Thought I'd share some photos

On October 5th, Oliver will have been with us for two years. Time certainly flies.



This photo was taken that first week. We still thought he was going to be a 25-30 lbs terrier cross. He was so small - mostly from almost starving to death - that I could hold the little guy in my arms. He wore a cat collar and slept in a cat carrier.









































This was taken today. He's grown so much, but is still the sweet little puppy at heart. I can't even count how many ways he's changed our lives, but we wouldn't trade him for the world.

Well, because Keira asked nicely, I'll try to do this on my iPod touch. Excuse typos and punctuation problems.

1) The Pumpkin Pie Show: Commencement. Best thing I've seen so far. Amazing.

2) Pitch Blond. The story of comic actor Judy Holliday's run in with the anti-communist movement in the 1950s.

3) Gibberish. Chris Gibbs works a crowd like no one else. If you don't laugh you are a sad, soulless human being. Or a robot.

4) Mal. Clowns are creepy and this show is great.

ADDED

To be honest, there's not much I haven't liked at this year's Fringe. Perhaps that's because I'm choosing most shows by companies I know rather than taking a chance on an unknown product. There's only one show I wasn't keen on, The Unlikely Sainthood of Madeline McKay, and even that wasn't that bad.

Jem Rolls's show, One Man Riot, was great. Rolls's is always good. Keir Cutler's Rant Demon was a solid show. Molly, a one woman show based on a section of Joyce's Ulysses was excellent, though, with it's frank sexual descriptions, not for every one's tastes.

My biggest problem this year has been the reviewers. I'm, frankly, often pissed off at Fringe reviewers (I'm at loss to figure out why Morley Walker goes to the Fringe at all - he hates almost everything). This year, I've notives that a significant number of both the CBC and the Free Press reviews were written about versions of plays performed at the Ottawa or Toronto Fringe earlier this summer and, as a result, don't necessarily reflect the version of the show currently running in Winnipeg. Let's leave aside the idea of theatre being a living art where no two shows are exactly alike. Don't you think that artists will tweak their plays based on the feedback they receive festival to festival?

This morning has been a bit of dramatic ordeal for me. Let me explain...

As I listening to the radio on my weekly drive across town, the deejay announced that he'd just received a text that dog had been hit by a car in the Grant Park area and had run off. The owener was looking for it and if any listeners in the area could help it was much appreciated. My wife came across a similar incident about a year ago: some scared and presumably very hurt dog went into hiding after being hit by a bus.

Now when I hear this, I look in my rearview mirror and see the big brown eyes of my dog, Oliver. If you know me at all you know how much my dog means to me. It broke my heart to think of him.

On my way home, traffic came to an unexpected stop on Osborne just south of Jubliee. I couldn't see what was happening at first. There was a guy on the road, moving back and forth between the street and the curb. After a minute or two cars started moving and I saw the man walking his bicycle with one arm and carrying a recently hit dog over the shoulder of his other arm. I don't know if the dog was dead - it was very limp but appeared to be moving; I don't know if it was his dog - there was another dog (off leash!) walking beside him. The dog appeared to be a grey hound or grey hound mix (which is what Oliver is) and looked to be the same size as my dog. I almost had to pull over...

Traffic again came to an unexpected stop on the bridge across from the Leg: a beautiful labor-doodle was standing in the middle of the southbound lanes. People were trying to coax it off the road. There was no sign of an owner.

http://jam.canoe.ca/PhotoOfTheDay/home.html?&pic=1

You see, ya can't please everyone, so you got to please yourself

So, it seems that that the IOC has decided to investigate the Canadians women's hockey team for their post-gold medal win over the US. After the team won, they celebrated on the ice with champagne, beer and cigars.

So what? The party took place AFTER fans had left the building.

Honestly, there are times when the IOC come across as whiny children. Gilbert Felli, the IOC's executive director of the Olympic Games, said, "It is not what we want to see ... I don't think it's a good promotion of sport values. If they celebrate in the changing room, that's one thing, but not in public." An empty arena is public now? A changing room full of media is somehow more private?

This whole thing stinks of a double standard. When asked what he planned to do to celebrate his gold medal for skeleton, Russell Manitoba's Jon Montgomery answered, "Probably have a pint or two." I have yet to see an interview where he HASN'T been drinking from a pitcher of beer. Can you imagine the men's team doing anything differently if they win gold?

Tiger Woods's press release: better scripted than "LOST."

Oh, oh, oh the sweetest thing

I wanted one as soon as I’d heard they existed. They sounded so good, so decedent, so terribly, terribly wrong. And a few weeks ago I fulfilled my five year quest: I finally had a deep-fried Mars bar.

I can’t remember where I heard about them – probably some Brit comedy – but I was immediately curious. Curious the way people are intrigued by car accidents and the first couple of episodes of each season of American Idol: a combination of shock, horror and awe. And while I can’t remember where I heard about them, I do remember my inner-monologue when I heard: “You mean they take something that’s already not-very good for you and deep fry it, making it really, really bad for you? I must have one.”

I told it was a British thing and so when I found myself in Britain I sought the DFM out. My excited inquiries at were met with expressions vague disgust and contempt (which is only slightly different from a regular “pleased-with life” Britsh expression). “That’s not English,” I was told. “That’s Scottish.”

So imagine my thrill when, out for fish and chips with my in-laws, the waitress tried to tempt us with dessert. The DMF was the last thing she mentioned and I audibly gasped when she said it. My wife looked across the table at me and sighed. Despite the fact that I had just consumed a large deep fried piece of fish and deep fried fries, she knew that she was going to watch me eat a deep fried chocolate bar.

And it was one of the best thing I have ever put in my mouth.

Disappointment, you shouldn't have done

Like most of the civilized world, I saw Avatar over the Christmas holiday. Unlike most of the civilized world, I was pretty disappointed with the whole experience.

Let me just get my biases out of the way: I'm not a huge James Cameron fan. I think he's a largely overrated, under talented filmmaker. The Terminator films (by which I mean, and mean only, the first and second ones) are solid. Aliens is very good. And I'm eagerly awaiting a Pirahna 2 special edition 4 disc DVD box set. But I have no patience for True Lies, The Abyss or Titanic. I didn't even want to see Titanic. Someone made me. His films look good, but his stories are contrived, bland and predictable.

Avatar is no expection. Visually, this film is stunning. The alien world Cameron (and, I guess, a bunch of pasty skinned nerds at computers) creates looks amazing. And if you're going to see this, you should see it in 3D to get the full effect. But the story is so paint-by-numbers that even the kids in the audience could tell you what's going to happen.

Cameron has stated that he's spent nine years developing the technology to make this project work. You'd think in those nine years, he'd have worked on the plot and character development a little bit.

I wanted to write something about the amazing Grey Cup victory this afternoon, but an accident with my dog has distracted me. It seems Oliver cut his eat on another dog's studded collar. According to my wife, blood was pouring out of the cut. She took him to the vet and he's in surgery now. There's a good chance he'll lose a bit of his ear and will have to wear a cone for a few weeks. Poor little guy.

Anyway, about the Grey Cup: after watching most of the pre-game stuff and the game (which was one of the best football games I've ever seen, not in terms of excellence of play but back and forth) I have two thoughts. First, the Roughriders beat themselves. Leave the miscue that resulted in the repeat kick aside for a second, Saskatchewan was unable to capitalize on a couple of key Montreal mistakes, particularly the 7 yard punt. When they needed to get a time-killing first down, they couldn't.

Second, the Montreal coach, Marc Trestman, is a stand up guy. From the pre-game speech to his team, to his candid comments before the second half, to his post-game speech, I was completely struck with his soft spoken humility and sportsmanship. Reminding his team that they're entitled to nothing and praising the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Trestman exuded class. Hotheaded Winnipeg coach Mike Kelly could and should take a page out of Trestman's book.

Hey, hey, hey, goodbye

With the Winnipeg Blue Bombers officially (and perhaps not surprisingly) out of the playoffs, I need to find another CFL team to cheer. I'm leaning towards the Hamilton Ti-cats: the dramatic, late-season turn around; the impressive win over the Roughriders; and the fact that their current starting quarterback, Kevin Glenn, should have never been traded by Winnipeg. On the other end, I could cheer for the Roughriders: my in-laws are Roughrider fans and will likely invite me over to watch the games. For the sake of family unity, maybe that's the way to go.

Should you go with hated rivals who have a good shot at the Grey Cup or the team that put your team out? Or do you just watch as a detached observer, cheering for the game itself? What's the usual course of action for the fan of a losing team? I figure I'd toss this one out there and let people chime in with their two cents. Some of my friends who are Leafs fans and will have had DECADES dealing with this problem might have some interesting insights.

Can't get next to you

I know, I know. Months have past by without so much as a "how-dya do." I'm a terrible friend and a horrible person. Please forgive me.

Rather than going on and on about the mundane events of my average life I thought I'd list a couple of websites and their stories that have brightened my dark days.

My Life Is Average

Last night, after I thought all of the trick-or-treaters were gone, a boy of about 14 years of age came to my house. He was dressed all in red. Instead of saying 'trick-or-treat', he said 'I'm your period, sorry I'm late.' He got my last jumbo bag of candy, and he restored all of my faith in his generation.

Shit my Dad Says

"Just pay the parking ticket. Don't be so outraged. You're not a freedom fighter in the civil rights movement. You double parked."

Also good for a laugh: People of Walmart and Awkward Family photos, similar, but, because people send in photos of themselves as opposed to strangers, less mean.

Harrison Ford has been talking up Indy 5 and his plans to redon the fedora. He claims he, Spielberg and Lucas have figured out what the story will be and are in development.

I can't wait to see what new adventure Dr. Jones will stand around and watch conclude. Maybe they could make that stupid CGI gopher his new sidekick.

So, who am I to judge?

Was watching Entertainment Tonight in glorious HD in the middle of the night. Truly HD is the only way to watch Mary Hart and that steaming pile of faux-important celebrity worshipping tripe masquerading as hard-hitting journalism (have you seen the way they present the Michael Jackson story?)

I'm finding it hard to care about celebrities these days because they just seem so incredibly stupid. Do I can that Gordon Ramsay, who must be one of the worst human beings alive, is faced with bankrupcy? A man who has made is money insulting, screaming at and reducing people to tears might lose it all?

Do I care that another not-a-thought-in-her-pretty-little-head "actress" has had nude photos she took of herself leaked on to the internet? What did she think was going to happen when these photos were taken? Seriously? I think young celebs should have to take a course in "Just 'cause it seems like a good idea at the time doesn't mean it is."

The problem is I think that there are some very real lessons that young and not-so-young people can learn from the missteps of the rich and famous. And perhaps the most important of those messages is this: your actions, even if you think they are private and secret, have consequences; you have to thinnk about the things you do. But that message never quite becomes the focus of the story for an industry that needs celebrity scandal to survive.

It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday

I'm always a little sad when Fringe comes to an end. For the 12 or so days that the Festival is one much of my time is spent in the Exchange (and now Osbourne Village and the Forks) seeing plays, wandering between play venues and queuing up for tickets and plays. And the quality of shows was so good this year, I wish the Fringe was on for another couple of days.

Of the 20-25 shows I saw, there was only one stinker (the previously mentioned "Blitz Kids," a play so bad my blood STILL boils). There were a couple of "mehs"; but most shows were good, very good and excellent.

One of the mehs was the highly tauted and critically praised "Gimbel the Fool." This play thoroughly bored me. I had a hard time (mostly because I didn't care all that much) discerning whether the problem was story or characterization.

Other fantastic plays:

Jake's Gift: We got advance tickets for this after it sold out its second performance of the festival. Peopl lined up for hours to see this and I doubt anyone left disappointed. I have never seen a Fringe show as emotionally charged as this one.

Bloodless: An original Winnipeg musical. Very smart, intelligently staged.

52 Pick Up: I'm aware of two previous stagings of this play at the Fringe, but Gemma Wilcox's version adds a more physical element. I loved the almost dance-like way the two actors picked up the cards.

Fruitcake: Rob Gee's show about his time as a psychatric nurse combines stories and rapid-fire poetry. We saw this on the very last show and I'm so glad we got tickets.

Blue is the Water: South African storyteller Eric de Waal comes to the Fringe every year and every year I go to his shows and I have yet to be disappointed. His voice is hypnotic.

Homeless: Autobiographical show about a young man's job at a homeless shelter. He weaves into the story his own faith story and abandonment of traditional Christianity.

Jerry Finnegan's Sister: I'm always nervous about seeing shows with people I know in them, but I liked this play quite a bit. I thought the direction was a little flawed, but I enjoyed myself.

A quick one while hes away

I know some people still read this blog and if you're reading it during the Fringe Festival 2009, I thought I'd do a quick list of recommendations of the stuff I've seen so far. I'm hoping to have a little bit of time this week to do a more concentrated review post, but I won't make any promises.

Highly Recommend:

Fall Fair: The guy who did Giant Invisible Robot puts on an amazing one-person show. This was one of the best Fringe shows I've ever seen and I was embarrassed that there were only 12 people in the audience. See this show.

archy and mehitabel: A high-concept one person show based on the writings of Don Marquis, a newspaper columnist who wrote as a cockroach and cat.

Sound and Fury present Vaganza: Good, funny S&F show. If you like their humour, it's a great 60 minutes

Molotov Circus: Bizarre and wonderful family of gypsies deal with the coming of age of a teenaged daughter.

Like Father, like Son? Sorry: Chris Gibbs is one of the funniest people on earth.

Ryan Paulson: I'm Uncomfortable: A few "too graphic" moments but the sing-along was fantastic. I met him the day before the show and remembered my name and my wife's name when he saw us at the venue.


Avoid

Blitz Kids: Realizing that I'm a total jerk for slamming a bunch of children:this is a terrible show. I see a lot of people have "disagreed" with my (I think) even tempered, heavily censored analysis on CBC.ca. I can only imagine that these people are related to members of the cast. The mere presence of child actors does not make this show "sweet," "gentle-hearted" or any other innocuous phrase you want to use to sugar coat the harsh reality: this story about two British evacuee children in WW2 will have you rooting for Hitler.

People have commented on the (obviously talented but out of their depth) Winnipeg kids' inability to do London and Scottish accents, but I think there are more basic problems with story, characterization and pacing. Plot lines that could have been quite interesting are dropped and undeveloped. For example, the evacuee children are Jewish, but after one scene it's never mentioned again, even when the kids are invited to a Saturday matinee. The whole "let's put on a music-hall show" plot dominates the last half of the show and the show-within-a-show went on way too long.

Looking Forward To:

These are shows I'm going to be seeing and have the fullest confidence will be worthwhile.

52 Pickup. I think I've seen this play before, but the actress putting it on (Gemma Wilcox) is first rate. I'd see her in anything.

Under the Glacier.

Jem Rolls' Leastest Flops.

Blue is the Water

In other Fringe thoughts, I was thoroughly disappointed with Ryan Gladstone's show The Seven Lives of Louis Riel. I suspect that by the middle of the run he'll at least have his lines memorized, but at his second show he needed a lot of prompting. He confessed that he'd only finished the show a few days before the Winnipeg Fringe and that was all too apparent. If you're going to workshop a show (which is essentially what this was), fine, but don't charge full-price or use deceptive, out-of-context praise (for what can only be for previous shows). More than the lines, I found the pace disjointed. The first three vignettes took almost two thirds of the show, leaving 4 "lives" to crammed into the last twenty minute.

Yes, the show is very funny and I think it likely will be worthy of Wab Kinew's ludicrously generous 5 star review (how can you give a perfect score to something you ADMIT IN YOUR REVIEW IS FLAWED?!?!?), but it's not there yet. And i feel so strongly about this, I'm recommending people avoid it.

Please stop ruining my childhood, George Lucas.

First, you killed Stars Wars with The Phantom Meance and the Greedo-shoots-first re-edit. Then you pooped on Indiana Jones with The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and its monkeys, shrugging gophers and unfathomably employed Shia Lebeouf. Now you've decided to poop on Indy again?

Fifth Indian Jones movie planned

Filling out forms, standing in line

Well, I'm back from southern Ontario. All in all, it was a good trip. The conference was really good; my paper seemed to be well recieved by the small audience. Made some good connections and met some interesting people.

I was particularly glad to be able to see my very first best friend and his family. I first met Dave Row when I was under 4 and we basically grew up together. We went to Beavers, Cubs and Scouts togther. We played baseball; we did EVERYTHING together. He lived down the street from my parents and I probably spent as much time at his place as I did at home. When he moved away in Grade 7 we only saw each other occasionaly, but he did come to my wedding in 1997.

Dave lives in Ottawa now and I got to meet his wife, Alison, and their brand new baby daughter, Kate. Dave's mom was also there. I don't think I'd seen her since I was a kid. We dined on lobster, remenisced and I left knowing that if Dave and I were in the same city, we'd still be the best of friends.

What isn't the internet good for?

So tomorrow, May 23, is my birthday. It's not a big deal, and will, in all likelihood, slip by with little hoopla. May 23 is a date marked by intrigue, illlicitness, death, murder, and cartoons. Here are just some of the literally dozens interesting things that happened throughout the years on my birthday:


On May 23, 1430 Joan of Arc was captured by the Burgundians during the Siege of Compiègne. In 1498, Dominican priest and book burner Girolamo Savonarola was burned at the stake on the orders of Pope Alexander VI on May 23. And on May 23, the marriage of King Henry VIII to Catherine of Aragon was declared null and void in 1533, paving the way for Henry string of wives and the plotlines for "The Tudors." On May 23, 1929, "The Karnival Kid," the first talking cartoon of Mickey Mouse, primered. May 23, 1934 saw the end of American bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde, who were ambushed by police and killed in Black Lake, Louisiana. On that day in 1945 Heinrich Himmler, the head of the SS, committed suicide while in Allied custody. May 23 1995, was the day of the Oklahoma City bombing.

May 23rd is the shared birth date of clarinetist Artie Shaw; crooner and aunt of George, Rosemary Clooney; boxer Marvellous Marvin Hagler; singer/poet/cutie Jewel; and professional irritent, Drew Carey.

Feels like I'm walking on broken glass

Until I was walking a dog two or three times I day, I didn't really pay attention to how much broken glass there is on the streets of Winnipeg. Some of it is in front of businesses on Portage Ave, broken beer bottles after late-night carousing; some of it is in front of people's homes. I guess I can understand (that's not to say I like it) the former, but the later just baffles me. Who doesn't sweep up broken glass on the sidewalk in front of their house? It's been there for over a month!

In other news, I finally watched the first season of "The Flight of the Conchords." Ridiculously funny. I highly recommend it.

Here's sample.

Like moths on a stale yellow light...

My first year of university was what can only be described as a watershed year. I moved out of my parents' house; I struck out on my own; I met the woman who became my wife; I developed a love for literature and began on the path to my current career. Some of these new things were inconsequential - like learning to use chopsticks; others were considerably much more substantial.

One of the substantial discoveries I made that first year in Waterloo was the work of Leonard Cohen.

Someone on my residence floor played "The Future" a lot and I was drawn to the dark and witty imagery and hypnotic voice. I soon owned every Leonard Cohen and had purchased a large collection of his poetry. I got obscure out-of-print documentaries and television specials. I wrote strange dark love poems in Cohen's style. In my only public as a singer, my friend Doug and I belted out a pretty snazzy rendition of "First We Take Manhattan."

Last night, after 15 years, I finally saw Leonard Cohen in concert. And it was magical. At 75 years old, I wasn't sure what to expect, but when the man danced on to stage in his traditional black suit, I knew I was in for a magical evening.

With the exception of some lesser-known favourites, Cohen, in an almost 3 hour concert, sang almost every song I hoped for: "Suzanne," "Closing Time," Who By the Fire," "Tower of Song, "Famous Blue Raincoat," and "Hallelujah, which got its own standing ovation.