Return from Paradise

Again not a long blog - too much to catch up on this week and tomorrow night I am heading off to my Collingwood Shangri-La!  I thought I could at least share with you some photos of my trip.  I stayed at Melia Las Americas, which is located within the Veradero Golf Course.  Spent a lot of time at the beach, reading and sipping a Pina Colada.

From the Resort's Web site

This is one view from my hotel room. The "Xanadú" Mansion you see on the right is the Club House of the Varadero Golf Club. It was originally constructed in 1930 for French American millionaire Irenee Dupont de Nemours (of the Dupont Chemical Company) who built it as his retirement home. 

Pretty nice to wake up and see the ocean. 

Not that I spent much time in my room, but couldn't ask for a better view.

This is the Dupont Mansion as seen from the beach.

The Beach at Veradero can't be beat.

The water was amazingly blue.

I had a hard time trying to figure out what to do with my days.

A friend of mine preferred poolside.

The catamaran excursion to Cayo Blanco was great fun.

Cayo Blanco white sand paradise

Too soon my vacation was over. 

In a Fog

I am heading off to Cuba for a week of fun in the sun. So no time for a long blog as I have lots to do to get ready for my Monday flight. Spring has definitely sprung this week and last week's freezing temps have retreated throughout the week with promise of a truly spring like 13 degrees Celsius (55 F) today! I wish I had time for a long walk but sadly today no chance and tomorrow forecasts rain.

The warming breezes coming up south over Lake Ontario gave us some interesting fog this week. I snapped the following pics one night as I got home and the fog rolled in over the Lake.

In the space of 20 minutes I saw the fog roll in from the Lake and blanket Liberty Village entirely.

This suggests a post apocalyptic scene.   A bit eerie for sure!

The truth is that Liberty Village is in a construction boom and with the construction cranes rising out of the fog this is never more evident.

As you can see I  am enjoying my new camera and having fun with it as I learn how to use it properly. 

My New Camera - Canon SX220 HS

I bought a new camera today and I am very excited about it. It has some neat technology built in to help with low light and night shots and also has a 14x optical zoom which with the 12 megapixels allows reasonable quality zoom photos from a distance.  I feel like a spy now from my 19th floor balcony!

When the special "hand held night shot assist" is used the camera takes several shots in a burst and somehow arrives at one decent photo - so you can do a longer exposure without a tripod!

Can you spot the areas I have zoomed into below from the pictures above?

It also has a photo burst mode which allows it to shoot like a machine gun -- the idea being that if the figure is in motion you will get good shots of the action. I wish I had this camera at the hockey game last week - I kept missing the players as they had zoomed right out of sight by the time I pushed the camera trigger.

Bella wasn't moving when I took the photos below but I put together a collage of the resulting pictures so you can see the effect.

There is also an indoor low light assist mode which should help my next set of pictures from Hugh's Room be of much superior quality than the last ones.  With all these camera features and full HD movie capture features as well, this is a real treat for me!

It is going to take time to learn all the new features, but since my last camera was a Canon it should not be too difficult as the controls are very similar. 

After posting the blog I realized that I had not included a picture of my new camera - and in fact it might be interesting to show my old and new Canon cameras side by side. So I got my BlackBerry out and snapped a few different views of both cameras.

April is Poetry Month and the Toronto Poetry Slam

I have a great excuse to blog about poetry a lot during the next month. My regular visitors know that I have shared a fair bit of poetry over the years, but I fear my regular visitors are getting a bit tired of me pulling a Pablo Neruda out of the grab bag as often as I do.  So for something completely different I decided to focus on spoken word poetry and bring to everyone's attention the Toronto Poetry Slam. 

Spoken Word or Slam Poetry
From Wiki:

Spoken word is used as a musical or entertainment term, referring to works or performances that consist solely or mostly of one person speaking as if naturally. Musically, this is distinct from rapping, as rapping incorporates rhythm and sometimes melody, whereas spoken word is more akin to narration or speaking as the person would in conversation...

Allan Ginsberg

Probably the earliest well  known spoken word poet in North America is Allan Ginsberg, who was a Beat Generation poet who vigorously opposed militarism, materialism and sexual repression, well known for his poem "Howl", which was originally written as a performance piece. When it was first performed it was considered obscene because of its references to illicit drugs and sexuality and a well publicized trial ensued.   The poem is interesting with its many beat generation 1950s cultural/historical references.

The opening lines give you a sense of the poem and you can go to the text of the poem here if you want to have a read - it is extremely long.

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by
madness, starving hysterical naked,
dragging themselves through the negro streets at
dawn looking for an angry fix,
angel headed hipsters burning for the ancient
heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the
machinery of night,

I have a blog in the making (actually started 2 years ago!) about Jack Kerouac, who is the best known Beat Generation poet and writer, perhaps I will mange to finish and post that this year.  :(

The Toronto Poetry Slam

The Toronto Poetry Slam  is a monthly spoken word competition, where the judges vote on each poem presented.   The winners of the monthly competitions are entered in the semi final competitions held in March and the annual grand slam winner is decided at the end of April.  The TPS is held at the Drake Hotel Underground, except for the Grand Slam which because of the audience size is held at Hugh's Room.  I just might toddle off to hear some of Toronto's best at this April event.


From the Toronto Poetry Slam website:

TPS is presented by Toronto Poetry Project, a collective of ten poets who also produce BAM! Toronto Youth Slam and niche slams such as the Geek Slam, Story Slam and the Haiku Deathmatch. We believe in democratization of art, truth and the old proverb, "The points are not the point, the poetry is the point.".

Blue Jay's Season Opener - Spring is Here!
Image by Getty Images via @daylife
As a segue to the next poem, last night was the season opener of the Toronto Blue Jay' Baseball team.  I wonder if any of our sports teams are going to give Toronto fans reason to celebrate this year.  The TBJ team has been just as disappointing as our hockey, bball and soccer teams have been of late, I am afraid.  Not sure if we are expecting any better from the Blue Jays this year - but it was great to see the expectant optimism as fans strolled toward the stadium baseball gloves in hand.  I work across the street from the Roger's Center - our domed stadium.  Last night as I walked home, I felt like a fish swimming up stream as everyone was heading to watch the game.


This spoken word poem by Mark Larsen, a New York poet, provides some food for thought.  Where would you want your ashes cast after you die?  Who will be the one to do this for you?

7th Inning Stretch

By Mark Larsen

You're not gone yet, but when you are, I will sprinkle
your ashes over softball fields in Central Park.
Do you remember telling me that's what you wanted?
We sat on a bench, father and son
keeping score on a Saturday afternoon.
Someone hit a shot so far over the left fielder's head
that it rolled to a stop at your feet.
You picked it up and threw it back into the game.
I realized then you did not throw a ball that well.
I could probably throw a ball farther, and harder, than you.
An inning later you turned to me and said,
"When I die I want them to sprinkle my ashes over these fields."
The 'them' you referred to will be me.
I've never had to sprinkle ashes before.
I wonder how you do it.
Perhaps it's a bit like adding salt to soup,
or barbecue sauce to ribs - no recipes.
I'll bend down,
pick up some infield dirt, taste it,
and know I have just enough of you in the ground.

Mark Larsen can be contacted at marklar@aol.com.

A Window With A View

I have a full day of stuff to do, but took the time this morning to gaze out my window and admire the fantastic view.  I find the blue expanse of Lake Ontario comforting and an intriguing contrast with the hustle bustle surrounding the buildings in view.  There is always something to watch, and as a consequence I find myself absent minded and daydreaming  much more often than I did at my old place.  Maybe it is the view, maybe it is my mood as I am now officially making plans for a 6 month sabbatical starting next February. 

Yesterday was the first season's home game for the TFC -Toronto Football Club at BMO field, which is the red stadium in the background of the picture.  The stadium was full of freezing fans and the cheers were audible yesterday afternoon as the two goals were scored which brought them their first win of the season.  I guess spring is officially here, even if mother nature is withholding the goods from us for a wee bit yet.

I am thinking back to my old place, the Battery Park Condo and the spectacular view I had from my office window there.  I got to see the CN Tower and the lights of downtown Toronto at night and I can't decide which view I prefer.  There is certainly something nice about a lake view, however the Toronto Downtown skyline is exceptional and a view to the east with morning sun is actually my preference, I think.

In any case, the discussion is moot - my wonderful lake view will be gone by the end of the summer as the high rise to the west of me rises up into the sky.  At that point, I will be able to see a sliver of Lake Ontario from my living room if I look to the left in the spot which will be the space between the two buildings, but the spectacular view that I have now when I sit at my desk will be gone.

I am consoling myself with the thought that there will be another full Lake Ontario view in my future - the "to be built" condo I have purchased for 2016 occupancy will have an unencumbered view south to the Lake and on the 30th floor will be just spectacular, I am sure.

Stay tuned in a future blog for more discussion of the travel plans I am cooking up.  I have a couple of trips planned for this year.  I have booked time for a brief trip to Cuba mid April for a week of well deserved rest & relaxation and a week in Iceland at the end of June to see in summer solstice and the midnight sun in Reykjavík.  I am just starting planning for my 6 month holiday next year but it will include 6 weeks in Spain to do the Camino Pilgrim's walk and I am hoping to find someone in Europe to do a house swap with for maybe a month.  So perhaps I am spending more time daydreaming because my travel dates are getting nearer and not because of my Lake view.  Whichever the case, I my mind is full of dreams these days.

Juno Cup Hockey and There Ain't No Cure for Love

I had a great time watching the Juno Rockers play the NFL Alumni last night. The seats were general admission (no reserved seats) and we got a great spot with a fabulous view of the net.

There were two 25 minute periods separated by a skills competition which was fun to watch.

I don't know who had more fun -  NFL Alumni, including Paul Coffey, Gary Roberts, Mike Pelyk and Mark Napier and others playing hockey with Rock Stars or the rock stars playing hockey with the hockey pros.  Jim Cuddy, from Blue Rodeo, captained the team of pretty excellent hockey amateurs.  Included were  Sarah Harmer and Kathleen Edwards who both are  surprizingly good players.   

There was lots of action and a high scoring game in which saw we the NFL players take the cup (surprise, surprise LOL).

During the skills competition there was a singing segment included where each captain had to sing a tune and the crowd voted by cheering loudest for the winner.    Of course, Jim Cuddy won!  And we got to hear a neat a cappella version of "Try" his signature song. Mark Napier, the Alumni captain had to bring his whole team up to sing with him and also needed the help of 2 of the Rockers - Sarah and Kathleen, but they didn't best the Cuddy falsetto voice.

I took a few pictures which I have shared here, but if you are interested to learn more about the Juno cup I found a great You Tube with interviews of Rock Stars and NHL greats alike which was recorded during their training camp held in February and talks about the Musicounts charity which was the beneficiary of funds raised.




Image by Getty Images via @daylifeI am busy working today so no time to write a long blog but I would like to share with you my favourite musician/bard.   Leonard Cohen is both a great Canadian poet and Internationally renowned musician.  Given the emphasis on Canadian Music this week in Toronto with it being Juno week and with  Poetry month beginning in less than a week, I thought I could sneak him into this blog. 




There Ain't No Cure For Love
by Leonard Cohen

I loved you for a long, long time
I know this love is real
It don't matter how it all went wrong
That don't change the way I feel
And I can't believe that time's
Gonna heal this wound I'm speaking of
There ain't no cure,
There ain't no cure,
There ain't no cure for love.

I'm aching for you baby
I can't pretend I'm not
I need to see you naked
In your body and your thought
I've got you like a habit
And I'll never get enough
There ain't no cure,
There ain't no cure,
There ain't no cure for love

There ain't no cure for love
There ain't no cure for love
All the rocket ships are climbing through the sky
The holy books are open wide
The doctors working day and night
But they'll never ever find that cure for love
There ain't no drink no drug
(Ah tell them, angels)
There's nothing pure enough to be a cure for love

I see you in the subway and I see you on the bus
I see you lying down with me, I see you waking up
I see your hand, I see your hair
Your bracelets and your brush
And I call to you, I call to you
But I don't call soft enough
There ain't no cure,
There ain't no cure,
There ain't no cure for love

I walked into this empty church I had no place else to go
When the sweetest voice I ever heard, whispered to my soul
I don't need to be forgiven for loving you so much
It's written in the scriptures
It's written there in blood
I even heard the angels declare it from above
There ain't no cure,
There ain't no cure,
There ain't no cure for love

There ain't no cure for love
There ain't no cure for love
All the rocket ships are climbing through the sky
The holy books are open wide
The doctors working day and night
But they'll never ever find that cure,
That cure for love

A Big Moon in the Sky Like a Great Pizza Pie... Again

I have to wake up early Sunday morning and go to work, so I am going to make this short. In case you are wondering why I might need to go to work at 4:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning - it is the time people would be least affected if the new computer programs we are about to put out there decide not to work properly. So we work these odd ball hours sometimes.

Image via Wikipedia

Tonight is a full moon - the Lenten Moon to be exact.  Also known as Worm Moon, Crow Moon, Crust Moon, Sugar Moon, Sap Moon, Moon of Winds, Chaste Moon and Death Moon.  Some of these names are more obvious as to their origin, but others are not.  What is with "Death Moon"?  Curious, I went on a bit of a hunt and found this poem:

Neo Pagan Moon
     by RM Wey

Come new year...the Ice Moon,
The Snow Moon...cometh nigh,
The Ides of March...the Death Moon,
Yet the Awakening Moon...doth rise.

And yonder come the Grass Moon,
The Planting Moon tis wise,
For the Rose Moon...but doth follow,
The Lightning Moon denies.

The Harvest Moon doth shineth,
As the Blood Moon saunders by,
The Tree Moon be the twilight,
As the Long Night Moon...doth die.

I was hoping to get a glance of it as the moon rose in the east - but no luck as the clouds obscured it.  Maybe I will get to see it if it is visible in the western sky when I wake up.  The full moon this month is a special treat -- it is what is called a "super moon".

I have blogged about the Moon before and why it looks so much larger as it is rising or setting in horizon - it is due to something called  Moon Illusion. I also blogged about the full moon called Snow Moon about a month ago and used it to introduce a favourite romantic movie of mine, Moonstruck. I think the moon in the movie Moonstruck must have meant to represent a super moon.  A super moon appears very much larger than the usual full moon.


From UK's Daily Mail Science & Tech Section:

The phenomenon of the lunar perigee can occur around four or five times a year, but tonight’s more dramatic version happens only once every other decade. It was first dubbed a 'Supermoon' in the 1980s by the American astrologer Richard Nolle, who claims extreme lunar perigees can provoke tidal waves, earthquakes and storms.

A science lesson on super moons.




I am not going to be able to put together a long blog today, so thought I would just treat everyone to a selection of moon songs.   I think there is one here for just about everyone's taste.