“Christmas Rocks!” in The Buzz

My interview article with Christmas Rocks! writer, director and actor Wade Lynch made it into November issue of The Buzz. It was done through my internship at the Confederation Centre. And for your viewing pleasure…

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Christmas Rocks!: Wade Lynch and Don Fraser write a new version

Wade Lynch grew up around musical theatre. “I got bit by the bug very early on,” Lynch said. “I recall being cast as Joseph in the Christmas pageant in Grade 1. You’d be hard pressed to get me offstage since.” Lynch, who serves as The Charlottetown Festival’s associate artistic director, is co-writing Christmas Rocks! with the Festival’s musical director, Donald Fraser. He also co-wrote Canada Rocks! and Canada Rocks Christmas.

Christmas Rocks!, which opens at the Confederation Centre of the Arts on November 25, is a holiday show with a little something for everyone, Lynch said. “Every age, every idea and every religion. It’s a show that celebrates winter, not just the Christian aspects of it. It’s about celebrating family and life in wintertime.”

Christmas Rocks! will include lots of recognizable holiday tunes—but audiences shouldn’t expect the traditional Christmas show. “What I’m doing for the comedy element is a little bit different,” Lynch explained. “The subtitle for the show is A Winterland Who’s Who and that’s a play on words on the old CBC nature spots, a Hinterland Who’s Who.”

Christmas Rocks! features characters you don’t necessarily think about at Christmas time, Lynch said. “Like the neglected Christmas tree. Like the New Year’s resolution. The class clown at Christmas. And my favourite, the Christmas turkey. These are all voices you’re going to meet and hear from on stage at the Confederation Centre.”

Lynch is also one of the actors in the show. He said directing and acting in a show can be difficult at times. “Thankfully, I have a good stage manager to rein me in.” Objectivity can become an issue when directing a show you’ve also written. ‘It’s like ‘Oh my God, who wrote this?’” Lynch said.

Being a director and the man in charge definitely has its perks. “It’s the power!” he said, laughing. “It’s really the ability to oversee a project, have a particular vision for a project and be able to see it come through on stage. There’s nothing more thrilling.”

The prep work for Christmas Rocks! has been particularly enjoyable, Lynch said. “It’s my responsibility to maintain the audience we had for Canada Rocks! and Canada Rocks Christmas!, but to deliver a brand new show that’s going to satisfy them, because people are going to have preconceived ideas of what the show is going to be.” He wants to ensure the audience sees nothing they’ve seen before. “I’m trying to outwit our audience and that’s a great challenge.”

Lynch also directed The Ballad of Stompin’ Tom and has appeared in Shear Madness, Eight to the Bar, 18 Wheels, Stones In His Pockets, among others. This past season was Lynch’s fourteenth with The Charlottetown Festival and his fourth as associate director. He was also in over 1,300 performances of A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline.

I think it’s safe now.

So, I’ve previously mentioned on this blog that I’m up for an internship during the school year. Well, as it would turn out, I am, in fact, getting to do the internship. And I’m thrilled.

I start the internship at the Confederation Centre of the Arts next Monday (I think). I very much look forward to the opportunity and I expect to learn a lot while I’m there.

I also have a new post up at my Maclean’s OnCampus blog: Five reasons why going back to school sucks. (Don’t take it too seriously. It’s meant to be satire.)

Twitter, myUsearch & (Another) New Blog

I’ve started a second Twitter account (in addition to my account for East Coast Overture, I mean). This one is for my non-music related stuff: friends, random interests and, oddly enough, it’s also my professional blogging account. You can follow me at _jillianne_.

Today was my last day working for the college search website, myUsearch. I’ve been blogging for them since April 2008. This summer, I learned some online marketing tricks during an internship with them. It’s all definitely been a learning experience. It also taught me a lot about blogging. I may do a guest post for them once in a while but nothing major. So, thank you Elizabeth very much for the opportunity. It’s been wonderful working with you. Thanks a mill.

Lastly, I started another blog. (I’m sick, I know. I have a problem, I know. I should seek professional help for my addiction. I know.) I love lists. I love, love, love them. The new blog, Listlove, contains lists and nothing else. Maybe some humor. But mostly lists.

Dollymixture & 2 Guest Posts

A long time ago (and in a galaxy far, far away), I did an interview with Alina Simone (check out her MySpace) for a website I once had called Jill Pushed Jack (now closed). The article was recently picked up by Dollymixture, a new online magazine for cool, alternative chicks. You can check out my article on page 18 of the premier issue.

I’ve also recently done two guest posts as a part of my myUsearch internship. The links for those are below.

• Pros & Cons of Online Learning [MyNextCollege.com]
• Choosing a College: 10 Helpful Tips [Scholarships.com / their blog]

Internship?! *crosses fingers*

♫ The Jackson 5 – I Want You Back

I’ve been in contact with one of my Journalism instructors from Holland College and he said he is “pretty certain” I’ll have a day internship in the fall. Not sure how long the internship is for (hopefully a couple months) but it’s a great opportunity. I’m not going to say where the internship is until I’m absolutely certain I’ll be there. But day internships are reserved for second-years in our program and there are only a few of them available. So, the fact that I was even considered for one is flattering.

But if this goes as planned, I will be a very happy little ducky indeed.

Three new posts

I have 2 new posts published at the myUsearch blog, both concerning their recent scholarship contest. “Check out Meet Our Scholarship Winner, Chelsea Lorimor!” and “Does the SAT/ACT Measure Me? The Students’ Perspective“.

Also, I’ve done three posts for my Maclean’s OnCampus blog (That’s What Jill Said) but I think my latest is worth showing off: College: Lies You Should Tell Your Parents.

“Campus Visit” Guest Post

I did a guest post (for myUsearch) and it was recently published on CampusCompare. You can check it out at the link below.

Spotting a Good Fit on a Campus Visit

Guest post & Internship

I did a guest post (for the myUsearch blog) for WeCompareBooks.com (or, more specifically, their blog). Check it out if you wanna.

Speaking of myUsearch, I’ve accepted the position of summer intern for the website. I’ll be doing odd jobs, helping out with site traffic and that kinda stuff. I’ll continue writing a few articles over the summer too. But it’ll be something else to add to ye olde résumé.

Just hangin’ out

Conrad Kelly, 5, enjoys a day at the park after a spring rain shower. Published as a stand-alone photo on the front page of the TRURO DAILY NEWS on April 14, 2009.

Mothers not breastfeeding long enough: survey

TRURO – Roxanne Beavers of Lower Onslow said she’d like to nurse her seven-month-old son for at least a year.
Medically, she’s golden. But statistically, she’s going against the grain.
Many moms are choosing to stop nursing their babies sooner than they perhaps should, despite increasing breastfeeding rates for 20 years.
A recent survey by Maternity Experiences Study Group, the Public Health Agency of Canada and Statistics Canada, showed 90 per cent of women planned to breastfeed their babies longer than six months – but only 14 per cent of those women actually did so.
“A lot will depend on work, and a lot will depend on him,” Beavers said, referring to her son Oliver.
Many women have to stop breastfeeding earlier than planned for health reasons, too.
“Usually it’s a physical as opposed to an emotional choice,” Beavers said.
Communities – and hospitals in particular – need to be more supportive of breastfeeding, Beavers said. A ‘nurse-in’ was staged in February at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax after a woman was told to “cover up” while breastfeeding her baby.
Beavers said she tries to cover up in public while nursing but wishes she didn’t have to worry about not exposing anything.
“But what does it matter? It’s food – the original fast food.”
Workplaces, too, need to be more supportive of breastfeeding and allow mothers to pump milk at work.
“Pumping will keep your supply up,” said Beavers, 32. “If you’re only nursing a few times a day, I think it’s harder to keep going.”
Janet MacNeil, mother to eight-month-old Georgia, said the statistics of women breastfeeding long-term are discouraging but she understands why some women can’t do it.
“Some people have to go back to work or they just feel the baby is ready to move on,” said MacNeil, 35.
The Onslow Mountain resident said starting out nursing can be daunting. “If you make it to six weeks, you’re doing good.”
Kathie Sutherland, a parent educator and co-ordinator at Maggie’s Place in Truro, suggests more support groups and more information for new mothers are the keys to improving duration rates.
“The goal is that every baby be breastfed, exclusively for six months, and continue breastfeeding for two years, as the World Health Organization recommends,” said Sutherland.
She cites negative connotations and myths about breastfeeding as some possible reasons why women choose not to breastfeed long-term.
“In North America and western cultures, that’s not the norm,” she said. “There’s still lots to be done to inform people and to advocate for babies and mothers.”
The health benefits of long-term breastfeeding can do wonders for a baby, Sutherland added.
“The longer babies are breastfed, the stronger those benefits are and the longer they last.”
But the health benefits of breastfeeding don’t only benefit baby – but mom, too.
“Many people think of breastfeeding as being hard on a woman’s body but while you’re breastfeeding, you absorb calcium and other nutrients very efficiently,” Sutherland commented. “Most women don’t know about these things.”
Unfortunately, Sutherland said, the longer you breastfeed your baby, the less community support you’ll probably get.
“The challenges of breastfeeding change as the baby gets older.”
Maggie’s Place is a support centre for families with young children and babies. The next breastfeeding support group at Maggie’s Place is scheduled for Monday, May 4 at 10-11:30 a.m. For more information on breastfeeding, visit the La Leche League of Canada’s website at www.lllc.ca.

(This was published in the April 13, 2009 edition of the Truro Daily News.)