Will the last person to leave please turn off the lights?

This, being the day of the September Full Moon, seems as good a day as any to make the decision to lay this blog to rest.

Autumn, being my favourite season, is a fitting time for this to happen. Because, at this time of year, the world around us is filled with an amazing sense of colour in preparation for the end of a life-cycle. While this is generally a cause for sadness, this annual ending reminds us all that a new, young season will soon be upon us.

The decision to stop blogging came to me in a really poor sleep last night. I am not usually one to make such snap decisions but after yesterday's post, I just really couldn't go on with putting myself and my opinions out there. I cannot really explain that well, except to say that perhaps this is time to end that life-cycle and start with a new one. A life cycle where I don't sit on the sidelines and make commentary but one that I actually live. One in which I make something of my inspirations instead of sharing them with everyone and thus making them less meaningful.

That said, I don't feel that this is a sad ending. It is one of a passing and then a renewal. One where I actually follow my bliss instead of spending my time talking about it.

I would like to say thank you to all of you out there who've been dropping by and gracing this space with their presence for the years that I've been spouting off. There are those that keep in touch outside of this medium and I encourage you all to continue in whatever form of mail (e- & snail) you choose. I really do appreciate you keeping in touch. As well, I'll be leaving the links to my favourite sites in the sidebar to forward folk who stop by here to some really amazing spaces that are still "in action". And, if you happen to be one of those folks who happens across this, drop me a line. The email is always working! (Spammers will be prosecuted)

As well, I'm going to leave the comments up so if anyone has anything to say or wants to post a poem, I would love to hear from you. (I will be checking up from time to time)

A special thank you goes out to Robert, David, the guys at TAG, Rad, Mr. A., Kaoru-san, Viktor, Yummy M and everyone else who I can see has dropped by. Keep up the good work and keep in touch! Mwaaa!

Human Hoof in Mouth disease?... I don't think so!

Hmmm. I've had a really bad week in some respects. It appears that over the past two weeks, I've said things to people that it appears they didn't really want to hear. Okay, yeah, it's not unusual for this to happen to me and I must say that I must come from a different time and that I haven't learned to play like all the other "kids" in the sandbox. If the lesson is that I can't speak my mind, then I'm not really sure that I'm willing to learn that one.

What happened to the times in which we were allowed to say what we felt? When did life become about muzzling our thoughts for the greater good? Did I miss that change? And if so, where the hell was I?

The politically-correct climate of today is a real challenge for me. I usually don't get much out of those times where everything is just peachy keen. I much more prefer to learn from the things in my life that are much more negative. That means even by those things that people are afraid to say like "You really shouldn't let it go so long before you retouch your hair colour because it looks terrible" (thanks, E, I'm happy to say that you'd be proud) or "Do you really need to eat that?". If people didn't say things like this to me, I would just go on blissfully thinking that life was going well and not realize that there are things that I should probably consider and learn from.

When someone asks "How are you?", I tell them how I really feel. Perhaps this is wrong of me because it's become pretty evident that people really want to hear you say "Fine". They don't want to hear about your problems or your joys... or perhaps it's just that they don't really care in the first place. I know that there are times that I don't, but when that happens, I don't ask them.

What has happened to our sense of community and caring in this world? Have we just become so busy and caught up with ourselves that we don't want to take the time? What is it? I'd really like to know. And, why isn't anyone doing anything about it? Humanity is interconnected and nowadays - more than ever - people need a sense of connection. And, just for the record, I'm not talking about false connections formed on that stupid social networking site either... I'm talking about face-to-face, able to touch each other sense of connection!

That's my belief. I'm not going to stop being the woman that I am. In fact, I'm going to continue to be inspired by people like the one I previously posted about and call it like I see it.

If the world has become a place where we all just bump into each other without forming deep connections and must refrain from saying what we really want to say - even those things that aren't sugar-coated - then I'm not all that thrilled about living in a world like that. I might as well just move into a cabin in the woods and live alone until my demise!

If we can't say what we think, then there's really not much of a point for even keeping up this blog...

Love It All!

I was saddened today to read of the passing of an amazing woman. Pamela Barlow Brooks was an amazing influence on me in the early days of my creativity. I met her during the course of my second ever job in a local art store. I must say that, in my memories of her, she did live her life "full on".

BROOKS, Pamela Barlow December 5th, 1943 August 8th, 2008 Pamela passed peacefully surrounded by her family and friends after a 9 year journey with cancer. Pamela lived her life full-on; she began her journey in Northern England, then continued as a young immigrant bride with child in Ontario, then back to the land on a farm in Cape Breton, then to being an urbanite in Victoria where she was immersed in the Art scene and eventually to Pender Island. Pamela leaves her son Michael and his partner Wade in Ladner, her husband Wayne, three brothers in England and numerous friends, colleagues and peers whose life she influenced. A student of life her final approach was to see life as a journey and as she said in recent months she felt it is important to "Love it All ".

Pamela graces my heart and mind often due to her inspirational zest for life. She was truly and amazing woman and I was lucky ot have had her touch my life.

I'd like to offer my condolences to her family and especially her son whom I haven't seen for many, many years. As I am unable to attend her celebration of life, I instead offer this post as a tiny acknowledgement of the profound impact that she had on me. Love it all!

But they forgot the cheese!



About two weeks ago, a colleague and I were discussing sandwiches and I was reminded of the crisp butty (which is a potato chip sandwich for you N. American folk). I think that the best - one I have ever had was when I was introduced to this phenomenal sandwich by my friend David in Froncysyllte one night after he got home. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was.

Lately, I've tried to relive the experience but to no avail. Perhaps because I didn't have David's secret recipe so I'm wondering - if he might be reading this - if he might share it with us. After all, the clip above doesn't quite seem right... isn't it supposed to have cheese on it?

Anyway, I wanted to add that it was wonderful talking to you and the family over the weekend D! I hope that all is well and that you remember to send me a postcard from your time abroad!

Cheers all!

No news is good news?

Has everyone in the world become insane? Is there no relevant news?

Then why the hell is there so much hype for a remake of a television series (that, by the way, wasn't that great the first time around) about rich & bitchy teenagers?

The original version didn't do much for me. During the 80's, I knew a guy whose girlfriend was JP's twin sister and she was originally trying to get the role as - you guessed it - his twin sister. Funny how the role went to someone who wasn't related to him... That's as close as I got to the original series.

The only thing I want to have to do with this is to complain about the lack of originality in ideas these days. It seems like no one wants to visit anywhere outside the "nostalgia" zone...

Arghhh. No wonder the world is in such a bad state.

Thank goodness for the Becks & Bjorks of the world!!!!

By the way, thanks to Mr. I for our conversation yesterday... Have you started Page Two yet?