I am utterly thrilled and gobsmacked to share some exciting news with you! Coffee with Julie has come through the juried process at the 2010 Canadian Weblog Awards with the following honours: Thank you, universe. And thank you Schmutzie for being the brains and the brawn behind this national effort. It means a lot to us mad keen bloggers. … [Read more...]
The year that was
December 31, 2010 by 4 Comments
Don't ask me how another year has flown by. It's downright spooky how time seems to be speeding up with each year that I get older. One minute, my children are pudgy little babes, and in the next, I can barely carry them they are such big kids. I've decided to look back through my blog posts as a reminder of all the things that we've shared this year. (It makes the time not seem so fast to do this, somehow.) And I picked one highlight from … [Read more...]
My friends are making me fat.
December 19, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Or at least that's my story -- and I'm sticking to it -- over as a guest blogger on Losing it in Ottawa today. If you'd like to deflect my blame, head on over to this great (and supportive) site and tell me it's actually my inability to get off the couch that is keeping me chubby! … [Read more...]
My Christmas list is short and sweet
December 8, 2010 by 5 Comments
As a member of a new blogger network called the UrbanMoms, I was asked to blog what I would like for Christmas ... not what I was buying and ticking off my list for everyone else. Me, moi! What did I want. Here's what I came up with. I hope you enjoy! Just the other night, My sweetheart turned to me and said, Please dear, do write A little something before bed. What is this about, I asked him. To which he shared his doubts, Going on a … [Read more...]
Did you nominate me for a Canadian Weblog Award?
December 1, 2010 by 3 Comments
Did you nominate me for a Canadian Weblog Award? Oh wait ... don't answer that! I think that must of been when I threatened not to buy birthday presents for anyone in my family if they didn't nominate me. Well, regardless, I am really, super, incredibly, honking, excited to share some news with you: Coffee with Julie is shortlisted for the 2010 Canadian Weblog Awards! Shortlisted, my friends!! I just found out last night and as soon as I … [Read more...]
New Advertiser Welcome: Canada’s National Arts Centre!
November 30, 2010 by 4 Comments
Photo credit: Orchestras in the Park 2010, NAC Flicker Stream As a former gleek, it gives me particular joy to welcome Canada's National Arts Centre as an advertiser with Coffee with Julie! My most recent visit to Canada's National Arts Centre was with my husband to take in The Massey Lecture Series with Douglas Coupland, and some of my very first visits to the National Arts Centre were with my mom when she took me to see The Nutcracker … [Read more...]
The word is malaise!
November 28, 2010 by 9 Comments
I get quite happy when I finally hit the exact right word I've been looking for after fumbling about using words that didn't quite fit. For instance, I was working on this presentation about OEM boards and their design implications. For weeks, we were using the word "flexible" in the presentation and then it dawned on me just as I was about to press "send" that the right word was "versatile." I got inordinately excited about … [Read more...]
Pelvic exam without my consent? No longer!
September 23, 2010 by 2 Comments
Photo credit: The Globe & Mail Back in January, I wrote a bit of a concerning post titled "A pelvic exam without my consent?" The concerning part is summed up quite well with this description from a Globe & Mail article: Imagine that you are undergoing a fairly routine surgery – say, removal of uterine fibroids or hysterectomy. During or right after the procedure, while you are still under anesthesia, a group of medical students … [Read more...]
Mark is a very popular boy
September 18, 2010 by 1 Comment
It looks like I'm not the only one who fell in love with Mark's for women's clothing! You can check out other outfits and opinions at the following Ottawa blogs as well: Andrea at a peek inside the fishbowl has turned out to be my twin sister (albeit a 5' 10" twin sister with supermodel cheekbones!) with the almost identical outfit. Christine, on the other hand, over at Coffees and Commutes is likely in the petite sizes and I'm sure you'll … [Read more...]
My new BFF is named Mark
September 15, 2010 by 17 Comments
When I was younger (and er, smaller), I loved clothes shopping. But now, I only like (love!) shoe shopping. Everything else leaves me feeling very, very grumpy. It is simply not fun to try on 10 pairs of pants just to find one that looks "okay." Not "great" and "fabulous" -- but just okay. And when you have very little spare time, I think you'll agree that this is pretty much the last way you'd want to spend it. To add insult to injury, you … [Read more...]
School for Bloggers: Some fellow travel bloggers I’d like you to meet! (#BlogHer10)
August 16, 2010 by 4 Comments
I'm really thrilled to be hosting a guest post tomorrow by Julie Henning of Road Trips for Families! But let me back up a little in order to introduce her ... While I was at BlogHer, there were "Birds of a Feather" lunches that we could join. I dropped into a seat at the "travel" table and met some really cool women who run really clever blogs. These included (and please let me know if I've forgotten someone!): Traci from Go BIG or … [Read more...]
School for Bloggers: The mandatory BlogHer recap post that never happened. And won’t. (#BlogHer10)
August 14, 2010 by 2 Comments
So. BlogHer. I know, I know. I'm supposed to do a recap of my experience -- what was great, what was not so great, which blogger idols I met and what swag I lugged back. But I'm not going to. I just didn't have time this week and now I don't feel like it. Plus, it's totally unnecessary, since some fabulous writers have already done great recaps. So I'll share a few of those with you instead. First, I'll point you towards the recaps written … [Read more...]
BlogHer Swag: baby & toddler giveaway packages
August 9, 2010 by
Edited to Add: The New Mother & Baby package had a total of 5 entries and the winner via Random.org was Tracy! The winner of the Toddler package had a total of 14 entries and the winner via Random.org was Judy! Congrats to you both and thanks to you all for participating in the fun! I got back from the BlogHer conference in New York City late last night and I'm still processing everything -- it was non-stop activity from morning until … [Read more...]
School for Bloggers: I don’t see sleep anywhere on this BlogHer agenda (#BlogHer10)
August 5, 2010 by 6 Comments
I started up this blog just over a year ago as an outlet for personal writing -- the kind of writing that doesn't take place during my work day in corporate communications. I envisioned it as my own little creative and social sandbox for my free time. But what I didn't realize then was just how much I would enjoy playing in this sandbox. And I think the reason I love being in this space so much is because it's a constant learning joy ride. I … [Read more...]
BOLO: faces behind blogs
July 8, 2010 by 18 Comments
Not long back, I wrote a post which shared my excitement in being able to hear the voices behind blogs. In it, I noted that many of the blogs I read include a photo of the author, so the voices were going to be the big draw for me. Well, I was wrong ... my dear Ottawa bloggers and their readers are just so darn gorgeous in real life that the faces really made the entire night last night a real treat. A real treat that was entirely made … [Read more...]
BOLO: voices behind blogs
June 25, 2010 by 12 Comments
Some people hate it when their favourite books are made into movies. The movie just never measures up. That's generally a given. But personally, I love it. I love comparing how I imagined a character to look -- and move and speak -- to the movie's version. Sometimes it's very close, but sometimes it is so vastly different that it simply reinforces why reading is just such a wonderful, uniquely personal experience. In some ways, reading a … [Read more...]
One year of blogging
June 3, 2010 by 20 Comments
This month marks my first-year bloggy-versary. When I first started blogging one year ago, I didn't -- and couldn't -- have known what to expect. But BOLO left me feeling very optimistic about it all. It seems that blogging is one of those things that, like becoming a parent, you just have to do it order to really understand it. And although I have a much better understanding now than I did one year ago, I still have so much learning to do. … [Read more...]
The Joy of Reading: The Lion, the Witch and the Bathrobe
May 24, 2010 by 19 Comments
For as long as I can remember, it’s been common for people to observe that Stella is “Daddy’s little girl.” They don’t mean that he spoils her, but rather that she just loves to do whatever he is doing. And as a result, they have now cultivated a mutual passion for the outdoors that is really beautiful. But something else that is beautiful has taken place recently. When it comes to reading, Stella is now “Mommy’s little girl.” Just as the … [Read more...]
I try to be polite. I really do.
May 13, 2010 by 8 Comments
One of my coffee break favourites is Amber Strocel's blog. Visiting her site is like being welcomed into a friend's home for a chat. She's got this great writing style that is so calm and inviting -- even when she's speaking about something annoying like the less-than-respectful manner in which some marketers approach bloggers, as she did recently in her post: "Moms, Blogging, Marketing and Respect." Anyone who has worked in sales or … [Read more...]
8 Tips for Camping with Kids
May 10, 2010 by 2 Comments
Good Monday morning! My daughter Stella has shared her top tips for successfully camping with kids in a post that is now live on the Kids in the Capital blog. If you are ever in the care of children in Ottawa, this is the blog to hit for ideas! It covers activities, playgroups, books, crafts, cooking -- you name it! -- all neatly organized under the "Categories" listing on the right-hand menu. Definitely worth a visit. Hope everyone has a … [Read more...]
Sharing stories
March 29, 2010 by 5 Comments
There's been a great deal of interesting and intelligent debate -- as well as some yelling, screaming and posturing of course -- about woman and blogs as of late. In one situation, some "mommy" bloggers were put under the academic microscope, while in others, the mainstream media snickered at mothers and their interest in blogging and, strangely, pronounced that women didn't blog, only men. People I know who don't read my blog often ask me … [Read more...]
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