If you had to pick one person to be the voice of God, would it be:
a) Morgan Freeman
b) James Earl Jones
c) Liam Neeson
Just wondering. I can't decide...
July 31, 2010
July 30, 2010
Channelling Edith
I saw Inception last weekend, and got the song Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien stuck in my head. It’s a famous Edith Piaf song that’s repeated frequently in the film. By the time I left the theatre, I couldn’t get it out of my head.
Earlier this summer, I tried to learn the words – in French – to La Vie En Rose, another famous Edith Piaf song. I took voice lessons for years, and learned to sing in French, so I didn’t think it would be that difficult a task. Well, it was, and I gave up after a week.
Hearing another Piaf song made me determined to learn how to sing something in French this summer. I spent half a day on YouTube, with the lyrics to Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien, working on the song. After awhile, I thought I was getting pretty good.
This morning, I tried to sing the song while taking a shower.
I guess my voice got a little loud, because after a few minutes I heard my next door neighbour banging furiously on the wall that separates our bathrooms. I stopped, embarrassed, waited a moment, and then shouted “sorry.”
I don’t know what I was expecting in return. Maybe a “thank-you,” or “ok, then.” Nope. After a few moments, I could hear my neighbour laugh. Then, very sarcastically, he yelled back: “your French accent sucks ass.”
Ouch. Thanks a lot, jerk face.
Self-esteem destroyed.
Here are the lyrics anyway. Lets see if YOU can do better...
Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
Non, rien de rien, Non, je ne regrette rien
Ni le bien qu'on m'a fait, Ni le mal
Tout ca m'est bien egal
Non, rien de rien, Non, je ne regrette rien
C'est paye, balaye, oublie, Je me fous du passe
Avec mes Souvenirs, J'ai allume le feu
Mes shagrins, Mes plaisirs,
Je n'ai plus besoin d'eux
Balaye les amours avec leurs tremolos
Balaye pour toujours
Je reparas a zero
Non, rien de rien, Non, je ne regrette rien
Ni le bien qu'on m'a fait, Ni le mal
Tout ca m'est bien egal
Non, rien de rien, Non, je ne regrette rien
Car ma vie, Car me joies
Aujourd'hui ca commence avec toi
Finis!
Earlier this summer, I tried to learn the words – in French – to La Vie En Rose, another famous Edith Piaf song. I took voice lessons for years, and learned to sing in French, so I didn’t think it would be that difficult a task. Well, it was, and I gave up after a week.
Hearing another Piaf song made me determined to learn how to sing something in French this summer. I spent half a day on YouTube, with the lyrics to Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien, working on the song. After awhile, I thought I was getting pretty good.
This morning, I tried to sing the song while taking a shower.
I guess my voice got a little loud, because after a few minutes I heard my next door neighbour banging furiously on the wall that separates our bathrooms. I stopped, embarrassed, waited a moment, and then shouted “sorry.”
I don’t know what I was expecting in return. Maybe a “thank-you,” or “ok, then.” Nope. After a few moments, I could hear my neighbour laugh. Then, very sarcastically, he yelled back: “your French accent sucks ass.”
Ouch. Thanks a lot, jerk face.
Self-esteem destroyed.
Here are the lyrics anyway. Lets see if YOU can do better...
Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
Non, rien de rien, Non, je ne regrette rien
Ni le bien qu'on m'a fait, Ni le mal
Tout ca m'est bien egal
Non, rien de rien, Non, je ne regrette rien
C'est paye, balaye, oublie, Je me fous du passe
Avec mes Souvenirs, J'ai allume le feu
Mes shagrins, Mes plaisirs,
Je n'ai plus besoin d'eux
Balaye les amours avec leurs tremolos
Balaye pour toujours
Je reparas a zero
Non, rien de rien, Non, je ne regrette rien
Ni le bien qu'on m'a fait, Ni le mal
Tout ca m'est bien egal
Non, rien de rien, Non, je ne regrette rien
Car ma vie, Car me joies
Aujourd'hui ca commence avec toi
Finis!
July 29, 2010
Impressive artist takes own life
It isn’t new news to anyone that Vincent van Gogh was a troubled individual. Most people are aware that he cut off part of his own ear. Some also know that he struggled with depression and mental illness throughout most of his life. But underneath his haunted exterior was a brilliant and dramatic artist that deserves to be remembered.
On this day, in 1890, van Gogh died. He walked into a field in France and shot himself two days earlier- on the 27th – but didn’t survive his injuries. He was 37 years old, and sold only a few paintings during his lifetime. His loving brother Theo was at his bedside when he died, and he claims that van Gogh’s last words were “the sadness will last forever.”
Today, van Gogh’s work is among some of the most easily recognizable in the world. It’s also the most expensive. He used thick, swooping brush strokes and focused on things like starry skies, cypress trees, and self-portraits.
The first time I saw a van Gogh painting was in London. My brother and I were walking around Trafalgar Square, and stumbled across the National Gallery. We hadn’t really planned on visiting museums until we reached Amsterdam, but Chris convinced me to go inside. I’m so glad he did, because among other famous van Gogh pieces, I saw Sunflowers.
Vincent van Gogh, in my opinion, was a tormented genius. It’s too bad that he couldn’t live long enough to see himself become famous, but many artists living during that time didn’t.
Here are a few of my favourite van Gogh quotes:
On this day, in 1890, van Gogh died. He walked into a field in France and shot himself two days earlier- on the 27th – but didn’t survive his injuries. He was 37 years old, and sold only a few paintings during his lifetime. His loving brother Theo was at his bedside when he died, and he claims that van Gogh’s last words were “the sadness will last forever.”
Today, van Gogh’s work is among some of the most easily recognizable in the world. It’s also the most expensive. He used thick, swooping brush strokes and focused on things like starry skies, cypress trees, and self-portraits.
The first time I saw a van Gogh painting was in London. My brother and I were walking around Trafalgar Square, and stumbled across the National Gallery. We hadn’t really planned on visiting museums until we reached Amsterdam, but Chris convinced me to go inside. I’m so glad he did, because among other famous van Gogh pieces, I saw Sunflowers.
Photos weren’t allowed, but that didn’t stop Chris from snapping a few shots when the museum staff wasn’t looking. “It’s the first time you’re seeing the work of your favourite artist,” he had said to me as I looked around nervously. “I have to capture this moment for you, even if I’m thrown in jail.” Thanks, lil’ bro.
My encounter with van Gogh didn’t end there, and I have been fortunate to visit a few other museums around the work that carry his work. The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam was amazing, and I couldn’t believe that I was surrounded by three floors of his stuff. In Paris, Musee d’Orsay has a huge collection of van Gogh pieces, including Starry Night over the Rhone, one of my favourites. The Art Institute of Chicago was also impressive, and that was my most recent experience.
But throughout all of my travels and museum encounters, there is one painting that I have never had the opportunity to view in person.
The one and only Starry Night.
The one painting that has been my favourite since I was a child is the one that I have yet to see. I’ve tried – trust me – but something always happens to deflect me from my goal. The permanent location of the painting is the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and one day I better get there. Starry Night is currently sitting in my apartment in a place on honour, above my sofa, and before that it held a spot above my bed.
Vincent van Gogh, in my opinion, was a tormented genius. It’s too bad that he couldn’t live long enough to see himself become famous, but many artists living during that time didn’t.Here are a few of my favourite van Gogh quotes:
“I am not an adventurer by choice, but by fate.”
“There is no blue without yellow and without orange.”
“We spend our whole lives in unconscious exercise of the art of expressing our thoughts with the help of words.”
"To do good work one must eat well, be well housed, have one's fling from time to time, smoke one's pipe, and drink one's coffee in peace."
1853 – 1890
July 28, 2010
Literary Imagery
I left my apartment a moment ago, and came across a huge pile of books on the sidewalk. For some reason, this made me think. I wrote a short poem about it, and here it is...
The discarded pile of books on my sidewalk is lonely and abandoned.
I can’t understand why someone would leave such a collection
alone, neglected, and vulnerable to the elements.
The covers of back-issue wedding magazines leave an ominous impression.
Someone must have left in a hurry, desirous to forget
the unfortunate circumstances that accompanied this careless act.
The books that remain are of an eclectic variety.
I recognize the covers of Pride & Prejudice and Wuthering Heights
mixed with self-help guides and trashy magazines.
A few sheets of loose-leaf note paper blow around in the breeze.
They are filled with words written in a casual, handwritten scrawl
but I am too polite to examine someone else’s thoughts.
The entire tableau exudes feelings of despondency and weariness.
Where has the owner disappeared to, is the most obvious question,
but it is one that I cannot force myself to ask.
The world would need to collapse in order for me to abandon books.
As I step over the sad pile and continue on my way,
I pray that someone will return to recollect their lingering treasures.
The discarded pile of books on my sidewalk is lonely and abandoned.
I can’t understand why someone would leave such a collection
alone, neglected, and vulnerable to the elements.
The covers of back-issue wedding magazines leave an ominous impression.
Someone must have left in a hurry, desirous to forget
the unfortunate circumstances that accompanied this careless act.
The books that remain are of an eclectic variety.
I recognize the covers of Pride & Prejudice and Wuthering Heights
mixed with self-help guides and trashy magazines.
A few sheets of loose-leaf note paper blow around in the breeze.
They are filled with words written in a casual, handwritten scrawl
but I am too polite to examine someone else’s thoughts.
The entire tableau exudes feelings of despondency and weariness.
Where has the owner disappeared to, is the most obvious question,
but it is one that I cannot force myself to ask.
The world would need to collapse in order for me to abandon books.
As I step over the sad pile and continue on my way,
I pray that someone will return to recollect their lingering treasures.
Newsprint on my fingers
Since I moved out, I no longer receive the Winnipeg Free Press newspaper every morning. I rely on my BlackBerry and laptop to provide me with daily information, but sometimes, I get lazy.
This summer, I have been exceptionally lazy. I click on the occasional Free Press Twitter link, but that’s about it. I watch The John Stewart Show and The Colbert Report (via laptop), but that really doesn’t count as actual news.
So... when my parents cut articles out of newspapers for me to read, I get really excited.
I am an old-fashioned, hand me that hard copy, print journalism kind of gal. For me, nothing can beat the stain of newsprint on my fingers and the smell of fresh ink as I’m drinking my morning coffee. I look forward to visiting my parent’s house every week because I know they have accumulated a collection of things for me to read.
Maybe I’m a nerd, but it’s always something I look forward to.
Keep 'em coming! Please...
This summer, I have been exceptionally lazy. I click on the occasional Free Press Twitter link, but that’s about it. I watch The John Stewart Show and The Colbert Report (via laptop), but that really doesn’t count as actual news.
So... when my parents cut articles out of newspapers for me to read, I get really excited.
I am an old-fashioned, hand me that hard copy, print journalism kind of gal. For me, nothing can beat the stain of newsprint on my fingers and the smell of fresh ink as I’m drinking my morning coffee. I look forward to visiting my parent’s house every week because I know they have accumulated a collection of things for me to read.
Maybe I’m a nerd, but it’s always something I look forward to.
Keep 'em coming! Please...
July 27, 2010
Be still thy brain
Many people have advised me to accept and enjoy the recent creativity-induced insomnia that has encompassed both my mind and my sleeping habits. I tried to take everyone’s advice. Tried, and failed.
At least one night this month, I would really, really like to get a real night’s sleep.
I appreciate the advice given to me by friends and family, and trust me, I tried everything. The overzealous coffee drinking was the first thing I changed, and even though it was painful, it helped. I already exercise regularly, but I added an extra forty minutes to my regular regimen in an attempt to exhaust my body further. I also stayed up and wrote until the wee hours of morning on many occasions.
Despite all of these positive changes, I still can’t sleep. It’s truly exhausting trying to be exhausted.
As I lay in bed earlier this evening, my mind was literally racing. A new thought would form before the last one could finish, and this occurred for over an hour. My mind kept on going, going, going, and I had absolutely no idea when it would stop. Even now, as I’m writing this, I am thinking four or five other things simultaneously. It’s strange, and kind of frightening.
I think that my mind is changing. Taking a summer to be creative has been a blessing, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’m glad that things like this are happening to me now, during the summer, when I don’t have anywhere specific to be the next day. I couldn’t imagine waking up, getting dressed, and hopping on a bus to make it to class after a night like this.
Sleep deprivation and moonlight writing sessions do have a positive aspect, however, and I just finished watching one of the summer’s best thunderstorms. For a moment, I thought the sky was actually going to open up and consume everything. Maybe someone in another world can’t sleep either, and the storm is their way of telling me that I’m not the only one sitting, writing, and contemplating at my computer at 1:30 a.m.
Or, maybe, I’m over-analyzing something as trivial as a thunderstorm. It is late, after all, and I am very, very tired...
At least one night this month, I would really, really like to get a real night’s sleep.
I appreciate the advice given to me by friends and family, and trust me, I tried everything. The overzealous coffee drinking was the first thing I changed, and even though it was painful, it helped. I already exercise regularly, but I added an extra forty minutes to my regular regimen in an attempt to exhaust my body further. I also stayed up and wrote until the wee hours of morning on many occasions.
Despite all of these positive changes, I still can’t sleep. It’s truly exhausting trying to be exhausted.
As I lay in bed earlier this evening, my mind was literally racing. A new thought would form before the last one could finish, and this occurred for over an hour. My mind kept on going, going, going, and I had absolutely no idea when it would stop. Even now, as I’m writing this, I am thinking four or five other things simultaneously. It’s strange, and kind of frightening.
I think that my mind is changing. Taking a summer to be creative has been a blessing, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’m glad that things like this are happening to me now, during the summer, when I don’t have anywhere specific to be the next day. I couldn’t imagine waking up, getting dressed, and hopping on a bus to make it to class after a night like this.
Sleep deprivation and moonlight writing sessions do have a positive aspect, however, and I just finished watching one of the summer’s best thunderstorms. For a moment, I thought the sky was actually going to open up and consume everything. Maybe someone in another world can’t sleep either, and the storm is their way of telling me that I’m not the only one sitting, writing, and contemplating at my computer at 1:30 a.m.
Or, maybe, I’m over-analyzing something as trivial as a thunderstorm. It is late, after all, and I am very, very tired...
July 26, 2010
The Bodyguard's Story
I remember the day Princess Diana died. I was young – probably only 10 or 11 – but I watched the television reports about the car crash that killed her along with the rest of the world. As I was only a child at the time, I didn’t follow the story after the initial announcements. Therefore, I was reading about the events after the crash for the first time when I picked up a copy of The Bodyguard’s Story earlier this month.
The author – Trevor Rees-Jones – was the bodyguard of Dodi Fayed, the son of Mohamed Al Fayed, the owner of Harrods (until recently... he just retired). Rees-Jones’ life, and job description, changed dramatically the summer of 1997. He discovered that he would be protecting not only Dodi, but the Princess of Wales and the two Princes when they joined the Fayed family for a vacation in St-Tropez in July. It was the first of many occasions that Princess Diana boarded the Fayed yacht - the Jonikal - but it was this first vacation that solidified the future.
Rees-Jones had a front row seat to the relationship that formed between Diana and Dodi. He was present during their first meeting aboard the Jonikal, and was a passenger in the Mercedes on August 31, 1997, when everyone in the car except him was killed.
Along with quotes from other bodyguards assigned to the Fayed family, Rees-Jones used his book to explain what he saw, what he did, and what he believed actually happened between Diana and Dodi as their relationship progressed. He also used the book to dispel the myth that the couple went shopping for an engagement ring at Repossi Jewellers in St-Tropez.
Unfortunately, after recovering from his life-threatening injuries, Rees-Jones couldn’t remember anything about the final moments of the crash.
This is where the book gets really interesting...
To this day, his last memory is of leaving Hotel Ritz in Paris with Henri Paul driving and Diana and Dodi in the back of the Mercedes. He knows they were trying to get away from the mass of paparazzi that followed them everywhere, but what actually caused the crash is still unknown. A recent inquest determined Henri Paul was legally intoxicated, a point that Rees-Jones confirmed in his book. But, if any other factors contributed to the devastating accident, we will never know what they were.
The Pont de l’Alma tunnel was the scene of the crash. The Mercedes slammed into the 13th pillar, spun, and finally stopped facing oncoming traffic. I drove through this tunnel when I was in Paris last summer, and I can understand how a fatal accident could occur. The Liberty Flame statue on the bridge above the tunnel has become a makeshift memorial for Diana. It was initially erected to reflect the friendship between France and the United States. When you’re standing, looking at the flame, the Eiffel Tower is clearly visible in the background.
It's a beautiful area of the city, which makes the deaths all the more tragic. Diana and Dodi had only meant to spend one night in Paris. The following day, they were travelling elsewhere. They were also only three minutes away from their final destination - Dodi’s apartment on Champs Elysses.
I have only touched on a few aspects of the book, because so many things happened after the accident. Blame was passed between parties, conspiracy theories surfaced, and people wanted someone to be indicted and prosecuted for the crash. Rees-Jones found himself stuck in the middle of an ugly situation, and his problems were only compounded by the fact that he couldn’t remember anything about the final moments in the car.
I won’t give away everything, and I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the topic. The story of Diana, the “People’s Princess,” is both tragic and complex, and I believe it’s difficult to fully grasp the enormity of the situation without reading Rees-Jones account of events.
With that being said, keep in mind that this book is one account of what happened. If I have learned anything in journalism class, I’ve learned that the truth is usually somewhere in between everyone’s perspectives. I’m not saying that I don’t believe Rees-Jones, because I do, but I won’t ignore everyone else. I was on the Internet countless times as I read this book, checking information and verifying quotes. I believe you should too.
The author – Trevor Rees-Jones – was the bodyguard of Dodi Fayed, the son of Mohamed Al Fayed, the owner of Harrods (until recently... he just retired). Rees-Jones’ life, and job description, changed dramatically the summer of 1997. He discovered that he would be protecting not only Dodi, but the Princess of Wales and the two Princes when they joined the Fayed family for a vacation in St-Tropez in July. It was the first of many occasions that Princess Diana boarded the Fayed yacht - the Jonikal - but it was this first vacation that solidified the future.
Rees-Jones had a front row seat to the relationship that formed between Diana and Dodi. He was present during their first meeting aboard the Jonikal, and was a passenger in the Mercedes on August 31, 1997, when everyone in the car except him was killed.
Along with quotes from other bodyguards assigned to the Fayed family, Rees-Jones used his book to explain what he saw, what he did, and what he believed actually happened between Diana and Dodi as their relationship progressed. He also used the book to dispel the myth that the couple went shopping for an engagement ring at Repossi Jewellers in St-Tropez.
Unfortunately, after recovering from his life-threatening injuries, Rees-Jones couldn’t remember anything about the final moments of the crash.
This is where the book gets really interesting...
To this day, his last memory is of leaving Hotel Ritz in Paris with Henri Paul driving and Diana and Dodi in the back of the Mercedes. He knows they were trying to get away from the mass of paparazzi that followed them everywhere, but what actually caused the crash is still unknown. A recent inquest determined Henri Paul was legally intoxicated, a point that Rees-Jones confirmed in his book. But, if any other factors contributed to the devastating accident, we will never know what they were.
The Pont de l’Alma tunnel was the scene of the crash. The Mercedes slammed into the 13th pillar, spun, and finally stopped facing oncoming traffic. I drove through this tunnel when I was in Paris last summer, and I can understand how a fatal accident could occur. The Liberty Flame statue on the bridge above the tunnel has become a makeshift memorial for Diana. It was initially erected to reflect the friendship between France and the United States. When you’re standing, looking at the flame, the Eiffel Tower is clearly visible in the background.
It's a beautiful area of the city, which makes the deaths all the more tragic. Diana and Dodi had only meant to spend one night in Paris. The following day, they were travelling elsewhere. They were also only three minutes away from their final destination - Dodi’s apartment on Champs Elysses.
I have only touched on a few aspects of the book, because so many things happened after the accident. Blame was passed between parties, conspiracy theories surfaced, and people wanted someone to be indicted and prosecuted for the crash. Rees-Jones found himself stuck in the middle of an ugly situation, and his problems were only compounded by the fact that he couldn’t remember anything about the final moments in the car.
I won’t give away everything, and I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the topic. The story of Diana, the “People’s Princess,” is both tragic and complex, and I believe it’s difficult to fully grasp the enormity of the situation without reading Rees-Jones account of events.
With that being said, keep in mind that this book is one account of what happened. If I have learned anything in journalism class, I’ve learned that the truth is usually somewhere in between everyone’s perspectives. I’m not saying that I don’t believe Rees-Jones, because I do, but I won’t ignore everyone else. I was on the Internet countless times as I read this book, checking information and verifying quotes. I believe you should too.
July 23, 2010
Trying to understand Being John Malkovich
I watched Being John Malkovich a few nights ago, and I think I’ve finally figured out the overall meaning of the film. And, since I love to write everything down, I’m going to use my blog as a forum to analyze the complex story line.
A puppeteer named Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) gets a job working on the 7 ½ floor of an office building in Manhattan. While at work, he discovers a secret por
tal that literally leads inside John Malkovich’s (JM) mind. For 15 minutes, the person inside the portal sees, hears, and feels everything JM is doing. The adventure ends quite suddenly, and the inhabitant is unceremoniously dumped out of JM’s mind and onto the side of the New Jersey turnpike. Schwartz and his business partner, Maxine (Catherine Keener), decide to sell the “experience” for $200 a trip, and people are soon lining up to “Be John Malkovich.”
Cameron Diaz, on the other hand, has never been a favourite of mine. I have always lumped her in that “cute, blonde, but can’t act” category with a number of others that I won’t name. She has always flown under my radar, although I did think her performance was decent in My Best Friend’s Wedding. When I did a little more digging, I discovered that Diaz has been nominated for a number of Golden Globe awards for her performances in There’s Something About Mary, Being John Malkovich, Vanilla Sky, and Gangs of New York. I’ve also heard her performance in the newly-released Knight and Day was pretty good, but I haven’t seen it yet.
Basically, what I’m trying to say is that despite my reservations about Diaz as an actress, I thought she did a fantastic job in Being John Malkovich. She wasn’t made-up or perfectly dressed, and her appearance matched her strange character. Her acting was fantastic, especially when she began to deal with her sexuality.
Catherine Keener has been a favourite of mine for a long time. She has been nominated twice for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The first nomina
tion was for her role of Maxine in Being John Malkovich, and the second was for portraying Harper Lee in the 2005 film Capote (the same film that won Philip Seymour Hoffman the Academy Award for Best Actor). Her performances are always well-executed, and she was great at playing the slightly evil, sexually forward love interest in this film.
Being John Malkovich has become a cult classic, and rightly so. Overall, I believe it is asking us two very important questions. Who would you be if you could be someone else? And, are we all really who we say we are?
A puppeteer named Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) gets a job working on the 7 ½ floor of an office building in Manhattan. While at work, he discovers a secret por
tal that literally leads inside John Malkovich’s (JM) mind. For 15 minutes, the person inside the portal sees, hears, and feels everything JM is doing. The adventure ends quite suddenly, and the inhabitant is unceremoniously dumped out of JM’s mind and onto the side of the New Jersey turnpike. Schwartz and his business partner, Maxine (Catherine Keener), decide to sell the “experience” for $200 a trip, and people are soon lining up to “Be John Malkovich.”After about the first 30 minutes of the film, things start to get interesting. Schwartz’s wife, Lotte (Cameron Diaz), becomes obsessed with going through the portal because it allows her to act out her transgender desires. Both Schwartz and Lotte fall in love with Maxine, and the result is one of the weirdest 3 ½ way (JM being the half) clusters of ridiculousness I’ve ever encountered.
The plot becomes even more complex when it is realized that JM is supposed to be a host body for a group of people that jump from one portal to the next in an attempt to live forever. Their plans of taking over JM are disrupted when Schwartz realizes he can use his skills as a puppeteer to control Malkovich continuously. He refuses to leave the portal, and ends up spending eight months inside JM’s mind, where he is literally “Being John Malkovich.” He marries Maxine, she gets pregnant, and life progresses.
Moving on...
I’m not going to give away the ending, but this film takes the viewer on a roller coaster ride of enormous proportions. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen next, you’re thrown a curve ball and the entire plot goes in a different direction. My friends warned me that I would either love this film or hate it, and I’m still trying to decide which way to go.
What about the acting?
I want to stop for a moment and talk about the three main cast members. I have always loved John Cusack – because he’s so damn cute – but this role was definitely a favourite for me. He played an unhinged, socially defective, eager-to-be-loved puppeteer masterfully, and I think he was perfect for the role.
Cameron Diaz, on the other hand, has never been a favourite of mine. I have always lumped her in that “cute, blonde, but can’t act” category with a number of others that I won’t name. She has always flown under my radar, although I did think her performance was decent in My Best Friend’s Wedding. When I did a little more digging, I discovered that Diaz has been nominated for a number of Golden Globe awards for her performances in There’s Something About Mary, Being John Malkovich, Vanilla Sky, and Gangs of New York. I’ve also heard her performance in the newly-released Knight and Day was pretty good, but I haven’t seen it yet.
Basically, what I’m trying to say is that despite my reservations about Diaz as an actress, I thought she did a fantastic job in Being John Malkovich. She wasn’t made-up or perfectly dressed, and her appearance matched her strange character. Her acting was fantastic, especially when she began to deal with her sexuality.
Catherine Keener has been a favourite of mine for a long time. She has been nominated twice for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The first nomina
tion was for her role of Maxine in Being John Malkovich, and the second was for portraying Harper Lee in the 2005 film Capote (the same film that won Philip Seymour Hoffman the Academy Award for Best Actor). Her performances are always well-executed, and she was great at playing the slightly evil, sexually forward love interest in this film.Being John Malkovich has become a cult classic, and rightly so. Overall, I believe it is asking us two very important questions. Who would you be if you could be someone else? And, are we all really who we say we are?
July 22, 2010
Exploring the Interlake
It’s been awhile since I’ve written about something Manitoba-related, so I want to take a moment and rave about the Interlake area. More specifically, I want to talk about both Winnipeg Beach and Gimli.
Both of these areas are lovely, and are only about an hour away from Winnipeg. One could easily get up early, drive in, spend the day at the beach, wander the piers, check out the marinas, and be home for dinner. Who wouldn’t want to take a day trip away from the city?
The lake has a long history of public use in Manitoba, and it was a major tourist destination in the past. Development of Winnipeg Beach, situated on the west side of the lake, began in 1900. At its peak, it boasted a train station, dance pavilion, roller coaster and boardwalk. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) began transporting passengers to the town in 1903. Cottage communities expanded, and before long, Lake Winnipeg was one of the most popular places to spend time in Manitoba.
Does anyone remember the Moonlight Express?
Unfortunately, it’s virtually impossible to get to the Interlake without access to a car. The trains that were so popular back in the day no longer travel to Winnipeg Beach. As soon as people began to drive motor vehicles regularly, the need for a train was significantly diminished. Which is too bad, because I would love to hop on a train and come out to Winnipeg Beach for the weekend. Trains are romantic. Cars, not so much.
Last weekend, two of my friends – Tiffany and Jen – agreed to come to the Interlake with me. Our initial plan was to spend some much-needed time at the beach, but the weather had other ideas. A constant threat of a downpour meant that we needed to find something else to do, so I decided to take the ladies on a drive.
And, what a drive it was.
The
great thing about CreComm’s is that they’re always willing to jump out of a car to take pictures of things. I first stopped at Dunnottar Station, which used to be one of the many train stations where cabin-goers could disembark and head to their cottages. It’s not used anymore, and has been turned into a museum, but is still a pretty neat place to visit.
It was initially the large group of cows behind the station that attracted our attention, but we took a collection of photos of the entire area. There is a community centre adjacent to the station, and I’m pretty sure a few people were looking at us strangely as we excitedly ran around and composed shots.
Oh well. We’re tourists. Technically.
Next, we drove the short distance to Gimli. Our afternoon was spent both driving and wandering around the town, and we discovered a variety of interesting things.
First, Tiffany directed us to a chess board at Gimli Public School. It was a photographers dream, because there were full, blooming shrubs and gorgeous trees surrounding the area. We briefly stopped at the Gimli Movie Theatre, but it was closed. They only show one film at a time, and the business hours are very specific. We couldn’t leave without stopping at H.P Tergusen & Sons (which had been continuously operated by the same family since 1899) and the dollar store, where Tiffany scored the most inexpensive pool noodle/chair combination in the history of flotation devices. Naturally, we needed lunch, and Chicken Chef was on the menu.
We also di
d quite a bit of walking after the weather cleared up. The Gimli Marina is very popular, and the locally painted murals on one of the walls are always worth a look. The giant Viking statue is also well-known, and we had to wait for about 10 minutes for another group to finish taking photos before we could get close. We managed to effectively “photo bomb” a wedding photo shoot while we waited... but more on that later.
Our day didn’t end there, and we returned to Winnipeg Beach to participate in the Boardwalk Days celebration. A number of rides and games had been set up on Main Street, and a variety of local vendors had arranged booths. Tiffany and I both scored some old-school Winnipeg Beach magnets that featured the roller coaster and the dance pavilion before they were demolished. Before heading back to the cabin, we hopped onto the Ferris Wheel, which provided beautiful aerial views of the town.
If this area is so cool, why don’t more people check it out?
I hate to report it, but the condition of Lake Winnipeg has been deteriorating for years. There are major concerns that it will one day be deemed “un-swimmable.” Lake Winnipeg suffers from eutrophication,
a condition that occurs when nutrients accumulate and begin affecting a fresh water lake. In some advanced cases, blooms of algae begin to grow. Beyond being dangerous to marine life, algae blooms are unappealing and potentially hazardous to humans.
Simply put, many people think the water is “icky.” And, it can be. But scientists are working hard to ensure that a way to slow down the eutrophication process is discovered and implemented. I still swim in the lake, and so did Tiffany and Jen. It really isn’t that bad, and there are so many interesting things to explore in the area.
Below, I have attached an excerpt from a past interview with a woman named Veronica Kitt. I interviewed her when I was working on an article for Canada’s History magazine about Lake Winnipeg and eutrophication. Unfortunately, her part didn’t make it into the final draft. I had to go from 1500 words to 500 words, so if you’re reading this Veronica, I’m very sorry I had to cut you out.
I found her story fascinating, and the below excerpt illustrates that Winnipeg Beach was a magical place to spend the summers when the trains were running. It still is, and I suggest you check it out.
A lake in peril: the breakdown of Lake Winnipeg
Veronica Kitt spent the summers of her childhood at Winnipeg Beach. Initially, her parents rented a cottage. In 1946, the family purchased a vacant lot in the Sandy Hook area for $35, and built their own.
Kitt’s family would move out to the lake as soon as school finished for the summer in June, and would stay until August long weekend. Many families followed the same procedure, which meant there were many friends for Kitt and her siblings to play with.
“We had lots of friends we grew up with. Every family did the same thing,” Kitt explained. “You went for the summer, you had summer friends, and you never saw them in the winter even though they lived in Winnipeg.”
The only mode of practical transportation from the city to Winnipeg Beach was the train. There were numerous stops along the route, and Kitt remembers getting off at the 1st Avenue train station in Sandy Hook.
Families brought necessary items from home, but everything else could be purchased at the lake. An Eaton’s catalogue provided everything a family needed, including food, clothing, and household items.
A transfer company could be hired to move all a family’s belongings from Winnipeg to the lake, and another company would pick up, wash, and drop off laundry.
“Everything was at your fingertips,” Kitt said with a smile. “It was wonderful.”
Some of Kitt’s fondest memories include walking into downtown Winnipeg Beach, going on the roller coaster’s and other rides, walking along the boardwalk, and visiting the dance pavilion. She also remembers visiting the community centre every night, and it was always bustling with activity.
“We didn’t need caregivers or anything, you just went,” she said.
Kitt is disheartened by the fact that the trains no longer run to Winnipeg Beach.
“One day there’s a train, the next day there’s no train,” Kitt explained. “It used to come in about seven p.m., and would leave at about midnight. It’s too bad it isn’t there anymore.”
Both of these areas are lovely, and are only about an hour away from Winnipeg. One could easily get up early, drive in, spend the day at the beach, wander the piers, check out the marinas, and be home for dinner. Who wouldn’t want to take a day trip away from the city?
The lake has a long history of public use in Manitoba, and it was a major tourist destination in the past. Development of Winnipeg Beach, situated on the west side of the lake, began in 1900. At its peak, it boasted a train station, dance pavilion, roller coaster and boardwalk. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) began transporting passengers to the town in 1903. Cottage communities expanded, and before long, Lake Winnipeg was one of the most popular places to spend time in Manitoba.
Does anyone remember the Moonlight Express?
Unfortunately, it’s virtually impossible to get to the Interlake without access to a car. The trains that were so popular back in the day no longer travel to Winnipeg Beach. As soon as people began to drive motor vehicles regularly, the need for a train was significantly diminished. Which is too bad, because I would love to hop on a train and come out to Winnipeg Beach for the weekend. Trains are romantic. Cars, not so much.
Last weekend, two of my friends – Tiffany and Jen – agreed to come to the Interlake with me. Our initial plan was to spend some much-needed time at the beach, but the weather had other ideas. A constant threat of a downpour meant that we needed to find something else to do, so I decided to take the ladies on a drive.
And, what a drive it was.
The
great thing about CreComm’s is that they’re always willing to jump out of a car to take pictures of things. I first stopped at Dunnottar Station, which used to be one of the many train stations where cabin-goers could disembark and head to their cottages. It’s not used anymore, and has been turned into a museum, but is still a pretty neat place to visit.It was initially the large group of cows behind the station that attracted our attention, but we took a collection of photos of the entire area. There is a community centre adjacent to the station, and I’m pretty sure a few people were looking at us strangely as we excitedly ran around and composed shots.
Oh well. We’re tourists. Technically.
Next, we drove the short distance to Gimli. Our afternoon was spent both driving and wandering around the town, and we discovered a variety of interesting things.
First, Tiffany directed us to a chess board at Gimli Public School. It was a photographers dream, because there were full, blooming shrubs and gorgeous trees surrounding the area. We briefly stopped at the Gimli Movie Theatre, but it was closed. They only show one film at a time, and the business hours are very specific. We couldn’t leave without stopping at H.P Tergusen & Sons (which had been continuously operated by the same family since 1899) and the dollar store, where Tiffany scored the most inexpensive pool noodle/chair combination in the history of flotation devices. Naturally, we needed lunch, and Chicken Chef was on the menu.
We also di
d quite a bit of walking after the weather cleared up. The Gimli Marina is very popular, and the locally painted murals on one of the walls are always worth a look. The giant Viking statue is also well-known, and we had to wait for about 10 minutes for another group to finish taking photos before we could get close. We managed to effectively “photo bomb” a wedding photo shoot while we waited... but more on that later.Our day didn’t end there, and we returned to Winnipeg Beach to participate in the Boardwalk Days celebration. A number of rides and games had been set up on Main Street, and a variety of local vendors had arranged booths. Tiffany and I both scored some old-school Winnipeg Beach magnets that featured the roller coaster and the dance pavilion before they were demolished. Before heading back to the cabin, we hopped onto the Ferris Wheel, which provided beautiful aerial views of the town.
If this area is so cool, why don’t more people check it out?
I hate to report it, but the condition of Lake Winnipeg has been deteriorating for years. There are major concerns that it will one day be deemed “un-swimmable.” Lake Winnipeg suffers from eutrophication,
a condition that occurs when nutrients accumulate and begin affecting a fresh water lake. In some advanced cases, blooms of algae begin to grow. Beyond being dangerous to marine life, algae blooms are unappealing and potentially hazardous to humans.Simply put, many people think the water is “icky.” And, it can be. But scientists are working hard to ensure that a way to slow down the eutrophication process is discovered and implemented. I still swim in the lake, and so did Tiffany and Jen. It really isn’t that bad, and there are so many interesting things to explore in the area.
Below, I have attached an excerpt from a past interview with a woman named Veronica Kitt. I interviewed her when I was working on an article for Canada’s History magazine about Lake Winnipeg and eutrophication. Unfortunately, her part didn’t make it into the final draft. I had to go from 1500 words to 500 words, so if you’re reading this Veronica, I’m very sorry I had to cut you out.
I found her story fascinating, and the below excerpt illustrates that Winnipeg Beach was a magical place to spend the summers when the trains were running. It still is, and I suggest you check it out.
A lake in peril: the breakdown of Lake Winnipeg
Veronica Kitt spent the summers of her childhood at Winnipeg Beach. Initially, her parents rented a cottage. In 1946, the family purchased a vacant lot in the Sandy Hook area for $35, and built their own.
Kitt’s family would move out to the lake as soon as school finished for the summer in June, and would stay until August long weekend. Many families followed the same procedure, which meant there were many friends for Kitt and her siblings to play with.
“We had lots of friends we grew up with. Every family did the same thing,” Kitt explained. “You went for the summer, you had summer friends, and you never saw them in the winter even though they lived in Winnipeg.”
The only mode of practical transportation from the city to Winnipeg Beach was the train. There were numerous stops along the route, and Kitt remembers getting off at the 1st Avenue train station in Sandy Hook.
Families brought necessary items from home, but everything else could be purchased at the lake. An Eaton’s catalogue provided everything a family needed, including food, clothing, and household items.
A transfer company could be hired to move all a family’s belongings from Winnipeg to the lake, and another company would pick up, wash, and drop off laundry.
“Everything was at your fingertips,” Kitt said with a smile. “It was wonderful.”
Some of Kitt’s fondest memories include walking into downtown Winnipeg Beach, going on the roller coaster’s and other rides, walking along the boardwalk, and visiting the dance pavilion. She also remembers visiting the community centre every night, and it was always bustling with activity.
“We didn’t need caregivers or anything, you just went,” she said.
Kitt is disheartened by the fact that the trains no longer run to Winnipeg Beach.
“One day there’s a train, the next day there’s no train,” Kitt explained. “It used to come in about seven p.m., and would leave at about midnight. It’s too bad it isn’t there anymore.”
July 21, 2010
Boy + Tuba = Eurythmics?
My mom sent me this video, and it's fantastic! This guy - nicknamed "Wolff" - plays entire song covers using only the tuba. He puts each piece of the song on a double-loop system, and gradually adds it all together.
It takes awhile to get going, but check it out...
It's AWESOME! He has a number of videos out, but this one is my favourite by far. He's playing Sweet Dreams by the Eurythmics, which is a classic.
Watching this kind of makes me want to ditch the piano for awhile and try another, more interesting instrument...
It takes awhile to get going, but check it out...
It's AWESOME! He has a number of videos out, but this one is my favourite by far. He's playing Sweet Dreams by the Eurythmics, which is a classic.
Watching this kind of makes me want to ditch the piano for awhile and try another, more interesting instrument...
July 20, 2010
A puppy update
I forgot to post updated photos of my friend's puppy with my last photo blog, so here are a few...
I can't get over the fact that this cute little puppy will be a full-sized dog pretty soon. He's already grown considerably since I took the first photos of him the day Ty & Kristen brought him home.
Rocco is either 14 or 15 weeks old now, and he's growing like crazy. We took him to Winnipeg Beach last weekend, which provided him with a fantastic opportunity to socialize with new people and new animals.
He also got to hang out with Becker (who is pictured on the right in the above photograph). That's our friend Ryan's dog, and he's roughly 135 lbs.
I can't get over the fact that this cute little puppy will be a full-sized dog pretty soon. He's already grown considerably since I took the first photos of him the day Ty & Kristen brought him home.*Sigh* They grow up so fast...
July 19, 2010
I need closure
Usually, I lose interest in television shows after a few seasons. I rarely watch TV, and trying to be near one at a specific time every week has never worked for me.
With that being said, I always, always need to know how television shows that I used to watch end. Even though I have lost interest, it’s important to find out how the series concluded. Which characters end up together? Does anyone die? Are there surprise twists that take everyone by surprise? For me, it’s very important to have these questions answered. It’s like finishing a book. I need to know how the conflict is resolved, and I never leave a book partially read.
In my apartment, I don’t have cable. This was a conscious decision that Jeff and I made, for a few reasons. 1) We don’t watch enough television to justify spending money on cable, and 2) there’s always the possibility that if we have it, we will start using it too much.
I’m fine without television, for the most part.
This summer, however, I actually have time to catch up on the shows that I missed the series finales of. It started with Season Nine of Friends, and extended to the tenth and final season of Friends. Next, I bought the last two seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I loved that show when I was younger, but like most shows, I lost interest.
I plan to rent and/or buy all three seasons of Roswell next, just because I feel like watching it all over again. Remember that show? It was on from 1999-2002, and the cast included Katherine Heigl and Emilie de Ravin (Claire from Lost).
I will admit that each of the shows were better the first time I watched them, when I was younger. I guess that’s just part of growing up. Things usually aren’t as good the second time around, but at least I’ll know how each series ends. Who knows if I’ll ever have another opportunity to sit around and watch episode after episode of Friends or Roswell. This might be my only chance!
With that being said, I always, always need to know how television shows that I used to watch end. Even though I have lost interest, it’s important to find out how the series concluded. Which characters end up together? Does anyone die? Are there surprise twists that take everyone by surprise? For me, it’s very important to have these questions answered. It’s like finishing a book. I need to know how the conflict is resolved, and I never leave a book partially read.
In my apartment, I don’t have cable. This was a conscious decision that Jeff and I made, for a few reasons. 1) We don’t watch enough television to justify spending money on cable, and 2) there’s always the possibility that if we have it, we will start using it too much.
I’m fine without television, for the most part.
This summer, however, I actually have time to catch up on the shows that I missed the series finales of. It started with Season Nine of Friends, and extended to the tenth and final season of Friends. Next, I bought the last two seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I loved that show when I was younger, but like most shows, I lost interest.
I plan to rent and/or buy all three seasons of Roswell next, just because I feel like watching it all over again. Remember that show? It was on from 1999-2002, and the cast included Katherine Heigl and Emilie de Ravin (Claire from Lost).
I will admit that each of the shows were better the first time I watched them, when I was younger. I guess that’s just part of growing up. Things usually aren’t as good the second time around, but at least I’ll know how each series ends. Who knows if I’ll ever have another opportunity to sit around and watch episode after episode of Friends or Roswell. This might be my only chance!
Get a website Ninette...
... and you won’t have to deal with a strange city girl like me coming to your town and bothering you with a huge list of questions.
Part of my IPP research involves the late Ninette tuberculosis sanatorium. I know absolutely nothing about the town, including where it’s located, so I thought a bit of online research would help me figure it out.
Nope. Not so easy.
The town doesn’t have a website, which is unbelievably frustrating. In this age of technology, I naturally assumed that everyone has a website. Even I have a website! But not Ninette. There is no way for me to find out the information for town hall, the population, the names of local businesses, or coming events with the click of a mouse.
I realized very quickly that I am going to have to acquire what I want to know about Ninette the old-fashioned way. I’ll have to visit the library.
I've spent way too much time at the library this summer.
Part of my IPP research involves the late Ninette tuberculosis sanatorium. I know absolutely nothing about the town, including where it’s located, so I thought a bit of online research would help me figure it out.
Nope. Not so easy.
The town doesn’t have a website, which is unbelievably frustrating. In this age of technology, I naturally assumed that everyone has a website. Even I have a website! But not Ninette. There is no way for me to find out the information for town hall, the population, the names of local businesses, or coming events with the click of a mouse.
I realized very quickly that I am going to have to acquire what I want to know about Ninette the old-fashioned way. I’ll have to visit the library.
I've spent way too much time at the library this summer.
July 16, 2010
Just a thought
"If you took acting away from me, I'd stop breathing." - Ingrid Bergman
"If you took writing away from me, I'd stop breathing." - Amanda Hope
"If you took writing away from me, I'd stop breathing." - Amanda Hope
July 15, 2010
The rudest robbery I've ever encountered
Yesterday, my brother was taking a nap at the University of Manitoba’s science lounge around noon. This is a common practice for most post-secondary students, because we do occasionally burn the candle at both ends. Chris took off his glasses and placed them in his shoe. This is also normal. It’s not fun to sleep with glasses on, and he didn’t want to accidentally break them while he slept.
He woke up about an hour and a half later to find that his glasses were gone. No one messed with his backpack or books, no one tried to steal his wallet, and his shoes were still exactly where he’d left them. This thief wanted something specific, and he got it.
How incredibly rude.
Chris is like me. Without his glasses, he is virtually blind. When he realized they were missing, he called for someone nearby to help him look for them. Nine people materialized almost immediately, and all were eager to assist with this very unusual problem. No one could locate the glasses anywhere, and finally my brother had to accept the fact that they were stolen.
Are you kidding me? Who would do that?
Thankfully, my dad was home, and he brought my brother’s spare pair of glasses to the university for him. There is no way he could have driven home without them. Now, Chris has to shell out his own hard-earned money to replace the expensive pair that someone took. What initially began as a rude inconvenience is now costing my brother money, and that makes me really angry.
When I was younger, the kids at school would steal my glasses just to watch me fumble around without them. This wasn’t fun, and I absolutely hate the feeling of partial blin
dness. I can’t even imagine what it was like for Chris as he sat at school waiting for my dad to arrive. He said that the glasses were well-hidden in his shoe, so I’m betting that someone watched him put them in there and waited for him to fall asleep before stealing them.
Ugh.
Some readers may be confused about why Chris didn’t hide his glasses better before going to sleep, so I’ll explain unofficial university protocol a bit. Ninety-nine per cent of the time, people leave their personal effects all over the place, and no one touches them. I have watched people leave both laptop and cell phone unattended in the library for hours. When they return, their items are still there. People just don’t mess with each other’s stuff, because most of us understand that things like computers, text books, and glasses are expensive.
I’ll agree that it isn’t smart to leave personal items lying around, and I’ve never done it myself, but it happens all the time. Chris placed his glasses in a hidden location, and I never would have thought that a person would actually have been desperate enough to reach inside his shoe to take them.
Moving on...
When my friends stole my glasses on the playground, they would always give them back. No one is going to return my brother’s pair, and he’ll never find out who did it. He’s lucky there were people around who were willing to help him look, and I tip my hat to those anonymous individuals.
I guess it just goes to show that nowhere is safe, and people can’t even take a well-deserved nap without worrying about the safety of their possessions.
Rude. Just rude.
He woke up about an hour and a half later to find that his glasses were gone. No one messed with his backpack or books, no one tried to steal his wallet, and his shoes were still exactly where he’d left them. This thief wanted something specific, and he got it.
How incredibly rude.
Chris is like me. Without his glasses, he is virtually blind. When he realized they were missing, he called for someone nearby to help him look for them. Nine people materialized almost immediately, and all were eager to assist with this very unusual problem. No one could locate the glasses anywhere, and finally my brother had to accept the fact that they were stolen.
Are you kidding me? Who would do that?
Thankfully, my dad was home, and he brought my brother’s spare pair of glasses to the university for him. There is no way he could have driven home without them. Now, Chris has to shell out his own hard-earned money to replace the expensive pair that someone took. What initially began as a rude inconvenience is now costing my brother money, and that makes me really angry.
When I was younger, the kids at school would steal my glasses just to watch me fumble around without them. This wasn’t fun, and I absolutely hate the feeling of partial blin
dness. I can’t even imagine what it was like for Chris as he sat at school waiting for my dad to arrive. He said that the glasses were well-hidden in his shoe, so I’m betting that someone watched him put them in there and waited for him to fall asleep before stealing them.Ugh.
Some readers may be confused about why Chris didn’t hide his glasses better before going to sleep, so I’ll explain unofficial university protocol a bit. Ninety-nine per cent of the time, people leave their personal effects all over the place, and no one touches them. I have watched people leave both laptop and cell phone unattended in the library for hours. When they return, their items are still there. People just don’t mess with each other’s stuff, because most of us understand that things like computers, text books, and glasses are expensive.
I’ll agree that it isn’t smart to leave personal items lying around, and I’ve never done it myself, but it happens all the time. Chris placed his glasses in a hidden location, and I never would have thought that a person would actually have been desperate enough to reach inside his shoe to take them.
Moving on...
When my friends stole my glasses on the playground, they would always give them back. No one is going to return my brother’s pair, and he’ll never find out who did it. He’s lucky there were people around who were willing to help him look, and I tip my hat to those anonymous individuals.
I guess it just goes to show that nowhere is safe, and people can’t even take a well-deserved nap without worrying about the safety of their possessions.
Rude. Just rude.
The Coconut
WARNING: There are a few images of alcoholic beverages in this post. It's just coconut milk and a bit of vodka, and really is good, clean fun, but if that kind of thing bothers you, go to the next post...
A coconut.
He held it up to his head and shook it, listening to the milk slosh around inside. I laughed, quite hard, and asked him what he was doing. He said that he wondered how exactly one broke into a coconut effectively, and a light bulb went on above my head.
The guys that Kristen and I hang with are eccentric, to say the least, and I thought they would get a kick out of trying to open the thing. I bought it, and ceremoniously presented it to them when we arrived at the cabin. Later that night, after a few drinks, they decided it was necessary to break it open.
After they broke into the coconut, a discussion began about what to do with the milk. I don’t know whose idea it was, but before I knew it, Kristen’s fiancee Tyler was preparing vodka and coconut milk shots. It’s summer, and we were on vacation, so we all agreed to try the drink. (Minus Rob, who just wanted the coconut milk. Looking back, I think he was the smart one in this scenario).
I can now say with wholehearted certainty that coconut/vodka shots are disgusting. The inside of the coconut didn’t taste that great either.
Ah, the things we do for fun.
Last weekend, I was invited to my friend Kristen’s cabin in Lake of the Woods. My brother agreed to take me grocery shopping to prepare, and we wandered around Superstore for an hour gathering everything I needed. We were finishing our excursion in the produce section when I turned around to see my brother lovingly handling an interesting item.
A coconut.
He held it up to his head and shook it, listening to the milk slosh around inside. I laughed, quite hard, and asked him what he was doing. He said that he wondered how exactly one broke into a coconut effectively, and a light bulb went on above my head.
The guys that Kristen and I hang with are eccentric, to say the least, and I thought they would get a kick out of trying to open the thing. I bought it, and ceremoniously presented it to them when we arrived at the cabin. Later that night, after a few drinks, they decided it was necessary to break it open.
After they broke into the coconut, a discussion began about what to do with the milk. I don’t know whose idea it was, but before I knew it, Kristen’s fiancee Tyler was preparing vodka and coconut milk shots. It’s summer, and we were on vacation, so we all agreed to try the drink. (Minus Rob, who just wanted the coconut milk. Looking back, I think he was the smart one in this scenario).
I can now say with wholehearted certainty that coconut/vodka shots are disgusting. The inside of the coconut didn’t taste that great either.
Ah, the things we do for fun. Why I love Lake of the Woods
I think these photos speak for themselves. This is my friend Kristen's cabin, and the view is spectacular. Especially during a sunset...
(P.S. That's Jeff fishing off the dock in the last one...)
July 14, 2010
I reached my book goal
This summer, I wanted to read 50 books. During the school year, it is very difficult to find time to read. Therefore, I knew that summertime would be my only chance to catch up on the books I have been missing, and read the things that have always interested me.
Well, I tallied up what I have read so far, and I was thoroughly surprised by the number I came up with.
Since May 1, 2010, I have read 61 books.
61.
It is important to mention, however, that some of the books I read were ones that I have read before. I began by re-reading Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, which I have gone through about 20 times. Next, I moved on to my favourite classics, including Middlemarch, Wuthering Heights, Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre, and so on.
I took a break from material I have already read and went on a murder mystery kick. That took up about a month, and I perused my way through about 10 authors.
Now, I'm working on true crime and history-related books. I just finished Schindler's List, and am currently reading The Bodyguard's Story by Trevor Rees-Jones. It's about the death of Princess Diana, and is written by the bodyguard who survived the accident.
Maybe I'll read 100 books by the time summer is over. I can't believe I hit my goal, but I'm not going to quit now...
Well, I tallied up what I have read so far, and I was thoroughly surprised by the number I came up with.
Since May 1, 2010, I have read 61 books.
61.
It is important to mention, however, that some of the books I read were ones that I have read before. I began by re-reading Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, which I have gone through about 20 times. Next, I moved on to my favourite classics, including Middlemarch, Wuthering Heights, Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre, and so on.
I took a break from material I have already read and went on a murder mystery kick. That took up about a month, and I perused my way through about 10 authors.
Now, I'm working on true crime and history-related books. I just finished Schindler's List, and am currently reading The Bodyguard's Story by Trevor Rees-Jones. It's about the death of Princess Diana, and is written by the bodyguard who survived the accident.
Maybe I'll read 100 books by the time summer is over. I can't believe I hit my goal, but I'm not going to quit now...
July 13, 2010
The epic nature of Saving Private Ryan
Every year, important blockbuster films hit theatres. These blockbusters have a profound effect on audiences, and many – like the recent Avatar – go down in history as being unique. But gradually, many blockbusters are forgotten when newer and more advanced films are released. This is a natural process, as people always want more, but I think some very important, epic films become lost in the shift.
Saving Private Ryan is a film that I haven’t watched since its release in 1998, and I hate to admit that I had forgotten about it. I dug it up yesterday when I needed to watch something about D-Day. After I was about 30 minutes in, and had just passed the Omaha Beach scene, I
remembered why this film won the Academy Award for Best Director. It’s fantastic in every way. Even though it was filmed roughly 12 years ago, I still felt like I was there, on the beach, in France, witnessing everything along with Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, and Giovanni Ribisi.
The book I’m writing has taken me on a wild carpet ride, and I never imagined that I would be watching and blogging about films as part of the process. It’s incredible how something as simple as a film about war can change my whole attitude and get me in the mood to write. I was both sobered and moved after watching Saving Private Ryan. I sat down at my computer after shutting off the television and promptly wrote 5,000 words. There’s a big difference between reading about D-Day and watching a re-creation of it, and I don’t think the section I wrote would have been as effective if I hadn’t watched a film before writing it.
Steven Spielberg was meticulous with details, and I think he got pretty much everything right. There were a few details that bothered me (like the fact Tom Sizemore labelled his jars of earth with a Sharpie marker, which hadn’t been invented yet), and there were a few instances where equipment was visible and extras were noticeable. But hey, it was a hard film to make.
Spielberg also had the challenge of making a beach in Ireland look like Omaha Beach in Normandy, and I think the end result was very effective. There was absolutely no way that they could film at the actual location. Besides being sacrilegious, seeing hundreds of men dressed in U.S. Army gear jumping off ships and onto the site of what served as Omaha Beach would confuse the pants off of and probably scare the daylights out of any French citizen who happened to be walking by. Talk about post-traumatic stress disorder at its finest... Geez.
The acting in the film was solid from beginning to end. Tom Hanks did a fantastic job, although I initially had a hard time picturing him as a hardened army Captain. This is Tom Hanks. Forrest Gump. He’s a third cousin, four generations removed, of former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. He seems
too nice and too regal to be a bad ass military guy.
However, I did believe in his character by the end of the film. The rest of the cast was also phenomenal, and I was even impressed with Vin Diesel’s performance (which is saying a lot).
In total, Saving Private Ryan was nominated for eleven Academy Awards. It won five. Steven Spielberg won his second for Best Director (the first being Schindler’s List in 1993, a film I am watching next week). Other wins included Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound. Tom Hanks was nominated for Best Actor, but he lost to Roberto Benigni of Life is Beautiful. Edward Norton was also nominated for his performance in American History X. That must have been close, because each of those men delivered dynamite performances. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, but it lost to Shakespeare in Love.
Before I end this blog post, I believe it’s important that people understand why D-Day was so important. I do have a history degree, and I do love to talk, so I’m going to provide a 60 second lesson about the background...
D-Day, formally referred to as Operation Overlord, commenced on June 6, 1944, in the wee hours of morning. Roughly 195,000 personnel and 7,000 ships landed on five beaches along the Normandy coastline, which were codenamed Juno, Gold, Sword, Omaha, and Utah. Additional troops parachuted behind German lines, in an attempt to weaken their defences from the rear.
Of all five beaches, Omaha acquired the highest number of casualties. This was because their beach was the most difficult. It wasn’t flat, like Juno Beach (where we
Canadians were sent to kick some ass). There was a high point opposite to the coastline, meaning that the Germans had high ground. They literally wiped out American troops with machine guns as they tried to get off the ships and dash for cover.
In total, on all of the beaches, there were roughly 9,000 casualties. 2,000 of those casualties were on Omaha Beach, and roughly 1,200 Canadians fell on Juno Beach (out of the 14,000 that landed).
Operation Overlord was overall a huge success, and gradually led to the fall of Hitler’s Nazi Regime. D-Day is referred to as “the beginning of the end of the Second World War,” which is exactly what it was. The Allies slowly made their way towards Berlin from the West, liberating citizens of occupied countries as they went. The Russians made headway and then defeated the Germans in the East. In the end, it was a race to Berlin from two directions, and Hitler knew all was lost.
Benito Mussolini, the dictator running Italy, was Hitler’s ally. On April 27, 1945, Mussolini was captured while trying to flee the country. He was executed the following day, and his body was hung along with six others at a gas station for the public to view. Hitler was terrified he would suffer the same fate. Therefore, on April 30, 1945, he married his mistress, Eva Braun, in his bunker in Berlin. Then, they both committed suicide. Germany began to surrender around the globe on May 1. Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day) was on May 8, 1945, when the news of Germany’s surrender became known across the globe.
So, that’s the long answer of why D-Day is important. Even though Saving Private Ryan wasn’t based on a true story that took place during the Second World War, it was realistic, heartfelt, and clearly portrayed the grisly environment the soldiers faced. I recommend everyone watches it again, because this film is a masterpiece.
Saving Private Ryan is a film that I haven’t watched since its release in 1998, and I hate to admit that I had forgotten about it. I dug it up yesterday when I needed to watch something about D-Day. After I was about 30 minutes in, and had just passed the Omaha Beach scene, I
remembered why this film won the Academy Award for Best Director. It’s fantastic in every way. Even though it was filmed roughly 12 years ago, I still felt like I was there, on the beach, in France, witnessing everything along with Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, and Giovanni Ribisi.The book I’m writing has taken me on a wild carpet ride, and I never imagined that I would be watching and blogging about films as part of the process. It’s incredible how something as simple as a film about war can change my whole attitude and get me in the mood to write. I was both sobered and moved after watching Saving Private Ryan. I sat down at my computer after shutting off the television and promptly wrote 5,000 words. There’s a big difference between reading about D-Day and watching a re-creation of it, and I don’t think the section I wrote would have been as effective if I hadn’t watched a film before writing it.
Steven Spielberg was meticulous with details, and I think he got pretty much everything right. There were a few details that bothered me (like the fact Tom Sizemore labelled his jars of earth with a Sharpie marker, which hadn’t been invented yet), and there were a few instances where equipment was visible and extras were noticeable. But hey, it was a hard film to make.
Spielberg also had the challenge of making a beach in Ireland look like Omaha Beach in Normandy, and I think the end result was very effective. There was absolutely no way that they could film at the actual location. Besides being sacrilegious, seeing hundreds of men dressed in U.S. Army gear jumping off ships and onto the site of what served as Omaha Beach would confuse the pants off of and probably scare the daylights out of any French citizen who happened to be walking by. Talk about post-traumatic stress disorder at its finest... Geez.
The acting in the film was solid from beginning to end. Tom Hanks did a fantastic job, although I initially had a hard time picturing him as a hardened army Captain. This is Tom Hanks. Forrest Gump. He’s a third cousin, four generations removed, of former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. He seems
too nice and too regal to be a bad ass military guy.However, I did believe in his character by the end of the film. The rest of the cast was also phenomenal, and I was even impressed with Vin Diesel’s performance (which is saying a lot).
In total, Saving Private Ryan was nominated for eleven Academy Awards. It won five. Steven Spielberg won his second for Best Director (the first being Schindler’s List in 1993, a film I am watching next week). Other wins included Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound. Tom Hanks was nominated for Best Actor, but he lost to Roberto Benigni of Life is Beautiful. Edward Norton was also nominated for his performance in American History X. That must have been close, because each of those men delivered dynamite performances. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, but it lost to Shakespeare in Love.
Before I end this blog post, I believe it’s important that people understand why D-Day was so important. I do have a history degree, and I do love to talk, so I’m going to provide a 60 second lesson about the background...
D-Day, formally referred to as Operation Overlord, commenced on June 6, 1944, in the wee hours of morning. Roughly 195,000 personnel and 7,000 ships landed on five beaches along the Normandy coastline, which were codenamed Juno, Gold, Sword, Omaha, and Utah. Additional troops parachuted behind German lines, in an attempt to weaken their defences from the rear.
Of all five beaches, Omaha acquired the highest number of casualties. This was because their beach was the most difficult. It wasn’t flat, like Juno Beach (where we
Canadians were sent to kick some ass). There was a high point opposite to the coastline, meaning that the Germans had high ground. They literally wiped out American troops with machine guns as they tried to get off the ships and dash for cover.In total, on all of the beaches, there were roughly 9,000 casualties. 2,000 of those casualties were on Omaha Beach, and roughly 1,200 Canadians fell on Juno Beach (out of the 14,000 that landed).
Operation Overlord was overall a huge success, and gradually led to the fall of Hitler’s Nazi Regime. D-Day is referred to as “the beginning of the end of the Second World War,” which is exactly what it was. The Allies slowly made their way towards Berlin from the West, liberating citizens of occupied countries as they went. The Russians made headway and then defeated the Germans in the East. In the end, it was a race to Berlin from two directions, and Hitler knew all was lost.
Benito Mussolini, the dictator running Italy, was Hitler’s ally. On April 27, 1945, Mussolini was captured while trying to flee the country. He was executed the following day, and his body was hung along with six others at a gas station for the public to view. Hitler was terrified he would suffer the same fate. Therefore, on April 30, 1945, he married his mistress, Eva Braun, in his bunker in Berlin. Then, they both committed suicide. Germany began to surrender around the globe on May 1. Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day) was on May 8, 1945, when the news of Germany’s surrender became known across the globe.
So, that’s the long answer of why D-Day is important. Even though Saving Private Ryan wasn’t based on a true story that took place during the Second World War, it was realistic, heartfelt, and clearly portrayed the grisly environment the soldiers faced. I recommend everyone watches it again, because this film is a masterpiece.
July 9, 2010
My first poetry reading
Last night, I went to Aqua Books to read some of my poetry in front of a live audience for the very first time. I was terrified, I was overwhelmed, and I was seriously considering backing out. But, I got up on stage and read my poem despite my trepidations. Now that the experience is over, I must say, it was awesome!
There’s nothing like listening to an audience respond positively to your writing. The poem that I read is called Florence, and there are parts of it that are supposed to be funny. I knew that I was taking a chance reading it, because there is always the possibility that an audience will have zero sense of humour, but it went over quite well. People laughed when they were supposed to, made “hmm” noises when they were supposed to, and listened silently when they were supposed to.
Initially, I thought that I would be terrified when I stood up at the podium. In actuality, I was quite calm. There was something natural about sharing my poetry with this particular audience, and I was even cracking jokes beforehand.
Of course, it helped that my entire family was in the audience.
Aqua Books has an open mic night every month, and anyone is free to walk in, get up on stage, and share his or her work. Each reader has four minutes, which is just about enough time for an introduction and a longer poem or shorter story. It goes by very fast, and before you know it, you’re sitting back in the audience listening to someone else.
We also heard from one of Aqua Books Writer’s-In-Residence last night. Her name is hannah_g (all lowercase, with an underscore) and she’s from Bristol, England. She read a few excerpts from the short story she is currently working on, and then she sang a few songs she had written to the accompaniment of a friend’s guitar. She was very talented, and the piece of her story that she read was very, very good. It was about Winnipeg in the 1920s, and everyone was laughing by the time she finished her set.
Aqua Books is just a cool venue in general. I absolutely love going there. The restaurant – Eat! Bistro – serves great food and beverages, and it’s located at the rear of the building. There are tons of used books everywhere, because it is a used bookstore, after all. And events – like the one I participated in last night – are held upstairs in one of two rooms.
The room that we were in is the larger of the two. It has an elevated stage at one end, with a desk, bookshelf, and old-fashioned stand-up radio. There is a bar (thank god) and kitchen at the opposite end. I think it can hold about a hundred and something people. Ah yes, and I forgot to mention the podium. I think Kelly Hughes stole it from a church’s pulpit.
Overall, my first live poetry reading went well. I think I did alright, and I plan to try again next month. Stay tuned!
If you’re interested in participating, send me an email or check out the Aqua Books website for more information.
There’s nothing like listening to an audience respond positively to your writing. The poem that I read is called Florence, and there are parts of it that are supposed to be funny. I knew that I was taking a chance reading it, because there is always the possibility that an audience will have zero sense of humour, but it went over quite well. People laughed when they were supposed to, made “hmm” noises when they were supposed to, and listened silently when they were supposed to.
Initially, I thought that I would be terrified when I stood up at the podium. In actuality, I was quite calm. There was something natural about sharing my poetry with this particular audience, and I was even cracking jokes beforehand.
Of course, it helped that my entire family was in the audience.
Aqua Books has an open mic night every month, and anyone is free to walk in, get up on stage, and share his or her work. Each reader has four minutes, which is just about enough time for an introduction and a longer poem or shorter story. It goes by very fast, and before you know it, you’re sitting back in the audience listening to someone else.
We also heard from one of Aqua Books Writer’s-In-Residence last night. Her name is hannah_g (all lowercase, with an underscore) and she’s from Bristol, England. She read a few excerpts from the short story she is currently working on, and then she sang a few songs she had written to the accompaniment of a friend’s guitar. She was very talented, and the piece of her story that she read was very, very good. It was about Winnipeg in the 1920s, and everyone was laughing by the time she finished her set.
Aqua Books is just a cool venue in general. I absolutely love going there. The restaurant – Eat! Bistro – serves great food and beverages, and it’s located at the rear of the building. There are tons of used books everywhere, because it is a used bookstore, after all. And events – like the one I participated in last night – are held upstairs in one of two rooms.
The room that we were in is the larger of the two. It has an elevated stage at one end, with a desk, bookshelf, and old-fashioned stand-up radio. There is a bar (thank god) and kitchen at the opposite end. I think it can hold about a hundred and something people. Ah yes, and I forgot to mention the podium. I think Kelly Hughes stole it from a church’s pulpit.
Overall, my first live poetry reading went well. I think I did alright, and I plan to try again next month. Stay tuned!
If you’re interested in participating, send me an email or check out the Aqua Books website for more information.
July 8, 2010
Insomnia
Lately, I haven’t been sleeping very well. It’s a strange situation, and one that I can’t remember experiencing before. I will lay down at night, tired and ready for bed. But, instead of falling asleep like normal, I will remain awake for hours. This has been a recurring problem for the past few weeks, so I think it’s time to put my life and daily activities under the microscope.
My first thought was that I’m depressed about something. After careful consideration, that can’t be it. I am completely happy with my life at the moment. I have the freedom to write as I please, I just moved in with my boyfriend, and it is summer. No, I’m not depressed. I can’t be.
My second thought was that it’s way, way too hot in my apartment to sleep comfortably. We have an air conditioner in the living room, but only a fan to keep the bedroom cool. There have been nights when it has been a bit warm, but it certainly hasn’t been hot enough to keep me awake for the few weeks that I’ve been having sleeping problems. No, the summer heat is also not the reason.
So, why can’t I sleep?
I have been wracking my brain and considering all the possibilities over the past few days. And I think I have finally found an answer. As I lay awake at night, and the world is quiet around me, there is one thing that doesn’t stop talking. My brain. Ever since I started writing full-time, I can’t seem to shut off my mind. I am constantly going over character develop
ment, piecing together poems, and thinking about blog ideas. Some of my best work has manifested itself in the early morning hours, and I’ve actually gotten out of bed to write on more than one occasion.
Since I have that figured out, what I need to know next is this: what do I do about this?
Creativity is fantastic, and I love the fact that I’m always thinking about writing. But, how do I shut off the creativity when it’s time to go to sleep?
As I am writing this blog, a thought popped into my head. I wonder if the writing floodgates would have opened so suddenly and thoroughly if I had spent my summer working full-time and writing in my spare time. I highly doubt I would have made as much progress, and I bet my mind would have been centred on the job I was doing instead of the stories I was writing.
Authors talk about the “creative process,” and I am beginning to believe that the process does exist. I have written over 55,000 words this summer. After school let out in May, I slowly began to organize my notes and dabble with ideas. Now that I’ve had a few months to adjust to this type of lifestyle, I’m writing thousands of words each day. There was one morning when I actually wrote a draft of an entire story. That’s 13,000 words, in case you were curious.
It’s becoming more and more evident that my creative process involves an overactive mind and a lack of proper rest. This isn’t exactly what I planned on happening when I began this experiment two months ago, but I’ll take it. I believe that my writing is better than ever, and I have no idea when I will be able to spend four months jobless again.
I still haven’t figured out a way to shut off my brain, so I guess I’ll take the insomnia. For now. I might be a little cranky the next time I see you, so please, be nice. And, I’m always open to suggestions on how I can solve this little problem.
Now, I’m going to drink my eighth cup of coffee, and attempt to begin my day.
P.S. Does anyone remember the film The Secret Window with Johnny Depp? (photo above) It's based on a novella by Stephen King, and is about a successful writer who hides in a cabin and suffers from writer's block. I believe he goes nuts at the end of the film. If I start to exhibit similar strange symptoms, let me know before it's too late... Thanks!
My first thought was that I’m depressed about something. After careful consideration, that can’t be it. I am completely happy with my life at the moment. I have the freedom to write as I please, I just moved in with my boyfriend, and it is summer. No, I’m not depressed. I can’t be.
My second thought was that it’s way, way too hot in my apartment to sleep comfortably. We have an air conditioner in the living room, but only a fan to keep the bedroom cool. There have been nights when it has been a bit warm, but it certainly hasn’t been hot enough to keep me awake for the few weeks that I’ve been having sleeping problems. No, the summer heat is also not the reason.
So, why can’t I sleep?
I have been wracking my brain and considering all the possibilities over the past few days. And I think I have finally found an answer. As I lay awake at night, and the world is quiet around me, there is one thing that doesn’t stop talking. My brain. Ever since I started writing full-time, I can’t seem to shut off my mind. I am constantly going over character develop
ment, piecing together poems, and thinking about blog ideas. Some of my best work has manifested itself in the early morning hours, and I’ve actually gotten out of bed to write on more than one occasion.Since I have that figured out, what I need to know next is this: what do I do about this?
Creativity is fantastic, and I love the fact that I’m always thinking about writing. But, how do I shut off the creativity when it’s time to go to sleep?
As I am writing this blog, a thought popped into my head. I wonder if the writing floodgates would have opened so suddenly and thoroughly if I had spent my summer working full-time and writing in my spare time. I highly doubt I would have made as much progress, and I bet my mind would have been centred on the job I was doing instead of the stories I was writing.
Authors talk about the “creative process,” and I am beginning to believe that the process does exist. I have written over 55,000 words this summer. After school let out in May, I slowly began to organize my notes and dabble with ideas. Now that I’ve had a few months to adjust to this type of lifestyle, I’m writing thousands of words each day. There was one morning when I actually wrote a draft of an entire story. That’s 13,000 words, in case you were curious.
It’s becoming more and more evident that my creative process involves an overactive mind and a lack of proper rest. This isn’t exactly what I planned on happening when I began this experiment two months ago, but I’ll take it. I believe that my writing is better than ever, and I have no idea when I will be able to spend four months jobless again.
I still haven’t figured out a way to shut off my brain, so I guess I’ll take the insomnia. For now. I might be a little cranky the next time I see you, so please, be nice. And, I’m always open to suggestions on how I can solve this little problem.
Now, I’m going to drink my eighth cup of coffee, and attempt to begin my day.
P.S. Does anyone remember the film The Secret Window with Johnny Depp? (photo above) It's based on a novella by Stephen King, and is about a successful writer who hides in a cabin and suffers from writer's block. I believe he goes nuts at the end of the film. If I start to exhibit similar strange symptoms, let me know before it's too late... Thanks!
July 6, 2010
Films take on new meaning
The main problem with writing a book that takes place in a time when I wasn’t alive is this: I don’t have firsthand experience about what life was really like.
I don’t know what people wore, how they spoke, or how they acted. The first story in my book takes place in 1919, the last in 1994, so I have been relying on second-hand accounts, articles, and photographs for information.
Last month, however, I discovered a different, much more efficient way to research the past.
Films.
It all started with The Untouchables. The story I was working on at the time took place primarily in Chicago in the 1930s. I had just visited Chicago, so I was familiar with many of the sights, but I wanted to ensure I had everything exactly right. I also wanted to ensur
e I wrote about the gangster attitudes and mannerisms properly. So, I rented The Untouchables and watched it 10 times while taking notes.
Next, I watched My Best Friend’s Wedding, to analyze the interior of Chicago’s Union Station. The station became a major setting in my story, so I wanted to describe it correctly. I will admit that the film wasn’t as good as I remembered it to be, but the fact that it was filmed in Chicago made it worth watching. The part when they were on the river cruise was especially helpful, because when I took the same cruise it was much too cold to pay attention to anything. I hid below-deck and drank Baileys and coffee.
I watched Goodfellas next, which provided additional gangster information. It was also quite entertaining, and I have to admit that I really like Ray Liotta. Did you know that Goodfellas won Joe Pesci an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role? It was nominated for six, and is still known as one of the best films ever made. There were also over 300 f-bombs, in case you were curious.
I finis
hed my gangster-research kick with Scarface, because Al Pacino modelled part of his character Tony Montana after Al Capone. And, one of Capone’s nicknames was "Scarface," so the film seemed fairly relevant and important to watch. Scarface is also known as one of the best films ever made, like Goodfellas (but, don’t even ask about the f-bombs in this one...)
I’ve really watched some important films lately! The things I do for research...
After exhausting my gangster resources and finishing the story, I started watching old romance films. Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Roman Holiday, and Sabrina completed my research on male and female dress in the fifties and sixties, and also provided insight about dating and
relationships during that time. The Da Vinci Code and From Paris with Love provided some needed information about the layout of Paris, which is a huge part of my sixth story. I was there last summer, and know my way around fairly well, but I wasn’t exactly taking notes as I wandered the streets.
Now, I’m engrossed in my next story, and am already looking at what films I will watch to assist with its completion. The story will be the first one in my book, and takes place in 1919. I’ve already watched Titanic, because the characters came to Canada from England by boat, but I’m unsure of what to watch next.
It’s funny that watching films is actually helping my creative process. I take the content at face value and don’t put stock in the dialogue, but focus my efforts instead on the scenery, clothing, and filming locations. A lot of time, money, and energy are dedicated to ensuring that period films are historically accurate, so I’m confident that the notes I’m taking are mostly correct.
This system might not be for everyone, and it does have a tendency to distract on occasion, but I really believe that I am much further in my writing than I would have been if I hadn’t started using films as a form of research.
Try it out. See if it works for you.
NOTE: While I believe that watching films is great for research, it shouldn’t be the only method used. You should still go to the library and/or consult the local archives. Film-watching is one method, but I utilize many others on a daily basis. I just wanted to clear that up, in case anyone thinks that I’m spending my entire summer sitting on a couch watching television. :)
I don’t know what people wore, how they spoke, or how they acted. The first story in my book takes place in 1919, the last in 1994, so I have been relying on second-hand accounts, articles, and photographs for information.
Last month, however, I discovered a different, much more efficient way to research the past.
Films.
It all started with The Untouchables. The story I was working on at the time took place primarily in Chicago in the 1930s. I had just visited Chicago, so I was familiar with many of the sights, but I wanted to ensure I had everything exactly right. I also wanted to ensur
e I wrote about the gangster attitudes and mannerisms properly. So, I rented The Untouchables and watched it 10 times while taking notes.Next, I watched My Best Friend’s Wedding, to analyze the interior of Chicago’s Union Station. The station became a major setting in my story, so I wanted to describe it correctly. I will admit that the film wasn’t as good as I remembered it to be, but the fact that it was filmed in Chicago made it worth watching. The part when they were on the river cruise was especially helpful, because when I took the same cruise it was much too cold to pay attention to anything. I hid below-deck and drank Baileys and coffee.
I watched Goodfellas next, which provided additional gangster information. It was also quite entertaining, and I have to admit that I really like Ray Liotta. Did you know that Goodfellas won Joe Pesci an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role? It was nominated for six, and is still known as one of the best films ever made. There were also over 300 f-bombs, in case you were curious.
I finis
hed my gangster-research kick with Scarface, because Al Pacino modelled part of his character Tony Montana after Al Capone. And, one of Capone’s nicknames was "Scarface," so the film seemed fairly relevant and important to watch. Scarface is also known as one of the best films ever made, like Goodfellas (but, don’t even ask about the f-bombs in this one...)I’ve really watched some important films lately! The things I do for research...
After exhausting my gangster resources and finishing the story, I started watching old romance films. Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Roman Holiday, and Sabrina completed my research on male and female dress in the fifties and sixties, and also provided insight about dating and
relationships during that time. The Da Vinci Code and From Paris with Love provided some needed information about the layout of Paris, which is a huge part of my sixth story. I was there last summer, and know my way around fairly well, but I wasn’t exactly taking notes as I wandered the streets.Now, I’m engrossed in my next story, and am already looking at what films I will watch to assist with its completion. The story will be the first one in my book, and takes place in 1919. I’ve already watched Titanic, because the characters came to Canada from England by boat, but I’m unsure of what to watch next.
It’s funny that watching films is actually helping my creative process. I take the content at face value and don’t put stock in the dialogue, but focus my efforts instead on the scenery, clothing, and filming locations. A lot of time, money, and energy are dedicated to ensuring that period films are historically accurate, so I’m confident that the notes I’m taking are mostly correct.
This system might not be for everyone, and it does have a tendency to distract on occasion, but I really believe that I am much further in my writing than I would have been if I hadn’t started using films as a form of research.
Try it out. See if it works for you.
NOTE: While I believe that watching films is great for research, it shouldn’t be the only method used. You should still go to the library and/or consult the local archives. Film-watching is one method, but I utilize many others on a daily basis. I just wanted to clear that up, in case anyone thinks that I’m spending my entire summer sitting on a couch watching television. :)
July 5, 2010
A birthday shout out
Imagine my surprise when a delivery man showed up at my doorstep this morning and gave me the most gorgeous, well-stocked basket I have ever seen. It included an array of fruit, cheese, tea, chocolate, and cookies, with a Happy Birthday balloon peeking out the side. I signed for the basket, thanked the delivery man, and retreated into air-conditioned comfort where I could dissect the gift and start eating.
I forgot to mention this, but it is my birthday today.
In Calgary (where I grew up) lives a girl named Allison Groeneveld. To me, she's simply referred to as Allie, or "A." We've been friends since we could walk, and have acquired enough memories in the years we've known each other to last a lifetime. Sometimes we go months without talking to each other, but that doesn't matter. We know that we will be in each other's lives forever, which is very comforting.
It was Allie who sent me the lovely birthday basket. It's touching to receive a gift from someone who lives two provinces away, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't shed a tear or two. It is always wonderful to know that someone far away is thinking of you, and hopefully I'll come up with something equally as good for her birthday!
Here's a picture of my awesome present... :)
July 3, 2010
Shattering the dream
WARNING: This blog has spoilers.
Like many other moviegoers, I eagerly anticipated the theatre debut of Sex and the City (SATC) 2. I finally saw it a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, the only word I can think of to accurately describe the film is this: anti-climactic.
The first SATC film was fantastic in so many ways. It continued the story that ended with the television series, and explained the three year gap between series and film quickly and efficiently. It was a long film – they both were – but so many things happened in the first one to keep the audience interested. Big left Carrie at the altar, Steve cheated on Miranda, Samantha left Smith, and Charlotte got pregnant. There was TONS of content, and it all was well-placed and paced. The timing for the film was also great, and I believe about a year lapsed from the first scene to the closing credits.
Now, many people may hate me for tearing apart the second film, but I feel it must be done. I was very, very excited to see what happened next. Stanford and Anthony got married, which anyone could have seen coming. But, to make the wedding exaggerated and unrealistic, they had Liza Minnelli marry them.
Really? Come on now.
One of the things I loved about the television series was that it was more or less realistic. The characters struggled financially, they couldn’t just have anything they wanted, and they worked hard to become “someone’s” in a large city full of people. Women – and men – could relate to their struggles because they were real issues. SATC 2 lost that reality that made the show so popular.
Oh, yes, and Liza Minnelli also serenaded the newlyweds with a rendition of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.” Ugh.
Moving on.
In the first film, the four girls went to Mexico on Carrie’s honeymoon. This worked with the plot, and it made sense. In the second film, however, the four went to Abu Dhabi. Samantha managed to finagle a free PR trip, and was able to take her friends with her. The trip was half fashion show, half “look how rich we are.” Each woman had her own private butler, they were dressed to the tits in every scene, and they wandered through the desert wearing heels.
Then, Carrie ran into Aiden.
Their meeting was shown in the trailer, so naturally, everyone was expecting something BIG to happen. Nope. They kissed, Carrie took off, she told Big about it, and he forgave her. That was the huge drama that millions of people paid to see, and it wasn’t worth it.
Things went wrong with the other ladies as well, but like Carrie’s kiss, they were quickly and efficiently dealt with. Charlotte admitted that she couldn’t handle her children, but she got over it. Miranda quit her job, but she got a new one. Samantha was Samantha, and she was fine. She went to Smith’s movie premiere with him, but nothing happened between them.
So, in one word, the film was anti-climactic.
Overall, I feel cheated. The first film was good enough. The second film ruined it for everyone. I sincerely hope a third film isn’t made.
Like many other moviegoers, I eagerly anticipated the theatre debut of Sex and the City (SATC) 2. I finally saw it a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, the only word I can think of to accurately describe the film is this: anti-climactic.
The first SATC film was fantastic in so many ways. It continued the story that ended with the television series, and explained the three year gap between series and film quickly and efficiently. It was a long film – they both were – but so many things happened in the first one to keep the audience interested. Big left Carrie at the altar, Steve cheated on Miranda, Samantha left Smith, and Charlotte got pregnant. There was TONS of content, and it all was well-placed and paced. The timing for the film was also great, and I believe about a year lapsed from the first scene to the closing credits.
Now, many people may hate me for tearing apart the second film, but I feel it must be done. I was very, very excited to see what happened next. Stanford and Anthony got married, which anyone could have seen coming. But, to make the wedding exaggerated and unrealistic, they had Liza Minnelli marry them.
Really? Come on now.
One of the things I loved about the television series was that it was more or less realistic. The characters struggled financially, they couldn’t just have anything they wanted, and they worked hard to become “someone’s” in a large city full of people. Women – and men – could relate to their struggles because they were real issues. SATC 2 lost that reality that made the show so popular.
Oh, yes, and Liza Minnelli also serenaded the newlyweds with a rendition of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.” Ugh.
Moving on.
In the first film, the four girls went to Mexico on Carrie’s honeymoon. This worked with the plot, and it made sense. In the second film, however, the four went to Abu Dhabi. Samantha managed to finagle a free PR trip, and was able to take her friends with her. The trip was half fashion show, half “look how rich we are.” Each woman had her own private butler, they were dressed to the tits in every scene, and they wandered through the desert wearing heels.
Then, Carrie ran into Aiden.
Their meeting was shown in the trailer, so naturally, everyone was expecting something BIG to happen. Nope. They kissed, Carrie took off, she told Big about it, and he forgave her. That was the huge drama that millions of people paid to see, and it wasn’t worth it.
Things went wrong with the other ladies as well, but like Carrie’s kiss, they were quickly and efficiently dealt with. Charlotte admitted that she couldn’t handle her children, but she got over it. Miranda quit her job, but she got a new one. Samantha was Samantha, and she was fine. She went to Smith’s movie premiere with him, but nothing happened between them.
So, in one word, the film was anti-climactic.
Overall, I feel cheated. The first film was good enough. The second film ruined it for everyone. I sincerely hope a third film isn’t made.
July 2, 2010
Swarovski's sooo sweet
Yesterday, before heading out into the almost unbearable Canada Day heat, my boyfriend Jeff gave me one of my birthday present’s early.
He gave me the most beautiful pair of blue Swarovski crystal earrings, and I swear I’m never taking them off.
I visited the Swarovski museum last summer when I was in Europe, and I fell in love with the company. They aren’t diamonds, but crystals, and I really like that. Still pricey, don’t get me wrong, but much more affordable.The history lover in me thoroughly enjoys learning about everything, so I Googled Swarovski to find out more about the company. Here are some of the most interesting bits of information:
- It is an Austrian company that was founded by Daniel Swarovski in 1895.
- The crystal stone drew wide attention in the 1920s when the “flapper” style of dress began to include fringed and crystal creations (such as ribbons of fabric studded with crystals).
- In 1956 the Aurora Borealis innovation was introduced. The crystals were coated in a thin layer of metal to give them additional sparkle.
- The company celebrated 100 years in 1995.
- In 1999 they introduced crystal tattoos that can be attached to the body.
- The collection includes all kinds of jewellery, watches, figurines, and much, much more...
July 1, 2010
Happy Canada Day!
I loooveeee Canada Day!
This year, we have many things to celebrate...
This year, we have many things to celebrate...
- Tyler & Kristen are getting married in a year, and they've been engaged for a year.
- Matt & Leah are having a second baby.
- Ashton & I finished our summer class.
- Tyler & Kristen recently got a puppy, Rocco.
- My parent's are trying to sell our house, so I will officially only have this apartment to live in.
- The Winnipeg Free Press is publishing one of my freelance pieces, which I submitted two days ago.
- I'm halfway done my IPP draft.
Let's party!
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