So...

So I don't blog anymore. And I am not really sure why. I want to start, but I can't quite figure out how to. Which doesn't really make sense because I was pretty good at doing it for so long. But then my life changed. And suddenly.. what? did I no longer need the outlet? Did I want to be more private? Did I lose interest? I am not sure.

I have thought about taking my blog in different directions. Maybe writing a weekly movie/book/tv/music review. Or writing fiction in installments. I know that I miss writing, and it's not as though I am writing in a journal or that I have replaced this outlet with another one. So I want to write more. But where? Here? I am not sure. So I will think about it. And let you know.

women's magazines

Although I am a little ashamed to admit it - I occasionally read women's magazines. I usually buy them before a plane or train trip - and though while standing in front of the magainze rack I always think I should be picking up Macleans or the Economist, I can't seem to help but pick up a Glamour or a Marie Claire (though not Cosmo - I have my standards). For some people travel is quiet time to read and reflect without distractions - for me it's a time for my brain to go on holiday.

But tonight, when I went to pick up a magazine at the local corner shop, I just couldn't bring myself to buy a Glamour. Why you ask. Because this month's cover model is none other than Miley Cyrus. And while my magazine reading standards may not be that high, they are not so low that I could bring myself to spend money on a publication that has Miley Cyrus on the cover. Now I might feel differently about this if I was 16. In fact, if I was 16, I might buy Glamour because Miley Cyrus was on the cover (Lord knows I hope not, but as far as teenagers go there is no accounting for taste). But now, as a self-respecting adult, I just couldn't do it.

So instead I bought Flare magazine with Kate Winslet on the cover. The only magazine cover in the store that was classier was Oprah magazine, which had Oprah and Michelle Obama on the cover - but as much as I should be too mature for Glamour - I don't know if I am mature enough for Oprah.

Friday Morning Smile

mysteries

When I was younger, I used to love to read mysteries. My favourites were Agatha Christie and Lillene Jackson Braun (she wrote a series of books called "The Cat Who...."). And when I was really younger, I read a lot of Nancy Drew and The Three Investigators.

The first two authors wrote more cerebral mysteries, which is not to say they intellectually challenging to read, but that the main characters solved mysteries by their powers of deduction. I don't think I would be one for a CSI type mystery - I like reading about the detective who can solve crimes from an armchair. Somehow I find that more engaging, even if it is arguably less exciting.

However - I haven't read mysteries in years. I don't know why. It has something to do with the fact that overall I read less than when I was a teenager and also that I don't go to the library anymore. I used to go to the library for my mysteries - I don't know think I've ever bought a mystery. I also wouldn't know where to start finding a mystery. Last summer I read some Sherlock Holmes and I really enjoyed that. I would love to get involved in a good mystery again - lately I've been reading a lot of non-fiction, which is fine, but doesn't draw me in the same way.

Sometime this spring I will really have to make my way to the library, get a library card, and become reacquainted with an old genre: the mystery.

reflections on buying mascara

On Sunday I made a goal of blogging everyday this week. I rarely blog at all anymore and I thought committing to doing it everyday might help me to get back into it.

Obivously that didn't happen as I didn't blog yesterday. Instead I went out for drinks after work, came home and watched Corrie and Jeopardy in Central Time, and then went to bed around 9:30 with a headache. Aside from the headache, a lovely night.

Today after work I went to Shoppers to pick up a few things. And while in the make-up aisle, I decided to buy a new mascara (you are technically supposed to replace mascara every 3-6 months for reasons of hygiene and so I thought mine might be in need of replacing).

While in the make-up aisle I saw a great mascara by DuWop; however, this mascara was $27. Now I am all for spending money on things when you have money, but right now, I don't feel as though I could justify spending $27 on mascara. So instead, I went with this option from Covergirl.

Covergirl has a new product which is tailored to your eye colour. I got the mascara for hazel eyes (despite the fact that I think I might have green eyes, I never can tell). So I don't know if it will make a difference, but I thought it was a fun gimmick. And this mascara was only $9.99. Much more reasonably priced in my opinion. Not as cheap as some, but pretty good.

And now I can spend the next 3-6 months saving up for the $27 DupWop mascara. Talk about priorities.

when TV talks about the internet: which is the medium? which is the message?

Tonight Devin and I were watching How I Met Your Mother. This is a great show - if you do not watch it - start. Seriously. Now. Or next Monday (at 8:00 or 8:30).

Regardless, one of the main characters is named Robin, and Robin in Canadian. This leads to a number of jokes about Canada. And on this particular episode, there was an on-going joke about Robin having the opportunity to perform a Canadian sex act, with a Canadian celebrity, with a weird collection.

Now, you might be wondering what a Canadian sex act might be, well so were Robin's friends, and so to learn more about said acts, her friends check out www.canadiansexacts.org

How I Met Your Mother sets up real websites to compliment any fake websites it makes up for the show, which means after the episode, I was able to visit www.canadiansexacts.org, and although it might not be as funny to people who did not watch the show, I found it quite entertaining.

And don't worry, if you want to visit, it is family friendly. Well - okay - maybe not family friendly - but it is very tongue in cheek and contains no nudity or offensive language.

what a lovely way to spend a Saturday night

For Christmas Devin got me concert tickets (because he is a wonderful boyfriend) and last night was the concert. Whose concert you might ask? Only the greatest band ever, yes, that's right, Great Big Sea.

Now this is not the first Great Big Sea concert I have been to. The first time I was in 11th grade (I think) and I went with my friend Alex. We sat behind a pillar. It was an obstructed view. The tickets were a very last minute purchase.

Since then I have been to 2 more Toronto concerts, 1 in Kingston, 1 in Victoria, and that memorable time 5 of us drove to Cleavland for a night to go to a Great Big Sea concert (incidentally, it was the first time they had sold out in Cleavland). I have seen them inside and outside, in concert halls and clubs. And every time has been wonderful. It is just impossible not to be happy in the middle of a GBS concert, with hundreds/thousands of people happy and excited and singing.

And even though my wonderful boyfriend is not, himself, a fan, he was a very good sport and completely facilitated my enjoyment. And after it was all over (much too soon) we had a lovely walk home through downtown Ottawa. All and all, a perfect evening.

It's a political theory joke!

From Overheard in New York

Thank You, Elizabeth-- That's a Wonderful Segue to Hobbes

Philosophy professor: And John Stuart Mill says that, for example, if a person is drowning in a pond, a person walking by should save them no matter what the motive.

Girl: Drowning in a pond? A pond?! I'd let him drown just for being a moron.


Note: the actual title from the website says "Elizabeth"

DMT

Courtesy of Dooce.com

What are your middle names?
My middle name is Gaffney, Devin's is Micheal. Or Michael. Depending on who you talk to.

How long have you been together?
hmmm... A little over 3 years.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
umm... zero time. we started dating pretty much as soon as we met.

Who asked whom out?
I suppose he asked me - but it's not like any persuasion was required.

How old are each of you?
I am 25 and he is 17months older than me.

Whose siblings do you see the most?
Right now - his - and by his I mean Jordan.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
I would say probably the two summers we were apart. Also whenever I am cooking in the kitchen.

Did you go to the same school?
We both went to UVIC. We also both went to school in Ontario - although separately.

Are you from the same home town?
No. I am from the center of Canada. Devin is from the center of Western Canada.

Who is smarter?
I probably know more useless things. Devin probably knows more useful things.

Who is the most sensitive?
Have you met Devin? Could this be more obvious?

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
In Victoria it was an easy answer - brunch at the Shine Cafe and Sushi for dinner (at Azuma or at the place on Broughton).

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
San Fransisco. Although I am planning many expensive trips all over the world for the two of us to take one day.

Who has the craziest exes?
I am going to say Devin. I don't know anything about any of them - but none of mine are crazy.

Who has the worst temper?
Devin. Although mainly in the context of hockey.

Who does the cooking?
My wonderful partner.

Who is the neat-freak?
See above.

Who is more stubborn?
That's 5 for 5. I guess that means I am just very laid back and likable.

Who hogs the bed?
Neither or us. We share. Don't believe it if anyone else says otherwise.

Who wakes up earlier?
Me. I keep normal person hours. Plus I go to bed at like 10pm.

Where was your first date?
Finnerty's

Who is more jealous?
I don't think either of us are particularly jealous, but if I had to pick, I would say Devin.

How long did it take to get serious?
not long.

Who eats more?
Devin usually.

Who does the laundry?
Me. It only seems fair since Devin does all the cooking.

Who's better with the computer?
Neither one of us is particularly gifted in the area of computers.

Who drives when you are together?
Not that we often drive together - but Devin. This is because I do not drive.

Burn After Reading

Saturday night Devin and I stayed in and watched a movie. Specifically, we watched Burn After Reading. It's a Coen brothers movie starring Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton, George Clooney, John Malcovich and many more. And it was excellent.

Now I am not always one for the Coen brothers, but this movie was top-notch. It was funny and interesting, and surprising, and complicated (in that it had many threads, but not complicated in that it was fairly straightforward to follow). It was the best time I have had watching a movie in a long time. That feeling that you have when you just get lost in a good movie, without worrying about the deeper meaning, or the message, but when the quality of the movie-making is so good that you never leave the world created by the film. And even though the movie is completely unbelievable, you are more than willing to suspend you belief and enter into their world (unlike many box office movies which are entertaining, but where you are constantly aware of how derived the plot and the characters are, taking away from your enjoyment).

Plus the acting and the story were fabulous. And I don't know much about movie-making, but seeing as how it was a Coen brothers film, I imagine that the lighting and camera work and cinematography etc. were excellent too.

So in conclusion - four stars (out of four).

Hobbies

I need a hobby.

More specifically, I need a hobby that allows me to use a new part of my brain. My whole life has been about reading, thinking and writing, all of which are great and which I plan to continue with - but I need a hobby that is totally unrelated.

Growing up I had several hobbies: I figured skated, I swam (and taught swimming, which was more of a job than hobby, but I liked it so much I probably would have done it for free), there were a few years of playing a variety of woodwind musical instruments, and for my artistic side, rug-hooking (the least cool hobby ever).

However, now I feel I need a new hobby. A hobby to get different parts of my brain going.

Last night Devin and I started a puzzle, but while doing puzzles is fun, it is not exactly a hobby.

I have considered scrapbooking, but I don't know if I have the patience for that. Plus I am pretty sure if I started scrapbooking Devin would start making fun of me.

I recently learned that Heather knits, which I think would be a cool hobby. Or crocheting, like knitting but a little easier. So I guess I could go out and buy a needle and a book and teach myself... I just feel like it would be easier if someone could teach you.

I have ruled out needlepoint because I don't think the strain would be good on my eyes (don't I sound like an old woman).

One of my mom's hobbies is playing bridge, but that requires three other people to play with you (although if anyone out there would like to start a bridge/euchre league in Ottawa please let me know).

Or maybe something sporty - we do have a pool in our building, and I have been swimming a few times, and I think if I could buy a swimming cap (thus avoiding getting my hair wet) I could take up swimming as a hobby.

Or yoga. I have taken a few yoga classes - and I think it would help me with my other goal of achieving a more zen life, the problem with yoga is that it is costs money, although I guess I could get a DVD....

These are my thoughts, and if anyone has any suggestions for a good hobby to pursue, please let me know! And if I find a great new hobby I will let everyone know.

the reality of grown-up life

On Sunday night I got ready for the week ahead by polishing my shoes.

First, I made some homemade salt-stain remover and treated my shoes (my boots that I wear outside and my work heels that I wore from my office to a taxi and back, and that still managed to get salt stains on them!) Then, with help from Devin, I polished them.

Now obviously I have polished shoes before, but with two pairs of my shoes, and a pair of Devin's shoes, we had a bit of an assembly line going on. And something about it made me feel very grown-up, cleaning and polishing three pairs of shoes, and not for any reason or special occasion, but just because adults don't wear salt stained or dull shoes.

I promise you that I am not always this boring. Often, but not always.

Beckta

Last night I took Devin out for dinner to celebrate his birthday. We went to Beckta, one of Ottawa's premiere restaurants, arguably Ottawa's only premiere restaurant, or at the very least the only restaurant that has had two episodes of different TV food series made about it :)

It was fabulous. I may have been the nicest restaurant I have ever been too, possibly in terms of food, but most definitely in terms of service. Upon arrival the host took my coat (pretty standard). However, throughout the course of the meal we had our waiter (who was amazing), the man who brought around the large bread basket from which you chose the type of bread you would like, which he would then put on your bread plate. There was the man who brought around the complimentary amuse bouches before the meal and the complimentary dessert bites at the end of the meal. There was the other man who checked on how things were going. There was the waiter's constant attention to our water glasses. And this is first time I have ever had my crumbs cleared between my main course and dessert (and for the record, there were not that many crumbs).

And this was just the service. The food was amazing. The wine was fabulous. There was lobbsters and duck and steak tar tar, cornish hen, risotto, and more!

I can guarantee that in six months, after we have saved up lots of money, we will be going back there. Unless in the meantime someone wants to come to Ottawa and take us out to dinner there :)

Happy Birthday to my favourite person

Academy Awards 2009

In the past two weeks I have seen two excellent movies - Slumdog Millionaire and Milk. They were both excellent for different reasons.

Slumdog Millionaire was a visual feast, and filled with a fabulous ensemble of talented actors. There were many moments in the film that lifted you up and demonstrated what is so wonderful about humanity, but there were many (more?) moments that reflected all the fear and hate and exploitation that exists in the world. Parts of the narrative were very black and white, and those parts were entertaining and fun to watch, but in some ways, I preferred all the parts of the story that were gray. All the characters who were not obviously good, or even obviously evil, but how circumstances and life caused them to enter into these gray areas that the world is full of. And just because I have the luxury of not living in a world that is so obviously morally ambiguous, doesn't mean that I would able to navigate such a world with strength or conviction.

This brings me to Milk. It was amazing and Sean Penn and Emilie Hirsch gave beautiful performances. Watching a snapshot of the story of the gay rights movement in the 1970s effected me on an emotional level, insofar as when proposition 8 was not overturned in the most recent election I was disappointed, but not in such a visceral way as I was after I seeing that film.

If I try, I can maybe understand (not support or condone) the bigotry that exists in the 1970s because it came from ignorance. But now, 30 years later? We have come so far in so many ways, and yet really, how can we still, as a society, have such an intense fear (because I think it is fear, rather than hate) people who love other people?

It also makes me wonder how brave I could have been if I had been gay in the 1960s or black in the 1950s, or how much support I would have shown to those groups as someone who is straight and white. The strength that certain people have had to show across history, or even the past fifty or sixty years is amazing. And as a woman, I know how far women have come, and I also know that it can be easy to forget how hard or how much different groups have come and become complacent, and how important it is not to forget the struggles of certain groups, or to forget the struggles of your own group in history.

And looking from Milk to Slumdog Millionaire, while I can't believe there was a time when gay people were so vilified and marginalized by the general population, I hope there is a time when I am ashamed, and when my children and grandchildren are ashamed, at the way people in the developing world are treated by those of us in the developed world, and their lack of basic necessities of life; the way I ashamed of how women, and black citizens, and other visible and sexual minorities have been treated in the past.

That is what these two wonderful movies have made me think about.

Everything Old is New Again

Okay -

So I am trying again. I know I must seem ridiculous, but it is okay because I am. This title continues with a theme, it is a secret them, except now really.

Here are my goals for this blog.

1) Start writing again
2) Review books that I read and movies that I watch
3) Reveal state secrets that I learn in my capacity as CIA-CSIS secret double agent