Commentary on the 2011 Ontario Leaders' Debate

On Tuesday night the leaders of Ontario’s three main parties debated each other to prove who has the best platform and who will make the best premier. However, there was no clear victor and it was somewhat of a lack-lustre performance in comparison to the federal leaders’ debate. This was an opportunity for NDP leader Andrea Horwath and Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak to really make Dalton McGuinty look bad, which I was predicting. Yet neither really attacked him until the end and even then there was no clear kill shot. McGuinty did quite well against his two opponents who had lots of ammunition but never really used it. I was hoping both McGuinty and Hudak would attack each other to the point of looking idiotic, leaving Ms. Horwath to stand alone shining. That didn’t happen as all played quite fair and spoke well. I was actually somewhat impressed with McGuinty (aside from his constant hand-talking). Maybe it’s because he’s so familiar to us after eight years and we can recognize his voice when he speaks, but he gave off a “premier” vibe (or maybe it was his “dad” vibe?). Either way he didn’t seem too phased by any comments made against him. The only annoyance was his constant hand-talking, I have never seen him wave his hands around so much while speaking. Was it nerves or passion?

Each candidate began with an opening statement before answering questions asked by Ontarians. McGuinty praised the Liberal Green Energy and Green Economy Act, and I’ll give the Liberals credit for it. He made great points about green energy and how the Liberals have been investing in renewable energy sources and creating green jobs. He was correct in discussing how Ontario just scraped by in the summer of 2003, referring to the August blackout, as the previous PC government left Ontario in an energy consumption crisis. The Liberal green energy path is a difficult path to take, especially with our polluting American neighbours, but it is something that must be done. McGuinty is well aware it costs money and will take time to figure it all out, “There’s no escaping it” he said. But Ontario is a leading green energy provider in North America now and will help lead Canada into the green energy future. The coal fired plants will be shut down by 2014 and replaced with renewable and clean sources. Hate on it all you want, but if we don’t do this now it will just get worse and be more difficult in the future. The era of cheap and dirty energy is over.

Moving on, Andrea Horwath discussed the forestry industry up north which needs help. She has heard from Ontarians who have lost jobs due to the closing of mills. She said we cannot close mills which process our natural resources and that shipping our resources outside of Ontario for processing is killing jobs. This is why the NDP plans to give tax credits to companies that are hiring Ontarians and providing more training for their employees – IN Ontario. It’s simple, reward the companies investing in Ontario. One of her favourite lines was “there will be no blank cheques to companies who ship jobs elsewhere,” the NDP will do things differently.

Horwath made a great point when she said, “It’s easy to put that down on paper, but unless you’re prepared to show them where the money is, they won’t believe it.” She went on to say how the NDP have set the costs and numbers in their plans and where they will be make the savings. You can’t make promises with no real plan. It’s like offering all these amazing things to win votes, but when it comes time to make them happen, you can’t. This was a clear point directed at the PC Changebook, which has received criticism for not having the numbers. Remember how Rob Ford promised Torontonians he wouldn’t raise taxes but would decrease the deficit? Well that doesn’t happen without cutting services.  

Next, I found that PC leader Tim Hudak’s main point was all about finding us jobs and making sure people get to do what they want to do. He tells the sad story of Ryan, a young man who just wants to be an electrician but there are no jobs for him. I am well aware of this dilemma as many of us fresh from post-secondary education are. However, I’m curious where Mr. Hudak will get me a job as an Environmental Policy major. I want to work in the environment sector (if not in government), and Rob Ford is killing many environment jobs in Toronto. Well I don’t think Hudak will help me get the job I want either as the PC have no commitments or real plans for protecting the environment. Also, where and how will he create these other jobs? Hudak calls out McGuinty for creating “phantom green jobs” but I have a feeling he’s promising us phantom jobs too.

Moving on, McGuinty discussed his home care for seniors plan so they can stay at home instead of at the hospital, and also receive house calls from doctors and nurses. The Liberals also have a tax credit so seniors can renovate their homes so they can remain there. This is a great idea, seniors need the help. But Horwath called him out for not doing this sooner after eight years in power.

Of course the e-health scandal would surface during the debate. Hudak brought it up claiming McGuinty lost us billions. He then went on to say he will reduce his Cabinet size and make them more “focussed.” He will also review Ontario government agencies and close down the ones we don’t need. Sounds familiar...cutting gravy perhaps?

Hudak ranted some more about all the taxes McGuinty has added, framing him as the “evil taxman.” This tactic is getting old though and he could have done more/done something different to really attack the Liberals. It seems Hudak’s main method is to say that he’s not McGuinty and the Liberals. McGuinty rebottled by saying that adopting the HST was not easy, but it was essential to grow a stronger Ontario economy. He also called Hudak out for planning to keep the HST on if the PC are elected, even though Hudak says he is against it. This makes perfect sense, why wouldn’t the PC make it a priority to take away the HST if they are so opposed to it?

Furthermore, Hudak called the time-of-use smart meters “tax machines.” He’s very passionate about seniors not having to do laundry at 3 am. Well, smart metres in essence are a good idea. They are advanced metres that identify consumption in more detail and communicate that information back to local utilities for monitoring and billing. They also determine the peak hours when there is high demand, which allows companies to set prices.

Then one of the more ridiculous lines came from McGuinty when he said smart metres help us practice better conservation. That’s like saying eating chocolate cake at different times during the day will help with your diet. Time-of-use metres allow people the choice to use energy at times when there is low demand so they receive a cheaper rate. This helps reduce the energy burden during peak hours, which helps us avoid blackouts. However, it does not necessarily mean people will conserve their energy. The only way to do that is by taxing energy consumption, which the HST on hydro and gas sort of is. That is one reason why David Suzuki is supporting the Liberals, because they’re the only party who will keep the HST on energy consumption (it’s sort of like a carbon tax). Hudak wants to get rid of the smart metres, and the HST on hydro and gas, but does not have an alternative plan for energy conservation. To me, that’s a #fail.

Horwath said she believes people want to do the right thing and conserve energy, but the smart metres did not help Ontarians conserve energy or reduce their bills. The NDP want to help people save money when they save energy and reduce their carbon footprints through tax credits and loans for retrofitting their houses. Give them the tools to go green and they will. Ontario is part of the Western Climate Initiative along with British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec and seven American states, and the NDP would like to be part of a cap-and-trade program with them (for you economists out there, look up the Coase Theory). She said the NDP believe in the “carrot approach,” not the “stick approach” like McGuinty (where carrot means positive financial incentives such as tax breaks or awarding companies for good behaviour, and sticks meaning law and negative financial incentives such as taxing consumption).

Hudak continued to attack McGuinty’s green energy policies, but then went on to attack him about taxing businesses. What about the PC plans for energy and the environment? Way to change the topic Tim. Well, it’s because the PC have no plans for the environment.

The next part was a line I heard Hudak say in the beginning of the deabte, and one I’ve been upset about since I read it in the Changebook. Hudak stated he will treat “energy policy as economic policy,” not a “social program.” Ummm what? First, energy policy should not be treated as economic policy, it should be treated as environmental policy. This is probably the statement that angers me the most. Maybe it’s the Environmental Policy major in me, or just the good common sense, but you can’t take energy policy backwards to how it was under the PC government in the 1990s. Remember the 2003 blackout? Thank you Mike Harris. And think of the pollution that will be created by decreasing environmental regulations. Second, what is this about it being a social program? Was Hudak not complaining about the HST on hydro being too costly? Horwath called him and the PC out over the energy mess they made while in power in the 1990s by privatizing and deregulating energy (which causes the August 2003 blackout). Energy is something everyone needs, and the environment belongs to all of us. Maybe if these policies were more fair and equal and weren’t treated like economic policy, then the Liberals wouldn’t have had to do so much to fix the mess in the early 2000s.

However the Liberals are not saints either. The Liberal renewable energy plans are privately owned, such as the Samsung deal with Korea which is a private sector deal costing Ontario a good amount of money. Horwath said these deals should be made with Ontarians in the public’s interest. The NDP is committed to renewable energy, but in the public interest. There plan is to tie together environmental policy with energy policy and make it affordable and equal for everyone.

And of course, Hudak wants to end the “expensive energy experiment,” but what will he replace it with? Horwath then got in another quick jab about the 1990s PC government’s energy experiment which led to Ontario’s energy crisis in the early 2000s. Hudak promises us cheaper energy and to also close down the coal fired plants (which the Liberals and NDP say they will do as well), yet he also seems to be against green energy projects. Again, the PC fail to provide us with an alternative plan. And no, nuclear is not the answer. Nuclear plants cost billions and take years to build, plus there are many safety issues. Green renewable energy is the future and Ontario is on the right path.

Horwath made a good point about the NDP “bold idea” to take 50% of transit operating costs off of municipalities and freeze transit fares. This is a policy I support and I can’t believe the other parties do not have anything similar. The closest is the Liberal plan for two-way GO service, which is actually a plan I wish they instated while I was still commuting to school.

A funnier part of the debate was when both Hudak and Horwath called out McGuinty on cancelling a plan to build a power plant in Mississauga suddenly during the election campaign. Horwath joked “What’s changed is there’s an election on the horizon,” which makes sense. If the people in Mississauga are unhappy with the power plant, of course the Liberals will cancel it to win votes, regardless of the reasoning McGuinty gave. Hudak said “I think Ms. Horwath had a great line there” which was quite funny. This was the one part they both really ganged up on McGuinty.

Next, Horwath discussed freezing tuition fees, the only party to offer this plan. Ontario has the highest undergraduate student debt in Canada. Many students cannot attend full-time since they have to work to pay for tuition and living expenses. Students should not be burdened by debt and tuition should not be a financial barrier. McGuinty says he’ll take 30% (about $1000) off of tuition for families that make less than $160,000 annually, which is very good to hear. However, he won’t be doing anything to stop tuition fees from rising. Hudak is offering more OSAP assistance since middle class families (such as my own) do not qualify for much from OSAP, but are taxed so much that parents cannot afford to pay for their kids’ tuitions. Well that’s great Mr. Hudak, although I still have to pay it back and deal with rising tuition fees. It’s good in the sense that instead of taking out a student loan from the bank and dealing with the interest collection on it, I could just deal with OSAP instead (in an ideal world). But I’d prefer lower tuition fees all together, thanks.

By the end, Horwath made a wonderful comment. She said it shouldn’t be about hurdling accusations and insults at each other (referring to McGuinty and Hudak), but it should be about making Ontario a better place for everyone.

Finally, the healthcare issue. The negotiations to create the New Health Accord between the federal government and the provinces is coming up. McGuinty says we have the shortest wait times in the country and more families have doctors. He asked who do we want standing up for public healthcare at the meeting with Stephen Harper?  Which makes me afraid when I think about it being Hudak. Horwath says Ontarians are watching healthcare deteriorate. It’s hard to tell whether are hospitals are doing better or worse.

I’ve heard stories from friends about how the healthcare system failed them, sent them away thinking their injuries were not as serious as they actually were. I wish they had received the same care and time I received when I broke my toe. I saw an emergency room doctor and got x-rayed in about two hours last October, it was not a bad experience at all. This is how everyone should be treated in our healthcare system.

Hudak wants to invest 6.1 billion into our healthcare system and says healthcare will be their number one priority. But where will this money come from? McGuinty says the PC have not had their numbers checked by an economist. Hmmm, again, big promises and no real plans. Hudak also wants to build 40,000 long term care beds, but then also says he wants to invest in home care.

Horwath says tons of money has been poured into healthcare already, but nothing has changed. Maybe it’s not the amount of money, but how we use it. Hudak again said McGuinty wasted money on e-health and paying consultants instead of putting it into actual healthcare. Well, electronic health records are a good idea, it just was not implemented properly and money was lost. I don’t really trust McGuinty with money, he’s more of an idea type of person. He has good ideas, but can’t seem to get them going without wasting money. The NDP plan as Horwath described to fix our healthcare system is to cap CEO salaries and get rid of the bureaucracy, and help seniors remain at home to save beds in hospitals. That actually sounds like a good plan.

The question Hudak keeps asking us is “Can we afford four more years of Dalton McGuinty?” Well, I don’t know. He has wasted money, but I like his progressive ideas. He’s really not as “evil” as some make him out to be. My question is, can we risk four years of Hudak? In my opinion it is obviously no. However we’re witnessing how the Harper Government is running things after winning a majority in May, but not enough has happened to give a fair judgement. Then again, the other part of the “Conservative hat-trick” is Rob Ford, and his popularity has plummeted thanks to his crazy ideas. So let’s hope Hudak is no Ford. I don’t think Ontario can afford a Conservative “hat-trick,” it is better to have a balance. From the past it appears Ontario tends to balance out the federal government by electing the opposition. We shall see if McGuinty can hang on to even a minority government.

In the end, we can choose the same old suits, red or blue, or we can choose orange, the real change.

+ Lorelie

The Truth Behind "Sneaky Eco Fees"

*It's that time again, another election! The Ontario provincial election campaign beging tomorrow!

If you’ve seen the recent Progressive Conservative attack ads against Dalton McGuinty and the Ontario Liberals, then you’ve probably heard “sneaky eco tax” numerous times. Well, a few things need to be clarified about the “eco tax” that was introduced last year. First, it was never an actual tax. Second, the money collected through eco fees is retained by the retailers (the stores like Canadian Tire) – none of the proceeds go to the government. It was not a “sneaky tax grab” as the Tories are framing it, and there is much more to the issue. Below is a blog post I wrote during my internship at the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy last fall. Hopefully this will clear up any misunderstandings and help you understand that many important policy tools are framed as “sneaky tax grabs” just to make a certain party (or politician) look bad. I will admit the Liberals should have played a larger role in the plan with Stewardship Ontario, and much better promotion and information should have been provided for the public. However, we’ve been paying such “extra fees” on many products before 2010, including tires and electronics such as computers (where the fees went to finance Ontario’s Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment recycling program).

You don’t have to read through the whole boring post below (although I recommend reading the last paragraph lol), the main point I want to get across is that you shouldn’t believe everything in political attack ads, especially those from Tim Hudak’s campaign. Issues should not be framed so black and white, it should not just be framed as “I’ll lower your taxes and the other guy will raise them.” I’m a New Democrat, but I don’t totally dislike Dalton McGuinty. He’s not the evil “Tax Man” and the sneaky “eco fees” are not profiting him, they go to the retailers. Do your own research, ask questions, and vote for who you feel will be the best premier for you and other Ontarians.

The Truth Behind "Sneaky Eco Fees"

Most hazardous household wastes are thrown out with regular garbage and end up in a landfill or incinerator, where chemicals in the waste can contaminate Ontario’s environment. To avoid such hazardous waste problems the Waste Diversion Act was created on June 27th, 2002. As well, several municipalities have set up their own household hazardous waste collection programs paid for entirely by municipal taxpayers. Both promote the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste and are a means to provide for the development, implementation and operation of waste diversion programs.

Under the Waste Diversion Act (WDA) a non-crown arm’s length agency called Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO) was created. Under the WDA the WDO is required to work co-operatively with an Industry Funding Organization (IFO) to develop a waste diversion plan for designated waste. Therefore, Stewardship Ontario was created as the IFO and in February 2008 the Minister of the Environment (MOE) approved Ontario’s Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste Program Plan (MHSW Plan). The Plan was developed by Stewardship Ontario in cooperation with WDO as a way of managing hazardous household waste materials such as paint, antifreeze and fertilizers.

Stewardship Ontario is responsible for managing and safely disposing of the hazardous waste. Its job is to work with retailers in Ontario to set up waste drop-off locations and take back products for recycling. For example, Orange Drop is run through Stewardship Ontario to help encourage the recycling of municipal household hazardous and special waste materials that require extra care when they’ve reached the end of their useful lives. Even more, under the plan thousands of products that fall into the nine hazardous material categories will have extra fees attached that stewards (the manufacturers) must pay to Stewardship Ontario.

As well, it is important to remember that Stewardship Ontario is an independent, industry based organization that develops and operates the MHSW program on behalf of the stewards (the manufacturers of the products) which provide the funding. However, the stewards are the manufacturers and it is unlikely they will pay for this out of their own pockets. So where does the funding come from and who should pay?

Previously, the public paid for the costs of managing the MHSW in Ontario through municipal property taxes. But under the stewardship model adopted in the MHSW program, the full cost of managing hazardous wastes are shifted from the taxpayer to the manufacturer of the product similar to the polluter pays principle. In theory this is a good idea, but problems arise when implementing such plans. A business’ main goal is profit-making, so of course they do not want to have to pay extra fees even though they are creating pollution and waste.

A fee is charged to stewards (the manufacturers and producers), not to consumers or retailers (this is also important to remember). The Environment Commissioner’s Report states that under the MHSW program, Stewardship Ontario charges the stewards a fee by unit for products introduced into the Ontario marketplace that require the management of hazardous or special waste when discarded. Making stewards pay for the recycling and safe disposal of wastes created by their products helps transfer the costs of managing these wastes from the taxpayer to the steward.

However, this is where the controversy started. Many manufacturers passed on the extra fees to retailers as a way of making back what they owed to Stewardship Ontario. Since the retailers were paying more for products, they marked-up the prices which meant passing the fees on to consumers. In addition, retailers such as Canadian Tire called the extra costs “eco fees,” and much of the eco fees were mismanaged.

We must note that the term “eco fee” was created by retailers and it is not a component of the MHSW Plan. The MHSW Plan gives the stewards the option to either absorb the stewardship fees charged by
Stewardship Ontario as a cost of doing business, or to “pass the fee along” by increasing the wholesale price of the products it sells to retailers. In addition, some retailers may choose to absorb the increase in wholesale prices where as others may add some or the entire price increase to the price tags of the actual products. This in turn internalizes an externality, which seems pragmatic but has its faults. A main issue was that when the program was implemented on July 1st 2010, some retailers chose to create a separate “eco fee” line on their cash register receipts, presumably to make a price increase visible to consumers.

Of course the “eco fee” led to confusion and negative media attention, and many consumers viewed it as a “recycling tax.” We all saw the public outcry over the idea of a green tax during the 2008 election, so this reaction was no surprise. Consumers saw this new eco fee as a tax grab by the government, unaware the revenue did not even go to the government but rather to Stewardship Ontario (which as stated before is a non-governmental, industry run organization).

It is evident that retailers should not be allowed to call it an “eco fee,” as this was never mandatory. Unless the program charged the fees at the point-of-sale, this term is misleading and allows the retailers too much flexibility in what they can charge consumers. Still, visible fees (such as the extra cost being included on receipts) could be a great public education tool to inform people that there is a program for how to safely manage and recycle the wastes.

It is obvious that the Ontario government failed to provide adequate leadership and guidance to Stewardship Ontario to ensure they communicated the plan properly with Ontarians. But this is just one of the problems with the plan.

Additionally, Stewardship Ontario is an industry based arm’s length agency which means it is regulated by government but controlled by industry. Therefore they did not create a steward fee where manufacturers with the least toxic products would pay less than their competitors, since their main concern is taking care of the industry. However, that type of competition would entice manufacturers to develop greener products in order to reduce their fees, which would be better for the environment and consumers. For example a company with a less toxic paint should pay lower fees than its competitor with a paint that is more toxic. A solution would be to bring in “differential fees” which would reward greener products with lower fees.

Furthermore, another concern was over which products were included. Issues regarding the inclusion of compost were made clear through public comments on the Environmental registry website. Many do not consider compost as hazardous and do not see the reasoning behind it being included with items such as pesticides and batteries. But there will always be complaints and grievances with any extra costs on such well-used products.

However, the cost is essentially unavoidable. We can pay for the cost of this disposal through a taxpayer-funded municipal recycling program, through the mark-up of product prices to fund a steward-managed program, or through reduced landfill space and a degraded environment caused by unsafe disposal. Another option brought up by the Ontario New Democratic Party was that the plan should be directly administered by the Ministry of the Environment, not the industry-run, arm's-length agency Stewardship Ontario. This would provide more government accountability and control, as well as real environmental support rather than just an industry run program.

Regardless, we should think of the eco fee as a way of taking responsibility for ensuring hazardous waste products are managed and disposed of safely. As well, it means less waste in landfills, less damage to our environment, and ensuring a cleaner and better future where we take responsibility whether as a consumer or producer.

Below are some great reviews by our Environment Commissioner, Gord Miller:

http://www.eco.on.ca/blog/2010/07/27/clearing-up-the-confusion-around-eco-fees/

http://www.eco.on.ca/blog/2010/07/27/%E2%80%9Ceco-fee%E2%80%9D-controversy-must-not-jeopardize-hazardous-waste-program/

Here's Stewardship Ontario's website which explains everything:
http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/consumers/what-we-do/mhswenvironmental-fees

Thanks for reading!

+ Lorelie

We'll change the world.

At 4:45 am Monday, August 22nd, we lost one of the finest Canadians the world had. Jack Layton never gave up fighting. So in the middle of the night one of the cruelest of diseases took him away from us. I don't understand it and it's unfair. He had many more years ahead to accomplish his dreams and become Prime Minister. He was carrying on Tommy Douglas' legacy and dreams as well. Now it is up to us to carrying them on. He taught me so much personally, he inspired me to become the person I am today and to take the paths I have taken.
I want to say I became a New Democrat when I was sixteen, back in grade 11. I fell for Jack's charisma and personality I suppose, but I also loved what he and the NDP stood for. When I was seventeen, in March 2007, I got to meet Jack at a rally for Kyoto in Toronto. I was so nervous when he walked my way and my friends pushed me to go up to him because they knew how badly I wanted to. I asked him for a photo and we talked briefly. I told him when I turned eighteen I would vote for him and how I was planning on studying political science at university. He told me how he studied political science too. It ended with an enthusiastic, classic Jack high-five.

Well I did study political science, and environmental policy. I've attended NDP rallies, helped campaign for his wife Olivia Chow, and was fortunate enough to be at his election night party on May 2nd. This is why I never believed he would lose hist battle with cancer. He was a fighter, the most courageous there can be. I truly believe I am a better and more compassionate and intelligent person because of him. He inspired me. The bright green Jack Layton poster I got at that Kyoto rally in 2007 is still on my wall, with the vibrant message he lived by - "All it takes is political will."

If you haven't read his final letter yet, read it. http://www.ndp.ca/letter-to-canadians-from-jack-layton
Remeber his words. "My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world." Jack, we will change the world. I promise you I will never stop fighting the good fight.

+ Lorelie



slowly spiraling out of control?

ever feel like you've lost control of life?

like nothing is the way you want?

and you are slowly falling into a depressing 'i am questioning my current state of life' mood?

that is slowly how i am beginning to feel

wondering what i am doing

why i am doing it

and who to do it with

reflection can be a dangerous thing

as you can sit around and think about life

realizing what bothers you, whats missing and what shouldn't be there

these aren't new feelings

its more of i've come to the point where i am done

literally done

i can't do it anymore

frustration doesn't even begin to define this

ray charles

You better shape up, cause I need a man and my heart is set on you

Hello Blog,

I had quite the weekend. I hung out with Ray Charles Friday night and we had some good convos. Then Saturday night I was at my friend's birthday, but as always drank too much. Sunday was an unpleasant day. I'm now back at work after five days off, and all I wanted to do was to go tubing in this amazing river. I went last year and have been trying to get my family to go again this summer. Maybe later this week.

The movie "Practical Magic" was on last night, an old favourite of mine. It has always made me think about things and it's a very interesting movie. After watching it again I've started to look at things like love in a different way. In the movie Sandra Bullock plays Sally, whose family is from a long line of witches. Sally and her sister were raised by their witch aunts after their mother killed herself...she was grief stricken from a broken heart after their father died....there is apparently a curse on the women of the family where if one of the women finds true love he will die tragically (as her father did). Unlike her sister who can't wait to fall in love, a young Sally witnesses a woman in town pining over a man and the pain she goes through when the feelings are not mutual. She decides she never wants to fall in love so she will never die from a broken heart, and she casts a spell to fall in love with a man who has many odd traits (such as one green eye and one blue eye). She believes such a man (her "perfect man") does not exist, and therefore she will never fall in love.

When she is older her aunts cast another spell so she does fall in love with a man in town, as they just want her to be happy. Although the aunts never expected her to truly be in love, Sally ends up marrying him and has two daughters with him, but due to the curse he also dies tragically leaving her heart broken. She refuses to accept she only loved him because of her aunts' spell. Much more happens in the movie, but the main point I'm discussing is Sally's aversion to love. However, later on in the movie her "perfect man" (he has all the traits she mentioned in her spell when she was younger) appears and they instantly fall in love. She believes this is only happening because of the spell she cast when she was a kid, so she tells him to leave since it's not "real." There's a flashback to when he was a kid and how her spell reached him, and he says he wished for her too. Eventually the curse is lifted and Sally's perfect man comes back and they live happily ever after.

So my whole point about this is how maybe some people who have super high expectations of their "perfect man" only do so because they don't actually want to fall in love with anyone. They know that perfect person doesn't actually exist, so they think they're safe. But what happens when you do find them? What if you think he does exist after all? There's only so much that wishing and magic can do in this world since we're not witches...and Sally did fall in love twice, and her first love wasn't her "perfect man" either. So maybe the whole point is we just need to try things and take risks and stop trying to be so safe.

Alright, enough of this silly stuff.

+ Lorelie

Do you have an airmiles card?

Hello Blog,

So I just finished watching one of my new favourite shows, 1 Girl 5 Gays. It's definately grown on me over the past year and I now love watching it, it's soooo funny and even informative. I have my "favourite guys" and I wish I could be on an episode with them. Tonight I was laughing so hard, especially at the end when one of the guys (Yerxa) was describing how the other guy (Gerry) tells men at the gym where he works how he gets such good calf muscles...wearing heels! ahahahaha! I wish Juan was my best friend, and I wish Ian was straight and my boyfriend lol, he's so freaking attractive.

Anyway, I went out last night for one of my best friend's birthdays. We went to a new bar I had never been to and it was actually really nice. It was quite big and there were actually some cute guys. Unfortunately for me I get rando m weird guys trying to dance with me, even when I tell them I don't dance and I'm trying to hangout with my friends... and then I think my friend's friend is interested in me even though I'm pretty sure I made it clear I was not interested in him.... and yet the one guy I really do like doesn't even notice me at work... fate or whatever this is, you are very very cruel. Bahhhhh! It honestly feels like the universe is messing with me to get a laugh at my life and all these ridiculous situations I've been in the past year.

Today my work friend was ranting to me about how rude a customer was to her last night, so she was rude back...she's the type who doesn't take shit from people. Another work friend had a similar situation about a month ago as well. I know that every time I'm at work I think of all the things customers do that piss me off and how I am going to wrtie a list one day. I don't have the balls to be rude to a customer's face, and I'm quite apologetic and try to avoild confrontation. So I'm going to let it out now in this post. Here is six years of pent up angst and rage.

- When I ask you for your fucking airmiles card, answer me, don't hand me the money and say nothing, because then I'm obviously going to think you don't have an airmiles card...and don't be busting out your card once the cash registar has opened and I'm giving you your receipt dumbass. And you only get ONE point for every $20 anyway, so fuck off.

- Don't fucking come to my service desk with a shit load of groceries or a cart of groceries or anything that needs to be weighed on a scale. I'm the customer service desk, I'm here to sell you lottery tickets, cigarettes, I do refunds and western union crap. Don't be messing up my clean counter with your groceries and expect me to ring in all your shit and bag it quickly, I don't even have bags at my counter. And when I say "I can help the next person with NOTHING TO BE WEIGHED," I don't know how much clearer I can be...you know you have shit to be weighed, don't pretend like you forgot. And ya I'm nice enough to go out of my way to weigh your shit unlike the other people who work on the service desk, but that doesn't mean you can take advantage of me every time you come in asshole.

- When I say, "NEXT PERSON IN LINE," that doesn't mean the next person that happens to pass by my counter or whoever can run here fastest...it means the actual next person in line at cash number two or three, and I will give that customer the "look" and wave them over. Don't be greedy, wait your fucking turn.

- Don't stand in front of me holding your airmiles card or debit card or money while I'm still scanning your shit and bagging it. You can hold it there the entire time, I don't care anymore. I will take it from you when I'm finished and I ask you for it.

- When I ask you if you need a bag, a clear answer is much appreciated. Don't mumble something incoherent or complain about how bags cost five fucking cents, I don't make the rules and I don't care. I just want to bag your shit and get you out of here as quick as possible.

- Don't put all your shit down and let me scan up everything only to run back to grab more stuff you "forgot." You're holding up my line and being a jackass.

- Don't tell me how to bag your groceries like I'm stupid, I know bread doesn't go on the bottom. And don't ever fucking grab anything out of my hands or out of the bag, I've been packing groceries for six fucking years, I know how to do it. I know what will fit and how things fit, and I usually get complimented on my packing/bagging skills. So don't fucking tell me how to bag or be rude about it.

- When I say "Wait til it says insert" for you to put your debit or credit card in the chip reader, that means WAIT. Don't ignore me and shove your card in, because it just messes up the maching and wastes everyone's time.

- When you can clearly see me typing on the computer (doing wester union) and dealing with a customer, and you still come over and ask me if I can take your groceries, I wonder what the fuck is going through your mind. I'm clearly busy. And then I tell you it will be a few minutes and yet you still wait, as if I am supposed to drop everything and serve you. Go fucking wait in line to pay for your shit, I give priority to customers who need something only the service desk provides.

- Don't leave your shit in the basket and expect me to take it all out for you. Have some common courtesy and get it out of the basket for me. And well you're at it, hand me your stupid reusable bag and if you're a decent human being maybe even open it for me. Don't wait until the end to give it to me, because how the fuck am I supposed to pack everything then dumbass.

Ok, I think that's most of the stuff I needed to get out about my job lol. Three more days of work until I have four days of to do family vacation stuff! I'm really starting to miss watching hockey now too haha. Goodnight Blog.

+ Lorelie

canadian candy vs. american candy

as an avid food network watcher, over the years i have noticed the very obvious food differences between canadian food (mainly restaurant foods) and american food

for instance, last weekend, lorelie and i were watching triple d and this restaurant made something that had to do with waffles and gravy...it looked so good but is definitely something we would never see around here

then there are the food items talked about on unwrapped - SO much of what the show shows are things i have never heard of but seem to be very popular in the states

while talking about the different foods there compared to here, my younger brother told me about something i had never heard of - americans call rocket candy smarties! this not only led me to a "wtf" moment, it let me to an investigation into the difference between canadian and american candy as candy is my favourite food group

according to the internet, these are the major differences between candy found on the shelves (in most areas it seems):

1) smarties

as a candy connoisseur, as my older brother put it, smarties, the canadian smarties that is, are an essential part of a balanced candy diet. i love smarties - much more than m&m's (that is really a whole other topic). their bright colours and awesome chocolate inside make for a lovely snack. these are the only smarties i have ever known. according to wikipedia, "Smarties are not distributed in the United States, except by specialist importers." so sad!

american smarties are what is known in canada as rockets. i checked out their website http://www.smarties.com/ and it is so weird to see another product with a different name...let alone one of the amazing delicious candy coated chocolate things known as smarties!

2) chocolate bars - coffee crisp, areo, mars bars, oh henry!, caramilk, kit kat

i am not a huge chocolate bar fan but every once and a while, yes, i do enjoy a good peanut and nut free bar. among my favourite include mars bars, hershy milk chocolate, caramilk and kit kat (give me a break!). 

according to a few sites i looked on, coffee crisp, areo, mars and oh henry! are not sold in the usa (although some had said they may have seen a few here and there around the country). 

caramilk is not called caramilk...

and apparently american kit kats taste horrible...

3) candy - fuzzy peaches and cherry blasters

this was a real real downer. for sure americans are missing out on these. i love these, especially cherry blasters. these chewy candies are another staple in a candy diet. i am really sad for all those who have not experienced the amazingness of these candies.

other than that, i couldn't find any other sites that gave me much else. its interesting when you think about how different food can be when we share a border with another country. it makes me wonder what kind of glorious candies we are missing out on here... 

candy tour? um yes

ray charles

one moment

it truly is amazing how many times i have gone over it in my head

even tonight. i rolled over and picked up my laptop to write this post.

and how i have re-thought every word, every action and every feeling that was felt that day

it was about three weeks ago that one of the most traumatizing days in my recent life occurred

and since that day, the replay button has been stuck

i think about it often when i am trying to fall asleep

for the first week, it was the first thing i saw when i closed my eyes and i would often just open them to escape thinking about it

i think about it on the way to work when i'm sitting in the back seat of the car, listening to music

while my mom and younger brother are completely unaware of the thoughts going through my head

i sometimes think about it when i'm alone, but not so often as i have found ways to keep my mind and hands busy

i recently told my younger brother that its on replay and that there are so many things i wish i could have said and so many things i wish i could have done

things i wish my brother would have done - wished anyone would have done

when i talk about, i get a lump in my throat and feel as though i am going to cry.

its been years since i felt the way i did that day and its been years since i felt the way i do since it happened

probably about 10 years actually

when he came to my school when i was in grade 7 and sat in his car in the medical building beside my school hoping to catch a glimpse of my younger brother or myself. i remember the feeling i had when i found out he was there - our morning started off normal accept for the phone call from my principal, followed by one from my mother explaining to me that he was there and that he had talked to little kids and even ended up in the school somehow. i felt sick to my stomach, an overbearing feeling of panic, fear and anxiety. i was embarrassed, scared, mad, upset and helpless. i was paranoid, as i had always been. i felt like i was 7 again.

other events had occurred since i was 12 but they have only happened in the last 4 years and only one involved me. first, my older brother received an email from my cousin saying how they want us in the family. this was followed by a plea from his girlfriend about how she was adopted and would give anything to see her real parents. when i was in first year, i received a package in the mail from him from somewhere in florida - i threw it out. two summers ago he called my house asking to speak to my younger brother, offering him money to help pay for our trip to italy. finally, last year he showed up at buddhas hockey games and spoke to him, saying sorry and that he loves him. the weirdest part was that he was at a game i was at but my brain shut off or something. since then he has been spotted at several hockey and inline games.

three weeks ago, it all came to a screeching halt. life was good - the sun was shinning, i was very tired but excited for the day and i received a text from a friend telling me she was engaged. i was in a tired-happy mood- the night before was lorelies party and i had fun. we arrived at the arena and my older brother had just gotten there, a little family reunion took place as dano and i talked about grad school stuff and his research. it was all ruined in a moments time. he came into the building with his girlfriend and that was it. i was the only one who saw but i was in so much shock that i couldn't even speak. the day was shot. it was over. i felt everything that had disappeared for all those years - i felt a lump in my throat and a knot in my tummy. i was ready to burst into tears at any moment. my hands started shaking and my mind became jumbled. the anxiety, the fear and the helpless feeling came back. this man - this evil, selfish, monster was in the same building as me and i felt like i was 7 all over again.

sitting in my room almost three weeks later, i can still feel it. i can feel my heart racing and my mind going blank. i can feel my eyes start to swell with water and i can feel my legs wanting to run. i can feel myself wanting to hide and get away. its still there.

the entire day i was on edge. i could cry at any moment. i was frustrated beyond belief at the situation and at myself. i did not want to let it bother me and i wanted to be able to use my words to tell him to leave, to die in a hole, to give up. he has always made me feel so powerless, so helpless and unable to speak. i felt like i was 7.

its not worth going over the details of the day really as those who will read this know what happened. but in short, he was trying to take pictures of me and possibly dano. eventually he did talk to me - told me he loved me and would do anything for me. he actually started the conversation as "hey ray charles, how's it going?" i wonder how many times he's rehearsed that over the last 15 years. i sure as hell have rehearsed. i told him not to talk to me, that he should leave and that what he is saying to me is bullshit. he then told me i had attitude, so i asked him how his pension was. proud? fuck i am so proud of myself. i do wish i could have said more though but i'm glad i did speak. i had a nice little cry after that once i went back to the safety of my mom, it felt good to cry.

so the replay button, why are you so stuck? i haven't spoken to him willingly in 15 years and it was the scariest moments i've had in a long time. when he started to come around to buddhas games, he used to tell me how he's just a man, he can't do anything to me anymore if i don't let him. i believed him until that day. he is just a person, he really is. in reality, looking at him, he's not scary looking, he doesn't look evil but man is he ever a life ruiner. as much as i'd like for him to say "hey ray charles how's it going?" and for me to confidently say "oh fuck off" and forget about it, i can't. this man is responsible for so much shit in my life and does not deserve to ever walk by me, to watch buddha play, to look me in the eyes, to listen to me speak words that he did not teach me, see how i have grown, hear me laugh, see how tall buddha is etc etc etc. none of it. he walked away from it all and fuck him, get out of my life. get out of danos life, get out of buddhas life you selfish motherfucker.

on replay, to be honest, i sometimes have buddha come off the floor and yell at him and possibly punch him in the face. that would be the day. after it happened, before i cried i remember telling my mom i want him to get hit by a bus and that he's a douchnozzle. douchenozzle is my new word, i pass it on for all those to use now.

just another day ruined really. plus that hot guy was there and he kept looking at me again. i was to emotional and out of it to do anything about it. not saying i normally would but in those circumstances it was even more impossible.

ive been waiting my whole life for this to disappear and everyday i am reminded that it will never go away

ray charles

silent bob plushy

so far this summer, my main project has been the silent bob plushy that i made for my little brother (okay younger brother...hes actually 20 and much much taller than me).kevin smith movies have been a family favourite as my brothers and even my mom love several of his movies. some of my friends have also taken to his movies and one of my friends has become my snoogins and my boo boo kitty (terms used in his movies)

above: jay (jason mewes) and silent bob (kevin smith)

back in december i made some monster guys out of felt and some other plushies and was totally inspired to make lots of felt things!
along with my brother, i came up with a sketch of a silent bob plushy (original was on a napkin...)
for my graduation, my mom got me a sewing machine and i started working on silent bob!

the original plan (the middle thing):

the completed silent bob plushy:

 

 

the hat was a found hat that i cut to fit his head and made mooby the golden calf out of felt
majority of it was hand sewn. the shell of him and some parts were was sewn with my machine. the rest was hand cut and hand sewn to the plushy.

i dont have any pictures of the process because i took most of them with my webcam, showing my older brother who is at grad school now in a different city so bad quality!

hope you enjoy!
i am hoping to make jay soon! i need more materials though

currently i am painting my moms garden gnomes...their eyes have disappeared!

keep crafting!
ray charles

hipster humour

hipster humour

stumbleupon brings me great joy

often i stumble on some of the weirdest and funniest stuff i have seen

other times its boring crap that i've seen before

but i digress

its an awesome site and tool

especially since i find the internet relatively boring lately- facebook is boring, deviant art is boring, youtube only hold my attention for a small time... and justintv wastes my internet like mad. and watching movies does the same... so what do i end up doing (a lot)? stumbling!

if you don't have one, do it. stumbleupon is awesome

so among my stumbling around the interweb, i landed on this hilarious page making fun of hipsters

and come on, who doesn't want to laugh at hipsters

i know people who want to declare it a national past time (i know lots of people who have some angst towards hipsters)

this has posted parodies of hipsterish words on hipsterish pictures

these are my favourites:

so funny

i enjoy the lamp and bridge one the most

to see the others go here: www.sadanduseless.com/2011/05/words-on-pictures-parody/

i saw a harry potter inspired hipster at work the other day. one of my friends was like oh no he must be all like i want to kill voldemort! he was actually wearing dress shoes, kaki pants that were to short and were cuffed and he was wearing white socks. he had a blazer on with a t-shirt underneath and the blazer had some weird patch on it. he was also wearing rayban like glasses. he must shop at the hipsters r us store.

meh people can dress how they wish, just makes me laugh

plus, was he preparing for a flood?

ray "now i'm a lamp" charles

photo adventure - backyard edition

photo adventure - backyard edition

i loveeeeeee taking photos
so i have decided that i want to do photo adventures
where i go somewhere and just take photos!
no timeline, just when i feel like it

below are the first set and i'm actually proud of them
i went in my backyard and took some photos...(obvious ray charles thanks eh?)
i've had my slr for a good 4 months now and its the first time i've gone out with it (part of my job is to take photos so this was purely for fun...)
hope you enjoy!

i don't like my backyard or the area i live in much
but i found that when i slowed down, looked through my camera, it was much nicer than i had ever seen it

gotta love photography!

camera - sony dslr a200
software - gimp

hope you enjoyed!

ray charles

i haven't gone anywhere

what up blog?
yea i know
we haven't talked in a while.
come on don't be mad!
i've been... "busy"
okay okay, i'll get better.
i promise!
don't make me feel guilty!

okay whatever
i'm letting you know i'm still alive

ray charles

What you're looking for has been here the whole time

Hello Blog!

It seems I've been neglecting you ever since we finished our 45 day challenge. Well I'm back now! I had quite the exciting weekend, lots of partying for my bday. I got to hangout with all my different friends which I love. I also went to a club downtown which was quite interesting. The one bad part was that my friend broke a bone in her foot while we were out! So it's not just me who does that ahahaha. Clearly, drinking + heels = broken feet.

So there's been a lot going on with me recently. I'm not sure how I feel about lots of things, people, and my morals. I don't know anymore. Maybe this just comes with age. I do know that when I drink I do very, very stupid and ridiculous things. But I'm ok with what's happened I think. Fate has a strange way of messing with us. Like today something completely unexpected happened and I'm back to my old self. Baaahhhh it's confusing. I feel older and wiser, and reflecting back on my naive, innocent, optimistic grade twelve self, I know I've changed a lot the past four years. I think I want to start new. I've learned how to let go and move on, but I need some work on being a stronger person. I'm getting there. Every day it feels as though something changes.

+ Lorelie

day forty five - the end

day 45| have you any superstitions?

hmmm no. not really. the only thing i really think would be considered superstitious involved school. i can tell you that i have written every midterm and every exam wearing my beatles sweater and with my hair straight and i am afraid that since i have done so well while wearing it that it must be the sweater. i actually know its not - its totally about comfort. i do my hair and my makeup to keep me calm, to ensure that i don't freak out about the importance of the day. clearly it has worked, got me through 4 years of undergrad with a gpa over 80 and the ability to get into grad school.

go beatles sweater and straight hair!

other than that, i guess i believe, but don't partake in, superstitions in hockey - playoff beard/hair, goalies tapping the posts etc etc.

well...45 days later and here we are!

what is next blog... what is next

ray charles

Black magic woman I believe in superstition

Day 45 – Have you any superstitions?

It’s the last day of our 45 day challenge! Wow that went by fast. Some of the questions were quite interesting and made me share things I’ve never shared, and some questions were also kind of silly or boring. Today’s question is if I have any superstitions. I have many. When I was a kid I used to have a lucky rabbits foot (I still don’t know if it was real or fake) I used as a key chain. I still throw salt over my shoulder if I spill it. I love cats so I don’t believe in the black cat crossing your path superstition, that’s just silly. I’ve walked under ladders and broken mirrors before too, but nothing bad has really happened.

For me, superstitions are more than these old irrational ideas, mainly because I have mild OCD. The definition states a superstition is a “credulous belief or notion not based on reason or knowledge.” People with OCD have many superstitions since their compulsive behaviours are sort of like acting out a superstition in a way. For example, if you spill salt you throw it over your shoulder to avoid bad luck. This is similar to doing a compulsive behaviour to avoid something bad happening. I do a lot of weird things like counting and tapping, and I guess these can be considered superstitions. You should see me during an important hockey game. I will sit in the same position even if it’s uncomfortable if my team is doing well lol.

I also looked superstition up on Wikipedia and found this: “The Roman Catholic Church considers superstition to be sinful in the sense that it denotes a lack of trust in the divine providence of God and, as such, is a violation of the first of the Ten Commandments. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states superstition in some sense represents a perverse excess of religion.” Well I’ve never been a very good Catholic then haha. But I doubt God actually cares about any of this stuff.

I got in a good hour of tanning today! I hope it rains soon so that friday will be nice, because that's when I'll be celebrating my birthday!!

+ Lorelie

I walk with my head down because I know I'll never impress you

Hello, Blog,

Today at work was horrible. They always leave me alone in charge with barely any help, it's not right. It gets super busy, especially on a holiday like father's day, and I'm trying to do everything. Ugh.

I watched Rory McIlroy win the US Open tonight, he's only my age too! He's kind of adorable and has a cute Irish accent. Go Rory!

Anyway, I'm watching the MMVAs right now, waiting for City and Colour to perform. Another Canadian band I like is Down with Webster, they already performed and they were pretty good. Avril Lavignr is currently performing, excuse me while I vomit. She's just standing there attempting to play guitar, which means she isn't moving around because she has to focus on getting the chords right. She looks pissed off like she doesn't want to be there at all, and possibly drunk. What happened to her...

Day 44 – Kill, bang, marry, chill of your choice

Kill: Stephen Harper for obvious reasons, Simple Plan just needs to go away already, and I guess if Ray Charles is going to kill Taylor Swift I'll have to kill Paul Walker

Bang: Tyler Bozak, Drew Doughty, Cam Hunter of Down with Webster

Marry: Kyle Wellwood (ahahaha maybe not anymore), Dallas Green, Dave Grohl

Chill: Seth Green, Jack Layton, Taylor Swift, Care Failure of Die Mannequin

+ Lorelie

day forty four - my list

day 44| kill, bang, marry, chill of your choice

disclaimer: ladies, ladies, ladies (and gents if you like it), there is a great amount of hottness below.

kill

i don't like her music or her. i think she is fake and sings about nothing of importance to me.

bang

i would bang paul walker
he definitely looks good naked


he also looks so good just staring at you...looking deep into your eyes


his eyes just scream come lay with me on the grass my love


he looks good chillen too, always important for a good bang



he also looks good in a suit at the end of your bed, counting your payment. ahaha.
i've been in love with paul walker since i was 13. banging would be a dream come true no doubt. the only problem is, it seems like he is all body and face and eyes and smile and nothing else. his voice bugs me. it would be one of those i'd love you if you never spoke and took your shirt off type thing, hence why i'd only bang him

marry


i'd marry ryan reynolds. cute, hot, talented and fucken hilarious! he's canadian too so hockey? timmies? oh yea love connection


you need to be hot to wear a vesticle

yumm

nice casual attire, i could compliment him well in my amazing sense of fashion



cutie
killer body!
ryan is cute but also seems really cool and really funny. hes the whole package!

chill

i would chill with jason mewes and kevin smith, jay and silent bob.





both are so funny and so cool. plus jason is adorable

its getting hott in hurrr
ray charles

day forty three - dear seven year old self

day 43| if you could tell your seven year old self anything, what would it be?

hi seven year old ray charles,

be strong, be brave and know that everything will be alright eventually. the next few years will be the most difficult and significant years of your life. i know you want to run, i know you want to hide, but you can't. you need to be strong, you need to be there for your mom and your brothers. i know this is difficult and know that it will never be easy but you will grow and become strong and you will be able to take on any challenge. he should have loved you, he should have never left but don't dwell on his actions - he is not worth it. remember the important people and show them how much you love them. lots of scary things will happen in the next few years, but you have dano and buddha who will always be there to squeeze your hand. you may never feel like a kid again but remember to have some fun and laugh often.

your confusion and fear will subside, things will become clear and several changes will occur that will completely change the direction of your life - and you will love it, trust me. you will be surrounded by loving people and you will heal. i know you have a knot in your stomach, a lump in your throat and tears in your eyes, but those will disappear soon.

at the moment i know you can't see the end, you can't get rid of the pain, the confusion and the feeling of being lost in your own world. you feel abandoned, disappointed and wronged. your world has been turned upside down and you have no idea how to get it back. you will be alright. you may not believe it now but you will smile, you will laugh and your pain will change as all this stuff will become a thing of the past.

this will not define you. it will not be who you are. from it you will grow and learn but you will be more than this. you will not want to change your past as it will teach you so much. you will accomplish so much in your life, have amazing friends and loving family. our brothers will become less annoying by the time you are in high school and you will find a great bond with both of them. mom will smile again and laugh again. hug her and kiss her often and don't forget to tell her how much you love her and appreciate all that she has done for you.

you will have several ups and downs with friends but eventually you will find the best. promise me that you will speak your mind and let people know when they are hurting you. oh and silent treatment may not be the best thing to do.

keep your head up, you're doing just fine. smile. its okay to cry. maybe even dance a little.

love exists, it really does. not everyone will leave you and not every man will hurt you. love and let yourself be loved. have as much fun as possible.

aliens do not hang outside your window and spiders cannot harm you - use a tissue. snakes will be your enemy but that's a story i'll let you find out about on your own. short hair is good for boys but maybe not you.

keep doing well in school and keep having fun,

your much older self
ray charles

Dear seven year old Lorelie,

Day 43 – If you could tell your seven year old self anything, what would it be?

The world isn't the way you think it is. It's much bigger than your classroom, your school, your neighbourhood. Most people are not like you, not everyone is idealistic, naive and kind-hearted. By the time you're finished highschool almost all the kids in your class now will no longer be in your life. But stay close to your family and your best friends because they will always be there for you. When you're fifteen you will go through what could possibly the most difficult time in your young adult life, but you will get through it. Find faith and you will find strength. By the time you turn eighteen you'll have your heart broken for real after years of endless silly crushes on silly boys. But it's not the end of the world. You will accomplish great things alongside your friends, and when you feel like they're drifting away just talk to them. Follow your heart, follow what you're passionate about. Believe in people and in the world no matter how cruel you think it is and no matter how disenchanted you become. You will eventually suck at math and calculus, but you don't need that to study politics and the environment. Do what you love to do. Listen to the lyrics and write your own. Swim as much as you can, ski as much as you can, play outside and learn to love nature. Meet new people, make friends, discover new things and never lose hope. With all it's sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Finally, you're not going to become a sailor soldier like Sailor Moon when you're older. But everywhere the world is still full of heroism.

+ Lorelie

When I die set my words free

Day 41 - Favorite word

I don't have just one favourite word. As a writer I love all words and use them to construct my art. I have favourite groups of words and sentences and lyrics. I've refered to my poems, songs and pieces of prose and "my words," so they're all my favourite.

I do have to say that wang is a good word.

+ Lorelie

day forty one - quit the word games that i play

day 41| favorite word

currently, i like the word wang
its so funny

ray charles

Canada, WTF

Day 40 – A question about the world that you can’t figure out

I'm going to begin this by discussing what happened in Vancouver last night. The Canucks unfortunately lost game 7 to the Boston Bruins 4-0, and before the game even ended people started rioting downtown. Many families left earlier to get out safe and many stores closed in the afternoon and boarded up their windows. There were over 100,000 people watching the game outside Roger's Arena, and I'm sure the riots were full of both Canucks fans, stupid people taking advantage of the situation and anarchists. It escalted to G20 riot levels within an hour. At least seven cars were burned, the Bay store caught on fire I've heard, and many stored were looted. The news reported stabbings and many fights, some which I saw live on the CTV BC feed online late last night. I can't believe this happened!

This little girl captured how I felt perfectly.

These kids took the opportunity to show some love.

And then for some reason this happened.

And this....

And many people looked like this kid.


Fortunately, many citizens did try to stop people from rioting, and there were many out today to help clean up.

I understand being angry about your team losing, maybe not the Stanley Cup final since I'm a Leafs fan, but I know the feeling. I wonder what would have happened if Canada had lost to the USA in the Olympic gold medal hockey game in 2010.

My question is why do things like this happen in Canada over a lost hockey game, when in other countries they do the same because their leader is a dictator killing his citizens? I know we love hockey and our teams, but this was just insane. People got hurt, they burned their city, the Bruins had to get a police escort to airport once the rioting was under control. This got completely out of control.

Maybe Canadians should show this type of passion and frustration with their government. I don't understand why people buy into the Conservative ads and what they sell. It's all bullshit. I don't undestand why people put the economy before the environment, or how people don't care about the poor, the homeless and those who have much less. How can society be so apathetic? How can Canada elect Harper into a four year majority? Quebec got it right, but for the wrong reasons - they voted in the NDP because they were sick of the Bloc and didn't like the Liberals or Tories. I just don't understand how people don't understand these things. Maybe once we use up our resources and finally destroy our environment people will get it. But then it will be far too late. I hope people don't buy into Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak's bullshit, Dalton McGuinty isn't that bad! He gave us the Green Energy and Green Economy Act! I'll admit the whole time-of-use energy billing is ridiculous and doesn't really reduce consumption, but a lot of great changes have been made under the Liberals. People open your minds! Tommy Douglas spoke the truth.

Anyway, I baked some chocolate muffins this afternoon and tried out a new apple-tini drink recipe...it tasted good!

+ Lorelie