Keggers, Krazies, and a helluva lot of nachos

(TOP - Olga and friend at Frat Party after sick punk band, MIDDLE - Mihai around 1:45, BOTTOM: Kippis ja Emma! - A going away party, Finn style)

After a previous weekend of domestic life that included as a highlight getting dumplings on sale for $2 or doing laundry, finally I had a weekend that was full from day in to day out.

Friday after work, I had a meeting with a band I might be shooting a new music video for. This however required me to go out to Square One in the West End city of Mississauga. This requires taking the "somewhat dodgy" Mississauga Transit which isn't too reliable. Upon arrival at the "mall", via wide roads in spraling dark suburbs, I made it to the mall. The meeting went well and I thought this new crew was down. Just when we're getting into a chill mood, I had to go back to the T., as we had NO IDEA how late the transit ran till, and being stuck out there after a certain time might not be too key.

Saturday gave me a bit of time to sleep in and finish off some articles and interviews for KONFLIKT IN THE KINO and other papers. The internet cafe was actually somewhat quiet except for some Spanish guy rambling the entire time I was there on some "web based long distance". I came home and still hadn't eaten, but saved myself for going out to Emma's going away party.

My Finn-Canadian friends and I met up at a fav spot in Parkdale. It was funny when one of them asked "Where are we?" as anyone from the east end of Toronto seemed "lost". Didn't I deal with this the previous night? Anyhow, after ordering nachos and eating nachos and burritos, I was nachoed out. My date to the consulate party, Mirva was texting on 2 cell phones. Markus (writer for Scandinavian paper) asked to get a "Brokeback Mountain" shot on his knee... Before you can say "Salsa and sour cream", it was off for me to Mihai's frat party, while answering another business call. The air was thick with "smells" and it surprised me that DADDY YANKEE's "Gasolina" was playing. Mihai was helping a punk band who played for 3 hours wrap up their gear when I snapped this fine pic.

I got home at 6am, and got up at 10:30. Dave F. and I were meeting at our fav local hangout along with other local sketchy people needing some coffee AND beer. Emma joined us as we all yammered about our evenings while scarfing down burgers. Emma needed some souvenirs so I introduced her to HONEST EDS where you can buy a Toronto "metal tray" that has pictures of bears, lakes, but NOTHING to do with Toronto! Then I had made my rounds downtown to do things such as go to ABC books or by organic milk.

At 6pm I get a call regarding another meeting. Could I come out to Mississauga again? My eyes can barely keep open. We ended up scheduling for Wednesday which OK as you can only do so much in a weekend and after music video meetings, frat parties, burgers, Finns in Parkdale, and other things that I WON'T be sharing with you, I felt finally that the weekend was full.

NO WAY, NO WAY, NO WAY IN HELL (great track by Bomfunk MC's!)

(above: Emma vs Canadian Institution, Zellers!)

Bah! Bomfunk MC's "No Way in Hell" is playing over and over in my head and many elements of these Finn rappers could be applied to this week.

It started off well enough as Emma and I ended up going my fav ghetto flea market in my hood. And indeed it is. From the sales of some stuff which looks like it has been salvaged from a recycling bin. But it's still fun as Emma picked up some things. When you enter the flea pit, there's signs saying "No Hoodies!" (actually you can't wear them up while you're there due to gang activities".

Also on the docket was making sure that a property I developed wasn't copied by a former friend/business associate, but alas they made their own train wreck, unworthy of any more mention here. Blah blah!

Anne was on the bus. She's a friend I've known forever who works for the "National News Broadcast" (or network) that I use to. She told me she has felt "A migrane coming on for a week, due to Stephen Harper taking office" here in Canada (outside of Canada, you can read more about this "leader" on various news services) and I can't blame her.

Plus there's been deadlines. Oh, so many deadlines. I need to get 2 articles done and have meetings. But tonight, I might be forcing a friend to go see "Karla". More details on that later.

The weather has been awesome here! Today's high was +11C! And that's why I'll leave now. To enjoy it!

Voting in Canada

In less than 2 weeks, Canadians get to go to the poles and make their vote on who would make the next Prime Minister of Canada.

The current PM, Paul Martin is having his numbers sliding. Perhaps the fact that the Liberal party, which was once held in high regard has now gotten much bad press over many scandals involving payolas and the like. Which has the Progressive Conservative candidate, Stephen Harper in the lead.

Loved by the mid-west, Harper running Canada gives me hebee-geebees WORSE than Mulroney did! With really no stance on gun control or violence, and a plan of ridding the GST so it would end up that goods and services end up costing more, and just for being about as worldly as a visit to Gooderham, he's unfit to do the job, let alone represent Canada.

Jack Layton (NDP) is good for Torontonians, but who knows really how good he would be to lead the country. In his television debates he always says, "Remember, there's always a third choice". Why can't he speak as a leader with strength?

The Green party have some good ideas as well, but their leader is a somewhat weak speaker. It's disgusting that they were not invited to any televised debates when they do have a candidate running in EVERY riding.

I'm really not that impressed with ANY of the parties. But the one think I do know is that I don't want Harper running the country with his neo-conservative views. Really Canada is lacking in someone to create unity or show any real leadership.

Of course I'm going to vote. Considering I've been to places where democracy can be really iffy, or they've been former communist countries, I'm proud we're given the right to express who we feel can steer the boat the best. But for this election here, I'm undetermined as to being unthrilled with all the candidates.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

GOING THE DISTANCE - with film and food

Yesterday Sandra and I made a venture to the fine Pickering Flea Market. Besides the throngs of trashy urbanites that get me hotter than a bowl of Mr. Noodles with chopped Maple Lodge Wieners, we ate 50 cent samosas. And I bought a DVD (shocking!).

GOING THE DISTANCE was a Canadian road movie about some kids in BC that go on a road trip so one of them can propose to his girlfriend, who's interning with a sleazy record exec (Played by Canadian Jason Priestly). Nick (Christopher Jancot), who's looking to propose to his girlfriend working in Toronto (with a $10 ring) takes his friends Dime and Tyler on the adventure (actually they kidnap him after his parents get him stoned off of "special brownies") and they also pick up 2 hitchikers from Newfoundland. There's some real Canadian moments that actually make me laugh, including being in Montreal broke, and heading to a "all you can eat buffet" at a strip bar plus the crashing of the Much Music Video Awards including someone telling George to "shut up". Even more laughable is SWOLLEN MEMBERS (remember this HORRIBLE "hip-hop" group?) taking a jet to Toronto (RIGHT!).

But the cool thing about the flick is that it doesn't shy away from being Canadian, and instead uses Canada as a set itself instead of a set for bad American films and TV series. Also, compared to other American youth comedies that only go so far, and since Canadians have never gotten out of the 70's "aren't we naughty" stage of cinema it will go where some comedies won't as far as politically incorrect humour.

It was well worth the $7 I paid for my brand new copy of it!

Sandra and I ended the evening with a new game I concocted called "Have you been to" which lead us around all over the place to a restaurant that we hadn't been to. We ended up at a Korean place that just opened where a McDonalds which was always filled with homeless people stands. The dinner was good, but I hate that game. Or playing it in Downtown Toronto anyhow.

It's a New Year - And it's snowing!

I'm back home right now visiting my folks and
it looks like snow has returned for 2006. I drove
up some crappy roads while booming a $2 copy of the O'Town cd. Sad eh?

So yeah, it's a new year. I rung it in on a weirder note just spending some quality time by myself after being exhausted from the holidays and heading straight back into work. But it did throw me a couple curveballs right around 12.

But I was feeling in a bit of a funk. The last 2 years I've rang in my new years in Richmond, Virginia which has always been fun. One year it was in an alleyway on a hill looking for firecrackers and last year it was hearing local yokels firing their guns into the sky and moving somewhere safe just in case. Being in Canada this year just had a weird feel to it.

City TV had their "Canada New Years" bash which began at 11. It was unbearable to watch. The Shawn Desman peformance was fun but the hosts looked like they came out of an Etobicoke dinner theatre version of "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas". Blah. I threw on my Tims and went out walking to 7-11 for something (around 11:20). Shortly before midnight I grabbed a soyamilk and wished a happy new year to the poor butch-lesbian-Philippino behind the cash, then started walking again. I heard some cheers and that "pop pop!". Great, gunshots I thought as it sounded like screams, but then looking towards a park I saw some great firecrackers as some locals decided to screw the bylaw. The sky was clear so they looked awesome. Then I made my trek home.

Here's hoping that 2006 will be a great year for us all. 2005 was a very interesting year for me on many levels, expanding what I do outside of the typical parameters. But here's hoping we all achieve our goals and dreams for the new year.

Oh yeah, this photo I had taken with my new digital camera outside my parents door.