Writing news...

Last week, I got a couple copies of "Visitor's Choice- New Westminster Publication". I have two short stories in it, with a byline.

I've also heard some feedback on the story I wrote about the Radha centre. More people have been visiting the Radha Centre due to my article, which is pretty awesome.

Speaking of other writing news, my aunty Marlene wrote a story about giving up a job for love. It will be featured today on CBC's Roundup!

V day events

I neglected to mention that I saw two items of note on Valentine's day.

1. The kiss-athon taking place in the window of the Bay. Five couples had to lock lips for a chance to win $5,000. There were four hetero-couples and a pair of lipstick lesbians. It turned out that the lesbians won. They kissed for eight hours.

2. The V-day march. This was a march to remember the women who died as a result of violence or drug abuse on the lower east side. It was a somber event, led by elders and the sisters of the women who were found at the Pickton farm. Some of the women carried a purple and red quilt, embroidered with the names of the victims. I was very moved by the march, and got teary. There were about 300 people out. I saw Aili, and a girl that I recognized from Saskatoon. I continued my walk, and a couple of blocks later, I saw a woman snorting something out of a crack in the sidewalk. This made me feel even sadder. The poverty and the drug abuse in this city really get to me.

Tattoo news...

I've started my preliminary research for the article I'm writing on heavily tattooed women, and so far the research is fascinating.

I'm trying to book some interviews with women. So far I talked to a woman at Electro Lady lux, and then I made a call to the Tattoo Zoo in Victoria, where Sarah Kramer works. Sarah is one of the authors of "How it all vegan", and she's heavily tattooed. She's supposed to call me back soon.

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Happy birthday [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com]!

More tattoo stuff

In the 1950s, women were not allowed to be tattooed unless they were 21, married and accompanied by their spouse. The rise of tattooing among women increased along with feminism rise's in the late part of the 19th century. It increased again in the 1920s during the suffragette movement, and then again the 1970s with the feminist movement.

I also really like this idea . I can see myself getting a tattoo like that if I ever have a mastectomy.

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It's probably a good thing that the Oscar project is on hiatus this month. Last week I actually thought, "It would be so nice and classy if I had a string of pearls." I'm convinced this comes from watching too many old movies.


Today I watched the fascinating documentary Grass . I watched this because Tommy Chong is in it**. At present, it looks like I won't get to interview Chong, but hey, what can I do?

Anyway, back to Grass. It's a film about the war on marijuana in the States and how the government has tried to manipulate the drug war. In the early years, marijuana was seen to be something that was brought in by the Mexicans and racist arguments were used against it. Then it was seen as something that made you a criminal and go insane. The idea changed every decade, costing the government billions of dollars. The movie details the ideas that were spread each decade, by showing archival footage from government news reports, propaganda and anti-drug and pro-drug films. In 1926, one of the first anti-marijuana films was made. It was called "High on the Range", and it was a silent film in which a cowboy smokes up and then shoots people. It's so over the top that it's hilarious. The film also includes clips from "Reefer Madness", which was filmed in the 1930s. If you ever get a chance to see this film, grab the opportunity! It's a hilarious look at how people "supposedly" go insane when they smoke pot. The people smoke and then wander around with huge eyes. I can't quite describe it, but it's very funny.

This film is a must-see. It's informative, interesting, entertaining, and really gives a comprehensive history of the criminalization of marijuana.

**Tommy Chong appears in a piece of archival footage from "Up in Smoke", which I watched thanks to [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com]'s recommendation.