Can you believe that it's almost August?

It's really hard to believe that in just three days, I'll be turning 44. I thought it might be a big deal this year and so decided to plan a dinner party and then spend the weekend dancing away at the Victoria Electronic Music Festival. The trouble is that, even though people committed to helping me wish this new year in, when I actually get around to asking them, they either don't answer my emails, texts or telephone calls as to whether they can make it or not. So, I'm thinking I might just cancel the whole thing.

Okay, so you may think that I'm now just throwing my own pity party but that's not it at all. I guess I just wonder why people don't get back to someone about an invitation. If they don't know, then just drop me a line to say that they're not sure. And, if they can't come, just tell me. I'm not going to freak out or anything. I'd just like to let the freaking restaurant know. I hate making plans and then leaving it until the last minute to cancel it.

Perhaps it's a good thing that I'm going to Vancouver so I can keep myself busy with shopping and stuff and not think about it.

When I get back to Victoria, I'm gonna hang out on Saturday & Sunday and listen to loads of music. It's a long weekend here and it looks like it'll be sunny. Maybe I'll even get a little dancing in... (I will have to be careful because of the damage that I've done with my feet over the last little while but I think that I'll just have fun.)

And, I'm looking forward to 44. No big deal really! Maybe I'll even get a bit wiser...

Wish me luck!

Sorry about the lack of posts folks!

I'm on holiday and thus don't have much access to a computer to work on and it's my birthday on Friday so I am busy just planning things for that.

Have a great week and I'll try to post when I go to Vancouver.

Okay, so I've never really believed in an angel of death but it appears that his name is Oscar and he's alive and well and living in an nursing home in Providence, Rhode Island in the US. If you're curious what this angel of death looks like, imagine a small, white with a tinge of mottled grey hair with four legs...

You can read about more about Oscar in this article entitled "The nursing home cat that 'predicts' death".

I don't know about you but I'd be kind of alarmed if I lived in this nursing home and then, knowing that this cat is so accurate, had him come and visit me. What do you think?

Here's a story about a maid that went to jail for six days for serving urine to her boss. Now, her defense was that she was drinking it herself to treat a skin condition and she accidentally gave some to her boss.

Now before you start to call this woman a liar, you might want to look at a post I did long ago about an awesome handcream from Japan that contained essence of urine. I remember initially thinking it a bit gross but my eczema was almost immediately gone. So, I can believe that this could really have been true.

She might have been more careful with the liquid but did she really deserve six days? We can't get real criminals convicted in this country and here they are putting this poor woman in the clink for making a simple mistake.

This image is for someone I know (and you know who you are) and shows three other fans of Marie Antionette at last weekend's Luminara in Victoria. It was quite wet, thus the umbrellas but I hear that everyone had fun.

Image uploaded from Times Colonist July 24 edition

With the heavy flooding in the UK now, I was glad to finally see a map of the affected areas. I'm also glad to say that many of my friends are alright there but am a little disturbed about the places where they have flood warnings. I notice that Shrewsbury is on that list which is somewhere that I visited a number of times. With the river running pretty much through the centre of town, it'd be pretty messy.

I hear that the rain isn't letting up and that there are two more months of it in the forecast. It must be sheer pandemonium. People's houses and possessions are being damaged and there appears that there won't be access to fresh water for two weeks in some places.

I hope that everyone out there I know is taking care. It looks like M might be having a bit of trouble and I'm wondering how things are on the canal in front of the place in Fron.

I guess this puts our little stint with rain here in perspective. We may not have had a lot of sun this summer but at least we aren't struggling with the flooding here like they are in England.

Wow! I just cannot believe that I got an "A" on my poetry exam last week!

Now all I've got to do is get this damned paper finished in time to hand it in on Wednesday. Oh, and study for my exam on drama on Monday. Seven weeks is really just flying by...

Wow! It looks like men in Japan are struggling with the whole issue of dating. Look what some men have had to resort to there.

I suppose that it's the next step of the otaku generation.

I'm not usually a prude so I find it strange to be sharing such a close-minded point of view with everyone however, I just felt so strongly about it that I had to say something. I hope that you don't mind and would be interested to hear your ideas about it.

The other night, while coming home on the bus, I encountered two people that, at first, I thought were mother and son. The woman sat next to me and the younger guy was sitting directly ahead of her - next to one of the other regular passengers I encounter regularly.

This "couple" were having some sort of conversation about people they know. She was older than I am and spoke with an eastern European or Scandinavian accent (it was hard to tell) and he seemed to be in his mid- to late- twenties with long hair and striking eyes. Both were kind of those outdoorsy hippie-types (granola) so I just got to thinking how nice it was for mother & son to be out together sharing the day.

Then, to my surprise, he leaned back and kissed her. From then on, she was leaning forward and kissing him and he was kissing her hand - and she his - all the way home. I wanted to puke.

I didn't have this reaction because of their age - not entirely, that is. I think that I just felt that that whole public display of affection and intimacy quite forced. After all, the only time I see behaviour like that was in film and when silly teenagers who think it's how they should behave when they are a couple. I hardly expected that kind of behaviour from a woman older than I. I almost got the feeling that she was his "sugar mama" and he was just slathering the bullshit on thicker than was necessary. The sad thing was that she bought into it too.

I think that's what made my stomach turn. The fact that a woman who should know better bought into something that exists only in film and when someone wants something from the other. Why do women do that?

It was actually interesting because on that very day, in my Lit class we were talking about poetry that was created just to get women into bed. Maybe I'm just lucky enough to be born in a time when we look at things a little more realistically that I can have this opinion. Love blinds people, for sure but is that really an excuse to act so ridiculously?

Now, you're going to say, Lola, why are you judging this couple? Is it because she's older than him? My answer to that is a resounding no! If it works for a couple to have the woman older, that's great. In fact, I'm a big advocate for that. I just sensed that she was stupid enough to become a dupe for some boy that has amazing eyes. He certainly wasn't my type so I couldn't figure it out. I just have a problem with fakeness. I hate lies and it was most certainly what was going on.

I just hate when women are so desperate for affection that they turn a blind eye to what's going on.

It gives all of us older, single women a bad reputation because people assume that we're all quite desperate. And I, for one, am not.

Moving on, I was reading a friend's blog yesterday and came upon a part where he talked of "evolution" and how young people nowadays have no taste when it comes to the arts. It got me thinking... Can this really be true?

I think that, as we all get older, we realize that the youth of the world are pretty green when it comes to life experience. The thing is, that is the nature of humans or any animals for that matter. When we are born, we have experienced nothing and it's not until we have gone through situations that we gain knowledge. That much, I think we all know.

However, in the case of my friend, attesting to the "poor" taste in music that many younger folks buy into is not entirely their fault. I mean, if it weren't for the adults that allow the "crap" that is considered music these days, then kids wouldn't have that choice. They know that if they appeal to the younger folk on their own level, they will make loads of money. And that's where the problem exists. The almighty currency these companies make from kids.

This generation as well as mine and the one before has somehow come to a place where we are super-consumers. We also have a sense of entitlement that I think is quite dangerous. It's a world for the self-absorbed and seemingly sociopathic folks to get their faces on the cover of magazine and in the news. Many want a piece of this pie. After all, why do we become performers and artists? I think that it is because, deep down, we want the attention and adoration of others. Of course, many are trying to express something or give us a message. But why is an artist's message any more important than the person who still has something to say but isn't as beautiful or media-savvy as say Britney or Posh or whatever new flavour of the week in the modelling world is?

The trouble is that we all buy into this. Maybe we're searching for that mysterious "love" that we see in film that creates feelings of inferiority in many. This is precisely what I was mentioning at the beginning of this post. I think that we all need to question this in our art. Precisely why are we doing this or what are we trying to prove.

I'm not justifying the taste of youth in this post. In fact, I must say that I agree with my friend's opinion of NF however, I think it important to remember that without this kind of evolution we wouldn't be free to express our thought the way we do nowadays. My friend would either still be closeted or dead because he's gay, I would have been married off or even just had no say in life and be a vessel with which to further the human species and for sure, many of the great artists of the past would not have been able to do what they wanted. The thing is, that there could just as easy be a devolution if some world leader decides we shouldn't be able to work if we are a woman or that gays shouldn't exist or that critics to government policy should be killed or if we are too intelligent, we are a danger to world order.

Life really is fickle when we think about it.

Now, on a final note, yesterday, I heard Velvet Revolver do a cover of "Psychokiller" originally by the Talking Heads. Unfortunately for the youth of today, it's a terrible cover. The Talking Heads were ahead of their time and this was a great song - when they sang it. However, this crap version by Scott & his gang just doesn't do it justice. Why do people remake old movies or do "sad" covers of songs? Is it because there is nowhere to go as far as music or film evolution is concerned? Must be because all we're getting now is this crap. Like "Hairspray"... I'd rather watch Ricky Lake and Divine in the original film version if I must. It's just a huge waste of money using stars like Travolta and the others. For what? Because they can rip money out of the next generations pockets?

There it is. It's all about the green! Money, that is.

It's raining today! It smells so, so comforting.

Life is busy.

Lit class is taking up a whole lot of time. Have an exam on Wednesday and a paper due next week. I'm tired. Oh well. (I know, no one said that it was going to be easy to work full-time and take a whole course in just seven weeks.)

Still, I'm enjoying it. I've found Imagism quite interesting. Haiku is beautiful, especially when written in Japanese. And, many of the writers that we are studying seem to have a bizarre gift with language.

Words really are powerful!

And just so you know, I haven't entirely stopped taking a look around. Last night we had the most gorgeous sunset here. It's raining today but the sunset was a deep red. And as for the rain? We need that cleansing right now. It's been so hot...

"Planting trees or investing in renewable energy does not reverse the damage of releasing huge quantities of carbon dioxide into the environment...It is far better not to pollute in the first place. Carbon offsetting can be a removal of guilt, but it is not an effective one."

This is just one quote from an article from the Daily Mail, entitled Live Earth is promoting green to save the planet - what planet are they on? which talks about the real effect that the event had on the planet. I found it interesting and it even gave some actual stats of the "footprint" it left. I wasn't too surprised.

I appreciate the effort but I'd rather you just not have done it at all because I wonder how much time you've robbed the planet of...

Interested in becoming the Guardian Unlimited's Travel Photographer of the Year for 2007? Check out the details for this year's contest. There also details for photography courses and resources for photographers

If you are interested, you can look at a selection of the best photos over the past four years . What do you think? Are they what you consider the best? Have you got some that you can share with the world? If so, I encourage you to pursue the contest.

This kind of thing just really gets me thinking...

I've just finished reading a story about the failure of a program that gave fresh fruit to school children. It appears that the people trying to instill better eating habits in children are banging their heads against a wall. It's really too bad that these things don't work and after thinking about it for a while, I think I've figured out why. It's because, once they leave the schoolyard, they go back to the old habits.

Let's face it. Nowadays it's a struggle to get kids to eat any fruit or vegetable. Why? Because many of them have been brought up on a diet of mostly processed foods, due mostly to the fact that it's just easier. Easier because it's supposedly time-saving. Easier because both parents work and they don't have time to cook meals let alone have family dinners with every family member in attendance. Unfortunately, this also means that all of those chemical additives and sugar that make the food "taste better" are poisoning us all. Including our children.

And, because kids are used to that crap, they certainly aren't going to go out there and eat anything healthy.

A while back I was watching the "documentary" about Jamie Oliver trying to make more healthy school lunches. He seemed to be fighting a losing battle and that was really unfortunate. I remember one scene where he was demonstrating - in a very crude way - how chicken strips are made and I have to tell you that it made me want to vomit. I haven't eaten one since.

The trouble is that it's great to try and feed kids healthy food, however, if their diet at home doesn't change, then there won't be a whole lot of benefit. They'll still be eating the same old crap. If these people want healthier children, they will have to work with their families and have a concerted effort.

Maybe if every parent had to participate in a program like that of the BBC program "Honey We're Killing the Kids" there might be better results. This show is where they take a look at a child's lifestyle and then project what that same kid will look like when they turn 40. The photos are devastatingly horrid and perhaps it's just a clever view created with Photoshop however, we really are killing our kids by feeding them this crap. Not only that, we're killing ourselves.

I hated lots of foods when I was a kid but thankfully, my parents made me eat it. Now that I'm an adult, most of my dislikes have gone away (with the exception of fish, water chestnuts, and things like cooked onions, cooked cabbage and a series of other cooked vegetables - I prefer the raw versions of these). With the exception of white bread, all of that food was really healthy.

People say that eating healthy is just too expensive. Not true, I say because local produce and even some organic stuff does not cost a mint. And besides, it's not cheaper to eat convenience foods... Have you thought of the health costs to this as well? Crap begets crap, as far as I'm concerned. If we eat processed crap, we're only setting ourselves up to "pay" later in life with all sorts of ailments.

I'm a firm believer that this is why there are so many depressed people out there as well. If you eat unhealthy foods, then your body isn't going to be in peak condition and that means you're susceptible to feeling bad. How can I say this? Because I've been treated for depression twice in my life and it wasn't until I started eating better that I began to stop feeling bad. And, I know that when I do fall off the healthy-eating bandwagon, I start to feel bad. I can't tell you how much better it is to be in control of your life than to have some drug keeping you from feeling the natural highs and lows that we have in our lives. (By the way, I am not advocating throwing your antidepressants out the window but looking at ones diet and the way that it affects you could be an indicator of where the imbalance is coming from). I even wonder if pregnant women who are eating unhealthily are passing the "results" down to their children.

Here we are back to the subject of children... I think it's a great ideat to take a look at these kinds of healthy eating programs and perhaps a look, as well, at how we can get the families to "buy into it" as well. That's the only way to ensure that children will eat well, exercise more and not become huge slugs that have no energy.

After all, it won't kill any of us to eat more healthy...

Hmmm. Two British teenagers get caught smuggling drugs in Ghana. Should we feel sorry for them? I cannot say that I do...

They get talked into becoming drug mules, travel to Ghana without their parents knowing anything about it and then get caught at the airport as they were trying to board a plane. Are these kids insane? Do they not realize the consequences of getting caught with drugs in another country? Do parents not tell them these things?

It's funny. This makes me think of that idiot hairdresser, Schapelle Corby, from Australia who was convicted of smuggling drugs in Bali and almost got sentenced to death. If that's not a case for not wanting to get involved in drug smuggling in other countries, I don't know what is...

Late addition: I found this site for an interesting yet very strange idea of a tour. You can check it out here.

It's freaking hot here today. 36°C is way too hot for my liking... even the house is like a sauna. I might have to move underground...

Has anyone out there heard of the Secret Garden Party?

I had this link forwarded to me by a friend and it looks to be a whole lot of fun! Too bad that I've signed up to take a class over the summer otherwise, I think that I'd go? Is anyone else out there planning to take part in it?

How is your summer going? We actually have sun here and the temperatures are quite a bit higher than usual. I may not be able to go out in and play in the sun however I can see it from my office window...

Have you heard about the extremely high temperatures in the US? I'm guessing that most people thought that it'd be a cold day in hell when that happened, non? Sounds inhuman to me.

In my mind, this kind of weather is indicative of the climate crisis. I have this gut feeling that it's just going to get worse and that brings about a feeling that I can do little about it. I try to live my life without leaving a huge carbon footprint and am looking for more ways to do my part. However, I also get the feeling that whatever I contribute to "the cause" is outweighed by the others that don't. That's what really pisses me off about the whole buying of carbon credits thing. I mean, I make sacrifices so some idiot can feel good about not doing his part? That's just not acceptable to me.

Hmmm. This gets me thinking about Live Earth again...

I don't want you to think that my main purpose is harping on about Live Earth, but I read this article and thought I'd share it. As the event fast approaches, there seems to be more of this type of commentary. Yesterday, I heard that it will be broadcast in Canada on six channels - three music channels, an entertainment channel, the sports channel and CTV, which one of the three major channels in this country. Sounds a bit like overkill to me...

It's great that the message is getting out there but do we really think that all young people will be watching it to increase their knowledge of climate change? Or are would they be watching to see their favourite artists? I know that when I was young and uninformed, I watched LiveAid to see the performers. Anyway, I've said my peace on this event. The article has some interesting points. I'd love to hear what you have to say.

In the meantime, I hope that you'll all have an opportunity to go out and enjoy yourself. It's not too difficult to think of things that are both fun and that doesn't contribute to the climate crisis. Not only will you have an opportunity to "join the cause" as well as feel like you are contributing to something bigger. It just takes a little planning and you can do it!

Thank you everyone! Have a great weekend!

Yeah!

I know that I've mused about this in an earlier post but I thought that I would share this article about how Live Earth organizers are trying not to create more of a problem in regards to global warming. For example, the concerts are going to be reusing some of the items used in the concerts, use electricity that will come from renewable resources, offset carbon emissions caused by the stars flying around in their jets and even using "burger boxes" that are made of edible starch (I've heard of things like this. Too bad they cannot create these for mainstream restaurants).

However, I got to thinking...

They may be trying to do this but what about the millions of people that will be gathered around their televisions and using up electricity in huge quantities? I'm sure there are all sorts of other things like this to think about.

So, while I applaud this effort to enlighten people, why couldn't we have something on a much smaller scale with perhaps bands "unplugged" and acoustic. People could gather in a small public space and listen to people with non-electric instruments and such and enjoy the day (hopefully the weather will be nice). And, perhaps they could gather money from the folks attending and apply it to some sort of environmental cause. Hell... they could also donate the money collected from their empty drink containers! (You just know there'll be beer consumed)

Anyway, that's just my two bits worth. Have a great day folks and if you do have a small acoustic event, please let me know... I can post it here...

Welcome back from the weekend. It was Canada Day here on Sunday so all of the government workers got yesterday off as well. That included me.

I didn't do much this weekend. Saw a couple of films, nursed my foot, ate too much and watched Doctor Who last night (it was the Runaway Bride episode from last Christmas...). I didn't manage to get to the baseball game after all but I suppose there is always next year.

Speaking of costumed individuals having fun, I'd like to share a picture that my lovely friend David took on his friends pre-wedding getaway to Madrid. I'm not sure which is the groom to be, but I think that you can appreciate the outfits. Modeled after the Little Britain character Daffyd Thomas, "the only gay in the village", these guys ventured out into the streets of Madrid to celebrate the impending marriage. Looks like loads of fun although I don't think that I've seen that much spandex in years. Thanks for sharing D!

As for me, I don't really have that much to report. I hope that you had a really great weekend.

Take care and I'll try to post soon!