Pride & Prejudice & Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls & A Contest!

The back of the novel states that this the “terrifying prequel to the surprise bestseller of 2009”, Pride & Prejudice & Zombies (PPZ). What it fails to say is that this is terrifyingly humourous In this novel, we see the rise of the Unmentionables from their graves and begin reeking havoc in Meryton, Hertfordshire, and the surrounding area. If you have not read the first mash-up novel, the Unmentionables (also known as the Dreadfuls) is the polite Regency-era English work for Zombies. As Mary Bennet aptly states it in the work, “A young lady doesn't use the Zed word.”

Indeed, English manners to prevail in a novel filled with the flesh-eating infestation, a raucous baron intent on his prey – that of Jane Bennet, not the Dreadfuls! – and a cast of quirky character s that include: Capt. Cannon, a veteran of The Troubles, the first Dreadfuls “uprising”, who has no arms nor legs and is driven around in a wheel barrow by two men called, Left and Right Limb. Also included, are the (possibly) Mad Scientist, Dr. Keckilpenny, who attempts to understand the unmentionable threat, and the aforementioned Baron Lumply of Netherfield Park, who has a penchant for gin and chambermaids, and ot necessarily in that order.

The humour in the novel ranges from the witty, as earlier said, to several laugh-out-loud knee slappers. Most of which involve Mr. or Mrs. Bennet. Or a combination thereof, such as when Mrs. Bennet was almost mistaken for an Unmentionable herself whilst scratching at Mr. Bennet's bed chamber door in hopes of producing a male heir.

To be frank, when I first heard of the prequel, I was leery of the a writing style for this novel, thinking it would be a poor intimation to the original co-written gruesomely witty original. Nothing could be further from the truth. This satirical prequel to PPZ is a wonderfully crafted Austen-like tale, if she had been sitting around drinking in and evening with Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, and Mary Shelley telling stories of the macabre and monstrous.

And to top off the release of this mirthful novel, Quirk Classics is offering a contest! Dawn of the Dreadfuls will be unearthing in bookstores in a few weeks' time, but if you'd like to drop your name in the hat for a copy now, Quirk Classics is giving away 50 Quirk Classics Prize Packs! Each prize pack is worth more than $100, and will include:

o A Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Journal

o Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Postcards

o Audio Books of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters

o An advance copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls

o A password redeemable online for sample audio chapters of Dawn of the Dreadfuls

o A Dawn of the Dreadfuls Poster

To enter to win, just visit:
http://www.quirkclassics.com/index.php?q=QuirkClassicsContest_DOD_Reviews

And so, I leave you with a wonderful Latin motto, declared by Dr. Keckilpenny to Elizabeth Bennet:

Curiositas non novo a vir rabidus | Curiousity hardly makes one mad

To learn more about Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls, please visit the Quirk Classics site: http://www.quirkclassics.com/index.php?q=dawnofthedreadfuls

The IF Experiment – IX

Original Post Date | Sunday, April 5, 2009

"If [Questions For The Game of Life]"

If is described as coffee table book of questions designed to spark the imagination. It consists of five hundred questions that all start out “If…” The authors of the book state, “If… can be a wonderful after-dinner parlor game; it can serve as an icebreaker between new acquaintances; it can even help you better understand yourself, your dreams and aspirations, and the mysteries of life.”

Perhaps it would allow to share more about myself with others. To make me consider things I hadn't intended. Or, to make me learn more about myself. And, so, I was inspired to see if I could answer a page a week.

This week’s questions:

If you could own one painting from any collection in the world but were not allowed to sell it, which work of art would you select

Oh. To chose just one?! Well, I do love Monet. So ... I will choose one of them. Of all Monet's paintings, I would choose ... the Water Lily Pond. It's one of my favourites. It is also known as the Japanese Bridge paintings as it is prominently featured (though, he actually painted several that pertained to the water lily bond and the bridge).

If you could have chosen your own first name, other than your current one, what would it be?

I have always loved the name Jame. It comes from a series of books I love that are dear to me, and that I have red over and over. I have always connected with the main character, Jame, and think it is a fine name.

If you were instantly able to play one musical instrument perfectly that you never have played before, what would it be?

I would like to play the violin. It can used in so many mediums and in so many moods ...joyful, mournful, passionate, heartbreaking ... but, honestly, I would love to play it so that I could play jigs and reels. =D

If you could have seduced one person that you knew in your lifetime (but didn’t), who would you select?

Um... ya. The boy's baseball team in high school, anyone? =O Ha ha. There were some hottie ballplayers in high school. Seriously, I would have seduced my friend Kyle because I loved him more than a friend ... and I never told him.

Well, those are the answers this week for the questions. Feel free to share your answers, questions, or thoughts.

M.

The IF Experiment – VIII

Orginal Post Date | Monday, March 30, 2009

"If [Questions For The Game of Life]"

If is described as coffee table book of questions designed to spark the imagination. It consists of five hundred questions that all start out “If…” The authors of the book state, “If… can be a wonderful after-dinner parlor game; it can serve as an icebreaker between new acquaintances; it can even help you better understand yourself, your dreams and aspirations, and the mysteries of life.”

Perhaps it would allow to share more about myself with others. To make me consider things I hadn't intended. Or, to make me learn more about myself. And, so, I was inspired to see if I could answer a page a week.

This week’s questions:

If you could have one person from history live his or her full life over again, starting now, who would you pick?

I would love to watch Pasty Cline relive her life. Patsy Cline died at the young age of 30, though her mature voice still fool many into thinking she died later in life. I would love to hear her as her voice and songs matured. If at 25 she sang with a voice that echoed the hurts of lifetime ... what would she sound like in her later years?

If you could have witnessed one event in history, what would you want to have seen?

There are really too many to narrow down. Martin Luther King Jr. “I have a dream speech; the tearing down of the Berlin Wall; the first moon launch; Honestly, I am unsure if I could choose one ... So, I will pick something completely random and say I wish to be at the first radio broadcast. Radio plays such an important part of my life every day.

If one of your parents was to be a famous person from any time in history, who would you want them to be?

I would have liked it if my father was F. Scott Fitzgerald. It would have been amazing to have a father of such wonderful writing and works. Then again, I would have loved to have such authors of those calibers as a parent.

If you could receive one small package this very moment, who would you want it to be from and what would be in it?

I would love to receive a package from my sister, Leanne, and it wouldn't matter what was inside.

Well, those are the answers this week for the questions. Feel free to share your answers, questions, or thoughts.

M.

The IF Experiment – VI

Original Post Date | Monday, March 16, 2009
"If [Questions For The Game of Life]"

If is described as coffee table book of questions designed to spark the imagination. It consists of five hundred questions that all start out “If…” The authors of the book state, “If… can be a wonderful after-dinner parlor game; it can serve as an icebreaker between new acquaintances; it can even help you better understand yourself, your dreams and aspirations, and the mysteries of life.”

Perhaps it would allow to share more about myself with others. To make me consider things I hadn't intended. Or, to make me learn more about myself. And, so, I was inspired to see if I could answer a page a week.

This week’s questions:

If you could have permanent possession of any single object in the world, what would you want it to be and why?

The burnt broom from the Wizard of Oz. Why? Because every other person wants those damn ruby slippers! I personally think the Witch was very misunderstood ... OR, I would like to have Einstein's notebooks. As a theoretical physicist, his only concrete tools would be pencil and paper, and of course, his stunning intellect. God, I am a weird queer. =) But, would you have me any other way?

If you could have had the starring role in one film already made, which movie would you pick?

While I want to say “Lord of the Rings” (pick any one) - cause I am all about the Elves, I am drawn to “The Thin Man” series of films, the first one being fantastic. I'd love to play the roles of Nick Charles – he's fantastic, smart, savvy, sexy - and funny! And boy!, Does that guy know how to drink!

If you could return for one year to one age in your life, knowing what you know now, to relive that year as you wish, which year would you go back to?

I would go back to 2005. I would go back to the year my father died and spend as much time as I possibly could with him. That is a lament of all men who have lost their loved ones, though; we know we should spend more times with out loved ones, and yet ... for some reason, we do not. That summer he died, I was too preoccupied with an argument with my mother to focus properly on what matters most. I regret that moment more than anything else ever in my life. Poor choices in friendships, jobs, boyfriends are truly nothing. Like a sharp stone in the shore, eventually those small hurts become dulled and blunt with time. But, not this one. Not this one.

If you had to identically repeat any single year of your life to date, without changing a thing, which year would you relive?

2002-2003. It was a very good year for me. I enjoyed my work, my homes, my friends and all aspects of my life. In those times and days, I would not change a thing. I would repeat all events, fall in love with my husband more, find new friends, and break some friendships. It was a time of strife and development. ... still ... pretty good year.

Well, those are the answers this week for the questions. Feel free to share your answers, questions, or thoughts.

M.

The IF Experiment - Week V

Original Post Date | Monday, March 9, 2009

"If [Questions For The Game of Life]"

If is described as coffee table book of questions designed to spark the imagination by Evelyn McFarlane and James Saywell. It consists of five hundred questions that all start out “If…” The authors of the book state, “If… can be a wonderful after-dinner parlor game; it can serve as an icebreaker between new acquaintances; it can even help you better understand yourself, your dreams and aspirations, and the mysteries of life.”

Perhaps it would allow to share more about myself with others. To make me consider things I hadn't intended. Or, to make me learn more about myself. And, so, I was inspired to see if I could answer a page a week.

This week’s questions:

If you could inherit a comfortable home in any city in the world that you could use but not sell, where would you want it to be?

(Any city in the the region of) Tuscany. I believe I have said before, the sites, the smells, wines, cooking, olives, UGH! I would LOVE to have a place there. And everyone would be welcome!

If you could inherit a vacation home anywhere in the world in which you could spend one month a year, but that you could never sell, where would it be?

Well, this is an odd question to follow the first one. Well, since I would be living in Tuscany, I guess I would take a vacation home in Prince Edward Island as that is where my heart is ... I would love to spend a month a year there.

If you could suddenly possess an extraordinary talent in one of the arts, what would you like it to be?

That is a really tough question. My painting has always been ... in need of practice. And I have always wanted to learn the violin. To me, it has always been a sensuous instrument. Or, the cello. Damn. Okay. Painting. That's my final answer. No. Wait! Damn. Can I phone a friend?

If you could be instantly fluent in one other language that you currently do not read or speak, which would it be?

Spanish. I have always wanted to learn Spanish. Mine is limited and rusty. In fact , this summer I will be taking a summer class in Spanish to brush up on my conversación skills. But of course, if will have a home in Tuscany, I should probably brush up on my Italian! OR, brush up on my French to Parlez avec Joël!

Well, those are the answers this week for the questions. Feel free to share your answers, questions, or thoughts!

M.

15 Albums of Anarchic Amazement

Think of 15 albums that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life. Dug into your soul. Music that brought you to life when you heard it. Royally affected you, kicked you in the wazoo, literally socked you in the gut, is what I mean. Then when you finish, tag 15 others. Make sure you copy and paste this part so they know the drill. Get the idea now? Good. Tag, you're it!

The albums, in no particular order:

1. Soul Coughing - Irresistible Bliss
2. Garbage – Garbage (though, I think I like v2.0 the same amount)
3. Sarah McLachlan - Solace
4. Lakmé - Delibes
5. K.D. Lang - Ingénue
6. Anything Leonard Cohen
7. Tori Amos - Boys for Pele
8. Shawn Colvin - A Few Small Repairs
9. 4 Non Blonds - Bigger, Better, Faster, more!
10. Yann Tiersen - L'Absente
11. Beck - Mellow Gold
12. Luciani Gypsy Potion
13. Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left
14. Cyndi Lauper - The Sisters of Avalon
15. Eurythmics - Ultimate Collection

1) Music to bug-out to ... “ I've got the will to drive myself sleepless.”
2) When I want to feel omnipotent, I play this CD. (I'm) Only Happy When It Rains.
3) Soul searching album.
4) Sure, it's not the best Opera, but Les liens en fleurs (The Flower Duet) is awesome, though now overly commercially used.
5) A true voice spoke to me on this album.
6) Need I say more?
7) Oddly enough, I think this album helped me with my self sexual exploration
8) I listen to this CD when I feel I need a few small repairs.
9) My FU album in high school. Cranked out, in my old k-car! =P
10) You have to listen to the whole thing to appreciate it, I think. Some is experimental, some easy.
11) Another teen album that was probably FU music.
12) I just like the sound of it!
13) "Time as told me, that you are a rare rare find" ... (thnx for the intro Jinny!)
14) It's just fun! Don't knock it until you have listened to it. Most people didn't know it was Cyndi when I played it for them.
15) um. duh?

The IF Experiment - IV

Orginal Post Date | Monday, March 2, 2009

"If [Questions For The Game of Life]"
“If” is described as coffee table book of questions designed to spark the imagination by Evelyn McFarlane and James Saywell. It consists of five hundred questions that all start out “If…” The authors of the book state, “If… can be a wonderful after-dinner parlor game; it can serve as an icebreaker between new acquaintances; it can even help you better understand yourself, your dreams and aspirations, and the mysteries of life.”

The book has thought provoking questions, of which some great and some not so much. So I am answering a page of questions a week in hopes that perhaps it would allow to share more about myself with others. To make me consider things I hadn't intended. Or, to make me learn more about myself.

This week’s questions:
If you could change one thing in the world right now, what would you alter?

I would remove organized religion as I think it has created more barriers and breeds more contempt and hatred amongst those who do not fully understand their religion than brings about spiritual solace and content.

If you had to assassinate one famous person who is alive right now, who would it be, and how would you do it?

What a horrible question, I thought at first. Then I thought, well, if the death of that person would stop a lot of hurt, hate, and death, then wouldn't it be my moral obligation as a human being to defend my fellow man? That being said, I can think of no one that at this time would be so deserving of such a horrible fate. Well, maybe Kim Jong-il.

If you could permanently alter one thing about your physical appearance, what would you change?

I would make it so my skin is perfect, instead of having dry bits, rough bits, bumpy elbows, and combination skin, I would love to have smooth flawless skin. You'd see me running around bare-assed every where! :)

If you could have stopped aging at any point in your life up to the present, how old would you want to remain?

Hmmm. I have never really felt “old”, pre se, and I am currently in the best shape of my life ... so it is hard for me to “choose” an age. Any age would do, but I would have to choose 31, as I felt wonderful during that year, and really had a great time.

Well, those are the answers this week for the questions. Feel free to share your answers, questions, or thoughts!

M.

The IF Experiment - III

Orginal Post Date | Monday, February 23, 2009

"If [Questions For The Game of Life]"

“If” is described as coffee table book of questions designed to spark the imagination by Evelyn McFarlane and James Saywell. It consists of five hundred questions that all start out “If…” The authors of the book state, “If… can be a wonderful after-dinner parlor game; it can serve as an icebreaker between new acquaintances; it can even help you better understand yourself, your dreams and aspirations, and the mysteries of life.”

The book has thought provoking questions, of which some great and some not so much. So I am answering a page of questions a week in hopes that perhaps it would allow to share more about myself with others. To make me consider things I hadn't intended. Or, to make me learn more about myself.

This week’s questions:
If you could alter one physical characteristics of your mate, what would you change?

How to answer this ... without it sounding shallow. Hard to do when it comes to looks. But, I will try. I would probably alter Michael's weight fluctuations to his ideal weight because I know that it upsets him the most. That is always something he struggles with and wants to maintain.

If you could dine alone with anyone from any period in history, which person would it be?

It's a tie. Oscar Wilde. I think the dinner conversation would be hilarious and witty. Or, Albert Einstein. I would think the dinner conversation would be fascinating.

If you could, in retrospect, change one thing about your childhood, what would it be?

Wow. I thought this one would be easy but it is not. Automatically, I want to change that my father was an alcoholic. But, everything I experienced up until now has made me who I am, and I like me. =) Would I still be same person if my father had been sober in my youth? Or, would I be someone myself and my friends wouldn't even recognize? Unsure about that one. But, I would probably go with that first choice anyway ...

If you could have any room in the world become your bedroom from now on, which room would you choose?

The main reading room of the New York Public Library (Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, of course).

Well, those are the answers this week for the questions. Feel free to share your answers, questions, or thoughts!

M.

The IF Experiment - II

Original Post Date | Monday, February 16, 2009

"If [Questions For The Game of Life]"

“If” is described as coffee table book of questions designed to spark the imagination by Evelyn McFarlane and James Saywell. It consists of five hundred questions that all start out “If…” The authors of the book state, “If… can be a wonderful after-dinner parlor game; it can serve as an icebreaker between new acquaintances; it can even help you better understand yourself, your dreams and aspirations, and the mysteries of life.”

The book has thought provoking questions, of which some great and some not so much. So I am answering a page of questions a week in hopes that perhaps it would allow to share more about myself with others. To make me consider things I hadn't intended. Or, to make me learn more about myself.

This week’s questions:

If you could have lived through any war in history (without actually fighting in it), which would it be?

Holy...Shi-atsu. I am unsure about one. I think I would have liked to have seen the War of 1812 and how that helped shape Canada as a notion that we could be our own country as, back then, we were known as the British North America. I have seen lots of footage of WWI & II and know much about it. This war, I recall not as well. Plus, I think that was the war where we burned down the first Whitehouse. (The second one looks much better!)

If you could eliminate any one type of insect permanently from the earth, what would you get rid of?

No contest! Earwigs. I do not think these insects serve a purpose (though, I am sure they probably do ...) and I hate them. They in dark places like lawn furniture, or solar lamps, and places of that sort. Then they crawl out all over the friggin' place and squirm about ... It is sad to say, but honestly, I hate them because they are creepy and ugly. Ear-friggin-wigs! I prefer spiders to these bastards! (Though, Mosquitoes are a close second. And black flies a close third.)

If you had to eliminate a single type of animal forevermore, which would you choose?

Stinging Jelly Fish. I hate these creatures. I know they are used as food and in bio-tech firms, etc., but I really REALLY hate these bastards. I'd rather see a shark fin off the coast of the water than to suddenly float into any swarms of these tentacled buggers. And anyone who has swam into them, and have them wrap around your face, arms, or legs – or anywhere on your body – knows what of what I speak.

If you could have an elegant dinner alone with anyone presently alive, whether you know them or not, who would you want it to be?

I would have to choose a chef I love, like Chef Bobby Flay or Nigela Lawson (though not a chef) and have them prepare an elegant meal for me. I would love hear them speak of all the ingredients so lusciously and with such fervor. Mmmm ... luscious fervor.

Well, those are the answers this week for the questions. Feel free to share your answers, questions, or thoughts!

M.

f [Questions For The Game of Life]

If is described as coffee table book of questions designed to spark the imagination by Evelyn McFarlane and James Saywell. It consists of five hundred questions that all start out “If…” The authors of the book state, “If… can be a wonderful after-dinner parlor game; it can serve as an icebreaker between new acquaintances; it can even help you better understand yourself, your dreams and aspirations, and the mysteries of life.”

Hmmm .... this intrigued me. I opened this book to cute little book to discover wonder pictures and thought provoking questions. Some great and some not so much. But all in all, it was interesting to me.

And, so, I was inspired by other projects I have seen on facebook (such as Jackie's "Love Is..." project) to see if I could answer a page a day ... then thought, That would be INSANE! I can barely find the time to workout, work, love, live, laugh, etc., as it is now!? So, with a sigh, I opted for a page a week. Perhaps it would allow to share more about myself with others. To make me consider things I hadn't intended. Or, to make me learn more about myself.

Let Us Begin ...

"If" Page One

If you were to be granted one wish, what would it be?

To be healthy and happy, until all the end of my days. Does that count as two?

If you could spend one whole night alone with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select?

Stephen King. I would ask him to tell me a tale of the darkest fantasy, of spine tingling horrors, and the occasional chill of the grotesquely comic. Then, we'd have tea.

If you could spend one whole night along with anyone in history, who would you choose?

Charles Dickens. I think this man was a genius of the highest caliber. Whilst other writers wrote of semi-nobles and social order, or wrote comedies of manners, Dickens wrote of the poor, the unwanted, the destitute, the unloved, and brought the lives of children to forefront as beings and not property.

If you could physically transport yourself to any place in the world at this moment, where would you go?

Tuscany. I have a desire to wade through the tall fields, smell the tall ceders, walk stone streets that have existed for longer than anyone can recall, pick olives, and partake in wonderful wine. I love the rustic countryside and cities, where old world ideals meet the new world technology and co-exsist.

Well, those are the answers this week for the questions. Feel free to share yours.

M.

Contentment

Original Post Date | 2009/02/06

A cat purrs softly
The snow falls gently outside
Happiness abounds

MLS
2009/02/06

25 Randoms (or whatever)

Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 12:03pm | Original Post Date

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1. When I think about wine, I think about home-made stuff at Christie's and Kathy's house, which was imbibed after the Sport's Page and prior to the cover-charge at Baba's lounge, tout la gang!

2. I like to sing in the shower.

3. I prefer solid colours (dark, bold colours to light ones) to patterned or designs, usually (There are always exceptions, of course).

4. I am not partial to the colour yellow - at all. Oddly, enough though, I live in a pale yellow brick house with butter-cream coloured walls. Go Figure.

5. Everything we do in life is a choice. Complain about everything all you want, but in the end, we have to accept our own responsibility for our actions.

6. My technology - and I have a LOT - loves me. I know because I programmed it to say so ...

7. I relate to Donald Duck - a lot. (I have anger management issues, too!)

8. Although I am an atheist, I am searching for a spiritual connection to the earth and my fellow man.

9. I have written several novels and oodles of short-stories and poetry, all for my own pleasure.

10. I hope to write for a past-time to keep my mind active when I am older and preparing to retire.

11. One year, I reviewed my credit cards statement and debit statements and had a tally of over $10,000 spent in one bar/restaruant (Baba's/Cedar's). Seriously. I think I paid someone's salary.

12. Growing up (like at 7-10) I wanted to be an restaurateur, inn keeper, or bar owner. As I got older, I wanted to write and/or help people. (Dummies guides? Anyone?)

13. The comma needs to be utilized more, please! Grammar Rocks!

14. The dash--and no, I am not talking about a hyphen-- is an underutilized component of grammar.

15. I believe we all have a responsibility towards our earth, our fellow lifeforms on this planet, and to each other. What I do today effects others miles away as we are all connected in a vast web of life.

16. I spent most of my early teen years in fear because I received so many harassing / hate phone calls about my sexuality. The bullying was so bad, I wanted to drop out of Grade 8.

17. I have no respect for organized religions that preach doctrine of hate, intolerance, and selfishness. So, that pretty much rules out any of the big ones!

18. I always wanted children, but lately I have been debating it. 1? 2? Boys or Girls? or 1 of each? ages? Do I want them at all anymore? Sigh. Can you tell I have the adoption application on my desk waiting to be filled out?

19. I always wanted to live in a rural cottage in the country, surrounded by rose and flowers gardens, vegetable gardens, and plenty of wilderness around me. Like a hundred-acre woods. I love chopping wood!

20. I actually like dandelions. I love to see wild fields of yellow (surprising, considering I dislike the colour) blossoming in the spring-time. My yard, however, is a different kettle of fish.

21. I grew up thinking I would have to leave my family so could be true to myself and all that I am and would be as I thought no one would understand or accept me. Foolish and nonsense, really. Anyone that doesn't accept me simply doesn't love me. Why should I give a care about them? Accept or reject me, but do not disrespect me.

22. I like working my hands as much as I like working with my mind.

23. I never feel like I truly commit to anything 100% because I am always searching for some missing component.

24. I love wild game! My favorite meat is muskox.

25. I will not send this out to 25 people; no ones needs more notifications or facebook-junk mail (no offense to anyone else that does that ...)

E-mail the Governor General!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at 7:18am | Original Post Date

The Conservatives will be appealing directly to the Governor General to influence her important decision. The conservative grass-roots movement has hit the ground running; we need to do the same!

Send your thoughts on the Governmental Coalition, proroguing parliament, and the future!

Below is a sample letter from the Liberals you can send to Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada. Her e-mail is: info@gg.ca and her fax is (613) 998-8760.

Excellency,
I am writing to urge you to use your authority to uphold Canada’s Parliamentary system by allowing the new Liberal-NDP coalition to form the government. On October 14, Canadians elected a minority Parliament. The Conservatives under Stephen Harper have failed to gain the support of Parliament for their approach to the economic crisis now facing Canadians. By cancelling votes scheduled for Monday, December 1, they have denied Parliament the opportunity to express its lack of confidence.

Canadians have just been through their third general election in four years at a cost of more than $300 million. They do not want or need another election, which would only add greater instability in this time of economic crisis.

Given that a viable Parliamentary majority has been offered by a Liberal-NDP coalition with the support on confidence votes of the Bloc Québécois, I urge you to give the coalition an opportunity to govern.
I also urge you to resist any attempt by the Conservatives to prorogue Parliament. Such a move would serve no other purpose than to deny Parliament its constitutional right to vote non-confidence in the Conservative government.

You have been entrusted with the great responsibility of upholding Canada’s
Parliamentary system of government, and I expect you to take this duty very seriously.

Sincerely,
(Your Name Here)

Speak Up & Out about the Possible Coalition Government!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at 11:15am | Orginal Post Date

I urge you to speak up and out about the possible Coalition Government that is developing.

Currently, the Governor General (GG) site, Citizen's Voices, has postings about this issue. If you want the GG to know your feelings, I urge you to post to this site. Currently, Neo-Cons and their ilk are posting to the site. These people know how to organize a grass-roots movement quickly. Their voices will be heard - and they are saying, "Treason" and "Threat to our country" and "Attack on Democracy".

What about the Left? The Centers? The Moderates? Will your voice be heard?

The moderates are the voices we NEED to hear from. Don't be disinterested or think you cannot help or make a difference, because you can. Be engaged! Be involved. Be a voice to be heard.

Do you want a Parliament that can work together for the economy? Another $300 million dollar election? A new government? Or, do you want the political parties to work together, as they promised at the first of the session, to deal with the economic crisis?

Speak up and out about this issue - no matter what you support - to the GG! If you don't speak out now, you don't have a voice for what is about to come.

http://www.citizenvoices.gg.ca

It is YOUR voice. Use it.

Electoral Dysfunction: There Ain't No Viagra for that!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 9:14am |

I seriously think Canada is suffering from Electoral Dysfunction. Why are we currently in an election? Was it because Harper saw his polls going up and his chance for a Majority? Was it that Parliament could not function anymore? Was it that Canada - in its weird envious relationship with its older sibling to the south - caught election fever after the Hillary /Obama ordeal, then the Palin/McCain scenario?

Perhaps it was all of these things and perhaps it was only one of them. What ever the cause, we are suffering from Electoral Dysfunction. Why? Because we've just spend 300 million on an election that will accomplish nothing except shuffle around a few seats (though, I could be wrong). My prediction is that we will see a Harper Minority, with a shift in the opposition seats mainly. Harper claims he couldn't make Parliament work last time - so, how can he accomplish it this time with the same numbers? Honestly, I believe most Canadians would have preferred if our government sucked it up and worked together instead of bickering and complaining.

Furthering my prediction, we will see an election in a year or two. Harper's gov will try its best to steer the country, but will falter running deficits and trying to pull together an out-dated economy. The liberal party will - most likely - choose a new leader within that time who the party thinks will offer better leadership and clear vision for the country. Expect an seasoned white guy from Toronto, Ontario.

Again, I could be wrong, but the reasoning behind my Liberal thought is that the recent Ontario election showed us the lack of loyalty in parties now-a-days - John Tory didn't get elected, didn't re-energize that party (as most thought he would), offered some controversial ideas, and he and the party failed. His party is now divided and looking for a new leader. Sadly, I think the same thing will happen here. Dion, while a great thinker, isn't capturing the hearts and minds of Canadians, be it be Media Hype leading people to believe that, or personal thoughts or intuition. However, you feel about it, he didn't step up to the plate as a leader in the same way we have seen Layton and May.

But, perhaps I am wrong in my thoughts. I guess we shall find out tonight and in the coming months. However, I still think we need to be asking our government the question - You couldn't make Parliament work last time, so., how can you accomplish it this time with so little changed? I just wish that the Liberals and NDP get enough seats to present a hard opposition to the Conservatives in th days to come. Truly, though, I would like those parties to get enough seats that the whisper of "coalition" echoes through the halls of Parliament.

Mennonites Don't Build Star Wars: AT-AT Walkers. Hmmm. Go figure!

Lately I have been considering a purge... I have a walk-in closet the size of small bedroom... and 2 large dressers FULL of clothes. (I do not wear most them, 'natch). I look around at my house and I want the furniture gone. And most of my belongings.

And so, I am surprised when I visit other homes and I see a picture or two. A vase with some flowers. A candle. A small item of sentimental value.

I wonder where the Knick-knacks are… the Brick O' Brack. Life's little "objet d'arts" that we seem to gather along the way. Where’s the clutter? The crap?! The shit?!?! The items we trip over. The items we pick up and think, "Who the f' gave me this plastic fake jade elephant anyway?" Where is it all hiding!?

Some folks don’t seem to have these items. And their homes don’t seem lived in. They don’t seem… real. Complete. Whole. There is emptiness there. Like a photo in a home design magazine. You know that two days after that snapshot, there will be Lego spilled out all over the floor and they break out the TV trays from closet as they eat KFC and watch derivative American television.

I have a lot of shit, though.

Do I need all this stuff? I can be like Jane Siberry (now known as Issa) who got rid of all her belongings and lives out of a knapsack? I do not know. I do not think so, though.

Part of me knows these items are gifts. And another part of me thinks this constant urge to buy each other shit is the backwash of commercialism. "You like to buy yourself shit, so…HEY! You’re friends may like some shit too! ” Slap a logo on it, charge $49.99. Make people believe they want it – no, they NEED it! – And you’re done. Prepackaged made-in-China shit for everyone! Ah. The cycle of giving.

Sigh. I have too much shit! We have over 350 DVDs. I can watch one movie a day for a year. And that doesn’t include the porn! =P

Every time I move, I purge. Old gifts. Items I don't use. Or things friends really like that I think are just okay, or don’t have the room for anymore. Or I liked it when I was a different person. Change, much like shit, happens! I used to have a "break-it" box until the commercial success of Value Village (A.K.A. the V.V. Boutique) prompted me to donate all my clutter. "Another man's trash is another man's treasure,” they say, but I think it is really... "Another man's trash is another man's future trash."

I want clean lines and open spaces. I want green growth of plants and space to grow.
And yet, I continue to buy shit? Is that hypocritical, or self-sabotaging? Again, I do not know. Probably a bit of both. It is hard do to that one should do, though. I buy locally produced items, food, etc. I take transit to stop pollution, etc., but for some reason, the Mennonites around here don’t make their own hard carved version of a Star Wars: AT-AT Walker. Can’t buy that locally! Go Figure!

And so, I am considering a Fall Purge… In spring, we open out windows and let in the sun and the air. We clean all we own and prepare for the warm days. In the fall, we shut everything up and batten down the hatches. Everything gets dusty and stale. (I swear this is the reason we really have Christmas – Bring the outdoors in, the fragrances, vivid colours in our lives to stop us all from going Shack-Whacky and doing a hatchet job one our loved ones. Oh and the gifts, don’t forget about the Chinese-made-plastic-shit-crap we give each other. That is important too! But I digress…)

So, this Fall I am purging, out with the old and in with no new. I am going to go through the closet and through the house and slowly get rid of cloths and other items. I have a storage room just begging to be emptied. To be purged. I have a box of boxes to donate to “Books for Africa.” Some I keep putting back on the shelf with the inevitable, “No. No, I may just read this yet.” I know it isn’t true. So, my new motto is “Fuck It. Just Chuck it!”

Somebody else may want it, need it, or, heck, even use it! There is a concept. Hmm. Anyone interested in a set of giant skeleton keys from a “Tuscan” house-style motif I will probably never accomplish? Going once. Going twice. Sold to the V.V. Boutique…

Should Have F'n Stayed in Bed

This morning I should have stayed in bed!

I woke with a massive headache and hurting from my workout from the night before. Then, to top it all off... I keep fucking up everything I am doing today - at least at one job. My morning job, I was as f'n productive as productive can be! I got so much done and I got caught up on so many things! Then I ran some errands outside for a bit on campus...

And that, I think, was my mistake. It is TOO hot for running around on Waterloo campus today - Plus, we are under smog warning so walking about for an hours and a half was not a good idea.

Since getting back, I cannot even get my words right! I am typing the wrong words or words in the wrong order. For example, "I should have f'n stayed in bed" takes on a completely different meaning when you mistakenly type, "I should have stayed f'n in bed." Obviously, one of those two would be more enjoyable and in a completely different meaning than intended!!

So far, I have forgotten to reschedule a meeting, and I send the wrong data to the wrong email list, sending out data to people who should not have seen it or received it. I fixed the error and apologized profusely. But still, I keep messing up big time. I think I need my summer holiday/vacation more than that I thought. =/

How many more weeks is it?

time goes on

time goes on
time falls away like tear drops and
evaporates on the skin
time dissipates like an echo of laughter
and is consumed by the emptiness
time stretches like the rays of sunlight
becoming faint in the distance
time gets absorbed like nocturnal emissions
into freshly cleaned cotton sheets
time shifts, speeds up, gets devoured,
slows down, alters, reborn
time goes on

Beware the Giant Pink 6 Foot Bunny with Chocolate!!

When it comes to Easter, I have always thought our customs with Children were weird. First we are told to celebrate/mourn the DEATH and a guy were were told was the son of God... and we killed him, too... 'cause that's what folks do. Go to the market for fresh fish, bake some bread, aid in the killing of the lord on earth, etc. You know, the usual for a couple of thousand years ago..

Then, we are told he came back... forgave everyone and went to heaven again. Hmm. So, we are told that if are good Christians we will get the same treatment. Right.

And then, to make the customs weirder, we then celebrate this death and rebirth, with chocolate and a giant bunny with a basket? Apparently this stems from Catholic custom of eating colored eggs for Easter, and the pagan celebration of the rabbit/hare as a fertility symbol... Hence, an Bunny that lays coloured eggs. Yep, I can totally see how the they put those two together. I mean.. it obvious, isn't it? We've all had rabbit lay eggs, haven't we?

So, that explains some of our easter traditions... I think I prefer the "Chocolat" approach that this is a rebirth of spring and renewal of life. God knows I don't want to raise a child that's afraid that a giant 6 ft pink bunny is going to break into our house, squat and lay chocolate Easter eggs... Damn, Roman Catholic upbringing... No wonder we are all messed up. =/