Happy New Year!

Just wanted to write to say Happy New Years everyone! I hope you all have an awesome evening!
Gill and I are going over to my sister's house for a quiet (but not too quiet) New Years... It should be really fun!

Seems like everyone is, as Barb B calls it, having at least one Pyjama Day, doing nothing but watching DVDs in their PJs. I did exactly that yesterday. Can you say Corner Gas? (and Monty Python, of course.)

But now I have to go get ready and pick up Gill so we can be on our way to the sister's place... Happy New Year!

Just writing to say I'm alive...

Hello everyone! I hope everyone's well and that you've had a good holiday season! I haven't been blogging much, instead I've been lounging about in PJs, watching Monty Python and making buttons... I feel lazy :P (which I am)
And because I have nothing interesting to say I shall pass it off to Monty Python, with a random sketch (from episode 2: Sex and Violence).

Working Class Playwright

Mum: Oh dad... look who's come to see us... it's our Ken.

Dad: (without looking up) Aye, and about bloody time if you ask me.

Ken: Aren't you pleased to see me, father?

Mum: (squeezing his arm reassuringly) Of course he's pleased to see you, Ken, he...

Dad: All right, woman, all right I've got a tongue in my head - I'll do 'talkin'. (looks at Ken distastefully) Aye ... I like yer fancy suit. Is that what they're wearing up in Yorkshire now?

Ken: It's just an ordinary suit, father... it's all I've got apart from the overalls.

(Dad turns away with an expression of scornful disgust.)

Mum: How are you liking it down the mine, Ken?

Ken: Oh it's not too bad, mum... we're using some new tungsten carbide drills for the preliminary coal-face scouring operations.

Mum: Oh that sounds nice, dear...

Dad: Tungsten carbide drills! What the bloody hell's tungsten carbide drills?

Ken: It's something they use in coal-mining, father.

Dad: (mimicking) 'It's something they use in coal-mining, father'. You're all bloody fancy talk since you left London.

Ken: Oh not that again.

Mum: He's had a hard day dear... his new play opens at the National Theatre tomorrow.

Ken: Oh that's good.

Dad: Good! good? What do you know about it? What do you know about getting up at five o'clock in t'morning to fly to Paris... back at the Old Vic for drinks at twelve, sweating the day through press interviews, television interviews and getting back here at ten to wrestle with the problem of a homosexual nymphomaniac drug-addict involved in the ritual murder of a well known Scottish footbailer· That's a full working day, lad, and don't you forget it!

Mum: Oh, don't shout at the boy, father.

Dad: Aye, 'ampstead wasn't good enough for you, was it? ... you had to go poncing off to BarnsIcy, you and yer coal-mining friends. (spits)

Ken: Coal-mining is a wonderful thing father, but it's something you'll never understand. Just look at you!

Mum: Oh Ken! Be careful! You know what he's like after a few novels.

Dad: Oh come on lad! Come on, out wi' it! What's wrong wi' me?... yet tit!

Ken: I'll tell you what's wrong with you. Your head's addled with novels and poems, you come home every evening reeling of Chateau La Tour...

Mum: Oh don't, don't.

Ken: And look what you've done to mother! She's worn out with meeting film stars, attending premieres and giving gala luncheons...

Dad: There's nowt wrong wi' gala luncheons, lad! I've had more gala luncheons than you've had hot dinners!

Mum: Oh please!

Dad: Aaaaaaagh! (clutches hands and sinks to knees)

Mum: Oh no!

Ken: What is it?

Mum: Oh, it's his writer's cramp!

Ken: You never told me about this...

Mum: No, we didn't like to, Kenny.

Dad: I'm all right! I'm all right, woman. Just get him out of here.

Mum: Oh Ken! You'd better go ...

Ken: All right. I'm going.

Dad: After all we've done for him...

Ken: (at the door) One day you'll realize there's more to life than culture. There's dirt, and smoke, and good honest sweat!

Dad: Get out! Get out! Get OUT! You ... LABOURER!

(Ken goes. Shocked silence. Dad goes to table and takes the cover off the typewriter.)

Dad: Hey, you know, mother, I think there's a play there .... get t'agent on t'phone.

Mum: Aye I think you're right, Frank, it could express, it could express a vital theme of our age...

Dad: Aye.

Good times :)

Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun

And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Christmas
War is over
For weak and for strong
If you want it
For rich and the poor ones
War is over
The world is so wrong
Now

And so Happy Christmas
War is over
For black and for white
If you want it
For yellow and red ones
War is over
Let's stop all the fight
Now

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Christmas
War is over
And what have we done
If you want it
Another year over
War is over
And a new one just begun
Now

And so Happy Christmas
War is over
I hope you have fun
If you want it
The near and the dear one
War is over
The old and the young
Now

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

War is over if you want it

War is over now

***
Merry Christmas, guys!

First day of holiday break!

Very happy that I can finally relax and just help out in preparing for Christmas.
I had fun on the last day of school, even though I wasn't feeling very well (thankfully I'm better today).
We had the hypnotist in the morning, like every year. This year I actually knew quite a few of the kids on stage, which made it all the more enjoyable. I had about 12 'favorite parts', but the highlights included:

• When those on stage were told that they had just won 500 million dollars, and Andrew picked up Joel and madly spun him around.
• When Sheilagh thought she was invisible and started to dance in front of us and ruffled Vi and Mitchell's hair
• When Prabal did the rap version of 'I'm a little tea pot' for "American Idol".
• When Cam thought he was Micheal Jackson and signed a grade eighters foot.

Good times we had.

After an insanely boring lunch hour we had the dance. I hate our school dances. Loud, crappy pop music with everyone doing their dance moves they learned off of MuchMusic. Vi and I don't exactly always feel comfortable there, we always kind of end up watching everyone else. So we decided to go up to the computer lab and play some online games... too much fun. We played 'SnowLine' with John for about two hours straight :P

All in all I had a grand time with my friends yesterday... thought I would share it with y'all :)

I shall be seeing you before the holiday... see ya then!

Sisters... and the holidays

Woohoo! Only a few more days until Christmas! I'm really excited because my sister who lives in Alaska came home on Monday! She brought her new boyfriend here with her for a few days before he had to go home to the States- ooer!

But at the same time I'm missing my oldest sister, who went to Ontario with her boyfriend and daughter for Christmas (to spend it with his family)... we miss you a lot! Without their witty commentary and Gabi climbing over everyone the season just doesn't seem right, our family seems very incomplete.

And then I feel really guilty as the sister who's closest in age to me embarrassed in front of everyone without realizing. I got pretty annoyed and avoided her while we were leaving. Then I get home and find the package containing the Christmas present from her that had arrived for me (a subscription to Shameless magazine). It reminded me of the day in summer where I first discovered the mag and we were hanging out reading it, having a great time... and now I want to call and apologize because I completely over reacted, but she's not home. I'll have to phone her later.
Argh... sibling relationships are so confusing, but I love my sisters SO much and I wouldn't trade them for the world :)

More Blogthings (I'm sorry! I'm addicted)

You Are a Snowman

Friendly and fun, you enjoy bringing holiday cheer to everyone you know!

What Christmas Ornament Are You?

You Are a Chocolate Chip Cookie

Traditional and conservative, most people find you comforting. You're friendly and easy to get to know. This makes you very popular - without even trying!

What Kind of Cookie Are You?

Your Holiday Personality is Social

For you, the holidays are all about spending time with people you love - and even those you kind of like. Host your own party - maybe even a few. Get people together for baking cookies, watching movies, and playing holiday charades.

How Should You Spend the Holidays?

Knowing our family there will be a lot of holiday cookies and movies... a lot :P

Just over a week 'til break!

Christmas concert yesterday... oh joy. I still have The Twelve Days Of Christmas stuck in my head. The percussionists did an awesome job in 'African Bell Carol', as well as in the jazz band. But I thnk the clarinets were cursed, as Josh, Shukri and I all broke our reeds on the same song. Good times.

So The Hour's over until January. I can't say that I'm too sad. See, this way I don't have to go through the mini debate whether to watch it (and sit through people like Hulk Hogan) or not watch it (and do something productive). But if I don't watch it I feel like I'm letting the blog down, and then Sheilagh fills my niche of telling all the George jokes (which I can't say I'm too comfy with).
But I don't really like the "new and improved" Hour... it's no longer the show I first really went for. But I guess things change.

My sister, her boyfriend, Gill and I played Pictionary afterschool today. We actually play it quite often in my family during the colder months, but this was the first time this season. We had tonnes of fun! It was a close game (I won by one point... teehee).

According to this quiz, I am 76% Canuck Certified... all that watching Bob and Doug MacKenzie has finally payed off, eh?

Christmas Blogthing!

You Are Rudolph

Sweet and shy, you tend to be happiest when you're making someone else happy. Why You're Naughty: You sometimes stick that nose where it doesn't belong Why You're Nice: Christmas would be a sad affair without you!

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

Awesome! I love Rudolph!

A lot of rambling about my school (that you probably don't care about :P)

Had an ok day today... although I was awful grumpy this morning.
How is everyone? Good I hope :)

Everything went well today, although all my classes were rather boring ones. French class was a huge laugh, as per norm, but one can expect that sitting behind Matt, diagonal from Katie, up the from Dylan, in direct line of site of CK, up the room from Andrew and Alec... let's just say we have a lot of funny kids in our French class :D

This is completely off topic, but has anyone seen the Macys commercial on TLC that has the techno version of 'From Me To You'? Stupid Micheal Jackson... Andrew joked that at least they didn't make a techno version of 'Hey Jude' (you should see his impression of it... very special :P)

Speaking of Andrew singing, band was another joyful experience of getting annoying songs stuck in your head. eg. Twelve Days Of Christmas with the percussionists "singing" in the background, or all the band boys humming Carpathian Sketches in French class. Ahhh...

Anyway, after school we went to the volleyball game... I had to leave before it was over. But from what I saw the boys' team beat the girls' team and the teachers beat the girls... C'est dommage that I didn't get to see the boys vs. teachers.

Anyway, I am off to gifts... I love being the elf!

Dear Google,

I apologize my dear Google, but I'm not the kind who welcomes change. So when I got your message to upgrade to Blogger Beta I was reluctant, but tempted nevertheless. I switched, and at first regretted it.
See I didn't like some of the new features, I wanted to switch back. Alas, I could not... but that was before I upgraded my template.
Now I bask in the joy of the ease of changing my blog's look! Why thank you dear Google for this opportunity!
While you may be slowly taking over the internet, you do come in handy when blogging... and writing Science essays.
So because of this offer, my dear, I hope I shall be seeing you more often.
Love, Becky

Gotta love that U of A!

So yesterday one of my sisters and I went up to the U of A to see The Be Good Tanyas.

The sister who took me has been a fan for quite a long time, and when she used to live at home I'd always hear her listening to their songs. I absolutely love their song 'The Littlest Birds' (which they put in a Zellers commercial... argh).

Anyway, we left home a little after 7 and got to SUB about 20 to 8. We sat amongst the university kids studying for exams (SUB is open 24/7 this time of year) and played cards.
Finally, after accidently skipping the ticket line and walking around the building to kill time, we got in and to our awesome seats. It was a few minutes before the opening act, Ora Cogan, came on.

She has such a beautiful voice. It was very folky, all slurred and calming. She sang a few songs (and laughed her hilarious laugh) before a few of the Be Good Tanyas' came on to join her for 2 songs.
After that was the intermission in which we played "barebones" style of Crazy 8s, compared socks with the incredibly funny guy sitting next to us, and basically displayed textbook examples of sibling rivalry.

Eventually the lights dimmed again and the band came on for real. They played songs off of all their albums 'Blue Horse', 'Chinatown' and the latest 'Hello Love'.
They played a lot of their slower songs, with some more up beat ones every now and again. But, as expected, their voices were absolutely wonderful.

When they left the stage about 2/3 through the set everyone thought they were leaving, but it just turned out that their drummer broke his snare drum (Oops :P). So they came back on and all was good.

The band members were all quite witty and such (great sentence), deciding whether to drink their water or their wine first, or joking about their current obsession with covering Neil Young songs. One of the best parts of the night was when they were talking about playing at the Royal Albert Hall, but how the Queen didn't come. Trish Klein then joked that Her Royal Highness did send a note saying that she loved the music and that some of her songs helped her through some tough times. Samantha Parton then started to play 'Blister In The Sun' and Frazey Ford did a little Queen wave... teehee :)

Their second last song was the one I know best, 'The Littlest Birds'. They had the special guest of an Edmontonion musician (whom I unfortunately didn't catch the name of) to play the banjo. They started to play with many cheers from the audience. A couple verses in a tall guy with dreadlocks walked across the stage and gestured toward the piano (the band had been inviting people who could play instruments up on stage, although he was the first one to actually take up the offer). The entire theatre was cheering for him, as being at the U of A almost everyone (including my sister) knew him. So he sat down and did a wicked piano solo.
I felt kind of bad for the guest banjo player, as it was kind of supposed to be his song, but he played an awesome bit with Trish Klein. Anyway, it kind of turned into an Edmonton jam session!

That, added with a bit of reminicing about our wonderful city and Bill Bourne, was about it. It ended at about 11:30, and with it ended their tour of Western Canada. C'est Dommage.

I had an awesome time! I apologize for this poorly written post, but I didn't get to sleep quite late last night, and I'm still a bit sore from the fitness tests gym yesterday...
Anyway, I might just go veg on the couch... or practice the guitar :) (all that folk music has inspired me to practice more often).
I'll be seeing you!

26 years

October 9, 1940- December 8, 1980

Just wanted to say...

Had a much better day today, thank goodness.
Math class was fun, chatting with Shelly and Andrew, the latter of which is also a Beatles fan. That started the day off with on a good note.

Anyway, I've been so busy not posting and/or ranting, I forgot to mention something very important!
As many of you know, the Stroumboulopouli came in 3rd as Best Group Blog in the Canadian Blog Awards! I just wanted to say thanks for everyone for voted, we really appreciate it!
It was my sister's birthday yesterday, and when I phoned up to Alaska (where she goes to school) one of the first things she said to me was "Congrats about the blog!". Apparently her roommate follows this sort of thing and informed her of the win... creepy (but in a good way) :)

Has anyone been watching Mark Kelley's 'Seven' on The National? So good. I don't have time to write about it now, but I'll make sure I do in the future, as it's really well done...

Well, I'd better be going... see ya later :)

Guess what I'm listening to.

I'm not watching The Hour right now. Want to know why? Yes? No? Maybe? Well I'll tell you anyway.
I was in a horrible mood today. A lot of things added up to give me one massive headache.
So I sit down in front of the TV to watch George, which I thought would surely cheer me up. So I do, and after a few minutes I'm watching 'The News'. They have a story about Jimmy Hendrix's guitar estimated to go for less that Paul McCartney's hand written lyrics at a recent rock n roll auction. George then says "Jimmy Hendrix never wrote sh*t like 'Hey Jude'."
I left the room.
I know it looks like I overreacted, and maybe I did. But George's jokes at the expense of others have really gotten on my nerves. Hearing him say that about that song was so frustrating. I'd already had a bad day I didn't need to hear that.
'Hey Jude' was Paul's song for Julian (John Lennon's son with first wife Cynthia Lennon) when John and Cynthia were going through an awful break-up. John was off with Yoko Ono, virtually ignoring his young son. John told the rest of the group to not communicate with Cynthia at all. Paul was the only one to ignore this, and when driving up to visit her and Julian he wrote "Hey Jules", which was then changed to "Hey Jude" (easier to sing).
I've always thought that was such a kind thing of Paul to do. Julian later said that he remembers Paul being around much more than John was during those times. I think of that whenever I hear the song.
But George decided to just call it crap and end it there.

So George, what do you have planned for Thursday, the day before the 26th anniversary of John Lennon's death? I'm sure it will be equally insulting as that Sean Lennon joke you told a couple of weeks ago. I'm sure.