Just Horsin' Around!

Todays adventure was brought to you by the letter "H"... "H" for Horseback Riding, a treat from Duncan's Dad (thanx Neil!). So much fun. I loved how quiet it was there in Fish Creek Park, like we were cocooned within a blanket of silence that somehow separated us from the city that was all around us. It was calming, beautiful and peaceful. Happy Trails indeed!

Remember, Smokey The Bear says only YOU can prevent forest fires!

Here's a pic of how our smoke filled skies look tonight - pretty enough, if it weren't for the flagrant unpleasantness of living with the smoke. A wee spat of rain yesterday managed to clear up our air quality a bit - but I hear the forest fires are still burning mostly out of control, and it's been almost a month now. I don't quite remember anything like this.

Packing it all in...

Boxes.

Our house is slowly but surely being reduced to a box store room. There are boxes everywhere. This particular house will never ever again exist for us without our things stacked in boxes. And it won't be until we unpack these boxes that our new house will become our home. The size of each box does not convey that enormous importance carried by its contents... but it is there neverless. Today we have mostly spent drinking coffee, watching movies, playing virtua fighter, and packing boxes. We will likely go for more boxes later when ready for a break. Yay boxes...

Went through the kid's special boxes today - brought back a lot of memories for me, and alot of opportunity to share with Duncan what kind of people my kids were before he met them, or really got to know them. It was hard to pare down their stuff (there was a lot of stuff), but I am pretty sure we are now moving mostly what is really important to them. You know, the mementos that make up somebody's life - like baby books, cards, old school pictures, first teddy, passports and art work. Life times are long these days though, I aim to make one rubbermaid box enough until they are ready to walk out the door. Then I hope to give it to them as a gift (but some of the stuff will be hard to part with, like their baby hats and booties...).

In other news, this moving business is getting very exciting! I am a little nervous about my upcoming job interview, but nervousness is only excitement and anticiaption in disguise.

We aren't in Kansas anymore, Toto

What's wrong outside?

When we woke up this morning, it was 8:30am - but it was still dark outside. Well maybe not dark per se, but this odd twlight type darkness and all the street lights were still on. Its still quite odd out there - and those aren't clouds blocking out the sky, its a big ass blanket of forest fire smoke. We've had to close all the windows cause when I woke up my eyes were all scratchy and my chest has this uncomfortable sensation occurring in it. It's all very eerie indeed.

I think we are going to stay inside until this goes away. We have more than enough to entertain us inside (we are afterall, Canadian) but it may mean that the big Shakespeare in the park outing doesn't happen today (Sorry all, but will keep you posted).

Tee Hee

I am drunk. And we have more alcohol now. Yay!

Long haired creepy people need not apply...

So, it (friendster.com) was referred to in The Onion (making fun of it ofcourse) and then the same day on a blog here in Calgary, so, as Duncan put it, why don't we check it out? Interesting. It turns out to be an internet popularity contest with a twist... you gain network contacts through your own contacts and so far, after 2 or 3 days, my web of people has spiralled to include a mere 5000 people. So far, its been fun, albeit somewhat trendy. I don't think it is a completely serious service but (yes, again agreeing with Duncan, better then Classmates). Ah, how I love the internet community. Let me know if any of you are involved in this scheme!

Anyways, it helped occupy some of my time today as the girls I have been daycaring didn't show up. It's good, it was nice to have an off day, even if Raven was a little sad. Tonight we are entertaining Joel and getting drunk on the patio. Thank god it's friday! Anyways, Duncan just walked in the door home from work, and he has a new game that I bought him (Virtua Fighter 4 Evolutions) so I am going to go play with him! I love playing with Duncan!

Oh yeah, and welcome Deven to the Blogosphere!

Guilty Pleasures?

Looting in Ottawa and Toronto? Pardon me, Canadians looting? Shame on you. Shame on us! We are better than this.

Update: After reading about Lilly's day in her blog I am heartened to hear the stories of ordinary Canadians dealing in positive ways with this crisis. It makes me feel a little better.

The lights aren't on...

New York and Toronto would not be cool places to be in (rush hour with no traffic lights) a major power outtage. Apparently, it maybe into the evening before the power in this part of North America comes back on. I feel for all my blog buddies and readers from the East... Ofcourse, you can't read this... and your phones apparently don't work either, so you will just have to feel the love. Can you feel the love??????

Martian Opposition

It's close encounters of the Martian Kind! I can't wait. Plus, a great Meteor Shower going on right now too. What a treat!

I have created Blog Monsters!

Out of the mouth's of babes... Wesley and Raven.

Come on Joel! Deven! Even my kids can do it!

Those artificial voice systems are becoming progressively more annoying

In the process of having our new utilities switched and/or set up, I unwittingly found myself tangled within Telus's new automated voice mail system. In this lovely experience, a calming electronic female voice (there is a reason why this needs to be calming, but I don't know it yet) informs me that "If I can't help you myself, I will find someone who can". Myself? Since when did an electric voice exist as a self aware entity? And are these others she refers to also self expressing electronic voices? I find the implications of the language being used disconcerting, and wonder briefly if I am the only person it annoys (my standards are sometimes high), but I don't really have any clue yet the extent of what awaits me...

I soon realize that this "system" must be the phone gods definition of a joke. I breifly consider the karma I must have incurred in a past life to have to endure this, but I perservere anyway. The voice asks me questions, and I am soposed to respond with preselected answers. Sounds easy enough, but "she" usually doesn't understand my response (even when I am clearly stating the required response in an elevated tone), which launches "her" into repeating the entire menu (after apologizing ofcourse) again before asking for my response. So I finally get to the point where I can tell "her" that I want my phone disconnected. She doesn't like this option, asking in a (yes small and pathetic) guilt inducing questioning manner "You want your service reconnected, right?" Shit. Damn voice making me feel sorry for it, like I am rejecting "her" personally (Personally? What am am saying???). After I say "NO!" for the umpteenth time, I am informed that "she" now knows who to direct me to (AMEN - this process has now taken 25 minutes of my life that I will never get back again) and I am put on hold. Eventually a recorded message tells me that the expected wait to talk to a service representitive (dare I hope, a real person?) is 20 minutes. Twenty minutes? I don't think so, not even the chance of a real person is worth another 20 minutes of my time. No really, I'll try the internet thanks.

Learn something new every day...

Somewhere in the back of my head I had this long held notion that dragonflies didn't live for very long. I think when I was a child, someone told me dragonflies lived only for a day. That would make every day mating season for a dragon fly (just like me). However, today I learn that Dragonflies are actually the longest living insect, sometimes living even years. And bonus, they are pretty too.

Lots happened today. As if the dog attack (see post below) didn't provide enough excitement for the day, in the afternoon we had Raven's Birthday Party. Her theme for the party was "Princess Party", which saw me doing the hair, make up and nails of each little girl in attendance. It was fun, once they had all sorted out which hair products and lipstick they desired (we had prepurchased all the stuff so they could have their own but you know, girls start to get a little catty at age 8). Raven has a picture on her blog.

Wesley spent the day at a Babysitting Course. My little boy is getting all grown up. He learned first aid and the best way to deal with all sorts of scenarios to get his certification. I am so proud of him. Tomorrow he goes to his home alone course. Time flies, I tell you, time flies.

Dog eat dog world?

Believe it or not, one of the four girls I am babysitting today just got bit by a dog. Serious. The only thing that stopped her from being hurt worse is she was wearing a costume. This dog bit the wrong kid (the daughter of an on duty Calgary Police Officer, who is now out looking for it). This dog, apparently, ran up out of no where and attacked her, then ran off. The neighbours who witnessed it and said the kids weren't even trying to get this dogs attention. It went after them. Now I have a little girl sitting beside me who can't go outside. I have to make sure the door is shut. And no honey, dogs can't jump very high.

Damn dog. Damn dog owners. Why are there people letting their (aggressive) dog run around biting small 5 year old children anyways?

The Cat's Meow

Just found this on a blog I read, and had to share.

Every one should start their day off with a smile! Thanks Kid Jacque!

Also, check out "The Cat Herders". Not everyone can do a job like that...

YAY!!!!

A little bit of hard work, a little bit of determination, a little bit of belief in ourselves and in the world around us - and look! Our place in Edmonton is secured (our perfect place). It has all worked itself out! Well, I worked it out with an email to the head office, but regardless - YAY! Duncan will be so happy! I can't wait to tell him! We rock. Look out world, here we come!

"Whats that smell...? It's the smell of victory, son..."

Somedays, just when you think life's a little harder that day than others, you realize you don't actually have it bad. You realize at least you don't live in a country that america (Yes, I think I am going to start addressing the USA as america, small a intentional) likes to drop napalm on.

Atleast not yet, anyways.

Assuredly this napalm dropping is likely actually the newer, more effective version of hyperbaric weapons that america used in the caves of Afghanistan, but in the end, still nasty. What about that 1980 United Nations convention banning the use of Napalm, you say... well guess who didn't sign the treaty.

Well, apart from some disappointment, today was a productive day. After having breakfast with Deven at Weeds (coffee) Cafe, we went to the dump to rid ourselves of excess appliances and did some shopping (beef prices are great here right now, go figure) in which we also scooped moving boxes! We are just about to enjoy the great steaks Duncan just BBQ'd, with wine, on the porch. It's a lovely evening indeed.

Life is good, hold the napalm.

Somebody left their manners at home...

Reading Warren Kinsella's blog (come on, you all know who he is, and if you don't I ain't gonna tell you) and he has posted this great example of some of that hate email we bloggers get once in a while that is soposed to slap us smart or something (according, ofcourse, to the sender of such drivel) but really just usually proves our point. In this case, this wonderful 60 year old "gentleman" out does himself. I have selected the tastier parts of his email for you:

"... By the way, you little fag... My only crime is that I’m a 60-year-old Canadian with a national memory, a perspective you don’t have because you’re a product of the T&C ideology. God help you. I advise my kids (34; 19; 13) to escape to the United States before you guys close the border forever."

Interesting perspective. What is that "word" he uses... "fag?" Well, I don't think this word means what he thinks it means. According to dictionary.com, the following definitions for fag can be found:

1. A student at a British public school who is required to perform menial tasks for a student in a higher class.
2. A drudge.
3. Fatiguing or tedious work; drudgery.
4. To work to exhaustion; toil (verb).

In middle english, "fag" was a word meant to express "droop" but this usage has become obsolete. Oh yeah, I found another interesting definition at dictionary.com, although I am unsure how it might fit into the conversation, but I will add it anyways...

bigot:

1. A bigot or hypocrite
2. A hypocrite; esp., a superstitious hypocrite.
3. A person who regards his own faith and views in matters of religion as unquestionably right, and any belief or opinion opposed to or differing from them as unreasonable or wicked.
4. A person who is intolerant of opinions which conflict with his own, as in politics or morals.
5. One obstinately and blindly devoted to his own church, party, belief, or opinion.

Oh, and in "unrelated news", Warren Kinsella is married with four children. Congratulations Warren!

Going for a break!

There is only so much sitting in front of a computer one can do, even if you are snuggled up on the love seat with your beau playing Civ III. We need a break. Our eyes need a break. We are going out - Mountain Equiptment Co-op bound we are. And maybe I will get my hair cut, and get treated to chocolate (that's a hint for the man reading over my shoulder). mmMMmmMMm chocolate.

The weather has turned bad, which is ok cause we are driving anyways - but puts a kink in my plans for mountain biking in the mountains. Well there is always tomorrow...

A little more sober now

Raven woke up with a bad dream, and I can't go back to sleep (she's fine - out like a log) so I thought I would blog. The past couple of days have been busy - Thursday with friends and Friday with job and moving preparations. Yesterday I had to write the longest resume I have ever written. It felt odd because for so long I have tried to limit my resume to one page of pertinent details, yet when I was invited to apply to this job they asked for a very detailed long resume. All in all it was an interesting experience.

Both Thursday and Friday mornings Duncan has woken me up to play with him (Civ III that is!) and we have played from the moment I have picked him up from work (since Wednesday night) until we are too tired to go any longer, forsaking most other activities (except there is always time for couples stuff) including all of our new movies. I really like the expansion for Civ III. I really like that I can play with Duncan. It was certainly worth the 30.00 Duncan paid for it, in entertainment value at least.

Friday night we celebrated Grandpa's birthday with a huge dinner. Everyone was there, the food was nice, the wine was beautiful and Grandpa was in a great mood! Afterwards we went to Lauren's house and we played for a while with her lizards (bearded dragons) but had to get the kids home for bed so we left early. W really liked the wine, so we picked up a bottle on the way home and drank it while playing Civ III (hence the drunk post below). I will have to see when I play this morning how being drunk affeted my few hundred years that I played through!

Deven will be here tonight for another all nighter - felt weird not having him here last weekend (he went away/we went away) so it will be good to see him. We thought about giving him a key but now that we are moving I guess he will just have to get a key to our new place! Anyway, I am tired now, so I am going to go crawl back into bed! Yay bed! Yay Weekend!

If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!

Maybe one really should't blog when drunk. But thats a big maybe.

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while (I feel minimally guilty) but Duncan and I have this great Civ III game going and thats all we have been doing in front of the computer since it began. It is much fun.

Otherwise life has been busy, but fun. I have taken a million pictures (ok, perhaps that is a slight exageration) and we have been diligently working towards getting our move all in order. But I can't say more cause my guy is drunk and needs to be taken to bed.

Drunking when blogged ain't so bad after all...

I don't always know what day it is...

It's not that I am losing my mind or anything, its just that I don't really have a job (besides parenting) right now so my main activities everyday have been to just enjoy the summer... so the concept of what "day" it is escapes me most of the time...

After a beautiful Alberta steak dinner at Nick's Steak House, we made it back to Calaway Park in time to ride the Roller Coaster before it closed. A fun time was had by all (it was Wesley's first time on a coaster). After that we headed into Kananasksis Country to sit at Barrier Lake while the sun went down. I love how peaceful it is out there, quiet yet full of it's own noises (like chipmunks). Duncan taught the kids to skip rocks on the water, we took some more pictures and then we drove home the long way - along a road that was mostly gravel, but it afforded us a glimpse of a Moose, as well as beaver dams and many cows (on/in the road). Our final stop before home was in Cochrane for ice cream at the Dairy Queen. All in all a very good and enjoyable day. Days like this is what summer is all about.

Now that the kids are sleeping Duncan and I are going to play some Civ III (lost our old game so we are going to start over). I will start considering the beginnings of a photoblog tomorrow, given that I have taken well over 100 pictures in a few short days.

I have the power!

So just now, my friends husband comes to pick up his daughter (she spent the day with us) and he is all totally nice to me and even offers to help us PACK our moving truck, AND drive up to Edmonton to help us UNPACK said moving truck... a very generous offer indeed. So, a little perplexed, I told Duncan how generous he had been while at the door, and Duncan smiled and said "I'm not surprised". To answer my quizzical look, he added "Allie, look down". So I did. I was wet and cold (story to follow) and my breasts were protruding nicely against my tank top. I sighed, Duncan laughed, and said "I'm surprised he didn't offer to MOVE to Edmonton".

Boys. Sigh, again.

So we spent a lovely day with friends at Callaway Park - Duncan, Wes, Raven, Dakota, Myself and Cindy, Jamie and Mackenzie. I love going on rides, and it is a relatively new activity for Duncan and I to do together (just waiting now for West Ed Mall). Sadly, while we were in the line up for the Roller Coaster (we had finally convinced Wes to try the Coaster) a huge storm came up and they closed the ride (believe it or not) right when we were next. They also closed the boat ride, so we spent some time with the smaller rides before the cold rain drove us from the park. Now we are home to dry off, get changed and go out again. The clouds have passed, so after dinner (I believe we are going out for steak) we will drive back to Calaway Park to partake in the Roller Coaster before the night is out.

I am having so much fun with this camera!

We are off to the river now. Maybe this being home during summer vacation isn't so bad after all!

How many of you can't really see my blog page?

I have a very good 19 inch monitor with amazing colour and resolution - and to me my blog page looks fabulous... but I have come to realize that on a lesser machine, at a smaller resolution, it might just look like ass.

I always have my settings on the highest quality, and as such, this page is best viewed at 1280 by 1024 (32 bit colour). I also have the monitor running at 75 hertz (I sit in front of it alot, I don't know how people have it any lower!).

So I am considering changing the background image a wee bit to enable people with smaller screens/lower resolutions to see more of the picture. Anyone with any ideas, let me know! I have a pretty busy day a head of me today (going to callaway park) so it might not get done right away, but feedback is always appreciated.

It's a Civ III expansionist marathon!

Yesterday I bought Duncan the Civ III expansion - it has a multiplayer option where we can both play against each other on the same computer... We are on our second game since beginning late this afternoon and still going strong!

Anyways, must go back to the battle!

I didn't ask to be a Princess... but hey, if the crown fits...

I am such a girl.

First, I love dancing, but its more than that - I love being in my man's strong arms. I love the way his skin is soft against my cheek, the way he smells, the gentle way he sings along, in my ear. I love the way my body fits into his, like it was meant to be. I love dancing.

Second, when we were out shopping yesterday Duncan found me this great nail polish colour... It's fabulous! Sally Hansen's Nail Prisms colour Amber Ruby. It has all sorts of exciting colours in it, fun stuff for summer days. Fit for a Princess!



As you can see, I am making good use of the new digital camera!

Well, it's been a super long weekend (I guess ours did start on Thursday with our trip to Edmonton), and it's not over yet! We are going in search of breakfast before meeting up with friends later.

Guess Who Has A Digital Camera?????????

Yay Digital! Our lovely friend Quynn lent us one of his Digital Cameras... so we have been busy bees taking pictures while learning how to operate our new toy, which has proven very fun. Soon I will consider the potentials of a photoblog of my very own...

Well, the coffee ritual began today, with Quynn joining us at Weeds for coffee. We attempted a bike ride this afternoon but part way into our ride we noted a problem with Duncan's back tire, which we ended up taking it to the shop to get it fixed - so no more bike rides until Tuesday... we came home to get roller blades, but ended up sidetracked and went to the mall instead. Duncan is very excited to try an new expansion that he got, so I need to vacate the computer for him to play. I hope everyone is having a good long weekend!

Evil Airline Loses the Stanley Cup

Sacrilege...
I don't know what to say about this. How can the Stanley Cup, accompanied by two big BodyGuards (whose sole job is to make sure the Cup is safe) get lost?

The Small Pleasures in Life

Sinking into a tub full of hot water to wash off the sweaty grime from our road trip this morning (we are back from Edmonton now) reminds me how wonderful the small pleasures in life actually are. Sometimes I am so caught up in the bigger pleasures and wonderments of my world that I forget the importance of merely relaxing in my bathtub.

Also wonderful was that realization that we still had almost the entire weekend (yay!). What should I do?

Sunny Days are Here Again...

This blog is coming at you from sunny Edmonton, where life is good! We have a place to live, we have a school for kids, we even have afterschool daycare. I have had two interviews today, and a serious inquiry. A very productive day indeed. We also had a quick lunch at Hooters in West Edmonton, a delight Duncan had never had before, and very much enjoyed. I think I might even throw his bday party there! I got spoiled today - I will talk a little bit more about it tomorrow when we are home.

After playing with the dog at the off leash area, and being treated to a wonderful meal of Buffalo at a delightful place called Sawmills, we are now settling down to enjoy the summer evening at Quynns house with Bellini's and episodes of Yes Minister. Does life get better then this? Well, therer could be air conditioning... rolling eyes now...

Where is this Hell you speak of?

"Prime Minister Jean Chrétien risks burning in hell if he makes same-sex marriage legal in Canada" says Bishop Henry (RC from Calgary).

Gimme a break. If this hell is where all people are equal and everyone shares the same rights then count me in.

It's Only Rock and Roll, but I like it!

We just got back from the Simulcast of the Toronto Rolling Stones Concert... it was great! I love the Rolling Stones! I love how sexy their music is! It looked like it would have been so much fun to be one of the 500 000 people there in TO - but as we had decided alot earlier not to go (given expenses coming up and all) this was the next best thing! Duncan says next time the Stones come to Canada we have a date to go!

Anyways, it was good - we saw ACDC as well, and the 90 minutes of the Rolling Stones... "we" (by we I mean the crowd) eventually "convinced" the security gaurds to let us dance on the floor of the Saddledome, which was soon full as we all spilled over the boards and began dancing (dancing at some point quickly turned into moshing and crowd surfing amongst clouds of ummm... flowery smoke...). WAY more fun to be out there and moving around to the music then sitting in a chair with the other more sedidentry people. Lots of cheering, singing, dancing and it almost felt like a real concert! I LOVE DANCING!

Duncan and I walked down 17th ave to find a place to eat after the concert let out and eventually settled on a wonderful Italian resturant by his old High School called Fiore. We shared the soup, which was Spinach Sambucha Bacon Soup. It was both delicious and interesting (the Sambucha gave it a very sweet taste). I had a half order of Fettuchini, but couldn't finish it. Not bad for someone who has been on liquids only-ish for 4.5 days. Was proud of myself.

We were going to go out dancing with a couple of friends (who I know are reading this...) and their plans changed at the last minute - so I am issuing fair warning that we are all going to reschedule for after Edmonton. Dancing, who can get enough of it? Anyways, it was actually a pretty full evening - so I am going to finish blogging and go get ready for bedtime!

Long Live the Rolling Stones!

Heritage Park

Today was a long day - we all saddled up to go to Heritage Park. We had a lot of fun... I haven't been there in years, and Duncan had a lot to show me. The kids went on all the rides, but Duncan and I decided that we would go on the Caterpillar. It's a circular ride that was designed with courting couples in mind - once the ride gets going a canopy lowers down over the riders so that they can't be seen by anyone else. It was semi difficult to "make out" on a circular up and down ride, but we sure gave it the old college try. It was fun. We spent some time after that trying to speculate what courting was like "back in the days" and how it is different from today's courting rituals (for example, Duncan and I played Diablo over the internet together).

We ate at the Wainwright Hotel - me still on my "liquid" diet ordered a French Onion Soup only to discover most of it actually more non liquid than not, but c'est la vie; it was too hot a day to eat anyway. The food was good, but the portions perhaps a little too large. We had some fun "girl watching" - or perhaps made fun at the lack of girl watching... I had suggested to Duncan earlier that day there might be some girls in bikini tops to admire out at the park today (he had enjoyed quite the treat the day before at Eau Claire) but we didn't see anyone even remotely close to that state of undress all day, even though it was so very hot.

The train ride home was a blast, we had so much fun, but I almost can't describe it here (you would have had to been there) so I might just skip it. I am pretty tired though from the day - feeling much better though - so I am about to go to bed. Good night everyone!

Sexercise!

According to this months Cosmopolitan, a 15 minute tryst with your man burns 64 calories! Don't the experts recommend getting your heart rate up for an hour 3 times a week? Thats 768 calories well spent!

Well, I did indeed survive the Blogathon. I am still a little sick - I have been on a mostly liquid diet ever since (Duncan has been taking very good care of me) and I have lost 8 pounds. Its ok, thats 8 pounds I am happy to see go, just wish the circumstances were a little different...

I must admit though, after Blogging for so much during the Blogathon, I am a little Blogged out. 48 posts, 48 topics, thats more then I usually do in a months time... so you may forgive me if it takes me a while to get back into the groove of things. It will happen, though, have no fear!

Having said that though, this post feels "unfinished". I am scheming in my head how to tempt my love to stay home with me tomorrow... I have been so sick that I miss him terribly... so I will take my leave to go and work my magic ;-)

Good Things Happen After a Summer Rain

Well this is it, the last post! I survived, and the Blogathon has been completed without me missing a post at all (although not all the posts are always coherent). I am proud of myself! I really want to say thank you to all my sponsors (I raised $77.00 in pledges for Doctors Without Borders), and thank you to my friends and family that supported me through out the 24 hours straight of blogging, even while I fought back surprise flu. It really was all of you that contributed to my success, and ultimately the success of Blogathon.

This was my first time with Blogathon, and I will certainly consider doing this again next year! I think next year I might have a themed blog like so many of the bloggers this year, but I have a long time to think about it.

Show of Hands Survey from Blogathon 2003

1. How many of you are tired?
(waving hand frantically)
2. How many of you are grumpy?
I am rarely grumpy. What’s the point of being grumpy? It’s over now, this is the last post! I made it! Grumpy is for someone else, not me!
3. How many of you have whined about this not going any faster?
Bleck. I would like to think I haven’t whined about it at all.
4. How many of you thought about giving up?
Giving up wasn’t an option to consider. People sponsored and supported me, and my charity deserved me to follow through on my commitment.
5. How many of you have napped?
I napped. I had the flu. When I was my most ill, I took a whole bunch of meds and they made me very sleepy. Felt better though, and didn’t miss a post.

Well looking back at the night in the cold light of day, the past 24 hours doesn't actually seem that long. I feel happy that I was able to raise money for a charity I believe in. It feels like in some small way I helped out today.

Stats available right now indicate that this years Blogathon was the most successful ever - we had 432 participants and 2991 sponsors, for a collective total of $86,386.95 raised for charity. Thats not a bad job for a 24 hour period. We should all pat ourselves on the back!

I am SO TIRED. I am going straight to bed after this post. Straight to bed.

World Breastfeeding Week is Aug. 1-7 2003

I am a huge supporter of Breastfeeding. I believe in giving your child(ren) the best possible start in life. I believe that the bond that forms between child and mother in a breastfeeding relationship is superior and unrivaled by those that mother baby couples that bottlefeed experience. Breastfeeding is about nurturing your children. My best friend Dawn can attest to this, she has had three kids and nursed them all to varying degrees, and found the most satisfaction in her breastfeeding.

My children never had bottles - we used cups for water and then later juice. Breastfeeding was very important to Wesley, whom I nursed until he was three years old (all the way through my pregnancy with Raven and after her birth). For Wes, breastfeeding provided comfort and security. My daughter nursed until she was 2 years old and then gave it up the moment I suggested we wean (I was thinking we both would take 6 months to wean, like Wes and I did). For Raven, breastfeeding was almost always about food and food only. She found her comforts somewhere else. Regardless of how different they both were, I really did enjoy my time and experience nursing my children. It is a time I cherish, a time I will never get back, a time I am happy to have used well.

Apparently, studies show that breastfed babies are healthier than bottlefed babies. Breastfed babies show lower rates of SIDS, meningitis, childhood leukemia, allergies and infections. The mother’s species-specific milk contains all the nutrients and fat that babies need for proper brain development and physical growth. Breast milk is produced to the exact needs of the age and stage of the nursing baby, something you can’t get from formula or cows milk. Human milk is for human babies (Our milk has a higher content of fat in it, which our babies need for their brain development in the first year of life, as opposed to cows milk, which has a high content of sugar because a baby cow needs to be able to get up and run as soon as it is born). Further, a study published in the October 2002 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (University of Kentucky) shows that breastfed infants tested 5.2 IQ points higher than formula fed infants (11 different studies and over 7000 children).

All in all, breastfeeding is the most natural and healthiest choice for your baby. Every parent wants to give their child the best start in life. Breastfeeding is a great first step and an easy gift to give.

Guestblog: Joel McNally's Night Out on the Town

The n00b:

My name is Joel and, if I were to get around to having a blog, this is what I would blog about. More or less. Hopefully mostly less loaded. Mostly.

Met a fellow at the bar today, and not in the usual sense that this person has similar genitals to myself; he was a fellow piercing afficianado. He was a fellow drinker. He was a fellow freak, I suppose you might say.

I met him as part of a package deal - two friends and I were at the pub talking about Transformers and He-Man and, at the precise moment in question, a puckered-ass growth on a friend's head that required that he not shave his rapidly balding melon. Poor bastard.

Anyway, two chicks, one Fat one Hot, walked up and pointed out that since the bar was empty except for us and them and that we might as well join them. We agreed.

Stuff happened. Names were exchanged. People got to know that these people were sloshed, that they worked at Starbucks, and that they were basically uninterested in people that weren't themselves except that Fat was maybe hoping to score. All barely interesting. All tangental to the story.

Not tangental was that Hot was dating a fellow in the group that we joined. A fellow whose moniker shall remain the same as my pops' and who shall be the focus of this slanderous ramble. The nOOb.

This guy had it all: He bragged about how much of a drinking problem he had; he mentioned a large variety of piercings. He claimed they hurt not at all and that, when pressed to choose between lying and insanity by a person (me, with an extremely painful piercing and no problem admitting exactly how much it genuinely hurt), decided that he just loved the feeling of things piercing his body.

Me had a serious internal struggle about whether or not to offer to pierce the n00b's manhood and dignity prison-style.

As events progressed, the nOOb and Hot spent a lot of time licking each others' tounge-studs and, as the topic of piercing popped up, made sure to wiggle their tounges in a freaky manner at the other people at the table.

What. A f**king. n00b.

I mean, for God's sake! I remember when the quantity of booze that I drank was not a source of embarassment. I remember when something like a piercing was hot shit to talk about. I remember when beautiful animals and ugly people wore fur. I remember when I thought I could freak out the normals.

What do you call that? Being young. Being green. Being pathetically, almost willfully, ignorant of the way that things work.

In l33ts-speak such a person is a n00b. A pathetic mouth-piece with no apparent knowledge about how things work. Someone making retarded claims designed in the restless depths of a friendless night to convey a wrong-headed inpression of coolness. Someone using every breath to make me question the notion that people are equal in any sense of the word.

All cleverness aside, I wanted to fold him in half because of how much he reminded me of myself as a callow youth.

Anyway, there is no moral to this little tale. There are no guiding answers except this: Don't brag like a retard to total strangers if you don't want to be exposed as one and extensively mocked in a public forum.

Joel McNally, BA., is a student at the University of Calgary, and was a little drunk when writing this.

Out Of The Strong Came Forth Summer Rain

In the depths of winter, I finally realized that deep within me there lay an Invincible Summer (borrowed from Albert Camus). Yes indeed, invincible.

I love quotes. I have collected them from the earliest time when I could both write and be aware of the quotes I was coming across. Most of my quotes were scribbled down on many thousands of pieces of scrap paper, and scattered through out my life to sometimes resurface. Later, when they did resurface, I would jot them down into books, and then I would have random quote books kicking around, almost just as scattered. I guess I sort of thought (when I was a kid) that I would eventually put them into useable book format and publish them. But little quote books were made obsolete byt the internet.

Today, being the grown up that I am, I have made web pages to display my Collection of Quotes. It is much better to type them into a web page then to write them into a book... and anyone who wants to see them can.

This Blogathon has been an eye opener. I am glad that I stuck with it. I know that alot of it wasa determination, but I do owe a lot to the supportive comments, blog posts and emails and instant messages I have got today.

I will save my book writing efforts for some other project.


"The willow knows what the storm does not, that the power to endure harm outlives the power to inflict it."
Inscribed on the Ancient Taoist Sword of Balance

The Crack of Dawn

The lighter it gets outside, the closer to sunrise I know we are, and henceforth the end of the Blogathon. Yet I look upon the encrouching dawn with mild indifference, perhaps something I shouldn't be doing, but nonetheless just wanting not to impede the passage of time.

My son told me the other day that if he ever found out he was dying, what he would really want to do is watch every sunset and get up for every sunrise. Thats a pretty big endorsment if you ask me. I wish I could feel his excitement and awe and the sunrise right now.

All hail the sunrise.

This is a crazy time of day to be awake. Ok, so maybe I am not completely awake. Maybe I am not awake at all. Who will wake me up?

My computer need a reboot or something

When I type, it is adding letters, extra letters, letters that don't make sense, letters that I am sure I am not meaning even though I am tired, as are my fingers. I should go and restart it.

Being Sick Sucks

I need to drink some water, but I am afraid it is just going to come up again. Am carrying around a bucket with me... our friend Deven is still here playing Zelda, and I don't want to puke while he is still in the house. I guess that is understandable.

What bad timing to get sick. I really had wanted to enjoy my Blogathon Experience.

I am hanging in there. Thanks for all your comments and notices of encouragement. There is only three more hours, and 5 more posts to go!

Mean People Suck

Mean People Suck

Summer Rain, Take Me Away

I love Hockey.

I think that Hockey and the Stanley Cup was why god sent me to live in Canada, the first nation of Hockey (and the best part of North America). There is something about Hockey which makes it part of who I am as a Canadian.

Maybe it is all that ice.

I nurse my flirtation of hockey as a cat rubs itself up against someone who pleases it.

I am tired. I feel my faculties, and my coherence, slipping away.

Check out Canadian Hockey.

Watching from a distance

Allie has been blogging for 19 hours straight and it has been a rather odd experience for me. I, for the most part, have no idea what she had been writing about. I am an observer to her physical state, bringing food and what not, but on the whole, I have been absent to the process. She has laid down for half an hour, and asked me to do a guest post, so here I am. Now, what to blog about...

Watching Allie do this, I am reminded of doing essays in university. Being the constant procrastinator that I am, I rarely worried about an essay until there was only hours left to do them. In fact, 10:00 the night before it was due was the traditional time I actually sat down to said essays. So it is a kind of odd trip to the past of sitting late at night, with some coke and in front of a computer writing when all of the lights in my townhouse complex are extinguished except for our own. Deven is still here, playing Zelda (he is about half way done the game, having come over before to play it overnight) but my cat has long since given up and passed out after a hefty catnip dose.

Regardless, this still isn't a real post. Hmm... reading Photojunkie's blog has made me think we need a real camera. I don't like my picture being taken but my Grandma came over today and shared some older photos of me and Allie shared her meagre collection of photos of me. I say meagre because as an adult I now feel enough ownership over me to stop photos from being taken and have cleverly shied away from cameras. I wonder if I am being too harsh. So with that in mind, perhaps I should get more on finding an appropriate camera for our family and get over my phobia of having my photo taken. Then the question becomes digital v. film. Being the geek I am, I am drawn to the wowee factor of a digital camera, not to mention virtually unlimited shots with no development costs for shots that can be stored on a computer and used for things like blogs. Then again, film cameras are ridiculously cheap and I am about to head back to university. Well, good ones aren't cheap, but ones that would more than suffice for our purposes.

I have blogged about this before (on my blog, silly). Perhaps this is a sign. Also, a new(-ish) camera would make Allie happy. And I am all about making Allie happy.

Taking a Break

Just a quick break. Will be back shortly.

He's got the Whole World in His Hands

Recently some studies were published by Australian scientists regarding men and masturbation, stating that frequent masturbation (especially in their 20/30's) help prevent the growth of Cancer in the prostrate gland.

"Australian scientists have shown that the more men masturbate between the ages of 20 and 50, the less likely they are to develop the disease that kills more than 500,000 men each year."

Apparently, the more you ejaculate the less chance you have of building up dangerous carcinogens inside the prostrate. The fight against prostrate Cancer is now in everymans hands...

So, well, do with that information as you please.

I Drive, Therefore I Am.

I have been driving since the day I turned 16, legally anyways.

Driving is an art, and something that not everyone should be doing. Some people think there are good drivers and bad drivers, but I think that the reality is that some people can drive well, while others can't. I personally believe that the latter shouldn't be on the road, yet I have found most of them are oblivious to their bad driving habits and near misses.

I love to drive. I believe that I can drive anything, and would never pass up an opportunity to drive something I havn't driven before. I have driven Army Trucks, tractors, luxury vehicles and even a Zamboni, which may be the coolest thing I have driven so far.

I like to drive fast. Sometimes very fast. I like to know the full capacity of my vehicle in accordance to road conditions and whatever else may contribute to the performance of the vehicle. I know lots of people like to drive fast and I witness people's fast driving sometimes and it is so obvious that they are not in control of their vehicle it is almost like the train wreck you can't help but watch.

A word of advice: If you can not keep your vehicle within the handy painted lines (yes they are there for a reason) on the roadway, then you are going too fast for your skill level. Back off a bit, or you will likely find yourself losing control of your vehicle.

Why do men think that women are after their money?

This is a challenging topic for me to write about, for a couple of reasons. First, and the most obvious, I am not a man and therefore have a limited understanding of why men think the way they do. Secondly, I don’t have a concept myself, as a woman, of loving someone, or being with them, just for their money.

So why write about it at all? One of my sponsors asked me to… and I am always up for a challenge.

So… Why do men think that women are after their money? Well… some of them are. Some women have been raised to believe that the man they marry will take care of them, and therefore believe that a man makes money to both spend on them and be spent by them. Other women are more malicious with their intentions and actually assume ownership over a man’s monetary resources and future earning potential.

I think that for men, the amount of money that they earn, save, invest, spend and ultimately associate with themselves becomes a part of their self identity and security. Most men earn more money then their partners, and therefore have more money to be nervous about losing. If a man doesn’t trust his partner, or has previously experienced a divorce where they have been monetarily “punished” they might begin to worry that every woman is potentially "out to get them just for their money."

However, thinking like this could ultimately be very detrimental to forming permanent trusting/romantic relationships with another human being. Lack of trust is both a serious impediment to the natural progression of a relationship, and perhaps a warning signal to the man that the relationship isn’t right for him in some way.

Each circumstance should be considered carefully as it arises, and depending on the consequences to the relationship, be dealt with on an individual basis. While a man worries that all women are after his money, he runs the risk of missing that perfect woman he would gladly give it all to anyways.

Closing Time?

Not yet! There is only 7 or so more hours to go! The Blogathon is more than half over now. Jessica, one of the blogathon monitors, says that she has heard from some Bloggers that they want to quit, and she has posted the Top 5 Reasons NOT to quit!

1. There is no experience like this in the world.
2. You feel WONDERFUL when you're done.
3. You're a part of something bigger than yourself.
4. Karma comes back to you in the end.
5. You already went half way. Why waste what you've already accomplished? Don't waste 12 hours blogging, spend 24 doing something GREAT. :)

Aw, I could use some good Karma right about now. If I can blog while feeling outright terrible I am sure that all of us can stick with it!

In other unrelated news, our friend Deven has just arrived and Duncan and him are watching Iron Monkey. Good movie.

Hmmm. I am hungry. Thats a good sign, if my body is ready (finally) for food.

The Trial of God

I was thinking of Agnoticism, the uncertainty that god exists, or does not exist. When I think of Agnoticism, I think of times of trial in somebody's religious life where they not just come to doubt the existance of god, but can't fit the existance of said god into their current experience.

Agnoticism shouldn't be confused with Atheism. People who are agnostic feel that there is something there, somewhere, but the just can figure it out, or they can't bring themselves to believe a strict set of religious dogma within the box of that dogma.

The book of Job is the ultimate text for addressing the the relationship between god and his people, but I think that the biggest and best real world example of justifiable agnostic tendencies would be the experience of the Holocaust for the Jews in World War II. Here is a people who have a long and rich history with their god, a god who's actual providence has been evidenced and chronicalled through their Holy Books and history. It is a belief that must have been challenged during the Holocaust. Where was god's providence then? Why did he chose to let his people suffer this horror? Did they deserve punishment, had they fallen from grace... or was god just not there? If he wasn't there, was he ever there? Where did he go? Didn't god say he would always protect his people?

While he was a young boy in the Auschwitz death camp Elie Wiesel witnessed three Jewish scholars?rabbis put god on trial. After much discussion and deliberations, this court found god guilty of crimes against humankind, guilty of not protecting his people.

Later, after surviving Auschwitz, Wiesel wrought a play based on this trial, called The Trial of God. In his play, Wiesel's absentee god never speaks for himself - rather Wiesel introduces an unlikely character to serve and present god's defence. This character is Satan.

In Prof David Diewert's review (see link above) he says:

"The critical difference between the Book of Job and Wiesel’s play is that he omits God’s presence. God never speaks for Himself and, therefore, no one responds to Him. Instead of God being the central and controlling character, it is Sam—the satan—who precipitates the trial with the original pogrom, saves the trial by coming to God’s defense, wins the judges over to his argument, and concludes the matter with the final destruction. God’s absence must be Wiesel’s intentional portrayal of his own experience. The rampant evil of the world, epitomized by the Holocaust, demonstrates that the satan is near and destructively active while God is distant and seemingly uncaring or impotent. Wiesel makes this clear when one of the judges points out that someone is missing from the court and Berish sarcastically responds, "Who is that? The defendant? He’s used to it" (p. 70).

Dreaming....

So I took a whole bunch of pills (a nice little assortment of Flu meds and Painkillers) and feel asleep on the couch, so I am feeling better already. I was dreaming about something when I was snoozing, but I can't remember what now. Its all hazy and the memory faded too fast. As I usually remember all of my dreams, I can likely attribute this to the drugs I just took.

Because of this little episode I was thinking about dreaming.

I always have the most interestingly vivid dreams, and lots of them have a real feel quality to them. Lots of my dreams cause me to ponder, atleast breifly, what it is that my mind is trying to tell me. I certainly am a dreamer (daydream all the time as well) and do work out all sorts of complex problems in my sleep or daydreams. I think maybe lots of people do, but they just don't remember their dreams long enough to get any benefit. I no longer keep a dream journal (did when I was a kid), but still recognize that dreams are an important tool of communication between my conscious and sub conscious minds.

I dream in color. I have never dreamt in anything else, and surprising enough I have discovered that this is not always the case with people - lots of people dream in black and white, or both. My dreams are usually intense, and despite having been told that you can't die in your dreams, I have dreamt of dying (all the way to the black out of death) about 6 or 7 times. These deaths are usually from falling or murder of some kind. Interetsingly enough, everytime I dream of nuclear war I survive.

I can dream lucidly, which means I can control my dreams and my actions in them (almost like a director in a movie). I can influence the outcome of a dream, or tell myself to just wake up - I did this alot as a pre teen when I was having scary dreams every night.

My dreams constantly challenge me to consider if I am awake or not. Where does the dream world end, and the "real" world begin?

I almost forgot!

Almost missed this post. Took a whole bunch a meds to make me feel better, so I hope with a little break I can get back onto track.

Looks like, if I am not better soon-ish, Duncan will have to go see the movie tomorrow with his Dad. We had planned to see Johnny English. We shall see what tomorrow brings.

Grandma was here earlier, over for tea. She brought photo's for me to look at. I love her photo albums. I love seeing Duncan's tracks as he grew up to be the Duncan I know today. It was a nice visit, but I sure hope I didn't give here this flu thing. Yikes. Well, Wesley was sick yesterday (threw up all over me so I guess I was doomed from the beginning to suffe through this...), and I phoned mark earlier to make sure he is ok (he is at his Dad's for the weekend) and he is still sick. Lets hope I kick this thing fast. I don't need it.

PS. I am excited to be almost done. Well, we are over half way any hows.

Exercise Ideas

I was asked to blog about excerise ideas... I had to think for a bit what that meant, given my earlier post on being active to loss weight.

I think, when some people just want excerise ideas, what they really need is a plan. When a "snack attack" is coming and you feel the munchies creeping up on you, get out of the house and away from the snack food temptations.

Go for a walk, grab the bike and ride 5 kms, slap on the roller blades and hit the path! Make sure you take plenty of water with you, and don’t go to 7-11 on your excursion! If it is winter time, have some free weights at home, a walker, or call a friend who talks for a long time!

The aim I guess is to replace the satisfaction of excersice with the satisfaction of "treats".

Thanks to my Sponsors!

I have a new sponsor! Thanks!

With my combined number of Sponsors at 4, my total is now $77.00 for Dr's Without Borders. Thanks to everyobe supporting me. If your reading, leave me a comment to keep me going! Yay me!

You can still pledge! Sponsor me in the 2003 Blogathon!

I just heard that The entire Blogathon collectively has now raised $80,000 for the charities represented.

Any time, Any place, Summerrain….

One of the best things about the internet is the glory of odd and crazy pages out there. It warms my heart to know that any cuckoo can have a page and share his or her opinion's with me. There are a lot of pages I come across by accident, and some that friends have shown me. Bless them.

A good three years ago I was working with this guy Eric. We were running an visitor information booth at the U of C together as co-cordinators. Our policy was really easy to write, and so was our training, and faced with the fact that we had hours left to be paid for, he booted up ol' internet explorer (actually, it likely was Netscape, shudder), and he showed me this page:

Land Over Baptist.

It's where the worthy pray. The "unsaved", such as myself, are not welcome (they even post a restraining order against the "unsaved").

I p**sed myself laughing for a couple of hours reading through this site. Save it for a day when work is slow, or you are looking for a gift for Allie.

West Nile...?

Ugh, I am sick. West Nile perhaps? Sigh. Am going to go deal with myself for a while.

"Many infected people have no symptoms and do not get sick or have only mild symptoms. When infection does cause illness, symptoms will usually appear within two to 15 days. The extent and severity of symptoms vary widely from person to person. In mild cases, there may be flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache and body aches. Some people may also develop a mild rash, or swollen lymph glands."

Well, atleast it doesn't say anything about the debilitating bowel movements I've been having. Thats promising...

48. My Favourite Onion Story: God Angerily Declares No Kill Rule

I love the Onion. Enough so that Duncan bought me every Onion story ever published for a Christmas gift last year. Its hard to pick just one story as a fav, but given my academic back ground in Religion and Politics (fundamental terrorism) this story is likely it!

GOD ANGERILY DECLARES NO KILL RULE

NEW YORK—Responding to recent events on Earth, God, the omniscient creator-deity worshipped by billions of followers of various faiths for more than 6,000 years, angrily clarified His longtime stance against humans killing each other Monday.

"Look, I don't know, maybe I haven't made myself completely clear, so for the record, here it is again," said the Lord, His divine face betraying visible emotion during a press conference near the site of the fallen Twin Towers. "Somehow, people keep coming up with the idea that I want them to kill their neighbor. Well, I don't. And to be honest, I'm really getting sick and tired of it. Get it straight. Not only do I not want anybody to kill anyone, but I specifically commanded you not to, in really simple terms that anybody ought to be able to understand."

Worshipped by Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike, God said His name has been invoked countless times over the centuries as a reason to kill in what He called "an unending cycle of violence."

"I don't care how holy somebody claims to be," God said. "If a person tells you it's My will that they kill someone, they're wrong. Got it? I don't care what religion you are, or who you think your enemy is, here it is one more time: No killing, in My name or anyone else's, ever again."
The press conference came as a surprise to humankind, as God rarely intervenes in earthly affairs. As a matter of longstanding policy, He has traditionally left the task of interpreting His message and divine will to clerics, rabbis, priests, imams, and Biblical scholars. Theologians and laymen alike have been given the task of pondering His ineffable mysteries, deciding for themselves what to do as a matter of faith. His decision to manifest on the material plane was motivated by the deep sense of shock, outrage, and sorrow He felt over the Sept. 11 violence carried out in His name, and over its dire potential ramifications around the globe.

"I tried to put it in the simplest possible terms for you people, so you'd get it straight, because I thought it was pretty important," said God, called Yahweh and Allah respectively in the Judaic and Muslim traditions. "I guess I figured I'd left no real room for confusion after putting it in a four-word sentence with one-syllable words, on the tablets I gave to Moses. How much more clear can I get?"

"But somehow, it all gets twisted around and, next thing you know, somebody's spouting off some nonsense about, 'God says I have to kill this guy, God wants me to kill that guy, it's God's will,'" God continued. "It's not God's will, all right? News flash: 'God's will' equals 'Don't murder people.'"

Worse yet, many of the worst violators claim that their actions are justified by passages in the Bible, Torah, and Qur'an. "To be honest, there's some contradictory stuff in there, okay?" God said. "So I can see how it could be pretty misleading. I admit it—My bad. I did My best to inspire them, but a lot of imperfect human agents have misinterpreted My message over the millennia. Frankly, much of the material that got in there is dogmatic, doctrinal bullshit. I turn My head for a second and, suddenly, all this stuff about homosexuality gets into Leviticus, and everybody thinks it's God's will to kill gays. It absolutely drives Me up the wall." God praised the overwhelming majority of His Muslim followers as "wonderful, pious people," calling the perpetrators of the Sept. 11 attacks rare exceptions.

"This whole medieval concept of the jihad, or holy war, had all but vanished from the Muslim world in, like, the 10th century, and with good reason," God said. "There's no such thing as a holy war, only unholy ones. The vast majority of Muslims in this world reject the murderous actions of these radical extremists, just like the vast majority of Christians in America are pissed off over those two bigots on The 700 Club."
Continued God, "Read the book: 'Allah is kind, Allah is beautiful, Allah is merciful.' It goes on and on that way, page after page. But, no, some assholes have to come along and revive this stupid holy-war crap just to further their own hateful agenda. So now, everybody thinks Muslims are all murderous barbarians. Thanks, Taliban: 1,000 years of pan-Islamic cultural progress down the drain."

God stressed that His remarks were not directed exclusively at Islamic extremists, but rather at anyone whose ideological zealotry overrides his or her ability to comprehend the core message of all world religions.

"I don't care what faith you are, everybody's been making this same mistake since the dawn of time," God said. "The Muslims massacre the Hindus, the Hindus massacre the Muslims. The Buddhists, everybody massacres the Buddhists. The Jews, don't even get me started on the hardline, right-wing, Meir Kahane-loving Israeli nationalists, man. And the Christians? You people believe in a Messiah who says, 'Turn the other cheek,' but you've been killing everybody you can get your hands on since the Crusades."

Growing increasingly wrathful, God continued: "Can't you people see? What are you, morons? There are a ton of different religious traditions out there, and different cultures worship Me in different ways. But the basic message is always the same: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Shintoism... every religious belief system under the sun, they all say you're supposed to love your neighbors, folks! It's not that hard a concept to grasp."

"Why would you think I'd want anything else? Humans don't need religion or God as an excuse to kill each other—you've been doing that without any help from Me since you were freaking apes!" God said. "The whole point of believing in God is to have a higher standard of behavior. How obvious can you get?"

"I'm talking to all of you, here!" continued God, His voice rising to a shout. "Do you hear Me? I don't want you to kill anybody. I'm against it, across the board. How many times do I have to say it? Don't kill each other anymore—ever! I'm fucking serious!"
Upon completing His outburst, God fell silent, standing quietly at the podium for several moments. Then, witnesses reported, God's shoulders began to shake, and He wept.

My favourite Satire Wire Story: Axis of Just as Evil

Some people have tried to attribute this brilliance to John Cleese, but it was written by Satire Wires beloved Andrew Marlatt, the Oligarch of SatireWire.com

At first I was going to just present the link, But I think that I will post the entire story here, since I got such a kick out of it, and every subsequent reading of it. It's one of those things that gets better with age.

ANGERED BY SNUBBING, LIBYA, CHINA, SYRIA FORM AXIS OF JUST AS EVIL; Cuba, Sudan, Serbia Form Axis of Somewhat Evil; Other Nations Start Own Clubs

Beijing (SatireWire.com) — Bitter after being snubbed for membership in the "Axis of Evil," Libya, China, and Syria today announced they had formed the "Axis of Just as Evil," which they said would be way eviler than that stupid Iran-Iraq-North Korea axis President Bush warned of his State of the Union address.

Axis of Evil members, however, immediately dismissed the new axis as having, for starters, a really dumb name. "Right. They are Just as Evil... in their dreams!" declared North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. "Everybody knows we're the best evils... best at being evil... we're the best."
Diplomats from Syria denied they were jealous over being excluded, although they conceded they did ask if they could join the Axis of Evil.
"They told us it was full," said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. "An Axis can't have more than three countries," explained Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. "This is not my rule, it's tradition. In World War II you had Germany, Italy, and Japan in the evil Axis. So you can only have three. And a secret handshake. Ours is wicked cool."

THE AXIS PANDEMIC
International reaction to Bush's Axis of Evil declaration was swift, as within minutes, France surrendered.
Elsewhere, peer-conscious nations rushed to gain triumvirate status in what became a game of geopolitical chairs. Cuba, Sudan, and Serbia said they had formed the Axis of Somewhat Evil, forcing Somalia to join with Uganda and Myanmar in the Axis of Occasionally Evil, while Bulgaria, Indonesia and Russia established the Axis of Not So Much Evil Really As Just Generally Disagreeable.

With the criteria suddenly expanded and all the desirable clubs filling up, Sierra Leone, El Salvador, and Rwanda applied to be called the Axis of Countries That Aren't the Worst But Certainly Won't Be Asked to Host the Olympics; Canada, Mexico, and Australia formed the Axis of Nations That Are Actually Quite Nice But Secretly Have Nasty Thoughts About America, while Spain, Scotland, and New Zealand established the Axis of Countries That Sometimes Ask Sheep to Wear Lipstick.

"That's not a threat, really, just something we like to do," said Scottish Executive First Minister Jack McConnell. While wondering if the other nations of the world weren't perhaps making fun of him, a cautious Bush granted approval for most axes, although he rejected the establishment of the Axis of Countries Whose Names End in "Guay," accusing one of its members of filing a false application. Officials from Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chadguay denied the charges.

Israel, meanwhile, insisted it didn't want to join any Axis, but privately, world leaders said that's only because no one asked them.
Copyright © 2002, SatireWire.

Web Video Art

For a few years now I have been a big fan of the social commentary that springs up from the genre of web video art - CGI (computer generated imagery). Even before it began to gain popularity there were some very interesting and critical works of art out there.

I remember being struck by the genius of the Neo-futurist's BINGO the very first moment I saw it, about three years ago. I remember assuring myself that I would never be "convinced" to be a good little Bingo. Its a great movie short, not too long, total social commentary on our ever expanding capitalist, corporate driven society.

All your Base is also another Movie short worth watching. It is funny, interesting and makes fun of us. In almost every way.

And finally, I present, Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. It has to be seen to be believed.

Oh, and btw, we now have bright, beautiful sunshine. I love Calgary.

Stormy Weather!

All of a sudden a huge Lightning Storm is upon us! Typical here of our ferocious Summer storms where the lightning is so close and you can feel the thunder reverberate through your jaw bone. Normally, I would just turn my computer off during a storm like this and wait until it passed before booting back up again. Can't really do that in a Blogathon though can we?

I decided that I would try to assess just how great the risk is to my computer, so I checked the internet, ofcourse. Apparently there is a greater risk of power surges from lightning which could possibly enter through the power and telephone lines, then from any other kind of regular electrical damage. But I have carefully considered the current state and have decided that the risk of my house actually being hit by lightning is pretty minimal. And even further to that, given that my house was hit by lightning when I was a child (it melted out telephone) I doubt the odds of my house being hit twice in one lifetime are very high.

So the Blog goes on...

Guestblog - Deven Singhal on Doctor's Without Borders

Lots of people have heard about msf, and most know that they go into war torn countries and disaster areas to give medical aid and care to those most in dire need. But what would it actually feel like to be one of these souls to go into darkness so that others might have a chance to again see the light?

I'd like to think that I'm capable of such selfless action, to risk my position of privilege for others in less fortunate positions but I don't know for sure. War and disaster scares me, as well it should.

Could I deal with sleepless nights, malnourishment, constant stress with only my co-workers and my belief that I'm doing the right thing to sustain me? I suppose there's something else that would support me at those times... the reaction of the people whose lives I influence.

I don't mean gratitude.

The notion of gratitude seems misplaced when stitching together someone who's just been rent apart by a landmine. What I mean is the feel of their life, their breath, their spirit. The idea that this is someone who probably wouldn't have been helped if I wasn't there.

Maybe shows like MASH have romanticized the idea of a doctor, on the brink of something terrible, saving lives while retaining a sense of humanity and wit, but I believe there is a truth there. That there sometimes is a such thing as absolute good, and that fills me with hope.

Which is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Deven Singhal is a second year law student at University of Victoria, who is currently working with at risk youth in Banff, Alberta.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Pianist, 2002

The movie, The Pianist, is the true retelling of the escape of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish Jew in Warsaw, from the complete cruelty of the Holocaust. It is a poignant telling of the story. The movie begins in 1939 with the creation of the Warsaw Ghetto, in the opening scenes of intermitant german bombing Szpilman's family is listening to a BBC radio broadcast announcing England's declaration of War on Germany...

"... Poland is no longer alone..."

The Director (Roman Polanski) manages to well portray that the Polish people were far from understanding how terrible the war would be, and just how alone they truly would be. As the Germans begin their campaign against the Polish Jewry Polanski outlines the terror - unleashed in a way that is so raw, so nonsensical, so absolute, that it is hard to make your self watch it. I am thinking of one scene, the horror... late at night, for no real apparent reason, German Soldiers run into the Ghetto, up three flights of stairs and enter a seemingly randomly selected unit of a large family having their dinner. They are all commanded to stand. At the head of the table, the grandfather sits in a wheel chair, unable to stand. He is commanded one more time, and as he struggles to pull himself to his feet, two german soldiers pick him up in his wheel chair, throw him out the window, and leave.

But truly Polanski's greatest achievements come near the end of the movie, when the story becomes the story of humanity, of survival and of healing. Polanski brillantly uses the absence of sound during this time, no background soundtrack, no surpluvious sounds for the entire time that Szpilman is alone in hiding. It is uncomfortable for the audience, who may mistake it for boredom intially, but realize that there is no sound beyond what Szpilman hears. And he is alone for a long time.

Eventually Szpilman is discovered by a High Ranking German Officer who, instead of killing him asks him to play the Piano. The reintroduction of sound here is sharp and purposely dramatic. As the notes rise and fall with crescendo the music tells the story - a vast array of emotions all of a sudden expressed across a barren landscape of despair. The two people are caught forever in this moment together.

It was as if the World needed to hear music again.

A coup d'état?

President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was sworn in as President of the Phillipines in 2001 by the Supreme Court after the previous President was found unfit to rule in the face of mass government resignations (CIA).

Today, according to news sources, dozens of armed men, calling themselves the "Soldiers of the Nation" stormed a major commercial center in Manila’s financial district, only hours after the President herself had ordered the arrest of the mutinous soldiers, who deserted with their weapons, and are believed to be plotting a coup.

The "Soldiers of the Nation" issued a statement early today demanding their government resign. The group states they are prepared to die to force regime change at this time.

“We are not attempting to grab power,” said Antonio Trillanes, one of the "officers" Arroyo had ordered arrested. Trillanes adds, “These explosives are set to defend our position. If they try to take us down, we will be forced to use (them)."

Not attempting to grab power? Whoa, talk about misunderstanding the consequences of your actions.

Interesting.

Time in

In the army, among the ranks, we denote experience and worthiness with “TI”, or “Time In.” It is a way to universally express acceptance, respect, authority and trust. A new person is always subject to scrutiny and is never completely trusted until something happens that, in your own mind, makes you realize that you can trust this person, no matter what. There are potentially a lot of “no matter what” situations in a soldiers life.

I was familiar with my Unit, The Princess Mary’s Canadian Scottish Regiment, before I joined it as a member of the 2422 C Scot R Cadet Corps. When I was a cadet I served a lot with the parent regiment in the store room, weapons depot and running the cadet store room. I went on weekend exercise with the reserves and knew all them personally, so when I got to the actual unit level I didn’t really have to worry about being a ‘new guy’. Actually, to the contrary, they already had all my papers down up and marched me over on my 17th Birthday to sign them.
But I did have to worry about NOT being a guy. Being young and somewhat naïve I thought to myself that I would have to ‘prove’ myself to be “one of the guys.” I didn’t quite realize that the term “I’m one of the guys” is a term people use to console themselves when they can’t actually be a player and are only tolerated by a certain group of people. Luckily I soon realized that approaching this new challenge in this way was ultimately neglecting who I was as a person and what I had to offer my Unit, and my Regiment. I was not about to negate myself or my potential.

I was soon accepted as “one of the team.” In certain situations where you aren’t only in direct competition but also where you depend on someone for your life, you want to know you can trust him or her to watch your back or carry through for you. Being in those situations is about being a close knit group, a team, a family. The army is where I learnt that being accepted as “one of the team” is far more important, always, then the frivolous notion of being “one of the boys.” Why would I want to be a “guy” anyways?

Old Turtle

When I was pregnant with Wesley I got rid of the cable and our TV. I didn't want my children's first impressionable childhood years masked by the influences of the television world. My family didn't have a TV reintroduced until Duncan came to live with us, a good ten years later.

We read many books during our TV free period, and we discovered many gems in a sea of childhood stories. I want to share one with you.

Old Turtle is my favourite children's book, although we have also very much enjoyed other books by the same author, Douglas Wood and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel to Old Turtle that will be published this year. Old Turtle won the 1993 Abby Children's Book of the Year award and is beautifully illustrated by Cheng-Khee Chee.

The story of Old Turtle tries to convey some deep wisdom and manages to do so for children and adults. I have even used this book in class presentations at school, reading it to my fellow students in order to spur dialogue about the belief that a certain people(s) hold ownership over or of god(s) to the detriment of another. Old Turtle addresses and attempts to dispel the notions that "my god is the right and only god" and why these ideas can make it so hard for us to live together as a group. Its not a religious book, its more of a story of people from our beginning's when we first searched for stories to explain our meanings and our purpose in life.

Old Turtle's wise voice is heard only in quieting the bitter arguments the animals (and later people) are having about the nature of god.

"But the people forgot... And they began to argue... about who knew god, and who did not; and where god was, and was not; and whether god was, or was not... And often the people misused their powers, and hurt one another. Or killed one another. And they hurt the Earth... because the people could not remember who they were, or where god was. Until one day there came a voice, like the growling of thunder; but as soft as butterfly sneezes, Please, STOP." (My paraphrase).

Web Blogathon is a World Wide Effort!

Just found a Guestmap on the Blogathon Page for all the Blogathon Participants to sign up on, so we can see where everyone is from. It's neat to see - most particiapants are from the US, but Europe, Canada, Australia and others. You can go to the list and visit the blog addresses, or click on the map button to see a map of the world. If you are blogging with Blogathon today, make sure that you go and sign the map!

Also, you can find blogs to visit on the Blogathon participant list. Lots of people have interesting themes this year.

It's been 6.5 hours... I know there are many more to go, but I need a wee little break.

Email Netiquette

Anyone who knows me knows my biggest all time pet peeve is people who won’t get out of the way for emergency vehicles when they are responding. I mean how important can you be to impede the progress of an emergency vehicle? (Next time you think you are too good to get out of the way, think about how you would feel to arrive home and find that the ambulance was going to help your loved one, but it was just moments too late).

BUT I have another pet peeve that runs a very close second.

Those stupid email chain letters that some people (hoping for some unparalleled benefit for their menial efforts) insist in forwarding to my inbox. These “letters” that induce guilt, cause fear, prey upon the haplessly superstitious or portend to warn me about some dire computer virus (do me a favor please, before you send me an email virus warning, please bother to look it up first to see if it is a hoax, thanks).

It's hard to believe (sometimes) that adults actually believe in this sh*t, but they do. Some people actually believe that if they pass the email on, some poor 6 year old girl in Nigeria with a breast on her forehead will be able to raise enough money to have it removed before she is relegated to a life in the traveling freak show, or that Bill Gates is going to send them $1000.00 (dream on), or that some graphic will appear on their computer screen or their phone will ring (it really works!) within seconds of them forwarding the “letter” to all their poor unsuspecting (soon to be ex-) friends.

Chain letters are annoying and waste both people’s time and internet resources (bandwidth). “Netiquette” (and most corporate appropriate use policies) would demand that you delete any chain mail you receive without forwarding it, but would suggest that you request the sender to not pass on more chain mail to your email address. Don’t perpetuate the stupidity by passing them on (especially to me) - None of their curses come true… the dire consequences promised for non compliance aren’t actually real, and I don’t see anyone richer than Bill Gates. Facts show that most email chain letters are begun with malicious intent, but it can’t be carried out without someone to forward it onwards.

Oh, and never, ever delete a file from your computer that a “warning email” instructs you to do. Yet, if after considering all this, you are still tempted to do so, go ahead, you deserve it.

I found a directory/database of chain letter examples, from the very funny to the very obscure!

Four charged on Iraqi POW abuse

Four American Soldiers (so far) have been charged in abusing Iraqi POW's at Camp Bucca in Iraq, while at least three others are being investigated.

The Soldiers, all members of the Reserve 320th Military Police Battalion, are "accused of punching, kicking and breaking bones of prisoners." Breaking bones?

Each of the accused face up to five charges each of assault and mistreating prisoners. Other charges being considered are making false statements, obstruction of justice, and dereliction of duty.

Other allegations are that the MPs dragged prisoners along the ground eventually breaking a prisoner's nose.

One of the Soldier's father's stated "I wasn't there, but I know my son. "He's not a bully."

Not a Bully? Dictionary.com defines "bully" as someone who acts "in an overbearing or intimidating manner". Maybe a reading of the Geneva Convention (Treatment of the Prisoner's of War) is in order.

If the American's are doing this to their Prisoner's of War in Iraq, pray tell what is going on with the Political Prisoners in Cuba that aren't protected by the Geneva Convention?

Which Direction is Perfection?

I love movies. I have a particular fascination with the relationship that each Director attempts to create with his/her viewer while trying to convey a message through the story. In many film studies courses I have learned that everything occurs in a movie for a reason, placement of objects in a room, certain dialogue, the way a shadow falls across the screen. I especially like movies that you are prone to watch again and again, and each time you do, something new and different leaps out at you.

We certainly are gifted with some very talented Directors. I particularily like Martin Scorsese (Last Temptation, Gangs of New York, Goodfellas, Casino, Bringing out the Dead), M Night Shyamalan (Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs) and Steven Spielberg (Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Empire of the Sun, Minority Report).

I did recently see a very good movie - The Pianist. I will likely write a review of it later on in my day today so make sure you check back for it!

A Picture's Worth

Any one who knows me, knows that I love pictures. I love to look at them , take them, be given them and display them. I have more pictures then even I know what to do with sometimes. I have always intended to get a nice camera and actually take up photography as a more serious hobby, and I can almost guareentee that when I finally get a digital camera I will start a photoblog of my own.

I like the trend that blogs are taking world wide as a means of reporting on life in different areas; eye witness accounts of events and the real story about how we live and think our ways through each day. I like photojournalism, and appreciate a pictorial journal of an event, it's like being able to see what is really going on somewhere. I guess I am in particular thinking of Kevin Site's Online in Iraq, or atleast before he was asked to shut down the photoblog.

Heres a couple of my favourite photoblogs for you to peruse. Enjoy!

Photo Junkie (also participating in Blogathon this year)
Nukie

Urban Legends

”An urban legend is a story or a rumor that originates in obscurity but everybody who propagates it very much believes it to be true”.

Urban legends usually contain elements of humor or horror that often makes people want to believe it, even though most urban legends are false or based on manipulated facts. Urban Legends are not just spooky stories told around the camp fire by people exploiting their youth. Humans in general are oral creatures and love to tell stories. Kick yourself for every one of the following that you have told someone as being “true”:

You will not be killed by gangs (or otherwise) if you flash your headlights at another car that doesn’t have its headlights on.
A baby was not kidnapped, hollowed out and used to traffic cocaine across the Mexican/American border.
KFC does, actually, serve chicken, and not some genetically mutated substitute.
Nobody insured their cigars in order to claim their loss after smoking them.
No, somebody from Nigeria doesn’t really want to give you 30 million dollars (USD, of course).
The flight number of one of the planes involved in the Sept 11th attack DOES NOT convert to a dire warning.

Culture Jamming

I actually get only one magazine delivered to my house (for me ofcourse). Adbusters has long been one of my favourite magazines, I like the way it presents challenging thoughts about the state of our society. Ofcourse, being a student of the Humanities and the culture that we choose(?) to exist in, anything that isn't afraid to take a critical look at the failings of such societal/cultural directions is a welcome reprieve for me. (I often find the touted perfection of our society weary).

Recently, Adbusters helped sponsor the unbrand America campaign, which aired some fantastic (shocking/insulting/challenging) critiques about American culture, idealism and notions of self, debuting on July 4th 2003, and through the rest of the month.

If we don't challenge ourselves about notions we are asked to support and believe how, in the end, will we ever be sure of what was our own thoughts or not?

The death of the twins…. On what side of the River Styx are the ethics of death to be found?

When the twins, Ladan and Laleh Bijani, died chancing an operation to separate them (they had lived 29 years joined at the head) controversy emerged from the grief and centered on the ethical dilemmas of the procedure itself.

It was sad, yes. But ethically wrong? Who has the right to chose life for another? Who has the right to define quality of life? When the ethicist said: “For an operation that was not medically necessary, a 50 percent risk of death was too high. Such high risks are acceptable when a patients is likely to die without surgery, and the surgery, though dangerous, offers at least a chance of saving the patient's life”, upon what does he presume that this wasn’t about saving two lives? Are we truly ethical creatures if our so called ethics can't extend beyond these notions?

These women, well educated, highly intelligent, very aware and active in their world around them, were perhaps the only ones who could understand why this operation needed to be done. They had reached a stage in their life where they would rather take the chance of death then have to continue in the manner with which they were made to. Essentially for them their lives had ended, as they couldn’t proceed any further together. They couldn’t get married, have a family, pursue separate careers, or even discover who they were apart from each other. They had never been able to even look each other in the eye.

I think that this operation was about saving the patients lives. Perhaps the operation itself could have been approached in a different way by surgeons - and it is unfortunate that it didn’t result in a successful separation, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the (almost inevitable) outcome wasn’t a considered and maybe even a welcomed outcome by the two, in comparison both to the life they lived and for the prospective chance that it offered them.

Let them rest in peace. Al-Fateha!

The Marre Man

During my limited research on Crop Circles I came across some scattered information on what has become known as “geoglyphs”. Geoglyphs are "artwork" or figures drawn in the sand/rock that can only be viewed properly from above. Perhaps the most famous (and worlds largest) geoglyph of recent memory was captured on film by aerial photography from satellite, the "Maree Man", so dubbed because of its proximity to a small aboriginal village called Maree in New South Wales, Australia.

It is the figure of an aboriginal man, 4km tall and 28km in circumference. The figure has been “ploughed” perfectly into a thin layer of red soil (located across a plateau of white chalk) about 60kms from Maree.



This huge line drawing, claims Dr Philip Jones (Head of Anthropology at the South Australian Museum), is an aboriginal hunter with a boomerang.

No one knows how or even when the Marre Man appeared. Possible culprits include the local people of Maree, land artist Christopher Headly (Headly, who constructs land art of approx 300m wide claims that the Marre Man is not his), and Miners, among others (conspiracys abound). In Australia the issue is shrouded in controversy as different factions argue about whether it is art, vandalism, historically correct, or holds a deeper meaning for us all.

Am experiencing some technical difficulties getting blogger to publish my posts, but I am sure they are still there.