Saturday 31 August 2013

In Defense of Miley Cyrus...Sort Of.



Okay, here's a quick disclaimer - I haven't actually seen the VMA video of the Miley Cyrus  and Robin Thicke performance that has created such a kerfluffle.  Nor have I seen any Miley Cyrus music videos - ever.  I'm sure the dance was offensive and overly naughty but let's check our disgust and outrage just for a minute and examine this situation a little closer.

First off, how about we lay off Miley.  We (as in the North American culture) love to give these young people the spotlight and then tear them down until they absolutely lose their minds.  And then we pity them and wonder what went wrong.  The smart, strong or maybe cold and calculating ones play us for fools, make a fortune off of us and go on their way.  The less fortunate ones still make a fortune off of us but at a cost that is probably greater than the rewards they reap.  Miley (or the peeps behind Miley) knew exactly the type of attention they would receive and went for it because that's their business.

Miley is in show biz and this week the buzz has been all about her. The media loves it because they're selling their stuff, Miley's peeps love it because they're making money off of it (her), and Miley's lovin' it, for now, because she's making news.  Sex and scandals sell and that's what they offered up because we gobble it down every time! Cha-ching!$!

We need to cut the faux indignation and hold our arrows directed at Miley because once Miley has been used up the machine will simply look for the next pretty face to put through the ringer.  And once again we'll fall hook, line and sinker.  The truth is we're all complicit in this debacle.  Let's share the blame, go ahead, take some then pass it around.

What about Mr. Thicke?  Why has he escaped relatively unscathed?  Do we imagine that he did not know what the performance was going to entail?  Of course he did, but he's male so he knew he wasn't going to come under much fire.  In fact the attention is probably doing his business good.  It kind of reminds me of the infamous wardrobe malfunction.  Why didn't Timberlake get blasted for ripping off Janet's top?  Noooooo...it was somehow Janet's fault.  Something's wrong there...and very telling about the way our society views culpability differently depending if you are a man or a woman...when it comes to things of a sensual nature.

What about the choreographers?  The show's producers?  The network broadcasting the VMAs?  If you fault Miley for her performance, then you ought to hold all of the above in the same light.  Perhaps they should be held more accountable than Miley...how many times have they done this?  How many times have they sent some young kid out there and watched them unravel until he or she is no longer valuable to them?

And what about us the consumers of the sexploitation and scandal?  We click on the articles...we watch the videos...we write about it.  Are we just as guilty?  Are we simply feeding the machine and gearing it up for the next in line?

I think there probably should be shock and indignation after a performance like the one Miley and Thicke put on at the VMAs.  But the shock and indignation should not be directed only at the performers...but at us as well.  I just think we all enjoy the show and aftermath too much for our own good...and too much for Miley's good for that matter.  Those that make a profit off of it know it.  And so it goes, on and on and on.

Let's Stop the Machine!!



Tuesday 27 August 2013

Wait It's Over?

Ok Ok I know it's been a while since I have blogged anything. I could use the the ready excuse of having three little girls climbing on me by day and drooling on me by night but I shall spare you this time.

This summer has gone by way to fast. I really feel like we just got going and suddenly we have to get back to the grind of school. Not that school is so horrible, the girls actually like it most of the time but it's just not as perfect as having nothing to do all day. No homework, no grades, no parent teacher meetings, and my personal favourite no early morning bus drop off. I am really not looking forward to waiting for the bus in January, but luckily that's far away. Kind of.

Somethings I am looking forward to in the fall are an end to the humidity, Halloween (we are doing a star wars theme this year), and hopefully nice new teachers for my girls who also happen to have a no homework policy,, ah to dream.

For now I am going to enjoy the last few moments of summer with the family and squeeze in a few more summer moments that I have been to lazy and or busy to do earlier. There is a fishing spot here in Ottawa that I have promised to take the girls to, and I should probably also get my fishing license before my luck runs out with the fishy police. Nothing like a brush with the law to ruin a Daddy daughter moment.

Enjoy the last few days of summer everyone!!!


Tuesday 13 August 2013

Evie's Photography

The other day I downloaded about 500 digital pictures from Evie's camera. It really gives you a peek into her world, her point of view (literally) and her daily adventures. Here are some of my favourites. 
















Thursday 8 August 2013

Summer travels

This summer the family embarked on a bit of a road trip to Brantford Ontario to see my family. This trip has been long overdue. I think it would be fair to say that we are crappy at visiting our out of town family. But that doesn't mean we love them less than our near family. We just aren't a big travelling family. It doesn't help that our kids have always held an adversarial mindset towards their car seats. Evie correctly noted this last trip that Mimi's car seat was her biggest enemy. It certainly seemed that way as she pulled, screamed, and flailed at the straps that held her safely and securely in place. I give her lots of credit for how hard she tried to bust out of that thing.

Travelling woes aside we did have a pretty great trip; and compared to our other babies past road trips Mimi actually did relatively well. She slept for about 70 percent of the driving, and when she wasn't sleeping it gave us extra incentive to stop and get out along the way and sight see.

Our favourite stop by far is Kingston Ontario. Both Lex and I went to school there, met there, got engaged there, started out lives together there, so it's really is special to us. I love watching our kids explore the city and wonder around our old haunts. While there I usually try to enforce/cram the idea into the girls that Queens University is the best place on earth and that although they can choose to go anywhere they want, it really wouldn't be wise to do so. Of course I'm getting ahead of myself, and I am totally kidding,,,,sort of.

Once we got to Brantford we had a wonderful time visiting family, swimming at the hotel and letting the kids hang out with their cousins. They all get along well and I can see so many similarities between them. Despite the distance they all look and talk the same way. However our kids are notably more loud and lawless than the Brantford bunch. We even got to see my younger sister who now lives and works with her husband as Salvation Army officers in Goderich Ontario. Goderich claims to have the best donuts in Canada and I must say I have to agree and unlike some artisan bakeries in Ottawa they don't charge a fortune for them.
Kingston Court house

City park formerly known as pervert park (don't ask why).


Im free!!

Noli being sad for the unknown soldier.


Passenger driving position

More driving



I think we will try to make this trip a summer tradition, as it went so well. We make so many memories when we go that the girls will have for their whole lives. Plus who wouldn't want to visit Wayne Gretzky's home town?

Saturday 3 August 2013

Finally - The New Kitchen

Ah yes - I know you've all been waiting to see the finished product.  I must apologize for keeping you waiting.  It has been a crazy month.  The kitchen renovation took 3 weeks.  The first week I kept you in the loop regarding its progress.  The second week I was kind of living between here and the cottage (where the girls took refuge for the first two weeks of renos) so I didn't have any time to write.  The third week we all got out of Dodge and went to beautiful, balmy Brantford for our holidays.

Upon our arrival back home...this was waiting for us:






Let me tell you my wife was ecstatic when she walked in.  And let me tell you something else, a happy spouse does make for a happy house!!

A big thank you to Blundell Consulting, Inc.  Bill and is crew are amazing.  If you want it done right, if you want the best...then you want Blundell Consulting, Inc.!!  I don't care where you live...England, Germany, Russia, U.S. or Canada, get these guys to come do your project and you won't be sorry.

Another shout out to Beth and Kathleen who pretty much did the initial design for the kitchen.

I never realized what a nervous Nancy I am.  The first day of renos I could hardly sit still in my office for worry about how the kitchen was coming along.  Trusting the house into the hands of others is tough - even when I myself know I couldn't do as fine a job.  It has been continually reaffirmed to me that I need only to listen to my wife's instincts and give her lead when it comes to these sorts of things (Doh!  I can't believe I put that in writing).  She really accelerated our plan to do the kitchen in five years (by about 3 or 4 years), but am I ever glad she did.  It is so nice to be in the kitchen now...it may be my favorite room in the house now...

Now that the kitchen is done, I guess our whole reno schedule will get bumped up.  Which means in a few years we'll finish the basement and install a bathroom down there, then update our existing bathroom and shortly thereafter and add an extension off the back of the house... But that all can wait a good long while, right Lex,,,,?