My Mom's Art
Here are my mom’s public works. Click on an image for more information.
These images of my mom’s work belong to me and are not to be shared nor reproduced. Support local artists.
Forest Blakk at KiSS: old lives, future hopes and how art brings light to dark places
An excerpt from FOREST BLAKK's official bio:
"He was born in Montreal and his early years were spent with his mother, who had Blakk at 17 and struggled with addiction, and his stepfather, a notorious drug dealer.
Blakk can tell you hair-raising tales of his childhood, including an assassination attempt on his father on the family’s front stoop, rooms full of cash, and moving around constantly... to evade child services when Blakk’s teachers in Canada discovered the physical abuse his father had inflicted on him."
Forest has been musically inclined since childhood, using an old Don Henley tune as a reprieve from the gloomy surroundings he was born into. He ran away from home at 13, and moved in with his grandmother at 15. She bought him his first guitar and will be seeing him play it, all these years later, to an arena crowd later this summer.
In a former life, Forest gained local success in a band but he didn't seem too interested in talking about that...
“Yeah, that’s the past. The past is the past. I think like all things, that was my elementary school [outlet]. Yeah, I had to learn. I paid my dues like I think a lot of artists do... but I hadn’t really found myself... I had to go from the caterpillar to the butterfly.”
How Acupuncture Helped Me Survive Pregnancy
When the weight of this pregnancy nearly had me considering Sick Leave and leaving work over a month early, I knew I had to try something, anything to keep going up until my proper leave date.
Some backstory...
I have rheumatoid arthritis. It affects every joint in my body (major ones include ankles, hips and wrists) and has since I was about 18 months old. I'm 30 now. So. Yeah. It's been a wild ride! This is my second pregnancy. I was not working full time during the first (which is stressful in a different way).
December 2015: I gained 40lbs with my first pregnancy.
It was around seven months into this pregnancy that the weight combined with stretching of ligaments and joints in my pelvic region started causing me some outta-this-world pain! I knew it wasn't just the RA and if it continued, how could I continue to be focused at work? I could barely walk to the white-board (about 10 feet from the microphone. Oh, I'm a radio DJ, BTW). Work itself is pretty low-impact, thank GOD, but you know you're in for a rough go when doing things like walking to the washroom, moving studios/offices and getting from the parking lot to said studios/offices leaves you absolutely drained. I was heading to bed before my 2 year old!
I don't like to miss work. The idea of Sick Leave was present in my mind, but I was unwilling to accept that as reality. So... I went to the doctor. Something's gotta give, right? The doctor strongly suggested I try acupuncture.
Hmm...
I had never considered acu-treatment before but the good doctor told me about this place downtown that was great and I was willing to try anything. The place?: OC3. I was set up with Dr. Steen and, let me tell you, his positive attitude and genuine interest in his patients' well-being really helped to keep me going through those painful sessions. Yes. Acupuncture probably cured me, but holy shit. It hurt. It definitely hurt. Dr. Steen (whose official title includes the following: B.Kin, ART, DC Chiropractor) is also a chiropractor (see official title reference like, four words ago), so we would often mix treatments.
What started as two to three appointments per week turned to once a week as my situation improved. The weight was still piling on of course but towards the end of my time with Dr. Steen and the OC3 we cut my appointments back to one every two weeks.
I'm nine months pregnant now and in great shape thanks to some brilliant medical intervention. Every appointment reminder came with an invitation to rate their business and care online. I told myself I wouldn't say anything about their service(s) until I had wrapped my time there.
I can't imagine being in this positive of a head space, feeling this good physically and being able to still be a "fun mom" for my 2 year old, very active son feeling the way I had prior to visiting the OC3. What Dr. Steen has done for me in 8 sessions over the course of 2.5 months is absolutely remarkable. I would highly recommend visiting the OC3 (conveniently located off Elgin St. at Cartier and Lewis with lots of street parking available nearby).
I will be pursuing further treatment with the OC3 post-pregnancy to deal with some ongoing issues relating to my RA which, again, is a method of treatment I hadn't previously considered.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns that relate to this blog post: CONTACT ME. I will gladly answer any and all Qs relating to rheumatoid arthritis, pregnancy with RA and my experiences relating to the treatment I received at the OC3.
My last day with these awesome people! Look at me, walking and smiling and stuff! (Feb. 28, 2017 @ KiSS 1053)
Ryan Gosling's Wax Nightmare
Madame Tussauds Berlin has erected a monument of wax (as is their specialty) for the handsome and charming Ryan Gosling.
2017 is the year of Dream Dates at Madame Tussauds Berlin. Ryan Gosling's wax figure is the first of many surprises coming this year.
If you take a trip to Berlin and hit up the famous wax museum, you'll find Mr. Gosling in the "A-List" section alongside stars like George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
Serious Q: Are they planning on separating Pitt and Jolie, or...
Back to Gosling for a hot second. His new movie La La Land is up for a record tying 14 awards at this year's OSCARs including Best Actor, he and his partner Eva Mendes recently welcomed their second child (the two are parents to Esmeralda, 2, and Amada, 7 months), and he fared well at the Golden Globes. Life's pretty good for the kid from Cornwall, Ontario, so maybe this wax figure is just the universe's way of keeping him grounded?
Either way, it's creeping people out.
I spent $40 on two bars of soap - you'll want to too when you read this story.
Full story via Imgur: http://imgur.com/gallery/YSgiu
"Soapmaking to raise money for my mom" by Imgur user Banjokanin.
“A little backstory:
My mom got diagnosed with leukemia half a year ago. It’s been rough on not only the family but specially her. Numerous admissions and infections, chemotherapy and pain is taking its toll. That’s why I started making soaps. Being creative and using my hands has always been something to make me relax. I decided to create an Etsy page, because I thought I could raise a little money to give her something to take her mind off her illness. ”
This story hits close to home for me. FUCK CANCER. As children of people who're fighting this bullshit, you feel kind of helpless. What can we do? How can we make things better? Regardless of how big or small a gesture, we have to do something. This lady chooses to make soaps!
She sells them out of her Etsy shop: SoapGardenDK in Denmark and ships 'em pretty much anywhere in the world. While the actual handmade bars of soap aren't all that pricey, the shipping can be (depending on where you live, obviously).
I found this young woman's attitude admirable and wish her and her family the absolute best. If you're looking for some feel good soaps - visit her shop. I ordered sandalwood and peppermint scented versions of what's pictured below!
Tea-tree and daisy soap - CA$10 via SoapGardenDK