Sláinte



Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Duit!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

 

… There are many good reasons for drinking,
One has just entered my head.
If a man doesn’t drink when he’s living,
How in the hell can he drink when he’s dead? …

Sláinte!! Cheers!!

Updates…

She said

We all knew it would be a sweep at the polls … won’t get into it… blah blah blah… bunch of useless politics that proves nothing ever changes.
Show me change and I’ll believe it.
Until now its a bunch of high school elections to rule a country, blaming one another but never being accountable… while doing lip service to change.
This isn’t anything new… it’s a world-wide phenomenon…
And I will continue to call it… bullshit on a stick.
Sadly… people continue to lick that shit up like its going out of business.

So real quick:
I’m off – off to the Middle East for a wee bit.
Probably won’t be blogging much but I am sure I will have plenty of observations for when I get back.
This is my first ‘big-girl’ trip across the pond… never been overseas before.
I plan on making the most of it while in Oman.
In between matches and when out of the boxing ring that is our business trip, I will be armed with an open-mind, open-heart and a culinary palate excited to taste some exotic foods.
Rest assured my camera will never be far behind either.
Looking forward to spending time at the Souk and bringing back some Arabian treasures for my friend Old Iron.

Speaking of which, he’s soon about to embark on his next rotation…
And as you know, when not bound to Nigeria, he’s most definitely not bound to the blog…
So the posting chez nous could be sparse, few and far in between.

So we bid you … à bientôt mes amis!
See you all shortly… should you not hear from us in between…

He said

-Don’t count us out completely though as I will have some free time on my hands for this one, unlike the whirlwind-esque traveling that I usually commit myself to and do plan on putting some digital ink down regarding my re-integration and participation in the supposedly normal world that has labeled itself the American South. I always have a good time just hitting the pub for a couple of cocktails and doing the people watching thing, which usually generates some interesting observations.

(-Like the fact that I have been overseas for so long that I have no game AT ALL…)

No worries though as this one I will be spending with family and friends, to include the spawn of my seed, to be hereafter dubbed “New Iron”. I am looking forward to the new feel of the country as well as I have just seen the election totals and friends, I am pleased as to the outcome. A holiday is coming up as well that I haven’t spent in the States for some time so I get to see if I still have the chops to give thanks like the rest of my family of lunatics, and of all things KC is coming to the celebration to check out how us Southerners “do it up right” for the holidays, so that should be a treat.

All in all good times will be had by one and all.

Carry on as you were.

Meme

RULES:
1. Put Your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc on Shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Put any comments in brackets after the song name.
5. Put this on your blog.

She Said

You can’t make this shit up!!  I think the universe is laughing at me with this one…It’s just too funny not to share!!!  And besides … you guys can see my eclectic tastes in music as variety IS the spice of life…

1. If someone says, “Is this okay?” You say? You Can’t Touch This… MC Hammer
2. How would you describe yourself? Take Your Moma… Scissor Sisters
3. What do you like in a guy? First Time… Lifehouse
4. How do you feel today? Rollerblades… Eliza Doolittle
5.What is your life’s purpose? 1,2,3,4 (sumpin new)… Coolio
6. What is your motto?  Big Slice… Jonas and the Massive Attraction
7. What do your friends think of you? How You Remind Me… Nickelback
8. What do you think of your parents? Secrets… OneRepublic
9. What do you think about very often? Without You… Hinder
10. What is 2 + 2? Raise Your Glass… Pink
11. What do you think of your best friend? If You Only Knew… Shinedown
12. What do you think of the person you like? If We Ever Met Again… Timberland ft Katy Perry
13. What is your life story? Memories… David Guetta ft Kid Cudi
14. What do you want to be when you grow up? Dr. Funkenstein… Parliament
15. What do you think of when you see the person you like? Loves on the Line… Michael Warren
16. What will you dance to at your wedding? Animal… Def Leppard
17. What will they play at your funeral? Dancin’ Circles… David Aude/David Garcia/Sisely Treasure
18. What is your hobby/interest? Right Round… Flo Rida
19. What is your biggest fear? Grenade… Bruno Mars
20. What is your biggest secret? Love the Way You Lie… Eminem ft. Rhianna
21. What do you think of your friends? Banned from Heaven… Children of Bodom

He Said

Alright, not to be left out of the game I decided to toss in my 2 cents / 1 pence / 152 naira into the mix. My taste in music tends to be a bit more… “extreme” than KC’s, which should make for some interesting findings.

1. If someone says, “Is this okay?” You say? Deadly Game – Theory of a Dead Man
2. How would you describe yourself? Self-Proclaimed Messiah – Gardenia (And of COURSE the thrash metal looms it’s ugly head)
3. What do you like in a girl? Exhibit 13 – Blue Man Group
4. How do you feel today? Halos for Heroes – Full Blown Chaos
5.What is your life’s purpose? We’re gonna groove – Led Zeppelin (I REALLY like Zeppelin)
6. What is your motto? Burn to Burn – Static-X
7. What do your friends think of you? Another World – Poe
8. What do you think of your parents? Puritania – Dimmu Borgir (Huh?)
9. What do you think about very often? Tighter and Tighter – Soundgarden (No truer truth could be true.)
10. What is 2 + 2? 2 Perfect Lovers – Aromabar
11. What do you think of your best friend? White Summer / Black Mountainside – Led Zepplin (Did I mention that I like Zeppelin?)
12. What do you think of the person you like? Oregon – Clutch (Again… huh?)
13. What is your life story? Lord Hypnos – In Flames
14. What do you want to be when you grow up? Absence of Light – Testament (Damn you thrash metal and your depressing names of songs!)
15. What do you think of when you see the person you like? Monochrome – Helmet (funny.)
16. What will you dance to at your wedding? Bramafatura – 3
17. What will they play at your funeral? We Die Young – Alice in Chains
18. What is your hobby/interest? Hope Leaves – Opeth
19. What is your biggest fear? Glorified in Deceit – All Out War
20. What is your biggest secret? Third Eye – Tool
21. What do you think of your friends? Assasinator – Meat Beat Manifesto (Well, not ALL of them…)

-THAT was odd. Apparently I need to limit my intake of both Trash Metal and Norwegian Death Metal. Maybe I need to take a page from KC’s playlist and add some pop or rap to the mix…. Or not. I think that I’ll stick to the rock and let her cover the rest of the musical spectrum.

9 Years Later…

… 9 years ago… life as we knew it… Changed. Please take time to reflect and give remembrance to those who perished on that day.

Budweiser commercial done after 9/11. They only aired it once so as not to benefit financially from it – they just wanted to acknowledge the tragic event ……

My Turn

KC and I were recently discussing the fact that she has travelled quite a few times to visit me down in sunny South Florida to cavort in the sun and generally have a good time terrorizing blue hairs and hitting up the pretentious capital of my fair state, South Beach. Drifting into the conversational cocktail came the umpteenth reference to the fact that I have not been up to maple leaf country to spend some time in her environment… and the exchange actually broke from the norm. Our usual banter in reference to this usually goes like this:

KC: You GOTTA come up here! You would love it and you know you enjoy travelling?

Old Iron: Too cold.

KC: But its JULY!!! It warms up here as well during that time!

Old Iron: Don’t you guys have a patent on something called “permafrost”, as in “its so goddamned cold up there it never actually unfreezes”?

-You get the point.

This time was a little different though after I made the (gasp!) decision to not visit family this round and actually, you know, DO SOMETHING FOR MYSELF. I decided to actually take the plunge and go up to the Great White North and hang out with my bud to see if in fact all of the stereotypes have some validity. I do swear though that if she rides up on her tamed polar bear to pick me up from the airport… Wait. That would be AWESOME.

KC, I insist that you pick me up from the airport riding a polar bear.

KC Sehzz
So, the average American thinks that Canadians live in log houses (while some do believe we have snow year round, live in igloos and have either dog sled or skidoos as means of transportation), wear flannel, sporting our toques, pay bills as lumberjacks, play hockey day long, drink lots of beer and speak with funny accents, saying things like ‘aboot’ and eh all the time (thank you Bob & Doug McKenzie and to SCTV for perpetuating that stereotype).  The less than average American thinks that Canada is part of Alaska and don’t realize that Alaska is an American state, we drive on the opposite side of road and really have funny monopoly money as our currency.  Trust me – the stories I’ve heard from Border patrol – really doesn’t help in the belief that Americans are rather ignorant of anything non-American.

Then there are the likes of my most wonderful friend, Old Iron.

Old Iron Studying for his Canadian Citizenship

He’s somewhat more worldly than the average American with his international travel having been exposed to the outside world.
HOWEVER… and yes, there is a BUT here… the man believes its cold 365 days a year in Canada.  That the only season in Canada is – Winter.  Well that is if you live in Nunavut and even that isn’t 100% accurate.
So with a little persistence (while he might tell you I nagged him incessantly – the truth is that I really only threatened to give him a good ol’ fashion hockey beat down if he didn’t comply), Old Iron took the plunge and bought his flight to the concrete jungle of Toronto, known as the ‘new capital of cool’… where I will drag his ass around the Toronto/Niagara Falls and SW Ontario regions – if only to prove to him we are not seasonally challenged and we have fun things to do here!
Perhaps his change of heart came about after my telling him about how we had NO SNOW in Vancouver – especially when we needed it the most – like, during the Olympics!!
Or maybe his change of heart came after he read the very funny book “How to be a Canadian” where he was edu-ma-cated in all things Canadiana.
Then there is misguided belief that his decision might have had something to do with lil ol’ me, in my maple syrup glory… his buddy, his off-site partner in crime that doesn’t swing low in the pant… pleading with him to play fair and to just SUCK IT UP BUTTACUP!  Come to Canada dammit!

Honestly, I am beyond giddy about this!
Excited I am … but now the pressure is on…
With the humidex, temperatures in these here parts can be in the high 30’s well into the 40’s ○C – I know it’s never going to be as hot as African summers – or maybe even his beloved Southern US states.  But understand something here: our blood is thicker than Americans as we need that buffer for those cold winter days/nights.  So when that humidex hits 35-45○C … we bitch and sweat profusely.  The air has been known to be thick – so thick you can cut it with a knife.  No mercy. And yes.  35-40○C is hot.  Trust me.

So I will be doing my voodoo summer goddess dances just for a little intervention so as to not be proven wrong…
And IF Momma Nature decides to torment Old Iron with a gust of coldness – he’ll just have to be Canadian-like and don a toque & flannel lumber jacket like the rest of us!

~ Or, I’ll just have to keep him full of good ol Canadian beer and whiskey, he won’t notice it anyways.  With his beer goggles on, he’ll be too busy looking at all the beautiful Canadian bevies to notice the chill in the air!

Cold or not, the boy will have a good time, even if it kills him, dammit.
Just because I said so.

Pulling at the Heart Strings

Never get to say it enough – but to those heroes and their families who sacrifice so much for us, thank you. This video is beautiful and pulls at the heartstrings.Appreciate all moments with your loved ones. Life is to short, especially for our solders.

And on a day like today, where Canada’s lost our 147th hero and bravest solder in Afghanistan, my heart goes out to the the family of Sgt. Martin Goudreault.  Thank you for doing what I cannot do.  RIP.

Memorial Day

… only one thing can truly be said to all our past, present and future heroes …

Thank You

Fallen You May Be... Forgotten You Are Not.

Conversations: Glenn Beck and Ann Coulter

KC,

-You of all people know that I have some pretty conservative / consumerist / capitalist leanings; I like making craploads of money, I like SPENDING craploads of money, and am also a big fan of keeping said money until I feel like making it move, not having that movement dictated to me by an outside agency “for the common good”. Alright, scratch that: I am at heart just a greedy bastard that doesn’t like to believe that out of the 12 hours I work a day 4 of them are to be spent working for the direct benefit of someone else and not into my imported beer fund or to go towards purchasing a panda costume.

Personal views aside though, I have a confession to make. I know, it is not going to really catch you unawares, but….. well, here goes.

I like Glenn Beck and Ann Coulter.

Gasp! Yeah, what a shocker, right? Thing is I think that you may be mistaking the primary reason that I like them.

I do agree with a bulk, if not all of the points that both make on a constant basis, and share many political views of each. They have a ring of truth about what they say, which is more than I can say for some of the other political pundits out there. Thing is those are asides to the real reason that I purchase their books and occasionally catch them on the telly.

I like them because they are entertaining, NOT because they are inherently conservative.

-Have you ever opened a book by Mr. Beck? The things are full of so much varied content that it is just as entertaining to (and yes I am going to say it) check out the hilarious pictures that he puts in and the funny infographics as it is to read the full content. His books also contain an element that other political diatribes I have read do not, and that is acutal humor. Everything from small chuckles to full out belly laughs I have experienced from reading his recent publication. The man is honestly a really funny guy, but instead of using chortling references to the ineptitude of himself or his children, or making fun of white people, he uses the conservative political approach to get that humor across. Can’t fault the guy; it has made him a popular, influential man that has a huge fan base and, let’s face it, a ton of cash. His product sells and sells well, even if many disagree with the packaging that he uses for his delivery.

Ann Coulter is like his older, more acidic sister, but has the same approach. Her books are actually quite funny in their own right, but with more of a biting, mocking humor than what Beck uses, and are a bit dryer, but still an enjoyable read. Ms. Coulter is not as jaw-droppingly funny in her live interviews, but she doesn’t have a show now, does she?

So there you have it, my reasoning behind liking both Glenn Beck and Ann Coulter. Not solely because of their political views, but because out of all of the other published pundits that I have read… they simply make me laugh and keep me entertained.

(Note: This line of thought started after reading this over at Weasel Zippers.)

Any thoughts?

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

Dear Old Iron,

 

While I appreciate (I say that very loosely) your attempts to poke me from Nigeria and get under my skin… I would like to take this opportunity to correct you on a misconceptionyou appear to have of me:

 

I don’t dislike Glenn Beck.

SHOCK!!!

HORROR!!

Damn.

 

Sorry to burst that bubble of yours there, friend.  In fact, I’ve been known to listen/watch to him more than most other political pundit.  I appreciate his approach on subjects – even if I don’t always agree with him.  The fact is, he’s smart about it.  He’s logical.  Far less idiotic and crass, rude, ignorant, abrasive than your Ann Coulter.

 

You can keep her.

I dislike everything that she represents … and her tactics.

You can worship at her alter.

Like many Conservative/Republicans do, while ignoring the fact that she hides her racist and bigoted views behind her tactics, ‘to make a point.’

But I refuse to.  HELL NAH.

 

I’ll continue to watch and listen to, when the urge hits me, Glenn Beck.  I liked his radio show on satellite radio, when I had it.  I used to watch him on TV with my father… sometimes against my own will.  The fact that he relates and considers himself more of a Libertarian than a Conservative… well that makes him even more appealing to me than any of your other demi-conservative-gods.  I prefer his approach on subjects and hard issues.  I understand and am more willing to give an ear and be open minded, with that approach.

 

While I think you rock the casbah, I must point out again, that you failed to rile me up.

This time.

Nice try though!

 

Sincerely yours,

KC

Shame on Harper

I already know: this is going to be a heated topic and I will most probably be blasted by every Conservative pundit on the intertubes and who read blogs.  So be it.  Because at the end of the day: this is a topic I feel very passionate about: The right to choose.

Abortion.

While it’s been legal in Canada since 1969 and no longer considered a crime under the Canadian Criminal Code since 1988 – there appears to be a wee bit of hypocrisy happening with some of our Canadian politicians – especially on the world scene.  Specifically, with the upcoming G8 Summit, being hosted in Canada.  Oh, yes, the Christian fundamentalist who form the base of the Canadian Conservative Party that our boring and uninteresting Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, is part of, rejoice at the stance he’s taken on Maternal and Child Health (the Conservative government says it wants to make maternal and child health a major priority but it refuses to fund contraception and abortion services – breaking from other G8 countries, like the US and GB.  Canada’s contribution will not include funding for contraception and abortions).

Now don’t get me wrong.  The true focus should be on Maternal and Child Health… but one cannot exclude or include/impose religious values where it has no place: in politics and global health issues.  Abortion is part of ‘maternal’ health – you cannot say that maternal health and reproductive health don’t go hand in hand.  You cannot have one without the other.  And where there is reproductive health – one must consider everything from contraceptives to family planning to access to legal abortions. It’s all encompassing.  In third world countries where women are often forced into sexual relations against her will at such a young age and raped without legal consequences – a woman NEEDS to have the option to safely end a pregnancy, should she so choose too.  She should also have the right to have access to contraceptives and birth control to prevent even having to make such a hard and life-altering choice for herself.  She should have the right to choose to do what is right for her and her mental and physical well being.  PERIOD.  HER CHOICE.  Not yours.  Not mine.  Not imposed.  HER CHOICE.  Religion has no place in that basic, fundamental, human decision – to do what is right for HER.  To say “yes to this but not that” while it’s legal in the country you represent… is absurd.  It’s hypocritical.  To the core.  Stephen Harper is putting his religious beliefs ahead of the Canadian Constitution and Laws… where religion has no place in.  In politics.  He’s crossed the limits between state and church… by speaking for all Canadians and going against even our own Laws to protect women and children.

While it’s perfectly acceptable that one has and does hold their personal beliefs based on their conscience, religious or any other basis – its unacceptable to intervene and impose those beliefs onto others.  The operative word is PERSONAL.  Not GLOBAL.  To declare someone ‘morally bankrupt’ or ‘morally criminal’ for exercising their own personal beliefs and choices to do what is RIGHT for them – now THAT is totally unacceptable.

It boils down to this:  You cannot impose Maternal and Child Health rules without considering ALL aspects of what Maternal and Child Health includes.  Yes. Every woman deserves to be given the opportunity to be educated about her choices and be given a safe and supportive environment to exercise whatever choice she chooses.  Every woman who has been the victim of rape and violence NEEDS & DESERVES every option available to her empowering her to choose whatever SHE wants to do for her well-being/healing… without the fear of repercussions – be it the choice of pregnancy, adoption or abortion.  That is her HUMAN right.  Religion should be there to support her in her healing process, regardless of her choice… not further victimize her with guilt and fear and be called a criminal.

No.  What Canada’s Prime Minister is saying is:  I will give you money to only do the things that I want you to do.  Not to give you fundamentally what you need. Do as I say, not as I do. And I don’t support that.  Nonewhatsoever.  Especially when you are talking about Maternal and Child Health Care.  This most definitely doesn’t make me morally bankrupt or criminal.  No.  It makes me human.  And I’ll take my humanity over religious bigotry and exclusion any day.

Anything less… is criminal.

(As Old Iron shoulders himself into the arena wearing his favorite lochadore mask and nothing else…)

Time to have some fun.

KC, I am going to make this quick as to not deflate the momentum that you have established above.

I respect the stance that you have taken, with the equality for all trumpet blaring as loud as humanly possible. You took that to 11 my friend.

I also understand your interpretations of one law for one, one law for the other. Groovy.

Just want to drop this on you and I’ll leave.

Canada is contributing to this fund but has decided to voice how the money is used. I would think it is fair that although they are donating this cash, those in power that have authorized this decide, based on the controlling power’s conservative nature, to stand by their opinions and say that the money will not support abortion. Hey, Canadians voted them in by a majority for those very opinions so they, in turn, are doing as their constituents would have them do; representing them.

Also, about the sexual congress that you state occurs in different countries; have you ever thought about what would happen if you asked a devout muslim if she would like the option of having an abortion, and what the repercussions would be? If it was Saudi the LEAST that would happen to you would be lashings. KC, different cultures have different social allowances. Whereas we have sort of open armed the concept of abortion, even in our supposedly “enlightened” culture there is still turmoil over this decision. Who are we to try to push that same social allowance onto other cultures? You ask a woman here if she would get an abortion and she would slap the shit out of you for even proposing such a preposterous idea. They need all of the hands that they can get to help them either till the fields, sort out trash or just generally populate the jungle. Who are the collective “we” to push this practice onto them?

-Wait, hit a local up as he was walking by and asked him how does he feel about abortion. His response?

HE SAID IT WAS BARBARIC.

…And on that note I am done.

Let the games begin!

An ode to a friend

Alison, I know these are troubling times, you have said as much, but we would like to just take a bit out of our maddening days both in Canada and Nigeria to let you know that you are a good mate and we wish you the best. It is going to be a little lonelier around here without you, but breaks are needed from places like this to sort out affairs and life, as it seems to intrude at the most inopportune times.  Don’t worry about it though; we’ll keep the place warm while you are away.

Good luck friend.