Over the past five years we have had several tragedies befall citizens of the world. I cannot remember a time in my life where I have spent so many hours sitting in front of my television set in tears. In 2001, we lost many people in NYC. In 2004 we witnessed devastation and destruction in Southeast Asia. We are witness… Read more →
2005.8.22 – 3 years and counting…
today is my third anniversary here at the ‘wash and in honour of this momentous occasion i decided to do a retrospective of sorts of my personal favourites. this doesn’t mean that i am going to try to boost my own ego, but rather the egos of my favourite past and present backwashers. although this is my space to pontificate… Read more →
2005.4.18 – so much to say
i was going to talk about pop culture today. try to lighten things up, but then andrea dworkin passed away and made things ever so heavy again. it happened last saturday (9 april 2005) so i am a bit behind in my reporting, but she was important enough to warrant an entry even a few weeks after her passing. who… Read more →
2004.12.20 – the holiday rush
Back to the holiday shopping season. I realize that it is a bit past now, but for me it has really just begun. The tendancy for me is to wait until the last possible second for everything, get really really stressed out and generally catch a cold of some kind directly after Christmas that is caused by the level of… Read more →
2004.10.20 – 14 days and counting…
Yes, it is almost time to step into that polling place and cast your ballot for the next President of this great land we call the United States. It is time to put aside all the political smear campaign tactics and look at the facts. To consider the ideals and policies of each candidate and make a truly informed decision.… Read more →
2004.8.23 – subversives
Let me first say that I would like to commemorate my second anniversary here at Backwash (one day late, it was actually 22 August) by saying thank you to all of my readers. I realize that I have been hot and cold with the updates over the last six months, but I promise to get back into the swing of… Read more →
2004.7.14 – the bane of one’s existence
So, I’m back yet again and this time I’m on the Bravo television bandwagon. Yes, I have been thoroughly sucked in. Why, oh why, must Bravo have such fantabulous reality tv shows? I generally hate reality tv, but for some reason I cannot turn the channel when “Showbiz Mom’s and Dad’s”, “BlowOut” or “The Restaurant” are airing. Even if I… Read more →
2004.3.18 – urban renewal
I live in a city, so I guess you could call me an urbanite. I enjoy being around tall buildings and having the ability to walk to restaurants and night clubs. With these abilities also come problems. Our cities are in danger of extinction. The yuppies have abandoned the city to live in the suburbs and although they work and… Read more →
2004.4.22 – the earth and us
Earth Day 2004! What have you done? I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention that today is the actual day and refer you to my column from last year – Earth Day Should Be Everyday. The fact that we should take care of our planet each and every day is something that should be second nature, but having… Read more →
2004.3.17 – spring into action!
Just around the corner is the best season of all. Yes, I am speaking of Spring. The sun starts to show up on and off for the month of March and by April it stays with us nearly everyday. Growing up in a relatively grey area of the country makes the spring even more special. The snow melts, animals come… Read more →
2004.2.4 – no coffee for you!
Aria had been serving these yuppie scum for years now and not one could remember her name. It was apparent that they didn’t give a damn about the low wages of the barista or how the beans that made their concoctions were picked by migrant farmers being paid next to nothing. None of this mattered, ofcourse, because yuppies don’t care… Read more →
2004.1.23 – that nostalgia thing
Are you a piner? One who pines? Does nostalgia overtake your existence to the point of you being unable to continue with your daily routine? Does it make you feel sad that you are living in the now, rather than the then? Hello. My name is Chantale and I am a nostalgia addict. I am addicted to the past and… Read more →
2004.1.9 – ill activism
‘Tis the season to be….sick as a dog, or cat, or some type of animal. Anything but human. Now you know the reason for my lengthy absence. I was not out having a good time, but rather in bed for several days. The best (and perhaps worst as well) part of the flu is that you are unable to go… Read more →
2003.11.18 – hug a soldier
Veteran’s Day. One of those holidays that tends to be overlooked by the population at large. If you work in a professional career you most likely had the day off. In the malls we are drawn to the idea that Veteran’s Day simply means sales. If you watch primetime television you will see at least one commercial detailing the “one… Read more →
2003.11.5 – green party blues
Another Election Day has come and gone. The Green Party had no representation in our little corner of Western New York, but that was no problem. Voting is a privilege and definitely not something to be taken lightly. Yes, I read up on the candidates before stepping into the booth this evening. It may have only been hours prior to… Read more →
2003.10.10 – a hippie on the jury
Grand Jury. Sounds like it could be exciting, right? Well, that is where you would be wrong. Finishing up a Grand Jury term this week, I feel totally drained. Indicting people is exhausting. All we really had to do was sit and listen to witness testimony and prosecutors arguments, but it was draining. Deciding the fate of another human being… Read more →
2003.9.15 – things we can do without
Now that the smoking ban in New York State is in effect I believe that it is about time we outlawed some other harmful things. First up – cellphones. These are the most annoying inventions of the modern age. The fact that every yuppie, granny and teenybopper has one makes it even worse. While serving coffee in my former employment,… Read more →
2003.8.22 – saving the music
Before I begin…I just want to say that today is officially my one year anniversary here at the ‘wash! 22 August 2002 was the day I wrote my first column and since then it has been a wild and wonderful ride. Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere…I just wanted to acknowledge the milestone. It doesn’t feel like it has been… Read more →
2003.8.18 – get out there and do something!
This column is not about the inconvenience of losing power in your home. It is not about politicians who suddenly become experts on power generation and consumption the moment the lights go out. It is not about major news networks giving the exact coordinates of the New York State power grid to every individual in the world in possession of… Read more →
2003.8.5 – love canal, revisited
2 August 1978 – The New York State Commissioner of Health declares a state of emergency at the Love Canal site in Niagara Falls, New York. All pregnant women and children under two are advised to seek shelter somewhere else, if possible. The fated day. The day that we knew it was all real. That our fears had been realized.… Read more →
2003.7.24 – what is your rush?
Travelling used to be relaxing. Getting to the destination was only half of the fun. Taking the country roads and winding your way through hills and valleys across the U.S. was the only way to go. There were service stations where the attendants would pump your gas, check your oil, clean your windows and send you off with a smile… Read more →
2003.7.16 – packrat living
The wedding was a success. The honeymoon was lovely. The apartment is a mess. Yes, the presents have all been opened, looked over, and stacked in the most out of the way spot. A few items are in use. The rest wait patiently for their spot on the kitchen counter, bathroom vanity, or bedroom dresser. This is the life of… Read more →
2003.6.5 – the pride is on!
“Pride – In the Name of Love…” Sorry, channeling Bono for a moment. Let me switch the channel… “Celebrate good times, C’mon!” Ah, ha! Kool and the Gang is better. Getting serious now, this pride I speak of is not about music or pop culture, but rather a way of life. This weekend, we have our annual Gay Pride festival… Read more →
2003.5.16 – interiour design
I am thinking about going back to school. Yes, the hippie has decided it is time to get back to the creative and try to get out of this cycle of customer service hell. Ofcourse, there will be a short time where I will have to continue working in the service industry, to supplement my income, but hopefully after returning… Read more →
2003.4.25 – earth day should be every day
22 April 1970. The first national celebration of Earth Day. Since that time, Earth Day has evolved into Earth week and really taken shape in the grassroots community. Tree plantings, rallies, and festivals are just the tip of the iceberg and this year is certainly no exception. Being from an area of toxic waste, I am well aware of the… Read more →
2003.4.16 – feminism in the 21st century
We’ve come a long way, baby! Degrading as that statement may seem, it is actually very true. We HAVE come a long way, but the only way to know for sure that the struggle was not in vain is to continue on with it. We cannot just rest on the laurels of our foremothers who fought for the big stuff.… Read more →
2003.4.1 – where do you fit in?
Do you ever feel out of place, everywhere? Lately, I have been visiting a coffeehouse, on my lunch break, that I used to hang out at when I was in college. I sit there, drink my coffee and read or write. This would be a relaxing experience but for the cold stares of the freaky deaky clientele. The coffeehouse is… Read more →
2003.2.28 – what became of the jingle?
When did Generation X music become a marketing ploy? At what point did the advertisers decide that it was time to start using punk rock and new wave music to sell us cars, clothes, food, and anything else they can think of? I suppose, since Generation X itself is a construct of mass media, it was inevitable that our music… Read more →
2003.2.21 – speaking english?
Are there certain turns of phrase that bother you? Words or sentences that make you cringe uncontrollably? In recent years, even the newscasters seem to have become grammar-impaired. I realize that they are just puppets and read what is written for them, but you would think that they would be able to have some common sense. It seems that they… Read more →
2003.2.13 – how small do you feel?
Let me paint you a picture. The background colour will be that of baby blue, which is plastered on every flat surface in sight. The bench you are sitting on looks as if it was ripped out of a 1970’s church and has been split apart in order to keep people at a distance. Fake wood is all you can… Read more →
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