TABLE OF CONTENTS RKYV # 2 {June 20 - July 30}
RKYV ONLINE LOGO - David Marshall { current } { original - Roy G James, orig. online adaption - Randy Pare } Virtual Cover # 2 - David Marshall Editorial Columns "Pass The Stuffing" - Randy Pare {June 22, July 18, July 27} "Pass The Stuffing" - David Marshall {June 28} Health Columns "So how are feeling today?" - Leanne Stiers {June 26} "From the Guy's Corner" - C.S. Cartier {July 3, 6} Gallery Art 6 pics of Sean's car and its art - Sean Liska Portrait of Wynton Marsalis, 2 Earthbone Canadian cartoons - Andy Richardson Portraits of Clifford Brown & Monica Bellucci - Matthew Hatt “Dark Wings”; an untitled b+w sketch of winged creature; “Sketch Bot” & “Buddha Monkey” - by Stan Nelson 2 untitled oil paintings - Fatma Adra “Mushroom Series 1", 3 untitled paintings & ” In Memory of Grandma” - Muhammad Zubair “Somebody Once Loved Me”; “A Soulful Place”; “Walk on, Walk on”; “Tossed Away”; “A Self Portrait”; “Winter Refuge”; “Turmoil”; “The Path That Must Be Travelled”; “My Favourite Dock Ever”; “Barn And Cattle Ramp” & “A Quiet Place To Rest” - Lee-Ann Marie Macdonald An untitled RKYV piece - Wiehahn Mundey Poetry "Anna's Poems" - Anna Gehmacher {July 4} "Poetry... Noir" - R. Patrick James {July 2 (2), 10} “Urban Streets” - Madeleine Synnott {July 21} “Urban Streets” - Leixy Zilpha {July 27} “Urban Streets” - Tom Radford {July 30} “Shudder” - Scott Wilson {July 28} “Night Falls” - Jordan Carmicheal {July 30} Long Fiction "Those who stood... Those who fell..." - R.J. Pare {July 10} Family Life Column "My Journal" - Amanda Fortin {June 20, 21, July 24, 27} Pop Culture Column “In My Opinion” - R.J. Pare {Aug 1}
Pass the Stuffing Letters from the Editor {June 22} Well by now most of you have already seen Dave's cool cover for issue # 2. Now why have issue covers you might ask? Well for starters my editorials are going to become infinitely long if I have to do a 'complete' Table Of Contents each and every time. Therefore I will at the end of this column list Table of contents FINAL for each of issues # 1 and the Cap Tribute issue. Then I will list the current Table of Contents in progress for issue #2. Now since I am dividing RKYV up like this... I thought it would be interesting to actually lay the material out as a complete document, which any members who are interested can have e-mailed to them in either .PDF or Word Perfect file. You guys can just send me your e-mails and I'll send it back to ya, as soon as I can anyway.. it's not like I live on facebook... though it does seem like it sometimes... lol. So far I have completed issue # 1 for sending out. And ya know what gang? It really is some pretty cool stuff we have done so far. I am still hoping for a regular artist to commit to an officer position; there are plenty of writers here looking for some illustrations to accompany their work. {July 18} The old saying goes... 'No news is good news..' hmm... I am not so certain about that. In this day and age what 'news' can we rely upon? The daily newspapers are owned by large media corporations and given strict editorial policies in regards to slant and spin. When you pick up a paper you know pretty quickly whether or not it is a conservative or liberal paper. Then there are the TV networks who are slaves to ratings... to the point where everything is sensationalised into absurdity. Where many of us have gotten so fed up with the actual news we find ourselves more well-informed watching professional satirists like Bill Maher and John Stewart... which is entertaining and yet... truly dangerous in the sense that these people are only out for laughs and not to inform and certainly not to do accurate thorough research. So we turn to the internet. However, the bloggers are not reliable in regards to fact checking. They are merely soap box preachers shouting on virtual street corners. So many of us are starting to just tune out. I can't tell you the number of people who are so fed up they no longer watch or discuss news/current events. They no longer care to vote either. They do not see the point in putting any energy into areas that they feel ae hopelessly screwed up!! That is sad, really... since the only way we can ever have the society we want to live in is to actively raise our voices to be heard. Whether it is in the work you do, the choices you make with your pocket book, or taking the time to know your candidates and vote conscientiously. 1
Timothy Leary was 2/3 right:
Tune in........... yes pay attention and know the score! Turn on.......... certainly find your path to self expression! Drop out? NO WAY! It should be: Join up.......... participate in your society to improve it for everyone! {July 27} So I have been kinda busy lately. In addition to existing on FaceBook, RKYV now a couple of blogs and a Google Group site... these are where people outside of FaceBook can discover our magazine and maybe join in the fun! The Google Group site was very handy because it allowed me to upload the complete file of each issue so they can be read and enjoyed by anyone without me having to e-mail them to each person who wants them. The Blogspot site was very easy to navigate and was quite helpful with hints on how to increase exposure for RKYV! The Bebo site... hmmm.. well it looks nice..{lol} I still haven't gotten the hang of navigating in that network. Unlike FaceBook I can't seem to search very well by typing in things like 'artists' or 'writers'... the results are like obscure google search results that don't really match what you are looking for... maybe I'm just getting old...LOL... Anyone with advice on promotion... or navigating other networks feel free to reach me and let me know. I encourage all members, whether you are a reader or a contributor, to spread the word about RKYV when you can. The more exposure this mag gets... the more constructive the reviews of our developing crafts will be and the greater variety of posters we will get. It's called a win - win situation..:) We have some new artists and poets to join this group recently. I encourage everyone to check their stuff out and let them know what you think. We have 3 days left to post for submissions to be included in RKYV # 2. After the new cover {# 3} is posted on the 31st all further submissions will be a part of that issue until August 30. Well back to the wonderful world of small press over the web.:) Before I go here is something to ponder: Does the path to a better future lie in building a better war machine?... or... In building the relationships that will make the war machine obsolete!? 2
Letter from the Associate Editor {June 28} Our esteemed editor has asked me to fill in so here's my 2 cents... Sometimes there is a fine line between reality and fantasy. In the world of professional wrestling it's usually hard to figure out what's real and what's not. In past years wrestling plots were very cartoony and you could easily tell the good guys from the bad. You knew who to cheer and who to boo. In more recent times the black and whites suddenly melted into greys and everybody was cheering and booing for everybody. It was impossible to tell who the good guys and bad guys were. Chris Benoit has cleared up some of that for me this past weekend. Many a wrestler throughout the years has shifted loyalties, broken truces, stabbed backs, and become heroes all for the storyline of wrestling. It's rare to see a wrestler out of character so you assume their "character" is who they are. It's only in tragedies, like what has recently happened, that we get to see the true nature of a professional wrestler. Chris Benoit was a bad guy.
Custom Paint Job in progress - Sean Liska
Custom Paint Job - Sean Liska
3
Health So how are we feeling today? - by Leanne Stiers HYPERTENSION When your heart has to work harder due to the condition of your arteries, it causes hypertension or high blood pressure. For example, let's say...if your arteries look like the bottom of a grease trap at your local fast food joint, your heart would have to work extra hard to pump your blood efficiently throughout your system. The harder your ticker has to work the higher the blood pressure... Hypertension is caused by many things. Lifestyle is the biggest culprit. Smoking, alcohol abuse, poor diet choices, and lack of exercise are huge contributing factors. Genetics is the next thing...if it's in the genes..the likelihood of you getting it is pretty darn good. Diabetes, as you know something close to my pancreas, is another player in the blood pressure game. Diabetes constricts the arteries, causing circulation issues, making the heart work harder. I take blood pressure meds simply as a precautionary measure. How to keep hypertension at bay...well, eat a diet rich in low fat, low cholesterol foods. Vegetables, fruits, fish and chicken), are great diet choices. Smoking causes arterial constriction...cut back, quit if you can. Keep your alcohol consumption to a reasonable level..a beer or two a day won't hurt. Walking is the best form of exercise, 30 minutes a day 3-4 times a week is a great starting point. Be careful in this heat though...stay hydrated, or go early in the morning or late at night. If you have a history of respiratory problems, stay inside!! The humidity right now is a killer! Like the other articles, I encourage everyone to see their family doctor regularly. At least once a year for a full physical and blood work. If you think there is something wrong in between visits, investigate! You know your body better than anyone, and don't be shy with your doctor. If you don't tell them the whole truth and nothing but the truth...you will find yourself wondering why you didn't take care of an illness when you had the chance. Stay Well. IN HEALTH, Leanne Stiers Helloooo....nurse, Health Columnist RKYV ONLINE
4 EarthBone Soccer - Andy Richardson
From The Guy’s Corner - by C.S. Cartier {July 3} ...not the water cooler and not the pub nor the sport’s bar. EPA & DHA Remember, I’m not a doctor and I do not recommend talking to a doctor about anything that I say. Doctors “in my opinion” are programmed much like my computer. They have guidelines handed to them created in part by the pharmaceutical companies. Natural cures do exist and should always be considered before any drugs are recommended. Doctors should work in concert with natural cures however they seldom are ready to except what a natural way of life offers. Consult a Naturopath for confirmation on anything I comment on in my column. Though I admit I am not an expert in, (well basically any field) however I can read and do research. Everything in my column has been researched to back my words. I can say something like, “Triacylglyceride lipase, or hormone-sensitive lipase, is the enzyme that hydrolyses triacylglycerides to diacylglyceride, releasing free fatty acids from fats. HSL is regulated by the hormones insulin, glucagon, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.” But instead will say, your brain is basically made up of Fatty Acid. So if someone calls you a “Fat Head” they are not being cruel but literal. I am going to oversimplify everything so you don’t need a PHD to understand. The best source of Essential Fatty Acid, which comes from many sources, is Fish Oil. First, oil from fish contains eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); both are omega-3 fatty acids. I am not going to bore you with technical information. I simply want you to understand life is full of better choices then what the commercial society and the governmental departments want you to be informed with. What you need to know is that EPA and DHA are good for you. It is now being supplemented (by the government) in many products. Baby formula now has it, as do dozens and dozens of products. Why were we not informed before now about its importance, well, that is a different column? EPA and DHA are found in mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, sablefish (black cod), anchovies, albacore tuna, and wild game. I would not recommend eating lots of fish however because of the high levels of lead and mercury. Thankfully we live in a capitalist society and you can buy the supplement Omega-3, which is basically both DHA and EPA. These oils have been purified and do come in qualities. Remember you get what you pay for. Do your own research before you buy. In addition, DHA is available in a supplement that does not contain significant amounts of EPA.
5 Live Earth Concert Booty - Andy Richardson
DHA is what you can call brain food. A pregnant woman that takes higher levels of DHA will have a smarter baby. Giving DHA to children before the age of five will increase their test scores and memory. (Note, I did not say they would be genius and no amount of DHA will stop laziness.) You do not have to be a child to benefit from this. All individuals of all ages need the Essential fatty acids. I can list all the health benefits, but that would bore you. The top five however you should be able to muddle through. Crohn’s disease, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, arteriosclerosis, bipolar disorder (DHA), breast-feeding support, cardiac arrhythmia (consult doctor), cystic fibrosis (EPA), depression (DHA), eczema, heart attack, high cholesterol, immune function, intermittent claudication (in combination with vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin E, oleic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid), kidney disease, lupus, macular degeneration (in combination with acetyl-L-carntine and coenzyme Q10), multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, phenylketonuria, pre- and post-surgery health, pregnancy and postpartum support, premenstrual syndrome, psoriasis, raynaud’s disease, schizophrenia, sickle cell anemia, and ulcerative colitis. Sorry, that was like six or seven. I will not give you the full list, trust me there is a lot more. Omega-3 is a natural anti-inflammatory which is why it is so helpful in many disorders. At least four studies have reported a reduced blood level of omega-3 fatty acids in people with depression. People with rheumatoid arthritis have been found to have decreased levels of omega3 fatty acids, such as are found in fish oil, in their joint fluid and blood. How much is usually taken? Well as Debra Ray says, “send more money for more studies”. Sadly, there is not too much money put aside for such research. Presumably, healthy people who frequently eat fatty fish (several times per week) have no need to supplement with fish oil. But remember, you run the risk of toxification. Source information, and recommend web site http://www.supplementinfo.org/ Top 5 Quotes of the day, which is basically is what lingers in my head. Women, what you need to know. 1. Just like we can put the seat up, you have the ability of putting it down. If I hear one more time, put the seat back down; I say to you leave the seat up when you are done. 2. Your hair IS going gray and you DO have wrinkles. It is because you ARE getting older. You cannot hide it with make up or die. Just ask a younger man how old you are if you want the truth. Embrace the experience that you earned. 3. Dairy has a shelf life, as does arguments. Stop bring up old material. If you forgave it, forget it. If you did not forgive it, get over it because I can’t change the past. 4. If you want to just complain, talk to a girlfriend. That is what they are for. 5. Yes, the nineteen year old is hot, that is why I am looking at her. 5b. No, I am not cheating on you. If I am already being damned for it, I might as well do it. 5c. Yes, her breast are firmer then yours. She is nineteen. Yours were just as firm at nineteen. 5d. Yes that is what we call Eye Candy. 5e. No, I told you already, it is not cheating and my thoughts on the subject are my own, 5f. No my thoughts don’t count as cheating. 6
{July 6} ...not the street corner and not a room’s corner nor the place where underwear lint grows (oh wait, that is a crack) Top Three Supplements 1. Vitamin and Mineral Supplements for Healthy People – Multivitamin Supplements Just a friendly reminder, I am not a doctor nor do I play one on Television. I’m not much but a Grifter. I do not claim anything but the ability to pay attention to others and sort through the contradictory information that is assaulting our very own health. Facts verses fiction, I live in the world of fiction so I recognize it when I see it. Fact, our ancestors lived a healthier life then we do now. They worked hard every day, and ate good healthy food. So why did they have a shorter lifespan? The answer is their lack of knowledge of the simple bacteria and the use of antibiotics. I could go on a tangent about man-made illnesses, but I leave that to others. Through industrialization and the processing of food, taste for profit was used to replace quality healthy food. And thus, vitamins and minerals were removed or cooked away. Plus, due to environmental challenges and way of life, levels of bodily need have changed and we can simply not eat enough of today’s vitamin lacking food to be as ultimately healthy as we wish to be. Supplements may help prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies when the diet does not provide all necessary nutrients. They can also supply amounts of nutrients larger than the diet can provide. Larger amounts of some nutrients may help to protect against future disease. The common diet that the average person consumes leaves most people lacking in vital nutrients. (Calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc.) Lower levels of the B’s lead to high levels of stress. So why take a multi-vitamin? Well, it is hard and expensive to take them all. But remember, some is better then none. A multi will have Vitamin A, supporting the immune system. Bvitamin, which has been depleted from white flour, is important to prevent heart disease. Folic Acid to prevent birth defects and prevents diseases. Calcium supports bone strength, and Evitamin helps to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Vitamin K deficiency has been associated with osteoporosis. I could go on and on, but just remember you are what you eat and today that is mostly junk. 2. The Vitamin called Exercise . Weight bearing exercise has now been shown to not only strengthen your muscles but has many, many other effects also. It only takes 30 minutes and for only three days a week you can benefit from this great vitamin. Anti-aging of muscles and joints are clear results of Exercise. Cardio is great for circulation and weight control but only Weight Lifting is found to have these benefits. First, women, you don’t have the testosterone to get big like a guy so don’t ever think you will. Memory improvement has just been shown as one side effect. Another would be control of blood pressure, and reduction of stress. Improved digestion that means better utilization of nutrition in food and supplements. You can boost good Cholesterol and Exercise may slow Parkinson’s disease. Most recently sufferers of diabetes type two can find greater control of blood sugar. 7
3. The Vitamin called Sleep Stop giving excuses Randy. Get more sleep. Don’t do it for me, do it for your kids. They want a Father at their wedding. I can give you hundreds of reports and documentation. I will say, Leanne, Randy needs proof as to why he should get more then four hours of sleep. I tried to tell him he needs 7-8 hours to be healthy. He says he’s too busy to sleep. I poke Randy in the Ribs
Custom Paint Job in progress - Sean Liska Custom Paint Job - Sean Liska
Custom Paint Job - Sean Liska
8 Custom Paint job - Sean Liska
Gallery Art
Sketch Monkeys - Stan Nelson Sketch Monkeys 2 - Stan Nelson
Sketch Bot - Stan Nelson Buddha Monkey - Stan Nelson
Untitled - Fatma Adra
Mushroom Series 1 - Muhammad Zubair
10 A Self Portrait - Lee-Ann Macdonald
Barn And Cattle Ramp - Lee-Ann Marie Macdonald
A Quiet Place To Rest - Lee-Ann Marie Macdonald
The Path That Must Be Travelled - Lee-Ann Marie Macdonald
In Memory of Grandma - Muhammad Zubair
Untitled - Muhammad Zubair
Walk On, Walk On - Lee-Ann Marie Macdonald Somebody Once Loved - Lee-Ann Marie Macdonald
Turmoil - Lee-Ann Marie Macdonald
Winter Refuge Lee-Ann Marie Macdonald
Poetry Anna’s Poems - by Anna Gehmacher {July 4} Look at me now Tim, what do you see? Am I still the girl you once loved, or have I turned into something you didn't want me to be? What if you saw me now, would you fall for me again? Would you still want to kiss me, would you still miss me? Why don't you look at me, Tim, when I look at you? Is there anything I can do, tell me now, look at me now, and I promise I'll do it for you I look at you, I see the man I once loved, the man I cried for, the one man I could trust. I see your face, and all those memories come flooding back, the good times, the bad ones, the hope, and the pain.
Look at me, Tim, and tell me what went wrong. Look at me, and tell me what to do Tell me how to forget you, show me how to hate you. I look at you whenever I can, I don't know if you know, but that is the truth I looked at you once, and I know you saw me too, and what did you do? You looked the other way and turned around, you walked away. Why, Tim, don't you look at me? Why, Tim, did it have to end the way it did? And why, Tim, Oh why, can't you just look me in the eyes and say, "Hey, it's okay" ?
I liked looking at you, and you knew it. I liked being with you, talking to you, believing in you. Did you really love me too? I never should have trusted you, been faithful to you, fallen for a guy like you. I look at you, Tim, and remember all we did. My eyes follow you as you move through the crowd and nearly get lost, I never lose track of you, I never forget you, 13
Monica Bellucci - Matthew Hatt
Poetry... Noir - R. Patrick James {July 2} BON SOIR, NOIR (2005 09 07) The plaintive cry of the clarinet wails in the cool gray dusk; the fog horn of a passing freighter moans in the distant dank mist; neon lights from tempting bars echo off canyons of concrete; stiletto heels tap out staccato as alluring painted dolls scurry on wet cobble stones and steel rails for abandoned street cars to nowhere; ill-fated mugs with fedora brims pulled down to London Fog collars; bloodshot darting eyes peering out lit only by the ember ashes of a nearly consumed cigarette; full of doubtful hope to make it through the night to the next day.
Clifford Brown - Matthew Hatt
{July 2} NOIR To see oneself as a reflection in a dark mirror, Threatened by light that fails to penetrate encircling darkness, A kaleidoscope of street lights, hotel and theatre signs, brightly-lit storefronts, The tawdry glitter of neon signs hawking beer brands, Automobile headlamps slicing through the darkness as a dull scythe, Reflecting off steaming rain-soaked streets, Sombre whistling and clicking heels echoing off stone-cold buildings, Shadows dancing down corridors known as mean streets. This is the stuff of noir. Haunted visions of helpless, fatalistically doomed men, Controlled by conniving, ‘spider women’, No control over their own paltry lives, For whom love is replaced by blind passion and sexual obsession ~ Predators, ensnaring isolated, weak-willed men, Helpless to the impending doom, with stoic resignation Accepting with perverse relief at being finally released from her clutches Sucked into a maelstrom of fraud and murder. This is the stuff of noir. 14
Harboring ominous feelings of being plunged into a dark labyrinth, Cynically pessimistic and murky in tone, Erupting into violence, Deceit and duplicity running their crooked courses; These are the black and white and grey paintings Of writers as Raymond Chandler, James M. Cain and Dashiell Hammett, Hard-boiled novels came to be known as romans noir Translated with ease to the silver screen as film noir. This is the stuff of noir. Dramatic camera angles and stark, angular sets, Visual images of rain-lashed streets, Fog-bound runways, sharply contrasted lighting, Empty, echoing public buildings, Urban jungles where the sun seldom shines, ‘Dark with something more than night’ Directed by artistic interpreters as Robert Siodmak, Edward Dmytryk, Fritz Lang, and Alfred Hitchcock. This is the stuff of noir.
Wynton Marsalis - Andy Richardson
{July 10} THE URGE Gathering, a natural urge, akin to survival; collecting, though, a human need, a human preoccupation, not to hoard, not to amass, not to accumulate, but to preserve the past - a nostalgic endeavour satisfying but never satiated
15
Untitled - Fatma Adra
Urban Streets - by Madeleine Synnott {July 21} Quiet are the streets of city heaven Not rushing but a constant flow look to the settler's glories but find sadness in their homes terrace by terrace the walls and balconies caving in slopy streets holey roofs made of tin beyond skies filled with scrapers nine to fivers and the concrete world there is a place were you feel like there is a thousand tomorrows one catch your seen as undeserving to the world Look past the pretty city sparkling harbours and gardens of green open your eyes to the poverty stricken inner city urban scene pubs on every corner but there historical so that makes it okay tell that to the children of the parents who drink their lives away
Urban Streets - by Leixy Zilpha {July 27} Urban streets, are the beats, of the cash flow. Never hitting, always runnin, the streets below. Crimes arising, cities griming and they always know, poor is declining, rich is rising, that’s the way it goes. Urban culture, cluttered together in this society, .
Untitled - Muhammad Zubair
hidden tension, under pressure, until it cracks for the world to see. The young are dying, Mothers crying for there forgotten Sons. Where's the answer for the problem. let's realize that we're the ones. There is a hope and a future that we cant deny, feed our children, educate them. That’s where the future lies
Urban Streets - by Tom Radford {July 30} That’s What Matters
There’s a shining copper penny On a bubblegum stained pavement In the world it’s one of many But the others have been spent Un touched through the evening And on into the night Under the gaze of the moon It’s rich and bright That’s what matters
There’s a man in Kilburn Who drives a New York taxicab I suppose that’s the fulfilment Of a dream that he once had Beaming like a lemon In this bitumen regatta And everyone knows it’s him That’s what matters
So I’ve dressed myself in grey And I blend into the city Lensing at calamity And all awash with pity If I could only see myself Burst out from the crowd And of my tangled ponderings Be proud Maybe I would matter.
There is a white pigeon In Russell Square Gardens Like the one un melted snowflake When the winter sun’s upon them Blemish less and pointless He graces through the rubbish But he’s the only pigeon we’ll miss That’s what matters
Untitled - Muhammad Zubair Tossed Away - Lee-Ann Marie Macdonald
17
Shudder - by Scott Wilson I call out to The father I don’t have
All that fatigue? It’s not forgotten
Dad? The fact is the judge passed The reality
To pluck me when he wants? An icy glare. Come on? Fifty-fifty chance he’s mad
Nothing can be done now Family? A thing of the past The Trundle of his car
Oh….. The stamina waits My future will be foretold
He’s Outside
He’s desperate
Anxious for me Leering At my mother.
I’ll pity him
I shudder.
In a few minutes I’ll Be telling him:
As if he wants me.
I’m Not
Two months of Psychology Wise up!
His Son.
Night Falls - by Jordan Carmicheal But Smile, For without dreams when would I hold you next? For in our dreams the world is ours, And it lifts us to heights where none but lovers tread.
Night falls to break our bonds of earth, To rid me of my thoughts of you, But Smile, For without night, when would we sleep? And when would I dream of you, For in our dreams we are together, Though the world stands between us still.
But Smile, For though I leave you now, I will meet you in my dreams, Till morning comes, To take you from my arms
18
Long Fiction Those Who Stood... Those Who Fell - by R.J. Pare {July 10} ...the last stand... “Whawump!” The strange sound came from behind the thickly built man in grey coveralls. ‘What an odd duck the new boss is..’ he thinks to himself as he turns. This new boss making him and the boys all dress up in matching digs... looking like they was all part of some cleaning crew. This boss calling himself Vaudeville, dressing up weird and all the odd things that seem to happen around him. Some of the fellas are superstitious, they say the boss can do things... like some sort of magician, only real and no tricks. He laughs to himself that it doesn’t really matter. ‘Money is money’ he thinks and it don’t make no difference to him whose skull he’s gotta break as long as he is kept in enough dough for booze and broads. He turns to look, directly behind himself, where the sound came from. He sees a beautiful red-headed fireball with her fists all balled up. “Hey, I know yuz,” he mutters “You that dame that’s wid dem... Hmm lessee... missy ya gots to be comin’ wid me now... ” He smiles lecherously at what he believes to be a pretty little captive. The Scarlet Phantom glares at the neanderthal. “Come on, ya big dumb ox! What you gonna do... stand there scaring me with your putrid stench? Try bathing once in awhile!” She taunts while showing him her slender silver-plated steel billy-club. “Now ain’t that a purty lil stick. What you planning on doing with that girl? Gonna try and hit ol’ Maxy? Naw ya don’t wanna be gettin’ me angry lil miss. I’m apt to ferget myself and mess up such a pretty, pretty face.” He snarls angry at her temerity in wielding a weapon towards him. “Fine! I am gonna have to teach ya yer place...ya lil tramp!!” He explodes and charges toward Viv. “Whawump!!”... again. Just before he could close his paws around her she vanishes. “Whawump!!”... behind him again. And this time he has a bad feeling. Ol’ Maxy is thinking that maybe... just maybe these guys are different. Maybe just as different as the boss. But, ol’ Maxy doesn’t have time to think of anything else. “Crack!” the Scarlet Phantom’s club collides with the back of the goon’s head before he can turn again and so he drops in a large heap, unconscious, at Viv’s feet. “Well,” a satisfied Viv muses, “they wanted a new kind of soldier for a new kind of fight... Let’s see if all that training was worth it!” The Scarlet Phantom scans the battle field for another promising target. “Whawump!!....”
19
Family Life My Journal - by Amanda Fortin {June 20} What has happened to our animals, is it just me or are they mutating. When I had first moved to the great white north, I noticed the moths were larger than normal, flying around, out sizing the average brown bat. I spotted a couple of large black crows perched upon the fence of a neighbouring back yard, staring silently down at a timid, full size cat, cowering below them. The irony in it made me chuckle, after all the roles are usually reversed. Tonight I slipped off to go get a coffee from Tim Horton's, Mmmmmm XL 3x3. I could hear crows howling in the distance, I searched the area and found the big black beasts even larger then the first ones that fascinated me. They were perched on the roof of the Holiday Inn, leaning slightly down and forward. Simular to a giant stone gargoyle frozen in time on the peaks of castles on horror movies. Kind of creepy don't you think? The birds are going to be larger than us before you know it. {June 21} I find it rather comical that there are businesses that can be so easily used to screw peoples lives up. My husband received a call from Primus Canada (Long distance provider), enquiring about saving money on his long distance. He thought it was a great idea so he agreed to it and signed up over the phone, just like that. He took on responsibility for the account and then our long distance was switched. My first Primus bill was for a very large amount. I was shocked. It wasn't long after then that I receive a call from Primus demanding money. I informed them that the phone bill is in my name, not my husbands and he should not have been allowed to have made those changes without it getting my ok first. I told them I wasn't responsible and that it was to be removed. Next thing I know, I find out while attempting to contact my parents that I no longer was able to make long distance phone calls. Between Bell Canada and Primus Canada, a paying customer lost her regular long distance plan through one company and was transferred to a company I was not informed was now running off my long distance. Upon cancelling it, I find out that I am left with no long distance. I argued with them over the phone about losing my long distance. I told them they had no right to make changes to my phone company. I then asked them if I could call them up and switch my neighbours long distance and take responsibility and have my bills mailed to their home, without confronting them first. They said YES! Can you believe this? You can changed anyone's long distance and totally mess with people. People will be getting calls and they have no clue what is going on. ha ha ha It wasn't funny! I'm not laughing. Where are our rights for privacy and protection? 20
{July 24} Hi, have you missed me? I'm sorry that I haven't written in so long, it's just that nothing too exciting has happened to me to write about. Doing the same old, same old. I wake in the morning, send the hubby off to work, clean the house from the time he leaves till the time he returns. It takes me so long because the kids I swear love the clean rooms, they can see the floor. They will track every toy they have, which is a lot, into that clean area while I am busy cleaning another room then I return only to find that the floor is hidden beneath a pile of clothes, toys, crayons and more. I see the down turned lips and realize they are bored already. After all, they can't even see the floor, it's no longer a clean area. It's no fun playing in a spot that is not mess free. I'm going to start putting up crime scene tape in door ways to rooms that have been cleaned and start outlining the bodies of toys with chalk soon. The head lines will read, 'Barbie found decapitated. Ken's no where to be found. He may be armed and dangerous with a G.I. Joe or two. Be cautious, do not approach if you suspect you have found him.' Dinky cars. There are wheels in every room, in the toilet, stuck in drains and somehow never stay in the trash. I think kids have this ability to move objects with their minds. I'm positive I put a broken toy in the trash and dropped it down the garbage shoot yet 2 minutes later I found it back in the pile of toys. How do they do it? We're currently on holiday's. Camping for 4 days in Bass Lake. Not in a trailer, not in a cabin....in a tent. The first night was a bit crazy till the kids finally settled down and went to sleep, mean while my husband and I sat on our picnic bench watching people walk by and soon found out that you can not see us sitting on the bench from the road so we've made a game out of it. We'll sit there and watch people and wait for the right moment to scare the crap out of them. It's hilarious. I was munching on some hickory sticks and a woman walked by for the 5th time, she had a cup in her hand, and came from a party site....I knew right then and there that with the frequent toilet visits, she was drinking and so I decided to screw with her a bit. I waited till she was as close as possible and then reached into the bag to grab a handful of hickory sticks, crinkling the bag as loud as possible. When she looked our way, I stopped. Then when she looked back, I started up again. My husband thought it was funny to bee and the fact that I was enjoying the torment of scaring this girl. ha ha ha She quickened her pace and next visit to the toilet she brought a friend and a flash light. After getting a strong wiff of skunk on our first night at camp, we agreed it was bed time. We crawled into the tent, zipped it up and attempted to find a comfortable spot to sleep...besides the tree root under my butt, it was rather comfortable, until my darling husband decided to use me as a body pillow. I woke up the next morning to find that a family of skunks or just one big fat greedy one had carried it's dinner to our campsite for a dinner party. Chicken bones were found on our picnic table. I thought it was funny that it sat at the table to eat. Until I stepped on one coming out of the tent. Good lord I thought, it actually used the doorway of our tent to have a midnight snack. I'm very thankful that no one needed to use the toilet in the middle of the night. Well, I guess it's time to go back to enjoying the camp site. I hope to be adding photo's of our holiday's soon enough. Take care.
21
{July 27} The sun beat down on us, heating our blood flowing through our veins, forcing us to take a nice long walk through a trail at Bass Lake Provincial Park. We observed the birds and the bees, not in the sense you're thinking, and even got to read up on the Rowe Homestead that was once on the lands of such a beautiful place to bring your family. There was an old grain mill, and the food storage building that was once occupied by 4 brothers many years ago. We learned that over 10,000 years ago, that land was once covered in glaciers. Trees towered overhead, shading us from the hot summer sun and housing chipmunks, squirrels and many species of birds. My husband and I sat at our picnic table playing cards, doing crossword puzzles and reading a book while the kids played in the grass, watched in amazement as the fire kept going out due to damp camp fire wood and watched as a repeat visitor, a beautiful monarch butterfly fluttered around the site everyday since we'd arrived. Our first night was a bit hectic with the kids trying to get used to the quiet that surrounded them and then once asleep, the night was ours. We sat at the picnic table talking and laughing, being brought closer together as a couple. People passed by heading towards the washrooms, the lights making them easily visible to us and putting us in their blind spots. We had no clue they couldn't see us till I was munching on some hickory sticks, and scared the crap out of them with the rustle of the bag and getting a flash light in the face. Curious, I got up and wandered onto the path and looked back at my husband sitting there watching me. I couldn't see him. With a devilish giggle I returned to the bench and we sat silently waiting for our next victim. Night after night, we hid in the shadows of the night and watched people walk by, listened to people talk about mundane things and then made them jump with our laughter. It was a great memory added to our lives. Something to look back on and laugh and say, yeah, we were there, we did that and we had lots of fun.
22 A Soulful Place - Lee-Ann Marie Macdonald
My Favourite Dock Ever - Lee-Ann Marie Macdonald
Pop Culture In My Opinion - by R.J. Pare {Aug 1} So I shelled out a few bucks and took the family to see the NEW Harry Potter movie. I was not expecting much. Now before I go on let me state that, while I enjoy reading very much... I have not read the Potter books and don’t plan on reading them any time soon. I like my fiction a tad more mature. All that being said, I really enjoyed the first two movies with my family. There was a wonderful sense of innocence to them and they established some pretty interesting characters. The also established a pattern, that in my opinion {as the title states}, lays out how a Harry Potter film is constructed. 1. Harry life in the mundane world is amusingly horrid. 2. Harry’s friendships with Ron and Hermione are integral to him coping with adversity. 3. Hagrid provides insights and clues for the children, where Dumbledore needs deniability. 4. Dumbledore plays a grand fatherly role to the children while running the school and answering to parents and the Council. As the later movies became darker... they also abandoned these four points. New directors almost eliminated Harry’s friends and Hagrid from the scripts. Worse yet, Dumbledore in the fourth movie is portrayed as a violent and crazed lunatic??? Well all that has been set to right. This new film re-establishes Harry’s relationships and allows the children to mature without losing their core qualities. Fans of the books may have loved 3 and 4... However as a fan of the films 1, 2 & 5 seem to be a part of the same story, one the whole family can and will enjoy.
23.......................................fin. RKYV piece - Wiehahn Mundey