Day 267. As Promised

Where were you in October of 1991?  More specifically, on October 11, 1991?  Do you remember?  Really, it’s a day no female, regardless of age, religion or race should ever forget.  Or, for that matter, any man.

On October 11, 1991 Anita Hill was called to testify before a Senate Judiciary Committee.

But before I tell you why, for those who don’t know, some background.  On July 1, 1991, President George H.W. Bush (father) nominated Clarence Thomas for the Supreme Court of the United States.

He would be replacing Thurgood Marshall, who was retiring.  His (Thomas’s) was a contentious nomination

Day 266. First Three

You remember I mentioned I’d be seeing ten films at this year’s HotDocs? Well, I’ve now seen three of them. “Ballerina”, “Anita” and “Tough Bond”. With the exception of Anita, I can’t say I loved all of them. But I am happy I saw them.

Does that make any sense at all? Probably not. It does to me, though. Because there was something in all three I found worth seeing.

“Ballerina” was, perhaps, the biggest surprise. Why, I’m not exactly sure.

Maybe because I’ve seen several films on dance and dancers over the years, so now I have pre-conceived notions. And a couple of years ago at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) I saw “Pina”, an absolutely magnificent Wim Wenders documentary about Pina Bausch, a famous German performer of modern dance, choreographer, dance teacher and ballet director.

Shot on 3D it has, for me, forever changed my expectations for this genre of film.

So maybe it just wasn’t ever going to be possible for me to love “Ballerina”. Maybe I was just unable to appreciate it, on its

Day 265. Thanks, Julie

Everyone who reads my blog regularly knows I’ve had a moratorium on accepting awards for quite a while.  I’m not being a snob.  I’m not trying to be difficult.  I’m not trying to be ornery.  Or make a point.

It’s not that I’m not grateful.  I am very grateful.  When fellow bloggers think a blog is worthy of recognition it is, indeed, an honour.

Quite simply, I’ve been very lucky.  I have been nominated for many awards.  I’ve had more than my fair share of the limelight.  And I decided it was time for others to have a turn.

I still feel the same way.

However, Julie at Sow, Sew, So nominated me for an award the other day I can’t turn down.  Because I just love the sentiment behind it.  This is one I’d never heard of, with good reason.  It’s only been around for a week or two.

And its purpose is not just to acknowledge  a particular blogger or blog, but to acknowledge the WordPress ‘family’ we’re all a part of.  I totally get it.  I’ve written about the community many times.  I am constantly

Day 264. Evolving Neighbourhood

Boy, I’ll tell ‘ya, you sure do have to pay attention.  Keep your eyes open.  Stay on top of things.  Or you miss something pretty significant.  Like I did.  Right in my own backyard, too.  Helluva thing.

A friend recently sold her house.  Like me, she had a very short closing date; and, also like me, she rented a furnished apartment until what she wants becomes available.  Unlike mine turned out to be, her short-term rental is fabulous.  New, bright, clean.  The epitome of urban living.

It’s in Yorkville, but the eastern most part, bordering on Yonge Street.  Run down, ‘tired’ and in need of a face lift, in comparison to the tonier part of the neighbourhood, between Avenue Road and Bay Street.

Day 263. Great Escape

Last December, Claire over at Word By Word reviewed “The Bridge Club”, Patricia Sands’ first book. Claire’s a fabulous reviewer and, the more I read, the more I wanted to read it. So, thanks to modern technology, it was downloaded and on my iPad in mere seconds.

It’s a book about a group of women and their friendship. A friendship they began as young women. Over the years the friendship grew stronger and stronger; and they became closer and closer. They were there for each other through thick and thin. Heartbreak and happiness, marriage, divorce and widowhood, sickness and health. The more they went through, the closer they became.

I loved the story because I saw my own friendships in it. I loved it, because the older I get, the more my friendships mean to me. The more I appreciate them. The more I count on them. And depend on them. I also loved it, because it takes place in Toronto, which I didn’t know when I bought it. So as I read, I visualized. I was there, with them. I could see exactly where they were, all the time.

The story was set here because the author, Patricia Sands, and her husband live here. And lo and behold, because she had read an exchange between Claire (Word By Word) and me, she (Patricia) decided to check out my blog. Happily she liked what she read and started following me. And one day, she commented we should meet for coffee. Which we did; and we talked and talked and talked. Like old friends. Like women do.

That’s when she told me she had another book, “The Promise of Provence”, coming out, in the not too distant future. She was at the

Day 262. Movie Madness

Seems like it was just yesterday I was writing about how busy the month of April was going to be for me.  And here we are.  April’s just about over.  Amazing.  It has been a fully-packed month, both work wise and socially.

And “no”, I’m not complaining.  It’s been terrific.  I was sure, as I looked ahead, I’d be exhausted.  But I’m not.  I’ve had blogs and ads to write for clients, an event to plan, videos to shoot and, of course, my own writing to work on.  There’ve been brunches, lunches, dinners, coffees and drinks.  And a couple of nights out at the theatre.

Hot Docs (Canadian international documentary festival) starts tonight and lasts until May 5.  A friend and I are seeing ten (culled from a choice of 205).  So the month will end on as busy a note as it began.

Anyone who knows me well, will be surprised I’m seeing so few films.  I always bought the fifty-movie pass for TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival), which meant I was seeing five or six movies every day for ten days.  Most people I told thought I was nuts.  They never believed I’d remember what I’d seen.

Day 261. Canadian Arrests

For all the Canadians who think terrorists don’t target us, think again.  Seems the police have had two alleged terrorists under investigation since August 2012.  And a couple of days ago, April 22 to be precise, a special joint tax force of RCMP and CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) anti-terrorism units, in partnership with provincial and municipal police forces in Ontario and Quebec arrested them.

Thankfully, long before they could carry out their plot, which was still in the planning stage.

Thankfully, long before countless numbers of innocent people were killed and injured.

Their plan?  To blow up a VIA passenger train in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area).  When?  No one is saying.  Why?  No one is saying.  But do terrorists really need a reason?  And if and when they have one, does it make a difference?  Does it, somehow, make it make sense?

Of course not.

Which train?  Apparently it wasn’t a specific train they were after.  It was a specific route.  Although no details have been

Day 260. Good Morning

Read, in last Sunday’s New York Times Magazine, about the troubles over at the Today Show.  Falling ratings, anchor problems, the very messy ouster of Ann Curry, etcetera etcetera etcetera.  Embarrassing as it is, I must confess I was only vaguely aware of it.

And only because it was mentioned on a show I was watching.  Maybe Bill Maher.  Honestly, I don’t remember.  I wasn’t really paying attention, because horror of all horrors, I don’t watch breakfast television.  Or whatever it’s called.

Morning TV??

Beats me.

I know a lot of folks who can’t start their day without it.  Not me.  Although I don’t know why.  I’m up early

Day 259. Appalling Behaviour

I escaped to Starbucks Saturday morning, in an effort to get out of my cleaning lady’s way.  Well, in an effort to avoid the chores she’d have given me, if I’d stayed home.  I had some writing to do, so staying home wasn’t an option anyway.  I’d never have been able to concentrate with all the tumult and the noise from the vacuum.

When I first arrived it was very quiet.  There were only about five or six other people.  Shocking, really.  It’s always packed in there.  Not that I was complaining, mind you.

Got a yoghurt and a coffee and snagged a seat at the harvest table, which is my preference.  More room to spread out.  Didn’t take long before I was totally engrossed in what I was doing.  Oblivious to anything going on around me.  Unaware of anyone coming or going.  Didn’t even have a clue what time it was.

Suddenly there was a blood curdling scream directly behind me.  And I do mean blood curdling.  High pitched

Day 258. Egos Aside

Want to know how powerful the spirit of collaboration can be?  Look no further than Boston, this past week.  Everyone co-operated.  Everyone was on the same page.  They worked as a team.

From the Governor to the Mayor.  From the local police to the FBI.  From the swat teams, to the military, to the bomb squads, to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.  From the emergency workers to the medical personnel to the fire fighters.  From the runners to the residents to the business owners.

I wasn’t there.  I have no training in such matters.  Or, thankfully, any experience.  But this I do know.  If they hadn’t put their egos aside, if they hadn’t put individual agendas or prejudices or beliefs or preferences aside, if