It’s Blogmas! It’s that time of year where I actually write on my blog because, as we all know, I only ever achieve things when I have a structured challenge. I like to create internal pressures that I disguise as external pressures. (Shut up. I’m working on it. In theory.)
I also like Blogmas, though. And this year, maybe this year, will be the year where I parley my Blogmas momentum into actual momentum. This will be the year where my blog becomes something. (At least until I start rehearsals for my next show in February. Wait, was that my outside voice?)
And you know what else I like? Beer Exchange!!! Yes. This is a A Flimsy Plan Blogmas mainstay. Mostly because it means that I only have to come up with twelve post ideas for Blogmas, but also because I love doing activities with friends.
If you’ve read my blog literally ever before, you probably know what the Beer Exchange is all about, but if not, here is a quick run down.
Megan organizes it every year. Sometimes this is very easy and sometimes it is like herding cats. I leave it to you to guess what this year was like.
12 people each buy 12 tall boy cans of a different local beer and then we all take one of each beer. (This is why it can be like herding cats. Megan tries to find out which beer we’re all buying so there are no duplicates and not 12 IPAs.)
Plus the beers are wrapped up, so it’s like an advent calendar! But social! With friends!
So you probably guessed what today’s post is all about – it’s about the first beer from the Beer Exchange! And this year, we actually had a kickoff party! Like for real! No illnesses to get in our way!
And that means we got to enjoy the first beer as a group. Sure, first Tyler and I enjoyed a really good bottle of wine while we were waiting for all of the beers to arrive, but then it was time for five people to drink the same type of beer. And what was that beer? Well, follow me through the cut to find out!
I am writing this blog post on the eve of the 2024 incarnation of the When Words Collide writing and reading festival, and there is nothing else I could possibly write about tonight. It is filling about 90% of my mind. Some of what is filling my mind is bubbly anticipation of talking about writing and theatre, but most of it is kind of nonsense. In fact, the thought that is currently at the top of my mind is that I actually didn’t realize that it was called a “festival”, not a “conference”. Was it once called a conference and it changed? Who can say?
It’s probably on the internet somewhere. But that’s not important right now.
Hey Erin, what are you doing at WWC? And how is this relevant to theatre?
I mean, what I’m doing at WWC is going to lots of fun panels and readings to get me inspired to write, competing with other artists and intellectuals in game shows and Quiplash games to entertain the general conference public, staying up way too late with other cool nerds, and generally immersing myself in the world of writing and reading for 72 hours.
Perhaps more importantly, I’m presenting two interactive sessions with blog favourites, Claire and Megan, on the very important topic of writing theatre. We are, in fact, the only scripted theatre related sessions during the weekend. (The Kinkonauts are doing a very cool improv thing, but improv is a whole other art form, thank you very much.) We’re doing one classic presentation on writing/putting on your own play, which we’ve been presenting in one form or another since 2018, and a newer hands-on workshop where we introduce people to our collaborative creation process. As discussed in last week’s Theatre Thursday, collaborative creation is FCT’s bread and butter, you know we’re going to bring that to a writing event.
This year, When Words Collide has quite a few active sessions on writing, which is great. There’s even a drop-down space where attendees can write and decompress whenever inspiration strikes!
I’m also doing a few other little things. Like I said, I’m competing in a trivia based game show that Kevin has created/hosted. I won last year, so I need to defend my fancy pumpkin trophy. Also, I need to be a woman forcing my way into nerd spaces in a bubbly and cute way. I’m also participating in Kevin’s Quiplash session for *entertainment*. And, finally, I’m speaking on a panel for fanfiction writers, which I am psyched about. Writing Riverona made me legally qualified to speak on it, but my years of writing Newsies, Rent, and The Babysitter’s Club fanfiction made me spiritually qualified. (Don’t go looking for it.)
Why Do You Love When Words Collide? (Or Specifically Talking About Writing, I Guess?)
I feel like this maybe might have come through above? But there is something that is just so inspiring and comforting about being around people who like the things you like. I remember the first year I “attended” WWC (aka, I visited Kevin at the hotel and crashed a few parties), I was so surprised that it was a place for me. But it truly was. It’s kind of a place for everyone I’ve ever invited there.
I’ve also never walked away from WWC and not been inspired to immediately get to work on a project. A ton of great work has come as a result of being in this great place.
I want to go to this place!
Of course you do. A few logistics:
WWC is a Calgary based festival, which takes place in the Delta South in the August of each year.
Conference passes are very affordable. (Like, less than $100.)
That said, you usually need to buy your pass early. Like, before the release of all the session details. You go to this festival for the vibes, not necessarily for the speaker line-up. But the cool thing about art is that it’s subjective, so you will absolutely learn things no matter who ends up presenting. Plus, the conversations with your fellow attendees! That also gives you a lot.
Presenters really run the gamut. Writers, editors, agents, book designers, book sellers, theatre artists, industry specialists. Widely published commercial writers, wildly published indie writers, poets, people who have just gotten their first book deal, former English teachers. However, session blurbs and presenter bios are available when you arrive, so you can make the choice that is right for you.
There is a Merchant’s Room where many of the presenters have their books and even some other merch on sale. It’s nice to support your favs.
Interact with people. Socialize. Take advantage of the experiences outside of the formal learning opportunities, that’s where this adult educator feels like the learning really takes place.
Now, I’ll be completely honest. This year’s When Words Collide is 100% sold out. However, I’ll be sharing a lot of the experience over my stories on Instagram and I’ll post a recap here. If you’re a writer or just writer-curious, I hope I’ll be able to convince you to join next year! Let’s get to work talking about writing, my friends!
Okay. Come with me on this very self-indulgent blog post. It is the week between Christmas and New Years, I am living in my feels because this is the time where I get to. I am watching a competitive makeup show and enjoying a glass of wine from my new “Riverona High School Fencing Champion – By Default” mug. (When do you ever get to have merch that is about you? When!? This is the coolest.) And I am also about to give you the ultimate cheatsheet for becoming my friend and/or boyfriend. Because this is a list of Erin’s favourite things.
What? Why?
Because earlier this year, one of my favourite podcasts Hey Riddle Riddle did “Favourite Things” Brackets on their Patreon. They have a host named Erin Keif. It started with Erin’s Favourite Things (in bracket form) and then it expanded to the other two hosts and their editor and one of their most popular guest hosts and… anyway. It was delightful.
I’m not going to do a bracket, because how could that even work with just me? And also, maybe I’m hopping on the “Erin’s Favourite Things” SEO, but who cares? It’s my name too!
Also, I’m doing 50 things because that is what Erin Keif did. Please enjoy some wholesome and fun stuff from two women who would like to do the splits. And if you wanna bracket it… who am I to stop you?
Erin’s Favourite Things
Diet Coke on Fridays
The part of The Hold Steady’s “Sixers” where this riff happens (You should listen to the entire song, but this moment is the reason why this was my #2 most listened to song this year)
Uggs. I wore them when they were trendy, I wore them when they were cheugy, I wear them now.
When it’s raining exactly the right direction outside so you can open the window and read or sleep without any of your things getting wet
When the entire Riverona cast breaks because Joel David Taylor slapped Principal Prince and came up with an unreasonably funny ad lib
When your niece or nephew demands that you flip them upside down “again and again and again and again”
When you find a new recipe that is both delicious and good for leftovers so you can meal prep on repeat
That moment where your podcast is the exact same length as your walk
Pantyhose/tights that are exactly the right size and still compressive, despite the size chart making zero sense
How hard this part of Taylor Swift’s “Now That We Don’t Talk” sticks in my soul (especially “with important men who think important thoughts”)
Rose gold anything
The last 20 minutes of a Paint Nite where finally you start to feel like you’re a good visual artist
Having an amazing theatre project that other people are equally excited about
Friends’ Trips with Claire
Rom-com novels about sports boys that have a secret soft side
Those rare moments when you finally overcome your time blindness and arrive at something early enough that you can circle for parking or read your book without being stressed about time
When Kevin Weir introduces me to a book series that scratches an itch I didn’t know I had
Gerard Bertrand’s Cote Des Roses rose. And not just because of the bottle.
Transforming any Starbucks seasonal drink into an americano misto and then going for a walk with said hot beverage
Seeing plays with my mom and then debriefing them afterwards
When I’m out in public and see someone who I know but I think they won’t recognize me, but then they say hi to me!
Vertigo Theatre opening nights
Clean sheets and freshly moisturized legs
The moment that Hans Wackershauser takes a joke too far that it becomes a joke again
Para-social relationships with people I actually know on Instagram but don’t get to see nearly often enough (you know who you are!)
When an actor walks into an audition and they are absolutely the right person for a role (Sarah, Mike, this is about you!)
Getting needlessly fancy cocktails with Claire and Kendra
When you’re thinking about someone you haven’t spoken to in a hot minute and they text you at that exact same moment
When you can hang out with your partner’s family or friends without them and it’s cool
Similarly, when you are equally friends with both parts of a couple (Mike and Meg, Hans and Megan, I’m looking at you!)
When you let your hair air-dry and it does exactly what you want it to do
Backyard fire pits
Having a solo beverage and a book while in a bar or cafe
Surprisingly comfortable 5-inch heels that are also cute
Waking up early but also naturally
When you go to a farmers/craft/holiday market and all the vendors are friendly but not too friendly, so it’s not awkward
Hotels with heated towel drying racks
Discovering someone else you just met or don’t speak with often is also super into that very niche thing you love and you both talk about it excitedly together.
That’s it. I’ve been looking forward to this post literally all December and, even if it doesn’t help me garner new friends and/or boyfriends, it helped me realize what I care about. I’ve always been relentlessly positive but it feels so good to deliberately articulate things that make me this way on the blog.
So! What are some of your favourite things!? And do you think we can make this a bracket? Many of the things are universal, so I think we could!
When I started this blog, one of my core goals was to share fun things that I did in Calgary. Which I did fairly well for a time – at least until I did too many shows and a Masters degree. (I don’t think I wrote a single post in 2019.) Then, for a time, I did very few fun things in Calgary, unless you count my living room as Calgary, for reasons that we are all very aware of. And now I feel like I just haven’t really gotten back into the vibe of sharing fun things that aren’t plays. And Blogmas is about getting into routines, so why not take an opportunity to talk about a fun thing I’ve been doing in Calgary!? Talespin Trivia YYC!
Talespin Trivia? Is That Like Trivial Pursuit?
Sort of? I guess?
Talespin Trivia YYC is Alan, creator and host of trivia events here in Calgary. He’s also a friend and theatre colleague, but that is neither here nor there. Because his trivia is great. He writes fun questions that are clever, informative, and occasionally a little convoluted. Sometimes it is a long walk around from the initial setup to what the question actually is, which is all a part of the magic because it keeps you on your toes.
We first started attending Alan’s trivia on Mondays at Citizen Brewing, a tucked away brewery in the northeast of Calgary. Megan and Hans had been looking for something to do while we enjoy delicious beverages and Alan’s trivia was the thing we decided to try. We were hooked! It’s just nice to know things, you know? Plus the dream team (Megan, Hans, Kevin, Claire and I – plus Kevin’s girlfriend Jess sometimes or a rotating series of friends) is wildly competitive so we like a thing that we do well at. Yes, we’ve won a couple of times over the past year and a half.
Anyway, we’ve now followed Alan to a few of his other event venues – including tomorrow night at Dickens Pub for Christmas Movie trivia! (Will we be good at this? Hard maybe – we have breadth of knowledge as a team, not depth.) I’ll try to drop a few pictures, at least on the Stories if nothing else.
You Haven’t Actually Explained What This Trivia Looks Like
Right! Too much enthusiasm!
Pub trivia. Get together a group of your friends (usually 6 is the max, some places take up to 8), arrive at a pub/brewery/cidery at a pre-determined time, enjoy some delicious drinks, and prepare to answer trivia questions. There will be a sheet of paper or cue cards to write your answers on. There is usually a buy-in (maybe $5-10) to compensate the host for their time and hard work. There is usually a prize of some sort for first place and maybe even second or third. (Usually the prize involves a gift card to the venue. For obvious reasons.)
Most of the pub trivia I’ve been to involves 6 rounds. Sometimes the rounds are themed, sometimes they aren’t. Talespin Trivia always has themed rounds because it helps Alan come up with question ideas – after all, constraints cause creativity. Especially with the events at Citizen, because they are General Knowledge trivia, versus the Dickens events which tend to have an overarching theme. There may be Name That Tune style rounds or identify things/people/toys in pictures type rounds.
And the most important thing to know? Don’t shout out the answers! (Unless the host tells you that you can.)
So What’s Your Thesis Statement Here?
Obviously, it’s that trivia is fun and you should follow Talespin Trivia on instagram to find out when Alan’s next event is because he is our favourite.
What a good day yesterday was! It was jam-packed, but it had so much good theatre, friends, drinks, and food. And you read it here first – Sarah Nearing is not just a fantastic vocal instructor, she is going to take the playwriting world by storm sooner than you might expect. But I am non-sequitering. And Sarah’s play is Sarah’s story to share when she’s ready to share. So instead, I’m going to hop back to Friday and talk about Ricardo’s Sippin’ Santa pop-up bar – redux!
Some of you may remember two years ago when my MEd friends and I did the Sippin’ Santa pop up at Ricardo’s Hideaway. (What you may or may not know is that I’ve still never actually been to Ricardo’s for their regular menu. It’s fine. I’ll get it together one day.) That year, it was a specifically scheduled, fairly planned out, event. This year? Totally spontaneous plans!
I had a bit of an odd day at work on Friday and Megan and Hans were recovering from getting some seasonal vaccines. We needed seasonal fun to distract ourselves! So we swung by Market Collective to pick up a few gifts, then headed over to Ricardo’s because festive drinks.
Now, let me make it clear that we were very lucky when we arrived at Ricardo’s. It is a very small space and, at least on Friday, they were not keeping a list. Which, I get it. They don’t really have a lobby that people can hang in while waiting. But we happened to be weighing our options right as a group at the bar paid – and glory was ours!
The Ricardo’s Sippin’ Santa Drinks
Okay, this is fun. While much of the glassware is the same, the drinks are actually different this year. (With the exception of the signature Sippin’ Santa. Which… I get it.) This is genius, at it lets the mixologists who design the menu get creative but also keeps the people coming back.
You know. If they realize it’s different. Which I didn’t until now. But that’s a me problem, not a them problem.
This year instead of going for a hot booze option (even though I love hot booze), I selected the Yule Tide almost exclusively for the adorable mermaid Santa mug. However, I do like tequila and cranberry, and I drank this delicious boy maybe a little bit too fast.
Speaking of adorable, Megan and Hans shared the North Pole Bowl. It maybe took us a little bit too long to figure out that the figurines are Santa and a reindeer having a little soak. We thought crocodile, pig, wolf… It’s fine. We’re fine. I snagged a sip and it was yummy – very much as if a gingerbread cookie and black tea were a cold beverage.
The Ricardo’s Sippin’ Santa Decor
Sippin’ Santa continues to be festive and vibe-y, with sparkles everywhere. There is a ton to look at, definitely a good conversation starter if you’re worried about running out of things to talk about. It’s cute. And not too loud!
(We also went to National on 17th, which was both loud and not festive. Give it a skip for now.)
So, I need to know. There are lots of pop-ups in town – which would you go for? Classic cocktails? Tiki drinks? Beer? There’s something for everyone!
The community! (You’ll notice this is going to be an on-going theme throughout Blogmas this year. Community, surrounding myself with people, is just what I’m looking for in this season of my life.) As I write this post, we’re all typing away in our group chat, discussing the beers by number and not name so there’s no spoilers. The conclusion from everyone who has experienced Beer 3 so far is that it is a whole lot of beer in one single tall can.
No, we didn’t get to have the kick-off party, but we’re still a team and that’s so cool. There are a couple things that we took away from our years in our homes that are, like, not the worst. (Look, I know that is the most tepid statement ever, but I said what I said.)
So why don’t we just move onto Beer 3 instead? You know what to do… follow me on through the cut.
We’ve made it to Day 5 of Blogmas and I officially got my first request for a post. And thank goodness because I am both experiencing the post-Riverona blues and have a presentation to deliver at work on Friday, so my mental faculties are minimal at best right now. But y’all came through! Back on Day 2, I mentioned Cheese Party and you needed to know! What is this glorious sounding event? Well let me tell you – it is the best party to throw after Christmas.
But What Is Cheese Party?
Cheese Party is exactly what it sounds like. It is a party with cheese.
Heeeey friends! Guess what is back, back, backpack again in the year of our Lord 2023? (And, yes, there might be a backpack involved.) My dear friend Megan is not laid up with a broken ankle this year and that means it’s time for a Beer Exchange!!!
Yes! A Beer Exchange! One of those fun things that you hear people talking about but no one ever really pulls together – 12 people each choose a local beer to buy 12 tall boy cans of and then we all take one of each beer. Plus the beers are wrapped up, so we have no idea what we are drinking. It is fun and festive and more social than buying an advent calendar. I am psyched.
I love doing things with my friends.
And having content for my blog.
So you probably guessed what today’s post is all about – it’s about the first beer from the Beer Exchange! And, not just that, we had a kickoff party with a few of our participants so this post is also about that. Woooooo!!!
Yes, that means that I am starting this post in the afternoon and will finish it when I return home from the party, potentially a bit tipsy. Because I don’t know what the first beer is yet and I will be enjoying it at the party with my friends. But don’t worry… as always, I will make you have to work for the reveal of what the first beer is. So follow me through the cut to find out what we had for Beer Exchange Day 1…
Oh my gosh, you guys, the holiday activities have been filling every little inch of my life recently. Which is why I’m writing this post at a casual 11 pm, very chill posting time. Normal choices. If you read yesterday’s post, you kind of have an idea of what I’ve been up to. I did, in fact, do all of those things listed in that opening spiel. Plus, Claire and I headed over to ONE18 Empire for fancy Old Fashioneds and truffle everything after our show. (This is the go to place in Calgary if you want a smoky Old Fashioned.) And then I recorded Mystery, Outsiders, and Abs. Okay, that last one isn’t festive, but still it added to the very full vibe of my life right now. I’m sure many of you are in the same place… which is why I want to share something that might make your life a little bit easier.
What’s up, y’all! It’s T-minus 11 days until Christmas, Hanukkah is starting at nightfall on Sunday, Kwanzaa in 12 days, and numerous other celebrations are popping up all over the place. Time is just racing now and, here in the holiday of Blogmas, we’re already at another beer on the beer advent calendar.
I don’t have a particularly interesting story about what I did while drinking this beer (and it’s one that I’m familiar with, so no fun beer facts to discover)… so instead I’m going to talk about something super cool that is happening at the Eighty-Eight taproom during these upcoming busy 11 days.
Home Alone Taproom Pop-Up at Eighty-Eight Brewing
Yesss, that’s right! Kevin McAllister, the Wet Bandits, and all your favourite Home Alone easter eggs have settled in at Eighty-Eight and it is truly epic. The amount of work they must have put in to transform this space (which is always pretty stunning) is truly incredible. Like… look up there! They re-created the flight board!
Every inch of the space is covered in wrapping paper, presents, and other Home Alone related Easter Eggs. I mean, there are cardboard figure cutouts up against the second floor windows, so that when you are outside it looks like there is a party on, in classic Kevin McAllister fashion. And if that’s not enough, there is a full-on Home Alone Easter Egg scavenger hunt to keep you busy!
Home Alone Taproom Pop-Up Menu
Oh yeah, they’ve also made some little changes to the menu. The Wet Bandits – not just movie villains, but also a super intense beer. It’s a Triple IPA, with a 10.1% ABV and an 88 IBU. Yes, I am scared of it, thank you. For those like me who can’t commit to a full 10% beer, they are also offering Marv and Harry pre-set flights.
And they’ve really committed to the bit by giving their menu a little visual makeover too. Look! The cheese pizza is renamed. We love commitment to a theme. (As a quick note, I hit up Eighty-Eight with Claire and Megan the other day to enjoy some brews and pizza. The cheese pizza is amazing.)
Omg, I still have a whole beer to reveal here! I promise, I’ll keep it quick.
Day Seven Clue
Day Seven’s clue read “Relax, put down the work, it’s holiday time”. Hmmm..
