Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-05-08

Posted on May 8, 2011 by Gwen
  • Trout lake, beautiful day. http://instagr.am/p/Dw4PS/ #
  • Heading home. I hope I can get a chance to take a nap. #
  • Politics and Children, Do they Mix? : http://bit.ly/mGw9i0 In my humble opinion, yes they do. #
  • Getting up early in the morning to take the whole family out to vote. #elxn41BC #
  • A: I want you to vote for the green party mommy. Me: Why? A: Because I think if they get enough seats they will be a better gov't. #elxn41BC #
  • Quinlan on the other hand thought we were talking about birthday parties. Good thing he is 2. 🙂 #elxn41bc #vote #
  • Whole family has voted. Aidan charmed the scruteneers (sp?) to no end. #elxn41bc #
  • If you are voting at creekside: 1 it is not busy and 2 there is lots of free parking, you just have to walk a bit in the rain. #elxn41bc #
  • If you are voting at VAC the parking lot is missing they pay meter so parking is free today. Didn't seem to be busy. #elxn41bc #
  • Aidan in his voting cape, pointing to the poll at VAC. http://instagr.am/p/DyyEV/ #
  • .@AnthonyFloyd just you wait, the voting cape is just the beginning. A & Q have talked me into vote day cake. #elxn41bc #waytogetyouthvote #
  • taking a bit of a break from a day of eating, voting, swimming, groceries, audiologist app, & laundry b4 I make the voting day cake. #elxn41 #
  • Voter's day cake about to go in the oven. http://instagr.am/p/DzEEC/ #
  • Voter's day cake cooling. It will be lemon cake with chocolate icing. Yum! http://campl.us/26t #
  • Any voter desert sounds good! RT @Scouter_Mike: @LeftCoastMama YUM!!! We're having a Voter's Day Pie (Strawberry/Rhubarb) #
  • Voter's day cake. http://campl.us/27v #
  • RT @AnthonyFloyd: I don't know @penmachine except thru http://bit.ly/myNznS &Twitter. He makes me think so much of my mom. #welovederek #
  • RT @hummingbird604: FYI @penmachine voted in #elxn41 http://bit.ly/hfwZRr if he could do it , SO CAN YOU #welovederek #
  • There is still time to vote. If you haven't done it yet, go, now! #elxn41bc #vote #
  • Another living wake. RT @penmachine: I'm not dead yet…. but thanks for all the good vibes on twitter. (via @airdriehislop) #welovederek #
  • I am having a hard time keeping the hordes form the voter's day cake. I guess @anthonyfloyd will not get the full effect. #elxn41bc #
  • Happy voting day! #elxn41bc http://campl.us/29c #
  • RT @harrietglynn: We may be the last to vote but we get to watch the results come in and not stay up past bedtime! #elxn41bc #FTW #
  • Quinlan is upset about bedtime. Doesn't he know the election is on? #elxn41bc #
  • I can't believe it. Why the hell did you give them the majority. This sucks. #elxn41bc #
  • Quinlan is crying. He must have heard the news that we are fucked for the next 4 years. #elxn41bc #
  • All that is making this night at all bearable is the cake. Effing conservatives. #elxn41bc #
  • It is really too bad. Ignatieff was a much better leader than I thought last year. He really stepped up. #elxn41bc #
  • So disappointed, and tired. I can't make myself wait up for the Vancouver Centre results. #elxn41bc #
  • Reading one of my cousins' updates on facebook, I can't believe how far apart we are politically. He seems to believe all the attack ads. #
  • Aidan didn't want to go to school, says he has a headache, I definitely have a headache & Quinlan is being a pain in the butt. #howsyoourday #
  • I have given up on trying to get Quinlan to sleep. Sigh, he is still gated in the bedroom though. So much for a happy afternoon. #
  • Aidan asked about the election: I told him the conservatives won. He was sad. He was very happy that a GPC member won a seat. #elxn41bc #
  • We talked about the number of seats in the house and a little about how that works with the parties. The 6yo is listening. #elxn41bc #
  • Aidan then declared: when I grow up I am going to be Prime Minister and I will save the world! #elxn41bc #futurepm #
  • RT @AnthonyFloyd:Most moving thing you will read today. I defy you to not weep RT @kk: Derek Miller posted his last post. http://ow.ly/4N3wG #
  • Only met @penmachine a few times, but I grieve the loss of his words. From all accounts a gracious, lovely man. #welovederek @airdriehislop #
  • Big tree will no longer be. http://instagr.am/p/D3Mqk/ #
  • Interview with @cbc on toddler safety harnesses finished. Q doesn't want to go down for a nap. Oh well nap after school I guess. #
  • RT @AnthonyFloyd: If you're having problems reading @penmachine's final post, @nep has mirrored it here: http://bit.ly/mHJGP2 #
  • Beautiful post. RT @peechie: Blogged: Derek K. Miller – http://tinyurl.com/5w6ede6 #
  • RT @CBCStephenQuinn: Hey all. @penmachine interview will be on at 5:40 this aft. Please pass on. On the Coast #cbc 88.1 FM Thank you. #
  • The coolest bike trailer I have seen. http://campl.us/3R6 #
  • These shoes? #hmcocktails http://campl.us/3Uf #
  • Or these? #hmcocktails http://campl.us/3Uh #
  • RT @CBCcathykearney: Leashing toddlers. Necessary safety device or an archaic practice? Parents weigh in @CBCVancouver at 7, @Chek at 6 #
  • My review of @VancouverOpera 's La Traviata: http://bit.ly/kajyEx #
  • On our way to #hmcocktails baby sitter crisis averted. #
  • At #hmcocktails and presentation is started. Thanks to @alexishinde for sharing her @nanniesoncall #
  • tea, feed the cats and bed. I am sure that the boys will be u p early anyway. Good night. #
  • I am glad that the full interview I gave came in to a less than 15 second sound bite. 😛 At least Q was cute. 🙂 #
  • RT @tjrossignol: Thanks @kathybuckworth for a fun night last night. Great to meet you IRL. #hmcocktail #
  • Happy Birthday to the young @Amberstrocel May your family spoil you today. #
  • Anyone know a university student that might want to babysit for me on Friday the 13? I need a sitter for NV11. #
  • Signed Aidan up for a week of summer Theatre school @CarouselTheatre. Shakespeare here we come! #
  • Sigh. Another child afraid of the bouncy castles. I don't understand. #
  • This is why I want a backyard. http://instagr.am/p/D7iQ7/ #
  • Quinlan in his backpack. http://instagr.am/p/D7ijH/ #
  • Solved. Mommy went on for bit, now he's a pro. http://instagr.am/p/D7l5x/ #
  • Chair dancing while we wait for A. http://instagr.am/p/D76sG/ #
  • The Barenaked Ladies don't work as well without @stevenpage. Listening to @cbclive and it just isn't the same. #
  • Wow, what's next, rain of toads? http://instagr.am/p/D-1XE/ #
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La Traviata: A Review

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Gwen

La Traviata is the  finale of the Vancouver Opera’s 2010-2011 Season and I was invited to blog the opera on opening night on 30 April 2011. I happily accepted and I loved the experience.

In the first two acts before the intermission we meet Violetta and Alfredo, the star crossed lovers. For three months they are happy and locked away from the world until Alfredo’s father makes Violetta give up Alfredo for the sake of his daughter.  He doesn’t tell his son what he is doing and makes Violetta feel guilty enough for her past life that she lies to Alfredo and tells him she is going back to her benefactor the Barron. Alfredo believes and is consumed with jealousy.   In the next two acts we have Violetta trying to party herself to death and Alfredo making a total fool of himself. Alfredo’s father becomes so  upset at his son’s behaviour, and because Violetta is so sick, that he (Alfredo’s father) relents and tells Alfredo of Violetta’s sacrifice. In the last act Violetta is dying and Alfredo and his father make is just in time for her death.

The singing was beautiful and it was a great mixture of big group numbers and solos. Erin Wall as Violetta was fabulous. Her control in her singing blew me away especially in the last act where she spends half the act singing while  lying down in a bed. Her voice is very clear and not over done with vibrato. David Pomeroy, who played Alfredo, was good too, but he didn’t blow me away like Erin did. I think this is perhaps because I identify much more with Erin’s voice and character, not that I am in any way a courtesan, because of her sacrifices. The other characters and opera chorus were good and the whole production was beautiful.

One thing I was not prepared for were some of the random thoughts that came through my head, especially when it came to Violetta’s sickness. Since she had tuberculous one of the first things that jumped out at me is how sad it is that people used to die from diseases that are now preventable and treatable. Then I thought about how diseases like tuberculosis are coming back  into the mainstream. People are getting mumps and measles and other fully preventable diseases because of a decrease in vaccinations. Then I felt anger that not only was Violetta dying without her lover, but that so many people are unnecessarily sick in real life.

The thing that I love about opera is that no matter how odd it might be to have a whole story told in song, there is always something to draw you in further. A good opera makes you feel, even if you don’t understand the language. There were so many times I was so entranced by the music that I forgot to take a peek up to the subtitles.

La Traviata plays April 30, May 3,5,7,10 & 12, 2011 Call 604.683.0222 for ticket information.

***

Disclosure: I was invited to the April 30th show and I was given two tickets. I was encouraged to blog about the opera but not required to. All opinions on this blog are my own.

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Voting and the Underaged

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Gwen

It is no secret that Anthony and I are engaged and active in the political scene in Canada. We vote, we research the issues and we talk about what our politicians are doing for and about our country, city and province. We talk about politics in front of and with our children. While our two year old hasn’t grasped what it means to vote in an election our 6 year old has and he wants to vote.

He talk to us today about Harper and said that he didn’t want Steven Harper to be Prime Minister anymore. We asked him why and his answer was that Harper was mean and was doing bad stuff. He then said that maybe he [Harper] was just going to stop all the bad stuff at the rallies. I told him that Harper wants him to be working on his campaigns.

In the car today on the way to a birthday party Aidan asked me to vote for a certain party. I told him that I might just do that and then he told me he was going to vote for this party too. I had to tell him that he wasn’t allowed to vote yet. He asked me why? I told him that our voting rules want people to be legally an adult before they can choose our elected leaders. It seems so unfair that I have a little boy who has a fair grasp of politics and a real interest in voting and he can’t, and there are so many Canadians who don’t take the time to figure out what they believe in and can’t get off their asses to vote. Saying that they aren’t interested, or that don’t think that their vote makes any difference.

I really hope that these vote mobs actually happen. I want a change in how engaged our country is in our political system. Figure out what you believe in and get out and vote! You have time before and after work, and even if you can’t go then, your work is obligated to let you go to vote.

Vote! Take your children, like we do with Aidan, and maybe in a few years we will have a youth vote that really makes its mark on the country.

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-05-01

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Gwen
  • Somehow I need to find a voice for 11am. I am scheduled to be part of a quartet for the easter service. #
  • I don't know why I find talking about the Easter bunny harder than Santa Claus. Just used son's faulty assumption so not to lie. #
  • Always reminds me of "painting the roses red ." http://instagr.am/p/Dg08U/ #
  • Day 2 of sleeping without rails. Nap bad. Q is sick & over tired. Will put him to bed right after supper. A will stay up later. Need luck. #
  • From the tweets I gather the refs are blind? #canucks #
  • This sleep training is so much worse now that we are used to full nights sleep again. Poor Q is exhausted.The crying still breaks my heart. #
  • This is so fucking hard. #
  • Stop 1 of the walk, bus and skytrain adventure. Package mailed to @eastcoastgranpa 🙂 finally! #
  • Stop number 2 a bust. No new dress for the opera for me. 🙁 #
  • Now at Oakridge letting the boys run wild in the play pit. #
  • Like a ball pit . . . Without the balls. http://instagr.am/p/DjZlG/ #
  • Ignored the kerfuffles going on downstairs once I got Q out of his brother's bed again. Now going down to see where Q landed. #
  • Miracle of miracles he was actually in his bed. He did turn the heat up to 20 and it was boiling, but that is another story. #
  • Jesus Christ on a cracker they did it!!!!! #canucks #game7 #
  • If your elementary school is going to have construction happening, shouldn't they send home a notice? #
  • They should tell parents that construction is starting http://instagr.am/p/DnHpu/ #
  • If you work construction at a school with no parking lot #
  • If you are doing construction at a school with no parking lot, or even 1 with you should expect to wait to leave. Especially when it rains. #
  • Re previous tweet, this was at dismissal time. Truck had to wait 5 minutes and guy was an asshole about it. #
  • Also our x-box has stopped working. Now watching a movie on our 13 inch regular tv in the bedroom. The DVD is widescreen. Too funny. #
  • I can't believe the stupid: http://bit.ly/mibB2t Parents trying to halt wireless in BC schools. via @Anthonyfloyd #
  • Living and dining rooms, kitchen and me clean, all in one morning . . .pretty good. Boys dancing the Safety Dance . . . AWESOME! #Friday #
  • Last night I had the most terrible sleep. Maybe I should have just got up and watched the wedding. #royalwedding #didn'twatchit #
  • I not going down on my knees begging you to adore me . . . Here is the plea , my love to you, nobody knows me as well as you do . . .#DM80s #
  • My kids are going to be so cool. With my music tastes how else could they turn out. 😀 #
  • Love a leisure suit for a toddler. His pick today. http://instagr.am/p/DrT-S/ #
  • On my way to the opera! Thank to @Vancouveropera for having me. #
  • Go Canucks, go! http://instagr.am/p/Ducdz/ #
  • Is it mandatory to wear a Canucks jersey to a playoff game? Lots of blue and green going by. #
  • Here at the opera. Almost getting wifi. #
  • The set of @Vancouveropera http://campl.us/2gL #
  • Curtain about to open! @Vancouveropera #latraviata #
  • They need more women's bathrooms in the QE theatre. #latraviata #
  • 3rd act: the dresses are beautiful. Loved the couple in drag. #
  • Home from the operand backstage party.Thanks to @tjrossignol for being my date & @Vancouveropera for having me as a blogger for the night. #
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