Toronto's Inhumane Society

(photo from: onebarkatatime.blogspot.com)

Last Thursday I was in my room getting the latest scoop on CP24, rubbing my dog's belly, when the story of Toronto Humane Society president Tim Trow and co.’s arrest broke out. In simple terms, I just wanted to cry. And reluctantly, I admit I did in the privacy of my own bathroom.

I’m so upset over the allegations because for over seven years I’ve been a proud supporter of the Toronto Humane Society (keyword being proud). As mentioned before, I adopted my beautiful dog, Bella, from THS years ago. I’ve also made generous donations (keyword being generous) that I thought were going towards all around care for the sheltered animals. Due to certain trust being broken, I assume all our donations have just been spent on keeping Tim Trow’s fat, stinky ass out of court. I've never been so angry at a complete stranger before. I've lost so much trust for authority figures because of this fiasco. I also lost any will to give charities money because God knows where it truly goes anymore.

On a slightly brighter note, I want to applaud the OSCPA for its continual investigation into the Toronto Humane Society. I also appreciate the Globe and Mail for providing me with lengthy information on this case every morning.
I get all the latest information here.

That Thursday night when I was experiencing a major anxiety attack, I stumbled upon a really interesting blog with ample discussion on this case. One Bark at a Time is written by Fred, a male volunteer at Toronto Animal Services South. He blogs about the dogs he walks and hopes people will soon adopt. He also writes follow ups when dogs are finally adopted. It’s both a heart-warming and heartbreaking read, especially for little ol’ crybaby me. I was up til 2 a.m. the other night reading the archives. Anyway, this blog is my new favourite website to visit daily. I recommend you do the same – if you have a soul.

It’s people like him that give me hope that the world isn’t as rotten as it appears to be. For every corrupt vet out there, there’s someone like Fred who shows so much compassion for animals. For every Tim Trow, there’s always a Mark Holland, M.P. of Ajax-Pickering who is campaigning to introduce a bill into government legislation to better protect all animals from intentional abuse.



I’m very worried about the future of Toronto Humane Society and the future of all the animals, big or small, that have been living under the shelter’s care. According to the most recent article in the Globe and Mail, animal adoptions are still on the rise today regardless of this unfortunate event. A silver lining, so it seems.

Survival Among the Single

This is my opinion piece submitting in my Magazine Writing Class. I got a really high mark on it - I'm talking CN Tower high! With the help from my prof. I will be submitting this, along with 2 other articles for the Canadian Living Magazine journalism contest.

As a single independent woman, I am often misunderstood and I have Jennifer Aniston to blame for that.

Many of us spend $10 every Friday night to see a movie about a sad, desperate woman who feels incomplete without a man. As fast as she can say “pass the vodka and chocolates", a hot, mysterious man comes by, and suddenly he’s all she’s missing in life. Jennifer Aniston has played this role – on screen and off – more times than I can count.

In a survey done by AARP Magazine in 2006, 93% of single women claim their independence is important to their quality of life. So why is it, then, that single women are portrayed as unhappy, unlovable spinsters in the media?

According to my mother, Aniston and I have one thing in common – we’re both going to die alone. I, however, have been the only one to really show I’m perfectly fine with that. There is too much pressure on women to couple up. How disappointing that the media treats a woman’s singleness like it’s worse than swine flu.

Every so often I want to spend $10 to see a movie about a strong, empowering heroine who conquers life all on her own and there’s no sappy fairytale wedding before the credits roll.

Market research group, Mintel, conducted a poll in 2005 and found that 56% of single women in England are “very happy being single and have no intentions of getting married.” Now you know where Aniston will be booking her next vacation.

Right now my love life is as lively as a sloth’s dance recital. The more I get dumped on Valentine’s Day via e-mail, or stood up at a restaurant, the more happy and willing I am to spend my years in solitude like the majority of the lasses overseas.

Entering womanhood, I’ve admired the few female characters in film that choose to remain single and independent.

In the Sex and the City movie, Samantha Jones broke up with her boyfriend saying, “I love you, but I love me more.” I was relieved that, finally, she wasn’t portrayed as someone desperate for marriage and children.

Mary Richards of The Mary Tyler Moore Show is another example of a woman choosing to make it on her own. Richards was an intelligent, hard working journalist in her 30s. She didn’t need a man to help her financially or emotionally. The show aired in the 70s, when it was rare for a female character to be depicted that way. Although it may be ancient news to most couch potatoes, I’ve always loved the show (thanks to the $9 DVDs at Costco) because I see a lot of myself in Richards, as I do with Jones.

As women, we’ve gone through many revolutions; getting the right to vote, the right to abortion and the right to work outside the home. What Aniston and I need right now is the right to be single without automatically being labeled unhappy.

Their Love Aint Lost

I discovered this brilliant Aussie band, The Temper Trap, from the (500) Days Of Summer soundtrack. Their song Sweet Disposition fits beautifully in the melancholy movie - my favourite of the summer. My favourite track off their album Conditions, released a few months ago, has to be Love Lost. Hands down. Dougy Mandagi has such a refreshing voice. I look forward to seeing them play The Horseshoe Tavern, October 20th.

The Horseshoe's located on 370 Queen Street West (near Spadina). Tuesday (the day TTT take stage) is always free music night, so come one, come all!

Today Disney Buys Marvel, Tomorrow The Universe

At first I was like:





But then I was like:





Like I've been saying on everyone's "omg wtf" statuses on Facebook today, something like this was bound to happen. You can even argue it's a smart move for Disney as a way to reach to their young boy audiences since Disney has spent the last 5 years throwing Hannah Montana nonsense at little girls. Don't be getting your X-Men underoos in a twist, now! I've encountered far too many disappointing things this summer so this doesn't really phase me, sadly. Besides, it's beyond our control now. So now, I may have run out of words but I will never run out of Stephen Colbert GIFs.

An update on Fan Expo is to come. Hang on tight, folks.

The Pandamonium Continues...

Is it sad that I've never been so excited over a $20 purchase before?

Now my friends call me The Panda Whisperer. I will try to fulfill my duties with honor and grace, folks. One bamboo stick at a time.

If my blog doesn't showcase enough panda love, check out Panda Stuff @ Tumblr.

One Isn't That Lonely Of A Number

One of my favourite films of all time is Magnolia. The film, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, is about choice and consequences, about emptiness and regret. My favourite line in the film is when Quiz Kid Donnie Smith says “I really do have love to give; I just don't know where to put it.” Since the first time I watched the film – and I’ve seen it many times – I’ve directly identified with that line. As I grow older and go through good and bad experiences in life, I too feel that I have lots of love to give but nowhere to put it.

On my walk of shame home one frigid morning, I thought about Magnolia and I thought about all my girl friends. I thought to myself: Why are we all on this constant search for someone to give all our loving to?
Why can’t we just keep the love all to ourselves?

I say this, not as a lonely, heartbroken woman but an independent, happy woman. Sure, my feelings towards dating may have changed over the past two years. I used to be in love with romantic love but now I can gladly settle for someone who puts the toilet seat down. But my new outlook comes from a happy place, it is not derived out of bitterness or defeat, I swear.

When you’re single, you’re either pitied or glorified. Or in my case, fed a bunch of bullshit like “He’s out there waiting for you” or my favourite: “You’re single? But you can have any guy you want!” Um, no. If I could actually have any guy I wanted I’d be engaged in a three way with Spock and Captain Kirk. Some people really need to pipe down when they’re trying to comfort me.

The past two years alone have led me to believe I can establish The Museum of Failed Relationships. But in a cool, John Cucask from High Fidelity kind of way, I look back, laughing. I sure did learned a lot. I learned that I am simply not a relationship person. I'm good at a lot of things like scrabble, tennis and hailing a cab downtown. I'm just not good with relationships. Most women love being in love, love being smothered by flowers and phone calls and trips to meet the parents. I learned that those things don’t seem to make me feel happy and fulfilled. And, in an obscure way, I am thankful.



To kick start the summer reason I read a really encouraging book called The Last Woman in America by Cindy Guidry. It is her personal memoir of how she got fired from her job, has the craziest family ever and hasn’t been in a relationship in two years but she’s the happiest she’s ever been. I really love a woman who isn’t so concerned with finding a person to make her happy. She goes about her business and finds it on her own and that is something I’ve always been trying to do these past twenty one years.

No matter how many times people say I’m awesome, beautiful, funny, smart, [insert generic compliment here], judging from the last male encounter I had, I'm obviously not that special. It appears I'm not worth fighting for. I’m just not that horse everyone bets on. I'm okay with this. The more and more awful dates I go on, the more I just want to hang with my friends, paint the town red and focus on my future career. When boys give up when they can’t get it up, at least you got your books and your booze! That’s what I always say. It sure does help pass the time.

Contrary to what ancient philosophers like Aristophanes believed in, we are not halves, searching for the missing piece so we can be one again. I don’t care what Zeus says! I am not a half. I am a whole, all on my own. I don't need to be saved, so you might as well take that Superman costume off.

I always looked down on the majority of women in pop culture for thinking they’re not complete without a man. I wish Bridget Jones picked neither Colin Firth nor Hugh Grant and just went back to being a sassy single lady with an amusing job in journalism. The Damsel in Distress syndrome is sickening. It’s 2009 and they still don’t seem to have a cure for it. Perhaps one day, more and more women will look up to Mary Tyler Moore from her his 70’s show or Samantha Jones from Sex and the City and realize being alone is not the end of the world, in fact, it can be pretty fun.

Stop Speidi!!!

These bozos are planning to write and publish a book on how to get famous (coming to a local bargain bin near you). This fact is revolting but oddly convenient for me because I did just run out of toilet paper, and am looking for something to wipe my ass with.

Please explain to me why lovely gay couples can't get married yet these douchebags got hitched twice?! :(

Hello Fun, Hello Sun.

Once the degrees become two digit numbers, and we all tuck our mittens and coats away, we can rest assured that summer is coming by. Thankfully, the well loved season isn't some door-to-door salesman we quickly ignore. Summer is more like a pizza delivery man we embrace with open arms. Summer, we've been hungry for you.

Now, here we find ourselves at a delicious summer buffet. So many possibilities; can we even fit it all on one plate? For those already lathering on the sunscreen, waiting for the beach to warm up, here are my ideas as to what makes for an amusing, entertaining summer.

1.

The stunning, smart, sophisticated Jennifer Lindsay of Peacock Productions Inc. is making a directorial debut with the play Cowboy Mouth, written by Pulitzer Prize winner Sam Sheppard. It tells the story of the dysfuntional relationship between a deranged woman and an unstable, wannabe rockstar. There's a giant lobster involved in there somehow! So why not check it out and support local theatre. The three-day event at the Poor Alex Theatre generously offers live music too, including acclaimed (by bar goers in Brampton) band Big City Nights.

Tickets are $10 when purchased at La Casa del Habano at 141 Yorkville Ave. Tickets are $15 at the door.

2.

Running from now until August 30th at the recently renovated Art Gallery of Ontario is an exhibit of all things surreal. From fashion, film, photography, furniture there's plenty to explore when diving into the twisted relationship between surrealism and commercialism.

General admission is $18. For full-time students with i.d. it's only $10.

3.

Arguably the best thing out of Sweden since ABBA, Lykke Li will grace us fans with her music Sunday, August 9th at The Sound Academy.

It seems this beautiful nomad barely released her first studio album, Youth Novels, and this will be her second time performing in Toronto since the album dropped. In a recent half hour interview on Carson Daly, Lykke Li says "I just want my fans to have an open mind" in regards to the genre of music she makes. She's collaborated with rapper Kanye West on a N.A.S.A. track, she sang on electropop performer Kleerup's recent album and even got away with covering a grungy Kings of Leon tune and making it her own. Lykke Li proves so consistently that she can make a gem out of any kind of genre, and that is something very rare in music artists these days.

Tickets for the show are $26.50 at Rotate This (801 Queen St. West) or at ticketmaster.ca.

4.

Game. Set. Match. Summer's the best time to unleash your inner Andre Agassi and play some tennis. No, not on the wii, the REAL thing! One thing that makes tennis a fine sport is that it's something anyone can play independently (unless, of course, you're playing Doubles). No team of twelve required. Courts are usually free and available everyone in and around the city.

Granted, there's more than four ways to entertain yourself this summer season. But perhaps this list can be a stepping stone for some people, including hermits. Astronomically speaking, summer doesn't officially begin until June 21st, but go ahead, knock yourself out, have some premature fun.

Mercy Little Rocker

Again, I set my eyes on a certain prize but I fuck up and miss my chance. Ahh, to quote the greatest line of any Constantines song:

"went out chasing landmarks, fell asleep at the bar".

That really sums up my life right now, kudos to Bryan Webb.

I PROMISE A GREAT POST ABOUT THE BEST THINGS TO DO THIS SUMMER REAL SOON!!!!



For now, go listen to some Constantines. Any album. It's all good.

Natalia, You're Gonna Make It After All

Note to readers: I had ten too many Cosmopolitans and I am listening to the Mary Tyler Moore theme song on repeat as I am writing this. This just may be the only time anyone ever sees me this emotional, this vulnerable. Please don't judge!

Ah, it has come. I have [un]gracefully turned into a twenty-one year old. I’ve never been one for lavish celebrations. I don’t party on boats, I don’t trek it to Vegas and waste my money away, and I certainly don’t get spoiled like a sweet sixteen year old.

I’m a living, breathing, party for one. But God knows sometimes solitary celebrations can be lonesome. Due to the fact that my current path in life is a bumpy one, I originally intended to just stay home with a nice bottle of Merlot, stuff my face with macaroons and wait for no one to call and wish me a happy birthday.

Clearly, things aren’t going my way: I don’t have someone in my life to share experiences with, I can’t find a job, I didn’t end up with the highest marks I wanted and I didn’t win any Bruce Springsteen tickets to see him tonight – the one thing I wanted more than anything!!! But I can sit on my fat ass at home, alone, munching away at those macaroons and questioning my self worth or I can go out tonight and prove not only to the world, but to myself, that I am still fabulous even with a few minor flaws. I don’t need a boat or confetti or a hundred friends to buy me shots, I just need myself. So, with that said, I’ll be out tonight buying myself some pretty flowers and delicious drinks because I don’t need someone else to do that for me. I will toast myself and take myself home when the sun goes down.

Birthdays aren’t about how wild the parties are, but how you truly feel about yourself deep inside. I want to turn twenty-one feeling as optimistic as ever, knowing that my silver lining isn’t all that far away. Like Kathleen Edwards sings to me so sweetly through my headphones... “don’t get down, good things come when you stop waiting around”....Happy Birthday to me!

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

I don't know how others cope with heavy workloads and heartbreaking realizations, but I like to lounge around the house in my grungy attire and read favourite passages from my favourite books. I do this while drinking a lot of scotch, by the way.

I could go on all day and night about books. I wish I had someone to gush about literary obsessions with. Sadly, I am a lonesome bookworm. A one woman book club.

So, I have a hard time picking favourites, but Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being sticks out because it has truly shaped the person I am today. I've never identified with so many fictional characters in one book before. It just spoke volumes to me as I read it for the first time on a lonely train ride in Prague. I've read it three times now and whenever I need a hit, I flip through my favourite pages (Sometimes I bend the page's corner or I underline words with a pen). I guess in a way, Kundera is my cocaine.

"When we want to give expression to a dramatic situation in our lives, we tend to use metaphors of heaviness. We say that something has become a great burden to us. We either bear the burden or fail and go down with it, we struggle with it, win or lose. And Sabina, what had come over her? Nothing. She had left a man because she felt like leaving him. Had he persecuted her? Had he tried to take revenge on her? No. Her drama was a drama not of heaviness but of lightness. What fell to her lot was not the burden but the unbearable lightness of being."



Does anyone else feel so passionate about a single book or am I just crazy?

National Photographic: Pete Nema Interview

I always felt Pete Nema would make an awesome superhero. By day, the friendly 42 year old is a software development manager and by night he is a concert photographer. Pete Nema is in fact an alias [real name is Doug Doe] so that further adds to the superhero affect. I heard about him through his photos and reviews on the internet and saw him at a few recent shows.

Not that hard to miss, he usually looks like this:


(watch out, his camera lens stares right into your soul!)

Pete displays an intense devotion to the local music scene. I assume his regular visits to The Horseshoe Tavern gets him a lot of free, locally brewed beer from the bar– he looks like a Creemore Springs drinker to me! Pete Nema does what he does not for the money but for the chance to surround himself with good tunes and good talent, and he is very generous about sharing what he sees and hears with others on the web.

I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to meet up with this charming fellow to get to know him a little better. I met up with his last Thursday near King & Sherburne over lunch. We sat at a lovely park on the most gorgeous day of the season and chatted away like long time friends.

You have a computer engineering degree from Waterloo. What was your main inspiration for attending that program?

When I was growing up and in my teens I was always interested in computers. I even managed to get a job when I was 15 working for a software development firm. I always loved computers.

What made you get into photography, then?

That’s something I’ve been interested in longer than computers. If I really think back, I remember dismantling my father’s cameras. My dad has older cameras and I remember taking them apart...I was lucky enough when I was 12 to get some courses through the board of education. I was set up with a darkroom when I was 14 and started developing my own photos. It’s a passion I’ve been doing my whole life but it’s just been rusty metal and scenery and travel.

Did you always live in Toronto?

I’ve lived in Switzerland for a year when I was 18. I moved down to Australia in my mid twenties for a couple years. But I was born here in Toronto.

You’ve been attending shows here in Toronto for years, how did you begin to put your name out there?

I think it was at the Broken Social Scene concert where I decided I would start reviewing live concerts. Bands started sending me CDs. Bands found I was just talking about music and they would get my address and send them.
I’ve been doing photography my whole life and then it just clicked: maybe I should start taking pictures of these bands. I never put it together before; my love for music and my love for photography.
I bought a DSLR and started going out to free Tuesdays at the Horseshoe or wherever I could.

What’s your favourite venue to shoot at?

The answer is easy: The Horseshoe. There's something about that place that just brings out the best performances from the bands. The reason I like it has nothing to do with the nasty lighting, the awkward layout, or the dirty stage. It has everything to do with the vibe and the sound. I've seen more incredible performances there than anywhere else in the city.

How often do you attend a show? Because I read your Facebook statuses and it seems you’re busy every day of the week.

Yeah, I’m busy...

They’re going to invent an eighth day just for you and they will call it Nemaday.

That would be awesome. If we could just change the timing of the day so instead of just 24 hours we would have 26.

I could get a lot done in two hours and I’m sure you could too.

I did redesign time once but it’s hard to implement. I find it difficult to go to more than 2 shows a week. I have a full time job, I have my wife and I have a photography art I’ve been working on as well.

How do you balance everything, especially when you’re a husband and a father with priorities?

Two shows a week is about all I can handle. Sometimes I’ll do 3 if it’s special. On top of actually going out and shooting, I also have to process the photos which is something I enjoy. I also have to write up words which is something I don’t enjoy as much.

Your most recent event that you went to was the Junos in B.C., right?

I didn’t actually go to the Junos.

But you went to the after parties.

Yeah. What I did I think was better than the Junos. I watched the Junos on t.v.

The Junos aren’t good! I mean, Nickelback wins for Fan Choice. It actually makes me ashamed to be Canadian.

I actually napped a bit during the Junos and I remember waking up and Nickelback won something again and I said “all right I can go back to sleep!”

How did you get that opportunity?

The way that came about was in 2006 I photographed illScarlett almost as an afterthought to photographing Hostage Life. A month later I got a call from their manager who was really interested in the photos and wanted to work with me more.
So the guy who manages them, he also has a company called Know Affiliation. He runs these things called the Artist Sanctuary. So in Vancouver for example, they took the top two floors of a boutique hotel and invited stars to come through, they get some free stuff...they agree to get photos taken of them with products, and against the media wall. He likes to have me there. So he told me to come out, got me a plane ticket, a really nice room, and so I was out there for a weekend having a great time.


(illScarlett during CMW 2009 at Sound Academy)

Who was your favourite encounter at the Juno after parties?

It’s an easy answer but maybe not what people would expect. I’m looking at this guy and I recognize him but I’m thinking through all the bands I’ve photographed – I photographed over 190 bands just last year – so I’ll recognize people but I can’t remember all the names. Then finally I hear someone say “Battlestar Galactica!” So, I met Aaron Douglas and Kandyse McClure.


(Aaron Douglas and Kanyse McClure)

I got a long with Aaron. He has a good sense of humor, and he’s interested in music and photography. We met up and went to see that bands that night including The Arkells – one of my favourites.

Yes, mine too. I saw them for the first time when they opened for Matt Mays last November. We were both there, but we didn’t cross paths exactly.


(Arkells, november 6, 2008 at The Phoenix)

Do you plan on going to the NXNE festival and photographing the bands there? What other stuff do you have lined up?

I might be photographing Kings of Leon at the ACC which is pretty exciting because I’ve photographed them the last two times they’ve been in Toronto at the Kool Haus so now they’re moving to a bigger venue which is so well deserved.

I remember back in the day when Kings of Leon were these dirty looking, long haired hippies with bellbottoms. Now all of a sudden, a few haircuts and a few H&M trips later, damn, they’re looking sharp.

Looking slick! I also enjoy my nights out with independent bands...Of course NXNE which is my favourite festival in Toronto. I love the vibe of it.

What I like about you is that you focus on local bands. How important is it for you or anyone to support their local music scene?

Well, without the support of a local music scene you don’t have a local music scene. I think one of the good things about Toronto is that I’m one of many. There’s tons of bloggers and they’re out at shows and they’re trying to generate interest in local bands they love. Bands are trying to generate interest in their friend’s bands. Quite frequently I'll run into members of bands in the audience. I ran into members of Constantines out at Ladyhawk, and members of Pilot Speed out at Matt Mays.


(Matt Mays, November 6, 2008 at The Phoenix)

By Ladyhawk you mean the indie rock band from B.C. or the female pop singer?

The B.C. band, without the e [at the end].

There’s so many bands with identical names. What’s the point in that?

It’s real hard to come up with a unique name these days.

If you had a band what would your band name be?

I’m not sure. I think over the years you have friends who say a short phrase to you and you think “oh, that would make for a good band name”.

I think “what’s what she said” would make for an awesome band name.

You gotta make sure your name is google-able.

You have petenema.com, you’ve also got a Facebook fan page, twitter, God knows what else. Let’s say we just gave up on the internet and we didn’t have it anymore. How would you still put your work out there?

I wouldn’t even know. I think the reason this even came about is because of the way the internet grew. I probably would still take photos of bands but just keep them to myself.

You would probably post them up on your wall like in One Hour Photo and be all creepy. Speaking of the internet, what are some of your favourite blogs to read?

There’s this comic called Wondermark, which is hilarious.
Related to music, Chromewaves is a really good resource. I like the way Frank Yang writes.
Also, the independent blog It’s Not The Band I Hate It’s Their Fans.

Ahh yes! From Sloan’s Coax Me. I love that line. It’s so true though. There are certain bands out there that have a lot of cred and talent but they have the most annoying fans ever.

Yeah, some dude at the Ladyhawk show was pouring beer over my head when I was trying to take photos.

How many years has it been since you’ve been photographing shows?

I started June 2006. My very first show was Bend Sinister.

What are three albums that are in high rotation right now?

Amos the Transparent gave me their EP and I really like it. Obviously, the Arkells’ Jackson Square. It’s probably last year’s most played.... Metric’s “Fantasies”. If you look at the genre they’ve created for that album, it’s a lot more dancey than what I’d normally listen to but it’s really good. There’s something very attractive about the way Emily Haines sings.

What was the first camera you started photographing with?

I don’t remember the first, but I do remember my first good camera I still own. It’s a Minolta X700, fully manual. I got that in 1984. I climbed an active volcano with that camera in my hand. I’m quite attached to it.
What have you learned throughout the years about photography?

Experimentation is the best way to learn your own style. As long as you understand all the mechanics, then you can those mechanics and twist them to create an image you’re happy with.

Are you trying any new things?

Outside of concert photography, I’ve been working on this project called Fifty-Two TO. I’m working with Nica Mintz on portraits of Toronto and portraits of people in Toronto that represent the demographic...It’s a huge challenge for me because we have to agree on a location and interview the people. So the plan is to photograph 52 people. We’re probably at 15 right now.

Lastly, why the name change?

It ties back to what I was saying about the internet. It grew out of a joke. This guy at work quit to work for a start-up in California. It seems like an odd move because at that time (2000) software companies were going bankrupt and stocks were crashing. I told him “I hope it’s not for pet-enema.com because I hear they have a suspicious business model”. I went home that night and realized that domain wasn’t registered. When I began blogging I wanted something google-able. I realized pet enema could be Pete Nema and no one in the world had that name.

That’s a good strategy because if you’re Bob McDonald, there are a lot of guys with that name out there.

I’m fortunate to have picked a name that people can remember.

Your photography is memorable as well, not just the name behind it.

Thanks!

It's Pandamonium, Baby!

It's no secret that I am deeply in love with pandas. I've seen The Amazing Panda Adventure about two hundred times. I've dressed up as a panda last Halloween. I am even wearing a panda pin on my shirt as I'm writing this. It's a rather lovely pin I recieved from an ex-boyfriend. Toss the guy, keep the panda. That's my motto in life, erm, or something like that. I find it quite hilarious that every guy I've ever built a strong relationship with has bought me a stuffed panda. They're all just chilling in my closet (the pandas, not the ex-boyfriends).

Pandas live a pretty sweet life. A life of solitude, which I am all about. Panda's are the lonely hunters of bamboo. According to this online article Pandas are encouraged to mate by watching panda porn, no joke! (do you think they mind bootleg DVDs?) I must have been a panda in my former life. We love to be alone, we mildly enjoy porn, we like to sleep a lot and just act cute.

I figure if I were this beautiful creature for a 24 hour period, this is what my day would be like:

I`d wake up early even though I`d rather continue sleeping.



I realize I ran out of ground coffee.



I do not want to go to school or work, but I suppose I have to in order to put food on my table and expensive shoes on my feet.



Alas, I am home. I kick my feet back, open a tallboy and wait for someone to make me dinner.



WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO MAKE DINNER MYSELF? AND DO THE DISHES, TOO?! BITCH, PLEASE.



Then a man friend comes over and we watch a movie, talk about life and...



Followed by a few minutes of...



Then I light up.



And off to bed I go!



Sweet life, right?

If You're Going to Eastern Europe, Be Sure to Wear a Flower in Your Hair

Summer’s almost here and everyone’s making plans. Some may be thinking of travelling.

I had the pleasure of backpacking through Europe two summers ago all by my lonesome self. It was literally the best experience of my life and it couldn’t have happened at a better time. Through relaxing train rides and entertaining tour guides, I learned a lot about myself and what I truly want out of life. I want to share some tips for those of you who are contemplating getting away from it all, spending a few weeks or months to explore new scenery.

I will start by suggesting buying the cheapest plane ticket to any European city. I personally bought a ticket to Bucharest, Romania (with a transfer in Amsterdam via KLM Airlines) which came out to be $900.00 but hopefully there are cheaper tickets than that if you look really hard.

After spending some time with family in the beautiful Brasov, Romania, I met with a travel agent who hooked me up with a Eurail Global Pass. I spent around $500 (euros) to be able to take trains all over Europe for a whole month. I did pay extra to reserve a seat on every train, which in retrospect was a bad idea because there were plenty of empty seats everywhere, so I should have saved my money!

I have to mention that the trains in Germany, Deutsche Bahn, were the most enjoyable.


The trains were very clean and spacious with extremely comfortable seats. (Note to Romania: you could learn a thing or two from these guys! Please take care of your trains, they can be a pain to ride!) Not only was the staff extremely friendly, the riders were also very helpful. I met this one old man who lend me his phone to make a local call to a friend of mine in Stuttgart. On another train ride from Berlin, the group of people I shared a cabin with invited me to the train's restaurant and bought me a delicious dinner. Danke schön!

Most people assume from all those horror movies that backpacking alone and staying in hostels is going to be this scary, unpleasant experience and that all the people you will meet are out to get you. That is not the case at all. Come to think of it, I never really had any disturbing encounters with anyone. Well, except for this sketchy, old, Italian man I shared a room with in Berlin who kept asking me where the brothels were. What about me exactly screams brothel goer?!

By far, the best hostel I visted was the Wombat in Vienna.


You may not notice it, but the Wombat is the blue and yellow sign on the left.

Ever since I fell in love with the film Before Sunrise, I’ve always wanted to visit Vienna. It has a stunning, clean interior with a lounge area, computers with free internet, pool tables and a bar in the basement. When you check in, the receptionist hands you a voucher for the bar. It’s location is perfect; just around the corner from the city’s main train station. The rooms are kept tidy, each with several bunk beds, lockers and spacious bathroom. I went there unannounced and there were a ton of beds available, so no reservation needed. At the time, breakfast was free but according to their website it now charges you $3.50 but you get a lot of variety to pick and choose from.


There I am, biking in Vienna, one of the only cities I visited that had bike lanes on the road! I am a major advocate of that. You are able to rent bikes from a few locations around the city. I paid $12 (euros) to bike for a whole day.

Another city I highly recommend visiting, not just because the hostels are cheap and clean is Prague. I stayed at the U Melounu. It was a long cab ride from the train station but definitely worth going the distance because it was a gorgeous area with a spacious courtyard to eat, play cards, suntan, what have you.


The breakfast was free but plain: toast, coffee, cereal. The front desk has plenty of cigarettes, beverages and snacks for sale all day and all night. The rooms were much bigger at this hostel than the previous ones I stayed in. There were bunk beds as well as single queen size beds with ridiculously comfortable blankets and pillows. I love my pillows real fluffy!

I desperately want to go back to Prague and potentially live there for eternity because there’s never a dull moment in that city. Although the language is hard as hell to learn, the people are kind and just want to have a good time. There is so much to explore. I ate at a lot of affordable cafes. I drank in the most interesting bars – a lot of them are underground, because they used to be bomb shelters in the Second World War. The overall aesthetic and atmosphere was amazing, unlike any bar I’ve been to in Ontario.


That was one of the restaurants in Old Town Square I ate at with other nomads. Unfortunately, the quality of the photo is terrible and the fact that I forgot the name of the place is even worse.

There was a ton of museums and exhibits to check out while in Prague, like the Kafka museum which I think attracted the most tourists, the Mucha museum for those art lovers and various other galleries that showcase up and coming artists of the Czech Republic. All are found near the infamous landmark Charles Bridge.


Charles Bridge: where everything wonderful is on the other side

One of my favourite things I stumbled upon while in Prague was this bottomless well of books at the Prague Library. Called "Idiom" by Matej Kren, it has two mirrors on the bottom and top of the piled books, therefore when you look down it gives you the illusion of a never ending well. If you’re a literary nerd like I am, you will find this fairly fascinating, especially when you can spot some of your favourite novels in the structure.

There was a ton of clubs to hit if you’re waiting to bust out your robot moves. I recommend stopping by the Karlovy Lazne Dance Club. It’s got five floors, each blasting a different genre of music, so you can never get bored.



I could sit here and write a novel about all the fabulous European cities to visit but perhaps I will save that for a rainy day. I have to keep reminding myself I am a journalist, not a travel agent. Although I’m sure the combination of the two will make for one stellar career.

I just hope everyone realizes there is so much life beyond our backyards!
Happy traveling!

Enjoy It & Destroy It

Enjoy It:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “It’s Blitz!” (below is actual album cover...gnarly!)


Through ample amounts of synthesizers, they showcased all the sweat and tears – but mostly sweat – it took to create an album close to perfection. Every album the band puts out seems to be just as good as the last, if not better. I guess there’s no such thing as a downgrade for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Their willingness to explore new musical directions is something to be appreciated. Us fans don’t want another Fever To Tell. We want something refreshing and energizing, and that’s what we got, thankfully.

With Dragon Queen, Karen O sounds like a fourth Bee Gees , but in a good way! This happens to be my personal favourite off the album. Another fave, Heads Will Roll, is a sweet homage to 70’s disco with all the synth. Ah, you'll feel so alive, so thirsty for the dance floor (or in my case, a darkened street).

The album has a beautiful fusion of unconventional, manic anthems and slower, guitar driven alt. love songs. If you enjoyed Maps back in 2004, you’ll dig Hysteric. The way Karen O chants the title make me swoon. She arguably has the most divine stage presence of any band right now. Her smile along with her glossy voice can make any ice queen melt. I look forward to upcoming tour dates in Canada. So far only European dates have been listed.

Birthday Celebrations

This is the first time in over a year, I believe, that I’ve gone out with girl friends. For those that don’t know me, I’m pretty much a dude with tits. I’m “one of the boys”. Your bro. I’m the Cheech to your Chong. It’s pretty much a sausagefest 24/7 365. Hanging out with the guys, drinking beer and playing poker is my favourite thing to do on a rainy afternoon. I guess I’ve always found it easier to get along with and understand the opposite sex than my own.

I decided to get out of my comfort zone and boogie on down with some beauties. The overall experience was excellent. I will admit, I am more nervous to hang out with my girl friends than to go on a romantic first date. This may be because I just don’t interact with enough females, bu that will change. I realize I need a girl friend real bad. I miss bonding with someone and sharing clothes and exchanging useful advice. if only they had something like e-harmony.com but for best friends.

5-7-5, 365

Short. Sweet. Straight to the point. Haikus are my kind of style. It's poetry for those with A.D.D. Not too long ago, my lovely friend Anton Lozowsky created Haiku Wednesdays. On this day we communicate with each other only in haiku. It’s brilliant, not to mention fun. I have this idea that on my 21st birthday, May 7, (I accept early presents!) I will start to submit one haiku a day for a whole year, kind of like how a lot of my friends showcase one photograph a day for 365 days. I plan on jazzing it up to the Nth degree, somehow. I find typing a haiku on Microsoft Word isn’t as stimulating. Perhaps graffiti or permanent marker on someone’s body will do the trick. So, thanks Anton for the idea!


Destroy It:

Passengers Lacking Bus Etiquette

Please note, this blogger is almost 21 years old, lacking the ability to drive a vehicle and also lacking the drive (pun totally intended) to go out there and take the actual test. I’m going to be riding the bus for a long time so I have to make it clear that there are certain rules for the transit we must all abide by.

1. When all the seats are taken, please stand at the back of the bus. That way, when twenty school kids are getting on the bus they don’t have to lollygag at the front with very little room to move.

2. It is also a good idea to sit or stand at the back when an individual with a baby carriage gets on the bus. The seats at the front fold to leave room for the carriage as well as other passengers walking by to sit at the back. So please get up off your lazy ass and show common courtesy.

3. Please don’t put your backpack or any other type of accessory down on the seat beside you. An old man could be sitting there if it weren’t for your dumb things taking up a whole seat. Why can't you just lay it on your lap? Again, it’s all about common courtesy.

4. When someone sitting in the window seat wants to get off, please get up from your seat as well to make sure the person has room to get away. I hate it when I need to get off and the person next to me just pulls their legs closer to them, assuming I can squeeze through 5 inches of room. You obviously don’t know about my eating habits...I can’t squeeze through anything!

4. It’s not really appropriate to yell at the bus driver about the increase in bus fare (It’s $3 a ride in Brampton, by the way). It’s not up to them. They just get paid to take you from Point A to Point B. So, to put it nicely: shut the fuck up.

Skin Tight, Hot Date Outta Sight


I don't hate the actual show. I just hate the fact that I do not have a proper date for this event. Now, I’m all for independence. I love doing things and going places alone. But there are times when I wish there was someone around to share certain experiences with, like when a pair of tits are swaying in my face.

How Do You Say "Free the Bloggers" in Italian?

There’s a shitstorm in Italy regarding blogging. To make a long story short, the Italian Parliament wants to black out blogs and social media websites like YouTube and Facebook and to also restrict people from leaving anonymous comments. That has to be the silliest thing I’ve ever heard. I can’t imagine life without blogs. I’ve been blogging online since I was 13! I was always so excited about my blogs because I had 100+ friends on livejournal, but then I felt sad because I have -100 friends in real life... Sure enough a lot of people are protesting this idea by submitting their name, blog address and photo holding a “free blogger” sign. Clever.
For more info, check out the source.

Post Script: Thanks you to those who continue to read and comment. I apologize for the lack of submissions. The combination of schoolwork, health issues, mental issues, a cute boy and trying to follow the complex storyline of LOST makes it hard to focus on leisurely writing. But I did manage to make this one post incredibly long, so that is how I shall make amends. Keep on keepin' on!

Three Reasons Why I Enjoy Life

1. Santogold's self titled album. FULL OF WIN!


But technically it’s Santigold now.
The vibrant Santi White topped a lot of lists last year as “The One To Look Out For”. I never really pay attention to top 10s on any music magazine – half the time the albums receiving 5 stars are boring and generic (to me). A friend of mine the other day practically begged me to give this a listen, telling me it’s “a feel good album”. Hell yes, it is! I’m feeling the fuck out of this. What’s more amusing than her sick beats is this whole debacle over her name. Apparently some washed up has-been got pissed and insists she stole the stage name from him. In good ol’ Hollywood fashion he sued. Although the fierce yet civil Santi White changed one single letter from her stagename, Mr. Nobody is still suing. Can someone just pass the dude a valium or something?

2. You can’t spell Earth Week without... Bill Nye?


Okay, actually, you can’t spell Earth without d-a-v-i-d-s-u-z-u-k-i, but you get the point. Mr. Nye will be appearing at Humber College (if you’re waiting for me to bust out a cheery “Hawk yeah!” you can just F your life) April 6th to talk about environmental sustainability, reducing our ecological footprint, and maybe where he gets all those snazzy bowties. I’m quite excited about this because he’s the man that made science fun for me as a child. It’s a pretty big deal.

3. The fact that there are people out there who could be saving the world or something (save the cheerleader, save the world...) but instead, are spending countless hours on the computer composing ridiculous videos like this:


Am I the only one here who has a digital folder that includes clips of animals and humans doing outlandish things, regardless of whether it’s real or not? I swear, I’m one cup of prune juice away from being a batshit crazy old lady. Hmph.

Paws and Laws

I was 14 years old when my parents decided they were going to be cool for once and let me have my first dog. We went to the Toronto Humane Society – it’s just the right place to go. I’ve heard nothing but good things about THS. The people affiliated with the organization take such good care of all the animals. We walked around and looked at all the dogs. I noticed there were more big dogs (pit bulls, Dobermans) than there were smaller dogs. I felt really upset about that because I knew most families (I admit, we were one of them) only adopt the cuter, smaller, more family oriented pet. LOOKISM EXISTS EVEN IN DOG POUNDS!

I remember vaguely there was this angry looking couple before us in line to sign papers and they had plans on getting the dog we set our eyes on. They were giving me this weird, nasty vibe. The ladies working at the Society noticed the reeking smell of BITCH as well. Luckily, if the workers at THS don’t like your attitude or find you incapable of the responsibilities that come with adopting a pet, they can turn you down, no questions asked. I really appreciate this because usually I see a lot of people just carelessly giving away things and living creatures away to anyone, anywhere.

The lady took my folks in a separate room and explained to them the couple before us “didn’t look like the loving kind” and alas, we got the rights to adopt our sweet Bella. I really wanted to name my first dog Tori (I was going through a Tori Amos obsessed phase during that time. I owned all her albums and was deeply in love with her obscurity). I realized I shouldn’t rename her just because she was already trained to respond to her biological name. I mean, she’s not P Diddy. She can’t just change her name every week because she’s bored and wants her name in the tabloids. Yeesh!


(that's yours truly and a very sleepy Bella)

Oh, I’m turning into John Grogan, writer of Marley and Me. Not that it’s a bad thing! I love to gush about my dog. I’m as annoying as one of those people at parties who whip out their wallet to reveal eight photos of their kids. I’m in love with the amount of happiness my pride and joy, Bella Buia, brought to my life. Oh, but lets not forget her downfall. She pees in the house when new people come over. She sounds like Chewbacca when she snores. She scratches at your feet and won’t leave you alone during dinner time. She’s so clingy and a huge diva, like Farrah Fawcett but in dog form.

But I just continue to love her. To quote John Grogan:

“A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and [s]he will give you his [hers].”

Now, it just pains me to open up the latest edition of MacLeans and learn about a woman who drowned her kittens and was only fined $5. A man also got away with killing his 6 puppies with a hammer. A couple paragraphs down it explained that in Canada, pets are considered personal property and we are entitled to dispose of them any way we want.

This is just fucking heartbreaking.. What kind of senseless moron gets off on beating innocent, cute puppies to death with a hammer? Really, it’s sickening to realize it’s foreplay for some people. After I barfed in my mouth a little bit, I decided I had to find out what can be done to punish those who cause cruelty to animals. I always tell my folks, who share the same love for animals, if a person is capable of killing a defenceless animal with their bare hands for no reason, God knows what they are able to do to a human being. One way to make a change is to support and petition for Bill C-373 which gives better protection to animals and harsher punishment for those who cause cruelty.

I think as people we need to be more compassionate of all the animals we share our planet with. Just because they may not struggle like we do – work, kids, bills, etc – doesn’t mean they aren’t as deserving of life as we are.

Here are some websites for anyone interested in further investigating:

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International
Animal Cruelty Law (Canada)
Bill C-373
Toronto Humane Society...ALWAYS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS!!

Conquering One Addiction at a Time

Hello, my name is Natalia and I’m a recovering Facebookaholic. I’ve been sober for a week now.

Yes, I am one of maybe two people in the entire world who do not have Facebook [anymore]. It was like an annoying Siamese twin I decided to be surgically removed. Everyone and their dog has Facebook. Literally! Even my dog had Facebook! Lame, right? Truth is I was bored one day and by impulse I decided to make her one. She's so cute, c'mon! I'm over it now, but there are other bitches who can’t take their paws off Facebook still.


At first Facebook was this nice opportunity to keep in touch with high school friends and co-workers but then all of a sudden we were hooked on tagging every single photo and survey we complete, uploading videos for comments and poking random guys with cute profile pictures. Then suddenly, every time you’re logging in, you’re lurking people’s walls to see what they did and who they talked to that day. It was then I knew the only options were to delete it or continue to be hooked on crack. I’m no Amy Winehouse, so I said yes to rehab.

We can argue for days the pros and cons of Facebook like I stated before. For me, the cons weighed much too heavy. Sure, pleasant, even flirtatious comments can be nice. Compliments on my profile picture can make me feel warm inside. But I realized majority of these people on this website would never say such a thing in person. This was especially hard to swallow. I am a person with very little friends in real life. My Friday nights consist of me cleaning my room and playing Scrabble independently on the computer. I don’t get that many phone calls or emails from people wanting to converse or join in on an activity with me. When I had Facebook, I had ample amounts of people who asked me “what’s up?”. Now, I will admit, without Facebook I feel much lonelier.

When I told a few people of my admittance into Facebook Rehab, they gasped in shock, laughed and told me I would never be able to live without it. I have reached that point in my life where I just don’t get off on silly comments from people I barely know. I miss face to face interaction. I miss the good ol’ days when people phoned or knocked on my door, asking me to come out and play. I hate the insincerity that comes with a Facebook message. It’s too impersonal for me at this stage of my life. Our parents survived just fine without such a thing – mostly because this wasn’t invented yet. If they can live a good life without a dozen different technologies taking over, we can get by just as fine.

With Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, MSN Messenger, texting and more, I truly believe we will slowly fail at handling face to face interaction. We won’t be able to function socially offline. We will just go mute.


This week has been extremely refreshing. Now that I’m no longer updating my info on pretentious indie bands I’m listening to, uploading hot photos I took of myself for attention or sharing naughty youtube videos with friends, I plan on doing new things with my free time. I’ve compiled a small list for those interested in following my footsteps.

Top Ten Things We Could Do Instead Of Lurking On Facebook:

10. Learn a new language. Zu Hölle mit dem Internet!!!!
9. Go on a beautiful hike at Belfountain.
8. Throw a dinner party.
7. Get a haircut.
6. Read a good book like Sophie’s World.
5. Meditate.
4. Clean your room.
3. File your taxes.
2. Phone your mother.
1. Watch paint dry.


I am going to continue to live a Facebook free life. I think I can do it without any slip ups. But if one does occur, I’ll be sure to call my sponsor right away and report myself.

'Cause This Is Ladies Night! Is The Feeling Right?

Hurray to us all, it’s International Women’s Day!

I’m really proud to be the woman that I am. I remember the day my crazy Romanian folks sat me down at the dinner table and explained how they have been wanting a boy, but instead ended up with a hot blooded, neurotic, independent young lady. They would have named me Samuel. Yikes. I wasn’t all that uncomfortable with their exclamation, actually. It only made me more thankful and appreciative of the way I turned out to be.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be a woman and what it means to be a man. I don’t think there are major differences between the genders, except for genitalia of course.

From early on in life, agents of socialization like school and the children’s media like toys, books, television programs, teach us what it means to be a girl. Certain colours are associated with our gender. Certain toys are marketed more towards girls and not boys. Kindergarten teachers let the girls colour and play house while the boys are allowed to fight and play with trucks. Our culture seems to have set a certain guideline for us to follow as we evolve and become a bigger part of society. I do wonder on a daily basis what we would evolve into if such rules weren’t set from an early age.

Automatically we assume certain characteristics are more feminine than masculine. For instance – and this is one of my pet peeves – some people associate crying as being “a little girl”. I argue with the fact that both man and woman are given the ability to cry. Just like man and woman both have the ability to laugh, deceive, breathe, etc. To show emotion is to be human. I don’t believe one emotion is more feminine than the other or vice versa. Sure, women are probably seen crying more often than men but I still don’t get the whole “little girl” association. It should never emasculate a man if he decides to embrace his human emotions in public or in private. To mock something like that is rather immature and ignorant.

Such double standards continue to exist and from the looks of it, probably won’t go away. There’s so much inequality when it comes to how our society thinks we should behave. I’m still trying to figure out a way to break the spell.

I read one woman’s blog the other day and she also mentioned International Woman’s Day which really delighted me....until I discovered she just copied and pasted information from Wikipedia and ended the post saying “So, put on some lipstick and your favourite dress and enjoy being pretty!”....Yes, because that’s exactly what being a woman is about. Excuse me while my eyes roll into the back of my head.

I try not to morph into a preachy feminist so often (but sometimes I listen to too much Bikini Kill and I can't help it), however it really offends me when others say things of this nature. I will agree that some of us women can be materialistic, valuing clothing and beauty on a higher level than most people, but there are much more meaningful ways to celebrate being a woman.

I always enjoy looking back at some inspiring, accomplished women in the media and throughout history. I do this because lately there is far too much emphasis on hating other women in the media. We nitpick and criticize each other to no end when we should be praising and supporting one another instead (yes, I even have hope that Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie can do this!).

International Women’s Day is a good day for parents who have daughters to educate them on women who have contributed something beautiful to the world in politics, arts, community, etc. I believe young girls who learn about Wangari Maathai and Jean Kilbourne will hopefully be inspired to also make a lasting impression in society.

I’m sick of the media labeling young, plastic celebrities as “role models”. Sure, some win Oscars and donate to charities once in a while for publicity, but nothing can compare to the lengths Maathai, Mary Wollstonecraft and Naomi Wolf (to name a few) have gone to make women more appreciated and respected in this world.

Today, I acknowledge the women that have come before me – the ones who made voting, owning property and pro choice possible. I also thank the women that I have in my life today – my mother, grandmother and teachers who encourage me to be strong, smart and free spirited. One particular woman I have had the pleasure of learning from is Angela Aujla, my Women and Popular Culture instructor. I mastered a lot in that class thanks to her and I continue to take all the information I have obtained through lectures and readings and apply it to both my personal and professional life.

To conclude my blabbering, today may be a day designated for women but overall, I'm celebrating what it means to be human because in the end it's what we all are, no matter the size, colour and sex.



P.S. I do think about Le Tigre every March 8th. How can I not mention them? Kathleen Hannah was my silver lining in highschool. I miss them and desperately want them to come out hiding and make epic anthems again.

Life Sucks But Don't Give a Fuck

Once in a while there comes a website that really tickles your fancy and keeps you chained to your computer chair, continually refreshing the homepage. See, websites are like gorgeous men. You first stumble upon them and can’t get enough (until another website steals you away, of course). You gush to all your friends about it and (SEXUAL INNEUNDO ALERT!) sometimes you spend your entire Friday night on it.

My current lover is www.fmylife.com – a rip off of www.viedemerde.fr - either way, a great way to pass the time. It’s an electronic haven where in a sentence or two, users reveal their most embarrassing moments. It’s rehab for the clumsy and unlucky.

I find the most laugh out loud material involves love and/or sex. Such as:

"Today, my mom walked in on me looking at a 1978 playboy. She asked if I found it in the basement. I said yes. Then I realized she was the centerfold. FML"

"Today, my boyfriend broke up with me. I cried and told him that I loved him. He gave me a quarter and told me to call someone who cared. I threw the quarter in his face and ran. I waited for the bus, but when I got on, I realized I was 25cents short of the fare. I walked home in the rain. FML"

“Today, I finally got the chance to hook up with the girl I really like. She was naked, and as she was taking my pants off, she looked at my penis and said, ‘oh, I just remembered I have to babysit my little sister today.’ FML”

Now, most people argue laughing at other people’s misfortunes makes you an asshole. I suppose it does. I suppose I’m a huge asshole then. However, I’m actually applauding these people for their [anonymous] bravery more than I am laughing hysterically at them.

We shouldn’t deny the fact that we just love horror stories more than fairytale endings. It doesn’t make us bad people. It helps us grow thicker skin and gives us the metaphoric balls to admit to our own horror stories on a public domain.

I don’t believe a person to be truthful when claiming they can make it through 24 hours without something remotely awkward happening to them. Take a look at me for example; the poster girl for embarrassing moments. Within 5 hours of being in the college environment today, two embarrassing things happened. Too bad FML doesn’t come with cash rewards. I could really use the money for next year’s tuition.

Embarrassment is human nature. How many times have you heard the phrase “nobody is perfect”? Too many times to count, right? Even Fidel Castro fucks up sometimes by tripping and sliding into a bunch of chairs after a press conference. Joaquin Phoenix is even creating a username for FML this very moment. Ah look, he just posted!

“Today I was on set for a movie about a blind caveman. I took a bunch of drugs and drank a lot of God knows what before I went on Lettermen to tell him I’m a rap super star. He told me to never come back. FML”

Over all, the ability to read about other people’s confessions on sites like FML, Post Secret or Group Hug gives us clumsy idiots great comfort and suddenly we don’t feel so alone and horrible for our own clownish actions. Once we hit the “post” button, we can let out a sigh of relief as a bit of weight is lifted from our shoulders. We can finally buck up, move forward and laugh. Whether we're doing it with each other or at each other...who really gives a fuck?

Good Nachos, Good Music, Good Night

This past Friday the 13th at Sneaky Dee’s, the unsigned and undeniably ambitious Reverse Mount Rushmore warmed up a full house in honour of The Isosceles Project’s CD release.

Due to mutual friends, I have had the pleasure of knowing 3/4 of the band for a number of years now. I guess you can say as a wallflower, I sat back and watched them grow as musicians.

With such devotion to their instruments, the foursome definitely made the crowd aware they are not your typical rock band. Their laid-back personalities shift once all instruments are plugged in, ready to go. They are never shy to make bold riffs and experiment with sound. Brent Fagan’s vocals are classic and rarely gets overshadowed by heavy chords. Whether playing at a bar or in a grungy basement, watching these men jam never gets boring.

I will admit, this has been quite the pleasant departure from Mike Mikocic’s former band The Harold Wartooth. Although they had a great, loyal fan base for many years, Reverse Mount Rushmore seem much more unified.

Danny Lindsay, also of The Big City Nights, adds a great touch to the ensemble with his passionate talent for all instruments and raw vocals on songs including Bus Orgasm.

Reverse Mount Rushmore are not a band soley formed to be pretentious or intimidating. Sure, their fine musicality can make anyone who’s ever picked up an instrument a little jealous. With great timing, they play like no one’s business, until every sweat bead falls from their forehead and onto the floor. This band, like every other up and coming band, willingly leaves a lot of room to grow and master their craft. I believe this band is here to stay and satisfy all stoners with their rock anthems. Take my word for it when I say that every show from here on in, will only get better.


(all photos courtesy of Jeff Karpala)