Dear Craig,
I was at your session at the 2009 Promise Keepers Conference in Mississauga on Saturday. I found your talk very interesting and I think your ministry is doing a wonderful thing.
However, your talk did cause me to have some disturbing thoughts.
First, you said that recently three ministers have been kicked out of churches in Los Vegas for being addicted to porn. I just wonder what caused these men to become so addicted to porn in the first place. The few times I have accidentally looked up porn, I have been horrified and have prayed fervently that the Lord would help me not to look up this stuff again. If I were a pastor, alone in my office and I purposely looked up porn, I would be so filled with remorse and pray to the Lord for forgiveness. At what point in the process of these men's addiction did they not try to reach out for help.
God said he would write his law on our hearts. I can only think that a lot of these pastors were never really saved to begin with. Most churches don't teach the Bible plan of salvation, which according to Acts 2 38 is "repent and be baptised" not "accept Jesus Christ as your personal saviour" or "ask him into your heart."
Women need to pray for their husbands constantly that they won't be tempted and fall into sexual sin while they're away at work.
Another thought that crossed my mind concerning pastors and other people who have been Christians for a long time getting addicted to pornography was that everything wasn't all right with these men's sex lives. A practical tip is that, if possible, these men should maybe try to have sex in the morning before they go to work. I think a certain amount of these kinds of sexual sins result from the level of testosterone being at it's highest point in the day when these men go to work.
An additional reason for the prevalence of addiction to pornography among Christians is that many Christians don't see people as people, only as points to be added to their Heavenly score card or bums they need to get into the pews of their churches. I think the key to putting away this horrible sin is to start seeing people-women and men, as Jesus Christ sees them. We need to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbour as ourselves. When a Christian truly does this, it helps with the sin currently under discussion as well as so many others.
AlsoAs for your debates with Ron Jeremy, part of me hopes he gets saved, but most of me says that Jew-boy's got too good of a deal going.
Alex Horton
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
CENTRE WALK
By Verne Edquist. Toronto: Devondale Books, 1993.
Centre Walk is a collection of reminiscences told by former students of the Ontario School For The Blind, now called the W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind. The titles of chapters consist of the name of the alumnist who is sharing their recollections in that chapter. What follows is my commentary on specific chapters.
First, let me say this book isn’t written very well. The foreword and the preface contain the same text, and what should be called the table of contents is called the index. Also, it’s not really in chronological order. There's a recollection from a student who started in 1911 followed by a student who started in 1872.
Ernest Lot
The school didn’t even really have academic subjects until 1916. A lot of schools for the blind were that way in the nineteenth century. The focus was on teaching them life skills. Blind people don’t need to know classic literature or calculus or anything like that. The students went into Principal Gardner’s office and demanded he add more academic subjects. He said, “Get out of my office.” Typical. The place was under the Office Of Institutions And Asylums!
They had square pies.
When the students moved into residences, there was no place to put anything. Typical of the school’s logic.
In this era, they started having the students go home for Christmas. So, prior to this, you went there for ten months straight from the time you were six or so for eleven or however many years. When you graduated, you didn’t have any connection with your community because you’d been in an institution for the last eleven years of your life.
Robert Trouton
He attended the school from 1918-1926. He recalls a student being put in the school prison for putting his boots on his bed. The school had a prison. Why does that not surprise me.
He says the handicapped function better as a group. Actually, they drag each other down do to their lack of social skills and thus are unable to function in society when they leave the school.
One kid went to the infirmary, was put to bed and the nurse forgot about him for three days. What a bimbo.
Susan Yonge-Jones-Mosher
She says the school helped her function socially in society. However, this is probably only because she had the foundation before she went to the school. She had five siblings to play with, plus their friends.
Donald And Helen Westbrook
When the students greeted each other, one person would say “Good day” and the other person would say their name. How stupid!
Donald feels the standards of discipline were higher at the OSB. He says that discipline in public schools these days is sorely lacking. He’s comparing apples and oranges. You would have to compare the standards of discipline at the OSB to those of a public school at that time.
The domestic sciences teacher would have a partially-sighted girl measure the liquid. What the heck? There isn’t going to be someone to measure liquid for a blind person when they get out on their own.
They had a sadistic gym teacher. He would cuff boys under the chin or slap them for walking with their arms outstretched, probably thinking they were homosexual. One of the senior students pushed the teacher up against the wall and threatened to break the teacher’s neck if he ever did it again.
There was a discrepancy between the OSB’s exams and the Department Of Education’s exams, so the educational standards were lower after all.
The piano tuning teacher didn’t think blind people could do repair work. So much for the school being a place where blind people could excel.
In about 1933 or 1934, George Radcliffe, the night watchman, mysteriously disappeared. Apparently, from a story a teacher told us while I was attending W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind, Radcliffe liked to go into the girl’s residence at night and look at them naked. Hopefully he got killed.
Donald and Helen met through the school’s music program. They would meet secretly. One night, Helen’s meeting with Donald was reported to Miss Murray. Miss Murray said, “If you are after boys at fifteen, what will you be like at twenty-five?”
Helen replied, “Probably selling myself on the street corner since your stigmatizing my sexual feelings which, by the way, are perfectly normal to have at my age.”
However, Miss Murray would take Helen and Donald to social events to perform together so she can’t have disapproved of their relationship that much.
Helen says blind people are told they are being watched by the public all their lives and they have to do better. Sure, you need to act in a way that is acceptable in society, but I ain’t got a darn thing to prove to anybody.
Herbert Sutheran
He arrived at the school with a bag of chocolate bars given to him by his family. He was shown an empty locker to put them in and was told he could pick them up later. When he went to retrieve the chocolate bars, they were gone. The staff took them. Those jerks!
He was shown to the dining room where dinner consisted of cereal and apple sauce.
Many of the students talk about going to a restaurant, going shopping or helping a neighbouring farmer dig potatoes. Man! The only time we went off school property and interacted with the sighted world was when we went to the Tim Hortons at Brantford General Hospital.
Bill Clark
He was a Salvation Army preacher, though the book doesn’t mention anything about him being born again. He had a weird teacher in Grade 2 who called him Bee. She said that if Bill couldn’t produce honey then there was no point in her staying the rest of the day. He has written some books and done some other work for CBMI.
Janet Stevens
She says that when she went to OSB, many girls would marry the first man they met when they got out into the real world. She says this does not happen today. Actually, a lot of girls from the school continue to date boys from the school exclusively after they leave.
Gerald Taylor
He came to the school for Career Day once. I didn’t attend his session, but the kids who did said he rambled on in a bunch of nonsequiters.
He talks about the school’s attitudes toward sex. He says they weren’t properly informed. He treated women he ran across after he left the school abominably, and even at thirty Gerald’s wife said he was still naïve toward women. It was the same way when I went there, really. Anything that happened below the waist was viewed as horrible. If a boy accidentally walked into the girl’s change room or washroom, people would act like it was a really big deal. The kids would make sexual ineuendos all the time.
Jasmin Schuhardt
She used to review descriptive videos for the CNIB’s newsletter, Wordsworthy. Then she went to university to be a psychologist.
She touches on how she really wasn’t prepared for the outside world upon leaving school. She also talks about how she was told to stand up for herself at home, while being told to be seen and not heard at school. I found a similar situation when I went to the school. Girls were sheltered and you got the impression the staff wanted to turn them into weak young women, perpetual damsels in distress, if you will, like Bo Peep or something. I was even told that if the girls were sitting together in the living room and one of them got up to go to the bathroom, the staff would ask them where they were going.
Michael Davidson
He recalls John Howe, whom he calls an excellent gym teacher. When I was there, Mr. Howe didn’t do much of anything. He left it to the other gym teachers to do most of the actual teaching.
Michael Davidson also has the most humourous anecdotes in the whole book.
Dr. John Vandertoun
He was a music teacher at the school when I was there. He also preached the Sunday sermon at the 2004 alumnae reunion. It was the worst sermon I ever heard. He treated the Bible like a book of good advice and not as the inspired Word of God which it is.
He also recalls Bill Murphy with fondness. Mr. Murphy retired at the end of the first year I was there, but I found him to be a kind and encouraging man.
Jeff Heeley
Jeff Heeley is probably the most successful attendee of the W. Ross Macdonald School For The Blind, but you have to keep in mind he left the school at the end of Grade 7.
Centre Walk is a collection of reminiscences told by former students of the Ontario School For The Blind, now called the W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind. The titles of chapters consist of the name of the alumnist who is sharing their recollections in that chapter. What follows is my commentary on specific chapters.
First, let me say this book isn’t written very well. The foreword and the preface contain the same text, and what should be called the table of contents is called the index. Also, it’s not really in chronological order. There's a recollection from a student who started in 1911 followed by a student who started in 1872.
Ernest Lot
The school didn’t even really have academic subjects until 1916. A lot of schools for the blind were that way in the nineteenth century. The focus was on teaching them life skills. Blind people don’t need to know classic literature or calculus or anything like that. The students went into Principal Gardner’s office and demanded he add more academic subjects. He said, “Get out of my office.” Typical. The place was under the Office Of Institutions And Asylums!
They had square pies.
When the students moved into residences, there was no place to put anything. Typical of the school’s logic.
In this era, they started having the students go home for Christmas. So, prior to this, you went there for ten months straight from the time you were six or so for eleven or however many years. When you graduated, you didn’t have any connection with your community because you’d been in an institution for the last eleven years of your life.
Robert Trouton
He attended the school from 1918-1926. He recalls a student being put in the school prison for putting his boots on his bed. The school had a prison. Why does that not surprise me.
He says the handicapped function better as a group. Actually, they drag each other down do to their lack of social skills and thus are unable to function in society when they leave the school.
One kid went to the infirmary, was put to bed and the nurse forgot about him for three days. What a bimbo.
Susan Yonge-Jones-Mosher
She says the school helped her function socially in society. However, this is probably only because she had the foundation before she went to the school. She had five siblings to play with, plus their friends.
Donald And Helen Westbrook
When the students greeted each other, one person would say “Good day” and the other person would say their name. How stupid!
Donald feels the standards of discipline were higher at the OSB. He says that discipline in public schools these days is sorely lacking. He’s comparing apples and oranges. You would have to compare the standards of discipline at the OSB to those of a public school at that time.
The domestic sciences teacher would have a partially-sighted girl measure the liquid. What the heck? There isn’t going to be someone to measure liquid for a blind person when they get out on their own.
They had a sadistic gym teacher. He would cuff boys under the chin or slap them for walking with their arms outstretched, probably thinking they were homosexual. One of the senior students pushed the teacher up against the wall and threatened to break the teacher’s neck if he ever did it again.
There was a discrepancy between the OSB’s exams and the Department Of Education’s exams, so the educational standards were lower after all.
The piano tuning teacher didn’t think blind people could do repair work. So much for the school being a place where blind people could excel.
In about 1933 or 1934, George Radcliffe, the night watchman, mysteriously disappeared. Apparently, from a story a teacher told us while I was attending W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind, Radcliffe liked to go into the girl’s residence at night and look at them naked. Hopefully he got killed.
Donald and Helen met through the school’s music program. They would meet secretly. One night, Helen’s meeting with Donald was reported to Miss Murray. Miss Murray said, “If you are after boys at fifteen, what will you be like at twenty-five?”
Helen replied, “Probably selling myself on the street corner since your stigmatizing my sexual feelings which, by the way, are perfectly normal to have at my age.”
However, Miss Murray would take Helen and Donald to social events to perform together so she can’t have disapproved of their relationship that much.
Helen says blind people are told they are being watched by the public all their lives and they have to do better. Sure, you need to act in a way that is acceptable in society, but I ain’t got a darn thing to prove to anybody.
Herbert Sutheran
He arrived at the school with a bag of chocolate bars given to him by his family. He was shown an empty locker to put them in and was told he could pick them up later. When he went to retrieve the chocolate bars, they were gone. The staff took them. Those jerks!
He was shown to the dining room where dinner consisted of cereal and apple sauce.
Many of the students talk about going to a restaurant, going shopping or helping a neighbouring farmer dig potatoes. Man! The only time we went off school property and interacted with the sighted world was when we went to the Tim Hortons at Brantford General Hospital.
Bill Clark
He was a Salvation Army preacher, though the book doesn’t mention anything about him being born again. He had a weird teacher in Grade 2 who called him Bee. She said that if Bill couldn’t produce honey then there was no point in her staying the rest of the day. He has written some books and done some other work for CBMI.
Janet Stevens
She says that when she went to OSB, many girls would marry the first man they met when they got out into the real world. She says this does not happen today. Actually, a lot of girls from the school continue to date boys from the school exclusively after they leave.
Gerald Taylor
He came to the school for Career Day once. I didn’t attend his session, but the kids who did said he rambled on in a bunch of nonsequiters.
He talks about the school’s attitudes toward sex. He says they weren’t properly informed. He treated women he ran across after he left the school abominably, and even at thirty Gerald’s wife said he was still naïve toward women. It was the same way when I went there, really. Anything that happened below the waist was viewed as horrible. If a boy accidentally walked into the girl’s change room or washroom, people would act like it was a really big deal. The kids would make sexual ineuendos all the time.
Jasmin Schuhardt
She used to review descriptive videos for the CNIB’s newsletter, Wordsworthy. Then she went to university to be a psychologist.
She touches on how she really wasn’t prepared for the outside world upon leaving school. She also talks about how she was told to stand up for herself at home, while being told to be seen and not heard at school. I found a similar situation when I went to the school. Girls were sheltered and you got the impression the staff wanted to turn them into weak young women, perpetual damsels in distress, if you will, like Bo Peep or something. I was even told that if the girls were sitting together in the living room and one of them got up to go to the bathroom, the staff would ask them where they were going.
Michael Davidson
He recalls John Howe, whom he calls an excellent gym teacher. When I was there, Mr. Howe didn’t do much of anything. He left it to the other gym teachers to do most of the actual teaching.
Michael Davidson also has the most humourous anecdotes in the whole book.
Dr. John Vandertoun
He was a music teacher at the school when I was there. He also preached the Sunday sermon at the 2004 alumnae reunion. It was the worst sermon I ever heard. He treated the Bible like a book of good advice and not as the inspired Word of God which it is.
He also recalls Bill Murphy with fondness. Mr. Murphy retired at the end of the first year I was there, but I found him to be a kind and encouraging man.
Jeff Heeley
Jeff Heeley is probably the most successful attendee of the W. Ross Macdonald School For The Blind, but you have to keep in mind he left the school at the end of Grade 7.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
INTERVIEW WITH SHARON HAMPSON
The following is yet another thing I rescued from Geocities. The Elephant Show was one of my favourite shows as a child.
If the webmaster objects to me posting this interview, contact me and I will delete this post.
A Conversation with Sharon Hampson
A while back, I had the opportunity to have a phone conversation with Sharon Hampson, of Sharon, Lois & Bram. Before I say anything, I must thank Sharon
again. It was incredible getting to talk to one of the three performers who made my childhood so great.
Sharon, Lois & Bram have been known as role models for children all over North America. Knowing that, the first thing I discussed with Sharon was her role
models. Hampson told me that her musical role model was always Pete Seager, who was a folk singer with the group the Weavers. Not only was Seager a great
folk musician, but as she put it, "Seager has a high moral code and speaks about strong views."
Believe it or not, Sharon Hampson did not always want to be a singer. At a young age, Sharon wanted to be a Kindergarten teacher; however she always had
a love for music, as it was always a regular part of her family life. She has been working with kids since Grade 6, and simply combined her love of music,
with her love of kids, to get one of the greatest jobs someone could have!
Everyone knows of Sharon Hampson as one-third of the trio Sharon, Lois & Bram, but I always wondered how exactly they all met. When we discussed this topic,
Sharon stated that "We both got involved in each others activities." At the time, Sharon was involved in a folk festival known as "Mariposa in the Schools"
and Lois was involved in a library program known as "Music for Children." Both worked on each others projects, making a true friendship. Sharon knew Bram
from “teenage coffee house days," but he also participated in "Mariposa." Bram gained friendship with Sharon even more through her children, who knew Bram
as a music teacher.
At this point, all three were supposed to participate in a "Mariposa" album, but Bill Usher suggested that Sharon Hampson, Lois Lillienstein and Bram Morrison
should do an album together. This was the very beginning of Sharon, Lois & Bram. At the time of the recording of their 1978 album "One Elephant, Deux Elephants,"
it wasn't intended to be the trio's career, but because of albums huge response, Sharon, Lois & Bram continued to record, and continued to gain popularity.
As Sharon pointed out, making their first album took a lot. "Lots of planning and borrowing money before we could record the album in May of 1978."
We also talked about how the three were really not a trio yet at time of "One Elephant." They were three separate singers, who sang solo on many songs,
but as the years went on, they began to sing better as the group Sharon, Lois & Bram. As Sharon noted, when you put three totally unique voices together,
you're very lucky when you get such a great sound that the group had, and still have.
Eric Nagler was always a major role in "Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show." He was seen in every episode, and played at most of the groups concerts around
the time of the show. I discussed with Sharon how they met Eric. As she quotes, "We always knew Eric from the folkie scene." As the group was brainstorming
for ideas for the show, Eric was mentioned, and that's about it. He was always a great folk artist, and another person who had a love for children.
At this point in our phone conversation, Sharon told me a story about the origin of "The Elephant Show." Arnie Zipursky and Bruce Glawson, who were right
out of film school, both knew the group through their nieces and nephews. They wanted to do a TV show with the group, and Zipursky and Glawson seemed to
be the only two who came through with money and truly were interested. A special was created for the CBC network called "Live at Young People's Theatre,"
which was well-received, and which sparked the creation of Cambium Productions, and "The Elephant Show." In fact, clips from the Young People's Theatre
special can be seen on the pilot of the show, "Elephant's Doctor."
We then discussed how "The Elephant Show" was taped. Normally, the crew would go out and shoot the show in the summer. This is how all the outdoor segments
were always done, so it wouldn't be freezing cold during taping. As many people know, the show was shot around Toronto, which can get VERY COLD. The episodes
were then edited around fall, and preparation for the next season started around the next winter, while touring still occurred at this time not only promoting
the show, but their albums based on music from the show.
"The Elephant Show" lasted for 5 seasons of 13 episodes each. The show came to an end in 1988. I talked with Sharon about why the show actually came to
an end. As Sharon stated, "We were told that 65 episodes was the right number to do," and as viewers knew, every episode had an original story. That would
also be quite hard to keep up without repeating scenarios. 1988 was also the year that "The Elephant Show" came to the U.S. and aired on Nickelodeon, a
U.S. children’s cable network. The popularity of the show went through the roof, and although Sharon, Lois & Bram expected to take a breather after the
show ended, touring was more popular than ever! Tours expanded out of Canada and into many U.S. destinations, including Long Island, New York (at the Westbury
Music Fair) where I got the opportunity to see the trio.
As I commented, the thing about "Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show" is that it evolved so much between 1984 and 1988. In the beginning, the episodes
were about simple things like going on a Picnic, or to an Amusement Park. Towards the end, the episodes got more interesting, such as "Birth of the Show,"
an episode all about the fictional creation of "The Elephant Show" and "The Early Years," a fictional but very entertaining story about how Sharon, Lois
& Bram became Sharon, Lois & Bram.
As we talked more about the show, she told me that she feels that many think the show is dated. According to her, as true Sharon, Lois & Bram fans know,
how can a show so welcoming and sweet, about simple stories ever be dated? "Parents come in to a child watching Barney and run from the room, we created
a show that the whole family would enjoy." As Sharon said, the show was not a lot of "Razzamatazz," but it was a good quality show which all kids deserve
to grow up with.
There were so many songs sung on "The Elephant Show." Many cannot be heard on the albums that Sharon, Lois & Bram put out in stores. We talked about how
they picked songs to be placed on the albums. As Sharon noted, it was very difficult picking songs, but the group would simply go through all their songs,
look for good mixtures of different styles of song, and put them together on an album. One thing about the group and their albums is that they never "cheaped"
out on the number of songs on an album. They would always give the kids their money's worth. As Sharon quotes, "Taping the show was like going to camp.
We'd see everyone every summer, and during the other seasons we would hardly see the crew at all."
As it sounds from how Sharon puts it, her years spent taping "The Elephant Show" seem to be some of the greatest years of her life. Most recently, the
trio created another television show known as "Skinnamarink TV," and is now celebrating 25 years as Sharon, Lois & Bram.
Sharon, congratulations and thanks again for not only your time during our conversation, but for being one of the people that made my childhood so great.
If the webmaster objects to me posting this interview, contact me and I will delete this post.
A Conversation with Sharon Hampson
A while back, I had the opportunity to have a phone conversation with Sharon Hampson, of Sharon, Lois & Bram. Before I say anything, I must thank Sharon
again. It was incredible getting to talk to one of the three performers who made my childhood so great.
Sharon, Lois & Bram have been known as role models for children all over North America. Knowing that, the first thing I discussed with Sharon was her role
models. Hampson told me that her musical role model was always Pete Seager, who was a folk singer with the group the Weavers. Not only was Seager a great
folk musician, but as she put it, "Seager has a high moral code and speaks about strong views."
Believe it or not, Sharon Hampson did not always want to be a singer. At a young age, Sharon wanted to be a Kindergarten teacher; however she always had
a love for music, as it was always a regular part of her family life. She has been working with kids since Grade 6, and simply combined her love of music,
with her love of kids, to get one of the greatest jobs someone could have!
Everyone knows of Sharon Hampson as one-third of the trio Sharon, Lois & Bram, but I always wondered how exactly they all met. When we discussed this topic,
Sharon stated that "We both got involved in each others activities." At the time, Sharon was involved in a folk festival known as "Mariposa in the Schools"
and Lois was involved in a library program known as "Music for Children." Both worked on each others projects, making a true friendship. Sharon knew Bram
from “teenage coffee house days," but he also participated in "Mariposa." Bram gained friendship with Sharon even more through her children, who knew Bram
as a music teacher.
At this point, all three were supposed to participate in a "Mariposa" album, but Bill Usher suggested that Sharon Hampson, Lois Lillienstein and Bram Morrison
should do an album together. This was the very beginning of Sharon, Lois & Bram. At the time of the recording of their 1978 album "One Elephant, Deux Elephants,"
it wasn't intended to be the trio's career, but because of albums huge response, Sharon, Lois & Bram continued to record, and continued to gain popularity.
As Sharon pointed out, making their first album took a lot. "Lots of planning and borrowing money before we could record the album in May of 1978."
We also talked about how the three were really not a trio yet at time of "One Elephant." They were three separate singers, who sang solo on many songs,
but as the years went on, they began to sing better as the group Sharon, Lois & Bram. As Sharon noted, when you put three totally unique voices together,
you're very lucky when you get such a great sound that the group had, and still have.
Eric Nagler was always a major role in "Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show." He was seen in every episode, and played at most of the groups concerts around
the time of the show. I discussed with Sharon how they met Eric. As she quotes, "We always knew Eric from the folkie scene." As the group was brainstorming
for ideas for the show, Eric was mentioned, and that's about it. He was always a great folk artist, and another person who had a love for children.
At this point in our phone conversation, Sharon told me a story about the origin of "The Elephant Show." Arnie Zipursky and Bruce Glawson, who were right
out of film school, both knew the group through their nieces and nephews. They wanted to do a TV show with the group, and Zipursky and Glawson seemed to
be the only two who came through with money and truly were interested. A special was created for the CBC network called "Live at Young People's Theatre,"
which was well-received, and which sparked the creation of Cambium Productions, and "The Elephant Show." In fact, clips from the Young People's Theatre
special can be seen on the pilot of the show, "Elephant's Doctor."
We then discussed how "The Elephant Show" was taped. Normally, the crew would go out and shoot the show in the summer. This is how all the outdoor segments
were always done, so it wouldn't be freezing cold during taping. As many people know, the show was shot around Toronto, which can get VERY COLD. The episodes
were then edited around fall, and preparation for the next season started around the next winter, while touring still occurred at this time not only promoting
the show, but their albums based on music from the show.
"The Elephant Show" lasted for 5 seasons of 13 episodes each. The show came to an end in 1988. I talked with Sharon about why the show actually came to
an end. As Sharon stated, "We were told that 65 episodes was the right number to do," and as viewers knew, every episode had an original story. That would
also be quite hard to keep up without repeating scenarios. 1988 was also the year that "The Elephant Show" came to the U.S. and aired on Nickelodeon, a
U.S. children’s cable network. The popularity of the show went through the roof, and although Sharon, Lois & Bram expected to take a breather after the
show ended, touring was more popular than ever! Tours expanded out of Canada and into many U.S. destinations, including Long Island, New York (at the Westbury
Music Fair) where I got the opportunity to see the trio.
As I commented, the thing about "Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show" is that it evolved so much between 1984 and 1988. In the beginning, the episodes
were about simple things like going on a Picnic, or to an Amusement Park. Towards the end, the episodes got more interesting, such as "Birth of the Show,"
an episode all about the fictional creation of "The Elephant Show" and "The Early Years," a fictional but very entertaining story about how Sharon, Lois
& Bram became Sharon, Lois & Bram.
As we talked more about the show, she told me that she feels that many think the show is dated. According to her, as true Sharon, Lois & Bram fans know,
how can a show so welcoming and sweet, about simple stories ever be dated? "Parents come in to a child watching Barney and run from the room, we created
a show that the whole family would enjoy." As Sharon said, the show was not a lot of "Razzamatazz," but it was a good quality show which all kids deserve
to grow up with.
There were so many songs sung on "The Elephant Show." Many cannot be heard on the albums that Sharon, Lois & Bram put out in stores. We talked about how
they picked songs to be placed on the albums. As Sharon noted, it was very difficult picking songs, but the group would simply go through all their songs,
look for good mixtures of different styles of song, and put them together on an album. One thing about the group and their albums is that they never "cheaped"
out on the number of songs on an album. They would always give the kids their money's worth. As Sharon quotes, "Taping the show was like going to camp.
We'd see everyone every summer, and during the other seasons we would hardly see the crew at all."
As it sounds from how Sharon puts it, her years spent taping "The Elephant Show" seem to be some of the greatest years of her life. Most recently, the
trio created another television show known as "Skinnamarink TV," and is now celebrating 25 years as Sharon, Lois & Bram.
Sharon, congratulations and thanks again for not only your time during our conversation, but for being one of the people that made my childhood so great.
Monday, October 19, 2009
DEGRASSI PERSONALS
The following are exerpts of something I rescued from Geocities. I managed to edit out MOST of the filthy parts.
DEGRASSI PERSONALS
Hi Im Alexa! Well, after my beautiful performance at Degrassi, I had to become an actress! Well, it didnt quite work out, and now all i do is work at a
local Value Village. Yes, I know, I cant stand being around dirty used clothes. But I do get free staind underwear, and bras! Not to mention used deodorant,
and broken condoms. Oh, and I got married to Simon! What a HUNK!
Hi. I'm BLT. I have Mulitple Sclerosis, Tubular Lungitis, and other such diseases. Well, thats all i have to say, although I went for the NBA, it never
worked out for me. I wish I was a stud. Look at my big lips! WOW They are HUMUNGOUS! I never realized.
Hey everybody, I'm Kaitlan, one of the only good looking people on the show. Well I htink so anyways. I cant beleive I went out with that dork Joey! He
is so inconsiderate! Well, if your wondering what Im doing now, I work for Greenpeace. Which reminds me, what did I ever see in tht loser Claude? What
an idiot! Can you beleive this guy? Ugh makes me sick! Yea, so I stand infront of hunters guns when theyre tryig to hunt deer. I got shot with a rifle
67 times, and got shoot with a harpoon, only about 8 or 9 times. Well, good day! Oh and, save the rainforest!
Hi/ Im Claude. Aint I a sexy bitchass? Well, I blew my brains out in the Degrassi series. Wow, that ended my career. Like it was going anywhere anyways!
Hi im Joey.I lie getting geaten up by big guys. By the way, this is my friend Dwayne. Be nice to him, he has HIV! Hes a decent guy though.
Hi. Im Lucy. The fun one who could never get a boyfriend! And when I did, they always turned out to be nerdy guys with glasses. They were really ugly eh?
Well anywasy, im doin my own little thang now, Im probably the most successful one out of the whole cast. I work for a big business. Im the CEO of Nabisco
Shredded Wheat. Isnt that fanstastic? I got married to Alex. You know that ugly kid who got totally shot down by Stephanie Kay, and that other dum broad
Tess? Well, yea I'm married to him!
Hey. Im Michelle. I got married to Snake shortly after the show. He's so cute. And he beat up BLT fo me.
Hey Im Spike, the only kool one in the show. Although I look like some sort of lizard in this picture...well, Emmas 11 years old now! Isnt that great? Shes
so great! I had a hard time bringin her up, shes in drugs and prostittion now, and i sent her to boot camp about 6 times already. That little brat.
RIP THE SYSTEM!.........? k cya.
Heeeeey buuuuuuuuuuuuudy! Im wheels! The kickenest guy in the world! YEA E YEA! Man, I rule everyone here! If it wasnt for my geeky face, then Degrassi
would of never made it! ZIT REMEDY RULES! YEA! I work at Money Mart currently. Yea, I make only about 7 bucks an hour. But what can I say?
DEGRASSI PERSONALS
Hi Im Alexa! Well, after my beautiful performance at Degrassi, I had to become an actress! Well, it didnt quite work out, and now all i do is work at a
local Value Village. Yes, I know, I cant stand being around dirty used clothes. But I do get free staind underwear, and bras! Not to mention used deodorant,
and broken condoms. Oh, and I got married to Simon! What a HUNK!
Hi. I'm BLT. I have Mulitple Sclerosis, Tubular Lungitis, and other such diseases. Well, thats all i have to say, although I went for the NBA, it never
worked out for me. I wish I was a stud. Look at my big lips! WOW They are HUMUNGOUS! I never realized.
Hey everybody, I'm Kaitlan, one of the only good looking people on the show. Well I htink so anyways. I cant beleive I went out with that dork Joey! He
is so inconsiderate! Well, if your wondering what Im doing now, I work for Greenpeace. Which reminds me, what did I ever see in tht loser Claude? What
an idiot! Can you beleive this guy? Ugh makes me sick! Yea, so I stand infront of hunters guns when theyre tryig to hunt deer. I got shot with a rifle
67 times, and got shoot with a harpoon, only about 8 or 9 times. Well, good day! Oh and, save the rainforest!
Hi/ Im Claude. Aint I a sexy bitchass? Well, I blew my brains out in the Degrassi series. Wow, that ended my career. Like it was going anywhere anyways!
Hi im Joey.I lie getting geaten up by big guys. By the way, this is my friend Dwayne. Be nice to him, he has HIV! Hes a decent guy though.
Hi. Im Lucy. The fun one who could never get a boyfriend! And when I did, they always turned out to be nerdy guys with glasses. They were really ugly eh?
Well anywasy, im doin my own little thang now, Im probably the most successful one out of the whole cast. I work for a big business. Im the CEO of Nabisco
Shredded Wheat. Isnt that fanstastic? I got married to Alex. You know that ugly kid who got totally shot down by Stephanie Kay, and that other dum broad
Tess? Well, yea I'm married to him!
Hey. Im Michelle. I got married to Snake shortly after the show. He's so cute. And he beat up BLT fo me.
Hey Im Spike, the only kool one in the show. Although I look like some sort of lizard in this picture...well, Emmas 11 years old now! Isnt that great? Shes
so great! I had a hard time bringin her up, shes in drugs and prostittion now, and i sent her to boot camp about 6 times already. That little brat.
RIP THE SYSTEM!.........? k cya.
Heeeeey buuuuuuuuuuuuudy! Im wheels! The kickenest guy in the world! YEA E YEA! Man, I rule everyone here! If it wasnt for my geeky face, then Degrassi
would of never made it! ZIT REMEDY RULES! YEA! I work at Money Mart currently. Yea, I make only about 7 bucks an hour. But what can I say?
DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION: EPISODE REVIEW
The first episode of Degrassi last night concerned Johnny taking nude photos of Ali. Since Ali and Claire are friends, you would think Ali would have learned about that sort of thing from Darcy's experience. That's the thing about Degrassi: the kids never learn; they only make bigger mistakes.
The second episode was about Johnny possibly giving Ali vd. The episode was basically an advertisement for the HPV vaccine. Girls, do not get that vaccine. It only protects against a couple of the one hundred strains of the virus, and not even the most prevalent ones. Google "Gardasil deaths."
The second episode was about Johnny possibly giving Ali vd. The episode was basically an advertisement for the HPV vaccine. Girls, do not get that vaccine. It only protects against a couple of the one hundred strains of the virus, and not even the most prevalent ones. Google "Gardasil deaths."
444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444
There was a story on Cbc Friday about Chinese people being superstitious about the number four. Apparently, in Cantonese the word for four is also the same word for death. Cities are giving people the option of replacing the four in their street address.
Will our bending over backward for these people never end? This is carrying accommodation too far. We live in Canada. Our numerical system goes
1234567890
and if you don't like it, leave.
Will our bending over backward for these people never end? This is carrying accommodation too far. We live in Canada. Our numerical system goes
1234567890
and if you don't like it, leave.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
RANDY ORTON'S APARTMENT
Formerly "Does John Cena Do His Own Laundry?"
Hello Everybody,
I'm buzzed on a Tuesday. Gotta love it.
Boy, is Saudi Arabia ever big!!!
So, in Ontario where I live we are experiencing unseasonably low temperatures. We are going to have snow on the ground before long. It'll be the first time in years we've had snow in October.
So, the Cbc says that they want to get mor conservative. Since 2005 they've been investigating the fact that they have a liberal bias. My guess is that they figure if there's an election Stephen Harper will get a majority (thus securing his cardboard cut-out status.) Plus, the Cbc is facing a budget shortfall, has already asked for extra money and has been denied, so they figure if they kiss up to the Conservatives by having Jan Wong guest host The Current and by partnering with the National Post and by having This Hour Has 22 Minutes constantly make fun of Michael Ignatiaf then they might get the extra money. Cbc has always known which side it's bread is buttered on.
Hello Everybody,
I'm buzzed on a Tuesday. Gotta love it.
Boy, is Saudi Arabia ever big!!!
So, in Ontario where I live we are experiencing unseasonably low temperatures. We are going to have snow on the ground before long. It'll be the first time in years we've had snow in October.
So, the Cbc says that they want to get mor conservative. Since 2005 they've been investigating the fact that they have a liberal bias. My guess is that they figure if there's an election Stephen Harper will get a majority (thus securing his cardboard cut-out status.) Plus, the Cbc is facing a budget shortfall, has already asked for extra money and has been denied, so they figure if they kiss up to the Conservatives by having Jan Wong guest host The Current and by partnering with the National Post and by having This Hour Has 22 Minutes constantly make fun of Michael Ignatiaf then they might get the extra money. Cbc has always known which side it's bread is buttered on.
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