I thought I would add two others to my Canadian music you might not have heard of who I happen to like.

The first is a band called Blue Rodeo, they have a bit of a country edge and get occasionally play in the US on CMT. They aren’t quite as big as the Tragically Hip but they aren’t starving artists, they make a good living selling a lot of CDs mainly in Canada.

The next is a wonderful jazz/pop singer named Molly Johnson. For some reason I thought NKP might like her based on what I have heard from her lovely audioblog offerings.

You will realize that the third one is actually a commercial promoting tourism in Ontario, the province I am from. It is kinda sweet and it made me homesick.

The Tragically Hip are a bit of an institution in Canuckistan. They are also an interesting example of a band who while they tour in the US  and Europe seemed to have made a conscious decision to remain firmly based in their Canadian roots. The prevailing wisdom for many Canadian artists used to be that in order to make it big on had to bust in on the gigantic American market. The hip are an example of a band that has sold well enough in Canada that making it big in the US has never been a requirement. They have even performed for Queen Elizabeth II, and while Canadians are no longer royalists, they have great affection for it and the fact that they did perform for her is a mark of essential Canadianess. Many of their song lyric reference specific Canadian events, history, and geography. In Canada they play in huge arena in the US they tend to play small clubs. Most Canadians of a certain age ( mine) know most of the lyrics to their songs.

Wheat Kings is about a man named David Milgaard who was wrongly convicted of rape and murder. The whole affair shone a very unpleasant light on the Canadian justice system. It was a light that sorely needed shining and many people bring it up when discussing whether the death penalty has a place in Canada.

I have no idea who the guys are in this video montage but I spent many a summer camping in Algonquin Park and the song Three Pistols references

a brilliant Canadian painter named Tom Thompson. He was a part of the Group of Seven influential painters in the 1900’s to the 1920’s who are now considered icons.

Another favorite is Fifty Mission Cap, a song about Bill Barilko who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He scored the winning goal who scored the winning goal in the 1951 Stanley Cup and then disappeared on a fishing trip that year. His body was found the next year the Leafs won the cup in 1962.

Although this video is several years old it gives you an idea of how big they are in Canada, and Gordon Downie, the lead singer is a bit of an eccentric.

I love eggs. Fried, scrambled, boiled, mushed up with mayo and onion for an egg sand which, omelets, frittatas, quiche, huevos rancheros. I never met an egg I did not like. They are good for any meal. I admit I have never had green eggs and ham nor have I tried to fry one on the pavement on a hot day.

I am pretty neutral on Gordon Ramsey. But men who cook are awesome… I was always intrigued by a fella who was willing to cook a meal for me. But if you cook me eggs…. well… I will leave it to the imagination.

Remember…. don’t rec pony party… we’re here to play….

I gotta migraine… almost missed doing this 🙁

Ok, so it’s one week until Christmas.  I think if I were to cave to my mood right now, give in and throw up like I want to, all that would come out would be sparkly ribbons with a snowflake motif (cause I DID eat quite a lot of snow last week).

Acting Christmassy is one of the many ways that I pretend everything is OK so that everyone who’s so worried about me will leave me alone.  Before you start worrying about me…there ARE people who I trust and who know better than to try to ‘fix’ everything for me who I can turn to when I need….I just like to keep a lot of the other ‘supporting characters’ in my life at arm’s length.  They’re well-meaning people who just don’t listen….how’s that for overly simplifying the entire matter??…  😉  ok…digress…NOW…

So, in order to maintain the illusion, I dutifully participate in all of the Christmas crap as before, though for the life of me I can’t remember an actual Christmas I’ve enjoyed.  I love picking out gifts for people….I love the idea of Christmas….I just happen to have one of those families that it’s a miracle haven’t been featured in one of those dark comedy movies I love so much…or on Dr. Phil…  😉

So, in the spirit of giving, I offer you one of my all-time favorite songs.  It was written by the members of Toad the Wet Sprocket, but there isn’t a YouTube video of their version.  So, here’s a cover by some random dude who needs to stick to the melody a little more…..just sayin’…  😉

We’ve all heard them at this time of year. Repeatedly. So frequently that we want to pull out our hair. Or strangle random people in the mall. Or maybe that’s just because that person was walking soooo slowly, kept stopping dead in their tracks and would weave, so that I couldn’t get around him/her. God, I hate malls at this time of the year. (Anytime, truth be told).

But I digress. We’re assembled here today to discuss the mighty ear worm of horrible holiday music. Not the Chanukah song – that’s a classic. No, I’m talking more like the über-insipid Feed the World, by Band Aid. First, what a stupid name for band, even if they claimed their proceeds would go to charity. And this is coming from someone who likes puns. Second, “do they know it’s Christmas time?” Probably not, because the people they’re talking about are probably not Christian. Gah!

So what holiday songs do you truly despise?

Cross-posted at GOS.

Last week, my Pony Party covered the unsavory topic of Worst Meals Ever. Kossacks shared their horror stories which made my experiences pale by comparison: from something that resembled shaved, boiled hamster to turkey testicles and slugs in hot chili garlic sauce, I was repeatedly amazed by how many dreadful food experiences we’ve had.

These memories clearly continue to make us shudder with revulsion. But, I thought, we must also have memories of some stellar meals; I was not alone in this belief. So, join me on the flip side for a synopsis of some of my favorite meals.