Things that make me go hmmm?

Me this morning. Me every morning. Source: who knows.

Hi faithful readers of five. I'm here at work (not technically working), watching the snowmageddon arrive in my fair city. I feel like making random comments/questions/musings/ramblings about the world-at-large (mostly political). The things that make me go hmmmm.....

• I have heard the Progressive Conservatives of Alberta describe the Wild Rose Party of Alberta as extremists. If that is the case, then why did you let that element rest in your party for 30+ without censure, constraint or expulsion? Don't you have yourselves to blame for the party that emerged? Hmmmmm....
• I have heard the Wild Rose Party of Alberta describe the Progressive Conservatives as corrupt. Really? You sure enjoyed the hand that fed you for 30+ years without complaint. I guess as long as you don't get to share in the pork, then it's an issue. Hmmmm....
• Interesting debates about meals costs for politicians and health care executives. On some instances, sure the complaints are legitimate. But do we honestly think that you can have a meal for two under $50.00 in Edmonton anymore? Do people think that they should go for meals to McDonald's? Hmmm.....
• If I hear one more squawk about how awful the National Energy Policy was for Alberta in the 80's, immabout to lose my sh*t. First off, can we all deliberately ignore what was going on in the rest of the world that probably had a larger effect on the price of oil and gas? Also, it's been 30+ years. Policies have come and gone. Alberta is doing more than fine now. In fact, are we not now pushing for a national energy policy by our own conservative/federal conservative government? You can call it under any name you want now, but it is essentially the same type of policy. Hmmm......
• Let's stop pretending that any vote for Justin Trudeau as a leader of the Liberal Party of Canada is because of any policy ideas he is putting forth, and more to do with the fact that he is a Trudeau, and a handsome one at that. Hmmmm....
• On that note, how long will it take before anyone in the Liberal Party of Canada realize that Marc Garneau is the best possible leader of the current hopefuls? Will it be too late? Hmmmm....
• Why do we complain about how early Christmas music is released onto the public? I remember Christmas music blaring in the malls in November when I was a kid. So why are we all acting like this is some sort of new phenomenon? Hmmmm....
• Why do we treat Advent like Lent? It is not the same. One is a joyful period of anticipation. The other is a solemn period of anticipation. While we are always to be mindful and reflective of our interior selves, we don't need to treat Advent like a funeral. Hmmmm....
• How much privacy and platform changes will we truly accept from Facebook before enough truly becomes enough? Hmmmm.....
• Can we all agree that TWITTER = Total Waste (of) Intellect, Time, Talent, Energy and Resources? So let's stop pretending that we are intellects in 140 characters. Hmmmm.....
• For that matter, why do people act like self-proclaimed experts on all subjects on social media? Hey, I can pull a quote from a Google search too. A fact doesn't always trump a viewpoint based on personal experiences. Let's stop pretending our "facts" don't stem from a personal bias. I can hunt down any "fact" to support my bias too. Hmmmmm.....
• Can we all stop pretending that Gordon Lightfoot's performance at the CFL half-time show was any good? I get it. He is a legend. But it was not good. He needs to retire his guitar. Hmmmm....
• Speaking of not good, did the organizers of the CFL half-time show really think that those who like Justin Bieber would become fans of the CFL? Are you kidding me? Do you know the audience this boy attracts? More importantly, do you know your audience?  Hmmm....
• On that note, whoever decided that Gordon Lightfoot and Justin Bieber would be good CFL half-time entertainment should have tossed that plan in the garbage and booked Rush and Trooper. Surely they aren't busy these days? Hmmmmm....
• Now that Nascar, Baseball and CFL are over, sports TV suckssssssss! Hmmmmmmm......
• Is there anything good on TV anymore that doesn't involve "reality" TV and singing/dancing/food competitions? Hmmmm.......
• Why can't I get frozen borscht from the grocery aisle? Hmmmm....
• If men celebrate Movember for prostate cancer research, can I propose that women celebrate Janu-hairy for ovarian cancer research? I will gladly not shave my legs for a month. Hmmm......
• I will say this once: please stop playing Last Christmas by Wham EVERY FREAKING HOUR. It is stupid. Replace Christmas with any word and the song applies. "Last Ramadan, I gave you my heart...", "Last election day, I gave you my heart..." Adding the word Christmas randomly does not a Christmas song make. Hmmmm....
• For that matter, I'm tired of radio stations switching to an all Christmas music format. Can't you just slip some Christmas songs in between Careless Whisper and Boys of Summer? Hmmm....

There you go. I sound kind of angry. I am a bit owly today. I blame waking up. I had a nice warm blanket, was in dream land, and then woke up to an alarm clock with Christmas music. Bastard world!

Friday's Top Five: Things I Love and Will Miss about The Olympics

Hello faithful readers of five! I want to introduce you to a new weekly theme - with a twist! Every week, I will post a list of top five things. They will be a list of five things on a variety of topics. The twist is, I will be posting my independent thoughts and opinions on the same topic as my blogger (and bestest) friends, Joanne (and on occasion, Junior).  So once you are done reading my blog, head on over to A Cup of Jo and Juice With Junior to see their perspectives! Leave comments if you wish on what we have posted. Comments are like a She-ra sword in our world.  {Editor Note: Due to a previous committment involvling caftans and John Cena, Junior will not participate in this week's theme}

Without much further ado, here are a list of five reasons why I love and will miss the Olympics! {Insert fanfare and trumpets here}.

5) The Opening (& Closing) Ceremonies:  There is something about Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies that instill pride and national embarassment. On the one hand, you get an opportunity to see a hosting nations culture on display and for the most part, you can't help but feel a sense of patriotic pride, even on behalf of a country you don't in which you don't live. On the other hand, for the citizen of said hosting nation, these ceremonies can occastionaly dabble in what I love to call 'did-they-just-do-that-omg-i'm-so-embarassed' moments.  Take the Whister Winter Olympics in 2010 for example. I was stoked to see Wayne Gretzky carry the torch. But then they brought out the big giant beavers at the closing ceremonies. Makes for great fun if you are playing a drinking game. Or just drinking. Or possibly smoking some wacky tobaccy. The London 2012 Summer games had moments of pure brilliance (The Queen/James Bond scene) and moments where I went "huh?" Yes, I am talking to you Annie Lennox. Good or bad, awsome or awesomely funny, they bring excitement at the beginning, and sadness at the end. And because I won this year's self-imposed drinking game, I think they rock.

4) Everyone is either a sports expert or a comedian in 40 characters or less: When I reluctantly joined Twitter, I didn't think that it would lead to an enhanced experience of my Olympic watching. Boy was I wrong. I got to expereince the Olympics in a whole new way. A lot of olympians had twitter accounts, so it was fun to see the experience through their viewpoint and pictures. Their joy, sadness and emotions were out there for all to see. Then there are what I like to call the arm-chair athletes, who all-of-a-sudden became experts at sports they never watch on any given day in any other year. Oh, the injustice of a referee making a call on a legitimate rule! #aretheyeffingidiots? Then there is the excitement when our country wins a medal, or "our" athlete is trending!

But the best part for me personally? Watching the closing ceremonies with my tweeps and more importantly, finding the fake account of the Queen. {Handle: Queen_UK}. Here are a sample of tweets that had me laughing:

• There's only One Direction one wants to see these little girls heading and that's the exit. {referring to the band One Direction}
• The whole world inside the Union Flag. Brings back memories.
• It's all about the money to be fair. {referring to Jessie J's performance}
• Those Rolls Royce better come back clean or one will have someone's balls on a silver plate, one can assure you.

3) Exposure to obscure sports:  To be fair, anything outside of hockey in Canada is probably considered an obscure sport. With the summer Olympics however, obscure sports takes on a whole new meaning. One day, I was at home, slumming in my pj's, thinking to myself "geez I wish I was athletic" as I noshed away on some junk food. And I turn on the t.v. and see a group of athletes walking through the streets of London, walking like they have to go to the bathroom or they will have an ass-plosion.  WTF?  Turns out speed walking is a qualified Olympic sport. Who knew? But I could not turn the TV to another channel! I had to watch to see if Deng* would beat Hong* to be the supreme speed walker of China. Would Razimanof* from Russia make a burst of speed? Whoa-where the hell did that french guy LePeu* come from? It made for some intense stuff my friends. Intense stuff.  {*may or may not be their actual name}

The ultimate exposure came one day when my loving husband and I were lazing around in our pj's (a common theme of the Olympic watching experience). We turn the channel, and there are these horses, kind of prancing around in a picket-fence enclosed spot. What in the name of the wee donkey is this? Well it turns out, there is a sport called Dressage. Have you ever heard of that? Me neither. It's sort of like me at Zumba, but slower and more graceful, and with a horse. Riveting stuff my friends (I say as I drink my port wine, pinkie extended).

I love it when I get the chance to watch obscure sports. And the Olympics are the only stage in which I am likely to do so.

 

2) When athletes achieve their/our personal best or overcome obstacles: There is this natural obsession that happens when the world meets to compete - the desire to win the most medals (especially gold ones). While that is admirable, a medal count or an athlete winning a medal doesn't inspire me as much as it maybe should. For the majority of countries (Canada included in some sports), the government (vis-a-vis the people) do not place athletic competition as a priority. In powerhouses like China and USA, state of the art facilities are built. But in most countries, athletes are lucky if they have a local gym. It's hard to believe that in a country like Canada, some athletes train out of church basements because that is all they have.

With this in mind, and the fact that we compete against 302 other countries, we should not be disappointed when our athletes don't medal. We especially should be cheering them on loudly when they do their personal best or rank higher than expected for certain events. If Canada places in the top 10 in things like gymnastics, that's a pretty big freaking deal. When we place top 8 in running against countries like Jamaica, most African countries, and the USA, that is a pretty big freaking deal. If an up-and-coming athlete does their personal best, that is a pretty big freaking deal and bodes well for future competitions. Heck, even if we place last place, they are doing better than us who sit on the couch. We need to look beyond medals, and recognize and celebrate athletic achievement for what it is.

It is particularly inspiring though, when an athlete overcomes huge obstacles (such as gender for the Saudi Arabian female athletes) or disability (like South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius, a double amputee) and competes on the world stage. Oscar Pistorius ran with carbon legs people. That's a pretty big freaking deal. Sarah Attar, a female from Saudi Arabia competed, covered in a burka from head-to-toe. That's a pretty big freaking deal. An American athlete continued to compete in a relay race with a broken leg. A BROKEN LEG! That's a pretty big freaking deal. Canadian athlete Paula Findlay finished a race in last place with a painful hip injury. She was hurt, but she finished. That's a pretty big freaking deal.

I love pretty-big-freaking-deals I tell yeah. I do.

1) The Agony of Defeat: There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that stirs our collective national pride like close-call defeats. You want to get Canada's knickers in a bunch? Don't win a gold, as exciting as that is. Lose an important medal-contention event in a controversial manner! Then watch Canadians come together in a collective chorus of national identity.

When the Canadian women's soccer team lost a semi-final match because of a controversial call, all of a sudden, the bronze medal soccer match was the sport to watch. All of a sudden, a barely watched sport became Canada's national sport event. Tempers were flaring over a perceived or real botched-call (I'm no soccer expert so what do I know if it was fair or not?). So it was IMPORTANT that we win a bronze medal. Our country pride was on the line. Canada held their collective breath and then cheered as if we had won gold.

When Canada's 4x100 men's relay team won the bronze, most of Canada was pretty stoked for a few minutes. But when they were disqualified for what seemed like a tiny mistake, we were collectively distraught and heart broken. And after that disbelief, we rallied, as a nation should, behind our guys. We rallied behind Jared Connaughton when he stepped up and accepted blame for stepping on the line, the heartache clear. We rallied behind them and cheered them on, knowing in our hearts that they were winners.

Maybe we rally because we see ourselves when defeat happens. Maybe we can all relate on a personal level when your dreams are snatched away at the decision of others. Or when you don't quite feel like you are professionally or personally where you want to be. Or maybe, just maybe, it is because as a country we feel disconnected from each other, and the Olympics give us a collective experience to share.

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There's my list folks. There are other reasons, but hot Olympic men isn't the most appropriate thing that a newly married women should blog about.

Be sure to go visit my homie Joanne at A Cup of Jo, where she shares her Friday Five Olympic moment.

And leave comments. Remember: comments are my She-ra sword!

What are your top five moments?

Military Poem: In Flander's Field

This poem is an institution in Canada. In fact, i'm willing to bet that adult over the age of 20 can recite this poem verbatim. I have my thoughts about the Poppy as symbol which I am saving for a different blog. But in the meantime, really read the words and reflect on what it means to you.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead.

Short days ago we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)

When You Go Home.

Quote: When you go home, tell them of us and say, for their tomorrow, we gave our today.

I have a friend who is in the Canadian Army. And while our friendship stemmed from the most unusual and funny of circumstances, he is a friend all the same.

And I'm not going to lie. Everytime I hear on the news that another Canadian Soldier has passed away, a part of me prays it's not him. It is the simple reality if you have a friend or a loved one in the military....for a brief second, you stop, pause and pray when the news comes on.

I would like to say that it is a relief when I find out it's not him. But that is simply not the case. Because the reality is that I realize that somewhere there is a person grieving for the lost of their friend and loved one. There is no solace in that.

It's easy to remove one's self from the war and argue the merits of our engagement in said war. But what should never be argued is that when a soldier dies, that loss for the friend, spouse, parent or child is our loss too.

If a country and the freedoms it posesses' are based on ideals, then someone must stand for and represent those ideals.

We take for granted that we will always be able to wake up at our leisure, go about our day, and come home. We take for granted that we can speak freely, express our opinions and desires; that there will be a venue to do so and listen to those opinions.

But for many citizens of the world, that's just not a reality. I can argue the merits of a conflict, and the excuses behind them. But what I can never argue is that the rights we are afforded should be an option for all the worlds people. It's not up to me to tell them to take that option, but the option they must have none the less.

And our military, for good are bad, are the ultimate symbol of those ideals. Soldiers represent our voices. They represent our dreams. They don't just protect our physical selves. They protect our spiritual and mental selves too. Our freedom is not perfect. We as a country will never agree. But the fact that we don't have to is a testament to the brave men and women of today and yesteryears who stepped up to the call to protect our ideals we so cherish.

It is instinctual to want to protect those you love and hold most dearest, like your friends and family. But how many of us will be willing to put our life on the line to make sure all Canadians will be able to do the same?

And I will leave you with my final thougths: Remember tomorrow what is sacrified today. Thank the soldier who goes about his way.

*Dani's note: This is the kick off to military week! I can't wait to hear your thoughts. *

Literary Masterpieces in Canada...aka...why I feel like the village idiot.

Selecting a book to read in Canada is like shopping for cream at the grocery store. You could go buy the mediocre american made cream. Or you can spend a fortune for the fresh cream milked straight from the cows teet, the cow having rested in a bed of clouds and fed only the finest grain of the land.

That's kind of like books. You could buy the mediocre American books full of frivolty and chick lit. Or you can truly aspire to read books of the sophisticae elite and read Canadian Literature.

Our authors win stuff. Lots of stuff. If there is a literary book prize, our authors are usually on the short list with a high chance of winning.

Canada is blessed with the likes of Mordechai Richler, Margaret Atwood, Rohinton Minstry, Micheal Ondaatje and company.

I read Chatelaine's annual summer book list "must -reads" and there are always a handful of Canadian books listed. There is the CBC's website which lists all these great books. And when viewers can comment, they always list books by Canadian authors with the smug knowledge that not only have they read them, but that all the other readers who comment on that book on are "in the know".

Then there is me. I can't pretend anymore. I have not read many Canadian books. I feel ashamed to admit this, but I shop for generic cream. I have these great intentions of reading these literary masterpieces, but 9 times out of 10, I reach for a romance or something equally low brow.

Here we are, in the land of talent. And while I can identify who is a Canadain author, I cannot admit ot having read many Canadian books. I yearn for the expensive cream so that I can be 'in the know', but I opt for the cheap stuff each time.

This summer, it will be different.....I am going to read ever "must -read" can-lit book so that I can join the ranks of smug book snobs. I am up for the challenge.
This year, excluding whatever books are in my book club, I am going to ready 50 Canadian Books. Operation Dani wants to be a Can-Lit Book Snob commences!

Stomping Tom Connors, where have you been all my Life? *Canada Week Post*

In honour of my Canadian ways, I am dedicating the next week or so of posts to all things Canadian! Yes mon amies. I will post all things about what it is to be Canadian and the joys (and sometimes pitfalls) that comes with being a hoser.

I was inspired the other day when I was sitting with mom and there was a Stomping Tom Connors show on (filmed in '73...when it was cool to be Canadian). The above link is the actual movie we watched. Of course, I promptly (and politely) went to the Wee Book Inn to barter for some CD's of Stomping Tom. I am not ashamed of my blatent geekiness. In fact, this might be the first time that the sales guy actually looked to me with that "you are so cool" instead of the usual scorn I get when I buy CD's from hippies. But I digress.

For those who don't know, Stomping Tom Connors is an institution. He is one of those iconic symbols. He is as proud a Canadian. In fact, did you know that he returned all of his Juno (a Canadian equiv. of the AMA award) in protest because he felt the Juno's were honouring to many forign acts. He also is going to be featured on an upcoming stamp. His life story is beyond cool. See this link -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stompin'_Tom_Connors

His songs are totally funny hokey. He was a comedian singer long before the likes of Dennis Leary and Adam Sandler. In fact, I would say it was because of him that the genre became popular at all. Plus, you have to love the guy that gave us the hockey song, our unofficial third anthem.

He's the kind of guys that just takes random thoughts in his head and turns it into a folk song. Does't matter what the topic (potatos, ketchup, hocky, drunk whores), if it's good enough to ponder, it's good enough to sing.

If fact, check out but some of his songs on You Tube (search Stomping Tom Connors).

So to Stomping Tom Connors, I salute you!