Winter Fun Food and Adventure Victoria - Am I Canadian · Wednesday February 24, 2010 by colin newell
The Canadian Winter Olympics are in full swing. All eyes on the ice nation above the 49th parallel.
And although lots of people are making fun of the Canadian experience – as if they know the difference between a Canadian and a… well… someone else.
What exactly is it to be a Canadian?
Beyond the eh jokes… and the I’m so sorry jabs.
Beyond the Stephen Colbert schtick.
Beyond The Simpsons or Family Guy lampooning a Canadian courtesy of a Canadian writer living in L.A.‘s impression of the Canadian experience.
Beyond The Guess Who belting out American Woman.
Beyond William Shatner.
Beyond Tom Brokaw trying to explain Canada to an unwilling nation south of the 49th parallel.
Beyond Bryan Adams and Nelly Furtado miming and syncing into switched off microphones at the 2010 Olympiad open ceremonies…
What distinct thing defines the Canadian being? A few ideas…
Stopping to talk to an elderly gentleman wandering the sidewalk – who seems lost and returning 12 minutes later to find that he has been in a no-injuries car accident and making sure he is OK.
Waiting for the police car.
Running into a lovely Olympian from a few years gone by and flirtatiously asking her how often she is recognized…
“As often as I smile…” she quips.
Canadian.
Slowing down the car to yield to a full size deer that seems to be having difficulty crossing a slippery urban street.
Running into the governor of California and after simply raising an eyebrow and smiling getting a Austrian accented “Thanks for not making a big deal…”
Canadian.
Being beneath the radar is Canadian. Being above the radar is Canadian.
Being in a room full of people taking a collective sigh that legend Gordon Lightfoot is alive and well is, well, ever so Canadian.
That we don’t actually have a Canadian Idol is really Canadian. Figure it out.
Not really being able to explain the Canadian essence…
Canadian
Winter Fun Food and Adventure Victoria - hug a stranger day · Tuesday February 23, 2010 by colin newell
Today is Hug a stranger day.
Who knew?
Go on. Do it.
You need it.
You know you do.
My friend and creative partner, Bob Harris, appears at the 1:12 mark.
Winter Fun Food and Adventure Victoria - know your pets · Monday February 22, 2010 by colin newell
Fuji digital cameras have introduced the FinePix F80EXR 12 Megapixel camera…
With pet recognition…
Seriously.
For those times when you are sitting in the cabin with your loved one and your equivalent of mans best friend.
And you turn to your significant other and say…
“Honey, does that look like our dog snuffles to you?”
“Gee. Honey. I am not sure…”
“Lemme grab the Fuji FinePix F80EXR!”
The F80EXR features Pet Detection which detects the faces of up to 10 dogs or cats and automatically focuses on them.
Seeing that this process is notoriously difficult (to capture an expressive portrait of an active animal with a compact camera) why leave it up to your eyes!
Pet Detection allows the camera to shoot automatically as soon as it detects your pet’s face in the frame. The FinePix F80EXR also allows you to search for pictures of cats or dogs in playback mode.
Good thing.
Because I have never trusted my cat.
Winter Fun Food and Adventure Victoria - Pecha Kucha Night · Monday February 22, 2010 by colin newell
Got invited to speak at Victoria’s first Pecha Kucha night in Victoria.
A pass for now – but going on Thursday night to check it out.
I hope you will too.
Want to know what Pecha Kucha is? Click here
Want a great tutorial?: How about here
Or a funny and engaging example? – go here
Anyone with any artistic bent can do this. I can do this… once I screw in the courage module that is… Next time. Maybe in May. Come see me.
Click on above photo for the zoomie-zoom view
