Archives for 2009

Yesterday, as the city of Ottawa frantically studied the economy on Budget Day 2009, I worried about what to wear. No really.

I had my first ever “photo shoot.” Everyone has strengths, everyone has weaknesses; I’m here to tell you that my strength does not lie in modeling. (I feel sure that short of this admission, America’s Top Model would have come calling… but no, it’s writing and policy analysis for me.)

Never is one more acutely aware of what one is wearing and whether a hair is out of place then when one is being photographed, standing awkwardly in a studio in front of a large white backdrop—furthermore as a representative of ProWomanProLife. Do hairs out of place mean I am unorganized, unruly? Does hair too much in place mean I am wound too tight? Shirt—too stylish, too staid? Colours. Make-up. You get my point. It’s all pretty self-centered. Except that ultimately I am not worried about how I look, per se, but rather how being pro-life is portrayed. (And sure, I’d rather not look terrible, if I had a choice.)

The editor advised that this is not the moment for big broad smiles. And fair enough, abortion is not funny. But how am I to pose for photos without smiling? I’ve been told to please laugh less loudly in no less than three bars over the course of my life. And the unfortunate thing is that the photographer and his assistant were actually quite funny. After each joke, however, I’d have to become serious, and thoughtful. Nothing funny here. So is this now to say pro-lifers just don’t know how to have a good time?

Serious and thoughtful, by the way, with my Slavic heritage, quickly morphs into a KGB operative look. The cheekbones—the intensity—yes, I work for Vladimir Putin, actually, and “policy analyst” is my cover. And if I told you any more, I’d have to kill you.

So. There you have it. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, I will keep the day job—since modeling apparently isn’t an option.

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Brigitte would like to add a somewhat semi-related thought: Ah, Andrea. If only more people worried half as much as you do… I have been struggling over the last few days to watch 4 months, 3 weeks & 2 days, the movie about a girl having an illegal abortion in Ceausescu’s Romania that won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and boy, is it bad. It’s so dreadful in fact that I’m about to give up on it. It’s not like I’m not interested in the story. But these blasted European movies are so focused on displaying all the bad aspects of emotional turmoil that the result is invariably messy, dishevelled, and unbearably grim.

Matt Damon does not like James Bond…

Matt Damon has attacked Ian Fleming’s famous British spy James Bond, currently played by Daniel Craig, calling him “repulsive”.

He said: “He’s repulsive. Bond is an imperialist, misogynist, sociopath who goes around bedding women and swilling martinis and killing people.

“The movies have a formula, they stick to it, and it makes them a lot of money. They know what they are doing and they’re going to keep doing it.”

This is the same guy who plays Jason Bourne. A character I like almost as much as Bond. Oh dear; what’s a girl to do?

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Rebecca opines: This is great stuff. If this acting thing doesn’t pan out, Matt Damon can find employment as a third rate academic anywhere in North America. He’s got the spiel down perfectly.

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Brigitte agrees! And he briefly attended Harvard, too!

Woman gives birth to eight (8) babies. All seem to be well so far. Congratulations! And good luck!

Because one should never pass up a good chance to blast crazy feminism. I especially like the last paragraph:

The whole point of feminism was to give women freedom to live their lives as individuals, whether it meant working, parenting, or having five days or five months of maternity leave. If I’d known it meant glowering angrily at each other, personally I would have saved my bra from the fire, and just gone back to the office.

At the risk of exposing myself as a bizarre person, I never understood what the point of bra-burning might possibly be. I mean, these things are expensive…

Cuz I know tomorrow is budget day, and apparently, funding birth control is actually economic stimulus. Can’t make this stuff up, better watch Nancy Pelosi yourselves:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFU_jE9WasM]

Fewer people, er, does indeed mean lower costs. I assume we’re all willing to get rid of one or two family members. After all, ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. Tough economic times, and all.

Seriously people. I don’t know whether Obama is behind this or not but that has to be one of the dumber statements I’ve heard from a top level leader in a long while. And they made fun of Sarah Palin. Yeesh.

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Brigitte is scratching her head: We have to deal with the consequences of the downturn in our economy, she says. So the federal government helps fund contraception. Because the downturn in the economy led to too much unprotected sex? Or not enough? Is the subsidized contraception meant to encourage more Americans to engage in the activity? They need encouraging?

Gosh. These nice sophisticated and educated folks are too subtle for me.

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UPDATE: President Obama may deprive the world of a good joke…

Andrea has a fine op-ed in this morning’s Montreal Gazette about the heart-wrenching case of a woman left behind with her children by a wealthy ex-partner who only sends her $35,000/month in child support. Actually, that’s just the hook. The serious point is that marriage isn’t the same as living together, and should therefore be treated differently by the state.

And a splendid point that is. I have had my share of failed relationships before meeting Dear Husband, and I can tell you that there is, indeed, a very big difference between shacking up with someone and making a life-long commitment to stick with them through the good and the bad. The piece of paper, it turns out, matters a great deal. I remember my hand shaking as I signed it (now of course I’d be hard-pressed to tell you exactly where, in my house, said piece of paper is stored, but that is NOT the point).

Marriage isn’t for everybody, and that’s fine. Nobody should be forced to marry who doesn’t wish to. But to pretend that drifting into shared domesticity is the same as getting married is wrong, and not just for those who can’t get more than $35,000/month out of their ex-boyfriends.

Tee hee. These atheists are going to get all kinds of busy people thinking about God where they would not have before. It’s that niggly little word “probably” that will leave just enough room to ponder the reality of God rather than the opposite.

“God has placed no limits to the exercise of the intellect he has given us, on this side of the grave.” –Francis Bacon

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Brigitte wonders: I’m not religious, yet I worry. I know plenty of religious people who don’t (some who do, too). Most of the time I enjoy my life. So do many religious people I know (some who don’t, too). I guess my question is: What the heck are you trying to say, and why can’t you say it better, you silly bunny?

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Tanya adds: They’re trying to counter what seems like such a morbid message with brightly coloured lettering. Not enough can be said for Helvetica BOLD in hot pink.