Moon River.

Moon river, wider than a mile,
i'll be crossing you in style, some day
Oh dream maker, you heart breaker
whereever you're going, i'm going your way

Two drifters off to see the world,
there's such a lot of world to see
We're after the same rainbow's end, it's just around the bend,
my huckleberry friend, moon river and me



Home.

I can't believe the (long) weekend has already come to an end. I feel like it never even happened. It was just a whirwind of lots of food, lots of people, and lots of laughter.

As I sit here in my hideously bright pink bedroom in Oakville (note to 15 year-old self: you have horrible taste in paint colour. hah!), I can't help but feel a little ..... silly? emotional? happy? sad? I just can't believe all the years I spent in this room - my whole life, really! There are a million memories that coat these walls - from playing candyland 'war', having a snowfight, giggling about crushes, late night phonecalls to friends, crying about heartbreak, belting out loud tunes, first date jitters - it's all in here. My history lies within this room.

Even though I am not living here anymore, sometimes it is super nice to come home and sleep in the bed that has always been mine and smile about all the good times that have made me into the person I am today.

I guess this post really is about being thankful, seeing as it is Thanksgiving and all.
I AM very thankful for all those (mostly) great memories, my supportive parents, my adorable grandparents, my loving and hilarious friends, and for whatever it is that is coming my way. I have this overwhelming sense that this life of mine is going to be a great one - twists and turns, ups and downs - but as I continue to grow and become more clear about who I am, who I want to be, and what I want to do - I am positive that no matter what is thrown my way, I will make it work. I hope.

Ahh, home. It always makes everything so very clear.

Happy trails & travels & Thanksgiving, of course!
- Becky xo

Laugh.

 

you look so good when you're laughing, you know.
yeah, you look so good when you let it show.
honey, you look so good when you're laughing...
                                                                   -- Hey Rosetta (Red Heart)

Sun Chips.

Okay, I need to rant.

I do not claim to be a super GREEN person by any means. I make some effort, but I know I could be better.

However, I came across THIS article today via the Toronto Star. Frito-Lay, the maker of Sun Chips launched a 'green bag' initiative in April of 2009, and made the decision to make all of their chip bags biodegradable and recyclable. I remember when I first saw these new-fangled bags in stores, I was thrilled! In fact, I purposely made a Sun Chip purchase because I was so excited about their efforts. I remember standing in line with my Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips in hand thinking that this was the future of the chip bag.

So many months later - today - I am reading the newspaper only to discover that they are no longer going to be using their biodegradable bags (other than for one flavour) due to one too many customer complaints. Complaints, you ask? The NOISE of the chip bag. Yes, I absolutely agree that the new bag of chips were hilariously loud....but really?

REALLY?!

I am baffled that in this day and age consumers are THAT concerned about the noise of their chip bag....SO concerned that they force the company to go back to using unsustainable materials. 

Is this a joke?

Doesn't anyone have priorities anymore?

I am seriously confused by this. It concerns me.

Oy vay!

Happy trails & travels,
-- Becky xo

singing bird.

shape.

Wear your passion.

High five to that.

Live your dream and wear your passion.

Happy trails & travels!
-- Becky xo

How to live life before you die.

"You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart - even when it leads you off the well worn path, and that will make all the difference."

I am on a TED talk kick these days. The quote above is from Steve Jobs' address to the graduating class from Stanford University in 2005. 'How to live life before you die'. You can watch the video HERE.

Happy trails & travels!

-- Becky <3 xo

Lanterns.

When the moon comes up,

you and your lover you will cheer up.

Don't worry, your worries they will become light,

so the two of you hang in, holds hands and breathe light.

I have recently become really obsessed with the band "Evening Hymns".
You should probably check them out.

Music is so fabulous.
It makes my heart very happy.

Positive.

This week has been kind of crummy.
It is true.

I figure since I am all about positivity, I would name FIVE positive things happening right NOW...

1) Autumn is here. Not technically, but it sure feels like it. The weather is crisp, the leaves are changing, my sweaters are in use and I just saw a whole bunch of pumpkins outside of the local veggie store today. Hurrah! It is my favourite season and I wish it could stay like this always.

2) My apartment. I have been living here about three months, and I have really fallen in love with my little place. It has started to feel like home, and it feels like mine and I love it.

3) My amazingly supportive, loving, beautiful, helpful, hilarious, out-of-this-world awesome friends!! Enough said.

4) Coffee. Weird, right? I have been boy-cotting the local coffee shop as much as possible (more on that another time) and have been drinking a ton of tea at home, which is delicious too. However, the other night I made myself a post-dinner cup of coffee and it was delicious. Mmm. If it wasn't so late, I would make myself a cup right now. So good.

5) Snail mail. It is the BEST. I am a crazy mailbox checker - almost every day on my way to work I walk over to the box in hopes of finding a surprise - usually, there is nothing (so sad) but every once in awhile I receive something awesome and it makes me squeal with joy. Whenever I DO get something I always test myself to see if I can get to work without opening it first....I rarely can. Very rarely.

Ta-da! Let's hope these positive vibes last through the weekend when I am hangin' at the Bracebridge FALL FAIR!! Did you know that there are 33 fall fairs happening across Ontario this weekend? THIRTY THREE!!! FACT. Why don't they all just get together and throw the worlds best fair? Hmm? Just a thought.

Happy trails & travels!
-- Becky xo

psychic.

Happppy birrrthdayyyy tooo meeeee....

It's true! I am (was) the birthday girl. Yesterday was my 23rd birthday and I am now officially an adult. I mean, technically this will be my 6th year of adulthood...but, you know what I mean!

So I started my birthday off with a fun drive back to Oakville with Treens. We giggled, sang loud tunes and stopped at a candy shoppe at 9:01 a.m. Impressive, I know. Once we arrived back, we met Ana at the psychic and began our reading.

Oh man. Let me preface this by saying that I am not generally one who is a believer in psychics. The whole ordeal seemed quite bizarre, and I thought it was just a fun thing to do. Now, I just have no idea what to think.

It was crazy. I won't go into exact details, but she pinpointed myself, Ana and Katryna as exactly who we are. It is like she knew us? Very odd.

According to Shirley, I will spend a lot of my life travelling. The man I meet (in 2 years!! hah) will have an adventurous spirit, and will love to travel as well. She also mentioned that we will be the kind of people who take various different trips -- safari, hikes etc. Sounds great to me!

She also said that I would always do okay with money, but that that wouldn't be a problem because money will never be of major importance to me. Correct!
There was a million other things she brought up that fit me so very well. It was weird...but also very cool!

I am looking forward to the next year. I wonder if her predictions are going to come true...i'll keep you posted.

Happy trails & travels,
-- Becky xo

gigglegiggle

uh oh. i guess it is time to cut down?

dock love.

this is cute.

Lucky.

I have been plagued with the summer time cold.
My least favourite kind of cold.
Because of this, I am working from home today.
Yep, fuzzy slippers, kleenex, green tea, tylenol, and soup.
The whole deal.

Currently, I am on my lunch break.
As I was sitting here feeling sorry for myself, and grumbling about my sick state - I thought about how, in reality, I am crazy-lucky. I have a job. My boss is kind enough to allow me to work from home on days like this. I have a home!! I am in my pajamas. I have soup to make me feel better, warm blankets, and medication.

What am I complaining about?
I received the following in e-mail form a little while ago, but it stuck with me.

Something to ponder...
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ...you are ahead of 500 million people in the world

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death...you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace ... you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still alive and still married ... you are very rare, even in the United States and Canada.

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

I am a really, really lucky girl. Sometimes I forget that and get caught up in the sniffles, sore throats and pounding headaches...but if that is all that is going to bring down my day? I should be spending the rest of it blowing my nose with a smile on my face.

Happy trails & travels,
-- Becky xo

Special Project.

I have been thinking about this awesome (crazy) idea for about 2 months now...an idea for a special project that will begin in July of next year. After consulting some close friends & my Pops, and receiving their full support, I have decided that I am going to give it a go!

If you have been a loyal reader (hah) of Backpack with Becky, you will know that I am on a constant hunt for 'Happy Trails & Travels'. I have an adventurous spirit that needs to be fed, and I am in the prime time of my life. The thing is, I don't want to just travel (in this case)...I see an opportunity for something more. I think I am going to give it a try.

Time for me to quit dreaming about it...I have to do it!!

I can't share the major details just yet, because I want to be pretty concrete before I go 'public' (...this sounds like a scandal? I assure you, it is not).

Hints:
- I will not be leaving the country
- I will travel many, many km's
- I will (ideally) create postive change

Details to follow...one day...soon-ish?

Send me a note if you have any questions...

Much love!
-- Becky xo

Landscape.

incredible.

I am a big fan of beautiful pictures.
I used to dream of being a photographer, but I do not have a good eye (not even close). My brother, on the other hand, has an incredible eye. Jerk. Hah!

I am consistently drawn to landscape photography...it makes me want to see the world and discover the beautiful places portrayed myself.

David Beatson is a photographer in the UK, and he has taken some awe-inspiring photos of Scotland. Check them out!

Can you believe that there are places in this world that are that magical?

B-e-autiful!

Happy Trails & Travels,

-- Becky xo

Quote.

Visitors!

I love when my friends visit.It makes me smile.

lemon tea ale at the griffin. yes, please!

lovely girls.

midnight swim with my 3 besties!

Unique.

Evening Kitchens.

I'm only sorry that it took so long to figure out.

I just really love music.

I am on a Band of Horses kick right now - and the song 'Evening Kitchens' is just so 'there'.
I don't really know how to explain what I mean by 'there' - so right? so real? familiar? honest?
Something like that.

It is just such a beautiful song.

I adore beautiful music and having those nights (like this one) when I get the chance to relax, get into the 'tunes' (hah), and smile about how much my life has changed for the better in the last few + months.

Cheers to beautiful music, healing and realizing that life is so good.

I am positive it will only get better from here.

Happy trails & travels,

Warmly,
-- Becky xo

Adventures in Bracebridge

Oh goodness.
I have failed as a blogger.
Almost an entire month has gone by.
Oy!

Well, my life has changed a litttle bit...or a lot...entirely?

I got a position with the Arts Council of Muskoka, working as the Intern OR Assistant Project Coordinator (I like to refer to myself as this at least...haha) on a project called Creative Paths! Creative Paths is a 'grassroots community arts education project whose focus is to build Mukoka's creative economy by introducing highschool students to creative careers'. Very grassroots. Very non-profit. Very well suited for the likes of me and my passions!

So, this position required me to pick up and move to Bracebridge -  the heart of Muskoka (or so the pamphlets say). I know its not Australia or Korea or something BUT it is kind of a big deal for me, as this is the first time I have been on my own entirely...and for the next YEAR! Oy!

Various emotions can describe my experience thus far. It has been mostly good, sometimes bad, slightly scary and lonely, often stressful, but also liberating and exciting.

Bracebridge is really cute. There is a pub called 'The Griffin Gastropub' that is my favourite place to go. There is a used bookstore 'The Owl Pen' that I like to frequent. There is the Farmers Market every Saturday that fills my fridge with delicious local goodies. There is my adorbale balcony that I have outfitted with electric blue (plastic) muskoka chairs, my favourite watering can and my basil, tomato, strawberry, and cilantro plants. There is Lake Muskoka and the Muskoka river that offers me places to swim and relax. There is a hilarious little trolly car that takes tourists around town and to Santa's Village (yes, Santa lives in Bracebridge during the summer!). There is the Norwood Theatre (that I haven't actually gone to yet) from 1940 that plays all the up-to-date movies. There are lots of festivals and events too. Oh, Bracebridge is also the waterfal capital of Canada! FACT. It is pretty special.

It would be a million times more special if I could gather up all my favourite humans and move them here...but visits are really nice too! This one time (last week), Deniz came up on a THURSDAY night (who goes out on a Thursday? Hah!) and we went to see GORD DOWNIE (heaven) at the Kee in Bala. It was a pretty wonderful adventure. I look forward to many, many more adventures!

The next three weekends promise to be great ones. Treens is on her way up tonight (yahoo!). The powerpuffers are heading up for the long weekend and THEN the JuniperChickens come up the weekend after that. Hurrah! I love my buddies!

I promise to become a more frequent blogger so that I am able to document my 'Adventures in Bracebridge'! How exciting! Hah!

As always, happy trails & travels!

Warmly,

-- Becky xo

P.S. My only goal for the WHOLE year is to see a Bear in its natural habitat. Bear count = 0..

Oh Canada

It is no secret that I am MADLY in love with this amazing country that I call home (sweet home).

Happy Birthday Canada!

Check out THIS video - East Coast rapper, Classified, created this amazingly catchy song alll about Canada.

Oh Canada, Oh Oh Oh Canada...

Happy trails & travels,
-- Becky xo

Convocation!

Holy guacamole!
Life happens so quickly.

I have many amazing life changes to report on, but just for now, I would like to celebrate being a graduate...again...with high honours!

I love my little Sheridan chickens. We all looked so cute in our blue gowns.

Exciting times!! It looks like I have ACTUALLY found my next big adventure.
Details soon. Promise.

Happy trails & travels,

-- Becky xo

OILiNEX.

Jason Mraz recently made a post on his blog about an environmentally friendly product called OILiNEX that could (potentially) aid in cleaning up the horrific mess that is currently going down in the Gulf.

Please take the time to watch the video HERE.
If the YouTube video is at all legit, I definitely think that there is serious potential in at least making a difference in the clean up!! It may not be the solution to fix the problem in its entirety BUT, as this wonderful quote states, "Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little." --Edmund Burke.......don't you agree?

Spread the word about the product. Tweet. Send a letter. Tell a friend. Put it in your status. Do what you can. You never know!!

Happy trails & travels.
-- Becky xo

Walt.

Love the earth and sun and animals...

Despise riches and give alms to everyone that asks...Stand up for the stupid and crazy...

Devote your income and labour to others...

...and your very flesh shall be a great poem.

--- Walt Whitman :)

Virgo.

Your ambition to better yourself is coming to the forefront.
You want to not only improve your lifestyle, but would like to achieve more independence as well. Your desire for success and recognition is growing, and will drive you to make changes that ensure you will enjoy both in the near future.

Sometimes my horoscope is spot on. Impressive.

Happy trails & travels,

-- Becky <3

Treehouse Hotel!

I am a big fan of treehouses. There is something so youthful and whimsical and magical about hanging out in a treehouse. I personally never grew up with one in my backyard, but I was always envious of those who did. I think my love for treehouses probably started back in my Now and Then movie watching days (it was a serious obsession for awhile). One day, I hope to have a backyard with a huge old tree and a treehouse for my kids (and for me!). Until then, I discovered these great treehouse hotels....what a fantastic idea! Check them out HERE!

I have officially added 'sleep in a treehouse hotel' to my list of lifetime goals!

Happy trails & travels,

-- Becky <3

Grown!

So, I am officially done my internship with the Mississauga Arts Council (MAC)....which means I have officially completed my education....which means I am an official adult? Time to get a job? Buy a house? Get married? Have a mini-Becky or two? Get arthritis? Buy a condo in Florida? Spoil my grandkids?

Oy. The thought of how quickly life may fly by makes my head spin.

At this point in time, I am just hunting for my next GRAND adventure...one step at a time!

Below is an article I wrote for the MAC newsletter on my last day as an intern...ch-ch-ch-check it out!

Happy t&t,
<3 Becky
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Five weeks.


In five weeks time you can drive to British Columbia and back four and a half times, you can grow your hair around 1.25 inches in length, or you can climb Mount Everest from base to summit close to three times (in good weather). You can also finish your post-graduate education and complete an internship at the Mississauga Arts Council, which is the route that I chose to take.

As a Public Relations intern at the Mississauga Arts Council, I have gained experience in all different forms of communication. I have had the opportunity to further develop my writing, editing, design, research, networking and social media skills through various projects, and I was lucky enough to do all of that while working in an office with a positive vibe.

While reflecting on and comparing my internship adventure with friends and classmates, I have realized how lucky I was to have been placed at MAC, the non-profit arts organization run by fierce and vibrant arts ambassadors. Some of my peers have said a lot about their big offices, their view of the CN tower, and their free lunches, but they don’t have much to say about the actual work they accomplished. I don’t know anyone else who, during their internship, took part in the execution of two fantastic events, appeared on television with Austin di Iulio from So You Think You Can Dance Canada, was responsible for the design and content of a program for a large awards show, familiarized the organization with social media networks, was quoted in the Business Times, made phone call (after phone call) to all types of local, regional and national media, developed a further understanding of the non-profit world, and brushed shoulders with the amazing talent that Mississauga has to offer.

Well, the five weeks have flown by and the road has come to an end. My adventure as a member of the MACpac has verified my personal passion for communications, non-profit organizations, community, the arts, and the importance of working for an organization that I truly believe in.

At the end of this day, it will be time for me to pack up my items and take the first ‘grown up’ exit on the highway of life. I don’t know where I am headed, but as my favourite quote says “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” -- (Jawaharlal Nehru).

My eyes are wide open. Bring on the adventures.
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Glorious.

Camping at Pinery Provincial Park was glorious!

Sand, sunshine, campfires, tasty treats, giggles, beautiful lake, falling asleep to the sound of the waves...it was lovely (just really, really cold at night).

We would (& likely will) return in the summertime when the crystal clear waters of Lake Huron can be properly enjoyed!

Until then, campouts in my backyard will have to do...(and they DO do! so fun!).

Happy trails & travels,

-- Becky <3

The Pinery.

There is simply nothing better, to me, than the outdoors. One of my favourite activities of LIFE is camping. The smell of campfire, the unusual noises, the stars, the friendly strangers, the awesome conversations, the endless games of UNO (my personal fav), and that peaceful feeling that overtakes your body while you are there. It has been a favourite past-time of mine ever since I was a child, and I think it probably always will be.

Next weekend, the Powerpuffers (Deni/Ana/Myself) are setting out for our first camping trip of the year. Weeee!!! So happy. I realize it is still May, and currently it is FREEZING cold outside (and snowing up North!!) but we can totally handle whatever Mother Nature decides to throw our way. I AM hoping for a little bit of sunshine though.

We took our first camping trip together last summer and had a BLAST, so we decided to get an early start this year. Plus, there is no guarantee that we are all going to be spending our summer in the same city (or country, for that matter) so we have decided to at least get this once trip in.

We are hitting up Pinery Provincial Park. This will be the first time I camp at this park, but it looks like a beauty. I cannot wait!

This time next weekend I will be sitting in my classic camp 'socks, sweatpants and sandals' outfit by a roaring fire, attempting to create the perfect smore, playing UNO, drinking a beer and having inspirational chats with my besties!

Woo hoo!

Happy trails & travels,
-- Becky xo <3

Planted paradise and took away a parking spot?

I discovered this "article" some time last year, and just re-discovered it today in my "favourites"!
I think it is really, really interesting and pretty inspiring.
I am trying to live a greener lifestyle (I can admit to absolute failure so far) BUT I am determined to get there and continue to make little changes in my life (which will eventually turn into big changes)!

Here is the link: www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=98

Hopefully you will enjoy it too!

Happy trails & travels,
-- Becky <3

Go find yourself.

Well kids, school time is (basically) over...
the reports have been written...
the presentations are prepared...
the blog is being handed in (Hi Eva!)...
...and I am prepping myself for the BIG SCARY WORLD!

The plan is to have "Backpack with Becky" continue on BUT for any of you that may be leaving the blogger world, I just wanted to share with you this article that you may use as a source of travel inspiration!

Get out there and see that big and scary and beautiful world!!

Happy trails & tavels,
- Becky <3

Odd.

I came across a pretty awesome article about weird (and very cool) hostels around the world.

I would like to stay at these places.

 Kadir's Treehouse, Turkey

"Staying at Kadir’s will ensure that you do have the perfect holiday. At Kadir’s, we cater for everybody; the young to the young at heart. Live out every kid’s dream to sleep in a real treehouse, or spend a night of comfort in one of our well appointed bungalows."

Local Cave House Hotel, Turkey

The hostel is in the centre of Cappadocia: Goreme All rooms are within the CAVE!

Anak Ranch, Mongolia

"At the ranch, you can ride unfenced, wide-open steppe and taiga in the last great wilderness of the world. You might take a hunk of cheese, a stick of sausage, and a canteen and ride out to look for the horses, ranging somewhere on the open steppe or in the hills. You might ride north for a few days to spy the Russian Orthodox monastery across the border, or southwest to the lost Buddhist monastery in the hills.

You will sleep in a ger, the traditional Mongolian nomad’s home. You will eat home-grown and all-natural food, including roast meat, cheese, stew, vegetables, milk, yogurt, and airag. You will learn to drink vodka the Mongolian way, accepting a proffered glass with honor and blessing the land in the directions of the four winds."

There are SO many amazing places in this world.

I would like to see them. Soon.

Happy trails & travels,

-- Becky <3

The Essentials.

I came across this article  "18 Essential Items for a Trip Around the World" and thought I would share it with you!

Although I am not currently planning for a trip around the world (just dreaming...), I think this list covers all of the necessary bases. It may be useful for the future me (who IS travelling the world?) as I am currently dealing with the classic 'over-packer' syndrome. Yep, I am the girl that brings a huge bag to sleepovers and a massive suitcase for a weekend away. It is the worst.

Happy trails & travels,
-- Becky <3

The Big Comfy Couch

CouchSurfing -- the newest sport in the summer Olympics...

Hah. Just kidding.

CouchSurfing is an international non-profit network that connects travelers with locals in over 230 countries and territories around the world.
Casey Fenton, the founder, came up with the idea for CouchSurfing when he was travelling from Boston to Iceland. Rather than choosing to stay in a hostel, he randomly e-mailed 1500 students at the University of Iceland asking if he could stay with them. He got close to 100 offers of accomodation. On the flight home to Boston, he began to develop his ideas for the CouchSurfing project.

According to the website, their mission as an organization is to create inspiring experiences: cross-cultural encounters that are fun, engaging, and illuminating. These experiences take many forms. CouchSurfing's initial focus was on hosting and "surfing" (staying with a local as a guest in their home). Along with these core experiences, they now also coordinate a growing array of events across the globe.

Getting involved in CouchSurfing (as a surfer or a host) is quite simple, and free! Just create your profile (make sure it is detailed, with pictures) and get surfing! Done.

SO, my dear travel buddies, the next time you are getting ready to hit the road, be sure to check out CouchSurfing - save yourself some money, get to know the locals and participate in creating a better world, one couch at a time...

Happy trails & travels,
-- Becky <3

Mykanos.

I am a (new) big fan of the band Fleet Foxes.

They have this awesome song "Mykanos"....turns out that Mykanos is a place in Greece!
Who knew? (...I didn't - I am pretttty bad with geography).

To be honest, I always forget about Greece. When I think about the top places on my list to travel to, Greece doesn't usually come up. However, one of my best friends (Katryna) has dreams about Greece. Greece and California. Those locations are at the top of her list.

The more I think about it, Greece really would be such a wonderful place to travel. So much history, so much beauty, so many delicious meals. Yum. Perhaps her and I will have to take a trip there together when we hit 'fifty and fabulous". Haha.

Happy trails & travels,
-- Becky xo <3

One for One.

TOMS! TOMS! TOMS!

Are you guys getting sick of reading about TOMS? Hope not! I don't know if I will ever tire of talking about their awesome, awesome company!

This past Wednesday, my dearest friend Ana and I threw a fundraising event for Friends of TOMS - the non-profit partner organization of TOMS Shoes. Lots of our dearest friends, family, new friends and strangers came out to listen to some awesome music, view the "Shoes for Tomorrow" documentary and support us in our quest. It was fun and scary and exciting and inspiring and very, very heart-warming.

It has been such a personal joy for me to be able to bring the One for One movement into the Oakville community. FIVE people who attended the event have already purchased their first pair of TOMS. This excites me.

As you can see, we were put on the front page of the Sheridan Sun. Embarassing (and secretly exciting). Hah. My good pal Bryan is a journalism student and he wrote the article - it is actually pretty good. You can give it a read at the end of the post, if you so choose!

After spending my entire Thursday barefoot while taking part in 'One Day Without Shoes' (quite the experience), I spent my evening baking foot-shaped cookies for our Friends of TOMS bake sale the following day. At the bake sale, lots of people were coming up to us and mentioning that they had read the article and were inspired about the movement. The word is spreading! People are getting excited!

This week has been all about TOMS and I am a very happy, happy girl.

Happy trails & travels,
- Becky xo <3

Dear Friends

Check out our facebook event here and join us!

Looking for more information?
http://www.toms.com/
http://www.onedaywithoutshoes.com/
http://www.friendsoftoms.org/

You can also check out the video application I created for the TOMS Shoes internship program here -- www.youtube.com/watch?v=93Q_JQJSu00. Feel free to leave a comment on YouTube and let me know what you think!

(...a little self promotion never hurt anyone! haha)

Hope to see you on Wednesday, April 7th!

Happy trails & travels,

-- Becky xo <3

(ooo wah)...I love the drive-in...

Oh, the Drive-In. One of my absolute favourite summer activities.

Today has been a gloomy day here in Oakville. The sunshine is hiding and the rain is falling. Somehow I forgot that Spring still had to spend some time with us before the Summer sunshine was here for good. Instead of embracing the rain, my mind has skipped a beat and put me in summer mode....and drive-in mode!

There is just something special about the whole drive-in movie experience. I especially love the awesome old concession commercials they play before the movies. You know...like the kid hanging with the hotdog character....and then he eats him? Hilarious.

Did you know that there are 23 drive-in movie theatres in Ontario?
Barrie, Elmvale, Fonthill, Grand Bend, Gravenhurst, Guelph, Hamilton, Hanover, Kingston, Lindsay, London, Midland, Oakville, Owen Sound, Oxdrift, Pembroke, Peterborough, Port Hope, Sharon, Smith Falls, Stoney Creek, Toronto, Woodstock.

I had no idea, but I think it is absolutely splendid!
Perhaps this calls for a road trip?
Perhaps I will make it my summer goal** to attend a film at every single drive-in theatre?
Will there even be 23 decent movies worth watching?
Perhaps not.

Oh boy. This could be fun.

And remember: Don't sneak your buddies in because they might get caught by the drive-in..(wahwahwah ooo). Thank you Beach Boys for your advice. Hah.

Happy trails (& travels),

- Becky xo <3

**If I am not living the fabulous life as a TOMS intern.

Things I now know..

I was stumbling around today (the day after St. Patrick's Day... how fitting) and came across an article written by a woman named Christine Gilbert. In July 2008, she made a massive life-change and decided to leave her job as a manager for a Fortune 500 company and follow her dreams to be a freelance writer/traveler. She sold all her belongings, began her adventure, and has been living the "vagabond" lifestyle ever since. 13 countries and 20 cities scratched off the list. 

I thought her article "8 things I wish I knew when I was 22 was very fitting for me (especially as a 22 year old). Perhaps you will enjoy it too! Regardless of your age, I think the underlying message in her article is to quit making excuses and just do what you love. Travel, marry, have a family, work as a manager for a Fortune 500 company, volunteer, whatever....just do what makes you happy!!
    

8 Things I Wish I Knew When I Was 22:
1. Pick a career you love; you don’t have to give into the pressure to be practical. Everyone changes careers over their lifetime; why not experiment with one that you are crazy about? Worst case scenario, you go get that crappy corporate job when you’re 28 and let the cool waters of 9-5ing wash away any memories of your failed Falafel-R-Us Gift Basket business.

2. Pay off your credit card debt and don’t buy so much stuff. Does every college do this? Offer credit cards at the student union, and in exchange for filling out an application, they gift you a candy bar? I was hungry! I was broke! Sign me up! Thankfully I was so thoroughly burned the first time, I learned my lesson.

3. Your student loans can be deferred practically indefinitely. After graduation, just call them and ask for a deferment. They will bend over backwards to make deferring easy to do. In six months when your deferment is over, call them up and do another. Repeat as needed.

4. It doesn’t cost as much as you’d think to travel. You don’t need to save $50,000 to spend a year overseas. If you’re young, willing to sleep anywhere (hello, couchsurfing!) and go to countries off the beaten tourist track, then you can survive on much less (I’ve heard as low as $1000/mo).

5. The job you have right now is not that important. If I were an employer I would only hire ambitious twenty something’s. They will knock themselves out working incredibly hard on stuff that barely matters. Try to get a 35 year old to take photocopying that seriously and you’re more likely to get your dog to iron your suit in the morning.

6. You don’t need a safety net. You can figure this out. The idea of being out there, with nothing to catch you if everything goes wrong may make your stomach do little flips, but really, you’ll be just fine.

7. This is the best time in your life to travel carefree. If you wait it’s going to be more complicated financially and emotionally. Now instead of putting on a backpack and heading out the door, I’ve got to cancel leases, forward mail, set up online payment arrangements, sell a ton of stuff, convince my family that I don’t need an MRI “just in case this idea is a sympton of a brain tumor”, and wrangle with complex stuff like dodging the “when are you going to have kids” question.

8. Did you read #7? Go Travel Now!

Well said Ms. Gilbert.

As my good pal Vicky often says, "You only live once!".

Let's get out there and take the leap!

Happy trails (& travels).

- Becky xo

Adventure!

Adventure:
1. an exciting or very unusual experience.
2. participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises: the spirit of adventure.

Walking to school the last few days with no jacket, loads of sunshine, and that springy smell in the air has led to some pretty fantastic daydreams. I love adventures. There are many adventures that I would like to have scratched off of my list at the end of my life.

Today the sunshine is hiding and there are these weird little water droplets falling from the sky (haha). Bummer? Doesn't have to be! Today is a perfect day to cuddle up, do some more daydreaming, and then take it to the next step by planning your next big adventure!

Fun fact: I LOVE planning trips. I love planning them for myself even when I know I won't be able to go on the adventure anytime soon. In fact, I even loving planning trips for other people! I just love it. Do you know how many trips I have planned that haven't happened yet? Oy. The good news is, I am going to be prettttty skilled when the time comes.

I, Becky Conlon, hereby declare my next big adventure to be spending my summer in Santa Monica, California while I intern for TOMS Shoes.

Sounds pretty official, eh? Perhaps TOMS will have no choice but to accept me as an intern when they see it written out like that? Genius!

What would you like to do?

Happy trails (& travels)!

- Becky <3 xo

Meet me in St. Louis

St. Louis, Missouri -- It has never been on my list of MUST SEE places. In fact, aside from the classic Judy Garland movie "Meet me in St. Louis", I have never really thought about it at all. Today, St. Louis has climbed the ladder.

The City Museum is the most ridiculous, exciting, random, interesting, and bizzare museum I have ever heard of!
"Housed in the 600,000 square-foot former International Shoe Company, the museum is an eclectic mixture of children's playground, funhouse, surrealistic pavilion, and architectural marvel made out of unique, found objects. The brainchild of internationally acclaimed artist Bob Cassilly, a classically trained sculptor and serial entrepreneur, the museum opened for visitors in 1997 to the riotous approval of young and old alike. Cassilly and his longtime crew of 20 artisans have constructed the museum from the very stuff of the city; and, as a result, it has urban roots deeper than any other institutions'. Reaching no farther than municipal borders for its reclaimed building materials, CITY MUSEUM boasts features such as old chimneys, salvaged bridges, construction cranes, miles of tile, and even two abandoned planes!"

Sounds cool, right?
They have a short video posted on their website which gives you a taste of just how cool this place is! Let me just say this: enchanted caves, strolling through a belly of a whale, shoelace factory, pipe organ, world aquarium, treehouse, big ball pit....I could go on.

If you have more time, check out this video (created by my favourite musical theatre blogger)- it is 10 minutes long and shows you a more detailed look of the City Museum!

Need another boost to make the trip? St. Louis also offers their crazy Gateway Arch, Municipal Theatre (oldest & largest outdoor musical theatre in the U.S.A), Zoological Park (free!) and The Hill (which is well known for their multiple delicious Italian restaurants)!!

Happy trails (& travels),

- Becky <3>

TOMS TOMS TOMS

I know you have all been losing sleep, desperately waiting for the next backpack-with-becky post and I am so sorry it has taken this long to get one to you. Let me explain...

Those of you who have seen me in the last few weeks have no doubt heard me mentioning TOMS shoes (over and over and over again). I am applying for a summer internship with TOMS in Santa Monica, California. The written application is due super soon (ahhh!), but I decided to get a little creative and make a movie to go along with it. I feel like I have been eating, sleeping and breathing TOMS. This whole application process has been occupying most of my brain space BUT I am finally done (the video)....

Check out my creative attempt on YouTube. Let me know what you think!

I highly encourage you to go read about TOMS Shoes and get excited about the movement. One for One!!

Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Happy trails and travels.
- Becky xo <3

fingertips

THE WORLD IS AT OUR FINGERTIPS.
Where do you want to go?

Happy trails (and travels)!

- Becky <3 xo

Adventure with technology...

Today I took an adventure with technology and learned the basics of creating a podcast. My dear friend Sara helped me out and we came up with this - the very first backpack-with-becky podcast!!

We discussed Sara's experience in Guernsey where she spent a year as an aupair for two adorable kids. Give it a listen!

For more information on the aupair experience, check out these sites: aupair.com, aupair-world.net, and greataupair.com...

Happy trails (& travels)!

- Becky xo <3