Monday Circus - Sorted!

(Via Amazon.com)

I know it's a bit dated, but Britney Spears' single Circus still gives me a perpetual high. The number gets gets me excited about being a monday morning ringleader calling the shots on the so-called blue day. Watch the video here. Personally, I think it's even hotter than I'm A Slave For You. Matters not what the critics think, this, is a comeback.

There's only two types of people in the world

The ones that entertain and the ones that observe

Well baby, I'm a put-on-a-show kind of girl
Don't like the backseat, gotta be first

I'm a like the ringleader, I call the shots
(Call the shots)
I'm like a firecracker I make it hot
When I put on a show

I feel the adrenaline moving through my veins
Spotlight on me and I'm ready to break
I'm like a performer, the dancefloor is my stage
Better be ready, hope that you feel the same

All eyes on me in the center of the ring just like a circus
When I crack that whip, everybody gon' trip just like a circus
Don't stand there watching me, follow me, show me what you can do
Everybody let go, we can make a dancefloor just like a circus

Ode to the Windmill

I'm just loving this old windmill. I think it would make one cool flat or even a holiday/summer getaway base. I see myself on a bright sunny day, bikini-clad running down to a near-by beach; or running in from the rains to a huge mug of hot chocolate. And re-enacting those childhood fairytales-- Rapunzel let down your hair! Oh such fantasies. I'm such a dreamer, I know.

Linton Kwesi Johnson

He said that everytime he wrote a poem, he had a reggae beat in his head. Without a doubt this is what gives the poetry of Linton Kwesi Johnson (LKJ) such rhythmic flow and a sound that pioneered the literary form known today as dub poetry.

Though the name Mutabaruka may have more recognition these days in the world of popular culture, it is the Jamaican Linton Kwesi Johnson who is actually credited (even by Muta himself) as the founding father of dub poetry. Until fairly recently, I must admit I had never heard anything of the man, but the body of his work is definitely worth close examination. And once you listen, you will feel compelled to include it among your musical and literary collections.

As for his work, I find that LKJ focuses his attention on the difficulties and experiences of the working class caribbean immigrants clinging for survival on the fringes of British society. Theirs is a story of racial oppression and systemic discrimination. His poetry with it's distinct reggae beat is intended for performance and celebrates the range and freedom of the Jamaican language, Patois. Above all, intentionally or not, he clearly dispells the myth of 'foreign as a bed of roses'. Instead he shows the cold and tough realities of the immigrants in the motherland.

LKJ has quite a few prestigious accomplishments under his belt. He is noted as the second living poet and the only black poet to be published in the Penguin Classics series; and is one of only three poets to be published by Penguin Modern Classics while still alive. If you ever get the chance to visit the Saison Poetry Library at the Southbank Centre in London, you will find his works in their magnificent collection among the likes of other 'top-notch poets'.

Of his poems, Dread Beat an Blood and Inglan is a Bitch are my favourite collections. But as an aspiring poet myself, my ultimate favourite is If I was a Tap Notch Poet. Watch LKJ read it here.

Carnac's Menhirs

Forget Stonehenge! The pre-historic stone alignments of Carnac in the region known as Brittany, France has by far, the largest collection of menhirs in the world. Dating back to the pre-Celtic people who lived in the region, the exact purpose of the collections of perfectly aligned rock erections is unknown for sure. Be it known there are many ideas about what the stones were intended for, but the story I like best is the one that encourages you - the visitor - to examine the menhirs and choose the one that gives off the same vibrations as yourself. I did this and it turned out to be quite a telling exercise. Here are some pics.

Amsterdam Rides

When I was putting together a trip to Amsterdam, I asked friends and colleagues about ideas of things to do. Almost all noted that Amsterdam is a cyclist's dream track because of its flat topography and suggested renting a bicycle and travelling about the city. Up to this point I had only mastered starting off and was no good at steering confidence on the two wheels. But I tried nonetheless to get to the bottom of the Amsterdam bicycle must-do affair.

What did I find? Bicycles bundled like sticks, parked everywhere - on sidewalks, parking lots and even over the canals. Practical and hilarious, armed with streamlined paniers, crates and baby carriers and some distinctly pretty. Here are a few.

Family Ties

Busy Workman

Baby on Board

Crate Preferred

Pretty Little Thing

Moving Day

Parking Space

After The Storm

During the storm the prayers, hugs, letters, cards, phone calls and visits really helped. And after the storm, they continue to soothe.

Thank you all for suffering with us through the tough times, and for warming our hands until we are able to see the sun shining again.

Desire To Inspire

After moving into a new apartment last year, I got an urge to look up designs for my bedroom. Of course HGTV topped the list, but then Flash held me back. Determined not to give up, I went digging, elsewhere. Believe it or not, there is an elsewhere - it's called Desire To Inspire. And so came my introduction to the blogosphere.

Desire To Inspire digs up amazing pictures and design ideas from portfolios of your favourite, stylish and even lesser known designers. I think I can safely say that they compile the best design ideas all in one place. They say they are aiming to inspire readers one room at at time but in reality their two daily servings are more than enough to make you plump with inspiration and arouse just all your creative urges. The occasional reports (and pics) makeovers by the blog operators keep things real and equally inspiring, and show that the ideas that fuel dreams can come into your own home. Chances are, all you have to do is run to a hardware, get some paint, supplies and a handy boyfriend (the latter is not found in all hardwares). Run by Kim in Canada and Jo in Australia, Desire To Inspire is inspiring both to a blogger and a design fanatic. And so, I just had to reach out and ask these few questions. Here are the unedited responses. Enjoy! And take a trip over to Desire To Inspire.

S.S.: Kim, you live in Canada, Jo lives in Australia - two hotspots that have been abuzz with creativity and are getting increased artistic attention in recent times. Would you call your Canada-Australia liaison a coincidence or sheer genius? (why?)

DTI: Our Canada-Australia liaison was a coincidence at first and proved to be a stroke of genius not long after we began the blog. We met on Flickr, a photo-sharing site, and became fast friends with interior design as a mutual passion. We got the idea for the blog and ran with it and it became successful almost instantly. And we've never looked back. I think it's awesome that we come from similar countries, where both are very well known for their super-friendly inhabitants!

S.S.: Monday - Friday, fans have come to expect your treat of 2 posts (at least and except for those very exciting days). Without divulging too much of your blogging techniques, how do you keep yourselves inspired to inspire us each day?

DTI: To keep all our readers constantly inspired, we spend ALOT of time gathering names of stylists, photographers and interior designers to feature. Google has become our best friend. We both spend much of our free time researching for new blog content.

S.S: Jo's in the morning then Kim's in the afternoon, do you have a get-ready-to-blog routine?

DTI: Our routine is fairly straightforward. We both do most of our reseach on the weekends, and then Jo gets her posts ready in the mornings before she heads off to work (and schedules them in Blogger to publish first thing that day). I get my posts ready in the evenings when I get home from work and then the next morning I schedule them to publish that afternoon.

S.S.: You both present so many novel and inspiring finds on the daily and at times I feel like I would give anything to have them all. Honestly, how would you describe your signature style and how do you preserve it?

DTI: Jo and I have no signature style, both in our homes or on the blog. We post just about any style (except I draw the line at country), just like our homes are a miss-mash of all sorts of styles. I'd like to call us eclectic. You can interpret that any way you like. But we both have a serious addiction to thrift stores and flea markets. I love bringing items into my home that are fun and original and have a history. I rarely buy new. If I do it's because the good vintage furniture is really hard to come by in Ottawa.

S.S.: Any goals,anything big on the horizon for Kim, Jo and Desire to Inspire?

DTI: Hmmmm. I have a couple bathrooms in my home that desperately need complete redos. I need to pay off my kitchen first though. And tons of little projects to go tide me over until then. Jo is on the hunt for a house to purchase as she currently rents, but real estate in Australia is SO PRICEY so she's had to be patient in the hopes of finding the perfect fixer-upper. As for the blog, we are moving off Blogger within the next few weeks and are also planning a redesign of the blog so lots of work in the respect ahead of us.

Thanks so much Kim, Jo and Desire To Inspire.