What a great time to be sick!

I woke up today with chills and a fever. Lovely! I have this week off and it's not how I planned to spend my time...lying in bed and nauseated. Hope to be well enough to enjoy New Years.

I guess I shouldn't be complaining after what has happened in Asia. Holy crap!

Introducing...

...Winter! You guys miss me?

Respect

We could debate endlessly about the leniency in the punishment given to Todd Bertuzzi in his assault on Steve Moore...about why there have been so many murders in Toronto over the past month...about how kids do whatever they want in school without fear of reproachment...about why there has been so many incidents of racism in Europe relating to soccer. It all boils done to one word...RESPECT! No one has respect for anybody or anything anymore. What have you without respect?

photography

The rare Melanie posting!

Does everyone wish they were a photographer? I was reading another blog I came across on the Web (www.polemics.ca) and ended up scrolling through every single one of his posted photographs. I don't know what it is about good photography, but it really has the ability to provoke an emotional response...for me anyway. I would love to be able to do something like that.

But cameras are expensive.
And you need talent.
And I suppose for every great shot, there are 50 that weren't so great.
Oh well.

Melanie

Queen is back with Paul Rogers

I just heard on the radio that Queen will be touring in 2005. Their new singer will be Paul Rogers. He used to sing in Free and Bad Company. Should be interesting to see what happens.

Hold the tomatoes

One Burger King restaurant in Regina is not purchasing tomatoes as condiments for their burgers rather than buy sub-par tomatoes.

"Due to weather-related crop damage, there is a nationwide shortage of tomatoes that meet our high standards. We are currently out of tomatoes. Our sincerest apologies for this inconvenience," reads a sign at the Burger King order counter at Park Street and Victoria Avenue.

According to Mark Drouin with the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, the extreme hurricane season in Florida pounded tomato crops, causing a shortage of supply and an increase in prices.

Okay...Burger King being choosy...with all the condiments fast-food burgers have on them, you wouldn't notice if they slipped a piece of styrofoam in there, never mind a sub-par tomato. Whatever! The article this news piece came keeps on referring to tomatoes as a fruit. I thought it was a vegetable.

Follow-up to Ukraine Election

As mentioned in an earlier blog, it appears Ukraine's opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned in an attempt to kill him during election campaigning in September, a British daily reported, quoting the doctor who oversaw his treatment.

"This is no longer a question for discussion," Doctor Korpan said. "We are now sure that we can confirm which substance caused this illness. He received this substance from other people who had a specific aim." Asked if the aim had been to kill him, Korpan said: "Yes, of course."

Proof that Yushchenko was deliberately poisoned would be a devastating blow for his rival, the prime minister, Viktor Yanukovich, as the two candidates prepare for a repeat of a presidential run-off on December 26.

Hardee's Monster Thickburger

This burger, from an Amercian fast-food chain, is not for the diet-conscious. Read the image below for the death-defying stats.


Must taste so good though

Vivian Road Rocks!

Our band, Vivian Road, played a retrospective of 17 rock hits for our friends and family on December 4, 2004. The concert went off without a hitch and the approximate crowd of 120 had a great time. Thanks to everyone who attended as well as the opening band Hades (great job boys). We'll keep you posted with news of our next gig in the Spring. Hope to see you all then!

Songs we played:
• Supersonic/Oasis • What I Like About You/The Romantics
• Hard Day's Night/The Beatles • Misunderstood/Bon Jovi • Rockin' Me/Steve Miller
• 6th Avenue Heartache/The Wallflowers • Don't Go Away/Oasis
• Can't You See/Marshall Tucker Band • Sweet Home Alabama/Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Pink Houses/John Cougar • Keep Your Hands to Yourself/Georgia Satellites
• Take It Easy/The Eagles • Wanted Dead or Alive/Bon Jovi • Shine/Collective Soul
• Get Free/The Vines • When I'm Gone/3 Doors Down
• Love Removal Machine/The Cult


The Band

Whenever you're in doubt, ask yourself...

Cool it!

Alter Bridge

The new CD by Alter Bridge, formerly known as Creed, is rockin! The new singer, Myles Kennedy, was in the movie Rock Star. Near the end when Mark Wahlberg's character leaves the band, he pulls up a guy from the crowd who sings just like him...that's Myles Kennedy.

They still have that heavy guitar sound and the drumming really stands out. This might be the sleeper band of the year.

Lucky Strike leaves no spares

Last night I attended the grand opening of Lucky Strike, a bowling alley in the new Vaughan Mills mall. They had free snacks and drinks from 7-10 pm. Let me say that again ... free food and booze!! It was a great night. The bowling alley is pretty cool. It has your regular lanes but with couches to sit on instead of chairs and a lounge area with big screen TVs. In the second half of the alley is a big bar with tables and comfy booths. It's a bowling alley for the 21st century. Give it a shot!