Southern exposure

Last night, B, C, and I went to Fort Edmonton to see the film South Pacific. I'd never seen it before, although it was one of my mother's favourite soundtracks when I was growing up. The film was so-so, but there was entertainment before the show started, thus:

The girls providing the accompaniment were impressive percussionists.

When we exited the Capitol Theatre (built 1918) at roughly 10:30 — such a late night for an oldster like me! — this was the scene:

No, the theatre obviously wasn't on fire. I just like the distortion of the exposure.

So that was the Thursday night that was, one rare night on the town.

The vault of lost lyrics, chapter 144

OK, so it’s difficult to imagine that anything involving Rihanna could truly be “lost,” but it is possible that these lyrics have not found most of the small audience of this blog. Anyway. This song has been a touchstone for me lately. If you know the back story, you know why.

**

“Hard” (Rihanna)

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Ah yeah ...

They can say whatever

I'ma do whatever

No pain is forever

Yup, you know this

Tougher than a lion

Ain't no need in tryin'

I live where the sky ends

Yup, you know this

Never lyin', truth teller

That Rihanna reign just won't let up

All black on, blacked-out shades

blacked out Maybach

I'ma rock this shit like fashion, as in

Goin' til they say stop

And my runway never looked so clear

But the hottest bitch in heels right here

No fear

And while you getting your cry on

I'm getting my fly on

Sincere

I see you aiming at my pedestal,

I better let ya know

(chorus) That I — I — I — I'm so hard

Ah yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm so hard ...

So hard, so hard, so hard, so hard

All up on it

Know you wanna clone it

Ain't like me

That chick too phony

Ride this beat, beat, beat like a pony

Meet me at the top

Gettin' loaded

Who think they test me now

Run through your town

I shut it down

Brilliant, resilient

Fan mail from 27 million

And I want it all

It's gonna take more than that

Hope that ain't all you got

I need it all

The money, the fame, the cars, the clothes

I can't just let you run up on me like that

I see you aiming at my pedestal

So I think I gotta let ya know

(repeat chorus)

[Jeezy raps: Go hard or go home

Back to your residence

Soon the red dogs will give the block back to the presidents

I used to run my own block like Obama did

You ain't gotta believe me, go ask my momma then

You couldn't even come in my room, it smelled like a kilo

Looked like me and two of my boys playing casino

Trying to sell they peeping my bag they can't afford it

Tell 'em to give me back my swag, they tryin' to clone me

See my Louis tux, Louis flag, Louis frames, Louis belt

What that make me, Louis Mane?

I'm in an all white party wearin' all black

With my new black watch call it the heart attack

Cardiac arrest, cardiac a wrist

Yeah, they say they're hard

They ain't hard as this

Hard! The one word describes me, if I wasn't doin' this

You know where I be, too hard]

Where dem girls talkin' trash, where dem girls talkin' trash

Where they at, where they at, where they at?

Where dem bloggers at, where dem bloggers at

Where they at, where they at, where they at?

Where your lighters at, where your lighters at

Where they at, where they at, where they at?

So hard, so hard, so hard, so hard ... 

(repeat chorus)

Catching up

Oh dear. It's been a while since I've written here. But since it's Thursday, here are some photos of things from Victoria and environs — things I haven't posted from the last year or so. Throwing back and catching up ... oh, how I love multi-tasking!

1.  There's a lot to look at in Alert Bay. This was a particularly striking piece of modern art.

2. Outside a store that delights me, at Market Square, Victoria.

3.  What a crow looks like from below, as seen from inside the boat.

4.  A character door in Fan Tan Alley, Victoria.

5. My birthday dessert. SO much chocolate!

6. Turtle pond at Beacon Hill Park, Victoria. Yes, those lumps on the log are turtles!

7. One last look at Garrick's Head pub, the night before we left Victoria.

And if you're willing to sit through the slide show, B has more than two thousand additional images of our West Coast sojourn.

More soon! (More writing, I mean.)