London Ontario Drivers

....are the worst.
I really think they are. I don't know what it is, but I seem to encounter sheer stupidity on the road multiple times daily. How can people be so oblivious to what's going on around them? I know everyone makes mistakes and obviously I've cut someone off or done something stupid on the road a couple of times in my life, but the one huge difference is that I actually acknowledge that I have done something wrong. I'm well aware of when I do an asshole move or I screw up because I wasn't paying close enough attention to the road.
It seems that all bad London drivers who continuously do stupid and often dangerous things are completely unaware that they've done anything wrong. There is no hand wave or look of apology because they honestly don't have any idea that their driving is awful and could seriously harm someone one day.
I'm talking about the people who constantly change lanes, cutting people off in the process, or the people who turn left through the red light even though they were far behind the line when it turned yellow. Don't get me started on the people who never ever signal. It's a F-ing flick of the wrist that takes literally 2 seconds, how hard it is to take those 2 extra seconds to indicate where you are going?!
Anyways....I'm just curious as to how these people all ended up in London, Ontario. Any ideas?

How far do we extend?

Technology is an extension of oneself, so kinda says Marshall McLuhan.
He also says something about the medium being the message, but let's not go there ...yet.
Firstly let's look at technology as an extension of the human body.
When the car was invented, people began walking less and relying more on automatic transport. Cars, buses, trains, planes, who needs feet anymore? Imagine the definition you'd have in your calves if the car had never been invented.

Think of a computer and using your keyboard (or even think back to a typewriter if you are a dinosaur like me and ever had the pleasure of using one). Suddenly the need for even using your hand to write a letter was removed. Mind you, you need two hands to type-if you're doing it properly ...maybe I should pick up a pencil more often?!

Anyways, I digress.....if we look at these technological advances as extensions of the body, we can see how they relate to our physical being. But what about our mental being?
This evening I found myself, as I often do, with my iphone in my hand. God bless that little gadget. Then I realized that I had no reason to have the phone in my hand. I had just finished chatting with a friend, I didn't have any outstanding text messages, I had recently checked Twitter and Facebook, what else could I possibly need my phone for? Maybe play a round or two of my latest addictive game- Mouse Maze? Nope, I didn't even need to do that.

I realized that I didn't need to have the phone in my hand, but I wanted to. I wanted to know exactly when the next tweet would come in, or the next thing my friend would say back to the text I sent earlier. My iphone is beginning to serve as my entire persona.
I don't even need to go somewhere to engage in conversation with someone, I can just text them!

I feel like some people might be used to this, we all know about cyber culture and how social media has made it easier than ever to interact with people at the click of a mouse button. Some people even started the Internet craze long ago in chat rooms, with ICQ or other founding cyber groups. Others are more recent to hop on the band wagon, with the increase in mobile devices being used for everything imaginable and the ways to communicate being endless.

It doesn't matter when you started, but if you are reading this, then its official; you have started. Your entire online identity is an extension of yourself. It's another version of you. One that is at a distance, but still visible. One that you must remember, is still a representation of yourself and can be used for or against you. It can also mean that the other representation of yourself, the real physical being that you present to people in person might be changing. Less face to face conversation, less planning in advance for get-togethers and less socializing outside of the home makes for social awkwardness when you finally do go back to the way things used to be.

What does this mean for the future? If 10 year olds are texting and watching videos on their phones, who is climbing trees or drawing with coloured sidewalk chalk? Well....I am...but that's beside the point. What I'm trying to say is: kids are getting fat and people are becoming cyborgs.

Well..maybe not full cyborgs, but they are becoming an alternate (lazier) version of themselves. One that can do anything with the touch of a button. One that doesn't need to make a call to their friend in France, because it's easier to just write on their Facebook wall.

I have seen the future and it's just not as fun. Put down the phone, ipad, or get off your computer. Go for a walk and be amazed at what you find. A world without a filter.

This has turned into a more random and cynical post than I intended, but you get the point..maybe.
I also love the irony that I'm writing this on my computer with my iphone right beside me. I guess moderation is key. Let's continue using technology to our advantage, but lets not go full cyborg alright?

The John Labatt Centre and #JLCReviewer #MJCirque

The John Labatt Centre (JLC) is an amazing venue for concerts, shows, and sports games located in the heart of downtown London right across from the Covent Garden Market. The JLC has been doing a remarkable job of bringing some big names to London (including NKOTBSB this past August, which was THE BEST concert I've ever been to!!) and recently they have expanded their social media efforts with the new concept of the JLC Reviewer.

From my understanding, they choose a select few people for each upcoming event based on self and peer nomination, as well as proof of excellent writing skills, a blog to post reviews on, and a true desire to want to see the show. While I would have been happy to be a JLC Reviewer for any concert/show, it wasn't until they announced they were looking for a reviewer of Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour by Cirque du Soleil that I started squirming in my seat a bit and just had to nominate myself for such an honour.

First of all, let it be known that this show is touring 37 cities and London is one of the first stops (Oct. 18 and 19). When I first saw a commercial for this show (probably over one year ago), I remember immediately going to my computer to purchase tickets, but when I realized the good tickets cost about $250 each, I unfortunately had to step away from the computer and put my credit card back in my wallet. I told my mom about the show and she agreed that $250 was just a bit too pricey, so I just accepted defeat and put it out of my mind.
....Fast foward one year and suddenly the show is less than two weeks away and I can't stop thinking about it, especially now that the JLC has thrown this JLC Reviewer possibility in as a nice twist.

Let it be known that I love all theatre. I am a very into musical theatre and love any and all  combinations of song and dance/performance. I had the pleasure of seeing Alegria by Cirque du Soleil when I lived in South Korea (that's right, the Cirque even has shows in South Korea!) and I was absolutely stunned by the performance. Me and a group of friends had great seats and I was literally on the edge of my seat the entire performance in awe of what these people could do with their bodies. The music, the costumes, the movement, the lights, the set- each and every part of this performance added up together to equal perfection. I remember thinking at the time that if I had a time machine (which hopefully one day I will....just need to get that flux capacitor working), I would go back and take gymnastics classes as a child and make it my goal to be a Cirque du Soleil performer.

Now, let's digress for a moment and talk about my love for Michael Jackson. I have always loved Michael Jackson's music and I have always loved him as a person. When I heard about his death, I did indeed cry. I can honestly say there isn't one song by Michael Jackson that I don't like. From his major hit songs like "Thriller", "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Black or White" to some of his lesser known works of genius like "Human Nature", "They Don't Care About Us" and even "Will You Be There" (yes, from the Free Willy soundtrack). His music is timeless and  I would estimate I know the lyrics to about 98% of his songs. They are engraved in my memory because I listened to them as a kid, as a teenager, and I am still listening to them now as an adult (I also dance to them...very poorly, but with lots of enthusiasm).

So, what does this all mean? Basically, it means that I truly would love the opportunity to be a JLC Reviewer for this performance. Two of my favourite things coming together on stage for a majestic display of awesomeness would no doubt be a highlight of my life. I am curious to see how they have built a story around the music and what kinds of costumes and set design they will use. I also wonder if they will focus more on dance in this particular Cirque performance, or if there will still be a high level of gymnastics and acrobatics.

The only thing I can say for certain, based on some video previews I have watched and the high caliber of performance I know the Cirque is capable of, plus the universal greatness of MJ's music, this show will be AMAZING.

For a chance to be a #JLCReviewer and for more updates and info from the John Labatt Centre, follow them on Twitter- @JLC and find them on Facebook.

Follow me on Twitter as well!  @AndreaKBattista

Drop Dead Diva- helpful or hurtful to big girl stereotypes?

There is a show on TV called Drop Dead Diva.
It focuses on the main character Deb who is an aspiring model (tall, thin, blond), but in the first episode, she dies unexpectedly. However, lucky for her, whilst up in heaven she presses a button that sends her back to Earth, but of course into another body: Jane's. Jane is a plus-size lawyer who was just shot and is lying in the hospital unconscious. So, conveniently, Deb gets to live, but the catch is that she is stuck in Jane's body.

This show is well written and the acting is good enough. However, the entire premise of the show kind of urks me and I will tell you why.

Jane is a big girl, but quite attractive (played by actress Brooke Elliot). However, it isn't until her body is inhabited by Deb that she starts to actually put effort into her looks (clothing, make-up, etc) and begins acting like a confident pretty girl.

Basically, before being taken over by Deb, Jane was just a frumpy fat girl. She played into every stereotype about big girls: always eating junk food, didn't put effort into her appearance, lacked confidence. My problem with this is that it makes it seem like it takes the mentality of a model (Deb) to make Jane confident and girly. It's as if no big girl could ever actually act/ feel this way on her own, she'd have to be taken over by a dead model first. It makes me wonder if the show would be successful or believable if the audience didn't know that Jane was actually Deb, which apparently justifies her confidence and extremely feminine demeanour.

As someone who has struggled with my weight and the stereotypes that go along with it for many many years, I just find it insulting that a beautiful plus size woman on TV can't be represented as confident and feminine without first being taken over by a model. I would estimate I am about the same size as Jane and I like to think I am just as attractive in the face. I think my mentality and behaviour is similar to that of Jane/Deb and I didn't need a model to take me over first!~

Now, to be fair, they also represent Deb as a total bimbo. It isn't until she takes over Jane's body (and apparently gets all of the memories/knowledge that Jane had too) that she is actually able to act intelligent, or at least recall intelligent facts that Jane retained from law school.

While I understand that in society, unfortunately a lot of bigger girls do lack confidence and sometimes give up on their appearance for various reasons, there are also a lot that embrace their size and still dress well and wear make-up and act girly and have the confidence of a model without being a size 2. I would just love to see a show that has one of those women as the main character, without needing the model takeover of the body.

Dear Julia Stiles, No thanks.

Julia Stiles. is. the. worst.
I was so disappointed when she joined Dexter this season. Apparently she will appear in 10 episodes, which I hope does not extend.
As an actress, I think she just plain stinks. I also find something about her voice irksome. I feel like she is just (like so many) a pretty girl who is not the right kind of pretty for modeling, but looks pretty enough on TV and in magazines, so therefore; is an actress.

Anyways, aside from my already formed negative opinion of her, I also found Sunday's episode of Dexter very awkward. When Julia Stiles and Michael C. Hall are having conversations at the diner, it is as if their scenes were filmed at different times. Did anyone else notice how choppy and awkward these scenes were? I even noticed that Michael C. Hall's hair changed between shots, which makes me believe it was another person entirely sitting across from her. Why do directors do this? Are actors really that busy that they have to film scenes in which they appear sitting across from each other, seperately?

Though I know this is not Julia Stiles' fault, I still contribute it to my dislike for her. I just really hope she doesn't ruin Dexter like she does most things.
To her credit, I can say she was fine in 10 Things I Hate About You. I absolutely love that movie. I think "Teenage Angst" might be the only acting class she ever mastered.

PS. Did you know there is a (cancelled) television show called "10 Things I Hate About You", based on the exact same premise of the movie? Can't anyone come up with original ideas anymore? Remakes of movies, movies based on TV shows and now TV shows based on movies? Just try something different. Or make shows/movies that are based on great books. Those usually work well. (Dexter, True Blood, Harry Potter...). Oh, and please do not ever again create a show based on a Twitter account. Shit My Dad Says, is shit my dad won't even watch.

Job Interviews- Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda...

I recently had a job interview for a dream job opportunity. Oddly enough, I wasn't even very nervous going into the interview. I had prepped myself during the 2.5 hour car ride by repeatedly telling myself I was "good enough, smart enough and gosh darnit, people like me".
I went in with a smile on my face and only a few butterflies in my stomach. In general, I thought the interview went well. The 2 men interviewing me were very laid-back and relaxed. The interview lasted well over an hour and I felt a good rapport with them. I even left the place thinking that I might have a shot at getting the job.
However, my confidence progressively plummeted during the car ride home and over the next couple of days afterward. I was more nervous that night thinking at the possible outcome of the interview than I had been that morning going into the interview.  I kept ruminating about what I said during the interview and the answers I gave to certain questions. All I could think about was what I should have said and all of the better answers I had come up with after hours of thinking about each question I was asked.
Hindsight is always 20/20 and it's easy to think of great answers to certain questions when you have had hours to reflect on them. I can't help but wonder if the other candidates for this position were better, worse, or pretty much equal to me in terms of how the interview went. They said they were interviewing 5 people in total. I would guess that I am more likable/ qualified than half of my competition, so my most accurate guess at my chance of getting this job would be %33.33.
I'm anxiously awaiting the verdict from the men who interviewed me, but I have prepared myself for the worst. Of course, I am still trying to think positive, but I've decided to take a realistic approach and remind myself that I might have gotten the job and I might not have. Either way, I will survive.