Kat's Kuriosities

January 2012 Books and Movies

2012-01-21T22:19:00.001-05:00

The Iron Lady

Absolutely brilliant. Will it ruffle more than a few feathers? Check. Will it start a war of the words between Margaret Thatcher's supporters and detractors? You bet. Was is a incredible piece of filmmaking on the part of Phyllida Lloyd? Yes, yes, yes! :) It's really had to describe in words, but the way the film moves back and forth between time is just beautiful. Perfect casting, from my favorite, Meryl Streep, to Jim Broadbent, to Anthony Stewart Head, to relative newcomer Alexandra Roach. The costuming was impecable. Of course, not all moments were included (a fact that many people are debating on the internet these days) but the ones that were in the film were carefully chosen to present all facets of The Iron Lady, both positive and negative. It's really a shame that some people are so blinded by their love/hate for the woman, that they can't see the beauty in this portrayal. All I can say is, go see it!

Young Adult

This would have been a really crappy movie if it hadn't been saved by Charlize Theron. She was absolutely beyond brilliant. Her character (the popular girl who makes it in the big city, only to come back to her small town to get her old, but now married, boyfriend back) is so well developed. She is a depressed, delusional, destructive, manipulative narcissist who you want to hate, but like in spite of yourself. She makes you take an uncomfortable look inward, especially if you see some of your own behaviour patterns in there. At first, I was bothered by what I thought was excessive product placement. There were something like 10 brands in the first 5 minutes of the movie. After a while though, it became clear that none of these products were being portrayed in a positive light. It's plausible that there were actually no deals made with any of these companies, and the product placement is an unwanted reminded of a) how juvenile Mavis is, and b) what a screwed up consumeristic society we live in. It's not necessary to see this on the big screen, but it's worth a look at home.

The Guard

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! Perfect casting (Brendan "Mad Eye Moody" Gleeson and Don Cheadle), great setting (The Irish West Coast, which I've been to and loved) and fricken hilarious. The accent and common expressions take a bit of getting used to, if you're not familiar, but it's not Trainspotting daunting. The premise is that an Irish Guarda (police) and an FBI agent team up to take down a drug ring. It's a little like Hot Fuzz, which I also loved although I thought Simon Pegg would have made a great addition to the case. Good thing I had already gotten a good dose of him in Mission Impossible 4, where he was fantastic. The Guard is an absolute must see. I kind of wish they had named it The Guarda though, somehow it seems much more authentic.

December 2011 Books and Movies

2011-12-31T18:08:00.002-05:00

Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol

I really liked this, but it's more the franchise than the cast or storyline. I know that most of the fancy tricks are beyond reality, actually more that they defy the laws of physics, but they are still so cool. The production value is high, the stunts (especially when Tom Cruise is scaling the worlds tallest building, the Burj Khalifa) are cool and the pretty, over the top accessories (fancy cars, beautiful jewellery, designer dresses) make up for the lack of believable plot and dialogue. Keep in mind that this is one of the few franchises (along with James Bond) that I will deliberately go to see, in spite of all of the above. If you feel the same way I do, give it a go, it was fun.

The Coke Machine - The Dirty Truth Behind the World's Favorite Soft Drink
Michael Blanding

It's hard not to read this title and think that it is stating the obvious, but the details of just how badly this corporation are screwing everyone are still quite shocking. From killing workers who are fighting for a better wage in Columbia, to outright stealing water from poor farmers in India, to overt and relentless marketing to children in North America and Western Europe, this company this company is unbelievable in their dedication to the bottom line and to it's shareholders. Its efforts to "do good" are laughable, especially at the moment, with its pledge to donate 5 million over 5 years (a mere drop in the profit bucket) to polar bear conservation (an icon adopted to promote the brand, albeit a fuzzy CGI version) without actually addressing its contribution to the climate change that is causing the issue in the first place! Augh. And the worst part is, it's impossible to avoid drinking its products, especially since there have been a large number of acquisitions over the last couple of decades. It was a very good read and written by a very reputable journalist, so if you can keep your anger in check, then give it a go.

Dish: Women, Waitressing & the Art of Service

This was a great Canadian documentary (featuring one of our local, albeit not the greatest, restaurants) about women and serving tables. I learned stuff (did you know there was a non sexualized topless diner in Montreal?), nodded my head frequently (after many years of service experience in my teens and 20s) and generally enjoyed the tone, view and pace of this film. If you have the chance, especially if you've ever worked in the service industry, give it a go.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1

Remember what I said about Mission Impossible? This is not included in that category. I knew this would be crap. I read the books and they were crap. I've see all the previous movies and they were crap. With the exception of Taylor Lautner's stellar abs. :) It's become a bet with a friend of mine that we can make it through the entire series. I don't know why. Sometimes things are just because. I originally read the series because I wanted to know what was fascinating my students who just couldn't put them down.

So, in this one, Bella and Edward finally tie the knot, and she gets pregnant on the the honeymoon. Delivering the baby almost kills her, and she is turned in order to "live". It ends (did I mention this was a two parter?) with her opening her eyes as a vampire. I can report that I laughed harder than in any other instalment, to the point that I was having a hard time stifling my snorts and giggles. Well, either it was the movie or the hoards of tweens and teens too busy on there cell phones telling everyone that they were at the Twilight movie instead of watching the Twilight movie!

The Rez Sisters

2011-12-07T23:21:00.002-05:00

Tomson Highway is a) my favourite Native playwright and b) in my top five Canadian playwrights of all time. I'd even go as far to say he's right up there in my top five favourite global playwrights of all time. To say I was excited about seeing Factory Theatre's latest mounting of The Rez Sisters would be an understatement.

This is actually the very first time I've even seen a production, although I studied the play extensively in Drama school and had seen the movie it hasn't been produced in Toronto in 25 years, nor in any of the other cities I have lived in. It was well worth the wait. I thought the multi racial casting was a interesting choice, although I wasn't sure at first. I actually read in a review that the reason it hasn't been produced in 25 years is because there has been much arguing about whether or not to cast all native or not. The blocking was wonderful, with amazing multi-levelled tableaux, especially in the scene where the women are all trying to raise money by doing as many odd jobs as they can. The set was sparse and utilitarian but very creative. I loved the costumes, they were quite evocative. I absolutely loved the audience participation, when we all played a game of bingo in the second half, using bingo cards found in our programs. Billy Merasty was especially good as Nanabush/The Trickster turned campy bingo caller. Apparently, his uncle, Rene Highway (also the playwright's brother) originated this role.

I only have a few critiques. I thought that Djennie Laguerre rushed the part of Annie Cook just a smidge. Because French is the actor's first language, this sometimes resulted in dropped lines, or somewhat unintelligible phrases. I also thought that Michaela Washburn didn't play the bisexuality in her role as Emily Dictionary enough. She was very butch, which made her softer side hard to believe.

I always feel closer to plays that I have read and workshopped extensively. This production came very close, but still was lacking a little. I really hope Factory mounts Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing (the companion play to The Rez Sisters featuring 7 men and a female Nanabush with the game being hockey) next season.

November 2011 Books and Movies

2011-11-30T22:57:00.002-05:00

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

This was a pretty light for books and movies, unless I missed something that I read or saw just from sheer busyness. :)

I'm a big fan of Morgan Spurlock, and avidly watched all season of his eye opening show 30 days. That being said, I didn't particularly enjoy this film, mainly because I didn't really learn anything new. I'm sure there are people out in the world who would be shocked to know that the pop whose brand is so prominently displayed was placed there intentionally to generate advertisement revenue, but are they really this movie's target audience? I don't know.

It was interesting to see which companies signed on, and which wouldn't have anything to do with him though. Very telling. I did laugh at the fact the the main sponsor (POM) actually thought it was going to be a "real" film, as opposed to a documentary about getting sponsors. It was pretty funny. I'm still looking forward to seeing Spurlock's next project and certainly hope for another 30 days type television program.

October 2011 Books and Movies

2011-10-31T20:12:00.002-04:00

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Mark Haddon

I read Mark Haddon's sequel (A Spot of Bother) before this, his debut. It is absolutely hilarious, and give you a bird's eye view of what it's like to be an autistic teenager. I found it helpful as a teacher, as well as a really great page turner. A definite must read!

The Help

Really worth the price of admission and more. The acting was superb, especially from Emma Stone, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer. The subject material is hard core. It punches you in the stomach and makes you question everything you ever knew about race relations. How can people have been this way? And how come it's still going on???? A while ago, I reviewed Prom Night Mississippi, produced by Morgan Freeman about a small town's first integrated prom. I watched in disbelief as antiquated views were being expressed by modern day people. The violence was not shown on screen, but still significant, proof that you don't have to do things with blood and gore to get your point across.to gauge where we were, in the hopes to never repeat it again. I cried buckets at the end. A definite must see!

Dragons in the Bath
Cat Wheeler

I bought this book in an Ubud Bookstore just before I left Bali. Vignette after vignette of wonderful stories about a Canadian writer transplanted. Wheeler is a great writer, comedic and light sometimes, serious and earnest at others. Some of the stories nearly made me fall off my chair laughing. There's a bunch of those sound bite reviews in the front, and I completely agree with one of them, reading this book was like eating one delicious chocolate after another. I read it really slowly because I didn't want it to end! I really hope she produces another volume, this was such a great read.

Herbie Hancock

2011-10-22T23:42:00.001-04:00

I'm so glad we decided to spring for last minute tickets to see this concert. Even the uppermost gallery of Massey Hall sounds fantastic. All the Toronto scene players were there, making up the concert orchestra, including John Johnson (doing some impressive doubling, first on clarinet and then on alto) and Al Kay. I even spotted some ex Glen Gould strings in there. Herbie was fantastic playing Rhapsody in Blue in the first half and delighting the crowd with Cantaloupe Island, Maiden Voyage and Dolphin Dance in the second half. Well worth the price of admission and at 76, who knows how many times he'll be back in town. :)

September 2011 Books and Movies

2011-09-30T23:00:00.002-04:00

I started back at school after 14 months off, so September was a bit of a write off as far as leisure time activities. There are some books that I am in the process of reading, and some movies I would like to see, but nothing to post yet. :)

August 2011 Books and Movies

2011-08-31T22:00:00.000-04:00

Rango

I wasn't sure what to think when I saw this movie on offer with Air Canada. Aside from it taking me two separate flights to complete a children's shorter length film, it was pretty good. Depp was exactly the right choice to voice the character of Rango, and the supporting cast was excellent. A good wild west story (heavy handed Hollywood commentary on capitalism, a bit rich coming from that machine) and quirky animation. Definitely worth a watch.

Mini Shopaholic
Sophie Kinsella

I was getting fed up with these books, especially since the last two, Shopaholic and Sister and Shopaholic and Baby were pretty lame, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one. It started off really slow, but picked up in the middle and really had some very funny moments. I've no doubt that Sophie Kinsella is somewhat tired of Becky and crew, but her publisher (and fans) keep demanding more. Let's face it, it's good money! :) I didn't realize she had another non Shopaholic book out, mostly because I'd gone off her a little, so I'll see how that goes. If you're a fan of Kinsella, read this book, otherwise it's not really necessary, just a nice little holiday diversion.

July 2011 Books and Movies

2011-07-31T23:48:00.000-04:00

Blow

I can't believe I waited so long to watch this. Amazing film! I'd forgotten how good Johnny Depp can be, when he's not channelling Keith Richards, wielding a scabbard. I wonder if the real George Jung ever saw it from prison. I thought they got the 60s and 70s setting dead on, the costumes were fab, and the supporting cast (especially Ray Liotta, Rachel Griffiths and Paul Rubens) were absolutely stellar. Definitely a must see, if you care to watch a film about the cocaine trade and all that goes with that.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

A well crafted ending to a great franchise. Say what you will, lovers and haters of Harry Potter (books and movies) this was a moment in literary and cinematic history. It turned on kids who had barely cracked a book before in their lives and injected much needed excitement for reading. The movies took a bunch of doe eyed 11 year olds and through plain old experience and lots of coaching, turned them into pretty good actors. I'm especially impressed with Emma Watson, who was just terrible in the first three films, but really pulled it out this time around. Part 2 was definitely more exciting than Part 1, but I see why the producers decided to split the book into two movies, beyond the obvious profit bonus. The special effects were excellent, as were the costumes and music. My only critique would be that I wanted to see more of the great cameos (Emma Thompson, Ed Broadbent etc.)

June 2011 Books and Movies

2011-06-30T22:50:00.001-04:00

Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son

I wasn't really expecting too much, considering the Big Momma franchise, but since I was stuck on a plane showing the same movie to everyone, I hoped for the best. At it's best, it was mildly entertaining, with a few minuscule lol moments. At it's worst, the movie was trite, cliche, sexist, stereotypical and vapid. Nuff said. Don't watch. Blech.

Guilliver’s Travels

Wow, this was unbelievably bad. Because I flew a charter this time, the in flight entertainment was chosen for you. This was the one of the only two movies shown on a 7 hour flight to London that I hadn’t seen. Plus I really needed to get some sleep. I’m not surprised that Jack Black and Jason Segal (doing a horrible English accent) were are part of this, but I was very surprised to see Emily Blunt. Actually, she was the best part of this movie, it was like she knew that it was really stupid, and Shakespearian like, kept letting the audience know. I liked seeing Amanda Peet, as I haven’t in a while, but she was given such a lame role. Also, I just don’t get why there are always so many movies where a guy a la Jack Black, gets a girl a la Amanda Peet and never the other way around. Well, I know why, it’s the ole Hollywood double standard, in effect since the beginning of time. But I don’t understand why this outmoded, sexist way of thinking is so pervasive. Urg. Bad movie based on a fantasy novel that few people have read in recent years. Essentially, Guilliver gets sucked into another world where he is a giant. Then he gets banished to another world where he is the little person. I haven’t read the book, but I’m fairly certain they took many liberties, and after seeing this, I have no desire to read it. The sizing of things took many special effects, which I suppose is the draw of this movie for some. Give it a wide miss.

Anansi Boys
Neil Gaiman

As I’ve come to expect, most Neil Gaiman is a great read, especially if you are willing to suspend your disbelief and enter into another of his zany worlds. This time, the stories are borrowed from the African and Caribbean traditions of animals as gods. Anansi the Spider stole the stories from Tiger at the beginning of time and the world has never been the same. Anansi is similar to the Trickster/ Nanabush figure of Native lore. I loved the way Gaiman weaves this impossible world together with ours, so seamlessly, you just accept that that it is true. Fat Charlie is a likable character who grows by leaps and bounds. One thing I noticed the most was that even though the plotline was dependent on the characters being black, there was no obvious mention of this fact until about chapter two. I suppose, if one knows about the Anansi tales beforehand, this would be obvious, but it was nice to happen upon it, and not have it shoved in your face, which is sometimes the case. Excellent book. Whether you’re a fan of Gaiman or not, give it a read.

May 2011 Books and Movies

2011-05-31T11:43:00.000-04:00

Committed
Elizabeth Gilbert

Marketed as a sequel to Eat Pray Love, this book must have disappointed the legions of fans of the novel and movie. In fact, it was a brilliant essay on the pros and cons of getting hitched, well researched and thought out. Essentially, Gilbert is trying to convince herself that getting married (a practice she'd sworn off after her first divorce: see Eat Pray Love) to satisfy immigration officials reconciled with her principles. The fact that it was the only way her partner Felipe could stay in the U.S. with her was certainly a pressing factor, but she came up with some pretty great arguments for marriage that fit in with my ideology as well. I love the fact that marriage, no matter how many institutions, religions or governments try to utilize it to their advantage, remains firmly in the hands of the two people who are willing to commit to one another. It's a good read for anyone contemplating marriage as well as anyone who is a fan of Gilbert's writing style. I really enjoyed that it was set partially in SE Asia, having just returned from that part of the world.

I Love You, Phillip Morris

I first heard about this film (even though it’s been out for a while) while absent mindedly watching a Biography Channel show on Jim Carrey. I’ve always appreciated his comedy skills, but really took notice of his unique approach to acting with movies such as The Trueman Show and Cable Guy. This film did not get wide release in North America due to the explicit gay content. I think if it had been released now, it may have stood a better chance. Still, it did do quite well in Europe, and is listed under the Avant Garde film selection on Air Canada international flights. Carrey plays a gay con man, who meets the above named while in prison. Ewan McGreggor plays Phillip, and it’s one of his best roles, right up there with Trainspotting. I can’t say enough good things about this film. It’s absolutely a must see.

Love and Other Drugs

This movie was far better than the trailers would make you believe. They actually really cheapened the viewers’ expectations, pushing the sight gags and sexual content. Set in the mid 90s during the pharmaceutical boom (and just before Pfifers’ introduction of it’s little blue miracle pill, Viagra it really paints a good picture of that era. It’s a little weird that movies about the past are actually happening in decades that I remember living through. The 80s don’t really count, unless it’s a kid’s movie. ☺ It’s actually about two commitment shy people who use casual sex to keep others out (for their own very different emotional hang ups) but end up falling for each other. It also deals with early onset Parkinson’s very effectively. I don’t know if it’s the high altitude or not, but I must admit, I cried at the end. ☺ Very well done, and both Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhall give great performances. Definitely worth watching.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

It’s funny to think that I watched three quarters of this movie on a KLM flight to Bali in early April, but due to a malfunction with the onboard entertainment on the way back, I couldn’t finish it until now. It wasn’t as good as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but then again, this is the same in book form. Lucy and Edmund just can’t carry a movie the way they do with Peter and Susan, and I thought Caspian was a little weak. The stand out was the boy who played Eustace. What a great transformational role, and he did it so well. The movie sets up nicely for the final installment that they will film, when Eustace goes back to Narnia. Though I don’t agree with some of the more allegorical rhetoric, especially when it’s in the middle of a children’s movie, it wasn’t too in your face, to the point where, if you hadn’t been raised in a Christian household, you wouldn’t get the references. Really amazing special effects, the CGI was especially seamless. I need to find out the location for the Narnia series, the cinematography was stunning. Not a must see, but a good movie. I’ll definitely check out the next one.

La princesse de Montpensier (The Princess of Montpensier

This was a French film offered as a selection on Singapore Airlines. Set in the 16th century, it was an embellished historical drama about a young woman torn between her love and her duty, and the way her life is influenced by the men who love her. I’ve seen the exceptional actress who plays Marie before, she is luminescent. The backdrop of the Huguenot/Papal wars made for good bloody action scenes, and the costumes of the Queen Catherine di Medici’s court were gorgeous. I love nothing more than a well made historical drama, and being in French (with English subtitles) was just the icing on the cake. I like that I understand the French, but can also read the English for more meaning. I really enjoyed this, and would watch more from this director.

Barney’s Version

This was so so good. I wasn’t expecting it to be anything less, given that it stars Paul Giamatti and was a multiple festival pick and winner. I love that it’s based on a book written by Mordecai Richler and that there’s a dedication to him at the end. No spoilers, because it’s just that good, and to not let the storyline unfold naturally would do this film a disservice. The acting is just brilliant, not just from Giamatti but the other actors as well. The cinematography of Montreal is beautiful and even just the framing of the shots was excellent. I cried buckets, and I would have even if I wasn’t flying at a high altitude. Apparently that’s a factor with feeling weepy, which is why people cry more often at their movies while flying. I can’t recommend this enough. Go see it!

April 2011 Books and Movies

2011-04-30T23:00:00.002-04:00

I didn't have a whole lot of time this month, being on my South Eastern Asian adventure and all, but on the plane trip to Bali I did manage to catch three quarters of the Narnia movie, Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Unfortunately, KLM's in flight entertainment wasn't working on the way back, so I didn't finish it. If I get it finished in May or beyond, I'll blog about it then.

I did read one very important book though, cover to cover, but not in sequence. :)

southeast asia on a shoestring

This popular travel guide from the Lonely Planet really was the backbone of my trip. I used almost exclusively "our pick" recommended businesses and was rarely disappointed. I read up on all the places I went to, and when I needed something to read, I found myself reading the other sections too! I'm pretty sure they're putting out another one soon, but this 2009 edition was almost spot on. With the exception of the declining US dollar, most prices were within range. I'm looking forward to reading a borrowed 1989 copy, now that I've been, to see the changes. I've used LP guide books for most of my trips, and will continue to do so, especially because looking at my collection on my bookshelf will always prompt a quick visit to my new favorite travel booking site that searches thousands of airlines for your cheapest options. :D

March 2011 Books and Movies

2011-03-31T23:31:00.005-04:00

Due to my voice surgery, this month was definitely full of movies. 20+ hours of plane rides contributed nicely as well. :)

Beautiful Lies (De vrais mensonges)

Generally I really like Audrey Tatou, but this film was a tad weak for me. The premise was essentially stolen from whichever Shakespeare comedy of errors you prefer, Love’s Labour Lost, As You Like It (aka The Merry Wives of Windsor), Twelfth Night, Midsummer Night’s Dream so it feels a bit ho hum. The male lead isn’t jumping off the screen as Jean the love interest, and the characters in general seem two dimensional and lackluster. I did love the cinematography, as it’s set in the south of France, but that’s about it. Amelie has no competition from this.

Blue Valentine

Reviewers en masse loved this from the alternative weekly papers to the big dailies. What the heck were they on about? Yes, I get that it’s a depiction of love gone sour, but it’s really had to feel any sympathy for either one of these characters, let alone journey with them in their pain and self pity. Michelle Williams was marginally better than the pitiful Ryan Gosling, although I’ve never much cared for him. The storyline is told well in flashbacks, and the editing is really clever, but unless you’re watching it for free, say on a 15 and a half hour flight to Hong Kong ☺, give it a miss.

Shrek 4

The first half of this movie was pretty bad, and much what you’d expect from a sequel to a sequel to a sequel. But the second half impressed me. They were able to completely reinvent the story within the Land Far Far Away and fairy tale setting. I loved Fiona’s alternate character in the alternate universe, as well as some of the new characters they brought in. I’m a flute player, so it’s a given that I enjoyed the Pied Piper. He really played a mean jazz flute! ☺ I love Mike Myers, so I have no doubt that when they get around to making Shrek 5, I’ll see it at some point.

Die Fremde (When We Leave)

This was really good. Tragic in a makes you want to punch your screen kind of way. The actress who played Umay was absolutely brilliant. Her command of subtle emotion acting technique absolutely blew me away. The story is heart wrenching. She escapes Istanbul and an abusive marriage, only to find that back home in Berlin, she is painted a whore and a dishonourable daughter by her mother, father, brothers and sisters. She does everything for her son’s safety, but it just doesn’t matter. As far as her family is concerned, she should just leave the boy with them, and slink off in disgrace. I won't spoil the ending here, but really, give it a go, it's quite something.

Toy Story 3

I've loved Toy Story since the first time I saw it in 1996 on one of those first few dates that you keep starting new relationships to experience. The relationship didn't last, but the love of Toy Story and it's sequel did. I'm so glad I wasn't disappointed with the third instalment. Andy's all grown up and off to college, but Woody, Buzz Lightyear and all the others are still the same. The new little girl is really cute and the happy ending is wonderfully feel good. Definitely see it, with or without kids!

Black Swan

This was as good as everyone said, although slightly marred of late by Natalie Portman's claim that her dance double only performed 10% of the dancing in the film. (Um, I don't think it's possible to learn en pointe in 1 year, even if you are a big Hollywood star.) It was suspenseful, downright creepy at times and full of beautiful music and dance. I've always loved Swan Lake, the music is some of Tchaikovsky's best. Again, it was nice to see Winona Ryder after a while, but sorry to see she's still doing bit roles. I was impressed with Jackie from That 70s Show. She was quite good. All in all, not too shabby for a blockbuster!

The Adjustment Bureau

I really really wanted to like this. And I did like some of it. I liked Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and especially Anthony Mackie. I liked the romance, the thrills and the New York (not Toronto as stand in) cinematography. I did not like the inference that some sort of monotheist power controls our life plan. Ick, ick, ick. It's really clever and original, and I can see how some audiences would have spontaneously applauded, as I've read, or why it's gotten good reviews. But these people must have a strong belief that there is a greater plan, someone in charge etc. And I just can't get behind that.

Logan's Run

Hmmm, supposedly one of the best late 60s early 70s sci-fi flicks of all time. Give me 2001: A Space Odessey any day. While the special effects were phenomenal for it's day, the movie was very trite and cliche. I just couldn't get into either of the leads, or the plot. Then I looked it up (sometimes the internet can be a very bad thing) and found out the movie is nothing like the book, and that I would have liked the plot twists in the book better. So a bit of a fail for me. Another J rave, which would put him 0 and 2 this month! :)

Torchwood: Children of Earth

I love Torchwood, and this was really good, but it really felt empty without Tosh and Owen. And then they had to kill off yet another cast member! I'm looking forward to the latest instalment set in the US, but I still prefer the first 3 seasons. As long as John Barrowman is on screen, I'll be tuning in for sure. This season was really creepy, with the children being the mouthpieces for the aliens and all, but not as scary as some people said it would be.

Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex but Were Afraid to Ask

Wow, this was pretty bad. Both K and I thought so. It was on recommendation from J, but I think it's more of a guy movie. The jokes were stupid, and most of the time, I really like Woody Allen. The vignette about the sheep was atrocious. In all, not my kind of movie.

Bobby

This was really good. A fleshed out, somewhat fictional account of the event leading up to the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. Great cast (good to finally see Christian Slater in something and weird to see pre train wreck Lindsay Lohan) and an interesting look at the politics of the day. Even though you know how it's going to end, the movie still surprises you. Really good.

The Band's Visit

This film is absolutely brilliant and a great example of how people come together to create something amazing even if they are from different cultures within the same country. The actor who plays Tawfiq is an Israeli Jew who was born in Iraq. The actor playing Haled is an Israeli Arab. The actress who played Dina was born in Israel of Moroccan Jewish parents. The storyline is quite simple. An Egyptian military band is invited to Israel to play at an Arab cultural centre but accidentally gets on a bus to the wrong town. They spend the night there until the next bus in the morning and interact with the locals. Apparently it the Academy rejected it as Israel's submission for best foreign film because more than 50% of the film's dialogue was found to be in English, as opposed to Arabic and Hebrew. The
wikipedia article is quite good on this film. An absolute must see.

Sex and Death 101

Ummm, not the most memorable thing I've ever seen. The guy from the Metalist and The Devil Wears Prada was very good. Interesting concept, he's provided with a list of everyone he's ever slept with, and hilarity ensues, as the last person on the list is a purported serial killer. It was nice to see Winona Ryder after a long while. Not great, but a few laughs.

New York, I Love You

Not nearly as well done as Paris je t'aime. Too many cliches. I could tell what was going to happen next in most vignettes. Plus, there were too many character crossovers that felt very contrived. It was great cinematography, and New York makes a great backdrop for any film. I supposed Paris is prettier, in that respect, but part of New York's charm is its grittiness. I'll be interested in seeing any other city featured in this short film style. The very best part though, was the appearance of Anton Yelchin. I luuurve him, and I haven't see him since Star Trek. I was also impressed with Natalie Portman's directing. Worth a look.

February 2011 Books and Movies

2011-02-28T13:14:00.001-05:00

Not sure how I went away for the entire month of January and managed to have so many books and movies (well having the time on the plane helped) and only a single movie for February, but here it is.

Unstoppable

Really good. Much better than Speed, mostly because it's based on a true story of a runaway train and doesn't have a terrorist twist. And stars Denzel Washington instead of Keannu Reaves. :) Very suspenseful, and excellently shot. It's quite incredible that they were able to keep a single plot line going for the entire film. It was interesting to see the perfect storm of events that lead to the driverless train barrelling towards a large populated area. If you like action movies, but not a lot of blood and gore, this is one to see.

January 2011 Books and Movies

2011-01-31T23:43:00.003-05:00

How to Train Your Dragon

I chose this movie from a list on an airplane solely because I'd played the soundtrack in one of the bands I'm in. The music was great, so I was curious to see how it related to the film. It was quite good. A few contextual issues, for some reason even though the story is set on an island off the coast of Iceland, everyone except the young kids had a Scottish accent. It wasn't explained, and frankly, a little bizzare. Also, they all wore those dorky "viking" helmets with the horns, although it's been proven the Vikings didn't wear them, thereby perpetuating the stereotype. I loved, loved, loved The Trotsky, and Jay Baruchel didn't disappoint as Hiccup. In fact, most of the younger people in the film were from the Judd Apatow school and also were in Superbad. It was fun, but not without plot holes and the dragon involvement didn't seem to be the focus, even though they are in the title.

Breakfast With Scot

Brilliant Canadian film. Where was I when this came out? I guess it didn't get wide release, but apparently it was a darling of the festival circuit. About an ex hockey player and sports lawyer gay (but somewhat in the closet) couple who become guardians of a very out gay child, it's extremely well acted. Set in Toronto (and not pretending to be somewhere else for once) it was nice to see the city featured and flatteringly so. Starring Tom Cavanaugh (who I think is best known for Scrubs) and really great child actor Noah Bernett, along with a whole host of great Canadian talent, it really is a must see.

Not on the Label: What Really Goes Into the Food on Your Plate
Felicity Lawrence

Though set in Britain, where some food production differ from ours, this is a good but scary read. It will make you never want to set foot in a grocery store again. They are painted as the evil corporations that are the root cause of migrant labour, price gouging, unfair trade and the collapse of the UK farming industry. It was written in 2003 so some things have changed, but really, not enough to make a visible difference. Even though we don't make our bread through the Chorleywood bread process in Canada, we still have a highly industrialized baking industry with limited access (especially if you don't live near a big city or have a quaint town bakery) to quality bread. It inspired me to buy and use a breadmaker and to be very mindful of where I shop, eschewing trucked in fruit and veg and buying local whenever possible. Obviously it's not always easy and I anticipate falling off the wagon due to stress, time limitations and sheer convenience, but being more mindful is definitely a great way to start.

Too Fat Too Young

Excellent documentary by Gok Wan (of How to Look Good Naked) about teenage obesity and his own struggle with his weight and self-esteem. Nothing new here, but good to see the number of programs in the UK that are targeting the self-esteem issue, due to the large amounts of bullying, self harm and suicide attempts related to these issues. It was strange to see Gok's former fat self in pictures. I've always though he looked a bit haggard as a super thin person, but he seems to really like himself this way, and that, at the end of the day, is all that matters.

The King's Speech

Absolutely brilliant film about George VI and his reluctance to speak publicly both before and after having to assume the throne after his brother abdicates to marry a divorcee, due to a speech impediment. The casting was amazing. I even liked Helena Bohnam Carter, whom I don't often like in films. Too weird and creepy. Must be the years married to Tim Burton! :) Both she and Colin Firth nailed their characters. Geoffry Rush was brilliant and it was interesting to notice that although his character was Australian, he spoke with a mostly English accent. This is probably due to the fact that in the 30s, outsiders weren't tolerated very well, and he would have had to tone down his natural accent. I found it funny that the characters of George V and his wife Mary were so two dimensional, but it's more than likely because they only had limited sources to create from. It's been nominated for dozens of awards, so is definitely riding the buzz wave, but it's really good. I highly recommend it.

My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding

This is a documentary that aired on Channel 4 (UK) about travellers weddings. It's since been made into a series. If you get a change, take a look. It's hard to explain how tacky the dresses are, without seeing them. Meters of train, umpteen layers of netting, glitter, crystals, sky high hairsprayed hair, massive tiaras, appliques, gloves, horse and carriage, it's like Cinderella meets Barbie meets Ru Paul. It's a very unique culture, one that spans many continents. It's really difficult to get any real information on them, as they are very secretive. Even this documentary doesn't let on more than just the bare minimum to tell the story. Quite fascinating, I'm looking forward to watching more.

Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie

This was quite well done, and interesting. What shocked me most, was David Suzuki's seemingly cavalier attitude toward his first marriage and how his blind devotion to science played a large role in its demise. I guess I never thought of him as a person with life struggles before. Of course he's a human being, so it's to be expected, I suppose I've only ever though of him as the environment guy.

There were many interesting vignettes, including one about his Japanese heritage, and his travels to Japan. Apparently he learned Japanese as an adult, as neither of his parents (who were both born in BC) spoke the language. Another was of footage of the Haida protests of clear cutting old BC forests in the 80s. Aboriginal issues have always been very dear to him and he seemed most proud of the fact of his grandchildren is Haida. The vignettes are juxtaposed with his giving a talk at a large theatre in Vancouver. I've seen him speak, and know firsthand how inspiring he is. It's definitely worth a watch, especially if you're an environmentalist.

The American

Not very good. George Clooney was pretty, the scenery (Pescara, Italy) was beatiful but all in all a lame movie with an even lamer ending. (I won't spoil, just in case) I wouldn't have watched this, if I wasn't on a plane. I don't really go in for the assassin type film, even if the character wants to go straight. Give it a miss.

Eat Pray Love

I loved, loved, loved this book, so I was fully expecting to hate the movie. I was surprised that it wasn't horrible. Not particulary good, especially when they sapped the book of all it's spirituality and left out really key detials making the character, especially Liz, seem shallow with no focus. Javier Bardem as Felipe was the only character I really connected with. I didn't think they cast the right person as Richard, and his scenes made me say ick. The worst was that they shoved the novel into the film like you would clothes into an overstuffed suitcase. The scenery and cinematography (especially the food!) was glorious though, and I'm looking forward to possibly visiting Bali later this year. It was a bit bittersweet, as I'm in the middle of my year off, but have only just gone on my first trip, when my intention after reading the book was to travel a similar route as Elizabeth Gilbert. I now have new travel plans, and new journeys of self-discovery.

December 2010 Books and Movies

2010-12-31T17:10:00.000-05:00

Scott Pilgrim vs the World

Let's just start by saying, I'm not into graphic novels. In fact I'm reading this one, my first graphic novel, only because I enjoyed this movie so much. It was kooky and fun and set in Toronto, which made it all that much cooler. I loved the telling of the story as an 80s video game, and the characters were great. Micheal Cera is the same in every movie I see him in, but his style suited the Scott character well. I'm on part one of the novels (there are 6) but since I already know how it ends and the movie pretty much sticks to the books, I guess I don't really have to read it. I like the pretty pictures though. :D

Walmart: The High Cost of Low Prices

Excellent documentary about the evil that is Walmart. I had already given up shopping there (and I had only been there a few times, usually with someone who was already going there) but this strengthened my resolve. The most heartbreaking stories were the family business going under and the horrific conditions of Walmart factories in China, Bangladesh and Latin America. Definitely a must see, especially if you're on the fence about shopping at Walmart.

Easy A

So disappointed! Great actors, lame story. Bad pacing. Ugggg. Emma Stone was fantastic with what she was given, as were Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci. The concept is interesting, a girl lies about losing her virginity, then helps out a nerdy friend by pretending to sleep with him with disastrous results. I liked the shout out to John Hughes though, hopefully this movie will inspire a whole new audience for his films, which would be the best thing to come out of it.

A Christmas Story

Very cute. I was surprised I hadn't already seen this classic. Ralphie is the best, and it was great to see the bits that were shot in Toronto, especially the retro streetcars rumbling past, that I used to ride as a little girl. Because there were so few on the tracks, it was always super exciting when one came along. I loved the narrative (reminded me of a good show, The Wonder Years) and thought the whole movie was charming.

Sh*t My Dad Says
Justin Halpern

I thought this would be funnier. I started following this twitter feed a while ago, so someone lent me the book. It was nice to find out Justin Halpern and his dad's back story. The book is more story than funny one liners, so if you're looking for a laugh a minute, this isn't it. But as a quick, fun little read, it's very enjoyable.

Religulous

Bill Mahr's rant at the end of this film (included here) pretty much sums it up. Religulous was very informative, somewhat made up at times and always interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed it. A must see for anyone who is interested in religion and it's impact and a confirmation that atheism is alive and kicking.

Here's the speech:

"The irony of religion is that because of its power to divert man to destructive courses, the world could actually come to an end. The plain fact is, religion must die for mankind to live. The hour is getting very late to be able to indulge in having in key decisions made by religious people. By irrationalists, by those who would steer the ship of state not by a compass, but by the equivalent of reading the entrails of a chicken. George Bush prayed a lot about Iraq, but he didn't learn a lot about it. Faith means making a virtue out of not thinking. It's nothing to brag about. And those who preach faith, and enable and elevate it are intellectual slaveholders, keeping mankind in a bondage to fantasy and nonsense that has spawned and justified so much lunacy and destruction. Religion is dangerous because it allows human beings who don't have all the answers to think that they do. Most people would think it's wonderful when someone says, "I'm willing, Lord! I'll do whatever you want me to do!" Except that since there are no gods actually talking to us, that void is filled in by people with their own corruptions and limitations and agendas. And anyone who tells you they know, they just know what happens when you die, I promise you, you don't. How can I be so sure? Because I don't know, and you do not possess mental powers that I do not. The only appropriate attitude for man to have about the big questions is not the arrogant certitude that is the hallmark of religion, but doubt. Doubt is humble, and that's what man needs to be, considering that human history is just a litany of getting shit dead wrong. This is why rational people, anti-religionists, must end their timidity and come out of the closet and assert themselves. And those who consider themselves only moderately religious really need to look in the mirror and realize that the solace and comfort that religion brings you actually comes at a terrible price. If you belonged to a political party or a social club that was tied to as much bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, violence, and sheer ignorance as religion is, you'd resign in protest. To do otherwise is to be an enabler, a mafia wife, for the true devils of extremism that draw their legitimacy from the billions of their fellow travelers. If the world does come to an end here, or wherever, or if it limps into the future, decimated by the effects of religion-inspired nuclear terrorism, let's remember what the real problem was that we learned how to precipitate mass death before we got past the neurological disorder of wishing for it. That's it. Grow up or die."

Love that last line. Pretty much sums it up. :)

Lions For Lambs

Very interesting Hollywood commentary on the U.S. campaign in Afganistan. Robert Redford directs three loosely connected story lines (Merryl Streep as a reporter interviewing Tom Cruise as a senator in support of the war, Robert Redford as a university professor talking to one of his students and two young soldiers in the thick of it, who used to be students of Redford) that happen in real time. The film's obvious leftist agenda is everywhere, but why the writing and acting are so stilted, I don't know. That being said, although the topic was interesting, the film on a whole, was not.

Vantage Point

This is the story of the same crime as seen from a number of different angles. The cinematography was great (I've got to go to Spain, and soon), Forrest Whittaker was quite good in his role of an American tourist who catches some of the crime on his camcorder, but overall, it was cheesy and over scripted. Violent crimes of terror have never pulled me into a movie, and it didn't here. Good for a look, if you like looking for clues as they re-tell the action again and again.

Three Junes
Julia Glass

Beautiful novel. I couldn't put it down. Amy lent it to me, after loving it as well. Set in Greece, Scotland and New York, the descriptive language is just stunning. I loved the links between plots, they never seemed forced. I was very surprised to learn that this was a debut novel. The author says it's a triptych as opposed to a trilogy, and I agree. Parts of the previous story that seem insignificant, pop up later, as very important. Apparently there's a second novel, that features characters from Three Junes. I'll have to check it out.

November 2010 Books and Movies

2010-11-30T23:42:00.000-05:00

Fast Food Nation

This is a fictional film based on the book of the same title. I did read it, but before I started blogging my book reviews. I remember I found the facts all at once shocking and fascinating, as this was the first time I learned about factory farming and the horrible conditions for workers in the meat packing plants. The film was not quite as good, although definitely shocking with it's use gory depictions of the kill floor and other goings on inside the plant. The use of so many stars cheapened it for me, although I could appreciate the great acting from the Mexican stars. It's still worth a watch, especially if you're interested in the topic.

Further Under the Duvet
Marian Keyes

This was slow to start, with many of the articles seemingly rehashed from Under the Duvet, but picked up in the end. There was a continuation of the story of Keyes' alcoholism, and how she started writing and a few articles about her charity work in Ethiopia and Russia. The best part was at the end, where she printed some of her previously unpublished short stories, including the one she credits with spear-heading her recovery. So the story goes, while recovering from a particularly spectacular binge, she read a short story in a magazine and though, "I'd like to do that", then proceeded to write her first short story. Eventually she sent it to a publisher, and the rest is history. A bit simplistic, but encouraging, none the less. It made me wonder why I'd let my own writing slide, and hopefully will inspire me to pick it up again. Not to worry, my blog is not an indication of anything, most of the time when I'm writing here, I'm dashing off thoughts as fast as they appear in my brain. I really should take the time to post more thoughtfully, not to mention edit more thoughtfully, as Amy does, but I'm sure she has her post and run moments too! :)

The Social Network

This was a brilliant film. Of course, I love love love Jesse Eisenberg (even if he played a total dinkaballs in the movie) so that was a plus as well. Watching it seriously made me want to disable my FB page, just on principle. The supporting cast was great, Justin Timberlake was a standout. It boggles the mind how huge FB has become, and just how rich Mark Zukerberg must be. A definite must see.

An American in Paris

A classic 50s masterpiece. Gene Kelly is suberb, his French co-star a magnificent dancer. Apparently Gene Kelly choreographed the entire movie. Loosely based on Irving Berlin's tone poem An American in Paris (written when he lived there in the 20s), the story is a bit fantastical (as most musicals are) but really wonderful. A film for the best of list.

Food Inc

Documentary about food production in the US (but can be applied to most industrial nations) and the corporations behind it. There is a whole sections on GMOs, specifically on the very evil corporation, Monsanto. I saw another documentary, The Fight For True Farming that details a prolific case of a Saskatchewan farmer vs. Monsanto. I also want to see the documentary The Corporation, to complete the full circle. There is so much to take in, but I believe we can make small, but important choices, to make sure the food we eat is local, ethical and, most importantly, tasty.

Wicked

2010-11-11T23:21:00.003-05:00

Saw Wicked at the Cannon Theatre tonight. I had wanted to see it when it came to TO initially, but the show was completely sold out. I was only able to get cheap, cheap seats, actually they were the stools in the very back! The show was very good, exceptional production values and Jackie Burns, who played Elphaba, was absolutely stellar. The two best songs in the show Defying Gravity and No Good Deed were both sung by her. The links here are from the London show, and frankly not sung as well, but still good. As for the rest of the cast, they were a bit underwhelming, with the male leads being quite weak. I found I was a little bored with the acting towards the end of the second act, even though the story is very clever. The book was an overnight sensation, telling the prequel to the Wizard of Oz. I think I'm just a little bored with pop inspired Broadway songs, even though I know it's not going to change anytime soon, because that's what people want, even though so many of them are so cliche. Sigh. I guess that makes me somewhat of a musical snob. Oh well, I liked most of it, and was glad I went, even though my butt was a bit sore from sitting on those weird stools. :)

Ruby Watch Co.

2010-11-09T23:14:00.007-05:00

Hands down, the best
restaurant I've been to thus far. Spearheaded by Lynn Crawford of Restaurant makeovers, it's a foodie's delight.

It's kind of a dictatorship, with only one menu, and no substitutions (aside from vegetarianism and allergies) but oh, what a lovely one.

Here's what we ate (except I had pan seared B.C. Salmon instead of the beef):

PERTH BACON & EGG SALAD
Maple & Honey Mustard Glazed Bacon, Sleger’s Living Greens, Garden Radishes, Sherry Vinaigrette
SWEET & SMOKEY MUSTARD MARINATED FLANK STEAK
WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE
Grilled Broccoli with Lemon Butter, Espelette Spiced Butternut Squash, Roasted Thompson Yukon Gold Potatoes
UPPER CANADA’S NIAGARA GOLD
Carron Farm’s Carrot & Orange Marmalade
RUBY’S PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
Candied Pumpkin Seeds, Coffee Caramel Sauce

The best part was the broccoli (I know, what??!) and the way the white was perfectly paired with the salad and the fish. The cheese was particularly delectable, I've got to find some Upper Canada's Niagara Gold at the market this weekend.

The staff were incredible, there were wine recommendations for every course, and K even got her menu signed by Lynn Crawford herself. She was in after a long shoot. Apparently, Pitchin' In has been nominated for a Gemini. I would go back there again and again. Absolutely fabulous!

October 2010 Books and Movies

2010-10-31T13:06:00.003-04:00

Funny People

A little bit funny, a lot of melodrama, just waiting for it to end by the last half hour. It was like two story arcs just missing each other. The Adam Sandler storyline is pretty lame compared to the Seth Rogen one, but I suppose the two complement each other. It's definitely a renter, which I suppose is why I watched it a year late downloaded to my computer, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it unless you have a bit of time to waste. It's way too bloody long and you have to wait an age between good moments. Meh. It has a really good ending (last 5 min) though, sort of validates the 2.5 hours of your life you just gave up. :)

RED

Great action flick about retired CIA agents trying to stay alive while dodging a ordered hit from higher up. Some of my favorite actors are in this (Mary Louise Parker, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren) and the non stop action is very entertaining. I even liked Bruce Willis, because he was doing a more funny and human version of his typical action persona. Really fun, either go see it or rent it!

Fubar II

In contrast, the sequel had much higher production value and a better plot. The boys go to Fort McMurray to work on the oil rigs but with the same headbanger mentality. I found myself laughing a lot more. It was also interesting to see the cast 10 years on. Many of them looked very different. I even got an @mention on Twitter from the dude who plays Dean, which was pretty cool.

Fubar

Because Fubar II was out in theaters, J made me watch the first one, so I would know what was going on. It's about a couple of western Canadian headbangers (think Strange Brew hosers) doing absolutely nothing, because that's what they do. It was made on a very low budget, which made it hard to understand the audio at times, but there were some really funny moments.

A Spot of Bother
Mark Haddon

Great book about an English family made up of retired parents, the mother having an affair, grown children, one approaching her second marriage with a child from a first marriage, the other, gay, recently broken off from his partner. Their relationships are at times tenuous and other times joyful. The twist is, the father goes off the deep end, and is trying to do so in a polite, dignified manner. As the book moves to it's conclusion, Katie's wedding, all plots are neatly resolved, with funny scenes. It's extremely well written and well packaged as a light, interesting read. I think I'll try Mark Haddon's other novel as well.

Whatever Works

Slow to start and better suited for serious Curb Your Enthusiasm fans than myself, but in the end, a pretty good film. Larry David is is usual curmudgeonly self and the plot twists are classic Woody Allen. Actually this is the first film he's set in New York in quite a while. The filming has a grainy 70s cop show quality and gives a real picture of the city. Patricia Clarkson (whom I love) is absolutely fabulous. In fact the casting is great all round. Definitely worth a look.

Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married
Marian Keyes

You can definitely tell that this is one of Keyes early works. I think it was her first novel, but I'm not entirely sure. It's rough, but you can still see her signature style of mixing heavy topics with comedic relief. Lucy is a supremely annoying doormat, but you develop more sympathy for her as the book goes along. The heavy storyline is about alcoholism, a topic quite familiar to the author, as I've mentioned in other posts. Not her best, but most certainly a good taste of what's to come, which for the most part, was brilliant.

Hmm, things didn't go as planned...

2010-10-29T23:39:00.001-04:00

I lasted one whole day. Brutal I know, but in my defense, there were a lot of other things that came into play.

But for an update, Dad doesn't have cancer thankfully, Mom is doing better, and is at home (hence the change of plans and break from routine) and my RA seems to have calmed down some and I'm feeling better about most things.

Instead of sticking to a timed routine, I'm going to try and incorporate at least three things in a day. I've bought by monthly yoga pass, which is a good start. I haven't made good on the other things, except for cooking and admin, but I do feel I've been productive.

I've also found a couple of amazing things on the internet. For the first time, I think in my life, I was affected by a television commercial directly. It's a free on-line exercise program specifically targeted at younger people with RA. Unfortunately, it's only for U.S. residents, but maybe they'll expand into Canada.

While trying to determine if there was such a thing in Canada already, I stumbled upon this brilliant blog. It's a great find, and awesome to see that there are others out there just like me. We were even diagnosed at almost the same age. I'm looking forward to reading more from Sara, both on her blog and in her comic at MyRACentral.com which, incidentally, is also a really great site.

Pricilla Queen of the Desert

2010-10-17T23:24:00.000-04:00

Absolutely fantastic! It's as if a Buddies in Bad Times production had gone mainstream. The only downside were the Aussie accents. To be fair, it's a really hard accent to pull off. The costumes and technical theatre elements were unbelievable. Seeing the movie makes it a bit easier to follow, but it's not necessary. Great fun, go see it!

Ups and Downs

2010-10-10T11:14:00.003-04:00

The move is complete, I'm on my year off and have a whole world of possibilities ahead of me.

BUT... (not to sound all complain-y) I'm house poor again, my RA has kicked up again (my right wrist has been consistently flaring for over three months now), my mom just had a medium heart attack and my dad is waiting on test results to determine whether or not a growth behind his knee is cancerous, not to mention that it's apparently a secondary tumour. It's a lot. So much so that I've been super stressed, losing track of time and days, not remembering simple things and generally screwing up to the point that other people think I'm a flake-o-la. Which is frustrating.

I'm trying to look on the bright side, maybe I wasn't able to defer my year off for a reason. To be able to get well and help others who aren't well. I've gotten a private teaching job, that I hope will translate into others. Maybe I will be able to realize my dream of going on a major trip on this year off. I'm definitely going to sign up for another one, as it's definitely something to look forward to while working and gives you a much needed break. I'm certainly enjoying not working, but the lack of routine is killing me. Now that the move is more or less done, after Thanksgiving, I'm starting a new weekday routine.

8:00am - Wake up/Small snack for workout fuel
8:30am - Run/Walk (good time to use gym if needed, most people at work)
9:00am - Weights/Stretching
9:30am - Shower/Breakfast
11:00am - Practice (Wed only - practice QOR pieces emailed on Sunday)
12:00pm - Snack and Chores/Admin
1:00pm - Yoga
2:00pm - Lunch
3:00pm - Chores/Admin
4:00pm - Cooking/Baking/Dinner Prep

September 2010 Books and Movies

2010-09-30T21:48:00.002-04:00

Under the Duvet
Marian Keyes

This was pretty good. Not a story, but a collection of essays written for various Irish and English papers and some previously unpublished for variety. You really get a better sense of who Marian Keyes is as a person, especially the article about her alcoholism. I found it humorous that many of her stories ended up in her books. Since I've read almost all of them, I could identify where I'd read them, such as the free gift story appearing in Sushi For Beginners. There's another collection of essays entitled Further Under the Duvet, that I'm looking forward to reading.

My friend Amy has also posted a review on her blog.

That's it for September I'm afraid. With the move and all, I've just been too busy!

August 2010 Books and Movies

2010-08-31T22:00:00.003-04:00

Eclipse

So I made a pact with a couple of friends that we would see this series together. To date, my favorite movie has actually been New Moon, even though I liked (as much as you can say that for a book that you solely read for the plot, and not actually for the style) Eclipse better in book form. That being said, this movie is pretty bad. It's like they've just given up chasing the real movie goer's dollars and are satisfied with "twi-hard" ones. The acting was atrocious, there weren't enough scenes with the Volturi (the only decent actors in the bunch) and the story was even more stagnant that in the book. We giggled through most of it, which I suppose was the most fun. Props to J for putting up with it, and looking forward to making fun of the fourth one! :)

Dinner For Schmucks

A little bit funny, but mostly made me want to see the original French version. Steve Carell had some good lines, but mostly just reminded me of his dumb character on The Office. J enjoyed it more than I did, but I did laugh some. The mice were pretty clever. Gross, but clever. Not a must see, but fun to rent.

How Was It For You?
Carmen Reid

Uggg. I pretty much had given up on Reid, but had forgotten about this hold at the library until I got the call. Since it was there, I gave it a read, but honestly I really wish I'd given it a miss. Sloppy writing, bad plot (woman doing IVF with husband, can't get pregnant, moves to country, has affair with local farmer, husband still takes her back afterward...yada yada yada) and even worse ending. The Personal Shopper was great. This, not so much. Give it a miss.

This Charming Man
Marian Keyes

Another brilliantly dark and funny book. This time dealing with alcoholism and partner abuse, it was as hard hitting (please excuse the lame word-smithing going on here) as it was humorous to lighten the load. Keyes often keeps her reader guessing until the end, and this book is no exception. My only complaint would be that I didn't care for one of the voices she used. There were two in the 3rd person, one in the 1st person in complete sentences, and one in the 1st person using incomplete sentences, mostly leaving out the definite and indefinite articles and pronouns. In today's world of short speak texting, I suppose it was an effort to show that she was in her twenties. It wasn't consistent, which is why I really didn't like it. The style may be ok for something like Twitter, but really annoying to read in a book, and frankly, reminded me too much of Bridget Jones. The character Lola, who's voice it is, is really great, which makes up for the bad voicing somewhat. I'm getting towards the end of her published novels, which is making me kind of sad!

Inception

An astonishingly clever concept. Planting an idea through monitored and constructed dreaming. It's really not possible to describe details without giving the plot away. I was really captivated, from start to finish. My only issue was with the very ending, because I really didn't find it satisfied my need for closure. I know that I can get very picky when something isn't explained to my liking, so I'm sure others won't have as much of a problem. It's a brilliant film, definitely go see it!

July 2010 Books and Movies

2010-07-31T10:16:00.001-04:00

The Brightest Star in the Sky
Marian Keyes

Right out of the park, again. Very interesting twist, lots of guessing as to how it's all going to turn out, lots of personal drama. I really was invested, and read until I was finished, often staying up late. I can't really give too much away, other than it's about the various residents at 66 Star Street, Dublin, without divulging the entire plot. But I can say that it was a really great read, and of course, I'm looking forward to more!

No Dress Rehearsal
Marian Keyes

This is part of a easy adult learn to read series. It was a great short story about a 30 something who dies, but doesn't realise it. It makes some great points about modern life and Lizzie's death even inspires her friend to start living, because life is not dress rehearsal. Before reading it, I had forgotten how many adults are illiterate, and one of the main stumbling blocks are engaging materials. It's the same for children. It's a great project, and something I didn't know was out there until I got the ordered book from the library.

The Other Side of the Story
Marian Keyes

This was ok, but mainly because I only liked one of three characters in the novel. Jojo was really feisty and I enjoyed learning about her job as a literary agent. Gemma was really whinny and annoying, made intentionally so by her back story of losing her boyfriend to Lily, the third character. I just found Lily too wishy-washy to care too much about her. I did enjoy the pace of the story and the way the three characters connected (Jojo is Lily's publisher), and still think that Marian Keyes is a really good writer. I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.

June 2010 Books and Movies

2010-06-30T17:27:00.003-04:00

Sex and the City - 2

Sigh. The show I once loved is gone, gone, gone. Not to say that the fashion and characters aren't still great, but the spark that made it one of my favorite shows just isn't there. I knew this going in, I didn't like the first movie, but I would still go to see a third one, if only out of the respect I had for the original series. The UAE setting is interesting, I liked that Aiden was in the movie, but I found I missed the New York sets. There was definite visible tension between Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Catrall, which belies their acting ability and seriously plants seeds of doubt about their professionalism . That in itself was a huge disappointment. I'm hopeful that there will soon be another show to take its place. I still watch old episodes from time to time, but the sheen has definitely worn off. Ah, SATC, I'm glad I knew ya!

Rachel's Holiday
Marian Keyes

The last book in the Walsh Family series, it deals with the weighty topic of drug addiction. Rachel is a very interesting character. She's the only Walsh sister I like every time I run into her. Keyes does write her very sympathetically, it's only later, while going through recovery, that the reader hears about the awful things she's done when she was on drugs. By then, you're invested in the journey and supportive of Rachel's recovery. Which is what someone who is taking the necessary steps to change their life needs, not written off as someone who will never change. As for the other sisters, I didn't care for Claire in any book, and liked Anna and Margaret in their books only. I now see why Keyes hasn't written a book about Helen yet. It's almost as if her disagreeable character is more for comic relief, and that delving into her life would spoil that use. It'll be interesting, whenever it comes out, that's for sure!

Last Chance Saloon
Marian Keyes

The more I read, the more I love. Excellent! As engaging as Sushi for Beginners this is another ensemble story about three best friends and their lives and loves. I literally could not put it down. I just wanted to know what happened! I really liked the characters of Tara and Katherine, and their back stories and that although everyone didn't end up happily ever after, the potential to be happy was there. I'm on to another Walsh book, the last because she hasn't written one about Helen yet. Looking forward to more!

Paris, je t'aime

I hae been waiting a long, long time to see this film. I was not disappointed. A series of vignette style short films which are in essence a love letter to Paris. Of course not all of them were for me, but so many of them touched me deeply, especially the 14e arrondissement. An absolute must see for anyone who has been, or dreamed of going to gaie Paris. Stunning!

May 2010 Books and Movies

2010-05-31T20:01:00.000-04:00

It's Complicated

I love me my Meryl, but boy, what was she thinking when she signed up for this one? The best scene in the whole movie was when she and Steve Martin get uproariously stoned for a party. Alec Baldwin is not good, her kids are caricatures and everything is just too perfect. Loved the setting though, I've got to visit Santa Barbara very soon. Give this one a miss. Hopefully Meryl Streep's next project will be a good one!

The Trotsky

Interesting film. I loved that it was set in Montreal, and was very Canadian. I loved that Colm Feore was in it. I loved the concept of taking a stand for what you believe in and jumping on your "pinko" soapbox come h*ll or high water. The only drawback was that it really went on far too long, and there were more than a few gratuitous scenes. All in all, worth seeing, especially if you are in any way a politico.

Anybody Out There?
Marian Keyes

I've just found out, because I'm reading yet another Marian Keyes book right now, that there is a whole series about the Walsh Family of 5 sisters. Each sister seems to have her own book. This one is about Anna, who looses her husband in a tragic cab accident and her struggle to move on with her life afterwards. It's poignant and funny and sad all at the same time, and the crazy antics of the Walsh family (especially Mammy Walsh and sister Helen) are a great antithesis to the sadder parts. As always happens when I read the majority of an authors body of work, the more I read, the better I like the writing, especially when there's continuity of characters, as with Christopher Moore and Jennifer Weiner. Keyes writes well about the different locations her books are set in, this time being New York. Either she did a ton of research or actually lived there.

Angels
Marian Keyes

Another funny book by this author. This time it's about Maggie, the second oldest sister in the Walsh clan. It was interesting to read about Anna before her story and about Maggie before the way she is described in Anna's book. The ending was a little too pat for my liking (Anna's story was a bit more open ended and not a fairy tale ending) but over all, I enjoyed it. Maggie and her husband take a trial separation and she goes to stay with a friend in Los Angeles. I loved all the L.A. references, and Maggie's wry commentary on the L.A. "lifestyle". I'm looking forward to reading her book set in London, since I also lived there.

April 2010 Books and Movies

2010-04-30T23:16:00.002-04:00

Well, April clearly wasn't a month of reading and movie, watching... :)

Sushi For Beginners
Marian Keyes

I found this author through the Irish Short stories collections. It was a bit slow to start, but picked up well. I backpacked around Ireland for 5 weeks at the end of my first degree and instantly fell in love with the country and its folk. To someone not as familiar (and it's been a long time for me) with Irish dialectal slang, there are a few head scratching moments for sure. But there were lots of creative plot twists and unexpected corners, which was needed, as the book is almost 600 pages! I'm looking forward to reading more.

March 2010 Books and Movies

2010-03-31T19:39:00.001-04:00

Hot Tub Time Machine

Silly premise, funny movie. I love me some John Cusack any day, but the 80's time travel theme was great. Completely distracting (which was needed) and had something for everyone, whether you are 20 something or 40 something. Oh, and it was filmed in Whistler, so the cinematography was beautiful.

Four Feet Up

An excellent documentary about child poverty in Canada, particularly in Nova Scotia from the child's perspective. Charming and heart-wrenching, it directs attention to the government's promise of 2000 to end child poverty in Canada. Nance Ackerman is a consummate artist, check out her other art forms as well. Well worth seeing, it's free to view at the NFB as is the following film.

Hannah's Story

A great documentary about a 10 year old Winnipeg girl who started a charity for the homeless. Hannah is very engaging and has really made a difference in the lives of homeless in Winnipeg and all across Canada.

The Invention of Lying

This movie should be funnier than it is. A world where no one lies is funnier than when someone "invents" lying. There were some really great moments and Ricky Gervais is quite good, but when they got to the preachy "man in the sky" stuff and the hokey ending, it lost it's appeal. Good airplane fodder (which is where I saw it) but not much more.

The Blind Side

Excellent film and very worthy of the best actress win by Sandra Bullock. I haven't seen many of the other contenders films but she was just amazing in this one. A white southern woman takes in a young black man, almost 18, having spent his whole life in the foster system. He's perfect for the left tackle position in football, but has never had any training. He gets so good, he's scouted for all the best college teams. Apparently it's based on a true story. It's really heartwarming, even though the viewer does feel manipulated from time to time. I cried buckets and enjoyed it a lot.

Annie On My Mind
Nancy Garden

Quite possibly one of the best books I've ever read. I've read a fair bit of gay literature, but this is the first in the young adult genre. The subject matter (a burgeoning lesbian teen relationship) was treated with dignity and with due respect to the time period it was set in, the 80s. Although there was injustice, it was one of the first novels of its kind with a happy ending. I highly recommend it to anyone, with any level of interest. It won't disappoint.

Bobby McFerrin

2010-03-26T23:52:00.003-04:00

Quite possibly the best concert I have seen. From start to finish it was novel, participatory and utterly enthralling.

Here are some standout moments:

Demonstration of the universal power of the pentatonic scale

Ave Maria with audience participation

A condensed version of the Wizard of Oz

The audience participation was absolutely stellar, from a choir of the entire audience to a smaller choir on stage to modern dance with improvised music.

He invited the Canadian a cappella group Cadence up to sing a number on their own, and to do one with them. To be honest, they weren't as good as another British a cappella group I know, but it was fun to see Bobby interacting with other musicians.

A great show, I would definitely see him again and again.

My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding

2010-03-24T23:22:00.001-04:00

Absolutely fabulous. Great story, funny songs, (A History of Gay Marriage in Canada, Don't Take Your Lesbian Moms To Meet Your Girlfriend at Hooters) intimate space and good acting. I'm glad to hear the show was extended until April 11th. With all the rigamarole it took to actually get to see it, I'm really glad I did in the end. See it if you have the chance.

Regina

2010-03-22T23:05:00.003-04:00

Although sad circumstances made this trip possible, I was glad to finally see Saskatchewan and it's Queen City, Regina. Below are some pictures.

The stunning Saskatchewan Legislature. This has become one of my goals, to see all the Canadian Legislative buildings. I've now seen 7 (Charlottetown, Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Regina) of them!

Beautiful downtown Regina from the steps of the Legislature!

Really cool twin towers in downtown Regina.

The only legislature to be on it's own man-made lake. Lake Wascana and the surrounding park is just beautiful.

Hotel Saskatchewan. Another goal of mine, to see all the railway hotels. It's a difficult list, because there are the CP Hotels, bought out by Fairmont, the CP hotels bought out by other companies (like the Hotel Saskatchewan) and the CN hotels, like the Queen Elizabeth in Montreal. There are also stand alone hotels that are very old and linked to the railway, such as the Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg.

Last but not least, a beautiful prairie sunset. (A bit cold though!)

I'm looking forward to another trip in the warmer weather, to explore other parts of this beautiful province.

February 2010 Books and Movies

2010-02-28T22:32:00.004-05:00

Three in a Bed
Carmen Reid

Hands down, the worst Carmen Reid book I've read so far. Enough to possibly turn me off her work for good. This time, the protagonist, Bella is a career woman who is desperate for a baby. She secretly gets pregnant, drinks and smokes throughout the entire term, and of course, has a baby with no problems. She herself isn't able to adjust as perfectly to motherhood, and then there's a little infidelity thrown in for good measure. Needless to say, I didn't like the plot and the whole book felt completely indulgent, like she was trying to tell the world how bad pregnancy can be. Definitely not for me. I had so much trouble finishing this book that I had to renew it 3 times and only managed to read one book this month. May have something to do with my crazy busy schedule though... :)

Laila Biali

2010-02-27T22:56:00.000-05:00

Went to see the Laila Biali trio (Laila Biali - piano, vocals; George Koller - bass; Larnell Lewis) at the Glen Gould Studio Theatre tonight. It was pretty great. I love that she covers popular music in a jazz style. Tonight she did Sarah McLaughlin, Feist, Imogen Heap and Joni Mitchell, along with a few standards and original tunes. My only teeny complaint would be that she wasn't very diverse dynamically. All the selections seemed to start soft, build in the middle then end with soft "tinkling" (for lack of a better word) piano. Larnell was incredible though, and I still love her vocals. I can't believe I used to watch her at the Rex. Looking forward to her two new album releases later this year!

Fitness Goals

2010-02-07T22:00:00.004-05:00

Today I went for my first run since my 5K at the end of September. It's absolutely shameful (as useless an emotion as that is) that I've let it lapse as much as it has. I haven't been a total sloth, I've done some walking, mostly home from work, which is 4K away and, before it got to cold, biked to and from as well.

I did 2s and 1s with a final minute sprint followed by upper body weights, crunches and push ups. It was very difficult to get moving but felt really good when I'd finished.

I've come to three conclusions after this morning's workout.

1. I've lost a lot of the gains I worked so hard to achieve. I've put on weight, I've lost muscle mass, endurance and energy. It's depressing and demoralizing.

2. I am FAT. This is not a bad word. The only reason I've put it in bold here is that I've got to stop kidding myself. My whole life I think I've seen myself as skinnier than I actually am. I'm the total opposite of the women on "How to Look Good Naked". If I were to do a Gok line up, I'd probably ruin it for him and the show by putting myself in the line where I thought I belonged and then be too big for that spot! Last night, I was playing Wii Fit at my sister's house, and after the body scan informed me that I was in the obese range based on my age, weight and BMI (it's really sad, your Mii character balloons out to reflect your reading) it wasn't the greatest feeling. True, I have a lot of muscle mass but I also have a lot of fat. I carry it mostly in my upper stomach, directly where the pounds pile on when I've been over-eating and exercising infrequently. I know I'm supposed to practice body self acceptance, but if I'm really honest, I just don't like the way I look these days. That and the fact that I have mountains of clothes in my closet that I would wear, if I wasn't quite so apple shaped. It's not that I want to be a size zero, in fact nothing is further from the truth, not to mention that it's just not possible for me. I just want to be more hourglass than apple.

3. I'm going to try to get back to my previous level of fitness by running three times a week, do more weight and strength training, go to Yoga (another thing that has lapsed dreadfully) and run the Sporting Life 10K in the spring.

Hopefully I won't be sidelined by injury or illness and I'll be able to pick up a few co-conspirators along the way.

The Bad Plus

2010-02-06T23:46:00.000-05:00

Tonight J took me to see The Bad Plus at the Glenn Gould studio. They are a free jazz trio (piano, bass, drums) out of the U.S. Midwest. It was an experience to say the least. While I admire their great musical skill and really appreciated certain brilliant musical elements and experimental ideas, a lot of the performance left me twitchy and uncomfortable. They really stretch the boundaries of music and their instruments. They are definitely a band I would have to listen to a lot more of to really appreciate their unique styling. I am glad I went even though it certainly isn't a concert I would have chosen to attend. It stretched my boundaries and got me talking passionately about the elements I liked and didn't like afterward.

January 2010 Books and Movies

2010-01-31T23:50:00.001-05:00

Sherlock Holmes

A little over CGI'd and definitely a Guy Ritchie film (slo mo a dead givaway) but all in all, a fun movie. Robert Downey Jr. was fantastic and it's nice to see him out of rehab. The story didn't follow any of those in the books, but they set it up for a sequel nicely, as expected. It really wasn't one I needed to see in the theatre but pretty good anyway.

Did the Earth Move?
Carmen Reid

Another Carmen Reid book. I have to say, I just hate the tag line her editor came up with for her: "A fabulous read. A sexy read. A Carmen Reid." It's so cheesy. Anyway, on to the actual book. It was pretty good actually. I liked the plot, specifically the way she turned things on their head with the main character being 10 years older than her love interest and the unplanned pregnancy storyline about her 20 year old son. I found I invested in the characters a lot more than her other books and was pleased with the pat outcome. A good beach read, light and fun.

Invictus

Unbelievable film! Nelson Mandela is such an inspiring person, so a movie about him, played by Morgan Freeman was just out of the park. I thought the accents were very believable, and although I don't care much for rugby, the story of South Africa winning the World Cup and uniting a country was riveting. I have no idea if this is what things were really like, but the cinematography was incredible and the depiction of the townships heart wrenching. A definite must see.

A Wonderful Dinner

2010-01-23T16:37:00.005-05:00

Last night, Pat, the chef extrodinaire and Em, his excellent sous-chef, created one of the most delicious meals I've ever eaten.

Appetizers were a vegi pate, duck confit and a tofu mousse on rice and wheat crackers followed by an incredible beet, ginger and garlic salad dressed in olive oil. The soup was creamed butternut squash and was a meal in itself! The main course was really interesting. Ricotta pie in a chicken crust, which was really interesting. He cut the chicken really thinly and put it in a little muffin tray to form the crust, then filled it with the ricotta mixture. They were served along side leeks spaghetti style and baked sweet potato rounds. The piece de resistance was dessert, of course! A trio of creme brulees, green tea, lavender and lemon pepper. The last was my favorite for sure.

We were stuffed and it was a lovely evening of great food and company!

New Inspiration

2010-01-14T19:44:00.000-05:00

I've been struggling lately with directions, paths to take and the road not followed. Today I went to a really amazing dance workshop (which was more physical theatre based than dance) taught by a woman who trained with Jacques LeCoq in the 60s. I've trained with a number of LeCoq students, but not someone who was at his Paris school when he was there full time. It was quite amazing. I haven't done any physical theatre work (besides the teaching I do) in some time, and it's been a really long time since I've gone down a corporeal expressive journey. It helped me remember what I love most about physical theatre, and that I do miss it. I didn't fully realise, until this evening, how doing that workshop put me in a better mood. The kicker is, I don't have time in my life for music and theatre and a full time job. So again, useful information, but what am I going to do with it? One lifetime just doesn't seem enough.

Fiddler on the Roof

2010-01-06T23:30:00.000-05:00

Great show! Harvey Firstein was absolutely fabulous. I wish I could have seen him as Edna in the original Broadway production of Hairspray. He didn't really sing so much as talk through his songs, but the effect was really awesome. Sitting up in the nosebleeds wasn't so fun, but the show has literally been sold out every night of its run, so we were lucky to get tickets. Great trio for the song Matchmaker, loved it!

December 2009 Books and Movies

2009-12-31T12:54:00.000-05:00

Up In The Air

Great movie! George Clooney is his usual yummy self, and the premise, a man who is completely detached from others, is intriguing. I loved Vera Farmiga, I can't believe I'd never seen her in anything else before. She's absolutely stunning. Jason Bateman did a good job directing, although he was totally channeling Steve Carell's Michael Scott when playing Craig Gregory. I also liked Anna Kendrick, apparently she made no impression on me at all when I saw her in the Twilight series. The frequent traveller comparison bits were just hilarious!

Up All Night
Carmen Reid

I generally like Carmen Reid for a light chick lit read, but this one wasn't very good unfortunately. The story was a bit whingy and worst of all, there was a gaping plot hole! Not an important part, but a bit irritating non the less. I didn't invest in the main character (perhaps because she was a mom, and I'm not) but liked the humanization of the ex-husband through his interaction with their children. Meh. Give it a miss unless you are really addicted to Carmen Reid.

Three great concerts, one fab weekend!

2009-12-14T13:58:00.008-05:00

Tallis Scholars

Amazing 10 voice (including one male alto!) specialist group of Renaissance polyphony.

Here's a clip.

Dianne Reeves

I have fallen madly in love with a new jazz singer!

I'm so in awe, I'm posting two two clips here and one of them is even an xmas tune! Listen to Roy Hargrove's gorgeous fluglehorn on You Go To My Head.

Trace Element

This is a great new band worth keeping an eye on. Two of it's members are in their 4th year at Humber and pooling their allotted recording time to put out a debut LP. Great sound, great compositions, very cool.

Great weekend for music, looking forward to many more of the same. :)

November 2009 Books and Movies

2009-11-30T22:21:00.000-05:00

Yikes, well, another month has gone by, and all I've managed to see/read is one movie. I'm glad I'm out living life, but am really looking forward to the break and maybe reading one of the zilions of books lying in stacks around my home.

New Moon

Number two in the Twilight saga, this was my least favorite book. The movie was much better than the book. A very buff Jacob was very much worth the price of admission! :) I still think Kristen Stewart is the most wooden romantic ingenue ever, but I did enjoy the story. They stuck pretty much word for word to the book, and it was always action packed. The wolf CGI was pretty slick, and the cinematography of the west coast was beautiful. If you are a fan of the series, go see it! You'll get over the sparkly vampires, eventually... :)

Royal Visit

2009-11-05T21:22:00.005-05:00

Today I played a gig with the Royal Regiment of Canada for HRH Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. The Prince was presenting new colours to both the RRC and the Toronto Scottish Regiment. Colours are flags, but read a more detailed explanation here. It was a super big deal, because it hasn't happened since 1962, which was before the maple leaf was even Canada's flag. There was a closed reception after the ceremony, where I got to shake hands with the Duchess of Cornwall. I really liked that she was wearing both the UK poppy as well as the Canadian one.
The more interesting story was, I was just about to meet Prince Charles when his bodyguard was getting ants in his pants about the crowd. He asked the lot of us to move back then specifically said, to me, "ma'am can you please move back". I was being crushed between two people, so I said, politely, that I couldn't move back. He then returned (quite rudely, I might add) "well you're not trying very hard, shall I give you a push?" then proceeded to direct the Prince to the other side of the audience. Well, I guess, as JT says, it's a lot more interesting of a story than, I shook his hand. LOL!

The whole experience was pretty awesome (and I'm not much of a monarchist), even if I froze my tail off and couldn't stop shaking by the end of the ceremony and could barely march off on my two blocks of ice for feet! :)

October 2009 Books and Movies

2009-10-31T12:46:00.000-04:00

Ok, this is super lame. In the entire month of October, I've seen one movie. Yikes! Well, at least I'm out doing stuff, living life, but I'm feeling spectacularly uncultured at the moment...

Zombieland

What a freakin' fantastic flick! If it weren't enough that Jesse Eisenberg is in this, it's really funny too. It's pretty gory, so be warned. Woody is great as usual, and I also really liked the girls, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin. Can't recommend it enough, go see it!

September 2009 Books and Movies

2009-09-30T23:34:00.000-04:00

A First!

This month has been so crazy busy, I wasn't able to complete a single book or see a single movie to blog about. Clearly, got to make more time for myself! :)

U2 Concert!

2009-09-16T23:59:00.000-04:00

I equate going to U2 much like a 14 year old goes to a Jonas Bros concert. I get giddy and excited, scream a lot and sing every word to every song. Seriously though, it was an amazing concert, the best one I've seen so far. Pop Mart and Elevation were awesome too, unfortunately I didn't get to see Vertigo.

Here are the pics!

The stage pre-concert is nothing compared to during. I didn't even know it was a rocket ship until someone hit the lights!

Open roof, really added to the concert!

People, people everywhere, 60 thousand of them!

I <3 Larry, ever since I was 12!

Greatest band evar!

Now, it's a rocket ship!

Bono, the consummate front man.

I could have sworn the CN Tower lights were in sync with the music.

Some very cool video.

It was just amazing, and most people I know who went felt the same. It's definitely a bucket list item, go see U2 in concert if you get the chance!

Feeling Restless

2009-09-14T23:20:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was mostly relaxing.
Today was exhausting but fun.
Right Now I am tired.
Tomorrow I will be apprehensive.

I want some reassurance.
I wish life wasn't so complicated.
I hope my health continues.
I need an receptive outlet for my need to bestow affection.

It's strange that I get all my info from the computer.
It's awesome I live in a time and place where women are nearly fully emancipated.
It's scary that people have children for the wrong reasons.
It's stupid to waste time on useless emotions.

I love my home.
I like to get interesting mail.
I hate spam/spam bots.
I can't turn my brain off certain topics.

August 2009 Books and Movies

2009-08-31T23:46:00.001-04:00

No books this month, can't believe I didn't even finish one! Oh well, geodee will be happy. He won't have to skip any part of this post! :)

Inglourious Basterds

Absolutely frickin' brilliant! Crazy violent, as per usual with Quentin Tarantino films, but still amazing. I love how he just mashes together so many styles of film, camera angles and cinematography to create such unique outings. The cast is fabulous, with standouts being Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Melanie Laurent and Christoph Waltz. I loved that finally, years after breaking out in Freaks and Geeks, Samm Levine was in another mainstay movie. It was cool that I could mostly understand (my German is pretty rusty) the movie without reading the subtitles, as 75% was in either German, French or Italian. I don't want to post plot spoilers, just go see it! Cover your eyes for the gory bits, if you're squeamish though. It's well worth it.

Let the Right One In

This was a great movie...in the original Swedish, with subtitles. Unfortunately, I was watching the version that had been dubbed by some pretty sketchy American sounding actors. It really detracted from the stunning visuals and cool creepy storyline. I found out how good this film was, when I watched the deleted scenes. I may just watch it again, now that I've found out there's an option to do it with just subtitles. There's going to be a full American remake (even though it was only made in 2008!) and people will think it's brand new, but if you care, watch the Swedish original first, you won't be sorry. Oh, did I mention that it's a vampire story? Hence the Hollywood remake... :)

Julie & Julia

This was a fantastic movie for anyone who loves a good story, a bit of whimsy and of course, fabulous food. Meryl Streep (who is, hands down my favorite actress) was absolutely stellar as Julia Child. I loved the romantic depiction of post war Paris and the chemistry between her and Stanley Tucci was spot on. Across the pond and a many decades later, Amy Adams knocked it out of the park cooking and blogging her way through "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". She is absolutely the Meg Ryan of our generation. The food preparation stole the show! I wonder how many people were employed to make everything look so delicious! Whether you go hungry or not, you'll still want to eat afterwards. Wonderful film and absolute must see!

Speed Training

2009-08-28T12:11:00.002-04:00

I've just begun speed training to increase my running pace. This process is quite arduous! I don't have the physique needed, so it's super challenging. I ran for longer today than yesterday without needing a break, but the pain...it's such a mental battle.

But I can't keep running 5K at my current pace. One, it's not good cardio, because I'm used to it, & two, it's not really running, more like slow jogging or race walking, except I do lift my entire foot off the ground.

Any comments and/or suggestions would be much appreciated.

Blogger's Block

2009-08-26T23:26:00.003-04:00

Or should I call it blog aversion.

Maybe it's because I have a few entries unfinished. Maybe it's because I wonder if what I have to say is even worth writing down. Maybe it's because although I have a few readers, it's like a big black void out there.

It's been a while since I've done a progress update.

Health: Holding steady, meds decreased, Metho 5 mls, Humira once monthly - still in drug related remission

Work: Starting at a new place in September. Looking forward to being closer to home and a new work environment.

Fitness: Still working, although had a slump of two weeks due to being too busy. Am trying to increase my 5K time, did my first speed workout today. It was really hard.

Family: Uh, unfortunately, my first response at the moment is, what family? I know it may be temporary, but I feel utterly abandoned at the moment. My friends are my family, but isn't that usually supposed to happen when you're miles away from home?

Mental health: Worrying. A lot of stress and a fair amount of sadness. Too much negative thought. Am trying to adhere to the practice of throwing out these thoughts and holding on to the positive ones.

Relationships: Trying to have a better one with myself, but it's not going very well at the moment, which is most likely the real reason behind the bloggers block. Am disengaging from a key relationship in my life which seems to be dragging me down. Others are disengaging from me. On the whole, not feeling great about this topic.

Wow, this is a depressing entry. There's a lot of truth to the fact that people tend to blog more when they are up then when they are down. But the down entries are important for reflection and self improvement.

Here's to better days, and better posts.

July 2009 Books and Movies

2009-07-31T22:40:00.003-04:00

My Sister's Keeper
Jodi Picoult

This was a really good book. I read it cover to cover in very few days. I'm a little hesitant to see the movie now, because I heard they changed it quite a bit. Maybe a little later, when it comes out on DVD. This is truly an ethical dilemma. To create a designer baby who is a perfect match to your very sick existing child and then feel you are able to make unbiased decisions about what to take from that child to give to the sick one seems ludicrous. In their efforts to save the sick one, the parents didn't consider the health of the donor child until she filed a lawsuit, suing for medical emancipation. The writing was a bit rough, but the fast moving story more than made up for it. A must read for anyone who likes to look at both sides of the story.

The Ugly Truth

A really fun rom com. I do like Katherine Heigl, despite the Izzie frenzy and think she's a great comedic actress. Gerrard Butler is smokin' hot and really did a passable American accent. It only started to slip a little towards the middle. I remember Eric Winter from when he played Rex DiMera on DOOL, but he was definitely a little weak here. Still a beautiful man though. Loved the homage to the When Harry Met Sally deli scene. I laughed a lot, which is always a good outcome for a piece of fluff movie like this one. Go see it if you need a lift!

The Cigarette Girl
Carol Wolper

Great novel. Fresh (even though it was written in 1998!) and fun, with a non traditional heroine. My type of chick lit, without a doubt. Loved the insider knowledge of what Hollywood is all about, and loved that Elizabeth was looking for Mr. Maybe instead of the picket fence deal. It reminded me a little of The Personal Assistant that I read a year or so back, but with much spunkier characters. Great light read, highly recommend it!

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

I thought this was a pretty good adaptation of a very long book. Of course, some plot points were left out, and they paid a lot of attention to the teenage dynamic, but that is definitely their target audience. All the kids have grown into their roles, and the adults, especially Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith were phenomenal as expected. Even Richard Harris is starting to grow on me, although, why does his coached English accent have to be so bad? I was so happy to see Jim Broadbent in this one, he's so great. It was a little long, but I went into it expecting that. I missed the half blood prince back story, especially between Lily and Severus. That being said, I'm looking forward to the final two installments.

At a Time Like This
Catherine Dunne

Another book from the Irish short stories compilation. Good story, intriguing ending, but ultimately a book for 40 something women. I'm just not there yet. I found I couldn't relate to the characters very well, with their marriage and children trials and tribulations. It's sad, I've grown out of the 20 something chick lit, but there doesn't seem to be anything between that and the 40 something wife and mother stories. The four women have incredible bonds, but I guess I am looking for more of a SATC vibe. I think I'll wait a decade or so before cracking another Dunne novel.

The Personal Shopper
Carmen Reid

Unfortunately, I read the sequel to this book before the original, so I had a bit of strange pre-knowledge going in. Annie Valentine is even more annoying in this book, and this is the one that intros her! She is good at her job, and the personal shopping angle is quite interesting as is the dynamic with her children. This book explains how Annie and Ed get together. Overall, the story was good, as I definitely kept reading, but the one thing I really didn't like was the way the author kept Roddy's departure so ambiguous. I know I'm also doing that somewhat here, but I don't want to spoil anyone's reading pleasure. The reader doesn't find out the true story until page 359 of 425! The same was true of the sequel with the real turn of events deliberately kept from the reader. I would read more Carmen Reid, based on her light flowing style and the fact that it's easy going chick lit that doesn't require too much brain power.

17 Again

Another plane movie. I was really tired and definitely not in the mood for something that I would have to think about, so chose this one. I was not expecting to actually laugh out loud (slightly embarrassing when you're watching your own movie on a plane complete with headphones) and enjoy it as much as I did. Zac Efron was really good, (and cute too!) especially considering he was playing a role within a role. I really hated Michelle Trachtenberg, but that's no surprise, she annoyed me in Buffy every week. Matthew Perry was pretty good as well, along with Leslie Mann. Sure, there were some cheezy moments, but overall and really fun movie.

He's Just Not That Into You

As per an earlier post, I didn't really enjoy this book. I had heard terrible reviews about the movie so decided not to see it. As I was scrolling through the selections on the plane to Winnipeg, I saw it and thought, what the hay, at least it's a no brainer. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I quite liked it. It was funny, the characters were interesting and it was hardly based on the book at all. I'm not sure why it got such scathing reviews, as it did fine as a rom com in my books. Standouts were Ginnifer Goodwin and Jennifer Aniston. A fun distraction.

Away We Go

This was a beautiful film about direction, human emotions and love. A couple, expecting their first child, go on the road in search of where to settle down and raise a family. I'm not always a fan of Sam Mendes' work (I actually didn't like American Beauty...) but this piece was fantastic. I didn't know it was directed my Sam Mendes until the end, which may have helped. The scenes in Montreal were particularly heartwrenching as was the final scene of the film. A definite must see!

Danny Bhoy - Solo Show at Just For Laughs

2009-07-19T23:22:00.002-04:00

In a word...Fantastic!

D introduced me to this hilarious comic via YouTube and I've been hooked ever since. He is a situational comic and does great accents. He also does excellent physical comedy. I was happy to find that his new solo show contained mostly new material, and I had only heard a couple of jokes. To be fair, I'm sure not all his audience watches him over and over, until they can re-tell his jokes! :)

I was disappointed that I didn't get to hear the Didilidee Potatoes joke live and in person, but I laughed so hard for an hour and fifteen minutes that my cheeks and tummy hurt!

What a great way to spend a Sunday evening!

Winnipeg

2009-07-08T23:54:00.000-04:00

I had a great time visiting Em in Winnipeg. We toured the city and then drove about an hour north to Lake Winnipeg.

Pictures tell the story, so here are some highlights.

Via Rail Station, Winnipeg. (I flew in, but I love train stations)

Fort Garry Hotel

Inside, at the elevators

Winnipeg skyline

The windiest cross-streets in Canada!

Bug spray, anyone?

The Forks (where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers meet)

Lake Winnipeg

The Viking at Gimli and an explanation. So cool that the plaque is written in English, French and Icelandic!

Pelican!

Winnipeg Beach, where the short lived show, Falcon Beach was shot. They just digitally changed the name and colour on the water tower.

The Petersfield Mallard, built in 1905! Now I have to get the matching Wawa Goose shot...

Em's lovely family home, built in 1912.

My first time to Winnipeg, and I can see why people from there really love it. Granted, I haven't been there in the winter, but I'm sure people are used to it!

My Little Sister's Wedding

2009-07-05T13:52:00.015-04:00

Yesterday Colleen got married!

I'm happy to say I played a part in bringing these two together. My friend Amy did as well. Read this for her part.

One fine day in 2002, Amy invited some work friends, myself and our other friend from choir, Janet over to her place for pizza, beer and trivia. All of Amy's work people were pretty awesome at trivia, but this one dude, Jeff, stood out among the rest. He could answer pretty much every question thrown at him. He was a bit shy, and super nice. I remember thinking..."this guy is perfect for my sister!" Since we both lived in the same neighbourhood, we rode the subway together with Janet and I asked him a few subtle questions about his love life. He wasn't seeing anyone at the time, but the point was moot because Colleen was dating someone else. Eventually she broke up with that guy, but it would take another few years to get them in the same room together. Every time I'd be at a function attended by Jeff, I'd think the same thing..."this guy is perfect for my sister!" while simultaneously trying to come up with ways to get them to meet. They finally did meet, at Amy and Blake's deck party in 2007. I had set up a Facebook account for her, and shown her a picture of Jeff. They pretty much talked throughout the entire party and afterwards, I added him as a friend on her account. They started dating a few days after that. They make an adorable couple, if I do say myself! :) I'm not a deliberate matchmaker, but if I know deep in my gut that people suit each other, I am quite determined!

A brilliant time was had by all. Here are some of the photo highlights.

Me in my maid of honour dress, with John, Blake and Amy. It was nice not to have to match with anyone, and to pick a dress I liked (and could wear again) with the only stipulation being the colour.

The best man (Jeff's brother Pat) and his wife, Helen.

The cake! Two tiers were chocolate, the other vanilla with strawberries and lemon. The flower girl is there for uber cuteness effect. :)

Amy and Blake (and the girls), to whom Colleen and Jeff are forever indebted for throwing such great parties!

Janet and John, my invited peeps so I wouldn't get lonely!

The garter toss. LOVE the expression on Jeff's face!

D and I.

Proof that this is the man that will take care of my baby sister. I know I won't have to kick his butt! :)

It truly was a perfect day. From gorgeous weather for the outdoor ceremony to almost no blips in any of the arrangements, everything went smoothly, even my speech!

I am so happy for Colleen and Jeff and wish them much love and happiness in the future!

June 2009 Books and Movies

2009-06-30T20:09:00.001-04:00

Living Next Door to Alice
Melissa Mackle

Another author find from the About Town short stories, this time from the Irish one. I have to say, not so good. The characters were pretty one dimensional and the writer used the same expressions over and over again, so thumbs down for writer creativity. Especially overused was the phrase "going down a treat" when eating or drinking. It was used at least 10 times. It wasn't so bad that I put it down without finishing, but not great enough to pursue other Mackle titles.

Up

This was a lovely film, made even better by digital 3D. Poignant and funny, I thoroughly enjoyed the strange and wonderful world created by Disney and Pixar. The characters were well drawn (both literally and figuratively) and the story was really imaginative. Loved Russell, he had some of the best lines. The Pixar short at the beginning was so cute. Go see it, tell your friends, then see it again, preferably in 3D, the glasses aren't that bad. :)

Late Night Shopping
Carmen Reid

This was a piece of chicklit that I found from mining the Girls About Town Short Stories Books. Carmen Reid is from the Scottish one. She is a good writer, and I would read her other books. The trouble with this one was, I hated the main character. She was really annoying (read irresponsible and selfish) ala Becky Bloomwood, to the point I was yelling at her. In the book. Seriously, that's over involvement. Annie is a personal shopper who wants to start her own business, but is sacrificing time with her family and partner while doing so. There was enough plot to keep me reading, but it was so ho hum, and the really interesting characters never were fully explored. There was the requisite gay best friend, so pretty run of the mill. I'm up for another turn, but give Late Night Shopping a miss.

Update: Just found out it was a sequel to a book called The Personal Shopper, but that just makes it even more like the Shopaholic series. Will read it and report back.

My Life in Ruins

Cute little rom com, great writing, beautiful cinematography and very funny. I like Nia Vardalos (great dead pans), and the supporting cast were pretty good too, especially Richard Dreyfuss. Of course, there were quite a few cliches but forgivable as the rest of the film was solid. I'm not sure I know any men who would enjoy this, but it's a good girls afternoon out. I predict there are going to be a lot of haters, but it's worth a go see. I'm definitely renting it when it comes out on DVD, for the outtakes. They're bound to be hilarious.

Scottish Girls About Town
Various

This is the first time I've ever ordered a book for the TPL. That was pretty cool. Since they already had Irish and American Girls About Town they accepted my suggestion to order the above, and I was first on the list to get it. I didn't discover as many good authors as in the other anthologies, but a few (Isla Dewar, Carmen Reid, Katie Agnew, Julia Hamilton) really stood out. I'm looking forward to reading more from them.

The Big Ride

2009-06-28T21:01:00.004-04:00

When I got up this morning, I wondered how the day would play out.

So...got all the way to Oakville, but was sidelined by fatigue and bad weather. Took the train to Mimico and then biked the rest of the way home. A respectable 54K (or thereabouts, a few detours added some extra, I'm sure) but a far cry from the 80K I'd envisioned. I don't know why I thought I could jump from 44K the week before (with big breaks in between) to double that, with only one break at the halfway point. One has to work up to these things! :)

Anyway, I'm thinking that next time I'll try 60K, with one break. I really want to do a century ride, which is 100 miles (160K) so training is essential. I also want to do a camping/biking trip this summer. Hopefully by next summer I'll be able to do the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island.

Gender Equality

2009-06-27T13:50:00.003-04:00

I enjoyed reading this article so much, I'm posting it everywhere: here, my Twitter and on Facebook.

The whole thing is good, but the last sentence are words to live by.

Michael Jackson

2009-06-25T22:04:00.005-04:00

My mind is still reeling over the news of this pop icon's death. I know he had some very strange happenings of late, but the fact remains that he changed the face of pop music and dance, not to mention redefining the music video. I know almost every line to nearly every song he's ever released. I didn't think I would be so sad over this, but I genuinely am.

RIP MJ, you will be sorely missed.

Tour de Dufflet

2009-06-21T21:06:00.000-04:00

What a great way to spend a Sunday!

Blake, Amy, Pat and I saddled up and rode to each of the three shop locations where (for a $5 entry fee donated to charity) we received a treat and a drink. We also got a bike bag and a $5 off coupon for a Dufflet cake. It was 44K all told, just over half the distance of our big ride to Oakville.

Hamilton's 18th Annual International Tattoo

2009-06-14T21:42:00.002-04:00

This weekend I performed in the above Tattoo. It's been a while since I've been on a band trip and done a major tattoo with more than one show. We stayed at Mac, which was a real blast from the past. The shows went well, but I've found (as I've been finding more and more lately) that I just don't have the stamina I used to, both on the tattoo floor and during down time. Once upon a time, I would have been able to do an all day practice, the night show, party all night long, get a few hours sleep and do the show all over again. Not so much anymore. Sure I was able to do it, but I felt pretty bad by the end of the second day. Oh well, the wonders of growing older!

First 5K Run with a Friend!

2009-06-07T20:32:00.002-04:00

I've done shorter runs with friends, but never over 5K. Pat and I ran the Don River/Distillery route today, which is 5.13K. Poor Pat, he's a much faster runner than I am, so I told him to go on ahead. He was able to run the stairs up to street level four times while waiting for me! :D It was a good run, and I pushed myself at the end with a sprint. Whoot!

Bike Trip '09 Training

2009-06-05T23:22:00.001-04:00

Bike Trip '09 is an attempt to ride 100K in one day. That being said, training is definitely in order.

My first training ride was to ride approximately 40K in one day. This was my guesstimate of the distances I would be travelling to get to where I was going. It ended up being pretty close to the actuals. It was broken up into three segments, much like the big ride will be interspersed with breaks and lunch.

Home to Work: 8.28K
Work to the Junction: 21.1K
The Junction to Home: 9.82K
Total: 39.2K

I felt a little tired about 3/4 into the second leg, but then got my second wind and pushed through.

Next training ride will be in three segments with short breaks in between on the Tour de Dufflet. I'm not sure what my total distance will be, because I also have to factor in the ride to and from home.

May 2009 Books and Movies

2009-05-31T23:32:00.000-04:00

Three Cups of Tea
Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin

This is one of the best stories I have ever read. Not the most spectacularly written book, but the content makes you forget about it. Mortenson's story is so inspiring, it made me what to think about how I could bring about the same kind of change. Essentially, he tries to climb K2, gets lost and almost dies, stumbling into a little village in Northern Pakistan, in an area called Baltistan. The Balti people in htat small town of Korphe nurse him back to health and he promises to come back and build them a school. From that small beginning, he now runs a not for profit organization building schools all over Norther Pakistan and Afghanistan. He worked in these regions prior, during and after 9/11, firmly believing that one must fight terror by providing non biased education to all, especially girls. I hope that many read this book, and are inspired to help out anywhere they can. You can click here for more information.

Star Trek

As a life long Trekker, I was so glad to see that they didn't make a mess of this movie. Great special effects, well cast, lots of clever dialogue, throw back references to other movies in the ST universe, Leonard Nimoy sewed up this neat little package. My favorites were definitely Chekov (I have a super huge celeb crush on Anton Yelchin :0) and Scotty. Really looking forward to the next installments of this franchise, but am a little freaked out by the "new" Star Trek universe. Go see it to find out what I'm talking about!

Q & A
Vikas Swarup

This book was even better than the film, and Slumdog Millionaire was really amazing. The questions were totally different, the story behind how Ram Mohammed Thomas knows the answer were completely different. Each episode was riveting, yet with a common thread that makes this book a pleasure to read. What a brilliant first novel, I'm looking forward to another outing.

Fool
Christopher Moore

Hmmm, well, it's not one of Moore's best, but still pretty funny. I think that's the mark of a good writer, that even is "bad" books aren't that bad. Pocket is a good character, and the ending is peachy. It stays pretty close to the Lear plot as well. Some of it is a little dry though. It's a weird departure for him, but I guess with Lamb, that was pretty out there too. Anyway, it doesn't matter, I'll still read anything with his name attached to it!

So You Think You Can Dance

2009-05-28T22:38:00.005-04:00

Ok, since I can't stop twittering about this show, I thought I'd better blog about it. I absolutely love this show. There's only one other reality TV show that I love better and that's The Amazing Race (TAR) and it's only because of the world travel. It's weird, because I'm a singer, one would think that I'd prefer the Idolverse, but I really don't. The singing is often uninspired copycat performance and the auditions are horrendous because I suppose they get more ratings when they show the delusional people. SYTYCD, on the other hand, shows more good auditions than they do bad. This show actually inspires me to be a better dancer. Out of the "triple threat" dancing has always been my albatross. I'm not great at picking up choreography straight away, although once I know it, things are fine. Unfortunate when you only get 16 bars to show off your steps in a musical theatre audition. I'm much better at picking up ballroom and latin choreography, so maybe I should should just stick to that! :) I'm so looking forward to the top 20!

Victoria Day Long Weekend

2009-05-18T15:03:00.002-04:00

This has been a really great weekend. I've spent some of it alone, some of it in the company of great friends, gone for 3 runs to a total of 13.1K, done a bunch of household chores (including cleaning my stove) and reading. Tonight I'll be watching the fireworks from my rooftop. It's sad that the long weekend is fast coming to a close, but hey it ushers in a short work week!

First full 5K!

2009-05-17T14:24:00.002-04:00

5.22K to be exact! Down to Cherry Beach and along the MG Trail to the bridge.

Unfortunately, there were a couple of stops in the beginning, due to lights, but other than that, I ran straight through.

First off, it's a looong way. I know seasoned runners would find that paltry, especially marathoners, but I find it a long way, at the moment.

I also walked back from my destination point, making it 10K worth of exercise. My quads are pretty sore, that's for sure!

Back in running shoes!

2009-05-16T14:02:00.004-04:00

After seemingly endless weeks of being sick, injury and general fatigue, I laced up my runners and managed to get in a great run in between downpours. I took the same Don River route as before, but extended it so I ran alongside the river until the stairs to Riverdale Park. I knew I should keep running to get to 5K, but I was pretty tired and hadn't been out in a while. So it ended up being a 4.09K run. Once I figured that out, back at home with the computer, I was a little bummed that I hadn't kept running! :) Oh well, there's always next time. I had a very extended cool down walking home from the park. I even saw some cute cows in the zoo!

Brahms Deutches Requiem

2009-05-03T22:46:00.002-04:00

This afternoon, I had the privilege of singing a great Romantic work, Brahms Deutches Requiem with a fantastic orchestra, the Talisker players. It went really well, which is great, because it's such a tough piece. Our choir has been essentially learning it since the start of our season, because it's that tough. The only disappointing thing was that not one of my friends or family showed up for the concert, even though I've been talking it up all year. We worked so hard, so it would have been nice for people to show up. Looking forward to next season as well, we're doing my absolute favorite Mozart Mass, the one in C Minor. Can't wait!

April 2009 Books and Movies

2009-04-30T20:07:00.000-04:00

Mambo Italiano

Absolutely hilarious! I laughed out loud again and again. Not only at the Italian stereotyping, but the characters themselves, because they were exceedingly well drawn. The premis is simple, a closeted gay Italian Canadian man, involved with another closeted gay Italian Canadian man, comes out to his family. What isn't simple is that entire proposition is fraught with pitfalls, where all the comedy comes from. I loved that it was Canadian, that it was set in Little Italy in Montreal, that it starred starred Paul Sorvino, Mary Walsh and Claudia Ferri. I watched the short lived bilingual Ciao Bella, which was spun out of this movie and just loved it. I seriously laughed harder at this than I have at any other movie in a long while. Watch it!

The Squid and the Whale

This has a Royal Tenenbaums feel to it, but not so much that you are affected by it. Set in 1986 in Brooklyn, two boys have two very different reactions to their parents divorce. There is lots of stuff here, and definitely needs more than one viewing to take it all in. I take back what I said before about Jesse Eisenberg channeling Michael Cera and now definitely think it's the other way around. His character, Walt, is decidedly different from his Adventureland character, whereas Michael Cera's two characters in Juno and Superbad are very much alike. Great performances by Laura Linney (whom I love) and Owen Kline. The film ends very abruptly, with no satisfactory conclusion, but is still satisfying, because this is actually how life is. A definite must see.

Adventureland

Overall this was a good movie. Of course, there were things I liked and disliked about it. I liked that it was set in 1987. The clothes and music took me back. I liked Jesse Eisenberg although he was channeling Michael Cera something fierce. He is very cute, love the cheekbones, aquiline nose and the curly hair, especially when it got wet. Kristen proved that she really only knows how to play Bella Swann. I say that because Twilight was the first movie I ever saw her in, and she was exactly the same in Adventureland. I didn't like the stereotyping, that all the Italians in the movie were shown as townie non-intellectuals (one was even labeled anti-semitic) and most of the Jewish characters (with the exception of Joel) were well off and well educated. It didn't make a difference to the plot and felt like the point of view was being forced on the audience. I loved Martin Starr, mostly because his character was much like Bill on Freaks and Geeks. Love his dead pan, dry wit. That boy has talent! It was good to see Ryan Reynolds playing a bit of a jerk character, usually his golden boy roles make me roll my eyes. Good story, not a bit like Superbad, which is great. I'm thinking that we're going to see a lot more movies like this. Even in the previews, there was yet another Judd Apatow flick coming out with Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and others from his past films including his wife. Currently, I Love You, Man is starring Jason Segal, another Freaks and Geeks alum. This is a coming of age story, but I thought it was targeted more at older people who want to look back. I got the feeling that younger people would be bored with the old setting. This is a pretty long post for a movie, probably because I'm reviewing immediately after watching, so my brain is fresh.

The Other Boleyn Girl

Hmm. I decided to watch this movie before reading the book because I had heard the book was so much better. I'm tired of being disappointed by movie renditions of books, perhaps I should start forgoing the movies all together, like Amy. Anyhow, while lush with beautiful scenery and costumes, this film was uninspired and one dimensional. The characters didn't give the viewer a reason to invest in them, and some were very wrong for their parts, especially Scarlett Johansson and Eric Bana. The historical liberties were fine, I went in to it aware that the plot was mostly fiction. I'm still looking forward to reading the book and will blog about it soon.

Midnight Sun
Stephanie Meyers

Ummm, ok Stephanie Myers, I think it's a good thing someone leaked this before you could finish it! Midnight Sun is so self indulgent. Most of your other work is too, but I kept reading because I liked the plot (where it was furthered) and wanted to find out what happens next. Better that you write your next book (which we all know will come out eventually, as money talks) about Nessie and Jacob's relationship. The limited new information we find out from Midnight Sun isn't worth the 265 page read. Give it a miss.

Playing for Keeps (TV)

Interesting concept for a TV movie. A white woman has an affair with a basketball player and gets pregnant. He doesn't believe the child is his until four months after his birth, come to see him and then initiates proceedings to take the child away from his mother. Apparently based on a true story. Canadian production, solidly acted tear jerker. Highly enjoyable, watch it if you get the chance.

Freaks and Geeks (DVD Box Set)

Where the h*ll was I when this was on in 1999? Oh right, I was living in the UK, where it didn't even air! Which was seriously a shame, because I'm sure I would have loved it just as much back then as I do now. Of course, like all shows I love, they are cancelled too soon, just like the excellent Firefly. Set in 1980, it's the story of what high school is like for two different groups of kids, the Freaks and the Geeks. Each episode reads like a mini-movie, the production value is that high. The cast is stellar, the brightest spots being Martin Starr as Bill, John Francis Daley (he's great on Bones too!) as Sam and Joe Flaherty as Mr. Weir. So well written, freshly acted (most of the teenagers were hired for their first jobs on this show, except Linda Cardellini, who was 25), interesting and funny. An absolute must see, especially now that the the DVD box set is available. I'm going to get it for my collection, I love it that much!

Running Outdoors, the new frontier

2009-04-26T21:19:00.001-04:00

Now that the weather has turned, it's outdoor running season! I've been using this site to figure out how far I've gone.

Distillery/ Don River/ Queen St. Run - 4.18 K

This was me trying to extend the original Distillery Run, and not actually adding very much distance. But the view was great, and although the stairs up to Queen were brutal (yes, I walked them!) I really enjoyed running along the river. I have to remember to bring a timer with me, because, although I got back home in 50 minutes, I don't know how long I was actually running.

Distillery/ Market - 3.83 K

I only had 30 minutes, so I just started out and made it up as I went along. I quickly found out that the Distillery isn't very far away, so had to run other places in the neighbourhood to make up the time. I even had to double back up and down the same street for the last 5 minutes. I'm getting marginally faster, but I still have a ways to go. 1.17 K to be exact! :)

Queen's Quay/ Harbourfront 4.9 K

I originally thought I would run only the one way then walk back. But, to my surprise, my endurance has obviously improved, as I wasn't tired and kept on running. That was great! Almost there!

So I've learned that 5 K is actually a long way! Although I'm super pleased that I can now run it continuously, I'm not sure that 5K in 30 minutes is realistic. At least I have time on my side, the race isn't until September!

First Guesstimated 5K outdoors!

2009-04-10T23:51:00.001-04:00

I'm pretty sure it was almost 5K, because I ran for almost an hour, and I usually do 3 or so K in 30 minutes on the treadmill. I'm still very very slow, but I was happy that I was able to run to my destination and back again without stopping for anything but lights. Stupid lights! :) The race I'm aiming for is in September, so hopefully I'll be able to ramp up my speed before then, to reach my goal of 5K in 30 minutes.

The Sound of Music

2009-04-08T23:07:00.003-04:00

Brilliant, brilliant brilliant! What a show. Go see it as soon as possible. Since it was a Wednesday evening, we saw the runner up to the show "How do you Solve a Problem Like Maria" (the Canadian version) but she was absolutely excellent. Another standout was Noella Huard, who played the Abesse. What a voice! Climb Every Mountain was phenomenal. The kids were cute, the sets were really technically advanced and the orchestra was great. Fans of the movie will notice a lot of changes, as the stage show is much shorter, but all the songs are there. An absolute must see.

Cosi Fan Tutti at the Royal Conservatory

2009-04-03T23:55:00.000-04:00

What a wonderful performance by a number of up and coming classical musicians. These kids (although there are a few older students in the program) are the future of classical music in Canada. I only hope that they aren't all snapped up by orchestras in Europe. They did the entire opera, not just excerpts, which was great. I'm looking forward to seeing more from the RC, especially now that they are building their brand new performance hall. The new building is amazing, especially the way they molded the new building onto the old. Most concerts are free (including this one) so definitely check it out.

March 2009 Books and Movies

2009-03-31T22:55:00.002-04:00

Love Monkey
Kyle Smith

Bad bad bad! Dated, stagnant plot with an unlikable main character! This was advertised as "chick lit" for men, but this book must be the reason the genre never really took off. The was a really brief television series attempt as well. After reading the book, I'm not surprised it failed too. I soldiered on but really, should have put the book down halfway through.

The Adjuster

One of the most creative, symbolic and beautifully shot films I've ever seen. I've taken a few university level film courses, and used a lot of what I learned while watching this film. It reminded me of two films simultaneously, Jean Luc Godard's Breathless and Tarkovsky's The Sacrifice. It's the type of film that just sucks you in, making you lean forward physically to pay that more attention. I've only seen it the one time, but I'm certain that it will lend itself well to multiple viewings with subsequent new takes on scenes. The ending is most interesting, and can be viewed both realistically and symbolically. An absolute must see, as is most of Egoyan's work.

Breaking Dawn
Stephanie Meyers

Well, it took me under a week to read this latest 700 page tome, so these books definitely hold my interest. Unfortunately, the plot was a little too transparent. Meyers has definitely set herself up well to continue the series. Bella's transformation was handled well, and the sense of bonding among the Olympic coven is touching. The Jacob storyline was extremely interesting, as it was in New Moon. I'm still not sure which was my favorite, probably a toss up between this one and the first book.

One Good Story, That One
Thomas King

An excellent collection of Native short stories. A prize winner in many categories, Thomas King is a stellar story teller. There are a thousand and one interpretations and hidden meanings. Especially notable is the story Borders about a woman who, when crossing the border to the U.S., refuses to identify herself as anything other than Blackfoot, even though there are Blackfeet on either side of the border. This book takes less than an hour to read, but will will leave a lasting impact.

(Amy, the book is on its way to you next!)

SuperBad

Ok, I think I've outgrown the stupid/funny movie genre. I'm just not feeling it anymore. Michael Cera was the one bright spot. It just drove me crazy that here was this fat, doofus male character who got the girl in the end, which in itself is a great antidote to Hollywood's usual boy/girl schtick, but knowing that if the gender were reversed the movie would never fly, h*ll they wouldn't have even made it! Seth Rogen was pretty funny, but the other cop was seriously annoying. There were some good jokes, but the period gag, made me gag, literally. It was so gross and pointless, and really brought Seth down in my estimation. Not my cup of tea...or detergent container of beer, that is for sure.

Eclipse
Stephanie Myers

Ok, ok, you got me, I'm a huge fan of these novels! Still think the excessive pitching, wooing and mooning about (no pun intended) is a tad retching, but the plot suckers me in every time. Hee, hee! I love vampire puns! My only issue with the story is that it took 400 pages to lead up to the big event, and then it was too short and a bit of a let down. Well except for the Jacob in the tent bit. That was fun. I'm now reading Breaking Dawn, and it's hard to put down. At 700 pages, I'm going to get a bit of a headache if I read continuously until I finish!

The Smart One and the Pretty One
Claire LaZebnik

Cute. Not overly good or bad novel about sisters, clearly indicated by the title. Ava is the smart dowdy lawyer, Lauren is the sex kitten spendthrift. The characters are fairly 2 dimensional, and not really that memorable. I really didn't care for Daniel. There was a fairly good subplot, with a few twists. The main storyline chugged along to its obvious conclusion. Not as good as Knitting Under the Influence, but good enough for a pass the time chick lit.

First Run of Spring!

2009-03-29T19:33:00.002-04:00

Em and I went for a run to Cherry Beach yesterday. Google maps say it's 3.2 kilometres, but I've learned not to always trust their distance estimates. Still, it was a good long run, one of the longer one's I've done outside. I still think the longest one was the one Google maps said was 3.9 km. I still have a ways to go before getting to 5K, and I also need to increase my speed. I definitely like running outside better than on the treadmill.

Running, not running, slow downs, technical difficulties...leading to my first bike ride of the season!

2009-03-14T19:44:00.005-04:00

Today was a very interesting day. As far as being the first day of March Break, it finished off well, which was great.

But let's go back a bit.

Last Wed, tried to go for a run on the treadmill. Got an awful pain in my left shin and had to stop. I know about shin splints, but of course, didn't think it would happen to me. I was pretty shocked when I literally couldn't keep running. I knew it was something though, because I was thoroughly warmed up and stretched out thanks to a gentle Hatha yoga class 30 minutes prior.

Then my iPod shuffle died. Totally kablooie! Downloaded the restorer from Apple and still no joy. So I have to get a new iPod before I can go out again.

So, I decided to go for a bike ride. I knew that I would have to do a little work before I could hit the road, as my back tire nozzle was busted, and the tires were flat. So I took it to the bike shop, where there was a two hour wait for my teeny part replacement. So I waited at the bucks of the star and made a few phone calls. At about 4:30pm went back to the shop and $13.95 later, I was back on the road.

I went to my usual haunting ground, Tommy Thomson Park at the Leslie Street Spit. It was a balmy 4 degrees, and my butt is a little sore :), but it was glorious. I love my bike!

But I have to get back to running, if I'm going to do that 5K.

Too Cute!!!

2009-03-01T19:36:00.002-05:00

I had a fun giggle at this, hope you do too!

Enjoy!

February 2009 Books and Movies

2009-02-28T14:42:00.001-05:00

New Moon
Stephanie Myers

Warning, spoilers!

Ok, so I'm actually enjoying reading these books, even though they clearly are not very literary. They're a great distraction, easy to read (although they could be much shorter if Myers just cut out all the useless moaning and groaning about how tortured love is, I mean really, the chapters that contained one word (the month) were just ridiculous!) and underneath it all have a fairly likable, if not predictable, plot. I had really started to like Edward's character in the last one, so I was pretty disappointed that he didn't figure in this book too much. Jacob was good substitute, so it was again annoying when he left the story. Now I'm just waiting to find out when Bella will turn, and if they will have a kid (can vampires sire children with humans in Meyers fantasy world?) after they marry. We'll see how Eclipse goes.

Coraline
Neil Gaimain

Absolutely great read. Interesting, creepy, heroic, heartwarming, visually stimulating, just great. Coraline is an interesting main character and the Beldam (love that it's an anagram of the word bedlam) is freaky scary. Looking forward to the movie version. I love Neil Gaiman, his is definitely a brain that should be donated to science so that they can study it. What an imagination!

Do What I Say: Ms. Behavior's Guide to Gay and Lesbian Etiquette
Meryl Cohn

Although mostly humorous, this book did have some interesting information. Ms. Behavior has a sly wit, is brutally honest and definitely has a lot to say. Whatever your orientation, give it a read, it'll make you smile, if not laugh out loud.

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
Malcolm Gladwell

This was a really interesting look at the way epidemics start, spread and die. I found a number of concepts clearly explained the phenomenon. Mavens and Connectors, the rule of 150 and stickyness were all applied to concrete examples, creating a very plausible argument. The writing was somewhat simplistic at times, with the author completing the circle a little two neatly with his authoritative voice. Sometimes I just didn't buy what he was selling, because of this. On the whole though, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in sociology.

Twilight
Stephanie Meyers

This book was much much better than the movie, which is what I fully expected. For a book targeted at teenagers, it was well written and interesting. The story progressed in a way that made me keep reading, 500 pages in a week! The vampire lore was a bit strange, definite different than any other vampire stories I've ever read or seen. A friend of mine, who has a weird sense of humour, got a t-shirt made up that read "And then, Buffy staked Edward...the end." I laughed and laughed! I'm sure grade 6 girls won't find it funny, but that's ok. :) I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Slumdog Millionaire

Absolutely fabulous! Interesting plot, great storytelling device, incredible cinematography, wonderful acting, this is a definite must see. It was gripping, at times violent, heart wrenching, suspenseful, touching. The characters are flawlessly drawn and extremely likable, even when they do bad things. I really liked the way they used the "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire" questions as jumping off points to explain how it was that a poor boy could know the answers, to drive the movie forward. I was a bit shocked that the two main characters kissed at the end, a move surely executed for the benefit of the film's American release. As far as I know Bollywood movies don't allow kissing. Even in joint ventures, such as Bride and Prejudice, the couple never kisses. Go see this, you'll be glad you did.

Running Log 28/02/09

2009-02-28T10:45:00.000-05:00

Well I'm glad I did go for a run today, even if it wasn't as hard core as I've done in the past. I ran for 15 minutes, walked for 5 then tried to start running again to do another 15, but started to feel dizzy, so had to stop. I've been off running for 20 days, mainly because I had bronchitis then a sinus infection. It's been a real let down, because I feel like I have to start from scratch again. I ran a 13 minute and 30 second mile, so at least I've maintained my speed in the initial mile. In hindsight I should have done 5's and 1's or 10's and 1's but I wonder if I still would have gotten dizzy after 20 minutes. Anyway, I'll try again tomorrow.

Fun Times

2009-02-27T18:47:00.004-05:00

Last night I went to a housewarming party around the corner. A friend of mine and her partner bought an old Georgian townhouse that they completely gutted and reno'd inside. The decor was flawless, the people intriguing and beautiful, the food was fabulous and the music was great! I met Richard Fagon (Nigel from Da Kink in My Hair) and the associate producer of the Factory Theatre among others. One of the best rooms in the whole house was the top floor master bathroom with a beautiful claw footed tub underneath a skylight. I really wish I had taken the morning or whole day off today, as it would have been great to stay longer.

The Real BBC Top 100 Reading List

2009-02-25T23:15:00.004-05:00

Apparently, the Facebook Version has been distorted somewhat.

Here's the link

Legend still the same:

X = Read
+ = Loved
* = Want to Read

I got less on this list. 46!

1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien X +
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen X
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman X
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams X
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling X +
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee X
7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne X +
8. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell X
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis X
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë X
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller X
12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë X
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier *
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger X
16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame X
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens X
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott X
19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy *
21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell X
22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling X +
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling X
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling X +
25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien X
26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy X
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving
29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck X
30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll X +
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett
34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl X +
36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson X
37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
38. Persuasion, Jane Austen *
39. Dune, Frank Herbert
40. Emma, Jane Austen X
41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery X +
42. Watership Down, Richard Adams
43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald X
44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas X
45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal Farm, George Orwell X
47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens X
48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher
51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett X
52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck X
53. The Stand, Stephen King
54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy X
55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth *
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl X
57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome X +
58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell X +
59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky *
61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden X +
63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens X
64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough
65. Mort, Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton
67. The Magus, John Fowles
68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett
70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding X
71. Perfume, Patrick Süskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett
74. Matilda, Roald Dahl X +
75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding X +
76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins
78. Ulysses, James Joyce X
79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens
80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits, Roald Dahl X
82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith
83. Holes, Louis Sachar X
84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
89. Magician, Raymond E Feist
90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac
91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel
93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine, Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel García Márquez *
98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson
99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot
100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie

BBC Books

2009-02-25T00:21:00.000-05:00

Apparently the BBC reckons most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here.

Instructions:

1) Look at the list and put an 'x' after those you have read.
2) Add a '+' to the ones you LOVE.
3) Star (*) those you plan on reading.
4) Tally your total at the bottom.

How many have you read?

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen X
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien X
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte X
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling X +
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee X
6 The Bible X
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte X +
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell X
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman X +
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens X
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott X +
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy X
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller X
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare X +
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier *
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien X
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger X
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger X +
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot X
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell X
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald X
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy *
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams X
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky *
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck X
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll X
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame X
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy X
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis X +
34 Emma - Jane Austen X
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen *
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis X +
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini *
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres *
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden X +
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne X
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell X
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown X
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery X +
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood X
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding X
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan X
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel X +
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen X
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth *
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens X
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez *
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck X
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov *
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas X
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac X
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding X +
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie *
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens X
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker X
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett X
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce X
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath *
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome X +
78 Germinal - Emile Zola *
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray X
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens X
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker X
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert X
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White X +
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle X +
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad X
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery X
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole X
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas X
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare X
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl X +
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo X

Total: 61

I don't know why Hamlet and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe are under separate cover when the complete works of Shakespeare and the Narnia series are also listed.

I also don't know why The Davinci Code is on this list. Not even remotely in the same league as the others.

Running...stopped...running

2009-02-24T23:42:00.002-05:00

Need to get back on the running track. Got sick (again) and then had a lot of trouble getting back into it. I'm hoping that blogging that I am planning on taking a treadmill run tomorrow evening will ensure that I get on that treadmill. Here's hoping that there will be a running log posted tomorrow with my (possibly diminished) stats.

25 Facts About Me

2009-02-09T22:25:00.002-05:00

This is an exercise that a lot of people are doing on Facebook. You post any 25 facts about yourself. I found it interesting, so I thought I would post the results here, for those who read my blog who don't have Facebook.

1. Music means the world to me. I can't walk a block (alone) without my iPod, go a day without listening to some kind of music or without playing or singing. It's in my blood, handed down from generations gone by and in my soul.

2. I am a self identified nerd...and finally proud of it. It took me a long time to get here, but I'm glad I'm here.

3. I have a coin collection. Mainly Canadian, specialty quarters, a penny for almost every year from 1900 and specialty items from the Royal Canadian Mint. (See number 2)

4. I love languages. I speak English, French and Italian. I took German in university and would love to learn Spanish. I am trying (somewhat unsuccessfully) to learn Russian.

5. I wish people were more polite to each other in public places. Especially on the TTC.

6. I write but have never worked up enough courage to submit any of it to anyone beyond school/ university.

7. I've been in unrequited love more often than in requited love, and that fact makes me more than a little sad.

8. I love living alone. After years of family and roommates, it's bliss. I've never lived with a partner for more than a few weeks temporarily, so I don't know how that would go. :)

9. I have R.A. I am in drug related remission, but I've found it very difficult to be asymptomatic and not look or seem sick, but still have a disease that will be with me for the rest of my life.

10. I love Yoga and practice everyday. It helps keep me sane. I hope to attend an Ashram in India someday soon.

11. I've recently started running again, and am training for a 5K in the the spring.

12. I love my bike! I ride to work everyday it's not way below freezing and/or there is no heavy precipitation.

13. I will be on sabbatical in 18 months, and am planning a trip around the world.

14. I love to travel (see 13) and could see myself in a job that required frequent international travel.

15. I've struggled with body image my whole life and wish I could just get over it.

16. I have exceptionally bad plant and animal allergies. I love cats and can't own one. I love being outdoors, but in the spring and summer I keep the allergy medication companies in business.

17. I used to be wholly committed to artistic expression through drama. Over the years, I've become disillusioned by unreasonable demands placed on actors by the industry (whether it be theatre, television or film) to look a certain way, unless for a very specific character role. When I was in the "biz", I was told by more than one casting director/ agent that I was too fat to play the ingenue but too pretty to be a character actor (ie: play the funny best friend) so I ended up quite lost. I trained in England, where at the time, "real" people were represented on stage and screen, but I've noticed that now, similar North American aesthetics are being applied.

18. I wish I could remember my dreams more than just a few fragments after I wake up.

19. I am a sap through and through. I cry at books, movies, television, touching scenes in real life, even some heart string tugging commercials. Unfortunately, I hate waterproof mascara. it's too hard to remove. ;)

20. If I could snap my fingers and bring about global change they would be: stabilizing the climate, the emancipation of women in countries still waiting and an end to deadly conflict. I've always been an idealist, and don't think it's a bad thing.

21. I have wonderful friends and family. I am thankful everyday for all they are and do.

22. I don't have a "best" friend, except for when I have a partner. I prefer to have many friends, a chosen few who are invited into the inner most circle of my life.

23. I love watching performances of any kind. Even kareoke! :)

24. I've really enjoyed getting to know the friends on Facebook who have taken the time to do this. Thanks for sharing!

25. I found this exercise much harder to complete than I thought, and learned a lot about what I really think in the process.

No one has really commented on them, so I'm thinking they may not be as out there as some, but that's ok. They're meaningful to me, and that's what matters.

Running Log 06/02/09

2009-02-06T18:12:00.000-05:00

Well, I had my first running "set back" today. I knew I was tired and probably shouldn't go for a run but was stubborn and went anyway. I tried to up my speed and ran out of steam at 20 mins. The only good thing about it was I took some more time off my mile, at 12 minutes and 23 seconds.

Time: 21 min
Distance: 2.83 km
Speed: 8 km/hr
Intervals: None. 1 min cool down.

So I guess the lesson here is, don't run when you're tired and don't increase too many things in one go. 20 min of running is better than no min of running, so all was not lost. Onwards and upwards!

My Abs

2009-02-04T23:02:00.002-05:00

Today at Yoga, we were doing this crazy balancing pose that uses only your abs. I really wasn't able to do it very well, and it got me thinking about a conversation I had with Amy. I was talking about how I had abs, underneath the pudge. Well, apparently I don't! I know that I have some abs, as I wouldn't be able to do many moves in Yoga or run without them, but I was surprised at just how far I have to go. I really hate working my abs though, probably because they are so weak, and it takes so much effort to work them. Oh well, onwards, and hopefully, towards stronger abs!

Running Log 04/02/09

2009-02-04T18:38:00.000-05:00

Time: 32 min
Distance: 4 km
Speed: 7.6 km/hr
Intervals: NONE!!!! Whoot! 2 min cool down.

Today I took 30 seconds off my minute/mile time. So I ran a 13 minute mile.

I'm very proud of my continuous running, and upping the sped a little, but am frustrated at the slow progress with shaving time off my mile, which will get me to that 5K in 30 min. I know all progress is good, and I'm certainly not backsliding, but I'm just impatient. :)

Running Log 01/02/09

2009-02-01T19:03:00.003-05:00

Whoot! Second run dehors, 4.4 kms, 35 min. At times I felt like I was crawling, but I'm very proud to say I did not stop once from start to finish!

I may do this 5k in 30 min yet... :)

January 2009 Books and Movies

2009-01-31T23:46:00.000-05:00

French Women Don't Get Fat
Mireille Guiliano

This book was a good read. More of a lifestyle recommendation than a diet book, it does contain some very interesting recipes and a lot of solid advice. Guiliano is a mite condescending at times, but because she speaks the truth, it didn't bother me so much. Give the Leek Soup a miss, it's really not that great, more like leek flavoured water. I don't think one could live on it and the leeks themselves for a weekend without going completely nuts. Not to mention the only weight you would lose would be water weight. Her website is pretty good, I would be interested in reading her follow up book.

The Time Traveler's Wife
Audrey Niffenegger

This was an amazing book. Well written, incredibly interesting plot, excellently drawn characters, just amazing. It's five hundred pages plus, and I read it in under a week. I would have been done sooner if work hadn't gotten in the way! :) Clare was really lovely, as was Gomez. I wasn't the hugest fan of Henry, but he was definitely interesting. It was very sad, made even more so by the readers fore-knowledge. Thoroughly enjoyable, if you haven't already, go out and read it at once!

Runaway Bride

Cute, but not spectacular. Had all the same people from Pretty Woman in it, so the actor chemistry was spot on, if not a bit repetitive. It was funnier than I thought it would be, and I was surprised to see what a great job Christopher Meloni did with his role. I'm so used to seeing him as Eliott Stabler on SVU, it took a moment to adjust. As I've said before, I'm not the world's greatest Julia Roberts fan, but I liked her in this. Definitely wouldn't have gone to see it in a theatre all those years ago, but on TV, it was a good distraction.

Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher's First Year
Esme Raji Codell

This was an incredible account of a first year teacher working in a Chicago inner city school. So many of the things she wrote were exactly how I felt in my first year. This book was filled with so many positive moments yet so many negative ones as well. It clearly outlines the joys and frustrations of teaching. I would recommend it to non-teachers, if only to understand that this job is more than the sum of its parts, a fact few people truly appreciate.

The Last Summer (Of You And Me)
Ann Brashares

This book was hard to get into, but ultimately, a good one. It's the story of two sisters and their dear friend Paul during their last summer on Fire Island, near New York City. Brashares is the famed author of the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants books, so I was intrigued to see what she would do with a young adult novel. It was a touch self indulgent, at times, but the story was quite touching and took a sad turn near the end. This is a good millieu for Brashares, she should try another novel in this vein.

There's Something About Mary

I'd never been inclined to see this movie, given the number of people who told me how funny it was, but it was on TV so I thought what the hay. Turns out, I'm missing the gene that finds physical comedies full of toilet humour amusing. With some exceptions (American Pie being notable) I generally find these types of movies extremely off putting. There were a few genuine bits in this one that were watchable, and I did laugh a few times, but, for me, it's nowhere near the classic everyone raves about.

Becoming Jane

Proof that just because something is historical fiction, doesn't mean that I'm necessarily going to love it. It'll keep me watching, if it's well done from a costume and setting perspective (which this film definitely has in spades) but the plot still has to be there. All the pieces were there, great cast (Anne Hathaway, James MacEvoy, James Cromwell and many more), a great subject, an interesting time period, but just didn't seem to pull out a great film. Hathaway's Jane was far too bold for the period. Even if they were trying to suggest that Austen was different for her time, there was no way a woman of her standing would kiss a man the way she did in her first kiss with Mr. LaFroy. It's good, but not the best, see it if you really love historical fiction, like me!

French Kiss

Ummm, not totally horrible, but pretty terrible. Meg Ryan plays the same character in every movie! What's up with that? I usually love Kevin Kline, but his fake French accent and the presumption that his French is good enough to act alongside amazing French actors like Jean Reno, is laughable. Not to mention they didn't even translate the subtitles correctly. The premise was cute, and the French cinematography (especially in the South) was beautiful. If there's something better on, watch that.

De-Lovely

Everything is de-lovely about this film! Of course, I'm biased due to my predilection for historical anything, fact, fiction, biography etc. :) This is the story of Cole Porter, one of the greatest American songwriters of the 20th century. My favorite Cole Porter tune is "Night and Day", and it's conveniently sung in the movie by one of my favorite modern song and dance men, John Barrowman! The period is dead on, with glorious costumes and sets. Kevin Kline is fantastic, and Ashely Judd is amazing as Linda Porter. You pretty much have to like musicals to enjoy this film, but it's really worth a look. Enjoy!

Mona Lisa Smile

Another wonderful period piece. Throw in the subtle feminist movement grassroots plot and I was hooked! I'm not usually a huge fan of Julia Roberts, but thought she did an excellent job here as the influential art history professor who tries to circumvent tradition. The depiction of 1953 Wellesley College was amazing, so well done. Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles and Maggie Gyllenhaal were all brilliant. Moving and thought provoking, a definite must see.

Running Log 31/01/09

2009-01-31T23:33:00.000-05:00

To assure my small readership, I won't be blogging about every run, just about the ones that I feel I've made significant progress.

Today I went for my first winter run. Actually it was two runs, each 2.3 km long. The first run was exclusively uphill, carrying a two kilo backpack and the walks were quite snowy. It was pretty cold, -14 with wind chill. It really made a difference in my breathing. With the exception of two pauses for lights, I ran the entire way. On the way back it was much easier and with the exception of one stop because my bag was undone. I didn't run very fast, and because I wasn't on the treadmill, I didn't keep track of the distance or time. I feel that I did improve though, because it's really different to run outside. It was really tough on the way up, but I felt a real sense of accomplishment when I was finished.

Running Log 30/01/09

2009-01-30T18:42:00.001-05:00

Time: 33 min
Distance: 4 km
Speed: 7 km/hr
Intervals: 15 min running, 1 min walking, 15 min running, 2 min cool down

Today I ran a 13.5 minute mile (I am so not a math person, I've tried and given up trying to figure out what kind of minute km that is... :( can any of the 3 people who read my blog help me?)

I'm improving, but it's seems slow. At this pace I'll have to run the 5km in 40 min. Tomorrow I go for my first outside winter run. Hopefully I don't slip too much in the snow, given my history with breaking body parts in the snow!

Running Log 27/01/09

2009-01-27T17:29:00.005-05:00

Time: 35 min
Distance: 4 km
Speed: Between 6 and 7 km/hr
Intervals: 10 min running, 1 min walking, 10 min running, 1 min walking, 10 min running, 3 min cool down

My goal is 30 min continuous...my nutty uncle seems to think I will be able to do this 5K run in 30 min, and he's in excellent shape, so I've taken on the challenge.

I am making progress though, which is great!

I'm looking forward to when I get to put:

Intervals: None :)

Back in the Running Saddle

2009-01-25T17:40:00.002-05:00

With my cold/borderline bronchitis finally out of my system (except for the odd cough and phlegmy stuff here and there) I've started to train for a future 5K run. I'm not sure which one I'll do, I still have to check them all out. Something along the water would be my preference. Amy and I are encouraging each other and hopefully, when the weather warms up, will start running together! It's always fun to run with a buddy.

Below are my first two running logs.

Running Log 25/01/09

Time: 32 min
Distance: 3.5 km
Speed: Between 6 and 7 km/hr
Intervals: 5 min running, 1 min walking, 6 min running, 1 min walking, 7 min running, 1 min walking, 8 min running, 3 min cool down.

Running Log 24/01/09

Time: 30 min
Distance 3 km
Speed: Between 6 and 7 km/hr
Intervals: 3 min running, 1 min walking, 4 min running, 1 min walking, 5 min running, 1 min walking, 6 min running, 1 min walking, 7 min running, 1 min cool down.

Friday night at the Rex

2009-01-24T14:07:00.002-05:00

Went to see The Dave Young Group at the Rex with Pat and another friend last night. Here's the line up.

Kevin Turcotte - Trumpet

Gary Williamson - Piano

Dave Young - Bass

Terry Clarke - Drums

John Johnson also joined them on tenor sax. What a band! Great trumpet (of course, Kevin Turcotte is amazing) and with John Johnson, the sound is seriously sweet. Dave Young is a fiend with that bass, what a player! I was too tired to stick around for the entire second set, but what I heard was brilliant.

If you get the chance, definitely check them out!

Another great dinner party

2009-01-18T18:40:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, after a ridiculously long rehearsal, Pat and Em came over. We decided to hit the market for fresh ingredients to create dinner. What a meal! We started off with bread and a triple cream Quebecois cheese, followed by a main of fresh tilapia in a pomegranate sauce (Pat's invention) with pan fried leeks and a parsnip/potato mash. All accompanied by a wonderful 2007 Pinot Grigio Veneto by this Italian winery. The Veneto isn't in their product list anymore, but I would be happy to try the Pinot Grigio Piave listed, as the Veneto was quite spectacular. We had some rather disappointing tartuffo for dessert. Too sweet, and too much like ice cream, not gelato. Homemade chocolate chip cookies and espresso finished off the meal. Great company, wine and food, what more could one ask for. I'm happy to be making good on my promise to myself to entertain at home more often.

2009...what's in store?

2009-01-01T20:37:00.003-05:00

Right off the bat, I will repeat my New Year's Mantra...I don't make New Year's Resolutions.

Taking stock:

Health

Aside from the worst flu bug I think I've ever had in my life that's lasted a whole week's worth of my holidays, I'm doing ok. My RA continues to be in drug related remission, and I'm getting back to the things I used to do before the ankle break and the diagnosis. I even went skating for the first time again in 3 years! It was great, I'm looking forward to getting back to skating more regularly.

Work

New assignment this year, same place. Ho hum. Nothing new to say except for I'm now 18 months away from my sabbatical. The countdown begins! Tune in to my blog for preparation updates, and of course, the journey itself.

Dating

I've changed so many of my old paradigms, sometimes I don't even recognise myself. I've become a fan of the non traditional, and learned to fully (not just topically) accept people for who they are, and then decide whether or not they have a place in my life. Patience has not traditionally been one of the things I have in spades, although I've certainly developed in this area. As with anything, there are developments I wish for, but if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. :)

Home

Looking pretty good, better the neater I keep it! :) I'm so glad I was able to get my living room drapes up, and hopefully will get the bedroom drapes up very soon. Another goal for 2009, get rid of useless stuff! I definitely have trouble letting go of sentimental things that I never look at, but when I go to throw them away, I can't. Still need to do the floors and paint, but I'm not sure I want to before I sublet. On the other hand, I want to enjoy my home fully, and done up the way I imagined, before I sublet. We'll see what happens.

All in all, I hope that 2009 brings about some real changes in my life. I'm on a mission to improve my fitness, eating habits, personal relationships and musicianship. I know, it sounds like New Year's resolutions, but really, they're just holdovers from my goals from last year. I made some amazing progress last year, so I'm hoping to continue this year.

Happy New Year! All the best in 2009!

December 2008 Books and Movies

2008-12-31T17:34:00.003-05:00

Good-bye Lenin

Absolutely brilliant movie! D gave this to me for xmas, knowing I liked historical fiction. It centres around a family in East Germany right before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The mother suffers a heart attack and falls into a coma. When she awakes, the family decide it's best to keep her in the dark about the opening to the West, lest it upset her and cause another heart attack. The lengths they go to are very comical and the film is very well written. It's in German with subtitles. Definitely see it!

Don't Be That Girl
Travis Stork, MD with Leah Furman

This was not a very helpful book. It was poorly written (sorry Leah, I don't think it was your writing) and full of cliches. The types of women he describes are true enough, but it really comes off as "I know best, because I was on The Bachelor, but more importantly, because I'm a doctor". The overwhelming tone was, it's not him it's you. Of course I, and everyone else, knows that it takes two to tango and that sometimes it's the guy and sometimes it's the girl. So it seems a bit insulting to read something that insinuates that there are tons and tons of wonderful guys out there, just ready to date, as long as you fix all of your problems first. There are always the token "well it's not always this way" statements thrown in, possibly for legal purposes, :) which I suppose is meant to make one feel better. Give it a miss, there are a gazillion better books out there that deal with this topic.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Really enjoyed this movie. Yes, the excessive CGI was a bit distracting, but the story was pure and engaging. I didn't quite cry, but was misty eyed at parts, which for me, is always a good sign. The story is unique, based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The hero is born old and gets younger over time. Brad Pitt is well cast and Cate Blanchett is wonderful, as usual. I love historical fiction, and the production company certainly used gobs of money to make every detail historically accurate. Good film, go see it!

Irish Girls Are Back in Town
Various

Another great collection of short stories by Irish authors. Of course I didn't love every single one, but found some great authors that I will definitely look into. Particular mention should go to Julie Parsons, Morag Prunty and Cecelia Ahern (the Irish Prime Minister's daughter) who also wrote P.S. I Love You. There's a Scottish version of this collection, so I'm looking forward to discovering more new authors.

Twilight

In a word, fromage! Wow, that movie was super cheesy! I meant to read the book before going, but now I'm glad I didn't, because I have a feeling I would have been really disappointed. I will still read the series, but the movie definitely fell flat. There was some gorgeous cinematography of Washington State and the fight scene was pretty cool at the end, but the love story was stilted. A human falling in love with a vampire has been done so many times, there's only so much you can do with it. Oh and you could totally see the white powder they used on the vampires. Cheesy!

Chasing Harry Winston
Lauren Weisberger

Hmm. Well, it's no The Devil Wears Prada, or even Everyone Worth Knowing. For a third outing, not really up to par. That being said, I still read through it fairly quickly and enjoyed the characters, if not the plot so much. Two friends make a pact to change their romantic lives, with the marriage seeker having flings and the socialite to look for a man to marry, while the third friend looks on but doesn't join in. Of course, her life ends up changing as well. I did really like the character of Adriana, she was a hoot. I'll still read Weisberger novels, but I'm hoping that the next one is another Prada.

Ensemble, c'est tout (Hunting and Gathering)

Great movie of an even greater novel. I enjoyed reading this novel so much I even got it out in French after finishing it in English. The film stayed fairly true to the book, although there were necessary cuts due to the sheer length of the book. A couple of things I thought were turning points in the developing relationship between Franck and Camille were left out or worse, watered down, such as the first time he cooks for her and the first time she resumes drawing. An important pair of characters, Camille's "guardians" were not a part of the film. I adore Audrey Tautou in her French movies, The Davinci Code, not so much. Guillaume Canet is beautiful, and a wonderful actor. I really liked Laurent Stocker and Francoise Bertin as well. Excellently cast, beautifully shot and a great story, go and see it!

The Next Thing on My List
Jill Smolinski

Great chick lit. Fun, breezy writing style, interesting plot, non cookie cutter herione, a few plot twists and she doesn't end up with the guy you think she will. Although I know it was a deliberate plot device, to lead the reader on, I still suckered me in, so it was well done. The story is about a girl who sets out to complete a to do list made by a girl who suddenly dies and her adventures while doing it. The characters are well drawn, although a couple of introductions were a bit abrupt or even completely out of left field. I found myself searching for one character, paging through the parts I'd already read, because she was introduced with such familiarity. That's small potatoes compared to some of the clunkers I've read. This was a nice easy read.

3 Women

Very interesting. Robert Altman is pretty wacky. Lots of interesting stuff here: role reversal, feminism, accurate portrayal of the mid-70s, great cinematography of California and cool (for the time, 1977) special effects, fantastic, eerie score with lots of flute. It's hard to describe the plot, you just have to watch it. Lots of ideas will swirl around in your mind once you've seen it, they'll drop in days afterwards. Excellent film!

Certain Girls
Jennifer Weiner

Warning....spoilers!

Oh Jennifer Weiner, what were you thinking! It was such a great book right up to the end, and then kablooie! Why, why, why did you think that killing off the best character in the novel would make your novel better? I thought it was a bad, bad move. It completely erased all the great writing and made it very difficult to finish. I almost didn't keep reading after that. It was just plain bad writing. The death happened too quick, instead of feeling like an out of nowhere surprise, it just felt like sloppy writing. Not a fitting ending for Cannie, not a good follow up to Good in Bed. A real shame, I was expecting more. Oh well, I enjoyed it 3/4 of the way through.

Torchwood: Season 1 DVD

Absolutely brilliant! Pretty much watched it straight, one episode after another. A bit of science fiction, a bit of fantasy, lots of real life, set in Cardiff (I have to go there, I can't believe I spent nearly 2 years in England and never went to Wales), great case, cool sets, fantastic stories, the list is endless. I watched most of season 2 on the Space Channel, but was quite confused sometimes. I'm less confused now and gagging for more! I know Season 3 is being shown in the UK, but have no idea when it's coming here. Hopefully sooner, rather than later.

Wonderful Company

2008-12-17T21:22:00.004-05:00

Last night I held a dinner party for D and two friends. I didn't really cook (just bought, heated up and put together stuff) but it was a weeknight, so I simply didn't have the time. The company was fabulous, we ate well, made our way through 2 bottles of red (one of which was an amazing 2006 Chateau Timberlay Bordeaux), had wonderful conversation in three languages and finished the evening with a homemade (not by me) maple sugar pie. The entire evening was a real treat and made me realise I have to do this more often, with more of my friends. Looking forward to the New Year, when they will host!