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Dallas and SAS Global Forum 2015 (Part 1)

The Dallas Convention Center. Home of SAS Global Forum 2015.

Everything is bigger in Texas… that’s a saying, right? Now I can’t claim that I had a true Texan experience (whatever that means) in the few days I was in Dallas, but I will say that SAS Global Forum 2015 was the largest meeting of SAS nerds yet. With the number of registrants nearing five thousand, we took over the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Centre for four days of keynote presentations, hands-on workshops, breakout sessions, and lots of SAS tips and tricks.

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Happy Easter from Prairie Mountain

Happy Easter to all! Is there a better way to spend the day than hiking in the mountains? I guess that’s debatable, but I know my preference :).

Yes, the forecast called for snow. And boy did it snow. The snow even scared away some of my hiking companions. But in the end, three of us brave souls ventured out for a quick ascent of Prairie Mountain in Bragg Creek.

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Mount Lady Macdonald: Unplug

Sometimes you just have to unplug from the daily routine and the city stimuli, venture out on your own in nature, and think.

I know. It’s so cliche. But how often do you actually give yourself the time… the space… to be at one with your thoughts? To really honour what it is that occupies your mind? To allow yourself a chance to gain some clarity- without the car noises, text message beeps, pressing work and family commitments, ongoing to-do lists, or multitude of other things vying for our immediate attention?

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Thoughts on the Tortuga Travel Backpack

So you’ve decided to take a big trip, but alas, you need a new backpack! And goodness forbid you pay checked baggage fees. After searching online for the perfect carry-on backpack, you’ve come across the Tortuga Travel Backpack. What should you consider? Will it really fit everything you’ll need for your adventure? This is no ordinary pack. In my attempts to find a minimalist carry-on-sized travel backpack, none stood out quite like the Tortuga. Here’s my review…

The Tortuga Travel Backpack: Packed and ready to go!

“Can I come see it right now??” That’s the text I received from a friend when she found out I had brought my packed Tortuga Travel Backpack to work. I had just arrived at my office, from where I would be leaving several hours later for the airport en route to Toronto. I would be using my Tortuga for the first time, and she wanted to know the details: how did it look when it was packed? What did I bring? How heavy is it? Do I love it??

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2015: The Year of the Mountain

We’re already right into 2015, and I haven’t posted my goals for the year as yet! Well, it’s time to change that. I’ve already declared 2015 to be the year where I focus on mountain skills. But with several themes for the year, there are many goals I’d like to accomplish:

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