I will be in Calgary for like two days in April. One day is already completely booked with work related activities. The other day, Saturday, looks empty right now. I always thought that if I go to Calgary I would for sure check out Jann Arden’s diner. I just looked it up and she closed it two years ago. So any suggestions on where to go and what to do? Keep in mind I have no money. However I will be buying some needed stuff there to take advantage of the lower taxes. My Saucony running shoes are badly need of replacement. They were a good a shoe and did me proud but I think their age is starting to show. Also, the camera that I broke will need to be replaced as well.

Got my first massage of my life from a professional today at a massage shop thingie. Good experience? Mixed. I liked how she did my neck and lower back. Overall it felt nice. I think she found some knots in my back or something. She kept prodding and stabbing an area around my shoulder blades which was not comforting. She kept pushing my shoulder blade in and ofcourse it would pop back out. I think I’ll try a hand massage next time.

Yeah so I saw it. It was actually really good. The problem I have with Hugh Grant is that he’s never convincingly in love. He’s a very good comedic actor but he’s always stuck in these romantic comedies. The movie is about a 80s pop star’s named Alex who struggles to keep a living. He was in a boy band but one member broke off and made it big and left him. He tried his own solo career but it didn’t go well so he decided to embrace mediocrity and just do smaller and smaller shows for older and older crowds and give up on new material. Hugh Grant’s character excels at developing melodies. Cannot write lyrics sadly.

Drew Barrymore’s character is a talented writer who’s been spooked out of a promising career by a past love who wrote a book about her. She now helps in her family’s weight loss business and waters other people’s plants for a living. Fortunately she meets and befriends the musician Alex and helps him write a song.

There’s a delicious character named Cora who plays a teenage pop star who gives Alex an opportunity to write a song for her. Cora is an alloy of Britney, Madonna, Shakira and Christina.

The best part of the movie is the intro. Even better than My Best Friend’s Wedding. It starts of with Alex’s previous hit music video “Pop Goes My Heart”. Good times.

4/5

This movie’s time of release is just as strategic as the King Leonidas’s battle plans. It’s a good movie but it wouldn’t have gotten the time of day along side upcoming summer blockbusters. Since there’s absolutely nothing worthwhile playing right now it’s getting the spotlight. This movie is making tons and tons of money. It took only 60 days to film and has no big named/high paid actors.

300 is about the epic battle between a massive Persian army (bad guys) versus a small group of rebel Spartans (good guys) 300 strong lead by their rebelious King Leonidas. King Leonidas defies the Oracles and Elders and decides to meet the Persian army without their blessings. There’s a lot of Gladiator/Lord of the Rings style dialogue, plotlines and imagery. Lots of blood. There’s nude/sexual scenes (fyi: King meets Oracles, King and Queen and Queen and slime ball (just so you’re prepared)) as well. Same primary movie makers as Sin City which I didn’t see.

My favourite character was Queen Gorgo. Her relationship with her King was nice to watch. Her opinions had a huge impact on his decisions. She had a very strong body as well. I suppose that was custom in Sparta.

I remember studying Spartans in junior high. We had to compare the military state with Athens. I did some more Wiki reading and the Spartans were damn serious about their training. They weren’t leaving anything to evolution. They proactively trained hard and discarded those who were not strong.

4.5/5

All right summer is on the way. It’ll be here real soon and leave very fast. You must take advantage and do a few things. Please add on to the list with whatever you love to do in the summer:

1) Take a picnic blanket outside when it’s sunny and breasy and read a book fully understanding you will just end up getting blissfully comfortable and fall asleep.

2) Go for a really long rollerblade. End up somewhere like Mac’s for slurpee or Dairy Queen depending on your route and neighbourhood.

3) Go for a drive just outside the city and pick strawberries or fresh vegetables and herbs.

4) Go to Asia City (519 Sargent) for a real fruit bubble tea drink. Make sure you get something from their real fruit menu. You’ll be dissapointed if you get some powder crap. My favourite is mango.

5) Go to that gelati place in confusion corner. It’s where Dark Zone and some kids’ place used to be. I forget. Not the organic food shop that will rob you blind. The other place. Can’t remember the name. They have an amazing selection of gelati and icecream.

6) Go to the Forks and watch people skateboard and bike and do tricks. My observation is that people with really big hair do the best tricks.

7) Walk as much as Godly possible. Avoid the car.

When there’s a really good thunderstorm going on, take the time and watch. Either from inside with a big window or outside in a safe place. If there is hail and you park outside… you will worry. Worry is wasteful. Make sure you eat some of the hail. Bits of grass cannot harm you.

9) Walk around on Corydon at night. Visit Sugar Mountain. You will not find parking. That is expected.

10) Go to Bird’s Hill Park. Go swimming there. Go on the trails by the man made lake through the red trees.

11) BBQ

12) Go fishing. Pack yourself a picnic basket. You’ll be there a while. Bring lots of drinking water. No use getting dehydrated.

13) Get some colour. Wear sunscreen.