In the Immortal Words of Crispin Hellion Glover...

WHAT---IS---IT?

For my birthday, an awesome family member gave me this "device" as a present. It's some kind of hand-whittled, homemade, stringed... something. Its origins are unknown. It sounds like the Amityville Horror meets the Garbage Pail Kids. I have googled and googled but cannot find a name for this curiosity. I have been calling it the Hills Have Eyes guitar as it looks like it was fashioned by mutants in the mountains. If you can figure out what this is, I owe you a cherry coke.

Michael Berryman doesn't know... do you?

It's oh so quiet... shh, shh!

Things have been quiet in interweb-land, lately, because I've been fortunate enough to have found myself... doing... things... in real life. Don't worry, my mind is blown, too.

This past week I turned 23 and got to celebrate it many times with family, friends, and more family. The immediate fam and I went out on Tuesday for Mexican food, where I was forced to wear a giant sombrero and was sung to by waiters. Two of my favourite things, I assure you.

Friday some co-workers and I visited the Coastal Cafe for lunch, and I am officially smitten. I've had their breakfast before, but believe me when I say lunch is on a whole new level. I'm happy that the restaurant is a good distance from my apartment, lest I spend every waking moment there.

Friday evening, some friends and I braved the crowds at the Fireside for dinner, somehow squeezing many bodies into one couch and several chairs. It struck me funny for a second that there was only one other lady with me, and when she departed I was hanging out at a pub with about ten wonderful guys. All women should be this lucky... I have my own personal harem.

Saturday was the last day of the film festival... I am so sad it's over! My friend Sarah surprised me with a ticket to see Chasing Wild Horses/"Lost + Found"/"The Trap"/"The Book Lady" on Saturday afternoon, which I was very glad to accept. All were wonderful films... involving some of my favourite things (Cape Breton, Harper Lee, DOLLY PARTON!!!, PONIES!!!).

That evening was the closing party of the film festival. I must admit I didn't really pick up on the bands playing, though I listened to Rich Aucoin for a bit. That evening will be known as the night of too many drink tickets, which were being fed to me by a number of people, including the one and only Gregor Ash. Alas, I had a good time nonetheless.

Yesterday my grandparents were nice enough to throw me a mini-bash, which included my favourite cake of all time. I tell you, I can eat boiled icing until I pass out. That stuff has drug-like properties. Majorly delicious.

This week I am looking forward to a bit of downtime, outside of work (where Democracy 250 is fast approaching, thus I am in a frenzy). I am looking forward to a co-worker's wedding on the weekend, which is taking place in a century-old grist mill in Tatamagouche. The Strangeboys will be playing the wedding-march, and the wedding cake is not a cake... but dozens of cupcakes. The fun cannot be stopped.

Film Festival Update

It's here! The film festival kicks off tomorrow with a showing of Blindness and a night on the "red carpet" at Argyle Street. Having scored VIP tickets to the opening gala, my goal is to become best friends with the cast of Trailer Park Boys and drink free champagne. There are rumours on and off the interwebs that Kevin Smith and Mark Ruffalo might be making a trip here, but nothing is confirmed. Seeing as I am mildly annoyed at Kevin Smith (because of Clerks 2) I'm not sure what to think of his potential Q&A session after Zach and Miri. I am tempted to go, but only if I make scowly faces throughout it.

For anyone interested, these are the movies I've been able to catch so far.

• "Treevenge"
• "There Are Monsters"
• Midnight Meat Train
• "The Scavengers"
• Sheltered Life
• Gonzo: The Life and Times of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
• "Dartmouth Werewolf in Dover"

Not as many as I would have liked to have seen pre-festival, but a healthy bunch, certainly. Remaining films (that aren't sold out, aka Blindness and Growing Op) that I'm going to catch for sure include Surveillance, Repo!, and, sigh, Zack and Miri Make Porno (for the prereq potential Smith heckling).

This Friday I'm also taking part in Kodak's Stop By. Shoot Film. program. It's a two hour crash-course on the basics of 16 mm filmmaking. Andrew (man, do I ever need a nickname for him---ideas?) took it last year and highly recommended it. My brother-from-another-mother Josh is attending as well. Mad skills to be had!

Looking past the film-fest, Democracy 250 is getting me excited. October 2nd's DeLorean trip to 1758 looks like it's going to be good fun. Today, a major D250 (free, outdoor) concert is being announced called "Rockin' in the Free World" which is said to include "huge" Canadian recording artists. It's being held on September 27th at Grand Parade.

Excerpts from out on the Mira

This past weekend the red-headed one and I took a trip to Cape Breton. We divided our time between the Ingonish area and North Sydney, and somehow also managed to take a trip around the Cabot Trail. We stayed with some of his very gracious relatives and slept a stones throw from the beach. A great trip, even if the weather didn't co-operate.

Anywho, less prattling, more action---here are some pictures from the weekend. Enjoy!

Joe's Scarecrow's near St. Joseph du Moine

Beulach Ban Falls

At the end of the Middle Head hike, with Smokey in the background

Along the Middle Head hike near Keltic Lodge

Traps near White Point

OM NOM NOM NOM

Abandoned gold mine on Clyburn Valley hike

My new favourite dog---Chloe!

(The full set of pictures can be found on my Flickr---here.)