St. Patrick's Day Should Be A National Holiday

Sure, the percentage of people in Canada with Irish roots is probably not all that high, and I would guess that it is dwindling year to year, but why the heck not? I realize that Easter is only a week or so away. I am not a fan of Easter, I don't get it, yet another commercialized Christian holiday, what the heck does a rabbit have to do with the death, and then reappearance of a quasi-fictional religious prophet??? I respect those Christians who feel that the whole Easter event is a significant event,and sure let them celebrate it, a holiday is a holiday is a holiday. But why the bunny? The whole pagan/Christian mishmash of holidays always confused me, throw in capitalism and it just appears to me to be yet another Hallmark and chocolate cabal cash grab, tacky to the extreme.

Yes, there is a lot of kitsch attached to St. Patrick's Day, hell its really no more than excuse for those with Irish roots, and those without to go and drink, green beer, or pretend to enjoy Guinness. But at least there is joy in the celebration, there is a feeling of togetherness on St. Paddy's that is not seen in holidays that have a religious attachment. Everyone is Irish on March 17th, why keep them from a pub?

Euro-trip Post Script

It would be silly for me to say that I am having a hard time readjusting to Canadian life, I wasn't gone all the long, and truth be told, things haven't changed at all since I have left. Mid January in Annapolis Royal, ain't a helluva a lot different than Mid March, the weather is desperate, the town is dead, and the locals are simply trying to hold on until spring.

So its not a matter of reintegrating, its a matter of settling for second best. Canada is great, I am proud to be from here. But there things that are really lacking. There is less freedom of movement, there is a huge lack of traveling internationals, things are too stiff, we worry too much, we don't eat as well, we don't drink as well, truth be told, we are too young, we haven't learned enough, we are uncultured, we are still insignificant. Canada, and the US for that matter have lived a sheltered life, we have rarely taken any lumps. We are the world's spoiled rich kids, whose parent's sent us to private schools, where we have been taught that this is as good as it gets, the rest of the world is dirty, they have got it all wrong, its best to stick with your own, forget the atlas, put down the book. Our search is over, we have already arrived. We as North American's are close minded, we would rather not know, why risk discomfort?

Europe opens the eyes to the world. It is a melting pot. There is nothing static about Europe, as old as it is, it continues to evolve. Europe has had to evolve, change is a must, its adapt or disappear, its a constant fight to be relative, complacency will not fly. Europeans are passionate, they are honest, they want to be heard, they will call you an asshole, and beautiful in the same sentence, because in the end we are all beautiful assholes, no? We in Canada could learn from this moxy, this honesty. Political correctness, and insular self-protection will get us nowhere. Its true, I am afraid, that the good guy finishes last. Stand up for yourself Canada, you are a grand spot, but really no one gives a damn. Big Brother down south is not going to stop trading with us if we call him an asshole from time to time, he can't, he needs what we are selling. There is dishonesty in Canada's politeness, we would be respected far more if we told it like it is. We need to become more European, we need to tare the piss.

This is what I have learned in Europe. I learned that yes, everyone likes Canada, but no one really knows anything about it. We are nothing more than polite Americans. The first time you hear this, you naturally cringe. Canada defines itself by how unAmerican it really is. How is that for a slogan, Canada, we are not Americans? Really though, we listen to the same music, we wear the same clothes, we drive the same cars, we eat the same food, on and on it goes. Canada is as American as it comes, it hurts I know, but its true. I am glad that Canada is sovereign, it is grand to be from a place that the rest of the world just wants to hug, and yet still enjoy the fringe benefits of the American lifestyle. But, truthfully, if Canada is going to be truly sovereign, it is going to have to become more European, it will have to embrace its European roots, it will have to stand up for its Canadian values, as fuzzy as they might be. If not Canada will slip further into insignificance. It has worked so far I suppose.

Presidential Pop Cultural

There is a global hunger for political change in the US. All throughout Europe I met people who were excited, and even emotionally invested in the political happenings in the USA. It is more than simple a world sick of the failures, and ineptitude of the Bush cabal, there is a feeling out there that Obama and to a lesser extent Clinton represent positive change. Obama is a pop star, he transcends race, gender, and generation. The prospect that finally the US has matured enough to vote for a president irregardless of their race, or middle name, has people seeing beyond the murk of the current administration. There will be messes to clean up, but there seems to be a sense of renewed goodwill, and that will make the transition from murk to renewed positivity easier to bare.

Hillary Clinton does not have the same sort of pop star glow that Obama emits, but I think most progressives feel she is a solid second choice. Had this been a different race, had Obama felt he was not yet ready for the challenge, Hillary's star would have shown brightly. She is, ladies and gents, the first legitimate female candidate to run for president, she is a formidable lady. I believe she has the chops to be a heck of a President, unfortunately for her, the timing was not quite right. Leave it to the US to try and run a black man vs. a woman in the same year, and yes I know they are in the same party, but the competition for the White House is between those two, McCain is a non factor, he is the GOP's lame duck candidate, the GOP are calling a mulligan this time around. God willing.

Gratuitous Random Muse

Here it goes. I could go in a million directions, I have pages and pages all the more of notes written whilst in Europe, I have strong feelings about the never ending Presidential Primaries, I have even tried to catch up with the political scene here in Canada. As you can see, I have so much to say, too much really, where is a fella supposed to begin?

Lets start with the weather,a cop out, the fail safe. Winter it seems is as never ending as the Primaries. Rumours are swirling that a large winter storm is looming, estimated time of arrival, Monday. Funny because I can feel it, I have that nagging ache in my bones, things are about to turn shitty. Oh spring where art thou? I left you in Europe, I politely invited you to return with me, I know that Europe is grand, but come on, how about a little love for the humble folks of the Canadian East Coast.

Geez, that was a whole lot of nothing. I am trying to free associate, spit words, randomly rant. To hell with structure, let the fingers tell the story, unblock the block between brain and finger. Perhaps that method only works with poetry, perhaps I am not in fact Jack Kerouak, perhaps I need to study my notes, perhaps this is the wrong medium....blogged and blarghed.

Go The Dubs!

I am a bit of a sports (sport, as they say where I am) nut. I can hold my own discussing any of the big 4 North American sports. Hockey of course, is my one true love, I am Canadian, as Canadian can be, eh. All this said, I am glad to say that my love for sports, for sports sake was reaffirmed by watching a Gaelic Football match. The sport itself would be done a great disservice if I were to describe it in North American terms. I'd be willing to compare it too lacrosse, at least in that it is a traditional 'hard nosed' match, bare boned, mano et mano. There are none of the things that one comes to expect from a typical North American sport, like high priced equipment, flashy half time shows, huge midfield scoreboards; music does not blare during every intermission, there is no sign of a beer or hot dog vendor in the stands. The entertainment is the match, this is actually sport, not sports entertainment, there is little need for the pomp and circumstance. The Irish live and breath for this stuff, its a point of national, civic, and county pride. The athletes that compete, and at an elite level I should add are not paid, this is purely an amateur sport, played by men that have lives outside the pitch, and yet they are national heroes. It takes everything I have learned as sports fan in North America and turned it on its ass. Gaelic football players are the real sports heroes, not the guys with 50 million dollar contracts, the super model girlfriends, and who may or may not be a roid heads, these guys are real flesh and blood blokes, who play the sport for the love of the game and community, its refreshing in its honesty.

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Euro Trip

I have been in Europe for about 36 hours, and it feels about right. It is late January, the armpit of all that is wrong as far as climate, winter-wise if you are a Canadian, however, in Ireland at the right proper hour of 1:45 a.m. it is comfortable enough to go outside and have a ciggy in a tee-shirt...mad I tell ya.

As for my voyage, it was a haul, but it all ran smoothly. London Heathrow is a ridiculously large airport, it has 3 separate terminals, none of this whole one large hub thing that is the rage across the lake. I lucked out, Air Canada doles out free headphones so that you can watch the in flight movies. The thing is that the headphones that they give you have 2 prongs, not one,and the audio outlet on this particular jet was a one pronger. I struggled with this dilemma, and noticed that the fella beside me was also perplexed. We both got to the point where we were ah fuck, shag it, when I realized that you could flick one of the headphone prongs down, thus turning a 2 prong set into a one prong set. I was stoked, I choose my movie, Super Bad, and was content to sit and be pandered to. That was when I thought, buddy next to me had gone through the same frustration as I had, with those God forsaken head phones, and a good bloke would give him the heads up, right? And so I did. Its funny how karma works. That was the full extent of the communication we had had on the plane, but he was a brilliant bit of help in London. The two of us, both severely craving a smoke, after close to 10 hours without, both ran to the nearest exit upon arriving at Heathrow. I was a bit standoffish at, tis the Canadian way, we have problems approaching strangers (something about a black van, I think), anyway, I could tell by his accent (while snooping in when he chatted with the stewardess) that he was a Brit. Long story short, I asked him if he knew the cheapest, fasted way to Euston Station and thus Holyhead, and he did, oh and just for the cherry on the top, and to further prove that the world is a tiny spot, he worked at the Holyhead Ferry Terminal, which is exactly where I wanted to be. The morale of the story is to help a brother out, because in the end they will reciprocate, even if your problem seem larger than their's.

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Let Britney Be!

Is anybody else bothered by the way the paparazzi are harassing one Britney Spears? Question her sanity all you want, but how could any normal person cope with the near constant bombardment of flashbulbs, and the insistent Britney smile, Britney where you going, Britney how are your babies, Britney are you crazy??? Britney can't have a bowel movement without having it being shown and heard on Perez Hilton. The fact that this girl hasn't blown her brains, or the someone else's brains out, is a testament to her patience and strength.

Now don't get me wrong, it is hard to feel sorry for the girl who had it all. I think she shares a large part of the blame, she is a media whore, her erratic behavior only makes her all that more of an attractive paparazzi target. Its like the whole which came first, the chicken or the egg? Right now both sides are feeding off each other, but Britney is losing the fight, she is simply out matched. Britney is going to have to get away, a long way away, and stay away, become mundane, stop being the queen paparazzi target. The paparazzi will survive, there is always Paris, Pam, or Lindsey to fall back on.

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