The other day, when I was making follow up calls for an education and outreach fundraising campaign, I called a local business.
Feeling that this particular charity has grave importance in occupying the idle minds of potentially great future community leaders, I have significant buy in. Especially with the wave of unprecedented violence that is ravaging the GTA! I believe that a program that focusses on giving opportunity to the underserved youth is one that needs to upheld with honour in light of recent events.
Do you know what this business' representative told me?
"We donated all our funds to Katrina Relief."
Was Katrina devestating? Yes. Were the victims victimized by their own gov't? Yes. Is the United States, financially, more than capable of taking care of their own? Yes!
What upsets me isn't that this charity was declined. It wasthe overwhelmingly apathetic attitude of Canadians towards their own emergencies! When flooding occured out west, I bet a dollar this company didn't step up to the plate. When Nova Scotia was hit by a hurricane years ago, I bet they dismissed it entirely. Now Toronto is hit by multiple shootings daily, and those we look to for assistance turn a blind eye.
My point is: If you are a Canadian, I would think you have an invested interest in making the country as strong as possible for the betterment of you and of me. A civic responsibility to take care of your own, so that collectively we can assist others.
The truth is: Canadians are filled with push/pull inclinations. When there's an appeal for emergency outside our own, we respond ten fold! But, when the emergency blatantly happens locally, we fain ignorance.
Yes, assist others, but, don't let problems internationally monopolize your funds!
Friday, September 30, 2005
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Would you think that 135lbs is heavy set for a 5'9" female?
Well, for me, the extra weight doesn't work out so well, so I.H.C.B. and I have decided to embark on a quest for ultimate weight management! The name of the game is GOOD FOOD AND GOOD FUN!
NO CRAZE! We've opted to negate the Protein crazy and artificial sweetener craze as viable solutions to weight loss. Reason being, scientifically supported facts!
Research supports that Atkins helps to lose mostly water weight. Therefore, go off the diet and it's inevitable the water weight will come back.
Now artificial sweeteners are an interesting tale. Besides the fact they are rumoured to encourage cancer, migrain headaches and they taste like crap. They actually confuse your brain to think that real sugar doesn't contain calories and can result in binge eating on sweets.
So we're excercizing more. Women tend to binge eat after a heavy work out, so we're opting for low impact easy to maintain activity like climbing stairs, walking instead of ttc and making grocery shopping a fun day on the town. Now that C.B. is cheffing at a trendy new downtown restaurant I have a feeling that grocery day will be date day!
The food! With a picky Middle Eastern half breed & an up and coming chef, we have no tolerance for food that blows. Even if we made it ourselves!
So if that's any testiment to the quality of the recipes I'm posting, then so be it.
The foods are high in fibre, low in fat and taste good. We aim for an entire meal to contain approximately 500-600 calories and should be easy to prepare.
Ingredients we're in love with:
broccoli
asparagus
spinach
prepared salad greens
lemons
chicken
lean red meat
parmasan cheese
cracked peppercorns
Bulgur wheat
Brown Rice
Pasta (yeah, pasta, deal with it)
Low Sodium Chicken Broth
Favorite Recipe #1: Bulgur Wheat Salad with feta and cucumbers.
I hate tabouleh. I hate how bits get stuck in my teeth and hate it, ever since I was little. This is not Tabouleh... if anything it's Tabouleh that I don't hate!
What you need:
Chicken stock
Cucumber, chopped fine
Crumbled Feta Cheese (I like sheep's milk feta.)
1/2 clove garlic mashed with a pinch of salt
TBS fresh parsley chopped up fine
olive oil (to taste)
lemon juice (to taste)
roasted pine nuts
Bulger wheat
1. Boil 1.5 cups of Chicken Stock. Reduce heat to minimum (i'm so serious!) and add in 1 cup of Bulger Wheat. Cover & Let sit for 10 minutes. Uncover, fluff & cool.
2. While the wheat is cooling, perfect time to prep the above ingredients in a bowl.
3. When wheat is cool, mix EVERYTHING together. Avoid adding salt to season in the dish because Cucumber soaks it up and will then turn to mush. Season when served!
4. Use a little oil and a little lemon juice to flavour it up.
I ate this for an entire week.
Stay tuned for more recipes and more commentary! Including, my shocking epiphany on the Food Guide, why people are lying about food, and why my father is Alton Brown's twin.
k
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Here's an entertaining group of links to entertain you and to help you forget your fear of Americans.
The best of Craigs List TORONTO. Sexually Explicit with graphic language. You will find open letters from the Porn Stars of America, How to Get Along With Your Local Barrista & Open apologies to local waitresses
TTC Rider Efficiency Guide. Passed on to me by a resident of Chateau Nice, this tool will hlep you shave minutes off your TTC ride!
Model Resource - A handy resource for models new and old
Hard To Find Groceries. Vintage, Retro, it's all there. Including a hefty shipping fee to Canada.
Enjoy!
Friday, September 23, 2005
Come Sunday, September 25th, from 7pm to Midnight, an amazing concert
featuring a dozen of the most talented jazz artists from across the
continent!
Where? At the Distillery District, 55 Mill Street, Toronto, Ontario!
100% of all music, product and services are being donated.
No one is getting paid.
100% of all proceeds will be forwarded to the
New Orleans Musicians Clinic.
We all know the ravage that Katrina left New Orleans in. Not only is
it one of the US' oldest cities, but, it is also one of the richest
culturally profound cities in the world!
Funds go to the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic, which is a NFP that provides occupational medicin and comprehensive health care to musicians and their families. Keep in mind, that many musicians can make a living, however, in a country
that does not provide universal health care, a trip to the hospital
can break the bank and decend them into poverty.
By coming to this event you will help to assist thousands of
displaced musicians and their families, relieve depleated relief
stocks and in turn assist a community rebuild itself.
"The love of one's country is a splendid thing. But why should
love stop at the border?"
-Pablo Casals
RELATED LINKS:
NOMC - http://wwoz.org/clinic/welcome.html
MAIN WEBSITE - http://www.freewebs.com/torontobenefitconcert/
MY BLOG WITH DETAILS ON THE EVENT - http://karmacake.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Today all sorts of great things ran through my head to post. You know, funny things, thought provoking things, things to keep my mind off of how lame it is to be home alone.
But, of all the things I thought about most was having my boyfriend see me, rescue me from my boredom and whisk me away to a land filled with tales of his first real day on the job!
He went to work at 7:30am and it is now 10:20pm. When you do the math, add pissiness times each hour in excess of 5:30pm that I don't get a phone call AND THERE you now have the total of me.
No need to say more.
I'm going to put away the supper and go to bed.
Monday, September 19, 2005
I was there.
With 4 tickets gifted to me through the generosity of others.
I was there.
Dressed up to the latest runway style, accompanied by my I.H.C.B. (Incredibly Hot Chef Boyfriend) and his two friends (Simon & Robin), we hit the red carpet!
We entered the exclusive, invite only party at York Quay with onlookers peering hungrily from the side lines waiting for a glimpse of the hottest film stars. Unfortunatly, we are far from film stars, but, we strutted our stuff as calm as we could muster and non-chalantly handed in our tickets while jealous eyes shot daggers at us!
Once in, it was massive! Soft florescent lighting lined tented ceilings, while comp bars dominated landscapes dotted with suspended floral arrangements and catering stations. Eager party goers, drank, devoured and danced the night away while attempting to keep up appearances.
Miss Canada International and Miss Toronto Tourism were in attendance and acquired admittance into the VIP area which reportedly held LL Cool J. I sadly did not wear my sash, and therefore had to stay in the area of the great unwashed with Marilyn Thomson (one of the wealthiest people in Canada!), her son and his friend. Such wonderful people! But, the humour in this did not escape me! Miss Toronto Tourism, looking less classier than a street side harlot walked freely into the VIP area, run by the development department. She has little pull, little expendable income and little clout. Then an individual with the capacity to gift a large amount to the TIFF capital campaign was denied access.
There were no hard feelings, just jovial attitudes!
NOW PINK WAS THE COLOUR TO SPORT THAT EVENING! Pink is no longer just reserved for stomach remedies! See below for the photo of "Pinker Pan", sequins, feathers and shoes to match, she toddled around the party stealing giggles from the pretentious to feed their souls. Her faux pas may have been entirely intentional!
So finally after 3 hours of eating and drinking we left the party, looking as fabulous as when we arrived!
k
Monday, September 12, 2005
Toronto International Film Festival decends upon Toronto and as an employee of Roy Thomson Hall I get to be in the center for the Gala Screenings!
Limited ticket availability prevents me from distributing tickets to my friends, but, high celebrity presence makes me feel like I could potentially make more friends, shiny celebrity friends!
Not to sound like a downer, so far, I'm batting an average of zero.
I hung out at the security entrance at Roy Thomson Hall the other night, in my sporty and classy Film Festival Outfit. Military & Edwardian I've drawn from two of the hottest trends to make the mega outfit! The outfit alone has not drawn celebrities. Hoping for a phenomenom akin to a moth to a flame I am sorely disappointed. Celebrities aren't always drawn to style, therefore, I stand alone.
However, I was mere feet from Charlize Theron, but, too excited, I was mute. Afraid to speak to her, to invade her space I let her be. She appeared to be exceptionally humble and was introducing herself to the young female star of Mrs. Henderson Presents as "Hi I'm Charlize". So sweet, of course she knows who you are... YOU, are CHARLIZE THERON!
She was accompanied by her mother and had security guards speak very highly of her. The urged me to go and meet with her, but, again I could not.
She is very stunning in person and seems to be a charming individual. Charlize Theron is my new favorite female star.
I also saw Bob Hoskins.
Minor thrill as he was the salty detective in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
But, he appeared more imposing and less inviting then Charlize.
I might note that so far, a single star has appeared to rock the current run way trends.
However, fabby shoes abound in plentiful numbers across the board!
In other news... today is my birthday!
Monday, September 05, 2005
It happens annually and annually I pine to be apart of the magic. Finally, this year, I'm making it official. I, KarmaCake, will be reaching for the stars to become the NEWEST MUCH MUSIC VJ.
I can submit an entry to Much Music's VJ Search either by pre recorded tape or by going in person to strut my stuff.
So what do you think? My ever faithful Karma-Charmeleons? My audience from Iran, USA, Canada, England and further... Should I go in person? Or should I submit a pre recorded tape?
Post your comments and help this girl make Much Music apart of the next chapter in my life!
k
Friday, September 02, 2005
Tsunami hit and it took approx 2 days to get relief from Canada to Sri Lanka.
Hurricane Katarina hits, 5 days pass and still no relief is transported to the disaster victims.
And they live in the same continent.
What gives?
My heart breaks as I watch the news this morning, mothers with arms wrapped around their children plea for help while starving children cry. It's a scene all to familiar to rural areas of 3 world nations, but, so foreign to see coming from mere miles away.
5 days without food, clean water, shelter, generators. The vast majority are underprivileged, underserved and overwhelmed.
Their own government deploys reams of troups armed as if it was a war to "protect" against looting.
So I ask... Is a human life worth less than a stereo?
I read in the paper today that one of the largest casinos in the area (Harrahs) bolted its door. This venue could have provided space and shelter to the hundreds of thousands clammering for some form of roof over their head!
A surprisingly lack of compassion is sweeping across not only the united states, but, the international community who seem to be reluctant to send relief.
If you want to help take matters into your own hands and send assistance I suggest logging into The Red Cross. They are reliable, experienced and are not a scam.
http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=000178&tid=015
You can even Shop n' Donate via Amazon.ca. 7% of your purchase will go to the red cross. You can get there via this link. http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=011274&tid=015
I'm going to stop preaching now, you don't need me to tell you that the United States has serious problems... that is beyond the hurricane.