Jan 24 - The Kite Runner and sharing found books

By the way, I didn't keep the Kite Runner to myself... I passed it on the same way I found it. When my friend EH moved to Germany I gave it to him as his farewell present. It'd be great to know if E has read it and what his thoughts of the book are. Share your input if you read this blog entry. Let us know how far the kite has flown!

As a kid I used to fly kites. August is the windy month in Colombia. There is actually a very famous kite festival in Villa de Leyva (Boyaca). The fun part was to make one's own kite with string, wood sticks and colourful cellophane... and an old bed sheet that you ripped into strips of fabric for a tale... My own kites never went very far so my family ended up buying me one every year. They of course didn't last very long... they get caught in trees, they fall far off the hill where you're standing, they go flying on their own with a surprising gust of wind or they get stolen... Nevertheless it was so literally uplifting to see your kite flying higher than others, conquering the skies... right before circling and falling. Kites are magic, and the Kite Runner has the ability of reminding you of that innocence of childhood, and also the subsequent fall... when we as youth awake to many other realities we ignored out of excitement.

Here is a the "cheesy" trailer to the movie:

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Jan 23 "Pierogies for lunch" and the Prince by Machiavelli

I had never tried pierogies until I came to Canada, they are some kind of dumpling filled with stuff. When the government of Stephen Harper decided to "prorogue" parliament last year (cancel it/postpone it)to avoid a vote of confidence, the words prorogue and pierogi were matched up. "Pierogies are for lunch" was one of the lines that rally goers scream in front of the Parliament in Ottawa today as we got together to oppose the decision to close the House of Commons until the Olympics in Vancouver are over."Go back to work", "Don't shut democracy" and "Pass that bill" were some of the other popular lines.

Beautiful day to protest, somebody said that Mr. Harper may want to take credit for such a bright day as he believes to be "the king". I don't want to go that far, I'll call it "The Prince" as I choose this book by Machiavelli to be the one of the day.

Mr. Harper may think that "the end justifies the means", but he may be wrong this time. We certainly hope so... in the best interest of the country. It is hard to believe that he represents the vast majority of Canadians.


For more videos on the rally, please visit my YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/alvalle

Tip of the day: Never take for granted that the members of parliament represent us as the people of a nation and they are accountable to us because we elect them and give them the power to act on our behalf.

I'd like to thank Julie Laurin (A first-time rally-goer as well) for sharing her comments with me. This is the first of a two-video story that she's posted on her blog. You can follow her at: http://julielaurin.com/?p=582

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Jan 19 On the eve of my citizenship oath - Ottawa

I have watched two movies recently. Youth in Revolt - a Juno-like coming of age movie (It must be the Michael Cera style) and the Living Bones, somewhat cute, disturbing, Hollywood pretty with a good cast. Nothing earth shattering.

The restaurant: The Black Tomato, 11 George Street (Ottawa) in the Byward Market. Great location, good menu, abundant plates although relatively pricey.

Event: Daniel Ghur on Social Media and Canadian Education Marketing

Cultural remark: Russians look severe and may come across as rude, but they are quite friendly and efficient... if one follows their rules. This is a conclusion based on my Russian visa application submitted this morning.

My book of the day" as I get closer to having two nationalities, my choice is How to be a Canadian by the Ferguson Brothers Will + Ian. The book jokes about the concept of "Canadianness" and it is told with grace and asserted humour... from the weird spelling of words, to the use of "eh", to the neighbours of the South and the Canadian symbols. A funny essay for Canucks and non-Canadians alike.

As of tomorrow, God and the Queen willing, I should have two nationalities.


Tip of the day: take risks even if you have to apologyze for mistakes made. Share

Jan 18 Via Rail and the Fifth Business

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Jan 11 – For the lack on an entry permit – Ottawa

On Friday I was told I would soon become a Canadian citizen. Today I got a phone call telling me that I do not qualify for a visa to Kenya. One welcoming message and one not so… I am glad I am not basing my self-esteem on visa policies; otherwise I would be in a mental health recovery clinic right now. My first visa rejection came at age 8 when my aunt and uncle wanted to take me to Disney World. It was all overcome at age 12 when I was able to meet Mickey Mouse with a group of other Colombian kids my age. My next big hiccup came in 2000 when my Opera Prima was released in Spain and I traveled from New York City to Madrid via Lisbon. The travel agent reassured me it was just a transit. For the Europeans it was a port of entry and I soon faced deportation. “I just want to get to Spain” I kept repeating “I have no interest in Portugal”. Well, their best solution was to send me to Switzerland, to enter Madrid through Zurich, a non- European Union city. I was late but I made it. And I liked Spain so much that I went back to live in there soon after. One fine day my friend E and I decided to visit the City of Light. We bought coach train seats to Paris and prepared ourselves to sleep. Everything went well until we crossed the border with France. Soon after we were waken up abruptly and escorted out of the train, through our sleepy shame. They asked us for the names of “Mon Pere et Ma Mere” (still don’t know why) and then drove over to Spain, where they just “welcomed us back” and asked us to leave the station and find our ways. Two in the morning, cold late spring in northern Spain… San Sebastian was a closed city that could hardly greet us. The only place to stay away from the winds of humiliation, a phone booth.

My very last two bitter entry experiences happened in the Tanzanian border last summer and in Seoul, South Korea this past November. One was more negative than the other. But I won’t tell it all, because it’s time for bed and the Kenyan chapter is not yet finalized.

My book of the day, the Bell Jar should be followed by the movie, Sylvia. Gwyneth Paltrow incarnates this American confessional poet of "undeniable" talent.

Tip of the day: visa denials are not personal rejections but glitches in foreign policy standards.

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Jan 10 - The Move - Minto Suite Hotel - Ottawa

At some point we need to move. Sort through our stuff, get rid of stuff, pack it and take it away. Today was moving day. From my condo to a hotel suite in DT Ottawa. Reason: hmmm... A toilet seal broke in my bathroom, water leaked through the plywood, the wood got rotten and all of a sudden, one fine day, linoleum tiles and the hardwood floor in our room bumped up... result: we not only had to fix the plumbing issues but we needed to have our floors re-sanded, because when new wood comes in, it is impossible to match the colour unless you do the whole floor again. I live in a loft, and the floor is connected from room to room. I'll be out of my place for two weeks. It's a bummer but it almost feels like a vacation. I don't mind hotels, and although this one looks quite "classic" (let's say), it is ok... I have decided that I like its laundry room and its solarium: facing west towards the War Museum and the Ottawa river.

I am planning on taking the bus to work tomorrow... well, I should say later on this morning as it is almost 1 am right now. It will be interesting. OC Transpo 95. That will allow me to read, if I get to sit down. There is a book I want to start in preparation for my Africa trip.

Tip of the Day: Squeeze in some exercise on busy days, it always helps your body recover faster from the demands on your time and energy.

My book: the ABC of Art - My last minute Restaurant: Shawarma King, Bank Street Ottawa... a life savior. Today I've been in the mood to listen to Caetano Veloso, beautiful voice from Bahia, Brazil. One of my favourite scenes in Almodovar's Hable con Ella (Talk to Her) is the scene where Veloso sings Cucurrucucu Paloma. A classic. His music has also been featured in another movie favourite, Frida.

Here it is Caetano Veloso a la Almodovar!
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Jan 9 – The Word of the Decade – Ottawa

Morning coffee in hand, and sunlight shining through the stained-glass fortress on my window, The Ottawa Citizen tells me that the word of the decade is “GOOGLE”. Wikipedia states that the name "Google" originated from a misspelling of the word "googol", some kind of a numerical formula followed by a whole bunch of zeros. The verb "to google" was added to the Merriam Webster and the Oxford English Dictionaries in 2006 and it means "to use the Google search engine to obtain information on the Internet”… don’t we often say: “Google it?” I registered my first email with hotmail over a decade ago when I was still living in Colombia and working for a small NGO where we had dial-up Internet. It is amazing how the Internet has changed our lives. Growing up, when I had to answer difficult homework questions, my “modern” tool was the phone. Once my personal encyclopedia and the Larousse dictionary failed to provide me with the answer I was looking for, my grandma had to call her friends to ask their kids if they knew what the “light blue stripe” meant of the flag of my province, or how many children had Columbus had. It often worked… those were the earliest stages of “social media”.

I was reading in an article the other day that in times of Francis Bacon, “knowledge” was power. Some researchers think that it is no longer the case as we can have access to anything we need to learn. “Knowing” things is not as valid anymore because one can easily “google” meanings and find almost any if not all answer(s).

Chosen movie: Tom ford’s A Single Man. Book: Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka.

Tip of the day: when you have some time, google the expression “knowledge is power” and share what you find.

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Jan 8– The Citizenship Oath – Ottawa

I wanted to be transparent, go back in time and record dreams. One could do so many good (and bad) things with these powers. I still believe a machine will be able to record dreams at some point in time. Filmmakers could eventually produce their own movies by plugging in their brains into a computer. Nevertheless, we would also need to train our cerebral nerves to control those dreams… and that’s a different story. My friend N says she was able to control her dreams in the past, not anymore. I didn’t ask her how, but I found it interesting. What I am writing is actually inspired by an MSN chat we had right before I started this posting. I was telling her how I got my invitation to take the Canadian citizenship oath in less than 12 days… exciting… and then we got into dreams!
What does it mean to be a Canadian? That’s a tough question that transcends maple syrup, maple leaves, hockey, curling, beaver tails and polar bears. It is not only about Celine or Shania, Atwood or Burton, Rogers or Loblaw, the Barenaked Ladies or the Group of Seven, Macdonald, Pearson, Campbell or Trudeau… it is not about the weather or the vast extension of the land (from sea to sea to sea)… it is about the people… Canada is a true mosaic of entangled talent… of survivors and negotiators, adventurers and thinkers, low key, laid back, low profile, ethical, cold friendly… but, above all, diverse. Canadian population is complex. Faced with the need to populate the land, the nation has embraced millions of new immigrants. Once an Aboriginal land, the French and the British settled in and formed, with all its difficulties a bi-cultural society where assimilation was imposed. But it moved on, and reviewed its books, and rethought its course, and opted for multiculturalism, pluralism, inclusion. Today’s Canada is Aboriginal, bilingual and multifaceted. Can it be better? Of course… but I have not been to other place on earth, where differences are cherished and embraced with such humbleness like in this beautiful land. Yes, I am proud of becoming a Canuck… and to wave the red maple leaf alongside the Colombian tri-colour. I was and have always been a Colombian… but I am and will always be a Canadian from now on… long live the Queen, eh! Share

Jan 7 - Theory of mile dependency - Ottawa

My taste for traveling may be due to a geographic tongue. I didn’t ask for it. I came with it. That’s what my dental hygienist said tonight during my regular teeth cleaning session: “Did you know you had a geographic tongue?”. Apparently, it runs in families and the cause is unknown. I also have a sore arm for a non natural cause. My travel doctor shot me twice this afternoon for tetanus and meningitis. That’s what traveling does to me. I am not only genetically predisposed to it but also addicted in the kinkiest of ways to the extent of becoming a pain-seeking masochist. The idea of vaccination is to obviously immunize me from greater threats, but one has to like it, I must admit.

I am a nomad. Tracy Chapman sings it beautifully in “I used to be a sailor”: I don`t like being stationary, she says, I like the rocky wavy motions of the sea… By definition, nomads cannot stay in one place. I may be a pastoral nomad, often looking for better pastures. But the industrialized era has made us sedentary and war has forced people away from their land, often again their will. Being a nomad becomes a spiritual metaphor, a desire more than a fact. I like to move trying not to become an island, not to park my boat, not to get used to my padded walls.

Jean Barman is a Canadian Historian from British Columbia and my chosen author of the day. Her book is the first non-fiction one I have recommended since the start of the year. Stanley Park’s secret is an eye opener, the bones and flesh underneath the perfectly mowed pastures of a graveyard. Every big family has a best-kept secret. The city of Vancouver has its own, and it lies along one of the most beautiful evergreen parks in the world.

Tip of the day: walk, jog, bike, skate along the 22 k (13.7 miles) of Stanley Park’s seawall… It’s amazing!

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Jan 6 Orthodox Christmas Eve – Reyes – Ottawa

It is believed that three wise men brought frankincense, a form of incense, myrrh and gold to this nativity scene. Charged with symbolism, these gifts have remained part of an old tradition. Interestingly enough, these types of elements are found in Yemen, at the moment “demonized” by our Western societies. The Magi or three kings are celebrated in some parts of the Catholic Christians today as the Orthodox Christians commemorate Christmas Eve.
As the day fades, I fade along… and I want to end this short note with my book of the day, referenced on my video. Nobel Prize Laureate Ivo Andric tells us a story about the construction of this ambitious project over the river Drina in Yugoslavia… and how the town of Visegrad celebrated differences with humbleness and overcame obstacles with bravery… coexisting with the realities of its time and “bridging” heavy pieces while embracing life. A jewel!
Tip of the day: Airport body scanners are a political move to look good to the public, there’s very little they can do. Share

Jan 5 From Cosco to Vincent Lam - Ottawa

Warehouse/wholesale stores lack personality. They shine in the glitter of massive packaging designed to make you spend more with the promise of helping you “save in the end”. For lack of a better plan, I ended up in Cosco tonight aiming to buy their triangular multi-grain bread, a bag of almonds, peanut butter and maple syrup. The list grew as I walked down the bursting aisles… razor blades, limes and detergent appeared “magically” in my shopping cart… it was too late to have some “passport-size” photos taken upon departure… $6.99 for four… a great deal. It’s almost double at Shoppers Drugmart.

Recipe of the night, Lima bean salad.

Ingredients:
A bag of frozen Lima beans (rinsed and dried)
5 chopped cloves of garlic
Powder chili peppers
Cilantro to taste
Half a lemon
A cup of black olives
½ a cup of Olive oil
200 g of Bocconcini

Mix them in that order and enjoy!

My chosen book: Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures by Canadian Emergency Physician/Writer Vincent Lam.

Tip of the day: If you get a negative comment about a particular behaviour of yours, don’t over-react… make the necessary adjustments if feasible… and shine through the darkest clouds… that’s where the clearest water drops come from!

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Jan 4 - Ghana High Commission – Ottawa

I read on a few Facebook status entries today that” it was hard to go back to reality”… and reality in that context meant: getting up early to return to work. Reality may suck but every day is reality. The truth is that we have to get up in the morning no matter what… even if it is to face unemployment, to care for one’s children or to enjoy a longer holiday. Getting up this morning wasn’t so bad… it felt almost like that first day of a new school year (I was even wearing a brand new sweater).

In the afternoon, I welcomed a pleasant surprise. I got my visa to Ghana from the High Commission! If all goes well, I should be in Accra in early February attending an educational fair promoted by the Canadian Trade Commission. I have to admit that I don’t know much about Ghana. From recent current affairs I know it is the homeland to former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and that it served as a stop point for President Obama during his first African tour. I could Wikipedia it for more tips but I’d rather discover facts on my own soon… those that can only be experienced in situ. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghana

Today’s book: Divisadero by Sri-Lankan/Canadian Michael Ondaatje. My chosen movie: Broken Embraces (“Abrazos Rotos”) by Spanish director and scriptwriter Pedro Almodóvar. I watched it in April 09 along with my friends P&B in Palma de Mallorca. That night we lost our only house keys. Did not find out until a few drinks later and upon driving for several km into Alaró where P&B live. One thing was clear, their windows are theft-prove. Back in Palma and overflowing frustration, we ended up spending the night at the house of P’s mom. But happy endings happen and ours took place at lunch time the next day when the administrators of the movie theatre confirmed the janitor had found our beloved keychain. Lost & Found stories are way more fun when the latter precedes the loss. Despite its drama, Broken Embraces also leaves a happy scent in the air… a la Almodóvar: filled with colour, irony and dark humour (Stephanie Meyer could gather some ideas from Harry and Diego’s vampire story: Dona Sangre/Give Blood). It was inspiring to watch it once more, this time at the Bytowne theatre … Ottawa’s pride and only alternative cinema (http://www.bytowne.ca)/...

Tip of the day: If you like Almodóvar’s work, you can rent Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and compare it to Broken Embraces. If you do, please let me know what the key is to a great Gazpacho!

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Jan 3 Home - Ottawa - Canada

The holidays are over and it is time to set the mind for work. I am enjoying this experience of blogging as I review my day. I know there are going to be busy days when I will have no time to shoot a video or to write... I hope to have the discipline to catch up. This will make more sense at the end of the year when I can look back.

I had my annual physical today. Results are great. Blood pressure: 121/78 almost ideal. It’s snowed on and off in Ottawa and the roads are slushy. I had leftovers for lunch but decided to cook for dinner. Saša barbequed some pork shops while I baked my second-ever gužvara.

Ingredients:
350 g Feta Cheese
350 g Philadelphia
4 eggs
A glass of Club Soda
½ glass of grape seed oil
The rest is a family secret.

TV series of the moment: Brothers & Sisters (3rd season). My chosen author Portuguese Nobel Laureate Jose Saramago and my fauvorite of his, The Cave.

Tip of the Day: Get a physical!
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