Tuesday, March 24, 2009

comfortable

I wrote a letter today. I sent it via email to The Chronicle Herald. I felt like yesterday's post was worth cropping down to 200 words in the hope of getting it published in the editorial/opinion section. It would be a relief to be published again because it has been tough not seeing my name in print anymore.

My brother and I are having a good time. We're playing Final Fantasy 12 (yep, we're nerds at heart) and then we will play a game of old school NBA Live 96 on my SNES. It should be a razz.

I'm trying to learn Final Cut Pro. It seems like it will be a challenge. I need to upload some video from our video camera and crop it but I have no sweet clue where to begin.

I look forward to blogging every night now. It releases my inner wild writer!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Fox News. Really?

Tonight, I am remembering four brave Canadian soldiers who were killed this past weekend in the dangerous area of Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Their names are Master Cpl. Scott Vernelli, Cpl. Tyler Crooks, Trooper Jack Bouthillier and Trooper Corey Hayes.

I did not personally know these men of honor but I am eternally grateful for their service to our country. War is a wretched thing. She is bloody, brutal and battered. These men paid the ultimate cost - their lives - to bring peace and stability to a volatile and harsh region.

So it really upsets me when some jackass news commentator from Fox News makes some off-hand jokes about Canada's mission in Afghanistan along with his ignorant panelists. Here are some of their quotes.

Greg Gutfeld said, "The Canadian military wants to take a breather to do some yoga, paint landscapes, run on the beach in gorgeous white capri pants," Gutfeld said with a sneer, adding: "Isn't this the perfect time to invade this ridiculous country? They have no army."

Doug Benson, said he was unaware Canadian troops were on the ground in Afghanistan.

"I didn't even know they were in the war. I thought that's where you go if you don't want to fight – you go chill in Canada," he said.

The story was found on The Toronto Star's website Monday in the most read section.

People like this anger me. It has nothing to do with them being American like some commentators have said. It is their own lack of news judgment and inability to recognize a sensitive situation. Working in the news business, whether it is Fox News or small-town paper news, journalists, editors, news commentators all have a responsibility to research their facts before presenting in a serious fashion or in a parodist manner.

While the comments were delivered on a small segment of a comedic section of Fox News, they were in poor taste. The timing was unfortunate as well.

Let's hope they learn their lesson.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

update

Good evening.

Here I am, another Sunday evening resting on my brown couch, basking in the glow from the laptop. Ruth is next to me with one of our cats perched on her legs watching her play the PS2. Playing softly in the background is Sufjan Stevens album Seven Swans. The music calms my soul; it causes me to reflect quietly. Moments of solitude and tranquility are hard to come by and it can sometimes be difficult to actually recognize them and enjoy them.

So, that was my lame attempt at describing my surroundings and previous thought. Moving on.

I still work for Coca-Cola, however, I work four days a week to allow for time to work on other projects I have on the go. Those projects include:

1. A book I am writing about certain parts of life and my take on them. It's similar to Donald Miller but with a heavy approach on the negative aspects of situations. Think a modern day Ecclesiastes with a lemon twist.

2. Writing content for a new website in Halifax dubbed www.halifamous.com. The concept of the site is to focus solely on shakers and movers in the HRM. They include but are not limited to musicians, authors, politicians. Basically people choosing to make a difference in this coastal community. Check it out.

3. Starting my own folk-electronica outfit consisting of myself, electronica and an acoustic guitar. It's called The Emerald City Project and I plan to have something released as soon as I acquire some recording hardware.

4. As of this weekend, I took my photo skills and applied them to real estate photography. It was a learning experience and something I actually enjoyed shooting. Taking pictures of bathrooms, bedrooms and basements is certainly a change from human beings or landscapes.

So yes, those are some of the things I have filling up my spare time with.

Ruth and I are going to Belleville, Ont. in May to celebrate our good friends Joseph Prinzen and Rachael Gregory wedding day. We are choosing the wheels instead of the air because it will be cheaper plus we have a lot of fun on road trips.

We also are planning to head to Boston around that time but we're not sure when.

Ok, that's enough for now.

Chapter fini.