Back on (flat) ground

Back in the prairies, which I'd have to say I missed... but I do love to travel, and I had a great time!
We went to Montreal and Toronto, both of which I enjoyed. I preferred Montreal this year, whereas last year I preferred TO (I think because the CBC building was new to me and I still really enjoyed The Hour).

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It was my fourth visit to Montreal... We stayed in the area between Downtown and Old Montreal, right by Chinatown. Perfect location, as you can walk to all the places we wanted to go from there.
One awesome moment took place when we were walking down Rue St Paul in Old Montreal taking photos of the beautiful architecture. I was ahead, and guess who comes around the corner. Andre Boisclair (leader of the PQ party)! I don't agree with some his politics, but I recognized him right and away and kind of froze. I didn't even get a photo... c'est dommage. But I saw him later on TV wearing the same tie... (alert the media :P)

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We went to Toronto by train... there was quite a contrast. We spent Sunday in Montreal, meaning there were people talking to neighbours on steps, sitting besides their bikes on the sidewalk reading, or hanging out with friends on balconies. We arrive in Toronto on Monday, right around the end of the work day. This means the mass migration of people dressed all in black to the GoTrain station. No laughing, no socializing at all, just walking as quickly as you black pumps could take you. (As you could imagine, I preferred Montreal at that moment.)

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A highlight was going out to Wards Island, which was like a vacation while on vacation. It was a nice break from the busy city... It was a lot like being on Vancouver Island, very relaxing. There were swans, angry geese, lots of friendly people. And I saw my first wild snake. I know, you think I'm a complete city girl, but I've never seen one at the family farm, and the far north and the mountains don't really lend themselves to slithering (lots of needles). But the island was quite beautiful, and provided an awesome view of downtown TO.

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And then yesterday we took the plane home to our beloved Edmonton. I'm glad to be back with my entire family again! Yesterday I just enjoyed just relaxing and getting back into the rhythm of daily life... today I have to deal with homework... fun fun!

A lot to say...

On Tuesday I'll have been blogging for a year. I most likely won't be able to get on the net to blog then, so I'll say it now.
I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for making my blogging experience thusfar a blast! There have certainly been ups and downs, but I'm so glad I've met such an awesome group of people that I have here on blogger... it's been a good year! I'll continue to blog and hopefully continue to build my blogging skills (my first posts were awfully sad). I've grown quite a bit as a person, and all of you have helped me do that and I really wanted to say thanks!

Took this picture earlier while in line at Tim Hortons. I'm going to be seeing a lot more of Tims in the next few weeks... and Subway, too... know what that means? No, I'm not doing the Canadian verson of Supersize Me...
That's right, it's time for the third annual trip down east! I leave on Monday. Very excited! This weekend is going to be a lot of packing, iPod uploading, etc.


And because I wanted some "new" music for the trip. I've gotten out The Beatles' Love out from the EPL. I had mixed feelings about the remixing of their music, but listening to it now, I realize the project was in good hands (those of the genius George Martin and his son Giles). When I got home my dad and I (whom I inherited my love for The Beatles from) sat down and listening to the CD figuring out what had been changed and whether we liked it. It gets the Becky and father four thumbs up :P

That's it for now... I'll see post again when I get back. I'll miss reading your guys' blogs, but I'll look forward to catching up when I get back. I hope everyone has a good couple of weeks!

Why do all the good shows end so soon?

Although this show ended a while ago, the loss of such a good show saddens me.
If you haven't already figured out, I finally saw the series finale of Arrested Development today... As usual, hilarious!
I first got hooked on the show last year when my sister lent me some of the first season. She and her boyfriend are big Arrested Development fans, and own all three seasons. Anyway, I didn't get the chance to watch the entire set due to busy holiday schedules, etc.
CBC then started showing it and I started watching again... they aired the final episode today, and I loved it! (But not the ending part... maybe it's a good thing it didn't drag on too much.) I've still only seen about 2/3 of the shows, so I have some catching up to do... maybe I can steal them from my sister dearest :P

Musical ramblings...

Ugh. We had immunization first thing today at school. This resulted in my being totally out for the entire day. I made a fool of myself only, oh let's see... 6 times was it? Maybe not six, but I totally looked like a fool on several occasions. I'm usually pretty klutzy in the head, but I was extra bad today...
But I shall take comfort in my Simon & Garfunkel. I got out the entire collection of recordings, from '62 to '70, from the library. Those 8 years to me produced some of the best music of the 20th century. The Beatles are another example. Just after the early rock and roll, and just before disco... awesome!

Anyway, so I'm just hanging out pondering Paul Simon's decision to take 'Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.' and rework it to become the more upbeat 'Somewhere They Can't Find Me'. Both of them begin with the same eight lines:

I can hear the soft breathing

Of the girl that I love,

As she lies here beside me

Asleep with the night,

And her hair, in a fine mist

Floats on my pillow,

Reflecting the glow

Of the winter moonlight.

Paul Simon is quite a genius... a couple of weeks ago CBC showed the tribute for him at last years Montreal Jazz Festival. I wish I had been there... all I remember of the time I went to Jazz Fest was the mainstage being really bright and walking back to the hostel really late with my mom. I was very small, as you can imagine.

Anyway... I'd better go read. I still don't have Citizen of the World finished. I just haven't really had the time. But I have to get it done for our trip, it's too large to carry around... also I have a long line of paperback Agatha Christie novels to read in my free time down east!

Remember Ryan Smyth...

It's quite sad. All I've ever known for the Oilers is Ryan Smyth, he's played for them since I was two. He's my Smyth homeboy!
After hearing the news last night I made a button in his honour (please don't mind the poor picture quality)...
And I must admit, when he said that he wanted to win the Stanley cup and bring back to Edmonton, because "that's where his heart is", I got a bit teary eyed.
Funny how I get so worked up over hockey... but it really is a big part of our city. We don't have the greatest team, we'll admit it, but it's still a large part of the city's identity. We've had Gretzky and Messier, and now Smyth, get traded at their prime. All of them have expressed how much they love our city (not to mention Claire Martin :P). It just makes you thankful in a way that you can stay in your much-loved home. I might leave someday, but until then I'll just be happy that I can keep on living here, even if all the good hockey players can't.

A new generation of politics

I hate to be political on this blog, but I find the prospect of Justin Trudeau in politics quite exciting. I've been a fan for a while now, I really love the work he does with giving youth a voice (only 3 more years until I can be a part of Katimavik!). He also does a lot of great work involving the environment and Darfur.
If he does win the Papineau riding (the smallest and poorest riding in Canada) I look forward to his fresh look at politics. We have a lot of aged men representing Canada, hopefully Trudeau could breathe new life into Parliament Hill. Now if we could only get more women who wouldn't end up being called dogs and becoming centerfolds in 'Scoop Weekly'.

Rebel, rebel

Friday at lunch I skipped (with permission, sadly) Art to see Rae Spoon at the SUB stage on the U of A campus. It was a free show, and seeing as my sisters and I love his music, a must.

It was a lot of fun! He has a beautiful voice and was very sweet. I think my sister and I's favorite part was when he sang 'Oil Rigs', our fave song of his. All in all good times!



Not much else happening in other news... tis very snowy here, but at the same time warm and beautiful. At times it seems too warm, which is disconcerning. I suppose we'll all do our part in minimizing our footprint and hope/push the government to do the same.

My Heroes

Now I'll have to make a "Beware Of The Milky Pirate" button :P

The beauty of the internet

It was one year ago today that I went down to Calgary and met George while he was on the road with The Hour. It doesn't feel like that long at all! It feels like it was last month... anyway, we all know how I feel about the show now, although tonight they had a really good interview with Chris Hedges, about the Christian right's similarities to 20th Century fascism. He's very articulate and it's definitely worth watching here!

I haven't been able to watch as much Colbert and Stewart as I would like lately, due to the TV schedule on Comedy Network, but thankfully my sister sent me this. I laughed so hard :D Colbert owned O'Reilly!
Good times, good times.

Indecision 2007

I find myself very confused about high schools today. My whole life I've planned to go to High School A, but recently I've been more and more leaning towards High School B.
High School A has a really good IB program, and that's where my sisters went. But I only know a few kids who are going there, and since I'm out of district I'm not sure if I'll be able to get in (you're techinically supposed to be able to go into their IB program even if you aren't in their district, but all the kids from the suburbs who don't have any other school are getting in first).
High School B has a comparable AP program, which might not be quite as good as IB, but still pretty well put together. I know I'd be able to get in, as I'm in the district. It's also close, and is the feeder school for my current school.
What made me realize was a conversation in French class, where Vi said she hated our current school and would be happy to not see any of the kids in it again. I was upset to find out that she disliked where we go and she explained that she was made to go there, and while she was happy to make Gill, Sheilagh and I as friends, she was sad to leave all her other good friends. I grew up with a group of kids, most of which go to our current school. We were all really close in elementary, but once we got to junior high we spilt up. But now I'm getting close to them again, and if I go to high school A It'll be hard to keep those friendships going.
It's all very confusing! I want to talk about it with my family and close friends before I make a decision. Anyway, it's helpful to be able to writer everything down here!