Summer is half over?!

Wow!  Time flies when you're a starving artist!  I have worked a total of two days this month!   Urgh!  Wth?!

Sigh

"They" keep saying the industry here will pick up.  You know.  After slow season is over (DONE), it's a late start because shows were cancelled(true, but some were also picked up), after the HST referendum here in BC(never should have been put in place in the first place!) which is set to be closed on Aug 5th (get your votes in!).  Well, Elysium is filming here, and is so far my paltry income helper.  I've never, NEVER, seen it so slow.  How's a girls supposed to pay her bills and eat?  O.O

Have to admit, it was tres tres tres exciting to see Matt Damon on set!  Was staring right at him as he walked towards me and I didn't even recognize him at first!  Not because it didn't look like him, but because I never expected to get that close to him!  LOL!  He got closer and closer and when he was a few feet away, it donned on me.  He smiled big at my look of surprised recognition and chuckled when I then said "Hi there!".  Good grief, I'm not usually a star-struck acting kinda person, but wow!  He's just a cute in person, and that smile is killer!  :D

So, on a different day I had the wonderful chance to have Alice Braga walk by me.  She's shorter than I thought she'd be and pretty.

I don't tend to try to talk to the main actors on set, I know how it is.  I've been a principal before plenty and you do need to focus.  If a main isn't in need of that, THEY'LL let you know.  They'll make eye-contact and smile, which is more that nice of them, or even talk to you.  Danny Glover is like that.  I worked on a show with him in it and he was so nice about talking to the other young actors of African descent.  I'm sure it was bombastic for them!

I have had the opportunity of talking to some of my faves as well!  Like Graham Green, prominent Native Actor!  He's great!  Easy going and fun.  I loved that experience.  Same with Tom Jackson, he's so tall in person.  You know he's tall, but then he's in front of you and it's like, Wow!  His voice is so pleasant too!

I am happy to say that I have yet to have a bad experience.  There have been some unpleasant weather scenarios, and low budget films/tv shows can be tough at times if you come unprepared, but they are all worthy experiences.  As a vegan, the food can be challenging too, but most projects have great caterers.

Well, that's my stuff for today!

Twas Canada Day!

Gotta say, I love Canada Day!!  I am so proud to be a Canadian, for so many many reasons!  I'm proud to be a Native Canadian, and to be blessed be a wonderful mix of nationalities.  I am Cree, Cayuse, Scots and Norwegian.  I love all my parts!  And it makes me feel even more Canadian as a result.  I went to the festivities with some of my wonderful family members, and it was a blast!  Too bad it all ended at 7, and there was a 3 1/2 hour gap between the entertainment and the fireworks.  As a result, we didn't stay to watch.  


Not a bad idea as we saw the throngs and hoards of happy people surging to the waterfront to get a good view.  A happy gathering, but a little too crowded for my liking.


Anyway, earlier we got to listen to awesome bands, my two faves were The Irish Descendants from Newfoundland, and...  EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!  THE GRAPES OF WRATH!!  I love these guys, and both bands definitely didn't disappoint!  We toured the military venue on hand, which was very well presented and always makes me feel pride swelling in my chest.  My older brother has been in for just over 20 years, I am so proud of him!!  We ate the famous Japadogs.  I was actually disappointed, they definitely weren't willing to negotiate my sauce to make mine vegan friendly.  Oh well, won't eat there again.  My other family members enjoyed theirs though.  :D


One of the best parts was watching the variety of people around us. we managed to find a great spot to sit and view.  There were smiles everywhere!  It was so refreshing and joyful!  


On a small downside, my Uncle Bert had a less than awesome Canada Day in Edmonton, Alberta.  He encountered racism, which we all know should have been abolished ages ago!  I'm going to recopy his experience ver batem because I think it's an important story to share.  I am proud of how he handled the situation, and the wisdom he shared the next day, with some words of WISDOM from a friend of his Lyndon Oochoo :

Bert Crowfoot 

I thought I’d put on my red shirt and go out and celebrate Canada Day by going to the Gallery Bar in the Mayfield Inn and playing pool with friends. 

I’m proud to be a Canadian and always open to people from other races and culture. I really didn’t understand why some Native people still have a real hatred to white people.

Unfortunately I do now. There were three skin heads playing pool and I put my $$$$ down to play the next game. I didn’t realize they were skin heads and they did everything they could to delay the games.

When my turn came, he broke and took the 8 ball and put it in the corner pocket and said you win..AND LAUGHED IN MY FACE. He turned and he and his buddies were giving each other high fives, laughing at how they made a fool out of a person who wasn’t as pure as they were.

Man was I pissed. My first reaction was to tune him up with my cue… but I kept my cool. The worst thing was they kept laughing and pointing at me all night. I kept getting pissed off and was tempted to follow them home and show them a little Indian justice.

My friend kept reminding me that it wasn’t worth it. I now really understand how our people feel when this happens to them and the anger and hatred it creates. Coming home, I was reminded of a saying my great great grandfather Chief Crowfoot had He said, “ I have friends and I have enemies…. I have white friends and I have Indian friends…. I have white enemies and I have Indian enemies…. I have friends and I have enemies….

I just wanted to add…. “There are assholes…. There are white assholes and there are Indian assholes.… Yes there are assholes....” The world is full of them…. And I happened to meet three of them tonight.

I also remembered that I have many white friends who have treated me with respect and honor and I’m not going to let three racists ruin my day..

I hope every one had a happy Canada Day….

That happened yesterday and last night Uncle Bert posted his Story.

Then today, he posted on Facebook a comment by his friend Lyndon Oochoo

I am leaving the Facebook formatting in so you can see what Bert said and what Lyndon said.

Bert Crowfoot: After last night I thought I'd share this beautiful post by Lyndon Oochoo
once again the creator blessed us with the oppurtunity to awaken and share this world with each other, maybe we should just stop and give thanx for the way the creator has made us, it doesnt matter what size or shape we are , we are all made the way the creator wanted us to be, when someone teases or just makes remarks about ppl

Lyndon Oochoo: they arent makin fun of the person they are talking about , they are makin fun of the work the Creator has done, and they will have to answer for it..some ppl just like going around saying mean stuff to other ppl because,of their own imperfections or because they think they are funny..they dont stop to think of the ppl they hurt with the things they say..i feel really sorry for the ppl who go around doing this, because when its their turn to leave this world they will have alot of apologizing to do and begging for forgiveness, not to us but to the spirit that made us who we are...

Lyndon Oochoothis makes me think of the animals i work with (horses)..i have come to see and work with alot of beautiful horses in my days, horses that everybody admired and wanted..but then i also worked with horses that didnt look so perfect that ppl laffed at..the ones that were admired were usually the ones that gave me the most problems, it was the other ones that turned out to be the the easiest to work with always willing to learn and accept what they must endure in life, those are the ones that ppl will enjoy the most...those are the ones that make the BEST FREINDS...

I will always appreciate the wisdom and learning that my elders share.  Thanks to them!

Have a great day everyone!  :D