Lise's Ramblings

When I added #40 to my Lofty Life List , I wrote the entry as a lighthearted wish. I had zero expectations of ever brushing shoulders with one of my three larger-than-life heartthrobs: Hugh Jackman, Jon Bon Jovi and Lenny Kravitz.  Lucky for me, Bon Jovi's 2013 “Because We Can” tour afforded me the closest chance I think I'll ever get to meet one of the three guys on my list.  Bon Jovi set list and ticket Yesterday evening, Jon and I shook hands as he headed up from the stage pit to the outer stage. Serendipity played a part in the meeting, but I was also determined to make the trek to see Jon and his crew from New Jersey. With no stops in Atlantic Canada for the Bon Jovi tour, I decided to drive to the nearest venue, either Montréal or Ottawa. A road trip crossing thousands of kilometres in winter, why not? After picking up decent 200-level tickets for the Ottawa show, I figured that was as close as I would get to Jon. This was an instance when I was glad to

Offer me a classic novel or its film adaptation, and I’ll choose the book nearly every time. In general, I find a Hollywood film’s storytelling and character development pale compare to the impact of the author’s original text. Source:  Cinemark Theatres on Pinterest However, I make exceptions for musicals. Armed with brilliant casting and musical scores, then the power of song in musicals lends additional depth to characters, builds plot momentum and dishes out compelling entertainment. Screen and stage musicals can also lure audiences into tales we may not otherwise choose to read. I’m sure people have watched The Sound of Music , Les Misérables and My Fair Lady even though they may not be inclined to read about the von Trapp family’s history, pick up a Victor Hugo novel on the aftermath of the French Revolution, or follow a woman’s transformation in George Bernard Shaw play. But, I suspect these performances will move selected audience members and theatregoers enough to get

In the days before satellite digital music, customized MP3 playlists and online radio/video channels, we had to wait for a long commercial-free music set to li sten to hit, after hit, after hit. No ads. Just tunes.       AWESOME!

We tend to assume people will understand us whenever we speak or write. Yet, if you're unilingual and you choose to move or travel to countries where your mother tongue isn't spoken, you would find it arduous to communicate with others. To achieve even partial understanding, you may resort to gestures, scribbles, universal symbols and basic sounds. An extended stay would likely drive you to learn say key phrases in the other language. During fall 2011, my sign language instructors taught our class how much we take for granted the fundamental ability to communicate with ease. One of the instructors, who is both deaf and mute, shared her frustrations from not being "heard"  and understood. If there was ever a place where you would expect those around you to grasp what you want to communicate, it's within your own home. Sadly, her experience was quite the opposite. The same can be true for young children; they aren't always understood. In spending time wit

In " To be or not to be...dominant for centuries " I paid tribute to a literary great. Today's post celebrates the staying power of a rock-and-roll team: The Rolling Stones. Back in 1963, Mick Jagger figured The Rolling Stones wouldn't last more than a couple years. Considering the reckless lifestyle of band members, their larger-than-life personalities, and the excesses of the 1960s, it's surprising the bad boys of rock survived at all, let alone to play on for all these years. Fortunately for fans and artists alike, Mick was wrong; this summer marked the band's 50th anniversary. While the band's composition has shifted since the Rolling Stones took to the public stage at London's Marquee Club back on July 12, 1962, the talented frontmen, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, have remained at the core.  Shepard Fairey designed an anniversary version of the band's iconic logo (shown above). The original, created by John Pasche, easily ranks