Tagged: uncategorized
Aqua Books and Eat! Bistro announced they're closing today
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which is super sad
the restaurant had a really bright, cheerful atmosphere and their food was top notch. Not to mention their cupcakes.
CBC says the owner's reasoning behind the closure is a "cultural shift away from reading" which on one hand I understand, but that place was always packed to the tits whenever I went there so it eludes me as to how it's gone under
I'll never know, I guess but it's sad that the used bookstore's failure cause the restaurant to go down, too. I feel like I didn't eat there enough.
isn't that how it always is?
last night we went to Rumors Comedy Club with Komus and Shawnypoo and saw Reese Waters who was way funnier than I'd expected
The tickets were free (thank you @rhondalmartens) so it didn't really matter if he was dunny or not, so it was a pleasant surprise. We had a few Fort Garry Darks while the he told some jokes and I realized I hadn't been there in ages, either
though comedy is hit-and-miss and usually I prefer my stand-up on YouTube so I can close the browser if it sucks unless it's Daniel Tosh, who we saw at the Centennial Concert Hall last Friday and was so funny I almost cried
I love when American comedians come to Canada because they can pick on all the sensitive topics that we're way too polite to discuss and when they say what everyone's already thinking it's just that much better because you think "see, they get it"
there was a dude in front of us who got offended over some of the comments but honestly you can't come to a Tosh show and not expect to have your gender/sexual preference/race/sports team/etc mocked and belittled
besides mockery is the sign of a good friend which is why I need to make sure I have a thick skin tonight when @rhondalmartens and @kenquist come over for wine and Scrabble
generally I'm good with words but Scrabble stresses me out and Ty gets all Nazi about which words you can and can't use on the board he's like Hitler or something
and yes I realize that calling someone a 'Nazi' and 'Hitler' over Scrabble is horrible and offensive but if Michelle Bachmann can run around saying that Minnessotas' educations standards could lead to Auschwitz and comparing raising taxes to the Holocaust then obviously the words don't mean anything anymore
I'm being sarcastic, of course, hopefully the meaning of those words will never lose their meaning and will always remind us of how evil and cruel humans can be to one another.
Besides which, the only person who's acting like a Nazi is Michelle Bachmann.
Don't get a boob job
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by Alyson S.Back in April I got a breast reduction that took my massive 36DDD chest and made them a happy 'n healthy 34C cup and since then it seems like everywhere I go people are talking about getting implants and, ladies, I just don't get why. My huge boobs took over my life; they bothered my back constantly, made it hard to find clothes that fit my ribcage and my chest, and it's all people saw when they looked at me. Having a surgically enhanced chest seems to be the first thing women think of when they want to feel better about themselves, and here's why I disagree:
1. They won't suit you
I'm serious, I've never looked at a woman who has implants and thought "wow, those look so realistic and natural". Listen, if the top of your breast is as round as the bottom, you just don't look right. Why do you want to go from having to wear a push-up bra to looking like you've got one on 24/7? It's not natural, and it's not sexy.
Case in point, Donatella Versace:
Do you really want that to be you some day?
2. You "like how fake they look"
Do you also not like having a personality? Because that's what that attitude says about you. Because believe me, the guys who hit on you because of your impossibly unnatural tit-to-hip ratio don't give a damn what university you attended and whether you read Mother Jones on the regular. You know what implants tell other people? That you're insecure. In fact, you're so insecure with yourself that you paid someone to shove chunks of saline under your chest because for some reason not being able to see your feet past your cleav makes you feel better about yourself.
Which leads me to my next point:
3. It's a waste of money
My reductive surgery was 100% paid for by the government because believe it or not it's a huge (har har) hassle to have huge boobs and they were actually detrimental to my lifestyle. Here in Canada at least it's considered a necessary surgery, but implants (surprise surprise) are not. The approximate cost for breast implants in Canada is $6,000-$7,000 for saline and $7,000-$10,000 for cohesive gel. That's a year (or two) of university, or a down payment on a car, or a really great trip somewhere. Go have the time of your life on a topless beach somewhere with your bra-less, scar-free boobs and get over your tit envy. You'll thank me later.
4. You think it will make you more attractive to the opposite sex
If this is your reasoning, start hanging around with some men who are actually adults and don't care about shallow shit like how big your cup size is. Honestly.
5. You're "sick of being a AA"
Stop for a second and think about how much you weigh, then think about your cup size, and odds are your little boobs fit really well onto your frame, whether or not you think so. Sure your breasts might not be spilling out of that tube-dress but at least you don't look like you've been jamming yourself into it and let's face it the fashion industry is geared towards women who are waif-thin, so you're ahead of the pack already. Plus you don't have to deal with gross droopage down the line, and no amount of surgical maneuvering is going to be able to stop that.
6. You think having bigger boobs will make you more popular/successful/etc
Recently I read something on Raymi's blog that shocked me. She's been talking quite a bit recently about getting implants and in her most recent post responded to someone encouraging her not to by saying "but then i can skyrocket to infamy fast like heidi montag and make a lot more money then retire in portland. business investment. plus they’ll take the heat off my nose" and while you need to take most things Raymi says with a grain of salt this really bugs me because she's become so huge already without slicing herself up and it's one of the things I've always respected about her.
Besides, do you really think huge boobs will make people like/admire/appreciate/find you more attractive than they already do? They won't. Your friends love you for who you are (if they don't ditch them asap) and if you're dating/looking for a man with any sort of integrity he'll love you regardless of what cup size you are.
7. "I don't care what people think. My implants are for me"
No, they aren't, because if you didn't care what people thought you wouldn't be caving to social pressure and walking around with big fake boobs on your chest for all to see. Do you really think that unless there was that societal pressure to be rail-thin and have boobs the size of Mount Everest you'd be feeling the way you do? Of course not. Back before the industrial revolution girls were supposed to be plump because it was a sign of social status (aka they weren't working out in the fields all the time). But now heaven forbid if you can't squeeze into that size 00 dress around your waist while filling a D cup on top. See how times change? Which one seems more healthy (both physically and mentally) to you? I shouldn't have to tell you the answer.
Listen, everyone struggles with self-image issues but implants are the most overt way you can tell people "I don't like how I look" without flat-out screaming it at them. By letting someone slice you open and shove saline under your nipples (which might lose sensation, don't forget) you're not taking a stand for women or even for yourself. You're letting your own insecurities rob you not just of your own personal finances, but also of other people's respect.
Saw an art show last week
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where they had dried squids hanging from the ceiling with bubbles made from pig intestines and green and yellow embroidery on themthe installation(s) are about fragile ecosystems being invaded by hostile species like jellyfish, the work is meant to examine things on a mollecular level and I'll be honest that wasn't what I thought about at first
I thought there are some squids hanging from the ceiling
and it seems weird that embroidering on dead cephalopods is how someone wants to express their thoughts on something though I guess that's what art is, how you express yourself about whatever you're feeling & thinking
does that mean that when I fill up my online cart at F21 in a manic mega stress-out shopping bonanza and then realize I don't want/need/can afford to buy a bunch of dresses and scarves and shoes and unload it all back out that I'm an artist?
maybe I should do a video of me shopping, punctuated with dubbed-in audio of me talking about how my university doesn't offer any of the classes I need to get my degree, or offers the ones I can take all at the same time, or that student aid thinks I make 'too much for a student' even though I don't live at home and have to pay rent to live in my apartment and also for food and stuff you need to live
I can call it Back to School and maybe have a cute intro/outro all 80's style or something because 80's are cool again, right?
but that's not art. It needs to be edgy with music everyone hates.
okay, an intro with some glam rock because nobody likes glam rock
(don't comment and tell me you like glam rock)
the video will become an overnight success because miserable people love misery and what's more miserable(ly pathetic) than someone filling and re-filling their online shopping basket with cheap clothing you can only wear for one season while lamenting over the same crap that every university student goes through every year when they register?
nothing, that's what
there isn't a university around (that I've heard of) that has their shit together enough that they can properly allow students to register, select, plan and attend their classes hassle-free and because most of us don't have rich parents or trust funds we get to deal with the goulag that is (Manitoba) Student Aid so believe me when I say I know my trials and tribulations aren't unique but art is showing how you feel in a way that makes people stop and pay attention and my video would combine two major thematic elements of the modern young woman: a shopping problem and issues with school.
if I broke up with Ty it'd be an overnight success, could you imagine? (not happening)
he brought me a glass of cucumber water just now which is sweet because I yelled at him earlier for something that was totally not his fault, I'm just in a snit because of the stuff I mentioned above and no matter how huge my F21-addicted ranting videos made me I'd have to keep him around for stuff like that. It was because I wrote a blog post that was stupid and asked him about it and he didn't 'get it' and I felt stupid and he felt stupid and I got mad because, well, I'm a bitch sometimes
maybe that's my art form
Hip Hop Sunday #10: Shad - Rose Garden
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Shad is one of my fav, fav, fav Canadian rappers
his ish is so smooth, so catchy
I've been feeling a bit stressed lately, with school starting and etc
and this track keeps me smiling
Happy Hip Hop Sunday my loves
What time did you get up this morning?
- by admin
6:40am which was for some reason totally gloriousHow do you like your steak? rare and bloody.
What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt 2 and I'm now ashamed to say that I teared up at some points and held my breath in others. It was great.
What is your favorite TV show? Mad Men or Breaking Bad but probably Big Love because I just adore Bill Paxton.
If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? I realized recently that I like pretty much everything about the EU from their food to their booze, their languages, their accents when they speak English (swoon), their beautiful people, their history, and their music. Recently we watched From Poland with Love from the Vice Guide to Travel which made me realize that I'd love to go to Poland. So maybe there.
What did you have for breakfast? pancakes with vanilla and coffee.
What is your favorite cuisine? European
What foods do you dislike? this:
Favourite Place to Eat? segovia tapas bar
Favourite dressing? salad cream
What kind of vehicle do you drive? Bike
What are your favourite clothes? all of them, I'm a girl
Where would you visit if you had the chance? LA to hang with Tony
Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? optimism for the win
Where would you want to retire?
Favorite time of day? bedtime
Where were you born? in the hospital
What is your favorite sport to watch? lady boxing
Who do you think will not tag you back? nobody I don't tag
Person you expect to tag you back first? shut up
Who are you most curious about their responses to this? nobody, ergh
Bird watcher? no that's silly
Are you a morning person or a night person? night person, mornings and I are only friends because Ty makes me breakfast and coffee every morning
Pets? n/a until I can harass Ty into getting a kitten
Any new and exciting news that you'd like to share?
What did you want to be when you were little? golfing farmer (big ambitions!)
What is your best childhood memory? playing Sailor Moon
Are you a cat or dog person? dog, but cats are okay
Are you married? not yet
Always wear your seat belt? being safe is cool
Been in a car accident? no
Any pet peeves? greasy hair, greasy people, greasy food
3Favorite pizza topping? ham & pineapple
Favorite Flower? bird of paradise
Favorite ice cream? french vanilla
Favorite fast food restaurant? A&W
How many times did you fail your driver's test? didn't
From whom did you get your last email? Mike from SquarePeg about my latest article.
Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?
Do anything spontaneous lately? every day
Like your job? it pays the bills
Broccoli? Albert?
What was your favorite vacation? Montreal for MUTEK
Last person you went out to dinner with? @keamster where we induced a bread coma
What are you listening to right now? this:
What is your favorite colour? undecided, I like many
How many tattoos do you have? zero
Coffee drinker? religiously
How many children do you have? none
Are you in love? obviously
Nudememphis made me do it.
Today is Barack Obama's 50th birthday
- by admin
I've been hearing a lot of negative things about the president latelyit seems like he's getting the blame for a lot of things that are either beyond his control, for things that can't be fixed in a couple of years, or are tough situations to navigate because of the insane
things happening in Washington right nowbut it's really easy to place the blame on one person, and I think that when he was elected we all expected that despite the shitty situation he inherited -the economy, the wars, etc- he would just magically fix all of it the minute he took office
that's not how things work, and it's not fair to say 'he should have fixed this by now'
people call the president a 'socialist', a 'fascist', a Muslim and a Nazi without stopping to realize that all of those terms all mean very different things (pick up a thesaurus, for Christ's sake)
but do you remember the elation you felt when he was elected? Like this was a turning point for the United States, like maybe things were going to start getting better
and then shit hit the fan and now we have scary people like Michelle Bachmann and Rand Paul running around, and people have forgotten what Barack Obama once meant for us: an America that's talked about by their founding fathers. Where anyone could accomplish anything if they worked hard enough. A country of equality, of free speech and shared responsibility. Where looking after those less fortunate than you wasn't a burden. Where it was your responsibility as an American to help others and to be a good example for the rest of the world
maybe that's why people are so upset with the President, because those don't seem to be contemporary 'American values'
but I hope that today, on his birthday, we can stop and remember what he meant to us back in 2008 and reflect on what he should mean for us now: a leader with a vision of a country that seems to have been lost somewhere between chasing Capitalism and fearing the Communists. One that he is working hard to restore.
Barack Obama is obviously an intelligent, complex and compassionate (not to mention awesome) person who has a really tough job, so let's cut him some slack today, alright?
So happy birthday Mr. President. Go check your FaceBook and see all the nice people who've wished you well. Check your Tweets and take note of all the kind things people have said. There are people in your country and all over the world who believe in you, and your vision of America.
Keep on rockin' in the free world.
Connect Do's and Don'ts
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(photo cred to Kerry, I jacked this shot of the main stage from her FB album)
Back from Connect and still recovering. Between the intense 8-hour drive, many many rest stops, tornado that happened nearby and the scarily-intense thunderstorm that had us pulled over on the side of the road for a good ten minutes getting there felt like the biggest relief ever and deserved all those beers that I chugged back as soon as my feet met with campground dirt. It's only my second year attending this mega-shitshow festival but all my friends are Connect veterans and have taught me well in the ways of partying and now I'll share some of my Connect knowledge with you:
DO: Drink nonstop
Obviously the only reason anyone goes camping anytime is to eat smokies on the BBQ and get wasted, but the only way to escape the seriously blistering heat at Connect is to find some shade in the big field by the main stage, crack open your beer/waterbottle full of gin/rocket fuel and get smashed while listening to whatever minimal/electro/psy/whatever is playing. No glass bottles are allowed so either bring as many cans of decent beer as you can afford or pre-mix in some water bottles before getting there.
DON'T: Shit yourself while blacked out
'Nuff said.
DO: Gorge on canteen food
In particular the Connect Taco Salad is stuff of legend: a bag of nachos with the bag as the bowl (classy) with cheese, lettuce, beef and sour cream all over them. When you're wasted off your face there's nothing that tastes better than the zillion calories you'll inhale while gorging on that salad and chugging your booze. Other Connect canteen food faves are: perogies, chicken burgers, and the breakfast served until 1pm in case you're too hungover to turn on your own camping stove and make your lazy ass some food.
DON'T: Swim in the pond
I made this mistake my first year while in a state of near-blackout wine-induced sleeping-in-the-tent-during-30-degree-heat sweat while the showers were occupied. It was great for five minutes until I realized that I stank of stagnant, brown pond water and consequently grossed out both myself and the other chicks waiting in line for the shower. One girl was nice enough to let me cut her in line which is both a testament to how nice drunk people can be and how rank that pond is. Don't swim in it.
DO: Bring a wagon
Good for hauling food, booze, camping gear, or your idiot drunk friends. Make sure to take pictures of them getting into, sitting in, and attempting (and failing) to get out of the wagon for future hilarity.
DON'T: Sleep through your set
If you're scheduled to play make sure either a) you don't get super wasted and completely pass out before your set, or b) make sure your real friends around around to wake you up for it.
DO: Bring a utility belt
Smartest move ever. It holds all the necessities you could need for a festival: booze, water bottles, cigarettes (if you smoke), snacks, keys, band-aids, etc. Don't be a ninny and lug a giant purse or bag around with you all weekend, just cram everything into your utility belt and enjoy feeling like a Final Fantasy character (or a drunk handyman) as you sling it around your waist and go off on adventures.
DON'T: Expect to get a lot of sleep
The main stage may shut down during the morning but anyone with a car, stereo or in our case a megaphone aren't going to keep quiet, so if you're passing out around 6am you'll probably be up around 9am. This year I took intermittent afternoon naps (aka drank and fell asleep) which is probably the safest way to ensure you're good to go when the party begins again in the evening. Nothing is worse than crashing out at 10pm at Connect. It's not the Connect Rest and Relaxation Festival, after all.
Hip Hop Sunday #9 - 2Pac - I Ain't Mad at Cha
- by admin
Posting this one from the future, it's Friday and in a few hours I'll be Connect-bound and away till Monday night.
Hope you kids are having the best weekend ever, and my Canadian peeps are enjoying August Long -I know I am!
Happy Hip Hop Sunday guys, missing you!
xo
It's almost time for Connect
- by admin
which if you haven't noticed by now is the three-day camping/music extrrrrravaganza that myself and my fellow BTA-ers will be taking by storm this coming weekend
partially to let you guys in on the shit-show that was last year and partially to sift through old photos, let me share some of my best Connect 2010 memories:
- 8hrs of near-nonstop bad 80s power ballads in Owen's car on the way out
- Creepy people playing banjos and stoop-sittin' in Moosejaw next to the sketchy vendor we bought our beer before arriving at the festival
-Connect Taco Salad
- Gordon's failtent which he pitched drunk and left all weekend
-Komus' drunken garbage pillow
- The Commodore 69's
- Komus throwing a can of Lucky Lager we found on the ground up into the air and hitting a girl at an adjacent campsite smack on the head and spraying her tent and consequently getting threatened while wearing his Pedobear suit
aka
"are you the guy in the bear suit?!"
(being threatened by some n00b)and last but not least, the best Connect memory... when Donald drunkenly thought he'd lost all his DJ gear, flipped out, and punched a tree and broke his hand
good show!
Never have I had so much fun jam-packed into three days and the excitement that's overtaking me as I've been compiling this post is almost (not) embarrassing. Tonight Ty and I pick up the last of our essentials and we leave right after work tomorrow.
Omg. Connect. Omg.
(ps the rest of my Connect 2010 photos are here in case you wanted more ridiculousness)
Been thinking about this movie a lot lately
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I saw Stop-Loss quite a while ago and was really disappointed with it, which is why it seems to weird that I'm thinking about it so much
I think it's because I have a problem with how a film that, at first, seemed to be taking a stand against injustice and winds up making you feel smothered by it instead
because after going AWOL after being stop-lossed, Ryan Philippe's character gets back on the plane and goes back to a war which he disagrees with and which has mentally scarred him and his friends
it's like everything he stood for and believed in, he had to let go of because it was 'for his country' and I just can't stand that kind of blatant shove-it-down-your-throat patriotism, which is what this feels like: that they played it safe when they could have really made a statement about something important
I feel like we do that too much these days
back down, I mean
and though it's just a movie it seems to send the wrong message
like there's no point fighting at all
