This lime is dangerous!
This lime is dangerous and was apprehended in the making of a delicious margarita! (photo by Dave)
Filed under Random Musing
The Most Beautiful Book in the World: Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt Book Review
The Most Beautiful Book in the World by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt is quite simply a delightful collection of 8 short stories each one focused on the life of a woman. Translated from French into English most of these stories take place in France. When I had first heard the title of the collection I had jokingly said only a Frenchman would write a book with such a grandiose title.
But this collection turns those kinds of cynical suppositions on its head. In fact, The Most Beautiful Book in the World refers to the last story in the collection where women imprisoned in a Russian gulag collectively write a book for their daughters on cigarette paper with a stolen hidden pencil.
Each story deals with an issue in life whether it be senility, finding or losing love, secrecy, the gift of joy or the pain of loss. I’m not sure if this is because I’m a modern girl or just a cynic at heart but each story always held me at the precipice of cynicism but ultimately led me to an entirely different and wonderfully inspiring place altogether. To accomplish this without yielding to saccharine predictability is a gift.
The writing was different as well. I’m not sure if this is because the work is a translation or because this is the way Schmitt writes but each story has this almost old world, parable feel to them that lends them an oddly timeless quality. Schmitt says he wrote the stories ‘when he was forbidden to write’ during the filming of Odette Toulemonde (also the title of one of my favourite stories in the collection) . But the fact that these are not polished literary gems a la Alice Munro, is also what adds to their charm. Reading these stories is like sitting down to a mid-day snack of excellent french bread, cheese and wine served on a rough hewn table. I loved The Most Beautiful Book in the World.
Filed under Book Reviews
Can Gaming Save the World? Jane McGonigal Ted Talk
Hey, this is an amazing talk. If you have 20 minutes, listen to Jane McGonigal’s talk at the TED conference about how gaming can be used as a powerful tool to help solve some of the world’s most difficult problems. She’s awesome!
Filed under Random Musing
Conversations with My Mother: The Olympics, I love Shaun White.
Rosie: Oh Tessie, I love the Olympics. I watch them day and night.
Tessa: They’re fun, aren’t they?
Rosie: Are you and Dave watching snowboarding? Wow, what a sport.
Tessa: Yeah, it’s amazing….
Rosie: Unbelievable. I like that red haired one. Shaun White. If I had to do it over again, I’d be a snowboarder and go in the Olympics. I would be amazing.
Tessa: You’re already amazing.
Rosie: I know Tessie. What do you think? Do you think he’d come and teach me maybe?
Tessa: Who?
Rosie: That red-haired cutie Shaun.
Tessa: Ohh. Well, I don’t know. If anyone could do it you could. Ask him!
Rosie: I’ll twitter him. (teehee) or whatever you people do to not talk to each other. I’ll be the oldest person on a snowboard. Wowee.
Tessa: He’s old enough to be your grandson, great grandson maybe…didn’t seem to make much difference at your 80th when you tried to run off with the 17 year old Latin waiter….that was the same night you danced until we got thrown out of the restaurant.
Rosie: I know, wasn’t that fun. Well, I have to go now. I’m going shopping at Loblaws…I need to talk to the baker and my friend at the check out.
Tessa: Bye, love you.
Rosie: Bye sweetie. Don’t forget to twitter Shaun.
Filed under Conversations with My Mother
Heineken House for Olympic Dutch revelry or read?
You guessed it! My best intentions were laid to waste when my Dutch speed skating friends tempted me with easy entry to the popular Dutch pavilion Heineken House. Read or revel? Not much guess work there. Revel of course! Ariana and Agatha met us at the door and then left to fraternize with the Dutch pop sensation Gerard Joling(okay he’s their cousin). Diane and I in the mean time, finally found the bar, had ourselves a beverage and threw ourselves into mad arm swinging and dancing in a train. I loved the warm up band the Coronas. Especially the guy who unabashedly played air guitar through out the night with a ski pole. Nice touch! Amidst the sea of orange jerseys and friendly dutch tribes people we danced, laughed and reveled. I’ll move on with the reading campaign this weekend. Oh wait, revellers arriving this evening for the hockey game. Oh well, tomorrow then!
Filed under Random Musing
Stephen Lewis, Johann Olav Koss, Wilfreid Lemke, Benjamin Nzobonankira
Hey everyone,
I went to an amazing event last week at the Chan called Sport, Peace and Development: How Can Sport Contribute to Positive Social Change?. Stephen Lewis, Johann OlavKoss, Wilfreid Lemke and Benjamin Nzobonankira were the guest speakers. The talk is available as a podcast (along with Sport, Ethics and Technology) on the Globe and Mail/Intellectual Muscle web site.
It’s long so grab a massive beverage (coffee let’s say) and be prepared to get inspired.
Filed under Random Musing
Richard Pound: Sport, Ethics and Technology
For those of you interested in Sport, Ethics and Technology this is an excellent discussion led by Richard Pound (former Olympian/and Chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency). He is joined by Dr. Rupert and Beckie Scott on an interesting discussion on what constitutes a fair playing field in sport and how this is being challenged by doping and other technologies.
Have a listen or download here>>
Filed under Random Musing
Right to Play: Stephen Lewis, Johann Olav Koss, Wilfreid Lemke, Benjamin Nzobonankira
I am a wannabe speed skater who belongs to a local short track club. When I found out that former 4 time Olympic Gold speed skater Johann Koss (founder and CEO of the humanitarian organization Right to Play) would be speaking at the Chan Centre I jumped at the opportunity to attend. Anyone interested in the speed skating world would be interested in hearing the legendary athlete speak in person along with Stephen Lewis (no slouch in his own area of expertise and a very inspiring humanitarian as well). Continue reading
Filed under Random Musing
Condofire 