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Sunday, June 12, 2016

Be Kind To One Another...


By now I am sure that most of you have heard about what is being called the worst mass shooting in American history. 

In the early morning hours of June 12, 2016, at least fifty people were shot dead, and another fifty more seriously injured following a massive shooting by a man carrying an assault rifle inside of the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.  The club is one of Orlando's top nightlife spots for the LGBT community, and many people in the area are grieving their loved ones, and wondering what would possess someone to do something so horrible.

This comes just one day after 22-year-old singer Christina Grimmie - a contestant from the NBC singing competition "The Voice" was gunned down after a performance in that same city.

Certainly it hasn't been a great weekend for "The Sunshine State".

I honestly am at a loss as to what to think.  Already people are calling for stricter gun laws - and honestly I can't say that I blame them.  There is absolutely no reason why a civilian should ever be granted permission to have an assault rifle on their possession.  But that's just how I feel.  I definitely don't believe in banning firearms altogether, but I think a lot more could be done to prevent them from getting into the hands of those who would use them for all the wrong reasons.  And while I would love to try and come up with a way to make it that easy to do, I honestly don't know how to come up with a solution that the majority of people would agree with.

Then there's the context of where the massive shooting took place.  It took place in a club that was frequented by people who identify themselves as homosexual.  I honestly feel that in 2016, we've definitely become more accepting of people as a whole, and I certainly want my gay, lesbian, and transgender friends to have the same rights as their straight counterparts.  Although we still don't know very much about the reason why the shooting took place, it is suspected that it was a terrorist attack.  And to me, that's incredibly chilling that someone would hate an entire group of people to the point that they would barge into a nightclub and just randomly start shooting at people.

It's cowardly and senseless.

So, what do we do about it so that something like this doesn't happen again?  As much as I hate to say it, I don't think that there's a whole lot of things we can do.  Unfortunately with most people getting their news through smartphones, we tend to hear about these sorts of things minute by minute as they happen.  And it seems as though no matter where you look, there is always someone who is trying to use their "freedom of speech" to denounce entire groups of people, humiliate people who think differently than they do, or attack people physically and emotionally because they happen to be in love with someone of the same sex.  In fact, no sooner than a couple of hours after the shootings broke, homophobic people were praising the shootings on social media. 

That's disgusting and tacky. 

To me, I don't believe that people who attack others in this way should even be given a soapbox...but unfortunately we live in a world where everyone deserves the right to have one.  But could you imagine the impact one might have if they used that soapbox to promote positive feelings? 

I honestly follow the advice that Ellen DeGeneres gives out at the end of every single one of her shows.  "Be kind to one another".  And you know what?  She is bang on.  I honestly don't know why so many people turn bitter or hold on to hatred for so long?  I mean, when you consider that it takes more effort to frown than it does to smile, doesn't that tell you something?  I know that on days in which I have not had a great experience and someone has pissed me off, I feel so emotionally drained afterwards.  Yet when I have a positive experience with people, I feel more energized. 

So, here's what I am going to do.  I'm going to open up discussion here for us to talk about what happened.  And, I want everyone to know that while I will respect everybody's opinions on this subject, I will not tolerate nastiness or comments that are racist, homophobic, or demeaning.  I will delete them.  There's no place for that here.

And to anyone who was personally impacted by this tragedy, my heart goes out to all of you.  You never deserved this.  And I want all of you to know that you all have a pal in me.  I'm sure many others around the world will be there for all of you too.

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Sideshows and Party Tricks

Ever since I've made the decision to post more personal stories in this blog, I've had to rethink the way I present my blog.  Not so much in terms of layout, but how to tell the story. 

It's come to my attention that in my thirty-five year history, I've had a lot of stories that I have wanted to tell, but felt that I couldn't for various reasons.  Partly because I didn't think anybody would be interested.  Partly because I didn't think anyone would believe a word I had to say.

But mostly because I wasn't sure exactly how people would react to them.  Because, let's face it.  As Canadian chanteuse singer Amanda Marshall once sang in 2001, everybody's got a story that'll break your heart.  I've got some.  You probably have some.  We all have them.

So, just know this.  Before I go ahead with today's story, I just want all of you to know that I am not singling any particular people out with this admission.  This is more or less a generalization of what I've encountered.  I'm not pointing a finger of accusation at anyone.  Instead, this is another opportunity for me to speak my mind and set some things straight.

And now...today's story.

I have always been told that my memory is sharp.  In fact, one of my teachers - I believe it was my grade school French teacher, Mrs. Ruston, that told my parents that I had a photographic memory and that she had never seen any student quite like me.  And that's not me bragging.  That's exactly how I remember the conversation going.

Because as she said before, I have a photographic memory.



I guess this is one of those admissions that might not surprise a whole lot of people.  For me to remember things that happened thirty years ago as if they had just happened yesterday is something that not a lot of people can do.  I can even assign certain dates to when certain events in my life happened - in some cases, right down to the exact day.  Most people may not know what they were doing on May 23, 1995, but I remember being at Canada's Wonderland eating chicken fingers and losing forty bucks to a pickpocket while I was there.  Luckily, I had other money stashed in my suitcase so it wasn't a complete disaster.

Now, this photographic memory was kind of a double-edged sword in many ways.  The positives were quite plentiful.  I could master a video game, not play it for years, and still remember how to play it.  I always did well on tests in school because I could absorb the study material like a sponge.  And I never had to worry about losing anything because my attention to detail meant that I could remember every little detail about an item right down to its colour, texture, size, and if applicable, scent.

On the flipside, some of the cons meant that I could remember everything that happened to me that was bad - which explains why sometimes I have a harder time letting go of traumatic events than other people do.



But still...when you can remember things that most other people can't, it does fascinate people who seem shocked that my brain can hold so many things inside of it.  One of the first things I did to showcase my memory was memorize every single colour of the Laurentian pencil crayon brand and link it with its corresponding number.  That way, if someone randomly called out the number 17, I knew it was "Smoke Grey". 

Soon after, certain people seemed to think that my ability to remember the pencil crayon colours was something that had to be shared with everyone nearby.  So whenever people came over to visit, they would test me on naming the numbers with the colours, and whenever I did, they were blown away.  I guess I was too young to understand why that was the case.  It was just something that I did.  I couldn't explain why.  It was just the way that it was.

It also got to the point where my memory would come in handy for schoolwork too, as I could remember how to spell words without any help from the teacher, a dictionary, or thesaurus.  And when the rest of the kids found out, they came up to me and asked me to spell words for them so that they could do their work perfectly.  At first, I didn't mind it because - you know - they were being nice to me so I would help them.  But when recess came around and I wanted to play with the same kids I helped, they pretended they didn't see me.

And to be honest with you, I got that feeling a lot.

It was almost as if people were treating me like I was one of those sideshow freaks that you would see at the circus or at Ripley's Believe It Or Not exhibits.  Right between the bearded lady and the elastic man was the kid who could remember anything and everything.  It was almost like a game to people shouting numbers at me just so I could tell them the colour that was associated with them, or spelling words at the drop of a hat, or even remembering the details of comic books that I had read.  And then once I entertained them enough, they grew bored and moved on to the next big thing.

Here's a confession for all of you.

I DON'T LIKE IT WHEN YOU DO THIS.

And I suppose the main reason why I feel so strongly about this is because I don't particularly think it is fair to have people seem to only be interested in one part of a person's personality.  I happen to have a photographic memory.  But that's not all that I have.  I bet if people would sit back and really listen to what I have to say, they might find that there are a whole lot of other qualities that they might like as well.  I just wish that people wouldn't see me as being nothing more than a memory bank.  I am a person and I do have feelings like everybody else. 

But you know, one of the things in regard to having a photographic memory is that I can remember lots of things that other people might not...and while there are some things that I'd rather forget...there are some memories that I will never be able to.

Such as June 30, 2000 - the day I got my high school diploma. 
Or, December 8, 2004 - the day I first started my job.
Or, May 24, 2011 - the day I started this blog.
And of course, July 15, 2015 - the day I became a homeowner.

But more importantly, I hope that there are some memories that still have yet to come that I hope to experience.  If I ever get married, my wife would never have to worry about me forgetting our wedding anniversary.  If I decide that one day I want to have children, I would never forget their birthdays.  And, I'm sure that whatever milestones that I have over the next part of my life come my way...I'll have the ability to remember them all.

That's what I believe a photographic memory should be used for.  Heartfelt memories.  Not sideshows and party tricks.

Friday, June 10, 2016

Jem Reviewed: Episode 12 - In Stitches

Last week, the Holograms and the Misfits competed in a ski competition, where the Holograms emerged victorious.  And in this week's episode, there's another contest at stake.  This could also be the episode that has the most "things that make you go WTF" instances in it, so be warned.



This is
Jem Reviewed.  And this is Episode 12:  In Stitches.



The episode begins with Shana teaching Ashley how to draw designs.  The way that Shana explains it is that she uses stick figures and coloured markers to hang the clothes on the figure, but I gotta tell you - as someone who drew stick figures exclusively until the fourth grade, Shana's stick figures look nothing like mine.  Show off.



Shana leaves Ashley behind to work on her drawing techniques while she watches Lindsey Pearce's video show with the rest of the Starlight Girls.  It seems as though there's a fashion competition going on in Venice, Italy, and the contest is being organized by Italian rock music promoter Tony Cassini.  Cassini explains that he has arranged for rock groups all over the world to model their own fashions in a runway show at his private estate, and that the winners will have their looks featured in their own fashion rock video - with the winning designer getting full credit for the designs.  Not a bad prize!



He's chosen all the finalists from the other nations except for the United States.  He can't decide between the Misfits and Jem and the Holograms, so he's decided to invite both of them to Venice to compete, causing everyone in the Starlight Mansion media room to erupt in applause and cheers.

Lindsey also mentions the fact that Shana is the main fashion designer of the Holograms - well, when Synergy doesn't help them out that is - and she's basically a newbie when it comes to designing - at least compared to the other groups entering.  And this prompts Shana to receive a phone call...and you'll never guess who it is?



Yep, Roxy, Pizzazz, and Stormer are calling to break Shana's confidence, and Roxy brags that the Misfits have gotten fashion designer Bobby Stark to do their outfits, so Shana should just drop out now.  Shana angrily hangs up the phone, but you can tell that their taunts have really gotten to her.



When Ashley tries to show Shana the designs she drew, Shana brushes her aside and sits in a corner to mope.  Poor Ashley.  First she had to deal with the Starlight Girls rejecting her...now Shana.  How does she deal with it all?

It seems as though Jerrica, Kimber, and Aja are concerned about Shana, and in the middle of the night they decide to ask her what is going on.  Jerrica point blank asks "Who is this insecure person pretending to be Shana?".  Shana just remarks that she is scared, so Jerrica transforms into Jem and decides to give Shana a pep talk in song.



Okay, can we just talk about how awesome a song "It All Depends On The Mood I'm In" really is?  I always loved bluesy sounding music, and this one is catchy as hell.  I don't even care that the song is all about fashion, and that Kimber and Aja are acting like four year olds rummaging through their mom's closet.  This song is definitely one of Jem and the Holograms' strongest ones to date.  At least, in my opinion it is anyway.



It definitely seems to give Shana new life.  She stays up the entire night drawing brand new designs, and she comes up with some great sketches.  Of course, she'll have to turn them into actual clothes, but she'll just wait until they get to Italy.  Apparently Danielle DuVoisin has a place in Venice where Shana can work on the outfits in peace.

Here's your Jem Trivia.  Shana was always supposed to be a fashion designer according to Christy Marx's Jem Bible...but she wasn't always supposed to play the drums.  In early concepts of the series, it was Aja who played drums and Shana played the guitar!



The next morning, Shana puts her designs inside of a container, which she sets next to a big trunk.  But someone switches the containers out!  Uh-oh!  Don't tell me Pizzazz and Roxy are responsible!



Well, we can't speculate about this now.  The Holograms are going to Italy!  And for the first few hours of the flight, things go smoothly.

At least they do until a thunderstorm erupts somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean and Jem decides that she has to go to the bathroom.

Normally this wouldn't be a concern - except that this demonstrates one of Synergy's weaknesses.  If the weather is horrible outside, it can interfere with the satellite signals necessary for Jerrica to communicate with Synergy.  It's like when you try to watch satellite television in a storm and the image breaks up.



Predictably, Jem turns into Jerrica right in the middle of the bathroom and is unable to change back into Jem until the storm clears.  For one poor guy who needs to use the washroom, I assume this means a very uncomfortable flight.  My thoughts to the poor flight attendant who has to clean up THAT mess!

Fortunately for Jerrica, the storm ends before they land in Italy, and Jerrica becomes Jem again.  And before you know it, they're on their way to Danielle DuVoisin's palace.  Yep, you heard me.  I said palace.  The woman lives in a freakin' castle - or at least a place big enough to BE a castle.  I'm immediately jealous.



Jem, Aja, and Kimber hop aboard one gondola, but Shana and her designs take a secondary one.  Jem's gondola operator is pleasant, kind, and teaches the girls some history lessons about Venice, which is nice to hear.  Shana's gondola operator is rude, crude, and attempts to steal Shana's designs!



No wonder!  Shana's gondola operator is Zipper!  And soon after, the Misfits come speeding through Venice's canals on a motorboat!  I should've known!



The Misfits pick Zipper up and Zipper hops in the boat.  But when Zipper drops the package with the designs, it falls on top of the steering wheel which sends the Misfits out of control directly in the path of Shana!  Shana is thrown into the water by the force of the Misfits boat, and Jem and the others are worried that she'll drown.



But Shana is one angry woman, and she declares that she will pulverize them!  WHOA!  I am LOVING this side of Shana!  I also find that when Shana's hair is wet, it actually looks better than that football shaped style she's known for.  But there's no time to celebrate.  Shana's designs are in the hands of Zipper.  But wait...someone mysteriously switched Shana's designs with another package.  So, where are the REAL designs?  Could they be in that trunk that is floating in the Venice canals?  Too many questions, too many answers.

The girls arrive at Danielle DuVoisin's palace, and Shana is still looking like a drowned rat.  But after a nice hot bath, she's back up and running.



Danielle shows Shana her work area, which is very nice, but Shana is still upset over the loss of her designs.  Danielle comforts her, and gives her a pep talk, which I absolutely love.  It's great that Shana has a mentor like Danielle to guide her, and I think Danielle is one of the better secondary characters of the show.

Some more good luck comes with the retrieval of the trunk which contained all of the girls' accessories and shoes.  Shana's happy it was retrieved, but laments that they can't go on stage with just their shoes and accessories.  Maybe not, but it certainly would be quite the showstopper!



But what's even more shocking is that when they open the trunk, ASHLEY happens to be inside!  This.  Makes.  No.  Sense.  You mean to tell me that Ashley snuck inside the trunk, somehow had enough oxygen to breathe in there during a however long a flight it was, and didn't drown in the canals?  I've seen "1000 Ways To Die".  If this were real life, Ashley would be dead, and the Holograms would be charged with murder - or at the very least, neglect.  And how did Mrs. Bailey not realize that only ELEVEN girls made it back to Starlight House!  Not even Catherine O'Hara was that brain dead in "Home Alone"!

This episode makes less sense than "Adventure In China"!  And yet, here's the kicker.  I'm less offended at this development because it at least has humour in it!  The real humour comes from the fact that it was Ashley who switched the designs, and Shana has her original designs after all...which means that Zipper grabbed Ashley's designs - a fact that makes Ashley brag about her talent!  HA!



Wow...Ashley.  Don't quit your day job.  Whatever your day job is.



But this poses problems for the Misfits.  Their original designer is incapacitated with a toothache - which to me seems not that severe even though toothaches can really hurt.  Honestly, if he had broken his designing hand or had a mental breakdown over the colour of chartreuse, I'd buy it as a better excuse, but this episode stretches reality enough.  The point is that the Misfits go to plan B, which is to steal Shana's designs and pass them off as their own.



Shana gets to work on designing her clothes.  There's a nice aqua number that would be perfect for Kimber.  She designs an orange ensemble that seems that it would clash with Aja's hair, but Shana thinks it'll work.  And the lavender and yellow dress has Jem's name written all over it.  I don't know why Shana doesn't design anything for herself, but maybe she already did, and she's keeping it a secret.

Bad news.  Even though Ashley and Shana's designs mysteriously survived, the shoes and accessories were ruined.  Again, this makes no sense.  It just seems like an excuse for Shana and Ashley to visit a shoe store.  Fortunately, I don't care, because Pizzazz barges into the store and this sets the stage for what I think is the Misfits' finest song.



"Designing Woman" is absolute genius.  The beat is sick, and surprisingly for a Misfits song, the message is one hundred per cent positive!  It's all about taking control of your own destiny and making your own breaks, and while it's sung from a female perspective, the message could apply to anybody.  It's going to be hard to top this as my favourite Misfits song.  It's actually in the running for best song overall!

But why is Jem in the video?  She wasn't in the shoe store.  Very strange.



After the melee at the shoe store, but before Shana and the others return, Zipper successfully breaks into Shana's work area and steals the dresses.  By the time Shana returns and sees her designs are gone, she announces that she's tired of this garbage and she is going to get her designs back!

The Holograms successfully track down the villa where Eric and the Misfits are hiding, and watch as Eric greets four seamstresses.  But Eric is confused because he thought he hired five.  This gives Jem an idea.



She disguises herself as the fifth seamstress (with Synergy's help) and manages to fool Roxy into letting her in.  As the seamstress, Jem watches as the Misfits ogle Shana's designs.  But immediately they hate them.  Apparently their fashion sense is Alice Cooper and AC/DC, while the Holograms appear to be inspired by Lisa Frank and Rainbow Brite.  Pizzazz throws the disguised Jem the designs and forces her to dye them black.  Oh, Pizzazz...if you only noticed the JemStar earrings that seamstress is wearing, you might have gotten a clue.



Of course, Jem wastes no time in escaping the villa, and it's only after she changes back into Jem that Eric notices.  The Misfits and Jem and the Holograms embark on yet another chase scene, this time through the canals of Venice.  Their chase ends on a bridge crossing the canal where The Misfits nearly get thrown over the side of the bridge fighting with Jem over the designs.  



And, Shana...you seriously need lessons in choosing the right fabrics for your designs.  If they rip THIS easily, you have problems.  I mean, even a garment from the dollar store has more durability!  Of course, the dresses were never meant to be used as ropes, so I guess I can give a pass.



Zipper manages to arrive in time as the dresses tear in half and the Misfits fall towards the canal.  Stormer and Pizzazz land safely in the boat, but Roxy falls in the water.  And Zipper will likely be dead within the next twelve hours.  Nice knowing you!

Kimber and Aja yell at the Misfits for destroying Shana's designs, but Shana's not ready to give up even though she has no designs and the fashion show is an hour away.  Jem makes the suggestion that Synergy can help, given that Shana programmed her designs into Synergy's memory banks.  So, basically you want to cheat.  So, basically you're turning into the Misfits. 

So, basically, this episode continues to make no sense.



Of course, a new problem arises.  The Holograms need to get to Cassini's, and the only way there is by gondola.  But in the infinite wisdom that is Jem and the Holograms, not one of them remembered to bring any money with them, so none of the gondola operators will take them.  Time is running out!  How will they get to Cassini's in time to cheat...I mean, win the contest?



Well, once again, I have to hand it to the music department of this episode.  "Time Is Runnin' Out" is another great song - even if the chorus is quite repetitive.   It's not as good as the first song of this episode, but it's a solid hit.  And we also see that Jem and the Holograms aren't above panhandling to get the money needed to pay for the trip to Cassini's.  But I'm trying to figure out why Rio is in the video.  He's not in this episode!  Oh, whatever.  It's still a good song, and it does get the Holograms from Point A to Point Cassini with moments to spare.



By the time the Holograms arrive at Cassini's, they learn that they are the last ones to go on stage, right after the Misfits.  And Shana is upset that Pizzazz, Roxy, and Stormer have recreated Shana's designs and turned them black.  Sad thing is...I do agree with the Misfits.  Shana's designs looked okay before, but the Misfits made them look even cooler.  



But Ashley is sitting at what appears to be the judge's table with Danielle DuVoisin...and I cry shenanigans.  Danielle is far from being an impartial judge in this case because of her friendship with Shana and the Holograms...and since when did Ashley become a judge?  Ah, well...we've already suspended reality a lot this episode.  The fact that a thirteen year old that stowed away in a wooden trunk can now judge a fashion competition just adds to that list.  The point is that Ashley recognizes the Misfits outfits as Shana's designs, and she immediately tells Danielle.  This could be trouble for the Misfits!



Of course, the designs the Misfits are wearing are Shana's, but the Holograms plan on using Synergy to win the contest, so really, is what they're doing ethical?  I say not.  But it's all they have left.  I sure hope nothing goes wrong, like a sudden rainstorm...



Uh-oh!  That pesky satellite interference has struck again, right at the moment where Jem and the Holograms are set to walk on stage!  They really ARE going to walk out on stage wearing nothing but their shoes and accessories - and what appears to be really ugly underwear.  Seriously, do women even still wear one-piece lingerie?  Even in 1986?



At first it looks like Jem and the Holograms might have to forfeit the contest, but Synergy decides to behave herself and reinstates the fashion hologram, meaning that Jem and the others can go on stage without getting arrested.  And I have to say, the love and the passion that Tony Cassini uses in his descriptions of the clothes are very well written.  Kudos to Mary Skrenes for the brilliant dialogue in an otherwise impossible episode.

It's time to announce the winners, and the third place winners are some band from Japan who seem to be excited even though they lost.  Good attitudes though!



In second place are The Misfits - which must make Shana upset, considering that they stole her designs.  But she needs not worry because the winners happen to be the no-good, cheating dogs known as Jem and the Holograms!  Who cares that they technically weren't wearing real fabric clothes?  Shana did technically design them, so it's a bit of a loophole.

Even more fun is that Danielle reveals the truth about the Misfits designs to Cassini, who announces that Shana will ALSO receive full credit for the Misfits second place looks.  Pizzazz is furious, and declares that because they improved the dresses by making them black, but Cassini states that as long as he is in charge of the contest, Shana will get full credit!



And the episode ends with Shana getting a standing ovation, and me left with a headache trying to understand how this episode could have so much factually wrong with it, and yet still be one of the more entertaining episodes of the show so far.  It's nice to see Shana get an episode devoted to her, rather than have Jem and Kimber as the star.  I credit Mary Skrenes for coming up with the idea of the episode, and attempting to make impossible situations look possible.  And I do believe this episode has the strongest music so far.  None of the three songs in the episode are terrible - in fact, they are three of the strongest songs to date.  But yes, Ashley should probably not even be alive at the end of this episode.  If this were real life, she'd be worm food, and the only outfits that the Holograms would worry about would be orange jumpsuits.

Just saying.

Next week, it's back to the multi-part episodes, where Jem and the Holograms tackle the serious subject of teen runaways.  I sure hope they treat the subject with dignity and not like...well...this episode!  

Wednesday, June 08, 2016

How Getting Served Made Me a Winner

One thing that I have always wanted to do with this blog is incorporate more personal stories into it while still attempting to keep with the pop culture theme.  Sometimes it is easy to do, and other times, it is impossible.

So for today's entry, I'm just going to go ahead and tell a story.  And, I am going to try and make it as positive as possible to keep with the zen state that I am finding myself in recently.  I'll tell you, living this way is so much better for my psyche.  It's great.

As I type this out, summer vacation has either already begun, or it is almost here.  In my area, it begins at the end of June and runs until the first week of September.  And, I am sure that every school has their own traditions signifying the end of the year.  Some may have special activity days where they cancel classes to play sports and games.  Some may have an epic field trip where they stay overnight in a big city (ours was Toronto in eighth grade).  And some may just have a classroom party filled with movies, treats, and comparing report cards to see if you were going to be in the same classes the following year.  And believe me, that was probably the highlight for most of us in elementary school.



My elementary school - Commonwealth P.S. - did have one tradition that lasted for years.  I'm almost positive that it no longer goes on as Commonwealth eliminated the seventh and eighth grades a few years ago.  But back when I was in eighth grade, one of the events that we all took part in was scheduled for the last week of classes.  And it wasn't just the eighth graders that were involved either.  All of the kids from grades one to seven were invited to watch the event from the bleachers in our school football field.

(And if you're wondering why our elementary school had a football field - it's because a high school nearby used it for their home games.)

That event was known as the annual Commonwealth Teachers vs. Grade 8 Three-Pitch Game!

And, yes.  It was called three-pitch.  The reason being was because we never used actual baseballs.  We used those Indian rubber balls that looked like real horsehide baseballs, but weren't actual baseballs.  Real baseballs would have the potential to harm a teacher or a student.  And as someone who took a baseball to the schnozz in my ninth grade gym class, I know for a fact that they HURT!

So, although we were technically playing "baseball", it wasn't "baseball".  You guys with me so far?

I remember watching the games when I was in the younger grades, and I admit when I was in first or second grade, watching the games bored me to tears.  I would have rather have been inside the school playing at the plasticine table or playing "Pick-A-Dilly Pair" on those retro computers that we had in our classrooms.  It wasn't until I got into the junior years of elementary school that I became excited about playing the game.

The only problem was that I was - and still am - a horrible athlete.  I lack coordination, I lack speed.  To this day, I still don't even know how to dribble a basketball properly.  In eighth grade, I had a near perfect report card.  A's in almost every subject but one.

I mean, who gives out a C minus in gym class?  Who?

Well, my 8th grade teacher did, that's who.  And to be honest, I owned that C minus. 

As much as I really tried in gym class - and believe me, I tried to the point where I was slipping on my own sweat puddles in the gym - I just completely sucked.  The fact that I was dealing with asthma as a child just sidelined me even more.  I was always the last one picked for sports, and yet I was the first one to get knocked out whenever we played dodgeball.  So embarrassing.

The thing was that I really wanted to be like everyone else and be great at sports, but I knew that no matter what, I would not be. 

It really wasn't until the Faculty vs. Grade 8 Three-Pitch Game that I came to understand that it wasn't really how good your abilities were...it was how you played the game. 

Well, okay, maybe there was one incident that happened before the game that made me come to that conclusion.

During 4th grades to 8th grades, the school would have some sports games going on during lunch period.  And, I signed up for every single one just because I thought they were interesting.  I signed up for floor hockey, basketball, and volleyball, and kids who were around my age were placed on my team.

Needless to say, there were some sports in which I completely sucked at.  I tried basketball one year and ended up playing the role of scorekeeper more than I was on the court!  I considered that to be a total waste of time!  I was lucky that we never played shirts vs. skins because if I had to be on the skins team, I would not have been very happy!

On the flipside, floor hockey proved to be a much better experience.  Because I was the tallest (and let's face it - fattest) kid in my grade, I made the perfect goalie.  Ended up blocking quite a few shots and my team in fifth grade came in second place overall.  Not a bad track record!



My favourite sport to play was volleyball though.  I liked the fact that it was a small team, and I liked the idea of serving and spiking the ball.  But initially when I first started playing, I couldn't grasp the concept of serving.  I either bounced the ball off the net, or I sent it underneath the net.  But, still...even though I never really did that well, I gave it my all.

It's just too bad that I had one kid on my team that made his disgust known.  We'll call him...Ken.  It's not his real name, but we'll go with it.  From the very moment he realized that I was on his team, he did everything he could to make me quit from cheering on the other team whenever I served to heckling me when I was on the court and he was on deck.  It was totally obnoxious, but not unexpected.  I mean, we were all stupid kids back in the sixth and seventh grade.  For what it was worth, some of the other kids on my team weren't nearly so jerky, and I recall one girl named Meghan who was really supportive and gave me encouragement even though I completely sucked and knew it.

During one game, we were playing a team that was the best in the school, and we were trailing behind by a lot.  Ken was in the front row, and I was in the back, and the guy on the other team launched a powerful spike in my direction.  I was prepared to bump the ball back over the net (which I had some success with in the past), and hopefully keep them from scoring.

What happened was the ball bopped me right on the head.  And while the impact didn't really hurt that much, Ken was laughing like a hysterical hyena, and soon the entire gym erupted in a cacophony of ha-ha-ha's.  I do have to give credit to Meghan though.  She saw that I was upset, and I almost sat out the rest of the game, but she knew exactly what Ken was like and told me to just ignore him and do the best I could do.  And, you know...I never really did forget that.

So it came time for me to serve for our team.  And I guess it wasn't unexpected for the other team to move as close to the net as possible, standing around and not even preparing to deflect the ball.  I had missed every single serve since I joined that team.  Common sense would tell everyone else that I would miss this one too.

But there was just something about Ken and his sneer that made me see a whole lot of rage.  And, I was thinking to myself that he had his fun.  Now it was my turn.

I don't know whether it was just a lucky shot or whether someone was looking out for me, or what have you...but when I served that ball, it was absolutely PERFECT.  That ball sailed over the net without any trouble.  And because the opposing team didn't expect me to hit it, they literally stood around and watched me score a point!

I'll still never forget the cheers from my team at my surprise point.  I imagine I was frozen in shock myself.  And I will never forget Ken's face either.  I think in that moment I served that perfect serve, I had simultaneously served him a nice huge slice of humble pie.  I sure hope it tasted sour!

Of course that serve ended up being a fluke.  My second go-round, the ball bounced off the net.  But still...that one moment made me realize that I didn't completely suck at athletics.  I think that after having fifty bad serves, I was overdue for a good one.  And who knows?  Maybe all that practice helped me develop my volleyball serve.  It's hard to say.  



But I guess it goes to show that anyone can achieve anything if they work hard at it.  More importantly, I believe that once I stopped focusing on the rudeness of a smart aleck kid and focused more on having fun, it made things so much better.

And I took that attitude with me to the Teachers vs. Grade 8 Three-Pitch Game that hot June day. 

On the field, I was always in the outfield because we all figured the teachers would never hit the ball out that far - though a couple of them surprised all of us!  Just as I had surprised everyone on that volleyball court a few years earlier. 

As for hits?  I may have gotten like...one legitimate hit.  The rest were strike outs or foul balls.  But again, it wasn't the point.  This was a game that was a lot of fun, and for all of us in 8th grade, it would be our last hurrah at the school that most of us saw as a second home since kindergarten.  Having fun was more important than winning.

And I think that was a good lesson...since I think the teachers creamed us.  

Tuesday, June 07, 2016

June 7, 1990

It's that time of the week where we take a flip through the history pages of pop culture past and talk about a significant event that took place.

This is the Tuesday Timeline edition for June 7.  And, I'll be the first to admit that choosing a topic was initially hard.  Mainly because I've already written pieces on the most obvious choices.

But I think I've picked a topic that is fun.  At least many people have had fun here.  That's your only hint though.  For now, let's look at the other things that happened on June 7.

1654 - Louis XIV is crowned King of France

1692 - A devastating earthquake levels Port Royal, Jamaica, killing 1,600

1832 - 6,000 people in Lower Canada succumb to Asian cholera after the disease reaches Quebec

1892 - Homer Piessy is arrested for refusing to leave his seat in the "whites-only" car of the train

1893 - Mohandas Gandhi commits his first act of civil disobedience

1899 - Carrie Nation destroys the inventory of a Kansas saloon, kicking off a lengthy campaign of destroying taverns and pubs in an effort to ban the sale of alcohol

1909 - At age 16, Canadian actress/singer Mary Pickford makes her debut; that same day actress Jessica Tandy (d. 1994) is born

1917 - Singer Dean Martin (d. 1995) is born in Steubenville, Ohio

1937 - Actress Jean Harlow passes away at just 26 years of age

1942 - American troops claim victory in The Battle of Midway

1944 - Twenty-three Canadian Prisoners of War are executed by members of the SS Division Hitlerjugend during the Battle of Normandy

1958 - American singer/composer Prince Rogers Nelson (d. 2016) is born in Minneapolis, Minnesota

1965 - Actress/singer Judy Holliday dies at the age of 43

1977 - Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee takes place; over five hundred million people all over the world watch the celebrations on television

1982 - Priscilla Presley opens up Graceland to the public - five years after Elvis Presley's death

1991 - Mount Pinatubo erupts

1995 - United Airlines begin using Boeing 777's for flights

1996 - The president of Max Factor cosmetics, Max Factor Jr., dies at the age of 91

2003 - Australian born actor Trevor Goddard dies at the age of 40

2012 - American rapper Melvin "Lil Phat" Vernell III is shot and killed outside of a hospital at the age of 19

2013 - An armed gunman kills five people before being taken down by police after storming the campus of Santa Monica College

And happy birthday to the following famous faces of the past and present; Virginia McKenna, Tom Jones, Jenny Jones, Howard Finkel, Royce Campbell, Liam Neeson, Colleen Camp, Louise Erdrich, William Forsythe, L.A. Reid, Chris Marcantel, Kym Whitley, Michael Cartellone, Simon Day, Gia Carides, Mick Foley, Dave Navarro, Helen Baxendale, Mike Modano, Karl Urban, Bear Grylls, Allen Iverson, Erik Weiner, Adrienne Frantz, Bill Hader, Anna Torv, Anna Kournikova, Larisa Oleynik, Michael Cera, Iggy Azalea, Fetty Wap, Emily Ratajkowski, Sara Niemitz, George Ezra, and Graham Newberry.

So, I promised that this edition of the Tuesday Timeline would be fun!  But in order for the fun to start, we have to take a trip back in time to the early 1990s.



Like, maybe...June 7, 1990.

So, what was happening in the world on June 7, 1990?  Well, the top movie at the box office was "Total Recall".  The number #1 song was "Vogue" by Madonna.  And, I was anxiously waiting for the end of the school year.

At that time, I was just days away from leaving third grade and the downstairs of my elementary school forever.  The top floor of my school were for grades 4-8, and when you started having classes up there, you knew you were getting closer to being an adult!  Well, at least from a nine-year-old perspective anyway.

Now, because this date was so close to summer vacation, it was only natural to start thinking about what we were going to do for summer vacation.  In the case of myself, money was quite tight, so I couldn't afford to go anywhere elaborate on vacation.  I spent my summer at one of those affordable summer long playground programs.  In retrospect, it was all good though.  I had a blast, and it was nice to socialize with kids who didn't go to my school. 

Of course, other kids went away for the summer holidays, which was also just as cool.  Obviously places like Disneyland and Walt Disney World were known kid pleasers.  Canada's Wonderland was also quite fun in the early 1990s.  And I remember seeing commercials for Boblo Island Amusement Park and remember wanting to go even though it was a seven hour car ride away.  Sadly, Boblo Island closed to the public in 1993, and I never did get to go there.

Back in 1990, the choices for where to go on summer vacation seemed endless.  And on June 7, 1990, two more places were added.



That was the day in which Nickelodeon Studios and Universal Studios FLORIDA first opened their doors to the public. 

Over the course of the past twenty-six years Universal Studios Florida remains a very popular tourist destination - it's currently the eighth most visited theme park in the United States and the sixteenth most visited theme park in the whole world!

It's also a place that I have never been, but want to go to.  But then I've never visited any Disney park either.  I need to either get out more or win the lottery.  Or both.

Sadly, I cannot visit Nickelodeon Studios.  That park closed in 2005.  We'll talk more about that a little later on.

For now though, let's talk about Universal Studios Florida.

Anyway, the story behind the creation of Universal Studios Florida begins in 1986 - four years before the park was even opened.  And initially it didn't even start out to be the massive theme park that eventually came to be.  In a meeting between Peter N. Alexander and Steven Spielberg (who is listed as a co-founder of the park), they discussed plans to open up a "Back to the Future" simulation ride which would make riders feel as though they were traveling through time in the DeLorean time machine.  A similar ride was also being developed based on the movie "King Kong".



But as the plans for both rides came to fruition, Spielberg seemed to think that they were on the verge of something big.  Given that the park was located in Orlando, Florida - the same city that housed both SeaWorld and Walt Disney World - Spielberg thought that they could design a theme park that could legitimately compete with both theme parks and hold its own.

Between 1986 and 1990, the area where Universal Studios Florida was completely redesigned to house several of the attractions - including the two that were discussed by Spielberg and Alexander.  And initially the park was supposed to open earlier than expected.  The original launch date for the park was December 1989 - just in time for the holiday season.  It was pushed back to May 1990 before settling on its June 7 opening.

What made Universal Studios Florida unique was the fact that it also housed several working soundstages where television shows and movies were being filmed.  In fact, the Powerball lottery draws are filmed on location at Universal Studios Florida!  No kidding!

And, as far as some of the attractions go, some of them have been around a while, while others have been retired to make way for the new.  The original "Back to the Future" ride was changed into a ride celebrating "The Simpsons Movie".  But here's a list of some of the exciting attractions you can visit if you go to Universal Studios Florida.

Animal Actors on Location (1990)
Universal's Horror Make-up-Show (1990)
The Blues Brothers Show (1991)
A Day In The Park With Barney (1995)
Men in Black: Alien Attack (2000)
Shrek 4-D (2003)
Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride (2004)
Fear Factor Live (2005)
The Simpsons Ride (2008)
Despicable Me:  Minion Mayhem (2012)
Transformers: The Ride (2013)
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (2014)



I so hope that if I get the chance to go to Universal Studios Florida that the Harry Potter exhibit is still up.  I so want to go just for that.

On the same day that Universal Studios Florida became ready for the public, Nickelodeon Studios had their grand opening as well with Mr. Double Dare himself Marc Summers as the master of ceremonies.  Practically located in the backyard of Universal Studios Florida, Nickelodeon Studios was a hop skip and jump away from many of Universal's attractions. 

Now, unlike Universal, Nickelodeon mostly stuck to productions within their studios.  During the entire decade known as the 1990s, almost all television series with the Nickelodeon logo were produced here including;

Double Dare/Super Double Dare
Legends of The Hidden Temple
Nick Arcade
Guts!
Nickelodeon Splat!
Eureeka's Castle
Wild & Crazy Kids
Clarissa Explains It All
All That
The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo

And many more!

In fact, there was talk of bringing the television show "You Can't Do That On Television" to Orlando from Ottawa in 1990.  But the series was cancelled that same year, so nothing ever came out of it.



There was even a time capsule buried by Nickelodeon staff at the Studios in 1992, which had children of that time period (which would have included me) had voted on.  Such items included the Nintendo Game Boy, Michael Jackson's "Dangerous" album, A VHS tape of "Home Alone", and of course, the slimy gooey stuff known as Nickelodeon GAK!

But by 2001, the studio was beginning to fall on hard times.  Staffing was cut, and the production of game shows made way for sitcoms.  This in turn caused tourism to plummet, as game shows that encouraged audience participation were cancelled for closed-set sitcoms.  Unable to keep the studios going, the decision was made to shut it down in 2005.

Mostly everything from the Nickelodeon Studios was removed, and the space is now currently used as a concert hall for the Blue Man Group.  But the time capsule that was buried in 1992 remains intact.  It was just relocated to a different area.  It will continue to remain sealed until 2042!  By then, the Game Boy might go back in style!

So, there you have it.  Two attractions opened up on June 7, 1990.  One remains standing.  But I'm sure many have had lots of fun at both!

So, do any of you have any memories to share of either place?