End of '09

As usual I've been delinquent with my posts! However, this time I have a darned good excuse ... I was in Costa Rica for the past month.

Yes, they have computers and the internet in Costa Rica ... but this trip was a time to unplug. No tv, no phone, no computer ... it's amazing what you can see when you're not distracted by so much noise!

I posted some pictures here.

Well, another year is about to end and another to begin. Let's hope 2010 is a good one!

Lies, big fat lies!

It really is a charmed life when the biggest problem of the day is that the claims made by my antiperspirant are found to be categorically false!

"Flawless?" Hardly! Just look at the sides of my bra! The insides of my shirts - especially the black polo! Do they really think that waxy, powdery film on my clothing is "flawless?"

This is not my idea of "going on clear." The use of the word 'clear' makes be think see-through, not visible ... but alas.

Then again, just because a window is clear doesn't mean you can't both see it and see through it!

The Height of the Commute

I experienced one of those moments that makes you glad (and this doesn't happen very often, usually I'm just indifferent) you take public transit.

I was on the westbound Bloor train, travelling to the St George stop. Standing beside me was a rather tall young man. Just after pulling out of the Bay St stop I overheard him say, "I'm six-six."

I looked to my left, where the young man was standing, and I noticed another very tall young man standing next to him! I guess he boarded the subway at Bay. The second very tall young man replied, "I'm six-five." Soon the two were chatting about their height, and no doubt all the doorways they had to duck through - they were so cute!

Ridin' with the herd

It all started at the Yonge-Bloor subway.

I was making my way to work this morning, standing on the Bloor platform waiting for the westbound train with the rest of the herd.

Train pulls in and stops ... people file off. Except for the "door-fungus" who made it difficult for anyone trying to get on the train. Nothing new.

We arrive at St George station where most of the train's passengers disembark, except for the "door-fungus." That is until an irate (and rightly so) passenger braces himself and scrapes the "blockage out" of the way with his left arm. Ha, ha ... should have seen the kid's face!

The herd, including myself, makes its way toward the stairs. We begin to climb in unison, moving slightly to the right to make way for the brave commuters trying to descend the stairs to the platform.

We get part of the way up the stairs and I look up only to find myself "snout-to-ass" with the woman in front of me. Unfortunately for me she was wearing a pair of low-rider pants.

Not only did I get an eyeful of her lower back, I was also privy to about 3 inches of the crack of her ass. No underwear, thong or any undergarment of any kind - just the crack of her ass!

To say that I was grossed-out would be an understatement. C'mon lady, buy a real pair of pants!

I guess stupid comes in all shapes n' sizes?!

Nice day, eh?

On Wednesday morning, on my way to work, a young man - likely a UofT student - said to me as we both ascended the stairs at Queen's Park station, "nice day, eh?!"

His voice had the sense of someone who's been waiting a long time to say that - after all the rain we've had this summer, I know how he feels.

The moment he spoke those words I realized I had been completely absorbed in my self. His words shattered that cocoon and brought the outside world to my attention. It occurred to me how easy it is to become caught up in my own mind.

I was grateful for the 'awakening,' I replied, "it certainly is!"

Everyday? Not quite!

I throw my hands in the air! I'm not very consistent when it comes to updating my blog, but it's not like I didn't warn you ...

I did post some photos from my trip to NYC if you would like to take a look

That's it for now ... I really should be working on a group assignment. I've been procrastinating for the past 2 hours, that should be enough, eh?

The photo: Joie de Vivre, by Mark di Suvero. Located in Zuccotti Park, Lower Manhattan.

Head down ...

Every morning, well what seems like every morning, I walk by this man who is always walking up Yonge St with his head down.

The man, wearing shades of brown and beige with sensible shoes, never seems to walk with his head up. Marching along, maybe he is deep in thought?

One morning, after an evening rainfall, he just marched through a puddle like it wasn't there. He, with head down, just walked through it!

I didn't see him this morning...

Getting dressed at Summerhill station!

It was this morning, as I was making my way to the subway. I noticed a man, he seemed in a hurry. His shirt, a purple gingham number, was untucked and he was carrying his matching purple tie and jacket.

I thought, "... must be running a little late this morning." He beat me to the subway station.

By the time I got down to the platform, he was already there. I noticed he had the jacket on now, and from my vantage point, i.e., walking more than a few steps behind him, it appeared as though he was tucking his shirt into his pants.

I thought, "... I'll know he was tucking his shirt into his pants when he does the zipper action." Huh? You might say?

Well, he had undone his pants - I could tell by how easy it was for him to tuck his shirt. But what's more impressive was, he was walking and tucking at the same time. All the while his pants were unbuttoned.

Then it happened, that familiar motion ... right arm bent and moving in an upward motion. Gotta be zippin' his pants!

Next move ... tying the tie. And the subway pulls in!

Precious to the Core!

I've been meaning to post this since I made breakfast on May 3rd!

I was reading a book on American painter, Richard Diebenkorn and I got the idea to photograph the core of the pear with one of the paintings in the book.

I thought it looked melancholy against one of the paintings, Ocean Park No. 125, 1980.

A toilet seat, a box of donuts & red boxing gloves

What do a toilet seat, a box of donuts and red box gloves all have in common? Everything!

One morning, at least a week ago, I was on my way to work. I walked out the front door of my apartment building and there, on the sidewalk across the street, sat a new toilet seat - still in its packaging - and a box of donuts. I chuckled to myself, and thought this is going to be a fun day!

I ride the subway to work, get out at Queen's Park as I always do, and make my way to the escalator. There just ahead of me is a young woman with a pair of red boxing gloves strung over her pack back. I debated whether or not I should ask her about the gloves. Then I thought, what have I got to lose?!

It turns out the young woman studies kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Don Ritter's dojo around Eglinton & Laird. I told her I always thought it would be great to learn to box, except the getting hit in the face part! She said she felt that way at first, but she learned how to block punches.

I surmised she was in her early twenties and asked if there were any women older than she in the class. She told me there was an older woman of about forty (!), who was a mother and that she was in great shape!

I asked why martial arts? She told me she liked the workout and how great a stress relief it is. She also commented on how much more confidence she has since she has been studying Jiu-Jitsu.

I told her I have a friend who studied Jiu-Jitsu and that people - mostly guys - often dared her to "take them." She said that happens to her as well, and like my friend, she tries to discourage them.

However, as did my friend from time-to-time, she would have to put them to the mat just to get them to shut-up!

Boys! Huh!

I'm so bad ...

... at this, that is!

Then again, nobody is reading my blog, so it doesn't really matter when, or if I post something, now does it?!

It's kind of ironic, making my thoughts and observations publicly available for anyone who happens along. Yet, these posts seem private by virtue of the fact that they do not have an audience.

I know, I know ... if I want to be noticed then I need to promote my blog, bang the drum, be clever, etc, etc. But that's not my point.

This is like going unnoticed while walking down a crowded street. Except, here I'm far removed from the people, sounds, sights and smells of the street.

A leaf on a Pear!

While making my breakfast this morning, I noticed the pear I was about to cut up to put in my yogurt had a leaf on the stem. I thought there was something precious about it.

Reach out & touch someone!

Remember the slogan for Bell in the 1980's? "Reach out and touch someone?" Well, now thanks to the wonders of technology, you can do that no matter where they are!

The other day, I'm in the "Ladies," washing my hands at the sink. A woman is in one of the stalls, her cellphone rings ... "hello?" Then, not more than a second later, the sound of a flushing toilet - she answered the phone and no sooner did the word 'hello' leave her mouth, she flushes the toilet!

Next, the stall door opens, the woman walks out, she tucks the cellphone between her ear & shoulder ... "who?" she says, as she proceeds to wash her hands ...

Obviously, there will be no picture with this post!

Toronto Art History on the Market

A piece of Toronto's art history, The Portrait Studio Home, located at 181 Balmoral Ave, is on the market. I've long admired this house. However, I was unaware of its significance until the for sale sign was posted on the front lawn.

It turns out that 181 Balmoral was the longtime residence of Cleeve and Jean Horne. "Who," you might be asking, "are the Horne's?" Cleeve was a famous portrait artist and sculptor, and his wife, Jean, a sculptor. Among the portraits Cleeve Horne painted were, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, as well as past presidents and other diginitaries of the University of Toronto.

The Horne's purchased the house in 1940 and in 1947 had it redesigned in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Cleeve Horne's portrait work spans a period of over 4 decades. His work reflects a cubist influence that became more evident in his later portraits. Horne painted colour and light in shapes and patterns, using muted tones with a hit of colour that gives his portraits their richness. The Diefenbaker portrait is a spectacular example of Horne's work.

To see more of Horne's work, go to the Cleeve Horne website or, to the Ontario Society of Artists archives. If you go to Simcoe Hall at the UofT you will also see several portraits on display.

Click here for the real estate listing.

I'm guessing the ad-man didn't bet on this ...

In one of those sub-conscious twists, the Vancouver Olympic Committee (and their media agency) has managed to reference the gun violence reported just a few weeks ago in both Vancouver and Toronto.

It happened one morning on my way to work, I was riding the Yonge subway heading south when the train pulls into Dundas Station. The train starts to slow down and the advertising posters that line the wall of the platform catch my attention.

Odd, they all look like shattered glass with a dark hole. The hole appears in different locations on the posters ... the images makes me think that bullets have just blasted through a series of plate glass windows. It looks like a subway drive-by has just taken place. Finally, we happen upon the one poster that explains all of the rest.

I couldn't quite read the 'reveal' poster, but the word change appeared near the top and I recognized the logos for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. I quickly deduce that the series is an ad campaign for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, and the 'bullet through plate glass' posters are actually change, i.e., a giant pile of silver coins with a circular area cleared (hence the bullet hole effect!) with the exception of one lone coin. I assume it is one of those Olympic quarters?

Next stop, Queen St ...