If you know me personally, you'll already know that my parents own a business in Cape Breton, manufacturing industrial rainwear and work/safety clothing. Last year they launched a new product - work coveralls which have a safety harness built-in, to be used by people working on rooftops, etc. Well, they've just found out that they've been nominated by a US safety website for Best New North American Safety Product of 2006. Who the hell knew the safety industry has awards?! Anyway, needless to say, if they won it would be an amazing boost for their business.
So, they need VOTES! I've been e-mailing people I know, asking them to vote, and posted a Facebook note about it too. If by chance you still haven't done so, please take a minute and go to:
http://safetyxchange.org/saxcies2007/vote.php
Choose 'Safety-Alls' (that's my parents' product), then click 'vote' at the bottom of the page. There's only one vote allowed per computer, apparently, and the voting closes this Friday, 1 June. Go on and give my 'rents your vote!
30 May 2007
25 May 2007
The Queen
Feeling not too bad today. Spent yesterday in jammies, icing my jaws, taking industrial-strength ibuprofen, and not doing too much. Feeling OK so far this morning - though the doctor said people often feel worse on the second and third days after surgery. So, fingers crossed.
Last night I watched The Queen on DVD. I missed it at the cinema this winter because I was so busy with teaching, but was anxious to see it. It was very odd, reliving that whole week via the film. I was studying in England at the time, and remember looking at all those newspapers, with the headlines becoming more incredulous every day. I also went up to London the day before Diana's funeral, to join the crowds at Kensington Palace. It's something I'll never forget.
The film was really very good - Helen Mirren was outstanding, of course, but so was the rest of the cast. Though I still find it odd that it was directed by Stephen Frears - how does the man responsible for arty lefty 1980s dramas like My Beautiful Launderette and Sammy and Rosie Get Laid end up making a film like The Queen, which is ultimately so supportive of the Establishment? Kinda weird.
The funniest thing about The Queen was the DVD case. The rental company has now taken to printing these sanctimonious "Parental Guides" on the backs of cases. In the case of The Queen, the assessment was as follows:
Alcohol/Drugs: scenes of drinking
Nudity/Sexuality: bare-breasted statues
Violence: minimal
Objectionable Language: 1 (including one "naughty" British term)
Statues?!? "Naughty" British terms?!?!??!?!? bwahahahahah
(As far as I can tell, the naughty term was "bugger", by the way.)
Last night I watched The Queen on DVD. I missed it at the cinema this winter because I was so busy with teaching, but was anxious to see it. It was very odd, reliving that whole week via the film. I was studying in England at the time, and remember looking at all those newspapers, with the headlines becoming more incredulous every day. I also went up to London the day before Diana's funeral, to join the crowds at Kensington Palace. It's something I'll never forget.
The film was really very good - Helen Mirren was outstanding, of course, but so was the rest of the cast. Though I still find it odd that it was directed by Stephen Frears - how does the man responsible for arty lefty 1980s dramas like My Beautiful Launderette and Sammy and Rosie Get Laid end up making a film like The Queen, which is ultimately so supportive of the Establishment? Kinda weird.
The funniest thing about The Queen was the DVD case. The rental company has now taken to printing these sanctimonious "Parental Guides" on the backs of cases. In the case of The Queen, the assessment was as follows:
Alcohol/Drugs: scenes of drinking
Nudity/Sexuality: bare-breasted statues
Violence: minimal
Objectionable Language: 1 (including one "naughty" British term)
Statues?!? "Naughty" British terms?!?!??!?!? bwahahahahah
(As far as I can tell, the naughty term was "bugger", by the way.)
23 May 2007
Wisdom Teeth *ow*
I'm going into hospital tomorrow. I've an appointment in the oral-maxillofacial clinic to have my lower wisdom teeth dug out of me head. Ow ow ow.
I had my upper ones yanked years ago (by a dodgy NHS dentist in England, no less - but that's another story). I've been meaning to have the lower ones out for a while now, but kept putting it off. Since they're only partially erupted, I knew it wouldn't be a very straightforward process. But the recurring pain they cause is getting worse, so it's time I sucked it up and had the problem taken care of.
I'm hoping for a relatively speedy recovery, but I've heard stories of anywhere from 1 to 7-day recovery times. I'll just have to wait and see. Meantime, I need to stock up tonight on soups, ice cream, and the like - as well as a couple of movies, in case I'm feeling too wretched to do much other than lie on the couch these next few days.
I had my upper ones yanked years ago (by a dodgy NHS dentist in England, no less - but that's another story). I've been meaning to have the lower ones out for a while now, but kept putting it off. Since they're only partially erupted, I knew it wouldn't be a very straightforward process. But the recurring pain they cause is getting worse, so it's time I sucked it up and had the problem taken care of.
I'm hoping for a relatively speedy recovery, but I've heard stories of anywhere from 1 to 7-day recovery times. I'll just have to wait and see. Meantime, I need to stock up tonight on soups, ice cream, and the like - as well as a couple of movies, in case I'm feeling too wretched to do much other than lie on the couch these next few days.
22 May 2007
Landscaping Plans
The garden is coming along nicely this month. After a very warm start to May (where new blooms could be seen popping up every day), the forsythia is now in its full glory. The grape hyacinths look great, and the tulips are starting to come along. Not much of a daffodil display as yet (I think the soil where they're planted needs improvement), but the bluebells we planted around the base of the big maple tree last autumn emerged a few weeks ago and are very pretty.
Looking at the display, I'm nonetheless a bit worried that many of the plants in the main flower bed, running alongside our garage/shed, might not make it this year. That's because this summer will see a lot of construction and landscaping work on our property. The garage, in particular, is due for major work in a few weeks (it will be lifted, moved a few feet, and set back down on a new foundation). A. has been digging up some of the plants in that bed already, in preparation, and has put them temporarily into pots. We'll re-plant them once the structural work on the garage is complete, but there's a chance they won't make it. Given that among the plants in question is my beautiful purple clematis, I'm a bit angsty about it all.
Looking at the display, I'm nonetheless a bit worried that many of the plants in the main flower bed, running alongside our garage/shed, might not make it this year. That's because this summer will see a lot of construction and landscaping work on our property. The garage, in particular, is due for major work in a few weeks (it will be lifted, moved a few feet, and set back down on a new foundation). A. has been digging up some of the plants in that bed already, in preparation, and has put them temporarily into pots. We'll re-plant them once the structural work on the garage is complete, but there's a chance they won't make it. Given that among the plants in question is my beautiful purple clematis, I'm a bit angsty about it all.
18 May 2007
Televisual Goodness
After months of dithering (mostly because I couldn't find the time to sit down and do the research), yesterday we finally upgraded our cable package and TV system. We've now got HDTV and a DVR with multiple tuners.
The HDTV thing was really starting to bug me. We've owned a 27" widescreen HDTV-ready television for over two years now, but had never gotten around to getting an HDTV cable box and subscribing to the actual channels. Ridiculous, really. Now that we've done that, the difference is quite astonishing. We've got all the major networks in HDTV now, and the picture quality really is noticeable. I was just watching a travel programme earlier, and every time they showed a work of art, it practically leapt off the screen - the picture is amazingly sharp, and the colours extra-vibrant.
The HDTV box also has a DVR built-in. We had a DVR before (purchased as part of our home theatre system) but it only had a single tuner - so you couldn't watch one channel and record another, for instance, which was annoying. This new DVR has multiple tuners, so I can record shows on up to two different channels at once, while watching a third channel (or even another show recorded earlier!). It's pretty neat - I think it's the same concept as that TiVo thing they have in the US.
Given that we've got a rainy, miserable long weekend coming up, I think I'll be spending some time over the next few days learning how to use all these new features (and checking out all the new channels I've subscribed to - like BBC Canada, at last!).
The HDTV thing was really starting to bug me. We've owned a 27" widescreen HDTV-ready television for over two years now, but had never gotten around to getting an HDTV cable box and subscribing to the actual channels. Ridiculous, really. Now that we've done that, the difference is quite astonishing. We've got all the major networks in HDTV now, and the picture quality really is noticeable. I was just watching a travel programme earlier, and every time they showed a work of art, it practically leapt off the screen - the picture is amazingly sharp, and the colours extra-vibrant.
The HDTV box also has a DVR built-in. We had a DVR before (purchased as part of our home theatre system) but it only had a single tuner - so you couldn't watch one channel and record another, for instance, which was annoying. This new DVR has multiple tuners, so I can record shows on up to two different channels at once, while watching a third channel (or even another show recorded earlier!). It's pretty neat - I think it's the same concept as that TiVo thing they have in the US.
Given that we've got a rainy, miserable long weekend coming up, I think I'll be spending some time over the next few days learning how to use all these new features (and checking out all the new channels I've subscribed to - like BBC Canada, at last!).
15 May 2007
New Kitty Pics
The kittens will be five weeks old tomorrow. Last week, they started eating solid food and their mother is now beginning to wean them. Still, they have lots to learn, behaviour-wise, so A. won't be making them available for adoption for another three weeks.
In the meantime, here's some photos of them, taken over the weekend. Needless to say, they get cuter by the day, and love to play.
In the meantime, here's some photos of them, taken over the weekend. Needless to say, they get cuter by the day, and love to play.
12 May 2007
Gordon Lightfoot = the Business
Gordon Lightfoot show at the Metro Centre tonight. Very good stuff! Mind you, the voice is getting a bit reedy nowadays (he is 67, after all), but he put on a very professional performance, and he's a real gent. Oh, and he opened the show with "Cotton Jenny" - bless.
I'll post the setlist here tomorrow - it's not available online just yet. Here's the setlist. There were quite a few classics I'd have loved to hear tonight, but didn't ("Softly", "Song for a Winter's Night", "Mountains and Marion"). I suppose that's inevitable when you're dealing with a back catalogue spanning 40+ years. But damn it, I see he played "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" in Moncton last night - really sorry I didn't get to hear that one.
Cotton Jenny
Carefree Highway
Sea Of Tranquility
14 Karat Gold
Never Too Close
In My Fashion
A Painter Passing Through
Rainy Day People
Shadows
Beautiful
The Watchman's Gone
Ribbon Of Darkness
Sundown
The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald (yah!!)
INTERMISSION (yes, a 20-minute intermission between sets!)
Triangle
Hangdog Hotel Room
Restless
Clouds Of Loneliness
Waiting For You
Make Way For The Lady
If You Could Read My Mind
Baby Step Back
Early Morning Rain (did you know Elvis recorded this? I didn't)
Blackberry Wine
Old Dan's Records
Cotton Jenny
Carefree Highway
Sea Of Tranquility
14 Karat Gold
Never Too Close
In My Fashion
A Painter Passing Through
Rainy Day People
Shadows
Beautiful
The Watchman's Gone
Ribbon Of Darkness
Sundown
The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald (yah!!)
INTERMISSION (yes, a 20-minute intermission between sets!)
Triangle
Hangdog Hotel Room
Restless
Clouds Of Loneliness
Waiting For You
Make Way For The Lady
If You Could Read My Mind
Baby Step Back
Early Morning Rain (did you know Elvis recorded this? I didn't)
Blackberry Wine
Old Dan's Records
NYC Trip
Right, New York. It was pretty fun. A fairly laid-back trip too, as I'm sure we'll visit again - J. and I didn't feel compelled to race around, sightseeing frantically. We were blessed with fantastic weather - except for the evening we arrived, it was sunny and at least 20 degrees every day.
The museum we chose to visit this trip was the Met, which was very impressive - well on par with other great museums I've visited. The Tiffany exhibition was especially good. We spent time walking through Central Park, which was glorious - the growing season there is several weeks ahead of ours, so there were already leaves out on the trees and loads of flowers blooming. It was also cherry-blossom time, which was enchanting.
Took in a Broadway show, of course - went to the Shubert Theatre to see the Monty Python musical Spamalot. It was...ehhhh. A very mixed bag - the funny bits were hysterical, but there were several occasions where I really cringed.
There was lots of shopping, of course. J.'s friend (at whose home we stayed) took us one day to one of those huge outlet malls, about an hour's drive upstate. We also did a little shopping downtown, but overall, neither of us bought all that much, which was odd - we figured it would be a shopping paradise, but I guess we just weren't in the mood.
Spent an afternoon on a walking tour of Greenwich Village, then meandered around Soho and the Financial District as well. The last afternoon of our stay, we took the Staten Island Ferry across the harbour and back, which made for some great views.
We had two good evenings out. One was with S., a New Yorker I've been chatting with online for year or two now, so it was fun to finally meet her. She took us to a cool Russian-themed bar called Pravda, for food, drinks and chat. Then the last night of our stay, we had reservations at the famed Jean Georges, a posh fancypants resto (and you know how much we love posh fancypants restos) that was quite wonderful.
All in all, a fun trip. To be honest, I wasn't quite as bowled over by New York as I expected to be, but then, I've barely scratched the surface. I've posted a few pics from the trip over here, at Flickr.
The museum we chose to visit this trip was the Met, which was very impressive - well on par with other great museums I've visited. The Tiffany exhibition was especially good. We spent time walking through Central Park, which was glorious - the growing season there is several weeks ahead of ours, so there were already leaves out on the trees and loads of flowers blooming. It was also cherry-blossom time, which was enchanting.
Took in a Broadway show, of course - went to the Shubert Theatre to see the Monty Python musical Spamalot. It was...ehhhh. A very mixed bag - the funny bits were hysterical, but there were several occasions where I really cringed.
There was lots of shopping, of course. J.'s friend (at whose home we stayed) took us one day to one of those huge outlet malls, about an hour's drive upstate. We also did a little shopping downtown, but overall, neither of us bought all that much, which was odd - we figured it would be a shopping paradise, but I guess we just weren't in the mood.
Spent an afternoon on a walking tour of Greenwich Village, then meandered around Soho and the Financial District as well. The last afternoon of our stay, we took the Staten Island Ferry across the harbour and back, which made for some great views.
We had two good evenings out. One was with S., a New Yorker I've been chatting with online for year or two now, so it was fun to finally meet her. She took us to a cool Russian-themed bar called Pravda, for food, drinks and chat. Then the last night of our stay, we had reservations at the famed Jean Georges, a posh fancypants resto (and you know how much we love posh fancypants restos) that was quite wonderful.
All in all, a fun trip. To be honest, I wasn't quite as bowled over by New York as I expected to be, but then, I've barely scratched the surface. I've posted a few pics from the trip over here, at Flickr.
10 May 2007
François, You Wacky Funster
I'm in such a strange mood lately; the oddest things have me in stitches.
Read in the paper today that apparently, the former French president François Mitterand once referred to Margaret Thatcher as having "the eyes of Stalin, the voice of Marilyn Monroe."
I nearly busted a gut, I tell you.
Read in the paper today that apparently, the former French president François Mitterand once referred to Margaret Thatcher as having "the eyes of Stalin, the voice of Marilyn Monroe."
I nearly busted a gut, I tell you.
01 May 2007
New York, Newwww Yoooooork...
Off today (with J., bien sur) on a much-needed short holiday to New York City, on the proceeds of my teaching labours. I've never been to New York before and am really looking forward to it. We're staying with an old friend of J.'s who lives on Long Island - a 35 min. train ride from Manhattan, so that's saving us loads of dosh.
Unfortunately, poor J. has been sick the last few days with stomach flu. Her hub plied her with IV fluids yesterday to help her recover quicker, so she could make the trip. Hopefully she'll be back to normal by tomorrow - if not, we'll just take it easy for our first day.
I'm back on Sunday - report and photos after that, no doubt.
Unfortunately, poor J. has been sick the last few days with stomach flu. Her hub plied her with IV fluids yesterday to help her recover quicker, so she could make the trip. Hopefully she'll be back to normal by tomorrow - if not, we'll just take it easy for our first day.
I'm back on Sunday - report and photos after that, no doubt.
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