Churchill Square

On my way to campus this morning, I walked through Churchill Square. A man and his daughter came out of Tim Hortons*. She carried a bagel in one hand while he juggled a carton of treats (perhaps muffins!), a smaller paper bag (tea biscuits, maybe, for the more traditional crowd), and balanced two large coffees stacked between the carton and his chin. He took out his car keys and, trying to unlock the car while not spilling his coffee, accidentally beeped the car alarm. Dad, the teenager inquired, what are you doing?
Now, few things are as irksome as being asked what are you doing when it is perfectly obvious what you are doing - in this case, trying to get all hands and all product safely and unsullied aboard a vehicle. A process in which, by the way, you could use some assistance. And the first impulse is to reply, with possibly a touch of sarcasm, What does it look like I'm doing? I myself try to use a response I overheard on an episode of Gilmour Girls. When, under similar circumstances, Rory asked her mother what she was doing, Lorelai said: I'm writing a biography of Winston Churchill. What are you doing?**

(Image: buzzle.com.)

* No apostrophe required since the chain was bought by an American company.
** Reference particularly appropriate as this happened in Churchill Square.

An Education @ the Mall

Any chance you're in the vicinity of St. John's this tonight - more specifically the movie theatres at the Avalon Mall, circa 7pm? The MUN Cinema Series is showing An Education - if you can't make the screening but think you'd like to check it out later, here's the trailer. (But really, Nick Hornby wrote it - what more do you want?)

(Image: 3.blogspot.com.)

Spring Issue countdown

We're 12 days from our copy deadline - and if we're putting together the Spring Issue, that must mean Spring is somewheres around here, right? Hey, maybe we'll start seeing these little guys soon.

(Image: schools-wickipedia.org.)

Recipe for a warm evening

We've been lucky with the weather this winter (repeat to self as needed) but it is still, well, winter. But there are compensations. Like coming in from the wind (however lightly blowing) and snow (however lightly falling) to make a nice, simple supper like this.

(Image: canadianliving.com.)

It's that kind of day

(Image: www.mdavid.com.au.)

Working weekend

Everyone I talked to this morning is planning to come into the office over the weekend - and moi aussi. Here's some nice music to inspire us as we finish that project/finally get at that assignment/arrange our ducks in a row.

(Image: lyricspond.com.)

PS. This song always make me wonder if the boys ever came to Newfoundland. Anyone spot this darling indie band wandering around Signal Hill ten years or so ago?

St. John's character collection

Thanks to Geoff Meeker for bringing this blog to my attention.

(Image: st. john's character collection.)

Olympics a challenge? Try winning a Darwin.

What with following the Olympics (isn't Maelle Ricker a sweetheart? What a smile! Get that girl some endorsements!) you may have missed the recent announcement of the Darwin Awards. These are given to those whose egregious stupidity is only surpassed by their altruism in removing themselves from the gene pool. For example, if you manage to deliberately cut off your own head in a fit of macho oneupmanship, the Darwin goes to you.

(Image: infoniac.com.)

Shrove Tuesday

Forgot to eat pancakes for breakfast? Don't panic - they make fine desserts, too.

(Image: sydwalker.info.)

The Brothers Bloom

I kept hearing what a treat this movie was - here's the trailer if you have a minute - and the buzz is correct; definitely a must-see.

(Image: collider.com.)

A Valentine's...

...from me to you; safe driving in Romantic Traffic.

(Image: angel-guide.com.)

Here's looking at Bogart

No matter what your Facebook relationship status this weekend, you might enjoy a romantic movie. Not sure what to pick? I like this list because it includes films you might not think of, like Wall-E. And if you prefer bromance to romance there's always I Love You, Man.

(Image: calstatela.educ.)

Timely lyrics

Maybe it's the Valentine's Day chatter (some gift don'ts I've picked up: a can opener, hub caps, the exact replica of a piece of jewelry she already owns and wears daily) but this lovely Dashboard Confessional song is on my mind.

(Image: sheetmusicplus.com.)

Portrait of a city at night

The streets of downtown St. John's are a highlight of Republic of Doyle's cinematography, but of course they have inspired much more than such TV artistry. Par example: the latest exhibition at Red Ochre Gallery: Night Lights of St. John's, by Brenda McClellan.

(Image: West End View - Flower Hill, courtesy Red Ochre Gallery.)

Weather imitates art?

So, did everyone enjoy their snow day? Spend their time making peanut butter cookies, making notes on their philosophy essays, sipping Drambuie while mesmerized by the blizzard? (By the way, I know that not everyone reading this blog is in St. John's or even on the Northeastern Avalon - but it seems like everyone did get a snow day. I mean, if Washington got 100cm, if North Carolina got a vicious bout of thunder and lighting that brought one foot of snow in half an hour* - well, who was safe?) Maybe, like this film posits, we're in for an episode of weather psychosis.

(Image: filmbuffonline.com, The Day After Tomorrow.)

*as confirmed by an impeccable source - my mom.

Find your font

102.4, our Spring Issue, is on the design drawing board. What will be on the cover? (Got a few ideas...) How to maximize the colour pages? (Punch in the most luscious imagery we can find.) Tweak a typestyle or two? (Maybe...) Font preferences of course are quite personal, as this most excellent quiz shows.

(Image: arts-letters.com.)

Getting Lost

In the winter TV event second only to the launch of The Republic of Doyle (which is on tonight - and Gordon Pinsent guest-stars), Lost has premiered its final 16 episodes. Nope, I didn't understand hardly any of it either - but that's no odds - they had me at that first 'flash-sideways' whooosh. Here's a good spot for deciphering the series' plot, characters, and intricate mythology. (How did Desmond get on that plane? Where's Shannon? How come Sun doesn't speak English?)

(Photo of Hurley [coolest dude on television] and Libby [buzz is she returns this season] courtesy tvmedia.com.)

And then there were four

Kathryn Bigelow just became the fourth woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for directing. I haven't yet seen the movie that's causing all this buzz - The Hurt Locker - but I've been a fan since the superb Near Dark. Bigelow follows Sophia Coppola, Jane Campion and Lina Wertmuller into this small but prestigious circle. Maybe she'll found a whole new elite club of her own...

(Image: cinemaview.)

Monday, Monday

Team NQ usually hits the work week running - reports to circulate! surveys to label! a batch of articles for the Spring issue to edit! - but dragging my Managing Editor self through the freezing wind this morning was a drain and a challenge. It was truly bitter cold - as in, so cold it made me bitter. I'm still trying to gear up (I think my head is frozen.) If you feel the same, I found some tips on jump-starting the day.

(Image: how I got to work this morning - not. But this is how it felt I got to work this morning. Courtesy www.talisman-activities.)