Paparazzi

Paparazzi are an interesting breed of people. Hours on hours they will spend outside of a restaurant or hotel just waiting for that somebody to leave. Hours on hours for that shot of a celebrity walking out of a store, and with a hope that they'll stop and pose? It's odd really.

I just witnessed a crowd of paparazzi waiting outside our hotel for Paris Hilton to leave, and then swarming Tegan and Sara in the meanwhile. One of the dudes ran ahead of us so he could get a few more shots of the girls walking. Tegan put her arm around me and announced that he wanted shots of me too, so he took a few, haha. Really is odd though. Interesting first day in Australia. Oh and Paris, with her sister and new 'tv show' best friend, showed up later at the resaurant we were at also. That's a little crazy in itself, of all the hotels and all the resaurants in Melbourne, she chose the two we were (already) at?!!

Slumdog for Christmas

A lot of great movies come out at this time of year, and few even open on Christmas Day. It's kind of sad that the only time a family is together for the year (obviously this isn't always the case but...), they go out to a movie instead of spending quality time together. Movies are this generations 'family time', and that 's too bad. But maybe after seeing a movie, you and your family go home and discuss it and get into great conversation from there?

I love movies and there are a lot of great looking films out this Christmas season that I want to see, and I probably will. I will also be spending a good chunk of time with my own family, extended family, and good friends, doing nothing else but sipping hot chocolate and talking about life. Balance; it's what life is all about.

If you are heading out to a film with your family, can I suggest you go see Slumdog Millionaire? It's an amazing film and it should also raise great conversation. Seriously, excellent.

Product Placement

Toothbrushes and dating services. These are the two types of commercials that played during the commercial breaks of an 'Electronic Gaming' show. Actually they both played in each one of the commercial breaks. Granted it is 2:24am, but I love the strategy in advertising. I also love that they are saying people who play video games are often not only single, but have bad hygiene. I'm not saying I disagree with this product placement, but I just thought I'd point it out?!

Well I've gotta go buy my brother a new toothbrush for Christmas.

SNL vs. T&S

Although it aired a couple of months ago, I finally saw the episode of Saturday Night Live where Sarah Palin guest stared, and more importantly, there was a half spoof of Tegan and Sara. It came in a segment where they were talking about a great live music venue in NYC, and then showed posters of bands which had already played there... one of which was a Tegan and Sara poster, from their last album. It was funny to see it in context since we had origionally just heard that they re-did a T&S photo and threw it up going into commercial break. Maybe this could be one step closer to getting the girls on the show next year?

Moving West

Are you serious, Mats Sundin is going to play for the Vancouver Canucks? If you don't like or follow hockey, then no big deal, but in the world of sports, this is big. First of all, something like 5 million dollars for a one year contract... oh hold on, it's almost january... 5 million for HALF a year. I suppose that's not quite as good as a baseball contract but honestly, who'd want to play baseball if it weren't for big salarys?
Sorry, I was talking hockey. Anyways, Mats in a Vancouver jersey huh? Will he make a difference or will be a distraction to the Canucks? I'm excited to see what happens, and I'm happy he chose Vancouver over New York. I don't understand why he chose Vancouver over New York, but I am excited, and as long as he doesn't turn into Mark Messier, I'll be happy. Thoughts?

Reflexes

I have to admit, for his age, the 'W' still has some moves. That shoe was thrown point blank and still 'Ol Georgie got out of the way. It's easy to dodge an object if you know it's coming, but to really test your agility you must be unaware of the test in itself! I'm confusing myself. Anywhoo, good for him, at 62 I hope I can dodge shoes too.

Snow in the Promise Land

I love snow. I love it when it covers this beautiful city.

I dislike Victoria drivers in general. They don't know how to drive.
I hate Victoria drivers when it snows.

4 inches have fallen. City is in utter chaos.

Two key factors to point out:
1. Victoria doesn't get a lot of snow (inexperience of drivers)
2. Victoria is the retirement capital of Canada (not going to say it)

My gold Ford Focus needs new tires.

Beards keep your face warm.

Proof

I wanted to prove to myself that blogs don't have to be long. I need to explain. Not going to. Comic anyone?

Passports

If you travel, chances are you have a passport. If you have renewed your passport in the past year or two, you've stood in line, and it was probably a long line. I remember reading stories of people paying the homeless to camp out in line for them in front of the office the night before, promising them $50 if they were still there in the morning. Ever since the United States started even talking about requiring Canadians to have a passport to enter, the lines have been long... but waiting for your passport to arrive has been even longer still.
I however had a good experience the other day. Not long of a wait and an estimated arrival time of the passport in under two weeks. You do have to pay more to get it that quick though. If you have the time, get your passport early so you don't have to pay extra and more importantly, you don't have to stress about it arriving in time.
My one problem was this:
Since we are going on tour in Australia in a couple of weeks, we need working visa's to play. In order to get those, they need your passport number and expiry date. And if your passport is being processed, or in the mail being sent to you, they will not give you the number over the phone or even in person. "You must wait into you get it in your hands to find out the number." is what passport Canada told me. I guess it's for my own safety.

Things I have learned from this experience:

1. If your passport runs out within 6 months of your arrival in a new country, you should probably renew your passport, (even if you are returning before it expires).

2. To play music in a foreign Country, you need a work visa. You get this prior to entering the country.

3. Passport Canada will not give you the number over the phone, even if you need it to apply for a work visa.

Seems obvious? It is. I forgot.

24hrs... and a lot more

Get up at 5:50am Thursday. Down waiting in my lobby by 6:15am. Ted (guitar player genius, Tegan and Sara) picks me up and we drive to catch the first ferry to Vancouver. Ferry food, actually good... if you order your eggs over-easy, otherwise they give you the not-so-fresh, came-out-of-a-carton powdered, scrambled eggs!

11am-2pm rehearsal in a Vancouver storage unit in Yaletown. Ben Sigston is the artist we are playing with.
Walk around downtown for 5 hours. Get to venue, the Railway Club, and set up our gear. Wait another couple of hours. play 30 seconds of the first song and "whammo!" Breaker blown, as in kaput, end of show. Lame-o.

1pm Friday, walk onto ferry back to Vicoria. 1:40pm, ferry starts to spin rapidly and sirens blare. "Crew to boats!" comes across the intercom. Man overboard. Smoke flare in the water, rescue boat ripping towards it. 2pm, rescue boat comes back with someone. 2:40pm, we dock back in Van. Man sent in ambulance to hospital. 4:30pm, finally docked in Victoria. Ferry traffic back into Vic.

5:30pm, load in time for my next gig...

Salsa Time!

On Saturday night I went out with my wife, Leana, and learned how to salsa dance. This dance class was part of a "mandatory fun night" at her school. Oh and this was just after we made fresh salsa from scratch. Mmmm, raw onions. Dancing went well, but not so great was my breath... so this is my official apology to all the girls in the Canadian College of Performing Arts who I danced with. Oh wait! Hold on a sec here, maybe my breath actually distracted them from my dancing?! No, who are we kidding, I'm a great dancer, here's proof...

Click here to see Shaun Huberts, Dancer Extraordinaire