Guff Journal

Editor Humour

2012-02-08T10:49:00.001-05:00

Mexico Trip

2012-01-25T19:51:00.020-05:00

Well in spite of the questionable safety of beautiful Mexico, the Donovan-LaPlante-Patry team went down south. We had a great week and enjoyed some fishing, eating, drinking and lounging. Unfortunately we are back and I have to go to work tomorrow. It was an awesome mid-winter break and I even have a light tan. I finished two books while I was away, and slept a LOT. Everything a good vacation should be! Now off to the gym...

The Sport Fishing Team

The fish was slipping rapidly out of my hands.

This is known as Pirate Morgan's Cave.

Ready to go Fishing!

A long, hard day at the swim-up bar.

A walk home from town.

The local fishing fleet.

A lunch at El Shrimp Bucket

Not just a tasty name.

The Cathedral in Mazatlan

City Centre in Mazatlan

Wandering through town, local art.

Some beautiful ceramic embellishment on a casa.

Colourful houses in Old Mazatlan.

Morning on the boardwalk.

Beach soccer for the kids.

Nicole and I ready to party on Day One.

Eddie Vedder - Let My Love Open the Door

2012-01-12T14:33:00.002-05:00

Have I mentioned that I love him before? Well I do. He makes everything better. Including this song!

Lego "Girly" Designs

2012-01-12T11:44:00.003-05:00

I read this article in the Toronto Star and I thought I'd share my reaction. The article is about how Lego is making easy, purple, dumbed-down packs for girls. I know that brands need to market widely, but come on, Lego. A fashion design studio??

I was a fairly girly-girl as a kid. I was small and shy, so books and closed-door Barbie play were right up my alley. I also loved Lego though, because in my mind it was one of the only neutral toys out there. I didn't feel intimidated because it wasn't jamming gender down my throat. I didn't give a second thought to the primary colours or the real-world designs. (In fact I really enjoyed the spaceships). I spent a lot of time building Lego condos and offices for my single, Ken-independent Barbie, in fact.

Their new line of toys is based on a village where girls live and go to the beach and apparently put in an occasional shift at the animal hospital or bakery. Sigh. I just think that toy companies need to be more responsible with their messages and give more credit to girls as well as boys. Let's blur the lines a little more, and hopefully in doing that we create more spaces for both sexes to feel like they are allowed to explore and learn.

Also, apparently there is a petition you can sign to get Lego to stop selling out girls.

Type: Love This

2012-01-10T12:54:00.001-05:00

Cheddar Chive Biscuits

2012-01-04T09:08:00.003-05:00

So I was inspired by a brunch I recently went to where they served the eggs Benedict on a cheddar chive biscuit. I became obsessed and so looked up a few recipes and mashed them together. I made the biscuits for my family with the intention that we eat them at brunch on Christmas Day. They mostly got eaten the day before, and it was fateful that we had some left over for Christmas dinner as my mother was duped into purchasing some horrible, gluten-free hockey pucks that were inedible. Anyhoo, here is the recipe, a combination of Canadian Living's recipe and some slight modifications:

Ingredients:

Biscuits:

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2-1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold butter , cubed

1 cup shredded old Cheddar cheese (orange not white)

3 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives

1 cup buttermilk

Glaze:

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

Preparation:

Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda and salt. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until mixture is coarse and crumbly. With fork, stir in cheese and chives; stir in buttermilk to form soft dough. On lightly floured surface, gently knead dough 10 times. Pat into 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick round surface. Using 2-1/2-inch (6 cm) floured round cutter and pressing scraps together, cut out 12 rounds. Mix glaze with a fork and brush tops of rounds briskly with a pastry brush.

Bake on parchment paper–lined baking sheet in centre of 425°F (220°C) oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden.

Note: I have a friend who makes a similar biscuit with bacon. It's worth experimenting with!

Anne Merritt: Reacting to Kim Jong Il's death: "Can I come to Ca...

2012-01-04T09:03:00.000-05:00

Anne Merritt: Reacting to Kim Jong Il's death: "Can I come to Ca...: Tae-nam, 15, student: (smiling) “Do you know Kim Jong Il? He is die die die die die.” Hyo-won, 15, student: “Is Obama happy?” ...

New York City

2012-01-03T20:05:00.013-05:00

Over the Christmas break I was lucky enough to go and visit some friends who live in New York City. It was a fun roadtrip and we lucked out as the weather was extremely mild. We caught some hockey games, a show, and did the usual tourist/holiday calorie binge.

Yankee Stadium, from the car.

Ribs at Famous Dave's, and the reason for my current diet.

Down in the BBQ pit.

Times Square, December 30. You couldn't PAY me to go there on New Year's Eve.

We saw Priscilla Queen of the Desert on Broadway. Stunning, funny and exceptional.

Enjoying a brew in a Brooklyn Brewery glass.

The big tree and little me at Rockefeller Square.

A dapper gent approaching Radio City.

I wish I had a croissant.

These are our friends at the Oilers/Islanders game getting interviewed for a fan show called Oil Change.

Dear Amazon: You Really, Really Suck.

2011-12-07T16:35:00.000-05:00

{Interlude} Dear Amazon: You Really, Really Suck.

Book Review - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

2011-11-29T15:03:00.003-05:00

I finally read this book. I know, at the height of its popularity, right? Whatever, I've had it for a while but I've been busy. Anyway, I like Mark Haddon. He's poignant, intelligent, he touches on some pretty real human sadness and I can still read his books in about a day.

I was fascinated by this story from the beginning. It's about a 15-year-old boy with apparently severe autism. (The word autism is never mentioned in the book but it's clear). He lives alone with his father, his mother is not in the picture, and he lives in a world where he feels physically ill if he is surprised, or if he's been lied to. He cannot tolerate any kind of situational "clutter."

Christopher, the boy, finds his neighbour's dog has been killed and he sets out to find out who is responsible. We are instantly taken into the boy's world, and we find ourselves wanting to make him comfortable. He's a math whiz, and he finds comfort in clear-cut scenarios. He hates the colour yellow. He hates to be touched.

We can see that it's hard for people to interact with Christopher because the rest of the world doesn't understand how different his perception is. He sets off on a mission to find his mother, and the sheer difficulty he has getting to a train, using an ATM and finding a map is not because he is incapable. These tasks are difficult mainly because of the ignorance of the people he deals with.

We are so sympathetic with this kid, and the fact that he is smart, has some quirks and basically wants to be left alone that we think about autism and truly, the human brain in a whole new way. Frankly there were a lot of traits that I personally sympathized with. Hating crowds, wanting to know the "schedule" of a day before setting out, although I can't say I understand math at all.

The plot is driven mainly by this journey he ends up taking, but we also see the fragility of a family that has a child with different needs, and the lack of sympathy most of us have for people who see the world differently from us. Christopher isn't the newest character to ever be depicted (read: Rainman) but this book definitely takes a fictional leap into an area that has been all over the news, and which science is fairly baffled by, and offers us a new depth of understanding.

The Tree

2011-11-27T12:58:00.002-05:00

Christmas Crafts I Assembled

2011-11-26T09:21:00.001-05:00

Some of the Best Characters on TV

2011-11-16T15:48:00.000-05:00

See What A Jack Donaghy vs. Ron Swanson Boxing Match Would Look Like

Pearl Jam

2011-10-21T09:52:00.005-04:00

So I have been an absentee blogger lately due to laziness, business and a busted camera. However, I have a few pics from when I went to see Pearl Jam TWICE in September on the Canadian leg of their Twenty tour. They were amazing as usual, and I really enjoyed the balance of the setlists from the Air Canada show in Toronto on September 11 and the Hamilton Copps Coliseum show on September 15th.

Edit this setlist | More Pearl Jam setlists

360 years later, a feminist nun gets her due

2011-10-11T09:23:00.000-04:00

Dangerous ideas for an Italian feminist nun. Nice work, Arcangela.
360 years later, a feminist nun gets her due

Men Photographed in Stereotypical Pin-Up Poses

2011-10-06T12:15:00.000-04:00

This is one good way to show how ridiculous most standard model shots are:
Men Photographed in Stereotypical Pin-Up Poses

Yeah Sisters!

2011-09-29T07:00:00.000-04:00

"Mademoiselle" is a term that's being shunned by French feminists according to this Globe article.

Regina teacher amazed with Pearl Jam singing stint - Saskatchewan - CBC News

2011-09-26T12:58:00.000-04:00

This guy just lived my dream:

Regina teacher amazed with Pearl Jam singing stint - Saskatchewan - CBC News

Teddy Bears Keep us Honest

2011-09-08T09:37:00.000-04:00

TheStar Teddy bears need a seat in the boardroom

Did They Finally "Catch" Jack the Ripper?

2011-09-07T16:48:00.000-04:00

TheStar British Ripper expert unmasks face of suspect

Twice Shy: Greatest Enemy

2011-09-07T10:32:00.000-04:00

Twice Shy: Greatest Enemy

I Want a Dancin' Robot

2011-09-02T09:41:00.002-04:00

The creator of this guy won a robotics dance competition in Japan. Seriously, how advanced is Japan? This is incredible.

Excellent Chipotle Ad

2011-09-01T11:51:00.000-04:00

Musing Because of Birthday Time

2011-09-01T10:59:00.004-04:00

My birthday was yesterday. I turned 28. I'm pretty content about that so don't expect a rant just yet. I always had a bittersweet birthday time, since my celebrations were also harbingers of the end of summer. Then again, what better time to get all nostalgic and reflective than your birthday AND the time of seasonal change into crisp autumn?

SO, I was thinking. A year ago my birthday was spent moving to Toronto from home in Kingston, where I spent a chunk of the summer lazing, eating and being unemployed post-Australia. It was an uncertain time, and pretty terrifying. A year before that I was eating birthday dinner at a restaurant in North Sydney and thinking about my friends and family at home, and whether I would decide to live in Sydney (in my tiny, expensive apartment) forever.

Anyway, I think it's fair to say that a year has produced a great deal: I have moved to Kitchener, Ontario with my beloved partner Matt. We've both somehow managed to get ourselves permanent positions with the federal government in our respective fields of study and expertise. We've purchased a nice new home, even a car, (relax, we took transit in every city ever, aside from Kingston), and have made some great new friends.

Now, this whole selling out and moving to the suburbs thing is by no means the most exciting and thrilling option for everyone, but the best thing that this past year has produced is freedom. Ironically, living in Korea and Australia, while thrilling, I didn't have certain kinds of freedom, like the freedom to visit or host friends and family whenever I liked, or even the ability to join a class or group of some kind that I could meaningfully and consistently contribute to. I didn't have the freedom to finally take a look at my diet and make certain choices, and I didn't have the freedom to buy the books I wanted to read when I wanted them. I didn't have the freedom to always exercise when I wanted to and how I knew was best for me. I realize it sounds like I'm justifying some kind of life choice and I'm really not. And I should say, wherever I was I could find a way to have a nice glass of wine on the patio (park, balcony, backyard) and be content with life.

I suppose that I could argue since I've karaoke'd with Koreans and eaten mystery meat with Cambodian tuk-tuk drivers and haggled in a Thai market and watched rugby matches with rowdy Aussies that I've earned the right to be a lame-o and lazy suburban sellout. But I don't think that an intelligent person only sees the value in what they happen to be doing in the present, and they certainly don't need to spit on the choices of others.

I think the best thing I woke up and realized yesterday on birthday number 28 was how different my life can look from year to year, and how there are always really, really great things in all of those scenarios. Now, I am lucky enough to have a partner who is also my best friend, and so cheeeesy as it sounds, I have felt like "home" was wherever we were, (or something less horribly sweet that gets the point across).

I think there is just too much, "look at me, I'm posting minute-by-minute photos of whatever I'm doing so validate it!" and not enough, "isn't it great that I'm happy right now, and I can also be psyched that you are too?"

It's nice to "work well" in a variety of situations, and it's nice to get a little older and realize that it doesn't mean that one situation is better than a different one.

More wine, please.

Visit Pelee Island

2011-08-23T20:55:00.016-04:00

Recently I was lucky enough to visit Kingsville, Ontario (Canada's most southern town!) as well as Pelee Island. The area has some of the warmest climates in Canada and so has a wonderful growing season. We got to bike around the island, hang out at the winery, and enjoy some of Kingsville's finest produce.

Setting sail on the ferry

It's 90 minutes, so bring a magazine (or a camera)

Welcome to the island

Straight to the winery

"Should we start with a nip of champagne?"

Vine time

Take that, Napa

Like visiting Australia's Hunter Valley, sans roos

Mid-afternoon snacks

We made our own sangria

These were not all ours...I don't think

Riding in tandem

And the ladies partying at Fish Point

French Cooking 101

2011-08-04T14:17:00.010-04:00

I recently signed up for a French-themed cooking demo at the Kitchener Market. It was $35 and we got to watch a professional chef prepare a 3-course meal while following along with the recipe. We then got to sample it which was incredible. I would totally try this again. They do all sorts of cuisine and themes throughout the year.

Fresh tomato, basil and goat cheese salad.

Pan seared pork chops with a veal reduction and mixed veggies.

Creme bruleeeee!

Support for Vikki VanSickle

2011-08-04T09:29:00.006-04:00

Vikki VanSickle has been in the news a lot lately. I know Vikki from our days at Queen's. We ran with a lot of the same good-natured, clever Arts degree types, and it's no surprise now that Vikki is a successfully published children's author.

Since moving out of Toronto I've been more in tune with the city's politics than ever, because since the election of Mayor Rob Ford, you really can't help but hear about how angry this man is making people.

As his most recent move is to propose closing a number of the city's beloved libraries to help with Toronto's budget gap, there was a natural backlash. At a recent meeting of the city executive committee, Vikki was among citizens present to speak out against the cuts, and as a children's book author and an experienced member of the book sales industry, she was a good choice.

Basically, during her deputation, Ford implied that Vikki was a bitch. Clever, right?

I've always had a sensitivity to instances where the moment a smart, assertive woman speaks up, she gets defaulted as a bitch. The ridiculousness of this coming from Toronto's mayor aside, it makes me really sad that men in a political forum still get away with a massive double standard. If Vikki were a man I'm sure Ford would have responded with a simple defense, if not a sports metaphor or two. A male opponent would have gotten applause, respect and the word bitch wouldn't have been on the table in any form, since that word doesn't really have a masculine equivalent, does it?

Vikki's classy response to the situation is to write an open letter to the council members, and give them each a copy of her book, Words That Start with B, which is largely about bullying, appropriately enough.

I just hope everyone who has seen the coverage of this is as outraged as I am that the city's mayor can get away with calling a children's author a bitch in a public forum FOR DEFENDING PUBLIC LIBRARIES. How many more scandals can this guy produce?

The Smiths Songs as Comics?

2011-08-04T09:24:00.002-04:00

If you are a Smiths fan then this article from the Guardian will get you excited. A Phoenix artist might be making Smiths songs into a comic series. Check it out.

Beastie and Sesame Street

2011-07-25T15:57:00.001-04:00

Sesame Street breaks it down from Wonderful Creative on Vimeo.

From MSNBC: Nooooooo!

2011-07-22T11:56:00.000-04:00

Oops! $1 million of wine lost after forklift drops it

More than $1 million of high-quality Australian wine destined for the United States was lost when a forklift dropped the consignment, according to a report Friday.

Some 462 cases of 2010 Mollydooker Velvet Glove shiraz — worth 185 Australian dollars per bottle (nearly $200) — was lost when they were dropped about 20 feet while being loaded for export in the southern city of Adelaide, the Herald Sun newspaper reported.

"We just couldn't believe it. This wine is our pride and joy, so to see it accidentally destroyed, and not consumed, has left us all a bit numb," winemaker Sparky Marquis told the paper.

He added that the lost wine represented a third of his yearly production, and the paper said he was "working with" insurance companies in an attempt to cover the cost.

Chicago for Dave Matthews and Toronto for U2

2011-07-14T21:24:00.018-04:00

M and I took a long weekend to go see a Dave Matthews festival in Chicago! There was great architecture, delicious food in huge American portions, and of course, live music.

Bono was really close to us. He's tiny and completely covered in leather, even in 30 degrees.

This could be why Americans know nothing of Canadian geography.

A big bite of America

Chicago from Lake Michigan

Moi at the pier

Smurfit-Stone Building

Amphitheatre in Millenium Park

The Tribune Building

Downtown Chicago!

Chicago Deep-Dish PIZZA

A beautiful church on Michigan Ave.

Chicago Theatre!

And of course, Mr. Matthews

Tragically Hip, Canada Day 2011

2011-07-03T14:34:00.007-04:00

Natenure in Kitchener

2011-07-01T09:00:00.010-04:00

Here are a few shots in my yard and in surrounding trails:

Bunny, glass reflection

Cool toadstooly log

Babbling brook

The neighbours' house

Redwing Blackbird

Some flowers I didn't kill

Another freeloading bird

A surprise perennial

Dutch group threatens to burn ‘Book of Negroes... - Toronto.com

2011-06-20T15:01:00.000-04:00

Dutch group threatens to burn ‘Book of Negroes... - Toronto.com

I find articles like these so alarming. This is a piece of literature which is educated, informative, and above all else sympathetic to the people and characters that inspired it! Burning a book is just ignorant and lazy. It's like bombing a country because you don't like one of their policies before scheduling a meeting to talk to their officials about it first. Ugh. Not to mention that the title of The Book of Negroes is taken directly from an actual document that existed, and isn't just something the author thought sounded snappy.

No Longer "Stand by your Man" During Scandals?

2011-06-13T16:20:00.002-04:00

Check out this Huffington Post article on how the recent flurry of men behaving badly in the media actually shows how tolernace levels are going down and women are just saying "Oh, hellll no."

Sloshed: Maybe We Should Be Judging Wines by Their Labels

2011-06-10T15:14:00.001-04:00

Check out this hilarious and true article on the types of wine to expect based on label art:

Sloshed: Maybe We Should Be Judging Wines by Their Labels

The Long Weekend BBQ!

2011-05-26T21:28:00.008-04:00

So I had the pleasure of hosting an awesome barbecue on the weekend. There was grilling of course, and a fire pit. We also had some awesome fireworks and a sing along around the fire. We even had some neighbours join the party when they heard the music. I will definitely be doing this again. I can't wait for another excuse to get fireworks going!

E-books now outsell print versions, Amazon chief says - NYPOST.com

2011-05-21T10:49:00.000-04:00

E-books now outsell print versions, Amazon chief says - NYPOST.com

Hooray for Me!

2011-05-17T16:35:00.003-04:00

Hi friends,

I just want to give myself a high-five for a moment. After looking for the right job for myself since I left a fabulous one in Sydney, (due to distance only, dear Australians), I can finally say I've got it. Today I locked in an indeterminate position with the government working as a writer/editor. I've always loved words and language and now I can jump back in! Sorry for all the whining and thanks for all of the support.

*Pops sparkling wine*

Tulum, Mexico

2011-05-15T12:17:00.014-04:00

We just returned from a glorious week in the sun. We went to Tulum, Mexico to see some friends get married, and to enjoy a vacation on the beach. No one got too sunburned and we all enjoyed the perfect weather and crystal blue water. The wedding went off without a hitch and we even took a couple of day trips to see the Mayan ruins. I have a new love for mango daquiris and I am pretty angry to come back to 8 degrees and rain. Also, I cried about 3 times at the wedding. Then I ate two kinds of cake!

The wedding party

The happy couple, freshly minted

Some groomsmen and a dapper groom

M and I. Chiffon was a bad choice.

Cool cenote (swimming hole)

The watchtower at Coba

More templey stuff

The ruins at Tulum, crawling with iguanas

Senor Cactus, meet M

The view

Boy will I miss breakfast on the verandah

Wine & Cheese

2011-05-02T19:39:00.007-04:00

I had a few co-workers over the other night for some wine and cheese. It began as a post-Lent binge since someone had given up cheese, and a few people had given up booze. It was quite fun pairing the cheese's with the right wines and trying a few new things. The pairing list we used was:

Spumante = swiss, brie

Pinot Noir = edam, fresh mozzarella

Riesling = edam, monterey jack, gouda

Pinot Grigio = peppercorn goat cheese

Sauvignon Blanc = sharp cheddar, gruyere

It was a good idea to have some grapes around to use as "palette cleansers" between cheeses and wines as well.

A good time was had but there was a lot of cheese leftover. In the future I would plan a casserole post-party or something to use it all up.

Book Review - Bossypants

2011-04-27T10:30:00.003-04:00

I Love Tina Fey.

I think that's not a shock to anyone. However, I never read biographies and rarely read non-fiction. So imagine my surprise when I read Tina Fey's book in two sittings, over the course of the long weekend.

Fey's writing style is, as you could imagine, light, conversational, and has the timing of a well-written sketch. She takes us through her childhood, touching on her upbringing as a "surprise" child. (Her Mom had her at 40.) She talks about her scar and getting slashed as a child and how people's reaction to it reveals a great deal about them. She talks about her father, who, unlike Liz Lemon's dad on 30 Rock, is a cool, frightening man with high expectations. She notes that this fear of parents and consequences is something everyone should experience as a child and it may be the reason she became a dork instead of a teenage mom, or something.

Fey is fairly candid about her success and it's fascinating to read about her take on subtle sexism in the workplace. She is obviously a feminist, but backs everything she says up with plain ol' facts and examples rather than any kind of emotion or shoulder-chip. She exposes the ridiculousness of double standards without whining or complaining.

She lets us in to the world of SNL and the arc of time when she was impersonating Sarah Palin while her show was taking off (Oprah was a guest on 30 Rock while she was Palining) all against the backdrop of her small daughter growing up fast.

The end of the book is like so many conversations I imagine I'll have with friends. Tina oscillates between staying on-track with her career (which she is silly to think will be over in a few years) and having a second child. Of course we know that she announced she is prego now, but the timing suggest that maybe it was a gametime decision after she finished writing the book.

The point is, we read the book and see someone who is insanely talented, self-aware, humble, neurotic, tired, stressed, hilarious, honest, annoyed, and also a classy lady. She is constantly shocked at her life and hopes to keep it all up. And I laughed out loud more often reading this book than I even do watching most comedy shows. So go buy it.

Tina Fey if you've Googled non-relevant reviews of your book and you're reading this, we should definitely hang out some time.

PIXIES

2011-04-18T21:19:00.010-04:00

M and I were lucky enough to get front row tickets to see rock legends the Pixies here in Kitchener. They are doing a tour which started when we were in Sydney (a co-worker there saw them at the time) where they play the entire Doolittle album from start to finish. For playing the same album for over a year, they still sounded great and had fun with the crowd. Well, Francis said nothing, but Kim had fun with the crowd. They were well-received and even played two encores. During the encores they played such non-Doolittle hits as Caribou, Where is My Mind?, and Gigantic. It was a great way to spend a blizzardy Sunday night in April.

Pew! Pew!

2011-04-14T16:40:00.003-04:00

So over the weekend we had some visitors. I would post more pics of St. Jacob's Market but I sort of covered that last time. Anyway, we had a ball and it definitely felt like a home since it was chock full of family! Next step: get patio furniture immediately! One of the highlights was when we took the sisters to play laser tag. I've never tried this before. Basically there is a big dark room that is a multi-level maze, and they let about 30 kids in there with laser guns and targets on their backs. Then they electronically tally up how many hits you made, who hot you, where they hit you, etc. It was thrilling and an amazing surge of adrenaline. I was just glad I didn't come in last, but I think it took me a while to get a good strategy/in a good position. I think next time I would do better.

This is a Great Comic

2011-04-05T10:53:00.000-04:00

http://fudgethatsugar.wordpress.com/2011/02/28/101-pick-up/

Curling!

2011-04-04T22:50:00.010-04:00

So on the weekend we got to cash in on a long overdue charity auction prize: a curling lesson and session from a real coach. I've never tried curling before and it was good to do something that is so quintessentially Canadian. Although it might have brought on the weird snowfall we had the next day in April...

Anyway, I learned a lot, had fun and I was definitely sore the next day so I can say I go some exercise. I'll definitely take the chance to curl again if I can!

The teams

Captain Dan

Good form

Lunging like a pro

Some of the pros

The coach

Work It Out

2011-03-30T12:59:00.004-04:00

So I've always been a fan of exercising. Since my life has gotten into a regular routine right now and I'm not doing anything super erratic, I've found that I'm finally back into my old fitness regime. I'm making it to classes at the gym 3-4 times a week. I really enjoy Body Attack and Body Pump classes. Body Attack is interval cardio training and leaves you absolutely wrecked at the end. This class burns about 800 calories and always leaves me in a serene puddle. Body Pump is a weight training class that is pretty popular. I would never do any weight training if it weren't for this class, and I'm even starting to increase my weight higher than "what a kitten can carry in its mouth." So, in honour of this excellent part of my life, I looked up, and posted 10 random facts about exercise and why it's awesome:

There is a direct relation between physical inactivity and cardiovascular mortality

Exercise decreases your blood pressure

Decreases occurrence of blood clots (no strokes for me)

Makes skin look healthier

Increases thickness of cartilage (protects joints)

Weight training strengthens bones

Weight training elevates basal metabolism (you burn calories IN YOUR SLEEP)

Makes your intestines work better so you don’t get colon cancer

Makes you sleep better

Endorphins=nature's ecstasy

So I Thought Mini Giraffes Were Real

2011-03-28T14:38:00.000-04:00

see more The Daily What

RIBS

2011-03-23T23:12:00.004-04:00

Here is an awesome oven-baked rib recipe I tried (and modified) this weekend. I don't have a picture because the ribs didn't last long enough to take one.

Ingredients

2 racks of pork baby back ribs
1 can tomato paste (156 mL)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup chili powder
Salt
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 onion, chopped

Directions

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
Put ribs into a large roasting pan. Whisk together the tomato paste, orange juice, brown sugar, Dijon, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, onion, garlic, chili powder and salt. Pour over the ribs. Cover with foil and bake until the ribs are fork tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

Visitors & To Market

2011-03-23T22:50:00.010-04:00

Over the weekend we were lucky enough to have some cool Kingstonians come all the way to Kitchener to see us! We had a blast watching some HBO comedy, playing a board game called Tribond, going out to eat, and going to St. Jacob's market. Oh, and they brought their adorable baby with them so we got to play with him too!

Big M and Little A

The "grown-ups" playing with the little kids at the Lego store at St. Jacob's Market

Lego Batman!

Legosaurus

A horse that did not impress the baby in the least

Pottery booth at the market. Where's Patrick Swayze?

M's breakfast in a loaf of bread at Squirrel Tooth Alice's

The cute little bongo drum player

Old Australian Mugshots

2011-03-16T10:51:00.002-04:00

I found this article and I am weirdly obsessed with these images now. So beautiful. The quality of this photography is pretty amazing for the time and circumstance.

Book Review - The Happiness Project

2011-03-15T16:07:00.004-04:00

I know, it sounds self-helpy and that's not usually what I read, ever. That said, I have almost always been rewarded when I take word-of-mouth book advice from people I like or am similar to. This book was recommended to me by two different friends within a week of each other, so I figured I should give it a go. So, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin is one of those "this-is-what-I-did-for-a-year" books. She decided one day that even though she was healthy, had a good job, good family, and generally no awfulness in her life, she still wasn't "happy" so she decided to do something about it. Rubin charts out a year where she has a different focus on how to be happier each month from mindfulness to getting organized to lightening up, and sets resolutions for each month to try and enact these ideals. She bases a lot of these ideas on research and quotes. I found that the research of happiness studies and the factoids that pepper the book are what really keeps it from being fluffy and lame. There were a number of times when I would stop reading to share with M a surprising fact. Apparently people don't get any happier after their household income exceeds 110K per year. Also, marital satisfaction nosedives statistically after the first child is born and doesn't get back up until retirement! (Statistically).

I found some of the writing to be a bit self-indulgent. Not in the sense that this woman is writing about her own happiness, but in passages like the one where she uses three examples to explain to the reader what a catch-phrase is, apparently to show us how knowledgeable she is, I got irritated. Or maybe that's just condescension? Or perhaps I am just an example of something the Rubin mentions in the book - the tendency for people to feel they have to say something negative to seem intelligent or discerning?

There are a lot of great aspects of this book. The author identifies personal commandments such as "Be Gretchen" and "Enjoy the process" and I have to admit I really took some of these to heart as items I should remember for myself. Recently while on a ski trip, I actually opted out of skiing to get a pedicure because I was suffering from a cold but also I was just really not sure that I like skiing. I have given it a try but I'm teetering on whether or not I just find it a bit scary. Opting out that day was a great way for me to "be Claire" and I was much happier for it.

Perhaps the best part of Rubin's writing is her ability to explain and articulate mundane thought-processes that she/the reader take for granted. I tend to know how my mind works, but I found it really helpful reading points where she would deconstruct her own thought habits, even if it was something as simple as figuring out why she chooses to leave buying toilet paper until the last minute. The book is full of these walk-throughs of rote mental processes which makes the reader's self-awareness more heightened even without trying.

There were certainly parts of the book that stated the obvious, but there were also a lot of moments when this seemed to be just what was needed to get me thinking about habits, happiness, and actions. I wouldn't call this book a life-changer, but there is a part of me that wants to share it with M because it articulates so well some things about living that I just want to converse about. I also can see myself reading it again to highlight a few things that I really think I could benefit from.

I'm still not sure if I have the energy to take on my own Happiness Project yet, but I haven't entirely ruled it out either. Give it a read, and also give it to your partner as well.

What Are You Giving Up?

2011-03-10T13:23:00.002-05:00

I went to school in the Catholic system, so for years we would always give up something for Lent. (Insert the 'I'm giving up homework crack here). I haven't done this in years, but thanks to a festive Mardi Gras-themed cafeteria at work, it got our group thinking about it. What could we give up? Many people are giving up coffee, which I could never do, because I would be mean and stupid and probably lose my job. So, I decided to give up desserts and sweets. It's not that I eat these things a lot. Actually, I tend to be more of a "savoury" temptee than anything. But, if M says "wanna bake cookies?" I'll say yes, and eat some because, why not? So I think this will be a good challenge for me but not an impossible one. Also I might lose a pound or two, which would be nice. I want to try and eat healthier generally so this will be a good time to do that.

In the spirit of Mardi Gras, we decided to indulge. I made pancakes (full of chocolate chips) for dinner along with sausages. I think it was a good send-off to bad eating. Oh and of course, on the first day of Lent, my co-workers had a goodbye party for someone that was just full of cupcakes and cookies. Did I take one? No! I actually had fruit. Just another 38 days to go!

Tremblant!

2011-03-09T19:22:00.013-05:00

Over the weekend we were luck enough to see some dear, old friends, and stay at a GORGEOUS ski chalet in Mont Tremblant, QC. If any of you Australians are reading this, it may be the most Canadian thing, ever.

The location was beautiful, but the weather was...extreme. I was feeling sick so I didn't actually ski. Instead I went to a spa at the foot of the mountain for a pedicure. During my treatment I was watching the huge hot tubs outside steaming up, and watching the skiers finish their runs. I was happy.

There were friends, games, mimosas and big breakfasts, hot chocolate with Bailey's after the snow, and only a couple of stuck cars. And a harrowing drive home. It was a great weekend, but I think I am also ready for good times in spring weather.

Just a bit of snow

The ladies

Dryin' m'boots by the fire

The fellas

The warriors

Looking into the future - with the help of donuts.

Some of the view

The back deck

The view from the house

Maple whisky, chilling in snow. Can it get more Canadian?

Le Tube

2011-03-02T14:02:00.003-05:00

So Friday night some co-workers and I decided to hit the hill and go snow tubing. I had never done this before, and it seemed like a good way to enjoy some winter (which has been a real struggle lately) and to try something new. So there is a park here in Kitchener called Chicopee and they do tubing, and on the other side of the hill skiing, all winter. It's really close to our house and I would definitely do this again! Apparently you aren't supposed to go down 5-at-a-time though. My one complaint was that to stop you at the end they had it set up so you would just kind of run into a big bag of hay, which was kind of a hard blow. Otherwise, good times all around. Fairly affordable, although they raise they price a bit on Fridays and Saturdays.

A-Dawg Walks!

2011-02-25T15:09:00.003-05:00

Here is a cute little monkey I know walking already!

Young Ears?

2011-02-25T12:24:00.000-05:00

Created by Oatmeal

Calgary 2011

2011-02-24T22:02:00.012-05:00

So M and I finally made it out west, to Graceland. Or, Calgary rather. The home of the Calgary Flames hosted the NHL Heritage Classic game, where two teams get on their old-timey uniforms and play the sport on an outdoor rink. It was FREEZING of course, but I guess we were pretty tough. The Flames won the game 4-0, and we had a lot of laughs. Calgarians were nice as heck to us and it was good to have a little getaway.

Calgary Tower at night. I didn't realize there was a flame on top of it.

Some of the cold Classic.

Let's just say this was when Bourque scored...

Inside Flames Central. A server gave us free beers at 11 am. What a place!

The (in)famous Theo Fleury during the Alumni game

My beer actually froze.

Harvey the Hound firing a t-shirt cannon. Careful Maude...

BUNDLED

The Money Shot at McMahon Stadium

The Saddledome

M and a friend we met

This is why I vote Liberal

2011-02-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

Ontario looking at ‘a number of changes’ to liquor laws

TheStar Australian fisherman survives 6-hour swim to shore

2011-02-16T09:51:00.000-05:00

TheStar Australian fisherman survives 6-hour swim to shore

Just a reminder that Australians are apparently the toughest people around.

University Looks Bad on You

2011-02-11T11:57:00.003-05:00

http://fitperez.com/2011-02-10-obesity-plaguing-college-students/?from=PH

The article above talks about how 50% of college students are obese in the US or something. This reminded me of how surprised I was to find a similar trend when I was at a University of Waterloo bar recently. (There was a band there, I wasn't trolling for frosh). I looked around and I was actually shocked enough to ask M if he noticed anything weird; every kid in there was a) overweight b) unwashed c) bearded, if male d) generally gross-looking.

I know this sounds extremely shallow, and I promise I am only sort of shallow sometimes. I was more just surprised than anything to see that the student population was so uninterested in looking attractive, or being healthy. Perhaps Queen's students are just generally better-looking, but I do recall when I was there a) the gym was ALWAYS packed b) people made an effort to look good even at the library and in lectures c) there were not very many obese people to be found.

I'm not really a fitness nut, although I do enjoy working out because of the endorphins, but also because I know that if I didn't I wouldn't be able to eat/drink the way I do. I guess there is a growing trend to disregard that kind of balance logic in university students now. Is it because there are poorer food choices? Is it because they are starting younger and haven't had a chance to learn good fitness and nutrition? Or are these kids just way smarter and more hard-working since they all go to Waterloo and they are likely designing rockets and computers or something, and they don't have the time that my fluffy Arts-student friends did to go to the gym (and wash their hair)?

Moving...Slowly

2011-02-10T16:11:00.003-05:00

I think I read somewhere that moving is one of the most stressful events in life after death of a spouse, getting fired, and experiencing a zombie apocalypse or something. I have to say, it wasn't that bad. Granted, we had a lot of help because of the government "relocation assistance" which meant that they paid for movers, cleaners, and lawyers. We also had a lot of help from family, providing us with most of the furniture we have in the place. M also did a lot of the legwork, because he was the one getting the government help. I just had to knit dishcloths and make lists of things.

Now that we are moved in, the most stressful thing, I think, is the niggling sense that I am still not quite done. Every moment I think of something that we need and don't have, and my obsessive personality focuses on it until it's done. Even if "it" is just a garlic press, it's kind of unsettling.

That being said, I can honestly say I am pleased as punch to have a place to call our own. It's been a long 9-or-so years of residence, crappy apartments 1 and 2, Korean 4th-floor sublet, crappy apartments 3 and 4, crappy sublets 2 and 3 in Australia, and okay sublets 4 and 5 in Toronto and Kitchener, the whole process peppered with periods of loafing at my parents'.

I think the biggest lesson here is patience, and I've reallly got to get me some. I have a tendency to want everything to be perfect right away, but I think being a homeowner definitely will teach me that I can't have everything at once, and everything is a step-by-step process, whether that is painting a room, or getting the perfect piece of art for every room.

The real bottom line? I want to have dinner parties. Lots of them. Now. I have had a gorgeous cheese serving tray sitting in a box since I bought it on sale when I worked at Bombay in highschool and baby, it's time to break out the gouda.

“Taming Like a Shrew” by Stacey May Fowles | The Walrus Blog

2011-02-02T11:27:00.000-05:00

This is a scathing and accurate review of a book that perpetuates old, tired stereotypes about men and women. M and I have been laughing about the "dopey boob husband" in sitcoms for years. Sexism goes the other way and portraying men as helpless, infantile, and disappointing reinforces the bad rap that real feminists get all the time.

“Taming Like a Shrew” by Stacey May Fowles The Walrus Blog

Becoming a Yuppie

2011-01-31T22:27:00.003-05:00

Since M and I are finally moving into our first home next week, it's becoming clear that we need to get some necessities to put in it. And I'm not talking buy-the-newest-Ralph-Lauren-vanity-etagee collection. I mean, like, an ironing board. It's amazing how living in sublets for two years will skew your memory of what stuff you actually have (or don't) in your own storage heap.

So we went out into the world on Saturday and hit up Bed, Bath and Beyond. I found this place was nice, but they didn't have any of the items in store that I had seen online, so I was a bit underwhelmed. Also, instead of the flood of high-end shower curtains I was expecting, there was a great deal more "as seen on TV" crap and what seemed to be impulse items. So we got nothing done there. I almost bought a memory foam bathmat and then realized, the mat doesn't need to remember my feet...does it?

Then I though I would be practical and go to a PC superstore and use my points to buy handy housewares. Wrong. I had no idea how big anything was in my house. I froze up. Would this garbage pail be TOO BIG for my kitchen? WILL THIS WELCOME MAT CLASH WITH THE TILE? I had only been in my home twice, and I could not fathom buying stuff for a place I couldn't remember.

SOooo, the day was done. I consoled myself with the one thing I did buy at PC: a box of buffalo wings.

The next day I was ready to give up, and just hit the gym and not think about "house stuff" when the Kitchener chapter of the Donovans invited us to go to Ikea with them. I was brave, I went, and amidst a panicky realization of all of the things we don't have yet (like a thing to put the tv on), I calmly purchased a few reasonable and necessary items, and left before other people's kids got themselves run over by my shopping cart. And no, we didn't have any meatballs.

Although, the day finished nicely with another invitation to the K-W Donovans' for supper. It's always a relaxed time and a delicious meal.

Next I will tackle Home Depot in the big painting project. I just need an ipad-flavoured latte to complete this yuppie week.

TheStar Face feeling chilly this winter? Try the Beardo

2011-01-29T08:53:00.000-05:00

IS this knitted-beard trend going to take off with Toronto hipsters and Australian teens? I think so. Good thing I learned to knit. Maybe this can be a part-time job.

TheStar Face feeling chilly this winter? Try the Beardo

Yesterday was Robbie Burns Day

2011-01-26T10:30:00.003-05:00

I love a day that commemorates a poet or a writer. Yesterday was Robbie Burns Day. It's a day to celebrate the life and work of Scottish poet Robert Burns. I remember the one class dedicated to Robbie Burns in my first year English course at Queen's. We learned why he is considered "Scotland's favourite son." He was a writer for the people that basically pretended to be dumb so he could seem less threatening to authority and more accessible to the people he was writing for. He was a champion of the working man and encouraged the Scottish people to empower themselves through his writing.

Anyway, Robbie Burns was also famous for writing "Auld Lang Syne" as well as a poem called "Address to a Haggis." This is usually read at Burns Suppers which are part of this memorial day. There is actually a pretty strict traditional to these meals that goes something like this:

- Start of the evening
- Host's welcoming speech
- Entrance of the haggis
- Supper
- Immortal memory
- Appreciation
- Toast to the Lassies
- Reply to the Toast to the Lassies
- Other toasts and speeches
- Works by Burns
- Closing

And just in case you don't know, a haggis is sheep's heart, liver and lungs, minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours.

Happy Australia Day!

2011-01-26T10:26:00.001-05:00

The Founding of Australia

Book Review - Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

2011-01-24T10:54:00.003-05:00

I just finished reading this novel by Helen Simonson. It's not exactly on the far literary side of reading, but I thought it sounded compelling. The book is set in a small town in the English countryside. The main character is a retired military man, Major Pettigrew. He's as British as they come and has interests in shooting, gardening, and Kipling. He is a widower and has recently also lost his brother. He is particularly lonely and meets Mrs. Ali, a local shop-owner and also a widow. They become fast-friends, despite the racial and class boundaries that divide them.

Through the course of the novel there are some serious class issues explored, but the dryness of the writing is what really makes this book clever and hilarious. The characters are revealed to be good people or horrible people with the most subtle of phrases.

As the Major and Mrs. Ali try and find away for their relationship to become something more, they have to deal with snobby country club staff, the Major's selfish son, and the general racism of the people in the small British town.

The character of the son is particularly interesting to me because more than once the Major thinks about how disappointed he is that he raised such a spoiled and selfish man, and at times he flat-out thinks he doesn't like the guy. I think this kind of harsh reality is one of the things that brings this book back from the cusp of fluffy love story. There are also other issues - the dark side of strict Muslim patriarchal rules in families, modern-day ignorance, and the tendency for people in the same "group" of outsiders to turn on one another at the chance to be accepted into the elite.

This is worth the read and was a suitable book for cold January - clever, well-written, but not too heavy.

Learned to Knit

2011-01-22T22:55:00.003-05:00

So I decided that since I am in total winter hibernation mode and all I want to do is stay inside where it's warm and watch tv, I should come up with a way to be a little productive. I used the internet to learn how to knit. I figure this was something I could do while watching tv and it would keep me from eating/drinking while doing so. It also makes me feel like I'm not a totally useless slob during these winter months.

I thought the easiest thing to do would be to start off with a scarf. Just straight up knitting until it's long enough to wrap around your neck, right? Well the scarf attempt was thrown away. Mostly because it takes a reallly long time. The stitches were easy enough but the whole thing became pretty wobbly-looking because I wasn't keeping up tension properly. That was a good practice attempt, but I ended up creating a dishcloth on another try, because it took less time, and I just wanted to complete something.

Maybe a few more of these and then I'll move onto socks?

Yes, I am apparently entering the really lame phase of my life. Oh well, at least there will be no shortage of adorable dishcloths in lame-ville.

Raspberry White Choc Cheesecake

2011-01-19T10:02:00.004-05:00

This is actually a recipe that my brother came up with/found. It's a combo of a recipe from epicurious.com and his own crust/topping. I also added my own instructions for the topping, rather than what the recipe originally called for so it's evolved with every attempt. This is definitely a crowd pleaser.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake

Crust
Real graham cracker crumbs (1.5 cups)
Butter (5 tbsp) S
Sugar (1/4 cup)

Filling
4 ounces imported white chocolate (such as Lindt), chopped
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 large eggs

3/4 cup fresh raspberries or frozen unsweetened, thawed, drained

Crust:
Mix graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar and blend until mixture forms moist crumbs. Using plastic wrap as aid, press crumbs firmly onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of cake pan. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool. Maintain oven temperature.

For Filling:
Melt white chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until smooth, stirring often. Remove from over water. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and peel in large bowl until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined. Beat in white chocolate.
Spoon half of batter into crust. Top with 3/4 cup berries. Spoon remaining batter over. Bake until edges of cake are set but center 3 inches still moves when cake is shaken, about 45 minutes. Cool 20 minutes. Maintain oven temperature. Using fingertips, press down gently on edges of cheesecake to flatten slightly.

Topping:
Sprinkle raspberries evenly and use juice from thawed raspberries to drizzle.
Chill cake overnight.

Hilarity in the Government Office

2011-01-14T14:57:00.004-05:00

At work today, our communications department sent out a bulletin looking for romantic stories for their February newsletter which comes out around Valentine's Day. Big M responded to them with this email and the above pictures:

"Hello,

My parents met at the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance in Hill Valley in 1955. The story is that my Dad punched out the school bully and as he and my mom danced to Earth Angel they kissed and fell in love.

Attached are a picture of my Mom and Dad that night and a picture of the poster outside the auditorium."

I couldn't let Gandalf go, says McKellen

2011-01-14T08:14:00.000-05:00

I freaking love Ian McKellan. So glad the Hobbit is happening, and that he's going to be involved.

I couldn't let Gandalf go, says McKellen

Fall of Rome Recorded in Trees - ScienceNOW

2011-01-13T15:46:00.000-05:00

Crumbling empire? Blame the weather:

Fall of Rome Recorded in Trees - ScienceNOW

All the Sushi You Can Handle

2011-01-12T14:29:00.003-05:00

I just went for an all-you-can-eat sushi lunch. The premise of these meals is that you pay about 12 bucks, you and your party order a crapload of sushi, and you feast. There are no restrictions of what you can or cannot order on the menu, but there's one caveat: you have to pay for any wasted or leftover food. This was the downfall today. My colleague and I, and young lady not much bigger than myself, were hungry. Or so we thought. We ordered a lot and couldn't finish it. I've been to sushi places that are really strict about the leftover food thing, to the point where they check your purses. This place wasn't vigilant, so we whisked out of there and didn't have to pay for the few extra pieces.

These lunches, like many buffets are tricky. You end up over-eating, and so you feel like you ate a lot of food, but most of the time you aren't really getting a great deal. My colleague today was only eating vegetarian sushi, so I'm pretty sure she got ripped off. Also, we didn't even get free green tea, which at other sushi spots is free and unlimited, but with this lunch we would have had to pay. At least with sushi you don't feel like you are being too unhealthy.

When M and I went to Vegas in the summer, we got a buffet deal where we paid $40 and got to hit up 4 buffets in our 3 day stay. The trouble with this was, it was bad bad food. I mean, it tasted good, but it was a dirty American buffet so we were eating calories. Our group was vigilant and made sure we got our 4 buffets in, however, this meant waiting in lines for hours, and planning every day around our meals, so we did sacrifice a lot to make the buffet worthwhile. Many people would have planned poorly, or been scared by the lines, and only hit one buffet.

Anyway, as I doze off into an afternoon food-coma, I think a good plan is to avoid "all-you-can-eat" anything for a while, as well as buffets.

Gym tonight? Heck yes. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz........

Movie Review: Dinner for Schmucks

2011-01-10T12:44:00.004-05:00

So M and I watched this movie on the weekend, and it was possibly the worst of these "bromances" that I have seen in a while. I know that most movie genres are formulaic, but this one is getting ridiculous. There is a guy, and he's the straight man, and then some goober who has a quirky personality. The goober weasels into the straight man's life, engages in a mix-up or behaviour that threatens straight man's job or relationship, they fight, and then the straight man realizes the goob is a real friend, and they reunite, fixing the problem and their bromance.

Obviously there are two people capitalizing on this nonsense: Paul Rudd, and Judd Apatow. Although at the rate that these movies are being crapped out, I think someone's dog has mastered the simple algorithm of writing the screenplays.

Anyway, the plot for "Dinner for Schmucks": Paul Rudd works at some heartless firm and his promotion balances on his ability to find a loser to invite to a dinner where the loser will get made fun of. Keep in mind, the dinner is at his bosses CASTLE, even though the business is apparently going to go under if he doesn't "land the account". Sigh. So Steve Carell plays the boob, who really just seems to be a normal guy with a bit of a 90's sitcom "nerd" outfit going on. He messes around with Rudd's relationship, getting him in trouble, and then they fight and then become friends. Somehow Carell manages to not even be a little funny. The only redeeming thing about this movie is Jemaine Clement who is hilarious in whatever he does.

Big Love

2011-01-07T14:18:00.003-05:00

Have you seen this show? I just started watching it and it's pretty freaking awesome. It follows a polygamist family in Utah. The main character is played by Bill Paxton. He's kind of dorky as an actor, but I've always enjoyed his soothing way of talking in a slight southern accent. Like a politician.

Anyway, I definitely recommend getting into this show. The relationships are fascinating and you can't help but be constantly amazed that lots of people live this way in real life.

Also, here is an awesome fact about Bill Paxton:

"Paxton has the distinction of being one of only two actors along with Lance Henriksen who has starred alongside an Alien, a Predator, and a Terminator. He further holds a distinct honor of being the only actor to have been "killed" by all three, as each of his characters in these films meets his end during conflict with the lead antagonists." -wiki

Sports Musings

2011-01-06T10:48:00.001-05:00

So how about that game? If you are living in Canada, you might have been interested in the World Juniors Hockey tournament. I like watching some of these games, and I particularly enjoy the rivalry between Canada and the US. I think I was more excited about Canada beating the US than I was about watching the game last night, where we lost to Russia.

It’s interesting that we all think “just because we’re Canadian we are good at hockey.” I think it just comes down to the fact that hockey is the most popular default sport in this country, and, we are a wealthy country so more people can afford to focus on it. Countries like the US have so many more people, and so many more “priority sports” to choose from, that there is just less of a focus on popping your kid into hockey, I think. Also, they likely could afford something like basketball or baseball before they could afford hockey.

I do admire the smaller countries that play in the juniors. They have such smaller populations and still (usually) do pretty well.

Veering away from that, I was watching Big M and some friends play volleyball the other night and I always remember just hating that sport, along with most others, as far as playing was concerned. I find it weird that myself, someone who is healthy and active and confident, can still be so terrified of team sports. I think a lot of it has to do with gender roles I learned as a kid, and also the fact that I was always really afraid of being embarrassed when I was young, so I would only want to participate in things I was naturally good at, rather than something where I might screw up because I didn’t know the rules, or something where I might get made fun of because I was smaller than the other kids.

The funny thing is it’s so ingrained in me that I still cannot bring myself to join a beach volleyball game at a drunken resort, because I feel too embarrassed that I will “mess up” or do something wrong. It’s crazy how some of the things we convince ourselves of when we are young stick with us, such as “I am not a person who plays team sports.”

*volleyballtothehead* Ow.

Australia welcomes 2011 with a big bang

2010-12-31T10:30:00.000-05:00

I was there last year, thinking of all of you over here. Happy New Year Aussies!

TheStar Australia welcomes 2011 with a big bang

TIME TO GO HOME!

2010-12-30T09:45:00.010-05:00

So in some breaking news, the Big M and I have made an offer on a house and it was accepted! It's in a beautiful neighbourhood in Kitchener and we are pretty darn excited not to be nomads anymore. Check it out!

Skiing!

2010-12-28T19:10:00.009-05:00

I tried skiing for the second time on December 27th. We took M's sises out and had a fun day. It was cold, and I may have fallen once or twice, but I'm glad I went and I hope to continue this sport. At one point I had my most Canadian moment ever: I was sitting in a ski lodge, drinking a beer, watching Canada play Russia in the Spengler Cup, while the live band played a Neil Young song, and then a Tragically Hip song in succession. It was pretty great.

Tired, but victorious.

That other beer is Matt's, not Karlee's.

The pros.

I just lost my balance, ok?

The resident boarder, bro.

Just me, Karlee and a big stick.

Holidays

2010-12-28T19:01:00.006-05:00

Here are some images of some of my holiday adventures:

Dinner with the lovely old friends group. I've known these girls for a long time and it's so great that we still get together from time to time.

Some of the LaPlante-side cousins. Another group of lovely ladies!

My cat Ravi with a bow on his head. It wouldn't be Christmas otherwise.

This year, instead of our traditional shortbread, my brother and I made a raspberry white choc cheesecake. It was ridiculously good. Also, the diet is starting in January.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T09:31:00.003-05:00

Here is a hilarious comic to celebrate the season!

I have to say, after spending last Christmas in Ho Chi Minh City, I am pretty glad to be back here, even though it is cold and the malls are more terrifying than a Mexican prison right now. It really doesn't feel like Christmas unless you are cruising into a few days of family, food, gifts, and catching up with friends. Here's to a beautiful, traditional, snowy holiday in Canada! *raises cup of Bailey's & hot chocolate*

Book Review - The Thirteenth Tale

2010-12-21T15:52:00.004-05:00

I recently finished The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. I recall that this book got a lot of hype when it was published and so I finally gave it a whirl. It's about an amateur biographer/book dealer who gets enlisted to write the biography of a mysterious and popular author who is dying.

The book oscillates between the story of the ailing author, Vida Winter, and the biographer, Margaret Lea. As Vida's story unfolds, the story is one of an old manor, Angelfield, gone to ruin because of madness in the family. There are two twin girls who are somewhat of a mystery to the townspeople, who are cared for by the servants, but basically left alone.

The theme of "twinness" is strong, and we learn that Margaret, too, was a twin, though her sister died, and her parents kept it from her. From this theme comes a heavy sense of loneliness, and conversely wholeness. I felt that while this theme could potentially be very interesting, and was in the case of the Angelfield twins, and their psychology etc., it felt a little limited in terms of Margaret. Her character is supposed to be an intelligent and insightful biographer, but all we really get from her is: gloom, I feel the loss of my other half, and that's all there is to me.

Some of the things that happen to Margaret are cool though; Jane Eyre features prominently in this book, and there is certainly a gothic mystery happening in the current plotline as well. Margaret feels haunted, senses an unseen presence in the house, at one point gets feverish and wanders on the moors in the rain...I think this part of the book was really well done, and the suspense was real.

Overall, this is a good mystery and gives a solid nod to books like Jane Eyre, The Mill on the Floss, and Wuthering Heights. As far as some of the other ideas - twins, literary greatness, I felt they could have been done better. The main character is supposed to be this prolific story-teller, but we are only given vague hints about her books, and we know that one of them is about fairytales. It's rare that a modern-day adult fairytale writer would be basically the most popular author in the world.

The K-W Chapter

2010-12-20T22:20:00.002-05:00

We had some guests on Sunday for a cannelloni dinner as a way of saying thanks for all the kindness. They were nice enough to help us get settled into the area. We all sat around a crackling fire and watched gospel choir dvds. Just a typical Sunday dinner!

New Place Pics

2010-12-20T21:42:00.009-05:00

This place is big, cold, and old. We like the gigantic space and the sunny rooms. It's also easy for both of us to cook together in such a big kitchen! We assume that there are numerous secret passages we haven't discovered yet:

Another New Town

2010-12-14T22:22:00.003-05:00

Well so far I haven't seen much of ol' Kitchener-Waterloo. It seems like there is a cute downtown with numerous places to eat and drink, as well as a museum which has a Titanic Exhibit, and a symphony. Oh, and a little skating rink. The house, while temporary, is nice and big, and feels pretty homey. It's hard to get a sense of a city when you arrive during a deep-freeze. Did I mention that this new house has the longest driveway in Canada? And that I actually shoveled it? What was I thinking? I have neither the force nor the leverage for such a task.

I went to the Goodlife here once already and liked it. I was befriended by one of the instructors in the changeroom and she made me promise to go to her class Thursday night. Nothing like a bit of encouragement...

I'll post pictures of the house soon once we get organized. As for now I'm just trying to find decent enough clothes to wear to work tomorrow. That's right, I landed myself a casual gig with the feds. It should be fun, and will let me make some cash money whilst I harass them to hire me permanently for a job that I am suited for, or find something else more permanent. Also, it means that M and I can drive to work together and get lunch and stuff. We will be Jim & Pamming for sure. Or, we will pretend not to know each other and then slowly enact an office romance blooming for all to see. I haven't decided yet.

Time to iron some work clothes. I guess the pajama days had to end at some point.

Oprah Loves Australia!

2010-12-14T13:48:00.001-05:00

Oprah I can't believe you are stealing ideas from me for your shows!! Maybe she will visit my old house.

http://perezhilton.com/2010-12-14-sneak-peek-of-oprah-winfreys-first-australia-show

This is Familiar...

2010-12-06T10:20:00.000-05:00

Six Degrees of Anne

2010-12-05T17:33:00.003-05:00

It's always nice when random groups of people get together. This happened on the weekend for us when originally a night with Joho grew into a few other people showing up and playing some loud and intense catch-phrase until the wee hours. It's been really great using our big rental to have these nights in and it was even more pleasing when this particular group realize we all were linked to our lovely friend Anne in someway, if only through someone else at the party...

Mmmeatloaf

2010-12-01T15:56:00.006-05:00

If TV sitcoms have taught me anything, it's that meatloaf is a groan-inducing bland-party. I decided to try it anyway since we never had it at home, and I was feeling domestic. I made this easy recipe, courtesy of Martha Stewart, and served it with garlic mash, roasted asparagus and steamed broccoli. It looks gross since I'm not a food photographer, but man was it popular. I also recommend adding a little bit of buffalo sauce to the recipe to add some spice.

Here's the recipe:

3 slices white sandwich bread

1/3 cup whole milk

1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck

1/2 pound ground pork

1/2 medium onion, grated

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large egg

1/2 cup ketchup

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Place bread in food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in milk. Set aside, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine beef, pork, onion, garlic, egg, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add bread-milk mixture, and mix very gently with a fork (do not overmix).

3. Place meat mixture on prepared baking sheet, and form into a loaf about 9 inches long and 4 to 5 inches wide.

4. Bake, brushing twice with remaining 1/4 cup ketchup during baking, until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes. Let meatloaf rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Weekend Update

2010-12-01T15:48:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned before, we had a lovely weekend with the Speagles. We were brave enough to face the crowds at Toronto's Cavalcade of Lights. It was worth it though, as we got a free fireworks display, and it wasn't even very cold outside!

We also enjoyed a delicious (but dangerously filling) meal at an Indian restaurant called Babur. The food was excellent. Spicy was spicy, and the butter chicken was worth the calories. My only complaint is that I don't like paying almost $5 extra for a small portion of rice. Even in Australia where food was unimaginably over-priced, I remember paying like $2.50 for a massive dish of rice or the same for naan. It seemed like Babur was ripping us off a little on that front. Also, my Coors light tasted like an Amber Ale, which was odd since it came from a bottle. BUT, it was really great cooking and I would probably eat there again.

Game System Review: XBox Kinect

2010-12-01T15:42:00.004-05:00

On the weekend the Speagles were nice enough to bring over their new Kinect system to try out. This is the Wii-like system that has a full sensor so you don't have to hold any controls and the game just picks up your movements. We really had fun with this trying numerous sports & recreation games. We did notice some discrepancy between the different games in how well they picked up your movement though, so I would advise reading individual game reviews before picking up too many of them.

It was a lot of fun, pretty good exercise, and definitely not a good idea after beer and Indian food. The system even takes your picture while you are jumping around like an idiot, which is cute. I will make this the next system I buy, if I ever, ever buy a gaming system.

Book Review - City of Thieves

2010-11-28T11:32:00.002-05:00

As usual, I am a little behind on this one. City of Thieves by David Benioff. It's one of the quickest reads I've had in a while. It not that this is a short book. It reads like a screenplay, and you are fully engaged in every page. Two prisoners are released from Russian military prison to go on a bizarre errand for a higher-up. They are trudging through the desolation of the Nazi seizure of Leningrad. This should be a cold, gloomy, deathmarch of a book, but Benioff creates two characters that are so real and interact so vividly, we are part of the journey and are somehow uplifted by their banter. The characters, Lev and Kolya, are as different as the moods of the book itself - Lev is a morose teenager who is convinced that he is a coward who will never be lovable. Kolya is handsome, witty, and seems oblivious to the misery of the world around him. Their relationship is timeless, and they help the reader see the extremities of outright humour an grim tragedy that run through the book. This is still a war book, so you appreciate being warm an having food by the end of it, but the dialogue and adventure of this book make it a pleasure to read. Definitely pick this one up.

Stealthiest. Cat. Ever.

2010-11-24T23:01:00.001-05:00

<a href="http://video.ca.msn.com/?mkt=en-ca&from=en-ca-infopane&vid=fecf0b8a-92bd-4fdd-8865-e39a36ee2213&from=en-ca&fg=dest" target="_new" title="Secret Kitten Exposed!">Video: Secret Kitten Exposed!</a>

TheStar Video: Oprah’s audience freaks out

2010-11-23T17:37:00.000-05:00

Why don't these audience members react this strongly when Oprah announces she is going to, like, feed a village in Africa?

TheStar Video: Oprah’s audience freaks out

Watched this on the Weekend - Still A Favourite

2010-11-22T12:54:00.000-05:00

Movie Review - Harry Potter and the yadda yadda

2010-11-22T10:39:00.003-05:00

So I went to see the newest HP this weekend. Frankly, I don't really have any memory of the books at this point so I can't say whether it followed accurately the unfolding of events. I did enjoy this movie, there was some exciting quest-mystery-solving and a bit of levity provided of course by the Weasley twins in the darker period of the books. There was also the always enjoyable polyjuice potion scene. So many Harrys!

There are really only two things that stood out to me: it was still realllly obvious that this film was stretched as hell to fit the decision to make the final book into two movies. So I couldn't help but feel a little ripped off when there was a scene of Ron gazing at Hermione for just a little too long. Also, I was surprised to say that the best character in the movie was portrayed by a digital elf. Yep, Dobby really steals the show here.

I guess I don't need to recommend it, because if you are a Potter fan than you'll see it and if you haven't seen the other 6 films, you likely aren't going to go to this one. But, it was a nice few hours of escapism, to be sure.

Festive Treats

2010-11-21T20:20:00.002-05:00

In an attempt to get into the holiday spirit, M and I decorated some gingerbread people. Since his Uncle and Aunt have recently been nice enough to let him stay with them in Kitchener, we decided to make the cookies look like them and their kids. Plus I made a Big M cookie, and he made one of me. Except the Claire cookie was a cat. And there was an extra dog so I made it look like Rover Hendrix, Jimmy Hendrix's puppy of Simpsons fame. All in all, the cookies are pretty ugly but it was a nice way to spend the afternoon.

Book Review - Fall On Your Knees

2010-11-17T10:10:00.004-05:00

So I know I'm like, the last person to read this book by Ann-Marie MacDonald. I figure after the New Face of Fiction program chose her, then the Oprah book club, then the Giller shortlist, and now Canada Reads on CBC, it was time. This is a epic story about a family who has generations of sin, redemption, and a whole lot of hanging in the middle, along with some serious Catholic overtones, and character punctuated with mild insanity. All I had heard was that this was going to be hard to read because there are scenes of a father abusing his daughter. I expected the worst, and maybe this means I have no heart but the book wasn't that hard to read. I think I expected one of those true-crime sorts of descriptions where a kid is kept locked in an attic or something. Not that sort of 'hard o read' in this case. I mean, the author manages to make these scenes tragically beautiful - she describes one scene in terms of music, respectfully shielding the acts while creating kind of a lament for the whole thing.

And the abuse isn't the whole book - there is the wonderful development of these real, real characters - the sassy, tough Frances who is hysterically funny even though her comedy is a coping mechanism. There are her sisters Kathleen - so vibrant and hopeful that you can really see her time taking singing lessons in New York as a feel-good film on its own. Mercedes grows up to be rigid and responsible - another way of coping with their unpredictable father. And Lily, the innocent. A character that is written extremely purely and without a hint of irony.

This is a (long) beautiful book that spans a family over five generations. You read it expecting there to be dramatic rises and falls, but they just keep going, developing, and each being the saving grace of the others' lives.

There are also amazingly written scenes about jazz/blues clubs in New York in the '30s-'40s which are worth reading the book for.

Now on to something with a little less beautiful tragedy. City of Thieves!

John Cusack as Poe!

2010-11-16T10:38:00.002-05:00

This is really cool - Cusack as Poe in The Raven a thriller about his life. Also, I just remembered ordering an anthology of Poe's writing through Scholastic book orders when I was about 9. Does that seem weird to everyone else?