I for one think it's unfortunate that Ghadafi was killed this week.
I think we've all seen enough photos of the guy lately, so here's
one of the culvert he was hiding in instead.
I realize I'm in the minority on this one, but I don't mean it like those who insist that he deserved a trial. I just think the victims and families of victims of his brutality over the years - including the terrorism he funded - they deserved a trial to be able to yell, swear, and possibly spit on the guy who caused them so much pain. Like with all the evil people out there - dictators, serial killers, parking meter officers - a quick beating and death by a small angry mob seems unfair to those who would have liked more closure. But maybe that's just me.
Enough about him - IMO we also spend way too much media time and attention on the evil people, thereby glorifying them (and their evil) in our minds.
Time for a check-in on the 40-year old goal list for the year:
Start a new blog (woohoo!) DONE
Take karate lessons Have a coupon and a plan
Maintain the new blog (stupid list...) SURPRISINGLY, STILL GOING STRONG
Start investigating how to get my PhD by age 50 Done investigating (see prev blogs)
Get a Bb Tablet as soon as they come out (maybe even wait in line like the diehards) NOT DONE
Copy those videotapes of our 2005 trip to Ireland ON TAPE 6!
Give my kids more hugs DONE
Say "I love you" more DONE
And lest you think I've taken the last two lightly, I've actually very consciously worked into my daily routines more hugging and "I love you"s - at least to the kids. It doesn't tend to go over so well in the workplace.
The Blackberry thing is just a hard one to swallow for me. Take this article from a couple of days ago - it's written by a guy at the InfoWorld.com website, but I thought it was neat that Google listed it first as being in The Zimbabwe Telegraph website:
I mean, can Rim save the Playbook? Probably not. So price it to sell, Rim, and put out a new version of the device, like you do with phones and like Apple's doing with the iPad. And get the technology right like you did with the Blackberry's, fools. You still have a market out there of business types who don't want to type on an iPhone. I love my Bb, and wouldn't trade it, but I'd love a tablet that syncs with it without all the glitches. Until then, I'm not shelling out half a grand for a Playbook. Period.
What is it about being in power that makes men so arrogant and greedy? And please don't tell me St. Steve of Cupertino was an exception - he was just driven more by making better gadgets than more money, once he'd made his first billion. That didn't stop him from making toys that were stubbornly proprietary and high-priced.
Or maybe it's more our perception of dictators than the reality.
Or maybe it's not who the person is but what privilege, power, and disconnectedness from others ultimately does to them. Maybe it's not in their character to begin with, but what their circumstance calls from them.
OK, so after a second visit in less than 3 months, I'm ready to give my pointers:
1) Plan to overspend on almost everything (very familiar to most Canadians).
2) Choose your eating spots really wisely.
3) Either set a limit on how many attractions you plan to visit, or brace yourself for a lot of crap.
Now don't get me wrong - the Falls themselves (the Canadian horseshoe one and the U.S. one) are a marvel to behold and awe-inspiring to the point that you want to set up a lawn chair and sit in front of them for hours, which some people do. They are literally awe-inspiring in the way that every natural wonder of the world (though the Falls isn't technically on the list) moves you to stare in awe and reflect on your life, the beauty of nature, and your place in the universe. Stuff like that.
But of course like every wonder of the world, you have to expect that the celebrity of the place will be bastardized by the kitschy attractions, the endless array of degrading souvenirs, and the novelty restaurants/stores. In Canada we've become as good at it as anyone.
So if you haven't gone yet (or haven't been in a while), you might also benefit from the experience - and excessive spending - of someone like me who values their hard-earned cash but isn't afraid of admitting he got suckered by things like:
The Clifton Hill Attractions. I'd like to be dramatic and extremist and say "avoid everything on this street at all costs", but instead I'd suggest avoiding most things on this street, such as:
the little-kid attractions (the "legobrickland" is one big room with a great exhibit but next-to-nothing interactive - you'll ooh and ahh and take pictures but leave after 10 mins; the playland is just a notch above McD's but you pay for it)
the Ripley's attractions (unless you've never been to a Believe-It-Or-Not Museum, in which case this one is impressive but has pretty much the same as every other BION museum in the world)
the 4-D rides (very short films, Ripley's had greasy glasses and seats, and if you've been to Disney-Universal these ones pale in comparison)
the Guiness Records museum (not interactive, many plaques/photos on the walls, and the fun games/interactive parts you pay for like an arcade game)
the arcades (you buy tokens and get tickets like that popuar "cheesy" restaurant chain that most parents know, but you pay 50 cents a token!)
the wax museums (lame, lame, lame - maybe this was impressive 50 years ago, but many of the newer "likenesses" are terrible)
EXCEPTIONS/SOLUTIONS:
the Ripley's BION museum if you haven't been to one already (see#2): very entertaining compared to most of the "museums" on the strip
the Fudge Factory: pricey but you see them making fudge, get free tastes, and it's a great assortment of candy
the Niagara Sky Wheel: I may get some flak for this one, but I like ferris wheels, $10 an adult was reasonable, and the view is awesome - and after dark you get extra spins and some necking-time with the missus
the haunted houses: only if you really enjoy being scared by loud noises, gruesome scenes, and being grabbed by strange staff in the dark, which I don't
View from the Sky Wheel
The Other Local Attractions. Actually not as bad overall as the CH ones, but I'd have to give the "thumbs down" to:
the "indoor sky diving" - you pay almost $100 for 45 mins ("with lessons"), but the customers we watched only spent 10 mins in the machine flopping around 5 ft off the ground
the Imax theatre - snack bar was stale food, the film was a very dated documentary about the Falls (not 3D) that had some interested facts I could have read about instead of watching a "B" movie
the Greg F theatre - dinner theatre with a magician: the food was mediocre and being too close ruined the sleight-of-hand for me (see my post in June)
EXCEPTIONS/SOLUTIONS:
the Falls themselves (see above) - we did the Maid of the Mist and the Journey Behind the Falls: the boat ride puts you right in the middle but it's hard to see and take photos, while the walk puts you on a landing next to the Falls where it's easier to stand and take it in
the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark - not cheap, but a pretty good indoor WP; gets old after an hour or two but great to come back to after a hot day
the Skylon Tower - overpriced if you bring the kids, but for a couple it's an above-average meal with classy service (feel free to dress up) and an awesome rotating view of the falls
the casinos (Fallsview and Casino Niagara being the biggest): a blast if you like blowing your money on games of chance, paying for overpriced food and drink, and catching the occasional 80's rock group trying to cash in, which I don't
View from the landing at Journey Behind the Falls
The Hotels. Instead of describing what the other travel websites can tell you, let me boil it down to a few things:
The closer to the Falls, the more expensive the hotel - a cheap hotel near the Falls is either a motel or unsanitary or both.
The more expensive hotels don't give you much more for that extra $100 a night, except a shorter walk/drive; parking is NEVER FREE (2 hotels we visited) and the food is usually mediocre (I'm looking at you, Best Western!).
"Pet friendly" means you can leave your pet in the room or the hotel's kennel ONLY at the Best Western - the Sheraton lets you have a pet but it can't be left anywhere.
There are much cheaper hotels just outside the city (not the motels, the hotels people!) if you don't mind driving in and out of the Falls area which is not a bad commute.
Bottom line: if you have a vehicle I'd advise lodging outside the Falls area, since you'll have to pay for parking anyway; if you don't have a vehilce you'll pay for it since decent lodging within walking distance of the Falls is ridiculously expensive ($250-$300 a night after fees and taxes).
The Restaurants. And instead of turning into a restaurant critic, some tips:
Most places will overcharge based on being in Niagara Falls, so just brace yourself for that. No decent entree to be found for under $15 a person, but like I said, Canadians are used to that.
My suggestion? Either go with what you know (The Keg, Thai Express for lunch, Rainforest Cafe for the kids) or you roll the dice with that $15. A lot of crappy food is made available by restaurants that are mass-producing for the tourists.
Thumbs up: Curry Queen Indian
Thumbs Down: New York Chinese
Looked deservedly popular (Italian): Antica Pizzeria
Looked deservedly unpopular (Italian): Casa D'Oro
Don't get the breakfast or dinner "package" at your hotel: you may save a few bucks, but you'll be stuck with whatever quality you get (or don't get - still looking at you, BW!)
The Parking. Many, many parking opportunities in the Falls area, and many of them decent. Drive around a little to find the best rate, but I recommend:
The small lot next to the Applebees on Victoria near CH - the cheapest rate near CH from what we could tell.
The lot at Fallsview and Robinson, when you want to be closer to Skylon - we never used it but it always seemed to underprice the other lots.
Calling your hotel to make reservations instead of doing it online, so you understand what you're getting and not getting, including the advertised "free" parking.
The Souvenirs. And what about the tempting array of souvenir stores, you ask? Well, without reviewing specific stores, since there are many, I'd suggest:
Shop around a little if you can. Most souvenirs in stores along CH can be found a few blocks away for cheaper at non-CH stores, including your typical t-shirts, posters, etc. - especially along Victoria.
Set a budget (fixed amount) for yourself and members of your family, so everyone can only spend so much and has to narrow their choices. It's what we did and we certainly didn't regret it - you tend to value the one item you return with more than a bagful of junk. Also, no family member or friend wants to receive a souvenir with the Falls stamped on it. Buy them some fudge.
Also, you must buy at least one of each of the following items: a snow-globe, a Falls placemat with your child's name on it, a cheap t-shirt or hat with "Niagara Falls" on it, and a mug for a loved one. It is vitally important to the sustainability of the Falls that everyone buy as many facsimiles as possible. God forbid we should have to remember our experiences without plastic props.
Well, they're back to school - all of them. And we finally get to stop seeing the Staples ad with its tiresome overuse of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year". And that darn Glee girl in the Canadian ads.
I'm assuming this is the real ad, since I couldn't
bring myself to watch it all the way through again.
One of my kids asked me if she could watch the Glee premiere tonight (hint: not the 4-yr old boy), and I stuck to our parental party line of "no way". Too many sexualized references and dancing, high school puppy love romanticized like a soap opera, not to mention the trivializing of sex in general. And I lost interest in the first season when they started using instrumental tracks instead of the catchy "a cappella" arrangements. Just lazy producing, if you ask me.
So while the U.S. has started gearing up for next year's presidential election, pundits poking holes in other parties' candidates (ah, I remember it well from our 10 years in Massachusetts), Canada's on the precipice of its regular provincial elections.
Here in Ontario the pendulum swung from right to left in the last decade, after late-90's premier Mike Harris cut many programs to balance the budget. Now that Dalton McGuinty has spent us back into a deficit, the government teat has swollen, and taxes are at an all-time high, will the pendulum swing back? Only Oct. 6 knows for sure.
Meanwhile, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is getting constant heat for any suggestion of cutbacks or privatizing services to save money. Not that I'm a fan or anything, but it goes to show how tough it can be to wean people off that teat.
We all want less taxes and more spending money, but we want the government to keep growing services to meet growing needs. Using what, the barter system?
OK that's two cartoons in quick succession - I apologize. Just trying to keep the mood light when getting political, which I haven't done yet in this blog.
Speaking of my turning-40 goals, I now have definite word from all three local universities that I'd have to quit work to get my PhD, since none of them offer part-time programs. Which sucks. Or not; maybe it's not meant to be -- maybe my next life project is bigger than that, or on a totally different track.
In the meantime, I've explored the PhD possibility like I said I would, I'm halfway through transferring the Ireland home videos, we defeated Bethany's LCH yet again, and I built a kick-ass shed in the backyard this summer. Not bad for nine months.
We both play piano and guitar reasonably well – though I’d immediately forfeit in a duel with either weapon.We both have reasonably good voices and enjoy the blues.
Of course, he’s a highly talented British actor who just released a well-produced jazz-blues album that’s sure to sell millions of copies.On the other hand, I have people around me who would probably strongly suggest (if I were inspired to release an album) vocal training, numerous re-takes while recording, or that I not release an album at all.And Hugh apparently doesn’t, but should.
I picked up Hugh's album, "Let Them Talk" this afternoon, and after listening all the way through a couple of times, I feel cheated. Here's a sample of one track, "You Don't Know My Mind":
It’s not that it’s a horrible album, because it’s clearly entertaining enough.And it’s not that Hugh has a lousy voice, because he doesn’t. I just wish he played more on the album than he sang, since he’s clearly more talented in the former than the latter.His playing, on the album and on the show, is clearly inspired and soulful.His singing, though, tends to be repetitively choppy and punchy, talky and at times self-conscious, with little sustain or vibrato (and the occasional lisp), which makes his singing rather unidimensional. In quality reminiscent of Dr. John (who incidentally sings on a couple of tracks) without as much soul or variation.
I also wish those around him hadn’t encouraged/goaded him into releasing an album as they probably did, since he seems impressively humble and modest about his musical talent.Most of all, I wish my local Best Buy had “try before you buy” listening stations, since I probably would have screened this one out.
I have to admit, I was taken in by his face and name on the cover – kind of fooled into thinking that being superb in one art would likely make him superb in the others.Probably a lot like Hugh himself.
Seems like bi-weekly is about right at this point, since the personal news cycle is a little slower, shall we say, than it was a couple of months ago...
Bethany came back from camp on Friday beaming (through tired eyes) and boasting of all the fun she had and great people she met. It was so great to see her having enjoyed herself thoroughly with the simple things - outdoors fun, simple crafts, friendship, like the little girl I've known and loved. Not the electronics-obsessed, boy-crazy, crotchety teenager we've had around here, even before the diagnosis and chemo. Thanks Camp Ooch! A GBS (Great Big Sea) song she brought back with her:
I give it less than two weeks. And then getting "plugged in" again, pesky little sibs, and high school in September will likely knock it right out of her.
Kinda like that "vacation state of mind" we get in and lose so quickly when we get back to work, or the inspiration of a good conference. Why is it so hard to live in a more relaxed and creative mindset like that?
So after striking York U off my list based on distance/commute, I started inquiring about U of T and their Scarborough campus and got a curt email back saying they only take full-timers. Looks like with them I'd have to choose between full-time work and a full-time degree program, and get over a unwelcoming first contact. I don't know why I keep being surprised at the poor customer service here in Canada, I guess the "U.S. state of mind" is still with me.
Next stop: Ryerson.
Did you know that someone in Canada dies every 8 minutes from cancer? I think I've heard more cancer stories since we moved back here (again, even before the recent unpleasantness) than I did in 10 years in Massachusetts. And, probably not coincidentally, much more smoking.
Which is why I designed and will be sporting this bumper sticker (on one of our vehicles, not my back or briefcase or something):
Not really cause-and-effect since other things cause cancer, but somehow I don't feel sorry for maligning smokers.
Well, she's out of the woods for now - so "relieved" may be overstating it, but woo-freakin-hoo!
After a CT scan on Tuesday, we got the feedback from Sick Kids today that Beth has no signs of the LCH in her brain at this point, just some debris in her inner ear from the surgeries.
And no more meds for now - awesome - thanks for all the prayers and support.
The bonus is that she goes off to overnight camp on Sunday, run by Sick Kids. It's called Camp Oochigeas and includes water sports, so now she can enjoy getting wet without having to worry about her PICC getting wet. Double awesome. A little long and 2 years old, but the best video I could find:
Meanwhile, to give Maggie (#2 daughter) her due, she started a drama camp this week at Actone School of drama in Pickering and is enjoying it tremendously. She's always had the boldness of a stage performer (or any kind of performer really) so it fits for her. Hopefully the drama of her adolescence is still a couple of years away.
And I've decided on a theme song for my 40th year - actually it keeps finding me, and I keep resonating with it:
I have climbed highest mountain
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
I have run
I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with you
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
I have kissed honey lips
Felt the healing in her fingertips
It burned like fire
This burning desire
I have spoke with the tongue of angels
I have held the hand of a devil
It was warm in the night
I was cold as a stone
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
I believe in the kingdom come
Then all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
Well yes I'm still running
You broke the bonds and you
Loosed the chains
Carried the cross
Of my shame
Of my shame
You know I believed it
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
Ok, ok it's not Shakespeare (or John Donne...), it's U2, but it speaks to the combination of faith and longing that kind of fits where I'm at.
Actually, I thought about their song "40" (based on Psalm 40) but it's more of a redemption song. I don't really feel like I was the one in a pit and had to wait patiently for Him to pull me out, Beth was.
Then again, someone clearly "inclined and heard my cry". And we will be singing a new song, for sure.
Ok, two video clips this time - can't leave out the early Red Rocks performance:
