Category: Miscellaneous

#051: Beavertails are tasty. End.

Post author By Mary Leong
Post date February 20, 2009
3 Comments on #051: Beavertails are tasty. End.

Currently listening to: “Defying Gravity” – Wicked

So the media is right on the heels of a certain U.S. President Barack Obama, a complete media circus complete with overanalyzing political analysts (sidenote- am I the only one who thinks Canada needs some good political pundits? I definitely think that Rick Mercer and Russell Peters should join forces in an epic show of political snark and wit), etc etc. But honestly, following the poor man all the way down to Byward Market and speculating on his reasons for getting a beavertail? Now that’s pushing it a tad bit, methinks. Now, not to be trite about this, but when CBC, CBC again, the National Post, CTV, and the aforementioned ABC News all link to the Beavertail-consuming event, well…let’s just say it might be a fun issue, but not worth the hoopla.

Now don’t get me wrong, Obamaniacs, I think the guy’s marvellous and everyone likes to hear about media-friendly newsworthy political figures, and beavertails are more than marvellous. But maybe that’s all there is to it. CBC speculation on television at circa 1.30 p.m. PT was rife with theories on Why He Got A Beavertail. No, he’s not snubbing off the US embassy (which is three minutes away from Byward), as one lady speculated on the news. Why should he, we haven’t done anything outrageously ridiculous to our neighbours down south lately. So why get a beavertail then?? Sure, blare as much as you like about cultural identity and whatnot, if it makes you happy. Newfangled conspiracy theories aside, one need only consider the simple fact that beavertails are delicious. That’s all there is to it. They are scrumptious. The mere thought makes my mouth water. They are comfort food (along with poutine), and you don’t need a reason to have poutine, and you shouldn’t need an excuse to have a beavertail.

Mind you, I’m preaching to the converted here, though. If you haven’t had a beavertail, I DON’T THINK YOU UNDERSTAND.

These things are amazing. They are like Christmas nights, summer lovin’, and late night stargazing wrapped into a large doughy piece of fantastic and magic, topped with cinnamon and sugar (and other toppings which you may choose from). They are like the best days of childhood where you could run around with fingers sticky with honey and jam and run in meadows of little yellow flowers and prance till the sun set. They are, for the less metaphorically-extended, basically Mini-Donuts from Playland, except large, and flat.

Seriously.

Go get one, and then you’ll understand.
You’ll never need an excuse to have one.

Miscellaneous

#050: A tale of two books

Currently listening to: “M79” – Vampire Weekend

Before I start, [insert obligatory yay-reading-break-huzzah comment here].

So I bought two (2) books yesterday. Yes, it’s always the same old story. Work at a bookstore, can’t leave without getting something. In any case, one of the books was absolutely bloody brilliant, and the other one was a complete disappointment. Can’t always be having the best of both worlds now, can we? So here goes nothing.

He’s Just Not That Into You

(Except I bought the cheaper movie adaptation paperback, not the hardcover.) Now this was one huge flop of a read. Sure, I understand it’s supposed to be lighthearted and well, supposedly quite humourous, but unfortunately, I failed to see the humour OR the good advice. Firstly, the book is just not funny. At all. For a self-help book that touts itself as being a book one might find at Urban Outfitters (and for the record, you can’t find it there), it’s not very amusing. Secondly – god, the advice! The advice given! Honestly! This book should be titled “If He’s Not Obsessed With The Sole Thought Of Sleeping With You, Well, He’s Just Not That Into You”. For a book that claims to be perfectly rational, it’s certainly placing a high order on the sheer helplessness of humanity when faced with pheremones and hormones. In one strategically placed chapter (smack middle of the book) Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo express the opinion that, well, sex trumps all other forms of expressing love, going as far as decrying the (in my humble opinion, very charming and darling) gestures of cookies and warm nights spent cuddling before the fire and pleasantries and chivalry. How reassuring to know that the prospect of sex is the one thing that drives and paralyzes humans and renders them incapable of doing anything else. I guess everyone I know must be completely abnormal then. Do you see anything wrong with that sentence? I think I’ve made my point.

The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism

And now this. THIS. Naomi Klein, you are my hero and I would nominate you for sainthood. THANK YOU FOR WRITING THIS BOOK. THANK YOU FOR ACTUALLY DEVOTING A WHOLE CHAPTER ABOUT THE BOLIVIAN WATER FOR PROFIT ISSUE. I COULD LOVE YOU JUST FOR THAT ALONE, but you went on and wrote a whole brilliant book. Thank you for – well, talking about what the world needs to know about how the rampant imposition of Western capitalist free-market views on developing countries is a venture that is doomed to failure. Sheer imperialistic arrogance, hidden under the sleek facade of humanitarian efforts. If you’re planning on doing anything regarding global finances and trade markets, please read this book. With the slow but steady corporate domination of the developing world, this book is incredibly valuable in demonstrating how the undermining pre-existing states of government (which work for their respective populations) in favour of implementing “democracy” is a sheer free-for-all grab for wealth and power. Rich growing richer, poor getting poorer, a diminishing middle class, and the top dogs of First World countries smirk as they watch on. I frankly feel ashamed to be fortunate enough to be born into this percentile of the world which lives without fear of starvation, threat, or governments selling off national interests to multinationals. And I feel incredibly, incredibly lucky to have all these resources at my fingertips. Also, more saddeningly, I feel incredibly powerless to do anything in the face of all this. What more can I say? I’m at a loss for words here, so I’ll stop. (Oh, I’m going to read Milton Friedman’s Capitalism and Freedom next, for an opposing viewpoint. I promise I’ll write a review of that when I’m done. And maybe do some refuting of my own.)

It’s nice to know for every rubbish book there is out there, there is one which will blow it right out of the water.
I’m willing to lend out either book to anyone who’s interested.

Tags books

Miscellaneous

#049: Even more adventures in photography!

Post author By Mary Leong
Post date February 10, 2009
2 Comments on #049: Even more adventures in photography!

Currently listening to: “If You Seek Amy” – Britney Spears

Second roll of Elitechrome 200.
I’m intrigued by the bluish effects- I did the exact same process to my first roll of Elitechrome, which turned out a lot greener. Cross processing does yield such incredibly unpredictable results, you just gotta love that stuff.

Granville Island

and now, some UBC

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French midterm at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Psych midterm at 11 a.m. tomorrow.
Hooray.

Tags photography

Miscellaneous

#046: Drinking before three, what?

Post author By Mary Leong
Post date January 22, 2009
2 Comments on #046: Drinking before three, what?

Currently listening to: “I Fought the Law” – Dead Kennedys

These few days have brought way too many entertaining anecdotes. First sandwich man, now this romping troupe of jokers I ran into at approximately 3 p.m. a jolly Tuesday afternoon…and more stories to come in the next couple of days, I don’t want to reveal them all now!

So I was out shooting downtown by the Vancouver Public Library when I found myself accosted by abovementioned persons- all thoroughly inebriated at 2.50ish in the afternoon. Now I would usually find that thoroughly amusing from a good distance, and maybe even a tad bit bohemian in the whole “Rene Descartes not doing anything productive all day” manner. However, when the scene is obscured by prancing 30-year-olds (probably football-watching, one of them had a Man U jersey) dudes who probably ought to be doing something aside from straggling down the street in the middle of the afternoon, ruddy-faced, taking up most of the space in my viewfinder, and saying things like “hey luv, what time is it?” before cracking up, evidently finding themselves specimens of sparkling wit…well, then it’s really a tad sad. Besides…there’s just something terribly suspect about being intoxicated before 3 p.m., wouldn’t you agree?

And please, for the love of all that is good, DON’T wear sweatpants with a football jersey. It just looks bad.

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And also omg omg omg everyone, I’m geeking out here, guess what I found!

the POLITICAL SPECTRUM QUIZ

I’ve always been a social democrat, but here, this is a lot of fun if you’re not sure exactly where you fall on the political spectrum. And for those who do, it’s still a lot of fun :D And you get a nifty diagram of where you fall on the political spectrum (in this case, made in the form of a grid)!