As of Monday of this week $202,000 had been raised for the American Speed Skating Team in 6 days since Stephen Colbert and his Nation/Legion of Fans agreed to sponsor the team! Impressive!
In addition to this achievement, Monsieur Colbert put "Canadian Iceholes" on official notice - apparently the Vancouver Olympic organizers won't let the American team practice at the Richmond Oval in the lead up to the games. Letting teams practice on the ice ahead of time is apparently the norm in speed skating competitions but for some reason, the VANOC and/or the Canadian Olympic Speed Skating Team are being less than hospitable and this landed Canada on Stephen's 'notice' list. I guess the American team is just going to have to bring its A game.... :)
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
20 and 1 years ago today
Twenty years ago today my parents called me and my sister into the living room to watch as Germans from East and West of the Berlin Wall reunited joyously for the first time in 28 years. The Berlin Wall had come down and with it came the beginning of the end of Communism and what had once been the USSR’s vast empire. As far as elementary school-aged children went, I was a news junkie. I watched the news in the morning as we got ready for our days at school and work and I watched the local news every night after dinner. I distinctly remember watching this particular broadcast and I knew, without being told, that this was a huge event.
Taken from a google image search
I was 9 years old when the wall came down and based on what they taught us at school, I knew about 8 things about the USSR: 1) Berlin and Germany were split in half, 2) people had to line up for food and/or sometimes just bread, 3) everyone is the USSR drove the same model of car, 4) the government told when your family was going to take your holiday, your parents couldn’t decide that for themselves, 5) you couldn’t leave the USSR unless the government gave you permission to and it was very very hard to get permission 6) Pawel S. in my grade 2 class was from Poland and could only speak Polish and Russian because they (the government) wouldn’t teach the children English, 7) Ronald Regan and Mikhail Gorbachev had a lot of meetings, those two were always on the news and lastly, 8) Mikhail Baryshnikov, the premier ballet dancer in Russia and the world throughout the 1970s and 1980s, had defected from the USSR, which meant he could never go home to visit his parents again and I remember this making me feel very sad for him. This is what I learnt/retained from the elementary school teachings on communism. Fast forward 18 years to when I began working in Brussels and one of my counterparts was from Latvia and only a few years older than me. I took the opportunity to confirm whether the information I had been given as a child was Western propaganda or actuality – standing in line for bread, laundry detergent, red meat and chicken were all part of his daily life as a child. And yes, his parents only took vacations when the government told them they could. Fascinating. I could throw my poli-sci degrees into this post and write a few long paragraphs on what it meant then and in the intervening 20 years but I won’t because you can go to the BBC or The Times or The Guardian for more in-depth analysis by people who were actually there and lived it.
Taken from The Guardian's website
Switching gears…
1 year ago today my little monkey-butt, Moose, was born! My, how he’s grown! We’ve bought him a pile of new toys, which he will have in tatters before bedtime tonight. We’ve wised up and will very rarely buy him toys at the pet store because while he’s only an 11 lbs dog, he can chew through anything! Dollar store or bust! So Happy 1st Birthday to our Moose!!! Sniff, you’re growing up so fast!!!
This is Moose on his first night home with us, he was 12 weeks old, he hated us (seriously, you should have seen the comtempt in his eyes) and had walked himself into his cage and passed out from a day of nerves and new places.
Taken from a google image search
I was 9 years old when the wall came down and based on what they taught us at school, I knew about 8 things about the USSR: 1) Berlin and Germany were split in half, 2) people had to line up for food and/or sometimes just bread, 3) everyone is the USSR drove the same model of car, 4) the government told when your family was going to take your holiday, your parents couldn’t decide that for themselves, 5) you couldn’t leave the USSR unless the government gave you permission to and it was very very hard to get permission 6) Pawel S. in my grade 2 class was from Poland and could only speak Polish and Russian because they (the government) wouldn’t teach the children English, 7) Ronald Regan and Mikhail Gorbachev had a lot of meetings, those two were always on the news and lastly, 8) Mikhail Baryshnikov, the premier ballet dancer in Russia and the world throughout the 1970s and 1980s, had defected from the USSR, which meant he could never go home to visit his parents again and I remember this making me feel very sad for him. This is what I learnt/retained from the elementary school teachings on communism. Fast forward 18 years to when I began working in Brussels and one of my counterparts was from Latvia and only a few years older than me. I took the opportunity to confirm whether the information I had been given as a child was Western propaganda or actuality – standing in line for bread, laundry detergent, red meat and chicken were all part of his daily life as a child. And yes, his parents only took vacations when the government told them they could. Fascinating. I could throw my poli-sci degrees into this post and write a few long paragraphs on what it meant then and in the intervening 20 years but I won’t because you can go to the BBC or The Times or The Guardian for more in-depth analysis by people who were actually there and lived it.
Taken from The Guardian's website
Switching gears…
1 year ago today my little monkey-butt, Moose, was born! My, how he’s grown! We’ve bought him a pile of new toys, which he will have in tatters before bedtime tonight. We’ve wised up and will very rarely buy him toys at the pet store because while he’s only an 11 lbs dog, he can chew through anything! Dollar store or bust! So Happy 1st Birthday to our Moose!!! Sniff, you’re growing up so fast!!!
This is Moose on his first night home with us, he was 12 weeks old, he hated us (seriously, you should have seen the comtempt in his eyes) and had walked himself into his cage and passed out from a day of nerves and new places.
Friday, November 6, 2009
One of my many mild obessions...
There are a number of things I have mild obsessions with: stationary, art prints, the UK, France, lamps, cheese and tea towels. I've labeled them mild, instead of full-on-full-blown-oppressive-yet-exhilarating obsessions because while I love them I manage to restrain myself from packing our apartment full of these things. Instead I'm a very keen window shopper who occasionally indulges by giving in and buying one or some of these things...except the UK and France, I looked into it, I simply can't afford the mortgage to acquire both swaths of land...shame...
Anyways, in the last few days and apart from my Olympic chatter, I've come across some absolute gems in the realm of tea towels! They're pretty and cute and sophisticated… or at least as sophisticated as a tea towel can get! And there’s lots of them…and this why they stay a mild obsession and do not come home with me…where would Mike keep his clothes?
From the awesome online store Keep Calm Gallery and in their new(er) shop ToDryFor.com
Branch Handmade
www.etsy.com/shop/branchhandmade
Brookish - um, how awesome is this? Mr. Darcy's 1st proposal to Lizzie
www.brookish.etsy.com
Humble Collection
www.humblecollection.etsy.com
Mr. PS
www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5091410
Nesta Home
www.nestahome.etsy.com
Oola Designs
www.ooladesigns.etsy.com
Petit Coterie
www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6505304
Show Pony
My mom would love this one...
www.showpony.etsy.com
Skinny La Minx
www.etsy.com/shop/skinnylaminx
Teresa Sheeley
www.etsy.com/shop/teresasheeley
Hello Handmade Paperie - the photos of this aren't great but its a 2010 calendar, pretty no?
www.hellohandmadepaperie.etsy.com
Emma Bridgewater
www.emmabridgewater.com
Bon Weekend!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
I stand corrected, Ralph Lauren throws it back to the 30s and apparently we're hackers...
So, apparently I stand corrected! When I was in Vancouver on Sunday and took the photo posted below of the Olympic countdown clock which read 131 days until the Olympics, it was wrong. Because today, the news and The Bay in their email to me (me specifically don't you know) announced that there was only 100 more days until the start of the 2010 Winter Games! Well that's dandy, but does VANOC know? And is this a sign of things to come? Brace yourself Vancouver, brace yourself...
In other Olympic related news today, Team USA revealed its uniform/gear for the Games - 1930s inspired pieces created by Ralph Lauren. They are nice, if not a little plain but what I particularly do not like about them and quite frankly find Mr. Lauren to have exercised poor taste, is that they are festooned with the enigmatic branding of polo player and horse and his initials. I think the term I'm looking for is... egotistically tacky?
America’s Olympians are representatives of America. They are representatives of their respective sports and they are representatives of their states, towns and families. They are not representatives nor models employed by Ralph Lauren Polo & Co. And while Mr. Lauren’s rise to fashion world stardom and riches follows the story of the ‘American dream’, I wonder if his designs and logo strewn clothing is representative of America and American athletes going about their daily lives outside of Manhattan? Moreover, given the economic climate and the hardships many Americans have faced over the last 12-18 months, how inviting and broadly representative are these portable symbols of athletic and sporting pride when the men’s sweater pictured below is priced at $385 and the women’s is priced at $165...i mean, really?
(BTW, what is up with Ralphie cutting off people's heads? We already have headless manikins, are models next? How will they smoke to stay so thin?)
America’s Olympic strengthen has always been in the actual matter and substance of the Games, athletic prowess, but if the US Olympic Committee and teams want their compatriots to take a more active part and investment in their athletes and their organization, than they need to bring the Games to the masses - and one way would be through broadly appealing and affordable branding. I simply see can't large segments of the population with 'Get R Done' bumper stickers picking up one of these jaunty sweaters...just saying…
Anyways, Ralph Lauren rant aside (and please note I do generally enjoy Mr. Lauren’s clothier creations), an update on the American Speed Skating Team and the Colbert Nation!!! Apparently, Canada is to blame for the initial technical difficulties the donation page experienced in its first 24 hours… Stephen said that the donation links had been removed and a note reading, "Sorry about this" had been left in their place – ergo, the politeness of the note meant that we North of the 49th Parallelers must have been to blame…good times ;) However, all was not lost, as Monsieur Colbert announced last night that with technical difficulties resolved, a healthy sum of $40,000 had been raised already! Awesome!!! I think this is very exciting and a fantastic way to get that buy-in from the general public that I mentioned above. They, the skating team, too have been hit by the economic fallout of market-speculation-gone-wild and need more than a vintage/WASPY-esque uniform to get through the Games. And by the by, I wonder what Monsieur Colbert thinks of the new threads?
Lastly, and just for total clarity, while I support the Colbert Nation in their support for the American Speed Skating Team, once the opening ceremonies start, its red-and-white-maple-leaf pride all the way baby! I will be rooting for the home team!
In other Olympic related news today, Team USA revealed its uniform/gear for the Games - 1930s inspired pieces created by Ralph Lauren. They are nice, if not a little plain but what I particularly do not like about them and quite frankly find Mr. Lauren to have exercised poor taste, is that they are festooned with the enigmatic branding of polo player and horse and his initials. I think the term I'm looking for is... egotistically tacky?
America’s Olympians are representatives of America. They are representatives of their respective sports and they are representatives of their states, towns and families. They are not representatives nor models employed by Ralph Lauren Polo & Co. And while Mr. Lauren’s rise to fashion world stardom and riches follows the story of the ‘American dream’, I wonder if his designs and logo strewn clothing is representative of America and American athletes going about their daily lives outside of Manhattan? Moreover, given the economic climate and the hardships many Americans have faced over the last 12-18 months, how inviting and broadly representative are these portable symbols of athletic and sporting pride when the men’s sweater pictured below is priced at $385 and the women’s is priced at $165...i mean, really?
(BTW, what is up with Ralphie cutting off people's heads? We already have headless manikins, are models next? How will they smoke to stay so thin?)
America’s Olympic strengthen has always been in the actual matter and substance of the Games, athletic prowess, but if the US Olympic Committee and teams want their compatriots to take a more active part and investment in their athletes and their organization, than they need to bring the Games to the masses - and one way would be through broadly appealing and affordable branding. I simply see can't large segments of the population with 'Get R Done' bumper stickers picking up one of these jaunty sweaters...just saying…
Anyways, Ralph Lauren rant aside (and please note I do generally enjoy Mr. Lauren’s clothier creations), an update on the American Speed Skating Team and the Colbert Nation!!! Apparently, Canada is to blame for the initial technical difficulties the donation page experienced in its first 24 hours… Stephen said that the donation links had been removed and a note reading, "Sorry about this" had been left in their place – ergo, the politeness of the note meant that we North of the 49th Parallelers must have been to blame…good times ;) However, all was not lost, as Monsieur Colbert announced last night that with technical difficulties resolved, a healthy sum of $40,000 had been raised already! Awesome!!! I think this is very exciting and a fantastic way to get that buy-in from the general public that I mentioned above. They, the skating team, too have been hit by the economic fallout of market-speculation-gone-wild and need more than a vintage/WASPY-esque uniform to get through the Games. And by the by, I wonder what Monsieur Colbert thinks of the new threads?
Lastly, and just for total clarity, while I support the Colbert Nation in their support for the American Speed Skating Team, once the opening ceremonies start, its red-and-white-maple-leaf pride all the way baby! I will be rooting for the home team!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Canadian expats...we're everywhere!
So to keep along the lines of all things Canada...because no one ever gets bored of that subject...on Saturday I will be going to my first ever Canadian Expats Living in the Seattle area event! Whoot-whoot! :)
I recently discovered this crew of Canuk's through another Canadian here at work. She and I met rather accidently about a month ago when she asked me for directions to someone's office and noticed my antique postcard of the Parliament buildings pinned up in my cube (good eye). She then sent me the link to the aforementioned group and I've been waiting for an event or meet-up to come up ever since. Anyways, this Saturday there will be a ladies only brunch at the very yummy Portage Bay Café, just a stone's throw from my work. I'm looking forward to meeting ladies from the true north strong and free...hehehe...hopefully none of them are hosers ;)
I recently discovered this crew of Canuk's through another Canadian here at work. She and I met rather accidently about a month ago when she asked me for directions to someone's office and noticed my antique postcard of the Parliament buildings pinned up in my cube (good eye). She then sent me the link to the aforementioned group and I've been waiting for an event or meet-up to come up ever since. Anyways, this Saturday there will be a ladies only brunch at the very yummy Portage Bay Café, just a stone's throw from my work. I'm looking forward to meeting ladies from the true north strong and free...hehehe...hopefully none of them are hosers ;)
Monday, November 2, 2009
Only 130 more days...
Till the world comes to Canada and Vancouver more specifically. Yesterday we made one of our quarterly-ish visits back 'home' to Vancouver to top up my supply of Shreddies and Alberta steaks...as you do...and decided to put my birthday present from my Nanny to good use by swinging through The Bay to get ready for my preferred Olympic sport - armchair obnoxious fingernail-biting fan!
In order to partake in this particular Olympic sport, one must first be kitted out in highly fashionable and super cool clothes:
Thanks Nan!!!!
And if The Bay hadn't run out of these, I would totally gotten this too...
Aaaannnnddddd, if I had seen these, I would have to snapped these up too! WICKED!
Aaaaaannnnnnnddddddd, as I type this I'm watching the Colbert Report and Monsieur Colbert just announced that his show and the 'Colbert Nation' aka his legion of fans will be sponsoring the US Olympic speed skating team! Awesome! What happened to get a Comedy Central show to sponsor a Olympic team? Well the Dutch bank, DSB, went under yesterday. There was a run on the bank as well as truck loads of bad debt and voilà, the bank, which was the American speed skating team's sponsor was no more. So tonight, moments ago, Stephen Colbert stepped up and the speed skating team will now (hopefully) have all the money they need to make it to and through the Olympics! I'm going follow this story and therefore, so are you!
Lastly and more Canadiana propaganda (!), The Telegraph (London) has named Montreal as the second happiest place live in the world! Tabarnouche!!! I really like MTL, we have often gone there for shopping, weekends away, enroute to family in Odanak and for the reason that the newspapers vote of confidence, the very awesome Just for Laughs festival! Mike and I also went there the day after our wedding for a very mini honeymoon. Next time anyone's in Montreal, you need to stop by Reuben's for a smoked meat sandwich and Pier Gabriel for amazing French food!
Félicitation!!!
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