BlahBlahBlahBlog

Confusion

2011-06-23T22:27:00.000-04:00

So I have had writers block for literally over a year now. Not sure why or how, but it is something I just kept putting on the back burner. Sitting in Toronto at a bar alone waiting for a friend to finish work, I had nothing better to do but open my journal which has been dead with no new thoughts. The fact that I have had no inspiration for my Entertainment Events project "Big City Life", has also been a huge factor of my mood. Writing about it refreshed me. The rush to do what I love instead of finding where I fit in....

Confusion
Figure out the path to success
Figure out the path to happiness
Lost in the Big City Life
No one to guide you, no one beside you
These streets of confusion
Watching confidence of others walk by in their delusion
I try to find my way in the Big City Life
I fight for my purpose, knowing I'm nervous
Remembering the lessons of yesturday
Brings me closer to you today
I am one of those with the passion
Holding on to satisfaction
One step, two step... Big City Life

Now, it's time to start thinking about production!

Bar Star

2010-04-19T23:01:00.000-04:00

No time for wasting time
If you can't keep up, I'm sorry
Pedal to the metal
I live for tomorrows glory

I have been saved
I beleive in good karma
What goes around comes around
Im not a bar star causing all the drama

Attention comes
You don't have to flaunt it
Sexy is whats real
Don't hate, just feel

Drink, laugh and love
No harm in celebration
One thing can lead into another
A summer fornication

Lead yourself
Be smart, and at your own pace
These years go by, but it is not a race
Do it all for you
Not for the guy who told you to
If it's love, he will support who you are
Just don't be trashy, no guy wants a bar star

My Tough Love

2010-04-18T14:29:00.000-04:00

What my momma told me is to always move ahead
Every three years you go through a change
Tomorrow you could be dead
Live happy, breath healthy
Everything is okay
Don't stress about love
Your man will come around some day

Follow your footsteps
Listen to what I say
You might not see it now, but you will thank me some day
Be strong and be wise, you only have one chance
Tough love is real love, not a song and dance

I've listened to my momma
She's brought me here today
Through love and war, she made me a soldier... I must say

She looked me in the eyes
Like she was looking into my future
I saw a colour in her eyes and it glowed with pride
Ready to start my adult world and go for the ride

Through thick and thin
I will never forget who I am rooted from
Sometime too much to handle
But without her, I would never win

This is Why I Write

2010-02-14T15:18:00.003-05:00

In order to write something, you must feel
The thoughts floating inside your head must give you a rush to express
Everything inside of you must build up and explode
That is when I know my meaning is true

It's not what I have to say
It's what I say to think
It's my voice inside, spilling out with stamped words
My meaning behind open eyes

Without needing to explain to anyone but myself how I feel
It's the visual communication of my inner thoughts for my eyes to read
How I feel, what I think, my humour and my frustrations

Let everything go, get it off your chest and write it down
Write it with tears, laughter or pain
No matter what it's your's, no right or wrong

Cleanse my mind
Cleanse my doubts
Dig down deep to shout it out
I write it down and remind myself of who I am

This is why I write.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

2010-02-08T15:27:00.000-05:00

The bigger the heart
The better the pain
The brighter the sun
The heavier the rain

It takes one day to fall in love
One person to make you feel so rare
One person to light up a room
The moments you have will never compare
It's a beautiful curse
A curse of trust and fear
Emotional connections that make you smile from ear to ear

It takes one day to break the love
To say it's over, and see that one push turned into a shove
Walking down busy streets, with no one in sight but an empty heart that slowly beats
Every person will never compare
Your left stranded, feeling nothing but bare

The bigger the heart
The better the pain
The bigger the sun
The heavier the rain

Such a short amount of love can travel through a large amount of pain
Such a short small sentence can wash away the rain
Three simple words can create a neverending sun
When it's all over, take your heart and run

I Am Lotus

2010-01-20T01:35:00.001-05:00

We walk around this life not knowing
We walk around pacing back and forth
Like zombies trying to find their ways out
It's the mud, It's the shit.

We find ourselves figuring a way out
We grow from what we have learned
We start seeing the light
It's the birth of a new you.

We progress into something beautiful
Something we have wanted to reach and grab for so long
The light has created us
You have evolved

From mud and dirty water
From birth and growth made from light
Forming into a lotus

I am a lotus.

From Me to You

2010-01-10T13:27:00.001-05:00

This is a message from me to you
I have been slacking on the blog and it has just hit me
I need to get my ass back into gear
I have been busy during the holidays with family, friends and work
It has been an amazing holiday season, one I will never forget
I have gained a lot during these three weeks, which doesn't make me feel guilty about slacking
Family, friends, old friends, new friends and amazing memories
If only there were more pictures
I also have a project I have been working on, which is very exciting
It is a project involving the community of Hamilton
I will be posting about it in a couple of days
So be sure to check it out and get yourself involved if your interested
It will be an event that we will never forget
But no lucid thinking poetry today, just straight to business
From me to you
I hope you enjoyed your holidays
And if there is a member in your family that you haven't talked to in a while
Give them a call and show love and respect
It could complete you <3

Moula Moula

2009-12-29T13:57:00.002-05:00

Money
Where is it at?
It's our search for life
It's the aggression behind a loaded gun
It's the bribe to blackmail your opponent
It's the trigger ready to get pulled by the world, by everyone
Money, where's it at?

Money
It's right here
Look for it, have no fear
If you play your cards right, money won't get too tight
It's that material paper, with no scent or flavour
It's so plain and civil, it's a democracy to the simple

Money
You know it's a fight
Without it, would you be alright?
Would you find hapiness in simplicity and life?
Would you rather be stabbed in the back by a wealthy knife?
Money, cash, cheddar, dough, dolla bills; grow, grow, grow
Money is just material paper
It serenades us everyday like a drug, it's a raper
Kanye West can sing about his rich high life
Shove it in our face, without a loving wife

Money
Where's it at?
Do you see it grow?
Do you have to work for it and bend over like a hoe?
Life isn't money
It just lets us travel through life
It's material paper
It shouldn't be your purchase for a wife

Vincent Chase

2009-12-28T18:13:00.001-05:00

The street lights are on
It is time to begin
The night we have ahead of us
It's time to win
Get your records on and dance like crazy
Get your swagger on, it's time to meet a lady

Your ready to go, looking flashy like a hoe
You have your bottle of whiskey and your ready to create the show
No rules or worries, this night is yours
No girlfriend, no strings, no taking care of chores
You hit the party like your Vincent Chase
You know you are in every woman's mind, it's an image they can't erase

I walk in with my heels and lace
He stops what he is doing to come talk and chase
I'm not here to find Vincent Chase
I'm not here to get to third base
Your shoes are nice, you dress to impress
That's all I can say, nothing more or nothing less
Buy me a shot we can call it a party
I'll dance with you, but don't start thinking naughty

I know the game like the back of my hand
I hear it from him and her and its a game, I do understand
Live it up while your young, your here to live a full life and have fun
But your no Vincent Chase
So please don't think I am going to follow you back to your place

What Time Is It?

2009-12-26T13:29:00.003-05:00

It's time.

Time heals all wounds
Time creates an empty space for forgiveness
For every regret you have made, just wait
There is time.

For the daughter who lost faith in her father
There was time.
The time he kissed the back of her head and told her she made him proud
It took so much time.
But the time they have now, can create many years of laughter.

For the girl who left the country to go find life
To find the perfect career and the perfect husband
She spent all her time travelling and searching
To realize that what she had at home was her man and her money
It took searching and so much time.

There are times of emptiness where we feel bruised and broken
Times where we feel we don't know how to pick ourselves back up
But just wait.
There is time.
Time will heal us, time will tell us stories of what we need to let go.
This time, 2010, I will know that everything takes time
So wake up, its time.

Have a happy New Year, make this year worth it.
xox Amanda

Start

2009-11-28T21:32:00.004-05:00

I feel like time is just standing
Like I'm moving but heading no where
The purpose to myself right now is flying in the air
I'm trying to catch it, but it keeps slipping from my hand
They say all you need is love
Which I still haven't found in a person
So I search for it in my life of fulfillment
Which feels like I haven't even started yet
I sit here stuck thinking about all of the things I could be doing
They say all you need is success and education
But without love and adventure how can I feel happy and successful
Is it all about being at the right place, at the right time?
Am I just lost until I get found?
Not knowing if what I am doing has any purpose?

I'm broke, out of shape, lost and confused
Last year I was everything but.
But I am getting by, thinking about a bigger picture
Filled with people, places, money and happiness
I want to feel love within me
Love for what I am doing
Love for the person I am with
Life is a roller coaster of ups and downs
I want the excitement of going up, the rush of going down
And the craze of the loops
But I'm still waiting in line.

Midway State - Nathan Ferraro

2009-11-17T22:36:00.014-05:00

ElizabethKaye Photography

Midway State is on a Canada tour right now with the Stereos, along with the Artist Life and the Envy. I caught their show Friday night in St. Catharine's and Nathan melted my heart. His voice is sung with passion and sorrow and his lyrics are written straight from the heart. I met up with him after the show to ask him a few questions.

Inspiration is a beautiful force, especially when he told me his inspiration is "magic." Ferraro says he uses magic as his inspiration for singing and writing music. "Inspiration comes from art, it comes from the world." No wonder I feel like my feet are lifted off the ground when I watch Midway play live, it must be magic.

Midway State having won an MMVA shows how much they have made an impact as a newer band. After winning the MMVA Ferraro says the confidence of the band did not rise, "we are just very grateful and lucky, we have strong fans." Ferraro's attitude was different. He is not a guy in a band with a huge ego, or a huge head bigger than his fame. His brother, Christian Ferraro is also in a band, Trainlight. Both brothers play the keyboard and sing, with a similar style of impact. Ferraro says they both love eachothers work, they play and write together; but haven't played many shows together. Having a sibling in the same feild, I wondered if times get competitive: "You can't be competitive with art," says Ferraro.

The song Never Again, is a song I personally have related to. I had my heart stuck on someone living six hours away, this song was constantly playing for that period of my life.
I have my own version and story to the song, I wanted to know his.
"Never again is about being in love with someone and then having them leave. Having them gone and never coming back again," says Ferraro.
He sings the pain, every time I hear the song I can feel it again, it must be magic. Magic that comes straight from the heart and cuts like a knife.
Midway State has a lot more of the yellow brick road to follow. With a modest attitude and true talent, full of heart, I feel they will make their band a long success. We could be looking at the next Coldplay.

San Francisco Stories

2009-11-01T15:16:00.005-05:00

The Marijuana Gold Rush

Browsing through an artist from St. Catharine's, Jamez Townsend, I was amazed by his work. He masters the bricks with some dizzy graffiti and his animations bring creepy and conspiring creations. He is a contributor to Section 8, a Canadian art group. This group is contained with young aspiring artists trying to make an impact on their community and go as far as they can reach. Like many of us young, with inspiration, I was really intrigued and could tell that this group has been inspired. Checking out their inspiration sites, I came across Silly Pink Bunnies. The picture shown above is a part of Jeremy Fishes collection. His work is based on the stories of San Fransisco from the 1850's. He really dug deep in finding the stories of the dead town and how it boomed with population and the reasons why. Every person has a story and every picture tells a story. He combines a great story with a piece of art that draws you in.
Check out Jamez Townsend's work, along with Section 8.
Also, make sure you check out Silly Pink Bunnies, the collection is off the wall.

1867: Canadian Collective

2009-10-28T22:42:00.005-04:00

As I am a proud Canadian inspired by others of talent, craft and culture and love expressing my inspiration. I am proud to announce that I am now a contributor of 1867 Canadian Collective.
This site is based on the respect of Canadians work of art, music, film, sports, design, fashion, events and the list goes on. If you are interested in being informed with the 411 of Canada's Canadians making Canada a proud place to be a Canadian, check it out. 1867 now has a woman on the team, to bring some lime to your tequila. Before they were just taking it like a man.

Life Well Wasted

2009-10-18T12:37:00.005-04:00

It was a complete extreme of difference
A veiw of a different lifestyle, one in which is planned to be avoided
I see him laying in bed, pale and in pain
She gives him what he asked for, his high to feel alive again
He is comming down from withdrawl
Laying in a bed with a house of 10 people
All living life in which they find acceptance
Acceptance to let their mind and their body to be stimulated
Not caring about the life they have
Not caring about the people around them
Only caring about the next delivery of stimulation
The house is a community of downfall
A foundation of humans flushing beauty down the drain
When fun and a good times come to everyday addiction
Life isn't about life anymore, its not about living
It's about getting that feeling back
Who knows what each member of this household has gone through
Why they feel the need to be stimulated
What pain they have gone through, what horrors they have seen
How many people they have met and good times they have had
Stimulation doesn't make a bad person, it just takes away the pain
Some can handle stimulation and get by with a life of which they choose
But as he laid in bed, pale and in pain
It didn't look like it was a life at all
It looked like life well wasted
But who knows, some say the good die young

She Is Me, I Am Amanda

2009-10-15T21:15:00.005-04:00

She makes my decisions and then fights about them after
I hit her at the side of my head, when she leads me into trouble
No regrets, we only beleive in one life of fufillment

Together we learn.
When times get frustrating, she is the one who tells me to count to ten
She works with my eyes to evaluate the world
She takes care of me, the only one who I can truly depend on
She steps in like a kick in the ass and makes me blurt out what she wants me to say
Enlightening, she finds a way to relate to most situations
I can constantly hear her, everyday, inside of my head
She is very curious and loves turning up the amp to my voice
She makes me laugh with her humour, her insight on life
She is my instinct, my mind and my conscience
I am just the body who presents her thoughts and emotions
She is the spark inside of me who makes me who I am
We are life, a combination of a Gods creation
We work together everyday, since day one
Some call it their worst enemy, I call her my bestfriend
She is the writer you read right now
I am the eyes, the hands and the body
As you read this, know that there is a depth in each person
Whether they are aware of it or not
Are you talking to a face?
Or are you talking to a mind, conscience, an instinct?

Time of The Season

2009-10-11T14:53:00.007-04:00

The autmun brings warmth in style and classy fashion
It bring scents of pumpkin spice and crisp new air
The season is one that brings new romance while im in my black boots
Its a new shade of red, with new places and faces
Everytime this season comes, I get that same feeling
Of exploring the world, getting out and making choices that I know are strange
But every autumn I gain a new chapter, a lesson and a memory
Autumn has a certain aroma that gives me a feeling to live for my own story
Feeling good is as easy as breathing in the air and not giving a care
Going with whatever happens, finding what creates the next chapter to my next autumn
It all begins in the sweet October
With colored feilds, crisp leaves, train stations, college, chai tea, my sharp leather jacket and black boots
It's my time of year where I do not fear
Where I feel anything can happen
Everything that I least expect comes and takes me by suprise
Oh baby, I feel like I'm living

A Man Whom Knew All

2009-09-28T20:41:00.004-04:00

He asks himself everyday "Who am I?"
He wonders all the time why he says the things he does and asks himself questions of uncertainty
A man of such known intelligence, he should know all
As he watches men with confidence get the girls, he sits back and doesn't understand how to go about it
He looks in the mirror and pulls on his face, trying to pull it off
He squeezes his nose trying to make it smaller
He spits on his own reflection in the mirror
It is a hidden secret that will haunt him forever
With so many insecurities he lashes out with his intelligence
Putting others down and making them feel like a molecule floating in a massive world
He doesn't understand his actions
"Why aren't you good enough? Why can't you be more than a brain?"
Everyday his struggle with his own identity gets more frustrating
Everyday gets deeper with questions of his imperfections
No one understands him and no one tries to calm him down
He is alone, due to his own self-destruction
His face always unimpressed with his tense eyebrows scaring off strangers
He is a knife stabbing himself in the back

Until he finds the place that makes him happy
A morning dew bridge surrounded by thick fog
He looks down off the bridge and finds all of his answers
Everything begins to make sense
He can feel warmth and acceptance looking down at a cloud of fog
More than he can looking at himself in a mirror
He jumps and ends his insanity
And begins his peace.

Once Upon a Time

2009-09-24T22:40:00.004-04:00

For every ear that listens, hears it different
For every voice that speaks, has its own tone
Every mind has its own thoughts
And every person owns a different unique life
For each individual we somehow all form together and create the most epic monstrosity
Life.

With war and peace
With wealth and shame
With family and problems
With debt and fame
Think about how many aspects there are to life
How each person conflicts with another voice or another ear
How often people get killed for having their own thoughts
How hard we work to succeed
How often we look down to the homeless
Then one day we all just disapear
Everything we fought for
Everything created
All of the culture, art, religion, history and children...
All for a new revolution, who will have no idea how we listened, talked or thought
They will all do the same, making the world more complex
More war, more technology
We will never be content with what we have
If we become content, we will stop spinning
If we keep going we could explode
Once upon a time there was a world...
The End.

Chase Me As Fast As You Can

2009-09-13T20:48:00.000-04:00

You see me shine
I watch you glow
We are each others lights on a dark and windy road
With no idea for a destination, we run and go
It's a game of tag and your it
Nothing is more fun than chasing after one another
Catching each other and letting go
I'll hide from you, as you seek for me
Once you find me it's a whole other game
Making love is more fun when you play
With no title it's a mystery
A game that you want to keep on playing
It's a rush
It's a chase

Your Beliefs Are Your Imagination

2009-09-07T08:38:00.006-04:00

It's funny, as a child Santa is the magical God to all children. Knowing that there was such a wonderful man as Santa, gave us an imagination of such heart racing magic. We sang songs, drew pictures and counted down the days til he brought us our hopes and wishes. He was the only strong and true belief I had growing up all the way until I was 11. Never did I let anyone tell me and try to convince me he wasn't real. He was what I believed in, where my mind shined with curiosity, imagery and happiness. Then once I found out for a fact that mommy was the man with the white beard and giant tummy, I was let down; all the magic and Christmas imagination went down the drain. Religion comes to us in so many forms and it's all a big debate from one belief to another. The man up above, God; how do we know he is not another Santa? He is a man of our beliefs and imagination. He sets us with comfort and warmth of knowing someone out there is giving us our unknown magical path of life. We confide in him, we pray and talk to him when we feel like we are falling apart. Having that thought of not knowing as a 100% fact that God is not real, gives us hope and lets us believe. It lets our imagination create a God of which we chose to follow and want to believe in. If one day it is proven for a 100% fact that there is no such thing as God, or whatever your strong belief may be, what would you do? You would fight it, because its your guidance, you are deprived and lost. You have no one but yourself to turn to believe in and trust. It sounds so lonely, dry and cold. But it is more powerful than any God. You can see it when you look in the mirror, you can hear and listen when you talk, you can feel it and can strongly believe in it. You create your path of life with any way you chose to take it on and follow. Fate happens, miracles are given to us and life is all a huge mystery.

*This does not mean I don't believe in God, I just went deep.

Nightdreamer Magazine

2009-09-03T15:12:00.003-04:00

If you haven't heard of it yet, you now have got to check it out. Hamilton's own Nightdreamer Magazine with listed music, events, interviews and articles all based on Hamilton's night life. It is a free funky magazine placed all around Hamilton. Your girl Amanda Edridge, being a writer for this fresh new magazine is proud to deliver to you what is going on around the city. It features downloadable DJ mixes and articles from Owen Thomas the electronical music head and producer of the Magazine. To stories more my style, music with rock and soul. My first two articles will be featured in this September issue, it is such a great way to begin my fresh new year of college in the Journalism program. I have much to look forward to, thank you Owen!
Tonight Dean Lickyer is playing at Rokbar, I advise you all to go. Tons of good people, tons of drinks, tons of dancing and tons of amplified ground shaking music.
The article I wrote on Dean Lickyer will be in the print version of the magazine. So pick one up if you find it!
Also check out Nightdreamer's website with many other articles and fun stuff!

http://www.nightdreamer.ca/
Hope to see you tonight in your party hats and dancing shoes!

Real Lies, Real Eyes, Realize

2009-09-02T19:25:00.004-04:00

Trying to make me believe the words coming from your mouth

Makes me think they are not true

Your eyes moving a mile a minute

Your hands talking for you

The feeling of not wanting to hear what more you have to say

I just walk away

The truth speaks in your eyes

I can look into them and get sucked into your honesty

The calm energy is pulsing off of you

Your cool, easy and non threatening tone is comforting
You see reality and face it

For me there is no time for fake or pretend

I can't see your honesty when your wearing a mask
Take it off and be real
Don't hide yourself with lies and stories to look better
It gives your face a mask of lies

My Turn Perez

2009-08-29T16:20:00.006-04:00

He grew up not knowing who he was
Being teased for his weight, femininity and weird hair
Sitting alone, because nobody wants to play with a boy wearing pink socks and red lip stick
He sat alone watching and picking apart every flaw of everyone around him
All in his own mind he felt stronger with bigger, deeper and better ways to get back
It was a game for him
He grew up playing this game forever
People with money have it all, with coke racing up their nose
Girls wearing the most expensive clothes to show their status, with a DUI monthly
They all look at him and stick their nose in the air
But he is the one who gets the last laugh
He indulged in it so much that he started crashing the big shots
Chasing celebrity souls
Posting to the world their imperfections
To show the rest of the world that fame and fortune does not make you perfect
For the ones who show him no harm and friendship, is obvious
He has a heart, but plays a juicy devilish game
He is our insider to the real Hollywood
Love him or hate him, I could care less
Following Hollywood is a sense of stalking
He is just a human being like you and me and the celebrities in Hollywood
But he is good at what he does and there is a personal reason for why he does it
Envy? Pain?
Whatever it may be, it's his game and he's winning

My Bottle of Sanctuary

2009-08-28T01:28:00.005-04:00

I sit here and I collect
I gather my thoughts
I speak my mind through my mind

I sit here like a genie in her bottle
Filled with comfort and peace
Drawing, writing, dancing and trying on my closet to model
Its a space I created with my very own flare

My colour
My style
My art
My care
My music
My way
My sanctuary

It is my creation, there is no right or wrong, it's me
Curing me when I need to escape and reminded me of me

Young and Golden

2009-08-26T15:17:00.004-04:00

At this young age live like you feel

Live like tomorrow is coming too fast
You love your spunk and sex appeal

Be yourself, be crazy, make it all happen and love it while it lasts

Don't wait around for anyone, the people who make you wait can drag you down

New people will come and show you a different way, take it in

Make it happen with friends full of life, painting the world everyday and night
The best nights are the ones unplanned, spontaneous, and with troubled adventure

Your unleashed, go for it

Bring your camera, music and follow what the day brings you

Follow the good and learn from the bad

Our young mistakes will make us say "I wish I knew what I knew now when I was younger"

Without those mistakes, there's no risk, there's no fun

Dance like a leprechaun finding your gold

The Naked Eye

2009-08-24T12:12:00.005-04:00

Marilyn Monroe, real curves, legend of beauty

I'm in this mood...
Everything has been done
Creativity 'has' to be so far out of the box to be different, that its not real

So abstract and futuristic
Raw and real is where you will find true honest art and sound
Music, art, photography...
Spending bundles of money on that techno-logic sound...
A tambourine brings priceless magic to music
Looking so hard for something that has never been snapped...
Culture on the street tells a million stories
Anything and everything can be looked at as art
Whether its made by us or mother nature
Simplicity is real, its not forced
People understand words that are spoken fluently and simple
Not mumble jumbled with long fluffed words to make you look smart
Abstract and confusion is definitely different, mind boggling and interesting
But real is so real and easy on the naked eye, and connects with feeling
Be out of the box, its funky fresh and new
But remember to be real, we still live in the real world
It's just my mood

Live Out Loud

2009-08-20T11:49:00.009-04:00

Photography, Mariano Vivanco

Explain normal.
Explain weird.
Who is anyone to judge
Your thoughts against anyone in this world do not matter
Who says you live a perfect life, it all differs
To each their own
Someone over dramatic may find you dry and boring
Maybe your too tall, and too loud
But someone will admire that
Letting others bring you down is mind boggling
There is so much world, so many people
So much good and bad
Everyone fits in somewhere

While your laughing at him for talking to himself
He could care less, he's a mastermind and entertained to his own thoughts
Soon to create the next technological gadget attached to your hand
Making a fortune off of your laughter

While you stand there being so critical
Talking down to people you envy
You will stand there forever
Watching them succeed

Who gives a shit?
Why care what others have to say or think?
You live once, to make life the way you want it
Those who matter love who you are
Dig deep and find yourself, soul search
Feel sexy, feel worthy, and unique
Live.

Where Did Your Heart Go?

2009-08-17T00:27:00.011-04:00

My heart was there, you had it

Two Sagittarians, the love was fun, crazy and rare
Small town boy, big city girl
You were a rush and the conclusion, nothing more
The complications of distance were unbearable
We never wanted to let go, it was a crave

We had to hurt each other to win the distance
Cast ourselves better than one another, it cut like a knife
From best far away friends, to hurtful unknown strangers
We will never speak again
I was just another girl, don't kid yourself
Those six hour train rides speak louder than words
We held each other high, then broke each other down
Following your heart can lead you into so many different places
Full of hope, chance and romance...
Your heart doesn't think, it just goes
Don't let it push you off the tracks
We had wild unleashed pounding hearts
Where did your heart go...

Let's Go!

2009-08-15T14:07:00.008-04:00

Photography of Koto Bolofo

Yesterday already happened
It's a day that is already known
It wasn't planned but it went in its own direction
I let it all unfold
What yesterday gave me brings me to today
Wherever I go, I'm on my way, to find what else is out there and live for the day
Whatever today brings me will lead me to tomorrow
Tomorrow will be a history in the making
I can't see it yet, but I know I will shake it
Each day is progression to your own creation
New people
New places
New accomplishments
New aggravations
I will take each day and learn from it
The days will grow and so will I
I will follow each day, I will smile and I will cry

I will take it on not letting anything pass me by

Inspiration, Ambition, Canadian

2009-08-14T14:02:00.006-04:00

I have been inspired! With beautiful culture. The photography of Joey Lawrence is fine art. The successful talented 19 year old Canadian, is traveling the world with his camera and showing me what I am missing out on. From Lyndsay Ontario, the inspiration is overwhelming. He has done work for 50 cent, Twilight and has work of fame. Snapping pictures all over the world to the homeless on the streets of downtown Toronto, he captures an untold story with each one of his shots. The lighting is amazing and unseen of. I am jealous of such talent, success and accomplishments this young male has conquered. He has climbed mountains just for the perfect shot, it amazes me and blows me away. I strongly advise you to visit his website, his blog and all of his photos. Your mind will open and you will get the urge to travel the world via Land Rover. Be ready to be speechless.
http://www.joeyl.com/

Get Exposed!

2009-08-10T10:17:00.000-04:00

Photography of Marianno Vivanco

I am super, extremely excited to be writing for a new Hamilton Magazine, which I will announce once my work is in it. The magazine covers night life, music, fashion, fitness, events, talent and more. It is a legit print magazine and web magazine, focused on how great Hamilton is and what it has to offer. I am still doing my blog on the side and would love a few of my own projects for some ideas for the magazine. I am looking for local talent who want recognition, who want to be seen, heard and talked about. People who are inspired, ambitious and love doing what they do. If this sparks your interest email me and link your art, music, portfolio or whatever it is that makes you.
amanda.land@hotmail.com

Project - The Snips

2009-08-09T15:36:00.001-04:00

Saturday August 4, I met up with the Indie/Ska band, The Snips from Welland Ontario at Rock the Mill. Before I interveiwed them, I watched their game on stage. The lead singer and man in charged of the trumpet, Ricky sings with a grunge voice and style. Watching him preform he plays and head bangs like dancing zombie, which is a compliment, I promise. The sound the band brings is full of intensity, with a fast beat of drums, heavy on the guitar, some lazy fast horns and a grunged out voice. The screaming was not harsh, but it was amplified. The band is about to go on tour to the East Coast with The Artist Life come next week.

Being my first time interviewing a band, these guys definitely took it upon themselves to "snip" me. Telling me they all met at the local "Memorial" pool 10 years ago, Barty the swimmer, Tony the lifeguard, Bob selling the hotdogs... I somehow totally bought their story and felt a fool when they told me they made it all up. Bob sold the hotdogs... really though Amanda, you bought that? These guys were quick and hilarious. However not quick enough to tell me what their most memorable and favourite 90's passed time was. Come on guys! You were wearing denim jackets, and plaid. I should have heard shouts of Nirvana, Pogs and tear aways with your quick remarks and passed decade of style. They did a little improv show on my tape recorder, which I wish I could upload onto this post. Hilarious, Barty as the Indian selling t-shirts and Pauly as the child trying to bargain the price and the colour of the shirt. They have videos posted on their Myspace of fans who text them and then their reply on camera, it is a comedy all on its own. Brilliant, right? Check out their tunes, my favourite being Gazebo of Love.
http://www.myspace.com/ceremonialsnips

Thank you fellas for letting me do my thing and get some idea of what I am trying to work my way into. You all rocked the stage and hopefully I will see another show sometime soon!

Thank You Ursula

2009-08-07T12:15:00.000-04:00

Just wait until you hit reality
Wait until everything you have figured out crashes
It will come like a tidal wave and hit so hard
It will rip out your heart and push it to the bottom of the ocean
It will take you under and bring you down
But do not drown
Push back and reach the sand and the sun
Jealousy will always be pushing you under the water
Those evil jealous mermaids will always guide you into the wrong direction
Don't let evil creatures get in your way
Do not listen to what they have to say
Ursula will take away your success, love and hapiness
She will take the princess out of your fathers eyes and keep you in disguise
Fight for it back, never give up
Leave her black hole and remember your father
However long it takes to find the soul that she sucked out of you
You will find it and it will be like a golden star
Your father will see you in a different light and remember who you are
You will be more than a princess
You will be a woman of true reality that conquers all

This is something I wrote due to childhood experience. Having a step mother who looked, acted and cackled just like Ursula, this piece wrote itself out. It is written with complete deep truth.

Put Some Dean Into Your Lickyer

2009-08-05T16:11:00.000-04:00

They started out as High Voltage, and became higher than voltage to who they are now, Dean Lickyer. These boys bring back the fun in Rock and Roll. Josh Alvernia, lead singer has the lungs of a true rock and roll performer and the moves of this generations Mick Jagger. They are a mix of Guns and Roses, Led Zeppelin, and The Rolling Stones, but bring it all together as their own sound, style and creation. Sean Royle can rip, shred and rape his guitar and gives his audience a true rock and roll sensation. The cute bass player, Justin Bozzo plays in his mellow style, rocking the fedorah and a smile, making the fans hit each sound with their hips. No band works without percussion, and Eric Martin beats the hell out of his drums, slow, fast, relentlessly and full of rythum and beat. Together they create a style and sound that is old fashioned, but edgey and new. Listening to these guys since highschool, they keep getting better. Their fans have tripled, their tours have crossed boarders and they are only getting bigger. Two weeks ago they got signed into Underground Operations, and played in the tent for Cutting Edge. They have opened for KISS, and passed the test on DisBand. Their performance is full of energy, sweat, talent and soul. Watching them over and over again, you can never get sick of the energy they bring. I will continue watching them grow into something big, with true talent and great ambition, these guys have what it takes to rock your world.

Woodstock 2009

2009-08-04T15:24:00.000-04:00

Not often do I use the word epic, it is a word that is above and beyond. Cutting Edge however was epic. It was the closest experience to Woodstock I have yet felt. With tents everywhere, beer and liqour, drugs, sexuality, love, peace and hapiness. Everyone was there for a good time and of course the amazing music. Going with two of the craziest most fun girlfriends was just a bonus. We pushed our way to the front Saturday night for Protest the Hero, I have the cuts, bruises and on going headache from the mosh pit to prove. The adrenaline Protest gives to their audience, is feirce and powerful. I'm your average sized polite, well mannered woman. Protest turned me into the Tazzmanian Devil. I was throwing elbows, pushing people, getting pushed... all to the thanks to Jagermeister and Smirnoff, you sure know how to make me act a lady.

Sunday was well anticipated. Starting off the day like we were the rockstars, we drank, we funelled, we passed the dutchie to the left hand side. Life was a big party full of sunshine and new strange people. Ready to get the show on the road, we started with Rebel Emergency, an upbeat white reggae band. Rebel Emergency was the perfect pick to get the crowd ready for Ill Scarlet. Sundays choice of bands were deffinitley more my style, they all had the crowd dancing, rather than throwing down the crazy elbows, which shot in my face. As for Ill Scarlet, I saw them a year ago, and they only got better. Nothing is better than smoking the Mary Jane, while listening to M-M-M-M Mary Jane, I feel silly when you pass me way. Up next was Bedouin Soundclash. The band that makes me feel their Canadian reggae. Of course they rocked the show, and the fedorah.
Then... drum roll please! The Roots. The performance, the lights, the tuba, the swagger, the dancing, the beat, the sound... their music. Phenominal. They finished with a mix of songs and wrapped the entire show with such wicked volume and intensity. I have no regrets calling into work sick, it was an awsome weekend. Can't wait for Cutting Edge 2010!

Ivy June

2009-07-28T16:40:00.000-04:00

See the flowers
Breathe the fresh country air
Embrace the goodlife

Her life was filled with hapiness and love
Her young heart was open and free
The skies were blue, the trees were green
Watching her dance and sing was joyful, her mother had never been happier
She was a sweet sensation that any father would be greatful to come back home to
She had no idea that what she had would soon all be just a young memory

See the corruption
Watch her father walk through the door after war
See the terror in her eyes

Watch her butterfly heart run back into a cocoon
The coldest man in such a beautiful summer took away a young girls hopes and dreams
He moved her away from her goodlife
With angry eyes, an alcoholic temper, life for him was still at war
Her free will and confidence was beaten out of her
Knowing what she had and all that was taken away, her entire spirit.
The only man she wanted to depend on crushed and ruined something that could have grown so big and beyond beautiful
From peace and hapiness to fear and confusion
All from the father who came back from war

I'm Sorry

2009-07-28T11:31:00.000-04:00

I have to appologize. My mom made it clear to me last night that the post I wrote about my dog lowered her IQ. Then I read it and questioned my own intellegence and wondered if I had sniffed something from beneath the sink. "Explain to me why you wrote that..." she said. Sorry for living MOTHER, but I was thinking about what Jackson thinks, it was a little Doctor Dolittle meets Amanda Edridge r-r-reeemix. She asked me to never write a blog about her after reading the one about Jackson. But you know what mom, that kind of hurt my feelings. So here I am writting a blog about you, read it and weap. I hope your happy! I deleted the Justin Time Jackson... wow even the title is lame. Thank you for being brutally honest. My turn... I think when you reach a certain volume which is often, you sound like Mariah Carey's highest pitch + an angry Ellen Degeneres + Grandma on a bad day. It is scary and gives me anxiety. Just being brutally honest. I love you Momma Dukes! If you get insulted by this or try to up my room and board, please don't. The truth hurts and think I told you the volume thing before, yeah pretty much every morning.
Does this blog make me a brat?

A Blonde Girl Once Said...

2009-07-26T22:46:00.000-04:00

When you already feel bigger than what you are
When your excitment for a passion has no limit
The adrenaline to keep going and getting better rushes harder and harder
The thought of knowing you can succeed grows bigger and bigger
Not letting anyone doubt you get in your way
You know you have something better to do or say
Having that dream will take you as far as you are willing to go
It is the star inside of you that you want everyone to know
It comes straight from the soul and expands through learning
It is so rewarding, with such an amazing earning
It is what will make you big

Keep this in your pocket next time you doubt your yourself or dreams
Once you start beleiving in them, they can come true.

Project Love

2009-07-25T10:26:00.000-04:00

Thursday night Madison and I hit Toronto for Project Love. The project being based on Proposition 8, the law to allow same sex marriage. We were asked to do a fun fashion show for the event held at Fuzion. The designer, Hibebe was an over the top, crazy, strut your stuff, bitchin designer. His clothes are "rawr". With rips and fringe and feathers and gold, flowers and booty. To me it was tribal meets sexy meets fun meets retro. We got to know all of the other models, all given nick names, mine being Penny Lane... of course? Luckily Madison and I were not the only models who weren't models. We were all there given two days notice, to wear Hibebe's clothes and have fun. After picking out two outfits and practicing the runway, I looked at Maddy and she to me, and one word was said, "TEQUILA!". After a few drinks and a few shots, modeling just came naturally. Besides the fact that I did trip... but didn't fall! After the show four of us went to "Woody's" for some drinks. We ran to the bar in the monsooning rain, a butt load of fun after tequila, if I could sing... it would have been some type of Pocahantis reinactment. Anyways we got to the bar... do i not slip and bail so hard, smoking my neck off of a table. Extremely embaressed I get up and look around to see who saw, with my friends laughing, I notice that yes everyone saw. Thank god it was a bar packed with gay men, no interest in them, no interest in me. It was a fun Thursday night, once pictures get sent out I will post them to show the clothing. I bought both items that I got to wear, when I put them on I look in the mirror and "rawr".

Check out Hibebe's clothes:
http://hibebe.ca/

Secret Weapon

2009-07-22T10:51:00.000-04:00

Hold onto it, one day it could be worth something
Keep it for yourself, it could benefit you
Bringing luck and joy, never let it go
Travel with it, take it with you
Keep it your secret, or show it to the world
It's your material.
It's your secret weapon.
It keeps your head up high when everything is looking low
You found it without a search, it came to you with fate
It has taken you places and pushes you to become better
Without it where would you be? What would you be doing?
It's your luck.
It's your confidence.
Its your secret weapon.

My best friend, Beth

She found her secret weapon and inspires me everyday. She is a beautiful photographer full of dreams and ambition. This poem reminded me of her while I was writting it.

I love her greatly, she has shown me that hard work and ambition pays off

Visit some of her work at: http://www.elizabethkaye.ca/

Life Without Music

2009-07-21T15:32:00.000-04:00

This is something I wrote in highschool, I just found it in one of my notepads and kind of like it.
Imagine your life with no music. If you had music and it was just taken away.

Life would be empty.

Soul Pirates
Hip hop is dead
Rock and roll has died
They murdered the DJ
Kiss my music goodbye
I try to sing to myself, it just isn't the same
I need a beat, I need a melody
My soul is going insane
I need some smooth jazz music to relax at night
Neil Young on my mind
This war is not right
The stories with rythum and soul have been lost in the wind
How can this happen? It's such a sin
You can never take away my music
It is where I belong
Rap, Rock, Acoustic
It will never be gone
Taking away music is like taking away the sea
You will never make it happen
So let my music be free

-Amanda Edridge <3

I'm thinking...

2009-07-20T09:58:00.000-04:00

We are all people, all the same kind. But we are all different, totally and completely. What it is, is balance. Confidence, ego, honesty, strength, humour, attitude, innocence, sexuality, volume, ambition, intellegence, maturity, heart, any type of personal trait. We each have different levels of each trait and get directed to different paths based on the levels within us. What makes us balanced, is finding the people we like being around, finding the the enjoyment in things we like to do. Finding people, work, entertainment, style, music, comfort, all that balance to our level of traits and make us who we are. We are all unique and because of who we are, we all create the world that we have. Each city is different, each neighbourhood and each country. It didn't just happen that way, we made it.

We Capture You

2009-07-15T15:57:00.000-04:00

We have the sofest skin, beautiful hair
When you are attracted to our fragrance you stop and stare
Hips to rock you, chest to knock you
If you take a second look, we have you shook
We are the art of the world, the natural most beautiful creation
Without us men would have no relation
Revolution is what we make, love is what we take
Our emotions and feelings get in the way
We love to express ourselves and thats okay

With such grace we allow you to embrace and tell us your story
You confide in us because you find us safe with a soft heart and amazing glory
In one lifetime you meet many beautiful, intellgent amazing women
There is always only one you keep closest to your heart
She makes you feel alive and gets you from finish to start

For some reason we were made to make each other equal
We are the creation of yin yang of living people

-Amanda Edridge

Crazy Train

2009-07-13T10:57:00.000-04:00

Love is blind, but when you have deep feelings for someone anything can happen. Plans get changed, minds get crazy, emotions fly everywhere and hearts get broken. I live, love and never regret. If I didn't have those feelings this drawing of expression and depth would not have happened. Now I have moved on after seeing his true colors and how blind I really was. It was a crazy time for me, a huge rollercoaster, long train rides. I have learned a lot about myself and my gay heart, never wear it on your sleeve. You all thought I was crazy. I am. Sometimes I am a bit too much of a free spirit, good thing I have my friends to keep me grounded. I was bitter, but now I am happy, he doesn't deserve someone with a big heart.

Work like you don't need money
Love like you've never been hurt
And dance like no one is watching

Peek-a-boo

2009-07-12T22:18:00.000-04:00

Power to the...? Look closely. It is a muslim woman with her top off, with a fist of power.
Not sure who put these photos up on this wall or why. I saw it and had to take a picture and share with my readers. It makes you wonder: Who? What? Why? Where?
I wonder if she knows her photo is on a wall downtown Toronto, or if she volunteered to do this. Maybe she is trying to change religion, or get into some trouble. Hmmm, makes me wonder.
She probably got that subliminal message from Aladdin, 'good teenagers take off your clothes'. Oh Disney, look what you have done.

Orbital Arts - Love, Peace, Compassion

2009-07-10T11:55:00.000-04:00

Trippy?

I took this picture the other day in Toronto. I came across this place of Orbital Arts on Augusta. The art is very unique and stimulating to veiw. The two men who create this art are very outside of the box and on a whole other level of love peace and compassion. They create this art to stimulate ones own self of spiritual consciousness that we all share. They tried explaining their art to me and it made me actually think outside of one thought. Everything grew into something greater. Greater love, greater compassion, greater peace filled to infinte. They take it throughout the entire universe instead of just the world. It is hard to understand unless you look at the art and feel what they have created.
It is different than anything I have seen, the site does not give the shop justice. There was so much to look at and think about.
http://orbitalarts.ca/Default.asp?id=2&l=1

Imagine

2009-07-08T00:14:00.000-04:00

I found this picture at http://www.redbubble.com/
Love the art! Check it out!
This picture just has so much imagination to it.

Imagine one day the earth gets over populated. The depression gets worse. Technology takes over. You can leave countries, why not leave planets? Why can't we go visit Pluto like we go visit New York? Or visit Mars to get a relaxing trip like the Bahamas. Gravity won't let us escape Earth. Not unless you wear a space suit and highly train with NASA for years and years. We are capped into one planet that does not want us to escape. It is made for us humans to live in and expand.
Talking about space and how we got here can get so deep. Why is it we have other planets. We explore Earth, it is absolutley beautiful, filled with amazment and we abuse it. So what happens if we abuse it to the extreme and need to go somewhere else.
Imagine. What if in the future Earth is not as amazing anymore, everything is falling to pieces and we want to leave. We boost to another planet to explore, like a new country. Everything is completely different and we have to learn to adapt to the planet like we have been learning how to adapt to Earth for thousands of years. There could be four different types of sex, not just male and female. It would be a whole different type of vegetation, if any at all. No gravity. It would be starting something new all over again. New history. I would say it would change the world, but we wouldn't even be in the world.
If I have just made you think im on acid, I'm not. I know it is impossible, I have the imagination of a child.
I often get deep into thought about the most random things.
Hanging out by myself never gets dull I guess...

Rant

2009-07-07T10:51:00.000-04:00

Because of the recession, everyone everywhere is strung out, for obvious reasons. If you don't have a job that is in demand, basically good luck. Trying to figure out which education I should get is strenuous. I hear this all of the time, "healthcare". It's getting old people! I hear it all of the time, even when I don't ask. It's not my style: science, dead skin, burnt skin, open skin, blood, punctured fallopian tubes... no thank you. I love it when someone older than me asks what I go to school for and I tell them I'm not yet in school and they tell me I need to go and to hurry up and make a decission. Then they tell me to get into health care. First of all you don't know me at all, mind your own business and you get into healthcare you assbag. Then they ask what I am interested in. I say fashion, culture, writting, creativity and all that other jazz. Then I get "well good luck getting anywhere with that". FUNGU! As these men who are all laid off, sitting in the bar where I work tell me how narrow their mind is..ugghh I just must rant. You my ex steel factory friend, are sitting in a sports bar, on a Monday night... kareoke night at that, telling me how my life is going no where. I am here not by choice, but to make money off of your drunk laid off ass. I do feel bad for all of the men who got laid off. But when I see some of them come to the bar everynight, spending their unemployment on beer, disrespecting me... I must rant.

Free Yourself

2009-07-06T10:27:00.000-04:00

I drew this travelling on the train this passed year, feeling like I had wings. This morning I woke up at 5:30 couldn't go back to sleep so I grabbed a coffee drove down to the beach walked down to the lighthouse and felt so free. Everything was just waking up, everything was so fresh. It made me want to jump back into my car and drive somewhere I have never seen or been. I love the feeling of freedom, not knowing what is going to happen next. Let yourself go, open to new things and be free, the feeling is rewarding.

Also!
Free Yoga!
@ FreeStyle Yoga
Body, Mind and Soul

Message me for more info

Our home and Native land <3

2009-07-01T14:14:00.000-04:00

Happy Canada Day!
I feel so proud to be a true Canadian. What is there not to be proud of? We have a country of such amazing beauty, culture, freedom, talent and adventure. From big beautiful cities, to enormous breath taking mountains. We get the fresh water, the rivers, lakes, igloos, farm land, snow, rain, sun, summer, fall, winter and spring. I am pretty sure that was a run on sentence? However i said it all in one breath, thats proud to be a Canadian, eh!
I posted a few pictures of memories as being a Canadian.

Ottawa
Beautiful, loyal and the capital of Canada
I was going to live there for the summer
I thought I was following my heart...
So glad my mind kicked in and told me my heart is in Toronto

The word 'love' can really complicate decission making skills

The talent in Canada is phenominal
Two Canadian celebrities in a movie together that has made us all cry
And feel love ten times harder
Ryan Gossling and Rachel McAdams, both from Ontario

Any Canadian with a good sense of humour will appreciate
If I didn't have standards... Bubbles and I would own our own kitty farm
I would have 6 children, teased hair, fishnets, go-go boots and a rye on the rocks in my hand

Kenny vs. Spenny
Another reason to be proudly ashamed of being a Canadian
These two guys are the dirtiest, rotten guys on television
But we all love them and have all gotten amazing ab workouts watching and laughing

How could I forget the Tragically Hip?! You either love them or hate them. I of course love them. They are the true Canadian band and sound. Fully Completely being one of my favourite albums, they have so many! The cover of this album is just so full and complete. I grew up listening to The Hip as will my children. Gord Downie is a true poet, his lyrics take you in. You aren't listening to the hip for a crazy guitar solo, you are listening to his poetic lyrics. There is nothing better than being in your own zone, driving, drawing, walking, sitting around a fire or taking time for yourself and listening to The Tragically Hip. We all have our favourite Hip song, I have too many. Ahead By Century, Poets, Wheat Kings, Long Time Running, Scared, Gift Shop and of course Bobcaygeon.
Thanks Jord - I can't beleive I forgot the Hip!!

Montreal, cobblestone <3

Need I say more?

My favourite city, Toronto

My heart

Home and Native land
I'm part Chippewa, my great grandmother lived in a teepee
the tan I get in the summer.... oh baby

Liberating
Working in a sports bar this passed year
I have finally gotten the understanding of hockey
I finally know how to cheer and not only because everyone else around me is...

Being a Canadian is something to celebrate!

Dance! Drink! Party! Cheer!
Enjoy this Canada Day with your friends, in WASAGA!?
Good idea! I will see you there

OBEY

2009-07-01T06:41:00.000-04:00

Freedom isn't Free

Fly on little wing

Trapped Freedom

Say it sister

These are some of my favourites from the Obey website. I came across this site and loved the art. It is art made from stickers, stencils and posters. Made on wood, metal and print. It is art with messages of propaganda, black history and parodies of authority. Some of the work I don't understand, but its all interesting to look at, being very unique and detailed. He uses the word Obey in his art as a reverse phsychology, as trying to be independent and set free, most of us dont like to follow the word 'obey'. But we all follow a path of obedience, whether the word 'obey' is used or not. If the word is not used we are more comfortable about following obedience and think it is not there.
Check out the work at http://obeygiant.com/industries
Find which pieces speak to you.

Don't Worry Be Happy

2009-06-30T19:14:00.000-04:00

Happiness is the best gift given to us. It is the gift you give to yourself. You are the only person who can find your own hapiness. You are the only person who cares about your own hapiness. It is what will keep you at peace and not let others break you down. Don't let anyone take your hapiness away, you worked hard for it and if you are happy, you deserve it. If your not happy, do something about it, go find it. Life is what you make it and hapiness will come when your making changes. Don't put others down, especially for their accomplishments and their path of life. It shows that you are weak, and envy their smile. Keep your head up and smile. Even when your day has gone to shit, it will be over soon, so smile.

In every life we have some trouble

When you worry you make it double

Don't worry, be happy

Painting by Sarah Smith. (Unfinished)
She wanted to paint a piece that captures hapiness
She painted a picture of myself, I was so HAPPY
This girl is overly creative and talented
She has some art for sale if of any interest
This piece means so much to me, thanks again
Love you :)

Take In Some Culture

2009-06-29T23:23:00.000-04:00

My last night in Toronto Brian and I took a taxi to the Green Room for some manditory drinks. The taxi driver was the most intellegent and cultural foreigner I have met. I asked him if he had been hit on during his experience of gay pride. He told me his stories, I told him mine... it was a fair exchange. He then says (in his indian accent) "some girl ask me, what turn me on, I sit here and think... turn me on? I look at radio.. like turn on, radio? The girl says no like what turns you oooooon. I do not understand what turn on means so I get confused and ask what turn on means. She tell me and I think oooooh like excited. Then I think what turn me on, I had never thought about this idea. And I figure out dat boobs and woman fragrance turn me on."
He then compared his culture to ours. He explained how in his culture woman are dressed from head to toe, everything is way different. How in India a womans body is more covered, which for a man is more rewarding once he gets to see the body of a woman. Where as now, him living in Canada he sees breast, legs, butt and body almost everywhere. That its over exposed, as much as he likes to see it, its boring now. He was so happy to be a part of our culture and explained how gays are not accepted in his country. He was talking about Gay Pride with so much excitment and happiness to see people celebrating such a good cause that is recognized.
This was another Toronto experience that made me open my mind, not judge a book by its cover and love the city I was in. I was always taught not to talk to strangers, but you can tell when a stranger is strange by the first few sentences of a conversation. You could have the most interesting conversations with the most random of people in the world, and never see them again.

Speaking of culture if your into it, check out http://mairone.com/
It's my friend Mairone's site. She is Ethiopian, beautiful and proud of her culture.
She just hosted a party on Saturday celebrating Ethiopia. Based on the fact that the Irish get a day to get biligerantly drunk, the day we all can't remember, St. Patty's day.
So Ethiopa now has a day to celebrate the culture and do the same, only wearing red, green and yellow.
All her proceeds went to charities for Ethiopia.
Thank you Mairone, for inventing another day to celebrate.

Yay For Being Gay

2009-06-29T13:50:00.000-04:00

This passed weekend I worked at a restaurant on Church St. called Fuzion, with the Will to my Grace, Brian. I worked due to gay pride taking over the street and the restaurant. I met a ton of people: straight, gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, single, married, drag, naked, beautiful, scary, open, closed... I met a ton of different people. It was culture shock to me. However seeing all this I was never uncomfortable. I took it all in with appreciation and an open mind. The gay village is such a happy place, everyone is gay, proud, polite and absolutely hillarious. The village is such a great community, it is a place of acceptance. No matter who you are, how you look, you are accepted and cared for. Coming from all places like a small town such as Peterborough, gays are not accepted. They come to Toronto and are set free, free to be themselves and be open with their sexuality. They can feel sexy, having a penis and a rack of tits being naked and painted all yellow or being a 6 foot 300 pound, hairy man dancing in a thong. Myself, I don't find that to be sexy but someone out there is looking at that transvestite, thinking daaaaamn girl... I'd like that spread on a cracker. (Yes I learned some gay lingo).

Whistles were blowing, nipple tassles were glowing
Rainbows were shinning, gays were behinding
A drag queen hit on me, and kept it our secret
He said I was beautiful and that he would hit it
He had boobs so I asked how he got them
He said oh honey they aren't mine, I bought em'
Think outside of the box and dont be afraid
Gays are just living their life, having fun and getting laid

I just busted into a little poem, watching gays express themselves through their sexuality, I got a whole different understanding about myself. How I can express myself in any way I feel. I feel more like myself and happy to be who I am. Watching all types feel liberated just walking down a street, feeling open and happy to be who they are made me think and gather a whole different perspective on judging a book by its cover. They really don't give a shit if you don't like them because their gay and they dress different. It's not like they judge you because your straight. Just because they like men, does not mean they want to sleep with you. Homophobes bother me. Being homophobic shows insecurities and a narrow mind.
My weekend was full of suprises, full of culture and has changed my veiw on a few things. Life experiences are the best type of education of finding yourself and building your character.
I had an amazing weekend and advise you all to go to Gay Pride next year, even being straight. It's like a whole other world. Be open minded, don't judge ... live your life and appreciate others for how they live theirs. Just as much as you love people supporting your band, your art, photography, talent or hard work. Gays appreciate people supporting them.

You Are Awake When You Are Sleeping

2009-06-24T19:27:00.000-04:00

Photo by Jenna Spence <3

If you get bothered by opening your mind and thinking outside of the box, ignore this blog.
If you like to think spiritually and have a good imagination, read on.
Have you ever thought about dreams? Why do we have them? Science says we need sleep to function. But what is the purpose. We sleep for hours on end and dream.
Dream about flying, getting chased by evil mermaids, having our teeth fall out, rolling around in a pool filled with money while Johnny Depp serinades you with his sexy well being. The last one happens to me on a weekly basis, you all just keep dreaming.
But why is it that while we are sleeping we experience dreams that can feel so real and intense. Having the feeling of falling, it feels so real. Having your teeth fall out, your mouth feels empty. Jumping off a roof and being able to fly, you feel so free.
Dreams are like another relm for us.
I once had a thought that dreams are our spirit. When we sleep, our spirit sets free and goes and lives our dreams. We have the sense of feeling when something happens and can grasp where we are, we remember pieces of what we did and who was there. It could be another reason for 'deja vu'. You have been at the same place at the same time, smelt the exact same scent, your not crazy... it really happened. In a dream. How would you know that scent and same experience. I beleive that dreams are an out of body experience, don't get freaked out. Try to think about it, or think about your own take about how dreams work. What makes sense to you?
I would love to know! Leave a comment.
It's fun to think about things outside of the box, use your imagination - but make sense of it.

Gay Pride needs me!

2009-06-23T16:01:00.000-04:00

How ironic!
This morning I write about my deep love for Toronto. I go to the gym, I come home and get a call from a close friend. He asks me if I can work this weekend at Fuzion, cocktail waitressing (dowtown TORONTO). Best part is that it's the weekend of gay pride. They need me due to me being the straight queen of the gays, the service is like no other. I am super excited to be able to work during such an open celebrated event.
Downtown Toronto + Gay Pride + Me cocktail waitressing = one extreme blog comming soon

Hamilton=Sesame Street

2009-06-23T10:38:00.000-04:00

For the passed 4 years I have hated Hamilton. I can see Toronto across the lake with the CN tower, the tall buildings, the culture and the craziness. It is where I go when I want to feel full of ambition, inspiration, spunk and feel at the top of my game. I see the gorgeous lofts with the huge windows, the adorble city apartments with bohemian curtains, people riding on bikes, cars honking, an old woman with a beard playing a mean acoustic guitar... for some reason my heart beats a little faster when I'm in that city. It's what I call love. People call me crazy.
"If you hate Hamilton, you will deffinitley hate Toronto", it is twice as dirty, twice as smelly, 20x the people - it's a rush!
This passed month I have taken appreciation to Hamilton however. Hamilton is a great city, it's home. I mean sure it is a little grungy with some prostitutes, crackheads and rebellions. But if you like the big city like I do, your bound to get that. Hamilton has the mountain, the lake, the valley, the waterfalls - places to hike and adventure the outdoors. We also have great places for shopping all around, boutiques, malls... you name it we have it, or at least somewhere close. We are in the middle of Toronto and Niagra Falls, we get the best of both worlds. Our city is unique, it has so much character to it, I don't know why I have been complaining for the passed 4 years? The entire time I was having fun! There are a lot of great people I know in this city who aren't just strangers. I can go almost anywhere in Hamilton and make a new friend, it's like Sesame Street here. I wake up, go do the stairs see a bunch of familiar faces, talk to the old man who I met working at Value Village, I couldn't tell you his name but he is pretty much a second uncle to me now. I go to Shopper's, the ladies that work there greet me like it's nothing "Hey Amanda" and it goes from there. Anywhere I go in Hamilton I feel comfortable, I know the most random and see them everywhere. It's where I have grown up and as 'ghetto' as the outsiders say it may be.... I'm sitting here in my house with central air, my laptop and my happy life.
Toronto makes my heart skip a beat, but Hamilton keeps my heart beating steady.

Lady Nah Nah

2009-06-21T23:48:00.000-04:00

What the friggen hell was that...
First she walks out of a vibrating, shaking box packed with majestic gay men.
Then the door opens and SUPRISE. There it is, 3/4 of her own box, shaking on national television. No one could even pay attention to her poker face... all eyes were looking at her yee haw, which im sure has been poked by every guy backstage.
"Happy Fathers Day Dad! Here is my vagina and exploding fire circus titties on national LIVE television!" - I'm sure you made daddy proud GaGa. He probably is changing his last name to Smith tomorrow morning at 9 am.
Much Music zooms in on all the 14 year old girls in the crowd singing along about riding on a hot stick. Lovely.
Just when we thought Britney Spears made the pre teens a little more seductive, revealing and slutty in an innocent school girl way.
Here comes Lady GaGa telling girls through her poetic lyrics to ride a hard hot stick, all while wearing a band aid for underwear and fireworks for nipple tassels.
Wicked.
Here is the 21st century, making us all scared that our children will grow up to be real life blow up dolls singing on stage.

This is dedicated to my dear friend Hannah Henderson,
Hope you laughed hun!
Better than Perez?! Haha

Strategy and Language

2009-06-21T15:58:00.000-04:00

Question.
Why is there a game or a strategy when it comes to the opposite sex? Why is there technique when it comes to approaching the opposite sex, or text messaging or calling or asking to hangout.. or even to just be your friend. Last night at work a bunch of guys, all friends from elementary school came in and chit chatted with me for the night. This topic came up, about the strategic way to act towards women.
-Don't approach them from behind- thats creepy
-Don't approach them from the side and tap them on the shoulder- thats nerdy
-Don't walk straight up to them face to face- thats intimidating
Be nonchalant, catch her attention. Shake her hand, introduce yourself. Compliment her but then say something rude and walk away.
This apparently gets him a phone number or a make out at the bar. Weird eh.
What he said made so much sense, we all love a fight and a chase. Body language is the most important language learned when reading the opposite sex. Reading the expression on my face.. read my shoulders pull back, read my eyes glance at other guys while your talking to me, read the wrong number I put in your phone. Read the signs before you think your the man.

As for chicks, don't use any strategies, let the guys figure us out... or at least let them think they have us figured out and play along. And if your going to play the games make sure you win. My name was Antoinette on Wednesday at the bar... the guy thought I was so into him... I read it all over him.

My first blog

2009-06-21T15:51:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure how blogging works, where I go to blog myself, so I'm going to start here.When I was a kid growing up I always had a diary... I know lame right. But I just found a diary I had when I was 10. Reading it, it brought so much emotion and tears to my eyes. The way I expressed myself through my writing, made me actually feel the emotions I had at that time when I wrote it. It made me feel the same pain and the same anger yet I still kept it light with humour (always have to think positive - even at your worse). My mom has saved so many poems I have written and papers where I express how I feel, she always told me to write more. I never understood her, I have always kept my writing very private. For some reason whatever I wrote was very personal to me and hated having anyone read my thoughts. It's funny because I never shut up and people for the most part like to have my take on things. I love writing, expressing myself and having others hear my opinion, or giving some heartful advice. I told myself this week that I am going to open up to new things, try anything that sparks my interest. So I'm going to start new things like blogging, kickboxing, yoga, cooking, CANOEING!?!.. be a nanny (maybe in another country? hello England!). I am trying to find myself in the mix of everything. Watching everyone be in school and starting a new path is exciting. But I don't know what path it is I am going for in order to pay for school, so I figure why not try new things! Educate myself by being optimistic, open minded and trying anything that I can and want to do. They say life is what you make it, and I sure as hell am not making it by working at a local sports bar... it's really cramping my style. I don't feel like me when I am there. It's like being Kate Hudson... but having Courtney Loves reputation. Courtney... you really put a damper on things you crackhead bitch. Haha maybe i went too extreme, but it put my point across, Endzone is my Courtney Love . When people think Amanda Edridge, I don't want them to think thats the chick who brings me my chicken wangs and beer, hahaha thats what I mean by cramping my style.But say! I work Saturday 7-2 and Sunday, live band... please anyone come visit. You will be my sunshine on a rainy day :)Ps. I tagged you in this.. because i figured you were the only people who would read it haha. If any of you can tell me how to actually blog.. that would be cool :)