Valuable Resource

http://websearch.about.com/od/invisibleweb/a/invisible_web.htm

For anyone who does any amount of research this may be of interest. About half way down the page (that this links to) they begin to list a number of search engines which go beyond what you would typically access through using Google or Wikipedia. There are some specialty sites for humanities topics.

I'm off to nose around some more.

Preview....

... buy ..... or download.

Still on the topic of Leonard Cohen. Here's a link to AOL's Spinner where you can play entire albums. This is my first ever visit here so I know very little about it. All I know is that I'm three songs into Cohen's current release, 'Live In London', and enjoying it. How long it will be posted, I have no idea. I'm planning to buy the DVD anyway.

http://www.spinner.com/new-releases#/2

Remember a month or so ago I was hassling a local columnist about his writing?? It was through his blog post that I found this link for Spinner. I've tried this week to begin a dialogue with the guy but so far without success. No more barbed comments to his blog; I've reformed, honest!

Update: Obama's Playlist

The final selections were announced Tuesday morning for the 49 songs chosen for the compilation to be sent to Barack Obama by CBC Radio 2 and their listeners. A little inauguration present from north of the 49th parallel. The list can be seen here: http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/obamasplaylist/

You are able to hear sound clips of each song and go on to purchase them from iTunes if you wish to.

A few of them I heard for the first time during the submission and voting period but I'll note a few faves here:
This is probably the most recent release and one that carries quite a message -'Brother (Watching) by Shad, a hip-hop artist.
One of Leonard Cohen's most sardonic and compelling songs - 'Democracy'.
The Oscar Peterson Trio performing - 'Hymn To Freedom'.
#1 personal favourite tied most closely to 'good times' memories of being up north enjoying the cottage - 'Bobcaygeon' by The Tragically Hip.

Apparently CBC received over 100,000 messages in regard to this by way of song submissions and the voting procedure. Nice to see so many engaged in the process. Enjoy Mr. Obama!!

Movies

I thoroughly enjoyed watching 'My First Mister' (2001) the other night. Here's a short synopsis: link. It's a good story with strong leads played by Leelee Sobieski and Albert Brooks. The supporting cast includes Carol Kane and John Goodman. Give it half an hour and it will draw you in. Oh, loved the soundtrack, too.

Tonight I tried watching the third of the films I'd been loaned - 'Cinema Paradiso' - which earned an Oscar for Best Foreign Film. I gave it 45 minutes and wasn't even vaguely interested in the characters or story. I find the production values of European films to be very different to Hollywood standards - a sweeping generalization, I know. In this film I found the direction and acting awful, cinematography and editing poor and the sound recording bad. With a review like that I'll just bet you're anxious to run out and rent it - not!!

What's New??

Well, my work week began on Sunday night and each morning the drive home has been a harrowing, white-knuckle experience. Black as pitch on mostly rural roads; roads so covered in snow that I couldn't make out where the centre line or shoulder were; spots so icy it was like skating; aggressive drivers who have no respect for the laws of physics. Arrggghhh!!! Man! Weather! You name it; we've had it. Driving rain, sleet, freezing rain, lots of snow, fog..... the whole shebang. When I got up this afternoon there was rare and glorious sunshine so, in my tracks, a t-shirt, slippers and my robe I sat with a coffee and basked on the steps outside our kitchen door and enjoyed the rays. Beautiful!

Just outside a moment ago checking out the almost full moon and noticed Jupiter and Venus are slowly trackinng further apart in the southern sky.

Here at work the guys have been quiet this week - a good, focused group intent on recovery - and no one in crisis or with other serious health concerns. It makes my job a lot easier. It has also allowed me time to watch a couple of movies - something I rarely do on the job, perhaps 4 or 5 times a year.

I posted about having rented a particular one and Amuirin from Stop & Wander directed me to a post about it she recalled having seen written by Quoin Monkey over at red Ravine. 'It' being, 'I'm Not There', the Dylan biopic. After having watched the movie I headed to red Ravine to check out the post and it made it a fuller experience for me getting other perspective on what I'd seen. Of the 6 portrayals I was most impressed by Cate Blanchett's performance - we're talking Oscar caliber acting here. Definitely not to all tastes but I would likely watch it again (to see what I missed the first time in this multi-layered production). Thanks to Quoin Monkey for a great post and to all her commenters as well - see QM's post here: http://redravine.wordpress.com/2007/12/06/im-not-there-the-6-faces-of-dylan/

When I dropped those movies back at the store I grabbed one that Amuirin had referred to months ago; I recognized the image on the cover and recalled the name - 'The Visitor'. This one wouldn't likely have a wide audience but I really enjoyed it. It's a good story, a good character and plot driven film , well told in a linear fashion. A half hour is spent laying the foundation where you're wondering where this is going.... and it draws you in, pulls you along and succeeds in making you care about the outcome. I won't give any clue to the ending but I left it at home tonight for Lynda to watch. She called and left a message on my cell during our meeting tonight - 'I liked it but you know I don't like movies that end like that. Damn it, why would you recommend I watch it?' Well, I recommend you search it out and watch it, too. And thanks Am for the heads up.

A couple of shout-outs for significant milestones hit by blog buddies. Robin of Bountiful Healing hit the 'Big 5-0' last weekend. Kel from Xfacta and her hubby Mr X celebrated 20 years of wedded bliss yesterday. And over at Stop and Wander, Amuirin's daughter 'S' turned 11 years old!! Happy times!! Congrats all around.

Of the music I borrowed from the library I've listened to just two of them so far. Just finished Leonard Cohen's '10 New Songs' (2001) and enjoyed it. I'll need to have another go with the lyric sheet in front of me to fully appreciate it. The other is a CBC Records recording titled 'African Guitar Summit' (2006) which is simply great; nimbly flying fingers up and down the fretboards. A completely different approach to guitar playing than Western artists. Love it!! More info here: http://www.africanguitarsummit.com/home.shtml

Th-th-th-that's all folks.

The Horror

Careful - you could find this upsetting. Don't read on if you think you might be.

A little background...... When Lynda and I split up early last year - February, I think she lowered the boom - we continued living under the same roof until I was able to move, in July, to the townhouse I bought. That interim period was difficult to say the least but we managed to make it work for the most part pretty successfully. Once I moved I gradually got to know my immediate neighbours and spent some time with them; had a nodding acquaintance with many others in the development. Saw all the usual comings and goings; got to know various people's connection to one another and their schedules. During our time apart we weren't really on our own much and chose to spend most of our free time together either at the house or my place. Eventually we reconciled our differences and I moved back home at the beginning of May this year. When I moved back Lynda's youngest son moved from the house over to the townhouse and set up housekeeping there. Close enough to be handy; distant enough for some separation - like 5 kilometers worth.

Fast forward to today - Just as Lynda and I began to eat dinner we got a call from her son - Moose, as he is affectionately known. 'Can I call you back? We're just eating.' "No - you're going to want to hear this." Looking out the front living room window he had seen a guy sitting on the curb with blood gushing from his neck, soaking him, when a police car came screeching in; sirens screaming; lights flashing. One officer attended to the guy; the other approached the nearest entrance following the blood trail. He is confronted by a guy wielding a knife and is stabbed; draws his gun, warns him to drop the weapon and then shoots him. More police arrive followed by fire trucks and ambulances. Inside they find 2 more men injured, a woman dead plus two children gravely injured. We continued to get periodic updates from Moose throughout the evening and at the height of the episode there were 5 ambulances, 3 fire trucks and 20 police cars. All driveways were taped off and blocked; returning residents were made to park at adjoining properties and escorted to their homes. Apparently now they are down to 5 police cars and 2 forensic vehicles - a 10 ton truck and a Winnebago. It was the lead item on the news at 11. The man wielding the knife was shot dead. The occasion was a family birthday party.

So, enough reportage. While I don't know any of these people involved I am, on an emotional level, completely aghast and appalled; shaken and sorrowed. Things like this are reported all the time and I suppose for myself the 'distance' factor comes into play. Oh, it's in that city down the road or across the continent, or that neighbourhood over there that we've passed through from time to time. A comfort cushion that removes it a comfortable distance away so it doesn't affect me to the same extent. But this incident happened 60 feet from my old front door. 60 feet - my door!! I've seen these folks going about their lives on a daily basis - they've seen me coming and going about my business. Now 2 of them are dead, 2 other adults seriously injured and the children - 3 and 5 years old - stabbed and fighting for their lives. Oh... the children... scarred for life if they make it. Physically , mentally and emotionally. Lord hear my prayers. They were airlifted into Toronto for the best possible care, thankfully.

I don't want to let my mind venture into what happened within that home during those critical minutes - such insanity; such horror; much sorrow. But venture it will, I'm sure.

Homicide - a nice, neat word for bloody murder.

http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_29629.aspx

Upcoming Blog Birthday

Come Monday it will have been two full years since I started this gig - amazing! It came about by stumbling on some folks blogsites and beginning to follow them through their posts. After a couple of months of that I came to the conclusion that hey! I can get in on this too. Away I went.... and here I am.

Along the way I've posted some opinion pieces about the things I care about - a bit about recovery, a fair lot about music and more recently books. (There has also been quite a lot of straight-up day-to-day news that I'm sure is probably pretty boring for some but it keeps me occupied.) I was helped through some difficult times by blog friends - mainly regarding Lynda's and my break-up, time apart and reunion. Good times too - with our grandson Owen and the births of my kid's kids, Zeph and Madison. Through these things I've been fortunate to have made some damned decent friends and I feel fortunate to be a part of this ever growing on-line community. (Seems I've made another friend this week in Martin at hstbooks.com. Hello Ireland!!) You all mean a lot to me and on those occasions where I felt I could be of help, I've tried to be. Lord knows you've helped me.

I never fail to be amazed at the number and variety of talented people 'out there' offering up their work in words, photos and artwork. That and the appreciation, support and encouragement that flies back and forth between parties. Awesome. Maybe I'll dig through my archives to see what all is in there. Whenever I do that I always come across something I had forgotten about ever having written..... surprise, surprise. (Senior's moments already.)

And for anyone interested I'm having my last intended cigarettes tonight - I'm going to try and lay them down for good again. See, one thing I've hated about smoking for the last few years is having to smoke outside in cold weather. I was just outside for one and I bet it is down to 0C/32F out there - freezing!! One more motivating factor, by geez. Wish me luck. BTW - it is a beautiful still clear night. The stars are shimmering like diamond dust on blue-black velvet.