Dirt Roads to City Streets

A blog in search of an identity and a focus.

Name:
Location: Canada

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

What's happening - Dec. 22

  • A lovely article by well-known Canadian journalist Don Murray, featuring 1000 years of etiquette and this immortal line: "It is impolite to greet someone who is urinating or defecating." Lovely! Hard to argue with that, isn't it?

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

What's happening - Dec. 21

  • Happy winter solstice to one and all - I think it's important to note the turning of the seasons, regardless of your religious or spiritual persuasion. I won't get all airy-fairy, but anyone who has lived close to the land knows that the seasons are important and meaningful - even if the first day of winter seems like it should have been a loooong time ago. In any case, the days will slowly begin to lengthen, and I and many others will start to find it slightly easier to haul our motionless carcasses out of bed as the sun starts setting its alarm clock earlier. Speed the day!
  • Read a wonderful article by political commentator Arianna Huffington. She's asking all of the questions that American politicians should have been asking long since regarding the war in Iraq - where has the money been going, what is the plan to get out of the country, why aren't the soldiers as well-equipped as possible, and what is being done to bring the conflict to a close? You don't have to be a liberal to find the article thought-provoking (although I suspect it helps! ;). For a rightist look at the world, read Peggy Noonan. Politically, I often disagree with her stance, but God! She's a hell of a writer, and I read her columns for clarity. I also read and enjoyed her memoir - What I Saw at the Revolution: A Political Life in the Reagan Era.
  • Roger Ebert lists his top movies of 2004. Sadly, I've missed most of them. It's hard to squeeze in much movie watching when you're addicted to reality television!

Monday, December 20, 2004

What's goin' on (oooh, what's goin' on...) - Dec. 20

  • Looking for weird news? Okay, you don't have to look far to find weird, off-beat news stories, but here's a blog with a bit of wit and excellent access to newswires. It's called Strange Blog: Offbeat news about the stupid and unfortunate. Which summarizes most news reports, when you think about it...
  • Worked on my Christmas cards this weekend, but didn't complete them. It's the only time of year that I correspond with some of the people on the list, and so I don't want to not finish and send them. Still, there's always the saddish time when you go through the address book and try to figure out which people you would be able to recognize in a police line-up, which ones have sent cards back to you in the last few years, and which ones are officially being pruned from your listing. To make matters especially thorny, I'm planning to travel once again to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival - so the dilemma is: do I send cards to people in MN that I haven't seen or spoken to in 3 years, just because I'll be in the area next fall and might want to stop in and see them? Things that make you go hmmmm.....
  • One-stop shopping for weirdness and bizarre videos: Rathergood.com
  • Tonight, I go to Basia's house for a solstice-eve party. Good food, good times. Wheee!
  • Here's a sweet blog written by a 91 year old tomato fancier. He also maintains a journal. Take a peek if you're in need of a smile...

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

What I'm reading - Dec. 14

  • A bit of yummy eye-candy: a firefighter's calendar (3 years worth of images)
  • Looking for an alternative to expensive vacations? Consider working as a house-sitter. These folks appear to have positions open all over the world. I'd definitely consider them -- if I had a life and could afford to travel!
  • When I get bored, I periodically google myself (ego-surfing) - not just because I want to see how often my name appears, but because it's kind of intersting to see the contexts in which one's name appears. There are people out there who share my name running local chapters of the NAACP, administering senior's homes, and even (here's a shocker) teaching English in university. It's a fun mind game to see who you might have been and what you may have done in a different life.

Monday, December 13, 2004

What I'm reading - Dec. 13

  • Here's a great letter written by Michael Moore. He makes an interesting connection between Republicans and abusive spouses. It's a bit preachy, but it's an analogy I'd not run across before, so I was intrigued.
  • Speaking of things American, today is the first anniversary of the day that US troops pulled Saddam out of a hole in the ground. Remember that dramatic footage? Been a long time since we heard much about Saddam, hasn't it?
  • I won the office pool for Survivor: Vanuatu last night. In some ways, it was kind of anti-climactic for me, as both contestants making the final 2 were mine in the pool. Still, the extra cash will come in handy!
  • Someone actually filed a patent for the comb-over. Wonder if they've ever tried to sue The Donald for blatantly stealing their invention?

Thursday, December 09, 2004

What I'm reading/watching/thinking about - Dec. 9

  • Okay, not reading, but definitely droooooling over some lovely firefighter pictures. Check 'em out here. My only complaint, while staring at these lovelies, is that some fool decided to include children in some of the pictures. Thanks for making me feel like a pervert! Know thy audience!
  • Once upon a time, I attended a fabulous drag show (not the one I was supposed to go to this weekend - mea culpa, Thomas!), and the headliner sang this amazing song. I finally tracked down lyrics - they aren't formatted nicely, but you get the gist. I'll keep my ears out for an online version of the song - it's fabulous.
  • Remember when the 'net was new, and there weren't a lot of graphics around, and we'd do anything to personalize an email? Including building cute/weird little graphics out of ascii characters? Well, apparently this is not a dying art. Who knew? The folks at The Hottest Babes come in ASCII have actually dedicated time to creating ascii portraits of famous women. Why? Good question. They seem very intent on ascii-izing as many Hollywood hotties as possible. Granted, it's kind of cool, but the question remains - have they no life? I think we know the answer to that...
  • Survivor: Vanuatu is winding up (finally). The big season finale is on Sunday. I'm in an office pool, and the two castaways I've got money on (Chris and Twila) are still in the running. The previews for tonight's episode show Twila melting down, but I still think Chris has a shot. If you're interested in following along at this late stage, check out the Canoe site, they've usually got some interesting points to make.
  • Finally, did you catch last night's episode of Lost? Except for a few gratuitous flashback scenes about the doctor and his daddy that I could have lived without, it was great! Lots of great twists, as always. It's like watching the most engrossing movie you've ever seen - with too many commercials. They often end on a cliffhanger that keeps pulling you back week after week. I'm so glad I started watching, and I'm sure I'll be buying the DVDs of the first season, so I can watch the clues they've embedded in the series thus far. If you know someone who has taped the season thus far, beg-borrow-steal their tapes and get hooked yourself. It's the most interesting television show in ages (discounting those interesting ones that come on and are promptly cancelled, lest we start using our minds and thinking for ourselves).

Wednesday, December 08, 2004

What I'm reading - Dec. 8

  • Ran across a website dedicated to the architect Christopher Wren and was pleasantly surprised to see the epitaph composed by his son, containing the phrase si monumentum requiris, circumspice. This rang all kinds of bells for me - I once won an elementary spelling bee using this phrase. Of course, as I was about 10 at the time and hadn't studied Latin, I didn't realize either its true meaning or that it was in a different language (looking back, I don't think the teacher realized either!). Instead, I spelled it all as 1 word (pronounced "simon...") and gave the definition as a statue. Strange how these things stick in your mind and come popping up at the weirdest times! By the way, the phrase means "if you seek his monument, look around you" - especially fitting for an architect.
  • Here's a fun read - a website dedicated to crop and ice circles - I found it because it makes reference to a crop circle found south of Etzikom, my home town.
  • If you're looking for a good read, try the works of Sheri S. Tepper. I googled Tepper to see if she had any new SF novels out and discovered that she writes mysteries under a pseudonym. I enjoy her down-to-earth SF writing (she often explores the role of outcast, the misunderstood misfit, and tons of good feminist stuff, while avoiding preachiness for the most part), so can't wait to pick up a mystery and see if it translates into whodunnit.

Tuesday, December 07, 2004

What I'm reading - Dec. 7

  • I've never been to Burning Man, but I love reading about the event. See the main page, and a wonderful summary from the CBC. I've often wondered, if I did attend, what my "gift economy" contribution would be. I think a lot of people give away stuff, and let's face it, most North Americans need more stuff like they need a hole in the head. Instead, I think I'd give away hugs. Everyone needs a hug - a good, strong, maternal hug that tells you it's all okay. What would you bring to the Burning Man party?
  • I really enjoy the columns by CBC contributer Jocelyn Hainsworth. She presents the farming condition with with and compassion.
  • Found this site and thought I'd recommend it to those of you searching for a fellow geek with whom to connect: Science Connection.

Friday, December 03, 2004

What I'm reading - December 3

Dec. 3:

  • Another excellent tribute to Pierre Burton, here.
  • Speaking of tributes, read this wonderful one to Spalding Gray, an actor and performer I admired greatly. Written as news of his disappearance was starting to sink in and people were starting to use the "S" word, it captures the great humour and wit of the man, while at the same time, it's a great jumping-off point for the lengthy list of blogged tributes that follow.
  • The funniest episode of Who's Line is it Anyway (okay, I watched, not read, that one)

Thursday, December 02, 2004

Denizens of DeVry - where are you now?

Dec. 2

  • Some of my former students have their own blogs or sites. See, for instance Jayce's and Marshall's, two of the more talented and memorable students I had the pleasure of teaching (or, in Jayce's case, speaking toward while he played freecell).
  • Teachers like Leon and Joe are still at it, as are Ken and Roger

Looking for work?

Dec. 2

  • Looking for work? My sister's company is hiring a number of different folks.
  • A friend's company helps job seekers in Western Canada locate employment in a number of fields. They also have lots of useful resources you can access for free.

What I'm reading - December 2

  • As you may know, freaky-sideburned, nattily dressed historian/newscaster Pierre Berton died recently. Here's a tribute that I enjoyed, referencing Berton's firing from Maclean's magazine in the early '60s for suggesting it was better for teens to have sex in a comfortable bed rather than the backseat of a car. More recently, he enjoyed a resurgence of interest when appearing on Rick Mercer's show to demonstrate the best way to roll a joint. What a character!
  • A colleague at work is quitting his job and hitting the open road. Follow his journeys here.

Wednesday, December 01, 2004

Reality TV

Okay, I wasn't terribly interested in Survivor. At first. Then, as time went by and more and more people started talking about this evil genius, Richard Hatch, I decided to tune in (Lord knows, I hate having nothing to add to a conversation!). I was hooked, but played it cool. It's just one show - I can quit whenever I want.

And I did, for a long time. The 2nd Survivor was boring in comparison, so I tuned out. Sure, I heard rumblings about other reality shows (my grandmother is hooked on Fear Factor, of all things), but I resisted the urge.

Then a few co-workers invited me to part of an office pool. Well, I could hardly risk $5 on a show and not watch it, right? And I discovered that if I watched, I had opinions, usually voiced in a highly snarky tone, which others seemed to enjoy. Okay, one is fine, I can handle just one.

But then! I started working with a team, where everyone was hooked. Suddently, it wasn't just Survivor All-Stars (lost that pool - bet on Richard again), it was Amazing Race (won that one! Yay, Chip-n-Dip!). Okay, okay. I can control myself. Then Apprentice - everyone was talking about it, and I just had to be part of that conversation. Soon, I was starting to sneak in a little Rebel Billionaire, more Survivor, more Amazing Race (my money is on Don & MJ), a little Outback Jack, some Joe Schmo, enough Bachelor and Swan to speak of them disparingly.

Well, soon, my entire viewing schedule was cluttered with these shows. I admit it - I have no willpower where reality TV is concerned. I don't even enjoy most of the shows. For the sake of all involved, I've cut back to just the shows where I've got money at stake (Amazing Race, Survivor), and the occasional peek at The Donald's comb-over.

But now I'm hooked on Television Without Pity, where I can get a hit of these shows, without taking the time to watch them. Thank God for the internet, eh?

Etzikom School Reunion

I'm helping the committee plan and organize an all-year's school reunion for my old school - Etzikom. It's looking interesting so far - lots of interest. There's bound to be people there I haven't seen in ages. I know, there's a reason I haven't been in touch with them, but now might be a good time to renew the acquaintance and see who I can stand (and who can stand me!).

If you happen to be an Etzikom ex-pat, check out our
website.

Open Homes - Dawnski!

Everyone's favourite mama, Dawnski, finally had her television debut on the series "Open Homes". She and Tom and Isaac gave their home a wonderful makeover, with the assistance of the OH crew. They trimmed back the jungle inside and out, and took the living room to the beach. Read about her experiences here.

Did anyone else catch this great episode?

First of many

Just a quick post - I've finally succumbed to the siren song of the blog. I'll be updating regularly when I should be doing other things. Feel free to comment on any of my ramblings and musings.