The colour of courage

First read about this in a little blurb in yesterday's Ottawa Citizen. Did a little further digging online (many thanks to Google!) - managed to dig up a more detailed article:

"I’ve stood around too long" - Central Kings students wear pink to send bullies a message

What an inspiring story!! Restored my faith in humanity a little bit (especially teenagers). Having been bullied at school myself when I was young, this really struck a chord with me...

Those two guys who started the whole solidarity shirt gesture at the school in response to the bullying deserve a medal, in my opinion! I really admire their kindness, bravery and sense of honour - real virtues and signs of excellent character. They're great role models for young people to follow!

Favourite songs (updated)

New entries (at the bottom of the list) are marked in red boldface...

“LA Song (Out Of This Town)” – Beth Hart
“I Miss You” – Blink-182
“Feel Good Time” - P!nk feat. William Orbit
“Pure Morning” - Placebo
“Heaven Coming Down” – The Tea Party
“The Age of Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” – The Fifth Dimension
“She Sells Sanctuary” – The Cult
“One of Us” – Joan Osborne
“Youth of the Nation” – P.O.D.
“We’re Not Gonna Take It” – Twisted Sister
“Powerless (Say What You Want)” – Nelly Furtado
“Everyday is a Winding Road” – Sheryl Crow
“Super Trouper” - ABBA
“Soak Up The Sun” – Sheryl Crow
“Take on Me” – a-ha
“Bittersweet Symphony” – The Verve
“Zombie” – The Cranberries
“Alive” - Edwin
“Desert Rose” - Sting feat. Cheb Mami
“Dare You to Move” - Switchfoot
“Cotton-Eye Joe” - Rednex
“Vertigo” - U2
“Loser” - Beck
“Jump In The Line” - Harry Belafonte
“Ordinary Girl” - Alison Moyet
“Boulevard of Broken Dreams” - Green Day
“Call On Me” - Eric Prydz
“What Is Love” - Haddaway
“Innocent” - Our Lady Peace
“Baba O’Riley” - The Who
“Knocking On Heaven’s Door” - Avril Lavigne
“Right Here, Right Now” - Fatboy Slim
“Still” - Alanis Morissette
“Saturday Night” - Whigfield
“Where’s Your Head At” - Basement Jaxx
“The Boys of Summer” - Don Henley
“Tom Sawyer” - Rush
“Lullaby” - Shawn Mullins
“Gimme Some Lovin’” - Spencer Davis Group
“Little Bitty Pretty One” - Thurston Harris
“Uptight (Everything Is Alright)” - Stevie Wonder
“Fast Car” - Tracy Chapman
“Timber” - Coldcut
“Firestarter” - The Prodigy
“Hung Up” - Madonna
“Nobody’s Listening” - Linkin Park
“Spitfire” - The Prodigy
“Die Another Day” - Madonna
“Son of a Preacher Man” - Dusty Springfield
“Land of 1000 Dances” - Wilson Pickett
“The Grace” - Neverending White Lights feat. Dallas Green
“Save Your Scissors” - City and Colour
“Trip” - Hedley
“Where’d You Go” - Fort Minor
“Dragostea din Tei” - O-Zone
“Love’s Divine” - Seal
“Mad World” - Gary Jules
“Crazy” - Gnarls Barkley
“Yellow Submarine” - The Beatles
“Not Gonna Get Us” – t.A.T.u.
“All the Things She Said” - t.A.T.u.
“Everybody Wants to Rule the World” – Tears for Fears
“Shout” - Tears for Fears
“Head Over Heels” - Tears for Fears
“Pharoahs” - Tears for Fears
“Song 2” – Blur
“I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” – The Proclaimers
“Groove Is in the Heart” – Deee-Lite
“Tubthumping” – Chumbawamba
“The Devil in the Kitchen” – Ashley MacIsaac
“Closing Time” – Semisonic
“Ray of Light” – Madonna
“Frozen” – Madonna
“American Pie” – Madonna
“Runaway” – Cher
“All or Nothing” – Cher
“Believe” – Cher
“Taxi Taxi” – Cher
“Walking in Memphis” – Cher
“I Don’t Want to Wait” – Paula Cole
“Kiss the Rain” – Billie Myers
“Birmingham” – Amanda Marshall
“Who Will Save Your Soul” – Jewel
“Pure Shores” – All Saints
“Sonne” – Rammstein
“Sweet Surrender” – Sarah McLachlan
“Building a Mystery” - Sarah McLachlan
“New York Mining Disaster 1941” – The Bees Gees
“Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You” – The Bee Gees
“Jive Talkin’” – The Bee Gees
“Stayin’ Alive” – The Bee Gees
“I’m With You” – Avril Lavigne
“Bohemian Rhapsody” – Queen
“Seven Seas of Rhye” – Queen
“We Will Rock You” – Queen
“Radio Ga Ga” – Queen
“Hand In My Pocket” – Alanis Morissette
“Clubbed To Death (Kurayamino mix)” – Rob D
“Mindfields” – The Prodigy
“Wake Up” – Rage Against the Machine
“Guerrilla Radio” – Rage Against the Machine
“Renegades of Funk” – Rage Against the Machine
“Session” – Linkin Park
“Chariots of Fire” – Vangelis
“Sanvean (I Am Your Shadow)” – Lisa Gerrard
“Path Vol. 2” – Apocalyptica
“Hall of the Mountain King” – Apocalyptica
“The Private Psychedelic Reel” – The Chemical Brothers
“The Test” - The Chemical Brothers
“Children” – Robert Miles
“Separation” – Robert Miles
“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” – Gordon Lightfoot
"Battle Flag" - Low Fidelity All Stars
"Diesel Power" - The Prodigy
"Smack My Bitch Up" - The Prodigy
"These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" - Nancy Sinatra
"Icky Thump" - The White Stripes
"Downtown" - Petula Clark
"Working Class Hero" - Green Day
"In The Morning" - Junior Boys
"Every Day Is Exactly The Same" - Nine Inch Nails
"Sympathy For The Devil" - The Rolling Stones
"Otter Rock" - The Chemical Brothers
"Loops of Fury" - The Chemical Brothers
"Proud Mary" - Ike & Tina Turner (the fast version)

Attention Ontario voters! Upcoming referendum on electoral reform!

The Pivot Questionnaire

As many of you may already know, the following 10 questions originally came from a French series, Bouillon de Culture, hosted by Bernard Pivot.

Of course, they're better known to North Americans as the questions that James Lipton asks every guest at the end of his well-known program Inside the Actor's Studio - one of my favourite TV shows!

This questionnaire has always been a highlight of the show for me personally - I find the answers each actor/celebrity gives to be quite interesting and fascinating. Gives you some insight into their mindset, whether it be projected or authentic.

I've always wanted to answer these questions myself, just for fun! So here goes...

What is your favourite word? Wisdom

What is your least favourite word? Ignorance

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? The free, mutual exchange of ideas

What turns you off? Vanity, shallowness/superficiality, self-centeredness, intolerance, anger

What is your favorite curse word? English: f**k (and all its variations & derivations!) ; Québecois French: a toss-up between calisse and tabarnac

What sound or noise do you love? Wind gently rustling the leaves of a tree

What sound or noise do you hate? A screeching child

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Commercial airline pilot

What profession would you not like to do? Pediatric surgeon/oncologist

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Aren't you glad you're not an atheist?!


Feel free to try this out yourself! Just copy & paste into your reply and substitute your own answers! I'd be interested to see what different people say...

Starland Vocal Band?! They suck! (Part 2)

Well folks, I went and got another tattoo! For your viewing pleasure (or horror, perhaps ;-):

It means "courage" in Latin. Especially in a moral or ethical sense. The word is also commonly translated as "firmness", "valour", "strength" or "manfulness".

Obviously, the root/origin of the English word "fortitude"... :-)

I had it done on Tuesday at Planet Ink on Rideau Street in downtown Ottawa. Great place - impeccably clean and very professional. Solid reputation - it came highly recommended by a friend/former co-worker. Didn't really hurt that much. Plus, the woman that did it was quite attractive and friendly, so I didn't mind! ;-) Thanks Tiffany!

Balances well with my previous tattoo, I think. That's why I came up with it, of course!

As always, I would welcome & appreciate any comments, questions, observations, etc. :-)