Friday, January 1st, 2010 02:24 am: Uberlist 2010

Another list for another year.

Car & Travel Tasks
1. TRAVEL somewhere warm for Reading Week - i've booked it off!
2. Visit Maple Syrup festival in February(?).
3. TRAVEL to Ottawa for the Tulip Festival, May 7-4 2010 (also, Ottawa museums).
4. Visit a winery again.
5. Boys' weekend? Ha ha.
6. Plan what to do in an ACCIDENT.
7. Learn how to use a CARWASH, so i'm not stuck doing it at home. Ideally some automatic thing.
8. Get car DETAILED.
9. TRAVEL somewhere during the summer (realistically): Montreal, Vancouver, and/or New York, (unrealistically): British Isles, France, Japan or Australia, San Diego SDCC? (I doubt there are any tickets left...).
10. Book travel for San Diego SDCC 2011?
11. TRAVEL somewhere (NY or Vegas?) for Christmas.
12-17. Eat at these RESTAURANTS: Frank (AGO), Loire, Tati (Harbord), Melanie’s Bistro (1870 Danforth), Tandoori Culture (940 Brock Rd South), George Brown Chefs' House (215 King Street East, Mon to Fri, lunch and dinner)

Arts &c Tasks
18. NEW Halloween costume, well in advance of October.
19. NEW Digital SLR camera (interchangeable lenses, you can focus properly).
20. FRAME picture for M&J.
21. PHOTO picture for M&J before i give it to them (ha ha).

Digital Tasks
22. Get stuff off those VHS tapes and into digital format.
23. Try to get data off the old PERCEPTION system.
24. Create a digital version of my COMICS CATALOG.
25. Finish scanning all the photos I have, turn them into a DIGITAL ALBUM (replacing the old physical ones), with captions - an enormous job (one day....).
26. Change PASSWORDS for various email addresses and eBay, again. Should do it every year.
27. Update VIN page, again.
28. Keep fixing BLOG issues.
29. Update ONLINE PORTFOLIO.

Health Tasks
30. Get EYES checked.

Learning Tasks
31. Learn ILLUSTRATOR (not a priority).

Junk &c Tasks
32. Get rid of old VINYL albums.
33. Clean out shelves/closets/dressers of unwanted JUNK.
34. I'd like to find a place to RECYCLE worn clothing, stuff that's not useable, like old socks and such.
35. I think i need to do a major cull, of what COMICS i have, and what i'm buying.
36. Take COMICS downstairs.
37. New BOOKCASE.
38. L&R have some of my negatives - one day i'd like to get them back.
39. I think Matt has some of my letters from him - they're missing anyway.

Home & Financial Tasks
40. FIND A PLACE OF MY OWN.
41. Will have to think MORTGAGE.
42. Do a proper BUDGET - I used to have one when I made much less money.
43. Do something with my PC Points. Annoyingly, now you can use them only for in-store stuff (i used to trade them for Chapters cards or movie cards).
44. Do something with my AIRMILES Points. Well, i barely have enough form a single movie card, ha ha.

Fashion &c Tasks
45. Need new CLOTHES for exercising.
46. Get some new DRESS CLOTHES.
47. Need dressier SHOES.
48. New black GLOVES and BOOTS (next winter).
49. New SUNGLASSES (last pair broke, other pair missing).

Reading Tasks
50. Read the book on BRITISH LEGENDS i bought but let sit.
51. Read HITCHERHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY.
52. Read final HARRY POTTER book.
53. Read the COMICS I've let sit (Batman from the late 90s).
54. Read the COMICS I've let sit (Hellblazer from the late 90s).
55. Read the other crap on my dresser.

Music Tasks
56. Get soundtrack of ON VA S'AIMER 2006.
57. Get soundtrack of J'AURAIS VOULU ETRE UN DANSEUR.

Movie Tasks (this is 18 movies)
58. Rent or see this Tomu Uchida THE MAD FOX 1962
59. Rent or see this Godard film: 1964 UNE FEMME MARIÉE, FRAGMENTS D'UN FILM TOURNÉ EN 1964 EN NOIR ET BLANC (A MARRIED WOMAN: FRAGMENTS OF A FILM SHOT IN 1964 IN BLACK AND WHITE)
60. Rent or see this anime: WONDERFUL DAYS (SKY BLUE) (Korean)
61. Rent or see this anime: THE PLACE PROMISED IN OUR EARLY DAYS
62. Rent or see this anime: THE BOOK OF THE DEAD
63. Rent or see this Peter Chan (Hong Kong) PERHAPS LOVE 2005 (Oscar nominee)
64. Rent or see this Demy film: 1979 LADY OSCAR
65. Rent or see this John Hughes film: 1984 SIXTEEN CANDLES
66. Rent or see this John Hughes film: 1985 BREAKFAST CLUB
67. Rent or see this John Hughes film: 1985 WEIRD SCIENCE
68. Rent or see this Serge Boson LA FRANCE 2007
69. Rent or see this Eddie Izzard dvd: SEXIE
70. Rent or see this Eddie Izzard dvd: LIVE AT THE AMBASSADOR
    Rent or see (at least) 5 of these Kurosawa films:
71-75. 1943 SANSHIRO SUGATA (JUDO SAGA), 1944 THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, 1945 SANSHIRO SUGATA PART II (JUDO SAGA 2),1946 ONE WONDERFUL SUNDAY, 1948 DRUNKEN ANGEL, 1949 THE QUIET DUEL, 1955 RECORD OF A LIVING BEING (I LIVE IN FEAR), 1970 DODESUKADEN, 1975 DERSU UZALA, 1990 DREAMS, 1991 RHAPSODY IN AUGUST, 1993 MADADAYO (NOT YET), 1945 THE MEN WHO TREAD ON THE TIGER'S TAIL (tried to rent, but it was damaged)
[seen: STRAY DOG, SCANDAL, RASHOMON, IKIRU (TO LIVE), THE IDIOT, SEVEN SAMURAI, NO REGRETS FOR OUR YOUTH, THRONE OF BLOOD (SPIDER WEB CASTLE), THE LOWER DEPTHS, THE HIDDEN FORTRESS, RED BEARD, HIGH AND LOW (HEAVEN AND HELL), THE BAD SLEEP WELL, KAGEMUSHA, YOJIMBO, SANJURO, RAN].
76. Go to TIFF again.

Shows
77. FRIENDS' CORPS NIGHT (tour): Thursday, May 6, 2010.
78. BALLET working rehearsal: Feb 11 or May 18, 2009.
79. BALLET Swan Lake rehearsal: March 10, 2010.
80-85. See Bands in a Club at least 6 times.

Health Ongoing
86. EAT BETTER. I need to eat more fruit and vegetables.
87. FLOSS and use that weird little rubber thing every day.
88. Daily VITAMINS.
89. SLEEP!
90. SWIM at least once a week during the summer.
91. I'd love for my Massage Therapy to be done.
92. LOSE WEIGHT - very unhealthy.
93. EXERCISE - more yoga/pilates, more weight-based.

Arts Ongoing
94. DRAWING - fill a sketchbook. (TRY AGAIN!)
95. PAINTING.
96. PRINT-MAKING.
97. More PHOTOGRAPHY.
98. LIFE DRAWING - hopefully there’ll be classes going on this term.
99. DRAWING - cartoony.
100. DRAWING - 100 people (that's at least 8 a month).

Digital Ongoing
101. Organize my data BACK UP system.

Home & Financial Ongoing
102. Stop WASTING my time online.
103. Regular SAVINGS (downpayment).
104. Regular SAVINGS (RSP).
105. CLEAN, dust and vacuum more regularly.
106. Take the new comics DOWNSTAIRS regularly.

Sunday, January 10th, 2010 09:38 pm: Does that movie come with tampons?

So, New Year's Eve i spent at Lisa's sister's - Lisa, Russ, Susan, Trevor, Trevor's mother, Susan's vet friends, and the kids. I brought some pink sparkling wine for the midnight. We played a game, but didn't stay too late.

I had originally thought i might go to the zoo on New Year's, or shopping downtown. I can't even remember what i did do, lol. I did do some shopping, at Yorkdale on the Saturday. I know i saw Sherlock Holmes again .

Monday we had an all-staff (Media, Art & Design) meeting, Toonboom training (in Storyboard Pro). I was supposed to meet Matt to see Avatar in 3D, but i was delayed, and it had sold out - i saw Sherlock Holmes yet again, expecting to meet Matt and Miah later - turn out Matt left, and Miah didn't stay when it was sold out for him. D'oh!

Tuesday i prepared for class, and did Shannon's yoga class, but didn't do the Toonboom animation training.

Wednesday was my first class of the semester, 3rd year, just setting up their big term projects. I did the pilates-yoga fusion class - a bit too like the yoga class (balancing, ugh, lol), but Kathy is a tougher task master. I did various stuff until 6, and Miah and i went for wings, and saw Sherlock Holmes yet another time, for Matt, who hadn't. Matt was supposed to join us, but was late - stupidly, we could have seen the show that started a half hour later, and we didn't know he saw Avatar 3D again. Ha ha, lame.

Thursday was my busy day, 3 first year classes, a LOT of talking. I've been battling a sore throat all week (the infection has been moving around), and that made it worse. I ended up going to the 5 o'clock yoga class - Shannon got the fitness class prices reduced, and times extended. Still considerably more than last year, but at least affordable. I also hurt my neck on, Tuesday i think, and it wasn't until Friday it felt close to normal.

Friday i had my first second year class. I picked up my new shelving, ate at Licks and read, and then saw a movie after. The movie i saw was Youth In Revolt, Michael Cera's latest. It's about a high school loser who's into movies and jazz and who develops a second personality in order to win an outspoken girl who's into French culture. It was very cute, although not as outrageous as, say, Superbad.

"You have to be bad, Nicky. Be very, very bad."

"Does that movie come with tampons?"

Sunday, January 10th, 2010 09:38 pm: Fuck it, let's have a barbecue!

After a ton of laundry, i went out, ate at Licks YET AGAIN, reading manga YET AGAIN (okay, i'm just about caught up).Then i saw amovie YET AGAIN. The movie i saw was Daybreakers, the story about vampires having taken over the world, and they are running out of humans, and thus blood. The concept itself is interesting, but it ended up being rather cheesy.

The first inclination there would be problems was when we hear a report on TV that there had been an amnesty allowing everyone to become vampires (in the US anyway - the rest of the world doesn't seem to exist). Well, wouldn't that pose an immediate problem? Or how about when someone complains about how little blood there is in the coffee. Isn't the solution simply to get TWO cups of coffee? You also have to accept an implausibly large number of implausible coincidences.

Okay, if you don't think too hard, you might think, yeah, a vampire is immortal, so smoking is no issue. Except... can you seriously imagine vampires farming tobacco? Let alone coffee growers...

Huh, corporate boss = evil guy. Original!

After the movie, i went over to Lisa & Russ's for dinner.

This morning i met Russ early for photographing. Then at noon, i picked up Michelle and Courtney and we met Miah for sushi for 2 and a half hours. I dropped by Lisa's to pick up some gift cards and helped Russ a bit with photographs.

Tonight i rented the latest Family Guy Star Wars parody. It wasn't really that good.

Monday, January 11th, 2010 10:44 pm: Winter Photos

<lj-cut text="More winter pics">

Here's a photo i took outside the house January 3rd - a snowstorm was starting.

Russ and i went to take some photographs, and just started driving north of Oshawa.

We went up on Ritson Rd beyond where the road is actually maintained - at least it's had enough traffic to flatten out the snow.

This is approaching the train tracks just west of Mt Carmel.

Nice to know there are pigs everywhere.

</lj-cut>

<lj-cut text="More winter pics">

These are some kind of dog - my guess is coyote, because there were a lot of deer tracks around too.

</lj-cut>

<lj-cut text="More winter pics">

We went up past Port Perry to Scugog Island. This is at 'Scugog Centre', Island Rd and Demara Rd.

Presumably the old Scugog Island Township hall, until it merged with Port Perry and area. Gawd, what a dump, lol.

The end of Island Rd.... I took it anyway (even though it was one lane only).

You end up at the Lake - those are fishing huts.

Angler.

Hole in the ice.

I hope you appreciate my getting on the ground on my back.

I don't know...

At Scugog Island Marina.

I don't think it reopens at 11.

Neither of which is useful.

I decided to walk out onto the ice, to check some black lump, so i'm actually standing on the lake.

Then i heard a crack, a small boom, and saw this crack in the ice suddenly appear. I went back to shore, ha ha.

SLOW!

At Highway 7A & Island Rd. Some nice textures...

</lj-cut>

Saturday, January 16th, 2010 12:02 pm: Chinatown and Kensington Market

I'd finished at school for the day, washed my car, and was planning to have a quiet afternoon and evening, when Russ called, himself done work a bit early, proposing a trip into the city for some photography. We met at the AGO at 3:30, and decided to head west into Chinatown.

<lj-cut text="Chinatown & Kensington Market pics">

We walked up an alley to look for something interesting, and ran into this guy spinning around and eventually losing control of the boxes - you can see them falling off here.

So what does he do? Rather than keep them pinned to rescue them, he pulls out and lets them fall on the ground. Yes, it was food.

We walked into Kensington Market to take some pics - especially in the little lanes between the buildings. Unfortunately, the 'variable cloudiness' was more cloudy than variable - another grey photography day.

Augh! There's a smear on my camera.

Fix'd.

</lj-cut>

<lj-cut text="Chinatown & Kensington Market pics">

Back alley 'rehersal' studio...

"Why is the drainpipe clogged?"

On Augusta Ave. What if a Lady would rather have a Man Hair Cut?

That crappy little building is seriously falling forward.

HERE ONLY OK!!!

Ha ha, they really had both Thai and Hungarian food.

An (empty) bookstore. 50 points if you can tell me where that wolf is from.

On Baldwin St.

Yeah, a Singer sewing machine, just on the street.

Back on Spadina. What a charming shop sign. At least, the pigeon thinks so.

First Prize for Interesting Uses Of Aluminum Foil.

Looking south on the east side of Spadina - the light was rapidly disappearing.

Inside Sal's Tattoo & Barber Shop.

We began looking for a place to eat but we didn't want to sit here.

</lj-cut>

The west side of Spadina at St Andrews.

<lj-cut text="Chinatown & Kensington Market pics">

We ended up in the Dumpling House on Spadina at Glen Baillie. I had the veggie soup...

And the pork pan-fried dumplings (so yummy!). Okay, i had already taken one before the photo. Actually, Russ had the chicken and we shared.

I had meant to take a photo of the restaurant, but forgot... [not my photo]

While searching for a pic of the place, i found this... Uh oh, lol. [not my photo]

I have no idea what these area (are those eyes?).

Another unfortunate name in Chinatown.

At this point, i really needed a tripod.

</lj-cut>

After, we met back up at Russ's place, i spent the evening chatting with Lisa, Russ and the girls, and we had some ice cream.

Saturday, January 16th, 2010 12:50 pm: No big whup.

The week was somewhat mixed. No big drama.

I'm still fighting a throat infection (more than one?). I woke up Wednesday morning and it had moved into my sinuses/inner ears, so i was feeling rather queasy. I'd hoped driving to school would help, which it usually does, but maybe because it's it was dark it didn't. Thankfully, i had a McDonald's bag in the car. Unfortunately, they're not built for that job. Fortunately, i had napkins. Unfortunately, there wasn't anywhere to pull over easily. So, i was holding in one hand for a while, then the road got more isolated, and OUT THE WINDOW it went. I might have stayed home, but the Third Years were presenting and Edin was joining us.

I got better during the presentations, although didn't feel strong enough to do the pilates-yoga fusion class, though i did do 3 yoga classes this week. Two of them were absolutely packed, and one had 3 of my students, ha ha - i felt pressure to do my best. I was the only male in all of them.

After yoga on Monday, since i don't actually teach Mondays, and there's nothing much to mark yet, i went to see Sherlock Holmes again, lol. Okay, last time! Speaking of which, i picked up on a couple of errors. One is in the newspapers, which switch back and forth between 1890 and 1891. Also, Irene referred to Jordan as a country, which didn't exist under than name until much later. Plus, i found it interesting that the mystic cross murders (man, bull, eagle, lion), which represent the sphinx (as well and the Four Evangelists) also represent the Four Elements: death by Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. I wonder if that was intentional.

Good news, seeing Ange Tuesday, the whole gang next Saturday.

Monday, January 18th, 2010 12:06 am: WANTED: Tall bald guy to stand behind town boss and be willing to sacrifice life.

I spent most of yesterday morning doing laundry and editing photos. In the afternoon i went to see The Book Of Eli, the latest in a series of post-apocalyptic movies (which i guess is better than apocalyptic movies, which consist of mainly dodging the apocalypse). Here, a 30 years later, a man travels west on a mission, carrying a certain book (duh) with him - when he reaches a surviving small town, its boss wants the book, because he believes it will help him expand his empire.

It was actually not bad - i liked the set up, but it lost its energy when he reached the town, and Mila Kunis' character was kind of dead weight. For one thing, i think she was too old - it's hard to believe she hasn't been 'used' by the mayor yet. The movie also dragged on too long - it should have ended with the realization of what has happened, which i admit is a couple of neat twists. It does seem to have taken an awful long time for Eli to cross the country, even on foot. Actually, for all the criticism, it is an interesting movie.

Just a little advice for those of you living in a post-apocalyptic world: living in a desert is tough at the best of times. If you can breathe, it means there are plants, and where you find plants, you will find plant-eaters, and where you find plant-eaters, you will find meat-eaters. Also, if you can breathe, it probably means water. Try living near a body of water. Just sayin'.

"You lay that hand on me again and you will not get it back." Not exactly 'Turn the other cheek'.

"...The remaining humans are victimized by roaming motorcycle gangs of hijackers and thieves. Each of these gangs is issued a requisite tall bald man, a short hairy scruffy one and their go-fers. WANTED: Tall bald guy to stand behind town boss and be willing to sacrifice life. All the water you can drink." Ha, ha, Ebert, you can make me laugh.

"Do more for other people than you do for yourself." Eloquently spoken! Not sure if that comes from Judges 21:10-24 or Deuteronomy 20:10-14.

The evening i spent at home, doing heaven knows what. Damn internets!

Monday, January 18th, 2010 12:08 am: Cannibalism is the great fear.

Today i saw The Road, the second post-apocalyptic movie in as many days. It's the Post-Apocalyptic Weekend.

A father and son travel south, looking for hope and a warmer climate, while trying to avoid robbers, rapist and cannibals (probably in that order). Guuuuhhhh..... depressing.

What i don't get is that there seems to be a lot of people for at least five years into post-apocalyptic environment, especially when it seems there are no animals and no plants. I tend to think there would be a lot of animals who would survive longer than humans (and what kind of weapon would kill everything except humans?). For example, there was a lot of visible grass that had gone to seed. Mice could eat that - humans could eat that. If it's not recent growth, why wouldn't it decompose? The humans do. After, being a cannibal just ain't gonna work. And if you're going to keep people locked in the basement, you'll have to feed them or they'll starve to death pretty quickly. And where do the gangbangers get their gasoline after so many years? Hmmmm.... apparently in the book, they wear masks to breathe (too much ash in the air).

Anyway, despite my grousing, it was a good movie, but not necessarily one i'd want to see again. It's haunting and chilling. Definitely better than Book Of Eli. It would make 2012 pee its pants.

"The roads are peopled by refugees towing carts and road gangs looking for fuel and food."

Okay, why do they do this in post apocalyptic movies? If the other end is broken, you'll have to go all the way back.

"There has been cannibalism. Cannibalism is the great fear."

Annoyingly, the only afternoon show started at 12:10, so no time for a leisurely lunch. After i went to Scarborough Town Centre but didn't buy anything. Oh! Before that i finally found a liquor store that had Magners, lol.

Friday, January 22nd, 2010 09:56 pm: more Chinatown

Tuesday afternoon i was meeting Ange for one of our semi-regular lunch meetings, so i took the opportunity to grab a few photos around Chinatown and Queen West before and after.

<lj-cut text="more Chinatown pics">

Spadina & Baldwin.

</lj-cut>

<lj-cut text="more Chinatown pics">

Spadina @ Dundas.

Queen & John, facing east.

Queen & John, facing west.

</lj-cut>

<lj-cut text="more Chinatown pics">

Holding the shutter open a few seconds.

West side of Spadina north of Queen.

Spadina & Dundas.

West side of Spadina north of Dundas.

</lj-cut>

Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 01:05 am: yoga, movies, wings

Monday i went into school to do yoga, then Matt and i went to The Princess And The Frog again. I had wings for supper after.

Tuesday i was kinda frustrated, because the Thursday yoga class had filled up, though it looks like we'll have a new class with mostly Animation and Games students. Chris joined me for the last free Thursday class. Oh, and it turns out i got into the Thursday class after all. On Thursday, a bunch of us went out for wings after. Oh, and i had a good (late) lunch with Ange. The drive home was frustrating, so i went to see a movie (Sherlock Holmes, lol) to reward myself. Hmm, circular discussion.

Sunday, January 31st, 2010 07:14 pm: get-togethers, shelving, yogas

Whoa, been a while.

Last Saturday we had our big get-together, Lisa, Russ, Ange, Karen, Andrea and Rick. Among the kids only A&M were there, and only briefly before they went to their friends' place for a sleep-over. Wow, was i tired. I had barely a few ciders before i felt like sleeping, lol. Well, still recovering from my stupid long cold - little worried it was coming back. As usual, we had tons of food - in fact, Russ had late night appetizers we never got to. New rules for get-together eating: no chips, no seconds of anything. I was there, playing Pictionary, til 1, when Andrea & Rick left (Karen had left around 10). Ange was a bit upset i was leaving 'early', lol.

Sunday i finally put together that shelving unit i bought. I still need another shelf, which the supplier didn't have. I sent an email during the week (two actually) to the manufacturer (which is nearby) asking where i could get another, but no reply. Lemme tell ya, shelving companies suck at customer service.

Monday i met up with Chris H, former student, new part timer. I had my first massage therapy in at least six weeks. I wonder how she tenderizes the muscle so much with leaving no bruises. Unfortunately, massage got in the way of Monday noon yoga. But i did see Sherlock Holmes for the umpteenth time, mainly because there's nothing much decent coming out.

No yoga on Tuesday either, as Shannon was away. And it's becoming annoying how long it's taking to get a new evening yoga class going, even with enough students and a willing instructor. Yoga on Thursday was good.

I tried to get the guys together on Thursday, or Wednesday, but no luck, so i went out for wings by myself on Thursday evening, while reading.

Friday afternoon, my sister and i went to look at a couple of places. The first was meh. The second... well, the price was right, like a decent price. But for 6800 sq ft! It used to be an Armoury! But it's way in the wrong way, would need a ton of renovation (serious work, needing an architect). It would be ripe for dividing into multiple condos, if it had parking. You could adapt it for a single parking space, but not several. Ah, too bad.

This shows only the relatively 'developed' section, lol.

Friday night was the second (annual) Girls' Night (Girls & Gary). Who was there? Lessee, Rachel D & Julisa from Animation to start, Ardith & Sarah C from Animation the whole evening. The rest from Games: Michelle (no Courtney?), Julia, Chantal, Katelyn L (no Cynthia?). Oh, and Jordan representing first year Games, ha ha. Good times! They are surprisingly candid in their complaints about other faculty members, lol.

Sunday, January 31st, 2010 07:14 pm: morbidly funny, hideously beautiful

Saturday i went to the school in the late morning because it seems my laptop power cable was not working. Annoyingly, it started working again when i took it to the Help Desk. I mean, i guess that's good, but i didn't need to go all the way to the college. On the plus side, i took some photos along the way. I will eventually post some.

After that, it was a series of errands: comics store (pick up missing manga & Previews), liquor store 1 (no Magners), liquor store 2 (no Magners), Licks (lunch and manga), cleaners (pick up pants being repaired), liquor store 2 (all the Magners in Oshawa and area! i bought 12).

After supper, i went to TO for the first Cinematheque of the season. The movie was Sånger Från Andra Våningen (Songs from the Second Floor). It's from the year 2000, and shows a society falling apart (given how the economy is now, it's even more appropriate than in 2000). It started slow - well, was very slow throughout. But, very funny in places, bizarre, mind-blowing. Some streets are filled with traffic that is simply going nowhere, followed by business men and women in suits, with ropes they are hitting the ground and whipping themselves with. I think part of what made it so funny was how slow and serious it was - very dry.

The funniest scene, as people drag slowly drag their all belongings to the waiting ticket counters.

The general sits on his bedpan, waiting for his 100th birthday party.

"Blessed be the one who sits down." A man has ghosts following him. Everyone already looks ghostly and gruesome, lol.

A bunch of people in suits wait for the one man to find his notes on what went wrong, as others pass around a crystal ball, until they see a house moving and panic - except for the one woman not in a suit.

"He wrote poetry till he went nuts!"

Suddenly the crowd starts singing to the background music.

"I am so embarrassed, my face is red. I staked everything on a loser."

Awaiting the human sacrifice.

I wondered why it felt so much like photographs, but it turns out each scene is shot with one take where the camera stands still as the actors perform to the frame (the camera only moves once in the entire film). Most of the interior shots were in a desaturated, grisly yellow-green.

After, i went for a bit of a snack at East! (Spring Rolls on Queen), just as they were closing, an order of pan-fried dumplings and chicken-veggie spring rolls.

Sunday, January 31st, 2010 09:05 pm: ROM January exhibits

Today was an early day (not quite early enough). I went into TO to go to the ROM, and see a movie. I was later than i'd hoped to be, but things worked out, i guess.

I went to the ROM to catch up on a series of small exhibitions.

On its last day was Cut/Paste: Creative Reuse in Canadian Design, which was kind of fun.

Lamps made from old fire extinguishers, toaster made from cigarette case and guitar string, glove with rivet ring inserted for smoking, clock made from ties, lamp made from a designer chair.

Then it was on to Fakes and Forgeries: Yesterday and Today, which was a series of interactive displays on the difference between genuine and forged 'antiquities' - all of them actually owned by the ROM.

Third was Canadian Content: Portraits by Nigel Dickson, a Canadian photographer. Kinda interesting.

Fourth was Kings of Punjab, a couple of very large paintings of two 19th century Punjab kings.

A little bigger was Coffee & Smokes in Medieval Yemen. Drinking coffee was virtually invented in Yemen (though the plant was across the Red Sea in Ethiopia), but was very expensive. Smoking probably was much older, though the exhibit is talking about tobacco, which would have been new to the region then. Interesting.

Harem women smoking their shisha.

And finally i saw East Asian Paintings & Prints: Recent Acquisitions - 40 never-before-seen acquisitions, all important examples of paintings, calligraphies, and prints from Korea, China, and Japan.

The acquisitions have been both old and contemporary.

Sunday, January 31st, 2010 09:08 pm: Yes Men underwhelm

After the ROM, i took a look at Club Monaco, but it was only cursory, as i was a little pressed for time.

I made it up to Yonge & Eglinton and had lunch at Spring Rolls.

I had a Springrollini, pan-fried dumplings (yet again)...

...a 'Vietnamese sandwich' - teriyaki chicken, fried egg, and i think cooked spinach on a crispy roll...

...and mango ice cream. Made it just in time for the movie.

The movie i saw was The Yes Men Fix the World, the second Yes Men movie i've seen. "Troublemaking duo Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno, posing as their industrious alter-egos, expose the people profiting from Hurricane Katrina, the faces behind the environmental disaster in Bhopal, and other shocking events." It was rather uneven, as sometimes the ideas get lost behind the stunts and humour. I would like more analysis and reporting, countering the ideas they are fighting against. It was at its strongest in embarrassing Dow Chemicals (successor to Union Carbide in Bhopal) and in New Orleans (but why is the public housing being dismantled?), weaker on what they were trying to prove with their human candle and bubble suit stunts.

"Turning the skeletons in your closet into golden skeletons."

After, i did a walk around Indigo, but didn't buy anything. I wanted to walk up Yonge Street a bit, but it's just too freakin' cold!

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 09:45 pm: End of January photos

As promised, here are some photos from the drive to work on Saturday (not that i was working).

Along Conlin's Rd (technically, Concession 6).

<lj-cut text="Last weekend of January pics">

The drive back home, along the 401. What is that smoke?

Why does the cement plant have so much exhaust?

I thought i was being smart by not buying those new gloves after all, thinking it could wait until next winter... (this is near the ROM).

A plant on Charles St W near the ROM. Pretty, for the last day of January.

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 06:00 am: Gallery Saturday, part one

Lessee, what happened during the week... The less said about the impending strike the better. Tuesday night was wings night, with Matt, Miah and Chris. Had a meeting about spring workshops on Wednesday morning. Friday we had interviews all day, kind of a mixed event. After, i went out to dinner at Brother's in Whitby with Chris, Miah, John and Emma. I did some shopping on... Wednesday? Checked out maybe a new camera. Picked up repaired pants. Oh, i also picked up the final shelf for the unit (finally).

Saturday morning my Dad decided to start moving furniture around. For someone who complains about being weak and out of breath, he just keeps on pushing. It made me feel a little off, and out of breath, myself. Well, got my shelves up.

I went out after lunch into TO with a busy agenda.

First up was MOCCA, with exhibitions of Canadian artist Will Gorlitz, including Nowhere If Not Here in the main space and Always Already in the project space. In fact it was the opening reception.

Part of a series based on numerals.

Very large.

I really liked this series - 3/4 view tends to be distant, but these were very intimate shots of people walking.

I liked these too.

At first i thought the work was pretty conventional, which it was to some extent, but it pulled me in. I couldn't find a shot of one fave series, which was a series of still lifes, which would have been ordinary if they hadn't been painted on the pages of a book. The rendered forms popped out on the flat paper.

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 06:01 am: Gallery Saturday, part two

Next up was Magic Pony (the gallery/store) and its sister Narwhal Art Projects (a few storefronts down the street., which had The Taxali 300 Gary Taxali Solo Exhibition. He works in a very retro style, and in this case often on old books. Interesting.

I'd actually gone to the store first.

There was a Junko Mizuno print - i have some of her books.

Tara McPherson - i met her at a Comicon in TO.

Kozyndan - never heard of him(her?)* before, but i loved this - when you realize what the crest of the waves are made of.

*turns out it's both, a couple!

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 06:03 am: Gallery Saturday, part three

The last place (whew!) was at the Show & Tell Gallery on Dundas just west of Ossington. First was Tessar Lo's solo exhibition, Everything We Wanted, In Our Nostalgic Future. He's ethnic Chinese, born in Indonesia, grew up in Canada.

Then it was I Can't Love You, But We Can Romance by Nimit Malavia, a grad of Sheridan's Illustration program.

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 07:33 pm: Dinner, parts one and two

On Saturday, i had a ton of time to kill before the movie, so i wandered around a bit on Queen West, shopped a bit, took some photos and had dinner.

<lj-cut text="Queen West photos">

This is quite high up...

I had dinner at Peter Pan, which was part of Winterlicious. First up was roasted butternut squash. Good! Oh, and a glass of Hardy's red wine (shiraz?). Also good.

</lj-cut>

<lj-cut text="Queen West photos">

Then it was braised lamb shank, with baked herbed polenta, and crispy leek "hay". Hay? It was good, but the lamb tasted like beef stew, rather than, say, pork.

Dessert was caramel upside down cake. Mmm...

Okay, i went to Chapters for a while, and still had a ton of time - two hours before the movie. Ugh! So, i went to the Queen Mother Cafe, planning to read and maybe a small bite or a drink. Except i was feeling kind of off, and it was really dark (so no reading). I ended up being a real pig, and ordered another supper. This is grilled striploin steak with cashew, blue cheese and horseradish butter (very good), sauteed green beans, onions & bacon, and smoky paprika roasted blue potatoes. Yeah, the potatoes were blue. It was very difficult to pull a photo out of the very low lighting.

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 07:50 pm: Millennium Mambo

On the way to the theatre, just up the street, i was having difficulty breathing. Very odd, i haven't experienced anything quite like it - any effort at all made me breath hard (and i had the same problem waking the next morning). Ugh! Was it the dust from all that moving in the morning?

The movie i saw, part of the Best of the Decade at the Cinematheque, was Millennium Mambo (Qian Xi Man Po). I've seen three movies by the same director (Flight of the Red Balloon, Three Times, Café Lumière). In fact, it was a lot like the third part of Three Times. Much of it is set in night clubs, as the lead female character tries avoid her loser boyfriend. Interestingly, it's told in retrospect, although we're not quite sure of what is going on 'now' (in fact, the frame was set a decade ahead, so we've just now reached it). Hsiao-hsien Hou's movies tend to be slow, or, more generously, 'naturally paced'. In some way it reminds me of French New wave films, but set to an electronic beat rather than 60s ya-ya music.

The people you are meeting in bars are skeezy or thugs - you need to get out.

Just drop him already, what a loser. And stop smoking so much.

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 09:45 pm: Last Few Days Mambo

Sunday i took it easy, recovering from whatever hit me - well, it's still hitting me. Finished laundry, cutting nails, and such, but i've let newspaers back up. Had a leisurely lunch at Licks, read the Hi-Fructose collection. Saw a movie (rhymes with Purrsock Foams). I was idly chatting the evening away, got undressed, when i saw an invite from Miah to go over to his place for the Stuporbowl, and hang out with Chris and Matt - i checked the TV - a whole quarter left, so at least an hour, lol. Got dressed again, grabbed a Magners and went over, ha ha.

Why did i go to work Monday? I have no classes. Oh yeah, a meeting, which was cancelled. Oh, and yoga. The Rec Centre has finally decided to run the Tuesday evening yoga class we asked for - it runs 3 weeks past when the students are done for the year. Der. Why did it take them three weeks to do it? I did a bunch of little productive things, and left around 2.

Today was class in the morning. I continued to feel like crap - luckily it was a work period (this 'project' based course outline is easy on the marking, lol). Did some marking during class. Noon time yoga again. More little productive things, and left around 2:30. Fell asleep at home.

Saturday, February 13th, 2010 11:17 pm: Percy Jackson and the Nikon D5000

Matt, Miah, Chris and i went out for wings on Wednesday. Found out there was a bad rumour spread by a disgruntled student, about which the less said the better. Thursday evening i went out with Michelle & Courtney for Mexican food - Miah was supposed to join us, but forgot. WEAK.

Friday i picked up this weeks comics, went to Licks for lunch. Then i saw a movie, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. It's about a kid who discovers he's the son of a Greek god, and is accused, for no apparent reason, of stealing Zeus's lightning. Also for no apparent reason he's the only one of many demi-god kids who doesn't know who his parent is (and the rest seem all about the same age...). Meh, it was kind of corny, and can't hold a candle to Harry Potter. I knew who the thief was right away.

The hero (on right), the love interest (barely - aren't they teens?), and the sidekick...

Later i met Russ at the OC and we looked over cameras. I bought a digital SLR, Nikon D5000, and a couple of new lenses to go with it. Held off on a micro.

Sunday, February 14th, 2010 12:10 am: I Don't Want to Sleep Alone

Today i did laundry (2 loads), had breakfast, read 9(!) newspapers, paid my Visa, printed a ballet ticket, printed a donation tax receipt, catalogued this weeks comics, showered, shaved, had lunch, read 1 science mag, 4 culture/fashion mags. I'm sure i forgot something...

I went into TO late in the afternoon. Wandered around Queen a bit, didn't buy anything, had supper at the Queen Mother - pad thai, which didn't quite agree with me, i think i need meat and veggies instead of carbs - while i read comics.

The movie i saw was I Don't Want to Sleep Alone (Hei Yan Quan), a very slow, very strange movie, like the first movie of his i saw The Wayward Cloud (with the watermelon sex scenes...). A homeless man in Kuala Lumpur, beaten to a pulp, is found by a group of Bangladeshi migrant workers, cared for (lovingly!) by one of them, living in an abandoned half-built skyscraper - when he recovers, he begins chasing a local waitress, who works also helps nurse the comatose son of her (female) boss (who also makes a play for the homeless man). The comatose man is played by the same actor as the homeless man. Then there's the mysterious water, and the strange smoke that arrives in the city later in the movie. Hardly anyone ever speaks, and there's not much plot, but what you get from mood, music and gesture tells you all you need to know.

Helping a sick man pee, lol...

Ha ha, crazy sex scene, where they're interrupted by their own coughing, but just can't stop.

What will stop anger?

Sunday, February 21st, 2010 05:15 pm: IMAX, Family Day sushi, yoga, Thai food, car, comics

What did i do last Sunday? Oh, i saw Avatar, this time in 3D IMAX. The story is no better. The visuals - well, my reaction was odd - it was so real, i got annoyed when i saw things out of focus - i.e. outside of the range of depth of field (especially when in the foreground) - i felt as if my eyes should have been able to focus, like they would in real life. I guess with regular movies, we do see the movie as a series of frames, and let the focus be chosen for us.

On Monday, it was Family Day. I don't have any classes Monday, but there was no yoga, and no reason to go into school. Anyway, i had sushi lunch with Chris & Liam, Miah, and Torrie, which was fun, and we bumped into Sarah C, who was there with her family. Start of a social week.

Tuesday we had our first evening yoga class with Andrea - i don't think she really gets where beginners are. Also had regular yoga with Shannon noon Tuesday and evening Thursday.

Wednesday i had supper with Michelle, Courtney & Miah - we went to Desiam. Speaking of the AMC plaza, Wednesday i dropped off my car for servicing around 12:30. I walked over to AMC, intending to have lunch, then see a movie, and pick up my car. As it turned out, they phoned that my car was ready during lunch, and so skipped the movie and went back to work. It was good, because i was caught up with marking this week. Lessee, out for wings with Chris, Miah, Matt, John & Emma for Chris's birthday on Thursday.

I can't find the comics i had picked up on Wednesday - did i leave them at Fitzpatricks?

Sunday, February 21st, 2010 05:18 pm: photography, clothes, Panic, pills, birthday

On Friday, i picked up Russ when i was done class (he was off for the day), and we went downtown photographing (to be posted). Got there around 1ish, had a good lunch at Pho Hung (Vietnamese Restaurant). Wandered all around Kensington area top to bottom east to west.With a short break at a Second Cup, we were out for about 4 hours, by which time the light was gone. On the way home, we stopped at Licks for supper.

Yesterday i rushed into the city, did a little bit of shopping at the Eaton Centre - bought a couple of half price shirts, and saw a coat i'd wanted on sale (but not my size). After quick Harvey's burger (eep!), i went to see a couple of movies. Well, i had a bit of a break in between, and grabbed a fast food Korean lunch (rice, beef, chicken, veggies). The second movie i saw was A Town Called Panic, which i saw at the Film Festival in September. It's so silly, but fun. Unfortunately, the film went snafu at the climax, and the bit we saw later had it resolved. Ugh - and i forget what happened, lol. Oh, and i rushed over to Queen Street, found a parking spot uncomfortably close to a hydrant, and picked up that coat in my size. I'd been eying it for months, and finally came down to my price - original 400$, on for 100$. Awesome.

Russ had called while i was at the movies. I drove back to my place after picking up my prescription refill, and birthday card for my Dad, picked up my camera stuff, and made it to Russ's. Lisa and the girls were at some dance thingy. Russ made me supper, lentil shepherd's pie, with corn and peas, and wine, we checked out his photos, and we unpacked my new camera. Too complicated! Ha ha...

Today, we all went to the Marina for brunch for my Dad's birthday - sister, hubby, two sons, brother, wife, son, two daughters, one boyfriend, and me! It was only 'luck' that Katie could make it, as her BF's grandfather passed away, so they had to fly from BC (expensive with the Vancouver Olympics going on).

Sunday, February 21st, 2010 05:42 pm: "Defender?" "De-fen-DOR!"

Yesterday, i saw Defendor, starring Woody Harrelson as a mentally slow self-proclaimed super-hero. It's billed as a comedy, although it's pretty dark one - we know he has actually mental problems, and it's not just a gag. I really enjoyed it. My biggest complaint was that the villains were pretty stereotypical. The relationship between The Defendor and the hooker relationship could have been cliche, but the actors carried it off well.

What was also interesting was that not only was it shot in Hamilton, they didn't really hide that fact (there was a radio reference to 'the Hammer', the newspaper is called The Spectator, etc).

Defendor's secret identity.

The hooker and the sleazy cop.

"There are probably better ways to deal with people like that."

Defendor and his vast array of weaponry. ("Please God, not the *lime juice*!")

Defendor and his mental assessment.

Monday, February 22nd, 2010 10:29 pm: back to Kensington Market

<lj-cut text="more Kensington Market pics">

Last Saturday, on the way to a movie in the city, and on the way out, i snapped a few shots. This is Richmond facing west at Parliament.

This is Dundas facing east at Spadina.

At Dundas and Sherbourne i believe.

On Friday after class i went into TO to take photos with Russ, wandering around Kensington Market again. First stop - lunch at Pho Hung at St Andrew's & Spadina. The place is pretty busy.

We were in the window facing Spadina.

Russ with his soup.

I had the Com Suon, Bi, Cha, Hot Gua (4 Mau) [sorry, no accents] - it was BBQ pork chop, rice with shredded pork, steamed 'quiche' (like dumpling filling covered in egg), and egg (with a pretty lacy bottom, lol). It was pretty tasty, though thankfully i only got the 'small'. I realized it's a version of what i have at Spring Rolls (with spring rolls instead of quiche, and lettuce salad instead of cole slaw).

After we walked up Spadina. Back to the art store. You know, i always thought the art figures were wood coloured and not caucasian, but here is an 'african' one.

The El-Mo!

Street music.

On Spadina Crescent north of College, one of the more interesting school designs.

Russ and i walked west along Russell, down Robert to College.

We were ducking into alleys and laneways looking for interesting things to shoot.

Walking west along College, we passed an old fire station.

Perhaps among the very few moose sculptures still intact (most lost their antlers).

Croft Street, really more of a lane than a street.

We made our way down Bathurst from College (this is a lane to the east of Bathurst).

Dundas facing southeast, east of Bathurst.

The area of Dundas & Carlyle.

Alexandra Park Arena.

We turned north up Augusta Ave, into the heart of Kensington.

Knapsack and parka do not make a skinny shadow, lol.

Ugh!

</lj-cut>

<lj-cut text="more Kensington Market pics">

We went up Augusta to College (where this was taken on a pole).

Who do love? You!

</lj-cut>

<lj-cut text="more Kensington Market pics">

We went east on College back to Spadina, down Spadina to Nassau (or Oxford), then west to Bellevue.

NO PARK IN GAY TIME!

We went south along Bellevue to Bellevue Square Park, then east and up Augusta to Baldwin.

No Delivery!

Then down Kensington Ave.

Down Kensington to Dundas, east to Spadina, then down the east side of Spadina.

Crazy Elvis hearse.

What a bargain!

Ah ha - dude, pants shoudn't need an instruction manual.

The sun on Queen Street was blindingly bright!

We stop for bathroom break and a drink at Second Cup - Russ treated me to a mixed berry smoothie.

Looking west along Queen into the setting sun.

</lj-cut>

<lj-cut text="more Kensington Market pics">

Then it was east along Queen, headed back towards Spadina.

From the intersection at Spadina, looking east down Queen Street.

Back up Spadina.

From the parking garage looking south south east- the sun rapidly disappearing.

Looking east southeast.

Looking southwest - it was not this bright.

I estimate we walked a minimum of 7 km - probably considerably more, given all the wandering around laneways and such.

Sunday, February 28th, 2010 10:35 pm: "You've done terrible things... like this movie."

I had hoped to go away on the February break, but i was kind of late in starting to arrange it, and i was stressing a bit about arranging things, and going away again by myself [ :( ]. So... i thought, well, i want to go to Ottawa in the spring, and somewhere in the summer, and maybe i should just save money? Plus, i just did spend 1400$ on a camera. Lucky Chris went snowboarding with his family in BC.

So, what i did was move the big pile of comics on my bedroom floor. I didn't realize how long it would take! I had to integrate the old ones with the new ones, shuffle them all around, cull ones i need to get rid of. The new shelf was just barely enough, lol. Anyway, it took a good chunk of the week.

On Tuesday i met Miah and Matt at Wild Wings, and we watched the Canada-US game. We met at Matt's on Wednesday night, to watch Canada against... Germany. Got a tour of Matt's new place.

Thursday we met at Fitzpatricks, and then saw The Wolfman. Uhhh... go watch Ginger Snaps instead.

"Dad, why are you acting so weird?"

Kelsey Grammer?

"You may be wondering why someone from Scotland Yard, that is, the London Police, is doing out here. Um...."

We could have had more of this, if we couldn't have decent story or character.

Wednesday, my Dad and i went over to my sister's place for my Dad's birthday supper.

Friday, i just went out for errands and lunch at Licks. When i got back, my niece from BC and her boyfriend were here. They stayed for a bit - i got fish & chips for the four of us.

Monday, March 1st, 2010 12:17 am: "...an untamed need for liberation..."

On Saturday, i went to Pacific Mall, briefly. I got some dumplings for lunch, looked around a bit, but wasn't really looking for anything.

I continued up Kennedy to Unionville to the Varley Art Gallery in Markham to see the show The Automatiste Revolution: Montreal 1941-1960. The Automatistes were a group of avant-garde artists in Montreal (Canada's art centre in those days), kind of the equivalent to the Abstract Expressionists in New York. Aside from heradlding the abstract art revolution (including dance, theatre, etc, as well as painting), they were political 'radicals', issuing the Refus Global manifesto at a time when Quebec was still very conservative and controlled by the Catholic Church. They helped bring about Quebec's Quiet Revolution. Anyway, i really like their art styles.

From one of Francoise Sullivan's dances.

An early Paul-Émile Borduas.

Claude Gauvreau.

Marcel Barbeau (very Jackson Pollock-y).

A later Paul-Émile Borduas.

Jean-Paul Riopelle, my fave (buy me one, will you?).

After that i just came home, and continued my reading/clean-up. More of the same today, except i did go out for lunch, reading comics, and saw Sherlock Holmes yet again, lol. Been watching some Olympics now and then too. I guess the week was okay - productive, anyway.

Monday, March 8th, 2010 09:17 pm: nominal animated short oscar... what?

Tuesday was a random wing night, with just me, Miah and Chris. Fun though:
"If I saw E.T., i'd blow his brains out. Why? Cuz he's alien. He shouldn't be here. He is different. I don't understand him, and he should die."

Thursday was Oscar Nominated Short Films 2010 - Animation at the local Cineplex. I ordered my ticket online, just in case it sold out. As it turns out, there were only 5 (including me) in a big theatre, lol.

French Roast - which i saw in Ottawa, and like the combination of humour and irony.

Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty - funny idea, although it just kinds of stops (but at least with another joke).

The Lady and the Reaper - also fun, a tug-of-war between the reaper and a determined doctor.

A Matter of Loaf and Death - my personal fave (saw it before), starring Wallace & Gromit, although a full half hour and longer than the rest.

Runaway - (from Canada) an honorable mention (saw it before), although it's more visual gag than any story or character.

Partly Cloudy - an honorable mention (saw it before of course) - okay, between this and Wallace & Gromit

The Cinematograph - an honorable mention, a bit slow, and not sure what it wanted to say

Logorama - the eventual winner, and although i like the visual puns and ideas, story and character-wise, it didn't do it for me.

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 08:25 pm: AGO: Winter Exhibitions

Friday after class i went down to the AGO to see a bunch of exhibitions that have piled up.

First up was This You Call Civilization? which "features stunningly intricate collage-based works by African-born, New York-based artist Wangechi Mutu in her first major museum exhibition in North America." It was good, although i can't really identify with her identity politics.

Then it was Rembrandt/Freud: Etchings from Life which "creates an opportunity for a visual conversation across the centuries between two great masters of the human form, Rembrandt van Rijn and Lucian Freud. Both artists regarded printmaking as an integral part of their art practice and created extraordinary images using the etching process." I had assumed it was Sigmund Freud when i'd seen the listing, ha ha. Rembrandt (a painter as well as an etcher) is from the 1600s, Freud 1900s (and still kicking). The Rembrandts are all from the AGO's collection, and surprisingly small.

American Prints of the Great Depression "features 30 prints [from the AGO’s permanent collection and private Toronto collections] that take viewers from the roaring 1920s through the dirty 1930s, from New York to the American Midwest, through a time of great political and social change in America". Another good one.

Egypt in the Western Imagination, "features 9 exquisite historic works... these prints (augmented by a great 1880 photograph of the pyramids) highlight the European fascination with all things Egypt, an attraction that has been going on for centuries." It's a little misleading, as it focusses particularly on one man who eventually joined the AGO in the early 20th century, and became a professor at U of T and Trent.

Then it was up to the 5th floor for Sculpture as Time: Major works. New Acquisitions, which "explores sculpture’s relationship with time, featuring recent acquisitions and major works from the AGO’s collection. These dynamic artworks do not just occupy space, but also time. They invite visitors to think of art as more than an inert image or object, but also as a personal experience lived through time." Kind of a mixed bag. I liked the room set up with motion sensors, so as you move around the room, the fluorescent tubes follow you (rather noisily!). The other photo is a still from a short video where the artist made the animal glow. I'm always dubious about 'video art installations', as opposed to actual video art, like films. There was a bunch of other stuff i couldn't find images for, ha ha.

The other side of the floor was Anselm Kiefer: Palmsonntag ['Palm Sunday'], "a monumental installation consisting of a 30-foot-long palm tree cast in fiberglass and resin, its roots clotted with mud, surrounded by a cycle of 44 large paintings encased in glass and framed in lead." The sheer scale of it was impressive, and the individual paintings, which were not small, were interesting too.

Finally there was Françoise Sullivan: Inner Force, "...includes five large scale canvasses from the artist's recent Hommage series - majestic, abstract works exploding with colour and rhythm, each one dedicated to an artist colleague or friend who has died.... The exhibition also features a ground-breaking series of photographs dating from January 1948 when Sullivan staged her famous Danse dans la Neige". Odd how connections keep showing up - it was only a few weeks ago i went to the Automatistes exhibit in Markham. It had shots of her dance there too, but i really liked her paintings, were are very recent, and remind me of 'colorfield' paintings. She's also been a sculptor and photographer!

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 08:25 pm: National Ballet: Winter Shorts Program 2010

After the AGO, i went to the Queen Mother to eat and read. I had the special, grilled flat iron steak, with a red curry and sherry reduction,, with thyme-scented lentils and sauteed greens. Buh, the curry reduction was very hot!

Then i went to the National Ballet. I had tickets for the dress rehearsal of Swan Lake, but i'm kind of Swan Laked out, so i bought a ticket to the Winter Shorts program.

The first piece was 24 Preludes by Chopin. I didn't realize until it started that i'd seen it before, in 2008, but that's okay, i love it. I'm lazy, so i'll use the same review, ha ha (but new photos):

"...was my favourite - i'd pay to see it again. It was very modern, dramatic, athletic, inventive, even a bit erotic (choreographed in 1999 by Canadian Marie Chouinard) - i kept thinking of both life drawing poses and animation. One bit had a woman speaking musical notes (Doh, Re, Mi, etc), as if it were some kind of protest, then a marching unit of dancers would come towards her, and as they pass around her, she'd fall in line. They'd go off stage, and she'd run back and start speaking again. Meanwhile, another woman in the background was engaged by herself in a very dramatic dance. Another bit had a woman doing a dramatic dance across the stage, and as she reached one end, a male dancer would come in, pick her up, and drop her off at the other side again, and she'd go forward again. Eventually, one of the male dancers flipped her the other way, and they went off stage. She came back on, started over, but the three males came on again, "tapping their toes" at her, so to speak. She gestured her displeasure at them, and then made her way off stage. At times it was quite emotional. The men wore semi-transparent shorts, with an opaque strip from the waist front to back, the women wore a similarly made bodysuit, with a strip across the breasts. "

Then it was A Suite of Dances by Jerome Robbins (West Side Story, etc), originally created for Baryshnikov, which is a kind of pas a deux (though it's actually a solo), between the female cellist and male dancer. It "...glides through a variety of moods, from the nonchalant to the introspective to the ecstatic, addressing both the audience and the baroque sensuousness of Bach’s music with the same studied abandon." Fun! Unfortunately, i couldn't find a National Ballet photo, so this is from some English ballet.

Finally, The Four Seasons, "a powerful exploration in dance and music of the seasons of a man’s life." The most serious piece, treating the seasons as allegory for life.

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 11:11 pm: Alice through the polarizing glasses.

Saturday i went to the school for an open house in the late morning... although it turned out the open house isn't until the 27th, lol.

So, i went for lunch at Licks, read, and then went to see a movie. (Surprise!)

I saw the Tim Burton's sequel to Alice In Wonderland, called... Alice In Wonderland. It's somewhat odd, as Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There is the actual sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, though most adaptations merge the two together (including two different characters, the Queen of Hearts, and the Red Queen). Anyway, i was somewhat underwhelmed. Tim Burton leaves me cold, though his work is always visually interesting, and i did like Sweeney Todd. It felt like it became Narnia at the end.

And what was that bit about China at the end? It came out of nowhere (as well as being historically stupid). Ha ha: "...murky, diffuse, and meandering, set not in a Wonderland that pops with demented life but in a world called Underland that's like a joyless, bombed-out version of Wonderland." Also, i saw the 3D version, but i might have well as not. The 2D version would probably be a little brighter. I liked all the actors, especially Alice, but it's time Tim Burton left Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter alone for a while.

"You used to be much more... 'muchier.' You've lost your muchness."

Holy crap, she looks different.

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 11:55 pm: Out of My League? I'm not even registered to play...

Sunday i went out photographing with Russ, then a bit of shopping. I was using my new camera - amazing. It will take some time to go through them.

Monday was school - meeting got cancelled, but i did yoga. Later was massage therapy - she worked on the twinge in my lower back/upper butt. Felt great Tuesday.

Tuesday was class, and yoga. Went with Michelle & Courtney for sushi lunch. Later i met Russ downtown for a movie - i'd won a free pair of passes online from DigitallyBlonde. We saw She's Out of My League. Uh, it was kinda of mushy. It had some funny moments, it was cute. I saw Peter Howell, a reviewer for the Star there!

The spaz, the cool guy, the nice guy, the jerk-off.

"You’re a moodle, a man poodle."

Today, my sister and i looked at a house. Bleagh.

Sunday, March 14th, 2010 12:21 am: New camera, more photos....

Last Sunday, Russ and i went out photographing. I was trying out my new camera for the first time, a Nikon D5000.

<lj-cut text="Newcastle-Port Hope Lakeshore Rd pics">

We went to the Lakeshore Rd between Newcastle and Port Hope again.

Hmm, okay, i'm getting lens reflections.

Augh! Just missed getting the start of the train.

I'm taking the new images in raw, and i'm really liking what you can do with raw. But it takes a lot longer! The files are about 12 times bigger than before .

One of the few shots where you can tell the train is still moving.

</lj-cut>

<lj-cut text="more Newcastle-Port Hope Lakeshore Rd pics">

Augh, i was waiting for him to come up the road to take a shot. The bugger turned into a farm. Then waved as we went by, ha ha.

What are these things on the bales?

Ooo! Playing with depth of field!

Serious mistake buddy.

Oh, you got out. Why am i so tipped, ha ha?

There are two sets of tracks near each other, CN (double) and CP (single).

SLEEPY!

Wow, i can get pretty close with this camera.

Watch it, he might wake up!

We stopped at the side of the road where someone was tapping maple trees.

f/5.6 (exposure reduced in Photoshop), 1/4000 sec.

When you get a 4288 x 2848 image, you can get pretty close - cropped from above.

</lj-cut>

f/5.6 (exposure reduced in Photoshop), 1/4000 sec.

f/5.6 (exposure reduced in Photoshop), 1/4000 sec - cropped from above.

<lj-cut text="more Newcastle-Port Hope Lakeshore Rd pics">

Ah ha, we stopped at the end of a road at a place called Port Britain.

The port facilities seem minimal.

Despite the fact it was fairly mild (for early March in southern Ontario), we got a chilling wind here.

We made it to Port Hope. This is an old firetruck, with peeling paint.

The so-called Canadian Fire Fighters Museum - i hope there are trucks which are much better cared-for inside, but the ones outside were decaying in the elements..

There were people fishing in the Ganaraska River.

A big fish, but he put it back for some reason (because i was photographing? lol) - cropped from above.

Sleepy goose!

We stopped on the way out of town at a place called George's Fish & Chips. Yummy!

Sunday, March 21st, 2010 11:05 pm: green zone, party menu

Oh my gosh, it's been a while.

Last Friday, i went to see Green Zone, based on positive reviews. Trailers billed it as some sort of super-soldier action movie, but it was actually much better, a political thriller set in the wake of the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Matt Damon plays the head of a team searching for WMDs, the justification for the invasion.

Saturday was errands and such. Oh, saw Alice In Wonderbra again, just to see what it was in 2D.

Sunday i went to a birthday party for Lisa's mom - a ton of people there. Man, the food was amazing. I love going to parties catered by a chef, lol:

Vegetable Crudities
Bruschetta and Garlic Bread
Welsh Rarebit Dip and Garlic Toast
Grilled Asparagus Quesadillas
Chips and Hellava Good Dip
Nachos, Salsa, Guacamole
***
Beef Sliders with Truffle Mayonnaise and Arugula
Open Face Sandwiches
Chicken Skewers & Peanut Sauce
Sundried Tomato, Olive and Parmesan Mini Quiche
Foie Gras Mousse with Chipotle Cranberry Relish
Egg Bread Croutons
Grilled Chorizo and Feta Tarts
Cilantro and Lime Shrimp & Cocktail Sauce
Grilled Vegetable & Chevre Tarts
Spicy Sausage Rolls
Mediterranean Cheese Pithiviers
***
Birthday Cake and Ice Cream
Fruit Platter & Minted Yoghurt Dip
Assorted Mini Treats
Cheese Platter with Crackers

Sunday, March 21st, 2010 11:10 pm: school trip to TO

Monday was another school day. Oh wait, not a work day, lol. Did interviews in the morning - the applicants were pretty good. Then yoga.

Tuesday was a trip to Toronto with the second years. Chris and i took them to see Starz Animation. Chris took the first bunch in, i took the second. Very interesting - though we all had to sign non-disclosure agreements.

<lj-cut text="school trip to TO">

A bunch of students waiting for the train.

Some of us waited for our turn at Starz at the St Lawrence market. We bought some brekkie, but the pigeons bugged us, especially Stumpy here.

Most of us got the classic peameal bacon sandwich (one vegan sadly got a veggie sandwich).

Waiting outside Starz.

The worst parking job ever.

</lj-cut >

We couldn't take any photos in the studio, because of the NDA, but thanks for Lance @ Starz for taking the photo at the entrance.

A bunch in my group decided to go to Silver Snail. Turned out a bunch from the other school decided to as well, ha ha. After the bunch of us walked on, shopped a bit, then we stopped at Jules for a bite.

Sunday, March 21st, 2010 11:13 pm: post school trip to TO

After, the gang went home. I wandered around a bit, relaxed at the Scotiabank Theatre, saw Alice In Underwear again.

I took some photos on the way to the train station, lucked out with a train leaving 4 minutes after i arrived, took some photos on and off the train.

<lj-cut text="photos on the way home">

Adelaide at John Street.

Oshawa GO-Via Station.

</lj-cut>

Oshawa GO-Via Station.

Had supper at Licks - this is the 'Gary' (ha ha), homeburger with cheese on whole wheat, dressed with 'guk' and ketchup.

Sunday, March 21st, 2010 11:18 pm: shamrocks, cherry bombs, best of ottawa

What else? Wednesday was St Patrick's Day. After class, my sister and i looked at a number of houses. Meh...

Then i met up with Matt at Fitzpatricks, and eventually other Matt, Dawn, Miah and Chris, and a couple of friends of Matt's. I like the party atmosphere, but i get tired of the waiting, crowds, not being able to hear, fiddle music, lol. Why did i order curry to eat? And why did i then get wings at Wild Wings? Ha ha.

Thursday is all work. Well, aside from yoga. Got marking done.

Friday after class i went down to Licks for some reading and then saw a movie. I saw The Runaways, which is an adaptation of the story of the 70s all-girl rock/punk band. Kristen Stewart played Joan Jett (later of Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, and who produced the movie), Dakota Fanning played Cherie Currie (who wrote the book it was loosely based on). It was actually pretty good, maybe lacking in character development, but the lead actors were all pretty good.

Oh sure, drugs can ruin your rock career, but it sure looks glamorous, lol.

Hello Daddy, hello Mom
I'm your ch ch ch ch ch cherry bomb
Hello world I'm your wild girl
I'm your ch ch ch ch ch cherry bomb

Friday night, i went to a fund-raising screening by the 3rd years of the Best of The Ottawa Animation Festival 2009 with Miah. Always a mixed bag, ha ha. There were a few new ones, but most i'd seen myself at the Festival.

Monday, March 22nd, 2010 12:33 am: Counter-Photography

Saturday i went to the Japan Foundation for their latest exhibit, Counter-Photography. It was excellent - i definitely recommend it (and it's free!). I found it inspirational.

"Photography is generally known as a medium that accurately records reality. In fact, however, its unparalleled ability to faithfully reproduce reality can also be put to exactly the opposite effect. This characteristic of photography has given rise to the desire to reveal objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye – in other words, to photograph the invisible world."

"The present exhibition attempts to introduce this approach to reality through the photographic works of contemporary Japanese artists. The exhibition is divided into two sections, based on the artists’ choice of subjects and approaches. One section is called To Distill: Another Appearance. In this section, the artists’ intention is to extract the essential 'spirit' of the subject – be it a plant, stone, or any other item – thereby revealing a dimension of the subject entirely separate from conventional aspects. In other section, To Reverse: Another Relationship, the artists adopt a more social approach. The works in this section explore one’s relationship with self, others, and ultimately one’s country – in other words, they represent attempts to depict the relationships between people from an entirely new perspective."

60 works by 11 artists: Eikoh HOSOE, Hiroshi SUGIMOTO, Miho AKIOKA, Miyuki ICHIKAWA, Akiko SUGIYAMA, Chie YASUDA, Kazuo KATASE, Hiroko INOUE, Tomoko YONEDA, Tomoaki ISHIHARA, Michihiro SHIMABUKU.

It was a bitch to find parking, but i found a place that will be good reference in the future, lol.

After that, i went up to Yorkdale. I was kind of behind in time, so had a very late curry lunch from Thai Express, looked for new winter boots - found pair that looked okay, but not my size. I waited too late.

It turned to spring in the middle of Saturday, and i wore shoes for the first time in months. It chose then to snow, lol. None of it stayed though.

Today i was supposed to go to Maple Fest, but i was cancelled on, and the weather was kind of miserable. Next weekend i hope will be better. So i did a bit of photography in south Oshawa/Whitby on a whim, then just grabbed a burger and read. I had thought maybe i'd see a movie, but nothing grabbed me.

Monday, March 22nd, 2010 11:14 pm: south Whitby photos

Like i said, i had a bit of time to kill and decided to drive along the south edge of Oshawa and Whitby looking for something to photograph. I also began playing with various settings in Photoshop, mainly black and white, and negative. Fun.

<lj-cut text="south Whitby photos">

</lj-cut>

Monday, March 29th, 2010 11:49 pm: Birthday and Comicon

Last week was a crazy week. I got hit by a ton of marking, lol. I had massage therapy on Monday, but yoga only on Tuesday night with Andrea, as Shannon was down south. Thursday was my birthday and my busy school day - both my first year Animation classes gave me cards and gifts (2 packs of juice boxes from one, 1 pack and a box of ginger ale from the other, ha ha). Went out for wings with a bunch of people, Matt, Chris, Miah, John, Emma, Cathy, Todd. Someone bought me a cake, which came with a free cowboy hat, lol. When i got home, i stayed up late answering emails and facebook Happy Birthday messages (i counted 93, lol).

Friday after class i went with Michelle to the revamped Toronto Comicon, now owned by WizardWorld. They forgot to invite people, lol. I felt bad for the artists, there were so few people. It reminded me of the previous Comicons i've gone to, except now with wrestling and c-list celebrities. I hope Saturday and Sunday were busier.

Out of focus, but that guy is so happy.

<lj-cut text="more con pics">

Yeah, kind of empty.

Gil Gerard and Erin Gray from Buck Rogers.

So, we meet again...

Aren't cons really about skimpy costumes?

Monday, March 29th, 2010 11:53 pm: Dragon training

After i dropped off Michelle, i went to see How To Train Your Dragon, which was amazing. Sometimes there are trailers that tell you everything, sometimes they are misleading, but the trailers for this said just enough, but left some nice things unseen. I enjoyed the time they took to establish the relationship between Hiccup and his dragon. What was odd was all the older Vikings having Scottish accents, lol, although i didn't mind it. The scene where Astrid gets a ride for the first time is beautiful. Bumped into some Animation students in the theatre, lol.

"Where the food is tough and tasteless, and the people even more so."

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010 10:42 pm: maple festival photos, boots, birthday party

Saturday morning i went to the Purple Woods Conservation Area Maple Syrup Festival.

I was driving along the 7th concession north of Hampton, when i saw this small... pond? lake? flooded area? I had to stop for some pics.

<lj-cut text="Maple Festival pics">

A composite of 4 shots - stupid tell-tale wire, lol.

The conservation area was so busy, i had to park on the road, rather than the parking lot.

I started on the trail down to the sugar shack. I think is is some sort of traditional native shelter.

A tap and pail, but no tube (the plastic behind is a barrier to keep people on the trails).

The sap isn't running! Need to have cold nights and mild days.

More learnin'.

The sugaring area (sugar shack to the left).

Looking back up the trail.

What th'?

Seriously, what th'...

Inside the sugar shack. Turns out that's not sap boiling down, it's water. D'oh! They haven't got any sap.

Well, they did have some stuff mostly boiled down.

A picnic area above.

The sugar shack from the outside.

Pioneer sugaring, i believe.

I followed the trail behind the picnic area.

Here comes the horse rides from back at the sugar shack.

</lj-cut>

Kind of wish they looked like a Cornelius Krieghoff painting, lol.

<lj-cut text="Maple Festival pics">

Hey, this is where Russ and i took photos back in January! No snow now.

Back down towards the main trail - that's the railroad from the side (it's pretty high compared to the sugar trail).

Back down beside the sugar shack.

The pioneers' fire. Wait - later on is Earth Hour, lol.

On the trail back to the entrance.

Looking back.

Looking up again.

Back at the top, looking south from a lookout towards Lake Ontario, about 20 kilometres away (composite shot).

There was a tent serving pancakes with maple syrup.

</lj-cut>

Okay, it appears to be swimming in maple syrup, but i didn't eat it all, lol. I hate dry pancakes. They had an odd smoky taste, but were better than McDonalds, lol.

Later the same day, i read a travel article about a bigger, more touristy maple festival in Quebec - i think i'd like to try something like that.

After grabbing lunch at Licks and some errand shopping, i went home for a bit. Had an early supper, and then went to the school for the Reel Music Film Festival, sat with a bunch of 3rd years (Julisa, etc), while Edin and Chris judged the event.

Sunday morning i met Lisa, Russ and the girls, who treated me to see How To Train Your Dragon, this time in 3D.

We parted for a bit - i went to the city to pick up something for Lis, and finally found new boots! Then it was over to their place for dinner, cake and gifts! I'm glad someone still makes me a cake.