Bubble Pop Electric?

Okay. So I went out and bought myself a copy of L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stefani. I really have to take a second listen to it as I wasn't as blown away as I thought I was. (I wasn't in a very good mood that day so that might affect how I feel about it.)

My current opinion is, that while it is a cute pop album, I don't know if it could be considered 'dance' music. I didn't feel like dancing to it at all. (However, I must consider my mood) I heard yesterday that it was 80's dance music. Funny, I was experiencing the club scene in that decade and I don't remember it sounding like that at all...

Interestingly enough, it appears that Gwen is enamoured with the Harajuku district in Tokyo, Japan. The album might have been better to be called 'Harajuku' because it is mentioned so many times and it comes across as the bubblegum type pop music that they have in Japan.

However, after I listen to it again, I will let you know if I have changed my mind!

Speaking of music, does anyone have any reviews of the latest by The Cure? It's another on my list but I, like with the Duran Duran CD, am not sure that they really are able to capture the past while moving on to the future.

I would be interested to hear what you think...

It's finally here! The day that Gwen Stefani's new album is to released! I cannot wait to hear the rest of it. ("What you waiting for" is my current theme song...)

Of course, this means that I will have to share my listening time between Gwen and Duran Duran. I have been pretty much listening to "Astronaut" since the time it was released. I must say that I was skeptical about this album but I must say that, even though they have evolved since the days when I might have been labelled a Durannie, they still have what it takes to make a great album.

So, what are you listening to today?

There's been a lot of news here about how many jobs are going to places like India such as those in call centres. Not only is it having an affect in our countries but now it looks as if there are problems offshore as well. Take a look at how the culture is changing in India as well.

I don't know about where you live, but here, in British Columbia, we have mushrooms aplenty. In fact, there are more than usual because of the weather and soil conditions. I don't remember the last time I saw so many wild mushrooms and fungi.

What about where you are?

Did you manage to get through your day unscathed yesterday? I did. Although the down-filled duvet is still sounding pretty good today, I managed to get out from under it and get to the office. It's amazing how one can motivate themselves when there is a paycheck involved.

I just love autumn. The whole inevitability of dying and the beauty that happens when the leaves change from green to red, yellow and orange is my favourite thing. It also means that life will renew itself come spring! Death, birth and rebirth reminds us how we are ultimately just part of nature. That is a wonderful thing, don't you think?

The weather was gorgeous yesterday and while we did not break any temperature records, we did have a fair bit of sunshine. And today looks like it will be the same. Don't get me wrong, I love the stormy season of winter here but a little bit of sunshine never hurts.

I have been walking a lot lately. Well, not really a lot but I manage to get myself out for at least 20 or 30 minutes a day. If I get more walking time, that is wonderful too. In fact, I think I am walking more now than I did in the summer. I wonder why?

Have a great day everyone!

Okay, so it's Monday and I am really trying to keep a positive attitude. It's not the dreary weather because I like it this way. In fact, I am not really sure what it is. I just feel like I should still be sleeping. I wanna be curled up under my down-filled comforter sleeping but I have to work today. It kind of sucks.

My wish is that everyone who feels the same has a good day.

Farewell to Yassar Arafat.

My only hope now is that we do not end up with some sort of puppet leadership installed by the US. We must leave the people to mourn and get through this with no meddling from outside. It is what's right.

As a note, I would just like to comment that I though GWB's remarks before the death of Arafat was announced were totally inappropriate. To suggest, before the man had died that the US looks forward to working with whoever would succeed him to create peace was premature and in bad taste. Nothing has really changed, has it?

My condolences to the Palestinian people.

What were those America's Next Top Model judges thinking? How can they send Toccara packing yet keep Ann? Ann is the one that should have been voted off...

Yes, Toccara was larger than the others but she had a larger than life personality. She was one of my favourites to date and I must say that she was way more photogenic than that emotionless cardboard cutout named Ann. The trouble is, that in this whole thin model thing, Toccara was finding it more and more downtrodden. That is just wrong.

Anyway, I want to wish Toccara well. She is a strong woman and she should never give up. You go girl!

Wow! It looks like one of my prayers has been answered... It appears that Renee Zellweger is going to take an extended break from acting! Is that what she calls it? Acting?

It really has turned into a great week!

Has anyone out there seen Gwen Stefani's new video? If so, what do you think?

It 's a brand new week and I am hoping that this will be better than the one that just past. It is a short week due to the Remembrance Day holiday on November 11th. It is a day to remember those who died in wars to protect our freedoms.

It is true that many died but I wonder of the validity of a day such as this if there are still wars being waged. I vaguely remember that when I was a child, Remembrance day was also to ensure things like the holocaust never happen again. However, here we are in 2004, watching something very similar to Hitler's invasion of Europe and the extermination of people for their faith.

We have to the south of us, a President who seems on a similar path to Hitler. And for what? To stamp out terrorism?

If you ask me, there are many forms of terrorism. There is the most obvious that is like what happened in New York, yet there is also spousal/child abuse, crimes against same-sex couples and different races as well as school yard bullying. However, Mr. Bush does not seem as dedicated to stamp that type of terrorism out. Kind of selective, don't you think?

Anyway, back to the point that I was trying to make. We can wear those red poppies as a symbol of remembering those who gave their lives but we should also be trying to rid the world of war. A lofty goal, I know but I believe it can be done. We just have to do it one person at a time.

I want to finish today to mention that I plan to let go of my ranting about those leaders south of Canada. I think it time to take a more positive approach...

Have a wonderful day, will you?

I know that this is probably old news but I came across this page in the Guardian online in response to a letter-writing campaign. This campaign had British readers write letters to convince undecided voters in one county of the US with their advice. I must say that it is disturbing to hear things like "we don't give two s**ts what Europeans think of us". I say, obviously this is the case because they have an administration that don't give two s**ts about how their foreign (and domestic) policy affects the rest of the world.

Anyway, enough of that. What is done is done and all we can do is work to make sure things like the war in Iraq don't happen again. We have to work together and I know it will happen...

I just heard that Mr. Kerry just conceded. I am so disappointed to see that the world is stuck with the Bush administration. . .

This is a sad day for America and for the rest of the world.

However, I am guessing that this will be a wake-up call for the Bush administration in that the race was so close. He now has a good picture of what the American people think and he had better pay attention to what the people want. It's about time that he know that not everyone there supports his administration and what has happened in the past four years.

My advice is that this administration take care of the ills in their own backyard before they start going off into other peoples'.

The people of your country have spoken, Mr. Bush, take note!

And to those of you who have spoken, make sure you keep on speaking to keep him in line with what YOU want!

A while back, I was shocked and amazed to discover that my favourite Hong Kong-style restaurant served Spam. Once I got over this, I embraced the luncheon meat. However, it seems that the people of the UK are now going to have the same opportunity. Guess what? Spam is back in the UK.

Funny, don't you think?

On the eve of the US presidential election, I received, from a friend, a link to an article that contains a video by Eminem that encourages young people to vote. I watched the attached video and must say that I hope that the people of America take the opportunity to vote for change. We do not need another term like his last one.

I am making a personal plea to all US voters today. Please think carefully before you vote. I don't think the citizens of this planet could stand a world that continues on the way it has been. We need change. We also need a world where people deal with the problems in their own backyard before they start messing about in others'.

While on the subject, does anyone have any comments about Bin Laden's latest message?