Done! Done! Done!

OMG!! I'm done my thesis!











I defended and handed my final document into the library! I'm done, done, done! I am now a Master!! er... of Arts. Actually, I prefer Master of the Universe.

This photo was taken by Carmen who celebrated her birthday by riding a mechanical bull! Happy Birthday Carmen!

That's Eron and I not riding the mechanical bull in Downtown Vancouver. It was November 26th, 2006.

Now I will have no excuse not to blog more regularly :)

child crying (photo by Steve McCurry)

I think Margaret Atwood's "Blind Assassin" is amazing. I'm equally humbled and empowered by the text, the images, the insight... all of it. Here are two quote I love (maybe they only have meaning to me as the reader of the book. I hope they will have meaning for you as well)

"Like most small children do, Laura believed words meant what they said..." (107)

"Some day when I feel better I'll go back there and actually write the thing down. They should all be cheered for it, for isn't that what they all want? What we all want: to leave a message behind us that has an effect, if only a dire one; a message that cannot be cancelled out" (527)


(published by Seal Books, 2000, in the USA)

Tim Harvey, adventurer extraordinaire, returns home!

AHHHH, it's been ages since I blogged! I'm almost done my MA thesis (WHEW!).






I've been so caught up in writing that I didn't even announce the amazingly awesome arrival of Tim Harvey in Vancouver (although you probably caught the story on the news- CBC, CTV, Global, National Post or elsewhere). Yes, on Sunday, November 12th, Tim Harvey completed his journey of circumnavigating of the world with no fossil fuels (Vancouver to Vancouver)!

Cycling, hiking, rowing, rafting, paddling and more propelled him from Vancouver two and half years ago and brought him back to the rainy coast last weekend (check out his travel route map!). While much of his trip can be seen as a test in athleticism and endurance, the core of his adventures surround the amazing people and communities he's encountered along the way and his true dedication self-propelled travel. His focus is now on writing about threatened cultures and environments (there's a book and film on the way!).

********* CONGRATULATIONS TIM! *************

Read/watch some of the latest news:

• Tim Harvey Profile (VIDEO by Peter Wall, CBC TV)
• B.C. man completes death-defying adventure (article in Times Colonist)
• Vancouver man returns from zero-emission journey (CTV article and VIDEO)
• Feud, not fuel, propels rider (National Post article by Brian Hutchinson)

An alien army within!!??

Photo: forever silly! Tyler in 2004.


The 'gayification' of Fort Lauderdale! Who knew? Check out this Samantha Bee video (Daily Show) called "Tropical Repression" where Republican candidate Ed Heaney is freaked out about the "faggotization" of America.


"Double intenuendos" ... Classic!!

vancouver webcam

Photo: Vancouver, fall 2004












Vancouver is the most beautiful city in the world!! View the fog rolling in and out of our lotus landscape! RIGHT CLICK and choose PLAY.


If your just not that into Vancouver, then have some fun with MuffinFilms, animations 1-12 (some are interactive!!).


And finally...what you've always wanted: an endless supply of poppable bubble wrap!!

ENJOY!

Welcome to you who has come to Zombocom

Photo: Lillooet Lake campfire at Strawberry Point (August 2006)












VERDICT: I like it!
Zombo.com

good listening

Photo: My roommate Rhonda, sticking to the man! Crytal Method Concert (Vancouver, April 2005)



You know, I am really pissed off that Jian Ghomeshi had a short stint as the summer time host of Sounds Like Canada on CBC 1. He was fucking awesome. THE BEST EVER! Edgy but not Howard-Stern-assholely, creative but not artsy-farsty, sarcastic but not completely cynical and just a little bit insecure. Sounds like Canada?

He rocked my summer with his punchy, lyrical intros and kick ass music selection. And then, one day, I turn on my radio and there's Shelagh Rogers with her Martha Stewart chuckle, acting like she's the cat's pajamas, playing some fucking crap song from the small town Canada folk fest that no one attended, trying to represent, yo, trying to be the voice of Canada. "Oh", she says on air, "isn't that precious? ha -ha -ha! how delightful. (chuckle, chuckle, ha ha)" Um, I don't think so! I want Jian back! I've even sent letter to CBC demanding they give him his own show!

I guess I'm not being very Canadian. I should be writing something nice about Shelagh because I'm sure she us very nice. She has to be, her name is Shelagh.

My advice? ('cause I know ya want it!): Search out the internet. You can listen to what seems to be every single interview EVER with Chomsky at www.chomsky.info. Or, head over to Democracy Now for great news reports and interviews on streaming video.

For those who want to read, you'll find some great journalism on the New York Times website (it's free to register!). Check out the Guardian and some local BC stuff at The Tyee website.

And many more...

Surveillance

Photo: Mendhi- symbolism? (October 2005)











This is ridiculous. And terrifying. Public surveillance policies are being pushed through in the US and UK.

Surveillance came in the form of intimidation by the US coast guard towards a NYC student wearing a shirt that said "We Will Not Be Silent" in English and Arabic script.

While the Coast Guard is an official state body, 'informal' monitoring was conducted by employees of JetBlue, a US airline, who prevented Raed Jarrar from boarding his flight wearing the same tshirt. You can read the transcripts and/or watch the video in which Amy Goodman (Democracy Now anchor) interviews both the student and Raed Jarrar: Does Tee Stand For Terrorist?

In the UK, the Guardian reports that universities are being asked to report on any 'suspicious' activities by any people who might be "Asian-looking". Read the article here "Universities Urged to Spy on Muslims".

SHAM-pooh

Photo: portrait of an artist with a rats nest (December 2004)












Great news about shampoo- we don't need it. It is damaging our hair. It is a waste of money and time. Use some natural soap instead!!

People have been telling me for years that I didn't have to shampoo my hair; that all I need to do is rinse it (YUCK). My roommate only shampoos once a week but conditions regularly and his hair looks great (long, curly, shiny!). I've been trying to only wash my hair twice a week but it just gets so damn greasy. Well the following article sheds some useful light on the why and how!

The great shampoo scandal

no bravery

Photo: monks and prayer wheel (Dharamsala, India, Nov 2005)




A video called "no bravery" was sent to our geography and gender class from a student. We've been talking about body counts and 'who counts'? We've also been discussing the role of emotion and activism in academia (and citizenship?!). And soon we'll be talking about militarization and hypermasculinity. I think this video is fitting:

No Bravery: A nation blind to their disgrace

The song by James Blunt is haunting and so very fitting. Some may call the film partisan and cast it off as sensationalism-- a tear jerker. But I think this is the value in it. It is partisan, it is emotional, it unsettles and forces reaction. We should not be comfortable with Iraq or come to terms with so-called collateral damage. We should feel disturbed.

Subversion

Photo: Smiling in Daultabad, India (Aug 2005)











I hope everyone has had a chance to view the free hugs video. It reminded me of an idea that's been stuck with me for ages and ages. I've always felt that it would be nice if people smiled at each other more. Sure, I can understand that people aren't always happy all of the time and I definitely don't expect people to be faking it with some "I'm happy as Hollywood" bullshit mask on.... But I still think it would be nice to give and receive more smiles. My idea was a website or online community devoted to smiling.

Now I've come to realize that smiling isn't just 'NICE', it's actually subversive in so many ways. If someone calls you a bitch or asshole or some other insult intended to hurt, then smiling is actually a refusal to engage in anger and violence. Then laughing is not giving into the bullcrap. It subverts the intention of pain.

I've always heard "you have to stand up for yourself" or that "one should fight back" or whatever, but really smiling and laughing is far more subversive and effective than engaging in a tit for tat argument. It's more powerful.

I know smiling sounds like a cheesy campaign and I personally have experienced the near-uncontrollable desire to hit people who are just too-fucking-happy... but to clarify, I'm not talking about grinning ear to ear like barbie and ken, but strategic smiling. Instead of giving someone the finger for road raging on you, why not wave, smile and lean out your window to say "have a nice day". Believe me, they will be thrown completely off guard and realize how out of place their anger is.

I seriously believe that there are too many people out there who are simply waiting for an excuse to blow up at someone. You are not the cause, but a simple an excuse for them to get their freak on. Really. The situation is diffused and displaced with smiling, chuckles, laughs and so on. Scrabbling for some smart comeback or simply yelling "fuck you too" or "get a life" is a perpetuation of the rage and dissatisfaction with life... those 'bad vibes'. Why get drawn into the anger of it all? Move on with your life.

Okay, so not all people are ragers. There are other types that could use some smiling at. Like those dissastified, so-called alternative, brooders who mope-strut around Vancouver with their too-cool-for-skool attitudes. I'm not saying this is wrong. I just wish it would be a sometime-attitude and not an everyday-everywhere-everytime- attitude. Those people need some smiling to too.

And while I'm at it. I'm sure there are times when I need to be smiled at...unsettled me and force me to re-evaluate my self, my actions and my beliefs. Okay, so that's the not-so-subtle caveat so you don't think I'm some holier-than-thou fuck head.

I'm trying here.

:)

creativity for the mases

Want to creat your own zoo but don't know how? Need some inspiration?

Check this out!

free hugs campaign!

PHOTO: my mom and Daniel hugging after their wedding (Vancouver, August 2006)









GOOD ON YA!!


Some brilliant person in Australia started a Free Hugs Campaign! It all began with the simple act of standing in an out door mall will a sign stating "free hugs" and the rest is history.

Watching the inspiring Free Hugs video set to "All the Same" by the Sick Puppies

To find out more background info, find videos and responses head over to the personal democracy form.

Stumble your way online

Photo: I stumbled upon this outdoor photo exhibit last October in Brussels (2005)


I'm not much of a techi or computer savvy person so maybe I'm a little late in discovering Firefox's Stumble software. First of all, I hope you're using Firefox or something other than MS Explorer. Okay, now we can move on.

StumbleUpon is freeware similar to Google and Yahoo, that lets you search the internet for uberesque websites, forums and so on. Instead of giving you the most trafficked webpages, it let's you stumble upon sites recommended by other stumble users. Are you following this? As a user you get to rate webpages as thumbs up and thumbs down instead of having some binary code feeding you pages that 'match' your search topic. Its big claim is that its democracy for the internet, as if the internet weren't already user driven. It does have a point though- now instead of just closing shitty pages, you get to tell everyone just how much they suck.

Want to give it a try?

Stumble is a free extension (something you can add on to your existing internet software) for people with Firefox, Mozilla or Sea Monkey. You can download it here.

You never know what you're going to find!

fun with geography!

Photo: SFU geography people atop Whistler Mountain, BC (September, 2006)








Test your knowledge about the names of countries (some contested- Palestine, Western Sahara) in North Africa and the Middle East.

Rethinking schools hosts an online interactive map- test your knowledge.

check out this blog

Photo: in case you hadn't yet met my dog, Tron.








Head over to Solarider's blog. He's posted some info and comments on fur trading and a protest outside Canada House (that's our high commission/embassy) in London. Good photos, good links!

Not that fur trading is funny or anything, but this stuff always makes me think of The Simpson's where Mr. Burn's sings "See my vest, see my vest, made from real gorilla's chest...."


Read the awesome lyrics here!

www.jacksonpollack.org

Some of you may view this as a huge time waster, but urge those taking a break from more focused projects to have a look (and some fun) with this interactive website. Don't worry, that's not a blank page, it's a canvass. Don't forget to left and right click!

www.jacksonpollock.org

HAVE FUN!!

International talk like a pirate day?

PHOTO: no pirates, just some drunken halloweeners- a logger, Captain Highliner of fishstick fame and me, the Amnesty International candle (October 2005).






International talk like a pirate day? According to talklikeapriate.com, Septembrrrr 19th is the annual, international day to drawl, swagger, slur and grrrrr like a pirate!

Arrrrrrrrggg, this must be an homage to me matey Cap'n Steve the Pirate from Dodgeball?

The Best EVER!

Photo: me cracking up (summer 2006)




If you have time for some open sourced, super indie, very creative, totally hilarious home video making then head on over to Nerve Video and check out Neal Medlyn's Land of Make Believe!

Oh, and be warned, this isn't for the narrowly-minded, easily-offended. I'm talking about a stuffed animal and house pet orgy. Yeah... so that may sound weird, and I guess it is weird, but it is also the best EVER!

Oh and speaking of hilarious, I saw a fabulous play this week at Vancouver's Fringe Festival called Legoland, (which you can still catch in the Pick of the Fringe from Sept 21-24). It was a two person play with singing, dancing, antics, photos and some puppetry. There was even a short puppet show of Jeffery Dahmer, but the sock monkey puppet was my favourite.

Sock monkey you say?? Um, yeah, sock monkey!!

I don't have a photo of it, but Motion has a sock monkey and we found this brilliant online sock monkey forum! We liked it because the entries were about spreading good vibes and making people smile and not at all condescending, competitive or unwelcoming like a certain other forum we'd visited for fitness/nutrition discussions.

Anyway, for some interesting sock monkey inspirations check out Sock Monkey Dreams.