For the most part, I did very little this past weekend. However, I must mention that I did see Fahrenheit 9/11 on Saturday night. And I feel that this is a movie that everyone should see... whether you agree with Mr. Moore's opinion or not. This film was a little more scary than I thought. I mean, one suspects government to be subversive and sneaky but I didn't want to believe that they would go that far.

I don't know what it was like anywhere else but the queues here were incredible. A woman in the theatre when I went to see the film had tried to get in the night before and couldn't even though she arrived early. They had to open another theatre in the complex the next night.

I left the film hoping that Americans would have the opportunity to see it. In fact, it might have been great to have had it start last weekend when the USS Stennis was in town. I personally, would have paid the admission fee for some of the people who came in on shore leave. However, I also believe that they are aware that at any time, they could be sent to war and be killed.

Speaking of the Stennis, I must say that I never quite understand how, when visiting another country, that military personnel can be so rude and sex-crazed. Don't get me wrong, there were some very polite people off the ship but for the most part the young crew men were just idiots. They made rude comments about women who were minding their own business and being generally obnoxious. Comments like "if you were prettier, I would f**k you" were commonplace.

I talked with a woman at a bus stop who worked as a massage therapist who said because of the visiting sailors she was really busy and worked late because of it. She told me that every one of them smelled like alcohol and that more than one of them asked her if she would provide "other" services of a sexual nature. She was a tiny lady and managed to make it quite clear that she did not do this. Only after that was pointed out, did these men address her as ma'am. It kind of made my blood boil. What is wrong with these guys except that they are slaves to their dicks?

Well, I suppose that will have been two weekends that got my blood boiling. The weekend of the USS Stennis crew shore leave and the weekend that I saw Michael Moore's new film. Are these things related? I don't know. However, it really does make one think of what is wrong in the world and how change can be made.

I for one feel inspired to attempt to make change. Will you join me?

So, here's a little piece from Reuters on a new and slightly controversial candidate from the Marijuana Party who is running in the upcoming federal election here in Canada. Here's a bit more information in case you would like to know a bit more about Carol Taylor. Pretty interesting, don't you think?

It appears that Michael Moore's new film, Fahrenheit 9/11 has been fueling the fires of political debate prompting opponents of the film to encourage a boycott of the film. I urge you to do the opposite. See the film and make up your own mind. Don't let someone tell you that it is unpatriotic.

By the way, what is patriotism? Don't you think that it encourages a disparity between nations? Like, I am American (or any other nationality) and that makes me better than you? For goodness sake people, we are all human (Dave, this statement is for you) regardless of what country we were born in...

While it is not a new book, I started reading "Fast Food Nation, The Dark Side of the All-American Meal" and I must say that so far, I move between anger and disbelief. I suppose on a subconscious level, most people know that fast food restaurant and other franchises and, yes, even Disney are just trying to rip the average person's hard earned cash from their hands. However, we still go to these places. We still allow our children to eat this crap food and purchase meals created around free gifts. They create charities under the guise of providing a healthy minds and bodies. Healthy bodies, my foot, they just don't want their consumers dying because the company would lose money. They only appear to be looking out for our well-being...

They build playgrounds at their restaurants to attract children because our local governments are not budgeting to build parks and play areas that are free of advertising. It's all about the almighty dollar. Don't let them fool you into thinking it is about anything but that. They don't care about the consumer, they are simply looking for more ways of separating you from your income.

I have started a personal campaign against huge corporations that rob small local business of their livelihoods. I will do my best to spread the message of peace and love in the world and I will use my willingness to spend to attempt to bring these corporations down. Am I fighting a losing battle? Perhaps. But by reading this book, I have awakened something inside of me that is no longer willing to put up with the way society allows these kinds of things to happen.

Let me start here by providing you with a quote from one of the founders of the current McDonald's chain:

"We have found out...that we cannot trust people who are nonconformists. We will make conformists out of them in a hurry... The organization cannot trust the individual; the individual must trust the organization".

Don't you think this sounds like something from Orwell's "1984"? I think I might make a t-shirt out of it and wear it everywhere. If I did, do you think that people would be as horrified by it as I am?

Are you?

Read the book, even if you aren't. I think you may find it very interesting...

I am not sure if this is a good or bad thing...

In Thailand, a private college have granted a separate washroom to those of the "third sex", in order to stop complaints from other students and stop harassment of these third sex individuals. Part of me wishes that people would just accept them and share their WC's but on the other hand, isn't it just as good that the administration at the college was willing to find a solution? What do you think about it?

When I went to the UK in the mid-eighties, I went to a nightclub where the toilet had the sign "Ladies & Transexuals" and was a little taken aback. However, at the time, and I suppose it is still very much true now, people who have had gender reassignment are still required to use the facilities designated for their original sex. I haven't really come across it in Canada although I think it differs from place to place.

It's a scorcher today! The weather report says that we are in for hot weather until Sunday when it clouds over.

Monday, June 21 is National Aboriginal Day in Canada. It is also the summer solstice or Litha, as well as International Gnome Day. It may be a bit overcast this year but I am sure enjoyable just the same. Have a good one!

Hmmm. I think I touched on some strange subject matter on Saturday. I hope that I didn't freak too many people out...

Anyway, I was reading this and think I figured out how I stay young. It appears that if one can speak two languages, they can stay younger than someone who speaks only one. I knew that Japanese would come in handy one day!

By the way, have any of you heard music from Tha Blue Herb? I heard some of their stuff on the weekend and thought it was pretty cool. What do you think?

It's Saturday and it's raining... And, in fact, probably the most boring day that I have had in a long time. Perhaps it's a sign that I should go home and do some laundry.

I got my hair cut today. I don't know what I will do when my stylist decides he is going to leave Canada. He is the coolest, and the most proficient professional person to take care of my head since Gina in the mid-eighties. Being from a country where curly hair is not the norm, he manages to cut with great skill. First, he blowdries my hair straight and then he cuts it... with two pairs of scissors at the same time. A friend who was studying hairdressing told me that curly hair is the most difficult to cut but the easiest to hide things that went wrong. I have no worries about this with Y. He is awesome! Now all I have to do is convince him to stay here forever.

I called a friend now living in Taiwan (that I almost married once) last night. We talked for about two hours on the telephone and discussed a whole lot of stuff. I can tell him anything and he can do the same to me. It's not often that one has a relationship like this. Too bad for me that he is gay.

Anyway, I asked him yesterday why it is that men feel that they can tell me anything. They talk of their loves, fears, sadness and their sex lives. I don't mind because I feel that I am trusted enough to just listen. With my gay friends, I just accept it as I do with my female friends. However, the more that this happens with straight guys, the more I feel that I am missing the point. After all, is it natural that straight men will share their sexual fantasies or exploits with a woman as just friends? Or is there some expectation? Should I be considering that these guys have some interest in pursuing some sort of sexual relationship? Or am I correct in assuming that these men trust me enough to just talk? I would be interested to know because sometimes I feel like I am just being naive and perhaps I am missing the signals. And that would just a big waste... Personally, I often think I am just having wishful thoughts... after all, what could they want in this older, not very confident woman.

So, guys, tell me straight out. Should I be reading more into this or take it at face value? (You don't have to be straight to answer the questions, if you have an opinion, I am open to all answers!) I would really appreciate your thoughts! Thanks because from him, I got his answers but am curious what other think.

Okay, so I haven't been that diligent in my blogging. Mostly because I have so much energy, it seems a bit of a waste to be sat around writing my experiences when I could be out and enjoying the outdoors. Can I call this enjoyment?

This week, in my area, it is Bike to Work Week. (I am sure that I mentioned a while back that I would be participating). I bit the bullet and got on my new Miele San Marino and pedalled a total of 26.2 km to the office and back on Monday. (I then attended a 90 minute Kundalini Yoga class). I skipped yesterday because of an appointment and then got back to it today. I took a new route today because the traffic and exhaust fumes were terrible on the part that was along the road on the first day. For the most part, I travelled on the trail.

We are lucky enough here to have the Galloping Goose Trail that makes it possible to travel long distances away from busy roads. So, today's route was a little longer and by the time I get back home, I will have travelled approximately 38 km. Am I crazy? I must be. However, I have so much energy now that it makes it difficult to sit still for long periods of time. Thus, my lacking in desire to type.

My commute time doesn't take much longer than with all of the bus connections and such. I still feel good and I have gotten over the effects of "numb bum".

I plan to ride again tomorrow and then give it a break on Friday. It wouldn't be bad to try this twice a week throughout the summer. However, don't be looking for me to ride across Canada any time soon. I will have to wait and see. Then again, if I do go, at least there is the Trans Canada Trail.

Perhaps if we all rode our bikes or walked a little more, we wouldn't have to worry so much about the environmental effect of our day-to-day lives. If you would like to know more about how each home affects things, check out David Suzuki's Nature Calculator.

Yesterday, I started to write a post but someone came to my office and I got distracted. Oh well, I am often distracted so it was just another day. So, today, I am at the little Korean grocery store that I come to in order to check my email and I thought that I would pay the extra two dollars and write something. So here I am, listening to my ...Juliana's Tokyo Volume 8 remix and typing away. Too bad I cannot type and dance at the same time...

Today, I didn't ride my new bicycle the 20+ kilometres into town. But that not because I couldn't. After paying it off last Sunday, I spent about two hours riding it home. It wasn't so bad to tell the truth although about two-thirds the way through the ride, my butt was starting to hurt. The good news that there were no residual effects the following day. I am happy to have my new bicycle! And it was about time to get it as I will be participating in the annual Bike to Work Week. I think that my ride to my new office will be something like 10 -12 kilometres and it won't be so bad. I will keep you updated on this...

If you haven't already heard, we will be having the 38th General Election in which we will vote on who will govern the country. Due to the election, we have been bombarded with campaign news while all of the leaders spout off what they plan to do for the people of Canada. The highest profile parties are the current governing party the Liberals, the Conservative Party and the NDP.

These three parties' leaders will participate in the national televised debate yet it will not allow all parties to be involved So, parties like the Green Party of Canada, which has candidates in all ridings have not yet been asked to join in. There is an online petition, to try to rectify this situation. I don't know if it is limited to Canadian citizens but if it isn't, please send this to all of the Canadians you know. (I have already signed it). As well, for those of you interested, take a look as some of the other parties that are on ballots here. Funny, I didn't know that we had a Marxist-Leninist Party here.

And as a final note, it appears that years after the closing of Juliana's Tokyo, disco is alive and possibly well in Japan.

So, short skirts stir up animal instincts, do they? I suppose that explains the move by women who wish to lobby for men to wear tight leather miniskirts such as the ones worn by Mr. Pitt, Mr. Bana & young Orlando in the film Troy.

What should we do about that, Mr. Shlyk?

Okay, this is just stupid. You would think there would be a better way to celebrate the completion of exams. The time and money spent to rescue these idiots could have been used rescuing someone who is REALLY in danger.

Thank goodness I don't drink any more...