I have decided to actually continue my series of “It’s all about the equipment” posts, so I thought I’d include one piece of equipment I have recently acquired. My very good friend H gave me an early celebratory gift that he knew I lacked. Shame on me, I never had owned an iPod (*gasp*). I just never saw the need for it.
I used to own a portable cassette player, then I transitioned to a portable CD player (actually an excellent piece of equipment which was stolen from my house last year, I could jog with it). So I thought I’d never own any portable music device, because I was so angry having lost my CD player.
Well, this year H and I had conversations about iPod and he kept asking me why I didn’t own one. I just thought I never needed one (even though I exercise regularly, commute everywhere by bus and walk a lot, all circumstances under which using a portable music device makes the experience all the more pleasant).
Those friends of mine who know me well know also that I only plugged my TV this year (actually in May of 2007), after having owned one for over a year and a half. So I am quite slow in adapting new technologies or gadgets (unless they’re work-related). Anyhow, H thought I needed an iPod and so he generously gave me one.
It’s time to confess that I have become addicted to iPod. So much that I’m actually considering the possibility of buying a Nike+iPod kit to track the calories I burn while exercising. My iPod I think is 30 GB, and H kindly left me lots of music in it, so now I’m walking and commuting all over the place while listening to awesome tunes. How could I have lived without an iPod for so long?
After finding out that, as Miss604 predicted, I am technically now part of the Vancouver blogging community (I found myself in the Urban Vancouver news aggregator, which is actually quite an honour) and recognizing that there are other better known bloggers in Vancouver, I checked out Darren Barefoot’s blog. From there I backtracked to Meg Fowler’s blog and found that she talked about Entertainment Weekly’s list of the top 50 tearjerker movies.
I consider myself a movie fiend, and thus I was quite disappointed to see that they had missed a few films that have caused my eyes to well (or fully weep, as the case may be). They did hit the nail in the head with most of them, but they also left a few that I thought were worthy of a nomination. Interestingly, they did ask “what did we miss?“. This is my response, and I would like to ask you my dear readers to provide your own responses in the comments section.
So without further ado, here is my list of “I Don’t Understand How You Could Have Omitted This Tearjerker Film” movies that should have made EW’s list and did not.
One True Thing: Admittedly, there are personal reasons why this movie makes me cry nonstop (I lost someone I loved very much to lung cancer). Nevertheless, Meryl Streep’s performance was Oscar-worthy (yet she was denied that year, despite having been nominated). If you rent it, I would recommend watching it with a close friend or someone you love, as you’ll probably need some emotional support. Lorenzo’s Oil: The true story of a mom and dad who are desperately trying to find a cure to their son’s incurable (and degenerative) disease. In addition to the fact that Sarandon and Nolte’s performances are top-notch, this movie reminds me of my parents and their never-ending support and encouragement. Stepmom: There is something about Susan Sarandon (nominated for an Oscar I think five times and winner once) that just makes this movie totally worth watching. But I think Julia Roberts’ performance brought her to a new level. The story of a dying Mom who helps her ex-husband’s girlfriend through the transition to becoming the stepmom to her children, this film is guaranteed to give you lots of opportunities to make use of your tissues.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Even though there’s lots of martial arts in this movie, I can guarantee you that you won’t be able to keep your eyes dry towards the end of the movie. This movie is a gem.
Awakenings: Proving that he can be a leading drama actor, Robin Williams breaks our hearts as a doctor who attempts an experimental treatment on a group of catatonic people. He is able to wake them up but just for a short period of time. Bring lots of tissue when watching this movie and cuddle up with your loved one. Robert DeNiro was nominated for an Oscar for his phenomenal performance in this movie. What Dreams May Come: Again, another phenomenal performance by Robin Williams, who loses his children. Further in the movie, he also dies (can it get any sadder? yes it can!). Anabella Sciorra made me cry, as did Williams, with their performances.
I probably should’ve blogged in reverse. My weekend started on Friday with a phenomenal dinner (sushi) at a place I will review later. The dinner was not the highlight of the evening. It was the company. J picked me up and drove to C and B’s and then we headed for sushi (review forthcoming). Then we went back to B and C’s place and consumed copious amounts of red wine. B and C are two of the most caring people I’ve ever met, and they really are always looking out for me. For that, I am very grateful. I absorbed so much good energy and positive vibes in the past weekend that I feel fully recharged. Friday night, Saturday morning/afternoon and Sunday all day, three days of only positive energy, great friends, good food and amazing entertainment. What more can you ask for?
Oh, and on Friday night, the night cap was a great chat with D who had M over for a visit. They hadn’t seen each other in 20 years so it was a great reunion. I think by then I was a bit above my tolerance level for CH3CH2OH. So I ran on Saturday not only hungover but still processing the alcohol. Whooops š
This was, by far, the best Pride Day I have spent in Vancouver in the last decade. It got off to a great kickstart with breakfast at Paul’s Omelettery with B, A and H. We then headed to downtown and met J and B. We watched the Pride Parade until about 3, when we headed to the Beer Garden. Quite disappointed I must add. Prices were a bit steep, and the entrance fee (though by donation, and with a suggested $ 2.00 – I ended shortchanged with $ 5.00). Not a big deal, but I felt uncomfortable.
The negative sensation subsided really quickly as I had a really good time with all my friends. We then headed to J’s place and had gin and tonic, planned our camping trip and organized our weekly movie night. J is a great host, and he and B are such a cute couple! We nibbled and drank until they headed to a T-Dance and B, A and H and I went for dinner. We couldn’t find a place, so we settled for Vera’s Burger. Luckily, J (B’s boyfriend) joined us for dinner.
Then A had to head home so H, B, J and I went to Delaney’s for coffee and dessert. It was amazing. I can’t really recall the last time I had had so much fun at Pride. The great thing is that this particular group of friends created the conditions and opportunities for new gatherings and social activities, which I really value. I am very blessed with the friends I have. So, yeah – for me, it was a Happy Pride!
UPDATE – Little omission that is unforgivable. From brunch at Paul’s we took the AquaBus over to the Aquatic Centre. There are few things more enjoyable than having a bunch of your friends take the AquaBus with you. I may sound dorky, but I really enjoyed it. Actually I felt that the whole day flowed unbelievably well. We all had a really great time. I was actually quite amazed at how energetic my friends are. They kept up with my pace. We spent over 12 hours together! š
With Pride weekend happening (B.C. day is on Monday, which ends up being a holiday), this is the best opportunity to catch up with old friends. So I ended up contacting S and R, and they called up A and P so that we all could go for brunch. I chose Joe’s Grill on Davie and almost Burrard because I had heard rave reviews of the place. I am sure I came to Joe’s Grill at some point with L, early in our friendship. But that was years ago, so I had to come again.
Anyhow, Joe’s Grill did not disappoint. I had the “Chopped Steak” (scrambled eggs with a beef patty) and it was awesome. I could almost say that Joe’s Grill’s eggs rival those of Crave on Main or Burgoo on 10th and Sasamat. The food is inexpensive, very filling and the service was top-notch. The best part of it was seeing S and R again (they are close and dear friends of mine) and the fact that they invited A and P really was the icing on the cake.
I would strongly recommend Joe’s Grill for brunch. I would like to try Score or The Fountainhead, I am sure they have good food. Happy Pride everyone!
There is no better way to start a nice work day than listening to Presuntos Implicados. This group of Spaniards lead by vocalist Sole Gimenez have made a name for themselves in the music scene worldwide. Their lyrics are filled with passion and fire, and their music is sublime. The song played in this video, “La Flor de la Manana” (the morning flower) might be one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard.
Dear supporters of “Random Thoughts of a Student of the Environment”‘s Blogathon 2007 for “A Loving Spoonful“, thank you very, very much for donating! We raised $ 151.63 USD that I am sure will go a long way to help people in Vancouver living with HIV/AIDS that really need a meal. By now, most of you have been receiving reminder e-mails. You can donate via A Loving Spoonful’s online form (I contacted them re: the security, http instead of https, I still haven’t heard back from them) or through other means (e.g. a cheque). You don’t necessarily need to do this ASAP, you can do this at your earliest convenience. Your support during the Blogathon meant the world to me. To those of you who donated (you know who you are). THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
First of all, and full disclaimer. I am NOT afraid of Americans. I am proud to have many friends who are Americans, and they are lovely people. The thing is, this song is super intense, and my neighbour was playing it out loud so I had to find the video. David Bowie, is in my humble opinion, a musical genius. The video is one of David’s live appearances.
I just came back from a run at Robson Park (which is a designated non-off-leash park, i.e. if you want to walk your dog there you need to leash it) and what do I find? Two women with large dogs and one man with a tiny dog, all of them off-leash. There are plenty of signs in the park that advise the owners to pick up after their dogs AND LEASH THEM. Don’t get me wrong, I love dogs. I really do. But what I find annoying is breaking the rules.
There are several off-leash parks, why break the rules? So this only comes to confirm my thought that rules are broken everywhere. I am by no means a prude. But when we say that we live in a society that abides by the rules and then I walk out the door and first thing I see is someone breaking those rules, it just irks me.
At Beyond Robson, you can find a discussion on off-leash parks (although in this case, I think Degan was describing the exactly opposite situation, someone having a picnic at an off-leash park — in my case, I was running in a park where dogs must be leashed).
You can still sponsor me using the link at the right of the screen (“Sponsor Me”). So far I’ve raised around $85.00 USD!!! Thanks to all sponsors so far, and if you haven’t pledged, you still have until Tuesday night (9pm PST) to do so.
Updates for late sponsors! Calling all sponsors! And this is my last post for Blogathon 2007!
I just read that pledges can be submitted by sponsors up to 48 hours after Schedule B is over (which means, 48 hours after Sunday at 9 pm Pacific Standard Time ā therefore, you guys have up until Tuesday night, August 1st, 2007 at 9pm PST to make a pledge and sponsor me! I will be forever grateful, youāll get positive karma and A Loving Spoonful will receive a few more donations!)
Sponsor meā¦ you know you want to! You have almost three full days!
I felt a lot of pressure when I saw that someone was looking forward to Rebeccaās last post. Since this is my last, I thought I should make the most of it and call for donations. Iāll post the winners of my āpledge as much as you canā contest in the next few days.
Thanks to Rebecca and Jeff for contributing commentary, to H for suggesting the theme, to all my friends who kept encouraging me, to my sponsors (you know who you are) for donating to this worthy cause, and now I should also announce that I am going to turn my phones (both land line and cell) off. Actually I probably shouldnāt, come to think about it. I think I can sleep through anything!
Itās amazing how my body is shutting down at an astonishingly fast rate. I already took my contact lenses off, and am counting the minutes until I actually post this last entry. I have read in other blogs that they plan to stick it up until 9 am, or whatever. Sorry, canāt do. My body can only take so much pain.
The last 5 minutes (from 5:55am to 6:00am) have been painfully excruciating. My body is claiming āhey you started blogging at 5:40am, you should get some credit minutesā. So I am trying to brainwash myself into hanging on to 6:00am sharp. Iāve already congratulated Miss604 for completing the task. I survived too. Yowza!
āBecause nobody living with AIDS should live with hungerā (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.
I’m starting to feel the pressure and the excitement at the same time. On the one hand, I feel pressured to post something significant instead of just dropping words and trying to scramble to finish Blogathon. Incredibly, I managed to actually go all the way. To be fair, I have pulled my share of all-nighters. This one was not the first time I’ve done it. I usually recover quite well with a few naps. The first one is (strategically) only an hour long. The others usually are a few hours. And within 24 hours, I am back to normal.
The excitement is that I have accumulated a total of about $ 66 dollars for my charity, which isn’t bad. It was very encouraging to have Jeff and Miss604 drop by and have them comment on my site. I have had some sad things happen throughout the day but I’ve done my best to counter them. And finally, I have done this for a good cause: A Loving Spoonful.
āBecause nobody living with AIDS should live with hungerā (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.
My blog is entitled “Random thoughts of a student of the environment” basically because I am interested in environmental issues, but that’s not all I blog about. I normally write about life in general, things that happen around Vancouver, I do a fair number of restaurant reviews, movie reviews, coffee shop reviews. And hopefully I’ll start to do some more Vancouver-centric content.
āBecause nobody living with AIDS should live with hungerā (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.
I loved their first movie (Charlie’s Angels – Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz), but this video of their second movie’s main battle is a little too dark. Nevertheless, worth seeing š
āBecause nobody living with AIDS should live with hungerā (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.
I know I promised H that I would blog according to a theme, but frankly, I was starting to go too technical. My next environmental post was going to be on the environmental kuznets curve (a theory that argues that as countries increase their GDP, their level of environmental protection also increases) but I thought āok, youāre going a little bit too farā. Iāve tried to keep the environmental posts as general as possible, but this was going a bit beyond easy conceptual descriptions.
So, Iāve decided to continue with the somewhat personal journey. Some people have asked me if I have basically opened up my soul 48 times throughout the Blogathon. I wouldnāt say that, at all. I think anybody who knows me even a little bit knows that whatever is visible here, is visible everywhere else. I like house music, I love cooking, I tend to be sensitive, and sweet (but not fragile).
So H asked me why hummingbird604. Well, 604 is the area code for Vancouver (although now we also have 778). And hummingbird is a nickname I got a few years back (2003 to be exact). Hummingbirds fly at amazing speeds from flower to flower. I have tended to do many things really fast (I type fast, I speak fast, I think fast). So thatās why I am Hummingbird604.
āBecause nobody living with AIDS should live with hungerā (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.
I knew this moment would come at some point throughout the night, and I am not surprised to see that itās happening near the end of the journey. I am tired, I am sleep-deprived and I am (quite obviously) emotional.
The past few weeks, I have been fortunate to spend time with people who are partnered. For example, my dear friends C and B have been married for over five years, they knew each other for over nine years, and they are perfect for each other. They are a team.
My friend A and her husband A are also perfect for each other. They even bought a condo in the West Side of Vancouver. Their adventure is a joint journey. My friends M and Z are in the process of planning their wedding and look as complete lovebirds, entirely heads over heels for each other. They are also part of a team. Even my friend H and his girlfriend C have been able to maintain a solid long-distance relationship despite the fact that an ocean separates them.
One of Miss604ās earlier posts described how much she loved being part of a team. Her husband John has been extremely supportive of her Blogathon challenge. I have also read other blogs where partners, husbands, wives, are all cheering for their significant other. Some (John included) have done guest posts.
This has led me to the following reflection: Where am I in the elusive quest for love? Do I actually need to be part of a team, and if so, what are the characteristics I am looking for? I havenāt really thought about it for a long while, and I am guessing that I wonāt be thinking about it until I am ready (I donāt think I am ready just now). But itās always nice to see these teams, and sometimes I long to be part of a duo too. Tonight is one of those times, when I really, really would like to have someone to be here with me and share this challenge. Weāll have to see if that ever materializes, and if it does, where does it take me. Love is a battlefield, or so would Pat Benatar say.
SIDE NOTE ā I have decided to take a shower after this post. And Iām feeling peckish. I think Iām going to have a small slice of banana bread and a glass of cold milk with instant coffee.
āBecause nobody living with AIDS should live with hungerā (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.
I am so baked that even within my own specialty (environmental issues) I needed to go and ask for ideas. So I went over to Wikipedia and typed ālist of environmental issuesā. And voilĆ”! There is a list. In the list, one of the topics that is touched upon is increasing population.
If we assume that the number of people that the Earth can sustain is a limited number, when population grows at high rates, increasingly our resource based becomes more taxed and stressed. Therefore, it sounds like a good idea to try and curb overpopulation. However, just like any other environmental issue, the linkages between population and environment are still hotly debated and contested.
I wonāt enter into this debate, I just thought it was important to mention that we ought to think about population control when we try to reduce the pressures on ecosystems.
āBecause nobody living with AIDS should live with hungerā (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.
During Blogathon, I have had at least four instances where Iāve almost not been able to make it to my post due to commuting and Iāve felt really frustrated. Well, luckily for me, there are a few coffee shops that are open 24 hours. This is the case with Waves, a Vancouver-based coffee chain.
Their most recently opened shop, Waves on Broadway near Oak, is completely different to the other Wavesā that Iāve seen. Located at 1095 West Broadway, this Waves is extremely well illuminated, itās spacious and it has a much more elegant feel than the other shops. And most importantly, the tables donāt wiggle. So as I type this blog entry, I feel completely safe and I can read and write.
And on top of that, how cute is this? The backseats of Wavesā chairs have steaming cups of coffee carved! I donāt have a digital camera available or otherwise Iād totally take a few shots.
On the fundraising note, my pledges havenāt increased in the past few hours, but I plan to e-mail a few of my friends and guilt them into donating š hehe. After all, itās a great cause.
UPDATE ā I donāt think I can hang around Waves much longer, so Iām going to have to commute home. That means that the 2:00 am post will be slightly early (Iām posting it as early as now to allow me to cross the street and catch the bus), and thereās a chance that the 2:30am will be slightly delayed. Just in case Blogathon folks think Iāve folded. No, I havenāt and I will not. Iām still going strongā¦ š
āBecause nobody living with AIDS should live with hungerā (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.
A good friend of mine studied hybrid cars for her Masters of Science project, and I have always been curious about their health impacts (she is defending soon so Iāll find out soon enough). But more importantly, I wonder if they really are worth the hype. These vehicles are predicated on their fuel efficiency and reduced air pollutant emissions. I just Googled a few pages and found this report, which sounds interesting.
A friend of mine owns a hybrid car, and paid a premium because he wanted to reduce the amount of air pollutants released by his car (if he had to have a car, at least it was a less-polluting one). He is not the only one to have done so, though. Leonardo DiCaprio, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins are amongst the celebrities who are said to own hybrids (in the case of DiCaprio, apparently he owns a hybrid Prius)
āBecause nobody living with AIDS should live with hungerā (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.
The Main Street area (South Main or SoMa as some people tend to call it, extending from Main and 1st Avenue south up until about 33rd) is considered home to many artsy folks. It has a few funky art galleries, and one of the funkiest I think is Blim. Located on 17th Avenue, near Main, this is a great place and worth checking out. Now, bear in mind that itās in my neighbourhood, so I am all for visiting my stomping grounds.
Blim organizes a number of movie showings, button-making workshops, and all sorts of really fun stuff. I remember that recently they organized a Mexican-themed event. But I declined to participate in this one because I actually think I know how to make tacos, quesadillas and a few other items. Yummyā¦ now I am hungry!
āBecause nobody living with AIDS should live with hungerā (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.
Last year, Vancouver was host to the United Nations ā Habitat World Urban Forum. This unique event brought thousands of delegates to Vancouverās own Convention Centre to discuss how to best implement urban sustainability. I had the opportunity to attend a few sessions, and it was really interesting.
Now, there were thousands of discussions. My question is ā what happened after those discussions? Where are we, one year after WUF3? I havenāt read the WUF3 report but Iām curious to know what progress have we made 12 months after the event was held here.
āBecause nobody living with AIDS should live with hungerā (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.
UPDATE – Again, WiFi issues. Blogging from Waves Coffee on Broadway and Oak. Phew!
At Sās going away party, held at Bās place in the West End of Vancouver, I was in charge of feeding everyone their alcoholic beverage of choice. Of course, everyone drank responsibly. However, the most fun part was that I got to make frozen margaritas. People kept coming for them. As soon as my (professional) blender started, I could see their ears perk up and theyād flood the kitchen to have me pour them another cold one.
This was really fun, as it was Sās going away party and we wanted to bid her farewell in style. B was a very gracious host, and A kept me company all evening in the kitchen. I did not get to hang out, but I really didnāt care because I was having a blast. I think Iām a pretty damn good bartender, and itās fun to feel like I can help my friends when theyāre throwing a party and they need someone to mix the drinks.
Iāve had this conversation with other friends, and out of all of them, only one feels strongly against me mixing the drinks for his friends. I have told him that thereās no issue there, and that Iād gladly do it because I think that as a friend, we ought it to our closest ones to be available and help, be it assembling a new desk, carrying a new TV or mixing margaritas. Thatās what friends are for! š
People tend to ask me challenging questions and a very good friend of mine mentioned the local (Burnaby) oil spill as a suggestion. What should have been done? Was it properly handled? Thereās a whole line of research in environmental studies that looks at disaster preparedness and vulnerability. The challenge really I think is to be prepared for everything. Can we really be ready to face any environmental disaster?
The November 2006 boil water advisory in Vancouver and this weekās oil spill in Burnaby are just two reminders that we need to be seriously prepared for contingencies. What do you do to prepare yourself against any potential environmental disasters?
āBecause nobody living with AIDS should live with hungerā (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.
Do people believe that our blogging ability goes down as the day progresses? Iām starting to think that they do think that way. And I wonder if itās a reality. I remember that earlier today I posted a (quite thoughtful, I think) blog entry on the meaning of āforeverā. And now I am blogging about how we are going downhill because weāre tired and exhausted.
I would argue that this is always the case. In my case, I work better at night than during the day. But the only problem is that I started blogging at 6:00am, so right now my brain is sort of fried. Next year, Iāll ask for shared duties (e.g. guest bloggers). I am keeping up with the pace, and as it stands I think Iām going to have to leave my office fairly soon. That means, at least one stop in Kitsilano and one stop in either the Cambie area or the Main Street area. Since Iām commuting by bus, I would think Iām going to need to make the two pit stops.
If I think about it, I start getting tired. But when I donāt and just keep both working and blogging, I donāt feel it. Right now I have been blogging for almost 14 hours, which isnāt all that bad. As long as I donāt listen to any more depressing songs (I canāt get the Jann Arden tune out of my head), I ought to be ok.
UPDATE ā I just got my second wind, I donāt know how. Itās about 11 pm and Iām suddenly feeling good again. Strange how this thing works.
āBecause nobody living with AIDS should live with hungerā (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.
