Kage | Kristen Hilderman blogs about life

Kage has moved!

2011-03-06T11:35:00.001-08:00

Please bookmark and visit my new site at:

www.kageblogs.com

Your screen will refresh to my new blog in a few seconds . . .

See you there!

Listening to

2011-03-02T20:15:00.001-08:00

"Crystalised" – The xx

Hairy armpits

2011-03-02T20:15:00.000-08:00

Dove recently contacted to me to see if I'd be interested in blogging about their new deodorant. At first I thought, Meh, but then I read that it's supposed to reduce stubble! Wha?! And just so we're clear, no, Dove is not paying me to blog about them, I'm doing this of my own volition.

They sent me some deodorant and I'm going to blog about whether or not it actually works. I already use Dove, so it's not really much of a stretch to switch to a different line of their products. I started using their new Visibly Smooth line last week and I'm going to revisit this topic in a month. And I promise, no pictures of my armpits. But I have a feeling it's going to be hard to tell if it really does reduce the appearance of stubble. For most deodorants, when they don't work, you know. And so does everyone around you. For this though, the results will have to be dramatic to even be visible. My armpits and I eagerly await the results.

Monthly Photo - March 2011

2011-02-28T20:54:00.002-08:00

A saturated winter sunset.

March 2011 Banner

2011-02-28T20:42:00.000-08:00

Reading

2011-02-19T18:41:00.000-08:00

On the Road – Jack Kerouac

Listening to

2011-02-18T12:45:00.000-08:00

This 10-year-old girl from Toronto has the most incredible, soulful voice I've ever heard. It's kind of mind blowing! She just signed a record deal with Simon Cowell. But I almost feel sorry for her – she's going to get crazy famous, and undoubtedly lead a pretty messed up life because of her fame. Because let's be honest, what young celebrity ever turns out normal?

Heather Russell – "Every step of the way"

Heather Russell – "You're beautiful"

Yew Street

2011-02-15T18:55:00.000-08:00

I'm fortunate to have a husband who indulges my frequent bouts of nostalgia. I can always go for a good reminisce, and he's always right there with me. He's recently been working on a project for our patio: Building a wooden planter from scratch. He finished it this weekend. And he named it "Yew Street" after our old apartment's address. Coincidentally (or not), the bushes that he planted are yews. A nostalgic pun—this man truly holds the key to my heart.

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-02-12T13:20:00.000-08:00

I haven't had many baking exploits in my life—mostly just seasonal impulses to make cookies shaped like things. But last night I wanted to bring a snack to a gathering of friends, so I whipped out the apron and got domestic. Not wanting to alienate the sweet-lovers or the savoury peeps, I found a diplomatic solution: salted chocolate chip cookies. You can believe me when I say the cookies are good, because technically this a third-generation recipe, pinched from two bloggers before me (Kyla Roma and the originator, Sweet Savory Life). It's like survival of the fittest; the shitty recipes fall to the wayside and the good ones get passed on and morph into even better versions of themselves. Speaking of better versions, I might try this next time with peanut butter chocolate chips.

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup salted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
12 oz all-purpose flour (if you don't have a scale, it's roughly 2 and 3/4 cups)
1 tsp. smallish-medium coarse sea salt (table salt is a no-go, the sea salt is what gives the cookies their unique flavour)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
16 oz (2 1/4 cups) of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Parchment paper for the pan (only use wax paper if you want your cookies to suck and the paper to burn)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until creamy, light, and fluffy – approximately 3 to 5 minutes on medium speed. Check out the pictures on Sweet Savory Life.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes.

4. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour until cookie batter is fully incorporated.

5. Finally, add chocolate chips until well distributed. The cookie batter should be somewhat thick.

6. Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough or use a medium cookie scoop and plop the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are nice and golden brown.

7. Remove from heat and allow the cookies to stay on the cookie sheet for an additional 2 minutes. Pick up the parchment paper with the cookies still on top and transfer to a cool non-porous surface. Allow the cookies to cool on the paper for at least 3 minutes before serving.

Don't waste your time putting them on a platter like I did, you're going to eat them really quickly!

Listening to

2011-02-10T21:19:00.002-08:00

"Song for no one" – Miike Snow

Jennifer Aniston's SNL Potential

2011-02-09T21:57:00.004-08:00

In 2008 Vanity Fair published an article called Who Says Women Aren't Funny? It's about the new generation of comediennes who are writing as much of the material as they are performing it. While giving it a re-read this evening, one line in particular caught my attention—it had a tinge of irony.

Only last week, I learned that Lorne Michaels offered Jennifer Aniston a spot on SNL at the same time as she was contemplating playing Rachel on Friends. Both comedic gigs, but very different types. SNL isn't the most subversive humour in America (well, maybe?), but it certainly pushes the boundaries more than Friends. But the main difference is that the players on SNL are expected to come up with original characters and sketches, and contribute to the show as writers. And Friends, of course, is a standard sitcom with its own set of writers separate from the cast members.

In the article, the writer is making the distinction between the great comediennes of the past and the new group of women blazing their own trail in comedy—women like Tina Fey who write the material, not just perform it. And in creating this distinction, the writer says the actresses in the past "were great comic actresses on-screen, but they had about as much to do with the joke writing as Jennifer Aniston or Courtney Cox did on Friends."

Funny that she singles out Jennifer Aniston, when Aniston herself very well could have been one of those trail-blazing women. It makes me wonder what kind of comedic chops she's been hiding that Lorne Michaels offered her a job. And it made me think even more about how different the world would be if Aniston had taken the SNL gig. Seriously. Think about it.

Would Friends have been same? How would it have shaped SNL? Aniston would have been around for Adam Sandler's time in the sun. What would that collaboration have looked like?

And what about the "cool" Rachel bob that defined a generation of women's hairstyles? What about the influence she had on Brad Pitt, and subsequently, Angelina Jolie? Those are three pretty powerful people—in the real world and in Hollywood. It's unsettling (and fascinating) to think about how much a 20-something actress's decision could shape so much of pop culture and the world.

Duck Tolling Retriever Vs. Bernese Mountain Dog

2011-02-02T21:49:00.010-08:00

We really want to get a puppy, but we can't decide which kind. We've come to terms with the idea of our furniture and belongings being permanently covered in a thick, impenetrable layer of fur, and narrowed it down to two very hairy breeds. Both are active without being hyperactive—they definitely need their exercise but wouldn't be upset with condo living for the first few years of their life. They're both mid-sized—neither large nor small. The only kind of petite dog Luc likes is a puppy, and a big dog is just too much to handle.

Bernese Mountain Dog

Rumour has it these little buggers are pretty big shedders. Moreso than most. We've fallen in love with fluffy dogs, but we're concerned that this guy might be pushing it? The other concern: a shorter lifespan of about 6-8 years and more health problems than the average dog.

Duck Tolling Retriever

Every puppy has his quirks, but apparently duck tollers do this strange thing where they scream when they're excited. A dog screaming. We might actually get one of these just to hear what that sounds like. Our secondary concern is the duck toller's energy levels and general inquisitive nature. He might get a little bored without a backyard and start destroying our furniture.

What say you, Internet friends? Should we get a bernese mountain dog or a duck tolling retriever? Any dog recommendations or advice?

Monthly Photo - February 2011

2011-02-02T18:25:00.002-08:00

The view from atop Cypress Mountain.

February 2011 Banner

2011-02-02T18:20:00.000-08:00

Confessions

2011-02-02T13:23:00.002-08:00

I just found a carton of eggnog from December at the back of our fridge. Believe me, I'm as disgusted with me as you are.

Listening to

2011-01-23T20:42:00.000-08:00

"Rolling in the deep" — Adele

Thoughts

2011-01-22T18:12:00.002-08:00

That's really great that the Nicorette inhaler is helping people quit smoking, but they could have made it look less like a tampon.

Listening to

2011-01-20T21:25:00.002-08:00

"40 Day Dream" — Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

A great lunch sandwich

2011-01-18T19:36:00.010-08:00

I got this recipe from Jennifer at Sweet on Veg—she tweeted it and I made it the next afternoon for lunch. It's called the Avocado Dream Sandwich, and it's magnificent. I made a few small changes to suit my tastes, and here's how it looks:

Ingredients:
1 Avocado (that's enough for 2 people)
Chips (I favour Miss Vickie's Sea Salt & Malt Vinegar)
Spinach
2 slices of bread or a ciabatta bun
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Mayo
Salt and pepper to taste
(and tomato slices if that's your thing—it's not mine!)

Spread a thin layer of mayo on one piece of bread (or both) so your spinach has something to cling to.

Mash your avocado in a bowl with the olive oil and salt. I like to add some balsamic as well.

Spread your avocado mixture on one side of the bread.

Sprinkle your spinach leaves on the other side.

Drizzle the avocado mixture with balsamic and top with chips.

Et voila!

Listening to

2011-01-18T10:58:00.000-08:00

"Crash years" — The New Pornographers

Skinny actresses on ELLE magazine covers

2011-01-17T20:46:00.001-08:00

I've been doing some digital publishing research for school, and I came across some troubling magazine covers from ELLE magazine.

Are these actresses actually this thin? Or were they photoshopped to look like this? Either way, I find this very disturbing. I used to read ELLE in high school and university, and these are three consecutive months of unrealistic body images. I can't imagine being confronted with these cover models (ahem, actresses...) when I was a teenager. Even now, with more healthy body-image campaigns out there and having more acceptance of my own body, I have a hard time looking at these.

And if anyone is tempted to tell me that I shouldn't be condemning people for being thin, that's not at all my angle. There are plenty of naturally thin, naturally petite women out there..but I dare anyone to call these three women natural looking.

My take on awards shows

2011-01-16T21:57:00.001-08:00

Awards shows: The good speeches aren't nearly good enough to outweigh the insufferable awkwardness of the bad speeches to make me want to watch them.

On elevators and the morons who ride them

2011-01-08T18:12:00.001-08:00

How's this for a good old fashioned rant? I hate people who don't pay attention in the elevator. This afternoon I took the garbage out (to P1) and had to go back up to the 2nd floor (where there's a street-level exit). As the elevator arrived at P1 (it had come up from P2), the man inside tried to push past me to get out, only to realize that it wasn't his floor...and he pushed past me once again to get inside the elevator. It was just the two of us.

Out of curiosity, I looked at the buttons in the elevator, figuring he was just going up to the lobby. Do you know which button was lit up? Floor 27. He thought that in the two seconds it took to go from P2 to P1 that the elevator had magically rocketed up 29 floors. I don't get that. And what's with the pushing? That's my rant.

How I Met Your Mother countdown

2011-01-03T22:10:00.000-08:00

Among my 6 must-see sitcoms each week is How I Met Your Mother —hilarious, kitschy at times, slapstick in all the right ways, and two words: Barney Stinson. Neil Patrick Harris is a ridiculous comedian: timing, physical humour, inflection...he cracks me up every time.

*Spoiler alert*

But tonight's episode had a curious twist: a countdown. In the background of several scenes, numbers appeared on various props—a beer can, an apartment door, a medical folder, a news channel, and 46 other random things. I was over-thinking it (as per usual) and figured that the items on which the numbers appeared could be combined to convey some kind of message. I was wrong. I followed the countdown eagerly from 50 down to 1 only to discover that the episode was counting down to the death of Marshall's father.

It seems sinister for a sitcom to run an episode-long countdown only to reveal the death of a cursory (yet beloved) character. There must be something more to this. Maybe it's a tribute to something that happened off-screen, like the loss of a set-dresser's loved one? Or a writer's family member? I can't accept that the How I Met Your Mother countdown was solely devoted to counting down the final minutes of Mr. Erikson.

Does anyone else who watches the show have any thoughts? I'm assuming they're going for the "with death comes new life" thing—Marshall's dad dies, but now he and Lily get pregnant with a son of their own. But what of the countdown? What else was the show trying to say?

I resolve to be resolute in my hatred of resolutions

2011-01-03T20:51:00.000-08:00

I didn't make any resolutions this year—I'm buying into the whole "new year, new me" less and less as I get older. I think I'm just becoming more cynical. No, actually, I know I'm becoming more cynical. And I'm not resolving to change that. Nor am I resolving to lose weight, or cook a new recipe each week, or stop swearing when people cut me off.

I'm too stubborn to let 2011-Kristen start some stupid diet or join a cooking class just because 2010-Kristen thought it would make her a better person. New Year's Eve alone taught me that past-Kristen can't be trusted. Yeah, just one more drink and I'll still be fine the next morning. Thanks 2010-Kristen, you're super.

However, despite my stubbornness and determination to do things on my own terms without the New Year giving me the all-important cue, there are a few things I have to accomplish in 2011—like completing the move-in process, which includes setting up the second bedroom and finding out what that mystery light switch in the living room does. I also need to finish writing my thesis so that I can officially get my Masters degree.

We got a head start on the second bedroom thing this afternoon by going out and buying a bed. Last night our best friends were reduced to sleeping on piles of blankets stacked on the floor. I awoke this morning with a deep sense of shame, and Luc and I immediately left the house to purchase a bed.

As for the mystery switch, we hit a brick wall after twenty minutes of plug testing and cursing.

But the year's off to a good start: I actually got my blog banner up in time (unlike hectic December), we've already snowshoed to the top of Cypress mountain, and compared to my stress levels at the beginning of 2010, I'm doing juuuust fiiiine!

So, Happy New Year, blog readers! Thanks for sticking around I promise to do plenty of ill-advised things in 2011 and document them all. First up: sliding down a snowshoe trail on a garbage bag and crashing into a tree. Stay tuned...

Reading

2011-01-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

Let's Bring Back: An Encyclopedia Of Forgotten-Yet-Delightful, Chic, Useful, Curious, and Otherwise Commendable Things From Times Gone By - Lesley M. M. Blume

January 2011 Banner

2011-01-01T21:18:00.000-08:00

Monthly Photo - January 2011

2011-01-01T13:23:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve walk in Wolseley, SK.

Reading

2010-12-29T19:13:00.003-08:00

Whiter Shades of Pale: The Stuff White People Like, Coast to Coast from Seattle’s Sweaters to Maine’s Microbrews - Christian Lander

Moving In Before and Afters

2010-12-18T21:44:00.000-08:00

Now that we're mostly settled in, I've got a few photos to share. There wasn't much to do prior to moving in—we had crown mouldings and new baseboards installed, painted a couple walls in the living room, and repainted the two bedrooms.

The kitchen doesn't look too different in the before and after, but I love the finished look of the mouldings and bigger baseboards.

We're planning to put a sectional in the living room in place of the brown couch. Other than that, we're done. Next up, furniture and a BBQ for the patio.

Obsessed with

2010-12-12T23:38:00.001-08:00

The angry birds iPhone app.

The Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

2010-12-12T22:01:00.000-08:00

As we get closer to being all moved in, we've finally been able to hang some art on the walls and begin to decorate. Since Christmas is just around the corner, we've also begun trimming the tree and strategically placing santas and snowmen around various rooms. Our first dilemma was realizing that our current Christmas tree is...slightly more diminutive than its surroundings.

It just felt so much bigger in our last place. And here's where I make myself sound like a total Grinch: I just don't feel like buying a bigger tree and more decorations and more lights. Next year for sure, but with all of the moving and boxes and buying and unpacking and selling old stuff, I don't think I have the energy.

So rather than upgrade, I propped up the little guy, and I think he's quite happy now sitting on the wine rack. It's a classic holiday solution: wine fixes everything.

That Just Happened

2010-12-10T20:10:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I sat next to a guy at the movie theatre who spoke in web-speak. Rather than laugh, he would say "LOL." I'm not kidding.

Monthly Photo - December 2010

2010-12-10T19:57:00.002-08:00

Could be mistaken for a reindeer: a friendly bull elk.

December 2010 Banner

2010-12-10T19:56:00.002-08:00

I'm [kind of] back

2010-12-04T23:31:00.000-08:00

Alas, I have an internet connection. We moved last weekend and after three failed attempts by Telus, they finally showed up for our install. You'll notice I don't have a new monthly banner up, but that's only because I'm not acknowledging that December has officially begun until we no longer have stacks of cardboard boxes in our kitchen. This move-in has been exhausting. Let me give you a taste...

We got the keys last Wednesday and did nothing more than show up and rub our faces on the granite countertops. Thursday we painted. By we, I mean not me. I was at work while Luc and my Mom handled the painting. Friday we started installing the crown mouldings and new baseboards. And by we, I mean our finishing carpenter who happens to be my old baseball coach and who, I have to say, did an impeccable job. Saturday was moving day—out of the old place, into the new. Saturday was also part two of the moulding/base board installation. Sunday was the Grey Cup and, to the dismay of my CFL-fan husband, we didn't have a TV signal. So, despite walls to be painted and boxes to be unpacked, we got mildly drunk downtown watching our dear Saskatchewan Roughriders crumble once again. Monday I was at work, distracted by the to-do list awaiting me at home. After a long Monday, the crowns and baseboards were done. Tuesday through Friday were spent unpacking and organizing, and this weekend, I'm happy to report that we're 80% moved in and organized.

We're moved in enough to relax in front of a fire with a bottle (or two) of wine this evening. Our TV and internet were at long last installed this afternoon so I have some catching up to do! The December banner is on its way. The monthly photo is coming down the pipes. But forgive me if it takes a while, I'm bloody exhausted!

Listening to

2010-11-22T21:16:00.003-08:00

"Treats" — Sleigh Bells

Learning to eat all over again

2010-11-19T21:37:00.000-08:00

Tonight my obliging husband gave me my first technical hamburger-eating lesson. I was a vegetarian from age ten until I was twenty-three. And yes, if you speak with some of my closest friends, they will divulge stories about me eating hotdogs when I've been drinking too much...but I digress. The point is that I don't have the years of experience that others have. My hamburger eating skills didn't evolve with me as I grew old. The shameful results are that when I indulge in handheld food items, most of it ends up on the table and my lap, some of it ends up in my mouth, and the remainder is smeared on my face. Sometimes when a small child eats they mysteriously end up with food bits in their hair, on their forehead, and in many other unsuspecting places. I am that child. But I'm a twenty-six year-old woman.

After watching me struggle through the first quarter of a hamburger, Luc dispensed some bite-by-bite advice to help me navigate the terrain.

Luc: "OK, start with the left side there."
Me: "Here? OK..." (takes a bite)
Luc: "All right...where do you think you should bite next?"
Me: "Here?"
Luc: "No, that's a common mistake, you have to bite again from this side." (pointing)
Me: (takes an enormous bite) "Ohhhh...." (eyes wide, mouth full, face smeared with food, hamburger still falling to pieces in my hands)
Luc: "OK, take it slow, don't get too excited..."

I think learning to eat hamburgers cleanly in your adult years is like learning new languages. The longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes and the more ridiculous you look when you try.

A [watermarked] sneak peek

2010-11-15T23:25:00.002-08:00

Hunter Welly Socks

2010-11-15T20:12:00.000-08:00

I got some little cable knit sweaters for my rubber boots. Boot liners are, without a doubt, the kind of thing that once you have them, you can't fathom living without them.

Blu Studio Photography

2010-11-15T13:17:00.000-08:00

While waiting to get our wedding photos back from Blu Studio, I repeatedly asked myself, How long is too long? Part of the excitement in seeing your wedding photos for the first time is the anticipation, but there comes a point when anticipation diminishes into frustration and eventually disappointment. Our friends and family stopped asking us if we had them yet, our work colleagues gave up on their inquiries after two months, and I quit checking my email after nine weeks. We didn't get so much as a one-photo preview. The email that promised the photos in six weeks certainly proved anticlimactic. All of the guests' thank-you cards have sat on my desk collecting dust, waiting for their 4x6 photo inserts. (And who knows how much longer it will take to get those prints for the thank-you cards?)

After ten weeks and one day, our photos finally arrived to sighs of relief.

My advice to wedding photographers: if you're running behind, at least give your clients a taste of what's to come. When the promise of wedding photos becomes so stale that their arrival begets only relief rather than excitement, the magic has been sucked out of the experience.

I sure do like birds

2010-11-13T19:08:00.000-08:00

I think this set of panel bird prints from the Callaghan Art Gallery on Etsy would look so cute in our new living room.

Reading

2010-11-10T18:33:00.000-08:00

Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh

Ew, what's that?

2010-11-07T16:12:00.000-08:00

.... It's the worst commercial on television these days, that's what it is...

What ever happened to aging naturally?

2010-11-06T18:36:00.005-07:00

The November issue of Vanity Fair features a one-page excerpt from Lesley M. M. Blume's newly released book Let's Bring Back: An Encyclopedia of Forgotten-Yet-Delightful, Chic, Useful, Curious, and Otherwise Commendable Things from Times Gone By. Blume is a style contributor at the Huffington Post, and the book is the eponymous extension of her online series.

The first item that struck me as worthy of revival was the Stork Club in New York—or, an aspect of it, at least.

"Each little table sported a discreet telephone, on which you could dial the other tables: That is a charming feature."

Every item includes its own description and commentary, many with chic, old-timey illustrations. They had me nodding in agreement, especially the idea that umbrellas should be "[beautiful] with carved handles, instead of those silly guaranteed-to-break-immediately quasi-disposable ones that you always see jutting out of street-corner garbage cans."

I have yet to read the entire book, but surely will some time soon.

Other favourites...
Radio Plays
Aging Naturally
Headscarves
Wearing White Gloves to Lunch
Riddles
Skating Parties

Reading

2010-11-05T18:36:00.001-07:00

On the recommendation of my friend Megan Lau:
The Year of Magical Thinking – Joan Didion

Do you have this book?

2010-11-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I play a fun game. I open to a random page, then buy that book. This round's pick was Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov. If any time is a good time for Russian literature, it's the winter. While we're at it, can I confess something? I've never read Lolita. Maybe that'll be next?

True story

2010-11-04T22:24:00.000-07:00

At his bachelor party, Luc and his friends got drunk, stole a golf cart and drove around—Luc fell off the back of the cart and cut open his leg and arm, soaking his white shorts in blood and dirt. A lot of blood and dirt. He let the blood dry on the shorts, and three days later when he was home, got the stains out completely.

This morning I got a small dab of liquid concealer on a white dress shirt. I immediately applied stain remover, soaked it, scrubbed it, soaked it again...continued the process when I got home, washed it in detergent and oxyclean....and the stain is still there.

I realize I'm blogging about clothing stains, but a practically week-old mud and blood stain vs. a small, quickly attended-to makeup stain? Come on, Universe, you're killing me here!

Katherine Heigl?

2010-11-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

Getting friendly with the animals

2010-11-03T22:42:00.000-07:00

While in the Okanagan on my work trip, I fed some BC wildlife and wrote about it for BCLiving online magazine.

Shardik the grizzly bear

Dharma the moose

Big-ass camel

Big-ass bull elk

Before they were trendy

2010-11-03T18:55:00.002-07:00

Princess Diana in Hunter wellies.

Monthly Photo - November 2010

2010-11-01T01:01:00.000-07:00

Lumpy and bumpy gourds at the market.

November 2010 Banner

2010-11-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

Reading

2010-10-31T21:01:00.000-07:00

The Glass Castle – Jeannette Walls

Who invited the creepy dude?

2010-10-31T17:11:00.000-07:00

Winner for best Halloween costume of the night....our friend Tom the sexual predator.

Okanagan: Day one in photos

2010-10-28T22:45:00.001-07:00

My digs at the Eldorado Hotel in Kelowna, a cosy, boutique-style inn.

It was a late harvest for wineries in the Okanagan this year, and many vines are still heavy with bunches of grapes.

Lunch at Quails' Gate Winery was decadent and memorable.

A behind-the-scenes look at the beer making process and bottling at Tree Brewery.

Tasting a little bit of everything.

Strolling through the vineyard overlooking Lake Okanagan at Tantalus.

Sampling juice from the vats before it becomes wine.

Lining up some light, young reds at Tantalus Vineyards.

Checking out the drying process at the Okanagan Lavender Farm.

Capping off the day with a delicious meal at the Eldorado on the waterfront.

The Okanagan: Day one

2010-10-25T21:27:00.000-07:00

Day one of my trip in the Okanagan was fantastic - we visited 2 wineries, one brewery, and dined at the Eldorado Hotel where the Chef made up a custom menu for us. I posted a photo from Quails' Gate Winery on the BCBusiness Daily Photo blog, and you can check it out HERE.

Travel writing assignment

2010-10-24T21:04:00.002-07:00

Tomorrow morning I'm hopping on a plane to Kelowna—I'll be on a 3-day tour of the Thompson Okanagan to write a travel guide for BCLiving.ca. I'll be in the company of four other local writers, none of whom I have met. We'll be drinking beer and wine, going to farmer's markets, museums and restaurants together. The publishing industry is notoriously small, so I'm looking forward to making some new writer friends and discovering the inevitable friends-of-friends connections and colleagues/former colleagues that we have in common. I always find those to be fun conversations.

Luc's already informed me that he's going to eat at Wendy's every night that I'm away—thank the lord it's only two.

Kristen Hilderman was I distracted today...

2010-10-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

Distractions at work are plentiful, but today I met my mortal enemy of distractions: pop-culture wordplay. Local musician Dan Mangan, whom I follow on Twitter, started a game by creating puns with famous people and bands. Example: Betty Whitesnake. He began with incessant tweets, pun after pun...eventually he branded the tweets with the hash tag #punmangan, and in a matter of minutes, all of his followers—myself included—had caught on and joined in the game. If you look up #punmangan on Twitter, you can see the witty mass of wordplay. Eventually, the puns were made up of anything notable in pop culture—songs, TV series, movies, characters, albums...this made for some sweet trifecta puns.

My favourites were...
Desperately Seeking Susan Boyle
Aretha Franklin the Turtle
Bat out of Hellen Keller

Here were my contributions...

Bad teenage mustaches are only the beginning

2010-10-21T19:32:00.002-07:00

Because I'm in a crotchety mood, and because I haven't posted in a week, I'm going to share with you a few of the things that really grated my nerves today. Don't get me wrong, they always make me cringe, but today more than usual.

Bad Teenage Mustaches

The irony of the bad teenage mustache is that these guys are always deemed "cool" because of their mustache. The only thing that would make me feel slightly less repulsed by the bad teenage mustache, is that when in their 20's and onwards, these men look bad and feel remorse for having made the public regard their prepubescent upper lip hairs on a daily basis.

Mixing the oil into a new jar of natural peanut butter

You would think they would leave a couple inches of oil-spill room. Hasn't anyone written to the peanut butter companies about this? I'm going to be that person. I've had enough.

Elevator "close door" buttons

I'm not sure I've ever encountered an elevator "close door" button that actually works. It's not that I'm in a rush, it's just that if you're going to put a button there, make it work!

#16 - We're Home Owners!!

2010-10-14T21:15:00.012-07:00

16: Buy a home

When people say that buying a home is stressful, I think they actually mean unnerving. I found it incredibly disconcerting to fall so hard for a condo and not know whether or not we could actually have it in the end! Because no matter how much you want it, someone else just might want it more (throw down a bigger offer if you end up in competition,) or just have luck on their side and get their offer accepted first (like we did!)

We got word of this place from our realtor the morning it was posted on the market (for realtors' eyes only), but before it was actually available to the public. We booked a viewing for the next day, and when we walked in, I believe my words were something like, "whooaaaahhaaOOOHH myyy god. Wow. Can we get it? I think this it, I want this place, Luc...I WANT IT!" Something resembling a little kid seeing a power wheels car for the first time. The really nerve-wracking part though, for me, was after signing countless documents with the realtor to get our offer in writing....then waiting to hear back from the sellers. Would they counter? Would they outright reject our offer? Would they accept right away?? Needless to say, it was a rather sleepless night and what followed was a distracted day at work, wherein I checked my cellphone more often than I check my twitter feed.

We had put in the offer at 8pm on Monday night, and by about 3pm on Tuesday afternoon we had received a counter from the sellers - and word from our agent that 3 other viewings had been arranged for the next day, two of which were second viewings. The good thing was, the counter-offer was fantastic, so we accepted it immediately, signed the documents, and were whisked away into more paperwork...a home inspection...more paperwork...yadda yadda yadda, we move in on November 24th!

The night that we accepted the offer, Luc and I played a little game called, "I'm most excited for..." The list was long and included things like:
-Having an island in the kitchen
-Being able to blow dry my hair without shorting out all of the power
-Being able to walk to work rather than take 2 skytrains and a bus
-The enormous patio (and the BBQ that we're going to put out there)
-Having in-suite laundry rather than battling it out with neighbours for washer time
-A concrete buliding...meaning, no worries about noise
-Having an ensuite bathroom so I don't have to walk into the dark, scary hallway at night

The only hard part left...waiting another 6 weeks to move in!!

Thoughts

2010-10-12T09:25:00.002-07:00

Movies made in 1995 were meant to be watched in 1995.

Home Decor Dilemma

2010-10-08T22:16:00.004-07:00

I really like these lamps from Pottery Barn. Luc, unfortunately, does not like them one bit.

Pottery Barn Stacked Crystal lamps

Pottery Barn Alexis lamps

How does one circumvent her husband in order to buy something pretty?

The Red Carpet Premiere!

2010-10-07T19:56:00.002-07:00

This week marks the official debut of my married name in the publishing world. I wrote a series of articles for Granville Magazine called the Indie Theatre Guide, and the first two (Hollywood Theatre and Pacific Cinémathèque) of eleven articles were published this week. The series covers independent cinema in Vancouver, and I was lucky enough to visit and photograph just shy of a dozen of our local theatres.

The timing is great because the fall is my favourite season for movie-going—given that there's no snow on the mountains yet and it's too chilly to spend time at the beach. After Thanksgiving I intend to visit Fifth Avenue Cinema and catch a mid-week showing of the Social Network.

Listening to

2010-10-06T20:08:00.000-07:00

"Mouthful of Diamonds" – Phantogram

Finders Keepers

2010-10-04T21:58:00.001-07:00

Apartment lobbies are a funny thing — rented apartment buildings more so than buildings of owners. Upon entering the back lobby of our building on Friday we came across an immaculate, leather office chair. It was positioned in what I like to think of as the "free" zone. The precarious spot between the door and the sitting area that says, I'm not waiting to be taken outside by someone in particular, I'm just hanging around until someone (anyone) takes me. The parameters of the free zone are generally dictated by the table beside the lobby couch: on the table = free, beside the table = not for the taking. However, when oversized items are left out, it's hard to say. You're probably wondering if we took the chair. No, we already have enough crap in our apartment. Had it still been there the next day, it would have been tempting. So tempting, in fact, that the temptation would have outweighed the logical voice in my head that kept saying, Keep walking moron, you don't need another desk chair. I did, however, snatch up a 2-pack sample of the very shampoo and conditioner that I happened to purchase last weekend. Today's findings: a single dryer sheet. I left that gem for someone else.

October 2010 Banner

2010-10-01T19:19:00.002-07:00

Monthly Photo - October 2010

2010-10-01T17:50:00.002-07:00

Listening to

2010-09-28T22:13:00.003-07:00

"Parachute" – Ingrid Michaelson

Not-so-cheap Tuesday

2010-09-28T21:15:00.001-07:00

Today seems to be an ongoing battle with the universe. This morning I clamped an entire finger between my flat iron, and I thought to myself, "Kristen, that was really stupid, don't make this one of those days." Fortunately I smartened up, but the world just kind of had it in for me. The day's events were like an off-key crescendo, ending with a bang when our car got towed while we were out for dinner. Cheap Tuesday pasta night isn't so cheap when the city hits you up for $150 in towing and tickets and a $25 cab ride to the impound lot. The worst part is that the "do not park past this point" sign was completely covered and obstructed by a giant City of Vancouver road improvement sign. So you'd better believe we're going to fight City Hall on this one. We took cell phone pictures of the ridiculous, gigantic sign covering the no parking sign. But still, I don't have my hopes up. Cities are usually pretty skilled in screwing people over - not so bad that you retaliate further, but just enough to ruin your day.

This is a Post-Wedding Chop

2010-09-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

Long hair before the wedding

Visit your friendly neighbourhood salon for a good old post-wedding chop and....

Short hair after the wedding

Thoughts

2010-09-22T22:00:00.002-07:00

There's something to be said for the post-wedding chop.

Beef and Bean Chili Topped with Avocado

2010-09-21T16:38:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe while browsing an issue of Real Simple on the flight home from our honeymoon. I made a few small tweaks to the ingredients (added carrots and red peppers) and spices.

Beef and Bean Chili

2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 large carrots
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb ground beef
1.5 ounces tomato paste
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed
1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 avocadoes

-Heat the oil in a large pot over medium. Add the onions, bell peppers, carrots and garlic, stirring occasionally, until tender for about 10-12 minutes.
-Add the beef, increase heat to medium-high and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until it's no longer pink, for 8-10 minutes.
-Add the tomato paste, chili powder and cumin, cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
-Add the diced tomatoes (with their juices), beans and chocolate. Also add 1/2 cup of water, salt and pepper to taste.
-Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-Stir in the vinegar and serve topped with thick avocado slices.

For me, the avocado was what really made this special. It seemed unusual at first, but now I can't imagine the chili tasting as good without it!

The name is Kage, and I'm sticking with it!

2010-09-20T21:45:00.000-07:00

Of all the recently wed ladies I know, I would say half have changed their last names and the other half have not. As you can see, I changed mine. I like the idea of our family going by a singular name. I'm looking forward to sharing the same last name as my husband and my children. And a good thing about marrying at a younger age (I'm a just-turned 26...that's still young, right?), is that it doesn't really matter yet professionally. I have some published work, but not enough to warrant holding on to my original last name. And I'm only entering the publishing industry as a full-time employee next week, so I haven't been networking under "Gladiuk" for an overly long period of time. As for those women who keep their last names, that's their prerogative, and I don't really wish to discuss the virtues of name changing/keeping on my blog, not in a serious way, at least. Everyone does what's right for themselves.

But then there comes the issue of my blog name and the nickname that most people call me by: KG. And also, Kage. I can't say I won't miss that dearly. I secretly hope (take note, friends....) that people continue to call me KG, it has a nice ring to it! And as for "Kage"....sit back as I rationalize that one for you:
My friends began calling me Kage as a shorter form of "KG"....say KG a few times really fast and you've got Kage. Kay-Aich (KH) sounds understandably silly, but hear me out....say K-H a few times fast....kinda sounds like...Kage! And there you have it, I'm changing my last name but retaining my nickname. Viva le blog!

Thoughts

2010-09-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it took me this long to see Inglourious Basterds. What an amazingly brutal, captivating, well-acted, and well-made movie.

On some recent accomplishments

2010-09-19T21:43:00.000-07:00

It's been a while, yes, but I'm back from wedding mania and home from the honeymoon and I have lots to report. I'm just going to start with some things that I recently knocked off my 101 Things To Do in 1001 Days list.

Let's start from the top...

#13 - Get a job in publishing
Check! I was fortunate enough to be offered a full-time position by the company I did my internship with. I start in a week and I couldn't be more excited. Although working full time means writing my thesis will take a bit longer (pushing graduating to a later date), this is the kind of opportunity I've been hoping for since I went back to school. And bonus, we can finally start looking for our own condo! So maybe that "buy a home" item on the list will be the next thing to be checked off?

#26 - Order room service
A honeymoon is the perfect time to indulge, so I'm happy to say that this item can be checked off several times! Pictured below is a champagne breakfast on our balcony. This is moments before I shot the cork off the champagne bottle into the pool area below. Whoops!

#47 - Read 100 books
I'm getting ever closer to my 100 books. My most recent conquest was "Committed" by Elizabeth Gilbert, the infamous "Eat Pray Love" author. I received it as a birthday gift and thought it would be an appropriate post-wedding read. Maybe not, though. Although Gilbert eventually comes to peace with her second marriage and finds her own nesting spot in legal matrimony, the entire book is basically her squinting skeptically at the strength and longevity of modern marriage. There was a bevy of fascinating historical information on marriage, but it was a little bleak for a beach read.

#54 - Swim at the bottom of a waterfall
We left our resort for one full day, and on our agenda was climbing a waterfall. We took a tour bus down the North coast to Ocho Rios, where we climbed Dunn's River Falls. It's a 700 foot high, unique waterfall that is broken into several shelves. Many spots involve linking hands in a human chain to increase stability when scaling the rocks. The most fun was swimming around at the bottom of the falls and the spot where the rocks had formed a waterslide.

#73 - Watch a sunrise
It's pretty much against the rules of vacationing (let alone, honeymooning) to get up at 5:00am, but after watching several amazing sunsets, we really wanted to take in the sunrise as well. We actually snuck onto the roof of the hotel...and it was worth it.

#80 - Take Luc to the spa for a massage
Not only did Luc get a massage, but we also did the sauna, steamroom, hot tub, water therapy, freezing cold plunging pool, and couples facials. He probably doesn't approve of me telling my blog readers that...but after my lengthy absence, I'm not even sure how many of you there are left!

#98 - Go an entire week without checking the stat counter on my blog
Needless to say, with the wedding and the honeymoon I've been pretty disconnected from everything digital. And it's been a nice break. But make no mistake...it's nice to be back!

First post as a married woman

2010-09-08T00:07:00.001-07:00

I don't have the energy just yet to describe how wonderfully amazing and fun our entire wedding day was, but I do have a few photos. We managed to snap a few pics on our own camera. Just post-reception pics, but there will be more to come when we get back from our honeymoon.

Our wedding video

2010-09-06T13:07:00.001-07:00

Bride-to-be Banner

2010-09-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

My September banner is a tribute to my upcoming wedding. I designed it after our wedding invitations and even scanned part of an invite and pieced things together in Photoshop. The rest was done in InDesign. The first of the month marks 4 days until I say my vows. And I'm pretty excited.

Monthly Photo - September 2010

2010-09-01T00:03:00.000-07:00

Skimboarding at Centennial Beach.

September 2010 Banner

2010-09-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Listening to

2010-08-29T21:55:00.002-07:00

"I know what I am" — Band of Skulls

Listening to

2010-08-26T21:02:00.003-07:00

"Skinny love" — Bon Iver

Centennial Beach skimboarding

2010-08-24T17:40:00.002-07:00

Luc and I enjoyed an afternoon at the beach skimboarding. There's been a lot going on with the wedding coming up, so it was nice to take a day to ourselves to hang out and play around. Centennial Beach is one of our favourite spots because when the tide is out, it is OUT! And we found a couple of deeper spots to relax with a drink in between running around. We've talked a lot about moving out to Tsawwassen, and days like this only convince me more.

Eyebrow threading

2010-08-23T13:01:00.003-07:00

I have only one thing to say: do it, do it now! And obviously I'm going to say more than just that. I went to She to Shic Beauty Lounge for my first eyebrow threading this afternoon and I left a changed woman. Not only do I have a finely manicured brow for the first time in my life (for the incredibly reasonable price of $8) but I have a new monthly routine. I mean, she told me to come back every 2 weeks....but that seems like overkill. If I had a regular beauty regimen, this would definitely be number one on the list.

The eyebrow threading experience

When I arrived and laid back in the chair, I started to say that I didn't want them thin and I got as far as, "I..." before the woman cut me off saying, "NO! No, don't say anything...NO...." even as I tried to get a word in edgewise, she kept cutting me right off. Then she told me how messy my eyebrows were, how bad I was at plucking them, how they were two different shapes and then told me not to say anything...again.

My palms started to sweat and I was getting really nervous...letting her go wild on a facial feature—with no direction or indication of how I wanted them done—two weeks before I'm getting married. Not smart. But maybe I just have trust issues, because she did a fantastic job. I like it when someone tells you how it's going to be and they don't let you down. This woman just found herself a loyal customer!

Eyebrows are one of those things that you don't notice how bad they are until you see them looking good. So if you haven't tried eyebrow threading, here's all you need to know...

Eyebrow threading 101

-Cheap (mine was $8 at She to Shic in Kerrisdale)
-Takes about 5 minutes
-Yields unbelievable results
-Less painful than waxing
-Your eyes will water a lot

DIY Wedding Update

2010-08-21T20:50:00.001-07:00

Things have been crazy busy around here with wedding planning fever. We've got 15 days until we say I do. I just wanted to share a couple of projects that we finished today.

Colouring books for the kids

I blogged about the colouring books a while back, and for a few good months progress stalled. They're pretty labour intensive, but after seeing the finished product, I know for sure that they were more than worth it. We also have princess crayons for the girls and jumbo crayons for the boys.

I used a long-arm stapler to bind the books and 3 layers of patterned japanese masking tape—polka dots for the girls, stripes for the boys—to line the spines. Our main wedding colour is eggplant, so I put a strip of solid colour over the patterned tape. If you want read more about how I made the books, check out my colouring book blog post.

Welcome bags for out of town guests

Since a lot of our guests are making the trek from Saskatchewan, we wanted to have something special waiting for them in their hotel room. We threw together a few food and drink items, a "Kristen and Luc" notepad, city activity info, map to the ceremony and reception, and a little note from Luc and me.

And as you can see, everything we do has the purple theme!

Oh the things you'll hear

2010-08-19T19:51:00.001-07:00

There's nothing like the sweet giggles of a baby to warm the cockles of your heart. It's been sweltering in our apartment for the last couple of weeks, so each window is open to max capacity all day and all night. We hear a lot of interesting things—crows that sound like they're strangling cats, car alarms, lovers quarrels, people belching, cats meowing, our neighbour piping away ever so irritatingly on her recorder—so it's always nice when the sound floating through the window is a pleasant one.

Yes, there's nothing quite like the laughter of a small child to make me smile and calm my nerves, which have been frayed by the final days of wedding planning. Seventeen days, to be exact. Seventeen days of ribbon tying, cardstock cutting, decision making, organizing, and the never-ending emails that haunt me in my sleep. I finally understand why everyone says planning a wedding is so stressful. But take my word for it, it's only as stressful as you make it. I keep working away on these projects, thinking DI-Y the hell am I doing this? Why? Because deep down I love the frenetic pace of wedding planning and minutia that make the wedding day distinctly your own. And I don't think I've ever been so excited for anything in my life.

Listening to

2010-08-12T09:43:00.003-07:00

"The Cave" – Mumford & Sons

Confessions

2010-08-11T21:55:00.001-07:00

I just cried while watching an episode of Ugly Betty.

My Bridezilla Confession

2010-08-11T08:35:00.000-07:00

By telling you this story I'm hoping to relieve myself from the residual guilt of acting like a total psycho. Luc and I agreed to forget it ever happened, but for me, writing about it is cathartic, and entirely necessary.

The bridezilla story

As many of you may know, Luc and I went to visit his family in Saskatchewan for a week. Our flight was on a Friday night, and since Luc works until 6 pm, he was taking the skytrain straight to the airport. I, however, was racing home first to check the mail (for the many wedding RSVPs I have been anxiously awaiting). Upon arriving home I realized that Luc had the mail key....at work....downtown....which meant the locked mailbox stuffed full of RSVPS (I could peer at them through the slits in the metal) would remain there for the week that we were away. The week that I planned to call the non-responders, start sorting out table arrangements, and generally get a hand on things that were guest-count dependent.

I'm not proud, but when I realized that I couldn't get at the reply cards for another week, I kinda went crazy. First I called our landlord and asked if he could come to the building and open our mailbox. Not happening. Then I called Luc and strongly suggested that he leave work early to bring me the mail key. He thought that was a bad idea. So I called him again. And maybe a few more times after that. Finally realizing that he wasn't coming home, I grabbed the first few things I saw: a paring knife, a fondue fork, a bobby pin and tweezers, and walked as calmly as I could down the stairs to the lobby of our apartment building. And by calmly, I mean that I burst into the hallway brandishing my McGyver-esque weapons, eyes wide with delirium, palms sweaty with anticipation of busting up that stupid mailbox. Thank the lord none of the neighbours were around. Actually, they may have been, but I was too focused on the task at hand to notice.

I proceeded to hack and pry into the mailbox, tearing up the contents with the surprisingly sharp prongs of my fondue fork. Using my mixed arsenal of kitchen wares and grooming products, I managed to partially wedge open the mailbox and pluck out all of the RSVPs. Granted, most of them were pretty messed up when they were finally released from the maniacal grip of my tweezers.

Standing in the lobby, surrounded by shreds of envelopes, I had an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. But after taking a moment to assess the situation and my bizarre behaviour, I felt like a total Bridezilla. By sharing this story, I'm hoping to wash my hands of this incident and move on. But after all, isn't there a little bit of Bridezilla hiding somewhere in all of us?

A few engagement photos

2010-08-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

Slowing things down in the prairies

2010-08-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

Luc and I are kicking back in Saskatchewan for a week with the family.

Each year his hometown has a party on the August long weekend, with a big beer garden, canoe races, karaoke and a volleyball tournament (which we won, yay!) Now that the festivities are over, we're slowly realizing how long it takes our old, decrepit, late-twenties bodies to recover from too much physical activity and too many drinks. And there's nothing quite like a golden retriever puppy bouncing around to remind you of how old and slow you've become!

Monthly Photo - August 2010

2010-08-01T13:47:00.002-07:00

Mid-morning at Callaghan Lake.

August 2010 Banner

2010-08-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

Hair where there should be none

2010-07-30T14:27:00.001-07:00

What's that, you ask? How many curly little black hairs did I find in my thai takeout from last night? Three. Three curly little black hairs.

I found the first last night and decided to play it cool and keep eating, hair happens. At least it never made it into my mouth.

While putting my leftovers onto a plate this afternoon I found number two. I told myself to relax, it was probably just the other half of the first one.

And then, dangling precariously from a noodle on my fork, just seconds from entering my mouth, I spotted number three. And that, my friends, is when I threw away my thai takeout.

Everyone has a breaking point, mine used to be hair number one, and I think this experience has just set me back to that good old standard. One hair is one too many.

Thoughts

2010-07-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

The guys on the reality TV show Big Brother must have some sort of "no shirt" clause in their contract.

Listening to

2010-07-28T21:53:00.001-07:00

"Midnight Room" – Blaudzun

Decadent Summer Salad for Two

2010-07-27T18:37:00.002-07:00

This recipe is a mixture of a few favourite salads of mine. I made it for my girlfriends last weekend and again tonight for Luc. Since Luc isn't much of a salad guy, I know I've done well when he eats the whole thing and doesn't end up rummaging through the kitchen cupboards afterwards.

2 handfuls of strawberries
1 mandarin orange
1 avocado
1 large handful of pecans (candied, if you like them sweet and crunchy like me)
1/4 red onion
1/2 tube goat cheese
1 small head of butter lettuce
Raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing (I use Kraft Raspberry Vinaigrette)

-Rinse butter lettuce and tear into bite size pieces
-Slice strawberries length wise
-Peel mandarin and cut slices in halves
-Cut avocado into slices or chunks (whichever you prefer)
-Dice red onion
-Arrange butter lettuce on two plate and toss with red onion
-Top with the cut up fruit and avocado
-Sprinkle on pecans
-Break up goat cheese into small pieces and top salad
-Add as much salad dressing as you like and enjoy!

Celebration of Light: Spain's Finale Fireworks

2010-07-26T18:19:00.003-07:00

For any non-Vancouverites, the Celebration of Light is an annual fireworks show that happens on various nights throughout a few weeks in the summer. Different countries compete to put on the best fireworks display set to music. And let me tell you, people LOVE it. On Saturday night I had front row seats watching from my cousin's balcony.

We watched the masses of people flooding into English Bay to watch the fireworks.

At one point we saw a sea of foam floating down the curb's edge and followed its origins to a kid getting his beer dumped by the cops. We had a few more drinks on the balcony and waited for the sun to set.

The darker it got, the more people crowded onto the beach and the grassy areas below. We were feeling pretty good about our spacious spot on the 23rd floor.

With the throngs of people came boat after boat...after boat. The waters surrounding English Bay and Stanley Park were packed with party boats, yachts and tipsy sailors.

After a few pre-show teasers, the fireworks began, the music blared, and we watched from our perch.

I caught the finale on video. I like to think of firework finales as the time when the designers look at the giant pile they have left after planning the bulk of the show, then blow everything they have left at once.

The Social Network: aka the Facebook movie

2010-07-22T19:45:00.001-07:00

Watching movie trailers is like a drug for me, so when I took a few minutes in the midst of a particularly drab workday to check out this one, it was well worth it. "The Social Network" is about the creation of Facebook and the scandals surrounding it, and if the eerie trailer featuring a children's choir rendition of Radiohead is any indication of what's to come, the movie is going to be powerful, revealing and all-round fantastic. I'm a lover of social media and I'm fascinated with the way it's shaped an entire generation of people and changed the way we live, love, build relationships, do business, communicate, and project ourselves on others. And so many other things. It would be cool to see a movie—maybe a documentary, for that matter—with a larger scope, covering more than just one social media outlet and how it shapes the lives of people from different generations. It may already exist, I just haven't heard of it yet.

The Social Network trailer