The Uneasy Writer

Good Help is Hard to Find

2011-05-23T19:44:00.000-04:00

I've always worked extremely hard at my career and after many years, I'm finally getting recognition. Not because I'm the best at what I do but because I entered the right company, at the right time.
Don't ever roll your eyes when someone tells you, 'Timing is everything' because it really is.

However, that wasn't the only factor helping me on my road to success---I work my fucking ass off.

So, now that I've reached a point in my career where I'm getting recognized and rewarded, I must also have to wear the big, ugly hat of managing people.

In case you're new here, my favourite saying is; I hate people. Can you see my problem? I much prefer firing people than hiring them.
However, I think my main problem is, I don't know how to convince my boss that it would be easier to clone me than to find good help nowadays.

The young people of today (you know who you are!) are good at two things:

Asking for a salary that does not match their experience just because some over-priced University gave them a piece of paper that says they did stuff for four years
Waiting to be lead rather than taking the lead

I guess the problem is, they came from the Helicopter Parent Age. You know, the Mom or Dad that fight every battle their child will ever have. The parent who thinks it's ok to call their child's manager to ask why their son or daughter didn't get the raise they 'deserved'.
Scary, isn't it?

Well, get used to it because this is the future.

Moms

2011-05-08T18:43:00.002-04:00

So it's Mother's Day which doesn't mean much to me since I no longer speak to my Mother.
However, I wished my Grandmother a 'Happy Mother's Day' since she's really the only Mother I've ever known.

Remember:
Moms come in all different packages....and situations.

Happy Mother's Day to all you deserving Moms out there!

Calmness

2011-03-06T18:33:00.000-05:00

Sure, you're quiet now but for how long?
How long can I keep you under my shaky thumb?

Sometimes I think of you when I've had a stressful day or feel the need to invade a drawer full of sugary snacks.
Your voice is still there but you're speaking very low, I can barely hear you. That's good.

It's been awhile and you're probably thinking I miss you about now, just as things in my life are about to get even more hectic.
You're thinking I'll come back or that your voice will be heard again but not this time. Not right now.

While the picture of my busy future comes into focus, I worry about being able to handle and juggle life without you.
I worry about not having what it takes to keep you at bay..it's exhausting just thinking about it.

But I must prepare myself to do battle with you again (someday) because you're never going to be gone...for good.

The Last Five Weeks

2011-02-05T13:48:00.004-05:00

“I don’t know where the time goes!”

My Grandmother used to say this when she forgot something. I used to roll my eyes at her when she used this excuse for forgetting to call me on my birthday but now, I know what she meant. Keeping track of time sucks and is rather time-consuming.

So here’s what I’ve been up to since my last post about 5 weeks ago(!):

Week 1

Worked + finished eating/drinking what was leftover in the fridge from the holidays + crying over my dog a lot (the holidays were a harsh reminder of his absence)

Week 2

Worked + had a birthday that I tried to forget but EVERYONE remembered it this year! I hate people

Week 3

Worked in San Francisco (ok so I worked a bit and mostly shopped) + met a bunch of boring people at a conference

Week 4

Worked + Worked harder to catch up on all the emails/issues I missed from the week before + started up on my French lessons...again + rediscovered a French song that I used to listen to over and over again--it's still so awesome

Week 5

Worked + trying my absolute best to finish up seeing all the movies nominated for an Oscar (pathetic I know but it’s a habit I can’t break)

Notice that writing was not on this list? It's because I haven't touched my novel in ages....

The Writer's Block is back for awhile but will eventually leave again, once I finish kicking the shit out of it.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T21:23:00.002-05:00

Wishing you all a very happy new year....all good things are coming our way in 2011. At least, that's what my crystal ball says.

Sheri
xo

Europe: The Final Chapter

2010-12-15T22:07:00.004-05:00

You know that saying, "What are you waiting for? Christmas?"

Here's the final chapter of my trip--finally making the time to post! oy!

After the crappy time I had in Venice, I couldn't wait to get to Roma.

View from my hotel's rooftop terrace

Ruins:
It can't be avoided; when in Rome, must see ruins.

The Colosseum

The Pont Sant'Angelo:

I'm convinced that the person who designed this bridge knew that one day, there would be such a thing as cameras. Seriously, you don't even need to try to get a good shot of these statues...it just happens, naturally.

Leading to the Castel Sant'Angelo, this decorated bridge was built in 134AD and it's still beautiful. I guess some things do last forever.

I must have walked up and down this bridge for over an hour. It's just so pretty.

My most favourite part of Rome; The Borghese Gardens...it's like walking though the pages of a storybook.

My hotel was across the street from these GORGEOUS gardens so I had a nice stroll after breakfast each morning. Unforgettable.

Some other 'hot spots' around Roma:

I'm sure you all recognize this one; The Trevi Fountain

The Vatican

Piazza del Popolo

Part of the stunning fountain at the Piazza Navona (one of my favourite spots)

See that 'Torrone' gelato? The best Torrone gelato I've ever had. It was so good, I forgot to look at the name of the place as I was walking out. Criminal! But, I'm sure I'll sniff this place out again if I ever go back to Roma.

It's a huge city and I have a ton of photograph's---hope I've highlighted some intersting places for you!

I highly recommend a trip to the Eternal City.

(Btw, I've finally obtained a great biography on Michelangelo and can't put it down!)

Amazon Link

Paris

After Rome, I flew to Paris, the last leg of my journey. A girl can't go to Europe without stopping in one of the most amazing cities on the planet.

This time, I stayed in the Montmartre neighbourhood. Historic, full of culture...and coffee houses--my idea of the perfect 'hood'.

Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, smiling down on Paris from her home in Montmartre

Really, it doesn't matter how many times I visit Paris, I will always, always find something new to see and new reasons to love this city.

Europe: Part 2, Italia!

2010-11-20T14:08:00.004-05:00

I meant to post this last weekend but staying true to form, my life remains ridiculously hectic.
It's actually been really nice to blog about Europe because it doesn't even feel like I went on vacation--real life quickly clouded my memories of the trip.

So, enough with the whining....

Firenze!

After spending four relaxing days in Amsterdam, I jetted off to Florence, Italy--first stop on the 2010 Italia Tour.

View from the top of Duomo Santa Maria Del Fiore

Now, I have a lot of Italian friends and just about every Italian I know told me that Florence is their favourite city in all of Italy.

And I can finally see why.

This city has the perfect mix of elegance, style and history yet it's so modern. It is also home to the most incredible works of art on the face of the earth.

The Neptune Fountain in the Palazzo Vecchio

If you thought you loved art before, you will be totally enamored with it once you visit Florence; art is everywhere...you can feel it, taste it, smell it buzzing around as you walk through the streets.

I spent my second day in Florence in the two main museums; The Uffizzi and The Galleria dell'Academia, home to the David.
Now, this is one negative about Italy: you can't take ANY pictures in the museums!!! Ugh.
The Galleria where David is located is guarded closely---security everywhere. I witnessed a grown man being scolded by a security officer because he attempted to take a picture of David with his camera phone. At that moment, I decided not to risk it and put my phone back in my purse.
Italian art security officers are badass.

The memories of what I saw (and I saw a lot of amazing art from Michelangelo to Botticelli to Carravagio) will just have to live in my memory.

The Galleria dell'Academia: I thought it was interesting that most of Florence's buildings and monuments are so eleborate but the most iconic piece of art in the world is housed in a simple building (an art school) on a crowded city street.

Images from the museum's photo gallery.

David is a hottie.

Santa Croce: resting place of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli...just to name a few.

On my last day in Florence, I decided it would be fun to walk up the steps of the Duomo.

It didn't turn out to be that fun (500 steps!) but I did get some lovely pictures of Florence and Tuscany. Plus, I burned so many calories that day, I allowed myself 2 gelato's instead of the typical one-a-day.

I love the sound of church bells. I took a video as I was walking to the entrance of the Duomo, church bells ringing.
(It was a windy day and I'm no Spielberg so please forgive me)

The Palazzo Vecchio & the Ponte Vecchio (Florence's oldest bridge):

I just loved this area of the city, despite the crowds. It really is extremely beautiful and well-preserved.

During WWII, some of the buildings around this bridge, on the right, were demolished. However, the bridge remained untouched because Hitler loved it so much and ordered his troops to do as little damage as possible. The fucker had taste.

The shops along the bridge were originally butcher shops but Cosimo I forced them to stop throwing the scraps of meat into the river because it was stinking up the city. He then made a rule that only gold was allowed to be sold on the bridge because with gold, there is never any waste to worry about. To this day, jewelry stores are the only kinds of shops permitted to sell on this bridge.

The Palazzo Vecchio (now city hall) & Piazza Della Signoria (an open-air scuplture gallery--some originals, some copies) house some of the most beautiful sculptures I've ever seen as well as Mr. Neptune (2nd pic from the top)

Check out the buns on this guy

A copy of David. He's all over the city but the original is at the Academia.

My absolute favourite statue: a bronze Perseus. A waiter in a resaurant nearby told me that the artist, Cellini, almost burned down his house making this statue. Made me love it even more.

Of course, the first thing I did when I got to Italy was EAT.

My first meal: a cheesy carb overload!

This pizzeria (Pizzeria Funiculi, via Il Prato) was a few blocks from my hotel--the Italian Gods were smiling down on me the night I arrived (very late) because I was starving and they were open late.

I loved my time in Florence and I can't wait to go back. I took so many photos so it was really difficult to narrow down for the blog.

So, I'm kind of obsessed with Michelangelo lately (Florence does this to you) and I'm currently on the hunt for the best biography. If you've read any, please send me your recommendations!

Venezia!

From Florence, I took a train to Venice which took about 2 hours--no time at all. In fact, I'm glad I didn't fly in because the airport is off the island. (However, I did have to fly out of Venice to get to Rome)
The main train station in Venice (Santa Lucia Station) let's you off directly onto the island so it's a lot more convenient.

Now, some of you may want to stop reading this if you've always dreamed of going to Venice; I'm about to write some not-so-nice things about this city.

When I was a little girl, I used to admire this picture that my favourite, jett-setting Aunt had hanging in her bedroom. It was of her, sitting at a cafe in Piazza San Marco in Venice, looking all 70's fabulous. I used to dream of the day I could go to that same cafe, sit and drink coffee, look fabulous and feed the pigeons.

Then one day, Madonna decided to make a music video in Venice which only deepened my obsession with this city, blue spandex and lions.

So, imagine my surprise when I got to Venice and all I kept thinking about was how great Florence was and when I could get to Rome.

It was a bitter disappointment and I was so happy that I only booked 1.5 days.

First off, only go to this city if you like throwing your money away--it's stupid expensive. And trust me; I'm not cheap, I'll spend my money but 80 euros for 40 minutes on a Gondola was even too steep for my lavish spending habits. Oh, and then there was the water taxi to the airport; 100 euros for a 30 minute ride. Price gouging at it's absolute best. Of course, it didn't help that the exchange rate was $1.40 CAD at the time.

I think my favourite rip-off was the 45 euro breakfast buffet in our hotel.
Would rather go hungry, thank you.

Some other issues:
Piazza San Marco was not white. Well, I guess it used to be sparkling white (how it appears in the movies) but when I was there, the walls were covered in this black stuff--probably pollution...?
(You can't really see it in this picture but you'll see it in the video coming up)

I think my biggest turn-off was the tackiness. I felt like I was in Vegas---way too touristy and way too many restaurants displaying pictures of food. I know what pasta looks like, you don't have to show me. In fact, this is a clear indication to me that I should not be eating in your establishment.

And they had these guys selling fake designer handbags along the beautiful waterfront.

Look how pretty it is? Why would the city allow this? So tacky.

However, it wasn't all bad. This city does have it's charms....you just have to leave the touristy areas to find them.

And I did get to go to that same cafe that my Aunt went to...but I'm pretty sure she didn't have to pay $8 for a cup of coffee.

And I did happen to find a great pizzeria that served the best pizza I ever had in my entire life so I guess my time in Venice wasn't a total bust.

However, would I go back to Venice? No.
If I had to do it over again, I would have extended my stay in Florence and just do a Venice day trip---you can see most of this city in one day.

Next blog post: ROMA!

Europe: Part 1

2010-11-06T10:42:00.003-04:00

Since my Simon passed away, things haven't been easy and of course, my writing has suffered tremendously.
I can't remember the last time I wrote a word towards my novel. Sigh.
But, I'm slowly making my way back to the joy I used to feel for writing. It didn't hurt that I took 2 weeks off in October to do a mini tour of Europe.

I started my trip in Amsterdam and then on to Italy---> Florence, Venice & Rome ---> ending my tour in Paris.
Five cities in two weeks = never again. I'm too old for this shit but it was wonderful, nonetheless.

Amsterdam
I was a bit skeptical about going to Amsterdam only because I heard so many varying things about it over the years.
I pictured a floating city with a bunch of weed-induced zombies having orgies.
However, all skepticism went out the window the moment I laid eyes on it.

It's stunning.

I never thought a big city could be this relaxing....and no, I wasn't smoking! I was sober. And relaxed. Imagine that?
I'm already thinking about my next trip there--that's how much I loved it.

What was my most favourite thing to do in Amsterdam?
Ask men for directions to The Red Light District. They all blushed and claimed not to know where it was. Ha!

One of the best ways to relax in Amsterdam (other than smoking) is by taking a boat ride along the many canals. It's also the best way to see the city.
I took two canal tours while I was there (4 days) and took some of the best photos of my life with my crappy little camera.

Can you see the world's narrowest house?

------

If you're a fan of The Diary of Anne Frank, a trip to Amsterdam isn't complete without seeing her home, now a museum.

It was very special to see and hear the surroundings that Anne described in her book. I'll never forget this.
However, I was torn on taking photos as it made me feel insensitive, for lack of a better word. It's difficult to describe the feeling.

This is my favourite picture because it was taken on my last day. I sat on that bench for a couple of hours and ate my lunch while enjoying the sun:

Check out my video--even the pigeons are relaxed in Amsterdam!

Next blog post: ITALIA!

A Girl's Best Friend

2010-09-30T22:22:00.001-04:00

On August 30th, my BFF decided it was time to let go.
After 15 years, it's been extremely difficult for me to do the same.

SIMON

1994 - August 30, 2010

He was the best dog ever and all future pets will be compared to him.

I'm Going In

2010-08-21T09:46:00.002-04:00

After weeks of neglect, I'm going to show my novel some love today by actually writing some words rather than just talking about writing some words.

Today's Goal:
2000 words

Pots of coffee needed:
5

Hours of internet surfing and buying stuff on Amazon that I don't need:
1

Bathroom breaks:
5 (one for each pot of coffee)

Using my new (awesome) scanner to scan my hand...or any other part of my body:
10 mins, max.

Wine units:
0 because I can't afford the calories right now

Minutes dreaming of Pinot Noir:
45, max

Rihanna Isn't Doing Us Any Favours, Ladies

2010-08-09T21:45:00.005-04:00

You would think that after a much-publicised breakup over domestic violence, Rihanna would choose to sing about girl power....or at least choose NOT to sing a song about a guy wanting to tie his girlfriend to a bed because he woule like to set her on fire.

Well, no such luck.
The stupidity that is Rihanna's management have allowed her, yet again, to capitalize on the successful label of 'victim'. Sad.

Eminem's new song is appalling and I feel pretty isolated because the world seems to be OK with this shit.

Lyrics (with commentary, of course)

Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
Well that's all right because I like the way it hurts
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
Well that's all right because I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie
This is Rihanna's chorus; she's OK with him setting her on fire because she likes the way it hurts.

I can't tell you what it really is, I can only tell you what it feels like
And right now it's a steel knife in my windpipe
If only. Maybe then you would shut up.

I can't breathe but I still fight while I can fight
As long as the wrong feels right it's like I'm in flight
High off her love, drunk from my hate, it's like I'm huffin' paint
Clearly.

And I love it the more I suffer, I suffocate
And right before I'm about to drown, she resuscitates me, she f**kin' hates me
Well, yes. This could happen if you set someone ablaze.

And I love it, "wait, where you goin'?"
"I'm leavin' you," "no you ain't come back"
We're runnin' right back, here we go again
So insane, cause when it's goin' good it's goin' great
I'm superman with the wind in his back, she's Lois Lane
Well, not really because Superman tried his best to protect Lois, not deliberately set her on fire. And you could never fill out the leotard properly.

But when it's bad it's awful, I feel so ashamed I snap
Whose that dude? I don't even know his name
I laid hands on her
I never stoop so low again
I guess I don't know my own strength
Yeah, you look like a pipsqueak. Are you related to Doogie Howser by any chance?

You ever love somebody so much you can barely breathe
When you with em you meet and neither one of you even know what hit em
Got that warm fuzzy feeling
Yeah them chills used to get em
Now you're getting f**kin' sick of lookin' at em
So, leave.....and then look up the words MASOCHIST, TALENTLESS and DELUSIONAL. This could shed some light on your issues.

You swore you'd never hit em, never do nothin' to hurt em
Now you're in each other's face spewin' venom in your words when you spit em
You push pull each other's hair
This is not normal. Seek help.

Scratch claw hit em throw em down pin em
So lost in the moments when you're in em
It's the face that's the culprit, controls you both
So they say it's best to go your seperate ways
Guess that they don't know ya
Cause today that was yesterday
Yesterday is over, it's a different day
Sound like broken records playin' over
The last five lines make zero sense. Huffin' paint again are we?

But you promised her next time you'll show restraint
You don't get another chance
Not true. The type of woman that would put up with your shit to begin with would stick around--but you know this already.

Life is no nintendo game, but you lied again
Now you get to watch her leave out the window
Guess that's why they call it window pane
This line is quite cheesy. I guess you ran out of offensive things to say.

Now I know we said things, did things, that we didn't mean
And we fall back into the same patterns, same routine
But your temper's just as bad as mine is, you're the same as me
Justification. Typical reaction from a woman-hater.

When it comes to love you're just as blinded
Baby please come back, it wasn't you, baby it was me
Maybe our relationship isn't as crazy as it seems
Uh, yes it is but you're crazier.

Maybe that's what happens when a tornado meets a volcano
All I know is I love you too much to walk away though
Come inside, pick up the bags off the sidewalk
Don't you hear sincerity in my voice when I talk?
Told you this is my fault, look me in the eyeball
Next time I'm pissed I'll aim my fist at the drywall
Next time there won't be no next time
I apologize even though I know it's lies
So, you're saying sorry for hitting her but you really don't mean it. But that's OK because she loves the way you lie anyway so you're both psychotic!

I'm tired of the games I just want her back
I'm tired of your 'music'.

I know I'm a liar if she ever tries to f**kin' leave again
I'ma tie her to the bed and set this house on fire
Nice. What a great role model you are! I wonder if you would be OK with your daughter's boyfirend setting her on fire.

Blogging Flakiness and Pics of 4th of July in Washington DC

2010-07-31T16:02:00.001-04:00

Work has been such madness lately, leaving me very little time to do what I love; blog.
Forgive my absence! I plan on being far less flaky in the future.

Now, about my Washington trip:
The good news is, I saw just about everything I wanted to see in the Smithsonian.
The bad news is, I almost died from sunstroke on the 4th of July. Ugh. It was 100 degrees!

I basically slept through the fireworks.
:(

Some highlights:
There's a gorgeous garden along the American History Museum so I stopped to smell the roses for a few minutes. I was interupted by the buzzing of a ginormous bumble bee.

I'm pretty much convinced that this is the biggest bee I've ever seen.

Some of my favourite things at the Smithsonian:

That's right; those ruby slippers

Teddy in all his cuteness

President Lincoln's infamous hat

The original Barbie & G.I Joe

I grew up watching the Carol Burnett Show and remember, vividly, the Gone With the Wind skit. Classic TV moment so it was awesome to see this dress in person.

It was wonderful to see the Hope Diamond in all her glory but wished they would have kept the stone in it's gorgeous setting. Didn't like the display at all. And I wasn't allowed to try it on.

These jewel's once belonged to Joséphine de Beauharnais, Napoleon's first wife who he divorced because she couldn't spawn his ugly children.

I never saw diamonds sparkle like that--it was almost blinding.

I drooled.

Julia Child's Kitchen (probably my most favourite exhibit because it felt so personal)

While I was there, they were playing a video of her, teaching us how to make the perfect omelet. She was hilarious.

They even had her books...

Michelle Obama's inauguration dress designed by the wonderful, Jason Wu:

She has big feet....

I think these bad boys are size 10

The Monuments:

Washington DC loves it's monuments--they're all over the place, mostly of men.

I was calling the Washington Monument 'The Erect Penis' all weekend because, well look at the thing.

The city reminded me a lot of Paris

The Jefferson Memorial......

So beautiful and the views of Washington were fanatastic:

Out of all the monuments, I liked Lincoln the best...he was bigger than I thought he would be

I wished my camera picked up the big spider web between his legs. I guess he's kind of difficult to clean?

Another reason why it's taken me so long to post these pics--I lost them. Some how, I erased EVERYTHING on my camera. Then, magaically, one day they all appeared again. I'm no techy so this is impossible to explain.

G20 Summit, Toronto June 24-27, 2010

2010-06-22T22:57:00.005-04:00

So many issues facing us today (hello!! There's a big, stinking, disgusting oil spill RAVAGING the Gulf Coast) and all my city can think about is some ridiculous gathering of a bunch of empty/stuffed shirts, talking about the international financial system. In other words, The G20 Summit.

The G-20 is made up of the finance ministers (now there's a group of people who deserve daily beatings) and central bank governors (money-hungry assholes) of 19 countries.
Here they are, along with very important issues that WON'T be addressed at this billion-dollar summit:

Argentina ~ Argentina remains on the Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to fight human trafficking.

Australia ~ Ok, so their biggest issue is opium. Not the perfume. They also like their cocaine and amphetamines....who doesn't?

Brazil ~ The richest 10% of Brazilians receive 42.7% of the nation's income, while the poorest 10% receive less than 1.2%

Canada ~ We're being taxed to death--especially in the province of Ontario. Also, our Prime Minister is a closet-case bible thumper.

China ~ fuck me. Where do we start?

France ~ They're leader has a Napoleon Complex and likes to pick on minority women

Germany ~ This is what's expected of German women: Kinder, Küche, Kirche (children, kitchen, church)

India ~ Poverty, poverty and more poverty. Westerners travel to this country in droves, trying to find the 'meaning of life' but your average citizen of India doesn't see a dime of your tourism dollars. And the environment? Why don't you just Google 'Coke India'. You'll quickly see at least one major environmental issue facing this country all because of our obsession with sugary soft drinks.

Indonesia ~ UNICEF estimates that 100,000 women and children are trafficked annually for commercial sexual exploitation in Indonesia and abroad, 30 percent of the female prostitutes in Indonesia are below 18, and 40,000-70,000 Indonesian children are victims of sexual exploitation.1 The East Java Children’s Protection Agency estimates that at least 100,000 women and children are trafficked annually from, through, and to East Java. ~ Quote from UNICEF website

Italy ~ Besides the fact that they won't win the World Cup, Italy is having a little problem with their mozzerella cheese turning blue. It's now being labeled as 'smurf cheese'. Google it if you don't believe me.

Japan ~ Some apartments, motels, night clubs, and public baths in Japan have put up signs stating that foreigners are not allowed, or that they must be accompanied by a Japanese person to enter.
This country needs some good PR. And don't even get me started on their eating habits.

Mexico ~ This country suffers with it all; environmental issues, immigration issues and some water quality issues throughout the country. They're even starting to suffer with their #1 commodity: tourism.

Russia ~ This country has the second highest suicide rate (Lithuania is #1) so what does that tell you?

Saudi Arabia ~ An absolute monarchy. Need I say more?

South Africa ~ Poverty and HIV/AIDS rape this country on a daily basis. But that only happens to the black people so the rest of the world doesn't give a shit

Republic of Korea ~ I have two words: North Korea.

Turkey ~ Turkey faces MAJOR environmental issues, especially water pollution

United Kingdom ~ Education funding will be cut by 25% over the next four years. In other news, it costs the country $35.5 million per year to keep the royal family, royal.

United States of America ~ Oil spills, Katrinas, gun-control issues, no healthcare and Sarah Palin--and many, many other issues that won't be addressed at the G20 summit.

European Central Bank, is the 20th member of the 'G-20'. Yeah, there's a group of decent, hard working people.

My city is under siege--cops everywhere, protesters already getting warmed-up, traffic jams on every street and a bunch of ugly fencing put up so the Empties & Stuffies don't have to look at themselves in the mirror, via protesters.

Why is this world so fucked up?

And why did I chop my hair off?

If one more person calls my haircut cute, I'll stab them.

Washington DC or BUST

2010-06-11T22:27:00.020-04:00

I'm starting to plan my Washington DC trip (July 1-5) and I'm finding it hard to limit my time at The Smithsonian to one day.

I mean, come on--you need about a week to get through that sucker.

First stop:
The Hope Diamond

Yeah, you saw this coming....what woman in her right mind wouldn't want to see the diamond she'll never have?

Facts:
WEIGHT: 45.52 carats
CLARITY: VS1. Whitish graining is present.
COLOR: Natural fancy deep grayish-blue
CUT: Cushion antique brilliant with a faceted girdle and extra facets on the pavilion.
DIMENSIONS:
Length: 25.60 mm
Width: 21.78 mm
Depth: 12.00 mm

In other words, it's big.

Next Stop:
Barbie!

Between Barbie and The Hope Diamond, The Smithsonian is a Girl's Best Friend.

Next stop:
"Milestones of Flight" Gallery: 1903 Wright Flyer

Planes fascinate me. And to be able to see the original Wright Bros plane, in person, is priceless.

Next Stop:

Lunch and another coffee before someone gets hurt.

Next Stop:

The First Lady's Gowns

I'm particularly interested in anything Jackie Kennedy ever wore.

Next stop:

The Giant Squid

Gross but necessary.

Next stop:

Julia Child's Kitchen

There's just something about Julia....

Next Stop:

Civil War Exhibit

Humans can be real assholes. This fascinates me....

Next Stop:

Dorothy's Ruby Slippers

Admit it; you would love to try these on, wouldn't you?

Next Stop:

Kermit the Frog!!!

That's right, Kermit. In the flesh.

Next (last?) Stop:

Portable Bathtubs: Tub Bathing from the Early 19th and 20th Centuries

Every time I watch a romantic movie set in a century before bathing was a daily ritual, I often wondered if people back then were really that romantic.

How can anyone feel sexy when they stink?

If anyone has been to The Smithsonian, would love to know what you think should be on my 'Must See' List.

All photos courtesy of http://www.si.edu/

Yes, Virginia, there is a Smoke Monster

2010-05-24T18:08:00.003-04:00

Last night, like millions of other schmucks, I tuned into the series finale of Lost.

I've been watching the show (religiously) for six years, often complaining that I gave too much of my time to something I barely understood.
Same can be said for men, but I digress.

The finale was 2.5 hours (!) long and moved at a snail’s pace until the last 30 minutes when the writers suddenly decided to perform the ultimate writing sin: they ended the story with a group of dead characters.
If you’re thinking, ‘WTF?’ then imagine how I felt last night when Jack (the main character) uttered the words, ‘I died, too’.

I threw my head back and yelled, ‘Ha! I was right all along—this is a form of purgatory!’.
I love being right but I was hoping for more. Much more.

I'm left with some serious questions (for you fellow Losties, I’m sure you’re in the same, pathetic boat):

What exactly was the Smoke Monster?
The Smoke Monster had been harassing the islanders since season 1 and really, became one of the main characters. However, the writers did not address Old Smokey at all in the finale.

Did Jack have a son or not?
I’m very confused over this. So, was this Jack’s fake son that he needed to get over the issues with his Dad in purgatory? Or was this fake son really Jack as a child?
For fuck's sake.

Where the hell were Michael & Walt?
For the first few seasons, Michael and his son Walt were main characters of the island. However, the writers did not write them into the sideways story at all. Perhaps because of the lack of connection with the other characters? Perhaps because the actor who played Michael trash-talked the show after he was killed off?

What the writers did offer us in exchange was the final scene when Jack kicks the bucket, Vincent (that’s Walt’s dog he left on the island when he and his dad escaped) lays down beside him. Cute but I would have liked to see how the Walt & Michael story turned out.

What was the point of Rose & Bernard?
Seriously, what did they offer Lost? They were sketchy little characters that really added nothing to the plot. They would show up from time to time but if you blinked, you would miss them.

The Boone & Shannon characters were far more interesting but they were killed off very early in the series. Oh, well. At least they were in the finale for about 30 seconds.

Why wasn’t Helen (Locke’s fiancé) in the church at the end?

What really did go on between Widmore & Ben and why was Eloise Widmore such a fucking bitch?
Their issues were never really discussed or resolved. Nor was Eloise's bitchy ways.

Why do I care so much?
Um, because I gave six years to character's that I loved, only to discover that they were dead the whole time. NONSENSE.
Lost writers should have taken lessons from Alan Ball. There's a writer that can tie up a series in a neat, little bow for the viewers.

So, are there any Losties out there reading this?
If so, enlighten me.

10 Movie Facts About Me

2010-04-27T22:08:00.003-04:00

I've been tagged by the great ModernDayStoryteller
She wants me to spill my movie-loving (and loathing) guts out so here goes....

1. The first major movie-going experience I can remember is watching ET on opening night.
The crowds, the hysteria, the smell of popcorn quickly made me realize I was in my favourite place in the entire world.
I was seven and wanted to be Gertie.

Believe it or not, I still feel the same every time I see a film. That’s the power of cinema, kids.

2. William Hurt in The Doctor will always be the all-time best performance by an actor, in my opinion. It’s also one of my very favourite films. (I know EVERY line!)

3. Hands down, Julianne Moore is my favourite actress. I want her to play my lead character, Anna if I ever turn my novel into a film.
First, I have to finish the novel.

Look at her--she's perfection.

4. I’ve seen Antonia's Line (a Dutch film) about 30 times, and counting. That film makes me laugh, cry and dream, all at the same time. Is it my #1 fave? It's close but really, I love so many films it's hard to choose just one.

5. To this day, I’ll still watch The Exorcist if it’s on television but can only watch it if I cover my ears (this is how I watch all horror movies).
That film still scares the shit out of me.

6. I live for film festivals—you haven’t seen a film until you’ve seen it with a film fest audience.
If I were a Richie Rich, I would travel to every film festival in every city across the globe.

7. I believe that the Rom Com is dead. And that makes me very sad.

8. I can watch Immortal Beloved until the end of time and will still cry my eyes out at the end, each and every time.

9. I ADORE Pixar films. Especially the Toy Story films. Love, Love, Love.
So, you'll know I'll be in line when Toy Story 3 opens this summer.

10. I detest cowboy movies and westerns, in general.
And I still don’t understand why John Wayne is such a big deal. He was a terrible actor.
(please save your hate mail because I really don’t give a shit and you know I’m right)

Now, I have to tag someone.....and I know just who.

The Awesomely Awesome Larry Richman

Violence Comes In Many Forms

2010-04-19T21:44:00.020-04:00

Last night, after waiting and waiting for what seemed like a year, I got to see the new movie Kick-Ass which just opened in theatres here in Canada on April 16th.
For those of you that don’t know much about this movie, watch the trailer:

Basically, Kick-Ass is about a group of vigilantes masquerading as ‘real’ super heroes in New York City.
The story centres on Dan, a horny, nerdy high school student with a fond love for Kleenex and comic books—his two best friends are pretty much the same.
Sick and tired of getting mugged by two neighbourhood thugs on a daily basis, he wonders why the millions and millions of comic book fans have never attempted to be real super heroes so he decides to be the first.
Or so he thought.

Long story short, he bites off more than he can chew when he meets Hit Girl, the 11-year-old super hero with a potty mouth, heavy artillery and a Dad out for revenge. (really, her name should be Kick-Ass because that’s basically what she does throughout the entire film)

I won’t lie; this film is violent but it’s no more violent than any other action film. Perhaps people think it’s more violent than it really is because the story focuses on a young girl and a group of naïve teenagers. Or maybe I’ve watched so much violence on TV/movies in my life that I'm immune to it.
This a strong possibility.

A lot of critics, including Roger Ebert who gave the film only one star, have panned this movie because of this type of violence:
“Shall I have feelings, or should I pretend to be cool? Will I seem hopelessly square if I find “Kick-Ass” morally reprehensible and will I appear to have missed the point? Let's say you're a big fan of the original comic book, and you think the movie does it justice. You know what? You inhabit a world I am so very not interested in. A movie camera makes a record of whatever is placed in front of it, and in this case, it shows deadly carnage dished out by an 11-year-old girl, after which an adult man brutally hammers her to within an inch of her life. Blood everywhere. Now tell me all about the context.” Roger Ebert

I’ll admit, that scene that Ebert mentioned, the adult man fighting Hit Girl, was kind of difficult to watch but it was hardly a blood bath. Or 'blood everywhere' as Ebert says.
I wonder if Roger Ebert would feel the same if the 11-year-old girl were an 11-year-old boy? After all, girls are supposed to be ‘sugar and spice and everything nice’, right?

Which brings me to something interesting that I witnessed a couple of weeks ago.

I attended the lovely wedding of a good friend of mine who had a typical Italian wedding in which the reception took place at a lavish banquet hall.
After dinner, the DJ played (very loudly) some hot new pop/dance songs to get people up and onto the dance floor.
The first brave souls to enter the empty dance floor were the nieces and nephews of the Bride & Groom, ranging in ages of about six to twelve—most were girls.
Everyone watched and clapped along as the kids danced and sang to one of Kesha’s songs (a 23-year-old American pop star with a very large tween/teen following) which include lyrics about brushing her teeth with a bottle of Jack Daniels and boys trying to touch her ‘junk’. The young girls knew every, single word.
Now, did they know what these words meant? Who knows?
Perhaps only the proud, clapping parents know the answer to that.

Later on in the night, the DJ played Lady GaGa’s song called ‘Love Game’ which includes lyrics about asking a potential lover if she can take a ride on his disco stick and confirming that she’s been “educated in sex”.
All the little girls knew this song word-for-word as well.

Maybe I’m too sensitive (and a little too feminist, if there is such a thing) but I find this appalling. I also find it appalling that parents of these young girls see absolutely nothing wrong with this but think that cursing and ‘violence’ on TV & movies is wrong.
Excuse me but I think our over sexed society, as it pertains to young girls is far more damaging. I find this to be the real violence in our culture. It's a violence against innocence and morality.

These parents are probably the same people that think shows like The Bachelor, Toddlers & Tiaras, The Real Housewives of Orange County, etc. etc. etc. are good old-fashioned family television shows, thus confirming to their young daughters that looks and sex appeal are more important than any other quality she will ever have—including brains.

So, what’s worse? An outrageous 11-year-old girl who likes to go after the bad guys and uses the word ‘cunt' now and then or an 11-year-old girl who thinks it’s cute to be drunk, stupid and promiscuous?

Hell, if I had an 11-year-old daughter and I had to choose, I would rather hear the sporadic ‘fuck’ or ‘shit’ from her any day (I can probably live without the Uzis, Hit Girl) over a child singing along to lyrics like “don’t be a little bitch with your chit chat, just show me where your dick’s at”, “ain’t got a care in the world but got plenty of beer” and “I wanna take a ride on your disco stick”.

But, that’s just me.

I Want Out

2010-04-14T22:06:00.000-04:00

The thought consumes me throughout the day and won't relent until I drift off to sleep.
Just when I think the struggle is over, I panic and resort to my comfortable, old ways.
You see, I’m not getting anything out of this relationship anymore. I want out.

At first, you seemed like a good idea but now I know; you’re just no good. I didn’t see this at the start because I was blinded by my need to fill the void. My need to feel invisible.

Some cracks in your foundation have let the sun in, only slightly but enough to see there is life on the other side. There is life if I let you go.
Now that you’ve fulfilled my needs and have worn out your welcome, I must gather strength for the day I finally bid adieu to you and your bag full of cures.

But I'm not ready just yet.....you're still winning.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet....?

2010-03-31T22:29:00.003-04:00

Was Shakespeare right? Are names really so unimportant that a writer need not worry about them?

Maybe in Shakepeare's world but not now. As far as I can tell, it seems to be a hot topic for most aspiring writers. Just log on to the Writer's Digest message boards and I'll bet you'll find at least a dozen postings disussing names.

Personally, naming my characaters has always been a spiritual experience--they tend to name themselves.
I know that sounds like a bunch of malarkey but it's true; I've never had to think about my character's first names.
Their last names are a different story though because last names have to represent a lot more of your character than first names do.
For instance, you wouldn't name your main character Jane Smith if her parents were from China but you can get away with Jane Chong because her parents gave her an English name when the family moved to Seattle Washington in 1976.
See what I mean? First names should be the easy part.

I read somewhere that the biggest mistakes writers make when naming their characters is age-appropriateness.
For instance, if your main character is a 60-year-old man you probably don't want to name him Cody or Logan. (Forget age-appropriate, I detest both of these names so I would never read your book)

Another issue to address, especially in dialogue is the use of a character's whole name.
For instance, a lot of parents rarely call their kids by their whole name. If your character's name is Margaret, her Mom (and most of her friends) probably calls her Maggie. Or she may even use a term of endearment like Honey or Sweetie when conversing with her daughter.
My main character's name is Shayna but her Dad never calls her Shayna in the dialogue. He calls her by her nickname.
Shayna's brother's name is Oskar but she calls him Ossy in conversation.

Ok, I don't have to spell this out for you--you know what I mean.

Now, these tips all work in theory and if you're writing Fiction--not Science Fiction/Fantasy. That genre demands a lot more imagination when creating names for most Sc-Fi/Fantasy characters have a very strong connection to their name--they usually mean something.

That's why I stick to Fiction. Writing is hard enough...I don't want to spend hours on end thinking up names for a Half-woman-Half-fairy creature with fire breathing ability.

Now, I'll leave you with some George Carlin--CLASSIC rant about stupid names:

What about you? Do you find it difficult to name your characters?

Only Men Blog?

2010-03-18T20:11:00.006-04:00

I just had to post this since most of you guys & gals are not from Canada and probably haven't read this ridiculous article today.

Check this out:

Why are bloggers male?
By Margaret Wente, The Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/why-are-bloggers-male/article1503780/

And this is the nice comment I left for her:

So, go ahead and submit your 'nice' comments now!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/why-are-bloggers-male/article1503780/

(if you read through the comments, you'll see that my 'You're an idiot' comment is quite the hit)

What Your Guidance Counselor Didn't Tell You

2010-03-16T16:01:00.002-04:00

I’ve been conducting interviews over the last few weeks and I have to say, I hate it.
Why?
Because I remember what it was like being unemployed for so long, back in 2006. It was hell and I hated people like me.
So, now that I’m on the other side of the table, I find myself wanting to help candidates answer questions better. I finish their sentences for them, urging them to use the correct words. I smile a lot in the hopes that I’m encouraging ‘loosening up’.

As it turns out, I have a soft spot for the unemployed.

I remember being back in high school and Guidance Counselor’s would spend so much time talking about the different career paths available, the importance of good grades and how necessary it was to find a major in College, early on.
At the time, I thought all adults got to choose their careers and were pretty happy working, for the most part.
What an idiot I was.
If I were a Guidance Counselor, I would be more honest with Teens about their education after High School and the workforce, in general.

This is what I wished my Guidance Counselor told me:

Being expected to choose a career path at the age of eighteen is a ridiculous concept but I’ll help you the best I can
Don’t take career advice from your Parents—they’re just as delusional as you are
Do take career advice from a person who changed careers at least twice in their life (if this is one of your Parents, still don’t take their advice)
When you get to College, you’ll be asked once for your assignment. Your coddling days are over
Life can be monotonous, even if you choose the right career path
Most of the managers you will have will be useless assholes but that’s ok because it will help YOU be a good manager
Even if you work your ass off for a company, they still may not appreciate you. Don’t take this personally.
Hard work pays off but a good, positive attitude pays more
Be accountable for everything that you do and never point fingers—you’ll get more respect this way
Want a raise? Ask for one before you start complaining about not getting paid enough
ALWAYS show enthusiasm when interviewing—no matter what the job is. Recruiters will never forget enthusiastic candidates
Don’t schedule meetings at 9am on Mondays—people will start to hate you, very quickly
When dealing with upper management, swallow your pride—often
If you’re able, please take a year off and travel before College
Follow your heart (cheesy & cliché but it works)
No amount of money will make you happy if you hate your job

I found one good candidate so far—one more to go! Ugh.

The 82nd Annual Academy Awards: List of Grievances

2010-03-08T15:53:00.005-05:00

The Academy pissed me off so much this year, I may never watch again.
Ok, that’s me being a Drama Queen but seriously, last night was one big yawn.

Below is my list of grievances:

1. Where was my Cate? She’s been MIA for far too long now. The Oscars need her! The Red Carpet needs her even more.

Even knocked up, she kills the Red Carpet

2. Why was Doogie Howser singing and dancing on my TV? At first, I thought I had it on the wrong channel and then I thought my migraine was playing tricks with my eyes. Sadly, I was wrong. This is what the Academy offered us this year.

If he hosts next year, I’ll go to Hollywood myself to beg Billy Crystal to save this suffering program

3. SJP: here she is, poised for living up to her label ‘Fashion Icon’ and she shows up looking like this:

I take offense to this. The media shoves her down my throat every chance they get but really, she’s not a Fashion Icon. She just has (had?) a good stylist. I’m not buying it. This is what happens when Patricia Field goes on vacation.

4. Up in the Air didn’t win anything

5. This isn’t the Academy’s fault but I’ll blame them anyway: they only allow one major Canadian station (CTV) to broadcast from the Red Carpet. What does this mean for us Canadians? We have to sit through Ben Mulroney and Tanya Kim, the two most wooden people ever to hit television. Oh, and get this, Ben Mulroney actually said, and I quote; ‘You’re bigger than I thought you would be’ to the guy who co-stars on The Blind Side. (I don’t’ care enough to google his name). I don’t care who you are, you don’t want to hear that on a Red Carpet.
Nepotism isn’t doing Ben any favours.

6. Sandra Bollock wins for Best Actress (the biggest WTF moment in Oscar history)

7. The Red Carpet isn’t the same without Joan Rivers. The Academy takes itself too seriously. Maybe this will change now that they awarded Bollock Best Actress.

8. Brangelina didn’t show up.

9. Everyone hated Zoe Saldana’s dress but I loved it. It’s Givenchy Couture—you don’t mess with Givenchy Couture. People don’t have taste.

I hate people.

10. Instead of Sacha Baron Cohen , I had to sit through a Ben Stiller bit. Fuck.
But, I did learn something last night; he’s even less funny when he’s a different colour.

11. The dance sequence was really sad. The costumes (if you can call it that) were very boring. I felt like I was watching So You Think You Can Dance but the Canadian version.

12. Everyone was gushing over Gabourey’s dress. She looked TERRIBLE. Admit it people, that dress was a bad decision. I hate that fashion isn’t kind to plus-size women.

Marchesa is responisble for this. Gabourey should sue.

13. Why so much hate for James Cameron? Sure, he’s anal-retentive and thinks he’s The King of the World but he’s also a brilliant filmmaker.

14. No Bea Arthur or Farah Fawcett tributes during the death montage. Some asshole decided they weren’t considered ‘film’ actresses.
Really, Academy? All you had to do was google BEATRICE ARTHUR and you would see her film credits. Also, if you did the same with FARAH FAWCETT, you would see that she has done plenty of films.

Perhaps you were too busy planning Doogie Howser’s dance number? Fuckers.

Five things that made me happy last night:

1. Kathryn Bigelow’s win (I think it’s pathetic that it’s 2010 and this is the first time a Woman won for best direction/picture) and the realization that she’s super sexy! I hope to read some rag mag stories about her sexual escapades with cabana boys soon.

2. Jeff Bridges finally won an Oscar and his wife was one of the best dressed. Loved her look.

3. Mo’Nique’s speech kicked ass. I love that she didn’t play the ‘game’. I have a whole new respect for her. AND she looked amazing.

4. Julianne Moore showed up, proving that most celebs will never be as gorgeous (and talented) as she is. She didn’t walk the Red Carpet because of this. Why hurt people’s feelings?

5. Christoph Waltz won for Best Supporting Actor.

The Academy better smarten up. I want less Doogie Howser and more Cate Blanchett next year.

Digging Out

2010-03-02T11:43:00.010-05:00

It’s dark where I am right now but I can hear the muffled voices of people, living. I can hear them gushing endlessly over their kids' accomplishments and their fabulous jobs and what they like to watch on TV.
Right now, my only hope is that they leave soon.

I prefer being alone at this point of the journey. This is the darkest part and I’m better off having only myself to explain myself to.

Though it’s dark, I catch glimpses of light as the ground shifts and sometimes opens up but this only happens very early in the morning. By midday, things are dark again as I begin to struggle with digging out, The Fear looking on in astonishment.

The problem is, I only have two hands and I haven’t found my shovel yet.
I’m sure it’s tucked away someplace deep underground, hiding from the massive amount of work facing it.

The Best of You Tube: Pigeon Riding the Subway

2010-02-20T18:52:00.006-05:00

I thought this was so funny, I had to share:

This video was recently taken on a Toronto subway.
Notice how nonchalant the passengers are.

I love my city.

If I Had More Time

2010-02-17T21:55:00.000-05:00

Not exactly sure what's going on with me lately but I feel anxious. I'm wondering if that has anything to do with the fact that I have too much on my plate?
One of my favourite expressions is, 'if there were only more hours in the day'.
The problem is, if I did have these extra hours, would I use them wisely?

With my extra hours I would do (or at least attempt) the following:

Spend more time with my Grandmother
Resume my French lessons so I know what I’m eating whenever I go to Paris
Watch every movie that has ever won the Academy Award for Best Picture
Volunteer
Clean the dust bunnies from under my bed. Btw, who thought to call them ‘bunnies’? They’re hardly cute. 'Dust Rats' is more appropriate.
Take my dog for more walks
Paint my kitchen red
Write more
Take a speed reading class so I can finish the books piled on my nightstand
Spend more time at the museum
Have coffee with friends more often
Sit still more often
Think of get-rich-quick schemes
Play tennis more
Dream about having more time

Making this list was harder than I thought and I'm sure I've left something out.

What would you do with more time?

Just More Questions.....

2010-02-11T12:21:00.004-05:00

What do you do when the one person who has inspired you dies?

Do you carry on your journey or do you take time off to mourn or do you stop what you love to do altogether?
That’s what I’m struggling with today. I’m asking myself, ‘what’s the point?’

A few months ago, I made the decision to start blogging about my other love, fashion. I was thinking about starting a fashion website & blog for years but never really had the balls (or the time) to do it properly.

Then, one October day in 2009, I suddenly got the creative urge to do it and blogged about it:

Blog Post: October 6, 2009

I started my fashion blog the very next day....I’m still in the process of creating more and more content and will hopefully grow a good following soon…it takes time to develop but I don’t have to tell you guys that.
However, after hearing the news today that Lee (Alexander) McQueen has killed himself, I’m questioning everything.
My number one question is how can someone so brilliant and talented want to end it all at 40 yrs old?

Perhaps the fashion world really is.....irrelevant. Or maybe I'm just being dramatic.

I’m so fucking distraught over a person I didn’t know. It’s strange. But it means something….I just don’t know what.

Below:
one of his most brilliant shows...in my opinion. SS 2005
RIP Alexander McQueen

Oscar Nominations 2010

2010-02-02T12:45:00.004-05:00

Here we go again, kids! It’s Oscar time.
I love this time of year—I’ve been Oscar-obsessed my entire life.
Sometimes, the little gold man surprises us with the nominations and other times, not so much. This year is a ‘not so much’ year.

Most of us saw these nominations coming but there were a few surprises in each category but nothing out of the ordinary like nominating The Hangover for Best Picture. (This film won a Golden Globe Award. Writing it in my blog feels even more strange than saying it out loud)
But, I digress.

Here are some ‘WTF’ moments and ‘OMG, I’m so happy!’ moments and ‘Not a Surprise’ moments within the main categories:

Supporting Actress:

Vera Farmiga : ‘OMG’ I love Vera.

Anna Kendrick : ‘OMG’ & ‘Not a Surprise’ She’s my Oscar pick but Maggie G will be tough to beat

Mo’Nique: ‘Not a Surprise’ & ‘WTF’. I’m sorry, I just can’t get over the fact that someone from a movie called Phat Girlz is now nominated for an Oscar.

Penelope Cruz: ‘Not a Surprise’ & ‘WTF’ The Academy loves Penelope. Perhaps they can understand her when she talks. I certainly can’t.

Maggie Gyllenhaal: ‘Not a Surprise’ Could this be Maggie’s year?

Supporting Actor:

Christoph Waltz : ‘OMG’ ‘OMG’ & ‘OMG’. He plays a calm but raging lunatic that can speak four languages, beautifully. He was one scary ‘basterd’ in this film. He’s my Oscar pick.

Woody Harrelson: ‘Not a Surprise’ He’s got some serious Oscar buzz swirling over him

Stanley Tucci: ‘WTF’ I guess I should see The Lovely Bones. I liked the book but the movie has mediocre reviews so I decided to wait for the DVD rental.

Matt Damon: ‘WTF’ I still haven’t forgiven him for The Informant. I fucking Hollywood massacre for the eyes & ears, not to mention the most boring film of all time. I WANT MY $ BACK, MATT!!!!

Christopher Plummer: ‘Not a Surprise’ The Last Station is on my ‘must-see’ list

Upset:
Sharlto Copley for District 9 deserved some attention here.

Best Actress:

Gabourey Sidibe: ‘Not a Surprise’

Helen Mirren: ‘Not a Surprise’ Oscar buzz, buzz, buzz

Sandra Bullock: ‘WTF’ & who did she blow in Hollywood to get all this awards attention this year? Whatev. Never liked her, never will.

Carey Mulligan: ‘OMG’ & ‘Not a Surprise’ She’s my Oscar pick but Meryl played Julia Child perfectly-this one is a very close race

Meryl Streep: ‘OMG’ & ‘Not a Surprise’ It’s funny how young Hollywood complains about lack of good roles while Meryl, in her fifties, keeps doing her thing. When you got it, you got it.

Best Actor:

George Clooney: ‘Not a Surpise’ but he won’t win.

Jeff Bridges: ‘Not a Surprise’ Jeff Bridges will take it home.

Colin Firth: ‘OMG’ & ‘Not a Surprise’ Colin will get his Oscar some day but not this year

Morgan Freeman: ‘WTF’ I have ZERO interest in this film

Jeremy Renner: ‘OMG’ He’s my Pick. He deserves this award but I think the Academy will give it to Bridges

Upset:
Where’s Viggo? The Road was totally ignored. Interesting.

Best Picture:

Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds My Pick! But this is a race between Hurt & Avatar
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air

Adapted Screenplay:
(It's difficult for me to pick the best screenplays as I haven't seen a couple of the noms yet but I LOVED An Education & Up in the Air)

Ditrict 9
An Education My Pick!
In the Loop
Precious
Up in the Air My Pick!

Original Screenplay:

The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds My Pick but I think Hurt will take it home
The Messenger
A Serious Man
Up

Director:

Avatar
The Hurt Locker My Pick
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
Up in the Air

Usually, the Best Picture winner & Best Director winner go hand in hand. I think this will be a battle between Bigelow & Cameron. I would love it though if Tarantino won. I think Inglourious Basterds is his masterpiece.
What do you think?

So, it looks like I have some movies to watch before the big night:
A Serious Man
In The Loop
The Messenger
The Last Station
The White Ribbon (nominated for Best Foreign Film)

I probably won’t bother:
Invictus
The Blind Side
Precious
Crazy Heart
The Lovely Bones

Let's Get It On

2010-01-18T23:37:00.017-05:00

A few weeks ago, I picked up my novel again—I left it for awhile because I was like a desert.

Anyway, just before the holidays, I was feeling rather cocky so I decided to tackle a love scene.
I have re-written this scene about a dozen times. Here I was, thinking the absence made me smarter. It didn’t--I’m still struggling with it but it's slowly getting better.
The big problem is it’s the only love scene in my novel so I want to make it hot and relatively realistic. However, every time I read it, I cringe. It always comes out cheesy. Like something in a Harlequin romance novel and my leading man is no Fabio.

Struggling with this, my mind has started to wonder. I’ve started thinking about those steamy sex scenes in movies. You know, the ones that make you shift around in your seat, especially if you’re on a first date or watching a movie with your Mom or Dad.
I often wonder if the writers of these sex scenes blush while they’re writing them.
What about the actors? How hard (hee hee!) is it to do a love scene while a bunch of people are looking on? It's strange.
Take Fatal Attraction. Now, that was one, hot sex scene in that little kitchen. Not to mention the elevator scene--remember that?
I tried to find some video of it but couldn't locate anything which is strange since it's considered one of the hottest sex scenes ever made. Perhaps it's too hot for You Tube!

Glenn Close was one scary bitch in that movie. In 1987, I'm sure many men thought twice before they decided to take the mouse out of the house for someone other than their wife.

James Dearden wrote the screenplay, based on a short film he made for British television called Diversion.

Some other worthy sex scenes:

The trembling Diane Lane in Unfaithful. Another sex scene too hot for You Tube.

Basically, Lane is married to Richard Gere. She's a stay-at-home Mom, trapped in a boring marriage in a boring neighbourhood with a boring wardrobe.

She meets Olivier Martinez and embarks and a hot and steamy affair. That's about it in a nutshell.
The love scenes were beautifully shot and seemed very intimate.
I wonder what the actors' spouses think of hot sex scenes like this. It would be difficult to see your husband or wife on the big screen, getting it on with someone else.

The Departed
This was a great love scene--short and sweet.

Last Tango in Paris
This one is a classic. Brando was older and wider but he was still gorgeous. He was only in his forties in this film.

You'll never look at a stick of butter the same way again after you watch this movie.

Body Heat

Kathleen Turner & William Hurt had the best chemistry. Every scene was hot, hot, hot.
Especially the scene when they first get it on. Hurt basically breaks into her house to get to her as she's just playing way too hard to get.

9 1/2 Weeks
I liked the refrigerator scene the best. No surprise there.

Remember when Mickey Roarke was good looking? Or at least human looking.

I have to go now. Time to finish this sex scene.

Go take a cold shower!

My Old Christmas Friends

2009-12-18T21:36:00.005-05:00

I love watching Christmas movies.
I guess it's because my favourite's are like old friends that I only get to see once a year.
Absence really does make the heart grow fonder.
It's interesting how that concept doesn't apply to family.

I compiled a Top 10 list which was very difficult for me to do. I put them in order of release date because I really can't choose a favourite.
Unless someone pulls out a gun.

1. Holiday Inn, 1942

It doesn't get any better than Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire. The Voice and The Dancer. Perfection. Bing sings the song White Christmas for the first time in this film, not White Christmas.
Did that sentence just make sense? I'm sure you know what I mean...

2. It’s A Wonderful Life, 1946

I've seen a lot of Jimmy Stewart movies. However, in this film, I think he gave his very best performance. Seriously, one of the best performances by an actor--of ALL time.
He was mesmerizing as George Bailey. Watch the video and you'll see just a small part of his Magic at 4:35.

3. Scrooge, 1951

Alastair Sim was, by far, the best Ebenezer Scrooge. Why?
His acting range was flawless.

4. White Christmas, 1954

One of my favourite scenes in White Christmas: Bing, Danny, Rosemary and Vera singing 'Snow'.
I don't think I'll ever get sick of this movie. I watch it every Christmas Eve—guaranteed.

Did you ever notice how Vera-Ellen's costumes always covered her neck? That's because she was anorexic--her neck looked 20 yrs older than she did. Sad.
That heffer Rosemary Clooney must have hated her. I know I would if I had to stand next to a woman with an 18" waist.

5. How The Grinch Stole Christmas, 1966

Every year I'll watch this one when it comes on TV. It never get's old. I love the relationship between him and the dog. The Grinch had great acting range, too. ;)

6. A Christmas Story, 1983

'You'll shoot your eye out, kid!' A cult classic.
Oh, Ralphie! How precious was Ralphie?
My favourite scene is when Ralphie visits Santa and of course, the pole scene in the You Tube clip above.

7. Home For The Holidays, 1995

Okay, so technically, this is a Thanksgiving movie but I watch it every year around Christmas. Robert Downey Jr. steals the show.
My favourite lines are: when Holly Hunter says 'Do you ever look around the table at your family and think 'who are these people?'
Who hasn’t said that at least once a year?

And Robert Downey Jr. to his Mother: 'You're a pain in the ass and you have bad hair but I like you a lot'

8. Christmas Vacation, 1989

The best scene in Christmas Vacation? Aunt Bethany attempting to say Grace.
It cracks me up every time.
I love crotchety, old Uncle Lewis.

9. Elf ~ November 7, 2003

To be honest, if I really, really had to choose my favourite Christmas movie, it would be Elf. I will only choose if the gun is loaded.
It’s hard to pick a favourite scene but I love the part where Buddy get’s very excited when he learns that Santa is coming to visit the store.

10. Love Actually ~ November 14, 2003

This movie has become a Christmas tradition for me since 2003. When I first saw it, I skipped out of the theatre and then went straight home to write my Christmas list.
If you feel blah and not in the mood this year, watch this movie. It will bring you some serious Christmas spirit.
Also, it's quite simply, one of the best romantic comedies ever made.

So, if there's a film on this list you haven't seen, get to it!
12/25 is quickly on its way....

Final Note:

My friend Peter wanted me to add Silent Night, Deadly Night to this list but I just couldn't. However, if you're like Peter and would rather see people killing one another (singing and dancing isn't for everyone) this bad slasher film may be your thing.

Merry Christmas to you all!!! Remember: Eat, Drink & Be Merry

World AIDS Day: December 1st, 2009

2009-12-01T11:00:00.000-05:00

Every December 1st, for about 20 years now, I spend the day reminiscing about my Uncle. His name was Christopher but when I was little, I couldn’t get the whole name out so I just called him ‘Chrissy’ and the name stuck with him.
He always said he hated being called 'Uncle Chrissy' but deep down, I think he liked it.

Even though he was my Uncle, we were only ten years apart (technically, he was my first cousin but that’s a story for another day) so he felt more like a Brother to me.
For 15 years, he was a huge, influential part of my life. He was so cool and popular and all I wanted to do was be near him--that's all anyone wanted to do.
We spent endless hours together, playing cards (Crazy Eights—he always won), shopping, watching MTV and just being plain silly. I could always be silly with him and I cherished every second I had with him.

On September 15, 1989, he died of AIDS. He was 25 years old.

He’s been gone 20 years now but it’s still not easy to write about him—it’s even harder to talk about him. I usually choke on tears before his name is barely out of my mouth.

I used to cry and cry over him, almost every day but especially this day—I was filled with anger for a very long time. When you watch someone you adore slowly die, you question everything, especially God.
You just feel hate for the disease, the world......life.
The truth is, it still hurts like hell and I’m still mad at the disease but time has eased the anger I had towards life, in general.
I'm hoping time will eventually dry the tears.

About 10 years ago, I figured I should channel all that anger into something positive like volunteering and trying my best to donate what I can to the fight against AIDS.
Now, instead of crying, feeling terrible about what I don’t have, I think about how tough he was even when he was so sick. I think about how much courage it took for him to go to work each day, knowing the ignorance and hate he was going to encounter. I think about all those impoverished people in Africa that can’t afford to ease their children's suffering from the disease. Most of all, I think about how lucky I am that I’m healthy.
For without our health, we have nothing.

On this day, I like to take time to read up on all the current news about the fight against AIDS and all the amazing steps we’ve made on the road to finding a cure.
This day shouldn’t be just a memorial for those we’ve lost, it should be a day to educate ourselves on the disease and to spread the word: Prevention is our best defense.

Some current facts about HIV/AIDS:

· AIDS is a pandemic

· 275,000 children died of AIDS in 2008

· 66% of people living with AIDS are in Sub-Saharan Africa

· 75% of deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa

· As of 2008, there are 33.4 million people living with HIV

· Currently, there is a $10 billion shortfall each year in the fight against AIDS. Funding is being cut all over the world but people like Donald Rumsfeld are getting rich from the Tamiflu vaccine—a fucking crock. Question: If the majority of people living with AIDS were white, would there still be this many deaths? Fact: The world doesn’t care enough about Africa to help fix the problem

· There are 40,000 new cases of HIV each year in the United States alone

· A pregnant woman can pass on the disease to her child

· Two million children under the age of 15 are living with HIV

· 1 in 5 people don’t know they have the disease--it can sometimes take up to 10 years to see any symptoms

· There is no vaccine or cure for HIV/AIDS

Another thing I do every Decemeber 1st? I make a wish that I live to see the day when we find a cure.

If you want to get involved in the fight against AIDS or learn more about the disease, visit:

http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/

If you're able to and would like to make a donation today, visit the Casey House website:

www.caseyhouse.com/

Casey House was founded in 1988 and was the first hospice in Canada for people living with HIV/AIDS. There is no cost to clients--Casey House relies mostly on donations as the government will only fund basic care.

My Uncle stayed here for a short time while he lived with the disease. It's an incredible place filled with acceptance, compassion and kindness: three important things a person living with HIV/AIDS needs to fight for survival.

Writing: An 'Awarding' Experience

2009-11-13T21:17:00.037-05:00

Work is madness these days so I don't have much time to blog. :(
However, I always make time to read my favourite blogger's posts! I love all of you.
When I do have some time to unwind, I spend it with the characters in my novel, begging me for attention. I'm a bad Mother.

Last week, I opened my Twitter account and saw a DM from Wendy Morrell (@Quillfeather) asking me to visit her blog as she wrote something of interest to me.
Of couse, I made my way to her blog asap and what a nice surprise!
She nominated me (as well as six other bloggers) for the Kreativ Blogger Award.

http://quillfeather-blog.blogspot.com/

To be honest, it's such a thrill for me to know that even one person reads my blog--let alone a great writer like Wendy.
Writing is already such a joy for me but knowing that other bloggers out there take an interest in what I have to say is truly intoxicating. Thx Wendy! xo

So, since I was nominated, I now have to nominate 7 bloggers! This won't be easy--I have so many favourites...
Anyway, here's what is expected of the nominees once the baton is passed:

1. Copy and paste the pretty picture in which you see on the top left corner onto your own blog.
2. Thank the person who gave you the award and post a link to their blog.
3. Write 7 things about yourself we do not know.
4. Choose 7 other bloggers to award.
5. Link to those 7 other bloggers.
6. Notify your 7 bloggers.

Seven Things You Don't Know About Me

1. I'm an only child
2. I lived in NYC for 5 years, thinking I could sell a (bad) screenplay that I wrote
3. I hate the smell of microwave popcorn but love to eat it
4. My real first name is not Sheri--technically, Sheri is my middle name (and I hate my first name so don't bother to ask what it is! I've never gone by that name anyway-thank God)
5. I suffer with long bouts of insomnia
6. I've been told that I give out good advice. The problem is, I rarely follow it myself
7. I have many, many, many friends and I adore them all even though there's never enough time to see them on a regular basis. I wish I had 29 hours in a day! My friends have saved my life, time and time again

Without further adieu, here are my 7 nominees, in no particular order:

1. Carrie Blogshaw
http://sexandtheshtty.blogspot.com/

Dripping with wit and charm, this blogger doesn't hold back when it comes to matters of the heart. I get a kick out of every one of her posts! She's hilarious. And I'm very proud to have her as a friend.

2. Soulbrother v.2
http://soulbrotherv2.blogspot.com/

An incredible storyteller. I hope he knows just how great he is. Please, someone publish this guy! For the time being, enjoy him while we have him here on Blogger!

3. Karen Quah
http://moderndaystoryteller.com/

Karen is a journalist, sript editor and playwright. Her blog has a wealth of information on just about every topic. She's also a lovely person with a positive outlook--even while she's participating in Nano! sheesh! http://www.nanowrimo.org/

4. Jai Joshi
http://jaijoshiz.blogspot.com/

Author of 'Follow The Cowherd Boy' http://www.amazon.com/Follow-Cowherd-Boy-J-Joshi/dp/1412086264
I came to know Jai from the Writer's Digest community. From the very start, I felt like we were kindred spirits!
Again, we have another incredible storyteller on our hands, bloggers! And as I suspected, she's already been nominated for the Kreativ Blogger Award.

5. Eric Tenin
http://www.parisdailyphoto.com/

Because I love Paris so much, I find myself constantly checking out Eric's blog. He posts a new pic of the lovely City of Lights everyday.

6. Gale Mullings
http://ggspiritwrites.blogspot.com/

I stumbled upon Gale's blog via Twitter and thank God I did. I love her writing style and wish I were half as good as she is. She's smart, funny & opinionated: my favourite combination.

7. Antonia Arch
http://antonioarch.blogspot.com/

A fellow Torontonian, Antonio runs an art curatorial service called Arch & Company Fine Arts. He's constantly posting images of surreal works of art by artists you've probably never heard of. If you love art as much as I do, you'll love Antonio's blog.

And there you have it! My nominees! It certainly wasn't easy picking just 7!

Unconditional Love

2009-10-31T12:05:00.013-04:00

In my twenties, my spending habits were out of control, especially when it came to shoes. I loved buying shoes that I couldn’t afford—truth is, I still like shoes I can’t afford. However, I’ve grown smarter with my finances and have learned to respect my hard-earned money a little more.
I remember the very first pair of Prada shoes I ever owned. They were gorgeous, black Italian leather sandals with these little buckles on the straps. I loved them, even though they killed my feet. I saved up to buy them one summer and was so proud when I was finally able to walk into Saks Fifth Avenue (the flagship store!) and walk out with my new lovers.

At the time, my dog Simon was about 2 yrs old and loved to chew things (you probably know where this is going).
He could chew through just about anything; the edge of doors, rugs, stuffed animals, couch pillows etc, etc. The one thing he didn’t like to chew were his rawhide bones.
He was such a jerk in his youth.

One fateful day, I forgot to put my new loved ones into their shoebox and when I came home from work, the heels were chewed off and those cute little buckles on the straps? They were lying on the floor, next to the bodies.
And the worst part?
The labels in the soles were barely recognizable!! He basically bit the hell out of the ‘sole’ of the shoes.
I yelled and screamed and cried and kept asking him, ‘Why?!’ over and over again. Seems utterly stupid now that I would be questioning a dog and his taste in Italian leather but at the time, I was so angry. I had barely worn them!

I sent Simon to his bed which I moved to the corner of the room and forbade him to move for the rest of the night. I wanted to put a dunce cap on him but I knew he would have just chewed that, too.

The following morning, still drunk from the wine I chose to soothe my aching, shoeless soul, I heard him panting at the foot of my bed.
I opened my eyes and saw him standing there, looking at me with those big, brown eyes, tail wagging, tongue firmly sticking out of the side of his mouth.
He did this every morning however, I was surprised that he bothered on that particular morning, knowing full-well what could be awaiting him; a cold shoulder. But he came to greet me anyway.

He had forgotten the events of the night before and so I had to as well. I couldn’t stay angry at him because he was just so forgiving.
That’s unconditional love for you. No matter what goes on in a relationship, you can always find it in your heart to forgive that person. In my case, a dog.

The other day, I had a scare. My Simon didn’t look so hot—he was in very bad shape. I thought for sure that the vet was going to tell me that Simon would have to be put to sleep. I was a mess and all I could think about was the time that he chewed my first pair of Prada shoes. I don’t know why.

He’s 15 yrs old now and has changed a lot this past year. He moves slower, he sleeps more--he’s getting old.
Very long story short, my dog is fine. It turns out he has something called Geriatric Vestibular Disease which is quite common in old dogs. It will pass with time and pretty soon, he’ll be back to his ‘old’ self again.

I know he’s not going to live forever so I’m going to try to enjoy every second I have left with him because really, that's all I can do.

Vegas, Baby!

2009-10-21T23:09:00.036-04:00

I spent last week in Sin City. I ate too much & gambled too much.

Good times!

I'll go over some of the highlights starting with the most important: FOOD.

My best meal:

Wynn, Las Vegas

If you want luxury, look no further than the Wynn Hotel--this place is out of control. Totally gorgeous inside and out. They even have an Alexander McQueen store in the hotel--I was salivating all over the couture. I'm sure the salepeople were close to calling security.

Wynn has a buffet. The best buffet in town, obviously.

I have never seen so much selection at a buffet before--they had every cuisine you could want. And the desserts? Oh, good Lord, the desserts.
I almost ate myself to death. It was pathetic.

As I was wobbling out, stuffed I couldn't resist snapping a picture of this: 'No, Thank you, dear Wynn' I thought to myself.

The hotel with the most to offer:

Caesar's Palace

It's all about Ceasars. They have EVERYTHING. A huge amount of restaurants, shops and an endless supply of slot machines, just waiting for you to lose your life-savings. Not only that, it's just a visually gorgeous hotel.

The Lions @ MGM Grand, Las Vegas:

I hate seeing animals in captivity but I couldn't help but watch these cuties. They play like they're kittens! Surreal to be that close to them.

I hope they're treated well.

They even had two Lion cubs but my pictures didn't turn out. :( Take it from me; they were adorable.

Below are a few other shots from around 'the strip':

This shot was taken from a balcony at The Bellagio--facing Hotel Paris.

This was taken from the bridge connecting Treasure Island to The Venetian:

A view of the New York, New York Hotel:

Gondola rides at the Venetian--so cheesy! But hey, that's Vegas:

The 900 lbs. pumpkin at the Bellagio:

And my most favourite moment? After a looong day of walking and eating and shopping, watching the giant fish tank at Caesar's Palace was a nice treat.

I was trying to upload the video but by the time it loads, you could go to Vegas yourself to see the bloody fish tank.

Thanks Blogger.

The Art Connection

2009-10-06T21:21:00.007-04:00

It’s so weird how inspiration can strike. Randomly, when you least expect it, on a boring Tuesday afternoon, you can be struck by the thunderbolt.
I had it coming, though.

Toronto had it’s annual Nuit Blanche art festival on Saturday and I spent most of Sunday and Monday with an art hangover. The festival takes place from dusk to dawn.
Then, today one of my all-time favourite fashion designers, Alexander McQueen deputed his new collection for Paris Fashion Week.
McQueen is just so special—it’s hard not to be mesmerized and influenced by his creativity.

Something always happens to me when I’m surrounded by art for a long period of time.
It makes me feel alive and gets my creative juices flowing—I know how trite that sounds but it’s true. That’s what it does to me.
I didn’t always see this connection, it’s only come to me as I’ve gotten older. Looking back at all the writing I did in my twenties, I realized that I wrote so much because I was living in New York City, surrounded by culture with an endless line of artist friends.
Don’t’ get me wrong, Toronto is a very cultural city, much like New York but my life changed when I moved back here. I moved here for a purpose. I moved here to start a legitmate (paying) career. So, my friends changed, my purpose changed, my outlook changed. I think this happens to a lot of people when they give up their dream. In 1999, I gave up mine.

Or did I?

While writing is my true love, there’s another love in my life that I constantly cheat on writing with; my love of fashion.

I've been working in the fashion industry, mostly on the marketing/retail side for a VERY long time so to say I know a thing or two about fashion would be putting it mildly.
Years ago, when this whole blogging craze started, I didn't think about starting a fashion-specific blog simply because there were (and are!) so bloody many of them! Do we need another one? Now, that is the Million Dollar Question, isn't it?

Can I really have it all? Can I combine my two loves and live happily ever after?

I'm thinking about it......seriously.

TIFFiquette

2009-09-22T13:05:00.005-04:00

For the most part, rules of etiquette are unwritten. As humans, most of us naturally know that there is a time and place for everything.
The problem with etiquette is that the ‘standards’ vary greatly from person to person. What one person deems appalling, another person may deem normal. Etiquette really depends on where you were raised and who did the raising.
Take for instance, proper dinner table etiquette. Here in the West, it’s poor manners and terrible etiquette to place your elbows on the table. My Grandmother, a broken record, always told me to stop slouching and take my elbows off the table while I ate.
However, in France (and most of Europe, especially Greece), ‘elbows on the table’ is perfectly acceptable. In fact, they think it’s poor etiquette if you don’t have your elbows on the table. Something about hiding your hands in your lap is frowned upon. Whatever. My point is etiquette varies from place to place, person to person.

This is a problem. This is why each and every year someone says or does something so totally ridiculous at the film festival. These people are lacking TIFFiquette.

Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m just a prude so I’ll list the top 3 appalling events that took place over a 10 day span and you tell me; am I being too hard on people?

1. Up In The Air premiere at the Ryerson theatre, September 12, 2009

Some major Hollywood players came out for this one but that didn’t stop the moron in the front row from asking the dumbest question at the festival this year.
On the stage, conducting the Q & A was Jason Reitman, the Writer/Director. On stage with him: George Clooney (whose hand was bandaged from an accident he had the week before), Jason Bateman, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey & a few others—their names escape me.
In the audience looking and listening on? Just Oprah Winfrey. No big deal.
Here was his question:
“This question is for George Clooney: did you really hurt your hand or did you just bandage it for the festival?’ Or something like that. I don’t remember the exact wording.
Anyway, George Clooney just laughed it off and sarcastically answered, ‘yes, I did this just for the premiere tonight’.
Jason Reitman then said, ‘wow, that was an excellent question!’ which got a lot of laughs from the audience because we all knew better.

Here’s a link to the idiot caught on camera by an expert TIFFer, Larry Richman:

http://www.pronetworks.org/index.php/independent_films/post/video_george_clooney_cast_crew_up_in_the_air_2009_toronto_film_festival/

People like this don’t deserve to leave the house let alone attend premieres for must-see Hollywood films.
What a waste of a perfectly good opportunity to ask an intelligent question. How many times in your life do you get to pick the brain of a Hollywood heavyweight?
I hope all the other people who had their hands up but didn’t get called on, ganged up on him when he left the theatre.

2. My Year Without Sex premiere at the AMC on Richmond St. September 13, 2009

What happened this night was probably the worst display of bad manners I’ve ever seen at TIFF. And, of course the culprit was seated right next to me. Go figure.
My Year Without Sex is an Australian gem. The Writer/Director, Sarah Watt spent about four years of her life putting this film together.
When she introduced the film, she thanked Toronto for inviting her back (she was here in 2005 for ‘Look Both Ways’—another little gem of a film) and that she just had one of the best meals of her life.
The alpha male sitting next to me, turns to his friend and loudly asks ‘I wonder where she ate?!’ Then whips out his Blackberry and decides to keep it on throughout the entire film, trying to cover the screen by looking at it awkwardly in his pocket.
So, the film is over and the Q&A begins. Guess what the first question is.
That’s right, you guessed it!
‘Where did you have dinner?’
That was the first fucking question to the woman who just poured out her heart and soul on the big screen for us all to gawk at. She traveled thousands of miles for this shit?
The funny thing was, the alpha male didn’t ask the question, some other novice TIFFer did. I guessed, by her tone, she wanted it to be funny and cute but it made me want to throw something sharp at her. However, the only thing I had was an empty popcorn bag. That wouldn’t draw blood so I just gave her a dirty look on the way out of the theatre.

So, once the alpha male hears the name of the restaurant, he proceeds to yell out the address for us all to hear. ‘It’s on King & Spadina!’ he exclaims.
Because you know, he knows it all. He’s the big man about town. Clearly, he has a small penis. I bet he drives a red sports car.
Anyway, after he screams for attention, he jumps up and tells his wife, sitting in the row in front of us with her friends, ‘it’s time to go’. He does all this very loudly, saying bye to his friends, all the while, the Writer/Director is about to call on the next person for question #2.
I hope he dropped his Crackberry down a subway grate on the way home. Fucker.

3. Bad Lieutenant Port of Call: New Orleans premiere at the Ryerson theatre, September 15, 2009

Let’s face it; Nicholas Cage has not made any good films lately. He’s no National Treasure.
Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
So, I wasn’t feeling it for this film. I saw the first Bad Lieutenant with Harvey Keitel and didn’t like it. I’m not a Werner Herzog fanatic either so there’s three strikes right there. However, I’m a film lover and will try anything once so I tagged along with my friend that night to the premiere. She happened to know a lot about Herzog so I let her educate me.
The film was FANTASTIC. I loved it. Most of us in that theatre that night did. We laughed through the entire film—it was hilarious and so bloody uncomfortable! I love it when a film does that to me. You know, those films that make you cringe and move around in your chair. Movie Magic.
I tweeted just after I got out of the theatre that I thought Nicholas Cage was back and that I smelled Oscar. I still do. I hope he, at the very least, get’s a nomination because his portrayal of Lieutenant Terrence McDonagh was funny, scary and mesmerizing. Seriously, one of the best films (and best performances) I’ve seen this year.

So, why was it that people decided to get up and leave during the Q&A if they liked the film so much? Were they just fake clapping? Was it because Herzog’s accent was so thick, they were too lazy to listen? Or, sadly, were they still angry at Nicholas Cage for Ghost Rider? I know I am.
Unfortunately, they’re making Ghost Rider 2 so we’ll have to get over the anger. Oy vey.
When you are a true movie-lover, you ignore past mistakes when a performance like Cage’s in Bad Lieutenant graces the screen. A true movie-lover is always willing to forgive and forget.
In the theatre that night, the seats were not filled with true movie-lovers. They were filled with novice TIFFers with no idea that leaving during a Q&A is rude and just plain wrong.
If you’re one of these rude bastards, be careful the next time you do this because I usually sit in aisle seats. I have no problem with tripping you.
These rude bastards are also the same people who sat in their seats and watched ALL credits roll. So, what’s the big deal with sitting another few minutes for a Q&A? They only last a few minutes.
Have another movie to get to? Well, leave DURING the credits! It’s very simple.

I hope all these ignorant people I just mentioned were not from Toronto.

I think most movie goers are strictly in it for entertainment purposes only. Meaning, they don’t really care about the process of making movies and I totally understand that.
However, a lot goes into making a film and these people that are bringing their art to our city deserve respect.

It’s not impossible and it’s never too late to acquire good TIFFiquette. Remember, we’re going to be doing this all over again next year.
Here are a few simple rules for being a good TIFFer:

Ask intelligent questions: think long and hard before you ask a question. You have the duration of the film to think. Please. I beg of you.

Don’t leave during a Q&A: Just don’t do it. These people are artists. They’ve worked very hard to bring their idea to life. Don’t shit on their work by getting up and leaving as an actor or director is trying to explain their work.

Don’t be a celebrity stalker: It’s easy to get carried away when you see a celebrity that you admire. Trust me, I know what that feels like. However, it’s poor etiquette to ask for an autograph when someone just finished going pee. Don’t accost celebrities in the bathroom!!!

Final note:
This is to the irritating guy who sat behind me during the premiere of Passenger Side @ AMC (YDS), September 11, 2009:
Thanks for kicking my chair throughout the entire film, asshole. Even when I gave you the abrasive ‘turn-around-and-stare’ and asked you to stop, you thought it would be funny to keep doing it. Either that or you have a neurological disorder.
I just hope that I (or someone else) can return the favour next year.

The Fear

2009-09-17T00:03:00.010-04:00

I can feel it coming again, sneaking up from behind as it normally does. Just waiting for the right time to ravish me--invade all my thoughts.

I feel it tugging at me, begging me to be fed just before I drift off to sleep. I close my eyes knowing that in a few hours, I'll feel it again. It's relentless and works slowly because it doesn't want you to notice it until it's too late.

Morning comes and I am faced with yet another day of torment. I can still fight the good fight but I often lose. I often let the fear win--it's just easier this way.
As a child, I thought it would be left behind, it wouldn't make it into adulthood. I was wrong. Not only did it follow me, I invited it in for dinner. It has sat at my table for 25 years now.

You see, I've been through this before. My relationship with the fear is a volatile one and I know exactly who wears the pants and it's not me. Like a yo-yo, it keeps filling me up and then abruptly emptying me too quickly and I snap back, wanting for more. It always leaves me wanting for more.

Today, my clothes digging into me, I walk the aisles in search of something that won't hurt me. I search for something that won't induce a feeling of guilt.
I've yet to find it.

The Fear is back.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of my new favourite songs is by an artist named Lily Allen titled 'The Fear'. When I first heard the title, I laughed to myself as I have had The Fear myself for quite some time. Although, my fear is a lot different than the kind of fear Lily sings about.

The Fear
I want to be rich and I want lots of money
I don`t care about clever I don`t care about funny
I want loads of clothes and fuckloads of diamonds
I heard people die while they are trying to find them

I`ll take my clothes off and it will be shameless
`Cuz everyone knows that`s how you get famous
I`ll look at the sun and I`ll look in the mirror
I`m on the right track yeah I`m on to a winner

Chorus
I don`t know what`s right and what`s real anymore
I don`t know how I`m meant to feel anymore
When we think it will all become clear
`Cuz I`m being taken over by The Fear

Life`s about film stars and less about mothers
It`s all about fast cars and passing each other
But it doesn`t matter cause I`m packing plastic
and that`s what makes my life so fucking fantastic

And I am a weapon of massive consumption
and its not my fault it`s how I`m program to function
I`ll look at the sun and I`ll look in the mirror
I`m on the right track yeah I`m on to a winner

Chorus
I don`t know what`s right and what`s real anymore
I don`t know how I`m meant to feel anymore
When we think it will all become clear
`Cuz I`m being taken over by The Fear

Bridge
Forget about guns and forget ammunition
Cause I`m killing them all on my own little mission
Now I`m not a saint but I`m not a sinner
Now everything is cool as long as I`m getting thinner

Chorus
I don`t know what`s right and what`s real anymore
I don`t know how I`m meant to feel anymore
When we think it will all become clear
`Cause I`m being taken over by fear

Aging & Shoe Laces

2009-09-06T21:08:00.006-04:00

Aging can be a wonderful thing.
As an adult, you get to stay up as late as you want. You get to eat popcorn and chocolate chip cookies for dinner. You get to keep your bedroom as messy as possible without lectures or guilt trips from your Mother. Best of all, you get to pick and choose who you want in your life.
And if you’re really lucky, age allows you to slowly (I stress slowly here) figure out who you are, who you were and who you don’t want to be.

Every other weekend, I spend a day with my 90 year old Grandmother, affectionately known as ‘Nanny’.
Nanny now lives with my parents because she can no longer take care of herself, well. Physically, she’s fine—strong as an ox. Mentally, well, that’s another story.
I’ve written about her many, many times but have not shared much on this blog as my feelings about her current situation are convoluted. I sometimes feel like I’m in denial while other times I seem to come to terms with the fact that the woman I knew, the woman who helped raise me is not the same person.

When I was a child, she doted on me endlessly and I loved it because doting was something my Mother knew nothing about.
One of my fondest memories of her was all the time she took to show me how to tie my shoe laces. She was always so patient and would allow me to try and try again until I got it right, even when she was in a hurry. I can still picture her standing in the doorway, looking at her watch as I struggled with my Everest.
I hadn’t thought about that in ages. My recent memories of her are starting to overshadow the old, more joyful ones.
Time can be cruel.
However, the other day, as I helped her with her socks and shoes, I was transported back to that doorway in my childhood.
There she was, sitting in her favourite chair, sticking out her foot the same way I used to do it by holding on to the back of my knee. It was a bizarre moment. And to be honest, I cried on my way home that day because of it.
Having to see my Grandmother this way is not all bad, though. For good can come out of bad, time and time again.

My original Grandmother allowed me to see that with a little patience and perseverance, anything is possible.

My current Grandmother is forcing me to see that I don’t ever want to lose my memories. I don’t ever want to lose my essence and I certainly don’t ever want to lose the ability to put my shoes on—by myself.

Organized Thoughts? Who Has Those?

2009-08-24T22:07:00.006-04:00

Yesterday, the topic of discussion on Twitter's #writechat was 'Inspiration VS. Organization: Tips & tools for each and how they work together'. So, that got me to thinking...I couldn't offer tips on either topic.

For the most part, I am an organized person. Or so I’ve been told. I hate clutter so I try to keep my home as meticulous as humanly possible. My bookshelves house books of varying size but you wouldn’t know it by looking at them—I’m an expert book ‘clusterer’. I even colour-code so that the spines don't clash.
My bedroom closet keeps my folded clothes in organized piles and my clothes hangers? Well, they’re all the same. They must always be the same. NO WIRE HANGERS!
My desk at work has to be just so—everything has its place. Stapler beside printer, pen holder beside the phone, post-its, well post-its are everywhere because I have an addiction to them.
I re-organize my purse/bag just about every night before I go to bed so that I’m all set for another day at the office. You boys would be shocked to learn just how much garbage a woman can accumulate in her purse in just one day.
If I were to live in a home that was disorganized and cluttered, I wouldn’t get anything done because I would feel so stressed out by my surroundings. Have you ever seen that show Hoarders on A&E? I can’t watch it! It’s like a horror movie.

Here I am bragging while there’s one area of my life that is in complete disarray; my writing.
I have boxes of papers, cocktail napkins (it’s amazing what a glass of wine can do which is why a lot of famous authors were hopeless alcoholics), matchbooks, LOT’S of post-its, receipts etc. with my scribbling on them. Most of the good stuff has been placed neatly into my trusty laptop but every once in a while, I’ll stumble upon some prose or dialogue from my novel written in eyeliner or lipstick on the back of a receipt.
Even when I have the proper tools around me to get some writing done, I still find it hard to jot down random thoughts and ideas into the computer—I prefer my post-its or notepads.
I have notebook after notebook with pages of post-it notes strategically placed even though I had plenty of lined paper to write on.
If anyone saw the way I keep my writing, they would be appalled considering how anal I am about everything else in my life. They would also question the language I write in because even I can’t read my handwriting anymore.

A fellow writer once told me that the reason why my writing is not organized is because my thoughts are ‘unorganized’. Meaning, I don’t write in sequence. I wrote the epilogue to my novel before I wrote the first chapter. I wrote the last paragraph before I wrote the third chapter. And so on. I write the story as it comes to me and it comes to me in spurts, especially dialogue.

Even though this is the one area of my life that is out of control, I don’t feel stressed about it at all, strangely enough. I think that’s because writing brings me so much joy and allows me to just take and take. My pen & paper never asks for anything in return. It’s a give-give relationship!
The first and only one that I will ever have in this life.

As for inspiration, you'll have to go back a couple of posts to see how I'm doing with that these days.

Tom & Summer Have Saved The RomCom!

2009-08-16T17:12:00.004-04:00

For a couple of years now, I've been proclaiming that the Romantic Comedy is dead. I'm like a broken record and my friends are really starting to despise me. However, I had a lot to go on when I came to this harsh conclusion.
Now, let me take you for a startling stroll down (recent) RomCom memory lane so I can prove my point.

2008

What Happens in Vegas
This shit grossed $220 million--looks like a lot of people suffered. They should have known better. The movie stars Cameron Diaz (the worst 'actress' of our time) & the equally bad and incredibly annoying Ashton Kutcher who usually ends up playing Michael Kelso in every film. Between the two of them, not much acting range. Storyline was okay but all that slapstick! They had to throw that all in just to keep the audience awake, I guess. Movies like this shouldn't be allowed to happen. We're good people--we don't deserve this kind of treatment.

My Best Friend's Girl
Starring some talentless 'comedian' named Dane Cook. He was in that abomination called 'Employee of the Month' with none other than the incomparable Jessica Simpson--she should be banned from movie sets, entirely. But, I digress.
Also stars Kate Hudson (her track record with the RomCom isn't all that bad--remember 'How To Lose A Guy..'? Not bad, right?) as 'the best friend's girl'. She'll be regretting this one for years to come. I think film critic Wesley Morris from the Boston Globe sums it up well: 'The inexplicable romantic comedy career of Dane Cook marches on.'

Made of Honor
Capitalizing on his 'mcdreamy' or 'mcsteamy' crap or whatever the hell it's called from a show I don't watch, Patrick Dempsey stumbles upon a script so bad, Dane Cook turned it down.
No, just kidding! However, Patrick should have turned this one down because he had such a hit with Enchanted. He didn't need this one. Nobody needs this. This film was a blatant (and terrible) copy of My Best Friend's Wedding.
I would like to point out though, Patrick has great RomCom potential. He was in a somewhat cheesy yet charming movie called Can't Buy Me Love back in 1987.

There was a lot more mediocre RomComs in 2008 but I could be here all day, people.

So, here we are in 2009 and this is what Hollywood has given us so far:

The Proposal
A match that should have been left on the cutting room floor: Sandra Bullock & Ryan Reynolds.
I called this one early on. The trailer didn't look that bad (Betty White was in this film!) but what made me think, 'this movie is going to suck' was the amount of publicity it was getting. The studio was shoving this one down our throats--big time. Bad sign. If the movie was any good, you wouldn't need local morning radio shows talking about it every 20 minutes.

The Ugly Truth
Do I even need to critique this film in any way? I'm sure you've all read the less than stellar reviews recently. Or worse, you were one of the poor bastards that parted with your hard-earned dollars to sit through this monstrosity. Again, I called this piece of shit as soon as I saw the trailer for it a few months ago.
That part at the end of the trailer when Whiny Heigel says, 'sucker!' made me cringe each and every time I saw it mostly because people in the theatre actually laughed. It frightened me. AND the film used Flo Rida's 'Right Round'. He should sue.

August 14th, 2009:
I finally had the opportunity to see (500) Days of Summer. Why did I wait so long? Because this little gem is in only a handful of theatres while complete SHIT films like the ones mentioned above, are in every theatre across the city. That hardly seems fair, I know but this is Hollywood. It's ugly, isn't it?

The movie stars Zooey Deschanel & Joseph Gordon-Levitt (remember him in 3rd Rock? He's still just as adorable) as two very different people with very different outlooks on life and love. However, they end up forming a 'relationship' that Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) wants to label while Summer (Zooey Deschanel) just wants to have fun with. It's a love story with a twist, I guess you could say. The twist is that this movie is closer to real life than any other RomCom I've ever seen--it's unpredictable and extremely refreshing. Tom is a bit melodramatic but it doesn't matter--you buy it.
I can't say much more without giving the plot away so just do yourself a favour and go see it. Here's a link to the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsD0NpFSADM

And Hollywood, if you're listening, PLEASE give us back the great Romantic Comedy. You know, the ones that were funny and had well-written characters that we actually cared about.

The Neverending Quest For Inspiration

2009-08-13T22:48:00.001-04:00

Artists say it all the time; 'Inspiration is all around, you just have to open your eyes'.

So, once upon a time, I was living this phrase; I was inspired to write everyday, no matter how hectic my schedule was. However, sitting here now, uninspired I know exactly why I used to write more; naïveté.

Once I announced that I am officially going to write a novel, things changed. As an over-achieving, slightly OCD basket case, I placed an enormous amount of pressure on myself and agonized over every sentence, every word. I can literally spend days on one sentence. Isn't that ridiculous?
Currently, I am in the midst of changing my novel from first person to third person, with a twist. Don't ask--it's hard to explain what I want to accomplish. It's a genius idea (in my head) and if I can pull it off and write it the way it deserves to be written, I know my book will be better off.

This new idea of mine has made me feel like running the other way instead of tackling it, head on. It's so much work to change now but if I don't, I know I'll regret it. If I don't, I'll obsess over it until I do.
I fear my novel has become a chore.

I used to write because I loved it so much, not because I expected to get published. I could write anywhere, anytime, it all seemed so simple. I could write a 1000 words on my subway commute to work in the morning--easy peasy. Now, I'm lucky if I can get a few hundreds words down in a week.
This past month, I've been trying to find that old love again but it's been terribly difficult because I have unfinished chapter after unfinished chapter, hanging over my head. I can hear my characters screaming for attention, screaming for some well-written prose--they're fed up with me. I have to say, the feeling is mutual.

Instead of whining about it (ok, so this post is kind of whiny), I've decided to blog more and write some short stories, create some different characters. I have even decided to start writing poetry again, something I haven't done in a VERY long time. Don't be alarmed, I won't be posting any of it on this blog.
I think if I can get some distance from my novel, I can look at it from a different perspecitive. I'm hoping I'll miss it so much, I'll come running home one day, open my laptop and not stop typing for days on end. You know that feeling when your fingers can't keep up with the thoughts? I love that feeling. I miss that feeling. To me, that's inspiration.

I hope that trite saying really is true; 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'.

TIFF 09

2009-07-21T21:16:00.001-04:00

September in Toronto is probably my favourite time of the year.
Why?
The Toronto International Film Festival.

Our little festival has turned into quite the spectacle over the last decade and it's all thanks to us; the movie lovers. The film fest begins on the first Thursday after Labour Day and continues for ten days--that's about 300-400 films!

TIFF was founded in 1976 and was then known as 'The Festival of Festivals'. It started by simply showcasing the best films from festivals all over the world but has since become the premiere film festival in North America. Cannes beats us for first place when it comes to film festivals but we Canadians are gracious enough to accept second place. We all know our TIFF rocks! But, I digress.

TIFF is considered the kick-off for many Hollywood studios to start their films' 'Oscar-Buzz'. Movies like Chariots of Fire, Sideways, Crash, Slumdog Millionaire, Ray, American Beauty (one of my all-time favourites) have all had their North American or even global debut at TIFF. Let's just say, we have a pretty good track record when it comes to choosing movie lineups.

Click here for all of your TIFF info:
http://tiff.net/default.aspx

Today, they announced a huge portion of their documentary lineup:
http://tiff.net/press?newsId=630
And they also announced the Midnight Madness lineup:
http://tiff.net/press?newsId=631

So, it's still too early to tell but there's every reason to believe that the Toronto International Film Festival is going to be a big hit in 2009. Let's just hope our lovely Mayor solves this civic workers strike because I'm not too sure the international film industry will appreciate all of our garbage littering the downtown core.
Just sayin'!

Who Would We Be Without the Garbage?

2009-06-28T13:12:00.010-04:00

The city of Toronto is currently going through a civic worker's strike which literally means our garbage has not been picked up by the city in six days. The city workers gave us all a cold dose of irony when the first day of the strike took place on a day that was hot as hell. Was the union leader watching the Weather Channel?
It's times like these that really make me realize just how wasteful we all are. Also, I question what it is exactly that we're offering to the planet? When all is said and done, what will be left on this great earth of ours? I would venture to guess it would be things like styrofoam and plastic bags.
Trees and flowers are a lot prettier but are greatly outnumbered.

I think our wasteful nature stems from the fact that, as humans, we really, truly don't know what our purpose is. If you really sit and think about it, we are the only living beings on this planet that have this problem.
If you take a stroll through a park or garden, you see first-hand, all the other living things that know their purpose and have no trouble fulfilling their end of the bargain with the planet. From a Robin Red Breast to the common Bumble Bee, they awake each day and simply do their thing. Sure, there may be a day when Mr. Bumble Bee says 'I'm sick of this crap--I need a vacation!' but I doubt he says things like 'if I buy that sports car, my life will be complete!'.
As long as we don't know our purpose, we're always going to be overcome by materialism. We're always going to be looking for joy in objects then when those objects become old, tarnished or boring, they're placed in the trash and become the planet's problem. This is so wrong but it has been our reality for far a very long time. It's been my reality my entire life.
I'm hopeful that we'll all change but it's going to take a mass conciousness in order for this to happen.
The good news is, being Green is in style. Let's just hope it stays in style.

9 Times a Charm?

2009-06-06T21:01:00.005-04:00

Since January 2006, a particular character and her storyline have been taking over my thoughts on a daily basis. Doesn't matter what time of the day or night, she pops up whenever she feels like it.
'She' refuses to allow me to take a break from 'her' and 'her' drama; I like to use the 'I have writer's block' excuse but she will have none of it. Being born into fiction, I'm sure she's heard this before.
Her name is Anna. She's stubborn, elusive and thoroughly intoxicating, at times. She's difficult, time-consuming and easily ignored, at other times.
One of my main complaints about Anna is that I lack the good writing skills it's going to take to write her the way she deserves to be written.
I know, to most people, what I just wrote will come off as completely absurd. But to a fellow writer, I know it makes sense.
Have you ever had an amazing character or plot in your head that was just so bloody good, you were afraid of it? Not because you lack the motivation to write it but because you could see all the work it was going to take to pull it off and you think 'how is this going to be possible'? It's like our creative minds bite off more than they can 'chew' sometimes.

Tonight, for the first time in about three months, I'm tackling the (9th!) rewrite of my novel's first chapter; my arch-nemisis.
This is going to be hell....again.

I Don't Know Why

2009-06-04T20:40:00.005-04:00

I just signed up for Twitter. Never, in a million years, thought that I would.
My pal, Carrie Blogshaw http://sexandtheshtty.blogspot.com/ has tried to convince me (to no avail) to join Facebook but I refuse. There are limitations to just how connected I want to be.

This whole new internet socializing world is kind of making me feel old because I remember the days when I used to talk for hours on the phone AND actually write letters--with my hand, not with my laptop.
So, is the hand-written letter dead? Um, I hope so because my handwriting is an embarrassment. I can barely read it, let alone a friend or loved one.

Can't believe it's been so long since I last posted!
I've been busy job hunting. Finally landed one and started a few weeks ago! Horray for me.
If you've been following my blog, you probably know just how rocky my career has been over the last few years. I hope the bumps are getting smaller....but...life isn't supposed to be a smooth ride.

Pink Slips Aplenty

2009-04-15T12:36:00.010-04:00

I'm no stranger to the unemployment line.
I've been restructured twice (well, three times if you count the most recent issue with my contract renewal) in my career and both times were very difficult for me because I took the Pink Slip Process too personally. It's hard not to when you give your all to a company and then get the big kiss-off.
Recently, we've all been touched, in one way or another, by this economic 'crisis'. You would have to be either Paris Hilton or living under a rock if you haven't been. We all know someone who has lost a job or some major part of their livelihood--perhaps you are one of those people?

I've never really been particulary fantastic at one specific thing because I'm a textbook multi-tasking, Capricorn worker bee. I consider myself good at everything. I'm certain I'm not alone. I'm also certain this is one of the reasons why I've had a difficult time finding a great company that appreciates me over the last few years.
However, there is one thing that I am very good at and yes, you can say I specialize in this area; dealing with unemployment and the invetibale job hunting process. (Just take a look at some of my old blogs)
So, for all you job hunters out there, listen up! Things will get better and you WILL land that job, eventually.
I know, you can't make a living off of 'eventually' so let me elaborate on this whole Pink Slip Process.
From my own personal experience, there are three major stages you will go through now that you've been laid-off.

1. Shock

When you first receive your Pink Slip, you are going to feel shocked. Even if you 'felt it coming' over the last couple of months, you're still going to be shocked when you're pulled into that big, echoing boardroom with the VP of Pink Slip Land (aka, the VP of Human Resources). You'll probably be escorted back to your desk to pack up and then lead out to the front doors of your office building--the same doors you happily walked into on your first day, way back when. You'll walk, in a daze, back to the car or the bus from which you came.
Many thoughts and images will run through your mind, like a mirrorball. Your first impulse is to call everyone you know. You'll discuss the issue at length for awhile and then by mid-afternoon you'll be emotionally and physically drained.
From my own experience, it's very important to hold tight to your friends and family at this time. When you're in shock, you can say and do things without thinking--your unconcious. You need good, honest people around you for moral support. So, call them whenever you need to vent or just need to hear a friendly voice.

Stay away from ANY friend or family member that you deem negative during this stage!

2. The Pity Party

After the shock wears off, you're going to feel sad and alone and if you liked your job in any way, you're going to love it and mourn it by now. Mostly because your friends and family will be going on about their business (and going to work) and you'll feel forgotten and rather useless because you don't feel as busy anymore. But don't worry, you're not forgotten. Your friends and family want to help you through this but please remember that they have busy lives, too.

At this time, it's a good idea to stay away from sending out resumes and cover letters and trying to set up job interviews. I know this sounds strange. Trust me though, you need to take a few days (or weeks, if you can) to regroup and revamp that resume. Also, from an energy point of you, you will come off as deseperate or deflated if you start to interview at this time. You need to take a breather. You need to treat yourself well during this stage. Read that book you always wanted to read but never had the time. Spend some quality time with your kids. Treat yourself to a hot fudge sundae and a long, hot bath. Or why not take a long walk or run? It's a great stress-reliever and fresh air always seems to help clear the cobwebs from your mind.

Don't panic at this stage. The sadness won't last long and you'll need all of your strength to handle the next stage--the most difficult stage.

3. Anger

After sadness and the pity party get's tired, you'll move on to the anger stage. It won't take much to set you off on this path. Could just be something you saw on Oprah that day or maybe someone simply asked 'have you heard anything yet?' For me, all it took was one unreturned phone call from a potential employer and I turned into this raging lunatic. I hated every company and every HR Manager had become the devil incarnate. I hated myself during this stage and actually started blaming myself for getting let go even though it was a restructuring and had nothing to do with performance. This is a typical reaction though so fight it as soon as the feeling comes up. You need to think of yourself as an asset. Every time I started to feel anger or resentment, I would say to myself "I'm an honest, hard worker and I deserve a good job with a decent company" over and over again.

The funny thing is, during this stage some good came out of a bad situation. I started writing my novel. Mostly because I felt so rejected, I wanted to show the world that they made a mistake by passing on me as an employee. I wanted to show them that I was more than just a well-written resume. When I look back at my writing during that time, it was pretty damn good. However, I would never want to feel that kind of negativity in my life ever again. I was miserable and so were the people around me.

So, during the anger stage, you need to be a bit harder on yourself. Forget those hot fudge sundaes and the self-loathing, what you need now is a plan. A positive, realistic plan to get you back in the workforce. Think about changing your resume or changing the way you answer certain, typical interview questions. Study up on the interviewing process--there are a ton of books and websites dedicated to helping people answer those tough questions. Also, think about your attire. Are you dressing properly for your interviews? And what about the positions themselves, are they suitable for you or are you just applying for them out of desperation. Speaking of the positions, are you tailoring your resume for them? If not, you need to start. A canned resume will only get you so far.

Read A New Earth after this stage is winding down!

My last piece of advice at getting through this diffucult time is for you to read a book called A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. I won't elaborate on why I want you to read this book--just do it. However, if at the first page, you are already questioning my recommendation, put it down and don't pick it up again until you're ready. This book can't be read when you're negative in any way.

Final thought:

I practice what I preach. I am also in the same job hunting boat with the rest of you so please don't think I don't know how you feel.

This blog is dedicated to my very smart, beautiful and hard-working friend who lost her job this morning. I'll be here to help you through your three stages as you have always been there to help me through mine! xoxo

Has Hollywood Gone Ugly?

2009-04-02T13:09:00.010-04:00

When I think about the hottest leading men in movie history, I often think about Marlon Brando. No other Hollywood star has come close to mocking his ruggedness and beauty, not to mention his talent.
Perhaps he didn't set out to do this (I've read that he often said he hated acting and Hollywood, in general) but he has created this bar for all other actors. No, I'm not talking about his notable acting ability I'm talking about something more important; his good looks.

In Hollywood, there should be a law that requires leading men to look their best. There certainly is a law for female actors. Heaven forbid a leading lady weigh in over the 100 pound mark or heaven forbid if she should show up on the set without her hair extensions and piles of makeup. That just wouldn't be kosher.
Don't get me wrong, there are some hot actors out there right now: Pitt, Clooney, Washington, Owen--can't think of anymore. However, I can name MANY beautiful leading ladies. What does that say?

So, tell me Hollywood, why is it that these guys are allowed to be unattractive, talentless and leading men?

That's right; these three (Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel) have ALL been leading men in Hollywood films that have done relatively well.
Mind you, they are not world renowned films but still, they're making serious money in an industry that used to pride itself on beauty.
These three look as though they just rolled out of bed and onto a movie set. Not only are they unattractive (and they look as though they haven't showered in a decade), they can't act. Every second word out the their mouth's have been curse words. If you don't believe me, see their films.
Oh, and speaking of their films, what makes even less sense is that their leading ladies have all been gorgeous. Katherine Hegel and Mila Kunis are just a couple of names that come to mind. Like these two gals would even give these losers a second look? Please!

This makes me think about Seinfeld.
Remember how Jerry, George and Kramer always had cute girlfriends? I mean, the fact that George would even have a woman speak to him was a stretch. But in almost every episode, there he was, complaining about a woman he was dating.
Then, you have Elaine. Pretty, funny, smart and successful.
What kind of guys did Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld write for her? LOSERS! The only guy that was the slightest bit good looking was Puddy. They ALWAYS gave her the unattractive morons as dates.
But, I digress.

Is this 'Ugly Hollywood Leading Men' thing just a passing fad or is this something more sinister; is this something permanent?
I don't know about you ladies out there, but I want my gorgeous, hunky leading men back!!!

Hollywood: are you listening?

An important note:
We all know that Mr. Brando REALLY let himself go in his last years. However, I think it's important to note that he was still getting some great parts, well into his seventies.
Now, on the flipside we have Elizabeth Taylor. A ridiculously beautiful actress that also let herself go as she aged. What was her last big film? 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf' circa 1966. She was 34 years old.

The Crystal Palace

2009-03-30T09:55:00.014-04:00

One of my favourite novels is Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middlesex_(novel)
I've never been able to feel so completely lost in a story until I read that book (3x!). To be honest, Middlesex was the catalyst for my renewed love of writing.

While I always enjoyed putting pen to paper, I never thought I would consider my writing to be publishable. Hell, I still don't know if I have what it takes but I'm not going to let that stop me.

Jeffrey Eugenides made me fall in love with words again. Writing wasn't just something fun to do, it had started to become a serious part of my life. I owe him but sometimes I curse him because the writing life is far from easy. There are times when I would like to throw my laptop out the window. However, there are times, when I'm 'in the groove' and the words are flowing so easily that I feel so good about my life. It's a roller coaster ride.

I heard that it took Mr. Eugenides nine years to complete Middlesex. At first, I thought that was a terribly long time but once I started writing my novel, I realized it's not that long at all. It can take you years just to find the right 'voice', meaning do you use first-person or third-person? I've played around with both. I'm leaning more towards the first-person, this week.

Another part of the novel that takes a very loooong time to write; the first chapter. We newbies have heard this a thousand times; the first chapter needs to be very well-written and must have killer hook.
So, I think I've changed my first chapter almost 20 times, so far. It still doesn't feel right. But will it ever feel right? I'm scared that I may never know if it's good enough.
The rejection letters will be a sign though, right?

I think the most difficult job for a novel writer is to stay motivated and interested in your story. Motivation has never been easy for me. I tend to start projects and then get tired of them if they are not going my way. I've learned (the hard way) over the years that this attitude will not get you anywhere in life. It especially won't get you published.
So, what keeps me motivated is the fact that I have an interesting story to tell. A family saga, a romance, a mystery--all in one novel. I think there will be a lot of people intrigued by the plot and the dysfunctional yet lovable characters.

I read an interview that Mr. Eugenides did for the Oprah show. I wasn't surprised that he too found it difficult to stay motivated. Makes me feel like I'm in good company.

'It's rare for me to get an idea for a book as large and fully formed as the idea for Middlesex. At a certain point early on, I saw the entire structure of the book in crystalline form inside my head. The elegance of this structure bewitched me. When I felt like giving up—and I did almost give up, many times—the thought of that crystal palace in the distance kept me plodding on.'

-Jeffrey Eugenides in an interview with Oprah Winfrey

Organ Donation: Coming soon to a restaurant near you!

2009-03-16T18:59:00.019-04:00

I had dinner with a friend of mine the other night. Just after our meal, we stumbled upon the topic of 'weird things that people eat'. My friend heard of a restaurant in Japan that apparently has human intestines on the menu. I can't see how this could possibly be legal unless someone decides to donate their organs to the restaurant industry rather than to Science. Personally, I would never want to donate my body to Science (or to my local Japanese restaurant) for fear of ridicule. I know I'll be dead but who's not to say I won't see myself being made fun of? Nope, I just can't risk it.

I looked all over the internet for the Human Intestine Restaurant to no avail. However, I did stumble upon some other rather strange restaurants. Below are just a few:

Medical Restaurant: Taipei, Taiwan

How would you like your favourite drink to be served by an IV drip? Or how about enjoying your favourite meal while sitting in a wheelchair?

The guy who came up with this idea was a former patient who received great care at his local hosptial. I still don't see why he wanted to place these two 'themes' together but hey, to each his own.

I'm sure this restaurant does well with men, though as all the waitresses are dressed as slutty nurses.

Restaurant in the Sky: Belgium
The only advice I can give is don't drop your fork and keep that bloody seatbelt fastened at ALL times.

Underwater Restaurant: Maldives, Dhivehi

Out of all these ridiculous destinations, I would choose this one. It sits five meters under the Indian Ocean and offers 270 degree views.

Japan: The Cannibal Banquet

This is weird. This is Japan.

So, the 'body' is made kind of like a pinata. The food inside is covered in a red sauce of some kind. They place more of this sauce in between the layers of 'skin' so that when you use the scalpel (yes, this is like an autopsy) the 'body' will bleed.

Last, but not least (back to Taiwan) The Toilet Restaurant:
What's wrong with this country? Is their food so boring they have to come up with appalling ways to eat it?

This is disgusting. Not sure how anyone can enjoy their meal out of something that mimics the place where we do our 'business'.

We Canadians may not have our own 'cusine' to speak of but at least we don't eat out of toilets!

Speling 101....I mean Spelling 101

2009-02-27T14:57:00.015-05:00

This post is dedicated to my friend, Wanger who likes to poke fun at all the typos in my blog.

Did you know, that in 1908, a very special organization called the Simplified Spelling Society was formed? It's currently called The Spelling Society.
http://www.spellingsociety.org/

The society was formed to raise awareness of the problems caused by bad spellers (like me) and to help reform said bad spellers.
So, stop pretending you're dyslexic (I never do this!) and listen up! There is help for us bad spellers. And it may make you feel better if I post a list of famous bad spellers that went on to lead VERY productive lives?
More on that later.

The English language is extremely complex--just ask an ESL student. We English speaking people tend to take for granted how difficult our language is to learn. In fact, English students take twice as long as French, German and Italian speaking students to learn to read and write. The problem is, for every rule, there are 20 exceptions (I'm exaggerating but you know what I mean). Remember English class back in your school days?
Also, what about the differences between 'English' English words and 'American' English words? How confusing must that be for people just learing our language? They can spell colour like this or the wrong way; color. ;)

According to Vivian Cook, author of Accomodating Brocolli in the Cemetary, there are at least 20 most commonly misspelled words. He has created a site where you can take spelling tests and see how you do against others.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vivian.c/TestsFrame.htm

Btw, Wanger: I scored 14/20 on the spelling test. Ha! See if you can beat that!

So, just because you can't spell doesn't mean you can't be a success. As promised, below is a list of 'famously' bad spellers:

John F. Kennedy & Mrs. Jackie Kennedy (who was an editor, btw and I don't have to mention what her husband did for a living, do I?)
Dan Quayle (another politician--he spells potato with an 'e' at the end)
Deborah Franklin (wife of Benjamin Franklin who liked to add another 'e' to very; verey)
Emily Dickinson (some of her misspelled words: extacy, Febuary, independant)
Kevin Jonas of the Jonas Brother's has recently admitted to being a bad speller (teenage girls everywhere now think illiteracy is 'cute')
Albert Einstein (not only was he told he could not spell, most teacher's dismissed him as mentally 'slow' when he was a child)

Feeling better yet?

I was going to write about Wanger's dirty little secrets to get back at her but I let her know I wouldn't do that for fear of inducing sleep. But hey, if you're having problems falling asleep, I have the perfect antidote for you.

3rd Annual Oscar Report

2009-02-23T09:16:00.019-05:00

The 81st Oscars graced televisions across the world last night with the usual star-studded red carpet, elaborate stage, surprises (though, there weren't many this year) and disappointments.

I watch the Oscars EVERY year without fail from beginning to end. I think I started watching this show in utero. To some people, this event may seem irrelevant, a waste of time and money (especially now during this recession) but I think it's important that we have events like the Oscars and The Grammy's. What would we be without art in our lives? What would we talk about over dinner or at the water cooler if not for movies both good and bad?
Artists (actors, painters, writers, singers etc.) are an important part of our society and human culture. Speaking of artists, can I just start by saying (without judgement from anyone) that I screamed and jumped up and down last night when they called Sean Penn's name for Best Actor? Milk was one of my fave contenders this year and I knew the Academy would not be able to ignore another strong performance by Penn. Sure, Mickey Roarke was fantastic in The Wrestler. Sure, everyone loves a good come-back story but sorry Mickey; none of the other nominees had ANYTHING on Penn this year.

Actually, last night I got my way many times! ;)
Kate, oh Kate! She finally won her first Oscar. Though I wasn't crazy about The Reader (LOVED the book) she played a really tough part and made it look easy. She's a great actress and truly deserves her Oscar. I loved her speach last night because it just seemed so real and unrehearsed--and she was just so grateful. And just look at her; isn't she a gorgeous woman? Her fashion choices rarely disappoint as she always looks elegant and very, very classy.

So, it was the year of the little Indian movie called Slumdog Millionaire. For us smart people the saw the film, we knew it would make a clean sweep in just about every category it was nominated for. What a great movie. It has all the elements of a classic; heartache, humour, adventure and charm. It's no surprise that among the many categories it won, Best Picture was one of them. And just look at some of the cast members; how cute are they?

Well, I hate to admit it but I fell prey to the undeniable charms of Brangelina last night. You can't help but look at these two in awe. They are both stunning creatures but together they make a ridiculously fabulous couple.

Angelina Jolie has really grown up; she no longer feels the need to look like Elvira. Remember what she looked like when she won for Girl Interupted? You don't? Let me remind you:Boy, what a long way she has come. She looks like she appreciates her beauty now.
And Brad, well what else can be said about him? He's a big hunk of loin-quivering masculinity.

Did anyone see my Cate? Cate Blanchett that is. Where was she? The Red Carpet was not the same without her; a fashion icon. Perhaps she knew that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button would lose in almost every category? Those of us that sat through the three-hour movie knew this, too.

Now, I can't mention Brangelina without mentioning Jennifer Aniston. It's like these three are always going to be linked together; poor Jenn. Not only does she have to resort to dating Jon Mayer, she showed up to the Oscars last night looking like ass. What was she thinking? Or perhaps she's given up? Who wants to compete with Angelina Jolie anyway; it's a losing battle.

She looked like she just stepped off the beach. No wonder she didn't walk the Red Carpet. Hideous! Even Mario Lopez walked the Red Carpet! What the F*** was he doing there?

What would the Oscars be without a good host? Well, it would be the 2005 Oscars hosted by Chris Rock.

This year the Academy chose Hugh Jackman to do the hosting and I think he did a great job. It must be a difficult job. There's so much pressure. Anyway, I didn't know Hugh was so uber talented. He can sing and dance and even act; a triple threat, indeed. His opening number was engaging and funny; reminded me of the good old days when Billy Crystal was host. I miss Billy! Hope he comes back soon.

Couples:
I love it when celeb couples show up looking fabulous! (Like Brangelina above) This is part of their job; they need to look good for us poor souls that can only watch this event on TV. How dare they show up looking like crap? Hello! Russell Crowe! Are you listening???

Here are some of my faves from last night:

Diane & Josh: can't get enough of these two. They always look elegant. I heard they like to argue and fight and throw things at eachother; you would never know it in this photo! I have a bit if a crush on Josh these days ever since No Country For Old Men. I think he's underrated.

Seal & Heidi: these two make me sick. They're just too gorgeous and happy!! SJP & The Ingrate: I like watching these two walk the Red Carpet because they are like the odd couple. She's charming and enthusiastic (she was wearing a Dior gown last night that made my jaw literally drop) while he looks as though we should all be kissing his ass because he's soooo talented and he's on Broadway and he's more interested in the 'craft'. Please! You were Ferris Bueller for Christ's sake! Get over yourself.

Pheobe and The Kline: Remember Pheobe Cates? That raven-haired, beautiful 80's star? She had so much potential but opted for Mommyhood over Hollywood. She's still so lovely. I love it that these two are still together. Red certainly was a popular colour last night.

Last but not least; Sean & Robyn: this couple has always been mysterious and intriguing to me. Robyn is still so gorgeous, isn't she? She'll always be my Kelly from Santa Barbara! ;) And Penn, well, I just love him and everything that he does. He just oozes sex appeal, intelligence and talent. I'm so glad they 'kissed and made up' after their little split last year.

All in all, it was a good night. Nothing really surprising happened; the Academy had it easy this year. The writing was on the wall: Slumdog Millionaire deserved EVERY award it was nominated for, Sean Penn is a revelation, Kate Winslet proved again that going ugly for a part pays off, Heath Ledger deserved that posthumous Oscar and Penelope Cruz proved she CAN act--in her own language, though. ;)

Note to God: If I'm allowed to come back in another life, would you please use this mold? Thanks! xo

How Did I Survive These People?

2009-02-20T12:13:00.006-05:00

When I was six months old, I fell off the freezer. The story goes; my Mom placed me in my little chair, sitting atop the freezer while she was doing the dishes. Apparently, I got a tad overzealous with the rocking action my chair endulged me with and flipped out, hitting the floor, directly on my knees. When I heard this story (just the other day) I was pleased to know that I could blame my bad knees on my parents! Horrah! Like a lot of other ailments and shortcomings in my life, I blame my family. It's wonderful.
God only knows how many other stories of neglect my parents have stashed away. Just waiting and anticipating the right moment (like Thanksgiving dinner) to share their horrific tales of parenthood.
Here are a few more 'events' from childhood that force me to ponder; am I a cat?:

When I was five or six years old, I almost drowned. I did it again at the age of about eight and then again at the age of sixteen (can't blame them for that incident) while vacationing in Mexico.
At the age of seven, I came down with Mononucleosis and ended up in hospital for about two weeks. At the same time, I had to have my tonsils out and then hemorrhaged shortly after the doctor sent me home. Let's just say, for Christmas that year, I wasn't wishing for new toys.
When I was four years old, my Dad left me in his truck for a split second while the engine was running; I grabbed the gear stick and threw it into reverse. All I remember is my Dad and his friend chasing the truck, trying their best to stop it before it crashed into the car behind me. They were successful and VERY lucky. Or am I the lucky one?

My parents had me when they were very young and very stupid and probably very high. Like most other occurences in the 70's, I wasn't planned. I like to think that they did their best but when you know NOTHING about babies, how do you know what your 'best' is?

Each and every time I go to visit my parents I say the same thing: how did I survive you people?

How the hell did Buddha do it?

2009-01-17T15:08:00.009-05:00

Have you ever had one of those days that make you feel like you let yourself down? I had that kind of day yesterday; a really unpleasant day. Just when I thought I was handling the obscurity and the nonsense at work, I snapped. I snapped for the smallest reason (I can say this now, thanks to retrospect). I threw a colleague a very passive-agressive remark and immediately hated myself. There are just some things you can't take back so true to form, I've spent most of today dwelling on it. I'm left wondering when I will stop letting people get to me. Here I was, thinking how enlightened I had become this past year and then 'BOOM'! I'm right back where I started from. To make matters worse, I recently turned a year older--what's my problem?

I guess you could say the path to enlightenment is a long, precarious road. There are no speed limits but there are plenty of u-turns, dead-ends and traffic lights on our way to Nirvana. However, before we can even think about knocking on Nirvana's door, we have to be at peace with ourselves and the world around us. We have to be truly happy.

According to Buddha, there are four Nobel Truths; the secrets, if you will, to true peace and happiness.
I've put these in laymans terms....

1. Life means suffering

There is suffering in the world because human nature is far from perfect. During our lifetime, we will endure both physical and psychological pain--it can't be avoided.
Basically, we will go through sad times and happy times; both of these will pass even though we want the happy times to last forever. Nothing is permanent in life.

2. The origin of suffering is attachment
Beware of transient things! The attachment we have to objects has become increasingly alarming over the last decade; we're looking to 'things' for comfort and happiness. I guess you could also call this materialism.
However, ideas and ALL objects of our perception are transient.
True suffering really is linked to desire for things, striving for fame, pursuing wealth at all costs. We simply want too much, thus we suffer even more when we don't get what we want.
Take the desire out of life and you'll never be disappointed again? Just a thought....

3. The cessation of suffering is attainable
This one is a bit tricky to explain. You can stop (temporarily or permanently) suffering through 'nirodha'. What does 'nirodha' mean? It's the process of unravelling our issues with desire and attachment to objects. This truth expresses the idea that suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion.

4. The path to the cessation of suffering
The path to end suffering is basically a very gradual path toward self-improvement.
According to Buddha, this particular path can last many lifetimes so most of us have a very long way to go. I know I do.

In short, the true meaning of happiness is going to be completely different from person to person. Not only that, the route we take to get there will also be different.
Personally, I've come to the conclusion that I will never, ever be truly happy until I become more grateful for all the blessings in my life. I tend to dwell too much on my failures and things that I don't have. That's just a waste of time and tires me out physically and emotionally.

That's it for now; I have to excuse myself because I want to eat a box of cookies. However, in an effort to beat my scale at its' own game, I'll slip in one of my Absolutely Fabulous DVD's and laugh my troubles away. Cookies: BAD! Ab Fab: GOOD!

You have to laugh through the tears.....

The City of Lights Part 2: Versailles

2008-12-23T21:09:00.008-05:00

Seeing this place first-hand, I no longer question why the French killed their royal family!

The front gate: pure gold

Imagine walking up to this place thinking 'this is my house'

Hall of Mirrors

The Queen's Bedroom

The King's Meeting Room--the famous globe is in the pic

The Gardens

They bring out the Best and the Worst of us...

2008-12-22T21:57:00.005-05:00

That's what the holidays do.

Each and every year since I was a child, I wondered what the holidays were all about. I wondered why we do what we do this time of year--what's it all for? Is it simply a celebration of Jesus' birth? Or is it all about that fat guy in the red suit?
I thought I would have found the answer by now (it's been almost 20 years since I've started looking!) but I'm still searching. I'm still trying to figure out why we all run around picking up gifts for people that, more than likely, do not need more 'things' in their life.

Really, when I think back to Christmas' past, I remember the one's that included good friends (and sometimes family) and good food--simple as that. Christmas' that didn't have a ton of hype surrounding them--one's that were planned last-minute. What don't I remember from Christmas' past? Things. Material Things. For instance, Christmas 1996 was one of my fondest memories--I don't recall what presents I got that year, though. (Actually, I probably didn't get much of anything that year because most of my friend back then were starving artists)

I was on the subway yesterday, minding my own business, listening to my ipod. There was an older, attractive woman sitting across from me. At one point when I looked up, she was wiping tears from her eyes. Like a trainwreck, I couldn't help but watch her. She then began to ball, tears flowing like a faucet. I felt bad for her--I wanted to comfort her but she's a complete stranger and I didn't want to make her feel worse. I wondered what she was crying about. Did she lose a loved-one recently? Is her best friend dying of Cancer? Or, because of the holiday pychosis we all suffer from, was she simply crying because her husband invited two more people to Christmas dinner?
Food for thought.

In the world we live in right now, where celebrities rule and enough is never enough, it's hard to find the true meaning of Christmas. So, no matter what your plans are for the holidays, keep in mind one thing: just when you think you have it bad, there's someone else who has it worse than you.

The City of Lights

2008-12-20T19:28:00.008-05:00

God, I love Paris. There's no other place like it on earth. It's magical.
I spent 10 glorious days there in November--below is just a sampling of photos from my journey.
Enjoy!

(I know! It's taken me long enough to post these!)

A view from Notre Dame

Pont Alexandre Bridge--an iconic Paris image

Hotel Du Louvre

The Venus de Milo--she's exquisite

Place de la Concorde (King Louis XVIwas beheaded here!)

'She' is the piece de la resistance, n'est pas?

Notre Dame

A view of the Left Bank

The famous Arc

If she breaks up with America, who keeps the clothes?

2008-10-23T20:21:00.011-04:00

Poor Sarah Palin. It seems like she can't do anything right. Her every move and every word is scrutinized and basically made fun of. She's every Saturday Night Live's dream, isn't she?
I'm not a fan of Sarah Palin by any means but I think the media has gone too far this time: they now have the nerve to question Sarah's 'lavish' spending on clothing since she became McCain's 'chosen one'.

Now, let's just imagine how disappointing it would be if Sarah showed up to her one and only debate (with Joe Biden, not Joe the Plummer) wearing a suit from Sears:

Don't get me wrong, we need places like Sears, Walmart & Target to shop for great deals but America should draw the line at dressing a Vice Presidential candidate in something an average Soccer Mom would wear. Let's get real here, people! We don't want Sarah to look like the average Soccer Mom she claims to be! We want her to look hot! We want her to look polished. A suit like the one about (63% polyester/37% rayon) does not do so well under all those unforgiving lights, not to mention the heat. In case you're lucky enough to have never felt polyester on your skin, let me explain to you how it feels: it feels like shit. It feels like you are sweating your ass off, even in minus 20 degree weather. For you see, polyester doesn't breath--it suffucates. AND if you wear it long enough, you'll stink. This is probably why people living through the seventies wanted to be naked and celebrate 'free love' every day. Forget sex, drugs and Rock&Roll--they couldn't take the heat of polyester.

Sarah showed up to the debate looking lovely--not sweaty. She also probably smelled a lot better since the heat of all those lights (and the pressure) must of made her sweat buckets.
Look how great she looks! (Isn't Joe cute? I have such a crush on him! Don't ask..)

So, it turns out that Sarah likes to shop at Neiman Marcus & Saks; likes it sooo much, she's racked up $150,000 worth of clothes. Really? A woman likes to shop at these places? You don't say! Anyway, it was first reported that she bought her Armani suit the night before the big debate but this suit is not Armani--it's Tahari. And it's a steal! $498!

Surely America can forgive her for this. I mean, she saved them $1,500 when she decided against the Armani.

True Love Is Both Sticky AND Sweet

2008-10-19T18:11:00.015-04:00

Now, most people that know me know that I am a Madonna fan. A big Madonna fan. Just ask my iPod; out of 1000 songs, about 800 of them belong to my idol, Madge.
I've seen her in concert numerous times. I've watched ALL of her (painful) movies and I've even supported her hand at fashion design by buying a bunch of crap that didn't fit me at H&M a few years back.
Again, last night I supported my idol by attending the Hard Candy/Sticky & Sweet concert here in Toronto.
It was no Confessions Tour but it was still Madge at her very best; singing & dancing in four-inch platform boots, giving her twenty-something dancers a run for their money.
I don't know how this woman does it. She can't be human. But I love her anyway and true love lasts forever.

Looking forward to her next tour which will probably be called the Post-Divorce Tour!

Tick, Tock

2008-06-30T16:34:00.009-04:00

I was checking my email on MSN earlier today and stumbled upon an interesting article about the highs, lows and truths of parenthood.
As it turns out, studies are now showing that childless marriages are happier marriages.
I didn't need an article to tell me that. But am I alone?

It seems that more and more people are popping out kids like bottomless Pez dispensers. Everywhere I look, I see one designer baby carriage after another. In fact, my neighbourhood is most definately going through a baby boom. It doesn't matter what restaurant or store you walk into, you're sure to find the $1200 carriage--most likely a Bugaboo in the infamous red colour.
Gone are the days of quiet booths in fancy restaurants. Now, they're all replaced with open tables, ten feet between them for the carriages and high chairs.
Have babies become the cool accessory? It seems so. However, I would rather carry a purse.

I guess I should thank my family for forcing me to babysit my younger cousins as a teenager because those evening and weekends reiterated the fact that I despise taking care of miniature humans. I despise listening to kids whine. I depsise changing diapers. I despise allowing kids to decide what they want to watch on tv; Barney or Sesame Street. They should either watch what I want to watch or just go to bed. You see, I come from a time when children were 'seen and not heard'.

I often sit and ponder; will my biological clock ever start ticking? I mean, I'm not getting any younger--I'm in my mid-thirties. Shouldn't the clock have started by now?
I should be cooing over cute little babies when I see them but all I think is 'damn, that's a lot of work!'.

SATC Movie Review ~spoilers~

2008-06-01T14:38:00.005-04:00

My friend Laura had a Sex and the City party last night. All us gals met at her place for martinis then we were off to the theater for the much anticipated SATC movie.
Really, how many women did the same thing this weekend? It's like being invited to a party that every woman in the world is invited to, no matter how old you are.

SATC was always a smart show. It was always true to the characters and it was always hilarious. Now, let me just say that the movie was good--it was entertaining if you just 'went with it'. Meaning, if you didn't have any pre-conceived notions and any built-up expectations that this was going to be a great ending to the perfect tv show for women.
I tried to really love it all in the end. I tried my best to look past all the details that bothered me. However, here I am a day later trying to figure out why I'm so mad at this film.
I've come up with three reasons why this movie didn't sit well with me:

1. In the opening sequence, narrator Carrie says "Every year, thousands of twenty-something women move to Manahattan for two things; labels and love"
Why does this bother me? Because it's not true. Women move to Manhattan for career opportunities, mostly. The same reason why Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha are Manhanites. Remember when these women talked about their careers?
So, labels--yes. Love--no. Why would women move to a city like Manahattan for love? The women to men ratio is 2:1.

2. Charlotte, the happily married stay-at-home Mom was the only woman that was truly happy. Her life was perfect.
I'm surprised the writers did this. Is it because SJP is now a Mom and assumes that the rest of the women in this world want to raise children and make dinner for their hard-working men? Give me a break. I thought Hollywood was beyond this.

3. Carries gave into Big--again. Whatever Mr. Big wants, Carrie gives him without thinking about what she wants.
In the end they get married but it's on his terms--again. If he really loved her, why couldn't he give her the wedding she truly wanted? Why couldn't he let her have her fantasy day? After all, it's her first marriage--unlike him, working on his third.

If you loved the show, go see the movie. The fashion is great, there are a ton of great lines (Kim Catrall is a joy) and it really is a special treat to see the gals together again. They have some wonderful chemistry together.
I just hope there's not a SATC II.
Or maybe I'm just cynical. ;)

Who Created the Food Network?

2008-04-16T13:15:00.003-04:00

Because I would like to hurt them!
The Food Network is not fun for me anymore because I'm 'watching what I eat'. I hate that saying. Who really 'watches' their food? Don't we all just shovel the stuff in? I know I do. And I suspect that is one of my problems. Duh.
Last night before bed I was watching tv, doing my usual channel surfing. I was starving. I had most of my points too early in the day so my last 'meal' was at 5:30pm. Not good. And I won't even tell you what that meal consisted of--you would feel sorry for me. ;)
Anyway, the food channel comes on and instead of sitting there, enjoying the show (s) as I normally do, I had to quickly change the channel. My stomach was growling so loud I thought it would wake up Simon, my four-legged son.

I received an email from a potential book club organizer this morning. I've been wanting to join her book club as the meetings will be close to my home and her taste in books seems to fit mine. I think this will be good for me. I love to read but I get sad when I finish a great book because I don't have anyone to talk about it with. Well, accept here on my blog but my blog doesn't talk back--yet.

25 Points? That's it?

2008-04-15T12:22:00.006-04:00

Last night, I had a brisk walk with a friend around a track near my house. I was so mad at myself when on the second lap, I wanted to give up. I kept thinking about how much I use to run and how great it made me feel. Now, five years later, I can barely walk up a flight of stairs without feeling like my heart is pushing its' way out of my chest.
So, I've taken my Doc's advice and I have joined Weight Watchers. I wrote about my yearly physical awhile back--around Christmas. My Doc used the 'O' word on me and told me Weight Watchers is the best way to lose the weight and to keep it off.
I joined the online community this morning as I refuse to be weighed in front of strangers every week at a Weight Watchers near me. ;) My target points: 25 per day. It's 1pm right now and I've already devoured 8 of the points--maybe even more than that as I can't figure out how many points are in my giant coffee each morning.
Let's hope Weight Watchers can help me overcome my love affair with food!

As far as my writing goes, I haven't written anything decent in a few weeks. I think my writing space is kinda boring me. I need a change. I think I may try to start writing at Starbuck's again. The only reason why I stopped was my laptop battery only lasts like two hours! I hate having to carry around the big, silly plug so I usually opt to stay home and write.
The good news is, my friend Peter really helped me out with the plot of my novel. It's so great to have someone read your writing and give helpful, critical advice--and it's free of charge!
I have just one problem right now with an event in the novel. It looks like I have to do even more research on the Holocaust of WWII. Just when I thought I was done, here I am again.
To be honest, the research part is easy. The writing, well that's a whole other thing.

Employment Update:
I have an interview on Thursday morning. The position sounds promising so I hope it works out--I gotta pay some bills!

A Blanket of White

2008-03-13T09:38:00.005-04:00

Anyone living north of Florida has felt the pain and anguish this winter. The blistey winds, the piles and piles of snow being dumped on us every day during Feb & March and the dirty, greyish-coloured stain the salt leaves behind on your newly dry cleaned trousers.
I haven't seen a winter with this much snow since I was a child. However, when you're a child you can handle it better. When you're a child, you don't have to dig your car out of the snow plows aftermath every morning. The snow is a pain in the butt. And it's still falling as I write this. Global Warming my ass!
In about four months, I'm going to be complaining about the heat, lol.

Employment update:
I'm still unemployed and I'm still happy. I'm living in the now. I highly recommend it.

Warning: I'm about to gloat about my Idol so to those (really weird) folks that don't like Madonna, stop reading.
On March 10, 2008 My Idol was inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Can you believe that this woman has been around for 25 years? And I've been a fan since day one. I was a fan (and just a wide-eyed little girl) the very first time I saw the Lucky Star video. I actually did a danse to that song in a talent show when I was in the 4th grade--LOL. It was a disaster.

Congratulations Madge!
Love your oldest (?) fan!

xoxoxoxo

The Little Gold Man

2008-02-25T12:23:00.002-05:00

Another Oscar Night has gone by without the glitz and the glamour. There was something missing last night. I don't know if it was the big names (Leo DiCaprio, Brangelina, Kate Winslet, Matt Damon, Jude Law, etc., etc.) missing from the Red Carpet or the lackluster fashion choices. Or could it just be that the movies nominated were not seen by most people?
I like to consider myself a movie buff, but there were more than a few movies I didn't see. For instance, There Will Be Blood: it only grossed 35 million while Fool's Gold has grossed 52 million. But don't even get me started on that.

I think a lot of people will have some serious questions after last night. Here are the top five:

1. Javier Bardem is this sexy? Good lord! Can hair really make that much of a difference?
http://www.variety.com/graphics/awardcentral2007/javier.jpg
http://www.fest21.com/files/images/NO%20COUNTRY%20FOR%20OLD%20MEN.JPG

2. Tilda Swinton: who is it, what is it and what kind of dumbass speech is that?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE8aHxrcvGk

3. Even Daniel Day-Lewis wants to kiss George Clooney? Can someone please explain the appeal?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoQhqBSNVos

4. Why is Collin Ferrel still invited to the Oscars? Remember Alexander? I do! I'll never get those two excruciating hours back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck_c40EdLFE

5. Where the hell is Billy Crystal????

This year I have only seen a handful of the movies nominated:
La Vie en Rose : one of my new favourite movies, btw. It was simply fantastic and I'm so glad Marion won
Juno: cute movie but hardly worth all the Oscar buzz
Elizabeth: The Golden Age: the first one was better. Great costume's though and my Cate was amazing, as usual
Eastern Promises: fantastic movie. Viggo really did deserve the nomination although I'm surprised it was the only nom for this movie
Atonement: a simply gorgeous film. It was a bit boring at times for me but that's just because I dislike war scenes.
Ratatouille: I LOVED this movie. The win for best animated film was a no-brainer.
American Gangster: your typical Denzel film. Well-acted and worth the $11.95.

I have to mention my favourite moment last night. It was the winner for best song. Let me set the stage for those of you that missed it:
Enchanted was a cute movie. It's a Disney movie. It's a musical. It was nominated for best song three times over this year. The other two nominees; a song from August Rush (a movie most people did not see or even hear of) and a song from the movie Once, even fewer people saw or heard of Once.
These two little films were up against an entertainment conglomerate. An entertainment empire, if you will. The odds were stacked against them. But guess what; Once won the Best Song Oscar for Falling Slowly!
Below is the speech one of the musicians made after Jon Stewart let her come back out to say something as the orchestra cut her off! This is one of the best speeches in Oscar history, imho. Her name is Marketa Irglova.

“Hi everyone. I just want to thank you so much. This is such a big deal, not only for us, but for all other independent musicians and artists that spend most of their time struggling, and this, the fact that we’re standing here tonight, the fact that we’re able to hold this, it’s just to prove no matter how far out your dreams are, it’s possible. And, you know, fair play to those who dare to dream and don’t give up. And this song was written from a perspective of hope, and hope at the end of the day connects us all, no matter how different we are. And so thank you so much, who helped us along way. Thank you.”

Below is the actual speech thanks to YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck_c40EdLFE

Benedict Arnold--the Pioneer

2008-01-31T15:54:00.003-05:00

Have you ever known a backstabber? Chances are, you probably have no idea as backstabbers (aka Traitors like Mr. Arnold) are notorious manipulators. They gain your trust and indulge you with their great ability to listen and understand your plight, whatever it may be. They are everyone's best friend.
While out in the real world, I think most of us are aware of these beings. Most people (with even a small amount of street smarts) can detect a phony a mile away, especially in a social setting. These backstabbers are not as harmful, imo. However, be aware of the corporate backstabber for they are the most cunning backstabbers of all.
I recently left a company that was both horrendous and hedonistic. Yes, I just wrote hedonistic.
I had two great assistants that I treated very well. I am not a micromanager. I am not a stickler for minute details like coming in late once in awhile. I think I'm pretty lenient. All I expect of people that report to me is to do their job to the best of their abilities. Finish their projects on time and avoid gossiping with other departments. I don't know, maybe that doesn't make for good manager material but I respect every single person that I have ever worked with and for.
Anyway, one of my former assistants has been talking smack about me since I left. This was the same woman that was encouraging me to quit because she witnessed first hand the abuse my VP placed upon me. She was kind, sweet, empathetic and a very good worker. She is the ultimate backstabber.

Since learning of her betrayal, I started to think about how it must feel to live life as a backstabber. Are they able to sleep at night? Are they able to look at themselves in the mirror? Do they even have close friends? Are they straight up with anyone in their lives?
The only positive thing that has come out of all of this is that I will be more aware of the corporate backstabber in the future. You can usually spot them at the water cooler gossiping about the person they just had lunch with.

Benedict Arnold
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Benedict Arnold V (January 14, 1741 [O.S. January 3, 1740][1][2] – June 14, 1801) originally fought for American independence from the British Empire as a general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War until he obtained command of the American fort at West Point, New York and, switching sides, plotted unsuccessfully to surrender it to the British.
Arnold was considered by many to be the best general and most accomplished leader in the Continental Army. In fact, without Arnold's earlier contributions to the American cause, the American Revolution might well have been lost; but after he switched sides, his name, like those of several other prominent traitors throughout history, has become a byword for treason in the United States.[3][4]

A New Year and a Familiar Problem

2008-01-13T14:19:00.003-05:00

Another Christmas and New Year's have passed and I'm left wondering what's it all for. When I say 'all' I mean the entire holiday season. Are we still under the impression that we are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ? Are we still living under the illusion that as soon as the year goes up, things in our life will get a whole lot better?
The great thing about New Year's resolutions is that most people know they will fail at them so they don't look down on others when they fail at theirs. ;)
My New Year's resolution is to lose weight. Original, right?
Just before Christmas I had my yearly physical. I knew I would get a lecture from my Doc about my weight but I wasn't prepared to hear what she had to say. She used the 'O' word on me. Yes, obese. There! I wrote it! Not only did she use the 'O' word, she also politely handed me a voucher for a Weight Watchers membership. Oh, did I mention that my Doc is about 110 pounds? I pictured myself shoving donuts down her throat. That was fun.
Anyway, I know I'm fat but I didn't think I was obese. Afterall, isn't obese a word to describe those fat people that are at least 100 pounds overweight living naked in their beds? Well, I'm wrong.
According to our BMI (a simple and widely used method for estimating body fat which calculates your weight by your height) below are the classifactions of 'fatism':
A BMI less than 18.5 is underweight
A BMI of 18.5–24.9 is normal weight
A BMI of 25.0–29.9 is overweight (this is where I am but I'm creeping up to the next level!)
A BMI of 30.0–39.9 is obese
A BMI of 40.0 or higher is severely (or morbidly) obese
A BMI of 35.0 or higher in the presence of at least one other significant comorbidity is also classified by some bodies as morbid obesity (this is where the naked people living in their beds fit)

It's funny how some people (like me) struggle with food their whole lives while others couldn't care less about food. They are the morons that stay thin forever without having to workout or cut out the good stuff. I'm sure we all have had a friend or family member in our lives that are like one of these skinny assholes.
I once had a roomate that was tall, skinny, blonde and stupid--the guys loved her. She could eat and eat and eat and didn't gain an ounce. She wasn't bulimic either. Trust me, I watched her closely as I was completely mesmerized by her eating (not to mention drinking) habits. Now, that was a skinny asshole.
Below is a photo of us (circa 1996) from the Sears portrait studio.

The Only Child Syndrome

2007-09-14T19:31:00.001-04:00

Since Labour Day weekend, work has been complete mayhem.
I work for a boss that gives me zero direction, too many responsibilities and only two assistants. The amount of work piled on me could fill the day of at least three managers. I'm starting to feel the pain. I'm starting to come to the scary conclusion that I am inviting these kinds of people into my life. Why am I like a magnet for any job that requires I give my life over to complete a work week? It's stupid and I feel stupid, too.

I'm sure there are more than a few of you out there that knows how it feels to have work piled on you because you're a hard worker and you just get things done. Therefore, most managers will treat you like a donkey while the person sitting next to you (the moron with the big degree) has fewer responsibilities with a bigger salary. Sound familiar? Welcome to the corporate world. It's going to be a bumpy ride.
I'm still trying my best to figure out why I work so hard. Why do I care so much? Why can't I be like Dick or Jane and leave the office promptly at 5pm everyday--regardless of unfinished projects sitting on my desk?
I always come back to the Only Child Sydrome. I'm an only child and always felt the need to be the best--at anything and everything. I felt that my parents only had one chance to be proud of their child. I couldn't screw things up and just wait until a younger sibling came along to make them happy. I couldn't sit back and relax because an older sibling was a Noble Prize Winner or a star athlete. Nope--all the pressure to perform was on me at all times.
I wish I new more only children--there should be a support group for us!

Where Did August Go?

2007-08-21T19:19:00.001-04:00

It's now August 21st and I just want to know where the time went.
I've been so busy this past month, I can barely think straight--too much going on in my head.

Work is going well, for the most part. Things are quite hectic as we are opening new stores all over the place with not a lot of turnaround time.
Being in retail means I must wear ten different hats everyday--something I dislike but not enough to get out of the industry entirely. I guess I'm a masochist.

I haven't done much writing lately which makes me feel anxious and guilty. I feel like I'm neglecting my child or something. The good news is I gave some of my work to my 'uber editor' and friend, Peter to take a look at. I told him to be brutally honest and I know he will as that's why I chose him in the first place.
Actually, out of all my friends, he's the only one that can understand what it means to feel the need to write.
I think it's important to surround yourself with friends that have similar interests, even if it's only one friend--that's better than nothing. Writing has a tendency to make you feel isolated and misunderstood as a lot of time is spent alone with your thoughts.
When I lived in New York, my friend Daniel was my art gallery/museum friend, Mark was my writing friend, Marianna was my getting wasted friend, Judy and Cara were my concert-going friends, etc., etc....
In my opinion, this is the best way to live a balanced life. Oh, and coffee...can't forget the coffee--and it goes so well with friends!!!

Staying Motivated

2007-07-16T19:35:00.002-04:00

Motivation has never been easy for me.
I'm one of those people that require instant gratification--I hate waiting for anything therefore I lack the motivation gene. If there is such a thing.
Since I've started working again (it's been four months already!) I find that I am losing my motivation to write. Truth be told, I haven't worked on my novel in about three months. It's bugging me. I can't seem to set aside the time to write. The problem is I feel so close to finishing the damn thing yet so far. When I think about all the editing it's going to need, I cringe. See what I mean? It's all about instant gratification. I want it all now. It's alarming.
It's so hard to focus on what you really love to do when all you can think about is work. My job is taking over my life again and I don't know how to stop it. I don't want to become my career again. I want to be me.
I love what I'm doing now but I have to admit that it is pretty stressfull. Not only am I managing categories and a sixty million dollar budget, I am also managing people. Yes, people. The most difficult 'things' to manage.
I guess the key to happiness really is balance. Too much work and not enough play will make you miserable. Too little work and too much play doesn't pay the bills therefore, you're miserable again.

Ok, I've gotten that all off my chest. Now, I'll go listen to Madonna. She always knows what to say.

The Power Within and We Still Need Cheerleaders!

2007-05-30T20:26:00.001-04:00

I never wanted to be a cheerleader.
Remember high school when all the girls were just crazy about the whole cheerleading thing? Well, I was not one of them. I like to think of myself as an orginal, a pioneer if you will. I hated following. I hate being told that I had to do something just because every other girl was doing it. Most of all, I would not appreciate being told "take one for the squad!".
So, I finally figured out what Girl Power really means. I finally figured out what it was that drove all those hormonal girls in high school over the edge when the topic of cheerleading came up: it has a lot to do with 'The Power Within'. Most of the men out there think it's just because girls want to show them how cute they are but I think cheerleading is more for the girls benefit than it is the boys. We just want them to think it's all about them, right girls?
Now, I'm not exactly sure what 'the power within' really is and where it comes from. All I know is, I have 'the power'--it just took a very long time to find it and I didn't need a cheerleading outfit to locate it.
I attended The Power Within Conference this past Monday and was pleasantly surprised--I actually enjoyed the speeches about Girl Power.
http://www.powerwithin.com/
They had a great lineup of speakers this year:
Ariana Huffington
Mia Farrow
Kelly Armstrong (Lance's Mom)
Hilary Swank
Dr. Antonia Coello Novello (my favourite speaker)
Cassie Campbell
Terry Savage
Jessica Holmes (she was the hostess)

Check out their website and if you ever get the chance to attend, do it. It's well worth it. You come out of there feeling like you can build a house with your bare hands! Or, change your own damn flat tire!
My favouirte speaker was Dr. Novello (the former Surgeon General of the USA) because you could see and feel the power in her belly. She had the kind of presence and power most of us only dream of having. I wish I could speak as well as she does--I was quite jealous.
See, typical woman! Jealously rules over everything.

Preoccupied with Hypochondria

2007-04-10T12:04:00.001-04:00

I knew I was a hypochondriac when I went to the emergency room one day, thinking I was going to have a stroke when all I really had was a pulled muscle/nerve. A shooting pain was running up and down the left side of my body so I automatically assumed I was going into cardiac arrest.
Every time I get any kind of ailment, I automatically go into panic mode and I start mentally writing my will. Unfortunately for my friends and family, all I'm going to leave them is a bunch of bills but that's another story.
Anyway, last week I had my first (and my last!) root canal and was put on antibiotics. I don't like antibiotics. It does a number on your body (for most people) and if you're not careful, you can become immune to them, if you take too many.
I've been on antibiotics before so I know what to expect: side effects. This time, my side effects were worse than ever before. I feel nauseous, grouchy and sleepy, among other things. So, this morning, instead of going to the emergency room, I called my dentist and he said "just stop taking them. The infection is, most likely, gone,". I'm sorry but 'most likely' isn't good enough for a hypochondriac. I have six more pills to take so do I take the rest and deal with the side effects in a mature manner or do I stop and hope 'most likely' means I'll never have to go on antibiotics again?
I'll keep you posted......isn't this engrossing?

Interviews, Interviews and MORE Interviews!

2007-03-23T14:43:00.001-04:00

I've had three more interviews this past week but must wait it out to hear back as it appears to be holiday season for hr departments. I've been told "I'll be on vacation next week" about three times already--my patience is wearing thin. Oh, let's face it; I have no patience left!
I have a solid five years experience in my industry and I always thought that number held some importance. Here's the problem with the five year mark: I have too much experience for half of the jobs out there and not enough experience for the other half. I'm in career limbo!
During this ordeal I have learned that hr departments don't care about you after you've come in for an interview. You become another faceless application in a pile of other faceless applications. They forget your name, they forget your salary expectations and most of all, they forget your skills and abilities. They only call you if you have the job. They rarely call to tell you 'thank you but we are going with another candidate' because that means they would actually have to do their job. I hate hr. I will never forgive hr for the torment they have inflicted on me and my career these last few months......
That felt good! Venting helps.

On a happy note: I received some much-needed retail therapy yesterday via H&M. Madonna (my idol) launched her new clothing line with the company yesterday so, naturally, her biggest fan had to support. Not that Madge needs the money but I needed the retail therapy so I was happy to oblige her.
Now, all I need is a job so I can actually wear this stuff.

All or Nothing

2007-02-05T16:15:00.001-05:00

I have had three, rather intense interviews since wednesday and I am pooped. In the last five months, I have gotten zero calls and then 'BOOM'--All or Nothing, I suppose.
My last one was just this morning and it was no different than the other two. Same old boring questions; 'can you tell me about a time when you had to handle a difficult negotiation' and 'why do you want to work for us?' and 'what are your strengths and what are your weaknesses'. Same old, same old. Human Resources should try to be, well, more resourceful, if you ask me.
As you ask the same questions over and over again, are you not going to get the same canned response? I think so. I try not to give the usual answers but sometimes, when you just want to end it all, you tell them what they want to hear.
On Friday I had a very intense and nerve-racking interview with the Vice President of merchandise for a large, well-known retailer here in Toronto. I had a migraine, I was almost late and it was freezing cold that day so needless to say, I was not in the best of spirits. He asked me where I wanted to be in the future and all I could think of was the south of France, sitting by the water, eating bread and sipping red wine. I didn't tell him this, of course but I really wanted to. I also wanted to tell him to stop bombarding me with the interogation questions and to move out of the way, I'm about to jump out of that window behind you.
Interviewing has got to be the worst thing about having a career in anything. When you have a job and you are 'playing the field' it's a bit different. When you are like me, out of work for six months, you can come off as desperate, if you're not careful. The last thing I EVER want to be is desperate. Life is way too short to feel desperation and to take a job simply for the paycheck. IMHO.
So, that's it for the interviews for awhile, I guess. I haven't applied for anything in a couple of weeks as there is not much out there.
Regarding work, I have also made the decision to commute, if necessary. The downtown Toronto market is saturated in my field of work; I can't find anything. So, these three interviews I was just blabbing on about are actually just outside of Toronto. Therefore, if I do become gainfully employed by one of these companies, it's back to commuting via a four-wheel-prison (aka:car) for me.
I used to commute a lot when I first got back from New York in 1999. I was living just west of Toronto with my parents for awhile but was working and going to school downtown. I can't tell you how bad my road rage was. There was no amount of drugs that would cure me of it. Even caffeine (my best friend) could not help me in my daily struggle. Picture this: it's 8:45am, you have to be at work by 9am. You are about five minutes away from the office in traffic so dense, you feel claustraphobic and can hear all the other cars' radios blasting the traffic report. You are sweating, you are hungry, you are ready to drive your car through the back-end of the idiot in front of you. Now, picture going through this every morning for about a year. That was me. I hope the new Sheri, the one that has lived the easy life (taking the subway) for the last six years is no longer suffering from automobile psychosis. After all, doesn't aging make you less impatient? I could be wrong.

Countdown to Oscar

2007-01-23T11:51:00.002-05:00

I, like many of you, LOVE to watch the Oscars. For me, it's a tradition that started when I was probably seven or eight. My earliest Oscar memory was the On Golden Pond , Charriots of Fire year which was 1981, I think. I remember thinking how great it would be to go up on a big stage, with an even bigger dress and accept an award for best actress in a leading role, like Katherine Hepburn did that year. (I was rooting for Meryl Streep at the time! )
Speaking of Meryl, this woman is amazing. She's been nominated fourteen times! She has won only twice--what is wrong with the Academy? Surely, this woman deserves more than two Oscars?

We have until Feb 25th (5pt/8et) to watch all the nominated films so get busy, people. I still have to see Babel, The Last King of Scotland, The Queen (although, I really don't want to see this film), Blood Diamond and Notes on a Scandal. Then, I'll be pretty much caught up on most of the Oscar buzz.
The thing that strikes me as funny this year is the outrage over the snub Dreamgirls got for best picture. Funny, I'm not surprised. How could a film with Beyonce as a leading actress be nominated for best picture? Highly unlikely. Beyonce is about as exciting as unbuttered toast; a piece of unbuttered toast could probably portray a character better than she ever could.
Glad to see that Jennifer Hudson was nominated though. Love her! Hope she wins and I hope Beyonce stays home in bed, with a pint of Ben & Jerry's, crying her eyes out over the lack of attention she received for the film that was supposed to make her a star. hee. hee. You can't win them all, honey.

I'm not going to give any winner predictions yet because I really want to see those films I just listed first. I do have some favourites already, though. Like Little Miss Sunshine. I've seen it about five times already--I can't get enough. It's adorable, it's funny and highly entertaining.
The Departed was awesome. I told you all in my last blog how great I thought Mark Wahlberg was--I wasn't exagerating. Take a look at the nominees.....he's nominated for best supporting actor!

Here's a list of the nominees in most of the categories:

Performance by an actor in a leading role:
Leonardo DiCaprio - BLOOD DIAMOND
Ryan Gosling - HALF NELSON
Peter O'Toole - VENUS
Will Smith - THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
Forest Whitaker - THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
Performance by an actor in a supporting roleAlan Arkin:
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jackie Earle Haley - LITTLE CHILDREN
Djimon Hounsou - BLOOD DIAMOND
Eddie Murphy - DREAMGIRLS
Mark Wahlberg - THE DEPARTED
Performance by an actress in a leading role:
Penélope Cruz - VOLVER
Judi Dench - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Helen Mirren - THE QUEEN
Meryl Streep - THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Kate Winslet - LITTLE CHILDREN
Performance by an actress in a supporting role:
Adriana Barraza - BABEL
Cate Blanchett - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Abigail Breslin - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jennifer Hudson - DREAMGIRLS
Rinko Kikuchi - BABEL
Best animated feature film of the year:
CARS
HAPPY FEET
MONSTER HOUSE
Achievement in costume design:
CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
DREAMGIRLS
MARIE ANTOINETTE
THE QUEEN
Best documentary feature:
DELIVER US FROM EVIL
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS
JESUS CAMP
MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY

Best foreign language film of the year:
AFTER THE WEDDING
DAYS OF GLORY (INDIGÈNES)
THE LIVES OF OTHERS
PAN'S LABYRINTH
WATER
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score):
BABEL
THE GOOD GERMAN
NOTES ON A SCANDAL
PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE QUEEN
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song):
"I Need to Wake Up" - AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
"Listen" - DREAMGIRLS
"Love You I Do" - DREAMGIRLS
"Our Town" - CARS
"Patience" - DREAMGIRLS
Best motion picture of the year:
BABEL
THE DEPARTED
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
THE QUEEN
Adapted screenplay:
BORAT CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE DEPARTED
LITTLE CHILDREN
NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Original screenplay:
BABEL
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE QUEEN

Birthdays After Thirty

2007-01-14T12:01:00.001-05:00

My birthday was on January 9th--I turned thirty-something.
Isn't it funny how you want to avoid the bday at all costs when you get into your thirties? As children, we long for the birthday. It's that one day of the year that belongs to you and you alone--unless you are a twin, of course.
My favourite birthday was my twenty-fifth. I was living in New York at the time, debating whether or not I should move back to Toronto to go to school and 'make something of myself'. I was a mess. My friends took me out dancing, got me drunk and we ended up sitting in our favourite diner at 5 am. The reason I remember this particular bday so much is because I was at a crossroads. The crossroads in your life you will always remember. I liked the feeling of the unknown facing me. It was scary and exciting at the same time--that's a difficult wave to ride but when it comes your way, ride it.

So, I have no New Year's resolutions and I don't plan on making any. I think resolutions are pointless as you always end up failing at them which makes you feel bad about yourself. If you do want to make resolutions, how about ones you can keep like 'I want to watch more TV in 2007' or 'I want to drink more wine in 2007'. Now those are attainable goals.

I finally saw The Departed last night. It was incredible. What a great movie and an amazing cast. Leo needs the Oscar this year so I hope he get's it for this movie--it would be a treat for him to win one for a Scorsese film.

Here is yet another reason one should learn a second language:

Being bilingual can delay onset of dementia
Study: Keeping parts of brain active can stave off Alzheimer's up to 4 years

Updated: 2:52 a.m. ET Jan 14, 2007
OTTAWA, Canada - People who are fully bilingual and speak both languages every day for most of their lives can delay the onset of dementia by up to four years compared with those who only know one language, Canadian scientists said Friday.
Researchers said the extra effort involved in using more than one language appeared to boost blood supply to the brain and ensure nerve connections remained healthy — two factors thought to help fight off dementia.
“We are pretty dazzled by the results,” Professor Ellen Bialystok of Toronto’s York University said in a statement.
“In the process of using ... two languages, you are engaging parts of your brain, parts of your mind that are active and need that kind of constant exercise and activity, and with that experience (it) stays more robust,” she later told CTV television.
The leading cause of dementia among the elderly is Alzheimer’s disease, which gradually destroys a person’s memory. There is no known cure.
Bialystok’s team focused on 184 elderly patients with signs of dementia who attended a Toronto memory clinic between 2002 and 2005. Of the group, 91 spoke only one language while 93 were bilingual.
“The researchers determined that the mean age of onset of dementia symptoms in the monolingual group was 71.4 years, while the bilingual group was 75.5 years,” the statement said.
“This difference remained even after considering the possible effect of cultural differences, immigration, formal education, employment and even gender as (influences) in the results,” it added.