September 11: Always Remember

New York City has worked hard to rebuild itself after such a tragedy took place.

Today instead of spreading blame and hatred, we should just honour those brave souls who risked their lives to save as many as they possibly could. For all the families, be strong and take comfort that those you have lost, will always remain in your hearts forever.

💜 Always remember. 💜

Please check out my fiance's blog who deconstructs one of many viral videos about how 9/11 was a "hoax."

http://scambusting101.blogspot.ca/2016/04/promoting-idea-that-people-who-lost.html

Erasure At Sound Academy Concert Review: Wear no disguise for me, come into the open.

Us at Erasure

I realize that i've neglected blogging and I do apologize, but life gets in the way and every time I want to sit down to write, something else comes up.

Anyhow, i'll try and recap some highlights of the last few months. Remember how excited I was about going to see Erasure? Well that night was crazy, but in a good way. Sound Academy was jam-packed with fans, everyone from the flamboyant gay men who were dressed up for a night out at Studio 54, to the more subdued groups who sang Erasure songs with true conviction and wore the band former tour t-shirts with pride. You also had a lot of people who fit somewhere in the middle.

The venue itself was basically like a gigantic club. Nothing special, to be honest. Everyone piled in and headed straight for the bar. In the middle was a big sound system area and then towards the front, there was an area sectioned-off for the VIP's and probably close family and friends. They had a few tv screens up towards the doorway and then at the very back, there were some couches and the area where you could buy Erasure memorabilia.

We went right up to the front of the stage, patiently waiting for the concert to begin. It was hot and sticky being squeezed between hundreds of people but I made conversation with a couple near by from MI and it didn't seem so bad. There were also gargoyles on stage, so i was in my glory! However, when the music started blaring out of the speakers (we were right near the speakers) I realized that i'd be deaf by the end of the concert. So, we high-tailed out of that area and found a cozy spot at the very back where I could still see and hear. I was happy to have air to breathe and not be squished like a sandwich, as people rushed the stage like maniacs.

It was a wondeful concert experience going to see Erasure with Bill since he's a total 80's fan, just like I am. I sang along to every Erasure song and we danced till our feet and back ached (minus the few times we sat down because standing for that long - my body was telling me to take a break!)

The playlist was plentyful with all my favourites such as: Always, Sometimes, Drama, Victim of Love, A Little Respect, Chorus, etc...  My emotions were high and yep, I managed to shed some tears! LOL I don't think I can go see a concert and not cry. I don't know, Erasure really holds a special place in my heart and hearing Andy sing and the memories I have with certain songs, it was pretty intense.

Vince looked very dapper in his outfits and showed off his subtle yet still eccentric personality, but as usual, he didn't draw quite as much attention to himself. On the other hand, Andy Bell was a super star! He looked absolutely incredible!! I don't know what vitamins he's been taking, but when he took off his top, he looked like a chiseled God-like being! His fashion sense is always something to be admired and his playfulness and charisma on stage just translated so well with everyone. The encore was awesome with  Oh L'Amour and Stop.

The opening band was FrankMusik. Yep, who? I had no idea who they were at all but once Vincent came up on stage and started singing, WOW...great electropop Brit band! With a mish-mash of 80's songs along with their own music, we were totally impressed with how good they were musically, their unique style and levels of energy!. No I.D. and No Bueno (originally done by Nadia Oh -- why i'll never know because personally after listening to it, she has zero appeal to me as an artist, nor is the song any better, but somehow Vincent turned it into a masterpiece!) were my two favourites and i'm still humming those tunes today.

Thanks to a guy we met named Shaun, he took our photo. So all hot and sweaty, we managed a great photo together!

Reign Over Me Movie Review: At Least You Two Have Each Other

Movie Review:

There is nothing worse in life than suddenly losing someone you love, and in the movie Reign Over Me, for Charlie (played by Adam Sandler) he is grief-stricken by the loss of his beloved wife and three children after the September 11th attacks. They are memories he would rather bury deep within than ever acknowledge again. 

Continuing to live in denial and isolation, Charlie meets his old College friend Alan played by Don Cheadle, who is dissatisfied with his career, his inability to connect with his wife/kids and life in general. Alan begins to find happiness again and a real purpose as his friendship with Charlie deepens but soon realizes he must do whatever it takes to not give up on someone who has already given up on himself. 

Whether you actually mourned the loss of someone close to you during September 11th, or just felt compassion towards those whose lives were forever changed that day, this is a movie you will never forget. 

I couldn’t have asked for a better pairing as the bond between Alan and Charlie never seemed forced. They were both genuinely committed to their roles. Adam Sandler is mostly well-known for comedic films, but he certainly proves that his talents are not limited to one genre. I also thought that although he only had a very brief part, Donald Sutherland as the judge gave a great performance. 

Overall, an inspiring movie that really shows how someone can come back into our lives after years of absence and still help to transform us even in times of crisis.