MY WAY OF HAVING A STRESS FREE HOLIDAY

The Holidays are upon us....AHHHHH STRESS. But have no fear, I am here to make things go more smoothly for next year.

Like many families I find money to be real tight during the month of December. I am one of those real bad procrastinators. I shop pretty well last minute. But there's a few things that you can do with your family to make it easier on the budget as well as making sure everyone gets exactly what they want.

1. PICK NAMES OUT OF A HAT: This is done in my family so that we don't go broke trying to find gifts for 20 people. I have two sets of family so we like to set an amount on how much to spend on each other.

2. HAVE A POTLUCK DINNER: Decide who will bring which food item, that way everyone contributes to the meal and the person who's hosting the event doesn't feel stressed about not having dinner done on time.

3. BUDGET:
This word is like a swear word for me, but it needs to be done especially during the holidays. Watch how much you spend, and make sure you have enough money for the bills. The cable and the Water Companys never sleep during the month of December.

4. DON'T BE A GRINCH
OR A SCROOGE:
Just because you don't feel the holiday cheer doesn't mean your family has to suffer. Put on a happy face and keep your grumpiness to yourself. So what if you found out Santa isn't real and your mom and dad have been eating the cookies and milk you left for him. Santa at one point was a real man who's name really was a Saint Nick....do your own research people, and please don't leave this out when raising your kids. They need to know the difference between the Coke-a-Cola Santa and the real one.

I hope that helps.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS PEEPS

Catfish Documentary

Yesterday I was offered a ticket to a pre-screening of a documentary about a photographer, Nev Shulman, who comes into contact with an eight year old painter, Abby and her family.

I was told at first that it was about two people who met on facebook and the documentary fallows the two in their daily routines of communication. Well I was expecting some very cheesy love story of how the two fell in love over the net. But that was clearly not the case as my friend and I sat intrigued in this roller coaster of plot twists and scandal.

I have met some pretty decent people over the net and am surprised later when I find out their real names aren't even what they say they are. and Yes even I have my aliases online. However I don't make an elaborate storyline of my life of how I'm a secret agent hit woman with super powers, and can suck the blood out of your heart using a device that looks like a handy vac. Although that would make for an awesome character in a comic book....hmmmmm....note to self start writing about said character.

Anyway back to the reason why I'm writing this blog. Nev Shulman's brother and best friend decide to document this strange relationship as it unfolds into complete dissaray and nothing is as it seems. I am surprised I didn't see this guy cry. The emotions that you go through watching this movie is almost like a woman with a hormonal imbalance. One moment your laughing, next your crying, then your angry, and then your happy again.

There were few things that did bug me about this documentary though.

1.The camera angles were frustrating. I know that cameras now have a function called zoom but that doesn't mean we want to see up the persons nose the whole time he's on screen.

2. I am thrilled to see that google maps and a GPS helped you track down this person, however, using it as a way to fill up minutes so there would be no holes in your story was just that a waist of time. I'm sure you have footage of your crazy car games that you played to keep each other from jumping out of the car of boredom.

3. Many shots were grainy, I know you wanted to see the story from all angles so you used all the cameras you had at your disposal. but it was a bit distracting to go from a great HD shot and then to a grainy digital shot of the same angle.

Now I am in no way a professional film maker, all my vids I do online I use to edit on Windows Movie Maker and I think I do a great job with editing my stuff together. But you guys have had your hands on expensive equipment why did it look like juveniles put it together?

Keep in mind I do not do alot of movie critiquing because I like to make sure that other people form their own opinions on what a movie is like. I hate movie critiques. All to often they will pick apart a real great movie and then say nothing bad about the crappy film.

"Catfish" is a great film and I do recommend going to see it. Nev Shulman and company, I wish you well in your endeavors. Please don't take my critiques to heart I work as a barista and I do have hopes to one day work in a radio station, so my experience on making films are from what I learned in Broadcasting school. Thanks for sharing this film to the world.

And as for the morons who are online messing with people and thinking that there is no harm in messing with someones head, I hope you will see this movie and think twice before you get too involved.

Have a good one peeps.

THE WEIGH IN

I have always felt uneasy about myself and felt like I was ugly. I have always been a busty woman and it has been hard to find proper fitting clothes for my body type without going to expensive high end stores.

Growing up I was made fun of a lot and targeted by bullies. As my 20's went by I started to feel better with myself and my confidence started to grow, and so did the weight. In the last few years I have stopped being active and more lazy. I am finding it hard to motivate myself to get out of the house and walk.

I have recently became a member of the YMCA and thought that my sister would be my motivation to get me in better shape. But she hasn't been the best motivator. I'm finding I've been going to the gym more on my own.

I love working out, I love the way I feel after going to the gym. No drug in the world can give you an adrenalin rush more than the hour or two you spend on toning and cardio. I love feeling like a super hero, and I hope by this time next year I will look like one.

Just recently my co-workers and I have decided to do a Biggest Loser contest. Now I am a very competitive person and I do enjoy the fact that there are other people who are interested in getting into shape, and losing weight. I am thinking that it would be awesome to have a personal trainer come into our store and talk to everyone about the safety of working out and the do's and do not's of losing weight. Just in case there are some of you planning on using any means necessary to lose the pounds.

I want to be healthy but I do not want to rely on drugs to get me there. I have had some serious health problems that came about this past year and it could be attributed to my weight gain and unhealthy eating habits. But I refuse to have doctors tell me I need to go on medication to calm the acid that has hindered me from enjoying Mexican and East Indian Food. At one time I could eat a Jalapeno with out flinching, now if I eat mild salsa my throat feels like it will start to erupt lava. I will lose this weight under my own power and I will once again have a taco salad with spicy cheese sauce.

I do not want to use diet pills either. I think the less chemicals we put into our body the better our immune system is. Why rely on drugs to do the things that our own body is capable of on its own.

My one weakness is a cheese burger, and where I work I have the heavenly Golden Arches taunting me on a daily basis. In fact I have always wanted to go around Winnipeg shoving burgers down all those skinny bitches throats that look like their bones are about the walk out of their skin. But now I know that Fast Food is Evil and a salad wouldn't kill you.

I used to weigh 140 lbs


but now I weigh 195 lbs


Thats not sexy anymore....even tho I like to pretend I am. Its time to rethink the greasy burger and fries and start eating better, exorcising more, and making sure that the remaining years of my 20's are not spent bed ridden and unhealthy.

I hope this has inspired you to make a change in your life. stay tuned for updates on how my rode to victory is going.

DEAR FACEBOOK

Dear Mark Zuckerberg (owner of Facebook)

WHY DO YOU SUCK?

There are so many problems with your site. It crashes computers, the privacy is non existent, and the list just goes on.

I have to admit that I joined Facebook after my Myspace friends weren't chatting anymore. I didn't like the fact of joining yet another social networking site to meet people. I am already a part of many online groups and I have probably well over five thousand friends if you put them all together. But the ones I actually talk to are maybe a hundred.

I have always liked Myspace better because People actually talked at one point. There were no invites to join stupid groups, add dumb applications, and the most ridiculous quizzes. Reality check people: Twilight sucks, I do not need to know what character I am more like because I am me. Until they make a movie about me, I will always be LIKE ME!!! (NO by the way i haven't seen Twilight and no i do not EVER wish to waist my time on dumb crap like that)

Facebook needs to stop fiddling with their privacy controls because you aren't the government, If I really want the whole world to know that I like dancing in pink frilly underwear I will make a Youtube video about it. And if you do work for the government then please let us know which party you represent so we don't vote for you next election.

You guys are like the annoying parent who takes out the FAMILY ALBUM around strangers and gives out way too much info about us. Like really I only mentioned Photobucket to a friend just casually. When did I agree for you to post my Photobucket link on to my page?

This is STRIKE 2 for you, I am not looking forward to STRIKE 3. And if your wondering what STRIKE 1 was. well remember when my group went missing because YOU deleted it on me. That was uncalled for and I do apreciate that you apologized for it and brought it back but when you didn't ask for my permission on allowing another website access my facebook page, that i feel was a breach in our contract.

So please in the future when trying to come up with new ideas to make your site more user friendly think of all those people who are in Witness Protection Agencies, you wouldn't want all your info accessible to murders, rapists and the government would you?

Thanks for your time

Facebook Addict

Willow Skylor

AVATAR AT THE IMAX ONE BIG HEADACHE!

Today I finally got a chance to see the very popular James Cameron's Avatar. I paid 30 bucks to go see it at the Imax in 3D.

I went into it not expecting very much because lately Hollywood has been bringing out crap and polishing up in pretty packages, and hiding the shitty acting with extravagant battle scenes and computer animation. I was pleasantly surprised how good it was all around. Good acting, great script, action was amazing. I even got my first glimps of a boob in 3D....lol I know that sounds extremely nerdy but any chance that a character in movies now a days flashing any sort of mammary or genital is a big deal to me.

Before watching the movie I asked a few of my customers at work what they thought about this film. Everyone said good things about it. One even said its like Pocahontas but with blue people. I have to agree there is an element of John Smith and Pocahontas, even the main character's name Jake Sully is eerily similar to the initials of John Smith. To me there were also other movies that have greatly influenced Avatar.

Ferngully:

an animated movie about a lumberjack that gets shrunk by a fairy who is a novice at magic. He lives among them, learns how they live, he is shown the beauty of the forest that he was contracted in to cutting down and falls in love with the fairy that has made him small. They fight against the humans that have plans on cutting down the forest and a sludge monster that wants to destroy all life.

The Matrix:

The Idea of jacking in, downloading yourself and info, and becoming a whole other person. There was even a reference from he Main character of saying that he wasn't sure what reality was true.

James Cameron even went as far as to rip off a beloved character from Marvel Comics for this extravagant movie.

Nightcrawler:


The 3D effects for this movie were cool but I was expecting a bit more than falling leaves, dust particles, and seizure induced flashing. And as I am writing this my head still hasn't fully recovered from the movie. My husband is on the couch sleeping off the pain which I should be doing myself but i chose to write this reveiw instead.

The 3D craze just leaves me feeling uneasy sore, and my eyes feel light sensitive. I have looked this up and I am not the only one who 3D movies have affected this way. If you have any eye problems, or suffer with migraines, and have seizures do not watch this movie in 3D or at the Imax.

This movie was fantastic and the marketing value for this can inspire many movies to come. I also see many sequels in the future and a possible cartoon and comic. The toys however are a bit freaky and wish they would stop being made. But because I'm a geek and love this movie I probably might buy one or two just for my growing collection of comic and movie memorabilia.

PATRIOTISM VS PLAGERISM

I've been noticing that the Media is skeptical of our pride as a nation during the Olympics. They are wondering if its going to last after everyone goes home and gets back to their lives.

I for one have always been proud of my country. I've been in several arguments with many arrogant people over the years because they view Canada as a pathetic country. I would love to have the Canadian flag fly 24 hours above my house so that when people gaze upon it the song OH CANADA would be sung.

Is it possible that the Maple Leaf could fade and crumble from many people once the Olympics are over, sure, but you mention to any one of us that our country sucks then you better have 911 on speed dial because your foot will become lodged in your mouth or your head will become part of your ass.

I have seen many proud Canadians wearing shirts, hats, tuques, and yes underwear baring either the words Canada, the maple Leaf, or even a beaver. That was before the Olympics and it will be worn after the Olympics.

If our Canada day celebrations get better after this is over then its about damn time. I want a proper celebration for Canada Day in my city because having the fireworks last for only 5 minutes is pathetic. Canada Day should be an all day celebration from eating Canadian food, drinking Canadian made beer, and playing Canadian made sports, while listening to good Canadian music.

The Olympics have made us believe in ourselves and gave us new heroes to look up to, You can not tell me no Canadian shed a tear the day Alexandre Bilodeau won the first gold on Canadian soil. If they didn't then they weren't watching the games or need to have their head examined.

I've been lucky enough to be home to watch three out of four of our Gold Wins, I was on the phone with a telemarketer taking a survey about radio stations when Maelle Ricker won and I had to Stop myself several times from screaming and cheering at the top of my lungs. And when Christine Nesbitt won I had just got home from work and turned on the TV, the announcer was screaming that we had won a gold and I immediately was glued to my television set and tears were going down my face. I was about to fall asleep but I am glad i stayed up long enough to see John Montgomery win, I cheered and cried alot my poor cats thought I was going insane. This week alone I cried more than I did on my own wedding (sorry honey)

Don't view me as a suck when it comes to me crying at the Olympics, this is who I am. I take my sports very seriously. I once cried at the Gray Cup a few years back when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lost to Saskatchewan. I still Cry at that because we were SOOOOOO close.

So the next time you read in the papers or watch on the news that Canada's not going to show their pride for long just remember you live in a Country that has the nicest people, the best beer, the sexiest men and women, beautiful landscapes, amazing song writers, and the greatest athletes. I am very proud of all our athletes

GO CANADA GO!!!!!!

WHY BOYCOTT THE OLYMPICS? PART 2

Well peeps, its come to my attention how stupid this whole protest to the Olympics can get. Property destruction of a store that sells Olympic clothing. Dressing up in bizarre costumes and holding up very dumb signs that make absolutely no sense as to why your protesting at a world event.

There is a site that has a full listing of why they are protesting the Olympics: http://no2010.com/node/18 Honestly this is some of the most ridiculous reasons why anyone should protest. Fascism and Racism: This is every where, not just at the Olympics. Several of these examples that have been used were from the unfortunate times of where the world has been blinded by their own propaganda. The world has changed drastically from what we were like in the 30's and the 60's. And as far as the communist rule in China what can the Olympic committee do? They only set up the games, that is why there is the UN, If there is any form of unfairness in human rights here in Canada then we will hear about it on the news and the internet.

I am in no way a racist or fascist, I am very proud of where I am in my life as a woman. I have many friends who come from other countries. I love learning about different cultures and learning other languages. But when it comes to people claiming their human rights are being taken away because of the Olympics, show me more proof than referencing things that happened 50 - 80 years ago.

Canada has some of the best legislation when it comes to human rights. You better believe I'm pissed about this accusation. http://www.unac.org/rights/actguide/canada.html#provincial

Here is something I wrote on a facebook Olympic message board:

The governments are always looking for ways to gain money and YES there are people who profit from it and others that get the short end of the stick. However, those who claim that the human rights are being treated unfairly here in Canada is an argument that I can disagree with.

We aren't under any Communist rule, we don't enslave people from other countries, and as far as the Native population is concerned they need to realize that heir way of living isn't enough to sustain them as a healthy way of living in today's world. We aren't trying to take away their beliefs or spirituality we are simply trying to get them to be a sustainable Canadian citizen.

There are many cultures that come from other countries and Canada opens their arms to them, but yet many of them aren't happy and it seems like they always have some complaint of why their not happy here. But yet Canada has bent over backwards to bring them here, its the same for many our Native population. but yet when we give them their own land and give them money they show us with their lifestyle and complaints they can not sustain themselves properly on their own.

The government is at a stand still with them, It may not be prominent in such provinces as BC or Alberta, but here in Winnipeg there is a vast amount of Natives here who do not work and live on welfare and they spend their money on drugs and booze.

And when someone like me who works hard and is sober needed help while being unemployed for a few months, get declined by her own government its a bit of a piss off to see the work of the government be so backwards.

I gotta quit writing before I destroy my computer with how angry I am with those protesters.