Monday, 14 March 2011

Regarding good music...

...I just decided that CBC is my favourite source for introducing me to new, appreciable music. In addition to Geneviève Toupin (see previous blog) who I heard on CBC Radio One's program "À propos", I'm also digging David Myles who I first heard on a CBC's Heartland episode! (Yes, I watch Heartland and it always has an amazing soundtrack! I've enjoyed hearing Brooke Fraser on there too and I've finally got myself a copy of her "Albertine", a little late, I know.) And then there's the Radio One program Q which is always so informative and great for introducing me to musicians.
Yes, having only a tape deck and radio in my car and not having cable at home is resulting in me listening to a lot of CBC (radio, podcasts) and watching a lot of their shows online (Being Erica, Pillars of the Earth, 18 to Life, and Heartland)! Thanks tax-payers for your contributions to my entertainment.

La rivière Tarumã: un voyage unique.

This is my current desktop photo...in the eternal Canadian winter, this memory of the Amazon warms my heart. In French class this term, we had to write a "portrait" of a place and the following is my short story of the Tarumã River.
Might I also recommend listening to "L'hiver" by Winnipeg's Geneviève Toupin about our never-ending winter ("Je crains que l'hiver soit sans fin")

Au pays le plus grand de l’Amérique du Sud, loin des battements de carnaval de Rio de Janeiro et situé profondément en plein cœur de l'Amazone, on trouve une rivière particulière au-delà du grand fleuve Negro. À la différence du fleuve noir vaste, ce ruban d'eau crée un refuge pour la voyageuse lasse et pourtant aventureuse. À côté du Rio Negro, on ressent l'humidité gluante de la ville et il est difficile à éviter les bestioles invisibles qui se glissent furtivement sous les moustiquaires, laissant leurs victimes avec des marques rouges innombrables. Ainsi, les basses eaux crient à l'étrangère, à partir de la capitale, de commencer le vrai voyage.

S'embarquant en le petit bateau, l'exploratrice serpente le fleuve fin pour découvrir le frisson et la détente de la forêt tropicale. Bien que cette maison flottante sente du diesel et son moteur baratte bruyamment, elle est bien équipée et se transforme en demeure confortable. Un hamac oscillant devient le lieu favori pour la passagère et dans sa patrie, elle continuera à l'utiliser pour se reposer quand le temps est agréable; mais à ce moment, elle regarde le ciel comme une peinture et racle une guitare dans ce lit mobile sur la rivière Tarumã. La chaleur suffocante, les moustiques agaçants et les anacondas méchants sont oubliés et la visiteuse s'émerveille du monde. Le bateau passe sous une arche d'arbres anciens et elle connaît un calme absolu.

Tout d'un coup, le batelier lui appelle. Elle se lève et voit pour la première fois les sujets d'un folklore indigène, « les botos », ou les dauphins de rivière. Quelle grâce! Ils l’intéressent de même que les autochtones eux-mêmes. Peut-être que demain, elle débarquera de cette place de solitude pour visiter un village, peut-être; mais aujourd'hui, elle a besoin de se détendre et comme la nuit tombe et le bateau s'arrête silencieusement, l'équipage et la voyageuse s'installent et partagent un magnifique dîner brésilien. C'était la journée parfaite pour lui rappeler les raisons pour lesquelles elle continue à revenir à ce cher endroit éloigné.

Thursday, 19 August 2010

Little life update

*Just finished my last exam of the three summer courses I took. So glad.
*Took the Québec students back to Montréal by train on Saturday and then hung out there with some other YMCA staff until Tuesday morning.
*Spent an exorbitant amount on a meal at La Queue de Cheval restaurant!
*Stayed in a hostel two nights and then upgraded thanks to Hotwire to the Delta Centre-Ville!
*Had la meilleure massage ever! Another splurge, but so worth it!
*Finally found that wine I looked for last time!! Au marché Jean-Talon! Now need an occasion for it...
*Experienced a fantastic brunch place, thanks to local friend, Val!
*Checked out the wild hippy Sunday Tam-Tam thing in Mont-Royal Park and realized that I am so not a hippy. Who was I fooling in high school?
*Was reminded again that my French conversation skills are considerably lacking. Continuing to consider immersion experience...
*Decided this week to NOT buy out my Civic when the lease ends in two weeks! Even though I kept the mileage real low and kept it all in good shape, the HST makes the buy out ridiculous and too much effort to re-sell to make a few hundred dollars, if I even could! And now that I am a student, I probably really should get a much cheaper kinda car. Gonna check out one tomorrow. The search begins.
*Found out recently that I'm gonna be an auntie again!!
*Been really wanting a dog lately. Resist. Resist.
*Been watching an insane amount of television on dvd. Firefly, Smallville, Alias, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (I always had a thing for Dean Cain as Superman in the 90s) And many of these I bought!
*Also have got into True Blood, thanks to someone's recommendation.
*Our community garden is exploding! Very cool to see.
*I found out last night that I won a draw I entered at the local market for $15 worth of food! I never win things like that!!
*Summer job finishes officially tomorrow! Three weeks ahead with few commitments.
*The humidity has kept me from biking as much as I thought I would this summer. Now I have to push myself.
*I've had cravings for ice cream almost every night this summer!
*The Cold Stone that is inside Tim Hortons in Kitchener, was a big disappointment. I went the other night and the guy really didn't know what he was doing; he didn't know he had a serious reputation to uphold!

That's all I got!

Friday, 11 June 2010

Chinese Checkers Tutorial Video

So this is my lame-o video inspired by the fact that Chris learned Chinese Checkers recently and the discovery that I could not find details online to teach anyone how to play this far funner and superior version of the game. Hope it's not too boring and is still informative! At least there's a funky Derek Webb song to groove to.