Lord above, at least it was better than “Iron Man 2″. Tony Stark goes out with a bang (at least from the movies, but not from the Avengers), Pepper Potts kicks some serious butt, a kid gets called a pussy, and Jean wonders why Brits and Aussies are better at American accents than Americans are at British ones. Not a total waste of time, but it left me with some ethical dilemmas. (more…)
I have been waiting, and waiting to see this, ever since I heard they were doing a movie of the musical. Les Mis is one of my favourite musicals of all time – I practically know it by heart. Then, of course, after I saw the killer trailer (above), I nearly wept with relief that they (probably) hadn’t screwed it up. What’s my verdict? Read on.
Confession: I’m completely lazy. If I do something, it’s because I enjoy it, not because I feel I should or it’s good for me. So when it comes to physical activity, I have to find something I like and enjoy, or else I won’t do it.
Considering how expensive public transit is getting in T.O., and considering I refuse to drive downtown, the most sensible decision that combines transport and fitness is cycling. And I figure if it’s 2 hours round trip, that’s a pretty excellent fitness regime. In the month or so since I’ve gotten back into it, here are some random cycling notes:
I know I’m one year late, but I just discovered this video this summer. Yes, I know it’s highly probable the original eHarmony video is a hoax, but it’s frickin’ hilarious anyway. After watching this several times (my colleagues this summer were really into it), some things came to mind:
- Jean AAR
Okay, so I was wrong. When I first thought about the Olympics, I imagined I’d catch some gymnastics, some tennis, and some diving. And that’s it. Well, that was before I discovered that not only is CTV streaming events live over the internet – they have about 20 live feeds going. Simultaneously. Which has kind of played havoc with my life, but just after the midway point, what a fantastic Games so far. Here are some bits and bobs from the first 9 days:
We recently put the axe to our cable subscription, thereby saving $500 a year, and one of the questions the cable agent nagged about was didn’t I want to watch the Olympics, at least, and delay the cancellation by a month. Well, no. Not really. But if, as we’ve experienced, there’s a delay in the service actually stopping, then I might actually tune in. For the tennis, and Clara Hughes.
The Summer Games are supposed to be the big ones, the official ones, where we crown fastest man on the planet, and the traditional Greek Olympian field athletics legacies. Shot put! Javelin! High jump! Don’t you remember the days in the sand pit? But me, I was always into spectator sports, and not into athletics. I didn’t care about soccer, really, or baseball, and while I liked gymnastics, it got a bit routine for me. Ice skating, now, was fun. It was drama. And hockey was just the best. So the winter Olympics became a priority in my mind, while the summer games slipped by. (more…)
For the first time in weeks, I’m going to wear pants today. Last night the cold front moved in, I opened the windows, and relished the feeling of being naturally coooooool.
The past two weeks’ heat wave has set records in Toronto, and probably elsewhere in North America. I know I’m lucky to have a) air conditioning, and even if I didn’t I have b) a brick house, which is much better at staying cool. But still, it was pretty disgusting whenever I stepped outside.
I stayed cool the way most people did. Staying in air conditioned areas. Drinking lots of water. Not eating heavy meals (I more or less subsisted on lettuce, and was fine). Wearing a hat and sunblock. But beyond the mundane details, a part of me has started to worry. Is it only going to get worse from here? (more…)
My love for Pixar movies has built very gradually – I was a relatively late bloomer, since the early ones didn’t impress my socks off. But “The Incredibles” was a revelation, and ever since the new Pixar movie in June has become a must-see. (I made an exception for “Cars 2″ – I’m not paying any kind of money for that.) So when “Brave” came out this weekend, I made a beeline for Cineplex. All in all, I’m not disappointed, but I’d definitely consider this one of the “lesser” Pixars. I’m still waiting for Brad Bird to come back. (more…)
This weekend, I saw “The Intouchables”, a movie that has, perhaps inexplicably, become France’s #2 grossing film of all time, and that finally landed in North American theatres this week. I loved it, and I also think it’s a good film. But I can also see why American critics have been alternately scoffing, miffed, grudging, and downright appalled. (more…)
Right now, Sherlock is the only thing I watch on TV. Name any other show, new program, serial, mini-series, and the answer is no. (I tried Downton Abbey, but sorry folks – not interested.) But for Sherlock, I am on tenterhooks. For Sherlock, I could curse the 18-month wait until the next one. I couldn’t wait until Series 2 was broadcast in Canada – the minute it was up on iTunes, I bought it. And I loved it. (more…)
