The Big Day...

Since when are Americans so obsessed with British Royalty? The amount of shows, programs and special movies out the last week on The Big Wedding is cA-rA-zy!

The Big Stars

I mean, don't get me wrong, I will be quite happy to see the wedding, although I won't be getting up at 3am, I will probably record it and watch it later in the day. I really do like W & K, but I am surprised at how much the rest of the world is jumping on board too. I saw that by the time a photo makes it around the world with different royalties, etc., a 'good' picture of the soon to be princess is worth about $150,000 - $200,000.

Tell me, how is that not going to ruin your life?

I guess with all the bad news of earthquakes, civil wars, nuclear disasters etc. circulating the globe these days, everyone wants to latch onto a fairytale. Can you blame them?

I'm looking forward to a bit of Royal extravagance.

Beware Thieves!

Yesterday at two different stores our credit card was 'unauthorized'. Today I called to check it out and found out that someone has been using our credit card to make purchases in Quebec. First to McDonalds for $20, then somewhere else for $500!

On the phone after a billion security questions and checks and such, we (me and the visa guy) got it cleared up, the 'bad card' cancelled and a new one on the way. He asked at the end of the convo, if there was anything else they can do for me? And I really wanted to say, "Yeah, can you tell us what we can do to stop having our credit cards hi-jacked?" But I didn't. Partly because he had an accent and well.... let's just say I'm bad with accents and he'd already had to repeat himself like 50 times during our conversation.

But really, this is the third time in 3 years that our bank cards have been stolen. Are we doing something wrong? Is there a way we can be more secure? Do we need to switch banking institutions? We've got the new PIN cards and you better believe that after the last time, both Don and I now protect our PINs like crazy ninjas. So what can we do? At least our money has always been returned by the banks.

If you work(ed) for a credit card company, please share your security secrets with the rest of us.

Let me guess, probably the first step is not posting online that we're apparently credit card suckers?

Addicted.

It's true.

I have become addicted to classical music.

It happened sometime last fall.

I started turning the ol' radio dial in the mornings at work because for the most part I can't stand Gian Gomeshi, unless he has someone reallllllly interesting on. I equally don't love pop radio - have you heard some of the songs they play now? So what was left? Country - no thanks.* That talk radio where they yell their opinions at you most of the time and have people call in the rest of the time - no thanks. Winnipeg's only hip hop station - uh, have you met me?

Then, somehow, my dial slipped into heaven. The sweet high singing of violins filled the room, first just mellow and beautiful, then onto notes that were so sorrowful, so clear and pure they honestly made me want to cry. I can't remember what that song was, some piece by the Tokyo string quartet or something. It was so calming. I wasn't distracted by badly written lyrics, or self promoting radio hosts, I was left in music that most of the time is hundreds of years old. That was first heard in another era. I love the romanticism of that.

Then I found it sneaking into other areas of my life, much to Don's dismay. I'd get in the car and be late and in a hurry and quite possibly angry, but once the sweet notes of Bach would sound or if I was so lucky to catch a Chopin Sonata, I'd almost instantly be calmed down. Instead of getting frustrated by other drivers I enjoy a leisurely drive, probably becoming one of the drivers I used to hate...

I drive more relaxed, I work more relaxed, I cook more relaxed, I don't know what hold it has over me, but I can't deny it! I should probably invest some time in actually learning who I like, but for now, I'm quite happy with my classical education from high school (thank you Mr. Kristensen!), from my family - thank you Corrie and your purple Mozart tapes!- and my currently on-going education from CBC Radio 2, thanks to programs "Tempo" and "Shift" with their equally relaxed and informative hosts. Have a listen on-line where ever you are!

*That's not to say that there's not a time and place for good fun music, I love all kinds of music, I think I just get worn out of bad mixes on bad radio stations. I know, I know, there's such a thing as an ipod now, but most of the time at work I just want the good old fashioned radio, not ear buds shoved in my ears depleting my already bad hearing...

My Favourite Internet Duo

This has got to be the cutest Dad and Daughter on the internet!

I saw them last year in this video, but obviously, they just continue to be as cute.

No Impact Man

Whoa. We just watched this documentary called, "No Impact Man". I heard about them last year, but just finally got around to watching it last night.

The story of a high consumer NYC family who decides to live for a year in their fifth ave. apartment without any environmental impact on the earth. Done in different phases, they don't quite do everything for a full year, but it was, no pun intended, very impacting.

My favourite things that he said:

"The thing is, it's not what little things you do or don't do, not using bags, not creating garbage, it's that you're aware of where things come from and where they go, including both the food you eat and the garbage you create."

"The fact of the matter is that if only I change, it's not going to make a difference, but the hope is that if each of us as individuals change, it's going to inspire everybody to change. So I believe the most radical political act there is, is to be an optimist. The most radical political act there is, is to believe that if I change, other people will follow suit. "

It makes me happy to think that it's not about keeping one bag (or coffee cup, diaper, etc.) out of the garbage, but realizing I don't even need those bags to exist in a happy life. To be accountable for the things I use and garbage I create, to not just do it because it's convenient.

Just what can I do without?

A lot.

Old Man Similarities

Let me just say... nothing makes you feel like an old man

like having to trim an unruly nosehair.

Except maybe it did help a bit using a pair of teeny tiny manicure scissors to do it. I don't think old men do tHat.