Toronto is cool

Saw Scott Pilgrim Takes On The World with two of my boys last night.  Going in, it had pretty much everything against it: my guys insisted we sit in the second row, so my vision was blurry and my neck was hurting before the trailers had concluded; the place was insanely packed with unfortunate tattoo/piercing decisions, due it being that half-price Tuesday night scam, and my well-documented misanthropy was therfore in fullest bloom; and I didn’t know diddley-squat about the movie, or what to expect.  Zero, zippo, zilch.

But it was awesome. Awesome, Canada!

Martial arts, punk rock, quirky dialogue and a bizarro plot line: I mean, seriously, what more could you want? Well, how about it being proudly in, around and about Toronto? Now, that takes serious balls.

Anyway, I recommend it highly.  It achieves the near-impossible, and makes Toronto cool.  For that, it deserves the Order of Canada.


Little Timmy Hudak’s revolving door

Received from a reader:

“Hudak’s director of communications David Tarrant and Marissa Steiner have just quit the OLO. That brings the number of people who have bailed out to 12 since he became leader. This does not include people who were purged when he took over. It includes only people he kept after becoming leader or brought in himself.

  • Jen Reid*
  • Ari Laskin*
  • Claudia Paolini
  • Pina Martino
  • Debbie Oskie
  • Tom Simpson*
  • Frank Iusi
  • Allan Williams
  • Laryssa Wailer
  • Greg Medulun*

* Hudak leadership campaign

Add to that Shaun Francis who recently resigned as PC Ontario Fund chair and something is clearly wrong in Hudakland.”


D@AL: Dragonfly At Arm’s Length

It was an average week at the cottage: I nearly broke a finger, there was a sensational thunder storm that washed away the pathway, the new puppy drank lake water and got totally sick, we tubed over the speed limit, my sons beat each other senseless with regularity, my daughter read a telephone book-sized vampire novel daily, and so on.  The usual.

And then, one afternoon, this Mutual of Omaha’s Reviled Kingdom moment: two dragonflies in a battle to the death. With an ending that will make you lose your head.  Or your lunch.

This one is going viral on the Interweeb, I predict.  Someone is going to write a thesis about it.


In Belleville

Got to Chapters/Starbucks with one mother, one daughter, three sons, two Labs, and lots of stuff. Driving rain, Hellish, etc.

Guy at counter, checking through the stack of snowboarding/dirtbiking/punk/vampire magazines/books, and apparently knowing who I am: “You on Iggy’s tour this Summer?”

Me: “I wish.”

Pause.

Me: “Oh. You meant Ignatieff. I meant Iggy Pop.”


Off the grid

Up at the cabin with three sons, one daughter, one Mom, and two labs. Barring any events of significant significance, this space will be off the grid for a while.

Have a safe and happy week.