On route to a book deal

I spend a lot of time kicking myself for not working harder at keeping my blog constantly updated.
I have excuses, such as writing for a living, being exhausted after work and trying to spend the minimum amount of time on the computer when I am not in work.
On more than one occasion I have considered just reposting my columns from the Prince Albert Daily Herald, but they are much longer than the average blog post and seeing a link here is just boring.
All of that said, I kick myself a lot harder when I go into book stores and it seems like every blog I used to read with any regularity has become a book. There are the ones everyone knew about such as, Waiter Rant or PostSecret, but latest ones have made me stop short.
Vegan Lunch box, has not one, but two cookbooks out.
The Pioneer Woman Cooks also has a cookbook now.
It seems dedication on a blog is a sure fire way to a book deal.
So, the Story of Angela: following Chinese fortunes from the cookie, not coming to bookshelves anytime soon.
Hopefully I will start to spend more time writing.

Flogging Molly

You can listen to a band countless times on CD or an ipod, but nothing beats seeing them in a good live venue.
And it has to be a good venue - you can't watch a punk band perform in a concert hall.
Fortunately I saw Flogging Molly in an excellent venue this weekend, there was room to dance and places to sit, and not too big.
It was just what a venue should be.
And for a group of guys that have been around since the mid 80s they still put on an excellent show.

Want to see who I am talking about?

xkcd takes a stab at airport security

I swear I have been there...
Both making the argument and cringing listening to someone else.

How's the weather over there - A post for Blog Action Day 2009

This morning I heard on the radio that farmers are staying optimistic for next year as for some, this year's crop is snowed under.

They are looking forward to trying again next year.

I hope the weather improves or at least starts back to normal, but I am also afraid that we are setting the "new normal."

Last week, when it started snowing, I had my first moments of thrill. Admittedly, I love watching the snow float down. Then I realized that it was still the first full week of October and I liked it a little less.

Then it didn't stop.

I would like to point out to Mother Nature that no one sang about dreaming of a white Thanksgiving and that "have a jolly holiday" was less about changing leaves and more about mistletoe.

Our leaves here didn't even have a chance to change: they just dove off the tree freezing cold and still green.

My Thanksgiving plans were cancelled because I wasn't sure how safe the roads out of Prince Albert would be. Road clearing isn't going on because it just shouldn't be snowing yet.

Despite disappointment in not enjoying as much of my favourite time, I am not really surprised.

We were given a mostly ugly summer, with many people complaining about not getting enough good weather to go to the lakes. When we finally got summer it lasted about three weeks ... or so I am told, because I managed to miss the only hot weather that came through Prince Albert.

Is this part of a growing pattern of climate change? Well, the researchers I have spoken to say yes.

Climatologists are moving away from using the phrase "global warming" because that's a pretty hard sell in Saskatchewan right now.

"Global warming? We could use some of that here," seems to be how the joke goes.

But whatever the term, the punchline isn't so funny.

Warmer weather in one part of the Northern Hemisphere, (say British Columbia) caused by El Niño is the same pattern that leads to cold weather on the Prairies because of the way the jetstream works.

It's not just here that the weather is becoming uncomfortable. The other day, I saw the Disney movie "Earth." It talks about animals on our planet and how they live. After watching a great white shark devour a small seal and a pride of lions take down an elephant, the part that bothered me most was the polar bear.

As the Arctic ice grows thinner the bears have less time to hunt. Sometimes bears make poor hunting decisions, while others stray too far out to sea where, without ice to climb on, they eventually drown.

Everything else in the movie was part of the circle of life, but the plight of those polar bears seems to be the fault of humans.

There are those that claim the world is in an endless cycle of hot and cold spells - they might be right, but after the hot comes an ice age ... and seeing as I am not such a fan of the cold, I can do without.

If it is possible that the little things we can do like turning off our lights, eating locally or petitioning our government to control big businesses might make an impact, then wouldn't it be easier just to try?

If that doesn't help, oh well, if you've been turning off lights and using less electricity the worst thing that happens is smaller power bills.

With small steps we hopefully can make a change.

Then, like the farmers, I could also be optimistic about good weather next year and hope no one will sing about the snows of Labour Day.

My column usually appears every Wednesday in the Prince Albert Daily Herald.
Posted on my blog as part of Blog Action Day 2009

Ramadan

Yesterday marked the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims, where they refrain from eating, drinking, smoking or indulging from dawn until sunset.
It reminded me of being in Bosnia and Herzegovina during Ramadan.

While in Sarajevo, I heard a cannon fire at 7:20 p.m. the first night I was there. Seeing as I had spent the entire day learning about the siege of Sarajevo, it startled me.
Nothing followed the initial blast so I didn’t think anything of it until it happened again the next night.
Turns out it is the marker for the end of the day of fasting.
In Mostar, a city in the south of the country, it was even more marked, with cannon fire, fireworks and loud music marking the chance for Muslims to eat again.
It was a very cool experience being in cities where Muslims and Christians mesh so well.
I know it wasn't always like that and hope the peace is permanent.

Are we there yet?

One of the most annoying ways to end a trip, especially after very teary goodbyes, is to get stuck before you even get on the plane.

Air France found a technical problem, Bad.

That they managed to fix within two hours, Good.

That meant we missed our connecting flight before we even got on the first plane, Bad.

But, there were going to be Air France people in Paris to help us, Good.

They told us there were no more flights we could be on (to anywhere in North America) that day, even though it was only 11 AM, Bad.

They paid for a hotel, Good.

Now, I am in Paris and hoping very much the rest of the flights go as planned.

Soccer Fever

Everywhere, with the exception of North America, soccer is a national sport and pastime.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is no different than the rest of Europe.
When their team played Turkey last Wednesday night, it felt like the whole country was gathered in front of the television or packed the stadium in Sarajevo.
We joined a group at a local bar in Mostar that was projecting the game on the wall outside.
Everyone moved as a group.
A team member got a break away everyone was on their feet cheering.
A collective Boo, when he missed.
In the end they tied, which was worthy of a celebration!
Bosnia and Herzegovina faired much better than Croatia, who was loosing five to one to England, when I got disgruntled and turned off the TV.

Dubrovnik

Reaching Dubrovnik after an entire trip well off the tourist path has been a significant shocker.
Stalls selling trashy souvenirs, people yelling at locals in Spanish, Italian, and English, and overpriced, less than delicious food have taken away from the awe inspiring town.
But if you get your timing right, you’ll have a few blissful minutes to glimpse the sun setting behind the fortress wall – all alone.

Internet

Finally a half decent internet connection and one I am pretty sure I can’t destroy.

I managed to knock out internet in a small and overly expensive café in Sarajevo. I disconnected the keyboard so I could plug in my USB key and file a couple of photos for work.

Apparently I knocked something I shouldn’t have.

The guy came over randomly pulled on something then shook his finger at us.

The internet flickered to life.

I hit send on my e-mail.

Then I pulled out my USB key.

The internet died completely.

The e-mail did get through somehow.

But, we high-tailed it out of that café pretty quickly.

Kraška Ohcet

Images from Kraška ohcet, a traditional wedding festival for Slovenians living in Italy.

Getting ready

The groom heads a procession to meet his bride

On their way to the church

Dancing in celebration of the wedding

Going home to meet the parents