Two things.

Thing one: mephy and I went to see Transformers: Dark of the Moon yesterday.  It was a Transformers movie – no more, no less.  Great action, fun banter, no Megan Fox . . . good times had by all.  Normally this movie wouldn’t really hit the blog radar, there isn’t a lot to say about a movie full of awesome fight scenes between ginormous robots other than it’s a(n awesome) movie full of awesome fight scenes between ginormous robots.  But!  I was struck by the most fantastic instance of foreshadowing that I’ve ever experienced.  Ever.

Warning for those of you who have not seen the film yet and mean to: THAR BE SPOILERS AHEAD.

Ready?

Okay – remember that scene where the wee transformers, who live on Sam’s patio (I’m sorry folks, I have no idea what their names are – if you do please let me know.  Googling it on the internet machine just ain’t working), are watching Star Trek?  And the episode is the one “where Spock goes crazy?”  Yeah.  And remember what happens a little later on?  Yeah.  Okay, you have to admit, that was pretty freaking funny.

I’m not saying it was brilliant folks, just the best example of foreshadowing that I’ve seen in a film for a long time.  It amused me.  A lot.

Thing two: my friend Autumn has come back to her senses and recently returned to Blogdom.

It’s funny.  She’s been away from blogging for just over a year.  In that time I had foolishly forgotten just how talented she is with words.  (I think I forgot because it makes me angry.  She’s one of those triple-threat types that make me crazy.  Beautiful (inside and out), a heckuva wordsmith and a knockout musical talent.)

I have recently been reminded.  Very, very reminded.

Go check her out: Forever Autumn.

gusgus -Teenage Sensation

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KISS in Prince George! Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven.

I wanted the best and I got the best!

THE Hottest Band in the World. . . .

KISS!

That’s right folks, I was lucky enough to experience my Holy Grail of rock concerts again on Friday night!  When mephy and I saw the fellahs in Vancouver in the Fall of ’09 I thought I had died and gone to Rock ‘N’ Roll Heaven – I had never expected to see KISS in concert.

I had certainly never expected to see KISS in concert in Our Northern Capital.

There were those who said it wasn’t going to be any good, that Prince George’s CN Centre wouldn’t be able to handle a show of epic proportions, that the sound would be terrible, and there were those who said that Gene and Paul were skipping out and sending a cover band in their stead.

Well?

Not surprisingly, they were wrong.  The show was outstanding!  KISS brought their A-game and treated the small(ish) Canadian city like they would any other venue.  Of course, the Prince George audience WOWed the band.  We always do.  We don’t always get to see the musical elite; when we do, we’re very thankful, very appreciative and very excited!

The show was intimate.  It was comfortable.  It was like a house-party (with 4998 of my closest personal friends in attendance).  Well, it was like a house-party if you have confetti cannons, flame-throwers, fireworks and invite a blood-spewing creature of the night who wears seven-inch leather heels.  The Starchild touched on this when he mentioned that the farther North the band goes, the shorter the buildings get and the more sky you can see, the more comfortable the experience.  It’s like playing for friends and family.  Again I say, Prince George really appreciates a good show and we’re very welcoming.

In fact.  We’re so welcoming that we encouraged Mr. PG to get into the action!

Before:

KISSified!

What I’m trying to say is: KISS is freaking amazing and the show they put on in Prince George did not disappoint!  So.  To the outstandingly talented and gracious men of KISS – thank you.  We appreciated the visit and hope we made you feel at home during your visit.  We’d love to have you again – give us a call any time!  And to the phenoms of 94X - thank you for keeping the enthusiasm up, for being so stoked about the show and for being completely unafraid of calling BS on the naysayers.  Rock radio rules!  Perhaps most importantly, to my fellow concert attendees – thank you for rocking hard.  You made the show.

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KISS – God of Thunder (Country Version)

Before I sign off, I’m going to share something with you.  Those of you connected with me via Facebook are very familiar with this now, but to the rest of you I present The Twenty Days of KISS!  (From June 9th until the 29th I edited KISS song lyrics to fit my Facebook status.  It was a blast and I feel it should be shared!)

vyxen…

…is hot. She has rock ‘n’ roll pneumonia. If someone could please call Dr. Love that would be great. (Calling Dr. Love)

…will let you walk the street beside her, but when she wants she’ll pass you by. (Strutter)

…likes your seven inch leather heels and going to all of the shows. And yes, she loves you. She really loves you. (Do You Love Me?)

…thinks she’s high fashion. She thinks she looks divine. (It helps that that’s what you keep telling her. You tell her all the time.) (Two Timer)

…says “go baby, you make me feel ah, ah, ah, ah yeah! Oh, baby, you make me feel ah, ah, ah, ah yeah!” (Take Me)

…wants the same thing every day. Teach her love a different way. She’ll learn to love you and your sweet pain. (Though she’s sure your love will drive her insane.) (Sweet Pain)

…has been waiting here to be your guide. So come, reveal the secrets that you keep inside. (Psycho Circus)

…is hot, hot, hotter than hell. You know she’s gonna leave you well done. Hot, hot, hotter than hell. She’ll burn you like the midday sun. (Hotter Than Hell)

…will adore you and she’ll floor you with her wisdom and her vision, and you’ll love it and think of it ‘til you lose all intuition. (Firehouse)

…is feelin’ low, no place to go, and she’s a-thinking that she’s gonna scream! (Room Service)

…has got to get up! Everybody’s gonna move their feet. Get down! Everybody’s gonna leave their seat! You gotta lose your mind in Prince George Rock City! (Detroit Rock City)

…looks at you and her blood boils hot, she feels her temperature rise. She wants it all, give her what you got, there’s hunger in your eyes. (Heaven’s On Fire)

…will take you anywhere you want just as fast as she can. (Let Me Know)

…has been broken down, but not defeated. She kept on punching back ‘til she succeeded. (We all need to be somebody, now.) (Raise Your Glasses)

…will always be there trying to grab a hold. She thought she knew you, but she didn’t know that you were sad and wanted her to go. (Parasite)

…doesn’t want to wait ‘til you know her better. Let’s just be glad for the time together. Life’s such a treat and it’s time you taste it, there ain’t a reason on earth to waste it. It ain’t a crime to be good to yourself. (Lick It Up)

…is a dancer, a romancer. You’re a Capricorn and she’s a Cancer. She saw your picture in a music magazine; when she met you, she said she’d get you. (C’mon and Love Me)

…is sorry to have taken so long. It must have been a bitch while she was gone. You mind if she sits down for a while? You’ll reacquaint yourself with her style. (100,000 Years)

…won’t let ‘em tell her that there’s too much noise, they’re too old to really understand! She’ll still get rowdy with the girls and boys, ‘cause it’s time for her to take a stand . . . and SHOUT IT OUT LOUD! (Shout It Out Loud)

…wants to give it all to you. In the darkness there’s so much she wants to do and to(morrow) night she wants to lay it at your feet ‘cause boy, she was made for lovin’ you and boy, you were made for lovin’ her. (I Was Made For Loving You)

…wanted the best and she got the best! THE hottest band in the world . . . KISS!

We always walk tall! We’re Jets! The greatest!

I had an adventureful weekend!

Well.  Okay.  I had an adventureful Friday!

My skookum new job came with a Professional Development (PD) account.  With my PD I am able to attend learning events!  One such learning event was advertised by SkillPath Seminars, and The Bosslady decided it would be in my best interests to attend.  So, we signed me up, booked a couple of flights and called ‘er a day!

[Enter adventure.]

What I failed to take into account when visiting the in-house travel agent was the get-off-of-the-plane-and-to-the-seminar time frame.  The plane touched down (in Van-fullofcrazyrioterpeople-couver) at 0824h and the course began at 0900h.

Aside: Vancouver stresses me out.  I’m not terribly fond of the city as a general rule and getting around in it makes me more irritable than normal.  (That is mighty irritable, folks.)

[Exeunt adventure.]

[Enter stress.]

Prior to this trip I had polled my Lower Mainland people to determine my most successful mode of transportation.  The best answer came from an astoundingly fantastic friend of mine who attends conferences and seminars in the very same hotel where my learning party was to occur.  Ms. CM, who also always catches a flight from her home in Northern BC, recommended the CanadaLine train, which would take me from the airport to two blocks away from where the seminar was to take place!  Great, great news.

[Exeunt some stress.]

When I landed in Van-City I high-tailed ‘er to the CanadaLine station, bought a ticket and jumped (very nearly akshully) aboard!  The rest was total gravy, folks!  I was a bit late for the course, which I expected given the twenty-six minutes I had between landing and learning (I’d called the SkillPath people a week and a bit prior and outlined my predicament.  They told me not to worry, the first few minutes were going to be introductions anyway, no big).  After apologizing to the facilitator and fellow learnees, I enjoyed learning how to excel in management and supervising.

[Exeunt the rest of the stress.]

Before I switch gears, I feel that it’s necessary that I tell you exactly how much of a nerd I am.  During the hour that I was allotted for lunch I decided to wander around in downtown Van-City (’cause really?  Why not?).  It should come as absolutely no surprise that I made it half a block away from the seminar location before I found a bookstore.  That was the end of my meandering.  (I bought The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.)

I would like to give a shout-out to Ms. CM for all of her help – I seriously would have been a giant bag of knotty stress if it weren’t for you, lady.  And hey?  So great to see you this afternoon!  I would also like to thank Princess and Muffin for travelling from their respective places of work to have dinner and hang out with me at the airport before I left for home again.  It was so awesome to see you guys, too – I miss you!  Can’t wait until you come visit!

Ready for the gear-switch?

Kay.

When you’re a Jet, you’re a Jet all the way!

I’ve had this niggling feeling, since the onset of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, that I should be a hockey fan.  This, in itself, shouldn’t have been noteworthy, or a problem.  Fact is, I didn’t know who to follow.  I didn’t want to jump on the Canuck bandwagon – for two reasons: 1) I don’t like bandwagon jumpers, and 2) I just really don’t like the Canucks (Canuck fans scare the living shit out of me).  I suppose I could default and cheer for Dad’s Canadiens, but I feel that I should forge my own path.

How fortuitous that Winnipeg decided it was a good idea to bring their team home, hey?

New hockey fan.  New(ish) hockey team.  It seemed right, y’know?  (I hope it lasts, I could totally get into hockey, guys.  It’s fun!)

#GoJetsGo!

WSS – Jet Song

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Books & Company

(Image © Michael Rawluk.  Used with permission.)

“This is my favourite place!”

I’ve heard that so many times from various visitors in the past three (almost four) years.  I usually respond to my chipper customer with a polite “thank you!” and a conspiratorial smile.

I know how they feel.

In a world where snow reigns for at least five months of every twelve, everyone needs a little sunshine.  A place to escape the monotony of the everyday grind.  A sanctuary.

An oasis.

In Prince George, Books & Company is that oasis.  A rift in the usual.  A refuge from paperwork, essays and contemporary social constraints.  It’s a place where you’re encouraged to be yourself – whether yourself wears jeans and a t-shirt or chain mail – without question or complaint.

Part of the reason Books & Co. is as successful as it is in creating this environment is that it is as it was since its beginning.  It’s true, it has moved around a bit, but it’s never changed hands and the vision remains: a safe haven and community unto itself.  Truly, selling books, coffee and really, really tasty scones almost seems an afterthought, doesn’t it?  A way to ensure that this retreat is self-sustaining and possesses all of the comforts required for a visit.

Better, perhaps, than being a personal haven is that sense of community.  On Tuesday nights Café Voltaire hosts the Sketch Monkeys; one Wednesday of every month is Café Scientifique; on Thursday nights an ESL study group, a Spanish club and the Chess Knights meet; and on Friday nights the Café Voltaire stage is open to a free concert – sometimes a local band plays, sometimes a touring group charitable enough to stop in, and if you’re really lucky you’ll catch an open mic night and see what Prince George REALLY has to offer!  Beyond that, you’ll find author book launches and signings where you can feel free to grab a fantastic cup of coffee and sit down with the lady or gent who has penned your new favourite book and have a heart-to-heart with them, sharing your love of their craft.  Sometimes, if you’re in the right place at exactly the right time you’ll be fortunate enough to catch a travelling stage troupe who will give an impromptu showing of their latest play using the Books & Co. register-island as their stage!  Indeed, there is never a dull moment at Books & Co..

ArtSpace, too, adds to this sense of community.  This cultural centre has played host to some of Canada’s and Prince George’s most brilliant musicians.  It has held everything from heavy-metal concerts, pole-dancing performances, burlesque shows, Dr. Sketchy Anti-Art School events, Cold Snap festival shows to a weekly church service every Sunday morning.  There is always art on the walls and it is almost always local to Prince George and the region, whether it be a one artist displaying their talent, or a class from the Emily Carr program at UNBC.  The breadth of this studio is impressive and, like the bookstore and coffee bar below, never questions who walks through the door, or requires them to explain themselves.

Prince George is a pretty lucky little City.  We have the Theatre North West, a Symphony Orchestra, Excalibur’s musical theatre, Judy Russell’s dance studio, BCHL and WHL hockey teams, and the best damned independent bookstore in Northern BC!

(And let’s face it folks, where are you going to find a more amazing staff to help you find your next favourite book?)

Valdy – VLT

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A little shameless promotion never hurt anyone.

Check this out.

B&A on weddingbee.com.

A friend of mine was recently wed to her best friend.  Their wedding was stunning.  (I didn’t attend, but the video and the pictures are captivating.)

This friend has decided to try her hand at event planning with a focus on weddings.  I think she’ll rock this position.  I think you should help her.  I can vouch for her, she only wants what is best for you and what will thrill you.  Let me know if you’re in the Vancouver BC area and in need of an event planner.  I’ll hook you up.

Trooper – Raise A Little Hell

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A wedding is just an excuse to show off new ink.

In other news: I have new ink.

A week ago today (Thursday, July 29) I visited the amazing Theresa at Handsome Cabin Boy Tattoo (they also have a Facebook page).  I had booked this piece about three months ago.  (This, incidentally, is the reason I was inked two days before my wedding.  The tattoo appointment came first.  And, quite frankly?  Marriages come and go, but tattoos are forever!)  I have had three months to be super stoked.

As there was with fox, there is a reason I chose what I chose.

Dragonfly is an important character in my life.  When I was little, my family took a trip out to visit the family in Ontario.  While there, visiting one of my favourite places in the world (my Aunt breeds and raises Newfoundland dogs.  She has always had at least ten huge dogs on the property, as well as horses, cats, and countless wild critters.  It was a haven for an animal loving City Gal such as myself), I found myself relaxing with my Aunt and cousin.  It was a beautiful summer day, so we were putzing about in shorts.  While we were outside, a very, very not-small dragonfly landed on my leg.  I was terrified!  I was also very close to kicking my leg and banishing the creepy critter from my life as quickly as it had entered it.  Thankfully my Aunt sensed my panic and told me that this dragonfly had chosen me as its resting place.  When I thought about it that way, I looked a little more closely at the not-so-creepy critter and saw the beauty of its colourful body and shining wings.

Dragonfly represents acceptance for me.  Acceptance and change.

When I visited Handsome Cabin Boy Tattoo to chat about the design, as you can see, I did not ask for a simple bug.  I decided to harness change and acceptance and add whimsy to the mix. I write.  This is license to constantly fall victim to whimsy.  I wanted something that was representative of me.  I got it.  (And really?  As an animal totem dragonfly ain’t too shabby.)

The initial drawing was wonderful.  The tattoo itself is breathtaking.  The experience was (fucking painful, but) amazing.  Theresa at Handsome Cabin Boy Tattoo, folks.  She so perfectly translated my messy idea into elegant detail.  A true artist.  A Master of her trade.

Thank you.

The Airborne Toxic Event – Happiness Is Overrated

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Of cloudless climes and starry skies.

Tonight, tonight!

I just got home from a fantastic Friday night at Café Voltaire.  Man, oh man!  Amazing.

You may, given my elation, have guessed that we were treated to another performance by the ever esteemed and always phenomenal Kevin Hutchings, who is an absolute inspiration to me.  Tonight was especially fantastic, though, as Kevin invited his wonderfully talented daughter Sahra Featherstone to take the stage with him.

Let me take this opportunity to explain something to you.  I’ve said before that Kevin is a brilliant person, a gifted teacher, and an impassioned artist.  I’ve told you that I, effectively, stalked him while pursuing my BA in English Literature and took as many courses UNBC offered with Kevin at the helm.  I’ve also told you that I think he’s a gifted performer.  But, until now, he’s been described as something more akin to a statue atop a pedestal.  I need you to understand just how neat I think Kevin is.  See?  When I started working at Books & Co. I happened to be lucky enough to score a Friday night shift which happened to be my first out-of-the-classroom interaction with The Professor.  After the (amazing) show, which was, coincidentally, another event featuring Sahra, as I was tidying the café Kevin came up to say hello – I hadn’t spoken with him since I’d graduated, in and around two years prior.  He smiled as we made idle chit-chat and waved Sahra over, keen to introduce her to one of his former students.  Not only did he introduce her to someone he remembered sitting in the back row of his Romanticism classes, but he gave her my full name.  (Background: I am not an outgoing person and I never spoke in class.  I listened, I wrote essays and I completed exams.  Kevin should not have been able to recall my first name, let alone my last.)  See, he’s a great professor, a fantastic performer, and an enthusiastic scholar, but he’s also an amazing person.  Kevin Hutchings is one of those people who makes an impact in your life.  He is one of those people you feel truly blessed to know.

Now.

Tonight.

You should have felt tonight!  The music was great, the crowd was chipper (it was a beautiful day, it is Friday and great music abounded, there’s nothing to be un-chipper about), and the wonderful café gals were slinging stunning lattés.  The electricity on stage was something else.  After Kevin and Sahra played a few tunes together, they invited our favourite Artistic Director Eric Tompkins aboard.  The smiles.  It was the smiles that made the evening for me.  Sahra and Kevin, clearly, love to have the opportunity to play together.  It is something pretty amazing to be able to witness.  Eric, too.  They all share such a mutual respect and admiration for each other and have such fun in what they do it’s just an absolute joy to watch.

A joy.

This was, perhaps, best personified by the little blond toddling critter to the right of the stage, by the bookshop counter, who was just a’ grinning, and be-boppin’, by the end of the show.  He was having a blast.

The mood was light.  The music was wonderful and heart felt.  The performers are amazing people.  The crowd was properly appreciative.  All in all, it was a wildly successful Friday night in Café Voltaire.

Johnny Cash – A Boy Named Sue

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Many, many thanks!

I would like to send my warmest regards to my friends Kent and A. Warren for their contributions to my blog, last month.  I have not, yet, thanked them for the wonderful things they said to, and for, me.

Thank you, gentlemen, for enthusiastically volunteering your time and creativity to me and my blog!  It is so flattering and so appreciated.  You are welcome here anytime!

Kid Cudi – Soundtrack 2 My Life

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Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart!

I had the privilege of seeing Sir Elton John in concert last night.  In Prince George, BC, of all places.

Amazing.

I have seen my personal rock and roll Holy Grail, KISS.  I have seen mephy’s rock and roll Holy Grail, AC/DC.  I have seen Bon Jovi, Great Big Sea, Def Leppard, Nickelback, Apocalyptica, and a handful of other world class concerts.  I have never seen anything like this.

As soon as Sir Elton John took the stage, with his glorious band, it was high-energy central.  The crowd lit up.  Oh, the crowd!  I need to tell you about this crowd!  I sat with approximately 5999 of my closest friends (and family) and not one of them remained seated as this man came out on stage.  Not one of them remained seated after he played his first song.  Seventy-five percent of them rose from their seats after every song.  A standing ovation after every song.  Prince George hosts an audience that is often quite appreciative of the musical acts they are privy to – we’re not a very big city, comparably.  We’re not used to events of this calibre.  This was an outstanding show of love and appreciation to a man who has played for some of the world’s most important people in some of the world’s most important cities.  I am so proud to have been a part of that display of admiration and I am so thankful for it.  Way to go, Prince George!  We rock!

Now.  Sir Elton John and company.  Wow.  I could pepper this with so many positive adjective and accolades, but it all comes down to one awe inspired wow.  The man played hit after hit after hit for two hours and forty-five minutes.  Straight.  There was no opening act (well.  Now.  That’s not true.  Curtis Abriel and a cohort of his played in the CN Centre parking lot for over an hour before the show.  As far as I’m concerned, Curtis, you opened for Sir Elton John – put that one on your résumé, darlin’).  There were no intermissions.

Not only did he and his band play for almost three straight hours, but they looked like they were having an absolute blast doing it.  With the huge screens set up for close up views, for those of us sitting not-so-close-up, you could see Sir Elton’s smiles and the smirks of his bandmates.  And their energy output!  They played their hearts out.  So what if Prince George is a small Northern BC city with little international clout?  We love him and he knew it.  He played in appreciation of us as we cheered in appreciation of him.

At the end of the show, just before his encore, Sir Elton John signed autographs to those of us lucky enough to have front row seats for a good seven, or so, minutes.  Then he made a speech.  He told us that he, and the band, could feel our love of them and their music and he thanked us for it.  Truly, graciously, and so modestly thanked us for it.

This was a concert of a lifetime.  Not only the music, which was inspired, but the man.  He is a man who, so clearly, still loves to do what he does so wonderfully.  A man who loves his fans as much as we love him, or perhaps more.

Thank you, so much, Elton John, for the show!  It was one I won’t soon forget!

Elton John – Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

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A salute to the men of Carhartt.

I have said it before: give me a man in Carhartt over a man in Gucci any day of the week.

The working man.  Blue collar.  A man’s man.

Hot.  Damn.

I went for a walk this afternoon and I have to admit, I was chuckling as I experienced an epiphany: mephy has destroyed me.  I find myself almost completely unable to gawk at a man driving a car.  If it ain’t a truck?  No dice.  It’s true, this lil’ lady from Dawson Creek was absolutely snow white in the neck until she met her fellah (not an easy task – remaining lily white, that is – as anyone who is from, or has visited, Dodge can attest).  Now?  He’s got to drive a truck (and none of this nancy-boy Ford Ranger/Dodge Dakota shit – let’s be safe, here, and go with Chev/GMC and make it at least a three-quarter tonne.  And hey, while we’re at it?  Diesel) and he’s going to have to be wearing dirty Carhartt’s, a sun bleached t-shirt, steel-toed boots and sportin’ a farmer’s tan.  I just can’t take a gander at Calvin Klein without rolling my eyes just a little.

Absolutely nothing made this epiphany more clear than when mephy himself came home after a long day at work.  Dusty Carhartt pants, dirty steel toed boots, faded t-shirt, a great start to a fabulous farmer’s tan, and scruffy as hell (did I mention that I swoon for fellahs with facial hair?  It’s a fun vice to have).  I tell you, that boy is fine.

To the men of Carhartt: I raise my stein.  Carry on, fellahs.

(It’s akin to that whole cowboy thing.  I could never quite understand the draw to Wranglers, but I completely appreciate the attraction to the hard working man with the blue collar job.)

Nickelback – Burn It To The Ground

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