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.

Crop Circles – “The Missing Planet” - 1995

Crop circles have held the imaginations, fears and attention of humans for more then a few years now.

After watching M. Night Shyamalan’s SIGNS late one night, Duncan and I decided it would be a fun pet project to find out a little more about Crop Circles. So, next time we were at the library, I picked up a book about it. Surprisingly, the topic is full of controversy and intrigue that encompasses a field of study that includes a large array of academics: Astronomy; Engineering, Anthropology, History, Math (fractal geometry), Weather experts; Bio-whatevers; Archeo-Astronomy, Psychology; etc; and other people that have now become known as "crop circle researchers".

Crop circles in the British Isles (and likely worldwide) have occurred since mediaeval times, especially around Stonehenge, but they began to create a stir in the early 1970’s when they began to attract public attention when two witnesses claimed to have watched a circle appear in less then one minute. Every new circle since August 15th 1980, has been scrutinized to determine which “type” of formation it is. The determinations are as follows: "Authentic Crop Circles" are formations that can’t be proven as hoaxes. These formations exhibit certain criteria and characteristics that have been determined to frequent formations that are considered authentic and can not be replicated by humans outside of labs. These include: perfect geometric symmetry; bent stalks without breakage (stalks appear to be super flash heated), no evidence of human intervention, results from soil and seed samples, among others. "Fake Crop Circles" are crop circles purposely made by humans (in an effort to reproduce, or in some case, communicate). "Hoaxes" are considered to be crop circles obviously made by humans in an attempt to pretend or present an apparent crop circle.

Crop circles come and crop circles go, but every once in a while one particular formation grabs at the attention of the world. In 1995, a recognizable 240-ft wide depiction of our inner solar system appeared in a field in England. It has been dubbed the “Missing Planet”. Both Mathematicians and Astronomers have been curiously involved in trying to unravel the inner meanings, if any, of the Missing Planet crop circle formation. Interestingly enough, the depicted planets and our sun were placed with exact orbital ratios using thin bands of upright crop, and the sizes were to scale, except for the Earth which was notoriously missing from the illustration. Professor Gerald Hawkins (from Boston University) was one of the people who worked on the formation, utilizing the significant mathematical equations as pertaining to the diatonic ratios that the design contained and eventually posited that it was referring to a specific astronomical date – by considering the planetary positions over the period of one hundred years he found the following dates to be contenders: November 1903 (correlates to the first flight of the Wright Brothers), and July 11 1971 (when Mariner 9 was on its way to Mars). Further, the difference in years between these two dates is 67, also the exact number of asteroids depicted orbiting in the design.

Curious.



Why is the Earth missing?

My Jouranlistic Stint

When I was a more regular student I had the privelege of writing for the student newspaper at the Uiversity of Calgary, The Gauntlet. I had lots of fun as a news writer/journalist and actually had lots of front page stories to keep me busy in the year I worked there. I had a lot of fun, developed many skills, and was actually published. Some of my favourite stories follow:

Fear and Loathing on a Thursday Night
Iron Monkey no battle
Gauntlet Men's Supplement

It was suggested however that I write about my big story of that year, The David Gould Story. Our Campus, as well as Mount Royal Campus, was being targeted by an offender who was sexually assaulting studen women, in broad daylight, right amongst us. It was a story that the local big media neglected, but I wanted to do something about it. I wanted to raise awareness of safety on campus. I wanted women to know they were in danger. I wanted this guy caught.

Working in media gives you a chance to see just how much the journalist can influence the readership and the collective public. Because of this awareness I was always careful with my wording (in News Stories), trying to present that facts to allow the reader to come to their own opinion. But in this case I decided to use my position of influence to get the word out. I let the police know I was more then willing to operate as a tool for them and they in turn gave me the story of the year. I was given the composite drawing of the suspect to publish front page and I scooped all the big papers. They in turn the next day all used my story as breaking news (with minimal credit I might add). It was a crowning moment for sure (Campuses on Alert). As a result of his picture being splashed all over Campus (the student newspaper actually completely sold out that week, within two days) the Police took him into custody that weekend (Suspected Offender Nabbed). Not only was it a scoop, I got what I wanted, and so did the police.

View all my stories

Web Comics: Laughter is the Worlds Best Medicine

I enjoy all kinds of humor and take laughter where I can get it. I appreciate a talented and satirical approach to life’s experience within the web comics I enjoy. Often comedy is the only safe way to truly address the human condition and the problems we face individually. My favourite web comics are usually to be found at RED MEAT, I’ll post two here for you to enjoy.





Web comics have a long tradition of entertaining me. The medium has certainly come a long way, and now many different pages of comic entertainment can be found for the pleasure of the seeker, ranging from the traditional dark humor of life's gravest challenges to the more light modern hilarity some people demand.

Recently I have also been enjoying PENNY ARCADE, with it’s portrayal of popular culture and the overall gaming industry/world.

Also:

Calvin and Hobbes
Bizarro
Get Your War On
Dilbert
Garfield

Arms and the Man

For an interesting and well informed view of the latest round of social and economic inequities in Iraq you could check out Major Barbara's blog (as recommended to me by a friend). She explores and discusses the economic motivations behind certain American policies and isn't afraid to approach issues head on. Go read about the 1.6 Billion dollar oil recovery program and see if it leaves a bad tatse in your mouth.

In other news, apparently Iraqi's are glad to be rid of Saddam's son's, but would like the US to get on with it - killing Saddam's son's have done little to repair their fractured infrastructure and power grids - and they want utilities restored, please and thank you. I would have to agree with Duncan on this one, the US is not doing the best job that it could be doing in Iraq, and considering its past history of broken promises when it comes to restructuring/rebuilding, I don't know if we can expect them to do the Iraqi's any good by the end of this conflict. I am almost positive though, they will do themselves some good.

"It's about the economy, stupid."
- Bill Clinton

Trendy Diets and Weight Loss

A friend suggested I blog about the Hacker Diet. I'd never heard about it, so I was intrigued. It seems to be one of those new trendy diet schemes heralded by people who want a quick fix to their current weight situation, which isn't in itself the worst thing - but not always the best thing either.

When most people say they want to lose weight, what they really mean is they want better form - building muscles and toning. You don't need to be on a diet to do this, you need to run and do crunches and lift weights.

Truth is though, anyone can lose weight. I lost 65 lbs, in just over a year. As I previously have had two children, my body shape was not what I particularly wanted for myself. I wanted and needed a change.

I didn’t use the hackers diet mentioned above, but I incorporated a bunch of different elements into my lifestyle that worked for me, and I will share them here. First I considered very carefully what I ate, and then I began to eliminate the less healthy choices (junk food, pop, candy, fats) in favour of more healthy choices (rice, fruits, veggies) and I observed how much better my body felt when I ate them. I quit junk foods cold turkey. I realized that in our western society we ate too much, so I toned down my actual portion consumption (they say the suggested portion should be the size of your fist) and found that eventually I just wasn’t hungry all the time, like before. Then I changed the way I expected to eat – I started to eat when my body told me I was hungry, and I didn’t eat if I didn’t feel hungry. I drank water - lots of water. Through all of this I used coffee at times as an appetite suppressant (still do, and I love coffee so it’s a bonus) but never gave up chocolate (have to have your vice and rewards right?). Most importantly, I also started to exercise, mostly mountain biking (would ride 3-5 times a week for about 2-4 hours a time) and working out (3-5 times a week, running 2 kms each time), but also stairs (running up and down), roller blading, ice skating, hiking, walking and weights at home. Find a friend to do each activity with, which always makes it more probable that it will get done, as well as being much more fun. Whether running on my own or with a buddy I found fast paced music took my mind off of any discomfort.

Losing weight is also about presence of mind. If you have an eating problem, or a disorder, get some help. Any weight you lose merely by starving yourself will come back when you begin eating again - You have to convince your body that you are meant to be a different weight then you are now. Then change your lifestyle to reflect the new you that you envision: Demand your food be of a high quality; serve yourself smaller portions; Get rid of the cable; Don’t drive when you can walk or ride; Stop eating cookies, for crying out loud!

Sadly, if you aren’t ready to make these kind of choices for yourself you are likely not going to be successful with any weight loss program. Ultimately, in the end it is up to you to decide the type of person you would like to be and how much you are willing to do to achieve that. Weight loss isn’t hard, but if you continually sabotage yourself (like eating foods you know you shouldn’t) it certainly isn’t going to be an easy process. If you don’t really want to change your lifestyle, then consider accepting yourself the way you are, because it is ultimately more important to feel good about yourself.

Girls Game Too

I like to play games. I grew up with some of the first home video game systems (it was called a Coleco Vision) and eventually we got a Nintendo (which was my first major purchase when I moved out on my own, soon followed by a Super Nintendo). But as classic as those first games were (and still are, like Mario Brothers) I think any other modern gamer would understand when I say that the standard for video games has improved to such a degree that playing the games of my childhood again offers little but nostalgia for me.

Preferring consoles, I never have been much of a computer gamer, although I totally love Diablo II and Duncan and I used to play it for hours together over the internet when we were courting, and have since then as well. I have also enjoyed Civ III, the SIMS and sometimes Sim City on the PC.

Since Duncan moved in with us he brought with him his collection of console systems and games (Super Nintendo, Dreamcast, N64, Playstation 2, Game Cube and the XBox) and I have redisovered the gamer in me. Games like Metroid Prime, Splinter Cell, Eternal Darkness, Halo, Zelda: The Windwaker, and yes, even Animal Crossing, have kept me up for many hours. The most recent game addition to our home, KOTOR, has consumed much of our collective family time.

It was suggested to me to blog about my favourite games. Yet, there are so many. All the games I mentioned above are worthy of your attentions if you are looking for a game to try. If you want a deeper review, check out Duncan's online game collection.

Live life, play hard!

Good Honest Summer Rain Since 1972

I love school, but I didn't always... That statement would seem to be in direct contrast with the teenage Allie that sought (and succeeded) to find an escape from high school (I quit school at 16 years old, moved out and joined the Army) and from a school system I found suffocating. Eventually, when I was 19 I realized that I needed to finish High School and went back to finish it in a year, with honors. That year began as whet seemed like a neccessity, but with the addition of Law 12 (a locally developed course that I loved), Model UN and Work Experience with the RCMP, I learned that school was a fun place to be, and I discovered that I was most fond of learning.

By the time I began (had children first) University I was like a sponge soaking up whatever knowledge I could find. I am currently a Humanities student working towards completing a BA in Religious Studies with a Minor in Political Science. My main area of research lie within Fundamental Religion/Politics and how they relate to Terrorism (and visa versa), and International Relations.

In the future I am considering doing my Masters in Politcal Science to study terrorism more closely, and eventually maybe even law school. I am also a British Citizen, so I do everyonce in a while think of studying abroad and working in the EU for a while. But we shall see what life brings.

You're Never Alone with Summer Rain

I have a wonderful family!

Sometimes it amazes me to look at my children - I mean really look at them. It's like a shock to my system... how did they get so big? How is it possible that such perfection comes from myself? How is it possible that the tiny helpless little creatures I held in my arms those years ago are the same creatures I see before myself now? And yet they are... "they grow so fast" is no longer a mere cliche in my mind, but wisdom whispering to pay attention. My son Wesley is 10 years old now, already. His height brings him to above my shoulders. Someday real soon he is going to tower over me. My daughter Raven Dawn is almost eight. Is is a dainty 50lb girl who who somehow knows what it means to be a girly girl (unlike her mom). They are my children. They are mostly busy with kids stuff.

My boyfriend Duncan both completes our little family unit (I always said that when Duncan moved in with us he made our house a home) and brings with him a greater extended family that is wonderful to be a part of. Duncan is currently the Consituency Office Manager for Calgary Varsity's MLA Murray Smith. He will be 25 years old (soon enough) and is starting his Masters Education at the U of Alberta after completing TWO Undergraduate Degrees last year (BA History, BA Political Science) at the U of Calgary. Duncan works hard, rides a mountain bike, likes to watch movies, argue about politics and he Blogs. He loves to play video games, likely his most favourite hobby, and currently is playing his way through KOTOR again (this time as a dark Jedi). You can read about his Jedi Travels too!

In the shelter of each other we face the world. I know that together we can handle anything.

Anything Boys Can Do, I Can Do Better

Might as well tell you some little known stuff about myself to start out with.

Always a tomboy, I gained semi notoriety at 13 when I became the first female Boy Scout on Vancouver Island (BC) when I decided to leave Girl Guides in order to join the Venturer program. I couldn’t stand having to be “proper” and have my hands clean any more – I wanted to climb trees and repel down cliffs, canoe in the ocean and hike the west coast trail. I loved playing war games so I naturally found myself in Army Cadets at the same time.

In what seemed as a natural progression, I joined the army when I was 17. For six years I was schooled in a vast array of skills, including combat, small arms training, hand to hand combat, recce, night patrols and all sorts of in your face get real dirty fun. Driving cool stuff around. Shooting neat weapons. (I like to shoot). Sometimes it bothers me that I am a trained killer, but other times I am sure it supplies some confidence, and my experience with it certainly aids a deeper understanding of the situations in the world recently.

I am totally an outdoor creature and the army certainly fulfilled outside time for me. I have a passion for all outdoor activities – camping, hiking, climbing (was afraid of heights but I met that fear head on and found it to be not so bad after all), hunting (people/war games and I have had my hunting license since I was 14), I especially love mountain biking – I have a Specialized Rock Hopper and it usually goes everywhere with me… although I definitely prefer the open dirt trail to pavement (although stairs and cement barricades and sometimes even curbs atleast make urban riding interesting). I love speed, and am a natural driver, which is likely why I get paid so much to do it. I have driven many neat things (Army trucks, Armoured vehicles, Zambonis, huge 4x4 trucks, tractors, fast sports cars, etc etc…) and I don’t think there isn’t anything out there I couldn’t drive.

A grounds worker at the U of C dared me once to drive his tractor (as if being an attractive young girl means not having the skills to operate a tractor). You should have seen him jump up and run after me as I drove off with his tractor. Anything boys can do, I can do better…

Well its hard to sometimes think what to say about myself when a great deal of my audience knows me already so well. I will say it has taken me a few years to figure out who I am enough to be comfortable with my own femininity while at the same time being a tom boy! I am a woman. Here me roar!

I have always made my way in traditional male held careers, jobs or hobbies, but I claim them for myself as I am not an outsider trying to get in, but I am me.

“I am the invincible sword goddess”
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

BLOGATHON TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Anything Boys Can Do, I Can Do Better!
2. My Family
3. It's all Academic
4. Girls Game too!
5. Trendy Diets and Weight Loss
6. Arms and the Man
7. Web Comics: Laughter is the World's Best Medicine
8. My Jouranlistic Stint
9. Crop Circles
10. The Marre Man
11. The Death of the Twins
12. Culture Jamming
13. Urban Legends
14. A Picture's Worth
15. Which Direction is Perfection?
16. Four Charged in Iraqi POW Abuse
17. Email Netiquette
18. Web Blogathon is a World Wide Effort!
19. Old Turtle
20. Time In
21. A coup d'état?
22. MOVIE REVIEW: The Pianist, 2002
23. Guestblog - Deven Singhal on Doctor's Without Borders
24. Stormy Weather!
25. Web Video Art
26. My Favourite Satire Wire Story: Axis of Just As Evil
27. My Favourite Onion Story: God Angerily Declares No Kill Rule

And 2003 Blogathon is upon us!

First of all, I want to send a BIG THANK YOU to my sponsors. They have contributed $65.00 sponsorship to my cause of supporting the organization DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS. Check it out, I think you can still make a pledge to support me!

Also, while I am awake all day and night tomorrow please feel free to send me feedback either through email or the remarks/comments section... I will also be online to chat if you would like to add me (just mention "blogathon" so I don't think its my crazy stalker).

MSN Messenger - alliesmyth@hotmail.com
Yahoo Messenger - walks_like_summerrain

Tomorrow's Blogathon will also herald the launch of my new blog template. I hope you like it, and luckily there wont be too many bugs to iron out during the blogging process. Anyways, I know how patient and considerate all of my readers are!

Girls Kick Ass.

Went out for coffee with Jolene tonight (at Higher Ground in Kensington) and it was fun - we talked about girl things, did some hair stuff and she painted a cute flower on one of my nails. Oh my goodness. I am a girl! I have decided that the best part of being a girl is that it is fun to be pretty. I have spent most of my life in boy focused environments doing traditionally male jobs, and I realize that there isn't much difference between me and a guy. Anything they can do, I can do better (winks). Yet there is much that is special about being a woman. We are mysterious and beautiful creatures.

When I was a younger girl, and considering getting married, my Great Aunt had some advice for me that she really wanted to pass on. She took me aside and said "If you want to keep your man, put on make up everyday". In the harsh judgement of my youth, and being both a Tom Boy and a child of this generation, I rejected her advice mostly as old fashioned poppycock passed down in a patriarchal society. I may have even felt a little resentful that she wanted me to play the role of the submissive little woman who knows her place. But now, 16 years later, I look back upon her message with a wisdom garnered slowly over that time, and I realize what she was really trying to say.

What my Aunt was trying to articulate to me that day, was more of this: Taking care of yourself - your pride and confidence in your own body image illustrates that you love yourself AND the person you are with. Some women let themselves go once they are married because they believe they do not have to be attractive anymore, or that it is now too much work, but taking care of yourself (and it doesn't have to be putting on makeup) shows pride both in yourself and them. I am happy that my mate finds me attractive. I am willing to be more creative in my self expression when I feel attractive and it makes me happy to be pretty.

I am no beauty expert, and I am not always a girly girl (ok, maybe hardly ever), but I am happy to have found the wisdom in my Aunts words all these years later. I am confident that my beauty is not a threat to my intelligence (as maybe some of my more feminist friends would have me believe), and I might as well dress like a girl, cause well, I AM a girl! I am lucky to have girl friends around me to teach me how to do more girly girl (never learned when I was younger) things, cause it really is kinda fun.

A lifetime ago, when I was working my way into what seemed like a male dominated world, I often wondered if I would give up being a girl if the chance was offered. But having traversed those obstacles and dispelled those myths, I realize that now this is MY world, and I like being a girl. Girls Kick Ass.

There's nothing wrong with Blow Jobs...

Threat rating: High.
The Bush administration is concerned that it may not get a second term. Therefore, we are going to change the rules so that each Democrat vote only counts as 0.2 votes because Democrat is a shorter word than Republican.


What threat to the Bush administration are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end

Sometimes Life has a way of surprising you, just when you think your day will be about getting on with the mundane (today I had planned to start packing, thanks to Megan, who brought me over great boxes last night). In all my pretending to get on with my day today, I may have suspected something about the day would be different...

I had just made coffee when the phone rang. I already knew who it was. I think I even knew before the phone actually rang. I think I must have felt how she needed me. I hope I can be the best friend that I can possibly be today.

Nothing mundane about today, and that is ok. Today Life is all of a sudden, very starkingly, real. Hello Life. Nice of you to drop by to remind us all to get busy with the business of living. I wish you hadn't brought the man here so soon, and I wish maybe he wasn't so angry, wasn't in so much denial - this thing was over a long time ago, it didn't just end today. I wish she had been able to finish her coffee. But alas, thats Life for you.

Now all I can do is wait for her to come back.

My coffee is cold...

Cue Hysterical Laughter

I seem to remember my training - filed somewhere within the dark recesses of my mind, a couple of class discussions in basic training about enduring torture/pain and resisting other interrogation techniques... information (believe it or not) that has been useful to me now in my many (sigh) years of parenthood...

How is it possible, that normal-well-behaved-kid-noises can actually pierce through the tender fleshy parts of my mind like a barbed dagger when I have a migraine headache???

It's a nice day outside kids. Shoo.



Well, atleast I can endure my painful headache this morning and still be emotionally upbeat and happy. Yay me! I rock. Pain is all about perception. It makes me realize just how happy I am to be alive, lets me be reflective in my decision not to be a victim but to allow myself to actually welcome and feel the pain that is mine, for the brief time that I will endure it. Pain doesn't last forever, it's not an enemy - its an important part of our experience. Matter of fact I feel better already. I am a survivor.

Spending the afternoon outside in the sun beside the Duck Pond while the kids play in the park will make me feel much better. Bring on the day! Deas Gu Cath!

Some people are just sore losers!

"Im... (cough) I... I... Impossible! I can not be defeated! I am the Dark Lord of the Sith!" - Darth Malak, direct quote.

It is done.

Hmmmm... I sense... a sequel... we must remain, ever vigilant...

Busted alright - and no where to hide!

Ah, Yahoo Msn... Just found this message window on my desktop waiting for me...

kayak_stacey: dude, you gotta get away from the video games. and don't lie and say that's not what you're up to 'cus you ain't been online in days now and that's all duncan can talk about on his blog. busted!! :-)

Well now, it is nice to be missed! :-)

And the rest of the conversation:

allie: lol... theres nothing to hide behind here ;-)
kayak_stacey: LOL
kayak_stacey: i knew i had you busted. i just read your blog
allie: *giggles*
kayak_stacey: :-)
kayak_stacey: coming up for air, are you?
allie: well, actually, was just checking email... and was sort of considering going for a walk. He's still playing
kayak_stacey: okay, well, i gotta go make a call. if i'm not back in ten, i'm gone to bed. in that case, night and may the force be with you... or whatever it is you eggheads say to each other. ;-)
allie: lol. check my blog when you get back. you get an honorable mention
kayak_stacey: Whoooohoooo!!

But, alas, the game must go on! Night Five, and we are at the climax! *WAVES* A quick "HI!" to everyone... And, ah, yeah... May the force be with you!

May the Force be with Us

Still camped out in front of the TV and XBox... it's like an extended Star Wars Movie that you get to be in! Any Star Wars fans out there? You need to have this experience.

Do we really believe everything we read/hear?

Given my intrinsic mistrust of the corporate media, I'm not surprised that the recently reported Metallica E & F chord lawsuit is a complete hoax. Elements of the story actually didn't make sense, but apparently that didn't matter to the majority of people, including so called legitimate media outlets.

In an age where information travels so fast, when we are bombarded daily by so many different messages, through so many different mediums, why do people choose to be gullible rather than skeptical? A healthy skepticism is the chastity belt of the intellect! We certainly go a long way to expanding our own intelligence when we consider and challenge everything we are confronted with rather then accepting it as gospel truth.

This isn't 1938 any more, people.

It's a small world after all...

Written by a social worker (not a journalist) the article, So who's protecting the Saudi's?, is not quite as interesting as the implications to be drawn from it. Read it...

Listen to the money talk.

"V for Victory!" - Churchill, July 19th 1941.

So Thursday night we dragged our mattress downstairs, and that is mostly where Duncan has stayed since that moment... well, we went for a bike ride last night when I got home from work, and this afternoon we met our friend (the lovely) Deven at the Duck Pond by our house where we feed ducks and admired dragonflies before Deven & Duncan decided to place rocks (in artistic fashion, ofcourse) on top of the fountain pipes to create a "spray" instead of a "shoot" of water (very pretty btw... many rainbows!). But the draw of KOTOR is strong, and soon the force drew us back to our wonderfully (thankfully air conditioned) cool abode for Duncan to show off his new game. He became a Jedi yesterday - the force is strong with that one!

BBQ Sirloin Burgers are on the menu for dinner (aren't we special?) and at some point of time tonight we will likely watch "The Pianist", or the artsy Punk Drunk Love" since we rented them yesterday. Also, I am putting together some Shakespeare in the Park forays (in the next three weeks) so give me a shout if you want to know which times we are going.

Is it any Wonder that America is in the Yellow?

"The free world expects Iran to comply," Bush told reporters at the White House. "And if they don't, we'll deal with that when they don't."

Hmmm. I've heard this before... thinking... straining... can't quite get my finger on it... no, wait - same words... different country that's all.

Keep on rocking in the free world, I guess.

Todays Friday Five

I'll admit, when I first saw this weeks Friday Five my disappointed, first instinct was to feel they were intended for someone else... or perhaps my initial discomfort arose from having to consider these traits in myself, or expose them even, if they do exist there. I know I am not a perfect person, and I don’t pretend to live the perfect life, but I do believe that myself and the people in my far from perfect world have more integrity and compassion then these questions might give us credit for. But all in all, in the end I realized I am both confident that I have nothing to hide and that I like the person that I am, even if I have done things wrong.

1. When was the last time you cheated?

Define “cheating” – on a test? Never. On a person? Never. I’ve used a walk through guide when playing some video games, but never really considered it cheating. Sometimes I take “short cuts” at work, but I usually consider that to be innovation (in the more noble pursuit of laziness) then cheating...

2. When was the last time you stole?

Nothing major since I was about eight years old, really (pack of cards from a store, yes I was discovered and yes I took them back and apologized – it was all very traumatic). But then there are lots of little things I don't usually consider stealing (like how you accidently walk off with someone’s pen). Duncan took me to a wonderful hotel in Edmonton for our anniversary in June, and we had this amazingly spectacular meal and I brought home the paper menu card that was in our hotel room. Or even more recently, our next door neighbor moved and I grabbed the newspaper for a few days until it finally stopped being delivered. It was, essentially recycling, right (rolling eyes)?

3. When was the last time you lied?

I am usually painfully honest, too honest for some people’s tastes, even. I have learnt through the years that some information is better off not offered, but I am pretty straightforward if someone cares enough to ask me directly. I don’t lie well, and find myself far more comfortable just confronting the truth then trying to cover it up. I’m the one who has to live with myself right?

4. When was the last time you broke or vandalized another's property?

I can't think of anything intentional or malicious, or even anything at all for that matter... thinking... Duncan had to live with someone who used to break his stuff all the time in an effort to enact punishment on him so I understand that evil acts like that happen, but I can't actually imagine doing that to anybody. I generally have more respect for people than that, and I love the people in my life too much for something like that. But there must be something… I've always been tempted to write my name in wet concrete, but always restrained myself. When I was in the Army we “collected” (liberated) road signs for our Junior Ranks Hall… hmmm, now is that stealing or vandalism? Geez, I am going to hell!

5. When was the last time you hurt a loved one?

Wow - the moment of truth. I live with four people: two of those people I lord over as parent supreme, so I sometimes have to make judgements that they are upset with, even when trying to be fair, and of course I don’t always (snicker) agree with Duncan… but I would never intentionally hurt any of them! Obviously these things happen, but the point of life is to love, and my loved ones deserve the best loving possible. I couldn't remember the last time, so I asked Duncan for help, and this was his answer: “Can't say off hand... hurt is a pretty subjective term. Nothing really comes to mind, you will likely have to think of it yourself. Duncan”.

What is it about Hot Summer Nights?

Thanks to BJ for this Quiz! And I have to agree with him - sometimes these tests just confirm the obvious. But hey, when you've got a good thing, you might as well enjoy it! Party on.



You are the horniest of the horny. You want a**, and you want it now. Look out world, because you are on a mission.

How Horny are YOU?
brought to you by Quizilla

Anyways, it's 3:00am, and the night/morning is going well. Duncan is having fun, the game is great (watching is like watching an extended movie) and we even still have some grapes (what a great idea that was... I rock!).

HmMMmmm. Just realized today is Friday. Going to the Friday Five site to see this weeks questions... I work at the university later on today so I will blog them then! Hope everyone is having as much fun as I am tonight!

And the Night Belongs to My Knight...

With Wesley's birthday winding down and him getting ready for bed (he's been up since the dawn was a mere light on the horizon this morning) it is now Duncan's turn to celebrate - today is the day that he plays his KOTOR game for the first time ever - and he has been sooo very patient (letting Wesley have all the time on the TV for his gaming) I am so proud of him!

So Duncan has dragged our mattress downstairs so I can stay by him all night while he plays his jedi-to-be character Lina Phendrana. I bought him a big bag of grapes for snacking on and will make him coffee through out the night, so we are all set! All of life's a story to be lived, let this new adventure begin.

May the Force be with us.

Baking a cake... and he gets to eat it to!

Ten years ago today I held a tiny 7 lb 10.5 ounce bundle of joy in my arms. Ten years ago today I became a woman and a mother all at the same time. Ten years ago today my son Wesley was born.

Wesley Patrick William Smyth, after 18 hours of labor (today I get to remind him how painful that was, which usually makes him laugh) arrived in my world at 1:56 am on a Saturday morning, July 17th 1993. It was a day, a moment, an event, that changed my life in the most significant yet unpredicted way. I was 21 years old.



It is hard sometimes to believe how much he has grown (in mind, spirit and body) in such a seemingly short period of time. Ten years sounds like a long time, but it has flown by - from babe in my arms to almost my own height (his height is above my shoulders!). From his first steps (which occured at 5 - 9 months old), to riding his bike without training wheels (2.5 years old), learning to read and write (3 years old), winning an award for volunteering (5 years old), scoring his first hat trick (6 years old) to skipping out of school (yes... skipping, 9 years old) Wesley has grown into an amazing person that I am happy, blessed and intrigued to know. I love the way he thinks, marvel at the things he does and try to learn from the way he sees the world and manifests his reality in that world.

He got his presents from us this morning - A Game Boy Player and GB Advance Wars 2 Game from Duncan and I (and some books I had picked up earlier for him) and the DVD Chicken Run from Raven. I cooked bacon and eggs special for breakfast while the Game Boy Player was tested, and after breakfast we watched Chicken Run. Cathy came over for coffee this morning and Duncan and Wes took off to go collect Duncan's long awaited copy of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic game (see Duncan's KOTOR Blog for details). I have baked a chocolate cake (as ordered by his highness), and will finish decorating it as soon as it has cooled - but soon boys will descend upon us and I will need to find some small space to enjoy myself while keeping out of the way of the testosterone...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 10TH WESLEY!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

A Day Just For Fun!

Today was a blast! Cathy called and invited Raven and I out to share a day at Calaway Park with her and Dakota. This gave Wesley the chance to spend the day with my Mom, so we all went happily off in different directions, except Duncan, who had to go to work). Calaway Park was fun, and we managed to enjoy most of the rides before the crowds got there! Cathy's not much of a ride person, so I took the kids on lots of rides, my favourite being (ofcourse) the Roller Coaster, even if it is a small coaster (Duncan is planning a trip to take me to his favourite Roller Coasters to share with me some "real" coasters). I thought Raven was going to bail on me, but like any respectable parent would, I made her go. She held me hand the first time through, let go for the second round and was begging to go again by the time it was over. I am happy to see she has inherited my thrill for excitement. We ended our time at Callaway Park with the refreshing "splash" in the Log Ride (it was 34 degrees by then) and piled into the car to head out to Kananaskis Country. We spent the rest of the afternoon working on our tans (and girl talk ofcourse) on the shore of Barrier Lake while the kids played in the water. I miss the mountains, so I am planning a camping this summer for Duncan and I. Anyone want to come? Deven?

When I finally got home I had a surprise gift - Duncan had gone out to buy me the DVD of Gangs of New York! Its a fabulous movie (MAYBE EVEN THE BEST OF THE YEAR) by one of my favourite directors, Martin Scorses. I really love how Duncan shares my love of film, it increases the experience one has when watching and rewatching.

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

It's nice to know I can be a good influence at times! You're very welcome Kim, ofcourse!

Any time, Any place, Summerrain…

There now exists an admirable title block (see above) for my blog posts. Yay for html. I am pleased. I spent a small portion of my "busy" day today changing around my template, and a great portion researching topics for the 2003 Blogathon (coming up fast). Mostly I spent time researching the crop circle phenomenon - after watching M. Night Shyamalan's SIGNS again (great movie) the other night Duncan and I decided to undertake finding out more about crop circles as a mini/fun pet project, so when we were at the library on Monday I grabbed a book about it. Seems interesting, controversial (just how I like it). I will post something during the Blogathon about it. AND I am rather enjoying the new MSN 6 (IF you don't have it yet, go download it!) - not only did I chat with peeps for most of the day I also played games online with Megan and Duncan while they were at work. How much more fun can you ask from an online chat system???

So tonight Duncan, I and the kids, went to Grandma and Grandpa's house for a special dinner. Where they live now has a great dining room with most excellent food - and tonight we ate in the private dining room. The food was incredible - I very much enjoyed the Salmon Pipotte (melt in your mouth salmon) with delicious spinach, mashed sweet potato and steamed red cabbage... I have never seen Raven eat so much! I do believe that the greatest thing you can do for your body is to give it good food... and today my body got a gift for sure! mmMMmmm good food. After dinner we sat outside and watched the kids play together (Grant was there as well) and then we went upstairs and Grandma showed me about 85 years or so of photographs. What an amazing family I have found myself welcomed to be a part of. The pictures tell an amazing story. I was very honored.

Well, it is actually 4:05 am right now (woke up ans was just re-editing my today post) and I was gonna stay up a bit more but I am thinking I just might be heading back to bed to snuggle up beside Duncans warm body! Sweet dreams everyone!

mMMmmMmmm... I love sex!

And this, in my inbox today:

I love you so much. I love being with you. You are so much fun to be with and kiss. You are amazing. I hope I can stay with you for the rest of my life Allie!

Love,
Duncan

To be completely honest we (and when I say we I really mean Duncan) just erased the entire blog posting I was working on (much kissing and fawning over me ensued, so it's not a bad thing at all), and I don't really feel like spending any more time typing in my blog today, so here is the short version: Today was gorgeous, we had lots of fun shopping, in the sun and watching NUREMBERG. Our night is not finished though and I am more then eager to get back to it...

I will write more tomorrow when we get back from keeping the sabbath day holy (read coffee ritual).

THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY FIVE!



Today's Friday Five is all about friends!

1. Do you remember your first best friend? Who was it?

Of course I remember my very first real best friend. Her name is Dawn. I originally met Dawn when I was 13 years old and volunteering at the SPCA in Nanaimo BC. We actually didn’t like each other much at first, being in direct competition with each other, but we soon found that the tension between us was actually a burgeoning friendship waiting to happen. Dawn told me once that she believed I was the friend she prayed for because she was lonely, like I was the answer to her prayers. Dawn taught me how to love someone, a skill that has done me well in life. For years we were inseparable - and I would suggest today the only real separation between us is the mere 1200 or so km’s between our actual locations.

2. Are you still in touch with this person?

Absolutely! We are like sisters, or twins even… We talk on the phone constantly as well as visits when we can (She still lives in BC). I wish I could get her to email me a little more, or read my blog on a slightly more regular basis, but she lives in a place with no high speed internet offered, so she is stuck with dialup…

3. Do you have a current close friend?

I am gifted in the art of friendship, and I as a result I am blessed with many good and close friends! There is Duncan, of course, who is my best friend, lover, mentor and playmate. There is also Dawn, Cathy, Michele, Elizabeth, Julie, and Joel too, even though he is a boy. As well as my special friends who have moved away and even though I have irregular contact with them, when I do speak with them again it is always like we spoke only yesterday… Nikki in Vancouver, Renee in Belgium and Kerry in Quebec. All of you are in my heart! I should also give special mention to two of Duncan’s close friends, Deven and Quynn, because they have certainly brought a smile to my face more then once lately with their presence in my world!

4. How did you become friends with this person?

Ugh. My previous verbosity has made this a difficult question to answer, but I shall say this… I love people and I find they naturally gravitate to me, and I have always considered myself lucky that so many wonderful and supporting people have crossed my path and decided to stay in my life. I consider their friendship the highest compliment.

5. Is there a friend from your past that you wish you were still in contact with? Why?

Well I guess Shawn would fall into that category – I met Shawn in school when I was finishing grade 12… She was in all of my classes in the last semester of school and we had so much fun (read skipped out) I slipped from the "principles list" (I think the only class we ever really went to was Law 12). Years later, Shawn became Raven’s godmother, but I had already moved to Alberta. We have both moved lots since then, always seeming to find some way to keep in contact… but I fear we may have now lost each other as I haven’t been able to track her down. But now that I am thinking of it, I am going to go look for her on the internet!

So there is My Friday Five for this week!

It's the crazy philanthropist in me...



Sponsor Allie in the 2003 Blogathon!

I have decided to particpiate in this years BLOGATHON.

Blogathon is a revolutionary project that involves hundreds of Bloggers and "universal web addicts" alike engaging the internet in order to raise money (via pledges) and awareness for their chosen charities. This years event is the third annual Blogathon, taking place on the 26th of July 2003 for 24 hours straight.

Yes, I will post every half hour for 24 hours straight.

Last year's Blogathon event drew over two hundred websites and raised more than $50,000.00 in donations. This year I will be blogging in support of DOCTOR'S WITHOUT BORDERS. Please check out their website, take a virtual tour of a refugee camp, and take a moment to make a pledge towards my cause! Your support is entirely appreciated!

And... as I have to come up with roughly 48 topics to blog about during this time span, please feel free to send any requests that you would like me to tackle. Really, anything. All suggestions will be met with open mind and an appreciation of challenge.


Sponsor Allie in the 2003 Blogathon!

With Apologies, America...

I just found this in the archives at This Hour has 22 Minutes. Called "Apology to America", it's more then worth sharing here.

"I'm sorry that we called George Bush a Moron. He is a Moron, but it wasn't very nice of us to point it out...

"I'm sorry we beat you in Olympic Hockey. In our defence, I guess our excuse would be, that our team was much, much, much, much better then yours".

"I'm sorry about our waffling on Iraq, I mean, when you're going up against a crazed dictator, you wanna have your friends by your side. I realize it took more than two years before you guys pitched in against Hitler, but that was different - everyone knew he had weapons."

"I'm sorry that we burnt down your White House during the war of 1812. I see you've rebuilt it, it's very nice.

"... I'm sorry that we are constantly apologizing for things in a passive aggressive way, which is really a thinly veiled criticsm... I sincerely hope that you are not upset about this, because - we've seen what you do to countries you get upset with... I'm sorry."

No beating around the bush here...

What is a "completely unintentional mistake" anyway?



New Zealand's TV3 mistakenly labelled President Bush a "professional fascist" when a "mislabelled graphic" flashed up during its primetime news, airing to 360,000 viewers in about the 30 seconds that it remained on the air.

TV3 spokesman Roger Beaumont, on behalf of the network, said "It was an absolute case of human error. The fact that it made it to air was extremely unfortunate... What I can assure you is that it was a completely unintentional mistake."

Unfortunate? Not really. If it makes people think, nothing is unfortunate.

Remember the Early Signs of Fascism?

What a lovely surprise!

My absolutely fantabulous boyfriend gave me an awesome surprise today! While I was away at work he diligently and thoughtfully found a host and set up my allie.ca domain! Isn't he amazing?

I have owned www.allie.ca for just over a year but haven't gotten around to finding a host, etc etc... happy to procastinate between my home page and my blog. However he planned to do this for me and it was the greatest! He so sweet, I'm so lucky!

I LOVE YOU DUNCAN!!!!!

Happy July 4th America

OK, I am gonna give the "Friday Five" a whirl...

1. What were your favorite childhood stories?

For a while I read all of the Black Stallion and Nancy Drew stories, Jack London and the classics… but early on in life I discovered books like Stephen King novels, which fostered a huge interest in the paranormal/horror genre that dominated my life until my late teens.

2. What books from your childhood would you like to share with [your] children?

Bridge to Teribithia, The Chrysalids, Uncle Whiskers, and all of the classics (note that doesn’t include Nursery Rhymes).

3. Have you re-read any of those childhood stories and been surprised by anything?

Only by the perpetual sexism/patriarchy in most of the older texts.

4. How old were you when you first learned to read?

I was reading well at age four, before Kindergarten (my kindergarten teacher put me through the grade one curriculum when I was five).

5. Do you remember the first 'grown-up' book you read? How old were you?

I read the King James Holy Bible at age seven. That was followed shortly thereafter by the Unabridged version of Little Women. From then on I barely slept and read everything I could get my hands on!


Hockey News...

Sigh....

I really liked Chris Drury. I think that was the only trade I ever hollered with joy upon hearing about it. I thought just maybe "we" had finally done something right... Well, I sopose we might as well not break the tradition of bad trades in our downward spiral - no, that would be too much to ask.

Sigh, again.

Anyways, I am absent from posting this week as I am more than gainfully employed (being paid $175.00 a day!) in a beautiful place, working outside! Yay summer is finally here! I will post again soon...

Canada Day 2003



CANADA KICKS ASS

We are beginning our celebration of Canada Day as any 136th birthday should start - with BBQ'd Steak for Breakfast! Yay Canada! It's days like this that I wonder just what it means to me to be a Canadian... lots of different things come to mind that are distinctly Canadian... beer, peacekeeping, snow, ice, hockey... ME (I was made in Canada!) but in honour of Canada Day 2003 I would like to share with you a variety of snippets that will help to illustrate Canada... read/click... watch and enjoy!

The Molson's Canadian BEAVER Commercial - I love this! For so many reasons.

American: "Mr. Canadian! Mr. Canuck! HAHAHAHA Where's your pet beaver then, EH?"
Canadian: *pulls a beaver onto the bar* "Right here."
American: *dumbstruck look*
Canadian: "Attack."

The Molson's Canadian "I AM" Rant - inspired by the frustrations felt by Canadians as we endeavour to define ourselves as separate from, and out from under the definition of, the Americans...

"... Canada is the second largest landmass! The first nation of hockey!... and the best part of North America!"



And HOCKEY, ofcourse - no mention of what it means to be Canadian can avoid even a cursory glance at Hockey and how it prevades our lives (it is freezing cold here most of the year, which miraculousy corresponds with the hockey season!). In 2002, to our pride and joy, our Men's AND Women's Hockey teams took Gold at the Olympics... Medals that were celebrated nationwide with much adieu. But when I think of great Hockey moments, I think of Paul Henderson's 1972 (the year I was born) goal that brought all Canadians together in a unified group - TV's were even brought into school classrooms so everyone could watch Team Canada in the 1972 series.
With mere seconds left in the last game of the series, with all of Canada standing still (no doubt holding their breath), Henderson scored what is perhaps the most famous goal in Hockey history - watch it here!

And, now for a teeny bit of humour (as Canadians have the best sense of humour in the world): These questions about Canada were posted on an International Tourism Website. The countries of origin are indicated in brackets after the question.

Q: I have never seen it warm on Canadian TV, so how do the plants grow? (UK)
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.

Q: Will I be able to see Polar Bears in the street? (USA)
A: Depends how much you've been drinking.

Q: I want to walk from Vancouver to Toronto - can I follow the railroad tracks? (Sweden)
A: Sure, it's only Four thousand miles, take lots of water. . .

Q: Is it safe to run around in the bushes in Canada? (Sweden)
A: So it is true what they say about Swedes.

Q: It is imperative that I find the names and addresses of places to contact for a stuffed Beaver. (Italy)
A: Let's not touch this one.

Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in Canada? Can you send me a list of them in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Halifax? (UK)
A: What did your last slave die of?

Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Canada? (USA)
A: A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. Ca-na-da is that big country to your North . . . oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Calgary. Come naked.

Q: Which direction is North in Canada? (USA)
A: Face south and then turn 90 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.

Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? (USA)
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is. . . oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Vancouver and in Calgary, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.

Q: Do you have perfume in Canada? (Germany)
A: No, WE don't stink.

Q: Can I wear high heels in Canada? (UK)
A: You are an American politician, right?

Q: Can you tell me the regions on British Columbia where the female population is smaller than the male population? (Italy)
A: Yes, gay nightclubs.

Q: Do you celebrate Thanksgiving in Canada? (USA)
A: Only at Thanksgiving.

Q: Are there supermarkets in Toronto and is milk available all year round? (Germany)
A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter gatherers. Milk is illegal.

Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Canada, but I forget its name. It's a kind of big horse with horns. (USA)
A: It's called a Moose. They are tall and very violent eating the brains of anyone walking close to them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.

Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? (USA)
A: Yes, but you will have to learn it first.


It's fair to say that I am proud to be a Canadian! Its the best country in the world... and the most beautiful (and friendly) and although I periodically consider going to work in the EU for a limited period of time, I know this place will always call me back as my one true home. Happy Birthday Canada!



This is MY Country! "I look out and I see a land, Young and lovely hard and strong, For 50,000 years we've danced her praises, Prayed our thanks and we've just begun... Yes, yes, This is my country!

Blogger block...

Ok, I will admit it, I am sufferring a little bit from blogger's block. The weather is warm here - not too hot (no one is dropping dead from the heat) but nice enough to enjoy the sunshine and think of frolicking beside mountain lakes. We have been utilizing the BBQ (Duncan BBQ's up a mean storm!) and enjoying summer evenings (the ones we get to spend at home) drinking on our patio dreaming up the ways our summer will go. Well until the motivation strikes me, please observe the Quizilla Blog rating (as pictured below) and get yourself a rating as well.


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Disclaimer: My thoughts are mine and mine alone - and I figure if you come here to read, you are entitled to my opinion... if I do say something that offends you, leave your comments (as I am always open to other points of view). But I would admit (I adore dialogue) my aim is more to encourage independant thought in my audience so that knowledge becomes a collective wisdom shared within the expansive medium that is blog.

What if the Hokey Pokey really was all it is about?



This is what I am talking about...

BTW, I like this new Blogger. Thanks Blogger/Google!