1. Youtube video: 66 (Old) Movie Dance Scenes Mashup (Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk ft.Bruno Mars). wow. The music video for the song this is based on is great too of course.
2. Gogol Bordello videos on youtube: Tribal Connection (again), Not A Crime, and Immigraniada (We Comin' Rougher) this last song seems to be a tribute to immigrants and ends with a slide which says "No Human Being is Illegal". Timely message.
3. Pineapple. President's Choice has bags of frozen pineapple chunks now, very convenient for smoothies. Pineapple has a lot of health benefits.
4. This Michelangelo quote: "The great danger for most of us is not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark".
5. This twitter feed: @LawAttractionLO
6. This Tyee Article about the first project funded by CMHC's Affordable Rental Housing Innovation Fund: 'Modular' One-Person Homes Fill A Need in Vancouver. At 250 sqft these units are actually larger than student housing at UBC, which is currently constructing 140 sqft "Nano Suites" and 230 sqft studio apartments.
7. This Tyee Article about another cool Vancouver affordable housing project: 'Inspiring' Shipping Container Housing Set to Multiply.
8. This youtube clip from the Big Bang Theory Episode where Elon Musk helps out at a soup kitchen.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
This (Past Two) Week's Favourite Things! Monday January 30th - Sunday February 12th, 2017
1. This YouAreCreators youtube video: Nikola Tesla Code 3-6-9 "All is vibrating energy, especially thought"
2. The Ontario Teacher's Pension Plan. It is HUGE (over $170 billion) and prosperous, growing like a money snowball as described on this wiki page, in their annual reporting, and in this Walrus article: Pension Envy. subtitle "Ontario Teachers have the world's best-performing retirement fund. Is it a model for the rest of us?"
Meanwhile in Nova Scotia there has been a lot of media about teachers requests for better classroom conditions and pay etc, which makes me wonder if the NS Teachers Pension Plan could be managed as successfully as the OTPP, whether that could solve some of their problems.
3. New lifestyle decision to stop complaining about anything, or at least try hard to do so, inspired by item #1 on this list, and also in order to test the theory that complaining causes tension in the body and therefore detracts from health and productivity. Hence the hypothesis that in the absence of complaining, health and productivity should improve. I found a few posts on the topic, especially from people trying a 21 day complaining detox. This article explains why Complaining is Bad for Your Brain.
4. Becoming Warren Buffet - a 2017 HBO documentary about billionaire Warren Buffet.
5. Our sweet, sweet Canadian air, especially after reading this article: New Zealand air farmers are cashing in on China's air pollution. Sorry about your air, China, but thanks for all the cheap stuff.
6. Youtube video Sophia Loren Mambo Italiano and Fred Astaire & Rita Hayworth in The Shorty George
2. The Ontario Teacher's Pension Plan. It is HUGE (over $170 billion) and prosperous, growing like a money snowball as described on this wiki page, in their annual reporting, and in this Walrus article: Pension Envy. subtitle "Ontario Teachers have the world's best-performing retirement fund. Is it a model for the rest of us?"
Meanwhile in Nova Scotia there has been a lot of media about teachers requests for better classroom conditions and pay etc, which makes me wonder if the NS Teachers Pension Plan could be managed as successfully as the OTPP, whether that could solve some of their problems.
3. New lifestyle decision to stop complaining about anything, or at least try hard to do so, inspired by item #1 on this list, and also in order to test the theory that complaining causes tension in the body and therefore detracts from health and productivity. Hence the hypothesis that in the absence of complaining, health and productivity should improve. I found a few posts on the topic, especially from people trying a 21 day complaining detox. This article explains why Complaining is Bad for Your Brain.
4. Becoming Warren Buffet - a 2017 HBO documentary about billionaire Warren Buffet.
5. Our sweet, sweet Canadian air, especially after reading this article: New Zealand air farmers are cashing in on China's air pollution. Sorry about your air, China, but thanks for all the cheap stuff.
6. Youtube video Sophia Loren Mambo Italiano and Fred Astaire & Rita Hayworth in The Shorty George
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
This Week's Favourite Things! Monday January 23rd - Sunday January 29th, 2017
1. Salivary Amylase. This enzyme kept popping into my head lately and was a reminder that digestion starts in your mouth, as some digestive enzymes such as salivary amylase and lipase (which break down fats) are secreted there. Therefore while smoothies are delicious drinking them quickly may mean they aren't getting digested as well as they could be, as enzymes are needed to break down plant cell walls, so it's a good idea to chew your smoothies, listed first in this article as one of the 3 Smoothie Rules to Live by.
2. Psychic Jeopardy. This is a fun new way to watch Jeopardy and test psychic ability, by trying to guess the right questions based only on the category title. I thought I maybe invented this but a google search revealed other people had this same idea.
3. Youtube Channel Fitness Blender's cardio kickboxing home workouts. Eg this one but there are other good ones on this channel too.
4. Gogol Bordello videos on youtube. American Wedding, which has an awesome song lyric "have you ever been to American wedding? Where is vodka, where is marinated herring?", Tribal Connection, and Start Wearing Purple
5. More Higher Self videos: 40 Things you soul wants you to know, The 5 Stages of Awakening, Angelic guides - you didn't come here to struggle how to allow with ease, and Awakening - 7 steps to ease the labor pain of spiritual rebirth
2. Psychic Jeopardy. This is a fun new way to watch Jeopardy and test psychic ability, by trying to guess the right questions based only on the category title. I thought I maybe invented this but a google search revealed other people had this same idea.
3. Youtube Channel Fitness Blender's cardio kickboxing home workouts. Eg this one but there are other good ones on this channel too.
4. Gogol Bordello videos on youtube. American Wedding, which has an awesome song lyric "have you ever been to American wedding? Where is vodka, where is marinated herring?", Tribal Connection, and Start Wearing Purple
5. More Higher Self videos: 40 Things you soul wants you to know, The 5 Stages of Awakening, Angelic guides - you didn't come here to struggle how to allow with ease, and Awakening - 7 steps to ease the labor pain of spiritual rebirth
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
This Week's Favourite Things! Monday January 16th - Sunday January 22nd, 2017
1. The bit on Dragon's Den last week about how one of the Dragons is saving an iconic Toronto music venue, as described in this article: El Mocambo saved by Dragon's Den star Michaele Wekerle
2. The Minions (animated movie)
3. This youtube YouAreCreators video about the universal (Hermetic or spiritual) law of reaping and sowing
4. This youtube cartoon, "The Headless Horseman by Bing Crosby (1949) Vintage Halloween" early for Halloween stuff but I'd never seen this before I don't think and stumbled across it listening to Bing's Song of Freedom some more.
5. Natural Society article: Here is How Candida May Actually Cause Cancer.
2. The Minions (animated movie)
3. This youtube YouAreCreators video about the universal (Hermetic or spiritual) law of reaping and sowing
4. This youtube cartoon, "The Headless Horseman by Bing Crosby (1949) Vintage Halloween" early for Halloween stuff but I'd never seen this before I don't think and stumbled across it listening to Bing's Song of Freedom some more.
5. Natural Society article: Here is How Candida May Actually Cause Cancer.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
This Week's Favourite Things! Monday January 9th - Sunday January 15th, 2017
1. Every live music venue managing to stay open these days, and their owners, staff, musicians and landlords. Here's a cbc article about some iconic venues that have shut recently including The Railway Club in Vancouver and The Carleton in Halifax. RIP and thanks for the good times. The comments on the article are interesting too, as it seems there are a lot of other economic factors keeping people home.
2. Louis CK "Oh My God" (2013) at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix
3. Cilantro stalks. Up until last week I'd always spend a lot of time picking leaves off the stalks, but realized the stalks are good blended into smoothies and salad dressing. Not sure if the stalks have as many health benefits as the leaves but is way less work.
4. A couple of visual artists, and their websites: Eli Halpin and Jennifer Lommers stumbled across while finally looking into what wayfair.ca is - it's some big online decor retailer. But what is interesting is the artists who have apparently decided to embrace the internet and all these different platforms of getting their art out there, such as Society 6 and other companies that do prints on canvas. Not that many people can afford a $4,000 painting so I find the whole concept of replicating 2D art this way interesting as a way to make art more affordable and accessible while supporting the artists.
5. Pottery. I was thinking this week about how long pottery can last, and the answer is 10s of thousands of years potentially. Eg, here's the wiki page for Venus of Dolni Vestonice, one of the oldest pottery figures dated to 29,000 - 25,000 BCE. That's a long time! and more reason to try to make better stuff.
6. Bing Crosby's Song of Freedom (link to a youtube recording) from the movie Holiday Inn.
7. Stephen Fearing's 'Between the Hurricanes' album especially "As the Crow Flies" and "These Golden Days"
8. This article about January's Wolf Moon and Awolnation's album Run
9. Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers youtube clips, Swing Time and Bouncing the Blues
10. A couple of trippy Higher Self youtube videos: 12 Methods to Unplug from the Matrix, and Your Soul's Journey, A Message From Your Spirit Guides.
2. Louis CK "Oh My God" (2013) at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix
3. Cilantro stalks. Up until last week I'd always spend a lot of time picking leaves off the stalks, but realized the stalks are good blended into smoothies and salad dressing. Not sure if the stalks have as many health benefits as the leaves but is way less work.
4. A couple of visual artists, and their websites: Eli Halpin and Jennifer Lommers stumbled across while finally looking into what wayfair.ca is - it's some big online decor retailer. But what is interesting is the artists who have apparently decided to embrace the internet and all these different platforms of getting their art out there, such as Society 6 and other companies that do prints on canvas. Not that many people can afford a $4,000 painting so I find the whole concept of replicating 2D art this way interesting as a way to make art more affordable and accessible while supporting the artists.
5. Pottery. I was thinking this week about how long pottery can last, and the answer is 10s of thousands of years potentially. Eg, here's the wiki page for Venus of Dolni Vestonice, one of the oldest pottery figures dated to 29,000 - 25,000 BCE. That's a long time! and more reason to try to make better stuff.
6. Bing Crosby's Song of Freedom (link to a youtube recording) from the movie Holiday Inn.
7. Stephen Fearing's 'Between the Hurricanes' album especially "As the Crow Flies" and "These Golden Days"
8. This article about January's Wolf Moon and Awolnation's album Run
9. Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers youtube clips, Swing Time and Bouncing the Blues
10. A couple of trippy Higher Self youtube videos: 12 Methods to Unplug from the Matrix, and Your Soul's Journey, A Message From Your Spirit Guides.
Monday, January 9, 2017
This Week's Favourite Things! Monday January 2nd - Sunday January 8th, 2017
1. Raw vegan green smoothies, eg avocado, celery, cucumber, lemon, spinach, ginger, pineapple and a spoon of chia and hemp seeds is nice. Here is a very comprehensive, thoughtful list with links to all sorts of recipes that sound good: 70 Detox Smoothies for Cleansing and Weight Loss
2. Ella Fitzgerald with the Chick Webb Orchestra, especially this song: T'aint what you do it's the way that you do it. (link to recording on youtube).
3. Electric Spoonful. wow what a great band, and good to see The Seahorse Tavern's new location/venue in the basement of The Marquee is as great as the old one despite moving from their iconic Argyle Street spot.
4. This wiki page about Italy - Poland relations
5. This article about the rags to riches story of Luigi Aquilini, an understated Italian immigrant turned Canadian I hadn't heard of before despite the fact that he grew an empire from nothing to billions. He looks very young for someone in his 80's! Bet it has something to do with all the cranberry and blueberry farms he's invested in!
6. This Buzzbuzz News Design article: The number of sustainable features in this mixed-use development will blow your mind. Apparently this impressive structure will actually be built in India.
7. A nice quote from A Course in Miracles: "To have, give all to all."
2. Ella Fitzgerald with the Chick Webb Orchestra, especially this song: T'aint what you do it's the way that you do it. (link to recording on youtube).
3. Electric Spoonful. wow what a great band, and good to see The Seahorse Tavern's new location/venue in the basement of The Marquee is as great as the old one despite moving from their iconic Argyle Street spot.
4. This wiki page about Italy - Poland relations
5. This article about the rags to riches story of Luigi Aquilini, an understated Italian immigrant turned Canadian I hadn't heard of before despite the fact that he grew an empire from nothing to billions. He looks very young for someone in his 80's! Bet it has something to do with all the cranberry and blueberry farms he's invested in!
6. This Buzzbuzz News Design article: The number of sustainable features in this mixed-use development will blow your mind. Apparently this impressive structure will actually be built in India.
7. A nice quote from A Course in Miracles: "To have, give all to all."
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Works in Progress: Pendants, Ring Caddies and an Orca Platter
On the list of New Years Resolutions for 2017 - post progress pics more often!
Last firing, as an extension of the new flatter ornaments, I experimented with a few stoneware pendants and managed to finish one prototype turtle pendant which sold before I thought to photograph it. I'm hoping this is a sign that my 'make stoneware jewelry' resolution for this year will make sense.
Here is a pic of more pendants in progress, waiting for underglaze and glaze. Most have a ring for a cord built into the sculpture, some have a hole for a cord or chain to pass through.
Designs so far include turtles, doves, crows, bears, bunnies, flowers, hearts, peace signs, stars, starfish, dolphins, orcas, various other birds, Christmas trees (getting a head start this year) and more. Whether these are pendant sized or ornament sized, and how best to turn them into necklaces will require field testing, but they will be small, light, handsculpted, and quicker to make than figurines, so therefore, reasonably priced - good for visitors and locals I think.
This finished sleeping fox "pendant" prototype from the last firing doesn't work because the ring in the back means it can't hang properly. Oops, learning experience. However it led to the decision that I want to start making brooches as well this year.
Here is the same piece in my hand for scale:
As a teenager in Richmond there was a cool little antique shop that had all sorts of pretty vintage brooches for cheap, I ended up with a small collection. Most were metal but I'm thinking stoneware brooches are going to be a lot of fun.
Speaking of jewelry, here are my first ever "ring caddies", animals holding flowers where a person could leave their "precious" for safe keeping. There's a bunny and a mousie, I'm so excited to see these finished that if the weather stays relatively mild I could actually get a firing done this month.
Bunny ring caddy in my hand for scale.
And finally for this post, this large Orca platter in progress, shown atop my pottery wheel for scale.
When finished it will be able to hang on the wall with wire, when not in service. I imagine it as a good serving dish for sushi, smoked salmon or other seafood treats.
Last firing, as an extension of the new flatter ornaments, I experimented with a few stoneware pendants and managed to finish one prototype turtle pendant which sold before I thought to photograph it. I'm hoping this is a sign that my 'make stoneware jewelry' resolution for this year will make sense.
Here is a pic of more pendants in progress, waiting for underglaze and glaze. Most have a ring for a cord built into the sculpture, some have a hole for a cord or chain to pass through.
Designs so far include turtles, doves, crows, bears, bunnies, flowers, hearts, peace signs, stars, starfish, dolphins, orcas, various other birds, Christmas trees (getting a head start this year) and more. Whether these are pendant sized or ornament sized, and how best to turn them into necklaces will require field testing, but they will be small, light, handsculpted, and quicker to make than figurines, so therefore, reasonably priced - good for visitors and locals I think.
This finished sleeping fox "pendant" prototype from the last firing doesn't work because the ring in the back means it can't hang properly. Oops, learning experience. However it led to the decision that I want to start making brooches as well this year.
Here is the same piece in my hand for scale:
As a teenager in Richmond there was a cool little antique shop that had all sorts of pretty vintage brooches for cheap, I ended up with a small collection. Most were metal but I'm thinking stoneware brooches are going to be a lot of fun.
Speaking of jewelry, here are my first ever "ring caddies", animals holding flowers where a person could leave their "precious" for safe keeping. There's a bunny and a mousie, I'm so excited to see these finished that if the weather stays relatively mild I could actually get a firing done this month.
Bunny ring caddy in my hand for scale.
And finally for this post, this large Orca platter in progress, shown atop my pottery wheel for scale.
When finished it will be able to hang on the wall with wire, when not in service. I imagine it as a good serving dish for sushi, smoked salmon or other seafood treats.
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