Random Ramblings

I lived in Vancouver, born there, then lived in South Africa for a few years, back to Vancouver, then moved to Quebec (for school too -- Jonquiere), but then back to Vancouver, then to Victoria and now I'm in NZ. Don't sit still long do I?

Ah, so you've enjoyed a Saguenay winter, I'm assuming That's pretty cool. I have a tendency to assume new members are straight up Americans; most people here are. Then you get the odd ones out like me, and Vonnie who hails from Europe.

Driven wrote:

Ah, so you've enjoyed a Saguenay winter, I'm assuming That's pretty cool. I have a tendency to assume new members are straight up Americans; most people here are. Then you get the odd ones out like me, and Vonnie who hails from Europe.

Technically you are still American.  Last time I check Canadia was in the continent of North America.
I think all of us in the U.S.A. should be called United Statesians.  The term "Americans" seems like we dominate two continents with our presence.

Fundy is also from Europe, but I think most of the rest of us hail (or reside) in the U.S.  except for Kerrick he is from that bizarre foreign land of California....along with Guilty/Forgiven.

Driven wrote:

Ah, so you've enjoyed a Saguenay winter, I'm assuming That's pretty cool. I have a tendency to assume new members are straight up Americans; most people here are. Then you get the odd ones out like me, and Vonnie who hails from Europe.

Brrr...yes. Coldest place I've ever been. Twisted evil is right. Got down to minus 60 Celsius with the wind chill. Bloody cold but I was rewarded with gorgeous Northern Lights of green, red, and yellow. One of the most amazing things I've ever seen.

So I'm neither "straight up" nor "United Statesian." You don't really think that do you, Staybrite?   lol

So this thing has me weirded out...

I have been to Saguenay. Far away from home. It was wonderful there. It was in June so the weather was perfect. I was amazed that a lot of the people I talked to did not understand English. It was a "media" trip. Tyndall Air Force Base has a military outing and invited members of tv and radio to go. They asked me so we went there, Rome, NY abd North Bay. The Canadian General that was with us was from Saguenay.

Jen5 wrote:

So this thing has me weirded out...

What thing?  Not knowing whether to call yourself Canadian, United Statesian....or just plan American.
By now you should either just be calling yourself a Westerner....or maybe a Kiwi (given your current residence).

Staybrite wrote:

Jen5 wrote:

So this thing has me weirded out...

What thing?  Not knowing whether to call yourself Canadian, United Statesian....or just plan American.
By now you should either just be calling yourself a Westerner....or maybe a Kiwi (given your current residence).

 
No, none of those. I copied a weird optical illusion image that a friend sent me. It was really weird and I wanted to share the weirdness. I don't know why it doesn't show on my post.     and 

MikeInFla wrote:

I have been to Saguenay. Far away from home. It was wonderful there. It was in June so the weather was perfect. I was amazed that a lot of the people I talked to did not understand English. It was a "media" trip. Tyndall Air Force Base has a military outing and invited members of tv and radio to go. They asked me so we went there, Rome, NY abd North Bay. The Canadian General that was with us was from Saguenay.

Very cool. Nice to see the world on someone else's dime. It is beautiful. I particularly liked the Autumn. The colours were unreal. So SO vivid.

When I was there the stat was 96% francophone. Most folks knew no English. And some of them spoke a French that even the folks from Quebec City and Montreal couldn't understand the accent was that thick. I can remember looking to one of them for a translation and she shrugged her shoulders and whispered "I have NO idea what they're saying."   lol 

Where's North Bay?

I'm assuming it's the Ontarian North Bay. Sort of central Ontario. I think it has a military base. I don't think I've been through North Bay since Grade 10, or some 5 years ago.

Yeah, Saguenay is very Francophone, and does indeed have its own accent. I've only been up there once or twice, haven't really had any reason to be there. They also have a soft drink called Red Champagne that's a bit like apple or cherry. That, and they also have giant mosquitoes.

The language barrier that Jen and Mike have brought up is an interesting thing. Most of my friends around here have French as a first language, with English as a second language from non-existent to excellent depending on the person. However, in the anglo part of my town, it's kind of the opposite. I speak both fluently, so there's never any problem for me (except when people pick up on my accent and point it out). However, it's interesting to watch unilingual people try to communicate with another language group.

I found it particularly funny when I didn't know the word I wanted to say, but I knew what it wasn't. I'd say "I'd like NOT such and such please." Kind of a backwards way of speaking but it did the trick. Last week i took my Japanese exchange student to the park. She didn't have the words to say, "those birds...I don't know what they are...but they're freaking me out!" so instead she said with a really worried look on her face, "duck okay." Poor kid. She was terrified. That trip backfired.   lol

Going to see a childhood favorite in concert tonight!

Back in 1982 (when I was a mere 14 years old) I was given a cassette of “Promises in the Dark” by Pat Benatar.  I was instantly hooked and have been a fan of her music ever since.  Tonight she is playing in Seattle at the Zoo of all places.  Very happy that after 35 years I will get to see her perform live.

The only bad part is that we need to be there at least an hour before the concert starts because it is festival lawn seating……and the opening act is Rick Springfield.  Why couldn’t it have been someone I actually wanted to see? 

Staybrite wrote:

Going to see a childhood favorite in concert tonight!

Back in 1982 (when I was a mere 14 years old) I was given a cassette of “Promises in the Dark” by Pat Benatar.  I was instantly hooked and have been a fan of her music ever since.  Tonight she is playing in Seattle at the Zoo of all places.  Very happy that after 35 years I will get to see her perform live.

The only bad part is that we need to be there at least an hour before the concert starts because it is festival lawn seating……and the opening act is Rick Springfield.  Why couldn’t it have been someone I actually wanted to see? 

Pat Benatar has such an awesome voice. Talk about power. Very cool.

Rick Springfield? Commiserations. You're going to have to sit through Jessie's Girl. lol, you poor man. Got a pair of sound cancelling head phones you could use?

 - "where can I find a woman like that...like Jessie's Girl"  Envy much Rick?

Have fun SB

Jen5 wrote:

Staybrite wrote:

Going to see a childhood favorite in concert tonight!

Back in 1982 (when I was a mere 14 years old) I was given a cassette of “Promises in the Dark” by Pat Benatar.  I was instantly hooked and have been a fan of her music ever since.  Tonight she is playing in Seattle at the Zoo of all places.  Very happy that after 35 years I will get to see her perform live.

The only bad part is that we need to be there at least an hour before the concert starts because it is festival lawn seating……and the opening act is Rick Springfield.  Why couldn’t it have been someone I actually wanted to see? 

Pat Benatar has such an awesome voice. Talk about power. Very cool.

Rick Springfield? Commiserations. You're going to have to sit through Jessie's Girl. lol, you poor man. Got a pair of sound cancelling head phones you could use?

 - "where can I find a woman like that...like Jessie's Girl"  Envy much Rick?

Have fun SB

Funny story about that song "Jessie's Girl".  My wife saw an interview with Springfield where he talks about writing that song.  It is based on a real girl only the guys name wasn't Jessie, it was actually Gary.  So Rick had to change the name in the song so his friend didn't find out.  To make the story even funnier.....my name is Gary, so now my wife is convinced the song is about her.

That's hilarious.
I guess the cat's out of the bag on that one!

How was the concert? I have never seen Rick live but have a live album and it isn't that bad. Here is a song he did a couple of years ago with Dave Grohl that I really liked from the Sound City documentary that Dave made:

I liked some of Rick's music back in the day.  I'd definitely sit thru a Pat Benatar/Rick Springfield show.

Rick Springfield did put on a pretty good show.  About 5-6 songs into his set I realized I knew most of his hits (and a few others).  He did about 10 songs and there where only a few I didn't recognize.  He played a new song from his 2016 album that was actually pretty good (called Miss Mayhem), it has a cool blues vibe that I'm sure Alldat would dig.  The audience all sang happy birthday to him, his birthday is in a few days....and he will be 68 (dude looks really good for his age).  Mike, that song with Grohl is pretty darned good as well.

Pat and Neil were fantastic.  Pat's voice is a little huskier, but she still sounded great.  In an age where half (or more) of marriages end in divorce it's great to see a couple who have worked together since 1979, and been married since 1982. They are calling this their 35th Anniversary tour (since they have been married that long).  Their final encore song "Heartbreaker" contained a fair portion of the song "Ring of Fire" that the both of them sang on in true Johnny Cash/June Carter fashion.  It was pretty cool.  I'm not a huge fan of live albums, but I might have to get this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8Ro1Q1qSZE

I also got to meet up with my oldest friend (I've know him since we were both in 7th grade....1981), along with his wife and children.  All in all it was a fun night for me and Mrs Staybrite.

Here is a picture of most of the crowd... this was before everyone had arrived.  More people that I expected could be crammed into a small field at the city zoo.  I would post a picture of the stage, but from my vantage it would have looked like a postage stamp.



And the obligatory "I was there photo" of me and the little lady along with my old friend (I'm the incredibly handsome one in the middle).

Very cool Staybright. Love a live concert. They're so much more than the music. The vibe is so energizing. 1000s of people coming together for their love of music. How cool is that. I'm still not turned into a Rick fan, but Pat will always have a place in my heart. She's so cute. These two are so great together. Take a look at the couple in action. Love this video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxteG1thK5I

The way they kid around between songs is really neat. Just gotta love her.

They certainly have great chemistry together.....or maybe after 35 years they can just predict each other really well. 

Will certainly check out the vid, thanks.

No prob. It's really cute. Worth a look.

I just checked out Miss Mayhem. I like that one. Never thought I'd say that I'd even listen to it more than once. I am stunned and silenced.   

I watched the NPR vid, it was fantastic.  Can't believe they both sat there for a full two minutes trying to figure out the opening lines to Promises in the Dark.  I found myself shouting at the screen "NEVER AGAIN, ISN'T THAT WHAT YOU SAID"
Hilariously entertaining.
 

Live music reminds me, there's a show I want to go to in town. Bruce Cockburn (if you haven't heard of him, he's sort of folk, country, rock, blues, all rolled into one) is playing in town. He grew up near where I grew up, and he's been playing since the '70s and still going strong, so I kind of want to see him. Only problem, tickets are $50 apiece. I have a hard time justifying spending that on a show.

Staybrite - Cool pix. Def jealous - would've loved to see that set. Also cool story about "Gary's Girl" -never knew that ! Ha !

Driven - Love me some Bruce Co-burn (as it's pronounced but commonly mispronounced  ). I've got most of his albums on vinyl and cd. Good stuff. I'd dig seeing him, but probably wouldn't pay 50 bucks to see him.

I'd like to see Bruce as well. I'm bummed because there's three shows I'd like to see in St Louis between now and October but we can't afford any of them. Brad Paisley (who we saw last year and is a favorite of mine) and Idina Menzel are next month, and John Mark McMillan is here in October.