Destination HFX

Goodbye Sudbury. Hello East Coast.

Naked Farewell

Last night in the "big smoke' that is Sudbury. Spent the last minutes of the day and the early hours of the new one at the local ripper place. A good turnout of the usual suspects: Beth, Jman, SS, Briguy, Chantal, Jess, Tony. Sipping rye and gingers and discussing plastic sky-heels. Assessing music selections and bored expressions. Laughing and smiling and staring and, for one of us, blushing. It doesn't take much to identify your friends in a room with day-glo murals and a ledged stage. It doesn't need to be said that I will miss them all. But I've said it anyway. Nothing like making a local strip joint the maker of fond memories.

Stealth - movie review

In the simplest terms, Stealth is movie crack. That means it possesses no redeeming qualities other than the buzz it gives you before it drops you back into your mediocre life. It is also highly addictive, with Stealth's director Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious & XXX) being a common dealer of choice. (The other being Dominic Sena - Gone in 60 Seconds & Swordfish.) In fact, the Cohen signature - adrenalinized visuals, tricked-out CGI scene transitions, seductive closeups on up-and-coming leading men - may be enough to get your butt into the theatre. In which case, you are an addict. Hi, My Name is Raye. And I am an addict.

Stealth is about naval "aviators" who are the best at what they do. Lucky for the Navy, "the best" happen to be an equal opportunity dream. There is the lead captain - the scrumptious Josh Lucas - who gets the most screentime with his blue eyes and cheeky smile. He's also got one of the best voices to be brought out of the U.S. in ages. He's Ben, and apparantly he has some issues about his job cause he's very reluctant to seperate the actions from consequences in war. His second - the posing, this?-is-your-post-Oscar-role? Jamie Foxx - offers the 'brother' quotient to the story. It also ensures his bit-player status which was a surprise considering his current celebrity and suggests that the contract for Stealth was likely signed before Ray hit the big screen. The third - the action girl pinup Jessica Biel - is the girl. But she's a strong girl and by the end you can't help but give her props for toughing it out like a trooper. She also brings a great ass to the picture that is obviously exploited in more scenes than necessary (it's a perfect drinking game item = spot Jessica's butt in the frame ... take one shot!)

After this trio is established, the film sets up the challenge of overcoming the introduction of a digital plane to the team. Let's keep it simple again and say that chaos ensues. But this is not to discount the beauty of the chaos. Cohen does an admirable job of presenting us with engaging action, many explosions, and incredible scenery. The first great flaw comes in the vidoe-game look of the flight sequences. Although they may work for a target audience that is used to having a joystick in hand, they deliver little to a filmgoer. The second is the complete lack of payoff in the romance. Lucas and Biel build excellent chemistry in the opening scenes but the film leaves the viewer ultimately unsatisfied. With two such beautiful people, I expect a solid sex scene - especially when the trailer is teasing with kisses.

By the end, Stealth has hit all the predictable points, presented some invigorating moments, and ended with a smart remark. I just wished I got to see more of Josh in that white uniform - white being the common colour substance addiction afterall.

Degrassi Still Rules!

In the middle of the afternoon on a Thursday, Showcase delivers the classic School's Out - otherwise known as the Degrassi movie. Just priceless. It takes NO time to get completely sucked in. Characters arrive at the grad party and I know everyone's name. And eventhough it's been 14 years (can you believe that!), I know the entire story too. It has it all - just as I remember. Joey's hounddog ways. The tempting Tessa Campenelli. Kaitlin's hair. Lucy's spandex. The engagements. The sex. The drugs. The beer. The abortion. The drunk-driving. The break-up. All the joys and all the consequences that are only found at that bridge between adolescence and adulthood. And it's all captured in a realism that highlights the failings of today's slick, WB programming. Because beyond the wooden performances, the mullets, and the oversize shirts, Degrassi offers an honesty about youth that makes it captivating (sincerely nostalgic rather than embarrassing) - even after all this time.

"Average" Hotness

So the girl finally picked the "Average Joe" tonight. First, I gotta say that I am not an avid watcher of Joe - to me it's akin to hockey where I'll skip the entire season but tune in for the final game. In the last two nights, Anna has been tormented by her choice between Rocky and Nathan. From my front-row audience seats it was NO contest. But then, I don't think a single season of this show (or the others like it) has ended with a sigh of satisfaction. Usually I want to kick my television. But not tonight because the "right" choice was made. Anna chose someone who's company she enjoyed without having to be nekkid. She chose someone who shares her interests. She chose someone who is interested in her family, her life, and the part he could play in it. This man was Nathan.

Okay, so she had eliminated him ages ago and it was only through the opportunity of a hotness make-over that he got a second chance. So in one way, it continues to reaffirm the Joe standard = looks always win. But rather it just highlights that they are important - and if more "average" guys took this hint we would all be happier. So guys? - get that haircut, remember to groom yourself, shop for body-appropriate and stylin threads. If you do your chances of a hot redhead (or similar specimen) taking the time to notice your wit, intelligence, sensitivity, and heart will go up. Or so reality TV tell us.

For Shoe!

"I like my money where I can see it ... hanging in my closet." - Carrie Bradshaw
These days I'm spending most of my hours packing my life into boxes and bags. The big transportation sequence begins this weekend and I only have the space afforded by a mini-van and a K-car to haul it all. The challenge? My closet. The culprit? My shoes. You see, shoes are a pain to pack (just as they are a pain to store, and occassionally a pain to wear) because they are not compact like my jersey dresses or damage-immune like my jeans. Shoes need room if you want to keep them remarkable.

At the moment I possess:
9 pairs of flip-flops (in varying degrees of casualness)
5 pairs of boots (in different heights)
7 pairs of black dress and/or business high heels
3 pairs of "cute" running shoes (including a red pair of Converse)
6 pairs of summer pumps (as in - open-toed and fun coloured)
5 pairs of random shoes for random occassions and activities (ie: athletic sandals)
Total? 35 pairs of shoes
At an average cost of $35 bucks a pair (yeah, I'm cheap) that's $1225, or about the same as my new laptop. Hmmmm - are we sure shoes aren't considered assets?

But is this amount high? Low? Average? I don't think you can determine it using a concrete figure. The damage is assessed using the "percentage of earning power" tactic. Therefore, any woman's preference (Payless or Manolo) and pocketbook (princess to pauper) can be compared. Currently, my collection represents about 8% of my income. What about you?

BBQ Goes Best with a Couple of Buds

It takes me a long time to make friends. I'm sort of a "friendship procrastinator" in the way the I put-off making friends until they (or I) am about to leave. It's a nasty habit! I've also been know to make poor first impressions with some friends - Daver being a prime example who admitted to actually disliking me "in the beginning". However, once I become friends with people I work very hard to keep them and my life is richer for them.

Yesterday Beth held a BBQ. It was a farewell thing for me as well as a "redo" for BBQ that got nixed by rain in May. The weather was perfect and it was a great event. Our gatherings tend to centre on a specific group of people (shout out to wings regulars!) and those in attendance were the core. As a group we are sure to have good laughs, sarcastic teasing, sexual frankness (thanks Beth!) and life vs. business debates (my bad!). Add a cooler of beer and things can go for hours. As was the case yesterday when we finally wrapped up the "evening" at 5am! Beth swears that she isn't a good hostess - but this is a total lie. It is also irrelevant because she makes orgasmic frozen-peanut-butter pie and divine taco salad. She could probably light her guests on fire and as long as she served them salad and pie (in particular Jman) they would be happy campers.

I consider myself lucky to have built fantastic friendship circles from so many of my experiences: the highschool gals, the Katimavik hags, the Sydney crew, the Ryerson gang. I only hope that my MBA colleauges are half as awesome. And I'll try to be friendly sooner rather than later!

The Island - movie review

Michael Bay has been making movies for 10 years. In fact, this summer's entry is a 10th Anniversary present of his film-making (his first feature - Bad Boys - was a summer of '95 release). Now with most relationships one would expect things to be getting better, deeper, more intimate at the 10-year-mark, but it appears that Bay didn't get that memo. He seems to have forgotten that one expects diamonds after 10 years - and The Island is no diamond.

Okay, the film has some diamond-like qualities:
1) It is shiny and bright for a start. No drab realism here, the film exists in a world of sharp colours and illuminated tints (something I really like actually!).
2) It is dazzling. Most obviously the beauty is found in the cast - a group of unconvential hotness that is captured in a running series of slow-mo poses. Scarlet Johansson with wide eyes and wind-swept hair. Ewan McGregor - times two! in a suave suit version or dusty leather mode - with swaggering walk and infectious smile. Djimon Hounsou dripping with chiselled, ebony manliness.
3) It is hard. There are no moments of weepiness or soft edges. The entire film is cut in deliberate angles that reflect distrust and danger at every turn.
4) It is clear, or rather, transparent. There is no challenge to see where the film is going or for whom one must cheer. And although admired in diamonds, perfect clarity is a falsehood in relationships and an emptiness in films.

The Island is the story of Lincoln Six Echo (McGregor) and Jordan Two Delta (Johansson). (The film takes time to explain the names as if to prove that someone really thought about the movie but it is a discussion that is both unnecessary and flawed.) Both characters are clones that live in a colony that resembles an intense wellness center for fitness and purity freaks. The entire clone population, of course, has NO idea that they are the "property" of "real" people out in the world. They have been manufactured as replacement-part recepticals for the weathy. The world is maintained through three key devices: developmental control that inhibits natural human interaction, mass belief in a contaminated external world, and propaganda about "the island" - the last safe zone. The story is jump-started when Lincoln's curiosity gets the better of him and all hell breaks loose as he tries to fight for his (and Jordan's) life. It seems that the "sponsors" believe their organ donors to be genetically-perfect vegetables. They are not supposed to be walking, talking, feeling humans! The secret must be maintained! At all costs! Using as much destructive force as necessary!

From the description, it can be seen that The Island has the potential to be an engaging, dialogue-instigating film. The nature of humanity is begging to be explored. The first creature Lincoln and Jordan encounter upon escaping from their sanitary and harmonious world is a snake - a blatant reference to the biblical "fall from innocence". Jordan is exposed to sexualization scenarios three times but none bother to investigate the impact on the neutral characters but rather pushes them towards the act itself. Lincoln faces an extreme amount of violence and yet maintains his composure well beyond what his societal training should allow.

Bay seems to see these story cues as pesky hornets that are to be swatted away lest they sting the viewer with intelligent thought. His implement of choice is a loud, frenetic action sequence. Bay is known for cutting the life out of his action and The Island is no exception. An inability to see what is happening mixed with a seizure-inducing pace and soundtrack make his action unsatisfying. When the sequences are done to yank one away from interesting moments that have promise, they become downright frustrating.

The true story of this film is not the cat-and-mouse adventure. It is in the study of how humans interact and what about those interactions make us human. It is on these grounds that The Matrix proved so satisfying. If Bay had cut his freeway chase and helicopter shots and created scenes where the innocence of Lincoln and Jordan confronts hate, greed, envy, jealousy, lust, ect. then he could have done something intriguing. But instead, Bay chooses to emulate I, Robot and punctuate his story with exclamation points rather than questions. Definitely not an anniversary worth remembering.

Almost Missed a Beautiful Butterfly

Scott always gave me slack for my Hollywood crushes because I was usually ahead of the curve. It seems that being obsessive about hotties is cool if you're leading the pack in your adulation. Today I have to admit that I almost missed one!

I just clocked Bradley Cooper this week due to his turn as an obnoxious (and toxic) boyfriend in Wedding Crashers. I noticed him immediately - its the EYES people! LOOK at the eyes!! - but forced myself to dismiss him because of his portrayal of everything you're NOT supposed to like. Confession - I like me some hot, preppy, cocky asshole and as Sack Lodge, Cooper was filling this definition to a T - so I had to force myself to not think him attractive. The militaristic haircut and steroid-style rage helped. But then he showed up unshaven in a bathrobe in one scene and it was hard to look away. I had to know more.

It appears that I am a late boarder to the Bradley bandwagon (I punched my ticket on the Chris Evans love train instead) primarily because I am not an "Alias" watcher. As the character of Will, Cooper secured a solid fanbase. A groupie-ness that followed him to "Jack & Bobby" this year. As a non-watcher of either show (one because it never has a consistent air time - Alias, and one because I don't have cable - J&B) I was denied access to Bradley. That was an error I now rectify.

Bradley Cooper is hot. He is sexy. He has wide, blue, bedroom eyes that leap out of his face and steal your soul. He can be polished or rugged - I'll take him either way now that I know he exists!

Cuts, Dives, Courts & Drives

A full Tuesday of Beautiful Things:

Cuts...I spent my morning at the hospital, waiting. My 8am appointment turned into a 9:30am meeting with the doctor. Not bad really, and frankly I will give no complaint to a system that lets me have doctor services when I need them. The service today was the removal of two moles from my back. Yay - isn't that all tasty-Enrique for me. But as a couple of my copper spots had altered since my downunder days, I thought it best to get them checked. Turns out that removal is the standard and speedier option. So, with a little bit of freezing (my first) and the quick hands of the surgeon who was doing "penance" (his word) on the bumps & holes floor, I became two spots less beautiful. Instead, I have two mini-seams of stitches (my first) that ache like hell! I hope the scars won't be too big - or maybe not, afterall, it is the individual marks of all kinds that make us beautiful.

Dives...CBC is televising the World Aquatic Championships from Montreal these days. Another perk of having no job is being around to catch random sports coverage. The mens 3-metre spring board diving was this afternoon. So big congratulations to Alexandre Despatie (that's him to the left) - a Canadian boy - who took the gold medal in front of a home town crowd. I admit to being a fan of diving. It's a beautiful sport to behold and easy to watch. Oh yes, so easy on the eyes is diving, or rather, divers. I mean - come on! - is the male form more perfect than when in diving shape? And they saunter onto the board, and you get to watch these sculpted torsos in clean view, and then they spring into the air and you can see EVERY muscle pulled tightly on the body. Whew!

Courts...Tuesday is tennis night. It used to be Wednesday but it was moved. But really, the day is irrelevant. The point is that once a week, I get to hang with my commerce pals and attempt to play tennis. I've enjoyed tennis for years. Not competitively, but socially, as a fun game. And if I push myself, it can be a choice workout. Usually the rallies aren't made for cardio at tennis night - it's all about leisure. And its SO much fun, and funny. Consistent comraderie is a beautiful thing to have in life. It builds friendships and memories and I'm really gonna miss it when I move.

Drives...Finally, I lost my stick-driving virginity tonight. Doing anything for the first time can be scary. Attempting to drive "the hard way" in a friend's sacred automobile is enough to drive you mad. But I handled the pressure and I feel pretty chuffed with myself. I'm also quite happy that I got initiated by such a sleek specimen - beats a rusty pick-up truck anyday! J-man shared his baby with me and under his tutelage I nailed the basics all the way to third base gear. I don't have all the moves yet and I think too much but what else is new with me! Truly, if you ever want to learn, J is your guy. He's patient and supportive and I'm glad I have a friend like him. Now, if I can just remember to be less aggressive on the stick...

Wedding Crashers - movie review

I thought, for a brief moment on Sunday, that Wedding Crashers might beat Charlie & the Chocolate Factory for weekend box office. This scenario was not the case as the latter trounced the former by approximately $20 million. However, I expect Wedding Crashers to have an extended honeymoon at the cineplex - it's that kind of film.

Crashers is the tale of long-time chums John (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy (Vince Vaughn). Together, they mediate divorce by day, crash weddings by supper, bed bridesmaids by night and sip champagne to their successes by sunrise. (This rousing circle of activities is presented in an exceptional montage that occurs barely 15 minutes into the film but firmly establishes the contagious joy of the characters - I dare anyone NOT to smile during the sequence.) And really, that's all they do. But they do it together, as per the rules of crashing (apparantly there are many rules, all of which echo the frat/military/gentlemen's club credos of male friendship). Until the day of the Cleary wedding and the arrival of Claire (Rachel McAdams) and Gloria (Isla Fisher) onto the scene.

It's obvious from the advertising that Crashers is attempting to reach the comedy position of Meet the Parents. And, the leveraging of the "frat pack"aging, focus on sharp one-liners, portrayal of family lunacy and inclusion of a screen heavyweight (Christopher Walken) suggest that it could be so. But Crashers is more likely to walk the aisle laid by Hitch because, for all its wacky comedy set-ups, it is actually a romantic comedy. The film is filled with the usual tactics that drive such stories: discovery of emotion, the evil boyfriend, conflict due to poor communication, last-minute declarations at the altar, and finale kissing.

There appears to be a new breed of RomCom on screens these days - those written with the male viewpoint as the focus. I would call them ComRoms (if it didn't sound so stupid!)or rather Comic Romances. As expected from the guys, in these films the laughs are upfront and the romance is the payoff (versus the traditional "women's" version where romantic notions are primary and comedy is context). In this sense, the newer version can be more satisfying with Wedding Crashers being a bright example of working both your gut and your heart. It also upholds the less-impressive concept that all playboy hounds are true lovers at heart once they find the "right" woman, but you can willingly ignore this constuct in the face of Vaughn's impeccable monologues and Wilson's golden-boy charm.

Although the Wilson & McAdams romance is given top billing (and a long-winded and unnecessary denouement), Crashers is really Vaughn's show - and rightly so. Here the motormouth shtick works and re-asserts him as an enjoyable screen presence rather than a gimmick. Isla Fisher matches him for sheer energy and is sure to have a few men's mag covers thrown her way. In the end, and exchange between Wilson and McAdams sums up the film best:
Wilson: "True love is your soul finding its counterpoint in another..."
McAdams: "That's a little bit cheesy, but I like it."
And so too with Wedding Crashers - a bit of love, a bit of cheese, and likeable.

The Phoenix from Lohan's Ashes

There are a number of starlets shooting into the media spotlight these days; many of them to fall, just a quickly, into tabloid burnout. We are bombarded with cross-over artists and FFNs (famous for nothing) at every turn. But one young woman stands out as talented, personable and radiant. She was the recipient of the "Breakout Star Award" at this year's MTV Movie Awards, and acknowledged by Nicole Kidman as a future talent to behold. Her name is Rachel McAdams.

The buzz on Rachel started its momentum last summer with her Mean Girls and The Notebook performances. However, her awesomeness was over-shadowed by La Lohan and she was largely ignored. It's almost comical now to think that Lohan's tarty "hotness" could blind us to McAdams beautiful charm. The Ontario native has a captivating loveliness that is total movie star. So this summer we'll try it again.

This weekend she appears in Wedding Crashers as the potential love interest of Owen Wilson. Although the comedy is not likely to garner any industy accolades, it will make $100 million and push McAdams into the viewing eyes of a non-tween audience. As well, her character is SO incredible that she makes Wilson's bridesmaid-hopping man reconsider his behaviour. Few young actresses could be realistic in such a role - she must be womanly and attractive and at ease in the "Frat Pack" milieu of a Wilson/Vaughn film. If the trailer is any indication, McAdams will have no problems selling Wilson's infatuation with her. She positively glows in her screen moments. Audiences will go for the laughs, but I'm guessing they will leave with more on their minds than the jokes.

"Know the Difference"

The premier episode of "Rock Star: INXS" ran on TV last night. Produced by reality TV maverick, Mark Burnett, the series showcases a number of vocal hopefuls vying for the position as INXS' lead singer. I know, sounds crazy!

I mean, can anyone really replace Michael Hutchence? INXS is one of my favourite bands (I own ALL their albums on cassette!) and Hutchence was the man. Okay, so rock bands can replace lead singers (Van Halen, ACDC) and continue forwards. But INXS has been nowhere on the radar since Micheal's death in 1997. And now the group (Beers, Pigelly and the Farisse boys) is planning a comeback tour fronted by someone chosen on a reality series!

But I watched it and it was good! Burnett continues to prove that he knows what makes these programs work with slick production and packed episodes a la "The Apprentice". It is hosted by Brooke Burke and Dave Navarro = hello! could there be a hotter host duo for a rock show? And the performance segments are short and electric - like rock'n'roll should be. I'm not thrilled with the "vote your favourite" component - but in a post-American Idol world, I guess it has to be accepted. Everyone lives in a schmancy mansion and the seeds of comraderie vs. competition are already blooming. I think it's gonna be a fun ride.

Fifteen contestants were selected. The group includes alot of shaggy-haired women with large noses and overly-skinny men with bad teeth. A quick introduction:
Dana = gone already - thank goodness (nice sparkles!)
Neal = a Mick Jagger clone right down to the slim shimmy
Deanne = Janis Joplin revisited
Brandon = the big guy on stage
Jessica = upholding the standard of famous Jessicas by showcasing her abs
Wil = bland hottie
Suzie = the disaster waiting to happen (CDN)
Tara = tough, maybe too much (CDN)
Ty = bringing some colour to the table
Jordis = powerhouse
Marty = recroom star
Mig = ah, no
J.D. = creeeepy (CDN)
Heather = star power
Daphna = dark diamond willing to shine

According to the INXS website, the band decided that the best way to honour Hutchence's memory was to ensure that his songs were performed. Knowing that one of the above will someday be singing "Never Tear Us Apart", "Suicide Blonde", "Elegantly Wasted", etc. is almost disturbing. But if it has to be, then I'm putting Ty at the top of my list. I'd buy a ticket for that tour. Brandon, Heather or Jordis are also potentials for me. The rest are just good TV.

Fantastic Four - movie review

This summer it feels as though the studios have colluded to generate one of the least-competitive slate of film releases in recent memory. With only one major film opening each weekend, the movie-goers choice has been drastically streamlined. This week's selection was Fantastic Four.

To begin, I should mention that I have never read a Fantastic Four comic. I have no opinon on "how well" the film upholds or destroys the elements of its source material. What is evident is that the makers of the film version decided to produce an effects-laden genesis story in the hopes of laying the groundwork for a franchise. The downside of this approach is that the Fantastic Four really doesn't go anywhere or do anything in the sense of story development. By the end of the film it is hard to forgive the fact that nothing happened other than the establishment of the team. And, frankly, in the wake of Batman Begins this summer and the marvelous opening chapters of Spiderman and X-men, F4 falls shy of fantastic.

But this is not to say that the film is all bad. In fact, for a PG-rated picture it dishes out a good time. This satisfaction is derived from two things: the cast and the effects. Taking a page from the X-men series, F4 rests on the shoulders of a group of up-and-comers. Actors who offer a flicker of recognition but not enough to overshadow anyone else in the cast (or carry a film on his/her own). The stand-out in talent is Mike Chiklas as The Thing, who moved me to almost-tears in his struggle to deal with his new appearance. Ioan Gruffud fascinates with a look that can only be called manly-boyishness, and is perfect for the finicky Mr. Fantastic. Jessica Alba dazzles as expected but offers little to Sue Storm that couldn't have been provided by any starlet. And finally, if F4 doesn't make Chris Evans an instant pin-up, then something has malfunctioned in the Hollywood machine. As a cocky, adventure-seeking piece of eye-candy, Evans is in his element as the Human Torch. That is to say, in his numerous shirtless moments, he is seriously hot.

With respect to the effects, F4 hits all its marks. Thankfully, The Thing is created through prosthetics, rather than CGI, and the believability factor is increased by 10. Knowing that fire is the most difficult effect to generate (after water), the "Flame On" sequences are exceptional. And the bendy, twisty moves of Mr. Fantastic are remarkable. I'm sure the decision to keep the team in their slick suits was partially for ths sake of the effects (the other being chest exposure - for both genders!) as the uniformity of colour is manipulated with realistic results.

Finally, the Fantastic Four is a fun film. It's alive with action, colour, and comraderie. It doesn't break any new ground or challenge the comic book movie formula but it gets the job done. Although a poor experience for story-telling, the intent to introduce the team and have an audience like them is solidly accomplished. I'm sure we'll see at least one sequel - lets hope it actually goes somewhere

Tag Flower

Presenting the rare Taggart flower. Note the sea-themed petals and vibrant Alice-in-Wonderland face features. Isn't he just the cutest wittle flower ever?

In the Name of...

Less than a day after George W. Bush invokes his favourite C-word, bombs rock the London transit system.

When I think that the original crusades happened again and again over THREE CENTURIES, it seems to me that we, as people, have...

a)learned nothing and
b) have a long way to go.

Crusade
1) Any of the military expeditions undertaken by European Christians in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims.

2) A holy war undertaken with papal sanction.

3) A vigorous concerted movement for a cause or against an abuse
[French croisade, and Spanish cruzada both ultimately from Latin crux, cruc-, cross.]

Jihad
1) A holy war waged by Muslims against infidels

2) A holy struggle by a Muslim for a moral or spiritual or political goal

[Arabic jihd, from jahada, to strive, See ghd in Semitic Roots.]

Be Cause

So today I'm perusing Salon.com and the day pass advertisement is for an organization in the States pushing to maintain abortion rights for women. (In case you didn't know, there is going to be an upcoming vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court and the current support for abortion may be overturned if a new justice is not in favour and the legislation is reviewed.) This issue was also one that was heavily promoted during the last U.S. election and I mention it here because it is one of the causes (as a women's issue) for which I would likely fight.

To be blunt, there are very few things in the world that would get me on the street. I was not part of the tuition-freeze rallies in the 1990s. I have not been involved in advocacy for any organization. My charity/cause commitments ended about the time I stopped reading for MS in gradeschool and jumping rope for hearts in highschool.

This is not to say that I don't believe in supporting causes. I proudly get my poppy every November and white ribbon each December. I carry an organ donation card in my wallet. I donate blood whenever I am able (which is actually less than I would like). I gladly signed the petition to MPs about same-sex marriage. However, I have not truly curbed my buying habits or donated from my own "western-sized" pockets to any great degree. But if someone were to take away my option for abortion, I know I would have something to say. How I would say it, is another question.

I spent the holiday weekend with my gal-pals Jodi & Cindy - both of whom have recently returned from nations with development concerns. The ubiquitous "Live Strong" yellow bracelet was new to them. The fact that the silicone circles have become a de rigeur accessory prompted discussion about awareness in general. As Cindy pointed out, the wristbands are easier to wear than the ribbons. So have ribbon campaigns officially been out-moded as the medium of cause messages?

Almost EVERY cause has its own bracelet at the moment. The rainbow has been conveniently categorized into bright bangles for almost anyone (with the cancers reigning supreme). A brief overiew...

Black = anti-charity & "ThinkGeek"
B&W = "Stand up & Speak Up" end racism campaign
Blue = Drunk-driving (CDN & US) & Beat Bullying (UK)
Dark Blue = Anti-smoking, child abuse, colon cancer & peace
Lite Blue = Autism & prostate cancer
Blue & White = Tsunami Relief
Green = Army, ecology, pro-hunting, kidney disease, cannibas legalization, organ donation, ovarian cancer & tsunami relief (like the most schizophrenic bracelet available!)
Lavender = Epilepsy
Orange = Leukemia & Self-harm
Pink = Breast & youth cancers
Dark Pink = Diabetes
Purple = CARE/Borders (poverty & literacy), domestic violence, kidney disease
Rainbow = Gay pride
Red = Heart research, child abuse, christian, blood donation
White = "Make Poverty History" campaign
Yellow = "Live Strong" campaing, testicular cancer

It dawned on me during my 5 hours of Live 8 concert watching, that the "Make Poverty History" bracelet is something I would wear. Breast cancer, anti-smoking, literacy, and domestic violence are also issues I would address (putting me at 4 different bracelets and at risk of a retro-80s rubber bangle breakout). But really, is showing support all that valuable? How about actually SUPPORTING? For me, it's the difference between liking kids and being a parent - the former is a only a comment, the latter a true commitment ... one that I haven't made yet.

Canoe Nation

Today I want to send out congratulations to my youngest brother, Carl, who completed a 14-day adventure on the waterways of Northern Saskatchewan yesterday. As part of Team La Loche, a collection of Dene Nation representatives, Carl participated in the Saskatchewan Centennial Canoe Race.

The race began June 18th and covered the distance from LaLoche to Cumberland House. Using canoes based on the northern river birchbark design, 31 teams entered the race to celebrate the province's centennial this summer. Of the 29 teams that completed the race, Carl's team finished in 21st place - not bad for a group with no formal canoeing experience.

So cheers to my brother. I hope it was fun, exciting and not too tiring!

Dear Ben

To my dearest Ben:

I guess congratulations are in order on your recent June 30th nuptuals. Yay! for not freaking out this time and actually making it to the alter. It appears that things are going well for you. The limited press coverage of your current relationship (and impending parenthood) are sure signs that you have something positive in your life. Vultures only hover around disaster and decay afterall.

I must say that I am a tad disappointed that you could not wait for me. I was here all the time. A full decade of devotion I gave you. I stood by you through the Gwyneth phase. I supported your attempts at "serious acting". I defended your pre-emptive rehab stint. I could still see the real you during the JLo debacle. I solidly declared you the "next Harrison Ford". So as I sit here typing this in my "Ben's Future Girlfriend" Tshirt, it is sad to say that future is no more. sigh.....

So good luck to you Benji. I will always have found memories of crushing on you in your wild, single days. Just be a good husband and a good father so I don't have reason to hate you in the months ahead.
Sincerely, R:)

I Resolve to Be Resolute in My Resolutions

I've decided that New Year's Resolutions are a bad deal all the way around. I've only managed to keep one (I'm flossing now!) in the last five years. I think this has something to do with the horrible time of year that you are expected to make these commitments. I mean, let's face it, January 1 is possibly the worst time of year to enact change. You have so many strikes against you from the start...

1) you are burnt out from the holiday season
2) you are likely broke
3) you likely feel like a fat, alcohol-saturated glutton prone to post-indulgent depression
4) it's freezing outside
5) the winter blahs are right around the corner.
With odds like that, it's no wonder that most NYE resolutions fail.

So I've decided to make my resolutions on the nation's birthday instead. July 1 is the new day for resolution making. It has all the same trappings as the NYE holiday (fireworks, copious drinking, friendly festivities) but without the nasty aftermath. In fact, it's a better day since you have had the first 6 months of the year to formulate a solid plan of worthwhile resolutions. The weather is warm and you likely have some holiday time to devote to "bettering" yourself anyway. There is a plethora of activities to enjoy, participate in, experiment with and so on. It's really a winner of a philosophy if you think about it.

So for my first year of July 1st Resolutions, I am aiming for the following...

a) lose (and keep off) 10 lbs
b) engage in one physical activity (of 20 minutes plus) each day
c) seriously apply for admission to a PhD program for September
d) re-alocate the majority of my shopping dollars to social and development activities/opportunities

War of the Worlds - movie review

It took me a while to decide on the "W" adjective to add to World in the title of this review for War of the Worlds. Wonderful came to mind - but it implied that the film was strong all-around and it's not. I thought of Wicked - but it too failed to capture the film's essense. So Wild it is. As in, Wild Ride. Because War of the Worlds isn't so much a film as an experience. It's drastically weak on narrative or story development. Instead you find yourself plopped into the life story of Ray Ferrier (and his kids) at one point and then unceremoniously pulled out again - the in between just happens to contain an alien experience.

As the defining director of the alien encounter genre, Spielburg is in his element with this film. The opening scenes feature some strong and creative directive choices (shot composition, transitions)and he manages to reign in his recent schmaltziness. What is missing is the connection to the core character(s) that made his previous efforts so memorable (think...Elliot in E.T. and Richard Dreyfuss in Close Encounters). I don't know if this is Spielberg's fault, or fallout from the screenplay, or the casting of Tom Cruise - but it, nevertheless, weakens the overall experience.

However, the film is a visually stunning package that adeptly merges new millenium technology with a threat envisioned in the 1930s. Essentially a series of remarkable "reveals", the movie's scenes are beautifully and theatrically constucted. As well, the scope of the action is expertly portrayed in a variety of apocalyptic ways. My brother expressed that his version of movie-fear is chaos and distress in broad daylight. That being said, he should find this movie satisfying as the 15-minute mark War of the Worlds delivers that vision in spades and doesn't let up. That is until a hiding-out scene that bridges the 2nd & 3rd acts runs long and feels a tad too reminiscent of the alien-tension-fest Signs.

On the whole, this world is wild. Most of its running minutes will have you staring at incredible things and gaping (in shock? disbelief?) at the devastation. If you can forgive the family-friendly bookends and the lack of explanations, then you're in for one hell of a time.