a new perspective on time before the internet

Thank you, once again, xkcd for being hilarious and awesome.  I am one of the people who loves to talk about how much technology is ruining us as people, but let's take a moment to remember the boredom.  OH SWEET GOODNESS THE BOREDOM.


via

singalong! do you realize by the flaming lips

The first time I heard this song was in a car commercial while I was in university.  Not long after that a cute boy was singing a bit of it to himself and was impressed by the fact that I "knew" The Flaming Lips.  So thank you, car commercial, for introducing me to one of the greatest bands of all time, one of the most hauntingly tragic-yet-beautifully-uplifting songs of all time, and helping me impress a boy.


DO YOU REALIZE?
by The Flaming Lips

Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize - we're floating in space -
Do You Realize - that happiness makes you cry
Do You Realize - that everyone you know someday will die

And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round

Do You Realize - Oh - Oh - Oh
Do You Realize - that everyone you know
Someday will die -

And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round

Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize

learning! the great invincible water bear

Turns out the planet earth already has a superhero, it's just not a human.  It's called a tardigrade, also known as a water bear.


Why are these little water bears so super?  Here's what they can survive:
  • Temperatures ranging from -272C to +150C
  • 10 years without water (they just dry out and then rehydrate when they have water again)
  • Radiation
  • Space
These little buggers could provide a clue about life outside of this planet.  They may be ALIENS.  Or maybe they'll help us get off this dang rock.  Or maybe they will one day grow beyond their up-to-1mm size and destroy us all.

At the end of the day, the best thing about this is that when the European Space Agency sent them to space, the project was called TARDIS. (If you don't get that reference I feel sad for your life.  Also, watch Doctor Who.)

Source: ESA 

inspiration! strangers kissing

Long before some clothing company did a commercial where they had "strangers" (aka models/actors) kiss for the camera (thus even longer before all the parody videos), photographer Tommy Kha kissed strangers for the (still) camera.

Tommy Kha - Kissing Strangers

It's a fascinating series.  And it's inspirational to see an artist pushing himself out of his comfort zone (and he truly looks uncomfortable in a lot of those photos) to explore a topic.

cute! the cat, she lounges

Spring is here! As of last week, we are on our way to the best time of the year. (That's summer, if you didn't know.) Gertie's already feeling the loungey summer vibe, of course.

singalong! favourite book by stars

To me this is one of the ultimate, most wonderful romantic songs of all time. Not that I ever plan my potential future wedding or anything, but currently this is the song I'd like to do my first dance to. (This, or In My Life by The Beatles). I mean, come on.  "Because I never knew a home, until I found your hands".  So simple, so sweet, so wonderful!


MY FAVOURITE BOOK
by Stars

I was always late, you never afraid, that we could be falling
All our friends would say, maybe we should wait, but they can't see what's coming
And to this day, when everything breaks, you are the anchor that holds me

And that is why we'll always make it

How I know your face, all the ways you move, you come in, I can read you
You're my favourite book
All the things you say, the way you shift your eyes
I never knew there was someone, to make me come alive

When the days are long, and the thunder with the storm, can always get me crying
You can make my bed, I'll fall into it, shattered but not lonely
Because I never knew a home, until I found your hands, when I'm weathered
You come to me, you're my best friend

And that is why we'll always make it

How I know your face, all the ways you move, you come in, I can read you
You're my favourite book
All the things you say, the way you shift your eyes
I never knew there was someone, to make me come alive

And when we're making love
I'd give up everything up for your touch

How I know your face, all the ways you move, you come in, I can read you
You're my favourite book
All the things you say, the way you shift your eyes
I never knew there was someone, to make me come alive

When you go to work all the day I wait
For you to come home, recount our time, in our little place

learning! the secret power of brain caves


We all know that sleep is good for us.  It's good for not being grumpy, it's good for not accidentally killing people when you drive to work, it's good for not going insane, and it's good for staying alive.

Turns out, it's also good for flushing toxins out of your brain.

When you sleep, hidden caves open up in your brain and release cerebrospinal fluid that flush out neurotoxins.

COOL, RIGHT?

This is giving me one more reason to consider trying the whole "napping" thing.

SOURCE: Psyblog.

inspiration! we're all afraid


The fourth lie is that we're not afraid.

We're afraid.

Afraid to lead, to make a ruckus, to convene. Afraid to be vulnerable, to be called out, to be seen as a fraud.
-Seth Godin, The First Lie

cute! close up cat

It's kind of blurry, but dang if it isn't cute!  Some mornings she just doesn't want me to leave the house.

singalong! waterfalls by tlc

Now HERE is a song to learn the lyrics to!  Or maybe not, if you want to maintain the illusion that it's just a fun, catchy song from the 90's.  If that's the case, just hit "play" on the video and have a little personal rock out session.  If you want to delve a little deeper, let's jump in (but don't worry, it's not a waterfall we're jumping into, just a river, or maybe a lake.)  Gang violence, HIV - this song covers a lot of heavy stuff.  Enjoy!



WATERFALLS
by TLC

A lonely mother gazing out of her window
Staring at a son that she just can't touch
If at any time he's in a jam she'll be by his side
But he doesn't realize he hurts her so much

But all the praying just ain't helping at all
'Cause he can't seem to keep his self out of trouble
So he goes out and he makes his money the best way he knows how
Another body laying cold in the gutter
Listen to me

[Chorus:]
Don't go chasing waterfalls
Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to
I know that you're gonna have it your way or nothing at all
But I think you're moving too fast

Little precious has a natural obsession
For temptation but he just can't see
She gives him loving that his body can't handle
But all he can say is "Baby, it's good to me."

One day he goes and takes a glimpse in the mirror
But he doesn't recognize his own face
His health is fading and he doesn't know why
Three letters took him to his final resting place
Y'all don't hear me

[Chorus (2x)]

Come on

I seen a rainbow yesterday
But too many storms have come and gone
Leavin' a trace of not one God-given ray
Is it because my life is ten shades of gray
I pray all ten fade away
Seldom praise Him for the sunny days

And like His promise is true
Only my faith can undo
The many chances I blew
To bring my life to anew
Clear blue and unconditional skies
Have dried the tears from my eyes
No more lonely cries

My only bleedin' hope
Is for the folk who can't cope
With such an endurin' pain
That it keeps 'em in the pourin' rain
Who's to blame
For tootin' 'caine into your own vein
What a shame
You shoot and aim for someone else's brain
You claim the insane
And name this day in time
For fallin' prey to crime
I say the system got you victim to your own mind
Dreams are hopeless aspirations
In hopes of comin' true
Believe in yourself
The rest is up to me and you

learning! the harm of holding open doors


I have oft been in the "open the door for whoever I'm walking with if I get to the door first" camp.  I figure it's just a nice thing to do for whoever is around, whether they are a man or a woman.  I also think it's nice if someone else opens the door for me, although a bit odd if they maneuver their way into position to be able to do it when I was closer to the door originally.

In fact, I wrote about holding open doors for others a while back in my post about being a lady, advocating just this fact.

Well, according to science, I may be hurting the self-esteem and self-belief of men when I open doors for them.  Oops?

The study was simple - a research confederate would hang out near the entrance to a building and either open the doors for people coming through (men and women), or simply walk in beside them.  Then another confederate would ask the people to participate in a quick survey and ask them questions about their feelings of self-worth and efficacy.  It is important to note that the door was held open in a "chivalrous" manner, where the person holds open a door and steps aside so the other can walk through first, as opposed to just propping the door open behind you as you walk through so it doesn't slam in the other person's face.

Men who had the door held open for them scored lower on self-esteem and self-efficacy than men who didn't have the door held open for them. Women's self-esteem and self-efficacy scores were no different regardless of whether a man held a door open for them or not.

There are some issues with the study, of course.  In this study, the doors were held by men and the survey was done by women.  Perhaps the issue was same-sex door-holding and women would show the same effect if a woman held the door for them?  Or perhaps it's not generic same-sex issue but male competition?  Who knows!

Still, something to learn.

SOURCE: BPS Research Digest.

inspiration! vintage cat ladies

Is it sad that this series of pictures of ladies with cats from a long time ago strikes me as inspirational somehow?  I don't even know what it inspires me to… but I feel good about myself right now, so I'm going to run with it.


Photo series found on Vintage Today.

vancouvering: so much theatre in march!

I am overwhelmed by the number of shows opening this month, and so I figured I should probably post about it.  These are just the shows that I'm seeing, plus some shows that friends of mine are involved in.  Man!  Too much to do!


Beggars Opera at Jericho Arts Centre (March 4-14)
Closing this weekend, it's Mack the Knife! Murder, sex, and crazy good acting.

The Seafarer at Pacific Theatre (March 7-29)
Spooky dark comedy.  Super Irish.  I cried because I was scared and then I cried because I was happy. (Full disclosure: I work there so am biased, but also it is really good.)

Floyd Collins at The York Theatre (March 11-30)
A down-home, American musical about trapped miners.  Seems cool.


Whose Life is it Anyway? at The Cultch (March 11-22)
I don't know anything about this except that my friend Pippa is in it and my directing prof from UBC (the excellent John Cooper) is directing. That is enough to know you should see it.

Someone to Watch Over Me at Renegade Studios (March 12-23)
Also a dark Irish play.  Haven't seen it yet.  Fab cast.

Lowest Common Denominator at PAL Theatre (March 13-30)
One of Vancouver (and Canada)'s coolest young playwrights gets into some dark sex stuff.  I am heartbroken that I'll probably miss this one.


Between the Sheets at Admiral Seymour Elementary (March 14-26)
Produced by an awesome indie company, this is a parent-teacher conference that takes place in an actual school.  Rad.

Helen Lawrence at The Stanley (March 13-April 13)
A new play and an old fashioned whodunnit with glamorous curvy ladies.

UBU Roi at UBC (March 20-April 5)
I studied this play in university (at UBC!) and it is bizarre and hilarious.  I hated it then, but I think I'll love it now.

This Stays in the Room at Gallery Gachet (Marhc 20-30)
Another new creation, an exploration of shame and forgiveness.

me & ryan gosling at the club

Here's another tidbit from my long-term relationship with Ryan Gosling!  About 5 years ago, my friends and I went to The Biltmore for an 80's night - the DJs were Degrassi High's Spike and Caitlin!  Ryan had other plans for that night, but he really wanted to hang out with us and his fellow Canadian child stars, so he joined for a quick dance and drink.


singalong! mad world by tears for fears

Like most moody, artsy-types from my era, my introduction to this song came in the form of Gary Jules's depressive cover used in the film Donnie Darko.  Don't get me wrong, it's a great cover and a great film, but there is something beautiful in the Tears for Fears original.  In fact, there is something beautiful in almost every Tears for Fears song.


MAD WORLD
Tears for Fears

All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow

And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very mad world mad world

Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday
And I feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen, sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me, no one knew me
Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson
Look right through me, look right through me

And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very mad world ... mad world
Enlarging your world
Mad world

learning! the science behind a happy relationship

I am big into the behavioural sciences, and everything that goes along with them.  Including relationship research.  No, I don't think we can boil down complex human relationships to a few statistics, but there are also a lot of valuable insights to be gained from this kind of research.  Also, you would be surprised at how efficiently complex human relationships can sometimes be boiled down to statistics.  Science!

The folks at Happify created an awesome infographic summing up what research has found so far about the characteristics of happy relationships that last a long time.  Some of them fall into the "Duh!" category, but they can also pretty easily slip off the radar in the everyday humdrum of life.  Since being in a happy marriage has massive positive life effects, it's worth reminding ourselves where the effort should be going.  (Or, if you're me, imagining where the effort could be going AND considering how this information applies to non-romantic relationships that you want to have last a very long time.)


Click the image, or HERE for the full infographic, hosted via Lifehacker.

My favourite take-homes:

-The happiest couples made a point of sharing positivity with each other - compliments, gifts, meals, sexy times, and daily triumphs.
-They also respond with interest and enthusiasm to each others' news, asking questions, congratulating, and all that good stuff.
-They also share experiences together - from new and exciting things to regular stuff like daily walks.
-Having kids tends to reduce couples' marital satisfaction - but it goes up again after the kid grows up.  I'm guessing this is because of all the stress and sleep deprivation and the fact that you have less time and energy to focus on doing all the happy, relationship-building stuff.

inspiration! monstrous discrepancies from subnormality

Another great web comic that puts a lot of things into perspective.  It's probably a good idea for you to put Sub Normality on your reader (whatever you use) and look at this one.  Remember, there's always more context than we can see!

(You might need to click through to the Sub Normality site to be able to view it in its full size.)


cute! iconic photos transformed into selfies

This is an advertising campaign, but dang if it isn't a good one.  The Cape Times photoshopped iconic images to make them into selfies.  If you ask me, there's something dang cute about seeing Jackie O-Kennedy's bright-eyed smile in the context of a selfie.  



See the series on Feature Shoot.

singalong! it's all coming back to me now by celine dion

In honour of the fact that I am currently IN VEGAS IN ORDER TO SEE CELINE DION AND WILL BE SEEING HER TONIGHT AND SHE WILL BE SINGING THIS SONG!!!  This weekend's singalong is my all-time favourite Celine song.  I already loved her when this album came out - her song Mislead was my introduction to her and to secular pop radio - but this just nailed her into my heart.  It adds melodrama and meaning to everything you do, whether it's driving to Costco (fun fact: the length of this song was the exact amount of time it took to drive to Costco from the house I grew up in) or washing dishes.

Enjoy. Is there any other option?


IT'S ALL COMING BACK TO ME NOW
Celine Dion

There were nights when the wind was so cold
That my body froze in bed
If I just listened to it
Right outside the window

There were days when the sun was so cruel
That all the tears turned to dust
And I just knew my eyes were
Drying up forever

I finished crying in the instant that you left
And I can't remember where or when or how
And I banished every memory you and I had ever made

But when you touch me like this
And you hold me like that
I just have to admit
That it's all coming back to me
When I touch you like this
And I hold you like that
It's so hard to believe but
It's all coming back to me
(It's all coming back, it's all coming back to me now)

There were moments of gold
And there were flashes of light
There were things I'd never do again
But then they'd always seemed right
There were nights of endless pleasure
It was more than any laws allow
Baby Baby

If I kiss you like this
And if you whisper like that
It was lost long ago
But it's all coming back to me
If you want me like this
And if you need me like that
It was dead long ago
But it's all coming back to me
It's so hard to resist
And it's all coming back to me
I can barely recall
But it's all coming back to me now
But it's all coming back

There were those empty threats and hollow lies
And whenever you tried to hurt me
I just hurt you even worse
And so much deeper

There were hours that just went on for days
When alone at last we'd count up all the chances
That were lost to us forever

But you were history with the slamming of the door
And I made myself so strong again somehow
And I never wasted any of my time on you since then

But if I touch you like this
And if you kiss me like that
It was so long ago
But it's all coming back to me
If you touch me like this
And if I kiss you like that
It was gone with the wind
But it's all coming back to me
(It's all coming back, it's all coming back to me now)

There were moments of gold
And there were flashes of light
There were things we'd never do again
But then they'd always seemed right
There were nights of endless pleasure
It was more than all your laws allow
Baby, Baby, Baby

When you touch me like this
And when you hold me like that
It was gone with the wind
But it's all coming back to me
When you see me like this
And when I see you like that
Then we see what we want to see
All coming back to me
The flesh and the fantasies
All coming back to me
I can barely recall
But it's all coming back to me now

If you forgive me all this
If I forgive you all that
We forgive and forget
And it's all coming back to me
When you see me like this
And when I see you like that
We see just what we want to see
All coming back to me
The flesh and the fantasies
All coming back to me
I can barely recall but it's all coming back to me now

(It's all coming back to me now)
And when you kiss me like this
(It's all coming back to me now)
And when I touch you like that
(It's all coming back to me now)
If you do it like this
(It's all coming back to me now)
And if we...