So here come the Oscars.
A big deal here in my office as we all make changes to schedules in order to promote it, but I can't help but thinking about those excessive gift bags the celebrities get just for presenting and it turns my stomach.
As I went through the list of gifts they each received last year each presenter walked away with a gift bag that was worth over 35,000$ American!
I think of all the people out there, all the causes and charities that could use as little as everyone’s daily coffee money and I'm shocked that such a reputable organization wouldn't take this opportunity to donate to charities in dire need.
Now I'm not sure of the logistics, but I think that everything that is given away to these 'Stars' (who have no need for these things as they clearly can afford to purchase them themselves) are donated by the people or companies who want to promote their products.
As an aspiring designer of baby bags and maternity coats I can certainly understand the need to want to promote - but what I suggest is this:
Everyone whose products are accepted to be a 'gift' within the bag should instead be given a commercial spot to run during the Oscars that enables the public to see their products but also informs the public that instead of giving away their product they have donated the worth of their product to a charity of their choice.
Although this may be expensive for the Oscars (and I'm still not clear on whether the Oscars accepts donations or purchase’s the gifts for the presenters themselves) it will/would bring a lot of positive hype their way.
In any event it may be too late for all this (in a good way) as I have just read that the Oscars have decided not to give out the gift bags this year or ever again.
Seems Edward Norton (my new hero) made such a stink about this last year that the Oscars have opted out of doing it anymore! Thank goodness - who new that speaking up about something might actually make a change? Source.
So my disgust-ion (not a word I know) has been subdued for the time being - and I will move over to dark side and watch the Oscars...I know, I disgust you.
:)
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Subway Rage.
Hi, my name is Caitlin and I have SUBWAY RAGE! It's true.
I hate them all, all the people who just can't seem to figure out proper subway/life etiquette.
There are the ones who rush into the subway only to stop short as they enter just past the doors. It's like their thinking: 'Oh yay, I'm good now, no reason to keep moving in...tra la la' while behind them a crowd of people are gathering and desperately trying to get into the train so they too can make it to work/home.
There are the 'take up two seats with all my bags' fuckers who at this point don't faze me as much because I just lower myself slowly to give them enough chance to either move their shit or have it sat on.
The 'gonna lean on the pole cause I don't care if you fall over when the subway lurches' people.
Then we have the 'won't look up from my book even though obviously pregnant, with child, or older person stands right above me and could use the seat'.
But my biggest irritent are the people who insist on congregating by the doors like a bunch of smelly sardines, all the while the middle of the train sits bare. I hate those people most.
The other day I decided to move into the giant empty area (as I usually do) in the middle of the subway car - on my way through the sardines I found myself stuck at a stand still as the man I was attempting to move past seem to implant his feet into the floor like blocks of cement.
At first I thought he just hadn't noticed me, so of course I politely (no really, I said it politely) said 'excuse me'. I said this a few times while trying to push past him before I finally emerged (through really hard pushing) to the other side.
I swear that must be what birth feels like for a baby!
Anyways, when I finally found myself on the other side I turned to him and asked him (not so politely) if he had heard me saying 'excuse me'? He looked at me and said while gesturing the 1 and a half feet of space in front of his giant belly (yes I am now making fun of the jerk) "Where was I supposed to go?".
"What about one foot in front of you to give me some space to get in here so everybody on the train can have a little more space to breath?" I responded.
At this point he was no longer ready to take me on so he shut up - but of course my Subway rage did not allow him my silence in return, so I loudly (and justly) said 'I should have shoved you harder'.
Of course, in retrospect it isn't the coolest thing, nor the most hurtful thing I could have said - he probably just smirked when I said it - but there was a child sitting below me and although my mind raced with 'Fucking piss ant prick, inconsiderate, fucking disgusting human being...' I did not choose the latter. Of course by the time I left the train I was fuming - spent the entire walk to my kids’ daycare monologue-ing what I should have said to him...always the way isn't it?
So then the next day I saw again that the middle was clear of people - this time it was pretty atrocious how empty it was considering that everybody was literally piled onto one and other in the entrance ways. So of course I still pushed my way through to the middle feeling very triumphant that I wasn't going to let the sardines get in my way of a reasonably comfortable ride till I noticed that I was standing in vomit - yes vomit. The lady sitting below me had lost her breakfast and in that moment it all came together why everyone else had chosen to congeal together as far away as possible from this poor woman. As everybody's eyes watched for my reaction I simply reached into my bag, pulled out some Kleenex and gave it to her without moving away. So there fuckers!
Anyhoo...
The lesson today I suppose is be suspicious of rather large empty areas in subway cars, but don't shy away from confrontation boys and girls.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Car Accident Ballet - update
Well the whole damn thing is gonna cost us (and by 'us' I mean me) 957.80$. UGH. But it's done - and we will go on.
Have I mentioned that I hate cars - cause I hate them, oh yeah - and I hate streetcar tracks.
Have I mentioned that I hate cars - cause I hate them, oh yeah - and I hate streetcar tracks.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Baby Blue Mittens - of HELL!
So, Kev pulled my 2 year old's little elbow out of its socket today!
He was putting on her brand new mittens - really cool ones, baby blue, waterproof, extra long mittens that you can stuff into the jacket and never get snow up your sleeve - when totally, accidentally, and even unknowingly he popped out her little elbow.
"I hate those new mittens" he says to me from the hospital clinic pay phone.
He had to take her to St. Joseph's hospital where a kind nurse told him my little one had 'Nursemaid's Elbow' - another way to say, "ouch - you pulled her little elbow out of its socket!". The nurse had to pop it back in twice cause the first time didn't take - double ouch!
In the 2 and a half years my youngest has lived she has managed to be born with a two vessel umbilical cord (people normally have 3 vessels) which required her to have a very unconfortable ultrasound at the young age of 1 month old to rule out heart damage. She had a febrile seizure in my arms at the age of 18 months (very scary for me and Kev - I don't think she noticed), gave herself a full fledged black eye at 22 months (Italian grandmothers in my hood were very dissaproving - tsk, tsk), got knocked of her feet by a crazy sledder (a five year old Demon!), had the stomach flu last Thursday and now this!
Course she won't remember any of this it's only poor ol' Kev who has to live with the fact that his big strong man hands pulled out her little elbow - I know I would never do a thing like that! (I'm the good parent - shhhhh.)
He was putting on her brand new mittens - really cool ones, baby blue, waterproof, extra long mittens that you can stuff into the jacket and never get snow up your sleeve - when totally, accidentally, and even unknowingly he popped out her little elbow.
"I hate those new mittens" he says to me from the hospital clinic pay phone.
He had to take her to St. Joseph's hospital where a kind nurse told him my little one had 'Nursemaid's Elbow' - another way to say, "ouch - you pulled her little elbow out of its socket!". The nurse had to pop it back in twice cause the first time didn't take - double ouch!
In the 2 and a half years my youngest has lived she has managed to be born with a two vessel umbilical cord (people normally have 3 vessels) which required her to have a very unconfortable ultrasound at the young age of 1 month old to rule out heart damage. She had a febrile seizure in my arms at the age of 18 months (very scary for me and Kev - I don't think she noticed), gave herself a full fledged black eye at 22 months (Italian grandmothers in my hood were very dissaproving - tsk, tsk), got knocked of her feet by a crazy sledder (a five year old Demon!), had the stomach flu last Thursday and now this!
Course she won't remember any of this it's only poor ol' Kev who has to live with the fact that his big strong man hands pulled out her little elbow - I know I would never do a thing like that! (I'm the good parent - shhhhh.)
Friday, January 26, 2007
UNHCR sparks my want for change
Before you read on, be warned, I am sick and emotional - this is not a funny blog entry:
It is a funny thing, we all see it, we all hear about it - we are faced almost daily with the horrific pictures that depict the starvation and inhumane acts these poor refugees are subject to - yet with so many of us - capable of donating at least our pocket change, our time - we look away and continue living here in the cushioned society of North America while there is still so much injustice and extreme poverty at hand.
This year I decided not to be just another hanging head that weeps at the sad stories and photographs - but does nothing to make a difference. This year instead of Christmas presents for myself I asked my relatives to donate to the UNHCR. Unfortunately only my sister decided to actually do this for me - the others opted out of the donation altogether.
I am surprised that the others could not commit to my simple request. In this spoiled society it is as if we are trapped with the idea that we need to give and receive material things, things we consider to have value, and therefore consider to give us added value, in order to feel a sense of worth and happiness.
I could spend my time being ashamed, but I take this opportunity to push forward with better ways to improve the world we live in and my own sense of worth within it.
I have taken to teaching my eldest daughter (9 years old) about how important it is to help others who are not as fortunate as us. I have asked her to divide her allowance into three parts - One part to save, the other to spend and finally one part for a charity of her choice.
With so many issues in the world today she is having a hard time deciding which charity to donate to first!
With my both my girls (2 and 9) I just try to make sure that I am constantly exposing them to positive things, and even sometimes, harsh realities - (though not too harsh, they are young yet) that will educate and enlighten them - Teaching them to be gentle, caring, strong and constantly aware from a young age so that they can grow into adults ready to take part in making a change in the causes they believe in.
It is clear that a drastic change is needed in our world for our environment, for our animals and for our people. They are all individually and together in desperate need of help and we as a rich society have the money and the capabilities to make a difference that is needed.
It wasn't till I traveled to Cuba before I really recognised poverty. A woman who will trade a beautiful hand made drum for a colouring book to give to her children, a maid who will make a giant towel swan in thanks for some dollar store plastic hair clips, a family who will cheer and celebrate wildly because they were given toothpaste and toothbrushes.
A quote in Angelina Jolie's book, Notes From My Travels, reads: 'I honestly believe that if we were all aware, we would all be compelled to act. So the question is not how or why I would do this with my life. The question is, how could I not?'
Even with the risk of being mocked as an 'Angelina Jolie' wanna be. I cannot stand the idea of leaving things alone, hoping they'll figure themsleves out.
One person can change the world, because behind every-one is
another...and another.
We mustn't forget or give up.
http://www.unhcr.ca/
It is a funny thing, we all see it, we all hear about it - we are faced almost daily with the horrific pictures that depict the starvation and inhumane acts these poor refugees are subject to - yet with so many of us - capable of donating at least our pocket change, our time - we look away and continue living here in the cushioned society of North America while there is still so much injustice and extreme poverty at hand.
This year I decided not to be just another hanging head that weeps at the sad stories and photographs - but does nothing to make a difference. This year instead of Christmas presents for myself I asked my relatives to donate to the UNHCR. Unfortunately only my sister decided to actually do this for me - the others opted out of the donation altogether.
I am surprised that the others could not commit to my simple request. In this spoiled society it is as if we are trapped with the idea that we need to give and receive material things, things we consider to have value, and therefore consider to give us added value, in order to feel a sense of worth and happiness.
I could spend my time being ashamed, but I take this opportunity to push forward with better ways to improve the world we live in and my own sense of worth within it.
I have taken to teaching my eldest daughter (9 years old) about how important it is to help others who are not as fortunate as us. I have asked her to divide her allowance into three parts - One part to save, the other to spend and finally one part for a charity of her choice.
With so many issues in the world today she is having a hard time deciding which charity to donate to first!
With my both my girls (2 and 9) I just try to make sure that I am constantly exposing them to positive things, and even sometimes, harsh realities - (though not too harsh, they are young yet) that will educate and enlighten them - Teaching them to be gentle, caring, strong and constantly aware from a young age so that they can grow into adults ready to take part in making a change in the causes they believe in.
It is clear that a drastic change is needed in our world for our environment, for our animals and for our people. They are all individually and together in desperate need of help and we as a rich society have the money and the capabilities to make a difference that is needed.
It wasn't till I traveled to Cuba before I really recognised poverty. A woman who will trade a beautiful hand made drum for a colouring book to give to her children, a maid who will make a giant towel swan in thanks for some dollar store plastic hair clips, a family who will cheer and celebrate wildly because they were given toothpaste and toothbrushes.
A quote in Angelina Jolie's book, Notes From My Travels, reads: 'I honestly believe that if we were all aware, we would all be compelled to act. So the question is not how or why I would do this with my life. The question is, how could I not?'
Even with the risk of being mocked as an 'Angelina Jolie' wanna be. I cannot stand the idea of leaving things alone, hoping they'll figure themsleves out.
One person can change the world, because behind every-one is
another...and another.
We mustn't forget or give up.
http://www.unhcr.ca/
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Ever just have one on those moments?
As I stood on the edge of the hill watching, but not moving out of the way of, the little boy flying my way, who had placed his sled accidentally in the wrong direction before heading straight towards a tree, and what looked like his untimely demise; I lost all capability to move. I stood there frozen as he rushed closer to me and the tree, "OMG!" was all I could think - but not even muster out loud.
As he missed the death tree by a hair, I let out a huge sigh of relief. That is until he pummeled right into my poor little 2 year old who had been taking her time walking up the slippery slope just a few feet behind me - and the tree. She flew up into the air like a rag doll, and still I stood there - motionless. When she fell back down on to the boy who, after hitting her, had now come to a dead halt, I finally regained consciousness and ran towards her as fast as I could.
So - days later - she's fine, not even a bruise. Though she's not one for sledding anymore, can't seem to convince her that little boys on sleds don't always ram into you when your on your way up the hill.
So you know that lesson you learned when you were younger, 'stay near the trees when walking up the hill to avoid other sledders' - it's a lie, walk wherever you want, just be ready to jump out of the way.
As he missed the death tree by a hair, I let out a huge sigh of relief. That is until he pummeled right into my poor little 2 year old who had been taking her time walking up the slippery slope just a few feet behind me - and the tree. She flew up into the air like a rag doll, and still I stood there - motionless. When she fell back down on to the boy who, after hitting her, had now come to a dead halt, I finally regained consciousness and ran towards her as fast as I could.
So - days later - she's fine, not even a bruise. Though she's not one for sledding anymore, can't seem to convince her that little boys on sleds don't always ram into you when your on your way up the hill.
So you know that lesson you learned when you were younger, 'stay near the trees when walking up the hill to avoid other sledders' - it's a lie, walk wherever you want, just be ready to jump out of the way.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Car accident ballet.
So we had our first accident on Saturday - smacked into the back of another car. Like in slow motion (well I actually think it was slow motion, Kev was breaking hard) I watched as we crepped up behind the car infront of us and just kept creeping! I remember now that I was saying 'Stop! Stop! What the Hell! Stop already!' (I actually did say that) little did I know our car (my dad's car) was sitting right on the street car tracks and couldn't stop. AGH.
With little knowledge of what anything car related cost I offer up the 100$ in my wallet - Hah! The woman from the other car tells me I'll be lucky to pay 900$ - 900$!? Holy crap.
I hate cars. I hate streetcar tracks but more then anything - I hate that damn woman from the other car!
So now we wait as they - her and her husband go of and get quotes - I can be thankful that they would rather not bring in the insurance companies. Isn't it good to be thankful, grrrrr.
What makes this so much better is that I happily discovered just hours before the accident that I had an additional 1000$ this month to save or play with. Money I had, with very little thought, decided that I would spend at an expensive toy store for my kids.
After Kev arranged with the people of the other car that they would get in touch with us with their quotes - do you think I responsibily thought 'Thank God I have that 1000$ saved up!' - Nope, instead we continued on our jaunt to the toy store where I spent 200$ on toys one couldn't possibly need - especially right after Christmas. Then I continued to spend my well saved cash on beautiful Sorel boots (half price - 50$) and a lovely dinner of Panzeroto's, yum.
So there! Fuck it.
The moral of this story boys & girls is, don't drive - ever.
With little knowledge of what anything car related cost I offer up the 100$ in my wallet - Hah! The woman from the other car tells me I'll be lucky to pay 900$ - 900$!? Holy crap.
I hate cars. I hate streetcar tracks but more then anything - I hate that damn woman from the other car!
So now we wait as they - her and her husband go of and get quotes - I can be thankful that they would rather not bring in the insurance companies. Isn't it good to be thankful, grrrrr.
What makes this so much better is that I happily discovered just hours before the accident that I had an additional 1000$ this month to save or play with. Money I had, with very little thought, decided that I would spend at an expensive toy store for my kids.
After Kev arranged with the people of the other car that they would get in touch with us with their quotes - do you think I responsibily thought 'Thank God I have that 1000$ saved up!' - Nope, instead we continued on our jaunt to the toy store where I spent 200$ on toys one couldn't possibly need - especially right after Christmas. Then I continued to spend my well saved cash on beautiful Sorel boots (half price - 50$) and a lovely dinner of Panzeroto's, yum.
So there! Fuck it.
The moral of this story boys & girls is, don't drive - ever.
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