Tierney: I have a joke for you mom
Me: okay shoot.
Tierney: What would you call a Santa Claus that farts a lot?
Me: uhm... what?
Tierney: Saint Farts-a-lot! Get it?
Me: I get it. I wouldn't go on the road just yet, though, your act still needs some work.
Tierney: I could have sworn that was funny.
Me: I'm sure you believed it was hilarious.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
an arbitrary number of Canadians Shows you Should check out
Road to Avonlea
Based on L.M. Montgomery's books, this show followed the life of Sarah Stanley, who is sent to live with her mother's family on Prince Edward Island after her father gets himself in some financial hot water and various legal troubles. The show eventually focuses less on Sarah (played by Sarah Polley) and more on the King family and other residents of Avonlea. This show was a sunday night staple in my family and a great period piece. I give special note to Michael Mahonen who played Gus Pike - one of my personal favorite characters.
Degrassi Junior High/Degrassi High
It was often referred to as the anti-90210. Meaning, the kids were not glamorous, not rich, and most importantly, Not in their 20s. Name an issue, and these kids faced it. Drugs, teen pregnancy, AIDS, abortion, child abuse, eating disorders, they were all over it. The stars of the show were local kids and the show's producer, Kit Schuyler was previously a school teacher I believe. The Series finale, a full length tv movie titled "School's Out" has been compared to "The Empire Strikes Back" as far as having one of the best 'Downer endings'. I won't ruin it for you though. It also has the distiction of featuring the first and second actors to say Fuck on the CBC.
Vid includes wicked fight scene between Erika and Liz, who was mostly a cool character but was unusually self-righteous and bitchy when right-to-life issues came about.
Corner Gas
This show just ended its run on CTV after about 6 seasons. I think out of the whole series, my favorite scene is still the very first scene of the first episode of the first season, which pretty much sets the tone for for the series. This is definitely one of those shows where you have to know the characters to get it. However, if you can find them, be sure to check out 'Hook Line and Sinker' and 'World's Biggest Thing' from season 1, and 'Doc Small' from season two.
Kids In The Hall
Sketch comedy at it's very-near finest. Often cited as our Generation's Monty Python, the Kids (unlike other Canadian sketch comedies such as This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Royal Canadian Air Farce) shied away from political humor and focused on more absurdist humour. Some of my favorite regular characters include the Chicken Lady and Sir Simon Milligan and Hecubus.
The shows mentioned above are my personal favorites but some others worth mentioning include:
The Littlest Hobo - Airing in the late 60s up until the mid-80s, the littlest hobo was a German shepard that wandered the country helping people in need, then moving on to the next place.
This Hour Has 22 Minutes - Political/current events based news satire. Launching pad for Rick Mercer, who is often cited as Canada's answer to Jon Stewart (until he started whoring for the goverment during the 1-ton challenge.
The Hour - Weekly celeb/politico interview show, starring one of my very favorite ex MuchMusic veejays EVAR. One day, I will marry George strombolopoulous and have little strombobabies.
The Beachcombers IMDB synopsis - "The adventures of a professional lumber salvager and his friends in Gibson, British Columbia, Canada." Honestly, my parents used to watch this when I was a kid, and I never 'got it'.. but it just seems wrong to leave it off the list. It'd be like going to Paris and not visiting the Louvre.
There is an episode of the cartoon Kevin Spencer called Bruno Gerusi Must Die that I wanted to post a clip of, as it involves a hostile takeover of American network television as hatched by Beachcombers star Bruno Gerusi, who has been living in the Spencers wall. Alas I couldn't find a good clip, so I leave you here.
Based on L.M. Montgomery's books, this show followed the life of Sarah Stanley, who is sent to live with her mother's family on Prince Edward Island after her father gets himself in some financial hot water and various legal troubles. The show eventually focuses less on Sarah (played by Sarah Polley) and more on the King family and other residents of Avonlea. This show was a sunday night staple in my family and a great period piece. I give special note to Michael Mahonen who played Gus Pike - one of my personal favorite characters.
Degrassi Junior High/Degrassi High
It was often referred to as the anti-90210. Meaning, the kids were not glamorous, not rich, and most importantly, Not in their 20s. Name an issue, and these kids faced it. Drugs, teen pregnancy, AIDS, abortion, child abuse, eating disorders, they were all over it. The stars of the show were local kids and the show's producer, Kit Schuyler was previously a school teacher I believe. The Series finale, a full length tv movie titled "School's Out" has been compared to "The Empire Strikes Back" as far as having one of the best 'Downer endings'. I won't ruin it for you though. It also has the distiction of featuring the first and second actors to say Fuck on the CBC.
Vid includes wicked fight scene between Erika and Liz, who was mostly a cool character but was unusually self-righteous and bitchy when right-to-life issues came about.
Corner Gas
This show just ended its run on CTV after about 6 seasons. I think out of the whole series, my favorite scene is still the very first scene of the first episode of the first season, which pretty much sets the tone for for the series. This is definitely one of those shows where you have to know the characters to get it. However, if you can find them, be sure to check out 'Hook Line and Sinker' and 'World's Biggest Thing' from season 1, and 'Doc Small' from season two.
Kids In The Hall
Sketch comedy at it's very-near finest. Often cited as our Generation's Monty Python, the Kids (unlike other Canadian sketch comedies such as This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Royal Canadian Air Farce) shied away from political humor and focused on more absurdist humour. Some of my favorite regular characters include the Chicken Lady and Sir Simon Milligan and Hecubus.
The shows mentioned above are my personal favorites but some others worth mentioning include:
The Littlest Hobo - Airing in the late 60s up until the mid-80s, the littlest hobo was a German shepard that wandered the country helping people in need, then moving on to the next place.
This Hour Has 22 Minutes - Political/current events based news satire. Launching pad for Rick Mercer, who is often cited as Canada's answer to Jon Stewart (until he started whoring for the goverment during the 1-ton challenge.
The Hour - Weekly celeb/politico interview show, starring one of my very favorite ex MuchMusic veejays EVAR. One day, I will marry George strombolopoulous and have little strombobabies.
The Beachcombers IMDB synopsis - "The adventures of a professional lumber salvager and his friends in Gibson, British Columbia, Canada." Honestly, my parents used to watch this when I was a kid, and I never 'got it'.. but it just seems wrong to leave it off the list. It'd be like going to Paris and not visiting the Louvre.
There is an episode of the cartoon Kevin Spencer called Bruno Gerusi Must Die that I wanted to post a clip of, as it involves a hostile takeover of American network television as hatched by Beachcombers star Bruno Gerusi, who has been living in the Spencers wall. Alas I couldn't find a good clip, so I leave you here.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Santa Claus is coming to town Redux
I love my kids, for sometimes they can really make me chuckle.
My youngest while getting dressed, sings this interesting rendition of Santa claus is coming to town
"He sees you when you're sleeping
He sleeps you when you're not asleep
He sees you when you're naked
And when you're going to the washroom
Santa claus is coming in his underwear"
Wait, what?
I really hope she means 'arriving'.
My youngest while getting dressed, sings this interesting rendition of Santa claus is coming to town
"He sees you when you're sleeping
He sleeps you when you're not asleep
He sees you when you're naked
And when you're going to the washroom
Santa claus is coming in his underwear"
Wait, what?
I really hope she means 'arriving'.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Stink. Stank. Stunk.
Ugh.. With the holiday season approaching rapidly, I'm finding I have little to no spirit for it this year.
I wish I had some good excuse for disliking this holiday, such as a wholly dysfunctional family and such that fights all the time so I spend my christmas merely putting up with them and praying for it to be over. No, that's not the case at all. Actually, in honesty, I LIKE my family. They're pretty awesome people, and I'm glad to be a part of it.
So why the hell am I so bummed out about it all?
Guilt. That's about the gist of it. The kids, I hate saying no to them. I don't spoil them by any means, and I'm not one to give into their every whim. I just can't stand it when it starts to feel like I have to say 'No' to EVERYTHING because I'm trying to A) keep the bills paid and B) have something for them under the tree for Christmas this year.
I sat down with both the girls (but mostly the oldest because she not only understands better, but also seems to have a greater need) to show them our budget - how much comes in, and how much goes out every month. I don't know if it entirely got through to them, considering the amount left over every month, the amount that marks 'panic-time' for me, seems like a FORTUNE to a kid that gets two dollars a week for an allowance.
I let the 'money' and 'material' issues become too much, I know. And I KNOW that's not what it's all about - I know all the good stuff about family and friends and love and sharing and caring.. but I wish I could bypass all the other crap. Because the guilt and feelings of inadequacy as a provider really really make it friggin difficult to enjoy all the 'good stuff'.
Somebody spike me an egg nog, knock me upside the head with a Yule log and bring me Bing Crosby's head on a platter.
Please.
I wish I had some good excuse for disliking this holiday, such as a wholly dysfunctional family and such that fights all the time so I spend my christmas merely putting up with them and praying for it to be over. No, that's not the case at all. Actually, in honesty, I LIKE my family. They're pretty awesome people, and I'm glad to be a part of it.
So why the hell am I so bummed out about it all?
Guilt. That's about the gist of it. The kids, I hate saying no to them. I don't spoil them by any means, and I'm not one to give into their every whim. I just can't stand it when it starts to feel like I have to say 'No' to EVERYTHING because I'm trying to A) keep the bills paid and B) have something for them under the tree for Christmas this year.
I sat down with both the girls (but mostly the oldest because she not only understands better, but also seems to have a greater need) to show them our budget - how much comes in, and how much goes out every month. I don't know if it entirely got through to them, considering the amount left over every month, the amount that marks 'panic-time' for me, seems like a FORTUNE to a kid that gets two dollars a week for an allowance.
I let the 'money' and 'material' issues become too much, I know. And I KNOW that's not what it's all about - I know all the good stuff about family and friends and love and sharing and caring.. but I wish I could bypass all the other crap. Because the guilt and feelings of inadequacy as a provider really really make it friggin difficult to enjoy all the 'good stuff'.Somebody spike me an egg nog, knock me upside the head with a Yule log and bring me Bing Crosby's head on a platter.
Please.
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