Lise's Ramblings

 lennykravitz.com © 2012 Roadrunner Records  Before bands and artists make names for themselves, they often rely on someone else’s material to move audiences. But it’s rare to find singers who can match or outshine a genuine hit. Tribute bands try to earn a living by impersonating original artists (their sound, outfits and moves). While tribute bands may acquire their own followings, they never rival the real deal. This post salutes those artists who stretch beyond mimicry. They succeed by being true to their own style and adapting a hit from one era or a specific genre. Their remakes reach different audiences, breathe new life into already popular tunes, and emerge as fresh hits. Here are examples of remakes that became chart-topping songs in their own right: Lenny Kravitz ’s “ American Woman ” (original recorded by Canadian rock legends The Guess Who) In the 1990s, the late Jeff Healey shook up the billboard with “ While My Guitar Gently Weeps ” (the Ca

Today, nearly a billion people around the world will tune in to see the  London 2012 opening ceremonies on TV, not to mention those following the festivities online. We, along with the Queen and celebrities, will witness the gathering of 204 nations. In the days ahead, I won’t just wax patriotic and read about how specific athletes fare. No, I’ll watch as many events as I possibly can. (Thank you, PVR technology for making it easy to record and replay the games at my convenience.) Yes, the Summer Olympics hold a special place for me. I realize that Canada brings home far more hardware from the Winter Games, which originated in 1924, but it’s the Summer Games that thrill me. They truly stem from the original matches of Classical Greece, dating back to 776 BC.   Ask me to rhyme off the Canadians whose Olympic moments I can recall and you’ll soon notice they are all from past Summer Games. The names that jump to mind are: Alex Baumann , Sylvie Fréchette , Donovan Bailey

It's easy to lose track of time in the aisles at Chapters/Indigo stores, spend hours surfing Amazon, or disappear for a day in a library, but I encourage you, whenever possible, to choose to support independent bookstores too. Chances are high that inside you'll discover well-informed staff who are passionate about books. Many independents differentiate themselves from discounters and the competition through specialization and quality, rather than quantity of sales. You can find independents with outstanding collections of children's literature, works by regional or local authors, comics, poetry, spiritual texts, gallery-worthy art books and even rare books.  My favourites: The Bookmark : Maritimers recognize this independent bookstore. After opening in Charlottetown in 1972, the owners expanded to open a Halifax store. Book signings, local content and much more. My source for Moleskin notebooks and bibliomania novelties. Nicholas Hoare : Beyond the obvious booki

Don't you feel like scavenger hunts are modern-day treasure quests? Granted, our scavenger hunts are a tad less important than those who sought lost civilizations, salvaged chests from sunken ships or unearthed King Tut's tomb. Yet, however small the pursuit, scavenger hunts serve up a hefty dose of fun.  Take part solo or in teams as you collect those clues, snap photos of what you find and pick up proof you visited the right spots. Source: Walter Moar 's flicker photostream   Geocaching adds a new layer to an average scavenger hunt, because participants require GPS devices and share their findings online. Amazingly the hunt has expanded beyond Earth's boundaries; Richard Garriott created a geocache on the International Space Station in 2008.  Whatever kind of scavenger hunt you undertake, enjoy the riddles to solve, objects to find and adventures to experience along the way.       AWESOME! Resources for fun scavenger hunts: If you vis

Source: Hagi on Pinterest Last week, a flashback struck me while listening to an IKEA radio spot. The ad features Jonas ― the Swedish voice behind the furniture company's funny ads ― talking into a fan.  Who hasn't sat cross-legged next to a fan, and then leaned forward to talk, generating Vader-like sounds? I didn’t even stop when I hit my teen years. The only difference was that by then I pretended to be Dennis de Young singing Styx’s “Mr. Roboto” into one of those 1970s box fans. (You know, the kind that wouldn’t pass muster by today’s safety standards. Apparently designers didn't realize children could stick fingers and skinny hands WAY into those fans.) So, fess up, what did you sing or say into fans? Who did you pretend you were?

Tourists and residents take advantage of the Confederation Trail , Prince Edward Island's former railway line. The system spans the length of Canada's smallest province and includes offshoots to villages and attractions.   Trail in the Gatineau Hills   I'm lucky the Confed Trail cuts through campus, so I can get exercise during my lunch break. I can also spot chickadees and warblers nearly as often as I see red foxes and bald eagles. On the opposite side of the country, my sister and brother-in-law build and maintain trails for mountain bikers. Unlike PEI's pastoral and shore views, the North Vancouver trails cut through mountain terrain dotted with towering Western Red Cedars and potentially dangerous wildlife. When I lived in la belle ville , trails lined the Lachine Cana l to lead Montrealers and visitors to tourist hot spots and commuting destinations. (Thank you, Parks Canada!) I love that the metropolitan city also had trails up Mount Royal, where I

Barnyard animals with a few more exotic ones tossed in for good measure. A congregation of fuzzy, feathered and stubbly creatures to delight children and adults alike. Pocket change scores you a handful of feed. Extend those pellets into the straw-strewn enclosures and those animals will jostle for your attention. Leathery or sandpaper-like tongues tickle your hands. Giggles and shrieks pepper the air.       AWESOME!!!

Whether you watch the fish swim beneath you, swirl your toes in the water, keep your eyes on swimmers, gaze at sunsets and reflections, or count birds and boats as they pass you, it's relaxing to sit at a dock's edge. Let the rest of the world stand still while you soak up these moments of       AWESOME!!! My niece Makayla taking in some dock time with my bro-in-law at the Belleville marina.

Vacation makes me feel as though I registered for this camp.  

No oncoming traffic. Wide shoulders for the fast and slow lanes. No blinding headlights.       AWESOME!!!

Today’s rambling is my guest blog post published by 1000awesomefriends.org yesterday. I state my piece about why everyone―beyond campers and hikers―should appreciate sleeping bags. Here's a direct link  to my 11 reasons why sleeping bags are       AWESOME!!! (This marked my third monthly guest post on the 1000awesomefriends.org site. If you missed my earlier guest posts, they included ones on Dr. Seuss and finding any excuse to celebrate .)

What makes scavenger hunts and geocaching so popular? Why is Lowly the Worm one of Richard Scarry's most beloved characters? What drives us to stare at a mess of lines trying to spot a 3D image? Why, after all these years, do newspapers still print those spot-the-six-differences comic strips? What made Waldo all the rage? A simple answer: the thrill of the search.       AWESOME!!! Is there an activity you enjoy (or used to love) because of that same thrill-of-the-search rush?

A car-free, double driveway         + a bucket of chalk         + sunny skies         + a day off = an enormous canvas      AWESOME!!! Children in my 'hood chalked this elaborate canvas  of summer and Canada Day 2012 messages.  Yes, chalk can serve as a verb. I looked it up in the Oxford English Dictionary . If the OED says it works, then who am I to argue?)