A new unexpected Journey

Published March 24, 2014 by lorimuma

They say you never know how things can change in a minute. Well that happened to me last week. Last week I had just come back from a great vacation in Las Vegas. I will talk more about that later. My week was going along as they usually do, until Wednesday. Wednesday at 9:05am to be exact. That was when I found out that my job was being “eliminated”

It is “numbers” Lori. It”s not personal Lori. We are taking things in a different direction Lori. That is what was said to me.

I have been through losing my job before, it is now unfortunately become the norm for my generation and the current workplace. Its never personal, they say, its usually never about your abilities they say. It always about protecting the bottom line. We have to let people go because if we don’t the entire company is in turmoil.

Personally the only turmoil I have ever seen are those employees they value so highly trying to figure out how to pay their mortgage, put their child through university or how they are going to find a job that will pay them to retirement. The turmoil I have seen are fairly healthy individuals being forced to use medication for normal human functions like sleeping because they are doing the work of 4 people for any company X that will cut them loose without a blink of an eye.

I have seen people trying to figure out how to pay their taxes to a government that only has made it harder from them to collect benefits, makes them feel like they are in the wrong. The same government that is creating no new jobs for educated and talented people. Yet handing out tax breaks for those companies so god forbid they go into turmoil.

As I begin my search for a new job, I am one of the lucky ones. I have a great group of contact and friends that I have made who understand this world of employment. I have a family that will help out if I need help both financially and mentally. I have a condo that is almost paid off, but most importantly I have a belief that everything happens for a reason and that maybe I need to really look at whats gives me joy.

When anyone asks me what my dream job would be, I was say that I wish I could be a talk show host. As unlikely as that is at my age, that was one reason why I start and keep starting this blog. Work was what always got in my way. So as I look for this next strp in my life I am truly going to make an effort to focus on what I love, because that is want people to remember when they think about me.

Chat soon
Lori

The Grammy’s

Published January 26, 2014 by lorimuma

So as must people have already read. The Queen herself, Madonna will be performing with Macklemore.
I’m not 100% sold on it, but now a photo has appeared showing what she may be wearing on stage

Fabulous and 2014?

Published January 16, 2014 by lorimuma

I’m a little late to get to my goals for 2014, but better late than never. 2014 is going to be an interesting year for me for one main reason. This is the year that I turn 40. Yes 40. The age in public school I thought was old and ancient. The age that I thought was over the hill, whatever that means.

I certainly don’t feel forty and god knows I don’t act it, but it is now less than 300 days away.
So what are my goal for this milestone age? I am writing this as I am heading to Montreal for work so I have the time to write.

One thing I want to do is bite the bullet and get a fitness trainer. I am going to give it 6 months ( so July will either will be a great month or a summer that I won’t speak of). I have wanted to it for awhile now, but have always found an excuse not too. I have recently joined a new gym in Toronto, Hard Candy Fitness. Yes the Madonna gym, blah blah. (Sorry Goodlife) I will talk more about this fabulous gym in later posts.

Another thing I wanted to do this year was do something out of my comfort zone. I fist foray into this is going to happen on January 30th. (if I right it, I have to do it) I am going to audition for a chance to workout with the Queen herself – Madonna. Do I really think that I have a chance? Probably not, but I have a better chance than if I didn’t do it all.

Its to learn the routine from her Addicted to Sweat cardio dance class. So far I have learned to things, dancing is harder than it looks and the flashdance spins are brutal on my knee. So brutal that on Sunday, I didn’t think I could walk.

The other main goal is do things that I want to do, say what I want to say, even if it is not want people want to hear. It sounds like a minor thing, but its much harder then it sounds.

So I am going to do whatever it takes to make this year 2014, faboulous.

Lady Gaga this looks familiar

Published November 23, 2013 by lorimuma

Today Lady Gaga announced that she is going to be the “new” face of the 2014 Spring Versace line. That’s great I guess, but I couldn’t help but think to myself that I had seen this before.

It seems that she is channeling another Versace ad. Christina perhaps?

No I was thinking more Madonna from 1996. I’m off here but these ads all look exactly the same.

Toronto

Published November 17, 2013 by lorimuma

For the past few weeks people have had tons of opinions of Toronto. For the most part they make complete sense. I am not about to get into the reasons behind all the “unwanted” publicity. Unless you have been living under a rock you already know. The one question I keep getting asked is “Why don’t you move back home with all the stuff happening in Toronto?”
Why don’t I move back home? I am home. What is so bad happening in Toronto? We have a situation with the mayor. That is hardly a reason to pack up and leave. It did however have me thinking. Like most of the people who call Toronto home, I was not born in Toronto. I was not raised in Toronto, but when I was twenty I packed up and moved to go to Ryerson. My parents had told me if I wanted to move to Toronto I had to have a reason. Fair enough. I always knew I would never leave this city and I didn’t.
Nineteen years later I am still here. My home is here, my life is here. Not for one minute do I regret my decision. Does it annoy me that Toronto is on late night TV, no I enjoy the humour behind it and it will eventually be replaced by something else.
It does annoy me when people have all these opinions on how much they dislike Toronto and they hate the traffic, the crowds, the noise, and they live in some tiny town 4 hours away.
Good then you don’t live here then and good thing I no nothing about where they live.
I love this city and this situation will pass and we can complain about something that no one will give a crap about around the world. The 2015 Pan Am games.

TIFF13.

Published September 18, 2013 by lorimuma

For 10 days every September, Toronto becomes a crazed movie city. TIFF literally take over the entire downtown core. This year I bought a pack and was able to see 6 movie/events over these 10 days.
Now lots of people love to see the obscure foreign films. Not me. The thought of seeing some Icelandic coming of age film is not my thing. I want to see big movies with big names.

My 1st movie was Prisoners. With an incredible cast that includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, Terence Howard and Viola Davies. It is about 2 young girls who go missing after Thanksgiving Dinner. First piece of advice if you see this movie. It’s over 2.5 hours so don’t drink anything. Second, make sure you listen very carefully to all the conversations that happen in the 1st part of the movie. Things will make more sense in the 2nd half of the movie.
This movie reminded a little of Silence of the Lambs and Seven. With lots of plot twists, some which are little hard to believe. This movie will have you questioning what you would do if put into the same situations. I don’t want to talk to much about what happens in this movie, although you do leave it knowing the fate of the 2 missing girls. What made this movie for me was the ending! In fact the entire Princess of Wales Theatre let out a gasp once the ending credits started to roll.
Overall I highly recommend this movie with it is released on September 20th.
8/10

Next was All Is By My Side. Andre 3000 from Outcast plays Jimi Hendrix, the year leading up to him becoming the famous musician. If you go to this movie thinking you will hear early works from Hendrix, think again. The makers of this movie did not get permission to use any music for his catalogue. So lets see, you make a movie about an iconic musician but can’t use any of his music?? We see Jimi Hendrix the guitarist, the soon to be drug addict, the womanizer and the Jimi Hendrix who beats his girlfriend over the head with his mic. Wait for the DVD release of this one. It was ok, but nothing that exciting
6/10

How I Live Now was the next movie on my list. It is a movie from the UK, starting people I have never heard of. It was about an American teenager who is sent to live with her Aunt and “cousins” in England during what is WW3. Why someone would leave the US to go to a country that is at war I have no idea. Never mind how all of Europe is at war with something that is never really addressed and that the US seems totally indifferent and uninvolved is really hard to believe. Also hard to believe, how the main character falls in love with her cousin. Did I like this movie? No, not really. I would say pass on this one, unless you like movies that really go nowhere and explain nothing.
5/10

Labor Day became the 4th movie I saw at TIIF. Jason Reitman directed this. Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin star as the convict on the run who happens to force the lonely single housewife with a secret into hiding him. It was sort of The Bridges of Madison Country meets The Fugitive. This was a really well acted and written movie. I am going to predict that it will be nominated for Best Actor (Brolin),Best Adapted screenplay and best Director.
8/10

Life of Crime was my final movie of the festival. Based on the Elmore Leonard novel it stars Jennifer Aniston as a soon to be divorced wife to Tim Robbins’s cheating wealthy husband. She is kidnapped for a million dollar ransom. Then her captures realize that her husband has no desire to pay anything because he already sent her divorce papers. Its set in the late 70s so the outfits, hair and set design reflect that. It’s a mildly funny movie and well acted. Its nothing that will dominate the awards season but is an enjoyable 1.5 hours.
7/10

Overall I was happy with my TIFF choices. My 6th selection was called “In Conversation with Spike Jonze.” It was interesting, but the interviewer was a disaster. Do for that its a 6/10. I expected more than a preview for his new movie.

New Beginnings

Published September 2, 2013 by lorimuma

It has been years since I have been in full time school but every September I always feel like it is a new year. Forget January 1st the day after labour day is the true “new beginnings” time of the year. So I have decided to make a few changes. I have stripped down my blog and will be creating a cleaner looking site. I know that I keep saying this but I do promise to blog more!

The fall looks like it is going to be a busy time again, new shows, TIFF and of course some concerts. I hope everyone had a great summer and that the Fall brings you happiness.

Concert Review – Beyonce. The Mrs Carter World Tour.

Published September 2, 2013 by lorimuma

I have to start with saying this. Beyonce has a lot of wind machines. Beyonce has really really huge wind machines. Beyonce will never have a drop of sweat on her. The wind machines won’t allow it.

On Sunday July 21st, four days after seeing her husband in concert I got to see Mrs Carter. Beyonce.

Yes I got to see up close the identical choreography from every single one of her videos in the last ten years. Crazy in Love choreography? Check. Single Ladies choreography? Check. Girls rule the World choreography. You know where I am going with this.

Beyonce does this very well, so well people seen to think she is doing ground breaking innovative stuff. Its good, but really its the same routines that she has done on her last tours, but in new outfits and of course more wind machines.

You are probably thinking I didn’t like show, no I actually really really liked it. She looked fabulous and was highly entertaining. The sound was so good, I could barely hear for two days. I should have brought myself to put the earplugs in that were giving to me before the show started.

Lets start at the beginning, no not the 1st song. The 20 min before where we got to see how great B is. We got to see her H&M inspired clothing collection commercial which is no longer available, but whatever its Beyonce on a beach, rolling around in sand. Then we got to see her pepsi commercial. Clearly she got that body from drinking high calorie sugar drinks. Then we got to see Beyonce talk about her working with a charity for girls rights. Probably the same girls that make her H&M clothes, but whatever. Then (yes it hasn’t stopped) we see Beyonce’s mom Tina and all the good work they do for the Goodwill in Houston and around the US (and I guess Canada but that is never mentioned) Tina Knowles goes to the Goodwill in her designer clothes and $2000 handbag to help spread the word about how this helped her years ago. Honestly she touches the clothes on the rack like they are going to give her a terminal illness or something. It is a good way to make the time go by before the show starts.

Then right a 9pm it begins. She rises from the stage in a white one piece. Dancing, saying to crowd “Lets go!, Come on!, Sing with me.” And the wind machines are on full blast. At times your forgot she was indoors. Those really wind machines really work.

She sings about 2-3 songs before it was time for a costume change. I believe she had about 7 changes. Her hits were played, she flew across the arena in a blue bedazzled jumpsuit. (did she see Pink earlier this year. She does the EXACT same think but on human sling shot)

She told us how much she loved Toronto and how lucky she was, In fact we were able to see a 2min video clip about how lucky she really is. Honestly her life is better than yours. I mean do you lounge on a Yacht in the south of France for something to do. I doubt it, but we saw her video of it.

After exactly 1 hour and 50 min, its time to say bye to Beyonce. She enters singing Whitney’s I will always love you then going into Halo. Side note, we all saw what happened when she sang this song in Montreal the next night. The wind machines had enough.

As much as it seems I picked out the negative things about this show. Honestly I love the Divas and Beyonce is one of the best Divas out there. I can’t wait to see it again in December. Hopefully she will be bloated and we can all guess if she is pregnant.

Below are some shots from the show. Taken from the floor beside the main stage