Thursday, July 19, 2007

more Madiba

Stephanie Nolen, hands down the Globe and Mail's best journalist, wrote a moving cover piece on Mandela's newest humanitarian foray: the Elders. You can listen to Peter Gabriel's Biko here. I love the use of the word gooey.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

pa Afrika


Happy Birthday Nelson Mandela!


Today is one of my favourite days of the year. If you ever have the opportunity to be in South Africa on Madiba's birthday, it's a humbling experience. The love that South Africans feel for this man will warm the coldest heart of the most cynical political pundit. In Canada, the closest we have may be our feelings towards Trudeau or Pearson. Mandela's one of the few leaders the world has. All of the icons are gone, but he still stands - fist raised, 1000 watt smile beaming across his grandpa face.


In other news, Wooster reminded me of a crazy email forward I received a couple years back. The email subject was "I love Africa" and had a bunch of photo attachments depicting every day African life: donkeys pulling half trucks, petrol stations closed due to gas shortages and dudes taking their hyenas for a walk. Check out Pieter Hugo's exhibition for more hyena action.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

mr sun sun, mr golden sun, please shine down on me

Summer's finally here. Yum.

I knew it was coming when I went to the beach with my grama on Canada day. We oild up with Hawaiian Tropic and talked about travelling. Then, she accidentally flashed her boobs while trying to get a strapless tan. She's leathery, I'm on my way. I have a lot to look forward to.

Or maybe its the permanent scent of coconut, spf and BBQ wafting through English Bay.

Or maybe its the colony of freckles sprouting on my shoulders, belley and knees.

Or the crazy temperature surge.

Perhaps it's the fabulous afternoon I spent at 3rd beach with Elly. The water was cold cold cold. It's also cloudy, filled with seaweed and floating log remnants but gaddam its refreshing. The lady that passed out at the concession should've spent more time in the dirty old Pacific. The boy swears there's sewage in the water at 3rd beach. That won't stop me from going today.

I sold a story to our national newswire and now it's in Thunder Bay.

Only 15 more days until surfing in Tofino!