We made it.

I woke up this morning to find the confirmation on a message the director
/producer /writer of our movie , Murali Thalluri sent me. Our film, Two Thirty 7, is going to the Cannes film festival!!!

Can you believe it?? The first feature film I ever worked on! And it was as first assistant camera. How great is this?!

I am so proud. Proud of the film, and of the people I have worked with. Murali is truly a great example of someone with a vision, and infinite ambition. Nick Matthews, the cinematographer/producer is so talented, ingenious, and the best mentor someone like me could ever ask for.
I am so excited!

I got my plane ticket in the mail from maman and papa today, so I will do everything I can to be part of the festival.

How could I miss it?
It would be the experience of a lifetime.

What a little apple can do

I did it. I finally had time to do something for myself.
Today is Anzac Day. Public holiday when we remember the first time the Aussie troups faught as a united, seperated country in the big battle of Galipoli in Turkey.
Did you ever see the movie with the back then very young and very aussie Mel Gibson?
Anyway.
I am off work today.
It is cloudy and cool outside, and Allen is gone to get his hands dirty on motorcycle oil, and I decided to have a nice quiet one at home to catch up on fascinating things like laundry and cleaning. But while I was doing all that, I got a huge craving for my mother's apple sauce. So I decided to have another crack at it. I would try to make apple sauce.

Went down to the market and grabbed a big bag of apples on sale. Came back and pealed, chopped, spiced and cooked.
Every other time, I was bitterly disappointed in my attempts.
Not this time. Oh my god.

It is the absolute best apple sauce I have ever made.
It is fantastic.

I feel better.

The troubles of standing still

I am sorry. I know I haven't been posting lots these days.
That because nothing is happening.
Absolutely nothing.
My days pretty much consists of getting up, going to work, going to bed.

There is nothing more boring or frustrating than feeling like you are standing still.
Like you are doing nothing with your life, except robotically doing a job that you dislike just so you can pay the bills.

There will be things happening down the road. Like moving house. And maybe heading off to the Cannes film festival. But all of that will be happening, or maybe happening, in a month. And until then, My routine consists of those three same things.

The lovely diversion I had (taking pictures and posting them) has been taken away by my misplacing my darling camera.

So what do I do?
I wait.

For time to pass.

How awful.

I gotta go. Guess where I am going.

Pas de chance

Alors, me voilà bien mal amanchée.
Je ne trouve plus mon appareil photo. Merde.
Allen me rassure en me disant qu'on le retrouvera sûrement lorsqu'on sera en train de tout packeter nos affaire mi-mai. J'espère qu'il réapparaîtra avant ça...sinon, c'est pas mal difficile de poster des photos...

Alors, en voici une qui vient des archives.

Ma photo de bébé favorite.

En la regardant, je me demande ce que je faisais juste avant que mon papa prenne cette photo. J'ai l'air d'avoir pleuré, j'ai de l'eau dans les yeux. Un petit peu de jus de pomme, et hop, la petite Marie-Pier est miraculeusement consolée.
Nos enfants seront très chanceux. Grâce aux multiples nouvelles technologies, ils auront des tonnes de photos et de petits videos d'eux étant bébés ou jeunes enfants...

J'en aurais voulu, des videos, pour voir quel genre de bébé j'étais....

Up and down

Today, I am fluctuating.

It's raining. I am happy.
I was called into work at the last minute today. Not happy.
I learned we got the house we applied for. Very happy.
Learned we can't move into the house for another month. Very not happy.
I have the night off and it is cheap night at the cinema. Happy.
I think I lost my camera or it was stolen at work when I was taking pics of the restaurant. Very very not happy.

I m sorry, i have to go and turn the whole appartment upside down to find the bloody thing. it's driving me nuts.
wish me luck.

Easter Sunday, or monday...

Here, it is monday morning. It is gray and cool outside, and rain comes down from time to time.

I am thinking of my family who just finished their Easter sunday meal. I spoke to them on the phone when I got up this morning. Everybody that could be there was there. Cause Easter for us, is not really about religion or chocolate. It is more an excuse to get together and have a nice meal.
We love family functions. And when someone is missing, that person is sorely missed.

So I was pretty sad today to think I missed everything. Michel and his pork roast. Lorraine and her grattin potatoes and famous carrot cake. And Francine and her sirup pies.
My cousin Annie with her belly growing. Marie-Claude I haven't seen in ages.
And Claude-Philippe who is now a Montrealer.
Everybody.

Man, I miss them.
It was nice to hear how I was also missed.

Happy Easter everybody.
Enjoy the long week-end.
x x

Automn

It is getting cooler around here. Goodie.
It's nice to start wearing long jeans and jackets during the day and snuggling under the covers at night. And having a nice pot of tea while it's raining outside.

Everybody is freezing, and I am finally breathing.

There is more real canadian blood in me than I thought.

Top Ten moments that stopped the world

10- THE RELEASE OF NELSON MANDELA

On febuary 11th 1990, Mandela was released from prison after more than two decades of emprisonment for illigal exile of the country and incitement to strike after his anti-racism campaign toured many African countries. His liberation was a great step towards human rights and the abolition of racism.

9- THE EXXON TRAGEDY

The most devastating oil spill in American History happened on march 24th 1989. The tanker crashed because its captain was driving while drunk. His mishap cost more than two bilion dollars in clean up, and thousands of animal lives.

8- DIANA'S DEATH


On august 31st 1997, a pricess dies in a car crash in Paris. Never before had the people of England seen such genuine grief. Milions of bouquets of flowers were laid on the gates of Kensington palace, and 3 milion people lined the streets to say a last goodbye to the princess on the day of her funeral, while 2.5 bilion watched on tv. The fairytale had ended.

7- A MAN AGAINST THE TANKS

He was the symbol of courage and peace. During the peace protests in China against the red army, a line of tanks roamed the streets to kill more than 3000 people. On june 3rd 1989, a single man, holding shopping bags, marched in front of the line of tanks. Alone. He was waving his arms, alarming them to stop. And they did. For a moment, one single anonymous man stopped a whole line of killer tanks.
The world held its breath. For one moment, they believed. They believed a single man could make a difference with his courage and bravery. But the tanks carried on a few moments later. The man was never identified.

6- 'WE GOT HIM'

Eight months in the Iraq war, the americans finally found and captured Saddam Hussein. The way they announced it was so typically american. He was treated like the ultimate war trophy. His trial seems to be lingering on forever.

5- ELVIS DANCES

On October 28th 1956, Elvis Presley did the unthinkable. He shook his hips on national television. The audience went wild when they saw the King dance while signing his greatest hits. It created such an uproar, that the next year, on the Ed Sullivan show, he was only shot from the waist up. Elvis was too sexy for the 50's.

4- JFK

The youngest man ever to be elected president of the United States is murdered. While driving in his car along with his wife in the streets of Dallas on november 22nd 1963 when he was shot dead. The country went into a state of shock.

3- THE WALL COMES DOWN

On november 9th 1989, Berlin became one again. The dividing wall, symbol of communism was torn down. Families and friends were reunited and the party of the decade took place. The 155km long wall was disintegrated almost completely. A few small portions remain as a reminder of those dark years, and as a tourist attraction.

2- ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN


In 1961, JFK extended a challenge to his people. To put a man on the moon before the decade was over. The race to the moon was a heated one, but on june 20th 1969, with a few months to spare, the americans did it. They put a man on the moon. The images of earth from space widened the eyes of many. Extraordinary. Sadly, JFK did not live to see it.

1- THE DAY THE TOWERS CAME DOWN

September 11, 2001.
You know the awful story.

Ok, ok.

On popular demand.
Pictures of me with Juliette.

Charlie and her 2 and a half month old came by yesterday afternoon.
She clicked away. So here are a few shots.

I am at it again

Well, it's not my fault, really.
I don't know why I like countdowns so much.

The ultimate countdown show, 20 to 1, is back on tv.
Tonight, the 20 moments that stopped the world.
Very interesting.

So here we go. 20 to 11


20 - WEDDING OF DIANA SPENCER AND PRINCE CHARLES

On july 29th 1981, a fairytale came true. A kindergarden teacher became a princess.
It was big and lavish, and I really never got the hype about the big puffy dress.
Anyway. 600 000 people lined the streets of london to see the happy couple, and 750 milion people around the world watched the event on tv.

19 - THE EXPLOSION OF SHUTTLE CHALLENGER

January 1986. A NASA shuttle disintegrated with all crew on board. Challenger burst into flames shortly after liftoff due to a floor panel coming loose in one of the fuel tanks. On board was a civilian, a high school teacher. There is actually footage of the teacher's mother watching the explosion. It's terrible.

18 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR.PRESIDENT


On his 45th birthday, John F. Kennedy had Marilyn Monroe sing happy birthday to him. Even though she didn't sing that well at all, she looked stunning in an alomost see through glitter dress that sold for 1.26 milion dollars at an 1999 auction.
The moment went down in time as the best 45th birthday ever recorded. Ever. It was may 19th, 1962.

17 - THE 1972 MUNICH OLYMPIC TRAGEDY

It stunned everybody what happened during this wordly gathering. Palestinian terrorists raided the Israeli quarters and killed two athletes and took 9 others hostage. After a day of negociations (the terrorists wanted 200 of their own realeased from Israel prison) they took the althletes to the munich airport to fleed back to the middle-east and had a run-in with german sharpshooters. As a result, the terrorists and the 9 hostages died.


16- ASH WEDNESDAY

Febuary 16th 1983, fire consumed a third of Australia. The states of Victoria and South Australia had never seen such damage caused by agressive bush fires. The sky was clogged and orange for weeks. On that day, 75 people died, and more than 2000 homes were destroyed. Bush fire awareness has since then been quadrupled in those vulnerable states.

15- LIVE AID

July 13th 1985 has gone down in music history. That was the day douzens of major singers and musicians got together to try and stop world hunger. Their main target was africa, and big guns like Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner and Phil Collins tried to convince the world to help those in need. There were 7 huge shows in 7 cities on this day, and at the end, grossed more than 100 milion pounds for their cause. Bravo.

14- THE HINDENBURG DISASTER


The biggest aircraft ever to fly, the helium-filled zepplin bursted into flames on it's arrival in New Jersey on May 16th 1937. A spark lit the huge baloon while attempting to attach to the large landing tower and in 37 seconds, the titanic of the skies was totally destroyed. The zepplin had traveled all the way from Frankfurt Germany with society's cream of the crop. Out of the 70 aristocrats who boarded, suprisingly, 32 survived this spectacular disaster. I wonder how they did it, really. The live footage of the crash is incredible, if you get to see it.

13- THE 2004 TSUNAMI.

Boxing day.
Mother nature unleashed her deadly force.
275 000 and counting.
Enough said. It is indiscribable.

12- WOODSTOCK

On a lighter note, the week-end that really makes the phrase 'if you remember it, you weren't there' completely true. The best most talked about rock concert of all time. Every rock fan wish they were there from august 15th to 17th 1969. The organisers of Woodstock expected 50 000 people to come, but half a milion showed up. To share the love, live the music and dance in the rain.

11 - THE PICTURE OF KIM PHUC

On june 8th 1972, a south vietnamese aircraft accidentally dropped his napalm payload on the village of Trang Bang, kiling and burning many civilians. This picture was taken as children ran out of their burning homes toward to get help. The 9 year old girl at the center of the picture, Kim Phuc, is forever engraved in the memory of anyone who looks at the picture. She is running, arms wide open. She is naked, for her clothes have been burned off her back. The pain and terror on her face is chilling. It really does encapsulate the horror of war. The power of a single picture.

Top ten to come.

What do you think will be part of it?
Ok, except 9-11. That one is too obvious.
Come on, tell us.
It will only take a minute to leave a comment.

My walk

Here are a few pictures I took during my nice saturday afternoon walk.
It rained, but I had a good time anyway.

Went down to the State Library

Walked passed the Museum. They have a new expo on, I didn't have time to go in, but I will soon.

Oh, and I saw my first wild frangipani flower.
It was beautiful.



That's it.

MIA

I know I haven't posted in a long time.
I have been working every day this week, most of the time, double shifts.
I am very tired.

I am looking forward to seeing my pay come in next week.
I have been clocking so many hours because lots of people have been sick.
I hope I don't get whatever virus is going around.

Today is saturday, and I have the afternoon off. I am going to work at 6pm, but there is no wedding like every other saturday we've had since january...so it's a nice change.

It is gray and cool outside.

I think I'll go for a walk.
Breathe in the fresh air.