WTF-Beta

So relieved. My area is still totally Conservative (and it shows) but at least the country is in good hands.

I took French from Grade 1-9. When we were in Strasbourg a couple years ago I was able to stumble through a conversation with a shop keeper from whom I was buying linens. But she was VERY kind about slowing down, rephrasing, and dealing with my very simple sentences. Also, there are significant differences between Quebecois French and France French, as shown in this silly video with Justin Trudeau and some French speakers…

https://www.tiktok.com/@atfrenchies/video/7424155769278352671

I picked blueberries for a few summers at the farm my grandparents worked at. We were paid anywhere from 30 to 90 cents a pound, depending on the size and abundance of berries. The baskets were 10lbs. We usually picked 6-8 baskets a day. Of course this was in the early 90s and I was a young teen, so it was enough. I can’t imagine doing it to earn a living though.

Omg someone on one of my boardgame groups just referred to him as “Mango Mussolini” and I’m dying.

Oh thanks for that story! I will definitely order a few things!

I had no plans of voting Liberal in the upcoming election (I was going to vote NDP, which is left of Liberal). My son and his girlfriend were also going to vote NDP. We all feel that the party was going to move a bit to the right after Trudeau’s departure. But given the current circumstances, all three of us will now vote Liberal. We feel that Carney - a person who none of us would have previously aligned with - is the right person for this moment. So the Liberals are getting voters from both the right and the left.

Carney was smart to call the election. He’s following Doug Ford’s playbook, taking advantage of the Elbows Up sentiment, rather than waiting until the fall (which is when the election was going to happen).

https://apple.news/AsVhaNzqYSquVod0HtrKtYA

@Bernard I don’t know if you are on Instagram but I love this account about restoring Knockderry Castle in Scotland! https://www.instagram.com/knockderrycastle?igsh=Mms0ZHRyaHV6cTVv

@Steve-Miller said in What are you watching?:

Couldn’t engage with Severence.

Again, terrible writing.

I vehemently disagree! I think the writing, acting, directing, and cinematography are all brilliant. However it’s definitely not a show for everyone. I wholeheartedly recommended it to my mom but told her to watch it when my dad wasn’t home.

Our order of operations for what we will buy:
Canadian made by a Canada owned company
Wholly Canadian made by a company owned elsewhere
Some parts made in Canada by a Canadian company
Some parts made in Canada by a company that is headquartered somewhere else in the world, but not the US
Products made in another country, but not the US. We favour Europe and Mexico.
Some parts made in Canada by a company that is headquartered in the US
US products, only if there is no alternative

It will take a long time before I cross the border. We used to go very frequently, popping over for dinner or a show or to visit a specific store. I have no intention of resuming that until I feel like we can trust the US again, and unfortunately that will take more than a change in the president.

We really like Paradise! I think the first episode was actually the best one though.

Severance. I am so into it that I’m also listening to the podcast with Ben Stiller and Adam Scott and that’s also excellent.

Mythic Quest’s new season isn’t as great as the first couple, but still loving it.

@Nina said in Canada’s new PM:

I like Carney. He's showing more spine than the US Congress. Check out his interview with Jon Stewart.

I’m not sure whether I like him or not but he’s probably the right PM for the moment.

Tangentially related… I have been fascinated by the words for various animals in Ojibwe. Some are related to the sounds the animals make.

Baakaakwenh is chicken. (aa is a broad a sound, the “enh” syllable is kind of a nasal short e sound.) When I have heard it spoken, the second syllable is stressed and held for an extra moment. In fact, in some dialects they spell it Baaka’aakwenh.

Owl is Kookookoo (oo is somewhere between oo and long o) It is sometimes spelled Gookooko’oo, depending on dialect.

Chickadee is Gijigijigaaneshiinh (ii spells the long e sound, e says long a).

I am not an Ojibwe speaker but a friend taught me some words several years back and my students and I learn some through the year. But any errors in spelling or pronunciation descriptions are on me.

We have Apple News because we use enough of their services it made sense to have Apple One, which comes with it. I like it, for the most part, but occasionally we still do run up against paywalls.

Just finished this. It was absolutely fantastic. Her use of language is top notch.

Thanks for the additional information about your process! I love mixed media work!

Mamie’s Wall Is absolutely wonderful!!!

Square foot shows are becoming quite popular! An artist friend of mine has done them annually for a few years as well. I know that, in his case, it started because larger pieces weren’t selling as easily so he was trying to make his work more approachable for folks who wanted original art but couldn’t afford thousands of dollars.

@RealPlayer said in Canada is not the United States:

Here is a NY Times article from this morning. Should be a gift link. Trump’s Canada fixation is about more than tariffs. Apparently well publicized in Canadian media, but not here.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/world/canada/trump-trudeau-canada-51st-state.html?unlocked_article_code=1.2E4.Wl1s.HkMjJ0CPOYAR&smid=url-share

I didn’t realize it wasn’t being publicized in the US. It definitely is well known here. That’s why we are so mad.

I love the one with the B&W hand so much Jodi!! Can you tell us more about it?

@Steve-Miller Our Premier, Doug Ford, said the same. I loathe the man with every fibre of my being but his response to this has been fantastic. He saw Trump as an ally because they share the same “money before everything else” idea. Now he feels betrayed and nothing makes a person fight harder than a perceived knife in the back. It might be the first time in the history of ever that my slightly right of middle father, socialist leaning me, and my “eat the rich” Gen Z kiddo have agreed with a politician”s actions at the same time.