow the chosen "right" path of society or to follow her heart.

ARGO

I'll just use the TIFF description, it's perfect. "Ben Affleck directs and stars in this based-on-fact thriller about a CIA "exfiltration" expert who concocts an outlandish plan to get six stranded Americans out of Tehran after the 1979 invasion of the American embassy — by having them masquerade as a Hollywood film crew."

LOVE, MARILYN

This film looks at the unseen letters, diaries and notebooks of the legendary bombshell, read aloud by contemporary actresses like Uma Thurman and Glenn Close


For more films being shown at TIFF and the descriptions, check out the TIFF website.