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February 28 PUPPIES - How to choose???How on earth is my sister going to choose between these two adorable border collie puppies??? February 26 Funny SongIf you have RealMedia player, you can listen to the song from the link below - otherwise, here are the lyrics...
The Complaints Choir concept began with two Finnish artists who were working in Birmingham, England. They pulled together the first ever Complaints Choir. Then Helsinki and Hamburg started one. As it Happens hosts Carol Off and Barbara Budd,who introduced the choir on the air, gathered close to eighty singers in the Glen Gould theatre in Toronto on February 21, 2007 to sing the song that was written from the hundreds of complaints sent in by CBC listeners. The composer/lyricist is Eric Robertson, who accompanies on the piano. The choir’s conductor is Kelly Galbraith. As It Happens Canadian Complaints Choir V ERSE 1:I just think that you ought to know, Canada leaves me feeling low; Winter slush; people Who don’t flush; passport Applications that are slow: Chorus Why are my feet so cold - tell me why do… My hands feel so numb? I hate plastic bags; I Hate the word called Referendum; Hidden cell phone fees; Expensive cars that have no signal lights; Why can’t things just be right? S HOUT OUTS 1I can’t open childproof bottles! Whatever happened to being polite? Why can’t people use apostrophes properly? Air Canada sucks. V ERSE 2:I hate car alarms that will not quit; Stephen Harper’s clothes that just don’t fit; Static on my cat; Vomit on the mat; The single men who can’t commit. Chorus Why are my feet so cold - tell me why do… My hands feel so numb? I hate plastic bags; I Hate the word called Referendum; Hidden cell phone fees; Expensive cars that have no signal lights; Why can’t things just be right? S HOUT OUTS 2The other line moves faster! Everything’s so hard. Can’t something be easy? My boss is pathetically pedantic. Why don't people have proper escalator etiquette? V ERSE 3:Fierce dogs used as weapons of attack; why Can’t I be as rich as Conrad Black? Spam, spam, spam, I’m fed up I am; won’t someone Please, oh please, give me my office back? Chorus Why are my feet so cold - tell me why do… My hands feel so numb? I hate plastic bags; I Hate the word called Referendum; Hidden cell phone fees; Expensive cars that have no signal lights; Why can’t things just be right? Chorus reprise Why are my feet so cold - tell me why do… My hands feel so numb? I hate plastic bags; I Hate the word called Referendum; Hidden cell phone fees; Expensive cars that have no signal lights; Why can’t things just be right? Why can’t things just be right? February 19 Oh my!So Thursday evening I was all prepared to pick up Martin's friend Andrew at the Philly airport. Had talked to Andrew the night before and got his cell phone number and everything. The flight was super late so I ended up waiting at the bottom of the stairs really tired at 2AM - scanning every person for a guy in a green shirt who looks like the picture Martin sent me of Andrew... and then I see someone walking down the steps towards me with a video camera... and it finally dawns on me that it is MARTIN!!!! My jaw dropped to the floor and I couldn't even form a coherent word for several minutes (all on tape - THANKS!). I couldn't believe it! He flew 3500 miles to be here for a long weekend and is right now traveling the 3500 miles back to Yellowknife. I was so blown away and of course had NO clue whatsoever, so it was a complete surprise. He had thought of all these little details to keep it a secret - called me up Thursday morning to say hi and tell me that his boss had dropped in to YK and he would be in off site meetings with clients all day, so not to bother calling or sending an email to work (so I wouldn't get any out of office notices). He even called me later in the evening (from the Toronto airport - while his flight was delayed) and pretended to still be in Yellowknife just finishing up some stuff at work before heading to the pub with his friend Yose. I bought it ALL! Not an inkling that something was up. Needless to say, I did take Friday off and a good thing, because the flight was so late arriving the night before. We had a relaxing weekend. As usual, we ate very well - got some fancy food from Whole Foods (after a run to Baja Fresh for Martin's favourite tacos). Saturday, we had invited Jackie over for dinner, but she ended up canceling. All the more shrimp in wine sauce, pasta with pesto, and salad for my lunch today - Yum! :) We rented a few movies and on Sunday talked to my parents on the webcam. It was the first time they have talked to him (other than my Mom once on the phone) so it was cool for them to at least see him - he is not an apparition - nor an imaginary boyfriend. We played Canadopoly and Martin kicked my butt BIG TIME... he even took pity on me and stopped the game before he completely bankrupted me - he he. Anyway, it was a special weekend and it all seems like a dream, but it was REAL. I am one heck of a lucky woman to have met Martin. August seems like FOREVER until we see each other again... not sure I could pull off a surprise visit like HE did! February 14 Salsa Lessons - Estilo Dance StudioI just discovered this little video of Mike Andino and Estilo Dance Studio... Hey! You can see where I take lessons in South Philly and maybe get a glimpse of why I chose this one out of about half a dozen in this area. I take the Rueda class with Mike and I am looking for a clip of Darlin Garcia so you can see my other instructor.
Mike Andino & Estilo - Mini Documentary
Darlin Garcia in DC - Social Dancing
February 13 David MelendezThere is too much cancer! Probably the most active Salsa promoter/instructor/choreographer passed away from cancer last week. I didn't know him personally, but his name was behind all of the best Salsa events and even I would recognise him anywhere. David Melendez organised some of the first Salsa Congresses and made the music and dance more accessible to the rest of us who didn't grow up with it... and man, could he dance! He has been performing, promoting, choreographing and teaching Salsa for 25 years and has been an instrumental influence in many young people's lives through his children's program in New York - he will be sorely missed. He was even dancing up to the last month of his battle against cancer. Here is a tribute to him by iMamboTV.
February 12 Bumper stickerThis morning I drove behind a car with a very large bumper sticker saying... "LADIES: A GUN IN THE HAND IS BETTER THAN A COP ON THE PHONE". What kind of vigilante mentality is THAT? Needless to say - I followed a little farther behind than normal. February 11 Alo BrasilJackie and I went to a Brazilian music concert with dancers and fabulous food at the World Cafe Live in Philly. I have posted pics of this event, but the photos just don't capture the energy and rhythms of the music, so I will download a couple of short video clips and put the links here. Let's just say that I want to learn to Samba AND go to Brazil! Oh and I met some folks with the last name McGill too - from Drexell Hill, PA - go figure.
Merry Christmas to me!Thanks Mom and Dad! I love my flowers and it will be a monthly event. It is great to have something green, since I don't have plants - I tend to kill plants  . February 09 Dallaire in PhillyAt the last minute I found out that Romeo Dallaire was coming to Philadelpia to speak. I had missed hearing him while I was in Boston (and he was at Harvard), and so I was not going to miss hearing him this time. What an incredible person! I was deeply moved by his dedication to furthering the cause of human rights (all humans are human - yet why did the international community pour troops and resources into the former Yugoslavia and neglect Rwanda completely???) and by his perspective on conflict prevention not just resolution/rebuilding after the killing has already occured. His first-hand knowledge on the changing nature of war today where children are used as both weapons and human shields is shocking and MUST BE TOLD, so that these children can be given hope instead of used as tools of war. The issue of global responsibility also needs to be brought to the insulated public of the United States - many of whom do not realise the implications of their own government's policies to only get involved when there is some self-interest. This discussion is particularly relevant with respect to Darfur today. Canada is not exempt either and we are just as responsible for ignoring genocidal governments. Canadians like Dallaire though make a difference in our world, and I am extremely proud to come from a country with people like him in leadership positions. The evening was one of opposites - after Dallaire, I went to my Rueda lesson and danced 'til 10pm, but in a way it was good to go from discussions of genocide to Salsa music. At least I didn't have nightmares!
For more on Dallaire... Wikipedia is pretty good.
February 04 Finally Dancing AgainYay! My lungs and energy level are finally good enough to do some more regular dancing and I've actually made it to both of my weeknight lessons for two weeks in a row! I also took a private with Darlin Garcia who is one of the principle dancers in Art in Motion and teaches the advanced class with Estilo Dance Studio. I learned a completely new technique for spinning, which I haven't quite gotten the hang of yet. I definitely need to find a place to PRACTICE! Went to Shampoo for their monthly Latin night with Jackie and we had fun again, but this time I did NOT stay out until 5AM! I am hoping to stop by Alfies again tonight since it is SO close :) I finally got the Vista driver for my webcam and even got my sister's Mac camera to connect through Skype (MSN did not allow Mac video - hmmm). It is good to reconnect with Martin too after all his traveling and my computer woes. His parents are visiting Yellowknife and are experiencing the February deep freeze for the first time, so it is a bit of a shocker for them. Hopefully they will see some good Aurora Borealis though. Andrea and Al are currently in London, Ontario looking at Border Collie puppies. They have decided to get one and a breeder's dog just had pups a week ago, so they will be picking one out of the litter. Can't wait to see the pictures! I've had a pretty quiet weekend, so not much progress on the apt, but oh well - at least the roaches seem to be elsewhere for now. EEEEEWWW! If I see just one of them the exterminators are getting another call FOR SURE. Anyhoo - off to go food shopping while the rest of the populace watches the Superbowl - he he. I figure that is a sure way to avoid the crowds. |
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