Since I was very small, my parents and I have always taken quick trips to Edmonton to visit extended family. Both of my parents were raised in Northern Alberta and only moved down to Vancouver in the early 90's. I was born a few years later and they decided to stay put. However, we still wanted to be a part of our extended family's lives. Therefore every few months Mom would schlep us and a weekend's worth of luggage to the airport. It was usually on holidays that we'd fly to visit my grandparents and cousins. My elder sister and her family live there too, so there's always plenty of people with whom to catch up.

However, as I got older and my parents got busier, those visits were few and far between. Maybe once a year, if at all. I thought nothing of it, we just didn't have the time. There couldn't have been any other reasons, right?

Recently, I'd been promising my sister I would come to see my niece around her birthday. When I asked my mom if we had the time, she agreed to organize it. Granted, it wasn't as easy as I remembered. Our schedules were all different, people had work and slept during the day... It took my mom a month to find two and a half days where we could see my sister. Also, while we chose not to stay with my mom's family this time because they were out of town, we found we all slept rather poorly in the hotel. Yes, it had a nice ambiance and comfy beds, but both my father and I are fan-sleepers. We need the white noise and cool air, which neither of us got while in the hotel. Our tossing and turning kept mom awake, resulting in lack of sleep for all of us. Then there was the heavily chlorinated water. At least, I think it was chlorine. All I know is that taking a bath felt more like going for a swim. The water was bright blue and made my hair both stiff and frizzy. Then there's travel food. Hotels don't have in-room kitchens, so we ate out most of the time and as we all know, it's faster to grab a bag of chips for a flight than to sit down for a meal. Sure, everything we ate was edible and most of it was tasty, but after three days of restaurant meals and junk food I was bloated and nauseous. Everything needs to be done in moderation...

Once we made the trip home, I collapsed onto my bed and napped. Well, I closed my eyes for five minutes and then sent out an email with my resume for another job opportunity. Either way, I was exhausted. I used to love those short trips, but they really take a lot out of me. It always seemed so easy to close the gap between me and the rest of my family, but not anymore. That hop, skip and a jump leaves me feeling drained and often times sick. Still, they are family. I wouldn't give them up for the world. So I will continue to make these trips, frizzy hair and nausea be damned.

Dana~

Money doesn't grow on trees, especially when you're job hunting. So when I'm given a gift card or even a small bit of money, I save it like crazy. Okay, more like unhealthily hoarding it.

For example, I got a Steam gift card the other week. Now, I've wanted to purchase new games for ages to pass the time between writing job applications. There are so many good looking games out there. Unfortunately, I'm picky when it comes to my games and money nowadays. I only spend money on games with replay value. That's it. If I can't keep coming back to a game and enjoying a new experience, it isn't worth the money to me. Especially if it's over $15.

So when I got home and entered my code into my Steam account, I excitedly surfed the shop for something new to play. I referenced my wishlist and looked at all recommendations. I was even about to buy a few. Then that damn little voice in my head said, "Wait! You'll regret it."

"But how could I? It's got great reviews!" I contested.

My conscious was unwavering, "No, you'll be bored of it in a day. Forget it."

Thus, I didn't buy any games. It's always been like this. I save all my money for a day where I desperately need it, even though it's usually money I've been waiting to use for something specific. I remember saving my lunch money in college thinking there'd be a day when I really needed it to go out or something. This was despite the fact I was starving between classes all semester and that I never went out on the town anyways.

So the gift card sits unused and unloved. I still return to games I love with replay value. The Sims 3 is always a favourite and can be different each play through. I've also found myself a fan of Kitty Power's Matchmaker on Steam. The British humor and slang gives me waves of nostalgia.

Still, I wish I weren't so prudent and responsible with my money. It'd be nice to have fun for a change.

Dana~

I find life has a way of surprising me. It can be something very simple too. Something I noticed in a book, an advertisement on a bus bunch or even something I hear over the radio. This time it was an early morning re-run of "Steven & Chris" about a week ago.

I had a rough night, arguing with my partner and generally not sleeping well. I woke up at 3 a.m. decidedly frustrated with constant nightmares. I was playing on my 3DS until about 4 a.m. when I heard my mother knock on my door. She had fallen asleep just after dinner due to jet lag and was blearily staring at me from my doorway.

"Why aren't you asleep?" she grumbled.

I barely looked up from my game to respond, "I slept a little, now I'm awake. Are you ok?"

She nodded with a huff and plodded down the stairs in search of coffee. I closed my game and followed my mother. We hadn't spent much time together since she returned from her last business trip and I really needed the company. After about thirty minutes of making coffee and taking turns in the washroom, we settled into the living room and turned on the TV. Mom flicked it to "Steven & Chris" so we could have cheery background noise while we spoke.

I lamented to her about my situation and asked for advice, she explained I was doing the right thing. She expressed the fact that she didn't know what else to do to help me. I said all I wanted was hugs. In general, it was a normal mother-daughter conversation. However, as we were chatting I found myself constantly interrupted by a loud, effeminate voice on our TV.  It was the talk show host, Chris. He was going on about yoga poses and making silly comments. His laugh though, caused my mother and I to burst into fits of giggles. His charisma was infectious. We laughed about him and noted how him and his partner were such a good match. My mother commented on his happy and sweet demeanor. He was sassy and lovely. We both agreed that he belonged on television.

That memory stuck in my head that day because it was one of the first honest conversations I had with my mother about my love life, and we shared that moment over an episode of "Steven & Chris". If anything, the program added to our moment and gave us little bits of laughter and joy.

So it was very sad for me to hear of Chris Hyndman's passing today. I was shocked. It hadn't been even a week since I saw the program and shared that time with my mother. He was young, healthy and happy. I couldn't believe it at first, even thinking back to the date on the program we watched.  I had actually grown up watching Chris on all of his and Steven's various shows, specifically "Design Guys". It was unbelievable to think he was gone. But it was true, and a little piece of my heart broke off. All I could think of was how much Steven and his family must miss him...

This news surprised me as it meant the loss of someone who made even the smallest difference in my life. It was his laughter and amazing persona that solidified that moment in time for me. I remember the giggles and conversation I shared with my mother at 5 a.m. because of his wondrous way with words. All I can say is thank you and I hope Chris is in a better place.

Dana~