I had originally written this last night as 13 tweets, so it seems a little choppy as a blog post.
The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s New Music Festival Gala Concert began last evening with the world premiere of Randolph Peters’ work Io. It flowed beautifully with a delightful mix of colours. The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra was in fantastic form.
We then heard the world premiere of Vincent Ho’s new percussion concerto, The Shaman. It teleported us to another dimension, not of this universe. Dame Evelyn Glennie’s performance was spectaculactic (sorry, spectacular + galactic)! There was an immediate standing ovation, which was so well deserved! She then performed an encore which was a fantastic contrast – slower, melodic, heavenly.
The final work was John Corigliano’s Symphony No. 1. As the program notes stated: it is “hailed as one of the most important pieces of our time, the work expresses his personal response to the AIDS epidemic during the late 1980s”. He spoke eloquently in introduction explaining his motivation of expressing memory of friends lost to AIDS. He converged those feelings so well in the music. It was passionate, expressive and deeply moving.
Thnx to the New Music Festival for the best concert I’ve ever attended in my whole life. (At least my life so far!)
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Boycott Winnipeg Restaurant, Sawatdee Thai, for Firing Server for Shaving Head to Support Uncle's Cancer Battle
Set out below is today's Winnipeg Free Press article about a Winnipeg restaurant, Sawatdee Thai, which fired a server, *, for shaving her head to support her uncle's battle with cancer. I find it horrendous that a server would be fired for shaving her head. That she did it to support her uncle's battle with cancer is most commendable. I think an appropriate message should be sent by we customers of Sawatdee Thai that its actions are not acceptable. I for one will be sending that message with my feet - by not walking into either of their locations!
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Bald is beautiful, but not to boss
Server fired after cutting her locks
By: Melissa Martin
ON New Year's Eve, as her long locks tumbled to the floor, Stephanie Lozinski wasn't thinking about her appearance.
Instead, as the clock ticked towards 2011, the full-time University of Winnipeg student was thinking about making a statement for her uncle, who was fighting a losing battle with the cancer that had spread to his bones.
At first, her close-shaved skull felt amazing. "It was just my way of saying that vanity, and the way I look, is not as important as supporting somebody who is going through something that is a lot bigger," Lozinski said. "Having a physical symbol that I'm there for them is important. Looking pretty means nothing (compared to cancer)."
Apparently, it did mean something to her employers.
On Sunday, Jan. 16, Lozinski was fired from her job at Sawatdee Thai's Provencher Boulevard restaurant when its managers weren't keen on her shorn look.
Lozinski, who had already been covering her head at work with a long auburn wig or a richly embroidered Indian silk scarf, was stunned, especially since she said she told her bosses about her plan beforehand.
"I finished my shift on (that) Sunday night, and my boss told me that her husband (manager Linh Bo) didn't like my head," she said. "I just walked out and I couldn't believe it. I was really in shock. I've never been fired before, so it was pretty upsetting."
Reached last week, Bo, who manages Sawatdee Thai's Osborne Street location, said even with a scarf, Lozinski's new look didn't fit the restaurant's standards. "If you go to fine dining, what do you expect from a server? Seriously," said Bo, whose partner owns the business. "As a customer, you walk into fine dining and you have fine dining."
Bo said managers at the restaurant's two locations are clear with staff they can't have visible tattoos and must wear their hair appropriately, besides dressing in a required Thai skirt.
But Lozinski, who said she was never informed of a dress code and other employees were allowed to have edgy haircuts and colours, doesn't believe the firing was fair.
If she had been a "Steve Lozinski," for instance, she doubts she would have been canned for shaving her head.
That could set the stage for a gender-discrimination complaint to Manitoba's Human Rights Commission. Lozinski left messages with the commission this week, she said, and plans to file a complaint soon.
"I think trying to build awareness is helping me," she said. "I'm just trying to get the word out there so that people understand that it happens, and my boss will realize it's the wrong decision... I felt it was really inappropriate and thought it was against my rights."
This isn't the first time a healing-minded head-shave has sparked an employment tussle in Canada.
In 2008, an Owen Sound, Ont., waitress, Stacey Fearnall, was fired from her serving job after she shaved her head to raise $2,700 for cancer charities.
After a storm of media attention, the restaurant's owner apologized to Fearnall and cancer groups and Fearnall found work elsewhere.
Lozinski hopes other restaurants will welcome her look, too, though she chuckled she won't expect a call from Sawatdee Thai.
But before finding a new gig, she has another hurdle to face: Only hours after the Free Press spoke to Lozinski last week, her uncle -- the man who inspired the shave -- died. He never did get to see her symbol of solidarity.
Still, Lozinski plans to keep showing off the bald-is-beautiful statement. "It's just my way of showing people that it's important to not connect the bald head and sickness," she said.
"It's important for people to see that sometimes it's just a decision."
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Bald is beautiful, but not to boss
Server fired after cutting her locks
By: Melissa Martin
ON New Year's Eve, as her long locks tumbled to the floor, Stephanie Lozinski wasn't thinking about her appearance.
Instead, as the clock ticked towards 2011, the full-time University of Winnipeg student was thinking about making a statement for her uncle, who was fighting a losing battle with the cancer that had spread to his bones.
At first, her close-shaved skull felt amazing. "It was just my way of saying that vanity, and the way I look, is not as important as supporting somebody who is going through something that is a lot bigger," Lozinski said. "Having a physical symbol that I'm there for them is important. Looking pretty means nothing (compared to cancer)."
Apparently, it did mean something to her employers.
On Sunday, Jan. 16, Lozinski was fired from her job at Sawatdee Thai's Provencher Boulevard restaurant when its managers weren't keen on her shorn look.
Lozinski, who had already been covering her head at work with a long auburn wig or a richly embroidered Indian silk scarf, was stunned, especially since she said she told her bosses about her plan beforehand.
"I finished my shift on (that) Sunday night, and my boss told me that her husband (manager Linh Bo) didn't like my head," she said. "I just walked out and I couldn't believe it. I was really in shock. I've never been fired before, so it was pretty upsetting."
Reached last week, Bo, who manages Sawatdee Thai's Osborne Street location, said even with a scarf, Lozinski's new look didn't fit the restaurant's standards. "If you go to fine dining, what do you expect from a server? Seriously," said Bo, whose partner owns the business. "As a customer, you walk into fine dining and you have fine dining."
Bo said managers at the restaurant's two locations are clear with staff they can't have visible tattoos and must wear their hair appropriately, besides dressing in a required Thai skirt.
But Lozinski, who said she was never informed of a dress code and other employees were allowed to have edgy haircuts and colours, doesn't believe the firing was fair.
If she had been a "Steve Lozinski," for instance, she doubts she would have been canned for shaving her head.
That could set the stage for a gender-discrimination complaint to Manitoba's Human Rights Commission. Lozinski left messages with the commission this week, she said, and plans to file a complaint soon.
"I think trying to build awareness is helping me," she said. "I'm just trying to get the word out there so that people understand that it happens, and my boss will realize it's the wrong decision... I felt it was really inappropriate and thought it was against my rights."
This isn't the first time a healing-minded head-shave has sparked an employment tussle in Canada.
In 2008, an Owen Sound, Ont., waitress, Stacey Fearnall, was fired from her serving job after she shaved her head to raise $2,700 for cancer charities.
After a storm of media attention, the restaurant's owner apologized to Fearnall and cancer groups and Fearnall found work elsewhere.
Lozinski hopes other restaurants will welcome her look, too, though she chuckled she won't expect a call from Sawatdee Thai.
But before finding a new gig, she has another hurdle to face: Only hours after the Free Press spoke to Lozinski last week, her uncle -- the man who inspired the shave -- died. He never did get to see her symbol of solidarity.
Still, Lozinski plans to keep showing off the bald-is-beautiful statement. "It's just my way of showing people that it's important to not connect the bald head and sickness," she said.
"It's important for people to see that sometimes it's just a decision."
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Close Encounters: The Next 500 Years - a great art exhibition
Close Encounters: The Next 500 Years is an international exhibition of contemporary indigenous art presented by Winnipeg Cultural Capital of Canada 2010 and organized by Plug In Institute for Contemporary Art with a number of other Winnipeg galleries.
I attended the exhibition opening Saturday, January 22, 2011. It was at the Close Encounters Main Exhibition Site, so I’ve only seen so far the part of Close Encounters that is there. The program guide says that “Close Encounters invites engagement with the speculative, the prophetic and the unknown.” It did not disappoint.
There is a deep work by Mary Anne Barkhouse entitled “The Four Horses of the Apocalypse and the Donkey of Eternal Salvation”. The main part of this work is four riding horses – the kind you would find at a mall and ride for 25 cents. Each was mapped to an apocalyptic element, which was displayed on a banner behind the horse. The banners were exquisitely done. The detail was well worth the examination to see elements of doom that the artist had worked into them. The donkey was small, white and did evoke the image of redemption. Very thought provoking.
After the speeches to open the exhibit, each of the four curators of the exhibition: Candice Hopkins, Steve Loft, Lee-Ann Martin and Jenny Western, mounted a hose and rode to the thunderous rapture of the audience. See attached video. They did not however come anywhere close to the ride made earlier in the evening by Rebecca Belmore, who rode to orgasm to the rapt satisfaction of the onlookers. It was very reminiscent of “When Harry Met Sally”.
But my favourite was the work, Time Traveller, by Skawennati. She is an artist “who is currently focused on creating projects for the World Wide Web, which she believes, is an extraordinary art delivery system”. When you think about it, the digiverse is a marvellous medium for art. One might even say the medium is the art (with apologies to Marshall McLuhan). Time Traveller is an imaginative machinima (“video” in old timey speak). Very creative, entertaining and probing – particularly of some past political events involving aboriginal peoples (e.g. Kanehsatake 1990). I was blown away by the segment “Pow Wow of the Future” which is set in Winnipeg on July 23, 2011. It is set in a stadium and had a lot of the look and feel of the 1999 Pan Am Games, the opening ceremonies for which occurred in Winnipeg on July 23, 1999. The coincidence of date was just too much. When I talked of that with Skawennati it turns out it is truly just a coincidence. But things do happen for a reason, right? The episodes of the work that were on display can also be viewed on her website www.timetravellertm.com .
Major congrats to Anthony Kiendl and his team at Plug In ICA for their work in mounting this exhibition.
I attended the exhibition opening Saturday, January 22, 2011. It was at the Close Encounters Main Exhibition Site, so I’ve only seen so far the part of Close Encounters that is there. The program guide says that “Close Encounters invites engagement with the speculative, the prophetic and the unknown.” It did not disappoint.
There is a deep work by Mary Anne Barkhouse entitled “The Four Horses of the Apocalypse and the Donkey of Eternal Salvation”. The main part of this work is four riding horses – the kind you would find at a mall and ride for 25 cents. Each was mapped to an apocalyptic element, which was displayed on a banner behind the horse. The banners were exquisitely done. The detail was well worth the examination to see elements of doom that the artist had worked into them. The donkey was small, white and did evoke the image of redemption. Very thought provoking.
After the speeches to open the exhibit, each of the four curators of the exhibition: Candice Hopkins, Steve Loft, Lee-Ann Martin and Jenny Western, mounted a hose and rode to the thunderous rapture of the audience. See attached video. They did not however come anywhere close to the ride made earlier in the evening by Rebecca Belmore, who rode to orgasm to the rapt satisfaction of the onlookers. It was very reminiscent of “When Harry Met Sally”.
But my favourite was the work, Time Traveller, by Skawennati. She is an artist “who is currently focused on creating projects for the World Wide Web, which she believes, is an extraordinary art delivery system”. When you think about it, the digiverse is a marvellous medium for art. One might even say the medium is the art (with apologies to Marshall McLuhan). Time Traveller is an imaginative machinima (“video” in old timey speak). Very creative, entertaining and probing – particularly of some past political events involving aboriginal peoples (e.g. Kanehsatake 1990). I was blown away by the segment “Pow Wow of the Future” which is set in Winnipeg on July 23, 2011. It is set in a stadium and had a lot of the look and feel of the 1999 Pan Am Games, the opening ceremonies for which occurred in Winnipeg on July 23, 1999. The coincidence of date was just too much. When I talked of that with Skawennati it turns out it is truly just a coincidence. But things do happen for a reason, right? The episodes of the work that were on display can also be viewed on her website www.timetravellertm.com .
Major congrats to Anthony Kiendl and his team at Plug In ICA for their work in mounting this exhibition.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Agora - a movie worth watching
I missed Agora when it passed through the theatres in Winnipeg this past year. I had wanted to see it because of a review I had seen at the time it was released (http://movies.nytimes.com/2010/05/28/movies/28agora.html). I did find it on Shaw Pay-Per-View. I would recommend your viewing it.
It is a story set in Alexandria in 400 A.D. of many struggles: between science and religion, slaves and owners, and men and subjected women. Come to think of it there was also an explanation where the struggle between men and subjugated women was the same as the struggle between slaves and owners. How sad. The story revolves around Hypatia (played well by Rachel Weisz) who embodies the emergence of strong women, a scientist (philosopher, mathematician and astronomer), a teacher, a forward thinker and also a pagan. But there is a great more to this plot which portrays the conflict between pagans, science, Christians, Jews, and the Roman Empire. Mixed into it will be the love for Hypatia by one of her slaves, and also by one of her students, who becomes the Roman Empire’s prefect in Alexandria.
The cinematography is wonderful. The characters, particularly Hypatia, are strong and well developed. The movie is full of mind catching analogies. Listen for a leader of the Christians inciting his followers to violence and shouting to them that “God is with you”. An analogy to extremist Muslim fundamentalism? There is an interesting shot of ants atop the wall surrounding the Library of Alexandria, and then shortly after an aerial view of the Christians, who have taken the Library, ransacking it. The destruction of the statues brought to mind the pulling down of statues in Iraq during the American invasion. At one point the violence between the Christians and the Jews leads to the Christians stoning a large number of Jews to death, and then the Christians cart them away and pile the bodies to be burned. One reviewer has pointed out that these mangled corpses vividly call to mind the bodies of the dead in photographs of Auschwitz.
All in all a good movie, with a strong analogy to our modern situation of extremists, whether religious, political, etc., who attempt to indoctrinate and control others, either with a view or a consequence of inciting violence. Times haven’t changed very much!
It is a story set in Alexandria in 400 A.D. of many struggles: between science and religion, slaves and owners, and men and subjected women. Come to think of it there was also an explanation where the struggle between men and subjugated women was the same as the struggle between slaves and owners. How sad. The story revolves around Hypatia (played well by Rachel Weisz) who embodies the emergence of strong women, a scientist (philosopher, mathematician and astronomer), a teacher, a forward thinker and also a pagan. But there is a great more to this plot which portrays the conflict between pagans, science, Christians, Jews, and the Roman Empire. Mixed into it will be the love for Hypatia by one of her slaves, and also by one of her students, who becomes the Roman Empire’s prefect in Alexandria.
The cinematography is wonderful. The characters, particularly Hypatia, are strong and well developed. The movie is full of mind catching analogies. Listen for a leader of the Christians inciting his followers to violence and shouting to them that “God is with you”. An analogy to extremist Muslim fundamentalism? There is an interesting shot of ants atop the wall surrounding the Library of Alexandria, and then shortly after an aerial view of the Christians, who have taken the Library, ransacking it. The destruction of the statues brought to mind the pulling down of statues in Iraq during the American invasion. At one point the violence between the Christians and the Jews leads to the Christians stoning a large number of Jews to death, and then the Christians cart them away and pile the bodies to be burned. One reviewer has pointed out that these mangled corpses vividly call to mind the bodies of the dead in photographs of Auschwitz.
All in all a good movie, with a strong analogy to our modern situation of extremists, whether religious, political, etc., who attempt to indoctrinate and control others, either with a view or a consequence of inciting violence. Times haven’t changed very much!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Ski Vacation 2010
December 27, 2010
Spending a few days at Sun Peaks, B.C. (near Kamloops – regrettably daughter#1 who lives in Kamloops is not here, but in Brandon, Mb) on a ski vacation. First of all I want to make it very clear that I am not a big skier – not aggressive at all – as an expert skier friend of mine once said, I’m more of a glider. That’s what I like to do – glide around the mountain.
Temperature today was about 0 degrees Celsius and there was 2.5 cm fresh snow. The sun was brilliant and the sky a gorgeous blue. The evergreens were blanketed in whiteness. The mountains were of course majestic.
So given the temperature I ventured out without my knit helmet under my hard, brain protection helmet. As I came down the first run I experienced brain freeze – from the outside in! Too much breeze. Went inside and got my knit helmet.
After another run we lunched on Mexican (think jalepenos) chicken burger and red wine. Very civilized. Was then too relaxed to ski any more, so took over the outdoor hot tub.
Very hot.
Then decided to roll in the snow.
Very cold.
Not so bright!
Then moved quickly to get the Cold FX Extra Strength.
December 28, 2010
Temperature today was about -7. About 3 cm of snow over night. Snowing this morning. Nice and sunny above the clouds – which was at the top of one of the lifts. I’ve heard skiers say that they like fresh snow. As for me, as I glide I like it because it helps to slow me down - I don’t have to drag my poles as much!
Wind was very cool – about 20 kmh. As I approached a flat section of a run I leaned into the wind and it almost stopped me. I envisioned that the gust would let go and I’d be down into chaturanga. Must remember tomorrow to do my yoga practice before I go skiing!
Ended the afternoon in the hot tub – but no rolling in the snow today!
December 29, 2010
Today it was cloudy, -13, 20 kmh wind and no new snow. Reminded me of last year when some B.C. residents told me, when it was -8, that it was almost too cold to ski. Guess that’s what comes from being in the granola belt. I remember learning to ski in Manitoba and regularly going out when it was -20, and only drawing the line not to go out when it hit -30. Finished the day skiing down a blue run (think “steeper” than my usual green runs) – which means I was gliding faster than usual. I was really dragging the poles! Almost wished I had some anchors on the ends of them to add more resistance.
Tomorrow I get to experience my present from Santa: I start the day with a deep tissue and hot stones massage. The spa says that I will “emerge relaxed and rejuvenated”. Then it’s off to sip wine with tapas for lunch. The restaurant says it is “somewhere to relax, sip distinctly European coffee, enjoy handcrafted soups and gourmet paninis for lunch, indulge in local and international wines, and enjoy the company and conversation of your partner.” I think Santa added that last part. Now it’s time to go to arrange an all day snowboard lesson for daughter#4 tomorrow!
Spending a few days at Sun Peaks, B.C. (near Kamloops – regrettably daughter#1 who lives in Kamloops is not here, but in Brandon, Mb) on a ski vacation. First of all I want to make it very clear that I am not a big skier – not aggressive at all – as an expert skier friend of mine once said, I’m more of a glider. That’s what I like to do – glide around the mountain.
Temperature today was about 0 degrees Celsius and there was 2.5 cm fresh snow. The sun was brilliant and the sky a gorgeous blue. The evergreens were blanketed in whiteness. The mountains were of course majestic.
So given the temperature I ventured out without my knit helmet under my hard, brain protection helmet. As I came down the first run I experienced brain freeze – from the outside in! Too much breeze. Went inside and got my knit helmet.
After another run we lunched on Mexican (think jalepenos) chicken burger and red wine. Very civilized. Was then too relaxed to ski any more, so took over the outdoor hot tub.
Very hot.
Then decided to roll in the snow.
Very cold.
Not so bright!
Then moved quickly to get the Cold FX Extra Strength.
December 28, 2010
Temperature today was about -7. About 3 cm of snow over night. Snowing this morning. Nice and sunny above the clouds – which was at the top of one of the lifts. I’ve heard skiers say that they like fresh snow. As for me, as I glide I like it because it helps to slow me down - I don’t have to drag my poles as much!
Wind was very cool – about 20 kmh. As I approached a flat section of a run I leaned into the wind and it almost stopped me. I envisioned that the gust would let go and I’d be down into chaturanga. Must remember tomorrow to do my yoga practice before I go skiing!
Ended the afternoon in the hot tub – but no rolling in the snow today!
December 29, 2010
Today it was cloudy, -13, 20 kmh wind and no new snow. Reminded me of last year when some B.C. residents told me, when it was -8, that it was almost too cold to ski. Guess that’s what comes from being in the granola belt. I remember learning to ski in Manitoba and regularly going out when it was -20, and only drawing the line not to go out when it hit -30. Finished the day skiing down a blue run (think “steeper” than my usual green runs) – which means I was gliding faster than usual. I was really dragging the poles! Almost wished I had some anchors on the ends of them to add more resistance.
Tomorrow I get to experience my present from Santa: I start the day with a deep tissue and hot stones massage. The spa says that I will “emerge relaxed and rejuvenated”. Then it’s off to sip wine with tapas for lunch. The restaurant says it is “somewhere to relax, sip distinctly European coffee, enjoy handcrafted soups and gourmet paninis for lunch, indulge in local and international wines, and enjoy the company and conversation of your partner.” I think Santa added that last part. Now it’s time to go to arrange an all day snowboard lesson for daughter#4 tomorrow!
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