Just like almost everyone else I have been home for the holidays. As such I have been avoiding anything that involves work - such as the computer. This is my excuse for my lack of communication.
My Christmas was, well, Christmas! I would tell you about all of my presents, but let's be honest. Unless you gave it to me, do you reallyt care what I got? I doubt it, but please don't be mistaken, I love my presents... every last one of them :)
The one that is applicable to you is the new camera. This means I can once again take many pictures on a regular basis of what I am really up to. I'm also trying to work a couple glitches out of the process of adding video as well, so be on the lookout.
The rest of my time has been spent catching up with friends. I have seen more movies in the past 2 weeks than the entire past 8 months combined. For the most part I keep going with different people, so I guess that makes up for it. It seems that as students we spend so much time studying and partying at school, home just doesn't hold the same appeal anymore. And we can't just be bothered to go through all that effort of buying booze to pre with and getting dressed up in any sense of the word. So the movies it is. At least we've been changing up the locations between Burlington and Oakville, variety is the spice of life afterall.
Next stop?
Pft, damned if I know!
I hope everyone's holding up during their time back at home. Till next time...
Booth

Syriana

Syriana (2005)

This should be quick, my writing was inspired by this movie of which I had the presence of mind to view. Five people walked out during the run time, the only reason I can think of for this was that they were expecting some sort of mind numbing action 'flick'. George Clooney, Matt Damon, what else could it be? Suckers, they were born suckers. This movie has the disturbing effect of not numbing the mind but makes you want to be numbed to its realities by the end. The presentation was in a format that made you part of the events. There is nothing I hold in embitterment for more than being assumed a fool. Anxieties soothed not even a soliloquy was used to guide me through. The intelligence of the audience was assumed, and for this I am greatful.

Meetings of the major characters are fleeting, but their fates so frustraitingly intertwined that one barely even notices the distances kept. It brings you to question the bias of the media and exhibits a side of international relations that you thought might be true, but was always unsure of. You form a misunderstanding with the familiar, and commonalities with long feared aliens.

Really that's all I can say. Watch it for yourself, I have no desire to give away plot lines here. In the end the complexity that leads up to the climax becomes so clear and simple but hard to explain to someone who hasn't seen it.

God speed,

Booth

Home sweet home

Home, is where the heart is... and everytime I try to return to my heartland a motherf-ing snowstorm shows up! A record snowfall this time around. Luckily there was only laround oh.... 30 cm when I was trying to leave the city. All but the trains were cancelled and most schools were shut down - those from Montreal will know that that means BIG! Thankfully I had my trusty roomie Meghan to help me carry my luggage and 2 animals down du Fort and flag down a taxi in the massive blizardy weather. I got there around 9 am, train leaving at 9.40. Or perhaps 10... maybe even 10.20.. oh no that's what's wrong.. they told us to stand in the wrong line! Now we're ready to board... or not. It took a track change and numerous attempts to clear the tracks and unfreeze the swtiches before we boarded and started to move out of the city around 11 am. Oh well, not like I had anything else to do anyways. In the end I sat beside a girl that talks more than I do, and shares the saem adoration for text messaging and k-y warming lube. Good times on train 57.
That was Friday night, ran off to Toronto Saturday for a family function in the champagne room at 'the club' on Sunday. And tonight - Monday - is my first night to hang out with friends! So a movie it is!

On another note... went to the optomotrist today. He gave me eyedrops to dilate my pupils. For most of today whilst shopping with my mom I looked like a glossy eyed crack baby. And yes there were looks... I decided to take a picture, but it is many hours later so the pupils have started to go back to normal. Still you get the idea...

Till next time kids, don't be shy now, gimme a ring on the home phone, an email, or drop a line on here!

'Tis the season

Only one exam to go and I am finally heading home for more than a week; an accomplishment all of its own this past year. Things have been winding down and the Christmas parties have been on a distinct rise lately.

The first of them was a meat fondue. Nothing new for the Quebec crowd but for the rest of us... thin strips of raw meat are placed in very hot juicy liquid. There it is cooked, then you eat it! This one was a fondue with a twist, it was completely from meat hunted by my outdoorsie friends Mike and Mark. Goose, grouse, deer, moose (my favourite!) and the usuak beef and chicken. This was incredibly delicious and should become custom in all cultures!

Other outtings have included a gift exchange ($1 limit) with the fellow New Porters at Kanda's all you can eat sushi. I was given an angel that tops x-mas trees from Meghan, an alarm clock from Danielle, and a glass banana from Domers (always the thoughtful one). It was good fun and we were all full well into the next day. Then there was the slightly fancier gift exchange/sweetloaded good time at Krista's place. The perfect excuse to get dressed up eat tons of sweets and joke with friends for hours. I ended up with a box full of fun; 2x-3x shot glasses, a bottle of Goldschlager, a toy gun that makes spaceship noises, handcuffs and a handfull of condoms. It was an all round good time and I hope you girls (Mel & Krista) think about having something like that everytime you come back up to the Great White North to visit.

Last night was the last of the year for 3 amigos, Ashley and Sarah finally joined us, and no other way to give the big mexican threesome a Christmas send off than 49 cent tacos and obsurbly large daquari's. Followed by the traditional chocolate stop in Jean Coutu, and a quick dance club moment and the serenity music machine.

Nothing left to do now but give it all one last go with arts and crafts night at Cock'n'Bull (ah booze and paste), hitting up Brutopia with the Mac crew old and new, and finally a last run of the year down St Laurent with my dearest Ashley and her crazy dietician friends.

I should be back in Burlington Friday evening and guys... be ready!

Pictures, pictures, pictures...

My lazy ass has finally decided to do something about all of the pictures I have been collecting over the past number of years. Being the shutter bug that I am I have taken many, altered some and shared next to none of them. So over the next week - while studying for finals - I will be creating more and more albums from my years at McGill and a few other things as well. In the meantime check out what I have so far in my Photo Album. And no need to try to remember the link, it has been added to the list on your right under my profile!

Radio Laurier

I should have done this a few weeks ago but hey... I've never been known for my speed! Check out Radio Laurier, run by students and brodcasting over the net. From the K/W to everyone all over the WORLD!!! It is incredible what they can do with technology these days.
So if you can drag your sorry ass out of that nice warm bed for the 5 minutes it takes to connect to the internet, check it out Tuesday mornings 8.30-10. The confused and charismatic, Burlington's own Kevin Cappello, has his own punk uprising. I promise you will pleasantly surprised.

Not from around here? Too early for punk you say? Well then go somewhere else and listen to it in a different time zone (timeanddate.com)!

P.s.: Thank you Kev for the dedication.

Celebrity face recognition

In my indelible goal of procrastination I have been introduced to a website that scans a picture of you and tells you the top 10 celebrities that look like you. Please check it out... endless laughs since it matches you to numerous male and female celebrities... Mark Burnham, I ran your pic, you look most like Emma Watson (Hermione from Harry Potter). How special is that?!
After running the following pic of me from last year when I was messing around with my camera I got these top 10 matches:
70% Jodie Foster
67% Neve Campbell
67% Dalida
65% Elizabeth Taylor
65% Viven Leigh
65% Audrey Tautou
64% Christina Aguilera
63% Liv Tyler
63% Angelina Jolie
62% Alain Delan

Now if only I looked like that everyday!
Try it for yourself, it's incredible fun...
Celebrity face recognition

p.s. Random photos of non-human things don't work. I tried running a picture of a monkey and it said there were no matches, but if you can match an animal to a person... you get a prize!

Quiz time

A debate that had much too much time spent on it... what colour is the Visa symbol???
I ask you, please look at this closely and tell me what you think. Yellow? Orange? As references you can loo up things like the definition of orange and yellow on dictionary.com, and the crayola website... it has been used to support one specific opinion. Don't try the visa website, they don't list it... I have however emailed them!
Ok kids, it's up to you... what colour is this much loved and hated symbol?

Breaking news.....

Now today I bought a very cheap block of cheese from marche PA. It was cheap and would go well with the pile of fruit I also get there. However, I am fairly certain it is not cocaine. Cocaine would have cost me much more. Unfortunately a woman by the name of Jessica Sandy Booth, was unable to forgoe such a mistake. I only wish I was related, then I could tell a really funny story about an incredibly stupid distant relative.

A day in the life of the Newport

After finally getting some pictures from my incredible roommate Meghan, I have decided to compile some into a photo essay. It's easier than reading and it means I can make up funny lines instead of the real thing... you know.. make out my life to be more interesting than it really is kinda thing... So here is what the Newport refers to as 'chillin'...

We decided that before he left we must break in Domers' peace pipe. Dear Domers wasn't too sure about the whole idea, afterall, it did take 10 YEARS at summer camp to earn it!

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I was a little unsure about the whole thing too. Afterall, think of the glue that could have been put into that thing. But then again, think of what we are putting in it... but in matters of the chill, I can be easily swayed.

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So we all gave in and smoked the handcrafted summer camp peace pipe.

The broom floated in the middle of the hallway. Funny, perhaps it is so offended by misuse it was hinting something? Naw, that can't be it, I don't think brooms are the type of inanimate objects that like to be used.

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Danielle floated in the hall as well... freak. But I love her anyways :D

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Vanessa suddenly appeared through a time portal in the wall... odd it vaguely looks like the casino.

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Then we got bored and decided to give it all another go. This time in a more traditional manner. Danielle excited, Domers was downright gleefull, and I wasn't too sure what Meghan was doing in the doorway, but thought it was pretty funny.

Finally, with nothing to do... we got all jazzed up and made a big night of it. This was Sunday afterall and we'll be damned if we miss 49 cent taco night at the infamous 3 Amigos!

And that my friends is 'what's happening!'

UN Climate Change Conference

This is going to be more of a self discovery exercise if you wish...
While walking back from McGill late tonight, I strolled past a couple of Asian gentlemen smoking outside the Ritz. One of them was holding a booklet that had the logo for the UN Conference in Montreal. It got me thinking, but not very quickly....
Considering the time of night, and my state of mind I feel I should just give you the links to check out for yourselves:

1. UN Climate Change Conference - Montreal 2005
2. Think you're missing out? Check out the webcasts from the conference!
3. Global March for the Climate (a march I'm participating in on Saturday. If you're in teh city come on out and join me!)
4. Really, what's it all worth when talking about radical environmentalists if you don't bring up Green Peace and your neighbourhood treehugger.

Now go and make the world a greener and more informed place!

Barbie Camper Van

This is just more of a sidenote for my sister.

Jennifer,
Do you remember our Barbie camper vans? The old school yellow one and that retarded fodling pink one? Well I just found this picture, and boy does it bring back memories. I know what I want for Christmas!

Please excuse the rest of the image, I believe it is a Barbie death camp. Although somehow when we were little the aftermath turned out to be about the same. Except the language, I didn't learn what the word 'mondo' meant until my later years!