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Sunday, July 12, 2015

Ladies' Night

I absolutely love music.  I think that was one of the motivations for why I not only brought back the Sunday Jukebox feature in this blog, but created it in the first place.

And I have to tell you, I love to find new places where I can listen to all the music that I want.

Back when I was a kid, there were really only two places where you could listen to music 24/7.  You could listen to it on the radio, or you could turn on the television to MTV (or MuchMusic in Canada).  The only problem with both were that you sometimes had to wait weeks before they would play your favourite songs (or videos).  Radio stations and video stations usually had a set playlist of songs/videos to play and they very rarely strayed from that set.  Mind you, you could call in to one of those all request lines and request that they play a song for you, but the problem was that you'd get a busy signal 95% of the time, and on the rare instance that you did get through, you'd only have a 15% chance of them actually taking the request.

Not very good odds.

But there is something to be said about the randomness of music stations.  You never know what sort of treasures will be played.  Certainly many of the songs that I have downloaded onto my iPod came about because I heard a random song playing on a radio station that I hadn't heard in years and wanted to have it in my music collection.

And quite recently I stumbled upon a group of music stations that air through my cable network (and yes, I am one of those who still subscribes to cable television - well, at least for now, anyway).

Ever hear of Stingray Music?  Well, on my cable dial, they are in the 300 channel range, and Stingray Music provides two dozen radio stations that play all different kinds of music from pop and dance to country and jazz.  There's even a station designed for children!  And much like the radio stations in the area, you never really know what you're going to get!

So, since I was having a bit of trouble selecting a song to spotlight today, I thought I would leave it up to Stingray Music to select the song for me.  So I randomly chose one of the stations (All Day Party), and took a picture of the television set that featured the song that was playing at the time.

My goal?  Write a blog entry about the song. 



So, let's put the spotlight on Kool & The Gang this week.



ARTIST:  Kool & The Gang
SONG:  Ladies' Night
ALBUM:  Ladies' Night
DATE RELEASED:  October 5, 1979
PEAK POSITION ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS:  #8

Now, I imagine that most of you have probably heard at least one or two Kool & The Gang songs.  I know "Celebration" was a big hit the same year that I was born, and that "Joanna" and "Cherish" were both successes on the charts for this group in the 1980s.

But here's something that not even I knew.  This song was only the second single for the band to make the Top 10 on the Billboard Charts (their first was "Jungle Boogie" which reached #4).  And that the album that this single was released on was the group's eleventh!



Wait, what?  "Ladies' Night" was the group's eleventh album?  How could that be possible?  Especially since the group reached the height of their popularity right around the time that this song came out?

Turns out that the band formed FIFTY-ONE years ago in Jersey City, New Jersey!  I know, I couldn't believe it myself when I did the research for this group.

Of course, back in 1964, they didn't call themselves "Kool & The Gang".  Their original name was "The Jazziacs" - a portmanteau of the two words jazz and maniacs.  The group was founded by then thirteen-year-old Robert Bell, his twelve-year-old brother, Ronald, and five of their classmates and friends, and at first they played instrumental jazz classics.  But as the 1960s came to a close and music began to get wilder and funkier, the group started playing more funk, R&B, and pop music.  In 1967, the group made their first name change, calling themselves Kool & The Flames (Robert Bell's nickname was Kool), but they only kept that name for a couple of years, as they didn't want to be confused with James Brown's "Famous Flames".

By the end of the sixties, they had settled on the name "Kool & The Gang", and in 1969 they had secured a record deal with De-Lite Records, releasing their first album later that year.

Of course, the climb to the top of the charts was a lot harder in 1969 than it is now.  You didn't have digital downloads, or music videos to promote your album or single.  All you had was the thousands of radio stations scattered around the country, hoping that enough people showed an interest in the music to keep demanding that disc jockeys spin their favourite tracks.  And for Kool & The Gang, they certainly tried their best to get heard.  But with so many groups in direct competition with each other, and their being signed to a lesser known record company, it took quite a while for the group to get noticed.

"Ladies' Night" was considered to be a song that marked a significant change for the group.  For starters, the group recruited a new lead singer, James "J.T." Taylor, and they decided to infuse a little bit of a disco beat mixed in with their classic funk style.  After all, it was the end of the 1970s, and disco was still quite popular despite the anti-disco protests that were taking place.

And as you can hear, the song was definitely a hit at parties, weddings...and I imagine it was probably played at a couple of bachelorette parties in its heyday. 

That was your history lesson on Kool & The Gang for today.  Isn't picking a song at random fun? 

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Be Kind...Don't Dine and Snap



Those of you who have followed along with this blog over the last four years know that I have a rather unique relationship with technology. 

At times, I think it can be the greatest invention since sliced bread, while other times I think that it is the worst thing that has come into our lives other than deadly illnesses and global conflicts.

Gradually though, I have come out of my Amish-like shell of anti-technology and have evolved just as everybody else has.  I now am the proud owner of several electronic devices, and have become skilled in just about all of them.

Now, I would say that a huge part of that knowledge came from the year and a half that I spent working in the electronics department at my store.  Although there were times in which I found the department stressful and frustrating, I have to say that the whole experience was a positive one, as working in that area helped alleviate my fear of electronic gadgets (and probably drained my bank account in the process buying said electronic gadgets - thank goodness for employee discounts, right?)

Coincidentally, now that I am working in hardware, I've been trying to learn about how things work there as well...mainly because I have a place that needs a lot of TLC.



Um...no.  Not THAT TLC.  I mean tender loving care TLC.

Anyway, going back to electronics, I've become a lot more accustomed to learning how they work.  And I have to admit that years ago, the thought of getting a cell phone was absolutely ridiculous.  I didn't have that many contacts that would justify my getting one, and besides, I didn't think that I could afford it.  And yet, I purchased my very first contract phone in September 2014, and am very happy with it.

Truth be told, it was the cell phone bills (and my promptness in paying them) that helped establish the credit rating necessary to make the biggest decision of my life earlier this year.  So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that getting a mobile phone turned out to be a wise decision.

Not that I am one of those people who is absolutely glued to their phone at all hours of the day.  I'll use my phone for making phone calls, sending the odd text message (I admit that I hate texting for the sole reason that my fingers are too fat, and most of my text messages look like they should belong on a DamnYouAutoCorrect website), and possibly playing a round of Candy Crush Soda Saga.

(I seriously regret downloading that game now.)

However, I have mentioned in this space before that I am not a huge fan of people who have turned into mobile phone "zombies", so to speak.  These are the people who will mow down an entire store of people because their gaze is fixed on their phones.  These are the people who text each other even though they are in the same room.  These are the people who would probably continue texting while a major earthquake is happening.

These are also...very extreme examples of what I am talking about.

But I have to say that I do believe that while having mobile phone technology is handy and convenient for all of us, it can also make people unintentionally rude towards others.

I find it incredibly strange when I go out to eat in a restaurant and people a couple of booths over are pulling out their cell phones and spend ten minutes taking pictures of their food.  The only reason I can even justify this is if the person is a food critic and needs to add a photo to their article.  Instead, we have a bunch of people spending twenty minutes taking photos of their lasagna, posting the photos on Instagram, Snapchat, or Twitter, and then having the nerve to complain to their server that their food was too cold! 

(And yes, believe it or not, I did bear witness to this once.)

Remember the days in which we used to sit down at a meal and actually get to know each other?  I miss those days.  Could you imagine someone trying to take photos of their all-you-can-eat buffet in 1985?  They would likely be thrown out of the eatery for causing a distraction with the bright flash the camera would make! 

Okay, granted, cameras in 1985 were less primitive and about four times the size.  But still, I think that to have a good dining experience, you should leave the phones at home - or at the very least, have them turned off until after the meal.

And that's not a rule that is just meant for fine dining.  It's a rule that could apply to workplace lunchrooms or school cafeterias.  I can't begin to tell you just how frustrating and exasperating it is to have people sit down and join you at their table only for them to completely ignore you by whipping out their smartphones to text, text, text.  It's incredibly rude and ignorant, and consider this me calling all of you out on it.

Here's the thing.  If I'm by myself at a table, I have no problem using my phone or listening to my iPod, or what have you.  But if someone comes over to chat, I will turn off the phone or shut off the music because one, it's common courtesy, and two, I like having conversations with people. 

Just think of all of the fun things you would end up missing because you block out the world to send the world photos of your Baked Alaska.

Just saying.

Friday, July 10, 2015

The Secret Language of Birthdays

So, I actually wrote this note on my Facebook notes section three years ago, and the only reason why I am reposting this is because I had a really big day yesterday (including finalizing the last minute details in buying my new home), so I don't have a whole lot of time to write a huge one.  I'll make it up to you tomorrow, I promise.

Besides, this site is quite informative.  Trust me, you'll like it.



Have you heard of the site called "The Secret Language of Birthdays"? Here's the link.


Normally, I take these birthday analysis sites with a grain of salt.  I mean, if they're anything like any of those Buzzfeed quizzes that are posted, they were more than likely written by 16-year-olds goofing off in between chemistry assignments while listening to the same One Direction song over and over again.

But after I entered my date of birth and really looked at what it said, the more I read my profile, the more sense I make.

Here's my analysis of my date of birth.  I'll comment with my own thoughts in red font.

Title: The Day of Established Activism
        Those born on May 18 are an interesting blend of tradition and liberalism. They could be described as movers and shakers with a revolutionary bent, but their primary impulse is less to overturn society than to improve it. Many born on this day are protesters, speaking out against injustice and unfairness wherever they find it. But whether political or not, May 18 people treat their work, hobbies or art in a thoroughly professional, straightforward fashion, usually preferring a clean, classical approach to a romantic, emotional one.

NOTE 1:  I am pretty mouthy when it comes to injustice, and this analysis is quite spot on when it comes to my writing.  I know nothing about romance, but I consider myself a great technical writer.

     No matter how imaginative they may be, May 18 people are highly practical. They like to get things done, and without too much fuss or bother. Their outspoken nature, however, may get them into trouble, as they are unable or unwilling to keep quiet when they encounter ignorance or prejudice. Those born on this day despise irrationality, and present a clear, logical approach to issues. In their families, May18 people tend to be the voice of reason. But as parents, those born on this day must beware of exerting a kind of rationalist tyranny over their children, in which they always know what is best for them and criticize them too severely for unwise actions.

     A danger for May 18 people is to get carried away with a cause and in doing so become as irrational as those they criticize. Those born on this day may be unaware of this tendency and when it is pointed out to them will find it difficult to accept, harder still to change. In becoming fanatical about their views they fall into an emotional trap of their own making.

Note 2:  Yep.  I have been known to get a little bit caught up in the moment and it has bit me in the butt more than once.

     May 18 people are fascinated with many facets of life—probing, testing, tasting what life has to offer. There is a certain wholeness in the feeling tone of their personalities; when you meet them you feel as if you have met a total person. This is perhaps because May 18 people usually get their own house in order before taking on the world. If they are confused or unsure of themselves in their youth, it may be their principal task to pull themselves together later in life. Those born on this day may well define life as a struggle, perhaps an inner struggle; conflict can become a way of life for them, always looking as they are for obstacles to overcome. Thus it may be difficult for them to find rest.

     While appearing to be “together” people, those born on May 18 may be somewhat out of touch with their own desires. Busy as they are with societal and family responsibilities, they often suppress legitimate personal needs, inviting unhappiness. They can be unaware that the first grey tinges of bitterness are setting in. Friends and family may serve as a mirror in this regard, and should encourage the May 18 person to express frustrations, if necessary.

Note 3:  DING DING DING!  Can we say "Match"?  Though, since I bought my home, these feelings have gotten less severe.

Health
Balancing the above mentioned Mars-Venus energies is very important for May 18 people. Guarding against suppression of desire is part of the equation. Those born on this day often demand greater attention than most in the sexual sphere, but such demands can well be satisfied through other forms of sensual expression or the sharing of affection and tenderness. Outbursts of temper and bitterness that can accompany denial of personal needs may manifest in a host of physical symptoms including nervous and muscular imbalances of all kinds, and in the worst case scenario, strokes, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular difficulties. A partial or complete vegetarian diet can help reduce the risk of such dangers. Those born on this day should also program frequent rest periods into their schedule. Regular sleep patterns are equally important and a daily nap helpful, if it doesn’t cause sleeplessness at night.

Note 4:  What can I say?  I definitely love my sleep.  But I don't think I could ever have a meatless diet.  I love bacon WAAAY too much.

Meditation
“And this, too, shall pass”

Advice
Take time off and get to know yourself better. Withdraw from the world periodically in order to recharge. Learn to heed your inner voice; be guided rather than driven. Cultivate tolerance and acceptance of others, even if you can’t suffer their ideas.

The Way of Study Personality
        Those born during the Way of Study must choose a field of endeavor or a craft and, through years of disciplined and determined effort, become authorities in their field. Blessed with brilliance, they grasp things so quickly that they often move from one topic to the next, avoiding the painstaking groundwork of thorough preparation. They must rely less on their own cleverness and set about gaining the perspective that only serious study of all facets of a subject can give them. Only then can they hope to bring a unique point of view to the world. Moreover, they are called to find principles or points of view in which they believe. Through identifying with principles or connecting with something greater than themselves, they not only fulfill their individuality but come to understand it. Their many years of solitary study or work on their craft will also provide the forum for many deep insights into their own natures.

     They spend much of their lives deep in thought. Considered by many to be brilliant, they find school easy, but they may not make the best students since they are restless and easily bored and will concoct elaborate schemes to emancipate themselves from routine.

Note 5:  Ain't that the truth!

Freedom, especially mental freedom, is important to them. Their minds roam far and wide. They love to dream up wild theories and will flit from one preoccupation to the next. Moreover, they often spend hours dreaming of romantic and far­off lands, glory, or visions of the future. A number of them are science fiction buffs. On the whole, they prefer solitary pursuits, though they do like to be surrounded by a group of unique and unusual friends as this provides endless hours of entertainment in the form of people watching.

     As distracted or wacky as they may sometimes appear to be, underneath all their mad-professor posturing is a brain that operates a bit faster than the norm. Thus, many will listen to what they have to say.

Note 6:  Too bad many DON'T!

And as much as they like to be left alone to go their own way, they truly enjoy both holding court and holding forth. What is ironic is that in their early years, often what they have to say isn’t particularly brilliant, nor is it well thought out. This is because their stubborn adherence to their own ideas and methods and their need for freedom keep them from doing the work of a real scholar. It may take being laughed out of the auditorium a few times before they begin to realize it is time to get serious. Unfortunately, such an experience may be the only thing that will help them shift their perspective to develop some goals. In their yearning for recognition, they will finally settle into the self-imposed discipline required to be true lifelong students rather than mere dilettantes.

     They must devote themselves to an area of expertise and to learn about it slowly, deliberately, and carefully. Applying a bit of determination will be necessary, since they are easily thrown off course. They are called to study the work of those who have gone before, understand the underlying principles or laws of their field, and immerse themselves in their subject so that they make it their own. They are not expected to simply memorize material or swallow it whole but must cultivate the patience to do the groundwork before they can launch their own theories or make their own contributions. It is only then that they will come to be viewed and respected as authorities on a given topic.

     Often they are able to relate to many different points of view in an argument. While this gives them a tremendous ability to assimilate and integrate huge amounts of information, they must choose one point of view. Happiness comes to them when they find principles or ideals they can identify with and live their lives by. They must move out of their theories and fantasies and bring ideas into some sort of reality for themselves. In so doing, they move closer to their goal, which is to come to understand who they are as individuals. Usually they are not really sure of who they are or what they stand for. By carefully considering what ideas or fields are attractive to them, choosing a subject or point of view, observing themselves as they engage in the process of study, and being self-aware throughout, they will come to understand who they really are. In some ways, they are, in reality, studying themselves. It is by looking in the mirror of the abstract truths they embrace that these individuals will come to see themselves, perhaps for the first time. Thus, they individuate through the process of acquiring knowledge. As they move from their universal concerns or ideas and learn to personalize them, they will discover their own myth. This becomes their heroic quest as they reconnect their core self to some greater purpose. They will stop assuming the role of know-it-all and become the voice of quiet, confident authority. From such a stance, they are bound to attract attention.

     For such self­-confident, independent personalities, it may be torture to follow strict guidelines or rules, but their success depends on their developing the discipline required to do just that. What motivates them most powerfully is their need to master a topic or field. Many are quiet, unassuming individuals who may not be consciously aware of where they are headed. Although many are self­taught, sooner or later they will find it necessary to subject themselves to the rigorous requirements of a teacher, school, or other institution. It should be noted that they can be found in all walks of life, not just academia. On the other hand, they may find it difficult to buckle down to the absolute authority of a teacher or discipline. Instilling calm and respect for authority in themselves may prove daunting, but without these traits they will find it difficult or impossible to progress.

     With maturity, they often enjoy the security that the group or institution to which they belong brings them. Often they forsake early radicalism and become quite traditional, even conservative. For many, the structure afforded them by an institution gives them the time and facilities they need to pursue their work without interruption. One danger, of course, for them is that they may retreat from the world and become increasingly isolated from it. Stuffiness and pedantry are pitfalls to be avoided. Also, overblown ego and pride may be a problem, in the sense that they identify with their expertise in a given field so much that they ignore other points of view and become increasingly rigid or conceited.

     These individuals are likely to encounter at least one mentor or teacher in their lives, but ultimately such a figure, although revered, may have to be surpassed or rejected so that their own authority can be established without question. Feeling competitive with others, particularly when beginning their studies, will help them sharpen their ambitions but will have to be dropped at a certain point when it becomes counterproductive.

     These people are rarely sidetracked from their studies by too much human interaction. Having one faithful friend, fellow student, or coworker with whom they can share their joys and sorrows is usually all they require. Their preoccupation with their work or craft may prove problematic in love affairs or marriages. Still, many may be able to develop a stable domestic situation with an understanding mate and children, as long as their autocratic tendencies do not run out of hand. The extended family unit may prove the significant social point of interaction for them, and a lasting relationship with one parent or sibling can be highly beneficial and stabilizing.

     In describing those born during the Way of Study, one is reminded of the lives of certain spiritual masters, such as Buddha or Mohammed, who gave up involvement with the material aspects of life to penetrate more deeply into the meaning of life through prayer, fasting, and meditation. Only then were they ready to receive their deepest and most profound revelations. Similarly, these folks must, to an extent, isolate themselves and go inward in order to devote themselves to mastering their subject, only to shine the more brightly when they emerge.

Personality

        Rebelliousness and frustration may stand in the way of the higher development of those born during the Week of the Natural who make their way along the Way of Study. Though capable of finding the level of focus and dedication implied here, they will have to address their rather uncomfortable or ambiguous relationship with authority in general before they allow themselves to become authorities in a particular area. While they may fancy themselves entirely too fun-loving and adventurous to embark on a journey of apprenticeship or study in any given field, once they do so, they will find their efforts beautifully rewarded with a sense of security and grounding that may be otherwise lacking. Coming to better terms with their subject will surely put them into a better relationship with themselves, and once they allow illumination and enlightenment to shine through the lens of expertise, they are likely to enjoy the trip immensely.

Thursday, July 09, 2015

Spike and Emma - The Mother and Daughter of Degrassi



Is it just me, or has MTV Canada suddenly turned into the Degrassi channel?

I ask this question because I had a day off recently and the heat and humidity in the air made it dang near impossible to go outside for any longer than a few minutes at a time without feeling uncomfortable, so I stayed in my air conditioned comfort zone and watched some television.

I knew that MTV had stopped playing music videos some fifteen years ago, so when my channel surfing exercise happened to stop on MTV, I didn't expect there to be much music playing at all.

But imagine my surprise when I was looking at the program guide and I saw that every second or third program was "Degrassi Junior High", "Degrassi High", Degrassi: The Next Generation", and "Degrassi".  I was actually shocked that they didn't include "The Kids of Degrassi Street" in that mix.  Seriously, other than the occasional showing of "Catfish", "Teen Mom", and really old reruns of "Breaker High", the network is all Degrassi, all the time.

Oh, MTV...how the once mighty has fallen.



But let's look at the bright side to all of this.  Degrassi - whether you liked it or not - is one of Canada's longest running television shows.  The original series ran for four seasons from 1987-1991, and had a wrap-up television movie entitled "School's Out" in 1992.  Nine years later, the second reboot of the series began, and as of 2015 has just concluded its fourteenth season. 

And I can definitely see why Degrassi has so much staying power.  It's a show that a lot of teenagers could relate to because the students of Degrassi Junior High - which later became Degrassi High - which later became Degrassi Community School - all had the same problems we did (only theirs were often more dramatic).  The show tackled lots of issues that some deemed controversial, such as drug abuse, teenage sex, censorship, and violence, and I certainly appreciated the fact that the show tackled these issues head on, rather than trying to candy coat them to a dumbed down audience.

While I have to admit that I liked the original series better than the revamp, there are merits to both versions.  And in this edition of the blog, I thought I would put the focus on two stars of the Degrassi universe.  One was a featured player in the original Degrassi, and the other was a star in the new generation.

But these two people are linked together, forever bonded by one careless moment in 1987 in which the original Degrassi character became pregnant with the new Degrassi character.  Who knew that both girls would have such an impact on their respective classes?



This is the story of Christine "Spike" Nelson and her daughter Emma Nelson.



Now, by all accounts, Spike was a fantastic student at Degrassi Junior High and was widely regarded as a role model for her classmates.  She certainly got better grades than Joey Jeremiah or Wheels, and she was quite popular, having befriended the Degrassi twins, Erica and Heather, Caitlin Ryan, and Lucy Fernandez.



And you have to admit that she had the very best hair in the whole school.  Though you know those holes in the ozone layer that were found in the early 1990s?  I bet Spike caused them all to appear, and I reckon that she's the reason why Woolco, Zellers, and Shoppers Drug Mart had a hair spray shortage throughout Degrassi's entire run!

Anyway, Spike had a bit of a relationship going on with a guy named Shane, and Spike and Shane decided that at one of Lucy's blowout parties that they would sneak into one of the guest bedrooms and...well...you know.  It was a moment of pure passion between two eighth graders at Degrassi Junior High.  And neither one ever thought to bring any protection in case something happened.



Well, something did happen.  Spike got pregnant.  And at fourteen years old, she had absolutely no idea what she was going to do.  She herself had been born to a teenage mother, and she knew first hand how hard her own mother struggled to raise her.  Spike even considered giving the baby up for adoption, or even have an abortion, but in her heart, she knew it wasn't the right choice for her.

And Spike had to deal with a lot during her whole pregnancy.  Even though Shane wanted to do what was right, his strict family essentially put an end to the relationship between him and Spike.  And Spike was even temporarily thrown out of Degrassi Junior High because hypersensitive parents believed that Spike set a bad example for the rest of the students.  But Spike fought hard to complete her eighth grade year, and gave birth to Emma the following summer after going into labour at the Degrassi graduation dance.

Of course, being a fifteen year old single mother was no easy task for Spike.  Sure, she did have Shane giving her child support for a little while, but when he did drugs at a Gourmet Scum concert, jumped off a bridge, and suffered permanent brain damage as a result of the fall, Spike was left to raise Emma on her own.  Certainly she did have help from Erica, Heather, and new friend Liz, but she found it hard to balance her life as a mother with a social life and schoolwork.  She nearly flunked ninth grade as a result, but a pep talk from Ms. Avery convinced Spike to enroll in summer school to get her grades up.

And when Spike entered Degrassi High, life had settled down for her.  She did have a bit of a crush on Snake, but at the time, it didn't really work out for her, and she graduated from Degrassi High with no love interest and a three year old daughter.



Who knew that ten years later, that Spike's daughter Emma would become a student at Degrassi herself?



Now, by the time Emma attended seventh grade at Degrassi Community School, the school had become one for grades 7-12.  And Emma had firm friendships with Manny Santos, J.T. Yorke, Toby Isaacs, and Liberty Van Zandt established.  Of course, while Spike had to deal with teen pregnancy, Emma had to deal with some serious issues herself.



Heck, in her very first episode, she met someone in an online chat room and unwisely decided to meet him alone in a hotel room.  When her sixteen year old crush ended up being a thirty something creep, Emma found herself in a very serious situation, but thanks to Toby, Emma was rescued just in time.

Emma also has gotten into trouble for standing up for what she believed in, such as staging a food fight to make a point about GMO's, or embarrassing Mr. Raditch with her environmental campaigns.

Emma also tried to reunite with her father, Shane, but when Emma realized that Shane was still messed up, she realized that there was a good reason why Spike initially kept Shane away - she didn't want Shane to accidentally hurt Emma.

Oh, did I mention that Emma was nearly shot in a school shooting at Degrassi?  Luckily for Emma, Sean Cameron (her on-again, off-again boyfriend for the first six seasons of the show) managed to save her by turning the gun on the gunman himself.

And while Emma managed to avoid getting pregnant in her teen years (though interestingly enough her two friends Manny and Liberty did), she did contract gonorrhea from a guy named Jay Hogart. 

All in all, Emma and Spike did find their happily ever afters.  Spike and Snake rekindled a friendship which eventually blossomed into romance, and they got married in the second season of the Degrassi reboot.  Though Snake did have a brief affair with another teacher at Degrassi, Spike forgave him and as of season fourteen, the two are still married.

And while Emma had a hard time settling down with one guy (I think she had four boyfriends during the whole time she was on the show), she ended up marrying Gavin "Spinner" Mason.  As of 2015, I believe the two are still together, but we don't know for sure as Emma's last appearance on the show was five years ago.



No matter what though, Spike and Emma both had a tumultuous school life...but despite that, they got through it together.  And that makes both of them true Degrassi legends in their own right.

Wednesday, July 08, 2015

Random Ramblings On Interior Design

July 8, 2015



I honestly don't even remember the last piece of furniture that I ever bought.  I want to say that it was probably a set of shelves that I use to store my DVD and Blu-Ray collection - which would have probably been a year ago.

Okay, I also bought a television last year as well, but I don't think that really counts as I don't really consider electronic devices to be furniture.  They're more like...a luxury.  Yeah, that's it.

The point is, I wouldn't even have the first clue as to what to look for in a great piece of furniture.  Truth be told, I don't even think I've set foot inside of a furniture store in close to fifteen years.

Now, part of the reason for this is mostly financial based.  My family could never afford brand new furniture, so we always ended up with second hand stuff. 

(Not that there was anything wrong with second hand stuff.  Some of the stuff that we ended up getting was quite nice!)

And it probably didn't help matters much that one of the most talked about furniture places in town was one that my family had boycotted since the year 1986.  Less said about that one, the better.  Although if you go back to the retrospective that I did all throughout the month of May and click on the one dated for my 5th birthday, you can see the reason why the boycott was implemented.

I guess over the years, it didn't really matter much about where our furniture came from.  None of our stuff ever matched, but then, we were the type of family that never really cared about that.  If we had a burnt orange couch and a bluish grey side chair in the same room, it didn't matter to us at all, so long as it was comfortable and functional.  Besides, every single home that I have lived in was a rental and we were never really allowed to decorate the rooms in any sort of way whatsoever. 

As a result, our home always looked like something that came out of "Pee-Wee's Playhouse" - a hodge podge of different pieces of furniture which mixed up the traditional with the modern.  Only at our house could you have a coffee table from the 1980's, a rocking chair from the 1970's, a stereo from the 1960's, and a dresser drawer that we think was from the 1920's, but we don't know for sure because we are terrible at identifying pieces.

In fact, I have to give my father a lot of credit.  Some of the things we owned he refinished or even built himself.  My very first comic book shelf was built by my dad all the way back in 1992/93.  Of course, I only had that shelf for about ten years before I accumulated too many books and had to upgrade.

All in all, we did the best we could to make sure that our home was what we made of it.  Sure, it would never win any awards or be featured on an episode of "LifeStyles of the Rich and Famous" or "MTV Cribs", but it was home.

And now that I am going to be getting the keys to my own home in just a week's time, I have my doubts that any of this is really going to change.  I am definitely not looking interested in having a showroom ready living space.  I'm a bit of a slob and I can't function in rooms that are too neat and too clean.  Whenever I watched "Full House", I wanted to go through the Tanner household and mess it up by throwing papers around and ripping open the couch cushions and throwing feathers all over the living room!

Of course, Danny Tanner would have a coronary in the middle of the living room, but...hey, some may consider that an added bonus!

However, one thing that will likely change as a result of moving into my new place is the fact that for the first time in my whole life, I will have complete control over how it is going to look.  I can choose paint colours and wall designs, and placement of furniture items. 

And, I suppose that in a way, because it's my own place...I kind of want to take care of it for as long as possible...have it be my own personal sanctuary for ten, twenty, heck, even fifty years from now. 

So, I guess what I am trying to say is this.  I'm a terrible planner when it comes to home decor and I need some help.  Desperate help! 

After all...it is my first home.  I kind of want it to be incredibly, but comforting.  And, well, I don't know if I need the Trading Spaces crew, or the While You Were Out crew, or one of those Queer Eyes for The Straight Guy people to come to my new place to help me put it together, but any ideas you can give me, I would gladly accept!

Okay.  That is all.  Continue with what you were doing.

Tuesday, July 07, 2015

July 7, 1983

The first Tuesday Timeline for July is here, and I have to say that this could be one of the last ones that I get to do for a while.  With the big move fast approaching, I don't know when my hiatus from here will take place, or how long it is going to last.  When I know, I will update you all.

And for those Tuesday Timelines I end up missing this year, I will have to make them up next year at some point.  Again, I have no idea when this hiatus will start, so bear with me here.

For now, let's take a look at what happened in the world on the seventh day of the seventh month.

1456 - A quarter-century after she was burned at the stake, Joan of Arc is acquitted of heresy charges

1777 - American forces retreating from Fort Ticonderoga during the American Revolutionary War are defeated in the Battle of Hubbardton

1863 - The first military draft is enacted by the United States - exemptions cost a whopping three hundred dollars!

1865 - Four people who were conspirators in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln are hanged

1898 - William McKinley signs the Newlands Resolution, annexing Hawaii as a territory of the United States - it would become the fiftieth official state just 61 years later

1911 - Open-water seal hunting is banned in the United States, Russia, Great Britain, and Japan following the signing of the North Pacific Fur Seal Convention of 1911

1919 - Jon Pertwee (d. 1996) - the Third Doctor - is born in Chelsea, London

1928 - Sliced bread becomes available for purchase for the first time

1930 - Henry J. Kaiser begins construction on the structure that would come to be known as the Hoover Dam

1941 - Beirut is occupied by Free France and British troops during World War II

1946 - Howard Hughes nearly loses his life after accidentally crashing an aircraft prototype in the middle of Beverly Hills, California

1947 - The supposed crash of an alien aircraft takes place in Roswell, New Mexico

1953 - Che Guevara sets out on a trip through seven countries within Central and South America

1954 - Elvis Presley makes his radio debut on WHBQ Memphis

1973 - Actress/singer Veronica Lake passes away at the age of 50

1980 - The Safra massacre takes place, where 83 Tiger militants are killed during the Lebanese Civil War

1981 - Sandra Day O'Connor is sworn in as the first female member of the United States Supreme Court

1985 - At just seventeen, tennis player Boris Becker becomes the youngest person ever to win Wimbledon

1993 - Lead singer of The Gits Mia Zapata is murdered in Seattle, aged just 27

2005 - Fifty-six people are killed, and another 700 injured when four suicide bombers set off bombs across London's transport system

So, a lot happened on this date.  You know what else happened on July 7?  A lot of celebrity birthdays!  Join me in wishing Doc Severinsen, David McCullough, Ringo Starr, Carmen Duncan, Joe Spano, Jean LeClerc, Shelley Duvall, Billy Campbell, Vonda Shepard, Jennifer Gibney, Mo Collins, Jeremy Kyle, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Carlson, Jorja Fox, Christian Camargo, Lisa Leslie, Kirsten Vangsness, Troy Garity, Michelle Kwan, Ana Kasparian, Julianna Guill, Kaci Brown, and Dylan Sprayberry a very happy birthday today!

So, for today's Tuesday Timeline flashback, I thought that I would go back to a day in which a little girl wrote just one letter to a rather influential public figure at the time, and how her words ended up changing her life in ways that she never thought possible.  And although her life was cut tragically short, she made a huge impact on the world, and she is widely regarded as a hero in the eyes of many people.



The date we're going back to is July 7, 1983.  And the subject of this post happens to be a then eleven-year-old girl from Maine who was nervous about the world and hoped her words would convince people to stop fighting and start talking about how to make the world more peaceful.



Of course, the story of how Samantha Smith became one of the youngest Goodwill ambassadors the United States had ever seen begins a few months before July 7, 1983.  Don't worry.  I'll talk about why this date is so important a little later.

Samantha Smith had always been interested in world current events from a very early age.  She actually wrote a letter to the Queen of England to express her admiration to the monarch when she was five years old!  That's quite impressive, given that when I was five I wanted to write to Oscar the Grouch to ask him why he was always in such a bad mood!

(That story may or may not be true, by the way.  Well, the Oscar story, that is.)

Anyway, the story that leads up to the events of July 7, 1983 begins a few months earlier in November 1982.  At that time, there was a lot of tension going on with the United States and the Soviet Union as the threat of the "Cold War" lingered in the air.  It was one of the biggest fears of the world at the time - believing that if both nations went to war with each other, it would cause a nuclear armageddon that would bake our planet from the inside out, ending life as we knew it forever.  It certainly was a very scary time, and I suppose I was grateful to have been too young to understand just how much of a threat the Cold War really was.  And even though the Cold War officially ended in 1991, as long as nuclear weapons exist, that threat still remains in place.



Well, in 1982, when Smith was just ten years old, she decided to try and make an impact.  She composed a letter to the newly elected General Secretary of the Communist Part of the Soviet Union, Yuri Andropov, in an effort to fully understand why relations between the United States and the Soviet Union were so strained.

This is a copy of the very letter that Smith wrote in November 1982;

Dear Mr. Andropov,
My name is Samantha Smith. I am ten years old. Congratulations on your new job. I have been worrying about Russia and the United States getting into a nuclear war. Are you going to vote to have a war or not? If you aren't please tell me how you are going to help to not have a war. This question you do not have to answer, but I would like to know why you want to conquer the world or at least our country. God made the world for us to live together in peace and not to fight.
Sincerely,
Samantha Smith


Of course, few expected Andropov to respond to the letter at all.  Certainly it had been published in a Soviet based newspaper - Pravda - in 1983.  But when Smith had not gotten a response from Andropov himself, she took it upon herself to write another letter to the Soviet Union's Ambassador to the United States to see if he had gotten the letter.

Not only had Andropov gotten the letter, but he had taken the time to write Samantha a letter of his own.  This was the letter that Samantha received in April 1983.

Dear Samantha,
I received your letter, which is like many others that have reached me recently from your country and from other countries around the world.
It seems to me – I can tell by your letter – that you are a courageous and honest girl, resembling Becky, the friend of Tom Sawyer in the famous book of your compatriot compatriot Mark Twain. This book is well known and loved in our country by all boys and girls.
You write that you are anxious about whether there will be a nuclear war between our two countries. And you ask are we doing anything so that war will not break out.
Your question is the most important of those that every thinking man can pose. I will reply to you seriously and honestly.
Yes, Samantha, we in the Soviet Union are trying to do everything so that there will not be war on Earth. This is what every Soviet man wants. This is what the great founder of our state, Vladimir Lenin, taught us.
Soviet people well know what a terrible thing war is. Forty-two years ago, Nazi Germany,, which strove for supremacy over the whole world, attacked our country, burned  and destroyed many thousands of our towns and villages, killed millions of Soviet men, women and children.
In that war, which ended with our victory, we were in alliance with the United States: together we fought for the liberation of many people from the Nazi invaders. I hope that you know about this from your history lessons in school. And today we want very much to live in peace, to trade and cooperate with all our neighbors on this earth — with those far away and those near by. And certainly with such a great country as the United States of America.
In America and in our country there are nuclear weapons — terrible weapons that can kill millions of people in an instant. But we do not want them to be ever used. That's precisely why the Soviet Union solemnly declared throughout the entire world that never — never — will it it use nuclear weapons first against any country. In general we propose to discontinue further production of them and to proceed to the the abolition of all the stockpiles on Earth.
It seems to me that this is a sufficient answer to your second question: 'Why do you want to wage war against the whole world or at least the United States?' We want nothing of the kind. No one in our country–neither workers, peasants, writers nor doctors, neither grown-ups nor children, nor members of the government–want either a big or 'little' war.
We want peace — there is something that we are occupied with: growing wheat, building and inventing, writing books and flying into space. We want peace for ourselves and for all peoples of the planet. For our children and for you, Samantha.
I invite you, if your parents will let you, to come to our country, the best time being this summer. You will find out about our country, meet with your contemporaries, visit an international children's camp – Artek – on the sea. And see for yourself: in the Soviet Union, everyone is for peace and friendship among peoples.
Thank you for your letter. I wish you all the best in your young life.
Y. Andropov


And, on July 7, 1983, Smith and her family were invited to stay in the Soviet Union for two weeks as Andropov's personal guests - which of course lead to a complete media circus in both the United States and the Soviet Union.  Before she left on her trip to the Soviet Union, Smith was interviewed by Ted Koppel and Johnny Carson, and she was the focus of network news reports for several weeks leading up to the trip.  In the Soviet Union, the news coverage was just as extensive.



And according to Smith and her family, the experience of visiting the Soviet Union was a positive one.  She was absolutely stunned at how friendly and open the people of Leningrad and Moscow were and declared at a press conference that the people of the Soviet Union were "just like us".  And when she visited Artek, Smith insisted on staying in the dormitories with the other girls in order to fully embrace the culture.  Again, the experience was a positive one, with Smith bonding with the girls and learning Russian songs.

Unfortunately, Andropov was unable to physically meet with the young girl, though he had a good reason.  He had been ill for some time when he had the letter, and he was suffering from renal failure.  He had retreated from the public eye as a result of his illness, but he did take the time to call Smith over the telephone. 



Upon the Smith family's return to Maine on July 22, 1983, Samantha was treated like royalty, and she unofficially earned the title of "America's Youngest Ambassdor".  She even wrote a book about her experiences in the Soviet Union - "Journey To The Soviet Union". 

Keep in mind...she had just turned ELEVEN!

Over the next two years, Smith would go on to Japan where she attended the Children's International Symposium in Kobe, where she made the suggestion that both American and Soviet leaders exchange granddaughters for two weeks each year - her argument being that no leader would want to bomb a country that their own granddaughter was visiting, and her visit helped inspire other children to become goodwill ambassadors for their own nations.  It truly was a beautiful thing to see.

Sadly, Samantha Smith's time on this earth was much too short.  In August 1985, she and her father were killed when their plane crashed in Maine while it was trying to land.  She was only thirteen years old.

But man...what a lot of accomplishments she made in those thirteen years.  A little girl who wrote a letter to the "enemy" soon discovered that maybe they weren't so bad after all.  In fact, maybe Samantha Smith had it right the whole time.  Sure, her ideas were formed from the brain of a child.  But sometimes it takes a child to get people to truly listen.



In this case, it took a child to get two nations to listen to a message of peace and goodwill.