In The Chamber

Maybe it was the giant red and yellow antibiotic dissolving in my stomach or maybe it was the residual fever still pumping through my body but I think even in the most perfect health a Friday night spent "In The Chamber" just wasn’t going to be my cup of tea.

This year is the fifth installment in the edgy series and features two well performed but preachy performances by Gordon Tanner and Steven Ratzlaff. Both Tanner and Ratzlaff wrote and acted in their individual pieces and while there performances dragged on, the passion both felt for their labor of love remained obvious throughout both performances.

The first monologue was "Last Man in Universe Alpha - 11," an hour long rant against factory farming punctuated with inside jokes and a slide show featuring photographs of fire charred pig carcasses. I’ve been a vegan, a vegetarian and a piscetarian but even the animal rights activist in me felt that the performance had more than a sprinkling of PETA fueled rage coating it.

The second performance “Last Man in Puntarenas" was drier and slide show free but equally long winded. As much as I tried to follow Ratzlaff’s characters retirement speech about the flaws in Canada’s health care system and his own marriage follies I found my eye lids drooping with fatigue long before he reached the end of his speech.

Walking out of the Rachel Browne theatre I didn’t feel uplifted by new knowledge or inspired by the actors passion for their craft. Simply put, "In The Chamber" was a play that I just didn't like very much.

I love you 1987

While creeping on several blogs I came across a link on Kenton's Infotainment Scan that would forever changed my life.

Portage Place circa 1987. I don't know which is scarier, Portage Place then with its muscle flexing and shoulder pads or Portage Place now with less perms but noticeably more muggings. Watch the video below and decide for yourself.

Now for extra laughs fast forward six seconds into the video. Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat...

I have a new favorite YouTube video!

 PR: The best pseudo event of 2009

T-Mobile Dance

The above video shows what happens when T-Mobile has 350 casually dressed dancers transform from dull commuters to synchronized dance machine in the middle of London's Liverpool Street Station. All I could think while

The pseudo event was part of a campaign by advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, London. The campaign focuses on viral marketing as well as more traditional television advertisements in which hidden cameras take in dancer and crowd antics. The buzz generated from the memorable event has made the viral video of the event a YouTube sensation with over 16,841,116 hits over the past year making it one of the most watched videos on the popular site.

To see how T-Mobile made this train station version of High School Musical check out the video below.

Amazing much?

When asked about Twitter, most people will have one of two opinions...

1. "It's stupid, I don't get it. I don't even like John Mayer!"

2. "Genius! Fast, simple and easy to use. I love Twitter!"

I believe that once you understand Twitter, chances are your negative opinion will switch over to adoration very quickly. Yes you can eavesdrop on Celebrity conversations and be sent spam by scantily clad teens, but the most interesting people to follow are rarely celebrities, or stomach baring adolescents.

Upload a picture, follow a few of your favorite news organizations and prepare to become addicted.

PS: I can always use a new follower too!

Weekend Winnipeg

According to Wikipedia, Karaoke is a “form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music (and/or a music video) using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal.”

For most Winnipeggers, especially us Cre-Comm’s, Karaoke is better defined as a sweet way to spend a Friday night. Luckilly for the Karaoke loving Winnipeg resident, we've got some great places to check out.

1.Osborne Karaoke

110 Osborne Street

This tiny second floor lounge has affordable private rooms, a fun environment and a great location in the heart of the village. Once you get past the sketchy stairs, you'll find an awesome place to take a group. Feel free to barter, if its not busy the employees will cut you a deal on a private room.

2.Muz Karaoke

709 Corydon Avenue

Muz Karaoke makes the list because of its great decor, color themed rooms and most importantly... location, location, location. After a dinner on Corydon, this is the place to walk to if you're in the mood to sing.

3. Limelight Tavern

531 St. Mary's Rd

Limelight makes the list for its large size and great atmosphere but on busy nights the wait to get on stage can get a bit ridiculous. But if you're willing to wait your turn and want a big crowd, Limelight can equal a really fun night.

Have fun!

 Remembrance Day: Chungmi Yim

It was a beautiful summer day in Seoul, South Korea on June 25, 1950 and thirteen-year-old Chungmi Yim wanted some popcorn. “I walked to the market, but it was very strange. Merchants were closing their stores and the air was filled with papers. I caught one and ran home to show my mother.” The delicately beautiful 73-year-old Korean Canadian woman shakes her head and continues, “The papers all said the same thing North Korea had declared war.”

For the next three years, from the age of 13 to 16, Yim’s life was controlled completely by the Korean War, “a living nightmare” that resulted in the deaths of an estimated 10 million people including 516 members of the Canadian Forces. A few days after the first tanks rolled into Seoul Yim was told that she should return to school. “There were no streetcars so I had to walk many miles to reach the school. Everywhere there was blood and death. The dead bodies were piled up like sandbags,” Yim’s gentle face creases as she remembers. “All I could think was this is somebody’s son, somebody’s father, I had to close my eyes. I did not go back to school for the next three years.”

Once the United Nations began bombing Seoul, much of Seoul, including Yim’s house was destroyed. “Whole neighborhoods were gone, thousands were killed,” says Yim. “My father and I were walking to where our home once was, to salvage what we could from the remains. I saw a huge truck coming towards us surrounded by men, throwing things. They were throwing body parts onto the truck, legs, arms, many were children and old people.” She pauses covering her eyes with her tiny, gnarled hands, “My father didn’t think I should see this so he covered my eyes and told me not to look. I never got it out of my head though, I can still see them in my mind.”

After the section of Seoul that Yim, her four younger sisters and her parents lived in was bombed, the family found shelter in a cave dug years earlier by the Japanese in the Second World War. “It was a very nice cave,” says the tiny woman seriously. “If you ducked your head you could stand up. We lived with about 40 people, four other families, and some soldiers. The soldiers were very young, and scared. They had no guns, no boots, it made me sad to look at them.” The months spent in the caves were hungry ones for Yim and her family, food was scarce and the family had little money. “Most young people do not know what hunger is, how painful it is. We did not have much to eat, but when you are starving, every meal is delicious.”

Yim immigrated to Canada in 1967 and though she still remembers the horrors of the Korean War, she is no longer hurt by them. “War is a terrible thing, it hurts the people who survive it for a very long time. I used to dream that soldiers chased me. I would wake up covered in sweat and feel so afraid.” She pauses her eyes crinkling up into a smile, “I don’t have nightmares any more. I have a beautiful family, a wonderful church, and many friends. Bad memories cannot hurt me any longer.”

 

Winnipeg Thrift

Few places in Winnipeg blur the line between high fashion and small budget like a second-hand or thrift store. Many Winnipeggers are tempted by the low prices but find navigating thrift stores a confusing and overwhelming experience. Luckily for the thrift virgin, Winnipeg thrift stores can be categorized into three main types.

Non-Profit

These are the Salvation Army, Goodwill, and Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) stores found in almost every neighborhood. Along with a great bargain, these stores may also cause feelings of good will and relieve spending anxiety since all their proceeds go to charity. They rely on community donations of clothing and use all store profits for either local or international charity work. Not for profit stores are the cheapest of all the thrift stores, as well as the smallest and lowest traffic. Because their stock is all donated, the selection can be limited but these stores are an amazingly cheap place to buy wardrobe basics like Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy. If you’re willing to visit your local not for profit frequently, weekly or even daily, the rewards can be really huge. Gucci belts and Chanel t-shirts worth hundreds of dollars lurk between the racks but are snapped up quickly.

Look for:

Everyday clothing, and work clothing. Closet essentials like Gap and Banana Republic.

Big-box Vintage

For a massive selection and a department store feel, big-box vintage stores are the go to location. In Winnipeg the big-box vintage stores are primarily the four Value Village locations spread throughout the city. They are the best known and highest traffic second-hand stores in the city and the selection can be so large that it is daunting. A trip to one of these goliaths can take hours to sort through but the massive variety of clothing but that means that there is something for every taste. Well known mid-range clothing brands like Gap are priced significantly higher than in the not for profit thrift stores and though they accept donations of second-hand clothing and advertise their charitable donations, the big box vintage stores are developed specifically to make large company profits. If you avoid the overpriced sweaters and everyday clothing, there are more affordable designer finds hidden here than any other store. A shopper with knowledge of high end brands can find some impressive items from designers like Marc Jacobs, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Celine.

Look For:

High end designer pieces, especially in coats and dresses.

Boutiques

The secondhand clothing stores that cater to young, trendy, Winnipeggers are the boutiques. These stores are almost exclusively found downtown in Osborne Village or the Exchange District. The stores are well organized and easy to search through. Ragpickers, Vintage Glory and Vintage in the Village are all examples of boutiques, and are the highest priced of all the varieties of thrift stores. Though the price is higher, the clothing being sold is often one of a kind and not available in malls or any where else in Winnipeg. These shops are often consignment based and will even accept your old cast offs for store credit or cash making shopping there more affordable. The clothing is often highly specialized either exclusively to retro fashion or high end designer brands. It’s often a feel-good experience shopping boutique because the shops are usually owned and run by local entrepreneurs and fellow vintage lovers. While the boutique is not for every price range, the vintage connoisseur will find some of their favorite pieces in these shops, and it’s definitely worth a trip.

Look for:

Me, trying on clothing I can't afford.