Finally.

The Billion Dollar Couch Report

This will conclude the posts for this whole ordeal.

Townie Bastard called me cocky so, the Godfather has spoken!

Enjoy the link . . .

http://www.aptn.ca/pages/news/video/?/services/player/&bcpid=90674670001&bclid=76787578001&bctid=679183006001

IKEA FIASCO on A.P.T.N.

I got confirmation this afternoon that the piece about the IKEA couch is running tonight on the 7 O'clock news!

I haven't seen any edits or what the piece looks like but, I've been told it's humour based.

Let me know what you think if/when you see it!

IKEA REPLIES!

So . . . I've been rattling a few cages and barking up some trees. It just so happens that Iqaluit is getting a kick out of this "billion dollar couch"!

At Wings (Wednesday wing night at the Frob), the group in front of us in line were asking each other if "they'd seen this billion dollar couch thing". At the office, a customer asked me if I'D HEARD of it. Then, the traffic on the blog exploded and now A.P.T.N. contacted me to do a story on it. What started off as a joke, has now become somewhat of a conversation piece. Who knew?

Steph did.

This whole thing started off with her saying "Hey Jord, look at this..."

On the weekend I e-mailed IKEA and below is their response. Much to my surprise they just flat out admit it's a mistake.



"Hello Jordan,

Thank you for your response. Please note that the price noted on our website is a mistake. To receive a shipping quote on your items, please contact our Home Shopping department directly at 1-866-866-IKEA (4532).

In the mean time, your comments will be forwarded to the appropriate department to have this rectified.

If you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for choosing IKEA for your home furnishing needs.

Best Regards,
IKEA Canada Customer Service"

You don't say . . .

The piece for APTN is tentatively scheduled for tomorrow night at 7pm if you feel like tuning in. It was filmed in our mansion during my lunch break today and features a guest appearance by a certain famous cat! You can guess which one . . .

To wrap up, if you want to get your "billion dollar" fun in while you can, I'd hurry up. IKEA are Swedish, and they don't mess around. This all comes at a great time seeing as how I'm reading "The Girl Who..." trilogy!

Let it Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Where did this ambition to blog come from?

I may woken mother nature up with my "Snow?" post, which was posted the day before all this snow fell but, I don't care, this is amazing.

It's mild, slightly windy, and a perfect resemblace to a snow globe. What else could you ever ask for from your first snow fall of the year? It's truly magnificient. If there were a few more trees and steeper hills NOT made out of bedrock then, I'd take the week off work just to toboggan. God, I love winter.

This makes all of last weeks headaches go away (see previous posts). Tomorrow I'm going to start putting gifts underneath the tree and searching for Egg Nog. Also, since we have a family up here now, I'm in the midst of planning a glorious holiday event. . . think Griswold's family Christmas . . . but Nothern!

I hope everyone is enjoying the weather and surviving the sheet of ice that covers Iqaluit at the moment. Drive Safe!

Christmas before Remembrance Day?

If I put up my Christmas decorations and tree up before Remembrance Day, does that make me un-patriotic?

Today I was poked, had a finger pointed in my face, and was told "you ought ta be ashamed" because I decorated for Christmas today.

By what standard does it so clearly state that I must wait until November 12th to begin enjoying the holiday season? Is this a "no white shoes after Labour Day" thing or did I miss something? Maybe I'm being naive, I don't know.

Look . .. there I go sounding un-patriotic. The truth is, I'm just as supportive of Remembrance Day as the next person. I had family who fought overseas and were a part of the sacrifice Canadians had to make for the safety of our country and I appropriately honour them by keeping them close to my heart on Remembrance Day. I also stand proudly beside others who may have similar circumstances and take comfort in keeping company with those who understand. That is how I've chosen to celebrate/commemorate that day and I can do so with or without a Christmas tree but I've chosen to do so with.

I'll tell you what I don't do. I don't take the paid holiday, sit around getting as drunk as I can at the Legion, lose my poppy getting cut off and thrown out at 2pm, pretend to be patriotic for an afternoon then forget about Canadian heritage for the other 364 days of the year. Give me a break.

It's prejudice to think that because I'm hanging a stocking in November, I'm not patriotic. Because who I am and the way I remember and honour those before me isn't up for debate, it's a choice I make. No one can tell me how I'm supposed to honour the dead and they most certainly can't tell me when my holiday spirit kicks in. Individuality is based on the idea that we're allowed to make personal, moral, and ethical choices without prejudice. If it's respect that's the issue here, then maybe we should respect what the soldiers were fighting for at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The bravely foung and died so we could find peace, understanding and . . . wait for it . . . tolerance.

If this blog were about the double standards that go on up here, it'd be a never ending catalogue of examples that would inevitably end with comment wars that undermine the value of the content and the place on which we're discussing... like YouTube. But this isn't about race or equality, this is about being human, being an individual, and being a proud Canadian; sorry, but I won't stand for this. Most of all, I love Iqaluit and this whole ordeal takes away from that.

I was raised Anglican Catholic, born in Canada, and as soon as I see snow I think of Christmas. It's no disrespect to anyone or any part of Remembrance Day, and if anyone has a problem with the tree in my window . . . look away, turn away, or keep it to yourself. Because as I wrapped up the rude intrusion on my personal space, I apologised for offending this middle aged man. I offered to shake his hand as I apologised for my unintentional actions. He pulled his hand immediately away and left with a bold statement: "...you white people think you know everything ..."

This town does it to itself sometimes . . .

Sorry everyone. Please have a Happy Remembrance Day in any manner you wish. Because at the end of the day, we're all Canadian.

Je Me Souviens.

My First Bonspiel

Curling is my new obsession.

Steph and I curled all last year and really enjoyed ourselves. We met new friends, developed better relationships with co-workers and really had a great time trying out something new. When mass registration came around this year, I knew I was only signing up for one thing and one thing only: Curling.

A Bonspiel is an open Curling tournament. Iqaluit has a loyal and dedicated group of people who run the Curling Club. They work year round to develop the game and earn the attention Iqaluit curlers deserve. Their passion is evident and gets well demonstrated with every step the club makes. The Tournaments are well organized, the league is perfectly set up, the help they offer and provide is outstanding and no matter where you see them, they are always sporting their club jackets. It's honourable.

We missed last years bonspiel because of work last year, which I regret more now after being to one. This year, with our team full of our Iqaluit family members (Ty, Lacie, Karen and I) we enjoyed the camaraderie, the game play, and the events of this years first bonspiel. Sure, we may have been brutally beaten in each of our 3 outings but, it was such a good time.

Ty, who is from Texas, not only is skipping the matches now, he won the door prize of 75kg of freight from First Air. Which is more like finding GOLD here in the north. Team Grenke will return stronger and better next year, you can count on that.

Last year I wrote that getting involved with local activities is crucial. I have to reiterate that. I've noticed that the acquaintances I made last year are turning into friendships this year. I have a front row seat to watch Ty, Lacie, Brian and Karen make their new acquaintances which I now know will turn into great things socially. You can't survive up here living like a hermit. Between the isolation and the often brutal weather, it's hard to find outlets for energy or social needs. Getting involved in new things like curling, darts, badminton, euchre, anything, it opens up the opportunity to make your time up here last and makes it even more worthwhile.

Here are some pics from the BONSPIEL:

The Ultimate Shipping Rate.

Who in Iqaluit has mouthed the words "that would cost like a MILLION dollars to ship here"?

Well . . . if you'd like something from IKEA shipped to you in Iqaluit they will actually charge you a BILLION dollars. I'm dead serious. I was in the neighbourhood for buying a leather sofa...I couldn't believe my screen . . .











It seems though, that their delivery would be somewhat timely . . . "billion dollars" timely though? I mean, for the love of god, the GST is 50 Million alone!

Try it for yourself. Especially enjoy the hilarity you experience when you go to order just a desk lamp, or just a power bar!

Amazing.

Snow?

This time last year we couldn't believe how cold it was and we marvelled at how much snow Iqaluit had in October. This year, there isn't even a hint that there even is a winter this year.

I took a dive through some old pictures and payed close attention to when they were taken/posted and there were tonnes of snowy-white pictures. To be honest, and I know this sounds crazy but, I miss the snow. Hell, I even miss the COLD. This city looks incredible under a blanket of ghost and it seems to almost feel warmer. . . yes, warmer.

I think the biggest let down is that our friend from Texas (Ty) has never experienced winter in Canada, let alone an Iqaluit winter. So, I'm anxious to see his reaction and what he thinks if the snow should ever arrive. We've been teased a few times but without any lasting snow. A friend of mine who has lived here his whole life made a comment to me over the weekend, he said "I think this is the first Hallowe'en in Iqaluit without snow."

If you don't buy into the whole "global warming" idea, I'm living through the proof.

Machete don't text

nope.

. . and so it begins. . .

It went from clear skies to a small blizzard in 45 minutes . . .

We didn't really celebrate a "One Year Anniversary" in Iqaluit. I didn't blog about it and it sort of slipped by us. Time seems to fly up here and there's no shortage of people who will confirm that. This month we officially joined the very popular club of "I was only gonna stay a year but here I am (insert lengthy time here) later!" Iqaluit grows on ya'!

What really drove the "anniversary stake" through me today was the weather. It's coming up to our second winter here and I think by Iqaluit standards that qualifies us as people who can say they've been here "a year". I'm proud of us.

I can remember thinking how we may not last up here during the first few months,and I especially remember how hard the homesickness hit during the holidays. I've always said that it takes a certain kind of tolerance and personality to really last up here and I still stand by it. But now, when you've met the challenges head on and you're still happy, excited, and strong, I think that's when you know you can last up here. It's an overwhelming experience, it really is but, you'll always be better for having taken the journey.

A year later, we'd still do it all over again.

DUMP FIRE

I love the smell of methane gas in the morning.

I decided to remember this because it's the strangest fire experience we've had to date.

Last week, some genius teenager decided it'd be a great idea to start a gas fire at the dump. Lucky for us it was the night all the wind decided to pick up. At first, you could smell that old warming scent of fire wood but now, it feels like you're inhaling the fumes off an over-heated engine. Oddly enough, from what I understand, we are inhaling parts, liquids, and burning fluids from old tires, engines, waste, and oils from cars.

Personally, I find this both ironic and coincidental since all last week on the local morning A.M. radio show they had pushed this story/report from some environmentalist who had just been to a dump out in Baker Lake. His very dramatic radio clip was funny to hear over and over all week, and then again translated to Inuktitut but, now it all makes sense.

After two days of burning wood, we are left with a god awful scent of burning plastic, methane gas, and just plain pollution. Maybe this guy was right. Maybe the dump situation up here is out of hand and this is some crazy way of realizing it. Who knows?

Either way, the whole situation . . . .wait for it . . . "Stinks!".

Yes, I did.

Happy Birthday Steph.

Happy 26th Birthday Stephanie!

What a great reason to finally make a post!

I love you . . . dinner's on me!

Ty & Lacie Galloway

I'd like you all to welcome our dear friends Ty and Lacie Galloway to Iqaluit.

Stephanie's best friend and her husband made the move and started their own northern adventure.


Ty

No. Ty is not my brother and we are in no way related. I'm not saying that wouldn't be the raddest situation on the planet, it just isn't the case. However, he is awesome.


Lacie

Yes. When asked why Lacie was so excited to get up here she was quoted as saying "the sole reason I moved up here was Jordan and Stephanie's blog"

We love you guys. Good Luck.

Saying Goodbye

Last week we said goodbye to not only a friend but, the first friend we made up here.

Jaime was our resource when we were planning this journey. She became a guide for us as we planned and finally,after we got here she became our friend. A friend we would've liked to have spent more time with but, a friend nonetheless.

I thought it be appropriate that we say goodbye on our blog since it was Jaime's blog that convinced us to make this journey. When we arrived she was nice enough to welcome us over some wings and a few drinks. Since then we've curled with Jaime, played badminton, and I'm sure we've frustrated her with our up and downs while we've adjusted during our first year up here.

Jaime has found love and is pursuing it no matter where the journey leads her. She's brave and we wish her nothing but the best in her next steps. We'll miss her and we thank her for all her help.

Good luck Jaime.

Alianait Arts Festival 2010

This was one of the best moments I've had being in Iqaluit.

Kyle & I were invited to play this years Alianait Arts Festival. When the invitation came in I immediately felt honoured to be asked to contribute to the event. I don't know if I've mentioned this before or not but, Iqaluit has an incredible amount of talent. Seriously. The spectrum and depth of the talent up here is unlike anything I've ever seen. Every single artist or act is completely different yet equally engaging. Anywhere you look you have these great people who get great support from anyone and everyone in town. Artists share camaraderie instead of competing against one another. We buy each others records, we listen to each others songs, we communicated and collaborate; it's never ending.

Ever since I got here and started up friendships with some of the musicians, all I heard about was "Alianait". When you first step off the plane, it just sounds like another word you don't know how to say nor do you understand but, as time went by it became both more familiar and intriguing. So, when I got the e-mail with the invitation I was instantly stoked.

I think us getting involved was mostly due to Karen MacKenzie. Without gushing over how talented she is and how much I love her album "Wind Don't Blow" as well as her song "Wind Don't Blow", I'll just let you all discover her for yourself and send her the biggest THANK YOU KAREN ever given.

Kyle and I worked diligently on new and original material and we were very happy with our results. We practiced until we lost our voices and played until our hands were sore. We opened the Friday Night "Sound Fusion" stage with as much energy as we could and we couldn't have been happier with the reception. We even ended up filling in some extra time before the Headliner "Kodiak" since they were late getting to their time-slot. It was such a surreal experience.

Not in a decade had I been on a stage singing my own music; it was such a rush. We got so many compliments on the energy and the fun nature of the performance. We only played 20 minutes but we ended up signing autographs on kids shirts and doing interviews with News North. Autographs!!!! . . . like, I haven't signed an autograph in my whole life, let alone enough signatures to necessitate pluralising the word "autograph". It was just SO amazing.

The festival itself is so well organized. The entire team are all dedicated individuals who have out in the time and effort to make this a great great event. The Tent is majestic, the music is eclectic, and the whole event is just amazing. If or when you come to Iqaluit, make sure you are here for Alianait. It's this festival that gets your feet wet from the talent pool we have up here. It's a perfect blend of styles that you're guaranteed to enjoy.

Thank you Heather Daley . . .Thank you Karen . . . Thank you Alianait . . . Thank you Iqaluit.

GOODBYE WATERS' EDGE

It was . . . . an experience.

I don't believe in public slander and there's never any real reason for burning bridges so, I'll just say this: I left on my own terms and I have no regrets.

It'll cost you at least two drinks if you want the rest.

I'm lucky enough to be joining Canada Post here in Iqaluit as a Full-Time Assistant the day after my Birthday and I couldn't be more excited. For the first time in 12 years I'll have a day job and weekends off. What do people do on Friday Nights anyways? . . .

In all honesty, this is a move I made for Steph and for a more secure and dependant future. The lifestyle is different and something she can count on a little more. I'm excited because it's a federal position and I'll actually be home to spend time with her. I can't tell you how many nights we've spent where the only time we saw eachother was when we'd come home from different shifts and found eachother sleeping. I'm normal . . . and grown up now. Oh boy.

My short term goal is to try and change Townie Bastard's opinion of the Post Office by the end of 2010.

Wish me luck!

19 Hours of Sun

You don't believe it until you see it.

Lately, the sun has barely been setting. Even when it seems like dusk you can still see the lighter shade of blue peer out from the horizon. The sun goes down to that level around 10 pm but rises again by 2am. Now, if you were a plant this would be your vacation spot but, I'm one of those people who has trouble sleeping as it is.

Either way, it's quite amazing to experience. All the pictures you see of people who take daylight photos at 3am are completely true. If you should ever make it up here, be prepared to wake up suddenly and think you've slept 2 days away. Wind your watches, change the batteries in your clocks, because lately I don't know what time is what time.

Has it really been 8 Months?

It all flew by. . .

8 months have felt like 2 weeks. It's like the feeling you get on your last day of vacation but, ours isn't over yet. Life in the north has been a never ending surprise of turns and events that we've come to realise will have an everlasting affect on the both of us.

Getting to know this part of Canada was a risk we'd would take all over again. We call it a risk because when we first decided to take this journey, we were both scared. Our first few months were rocky, isolated, and stressful both individually and as a couple but, when the smoke cleared, we came out better and stronger. This place has that affect on you. Maybe there's something inspiring in the beauty of the white that covers your life most of the year or maybe the people you meet here move you with their experiences. Maybe the never ending dark months and the endless days of sunlight help eliminate the grey areas in your life. Anyway you look at it, Iqaluit will change you.

Friends have come and gone and are still coming and going. We've said goodbye to a few already and we're about to say goodbye to a very important one. The hardest part about being up here is that you miss your old life, old town, and old friends. But, what's even harder is meeting new people and knowing that your relationships or friendships may have an expiry date. It's the bittersweet part of life in the north. I will promise you that some of the people you meet up here are truly inspirational people. The musicians, the journalists, even the people at the Post-Office are great great people. Some of the friends we've made up here will definitely be people we'll know for a very long time. You'd never expect to meet people who fit in so well with you and who you are but, they're up here and it's great.

8 months later Iqaluit was still the right choice. It's been up and down but, we're still up. We miss home, we miss Tim Horton's and we'll always miss High Speed Internet but, we still love it up here. We'd still tell anyone and everyone that it's worth coming.

Thank you Iqaluit.

The Trews - Toonik Tyme

I’ll always remember April 2010 as the time when The Trews came to Iqaluit. There was this buzz around town about it. Everyone you talked to was either up in arms about the cost of the band coming or they didn't care and were just so happy to see a show. Either way, there was a buzz.

The band stayed at the Nova and made an appearance in the pub the night before their much anticipated appearance at the Curling Club. They signed autographs for those who approached and signed T-Shirts, DVD’s, and CD’s for local promotions and charities. Kyle was playing in the pub that night and they happily sung along with what he played. What surprised me the most was that they seemed more amazed to be up here than we did about them coming. As the acting bartender, I fielded a lot of the usual questions you’d get from people who aren’t used to being up here but somehow it came across as charming. The guys genuinely seemed interested about the city and what happens up here. One thing is for sure, they were all proud to have seen this part of the country and they made it clear to me as well as others. True Canadians.

They drank us out of Moosehead and were the last ones out of the bar but they were all incredibly kind, generous and fun people to be around. If you didn’t recognize them you’d have thought they were just another group of people that’s how well they fit in after a few hours. I don’t know if it’s legal to have played that many Black Crowes tunes off one iPod in a single night either! I don’t need to fluff anyones feathers or glorify someone because of their pop culture status, but I find it necessary to share the insights I discover. It helps break the prejudice and assumptions that people often carry for people who have status. The entire Trews outfit were nothing short of friendly, fun and respectful people.

When the night of the show came around the Curling Rink was full. Everywhere you looked you saw familiar and excited faces. It was so communal to share that excitement and to all be there holding the same anticipation. Concerts are more quality than quantity in Iqaluit however, this one felt big. Whether you were a fan or not, the accessibility of The Trews music was inescapable; you knew their songs. And it was evident from the second they walked on stage . . .

The lights went out . . . and the speakers rang out the organ intro to The Band’s “Chest Fever”. It was a musical way of saying Here comes the rock”. The band walked on, the crowd screamed and finally the show was here. For the better part of 2 hours the band filled the rink with a jammed packed set of Trews classics. Within the first 30 minutes we heard “Fleeting Trust”, “So She’s Leaving”, “Ready To Go”, and “Poor Ol Broken Hearted Me”. The onslaught seemed relentless but eventually slowed down when the band came a little more forward on stage yet stripped back for an acoustic set. The crowd was overwhelming and ate up everything from the ever-popular “Sing Your Heart Out” to new cuts like “Highway for Heroes”. It wasn’t long before the band plugged back in and performed extended and remixed versions of classic favourites like “Tired of Waiting” and “Yearning”. They even threw in a crowd sing-a-long of “ K’naan’s new Canadian anthem “Wavin’ Flag” just for good measure.

It may have cost $15,000 for the performance fee and it may have meant that the local opening acts played for the love of music (which means FOR FREE) but, it was something special and something that I’ll remember for a long time. When you looked around at the hundreds of faces, there wasn’t one single person in that rink that wasn’t beaming with joy. Not one.

I don’t think it’s in good taste to tell the stories of how drunk the band got after the show or how their drummer “missed his flight” the next morning; you can always ask me in person! This was a great night to be in Iqaluit and a great night to be Canadian.

My first Toonik Tyme was a great one.

And Sean Dalton, if you’re reading this: I hope you finally got home safe and... you’re a $&%#’in Legend!

The Muddy North

The warm front is finally here.

It brought a little ash with it but we're not about to complain.

Everywhere you go now you need your rubber boots. Iqaluit feels more like a city of slush than it does a city of the north. "Soaker" is a common phrase in our house lately and with the melting snow comes falling ice. I don't mean little pieces of snow or icicles, I mean body sized chunks of ice. Last week a piece nearly crushed me; I ended up taking pics of the debris left behind me. If I hadn't have been reaching for my keys, I probably would've been crushed. Seriously.




But now that the ice on the roof is gone, there's only the snow left. These falling chunks of compacted snow have become our new source of entertainment. Every half hour or so we hear what sounds like a falling human being from our roof. The cats jump, a shadow flies by, and a loud WHOOSH grabs our attention. It's nice enough to leave the windows open lately so we've been doing so and when we're really lucky, a body hits the open window and we all get the living daylights scared out of us.

I'll try and tone down the dramatics here but, a part of me thought we'd never see warm weather again. The cold and the snow has just become so common and routine for us. With all the melting and mud, I actually felt surprised to see it. I think it had set in that the warm fronts where going to be short but, I think a part of me had finally become okay with them never coming. I think I might miss the snow once it goes. I know Steph won't!

Since my blogging has become sparse at best, there's actually a lot to write about. Steph's brother Brian has moved in with us and has adjusted to working in the north well. It's nice having another guy around. We males like to consume large amounts of chips and play copious amounts of video games in packs so, Jordan is happy.

I Miss Iqaluit.

All bets were on us never coming back.

I've been looking at St Patty's Day pictures from the pub and pictures that our new roomate (Brian, Steph's Brother) has sent and it has made us miss home. I know technically we "are home" but, our new home is Iqaluit and it's where we wish we were.

We took a trip back to Ontario, then Florida, then Vegas for a plethora of reasons. We're on the home stretch of our vacation and we can't wait to get back.

Sure, the Coffee is better and the prices are cheaper but, I'll take expesive dinners over traffic-jams and noisey roads anyday. I know it's hard to believe that a place so cold could feel so warm but, it's the truth.

Southerners!

I'm sure there's a diagnosis for this but, after you're up here a while, you can start to notice the people who aren't or haven't been for very long. Their questions seem silly and there tendencies make you smile. They all expect to have the conveniences they had at home and when the luxuries aren't found, they either chuckle in disbelief or throw a fit.

"What do you mean there's no beer store?"

I choose to criticise this issue publicly because when we chose to move up here we did our homework. If I was still in Ontario and was planning a week-long trip up here, I'd still do the same research and tap the same resources because the area is so remote and the way of life is so different. More over, the people that usually ask the most ridiculous questions are the people who have an incredible amount of clout; policemen and women, lawyers, doctors, GN workers, biologists . . . the list goes on.

"I didn't think it was going to be THIS cold..."

Coincidentally, we're about to return home for the first time since we arrived. I'm curious to see how much of a shock the "south" is for us. Believe me, I have a list of things that I have to do when I'm home and yes, a lot of them include some pretty immaterial things but, I'm wondering how we'll feel about it all. Will we miss the conveniences or have we come to love our new way of life?

I write this today feeling somewhat like a hypocrite. I don't mean to put my nose up or to knock anyone because it does take living up here to really grasp the way things are up here. Working in the hospitality industry up here gives me a clear insight to some people's niavety and ignorance but, I don't fully blame them. It just amazes me to see how some people are so knowledgable and others are completely oblivious. Between the YouTube Videos and the Northern Blogging community, there isn't a stone left unturned.

At the bar I continually tell travelers, hotel guests, and passer-bys that our blogs are the "go-to" resource guides to traveling to and from the Nunavut communities. During the G7 a lot of questions were thrown my way. I offered the same answer whether the person was German, American, British or Canadian:

"Google: 'Northern Nunavut Blog' . . . find one, and search them all."

LIVE @ THE ELKS

. . . tonight!


My friend KYLE and I are playing at the ELKS LODGE tonight.

It's NOT just for members, it's a ticketed event. If you feel like you want to come out and check us out, feel free to drop me a line however you can and I'd be happy to sell you a ticket.

The whole thing starts around 9.

Thanks in advance!

IQALUIT HELPS HAITI: MARCH 6th

Mark it down on your calendars.

I'm going with MARCH 6th as the new date for the "Aid Through Arts" benefit. The artists are all re-aligned and still eager to help.

It'll be the same format, same places, for the same cause.

Let's start spreading the word again.

Thank you

Blizzard.

We got two warnings in 2 days but some people who have been here a lot longer than us said that the past few days haven't been anything compared to what we're in store for this coming February and March; The Blizzard Season.

Video to come soon.

Oscar '10

I love how Townie did his predictions and I'm astounded at how accurate he was. Simply great insight TB!

Around here we love the Oscars. The Grammy's are usually tedious and irrelevant while the Golden Globes are always entertaining (add booze and you get atmosphere!) but the Oscars are always the most prestigious of them all. It's even better this year since they've added the Best Picture Top Ten idea. It's a shame they didn't do it for the rest of the categories as well. Sure it would add another hour on to the 3 hour plus show but, you'd have a lot more performances to pick from. Don't tell me you didn't think Paul Rudd was GENIUS in his role as Peter Claven from "I Love You, Man"...

Either way, the race has begun; the nominations are out. TB already picked the nominees and while his 70% rating on guesses remains a force to be reckoned with, I myself have had pretty great success at picking the winners. Oh, and since TB hasn't seen Hurt Locker, I think this puts me in a very interesting position! There are also long-shot/"Man I Wish" winners that I selfishly would love to see win so, I'm going to include them in each category as well!

Best Picture: I have to pick two movies . . .sorry.
THE HURT LOCKER

The movie is just so good. It's small, it's intimate, and it's stunning. It's in the quality of each scene, not the quantity or scale of the visuals. I'm seeing AVATAR finally tonight and I'm sure it's great. But this level works and succeeds on every level that the big, visually amazing movies don't.

UP

Disney is due. Up was an achievement. Do you remember when you saw "Wall-E" and thought "Wow, this could win Best Picture, it's so good.". "Up" was even better. I think it has a better change than every other movie besides "The Hurt Locker". I cried, laughed, and hugged the first person I saw after watching it for the first time . . . and then all 5 times after.

LONGSHOT-I-WISH:
District 9
Inglorious Basterds

Actor in a leading Role:
MORGAN FREEMAN

I'm so excited for this category I could die. There were some performances this year that I couldn't believe but, the one thing that makes this category so intense is that most of the nominations were in films that only received small releases. "Crazy Heart" is just picking up hype after Jeff Bridges' and T-Bone Burnett's win at the Golden Globes and next to no-one has seen "A Single Man" (less than $5 million in N.A. Sales) yet, there's been buzz about Colin Firth's portrayal of George Falconer since Cannes and T.I.F.F. of last year. Add Jeremy Renner's "Hurt Locker" performance to the list and you have 3 out of 5 nominees that come from movies that weren't commercially received. Very Interesting. I'm can only speculate on performances I've seen so, I have to go with Freeman.

LONGSHOT-I-WISH:
Jeremy Renner "The Hurt Locker"
Jeff Bridges "Crazy Heart" (GO MUSICIANS!!)


Actress in a lead role:
SANDRA BULLOCK

I actually just talked to TB on the phone and he said something perfect for this years category. "Hollywood loves Sandra Bullock and this was her 'Erin Brokovich'". "The Last Station" was a movie that screened well but, wasn't seen by many. "The Blind Side" has the commercial appeal this category needs this year. I'm watching "An Education" tonight maybe so, I might change my tune come morning.

LONGSHOT-I-WISH:
Meryl Streep "Julie & Julia"

Actor in a Supporting Role:
CHRISTOPHER WALTZ

No question. No competition. No other possibility.

LONGSHOT-I-WISH:
None . . . WALTZ ALL THE WAY. He was as good as Javier Bardem in "No Country For Old Men"
WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actress In a Supporting Role:
MO"NIQUE

. . . I don't think I've seen such an intense and raw performance in all my life.

LONGSHOT-I-WISH:
Vera Farmiga "Up In The Air"
Maggie Gyllenhall "Crazy Heart" (Because we're in love with her!)

Best Animated Picture:
UP

As far as I'm concerned, there was only one animated movie worth seeing and it's this one.

LONGSHOT-I-WISH: None

Directing:
THE HURT LOCKER

There isn't a better directed movie this year. It's a masterpiece. Since Bigelow's already won the Producers Guild Award and the Directors Guild Award, she's a shoe in. It would be foolish for anyone to think that Hurt Locker won't win for Best Director. I'll even go on record and tell you that if anything else wins, I may never watch the Oscars again.

LONGSHOT-I-WISH:
Quentin Tarantino "Inglorious Basterds" (for everything he's ever done with and for film and filmmakers)

Iqaluit Helps Haiti: Cancelled

. . . it's hard to raise funds in a blizzard.

Unfortunately I had to cancel. The weather was dangerously bad and there were a lot of people giving up their time to help and I worried about their safety. We were all set and ready to go ahead with the plans but, it just wouldn't have been worth the risk. I will re-schedule as soon as I can but, keep in mind that there is a lot coming up so I don't know when exactly would be a great day however, the drawing board is up and we'll know more later.

You can always donate . . .anytime . . . just go to Redcross.ca for all the information you need.

Thanks for everyone's support and the great press we received from everyone in town. It was heartbreaking to post-pone with all the work that went into it this week but, you can't do anything about the weather.

Iqaluit Helps Haiti: Update 3

The Line-up is set up.. . the venues are excited . . . the town is buzzin' . . . it's all happening.

I'm proud of this....

Check out the CBC news page and article

......they wrote about the benefit. They're also playing clips of the interview on CBC AM radio 1230

Check out our poster:




Steph was the main designer!

Iqaluit Helps Haiti: Update 2

This post will get updated all day . . .

The Date is 100% this Saturday (January 30th).

Locations:

The Elks Lodge
The Kickin Caribou./ Waters' Edge
The Royal Canadian Legion

Tentative Times: 5pm - 10;45pm (Waters' Edge)
7pm - 1am. (The Elks Lodge)

Rotating entertainment, both local and traditional. Each venue will have at least 6 different artists.
----------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE
. ..still no word from the ever-so-communal Raven Rock!!

CBC IS ON BOARD!

Karen MacKenzie is a goddess.

----------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE

Just finished an interview with CBC (am 1230). What a class act the interviewer was . . . incredibly supportive, fun and genuine.

_ ----------------------------------------------------------------

Iqaluit Helps Haiti : Update 1

It took a LOT of negotiating and a lot of compromise but, what seemed like an impossible task just became a solid reality.

For the first time in years 3 competitors of Iqaluit's Bar industry have agreed to work together. For those of you from town, you know how the bars here can be stubborn when it comes to being forthcoming to the other bars. The judgements and prior conflicts have all been pushed aside for a demonstration of unity.

January 30th 2010 . . that's this Saturday. The Waters' Edge/Kickin' Caribou, The Elks Lodge and the Royal Canadian Legion will work together to help raise funds for the struggles in Haiti. I've contacted the Canadian Red Cross and have set up arrangements to work along side them for this event. Every single donation made right down to the last penny will be donated directly to the Red Cross.

All 3 venues will be hosting Iqaluit's finest arts performers of every kind. Each location will begin opening their doors for this event at 5pm. I've chosen to not sell admission tickets, but instead sell prize tickets at the events. 2 of the 3 venues are members-sign in but, that doesn't mean the general public can't be a part of the events. Members of both venues have offered up their "Sign-Ins" to anyone willing to come out and participate.

Tomorrow you'll see posters, and you'll see donation bins, and you'll be a little bit overwhelmed by the display of advertisements but, it's only a way to try and encourage the people to come help out and join in. There isn't a goal we need to reach and I'm more than aware that people and places have already contributed but, it's quintessential that the giving and the care surpass the T.V. showcases and CNN red alerts. Just because the weekend is over doesn't mean that the struggle in Haiti is as well.

Canada has raised more than 67 million dollars already which was matched by the government. Let's contribute more to that already impressive number and put our own northern stamp on the funds headed south.

Thanks everyone. Big Update tomorrow. . . . talk to you then

Iqaluit Helps Haiti

. . .that's what I want to do.

I've pulled my hair out trying to round up the many events/benefits/fundraisers that are going on plus, organizing one myself. I'm currently planning an "Aid through our Arts" event featuring Iqaluit's finest musicians, singers, artists, poets, dancers, ANYBODY artistic.

I could really use the help of the greatest blogging community alive. In the minutes,hours, and days to follow, I'll be posting different pieces of this event as it comes together. If you could help me in the following 3 ways, it would do so much to help my efforts:

1) Do you want to participate? Musically . . . artistically? Let me know.
Do you know someone who would want to participate musically . . .artistically?
Do you have the contacts for people, organizations, clubs, or people who would like to participate?

2) Do you know of an event that's going on? . . .this would help me rope us all together because it seems as though we are all trying to help individually . . . plus, this way I don't double book.

3) BUZZ . . . please help the pulse of this by generating buzz. Obviously you'll have more to tell as I get calls back and confirmation but, the more buzz I have, the more money we'll raise.

So far this is what we/I have:

3 Venue Event . . . Circulating Artists of every kind . . . all proceeds going to Red Cross and a local Haitian family here in Iqaluit who've been directly affected by the events in Haiti . . .12 hours of entertainment . . . on A Saturday as early as the 30th. . . Musicians confirmed . . . Venues confirmed . . .

Now I want to fill in every space with all the great things Iqaluit has to offer. Visual Arts, music, people, stories, writings, findings, carvings, everything . . .

Now, if Raven Rock gets around to e-mailing me back . . . we'd have a large scale medium to broadcast this from.

Wish me luck . . . and thanks for your time.

Iqaluit Help Haiti

9:13am: Red Cross reached. Calling back.

10:22am: Waters' Edge/Kickin Caribou first to grant permission, happy to help.

10:45am: Raven Rock unreachable by phone, detailed e-mail sent.

10:51am: Message left with Elks Lodge

11:04am: 2 artists confirmed.

11:23am: Red Cross returns call, happy with arrangements. Emblem and logo permission pending.

11:42am: 3 artists confirm.

12:01pm: Does anyone know how to reach the Throat Singing offices?

12:07pm: Royal Canadian Legion interested in event, however are booked for the 30th.

12:28pm: Meeting with Elks Lodge set for Sunday at 3:30pm

12:32pm: Lekan (local DJ and Nova employee) eagerly offers his graphic design assistance

12:46pm: Legion has cleared the evening, second to join.

1:17pm: Elks agrees, Trian is formed!

50 Below Zero

. . . No joke.


If there is anything I'll take from our experience up here it's that I stood the test of the coldest temperature I've ever faced and smiled. Yesterday it reached a low of -52 according to Environment Canada and although I had slight frost bite on my cheeks and a beard full of icicles, my face was a happy one as it defrosted.

It's just incredible. Winds that pull and push you around, visibility of no more than 10 feet. I loved it. I know I sound crazy but, since the weather has become worse, I've actually walked around town a lot more. I was actually disappointed in myself when I forgot to bring my cameras with me on my excursion to work yesterday. Of all the things we've captured on film, that was one I wish I had been able to post. I've learned my lesson however . . . camera with me at all times!

The downside to the cold (one of many) is that it's become Pipe Bursting season. Many have fallen and succumb to the heavy flow of water and the pricey cost of Iqaluit plumbers. . . our building included.

You know, to be honest, I used to complain about the cold all the time in Ontario but, never did I ever imagine seeing and experiencing temperatures like this. People freeze to death in this weather . . . skin gets frost bite in a matter of minutes, if not seconds . . . there is no "Brrrrrr!" there's only "GOOD GOD!".

But even still, this town is beautiful. Slush and salt isn't anywhere to be found on the roads and the snow stays an epic white colour. Everything is maginificently winterized and warmly covered in snow. It may be cold but, this town warms my life up. I really couldn't be happier anywhere else in the world. People said "the charms wears off after a while; give it a few months" but they were wrong. I work in a place where you sometimes see the worst side of Iqaluit but, maybe that's why the better side looks that much better.

Pictures coming soon . . .

Happy New Year everybody.