Idol predictions

Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey, and Alexis Grace will be three of the top four on
American Idol.

Mishavonna Henson may give them a run for their money if she makes it through to the next round.

moot or hooey?

no one under 20 has ever won American Idol

Her Morning Elegance

check out this fabulous video/song!

moot or hooey?

YouTube is rapidly becoming the fastest way to fame and fortune, bypassing the multitudes of middlemen

Idol momentum

Danny Gokey is through to the top 12. yes!

Alexis Grace will be with him in the top four!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Jamal Rogers comes back as a wild card.

There's simply no other explanation for his departure.

This week Ricky Braddy was bumped off. 

I think he might come back as a wild card as well.

Who is Persenias?... am I spelling that correctly?

She is a force to be reckoned with. 

I can't wait until her week comes up.

moot or hooey?

addictions can visual as well as physical

Oscars

This year I'm ready for the Academy Awards.
I've schlepped my way from theatre to theatre watching film after film, spent a million hours in front of the TV watching CDs of the ones that were no longer screening, and I'm finally done.

Here's my take on what I saw.

Best Film
Benjamin Button
Slumdog Millionaire
Milk
Frost/Nixon
The Reader

The Reader is amazing and Kate Winslet and David Kross are stellar, but the film is long. It could easily have ended with Winslet's final scene, but it pushes on for another ten minutes and that's what I think pulls it out of contention.

Benjamin Button is an extraordinary film for its visual effects and unique story. The first 45 minutes of the film enraptures, but it slows down immensely after that. I felt little to nothing for Pitt's and Blanchett's characters. I think it a fundamental flaw that the director allows Pitt's character, with this extraordinary gift/flaw that surely would have made headlines world wide, let alone in his home town, be entirely forgotten as he grows younger and more vulnerable.

Slumdog Millionaire is unique and the pacing is great, but the romance isn't believable. It was very disconnected. My bone of contention with this film is the leading lady. I would have liked to see someone a little less “Hollywood” or in this case “Bollywood” in that role. A life of slums, prostitution, and malnutrition would have taken its toll on anyone regardless. Her flawless skin and perfect teeth proved only to take me out of the film and lose any belief I might have had in the character.

Frost/Nixon. I waited until the end to watch this film. It was worth it. A good film. I was fairly impressed considering the story was known beforehand. Frank Langella and Kevin Bacon were fabulous. Completely believable, they both drew me in entirely. If Milk wasn't on the list, I think this would have been my favourite film.

Which brings us to Milk. Sean Penn gives an incredible performance as Harvey Milk. This is the only film of the lot that I didn't want to end. I wanted more. I wanted to know what happened after Harvey died, to everyone and everything. It's not often you come across a film that can have that affect.

Who I'd like to win: Milk
Who I think will win: Benjamin Button, if it's not edged out by Slumdog Millionaire.

Best Male Actor
Brad Pitt - Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
Sean Penn - Milk
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor

Brad Pitt is ok when you see him, and he does a great job of the ADRs, but I think the majority of the most impactual moments on screen come from the performances created by the combination of stand-in actors and the digital work in post production. Not enough of a performance by Pitt to warrant an Oscar.

Mickey Rourke. You've got to admire the work put in to this role, and I'm glad he got the Golden Globe for this role. But is it Oscar worthy? I don't think so. Rourke does a great job bouncing around as a wrestler and if there was an Oscar for best wrestler impersonation, he'd win it hands down. It almost felt like he was hiding behind those tights.

Frank Langella is incredible. If you haven't seen this film, you absolutely must. Langella plays Nixon with such believability it felt like you were watching Nixon in real time. I think it will be a close race between Langella and Penn with Langella winning by an edge.

Sean Penn. What can you say about Penn that hasn't been said before. He's stellar, and delivers a hundred fold on his portrayal of Harvey Milk. Penn isn't afraid to delve into eccentric difficult roles and he does it with ease and flare. I must say though, that I'm torn. Although I truly loved Penn's performance, I felt it was almost too easy. Like giving a gangster role to Pacino.

Richard Jenkins. I have to say I liked this performance the best out of all the male contenders. Jenkins is solid and creates a character both lovable and believable. It's a subtle, mono-toned role (for the most part) within which Jenkins disappears. This, I believe, is an incredibly difficult thing to do, and the true mastery of his craft. The only two who could really give him a run for his money, are Penn and Langella.

Who I'd like to win: Richard Jenkins
Who I think will win: Frank Langella

Best Female Actor
Kate Winslet - The Reader
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Anne Hathaway - Rachael Getting Married
Melissa Leo - Frozen River

Meryl Streep is awesome as usual, intense and refined. The only problem was I kept seeing her all the way through the performance. Meryl in a habit. I never once believed I was watching Sister Beauvier. It felt like she was somewhere else, detached. I think in the end though, it was the script I had the most trouble with.

Angelina Jolie. When I first started going through the films, I thought Jolie would take it for her flawless performance. She captures the essence of the character with the greatest of ease. Unfortunately this year, there are two actors who stood out a little more. Melissa Leo and Kate Winslet.

Kate Winslet. It's always a bit of an edge when one makes a film that touches on the holocaust. Winslet was amazing regardless. I believed her every minute of the journey. Her performance in Revolutionary Road felt a bit theatrical, but this one she nailed. I think her biggest competition will be Melissa Leo.

Anne Hathaway. Hathaway is always worth watching, and this is no exception. She puts her heart and soul into the role as we've never seen her. However, this year, she's up against some of the best in the business and the competition's too fierce. I hope she continues to take chances. They're sure to pay off.

Melissa Leo. This was my favourite performance of the lot. A small film with a lot of heart, and I feel the film itself was robbed of a nomination. Leo delivers on all fronts. She is stellar. An emotional, real, and believable performance. She'll never win in a hundred years against four monster Hollywood names, but she certainly deserves to.

Who I'd like to win: Melissa Leo
Who I think will win: Kate Winslet

Best Supporting Male Actor
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Josh Brolin - Milk
Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road

Michael Shannon is the quintessential scene stealer. I couldn't take my eyes off him. I want to see this character in a lead role. That would be awesome. Scary but awesome. Shannon is my all around favorite this year. The only star who shone as brightly was Heath Ledger.

Heath Ledger. His performance was nothing short of genius. The intensity and depth of his performance was insane. No wonder he couldn't sleep. He's sure to take the Oscar.

Robert Downey Jr. hit the controversial funny bone, to say the least, with this role. He truly disappears into his character(s). Another scene stealer, but was it enough for Oscar?

Philip Seymour Hoffman. I could watch this guy butter toast and think it was Oscar worthy. He is an incredible actor. However, this role just wasn't edgy enough. Again, I think it was the script I wasn't that thrilled with.

Josh Brolin. I loved him in “No Country for Old Men”, but found his performance here a little weak. He didn't seem that invested in the role. For such an essential role in the film, he should have been entirely believable.

Who I'd like to win: Michael Shannon or Heath Ledger
Who I think will win: Heath Ledger

Best Supporting Female Actor
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
Amy Adams - Doubt
Taraji P Henson - Benjamin Button
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Viola Davis – Doubt

Marisa Tomei. What can you say. It's worth the price of entry just to see this 44 year old rival not only Madonna, but half the 20 year olds in Hollywood with her flawless body. As for the acting, it's just kind of ordinary. Marisa is lovely, her performance good. But Oscar worthy? I don't think so.

Amy Adams is phenomenal. I couldn't take my eyes off her. She was the best thing about the movie “Doubt”. She is mesmerizing and jumped into the role head first. Actors have been robbed of Oscars before (Ethan Hawke - Training Day, Djimon Hounsou - Blood Diamond) but if Adams doesn't get one this year, something's seriously awry in Hollywood.

Taraji P Henson. I like Henson's performance. She's a very likable actor. She was certainly the heart and soul of the film. The only person I cared to care about. However, I don't think her performance was strong enough to warrant an Oscar.

Penelope Cruz. I have to admit that I do like Cruz, when she acts speaking Spanish. Somehow, when she acts in English, things change. Having said that, I wasn't impressed with her performance in this film. I found it choppy and showy. But then I wasn't impressed with anyone really.

Viola Davis. Huge kudos for stealing that mega scene from Streep. I wanted to see more range though. It may just be me though. If she had only pulled out that hankie a little sooner.

Who I'd like to win: Amy Adams
Who I think will win: Amy Adams

Best Director
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher - Benjamin Button
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant - Milk
Stephen Daldry - The Reader

David Fincher. With all the buzz, Fincher simply has to win. He did an amazing job, with a tricky story. If he doesn't win for best director, then he should at least share the award with anyone else from his cast and crew they may honor.

Danny Boyle sneaked up behind us with this one. There's so much to say about this great little film. It won a Golden Globe and the People's Choice at Toronto and I believe it deserved those awards, when it comes to script writing and editing, that is. However, I don't think it will win an Oscar for directing.

Ron Howard did a great job with Frost/Nixon, I just wish he'd quit casting his family. He got some great performances out of his actors and brought us right into the centre of the action. This film is definitely my top pick of the bunch.

Gus Van Sant. I loved this film for its brave portrayal of an extraordinary man. Again, this was the first film I'd seen in an awfully long time where I wanted more. In a good way. It wasn't that I felt the film incomplete, but that I was so taken in by the characters I wanted to know more about their lives.
I think there is too much Benjamin buzz for Van Sant to win against Fincher. In my opinion he runs a very close second to Howard.

Stephen Daldry. The story-line of this film may be what edges Daldry onto the Oscar stage. The film was intriguing and human, but it went on much too long. It let's go of the viewer to polish the edges and I think that is it's biggest flaw.

Who I'd like to win: Ron Howard or Gus Van Sant.
Who I think will win: David Fincher

(For the categories below, I've put an asterisk* by the one I think will win)

Animated Feature
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
*WALL-E

Original Screenplay
Frozen River
Happy-Go-Lucky
*In Bruges
Milk
WALL-E

Adapted Screenplay
Benjamin Button
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
*Slumdog Millionaire

Foreign Language Film
The Baader Meinhof Complex
The Class
Departures
Revanche
*Waltz with Bashir

Documentary Feature
The Betrayal
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
*Man on Wire
Trouble the Water

Film Editing
Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
*Slumdog Millionaire

Art Direction
Changeling
*Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road

Cinematography
Changeling
*Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Costume Design
Australia
Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Milk
*Revolutionary Road

Visual Effects
*Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man

Makeup
*Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II

Sound Editing
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
*Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

Sound Mixing
Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
*Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

Original Score
Benjamin Button
Defiance
*Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E

Original Song
*WALL-E - “Down to Earth”
Slumdog Millionaire - “Jai Ho”
Slumdog Millionaire - “O Saya”

Short Film - Animated
La Maison en Petits Cubes
Lavatory – Lovestory
*Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up

Short Film - Live
Auf der Strecke
*Manon on the Asphalt
New Boy
The Pig
Spielzeugland

moot or hooey?

Oscar trophies are gold plated cast iron, and mounted on a solid plastic base.

Mr Smith comes from Washington

tomorrow morning Canada will wake up to change.

With baited breath, we will all find out whether Harper will rise to the occasion, shake his hand and say "we can too"

... ah, in a perfect world ... 

moot or hooey?

Harper fought to disband the coalition just so he could meet Obama

Danny Gokey

Danny Gokey is going to win American Idol this year.

He has the entire package.

He can sing, he's good looking, charismatic, loveable, has a tragic back story, and is the boy next door.

He's the all American boy in a time where people need a hero, someone to believe in.

He will win this hands down.

moot or hooey?

this year the Idol judges have allowed some real wack jobs to remain, in order to glaze over the fact that they've already made their choice.

thou shalt not worship false idols

Have they completely lost their minds!!!!

I'm absolutely flabbergasted at the judges decision to send Jamal Rogers home.

He is soooooo talented! What were they thinking!! 

Nick/Norman(A for originality but can't sing), Nathanial Marshall(cute but tone deaf), Jacky(nice but flat), and Scott MacIntyre(sweet, but I'm sure they felt the need to make up for Seacrest's hilariously stupid attempt to high five the blind contestant last week), all miraculously get through but somehow Rogers doesn't make it.

Even the other contestants were shocked at that decision. So why?

moot or hooey?

the American Idol judges have never changed their minds and asked someone back, though they do reserve the right to do so.

Jonas Idol

is it me or am I the only one who noticed the Jonas flub at the Grammys?

about half way through the Jonas/Wonder Grammy jam, they break into Wonder's hit song "Superstitious". Anyone with an ounce of industry savvy would have understood this as the godsend of a career boost it was for the Jonas brothers. 

Instead, what did they do? 

at about 2:51 into the youtube video coverage, the guitar playing Jonas is given the honor of a lifetime of singing verse two with the Wonder god, and ... he forgets the words!!

ok, so maybe he just forgot how old the kid was but man alive, it was bad enough having to watch such a lame ass coupling of legend and luck, but to then witness something that would make Simon Cowell cringe, was nothing short of embarrassing. 

I mean, Stevie Wonder guys!! ... I'm just saying ...

moot or hooey?

perhaps if they did look the gift horse in the mouth, they would have seen its true value

commercial interest

With the flu season in full swing I decide to tuck a box of kleenex under my arm and take a few moments to reconnect with my couch.

It's been a while since I've sat in front of the TV and I must say I'm completely reclined at the absurdity of what's fed to me every time my program takes a time out

What is this slop they've slipped into the IV.

An ad for lawyer services follows a mother as she follows her teenaged son around the house. “this is the last time she will make lunch for him”, “this is the last time she will pick up after him”, “this is the last time she will say good-bye”. A drunk driver will kill him on his way to school.  Now she's gonna have to call --- services.

Are you kidding me?

Next, an ad shows a pre-teen child walking away from a crowd and laying down in a field on her back. A white sheet is placed over her body and pulled up over her head. She is dead. A warning about driving drunk.

For pete's sake people.

Is this really necessary, with all the real life violence and sadness we experience on a daily basis that we need to be hammered with violent images during the down time too? Is that what it takes to extend our attention span so we'll buy an idea?

Then there're those lame ass Lotto 6/49 commercials poking at people struggling “some people have to deal with tragedy blah blah blah... well this (winning scads of $$) is my scorching desert” or the one where the guy buys, buys, buys all the cars and toys.

Lay around and buy...

That's all those lame ass script writers at the Lotto lab can come up with. Well someone certainly won the lottery with that job.

And then there are the Boatshow commercials. Yah, that's really funny when the old man psyches his grandson up for a day of fishing with gramps in a boat, and then there's no boat. That's just sad, not to mention mean. What a loser.

Violence with a hammer, to make sure the message sinks in, greed and consumption, insensitivity and callousness. 

But surely they insult our intelligence with those assumptions...yes?...  only, no one is saying anything, are they. No one seems to be disagreeing. The ads still run. We watch them without disruption.  Man it's embarrassing being human.

moot or hooey?

humans will relate much quicker and easier to something negative than something positive, and respond likewise.

Obama drama

now that Guantanamo is obsolete, where are they going to store all those orange suits?

moot or hooey?

Cuba has never cashed any of the rent cheques from the USA for the use of the base.

if the shoe fits...

Shoes can say a lot about a person, especially when they're hurled at the head of the president of the United States.

When Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi threw his shoes (yes he managed to remove and hurl both before being pounced upon), President Bush responded by joking they were, “size ten”.

He told the people in the room “don't worry about it. Calm down” and even chuckled as Mr. al-Zaidi was tacked, beaten, and dragged from the room.

Bush didn't appear to give the incident much thought. He gave a short speech then quickly circled back to the conversation at hand. “In terms of the agreements, this is a major achievement...”

Mr. al-Zaidi was whisked away to jail and charged with assaulting a foreign president, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

Apparently he later wrote a (secret and confidential and therefore unable to be disclosed) letter of apology to Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki stating that a known (un-named) militant had induced him to throw the shoes.

His trial has recently been postponed for appeal, his lawyer Mr. Dhiya'a al-Sa'adi asking that the charges be shifted from “assault” to “insult”, which carries a lesser maximum of two years in prison and could quite likely result in al-Zaidi being released on bail.

Mr. al-Sa'adi claims it was someone “exercising their freedom of expression”.

According to his aforementioned speech, it seems Bush agrees.

“It's one way to gain attention. It's like going to a political rally and have people yell at you. It's like driving down the street and have people not gesturing with all five fingers. It's a way for people to draw attenti... I don't know what the guy's cause is. But one thing is for certain, he caused you to ask me a question about him.”

“... that's what happens in free societies when people try to draw attention to themselves. So, I guess he was affected 'cause he caused you to say something about it now.”

So Bush can't guess what al-Zaidi's cause was. Knowing what we know about Bush, that's not entirely unbelievable. But even a clued out, pretentious, fear mongering, nut-ball has a built in fight or flight response, so if Bush can calmly state “I didn't feel the least bit threatened by it” shouldn't we at least hear him out and give al-Zaidi a break?  Surely the “bag 'o hammers” thingy doesn't apply to animal instinct, after all, he did duck.

Besides, like al-Sa'adi says “has anyone ever died from a shoe?”

... I guess we'll find out

moot or hooey?

All claims from al-Zaidi's family and lawyer that he's been tortured, resulting in a missing tooth, stitches on his nose, injury to his jaw, cigarette burns on his ears, and has been beaten with metal instruments have been denied.

Jim Fulton

Ode to James R Fulton, a man who touched the lives of others with indescribable exhilaration, joy, and awe. 

Jimmy, you have lived the lives of a thousand men, harnessed a thousand dreams, given us hope and something to believe in when everyone said there was none to be had. 

You made things happen. Positive change. Tackled the impossible without fear. Told us it wasn't beyond our reach. Given us belief in a future brighter than anything we could imagine. Showed us there are no limits to the imagination. And proved to us again and again, that all things are possible.  

The enormity of your heart and soul, your boundless energy, and spirited life force is incomparable. You have walked with giants Jimmy, and humbled them all.

I am both blessed and honoured to know you. There is no one can compare with you, now and forever. 

I miss you already, the kindness in your heart, your generous and compassionate soul, and the warmth and love in your bear hugs.

love now, and forever...

moot or hooey?

Jim once walked into parliament with a spawning salmon stuffed down his pants, to prove a point.

Sean Penn at the Huffington Post

Sean Penn has got a bad rap over the years. He's walloped reporters for getting too close to loved ones, been criticized for being too political, but think of the guts and gonads that takes. 

He's not only a phenomenal actor and director, but has proven to be a talent in the writing field as well, articulate and smart, as you'll see from the article below.

He's fiercely loyal to what and whom he believes in, and he's not afraid to stand up for those people and beliefs and say the things or ask the questions most people shy away from.

I believe the more people like Mr Penn there are, who are willing to stand up, speak up and boldly move forward, the more likely we are to be inspired to believe in the reality of the power of the voice of a single man.

check out Penn's article/essay, Mountain of Snakes  as well as a multitude of others at the Huffington Post.

moot or hooey?

more significant change has been made by lone advocates.

because my father was a veteran and a cowboy

 

dad (left) and his friend Joe.

dad and friends from the army.

 

dad (left) and army friends out for a ride.

 

more friends join the group for a ride.

 

dad's favourite cowboy.

 

dad, Helene on dad's horse Jetty, and Kenny.

   

Marie the sheep, Sporty the mutt, Harold, Grandma, Clara, dad (15 yrs old), and Helene.

walking down memory lane for my dad.

moot or hooey?

memory is magical.

Nosbeeratu

this is hilarious!!

moot or hooey?

Nosferatu's real name is Graf Orlok.

before you vote

TheStar.com Party Game

hey check out the link above. if you're unsure of who to vote for, it might help, or not...

moot or hooey?

40% of the population closes their eyes when they vote.

have a look at this fabulous video!

HISTORIA DE UN LETRERO (THE STORY OF A SIGN)

aint this a corker! for the first time in 28 years a Canadian film will be opening the Cannes Film Festival !

It was six years in the making for Canadian script writer/actor/director Don McKellar (The Red Violin, Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould, Highway 61) to adapt Jose Saramago's "Blindness" .

Brazilian Fernando Mereilles (City of God, The Constant Gardener, The City of Men) directed the film starring Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo. If there was ever a year I would shave my head to attend... !!!

I have misgivings about Moore playing the role of "the woman" though. For me she just doesn't carry enough weight to do it justice. ouch! I apologise. But this story almost made me puke it was so intensely good. The only other book that has had that affect on me was John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath".
Anyway, I would have liked to see them really work hard to cast it a little... more accurately. It would have been a lot truer to the dialogue in the book, as well as the vulnerability and ferocity that emerge from that character, if that role had been filled by someone like Shohreh Aghdashloo , Meryl Streep, or Glenn Close and while we're at it why not Christina Ricci or Mila Kunis as the young girl...

Regardless, I will wait with baited breath until its theatrical release!!

moot or hooey?
In the film "Michael Clayton" George Clooney gets his character's age wrong.

green green bags of home

Everywhere you look these days, people are getting on the hydrogen train to planet organic!

It's awesome watching people opt for reusable mugs, trade in their plastic bags for recycled, reusable grocery bags, take the bus or ride their bikes instead of drive, to name a few.
There's an incredible palpable pulse of change happening in the lower mainland these days.
Of course there has always been a small percentage of people doing these things for years, but recently these simple yet environmentally fundamental changes seem to be spreading like wild flowers, positively beautiful !

This year on Earth Day (Apr 22nd) the concentration seemed to be on eliminating the use of plastics bags.

Starbucks offered free coffee and a cloth shopping bag in exchange for using your own coffee mug. Safeway offered a free cloth shopping bag if you brought in your old plastic ones. Capers/Whole Foods were giving out free cloth shopping bags and basil seeds. Everywhere you looked people were making a difference!

It's been interesting talking to people about what they've been doing as individuals. Most people seem to be right into getting rid of their plastic bags, however, one of the most common dilemmas heard from people re-using plastic shopping bags as garbage bags, has been "if not plastic, then what".

There are indeed alternatives as some of you may know, but for the average layman, they aren't always obvious or clear. And it seems that somewhere during that train ride to petroleum-free euphoria, someone neglected to blaze the sister trail to the shelves of alternative household supplies.

One of the solutions to the dilemma is biodegradable garbage bags. They can be found at most grocery stores, anywhere from Safeway to Choices, and come in all sizes for all purposes.

So, to top off all the fabulous efforts by all participating establishments and ice the organic carrot cake this Earth Day, and every day for that matter, it would have been fabulous to see a huge bin right next to those easy to reach gum and magazines, filled to the brim with bags upon bags of these biodegradable alternatives.

Perhaps then people might be more likely to reach over and pick up a green, green bag for home.

moot or hooey?

80 percent of "at the cash register pick up puchases" are spontaneous.

gone baby gone

Sergeant Thomas George Prince, who?...


Long Tack Sam, who?...


Lenny Breau, who?...


Portia White, who?...

moot or hooey?

even brain damage doesn’t seem to affect semantic memory, so why... i’m just saying...

back to the future...

well after all my moping and hum/hawing about how much i missed the south of france, (see tuscany calling) it looks like i’m destined to return.

out of the blue a man i used to date through those glorious french summers tracks me down by googling me... thanks google... i mention this not because it’s a good thing. more to vent my exasperation. the last time i saw eric i spent the better part of the day dodging around buildings and stone walls (below) trying to escape.

the second to the last time i saw him he had casually invited me to coffee during a break in classes and i spent the next two days his captive in the forests of god knows where. ah those french!

this time around i’ve been accepted to a writers’ workshop/retreat in a small village just outside of avignon (scarily close to eric). i’m hoping the angst will come in useful when approaching the second plot point.

moot or hooey?

the difference between an obsessed partner and a stalker is that in the case of the latter, the person at the receiving end is their "prey". 

mr right

A girl I know at work has stated several times that there simply aren't any good single men in Vancouver. She's been single since I've known her, which is creeping up on eight years now.

I recently got back from an extended trip to Ecuador. There was anything but a lack of great single men there, of all ages. I'd consider myself a pretty average looking woman but I couldn't go far without someone sitting down beside me and striking up a good conversation. And age didn't seem to matter. Young ones, older ones, it just didn't seem to be an issue. Some of them would blatantly hit on you sure, but some just wanted to talk, and they all seemed to have a way of engaging you that made you feel beautiful, interesting, and desirable.

I'd experienced a similar thing in other countries as well. Spain, Cuba, Chile, France… all very different countries with very different standards of living, lifestyles and etiquette.

Ecuador is a particularly friendly country, with particularly lovely men. And what finally occurred to me, was that the fundamental difference with men in Canada was that they never engaged you. Oh sure, you could probably go to a bar, slam back a few drinks and talk your face off to someone itching to get in your pants and I'm sure they'd be willing to "engage" you all night, but generally speaking, men simply never,well, en-ga-a-a-a-ged you… in any way. Blank stares, no conversation, what does she want? can't get too close or make eye contact for too long or she'll assume...
There always seemed to be this unconscious psychoanalysis as they looked at you trying to sum you up without the effort of words… (sigh).

And just to kind of balance things out here a bit. It's not like the women in this country make it any easier for the guys. We're just as bad ladies. Maybe even worse. How long does it take a girl to roll her eyes, yawn, giggle to her friends, or cut someone off if she thinks for even a nano-second he might not be "the guy"? we're not exactly inviting. whatever happened to just communicating, for the sake of communicating...

So I guess what I'm saying is that I don't agree with the girl at work. There are plenty of great single guys in Canada… Vancouver even… we just need to pull out our mighty snow shovels and after we've cleared a nice safe path to our front doors, take those same shovels and scrape away some of the shit that's been piling up between us.

moot or hooey?

A good conversation is a powerful aphrodisiac for most women.

tuscany calling

i'm here in one of the most beautiful places on earth and i don't want to leave. La Fortuna, Costa Rica. i could curl up in one of the hammocks and forget the rest of the world with little trouble. so, why do i feel so restless...

read about a million books these past few weeks. the latest is a book by Frances Mayes called Under the Tuscan Sun. my friend Sandy produced the film of the same name so i was curious to see how closely they'd followed the book.

i remember a few years ago when i'd spend summers in the south of France in a little village called Chantemerle-les-Grignan.



stone buildings set on a small mountain overlooking rolling fields of lavender and sunflowers.

my friend Matthew had convinced me one year to hop a train over from Austria for a weekend 'fete'. the fete lasted for four glorious summers, dining in open fields, traveling to Sete et Nime for the oysters, wine and mussels on the sandy beaches, and l'amour... we simply cannot forget l'amour... some the best times in my life were during those summers.

so i crack the cover of Tuscan Sun and at once am transported back to that glorious place.

i know, it's Italy not France, but the stone houses, the small villages filled with friendly locals, fresh produce, rolling fields... the ambience seems so familiar. i read through the first few chapters and am hit with a strange sense of longing. a longing to return to Europe, to the countryside and disappear into the hills.

so here i am in a Costa Rican Shangri-la dreaming about somewhere else. go figure.

moot or hooey?

"the grass is always greener on the other side" is an expression invented by someone with way too much time on their hands. that, and an extreme lack of perspective.

Amnesty International: Signature spot commercial ad

Amnesty International, along with Doctors Without Borders, were two of the very few organizations that helped the Rwandans during the genocide in the nineties.

moot or hooey?

our server at work has been down for three days now.
one might ask "what can happen in three days"
apparently, 160,000 emails!

two computer geniuses and hours of sweat later and the server is apparently up and running again… sort of…

picture a single mom of eight, all under the age of seven, sprawled out on the living room couch. it's 10am, no one's been fed, changed, or cuddled, and they're all vying for that elusive coveted lap time.... you get the picture
like swimming in a sea of bread dough. thank god for those semophore lessons in Brownies…

moot or hooey?

some software actually comes with bugs that can crash your computer.