19th July, 2011
There’s summer weather and then there’s summer weather on crack. It’s been sooooo hot here the last few days we’ve been staying cool indoors and worked on uploading our new Wood Pencil Sets to our website.
It helps that the computer is conveniently located next to our trusty air conditioner. Diligent shop-keep yes, opportunist yes also.
Hope you like our pencil sets!
14th July, 2011
Hey guys, I just updated my looooong list of Fake shipping scammers on my sticky post Fake Shipping Scams.
I’ve gotten dozens of emails from these kinda assholes since my last update. Incase you weren’t aware, fake shipping scams hurt real small business owners like yourselves. I’ve talked to someone first hand about her experiences.
Lots of people have posted comments about their own experiences also. Scary stuff and worth a read!
Alright that’s my public service announcement for the week, and now on with the show!
11th July, 2011
If it seems like I haven’t been around, you’re right I haven’t. Don’t you think summer’s too nice to stay indoors to blog? I do! C’mon peeps, live a little (or a lot).
The last couple weekends have been a blur. Time flies when you’re brunching in Toronto’s West end… sampling sweet treats and checking out art galleries along Queen Street… hanging out with my pal Nathalie Roze at your store in Leslieville… road tripping to far away flea markets… and taking a field trips to the likes of Evergreen Brick works.
Boy I’m exhausted from doing nothing! What can I say? I have no excuses except summer’s are too short here in Toronto, so let’s squeeze every last sunny drop out of it!
I’m one parts tired and two parts well rested… Back in the studio today. Have a great week everyone!
22nd, June 2011
Rumbling car engines outside my window got the best of my curiosity yesterday, so I poked my head out to see what the fuss was all about.
Looks like Peta was holding a Human Meat Tray Protest in front of the Tecumseth and Niagara abattoir. The demonstartion was held at high noon, much like a Mexican standoff.
Unfortunately there weren’t that many people there. I tried blasting “Meat is Murder” from my stereo and shone a giant pork chop bat-signal into the sky but sadly Morrissey didn’t show up.
I can see why they chose the Downtown abattoir to stage their protest, but I think the event would’ve generated more buzz if they would’ve done it at Nathan Philips Square or Yonge and Dundas Square. Like their US counterpart did at Times Square.
I’ve been a vegetarian a few times and have fallen off the wagon just as many. It’s tough ‘cos I’m such a good carnivore! Most recently I’ve been veg for just over a year and a half (and still going. Woohoo!).
I don’t think you can really talk someone into being a vegetarian. You might make them feel guilty about eating meat for a little while, but as soon as they catch the smell some delicious BBQ ribs or fried chicken (damn you KFC!) they’re over it. I think most people get turned off more than anything with pushy vegetarians or holier-than-thou vegans anyway.
Obviously living close to an abattoir is not without it’s drawbacks. There’s the less than savory smell of pigs that waft through the neighbourhood once in a while (a real treat on those hot summer days), or try driving behind a pig transport truck and seeing all the little pig snouts and hoofs poking out through the grids (goes in full and comes out empty. So traumatizing!). And on those special occasions when I can’t sleep at night, I swear I can hear the pigs cry! But maybe that’s just my guilty subconscious playing tricks on me.
But given the choice of living next to an abattoir or have developers tear it down and build more condos, I’m not sure what I would choose…
With the Thompson Hotel, The Cunter Diner, oops I mean The Counter Diner, and various condos popping up just a heartbeat away, our douchebag-per-square-meter ratio has gone waaaaay up in our once sleepy neighbourhood.
Can we have our protest for that? How about we dress up as a Massengil mascots and parade up and down the street. Who’s in? Hells yeah!
