Pumpkin Pie, Perverts and Penguins

First topic: Pumpkin Pie

It's Thanksgiving this weekend in Canadaland and tomorrow I'm going to my sister's place to stuff my face with whatever she decides to make. Whatever it is, it will be delicious as she's an excellent cook. I've been reassured that there will be pumpkin pie. So I'm very... thankful.

In fact, I'm so thankful and this being Thanksgiving, I've decided to give my sister and her dude a special gift...





Horrific, ain't it? Hehehe... it's one of my uglies, painted during part of a painting class that focused on making an ugly painting on purpose (to get over 'trying to paint a perfect painting' phobias). I'm going to finish the edges of the canvas, sign it and name it on the back (like a real painting would be) and wrap it up and give it to them in feigned sincerity. And then watch them squirm in polite horror when the open it! :D :D :D Cruel, eh? Oh God, I can't wait!!! :D


Next topic: Perverts

The other day I was grocery shopping and turned an aisle corner and witnessed a man taking (what I now believe to be) clandestine photos of a girl/woman with his iPhone (or whatever).

It took me a bit to realise what I was seeing... but yes, some man in I would guess his forties (my age) was holding his iPhone down at his side, pretending to be buying milk, all the while taking 'upskirt' snaps of some girl/woman who was dressed in a mid-thigh length skirt.

Now, I'm no prude and I try to not jump to conclusions. And although my first reaction was, 'ewwww! perv alert! perv alert!' I tried to see other possibilities: 'maybe this is a couple playing sexy games in public?' or 'maybe this is a semi professional photo shoot?' But the more I watched (while trying not to be obvious), the more I came back to my initial reaction: perv!

Plus, the girl/woman. As I got a better look at her.... well, I can't read age very well but she looked anywhere from 14 to 20 years old and completely unaware. I asked myself, 'what if this girl/woman is actually 100% 14 year old girl?'. Grrr...

Alas, it was a busy grocery store, I was busy doing my thing and I was confused and shocked by what I had just seen. I didn't really think it all through until later and of course I'm now kicking myself for not at least warning the girl/woman that some perv was upskirting her.

It's really stuck in my head though: was that a crime? what are the ethics involved here? should I have called the cops? if she was an adult, is she fair game just being in public? what if she was 14? does that make the pervs photos child porn-ish? and what responsibilities does a witness of this carry, if any?

After, much thought, a conversation with my friend Simon and a google session, I've decided to phone the local police and ask ... just haven't quite worked out what to say and ask. Watch this space.


Final topic: Penguins!

Another excellent 'animal - soundtrack' video.




:-)

The Girl Who Screwed Up Her Sleep Cycle By (reading) Stieg Larsson

OK, I am probably behind the times here but after about a month or two from starting, I've just finished reading the 'Millenium Series' by Stieg Larsson:



... and I've paid a nasty price. My 'sleep hygiene' (as they say) is all fucked up; I feel jet lagged and I bounce between having oodles of energy to turning a '15 minute nap' into a three hour snore-fest.

Seriously! I am normally very regular with my sleep. Asleep by 10-11pm and up by 6-7am and very much a morning person. I wake up full of energy (and gradually turn to mush by 9pm). So staying up repeatedly until 2am reading these damn page turners as turned me right upside down!

But wow! I thoroughly enjoyed the series. Very interesting plot, and sub plots, and great characters. I mean, how can you not love Lisbeth Salander? ... and not develop a crush on Kalle Fucking Blomkvist?

Oh, and I've watched the first two films (the Swedish ones) and I'm planning on watching the third this weekend. The first two were very good. Here's the trailer for the third:




OOOoooOOOooo, can't wait!

I'm also looking forward the American version of the first film; the trailer looks excellent although Salander will always be the Swedish version for me, I think. Still, the Americanization of a good film looks very promising!:




And while searching for the trailer above I found the following clip. It looks like it's probably from a Swedish comedy show and although it's entirely in Swedish and I have no idea what's being said, I find it very amusing. People who've read the books and/or seen the film would too, I think.



I am now going to bed with an algebra text book and hope to be asleep by 9pm!

OMFG!

I am going to do this!



Next spring/summer!

Who's with me?

Terry Fox Trotting

I happened upon the 31st annual Terry Fox Run/Walk/Wheel/Hop/Cartwheeling today. I completely forgot about it this year and hadn't heard anything in the local media (bad Marnie) but I cheered on the participants and soaked in the good atmosphere. It was nice.

Later in the day, I returned to the area where the run had been in the morning. All the signs, banners, etc had been taken down. There was no sign that there had been hundreds of folks there just hours earlier. I slowly drove by the Terry Fox statue and noticed that there was a single wee bouquet of wildflowers resting at his feet...

A pic of the statue taken on a cold day last winter...
see the toque? ;-) Folks look after Terry.

The poignancy of those delicate lone flowers contrasted with the morning's festivities absolutely floored me and I had to pull over for the tears. The 'Marathon of Hope' run is one thing, but the death of an individual is another.

I'm not entirely sure I understand why, but Terry Fox stirs some of my more profound emotions and has so since I was about twelve. This short video, accompanied by a Stan Rogers song, dissolves me to a puddle.



But I don't want this to be a sad post because really The Terry Fox Run has raised about 500,000 million dollars for cancer research and that is fucking fantastic.

I'll be out Fox Trotting next year and I've already marked it on next years calendar so I don't forget! Until then... here's some baby foxes and their doggy stepmom. She doesn't show until half way through but it's a lovely video et c'est tres francais! You can click the wee 'x' in the top right corner of the blue box to remove it - annoying!



C'est bon, eh?

Shake, Rattle and I didn't feel a thing.

I just sat down here at my computer for a bit of a coffee (iced coffee, mmmm) break and brought up the Beeb to catch up on the news and the words "Quake hits off Vancouver Island" right on the front page sort of grabbed my attention.

Magnitude-6.4 quake hits off Vancouver Island

A magnitude-6.4 earthquake has hit near Vancouver Island, Canada, the US Geological Survey (USGS) says.

The epicentre of the quake, which hit at 12:41 local time (19:41 GMT), was 289km (179 miles) west of Vancouver, the USGS reported.

The quake occurred a depth of 23km (14.3 miles), the USGS added. Eyewitness accounts say buildings swayed in central Vancouver.

However, no tsunami warning has been issued.

The closest major settlement, Port Hardy - with a population of over 5,000 - has received no reports of damage caused by the earthquake.

Kinda odd to read a foreign news site and read about such a local news event that I should have noticed!



But it's true, I didn't feel a damn thing!

Understandable really, living in a wood-framed structure, you get use to it wobbling whenever a big truck goes by so you just sort of tune that out. And I'm a bit spaced out with the ol' PMS so maybe that lightheaded feeling I felt was actually my brain momentarily jiggling like seismic jelly.

EDIT: adding... Here's how it was reported this evening on the local evening news.



Good reminder though; we're right on a fault line part of the 'Ring of Fire' and best be prepared and all that. LOL! Like a windup flashlight is going to save my ass when the condo above me decides to meet the condo below me. Sigh...

No sense worrying about it. Crank up the volume and let's dance!

Jerry Lee Lewis' first TV appearance
on the Steve Allen Show - 1957
I love this!

:-)

Candid about Candide

Last week I read Voltaire's Candide. I knew the general story and the main points about the book, as it was part of some high school literature or history class, but I had actually never read it. We were assigned to read it and I had procrastinated and procrastinated (hell, it's just a wee book, right?) and when crunched for time, I couldn't find the book, whoops! Fortunately I had the 'CliffNotes' version and read that instead.

It's always sort of bothered me that I had never read it, so 25 (cough!) plus years later; mission accomplished! I enjoyed the read. It was funnier than I had anticipated and I now feel honest.

However...

Perhaps it's just the effect of time or some glossing over by an old school curriculum but I didn't recall any mention of the bum-biting monkey lovers when I was in high school. I think that's a detail I would have remembered!

Being the curious sort, I looked up Candide on Wikipedia and along with lots of interesting info there is an illustration of the two naked ladies and their bum-biting monkey lovers that are included in some editions of the book. Alas not the edition I have but here it is in all its erotic buttocksie glory:

Engraving by Jean-Michel Moreau, le jeune

And now it's time for the candid bit.

Somehow that image and feelings aroused by it, nibbled their way through my brain and resulted one night, in one of the most horniest dreams that I have ever had. I won't go into details because actually I don't really remember many; it was all very surreal and, well, dreamlike but, whoa! When I woke I tried for a good hour to return to that pervy paradise but it had evapourated. Sigh... it was lovely while it lasted though.

So, two thumbs up, as it were, for Voltaire's Candide.

;-)

A Scaredy Cat!

Oh! This has made my day! Make sure you have your volume turned up, it's brilliant.




:-)

Individualistic birds for Simon

My friend Simon once proclaimed that starlings were an individualistic type bird, that they enjoyed their solitude and hermetic lifestyle. Ahem...

Of course he was wrong! But it's one of those very rare moments that he's actually wrong about something, anything! He's a walking encyclopedia and so I take advantage of any slight error whenever I can.

So, for Simon, a kerbillion individual starlings that just coincidentally perched themselves upon the same jumble of wires.





It has to be said that he stated this 'fact' probably over ten years ago but I will never, ever, ever, ever let him live it down! :D Yes, I'm that pathetic!

Sorry Simon. You know I love ya! ;-)

Ooo, errr!

Seen while out and about today:



I thought it was especially funny cos I have a Norco bike with a flat tire leaning against the wall at the foot of my bed. ;-)

Jack Layton 1950 - 2011

Canada lost a rare thing today: a half-way decent politician. Leader of the NDP Party and Leader of the Official Opposition Jack Layton died this morning.



I won't repeat all the information, career highlights, tributes and what not found elsewhere in the media - like the CBC's coverage. Instead I will post a fun video of him that I've always liked. This is from the Rick Mercer Report when Rick visited Jack's home in early 2010.




RIP Jack.


Edit! Adding a 'This Hour Has 22 Minutes' (Canadian news and politics comedy show) compilation that they're just put together:

Dog Watching

I have no desire to get a dog but I do love watching them. So, I've taken up dog watching. I go down to Dallas Road where there is a big long park that follows the shoreline and most of it is an off-leach areas for dogs.

Voila:



Here's one usual scene: people drive up and unload their dogs. The people congregate in a spot and the dogs run to meet each other and the other people. Then off the dogs go to play and the people sip their coffees and chat.





Another scenario: people just walk by along the path with their dog and stuff happens. Like this man and his dog who decided he'd like to play fetch with a wee stick he'd found. :-)








Dog watching photos will likely be a recurring theme on this blog.

Back. And a Boat.

I've decided that I like to blog. I think. Decisive as always...

...


The other day, I was out and about in my car when I saw a big-ass boat! I couldn't get close to it since it was moored pretty much at tourism ground-zero (traffic/people congestion hell) so I drove over to the other side of the harbour and looked at it from the other side.





According to the local news... it's 'The Pallada' a Russian tall ship (no shit) on an expedition retracing the 'discovery' of Russian America by Russian sailors 270 years ago. It sailed from Russia on July 1st towards Alaska and then down the coast to Victoria then soon it will be off to San Fransisco, then Honolulu, then Japan, then home.

A few tall ships show up in the harbour every year and Victoria usually hosts a 'Tall Ships Festival' (though it's been cancelled this and next year as people/organizations can't afford to get here thanks to the crap economy) but I never tire of seeing them.





They're fantastic!

Owl and the Pussycat

I normally put the 'cute animal' video clips that I come across on the right hand column of my blog but this, in my opinion, is exceptional. A lovely black cat and a lovely barn owl as friends. Oooh, it's just so beautiful.



Awww...

Experimental Meatloaf and Salt n Pepa

... because what goes better with meatloaf?

I think I am a pretty good cook. However, I don't get off on it; if I was rich, a personal chef would be something I'd seriously consider. I rarely even discuss cooking but today I am going to because today I made something that was either going to be very good or total shite ... and it was, still is, deeeelicious!

As per my previous post, I've gone a bit cave woman in terms of my eating. I'm not following any strict way of eating, no 'diet.' I'm just dropping the bread, pasta, grains while eating more meat, nuts and veggies. Essentially a paleolithic diet... except with some cheese. :D

Today, I bought some ground up turkey with the plan to make 'my mom's meatloaf.' Alas, it called for breadcrumbs and onion soup mix. Hmmm, what to do, what to do? Well, I thought, bread is just filler and texture really so I figured grated zucchini would suffice... except I had none. But I did have a bit of cauliflower and an apple. And a fried onion is way better than a soup mix. And I also had some capicollo and some cheddar that needed to be used up. So essentially I just went a bit 'mad scientist' and emptied my fridge.

Et voila!




Cave Woman Meatloaf... avec fromage

Fry up an onion in olive oil.
Add two hand fulls of chopped up cauliflower.

As that cooks...

In a bowl mix up:
- ground turkey breast
- an egg
- a chopped up apple (yes really, an apple)
- a few squirts of BBQ sauce
- a few splashes of Wooster sauce
- Salt & Pepa

Also: grate up some cheese but keep it aside to sprinkle on top.

Let the onions and cauliflower cool a bit then throw it in the bowl with the turkey stuff and mix it all up. It should look pretty gross. ;-)

Put half of that stuff in the bottom of an oiled dish*.

Then! Arrange a layer of capicollo (spicey ham) and then the rest of the turkey mixture.

Remember the cheese? Sprinkle that on top.

Bang it into the oven - 350 for 90 mins... ? or until it looks done.

Yum.

Anyways...

It's just been over a week of Cave Woman eating and I already feel a lot better. Oodles more energy already... makes me wanna Shoop!




* I don't have a loaf pan... so my meatloaf looks more like lasagna. ;-)

Lovely Fresh Sea Air and ARGH!!!!

Tuesday morning I went for a walk by the ocean and the breeze was amazing! The air is always cool and fresh but it was super-duper, uber-duber fresh that morning. Other walkers, joggers and bench warmers all commented, 'it's exceptionally fresh today, eh!'




It was wonderful!

Then I looked down. See in the bottom right of the above photo?

Here is it, up close, foot included:




Vote?

ARGH!!!! Don't remind me! Yes, I fucking voted and yes I'm fucking pissed off at the results!!! lol.

I dislike Steven Harper very much. I dislike that his 'Harper Government' now has a majority in Parliament.

But there was some good news. My MP, Denise Savoie (whom I voted for) was re-elected with even a larger share of the local vote; Elizabeth May, leader of Canada's Green Party was elected - the first Green MP!; and there's been a surge of support for Canada's leftist NDP Party, a phenomena nicknamed Orange Crush.

Here's a recap from Democracy Now! which I think is very good:




Anyways... who cares, really? Look, a pretty sailboat:




Aahhhhh.... that's better....

;-)

Paleopoem

Paleopoem

There's a woman on the west coast
A prolific burner of toast
She's not feeling good
Not good as she should
Just 'ok, fine' at the most

Her gusto for life has faded
Her energy stores; down-graded
It could be the meds
She takes for her head
That's making her seem so jaded

So many goals are in her head
Stuff to do before she is dead
But motivation's flat
WTF is it at?
And she does a duvet dive instead

I don't think her prob is mental
I think it's what's on her table
Too many carbos
'n blood sugar yo-yos
She needs to get herself stable

Deep history gave us our genes
We're not as evolved as it seems
Our bodies like meat
More than grains and wheat
And loves lots of nuts, fruits and greens

So for the next thirty one days
She will alter her eating ways
Gonna give it a whirl
Grrr! Eat like cave girl!
And hope to find the oomph that she craves!

Danger on the Streets

Victoria BC style...







;-)

Now THESE are hummmingbird piccies!

I was out walking with my camera yesterday and woohoo!!! I saw a wee hummingbird zip across my path so I stopped and looked and looked and ah-huh! found it perched in some brambles. Unlike my previous post about a hummingbird, yesterday was sunny (better light to see their iridescence), I had my DSLR this time and a zoom lens on it and I could get much closer to it.

Result! Here are four photos - I took about 50! lol. I've uploaded the original sized photos - so do click on them to enlarge them. The detail is great.

A hummingbird when the light is not quite right.

"Hey! Are you taking my piccie?"

The colour in those feathers is amazing.

Iridescence, full on! Lovely wee bird.

I Spy...

...with my little eye...

Yeeeesssss!