Class of 2000

Heather Prystay

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Bonnie Allen
Ginette Benoit
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Pat Cabel
David Freeman
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Lisa Marcinowski
Jeff Maser
Heather Polischuk
Kevin Pratt
Heather Prystay
Kim Smith
Marina Solovieva
Darren Steinke
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Posted on April 14, 2002 by Heather Prystay

Time to revive the site, I guess! What can I tell you ...

Work is going OK, a little frustrating at times. Our higher-ups all come from the advertising world, and sometimes they just don't understand why we do what we do. The publisher's been known to pull columns and editorials because he thinks they're too controversial, which of course drives us nuts! It's sad to say that it really is all about the dollar ... But that aside, I'm still enjoying my job (thank goodness for great coworkers). I've been shackled to the layout desk more often lately, but I still try to make time to get out there and write something!

Despite Nortel's oft-publicized slips and slides, we're still OK here in Belleville. It's a little freaky to think about sometimes, but so far everything looks secure (or as secure as anything is these days). I just hope it hangs in there, because we're getting ready to get out of apartment life and into a house this fall. After a year of looking through this area's booming market, we came to the conclusion there's nothing to buy for a reasonable price so we're building. We are now the proud owners of a pile of dirt. We're just in the beginning stages (lots of meetings with the builder) and nothing has happened yet, but I'm really excited. Who would have thought I'd get excited about picking floors and cupboards? I am so sad :-)

Hopefully my sanity hangs in there! Between building a house and getting married, it's going to be one wild summer.

Congratulations again Karen! Can't wait to see pictures of Bergen.

OK everyone, you've been MIA long enough! How's everyone doing out there?

Well, that's it for me for now. Take care, everybody.

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Posted on November 26, 2001 by Heather Prystay

Well, seeing as everyone else is coming out of cyber-hibernation I guess I should, too! As far as career woes go, I'd say Jenn has the right idea about keeping your eye on what you want. I can't say I picture myself in Trenton forever, as it's only been a year and a half and already it seems as though things keep repeating themselves. The trouble with being a lifestyles editor type person is that you only get to hard news if everyone else is busy, so things can be a bit repetitive at times. But I have gotten to do some interesting things and meet some great people in the process.

One project I've kept on almost since I got here is keeping in touch with a local 11-year-old with cystic fibrosis who had a double lung transplant last year. I spent a day in Toronto with her at Sick Kids Hospital right after, and since then I've kept in touch. She's one amazing kid. Life has handed her so much pain but you'd never know it now that she's (relatively) healthy and just living a normal life. I think it's the things like that that make what can sometimes be a pretty dull job stay rewarding. I'm not sure I know where I'll be years from now, but for now I'm enjoying where I am.

I do miss having you guys around to talk about this kind of thing with, though. It was nice to have a group to bounce ideas off of and just talk about what it is we do. I'm glad to see the site is reviving a little!

As far as the rest of my life goes, not much is really new. I'm really looking forward to getting home for Christmas, even though it's just for a week. I'm not really looking forward to cramming in the last of the wedding plans while I'm there (this will likely be my only trip home before the big day), but that's OK. It helps that we're having a fairly low-key event ... I'm not the 500 guest, 5 course meal, 5,000 ice sculpture type.

I love Ontario in the fall, especially now since we're breaking all kinds of weather records. It's been 15C all week. I never knew how much I missed in fall living in Saskatchewan ... here there actually is fall! The colours are amazing, and again I can't say enough about the weather.

Well, enough rambling. I hope everyone is doing well wherever they are, and enjoy a peaceful Christmas with the people you love. Take care, everyone!

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Posted on June 16, 2001 by Heather Prystay

Well, every time I check the site I get a twinge of guilt, so I guess it's time to get at it...

We are at the tail end of a crazy heat wave, as my fellow Ontario-dwellers can back up. Today it was 31C, with a humidex of 39C. I spent the afternoon draped over our newly purchased air conditioner. Summer is definitely here. Just right for lounging on the nearby beaches. Now if I can just convince some people we NEED to go to Canada's Wonderland ... umm, roller costers.

Work is getting really busy. We have a very small editorial staff (two reporters, one sports guy, our managing editor and me, plus 2 freelancers for weekends) so when someone goes on holidays it's pretty hectic. Plus, we are planning a redesign of the paper and are taking over another one in a town not far away. Most of the layout and editing for that will be my responsibility. Hopefully I'll still have time to write! It's pretty interesting being in on something right from the beginning. I'm really enjoying work right now, busy days and all.

You'll all heard about the trouble Nortel has been having. My phone's been ringing a lot with people checking on us. The good news is, we're fine, at least for now. The Belleville plant is fairly small, and suffered some major chops just before we got here when the entire manufacturing section was scrapped and about 2,000 factory workers were let go. That leaves the engineers and the computer science people here, and so far they aren't the ones losing their jobs. It's a pretty tense situation, as this area is really having a hard time economically these days. But, Trystan seems confident he'll be OK. He's working on developing a phone system that works over the Internet, which is one of Nortel's big projects these days, so things seem pretty secure for the time being. Worst case scenario, we have to move. Better now than later.

I'm starting to need a holiday, though. I only get a week (the powers that be decided that since I was technically a summer student from June-Sept. last year, I don't get 2 weeks holidays until this Sept.) and I'll probably spend it at home, running around getting wedding stuff done that needs to be taken care of before Christmas, which is likely the next time I'll be back. Kim and Karen, I'll be counting on you for tips on how to get this done! There's still LOTS of time, I keep telling myself. Lots and lots of time...

I miss hearing from everybody! Hopefully more letters will come in. Until then, take care everyone and have a fun summer!

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Posted on April 15, 2001 by Heather Prystay

Happy Easter everyone! It finally feels like spring here in southeast Ontario. The snow is gone and you can actually see green. I love it.

Not a whole lot is new, actually. Work is going fine, for the most part. Things are still a little slow, but at least people have stopped calling to tell me the have the biggest snowman ever in their yard. Soon we'll be on to the giant sunflowers. Ah, the joys of working at a community paper. But, I'm enjoying it, and it's hard to believe I've been here for almost a year.

Does anyone else find that strange? We've been out of school for a whole year already. Time flies, I guess.

Being part of the ex-Thompson conglomerate, we're still waiting for a sale of our paper and several in surrounding areas. It' s been two weeks until we're sold since the day I started last June, so I was never holding my breath. But it looks like things are actually starting to move along. It can be a little frustrating, because there's lots of things we need (like a new phone system ... we might as well be using paper cups and string) and we can't get them until after the sale. But it looks like everyone's jobs are perfectly secure - there's only five of us in the newsroom, so making it any smaller would just be crazy.

I sure could have used Renee or Ginette last week - at the last minute, I had to go to the grand opening of a new school. No big deal, except it was a French school on the air base. Silly me, I thought that perhaps they would take pity on the poor little Anglophone and give her a hand. No such luck. The press release, the speeches .... EVERYTHING in French and, since it was a French school, no one really wanted to speak English. I caught five minutes with the director of education to get some comments, and then I was on my own. Yikes. I understood about half of what was said. Needless to say, the story was rather short. My co-workers got a big laugh.

I've already booked my ticket home for a week in August (Air Canada really should give me profit sharing for the amount of money I give them). I'm starting to feel the urge to head back to the rectangle, that's for sure. I just want to relax, see my family, and take care of a few wedding things that need to be done while I'm home - we managed to set a date of July 20, 2002 in Estevan.

The ballroom dance lessons are over (Ginger Rogers I am not) and now I've decided to take up guitar lessons. I signed myself up for an 8-week adult beginner class. So far I've mastered Amazing Grace, Yellow Submarine and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Hotel California is next week. Not the world's most impressive repertoire, but hey it's fun.

So, hope everyone is enjoying themselves wherever they are. Have a great spring!

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Posted on February 7, 2001 by Heather Prystay

Hey everybody. Are you as tired of winter as I am?

To relieve the monotony a little, we're heading to Ottawa next weekend for Winterlude. Hopefully the ice on the canal will be good for skating.

Work is going fine. I've mostly been doing features, which I love to do. It beats sitting in a city council meeting. I've written about Chinese New Year (Roy called and suggested it ... my thought was never turn down a story idea from him!), went to Toronto and spent a day with a local girl recovering at Sick Kids from a double lung transplant, and recently toured a new yoga spa (I broke the Jonathan Shanks ultimate rule and took the owner up on her offer of a free "Sandalwood and Jasmine Yogurt Body Mask. Very relaxing, but a little weird to be covered in something found in my fridge).

I'm also doing something to correct by inability to dance. Trystan and I are into our third week of ballroom dance lessons - his idea. I almost fell down from shock. It's really fun - a nice mix of people, young and older, and I don't know where I'll ever use some of the dances but I'm enjoying myself.

I had another "too far from home" spell not long ago when my dad was recently hospitalized for a very mild heart attack. He's absolutely fine and feeling great, but sometimes it's hard being so far away. Lots of you know what I'm talking about, I'm sure!

So, that's it in a nutshell. Nothing particularly exciting. Hope everyone is doing great .. write in soon!

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Posted on December 21, 2000 by Heather Prystay

Well, the threat of lingering on the MIA list has me writing.

I'm getting really excited about Christmas. I fly home Saturday morning, and its going to be a rushed week. I'll spend Saturday, Sunday and Christmas Day in Estevan, then Boxing Day in Regina with my grandparents and aunts and uncles, then its off for two days of being spoiled at Temple Gardens with my parents and sister, and then I'll meet Trystan (who's with his family) and head for a wedding in Saskatoon. Then it's back here and off to work again Jan. 2. Not exactly a restful holiday!

I do have other news, too, that has me pretty excited. Trystan and I got engaged last Thursday. I can't say it came as a total surprise, because we had talked about it and gone looking at rings, etc. but I wasn't expecting it then. We were just at home, relaxing and then ... boom! I'm really looking forward to breaking the news to my parents (they don't know yet ... I wanted to tell them in person). Absolutely no details at all yet, it's way too early. If I had to guess, I would put the date at sometime next summer, but I really have no idea.

So, that's my biggest news. Work is fine, lots of warm and fuzzy holiday stuff. Have a great Christmas, everyone, and safe trips home. Talk to you next year!

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Posted on November 12, 2000 by Heather Prystay

Well, guess it's my turn. I don't want to be languishing too long on the MIA list ...

So here it is, November, and I've now been an Ontario resident for six months. Time flies, etc. Sadly, I don't have much new to report. Work is going fine, and getting bery busy since we're deep in election hell. There's a municipal vote tomorrow, and then of course the federal in a couple of weeks. If anything, these past few months have confirmed for me that politicians annoy me, especially local ones. They're always coming in whining that they didn't get a story about this or that ... fortunately, as lifestyles editor my contact with them is minimal. Local politics is a very bitter thing around here ... Trenton is three years into a forced amalgamation that had it combine with three other areas to form a "city" and the people are still very unhappy about it; lots of turf wars, one area blaming all the problems on others, etc. You would think Saskatchewan would take a look over here before going ahead with any amalgamations...

Oh well, I still love my job. I don't do as much writing as I'd like, since over half my week is spent doing layout or editing the freelance columns that come in, but I'm learning that I really like that kind of work. It's taken some practice and patience, since I didn't do much layout during school (my own fault; I avoided it like the plague). The stories I do are just the kind I like - human interest, talking to some great people, no rewrites of real estate stats or anything like that.

As far as life in Ontario goes, I'm enjoying it. Especially the fact that it's still 10 C and not snowing at all. I gloat about that to my mom a lot. The people here are generally very nice and don't have their heads up their eastern Canada butts. Then again, the majority of people I know are Nortel employees that have come from Alberta, B.C., Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, so they aren't born and bred Ontarians. The guys I work with are, though, and aside from a few jokes about driving the combine to the prom and watching my dog run away for a week, they seem to have a basic understanding of my good old home province. I'm trying to educate them.

I finally saw Roy not long ago. He was walking down the street and I wouldn't have noticed except two women did a double take and looked at him. So I yelled - the women thought I was nuts and they really stared when he gave me a hug. :-) He was still doing his judge thing in Toronto, although he was up for reappointment in November but then Parliament dissolved. He asked after everyone, and keeps promising to make me dinner but still no phone call ...

Well, I'm not writing a book here, so I should wrap it up. Take care, everybody!

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Posted on September 26, 2000 by Heather Prystay

The best news is I definitely keep my job with a decent raise (it's not a lot, but hey it's better than nothing!). I am now the Trentonian's official lifestyles editor/layout queen/weekend assignment giver/bosser around of co-op students/column editor. I am very busy.

Also on a high note, just nine more sleeps until I return to Saskatchewan for a whirlwind weekend. I am so excited. Our flight lands late Thursday night, so we'll spend the night and then take part of Friday for visiting. I have to see my grandparents, of course, and hope to make quick stops at other relatives and friends. I know I won't get to see everyone I want to, since after my sister is done class in the afternoon we have to get straight to Estevan. My friend Kristy is getting married Saturday and I have to go to the rehearsal that night since I'm doing the readings.

Saturday will be one big party and reunion with my high school friends. Two words: free bar. Kristy's fiance's parents think cash bars are tacky. I love them. Sunday will be spent recovering and eating turkey with the family, before heading back to Regina early Monday morning for my flight back. Hopefully somewhere in there I can squeeze in a visit in Estevan with Karen.

I can't wait. I didn't realize I'd miss "The Rectangle" so much! Most of the time I don't even think about it, but lately all I want to do is go home ... just for a visit, of course. I do like it here. But Trystan's mom put it best when I told her I couldn't attend a recent family funeral: "Sometimes you just realize you're too far from home."

Life in Belleville is pretty peaceful. The local gossip revolves these days around former Belleville Bull and favorite topic of conversation in last year's Advanced Print: Marty McSorley.

Guess that's it for now. Hope everybody's doing well. Have a great Thanksgiving!

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Posted on August 21, 2000 by Heather Prystay

"Reporters who are not capable of producing three assigned or enterprise stories in the course of a standard seven hour shift without moving into overtime are deemed to be performing below standard."

Remember how hard it is to get one story done in a day sometimes?

Just something to think about. What do you guys think - is this reasonable? I think it is, as long as they take into account that sometimes there are circumstances beyond our control (people not calling back, etc.) If the choice is a finished half-assed story in one day or a great story in two, I would hope the good story would take precedence.

Just wanted to get a little journalism discussion going.

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Posted on August 16, 2000 by Heather Prystay

Well, I guess I've slacked long enough. Time for a short update about what's new ... not that there's much.

I recently became the proud half-owner of a new computer and cable Internet connection, so I can finally keep in touch properly. The Internet connection at work kind of sucks, so I didn't like using it much.

It's very steamy here in Belleville. The heat is nothing my Saskatchewan-raised self isn't used to, but this humidity is sure different from home.

I've ventured out into the area a bit. I found an outlet store for World's Greatest Chocolate (you know, the almonds all the ball teams sell every year) ... it's heaven in there. Cheap chocolate, what more do you need?

I've been to Toronto twice, although I shamefully did not contact any fellow classmates while I was there. The first time was strictly a jaunt to Ikea (yes I saw Fight Club, but I like Ikea furniture anyway), and we went again when Trystan's parents were out here for a week. That time we saw a Blue Jays game, which was very fun, and went to the CN Tower. That could have been fun, but as I had already been there three times previously it kind of lost its spark. Still, you have to see it at least once.

I'm starting to meet more people, although most of them are from Nortel so the discussion sometimes sails right over my head. That's OK, they're a fun bunch. I've also been boating a couple of times, which is a real treat because yes, Saskatchewan has lakes but I never lived near any of them.

Apparently Roy stopped into my office the other day, because his business card was sitting on my desk. Guess I'll have to give him a call, seeing as he lives right here.

Guess that's it, except for one thing. My email address has changed. You can now reach me at hprystay@quintenet.com

I'll still check Hotmail, but I'd rather use the other one.

So, take care everyone! Hope to hear from you soon.

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Posted on June 26, 2000 by Heather Prystay

Hi everybody. I finally got near a computer, so here's my life story since last I wrote...

I guess the best news is that I might get to keep my job past September. Here's the story: right after I came, my publisher started a new paper in Picton, about 20 minutes from here. Sue, the news editor here, grew up there and decided working there again would be cool, so she's gone over the start up the new publication. If she likes it and it takes off, she stays and I in turn get her job. Not that I'll be news editor - I will officially become the lifestyles editor, which means doing pretty much all the layout (boy am I wishing I'd done more of that in school) and local interest stuff- just what I like best. So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

On the down side, being the last one in the office sometimes means rough stories. I had to go to an explosion last week (a house blew up) and had to interview neighbors who told me how the 73 year old woman was trapped inside and screaming). I hate doing stories like that. I really hate it. Everyone here was pretty sympathetic and told ne I'd get used to it - I told them I never wanted to get used to it and would only do it if it was absolutely necessary (like everyone else had 2 broken legs). That's fine, though, because there's a couple of guys here who don't mind. So I'm off the hook, thank goodness.

Hmm, back to more upbeat stuff. Congrats to Bonnie and Kristen (I'll call soon, promise!) who are joining me in the east. Be warned ladies - you'll never have a good hair day. It is SO humid. It was 29 yesterday - 40 with the humidex. Blah. Also, know that according to people here, everything west is just that - the "west".

I still haven't met a lot of people, although the Nortel BBQ last week was a good place to meet people more my age. I also managed to sunburn my back - little fairskinned me is a crispy critter.

I guess that's it for now. Time to go home. Actually, time to go exercise. I got ambitious and joined a gym. I must be nuts.

Take care everyone!

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Posted on June 9, 2000 by Heather Prystay

I really like the apartment, too. It's good sized and quiet (and it has a pool). It's starting to look a little more like home since we went on a massive shopping spree and brought home a kitchen table and chairs, couch and chair for the living room, and a bed. That's plently for now until we pay off the credit cards!!

My job at the Trentonian is great. The people are really nice and are very patient explaining to me where everything is. It's a tri-weekly, which is busier than I've every worked before but I love it. I've done all kinds of stories already, so I have a feeling I'm going to be very busy.

I'll try and check my email as often as possible, so feel free to write and tell me how you're doing!

Miss you!

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Posted on May 22, 2000 by Heather Prystay

We'll leave Saturday afternoon, after a long day of packing far too much stuff into the back of Trystan's parents van. Then we'll spend the night with my family in Estevan, and then it's off to North Dakota on a four day driving adventure that hopefully will end with moving into the new apartment May 31. I probably won't be back until Thanksgiving, as a high school friend is getting married, and then again at Christmas (family bonding and another wedding - this time as a bridesmaid).

So with the exception of seeing most of you (I hope) at convocation or that evening, I guess this is farewell for now. I won't have regular access to a computer for a while, as I don't know what my work arrangements will be and the computer I have now is being left behind, but I'll check in when I can. Please keep in touch, everybody. My email will remain the same and I do have a mailing address I'll send to anyone who wants it.

Take care, and have a great summer.

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Posted on May 4, 2000 by Heather Prystay

Posted on April 27, 2000 by Heather Prystay

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