http://www.cbc.ca/podcasting/includes/radio1/aboriginals/standard/index.xml
Jan 5th episode rocks!
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
More French Music: Malajube
Yay for more French music!
One of my coworkers had this on her mp3 player. Then we heard it again on the radio driving through Val D'Or. I can't believe I've never heard this song! It's so catchy! From the Last.fm website:
Malajube are an indie rock band from Montréal, Québec, Canada. They sing in French and have three albums out on Dare to Care Records. The group made itself known in 2004 with the release of its first album, “Le Compte Complet.” Critics welcomed the disc with positive reviews, which allowed the group to become instantly famous in the Québécois music scene. Several of its songs, such as “Le Métronome” and “La Valérie,” were prominent mainstays on several Québec radio stations. For the production of the album, the group turned to Martin Pelland from fellow Montreal band The Dears.
Was voted on CBC 3 as "Best Reason to Learn French". Dave would like this.
One of my coworkers had this on her mp3 player. Then we heard it again on the radio driving through Val D'Or. I can't believe I've never heard this song! It's so catchy! From the Last.fm website:
Malajube are an indie rock band from Montréal, Québec, Canada. They sing in French and have three albums out on Dare to Care Records. The group made itself known in 2004 with the release of its first album, “Le Compte Complet.” Critics welcomed the disc with positive reviews, which allowed the group to become instantly famous in the Québécois music scene. Several of its songs, such as “Le Métronome” and “La Valérie,” were prominent mainstays on several Québec radio stations. For the production of the album, the group turned to Martin Pelland from fellow Montreal band The Dears.
Was voted on CBC 3 as "Best Reason to Learn French". Dave would like this.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Famous French Songs
What good is living in a new place if you don't learn and appreciate the music there?
I heard of Michel Rivard only after watching this parody created about Stephen Harper cutting arts funding. What diversity that I was completely unaware of in the next province!
The English lyrics of La complainte du phoque en Alaska.
Here is Zebda. Tomber le chemise means "take off your shirt." Zebda is from Toulouse, France and is known for political activism. This is such a drinking song!!!!! You don't need to understand any French for this song to make you pick up your feet and dance!
Thank you to L. for getting me hooked on this song.
Put your heart into it!
I heard of Michel Rivard only after watching this parody created about Stephen Harper cutting arts funding. What diversity that I was completely unaware of in the next province!
The English lyrics of La complainte du phoque en Alaska.
Here is Zebda. Tomber le chemise means "take off your shirt." Zebda is from Toulouse, France and is known for political activism. This is such a drinking song!!!!! You don't need to understand any French for this song to make you pick up your feet and dance!
Thank you to L. for getting me hooked on this song.
Put your heart into it!
Down South
Last leg yesterday was from Rouyn and to Collingwood. I dropped off V. and D. in North Bay after having a late lunch at the Burger Bar. It sort of sucks saying bye ... although D. I will see again in a week but not V. And suddenly it felt alone to be in a car. We work, live and play together. The fact that we get along so well is what makes this job worthwhile and fun. I would not have survived this long up north if it weren't for my coworkers. They keep me motivated at my work and in my own life. They have become my friends and have made me a better person.
Despite being on my own, the drive from North Bay through to Huntsville was gorgeous. Perfect view, few cars on the road. Also, I picked up a new FM transmitter for the iPad in North Bay so I could listen to my music! The green coming out on the trees and the grass was also nice - north of North Bay, it's still mostly snow-covered. Two hours later, I got lost around Orillia but stopped at a hunting/fishing supply store and got directions to Collingwood.
Yay! Dave and I finally reunited, after 2 months apart, at the Starbucks.
We went to the Oliver and Bonacini at the Blue Mountain Village for dinner. No, I had no special clothes. Still wearing my boots, my McKinley fleece reeking of sweat from being trapped in the car for 2 days, my hair in a mess. Honestly, I didn't care how I looked but I was wondering how others might perceive me. I got the $15 mac and cheese - I had this last summer with my mom for Canada's Day - but would have been a hundred times happier if I was eating the President's Choice Deluxe White Mac and Cheese that costs me $2 at the supermarket. Our dinner there would have covered half a tank of gas and a week's worth of groceries. Normally I'd be excited to be at the O&B but sitting amongst all this privileged white women, I secretly wished I could pick them up and stick them in Waskag to live there for a few weeks. I feel lucky that I have the ability to be mobile and see different cultures and lifestyles and yet I also feel that, at the same time, it's a responsibility for people to experience different cultures. This is the same feeling I felt after I returned from Asia.
To cut a long story short, the two of us stayed at a B&B in Wasaga Beach and went hiking at the scenic caves Sunday morning, after we spent an hour at the office dumping off BodyZorbs and science supplies. It was beautiful at the top of the mountain with the tree canopy not yet developed, sunlight providing energy to spring ephemerals like blue cohosh and trilliums (some starting just to unfurl their petals). Turkey vultures zipping on the breeze just at the top of the mountain. I loved it. It was a great day but we had to leave at 2:30 pm to make it home for dinner.
And when I returned to the city, I just felt exhausted. The busy 400 highway with the aggressive drivers, the hideous advertising signs that fight for your attention, the people in the malls that looked overly concerned with how they look and what piercings they have and their makeup, everyone talking fast and sharp.
Trop. Trop. Trop.
Until today, I finally understood some of the Cree kids I met. The ones who spent a few years in Ottawa or Montreal and I asked them where they prefer. Life up north.
Despite being on my own, the drive from North Bay through to Huntsville was gorgeous. Perfect view, few cars on the road. Also, I picked up a new FM transmitter for the iPad in North Bay so I could listen to my music! The green coming out on the trees and the grass was also nice - north of North Bay, it's still mostly snow-covered. Two hours later, I got lost around Orillia but stopped at a hunting/fishing supply store and got directions to Collingwood.
Yay! Dave and I finally reunited, after 2 months apart, at the Starbucks.
We went to the Oliver and Bonacini at the Blue Mountain Village for dinner. No, I had no special clothes. Still wearing my boots, my McKinley fleece reeking of sweat from being trapped in the car for 2 days, my hair in a mess. Honestly, I didn't care how I looked but I was wondering how others might perceive me. I got the $15 mac and cheese - I had this last summer with my mom for Canada's Day - but would have been a hundred times happier if I was eating the President's Choice Deluxe White Mac and Cheese that costs me $2 at the supermarket. Our dinner there would have covered half a tank of gas and a week's worth of groceries. Normally I'd be excited to be at the O&B but sitting amongst all this privileged white women, I secretly wished I could pick them up and stick them in Waskag to live there for a few weeks. I feel lucky that I have the ability to be mobile and see different cultures and lifestyles and yet I also feel that, at the same time, it's a responsibility for people to experience different cultures. This is the same feeling I felt after I returned from Asia.
To cut a long story short, the two of us stayed at a B&B in Wasaga Beach and went hiking at the scenic caves Sunday morning, after we spent an hour at the office dumping off BodyZorbs and science supplies. It was beautiful at the top of the mountain with the tree canopy not yet developed, sunlight providing energy to spring ephemerals like blue cohosh and trilliums (some starting just to unfurl their petals). Turkey vultures zipping on the breeze just at the top of the mountain. I loved it. It was a great day but we had to leave at 2:30 pm to make it home for dinner.
And when I returned to the city, I just felt exhausted. The busy 400 highway with the aggressive drivers, the hideous advertising signs that fight for your attention, the people in the malls that looked overly concerned with how they look and what piercings they have and their makeup, everyone talking fast and sharp.
Trop. Trop. Trop.
Until today, I finally understood some of the Cree kids I met. The ones who spent a few years in Ottawa or Montreal and I asked them where they prefer. Life up north.
Old Photo: Sleeping in Car
An old photo that A. had taken of me, sleeping in the back of our super-packed van. Leaving Waskag to head to Great Whale. Was taken 6 weeks ago.
Drat, I lost that purple scarf I bought in Vietnam.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
For Sale: Ontario Northlander
All over North Bay and Temiskaming yesterday, we saw signs opposing the privatization of the Ontario Northlander (ONTC). The Ontario government recently had announced that it was going to sell the line. This lane brings people from Cochrane up to Moosonee and is mostly commonly known to Canadians as "The Polar Express."
While this article in the Nation News gives a very narrow outlook of the consequences, I am wondering whether there can be a positive impact if the right buyer, with the right intentions, comes along.
We Need Our Northern Trains
While this article in the Nation News gives a very narrow outlook of the consequences, I am wondering whether there can be a positive impact if the right buyer, with the right intentions, comes along.
We Need Our Northern Trains
Friday, April 20, 2012
Rouyn
We said goodbye yesterday to our students and took off this morning to Rouyn. D. drove the first have to Matagami, where we stopped for lunch. I filled up on gas and then hopped into the driver's seat. We got into Rouyn around 5 pm. Tried to drop off our beer bottles at the SAQ but apparently they don't take them! We had to go to IGA and got $6.10 for beer bottles.
V. and I were walking around the store, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the choice. OMG! Oasis juice is $1!!!! (We blow a lot of money on food and juice up north to entice kids to come, normally it's $2) We were sort of wandering around, eyes like saucers, staring at everything. I laughed when I noticed that the seafood sales girl were watching us. Like we had dropped down from another planet and had never been in a grocery store before. All the things we lived without before in front of us, V. said she wanted to buy everything! Reverse culture shock, I call it.
Stayed at the Alpin Hotel again. I finished ordering - a cannelloni with a garden salad instead of caesar since je suis vegetarien - and D. said, "Your French is really good!" which was a nice compliment. I have a good accent but I just don't speak enough to feel comfortable. I really wished I had done more French because I'm envious that I'm not fluent in it.
After dinner, we stuffed ourselves silly, we had some beers. L., V. and I did some clay face masks. Sat around chatted. Tomorrow have to drop off L. at the bus stop and then drop off V. and D. in North Bay. Last 4 hour stretch and I get to see Dave! And we will hang out for Collingwood for a half day together!!
It's been two months apart so I know that we will have a good time catching up together.
V. and I were walking around the store, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the choice. OMG! Oasis juice is $1!!!! (We blow a lot of money on food and juice up north to entice kids to come, normally it's $2) We were sort of wandering around, eyes like saucers, staring at everything. I laughed when I noticed that the seafood sales girl were watching us. Like we had dropped down from another planet and had never been in a grocery store before. All the things we lived without before in front of us, V. said she wanted to buy everything! Reverse culture shock, I call it.
Stayed at the Alpin Hotel again. I finished ordering - a cannelloni with a garden salad instead of caesar since je suis vegetarien - and D. said, "Your French is really good!" which was a nice compliment. I have a good accent but I just don't speak enough to feel comfortable. I really wished I had done more French because I'm envious that I'm not fluent in it.
After dinner, we stuffed ourselves silly, we had some beers. L., V. and I did some clay face masks. Sat around chatted. Tomorrow have to drop off L. at the bus stop and then drop off V. and D. in North Bay. Last 4 hour stretch and I get to see Dave! And we will hang out for Collingwood for a half day together!!
It's been two months apart so I know that we will have a good time catching up together.
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