Hallowe'en Hijinks

Not really hijinks, I guess, I just needed something that was alliterative. Anyhoo, my friends back in S'toon had a smashing Hallowe'en party and I was sent some great pictures by Jamie. Here's one of my faves, a couple costume from Chubby and Monique:

They've been innovative in the past, and this one's no exception; the only thing against them is the lack of spotlight given to these two characters recently. I'm not going to spoil it here, so what is your guess? (If you said Peter and Belinda you'd be in the right arena but wrong nonetheless). Anyhoo, I'm sad that I missed this festive occasion.

Time to Step Up

This is from my friend Scott at Northern Exposure: Behold, the Caesar’s Bath meme! List five things that people in your circle of friends or peer group are wild about, but you can’t really understand the fuss over. To use the words of Caesar (from History of the World Part I), “Nice. Nice. Not thrilling . . . but nice.” He challenged me to do the same. So here goes:

1. Lance Armstrong. Sure, the guy won some Tours. But hosting Saturday Night Live? Is he a celebrity because of his athleticism or because of his girlfriend?

2. Pineapple on pizza. Some people swear by it, and I'm sure that by abstaining, I have raised the ire of pineapple lovers. I just don't think pineapple should be served hot. Cold pineapple, or even room temperature, that's another story. But I can't stand it on pizza.

3. Coldplay. They're reputed as the best band in the world, but I just don't see it. I enjoy their songs, sure, and I even have two of their cds. But the latest cd does not make them the best band in the world.

4. Drinking games. I would rather sit and enjoy a drink on my own time - no sense being stupid about it. Of course, as a youngster I indulged in a game or two of Root That Pig or Beer Pong, but generally I was content drinking my Labatt 50 at my own rate.

5. Blogs. Just kidding! I love these things.

The tradition is to pass on the challenge to three other bloggers, so I challenge the crew from The Buzz Review, Dean, and Rick Mercer.

Top 10 Fire Alarm Songs

Here are some songs that are appropriate in an alarm situation.

1. Emergency - The Tragically Hip. From Day For Night; we were hoping that we could swap night for day.

2. Set Yourself on Fire - Stars. Okay, this one's a little inappropriate. It's a Barry-from-High Fidelity entry.

3. Emergency Exit - Beck. From Guero.

4. Don't Panic - Coldplay. This Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy mantra works here, too.

5. Save Me - Aimee Mann. See also "Save Us S.O.S." by Hot Hot Heat

6. Message in a Bottle - The Police. Despite the innocuous title, it contains the line "sending out an S.O.S."

7. Panic - The Smiths. Though against Coldplay's advice, it is nevertheless appropriate.

8. Siren - Tori Amos. I think she's talking about the mythical kind, but whatever.

9. Evacuation - Pearl Jam. From Binaural.

10. Help! - The Beatles. This one's pretty obvious.

Also in contention were "Run, Run, Run" by The Velvet Underground and all the songs from Bloc Party's Silent Alarm.

Daylight Savings Time Wasted

Last night at 2am the clocks went back an hour (it was spooky when the computer clock went from 1:59 to 1:00 automatically). For me, this was nothing new, as I have turned the clocks back in more than half my 27 years. For Bonnie, a Saskatchewan girl, it was a new and exciting element of living in Ontario. I promised her that we would get an extra hour of sleep, ostensibly. We went to bed thinking that we would finally catch up on sleep – an hour here or there is all you need sometimes. However, at 3 / 4 am this ringing noise woke us from our slumber; confused at first, we both felt that the ringing was a natural occurrence: annoying, yes, but regular. We each had dreams with ringing and it wasn’t until 5 or so minutes of actual ringing that we realized we weren’t dreaming. In fact, we realized we had to get out of the building – now (later, we realized that we had to improve our response time; 15mins is not “reacting quickly”). We bundled up and grabbed certain necessities and hit the stairwell. We had been through a fire alarm once before, but that was at 6pm; it was okay to leave during the day, but what about the middle of the night? Isn’t that just more inconvenience than safety? Well, we couldn’t risk it, and we headed outside with the myriad others who wouldn’t risk it, either (oddly, we recognized these people as the same people as last time – I dubbed us “The Unjaded”). We marched down the stairs (again, 18 floors) with other like-minded people: there were people with babies, people in housecoats, people with cats (one cat wailed and wailed “meows” through the stairwell – it was like some Poe story or something). Luckily, it was only about 2 degrees Celsius outside, and thus not bone-chillingly cold. We waited the obligatory time while the firefighters went into the building and ensured that everyone was safe – it turns out, again, that the only thing in danger was our peace and quiet: some 14th floor hooligan pulled the alarm for no good reason. Bonnie wants me to rail against this person or persons, but it does seem a little funny. And no one was hurt; still, I don’t want it happen every month! (that’s the frequency so far). In the end, the hoopla left us eventually falling back to sleep by 4 / 5 – after an hour of being awake. So while we got to change the clocks back, we were not given that extra hour of badly-needed sleep.

B.R.M.C. = Cash

That's right, I'm puttin' it out there. I listened to Howl again today and I am convinced. B.R.M.C.'s songs are from the old west or something; a basement religion that has repentance written all over it. It's the hard-edged gospel that Johnny Cash invented in the 50s and 60s. Of course, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club aren't better than Cash; I'm simply saying that this album is strongly reminiscent of the Man in Black. The album is full of acoustic guitars and harmonicas, not in an early Dylan way but a Springsteen The River/Nebraska kinda way. Check out some songs samples here. I took a chance on this album and it paid off. It's a new/old sound, if you get what I mean, and will last for generations, I predict. Check it out.

Survivor Windup

This week's Survivor was just as boring as last week's (actually, I didn't see last week's, but I assume it was boring). Still, I am compelled into watching it. It's like the hockey game on in the background when you're typing or having music on while talking on the phone: I have it on, but I'm not really watching it. I'm not interested in why Jamie's such a dick or that Bobby Jon has open sores; I don't care that Judd's got a Boston Rob Complex or that Amy has a swollen ankle. My only concern is the results: who won what, who gets voted out. Thus I sit through the ridiculous challenges (they're Big Brother elaborate and that's bad) and the tribal council idiocy to see the results. It's like checking the scores before you go to bed or something. But why don't I just check the website, you ask? Well, my apparent disgust aside, it is still better to watch the whole program. Like watching the Sens play the Thrashers, even though you know it's going to be a one-sided affair. Anyhoo, Amy is out, which was long overdue, and the tribes merged. There! Now you've got all you need to know.

Rick Mercer's Blog: Operation Enduring Blogger

Rick Mercer's Blog: Operation Enduring Blogger This post just made me feel good.

The Real Smell of Ramshackle: Tastes Great! Less Goat-Fiend!

The Real Smell of Ramshackle: Tastes Great! Less Goat-Fiend! My apologies to my friend Dean - I should've posted and linked to this site years ago!

Canadian Tire Tool

Based on a tip from Hutty's site (thanks Dave!), I checked out a Maclean's article about the Canadian Tire guy. Now we all know and hate this guy, but the commercials are nevertheless entertaining. John Intini gets to the heart of the Canadian Tire Guy ("Uncle Ted") in this article. This one will make you laugh your pants off. Now that's different.

The Buzz Review

I found The Buzz Review today by random search (I wonder how many sites are stumbled upon by just hitting "next" a few times? And is it random every time? I will pursue this idea further, methinks). It seems that these three bloggers enjoy the same sorts of music that I do, and as such I am interested. I will officially consider their collective opinion tantamount to my own!

Art Gallery Extravaganza

Well, as much an extravaganza as you can have at an art gallery. Yesterday Bonnie and I (along with a friend from our building. That's right! We met a new friend!) took in the spectacle that is the National Art Gallery. It was spectacular! It was also a pretty long day: yet another museum that cannot be fully appreciated in one visit. Our first stop was the Christopher Pratt exhibit. He is a contemporary Newfoundland artist with a penchant for lines and empty space. His pieces are pretty amazing, in hindsight, as initially we were underwhelmed by the seeming simplicity. As we saw more pieces, however, we realized that he really is one of Canada's premiere painters. He had many scenes of his native NF, as well as some stark winter scenes (and some nudes, which made Bonnie giggle). The winter scenes struck me. I am amazed at the exactness of Canadian artists when it comes to winter scenes. For example, check out Joni Mitchell's 40 Below 0. Pratt's winter scenes are cold to the bone, as well. For some examples of his work, see this site. An example of the winter scene is Benoit's Cove: Sheds in Winter found under the "Subjects" heading.
The rest of the Art Gallery was equally impressive. From the Pratt exhibit we went to the Canadian Galleries and saw all sorts of weird stuff. As we started in contemporary and worked our way back, it took us a while to get to the Group of Seven. That room, for me, was the highlight. Again, I was struck by Arthur Lismer's Forest in Winter. From there we made our way through the rest of the Canadian paintings, which, by contrast, was pretty boring. Then we checked out the European and American section. We realized immediately that it could not be done. We needed another 2 hours to check out the rest of the gallery! It was incredible. We did scoot through in order to see Voice of Fire, the 5 metre monstrosity consisting of three stripes: blue, red, blue. It is infamous because the Canadian government paid $3 million or something like that for it in 1989. Anyhoo, it is not that impressive. More impressive was the El Greco or the Van Gogh or The Death of General Wolfe. We'll definitely have to go back soon. It only costs $6, and half-price on Sundays!

W-Five Investigates U-Haul

Tonight's W-Five (CTV, 7pm) features a report on the dangers of U-Haul. If you're new to this blog, see my rants here. Bonnie and I had a heck of a time with U-Haul, from being a day late to having a flat tire upon pickup. In hindsight, we're really glad we got here in one piece. There must be thousands of unhappy customers like us. And it is no surprise, since U-Haul has a virtual monopoly over the industry. Hopefully W-Five can get to the bottom of this!

Another Step in the Google Saga

CBC has an article on yet another lawsuit against Google. This time it's the Association of American Publishers. I guess some people do feel strongly about this. Maybe it's because Google is slated to gain a monopoly over information. Maybe it's because people just like to argue. Me, I'm thinking about the children. Give them a chance! Let them search for books! What harm can come from that? Anyhoo, check it out.

Survivor Rundown

Because of the concert, I was forced to rely on Survivor's website to fill me in. Well, the site looks nice, but it just couldn't capture the atmosphere of tension and sickness that is brought out so well in the broadcast. I gather that Margaret and Brian were voted off in a surprise double tribal council, and Judd may be more trouble than he is worth, but other than that I know nothing. Can anyone out there fill me in? Amie, I'm looking to you. Could it be that I actually care about these castaways?

Weekend Warmup

The weekend is upon us once again. It is beautiful outside right now with a clear and sunny day and favourable tempertures. My cold has diminished, thankfully, though it looks like Bonnie has caught it now. The World Series starts tomorrow night, and hockey's always on. The Sopranos is on tonight, I think, and Grey's Anatomy is on Sunday. Also, our new favourite show Rescue Me is on tomorrow night. It looks like a good weekend, overall. Bonnie does have her SSHRC deadline looming, which is always stressful, as well as other school duties, but it is still the weekend and that always means fun. Have a great weekend!

Social Scene Rocks the Capital!

Broken Social Scene played the Capital Music Hall last night here in the capital and brought the house down. Before I go into details, here's a revised list of my top five concert experiences (as always, in no particular order)

1. The Tragically Hip (November 2004)
2. Bob Dylan (July 2005)
3. Death From Above 1979/controller.controller (April 2005)
4. Hot Hot Heat/Metric (October 2003)
5. Broken Social Scene (October 2005)

(Honourable mention nods go to Stars, Constantines, Odds, Corb Lund)

First of all, the Capital is a converted movie theatre complete with mezzanine seating, which is where Bonnie and I situated ourselves. We were able to get a relatively unimpeded view for most of the show, though people are rather inconsiderate when it comes to finding good places to see. We had decided earlier, however, that our mosh pit days were behind us and we would not fight for our right to have the best view in the house. Still, we had a good enough view and, of course, the sound was impeccable. After spending a ridiculous $12.75 for 2 beers, we watched the opener, little-known female solo act from Australia New Buffalo, was not entirely disappointing, but her best song was her last both because it was her best song and because BSS would be coming on soon. The crowd was ready and waiting; the event was sold out, with, I would guess, maybe 2000 people packed into the venue. At 10pm sharp, Broken Social Scene's Andrew Whiteman (aka Apostle of Hustle) struck the first chord of "Cause=Time" and the show was underway. At first, there were six guitarists and the drummer; for the next song, "Ibi Dreams of Pavement" (from the second album), one of the guitarists (the guy from Raising the Fawn) moved over to a second drum kit and both drummers began to pound away. Another guitarist came out, as well as a trumpeter, making the total onstage 8. After that, no less than 8 members would share the stage. For the third number, an unknown female vocalist came out as well as a saxophone and, I believe, a cornet. Lead singer Kevin Drew was fantastic, as was the drummer and other players. The whole group was fantastic together, always in sync and enjoying themselves. On "Ibi", the guitar solo was played by three different members at the same time. It was incredible! For the next number, Drew asked the crowd to repeat after him: "Please! Please! Please!" We were wondering what that was all about until he announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, Feist!" and the crowd went wild. Feist came on for "7/4 (Shoreline)" and then was on and off throughout the show. She added another element to the performance, a dynamic that kicked it up a notch. From there, the show just went into orbit. It was an impressive hour and a half spectacle, with the band giving an energetic and rock-solid performance for the ages. Way back in Saskatoon a couple of years ago when I was first introduced to the band (they played Louis' with The Stills), Drew said he was grateful that people showed up. Well, they will never have to worry about that again: this is one Canadian band that is changing the rock and roll scene.
The highlight songs that I can remember were "Stars and Sons", "Late Nineties Bedroom Rock for Missionaries/Shampoo Suicide", "Superconnected", "It's All Gonna Break" and a few new ones, I think. It was an incredible show and I can't wait to see them again. If they come to a town near you, be sure to see them! It was well worth the admission price.

Comics Blast Blogs

I saw this in the paper the other day and I laughed, and then I said, "what a minute!" then I said, "yeah, it's funny" then I said, "if you can't make fun of yourself, who can you make fun of?" then I said, "why do you have to make fun of anyone? Is it impossible to avoid making fun of someone?" then I got hungry and forgot about the whole thing. Anyhoo, here's the impetus for this Miller-esque semi-rant: (I found it on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer website) It's an interesting opinion about blogs that is almost dead on. Still, I think blogs do some good: they are entertaining, for one. This is an argument that will go on for roughly 6 more months until blogs are accepted by the dinosaurs of society as a viable way to communicate. Why shouldn't someone post thoughts about thoughts? Perhaps that would inform people about our society better than, say, Fox News or The Globe and Mail. It's like The Daily Show - keepin' it real.

Broken Social Scene Tonight!

Tonight Bonnie and I are going to see BSS! I am excited; I've seen them once and they were awesome - with this new album, they should be even better (If you haven't checked the new album out, I suggest you do so post-haste). I don't know who the opening band is yet. I am hoping for some BSS alumni like Metric or Feist or even, fingers crossed, Stars or Wolf Parade (Wolf Parade includes two members of Arcade Fire). It promises to be a great show, even though I am giving up Survivor to see it. I'll have to rely on the expert reportage of the website this week. The previews look like they're going to shake it up again, and, frankly, they need to. This edition is pretty boring so far, with no interesting characters or even storylines. Gary doesn't want to reveal that he used to be a quarterback? What is this, Days of Our Lives? I dunno, I'm gonna keep watching because I took the time to learn everyone's names (except that nurse-lady on Nakum: Nancy? Meredith?), but this is no Pulau, that's for sure. Anyhoo, it's a sunny day out here for once, so I hope everyone has as great a day as I hope to have.

Check out the fog!

No, not the "hit" movie that came out this weekend, but the fog right here in Ottawa:

I guess it's not that impressive, but it is a nice view nonetheless. Looks like it will be rainy for the rest of the week, with temperatures hovering around 10; no snow for a while, thank goodness, since I hear that a lot of snow falls here when it does come. Have a good Tuesday!

Top Album list

Okay, so the end of the year is near, and I would like to collectively compile a top albums list for 2005. If you would like to contribute, you can leave suggestions in the comments tab or email me with your list. There are a few of you out there that I expect responses from, and you know who you are, so you have until the end of, say, 2005 to get those in. I know it's a bit early to start compiling such a list, but I'm bored and need something to do. No need for explanations, though perhaps some imput into some lesser-known bands would be helpful. I'll get the list started with five contenders:

1. Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene
2. Make Believe - Weezer
3. Howl - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
4. No Direction Home: Bootleg Series Volume 7 - Bob Dylan
5. Employment - The Kaiser Chiefs

So there's a small sample of which albums may indeed be in the top 10 at the end of the year. Consider your list carefully, and send it in. It will be exciting!

Under the Weather

I've been a bit lax lately with the posting because I've caught a cold. It's just a little sniffle, but enough for me to go through a box of kleenex in a day. I suppose it's inevitable, but it is sure inconvenient. I've been taking my vitamins, just like the Hulkster said, and I've found that Neo-Citran works wonders for about 4 hours. Then you wake up in the middle of the night with a monster headache and a stuffy nose. Today, however, I feel good enough to blog. The weekend was quite eventful, as Bonnie and I spruced up the apartment with the addition of a few pieces of furniture. We bought a desk for Bonnie to work at, a bookshelf for the living room, and, finally, a futon. We've been using an air mattress and kitchen chairs for the past little while, so an actual piece of living room furniture will be nice. Our living apartment is instantly more liveable. We are quite pleased with it, and though we are settling into life in Ottawa, we still miss our friends and family back home. I guess it will take a while for that to get better.

Leggo My Ego - GooglePrint and the other culture war. By Tim Wu

I found this article on Slate Magazine (I'm properly citing my source, btw). Yes, it concerns the ongoing debate about Google's intent to make millions of books "searchable" on the web and the implications of that. It's a good article, I think, but of course I agree, so of course I think it's a good article. The paragraph that nailed it for me was this one:
"We must remember, looking to the future, that books, as a medium, face competition. If books are too hard to find relative to other media, all authors of books lose out, and authors of searchable media like the Web, win. And that's too bad for those who love books—those who still like a slow read better than the blustery urgency of blogs."
We do live in a commercial world and some people - indeed, most - would rather do a web search on a topic than read a book about it. But perhaps if we think differently about reading, then that will change. Is the web a competitor with print? Certainly. Is it making print obsolete? Not yet. Not if books and print culture can move ahead to meet that competition. This is an interesting idea to ponder and I will return to it from time to time. Just how much are blogs affecting books? I'll read more and let you know.

Nobel Prize announced

Today it was announced that Harold Pinter has won the 2005 Nobel Prize for Literature. The British playwright is much decorated, and, I suppose, is deserving of the honour. I am not familiar with his work, though I have heard of him before. I guess that's more than I can say about last year's winner, Austrian Elfriede Jelinek. I am a little disappointed because there was conjecture that Canada's own Margaret Atwood was in the running. Canada has never won a Nobel Prize for Literature before, and I think Atwood would be a prime candidate. I can't think of many authors that have affected both academic and cultural circles like Atwood; even if you've never read any of her novels or poems, you still know her name. Anyhoo, I thought maybe she'd win. Good for Pinter, though. It's not like British literature has been celebrated enough or anything (And yes, I realize the irony of this statement).

Front Page News?

Here's what made the front page of the Citizen (for the full article, click here): "You can see the forest, but the trees are sure dull. The seasonal splendour that brings armies of tourists and buckets of money to the capital region is missing in action, Mike Gillespie reports." It's about how the trees and forests of the Ottawa Valley are "disappointing". Normally the Citizen reports "good" or even "real" news, but this seems a little fluffy. Maybe an article on the economic impact? Or even the potentially severe environmental impact of such an erratic summer? Maybe next week they'll report the lack of butterflies or the complain that there aren't enough rainbows. Personally, I think the colours are great:

Beat Jeremy Coon

Scott introduced me to this site (it's linked to his page, too). Beat Jeremy Coon This blog has one of the funniest concepts I've ever heard: "I graduated from Berkner High School in 1997. So did Jeremy Coon. I went on to co-write a musical that all my friends in Austin saw. Jeremy Coon went on to produce Napoleon Dynamite. Our high school reunion is in two years. I know I'm better than Jeremy Coon. But in two years, I have to prove it. I have to beat Jeremy Coon." Check this out! You won't regret it. This guy is goofy but we want to cheer for him. Ironically, the same thing could be said about Napoleon Dynamite.

List time

In honour of the return of hockey, here's my picks for the most exciting players to watch:

1. Dany Heatley - Senators
2. Todd Bertuzzi - Canucks
3. Alex Ovetchkin - Capitals
4. Sidney Crosby - Penguins
5. Vincent Lecavalier - Lightning
6. Jerome Iginla - Flames
7. Daniel Alfredsson - Senators
8. Jaromir Jagr - Rangers
9. Roberto Luongo - Panthers
10. Ryan Smyth - Oilers

It should be a great season - they're already comparing this "new style" of hockey to the fast-skating high-scoring games of the 70s and 80s. I predict that someone - perhaps one of the above players - will score 80 goals. It's bold, I know, but it's possible. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Pitchfork - the online music mag

As an online music mag, Pitchfork beats the crap out of better-known mags like Rolling Stone or Spin. There's a ton of info, reviews, news, profiles - everything! If you want to be up to date on music, check this one out (and then check Bring Back Vinyl! for T.V. appearance news, among other things).

Why take a car when you can take a bus?

We were downtown yesterday and - Hutty this is for you - we saw the greatest motor vehicle ever:

It's an aquabus! It provides tours of Ottawa by land and by water. It seems fun; we didn't indulge, unfortunately, but it is a cool pic nonetheless.

Another Culturally Successful Day

Today Scott, Bonnie and I went to the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau (just across the Ottawa River). To start with, it is an impressive building: The museum is fantastic, covering everything from First Nations history to the history of stamps. The best part may have been the Children's museum, where Scott learned the value of being your own boss: Overall we had a great time, and this year we are certainly thankful for friends. Happy Thanksgiving!

Hittin' the town

Bonnie, Scott and I hit the town today, heading to the War Museum first, then Celtic Cross pub and ending up and the Lieutenant's Pump. It was all very fun. The rain wasn't very much fun, though. As we got off the bus the rain started to pour and we got really, really wet. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the War Museum very much; it is a great monument to our veterans, as well as a fantastic teaching tool: we shall not forget indeed. Unfortunately, the Celtic Cross and Lieutenant's Pump do not have such status: we will probably forget those. We definitely had "more than a few" pints, hoping to forget the rain that really, really sucked. However, our trip to the "Pub District" was great - we will certainly head there again. Here's me at the War Museum looking very dashing:
Here's Scott, really wet, in the foyer of the War Museum. It is an impressive piece of architecture:
And, finally, here's Bonnie and I gettin' drunk at the Pump:

Thanksgiving Guest

It's raining here but the weekend should be exciting: Scott McCormick, of Northern Exposure fame, is visiting us for the weekend. We're going to hit all the hot spots, including the National Gallery, Tim Horton's and, hopefully, Best Buy.

Welcome Back Hockey!

October 5th: a day long awaited by most of the men in this country. Tonight the 2005-06 NHL season opens after lockout/crybaby-itis robbed us of a hockey season. The salary cap means that the league is much more even - the Flames are being touted as the ones to beat. The Flames are a great team; the playoff run of 2004 certainly proved that. But did anyone pick them to make the final that year? This year, however, it's all about to change. The Flames, Canucks, Oilers, Senators, Canadiens all have a chance for the final (sorry Hutty but the Leafs look like the same old Leafs). Living in Ottawa, I am especially exicted about the Sens. How could I not catch the wave? Heatley will be one of the greatest players of all time when he finally hangs them up and Alfredsson, as captain, is a Swedish Steve Yzerman - it's a bold claim, I know, but it took Stevie Y a long time to get a cup, too. The Sens also have Hasek, who, even at 85% is still better than any goalie in the league. I think I have my new favourite team (sorry Rangers you're out - 8 losing seasons in a row just isn't good for a fan's spirit). I'm even developing a hatred for the Leafs (again, sorry Hutty). This season any game will be a good game. I used to cringe when TSN would show Nashville versus Phoenix or Columbus against Carolina but now those games might actually be entertaining. Huzzah for hockey!

Tuesday's Hot News

Well! It's so hot here! It's just really uncomfortable trying to get anything done in 27 degree heat. I hope it cools down tomorrow - 20 or 21 would be just right. The other Tuesday news is entertainment: Broken Social Scene's new album comes out today; Bones is new on Global tonight; the baseball playoffs begin today (I'm picking the Cardinals against the Red Sox); and, finally, get set for hockey season to start tomorrow. Whoopee! That's a long wait for hockey fans. Hockey! In this heat!

Judith Miller, martyr?

If you're not up to date on the Judith Miller saga, it might be interesting to read a little more on it. Miller, a reporter for the New York Times, was sent to prison after refusing to reveal a source before a grand jury. Apparently the source waived his confidentiality rights which releases Miller from her obligation to keep quiet. This all relates to a CIA leak last year or something, and now people question whether Miller even knows anything or not. While that is a hot issue, the other issue is Miller's principles. She went to jail for refusing to reveal a source: that's integrity. Yet now, though the source (I. Lewis Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff) has waived confidentiality, there are concerns that Miller has sold out her principles. But she went to jail! There is a suggestion that perhaps she had things other than the truth in mind:
"Fellow source-hoarder Matt Cooper's thrilling tale of a last-minute reprieve had seemed cinematic at the time. Good stuff, we thought, but what's a book about being a journalist martyr without sleeping on cement and not being able to watch CNN? When Miller stayed clammed up while Cooper sang, people wondered what she knew and now it's clear: She knows the dollar value of minor humiliation and anecdotes about prison laundry" (from Wonkette). This story, to me, just got a little interesting. It turns out that Miller is far from a reputable reporter, according to Alexander Cockburn. Is this a tale of journalistic integrity, upholding the rights of the media? Or could it be that everything is a production and we (more specifcally, I) are caught up in it like it's the latest episode of Survivor? I'm sorry, but I've fallen for the hype.

Weekend Wrapup

This weekend thankfully warmed my toes as Saturday hit 24 and today is expected to hit 25; I am appeased. The weekend was uneventful, save for a Friday afternoon fire alarm. Being on the 19th floor, Bonnie and I don't care for those much; we had to stomp down 18 flights of stairs. Turns out the "fire" was no more than ambitious cooking, as the firefighters came out with a sour look on their faces. Yes, it's their job, but still: they were probably watching Seinfeld or something. Other than that, the most exciting events were on the T.V. The Sopranos captivated us on Friday night (Feech was taken care of); on Saturday we enjoyed the Denis Leary-vehicle Rescue Me, about firefighters with major baggage. These guys are heroes, sure, but they're also a**holes. Anyhoo, I recommend it. Saturday Night Live with Steve Carrell was pretty entertaining, as Mike Myers guested in a spot with Kanye West to joke about West's telethon antics (Myers was onstage with West when the rapper made his infamous "Bush hates black people" statement). Today brings Grey's Anatomy as well as the MLB season finale. The Red Sox, having already lost the divison to the Yanks, must now win today to get into the playoffs. It will be tense for Red Sox fans, since they've lead the division for 4 months or something and now they must fight for a playoff spot. Have a great day!

Hit and Run

Here's a comment forum from reason magazine that expands on my earlier post ("For the Good of Humanity?") about the Google lawsuit (thanks Scott). It is interesting and infuriating at the same time. Will books ever lose relevance in our society? No - that is not debated. The physical artifact that is a book will always be popular, even if it is within a specific community. Google is not trying to abolish the book, it is trying to make the book and, more importantly, ideas more accessible to everyone. For you purists out there, wake up! This is no longer the technological revolution! It has come to pass and we are now living in an age where technology and information are vital to our survival. Farhenheit 451 is truly science fiction! (Sorry. I got a little worked up there) Anyhoo, read the article.

End of the week blues

So the week's been pretty good and Bonnie and I are actually pretty happy about the end of the week, but we're not happy about the weather. It's cold! It got down to 3 degrees Celcius last night! I guess October is tomorrow, but it's still cold!

Survivor: Discussion #2

Frankly last night's episode was a little boring. They're all still in that whiny stage and the one voted out was a pretty clear choice. I think Steph is going to blow a gasket soon, especially if they lose another challenge. I think it's time for her to step up and take charge - there's little danger of her getting voted out at this stage because she's still, in my opinion, the best player in the game; the others need her if they want any chance of winning any challenges. Speaking of which, is it just me or are the challenges getting stupider? Setting up an archeological dig tent? The immunity challenge was okay, but shouldn't it be a challenge that involves everyone at once? So my call for next week: Nakum: Nancy the nurse is out! She's too much of a "mother hen" for those "men" to handle; Yaxha: Lydia. Unless Amy busts her ankle completely, I predict that Lydia is going to proove herself useless to the tribe. Third time's the charm, I guess. Tune in next week!

New Wave Rocks

I've been listening to a lot of late-80s BritRock lately, and so here's a list of songs from that genre that I find particularly enjoyable:

1. In A Funny Way - Mercury Rev
2. Souvlaki Space Spation - Slowdive
3. I Wanna Be Adored - The Stone Roses
4. April Skies - Jesus and Mary Chain
5. Lips Like Sugar - Echo and the Bunnymen
6. It's All in My Mind - Teenage Fanclub
7. In Between Days - The Cure
8. Blue Thunder - Galaxie 500
9. Taste - Ride
10. Sing for Absolution - Muse
11. Soon - My Bloody Valentine
12. I Will Dare - The Replacements
13. Cartwheels - The Reindeer Section
14. The Boy With the Thorn in His Side - The Smiths

If you can think of a 15th for me to check out, let me know!

Parliament Hill pretty cool

On Thursday Bonnie and I visited the Parliament Building for a tour. After a pleasant stroll through security, we were led through various halls and foyers, including the famed "press area" right outside the House of Commons. We also were shown the entrance to the library, which is being renovated and thus closed, as well as the Senate. I learned that the Senate welcomes the Queen and GG since they are not allowed to set foot in the House of Commons. Accordingly, the PM must ask permission to enter the Senate. There were also many plaques and statues and paintings. All in all, an interesting tour through the history of our house of government. I recommend it to anyone who is in the area, Canadians or international tourists alike. We also went to the top of the Peace Tower. Here's a picture of the Ottawa River from said tower:

Survivor: Discussion #2

Okay, so I took a little break. But here's the good part: Survivor: Discussion is back! Last Thursday, though battling heat and stupidity, the Nakum tribe managed to win the reward challenge and immunity. By the way, I thought that the mud-tug-of-war-capture-the-flag challege was the stupidest idea they've ever come up with, and there's been some stupid ideas. Anyhoo, Morgan was cut, much to Stephanie's chagrin, for S thought M would be useful in challenges; Gary felt that Morgan was lazy and "didn't do much work around camp." This seemed stupid logic to me, for Steph is correct in thinking that if they have more members they will have a better chance of winning. You need to win immunity for that and little Lydia might indeed be a liability down the road, no matter how many minnows she catches. For all of Morgan's laziness, she may have been stronger in the end. What does Gary think the camp should be, a Holiday Inn? I think he's next to go, which would go against my earlier advice, but I'm sticking to it.

Macleans.ca | Inkless Wells

On a tip from my good friend Chubby (he's not really that chubby, it's just a nickname, like "Slim" or "Fats" - though Fats Domino is quite the rotund gentleman) I checked out Paul Wells's blog on Macleans.ca. It's an interesting take on political issues, and they're such short snippets that even if you aren't that interested you can still read them without much damage.

Lockout Economics

The newest conspiracy theory regarding the CBC lockout is that the CBC is making up for lost hockey revenue by saving on wages. The numbers work out and it really pisses me off. To think that this would even come into the decision! I am really not impressed with the CBC right now. Check out CBCUnlocked.ca for the whole story.

Bookninja

I was alerted to this site via Dave Hutton's page. It presents all the book news you can use and more - plus it has an awesome name. If anything, check it out for that reason. There's also more about the Googe library enterprise.
www.bookninja.com

Rockstar finale fantastic

The Rockstar: INXS finale was last night, and INXS now has a new lead singer: J.D. Fortune. The tattooed and tempermental singer is no doubt qualified vocally, but I was quite worried about his attitude and ability to get along with the band. However, my fears were not considered, and INXS chose the Nova Scotia native to front them for an album and a world tour. Will it last? Well, at the end of the show J.D. sang a brand new song with the band, "Easy Easy", and it sounded great. Marty and Mig, though excellent, proved that they didn't quite have it in the end, as Marty chose to play it safe with "Wish You Were Here" (again) and Mig inexplicably chose the volatile "Bohemian Rhapsody" to prove that they were capable of fronting INXS. J.D.'s performance of "You Can't Always Get What You Want", however, was just what the doctor ordered and it paid off. It was an exciting episode with little or no Brooke Burke to get in the way. I personally thought that Marty would be the one to lead INXS into the next era, but J.D. pulled it out. What will happen now for the band? I would like to see how the recording process (a new record is slated for release on Nov. 29) and world tour turn out; maybe there'll be a show next summer? Regardless, if INXS comes to a town near me, I will definitely check it out. The concept has appeared to work perfectly for the band, for this album and tour will receive massive media attention. Sellout, you say? Well, the members of the band are well into their forties and were likely to never have a hit album again; why not? And it's great music. That's not being sold out. Anyhoo, I enjoyed it and I enjoy the band. What a great show!

For the good of humanity?

CBC news reports that Google is being sued by a group representing authors whose works are reportedly being reproduced illegally. Google has been working with various libraries to reproduce works online so as to allow internet searches. The texts themselves are not available in full, but short passages are made available as Google search results. The Library Project, as Google terms it, seems to allow much quicker access to information and literature; the class-action suit, however, feels that "It's not up to Google or anyone other than the authors, the rightful owners of these copyrights, to decide whether and how their works will be copied." The authors can refuse to be a part, though it requires a form from them to Google. Okay, the question in all of this mess is simple: is Google wrong here? Is the overall project, a massive undertaking in conjunction with such academic libraries as Oxford and Harvard, misguided? Should Google take responsibility to digitize texts, or is it up to the authors 100%? My libertarian friend will argue that each person has a right to control his or her own property, but Google's action will ensure that thousands, if not millions, of texts will be preserved for, well, eternity, I guess. Are authors feeling threatened by the march of digital culture? Is the book itself in danger of fading away? Is Google, a massive corporation, doing this out of greed? What's the answer here?

Paul McCartney? Is That You?

Here's an interesting article in Slate. Has everyone seen the new Fidelity ads that Paul McCartney has been doing? Personally, I have a mixed opinion. Writer Seth Stevenson goes through the motivations of "selling out" and whether "selling out" is even a valid term anymore ("the sell-outs have won"). He also uses a great term, which I think describes pop culture better than any other: "post-integrity". I've always been a John or George fan, and Paul is, to me, without scruples ever since he dared to change the writing credits to some Beatles songs to "McCartney/Lennon" from the agreed-upon "Lennon/McCartney". Anyhoo, this article sparks some interesting ideas.

Ottawa Mourns

The news that has been dominating the headlines the last 12 days is the disappearance of 18 year old Jennifer Teague. She disappeared after a late night shift at Wendy's on September 8 and since then it has been the main story. Obviously we feared the worst and yesterday her body was found in a nearby wilderness preserve. We all watch CSI and Without a Trace and Law & Order and the like, but this time it was an actual person with an actual family. I can't remember something this tragic happening in a city in which I lived. There's always murders and terrible tragedies, such as the high school kid who was stabbed in the chest a while back, but for some reason the abduction of a young woman seems much worse. Everyone hopes that situations like this can end happily, ie she is found before the worst comes to pass, but it is highly unlikely that the police can do much in this situation. Now the hope is that the guy is caught and brought to justice. I've never been a proponent of the death penalty, but cases like this cause me to rethink that position, if only for a second. If you'd like to read the article about Jennifer, you can find it here.

Chubby, this one's for you

Yesterday was my 27th birthday (yes, yes, I know, one step closer to 30, blah blah blah), and Bonnie made me a special birthday supper as well as a special birthday dessert: Birthday Pie.
Well, she didn't so much as bake it as buy it, but it was damn good and my day was great. We watched the Emmys as well, which is never boring or ridiculous.

Yes, It's a Tim's

Okay, if you look closely, in the left-hand side of the picture there is the unmistakeable Tim Horton's sign. Besides, everyone recognizes the signature "Timatecture" of the building to the left of the larger strip mall. This view is from our balcony; I felt that it was important to let everyone know that there is a Tim's nearby and thus we are going to be okay.

The BOBs - BEST OF THE BLOGS - Deutsche Welle International Weblog Awards 2005

If you've checked out CBC.ca Arts lately, you may have seen this already, but if not, check it out: http://www.thebobs.com/thebobs05/bob.php. It is the second annual event, showing that blogs are growing in credibility by the day. I'd like to think that I contribute to the blogosphere in a positive way; don't forget to vote!

Travel Diary #3

Just before the sun went down on Southern Ontario, Bonnie and I stopped at a small place called Gibson Lake. It was a serene little place, next to the highway but away from the noise. The water was crystal clear and calm; the reflection and sun position made for this fantastic picture. Enjoy your Sunday.

Survivor: Discussion

This Thursday marked the beginning of the 11th edition of Survivor. Set in Guatemala, this Survivor has big shoes to fill, in my mind, as the last two were especially addicting. The tribes were set at the get-go for this edition, with the Probst telling the tribes that they will have to embark on an 11-mile hike to the best camp and the tribe that arrives first gets the good one, as well as flint. He revealed that they will have an assortment of tools, as well as an extra one each: with that he announced Stephanie and Bobby Jon from the last Survivor! It was a brilliant, brilliant idea. Everyone knows that Bobby Jon, though perhaps a little, shall we say, "simple", was a great player; and Stephanie, as Probst said, is perhaps "the best female to play the game." I agree, though several other women actually won the game while Stephanie didn't, but that's almost moot: Stephanie was the very last person from her tribe to survive until the merger. She even spent a day or two on her own, which is no mean feat, especially if you've been demoralized as much as Stephanie had been. Anyhoo, she's my favourite, I guess, and I am glad that she's back. Those two and the other survivors set out on the trek through the jungle, eventually arriving the next day. The Nakum tribe, or Bobby Jon's tribe, got there first, relegating the Yaxha tribe, or Stephanie's tribe, to the lesser of the two camps. The jungle trek was gruelling, even by Survivor standards: several castaways were crippled with dehydration, including Bobby, whose legs were locked in position for most of the second day due to cramping; Blake was throwing up all the time; Judd (the new Boston Rob, though from New York and not good looking or even mildly appealing in any way) threw up, too, but the biggest injury came thanks to Jim, the token ex-Marine, who seemed to tear a bicep muscle. Steph was pissed at her tribemates - who can blame her? They all seem like duds, especially the "wilderness guide" who didn't appear to know anything about the wilderness.
Anyhoo, it should be the usual drama and action and then some, with the Guatemala backdrop looking particularly challenging. Be sure to watch!

Oh, and due to Jim's arm, I'm mostly sure, he was voted out.

Watercooler sites

I know that every blog is more or less a "watercooler" site (talk like you would around the watercooler), but a comment I left on the previous post (check it out - my sister embarrasses herself real good) got me thinking: are there sites out there actually called "the watercooler"? And do they live up to the expectation that a watercooler brings? I found some, posted them, talked about them around the watercooler:

1. The Watercooler: "ModBlog Description: A virtual version of your office watercooler, where I'll discuss anything that has zero relevancy in the grand scheme of things. The movie from the night before, the weekend of football, the videogame that's currently driving me crazy, the ridiculous news item I just read... etc." This describes the-watercooler.com. It is a comprehensive site, with animated gifs to contests to polls to general opinion - as well as just bs. I think it will make my daily roundup. http://thedvdguy.modblog.com/core.mod?show=main

2. The Cosmic Watercooler: It's a site dedicated to news and discussion of science and technology. It's pretty cerebral for a site with the word "watercooler" in the title. However, it does break new ground: who says watercooler talk must be about entertainment? This guy proves that watercooler talk can be about anything. Furthermore, just as everyday janes gab about movies and such around the watercooler, maybe people in the entertainment business gab about science. I bet Mary Hart or Pat O'Brien talk about NASA or the federal budget. Scratch that, we know what Pat O'Brien talks about. Anyhoo, if you want to check out the latest science news, check out Cosmic Watercooler: http://cosmicwatercooler.blogspot.com/

3. Water Cooler Games: This blog is different once again: "a forum for the uses of videogames in advertising, politics, education, and other everyday activities, outside the sphere of entertainment". Breaking new ground, just like the last one. Maybe there are more "watercooler" sites about things other than entertainment than those about entertainment. This is a remarkable new development. I always assumed that the watercooler was about what was on t.v. last night. However, that is all hearsay, for I have never actually worked at a place with a watercooler. I mean, my parents had one, but all we talked about was my job situation or when I was going to move out. Not very entertaining. Anyhoo, check it out: http://www.watercoolergames.org/

Here are three very different sites all claiming to cover watercooler talk. I feel like Kramer: "It's a watercooler discussion about watercooler discussion!" I got a little tired of searching the web for sites with watercooler in the title, but if there are any others that you have heard about, please let me know. Have a great Saturday!

Survivor: Probst

Jeff Probst is back at it with his "fire is the key to life on the island" and "the tribe has spoken". Survivor: Guatemala is up and running, and the first episode did not disappoint. I remember looking at the clock at 8:30 and thinking, "a whole half hour more? Awesome!" Only a few shows, House and the O.C. , for instance, give me that feeling. I've decided that I will not discuss results here, for many of you (Chubby I'm looking at you) tape it and watch it later. However, by Saturday I will go into a full Survivor synopsis. So you have two days to get up to speed. If you can't wait that long, or have already watched it, check out the official website: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor11/. Have a pleasant Friday.

Photo-A-Day

This site was a featured site on the blogger homepage. It's got some pretty neat photos. He is a professional photographer, hence the professional-type quality; some interesting perspectives on things. Anyhoo, my vague descriptions aren't doing any good. Check it out!
http://photo-a-day.blogspot.com/

Another Book List

Monique's recommended The Story of B got me thinking: what other recent books would I like to read? I don't usually buy hardcovers, but if I were to buy five, this would be the list:

1. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safron Foer
2. Shalimar the Clown - Salman Rushdie
3. Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
4. A Long Way Down - Nick Hornby
5. Until I Find You - John Irving

Any other recommendations? I'm talking fiction, fun, and fancy-free. What books should I read?

Hot again

It's hot once again in Southern Ontario. Yesterday was a scorcher, as was the day before, but today looks to be a bit cooler - only 25. Humidity is at 80% - which, to the best of my knowledge, explains this picture:
It's still quite hazy; did you know they have smog in Ottawa? It seems unbelievable, but it's true.

In other news, I went for a run yesterday. It took me 15 mins to run to the U of Ottawa campus. I hit the Rideau Canal pathway after that, and made my way back home. It was a long, hot run that I might have to reconsider in the future. There are a lot of other places to run here; I'll never get bored, that's for sure. Lost, maybe, but never bored.

Recommendation of the week: there are two, actually.

1. My dad really recommends Ian Tyson's new record. I'm not sure what to say about that.

2. My friend Monique really enjoyed The Story of B by Daniel Quinn: "It's definitely in my top 3". I'm glad that someone else employs a top 3 (My top 3 are The World According to Garp by John Irving, Barney's Version by Mordecai Richler, and Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood).

Hot in the City

So with the humidex here in Ottawa it's 38 degrees. Whew! Saskatoon doesn't even get that hot. I'm afraid to go outside. This picture is perhaps my favourite from the trip out here: This is Lake Superior about an hour from Sault Ste. Marie. The road curves with the lakeshore and every so often there's a lookout point; this one is certainly memorable. We got into Sault Ste. Marie pretty late, but if we had arrived sooner we would not have been able to capture this image. Stay cool everyone!

Finally!

Today Bonnie submitted her thesis to the College of Graduate Studies. She's done! Huzzah!

Where the Hell is Matt?

My friend Stew sent me this link - it is hilarious and should lift your spirits when you are blue. Click on "Dancing" for three minutes of pure fun. This guy has been travelling the world for 6 months. Check it out!
http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/

Travel Diary #2

This fine fellow was found perched atop a pole in Ignace, ON. The drive through Northern Ontario to Thunder Bay (Day 2) was relatively incident-free. There were some interesting hills around Kenora and some great lake views, and the towns were few and far between, something that is quite different from Saskatchewan or Manitoba. I've put all of our trip pics on a website; if you email me I can send you the link.

Top Five CDs

I haven't posted a list for a while, so I thought I'd give you my list of favourite cds from the last calendar year or so. I highly recommend each and every one of them.

1. Get Behind Me Satan - The White Stripes

2. Make Believe - Weezer

3. Antics - Interpol

4. No Direction Home: Bootleg Series Vol. 7 - Bob Dylan

5. Funeral - Arcade Fire

As I said, these aren't exactly new cds, with the exception of the Dylan, but they're good ones. You can find them at Best Buy, incidentally.

Travel Diary #1

I figured that there are a lot of stories and pictures to go with those stories from our trip that may not have been reported earlier. This section will report those stories, one by one, so that everyone can get the full story of our trip. This is the first.

The Flat Tire.

As we were rolling out of the driveway in Saskatoon, literally seconds from beginning our trip, Bonnie's mom noticed a badly damaged right rear tire. We phoned U-Haul (who were actually quite helpful, strangely) and 2 hours later we were on the road with a new tire. We didn't get into Winnipeg until midnight that night, and we felt that our trip was destined to be excruciating.

TGIF

Okay, so it's Friday! Bonnie and I plan on doing some major unpacking this weekend - we are still pretty much living out of boxes. But we have our phone hooked up as well as the internet, so I feel much closer to civilization. Our main task this weekend: find a grocery store. It looks as though we'll have to haul our groceries on the bus. We have not been able to locate a grocery store near here, and so maybe tomorrow we will explore and find out where to go. We also found out that the laundry room is in the basement; we are sure that our clothes will get stolen. I guess we'll get a lot of reading done while waiting for laundry. That's a luxury we miss - having the washer and dryer five feet from our kitchen. We haven't put any posters up on the wall yet. I think that will make the apartment a little cosier. Here's to the weekend!

Thursday - First Day of School

Bonnie's first class was today - Early Canadian Fiction. It goes from 5:30 to 8:30! And we used to complain about 2 hour classes. We went to look for books today, but, like U of S and possibly every other university bookstore, the lineup was out the door. Bonnie has an office: a room with three desks shared by six people. She's excited. The campus is like 2 blocks from downtown in one direction and three blocks from a Broadway-type area in another. It is weird to be on campus one block and then the next in the middle of a major commercial district. We'll get used to it, though. In other news, I went to Best Buy today. I know we've all seen the commercials, but Saskatoon doesn't have one of its own. It was nothing special - a blue Future Shop. I took my bike out for a spin, too; the streets are narrow, but the major routes have bike lanes, saving me from the many buses that fly by at regular intervals. Biking seems to be a major sport in Ottawa. Though we have to carry our bikes down the elevator, it will be an enjoyable way to get around town. We're still looking for a grocery store nearby, but luckily we've found the nearest Beer Store (they have a store called The Beer Store. No jokes). The picture is the view from our balcony. More to follow.

Parliament Hill

Since our email is not yet hooked up, I'm sending this from the Ottawa Public Library, just down the street from Parliament Hill. We checked out Bonnie's school today - it was a bit overwhelming, but the campus looks nice and the english department will be a good space to work in. The library is pretty cool, too; not as big as the U of S, I think, but they have these sensors in each aisle so that the lights only come on in that aisle if there is someone in it. The rest of the campus is old-style exterior with modern-looking interior and though there isn't a "bowl" to speak of, it is a nice arrangement of buildings in limited space. Overall, I give it an A: not as nice as U of S (A+), but if you've never seen U of S you might think it is the nicest campus in the country. We're going for supper in the Market area downtown and then back to Alta Vista apartments - it is a solid 40 minute walk to the campus but an easy ride - the pathways are organized so that there is little traffic to trifle with. We'll update you with pictures as soon as we get our interweb hooked up. Bye for now!

At the Locks

We’ve made it to Sault Ste. Marie. Thanks to Sharon for updating our trip – Northern Ontario is certainly tricky. You actually have to pay attention to the road! Winnipeg to Thunder Bay was mostly bush and a few rock cuts, things you’d have to go pretty far north in Saskatchewan to see. Thunder Bay was a nice stop, though I am glad we did not spend more time there. We saw my grandma, who’s doing fine with the exception of the loss of my aunt, but otherwise TB is a town I’m happy to leave in my past. Saturday morning we headed out for the Soo, and we quickly realized that we weren’t in SK anymore. The road follows the lakeshore and thus is an up and down rollercoaster of rock cuts and cliffs. At one point we ascended to 600m. We stopped in my dad’s hometown, Scheiber, and ran into an old friend of his (Texaco Joe); it was neat to see where you come from. By the time we stopped in Sault Ste. Marie, it was 10:00 and dark – as you know, the lack of a moon makes the highway quite dark. The scariest parts of the drive were the downhills that turned to the left at the bottom, with a semi headed in the opposite direction, thus blinding you for that split second when you need to turn. It was a little tense. Of course, the U-Haul doesn’t “haul” ass so much; there was constant line of impatient vehicles behind us. Yet everything has turned out fine so far and we are excited to arrive in Ottawa today. Inexplicably, Bonnie is still on Saskatchewan time, insisting that she needs to sleep because it’s “only 6am”. I’ll go wake her and we can be on our way

Huzzah!

And thus we are ready to go - almost. All we have to do is pack the van and close our eyes and we'll be there! All that U-Haul business is behind us. No hard feelings.

...still waiting

We're still waiting! Apparently, all of the U-Haul trucks within 30 hours of Saskatoon (that's how long we've been waiting for one) appear to be in use or damaged. Hutty gave a plausible explanation: maybe they scrap each truck after one use and build from scratch - that's a delay I can understand. Or maybe someone in town here has deliberately held up all the U-Hauls in the city so as to keep us from leaving - thanks for the sentiment; we'll miss you, too, but Bonnie and I are experiencing major ulcer-related pains. Just in case, if anyone reading this is by chance from Saskatoon and currently in possession of a U-Haul truck, please return ASAP so we can get the heck outta here! I never thought I'd be so anxious to leave Saskatoon! Well, the fight continues...

Still Waiting

We're still waiting for the U-Haul people to get us a truck. We're ready and willing, but someone at U-Haul doesn't seem to think we need a truck that badly. Well, we do. I'm not going to say "don't rent from U-Haul", but if you read between the lines, that's pretty much it.

What a Brouhaulhaul

We were supposed to leave tomorrow morning, but a snafu with U-Haul laft us truckless until (hopefully) tomorrow. Then we can hit the road by tomorrow afternoon, thus keeping to our pre-ordained schedule. We wouldn't have to deviate from our plan if only U-Haul could make good with its promise. It reminds me of the Seinfeld rant: "You have no trouble taking the reservation, but it is the holding of the reservation that is the important part" If all goes well, we will be in Winnipeg tomorrow night. Wish us luck!

Bonnie Hughes, B.A., M.A.

Moments ago, Bonnie successfully defended her Master's thesis. Huzzah! Now we only have a 99 things to worry about!

Preparations in full swing

Our preparations to leave are in full swing. The house is slowly getting packed up; tomorrow will be the big moving day, and then Wednesday morning we are off! We will stop in Winnipeg on Wednesday and stay with my mom and see my sister, and then it's Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie and Ottawa - we will move into our new place on Sunday. What a week! Fortunately, 10 years of student life has left me with little or no material possessions, which is good for packing. The U-Haul will be more than enough to transport our limited possessions. Luckily, we are able to take all our books. And cds. Can't forget music! It will be a stressful couple of days, but all will work out, I'm sure!

Check the SP

Dave Hutton has co-authored, with Jeremy Warren, two fabulous articles in Saturday's StarPhoenix. The first is about Dwayne Harms, a pastor who blogged about his illness until he passed away on August 16th. The final posts are by his wife, who reported his death and the funeral arrangements on the blog. There are only 56 posts, but "well over 500 comments". The second article is about Kate McMillan, a blogger from Delisle whose conservative stance garners "roughly 600 emails a day". In addition to McMillan's blog, smalldeadanimals.com, Hutton and Warren examine blogging as a whole, bringing up some key points such as "citizen journalism" and the growing reliance on blogs by the mainstream media (which, I learned, can be shortened to "MSM"; I also learned the word "blogosphere" - an apt if not trendy way of describing the weblog phenomenon). Check out the articles and the websites, and, as always, Hutty.ca

Ultimate Party Mix

I made six fantastic party mix cds for the party last night and using the best songs from those six, here's the ultimate party disc:

All the Young Dudes - Mott the Hoople
Holla Back Girl - Gwen Stefani
Walk this Way - Aerosmith
Somebody Told Me - The Killers
Island in the Sun - Weezer
Let's Go Crazy - Prince
Slow Ride - Foghat
I Predict a Riot - Kaiser Chiefs
Rock the Casbah - The Clash
D'yer Maker - Led Zeppelin
Alright - Supergrass
We Are All on Drugs - Weezer
Hey Ya - Outkast
New Sensation - INXS
Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley
Courage - The Tragically Hip
Roam - B-52s
Rock and Roll All Nite - Kiss
Back in Black - AC/DC
Werewolves of London - Warren Zevon

You may notice the difference between this list and the one posted a few days ago, but it is all about time and place and these songs rocked the house!

Going Away Party

Last night Bonnie and I had people over for a farewell bbq. It was great to see everyone and we are glad that we got the chance to say goodbye to all our friends. The weather, though I've been critical of late, came through: at about 4 pm the clouds broke and the sun came out just in time. It cooled off a bit later in the evening, but today is a spectacular day, 25 and clear. Beach weather, you say? I'm still recovering from that burn a week ago, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? That sounds like something I said last night in reference to the Scotch we drank (see picture).

One Week

It is one week 'til we are on the road! We are getting nervous, of course, but no mad panic - yet. Packing is a slow process and we are still convinced that "we don't have that much stuff." In other news, friends of ours, Deanna and Lee (Happy 22nd btw), are heading to Calgary tomorrow to start new jobs. Good luck you two! Hopefully you'll find better weather! Don't forget to visit the zoo. Can't say enough about the zoo.

Party Mix

Here's a list of songs that are great at parties. Feel free to disagree, but I dare you to listen to any of these songs and not throw your arms in the air like you just don't care!

1999 - Prince
Walk This Way - Aerosmith
Let's Get Retarded - Black Eyed Peas
I Predict a Riot - Kaiser Chiefs
Courage - The Tragically Hip
Alright - Supergrass
Molly's Chambers - Kings of Leon
Feel Like Makin' Love - Bad Company
The Roof is on Fire - Bloodhound Gang
Rock the Casbah - The Clash
Holla Back Girl - Gwen Stefani
So What'cha Want - Beastie Boys
Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand
Jump - Van Halen
Hey Ya - Outkast
Fox on the Run - Sweet
Livin' Lovin' Maid - Led Zeppelin

Manitoba Bronze

Sharon pointed out to me today that I hadn't mentioned her bronze medal at the Canada Games. The Manitoba 4x400 metre relay team won bronze! I am sorry that I did not post it earlier - it does not reflect the achievement, nor my excitement, I assure you. It is an impressive feat to win a medal at Canada Games and these four women ran extremely well in doing so. Huzzah!

Weekend of Sun

On Sunday, the weather was finally nice enough to hit the beach. Unfortunately, my skin was caught off guard and I am now red as a beet. My back feels like tissue paper when I sit down. Nevertheless the beach was fun - not a cloud in the sky. We also remarked that despite the vast empty areas of beach, we managed to be right beside an obnoxious drunk guy and some jerk frisbee throwers, and the a**hole jetskier was not too far, either. The unattractive nude bathers, however, had the courtesy of locating themselves at the other end of the beach. Huzzah for summer! Only 30 days left!

List withdrawal

We haven't had a list in a while, so here's my top five favourite books. I just read a great one (#3), and thus I am excited to update my list (again, in no particular order):

1. The World According to Garp - John Irving
2. Barney's Version - Mordecai Richler
3. Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood
4. The Diviners - Margaret Laurence
5. A Complicated Kindness - Miriam Toews

It is overloaded with Canadian authors, you may have noticed, but can I help it that we breed such great writers?

Folkfest in full swing

This weekend is Folkfest weekend. Me, Bonnie, and Bonnie's sister went to the events last night, taking in the Jewish, Ukranian and Hungarian pavilions. Our main destination was the Karpaty Ukranian pavilion, as our mouths watered for pyryhy. If you plan to go, be prepared for a long wait, as the verenyky was scooped up as soon as it arrived; the line for food was substantial. Still, the food was great once we got it and the music is disturbingly catchy. Overall, a winner. The festing continues tonight and tomorrow night. The German pavilion is always a winner, and there are other pavilions that will prove interesting. However, there are two anomalies that are without reason in my mind. First, there is no Scottish pavilion this year. If you remember last year, the place was lined up all three nights! Do the organizers fear popularity? That might explain the second anomaly. In lieu of the Scottish pavilion, there is the Canadian pavilion. What can possibly be at the Canadian pavilion? I live in a Canadian pavilion! I go to FF to experience something different, not more of the same. Disappointed, to be sure. But we will have fun tonight!

Cold week in Regina

I got back from Regina on Wednesday after watching the first two days of the Canada Games track and field meet. My sister ran really well, coming fourth in the 400 and 9th in the 200. She runs the 4x100 and 4x400 today. The Manitoba 4x400 team ran the fastest time in the heats; if they can repeat that performance, they will bring home the gold! Canada Games is an exciting event for the athletes, and usually so for the spectators. However, the recent rash of "Novemberitis" in Saskatchewan left the fans shivering in their seats. I know that the city of Regina cannot be blamed for the weather, but somebody has to be responsible. Bad form, Regina! Bad form!

Canada Games Extravaganza

Today I am heading down to Regina to take in the track and field portion of the Canada Games. Aside from a host of Sask athletes, my sister, running for Manitoba, will also be there. She will run the 400 and 200, as well as both relays. I am excited to watch track and field at this level of competition. Check daily results here:
http://www.2005jeuxducanadagames.ca/english/
I will be gone until Wednesday, and so this blog will take a temporary hiatus.

Painless

Bring on the M*A*S*H theme: I had a dentist appointment today, thus making my post for the day a little lethargic. News of the day: Bonnie's sister Heather celebrated her 19th birthday yesterday. They went to Overdrive ("O.D.? O.F.!") for some reason, and tonight they plan on two-steppin' at the Longbranch. Kids these days! Nevertheless, we all wish Heather a happy birthday.

More lists

I asked my Dad to submit a list. He's a United Church minister in Rapid City, Manitoba ("little city, lotsa heart") who reads regularly. In fact, I turn to him to find out which new books are worth reading; I am, unfortunately, caught in the 20th century. Here's a list of my Dad's top five favourite books in the last ten years:

1. Anita Diamant - The Red Tent
2. Barbara Gowdy - The White Bone
3. Ian McEwan - Atonement
4. Rohinton Mistry - A Fine Balance
5. Mordecai Richler - Barney's Version

To Blog or Not To Blog

Earlier today myself and some fellow bloggers engaged in a debate about blogging with a non-blogger. This fellow maintained that blogging brings down the English language because of its democracy and its generally vernacular tone. Well, the bloggers disagreed vehemently, arguing that blogging is an easy way to enhance communication with fellow citizens of Earth and isn't that what life is all about? Furthermore, most blogs are not mindless nor do they slopify the English language; indeed, some people hone writing skills right here in cyberspace. What do you think? Leave a comment with your thoughts. Are blogs to be praised or razed? Note: remember that by definition participation means affirmation; thus, all comments, even negative ones, prove that blogs are useful and should be encouraged.

Summer Ball Wrap-Up

The Summer Slo-Pitch dream season is dead. Catchers in the Rye, though clearly winning in the cheering category, lost the final game of the season, ending a season-long win-streak. It was a fun time and we fully enjoyed each game; in fact, I would argue that we had the most fun of all the teams. Hopefully the English graduate students can carry that tradition to next season. We set the bar high, that's for sure.

A Biased, Myopic Account of Mundane Events

A Biased, Myopic Account of Mundane Events Here's a blog by our friend and classmate Daniela Machuca. It's pretty funny (though not as funny as mine) and has some interesting points of discussion. There's an active comments table (of which I am jealous) and funny pics, especially the gummi Stonehenge Orgy. Enjoy!

Weekend wrapup

A lot happened over the weekend, so let's start the wrapup:

- Dave Hutton's Saskatoon Jr. Diamondbacks made it to the final of the National Championships only to lose to a team they had beaten the day before. It must have been disappointing for the guys, but they posted an 9-2 record through the tournament, proving that they had an outstanding tournament. Interestingly, the two losses came at the hands of the eventually champs, the Scarborough Wolves. The Wolves are also the defending champions; the Diamondbacks would've liked the championship, but they came damn close and that's something to be proud of.

- Saskatoon's Kelsey Hendry, a former Huskie, competed in the pole vault at the World Track and Field Championships in Helsinki on Sunday, but was unable to get by the qualifying round. Nevertheless, it was a great accomplishment for her to be there. She is just at the beginning of a fantastic international career: look for her in Beijing 2008.

- Wayne Gretzky, coach? That's right, hockey's greatest player took the helm of the Coyotes. He did a fantastic job with Canada's Olympic program and he hopes to do the same in Phoenix. My only complaint is that Rick Tocchet will be one of his assistant coaches; that guy took out many a knee as a player and I'll never forget his dirty play. He's right up there with Brian Marchment or Ulf Samuelsson.

Incommunicado Weekend

So on the weekend I went to Bonnie's parents' farm in Turtleford to max and relax, hence the lack of posts. It was nice to see Bonnie's family again and it was nice to be away from the noise of the city for a while. The noise of cars and trucks was replaced by cows and coyotes. The coyotes are something I don't think I'll ever get used to, being a city boy and all. We also saw the litter of kittens born earlier this year (see picture). The weekend was relaxing, as it was meant to be, but now I'm back to the fast-paced world of blogging! Let the week begin!

IAAF International Association of Athletics Federations - World Championships 2005

Tomorrow the 2005 World Track and Field Championships start in Helsinki. This will be a pretty big competition, since 32 medalist from Athens are competing. There are several Canadians that have a chance for Top 10s, if not medals: Tyler Christopher, Gary Reed, Kevin Sullivan, Carmen Douma-Hussar, Mark Boswell, and Perdita Felicien. For Saskatoon fans, pole vaulter Kelsey Hendry makes her World Championship debut. Hendry won four gold medals in CIS competition for the Huskies. Check out the website below or CBC, which promises extensive nightly coverage.
World Championships 2005

Thinking of my loved ones

I received word today that a friend of my sister's is sick. I am truly saddened to hear this news; things are never what we wish for, is it? I am glad, though, that through difficult times we have others around us for support. I am not sure what I would do without Bonnie, Sharon, my mom and dad - I am not sure. So I extend my support and love to Sharon and Sharon's friend, because I can give it. I guess my advice for today is to think of your loved ones and ask what you can give, and then give it. A sombre weekend ahead.

Rockstar: INXS

I know it seems kinda silly to be so into a show, but I feel like I'm watching Survivor for the first time. The show is Rockstar: INXS. The band has been without a lead singer since Michael Hutchence committed suicide in 1997. They are auditioning new, young talent to record an album and do a tour and it is all on TV! Each week the contestants sing and each week the band decides who stays and who goes. It is great music and good TV. Check it out:
http://rockstar.msn.com/home

Favourite Songs of the Moment

Here's a list of songs that I've been listening to a lot lately:

"Easy Morning Rebel" - My Morning Jacket
"To Be Young" - Ryan Adams
"Malaguena Salerosa" - Chingon
"Lily and Parrots" - Sun Kil Moon
"Sunshower" - Chris Cornell
"Your Time has Come" - Audioslave
"Young Lions" - Constantines
"Theologians" - Wilco
"Liquid Courage" - Pretty Girls Make Graves
"Casimir Pulaski Day" - Sufjan Stevens
"Thinking of a Dream I Had" - The Walkmen
"The Man Who Sold the World" - Nirvana
"New Sensation" - INXS
"Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" - Lucinda Williams
"Such Great Heights" - The Postal Service
"Bruised Broken Beaten" - controller.controller
"My Own True Love (Lost at Sea)" The Decemberists
"Lion's Mane" - Iron & Wine
"Veronica Fever" - The Raveonettes
"E-Pro" - Beck
"The Roof is On Fire" - The Bloodhound Gang
"You Can Have it All" - The Kaiser Chiefs

If you have a chance to listen to any of these songs or bands, I strongly recommend it. Most of these bands have many other great songs, with the exception, perhaps, of The Bloodhound Gang. "The Roof is On Fire" is catchy as hell as ridiculously funny, emphasis on "ridiculous". Have any recommendations? I am always happy to check out new music.

Thursday

Since it is a slow day so far, I do not know what to put as subject line. I guess the biggest news in the Air France crash. I'm glad that there were no fatalities. The second biggest news is the transactions in the NHL. Forsberg signs with the Flyers, Niedermeyer with the Ducks, Foote with Columbus. Plus, the Oilers are going to be a force once again: Peca and Pronger will take that team to playoff certainty. It's looking like a nice day. I'm going to enjoy it, I think.

Hot day at the diamond

Yesterday Bonnie and I checked out Dave Hutton and the Saskatoon Jr. Diamondbacks at the Fast Pitch National Championships. They have a great team - almost everyone contributed offensively, and defensively they are near perfect. Hutty made a great catch at the wall: his glove (and knee and elbow) hit the wall as he caught the ball. It was a high fly and took a long time to come down; everyone was waiting to see if it would go over the wall or if Dave would catch it. But Dave's a defensive wizard and made the catch look easy. He also added 2 RBIs at the plate. The Diamondbacks are 4-0 and look great against the best in the country. I think they have a great chance at winning it all.
The other news from the diamond is the winning streak of Catchers in the Rye, the English grad student Campus Rec slo-pitch team. We have won something like 6 in a row (winning by default is still a win). Yesterday's game turned into a scrub game with 7 a side as the other team was short by a few. Needless to say, it wasn't a pitcher's duel. But we all had fun in the sun and can't wait for next week's game.

Hutty makes the Phoenix

In today's StarPhoenix, "sparkplug" Dave Hutton gets major props from writer Darren Zary. Hutton scored the winning run in a 2-1 victory over the defending champs in this week's Jr. Men's Softball Championships. For the entire article, click here:
http://www.canada.com/saskatoon/starphoenix/news/sports/
The games were delayed last night because of the wicked thunderstorm here. The most spectacular portion was between 9 and 10 pm, when the lightning was flashing literally every second. The rain served to cool the city down a little, and today it is not nearly as hot as yesterday. Bonnie and I are going to watch a couple of softball games today to watch Hutty and the rest of the Jr. Diamondbacks.

100 hits!

So I've made 100 hits! I want to thank everybody for clicking on my blog, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Keep on keepin' on, everyone!