TWO-MORE-OH

I never worry about tomorrow,
I figure I'm too young and things will fall into place when I'm there.


I never solidly plan for tomorrow,
I'm too irresponsible to care.




Then one day it hits slaps me;
The sun has long gone, today is coming to an end.


And we've reached tomorrow...

Paint the Town of Mamaroneck Rainbow

Archie Goes Gay

The other day I was channel flipping when I landed on CP24. They were featuring a guest on one of their shows, Jon Goldwater, the co-CEO of Archie Comics. He was there to introduce a new character to the world of Archie Comics: Kevin Keller. Archie Comics has been an iconic symbol of life in suburban America for nearly 70 years, so the introduction of a new character is not altogether shocking. Since Archie's first appearance in 1941, the character list has grown solidly to include five main members of the Archie gang: Archie, Ronnie, Betty, Jughead and Veronica, and dozens of other "supporting" characters, if you will...


However, the way in which Jon and the rest of the Archie creators chose to celebrate the comic book's 69th birthday this September could not have been foreseen by the most avid comic book collector. On the CP24 show Goldwater dropped the bomb: this September the new student at Archie's Riverdale Highschool, Kevin Keller, would be the first openly gay character. Yes, my fellow Archie fans and pop culture enthusiasts, times are a changin'...


As Goldwater explained in a press release,
"The introduction of Kevin is just about keeping the world of Archie Comics current and inclusive. Archie's hometown of Riverdale has always been a safe world for everyone. It just makes sense to have an openly gay character in Archie comic books." 
Apparently, Kevin (as depicted on the above cover) will be brought into Riverdale Highschool as the new hunk in town, who Veronica (as per usual) instantly develops a crush on. I'm just excited to see how the big reveal is done.


Speaking as someone who grew up with Archie Comics (a friend of mine had a mother who worked at the Canadian publishing company who releases the comics), I have to admit that I had mixed feelings when I first heard the announcement. I almost felt as if I the reader, and thousands of other readers, would have to sacrifice the characters and the town we've become so familiar with. Its crazy enough that there will be a new main character, but to have one portrayed in a way that hasn't been done before? Well that is just insane! I even began to draw parallels between this added dynamic and Ontario's new sex-ed curriculum that has been the topic of much debate. 
 The more I thought about it though, the more I realized that maybe this kind of exposure would have positive effects. Maybe it is time to mark the advent of a more accepting, open-minded culture, especially at the crucial teenage/highschool years. And what better way to do that then include a hunky queer into the Town of Mamaroneck's inner social circle?

Quote Me

  

"In a world of plastic bodies, artificial personalities, phoniness and a Barbie cult, how do the REAL ladies stand out?"


- I will definitely be expanding...

Four Twenty

So I was "surfing" the net and ended up on one of the most entertaining sites that I regularly visit: worldstarhiphop.com... I've gotta admit, I don't really visit the site to check out up and coming rappers, nor do I go to it in hopes of expanding my hiphop palette, which I am already content with. No, the reason I, like hundreds of other net-surfers, visit the site is to check out absolutely hilarious, ridiculous, ludicrous and downright outrageous videos that are posted daily. I'm talking about amateur footage of crackhead fights, clips from local news networks of 9-year old drug dealers, and throwback clips of perverted Canadian game-show hosts (i.e. dude from "Just Like Mom" forcing preteen girls to kiss him). Amidst all the countless footage of rappers, rodents, street brawls and Kat Stacks defences, I was surprised to find this video, from my very own home city:


 

Now, when I first clicked the link, I was looking to see a video of some MORONS from somewhere down south causing ruckus on 4:20, a.k.a International Weed Day, an otherwise (for obvious reasons) relatively peaceful day. As soon as the video began, I quickly recognized the location as Dundas Square in downtown Toronto, and the reporter as one from Toronto's CityTV news. I realized that these gun-toting idiots were right in my backyard, and that these same havoc-wreckers were the ones that had almost ruined my, and hundreds of other stoners' 4 20 festivities. THESE were the dudes that had almost got my friends and I stampeded as we sat in the middle of the Square lighting up to celebrate...

I guess at this point I can give a brief breakdown about 4 20, or at least what I've been able to gather in the past couple of years. In high school I used to hear the older kids talking about it discreetly in the hallways, all members of the elite smokers squad. By the time I had started smoking myself, I looked forward to that one April day in which the world, or at least the world I lived in, would validate pot smokers like myself. The fact that I would see cops surrounding the groups who had met spontaneously across the city to light up, doing nothing, gave me a sense of comfort. Their presence and inaction was equal to them admitting that the act of smoking weed is not as scary and detrimental to society as decision-makers would have us believe. I was also pleased to learn that those counter-culturalist cannibas consumers would gather on this day in different parts of the world, but mainly Canada and the U.S. I don't know why this particular day was chosen, but it's rumoured that its origins are founded in a group of 1970's Californian  teens who would meet up at 4:20 after school for a daily session.

I had never actually participated in any real 4:20 events myself, save for the specially rolled blunts I would consume with my friends to celebrate, or the "I <3 Mary Jane" pin that I've been parading around for some years now. This year though, what with the early end to my exams and number of Facebook invites, I decided to head on downtown to meet up with fellow pot smokers, and rally for the legalization of weed while partaking in some smoking myself. I got down there with a couple of friends and was surprised by the sheer number of people who had decided to show up; as I later learned, this was one of the largest turn-outs in Toronto in all the years it had been organized. There were bongs, empty zig zag packs, and green apparel galore! Suddenly I didn't feel so out of place with my huge hand-made pot leaf necklace. We found a comfortable spot on the ground smack dab in the middle of the "action" and started our own session, amidst the hundreds of joints being passed around us.

Sometime around 4:00 (4:06 as the reporter pointed out), there was some sort of crazy commotion going on near the stage, and I literally began to see dozens of crazed stoners running in our direction, or at least toward Yonge St. I donno if the weed was super good, or if that feeling of paranoia commonly shared by smokers was rampant, but it all felt like slow-motion. I heard someone yelling "police! police!", which I've gotta admit, was a little confusing because we had been surrounded by police the entire time. I somehow managed to pick up the camera, lighters, papers, munchies, and other sprawled out belongings that were enhancing our festivities, and dash through the crowd right before possibly getting stampeded. I instantly felt silly when I reached the street and noticed that a few people hadn't so much as blinked, but were still firmly planted on the ground enjoying their Mary Jane. Apparently, there was some gun play which resulted in all this ruckus. I headed back in, hoping to find my friends and sure enough they were in the same spot. My relief soon subsided though, as we learned that amongst the confusion we had lost the dope!

Anyway, finding this clip on worldstarhiphop.com just reinforces the fact that these guys were losers. Sure, the crowd was able to regather for the 4:20 countdown and I got to witness the hugest simultaneous Dundas Square light-up complete with overhead Mary Jane cloud. The point is though, when you show up to a protest about an illegal substance, the last thing you should be doing is confirming the point that the authorities are already trying to make about the effects of pot. These dudes just played the role of anti-marijuana posterboys! What I found even more hilarious, upon watching the clip itself, was the fact that the entire thing looked like a staged publicity stunt!
58 seconds into the video, we get a glimpse of the "victim". As the dude being interviewed (who happens to be some sort of rapper) explains, "...my producer here, with Certified Cash... we just had to disarm him..." Can someone say shameless plugin?
Anyway, hope you enjoy the video as much as I did. Thankfully, I didn't see myself on camera, but I thiiiink I spotted the top of my head at the part where the crowd makes a run for it and disperses...
HAPPY BELATED 4 20 KIDDOS!
remember,
Don't drink and drive, fly and smoke...

P.S
The moral of the story is, LEAVE THE GUNS AT HOME! Don't be that one moron who shows up to a peaceful protest/celebration and ruins it for everyone by bringing his "beef"... Just crush a bit, roll it up, take a hit and leave the violence at home...

Prescriptions for Life

"To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence."


- Sun Tzu
(The Art of War)

money is my bitch

"I'd asked around 10 or 15 people for suggestions. Finally one lady friend asked the right question, 'Well, what do you love most?' That's how I started painting money."


- Andy Warhol

Bill 23: Reintroducing Recess

Take a look back at your career as a high school student. A blur of classes, scheduled back-to-back with minutes in between to make it to each class. A half hour to one hour lunch break, mostly consumed by the scramble to make it to the caf, try to charm Lunch Lady Edna into slapping on an extra helping of the special sauce with your generic lasagna, wait in line behind your fellow daring lunch-eaters, and find the perfect seat in which you can avoid sitting beside the FOBs and their "pek-pek" jokes, and the dice-players. Then you slip back into the regular routine of things. For those of us lucky enough to have made it to one of the sports teams (5 in my high school, I think), there's always basketball/soccer/volleyball/track&field/softball practice to look forward to. And for those who aren't seasoned athletes, well you can try setting up some sort of "just-for-fun" teams, but then of course you'd have to convince your friends to put the doobie down and join you for some physical activity that requires more than just clicking the TV's remote control buttons...

Now, think back to elementary school (if your memory is as bad as mine, this might take some straining). Again, a blur of classes in which they try to instill the valuable lesson: i before e, except after c.. something something something... Then there were the teams. Sure, there were those athlete-kids that shone, but more importantly than the competitive aspect, coaches and teachers stressed 2 important aspects: FUN, FUN, FUN aaand physical activity. There was lunch, which involved a Dunkaroos-auction while you and all your friends tried to shove down lunch so you could run outside and play. Then of course, there was RECESS.

The other day my friend Sammy and I were talking about the golden days. We reminisced about the days when recess was a major priority- not so much because we needed a break from the ever-so-tedious multiplication table, but because we simply wanted to get outside and play with our friends in the fresh air. He made a very good point: If physical activity is an aspect of early education highly valued within our system (as implemented in school board curriculums across the nation), why does it suddenly take a back seat as soon as we reach highschool or junior high? This led us to reflect for a few minutes and think of more questions. At which point to decision-makers actually decide to draw the line, and eliminate the need for exercise and fresh air? If there is an obvious correlation between being outside with your peers, provided with basic things to help you make use of your break (i.e. a basketball court), and staying in shape then why isn't the idea of recess somehow worked into your schedule as a post-elementary school student?

Sammy invited me to imagine the differences that could result from such a simple tweek of the curriculum. As any student knows, studying/learning down in intervals between breaks is highly beneficial and allows you to retain more of the material, as opposed to over-cramming your brain. The academic benefits of exercise have also been visited again and again- students' behaviour is more receptive to learning, energy levels remain stable and allow students to actively participate in class, and cognitive capacities have more "breathing space. An examination of this issue is also most appropriate in this generation. Unlike your parents generation, we live in a world of commonly-overweight children and staggering obesity rates. We're bombarded with commercials and ads urging us to try the latest videogame or watch the latest movie. Lets face it, a 5 year old will see infinitely more ads for a Nintendo DS than he/she will for the newest soccer ball. At such a crucial point in which educators could be the leading actors in a complete overhaul of physical-activity related material in our schooling, why isn't anyone pursuing this with the vigour that they should be pursuing it with.

This lead us to propose a theoretical bill to be brought before the ministers and educators who play a key role in enhancing the educational experiences of Canada's students. We named it Bill 23, appropriately, after basketball legend Michael Jordan. Can you imagine a world in which MJ and other great athletes of our time were limited to ONLY playing during recess in elementary school? The premise of this "bill" is simple: REINTRODUCE RECESS. Its ridiculous to believe that some of the benefits of physical activity, essentially the idea of recess, is only beneficial during the first portion of our life.

Yesterday was my first day of summer after my university exams, and luckily it was sunny and mild outside. I seized the day and headed out to a beautiful park/forested area. While wandering around crossing creeks and skipping stones (okay maybe not so much skipping stones as getting stoned), we discovered the playground was empty. To my utter joy, we spent the next little while completing the obstacle course, sliding down windy slides, see-sawing and trying to see who could swing higher. The wind was in my hair, the sun was beaming down, and I was too preoccupied to realize I hadn't done this in years, and my lungs really are little engines that say they could. It also made me draw on my earlier conversation with Sammy.
Lets face it:
REPLACING RECESS, or PHYSICAL ACTIVITY WITH IN-CLASS TIME
a) does NOT improve a child's academic performance
b) can result in more overweight, inactive generations to come


And boy, with every swing I took higher and higher, I realized just how much I missed recess...

Prescriptions for Life

"I suppose I have a really loose interpretation of 'work', because I think that just being alive is so much work at something you don't always want to do. The machinery is always going. Even when you sleep. "


- Andy Warhol

The Takeover

Operation Repo on OLN

http://www.oln.ca/details.php?id=93

Back to Back episodes weekdays @ 9 pm ET

I am currently writing this post as I sit back and watch an elderly black dude pop Matt (white tank on the far right) one in the face. He instantly lands on the ground, and the owner of the car they are repo-ing, a slick-haired charmer who looks like he's been transported from the 1960's tries to persuade them not to press chargers. They eventually make it off with the car, and the camera cuts to a scene that'll be shown after a few commercials. Apparently Sonia (big chick 2nd from the right) is gonna get knocked down, while her brother (and owner) Lou- dude grinnin' with the thumbs up- is quick to spring into action by pepper-spraying the repossessed car's owner. 

Not that the specifics of OLN's Operation Reporeally mattered... I'm not that big a "reality"-tv fan, and have felt little passion for any big-brother type tv show since I discovered Survivors were actually fed, bathed and groomed between takes. But something about this show is different. In fact, a huge part of its appeal lies in it's "prank-caught-on-camera" type of style. We love laughing at other's misfortunes, especially when their cackle-worthy misactions are caught candidly on tape.

Only, these sharades are not pranks at all. On the contrary- Operation Repo instead draws its entertaining factors from the very real scenario's that are captured. Having a car (or boat, or luxury truck for that matter) isn't really that hilarious of an idea on its own. However, Operation Repo somehow always finds such a situation gut-busting. And THAT, my friends, is a judgment I give sparingly. But whether they're getting shot at by paintball guns, getting tasered, getting bowling balls thrown at them, or being surrounded by a Mexican family from downtown LA, the cast stops at nothing to leave the scene with their vehicle.

I find it as equally amusing that there actually exist people from all walks of life who refuse to pay the bills on their precious gas-guzzlers. I've seen them repossess cars valued far beyond anyone I know's price point, from driveways of mansions in swanky neighbourhoods. I've seen them drive off with expensive cars from known L.A hoods, much to the dismay of the drug-dealer whose losing it. I've seen females throw fits, males throw punches, and dudes throw themselves out of wheelchairs. 

 And at the end of each episode, I find myself chuckling at the innate traits most all humans possess. It's like they go through a range of emotions: 

1) disbelief

Question whether the repossessor's have the right "victim".

Quickly think of all the logical ways to escape from this with your car intact

2) denial

Once positively identified as the right car, the "victim" attempts to quickly confirm that they indeed have paid.

This quickly results in the realization that the time for BS has already passed.

3)anger

This is the fun part. This is when the true idiot emerges out of the best of us- violence may ensue, and often does in the strangest ways. Case in point: the over 400 pound dude mounting the car and attacking camera men with a golf club.

4)desperation

At this point, it is clear that these repo dudes AINT goin out without a fight. They've also got pepper-spray on their side, and the police are only a phone call away. What's left to do but over-dramatize the situation?

5defeat

At this point, failure in saving your car is imminent. In a last plea for self-dignity, the "victim" will almost always mutter an insult as they throw the key to the ground.

Only, none of these temper-tantrum tactics will work. As Froy put it, "As long as we get the keys, I don't care if you throw it at me. In the end we won."

War+Peace: A Photographer's Journey

"Sometimes, between war and peace, a brief poetic moment allows one to escape into freedom"
- Reza


The other day, I added a new book to my ever-expanding photography-book collection. I'm a closet photography junky and I think that largely stems from my obsession with expression. There is something so powerful about capturing a moment in time and immortally sharing it with the world. It's ironic for someone like me to say this, but a picture really can express a thousand words, emotions, thoughts and moments...
The book I got my hands on instantly became a favourite. I have found myself going back night after night and flipping through the photo's, pausing on some of the ones that have touched me deeper than the others. This particular book has also made me an admirer of Reza and his work. Reza, a world-renowned photojournalist, is as much a documentarian and witness to the beauty and monstrosities of the world , as he is an activist and humanitarian. He has dedicated his efforts and talents to giving a voice to the silenced and has equipped scores of people around the world with the tools and courage to make a change in their own lives. Looking at Reza's photos is like being transported to a time and place otherwise ignored and invisible to this side of the world. Not only is he an outstanding photographer, he has a way with his words that could put any modern journalist to shame. I am forever a fan of his work and I can only hope to one day use my own medium to transform the world around me the way he has, to be the change I wish to see
So, I've decided to share a few of the photo's and arousing captions from his work entitled "War+Peace: A Photographer's Journey"

(Afghanistan, 1985) "Their laughter, their warmth, and their spontaneous friendliness erased all of the discouragement and fatigue I'd felt. It reminded me of a beautiful truth I had read... 'Travelling- it offers you a hundred roads to adventure, and gives your heart wings!'"

(Iran, Kurdistan-1980) "A boy named Peyman told me...'I do take refuge in silence, that is true, and whatever peace I find is solitary. I think about the future. Will I be forced to take up arms and fight out of hatred, in order to free my people?...My friends have become hardened. The streets are overrun with the enemy, but my friends are roaming the streets, acting rebellious and unconcerned..."

(Egypt, 1991) "Now a lonely little boy, he'd had to go out on his own after the accident and had joined a team of beggars, a small group of boys ruled by a teenager...whose shadow looms over Saed, coming to whip Saed with his belt- accusing him of not working hard enough"

(Somalia, 1989) "Wrapped in her shawl, she looked like a queen. Everything around her was somber and mournful. With a proud bearing, she walked... I read, in her beautiful, emaciated face, Africa's wounded history....
Starvation is still prevalent in many parts of Africa. It is the silent appeal of these images of starving children that must resonate within us, drawing our empathy, an understanding for their plight that goes beyond pity & efforts at assistance..."

(Sudan, 1989) "I saw his feet, scarred by chains that also bound his hands. His eyes were resigned, his voice contained. He evoked the image of another time, the days when his ancestors were seen by white people as nothing but a kind of currency to be traded."

(Cambodia, 1996) "His rifle is heavy and cumbersome, but it reassures him. The weapon has become his accomplice, as well as his guardian. He feels strong when he holds it...It is his confidant, and his guarantee that he will be able to carry out his revenge someday... He has the face of an angel. But his expression is harsh and sad..."

(Cambodia, 1996) "I met this man, who had lost his leg in a mine. He and his family had become separated because of the warfare in the country... he learned that his family had settled in a hammock, setting up camp right on the sidewalk. This was the day of their reunion."

(Russia, 1999) "I asked his name, and he began to weep. He said no one had asked his name in ten years... Through his half-open shirt, I glimpsed the portraits, symbols of a bygone ideology... In Siberia, prisoners in the gulags had those 4 faces tattooed on their chests to avoid the firing squad. What soviet would have dared shoot at his heroes?
After the fall of socialism, and with the subsequent revival of the right to express religious feeling, he had added a new icon to protect him- a cross"

(Afghanistan, 2000) "The noises of war overpower memory. If you try to black out your visual memory, just for a moment, so you concentrate on what you remember hearing during battle, then you become overwhelmed by a completely different perception of war, as well as by different emotions...
A woman sat next to a young man, holding him in her arms, touching him tenderly. Her only son had been hit by a bullet during the battle. Twenty years old, he had just taken his last breath..."

(Pakistan, 2007) "Before, life was simple and attuned to the seasons. The rhythm and continuity of the seasons allow fertile soil to flourish, sustaining the people who honor it...
But then came the soldiers...One man held a gun to her mother. Another pinned her young brother to the floor. One of the men raped her, while 2 men held her down...
Now, each day is a painful struggle as she and her family try to recover a little of their lost honor..."

(Afghanistan, 1990) "In the short scale of human life, the erring ways of man, the jolts of historical events, and the violence perpetrated in the name of power have a profound effect and seem inordinately important. But in comparison with the long road humanity is pursuing as it marches toward peace and perfection, they account for little..."

(P.S it was EXTREMELY difficult to narrow it down to this selection, and you can bet I will do a continuation piece)

NOW Magazine // News // Cultural faceoff

NOW Magazine // News // Cultural faceoff

Ode to eBay

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!


Happy 10th birthday to the website that has successfully:

•  convinced me to get my first credit
• allowed me to spend many a night worried about my next move in the "bidding wars"
• proven that what you see is NOT always what you get
• caused me to become obsessed with getting my hands on all sorts of goodies not available in Toronto
• diminished my ability to build a good credit
• taught me never to trust Chinese companies selling $45 iPod Touches
• lead me to mutter curses at fellow bidders I've never met before
• demonstrated that a North American size "Small" is not the same as a size "Small" from Hong Kong

So, HOORAY for eBay! May your legacy outlive your products, and may you continue allowing us consumers to "shop victoriously"™ for many more years to come!!

Quote Me

"I'm not a web designer, and am not at all trying to come across as one. In fact, I'm quite the opposite of a computer-sav.
I'm just a struggling writer. That is all I am attempting here..."

"What about Patriotism"

The other day a Facebook friend of mine posted up a video that has quickly become popular on the web. The video was first posted (to my knowledge) by www.worldstarhiphop.com, and was brought to public knowledge by www.wikileaks.org. It was crudely called "Disturbing: Footage of Innocent Civilians, Including Reuters Employees, Being Shot to Death by U.S. Military in Iraq is Released!..."

Now, I wont go into the specifics of the video, instead I will put the link up so you can see how the events unfolded for yourself. But, to put it mildly the clip demonstrated what many have feared for a long time: the U.S military seems to exhibit a collateral-damage ideology, similar to that of any popular videogame. Some of their tactics seem to go directly against the Rules of Engagement stipulated by the Geneva Convention. For example, "Any form of physical violence or degradation (against a civilian) is prohibited. An armed force may not attack civilians, nor use them as a "human shield" to render a location protected from attack" (Convention IV). The occurrences in this particular video instantly present a case against some of the military's procedures. For example, upon shooting at innocent civilians and learning that they have wounded two small children (clearly visible on camera), one officer says "Well it's their fault for bringing children to a battle". At this point I'm still confused about what his idea of a "battle" is:

Is it the part where you shoot at innocent Reuters employees for assuming their cameras are weapons? Or is it the part where you intentionally shoot at the van, packed with other defenceless witnesses, which has come to save the only person that survived the unprecedented attack?

Anyway, upon seeing that this video had been posted, I took the liberty to comment "I'm glad you posted this up so everyone can see that the American military is the largest organized terrorist network."

A few hours later, someone else decided to drop a comment:

"what about our patriotism to our country. right or wrong they are our family members being slaughtered by roadside bombs and suicide bomers... i think its calld WAR. innocent ppl are a casuality just like all the ppl in the first tower or on the planes.... we know that the ppl have declaired jihad.."

I have to admit, I didn't even know HOW to begin to reply to that comment. I instantly felt anger and indignation. That gave way to a sort of despair-pity combo: despair at the fact that these opinions were not exclusive to this one commentator, and pity at the fact that he (and those with the same ideologies) are almost forced into thinking this way. It is extremely difficult, nearly impossible to think outside of this "patriotism" belief when that is what is being thrown your way as the justification for the brutality that continues to transpire.

Now, my actual reply was:

"Your family members who are being slaughtered decided to WILLINGLY WAGE WAR on another nation state, who is retaliating with "roadside bombs". What about the faaar more fatal missles dropped by the US Military? They're designed with the specific intention of causing collateral damage... 

If you know anything about the events surrounding September 11, than you know not a single one of the hijackers was Iraqi. So 7 years later we're still left wondering (although the real reasons are clear enough) about the premise for ATTACKING Iraq. Your argument holds no logic. "People have declared jihad"?
NEWSFLASH: 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi Arabian. If that isn't a demonstration of jihad, than what is? Did the Saudi royal family receive any backlash? Did Bush or his survivor Obama retaliate in that country? Nope! Just sent billions of dollars worth of American business that continues to pour in...
Is that how you preserve the legacy of tIs that how you preserve the legacy of the September 11 victims? Is that patriotism?"

And that is exactly how I feel. I am by NO MEANS condoning any of the events revolving around the September 11, 2001. Nor do I wish (at this time, anyway) to delve into the real  reasons for the Iraq war. Al I am really trying to say is that in order to label any organization, legitimate or not, a "terrorist-inspired" one, we must first examine our own definition of what "terrorism" is. If we as a society are to condemn "Jihad" against a people as unacceptable, then by these same standards we must be heedful of employing the methods we have rejected.

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhcx69Zw3sVcFLxM0c

[fash-uhn]

I’m just gonna put it out there. I feel like I’ve began to notice something- fashion is in style. It sounds almost oxymoronic at first, but think about that phrase. I come from an area, and have grown up with girls whose idea of fashion largely revolved around the latest thing Urban Behaviour told them to wear. There was really no such thing as experimenting with fashion, and your highest ambition when it came to your garb was being able to buy all the sneakers your tight budget could afford. The fashion sense of the rich and elite was something you could admire from afar, but not necessarily emulate. People would throw in references to “Ver-sa-cee”, and similar iconic labels because their favourite rapper was throwing it around in a music video…

But, before I knew it there was a sudden emergence of chic, fashionably aware and “in the know” individuals. Think back a few years- I’m sure you can name one of those people. They would jock on dudes for still wearing long tee’s, or act absolutely repulsed when a chick threw on a pair of flared jeans (what, you didn’t hear that skinny jeans are here to stay?).

This movement quickly began to pick up. I noticed some of the ladies in my life taking hues from Lauren Conrad et posse from the Hills. With this growing trend of being fashion-conscience came the label-savvy crowd. They were the ones screaming “death to all who don’t wear Nudies”, and trying to convince their friends that those 6-inch stiletto heels were the only way to go.

I think back to their fashion influences- Rihanna brought the bob-haircut and rocker-chic style to the mainstream, and Jay-Z’s Rayband shades definitely had them selling out quickly. Even Lil Wayne was in on the hipster action, with his fedora hat and skinny jeans.

Now, I’m not trying to knock anyone’s fashion sense. I'm speaking as someone who couldn’t even name the top 5 hottest designers, or bear to spend $500 on a belt. My style reflects my attitude- laid back and easy to stomach, with a "fun" theme popping up now and then. You can bet my closet and dressers are staaacked with apparel, outerwear, shoes, handbags and accessories, but boy is it impossible for me to keep up with the ever-evolving idea of what is "cool" to wear. I can only try to understand that “fashion comes first” mentality.

I do know one thing though. Fashion is not, and can never be an arbitrary thing. There are fads, trends, and what’s “in style”. But everyone who truly understands fashion understands that fashion, at its basic art form and beyond, is simply what you can get away with expressing

TaLENT IS SO ATTRACTIVE pt. II

Not tryna eat my words... I DID say talent was attractive right?
Go get 'em!

quote Me

"If I could, I would tell a younger me that it's okay if nobody understands you..."

This is not a love song

I guess it's only appropriate that I sit here writing this post alone in my room, sweatpants on, staring at the back of my Blackberry's Ed Hardy case: "Love Kills Slowly"...


I'm starting to notice a common motif floating around. I can't quite put my finger on this sudden influx of "love in the air". I donno if it's just spring (love-making season), the post-holiday rebound time, or the bombardment of recent romance-themed movies. Something is definitely up though, and I will sooner or later get to the bottom of it..Speaking as someone who has never been in love, I guess I'm able to gain more of a witness stance. I've watched, listened, and been present time and again for hook ups, break ups, and make ups and have often been (don't ask why) the source of advice for family and friends when it comes to matters of the heart. I think it has something to do with the fact that I can give them a no-nonesense, honest and unbiased opinion about which path to take. I don't know that I necessarily enjoy being the (all too often) bearer of bad news, or being the person who tells them what they subconsciously know but can't bear to hear- but I do it anyway. If these ears could talk, they would have tons of love stories- some ill-fated & some fairytale-esque- to share...


All of this is fine and dandy until I reflect back on my own love stories, or lack thereof. Anybody who knows me knows I don't spend too much of my time pursuing young men, or even falling for the cat-and-mouse game. I'm that chick you DON'T wanna bring to a romantic movie (tearjerkers, meet your match!), nor do I indulge myself in corny little romance novels. I never leave a "paper-trail" of my past, but every so often a guy comes around who woo's me- not that I would let them know. It's like I've increasingly become disillusioned by love, without even allowing myself to dip a toe in the river (so to speak). Which raises my dilemma.


While its true that I have been there to wrap the bandages of broken hearts, listen to gag-worthy anecdotes, and sit back and watch love triangles unfold in front of me, I feel ever more compelled to get in the game myself. Call me crazy, but is it okay to yearn for the feeling of a broken heart? Is it finally time for me to cave in? I say that thinking back to the dudes who have come and gone. The ones who thought they had the tightest game, and the ones who genuinely put all their feelings on the line, took a chance on me, and told me exactly how I made them feel.


I've long excused myself for being cynical about love, drawing attention to the failed fairy tales and time wasted. Maybe I should be looking at it another way. Perhaps, as an intuitive friend helpfully pointed out, I should look at what's to gain from love- or at least from a healthy relationship. I truly believe that ultimately we're all individual souls floating around and hoping to bump into our counterparts. Sometimes we're lucky enough to find them. Other times we settle for a special person who gives us that momentous feeling. Whatever the case is, I think it may be time for me to loose of my inhibitions and allow myself to be open to the possibilities. By no means am I suggesting that I will throw myself at any body- it takes a lot more to "wow" me than a well crafted selection of words. Instead, I will learn to embrace that "butterfly" feeling, rather than reject it with every fibre of my being.


Hey, you do know what they say, right- "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em"
If worse comes to worse, there's nothing a few friend-provided "bandages"  can't fix...

Anti-Horoscope

So, I've never really bought into the whole horoscope thing. Something about my future being set among the stars and planets is a little unsettling... But sometimes while I'm doing my morning crosswords, I'll take a peek anyway. They often give me a good piece of advice for my day, directly from the stars or not...

Cloudy skies and & sags under the eyes

This morning I was ruuudely interrupted by the rain pouring in through my bedroom window, which I had SO cleverly left open, despite my habitual check up on the forecast last night. It wasn't the soft, gentle summer rain that you so graciously welcome after a hot weekend. No, this is "I'm gonna ruin your day", hike up those pants'n pull out the rainboots, thunder&lightening type of rain...
My first instinct is to let the raindrops continue permeating through the window screen and drip onto my face, rolling over every so often to let my pillows do the soaking.
Then I remember I have crap to do.
There's that research essay that's due tomorrow, which I have yet to select a topic for.
There's that test I should study for on Friday, which I haven't even read the multiple books for.
Gotta meet up with my writing centre for that 2:30 appointment I made a few weeks backs (why'd I do that?)
Though admittedly not high on the priority list, I promised a friend I would meet up with him downtown.
I should also stop neglecting my laundry, which has threatened to spill out of my closet's hamper and slowly take over my bedroom floor.
Then, of course there's that 7:00 Raptors/Celtics game I'm supposed to be attending with a couple of friends
(although after watching the news this morning and hearing about Chris Bosh's injury and subsequent sit-out from the game, I'm not sure if I should just take this one off the list all together)
Then, maaaybe I can work on a couple of posts...


Oh, how I love rainy Wednesday mornings! *eye rolling*

Quote Me

"Be on good terms with everybody, as far as possible without compromising yourself"

Nightmares of an Insomniac

So lately I've been having a ROUGH time trying to fall asleep at night. Sure, it could be my bumpy mattress that's been long over-due for an exchange. Could be the abnormal sleeping patterns that come with the job (of being a university student, that is). Ooor, as my Mama is quick to point out, all that candy and sugar I consume throughout the day have gotta be bad news. But maybe, just maybe, its something else...
I find that lately I've been utterly consumed by some recurring thoughts. Call them an insomniac's nightmare. They pop in throughout the day, but are quickly replaced (thanks to my unusually short attention span) by whatever's occupying my absorption at the time. It is only when I'm laying in my uncomfortable bed, in the pitch black emptiness all around me that they are given free reign, and thus are able to immerse me wholly, beckoning me into their dark world. I guess it should be quite obvious by now that these aren't the cutesy, "lemme mentally pick out tomorrow's outfit" thoughts, nor are they simple reflections on my day.
No, these are the ugly thoughts, full of doubt and despair. Their creator continues to agonize me, reminding me that there is plenty more where ever they came from. They're like an all-consuming smoke that drifts into my nose, up into my brain, and is able to pluck all the apprehension and distrust in myself and multiply it, while simultaneously spreading it like a plague. 
Sometimes they're ambiguous thoughts, filled with "what-ifs", and "maybe I wont do ---  after all", but no matter- they all lead back to that same ugly, repulsive creator. Sometimes they're more assertive, scolding me for things I have aspired to do, or dreams I have somehow created for myself. They prick and prod, and every so often I'm slapped by their distant cousin, reality. She's the real bitch, using the waking world to her advantage- images and words from real people in my life to ridicule me and "remind" me that beyond this, there lies nothing else.
Do they sell some sort of bottled cure for this kind of insomnia? Can they prescribe a medication for self-doubt?

TALENT IS SO ATTRACTIVE

Speaking as an ex-violin player, I can truly say I appreciate how well done this "remix" is. I think the "Over" beat is one of the hottest ones to come out recently, and there's something magical about taking something that is already well done and turning it into your own..
I'm all for genre-mixing in music!

I wanna be on the cover of Forbes magazine...

So ever since I heard this song, it quickly became #1 on my everyday playlist. I mean, Bruno Mars's voice is just so magical on it...it sounds uber soulful and melodic with the fun acoustic beat. Plus, Travis has been one of my biggest celeb crushes since Gym Class Heroes.
Beyond that, though, lays the overall message of the song. It's so easy nowadays for any of the mainstream artists to sing/rap/flaunt the millions of dollars they make from people like us buying their albums, ringtones, concert tickets, and latest product that they promote. But rarely do we hear them share their ambitions, the things that bring them back down to our level and help us realize that deep down we're all the same-we aspire for something bigger.
This song is my morning wake-up song. It just gives me a positive start and puts me in the mood to go out there and carpe diem. By the time I'm sinking into bed at night, I will have played it several times on the car stereo, iPod, and Macbook. Oh yea, not to mention it's my current ringtone. When I hear Bruno and Travie talk about what they want to do and what they hope to create and become, it makes me think of my own goals and dreams.
I'm certain that become a billionaire is one of the top "goals" on everyone's list, but beyond having all that money there are all the things you could do-the utter and complete freedom to "pull an Angelina and Brad Pitt, and adopt a bunch of babies that aint never had shit", "shake hands with Oprah and the Queen", "play basketball with the President", even "toss a couple mill in the air just for the hell of it"...


As for me? What would I do if when I become a billionaire? I guess those ambitions are locked up somewhere in my deep, innermost thoughts, patiently waiting to formulate in front of me. They have yet to become seen, but I swear, the world better prepare for when I'm a billionaire...

"God is Dead!"

After running on E (I'm operating on 4 hours of sleep, a night of partying and a long day at work) all day, the only thing I want to do is have my bath and hide under the covers, skipping my nightly reading and phone call returns and instead drifting away to the dream world... But, it's nearly 12 a.m and "something" (or someone?) has compelled me to put up this post before the clock strikes 12 and Easter Sunday is no more.
So where to begin? Or where to end...? I guess the first thing that strikes me is how vividly I can remember details of my childhood Easters. Waking up early to red-dyed eggs. Distractedly sitting through the 3 hour mass. Eating a huge meal, complete with roast lamb and sweet buns. Running around with kids and looking for plastic eggs around the church basement. The overall bombardment with furry bunnies, chocolate eggs and images of Christ. The same scene would replay year after year. 
Until the Easter Sundays became few and far between, in perfect accordance with my feelings of lost touch with religion, whatever that now is. It was like suddenly all the childhood illusions and smoky mirrors began to be revealed for what they were, and along with that came the infinitely tormenting questions that I perceive the average "doubter" is forced to confront. 
I felt betrayed. I felt hoodwinked. I felt as if everything I had come to "know" was being shown in a new light, and that light was about as flattering as the shaved-head look was for Britney... I felt forced to take up arms against this new enemy, religion, and thus began my personal vendetta...
It is only nowadays, as I find myself deep in thought on long, sleepless nights, or on those lonely rainy afternoons, or in situations of overwhelming despair do I look for that old, smug feeling. That "I don't care what happens because the The Big Guy will always be on my side" attitude. The overall sense of belonging to the bigger picture. It is in these events that I almost seem to lose hope in the battle, become disillusioned by the very idea that a battle necessarily exist. I guess in the end all I'm looking for is inner serenity...
This topic is by no means exhausted. And just as I find myself facing it regularly, so too do I think it is necessary to visit with it now and again. 
I'd like to think Nietzsche was right in his observation. But I guess it is my most deepest of self doubts that seem to work against his claims...


Oi! Look at that- I have 3 minutes to spare..