Book Review

Late Nights On Air
Elizabeth Hay

This book did a great job of making me want to move to Yellowknife and/or work in a small radio station.
Great descriptions of the radio station, being on air and the experiences of the people on air.
Not sure what the book led to. Removed the inconsistant characters - left the consistant characters to find one another or their purpose.
Good read.
Soft review.

keep on enjoying those quite mornings,

cheers

I like to think that the only thing stronger or more prevailent in our relationship than our resistance of long distance, of allowing ourselves to become so stupidly involved, to be in something heavy
is that neither wants to miss out on the other. something special.

it is so particular to be in a relationship where i never really feel the need to say " i miss you" and yet make the commitment to be in a long distance relationship. to deal with caring for someone who you hold once or twice a month.

stuck between not wanting to acknowledge missing you but not wanting to be apart.

what a fellow

Book Review: Galore
By: Michael Crummey

Finishing up my wee Newfoundland obsession is the book Galore, which (duh) takes place in a small Newfoundland town called Paradise Deep.
There is no real main character - purhaps the town is the main character because it is the only thing that remains a constant throughout the story. All others pass into memory and story.
The story sags a bit at the end of the middle - at least I found so - because there was no indication as to where the story was headed, just more characters, more names to keep a hold of.
However I really enjoyed Mr. Crummey's writing style, even if it took a page or two to get a hold of.
And the ending was superb. It had me contemplating the story and the ending and the movement of time for a while after I had finished.

Favourite Quote:
"Newfoundland seemed too severe and formidable, too provocative, too extravagant and singular and harrowing to be real."


Originally the purpose of this blog was tied to my ebbing interest/obsession with Canada and being in love with my country. I still do, don't get me wrong, but the intensity of this obsession does not remain constant.
So the blog posts to come will most likely be riddled with more variety, thought still full of life and love regardless.

Cheers

Review: Bay of Spirits; A love story

This is the second book that I have read by the famously Canadian author, Farley Mowat. The first being A Whale for the Killing.

This book was a wonderful account of the beginnings of his long time love affair with Canada's newest province; Newfoundland. Having been to Newfoundland before I really enjoyed the way he was able to capture the warmth and feeling of the island and her people.

This book also tells the love story between Farley and his second (common-law) wife Claire. I found it sort of funny that he would write a book about how he had a marital affair with another woman with whom he ended up leaving his wife - and for the most part Ontario - for.

Idealic and self assured regardless of outside influence, Farley and his books have conviction for their own purpose. Unfortunately I feel like many have fallen to the wayside or been trampled by such certainty and selfishness. What of his children? His ex-wife? Those are the characters that I really feel were forgotten.

Two drinks raised for the sturdy people of Newfoundland - may your nets be full and your roots deep. To heck with that Joey Smallwood!


Weak post I know - its been a long time coming. But to be fair Newfoundland was a completely seperate country for a very long time. However she is now a shining jem in Canada's crown.

Cheers

Post Script

Canadian Dream : Sam Roberts

Went out on the street today
The Canadian Dream was as far away as it’s ever been
As it’s ever been

S.O.C.I.A.L.I.S.M.is here to stay
S.O.C.I.A.L.I.S.M. is the only way

Frozen land, frozen minds
Frozen hands and frozen time
‘Cause everything moves real slow when it’s forty below


Upcoming: Farley Mowat Book Review
Personal With Louis Riel

Canadian Dream

This topic was the straw that broke the camel's back; Welcome to my first blog post, ever. I had been toying with the idea of starting one because I like to voice my opinions through writing (write my opinions?) and I do not have the drive nor the ambition to become a writer. Also the accessibility of starting one's own blog is too tempting.

Today I stumbled upon the heading of an article that read "Is Debt Killing the Canadian Dream?"
Beyond the fact that debt can be the killer of many dreams, not country specific, I was confused as to what the "Canadian Dream" was.

The cliche American Dream seems to be centered around starting your own business, making a lot of money and living in a large house in the suburbs (however I am sure that sentiment is changing).
But as any Canadian could tell you, Canadians and Americans are not alike.

So then what could the Canadian dream be?

My first reaction would be to say that there is no one dream that could encompass Canadians - the variety in people alone would pose a challenge.

However since there is no sport in shutting an idea for a blog post down here are some of the ideas that I have come up with about the "Canadian Dream" - the making of, the end result and the people.

• Passionate hard work leading to success - Canadians do not shy away from putting in the effort in order to reap the benefits, my guess? something to do with having to shovel so much snow just to leave the drive way (some are passionate about shovelling, don't judge)
• Starting from nothing and creating something to be proud of - this point is in honour of all the people who immigrate from foreign countries with very little and manage to start their own business and flourish within this country
• Something my friend Kayla likes to call "Canadian Famous" - where you would recognize them on the street, but there are no photographers following them, and they are able to lead fairly regular lives. (discounted: Canadians who move towards American notoriety - Jim Carey I'm looking at you)
• Respected but not boastful - an off-shoot of the above points, where Canadians work hard to achieve their dreams but are respectful of their success and do not take it for granted. What I think about the Canadian fashion industry.

As I was writing these down, I began to think of Canadians who would discredit each point, making this post little more than an idyllic vision of Canada. However I feel that there is such diversity within Canada that it would be unfair to discredit those people (I am too nice - even anonymously) And there are a great number more Canadians who have achieved what is success in their minds who might fall within all of my ideas.

Regardless congrats Canadians - I like the lot of ya.

Canada is my Dream