Author Archives: Kamryn Hamagami-Postill

Tipping Culture

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I’m a server and for the most part, my income kinda depends on tips. And I know tips aren’t required to be given when dining out, but it has just become part of dining out culture, tipping culture. But has it gotten too far? Tipping on a $5 drip coffee? Even as someone who relies on tips, I think tipping culture has gotten a bit outrageous. 

Cash

As a server I make minimum wage and tips. At the end of the night when I go to cash out and go home my tips are always more than my hourly, which means I’m more dependent on what people are tipping me than my hourly wage, kinda a crazy thought. But what if people just decided to stop tipping, well then I’d probably wouldn’t be able to fill my gas tank up all the way. So it’s safe to say, I’m very appreciative of the tips people leave me, but now it’s just like, the normal? It’s more weird to not tip than to tip. But here comes the hard part. You know how crazy expensive everything is right now, what people can’t afford to tip? 

I do get my fair share of no tippers. Sometimes they have to wait a long time, maybe their food comes out wrong, whatever it may be that can lead to a lower tip percentage or just no tip at all. But what about the people where tipping isn’t just in their current budget, totally fair right. But then it comes to the loophole of the economy we are in, you don’t tip, I may not be able to get gas. An odd, but harsh concept to accept right?

Rollercoaster Resturant

So it seems like tipping is now just a normal thing when dining out in restaurants. But I don’t know about you, but even as a server who depends on tips, I’ve been noticing a lot of tipping options that seem very unnecessary. Back to the $5 drip coffee, when you go to buy the coffee and check out, do you notice a tip option? I do. And yes I guess you can say those baristas are still serving you the same as a server in a restaurant, but if you have to go up to a counter and order, do you really have to tip? I mean you’re being served coffee but you’re not really being “served” right? You’re going up and grabbing. Grab and go to me means I might be skipping the tip option (does that make me a bad person?)

So what side of the fence are you on? Do you agree with me that tipping culture has gotten too outrageous and just too expected now? Or if there’s a tipping option are you always going to click that 10%, 18%, or even 20%?

 

Super Bowl Sunday

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Super Bowl, one of the few days of the year where it’s socially acceptable to lay on the couch all day, drink beer, and eat fried food. Awesome. Well you are about an hour away from kickoff now, so it may be time to get set up on the couch, snacks and drinks in hand, and watch the game. The Kansas City Chiefs will face the Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Caesars Superdome (the 8th time the Super Bowl has been hosted in Louisiana) at 3:30 for the 59th Super Bowl!

Having trouble with who to route for? Well this is how I’m looking at things from my perspective. On the Eagles you have quarterback Jalen Hurts who has an all female management team! The only player in the NFL to have an all female team which I think is super cool. But looking at the Chiefs, you’ve got Travis Kelce, and I don’t think I have to say too much about this guy but just in case you’re living under a rock, he’s dating Taylor Swift. 

At half, it’s the famous Super Bowl halftime show. To be honest, this is what I’m personally looking forward to most about today. You expect to see an amazing show put on my 22 time Grammy winner Kendrick Lamar joined by the one and only SZA! This is going to be a duo that will get the crowd amped going into the second half and I can’t wait. 

And of course you can’t forget the Super Bowl ads. Some people are watching purely for the commercials. Every year, brands pull out all the stops to create the most entertaining, hilarious, and sometimes tear jerking ads, knowing that millions of people are watching. And with companies shelling out over $8 million for a 30-second slot, they better make it count!

As a big Taylor fan I’m looking forward to seeing her outfit and maybe a possible engagement at the end? Who knows, only Travis knows! So whether you’re watching from the comfort of your couch or heading out to a Super Bowl party with your friends, enjoy the Sunday and have fun! (GO BIRDS!)

Running Late? Not Cool

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Since when did it become the norm to be late? Honestly, I know way too many people who have gotten so comfortable with showing up to things late. As someone who is always chronically early for things, I can’t even fathom the idea of walking into something 10 minutes later than I should.

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Lately, it seems like being late isn’t just common, it’s almost expected. Plans are made with an unspoken grace period, as if “meet at 7” really means “show up whenever you feel like it.” And the worst part? No one even apologizes anymore. The days of texting, “So sorry, I’m running late!” are long gone. Now, it’s just a casual stroll in, completely unbothered, while the rest of us early birds sit there questioning our life choices. I hate that nowadays when I make plans with friends, 3 really means 3:15 to them. Like isn’t a simple respect thing? 

And don’t even get me started on the excuses. “Traffic was crazy” (as if it isn’t crazy every day), “I lost track of time” (conveniently, every single time), or my personal favourite, “I was on my way, but then I had to stop for coffee.” You had time to make a detour for an oat milk latte, but not enough time to get to the actual thing you committed to? Interesting.  And what really throws me for a loop is when it’s just late out of pure laziness. Like really? You feel the need to snooze your alarm 50 times before getting out of the bed? Not cool in my books. 

Now, I get it -sometimes things happen and are just unavoidable, sure. A dead phone, a last-minute work emergency, or an unexpected road closure can throw anyone off. But for the repeat offenders, it’s not an accident; it’s a habit. And it’s a habit that’s downright disrespectful. How did we just accept this? I’m putting my foot down in 2025. If I’m making the effort to get to our plans on time, then you should too?

Traffic

What do you think? Am I being a bit too crazy about this, or are my feelings completely valid? I think as a society we’ve been taking lateness too lightly and it’s time to take a stand against this all. 

 

Concert Culture

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Concert season is upon us, those sunny days, hanging out with friends, what can get better than that. There’s nothing quite like the electric energy of a live concert. The thumping bass, the flashing lights, and the magic of hearing thousands and thousands of voices singing all together, the concert culture is a world of its own. Whether you’re crammed in the pit, waving a lighter from the nosebleeds, or dancing in a sea of strangers, live music is an experience that goes beyond just hearing your favourite songs.

And it’s not just about the day of the concert – the days leading up is what makes the hype build up so much. The ticket-buying process has become a sport in itself. With pre-sales, fan club exclusives, and the dreaded battle against ticket scalpers and bots, securing a seat (or a standing spot) can be as intense as the concert itself. 

Then comes the build-up. Fans spend weeks, sometimes months, planning their outfits, memorizing setlists, and debating whether to bring a poster or a gift for the artist. Planning on how early you’re going to get to the venue for, what route you’re going to take also just adds into all the exciting buzz. I went to the Eras Tour in December and honestly I think it took me 3 months to finally nail down my outfit, and even the day of I was still making tweaks to it, changing my hair, and my makeup. 

I think the most magical part of a concert is the fact that it brings people together. Anyone, everyone, no matter what you believe in, or where you’re from can share in the magic of singing the same song lyrics and having a passion for the music. It’s honestly amazing to see such a diverse crowd of individuals come together to dance, sing, and celebrate one artist. 

At its core, concert culture is about more than just music. It’s about the thrill of the live experience, the connections made, and the temporary escape from reality. That’s why people keep going back, show after show, year after year. 

Sober Saturday’s

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This 2025 I’m trying to lower my alcohol intake. And while that’s a good thing, one not so good thing that this has been leading into is a rut of just not being social. I find most Saturday nights I’ve been on my couch but that is no way to live. There is still so many things you can fill your Saturday nights if your planning on skipping the booze and going sober, so these are some of things I’ve been leaning towards and have on my to do list for those nights I’m staying sober.

Bowling

I went bowling the other night and I forgot how fun it was! Whether you’re there to have fun, or with a group that likes to get competitive it’s a blast. Me and my friends always seem to get far too competitive for a friendly bowling game but hey. It’s still fun.

Bowling

Movies

I feel like I’m always waiting around for things to come out on Netflix and Disney+ so I never actually go to the theatre to watch things, but going to the movies will really step up your movie night. It gets you off the couch and out of the house but you can keep your sweat suit and still just chill – the best of both worlds. 

Go Karting

Something you definitely could not do under the influence. I rarely go go karting but when I do it’s the best time. Me and my friends love to race around the track and time ourselves (we’re a competitive group). 

Axe Throwing

I’ve actually never been axe throwing but this is on my list to do this year. I mean it seems like the perfect anger release and next time I’ve had a bad week instead of releasing my stress through a couple of beers, I’ll opt to throw an axe at a wall, sounds good right?

Night time Snowboarding 

A lot of local North Shore mountains offer a night time ski rate so it’s more affordable to go at night. It’s also beautiful, if you go up to Grouse mountain you can take in Downtown Vancouver shining city lights from up above and at the same time, take in the mountain fresh air.

Snowboard

Don’t let your sober living stop you from having a good night, there’s a world of fun out there waiting to be had and the best part is you get to skip the hangover the next day and wake up feeling good!

Post Dry January

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Well we’re officially just over a week into February which means a week after dry January and I think I’m still recapping my adventure. I successfully completed dry January which I honestly really didn’t expect to after many failed tries but I was able to do it and I’m beginning to think that month off the sauce had a bigger impact than I had expected. 

For starters, I’m kinda grossed out by drinking right now. I’ve only drank 2 times since being in February, one of which was just an extremely casual few glasses of wine, but I have no need to reach for the bottle on the weekend anymore. Obviously this is all exciting and most would say “good for you” but I’m kinda a bit disappointed in a way. I miss the days where Friday meant fun for me and not just a night to reset and recharge, and I miss when Saturday’s meant bottomless mimosa brunch and now it just means hitting the gym or going for a walk. Where did my fun energy go? I miss the old me, I want her back. But why am I turned off drinking now. I think it’s the thought of it, how bad it is for you, what’s in it, all that. I felt excellent waking up hangover free and now writing this with a dull headache. I’m regretting last night’s choice to end the night with just 1 more glass of wine (it’s never just one more).

I didn’t think I changed this much after it was over, but now I’m seeing it did me more good than I imagined. And while I didn’t necessarily see any physical changes, my internal changes were mind boggling. Zero anxiety (or hangxiety) from the night before, no blurry nights, and no regrets on being too wild at the bar. And although it’s fun to have those nights, the anxiety that comes with it is just too much for me now. 

So now I’m kinda left in this odd state where I’m proud of myself for making these changes but kinda miss the old me and wondering if she’ll make an appearance anytime soon. If you did dry January did you go through these changes too? Or was it just right back to drinking with no problem? 

 

Living At Home Club

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I’ve talked about it before but one club I’m a proud member of is the living at home in your 20s club. It can be a wild ride. I mean maybe for some people it’s all calm, cool, and collected but at my house it’s far from that. It’s quite the opposite, it’s all crazy, insane, and loud. I have a love-hate relationship with it and although I wish I could move out, that’s just not in the cards right now ($$$) so I’m stuck at home with my parents. 

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The one thing that has been annoying me lately is the fact that I’m beginning to believe my parents have a better social life than me. Just last night, Friday night, you’d think I’d have something going on right, I’m young in my 20s, why not go out and do something, but nope. Guess what my night consisted of. Driving my parents out to their parties they had going on. And ya, good for them, I’m happy they have a good social life but c’mon, that did sting a bit. I felt like an Uber driver, picking them up and dropping them off. I guess it’s payback for all the driving they had to do for me in high school.

The other thing that’s been getting on my nerves lately is the fact that I’m 21. I have all my freedom to do whatever however there still is a bit of that understated judgement when I get home from the bars late. Of course I always pull out the “hey you were 21 once too” card, but I’m beginning to think I’ve over used it. It’s a funny thing when you’re getting home late yet its considered all fine but just 4 years ago in highschool I would’ve gotten screamed at for coming home that late. It’s fun to watch the dynamics change. 

I mean the fun part now is I have some built in drinking buddies, we’re both home from a long day, let’s crack open that bottle of wine and see where their night takes us. Usually the night just takes us to reality TV and in bed by 9 (riveting right?) but still something to do. 

But hey, honestly I’ll take it and I’m happy. If this is the worst I have to deal with I’m considering myself pretty lucky. And I’m saving money, being financially responsible and soon enough I’ll be on my own wishing I could go back to the days where I had home cooked meals to look forward to at the end of the day. 

 

Taylor Bowl?

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With the Super Bowl being tomorrow I’m hearing a lot of talk about football obviously but a close second is my girl Taylor Swift. And the talk hasn’t been all negative, some of it’s been positive but for the most part, I’ve been surrounded by a lot of Swift hate.

As a Swiftie and a football fan I try to get both sides of it. I mean yes, you can say Taylor infiltrated football and I do agree she does get shown on the TV too much (however not as much as she used to) but what’s the problem with that? Looking at both sides of it, I guess I understand how something that was once all “boys” has kind of turned into a Taylor show, but really, what’s the big deal about that? I feel like this whole problem would be fixed if she just got less media coverage on TV and football social media accounts. 

There’s a rumor going around that Travis Kelce may propose to Taylor at the end of the game (my inner Swiftie is loving this), but I’ve heard some fans say they will boycott football if this happens. I mean, common Travis, time and place, the Super Bowl is not the place to do a proposal, but boycotting football just cause of a proposal, a bit crazy, and hey, even if it did happen, it would be super entertaining Swiftie or not. 

I saw this ad last year of a little girl joining her dad to watch football. This one got to me and made me emotional. On the bright side of things, think about how many sweet moments have been formed over football now. Football is not going to be every little girl’s cup of tea but think of the little girls who now sit down and watch football with their dads just hoping to see Taylor, it’s sweet right? 

Either way, whatever happens tomorrow, proposal or no proposal, there will definitely be a lot of Taylor coverage on TV and whether you want to lean into it or hate it, it’s going to be inevitable. What do you think about all this Taylor drama around football, do you just let it go? Or are you down with seeing her all over your sports feed? 

Invictus Games 2025

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Today is the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games in Vancouver! If you’re not familiar with what the Games are, the Invictus Games are a Paralympic competition for wounded service personnel and this year they are being held in between Vancouver and Whistler. 

The Games are starting off with a punch today with the opening ceremony looking like it’s going to be a blast. There are so many artists in town to kick things off including Katy Perry, Noah Kahan, Chris Martin, and Nelly Furtado! 

The Games were founded by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, in 2014 as a way to use the power of sports to help with recovery, rehabilitation, and community-building among military personnel who have faced life-changing injuries or illnesses (so if your in Vancouver or Whistler keep your eye out for Prince Harry as well). 

You can expect to see a variety of exciting sports like wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, archery, swimming, and indoor rowing. The first Invictus Games were held in London in 2014, and since then, they have taken place in various cities, including Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, and The Hague. These 2025 Winter Games will take a close look at winter adaptive sports like skiing and skating sports. It is the first winter adaptive Invictus Games being held in BC! 

The Games will be running from the 8th to the 16th and you can expect the city and Whistler to carry high energy and a lot of excitement as well. The closing ceremony is also shaping up to be a blast with artists like Jelly Roll, Barenaked Ladies, and The War and Treaty looking to close things off. Tickets are available online https://www.invictusgamesfoundation.org/invictus-games/vancouver-whistler-2025

The Invictus Games go far beyond sports, the event fosters camaraderie among veterans and active-duty personnel while inspiring audiences worldwide. The Games also advocate for the long-term support of veterans, encouraging governments and societies to provide continued rehabilitation and career opportunities for injured service members. If you have the chance to check things out, I highly recommend you go, it’s a great opportunity to get out there and cheer on veterans from all over the world. 

Underrated Sports: Part 3

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The NFL, NHL, and NBA are my go-to leagues for a sports fix—they’re packed with nonstop action, and there’s always a good game to watch during the season. But sometimes, when my team has a night off or I’m just in the mood for something different, I like to switch things up. That’s where Youtube comes in and I’m watching random sports that wouldn’t usually be my go to. They might not get the same spotlight, but trust me, they bring just as much energy and excitement.

  • Surfing

Only recently surfing got put into the Olympics and I have to say that really got me into watching surfing. Whenever I’m somewhere with a beach and waves I always try to get some surfing in, I’m not any good either I just catch the waves and stand up but being able to watch the pros is super cool. It makes me wish I grew up in Hawaii and was a super cool surfer girl but it also lets me live through them. It keeps me on the edge of my seat too, it gets my adrenaline pumping and I can’t get enough. 

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  • Snowboarding

Like surfing, but minus the water and you’re strapped in. Snowboarding is such a fun sport to watch because every athlete has their own style. There’s also different events in snowboarding like freestyle, park, and the half pipe so it’s fun to switch around and see all the different things the athletes do. It’s such a versatile sport because although it’s all the same equipment each is so different and takes a different skill set. I find the half pipe so entertaining so next time you’re clicking through channels, give snowboarding a try! 

Coastal Riders

  • Windsurfing

Continuing my theme with the surfing type sports, windsurfing is soooo cool to me. For some reason the thought of me trying it freaks me out so it would never be something I’d give a go but that’s why I love to watch it. The height and speed these athletes get can be pretty insane. It’s a beautiful sport that looks easy but I just know it would take an insane amount of strength. 

wind surfing

It’s so easy to get caught up in the same routine, but switching things up can be super fun too, so next time you find yourself bored clicking through the same channels trying to find something entertaining, give these sports a try and I can guarantee you will be hooked right in.