|
|
|
June 30th, 2008
11:26 am - I put a monkey on a pedestal
Here's a little Fringe Festival preview wot I wrote. I'll definitely be checking out most of Derrick Chua's best bets (he was annoyed that I made him whittle it down to five, but I'm glad I asked him, because our lists are very similar and I am very into myself).
And while you're reading about what other people think you should see, check out Kelly's picks. He knows Fringe.
Other shows I will be checking out include Fart Factory: The Musical by my dear friends Kristen McGregor and Taylor Wilson. It's a kids show, so it's at the Palmerston. There is a good chance you will get a free whoopee cushion if you go. Just saying.
Oh, and Jimmy Hogg's A Short History of Petty Crime at the Comedy Bar. Jimmy was my venue-mate last summer and he is one funny dude. Serious. I'm not just saying that because he bought me beer at the Fringe Club and then one time we randomly ended up at a Trooper concert together. You should see his show. You might end up at a Trooper concert.
What Fringe shows are you excited about? The day after tomorrow! It's not just a terrible ecological disaster movie! It's also when the Fringe starts!
|
June 24th, 2008
09:45 am - Many a thing you know you'd like to tell her
"I have a comprehensive knowledge of American musicals. Most people don't know that about me." - Isaac, from Sports Night
Since that statement is only half true for me, I'm sure no one is surprised by my minor obsession with the CBC's new show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? I just watched last night's first results show, and HOLY SHIT I can't believe they make the dismissed girl sing the fucking So Long, Farewell song. That is some cruel, cruel shit - even Gavin Crawford thought so. Did you see how awkwardly he gestured to the humiliating musical number that was about to happen? Yikes. However, Alison Jutzi handled herself with extremely impressive grace and charm. I would have burst into tears and raced out of the building without even changing out of that ridiculous dress.
|
June 23rd, 2008
12:19 pm - When I have a brand new hair-do
This is the best.
"The girl with a hat is sure to be rated a good notch above a hatless competitor, because she has made the extra effort to finish off her costume."
|
June 18th, 2008
01:16 pm - Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow
Jezebel has a clip of Rachel Ray complaining about obese pets. First of all, Rachel Ray's voice makes my ears bleed. Second of all, annoying commenters, having a fat cat does not necessarily constitute "animal abuse".
Anyone who has been to my house (or seen pictures of my cats) knows that one of my cats (the aptly named Max) is about the fattest guy around. He weighs at least 25 pounds (but he has a tiny little head and this adorable squeak of a meow). The vet worries for him. We worry for him. But his weight has more to do with his metabolism than with how much he eats (we do not overfeed him).
Max was a stray. In the winter of 2002, this adorable, friendly little kitty came poking around our house, rubbing up against our legs, and trying to run inside or jump in the car whenever the opportunity arose. He wasn't microchipped and there were no missing kitty signs up around the neighbourhood, so we figured he'd been abandoned by some family. It was freezing outside, and it was also my sister's birthday, and he was so cute and sweet that my parents caved and we took him in, gave him a bath, and named him Max (my dad's always wanted a cat named Max).
We fed Max a normal, healthy amount of food, but he tripled in size within about eight months. For real. I think he was starving, and his metabolism just freaked out at having a normal amount of food on a regular basis. There is absolutely nothing we can do to get Max to lose weight. We tried to put him on a diet once, and it just made him so miserable and anxious, and did nothing to help him lose weight.
I feel very defensive about this, because we are not irresponsible pet owners. We just have a cat who is the size of a tank.
|
12:10 pm - Don't blame it on the sunshine
You need to watch this video. Especially between 5:40 and 6:25. You will see the greatest dancing partnership of all time (aka Toronto tap darling Shawn Byfield and my mom's 95-year-old friend Kitty Cohen).
|
June 16th, 2008
09:19 am - Thought of you and where you'd gone
Don't worry, it is impossible for a white person to turn down the opportunity to proofread.
I also have very strong feelings about the Oxford comma. (I'm in favour of it, despite (or maybe due to) working for a publication which disdains its use.)
|
June 10th, 2008
11:41 am - Reasonable doubt
I had a fancypants lunch at Osgoode Hall (seared tuna - delicious!) last week with a few of the Jurors from 12 Angry Men. (Including Richard "John Boy Walton" Thomas.) I'm seeing the show tonight - I'm especially excited for this because in high school I played Juror #8. Nostalgia time!
|
June 3rd, 2008
09:45 pm - Worked on a farm, got some muscle in my arm
In honour of Natalia, who I miss a lot, go watch this video.
Natalia says that The Hoff is pretty sure this performance is what brought down the Berlin Wall.
|
06:00 pm - But you can learn how to play the game
It's June now. Here are some ways I spent my time at the end of May (and also on the first day of June):
-Hoping that Shia LeBoeuf gets cast as Danny Zuko in the Broadway revival of Grease
-Thinking about Rachel Corrie
-Being terrified (in a good way! go see the show!) by Minotaur
-Loving National Tap Dance Day (where else can you see hot young Sean Byfield tap dance joyfully with adorable 95-year-old Kitty Cohen?)
-Teaching children how to write poetry at the very last second at gorgeous new Type books on the Danforth
-Seeing that shoe movie that opened on Friday
-Eating bacon (what else is new?)
|
May 26th, 2008
12:03 pm - A letter in your bag for me
Here is what I am supposed to be doing: Not playing this TOTALLY ADORABLE game about a penguin waitress. Listen to the cute little way they say "hello" when they are ready to order? It's ridiculous.
You're welcome.
|
May 24th, 2008
11:42 am - I cleaned it yesterday
More stuff I love: Annex Edition
I love that people still line up for Honest Ed's on Saturday mornings.
I love the window displays at Sonic Boom, especially when they involve astronauts.
I love pink plastic flamingos on a lawn.
|
May 23rd, 2008
01:43 pm - Bzzzzzz
Oh yeah! I forgot to post this link last weekend: My story for the Post about urban beekeeping.
Unfortunately, my favourite part of the article - a sidebar about how you can encourage solitary bees in your own garden - was cut for space. So you can have it here:
Keeping Your Backyard A-buzz
“Bees are an excellent indicator of the state of the environment,” says Dr. Laurence Packer, a biology professor at York University who specializes in solitary bees (as opposed to the social, honey-making kind). “If the bees are thriving, that’s a good sign for the rest of us.” The same is true on a smaller scale: bees are good for your garden and your garden is good for bees. There are over 100 species of solitary bees buzzing around Toronto, cross-pollinating everything from flowers to veggies, and a good thing too: without them, tomatoes wouldn’t be as juicy and flowers wouldn’t bloom as large. Even though they won’t make any honey for you, encouraging solitary bees, who rarely sting, is a great way to stimulate the mini ecosystem in your own backyard. Here are some of Dr. Packer’s tips on how:
-plant simple native flowers and plants like black-eyed susans, goldenrod, asters and raspberry bushes
-keep your garden free of pesticides
-put an old wooden structure in the yard where the bees can nest (best to keep this away from the house)
-mulch as little as possible, since plenty of bees like to nest in the bare ground
|
12:44 pm - Bright copper kettles
I don't know if this is an official meme or anything, but ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) fierceflawless says lots of people are posting pictures of things they love today. So here we go:
Old-timey businesses and their old-timey signs.
Freezies! (But not this picture of me. Yikes.)
Beekeepers.
Boats. And harbours.
|
May 21st, 2008
03:46 pm - The greeks are taught their greek
I'm trying to learn some basic Dutch and I've got a book that is teaching me all about Piet and his eetkamer (there's a lot of kaas and brood op de tafel). Anyway, I just learned something that instantly made Dutch my favourite language of all time:
The word for bedroom is slaapkamer.
I'm 12, apparently.
|
10:55 am - Rock me sexy Jesus
Have you been sitting around, wishing I would expound on the wonders of community theatre? Your wish is granted.
|
May 14th, 2008
12:24 am - After A and before C
Bee Update:
See that business in that middle hole there? That's a mud plug. Which means someone's moving in! Go bees go!!
|
May 7th, 2008
05:18 pm - The gift was ours to borrow
Your Mario Lopez link of the day. I want this guy's job, reporting on Mario Lopez' alleged bicep envy. Awesome.
|
May 5th, 2008
02:43 pm - Won't my mommy be so proud of me
Welcome to today's installment of Things You Never Knew Were Legislated!
From the Ontario Bees Act (there's an Ontario Bees Act!):
Where a swarm of bees leaves a hive and settles in an occupied hive owned by a person other than the owner of the swarm, the owner of the swarm loses all right of property in the swarm.
So, if your bees abandon you, tough shit.
Also,
No person shall obstruct the Provincial Apiarist, Assistant Provincial Apiarist or an inspector in the performance of their duties or furnish them with false information
Don't mess with the Provincial Apiarist!
This has been Things You Never Knew Were Legislated!
|
12:29 pm - Do not fuck with the Jesus
This is Toronto's cutest bowling alley. ( Look! )
|
|
|
