Other Amy Volume Other Amy Volume

Renfrew Children in Need of Play Structure

Young students attending this Renfrew, ON, public school will not have a play structure this year unless something drastic comes together last minute.

I was contacted through my work’s facebook page by a concerned citizen from the valley. Being from the valley and having gone (very briefly) to school in Renfrew, Ontario, I immediately took interest in what this person had to say.

“Hey, just wondering if you can make a post or something to help my Kids school get a play structure.. the old one was deemed unsafe and with COVID they did not allow us to fundraise so now we are scrambling as they decided to tear it out and replace it with a mound of dirt... can you Help spread the word. Here is a go fund me page for it.”

Essentially, this public school which teaches students from Junior Kindergarten up to Grade 6 is currently without any sort of play structure for ANY of it’s students. How can this be? I am all for the safety and wellbeing of our kids and if the district deems something ‘unsafe’ then demolish it. There should be a replacement plan ready to go to ensure that kids have SOMETHING to make their recess time special.

Being a radio host living in Ottawa now, I am obviously not an expert in the ‘playground structure & safety’ world but I would like to learn more. Ultimately, I would like to see the children have a new structure at Central Public School by the time school starts in September.

Growing up in a small rural town, I can tell you that these playgrounds aren’t just for school time. I used to enjoy the one at Beachburg Public on evenings and weekends with my family and friends, too. Those are long gone but at least there is something shiny and new in their place.

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Ottawa Amy Volume Ottawa Amy Volume

Holiday Gift Ideas for That Weird 30something in Your Life

I am a *weird, working parent in my mid-30s living in downtown Ottawa. Currently working on my annual Top 10 Wish List blog for personal gifting this holiday season. 🎄 Here’s what I’ve got so far…

Every year around this time I throw out into the blogiverse items from my personal Wish List.
If you know someone like me (33, mom, weird) & are a little starved for good/great gift ideas, here’s a start:

  1. A gift card to Victoire; high-quality, eye catching, ethical, Canadian made clothing in the heart of Wellington West (bonus points for being close to my house)!

  2. A unique, hand printed piece from Thief & Bandit. They have a new print out (Stardust) and I am obsessed.

  3. Andrew King’s ‘Ottawa Rewind” (see tweet/link below)! Also available at Maker House on Wellington St.

4. The only Lip Balm EVER = Carmex.
5. Google Home accessories; this one is subjective as there are loads of ‘assistants’ out there. I have successfully integrated Geenie and IKEA brand ‘smart bulbs’ on different levels of our home and I just love not having to walk up and down the stairs when a light needs to be turned on or off. We’ve got a smart display (Lenovo), a Hub and several Minis to connect every area and level of the house. This is a super helpful when my arthritis is flaring up!! If the person you’re buying for has mobility challenges, consider ‘smart home’ gifts… they rock!

6. Does the person you’re buying for lose things ALL. THE. TIME? Check out tiles. The device that helps you find your stuff. I love these for personal items (keys) and I also use them to keep tabs on the kids when we visit crowded places in the unlikely event we become separated. Tiles bring me peace of mind and would make an excellent gift.
7. Ozzy Osbourne’s new album ‘Ordinary Man’ should drop sometime in January so a pre-order from any rock music loving fan would probably be appreciated! This album is going to be all over the map, featuring Duff McKagan, Chad Smith, Post Malone and more. Keep an eye out for the official release date.
8. Beer; local suggestions include Whitewater, Ashton Brewing Co., Beau’s and Beyond the Pale. Looking for something a little fancier? Prosecco’s my fave and this one is sure to please, IMO: Blu Giovello, $15-ish.

I’m struggling to top this Wish List off at an even ‘10’, so if you have any suggestions send them my way!

ADDED NOTE:
I’m, for the first time ever, hosting my family’s Christmas feast! Since I don’t know how to cook and the holidays are hectic enough, I decided to let Farm Boy do the work. I’ll let you know how that goes towards the end of the year. I’ve heard good things!

I’ve also decided to start including an Archival Index of my previous blog posts in case you’re bored.

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Interview, Ottawa, Radio Amy Volume Interview, Ottawa, Radio Amy Volume

Hockey Talk with Alex Formenton and Josh Norris

Ottawa Senators players Alex Formenton, 19, and Josh Norris, 20, showed up to the KiSS Studios this morning (for an interview with our smarter station, 1310News’ ‘Ottawa Today’ with Mark Sutcliffe).

They generously gave me a couple minutes of their time to answer some questions about being drafted, playing at such a competitive level and how it all came to be.

“Keep believing and working hard... chase your dream!”
— Alex

To read their official NHL bios, click on their names: Josh Norris, #37 centre, and Alex Formenton, #59 left wing.

Watch 'em showcase their skills with a 3 on 3 tournament TOMORROW a the Bell Sensplex starting at 3:10 p.m. Complete details online now at OttawaSenators.com.

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Entertainment, Music, Ottawa, personal, Radio, Video Amy Volume Entertainment, Music, Ottawa, personal, Radio, Video Amy Volume

Rory's Playlist

Rory came into the world on March 20th, 2017 at 13:13. During the operation, the following songs played on 106.1 CHEZ. She arrived during U2's New Year's Day.

For the record, the staff cranked it up during Steppenwolf.

Matthew Good Band - Hello Time Bomb

David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust into Suffragette City (for Rory Stardust, naturally)

April Wine - Enough is Enough

Red Rider - Human Race

Metallica - Turn the Page (one of my personal faves)

Steppenwolf - Born to Be Wild

U2 - New Year's Day (enter Aurora at 13:13)

Chuck Berry - Sweet Little Sixteen

Northern Pikes - She Ain't Pretty

Led Zeppelin - The Immigrant Song

Bryan Adams - Run to You

Smashing Pumpkins - 1979

Harlequin -Superstitious Feeling

Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion

The Pursuit of Happiness - I'm An Adult Now

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Health, Ottawa, personal Amy Volume Health, Ottawa, personal Amy Volume

How Acupuncture Helped Me Survive Pregnancy

When the weight of this pregnancy nearly had me considering Sick Leave and leaving work over a month early, I knew I had to try something, anything to keep going up until my proper leave date.

Some backstory...

I have rheumatoid arthritis. It affects every joint in my body (major ones include ankles, hips and wrists) and has since I was about 18 months old. I'm 30 now. So. Yeah. It's been a wild ride! This is my second pregnancy. I was not working full time during the first (which is stressful in a different way).

December 2015: I gained 40lbs with my first pregnancy.

December 2015: I gained 40lbs with my first pregnancy.

It was around seven months into this pregnancy that the weight combined with stretching of ligaments and joints in my pelvic region started causing me some outta-this-world pain! I knew it wasn't just the RA and if it continued, how could I continue to be focused at work? I could barely walk to the white-board (about 10 feet from the microphone. Oh, I'm a radio DJ, BTW). Work itself is pretty low-impact, thank GOD, but you know you're in for a rough go when doing things like walking to the washroom, moving studios/offices and getting from the parking lot to said studios/offices leaves you absolutely drained. I was heading to bed before my 2 year old!
I don't like to miss work. The idea of Sick Leave was present in my mind, but I was unwilling to accept that as reality. So... I went to the doctor. Something's gotta give, right? The doctor strongly suggested I try acupuncture.

Hmm...

I had never considered acu-treatment before but the good doctor told me about this place downtown that was great and I was willing to try anything. The place?: OC3. I was set up with Dr. Steen and, let me tell you, his positive attitude and genuine interest in his patients' well-being really helped to keep me going through those painful sessions. Yes. Acupuncture probably cured me, but holy shit. It hurt. It definitely hurt. Dr. Steen (whose official title includes the following: B.Kin, ART, DC Chiropractor) is also a chiropractor (see official title reference like, four words ago), so we would often mix treatments.

What started as two to three appointments per week turned to once a week as my situation improved. The weight was still piling on of course but towards the end of my time with Dr. Steen and the OC3 we cut my appointments back to one every two weeks.

I'm nine months pregnant now and in great shape thanks to some brilliant medical intervention. Every appointment reminder came with an invitation to rate their business and care online. I told myself I wouldn't say anything about their service(s) until I had wrapped my time there.

I can't imagine being in this positive of a head space, feeling this good physically and being able to still be a "fun mom" for my 2 year old, very active son feeling the way I had prior to visiting the OC3. What Dr. Steen has done for me in 8 sessions over the course of 2.5 months is absolutely remarkable. I would highly recommend visiting the OC3 (conveniently located off Elgin St. at Cartier and Lewis with lots of street parking available nearby).

I will be pursuing further treatment with the OC3 post-pregnancy to deal with some ongoing issues relating to my RA which, again, is a method of treatment I hadn't previously considered.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns that relate to this blog post: CONTACT ME. I will gladly answer any and all Qs relating to rheumatoid arthritis, pregnancy with RA and my experiences relating to the treatment I received at the OC3.  

 

My last day with these awesome people! Look at me, walking and smiling and stuff! (Feb. 28, 2017 @ KiSS 1053)

My last day with these awesome people! Look at me, walking and smiling and stuff! (Feb. 28, 2017 @ KiSS 1053)

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