Taking Photos, Going to Alaska

Just in time for a two-week tour of Alaska, I splurged and upgraded my camera. I got a new portrait lens, a bunch of memory cards, and immediately started photographing everything in my house.

I love taking photos. And I love archiving tours. For a long time, I brought a digital SLR camera (Nikon, Pentax, or Canon) on every tour. Somewhere along the way, tours started getting longer, and more complicated, and I had more space restrictions because we were flying more often, so I started leaving bigger "fun" items behind.

Last week, I was in the hospital fending off an imminent kidney stone (I've had three in my life and am hell bent on never passing another) and was struck by a "life is short" kind of feeling. In the emergency room, I know I was among the healthiest people there, and my heart went out to the people dealing with life changing health events. (My heart also swelled with joy at this cute couple who came in wearing matching pants.

I started wondering if small immediate gain of packing lighter (with less stuff I move easier through the airport and am not weighed down by heavy, awkward bags) was worth the loss later in life (having fewer beautiful photos to look back on and reminisce about the amazing travels I've been on.)

So, now I'm in Alaska, carrying my awkward heavy bags full of fun things, like my upgraded Canon SLR, and taking photos of everything (and so far we've only been in airports - just wait until I get to explore the scenery!)

I love going away, but I like to take pieces of home with me too. I love the view from my third floor deck in Toronto and so I leave you with this.

The Little Things

I can't stop thinking about the little pleasures in life, after surviving a multi-day stomach flu this week. It was a doozy of a flu, and it nearly had me swearing off salsa forever - salsa being the last thing I ingested before the nausea took over.

Since regaining my health, I find myself enjoying the little things, like, eating solid food.

And with another tour about to start I am savouring every last minute at home by cooking, sleeping in, enjoying the quiet evenings, playing crokinole with my husband.

I love traveling, and there is no other job I've ever wanted like I wanted this one. But I would be lying if I said I loved leaving behind the comforts, joys and luxuries at home that I simply do not have on the road.

1. Healthy Vegetarian Food

Any person who has done even the smallest amount of travel knows the effort it takes to find healthy food in airports, at hotels, at highway service centers. It's nearly impossible to go a day without eating a sandwich (or three) and harder still to limit sugar and salt intake. The fact that we're usually rolling into a hotel at midnight after a show, adds to the food battle. It's a struggle between being social after a show (have a beer, eat a bag of chips) or being smart (retire to your room early, drink a glass of water, have a bath, and not eat the shit in the nearby vending machine.)

2. My Bed and Sleep

When I was young, dreaming of living my dream, I don't think I fully considered what it would take to get there, and what kinds of things I would need to sacrifice to make my dream work. Leaving behind my oh-so-comfortable bed, and quiet evenings leading up to sleep, and waking up in my own home where I can cook perfect oatmeal breakfast - that sacrifice never even entered my mind. Man, did I ever take that for granted. These days, whilst tucking into my hotel bed (or motel surface I'll call a bed for the sake of clarity) I miss my bed.

3. Exercise

Full stop. It's just harder to do it while you're living out of a suitcase. Mostly because I don't like doing just one thing anymore. I've got skating close by, a pool right around the corner, a park, my skipping rope.

4. My Husband

He's fun, he's nice, he makes me laugh, and I love making him laugh. Leaving him behind for 10 days feels pretty silly.

But all of it - the touring, the time apart, the time away - has a way of making me appreciate these things even more. The time off makes me crave touring, and the time away makes the return to home that much sweeter.

Makes my bed that much softer.
Makes my home cooking that much richer.
Makes the first run at home that much smoother.
Makes that first hug after 10 days away, that much tighter.

Next up: New York City, Arizona & California.

xo/ko

Time to Say "I Do"

I'm finishing the last sip of my cappuccino at my kitchen table and I'm being transported back to November 3rd, as I look through my wedding photos.

We had originally planned on getting married next summer, at a beautiful farm near my home town. But there were a few issues with timing, our availability and a growing guest list (and the idea of getting dressed up on a sweaty Ontario August night grossed me out) so we scratched that idea and started fresh.

In an evening, our plans changed: we called our families and friends, picked a date that worked for everyone, called City Hall to book our half hour in the wedding chamber (heh heh - the word 'chamber' is making me picture all sorts of funny things), reserved a restaurant, got the documents, showed up, and... now we're married.

Though it was a low-key affair, and a fairly stress-free day, I was surprised on Monday, after it was all over, at how relaxed I felt. It could have been due to the 90-minute massage I received Sunday afternoon... But I think no matter how big or small, planning a wedding brings with it a lot of little stresses. I'm happy it happened, I'm happy it's over, and I'm happy to get on with married life.

I am grateful for my friends; my friends who set up the party in my house; who provided food, love, support and so much laughter that day. My friends who traveled far to be there with us. The friends who started a dance party in our spare room - at one point there were three couples in the room dancing to a slow romantic David Gray song...it was unreal. How can I even thank people enough for being there? I don't know... flowers? jewelry? booze? free babysitting for life? :) I love you guys. You know who you are.

I'm happy to report that nothing tremendous has changed between B and I. We've been calling each other husband and wife for months, and I've felt married to him for many years. Little things though, have changed - I now have dental coverage through his work (YAY ME! and YAY YOU if you have to spend time with me and my teeth) and I'm the only one of my siblings who has a husband, so that's fun (note: they all have houses, partners, kids and pets...so this is my way of being different) And finally, we just bought a car together - so we're feeling very grown up.

Mostly, I'm just happy, and that feels good. This is my husband.

xo Kerri

And Then These Things Happened...

Monday
1.) I finished this drawing - over 60 hours spent looking at these little black ink lines. Six pens were sacrificed in the making of this drawing. My right hand, elbow and forearm are happy this piece is finished.

Tuesday
2.) I sang harmony on two of Karyn Ellis' songs for her upcoming release. Her songs are beautiful and they get stuck in my head. And she has an unforgettable voice. Strong, but fragile; pure but full of character. I was lucky enough to have her sing on one of my songs (which will be on my upcoming album) - we have an uncanny blend, we absorb each others' voices, and end up sounding like a Karyn-Kerri hybrid. It's weird. This is a photo of Karyn Ellis and Don Kerr (producer, and musician extraordinaire) hugging stuffed Batmen.

3.) That night, I watched my friend, Rob Szabo, play at the Cameron House. Playing alone on stage is no longer something I do, and I have oodles and oodles of respect for those who do it, and who are great at it. Rob is one of those people. Go see him play when he's in your town - you won't regret it.

Wednesday
4.) I painted a room in my house. The walls were a shade of tangerine I could no longer stand to look at. I managed to paint the whole room with most of the furniture still in it. It was a labour of love and until I decide on a colour for the room, it will remain stark white.

Thursday
5.) Finished mixing my album! Holy smokes! It's done! Now Adam and I have one last album related hang out in our schedule; one that includes whiskey, wine and a cigar while we send the tracks to master! These are my happy feet, clicking with astonishment and delight that my album is finally finished.

Friday
6.) I started my day with a coffee date with Treasa Levasseur... How quickly two hours pass while drinking Americanos at the Common on Bloor in Treasa's company. I always enjoy our coffee hangs - it seems we don't get enough of them. More, please!

7.)Went back to Don Kerr's studio and sang on Ben Sures' newest CD! Don and I went a bit nutty working out some cluster harmonies - but the challenge was fun, and before I knew it, 3 hours had gone by and I hadn't eaten anything that day.

This week I also bought a dress to wear when I get married, visited a tailor across town to make alterations, planned a huge party, hand-printed the invitations, did every chore of the house (except one), made healthy, homemade dinners and still had time to go for a run.

That last blurb sounds like I'm bragging, but I'm really not. I'm just trying to keep track of how I spend my days. A year from now, I may look back on October and forget the day-to-day stuff. That's why I write it all down. I'm obsessed with remembering.

Thanks for reading. Next up: My first Kerri-O house concert - with the talented Paul Mathew, in Belleville, this Friday. Damn, I am excited.