The Bridge.

Last night I stayed up late, and watched the documentary "The Bridge".

Suicide and mental illness are taboo subjects for a lot of people.
Personally, I understand a person living with pain (physical, mental or emotional) day after day and just not being able to cope anymore.
Being too exhausted to continue living.

What amazes me is a persons courage, and desperation in jumping off of something like The Golden Gate Bridge into the Pacific Ocean, or the Bloor Viaduct onto the Don Valley Parkway.
A spectacular exit from life that shocks those taking a walk by or just admiring the bridge...or in the case of the Bloor Viaduct, taking some poor commuter shmuck with you in the process.
Believe me, before they put up the luminous veil, I always looked up to the Viaduct while driving underneath it.

If you have the courage to do that...then, surely you must have the courage to go on and live.

Kevin Hines survived his attempt to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge and kill himself.
His story is so sad and touching to me.
His description of his interactions with his family, and that momentary lucidity in mental illness that allows someone who loves you to almost believe that you really are going to be ok.

Watch his interview:

Sunday Click Around.

The video to your left is a perfect example of some of the women I've interviewed in the past. Here is an old post of mine where I vent some of my interviewing frustrations.
10 things NOT to do in a job interview....and Dressing for a Job Interview.

From Square America: Encounters With The Other (Adventures In Amateur Ethnography)...also: African-American Snapshots & Portraits.

When I was a kid, there was lots of skipping in the schoolyard...particularly Double Dutch. I haven't seen girls skipping in the schoolyard in a pretty long time.
Now, girls imitate rap bands and girl groups in the schoolyard, teaching each other sexy dance moves, and shaking their booties like Beyonce.
It's kind of sad, actually...but apparently, Double Dutch is a competitive thing.
Here is a clip from the 1999 Double Dutch Championships....last year's Blue And White Rope Skippers a the Dutch Open....could it be an Olympic sport in 2012?

Totally Cool Way to Punk a Bunch of People...(Well...Catholics, really).

Pull Your Pants Up....it's a national movement!

Spanish for Your Nanny...because there's nothing funnier than rich white women....and Is this Black Enough For You?
(Both from Cynical-C)

The Everyman Photo Contest.

Six republics, one refrain: 'I miss Yugoslavia'. (Thanks Anna)

The Rarest Items in the World. Pretty interesting.

Nazi Photo Albums...apparently confiscated by Russians...well, at least 20 million Russians didn't die for nothing in that war.

Very cool Citroen commercial.

I usually can't stand Sarah Silverman...but this is too good.

Comedy Central Insider says:
At the end of every show (we think?) Jimmy Kimmel apologizes to megastar Matt Damon for running out of time and not having him on the show. Here, Sarah Silverman helps Matt get revenge. And unlike almost everything, it just gets funnier and funnier:



Sarah Silverman singing with Matt Damon!! - video powered by Metacafe

You Suck at Photoshop #5



I love the ignored e-mails...LOL

Picture Meme - From Glacia.

1) Age you will be on your next birthday:


2) Place you would like to visit:


3) One of your favourite places:


4) Your favourite object:

Because I'm a bit crazy/obsessive about having it with me.

5) Your favourite food:

I love me some Burek with plain yogurt.

6) Your favourite animal:

Because they're so funny looking

7) Your favourite colour:


8) Name of a past pet :

A hundred years ago, a white cat named Gustav

9) Where you live:


10) First teacher’s last name:

Mrs. White

11) A bad habit of yours


13) Your favourite flower:


14) Your favourite holiday:
Day.
Because it marks the end of winter for me...Victoria Day Weekend is when the summer clothes come out and the winter clothes get packed.

I'm not going to tag anyone...but if you want to do it...tell me you did.

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings



Loving them right now....

Sunday Click Around

I'm really attracted to photographs and art that cross eras. The photo to your left is from Symon Chow's website. I really like the old time feel, with the slivers of current.

I just love The National Film Board. Here are a few of the thousands of shorts that we Canadians all remember:
Black Flies...The Cat Came Back...The Log Driver's Waltz....and this cool little short done for Canada Customs to tell people why animals shouldn't be brought into the country by the average Joe.
...and I remember this little "faces" vignette from when I was a kid.

If you're interested in knowing how to tell if a diamond is real, here is a link that helps you with that.

Here is the entire Russell Peters "Outsourced" DVD online. It's hilarious.

Here's a great little Radenska commercial from back in the days before Yugoslavia fell apart. I've posted it before, but it's still great to see how it used to look.

Teacher Tube is a YouTube clone for Teachers. (via Cynical-C)

For Torontonians: There is a giant whing-a-thon going on in the comments section of this post about the gentrification of Queen Street West because Home Depot is going to build a store across from The Peter Pan Bistro. Change is always gonna come. What makes me laugh the most about this is that pretentiously cool people are always worried about their shit changing, and becoming "commercial" and "selling out". That little stretch of Queen Street hasn't been "edgy" since 1982. Listen, when you decide to add "In the heart of trendy Queen Street West" to your restaurant website....the neighbourhood has already jumped the trendy shark. Mind you though, The Peter Pan was there when it was cutting edge. Bring it on down to Parkdale...the normal people of that neighbourhood have been waiting for the crack whores and crazies to be driven out by latte drinking urban hipsters for over 30 years.

Even Salvador Dali was a sellout.

"Canadian" the new racial slur in the American south. (via Cynical-C)

Ok...a little short this week, but what the hell...I've been preoccupied with that pesky work stuff..

Laugh Out Loud

Gym Membership



I got a kick out of this.

Dantallion tagged me with this meme, and so here it is.
(just joking with the pic dan...sorta...lol)

Here are the rules:

-Link to the person that tagged you.

-Post the rules on your blog.

-Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.

-Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.

-Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

1. I hate scooping out ice cream or putting my hand in a cookie bag. It makes me shiver. I think the ice cream thing is residue from when I was a bartender and had to make girlie drinks that required ice cream and liquors...bleh.

2. When I have to make a big decision, I stress about it for days. I second guess myself, and question my motives ad nauseam...and even when I do that, it sometimes turns out stupid. Things really do work out how they're supposed to, and stressing about it doesn't seem to help...but still, I go through the same routine every. single. time.

3. If I care about you, and you're crying. I'm crying.

4. I smoke. But, I don't smoke during the day, in my car, or anywhere in my house except the kitchen. Yeah. I should quit.

5. I'm not a touchy, feely kind of person...unless I love you, or you are a child.

6. I am fiercely loyal. If I care about you, or you've been good to me...I'll never, ever forget it...even if you're an asshole sometimes. I won't let anyone say shit about you in my presence.

I'm tagging the following, Jacqueline, Piika (even though it's totally not fitting with her blog), DeeLoveLee, JDid, Crankyputz, Joni, and Idle Thoughts.

Go.

You Suck at Photoshop



This tutorial is freakin' hilarious.
Thanks Cynical-C

(Click on image to view video)

Regrets: 6 Canadians share their stories.

Something that Jaybee posted reminded me of our drive through the streets (literally) of Seville, Spain to get to The Giralda...so, I've posted it.

Bill Clinton Caught Nodding Off During Service to Honour MLK

I usually frown on celebrities who mix in politics, but as with everything...there is always the exception.

In this case, I'm chuffed to know that they've taken on this cause.

Hollywood Support for Serbia Grows...

George Clooney says:

"The daily also notes that George Clooney, in an earlier interview, said that, even though he avidly follows all the world's events, he is given no opportunity to hear the Serbian side too, when it comes to solving the issue of Serbian province's status.

“Serbian lobby is very weak in United States and all one can hear or read comes from [pro-independence] Albanian lobby and lobbyists. I can't hear the other side,” said Clooney."

Baby...no one has wanted to hear the Serbian side.

It's good to know that some people in North America are asking logical questions, and noticing that the media and American government doesn't give a rat's ass about Serbia's "side" on the issue of Kosovo.

P.S.:
Back when De Niro was an unknown American student, he traveled to Serbia and spent, according to his own words, memorable days among the Serbian farmers in a small village in Sumadija.

He named his daughter Drina, after his favorite novel “Bridge on Drina River” by the Serbian writer and Nobel Prize winner Ivo Andric. De Niro is known for his high regard for Serbian people, also reflected in his choice of staff mostly comprised of Serbs — from the nanny and gardeners, to horse-trainers and private security guards.

A place to stand, a place to grow, Ontar-ee-aaree-aree-oh!



Found at Blog T.O.

Appropriate, since I watched a CBC report on Marc Emery this morning.
...ok, so Marc is from B.C....so what of it?

Sunday Click Around

The photo is from a collection of Richard Avedon's photo sessions in
which Marilyn Monroe as model portrays the images of silent screen stars.
It's interesting to know that Marilyn fluctuated between a size 14 and 16, which by today's standards is "fat". Avedon's photos have always attracted me.
I love black and white photos and so did he. Here is what you get if you google "Avedon" images.

While we're on photographers, burn some time on the Masters of Photography series on YouTube.

SCTV was way ahead of it's time in taking the piss out of Russians.

Yesterday's Faces Today is a collection of "Where are they now?" photos.

Last weekend, there was a Tennessee Williams Festival on some channel, and I was in heaven.
I lovelovelove the sordid plots of a TW play or film.
Here is Teddi King, a Boston vocalist doing a satirical tune called Tennessee Williams Blues. I love those old '50's and '60's bar scenes. It reminds me of all those old photos of my parents partying it up with friends in clubs and at friends houses.

Celebrity Money Pictures. (found at Neatorama)

Overheard in New York is always a good read for people with a short attention span.

You know you have too much money when you shop at a place like this.
Listen, I don't begrudge people's love for their animals...it just burns me when they eat better than a large portion of this city's children.

Celebrity Mouth Eyes pictures is creepy. (via I'm Learning to Share)

How Dry Cleaning Works. Wonder no more...now, find out what the hell "Martinizing" is.

Take this test and find out if you're a good candidate for a stroke. Yeah...I'm all laughs.

The mixture of Asian cultures in this game is a little disturbing, but the concept is cute.

Find out what your name means...even if it isn't of British/Scottish/Irish origin.

Video beauty tips from Handbag.com.

Herman Munster, Beatnik poet.

Antonio Riello's Ladies Weapons. Stylin' for your drive by.

Dr. John Breeding, professor, author and Ph.D. psychologist discusses ADHD. I've noticed an incredible increase in cases of ADHD in the past decade. Are all children who have been diagnosed actually suffering from the disorder? Or are they just active kids, and the legal drug business is big business? I dunno. I'm not all that comfortable with medicating children unless you absolutely have to. It's an interesting video, if you are interested in the subject, and can sit through it.
There's nothing entertaining about it.
Just the Doctor, talking.

A Year of Evenings is pretty. Stephanie and Mav live 3191 miles apart. They take pictures at the same time every evening and post them side by side. (Thanks Funkaoshi)

Ok.
That's all.

Years ago, I was a big Weather Report fan.
These two songs: A Remark You Made...



and Harlequin



Were with me through some of the saddest times in my life.
Years later, I listen to these songs with fondness.

Funny that.

I know that I've posted this ad nauseam, but I just love it so...



Thanks for reminding me again Aleksandar from Tamburix.