Playgrounds for pensioners?

What about for the rest of us? I think we should all have something like this. It would totally make going to the gym so unnecessary...

You look marvellous!

I see a new career on the horizon...

Doesn't everyone else?

Actually, it's amazing what a feather boa can do for a boy. I'm just happy that I was able to brighten up someone else's day... At least I think that he's happy about it.

I think the next step is to choose a new name...

It's official. Or is it? Is Gene Simmons really Amanda's father on Ugly Betty?

You be the judge...

A few weeks back, one of the women in my office announced her disdain over the studded collar that her nephew had received as a Christmas gift. Suggesting that this 18 year old was wearing something that "was for a dog", she just couldn't get her head around it. She was, in fact, quite upset about it.

I thought her reaction a little unreasonable having worn some pretty strange goth-style items of clothing in my past. I figure it wasn't like it was a tattoo or some unconventional piercing so, it wasn't all that big a deal. Still, she couldn't (or wouldn't) get over it. I even suggested that I would take her shopping sometime to check out what the young people were into. She declined my offer.

Now, I don't really like to bring culture into this because I know that there are many conservative people all over the world however, I think part of this woman's dilemma was that she's originally from another country. I suppose that she didn't see much of that kind of thing when she was growing up and thus doesn't really have anything to associate it with. It must be difficult when not exposed to certain things. I mean, I would never really be that happy about eating snake and that's just because I didn't really grow up with it.

I hadn't thought about this since it happened but then today I was reading a story on the Reuters site. Entitled "Pet" girl kicked off bus for wearing leash, it tells of a girl who was kicked off a bus by the driver for being "leashed" to her fiance. I was surprised that this happened in London where it wouldn't be entirely unusual to see people like this all over the place. There were apologies and statements by the bus company that said the driver cited safety issues for both the girl and those around her. However, I think that could have been explained to the passenger instead of being told by the driver "We don't let freaks and dogs like you on."

I suppose this all goes to show that it takes all kinds...

I really want you all to know that I am not a man-hater. However, every once in a while, I come across some story about male/female relationships that makes me think. Today, on Reuters online there was one such story.

It appears that a nineteen year old woman was caught after videotaping the murder and dismemberment of her married lover. It appears that her current boyfriend and another man murdered the said lover and that the woman caught the whole thing on film. Apparently the dismemberment was due to the severe hatred she had for the man and to make the body unrecognisable.

I wonder if she was inspired by Lily Allen...

This morning was amazing. The moon was spectacularily full in the early morning sky. In fact, it was huge.

It made it almost worthwhile being up at such an early time on such a cold, crisp morning! (I only wish that I'd had my camera...) Part of the reason that I enjoy my morning commute by bus is that I am able to experience the power of observation.

I'm thankful that, during my childhood, I saw some of the many amazing accomplishments of Nature. Nowadays - and I saw this even this morning on the bus - people are so caught up with their iPods (watching movies and television programs) and their Crackberries (obsessed about their lives) that they do not even see some of the magnificent things that pass by the windows of the bus and their cars. It's the saddest thing that I can think of. Missing such amazing things.

No wonder the environment is in such crisis. In ignoring Nature in all its beauty and by losing more & more of the curiosity we had when we were children, we are losing our connection with this great force. We are no longer observant of the things around us and that is tragic. More tragic still is that the generation that are children now will have no experience of the grandness and beauty of this planet. And for that, I mourn the loss.

Yet I can appreciate such glorious sights as I experienced this morning.

I only hope that there are enough people out there who are strong enough to dislodge the tv remotes and iPods from their children's hands - just long enough for them to see something so beautiful yet so taken-for-granted. Come on people, it's up to all of us to make that choice!

Have a great day and don't forget to look for the moon this evening. I imagine it'll be just as large and beautiful as what I saw this morning!

"I'm having one of those things! You know, a headache with pictures!"

"An idea?"

"Yeah!"

I've become hooked on Futurama as of late. Not having been a Simpsons fan at all, I was skeptical that I would like it yet I surprised myself. I think it's because they aren't really limited by the constraints of humankind. Because it's the future, pretty much anything goes because it takes place in the future.

Here, in my corner of the world they play it on one of the children's channels. They play it after 9 pm however I wonder if the subject matter isn't a little too adult for children. I'm all for talking with kids about things but some of the ideas portrayed are a little heady for some adults let alone children.

So, yeah, I'm having a headache with pictures...

Besides being annoying to women, I've discovered another reason that men should not wave at us from a passing car. You might just lose something other than your dignity...

This past weekend was not quite as busy as I thought but I did manage to eat too much good food as well as think about what I need to do over the next little while.

Actually, a friend and I embarked on a campaign to get some really important things done. He had the awesome idea of creating a blog that started out as a private one but has since been opened up to the public. It is a kind of online checklist that will be ever-changing while helping us to keep motivated and on task. Entitled Stay Focussed, it will record the journey of completion that we're both on. At first, it'll be just the both of us but I think that we could open it up to others... we're still considering this. So, if you're interested, check it out and if you are so inclined you can check up on our progress...

Now, back to food. Last night, I went to a friend's place to eat some really yummy Japanese food. I think that she'll now have to open a cooking school to share some of her secrets. Thanks M-chan! Sugoku oishikatta yo!

Also, over the weekend, I discovered a new Japanese cafe in the oddest place - Oak Bay. For those of you who know the area, it is an area aptly located 'behind the tweed curtain'. It's a little bit posher than other areas of Victoria and full of pensioners. It's also a cute little community that in some ways is more trendy than the other areas of the city. Anyway, it's called the Kissako Green Tea cafe and it's a little taste of heaven. Green tea, Japanese desserts, sushi and other assorted Japanese foods. (They don't have a website but you can read a restaurant review from a since forgotten blog.) You should definitely check it out.

On another note, I have given up 香 港 式 奶 茶 (Hong Kong style milk tea) once again. I had decided on the last day of 2007 that I would stop drinking it because it was brutal on my stomach - even though I just love it - however I fell of the wagon last week. I restarted my ban last Friday and so far so good. In the past month, I've been milk tea free for twelve days and am currently working on winning a bet that I cannot give it up for two weeks straight. I know I can do it... I just have to be strong.

I tried to clean up my space (see 'Stay Focussed' link) but didn't complete that task. While I must admit, it did look better than when I started...

Well, well, well... I wondered how long it would take something like this to come to light...

Okay, so this is just another reason that I won't be joining the Facebook generation. It looks like one can never know who'll be checking up on you. Case & point... it appears a Cambridge university prof signed up on the online community site to screen students. You can read about it in an online article entitled "Would-be students checked on Facebook".

Just another reason to be careful when using the internet kids!

Boo Hoo!

You know, it really makes me angry when women use the "tear card" while playing their games. So many women, when placed in an unfavourable position, tear up in order to manipulate the situation. Let's face it, all women are more than capable of manipulation... in fact, it's in our blood.

Fortunately for the rest of the world, some women don't lower ourselves to this level of manipulation.

However, it seems that a certain US senator admits to having used tears to get her point across. In the story from the Guardian online, Hillary Clinton reveals turning point in race for White House as being the recent display of emotion (ie tears) on television that showed the rest of America that "the reason I do this is I love this country so profoundly". She also goes on to say "When the cameras turn off and the speeches are done, what have we actually done to improve people's lives."

To this I say Bull!

Hillary, what you did was use those tears to manipulate people. You, an apparently strong and intelligent woman used that perceived weakness to manipulate people. This make you no better than those supposedly frail & delicate woman that others are afraid to be honest with for sake of not hurting their feelings. You've set women back again by using that whole "weakness" thing to reinforce the stereotype!

Okay people, I know that many of you think that I'm some kind of radical feminist but that cannot be further from the truth. I am a humanist that thinks that everyone is equal and I treat them that way. I don't have a problem with women wearing short skirts and stilettos OR overalls. I don't have a problem with men who dress this way either. So, if it's alright for Hillary to cry, then it should be okay for Obama to and use that to show his commitment to the nation.

I just think that for her to associate the tears with her commitment to the nation is false. She cried because she knew she lost the vote previously and knew that if she cried, people would feel sorry for her. Come on Hillary, if you're going to cry, don't lie!

Late Addition: Don't you find it ironic that the woman who caused Hillary's tearful reaction actually voted for Obama. Read about it here!

I was going to get around to this earlier but it slipped my mind. The friend that forwarded the link to the 365 Days of Trash blog has been inspired to start a blog of his own. So, I'd like to introduce Inter.Thoughts.

Thanks for the links K. I can't wait to watch the Penn & Teller clip...

Do you ever wonder what happens to all of the stuff you put out for recycling? Do we really know for sure? Are our governments taking care of our waste problem here or are they sending it to Third World countries?

Here's a report that talks of how in the UK, a great deal of the things that people put out in good faith to be recycled are being sent to China.


This fits in directly with what Annie Leonard tells us in the short film The Story of Stuff which takes us on the journey of the life of the many products that we consume every day. Its about 20 minutes long and has some thought-provoking information about what the actual real cost of those things that we buy is.

I'm also going to post the Story of Stuff blog link on my sidebar.

Kiss me, Kiss me, Kiss me

Last night, I was blown away by Torchwood. Not only are they brave, but they presented this scene with sensitivity. (Okay, so the music is from Edward Scissorhands - my all time favourite love story - but the sentiment was brilliant.) I couldn't help but be impressed by the BBC for capturing this integral part of Captain Jack's personality. Bravo!


I have a question for you guys out there. A coworker said that when this scene came up, her husband had to look away. Watch the scene and tell me... Does this kind of scene make you feel uncomfortable. I sincerely hope that it doesn't but even if it did, I'd appreciate knowing if you did and why?

I mean it seems alright to watch two women going at it, so why the weird feelings about something like this. Most women don't get all squeamish at watching two women but I get the feeling that the guys don't feel the same about guy on guy action. This scene was far from raunchy but it made at least one man squirm. (I always wonder if it has something to do with men being afraid that they'd enjoy it - or maybe it's just that they're afraid that someone would make an incorrect assumption about them.) How about you?

Personally, I thought it was really hot...

Well, here we are, three days into 2008. I've started back to work and must say that my sleep patterns are off and I just don't know if I'll ever get used to waking up when it's still dark. I just feel like I've been run over by a truck. I suppose that office work will do that to a person...

Yesterday, while I was standing in the dark awaiting my bus, I heard the morning call of an owl. For those of you who live in this area of the world, you'll know that this is quite rare. It made me think that, if the owls are up, then I shouldn't feel so bad. It certainly filled my head with glee and despite being dead shattered, it was a lovely beginning to my day.

So how are your resolutions going? I didn't make any because I thought it would be better just to start changing things in my life when I thought about them. For me, there is no point in setting a future goal to do something because if I was really serious, I would just start whenever I felt like it. So far, all of the things that I started in December, are going well.

Speaking of resolutions, I wanted to share this link with you. A friend forwarded a link to a blog entitled 365 Days of Trash, which is one man's attempt at throwing nothing in the trash for an entire year. I haven't read the whole thing yet but it has some interesting stuff on it. Included is a link to a site called Laptop Lunches which also looks pretty interesting...

I hope that you enjoy them both. If you are interested, my friend also forwarded a link to a radio story about the trash blog and a short film so you can just email me and I will forward the links to you.

Happy 2008 everyone!