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December 3

Twelve weeks have passed at Seneca College and we’re finishing up on our final project for the first semester of the Broadcasting-Television course. Our last major project consisted of writing a script for a morning routine, filming it with a Panasonic AC160 camera and using lights and a boom mic to assist with the scenes and audio. In addition to filming a one-minute and 30 second action sequence, we were also required to use our skills from our photoshop class and create the title page. The hard part about this project was that I could only complete it in one afternoon because the actress who starred in my mini-movie was only free on that particular day. We also live quite far away from each other and since none of us have a car, lugging around all the camera equipment for the second day in a row was not something that I could do again. But this project will definitely make me remember to never ever remove equipment from the Audio/Visual Loan Desk at Seneca without checking if all the equipment was there. My teachers repeated this instruction time and time again yet I still managed to make a fool of myself, and forgot to check the equipment. Needless to say, when I arrived at the location to shoot, I realised that I did not have a battery for the camera. Oh, the drama and horror that ensued! Woe is me! Honestly, I must have spent three hours scouring Scarborough for a battery compatible with a Panasonic AC160 camera but couldn’t find any because, “they’re as outdated as dinosaurs,” said a shop assistant who worked at Best Buy. After a short meltdown and a little cry, I composed myself together, chatted with my classmates on WhatsApp and eventually managed to charge the camera through connecting two chargers together, and then plugging the cables to the camera.

This is one lesson that I learned the hard way, and it’s one that I will never forget. My project was also compromised because I could not move the camera as freely as I would have liked, since it had to stay connected to the wall socket at all times. But one can only learn by making mistakes and as Winston Churchill, aka the British Bulldog, once said: “All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes.”

Please check out my video below, I hope you like it!

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December 2

The Christmas lights were installed across the city of Toronto and while walking downtown, I also saw the ice rink outside Union Station. It was nice to see the young kids smiling and having fun. I was so excited that I took a photo and sent it to my classmates because if we have time, maybe we could try it out?

The free outdoor skating rink at Front Street Plaza runs until January 2, 2022, and visitors can enjoy 45-minute skating sessions by registering online. As a student in Toronto, my classmates and I are always looking for things to do on the cheap – and if its free, then it’s even better. I love this time of year when the streets are decorated, with everybody in a good mood and looking forward to the holidays.

Next semester’s classes will also be open for registration by December 7 at midnight, so I’m planning to stay awake and then pounce on my computer. If I could have it my way, I would like to have a long weekend every week next semester, or at least have online classes either on Friday or Monday because I’m getting exhausted commuting everyday to York campus. Taking public transport has made me miss my Land Rover Discovery, and I miss playing the radio on full blast while singing along to tunes. But I don’t see myself driving around the city of Toronto, and think it’s best if I leave my car where it is; back home in the garage. Traffic is insane here and I might end up getting more stressed driving around than taking the bus. The main issue I have with the buses are the drivers because there has been more than one occasion when I’m running towards the bus – once I even knocked managed to knock on the door – but if the doors are closed, then the conductor will just drive away. It can be very annoying, especially when I’m running late and it’s raining. I don’t blame the bus drivers though, as it would be a stressful job driving all day across the city with maniacs on the road. Once I saw a car overtaking the bus that I was sitting in, and the bus driver had to slam the brakes to avoid an accident. There was another time when the bus was entering Finch Station and a young guy in a hoodie was standing in the middle of the road while searching his pockets, he was lucky that the bus driver swerved and managed to avoid him.

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December 1

It’s the last month of 2021, and I don’t know whether to be happy or sad. I’m glad that we can put this year behind us but I’m not sure that I’m looking forward to 2022, what with the new COVID variant creeping up again. In the last two years, I have learned to appreciate online shopping and became, if just a little, addicted to combing through websites and placing orders on great deals that I don’t think I would be able to find otherwise. As we’ve now entered December, I dedicated a few hours for online shopping and bought Christmas gifts for the family. I saw this meme on Instagram today that summed up the adult shopping experience perfectly:

I’ll be flying back home on December 20 and I really can’t go shopping a few days before Christmas while also suffering from jet lag – there’s a nine-hour time difference between Canada and the United Arab Emirates, and it takes around a week for me to get used to the change in time zones. It’s a shame that I won’t be able to go out to restaurants and clubs during the Christmas holidays because the UAE government announced its first case of the Omicron variant, which means that we all have to do our part and stay at home. I’ll probably go to my friends’ homes, like we did during the pandemic, but that will be pretty much it.

When I get back home, all I want to do is sit by the beach and soak up the sun. I didn’t get any sun in well over a month, and I’m starting to feel SAD. No, not it’s not sad in capital letters but an acronym for seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The symptoms of SAD include moodiness and feeling depressed, and typically starts in the fall and continues into the winter months, and is also known as the “winter blues”. What I need is a big dose of Vitamin D to lift my spirits and a break from staring at the computer; the number of hours I had to work on projects has been stressful and I can’t wait until most of my classes are over next week.

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November 30

Last night was really bad, I don’t ever want to eat from McDonald’s ever again. The weather has changed and it’s becoming colder, so I don’t really feel like going out as much. When I was in Walmart picking up a few groceries, I thought it would be a good idea to pick up a Quarter Pounder on the way home, which ultimately, turned out to be the worst idea ever.

Within five hours, my stomach heaved and I ended up getting sick, which was not the way I wanted to spend my Sunday night. Eventually, after a warm glass of Jackson-Triggs merlot, I fell asleep on the couch before making my way back to bed. I can’t remember the last time I ate from McDonald’s, and I’m pretty sure it’s going to be months before I can forget about this incident. I’ve been eating plant-based burgers for some time and I think I won’t be able to eat meat anymore unless I cook it myself.

Plant-based meals act as a great substitute for meat, and according to the Plant Based Foods Association, plant-based foods are, “foods made from plants that contain no animal derived ingredients”. Plant-based meat is basically food that mimics minced meat but that is actually vegetarian-friendly, and is a substitute for anything from burgers to ground meat and sausages. It is also supposed to be healthier than meat because they're lower in saturated fat and calories, with ingredients that include coconut oil, vegetable protein extract, and beet juice. If you’re interested in trying a plant-based burger, I’d highly recommend the one from A&W as its tasty and doesn’t leave you bloated after eating. But that might be a personal choice after all, since I’ve had vegetarian burgers before they were in style. It was around 2010 when I discovered vegetarian patties and everyone I’d try to recommend it to thought it was the most awful thing they ever heard.

The vegetarian patties were made from either quinoa or chickpeas, and were mixed with a variety of vegetables, such as spinach, beans and potatoes. Back home in Dubai, you usually found them in the frozen food section as they were imported from France, but if I was lucky, I could sometimes find some fresh patties in the section with the raviolis and smoked salmon stuffed in the large refrigerators. Anyway, I’m just happy that I can get them these days on the cheap and don’t have to drive out of my way to get a meal that won’t cause food poisoning.

Take a look at this interesting column from the Napa Valley Register, which explains why the future is heading towards a plant-based diet.

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November 29

Yesterday was the first snowfall of the season and when I went outdoors this morning, it truly was a winter wonderland. The ground was covered in snow, the trees barely moved, and it was a bit warmer than I expected it to be. From the bedroom window, I expected to walk into a freezer but surprisingly enough, I had to remove my gloves after walking for 10 minutes because it was starting to get too warm for my liking. Did you know that it actually gets warmer after it snows? I did a bit of research on the topic and in a post published in funtrivia.com, it said that the snow brings about a sudden drop in humidity caused by precipitation, and so the cold dry air feels warmer than the cold humid air because it transfers heat slower. How interesting!

Today’s also the first day that I wore my thermal underwear, or long johns, as they’re known in North America. This was the first time that I’ve seen snow like this. I lived in the UK for a year but the snow usually melted within a day, and was generally quite light. I’ve seen snow on top of mountains too, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much while walking in the city. And imagine, it’s going to get a lot worse in January! I can’t begin to imagine how the city will look like after a heavy snowfall. I was talking to a classmate of mine and she suggested that I buy heated insoles for when the weather gets worse. At the moment I’m wearing boots lined with fur, but I’ll keep the idea at the back of my mind. The heated insoles can be found on Amazon starting from $24.44, so it’s not going to break the budget.

In class today, all everybody talked about was the Omicron variant. Two people in Ontario were confirmed to have the new coronavirus and by evening, the numbers reached to four. The Television Broadcasting Course at Seneca College is hybrid, which means that half of our classes are in-person and the rest is online, but now we’re starting to worry how it will be next semester. What happens if we have to be completely in-person and the cases get worse? We all take public transport while commuting to college, so we’re all a bit worried. The Christmas holidays are coming up and some people, including myself, are travelling back home for the holidays. Will Canada close the borders for international travellers like last year? My mind’s going all over the place, and I really don’t want to face another lockdown.

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November 26

Oh no, its starting all over again. I feel like we’ve gone back in time and the pandemic is starting all over again. The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced today that the new COVID strain Omicron is a variant of concern. Although it is not yet clear whether Omicron is more transmissible compared to the other Delta variant. The number of people testing positive has dramatically risen in areas of South Africa affected by this variant, but epidemiologic studies are underway to understand if it is because of Omicron or other factors. According to the WHO website, “Preliminary evidence suggests there may be an increased risk of reinfection with Omicron as compared to other variants of concern.” This is the last thing I wanted to hear. I’ve booked my holiday from December 20, 2021 to January 9, 2022, and I am starting to worry about the closure of borders. Why can’t people be smart and get vaccinated? If they did, I don’t think we would be in this mess. I was watching the news on CBC, and the government announced border measures for South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Namibia, until January 31, 2022. The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, minister of health, said: “Canada’s stringent testing and quarantine measures are in place to reduce the risk of importation and spread of COVID-19 and variants. These have proven effective in identifying imported cases of COVID-19 and preventing community spread. These new measures are being put in place out of an abundance of caution. We will continue to do what is necessary to protect the health of Canadians.”

I hope we don’t go into lockdown and re-live 2020 in 2022, the horror!

I go this photo today, which made me laugh. Its so true!

I actually have four shots, two doses of the Chinese-manufactured vaccine at the beginning of 2021 and then two of Pfizer before I arrived in Canada last August. At this rate, we’ll all be winning toasters.

I’m relieved that most of my direct family members already received their booster shot, but unfortunately my dad still hasn’t and I don’t think he’s keen on getting one either. My sister was telling me the other day that she knows a few people who also got a sixth vaccine. At first it didn’t make sense, but then she explained that the reason behind it was actually quite a logical one. China shipped large batches of its vaccine to countries in the Middle East, but then once international borders reopened, many Western countries did not recognize the Sinopharm vaccine. In order to travel, people then registered for the Pfizer vaccine and got their two shots. But since the global awareness campaign on booster shots started, those same people then went out to get their third and fourth Pfizer shots, which adds up to a fifth and sixth vaccine shot.

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November 25

My day started relatively slow and it’s not everyday that I can relax during the week, so I called a few friends to go to Ripley’s Aquarium but they were still catching up with assignments and didn’t want to go out. But its okay, I decided to go by myself at the end. This isn’t the first time that I went to places on my own. I remember a few months ago, I was messaging my friends back home and when I said I went to the cinema on my own, they were horrified. They said that they would never do that and would rather stay at home than go out to watch a movie alone. I don’t really see what’s the big deal. Of course, I would have preferred the company but there comes a point when I can’t stay indoors and watch television for one more minute, or I’ll scream out of exasperation and restlessness!

So after having a quick lunch at home, I took the subway and went downtown to Ripley’s Aquarium. Learning about Canada’s history and visiting the aquarium was a lot of fun, and now that I’m living here, it makes sense to know more about the country. Ontario has five Great Lakes, consisting of Lake Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario, which play a big part in the physical and cultural heritage of North America.

The Great Lakes contain nearly 20% of the earth’s fresh surface water, and the marine habitat is home to a number of flora and fauna, including the American lobster, cod, Giant Pacific octopus, wolf eel and the sturgeon.

I couldn’t believe it when I read that the Canadian Waters Gallery at the Aquarium features 17 exhibits totaling over 665,000 litres of water. I hope the Aquarium has a good maintenance team. I remember that around 10 years ago, the aquarium in a Dubai mall cracked and flooded the ground floor, and it was nowhere near the size of this one.

The coolest thing I saw were the jelly fish, also known as the Moon jelly fish, which changed colours from blue to orange. Ninety-five percent of this marine animal’s weight is water, and did you know that it has no brain, eyes or heart? It was also fascinating to learn that its colour actually changes according to its last meal.

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November 24

It was such a long day; I can’t believe that I made it to my 8am class. I was extremely tired from last night’s shoot and slept for only five hours 😨 I don’t know how I did it but I made it through the day.

When I entered the Seneca building, I saw a young girl sleeping on a bench while using her backpack as a pillow. I think I would have imitated her if I had the extra time but unfortunately today, it was just about getting things done and not having enough time to do it. But I think I managed my time pretty well, if I do say so myself. Today in audio class, and we had to record a three-minute monologue and insert music and sound effects accordingly. I went to the editing suites with my classmates and managed to record the dialogue without a glitch, so on overall, I’m very happy with how the day went. After taking a much-needed two-hour nap back home, I woke up refreshed and ready to take on the world. Then I remembered all the things I had to do and cringed. But I managed to suck it up and act like a woman (I hate it when they say ‘act like a man’ – women are much stronger) and I successfully managed to complete my audio project. The three-minute monologue was taken from a dramatic scene taken from the movie The Fisher King, starring Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges. Released in 1991, this movie is one that I’ll always remember and I think that its plot is timeless because depression is a condition that we still can’t treat.

I’ve uploaded the clip below, and hope you’ll all enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed making it.

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November 23

I did my last shoot for the semester, and it’s a project called Morning Action Routine. Basically, I have to write a script and film their morning routine. Obviously, I can’t just show someone waking up, brushing their teeth and taking a shower, so I had to put a great deal of thought into this. But do not worry, I know you don’t want any spoilers 😉 As soon as I edit my video, I’ll upload it for you guys.

If you look at the picture below, you’ll see me with all the camera equipment and lights in a blue cart that I rented out from the Seneca College Audio/Video Loan Desk, which is also commonly known as the A/V Loan Desk. I had to rent out a video camera, two microphones, a camera tripod, three lights, a cable, and gel lights.

This cart felt like it weighed a ton, and since I was going for a shoot in Scarborough, I had to take two subways trains and a bus while pushing this carcass around. Oh my God, you can’t even begin to imagine the judgmental looks and stares I received from other people. The worst look I got definitely had to be in the bus from Scarborough Central Station. After taking a good five minutes trying get into the bus through the ramp that’s generally reserved for people in wheelchairs, I finally managed to get into the bus, slide back the chairs, and situate myself in a way where I couldn’t cause any bodily harm to my fellow passengers. So once I got into a comfortable nook, a woman pushing a baby stroller got on the bus and gave me the stink eye, can you believe it??? I don’t know why I bothered, but I still gave her an apologetic smile and said sorry yet she continued to glare at me as if I just did the most unimaginable thing on earth. I got so upset that I turned around and looked out of the way for the rest of the bus ride, and remained sulky for a fair amount of time because I resented that this random stranger tried to make me feel bad for something that couldn’t be helped.

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November 22

My regular commute to Seneca College involves sitting on an express bus for 45 minutes, getting off at Finch West subway station, taking the subway, and then hopping off after one stop on Line 1 to York University. While taking the subway, I saw a blonde woman sitting in a corner without a face mask. This is the second time that I saw someone without a facemask while using Toronto’s subway, which doesn’t make any sense because I thought that inspectors are on duty to look out for passengers who break the rules. Wherever you look, whether its on the bus or on the subway, there are signs clearly stating that those in violation of the Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) policy can be fined $235.

These stickers are placed all along the floors of the TTC's subway stations to remind passengers that face masks should be worn at all times.

Then on the way back home, another face mask-related incident happened, which I was actually happy to see. The bus conductor stopped for a break at Finch Station, and soon enough, a passenger entered without a facemask and carrying a boom box, which was playing loud reggae music. He then pulled back the plastic tape cordoning off the seats behind the driver, and sat down. I thought to myself, “Oh boy, is he ever going to get into trouble,” and was I right. The bus driver lost his mind when he saw the passenger, and raised his voice while telling him off. Everybody in the bus stopped what they were doing, and subsequently either looked down at their phones, stared out of the window, or looked at their shoes as if there was something quintessentially magical as to what was going on down near their feet. The bus driver spoke ever so politely, but in a firm manner in a way that a teacher would speak to a young student, and told the passenger that this is a workplace so, “Please, stop playing loud music and put your mask on, or I will ask you to leave.”

It’s very important for everyone to follow the face mask rules, especially now that it’s becoming colder and gatherings will start to take place indoors. That’s what I read happened last year; the number of coronavirus cases spiked in winter due to the fact that Canadians were socializing indoors. I don’t know why people can't seem to understand the importance of wearing a mask indoors, its basically one of the most inactive things you have to do in life because once you put it in at home, all you have to do is keep it on. I admit, when I’m walking outdoors, I’ll pull the face mask down so that it resembles a chin diaper, but its very accessible so I can easily pull it back up and cover my mouth and nose when I went to enter a venue.

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November 19

I’m here in Belleville and the Christmas lights are up today! Yay!! Its almost one month left for Christmas but the holiday season has already started. The lights were installed at Jane Forrester Park as part of the 62nd Annual Belleville Festival of Lights, and runs until January 2, 2022. I saw the nativity scene but was disappointed that baby Jesus was not there. After doing a quick search online, I saw online tweets from others who also noticed the missing figure. Some were merely curious why the figurine wasn’t there, while others were quick to cast blame on vandals, while suggesting that it may have been stolen. A few others in the online community seemed to take a more level-headed approach to the situation, and said that it was appropriate to wait until Christmas Eve since that’s supposed to be the day when Jesus was born. I wonder which group could be right?

I also saw a post on Global News on a story that happened last year, when a baby Jesus and a donkey figure were stolen from the Town of Riverview’s nativity scene. The identity of the suspects remain unknown, and when baby Jesus was found, both its arms were missing and were beyond repair. Stealing baby Jesus is apparently a global affair, and tends to happen more than we’d like. The first nativity scene was created by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1223 in an effort to promote the true meaning of Christmas and worship of Jesus Christ. His idea caught on, and soon a new Christmas tradition was born. Today, you can find it everywhere from a place on top of the mantle to a store’s front window, to represent the birth of Jesus.

I don’t know why anyone would want to still a baby Jesus from a nativity scene but whoever they are, I think they are definitely like the Grinch. The Grinch is a popular character created by Dr. Seuss, and is best known as the main character of the 1957 children's book How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American children's author and filmmaker, among his many other talents, and is known for his work writing and illustrating more than 60 books under the pseudonym Dr. Seuss. Out of all the variations on the story, I think the 1966 version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas the best. Its short and sweet, doesn’t rely on any computer graphics or special effects, and stays true to the book, just as the author intended.

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November 18

I took a train this afternoon from Toronto’s Union Station to Belleville and boy, was it ever an experience. I haven’t travelled by train during COVID, and was notified earlier today by Via Rail that I had to show up on the platform at least 30 minutes beforehand in order to get my COVID passport verified. Its such an ordeal travelling with the mask on, it’s been almost two years and I still haven’t got the hang of wearing it and it still makes my nose itch. Union Station, located on Front Street West, was very crowded and I suspect it might have been all those commuters trying to make their way back home with the GO train. The front entranceway is an impressive one that opens on to the expansive Ticket Lobby, commonly known as the Great Hall. This part of Union Station runs the entire length of the main section. It is 76 metres long and 88 metres high. Like its facade, the Great Hall features elaborate architecture made from materials such as bronze, limestone, marble and tiles.

Belleville looks like a quieter place than Toronto, and I’ll get to spend some time with my friend Derek, who lives there. I have a few interesting things I’d like to see in the Quinte West area, and have already marked down the National Air Force Museum of Canada and Bleasdell Boulder Conservation Area.

Meanwhile, back on the train, I bought wine endorsed by Dan Aykroyd. How cool is that?!

According to Lakeview Wine’s website, “Dan has teamed up with some of his favourite winemakers to create a series of regionally inspired and modestly priced wines that represent the best of each terroir.” The wine bottle looked intriguing so I bought a small bottle, which can fill up two small glasses. What a disappointment it was, indeed. I can honestly tell anyone that it was not worth $9 at all, and I’ve tasted better stale soda than this.

The red wine I ordered was a Cabernet/ Merlot blend but when I drank it, it was thick and smelled a bit vinegary, but I didn’t want to complain because maybe the blend was supposed to taste like that? I suspect that it might have gone off, but I’m not one to make a fuss in the middle of train, so I had no other choice but to slowly slip on the beverage while munching away on a left-over packet of chips that I had in my handbag since lunch time. That’s the best apart about being a woman, nobody looks twice as to what you pull out of your bag. Ever since the trend of stuffing pooches in handbags started over a decade ago thanks to Paris Hilton, nobody will bat an eyelid if I take out a half eaten cheese sandwich and a melted chocolate bar.

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November 17

I went to campus early today for my 8.30am class and saw a woman on the bus, wearing a face mask, with her shirt unbuttoned and showing off a red leather brassiere. Its not that I have anything against wearing revealing clothes in public but it was before 8am! I don’t know where she was going dressed like that but my mind wandered off and I thought that maybe she worked as a stripper? I don’t know if there any strip bars on Bathurst Street, and I don’t think I’ll ever find out. But it was a funny feeling (and not in the ha-ha kind of way) to stand next to someone so sexily clad while I looked like Mother Teresa in comparison. At around this time of year, it’s been well below 10 degrees Celsius on average so I always layer up because its usually cloudy all day and I don’t know if it might start raining or if the sun decides to come out. On overall, I think I’ve become used to the Fall season in Toronto and as long as I keep my neck warm, I am pretty confident that I won’t catch the sniffles or get sick. That’s one thing that I’m worried about getting sick during COVID, because sneezes and a runny nose can put people in panic mode and I don’t want them to think that I’ve got the coronavirus. I already had to go through two weeks of quarantine when I arrived to Toronto in August, and I’m certainly not looking forward to doing that again.

Later in the afternoon, I passed by Walmart to pick up a few things and saw something from back home – a bottle of Vimto.

I’ve had Vimto since my childhood so I can spot it anywhere within a matter of seconds. Vimto is a cordial made from grape and blackcurrant, and mixed into a glass with water. It is absolutely one of the most refreshing drinks you can have in the summer, and if you’re ever drinking the stronger stuff, it can also be used as a mixer. Here’s a short article I wrote five years ago, if you’d like to know more about the Vimto drink:

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November 16

I went downtown this afternoon and it was so unbelievably strange to see the roads empty again. I was near the Roy Thomson Hall in Downtown Toronto when this scene brought back memories of the pandemic.

What an uncanny similarity. Okay, I admit that I wasn’t actually in Toronto last year but every country in the world looked like some sort of ghost town, am I right? I happened to read up on ghost towns recently, and found the origin of this term. Back in the day, people used to migrate and work in areas that had newly-discovered resources, so or example, men would work in the coal mines to dig up the coal. Once the coal ran out, the men and their families would pack up and move to another town and start another life there. Hence the name ghost town, due to the large number of abandoned houses and roads.

As I was walking down the street, I saw a squirrel using the zebra crossing to get to the other side, and I couldn’t believe it. I think that the squirrel happens to be smarter than some people I’ve seen in this city, who cross the red when they’re not supposed to. That’s what I love about this city, you get to see all sorts of wildlife if you keep your eyes open. Just a few nights ago, as I was in a car near Seneca’s Newnham Campus, I saw a small fox hiding behind the bushes. It was the cutest little thing, and it had its ears pointed up. The fox looked quite scared and tried to hide, but its glossy eyes were reflective and I couldn’t help but stare.

I don’t know what’s up today with me and animals, but when I was Downtown, I saw an elderly couple who wrapped their puppy in pink clothes. Personally, I don’t think that puppies should wear clothes as a fashion statement to please their owners unless of course, its below zero and the poor dog is walking around in the snow. But it was a relatively warm day and I even took my jacket off a few times because I got so hot walking around the city. Oh well, I’m sure I’ll see a lot more animals in clothes next month when it starts to snow 🐶❄.

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November 15

Its funny how important sound effects and audio are, its all around us, but we don’t really give it the credit it deserves. I made a three-minute photo montage the other day, and after getting it all done and receiving positive feedback from my classmates, I feel confident enough to share it with the world. This little movie was actually made with photos that the government of the United Arab Emirates promoted the hell out of for its Vision 2030 campaign. During the last couple of years, all I did as a reporter back home was write about the federal government’s plan for the future, its sustainability plans and all that load of jargon that nobody ever usually wants to read about in the papers. So, I decided to make it fun instead! I took out a whole bunch of photos and then mixed it with theme of the Dune movie that just came out. I had a blast making it, and wish I knew about this software curing lockdown last year as working on projects like these would have killed so much time. In 2020, I had a lot of free time on my hands and was nearly going out of my mind trying to figure out what to do. I shared this video with my brother and his friends, and they couldn’t stop laughing about. It was only after they pointed it out, did I realize that the all-too-familiar trash cans on the street would be instantly recognizable to anyone who lived there. I hope you enjoy it 😊

I love making these little types of projects and I think later on, when I get back to work in the news industry, I will be more than ready to take photos and add in the reporter’s voice-over. If I can do a three-minute monster movie solely based on sound effects, then I can definitely do that! The main point I have to remember is not to go overboard with soundtracks and music. I’ve received some feedback from my other television classes and they all tell me to take it down a notch. I have to try to remember, because the last thing I want to do is make a news reel look like some Korean-based music video where the people do everything but dance.

[plague-diary-of-mariam]

November 12

I was invited to go over to my friend Laura’s place for dinner at Etobicoke, and since it’s been such a long time that I’ve socialized, I really wanted to go out on a Friday night and have a few drinks and laugh. While I sat in the kitchen waiting for our friends to show up, I got to try crab dip for the first time. I’ve had crab before but never like this, and I think it will taste better when paired with white Riesling wine. I didn’t know she was going to make that appetiser (it was so delicious), and in my hurry, brought a bottle of red from home. White wine is usually paired with fish and seafood because of its high level of acidity, which I like to compare it to a squirt of lemon juice that brightens up the flavours. Oh well, the night was merry and by the night, I don’t think we would have cared whether it was red or white wine that we were having, as long as it kept us warm and happy! It was so much fun meeting the rest of the gang and I ended up going to bed at 1am, in her spare bedroom. Everybody who attended the party was vaccinated, and we still tried to maintain a distance. The pandemic still hasn’t left and we all have to do our part to keep ourselves and others safe.

On the way back home, I took a ride with a friend who was also going my way, and decided to stop for a coffee at Tim Horton’s. As we drank the coffee in the car and gossiped about last night’s party, and a man in a car pulled up next to us. The tiny little dog on his lap instantly grabbed my attention, so I took a photo and what was even cuter was the fact that he had another little dog on his lap, which ended up photobombing the photo.

I’m not much of a dog-lover as I prefer cats, but these two pets made my day as they were just so adorable.

[plague-diary-of-mariam]

November 11

“We’ve been chatting online for a while but I met him for the first time yesterday,” was the first phrase I heard this morning while I was sitting on the bus. I turned around, and saw a woman talking to her friend on the phone, which left me intrigued as to how her date went. It’s not that I’m nosy but there are so many interesting things that people talk about that I can’t help but listen. Eavesdropping is, funnily enough, part of the weekly assignments for the RTV141 Introduction to Media Writing class that I have to hand in every Friday, so it justifies my actions.

Classes finished a bit earlier than usual this afternoon, so I took Line 1 of the subway and went to Yorkdale straight from Seneca College. It was a nice break from the usual routine, and once there, it made me realise how much I miss the shopping malls. During COVID in Dubai, the only reason I’d go to the mall was for the weekly shopping trip at the Carrefour hypermarket (it’s a French-based franchise that exploded across the Middle East around 20 years ago). I walked for almost 2 hours as I did the typical window-shopping thing, but then I couldn’t help myself, and found myself in the Zara store. I haven’t been in one for a while, and found two pretty tops… it feels good to pamper yourself every now and then again, and buy things that make me feel pretty, lol. For dinner, I ended up going to a Chinese restaurant on the last floor, which had massive portions.

What’s great about the shopping malls is that I feel very safe there, and don’t have to worry too much about getting COVID. There are hand sanitizers everywhere and the mall management ensure that customers at restaurants keep six feet apart. The only downside was that I couldn’t find any available bathrooms and had to hold myself until I got back home! Other than that, the waitress wore her mask at all times, and disinfected the table and chairs before I sat down. The food was good too, so I’ll definitely be going back there again next time I visit.