Hello everyone, i trust you are having an enjoyable weekend.
This piece is unfinished, it doesn't have an ending yet/i don't now what will come next. If you have an suggestions, i would love to hear them, or tell me anything i should change.
Enjoy.
The most unlikely villian.
What comes to mind when you hear the word villian or evil. A hunched over mad scientist with crazy hair that looks like he got hit by bug zapper. Until this year that's what I thought, but before this year I had never met Marco Casswell.
Standing a mear 5'3 inches, with thick black rimded glasses and a green plaid shirt. His jeans rolled up at the cuffs because "they get wet in the winter snow" he says. At first glance Marco is you A typical nerd. He even carries masking tape in his pocket in case his glasses get broken.
You might think this is because some jock was picking on Marco and broke his glasses, but you would be dead wrong. Marco is the biggest drug lord in all of Penton, Massachusetts. He controlled everthing. Who gets what, how many Mg, what it will cost. Marco is smart enough to reolize that if he gives his "special friends" as he calls them to much they will overdose and the police will find out. Or the junkies will reolize that making drugs isn't that hard to do themselves. Marco controls everything, he has the teachers in his back pocket protector.
When I found out about Marco's operation I went straight to the Science Department Head to bust him. Marco uses the school itself as his drug lab, so nothing can be traced back to him. He has the whole school, as well as all the social groups working for him. The AV club uses the chem labs at lunch to "work on there applications for college chemistry programs", lame excuse, I know. They really use this time to make extacy. It sounds like a scene from Breaking Bad, but it doesn't stop there. Marco reolized that any idiot can grow marijunia in there basement with a grow lamp, and get caught by the cops on there weekly helocopter runs. They use the heat detector guns to find the grow houses. So Marco set up the grow lamps 10 meters away from the schools old boiler system. On the heat detector gun it shows up as one spot, and the police would never check a school as a possible grow house.
Marco has the environmental club managing that.
When i went to speak with Mr. Simons the Head of the Science Department about Marco and his extra-curricular activities at the school, Simons says to me "I will look into it." This roughly translates to "this is my pension your messing with, don't ruin it for me." Marco pays the teachers to keep quiet, the money he gives them is three times the amount they put into their pension plan every year. When your getting paid that much per month who wouldn't fall in line. Mr Simons has a daughter going to Harvard pre-law next year, he could never afford to send her there if he didn't take Marco's bribes.
Marco is a smart, resourceful monster. Preying on the dreams and aspirations of people, manipulating them to do whatever he wants. Marco says jump, you say how high, that's it, no questions asked.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
HST a necessary consumer burden?
Report displays increase in large amount of Ontario taxes thanks to HST - but will it bring a prosperous economy to consumers in the future?
The latest in economic recovery strategies will have both Ontario and British Columbia consumers turning out their pockets come July 1st 2010.
The Government of Ontario announced a plan earlier this year to unite the federal goods and services tax (GST) and provincial sales tax (PST) under a new, harmonized system known as HST. This tax reform implements a permanent 13% charge which, it has recently been proposed, will increase the cost of professional services and personal goods such as morning coffees, haircuts and internet access fees.
Toronto-Dominion Bank published a research report yesterday revealing heavy price tags that are soon to be thrust upon consumers. The findings could have very well thrown a political speed bump in the Liberals' efforts to win over residents of the St. Paul's region in Thursday's by-election; the result, the Party claims, was a crucial indicator of public response to premier Dalton McGuinty's HST reform. The report appears to conclude that the new reform is very much a government-sponsored tax grab.
However, the authors - TD's chief economist Don Drummond and Diana Petramala - also believe the policy will help the provinces in the long run.
"The increase in the consumer price level needs to be put into the broader context of the widely-held view, with which we concur, that a value-added tax is a more efficient tax than the provincial retail sales taxes currently in place in both Ontario and British Columbia," they stated.
While that may be true, pre-election turbulence has rattled voters nation-wide, who have cast Ontario Premier McGuinty and Prime Minister Stephen Harper into an unfavourable spotlight - Harper having "pushed the governments of both British Columbia and Ontario to implement [a harmonized sales tax system]," according to Liberal Economic analyst John McCallum.
Combined tax systems have been implemented in Quebec, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador since the 1990's - the Liberals, no doubt, will reap all they can from these examples. But ultimately, businesses will rake in the savings while consumers will be hit hard with an increase in expenses - that is, unless initial costs are reduced. This is a main concern that even McGuinty, who had avoided the subject until this year, has had trouble coming to terms with.
"I can say that any time you're dealing with a tax measure," the Premier said, "it's easy to be against it and it's harder to be for it. And that's not surprising."
I'll probably edit this a bit tomorrow, but I thought I'd post what I have regarding my thoughts on this topic anyway. This is more of a journalism piece than an opinion-based one, but I did want to point out that during my research, I came across some very different articles. The subtleties of the writer's choice of words and quotes greatly influenced my impression while reading, something that I both tried to include and exclude at different points in my own writing.
Something else I came across today was an article taken from the CityNews website which included the following information: the Ontario budget plan, released on March 26th 2009, also stated that the government would be sending three $1000 cheques from the time of the tax reform installment until June 2011 to families earning an income of less than $160 000 a year. Single incomes of 80 000 or less will receive only $300.
This article was clearly aimed at riling up tax payers, so to find this information was a bit of a relief to me - as well as surprising.
But the question still remains; Is the HST a mere Liberal tax grab? If so, why is the federal opposition (whose politicians are blaming the Liberals for implementing a tax grab) dumping millions into the funding of this project?
This is something i might include when i come back to edit. but for now, i hope this piece educated you at least a little bit, about the danger HST poses to the people of Ontario/BC as well as to political leaders.
The latest in economic recovery strategies will have both Ontario and British Columbia consumers turning out their pockets come July 1st 2010.
The Government of Ontario announced a plan earlier this year to unite the federal goods and services tax (GST) and provincial sales tax (PST) under a new, harmonized system known as HST. This tax reform implements a permanent 13% charge which, it has recently been proposed, will increase the cost of professional services and personal goods such as morning coffees, haircuts and internet access fees.
Toronto-Dominion Bank published a research report yesterday revealing heavy price tags that are soon to be thrust upon consumers. The findings could have very well thrown a political speed bump in the Liberals' efforts to win over residents of the St. Paul's region in Thursday's by-election; the result, the Party claims, was a crucial indicator of public response to premier Dalton McGuinty's HST reform. The report appears to conclude that the new reform is very much a government-sponsored tax grab.
However, the authors - TD's chief economist Don Drummond and Diana Petramala - also believe the policy will help the provinces in the long run.
"The increase in the consumer price level needs to be put into the broader context of the widely-held view, with which we concur, that a value-added tax is a more efficient tax than the provincial retail sales taxes currently in place in both Ontario and British Columbia," they stated.
While that may be true, pre-election turbulence has rattled voters nation-wide, who have cast Ontario Premier McGuinty and Prime Minister Stephen Harper into an unfavourable spotlight - Harper having "pushed the governments of both British Columbia and Ontario to implement [a harmonized sales tax system]," according to Liberal Economic analyst John McCallum.
Combined tax systems have been implemented in Quebec, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador since the 1990's - the Liberals, no doubt, will reap all they can from these examples. But ultimately, businesses will rake in the savings while consumers will be hit hard with an increase in expenses - that is, unless initial costs are reduced. This is a main concern that even McGuinty, who had avoided the subject until this year, has had trouble coming to terms with.
"I can say that any time you're dealing with a tax measure," the Premier said, "it's easy to be against it and it's harder to be for it. And that's not surprising."
I'll probably edit this a bit tomorrow, but I thought I'd post what I have regarding my thoughts on this topic anyway. This is more of a journalism piece than an opinion-based one, but I did want to point out that during my research, I came across some very different articles. The subtleties of the writer's choice of words and quotes greatly influenced my impression while reading, something that I both tried to include and exclude at different points in my own writing.
Something else I came across today was an article taken from the CityNews website which included the following information: the Ontario budget plan, released on March 26th 2009, also stated that the government would be sending three $1000 cheques from the time of the tax reform installment until June 2011 to families earning an income of less than $160 000 a year. Single incomes of 80 000 or less will receive only $300.
This article was clearly aimed at riling up tax payers, so to find this information was a bit of a relief to me - as well as surprising.
But the question still remains; Is the HST a mere Liberal tax grab? If so, why is the federal opposition (whose politicians are blaming the Liberals for implementing a tax grab) dumping millions into the funding of this project?
This is something i might include when i come back to edit. but for now, i hope this piece educated you at least a little bit, about the danger HST poses to the people of Ontario/BC as well as to political leaders.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Landlocked Blues
The following is a recent favourite of mine, a video of song in which I will be writing about.
Bright Eyes | Landlocked Blues
Lyrics:
If you walk away, I'll walk away
First tell me which road you will take
I don't want to risk our paths crossing someday
So you walk that way, I'll walk this way
And the future hangs over heads
And it moves with each current event
Until it falls all around like a cold, steady rain
Just stay in when it's looking this way
And the moon's laying low in the sky
Forcing everything metal to shine
And the sidewalk holds diamonds like a jewelry store case
They argue, walk this way, no, walk this way
And Laura's asleep in my bed
As I'm leaving, she wakes up and says
"I dreamed you were carried away on the crest of a wave
Baby, don't go away, come here"
And there's kids playing guns in the street
And one's pointing his tree branch at me
And so I put my hands up, I say, "Enough is enough
If you walk away, I'll walk away"
And he shot me dead
I found a liquid cure from my landlocked blues
It would pass the way like a slow parade
It's leaving, but I don't know how soon
And the world's got me dizzy again
You think after twenty-two years I'd be used to the spin
And it only feels worse when I stay in one place
So I'm always pacing around or walking away
I keep drinking the ink from my pen
And I'm balancing history books up on my head
But it all boils down to one quotable phrase
"If you love something, give it away"
A good woman will pick you apart
A box full of suggestions for your possible heart
But you may be offended, and you may be afraid
But don't walk away, don't walk away
We made love on the living room floor
With the noise in the background from a televised war
And in that deafening pleasure, I thought I heard someone say
"If we walk away, they walk away"
But greed is a bottomless pit
And our freedom's a joke, we're just taking a piss
And the whole world must watch the sad comic display
If you're still free, start running away
Because we're coming for you!
I've grown tired of holding this pose
I feel more like a stranger each time I come home
So I'm making a deal with the devils of fame
Saying, "Let me walk away, please"
You'll be free, child, once you have died
From the shackles of language and measurable time
And then we can trade places, play musical graves
Until then walk away, walk away, walk away
So I'm up at dawn
Putting on my shoes
I just want to make a clean escape
I'm leaving, but I dont know where to
I know I'm leaving, but I dont know where to
A typical Bright Eyes song, hitting you where it hurts. Conor Oberst, the puppetmaster of Bright Eyes, has the uncanny ability to write the most depressing lyrics possible, and sing them in the most depressing way. That says a lot about an artist though, to be able to capture emotion of your audience lyrically and also musically.
The thing with writing is that it oddly enough can be compared to a bottle of ketchup. Sometimes, the words come with ease and flow beautifully, however, other times theres that blockage that requires extreme patience. Regardless of the troubles or ease you experience, you're not always left with something you're particulary happy with, and then you reach a point where you've exhausted your creative and there isn't much you can do to improve. For that I reason, I always respect a good poet, lyrist or writer.
I've loved this song for quite some time, and I could easily say I listen to it 40% of the time when I'm listening to music as of late. The simplicity is so welcoming and personal despite the bitter feelings it may develop, it surely does evoke emotion. I love meanigful lyrics, even if they don't mean anything to the artist, at least I can draw some sort of conclusions from them, and enjoy my delusions.
Anyways, enough my ramblings. I believe that shall do it for my blog entry.
Thanks for reading :)
-Van
Bright Eyes | Landlocked Blues
Lyrics:
If you walk away, I'll walk away
First tell me which road you will take
I don't want to risk our paths crossing someday
So you walk that way, I'll walk this way
And the future hangs over heads
And it moves with each current event
Until it falls all around like a cold, steady rain
Just stay in when it's looking this way
And the moon's laying low in the sky
Forcing everything metal to shine
And the sidewalk holds diamonds like a jewelry store case
They argue, walk this way, no, walk this way
And Laura's asleep in my bed
As I'm leaving, she wakes up and says
"I dreamed you were carried away on the crest of a wave
Baby, don't go away, come here"
And there's kids playing guns in the street
And one's pointing his tree branch at me
And so I put my hands up, I say, "Enough is enough
If you walk away, I'll walk away"
And he shot me dead
I found a liquid cure from my landlocked blues
It would pass the way like a slow parade
It's leaving, but I don't know how soon
And the world's got me dizzy again
You think after twenty-two years I'd be used to the spin
And it only feels worse when I stay in one place
So I'm always pacing around or walking away
I keep drinking the ink from my pen
And I'm balancing history books up on my head
But it all boils down to one quotable phrase
"If you love something, give it away"
A good woman will pick you apart
A box full of suggestions for your possible heart
But you may be offended, and you may be afraid
But don't walk away, don't walk away
We made love on the living room floor
With the noise in the background from a televised war
And in that deafening pleasure, I thought I heard someone say
"If we walk away, they walk away"
But greed is a bottomless pit
And our freedom's a joke, we're just taking a piss
And the whole world must watch the sad comic display
If you're still free, start running away
Because we're coming for you!
I've grown tired of holding this pose
I feel more like a stranger each time I come home
So I'm making a deal with the devils of fame
Saying, "Let me walk away, please"
You'll be free, child, once you have died
From the shackles of language and measurable time
And then we can trade places, play musical graves
Until then walk away, walk away, walk away
So I'm up at dawn
Putting on my shoes
I just want to make a clean escape
I'm leaving, but I dont know where to
I know I'm leaving, but I dont know where to
A typical Bright Eyes song, hitting you where it hurts. Conor Oberst, the puppetmaster of Bright Eyes, has the uncanny ability to write the most depressing lyrics possible, and sing them in the most depressing way. That says a lot about an artist though, to be able to capture emotion of your audience lyrically and also musically.
The thing with writing is that it oddly enough can be compared to a bottle of ketchup. Sometimes, the words come with ease and flow beautifully, however, other times theres that blockage that requires extreme patience. Regardless of the troubles or ease you experience, you're not always left with something you're particulary happy with, and then you reach a point where you've exhausted your creative and there isn't much you can do to improve. For that I reason, I always respect a good poet, lyrist or writer.
I've loved this song for quite some time, and I could easily say I listen to it 40% of the time when I'm listening to music as of late. The simplicity is so welcoming and personal despite the bitter feelings it may develop, it surely does evoke emotion. I love meanigful lyrics, even if they don't mean anything to the artist, at least I can draw some sort of conclusions from them, and enjoy my delusions.
Anyways, enough my ramblings. I believe that shall do it for my blog entry.
Thanks for reading :)
-Van
Hello everyone. This piece is called Divorce. It is about one partner in a relationship telling a person that they want a divorce, or to separate. Enjoy.
Divorce
Excuse me; I need to speak to you. I don't want you to interrupt, let my talk for once in this relationship. I have some serious issues I need to talk to you about.
For one thing, you lie all the time, you say one thing and do another. Always flip flopping back and forth. Pick a side already, I'm not going to pay for you to be indecisive anymore. You're supposed to lead and I'm supposed to follow, that was the original agreement. So make up your mind, and make a decision. I'm not going to take it anymore.
Secondly, you never keep your promises. You promise me the moon and the stars and never follow through. It's just another pack of lies. I learned a long time ago not to believe it when someone tells you they can make everthing better again with the swish of a magic wand. But where is the money coming from. Me thats who, and when you fall short I pay the price, literally.
Stephen I want a divorce.
Hello again. I know this piece sounds a little strange but it makes sense, somewhat, if you know the concept. This is supposed to be Canada speaking in the first person to Stephen Harper and telling him the reason that they want a divorce.
Sentences such as "I'm not going to pay" are talking about, the Canadian people not willing to fund Stephen HArpers government, if they can't make a decision on certain topics or that they keep changing their opinion.
If this actually makes no sense to you, please tell me ans why5 it doesn't. If it does make sense then tell me what you think.
Divorce
Excuse me; I need to speak to you. I don't want you to interrupt, let my talk for once in this relationship. I have some serious issues I need to talk to you about.
For one thing, you lie all the time, you say one thing and do another. Always flip flopping back and forth. Pick a side already, I'm not going to pay for you to be indecisive anymore. You're supposed to lead and I'm supposed to follow, that was the original agreement. So make up your mind, and make a decision. I'm not going to take it anymore.
Secondly, you never keep your promises. You promise me the moon and the stars and never follow through. It's just another pack of lies. I learned a long time ago not to believe it when someone tells you they can make everthing better again with the swish of a magic wand. But where is the money coming from. Me thats who, and when you fall short I pay the price, literally.
Stephen I want a divorce.
Hello again. I know this piece sounds a little strange but it makes sense, somewhat, if you know the concept. This is supposed to be Canada speaking in the first person to Stephen Harper and telling him the reason that they want a divorce.
Sentences such as "I'm not going to pay" are talking about, the Canadian people not willing to fund Stephen HArpers government, if they can't make a decision on certain topics or that they keep changing their opinion.
If this actually makes no sense to you, please tell me ans why5 it doesn't. If it does make sense then tell me what you think.
Doing It For The Fame.
When I say the name 'Lady GaGa'...
Do you think Hot or Not?
Do you think Catchy or Annoying?
Do you think Trendy or Trashy?
Do you think Hot or Not?
Do you think Catchy or Annoying?
Do you think Trendy or Trashy?
And looking at these pictures do you think shes stylish or just plain weird?
If theres one thing that can be said for Stefani Germanotta, it's that she definitely polarizes opinion. Everyone you meet either loves her or hates her. They either think shes gorgeous, or they think shes the ugliest thing they've ever seen.
And then you get those spiralling rumours that shes a hermaphrodite (which are ridiculous, by the way).
But whether you love her or hate her she has most certainly created a stir internationally, and she's definitely here to stay.
I, for one, and most definitely on the loving side. My infatuation with this pop princess is borderline ridiculous, and I know that it's terribly stereotypical for a guy such as myself to love Lady GaGa (who attributes the majority of her success to the gay community) but alas, it's a claim I can't deny...
I am GAGA for LADY GAGA!
Her infectious infusion of disco beats and thumping electronic basslines never gets old, and leaves you wanting to 'Just Dance' everytime. I also find that even though her songs can seem incredibly shallow, they (sometimes) seem to have a deeper meaning, something you can connect to despite the surface front of vanity and indulgence. Whatever it is about GaGa, she totally draws you into her world, and makes you buy into this lifestyle she has adopted and entitled 'The Fame'. 'The Fame' is also the name of her debut album, which is home to a fantastic array of songs, every one of which I love.
But 'be careful!' GaGa warns us in her recent performance at the VMA's; 'Amidst these flashing lights I pray the fame won't take my life...'
I had always loved GaGa and her fashion, but this particular theatrical masterpiece she performed simply blew my mind. The gorgeous imagery and beautiful singing and layering of melodies was MARVELOUS.
I don't understand how people can say she can't sing well live, because through watching videos of her live... she is extraordinary everytime, and manages to sing so beautifully WHILE dancing. You can tell none of her music is lip synced. When Lady GaGa started bleeding profusely from her heart, it sent shivers down my spine. I took her performance as being a portrayal of a young persons life being exploited, destroyed and left to die by the paparazzi and the media...
While most of the performances on youtube are bad quality due to Viacoms copyright claims on everything, if you haven't seen this performance you really should check it out!!!
Watch here: -> http://gomezhyatt.com/2009-09-14-lady-gaga-performa-papparazzi-vmas-2009/
The combination of theatrics, cabaret flair and beautiful costuming and choreography leaves me speechless everytime.
But yes, this was my post about Lady GaGa. There will probably be more about her, because I simply can't get enough; It could be about some of her unreleased songs or stuff from back in the day when she released an EP of pretty piano ballads under the name of 'Stefani Germanotta Band'. I may also talk about the fact that I'm definitely going to see her when she comes around to the ACC in January... (even if she is co-touring with Kanye... whatever, it's so worth it to see her live)
So what's your opinion on GaGa? Are you on the love side, or the hate side?
Tell me why. I will debate with you on the subject. (Just kidding... maybe)
-CAPTAIN PIKE
Under Pressure
First, read these lyrics so you know what I'm talking about! Or listen to the song, just click on the youtube link below...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5DDN09A534&feature=channel
Crashed on the floor when I moved in
This little bungalo with some strange new friends
Stay up to late and I'm too thin
We'll probably see each its till the end
Now spinning empty bottles Just the five of us
The pretty eyed boys girls lie to trust
I can't resist the day, No I can't resist the day
Jenny screams out and it's no pose
Cause when she dances she goes and goes
And feels through the notes on an inside joke
I'm so excited I havn't spoke
And she's so pretty and she's so short
Maybe I'm more clever than a girl like her
The summers all alone
And the summer is ending soon
It's why..And it's nice not to be so alone
But I hold on to secrets In White houses
Maybe I'm a little bit over my head
I come undone after things you said
And he's so funny in his bright red shirt
We were all in love and we all got hurt
Even to the cars cracked leather seat
The smell of gasoline in the summer heat
We were going way to fastIt's all to sweet to last
It's alright
And I put myself in his hands
But I hold onto secrets
In White housesLove,
of something ignites in my veins
That I pray it never fades
In White houses
My...First...Time...Hard to explain
With the rush of Blood And..A little bit of pain
All on a cloudy dayIt's more common then you think
It's...My...First...Mistake
Maybe you were all faster in need
I didn't give up so easily
The silly little boys were never men
I feel so far from where I've been
So I go and I will not be back her again
I'm gone as the day is fadingIn white houses
I ride with my injuries all in a dice
In my heart just the five of usWhite houses
And..maybe you'll remember me
What I gave is yours to keep
White houses
In white houses
In white houses
Going back quite a few years ago, mostly known for her song “A Thousand Miles” from the ever so popular comedy, “White Chicks” is Vanessa Carlton. This song White Houses is an interesting mix of the overwhelming and exhausting pressures teen girls deal with as a result of the media, their peers, society in general, and ultimately themselves.
The song covers all the basics of friendship, body image, boys, love, sex and drinking. Regardless of knowing every other girl deals with the things you do, it never seems to make it easier for you personally. When it comes down to it, you deal with these pressures of being thin, having a boyfriend, knowing what love is, drinking and going out to party with your friends all by yourself. Although this song is about the pressures of girls it can still relate to boys. (For all of you boys reading my blog, I promise I will make you feel a little less uncomfortable haha). Firstly, the boys have to deal with the mess these pressures can sometimes turn these girls into! Haha! Sorry guys! But guys have pressures too. Even though they don’t necessarily feel the need to be pencil thin and look like the models that walk runways for a living, they have pressures of being big and bulked up and working out at the gym in all their spare time. They have the pressures of “wheeling” girls.
I think this song is really about growing up and being comfortable in your own skin. It doesn’t matter if you are a boy or a girl, you have to learn to accept yourself and not feel the need to be what the media demands of you. The lyrics of this song are simple and to the point but they’re easy to relate to. I know this is not a brilliantly written or formal blog like some of the others but I don’t these blogs are always about elegant writing, they are about expressing yourself and having an opinion. Well there is my opinion. Don’t hesitate to give me feedback; there is a lot of time for improvement so feel free to help me out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5DDN09A534&feature=channel
Crashed on the floor when I moved in
This little bungalo with some strange new friends
Stay up to late and I'm too thin
We'll probably see each its till the end
Now spinning empty bottles Just the five of us
The pretty eyed boys girls lie to trust
I can't resist the day, No I can't resist the day
Jenny screams out and it's no pose
Cause when she dances she goes and goes
And feels through the notes on an inside joke
I'm so excited I havn't spoke
And she's so pretty and she's so short
Maybe I'm more clever than a girl like her
The summers all alone
And the summer is ending soon
It's why..And it's nice not to be so alone
But I hold on to secrets In White houses
Maybe I'm a little bit over my head
I come undone after things you said
And he's so funny in his bright red shirt
We were all in love and we all got hurt
Even to the cars cracked leather seat
The smell of gasoline in the summer heat
We were going way to fastIt's all to sweet to last
It's alright
And I put myself in his hands
But I hold onto secrets
In White housesLove,
of something ignites in my veins
That I pray it never fades
In White houses
My...First...Time...Hard to explain
With the rush of Blood And..A little bit of pain
All on a cloudy dayIt's more common then you think
It's...My...First...Mistake
Maybe you were all faster in need
I didn't give up so easily
The silly little boys were never men
I feel so far from where I've been
So I go and I will not be back her again
I'm gone as the day is fadingIn white houses
I ride with my injuries all in a dice
In my heart just the five of usWhite houses
And..maybe you'll remember me
What I gave is yours to keep
White houses
In white houses
In white houses
Going back quite a few years ago, mostly known for her song “A Thousand Miles” from the ever so popular comedy, “White Chicks” is Vanessa Carlton. This song White Houses is an interesting mix of the overwhelming and exhausting pressures teen girls deal with as a result of the media, their peers, society in general, and ultimately themselves.
The song covers all the basics of friendship, body image, boys, love, sex and drinking. Regardless of knowing every other girl deals with the things you do, it never seems to make it easier for you personally. When it comes down to it, you deal with these pressures of being thin, having a boyfriend, knowing what love is, drinking and going out to party with your friends all by yourself. Although this song is about the pressures of girls it can still relate to boys. (For all of you boys reading my blog, I promise I will make you feel a little less uncomfortable haha). Firstly, the boys have to deal with the mess these pressures can sometimes turn these girls into! Haha! Sorry guys! But guys have pressures too. Even though they don’t necessarily feel the need to be pencil thin and look like the models that walk runways for a living, they have pressures of being big and bulked up and working out at the gym in all their spare time. They have the pressures of “wheeling” girls.
I think this song is really about growing up and being comfortable in your own skin. It doesn’t matter if you are a boy or a girl, you have to learn to accept yourself and not feel the need to be what the media demands of you. The lyrics of this song are simple and to the point but they’re easy to relate to. I know this is not a brilliantly written or formal blog like some of the others but I don’t these blogs are always about elegant writing, they are about expressing yourself and having an opinion. Well there is my opinion. Don’t hesitate to give me feedback; there is a lot of time for improvement so feel free to help me out!
Diagnosis: Wrackbloit
Apologies Van, for you've already heard this one - but to everyone else, this particular post consists purely of my nonsense poem, written during today's spare. If you would like a glossary of the words, I would be happy to oblige - however, I think for the first read-through I'll leave these foreign words and their meanings to your imagination. It's much more fun that way! Enjoy! :)
Last night I dreamed a dream as I lay sleeping in my bed;
I dreamed of teeny, tiny glinks fluzzing 'round my head.
I swattled and I swiggled, trying to catch them in mid-flight -
Alas, those winged fuzballs stayed, try my hardest though I might.
Come morn, I did awake quite curflubled in my room,
as the glinks in my ears whispered: "Welcome, welcome to your doom!"
I stumbled to the mirror in my giddly, groggy state,
and discovered purple bloofers bloofled to my skin, like bait.
If you believe this is the end, I tell you, there is more;
I bloinked about the house in search of shnar-filled corridors.
And only once my hair turned blue, my townails broke and rough,
Did I call the doctor and exclaim, "I've had enough!"
I then journeyed to the clinc and waited for my turn,
nervously anticipating answers I would learn:
"It is my hypothesis that this imaginary sploit,
I regret to inform you, is the make-believe wrackbloit!
In no way is this poem perfect. I haven't taken the time to change lines that I don't think fit, nor have I really taken the time to emphasize the implied fact that the doctor is speaking to our poor narrator at the end. However, I would like your opinions and suggestions for further development. If I was to take this poem and develop it into a story or a childhood journal entry perhaps, do you have any ideas regarding delivery or context?
thanks,
DHALL.
PS. I won't usually be writing this nonsense stuff... I'll have something different for you come Sunday!
I'm Gonna Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
Okay, so I think I can easily say that Thursday, September 17th was one of the best days of my life. It was the day I went to see the U2 360 tour.
For those of you that do not know, I am a huge U2 fan. It was the music I was raised on; my parents had surprisingly good taste. And, as I got older I only learned to appreciate their music more.
As I entered the stadium, I could already feel the electricity in the air. (Little did I know U2 wasn't due on stage for another 4 hours.) During the duration of this time, Snow Patrol was busy pumping up the growing crowd. And, I'll admit they made a fan out of me, but the anticipation was killing me, so I don't feel I appreciated it as much as I could have.
Finally, as the lights dimmed the crowd erupted into screams and applause. It felt surreal to me. As if I wasn't actually there but watching it from afar; in a theatre where silence was definitely NOT golden, but screaming as loud as you can, singing until your voice was hoarse and applauding until your hands hurt was. The dome of the Rogers Centre was open, allowing the music to be carried out into the Toronto sky. As Larry, Adam, The Edge, and Bono came on stage, the atmosphere became...indescribable. Above us, the lights of the CN Tower seemed to dance along with the music.
U2 carried out 23 songs, including some personal favourites: Beautiful Day, Where the Streets Have No Name, Stuck in a Moment, With or Without You, and One (to name a few.) It was an amazing experience to see my idol performing the songs that illustrated my life. I felt as though I never truly appreciated U2's music until I saw them live. I had underestimated the power of a guitar riff, or a well written lyric: sixty thousand of us were united with the love of the music. It was exhilarating to be a part of such a large crowd. To be a part of the voice that sang U2's songs. That is what Bono said: that his goal for the 360 tour was to make the audience the 5th member of the band. And that crowd, that crowd of sixty thousand people that I was able to be a part of, definitely accomplished this.
Along with hearing my favourite songs, another highlight of the night was simply Bono's ability to unite the crowd: everyone belted the lyrics back to him, the entire stadium waved their hands in the air under his command, and screamed purely in appreciation of the music and the honor it was to be a part of that crowd. One of the most awe-inspiring moments was when Bono said "let's bring the stars inside," and told us to bring our our cell phones and wave them in the air. And it literally looked like the night sky.
At each intermission I felt a flood of panic. The pause in the music made me fear that the night was already over. And when the evening came to a close, and it actually was the final goodbye my heart sunk, because I knew that this moment I was in, would now only be a memory. But a memory I will never forget. I just hope I will get the chance to see them again; that they continue to make music until they're old like the Rolling Stones and timeless like the Beatles. If I could describe the night in one word it would have to be
Magnificent.
So there's my first blog post. And what was initially intended as a review of the concert turned entirely into a recapping of events. But, I suppose that its for the best because I'm pretty sure my review would be all too biased. And I know the flow isn't as great as I would have liked it, but there was so much to talk about, I was rushing to get all my thoughts out.
So what do you think? Are you a fan of U2? How can I improve the flow?
xoxo Rebecca
For those of you that do not know, I am a huge U2 fan. It was the music I was raised on; my parents had surprisingly good taste. And, as I got older I only learned to appreciate their music more.
As I entered the stadium, I could already feel the electricity in the air. (Little did I know U2 wasn't due on stage for another 4 hours.) During the duration of this time, Snow Patrol was busy pumping up the growing crowd. And, I'll admit they made a fan out of me, but the anticipation was killing me, so I don't feel I appreciated it as much as I could have.
Finally, as the lights dimmed the crowd erupted into screams and applause. It felt surreal to me. As if I wasn't actually there but watching it from afar; in a theatre where silence was definitely NOT golden, but screaming as loud as you can, singing until your voice was hoarse and applauding until your hands hurt was. The dome of the Rogers Centre was open, allowing the music to be carried out into the Toronto sky. As Larry, Adam, The Edge, and Bono came on stage, the atmosphere became...indescribable. Above us, the lights of the CN Tower seemed to dance along with the music.
U2 carried out 23 songs, including some personal favourites: Beautiful Day, Where the Streets Have No Name, Stuck in a Moment, With or Without You, and One (to name a few.) It was an amazing experience to see my idol performing the songs that illustrated my life. I felt as though I never truly appreciated U2's music until I saw them live. I had underestimated the power of a guitar riff, or a well written lyric: sixty thousand of us were united with the love of the music. It was exhilarating to be a part of such a large crowd. To be a part of the voice that sang U2's songs. That is what Bono said: that his goal for the 360 tour was to make the audience the 5th member of the band. And that crowd, that crowd of sixty thousand people that I was able to be a part of, definitely accomplished this.
Along with hearing my favourite songs, another highlight of the night was simply Bono's ability to unite the crowd: everyone belted the lyrics back to him, the entire stadium waved their hands in the air under his command, and screamed purely in appreciation of the music and the honor it was to be a part of that crowd. One of the most awe-inspiring moments was when Bono said "let's bring the stars inside," and told us to bring our our cell phones and wave them in the air. And it literally looked like the night sky.
At each intermission I felt a flood of panic. The pause in the music made me fear that the night was already over. And when the evening came to a close, and it actually was the final goodbye my heart sunk, because I knew that this moment I was in, would now only be a memory. But a memory I will never forget. I just hope I will get the chance to see them again; that they continue to make music until they're old like the Rolling Stones and timeless like the Beatles. If I could describe the night in one word it would have to be
Magnificent.
So there's my first blog post. And what was initially intended as a review of the concert turned entirely into a recapping of events. But, I suppose that its for the best because I'm pretty sure my review would be all too biased. And I know the flow isn't as great as I would have liked it, but there was so much to talk about, I was rushing to get all my thoughts out.
So what do you think? Are you a fan of U2? How can I improve the flow?
xoxo Rebecca
Thursday, September 17, 2009
I Could Jump The Track...
So this is my first blog, and I'm doing it in a very spur-of-the-moment fashion! I was inspired by Emilie Autumn, a singer, violinist, writer and performer extraordinaire. I stumbled across one of her poems from a Poetry Reading CD called 'Your Sugar Sits Untouched' on 'YouTube'. I knew I had read this poem before, but it seemed to have struck a different chord within me upon hearing her read it. The poem is entitled 'Jump The Track'.
In this light the dust is visible
Glowing, golden atmosphere
Even the air I breathe is full of memories
Shades of others bathe my skin
And since I am alone, I wonder
Who on earth would ever know
If I slipped into the other side
Without making a sound
without blinking an eye
without slowing down at all.
I could jump the track
Still the wheels are turning
Landscapes echo in my mind
Flying past my windows
How could anyone fear this place?
And since I am alone, I wonder
Who on earth, would ever guess?
If I cross this fragile strand that binds
Without making a noise
Without skipping a beat
Without slowing down at all
I could jump the track.
And what were specters now have faces
Casting light in darkened places
Those that I have loved are with me
Never gone, but ever drifting
Through the treads of my existence
Courses running, side by side
Paths entwining, realigning
Meeting, past the great divide
In the realm that phantoms hide
Sanctified. Occupied.
And since I am alone, I wonder
Who on earth, would ever care?
If I slipped away before my time
Without saying a word
Without praying to god
Without slowing down at all
I could jump the track
I could jump the track
I could jump
You can hear her read it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9pLwFgOCd0
I think what I liked most about this poem was the fact that it tackled an overdone and heavy subject from a very different perspective. Instead of being about suicidal thoughts, depression and angst, Emilie seemed to be looking at the subject simply from a more speculative viewpoint. It painted an image for me of those times where you’re warm and cozy, looking out a window and you’re just deep in thought… reminiscing about life, pondering over death and just wondering what’s truly out there, and what there is in the afterlife. I’m sure everyone has those kinds of thoughts.
The lines ‘Still the wheels are turning / Landscapes echo in my mind / Flying past my windows’ could be metaphorical, but it’d make sense for them to be literal too, as one place I know I personally spend a lot of time simply thinking is on train rides or car rides, seeing the landscapes float by and getting lost in your thoughts. Interestingly enough, the poem also gives me a feeling of nostalgia, even though I’m not entirely sure why. I took the abrupt ending of the poem as representing that she had arrived at her destination, or someone interrupted her time thinking alone, cutting her off mid-thought.
Analyzing aside, I just really enjoyed this poem as it made me think and kept me captivated with its descriptive imagery. Hooray!
So there’s my first blog! Hooray?
My next one is going to be about Lady GaGa… so I hope you are all prepared...
Now I'm off to write my Jabberwocky inspired story!
-JPIKE
In this light the dust is visible
Glowing, golden atmosphere
Even the air I breathe is full of memories
Shades of others bathe my skin
And since I am alone, I wonder
Who on earth would ever know
If I slipped into the other side
Without making a sound
without blinking an eye
without slowing down at all.
I could jump the track
Still the wheels are turning
Landscapes echo in my mind
Flying past my windows
How could anyone fear this place?
And since I am alone, I wonder
Who on earth, would ever guess?
If I cross this fragile strand that binds
Without making a noise
Without skipping a beat
Without slowing down at all
I could jump the track.
And what were specters now have faces
Casting light in darkened places
Those that I have loved are with me
Never gone, but ever drifting
Through the treads of my existence
Courses running, side by side
Paths entwining, realigning
Meeting, past the great divide
In the realm that phantoms hide
Sanctified. Occupied.
And since I am alone, I wonder
Who on earth, would ever care?
If I slipped away before my time
Without saying a word
Without praying to god
Without slowing down at all
I could jump the track
I could jump the track
I could jump
You can hear her read it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9pLwFgOCd0
I think what I liked most about this poem was the fact that it tackled an overdone and heavy subject from a very different perspective. Instead of being about suicidal thoughts, depression and angst, Emilie seemed to be looking at the subject simply from a more speculative viewpoint. It painted an image for me of those times where you’re warm and cozy, looking out a window and you’re just deep in thought… reminiscing about life, pondering over death and just wondering what’s truly out there, and what there is in the afterlife. I’m sure everyone has those kinds of thoughts.
The lines ‘Still the wheels are turning / Landscapes echo in my mind / Flying past my windows’ could be metaphorical, but it’d make sense for them to be literal too, as one place I know I personally spend a lot of time simply thinking is on train rides or car rides, seeing the landscapes float by and getting lost in your thoughts. Interestingly enough, the poem also gives me a feeling of nostalgia, even though I’m not entirely sure why. I took the abrupt ending of the poem as representing that she had arrived at her destination, or someone interrupted her time thinking alone, cutting her off mid-thought.
Analyzing aside, I just really enjoyed this poem as it made me think and kept me captivated with its descriptive imagery. Hooray!
So there’s my first blog! Hooray?
My next one is going to be about Lady GaGa… so I hope you are all prepared...
Now I'm off to write my Jabberwocky inspired story!
-JPIKE
The Simpler Things: A Poem
When things get out of hand, and I'm surrounded by strife,
I like to take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the simple things in life:
The kindly smile of the man in the moon,
The call of the northern loon,
The dance of ripples, as the rain pours down,
The skyline of a distant town,
The rich hues of autumn leaves,
The soft caress of a summer breeze,
The unique complexity of a single snowflake,
The mighty power of an earthquake,
The synchronized motion of the waves in the sea,
The protective shade of an old oak tree,
The warmth that touches me from the sun,
The colours of the sky when the day is done,
The clouds racing high above,
The freedom of a soaring dove,
The waltz of the swaying grass,
The solidity of a mountain pass,
The sparkling blanket of untouched snow,
The flash of lightning, putting on a show,
The patterns made by billions of stars,
The canyons and eroded rock's scars,
The vibrant colours of spring flowers in bloom,
The roaring thunder’s trembling boom,
The exotic animals and their grace,
The intrigue of a far off place...
So when things get out of hand and you're surrounded by strife,
Just take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the simple things in life.
So I hope you like my poem. I tried to emphasize the importance of going back to nature; putting aside such a materialistic society and appreciating the beauty the world has to offer.
So what do you think? Would you change any verses? Add any verses?
xoxo Rebecca
I like to take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the simple things in life:
The kindly smile of the man in the moon,
The call of the northern loon,
The dance of ripples, as the rain pours down,
The skyline of a distant town,
The rich hues of autumn leaves,
The soft caress of a summer breeze,
The unique complexity of a single snowflake,
The mighty power of an earthquake,
The synchronized motion of the waves in the sea,
The protective shade of an old oak tree,
The warmth that touches me from the sun,
The colours of the sky when the day is done,
The clouds racing high above,
The freedom of a soaring dove,
The waltz of the swaying grass,
The solidity of a mountain pass,
The sparkling blanket of untouched snow,
The flash of lightning, putting on a show,
The patterns made by billions of stars,
The canyons and eroded rock's scars,
The vibrant colours of spring flowers in bloom,
The roaring thunder’s trembling boom,
The exotic animals and their grace,
The intrigue of a far off place...
So when things get out of hand and you're surrounded by strife,
Just take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the simple things in life.
So I hope you like my poem. I tried to emphasize the importance of going back to nature; putting aside such a materialistic society and appreciating the beauty the world has to offer.
So what do you think? Would you change any verses? Add any verses?
xoxo Rebecca
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