Tuesday, November 29, 2005 

Willie is coming!

from the daily news today:

Nelson to play metro in May
By Dean LiskThe Daily News


Willie Nelson is on the road again.

The bandanna-bedecked singer is pulling his tour bus, the countrified Honeysuckle Rose III, into the Halifax Metro Centre this May.
Famous for his braided pigtails, and penchant for pot, Nelson is considered a living legend. His career spans six decades, more than 200 albums, hit songs like Crazy and Red Headed Stranger, and a slew of awards.
KIXX 780 morning show host Frank Lowe says Nelson is one of the originators of country music.
“Three chords and a song, that is the Willie Nelson thing,” he says. “When you have the right writer, you can say it all with three chords.”
Mainly a solo performer, Nelson successfully toured with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson as The Highwaymen. Working with rockers Neil Young and John Mellencamp, Nelson helped found FarmAid, a concert series to raise money for American farmers, in 1985.
All hasn’t been rosy for the singer. In 1990, he was found guilty of tax evasion, nearly losing everything to Uncle Sam.
In recent years, a new generation has discovered Nelson thanks to appearances on Fox’s King of the Hill and his role as Uncle Jesse in this year’s Dukes of Hazzard movie.
“He is timeless,” says Lowe. “Timeless is being true to your roots, and every few years the world comes around and catches up to you again.”
His Halifax stop is part of Nelson’s 13-city tour of Eastern Canada. Performances are also being held in New Brunswick and on Prince Edward Island. He toured Western Canada this summer.
On the road with the Texan is the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
The popular country group has placed 21 albums on Billboard’s charts.
Willie Nelson and Family performs at the Halifax Metro Centre on May 10, 7:30 p.m. Tickets, at $54.50, go on sale Friday at 9 a.m.

Thursday, November 24, 2005 

The Christmas Tree debacle

I read this in the Herald today. Pretty funny story about the relationship between Canada and the USA. Can we not all get along.

O Holiday Tree, O Holiday Tree?
Boston creates prickly scene by not calling N.S. evergreen Christmas tree
By BEVERLEY WARE
South Shore Bureau


BEECH HILL — Donnie Hatt says if he’d known the tree he donated to Boston would be called a holiday tree, "I’d have cut it down and put it through the chipper."
Boston should "just put Return to Sender on it because we sent it as a Christmas tree, not a holiday tree," the Chester Basin man said Wednesday after a barrage of phone calls from U.S. television and radio stations and newspapers.
Mr. Hatt and his wife, Annette, donated the majestic 14-metre white spruce that had stood in their front yard for 36 years as Nova Scotia’s annual gift to Boston to thank the people of that city for their help in the wake of the Halifax Explosion in 1917.
The tree, its hundreds of branches now decorated with thousands of light bulbs, will be lit up next Thursday in a celebration the City of Boston calls its "official holiday tree lighting." The city also promotes Nova Scotia’s 34th gift of a towering white spruce at the Boston Common as a "holiday tree" on its website.
Mr. Hatt is none too happy with that, calling the decision "a bunch of bullcrap."
One Boston TV station polled viewers Wednesday night about whether it should be called a Christmas tree or a holiday tree.
"If they decide it should be a holiday tree, I’ll tell them to send it back. . . . If it was a holiday tree, you might as well put it up at Easter."
Mrs. Hatt isn’t quite so put out.
"To us, it is a Christmas tree because we celebrate Christmas, but for those who don’t, we want them to be included, too," she said.
So the couple has agreed to disagree on this one.
"We never agree on anything anyway," Mr. Hatt quipped.
But Mathew Staver is taking this matter very much to heart. He is president and general counsel of a conservative religious lobby group called Liberty Counsel.
It runs a campaign called the Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign, which has the backing of evangelical Christian preacher Jerry Falwell.
"We want to educate people that it’s OK to say Christmas, that it’s not a four-letter word," Mr. Staver said in an interview Wednesday.
"Everybody knows a menorah’s a menorah, not a candle-stick," Mr. Staver said. "And this is a Christmas tree."
The tree left Nova Scotia on Tuesday of last week, arriving in Boston under police escort on a flatbed truck with a white sign with red lettering that read Merry Christmas Boston.
"I was concerned as soon as it crossed the city limits that sign magically changed to Happy Holidays," Mr. Staver said.
He likened what has happened to Nova Scotia’s Christmas tree to the story of the emperor with no clothes.
"He was naked, but everybody pretended he had clothes on. Well, it’s a Christmas tree; let’s call it a Christmas tree."
And that’s what Mary Hines of Boston’s parks and recreation department does call it.
"Of course it’s a Christmas tree; absolutely, it’s a Christmas tree," she said.
Boston parks commissioner Toni Pollak initially said the term "holiday" is being used because it is more inclusive for those who enjoy the lights but don’t celebrate the Christian religious holiday.
She was unavailable for comment Wednesday, but Ms. Hines said the situation has mushroomed because of a misunderstanding.
She said when Mayor Thomas Menino flips the switch with Santa Claus next Thursday, he’ll also be turning on the lights on 300 other trees on the Boston Common, and that’s why it’s being called a holiday tree lighting.
Indeed, Ms. Hines said the Christmas tree is the focus of her own celebrations at home.
"I love it. There’s nothing I like better than sitting back reading, enjoying the smell of the Christmas tree with just one light on and the tree all lit up."
Though today it is seen as a symbol of the Christian celebration of the birth of Christ, the Christmas tree’s origins lie in pagan rituals, in which evergreen boughs represented the celebration of life’s renewal.
According to The History Channel website, Vikings saw the evergreen as a special plant of the sun god, serving as a reminder spring would return. The Druids and ancient Romans also decorated with evergreens.
The British monarchy’s official website says the tradition of the Christian tree began with the Germans in the 1500s, spreading throughout Europe when German-born Queen Charlotte introduced the tradition in Britain. It was then continued by granddaughter Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, who was also born in Germany.
( bware@herald.ca)

Wednesday, November 23, 2005 

Sport Nova Scotia

Today I visited Sport Nova Scotia to volunteer as a webmaster for Triathlon Nova Scotia. It was pretty cool to see the place and to meet a few people So now for a few hours a week I get to play webmaster, updating their site and helping out in other ways that they need. It will be good experience and something good to put on a resume.

Weather report for today, warm but rainy. The season is so confusing!

Tuesday, November 22, 2005 

Halifax Tuesdays

Good day from Halifax, it is Tuesday and today that means rain and wind. It is not the end of the world because it is warm. Can you believe 10 Celcius on November 22nd!

anyways I have not had a chance to get to this blog as of late but I wanted to share some things that are coming soon.

  • reviews of places I have been
  • more links of Halifax
  • what to do in the middle of the day on a Wednesday.
  • a little bit of history about my move here.
  • Toronto vs. Halifax
  • Why is chicken so much money out here?

any many more.

please also check out my website michaelcusden.com if you are needing help looking for work in the city.

thanks

Sunday, November 20, 2005 

The Parade of Lights post game report

My girlfriend and I attended the Parade of Lights in downtown Halifax last night and it was pretty good. A large crowd was gathered and the floats were entertaining and well done. I did not know what to expect coming from Toronto where the parade is a big deal but I have to say I liked the smaller local feel. The only really corporate feeling to it was the Harry Potter float but that is what the kids love so I do not mind.

Here is what was reported on it today. (from the herald)


Bluenoses with red noses
Thousands cheer Chronicle Herald Holiday Parade of Lights
By JOHN GILLIS Staff Reporter

An estimated 75,000 red noses — either of the foam Rudolph variety or the natural, just plain cold variety — lined Halifax streets Saturday evening for the Chronicle Herald Holiday Parade of Lights.
The crowd included 11 members of the Brooks family from Millbrook, who left home at 2:30 p.m. to stake out some prime real estate next to St. Paul’s Anglican Church in the Grand Parade overlooking Barrington Street.
After the clock at city hall chimed 6 p.m. but well before any floats arrived, Qualin, Shillo, Jacob, Skye, Victor, Justice, Willow and Chelsey Brooks, ranging in age from four to 15, were energetically trying to get the thick crowds on both sides of the street to join them in some festive songs as three older family members looked on.
"You’ve got to give somebody out there some Christmas spirit," Willow explained.
The Brooks’ polished call-and-response style rendition of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and vigorous Jingle Bells were certainly rousing.
Victor had a simple explanation for their enthusiasm.
"We’re just a big happy family," he said. "We love Christmas."
The Parade of Lights has clearly become a holiday tradition for people in Halifax Regional Municipality. But there were plenty of first-timers along the route.
Carlos and Karen Gonzalez and Yongsen Chen may have had the best spot on the parade route — nursing pints in Ginger’s Tavern with a clear view of the street below.
"It’s too cold," said Ms. Gonzalez, who recently moved to the city from Ontario.
Mr. Chen came to Halifax from China and was witnessing his very first Santa Claus parade.
"Cheers," the trio toasted, and clinked glasses as the parade came into view.
Joanne and Colin MacDougall and daughters Ashlin, 6, Marcella, 4, and Laurie, 2, just moved to Dartmouth from Truro this year.
The girls were dressed for the season in matching white-trimmed red capes embroidered with snowflakes.
"My mom made them for them for Christmas last year," Ms. MacDougall said. "They wore them specially tonight."
Marcella was clearly entranced with the passing floats, her hand stuck in a perpetual wave even as she turned around to retrieve a candy cane from her mom.
The weekend’s other big star, Harry Potter, was on a float with an imposing black Hogwarts Castle.
Maggie and Hannah MacDonald, 9 and 8, were both dazzled.
"I wish there was a Hermione, though," Hannah said.
One remarkable float entered by Dalhousie University students featured a dancing snowman surrounded by swirling flurries of marshmallows inside a geodesic dome.
The Jolly Old Elf followed soon after. His appearance left a pair of youngsters who had earlier been calling out Santa’s name totally speechless.
Another savvy boy, dad in tow, raced from Barrington Street to Spring Garden Road calling, "We get to see it again," as he crossed in front of the public library.
The sale of red noses raised an estimated $10,000 for the Goodfellows Club, said Chronicle Herald promotions manager Kevin Sanford, who walked the route beside Santa’s sleigh.

http://www.halifaxherald.com

Saturday, November 19, 2005 

Halifax drivers

I would like to make a comment on one thing I do not like about this city so far. The drivers! I have lived in many large cities (Windsor, London, Toronto) and I have never seen such bad drivers as I do here. Many times when I am out walking my dog usually, I am almost hit crossing the street. The reasons are plenty, people running red lights, going through designated walk zones and the number one reason, not stopping on right turns. So many times I need to pull my dog back from getting hit because people just round a right corner without stopping like they have the right of way. It is not always the case but usually it is people on cell phones. Even the one time I rode my bike around the city I felt very untrusting of the drivers. This is from someone who rode his bike for 3 years on the streets of Toronto. People of Halifax you have a great city that I totally love but the drivers need to watch where the hell they are going.

Friday, November 18, 2005 

Parade of Lights

HOLIDAY PARADE OF LIGHTS

November 19: Every year this parade attracts crowds of about 70,000 people, a beloved rite of the holidays for families and children. It features, floats, majorettes, marching bands and much more. The parade route begins on Barrington Street at 6pm, turns up Spring Garden Road, over to University Avenue past the children’s hospital and ends at Robie Street. 423-6658

 

Sunny day in the Fax

Very sunny but cold today. I am going to go out and do some stuff since it is not raining. Hit the CBC and a few other places as I continue my quest of finding work.

Thursday, November 17, 2005 

Halifax Rainy Days

Well it is the second day in a row of windy rain here in Halifax and it does not make for great dog walking weather. I came home a short while ago with my Chocolate Lab, who now could be called Muddy Lab. It is very tricky to tell just how dirty he is since he is already brown. I find out pretty quick when he steps foot onto the white kitchen floor. Oh to be a dog owner, not everyday is sunny and nice but you still have to walk them. I wonder what would happen if I just let him out the front door and let him walk himself?

Tuesday, November 15, 2005 

Let me know where you are reading from

check out my frappr and let me know where you are reading from!


Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

 

Halifax walking

Today I went for a walk downtown. I needed to go to Kinko's and I heard that is was on Spring Garden Road. So I walkde to Quinpool and went east across the the CVC corner and then to Spring Garden. It is certainly a busy street on a weekday afternoon. I finally found the kinkos and did what I had to do. On the street I got a free copy of some new magazine launching here. I have not looked at it yet but if it is of any value I can post it soon. I walked back home stopping at Video Differance and then the Superstore. I am going to make a big dinner tonight and had to get some things.

Now I am home and the sun has gone in for the day.
That is Halifax Life........

 

5 Favourite Places in Halifax

Well I have been here for just over 6 weeks now and I feel I am ready for a top 5 list. So here goes, my 5 favourite places (so far) in Halifax.

(in no particular order)

1-Maxwell's Plum- A nice pub downtown that certainly gives beer a good name. They have over 60 on tap and many more in bottle. The wings are great and they have brewtenders for 16 bucks. You can also eat all the peanuts you want and throw the shells on the floor. Good for watching the game or a night out with your buds.

2-The Commons- I know all the locals are gasping at this but it is true. I walk my dog there quite often and cut through it to get anywhere in the city. A huge open space that gives you peace from what could be cement and buildings. I hear a lot of bad stuff goes on there but until it affects me it is going on the list.

3-The Canadian Tire on Quinpool- not much needed to say here, it is Canadian Tire!! We all know it and love it, it just makes me feel happy to walk the aisles and smell the possibility in the air.

4-Point Pleasant Park- I know I never saw it before the hurricane but I still love it. The trails, the history and the ocean. I went there a few weekends ago and took a lot of great pictures. I cannot wait to check it out when the snow hits.

5-House of Dogs- this little pet shop that deals pretty much with dogs is just down the street from me. I love the name and the people there are off the charts friendly. Anyone who gives my pup free treats is good in my books.


until next time

 

I love this City

just starting out a blog about what I think of Halifax, my new home.

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  • I'm M-Fax
  • From Halfax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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